Chapter 3 : the quest
All right, before starting this chapter, I forgot to do this: I own nothing I own nothing I own nothing (yet) Rick Riordan does! Let's hope I did this before getting in… trouble.
A week had passed since the meeting with the Olympians. Percy had stayed at camp, where he sparred with Jason, talked alone and stayed quiet in his cabin, and chilled out at the beach. He cried a little every day, unable to accept Annabeth's sacrifice. He only felt his pain silently. Percy practically got cut from the rest of camp that week, he had only ate five times, talked to nobody except the other five demigods of the prophecy. After that week, finally something happened. The demigod decided to participate in the fire. He heard Chiron send a team for a quest to hunt for Echidna and the chimera, who seemed to have returned in this moment of weakness. He asked if anyone wanted to go on this quest. Pollux (the son of Dionysus) decided to participate, claiming he needed to get back in shape. Percy though that this quest was a good opportunity to get out of camp and stop his slow unwanted suicide, so he also volunteered. The campers, who hadn't noticed him started surrounding him and asking questions, but he jumped back and asked Rachel to dictate the prophecy, forgetting they were only two. Drew volunteered third claiming she wanted her spot back as Aphrodite cabin counsellor. Rachel, who appeared to be wounded, probably from the roman attack, concentrated, and said out loud:
"The objective is near the east
The mother and the child with minions
If the prevail, they'll have a feast
In the air, the maneuver will decide who'll get the congratulations
If victory there occurs, the monsters will be stopped
And each will get what they seek
One will regain, one will be dropped
The final one will lose the peek".
(damn this is so badL)
After this, the camp grilled a few more marshmallows, then everyone, except Rachel, Percy, Pollux, and Drew stayed behind.
"Nice to have you back Percy!" said Rachel, hugging him.
"Yeah, sorry, guess I really needed a week off" he replied.
"Well, as you guessed, Chiron told us about what happened. Sorry for Annabeth… And by the way, my father still hasn't returned." Explained Pollux.
"He prefers to stay as Bacchus, for now… Well Drew, you better not slow us down!"
"Yeah, I'll have to do two quest to force Piper to step down. Be sure to report I did well, Hon. Also, Protect me, even if your life depends on it, dear, and …"
"This is going to be loooooong." Sighed Percy.
Percy returned to his cabin, packed clothes, and looked at the Minotaur's horn that never served anything in his life apart from a souvenir, and slept well the first time in the week.
The next day, Percy decided to visit blackjack.
"Hey, how're you doing Boss?" said the Pegasus.
"Not so well, but I'm getting better. Were you bored for the time I was away?"
"Yeah, a lot boss. Those other kids tried to ride me, but I kicked them away!"
"Well, that's evil; you know, you can let other campers ride you." Responded Percy, though a little amused.
"Sure, as you say boss… Anyways; there's this new horse, Arion, who keeps embarrassing and insulting all of us!" exclaimed Blackjack.
"Well, I'll have a little talk with Hazel of how to instruct her horse… once I'll be back." Said the demigod.
"What! Going on another crazy war! Let me come let me come let me come let me come!" said the Pegasus, starting to jump all around like a madmen.
"Well, I have to make up to everyone for those eight months… So I'll detach you, but don't show up unless I call you, okay?" said Percy, trying to calm him.
And so he did. Percy then joined his companions at the camp barriers.
"Well, good-old life of adventures, here I come!" He said.
"Oh, Percy, How fortunate. I forgot to pack my things, hon, would you mind asking Piper to pack them up? I need to pick a dagger." Asked Drew, chuckling.
Percy, unable to resist her charmspeak, did as he asked, and with this, they lost half an hour. When they left, they took the bus toward the east coast. On the road, they saw a thief in a gunfight with the police, and everyone covered themselves, but the bus's wheel got shot and had to stop. The trio stopped to see if anyone was hurt, but since they were in a highway, the incident would rapidly cause gossip, so they decided to walk by in the fields, and they managed to walk five kilometers during the afternoon near Pittsfield, slowed by Drew's complains. They didn't have anything to make a camp, but Pollux used his powers to make vine mats and Percy provided their water. They decided to have turns of guards, and obviously Drew charmspoke them into doing it without her. So Pollux was first, and nothing happened for two hours until some loud far away sounds caught his attention. It turned out the things managed to break his vines he sent to check their identity, which proved they were monsters. He woke up his companions and the trio started running, ignoring Drew's complains. Unfortunately, the monsters gained advantage on them, so the two boys decided to fight.
"Well, if it isn't the brat Jackson!" Exclaimed Stehno, emerging from the bushes.
"Damn Gorgons! I thought you died after you dissolved at camp Jupiter!" Said Percy.
"Unfortunately for you, we were resurrected by Gaea after camp Jupiter's battle! We wanted our revenge, but you were too fast to catch in that flying boat, and the Olympians killed you when we arrived! How lucky we are to find they revived you" chuckled Euryales.
"Well, you're going down again!" Yelled Percy, pulling out riptide.
Pollux also pulled out a short-sized sword and charged the enemies. Percy blocked their nail's attacks while his friend slashed at the enemy. Euryales put her left arm in the way, and she started bleeding. Remembering the deadliness of her poison, Percy yelled his friend to get out of the way as he smashed the bleeding gorgon with his water powers, but Stheno took this opportunity to throw some of her poisoned Cheese'n'wienner towards Percy. He ducked to avoid this, however the Gorgon took the opportunity to slash at Percy's back. He didn't feel extremely painful, but he wasn't paralysed and stabbed at the gorgon's belly. Stheno jumped back and scratched her right arm and drank her blood, while Euryales jumped back over her at Percy, but Pollux pushed him and kicked her to the ground. While she was dizzy, Drew came and took a sample of her left arm's poison and made her drink it. Stheno tried to jump to her, but Percy summoned a tidal wave to push her back. He then engaged her in a close combat, and managed to gain advantage and push her to the ground, and knocked her out with the hilt of his sword. He let Pollux repeat the process Drew did to defeat the second gorgon.
"Marvellous! Please tell everyone how I killed such a fearful monster, dear." Drew said.
"What! You barely helped and put yourself in danger! Don't you dare brag about this!" exclaimed Pollux.
"At least she tried. It's the intention that matters." Said Percy.
"But!" Pollux started
"I don't feel like arguing. Now come on, get your bags, we're leaving this place." responded Percy.
The three advanced and arrived near a small city, where they took another bus to Boston. They managed to sleep and didn't meet trouble for the rest of the day.
At night, they arrived near hotel, but they saw some hellhounds who were waiting for them, so they ran away, but Drew got caught and the hounds took her away. The boys turned around and ran after them, but they were too fast, and took her to an old mansion.
"Do we really have to do this?" asked Pollux.
"Yes we do! She has the mortal's money." Said Percy.
So they entered the old masion cautiously, but a huge bull attacked them. They didn't have time to react and got ejected out of the house. They both took out their weapons, but the bull continued charging towards Percy. He tried to dodge him, but the bull followed him and smashed him again.
"Well, it seems it's the Cretan bull here!" Said Pollux.
But the bull kept charging towards Percy. This time, he managed to summon water under it to send it flying.
"Your father enraged it a long time ago!" explained Pollux.
"Geez, how many enemies did I even have the second I was born?" He exclaimed.
But the Bull still came back to them. Percy jumped to his back while his friend slowed him down with his vines.
"Good thing we don't have to bring you back alive!" Percy exclaimed as he started slashing it everywhere.
Pollux tried to slash it too, but only gave a few scratches before letting Percy finnish it. Polllux then sighted and sat on the ground.
"You okay, Pollux?" Percy asked as he approached me, leaving a pile of gold dust on the ground.
"Yes, fine,…"He said.
"Is it your arm?" asked Percy.
His friend sighted, and and stayed silent for a minute. Then, he answered:
"Yes… since that huge battle, I can't really battle anymore. I thought a quest would put me back on the line, but I guess I can only use my powers now…"
"Don't give up yet, this isn't over, right? We've still got a friend to save for the time being. Come on, just keep trying, maybe that was just not the least intimidating monster around." Percy said.
Pollux looked at Percy, then stood up and took out his sword and started heading to the mansion. Percy smiled and followed him. They entered it cautiously once again, and saw nothing. They slowly proceeded to the stairs. The floor was made of strange wood that didn't creak, but that let them walk without been heard. They heard some talking upstairs, and as they arrived, Percy opened a door and got ran over by hellhounds, but Pollux was ready and sliced them all quickly before they wounded Percy. They saw Echidna and the chimera inside who were watching monsters whip Drew.
"Well, it seems that the bull I searched far and wide for this occasion didn't last long enough to have a lot of fun" Grinned Echidna.
"I thought you were near the east coast!" Yelled Percy
"We lend you a trap, fool! Childs, attack!" Chimera yelled as she summoned flying snakes to lift her in the air while the chimera took Drew and started flying away.
"Can you take them on while I rescue Drew?" Percy asked as he began to back to the window.
"If I die, it'll be because I lacked confidence. No go on!" Pollux said as he started charging the monsters.
Percy ran out and yelled as hard as he could:
"Blackjack! I need you!"
The Pegasus descended from the sky.
"Missed me, boss? Good thing I kept flying around you…" started Blackjack.
"We'll talk later, now follow them!" he said, pointing the flying pair.
Strangely, the Pegasus immediately obeyed and flew to the sky. As they approached Echidna, Percy stood on his companions and jumped on Echidna. He started slashing the snakes holding her up while she yelped in surprise. He then jumped off her as she started falling and summoned water to hold himself in the air. The chimera, who heard his mother yelling, turned back and was plunging towards her to prevent her from crashing to the ground. Percy used his water platform to propel himself toward the chimera. He managed to grab Drew but the chimera breathed fire towards him, so he shielded them with a water shield. He then tried summoning more water to slow their fall, but he was low on energy and only managed to redirect them towards a bush. He didn't get hurt, but Drew's leg was bleeding and she was unconscious.
"Well, now seems you managed to get on our nerves once again, Jackson. We will be waiting for you near the east coast!" Said Echidna. The chimera had managed to grab her by the shoulders.
With this the pair flew away. Percy wondered if he should leave Drew alone to help his friend, but he was relieved when he saw Pollux running towards him and Blackjack landing near them.
Thank you for reading this chapter, review review review. Post anything, even question!
