So, I have a confession to make: I made an error. I put the Battle of Labyrinth before Titan's Curse. It's actually the other way around. However, since I already posted those stories, I'll just go on from here. It doesn't make a huge difference in the end. With that mentioned, let's get on to the story!

WORDS OF THE DIVINE

STORY #12: OLD MAN OF THE SEA

Set during the events of the Titan's Curse

Nereus loved relaxing and enjoying life. Day after day he would sit on a dirty dock and bask in the sun. Not a care in the world. No gods or their pain-in-the-ass children to deal with. He would just sit and stew in his filth. Now, some gods and creatures preferred being clean and smelling nice. Not Nereus. Nope, he liked it stinky; stinky and gross. It kept curious onlookers far, far away. For he didn't want to get involved in any quest to save Olympus. Those bastards could stew in their juices for all he cared. He was not going to help them! Nor was he going to help anyone else for that matter. For Nereus hated everyone and everything besides his smelly, disgusting bums. They reeked of humanity. Which kept the heroes and their monsters at bay. Just the way he liked it.

Sure, one could say that he was a little angry about what happened thousands of years ago. You could even say that he was holding a grudge! And maybe that was true. He did hate Poseidon and the other Olympians. But mostly he hated Poseidon. That bastard kicked him out his home! That really got into his crawl. He was living the good life. Ruling the seas. Making a mess of things. Being the big shot. All that good Lord of the Seas bullshit. He could have done that forever and would have never complained. So what some of his subjects complained? They could go live on land if they wanted to! He didn't care. He was king! They had to do what he said.

He really was angry about being kicked out. He really held a grudge against Poseidon, but he also liked the complete and total lack of responsibility that he now enjoyed. No one looked to him for help. Everyone left him alone. It was almost as good as being the god in charge! So, let that annoying upstart deal with the sea. Nereus would enjoy a peaceful and boring retirement. He was happy just being a bum. It was almost as good as being king, almost.

The only annoying part of this menial existence was that from time-to-time heroes would try to shake him down. Try to milk him for information. As if he wanted to help them! If they wanted information then why don't they ask their god-forsaken parents?! They needed to leave him alone! After all, their parents seized power. Now they have to deal with the consequences. Not Nereus, he has no court, no palace, or a place to call home. He is truly homeless like his human friends. He was a complete and utter waste of space. And that's the way he liked it. He refused to allow anyone to change that.

One day a new kid showed up on the docks. On the surface he looked homeless and destitute, but Nereus knew better. He wasn't hungry, he wasn't desperate, or hopeless. He had purpose and drive. Something that these bums out here did not have. Plus, he smelled nice. He smelled just like the sea and that bastard Poseidon. He tried to cover it up. He tried to mask his scent, but it was no good. For no amount of coverup was going to wash that away. No, this boy wasn't like the others. He wasn't quite human. He had to be some kind of demigod. That meant he was trouble. Nereus wanted nothing to do with him.

Now, Nereus wanted to made a hasty exit. The sea was right there, but instinct told him to stay. It told him that the boy could follow him somehow. That it was not an option. It was provably the hint of Poseidon on him. Yeah, that was it. He might be the son of the Sea God. If so, running was not an option. Not yet, at least. He would watch the boy and see what he did. How he behaved. Then he could confirm his suspicion on which Olympian sired him. Which would allow him able to deal with the brat more effectively.

They sat there for quite a while. The boy pretended not to notice him. All while Nereus pretended to sleep. No one moved or said a darned thing. They just waited and waited. It was quite the stalemate! No one wanted to make the first move. No one wanted to show their hand just yet.

Being this close to the boy told Nereus a lot about him. He realized that the boy was far more desperate than he first appeared. It seemed that he wanted to find someone or something. What exactly he was looking for Nereus didn't know. Nor did he care. That was not his business, not his battle. He didn't care about this brat or his problems. He could stick up his pipe and smoke it for all he cared. He wanted the bastard gone! He did not want to help him.

Alas, it could not stay that way forever. For the boy was not willing to wait any longer. He launched himself at him. The fight had begun. They wrestled for a while. Nereus started to scream bloody-murder. Trying to attract the attention of everyone around them. Something that he never liked to do. However, this was best option to get the bastard to run away. Demigods did not like attention drawn to them during one of their 'quests.' If he got enough attention then maybe the boy would let go. Alas, it did not work. He held on tight. Even after Nereus accused him of trying to take his money. It seemed that drawing attention to himself and shaming the boy wouldn't get rid of him. He was far too stubborn and desperate for that to work. He tried lifting the boy off his feet and throwing him off. Unfortunately, he was too strong for that. His grip actually got tighter!

Finally, the boy let it slip that he was afraid of water. A ridiculous thing to say if you asked him. Never give your enemy the key to victory. Never give him any ammunition. For your enemy would take it and use it to destroy you. Nereus may be a bum, but at least he knew that much. If the boy was afraid of water, so be it! He would plunge them both into it's depths. Ignoring his previous suspicions about the boy's heritage. His cockiness gotten the better of him. He forgot that the boy smelled of the sea and Poseidon. That there was little chance that this was a mistake. That it was trick and obvious one at that. He should not take the bait. It was mistake that he would pay dearly for.

Predictably, it was a complete and total disaster! Not only did the boy not lose his grip it became even tighter! Nereus forced him down towards the bottom of the channel at lighting speed. Still, the boy did not give up! If anything he became more emboldened by it. He decided to change forms. That didn't work. The boy somehow managed to keep ahold of him. Nothing bothered him. Not the depths, not the darkness, and not even his changing forms. The boy kept fighting! He would not let go!

Finally, he had enough. He turned himself into a Orca and burst out of the sea! The boy kept right along with him. At speeds that no human should be able to maintain. It was unnatural. Then again they had been underwater for almost fifteen minutes and yet the boy did not come up for air. He did not even seem winded. Something was not right. He was missing something very obvious.

Finally, he forced the truth out of the boy. He was a son of Poseidon. No wonder he was so much stronger in the sea. It was his hometurf. Nereus couldn't rely on overwhelming him here. Poseidon was the stronger god. Particularly now. His son would be naturally strong. Provably even stronger than him now. There was no way to out muscle his way out of this. The boy was as brutal as his father. He would not give in until he got what he wanted. Nereus was completely and utterly humiliated.

There was only way to get the 'hero' to leave him alone. Only one way to end this humiliation. It was to give him what he wanted. To tell him what wanted to know. Then while he was distracted Nereus would slip away. Ensuring his precious freedom once more. Only, he would ensure that the boy didn't get what he really wanted. He would answer one question and one question only. He would tell him what the Titans sought. However, he would not breathe a word about that brat Annabeth Chase. That was what the boy really wanted to know about. That he would leave him to figure out on his own. It was what he deserved for ruining his day. For humiliating him and being born the son of his most most hated enemy.

For no one messes with the Old Man of Sea and gets away with it. No one. Not even the son of Poseidon.

That's it for now. See you all next time!