Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.
Story: Champion of the Pit: Destiny's Warrior
Chapter 7: Timing
"Death's Shadow" – the desert of Tartarus
The three Keres turned toward the sound of Percy's voice. The son of Poseidon internally shivered at the evil looks in their eyes. Their bodies shifted between tangible and intangible. Percy hoped that his idea was right. The three spirits moved toward him; Percy uncapped Riptide and pointed the sword at the three creatures.
The Keres laughed at the boy's sword. "You cannot harm us child. Soon we will feast upon your body and soul," one of the Keres threatened. The creature lunged at the son of Poseidon; Percy slipped under her strike and swiped his sword at her mid-section; the blade passed through her body like she was made of smoke. Percy recovered quickly as he slashed Riptide toward the other two spirits; his blade passed through their bodies without any damage.
Suddenly, Percy winced in pain and instinctively jumped away from the slash that one of the creatures made to his back. Percy held his sword in front of his body as he tried to ward off the creatures with the magical glow from his sword. He reached behind his back and he could feel sticky blood that leaked from the wound; he pulled back his hand and stared in astonishment at the red blood. It was mortal blood, not the blood of an immortal demigod.
The Keres laughed again. "In this place everyone is mortal," the creature said. The Keres lunged toward the son of Poseidon. Percy's eyes lit up as he noticed the telltale signs that the creature was no longer intangible. The spirits clawed hand cut through the air. Percy could feel it disturb the small amount of water vapor that was in the desert air. He swung his sword and almost sighed in relief as he felt the blade connect with the now tangible body of the Keres. The creature's scream echoed through the desert as Riptide severed the creature's hand from its arm. Crimson blood spurted from the severed arm of the Keres. The creature became fully tangible; the other two Keres moved away from their sister, like she was diseased. Percy took the opportunity; he moved forward with such speed that the Keres never stood a chance. He slashed Riptide severing her head from her neck. The head rolled down toward the imprisoned Cyclops, while the rest of the body hit the ground with sickening thud. The two Keres that remained looked at the body of their sister. Their eyes began to glow as they watched the blood pour from the body. Suddenly, the two Keres dropped to the ground and began to rip the body of their sister to pieces with their claws and teeth. Blood splattered the ground and pieces of muscle and flesh began to fly in different directions as the two monsters ripped the corpse of their sister to shreds.
Percy quickly overcame his shock darted toward the two creatures. They were both tangible and it gave Percy the perfect opportunity to strike. He lunged forward and at the same time he swung Riptide in a wide arc. The sword cut through the chest of one Keres at an upward angle, the blade continued as he cut through the throat of the second Keres. The two monsters slumped forward onto the corpse of their dead sister. Crimson blood poured from the two creatures as they bled themselves dry.
Percy dropped to the ground after he made sure the two Keres were dead. He took a few deep breaths as he used the water within his own body to heal his injury. He could feel the wound close before he sighed in relief. This was a power that he had gained from his training with Perses, but it was a hard and difficult power to learn and master. The wound had closed up, but it would take several days to fully heal. He used Riptide to help him stand up. He looked down the short hill to the place where the Cyclops was. He walked quickly down the slight slope until he reached the Cyclops.
Percy winced at the sight of the Cyclop's injuries. The young Cyclops looked down at him with fear in his eye. Percy couldn't help but think of Tyson when he looked at the Cyclops.
Percy capped Riptide and raised his hands to show the monster that he wouldn't hurt him. "I'm not here to hurt you."
The Cyclops nodded. "Too painful," it said. "I won't last much longer, please finish it."
Percy was stunned. He stepped back from the Cyclops as he shook his head in protest. "I can't do that."
Tears flowed down from the Cyclops's lone eyes. "Please do it, I hurt so much."
Percy felt tears at the corners of his eyes. Could he really kill someone like this? He didn't know. However, he knew it was the right thing to do. He didn't have anything to heal the creature with; besides, he was too far gone. Percy took a few deep breaths before he nodded. The Cyclops tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. Percy uncapped his sword. "I'm sorry," he said as he drove the blade through the heart of the Cyclops. The creature's eye rolled back into his head before he collapsed against his restraints. Percy cut the Cyclops free and began the arduous task of covering the body with a large pile of rocks. Thirty minutes later Percy completed his task.
Percy wiped his brow before he sent a prayer to his father. "Rest in peace," he said before he continued his journey toward the mountain at the center of Tartarus.
Camp Half Blood
Jason and Piper sat alone in the sand of Fireworks Beach. They held each other's hands while Piper laid her head on her boyfriend's shoulder. They were both quiet as they looked on into the ocean.
"It's my fault," Jason began. Piper looked at her boyfriend curiously. "I should have said something to my father. I should have helped Percy; instead, I stood there like a coward."
Piper let go of his hand and glared at him. "You're not a coward. We were all shocked at what happened."
Jason shook his head. "I was scared. I didn't want to be sent to Tartarus too. I didn't want to leave you."
Piper laced her arm through his. "I don't want to lose you either."
Jason forced a small smile. "Percy and I had our moments at the beginning, but he's one of my closest friends." A tear trailed down his face. "I miss him Pipes."
Piper had never seen Jason cry. She was stunned at the sight. She finally recovered as she wiped his tear away with her thumb. "I miss him to and so do the others."
Jason nodded. Suddenly, someone burst out of the nearest shadow in front of them. The two demigods jumped to their feet.
Nico Di Angelo moved up to his knees. He turned and smiled at his two friends. "Sorry, sometimes I lose my balance."
Jason and Piper sighed in relief. "Nico, you almost sacred us to death," Piper exclaimed.
Nico smiled. "Don't worry, I would have sensed it if you were going to die." Piper shook her head not amused in the least.
Jason wiped the sand off his jeans. "Where have you been?" Jason asked as he looked at the blood stains on the boy's clothes. Nico looked down at the ground sadly. "Tartarus," he whispered.
Jason stepped closer with Piper at his side. "What was that?" he asked.
Nico looked up at his friends. His dark brown eyes were almost black in color. "Tartarus," he said.
Jason and Piper stood frozen in place at the name. "Why?" Piper said, but she already knew the answer. Jason squeezed her hand before he said, "Percy!"
Nico flinched slightly at the name. "Yeah, I saw him."
"How is he?" Jason asked excitedly.
"Surprisingly well," Nico replied. Jason and Piper gave him curious looks. "He's working in the mines and it appears that Lord Tartarus has somewhat taken a liking to our friend. He's being trained by Perses himself."
"Perses,"Jason repeated. Piper was worried about the way Jason said the name. "The Titan," she said.
Nico nodded. "Yeah, he's being trained for the Arena."
Jason's face paled. Piper didn't know why. "What's the Arena," she asked. Piper wasn't sure if she really wanted to know.
Nico could tell by Jason's face that he knew what the Arena was. "In Tartarus, a contest is held every thousand years or so. Combatants face off in an arena and fight for the title of Champion of the Pit."
"What kind of combatants?" Piper asked worriedly.
Nico sighed as he played with his skull ring. "Any monster or immortal in Tartarus can compete."
Piper's ever changing eyes went wide. "Percy's training for that?" she asked.
Nico nodded. "He'll fight the most horrible monsters in all of Tartarus… to the death."
"He's immortal…he can't die now," Piper argued. Jason nodded in agreement.
"I wish that were so, but the rules are different in Tartarus." Nico sat down in the sand and cross his legs. Jason and Piper joined him. "Monsters killed in Tartarus go away for good and some places in the pit anyone can be rendered mortal." Piper and Jason looked at each other worriedly "It's a place unlike any other."
"What can we do to help him?" Jason asked.
Nico wore a neutral expression. "Nothing, we can only pray he succeeds."
"Who do we even pray to anymore?" Jason asked incredulously. Piper squeezed his hand reassuringly.
Nico smiled slightly at the couple before him. He wished that he could find someone that made him as happy as Piper made Jason. "I understand… we can hope for the best… maybe pray to Nike for his victory," Nico suggested thoughtfully.
Jason frowned. "Nico, you're a better friend to Percy than I was," he said. Piper glared at him.
"You couldn't have done anything," Nico replied. "Zeus would have sent you with him."
"He wouldn't have sent his own son to Tartarus," Piper argued.
Nico chuckled darkly. "The King of the gods has done worse to his own children." Nico crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I'm sorry Jason, but your father is not liked very well at the moment."
"Neither are Mars and Juno," Jason added.
Nico leaned forward. "They know it too." Jason and Piper leaned forward as well. "Let's don't give them an excuse to punish more people."
Jason sighed. "I know the other gods promised not to start something, but we didn't." Jason said.
Nico smiled. "I know, but there's nothing we can do. We can bide our time and hope for an opportunity to arise."
Jason nodded, but he had a sly smile on his face. "They need to pay for what they did."
Piper looked at the two children of the big three before her. She shivered at the evil looks in their eyes. "Don't do anything stupid."
Jason's smile broadened. "It won't be stupid. We are immortal. We have all the time in the world."
Nico flinched. "I'm not immortal," he said.
"You will be Nico. Your father will grant you the gift when it's your time," Piper reassured. Nico nodded. "Thanks Piper."
Nico stood up abruptly. Jason looked at his friend curiously. "Where are you going?" Jason questioned.
"To Camp Jupiter, I need to tell Hazel and the others," Nico replied.
"Nico," Jason said. The son of Hades turned to look at his friend. "Thanks for letting us know." Nico grinned. "Thanks for being a good friend to me and Percy," Nico said. "You too, Piper."
Piper and Jason waved as Nico jumped into the nearest shadow and disappeared. The two demigods stood up and walked hand in hand back to camp. Jason felt better after his talk with Nico. Percy was alive and even though he may have tough times ahead, Jason felt hopeful for his friend. If any demigod could prevail in Tartarus, Jason was sure it would be Percy.
AN: Stay tuned more to come.
