Dear readers,
I have read all the books from Rick Riordan. I have read Harry Potter, Maze Runner, Hunger Games, Artemis Fowl, Divergent, Sherlock Holmes, Angels and Demons, and a few other random books. Can anybody suggest me any other books to read ? Suggest me any book of any kind (just that it shouldn't be for readers below teenage) and I will give it a try.
Thank you.
I also want you guys to know. I know it's difficult to read with most of the text from Rick Riordan's book being cut out. But I want you to know that I am leaving enough text so that you can understamd what's going on in the paragraph, I only cut out the part that is unnecessary. So I think you can try reading it without having to switch between my book and the original Lightning Thief copy again and again, see if it works.
If it works well with you, do let me know. It would be really helpful if you reply to this.
Also, does anybody know a good Percabeth writer who accepts reader prompts ?
Again, thank you.
"Chapter 20- I BATTLE MY JERK RELATIVE" Demeter read.
"Finally some action!" Ares whooped. Then he frowned, remembering who Percy was supposed to confront.
"You... Battle me ?" Ares looked at Percy with amusement. He didn't see how this kid could battle him and survive. Probably Ares had been feeling generous.
"Yep." Senior Percy nodded. "Me, battling you." He gave the other demigods a knowing smirk.
Annabeth sighed and shook her head.
A Coast Guard boat picked us up, ... There was a disaster to mop up. Their radios were jammed with distress calls.
They dropped us off at the Santa Monica Pier with towels around our shoulders and water bottles that said I'M A JUNIOR COAST GUARD! and sped off to save more people.
Our clothes were sopping wet, even mine. ...
After reaching dry land, we stumbled down the beach, watching the city burn against a beautiful sunrise.
I felt as if I'd just come back from the dead-which I had. My backpack was heavy ... My heart was even heavier from seeing my mother.
"It was horrible." Senior Percy muttered.
Annabeth held his hand tight "Your mother misses you a lot."
"I know. Can't wait to see her." He replied.
"We will." Annabeth promised. "After all this ends."
Several people looked from Junior Percy and Annie to Senior Percy and Annabeth, then back. It seemed a lot had changed between them in the future, like being able to cooperate with each other, for instance.
"I don't believe it," ...
"It was a trick," I said. "A strategy worthy of Athena."
"Excuse me?" Athena asked Percy Senior furiously.
"I was trying to make a point." Percy Senior said quietly.
Athena considered it for a moment. "Fine. But don't you ever dare accuse me of treason, or you'll go back to the Underworld the hard way."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Senior Percy muttered.
"Hey," she warned.
"You get it, don't you?"
...
"Well, I don't!" Grover complained. "Would somebody-"
"Percy ..." Annabeth said. "I'm sorry about your mother. ... If I talked about my mother, I was going to start crying like a little kid.
"The prophecy was right," I said. "You shall go west and face the god who has turned.' ... By sundown today, there will be a three-way war. And I'll have caused it."
"How cheerful." Dionysus sighed. Everyone stared at him for a moment before going back to the book.
Grover shook his head, ... Who would want war that bad?"
... "Gee, let me think."
There he was, waiting for us, ... His motorcycle rumbled beside him, its head-light turning the sand red.
"Hey, kid," Ares said, seeming genuinely pleased to see me. "You were supposed to die."
"So, Ares." Poseidon growled. "How would you like to answer this?"
Ares cowered and shrunk into his seat as the whole room glared at him.
"This isn't him. The plan wasn't his." Athena shook her head. "He doesn't have enough brains for all that planning."
"Yes right!" Ares exclaimed, then frowned. "Hey wait a minute! What do you mean-"
Demeter continued reading.
"You tricked me," I said. "You stole the helm and the master bolt."
...
Gods taking each other's symbols of power- that's a big no-no.
...
"Who did you use? Clarisse? She was there at the winter solstice."
Clarisse scowled and started to get up. "You little punk, you dare to-"
"We weren't very friendly for the first two summers." Percy Senior reminded her. Clarisse considered it for a moment, then went back to her seat. Though she still looked like her hand was itching to punch his face.
The idea seemed to amuse him. "Doesn't matter. ...
And Hades is still looking for this ..."
From his pocket he took out a ski cap-...
Immediately, the cap transformed into an elaborate bronze war helmet.
All the big three turned to glare at Ares, but they let Demeter continue.
"The helm of darkness," Grover gasped.
"Exactly," Ares said. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, Hades will be mad at both Zeus and Poseidon, ...
we got a nice little three-way slugfest going."
"But they're your family!" Annabeth protested.
"You think that's gonna stop them from fighting." Apollo snorted.
"They look more like a bunch of kindergartner classmates then family to me." Chris muttered.
Ares shrugged. "Best kind of war. Always the bloodiest. Nothing like watching your relatives fight, I always say."
"Well, if you like fights among relatives so much, why don't you fight us. Aren't we your relatives?" Hades grumbled.
"You gave me the backpack in Denver," I said. "The master bolt was in there the whole time."
"Yes and no," Ares said.
...
The bolt is connected to it, sort of like that sword you got, kid. It always returns to your pocket, right?"
I wasn't sure how Ares knew
...
I guess a god of war had to make it his business to know about weapons.
" Obviously." Nico muttered in his best Severus Snape voice. Several people laughed.
"Anyway," Ares continued, "I tinkered with the magic a bit,
...
"But why not just keep the master bolt for yourself?" I said. "Why send it to Hades?"
"This boy can ask some good questions. Only if he paid attention in class." Athena shook her head, as if the loss of another bright student affected her badly.
Several people stared at her.
Ares got a twitch in his jaw.
...
"Why didn't I ... yeah ... with that kind of fire-power ..."
"Well, that proves it. Ares didnt plan all this." Athena said. Nobody bothered to argue.
He held the trance for one second ... two seconds...
...
Ares's face cleared. "I didn't want the trouble. Better to have you caught redhanded, holding the thing."
"You're lying," I said. "Sending the bolt to the Underworld wasn't your idea, was it?"
"Well, don't mind it, but you are smarter than you look." Hermes said, scratching his chin.
"It's okay. I get that a lot. It's beneficial, infact." Percy Senior said.
"Of course it was!" Smoke drifted up from his sun-glasses, as if they were about to catch fire.
...
That thing in the pit is ordering you around."
"I am the god of war! I take orders from no one! I don't have dreams!"
"Ha! Nobody said anything about dreams! I was being controlled! It wasnt my plan!" Ares said, relieved that he wouldnt be blamed for it. Then realization crept into his face. "Wait...that means..."
Demeter quickly read ahead.
I hesitated. "Who said anything about dreams?"
Ares looked agitated, but he tried to cover it with a smirk.
"Let's get back to the problem at hand, kid.
...
So I've got to kill you. Nothing personal."
"You wouldn't dare!" Poseidon yelled. Everyone leaned forward with tension and/or excitement. They wanted to see how Percy survived this.
He snapped his fingers. The sand exploded at his feet and out charged a wild boar, ...
glaring at me with beady eyes as it lowered its razor-sharp tusks and waited for the command to kill.
I stepped into the surf. "Fight me yourself, Ares."
"Oh, no." Poseidon groaned. "You have a hobby of getting into trouble..."
"I just can't stand bullies." Percy Junior shrugged. Percy Senior nodded.
He laughed, but I heard a little edge to his laughter ... an uneasiness.
...
You don't have what it takes."
"Ya right." Grover muttered sarcastically.
"Scared?"
"Yep." Apollo nodded. "Definitely scared."
"Shut up." Ares scowled.
"You dare to speak to me after what you did?" Apollo raised his eyebrows.
"I didn't know what I was doing." Ares grumbled.
"Yep. He's too hardheaded to understand that." Percy Junior muttered in a low voice.
"In your adolescent dreams."
...
Sorry, kid. You're not at my level."
Annabeth said, "Percy, run!"
The giant boar charged.
But I was done running from monsters. Or Hades, or Ares, or anybody.
"Well, that's it, then. If he's done, running, he'll fight, or die fighting." Thalia muttered.
"You'll dare to fight against me?" Ares asked, shaking with rage.
"Isn't it kinda obvious?" Percy Junior asked.
"It is." Percy Senior smirked.
Ares started growling and standing up, but he fell on his butt when Poseidon doused him with salt water. He huffed.
As the boar rushed me, I uncapped my pen and side-stepped.
...
The boar's severed right tusk fell at my feet, while the disoriented animal charged into the sea.
I shouted, "Wave!"
...
The beast squealed once in terror. Then it was gone, swallowed by the sea.
"That's so awesome..." Leo muttered.
"Yep. Definitely cool..." Connor muttered.
"It's not good as it seems." Percy Senior muttered. "It's dangerous."
All the demigods stared at him.
"What do you mean? How can having these powers not be good ?" Annie asked.
Percy Senior opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and shook his head. "Nevermind."
Percy Junior wondered if his powers could be a bad thing too. He silently made a vow not to let them get out of hand.
I turned back to Ares. "Are you going to fight me now?" I asked. "Or are you going to hide behind
another pet?"
Ares's face was now purple and red with fury. His aura of anger started spreading and effecting the two Percys. They too started growling.
"He dares to insult me? A god? The God of War? I'll have him ripped to shreds!" Ares grumbled.
"You're just another coward bully." Percy Junior grumbled. "I couldn't save Zoe because of your curse. You should be paying for that." Percy Senior growled.
"It wasn't your fault." Thalia told him. Both the Percys grabbed hands of both the Annabeths to prevent themselves from charging at Ares.
"Ares," Poseidon said in a steely calm voice, "stop angering my sons."
Ares's rage increased, but his aura retracted.
Ares's face was purple with rage. "Watch it, kid. I could turn you into-"
"A cockroach," I said. ...
"If I lose, turn me into anything you want. Take the bolt. If I win, the helm and the bolt are mine and you have to go away."
"Ha! As if you can defeat me!" Ares sneered.
Ares sneered.
...
I showed him my sword.
Ares let out a laugh. "How are you even alive? I let you run away or something?" He asked.
"That's cool, dead boy,"
...
"Percy," Annabeth said. "Don't do this. He's a god."
"He's a coward," I told her.
She swallowed. "Wear this, at least. For luck."
She took off her necklace, with her five years' worth of camp beads and the ring from her father, and tied it around my neck.
"Reconciliation," she said. "Athena and Poseidon together."
"Thanks." Percy Junior muttered to the Annabeths.
"But I don't think it's that simple." Hermes said, as he looked at Athena and Poseidon. Both of them were eyeing each other suspiciously. Sure, they had made a good team during the prank wars, but they still didn't trust each other.
"You two need to trust each other more." Hesta said. Both of them lowered their gazes with sighs.
My face felt a little warm, but I managed a smile. "Thanks."
...
"You all done saying good-bye?" Ares came toward me, his black leather duster trailing behind him, his sword glinting like fire in the sunrise. "I've been fighting for eternity, kid. My strength is unlimited and I cannot die. What have you got?"
"A smaller ego." Percy Junior blurted.
If it was possible, Ares's already big scowl deepend.
A smaller ego, I thought, but I said nothing.
"Whoa," Leo said. "Déjà vu."
I kept my feet in the surf, backing into the water up to my ankles. I thought back to what Annabeth had said at the Denver diner, so long ago: Ares has strength.
That's all he has. Even strength has to how to wisdom sometimes.
"That'll help him win." Athena nodded.
"You can't win against me, punk." Ares grunted.
He cleaved downward at my head, but I wasn't there.
My body thought for me.
...
He twisted, and the strike that should've caught him directly in the spine was deflected off the end of his sword hilt.
He grinned. "Not bad, not bad."
He slashed again and I was forced to jump onto dry land.
...
Get in close, Luke had told me once, back in our sword class.
"I still hear your voice in my head whenever I fight." Percy Senior told Luke with a grin, and surprisingly, Luke managed to grin back.
When you've got the shorter blade, get in close.
I stepped inside with a thrust, but
...
kicked me in the chest. I went airborne-twenty, maybe thirty feet. I would've broken my back if I hadn't crashed into the soft sand of a dune.
Several demigods winced.
Ares gave Percy Senior a wicked grin.
Percy Senior seemed like he was going to take out his sword and fight Ares in the throne room itself. But then he smirked. Ares was too suprised to scowl back.
"Percy!" Annabeth yelled. "Cops!"
I was seeing double.
...
but I managed to get to my feet.
"That's him." Thalia mused. "No other demigod would've managed to get up after that kick. He's stubbornly persistent."
I couldn't look away from Ares for fear he'd slice me in half, but out of the corner of my eye I saw
...
"There, officer!" somebody yelled. "See?"
A gruff cop voice: "Looks like that kid on TV ... what the heck ..."
...
I ran for my sword, scooped it up, and launched a swipe at Ares's face, only to find my blade deflected again.
Ares seemed to know exactly what I was going to do the moment before I did it.
"Of course I knew." Ares mused.
I stepped back toward the surf, forcing him to follow.
"Admit it, kid," Ares said. "You got no hope. I'm just toying with you."
"Come on, Percy... You can do this." Hermes crossed his fingers and leaned forward with interest, as if watch a very tense football match. Or something like that.
"Use the water." Poseidon muttered.
My senses were working overtime. I now understood what Annabeth had said about ADHD keeping you alive in battle.
...
I saw a second cop car pulling up, siren wailing.
Spectators, people who had been wandering the streets because of the earthquake, were starting to
gather. Among the crowd, I thought I saw a few who were walking with the strange, trotting gait of disguised satyrs. There were shimmering forms of spirits, too, as if the dead had risen from Hades to watch the battle.
"It was true," Grover nodded. "I talked to some nature spirits and satyrs after returning from the quest. Almost all the nature spirits of LA had gathered to watch that fight. Lots of dead spirits and satyrs and minor gods and goddesses too. The word of your fight spread like wildfire, even on Olympus. The rumours spread very fast. Which is why almost all the monster communities and monster associations in the world know about you. They heard a lot about you after that fight. You became quite famous."
"Okay." Percy Senior nodded, not sure whether to be terrified or happy with the piece of information.
I heard the flap of leathery wings circling somewhere above.
"They probably had come to watch the duel. Best entertainment in centuries." Apollo said.
More sirens.
I stepped farther into the water, but Ares was fast.
...
"Drop the guns.' Set them on the ground. Now!"
Guns?
"The Mist." Athena explained.
I looked at Ares's weapon, and it seemed to be flickering;
...
I didn't know what the humans were seeing in my hands, but I was pretty sure it wouldn't make them like me.
"The police never liked me." Percy Senior muttered.
Ares turned to glare at our spectators,
...
"This is a private matter!" Ares bellowed. "Be gone.'"
He swept his hand, and a wall of red flame rolled across the patrol cars. The police barely had time to dive for cover before their vehicles exploded. The crowd behind them scattered, screaming.
"You tried to hurt mortals?!" Zeus asked.
This was too much. Ares needed to be taught a lesson.
"They are not allowed to witness my fights!" Ares protested.
Ares roared with laughter. "Now, little hero. Let's add you to the barbecue."
He slashed.
...
Ares was up to his thighs, wading in after me.
"Use the waves." Poseidon muttered. Everyone leaned forward even more with interest or horror or tension or excitement. They wanted to know what happened next. Demeter's voice started sounding excited as she read on.
I felt the rhythm of the sea, the waves growing larger as the tide rolled in, and suddenly I had an idea.
Little waves, I thought.
...
I was holding back the tide by force of will, but tension was building, like carbonation behind a cork.
"Good idea. But you will have to be fast." Athena murmured.
Ares scowled. He wasnt liking where this was going. This was too much. That puny twelve your old kid couldnt be allowed to beat Ares and survive it. He started shaking with rage and fury. His form started glowing slightly, but the others were too excited to notice it.
Ares came toward, grinning confidently. I lowered my blade, as if I were too exhausted to go on.
"He knows how to do acting. That'll fool Ares." Hermes mused.
Ares started to glow brighter, his face set in permanent snarl mode.
Wait for it, I told the sea.
...
Ares raised his sword. I released the tide and jumped, rocketing straight over Ares on a wave.
Ares now stood up, shaking with uncontrollable anger. Nobody noticed it as everyone continued to listen to the book with excitement or awe.
A six-foot wall of water smashed him full in the face, leaving him cursing and sputtering with a mouth full of seaweed. I landed behind him with a splash and feinted toward his head, as I'd done before. He turned in time to raise his sword, but this time he was disoriented, he didn't anticipate the trick. I changed direction, lunged to the side, and stabbed Riptide straight down into the water, sending the point through the god's heel.
"HOW DARE YOU?!" Ares exploded.
Percy Junior turned to look at Ares. Big mistake.
Poseidon's eyes widened "AVERT YOUR EYES!" he yelled.
Too late.
Ares blasted into a column of pure heat, a supernova of force amd light, and the air around him turned to a fire-tornado. The room's lighting features, the glass features and everything blasted to dust and the temperature rose above 100. All the demigods and gods flew back from their thrones and landed with painful thuds, yells of pain or anger, and groans.
Ares stood their wide eyed as he realized what he had done.
As Percy Junior flew back, the image of what he had seen burned into his eyes. His brain screamed with agony, unable to process the horrific and purely divine things he had seen. It felt as if someone had poured lava and all sorts of acids and electricity into his skull from the inside.
His brain, no, his whole body was burning. His veins felt as if they were transporting lava instead of blood. Pain roared in his ears. His lungs felt as if he was breathing poisonous gases and acids and smoke. His heart beat slowed down. His eyes closed as he writhed with pain and agony. Then he went still, his chest rising and drowning slowly as his breathing slowly faded away.
"Oh, Ares. What have you done?" Hestia asked warily from her hearth. Only she seemed unaffected by the blast. She had probably anticipated this.
Ares stared, still wide eyed, as everyone started to get up. Everyone except one boy.
Annie groaned as she opened her eyes, her vision doubled and blur. When it cleared, Percy lay at her side, his body searing with heat, vapours rising from his face, his face contorted with unbearable pain.
His whole body was hot red. It seemed he was burning from inside.
Annie gasped and put a hand on his forehead. Yes, he was burning from inside.
"Apollo!" She croaked weakly, trying to get her bearings and shake her daze away. No. She couldnt let Percy die. Not after so much.
"APOLLO!" she yelled louder, and Apollo came running towards her.
"Oh, Styx!" he cursed. "He's going to die!" He yelled loudly.
Everyone shook out of their daze, got their bearings, and surrounded ten-year-old Percy. They stared at him with horror, and shock, and pain. Nobody even paid any attention to Ares, who had his head in his hands.
"What?! No! What do you mean he's going to die?!" Poseidon asked.
"He-he saw Ares's g-godly form." Apollo groaned and put his head in his hands. "Nothing is worse than not being able to heal a dying patient."
"No..." Poseidon stumbled backwards, feeling a heart attack.
Heck, gods werent supposed to feel heart attacks. His face contorted with grief, then fury.
He turned to Ares. "YOU!!" he bellowed. He grabbed Ares by the neck and slammed him into the floor. Ares didnt even try to defend himself.
"No...no. No. No!" Annie yelled. This couldnt be happening! Percy couldnt die just like that! "Percy can't die like that! There must be some way to save him."
Athena shook her head. "Nothing can save him now, daughter. He's seen a god's true form." Even Athena seemed sad.
"No..." Annie croaked and buried her face in her hands. "He can't die..." But he was dying. His raspy breathing was fading away. It seemed like his soul was burning from the insides.
Piper snapped out of her daze. She remembered how Jason had survived Hera's godly form without burning.
"Mother! Get here!" She yelled as she rushed forward.
Aphrodite stumbled ahead.
"Percy wake up!" Piper said, charmspeak dripping from her voice.
"It won't work" Apollo shook his head. "No mortal can survive a god's true form."
Piper turned to Apollo angrily. "Listen. Jason here has survived the true form of a godess because of my help. So we can atleast try it for Percy too. If you want to help, help me. Or else, get lost!"
She turned her head to Percy and started muttering encouraging things. Apollo stood their, wide eyed. He turned to look at Jason, who nodded. It was true.
"Yes, Percy, wake up! You cant die!" Aphrodite added with her own charmspeaking powers. She shook Percy. No affect.
"No. He needs the will to live. He has given up his will to live." Piper muttered and lowered her head.
"Annie rushed forward, tears rolling from her cheeks. "Percy! You cant die like that! Your friends and family need you!"
Piper's head snapped up. "Yes! Percy you cant die! Annie, your mom, your father, they all need you!" She shook Percy harder.
"He has an aura of death around him! He's dying!" Nico said.
Hades scratched his chin. Sure, this boy had caused him some troubles, and will be causing him some troubles, but he didn't want the boy to die.
Apollo took out his lyre and started strumming a song. He started singing Stayin' Alive. Hermes started clapping his hands with the beat of the song. He didn't want the boy to die either.
Poseidon punched Ares and his jaw cracked with a sickening crunch. Then Poseidon left Ares and came towards Percy. The music and the charmspeak laced together. "His heart isn't beating! Will! His body is too hot! Poseidon!" Apollo yelled between the lines.
Will nodded and stumbled forward, and started thumping Percy's chest, where his heart was supposed to be beating. Poseidon stumbled forward and summoned his trident. Gentle water trickled out of the tips of the trident. Poseidon directed the water towards Percy. Wherever the water touched Percy, it started steaming and evaporating. But it seemed to work. Slowly his body started cooling down. Apollo started pouring more energy into his song.
"Zeus! Shock his heart! His heart needs to start working!" Apollo yelled.
Zeus rushed forward and Will moved aside. He rubbed his hands as he had seen nurses do with those electricity pad things in movies, and sometimes in real life too, you know, when the nurse was hot.)
He pressed his hands on the boys chest and gave him a slight shock. No response. He did it again. No response. Zeus had to accept it. He didn't want the boy to die, because the fate of Olympus was going to rest on the boy's shoulders in the future. He did the electricity thing again. This time it worked. His heart started beating faintly.
"Percy, your friends need you. You can't leave them like this. Come back, Percy! You are not allowed to die! Wake up!" Aphrodite poured more charmspeak into her voice. Percy's fingers trembled slightly. His body started shivering a bit.
"PERSEUS JACKSON WAKE UP!!!" Annie screamed.
Percy's eyes flew open and he gasped, trying to breath. His eyes were full of light, burning like molten gold. Then his eyes returned to the normal sea-green. He looked around, dazed as everyone let out a breath they didn't know they had been holding.
Percy's opened his mouth, trying to get some air into his lungs. Annie rushed forward and hugged him. Percy Senior and Annabeth, who had been watching all of this teary-eyed from away, squeezed each other's hands.
"Let me breathe!" Percy croaked weakly at Annie, who had crushed him under a hug. Annie snifled and pulled away. Her worry and tension slowly subsided as she took Percy's hand and squeezed it. The hand still felt burning hot, but she didn't let it go.
Annie wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'm glad you're not dead, Seaweed Brain."
"Thanks," Percy Junior said. "Me too."
(From which Rick Riordan book and what scene is this line?)
Percy Senior and Annabeth shared a knowing sad look.
Apollo finished his song gracefully and raised his hand, mentioning everyone to stop everything they were doing. Well, everyone was just staring at Percy, so they didn't bother to stop.
"Ares gets very angry,
Percy gets a look at his true form,
Apollo saves the day." Apollo said and bowed. Several people groaned. Curse horrible haiku gods.
Now that Percy was okay and not dying, everyone turned their attention to Ares with raised eyebrows. Ares didn't look back up. He kept staring at the floor from where he was sitting.
"Everyone, get back to their seats. Demeter, please continue reading." Zeus ordered. "As for Ares, we will deal with you after all this ends." Zeus said in a steely calm voice, his eyes dangerously sharp.
Nobody bothered to argue, not even Poseidon. No one was in the mood for arguing. They just wanted all this to end now. Everyone got back to their seats. Demeter continued reading.
The roar that followed made Hades's earthquake look like a minor event.
...
He limped toward me, muttering ancient Greek curses.
Something stopped him.
"What would be strong enough to stop a pissed off Ares from killing Percy?" Leo asked.
It was as if a cloud covered the sun, but worse. Light faded. Sound and color drained away. A cold, heavy presence passed over the beach, slowing time, dropping the temperature to freezing, and making me feel like life was hopeless, fighting was useless.
The same presence was now being felt in the throne room. The temperature dropped. Time slowed down. Color was drained out of everything. Several people shivered.
"Oh." Leo said in a small voice, realizing who it was.
The darkness lifted.
Ares looked stunned.
"So that's what saved Percy." Frank said in a small voice.
"You must've really hated him for that." Katie told Clarisse.
"I don't fight my dad's fights, you know?" Clarisse quoted Ares, even though she had hated Percy Senior for it.
Ares stared at her.
Police cars were burning
...
Annabeth and Grover stood on the beach, in shock, watching the water flood back around Ares's feet, his glowing golden ichor dissipating in the tide.
Ares lowered his sword.
"You have made an enemy, godling," he told me.
...
every time you hope for success, you will feel my curse. Beware, Perseus Jackson. Beware."
"Some people got killed because of that curse." Percy Senior muttered angrily.
His body began to glow.
'''Percy!" Annabeth shouted. "Don't watch!"
I turned away as the god Ares revealed his true irnmortal form. I somehow knew that if I looked, I would disintegrate into ashes.
"But you didn't." Annie told Percy proudly. Percy managed a weak smile, though he still felt as if his brain had just experienced a combustion reaction.
The light died.
I looked back. Ares was gone.
...
Three evil-looking grandmothers with lace hats and fiery whips drifted down from the sky and landed in front of me.
The middle Fury, the one who had been Mrs. Dodds, stepped forward. Her fangs were bared, but for once she didn't look threatening. She looked more disappointed, as if she'd been planning to have me for supper, but had decided I might give her indigestion.
"He's terrible, he probably would've given more than just indigestion," Annabeth snorted. "Hey!" Percy Senior protested indignantly.
"We saw the whole thing," she hissed. "So ... it truly was not you?"
I tossed her the helmet, which she caught in surprise.
"You surprised my Fury." Hades muttered with amusement.
"Return that to Lord Hades," I said.
...
I joined Grover and Annabeth, who were staring at me in amazement.
"Percy ..." Grover said. "That was so incredibly ..."
"Terrifying," said Annabeth.
"Cool!" Grover corrected.
"That doesn't even cover it!" Leo exclaimed.
"But I don't think it must have felt cool. Did it?" Jason tuned to Percy Senior.
"No, it certainly didn't feel cool. Finally somebody who understands!" Percy Senior grinned at Jason, and they fist-bumped.
For once, nobody burst their budding bromance.
I didn't feel terrified. I certainly didn't feel cool. I was tired and sore and completely drained of energy.
"Of course not." Jason mumbled. He had had some experience fighting Titans and Giants after all. It never felt cool or terrifying.
"Did you guys feel that... whatever it was?" I asked.
...
Something had stopped Ares from killing me, and whatever could do that was a lot stronger than the Furies.
I looked at Annabeth, and an understanding passed between us. I knew now what was in that pit, what had spoken from the entrance of Tartarus.
The room shivered and paled. Now that they were certain what was in that pit wasn't anything reassuring.
I reclaimed my backpack from Grover and looked inside. The master bolt was still there. Such a small thing to almost cause World War III.
"Such a small thing?!" Zeus asked. Rather bellowed. "It is the greatest weapon in creation!"
"I disagree. My trident is better." Poseidon mused.
"Nah. My helm is the best!" Hades grinned.
"Your helm isn't a weapon." Poseidon pointed out.
"And we all know that my masterbolt is better than your trident." Zeus added with a smirk.
"Can your bolt drown whole and whole armies in tidal waves? Can your bolt bring earthquakes so strong that they reduce countries to dust ? Can your bolt cook storms so powerful that nothing in the path of the storms can survive ?" Poseidon asked, his chest puffed proudly.
"He's got a point." Athena murmured.
Everyone stared at her.
"Why, thank you," Poseidon bowed with a grin.
"But," Athena added, "the bolt does more damage in low radius attacks."
"Exactly!" Zeus snapped his fingers.
Everyone watched with amusement as the Big Three continued to argue back and forth like kindergartners.
"Well, I have to agree. The trident certainly sounds better." Percy Junior said.
"Yeah, but the bolt sheared the top of Mt.Etna! The bolt destroyed the palace of Titans to rubble!" Thalia argued back.
"Right!" Zeus snapped his fingers.
"Yes, but that was because your bolts were accompanied by my earthquakes and storms! They blew everything to dust!" Poseidon argued and Percy Senior nodded in agreement.
"None of that would've been possible if I hadn't scared the armies away with my helm! My helm is the best!" Hades claimed.
"I gotta agree with that." Nico muttered.
"No! MY BOLT IS THE BEST!"
"FORGET IT THUNDERPANTS! YOU WISH YOUR BOLT WERE THE BEST!"
"SHUT UP BARNACLE BEARD! THE HELM IS OBVIOUSLY BETTER!"
Hermes and Apollo summoned buckets of ambrosia flavoured pop corn. Demeter had put the book aside and was now eating from a bowl of cereal. Athena was arguing with herself about which weapon was the best. Annie and Annabeth seemed ready to break a fight if it broke out between Percy, Thalia and Nico. Ares was grinning, excited for the fight that was coming up.
Thalia tried to pull Jason into the fight. "Jason! Say something!"
"Um...yeah." Jason muttered. "The bolt is certainly, um, more powerful."
"You don't sound so confident." Nico mused. "Yes. The bolt is certainly more powerful." Jason added confidently.
"Oh, the bolt is more powerful, alright. But not more powerful than the trident." Percy Senior said.
Jason shook his head. "No bro. You've got it wrong."
Percy shook his head. "No bro. You've got it wrong."
Annabeth sighed and face-palmed at their bromancing arguements.
"OH, YOU ARE THE ONE TO SPEAK, CORPSE BREATH? SHOULD I SHOW YOU THE POWER OF MY BOLT?!"
"I gotta agree, the trident is better."
"You wish, kelp head."
"Shut up, pinecone face. You know I speak the truth."
"I still think the helm is better. Nothing better than scaring your enemies away and getting to be invisible."
"Well, bro, the bolt can scare enemies away too." Jason added.
"THE BOLT IS BETTER, BARNACLE BEARD!"
"THE TRIDENT IS THE BEST!'
"SHOULD I USE MY HELM? YOU'LL KNOW THEN!"
"BRING IT ON CORPSE BREATH! I AM NOT SCARED!"
"I'LL BLAST YOU TWO AWAY WITH MY BOLT!"
"Oh, no Thals. The bolt can have second place. First place is reserved for the trident."
"No! The bolt is the best!"
"Well then, remind me, which weapon helped defeat Typhon during the Second Titan War ?!" Percy Senior yelled.
Everyone turned silent. They turned to stare at Percy. Percy realized his mistake. He had dropped a time bomb.
"Which weapon helped defeat whom?" Athena asked in a tense voice.
"Oh, please don't stop!" Leo said. Leo had taken out a pop corn bucket out of nowhere and was watching while eating from the bucket, as if he was watching a movie.
"Go on. This is fun!" He encouraged.
"We want pop corn too!" The Stolls demanded.
Leo handed them both two more popcorn buckets. Piper rolled her eyes and smacked him on the head. Katie did the same for the Stolls.
Frank and Hazel just stared at Leo, who had now stuffed his mouth the popcorn. The wondered where Leo was putting all the stuff he ate. He opened his mouth wide and turned the bucket upside down above his head, letting the last few pop corns fall into his mouth, then clapped the crumbs of his clothes and hands.
Zeus turned to Percy Senior. He spoke in a low whimper "Whatdidyoujustsay?"
"Um... What?" Percy Senior asked.
The time bomb blasted. Everyone burst into questions.
"Did you just say Typhon?" Apollo asked chewing his nails.
"Perry Johnson, are you out of your mind? Do you understand what you are saying?" Dionysus asked.
"That war would not be good." Ares whimpered.
"I won't be fighting this war." Hades mumbled.
"Typhon doesn't understand love." Aphrodite spoke with disgust.
"He's got no appreciation for cereal." Demeter added.
"Please tell me you are joking." Hermes murmured.
"You said some weapon defeated Typhon?" Poseidon asked.
"This is bad." Athena said.
"Thanks for telling us, Captain Obvious." Poseidon mused.
"Shut up, kelp head!" Athena retorted.
"Feather brain!"
"Barnacle beard!"
"Owl face!"
"Seaweed brain!"
"SILENCE!" Hestia yelled. Everyone fell silent.
Annabeth shook her head. It would not be good to scare the Olympian council with the news that Typhon would be accompanying Kronos in the war. And another fight breaking out between Athena and Poseidon wouldn't be good either. "Demeter. Please continue reading." She said. Demeter's cereal bowl vanished and she picked up the book.
"We have to get back to New York," I said. "By tonight."
"That's impossible," Annabeth said, "unless we-"
"Fly," I agreed.
"You wouldn't dare." Zeus warned.
Thalia sighed. "Why do you care? It's not like he's going to hurt you by flying. Do you ever hear Lord Poseidon hurting your children for travelling in the sea?"
Zeus huffed but didn't argue.
She stared at me. "Fly, like, in an airplane,
. ...
"Yeah," I said. "Pretty much exactly like that. Come on."
"He's got some guts." Apollo spoke with amusement.
"End of Chapter." Demeter said.
"I suggest we take a small break." Hestia spoke up. It would be good to let everyone relax a bit after all the events that had taken place due to this chapter. Nobody argued.