Chapter 26
Today was the day. That's all that was running through Percy's head when he awoke that fateful morn. Getting up he looked at his room. Or what was left of it at least. The only things remaining was the furniture, a few items of clothing he couldn't take with him, the outfit he was going to wear today along with various training gear and some of his old toys that had somehow never made it out of his bedroom.
"You know I think this is the cleanest I've ever seen this room since you were a baby." Came his mother's voice drifting in from hallway.
Turning Percy found his mother standing in the doorframe tears in her eyes as she beheld her second oldest child grown and about to leave.
Seeing the tears Percy hurried forward embracing his mother in what could be the final time.
"I love you mom. I promise no matter what I'll survive. We'll keep in touch, I'll send a prayer your way every day. And I'll stop at all your temples, and you'll have to visit when I become the captain." Percy began mumbling as he continued on.
"Sh. SH baby. It's ok. I promise we'll keep our eyes on you, and of course I'll visit. But I need you to listen. Listen." Amphitrite spoke firmly, grabbing his head and touching foreheads as she stared into his eyes. "No matter what happens. Or what people say. WE. Love you. Don't ever doubt that. If you doubt everything else in this world. Do not doubt we love you. I love you. And I'd do anything for you. Do you understand that? If you need me call and I will always answer. That's what his means Percy. That I will always be there, and I will always love you." Amphitrite said tears streaming down her eyes as she stroked her mark upon Percy's brow.
"Go your father's waiting at the surface to take you to your meeting spot with Nico and Jason. Hurry." She finished hugging him one last time before sending him off.
With a sad watery eyes smile Percy kissed his mother on the cheek before dashing past her and shooting towards the surface. Today he would reach one hundred seventy five feet. He promised as the water swept past his face and a smirk began lighting up his face as he saw the sun.
"So today begins our journey together then eh?" Percy questioned the sun as he shot into the air past his father who laughed as Percy flew by.
When Poseidon and Percy arrived at the meeting spot Jason was already there his bag beside him and his gear in a wagon. Nico showed up moments after Poseidon left.
"Well boys. Today it begins." Jason said standing and hugging each of them as they did the same to the other.
"From this day forward we only have each other to count upon. Back to back." Nico said a serious look entering his eyes.
"Jason. Nico. No matter what we must always trust each other. That's all we've got like Nico said. No more mom or dad there for us. No Uncle Apollo or Aunt Athena. They may drop in now and again. But we can't bank on them for everything. So I just want you guys to know that I Percy Jackson would give my life for you two. I promise to keep no secrets should they endanger us. I promise to protect you and always be there for you no matter what happens. I promise nothing shall come between us and victory. And I promise you this. We will survive whatever the Titans through our way." Percy said with finality.
"I swear it as well." Nico and Jason said before Nico grabbed out one of his daggers and writing the Alpha sign with the Roman numeral for three above it.
"A reminder that no matter what. We will uphold this promise. Upon the Styx?" Percy questioned.
"The Styx." Jason spoke
"The Styx." Nico agreed as thunder boomed in the distance.
With that they began their journey as they changed into the pants of their armor, the vambraces, deciding to wait to put on the wraps and restricting shirt to hide their tattoos, instead going shirtless as it was a warm day and the shade was comfortable. Buckling on their swords and Jason and Nico stringing up their bows and Percy putting on his harpoon and Spear harness. Soon they were prepared to go. Time to begin their journey they knew.
They walked for almost two hours before they came into sight of the town when the topped a hill and the forest broke for a moment.
"Almost there guys. Look! I'm betting that's our ship." Nico said pointing to a grand looking ship sitting at the docks.
"Well then let's hurry along. Don't want them leaving us behind. That would suck." Jason said laughing before they all began walking again, but with a little more pep in their walk.
They'd only been walking for thirty minutes when they heard the yelling. "GET BACK! Leave those alone! Those are my inventions and I swear if you break just one of those I'll get you all. I'll. I'll. I'll brain you with my hammer!" Was shouted as the boys ran to see what was happening, Nico and Jason drawing their bows as they did so.
When they arrived at a clearing in the trees they were met with quiet the sight. A little elven looking fellow was tied up sitting on the ground with his back to a tree to their right being guarded by an ugly looking fellow with a large ax strapped to his back. While there was a wagon with a pleasant looking ox sitting contently while three other ruffians went through the wagon pulling out many strange devices.
Percy's eyes lit up as he beheld the devices. He could sort of glean what they were from their looks, but these were brilliant devices. "That guy must be a son of Hephaestus." Percy whispered to which Nico and Jason both nodded their heads in agreement.
"We need to free him. One he's one of us, and needs help. Two those devices could come in handy. Let's get to it." Percy said before he and Nico split off one going right and one left as Jason stayed in the middle connecting their mental link to prepare for the ambush.
"I swear if you don't get your dirty paws off my things it'll be the last thing you ever do!" The young man yelled before being brutally backhanded across the jaw by the larger man.
"If you don't shut yer yapping it'll bet the last thing YOU ever do!" The man said before turning back to watch his comrades.
They were just about to unload what looked like a metal dragons head when suddenly two arrows flew from opposite sides of the clearing knocking two men off the wagon dead before the hit the ground, arrows embedded in their chest.
The third man wasn't as lucky as a harpoon looking weapon flew from a third side through his neck, pinning him to the tree behind him.
"If you don't wish the same fate my dear friend. Then I suggest you untie that poor man and drop you weapons." Came a voice from the forest.
"And how do I know you won't kill me the moment I do drop my ax?" Came the man's response seemingly resolute, but there seemed to be fear lurking in his eyes. "Show yourselves!"
"I don't think you want that mate. As you'll be more scared if you see us in person than you already are." Came a third voice from the left of them.
"I don't know… he does seem pretty scared already. Look at the ax shake." Came a third voice straight in front of them.
Their taunts seemed to steel the man as he breathed out before standing taller. "Come out now filth. You should know now that I'm blessed by the Titans and bear the powers of Atlas as his son. So it would be in your best interests to come out now. Or die." The man said as a tattoo of a chains that wrapped around the man's arm and up his shoulder began gleaming in a red deathly glow giving the man courage and strength, as a second tattoo upon his other arm that came to life. The glowing sun of Helios.
"Well now you've done it mate. We've got to kill. And here we were going to be nice and let you live. Too bad I suppose." Came the first voice as from the trees stepped three young men, their own tattoos seemingly glowing.
The boy tied up on the ground looked on his captor with a new fear in his eyes as he beheld the glowing tattoo. But this quickly changed to awe when the three boys stepped form the forest themselves. One had a Trident upon his right arm, and what looked like a smaller more slender trident on his left, with a mark unfamiliar to the boy above his right eye. The boy stood at least six foot one, each muscle was defined and seemed to move of its own accord with every breath and movement the boy made. With eyes the color of the sea when it storms, and hair black as coal wind tossed in a messy array around his face, with a half smirk upon his face.
The second boy was taller than the first, standing around six foot three, blonde hair, and eyes that lit up blue like lightning. With a bolt of it glowing upon his left arm, with yet another symbol the boy didn't know upon his own arm, and a matching one upon his chest.
The third scared the young captive more than the others, as his eyes seemed to suck in all the light nearby, while his tattoos gave of a deathly glow, a skull upon his right forearm, a deadly looking flower growing up his left forearm, and another odd looking flower upon the bottom of his right hand wrist. Standing at what seemed to be five foot ten to the young captive, dark brown hair that covered his eyes a bit.
"Who are you?" Slipped from the captive's mouth before he could stop himself.
He received a quick kick from the man for his slip up. "So what. You are blessed by the gods, some I do not even recognize. And though you may have major gods that blessed you. I'm the son of a titan, who is one of the Generals of the Titans. So in my mind, I'm stronger than a few blessed pint sized youngsters."
"Oh dear me. We forgot to show you the scariest part. Now I know they say never turn your back on your enemies… But I think this is a little bit of a different situation." The blonde haired boy said as each in turn turned their backs slightly revealing a sight that chilled the large man to his core.
The blonde haired boy was first, turning to reveal a huge lightning bolt streaming down his back from the inside of one shoulder blade, to the bottom of his back on the opposite side. The shorter one with dark brown hair was next revealing a huge skull tattooed in the center of his back. And with a strange finality the third black haired boy turned last revealing a trident tattooed straight up his spine with the middle point ending near the bottom of his hair line, and the other two points ending just below and inside of the top of his shoulders.
"There's no way! No god blesses their demigod children! And even if they did the big three would never do such a thing! And even THEN! No other gods would bless you after!" The man shouted fear growing as his tattoo's glow began diminishing as his own fear destroyed him.
"I have two words my friend. Run." Came the tall black haired boy's words his eyes glowing an eerie sea green.
The large man turned and fled. Not looking over his shoulder as he did so.
"Nico." Came one word from the blonde haired boy before the shorter one drew his bow aimed into the air in the direction the man had ran and released. Not but five seconds later a scream was heard along with a thud as the arrow found it's mark.
"Well now that that's over lets help our young friend here." Said the suddenly cheerful black haired boy walking over and cutting the ropes holding the little elven looking boy hostage.
"Who are you people?" Where the only words that left his mouth.
"Oh right! Introductions. I'm Percy. The blonde there is Jason, and the short Italian is Nico." Came Percy's reply smiling as he patted his two brothers upon the back. "And you are?"
"Oh! Leo. Leo Valdez. Son of Hephaestus, wielder of Flames and inventor of… well inventions." Came the boy's response. "Though it's not as cool as you three by any stretch of the word." He said looking down abashedly.
"Whys that? None of us could make something like you and your fathers do if our lives depended upon it. Besides. What does wielder of flames even mean?" Percy questioned.
"Well… I can… catch on fire." Leo said dejectedly waiting for them to flinch away as many did when they met him.
"FOR REAL!?" All three shouted stepping closer fires alight in their own eyes.
"Well… Yeah." Leo said catching his hand on fire and creating a small fire ball.
"That's so awesome!" Percy said looking at Leo's hand.
"Wicked dude." Nico said checking it out from a distance.
"Dude. No need to be ashamed of such a sweet power man. That's awesome." Jason said patting the young man upon the back.
"So where were you headed before being interrupted by these…. Folks." Jason questioned.
"Well. I'm heading to town to get upon a ship called the Princess Andromeda where my brother- well half-brother Charlie is. He got me a job as their second builder, repairer and such. And I decided to bring some of my inventions in case they wanted to use them on the ship." Leo explained.
Worry filled Nico and Jason's eyes as they realized Leo now knew who they really were. "We can't have him giving our secret away. What'll we do?" Nico asked before Percy walked up a pleased smile upon his face.
"This is perfect. Guys. Say hello to our first vote to new leadership, as well as our first ally. This is perfect!" Percy said.
"Percy I don't see ho-" Nico began before being interrupted by Percy.
"Just watch guys. I got this." Percy said smiling his half smirk.
"Leo. We need to talk. You see that's where we're headed. Our parents, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Amphitrite, Hera, Persephone, all of them-" Percy said before being interrupted by Leo.
"Wait!? Did you just call Hera, Amphitrite and Persephone your mom's!?" He questioned.
"….. Well yes. That's what these two marks are on me, Amphitrite's marking as her son, and her blessing." Percy explained pointing to the mark above his eye, and his left hands trident, as Nico and Jason followed suit pointing to their mother's marks and blessings.
"You guys are so awesome. Wait are you guys going to take over the ship!? That would be so awesome!" Leo began shouting walking circles and thinking of all the possibilities.
"Leo! Leo! Look. We are. But not right away. We want to earn their trust as just regular people who are blessed by important gods. We don't want to get the position just because of our fathers and mothers. If that's how it happens there will always be those who don't trust us, or think we are qualified, even if we are. So we're going to cover our tattoos, we have special shirts for the time being till we reveal who we really are. We want to be voted captain. Can you keep a secret for us?" Percy said hands now upon Leo's shoulders looking into the young boy's eyes.
"For sure. I won't say a word. Zipped closed. Like a safe. But… can we be friends, or must I act like I don't know you?" Leo dejectedly said looking down at fear of losing what may be his only opportunity at friends who aren't scared of him.
"That's the second thing Leo. We need allies. We'd like you to be our first." Jason said finally joining in with Percy seeing his idea come together.
"YES! I'd love to!" Leo shouted jumping up excitedly.
"Good. You seem like a cool kid Leo. And these inventions. Are awesome. You may not like this. But can we hid them in town. Store them with someone loyal to the Greeks. Then when we take over and become the leaders of the ship. I promise we'll use all of these. They are brilliant." Percy said a twinkle in his eye as he looked at all of Leo's inventions, and even a few blueprints that were lying upon the ground. One specifically caught his eye, but he chose not to say anything aloud minus a "Jason. Nico. Check out the blueprint near the cannon looking invention." Through their mind link to the other two.
"Really?" Leo asked for once quieting down at the thought of someone actually liking his inventions. Leo couldn't make weapons like his brother Charlie could. Charlie could make the most beautiful and useful weapons a person could ask for. From an ax to a sword, whatever you wanted from whatever material. Leo could make alright ones. But his forte was inventions. Just sometimes they didn't work right the first time… and then people would never give them a second chance. But these people. Hadn't even seen his work, or how… destructive he could be. And yet they wanted him, not just as a friend, but an ally. Their first. And they want his inventions, they think his power is a gift not a curse. "Thank you. I promise not to let you down." Leo said a steely look entering his eye as Percy, Jason, and Nico erupted into smiles patting him on the back before loading up all the inventions and continuing their journey into town, putting on shirts and their wraps under the vambraces to cover their tattoos.
Soon they were on the edge of town nearing the docks. Buildings passing them by as they took turn after turn moving along.
"Remember guys. We are just regular people. Mortals who were blessed by the gods. Leo. We trust you ok?" Percy said looking to Leo who met his eyes awe evident in them as he nodded and braced himself for the encounter as they came around the final corner and face to face with the Princess Andromeda.
"And who might you be?" Came a stern voice from Percy's right as he turned to face the most beautiful girl who he'd never thought to meet here.
"Oh. Hello I'm… Jackson. Percy Jackson."