End of the Line

#19 - The Titan Sisters

Chapter 19 - The Titan Sisters
published: Wednesday, 3 April 2019

"We're almost there," Jason encouraged as he stopped his trudge up the slope.

Piper let out a groan. "Pregnant...women... should...rest," she panted between breaths.

"Let's take a short break," Leo suggested as he eased Piper down to a sitting position.

She nodded gratefully and slumped against him. "Thank...you."

Jason kneeled down beside her in concern, placing a hand on her forehead. "You're burning up, Pipes. Are you sure you don't want to head back?"

Piper shook her head insistently. "No, no. I'm fine. We need this to continue with the quest."

"How many weeks along are you?" Frank asked warily. Piper's abdomen was much more swollen than before.

Piper shook her head. "I have no idea. It was only 12 weeks before."

"It's 40 weeks before giving birth right," Frank guessed.

Piper nodded. "But that's a full term. 38 weeks is the usual period of labour." She glanced around. "Let's focus on this first. How're we going to find the Idaean Cave? It disappeared centuries ago."

"It's probably just shrouded by the Mist," Jason reasoned.

Frank frowned. "We should've taken Hazel." When they had stopped back for a break, Hazel had insisted on coming with them, but she still remained on guard in the end.

"I can do this," Piper muttered to herself in a supportive mantra. She grabbed Frank's hand and pulled herself up breathlessly.

They continued up the hill between heavy pants and sluggish steps.

"This is the peak," Piper declared despairingly. She stepped onto the summit of the hill. "There aren't any caves here."

Leo scanned the view. He could see the whole city from here, but Piper was right — no caves.

"It's here somewhere," Jason insisted. He backtracked a few steps and regarded the hill's peak again.

Leo followed his gaze.

Jason has a point. There was something strange about the empty air. It was too vacant.

There should've been something there. Leo focused on the emptiness and imagine himself scraping away the layers like paint.

Within seconds, the shroud of Mist peeled away to reveal a stone cave, its entrance open and welcoming.

"There," Leo breathed, pointing to the cave.

One by one, his friends spotted the cave through the Mist.

Jason stepped up to the entrance and drew his sword warily. "This is where Mnemosyne is?"

Piper chewed on her lip. "Gaia said to go to the Idaean Cave."

They proceeded inside with weapons drawn, eyes darting about for any signs of danger.

"It's a door," Jason whispered. Between two stone walls walls, a large metal door with a vault lock bridged the gap.

Leo pushes his way between Frank's and Piper and placed his hand on the lock. The vibrations of the mechanisms seemed to flow through him.

He closed his eyes as the gears inside the lock twisted and clicked to align itself, allowing the door to open with a resounding "shh".

Leo pulled the door open with difficulty and stepped inside. His eyes widened in surprise and astonishment.