Thunderstorms and Ocean Waves (book 3)

Spontaneous Combustion

Aria

After I helped out with quite a few of the wounded, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and I went up in the elevator and I zoned out while Percy and Annabeth talked. I finally came back when Percy was about to sit on his dad's throne.
"Help me up." He said.
"Are you crazy?" Annabeth asked.
"Probably." He said as I laughed and she walked away. I linked my arms with Grover's and we pushed him up on the throne and sat down on the ground trying to figure out when my mother will come into play.
"You've got to get down there. The enemy is advancing. And Kronos is leading them." Thalia said as she walked in and we all followed her out.

By the time we got to the street, it was too late. Campers and Hunters lay wounded on the ground and Clarisse was iced over. I channeled my inner Hephaestus and brought fire to my fingertips to thaw her out as Annabeth attacked Kronos and Nico joined the party. Kronos shrunk the border to just the Empire State building and he bypassed us before Paul grabbed a sword from a fallen hero and stabbed a dracaena in the gut and she disintegrated. I turned my attention to Sally who just fired a shot from a shotgun at a giant who fell into Nico's sword.
"Nice!" I grinned at her bed Percy grabbing my arm hauling me behind him to find Kronos with Annabeth, Thalia and Grover trailing behind us into the elevator.
Once we got to the top, cracks started to form.
"Jump!" Grover said.
"Gods I hate heights!" Thalia yelled as she and Annabeth lept across and I fell. I let out a shrill scream before Percy grabbed onto my arms, but as my luck would have it... I started to slip.
"I've come this far, I won't die now!" I yelled as his grip on my hands tightened and he pulled me up and held me securely in his arms.
"You're not going to die with me around." He panted before he helped me to my feet and we continued onward as the floor continued to collapse before a statue of Hera toppled over us before Thalia pushed us out of the way.
"Well, don't just stand there! Go! I'll be fine." She said before we continued on.

"My Lord." Ethan warned as he saw us walk in and I was tackled to the floor. My head slapped the marble so hard, it took me a bit before I could see again.
"Mother?" I choked.
"Hello darling." She grinned evily as I squirmed under her weight.
"Mum..." I whimpered as she squeezed my wrists, nearly breaking them.
"Get off her!" Annabeth yelled as she came at her with her dagger.
"No don't! It's fine... I've got this." I said as she stopped. "Go help Percy." She nodded and left before I looked up into the cold blue eyes of my mother.
"Weak and useless as always, aren't you, Monte Bella?" She said venomously, using the nickname my dad gave to me.
"Mum... please... listen to me. I want to help you." I soothed as she glared at me.
"No one can save you." She snarled.
"But I want to save you... save the mother daughter relationship you never got. We can have that." I said.
"NO WE CAN'T!" She bellowed.
"Yes we can! Of course we can! We can be a team, mom... we can be family." I soothed as she pushed herself off me.
"Help them..." she whispered to me. This is the most broken she's ever sounded in front of me.
"Thank you." I smiled at her before rushing over to find an unconscious Grover and Annabeth. I took her dagger and ran over.
"STOP!" I yelled as Kronos faced me and I caught Backbiter's strike on the dagger hilt.
"Luke... you have to trust me... I understand." I said softly as we were at a standstill.
"Luke Castellan is dead!" Kronos roared.
"Family, Luke. You promised." I said, hoping that he'd see Annabeth through me.
"Ari... you're bleeding." Luke said as I put my hand gently on his face.
"Percy, the cursed blade... the knife." I said.
"Tell Annie I'm sorry." Luke said as I nodded and Percy grabbed the knife and handed it to Luke before he stabbed himself before a bright light surrounded us and blistered my skin.
When I opened my eyes, so did Luke, and his eyes were back to the soft blue they used to be.
"You can rest now." I whispered as he patted my hand and Annabeth came over.
"All the unclaimed... don't let it happen again." He said before he let out his last breath and the Olympians came in.
"We need a shroud." I started before my throat closed with tears.
"For the son of Hermes." Percy finished.

The 3 Fates themselves took Luke's body.
It is done. One of them said before they snipped the light blue yarn and carried his body out. That's when I remembered my Mother. My eyes went wide and I stumbled before I ran to find her. I ignored everyone calling my name just to find her looking over Manhattan, dangerously close to the edge.
"Mom! Don't!" I called to her as she faced me.
"I'm sorry we couldn't be." She said as I screamed and she jumped. Percy was the first one to reach me and pull me back before I jumped as well.
"No! Let me go! I have to save her! Percy! Let me go!" I screamed as tears fell quickly from my eyes, but he held me tightly in his arms as I screamed until I couldn't.
"Shh, shh." He whispered into my hair as I sobbed into his shoulder.
"I couldn't save her..." I whimpered as he rocked me back and forth until I passed out.

Once I woke up, I walked over to Percy and the others before Zeus called Thalia  forward and promised to help her with something but I wasn't paying attention. Then it was Tyson's turn and Zeus made him a general in the armies of Olympus. Then it was Grover's turn and Dionysus made him a member of the Council of Cloven Elders before he fainted. Then it was Annabeth's turn and she was called upon by her mother to design Olympus. Then it was Percy's turn and he was summoned by his dad.
"Um... a god?" Percy asked as my head snapped up and he met my eyes.
"No." He said before he left my eyes and a smile graced my lips. "No more undetermined children. And the minor Gods, along with Hades will be given a cabin." He said as my heart fluttered.
"All in favor?" Zeus asked as all the Gods rose their hands.
"Uh, thanks." Percy said before they called on me.
"I can terminate your immortality, if you wish?" Riordan said to me.
"You- you can?" I asked.
"Were Gods hun, we can do most everything." He said.
"I can't... I made a promise to my dad, and as much as I'd love to... I simply can't." I said.
"Well, then what do you want dear?" He asked.
"I want my mom to be taken care of... and I wish to see my family one more time... please?" I said as my throat closed up with tears.
"Hades?" Poseidon asked as he nodded and my family appeared as I sunk to my knees.
"Daddy." I choked as he ran over to me and lifted me into the air as I sobbed.
"I've missed you so much!" I hugged him tightly.
"Hey little sis." Matt grinned as I choked out a sob and the rest of my family came over and hugged me.
"I love you guys." I whimpered as everyone parted and my mother came over.
"Evil queens don't get saved." She frowned.
"I would have saved you." I wrapped my arms tightly around her as she kissed my head.
"I'm so proud of you, my little rose. I'm so sorry I never gave you a chance." She cried as I wiped away her tears.
"I'll do better next time, I'll try to get better grades, I'll try to be a better daughter-." I started.
"Stop that. You were the best daughter I've ever had, I just never bothered to look past the pain of my past. Don't change for anyone, flower, you're perfect." She said as she wiped away my tears.
"I'm your only daughter." I choked out a laugh before she kissed my head.
"You're the only one I need." She said before she started to shimmer away.
"I love you, mom." I said.
"I love you too, Ariannah." She said before she shimmered away along with everyone else.
"How do you feel?" Percy asked as he took my hand.
"Free." I smiled.