The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 81 - Jason - A Journey To Atlantis

It's not nice seeing the person you just realized you love fall into the hands of Thanatos. And Alex had been a very good friend, regardless of whether I loved her or not.

Apollo looked back. The sea parted. Four naiads stood with their hands clasped. They bowed respectfully and stepped out of the water.

"We will take our goddess back with us," they said in chorus. "The god of the Sea wants to see her."

Piper turned to them. "C-can you save her?" she asked.

The naiad on the leftmost looked up in worry. "We're not sure. But we will not let the heir of the ocean be buried in the land. She belongs with us."

Tristan McLean looked very, very confused. He nodded his head, turned around and left to his mansion.

The naiads spread their hands. Water flowed out from their palms. A stretcher formed itself onto the sand. They carefully lifted her body and placed it on the stretcher. I was too much in shock to question why water hadn't gone into the sand. They lifted the stretcher and put it on their shoulders and walked back to the shore like pallbearers.

One naiad turned around.

"Jason Grace," she said.

I looked up.

"You may come with us."

With much difficulty, I got up from the ground.

"Jason I-" Apollo started.

"Shut up," I said, letting go of my last energy. "If I see you again, I'll kill you. Go."

What did you expect me to say?

I followed the naiads into the water. I was not shocked to find myself dry.

I wound my palm onto Alex's free hand.

It was not warm. I did not feel the surge of power I always felt when I clasped her hand.

I thought about what had happened a few weeks ago, after the quest.

Time had passed so quickly.

I had received a letter from Alex saying she had gotten into some nice institute. In three to four years' time, she'd be an ACCA. Probably go off to London.

A tear streaked down my cheek.

I didn't understand what had happened back then.

"It's not you, Jason," Piper had stood at my Cabin door. "I'm sorry. It's just that- I- I-"

She took a deep breath in. "Hera brought us together. She forced us together—the marriage goddess, arranging a happy couple. My memories of starting to date you, our first few months together, were a total illusion. Then, as soon as I found that out, before I could even process what it meant, Aphrodite claimed me. My mom, the goddess of love."

I had just nodded at her.

"And besides," Piper continued, "we can't all be Percy and Annabeth. And-"

She paused a moment.

"What?" I asked.

"Mom appeared before me last night," Piper said. "She told me about the change of plans."

"What?" I repeated again.

Piper sighed. "Look, all I'm saying is... we can still be friends. But... no longer like this."

She leapt off my bed. "I'll see you around."

Again, I had just nodded. I sighed and packed my backs for school. It was going to be a hectic year.

I'd been having weird dreams lately.

I was always with Alex, and she always stood there in her blue coat and brown hat, hugging Celeste.

And then there was that innocent looking three-year-old boy. Caspian. A single blonde hair streaked his jet-black hair. He had electric blue eyes.

Celeste's were more oceanic, like turquoise, and they changed color in the light, but that kid Caspian had a sassy attitude and bright blue eyes that sparkled in the light. Their eyes looked almost the same, but different at the same time.

I smiled at the memory. The prophecy of the Sybil whirled in my head. If only I could have killed her instead.

After what seemed like years and a thousand salty tears, we made it to the place I last expected to go to.

Atlantis is as big as the city on, with wide courtyards and columned pavilions. Twenty or thirty buildings made of abalone, white but gleaming with rainbow colors shone in the blue water. Fish and octopi darted in and out of the windows. The gardens were full of exotic sea plants and coral colonies, with luminescent jellyfish drifting about like Christmas lights.

The naiads spoke nothing to me. They didn't even say 'Welcome to Atlantis,' as is customary. The whole city, although shining, seemed to be in distress and worry. The whales howled in despair.

The naiads led me to the Palace of Atlantis. The palace was made of pearl, coral and shell of abalone. If only I hadn't been in a state of dying, I probably would've appreciated its beauty better.

I don't know where they led me after that. We passed into and out of rooms.

They placed her body on a slab made of pure coral and took one last look at her.

One of the naiads pressed her hand to Alex's cheek.

"You helped me find my love for your father, dear," she said softly. "I won't deny your love's wish to stay here."

She pressed her lips to Alex's forehead, nodded to me and then left the room.

I waited a few moments. A chair appeared magically by my side. Feeling tired, I sat down.

A few moments later, a man with a long white beard stormed in, a trident in his hand glowing. My eyes went wide in shock. It was- Poseidon.

His face was wrinkled, old and terribly like a rotten coral. He patted his daughter's cheek.

Not a moment later, Asclepius entered. He was no longer a man with a kindly smile. He had a look of worry on his face, crinkles around his twinkling eyes, short salt-and-pepper hair, and a well-trimmed beard. He tapped Alex's forehead with his staff.

A whole minute later, he took it away. "There may yet be a chance. But..."

I wanted to jump with joy, but he still seemed worried.

"What?" Poseidon asked, voicing my question.

"She was born from your blood. Your ichor gave her life. If she is to be awakened- we'll need something very powerful. Something more powerful than your ichor," Asclepius said. "I don't know-"

"Something like- a primordial's ichor?" I asked, feeling the vial in my pocket.

"What?" Poseidon asked again.

"Will it work?" I asked, standing up. "Will it?"

Asclepius seemed to think. "Maybe. But it's incredibly hard to find-"

He and Poseidon gasped. It was the vial that Alex had told me to safeguard at all times. The golden liquid glimmered as I brought it out.

"There's only little," I said. "But it should work."

Asclepius took it from me, his eyes gleaming. He waved his hand, and the bottle floated in the air, or water. It uncorked itself and a drop of ichor floated out. He turned to Poseidon.

Poseidon cut his finger on his trident. His ichor floated to the drop of Gaea's. Asclepius turned to him one last time.

"I'm not sure, again," he said. "It's just possible-"

"Just do it," I said.

The two drops of blood intertwined with each other and fell onto Alex's wound.

Nothing happened for two seconds.

And then, her body burst into fire.   

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