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Chapter 26

Everything was covered in darkness. The darkness was soft and comfortable. In some spots Percy could see the faintest trace of blue. His body felt like it was weightless. He was floating through the air or maybe water. Percy wasn't sure which, but he could feel currents gently pushing and pulling his body through the darkness. Percy wanted to stay like this forever. There was no pain or fighting, only peace. There was nothing for him to worry about, nothing he had to think about. His mind was too far gone for him to even notice. Percy let himself sink deeper into the currents. Their pull on him strengthening as he went. Then the dream suddenly burst and spilled over.

The currents were no longer guiding Percy, but crashing into him. He choked on ice cold water as he tried to gasp for air. His body shook violently against the freezing temperature of the water. His eyes shot open and closed just as fast. The world was all too bright compared to the pleasant darkness of his dream. Pain and thought began to return to Percy's mind. His mind felt like it was under attack as life and memories rushed back into it. He could feel the pain in his thigh and shoulder. He could feel the weight of his body as his back pressed into a flat, hard surface. He could remember the fighting, and getting hurt, and Annabeth. The last thought struck him the hardest and Percy knew he had to return to the world. He couldn't return back to his dream.

Much slower than before, Percy cracked his eyes open and returned to life. The world wasn't so harsh now that Percy was more a part of it. His lungs could now suck in air and did so greedily. Percy was laying on his back in a puddle of water, staring up at a beige, stone ceiling. The light from torches flickered and danced on the ceiling. Percy carefully picked up his head and examined his body. His injuries had been cleaned and dressed. His shirt and hair was soaked with water.

"I knew you were alive. You always had a strong hold on life." The voice was calm and friendly. It carried so many memories with its sound. Percy sat up a little more to see Luke standing before him with an empty bucket in his hands. Luke wasn't in his armor. He was dressed in the formal uniform of an officer, richly decorated with silver accents. Only Lord Kronos wore gold. Luke's expression was unreadable and it unnerved Percy as always.

"What happened?" Percy asked weakly. His throat was rough and dry despite the fact he had just choked on water. There were a hundred different questions running through Percy's mind. He wanted to ask all of them, demand the answer to all of them. He knew he couldn't though, so he went with the safest question he could think of.

"You mean what happened back in the forest?" Percy pushed himself up to a sitting position and nodded his head. Nausea rose in his stomach from the movement. "It was a simple attack on an enemy. You know better than anyone how we treat our enemies."

"How did you even know where to attack?" Percy asked, trying to ignore Luke's taunting smile.

"Ah, I have you to thank for that. For the longest time we had no idea where to look, but after running into you the other night I got an idea. If we watched that area, eventually you would show up again and then you could be followed," Luke explained as he set the bucket upside down on the floor and sat on it. Percy was closer to eye level with Luke now, although Luke still towered above him. Luke was also much more refined, sitting upright with perfect posture, while Percy was slightly hunched over on the floor with his legs spread before him. Percy knew Luke well enough to know that the contrast was on purpose. Luke wanted Percy to feel inferior, subordinate. Even his explanation served to prove that Luke was in control and Percy was a soldier wanting direction.

"Were you really threatened that much?" Percy spat out at Luke. It was childish, but he wanted to hurt Luke's pride. Percy wanted him to feel weak and ashamed for ever thinking that the refugees were a threat. It wasn't much of a victory, but Percy didn't care. He was angry at the way Luke was treating him, angry that the settlement was destroyed, angry that he had been kept alive on order.

"You still don't understand. I blame myself." Luke's eyes dropped to the ground a he shook his head at himself. When he picked his head back up his blue eyes were filled with a new light. "Kronos understands though. He agreed to explain everything to you himself."

"That's why you kept me alive," Percy guessed. "You think I will still come back."

"This is where you belong, Percy." Luke smiled at him and stood up. He straightened his uniform, clearing it of any faults. Then he turned away from Percy and walked across the empty room to a set of double doors. When Luke put his hand on the handle Percy felt his stomach feel with dread. Percy knew what was behind the door before Luke even opened it to reveal a stoned faced man.

Lord Kronos was a very tall man, standing over half a head taller than Luke. He had strong, broad shoulders emphasized by the square cut of his jacket. His clothes were a rich purple with gold accents around the hem. The gold shined under the torchlight. A sword hung on a polished black leather belt. Lord Kronos had solid black hair that was neatly combed back and a perfectly trimmed beard. Everything about him was regal and radiated power. It was extremely intimidating, but the most piercing ting about him was his eyes. They were an unnatural gold color that almost matched the gold on his clothes. It was the first time Percy had ever seen his eyes. He had never been close enough to the man before. He felt like Kronos could make him do anything just by staring at him with those intense eyes. He wouldn't have to say anything either. Percy's body would just move on its own, sensing that he had to do something. In fact, that's exactly what happened.

Percy scrambled to his feet after the Lord stepped into his room. He tried his best to ignore the pain that shot through his body. All of sudden he was a gladiator in the Arena again, showing no pain, no weakness. His body snapped up immediately into a perfectly erect posture. Somewhere in the back Percy's mind he still had control and his immediate reaction made him feel sick. However, it made Kronos smile as he walked up to Percy. Luke was close behind, trailing off of Kronos' right shoulder.

"You're the one that walked all the way through the Storm. The one who Luke decided to grace with a chance in the Arena." Kronos didn't speak like he was addressing an enemy, but rather one of his most trusted soldiers. His gold eyes scanned Percy up and down like he was assessing the quality of a work horse. "You are everything I expect of an Arena soldier."

"Yessir," Percy answered. His voice was tight. He tried to not let it show how much the comment hurt him. Kronos put a heavy hand on Percy's shoulder. A muscle in Percy's jaw twitched. It was the shoulder that was cut open. Kronos had to know that, but he just kept smiling at Percy.

"If I did not already have Luke as my son, I would give you the same honor. Even if you lost your way for a short time." The more Lord Kronos talked the less control he had over Percy. His words always seemed to have two meanings. Percy could feel the manipulation and it made him angry. He didn't want to be brainwashed again.

"My Lord, I take responsibility," Luke said. His head was slightly bowed in respect. Kronos removed his hand from Percy and turned to look at his adopted son.

"No, I am to blame. I have sat in this position of power for too long. I forget how muddled things can be further down the line. My intentions in the Arena should be clearer." Both Luke and Percy went wide eyed. They couldn't believe what Kronos had just said. "Tell me, Percy, do you know how I came to be ruler of Orthys?"

"I know you replaced the former Lord Uranus, that's all," Percy answered honestly, curious what Kronos had to say.

"Let me tell you a story. Lord Uranus had a wife, but he also had many mistresses. Everyone knew, but no one talked about it. Who would challenge a Lord? Everyone just accepted that Lord Uranus could share a bed with any woman he wanted. However, to have a child with one of his mistresses was a scandal, even more so when the mistress asked Uranus to claim the child. Talk began to arise, but Uranus would have none of it. He ordered the mistress killed after the baby was born. Uranus never claimed his child. Instead he left him in the streets to die, but the baby survived. A poor family cared for him and they told him the story of his birth when he was older. This family was too poor though, and they had to sell themselves into slavery to survive.

"That's how the bastard son of Uranus found himself in the Arena. It was structured differently back then. It didn't train soldiers. A gladiator was a gladiator for life and they only fought for entertainment. Although, like today, there was no better training than fighting in the Arena. So, when the bastard son made a plan to kill his father, he couldn't be stopped. He took the throne and remade the city. He gave the slaves the chance to be prosperous and the all of the city did in fact prosper. He trained soldiers in the Arena to make them stronger so they could protect the great wealth of the city. Then he spread the wealth to other cities and everyone in the world could have a better life. Do you understand now?"

Percy wasn't sure that he did. He had a lot to process and piece together. Kronos was obviously the bastard child in his story. This meant he was the son of Uranus although he was never claimed. That wasn't the important part though. The important part was that Kronos claimed to be a slave himself. He changed his own fate and took his birthright by force. The reward system of the Arena, the way slaves could be work to raise themselves to a higher class; it was all mirrored off of his life. Kronos was a child of misfortune and he didn't want that to happen to anyone else. His intentions were pure enough, but Percy still didn't think his actions were justified.

"You seem to kill more people than you help," Percy pointed out He had found his strength again and he could no longer be obedient to Kronos, no matter how easy it was for him. Kronos' eyes flashed dangerously, but he did nothing.

"Dying is their choice. Assimilation can be difficult for some. They do not understand the paradise I offer in exchange for their loyalty."

"Percy, can't you imagine it?" Luke broke into the conversation. "The world could be perfect and fair under Kronos' rule. He's not unreasonable." Percy had to look away from Luke to think. He wanted to believe in Luke. He wanted to trust his mentor once more, but he wasn't sure what was right and what was wrong. He had only seen the bad side of Orthys. He didn't know what awaited him deeper into the city. Was it possible all the horrors the slaves faced were their own fault?

"I-I don't…it…" Percy's mind was overloaded. He felt like he had been working so hard toward something that shined so brightly and then it just disappeared. It left him lost and confused. He had taken one step forward and ten steps back and got spun around somewhere along the way.

"It's okay," Kronos assured Percy. "I don't know what you have been made to believe, but I do know about your life in the Arena. You belong here. You are a part of this city. I welcome you back with open arms and all the answers to your questions." Kronos spread his arms to emphasize his words. Behind him Luke gave Percy an encouraging nod.

"I made myself an enemy of the Arena and you'll just take me back?"

"It wasn't your fault. I can always forgive citizen of this city as long as they are still loyal." Kronos paused to smile and drop his arms. "Even the girl who was brought in with you." Percy picked his head up with interest. He hadn't seen Annabeth since he woke up. He had to know what Kronos knew of her and what happened to her.

"You mean Annabeth?" Kronos turned to look over his shoulder at Luke.

"That is her name, correct?"

"Yes, my Lord," Luke affirmed.

"Ah, yes, Annabeth. She is a citizen of Orthys. You did know that right?" Kronos asked turning back to Percy. A bad feeling began to form in the pit of Percy's stomach.

"She's from Athens."

"Originally, yes, but when she was a small child she came to live here with her father." Kronos eyes shined triumphantly. "Before Athens even fell. In fact, I believe it was because of her father that we were ever able to take that formidable city." Percy shook his head, not believing what he was hearing.

"If you don't believe Kronos, you can ask her yourself. She's in the next room down the hall," Luke informed him. Percy didn't have to think about his decision. He had to see Annabeth whether or not Kronos was lying to him. He didn't even think about how it would look to Kronos to see him run out of the room, completely un-soldier like. Percy didn't register the pain in his leg as he took off down the hall. He had a far worse feeling in his stomach. His thoughts didn't catch up with him until he burst through the door into the next room.