AEGAEON'S KNIGHT

CH1 - STANDING CLOSER TO THE EDGE

Full Summary: When Percy is kidnapped, the camps search futilely for the hero of Olympus. But four years later with no trace of the Sea Prince, Percy's survival begins to be questioned. Then an encounter with a group of Cyclopes alerts the demigods that the son of Poseidon is alive. A seventeen year old Nico and immortal Jason, Leo and Hazel set out to rescue the Percy, but after inhuman torture, lost memories and fabricated loyalty, the Percy they find, isn't the one they lost. Percico.

I

"YOU'RE HERE FOR EXCITEMENT... ENTERTAINMENT... AND BLOODSHED!"

Hundreds of voices, cheers and screams respond in confirmation. Nico looks down from the stands, black cloak draping around his shoulders and head, to watch as iron bars sink into the ground on one side of the arena. His face is shrouded, hidden from the prying eyes of onlookers and aiding his disguise amongst the crowds.

"TODAY WE HAVE A NEW CHALLENGER."

Bursting from the shadows of the arena opening, the Cyclops then proceeds to charge to the centre and let out a fierce battle cry. The audience cheers rise in anticipation. Nico grits his teeth and disgust washes over his features. The monster holds his spear high in the air and the cheers double in volume.

"BUT WE COULDN'T MAKE IT THIS SIMPLE FOR OUR FAVOURITE REIGNING CHAMPION."

Directly where the Cyclops had emerged, an empousa gracefully prowls forward. Her demonic appearance slowly coming into view as she stalks out of the shadows. Behind her, the iron bars begin to rise and a resounding click echoes the arena as they seal the exit. She eyes the Cyclops suspiciously on her approach and lets out a low growl. Nico flexes his hand nervously, watching as neither monster move to attack the other - yet.

"HE WILL FACE BOTH THESE WARRIORS IN A FIGHT TO THE DEATH."

Nico instinctively glances at the speaker, but quickly averts his gaze to the arena's floor. Around the circular seating three other figures, dressed in similar fashion to the son of Hades, stand tensely watching the scene unfold. Jason, Leo and Hazel all hold some form of detachment. They all wait on bated breath as another set of iron bars, parallel to those which the two monsters had appeared from, noisily begin to descend into the ground.

"NOW PLEASE WELCOME THE ONE AND ONLY PERSEUS JACKSON!"

Once again the crowd roars in approval, clapping, cheering, and most are on their feet with excitement. Nico slowly rises from his seat to get a better look at the silhouette stepping past the threshold and into the arena. His heart crawls all the way into his throat and he just manages to chock down a gasp.

Percy hasn't changed one bit in the three years he'd been missing, with his sea-green eyes and windblown black hair. The temporarily immortally this place cursed its occupants with, had left him not a day older than sixteen.

Bruises litter his face and decorate his bare lower arms. His shirt is ripped slightly with the sleeves pulled up to his elbows. Nico realises that the material which was once white is now stained dark with blood and dirt, and bile lines his mouth.

Percy looks dazed, his expression listless and eyes glassy. His appearance is a far cry from the bright, energetic boy Nico had first fallen for. But it was without doubt Percy.

At first Nico fails to notice the bronze sword in his hand, one that is definitely not Riptide. The son of Poseidon walks forward without resistance or protest, and the notion that Percy has lost his will to fight his captors cuts Nico like a knife. Every other step, Percy seems to stumble and it's clear his legs is wounded from whatever monster they made him fight last time. Nico glances up to lock eyes with Jason and nods. Carefully, he weaves between the crowds towards the edge where the seats merge with the steep wall lining the arena floor.

"LET THE BATTLE BEGIN."

The Cyclops is first to move. Lunging forward, he swings his spear at the demigod, only for Percy to dodge at the last moment. His body moving rigidly, striking the Cyclops on his calf and bringing him kneel. Percy steps beyond the monster's reach, but not before dealing a heavy blow to the arm holding the spear. Nico breathes terrified, Percy made it look effortless. But worst of all - it is for show. Percy could of easily finished the Cyclops off, but instead left him alive to entertain his spectators. Nico has a nagging feeling that is a lesson Percy was taught in pain, and time, and blood.

The empousa tries her luck next. Circling the son of Poseidon with a prowlness that could put a wolf to shame. Her hair blazes with a vengeance that lights her eyes aflame.

Percy tracks her every movement, waiting for a chance to strike. With each second she grows impatient, and after what feels like forever to Nico, she pounces forward. Her long talons are swift in catching Percy's shoulder and carving three long lesions into his flesh. Nico's heart plummets at the small whimper that escapes the son of Poseidon's lips as he stumbles back to the floor. The empousa hisses in glee and the crowd roars with excitement.

But that moment of gloating she takes, with her back turned and hands held high to receive empty praises, is all Percy needs. He gracefully, silently pulls himself to his feet. Then he charges forward, plunging the sword through her back and out of her chest. The spectators fall still, before their voices resume in cheers and screams. Nico watches the empousa choke, her eyes rolling back into her head. She swiftly begins to fade into that all-too-familiar gold dust.

"AND THEN THERE WAS ONE!"

Percy turns, almost mechanically, to the Cyclops.

The monster seems a little more wary of the demigod this time as he stands slowly and approaches. There is a fear in his eye, that Nico can best explain to a predator realising it had just become prey. He tightens his hold on the spear and swings mercilessly at Percy. The Cyclops' next attacks are much clumsier as panic starts to take hold. Yet, each time he fails to land a hit on his opponent.

Percy ducks with ease, blocking or avoiding every swing.

The crowd began chanting Percy's name and stomping their feet. Nico smiles seeing the Cyclops' movements start to lag as fatigue sets in. He flings the spear wide, trying to slice Percy chest, but the opening gives way for the demigod to sever the Cyclops' head clean from his body. Percy steps aside as the corpse drops heavily to the ground. He lowers his sword and stands emotionlessly as the crowds shout and chant. Nico feels sick, on the verge of vomiting - it is now or never.

Putting both hands on the wall, the son of Hades pulls himself up and leaps over. The fall ends swiftly as Nico lands with the grace of a cat. His cloak settles, his hood still covering most of his face. Slowly, he stands and looks up, the wall lining the arena is donned with scratches and claw marks undoubtedly from those trying escape a brutal death.

"STOP HIM!"

But instead of immediate protests, the crowds begin jeering him on. There is a slight hesitation in the speaker's voice at Nico's unorthodox actions, but his confidence is quickly restored with the crowd's eagerness for more bloodshed.

"WELL, IT SEEMS WE HAVE OURSELVES ANOTHER CHALLENGER."

Nico's vision snaps back down to the eye level when another thud echoes the arena's pit. His lips twitch into a small smile, seeing Jason lose his balance on the landing and stagger awkwardly left. Luckily, just like Nico, his cloak remains securely in place.

"TWO? TWO. WE HAVE TWO NEW CHALLENGERS! WHAT A TURN OF EVENTS."

The Ghost King nods at the blond, before diverting his attention back to Percy. The son of Poseidon looks half-aware, swaying on his feet, but his sword is still clutched tightly in his hand. Stepping forward, Nico holds his hands up slightly. He keeps his voice low so only Jason and Percy can hear.

"Percy, it's me. It's Nico. You need to snap out of it."

It pains the son of Hades at the lack of recognition in his cousin's eyes. The green-eyed boy dazedly stumbles left and right, then lifts with sword higher. Without any further warning, Percy lunges at Nico. If Jason hadn't run forward and looped his arms round Percy's waist to stop him, Nico would have received a sword through his chest. Next the son of Jupiter tries to reach the Sea prince.

"Bro, it's us. You can stop, we're here to rescue you."

Percy's only response is attempt to struggle free and snarl like some animal. The crowds scream, egging both the hooded figures to gut their reigning champion.

"Percy, calm down." The son of Hades endeavours to sound commanding.

Jason yelps as Percy pushes backwards sending them both tumbling to the ground. He wriggles from the blond's arms and swings his blade, ready to slice the son of Jupiter open. But this time it is Nico's turn to restrain the Sea prince.

Jumping on top of the black-haired boy, Nico straddles his waist and puts all his weight onto Percy's wrists to hold him down. Percy growls, actually growls, and this close Nico can see a dark fringe lining the son of Poseidon's sea-green eyes. He looks up to see Jason give Hazel and Leo a curt nod up in the stands. The signal to leave is understood causing the two demigods make their way through the crowd and out of sight. Jason moves quickly on heavy breaths, ripping the sword from Percy's hand. The arena lights up in thunderous applause.

"KILL HIM, KILL HIM, KILL HIM."

Jason circles Nico and Percy, attempting to appear as if he is ready to attack. Only to fool the crowds a little longer and buy the others some more time to slip away. Nico grunts as Percy twists awkwardly underneath him.

"Jason, I can't hold him down much longer." He whispers with a fierceness.

The blond's eyes flickers to the stands then he lunges forward at Nico. Grabbing a fistful of the black jacket hidden beneath the cloak, he squeezes his blue eyes shut. Immediately, dark shadows rise from underneath and encompass their bodies. The sounds of the crowds protests grow distant and the speaker calling guards to seize them vanishes entirely.

. . .