Falling Forest | pjo

the winter solstice

Charlie could feel his mother's burning gaze drill holes into the top of his head as he and the other demigods stood in front of the council. It's not like he resented the goddess. More so that he held a grudge over the fact that she left him to fend for himself and his father from monsters at a young age. And if he was anything, he was stubborn and petty. And so, he pointedly ignored her in favor of watching the cow happily swim around its water bubble.

He breathed softly, remembering how Artemis turned Zoë into a constellation in a beautiful flurry of light. Charlie couldn't remember the last time he had seen someone die. Usually there was a lot of screaming and blood, but the huntress had a resigned look on her face as if she knew this was going to happen from the start. A noble ending for a warrior like Zoë.

The hall of the gods was pretty...underwhelming. The view of the palace when Charlie was entering was absolutely breathtaking with gardens of the most beautiful flora and the view that oversaw New York City reminded him of how small humans were. Twelve colossal, marble thrones sat in a U-shape around a burning hearth and the ceiling glittered with beautiful constellations, including the most recent--the huntress with her bow drawn. But he wasn't impressed with the rest of his surroundings.

Charlie contributed it to his exhaustion. He didn't think he had a break since the whole ordeal with Thorn.

"Heroes." Artemis called, as she slid from her throne and shrunk down to human size before walking over to them. The moonlight followed her every step, causing her silver robes to shimmer in an ethereal light. "The Council has been informed of your deeds. They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas' attempts at freedom and the gathering of the armies of Kronos. We have voted to act."

There was mumbling and shuffling among the mentioned council, as if they weren't happy with the plan, but no protested.

Charlie furrowed his eyebrows in agitated confusion. He didn't understand why they would be reluctant over something as grave as this. This affected their positions after all.

"At my Lord Zeus's command..." Artemis said. "My brother, Apollo, and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters, destroying them before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom of the sea. And as for you, my heroes... These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service. Would anyone here deny that?"

The silver goddess scanned the assembled gods, meeting their eyes individually and daring them to challenge her words. Zeus sat in the middle in his pin-striped suit, beard neatly trimmed and eyes sparkling with energy. Next to him, sat a beautiful silver-haired woman with a dress that shimmered like peacock feathers and nose raised in disdain. Hera, Queen of the Gods.

On the other side of Zeus, was a tanned man with a floral shirt and khaki shorts. Percy's father, Poseidon, Charlie assumed. Next to him, a huge lump of a man with a steel brace and a misshapen head and a wild beard flickering with whispers of flame, tinkering with some device in his hand. Hephaestus, Lord of the Forges.

Hermes was next, wearing a business suit and checking his messages with the mobile phone in hand. Next to him, Apollo sat with his sunglasses on and iPod headphones in, nodding along to whatever music was on his playlist. A disheveled looking man was twirling a grapevine in his hand, looking bored. Dionysus, the wine god. The disrespect was very much intended on Charlie's part, but he moved on quickly before his glance became a glare. Ares sat in his chrome and leather throne, atrociously matching his leather clad biker outfit as he glared at Percy, sharpening a knife while doing so.