Skyler's POV:
I arrive at the tree in the park. I have my backpack with stuff hung over my shoulder and a bunch in my arms.
"It would have been so much easier to bring a suitcase." Athena says.
"Yeah well, in my defense I didn't know how much I was gonna need."
"There is no defending yourself in this position darling." Athena says with what sounds like a chuckle.
"Oh my gods, the goddess laughs."
I can't help but smile myself.
"Don't get used to it."
In my head the image of Athena winking appears. The longer we spend time together the more I like her. We are more alike than I initially thought.
"So how do we get in again?" I ask.
"Last time Ray was here and people dropped from th-.."
I didn't even finish my sentence or the boy and girl who held Artemis and Apollo drop down from the tree.
"Welcome back, Athena." The boy said.
"Ironic.." He said as his eyes lighted up.
His eyes were a light blue with a golden rim. He had short blonde hair and was wearing black jeans with a white tank top.
Athena rolls her eyes.
"Hades didn't tell you did he?"
"Tell us what?!" The girl demanded.
Her eyes were a silvery gray. Her hair was dark brown. And shaved on one side and reached her shoulders on the other.
She wore combat boots, leggings and a loose band t-shirt.
"Of course not." Athena mumbled.
"Well, why don't you ask him?"
"Why won't you just tell me?" The girl fought back.
"Because, knowing you Artemis, you wouldn't believe me."
The girl stayed quiet for a moment. I assume Artemis didn't know what to say for a moment.
"I wonder why that is.." She mumbled and turned around towards the tree.
"Just come in already, Ray told us you were coming." The girl said, but her voice was diffrent.
"H-how did he know?" I asked.
The boy shrugged.
"No idea."
He held his hand up against the tree and the Greek letter lit up again.
Just like last time part of the trunk lowered into the ground. The spiraled staircase revealed itself.
We started walking down the stairs.
"So what's your name?" The boy asked.
"M-my name?" I stutter.
I didn't see this coming. Get yourself together Skyler. Just answer.
"My name is Skyler."
"Zayn." He replies.
"Are you always so jumpy?"
I didn't know what to say to that. I didn't remember being jumpy, but since dad's death.. And now Athena too. She's always on edge and keeps my body ready for any sudden move. It's exhausting really.
I think he noticed I wasn't going to answer that one.
"That's Zoë by the way."
Zayn gestures at the girl in front of us. She seems to be mumbling to herself. But if you listen closely, you can hear the diffrence in voices.
"She tries to hate you, you know?" His voice is diffrent now.
Apollo.
"She has every right to." Athena replies, confusing me.
Before I can ask her about it we reach the end of the stairs.
The room that was packed with people a couple of days ago is now empty.
"Skyler!" A voice cuts trough the silence.
Raymond limps across the room. Sure enough, like Athena said, he wasn't bending his knee anymore. He even held a cane in his right hand. The cane was made of black wood and a silver skull on the handle.
"Hi."
"Good to see you've recovered so quickly." He said.
Quickly? It feels like forever.
"Where are all the others?" I ask.
"Most of them are resting right now. Yesterday we had another attack. Most of them are still recovering. Zeus and Kronos are on patrol with Hestia and Demeter." Raymond replied.
"Wait another attack?"
Raymond just nods.
"What happened?"
"They got to one of our outposts and took some of our resources and burned the rest."
I feel my mouth fall open. He's joking right?
'I don't think he is.' Athena tells me in my head.
"Come on, I'll lead you around. Oh and Zayn, Zoë put Paul and Phineas on watch in the tree. You two deserve some rest too."
Ray gives them a small smile. Zayn nods and walks across the room with Zoë. We follow them and step into an elevator on the other side of the room.
We take the elevator down.
"This isn't an actual tree is it?" I ask.
"Wonder what gave that away." Zoë said sarcastically.
Raymond gives her a warning look as Zayn chuckles.
"It's a design from both Phineas and Hephaestus."
I remember Phineas being the one who shared a body with the god Hephaestus.
"How long has it been here?"
"About two decades."
"Twenty years?!" I basically yell out.
The lift doors roll open and in front of us is a long corridor. With a bunch of doors and hallways both left and right.
"Yes, but we prefer using decades to keep the count." Hades murmered.
"Or if really necessary by century." Raymond adds.
"It helps in making sense." Zayn says, putting a pitiful hand on my arm.
With that both him and Zoë leave going right into a door.
Ray gestures for me to follow the long corridor. He tells me behind most doors are rooms of gods and their mortals. Everyone has their own room,which could be seen as some kind of sanctuary.
It's your own little place. Everything in there is there because you want it to be. You put it the way you want and it's a place for you to rest and take a moment for yourself.
Or as Raymond said: 'To get to know the immortal in your head'.
I actually might take him up on that. He showed me a training room and told me to find him tomorrow to see how far I already am.
I had no clue what he meant with it, but we just continued our tour.
Next he showed me a large dining hall. He explained this is where everyone sits together for their meals. The most used room is the one upstairs. They all sit there together. Tell stories, play games, etc.
"Now you've seen most of it in a hurry, but the longer you live here the more you'll explore. I wouldn't want to take the fun out of that." He says with a wink.
I smile back at him.
"Last but not least, your room of course."
He stops in front of a gray door in the long corridor.
It's about somewhere in the middle I suppose and close to the training room.
"We've always kept a room for Athena and her mortal. We figured you might come back at one point." Hades' deep voice says.
"You've had a room waiting for me for twenty years?!" I exclaim.
"Decades. Two decades." Hades grumbled.
Raymond ignored him.
"Well, not specifically you, but whoever Athena would pick. But since it's you.. Yes. I'll leave you to figure things out in here. Take the time you need. If you please lunch is at 12.05."
He nods and with that he's gone.
I put my hand on the door handle and open it slowly.