The Daughter Of Night

Chapter Thirty-One - Hit Stuff? Yes Please!

Chapter Thirty-One - Hit Stuff? Yes Please!
Posted: Saturday 1st June 2024

Leo explained their plan and how Hera had directed them to Delos to search for the physicians cure ingreditents.

"I cannot help you!" Apollo said, "if I told you the secret of the physicians cure, Zeus would never forgive me."

"You're already in trouble, how could it get worse?" Leo asked.

"Zeus will be furious. I already have to tell him of my child," I shot Apollo a burning look, he didn't notice, "I cannot have him finding out I shared this as well- no, it would be simpler if I just smote you all. That might please Zeus-"

"Brother!" Aremis warned. The siblings seemed to have a silent argument, which it was plain to see Artemis won. Apollo got to his feet, smashed his ukulele and kicked it out of the way like an insolent child.

I rolled my eyes and Artemis smiled and got to her feet.

"Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang. Come with me. There are things you should know about the Twelfth Legion. As for you, Leo Valdez. Apollo will hear you out. See if you can strike a deal. My brother always likes a good bargain. Ariadne, go to the demigod's ship. You will leave here with them."

"What?" I demanded, "no, my mother-"

"Can't touch you at the moment. You will do better to get off of this island." Artemis said, she beckoned for Hazel and Frank to follow her and they did.

I turned to Apollo. Leo lingered in the background.

"Artemis is right," Apollo said, "you should go with the demigods. It is doing you no good staying here."

"So you'd rather me run headlong into a battle?" I demanded.

"You have proven time and time again that you can take care of yourself." Apollo said.

"You don't want me here?" I asked.

"No I do, but-"

"Don't worry about it Apollo. I'll go," I said.

"Ariadne its not-"

"I'm going now, I guess I'll see you if I survive." I turned on my heel and stormed away up the amphitheatre. As I passed Leo I paused for a second, "good luck."

*

Shadow travelling was completely out of the question. I would not put myself in the position of being anywhere near the reach of my mother. When I reached the little port on Delos I used the small amount of change I fished out of my pocket to jump aboard a ferry and headed towards the mainland where I could see the top of the Argo II's mast.

The sea sickness that had rolled over me on my months on the Princess Andromeda returned as soon as the boat left the dock and I was beyond happy when I could get off the boat. Unfortunately, it was only to immediately board another boat.

I wasn't spotted immediately when I boarded the Argo II, but quickly Annabeth and Percy rushed over from the bow of the ship to intercept me.

When they realised it was me, they relaxed slightly.

"Ri," Annabeth said, "you're okay?"

"Yeah, alright if I join you guys?"

"Join us?" Percy asked.

"Yeah to Athens, let's fight some giants."

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, "you sure you're okay?"

"I'm great." I wasn't I was incredibly angry at Apollo. I hadn't realised exactly how responsible he was for the current predicament. It was as if he couldn't be left unsupervised for even a moment without doing something terribly stupid.

I wondered if perhaps I was just another thing in the long line of stupid things Apollo had done.

I blew past Percy and Annabeth and headed to the bow of the ship, leaning on the rail looking out across the harbour towards Delos.

*

When the trio from Delos returned we set sail for the location Apollo had shared with Leo. Apparently, one of Apollo's children - Asclepius- could be found there and he would be able to help them make the physician's cure. I wasn't really sure what it was, or why it was needed, but I was still too lost in my own angry thoughts to ask.

I heard the others muttering behind me as I watched the Greek scenery pass by beneath me. It seemed that eventually Annabeth was sent to speak to me.

"You're not okay," Annabeth said as she rested he elbows on the rail beside mine and gazed out across the countryside. "Leo told me you and Apollo had an argument. Hazel said he mentioned something about Zeus being mad at Apollo about a child- Ri are you pregnant?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Well, no. Mainly we figured it out from what Apollo said," Annabeth said.

"Stupid god can't keep his stupid mouth shut," I complained.

Annabeth laughed. "Is that why you didn't end up killing us? Why you could get around Nyx's commands?"

"Artemis thinks so," I confirmed, "not sure if it's permanent or not though."

"Is it a demigod? Like do you know what-"

"It's a god- at least I think it's a god. Apollo thinks it's a god." I said, "I'm immortal, Apollo is a god, so it's unlikely that it will be anything less than a god."

"Do you need anything?" Annabeth asked.

"To smash some giant's faces in?" I suggested.

"Should you be doing stuff like that?"

I shrugged, "no idea, but I'm going to. Unless you guys think you can stop me?"

Annabeth laughed again, "I don't think we could even if we tried."

*

There was nothing to hit for a while, which enraged me further. We visited Asclepius and I was pleased to not have to meet with another one of Apollo's children as Jason, Leo and Piper went to get the cure.

The next day was the day that I would get to hit something as we arrived in Athens. I was disappointed when Annabeth wouldn't let me hit the snake people. In fact, she wouldn't even let me near them, so I stayed away, babysitting Beauford the Wonder Table making sure that it didn't offend the snake people.

Shocker- the snake people were here to lead us into a trap. Piper was able to charm them and she, Annabeth and Percy went with the snake with the intention of disabling the balisti which would allow the Argo II to get in closer.

Once they were gone, those of us who remained on the ship waited with baited breath. I didn't take my eyes off of the acropolis, watching the large shadows which the mist obscured slightly despite it being broad daylight.

Frank departed not long after Percy, Annabeth and Piper and Hazel remained focused on the mist which she was using to shroud Percy, Annabeth and Piper's progress. Leo was wrapped up in preparing the ship for war, which left just myself and Jason to anxiously watch the acropolis.

"We just have to hope that Nico and Reyna come through with uniting the Greeks and Romans now," Jason said, "otherwise all of this is futile, we can't kill the giants without godly help."

At his words a thought struck me. I had godly help. At that moment a young god was inside of me, not yet ready to be born, but with enough power to help his mother overcome Nyx. Surely it would be enough to fell a giant if it could overcome Nyx. I didn't voice my thoughts, I simply started at the acropolis, a pit of anticipation growing every larger in my stomach.