madness and ecstasy // leo valdez

-fight! fight! fight! fight!-

got my first ever hate commenter yall 💪💪💪

get your snacks and get comfy everyone, this chapter's got a nearly 4k word count-

<3

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Her anatomy was a little confusing. Leo could dig the chariot and the horses pulling it, but it took him a second to figure out was going on up top. See, the spear pressed to his chest was being held up by nothing, since she had no arms. Only a massive set wings.

Her expression was wide-eyed and a little crazy, like she'd just had twenty espressos and ridden a roller coaster, but that didn't bother Leo. He was kinda used to it.

But those wings - they were polished gold, right down to the last feather. Leo could admire the intricate workmanship, but it was too much, too bright and flashy. He could hardly see.

He could still feel the earth shifting underneath him, pushing against the back of his shoe, and nearly had a heart attack, they still had days before Gaea was set to rise, but it was only a grapevine stem.

"Lady," he said lifting his hand to shade his eyes and ignoring the plant creeping higher behind him in the hopes Nike would too, "could you fold your flappers, please? You're giving me a sunburn."

"What?" Nike's head jerked towards him like he'd shone a torch at a feral animal. "Oh ... my brilliant plumage. Very well. I suppose you can't die in glory if you are blinded and burned."

Teqi screwed up her nose. "This would be great foreshadowing if it was my point of view."

Nike tucked in her wings behind her. The temperature dropped to a summer afternoon, and not the inside of the oven when Teqi forgot she'd put something in again. He looked down at the vine hanging over his shoulder, the thick stem in between his heart and the spear point.

Leo smiled at Teqi in thanks [he figured blowing a kiss would only make the situation worse] and then glanced at his friends. A cloud of dust was billowing where Arion bucked and snorted, avoiding eye contact with the massive white horses pulling the chariot. Hazel pulled him back.

Frank stood very still, sizing up the goddess, his hand on his bow, where it was tied with his quiver to his backpack.

Percy was finishing his icy pole.

Nobody stepped forward to talk. Leo missed having Piper with them. She was good at the whole talking thing. Leo tended to make people angrier when he opened his mouth, but he decided somebody had better say something before they all died in glory.

"So!" He pointed his index fingers at Nike. "I didn't get the briefing, and I'm pretty sure the information wasn't covered in Frank's pamphlet. Could you tell me what's going on here?"

Nike's wide-eyed stare didn't waver.

"We must have victory!" The goddess shrieked, startling everyone. "The contest must be decided! You have come here to determine the winner, yes?"

Frank cleared his throat. "Are you Nike or Victoria?"

"Argghh!" The goddess clutched the side of her head. Her horses reared, causing Arion to do the same.

The goddess shuddered and split into two separate images, which reminded Leo - ridiculously - of when he used to lie on the floor in his apartment as a kid and play with the coiled doorstop on the skirting board. He would pull it back and let it fly: