523Chapter 6
"What happened?" Leto demanded, all traces of warmth gone from her voice.
Apollo sighed. He knew this tone of voice, as a child he'd heard it often. As a child, he'd thought she only used it when he or Artemis got into trouble. Over the centuries, he'd learned she also used it when she was truly worried about him or his sister.
"I don't know," Apollo admitted. "She had me take her Hunters to Camp Half-Blood, so that she could track down the Ophiotaurus. It was the last I saw of her."
"The Ophiotaurus," Leto whispered to herself, looking down in thought. "But that makes no sense...not unless..." His mother's eyes widened, and her head snapped back towards Apollo. "The Titans are stirring again," she stated.
The God of Truth, closed his eyes and nodded.
"How long?"
"For sure, since the beginning of summer. A...rouge demigod attempted to revive Grandfather with the Golden Fleece. Luckily a group of demigods sent on a quest stopped him," Apollo explained. "But there were signs before that. Around the same time you regained you're memories, Father's Master Bolt was stolen. The demigod who retrieved it tried to warn us about Grandfather, Father refused to even discuss the possibility."
His mother was silent a moment, clearly in thought. Despite this, Apollo noticed her clenched jaw and fist.
"Do you know who has her?" his mother asked.
When he didn't answer immediately, his mother yelled, "APOLLO!"
Closing his eyes, he told her, "She holds the General's burden."
When he opened his eyes again, his mother was walking towards her trunk. "Mother?" he questioned, as she opened it to pull out her bow and quiver, along with several other items, which she began packing in a bag she emptied onto her bed.
"I assume your father forbade you from rescuing her?" she asked rhetorically.
"Mother? What are you doing?"
"What does it look like," she snapped, turning to glare at him. "I'm no longer an immortal, no longer bound by ancient law or your father's. And I am not about to let my daughter hold that burden a second longer than she must."
"You don't need to go," the god protested. "A quest has been issued. Arty's lieutenant is leading a group of Hunters and Campers to rescue her."
"And every quest succeeds?" his mother asked.
Apollo was panicking now. "But what about your immortality? If you go rescue Artemis, she'll know you're alive, as will the rest of Olympus. And the Queen..."
"...Punished me for a crime I never knew I committed centuries ago. If I am to be punished again, at least now it will be for a purpose."
"But the Titans are rising, Father may..."
"ENOUGH!" she thundered. Turning to look at him, his mother's face was stern as she said, "You will not stop me Apollo." She watched him for a moment, before sighing,as her face softened. "I know you worry, but let me ask you this. If you were able to, would you not sacrifice your own happiness and safety for your children?"
Apollo closed his eyes, not answering. He knew he didn't need to. He opened them again when he felt a light touch on his cheek.
His mother was now standing in front of him. "I will aid the quest, when you cannot. Tell me, what was the prophecy given to them."
Knowing there was no way to dissuade his mother, Apollo repeated the words his Oracle spoke to Zoe Nightshade.
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Getting to America took a couple of days.
Thankfully, she had magic to aide her.
The moment she was free of the airport, Leto opened her magically expanded bag, and armed herself.
Her quiver of arrows was slung on her back, and a celestial bronze kopis sword she'd found in the Room of Requirement (how it had gotten there she had no idea) was slung on her belt. Finally she took out her bow and strung it.
Her wand was already held in a holster on her wrist.
Knowing the questers had a head start on her, and remembering the words of the prophecy, Leto had booked her flight to Phoenix, Arizona.
Once she had everything secure, Leto pulled out her wand, casting a point me charm for Zoe Nightshade. She'd never met her daughter's lieutenant, but she had heard enough about her from her daughter to know she was loyal to Artemis, despite her parentage.
Knowing this was going to take a while, as she could only travel line of sight at the moment, Leto apparated away.
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When Leto finally caught up with the questers, she stayed back to hide.
She didn't want Ares or Aphrodite to know she was free just yet. They'd likely take her directly to Olympus for answers, and Leto needed to make sure her daughter was free from the sky first. Luckily, her mortal father's invisibility cloak seemed to be working on them.
Once the two Olympians were gone, Leto just had to figure out how to introduce herself to the Hunters and Campers. Unsure of how to do so, she followed them until they entered the Junkyard of the Gods.
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Bianca Di Angelo thought this junkyard was as creepy as it was fantastic.
The things that the gods and goddesses threw away.
She was at the back of the group, and didn't think anyone would miss, or notice, if she grabbed the Mythomagic figure of Hades. It was only a toy after-all, and it was the only Mythomagic figure her little brother Nico did not already have.
Reaching for it, she was interrupted by an unfamiliar female voice saying, "I wouldn't touch that if I were you."
The voice was loud enough that Bianca wasn't the only one to turn and face the girl that had snuck up on them, everyone had.
Percy pulled out Riptide in the process, as Zoe and Thalia pulled out their Spear and knocked an arrow on their bow respectively. Grover just jumped as he spun around.
The girl, she had to be around fifteen, give or take a year, had auburn red hair, and bright green eyes, like emeralds. She was armed herself, with a bone white bow, and a sword on her waist. Bianca actually thought she looked vaguely familiar, but didn't know why.
"Who are thee?" Zoe demanded. "And why do thee wear my mistress' face?"
"Harriet Potter," the girl answered. Grinning slightly she added. "As to why I resemble your mistress, Zoe Nightshade, it's genetic, I'm related to Artemis after all, even if I'm not her child."
""You're one of Apollo's kids?" Thalia asked.
"I am related to Apollo."
"What are you doing here?" Thalia demanded.
Harriet chuckled. "Looking for you. One shall be found in the land without rain. Apollo cannot directly aid you in your quest, but I can."
"How do we know you don't work for Luke?" Percy asked her.
"I don't even know a Luke...or any demigods, that I know of anyway. And before you ask, I swear on the river Styx I am here to help you free Artemis and that everything I have just spoken is the truth as I know it."
Thunder echoed overhead and Zoe, Thalia, and Percy looked at each other a moment before they lowered their weapons.
"Thou have come to aid us," Zoe spoke. "May I inquire as to why? Thou are not a Hunter, nor are thee a Camper if Percy and Thalia do not recognize you."
"I am old, Zoe Nightshade, much older than I look. And I have known your Lady for many years."
"She has made no mention of thee?"
Harriet grinned. "Just because Harriet Potter is my name, does not mean it is my only name. And, for reasons of my own, I will not give you the name you are likely to know me by."
"Why not?" Percy demanded.
"Because we must rescue Artemis, and I don't want to deal with the drama you lot knowing my true name would bring," Harriet admitted. "Now, if we're done with the interrogation, I only know who Zoe is, mostly because she is just as Artemis describes her. And after introductions, we have a goddess to save."
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Artemis felt as her name was uttered. Names had power for immortals, gods, titans, and monsters alike.
What was odd was the familiarity of the voice. Artemis could swear she recognized it, but couldn't identify the speaker.
She could spare no time thinking about the familiar voice however, the sky was a heavy burden to bare, even for a goddess.
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