15 The weight of the sky

"So you remembered uh? Well if you didn't I would have smitten you where you stood" says a certain wine God while enjoying my wine offering to him.

"Of course Lord Dionysus, I will not forget your kindness in letting me stay here albeit unworthy" that seemed to have been the right answer as he closes his eyes while smiling.

"Pour the next bottle very slowly"

"Yes..." I do as asked for the next hour. We do not speak, for there is no reason to, the only sound made by the fire in the study, crackling violently every time a bit of alcohol is sacrificed but never going wild, the rhythmical sound, while a bit loud, is extremely soothing at the same time. It doesn't take long for Dionysus to fall asleep, while I albeit extremely tired finally have a chance to be alone with my own thoughts.

As soon as I finished pouring I depart from the Big House, about to reach my/Hermes cabin, when I notice someone going out of the Athena cabin, and walking away at a fast pace. I immediately recognize the person "I see, she is devastated isn't she?"

After we were far enough from the cabins I increase my pace a bit "Annabeth!" I say jogging towards her

Startled she turns her head, sighing probably of relief when she saw me.

"Hey..." I say very eloquently

"Hey..." she answers just as eloquently

"I would like to show you something, want to come with me?" I ask with a small reassuring smile. The point is to show support and strength. She doesn't need empathy right now, she needs Sympathy. She doesn't need someone to cry with her she needs someone she can hold onto to not fall.

"...Ok..."

The place was near the Long Island Song, you just needed to climb a semi-steep hill and the scenery at night you will find is just.

"Wow," she says

"I know right? Found this place before the quest... It is extremely calming... the ocean and the sound of its waves, the lights in the distance, and the moon illuminating the waters with its beautiful light. Let's sit." I tell her

She sits and hugs her legs, and I can see tears slowly threatening to come out, while she was forcing herself to stop them, the night, after all, is the best time of the day to cultivate depression. There is something about it that just makes you nostalgic, your weirdest dreams and regrets always find their way into your conscious, sometimes preventing sleep, other times helping you to it.

I just place my hand on her back "It is okay to cry Annie, I will never judge you for that, you are still one of the strongest and kindest girls I have ever met. Nothing like this will change that"

"I know... I just... I don't want you to see. He..." she says teardrops forming a bit more under her eyes "He was very important to me you know, I trusted him with my life" incoherent experiences found their way out of her mouth, and after a while, she could not stop the tears any longer

I stayed in silence listening to her crying my hand still supporting her back, her anchor, allowing her to let loose, knowing that there was someone there for her to bring her back if needed, waiting for her in case she fell. We fell asleep almost at the same time anyways, I look at the moon that in this world looks bigger for some reason, bigger, stronger, wilder... Is it because of the multiple gods relating to it? Certainly, that must be the case, every element feels different from what I am used to as if they could not be controlled, filled with strength, and extremely proud of it. Who cares, let's just enjoy it shall we? Without noticing I fall to Morpheus, the waves and the moon lulling my sleep. Annabeth did not need someone to talk to, she needed someone that would listen to her, someone that did not judge her, someone that could be there for her and help her not to fall into the abyss named grief. You need to evaluate the person you have in front of you, but most of the time none needs someone to explain to them how the world works and why you should do something instead of something else, instead, people need someone that listens to them and their problems, as the listener you will need to bring 'em on the right track once again, and THAT is the most difficult part. Everyone can talk, few can act.

///

It was time for me to go, Percy returned to his mother earlier this week and many campers were about to as well.

Perhaps I was the only one noticing but sons and daughters of Hecate were acting very shifty around me. Not only that but they 'escaped' from the camp as soon as they could... I naturally understood... Their mother probably turned against the gods and joined Luke and Kronos.

Hecate has never been an idiot as seen in the few myths depicting her, she went from being a second-tier minor Goddess to an A-tier minister in Hades, looking after Persephone, Demeter's daughter, and Hades wife.

She literally represents choice, so unless she wants to prove something to Zeus and the Olympians why would she even make such a bad choice. Mmh. I should probably just wait and see.

After preparing all the necessary equipment, supplies and drachmas I head finally head out of camp while waving at Argus. Cool guy that one, shy that he has eyes on his tongue, so he does not speak.

Had to prepare myself for a long flight from one part of 'Murica to the other. Destination San Francisco.

///

Mount Othiris, home of the titans, is now called Mount Tamalpais near San Francisco in California.

The mist was strong blocking every important way upward, pretty cool seeing mortals just change direction as if nothing ever happened.

Climbing a bit more I realize I am now completely alone, visitors of Tamalpais Park will never be able to reach here.

I was looking at what was in front of me mesmerized. Not by the three girls in front of me, but by the too-many-to-count-headed dragon quietly protecting the tree responsible for the golden apples. A gift from Zeus to Hera, one she spares no manpower (or in this case dragonpower) to protect.

"An intruder?"

"Who dares to... oh... a male?" at that I finally turn my attention to what should have been the focus of any straight male and gay woman out there in the first place. What can I say, I'm a child at heart, and dragons are well... dragons.

"Been a while since I saw one" says another of the quartet

"Hesperides I presume?" I start already knowing all the answers

"Seems like this mortal knows his stuff," she says with a smile that could break hearts from here to San Francisco. From what I read on their myths they welcome the presence of males for they never have the chance to meet some. And well I am certainly not going to stay here more than necessary, pussy is good and all but not when you are chained to it 24/7... I am not going to convince you guys with this, am I? Am I the weird one? She can continue "You... Do not carry a godly scent, so I have to ask what is a human doing here, in the forbidden garden?"

"Let's not be too hasty sister let's greet the guy properly first. My name is Hesperia *winks*" says the teasing one

"Aegle." says the timid one

"Mine is Arethusa," says the cold and strong one

"Erytheia," says the friendly one with a wave

We talk for a while, basic questions about who they are, who are their parents etcetera. In the original myths their parents were never defined clearly, some said they came from Nyx, others Hesperis and Atlas, others Hesperus (the Roman God of the west).

"This has been a nice chat but, you never answered the question. Why are you here mortal?" says Arethusa

"I seek an audience with your father up there, there is a deal I want to strike."

"Oh? You don't want the juicy apples?" asks Hesperia

"I do not have the power to kill Ladon, why should I even try... I am but a human mortal. If the deal goes well, you will be able to talk and dance with your dad for a while and I get what I want, simple no?"

"What if we want to dance with you for the whole eternity then?" asks Aegle surprising everyone even her sisters

"Nah, I know I am not that important. However, if you want to have a dance with me later, who am I to decline" I say to her shrugging my shoulders, pfft as if, you just want to touch a male after such a long time, you will gift me to Ladon as soon as you are tired. Only idiots fall for that trap.

"Mmh." she nods with narrowed eyes, probably upset her plan failed, suspicious whether she was found out or not.

"We will show you the road to father then Mortal, been a long time since we had a visitor, ever since..." Erytheia stops abruptly

I offer the answer "Hercules?"

"That bitch" counters Arethusa

"Sorry about her, she is still angry our sister betrayed us" tries to pacify Erytheia while I stood there amused

"Like you are not! Do not kid yourself Ery"

"Family matters?" I ask Aegle that for some reason went from behind her sisters to standing next to me albeit quite a distance away

"Mmh. Our sister Zoe betrayed the family. She is no family anymore" she says coldly and with absolute finality as if challenging me to tell her otherwise.

"Zoe? Zoe Nightshade?" I ask her

"Yes. The now appointed virgin" says Hesperia showing herself behind Aegle

"I see" I just offer while the other two bickerings were slightly getting on my nerves

///

"Oh? What do we have here? A human managed to reach me?" an overbearing power immediately washes over me, and while I was getting slowly used to overbearing auras, they were still a bit too much for me to handle.

"Lord Atlas, I finally get to meet you," I tell him with a smile

He stays quiet for a while before asking "How did you get past my daughters?"

"I asked them to meet you," I say with a wicked smile

He shoots his eyebrows up "Oh? And now what are you planning on doing?"

"I wonder..." I get close to him and unsheath my sword

He furrows his eyebrows now probably trying to understand my motive

"I could end it all right now" I offer with a smile, sword poking his heart. "I could fuck up every single prophecy, every single plan, every single life. I am on a crossroad right now, do I kill you now and let this work fuck itself while I sing a song Nero style, or not and let this world live another day. I wonder what would Hecate make me choose?" I ask the Titan while running my sword down his heart, but never really hurt him.

He was now heavily frowning, he was not in control of the situation anymore like he always is, the general could only take a step back to take two forward.

"what do you want," he asks, now if I really answered honestly, he would realize this was all a trick and he could exploit me however he wants

"Simple I am a sensation seeker, I need to feel the thrill. Not gonna lie, thinking of letting the sky fall down is incredibly exciting" I tell him with a dreamy expression and a loving sigh

He just frowns "You are crazy"

"Meh not really no, not as crazy as your father for one. But crazier than you and your brothers? That's for sure"

I continue "did you know? You are hailed as champions of humanity, you who actually want to have nothing to do with them. You, the Titans are most similar to those weakling you despise, how does that make you feel?"

He glares at me "All three of you seek nothing but glory, Prometheus metaphysical, you material and his twin Epimetheus foolish Glory. The third represents humanity's stupidity when trying to reach their, objectives, he represents how easily humans can be deceived just to obtain power and glory they will never get. Prometheus represents the length humans go just to be remembered, to be glorified in the eyes of people for all eternity, even as to let their guts be eaten every day. You represent the unshakable will and strength of character humans show when it comes to their dreams and objectives, you are a general, THE General, you wish to conquer, hence the material part of glory. In you, three Titans represent VainGlory and the tree paths to it."

I let it sink in before grinning widely

"So I ask you, champion of material Glory, will you let me feel the thrill of beating Hercules record? In exchange for having you freed from the weight for a while, I will ask you the same number plus one of the Golden Apples from the garden. To you champion of unshakable will I will show mine, but make no mistake, for as soon as the record is broken my will evaporate, I will let the sky down, even if that means watching the world collapse. Because that is what excites me the most"

Atlas is stunned, forgetting he is holding the heaviest thing in the world he grins widely. "A mere human thinks he can hold this weight?"

"The weight should be metaphysical is it not? I need strength of character and unshakable will to hold it, not pure raw strength do I not?" I challenge him back, if not Annabeth and Artemis would have never been able to hold it.

His grin widens once more "AHAHAHAH, you damn, detestable, crazy human AHAHAH, alright fine. You dared to compare Titans to mere mortals, I will show you the difference between us. Here take it. May you experience the pain of the sky."

To be continued

///

(a/n I did not realize how much I was writing lol 2400 words)