Sky and Jennifer turned around quickly, their guard instantly up.
"ATLAS!" Prometheus opened his arms and said happily as a slender figure emerged from the rainy woods.
He was wearing a jester's outfit with the hat being complete with five points and small bells on each of them. On his back was a long deep blue coat with silver stars as highlights. As he walked forwards he twirled a long staff with a sphere at the end of it. He looked to be no older than nineteen and had a slender face with silver eyes and lacquer black wavy hair that was tucked into his jester hat.
"Promy, Kronny!!" Atlas said mirroring Prometheus.
He walked up to Prometheus and gave him a huge hug while patting Kronos on the back. "Man, that's some barrier you keep around the Stronghold" He said with a chuckle.
"What about the monsters?" Kronos said sternly.
"Took care of them." He said quickly, taking a look around the training area.
"This is where you train?" Atlas said unenthusiastically, "Lacking… isn't it?" He looked at Kronos who shrugged.
"I'm not in charge here." Kronos replied sternly.
"Oh right… you've given up control to that warmonger." Atlas commented.
Kronos remained silent.
"What did it cost you?" Atlas pressed further.
"Um!" Sky interrupted.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"Great question Young Sky," Prometheus turned to Atlas, "Would you like to introduce yourself?"
Atlas lowered his head and took off his gesture's hat. "I am Atlas, holder of the heavens, and older brother of Kronos and Prometheus, it's an honor to meet you son of Zeus." He slowly rose up and lowered his head in the direction of Jennifer. "And you daughter of Aphrodite."
"Shall we go up to the town hall," Atlas looked at Kronos, "If that still exists."
Slowly the five of them made their way up, looking at the empty buildings and quiet town as they did so.
"It's so… lifeless." Jennifer whispered.
There were few people to be seen and the ones that were spotted quickly scurried away, hiding themselves. The forges had died down, the shops empty, and the loud voices of half-bloods talking amongst one another replaced with eerie silence amplifying the trickling and pitter pattering of the rain. The once full of life street had been emptied, almost as if it were the aftermath of a battle.
"It's what happens when someone who is so clouded and lost is left in charge." Atlas spoke, his words hitting Jennifer's core.
Once they had made their way back to the town hall Kronos went up to his room while Prometheus sat down in a chair quietly and closed his eyes with Jennifer doing the same. Sky found a wall near the stairs and sat down against it, quickly followed by Atlas who sat down next to him.
"So you're the one that Kronos set off to find all those years ago." Atlas started.
Sky remembered back to when he was a child first stealing food. Remembering how he had run into Leeds and Kronos and nodded.
"What made you join him now when you refused to back then?" Atlas asked.
"He said he could heal my mother." Sky answered.
"Is that it?" Atlas asked.
Sky thought for a moment before nodding.
Atlas sighed. "So you're just another civilian Kronos dragged onto the battlefield huh?" He said.
Sky furrowed his eyebrows. "I made a choice to come here!" He said with a slight edge in his voice.
Atlas snorted. "He waved a piece of bait in front of you that he knew you would take then offered you the bait or nothing… that's not a choice." Atlas explained.
Sky froze, unable to argue back. The sound of rain hitting the walls suddenly became amplified, making its presence known in the brief silence.
"And after bringing you here he was unable to protect you and gave you up to the minions of that warmonger didn't he?" Atlas continued. "Tell me Boy, have you even been able to see your mother, for whom you came to this place for, even once?!"
An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Kronos made his way down the stairs once again making the sound of the rain seem louder than it should've been. "No he hasn't." Kronos replied.
"Boy, why do you fight?" Atlas asked as Kronos took a seat next to Prometheus.
Sky stared at him, thinking, thinking yet unable to find an answer. "My mother." He finally said.
"But your mother is safe in the Stronghold, for what reason did you just fight and injure yourself for now?" He motioned towards the bandages covering Sky's body.
Once again Sky became lost in thought, unable to come up with an answer.
"Atlas… it's no longer safe here-" Kronos was interrupted.
"They're here." Prometheus suddenly shot up from his seat and looked at Atlas, Kronos and Jennifer.
An uneasy expression made its way onto Jennifer's while Kronos sighed and Atlas smirked.
Sky thought for a second before realizing he meant the army that had set out to attack the giants. Together the five of them made their way towards the main entrance of the stronghold.
"Not going to hide him?" Atlas asked.
"Can't protect him forever now can I?" Kronos replied, leaving a grin on Atlas' face as he looked back towards Sky and Jennifer who were following behind the three of them.
It was Sky's first time arriving at the entrance, being carried in while he was unconscious the first time he entered the fort. He looked at the giant, cylindrical towers on the left and right side of the gray, wooden gate. The towers were made of a dark gray stone that glowed with different lights with large platforms on top that went over the gate. From where he was standing Sky could see large cannon-like weapons on top with several crates around them. The gate was made of a gray wood with black reinforcements all around. The entrance was large enough for a giant to barely fit through, allowing for several convoys to go through at the same time when it was time to fight. Against the gray sky it fit perfectly, making it seem mythical almost.
"Iron wood and Celestial Stone… great choices." Atlas admired the work.
"Blitz was the one who renovated it." Jennifer said.
Slowly the giant doors creaked open revealing the army of tired soldiers and destroyed wagons behind it. Even without seeing him, Sky could feel the presence of someone strong, someone cold and someone who stood leagues above the rest.
"Stay strong Young Sky… in a different way… this will be harder than when you fought Striker." Prometheus said.