Please note: I do not own Percy Jackson or related characters. This story is just an opportunity for me to play around with these characters and my creativity. I love getting feedback and you all deserve the best stories, so feel free to review so I can be the best storyteller I can be! Thank you!
Percy
Blackjack shot over Manhattan like a comet. Once the large Empire State Building came into view, Blackjack folded his wings and dove like a hawk. Their velocity increased steadily as they descended. His stomach disappeared as they flew towards the ground. The wind pulled Percy's face back- he felt like one of those cartoon characters who traveled really fast and their faces peeled off like a parachute.
Finally, Blackjack landed in front of the Empire State Building. It had been a while since Percy had flown so fast, so he had to hold his stomach to keep his dinner last night from coming up.
The air felt colder and more grounded here as opposed to Camp Half-Blood, which felt like a vacation spot at times. It felt like October weather in August, and he was glad that he ended up wearing a long-sleeve shirt under his breastplate. The streets around the Empire State Building were strangely empty, save for what looked like a flash mob about a few hundred feet to his left. There were no cabs, tourists, or food stands around. The only thing that seemed appropriate was the fact that the billboards were still on, advertising the newest television shows. The billboards were placed sequentially, starting from about seventy feet from the Empire State Building. Another billboard was placed about a hundred and fifty feet away, and another was placed about two hundred feet away. The billboards seemed to lead to the flash mob.
Percy frowned. "New York is never this empty. Especially around tourist landmarks like this. I don't like this."
Me either, boss! I don't see any Pegasi here. Where's the representation?
Percy hopped off Blackjack and rubbed his smooth, obsidian fur. "I don't know, but I figure that they're too fond of having Pegasi in the Empire State Building, buddy."
The wind blew, making Blackjack's coat ripple in the breeze. He put his head down slowly, like he was disappointed. His head then perked up, and Blakjack straightened up proudly. No problem! I'll wait here!
"No, uh, I don't know if I want people to be messing with you out here. Thalia's in with some pretty dangerous people at the moment, and I don't want them giving you a hard time. A lot of them have clear sight, too, and they would love to have a Pegasi.
Blackjacked snorted. Who wouldn't want one of me? Plus, boss, can't you just wave your hand and say, "This is not the horse you're looking for."
"That's from Star Wars."
Oh, right. Well, can't you kind of create or control a…fog? Dew?
"The Mist?"
Yeah, that's the one!
Percy looked away. "Chiron never taught me that. Neither did Thalia," he grumbled.
Ah, well, it's okay, boss! Your hair is much cooler than both of them.
"I don't even know if that's true," Percy said. "Regardless, take care, buddy."
Percy began to walk towards the automated doors.
Wait!
Percy stopped.
Blackjack pawed the ground nervously, and shook his entire body. I saw you. You know, when Grover and I went to Montauk to come save you. You looked like you were really hurting, boss. Can I do anything else to help?
Percy thought for a second, as he looked at the golden label for the Empire State Building. Juniper had told him that Grover took Blackjack to save him. Percy wondered if they ever considered the possibility that they may have had to stop Percy, just as he was here to stop Thalia now. Or, did they lways have faith that they'd be able to save him.
What if Percy had given in to the dark presence that was egging him on?
What if he had actually lost control? Would Grover have fought him?
The hairs on Percy's neck stood up. He turned to look at the flash mob, who had fallen suspiciously silent. Sure enough, everyone in the mob had turned towards Percy and was watching him. Children scowled at him. Adults watched him, with their arms crossed. Police began to move forward, running around a blockade of police cars. It was then that Percy realized that he was violating some kind of protocol by being there. Even if he was violating a blockade, a real mob in New York would not be that silent. There was something up with these people.
"Look, Blackjack, I know it was tough to see me like that," Percy said quickly.
The police officers hopped over the cars and barriers they had placed, and sprinted towards him.
Percy cursed. Riptide wouldn't work on these individuals, but guns would work on him. Something told him that they were not quite there to protect and serve. "But I'll be okay soon. I just have to go do this."
Percy was about to duck into the building when Blackjack stopped him once more by placing an oversized wing on his shoulder.
She was a good lady, boss. Annabeth was one of my favorite people. She didn't stop looking for you when you had disappeared. She and I were on the frontlines, trying to find you.
Percy appreciated the sentiment, but it was the wrong time. He couldn't stand there and talk to Blackjack about how much he appreciated him- he needed to go.
The police drew their weapons, closing the distance quickly. "By order of the Triumvirate Holdings, freeze!"
Percy uncapped Riptide and stared them down. He noticed they were passing a sewage drain. If they got much closer, he'd probably use that to distract them.
Blackjack, however, stepped forward. I got this, boss. Go save your friend.
Blackjack, in a glorious display, lifted off the ground in with a large flap of his wings. Blackjack then landed on one of the officers, breaking his leg. Blackjack used his wings to knock out another, and gave the final officer a brutal kick. The officer's neck snapped back, and his body slumped to the ground.
Go, boss!
Percy didn't need Blackjack to tell him thrice. He ran into the building to see the familiar lobby. The floors were polished and decorated with golden and silver illustrations. The lighting was dim, so as to give the area a more epic feel. The walls looked slick and were adorned with artistic renderings of the Empire State Building.
Percy made eye contact with the security guard. This guy was like a recurring video game character- all roads led back to him. Percy remembered the first time he had met him being over a decade ago, when he was bringing the lightning bolt back to Olympus. This time, however, the security guard looked disheveled. His blue uniform looked wrinkled and twisted out of place. He was drinking a cup of steaming tea, taking shaky breaths, and playing YouTube meditation tutorials on an iPad. He scrambled out of his chair when he saw Percy and pushed his iPad out of sight.
"You…" he said.
"Rodney," Percy said, with a tight voice. "You going to let me up easy this time?"
His eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Well, I'm chasing an angry girl who's about my age," Percy recounted. "She has these weird blue eyes and happens to be the daughter of Zeus. Have you seen her recently?"
Rodney's cornered look was enough to answer his question. He began to sweat as he looked around him for any sign of Thalia. "Is she here?" From his reaction, Percy figured that she may have been the catalyst of the guard's stress.
"She's not here. If she got past you, she's in Olympus."
He exhaled. "Can you stop her?"
"Yes," Percy said. "That's why I'm here. She's doing something dangerous, and I need to stop her. I have a plan to do so. I just need that security card you got."
Rodney eyed Percy warily. "What's the plan?"
"Well, I'm going to go up there and lure them into a false sense of security. I'm sure she didn't come here by herself, because she's the head of a pretty powerful organization. Is that true?"
Rodney nodded slowly. "There were about twenty of them."
"Right. She probably has them stationed strategically throughout Olympus to help cover her tracks. She's looking out for me to come by."
"And it's just you?" Rodney asked.
"It's me and some friends. They'll be coming a little later. But Thalia only knows about me. I just need you to let me up, and then to watch out for a bunch of people around my age. The code name will be 'Argo.' Once they come, let them through. They're demigods as well. We'll stop the scary girl, and we'll be out of your hair."
The guard looked Percy up and down. "You armed?"
Percy held up Riptide.
"Good," he said. "You'll need to be, if you're going to face her. Move it, kid. There's no time to waste."
Rodney threw the security card like a Frisbee to Percy, who caught it between his two fingers. Percy entered the flashy elevators and inserted the security card in the slot, which whirred and glowed blue upon submission. A red button then revealed itself on the dash, reading, 600. Percy pressed it, and took a deep breath as the doors closed. Percy knew it would be a while, so he took the time to close his eyes and relax.
Breakbot's song, "Baby, I'm Yours," played from the speaker on repeat. By the third loop, Percy opened his hands, letting the hilt of Riptide fall to his fingers. A pretty ugly scar ran through his hands like a creek, from where he tried to stop Arachne from using Riptide to cut his eyes out. When Percy put his hands together, the scars joined together like puzzle pieces.
For a minute, Percy wondered where they would be if Annabeth hadn't died. If he was able to save Annabeth from Arachne, they probably would have barely gotten away from Athena and Arachne. They could have regrouped at Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth would have let Hazel and Artemis know, so that they could dispatch their respective teams to support Camp Half-Blood in their defense against Athena and Arachne. They would have at least had a chance of surviving that.
Once it was all over, Percy and Annabeth would have continued their Montauk trip, and then ended it by visiting his family. They would've also looked at some apartments on the East Coast. Then would have come jobs and maybe an engagement. Thalia would have stayed with the Hunters. Percy would have still been retired. Annabeth would still be here today.
He wasn't able to save Annabeth from Arachne. But he could save Thalia from herself.
Finally, the doors slid open to reveal the stone walkway that he had seen a few times before. It was a little colder up here than it was in Manhattan below. Clouds hung from the sky like props in a stage play. The disembodied peak of a mountain stood before him, behind a set of steps. Even though the mansions, the gardens, the braziers, and the palace of the gods were beautiful, he didn't have time to get his breath taken away. He needed to get to Thalia before she could get to Bessie. The sky was an orange-red, as sunset fell over Olympus.
Percy sprinted over the bridge, up the stairs and ran through Olympus. The climate had turned tropical once more, and Percy felt himself getting hot in his long-sleeve. The speed of which he ran, though, helped cool him down. The gold and silver of Olympus' structures were just blurs as he ran. Nymphs giggled and watched him run. Satyrs teased him, running alongside him for a minute before doubling over laughing at their friends. Minor gods and other immortals huffed and complained as Percy passed. Some pointed at him and whispered.
One godling yelled out, "Didn't Poseidon teach you better manners?!"
Percy passed by parties, festivals, game shows, dances, birthdays, and any other celebrations you could think of. His sprint took him towards a fountain. As soon as he got close enough, he leapt over the concrete of the fountain, and landed on the water's surface. He slid a little, and then continued to run on the water until he got to the other side of the concrete. He then jumped back down and continued his journey.
He silently thanked Piper for her brutal workout- running through Olympus was no joke. It was, however, not as bad as working out with her.
Percy followed the main winding road up until he got to the uppermost level. White sidewalks pointed to several Ancient Greek buildings. Mist, the kind made of water, hung in the air, cooling him down. Percy caught the glimpse of rainbows throughout the area. He saw a group of nine performers wrapping up their instruments and giving interviews to employees for Hephaestus-TV. A small body of water wound through the level. Nymphs hung out in it, splashing one another with it and laughing. A few waved at him as he walked past. The gardens in this area glowed every color on the spectrum, including things that didn't seem realistic. Purple oranges grew from the ground, next to blue apples. Red pears hung from trees, near green pineapples. It was ridiculous.
Percy looked around. He didn't see any sign of weird things going on- just people hanging out. Percy looked in the distance to see that the road he was on led to the Olympian courtyard and, behind that, the golden and silver doors of the throne room. Two figures stood by the doors, but Percy couldn't make out who they were.
Just then, Percy felt like he was in danger. He ducked as a long needle flew past him and sliced a part of the tree behind him. It was so thin and moved so quick that it was nearly invisible. Percy's heart beat out of his chest as he looked at where it may have come from. He couldn't see anything, though, in the bunches of people walking around.
He was in danger.
Percy ducked behind the tree, and took out Riptide.
Thalia was here. And her friends from the Triumvirate were, as well. Percy wondered how many people worked for the Triuvmirate. Even the police were on her side.
Percy looked up to see a guy who looked about nineteen, pacing by one of the columned buildings. Sweat climbed down his face, and his hand lingered suspiciously near his sword.
"What would you need a weapon for in Olympus," Percy muttered. He probably didn't live there- he was probably working for the Triumvirate.
On cue, the guy made eye contact with Percy and pointed at him. He began running towards Percy, as well as five other people that came into view. Percy cursed and ducked on the other side of the tree. Unfortunately, this side saw two masked, armored women sprinting towards him with knives the size of guns. Percy moved to the midpoint of the tree and took a breath.
Percy then pushed off the tree, engaging the two women. They looked to be the most dangerous ones, and there was only two of them compared to the six coming at him from the other side. Percy charged them, but was forced to stop his advance when one of them threw two more slim needles at him. Percy ducked. The whistle of the needles sounded in his ears. Percy watched the women quick dash get into his personal space.
In a move he hadn't executed since the Minotaur, Percy leapt up with all his power at the very last second, leapfrogging over the women. Percy then landed behind them, and held his hand out to the spring.
Work with me, here.
The nymphs cocked their head as some of the water they were splashing each other with left their spaces and formed a jet of concentrated water. The blast hit one of the women as Percy swiped at the other with Riptide. The women dodged the swipe, and pulled out her giant knives. She slashed Percy's elbow, and then kicked him in the chin.
Percy's head snapped to the side as he stumbled back. He tasted blood in his mouth.
The six guys were almost on him, now, as well as the woman who had just kicked him.
Make Annabeth proud in your combat, Reyna had said. If he couldn't get past them, he definitely couldn't beat Thalia.
Percy used the water that blasted the one woman, and brought it over to him. He threw the water on the ground, and then, with a concentrated exhale, froze the water into ice. The sidewalk under their feet instantly turned into an ice rink. Suddenly, the people charging him didn't have as much coordination. They began to slide on the pavement, and their sword strikes went wild. Percy, however, used the water in the ice to keep his movements controlled and smooth.
One guy slid past Percy with a scream. Another was sliding towards Percy. As a result, Percy swung Riptide like a golf club, connecting with his chin and knocking him off his feet. Percy then sidestepped to let him slide past as well. The other four wised up quickly. They used their weapons to stop themselves on the ice, and began to skate towards Percy at their own speeds.
Percy couldn't let them collect themselves too much, though. He ran towards them.
Guy 1 prepared to swing an axe at Percy, but the Percy hit a baseball slide at the last second. The axe swing flew clear over Percy's head. As he was sliding, he used one hand to grab Guy 1's ankle. As he had Guy 1's ankle, Percy gave Riptide a backhand swing, slicing Guy 2's shin. Blood spattered on the ice, as Guy 2's sword swing hit the ice near Percy. Percy's momentum was enough to pull Guy 1 to the ground. He hit the ice, hard, sliding and tripping up Guy 2 as well. The two fell in a tangled knot of limbs and curses.
Percy jumped up and tried to drop-kick Guy 3 in the chest. However, Guy 3 was able to get his shield up in time, and block the brunt of Percy's strike. Percy then felt a movement behind him. He ducked and heard a sickening squelch. Percy looked up to see Guy 3 drop his sword and clutch his eye. A long, thin needle was where his eye should've been.
Guy 4's jaw dropped, and Percy used the opportunity to turn the ice underneath them back to water. The water flowed from underneath them and collected into a sphere that covered Guy 4. It was like a deadly version of the air bubble he had made in the Atlantic. Percy watched Guy 4 thrash in the water bubble like he was in a dunk tank. Percy then turned, with his hand out, and willed the water bubble to roll towards the female assassin. He watched as the assassin jumped out of the way. However, Percy extended the water bubble so the woman was consumed by it as well. Percy hardened the water on the edges, and made the currents chaotic, taking away any chance of them swimming out. The two rotated helplessly in the water bubble, holding their breath and fighting for air.
Just as the woman who got blasted with water stood up, she got hit with a rolling water bubble that exploded on impact, knocking her and the two people to the ground.
Percy took his chance to escape the area. The nymphs in the water fountain clapped and cheered as he ran towards the doors.
Two guards that looked well over seven-feet tall stepped from behind columns and stood in front of Percy. They held spears and shields, leveling them towards Percy as he approached. Percy kept his momentum going and began to wind up his body. He brought Riptide up and down against their shields, attempting to break their guard. Riptide connected with the shields, and a burst of force erupted from the collision. Percy couldn't get any ground though, as the guards pushed Percy back with their shields.
Guard 2 then stabbed his spear towards Percy. Percy tried to sidestep, but was a beat too slow. The point of the spear sliced open Percy's shoulder, and pain shot up his arm. Percy grabbed the wound and ground his teeth. If this was a few years ago, he would've been quick enough to evade the attack. But, as Reyna had alluded to, he was a bit out of step.
He couldn't overpower them with a few strikes from Riptide. These individuals seemed like seasoned fighters, and they were actually in practice. They also seemed quite used to fighting with one another, so he needed to separate them. Percy engaged them once again, this time going for two simultaneous attacks. He went for a sweeping kick for Guard 1. Guard 1 sidestepped, and both he and Guard 2 tried to stab downwards.
Percy, however, was able to dodge both strikes, spring up, and swing Riptide in a golden arc towards Guard 2's helmet. With his spear by Percy, Guard 2 could only put his shield up to block the sword attack. Guard 2 successfully blocked it, and countered with a spear strike. Percy used his free hand to catch the body of the spear. He then bent it at its focal point. The spear snapped in half with a satisfying crack, and Percy used one of the shards to stab it in Guard 1's leg. Guard 2 made the mistake of letting his eyes fall to Guard 1. Once he did, Percy repeated his action of swinging Riptide into Guard 2's helmet, disorienting him. Percy then ran Riptide straight through his side, a non-lethal strike that was sure to take him down for the time being.
Guard 2 grunted softly. With one well-placed swipe, Percy sliced off the shield straps and disarmed Guard 2 of his shield. Guard 1, now angry and in pain, charged Percy- now with a hobble from the spear fragments. Percy ran forward and used the momentum to throw the shield at a spot past the guard. Guard 1 dodged, laughing as he did so.
"I have you now!" he screamed, as he readied his spear to turn Percy into a fish kebob.
The shield, however, bounced off a nearby column and ricocheted back towards Guard 1, hitting him in the back of the head and sending him down for the count.
Before Percy could celebrate, he caught flashes of several figures of movement in his periphery. Percy scooped up Riptide and the shield, and turned to find three more guards, two demigods, and four masked women charging at him from different directions.
Percy didn't have time to think. He needed to act, or else he would get gutted from different directions. Percy tossed the shield like a disc towards one of the masked women, who swiped it out of the air effortlessly. They tossed it back to him without losing a step. Percy caught the shield and threw them in between the two demigods. Luckily, they were running close enough to one another that the shield hit both of their shoulders, sending them flying into the Olympian spring.
The large guards and masked women closed in, and Percy found himself rolling, dodging, and swiping for his life. The masked women were swinging their knives brutally, while the guards were stabbing their spears downward like they were forks and Percy was a particularly elusive piece of food. One of the masked women stabbed Percy in the shoulder, while one of the guards stabbed Percy in his leg. Percy slashed one of the masked women's masks off, and kicked back the guard who stabbed him.
Percy found himself caught in a whirlwind of slashes, cuts, and hits, one he couldn't get out of. It was like all of these individuals were professional fighters, and he couldn't quite get a breath in. One of the masked women cut a chunk out of his side, while another guard kicked him away. Two thin needles stabbed into his thighs, and a guard knocked into Percy like a football player, tackling him to the ground. The guard began punching him, like Thalia did years ago. Percy felt himself losing the fight to stay conscious. He heard laughter all around him. He felt himself bleeding in multiple spots.
You got her resolve and resiliency as well, he heard Annabeth say in his head. You are strong. And you are good.
He would not lose.
Percy gritted his teeth, and felt himself connect with the air around him. The condensation in the air formed around him, creating a soft water shield that encased his body. The guard's fists fell on the water instead of on Percy's face. Percy then pushed the water shield out towards the guard, forcing him back. Percy then did a somersault in the air. As he spun, the water in the air began to spin with him. By the time he landed, a swirling vortex of water was behind him. Percy then yelled, and the vortex turned into an offensive weapon, crashing, bending, and weaving into the Triumvirate fighters. They eventually were washed far away.
Percy stood, checking the wounds on his shoulder and his side. Luckily, it hadn't gone too deep, as the breastplate had absorbed some of the force. He also checked his thighs and removed the long, thin needles sticking out from them. Percy then began to limp towards the throne room doors, with Riptide in one hand and the needles in the other.
He approached the last two guards standing at the door, who tensed when they saw Percy emerge from the chaos. Percy tried to fling the two needles at them before they could react. However, they seemed to be ready for him. One of them dodged it while the one to the left caught it. The masked woman on the left took off her mask to reveal Clarisse LaRue, the daughter of Ares.
"Clarisse?!" Percy was twelve again.
She smirked at him. "Hey, dummy. It's been a while."
Percy could barely believe his eyes. He hadn't seen her in a long time- it was weird reconciling the presence of a character from his past with the current situation at hand. It was like she didn't belong there. "You're-you're with the Triumvirate Holdings? Clarisse, you're better than that."
"Better than that?" Clarisse put her hand out to the other masked woman to stop her from gutting Percy. "I'm not part of the Holdings. I'm fighting to take down the gods."
"To slay the Ophiotaurus, kill the gods, and bring back Annabeth?"
Clarisse shrugged. "The gods haven't done too much for me. What do I care about them for?"
"Clarisse, if Thalia succeeds, she'll be the one with all the power. She's not fit, and not ready to have all that power and be all that. She's not in her right mind right now."
"As long as she stays out of my way, she's in her right mind to me," Clarisse sneered. "You better pony up and change sides before it's too late."
"Before it's too late?! Clarisse, you were probably there on the ship when the Hunters tried to stop Thalia."
Clarisse remained silent. Percy took that as confirmation.
"You watched her fight her own Hunters! How long until she comes for you?"
Clarisse looked at something behind him. "I don't know. But it won't be for a while. Which is more time than you have."
Percy turned to see the eighteen people he just fought, up and facing him. They were all jogging towards him.
"Looks like you're in trouble now," Clarisse laughed. "Should've killed them when you had the chance."
Percy gripped Riptide. "Yeah, well…I gave them a chance to stay down."
He then glared at Clarisse. "I thought we were friends."
She smiled. "We still are, punk. No hard feelings."
Percy turned back to the crowd. He couldn't take all of them at one time. His back hurt, his muscles were on fire, and he barely got past them in the first place. Olympus itself was starting to get dim, and the sunset was starting to turn into dusk. He only had a few hours of lighting left.
Percy turned to Clarisse. "What time is it?"
Clarisse frowned. "How should I know?"
"Because depending on the time, your entire operation-"
On cue, a bestial roar echoed from below the mountain.
"-would be in jeopardy."
In a glorious golden display, Festus flew into view, parallel to the Olympian mountaintop. Newly designed circular ion turbines were attached to his wings. Streaks cut through his face that glowed blue and red. The force charging Percy stopped in awe as Festus turned in the air and landed on the concrete. The pavement cracked under his weight.
Festus gave a huge roar, and Percy watched the passerby nymphs, godlings, and satyrs run to the lower levels.
Festus opened his mouth. "Allllll right," Leo announced through an intercom located in Festus' throat. "Everyone who is not Percy, put your hands up. Or you're going to see the full power of the Argo III, otherwise known as Festus 2.0."
No one put their hands up. Festus turned towards Percy and cocked his head. Percy shrugged, as if to say, Let's do it.
Festus nodded, and Leo's voice came over the intercom once more. "Festus. Battle mode."
Out of Festus' back erupted a huge cannons. Large crossbows came up on top of Festus' head, as well as the bottom. Festus' teeth began to spin until they became a mouth full of drills. Festus' eyes began to glow red.
"Nothing to say, Calypso?" Leo asked. He seemed to have forgotten to turn off the intercom. "No peace or healing to give? No? Wonderful."
Then, in a terrifying display, Festus attacked the group. Machine gun fire erupted noisily from the cannons as crossbows shot from either side of Festus' head. Festus opened his drilling mouth and blew blue fire that melted columns, destroyed trees, and singed statues.
"What the-" Clarisse started.
Percy grinned. "No hard feelings," he said, before swinging Riptide at Clarisse's head, knocking her down. Percy then dodged a knife swipe from the other masked woman, grabbed her arm, and flipped her over his shoulder. He then threw her away from the throne room doors with all his might. She flew surprisingly far- over the courtyard and past most of the steps. She landed on the third step from the top, and fell down the rest of the stairs. She got up slowly, only for Festus to turn towards her. Festus' eyes opened up and shot gallons of hot sauce right on her. Unfortunately, the mask only covered her mouth, so she screamed when the sauce got in her eyes.
Festus finished his hot sauce shot and chirped happily at Percy. Percy nodded at him.
"Thanks, big guy," he said, before pushing open the doors.
Fifteen minutes.
It always shocked him how big the throne room was, bigger than Grand Central station. The sleek hardwood floors included the designs of bronze clockwork underneath the surface, which reminded Percy of Hephaestus' work. Columns bigger than Festus supported the throne room. The domed sky held shifting star constellations. The twelve giant thrones that were usually arranged in a U shape were now eleven. One of the thrones, Athena's throne specifically, looked to be in shambles. Golden energy came from it, like steam from a hot dish. The throne room wasn't as dark or destroyed as the one in Thalia's dream, which was a relief.
There were only a few points of concern- the hearth pit was empty, lacking the blazing fire that served as Hestia's domain. She was rarely absent from that- even during the Kronos attack, she was someone willing to defend Olympus. Now, even here, she was nowhere to be sound. The throne room felt cold without the hearth.
The second point of concern was perhaps the more important one- Thalia stood in between the smoking remains of Athena's throne and the empty hearth pit, kneeling towards Zeus' throne. She wore black and brown leather armor, with a weird black cloak over it. She stood quickly and looked at Percy.
She looked tired and distraught, like her worst fears had been confirmed by him showing up. She was holding her spear, which was smoking like the remnants of Athena' throne.
Percy stepped forward. His footsteps echoed in the empty room. He was miserable- he never wanted to do this, to confront Thalia in this manner. They were always supposed to be working together, not against one another.
Thalia pointed her spear towards him. Her face tightened.
"Stop," she said simply. Her voice reverberated through the room. "Don't come any closer."
Fourteen minutes.
Percy stopped. He relaxed and reinforced his grip on Riptide. For what seemed like eternity, the two of them looked at one another. Nothing was said, and yet, everything was communicated. The two of them had known each other for a while, so they knew each other's body language. Thalia's poise looked lithe and tense, like she was ready to attack at the first sign of a sudden movement. A scar was swiped horizontally across her left cheek.
There was no sign of Bessie quite yet- the spherical cage for the Ophiotaurus that was usually at the center of the room was nowhere to be found.
Twelve minutes.
"What did you do to them?" Thalia yelled. She looked on edge, and trembled like she was in pain.
"Them?" Percy asked. "You mean your subjects that tried to kill me out there? You mean Clarisse and company?"
Thalia's spear lowered slightly. "They tried to kill you?" Her voice lost a little bit of the accusatory tone that was initially there.
"I have wounds in my shoulder and my legs that prove it."
"Are they still alive?" There was real pain in Thalia's eyes, like she was bracing to bear the news of her crew's deaths.
"I made sure to be non-lethal with them, like-"
"-Luke taught us," Thalia finished. Luke was always a talented swordsman, so it didn't surprise Percy that Thalia knew what he was talking about.
A large explosion sounded from outside, shaking the throne room. Thalia looked at the doors past Percy, and then to Percy- tacitly demanding an explanation.
"Oh, Leo, Piper, and company piloted Festus here to give me backup," Percy said, matter-of-factly.
"Are they coming in here?" Thalia asked.
Eleven minutes.
"Not if you cooperate," Percy responded. "I told them to let me talk to you first. If I don't come out in fifteen minutes, though, they have orders to make their entrance."
"Fifteen minutes?"
"Fifteen minutes," Percy repeated. "And four of them have already passed. Come with me, Thalia."
Thalia said nothing.
"It's not too late to turn back," Percy said. "The gods can be here any second."
Thalia shook her head. "They won't be coming."
Nervous energy flowed through Percy's body. Percy didn't see the multi-colored flames coming off Thalia's body, like how it did in the dream when she held the power of the Ophiotaurus. His dreams, however, tended to be dramatic at points.
"Did you kill them already?" Percy asked.
Thalia shook her head. "There are larger forces at play, here, Percy. And they're on my side, at least for now."
"What did you do?" Percy asked.
Ten minutes.
"Nothing you need to know about, if you turn around, walk out that door, let Festus know you're okay, and just mind your business."
"Or," Percy said. "Or, you could come with me and we could go to Festus together. I'll help protect you against anything that may happen."
"You wouldn't disobey the gods like that."
"I wouldn't?" Percy couldn't believe his ears. "I was always the kid at school who broke the rules. I'd break the rules to protect you."
Thalia's eyes began to turn red. She was quiet for a beat.
Nine minutes.
Finally, she said, "You'd be on the run for a long time."
"That's fine with me."
"The gods wouldn't rest until they found you."
"Cool."
"Poseidon wouldn't be happy with you either."
She may be right- however, Poseidon may help hide Percy depending on what he was feeling at the moment. "That's no problem. We can go to McHale's."
Thalia nodded, a tear climbing down her cheek. In a voice barely above a whisper, she asked, "Would you break the rules, Percy?"
"I would."
"Even if it meant breaking the rules for Annabeth?"
Percy fell silent. She had talked him into a trap, to convince him that her way was the best way.
Then, Percy felt something. A soft moo, inside his mind. Percy suddenly felt the presence of seawater, a controlled amount, right in the center of the throne room. Yet, Percy couldn't see anything. He squinted, trying to see if there was any Mist, there- but there was nothing.
Eight minutes.
Percy looked at Thalia. She was still waiting for an answer. He couldn't be too suspicious, though, if he got distracted by this. "Thalia, look up at the constellations. Please."
Thalia hesitated, then glanced up. Percy saw a familiar constellation and pointed to it. "You see that constellation? Shifting towards your left. Eight stars."
Thalia nodded. "Yes."
"That's up there for Annabeth. A constellation. For her. She's gone, Thalia. But she's honored not only in our hearts and memories, but also in the stars."
A few tears traced down Thalia's face as she looked up at it. "It's beautiful."
"Yes, it is. And we can honor her by doing what she'd want from us."
Thalia nodded. "You see that one?" she asked, pointing with her spear.
Percy followed her movements to find a familiar constellation- a gleaming one, of a girl running across the stars.
"The Huntress," Percy repeated. His heart tugged as he remembered Zoe and her death.
"Zoe was killed in combat with her father. He didn't care about her."
Another moo, louder and more urgent this time, sounded in his head. It sounded like she was distressed, and was calling for Percy's help. One quick movement, though, and Thalia may decide to roast him with her spear.
Seven minutes.
Percy reached out, feeling the seawater. The water pulled back, right at his gut.
"Annabeth was killed due to a deal her mother made," Thalia said. "A deal she made in sound body and mind."
Percy tried to pull the water towards him, and felt it slowly moving. There must have been some kind of invisibility spell or charm on the sphere, resulting in Bessie being hidden from Thalia.
"Constellations and honoring doesn't fix the injustice, Percy. What I'm doing will.
Percy pulled Bessie closer to him. If he could get the Ophiotaurus past Thalia and closer to him, he could make a break for it, bring the Ophiotaurus into Festus, and maybe get away.
Suddenly, Percy heard a bang, as the sphere fell to the ground. It was still invisible, but it may as well not been. It must have been floating.
Thalia had found its location.
Thalia's sad expression morphed into one of anger, as she used her spear to shoot a column of electricity towards the noise. Percy pulled it back towards him as quickly as he could, but it wasn't quite quick enough. The purplish-blue strike of electricity connected with an unseen object, resulting in whatever charm or spell was on it to be relinquished.
In between them lay a sphere of water, with the Ophiotaurus swimming around in it. It pushed its head towards Percy, as if it was trying to will itself closer to its protector.
Thalia looked at Percy, but Percy was already pulling the Ophiotaurus towards him. The sphere of water shot towards his hand and attached itself to his outstretched palm like it was magnetic.
Six minutes.
Thalia scowled. "Drop it."
"No," Percy said simply.
"I'm sorry for this," Thalia muttered. Thalia moved, faster than she should've been able to move. Percy could've sworn that he saw a spark of electricity erupt under the balls of her feet, propelling herself towards him. In a flash, she was behind him. With a yell, she kicked him in the back with the strength of ten telkhines. Percy's body folded slightly as he fell down the stairs and towards the hearth pit. Bessie's cage bounced out of his hand, but reattached itself once Percy focused.
Percy saw Thalia move her hand towards her wrist, but seemingly decide against it. She gripped her spear with two hands, and charged Percy. It was one of the scariest sights to see, even without Aegis. Her eyes looked fractured, like she was not all there. Her face, however, registered little emotion. It looked like she was calculating a million ways to take Percy down, reminding Percy of how Annabeth would be in combat.
Five minutes.
Thalia jumped off the top step and flew towards Percy with an overhand spear strike. Percy put up Riptide, blocking her strike. His arms nearly gave out- Thalia was pretty strong. However, with his footing, he was able to withstand her attempt to overpower him. She then raised her spear again. Percy prepared to parry her again, but Thalia's hand placement changed. Instead of bringing down the spear like a hammer, she wielded the spear like a bo staff. She thrust the blunt end of the spear into Percy's chest- not hard enough to puncture his breastplate, but hard enough to throw him off balance.
Thalia then twirled the spear in her hand, and swept the spear in an upwards motion, cutting a gash in Percy's chin and lip. Static electricity followed the puncture, making the scar burn even more. Percy stumbled, and fell backwards into the empty hearth pit. The Ophiotaurus cage rolled away from him towards the throne.
Four minutes.
Thalia sprinted towards it. Percy took the opportunity to roll away from her, pop up, and move towards Athena's destroyed throne. He saw Thalia close the distance between her and the cage, so he put his hand out and reached out to it. The sphere flew away from Thalia just as he was reaching for it, and re-attached itself to Percy's hand. Blood fell down his lip as he stared down Thalia. Bessie mooed happily, and did a flip in the cage.
Percy made a break for it. At this point, outside was safer than in here- there were several distractions and barriers that Percy could use. If he could just to Festus, he could get Bessie to safety, whether that meant taking her to Poseidon or something completely different.
He heard Thalia yell, "No!" Immediately, Percy felt wind permeate the usually breeze-less Olympian air. The wind blew brutally against Percy, so much so that it was hard to breathe. Percy felt other blasts of wind attack him from other directions, completely cutting off his oxygen. Percy thrashed at his throat, and felt his vision pulse.
He couldn't breathe.
"Drop it," he heard Thalia say over the wind.
Three minutes.
Percy tried to make a noise or signal to Thalia, but his body was not responding.
He couldn't breathe.
"Drop it," he heard once more, this time much closer.
Percy fell to one knee. His body instinctively attempted to claw at his throat, but the winds were knocking his hand away. He felt lightheaded. His lungs were on fire. Finally, he lost focus and control. The cage fell to the ground. Thalia didn't let him out of her grasp, though. Instead, drafts of air formed at Percy's feet, picking him off the ground. Mini tornadoes held him suspended in the air, and but Percy still couldn't breathe.
His vision began to blur. His mouth became dry. His tongue instinctively flapped around his mouth, trying to grasp some oxygen.
A few seconds before he passed out, Percy noticed a large deep sea fisherman's chair made of gray, green, and white marble. It was decorated with corals, gold chips, and pearls.
Poseidon's throne.
Two minutes.
Percy remembered feeling the power of the sea when he had sat on the throne. Percy took the last dregs of his consciousness to focus on the throne. He began to pull on it. As he did so, the throne began to become wet. It then became wetter, until water was falling down the chair like a waterfall was right above the throne. The water then concentrated into several blasts of water and shot towards Thalia's back. It pushed Thalia out of view, and she dropped Bessie's sphere of water. She lost concentration, and Percy fell to the ground, gagging and gasping for air.
Percy opened his palms, and the water rushed from the throne, forming tendrils of seawater. The arms shot towards Thalia, who opened Aegis to block them.
"Percy, please!" Thalia yelled, as the spray from the water and the shield made her hair and face damp.
Percy didn't stop. He felt currents of anger forcing its way through his bloodstream, and Percy only intensified the flow of water. The throne room began to flood.
Thalia yelled out, shooting a blast of electricity towards Percy. He dodged, only to have the blast hit a column. The column's integrity became compromised, and began to crack.
"Percy!" Thalia yelled.
Percy felt angry. He was done playing around with Thalia. He needed to save her.
A full-fledged flood coursed through the room, rising until they overtook the seats of the throne. Percy, now underwater, jetted towards Thalia. Thalia tried to stab downwards, but her movement was slowed. Percy's however, was not. He easily dodged her slow-motion stab, and sliced at her stomach, drawing blood. Thalia swam up, using the winds to propel her upwards in the air. She then fell onto a floating Aegis, essentially surfing her way towards the far left wall of the throne room. Percy followed her, but he wasn't quick enough to beat her to the wall.
Thalia reared her Aegis hand back, and punched the Olympian throne room wall with the edge of her shield as hard as she could. Even with the electricity to back up the strike, the wall only cracked.
One minute.
Percy increased his speed towards her and let Bessie's cage fall from his hand. He changed the currents around the cage so it went against the current, back towards the thrones. Percy continued pushing himself to the wall, and brought his hand back.
When he was just far enough, Percy leapt out of the water and tried to punch Thalia with the force of the sea behind him.
She jerked to the side at the very last second, and fell off Aegis into the waves, like she was expecting him.
Percy's fist hit the wall instead, punching a huge hole in the Olympian throne room. Pain shot through his hand as it connected, and he watched as the water began to pour out of the hole. Percy caught a glimpse out the hole and saw open air, leading off the mountain and down towards the clouds.
Thalia had tricked him, draining the water like one would drain a bathtub- removing a cork and letting the water funnel out.
Percy held himself in the throne room using the water, but watched the water level in the large room steadily drop. For a terrifying second, he couldn't see Bessie.
"Bessie!" he yelled.
Instead of the Ophiotaurus, he saw Thalia jump out the water, holding Aegis. She tackled him, momentarily breaking his concentration that was holding him on top of the water. The two of them tumbled into the water, with the current nearly pushing them out the hole. Percy, however, was in front of Thalia- subsequently, he fell through first. Before he could fall, he formed a handhold using the water and grabbed it for stability. Thalia was able to stop herself by stabbing her spear through the floor. Thalia then waited until the water poured over Percy and drained out the throne room before flipping to her feet.
Thalia stood over him, watching him hold onto the ledge. She was drenched, and glowered at him. She was holding her spear and Aegis. For a second, he thought she would thrust the spear into his shoulder and kick him out into open air.
Instead, she sighed. "I'll save you, but only after I take care of my business. Hold on tight."
Thalia walked away from him.
Ten seconds.
"Thalia, please," Percy said. "Don't do this."
There was no response, though. Most of the water had drained out, except for the handhold he had made out of hard water. Percy tried to pull himself up, but his arm was too tired to support his body weight.
Percy then had an idea. He looked down to the misty and cloudy Manhattan below. If he had to lose this, then Thalia would lose too. There was one place where he knew she wouldn't want to follow him. Percy let Riptide fall from his hand and into the open air, giving himself a free hand for a moment. The sword spun and fell towards the clouds and city below. He then pointed his now-free hand towards the hole, willing the Ophiotaurus cage to rush towards him as quickly as possible. Percy felt it moving quickly towards him.
He had to time this just right.
Five seconds.
He then heard rolling, and footsteps following quickly.
He had to time this just right.
Three seconds.
Finally, the cage shot out the hole.
"NO!" he heard Thalia yell.
One second.
Percy pushed himself off the handhold, outstretched his hand, and brought the cage to him.
Thalia's hand shot out and barely grazed the cage as it fell towards him. Unfortunately, Thalia's center of balance was thrown slightly too off-kilter, and she tipped over the edge.
Percy and Thalia tumbled out of the Olympian throne room, falling into the air.
The doors to the Olympian throne room burst open, and Percy heard Festus' roar.
Percy was falling, though, and grasped the Ophiotaurus cage under his arm like a football. He closed his eyes. He was theoretically aware that Olympus was not actually right above Manhattan, but he also knew that it was kind of in its own plane of existence. The two of them were falling, and he didn't know where they would fall to.
If you fall through a demiplane, where do you go? Do you fall forever?
Am I ready to die?
All he knew was that Bessie was with him, which was the second safest place besides Festus at the moment.
Thalia screamed for dear life as she fell. Percy wasn't sure if it was her powers, or the additional weight from her armor and Aegis- but she was falling a little faster than he was. Percy heard her screams get closer to him, coming from his left side. He shifted the Ophiotaurus to be attached to his right hand, as Thalia came down near him.
The two of them, without even thinking, reached for one another's hands.
Their hands connected as they fell from heaven, thousands of feet into the unknown.