LoSP Ch.53: The Golden Titaness (Patreon)

A villa of white marble and golden windows rose over lush green lawns and neatly trimmed hedges. The golden windchimes swayed tinkling softly as I eyed a huge golden symbol gleaming on the crown of the roof. 

“Did we really have to attack her this early?” Nico stifled a yawn and shook his head. “Couldn’t we attack at a better time? Like noon? Or late evening?” 

“Suck it up, dead boy. At least you aren’t awake enough to remember this golden fucking monstrosity.” Clarisse hefted her hoplon onto her other arm. “I want to burn it down on principle 'cause it is so fucking full of gold. There’s probably more gold than the Apollo cabin.”

“Why burn when you can sell it?” Annabeth craned her neck through the bars of the gate, tiptoeing over the pile of golden dust that used to be cyclopes. “There would probably be enough gold in there to buy another place of this size. Maybe even more, considering that she’s the Titaness of Splendor. Though, I hoped she’d have more taste in architecture than making everything out of gold.” 

“Her water sprinklers are made of gold too,” Bianca pointed at the hints of gold glinting between tufts of grass. “Not even the richest people would have stuff like this. I bet even her toilet is made out of gold.”

“You can sell everything she has after we get her to surrender or kill her,” I snorted. “Feel free to take— or in Grover’s case, eat anything you want from the place once we get her. You can make it your own for all I care.”

Grover grinned in response, giving me a two-finger salute.

“I’d prefer to kill this gaudy bitch,” Clarisse murmured. “And if I take over this place, I am so removing the gold first.”

“Let’s get going then.” I flicked my Balisong knife open and touched it to the golden-silver gates. “Ανοίγω”

The lock clicked and Clarisse kicked the gates open tramping across the lawn toward the doors of the villa.

“If we’re going to make this place ours, should we really do stuff like that to the grass?” Bianca muttered, shooting an arrow at a harpy that leaped from the trees. “And keep an eye out for guards. We probably killed most from outside, but we might’ve missed some.”

I let out a sigh and followed Clarisse as she marched up the marble stairs to the gleaming doors. “You want me to open the gates, or do you plan on ringing the doorbell?” 

Clarisse slid to the side and raised her middle finger, and I rolled my eyes before opening the doors with the touch of my knife. I winced as the sunlight glinted harshly off the golden furniture in the room, stabbing at my eyes.

#Well, she is lavish, you’ve to give her that.# Alexander chortled.

“I am so burning this place,” Clarisse muttered. “Fucking gold. Not even Midas would have this much gold when he was alive. I am about to be blinded and I am not even kidding. Gods above.”

“She’s upstairs, alone. Not even guards.” I squinted through the golden haze. “Is everything in this room made of gold? This is overkill.”

“Yes.” Annabeth frowned. “No sense of design either. Just a blind display of wealth. Gods, I wish I brought my sunglasses now.”

“We can just get those golden binds down,” I said, tugging at Alexander’s powers and snapping my fingers. A breeze blew through the place, the golden binds dropping over windows. “Much better.”

#I agree for one. Be careful with Theia. She’s crafty. Don’t give her room to talk her way out. Sword point negotiation, Percy. She knows she can’t win against you, so she’ll try to escape. Prevent that.#

“Yes, let’s go kill her now.” Clarisse’s spear elongated in her hands. “Get the disc, Percy.”

I took the bronze disc from my pocket and poured in the tide, the sea churning in my gut. The disc glowed, its magic spreading in a bubble around us. 

“Up the stairs, second door on the right,” I followed the thrum of power, climbing up the stairs. “Bianca, and Nico, stay down here. Annabeth, go outside and stand beneath her window so she doesn’t run from there. Take Clarisse, with you. Thalia, with me but stay back by the room’s door once we enter. Grover, be somewhere out of sight and keep your music ready for a surprise attack.”

“Can’t we all—”

“No risks, Clarisse,” I hissed. “She’s not much of a fighter but she might just make a run for it.” 

Clarisse nodded and they dispersed, taking their positions while Thalia and I walked up to the set of lavish, tall doors that depicted images of empires, and mountains of wealth carved in gold and silver. 

#This is Theia. Let’s go.#

“Ready?” 

Thalia tightened the grasp on her ax, tendrils of lightning flitting between the blades. With a nod, I kicked the doors open and strode in.

Theia spun around, her long silk gown fluttering against the floor, a golden spear appearing in her hands, a cup of porcelain shattering against the floor, the aroma of coffee spreading in the air.

“Hello, Theia.” I glanced around the room, grimacing at the golden furniture. “Good morning.”

“Son of the sea.” Theia cleared the mess on the floor with a wave of her hand, the shards of porcelain dissolving into the air. “I didn’t expect you here.” Her eyes flicked over my shoulder to see Thalia standing at the door. “I had information that you and your friends were still at the camp.”

“Surprise, I guess.” I smiled at her, prowling across the room, her eyes fixed on me. “Now, have you heard about Pallas?”

“Hmm, honorable, tall, kinda dreamy,” she mused. “Really good with a spear. What of him?”

#She’s playing around.#

“He’s dead,” I declared. “Much like you would be if you don’t drop that golden thing you call a spear.” 

Theia shrugged and the spear disappeared, a throne-like chair appearing behind her. “I suppose if that’s what you want. What can I do for you?”

#Careful, Percy. She's far too relaxed for my liking. She might try something.#

The Titaness sat down on the throne and a golden cup formed, the silver kettle rising in the air and pouring coffee into the mug. With a smile, she picked up the cup and sipped from it, raising an eyebrow at me. 

“You can swear eternal loyalty to Olympus for me and I’ll be on my way.” I removed a slip of paper from my pocket. “These are the words. Swear it and tell me everything you know about the Titan forces.”

Theia hummed, another chair appearing in front of her. “Coffee? It is a brew of Finca El Injerto, infused with nectar. Probably the finest coffee you might ever taste.”

#Nope.#

“I honestly have no idea what the Fin-ish thing is,” I muttered. “So, no.”

Theia wrinkled her nose. “I thought you were a man of class. But then again, warriors do not care for the good things much, I’ve seen. Perhaps I could interest you in something more… your level.”

“An oath and a few answers would be fine, really.” I let Thyella Kavalris appear in my hand, letting green flames lick the blade. Fear stirred in her eyes for a moment as she shifted on her throne. “So, quit stalling.”

“Straight to business, I see,” she sighed, crossing her ankles on the table. “What do I get by swearing this oath? A good business deal—”

“You get to keep your life,” I snapped. “If you want to live, you swear the oath. If you don’t, well, you can go to Tartarus for all I care.” I let the flames on my blade rise. “And you know that things don’t usually end well for the Titans who have fought me in the past.”

“You’ve certainly been bad for business.” She hid her face behind the golden mug. “The thing is, if you don’t win, I will go out of business permanently. If I join you and you manage to win, I will still be always held under suspicion by those of Olympus, and never get anything of note. It is a lose-lose for me.”

“If you don’t join me today, you are permanently out of business anyway, Theia.” I laughed. “You’d be dead.”

“But if you kill me today and you lose, the Titan Lord will get me back from Tartarus,” Theia wiggled her toes. “He has power beyond anything you can imagine, son of the oceans. Beyond the grasp of fates at times. You’re already fifteen. Next year, it all comes down. The great prophecy. If you kill me and he wins, I will get called back as soon as Olympus is overthrown. So, I’d rather take a year in Tartarus. For me it will be the blink of an eye.”

“But if he loses, you stay in Tartarus forever.” Thalia walked into the room, her ax cracking faintly with electricity. “It took the other Titans, what? Six thousand years to crawl back out of the pit. You want to talk business? Get this. With the way things are going, it is us who are winning and not the Titans. We are a better gamble. We are the winning team and have been for the past six thousand years.”

“That might be, the rewards in your case are low.”

“So is the risk,” I said. “Better take a hit than go down with the ship, Theia. Join us, help us, and when we win, I will tell the Olympians myself about how you gave information to us about the Titans. You will get no punishment like the other Titans did in the last war. You’ll be safe.”

“It is a tempting offer. But it is all good only if you win.”

“What makes you think we won’t?” Thalia raised an eyebrow. “See the number of Titans who have fallen already. Pallas, Coeus, Lelantos, Meneotious, Phoebe… they are all gone and they are just names in a growing list. It is not a matter of if, Theia. It is a matter of when. Take my advice. Make the oath.”

Theia leaned back on her throne, her fingers drumming against the bejeweled armrest. She stood and walked around the room, her gown sweeping behind her.

“Keep an eye on her,” I whispered to Thalia and walked around the room, picking a crystal hourglass.

“Alright,” I flipped the hourglass and Theia pursed her lips. “You’ve two minutes to decide. We have other things to do.”

“I do not work by your rules, child,” she hissed. “Allow me to think.”

“You work by my sword, Theia.” I tutted. “If you say no, or resist, that sword is going to cut through your neck. Better choose fast. Here’s the oath.”

She snatched it from his hand with a glare, reading through it. “This mandates eternal loyalty to Olympus. Eternal loyalty sworn on the five rivers. Meaning I am tied to it for the rest of my life”

“A great point.” I leaned against the golden table, waving my sword. “Unfortunately, you don’t have a choice. I know every word of the oath. So, don’t even think of changing it.”

“This is not a choice. It is a sword to my neck.”

“No, Theia, it is a choice.” I met her golden blue eyes. “I could’ve killed you on sight. I can do it right now and not a single Olympian would bat an eyelash. They know you fought for the Titans, which makes you an enemy. If you were in Athena and Ares’ hands you would’ve been killed by now. Or worse, tortured and discarded when you outlived your usefulness. I am giving you an out. Take it or leave it.”

Theia gulped, fear stirring in her eyes. 

#It is working.# Alexander urged. #You have to make her believe now. She could give you a lot of information. Killing her will be a blow. The information might be a winning stroke.#

“You do not know the Titan Lord, Perseus,” Theia whispered. “Not even you can face him. Not even in his current form”

“Been there, done that,” I snorted. “I sent him flying across his own palace the last I remember. The only thing that saved him was Luke’s invulnerability. I am waiting for Kronos to come into his true self, in fact. Once he does, I can kill him properly.”

#That’s a dangerous bluff.#

“Then you’re a fool.” 

“My history indicates otherwise,” I retorted. “This sword has tasted the blood of more Titans than any other blade has. If you can bleed, I can kill you. I have shattered Kronos’ hold on time. I have punched him through his own palace. And I would’ve killed him that day had it not been for the curse of Achilles on his body. Believe me. To protect my family, Kronos is but a thorn. One I will cut down the moment I can.”

“You have confidence.” Theia’s gaze turned admiring. “You’re a strong warrior. But can you take on the Lord of Time?”

“I can.” My eyes flicked to the small crystal hourglass, whose sand had run out. “Your two minutes are up. Tell me, the oath or death, Theia? Either you lose some or lose all. Which do you choose?”

“I’ll take it,” Theia sniffed. “The oath.”

I smiled. “Excellent. Once you take it, we can discuss the details of the Titan force over that coffee of yours.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clarisse made herself comfortable on the bed, resting her hoplon on a pillow, the heels of her dark shoes digging into the silk bed sheets. Theia wrinkled her nose at her, but said nothing, her eyes turning to me.

“You run a big party, Percy.” She snapped her fingers, and an array of dishes appeared on the table. “Be my guests. I do not let visitors leave disappointed.”

‘Alexander?’

#Not poisoned, don’t worry. Though, do have your friends avoid the coffee beyond a cup. It has too much nectar for mortals.#

‘Of course.’

“We’d like some information,” Thalia leaned over a chair, the blade of her ax resting on the velvet cushion. “Or all of it.”

“I will answer everything you wish on one condition.” She turned her gaze to me as everyone around the room tensed. “Now that I’ve sworn loyalty to Olympus, I want Olympus to protect me. If the Titan Lord ever knows—”

“I’ll talk with Athena and see what we can do.” I waved her off. “The best I can offer you is that you go to Camp Half-Blood and stay there for a while if you really feel unsafe. I cannot make promises on behalf of Olympus, I'm afraid.”

“I’d rather take my chances here,” she drawled. “It is Olympus or nothing. I want a place in the home of gods and want it permanently even after the Great Prophecy has been fulfilled.”

“I’ll talk to the gods. If you give us some good information, in exchange for your cooperation, I’ll try to get you a place there. But for that, I need you to give me a gold mine.”

A smile curved on Theia’s lips. “And a gold mine you’ll get if you. But words are cheap. Promises are sacred. So, tell me, Percy. Will you make a promise?”

“Percy, you don’t have to,” Annabeth warned. “We needn’t make any promises back.”

“You’ll be missing out, daughter of Athena,” Theia glanced at her. “For someone wise, you do not understand the way of the world. I may have sworn loyalty to Olympus. But that doesn’t mean I’ll work on your whims. Since you are representing Olympus, I cannot lead you astray. But I can choose to not help you at all or help you in pieces that might lead to more problems. A half-truth can be worse than an outright lie.”

#Give a plain simple oath. Say that you’ll talk to the gods regarding placing her under protection.#

“I’ll give you my oath,” I sighed. “After that you ans—”

“I want your promise, not your oath.” Theia raised a finger. “Trust is something that cannot be brought but has to be forged. I am starting the fire, but it is up to you to keep it burning.”

I looked her in the eye and nodded. “You’ve my word, Theia. I’ll talk to the gods for you and push to get you a place there so you can be protected.”

She smiled, glancing around the room. “All you children are welcome to eat. Please, don’t feel shy. No one should say that the Titaness of Splendor isn’t a good host. Percy, you too.”

I picked up a sandwich and eyed the thin layer of gold under the bread. “Do you have gold in everything?”

“Gold is the greatest material wealth, Percy. It is in my very nature. I can create gold and silver from thin air and shower you with gemstones if you wish. But that is not what you want, is it? No, you want something far more valuable than gold. You wish for knowledge.”

“I do.”

“Then ask,” she said. “Those who ask, get answers.”

“Where’s Luke?” Annabeth asked before I could open my mouth. 

Theia’s gaze drifted to her, and she leaned back on her throne. “There’s no Luke anymore, child of wisdom. Luke has been crushed, his spirit all but embers against the roaring fire that’s the King of Titans. Luke died the day he made his choice to serve himself fully to him, driven by blind promises. The boy was never going to live or have a place amongst the gods.”

“He was a pawn,” Annabeth whispered.

“We are all pawns in someone’s plans,” Theia laughed. “If you think you are free of it then you’ve not inherited your mother’s brains, daughter of Athena. Aren’t I right, Perseus?”

“She’s my friend.” I narrowed my eyes. “I do not treat them as pawns.”

“Rooks, perhaps. A rather important piece, one you’d be extremely unwilling to sacrifice, but still, a part of a grander scheme.” Theia shrugged. “It is the nature of great leaders to use what they can, including themselves, to achieve something bigger than a person, without caring for the consequences at times.” 

“He is the leader of the camp and the child of the prophecy. It is his job to make sure that he has a plan for every eventuality,” Clarisse snapped. “Pawns are still warriors and without them, the game will never be won. So, stop spewing shit and start giving us what we need. Which Titans and gods are on your side?”

“My side?” Theia’s lips quivered, her eyes shining with amusement. “As of now, Zeus, Poseidon, Athena—”

“She means the Titan Lord’s side,” I scowled. “If you want to twist our words and beat around the bush, I will not ask the gods to keep you safe. Our deal is conditional, Theia.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. “Most of the old council supports him, bar Rhea and Themis. Iapetus and my dear husband are yet to return, but the Titan Lord knows they’ll side with him. Coeus and Phoebe are dead.”

“I know. I killed them.”

Theia hummed and poured herself another cup of coffee, dropping a cube of sugar in it.

“A feat to be sung in the halls of heroes for eternity, no doubt.” She stirred the cup with a slim, golden spoon. “But then again, a mere name in a growing list.”

“Where are these Titans?” Bianca asked, glancing at Thalia and me. “And where’s the Titan Lord?”

“The Titan Lord is on the ship, with Prometheus and Epimetheus last I heard.” Theia waved the golden spoon. “As for the rest… Oceanus and Tethys are under the ocean waging their war against Poseidon. And Krios is in the old palace where Atlas holds the sky. I wouldn’t be the one who would want to hear that brat’s whining.”

“Who else?”

“Well, I wouldn’t really care for him but last I heard, Perses has returned with his usual break good things attitude,” she huffed. “He is taking some recovery time on some island in the Caribbean.”

“Caribbean?” Thalia blinked. “Why is he all the way there?”

Theia’s lips curled. “The gods pay less attention to the edges of civilization. It is the only place that someone of Perses’ inclinations can slip through their gaze. And with Poseidon busy, he won’t be noticed till he wishes to be. I do not know what the Titan Lord plans for him though.”

Annabeth suddenly gasped and we turned to her watching her stare at her laptop screen. Grover leaned over her shoulder, chewing on a golden spoon, his eyes widening.

“What?” Thalia asked.

“On the maiden’s land, the destroyer’s battle, the world must withstand.” She turned her laptop around. “Guys, it is the Virgin Islands! Maiden’s land!”

I facepalmed while Clarisse burst into laughter on the bed. Bianca shook her head in exasperation while Nico rolled his eyes. 

“Well, that’s totally stupid yet… so obvious. Maiden’s land.” Thalia snorted. “Virgin Islands. Artemis would have a laugh.”

“Totally.” A fond smile curved on my lips. “It’d be hilarious.”

“I’ll mark it. We still have to plan a journey there,” Annabeth murmured. 

“We could see where the other Titans and gods are,” Grover suggested, gobbling down the golden cutlery. “And plan a path. Maybe even kill a few monsters on our way.”

“Yes, monster camps and gods,” I sighed and turned to Theia. “Which gods are on your— the Titan Lord’s side?”

“A handful. There’s Janus, Enyo, Eris who’s always with Deimos and Phobos, who follow her around like her cronies.” Theia’s forehead creased. “There’s Morpheus. Hecate. They’re both in Manhattan, doing something for the final attack.”

“What is that something?” Thalia spun her ax.

Theia shrugged. “I don’t know every plan of the Titan Lord. It has something to do with magic and the siege of Olympus. There’s something about Typhon awakening and a surprise for the gods. And before you ask, I do not know what the surprise is either.”

Thalia and I shared a look before looking at Annabeth, who bit her lip and typed something on her laptop. She waved her hand, motioning them to continue. 

“Alright. What other plans does he have?” I asked. “Tell us everything you know about his plan to regain power.”

“I know that he would not be at full power when he plans on beginning the siege.” Theia placed her cup to the side.  “He is slowly gaining power but is at times limited by the boy’s mortal body. He intends to let you run ragged before entering the field to destroy the throne of gods and cripple their power like Zeus crippled ours.”

“The thrones are divine.” Annabeth frowned. “Surely, he would require something to destroy them. And with his scythe destroyed, only the master bolt has the power.”

“He remedied that, daughter of Athena.” Theia raised her hands, the image of a dark scythe rising above the table. The golden glow of the room dimmed; the air turned colder. “It is no ordinary blade, heroes. It was forged in the depths of Tartarus with what remained of his old scythe, bathed in the blood of a hundred monsters and a hundred mortals. It was tempered in the five rivers of Erebos. The sword was made to kill gods and shatter their thrones. Its name? The Theosfonias.”

Frost crept up the crystal glasses, my breath misting. Nico and Bianca shivered while Clarisse raised her hoplon.

“God-slayer,” I translated. 

“Even at its mention, and image, it carries power, Percy Jackson.” Theia swept her hand and the image disappeared, light returned to the room, and yet the cold lingered. “It was created to destroy the gods. But it is still a small mercy that he doesn’t have his original blade. And yet… you must be wary.”

“I will be.”

“It is a blade even we Titans fear. A blade good enough to replace a scythe forged by Mother Gaea with her own blood. It is more dangerous than any weapon you would’ve come across.”

I nodded absently. “I’ve faced him with the blade before. When he was reborn, I confronted him.”

“And then, you ran. Fled to the depths of the Labyrinth because you couldn’t kill him like you killed the rest of our brethren. If he faces you and you die, all this goes in vain, and my head will be on a pike behind the black throne. Ensure it doesn’t happen.”

“That’s the plan.” I smiled humorlessly. “What else do you know?”

“He has been gathering monsters around the country,” Theia said. “Preparing them in small troops— troops of hundreds still, under higher monsters to siege Olympus when the time is right. There’re troops under the minor gods too if I remember well.”

“How many of these locations do you know?” Annabeth asked. “Because the gods would’ve seen it.”

Theia let out a high laugh. “Hecate hides each troop, daughter of wisdom. Not even gods have the power to see through her mist. Not even Apollo’s sight can pierce through the veil of her magic. The Titan Lord has used her to aid his troops and hide his allies. How do you think that Poseidon cannot find a ship in his own seas? How do you think Artemis cannot smell her hunt when she passes through the place they train?”

Rage rose in me like a tidal wave, but I calmed it, smothering the storm. “Then we need to get Hecate.”

“It won’t be easy. Hecate is the sorceress of sorceresses. No one compares to her when it comes to hiding. She can pass by the halls of Olympus and the gods won’t know.”

“Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has a weak point. I just need to find it,” I said. “Tell me, is there someplace she visits? Some place sacred to her?”

“The only times I have seen her is when she comes to the ship when summoned by the Titan Lord,” Theia shook her head. “I do not know anything else. But there’s someone who might.”

“Who?”

“Her father, of course. Perses.”

My eye twitched. “Who will never cooperate with us willingly.”

“There are other ways for those brave enough to find them. There are beings blessed and cursed.”

“Like Nereus?” Thalia asked. “Will he know?”

“We cannot go all the way to San Francisco,” Annabeth frowned. “A trip—”

“That will take a few hours by flight,” I cut in. “We can arrange that, I am sure. Or I can call in a favor.”

“Let’s do that then,” Annabeth said. “Take a flight I mean. If we find Hecate, we’ll find a lot of Titans and their armies hidden away.”

“You should go to Perses first,” Theia cleared her throat. “If Hecate falls, he will come after you instead of you going after him. And that, heroes, is a dangerous prospect. You don’t want Perses coming for you in some place where there’s civilization. And you absolutely don’t wish to get caught off-guard when dealing with the Titan of Destruction.”

“Right,” I muttered. “That’s good advice.”

“Well, I am not the Titaness of good advice, but I am the Titaness of brilliance.” She beamed. “Now, you should remember about my protection. I have heard that you have changed and impacted even Zeus’ decisions in the past.” Her gaze turned penetrating. “I want you to do the same for me.”

I smiled. “All I need is a fountain and a drachma. I will call Athena and try my best to get you to Olympus.”

“But before that, if there’s anything you should tell us…” Thalia drawled. “Do so. Maybe some locations… or anything else.”

“I do not know where the troops or gods are,” Theia said. “But you’re on a dangerous quest, heroes. One that will either make you a survivor or make you immortal in the halls of heroes. Do not underestimate my brethren. Once they know, they will fight back.”

“And we will be ready when they do,” I declared. “Leave the sandwiches for us. I will make a call for you.”

With that, I swept out of the room. I had a call to make.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter.

Yes, the plot thickens with Theia’s defection from the side of Titans. Now Percy and his friends have a rough roadmap to the Titan forces, and a line has been decoded from the Prophecy. 

Stay tuned for what happens next and the epic fights that ensue.

A huge thank you to Mughil and Nanu for betaing this chapter.

.

Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep Smiling! Keep Reading!

HPfanfictioner66