I do not own PJO/HOO.
…..
And I want a moment to be real
Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on and feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change?
They're the ones that stay the same
They don't know me 'cause I'm not here
…..
I suspected that in any other context, a battle between a legacy of Athena and Poseidon, and a son of Zeus would have gone down in demigod lore as a legendary event.
But given the other surrounding circumstances, namely the fact that certain 'lost heroes' were dueling it out with an old enemy from 'the greatest quest', I wouldn't be surprised if that were all that was remembered from this extremely weird day. And honestly, I would be more than okay with that.
There were a lot of things about this quest I would love to forget, and yet, oddly enough, the battle with Cole would end up not being one of them. It was pretty awesome, to put it bluntly.
I loved my trident, don't get me wrong, but there was no denying the fact that it was ultimately a weapon more befitting a son of Poseidon than a mixed legacy. And there was just something about wielding that Drakon bone sword that made me feel so incredibly powerful for the first time in my life.
Cole's reaction only made it better, as he no doubt assumed that my sword skills hadn't improved any since our first match during capture the flag. The look on his face was priceless the moment I parried his signature move for the first time. His eyebrows ascended so far up his head I couldn't decipher where his hair stopped, and the brows began.
"Been practicing?" He quipped, a bit of uneasiness in his voice.
I smirked. "Nope."
"Doesn't matter," He jabbed once again, which I sidestepped just in time. We circled one another slowly. I could see the beginning signs of Cole starting to unravel, as he glared at me. "I still remember vividly the day we discovered who you really were."
Another slash, parry, and then counterattack, and I came within a centimeter of decapitating the son of Zeus, had he not possessed incredible reflexes.
"I remember thinking how jealous people were of your parentage," Cole continued, "And yet, you didn't seem to care at all. In fact, you despised them."
I knew what he was trying to do; get in my head, and make me start thinking about anything other than the fight at hand. I couldn't let that happen.
"So what changed?" He asked. I almost would've thought it was a genuine question, had not he swung for my neck at the same time he asked it. "Did you finally come to realize the major benefits that came with being 'the son of the Chariot'? Do you now look forward to having girls fall at your feet? To getting to go on every major quest?"
The answers popped into my head without me even having to think about it. No, no, and a resounding no.
For me, just having parents who cared was benefits enough. Having (hopefully) one girl who truly cared was enough. And this one quest, at least for now, was more than enough.
Enough. The word echoed through my word, as I slammed my sword down with such force, relieving Cole of his weapon, as it fell to the snowy ground with a soft thud. Both of us were breathing heavily, our chests heaving, as I held the tip of my sword to his chest. The tables had turned.
"You need to stop talking- "
And that's when I heard the scream of agony, and my heart dropped. Whipping around, I looked just in time to see my dad crumpling to the ground, holding his sword arm, as the snow beneath him turned to red. Riptide a few feet away, halfway hidden beneath the frozen white powder.
Chrysaor stood victoriously over his opponent, and I could just feel him sneer as he watched my dad bleed out before him. My mother reacted quickly, cutting down the few remaining Cynocephaly in her way, before snatching my father's sword from the ground, and coming to his defense.
She placed herself between Chrysaor and my dad. I noticed she seemed to be favoring one of her legs more than the other.
I turned back just as their fight began, and just in time to catch Cole trying to make a move for his sword again. A quick bash over the back of his head however with the flat of my blade quickly put an end to that little endeavor. The son of Zeus collapsed to the ground.
Then my attention turned to Erica; namely, her captors.
For so long, it felt like I had always been the one with the terrified expression, as some formidable opponent charged me down, whether it had been Cole during capture the flag, or a giant, or a hydra; I always felt more like the prey than anything. But now, watching the petrified looks on the faces of the two Cynocephaly as I charged them, I had to admit it felt pretty awesome to be the predator for once.
They even tried to use Erica as a shield, but she, being a daughter of Hermes of course, expertly slipped out of their grasp just in time for me to slice through the both of them in one fell swoop. Gold dust littered the spot where they had once stood.
I took a second to breathe for a moment. I heard crying.
Erica's face was red, and puffy, and she seemed as though she couldn't even bear to look at me while I freed her hands of her bonds.
"Luke, I'm sorry," She whimpered, "You have to understand. I didn't want- "
"Just stop," I snapped at her, "I'll deal with you later. Right now I need your help taking care of- "
As I spoke, I turned around once more, and I felt the beating in my chest stop altogether, as I watched Chrysaor fling my mother to the side, Riptide flying out of her grasp. That left no one standing in the way of him, and his target. My father had been fighting to get to his feet, but had only managed to pull himself up to one knee so far.
And now, there was no one to protect him.
I started running, but I knew there was no point. I had over fifty yards to cover to get to them, and Chrysaor was only a few feet away from finishing what he started all those years ago.
Even as I ran, the pounding in my chest slowed to an almost methodical beat. Every single pulse that indicated I was somehow still alive, was that much more prominent to all my senses. Time seemed to slow inexplicably.
Ba-dum.
Chrysaor came to a stop in front of my dad, who looked as though he had given up. He had resigned himself to his fate… to the prophecy.
Ba-dum.
Sword raised. Any second now it would all be over.
Ba-dum.
My mother appeared out of nowhere, planting her feet in front of my father- her beloved husband. My eyes widened. She had no weapon, nothing to defend herself, but her grey eyes showed no fear. Only resolve and determination, as she put herself between Percy Jackson, and certain death.
Ba-dum.
I was getting closer, but not nearly fast enough. I could faintly make out my dad screaming as Chrysaor simply shrugged, and moved to bring his sword down.
A single tear escaped my eyes.
Ba-dum.
A flashback played in my mind, the one from the night my parents left. Losing them then had been my worst memory, even when I didn't know it.
Losing them again, right here and now, was about to become my reality.
Ba-dum.
A glint flashed out of the corner of my eye, as a sleek bronze object flew into my vision from seemingly out of nowhere. I recognized it almost immediately. Cheimaros. Stopping dead in my tracks, my mind instantly calculated it's trajectory, and therefore it's intended target.
The collision was remarkable, as bronze met gold head on- an unstoppable force against a (seemingly) immovable object.
A screech went up, as the hideous golden helmet fell to the ground. Chrysaor's hands went to his face, trying to cover it as much as possible. He dropped to his knees, simultaneously trying to shield his face from the world, and find his helmet as well.
My mother was quicker. She kicked the helmet away, such that it rolled off into the woods, certainly never to be found again without monumental effort. Chrysaor tossed and turned about on the ground, shrieking and groaning as he scurried about on his knees in desperate search. He only stopped once he felt the tip of my father's sword on his neck.
He froze. I couldn't see what was revealed as he dared to lower his hand that shielded his face, but judging by the looks on my parents faces, I figured that was probably for the better. On the one hand, my mother looked down at him with a disturbed countenance, but also a shade of pity perhaps.
There was no pity in my dad eyes though; he had almost lost his wife not a few seconds before. As he leaned on her shoulder for support, he glared down at his vengeful brother.
"Go ahead and try," Chrysaor snarled, "I'm immortal, and only another immortal being can kill me."
From where I stood about fifteen yards away, I could see the back of Chrysaor's head, and I could make out the looks exchanged between my parents. They didn't seem bothered by his clarification.
"Immortality," My father mused, his green eyes still swirling like furious storms, "I hear it's overrated."
He twirled his sword, as my mother stepped back a few feet.
"Even if you could kill me!" Chrysaor exclaimed in frustration, "I would simply reform! I'll come for you again! And again! And again! You'll never truly escape me!"
"Perhaps," My dad replied, "Or perhaps you won't- who knows really? Something about a final stand, and all that." He raised Riptide, and though I couldn't see it, I could tell Chrysaor's eyes had grown wide with realization.
My dad hesitated, and he met my gaze. He nudged his chin toward me, and heeding his advice, I turned my head away just as the blade came down. The sound of a body hitting the ground could be heard. I waited a few seconds before turning back around, and I saw a bloody figure transform into dust, before being carried away in the wind.
Silence filled the air for a few good moments, and I felt my heart return to it's normal rhythm.
The quiet was broken by the sound of my dad groaning, and falling to his knees again, as he held his arm with his other hand.
"Percy," My mother yelped, as she fell to her knees beside him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," He mumbled, "A little ambrosia, and I'll be ready to do that all over again."
Underneath her blonde hair, I could see my mother rolling her eyes, until she turned towards me. Both of them turned towards me… but it didn't matter, because I was already closing what little distance remained between us.
It felt like the glass in a mirror shattering. Zeus himself could have descended from Olympus (impossible though because Alaska) and I wouldn't have cared one bit. Because for once, for the first time, it was just us. No weapons in our hands, no more monsters to fight, no more prophecy to fulfill.
Back together again, I thought to myself, My family. I smiled widely.
"That was a heck of throw, Luke," My dad said, as we finally broke the hug.
I leaned back in confusion. "What?"
"The trident? You threw that… right?"
I paused. The trident- my trident. It had been thrown. Now who was the only person I knew that could throw anything like that? I slowly turned around, and raised a threatening eyebrow at the brunette girl standing not too far off by the edge of the woods.
"Didn't I tell you to run?" I shouted, my voice mixed with concern and slight annoyance.
Carolyn, who had been sheepishly standing there with her jaw hanging for the most part, narrowed her eyes at me. "And aren't you glad I didn't listen?"
Beside me, I heard my mother laugh under her breath. "I like her," She whispered to my father, though she made no genuine effort to hide it from me. When I gave them a sideways glance, there was twinkle in both of their eyes. I did my best to ignore the heat rising in my cheeks from embarrassment.
Turning back to Carolyn, I asked in a much softer voice, "Are you okay?"
She nodded her head. "Yeah- everyone else?"
Suddenly, I was inwardly cursing myself for completely forgetting someone. "Alek," I gasped, and then took off back towards where I had left him on the ground, with Carolyn close behind me.
Banking around a large pile of snow, we came to a stop at the sight of Alek, still looking mostly dazed, and sitting on the ground munching on a piece of ambrosia, while Erica fell to her knees a few feet away. If she had looked upset and guilty when I had freed her earlier, she looked absolutely mortified now, as she confronted the boy she cared about most.
The son of Ares, with his clothes still singed, turned his head to acknowledge our approach. He actually smiled at us, and relief flooded through me. He was okay.
Everyone was okay, by some miracle.
Shouting could be heard back from where we came, even though it didn't sound urgent, and it seemed to be moving towards us. All eyes moved to see my mom and dad casually walking side by side, though judging by their expressions, all was not well at the moment. Both of them had rather perturbed expressions.
"What the hell were you thinking, Annabeth?" My dad snapped. I flinched at his words, even when they weren't directed at me.
My mother, however, was unmoved. "Oh, I don't know- that I wasn't going to let you die- "
"And so you decided to get yourself killed first instead?"
"Well maybe if you hadn't just given up and sat there!"
By now, they had stopped a few yards away from us, and were facing each other, hands waving in the air as they argued.
"I think you forget," My dad countered, "I'm suppose to be the impulsive one here."
My mother pointed a finger at herself. "My impulsive decisions are the only reason," She then stuck her finger in his chest, "That you survive your impulsive decisions."
My dad swatted her hand away. "And who always has to make a backup plan when your plans go wrong?"
"Like that ever happens!"
He crossed his arms over his chest, biting back a smug smile. "You know it does. Like that time you tried to trap that Laistrygonian in aisle eleven."
My mother's eyes narrowed, and she hissed, "You know he had that weird obsession with mayonnaise. There was no reason it should've gone the way it did."
"Ha! So you admit it!"
"Oh whatever. I just saved your butt like twice back there!"
My dad seemed to consider this, as he scratched his beard a bit. "Call it even?" He finally asked.
"Fine."
"Fine."
They both simultaneously turned to face the rest of us.
"You kids okay?" My mom asked, her voice returning to it's normal tone, as if that entire conversation hadn't just happened.
I blinked, and nodded my head after a bit of hesitation.
"Did they always argue like that?" Carolyn whispered next to me.
I wracked my brain. With a puzzling twitch of my lips, I slowly replied, "I… think so."
That's when a groaning sound reached me ears, and I figured a certain son of Zeus was probably stirring.
"C'mon," I announced, "There's something I still need to take care of."
…..
We found Cole Hanson by the edge of the island that my father had created. His face was bloodied, such that it left a trail easy enough for us to see where he had crawled off to, and follow him.
He stared out over the edge at the frigid water, only turning around upon hearing us approach and surround him on the other side. Five of us held our weapons in hand, while one stayed behind, her head held low.
"Look at you all," Cole spat, as more blood trickled from his mouth, "All happy and cuddly. It makes me sick."
"You should consider yourself lucky," Alek was the one who surprisingly chose to respond, "If it had been me and not Luke, you would've already been dead."
"Then what are you waiting for?" Cole asked. "Finish it then."
For a second, Alek looked like he was going to actually do it. He even took a step forward, raising his club a little bit. I wanted to say something, but I found myself unable to. As much as I hated Cole, I knew it wouldn't be right.
I wish I could say I was a better friend in that moment, and that I actually spoke up. Thankfully though, it didn't end up mattering. No doubt Alek heavily considered it, and even more so wanted to do it, but he proved himself better that day. His club fell from his hand to the ground harmlessly. The son of the war god had made his choice.
"I-I can't," He stuttered, stepping back almost shamefully.
"I have to admit I'm surprised," The perplexed son of Zeus showcased what was once a perfect smile, now blood-stained and repulsive. "It is in your nature to kill after all, Alek, son of Ares. You love violence, don't you? You crave it- "
"I don't- "
"Don't even try to deny it," Cole interrupted, "Most of us here know the secrets of your past. I'm more than aware of why Tisiphone was after you. You think you can justify your love of violence by calling it 'protection of others'?"
Beside me, I felt Alek's face sink. "That's enough!" I snapped.
"Quite lying to him, Luke," Cole countered maniacally, "Tell him what he really is. Let him embrace it, then we'll see whose side he's really on." The ginger-haired boy smirked, which was disturbing above of all things, considering he had the nerve to do so even in his given situation. "The truth is, Alek… you belong over here, with the rest of us monsters. No morals, no rules, no limits. Just violence and death and- "
In what was probably one of the smarter choices made that day, my mom strode forward briskly, and brought her first down on Cole's mouth. Needless to say, he was promptly shut up.
She then turned just as quickly, and approached Alek, whose entire demeanor had sunk with every second that Cole was allowed to continue talking. She glanced at the club on the ground, and then ignored it, and placed a soft hand on Alek's shoulder.
"Hey," She said gently, causing him to look up into her captivating grey eyes. "I don't know what happened in your past, but," She gave me a sideways look, then turned back, "I know that if Luke trusts you, there must be a reason for it."
Alek didn't seem wholly convinced, or maybe he was just nervous. Despite him being taller than my mother, there was always something about her that made her seem so much more… her. It wasn't that she purposefully made herself feel larger than life to others; more like she had a way of making you feel more down to earth, in a good way.
"Just because one person, or even a bunch of people say it, doesn't make it true," She continued. Hesitating for a moment longer, I watched her tilt her head slightly, so as to glance at her husband, who watched on with a half-smile. "Lots of good people," My mother said, "Have done scary things to protect those they care about most. It doesn't make them monsters."
"How do you know?" Alek dared to ask, uncertainty still apparent in his voice.
"Because they know when to stop. And so did you."
"I wanted to do it."
"I know- so did I. That's called being human. We're only half-god after all, and heck, even the gods make horrible choices all the time."
Alek actually choked out a small laugh at that, and nodded his head in half-hearted agreement. With one last lingering squeeze of his shoulder, my mom stepped away, and went to rejoin my father's side. He smiled at her, and kissed the top of her head, as if in appreciation.
Cole was visibly seething at this point, and his eyes started darting back and forth. It was only a matter of time before he spotted her, standing in the back like a cast out.
"Erica," He pleaded, scrambling to his knees, "Erica, listen to me."
The rest of us, as if suddenly remembering she was still there at all, turned to see her face go even paler at the sound of Cole mentioning her name.
"Remember how I promised you all the wealth you could want?" Cole asked, "And I delivered, didn't I?"
As if it had been placed there on purpose, all of our eyes were drawn to the chest that sat rather precariously near the cliff edge.
"Help me. I'll get you even more, I promise."
There was a time when I thought there was absolutely no way you could've bribed Erica to do anything like what Cole was asking her to do. And yet, this day had wielded many surprises already. I wasn't so certain what to think, what to believe, or what to assume Erica would do. In fact, I was more inclined to prepare for the worst.
My hand gripped my trident harder. I resented Erica for what she had done, but I wasn't sure I was prepared to fight her, or hurt her.
Erica took a hesitant step forward, and the rest of us stiffened. Then she took another, and another, until she made her way slowly over to the chest, and kicked it over the edge.
"No!" Cole screamed, watching the treasures spill out of the glamorous box as it tumbled down the cliff face, before disappearing beneath the water. He whipped back around to face the daughter of Hermes. "You're a hopeless fool. Don't think you can buy back the good graces of your friends with that little show."
Erica didn't move. She looked like she was hardly breathing. She just stared at the ground, as if transfixed by the pure white snow.
"It's over, Cole," I said finally.
"So what? Are you going to kill me now?"
The rest of us exchanged looks, having silent conversations among ourselves. I found both Carolyn and Alek looking to me for some reason, as if I knew what we should do with him. I, in turn, found myself looking to my parents. They seemed to be having a silent conversation with just their eyes, until finally, my dad nodded.
Stepping forward, he slung off his jacket and tossed it to Cole, catching the boy by surprise. "Don't even think about coming near camp." And with that, my dad turned around and starting walking back towards us.
Our gazes met, and he seemed to ask a muted question with his sea-green eyes. I nodded in response. As much as I would've liked to strangle the Son of Zeus, it was the only right way to deal with him.
A flash of movement behind my dad caught my eye. He wasn't looking.
"Cole, no!" someone screamed.
It all happened so fast, I never had time to react. One second, Cole was on the ground. The next, he was reaching behind his back into his belt, and jumping to his feet.
He lunged at my dad, and my mouth opened to shout, but no sound came.
Instead, the sound of a blade piercing flesh came to my ears, and everything seemed to come to screeching halt. Instantly, my mind registered blood on the ground.
Percy Jackson stood petrified, until he turned around. My eyes widened; there was no blood. No stab wound. Nothing.
And that's when I saw it; the horrified and disbelieving look on Cole's face, as he held his bloody knife in his hand, while Erica crumpled to the ground in front of him.
…..
I don't remember all what happened next, nor do I want to know probably. There was a shout of rage all around, as well as shouts of anguish. Alek and I bolted for Erica, completely disregarding anything else. I don't know what exactly happened to Cole, but I have a pretty good guess, considering the fact that I distinctly remembering a large wave crashing over the edge of the cliff, right where Cole had once stood. When it had receded, there was no sign of the son of Zeus.
Alek got to Erica first, and he cradled her in his arms, placing his hand over the wound spewing blood just below her chest. I fell to my knees next to them. "Erica," He gasped, as he gathered her in his arms, "Erica, can you hear me? You're gonna be okay." He looked up and yelled at no one in particular. "Get some nectar and ambrosia!"
"Alek," She suddenly whispered, causing him to look back down at her.
"Erica, you're gonna be fine," He stumbled, though he didn't sound convinced.
She shook her head. "No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
A hint of a smile appeared on her ever-paling face, as the blood drained from her body. "It's fine, Alek," She choked out, blood appearing in her mouth.
Next to me, I felt both of my parents kneel down, with heavy, graven faces. Carolyn collapsed as well, tears starting to flow down her cheeks.
"I-I'm sorry," Erica finally said, looking back and forth between Alek and I. "I never meant for anyone to get hurt, especially neither of you." She then looked at my parents. I remember how she used to speak of them so reverently, as if they were truly heroes in her eyes, and yet, she had been willing to deliver them into the hands of Chrysaor, for a simple bribe.
"Your son is an amazing person, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson," She said, "You're lucky to have each other."
"Stay with us, Erica," Alek cried.
She turned her head to face him, and her lips turned up with such a smile that I had never even seen when she wasn't dying. "Alek… " She whispered softly, "Do me a favor?"
"Anything," He replied.
"Tell Silena how you feel. Don't let her get away."
"I-I… I don't understand. I thought- "
"It's alright, Alek," She told him, "I had already made my choice." She reached up and wiped a few of the tears that were streaming down his face. They were quickly replaced by more. She leaned her head back against the ground, groaning as the blood continued to flow unstoppably.
"Tiresias spoke of a choice I would have to make. It wasn't the one I was expecting, but I made it nevertheless." She looked back and forth between Alek and I. "I thought about joining the Hunters of Artemis when we got back… if we all got back."
"You would've made a great hunter," Alek sobbed, fighting to force a smile onto his face.
I suddenly felt Erica's eyes on me, and when I met them, I found such great sorrow and remorse swirling about inside her blue orbs. And that's when I realized that all she ever needed was a family. Perhaps it wasn't what she always knew she needed, or what she wanted exactly, but ever since the loss of her actual family, there had always been something missing in her life. A giant hole she couldn't fill.
I felt the Hunters would have filled the hole nicely for her.
"I hope you can forgive me, Luke," She said weakly. I knew she didn't have much longer. We all knew it.
The angry ball of resentment still inside of me melted, and I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I clasped her bloodied hand between both of my own. "I do, Erica. I forgive you."
Her whole body seemed to relax, as if finally content. When she spoke again, there was peace in her voice, such that I had never heard before.
"Perhaps, I will get to see my little brother again."
Alek gripped her limp body tighter, and I could only watch helplessly as she began to drift away.
My father's voice softly spoke out. "We'll see you again in Elysium."
And soon, Erica Reed lay lifeless upon the snowy ground.
…..
It's been a while since I updated, so I gave you an extra-long chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it! We've probably got only 1 or 2 more chapters to go, and then an epilogue.
I'll be honest. I was seriously considering killing off Percy all the way up until I wrote this chapter, at which point I chickened out and decided against it. What can I say? I'm a sucker for happy endings.
However, if there is any interest, I may write an alternate ending where Percy does die. Obviously, it would be a bit darker, but oh well. Lemme know
Love you guys! So close to 250 reviews! I can't believe it!
