Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians nor do I own The Heroes of Olympus.
Story: Champion of Olympus: The Maze of Death
Chapter 12: The Power of Thor
Antaeus's Fortress – The Labyrinth
Athena's POV
When Percy saw us, he smiled triumphantly. "I guess I'm early, huh?" Percy held Mjolnir in his hand, and then his eyes glowed causing the weapon to glow in turn. A burst of light emanated from the weapon and when it cleared Mjolnir and Percy's armor were gone. Percy stood in front of us; he wore a blue shirt with pale blue jeans with blue converse. He was a little shorter without his armor, but what confused me was that Mjolnir was not in his hand anymore. Percy must have seen our confused faces, so he held up his right hand. A sea green ring was on his hand and it glowed just like Mjolnir, and then I realized the ring was Mjolnir. He placed his left hand on his large belt buckle that was in the shape of a hammer, the buckle glowed sea green just like the armor. Before he could react, Artemis and I had already crushed him in a bear hug, but it didn't seem to faze him. I realized that Percy had not only grown a few inches in height, but he had packed on at least twenty pounds of muscle. "Are you two trying to crush your little brother?" Percy looked at us with an amused grin. Artemis and I both let go of him quickly as we blushed in embarrassment.
"Don't flatter yourself Jackson." Artemis said, but I could tell by the light in her eyes that she was very happy to see him.
"Perseus, you have a lot of explaining to do." I said.
"Percy," Thalia screamed as she hugged him furiously. Thalia cried into his shirt as Jason stood behind her looking uncomfortable. Thalia let go of Percy and he eyed her up and down.
"You look like Tartarus, Thals." He said. Thalia gave him the death glare. Jason cleared his throat making Percy and Thalia turn toward him. "And you are?" Jason stepped forward carefully, his left arm still hung to his side.
"Perce, he's my brother Jason." Thalia stated. Percy's eyes widened, and then a huge smile stretched across his face.
"So you're the Jason Grace?" Percy asked happily.
"Yes, and your really Percy?" Jason answered. Percy gave him is patented crooked smile.
"I sure am little brother." Percy said, as he stepped forward and hugged Jason. Percy was careful not to hurt his injured arm. Jason was completely surprised by Percy's actions, but once they separated Jason wore a huge smile on his face.
"So you're the champion that I've heard so much about." Daedalus said as he stepped forward. I had totally forgotten that he was with us. Percy looked at him carefully, and then somehow, he recognized him.
"You must be Daedalus, I'm not sure if I should be happy to see you or not." Percy stated. Daedalus for his part just looked at Percy warily. Percy looked at me and I gave him a reassuring smile. "If my big sis over here thinks you're ok, then that's good enough for me." Daedalus sighed in relief. Percy stepped forward and the two shook hands.
"I hate to say this, but it's good to see you Prissy." Clarisse said, as she stepped forward. Percy looked at her, and then he gave her a warm smile.
"It's good to see you as well." Percy said, but then his smile vanished as he looked at the young man standing next to her. Luke stood next to the daughter of Ares and for the first time that I could remember, he looked terrified. Percy stepped forward and Clarisse stepped away from Luke, carefully. Percy turned toward me with anger and hatred written all over his face. "What is this damn traitor doing here?" I was taken aback by his anger.
"Percy, he helped us obtain the eye and free Daedalus." I said. Percy looked at Luke again. Luke nodded in agreement with my statement. Percy sighed slightly, but he still didn't look happy. "Keep him away from me." Percy didn't even look at Luke when he said that.
"Percy, I'm sor …" Luke began to say. Percy turned around so quickly that I almost didn't see him do it.
"Don't speak to me son of Hermes, if you value your life." Percy warned. Luke stepped back with his hands in the air. Percy looked around, and then he saw the prison cell just off the arena floor. Annabeth, Nico, Bianca, and Tyson were all clearly visible. They all stared in disbelief at Percy. Percy gave them all a warm smile, but when he looked at Annabeth, his smile faded into a neutral glare. Annabeth's smile vanished at the look Percy gave her. Artemis sent some of her hunters to free them.
Two people jumped down from the grand stands, it was Grover and a red headed girl I had never seen before. Grover ran to Percy and engulfed him in a hug. Percy held his friend, and then they finally released each other after a few seconds.
"It's really you, isn't it?" Grover asked, I could tell he was still confused that Percy was alive. Percy smiled at his best friend.
"Yes G-man, It's me." Percy said. The red headed girl from behind Grover cleared her throat. When Percy saw her, his eyes widened in shock.
"Its you." Percy said. The girl looked at him with an amused smirk on her face.
"I like to be called Rachel, Rachel Elizabeth Dare." Rachel said, as she extended her hand. Percy took her hand carefully, but I could see a hint of pink on his cheeks.
"Sorry, I kinda forgot your name." Percy conceded.
"No worries, it seems that you had a lot going on." Rachel stated. Percy laughed softly at that statement.
"You have no idea." Percy agreed. We heard running from the cell. We turned to see Bianca and Nico sprinting toward Percy. They engulfed him in a bear hug just as he released Rachel's hand.
"Thank the gods your alright." Bianca said. I could see the relief in her eyes.
"I missed you big bro." Nico said. Both Bianca and Nico had tears in their eyes as they held onto Percy. After they finally separated, it was Tyson's turn. He walked over quickly and lifted Percy off the ground. Normally this would have probably broken every bone in a normal person's body, but not Percy. Percy laughed at Tyson's enthusiasm.
"It's ok big guy, I missed you too." Percy said.
"I'm so happy, big brother alive." Tyson stated. The young Cyclops had tears streaming from his eye.
"So am I." Percy agreed. Percy smiled brightly at his little brother. They finally separated after a few moments. As Tyson stepped away, Annabeth walked up to Percy. She would have probably hugged him, but she wasn't sure what his reaction would be after the look he gave her earlier. She stood just a few feet from him with an awkward and tense look on her face.
"I'm so glad your not dead, seaweed brain." Annabeth said. I could tell that she was barely able to contain her tears. Percy just stared at her. Why is he acting this way?
"As I told Tyson, I'm glad to be alive as well." Percy said. Annabeth looked at him expectantly.
"Percy, I need to talk to you in private." Annabeth said. Percy looked at her closely, and then something flashed in his eyes. He looked like he was lost in his own mind for a moment.
"Why don't you go and talk to Luke in private?" Percy asked. Annabeth was frozen in place. A look of complete shock and bewilderment was etched into her facial expression.
"What are you talking about?" Annabeth asked, I could tell she was starting to get angry now.
"I saw how you hung all over each other in the fortress. Everyone knows that you had a crush on him." Percy said. Annabeth just looked completely lost now.
"Luke is like a big brother to Thalia and I, nothing else." Annabeth said. Percy huffed at her statement. Why is he acting this way toward her?
"Percy, why are you acting this way?" I asked with a hint of anger in my voice.
"I don't have time for this argument now. We need to destroy this fortress. The titan army will be back soon to invade the fortress, and then they will head to camp." Percy said. I knew Annabeth wanted to argue more and so did I.
"Perseus is right, we need to act quickly." Artemis said, as she placed a hand on my shoulder.
"How do we destroy this place without our powers?" I asked, as everyone turned toward Percy.
"My Olympian powers are blocked, but as you saw, my Norse powers work just fine." Percy said. Artemis and I could tell that the others were completely stunned by Percy's statement.
"What do you mean Norse powers?" Thalia asked curiously.
"That's how I survived the portal in the fortress. My mother was mortal, but she wasn't always that way. She wasn't even human, either." Percy said. Thalia and the rest just stared at him.
"What do you mean, not human?" Annabeth asked. She still looked hurt and angry, but the curiosity was too much for her.
"My mother's name wasn't really Sally Jackson, her name was Skjalf. She was a Valkyrie and the youngest daughter of Odin, the all-father." Percy answered. Everyone's mouth dropped open.
"Your mom was a Norse immortal?" Bianca asked.
"Yes, she was a Valkyrie, the blessed of Odin. She was Odin's favorite daughter. He saw to it that she was left alive here on Earth or Midgard, as the Norse call it. She was the last child of Asgard and would remain immortal until she fell in love." Percy said.
"So, she fell in love with Poseidon and became mortal." Grover said.
"Yes, she also knew about the great prophecy and your plan Athena." Percy revealed. I looked at my little brother in shock.
"How?" I asked.
"The all-father had the sight. He could see the future and his visions were much clearer than Apollo's or his oracles. Odin could see events happen specifically and they always came true. Skjalf knew she would die, if she gave birth to me, but she did it anyway. She knew that I was the only hope of defeating Loki." Percy said.
"I'm sorry Percy, I always blamed myself for her death and now ..." I began. Percy raised his hand, I stopped and watched him closesly.
"I don't blame you sis, especially now. I know the truth, my mother was very brave and to honor her I shall be brave as I fulfill the great prophecy. Now all of you need to leave this place." Percy stated.
"Where do we go?" Thalia asked.
"All of you will come to my workshop, from there we will decide what to do." Daedalus said thoughtfully.
"Perseus, what are you going to do?" Artemis asked.
Percy stepped forward away from all of us, he then began to state a prayer in the language of the Norse. His belt buckle began to glow until Percy was once again adorned in his armor. Percy raised his right hand in the air, and then he stated another Norse prayer. The ring on his hand began to glow, until Mjolnir appeared. Percy held the weapon in his hand, and then he looked at all of us.
"I will show this world what it has missed for almost a thousand years. The power of the thunderer." Percy said, as clouds began to appear in the air above the fortress. Clouds and lightning in the labyrinth, Daedalus stood with his mouth agape. I grabbed my son's arm as the rest of us fled from the arena.
"Incredible," Daedalus said in wonder. I snapped my fingers in front of his face. He shook his head before he looked at me.
"Sorry mother, everyone follow me." He said, as the rest of us ran after him. We eventually made it through the other side of the fortress. We stood a hundred yard or so from the fortress, as we looked at the massive storm that brewed above the once ominous stronghold of Antaeus.
The storm intensified as lightning struck the wooden structures setting them ablaze. Several tornados extended from the air above the fortress until dozens of cyclones destroyed the stone and metal structures inside the stronghold. Suddenly, explosions of Greek fire could be heard as lightning struck the massive armory of the fortress. The fortress exploded with the force of an atom bomb. We fell to our knees as a massive shockwave shook the labyrinth itself. Eventually, the shaking and the explosions ceased. All that remained of the fortress was a smouldering pile of debris that was at least fifty feet tall. It blocked the path into the labyrinth, it would take a day or two to clear a path for the titan army to proceed. We all stared at the destruction that laid behind us, until I felt a movement in the air above us. We all turned toward the sky to see Percy flying towards us. His battle armor glowed a beautiful sea green. He eventually landed in front of us, and then his body glowed brightly. Once the light subsided, Percy stood in front of us, no longer wearing his armor or wielding Mjolnir.
Percy strode up to us; he looked tired, but also energized somehow. I looked at my little brother closely and said, "Are you ok?" Percy gave me a reassuring smile.
"It can be taxing to use the power and magics of Asgard, but I'll be fine." Percy said. Percy looked toward Daedalus. "Lead on nephew." Percy gave the old inventor an amused smile, which Daedalus returned eagerly.
"Follow me, uncle," Daedalus said amusedly.
AN: I know a shorter chapter, but it is a fairly quick turn around. I'm in search of a beta for this story and for Cybernetic hero, if anyone is interested please let me know. Stay tuned, more to come.
