Glory of Hera [On hold]

Chapter XXVI

Chapter XXVI: 3rd PoV
And so, filled to the brim with determination, she charged at the robot.

To those who watched Thalia Beryl Grace as she ran into battle, she looked like some fierce goddess of war. Her storming eyes were narrowed and her left first was tightly holding her spear.

Each slash she gave seemed to be a result of meticulous calculations, every graceful leap was full of precise timing. Her bountiful supply of insults carried her through the fight, causing the automaton to get more aggravated with her every second.

But despite her best efforts, she knew she wasn't going to win. Compare her quite breakable, very human form to the robot's impervious metal armor and tireless attitude, and it was surprising she wasn't already a dead pile of chopped Thalia.

Her two friends were watching in horror-struck fascination as the robot slowly pressed her back, keeping her on the defensive side of the fight. Sweat was pouring from the daughter of Zeus' face and she had a look of acceptance as the automaton raised its sword and-

"Stop!"

The clear sound rung out. The word full of such a power that all four were rendered immobile momentarily.

Thalia was the first to recover, scrambling away furiously from her attacker before she was beheaded. Turning to get a good look at her savior, she found herself face-to-face with a nymph.

Carelessly beautiful, her long, ebony locks were plaited tightly, a string of golden leaves woven in. Her dark eyes, swirling with power, stood out against her alabaster skin, which had an eerie glowing quality. Her cupid-bows lips were pursed tightly as she narrowed her eyes as all of them.

"Stop!" She repeated, this time with less force, "Back off Phri! What did I say about hurting them?" The automaton whirred lightly and slumped against the wall as it powered down.

"Good!" She clasped her hands together, "This is good. The day is getting better. Here you all are, alive and well, despite some colossal slip ups from my servants," She glanced at the pile of golden dust that had been the Sphinx forlornly, but with a barely noticeable hint of satisfaction, "So welcome children, I am here to guide you on your journey. I tried to help the other girl who came through here on hers, but she rebuffed my advice. Now, she must take the harder path."

"Lou Ellen?" Katie wondered as she walked over with Nico to stand by Thalia, "Was she here?"

The nymph nodded, "Yes, I'm afraid she has quite the trip ahead of her. But never mind that," She clapped her perfectly-manicured hands together once more, "I am Athamantis."

Nico frowned slightly, where has he heard that name before? One of his father's missions perchance? Yes! It was one-when he'd gone to Europe. His business had taken him near the Dardanelles, a narrow strait linking the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Hades had mentioned an old Greek tale, and he'd looked into it.

"Helle," The son of Hades recalled, "Your name is Helle."

She bristled, "I prefer Athamantis, or Manty if you're in the mood to get a sword in your solar plexus."

Her harsh words didn't affect him much he's heard much worse from his own father and step-mom, "Helle it is then."

"Hell?" It was Thalia who spoke next, "Like the place?"

"There's an 'e' at the end," The nymph corrected, leaving the daughter of Zeus to wonder how she'd told the difference, "And yes as in the place-if, by the place you mean the river."

"The Dardanelles," Nico once again interjected, "Used to be called the Hellespont."

"After me."

"Yes," Nico said slowly, eyeing her carefully, "You fell off a flying golden ram into the river and died. Which begs the question-how are you here now?"

"Died is such a harsh way to put it," Helle responded airily, "I much prefer 'took a breather from Earth', or even 'passed on'."

She was avoiding the question, it was painfully obvious, "Now, follow me, and no more questions."

Her words were imbued with hidden power and the other three found themselves unable to argue. After all, hadn't done anything wrong yet, and it was rude to pester her with questions. So rude. So very, very, very....

The next thing they knew, their eyes were snapping open and they were in a small cage. Helle was standing outside, a sneer positioned on her lips as if it was meant to be there forever and always.

"We have time, so why not get comfortable with your surroundings as I tell you a little story. I was born to the King Athamas and the cloud Nymph Nephele. My step-mother, Ino, hated me and my twin Phrixus for no other reason than the fact that we weren't hers."

Phri, Thalia recalled, was what Helle had called the robot. Either her brother had been through some things, or it was a reminder of the nymph's lost twin.

"So she tricked the local farmers that there was a famine. When a few went to consult the oracle about it, she bribed them into saying the sacrifice of my brother was required to end the famine. Fortunately, the day my brother was to be executed, we were saved by a flying ram who seemed to be made of gold."

Was this ram the same as the one who'd become the legendary Golden Fleece?

"That's nice and all," Katie began timidly, "But maybe could you let us go so we could discuss it somewhere nicer?"

"Good try demigod," Helle laughed amusedly, like the daughter of Demeter was a dog who'd just rammed into a glass door, "but my henchman Janus already lost you once, I need you all to capture forth party member. He will surely come if he hears you all are captured. That is, if he's not to bust cavorting around with our... distraction."

Thalia was overpowered with two emotions-the overwhelming relief, and the confusion, "Distraction?"

"Don't be too upset, young one," Helle replied with an all too fake air of sympathy that went well with her simpering smile, "You never really stood a chance anyway. She's an elusive object of beauty, you're just an idiotic daughter of the sky god who thinks she's important enough to ever be loved by him."

"Why would you say that!" Nico came to his friends defense, his face red, "Percy would never-"

"-He's with her now," Their captor interrupted, "I swear it on Styx."

And as soon as she wasn't smited, Helle turned and stalked off, leaving the three Greeks in a cage all alone, a feeling of betrayal sinking in.

"Oh Percy," Katie shook her head sadly, pressing up against the bleached white bars of their cell, "How could you?"

A/N: We're so so so so so so so so sorry! It's been far too long. Don't worry, your next chapter shouldn't take more than a week. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter-we had fun writing it.

Who's Helle? And how is she back from the dead? All these answered and more....

Next time

Love y'all,
Marri and Peeves