Thalia scowled as she inched towards the manticore, just barely over the monster's shoulder she could make out the struggling form of Annabeth. The manticore's chest heaved and writhed as he struggled to keep the bronze dagger away from his throat and throw her off. One hand grasped her wrist, keeping the blade far from his throat while the other kept the twin siblings tightly in their claws.
Thalia's grip on her spear tightened at the sight and she readied her shield as the manticore became increasingly closer to the cliff. Her heart shuddered at the sight and an uncontrollable fear burned through her mind as she came to a steady halt.
"Perseus" she cursed the son of Poseidon a few metres before her. Her shaking spear had steadied, but not enough for her liking and settled itself, point first at her friend's back. She felt her spear would do well to stick him in the side for going off on his own.
The thunderous chop of the helicopter above attracted her weary eyes. The guns on the sides looked large and deadly, making her shield look like nothing more than tinfoil.
The hunters silently approached with strings pulled back and Thalia almost crawled forward. Her heart slowed as the strings became taut. She had a bad feeling and her heart thumped madly.
"Fire!"
Thalia just caught sight of silver streaks flying through the air before they slammed into the Manticore's neck and chest. Thalia took her chance and leaped forward, striving to get closer to Percy.
"No!" The words made Thalia's heart leap as her gaze found itself upon the stumbling manticore. Annabeth struggled upon the Manticore's back as she glanced at the approaching cliff.
The manticore staggered back and grimaced in pain. "This is not the end, Huntress!" the manticore snarled. He released a hollow growl as another arrow buried itself in his chest.
A cruel smirk spread on his lips, though forced amidst the pain he suffered but his eyes looked gleeful.
"You shall pay!" The Manticore gurgled out amusedly as he stepped farther back.
"No!" Thalia gasped as she saw the manticore's intentions and stumbled forward, but she could do nothing to stop it. The monster leaped back off the edge and vanished from sight.
"Annabeth!" Percy yelled as he ran right to the edge. Thalia blinked in disbelief, hoping that her sight was a lie but she had little time to think and act.
A flash of light warned her before she heard the sharp snap of the bullets being fired. Diving to the side she avoided a hail of gunfire, inwardly thankful the military helicopter wasn't aiming at her but the majority of hunters behind her.
A short auburn haired hunter strode forward and coolly glared at the helicopter in the sky, seemingly unafraid of the bullets. A testament to her confidence was shown when the bullets vanished before they made impact.
"Mortals," the girl began crisply and her silver eyes flashed brightly. "Are not allowed to witness my hunt."
Waving her hand forward, the girl who Thalia now recognized as the goddess Artemis, changed the helicopter into a flock of birds.
An ethereal silence fell over the clearing with only the flap of the scattering birds filling it. The goddess' silver eyes settled on her briefly with a disconcerting look before they strayed to the cliff behind her.
Slowly the hunters advanced and one wearing a silver tiara stepped forward among the group. Thalia's most hated hunter, the coal black eyes could burn holes but Thalia equally matched the gaze. "You."
Thalia hated her, and it only got worse when the hunter ignored her entirely.
"Zoe Nightshade" she muttered bitterly. Standing up, her glare darkened at the huntress before her.
"Perfect timing as usual." Thalia's tone was sharp and crisp not unlike Artemis'. They had been late and scared the manticore off the cliff. In her eyes they were at least partially to blame.
Zoe's scowl vanished to one impassive and twice as annoying as she looked at the rest before turning to Artemis beside her. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, milady."
Artemis eyed them for merely an instant before her eyes returned to look beyond the cliff. "Yes… some of Chiron's campers, I see."
"Annabeth!" Percy yelled frantically, his attempt to jump off the cliff was halted by the hunters. "You have to let us save her."
Artemis looked irritated and Thalia grimaced at the sight, it was not good to be so commanding to this particular goddess. Especially for a male.
"I'm sorry Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help" Artemis stated calmly but with a hint of a sour tone.
Percy attempted to struggle to his feet, an admirable effort in some cases or foolish but the hunters pushed him down with a loud thump.
Thalia sighed as she straightened and her breathing settled. With clarity coming to her mind and no helicopter guns aimed towards her, she could finally calm down. Attempting to think logically about the situation was still challenging. Her eyes kept on straying to where Annabeth was moments before. Fear of heights was the least of her worries at the moment.
Only now did she finally relax her grip on her spear, finally letting the blood flow once again into her white hand.
A pang of anger surged as she looked at Percy but she pushed it aside knowing that Luke wouldn't hurt Annabeth. Though it felt more of a hope.
Artemis strode toward Percy, halting at the four hunters pinning him down only to gaze at him condescendingly. "You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs" she chastised.
An odd sort of silence filled the void after Artemis' comment. Artemis hummed tartly almost as if she was expecting a retort, which was confirmed when the goddess raised a cursory brow. "Boy?"
Percy made no movement to struggle against the hunters' grip so they let him go, brushing their hands off with evident disgust.
Thalia swiftly walked up to him while keeping her eyes firmly on the ground. Perhaps it was the combination of the dizzying height and the ocean below that unnerved her so greatly.
Percy lay unmoving like an animal, waiting. Thalia had a feeling that he would instantly jump up and run off the cliff. She knew well enough that those in distress made rash decisions, like herself. Passing the disgusted hunters with a scowl, she stood beside him, making sure her back was to the cliff edge.
"Percy, just don't okay" Thalia said sharply.
Thalia was still quite angry with Percy, him ignoring her was just the icing on the cake. Intentionally, she brought her boot down on his shoulder hard enough to leave a mark.
"Percy get up!" she snapped loudly, grinding her boot down with evident pressure.
Percy made no move, nor twitch and no complaint, not even a sound escaped his mouth after being hit. Thalia's anger was washed away by the eerie scene of him laying peacefully on the grass like he was asleep, an uncomfortably eternal sleep. His head just lay to the side, almost staring off the cliff behind her but somehow she didn't get the feeling that he was actually looking.
"Percy" she asked carefully. A cold breeze blew past from the ocean below, her ears were briefly deafened but it soon past for another bout of unnerving silence.
Now, she panicked.
Grabbing him, Thalia flinched from the heat he gave off. It was beyond hot, almost like he had literally been on fire and his neck was quickly turning a dark red colour. Veins protruded from his skin, pulsing visibly, as if they meant to burst while beads of sweat bubbled up endlessly but instantly evaporated into a fine sheen of steam.
"Another weak male" Zoe snorted.
Completely ignoring Zoe, Thalia's attention was entirely focused on Percy. "Percy?!" she yelled but he didn't respond.
Her hands trembled slightly as she tried to grip his shoulders, his jacket felt hot and stiff. "Grover! Get over here!"
Soon Grover regained some semblance of control over himself, noticing Thalia's shocked expression he immediately ran over. "Thalia?"
Quickly she pulled him over and hissed as she removed her hands before they started to hurt. A burning sting seemed to work its way into her fingers but despite the pain, she feared losing more friends.
"It's Percy he's…." She blanked at her own statement, she had no idea what was happening. What am I supposed to do, check his pulse? She tried, though she felt nothing from his neck among the sting on her fingers from the throbbing heat but she could see the disturbing way the protruding veins throbbed and twisted.
A soft sizzling sound came from the snow melting underneath him, the place he had laid was almost barren. The snow had melted and the green glass was gone. Just one large black patch that smelled of burnt grass and dirt mixed with ash. Percy's shirt was almost gone, crumbling into a mixture of plastic and ash and his leather armour was baking from the heat he was giving off.
"Move child" Artemis growled.
Shoving past Thalia, Artemis kneeled before Percy's still form and placed her hand on his chest. Even Artemis herself flinched and stared in shock at her burning red hand. The slight pungent smell of burnt flesh made her expression morph into rare concern and she immediately healed her hand.
"What in god's name has happened to him?" Artemis snapped at Thalia.
"I don't know, he just... this is the first time this has happened" Thalia mumbled as she stared at Percy with a worried expression. Multiple thoughts ran through her mind and all of them were decidedly not good.
"Can you help him?!" Grover cried. With a panicked expression Grover seemed to fidget as if he wanted to do something or anything which Thalia shared.
Artemis scowled as she touched him carefully, never making contact for too long. She grimaced from the smouldering heat. "I don't know…" she trailed off as she pried open his eyes.
Thalia caught a look, his eyes used to have this vibrant sea green colour but now they were anything but that. It looked dull and lifeless with thick red veins bulging towards his iris. Most of all, it was just one thick, ordinary green colour.
Thalia frowned when she saw Artemis' expression, perhaps it was confusion. She wasn't sure but it was very unsettling to her.
Thalia's frown was short lived as blood seeped from Percy's mouth, eyes and nose before bubbling and drying instantly upon his red skin.
"What's happening to him?!" Grover shouted.
Artemis' eyes widened in shock before she looked up in the sky. "Apollo! Come now!"
Seconds later a god appeared with bronze skin, blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt like he came from the beach. Black sunglasses hung from the edge of his nose barely hiding the mischievous glint from his eyes. Thalia would have thought he was a child of Hermes if she didn't know any better.
"What's up little sis?" Apollo chuckled lazily as he leaned over his sister's shoulder. Lifting his thick black sunglasses onto his head, he eyed over Artemis shoulder with a bright smile. "What's that hmm? Touching a male?"
"No time for games Apollo, he needs help" Artemis growled. The threat in her voice was mixed in with surprising urgency.
Apollo flinched slightly before leaned over the boy and tried to touch him. An instant later his eyes snapped open before quickly quartering his expression. His hand couldn't help but twitch from the heat and deny the calm expression he portrayed.
"He should be dead" Apollo murmured thoughtfully. Thalia and Grover froze in place as they tried to digest their friend's death. Finding it seemingly impossible to comprehend.
"But he's not!" Grover shouted. "He's still alive and breathing… he's just asleep" he muttered frantically.
Apollo frowned grimly. "He should be, at this temperature he should have combusted already… nasty way to go but I don't know how he is even in human form right now."
Thalia paled at the thought or Percy just dead, disintegrating like a monster might. "Is there anything we can do?" she pleaded. Anger, regret and most definitely self-loathing surged through her as she watched her friend she had just been cursing silently die.
"Perhaps" Apollo muttered uncertainly. "Maybe if I can cool him down then I can try and heal whatever is wrong with him, but..."
Apollo paused but never continued. His tone did little to comfort Thalia and Grover.
"Artemis, I'm taking him with me, I'll be back when I can." A grim faced Apollo reluctantly placed his hand on Percy, flashing himself and Percy to god knows where. Thalia and Grover could only stare in shock at their friend disappearing along with the sun god.
o - o - o - o - o
Artemis stared at the demigods and the satyr mutely, she did not know what to say. Friends usually die over time as she had experienced many but one was kidnapped and the other was soon to be dead.
The boy was a lost cause as Apollo, though stupid in everything was still the best when it came to healing and even he didn't know what was wrong with the boy. The eyes though really got her, looking lost as well as lifeless. She couldn't help but feel pity at the sight, his last moments were not peaceful.
Looking back to the demigods, Artemis shook her head to focus. She had more important things to do on Olympus. The manticore's words about the great stirring, she was certain she heard correctly and it gave her a bad feeling.
Artemis had little time to corroborate her theory because Poseidon needed to know of his son's condition before he found out on his own. He could be quite unstable in times like these.
"Zoe, set up camp… I am going to Olympus" Artemis began. She flashed away before her hunters' could protest.
"Artemis, why have you called this meeting?" her father called.
Artemis sat in her throne and looked at her father. "Today we met a monster that had some interesting things to say about the traitor demigods" she said bluntly. Hermes flinched slightly before looking all the more attentive.
"Shouldn't we wait for Apollo?" Hermes put in. The delay was irritating, she didn't understand why Hermes didn't just get over him.
"About that…" Artemis sighed, she was not going to like breaking the news to Poseidon as she held some respect for him though minimal after she found out he had a son with a mortal which in turn meant he cheated on his wife. "Apollo is healing one of the demigods from camp" she said.
"Was it Thalia?!" Zeus exclaimed. The air seemed to vibrate, making her ears ring uncomfortably.
Artemis could see Hera's eyes darken at the mention of a demigod child of his, it was hard to be amused about Zeus' misfortune when it was her half-sister involved. Though she loved her father in some strange way, Zeus was foolish for cheating on Hera. She could not deny that she had come into being the same way but she still hated her father for that regardless.
"Percy?" Poseidon whispered questioningly.
Artemis shook her head forlornly as her gaze settled on Poseidon in confirmation. The confused sea god soon frowned before his expression turned to a mixture of shock, fear and absolute rage as his eyes began to glow. Any small boats in the sea may have capsized by now if they were close enough.
"Now this is interesting" Ares broke in lasciviously. One of the few gods she hated to the core, his personality was entirely displeasing at best if not downright sickening.
Poseidon threw a sharp glare at Ares as his eyes glowed in rage. Artemis couldn't help but smirk at the thought of a trident piercing that particular god's throat.
"Good, I think we could do with a few less of them" Dionysus muttered in distaste. Artemis smirk widened as her thoughts continued on straying.
Poseidon almost exploded, his eyes lit up in complete rage as he turned to the wine god. "Be careful what you say Dionysus, or none of your children will be safe near the sea."
The threat was nothing more than a whisper, but carried clearly to the wide eyed wine god. Now she was absolutely certain that all the small boats had capsized in the sea and the larger ones would soon follow if this continued.
Artemis would have laughed at Dionysus' stupidity but she had no time once Poseidon's glare settled on her.
"Was it one of your hunters?" Poseidon growled darkly. There was the unstable part Artemis noted.
Artemis flinched as she feared only the elder gods' wrath, especially Hades and Poseidon for they could and would wipe out her hunters instantly. They had no children among her hunters.
"No… something happened to him, he fell unconscious and is either dead or dying, Poseidon…" She continued with a hesitant expression, she didn't like breaking this kind of news, it was especially hard considering it was his child.
"Apollo didn't know what happened to him but he said that for all intents and purposes, he should be dead already" she finished reluctantly and she watched each word slowly sink into Poseidon's skin.
The sea god's eyes darkened as miniature storms budded into existence in them. Artemis couldn't help but look away momentarily, Poseidon wore his expressions' openly for all to see and right now he looked lost.
Poseidon flashed out in search of Apollo with his teeth clenched together in turbulent anger. The council was left in silence as they were now short two members before they continued their meeting, though a little more awkwardly.
o - o - o - o - o
Poseidon flashed across the states to the point he felt the power of Apollo, one of the northernmost lakes in the United States. Appearing suddenly at Lake Superior, Poseidon shouted murderously at Apollo. "Where is my son?!"
Ironically, Poseidon scared the sunlight out of the sun god and the earth rumbled to show his raging emotions but he paid it no heed. He took great raging steps as the earth shook to match his erratic feelings, easily causing the sun god to stumble back in shock at his angry approach.
Apollo had been idly standing beside the lake looking over a sauna when he felt the rumble in the earth itself, finally recovering his wits from his uncle's angry advance he gave a weak smile.
"Hi uncle P" he said with a nervous laugh and didn't dare give a cheery smile. Apollo looked terrified, anyone would when seeing a majestic god looking ready for battle striding towards them with such a look.
"Where is he?!" Poseidon snarled and slammed his trident upon the ground before him. The earth trembled in response and Apollo took a hasty step back.
Poseidon had no time to play games, Percy was his favourite demigod son since Theseus. But to have him just disappear so suddenly was something he couldn't stand for. "Where is my son?!"
Apollo grimaced sourly, bearing bad news was not his favourite hobby but common in his line of work. He wanted to say something but Poseidon took another jarring step forward.
"I will not ask again."
Apollo's face turned solemn as he pointed to the partially frozen lake, in fact Poseidon could tell Apollo had frozen part of it but it was melting almost immediately. Poseidon's rage fell to express his worry as his sight reached the depths of the lake to see the lifeless form of his son amidst a raging inferno of boiling water and frigid ice and his rage simply evaporated to be replaced completely by worry.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked hoarsely. Percy was everything to him, a son he could be proud of and knew he loved just as much as Triton.
"Freeze the water near him" Apollo said weakly. As the sun god his power to manipulate water was extremely limited, magic could only go so far.
Poseidon wasted no time and with but a thought, he froze the entire lake instantly. It was a little overdone but he was too preoccupied to care anyway.
"What happened to him?" he whispered hoarsely in the unearthly silence that followed.
Slight cracks could be heard from the ice as water streamed through in violent geysers, almost instantly it was frozen over again. Poseidon stared on in panic as he felt the erratic changes the lake was going through, extreme heat was leeching into the lake at an impossible rate.
"I don't know… the boy is burning up, he shouldn't be alive anymore. I know it sounds strange but there is only so high a temperature that a normal being, demigod or otherwise can withstand" Apollo confessed. "His body was hot enough to burn skin, like the river of Phlegethon flowed through him. He was bleeding from-"
"Bleeding?!" Poseidon snapped and his heart surged. "Did someone injure him?! Was it the hunters?!"
Poseidon's irrational mind strayed to a swell of water near the cliff that he took hold of. The lurching waves lumbered up, towering higher and higher as it crawled up the cliff, approaching the edge near the hunter's camp. With but a flick of his finger he prepared to send the forming tsunami forward.
Apollo noticed the dangerous look and quickly placed his hand upon his uncle's shoulder. "No, he is bleeding because he is too hot… his blood is literally boiling, it's being forced out through his orifices."
It took but a brief moment for Poseidon's anger to dissipate, and he waited. Such a paltry thing was a greater struggle than anything else. He was unused to doing nothing, he felt weak and unworthy.
"It will be okay uncle P." The hand left his shoulder and the feeling of impatience grew. Apollo didn't sound convincing enough.
Poseidon twisted his trident, digging deeper into the frozen ground below. Each turn corresponding with more frozen water but it never seemed to be enough. Ice kept cracking and melting while blasts of steam briefly burst into the air before being quenched with his will.
Minutes passed, slowly and painfully. Poseidon never said a word for he felt like stabbing someone thrice in one go to let off some of his growing anger. Apollo of course seemed to notice the atmosphere and shifted farther away, leaving sea god to stew.
Just as he was about to question Apollo once again he felt a change in the lake. The ice stopped cracking, the steam stopped rising and silence prevailed except for the light quaking thrum of the earth that matched the pace of Poseidon's almost arrhythmic heartbeat.
It was too abrupt for Poseidon to notice if it slowed at all. His gaze shifted to his nephew with the heavy look of a threat combined with a silent plea.
Apollo nodded to his silent question and the sea defrosted instantly. Poseidon was going to have a field day with the mist after this but he still thought it was completely worth it. Willing his son to come from the sea and into his arms, his weathered face twisted sadly as he stared at Percy's unconscious form.
"So fragile" he murmured.
The blood washed off of him and only scraps of black burnt clothing remained among his leather armour. Black cracks ran along the seams as if the armour aged a hundred years in the sun.
"Put him down" Apollo said. Poseidon obliged. Gently he placed his son upon the snow covered ground as it he was nothing more than a sheet of glass. All he could do was eye his son intently as Apollo begun his work.
Percy was different from his other demigod children, he was his favourite because he was everything he thought a son of the sea should embody. Among his children were many sons and daughters but none were quite like Percy. None seemed to have that heart, which of course he now knew he inherited from his mother unlike the others.
He was loyal to a fault and would do everything for a friend, he would never betray his family no matter the cost and he would always choose the right choice for the better. Poseidon was proud of him and now he watched his son on the brink of death being healed by Apollo.
Not from a battle with honour or any lesser sort but something else. There was no honour for his son which seemed to anger Poseidon once again and his hatred for the fates grew increasingly rapid but just as quickly the feeling vanished.
Gently he placed his hand upon Percy's arm, trying to help him heal.
"Is he alright" he whispered quietly. His stomach felt like it was being crushed by the emotions he was feeling, some of which were new to him and extremely unsettling. It was the first time he was near a child of his own when they were so close to death.
Apollo frowned which made him draw the worst possible conclusion. "I have never seen anything like this… it might have been a poison or maybe something else." Apollo's widening eyes looked confused and interested but did nothing to abate Poseidon's worry.
"Will he live?!" Poseidon snapped. He may like Apollo but he was side tracked from the important question, if he didn't get in answer soon he would run him through with his trident.
Apollo nodded his head briskly. "He will, in fact I think he will wake up soon… he has almost no injuries except for massive exhaustion but even that seems to be recovering quite quickly." Though Poseidon could still hear the edge of surprise lacing Apollo's tone but the sun god never elaborated.
Poseidon vanished his trident before he cradled his son close, reminiscing on the first and supposedly last time he had done so, so many years ago. He had almost lost him but to know he was safe gave him an indescribable feeling. He was sure if Amphitrite knew about this she would mock him before tearing him a new one and he didn't want to experience that again.
"Uncle P you can take him to his friends now. I know they will want to see him… I have done all I can and he should wake up in a few minutes." Apollo finished before quickly flashing away.
Poseidon took a moment to just sigh in relief and tighten his hold.
With barely a thought he reformed his son's clothes under the armour and flashed to the cliff. Poseidon paused and gazed over the edge at the turmoil the sea expressed with a grimace, his son was so close to the sea and he could do nothing for him. Worst off, he didn't even know if anything was wrong while his son was dying. He could have helped him much sooner had he watched him closely.
With a heavy listless sigh, he turned his back to the cliff and walked towards the circle of silver tents surrounding the fire in the centre. The hunters that passed bowed out of respect but he was hardly in the mood to humour them.
"This way Lord Poseidon" a hunter gestured with a silver tiara.
Nodding his head, he followed while his eyes scrutinized each light breath his son took. They were quiet but nonetheless he was pleased he hadn't lost too much so soon. Everything would be okay, he dared not think it wouldn't be.
The hunter led him to a single silver tent separated from the rest near the forest. The flap was tied to the side, leaving it open and he could make out the chatter from within.
Not even a second inside, Poseidon was almost attacked by the two of the four occupants. A single look was all he needed to notice a child of Zeus with the bright blue eyes and the satyr was the friend of Percy's.
"Is Percy okay?!" They shouted in unison. Leaning over him they touched his skin carefully to check if he was burning up.
A look of relief passed through their eyes and they released a pent up breath and the anxiety flew from their bodies.
"He is ok, Apollo said he should even wake up soon." Poseidon smiled wide, his son's friendships was truly a welcoming sight. Placing Percy on the mat, he sat down and waited patiently, staring intently at each chest movement as if he feared Percy's soul might pass on any second.
"Did Apollo tell you what happened?" Thalia burst out.
"Apollo doesn't know what happened to my son… he said Percy is lucky to be alive" he sighed deeply as he stared at his son sleeping. If it happened again then he didn't know what he would do. Was it something to do with what happened today or would it happen again? The thoughts gnawed at him dangerously and a feeling of frustration took hold.
"Poseidon?" Grover squeaked.
Poseidon couldn't help but chuckle at the young satyr, the other demigods looked shocked. One look at the eyes and he knew the two younger children were Hades demigods. He chuckled slightly louder at the thought of all three elder god's children in the same tent when they had sworn off of having children.
"You must be Thalia and Grover. Percy has said so much about you… and I don't know you two but I imagine you will become my son's good friends" he began with a wide smile. It wasn't wrong really, Percy just never knew he was listening. Fortunately Thalia didn't take after her father or she would be acting arrogant right about now, she was more laid back and polite which pleased him greatly.
"I am sorry Lord Poseidon" Thalia said as she bowed down in the tent along with Grover.
"It is fine, I am not a god in this tent… I am just a father" he chuckled without mirth. Again he released another sigh. Finally free of the bounds that came with being a god. His duties were forgotten the second he entered the tent. Carefully releasing his senses, he felt the turmoil of the sea continuing from his previous state of mind and willed it to calm down before his attention back to the tent.
"Are you really a god?" The boy with black eyes and olive skin asked.
"Yes, I am Poseidon lord of the seas." Eyeing the boy speculatively, he saw the interest and excitement, a strange combination for a son of Hades but that innocent persona could ruin him. He knew well enough that when a son of Hades falls, they fall hard and bad. It was never an easy life being a son of the god of the underworld and innocence had no place in relation to the dead. He would make sure that Zeus never found out about them or they would surely die and he liked Hades anyway. At least more than Zeus.
"Wow, you have plus sixty healing every turn and do five hundred damage to all enemies with your earthquake attack" he said in awe. The demigod of Hades surprised Poseidon by pulling out a card from his deck and held it up. A small fisherman was on the cover standing on a dock with a sea in the background.
"Excuse me?" This was a little different than what Poseidon expected from a son of Hades, sure he could do damage to all his enemies with an earthquake but what in the Hades was five hundred damage. He continued to stare awkwardly as he tried to figure out how to quantify five hundred damage to actual living beings. A broken arm or leg, no he thought that was more like instant death because it was his earthquake.
"Nico… he is a god" the sister whispered nervously. Her glances held awe mixed with great fear which thoroughly annoyed him. Their demigod children shouldn't fear them but love them like family, alas that hardly ever came true.
Nico's expression paled while Thalia chuckled at the two siblings.
"How do you play poker with these?" he asked curiously as he held up the card. Looking it over, he saw no indication of what card it was. There was no ace or club and it was green which was nowhere near red or black. It was a nice sea green though, quite interesting and matched his own eyes.
The boy, Nico, stared at him strangely which he dashed off as reverence and continued to look at the card to decipher its purpose.
"What?" Nico mumbled.
"Nico… I don't think he actually knows what you mean" Thalia said awkwardly and her lips curled into a hidden smile. Poseidon frowned in annoyance, mostly because it was completely true as this card was nothing like the normal suit, he was baffled and was too prideful to admit such a fact.
"It must be an ace of some sort... see I can figure it out" he said smugly. Of course he as Poseidon would at least be an ace, if Hades made these cards than he would be the king and Zeus would probably be the two if he wasn't some other unimportant card like a joker. His relationship with Hades wasn't as bad as Zeus' was anyway, he actually still communicated with the god of the underworld.
Thalia laughed louder and even Grover joined in, the communication difference was too great for Poseidon and Nico to overcome and have a reasonable conversation without some much needed work.
Poseidon could only stare on and pretend he was joking and that he actually had some idea of what the card actually meant of which he had no clue. Pushing it off for now, he decided he would swallow his pride and ask Hades what in gods name these cards were for lest he embarrass himself any more than he already had in front of his son's friends. Though he scowled at the thought of Hades lording this over him for the next few centuries… but his son was worth the effort and incredible embarrassment.
Finally Poseidon heard a groan from his son, the laughter having probably stirred him a little sooner. Everyone silenced as they stared at Percy, tossing and turning slightly. His eyes moved back and forth erratically underneath his eyelids before they snapped open.
Poseidon was happy his son had awakened but the eyes he showed were eyes of the dead. In but an instant colour seemed to come back into his eyes, vibrant but very confused. Poseidon had a sudden sinking feeling in his stomach as those eyes regained focus and took stock of everything around him.
o - o - o - o - o
The male blinked, the dancing flames crackled far brighter than what he could handle. His eyes stung but the feeling soon passed as the flames died down. Quickly and unnaturally.
Slowly he raised his hand and stretched it forward, reaching to the flames. Trying to feel the heat but he confirmed its lack.
"The fates lied?" He questioned himself but nobody answered, nor could he for he knew not what the question meant.
He studied his surroundings but found nothing. Away from the flames darkness was present, endless and all consuming. Only the bench he sat on felt somewhat real, but only in form.
"Why?" Another question without answer, he felt troubled by his question, he thought he should know what it meant but the answer just slipped away.
"Percy."
Percy blinked sluggishly, almost unaware of the company he now possessed. His eyes trailed past the light to a bleak shadow, a false impression of a being. It was hard to tell. Much harder to think as well.
The shadow leaned forward and his face lit up in the flames. Golden hair and golden skin glittered. The bright blue eyes, as clear as a sunny sky reflected the light in a dancing orange hue.
"Apollo?" The question came again but Percy felt he knew more, at least a little more than before.
"Yes."
"No… Are your eyes really blue?"
Apollo tilted his head until the reflection was gone. They were blue as a morning sky but still, they did not hold any exuberance as he seemed to expect. "We have known each other for the better part of a millennia."
"Did we?" Percy frowned curiously. He didn't really remember that but then again, he didn't really remember anything at the moment. All he knew was this Apollo, somehow he identified that this figure was Apollo but he felt it was wrong.
"Well perhaps a bit more, almost two in fact." Apollo added ruefully.
"Where am I… or where are we?"
Apollo's lips twitched. "I like to call it the realm of the fates."
"Is it?"
"Well I told you about it, didn't I?" Apollo responded. "I am the god of prophecy, did you think I wouldn't know about this place."
"But you're not Apollo, are you?"
"And you're not Percy?" Apollo retorted bemusedly.
"Am I?" Percy asked, he felt reassured by this question, at least more so than others.
"Percy Jackson to be correct. God of Time… Does it ring any bells?"
Percy thought deeply, it felt correct in a way but still left him with doubts.
"Perhaps not, good thing I'm here or else you would be left in quite a pickle" Apollo mused and wagged his finger. "What to do? What to do?"
Apollo stood abruptly and paced back and forth while rubbing his chin sagely. Of course it was ruined by Apollo's face morphing through an array of odd expressions as he thought of possibilities. "Ahh… no I don't think that would work… maybe… well…"
Apollo continued mumbling and Percy frowned curiously, seeing this person made him feel irritated. Two millennia of friendship was sounding quite unbelievable.
"Hey, I know what you thought" Apollo retorted. A cheeky smirk spread on Apollo's face as he leaned forward, seemingly rubbing in the feeling of shame when he was found out.
Percy looked quite abashed. With a lack of a suitable retort, he opted to shrug.
Apollo bobbed his head. "Anyway, enough of that… we have us to put back together, we shouldn't be dawdling."
"Dawdling… is that what we are doing?" Percy asked. He wasn't really sure where they even were. "Wait us?"
"Yes, didn't you notice?" Apollo asked innocently.
Percy stood and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "No."
"Doesn't matter then" Apollo waved it off quickly. "Maybe we are overthinking this, we usually do anyway."
Apollo approached around the fire until he came face to face. "Maybe if I snap my fingers it will work, usually does."
Percy recoiled when Apollos fingers rose. "Who are you?"
Apollo tilted his head thoughtfully. "Hmm… well the easiest answer would be… I am you… but I prefer you being me because I am more awesome than you." Apollo guffawed cheekily. "Definitely more awesome."
"You're not, you said you were Apollo." Percy was sure he was, at least that was what he remembered. 'Did he?'
"Well… if I said I was Apollo... And I am you then really, you said I was Apollo. Tricky business really, quite the pickle" Apollo chuckled. "That's why I am here to put us back together."
Percy was confused. Really confused.
"Enough delay" Apollo said and raised his hand slowly, and teasingly. His fingers clicked together and the world seemed to shake. Once it stopped there was just silence, the fire seemed to lose what little sound it had.
"Did it work?" Apollo questioned.
Percy didn't respond. His mind was a mess, a massive mess of thoughts and images. He looked up at Apollo but he didn't look the same anymore. Another Percy stood before him.
"Good." The new Percy smiled widely and laughed mischievously. "Well my job is done for now, come find me when you're ready."
Like smoke, the new Percy vanished and only Percy remained.
"What the Hades?" Percy snapped. If anything Percy should be disconcerted about where he was but he was more terrified about himself being Apollo, or Apollo being him. It was confusing and creepy at the same time.
Percy shook his head, he had to think. Yes he was the god of time. "Was" he mouthed. Carefully he inspected his body, it was mortal, definitely mortal.
"So did it work?" Percy raised a brow curiously. The darkness around him didn't seem as deep as before but at the same time it seemed without end.
"Now what?"
o - o - o - o - o
Just as the meeting was about to end, Apollo flashed on Olympus and took his seat with a slight cheery smile that gave away no sign that a demigod had died after he took care of them. He was the god of medicine after all, the chances that someone would die when he was treating them was slim but today he was completely baffled.
Apollo knew he couldn't have saved the boy, Percy should have been dead before he got there, nothing but a burning corpse on the ground. At first he thought of a poison, but the symptoms, pointed to a vicious curse. It was the likely option but Apollo dared not mention that to Poseidon despite it appearing to fade.
"Apollo, you're back already?" Artemis remarked. Not a hint of compassion appeared in her tone, much to her brother's disappointment.
"Yes, had to dump Percy in a lake in the middle of winter, he kept on melting the ice so Poseidon froze the entire lake over" he chuckled.
"He survived?" Athena questioned.
Zeus looked quite disappointed.
Dionysus groaned with an annoyed expression. "And here I thought it would be quiet at camp this winter" he drawled.
"Good, I want to be the one to finish him off" Ares said with a vicious grin on his face, no doubt due to Poseidon's absence.
Apollo ignored his half-brothers, favouring for the more intelligent and favourite conversation of his little sister. "Yes... boy I thought he was a goner, they were some trying times but this one takes the cake but I am the god of awesome." He couldn't help but smirk, he was quite pleased with his quick thinking.
"What do you mean? From what Artemis told us, you said he should be dead" Athena asked. The inquisitive eye bored into him as she tried to sate her curiosity.
"Should" Apollo teased with his index finger. "Yes, by all rights he should be dead, his body was hot enough that he should have been a burning pile of ash before I even got there." Apollo chuckled at Athena's look of shock, which was something he hadn't seen since Abraham Lincoln died. "He is a strong one."
"Sounds dangerous" Zeus remarked coolly.
Apollo glanced at his father and his smile faded ever so slightly. "I wouldn't do that father, right now Poseidon is with Percy at the hunter's camp…" He paused as he saw his father's slight surprise. "And Thalia is probably with him."
Zeus' eyes snapped open and grabbed the armrests of his throne with a start.
"Lord Zeus" Hera interrupted sharply and gripped the king of the gods' arm. "Need I remind you that this is a council meeting, you can't leave whenever you want as you have responsibilities."
Zeus froze before grudgingly retaking his seat albeit in a more stiff position but a hint of unease shone in his eyes. The message was clear, you leave and there will be hell to pay, which meant no sex of any kind for a few months while she watched him like a hawk ironically enough.
The god of skies coughed a few times to regain his composure and quickly changed the subject with the finesse of an actor. "Correct… Artemis you must hunt the Ophiotaurus if the rumours are real, and if that demigod child does something untoward this council than kill him" Zeus finished with a smug grin.
Artemis would have normally nodded to killing a male but right now she felt she should at least meet him as he was Poseidon's son and chose to remain silent. Zeus gave her a steely look and grudgingly she nodded.
"Now I believe this council is over" Zeus bellowed. Quickly he jumped from his throne but his wife clamped down on his arm.
"Husband." Hera's tone was cold and made Zeus stop in his tracks. Before he could argue she flashed away with him.
Apollo and Artemis flashed to the camp together and were immediately faced with shouts of anger and annoyance with arrows protruding from everywhere possible. Silver arrows littered the ground, tents and even trees nearby. A few times Apollo saw a hunter shout and run one direction with a few more following until they ran back the other way in an even larger group.
"What is happening?" Apollo whispered awkwardly though he had a hint of amusement in his voice. His sister had a very confused expression which held slight fear as she thought her hunters were being attacked by someone.
"Get back here boy!" a hunter shouted.
Apollo immediately knew what was happening, someone had done something to the hunters and now they were planning to kill them. The only males he saw were Percy, the little demigod boy, the satyr and Poseidon. The boy was too young, the satyr knows better and Poseidon wasn't that kind of god leaving the only option left.
The sun god really felt sorry for Poseidon as Artemis was going to kill Percy or turn him into a jackalope when she found him for whatever he had done without even bothering to ask. Well probably not, but she would definitely make him regret it.
"That boy is dead" Artemis growled. Apollo marvelled over the capability to annoy all the hunters and somehow evade all of them for so long. He still felt the few arrows of the hunters that had gotten lucky and really hurt his butt in the past.
Apollo's interest was cut short as Percy suddenly appeared from the mist right in front of him and grabbed him in a tight hug. "Apollo! I've missed you so much!"
The sun god was baffled, quite literally in fact. Being hugged was a good feeling and he felt like he enjoyed it but he had never really talked to Percy so how could he have missed him. Percy was telling the truth, as the god of truth he could tell which left him even more confused.
"Artemis!" Percy laughed aloud. Albeit the laugh had a strange edge to it that sent Apollo's mind racing.
Suddenly Apollo was released and he finally realized what was going to happen next. He looked to his right just in time to see his sister picked up and hugged as well, by a male. His expectations were not only met but surpassed as well. He spun her around as if she was a child which based on Artemis' expression of shock meant she was quite rattled.
Normally he would have been furious but Orion was a conniving bastard who wormed his way into Artemis' heart. Percy was… awesome, he was teasing her and he couldn't have done it better himself.
"Hades" Apollo whispered. His astonishment masked his disappointment at not bringing a camera to permanently commemorate the scene.
In a flash Percy was gone again and his sister was in a catatonic state from confoundment with her mouth wide open. She let her guard down around a male, a hunter who prided herself in being a man hater, had lost.
"Get back here boy!" Shouts of hunters soon followed but even that didn't wake Artemis from her stupor.
"Percy!" the earth rumbled at Poseidon's shout, but the demigod didn't stop.
"I am going to kill you!" another girl yelled.
"He is awesome" Apollo yelled at the top of his lungs. It was annoying that someone had hugged his sister but if Percy was anything like his father than he would be awesome, and right now he was definitely awesome.
