Authors note:  Hey guys!  Some very exciting announcements:  We have reached over 7000 reads on book 1.  I know I know, that doesn't seem like a lot.  But I didn't expect to get 70 reads, let alone 7000.  Were growing bigger everyday.

Another 'announcement': I realized that I had been putting my own emotions into Athena.  Which isn't a bad thing, but I was asking myself what I would do in a situation, instead of asking myself what would Athena do.  So Mars yelling at her was almost the cycle breaker.  You'll start to see more Athena-like actions, I promise.

As always, If you guys have any questions, statements, opinions, or concerns I read EVERY comment!  So please leave me some!  I love having discussions with you guys, getting to know you and all that other good stuff.

So with that, I hope you enjoy this much anticipated chapter, as I have not updated in.. well, its been a while.  Enjoy.

***

I stared at myself in the mirror of the bathroom which was attached to my room on Hades ship.  My cheeks tear stained, but my facial expression relaxed.  I hardly recognized the goddess staring back. Pale and thin with dark circled eyes didn't suit me.  This wasn't me, this was just what I let myself become.

I had taken what Mars said to heart.  I hadn't been acting like myself lately at all.  But losing the person I had fought to be with all along was more than I could handle, especially in the moment of it all. Millions of years by a persons side only to have them point an arrow at your skull in the end was something I don't think I'll ever forget. Not to mention the look he gave me. I could see it plainly written across his face. He wanted me dead.  If Mars were in my shoes and had lost Minerva, he would have understood.

I flicked the warm water on and bent over, cupping my hands and splashing water on my face.  Once I was satisfied I flicked it back off and reached for the towel on the counter beside me.  I held it to my face for a minute or two before placing it back down on the counter, next to some type of tooth brush holder, and glanced back up to the mirror.  I shrieked when I noticed it wasn't me inside any longer.

"Hello, Athena." Minerva said cooley, glaring at me with her cold, grey, unfriendly eyes.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't break this mirror right now, and trap you inside it."  I threatened, knowing the trick she was using.  If anything were to happen to her reflection in the mirror, it would transfer her back to her body, even though she wasn't physically in there. Just a magic trick really.

She made a pretend thinking face, before shrugging.  "Hmm... Can't think of one at the moment.  I just thought you'd like to know what ever happened to you're little friend. What was his name, again? Alida? Annan? Alian, was it?"  

I felt as though a ton of bricks was piled on top of my chest, but I kept my cool and glared at her.  "Where is he?"

"Right where you left him."  Minerva smirked.  "Here, on you're once so sacred city grounds. I must say, I'm surprised you abandoned your city so easily. I'm disappointed actually. I expected at least a little fight from you. You let me down. But now that you've got you're precious Ares, nothing really matters anymore does it?  Its a shame he hates you."

"Is he hurt?"  I asked, raising my voice and ignoring her comment about Ares.

"I dunno, I'll ask him when he wakes up. Mercury really did a number on him. You should be ashamed of yourself, bringing a mortal into a gods war." She smiled, tempting me into breaking the glass. "Which brings me to my other reason for being here.  I've got a proposition for you."

"I don't want to hear your 'proposition'-"

"Even if it would save you're friends life?"  Minerva countered.  I sighed, as she continued talking.  "You can have him as far as were concerned, he's nothing to us. I propose a trade.  Alex-"

"Alian!"  I corrected.

"Whatever.  You get Alian, we get Ares.  Deal?"  She smiled sweetly at me through the mirror.

I seriously considered her offer.  What good was Ares to me?  He wanted me dead.  He wanted all of us dead.  Whatever mind altering Minerva had done on him had done the job.  And then there was Alian.  Sweet, harmless Alian.  Someone I owed everything I had to.  Could I really be so selfish to let him die, while Ares lives. Could I abandon him again?

"Take me instead."  I proposed.  But Minerva shook her head, flashing he teeth.

"Not gonna happen, kid.  You had your chance, you should have taken it when we offered it to you. You've proven you're too unpredictable.  Not to mention you'll be dead in a few days, so what good are you. No, we want Ares, or the deals off and your friend is dead."  She eyed me as she would eye her prey.

Suddenly I realized something.  Alian was the only thing she had against us.  Her was her only pawn in this phycotic game we had been sucked into playing.  If she got rid of him, she'd have nothing.  Who knows?  Maybe if I were to even hand over Ares, she'd still kill Alian.  Or keep him alive to fight.  Then she'd have two things against us.

"No deal."  I said, shrugging as if I hadn't just given Alians life away.

"What?!"

"You won't kill him." I said stepping forward and putting my poker face on.  "You won't even touch him.  He's the only thing you've got against us, and your not stupid enough to give that kind of leverage away."

"How are you so sure?"  Minerva tried to play off.

"What can I say?  We think alike."  Minerva stopped smiling. "There's no deal, Minerva."

"You're making a mistake, Athena.  Not accepting our deal will result in war.  And last time I checked, we have an army and you don't."  She smeered in.

"Ah, but you see, that's where you're wrong.  We've got many allies ready to fight with us. Plus all the  forces that hate you and would be willing to join us. Not to mention 11 angry Olympians and one pissed off Roman."  I moved closer to the mirror and practically spat my next words at her wide eyed face.  "And believe me when I tell you that we will not stop, we not rest until our city is avenged.  You've taken more than you know from us.  And you've taken my world from me.  So when we come, and we will, we won't be coming for this 'army' of yours.  No... We'll be coming for you."

"Well..."  Mineva backed away on her side of the mirror, fading away slowly.  "We'll be waiting then, won't we?"  She gave one last laugh before dissapearing.

I was starring back at myself again finally.  This close up in the mirror, I watched my eyes change from a light gray to a stormy gray, as they always did when I was mad.  

As mad as I was, I felt like my own self again.  I had showed Minerva up once more.  Of course, the price was a future battle.  A steep trade but a necessary one. We would have to rally troops, I realized now. Normally Olympus was the meeting ground for war volunteers, but with that obviously not an option we'd have to go to them. Soon too.

I glanced behind me to see a shower, and nothing sounded better that a nice hot, steaming shower.  I undressed, and got my towel ready for when I got out.  I sat it on the counter, and just happened to look up and notice something blue on my hip bone. 

I looked down, just now noticing it.  It looked like dark blue veins had risen to the surface of my body.  It looked somewhat like a crossword puzzle, each vein branching off into another and then another.  I noticed, this was where the source of pain was coming from and understood. 

This was the effect of Neptunes invention.  This was how the water was being pulled and drained out of me.  I was terriefied to look at my back, but knew I had to see it. 

I slowly turned around, seeing that my whole lower back way engulfed in these blue vein looking things.  I of course could feel the pulling of water and energy being pulled to the small of my neck, where it looked like the veins were turning an ugly grayish black color.

It was killing my veins, and therefore, me. They weren't bluffing.

It was all I could do not to scream for help, or run and tell my family.  But I knew this would only worry them more.  The only person I considered telling was Posiedon, who could no doubt help me.  I would have to think about it.

I decided to worry about it later, since I still had a few days before I... died...

I continued on with my shower, trying to wash my worrys away.  Why was it always me?  If I had been wiser, none of this probably would have happened.  Mars was right.  I haven't been my usual self.

All that would be changing immediately.  Just like the gray in my eyes, a darker Athena was about to be born.  I would take Olympus back even if I had to pry it out of the Romans cold dead hands.

Just watch.

Hey guys!

So I know its been far to long, and I hope this update made up for it a little bit.  I'll definietly be updating more often, some very terrible things in the family have happened.  My very dear cousin passed.  But I know he's smiling down on me.

I'm also running for homecoming princess! :D  Wish me luck!

Dedicated to my cousin Zach, who always encouraged my writing.  Thank you, cousin!  R.I.P.  buddy!