νεκρός || Annabeth Chase x Fem!OC

Vol. 4-26: not even sure what to call this tbh cuz this one is SAD

ANNABETH

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆

All talking died down. The room was silent except for the crackle of the hearth fire. Everyone's eyes were on Tempest- all the gods, the demigods, the Cyclopes, the spirits. She walked into the middle of the throne room. Hestia smiled at her reassuringly. She was in the form of a girl now, and she seemed happy and content to be sitting by her fire again. As she stared at her, Tempest's steps grew more confident, and she faced the gods without any fear.

She first bowed to Zeus. Then to Hades and Melinoe.

"Rise, Tempest," Melinoe said, her voice eerie and unsettling.

Tempest stood and faced all the gods.

Zeus gripped the arm of his throne. "You have... fooled all of us." Several gods looked ashamed. "For decades."

Tempest hesitated. "It wasn't all me. I think... I think my mom tried to hide me."

"Apate will be dealt with," Zeus grumbled, and turned to his fellow gods. "Which of you twelve knew she was dead?"

Aphrodite's hand shot straight up.

Even my own mother looked alarmed. "You knew?"

"You're not the only omnipotent being in this room, darling," Aphrodite stated, which did not sit well with my mother. "Of course I knew she was dead. She's always been one of my special cases."

"I had a feeling," Hephaestus grumbled. "Didn't know for sure, though. Not 'til she got blasted to Ogygia."

I winced at the memory.

Zeus looked irritated. "And you didn't think to bring this forth?"

"I knew she was important," Aphrodite said. "Forgive me, Lord Zeus, but I knew she needed to remain in the mortal realm. I couldn't afford you sending her to the Underworld."

"Agreed," Hades said. "Melinoe heard the Great Prophecy years ago and knew it was about Tempest. She did the right thing by preserving her."

Tempest flinched and looked down.

Percy tugged my shirt and whispered, "What's happening?"

I shook my head, too afraid to speak. I had no idea what the gods would do, but it couldn't be good. The dead were not supposed to walk with the living.

"Regardless," Hades said, "A great hero must be rewarded. Is there anyone here who would deny that Tempest is deserving?"

I waited for someone to pipe up. The gods never agreed on anything, and many of them still didn't like me, but not a single one protested.

Rewarded? Even Tempest looked confused. "Wait, I... What?"

Zeus waved his hand at Hades.

Hades eyed down Tempest. "For years, you've drifted the earth, unsure what your fate was. You spent eighty-three years bumbling around, questioning your existence." Tempest clenched her jaw. "Today, those questions have been answered, and you've realized it was just time to mull over."