RED ¹ / Percy Jackson !

81

LADON OPENED HIS MOUTHS. The sound of a hundred heads hissing at once sent a shiver down my back, and that was before his breath hit me. The smell was like acid. It made Viviene's eyes burn, her skin crawl, and her hair stand on end.

Thalia went left. Percy and Viviene went right. 

Zoe walked straight toward the monster. "It's me, my little dragon," Zoe said. "Zoe has come back."

Ladon shifted forward, then back. Some of the mouths closed. Some kept hissing. Dragon confusion. Meanwhile, the Hesperides shimmered and turned into shadows. The voice of the eldest whispered, "Fool."

"I used to feed thee by hand," Zoe continued, speaking in a soothing voice as she stepped toward the golden tree. "Do you still like lamb's meat?" 

 The dragon's eyes glinted. 

Thalia, Percy and Viviene were about halfway around the garden. Ahead, Viviene could see a single rocky trail leading up to the black peak of the mountain. The storm swirled above it, spinning on the summit like it was the axis for the whole world.

They'd almost made it out of the meadow when something went wrong. Viviene felt the dragon's mood shift. Maybe Zoe got too close. Maybe the dragon realized he was hungry.

 Whatever the reason, he lunged at Zoe.

Two thousand years of training kept her alive. She dodged one set of slashing fangs and tumbled under another, weaving through the dragon's heads as she ran in our direction, gagging from the monster's horrible breath.

Both Viviene and Percy drew their swords, wanting to help.

"No!" Zoe panted. "Run!" 

 The dragon snapped at her side, and Zoe cried out. Thalia uncovered Aegis, and the dragon hissed. In his moment of indecision, Zoe sprinted past us up the mountain, and they followed. 

 The dragon didn't try to pursue. He hissed and stomped the ground, but  Viviene guessed he was well trained to guard that tree. He wasn't going to be lured off even by the tasty prospect of eating some heroes. 

They ran up the mountain as the Hesperides resumed their song in the shadows behind them. The music didn't sound so beautiful to Viviene  now—more like the sound track for a funeral. 

 At the top of mountain were ruins, blocks of black granite and marble as big as houses. Broken columns. Statues of bronze that looked as though they'd been half melted.

"The ruins of Mount Othrys," Thalia whispered in awe. 

 "Yes," Zoe said. "It was not here before. This is bad."

 "What's Mount Othrys?" Percy asked, feeling like a fool as usual.

"The mountain fortress of the Titans," Zoe said. "In the first war, Olympus and Othrys were the two rival capitals of the world. Othrys was—" She winced and held her side. 

 "You're hurt," Viviene said. "Let me see."

"No! It is nothing. I was saying... in the first war, Othrys was blasted to pieces."

"But... how is it here?" Percy asked, gulping.

Thalia looked around cautiously as they picked their way through the rubble, past blocks of marble and broken archways. "It moves in the same way that Olympus moves. It always exists on the edges of civilization. But the fact that it is here, on this mountain, is not good."

 "Why?" 

 "This is Atlas's mountain," Zoe said. "Where he holds—" She froze. Her voice was ragged with despair. "Where he used to hold up the sky."

They had reached the summit. A few yards ahead of them, gray clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountaintop, but instead rested on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silvery dress: Artemis, her legs bound to the rock with celestial bronze chains.

 This is what Viviene had seen in her vision. It hadn't been a cavern roof that Artemis was forced to hold. It was the roof of the world.

"My lady!" Zoe rushed forward, but Artemis said, "Stop! It is a trap. You must leave now."

Her voice was strained. She was drenched in sweat. Viviene had never seen a goddess in pain before, but the weight of the sky was clearly too much for Artemis.

Zoe was crying. She ran forward despite Artemis's protests, and tugged at the chains. 

 A booming voice spoke behind them: "Ah, how touching."

They turned. The General was standing there in his brown silk suit. At his side were Luke and half a dozen dracaenae bearing the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. 

Annabeth stood at Luke's side. She had her hands cuffed behind her back, a gag in her mouth, and Luke was holding the point of his sword to her throat.

But Viviene's eyes fell onto Holden who was next to his brother, his sword in hand, as he stared at Viviene with broken eyes and anger.

Viviene's breath caught in her throat, her heartbeat dangerously increasing. She took a step closer to Percy, fear coating her veins. Percy took her hand, glaring daggers at Holden who looked about ready to fall to his knees and cry at the fact Viviene was scared of him.

"Luke," Thalia snarled. "Let her go."

 Luke's smile was weak and pale. He looked even worse than he had three days ago in D.C. "That is the General's decision, Thalia. But it's good to see you again." 

 Thalia spat at him.

The General chuckled. "So much for old friends. And you, Zoe. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you."

"Do not respond," Artemis groaned. "Do not challenge him."

 "Wait a second," Percy said. "You're Atlas?" 

The General glanced at Percy. "So, even the stupidest of heroes can finally figure something out. Yes, I am Atlas, the general of the Titans and terror of the gods. Congratulations. I will kill you presently, as soon as I deal with this wretched girl." 

"You're not going to hurt Zoe" Viviene said, her sword appearing in her hand. "I won't let you." 

 The General sneered. "You have no right to interfere, ridicilous girl. This is a family matter." 

 "A family matter?" Percy frowned. 

"Yes," Zoe said bleakly. "Atlas is my father."

***

I have to apologize in advance, you'll definetly cry during the next chapter.