Fear of Erebus

The Weapon

Honestly; I had no idea what I should do. The small piece of paper in my hand felt a lot heavier then it should have, like a massive burden that just wouldn't go away... it wasn't my problem, right? One of the demigods would fulfil this prophecy.

A prophecy. It had been nearly eleven years since the Prophecy of Seven had first been spoken. And now...

Now.

Erebus was rising, and the prophecy that would stop him was in my hands. I looked at my brother, who lay peacefully asleep in his bed. Zeus had been here, why hadn't Apollo give him the prophecy...?

"Hey," I shoved his shoulder, hoping that he would wake. "Hey, come on. You need to tell me what this means. Wake up, gods dammit!" I sighed in frustration and looked back at the scrunched up piece of paper, my forehead wrinkling in confusion as I reread the words on the page; A weapon of power? The land of the fading? Help the god in need of aiding? Could be Apollo, maybe, but he wasn't in the land of the fading...?

Poseidon had faded... Apollo was fading... Was Olympus the land of the fading?!

Am I fading?!

I breathed in sharply through my teeth and quickly scampered away from Apollo's bed. I didn't want to fade. I refuse.

I hate prophecies. I subconsciously shivered in disgust as I remembered the last few times Olympus had been at peril. Back then, many of the Gods- although not willing to publicly admit it- had taken comfort in fact that the last two great prophecies had been helmed by Perseus Jackson. Now look where we are.

The Golden Boy of Olympus, fallen traitor to the darkness.

I narrowed my eyes in loathing, the next time I see that sea spawn, I swear by the Fates that he will die by my hand. My grip tightened around the bow, and I realised that something had to be done about this prophecy and I would be damned if I had to wait for another incompetent and easily tempted demigod to come along and mess everything up. No. I will be the one to complete this prophecy, Ancient Laws be damned!

With one last glance at Apollo, I vanished from his room and teleported to the one place I knew that I would get answers; Athena's palace. The bow retracted into its pin form and I put it in my pocket, just to be safe. I began repeating the prophecy in my head; a weapon of power, a weapon of light. There was a weapon out there, somewhere, that can destroy Erebus and his forces... I just have to figure out what it is...

I started scanning my finger along the tomes that decorated the walls of her palace. Every book, in every language one could imagine, and even books too complex for mortal minds, all under one roof, ordered and filed in a perfect arrangement.

The Necklace of Harmonia? The Ring of Gyges? The Baetylus Stone? Moly herbs? Fruit from the Lotus Tree? The Apple of Discord... I shuddered upon the thought of what happened last time that had been used. Orpheus' lyre? Dragon teeth?

"Looking for something, Artemis?" I froze still, my hand hesitated just above another book spine. Damn it. "Artemis, I can see you." I rolled my eyes at her never yielding tone of superiority and reluctantly turned around on my heel to face her.

"Athena." I drawled. She narrowed her eyes and gave an analysing glare. I set my jaw and remained natural, Athena had a keen eye- she could tell easily tell if I was here for... questionable reasons.

"Well?" She asked expectantly, looking down her sharp nose with her calculating grey eyes.

I scrunched the prophecy further into my palm and inconspicuously placed it in my pocket. There was a reason why Apollo didn't tell Zeus about the prophecy. I couldn't let Athena know, not yet- she was too loyal to father. I tried to suppress my nervous swallow. "You know... just trying to find a way to stop Erebus." I gave her a fake smile as she only seemed half-convinced, but she returned to putting away her pile of books.