The Next Olympians

Prologue

Apollo left the goddess' room in the infirmary, looking weary and exhausted. He had tried everything he could think of. He knew what was wrong with her, and what needed to happen; all of the Olympians did. But Athena ... it was too late for her. As the god of healing closed the door, he decided that he didn't want to look at the form of his sister tucked between the sterile white sheets. Unfortunately, he couldn't turn his eyes away. Athena's limp form seemed half-starved and fragile. Her skin was deathly pale, and there were dark shadows cast across her face from under her closed eyes. Her aura was weakening, and this was not good.

As Apollo recognised Zeus standing at the clear glass window of the room, he sighed inwardly, and rubbed his eyes. Whatever this was about, he doubted it could help the goddess.

"She's getting worse." Apollo's voice was urgent as he looked at his father. Despite his best efforts, the illness couldn't be cured, and Apollo knew that. Too well. He was the god of prophecy, after all. "She will probably need to choose her heir first of us all, Zeus."

The sky god, who had been looking at his daughter through the window of the infirmary, scowled and ran a hand through his trimmed beard. Athena couldn't be allowed to die, but if this disease was incurable ...

"How long does she have?" Zeus asked gruffly, interrupting Apollo's thoughts.

"A few days. And I'm being optimistic to say a week."

"Well, you're the god of prophecy ... who will she choose?"

"She won't. It is already too late." Apollo frowned, secretly glad that it hadn't been Artemis to go first. "But, I can see who would be fitting to take her place. She is at the camp now. Not the counsellor, but..." Apollo closed his eyes, trying to find a glimpse of the demigod who would become the new goddess. He re-opened them after a moment, as a feeling of dread settled in his chest. "She's unclaimed. Styx, now what?"

"We'll do it for Athena. Send a sign. I'm not sure it's been done before, but we need to find her an heir." Zeus nodded resolutely, his expression creased into a worried frown as he spoke the words.

They needed to hurry. Or Athena's legacy would be lost forever, and they would be vulnerable.

As Apollo turned to leave and do more research, he paused. "Zeus? Her name is Katherine. Just so you know who to look for."