Chapter Six
Percy
"Rachel?" Leo asked.
The Oracle nodded. "Yeah." She took a deep breath. "That," she said, pointing at Percy, "is not Percy."
Percy's vision blurred for a second and he heard a snarling voice in the back of his head: Welcome back, Perrrrrrcy. They tried to get rid of ussssssssss, didn't theyyyy.
Oh, right, Percy reminded himself. Probably should tell someone about an ominous voice whispering in the back of my head. The thought was so funny he laughed, causing everyone to turn and look at him.
Rachel continued, acting as though she were unfazed by the giggling demigod. "I've had another… vision. And something else." She glanced at Percy, as though he were untrustworthy of important information.
"Anyways," she went on, skipping over the 'something else.' "Delphi told me of something bad to come. Percy is not Percy, and nor are other demigods. I-I'm not sure who."
Hmmmmmmmmmmm, mused the voice. She doesn't trusssst you. First they lieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee to you about Annabeth, now they think you're untrussssssssssssstworthy. Baaaaaaaaaad.
Percy felt a prick in his hand and looked down to see his fists clenched so tightly his nail had punctured his palm. A drop of blood seeped out, which he quickly wiped away on his jeans. A part of his subconscious wished he could wipe away the voice that easily.
"Darkness lurks inside of him," Rachel warned. "There is no easy way out of this."
Darkness? scoffed the voice. Lurking? Do you really think that's who I am? Percy tried to think about it, and he found he could barely think at all.
For some reason, this amused him greatly. A hysterical laugh bubbled out of his mouth.
Rachel jumped back. "A prophecy," she murmured to Chiron, not nearly quiet enough, before stepping away and giving Dionysus a look that said, He's all yours, and nodding towards Percy.
Percy's head tilted sideways a bit, as if he were pondering something.
"A prophecy?" hissed the voice. It took Percy many moments to realize that, this time, everyone had heard the voice. And he was the one who'd spoken. His body sat up rigidly, but him not doing anything to make it do so. He jumped up leisurely, strolling over to Rachel.
He casually picked her up by her throat and pinned her to a wooden pole holding up the porch roof. Everyone gasped, Rachel mostly doing so due to lack of air.
This time, Percy's laugh was manic.
"Let's hear this prophecy of yours, Delphi's Oracle."
Dionysus glowered at Percy. "And what, exactly, do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice menacing.
Percy raised a hand and blasted the god of wine square in the chest with a bolt of water from nowhere, knocking him backward. "Stay out of it, old man," he growled.
Rachel's eyes were glowing green, the Delphic mist curling around her like an affectionate snake. She opened her mouth to speak:
"Beware the Lord of Time
Beware his connected
Beware the ones you trust
Or we will all be infected
…
Child of water, child of fire
Darkness will consume
Child of death, child of time
The gods will face great doom
…
Wisdom saves
Ocean shatters
Hand him the world
On a silver platter
…
Watch your back
Some are in danger
Find the strength others lack
And look out for the stranger."
We will all be infected… Percy let go of Rachel and stumbled backward.
Child of water, darkness will consume… He grabbed his head in his hands and screamed as his skull felt like it split in two.
Ocean shatters… Percy's vision went hazy as he grasped out at nothing and collapsed to his knees and then to his side, curling up in a tight ball.
"PERCY!" yelled a voice. He wasn't sure who it was.
Water seeped out of the ground and circled Percy on the wooden deck.
It erupted around all of them, swallowing Percy in its fierce grasp.
Beware the ones you trust… Percy couldn't hold on anymore. He was losing a battle against himself.
He wasn't going to get back to himself. The thing was too strong. He couldn't make it.
He whispered something so softly it was unheard by his companions.
"I'm sorry, Annabeth."
A/N
OH, POOR PERCY. (THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SOUND SARCASTIC :\ )