"What the Hades?" Thalia gawked as a beaten down man stood before them. He was breathing heavily, his throat had a large gash in it, blood soiled his clothes, his glasses were cracked, he was leaning heavily on his right leg, chunks of hair was ripped from his scalp, and he had a missing tooth.
"Runts! Get this out of here!" He roared as he shoved a bag into Perseus's hands. Thalia felt a tingling in her body as she watched the bag fall into Perseus's hands. She craved to rip it from him and snatch whatever was in that bag-what was she thinking? She twitched and squirmed uncomfortably as she allowed her eyes to hungrily feast on the sight of the bag. What was in that thing? And who was this man?
Perseus glanced into the bag and held back a gasp. The bolt and about a hundred drachmas...perfect they could get transportation now. But how did Ares get ahold of it? What was going on?
"Who-" Thalia started but Perseus cut her off.
"Ares...a pleasant surprise." He wrinkled his nose in disgust, as he looked the god up and down,"Who did this to you? Why are you here?" He didn't seem stunned at all, Thalia noted, how did he know it was Ares? She looked at the man again, his eyes filled with raw power but they were a dull red, probably due to the beating he went through. But who could do this to the god?
The god growled impatiently,"No time! Get out of here-" He a yelp escaped his lips as a blast of godly energy made him fly into a nearby wall.
Thalia's eyes widened,"Oh my gods." She began to panic as she watched the powerful war god knocked aside like a mere mosquito. She slammed the door shut and turned to Perseus but saw that he was already occupied.
"Annabeth wake up." He barked as he shoved her roughly onto the floor.
She yelped as she fell to the ground,"What the-"
"We have unwanted company." He picked up his bag and Thalia was by his side in an instant.
"Percy what's in the bag?" She asked as she eyed it warily. Perseus looked up and saw her eyes glaze with lust for power. She could feel the magnetism of the bolt through the bag. Crap.
Thalia couldn't explain it but she needed to see what was in the bag. She craved to hold the mystery object in her hands. She felt her fingers tingle...power...raw power emanated from the bag and she wet her lips and felt her hands begin to shake slightly at the thought of wielding such power.
"Nothing of your concern." He said curtly, he couldn't have her going bezerk at the prospect of touching Zeus's bolt, and he couldn't have her attention drawn from the task at hand.
The door burst open and there stood a woman. Her grey eyes blazing with determination and anger as she stared at the stunned trio. In her hand was a spear and in her other was a shield, she wore her blonde hair in a braid, and a sneer erupted onto her lips.
Perseus bristled,"Athena." He spat as he slung the bag with the bolt over his shoulder. He dropped his other bag onto the floor and his spear sprung to life. Why the heck was Athena after the bolt? What could she possibly want from it?
"You'd be wise to give me the bolt boy." She sneered as she took a step forward,"If you surrender I'll let you live." Her voice held superiority and Perseus felt immense hatred for the goddess emanate from him. He had always loathed Athena. Though he found her traits of wisdom and intellect admirable he couldn't stand her overbearing personality. Always thinking she was right, harping on anyone she deemed wrong, and being unnecessarily rude to Poseidon and all of his offspring. For a mistake the sea god made millions of years ago.
He was not going to fail his father. He would be the one to deliver the bolt to Zeus, he didn't know what the wisdom goddess's plan was, but it didn't appear she'd be taking the bolt back to the lighting god.
"And you'd be wise not to test me. I have a mission and I'm carrying it out." He growled and Athena smirked cruelly, her intelligent eyes sparked with interest, as she looked the boy up and down.
She let out an icy laugh,"A son of Poseidon? I'll enjoy killing you." Her voice sent shivers down his spine but he refused to show any fear. The malice she spoke with was unfamiliar, usually she was monotone, but her voice was uncharacteristically sharp and filled with venom.
"M-Mom?" A soft voice stuttered and Athena froze. Slowly she turned to her daughter, Annabeth stood before her, eyes wide open, mouth agape, slight adoration in her eyes as she stared at her godly parent.
Perseus winced,"Annabeth please don't listen to her...whatever she says." He begged quietly but Annabeth paid him no mind. Her mother was right there. The woman that she could never meet, the reason for her existence, stood proudly in front of her.
"Mom." She said again in disbelief. She was meeting her mother...she was actually meeting her mother. She unconsciously took a step closer to the woman who regarded her with soft eyes yet maintained her rigid exterior.
"Annabeth...it's lovely to see you again." Warmth seeped into her tone and Thalia's eyes widened.
Annabeth frowned,"Again?"
"I've always kept watch over you. You are...my favorite child. When you ran away with Thalia and Luke there wasn't a day that went by I didn't check up on you." Her voice cracked and Perseus narrowed his eyes, he knew Athena cared for her children...and he knew she loved Annabeth...but she was acting. The wisdom goddess nearly never showed emotion.
He had to get Annabeth out of this infatuated state. Her mother wasn't the goddess she thought she was.
"Athena!" Perseus roared and her attention snapped back to him,"Stop this madness. Do not cloud her brain with such folly! Step aside, leave Annabeth be, and let us carry on our quest!" He demanded, as he stood tall with his spear raised. Could he take Athena? Not int his week, boyish state, but maybe he could hold her off.
Annabeth bristled,"Perseus what are you doing!" She hissed and he swiveled his angered gaze on her.
"Annabeth step away from her. Something's not right." He warned, many things weren't right! But he'd have to be patient and calm with her. She was infatuated with her mother and Perseus did not hold that against her. She held an unspoken loyalty to her birth giver, he of all people knew the feeling, there was nothing he wouldn't do for his father.
Annabeth cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest,"I know what's not right-"
Thalia stepped forward,"C'mon Annie, listen to us. Athena's acting crazy. Can't you see it? She knocked Ares out a while ago. Do you think that's the sign of a sane mother?" She asked gently and Perseus looked at her curiously. The brash daughter of Zeus was being...rational and it was simply astounding. Her eyes were filled with concern, her hands out in a gesture of peace, and her smooth voice held no animosity or annoyance. Maybe he could learn a thing or two from her. His approach wasn't working, it was too violent, Annabeth blindly followed her mother, and he looked like the enemy.
Perseus sighed and lowered his weapon,"Please Annabeth. Your mother wouldn't be visiting you looking like this would she?" He asked softly though he wanted to rip Athena's head off.
Several emotions flickered on the blonde's face from confused, angry, sad, annoyed, and others Perseus couldn't really point out until it settled on plain pissed. He had been expecting that.
"You two are just jealous!" She snapped,"You've never met your dad have you Percy?" She asked in a somewhat taunting manner,"He ditched you and your mom with your abusive, drunken step dad. Now your moms dead and he still doesn't care." Thalia looked at him in alarm, how similar were their home lives? "And Thalia's never met her dad either!" Annabeth's hateful gaze landed on Thalia,"Zeus left you with your alcoholic mother, Jason died, and then she got in a wreck and died and he hasn't attempted to make any contact with you! You two are just upset that my mother actually loves me!"
Thalia felt embarrassment and resentment fuel her ire. She didn't want Perseus knowing of her past, nor did she want to talk about it, what had gotten a hold of Annabeth? She felt utterly betrayed by her friend's sudden hostility. She glanced at Perseus, his face was void of all emotion, but she saw anger in his bright green eyes. His spear was raised again and his jaw was clenched.
Athena smirked as she raised her spear as well,"Now that we know where loyalties lie. I want that bolt." Annabeth seemed stunned at her mother's sudden change in demeanor. Athena went from a doting mother to an angry...what had she done! In her pride of seeing her mother and being called her favorite child she had lost herself. She had disregarded her mother's sketchy behavior and immediately turned her back on Perseus and Thalia.
Perseus stepped forward and tucked the bag behind his back even more,"I'd rather die than give it to you."
Athena let out a mirthless laugh,"Aw how cute, daddy's little hero!"
Perseus laughed darkly,"You wish!" Athena rushed towards him and their spears clashed with a deafening clang. Goodness grief was she a strong goddess. She slowly but surely overpowered the son of Kronos but Perseus had expected this. He pulled away at the last minute and kicked upwards almost catching her in the shin had she not have moved backwards.
A loud bang pierced the air and a scream followed,"Run runts! Get that to Zeus!" The gruff voice of Ares sounded. The war god leaned heavily against the doorframe with a shotgun in his hand, his entire right side was charred from the godly energy he was struck with, and golden blood seeped from his wounds,"I'll hold her off just move!" He yelled as Athena turned her attention to him, ichor flowed from the celestial bullet that was shot through her leg, and her eyes flashed with fury as she lunged towards him.
"Thalia this way!" Perseus barked as he grabbed her hand absentmindedly. He yanked her towards the window, thank gods they were on the first floor, he opened the window in a flash and the two were on black concrete sprinting. He had let go of her hand and clutched the bag as tightly as he could. Gods they were on the freaking border of Illinois, how were they possibly going to make it to New York before getting caught by Athena?
Where were they running? He wouldn't have time to hot wire a car.
"Jackson!" He whirled around to see Annabeth racing behind him. He wanted to yell at her. But he hadn't time for such pettiness. They had a mission to complete. He stopped once he saw her carrying winged shoes. They weren't in the underworld so the shoes would work for him. He knew what they were originally for...to drag the person who wore them to tartarus. But they weren't in the underworld.
He shook his head,"It's useless. She'll catch me anyway...unless I hold her off...Thalia take the bag and get it to Zeus. It's the bolt." He instructed as he shoved it into her arms,"I'm trusting you with this. Get as far away as possible." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple drachmas and thrust them into her hands,"Call the Grey Sister with Annabeth." He instructed and winced when he heard the war god's scream of pain.
Thalia looked at the bag then back at Perseus before shaking her head,"Not without you-"
He gritted his teeth as his spear reappeared,"That's too bad. Because that wasn't a suggestion that was an order." He growled and whirled around before she could argue. Athena stood there with a smirk on her face and Ares's golden blood staining her armor. Her shield wasn't with her thank Ares but that didn't make her any less deadly.
"How cute. A sacrifice." She sneered,"Too bad I wouldn't waste my time on you-"
He had to hit her where it hurt...her pride,"Why because you're too afraid? You know you can't beat me without your power. How funny!" He ridiculed as he smirked,"The almighty Athena fears the son of her rival!" He boomed,"Look at me! The son of Poseidon! The future victor of Athena the coward!" He laughed cruelly,"What would the gods think? What would Poseidon think?" He asked smugly and to his relief she took the bait. He wounded her pride far too much for her to ignore.
"I fear no halfblooded spawn of Poseidon! I will make you bow before me!" She bellowed before she rushed towards him. He met her strike with his own.
Thalia whirled around to Annabeth and thrust the bag into her arms,"Take this to Olympus. I'll stay with Percy and hold off your crazy mother." Thalia barked and Annabeth nodded numbly before turning on her heel in running.
But what the daughter of Athena didn't notice was that Thalia had handed her the wrong bag. And the daughter of Zeus dove behind a near by truck. She'd help when needed. If she had learned anything from Perseus it was that surprise was an essential element to have against the enemy.
The ferocity between goddess and demigod was astounding. The way Athena's eyes filled with hatred and anger would have made any other demigod cower in fear, but Perseus was much more than the average demigod.
Athena attempted to impale Perseus in the face but he had been expecting this. He ducked swiftly and brought his hand up and managed to capture her throat. He brought up his heel and rammed it into the back of her knee all while shoving her throat making her fall backward and she gagged. She hit the concrete and Perseus didn't hesitate to bring his spear up to attempt to stab her. But alas it never would be that easy and he knew that.
She rolled out of the way in the nick of time and in a flash she was on her feet. With sweep of her spear she knocked him off his feet. Midair, seconds before he fell, time slowed down instantly. He fell on his butt while Athena was stuck in slow motion attempting to stab his chest. She would have succeeded in doing so had he not have slowed time. She was quick.
He felt his energy draining and he winced as he got to his feet. Time resumed and she slammed her spear into the ground making it perfect for Perseus to slam the butt of his weapon into her thigh. She gasped and hunched over as he delivered a sharp punch. It caught her cheek making her recoil and stumble backwards. He attempted to get in another blow but Athena was too fast. Before he could even comprehend it a heel collided with his chin making him fly backwards and smash into a car. There was a large dent in the metal of the side door and Perseus staggered to his feet groggily. His head was pounding but he had been through worse.
His jaw was on fire and it felt. She dislocated his jaw and blood was gushing out of his mouth. He grimaced as he gripped his loose jaw and snarled as he snapped it back into place. His back was in pain but he had to ignore it. Athena's cheek was a bright red but other than that she stood proudly.
Athena stood a ways away glaring murderously at him and he assessed the situation. And then he saw it...there was water on the concrete. But it hadn't been there earlier. He prayed to Kronos he had enough control of the water element to be able to do what he planned.
"Give up you foolish boy! I am a goddess and you are nothing...you're trash! You and your whore of a mother!" She screeched and he felt as though she backhanded him. Was he offended? Of course. But not enough to be blindly angered and lose his clarity. He was too rational to lose his temper so easily. He wasn't Poseidon and he never would be.
She smirked,"Did I strike a nerve? Your mother's dead isn't she? There's an old saying about whores, that's what she was, Poseidon's married and your mother was only a mistress. He never loved her and he'll never love you, the bastard son." She spat and Perseus bristled, bastard son, mistress, there was a line that Athena crossed and he was furious. But he knew he had to keep his cool, he'd fake his anger, make the goddess underestimate him.
With a scream of anger Perseus rushed forward with a firm plan in his mind. His spear was held in an amateur way, in the way of an angry, non-thinking, individual, and that's what Athena saw as she raced towards him and leaped into the air. That was until she saw his smirk.
With a flick of his wrist the wet concrete beneath her turned to ice and he slid on his knees. He regained a firm grasp on his spear and with a powerful swing he sliced her inner thigh making her screech. She attempted to land on her feet but due to the ice she slipped and landed on her face instead. Perseus was on his feet in an instant as the ice turned back to water and rushed back to him. It levitated near him and he knew he could only control it so well due to adrenaline.
Athena stumbled to her feet, nose bleeding, thigh bleeding, and her attire was stained with gold. Her blonde hair had gone from neatly braided to tangled and fuzzy. Her composure remained along with her disdain and pride and Perseus let out a loud, mocking laugh.
"I'll show you what a bastard son can really do." He laughed again as the water solidified and became shards of ice. With another flick of his wrist the ice shot towards her. With a roar she used her spear and batted the ice shards away as if flies. Then Perseus changed his tactics by using his last icicle more wisely. He made it fly high into the sky and Athena stared up at it, waiting for its damage to attempt to fall unto her, but Perseus threw his spear with all his might at the goddess.
Unfortunately Athena wasn't as gullible as he had hoped she would be. Her grey eyes snapped towards his green ones and she smacked the spear away leaving him without a weapon. In a flash she was in front of him due to teleportation, and she grabbed his throat before hauling him into the air, then with a scream she threw him. He didn't have time to react before he slammed into the concrete and he yelped as a sudden pain fell onto him.
Athena straddled him,"Foolish bastard child! I am a goddess!" She roared and she set her spear down before wailing on him with her fists. He tried to get up, push her off, fight back, but her strength overwhelmed him and soon he was choking on his own blood. Each hit made fire erupt on his face. He couldn't take much more of this.
Frantically he threw his hands up and suddenly Athena screamed in pain and she fell off him. He felt even more energy leave his body. What had he done that could have caused him to feel so weak? He felt fatigued but he could barely see and lacked the strength to get up. He was on the verge of passing out. His eyes were too swollen for him to really try to fend her off anyway.
"I don't know how you did that! But you will pay!" She shrieked as she picked up her spear and poised to impale him.
"NO!" A voice bellowed, a voice he recognized as Thalia, and a bright blue light blinded him. He could hear the screams of Athena and Thalia mix together and he turned his face to see Thalia...wielding the master bolt. With a gasp of pain he tried to sit up but it was too much. He flailed his hands out before it fell on one of his ice crystals.
He grabbed it quickly and liquefied it over his face. Some of the pain vanished but he was still in immense agony. But he didn't have time to fret about it. He could see clearly and no longer was his vision blurry. Thalia was holding the master bolt and was pointing it at Athena who was on her knees from the pain of it all.
He wouldn't have been as concerned if Thalia didn't have cracks appearing on her skin from the immense power she wielded. He was on his feet in a hurry and rushed to her.
"Thalia you stupid girl!" He yelled as he grabbed her arm. Her eyes were a bright white color and she shook from the power overload. Her cracks were glowing, the master bolt wasn't meant for a mortal, but she was too consumed in its power to let go of it. She was power hungry and finally she was stronger than Perseus, she was strong enough to kill a goddess! She didn't even bother looking at Perseus as she turned her attention back to Athena. She bested Perseus. She used the bolt at first to save Perseus but now she bested him! She was the most powerful demigod!
"Thalia stop this madness it's killing you!" Perseus commanded harshly as he grabbed her arm making her head snap towards him.
"You're lying! You fear my power! You envy it!" She screamed in rage and Perseus cursed. He couldn't try to wrestle with her, he'd end up dead, so he ended up doing the stupidest thing he's ever done. He grabbed the master bolt. When the bolt wasn't in use it was harmless yet still dangerous. But when it was in use grabbing the bolt was like attempting suicide and if Zeus had been wielding it at the time Perseus would have died almost instantly but thank the gods Thalia was mortal.
He screamed bloody murder as his body shook from the intensity of it. He could feel his body tearing itself apart and he welcomed death. Anything to escape this torture. The pain was searing his skin and he could feel the flesh of his hand begin to melt. Oh gods it hurt. His hand wasn't strong enough to let go and he screamed even louder as he fell to his knees from the agony of it all.
Thalia's eyes widened as Perseus's screams awakened her and she tossed the bolt to the ground. Perseus, just like Athena, collapsed and continued to wither from the godly weapon. Everything hurt and his breathing increased as his heart sped up. Was he having a seizure? He shook harder and it felt like his heart would explode from his chest.
He felt arms wrap around him as he continued shaking,"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Percy I'm so sorry." Thalia cried as she hugged his shaking form to her chest. His shaking began to subside and she was able to glance at his hand. His skin had completely burned off to the bone. His head rested on her chest as his shaking decreased a little bit more, he began babbling to himself, his brain had turned to scrambled eggs.
"Owwwwwwwwchie." He grumbled as tears leaked from his eyes,"Besterd!" He proclaimed before he reached out and grabbed Thalia's arm tightly,"Mhhhhm Thal-" He choked before he began coughing heavily,"Sorr-" He let out another cough and Thalia had to fight back the tears as she rested her chin on his head and held him tightly. He continued to babble until he passed out. Tears stained his cheeks and she was consumed with anger and regret. Why did she screw up everything? The bolt lay next to her feet but she ignored it and held the son of Poseidon despite the blood that got onto her shirt.
"I'm so sorry Percy." She whispered and to her relief he mumbled something as he nestled into her chest more and held her arm tighter. She was too focused on Perseus that she didn't notice Athena vanish. Thalia was but a mortal, she couldn't kill a god with a god's weapon, she didn't have that type of power.
-Line Break-
Annabeth stood nervously inside the throne room of Olympus,"You guys can't go through with the war!" She spluttered. She was a bundle of nerves as the almighty Zeus and Poseidon glared at her.
"Oh we'll have this war alright! Because Poseidon stole my bolt!" Zeus yelled and the raven haired man growled.
"LUDICROUS! You're overreacting and becoming paranoid for no reason!" Poseidon bellowed as he banged his fist on the arm of his throne angrily.
Zeus huffed and crossed his arms over his chest,"Please, well all know you envy my power! You wish you could rule the gods!" He spat as he stroked his black beard. His blue eyes flashed with animosity as he looked at his brother in disgust.
Poseidon scoffed,"Let us not forget who is the oldest, little brother!" Poseidon sneered,"I have a vast amount of power! I control the seas you half-witted brat! And do you forget my flaw? LOYALTY!" Poseidon boomed making the entire room shake from his anger. Gods Annabeth nearly fainted. The atmosphere was filled with raw power, anger, intensity, and hatred. She was suffocating from their quarreling. She just needed to stall because she didn't have the freakin bag, Thalia lied, and gods she better get here quick!
Zeus would have none of Poseidon's rational thinking,"You would turn your back on me in an instant! You loathe me!" Zeus spat and Annabeth decided to speak up.
"HEY!" They both looked down at her in disapproving glares. A mortal shouldn't have the audacity to speak to a divine being like that,"Both your children are coming with the bolt! If you wait you'll see that it's neither of your faults that it's gone." She chided as their glares turned to confused facial expressions.
"Perseus...he's coming?" Poseidon breathed while Zeus furrowed his eyebrows.
"Then who took my bolt?"
"Certainly not Poseidon." A new voice sounded and they turned to see Perseus and Thalia walk in. Perseus carried a bag on his shoulder and looked at the two gods stoically as he and Thalia walked closer to them. Perseus had a couple scars on his face and his hand was wrapped up in what appeared to be a towel. Thalia's face looked drained of all color, she had bags under her eyes, and she leaned slightly on Perseus. The master bolt took a lot out of her. She had managed to get Perseus back to the motel and soaked him in the tub, he had healed quickly, his hand was still looking gruesome and needed medical attention. But they had no time for that.
Annabeth sighed in relief,"Thank gods...how'd you get here so fast?" She questioned as she watched the two walk closer.
"We had more drachmas." Thalia shrugged and Perseus looked up at Poseidon before giving him a slight bow.
"It's a pleasure to meet you lord Poseidon. If only we could have met on better terms." He said in his usual monotone but Thalia noticed the slight spark of anger that lied beneath his green eyes.
Poseidon chuckled,"No need to call me lord Poseidon my boy! I'm your father!" How was Poseidon so...naive? He lacked intuitiveness that even Zeus had as he noticed the slight animosity Perseus held towards the man.
Perseus smiled wryly,"I'm afraid you're mistaken. You are simply my sperm donator, and I am a soldier, I have completed my quest and that is all that matters as of now." Perseus turned his gaze from his shocked father to Zeus,"Here lord Zeus, you have your daughter to thank for this." Perseus said humbly as he tossed the bag to Zeus who grinned and greedily snatched his bolt from the bag.
"My weapon has returned to me! I must thank you Thalia, I'm so proud-"
Thalia couldn't help it,"Screw you old man!" There was absolute silence.
Perseus sighed,"Stupid, stupid girl." He muttered as if a disappointed parent,"We haven't time for your rebelliousness." He scolded and Thalia glared at him,"What she meant to say is that there is a traitor in our midst. Athena."
AND FINISHED! MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope this was a decent chapter and I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I'll try to update every story I'm currently writing over Christmas break!