Layton / December 2nd
"Cut it out or that's another year in the chest" I ordered as Rubrum and Caeruleum bickered about who was right
"Fine" They said, giving each other one last look
"I've been looking for about an hour now. I think I'll just take a shortcut" I said
"Why didn't you do that from the start?" Caeruleum questioned
"I can feel some of my powers coming back" I answered as a magical tablet appeared in my hands
I pressed some buttons and a map opened up that showed me a trail leading to my destination.
"A magical gps but instead of a location, it leads you to a person" I said
"How useful" Caeruleum replied, clearly bored
I ended up in a large garden behind a house that was significantly bigger than most of the ones I had seen up until now. I walked around the garden until I spotted the familiar gardener who was watering some roses.
I hopped onto the wooden fence - which clearly wasn't made for keeping people out. "People enjoy gardening?"
Ava jumped up. "Layton? W-What are you doing here?"
"I need your help"
"I never took you as someone who would ask for help" Ava replied, walking up to stand in front of me while I sat on the fence
"Yeah, but this is really important" I said
"How important?" Ava asked. "Because if it doesn't have to do with agriculture than I can't really help"
"Not agriculture" I shook your head. "We need to learn this dark technique, and it has to do with spiritual stuff, so I figured you might be able to instruct a friend on how to use it"
"Spiritual stuff" She muttered. "A dark technique... I don't know about that one"
"I just need you to help out to understand the concept and stuff. I'll give you everything you'll need" I insisted
"Fine. I'll do it under one condition" She said
"What?"
"You give me one reason why I should help"
"Because Majin Kai will massacre Rome in four days and eventually, the entire world"
"Oh" She frowned. "Why didn't you just say that from the start?"
I shrugged. "Bad habit"
"So when do we leave? Because if I don't water these Roses than they'll die"
"Preferably soon"
"I thought you said the roses, not the whole garden" I said. "I don't think plants die that fast"
"And who's the certified expert?" Ava retorted. "You said it yourself, it could take time to learn the technique. And we only have four days"
"Yeah yeah, whatever" I dismissed as I casted a spell
Rubrum and Caeruleum reverted into their energy orbs and passed through the spell, transforming into Asperox whose presence alone caused winds that nearly ripped the trees from their roots.
"Take the reigns" I offered
"Me? I can't fly a dragon though" Ava said
"Asperox can fly on its own, I just don't want you falling off" I replied
She gave me a really? look as Asperox laid on its stomach so we could board it. Ava grabbed the golden chains and I sat behind her.
"Let's see... Percy Jackson" I instructed
Asperox nodded before flapping its wing and taking off in an instant. Surprisingly, Ava wasn't using too much effort to hold onto the chains.
"How long until we get there?" She shouted over the wind
"Couple seconds" I shouted back
"What?"
After about fifteen seconds, a large portal opened up and Asperox zoomed straight through it, suddenly appearing over a wheat field not too far from the Argo II.
Piper / Earlier
"Nothing you could handle, insolent Greek. But I will give you some free advice just because the girl has some manners" Bacchus said. "Seek out Gaea's sons Phorcys. He never liked his mother and neither his siblings. You'll find him in that one city they named after the heroine - Atalanta"
"You mean Atlanta" Percy said
"Yes"
"So this Phorcys," Jason said, "Is he a giant? Or a Titan? Or what is he?"
"No" Bacchus laughed. "He's neither of those. Seek out salt water"
"Salt water... in Atalanta?" Percy questioned
"Are you hard of hearing? Yes. If anyone can give you some kind of insight on Gaea and the twins, it's him. But watch out"
"Huh?" Jason asked
The god looked up at the sun. "Ceres isn't usually late, unless she has sensed some kind of danger..."
"Danger... I wouldn't be surprised" I said
"Or a trap! Well then, I must be going! And if I were you, I would too!" Bacchus said before disappearing with a shimmer
The wind rustled and the horses paced around in agitation. Even though it was pretty hot today, I shivered once a cold feeling fell over me.
"He's right, we have to go-"
"You're too late" An all too familiar announced
Percy and Jason drew their swords. On their foreheads, the symbol of the Majin appeared as if it had always been there.
"These demigods have such a high caliber compared to your average ones in this modern era. Try as you may, daughter of Aphrodite, but one of them will die today" Xander said. "We need the blood of both a male and female demigod, so you may choose which will die"
"Stop hiding behind us!" Jason shouted as he resisted the mind control. "Show yourself!"
"What confidence" Xander laughed. "Choose, Piper McLean, or I will"
My heart raced as I looked back and forth between the two boys who boarded their horses and readied themselves.
"I won't choose!" I denied
"I will choose" Jason said
"No!"
Jason and Percy charged forward, and their swords clashed. Sparks flew and their blades blundered with strikes and parries that caused the surrounding area to shake just a bit.
"Stop!" I pleaded
Jason looked at me, hearing my voice, and Percy used this to his advantaged by slamming his blade into Jason. The two horses cantered away from each other, with Tempest dissipating into vapor.
"Percy! Please!" I said
Percy lowered his sword arm but a bolt of lightning blasted Percy and knocking him off his horse. Blackjack fled into the wheat fields as Jason charged at Percy.
"Jason! Don't do it!"
Jason froze just before slashing Percy and the symbol on his forehead flickered. "One must die"
Percy swiped his leg and knocked Jason for his heat, causing him to hit the asphalt with a conk sound.
I begged and begged but my charmspeak wasn't coming out. It was just out of pure desperation. Percy raised Riptide over Jason's chest but was still hesitating to bring it down.
"Listen!" I ordered and Percy turned to me
"You refused to choose, so he will die" He replied
"You won't kill him. You'll knock him out" I said
"I will knock him out" Percy repeated
"No, not you"
Blackjack bursted through the wheat field and brought his hoof down onto Percy's head, causing him to crumple to the pavement by Jason.
"Oh gods" I ran over and checked them for injuries
Thankfully, there was no blood but there was definitely evidence of a conflict.
Behind me, a heavy wind nearly pushed me to the ground and I turned around to see a large dragon land on the ground. Holding the reigns to the chain was a beautiful girl maybe four years older than I was. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt and shorts with the same color, and her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail. Her eyes were also a shade of green I'd never seen before.
Layton hopped off the dragon. "What happened to them?"
"Xander mind controlled them to fight each other" I frowned
"I'm surprised they didn't die" Layton said as he walked over and looked down at them
"Me too" I sighed
"We might just run out of ambrosia" Layton said
"How come I never get invited to these violent trips?" Coach Hedge complained
"What hit him?" Annabeth demanded as she examined the dent on the back of Percy's head
"Uh, blackjack" I answered nervously
"What was that?"
I explained to the best of my ability while Coach Hedge tended to the boy's injuries with healing paste. Within a few minutes, Jason and Percy were back up and able to speak.
"Sorry, didn't mean to blast you" Jason apologized
"Not the first time I've been blasted by one of those" Percy said
"Yeah, but I could've killed you" Jason replied
"Or I would've"
"Maybe if there was an ocean in Kansas"
"I don't need an ocean-"
"Hey" Layton said. "Shut up. We've got stuff to get to"
"I need food though" Percy protested
"Mess hall meeting in ten minutes then" Annabeth said
Percy
We gathered around the dining table and Piper explained again what had happened, along with the conversation with Bacchus. Layton explained who he had brought as well - Ava, a daughter of Demeter who was experienced with spirit magic.
"We'll go into more detail later" Layton finished
"About Xander," Jason said, "we should contact Reyna. She'll believe us about Leo being mind controlled"
"Octavian is still a big issue though" Piper said. "I could maybe try and convince Reyna, but we have to worry about him. Through Katoptris, I saw him talking to a Roman crowd and they don't look happy"
"She's right. There were eagles again this afternoon, and they're closing in fast" Frank added
"Reyna won't object, Octavian will just say she's soft on the Greeks and try to use that against her. As for the eagles, it's like they can smell us or something" Hazel said
"Last I checked, Roman eagles can hunt down demigods using their magical scent. No matter what we do, there will always be the faintest smell to them" Layton explained
"Remind me next time to invent some kind of smoke screen. I could make us smell like a big chicken nugget or something" Leo said
"What's a chicken nugget?" Hazel asked
"Doesn't matter" Annabeth dismissed. "Point is, we're going to have a hard time explain the truth to the Romans. Even if they believe us, we need to keep going and finish the quest. Both of them that is"
"Once we're over the Atlantic, we should be safe from the legion" Jason nodded his head
"Oh right. Romans fear the ancient lands. They believe its too dangerous and would never dare to follow us there" Layton said
Frank put down his burrito. "So we'll be considered traitors"
"Right. Any of the Roman demigods would have the right to kill us on sight" Jason agreed
"So. Otis and Ephilates... two giants that Piper saw in her dagger. I remember a story about them piling up mountains to try and reach Mount Olympus" Annabeth said
"You would be correct" Caeruleum replied. "The twin giants are sons of Poseidon, and both Zeus' thunderbolts and Heracles' strength wasn't enough to take them down"
"And they even had Ares trapped in a little bronze jar for just over a year" Rubrum added
"Ok so we've got Giants who can play with mountains like legos, trap gods in jars, and eat Zeus' thunderbolts for breakfast" Frank summed up. "And Bacchus killed them with a pinecone on a stick?"
"Basically," I said, "I don't think we can count on Bacchus for help though. He made it clear that whatever tribute he wanted was too much for us"
There was a silence while everyone continued to eat, until Piper spoke up. "Xander said that he needed the blood of two demigods. One male and one female"
"I remember our favorite ice princess, Khione, said something about spilling Jason's blood and how it would taint the place for generations" Leo remembered
"And Polybotes said something about using my blood to water the stones of Mount Olympus and waking the Earth Mother" I added
"Ok then, no one bleed" Leo said
"Easier said than done. We just have to avoid capture" Layton tapped his finger on the table
"And the prophecy. The Mark of Athena, the twins, the risky key or whatever. How does it all add up?" Hazel said
"Why are we going to Atlanta again?" Annabeth asked
"To find Phorcys. Bacchus wants us to find salt water. I didn't really get what he meant at first, until I remembered he was an old sea god before Poseidon" I answered
"We're running out of time" Layton's finger tapping increased in speed. "If Majin Kai gets released from the lamp, he'll go straight for Rome and destroy it in less than a day. Add the giants who are supposedly there..."
"Then I've got to learn the technique" I sighed
"How hard is it?" Annabeth inquired, facing Ava
"Under the right circumstances, it really shouldn't be too hard for a demigod like Percy" She assured
"Some good news" I muttered
Layton
Late at night, when everyone went to their cabins to get rest, I pulled Ava aside to examine the scroll I had gotten from Escobar.
"Could this work?" I asked
"It seems risky. This technique is directly tied to your soul, and yours isn't exactly... there" She said
"Now, or in general?"
"Both"
"I could still try. Just as a last resort" I said
"We're talking about death. The scroll clearly states the dangers of using the technique. If it isn't used right, it has recoil damage" Ava replied
"Just teach me it, please. You're the only one who can" I insisted
"I am not going to teach you a move that will get yourself killed" Ava shook her head
"You agreed to teach Percy how to summon the energy of destruction" I retorted
"Percy can do it. I know he can. As for you, I'm not so sure" Ava said
"Then I'll learn it on my own. Just like mostly everything I can do" I started to walk away
"There you go again, thinking you can do things on your own" Ava huffed
"Watch me"
"Fine"