Everything was quiet... Too quiet. The silence was really starting to get on Percy's nerves. He didn't know how he knew, yet he sensed a great power approaching, good or bad, he knew not. Finally the earth in front of him started to bubble and churn, and something started to rise out of it.
He instinctively reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen. The pen didn't look like much, just a cheap regular ballpoint, but when Percy uncapped it, it grew into a glowing bronze sword. The blade balanced perfectly. The leather grip felt like it was made for him. Etched on the guard was an Ancient Greek word that Percy somehow understood: Anaklusmos, riptide.
He'd woken up with the sword last night, in the middle of an abandoned shack in the woods, wearing shorts, an orange T-Shirt, and a leather necklace with a bunch of strange clay beads. Riptide had been in his hand, but Percy had no idea how he had gotten there. And only the vaguest possible idea who he was. He'd been barefoot, freezing and confused. And that's when the wolves came.
They had come, one by one, until he had a half circle of fierce wolves all looking at him. Finally, one of them, the largest, with a chocolate brown coat and red eyes lunged in his direction, jaw open, teeth glistening. Smoothly he slid to one side and bashed the wolf in the head with the hilt of the sword. How the Hades had he done that? Wait a minute... What the hades? Is that a normal expression? He didn't think so... He put that idea away for later as he was forced to bring his attention back to the fight as the wolf charged him again. This time, he ducked underneath the wolf as it jumped at his head. He spun around, ready to strike the wolf with his sword but before he could, a loud voice rang out into his head.
"Enough!" He heard the voice yell. He looked around for the owner of the voice, yet saw no one. As his eyes continued to dart around the room he heard a sigh. "Where are you! Show yourself!" Percy demanded as he quickly retreated and put his back against a fallen wall.
"You do realize we are right in front of you right? Your battle skills and instincts are good young one. You might be good enough to live and make it to the roman camp."
"But there is no one there but the ... Oh. Are you the wolf?"
"Yes"
"Oh great. Talking wolves, magic swords... I must be dreaming, he said sarcastically, as he put riptide away.
This evoked a growl from the wolf. "I can assure you that you are not dreaming. I am Lupa, the roman goddess of wolves. We do not appreciate you mocking our pack."
"Okay okay, I get it, don't make fun of you. You guys are no fun" he pouted. "Wait..."His head snapped up "you said roman..." Instantly his sword was back in his hand and pointing at the goddess.
"I advise you put that away boy, before my pack decides it wants dinner. As she said this all the wolves crouched and began to growl at him.
"But you said Roman. The Romans are evil, they have tried to destroy us before." "
"Show some respect to your betters pup..." Lupa growled in an angry tone.
Percy responded with a cheeky " I only give respect to those who have earned it from me, and you have not. Besides, why should I listen to you? You are a roman, they try to kill Greeks."
"Boy" came from a very irritated goddess. "You are trying my patience sorely" in response Percy just crouched and waved his hand in a "bring it on motion." This was the last straw for Lupa. "I give you one more chance boy, to stop this foolishness and listen to me".
"And do what" He responded. "Just lay down my sword and listen to the gods, who say I should be "honored" to defend them, those who have done nothing but ruin my life?" The sky rumbled overhead. "Yeah yeah to Tartarus with you too Zeus, Jupiter, whatever the hades your name is." This caused the earth to rumble and the shadows grow darker. "Oh come on hades, it was an accident". The shadows stopped, yet the earth kept shaking.
Lupa stumbled, and then stiffened. Suddenly her eyes turned from red to dirt brown. Percy frowned "what..." His voice trailed off as all the wolves eyes changed color, then they all turned around and left. "Well that was unexpected." He capped his sword. But froze. Everything was silent. Too quiet.
Suddenly the earth started to nipple and churn. He sensed great power coming from... Something nearby. As something started to rise out of the earth, he drew his sword. Whatever it was kept rising until it was about 10 feet
tall, then it stopped. It looked like a woman with her eyes closed, as if she was sleeping. Her body seemed to be made of dirt, leaves and twigs. As she raised her head in his direction he pointed riptide at her and said steadily "who or what are you".
"Why can't you tell" she responds in a mocking tone of voice. "Think of your mythology Perseus"
It slowly dawns on him "you... your Gaea, the primordial of earth. Why are you here?"
"Yes. I am. As to why I'm here..." She smiles which looks weird on a sleeping face. "I'm here to offer you a deal."