A monster knocks sense into me

The old lady started walking towards Frank, where he stood dumbfounded. "Am I hallucinating?!" He assured, gaping.

She approached us.

"Grandma Zhang!" Percy cheered.

"Oh my Gods! I'm so happy to see you again." Hazel said, wiping away a tear.

"You're alive?!" Said Frank, horrified.

"What do you mean? Of course I am! I told you I'd not die so easily," She scolded.

She stared at her grandson from head to toe. "You defeated Gaia. I'm impressed, Fai."

Frank blushed.

"Hazel and Percy!" She continued, "Good to see you too. And---" she gestured to the blonde and me.

"Annabeth," she told.

"Delilah," I added

"Yes whatever. What brings you people here? Probably you did not come here looking for me, anyway come in. I have baked cookies." She said, as she turned around and pointed towards an old styled building that looked vaguely Chinese.

"Uhm I don't think Annabeth, Delilah and I can stay. We're on a quest and we're running out of time." Percy clarified.

The old lady turned to face him. "Quest?" She queried, "The one about the Sea God?"

"Yes."

Annabeth frowned. "What do you mean 'about the Sea God'? The prophecy talks about children of him. Not actually him, right?"

Grandma stared at her. "It is about the Sea God. Don't you know?"

Annabeth's face reddened in irritation. Oh no Grandma. You should not ever tell the genius Annabeth what she doesn't know! I thought.

"Really?" Percy asked, "What else do you know?"

Annabeth looked like she was ready to punch granny in the face for being rude to her. Which actually wasn't rude, but in her small wise brains it was. She probably decided to let Percy do the talking, only for the sake of information.

"I don't know much," Grandma said, taking a seat at the cafe table.

We did the same.

"So the God that we are supposed to calm, is a Sea God?" I said.

"Indeed."

"A minor sea god?" Percy asked.

"No stupid. A minor god wouldn't have been a problem. It is a bigger entity. As big as Neptune. Ever heard about...," She examined our expressions, "Varuna?"

I shifted in my seat. I did not know any Varuna dude. I regretted sleeping in my mythology class!

"You are a son of the sea. You should know." Grandma said to Percy.

He only shrugged.

She sighed. "Varuna is an Indian God. He has power over water too, just like your father Neptune."

"Poseidon."

She ignored him. "You shall solve the politics that has brought about fights and arguments in the sea."

"Wait," Annabeth said, "What politics? And why are we Greeks questing for Indian Gods?"

"Neptune is not the only controller of water, you see. This is a small world with many lands, all having their own Gods. The water is distributed among all to keep peace. They have pacts and agreements and deals. Sea politics, it is," She said. "See? Even the water is filthy with politics. Ever wondered why the Pacific and Atlantic oceans never mix? Opposition among the Gods of the sea." She shook her head. "And the mortals think it is because of the different densities."

Percy looked like he had just been slapped upside the face.

I knew we had to go to India. But why, I now knew. This whole quest was getting more and more complicated.

"So what has brought the sea gods to fight and argue?" Annabeth asked.

Grandma faced us one at a time. "It all started in the 1920s when the Greek Goddess Delilah was born."

I choked on spit. My jaw dropped. I did not even know about politics let alone politics that got started because of me! I gulped.

"The gods had an agreement over it too. Since Delilah would also be a child of the sea but with certain more powers than a mortal demigod. But something went wrong. As if Neptune isn't keeping the pact. There have been a lot of arguments about it. Which has made the Indian god upset. And you seriously don't want to make an Indian god upset. Have you read any stories about Shiva's third eye?"

"No," replied Hazel.

Percy shook his head.

"Never mind. What I was saying is," she looked at me, "you have to hurry, or he'll have no mercy."

Thanks for the peaceful advice, I thought.

"We must leave, then." I said getting up.

"Right," agreed Annabeth.

~

Percy, Annabeth and I left the cafe and started walking towards our boat. The streets were narrow.

"Oh, I forgot something. I'll be back in a minute." Annabeth said, as she started to pace.

"Wait, I'll come with you," Percy urged and took off too.

I sighed and waited for them to return. We were running out of time. I had no idea how we were going to finish this quest before midnight.

I leaned on the wall besides a garbage bin. The sky was clear. The air was fresh. It was already mid-afternoon.

"Oh dear look who's here," Said a raspy voice.

I shifted my weight to my feet.

I looked up, to find an empousa creepily resting (like Spiderman) on the wall right above me. I moved away. I wanted to vaporize her as fast as possible, before the demigods would return and I'd have to fight her the mortal way (that is the slashy slashy with the swordy way or if you're Roman, then the stabby stabby way). I was about to snap my fingers when she started.

"I have been following you on this quest," She laughed. "Seems like you don't even have a plan! How are you going to save your son?"

What? I must have misheard. Did she just refer to my son? Aaron?! My legs started to tremble.

"Aaron? Wait, what about him?!" I could not believe.

She laughed evilly. "Oh dear, you seriously take everything so lightly."

"Where is he? Tell me!" I yelled, my voice quivering with rage, anxiety, frustration, fear and a lot of other emotions which I just could not contain anymore.

A lump formed in my throat. It felt like a giant leech was sucking all the power out of me. I was oblivious.

"Why should I tell you when you're not going to live long enough to save him!" She grinned.

She flicked her fingers. I got thrown hard on the brick wall that was five meters away. It hit my head. I tumbled to the ground.

"He is being kept as bait... in India," she continued. "What a terrible parent you are! You don't even know where your son is."

Her words stung my heart. I did not mean to be a bad parent. I just never thought about it. I was so self-centred. So selfish. I never really cared to see him. Guilt overtook on me.

The empousa smirked.

She raised one hand which made me float in mid-air. I did nothing. I could not find any strength to fight back. Moreover, I did not want to. My head ached from all the things I had just realized. I was numb. My son was in danger and I did not even have a clue on how to save him. Things were gracefully slipping out of hands.

Suddenly a shadow passed by me in high velocity. I dropped to the floor. It took me time to register what was happening. The next moment, the empousa was nothing but dust.

I looked up to find a lean boy in black. He had dark hair sweeping his shoulders.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked, giving me a hand.

I stayed in place. It was Nico di Angelo.

"Hey," he said, kneeling beside me.

He looked at me. Tears crawled down my cheeks.

"No way!" Nico said, "You are Delilah."

I nodded.

"You-you--- you're not supposed to be here, I guess?"

My eyes escaped his gaze. Golden Ichor rushed out of the back of my head. I started to sob.

Nico pulled me into his embrace. "Delilah, what happened?"

Nico was my only friend who actually knew me. He was the person who when told 'I'm fine' would immediately pull me into a hug and say 'I know you're not'. He just knew me too well. For the past few months, I'd go to the underworld to meet with him but all I ever got was 'Sorry, he hasn't visited here for months'. I considered the reason to be Will Solace. Before the war with Gaea we used to meet up in the underworld and just goof around pranking souls all day. I always found him like a brother whom I could lean on in times of crisis. And here we were again, him giving me a shoulder to cry on and me being me.

"Aa--Aaron. He is--is in danger." I choked back my tears.

"What?" He gasped. "But--- how?"

"I don't know. H-he is in India." I said, pulling away from his hold. "He's being held captive, because of some politics---" I gasped for air," some politics that started because of me," I started to cry again. "And I'm s--supposed to save him before midnight. Or--- I don't know." I buried my face in my palms.

Nico shook his head. "No Delilah, you don't have to blame yourself for that," he said.

I took in deep breaths. "I am the reason. I am the reason all this started in the first place."

He sighed. "Does everyone know you... Like you, as you."

I shook my head in a no. "Not even Percy and Annabeth who are with me on this quest," I pursed my lips.

"Percy and Annabeth. Delilah, don't you think it would be easier if you just reveal your identity at once?"

"You think so?"

"Would you? For Aaron," Nico urged. "This might be your only chance. Besides, you don't have time."

I thought for a moment, wiping away the tears. Maybe I should. Because hiding was only making things work at a slower pace. Things could speed up. I just had to confess my lie. How hard could that be.

Annabeth and Percy casually walked to where Nico and I were sitting.

"Nico!" Percy said with joy.

"What are you two doing on the floor?" Annabeth doubted.

Nico carefully got up and gave me a hand. I took it and stood, sheepishly.

Annabeth frowned. Then her eyes widened in shock. "Is that Golden Ichor?!" She remarked pointing towards my head.

"No wise girl. How could that be?" Percy figured.

Nico glanced at me sideways.

I took a breath in and out. "The thing is..." I glanced at Nico. "So here's the thing... Uh, this is the thing---"

"What is it?!" Percy and Annabeth stared at me expectantly.

"Uh... I'm not a demigod." I waited for them to react, which they didn't. "I am the Thirteenth Olympian. I'm Delilah, the goddess of... uh I don't know that yet. But yeah I'm not human." I spoke out of breath.

Nico gave me a small thumbs up which made my nerves calm down a bit.

"Hold up!" Percy said, pacing up and down.

"You," he pointed at me "are Delilah. Why should I believe that?"

"Why?" Annabeth chided. "Why would you do this? Aren't you a child of Athena too? Did all your wisdom just fly out of the window?"

That was rude.

Nico took a step forward. "Don't make it a big deal. You have other things to worry abou---"

"You knew about it?!" Percy scowled.

"Well, no. I only found out five minutes ago. But Delilah is a friend of mine. So, yes."

Annabeth looked like she was choking on her own wisdom.

The duo was so intimidating. Their words stung my heart more than the empousa's. And Nico was standing up for me.

"Look," I said. "I can explain. But first we have to finish this quest. Remember the vision I had? The person in the cube is my son. And I am ready to do anything to save him. Please, just help me through it Percy," I pleaded. "Annabeth?"

"This is crazy," said Annabeth, "I don't know what is true and what is not anymore. We didn't even want to be on this quest! You know what, you are officially the twelfth God to ruin our lives."

"Don't say that. She definitely did not mean to do this. Okay?" Nico said calmly. "Try to understand. Right now, more than anything, she wants Aaron to be safe. Are you going to help?"

"Yes, let's just save your son first. Then we'll see." Percy said.

"Great! Now, how do we get to India," Nico asked.

"Can you shoot big projectiles?" Percy asked me.

I decided not to tell them that I almost had them killed earlier this morning. I hardly could fire a projectile of a few kilometers range. Let alone one across the planet.

"I don't think I have that much power."

"Whatever. Just teleport." Annabeth said.

"Teleport?" I frowned. "Never tried that before."

"I don't think there is another way to get to India faster."

"Let's do it then!" I urged.

"Uhm... I'm not sure. Since you've never teleported before. Our mortal bodies might disintegrate in the process." Percy reasoned.

I tugged at my hair. "So, I'll have to go alone?" I mumbled. "But I want your help."

"Maybe this is the only way," said Nico.

I gulped. I didn't want to fight the ultimate alone. I had to have these half-bloods by my side. They were strong, intelligent, quick and They.Had.Experience. How could I just go and fight and not expect to fail. Only one name ran through my train of thoughts: Aaron.

"Okay!" I said. I started this, I'll end this.

I closed my eyes and imagined the cave I had seen in my vision. I felt myself lose weight as I drifted off in thin air. My head throbbed from the hit I had on the wall.

I felt my legs land on something hard. I opened my eyes to find myself in the cave.