Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.

Story: Champion of Olympus: Child of the First One

Chapter 11: Overload

Third Person POV

West Coast - United States

Percy hovered in the air before the great storm that held the frost giants. A large face appeared through the clouds in front of the champion of Olympus.

"You are the champion young one?" the giant asked.

Percy looked at the face curiously. "Who are you?" Percy asked.

"I am the king of the frost giants," said.

"Why are you working for Loki?" Percy asked.

"He promised us the destruction of the Olympians and vengeance against the last child of Asgard," King Aurgelmir said.

"I am the last child of Asgard," Percy said. He extended Mjolnir in front of him. Lightning struck the great hammer. The giant's eyes widened. "Come and get me."

The king of the frost giants stepped through the clouds His blue skin and glacial blue eyes glared at the champion of Olympus. The temperature of the air dropped dramatically as snow and ice pellets fell from the sky.

Zeus and his fellow Olympians stood near the shoreline. The King of the gods could sense that his son was in danger, but what could he do? He and the others needed to stand their ground. The giants would destroy the west coast, if no one stood in their way.

The clouds seemed to move around a larger object in the center of the storm. This was it, the giants were attacking. Zeus looked at Hades and the others. "Get ready, here they come," Zeus said.

Massive clouds moved above the shoreline. Zeus and the other gods grew to their godly heights, but the Norse giants still towered above them. Zeus glared at the storm clouds; he stretched out his hands and the clouds began to twist and spin as the upper level winds turned into funnel clouds. The tornadoes moved towards the ground. Hail the size of soft balls fell from the skies. The gods tried to shield themselves from the onslaught.

A large hand formed out of the clouds and moved toward the King of the gods. Zeus's eyes flashed before a massive bolt of lightning struck the hand sending a blue skinned giant flying out the back of the wall cloud. The giant struck a nearby group of pine trees. The trees exploded under his weight.

The giant stood up; the cold that emanated off of his blue skin made the water vapor in the air around him condense. Three clouds formed around him and out of the clouds walked three more ice giants. They looked down at the gods with hate and anger in their cold blue eyes.

Hades stepped up beside his brother. Zeus stared at the giants. His eyes flashed with lightning. Hades smiled; it was good to have his little brother ready for the fight. It reminded him of long ago during the first war with the Titans.

Zeus turned and looked at his older brother. "Why are you smiling?" Zeus asked curiously.

Hades looked at his brother. "It feels good to fight at your side, instead of against you," Hades explained.

Zeus nodded as he returned his brother's grin. "I agree, but I'm worried about Percy," Zeus declared. The smile on Hades' face disappeared.

Suddenly, an explosion echoed across the battlefield an object flew through the air like a meteor. It struck a small house on the edge of the beach. The object broke through the wall of the house just before the roof collapsed. The gods turned to look at the location where the object had flown from. A cloud twice the size of the others moved across the beach and stopped in front of the four ice giants. The cloud dissipated and in its place was a massive giant. He was at least thirty feet taller than the others. He had a long white beard that was covered in ice and his blue eyes pulsed with immense power. He held a silver spear that was half his height. The blade at the end of the spear glowed with a deep blue light.

Hera walked up her husband and brother. She stopped next to Hades. She stared up at the great ice giant before her. "King Aurgelmir," Hera said. Hades and Zeus looked at her closely.

"How do you know?" Zeus asked. He looked at his estranged wife. He had such conflicted emotions when he looked at her. He could feel the love that he had for her, but also the pain when he found out that she tried to kill his daughter after she promised that she wouldn't. After his Roman side had given Jason to hers.

Hera looked at her husband. She still loved him even after all the times he had cheated on her. She remembered all of his children; all of the kids she had harmed or at least tried to. Thalia's face wouldn't leave her mind. She had really grown to love her. That thought hurt her more when she remembered how she tried to kill her. Hera realized as she raised Perseus that she had become a bitter and angry goddess. That was something that she never intended to become, but jealousy and anger have a way to change someone. However, love can change someone just as much and the love she had for Percy changed her. She was a better Queen of the gods for it, a better mother, but most importantly, a better goddess. She hoped that her mother would be proud of her now. Unfortunately, her past had come back to haunt her. Her husband and children hated her now and she felt like her world was gone. All she had left was her duty as a goddess and she swore to herself that she wouldn't fail.

"I used to read the story of the Norse gods to Percy as a child," Hera explained. Zeus looked away from her; he couldn't stand to see the sadness in her brown eyes. Hades watched his sister. He had never felt sorry for anyone before, but he did now. He knew what jealousy and anger could do to someone.

"How powerful is he?" Hades asked.

Hera thought back to the stories she read her son. "Only Odin could beat him and that was at the height of the Allfather's power," Hera said.

Zeus and Hades looked at each other worriedly. They had a silent conversation, but everything came back to one question. Where was Percy?

Suddenly, the house that was struck by the meteor or whatever exploded. A blue ball of light flew out of the wreckage. It flew at incredible speed until it stopped between the gods and the giants. The blue glow faded and in its place was one angry Champion of Olympus.

"How can you…?" the King of the giants began to ask, until Percy cut him off.

"Be alive… I'm more powerful than you can possibly imagine," Percy said. His body caught fire with the power of Hestia. His eyes began to flash as the powers of all the eldest Olympians coursed through his body. Mjolnir began to glow with the same blue color as before. Percy flew forward at such speed that even the gods had trouble keeping track of his location. Percy charged forward like a bolt of lightning. He swung Mjolnir at full speed striking King Aurgelmir on the chin. The massive King of the ice giants flew backwards into the sea.

Percy raised his hands and the ocean reached out and grabbed the giant in a death grip. King Aurgelmir screamed as he tried to move against the ocean waters that restrained him. Percy flew toward the giant. He hovered just a few feet above the giant. Percy's eyes stopped flashing, but they settled on an unearthly white color that glowed like a full moon.

"You've made a terrible mistake coming here, away from the source of your power Aurgelmir," Percy said. His voice was strong and loud. It seemed to echo throughout the battlefield.

The King of the giants yelled, "Let me go flea."

Percy smiled as he raised Mjolnir into the air. Lightning flashed all around the adopted son of Zeus. Zeus and the other gods just stared at him in wonder. Percy's eyes brightened until his whole body glowed like a small sun. The sky lit up as multiple lightning bolts streamed down upon the King of the ice giants. The bolts struck over and over again. When they finally stopped the place where the giant had been was scarred by lightning strikes with a deep crater that quickly filled up with sea water.

The glow surrounding Percy's body faded as he landed softly on the wet sand of the beach. The four remaining giants stared at the Champion of Olympus with fear in their eyes. Percy walked towards them slowly. He raised Mjolnir once again as electricity surrounded the great weapon.

"Leave," Percy said as Mjolnir glowed before a massive portal of energy opened between him and the giants. The giants stared at the portal in wonder. Percy's glare intensified. "Don't make me tell you again." The giants nodded as they ran through the portal. Once the giants were through the portal it closed until only empty space existed in its place. Percy turned to look at his family. His eyes were back to their sea green color. He smiled before collapsing into the sand.

Zeus and the other gods rushed to his side. The King of the gods knelt on the ground and held his son in his lap. Hades and Hera knelt beside him. The others watched closely. They were all concerned for the young hero.

Manhattan, NY

The epidemic had spread through most of Manhattan. Nearly one million people had been stricken by the disease in less than two days. The authorities had evacuated the remainder of the island and had quarantined Manhattan from the rest of New York. All bridge, tunnels and ferries had been closed. The Empire State Building was closed, except for the dozens of demigods that now took residence there. The disease or whatever it was hadn't impacted them.

In the lobby of the building Thalia and Annabeth stood as they looked out the doors of the building.

"I can't get over how quiet it is outside," Thalia said.

Annabeth looked out the doors. She was worried about Percy. She could almost feel that something was wrong with him, but she couldn't let that distract her.

Thalia looked at her friend in concern. "Thinking about Percy?" Thalia asked with a mischievous glint in her electric blue eyes.

Annabeth sighed in annoyance. "I have a feeling he's in trouble," Annabeth conceded.

Thalia looked at her friend worriedly. "I'm sure he'll be okay," Thalia reassured, but Annabeth could tell that she was far from certain.

"Sorry to disturb you," a familiar voice said. Annabeth and Thalia turned to see Malcolm standing behind them. His blonde hair was cut short and his grey eyes were dark. A color they only got when something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Annabeth asked. She knew her half-brother well.

"I just heard a report; the authorities have lost contact with the hospitals on the island. They're worried that all the medical workers have been overcome by the illness," Malcolm explained.

"What are they going to do about it?" Thalia asked.

"I overheard a report that they were going to send in a Special Forces team to investigate. They have bio-warfare expertise," Malcolm said.

"How does that impact us?" Annabeth asked.

"They'll be doing aerial reconnaissance of the island. They're looking for stragglers," Malcolm said.

Annabeth's eyes widened. "We can't let them find us here," Annabeth said. "Inform the lookouts. They need to keep a low profile and inform us when they see any helicopters or other vehicles."

Thalia smiled at her friend. This was the real Annabeth; the one with a plan.

"On it," Malcolm said before running off to inform the others.

Thalia studied her friend again. Thalia wasn't one for a lot of study or analysis, but she cared for her best friend. "Are you still worried about the disease?" Thalia asked.

"This has something to do with Loki; I know it," Annabeth said.

Thalia sighed. "If it does there is nothing we can do about it."

Annabeth smiled. It was just like Thalia. Out of sight and out of mind. "You don't worry do you?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia smiled. "I have to see the enemy before I worry about them."

Annabeth laughed. "Thank the gods I'm here to keep you out of trouble."

Thalia frowned. "I don't need help. I can take care of myself."

Annabeth put her arm around her best friend. "Sure you can." Thalia rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Come on Annie, let's go pick on my little brother." Thalia pulled away from Annabeth as she walked towards the elevator. Annabeth took one last look outside and pushed the feeling of dread from her mind. "Are you coming?"

Annabeth smiled at her friend's anxiousness. "On my way." She ran off toward the elevator to join Thalia. It was clear by the look on Thalia's face that Jason wasn't going to like the surprise she had for him. Annabeth smiled at her friend, but her mind raced with possibilities of what was to come. Unfortunately, none of the possibilities were good.

AN: I know a short chapter. Sorry for the delay. I had some writer's block on this story, but I think I'm recovered now.