Chapter IV – Two Flowers


He had a torch on his left hand. In the middle of nothing. Burned fields extended as far as he could see. He hoped he could encounter something that gave him the barest of the remembrances. That was his mind, wasn't it? The ground at his feet crunched, his posture was wary. He was not alone. That he knew.

With his right hand, he uncapped his pen. Gleaming stronger than the torch could ever gleam, Anaklusmos guided his way.

'What belongs to the sea will always return to the sea.' A scruffy and kind face. A professor. A horse.

He inhaled, the smell of the ocean coming to him again. He lifted his sword up, and began to walk, on the direction his heart told him. He dropped the torch.

"Wait!" An urgent voice said. "Do not move!"

Percy turned around. His stance guarded, his eyes looking intently at the figure before him.

A monster. An immortal. A meddler. Lupa had warned him to be careful.

"Your father is being watched. Do not condemn him!"

His eyes made him feel drowsy, weak. All he wanted to do now was to pack the ashes as a pillow and sleep. He dropped his stare, looking at the being's mouth.

He did not want to know what would happen if he slept on his sleep. Because of that, he took a leap, slashing his sword at the creature.

"Look at me!" His voice was pressing. "We do not have much time."

And he made the mistake of doing it. And time stopped. No, it slowed. Percy felt the stranger's hand grabbing his throat, the other hand, a torch coming for his face. He screamed, and screamed. The stranger remained impassive. And then, there was no more.

But, then there was all.

A giant metal colossus stood above him, his bronze sword the size of a school bus, coming down at his figure. He raised his hands, in a futile effort.

"That will not do."

A finger snapped.

This time he was on a forest. No, it was a park. Central Park, Manhattan, New York City. He felt as if he was home, finally.

"Perseus Jackson, I come bearing news, a question, a quest, and an offer." The being said.

Seated at a bench across the pond he was staring, was a man. He was distant, but his voice sounded as if he was at his side. Even from afar, he could feel his eyes drop, his muscles relax, his mind being clouded.

"Who am I, Perseus?"

The answer came to him, like a flash. He grinned at Percy, white smile contrasting with his dark robes and aged face.

"Somnia, God of Dreams."

The figure smile grew.

"Not bad, Perseus, not bad. Extraordinary of you. I thought they had addled and shattered your perceptions. It seems to me that it was not an amateur job, then. You are just naturally headstrong, of course." The figure laughed. "It certainly explains a lot of things. Your famed stupidity is a thing of the legends, for sure."

He began to walk in a straight line towards him. The moment Percy felt his foot touching the water, he rotated in the air, reappearing right in front of him.

His complexion was darker. He was taller and more serious. A plain black overcoat, over a black shirt and pants substituted the black rag he was wearing. His eyes were covered with small black sunglasses, reflecting the confused face of Percy.

"But let's not delve into that, now. I feel this form is more adequate."

A flash of recognition came to Percy.

"Morpheus."

This time he did not laugh.

"Perseus Jackson, I come with a warning. Forces stronger than the god themselves are stirring. As we speak, I feel them trying to interfere. The meddling sky fool, of course, and something crueller, ancient. I dare not say its name, but you have to know, hero. When you arrive at Rome, study the tiles."

Percy looked at him, wary. His rational mind told him to wait, to consider, to doubt. His instincts were calling for him to believe. He would listen, at first.

"The one of your dreams, she is cut off from the world, too. Do not attempt to contact her, for her punishments are already severe enough."

Percy's hands clenched.

"Who is it? Who is punishing her?"

Morpheus looked strangely at him, curiosity and something else in his face expression.

"You do not want to know." Percy advanced at him. "Do not antagonize me, hero. I am indebted to you, but I will not hesitate if you disrespect me. Your memories… their methods are not justifiable. I will help you. I will help you in helping me."

Percy scoffed. "Why would I help you?"

Morpheus glared at him. "The dreams are powerful things, fickle demigod. Right now, they are partially the cause of your banishment. I lost control of them after the war…"

Golden ichor came to Percy again. A bolt, a trident, a fork. Skeletons lifted him up.

"… and Hypnos is too busy, trying to cloak the mistake of the Olympians. I need you for a task."

Percy waited.

"My temple in Arizona was occupied. My priests disappeared. But, I feel it is being used. I need you to go there, Perseus. Check what is happening and bring me the altar cloth, if possible. I feel someone entering my realm, but it always drops its torch, shrouds itself and runs. This is crucial, demigod. I acted with discretion at the beginning, but two of the heroes I sent did not return. Zeus could not be reasonable to grant any of my requests of aid. Stuck-up brute."

Percy felt a little confused. "Why do you not go yourself?"

The god looked sideways, his face now worried and grave. Percy felt that this was about a lot more than some simple magical artefact. "I do not know where, exactly, my temple is, Perseus."

Percy stiffened. If the god of dreams himself was being manipulated…

"I do not know how they made it. All the registers are blank. The heroes I sent… I barely remember their faces…"

He turned to Percy, his expression concentrated. "I do not make a light request, Perseus. We are dealing with cruel, revengeful and cunning beings. I need a professional. Your memories may be locked, but I know that you are the same hero."

He turned his back to him. "But I am not ungrateful. I must offer you one last choice." He turned to Percy, again, two flowers in each one of his hand. "Perseus Jack…"

"RED!" Percy had a strange feeling of déjà vu.

Morpheus smiled. "Are you sure, Perseus? I can shroud you in an indestructible cloak. You would wake up rich, successful, free, forever, without nobody knowing."

Perseus closed his eyes. Auburn hair, silver eyes, her laugh, her smile, her voice. Pain came and tried to take it away. But he still remembered the impressions of her.

"I am more than sure. What will I gain with this mission?"

"A viable path to challenge fate, a pledge of my weapons to fight alongside you. A debt."

Percy furrowed his brows.

"I do not want to see those stupid flowers again…"

Laugh resonated around him.

"Duly noted. I offer you something better: I will help you in remembering what you dream."

Percy fixed him a stare. Morpheus knew he already had his hero.

For, if the stories were true, he knew Perseus Jackson would bow to anything that involved her. A reckless and stupid bond, he thought, but, surely, a strong one.

"I'll do it."

Morpheus smiled and the skies turned black.

"Wait for the signs. Whispers of my realm are already telling me that the fates are changing."

Percy began to lose his vision, coldness gripped his heart.

"You will not regret this, Perseus."