Percy Jackson and the Avengers

Chapter 71

POV: Thor

          As far as prophecies went, this one was fairly straight forward. Find the living, presumed dead, hero under the valley of heroes and free her from an earthen prison only a mortal could find. Thor just followed Tony as they examined every tombstone.

          "Wait. What were those lines again?" Banner asked suddenly from two rows over. Steve looked to Percy.

          "First came the sacrifice of warriors who once made this land their home, Whom rest in the eternal peace of Elysian has yet to come, Great tombs of heroes with polished marble hiding an earthen prison, Only mortal eyes can find." Percy recited quickly, not looking up from the grave he was examining, even though it clearly said mortal eyes. Banner muttered under his breath for a few minutes.

          "It says great tombs of heroes with polished marble. Which of these belong to heros? And of those which are marble?" He asked suddenly. Percy looked around the graveyard and began to point at several.

          "Those; they belong to the one who died fighting Gaea." Percy pointed out at least three dozen graves. "Phoebe, she was a huntress and a hero; don't know if she counts she wasn't a demigod, neither was Kinzi, she was an Amazon but check anyways. Bob and Damsen both got honorary markers; but they aren't tombstones so they don't count. Gwen has one but she came back to life so don't check hers. Check Leo's. We aren't sure if he's dead, so it could be under his...." Percy kept naming people, adding random details about them. He clearly took many of these deaths hard; and knew many of the deceased or at least made a point to learn about them after they had died. Thor recognized a name here and there as the Avengers looked. Thor felt the ache in his chest, an emotion that mortals called guilt filling him.

          Even though the past two godly disasters were not Norse, the way Ragnarok is with young Magnus, he felt as though he should have stepped up. His role in Midgard as an Avenger has somewhat circumvented some of the laws in place that prevent godly meddling. Plus his Midgardian form was hardly his true self. He retained a slight leaning to mortality, as did Loki, in order to meddle in the lower realms. He chooses to return to his godly form rarely now, it has simply become more entertaining to be an Avenger rather than a god in Asgard.

           He regrets more than ever the godly inability to interfere until it is too late. So many of the tombstones being pointed out belonged to demigods, meaning they belong to children. He sighed, looking at one of the oldest remaining demigods alive. Eighteen and one of the eldest. It was a terrible shame on the gods. But there were laws even immortals were bound to.

            "Thor. Thor. Thor!" Tony was waving a hand in front of the god's face.

           "Yes?" He asked as he was pulled from his thoughts.

           "Steve found it."