Chapter 49
Percy lay down with Annabeth with her head on his chest looking up at the stars, she could hear his steady heartbeat. It was something she hasn't heard in a long time.
"I want us to stay like this forever" she said softly
Percy brush his fingers on her beautiful blond hair and said "Me too"
Moments like this reminded Annabeth what she really want to protect from Gaia, lately it seems that reason have been slipping away from her turning into something she hates and makes her cruel. She could see it on each of them, They aren't heroes who sought to protect anymore but Kings and Queens who ruled over everything. That's why she was glad they have a moment like this that remind her, she was not a Queen who is revere as a Goddess by her own kind but a Hero who is fighting for her love ones.
"This is just like the old times when we didn't command an army, it's just us against the world" she said
Percy smiled reminiscing "Yeah"
"I wonder how my brother and the others are doing?" she said
Percy shrug "I'm sure they're fine now" he kiss the top of his head "Forget about all of that and enjoy this wonderful evening with me"
Annabeth smiled and snuggle closer into his body
Malcolm was not having a great day, they just finish a meeting on the justice building. He was always with the others whenever there's a meeting always looking at the Seven but now that he's on the other side of the table, he realize how hard their job is.
It took all of his willpower not to crack in front of all those demigods, they look at him with awe, and so much admiration that they bow to him and do whatever he say. They worship the ground he walk on, but despite that he could see fear in their eyes, fear of their powers.
Malcolm flop down on the couch, he's currently in the house where Percy's army is staying. Lucretia walk out on one of the door and look at him with no regards.
She doesn't look like the Lucretia he remembered back in camp half blood, she use to be timid and shy. Now she looks like a beautiful warrior ready to take out anyone.
"What happen to you? you used to be such a sweet girl" he said
Lucretia glared at him "Please refrain from doing anything stupid while you have that face, The Lord image cannot be tarnish"
Malcolm with the face of Percy Jackson narrowed his eyes at her, since he got here he felt like they're hiding secrets, none of them talk to him or even glance at him. Sure they keep up with the appearance but they keep their distance. he feels something is going on behind these walls.
"What happen to you to make you like this?" he ask
"Like what?" she reply
He gestured at all of her with his hand "Like a slave that do whatever her master wants"
Lucretia snort "I would be glad to be his slave but we're not, we are free to do whatever we want. We can leave his army anytime, that's what he told us"
"Then why won't you leave?" judging from the selecting of his general it must be hard to stay in his army.
"its not because we have to but because we want to, we were the weakest demigods in this entire place and he turn us into something more. We serve him not because it's our obligation but because we love him"
Malcolm could see it in her eyes, her devotion and undying loyalty to the man whose face he wore, he will have no doubt the others will have the same look.
A man with gray eyes and dark hair came in on them.
"Lucifer, weren't you supposed to be leading the training for today?" Lucretia said, her voice full of anger
Lucifer rolled his eyes "Relax, we're only taking a short brake"
"You know how important training is, I don't want the Lord to see us weaken when he return"
Lucifer glared back at her "Just because you're his favorite that doesn't mean you can tell me what to do"
Lucretia step in front of him and they both glared at each other face to face with bloodlust in their eyes.
This is another thing Malcolm is having trouble with, the competition between Percy's men, it seems their always on each other's neck over who's his favorite.
"Do what I say Lucifer" she growled
"NO!" he barked back
Lucretia was about to draw her sword from her hips when Marcus step up and separated them "ENOUGH! BOTH YOU"
he look at each of them "What will the master will think if he found out his best men fought each other to the death?"
The fire in their eyes dissipated. Lucifer turn around and started to walk away but before he left he look back and glared at Lucretia
"you're not always gonna be his favorite" was the last thing he said.
Lucretia clench her fist and went to find Silvia. She found her as usual in the library studying the book of Ourono, it's the only thing she do these days.
"This thing is amazing" she said
Lucretia look at the book from behind her, there was nothing written in it.
"It's as if the thing is alive" she said in wonder
"What do you mean?"
Silvia look up to her with her new white eyes "The book is bonded to our master, it obey his command and desires. The only reason I'm able to use it is because Lord Perseus wanted me to and it let me because of that"
Lucretia frowned "If it's so then how did the Giant manage to revive his brother then?"
Silvia look back at the book "The Giant wasn't using the books power but his own, what he was using was a spell on the book that is able to collect the essence of an immortal and bring it back together. That must've require an incredible amount of magic, no wonder he's my mother's opposite" She have been using the power of the book, the power is so great her mortal body barely take it
Lucretia eyes widened "Then are you telling me that there's another person who is able read that thing?"
Silvia paused for a moment, now that she think about it. How did the Giant able to read such a language, from what her master told her it was created before they were born. This means there's another person who is capable of reading it, this person must've have thought the Giant how to read the spells
she turn to the next page and froze in place
"Oh no"
"What?" Lucretia look over her shoulder and there was a page torn off.
After enjoying themselves for ten days on the cruise ship, they arrive in southern Florida. They use the mist so that people won't ask question on how the ship arrive at the States so fast.
The seven step off the ship and into a Dock.
Annabeth look at Percy who is struggling to come down, he look exhausted and need some sleep. Andromeda was wrap around in a white clothe and slung on his back.
"Come on Percy, stop walking so slow and join us" she said while waving and with a big smile
Percy glared at her "You weren't the one pushing the ship for ten days straight"
He miss a step and fell down ten stairs down.
He finally got down and join everyone while rubbing his back, he saw them grinning at him
He glared at them "Shut up and let's go"
They travel to New York and after two days of traveling they arrive at night, they stare at the skyline of New York city as they riding a ferry.
"Home sweet home" Percy said
They felt as if its been a lifetime since they walk the streets of Manhattan, the truth was they didn't need to stop by Manhattan but the temptation seeing their home got the better of them.
They stood at the top of the hill where Thalia's tree stood and the dragon Paleus in his slumber.
They look down to the home where they learn how to be hero. Frank and Hazel look at Camp Half blood for the first time. The sun started to rise from the horizon lightening the cabins, young demigods started to open their doors with smile on their face ready to start the day of training. There were more than fifty demigods no younger than 10 years old.
Annabeth suggested not to let Chiron know that they have return, after all he serve the Gods and he will have no choice but to tell them that they are in New York instead of Greece. That was the excuse she come up with, Chiron would never rat them out. The truth was she didn't want him to see on what they have become. She didn't want to see how much she has change and she is afraid he will see the dark part of her soul that is ruled by her pride that has grown so much as she ruled her own kind. Unknown to her, the others feels the same way too but with different reason.
Without Chiron knowing they went inside Camp Half blood.
One boy maybe a seven years old was sitting under a tree with his knees on his chest while her brother's and Sisters practice archery, hitting the targets with precision.
"What's bothering you boy?" Hazel ask
The boy look up and saw a group of people he had never seen before, The beautiful woman kneeling in front of him has dark skin, and golden eyes that looks so real its as if someone fashion golden eyeball and put them in her, her cinnamon brown hair was tied into a ponytail. She seems to be a fourteen years old but she looks much older than that. She wore a violet sundress and dark sandals, on her back is a really long sword that is wrap around in a dark cloth. She smiled kindly at him
Standing behind her with his arms cross is a handsome and tall Chinese man, who is lean and muscular, he look like he could break the tree behind him like a twig. A spear was strap across his back along with a bow and arrow. He was wearing green military jacket, blue jeans and military boots.
To his right was a guy with brown skin, pointy ears and his black curly hair hung right above his brown eyes. unlike the Chinese man he was slim but with some muscles on him. He wore a red shirt, gray short and sandals. He has a silver bracelet with a weird ball that looks like electricity is running through inside. He was looking at his siblings while blowing a pink gum into a balloons with his hands on his pockets.
To the left of the Chinese man is a beautiful woman, she was older than the dark skin girl and taller, her long blond hair that reach between her shoulder blade was braided. She has athletic body but not the kind that looks all muscles, her calculating gray eyes looks down on him. She wore a yellow sundress and she has a gray tattoo on her neck.
Next to her was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, unlike the blond one her body looks more sexy than athletic, she looks like one of those supermodels he had seen one of the magazine in the Aphrodite cabin. Her long mahogany hair colored is tied into a loose bun, her eyes change into different color every time she blinks, her smooth dark tanned skin glisten on the sun. She wore white sundress but strapless just like the other two and fully bloom rosses decorated the dress. Her white high heel boots dig on the ground as if she's heavier than she looks, without the high heels she's shorter than the blond.
He look to his left and saw a handsome guy with long blond hair and electric blue eyes leaning against the tree. He was tall just like the Asian and lean like a football player, a sword was strap horizontally on his lower back under his black blazer. He wore a white shirt and black blazer with jeans and brown shoes.
To the right of the tree is the most handsome out of four of them, he has tan skin and short wild dark hair, he was tall as the blond guy and more leaner but he look more like a swimmer. His Sea green eyes glisten under the bright sun and a sword was on his back covered by a white clothe. He wore a simple gray v neck shirt and black jeans.
""What's the matter? why are you crying?" the dark skin girl said
he snip and tears blurred his eyes
"My siblings said I was useless Son of Apollo because I couldn't the center of the target" he said while sobbing
Hazel look at him with pity, she put her hand on the top of his head and rustled his hair "Don't worry, just continue practicing and you'll get better eventually"
Leo caught a look at the boy's bow, he could see it was alter for failure. He pick it up and fix it.
"Really?" said the boy
Hazel nodded "Yup, and you know what? why don't I give you a blessing?"
The boy's eyes widened "Are you guys gods?"
"yes" she said
The boy did not doubt her words because even young as he could feel the aura of power each of them omit. Especially the tan guy, that is now under the shadow but his sea greens eyes won't stop shining as if he's ready to unleash his wrath. He saw him looking and he smile but it didn't reach his eyes.
she smiled warmly at him and close her eyes and open them again after a few seconds
"There, now you can shoot at the target. Now go back in there and show them what you got, okay?" she said while wiping his face off tears
The boy gave her a wide smile and nodded eagerly, happy that he got a blessing from a goddess. Leo handed him his bow and run off to join his siblings.
"Pseudo effect?" Percy ask
Hazel nodded as she watch him shoot and hit the target "to boost his confidence"
Annabeth raised an eyebrow at her, she didn't know she was capable of lying to a child like that"
Hazel saw her "What, we've all done it before"
She was talking about on the battlefield.
The boy turn around to look at them but they were already gone.
After visiting their home they started to head West, where the creation of the sword will take place. After 6 days of cross country driving nonstop, they reach the city of San Francisco.
Leo drove across the bridge then suddenly came to halt, they got off the car in the middle of the misty bridge.
They stare ahead and Hazel took three step ahead on of them
"Go, I'll take care of this" she said
The others nodded and run to the side of the bridge, they jump. Frank turn into a giant hawk and grab Leo on the shoulder, Jason flew with him while holding Annabeth's arm.
The sea underneath them reach and grab Percy and Piper landed next to him. He directed the wave towards the mountain where he fought his first Titan with the others above him.
Hazel reach behind her and took out her spatha, she unwrap the cloth to reveal her most trusted weapon. She waited and heard a sound of large footstep that shook the bridge a little.
As if they step out of the mist, an army of monsters revealed themselves, hellhounds, earthborns, wolves, Cyclopes, Dracanae, chicken ladies and above are flying harpies, totaling of Hundreds.
Most of all behind them stood their leader, a Giant she has never seen before, it had a wheat colored hair and brown like a withered leaf and marble colored eyes. Just like the rest he was wearing a bronze armor, his has faces screaming in terror. His dragon legs and snake toes made the ground tremble.
The Giant smiled wickedly at Hazel "Nice to meet you Daughter of Pluto, I am Agrius one of mother Gaea price children"
he said and slam his spear on the ground, the bridge shook and swayed side to side a little. Hazel stared at the Giant showing no emotion.
Hazel whistled and his horse Arion slam on behind her rearing and neigh probably saying inappropriate stuff. Arion was wearing a gold armor that cover his head with horns and two fangs on the very front, the top of his neck, his body, shoulder and also his legs.
She stab her spatha on the ground in front of her and held it on the handle with both hands
Her diamond necklace started to glow and slowly spread across her body until it formed an armor. by the time it was finish she wore diamond breastplate, legs plates, arm plates including her skull shape helmet with fangs was made out of diamond. Her dark cape that bear her mark bellowed behind her.
Two gold lights glow on the diamond skull helmet.
"Let us start Giant"
Next Hazel's Saga!
