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I 016. I
𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔
❝ burden ❞
IT WAS A SHOCK FOR ARIADNE. But the horrible thing was: she could see the family resemblance. Atlas had the same regal expression as Zoe, the same cold proud look in his eyes that Zoe sometimes hot when she was mad, though on him it looked a thousand times more evil.
"Let Artemis go," Zoe demanded.
Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."
Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoe! I forbid you."
Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess but at him, almost taking off his fingers.
"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos riles again, and this is the center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."
Ariadne looked at Annabeth. She was trying to tell her and Percy something, motioning her head toward Luke. But all they could do was stare at her. There was now a streak of gray in her blonde hair.
"From holding the sky," Thalia muttered, as if she could read their minds. "The weight should've killed her."
She didn't like the sound of that. But Annabeth has always been stronger than her, and this just proves it.
"I don't understand," Percy said. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"
Atlas laughed. "How little do you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still years to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay, or else it would crush down upon the place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything weighing a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled. "Unless someone else takes it from you."
H approached them, studying Thalia, Percy, and Ariadne. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."
"Fight us," Percy said. "And let's see."
"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."
Ariadne suppressed her smile. Atlas didn't know that Ariadne taught Luke, and that she was much better than he was. "So you're another coward," she said.
