Chapter Text
Beckendorf grunted as they stood on the wooden oak bridge, the stream of freshwater rushing beneath them, lulling him into a sense of ease like no other, the priestesses stood at the other end near Perseus the mad one, Ethan , Luke and Annabeth besides him.
"It is a good day." The junior priestess said, barring her teeth in a gritted smile. She turned on the signal of her superior and stalked up on the bend on the other side of the bridge, a tall marble carved pillar with stories and exultations of the Divine Spirit beast were placed on either side of chisels marble stairs leading up to a grey carved temple. The cherubs were not to be seen waiting in the next step of their quest, something aout them being neither alive or dead, and the new additions straggled into the crew was darting his eyes lazily between them all.
That was odd.
Beckendorf didn't really know much about people, he knew about machines and weapons and things that don't talk back to you when you don't want them to talk or say unnecessary stuff all the damn time. But he had a skill that saved him quite a bit. He can tell if he would like someone based on their first interaction. He liked Jackson funnily enough, knew liking Jackson was not good for one's health, but damn it that boy knew had to get stuff done and have fun. The new guy on the other hand, had vibes so bad his whole body screamed to get away from him, or brutally murder him.
"Stare any harder and I think he might die." Silena whispered on his left, amused, Beckendorf jumped mid step, Lou Ellen sending him an amused smile, as Ethan chortled with Yew about something unimportant.
"Somethings off." Beckendorf whispered back, "I just don't like the guy." Silena nodded her head and moved in sync with him. She was a pretty girl, startlingly pretty, as all daughters of Aphrodite are. She had long silky black hair so black that it seemed to suck you in, kaleidoscope eyes that changed colour with every passing moment, a buttoned nose and jawline and cheekbone so curated for her it seems like an artisan spent hours filing away to make sure it was the perfect blend of sharp yet soft. She was cool peoples according to Beckendorf, his energy checker told him as such which was really odd considering he has never met a child of Aphrodite that his radar didn't scream at him to get the fuck away from.
"I think we all would have something off if we were trapped in a cave for near enough a couple of months with nothing but your own supplies." Silena reasoned lightly, she turned to Lou Ellen," Don't you think?"
"What?" Lou Ellen blinked distractedly staring at the carved column in-front of her," sorry I wasn't listening, you was saying?"
Silena sighed, "Beckendorf saying that guy is off,"
"I see it." Lou Ellen whispered back, the stranger was staggering out of earshot doggedly staring at the junior priests back," it's like he's never seen people before."
"Yeah, but can you blame him? He's been trapped for how long."
"I get it, I really do." Beckendorf said cutting in," but I just don't think he's you know, trustworthy? Hmm how do I say this." He paused before speaking again," he feels like he gon kill me if I look away."
Lou Ellen and Silena stared at him and that guy again before Lou Ellen whispered, "You don't think he's a racist do you?" She said pointedly looking at Beckendorf arm before looking at the guy again," Did he say or look at you funny?"
Beckendorf blinked owlishly, Silena stared at Lou Ellen, her face turning a shade of crimson morphing away from her serious furrowed brow expression," no, I wouldn't say so, I just don't fuck with his energy is all."
Silena carried on staring at the witch," What?" Lou Ellen said sheepishly," it's a real possibility ok, ignorance is rife these days."
"Nothing, I just never really thought about that." Silena turned to Beckendorf," do you usually have to deal with that?"
He never faced anything like that in the barracks in new Greece, but it was mainly in the city around the southern districts in the legacies quarter.
"YA SWANKY DOGS LISTEN UP!" Perseus's voice bellowed from the top of the stairs, the imposing temple behind him, the roof was distinct with a triangle base held up by a set of four columns in either side totalling to eight, on the base of the foyer was a carved head of a deer with heavy antlers, encrusted with blue gems that was sanded to look part of the statue and not adorned on it. The door was cast iron and tall easily three meters. The walls were the same grey and carved, it was an architectural marvel from the looks of it.
"We are to kill the sacred beast, a terrible ferocious monster with power over the spiritual planes, it has a shriek that can suck one's soul if not anchored properly, so unless you want to die a horrible agonising death listen up!" Perseus started to pace up and down the top of the flat surface after the stairs, the priestesses staring at him intently as he did so, the junior one gripping her staff tighter.
"He has access to the spirit calling flames, they burn cold, so cold in fact that it burns hot and rips at the very soul if it burns you for too long." Perseus rummaged in his pocket and brought to two little earbuds with dotted backs riddled with small holes," you will need these, ear buds that allows everything but the frequency of the spirit calling wail, or if you do not wear it, you must have will and conviction so strong that your soul will not leave your body." Jackson's face split into two with a grin so wide," I would advise personally on not taking any chances and taking these buds., those of you who want to test your mettle and mental strength raise your hands." Not a single one raised their hands and Jackson's face morphed into an actual pout," how disappointing, I assumed at least Pollux or Ethan would be up for the challenge." The said demigods shook their heads quickly, "alright alright."
Perseus handed a couple to Luke Castllen who passed it on after taking his pair, when it reached to Beckendorf, the buds were waxy and clay like, red in nature as if it was baked and had a clipping like hook most likely for it to be secure during battle, he slipped them on and secured the hook in his ears and sound seemed to muffle a bit but not too much.
"Now ladies and questionable men, we are here gathered today the inglorious bastard bunch to commit a deed many had done but never at this level!" He said wagging his fingers in the air," We are to kill the infamous beast who can never die the same way twice, and since our esteemed ancestor Kronos decided to play a cruel cruel joke on us."
The air seemed to tighten with the mention of the titans name, time seemed to crawl then speed up then crawl again, Beckendorf's mouth was dry and wet and dry again as if he skipped the motion of producing saliva as if he was paused and fast forwarded, the air seemed to lighten and his shoulders stopped sagging as if a pressure was bearing down on him, the senior priestess hissed at Perseus, "Fool, do no meddle with names you know nothing of!" She raged in a shouting whisper as if the titan king can still hear them.
Perseus looked disinterested," yes yes keep your pants on, as I was saying, he decided to play a cruel trick on us making us three thousand years too late to kill it easily, so now we must deal with a nigh unkillable beast, so here's the plan!"
"I don't like this." Silena muttered to Beckendorf," He's smiling, that's not good."
"That's never good." Beckendorf agreed.
"We are to kill that damnable beast, means i can have no dissent amongst my ranks am i understood?" A chorus of yes rang from them all, "Oh Lou Ellen your services will be required once more."
Lou Ellen fidgeted slightly beside Silena," You ok?" Silena asked and Beckendorf looked intently at the young witch.
"Yeah." Lou ellen said her hands grasping each other," I'm alright, nothing big, i got this!" She whispered, seemingly replying to Silena but Beckendorf had a sneaking suspicion that she was talking to herself more if anything.
Silena raised her hands and rubbed the young witch's back soothingly," No dillydallying you bunch of scurvy dogs! For tonight!" Jackson screamed, a crazed smile on his lips, his murky eyes swimming with passionate madness, "We dine with the souls of the interstice!" Pollux let out a small triumphant roar, as Yew slapped him on the back of his head, shutting him up, the junior priestess gave a disgusted look to her senior that was met with a shrug of shoulders.
Perseus turned and walked ahead, followed by Annabeth and Luke and a distracted Ethan that was muttering to himself as he stared at the carved walls of the temple. Yew and Pollux were bickering to themselves as Beckendorf and the two girls followed behind the new comer that got onto the paved path that led to the temple.
The path was about five paces wide and sixteen long, with lush green grass with the occasional hyacinth and thistle dotting the grounds in an obvious array of neatness. The sky was fresh blue, startingly bright with a sort of morning sun that hanged inside it. Beckendorf heard of space folding, where you sow the magical seams of reality around a small section and connect it to the astral plane of Aether under a special binding contract, that was how smith's such as he and his siblings were able to make magical bags that were bigger on the inside than the out, but never has he seen that done on a larger scale as an outside temple inside a building. He looked at the sky and squinted looking for the hinge axels that one needed to be able to weld the building with the astral plane, and did not notice a single white crease.
He looked back down, the priestess was just a couple of paces to the left, "Did my father build this plane?" He asked, loud enough for the Priestess to hear.
The Senior Priestess turned, not breaking stride her face scrunched up," And who may he be boy?"
"Hephaestus."
"Yes, yes he did, Pallas Athena made the building but the forging of the plane was done by him." she said slowly and turned away.
With the mention of her Mother Annabeth seemed to visibly perk up from her slouched position, her chest puffed out. Jackson reached the door and stopped and pointedly stared at the trailing priestesses, he took a small step to the left as they reached the cast iron doors.
The senior of the two, raised her gloved right hand and pressed on a small square slab on the door, and the crevices of the door started to glow an eerie blue, before creaking and squalling open as if it has never been oiled in all its time. The shadowed room burst into blue light as rows of braziers hanging off internal pillars came to light with cerulean flames. The Dark ceiling was carved with twisted visages of the sacred beast and in the middle of the hall was a circle of braziers unlit just yet and in the centre was a marble skull of a wailing person, on the other side of the temple, the wall was encrusted with bones, littered with femurs and skulls.
Jackson stepped through and a gust of freezing wind rushed out and blew past them all, Annabeth shivered loudly and Beckendorf was hard pressed to hear it over the chattering of his teeth, clicking against his brain like a hammer on an anvil. The priestesses stepped forward after Jackson and passed him as they walked past the rows and rows of lighted braziers.
Beckendorf milled in after the rest of them did, Silena was close to his left with Lou Ellen hurrying up ahead because Jackson called for her to him, and this is when he truly saw the temple.
The inside was made from slated grey bricks, dark grey and damp looking on the floor, the roof was carved and arched with domes and triangular shapes each one hosting a death, in the middle atop the circle of unlit Braziers and directly atop the carved raised skull that was unleashing a wail was a moving statue that seemed to run across its circle area as if the marble was fluid, it depicted the sacred beast charging through a moving forest.
Beckendorf followed the rest into the middle of the unlit braziers and Jackson motioned for them to huddle round, the two priestesses standing outside the unlit brazier's circle.
"I take it you know the words?" The senior Priestess called at them.
Jacckson turned to her, shooting a grin," Yes, thank you for asking, but before we go I would to speak to my lawyers."
He spun back into the group, and Luke who was huddled between Ethan and Pollux directly opposite the mad leader of their group spoke up first, "Annabeth can't come with."
"She will." Was all the mad demigod said.
The newcomer was awkwardly positioned between Annabeth and Beckendorf's left, "I can stay behind with her."
"And miss out on all the fun?" Perseus asked, "No, there are two priestesses here, the will probably cut their losses and try to kill you both, it will be better if you all come with and someone is designated as Annabeth's protector, besides we will be fighting the darned beast together, it won't notice young Annabeth alone."
Luke grimaced, clearly not liking the compromise but finding no fault in the logic," What's the plan of action though, what do you need me for." Lou ellen asked next to Silen and Yew in the huddle.
"You my dear, dear, witch, will be learning a spell." Perseus tweaked a silver ring on his finger that morphed and snaked down his hand in a long silver-brown line before warping and twisting and spiralling out into a small brown-red pouch no bigger than Beckendorf's backpack and rummaged through bringing out a grey dusted tome with stitching on the middle of the cover as if it suffered a split wound on its skin and was brought together.
He flicked through pages muttering to himself something about blowing up the internal circuits in the air before landing on a page with distorted calligraphy and drawings of circles and lined shapes. He handed it to Lou Ellen, "You want me to learn this?"
Perseus nodded, "I will tell you when and how you will use the spell, I need to do quite a bit of set up before the spell can be used you see." Lou Ellen nodded muttering to herself reading the spell over and over again muttering it under her breath," And that is where you all come in, Luke will be in charge of keeping Annabeth safe, The rest of you will be in charge of distracting that damnable beast from Lou Ellen as I do the setup, i will be engaging the beast with good old Beck Ethan and Pollux, Silena and Yew will be supporting roles where Yew will fire arrows and Silena will be using her Daggers too, when a member is injured Yew will be assisted by Silena in removing them from action and healing them as the daughter of Aphrodite will be covering them with dagger fire." Perseus paused looking at them all, "Any questions." The newcomer raised his hands sheepishly, "Yes Bryce."
So that was his name," What do I do?"
"Survive and help me and the boys distract that damn beast." Perseus said, "Look i dont know your skillset but if you can fight and fight well i would heavily advice you to join us for the maximum chance of completing the mission, if not help Silena and Yew."
"Can I not just take care of Annabeth? Wouldn't Luke be an asset for you guys there?" Bryce said slowly.
"Good point, but no, this would be optimum." Perseus said smiling, as if he was forcing it, his teeth bared, "join us or help the support, Luke is skilled enough for a last case scenario." He stood up and straightened and cleared his throat as he always did before declaring something inane or insane, never in between," Lads and Ladies today we stare at the jaws, or antlers, of death in its face and declare what!" He paused staring at them as if they knew something but they clearly did not," we say not today! Today is the day we live to see another day; today is the day we live so gloriously that those two fuckers!" He pointed at the Priestesses," Will rue this day, rue it for it is the day the great Perseus Jackson and his motley crew, the ever-glorious bastard bunch, will break free and wreak havoc on all they hold sacred and dear, on all the world's benefits we will take for our own!" He declared his hand reaching high pointing to the ceiling, his eyes started to shine, the air was thick and heavy with some sort of pressure building, Beckendorf's breath was fighting him, begging him to stay inside as it clutched at his throat, he could see that it was Jackson's doing and then the mad demigod spoke," I and what I hold challenge you oh guardian of the in-between, guardian of the perilous journey, divinus of the auditor of the great beyond, grant me an audience, deem me worthy to place thy heart upon the mantle of the praecipe!"
Small particles of blue lights started to stream out the connecting lines from the brazier, the brazier themselves ignited blue flames, and the particles of lights were no longer small but a tall wall of connected brightness searing Beckendorf's eyes, he looked away and into the middle the carved skull of wailing lament started to morph into a beam of pure white that expanded sucking in Jackson as he jumped in gleefully.
"Fool boy!" The junior priestess screeched behind him, "your captain's arrogance will be your undoing you filthy dogs!"
That was the last thing Beckendorf heard before the whole world just went white and wrong. Up was not up and down was now left and he did not even know that whatever plain of limbo he was in even had a right. It was just motionless for a clap of a second where the only thing Beckendorf could even do was just see the limitless plain of just brilliant light in all directions. His body twisted and twisted and his midsection felt like a phantom of itself where it no longer existed.
His feet fell into a puddle of damp flooring, he flailed his hands around as he tried to find balance, his backpack jostling with every step. He blinked wildly, his eyes having floating black specks scurrying around his vision.
His nose was hit the smell of a rank cave, and moulding plants, he looked up and saw the ceiling of the cave to be nowhere, only pitched black darkness staring back at him, he heard the rush of water as if a waterfall was nearby and the twisted laugh of a certain demigod.
Jackson was on the floor, his hands and knees planted in the water as he cackled, his head bent up staring at something shrouded in mist just ways away in the centre of water. Beckendorf wrinkled his nose, how can the demigod stand his cape being in water," What you laughing at?" Beckendorf called to the demigod.
Perseus spun his head back and smiled," We in water!" He cackled again in glee, "They want a child of Poseidon to fight the ancestral Elk in water!" He laughed again before spinning his head back and staring at the oncoming mist with legs, "Oh how the fates favour me so! Though they do little, so I must offer my thanks to you oh Ananke!" The mad demigod declared as he got to his feet.
Silena staggered forward, silver-copper daggers on each hand ready and up facing forward, her tanned skin hueing in the dark. A disorientated Yew followed her, he was already equipped, quiver and bow in his hand, made of ovary oak and gleaming light for a draw string, with an upright and sword ready Bryce on his left.
Beckendorf took off his backpack and unzipped it, rummaged through and brough out a small metal disk, the automaton arm mark V, "Spruce." He called and the metal disk unfolded snaking up his right arm in black cloth, metal gearing clicking and wiring around as it enveloped his fighting hand, it finished and black jagged metal peaks with wiring and spinning disks of yellow glowed with a circular panel on his palm. It augmented his strength and allowed him to shoot flames out his arm using pre topped oil as fuel.
Beckendorf reached into his bag once more and wrapped his arms around the shaft and he pulled up, a black sleek pole of pure steel fashioned and adorned with carved ivory depicting images of the Colchis bulls its head connecting to a flat wide one-sided hammer with a weighted spike on the other ended gilded with celestial bronze on both. It was half his height in length and a quarter in weight and he needed his augmented arm to wield it with maximum efficiency.
Pollux was waltzing by, a bottle of purple pre poured Kool aid in one hand and a standard bronze leaf shaped blade on the other, "Sweet hammer you got there." He whistled, "Come on, Jackson said we the muscle today."
"Didn't even fucking ask us." Ethan muttered under his breath, he was just on the left to Pollux, walking whilst swinging a weighted ball connected to a chain, that wrapped around his left arm and snaked across his body to a black and red sharpend sickle that had a small circle dent that looked to be made to hold a gem or an orb inside it.
"I heard that Ethan." Jackson called back, "Just for that you three will be the muscle again tomorrow with me, but Luke will join us then!"
Ethan groaned and Pollux chortled and Beckendorf just felt dread settle into the pit of his stomach, he would have to fight again back to back? What would they even be fighting.
Beckendorf looked to his left and he saw Luke with his celestial bronze blade resting on his shoulder as he stood in front of Annabeth that was leaning on him, "Don't have too much fun without me today boys!" He called, "Where is the Elk anyway?"
"It's coming." Annabeth said loud enough for all to hear, Lou Ellen jumped suddenly as if her obsessive reading of the Tome was suddenly stopped from that information and hurriedly closed into Perseus where they whispered conspiratorially," It's in the mist."
Perseus pushed Lou Ellen away making her stand just on the edge of the pool of water about twenty paces away and nodded his head towards the mist, "Come lads we got to wake the beast." The mad demigod clicked his fingers and water arced around his back in small circle before morphing into shape of three blue floating arrows held into shape behind him, floating over his wild loose curls. The demigod stuck his hand into his still out pouch pulling out a long silver spear with detailed engravings, Beckendorf walked just behind Pollux and Ethan each of them standing on either side of their quest leader.
They walked forward, Beckendorf's shoes filling with water, making his toes fidget, he grimaced and before they reached the veil of heavy fog that was curled into a dome he reached down and took shoe and sock and threw them into the bag before throwing the bag to Castlen using his enhanced strength, "I need me one of those." Pollux said, "So cool."
"I know right." Perseus sighed as if he was jealous, "I want to get my hands on them too."
"Twenty thousand drachmas each." Beckendorf said squaring his shoulders as he faced the fog," I'll make em when finish the quest, how about that, questers discount."
"Add me one too." Ethan whistled.
"i like the sound of that." Pollux said before uncorking the lid off the bottle and squeezing it all into his mouth in one big gulp, wiping his mouth and throwing it away," I like the sound of that!" He roared and the hairs on Beckendorf's flesh raised, Perseus clicked his fingers again and the miniature spears of water darted through the fog dispelling it in a twist of wind and a shriek of pressure. A wail of pain echoed the cave, so visceral it gripped at Beckendorf, and the fog sucked in so heavily he felt himself moving slightly against his will.
The mist was gone and in the middle was a laying Elk with white fur so startingly silver it glowed, marred only with three grotesque splatters of red, marking holes, sinew and muscle bubbled under the lesions leaking red fluid copiously, the beast moved its head as if crushed under the weight of massive curling antlers scratched and crusted with blue. It's ruined left eye twisted and bubbled growing back into a startling chilling blue, its knees were jagged in the same shade as his antlers and it rose to full height, the size of garbage truck, the only mark left that signified Jackson's attack even connected was a ring of red blood on its fur and the stripes of it beneath.
"Aw shucks," Perseus muttered loud enough for them to hear, "I half hoped that would kill it."
As if on a cue the beast opened its maw, rows of flat teeth lined on it and it raised its head, a wail of pure gripping something, left's its mouth, the earbuds were clipped in, Beckendorf frantically looked around for anyone without the ear buds in and found no one.
He sighed a relief and focused forward, his mind clearing, his breathing levelled and controlled, he hefted his hammer and ran, Pollux was flexed his wrist and a beam of purple energy lined through and cut the beast cleanly in half in the middle, a crimson line appeared from the Elk's forehead before red blood sprayed out, both half's leaning towards the floor that suddenly halted as blackish tendrils jumped from with it pulling each clean half together and fusing the elk back.
Beckendorf raised the hammer and ran forward, his feet slapping in the wet floor and sloshing with the pool water he tilted his right knee slightly and swung the crunch of bone felt under the hammer before it mended and broke again. The elk staggered to the right before swinging its antlers. Beckendorf rolled and raised again swinging at the midsection before the elk twisted its body in a painful bend and kicked out its hind legs at Beckendorf.
The elk brayed in pain as Beckendorf raised hammer to defend himself barely seeing Ethan throw the weighted ball at the Elk's eye, crushing it in a squealch. Perseus dashed in and shovde the silver long spear through its flank. The legs connected to Beckendorfs braced hammer and arm and the pain flared against him, as he flew, off went his right clipped earbud plopping into the water. Pain lanced through his midriff as he connected to the pool water, he breathed out before he got hit so he wasn't winded but he might as well be with the amount of pain that rocked his right ribs.
A flurry of arrows hit the the elk and a silver dagger embedded itself on its left flank, it bucked and brayed and the silver spear was still placed, slowly sliding out as if it was rejecting it as it clearly was. Pollux charged through slicing down and missing the head by and inch as it stepped back quickly, it lowered its head and swung up hitting Pollux with the flat stumped end of the antlers into the floor.
Ethan dashed in wraing the chain around the beasts head as he darted away, abrely dodging the flailing head of the Elk. Ethan leaped on the its back and used the wraped around chain to sueeze. The elk bucked and kicked, the son of Nemesis quickly amde an incison on to the beasts neck and squeezed again using the chain and the head poped off with an audible wrenching noise.
Ethan slid down the back of the dropping beast, its river of black blood snaking and connecting to it's severed head before violently grabbing it and slamming it back to it's body , and kicking Ethan away from its wrongly bent legs sending the boy careening away.
The beast opened its mouth, and blue flame blew out, towards the son of the wine god but the water bubbled around him and pushed him away quickly, making him slide on to the floor.
A deadly chill spread the air as the beast did not stop exhaling the cold flames and instead aimed at Jackson, who rolled and clapped his hands together and beam of piercing water shot out and tore through the elks head in a spray of red and grey and white cartilage that flew in the air. The beast crumpled onto the floor again its head sagging and bleeding before stitching and closing and all of sudden rising rapidly, its mouth open again and this time Beckendorf heard the wail.
His skin ripped at him begging him, something in him was stirring and leaving and wanting to go, it pounded at him, agonising cold gripping his every fibre, "Hold to your sense of self!" Annabeth yelled at him, he could barely hear over the agony, the pain was horrid, sense of self? He knew nothing but the pain, he couldn't feel anything but the cold, he felt so cold, he think he didn't remember anything but the cold. But he was Charles Beckendorf, son of Hephaestus and his mother Sarah Beckendorf. He remebered the things that makes him happy, The things that made him, him, hours at the forge or when he was young in the park with aunt Latties kids, Micheal and Solomon, playing in the park as he wasted hours away, he was Beckendorf, engineer and smith, maker of many things yet to be and and been. He remembered the things that made him sad, the things that made him, him, of how he rembered the death of his mother, ravaged by an Empousa because she smelt like him, like beckendorf, oh the pain then was unbearable. Like how he flet now, he knew nothing but the pain, but it was diffrent pain, ain so deep he did not merely feel it in the soul but was scarred, a iece of him was changed a piece of Beckendorf.
He clawed at the something that wanted to run and flee, grabbed at it and pulled it back, grabbed and didn't let go and he screamed, he wailed he grabbed his hammer and flexed his right arm, liquid flame licked the shaft and crackled up into the flat hammer circling it where the gilded celestial bronze was inlaid and ran forward, the beast didn't bellow anymore, didn't rage and instead opened its mouth, a faint cruel glow shined in the base of its throat but Beckendorf hefted his hammer and just threw it, straight into the maw and smashing some teeth loose and the beast staggered, he crouched and jumped punching using his left and then opening his palm as the elks head was flailing and just unleashed liquid flames all over its face. The smell of cooked flesh filled him and the beast's mangeled and leaking face grotesquely sucked up into perfect condition and Beckendorf let loose again, sending another torrent of fire.
Pollux rushed in bare handed his blade in the water behind him and grabbed the antlers of the elk and twisted the whole body in a roar, Perseus rushed in using his spear that was still inside the beast as leverage and twisted it out, coating his free hand in a rotating saw of water he cut through the bottom, Ethan bounded the legs with his chains, and Perseus shoved his hand inside before ripping out a beating pulsing thriving heart that was the size of the mad demigods head, he turned towards the three of them blood caked, "Run!" Pollux let go and ran forward away from the beast, Ethan snaped its legs and withdrew his chain as he ran away and Beckendorf turned and hot footed it, Perseus started to glow chanting something, he stopped and jogged backwards holding the heart in his hands as if he was pulling against imaginary forces"Now! Lou Ellen."
The witch's hands were locked over head, her eyes glowing coal black her hair raised and licking the air in small flicks," Oh crevice and nook you reside in the air, oh how you enjoin with the aether of all, I beseech upon you the very foundation of all heed me, heed me as I enjoin you together as all things came with pairs, kill those who stop you from finding your vessel!" The witch was glowing brighter with every word so did Perseus and the elk, a small red outline shone around the beast brighter and brighter before the body floated in the sky, the hole in its stomach twisting into a black tendril shooting towards the heart in Perseus hand," Enjoin yourself honoured one! Enjoin yourself great one! I have paid the toll!" Lou Ellen uncrossed her wrists and the air trembled.
The red glow surrounding the elk stretched into a pillar of pure power, ripping, tearing , rendering. Beckendorf felt it from here, the whole cave trembled, Jackson was glowing too, his arms in the air feet wide apart, the heart of the elk in his left as it slowed down its rhythmic drum.
The elk screamed and wailed again, pain and hurt welled into Beckendorf's stomach as the something he fought so hard to contain fought to leave again, he beat it down, this time with memories of his cabin mates, his half siblings, young Nyssa only eleven who listened to his stories of machines and dreams with such raptor, young Leo Valdez who would run across the wooden flooring to babble about his designs and drawings and would tinker away at one project or the next. The something was held at bay and Beckendorf focused on who he was today and all he felt was the shake and tremor of the brilliant light, continuously destroying and ripping apart the elk over and over.
Lou Ellen was glowing now, her arms apart in the same stance as Jackson and the beam started to intensify, the air around it started to simply melt, no other word was to describe it, it bent and twisted and writhed and the magical power was so potent Beckendorf could taste the nickel like zest in the air.
The heart stopped beating and Lou Ellen collapsed. Yew shouted something as Silena and him rushed to go and grab her and Jackson staggered. The pillar of power slowly phased out, the air righted itself, the mirage of bending was no longer and the body of the ancestral elk was simply gone. Not a hide or hair, no sign at all other than a 5 pace wide hole that sucked in the water.
Beckendorf blinked and swayed and all of a sudden his hearing returned to him, the pillar's noise was so absolute he did not even notice it there nor the absence of all other sounds. The rushing of water filling the hole left behind filled his ears, overtaking the constant ringing, he sagged with relief on to the floor, Bryce was behind Perseus hand out stabilising him, and Beckendorf turned to check on Luke and Annabeth but the whole place started to just warp.
He felt his body stretch as if it was being flushed through a small line and pulled like woollen cloth, he opened his mouth and screamed but it felt like cotton was shoved inside. He was being pulled harder and harder and harder through the line nearly stretched and all of a sudden he was on rock floor, marble even, and he blinked and blinked and blinked once more and he was back in the temple. On the dais of encircled braziers still aflame with their cold blue chilling fire and in the centre the raised skull with an ajar wailing mouth, its loose jaw hinged to its breaking point.
A scuffle of feet caught his eye and to his left a platoon of priestess all hooded in dark wools and the same staff of obsidian curling steel in their left hands. Five rows of three, the head priestess at the forefront cruel smile in her lips, "We thank you for your service heroes." She smiled barring her teeth, pearly white except for one that was chipped and yellowing, "You have strengthen the divinus of the in between. And for that honour we decided to deliver you to your destination with post haste."
"And where would that be?" Pollux asked, his voice was rough and slightly slurred as if he was buzzed.
"I would assume the underworld?"
"We are to return the master bolt, on order of the master of Olympus." Annabeth reasoned walking forward, a slight limo in her step that Beckendorf was sure was the best she could manage at the moment.
"He did not pick you specifically, a great quest was issued, another insane group of heroes will try anyway, but last I heard there was a bounty on your captain's head." The juniour priestess replied smugly,
"One and a half million gold drachmas, oh how lavishly we can recodecorate, and the great son of the seas shaker's bones on the wall of the damned!" The Senior priestess squealed clapping her hands in a rapid flurry ," Delightful." The Senior priestess was only fifteen paces away the platoon another five behind her, "give up the boy and the heart and I'll send you off to the interstice without a single haired harmed."
Bryce sprung forward grabbing the heart from Jackson's lax hands and rolled forward Gladys out pointing to it," Away from the girl." He yelled at Yew and Silena, Yew's hands were out hovering atop of Lou ellen's and yellow light was pulsing through, "Away from her! Whatever her fucking name is I said get away!"
"You sure you want to do this?" Perseus asked bored, "you sure you want to sell us off to a girl squad who serves an undying elk?" He asked again this time fingering his ear with his pinkie.
"Not cool dude." Yew muttered out loud.
"Not cool." Luke, Ethan and Pollux echoed after him and Beckendorf couldn't help but feel he missed an opportune moment to join in too.
"Keep the boy, I get the girl, I'll give you the heart for 500 thousand drachma and safe passage to the interstice."
The senior priestess's face twisted with disgust ,"Why would I want to do that? I could just kill you."
The boy shifted his body so that he was sideways and walked backwards so he could see them all, "I'll stab the heart unless you promise on the Styx to agree to the deal."
The priestess clenched her jaw, "250k and you got a dea-"
"I can't believe this." Perseus said turning fully ignoring the traitorous newcomer, "well I clearly saw this, he smells like a certain narcotic." He threw his head back facing them quickly," Don't do drugs kids." And turned back again.
"Don't come closer or I'll stab it!" He roared, "don't you need it to leave this godforsaken cave."
Bryce hovered his blade on top of it pressing it lightly.
Jackson ignored him and carried on walking forward, "And you said your name was Bryce Lawrence no? Only Bryce Lawrence I heard of was a son of Orcus who's been missing for a couple of months in the account of killing his superior."
"How…" the boy muttered in disbelief before setting his brows down harder and shouting once more," Come any closer and I'll-"
Beckendorf didn't blink at all, his eyes was set on everything but he still missed it, missed what Jackson did, the boy swiped his two fingers on his right hand across where Bryce's neck was with an exaggerated jerk of his arm and then the son of Orcus's head was blown back disconnected from his neck, the only thing tethering him was a string of red. The body convulsed and jerked backwards falling arms still outstretched and Perseus casually stepped forward and grabbed the heart from the body's dropping arm before it fell to the floor.
"Kill them!" The head priestess roared.
The clad women started to rush forward ," Grab the statue!" Perseus screamed at them, he turned on his heels and rushed before cocking his hand back and throwing the heart straight to Annabeth, she fumbled the heart, before stabilising and holding it in her hand, he resumed his mad dash to the dais tucking and rolling as a beam of waxy flames singed the spot where he stood," Put it in the jaws!" He screamed again, up and running.
Annabeth shoved it in and secured it, Luke, Ethan and Pollux were the first to grab the statue, Silena and Yew were dragging Lou Ellen and grabbing onto the statue as they haphazardly threw Lou so her midriff was ecircling its base and still holding on to her.
Beckendorf held down on his hammer and got up running and grabbing his backpack a pace away from the dais and Perseus slid in, in-between Luke and Annabeth grabbing the back of the head of the skull and chanted ," Melikertes accept our offering, grant us passage in your domain!" The words spilled out in a cascading rush and Beckendorf prayed that for the last time ever he would feel this feeling as he felt his midriff fold and fold again as if he was 2D on paper. And the cold temple room was no more.