Emmeline glared up at the sky, keen eyes examining it for any sign of a certain son of Zeus. She folded her arms and suspiciously stared around for any odd-looking things.

Winnipeg was a city pleasant enough with its lakes and cheerful surroundings. Trees lined up on every street, every garden, and every building. The citizens were kind and happy and most seemed to enjoy the weekend. The weather was cool and normal, so perhaps Poseidon was happy with this place.

A family consisting of three kids came out of Pizza Hut, all laughing and smiling. Watching them, Emmeline's heart ached for her father and her siblings back at Camp Half-Blood. She sat on a bench and toyed with her Camp necklace, tracing out the five beads there, marking her five years at the place.

Emmeline had been so absorbed with her thoughts, she almost did not notice someone sitting beside her. Raising her head, she almost jumped out of her skin as she found her godly father, Apollo, sitting beside her calmly and casually in his mortal disguise.

"Dad!" Emmeline gasped, placing a hand on her super-fast beating heart.

Apollo chuckled quietly. "I'm sorry, didn't want to interuppt your thoughts, Emmeline. I'll get straight to the point here, and I hope you understand the importance of a point as an archer. Zeus has completely forbidden the gods from helping heroes on their quests, so I can't gift you with a bow with auto-winning power, or death arrows, but I'm here to warn you. Don't let your fears consume you, Emmeline. Stay strong, stay focused. Don't let your fears win."

"But, Dad--" Emmeline gulped, her hands fisting in her dark green t-shirt.

"Just remember this, don't let your fears win." Her father stood up, and quickly hurried beside the Pizza Hut building and disappeared, leaving Emmeline to gape silently at the spot beside her.

"Oi! Emmy!" James was back, and he was running towards her. He came to a halt and panted out, "I found the dude's palace! Its almost two hours from here on foot, but thirty minutes if we fly."

They hurried back to the ship, which was sailing in Lake Winnipeg. Gods only know what the mortals thought of it as. Coming inside, they found Dorcas in the control room and Sirius and Remus involved in an intense game of chess. Lily and Alice were studying a map closely while Frank and Marlene were polishing their daggers, just in case.

"Dorks, just fly straight for ten minutes, take a left turn and go straight for another ten minutes and then take a right turn, go straight and there you are!" To demonstrate, James motioned with his hands, eagerly explaining to Dorcas about the palace.

"On it, man!" Dorcas said cheerfully as she made them rise high above in the air.

•••

"This is the dude's palace?" Marlene gasped, looking out of the ship's windows at Aeolus's residence. Air nymphs floated around, harpies cleaned the area and several exotic birds and pegasi flew around the castle.

"Apparently, yes." James nodded. "This place is bigger than my home, man, and the place is the largest residential mansion in the US."

"I can't believe that you and I both lived in Manhattan," grumbled Lily.

"Anyway," Dorcas turned towards them, very serious all of a sudden, "we can't all go in there. I think James should go, his father controls the winds after all. And Lily, Athena-ish smartness can help us right now, and Frank, nymphs and animals are friendly with children of Demeter. We need Remus here because we want fighters in this place, just in case."

"Yep. Totally," agreed Sirius.

"You guys take care, okay?" Alice said firmly as they came out of the ship and stood at the edge of the floating castle. "I'll make sure to make a rainbow out here in case something goes wrong." She kissed Frank and walked inside the ship.

Lily, James and Frank coolly walked towards the gates, all confident and everything, as though Aeolus himself had invited them here. However, a nymph floated towards them, her eyes resting on James's for a little too much of time.

"Excuse me, but did Mr. Aeolus invite you here? The palace is an only-invitation place you see." She smiled sweetly at them.

"Of course!" Lily said earnestly. "Mr. Aeolus invited us himself! And who are you, ma'am, if you are willing to tell us?"

The nymph beamed at being addressed with a title. "I'm Liv, Mr. Aeolus's personal assistant! Its such a pleasure to meet you! Please come inside!"

"Wow," muttered Frank, giving Lily an impressed look.

"Sure, thank you Mademoiselle Liv." James's chivalry had not departed him, even after years.

The nymph wiped her tears of happiness and led them inside into the palace. She led them in a room full of cameras and lights. In the middlr stood a middle-aged man with a bright, extra-white smile wearing a velvet navy blue suit.

"Welcome to the weather forecast today!" Aeolus announced into the microphone. "Today, there will be heavy rain in Chicago, as Aphrodite is not so happy with the place. And the temperature of Toronto will be around 16° C--no! Wait!" He tilted his head, as if listening, then winced. "Er..I'm not sure what the place did to offend Ares, but the temperature will be very high. Almost 40° C, sorry Toronto. And seeing as Zeus is very happy with New York, expect a cheerful weather there!"

"What the fuck?" frowned Lily. "The forecast depends on gods? I didn't know!"

"Alright!" Aeolus stepped away from the light, and wiped his face with a silky white handkerchief. He turned towards them and narrowed his eyes. "Who are these people?"

"Lord Aeolus!" James jumped in, all but snatching the god's hand and shaking it violently. "I'm James Potter, son of Zeus! You should hear my father's talks about you, sir! He's so fond of you, he's talking about your promotion!"

Aeolus gawked up at him (seeing as James had the insanely tall height of 6'5) and bowed. "Thank you, son of Zeus! I'm flattered but Lord Ouranos has offered me better!"

Lily's blood went cold as ice.

"The lord's honorary companions to help his rise, many Roman demigods, have promised to make me a real god! A Titan, a main god!" Aeolus laughed maniacally. "That is something Zeus will never offer me, ha! And now, I have to kill you guys and your companions!"

Air spirits flew at them and they ran towards the exit.

James grabbed Lily's hand and Frank's arm, then rose high in the air, flying towards the direction of the Sotíras. Frank reached for a packet of seeds and threw them at the anemoi. The seeds transformed into tight green stems and curled around the anemoi tighly, making it impossible for them to escape.

"Dorcas!" Lily shouted as they ran inside the ship, with James stumbling and feeling dizzy and Frank holding him. "Off towards the far edge of Winnipeg! Towards Toronto!"

"Holy fuck!" swore Dorcas. "On it, boss!"

By then, James had collapsed.

•••

I'm not going to kill the male lead, R E L A X. Take care and stay safe.

Love,
~Aurora♡