Rise of New Olympus

Chapter 22

Stingray-

"We are approaching our stop," Bellerophon said as he left the cockpit.

"Great! Now before we land I ask one last time, why are you so nervous to meet the Slavic Gods?" Percy asked. Ares tried to ignore Percy but the uneasiness on his face was as clear as the cloudless sky.

"Yeah! You could tell us yourself, or we could ask them when we land. Either way we would find out." Billy said sitting in the chair around the table.

Ares grunted and left the dining area. He was annoyed by the constant barrage of questions from Percy and Billy.

"What is he so embarrassed about?" Percy wondered. "Anyway, where are we landing?"

"We are currently in the Ukrainian airspace. I'm glad this craft is stealthy, or we would've been bombarded by the Ukrainian military."

"Yeah! I'm glad too. By the way does the location Ares gave checks out?" Billy nodded.

"It is on the border of Sokovia; a few miles from Novi Grad. There is nothing but mountains and forest in that area."

"These Dievas, what do you know about them?" Percy asked while chewing on an Enchilada.

"Nothing much, all I know is that Perun is their God of Thunder. He is the most famous of them all other than Baba Yaga, and Chernobog." Percy offered Billy an Enchilada, but he declined. "I'll go find us a place to land." He said and went back to the cockpit. Percy gave him a thumbs up.

A few minutes later Billy landed the Stingray in the forest near a huge lake.

"Now, how are we going to find these Slavic Gods in this forest?" Percy asked.

"This is the coordinates Lord Ares gave me but there's nothing here," Billy said.

"You have lived for thousands of years, Bellerophon yet you still forget that with the gods it's not always what it looks like," Ares said as he juggled a tomahawk. "These gods are one of the firstborns of Gaea, they are not as powerful as Olympians or Asgardians, but what they lack in strength they make up for it in magic. Don't let your guard down and follow me."

They walked behind Ares for a few minutes until they reached the banks of the lake. A few meters from them on the edge of the water there were two ancient-looking stone pillars. They were covered in Moss and vines. The Pillars were on a stone platform raised above the water. Ares climbed on the platform facing the lake.

"PERUN!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "IT IS I, ARES!"

As he finished shouting, the water started to bubble and from the water emerged a bridge that connected to the platform Ares was standing on. At the end of the bridge there was an arch made of stone. The arch began to glow and a bright white portal appeared in the arch.

"Let's go meet the Dievas and settle this once and for all," Ares said and stepped on the bridge.

As he stepped on it, an Axe came flying from the glowing door and embedded itself in the stone near Ares' legs. He stopped in his tracks and surprised, took a step back. The Axe was emitting sparks. Even though it happened so suddenly Ares was still standing calm, his eyes fixed on the glowing door on the other side of the bridge.

Percy saw a shadow behind the glow in the door and a man appeared from it. He had a bushy brown beard. He was wearing a white sleeveless tunic and a red skirt. Armor plates were on his shoulder and chest. Silver gauntlets adorned his arms and a red cape fluttered on his back. His helmet had horns on it and sparks crackled around him. As he fully emerged from the door, dark clouds started to gather in the sky. He walked towards Ares who was still standing calm.