σяиιтнαѕ ιι (нσσ χ мαℓє σ¢)

Return to Camp Half-Blood

Piper's POV

Piper: JASON!

Piper kept calling his name as she held him, though she'd almost lost hope. He'd been unconscious for two minutes now. His body was steaming, his eyes rolled back in his head. She couldn't tell if he was even breathing.

Hera: It's no use, child.

Hera stood over them in her simple black robes and shawl.

Piper hadn't seen the goddess go nuclear. Thankfully she'd closed her eyes, but she could see the aftereffects. Every vestige of winter was gone from the valley. No signs of battle, either. The monsters had been vaporized. The ruins had been restored to what they were before—still ruins, but with no evidence that they'd been overrun by a horde of wolves, storm spirits, and six-armed ogres.

Even the Hunters had been revived. Most waited at a respectful distance in the meadow, but Thalia knelt by Piper's side, her hand on Jason's forehead.

Thalia: (to Hera) This is your fault! Do something!

Hera: Do not address me that way, girl. I am the queen—

Thalia: Bitch! Fix him!

Hera: I did warn him. I would never intentionally hurt the boy. He was to be my champion. I told them to close their eyes before I revealed my true form.

Leo: Um...True form is bad, right? So why did you do it?

Hera: I unleashed my power to help you, fool! I became pure energy so I could disintegrate the monsters, restore this place, and even save these miserable Hunters from the ice.

Theo: But mortals can't look upon you in that form. You just got him killed!

Leo: (shakes his head) That's what our prophecy meant. Death unleash, through Hera's rage. Come on, lady. You're a goddess. Do some voodoo magic on him! Bring him back.

Piper half heard their conversation, but mostly she was focused on Jason's face.

Piper: He's breathing!

Hera: Impossible. I wish it were true, child, but no mortal has ever—

Piper: Jason. Listen to me. You can do this. Come back. You're going to be fine.

She had put every bit of her willpower into his name. She could not lose him.

Nothing happened. Had she imagined his breath stirring?

Hera: Healing is not a power of Aphrodite. Even I cannot fix this, girl. His mortal spirit—

Piper: Jason. Wake up!

He gasped, and his eyes flew open. For a moment they were full of light—glowing pure gold. Then the light faded, and his eyes were normal again.

Hera: Impossible!

Piper wrapped him in a hug.

Jason: (groans) Crushing me.

Piper: (chuckles) Sorry.

Thalia gripped her brother's hand.

Thalia: How do you feel?

Jason: Hot. Mouth is dry. And I saw something...really terrible.           

Theo: Yeah, that's Hera's fault. Turns out, the Queen Bitch herself is a loose cannon.

Hera: Theo Miller, I will turn you into a shrew, so help me—