Caliginosity [ Leo Valdez ]

House Made of the Dawn Disappears

Livana had heard of someone's life flashing before their eyes.

But she didn't think it would be like this.

Standing with her friends in a defensive ring, surrounded by giants, then looking up at an impossible vision in the sky – Livana could very clearly picture herself fifty years in the future.

She was sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of a house in the mountains. Leo was serving food. His hair was gray. Deep lines etched the corners of his eyes, but he was still as handsome as ever. Livana's grandchildren sat around her feet, and she was trying to explain to them what had happened on this day in Athens.

No, I'm serious, she said. Just seven demigods on the ground and one more in a burning ship above the Acropolis. We were surrounded by thirty-foot-tall giants who were about to kill us. Then the sky opened up and the gods descended!

Grandma, the kids said, you are full of schist.

I'm not kidding! she protested. The Olympian gods came charging out of the heavens on their war chariots, trumpets blaring, swords flaming. And Zeus, the king of the gods, led the charge, a javelin of pure electricity crackling in his hand!

His grandkids laughed at her. And Leo glanced over, smiling, like Would you believe it, if you hadn't been there?

But Livana was there. She looked up as the clouds parted over the Acropolis, and she almost doubted her mind was being truthful. Instead of blue skies, she saw black space spangled with stars, the palaces of Mount Olympus gleaming silver and gold in the background. And an army of gods charged down from up high.

It was too much to process. And it was probably better for her health that she didn't see it all. Only later would Livana be able to remember bits and pieces.

There was supersized Zeus riding into battle in a golden chariot, a lightning bolt the size of a telephone pole crackling in one hand. Pulling his chariot were four horses made of wind, each constantly shifting from equine to human form, trying to break free. For a split second, one took on the icy visage of Boreas. Another wore Notus's swirling crown of fire and steam. A third flashed the smug lazy smile of Zephyrus. Zeus had bound and harnessed the four wind gods themselves.

On the underbelly of the Argo II, the glass bay doors split open. The goddess Nike tumbled out, free from her golden net. She spread her glittering wings and soared to Zeus's side, taking her rightful place as his charioteer.

"MY MIND IS RESTORED!" she roared. "VICTORY TO THE GODS!"

At Zeus's left flank rode Hera, her chariot pulled by enormous peacocks, their rainbow-coloured plumage so bright it gave Livana the spins.

Ares bellowed with glee as he thundered down on the back of a fire-breathing horse. His spear glistened red.

In the last second, before the gods reached the Parthenon, they seemed to displace themselves, like they'd jumped through hyperspace. The chariots disappeared. Suddenly Livana and her friends were surrounded by the Olympians, now human-sized, tiny next to the giants, but glowing with power.

Jason shouted and charged Porphyrion.

His friends joined in the carnage.

The fighting ranged all over the Parthenon and spilled across the Acropolis. Out of the corner of her eye, Livana saw Annabeth fighting Enceladus. At her side stood a woman with long dark hair and golden armor over her white robes. The goddess thrust her spear at the giant, then brandished her shield with the fearsome bronzed visage of Medusa. Together, Athena and Annabeth drove Enceladus back into the nearest wall of metal scaffolding, which collapsed on top of him.