The Spirits of the Universe (PJO)

Chapter 46--The Bearers of Bad News

A/N--I made a mistake during my A/N the previous chapter—I am planning to do a complete rehaul of The Moon's Shine, not The Silver Ring. Please share your thoughts on this!

Enjoy the story!

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We looked at Paul in shock. Well, Paul and I did. Aridne was a bit more confused. 

"Are you . . . are you sure that's her name?" Liam asked him.  

"I think I would remember my daughter's name," Paul said tersely, taking offense to his question.

"Liam didn't mean it that way," I said diplomatically. "I think he's just a little bit shocked. You see . . . we thought we already knew who your daughter's father was."

"You've met her?" Aridne and Paul asked in unison. They looked at each other in surprise, then Aridne demanded, "When was this?"

"You were still in the motel," Liam explained. "Percy and I were making our way to the mayor's residence to figure out what was going on in Helmmount—"

"It's too long of a story!" I interrupted. "C'mon! Paul—I know where your daughter is! If we make haste, we can find her before the sun sets."

I looked around wildly. It was way too inefficient to hike out—but we were no longer on our own. 

I spun around to meet the fire-filled irises of our skeleton horses—they hadn't disappeared after we'd vanquished Mormolyce. "We can ride these out of the forest."

I quickly cut the leather ropes connecting the horses to the chariot, then climbed onto one. Liam climbed onto the other, while Aridne pocketed the necklace and mounted behind me. 

Ooh, this ought to be interesting, End said, waggling her eyebrows in a suggestive way.

Shut up! I hissed. Don't make it weird.

You didn't have to take it that way if you didn't weren't thinking about it. Face it—

I blocked her out. Even if I wanted to let her finish her sentence, I didn't have the time to pay attention to her. Because there was something much more important going on in the real world.

Despite our urgings, Paul stood still in front of us. From our positions and his rumpled clothing, he looked tiny—defeated, even. "It is time to say goodbye."

I didn't like the atmosphere that surrounded him. It was clear that he was being serious, but . . . "Paul, I'm not playing jokes about knowing your daughter. I know it's hard to trust me—"

"How could I ever doubt my savior?" Paul smiled, but it was like he wasn't fully present. "Trust me, the first thing I want to do is follow you and make sure my daughter is safe. But . . . I have overstayed my welcome here."

I protested, but Aridne whispered in my ear, "Leave it, Percy. Look at him."

Look at him? So I did. Paul seemed normal. Well, as normal as a man who'd been torn away from his daughter by a vengeful Titan could seem. His eyes were haggard, while his clothes lay limp against his skin . . .

His skin! With all the distractions around me, I hadn't really noticed that Paul had started flickering again. As I watched in horror, his mini disappearances became longer and more frequent—until I began to worry that every other moment would be the last I'd see of him.

"Paul!" I said. "Y-you—" I couldn't finish my sentence. It was obvious what was happening. All my friends seemed to experience it within a few years of meeting me—as if I was the worst curse someone could've thrown into their life.

Paul was saying his last goodbyes.

"I see you've figured it out," the Taraxippi said softly. "You might be blaming yourself—but this is unavoidable. You've done me a great favor—you gave me hope when I forgot what it felt like. Now I must make peace with my past."

"What past?" I exclaimed. "Mormolyce tore that all away from you. Your past is outside this stupid forest, so come with us!"

"My daughter is not my past—she is my future. And there's nobody else I would rather take care of my and Helia's future than you. I wish you luck on your adventure."

His words became softer and softer, and his form became dim. One blink, two blink—and then he was gone. 

"Paul!" I leaped off my horse and ran to where I last saw him—but I was too late.  The sun shone brightly in my eyes, then a bracelet dropped into my hands. It was constructed of toy beads, as if a child had made it. 

Paul hadn't lost hope all this time. My blood ran cold. All I could remember was Paul's somber smile as he became one with the wind. Clearly, he didn't know what was in store for his future. Please let him finally be happy.

"C'mon, Percy," Aridne said softly as I stood, numb in shock. "We should get back before nightfall."

My body moved to mount the horse behind her. Even as I wrapped my arms around her waist and smelled her sweet perfume, which somehow still lingered around despite her having fought in mud and smelly hay for the majority of the day, my mind still wandered to Paul. I needed time to grieve.

End didn't bother me for the rest of the ride.

Halfway through the Great Forest, Liam asked, "Who's Helia?"

"What?"

"Paul made it sound like she's the mother of his daughter. Maybe if we can find her, we can finally give her some closure . . ."

Aridne shook her head. "Helia is a very uncommon name on this planet. I'm willing to bet that he was referring to Helios. He uses that name when he descends in his female form."

"Paul, a titan changed forms to make you love them," Liam mused. "How great must you have been for that?"

"Being great isn't enough," I said. "You have to be Paul." 

It seemed like anyone with that name always had an unlucky life. They truly didn't deserve it.

This isn't good, Percy, Order said as the memories from my family back on Earth came flooding in. Grieving only soils their memories. If you truly want to find justice for Paul, you need to fulfill his desires. 

I'd like to think that I'm doing my dead allies a favor, I said sadly, But why does it always have to come in the form of bad news?

The dilapidated buildings were soon behind us, and we passed the first steelwood trees into the Great Forest, on our way back out. 

If Order had an answer to my question, he didn't voice it.