Book Two: Chapter Six
There was a solid stretch of flat rock a few miles offshore, and a hundred metres underwater. Percy lined up across from Mavors, who didn't look bothered at all. He was either incredibly stupid or incredibly confident. Whichever one it was, Percy was going to find out soon enough. He held his two swords with the ease of a master swordsman and his posture screamed military training. He just couldn't pin which military. Atlantean and Olympian were close enough that it was only minute details that gave them away, and Percy couldn't be focused on that and fighting Mavors. Interesting name, too. It was a generic Atlantean name, not limited to any one kingdom which, again, meant that he could have come from anywhere. That his Atlantean was flawless and accent-less only annoyed him further.
"So, out of interest." Percy began, giving the Trident a little spin. "Do you guys hate me because I'm a bastard, a half-breed bastard, or for another reason?"
"You are a blight upon Atlantis." Mavors said. "A usurper that needs to be cleansed."
"That's…not helpful at all." Percy squinted. "What am I usurping, exactly?"
"All know of your intent to crown yourself King, half-breed!" The terrorist proclaimed. "That you plan to use an army of surface freaks to invade Atlantis and install yourself on the throne!"
"Oh, man, I wish I had thought of that." He rolled his eyes. "Let me get a bunch of people who can't breathe underwater and invade all Seven Kingdoms. Brilliant idea. Except that's not what I'm doing, moron."
"Your lies and deception won't work on me, mongrel! I see through you!" Mavors roared. "Enough talk! We fight now."
"Very well." Percy sighed. "You will not enjoy this, but it will be over quickly."
Mavors threw himself at Percy, both blades swinging down in a violent overhead. He caught the blows with the shaft of the Trident, before planting his feet into his chest and kicking the man back. Mavors moved easily with the water, letting it slow him naturally before he came back for Percy.
He leaned away from a strike, but didn't quite get the clearance needed, so he was blessed with a long but shallow cut along his cheek by Mavors' sword. He spun the Trident, knocking Mavors' blades away again, before jabbing it towards him, once, twice, three times, forcing him backwards. On what would have been his fourth jab, he instead flipped the weapon, turning it into an overhead strike, which the Red Current fighter was unprepared for. He quickly raised his blade to block the strike, which was his first mistake. The force of the impact dulled the edge of the sword, giving it a stretch of blade that wouldn't cut as well. He also damaged the blade that took the brunt of the damage by warping it a little. Just enough that it would be off balance for the rest of the fight, which gave him another advantage.
But Mavors wasn't done. He managed to slip past Percy's guard, and brought the blade down on the inside of his bicep. His armour, thankfully, absorbed most of the damage, but several scales were ripped off. Percy grunted before slamming his forehead into Mavors' face, breaking his nose with the impact. The man stumbled back some, immediately reaching up and setting his nose, which was hardcore, but a little annoying. Clearly, it wasn't his first rodeo. The fight was dragging on, however, and Percy wanted it done with sooner rather than later.
Mavors came at him with a feint, looking like he was going in high but actually coming in low. Percy had read it, however, so he used the Trident to pin his sword into the bedrock. Mavors released the blade rather than get trapped with it, and Percy kicked it out of the way before going on the attack again. He struck with the butt of the Trident, using the spike to force Mavors away from the blade even more, as well as simply keep him on the defensive. When he tried to counter with another wild overhead strike, Percy simply reached out and grabbed his wrist with his left hand. Mavors struggled in his grasp, but what he had failed to understand was that Percy was far stronger than the average Atlantean. The man's free hand swung at Percy, landing two blows on his face widening the cut already there before he smacked it aside with the Trident. He rammed the butt-spike down, through his foot, and then squeezed his arm tightly. The bones crackled and then popped, and Mavors released the sword at last.
"Now that you're suitably beaten." Percy said. "You're going to answer some questions for me."
"I won't talk, mongrel." Mavors growled. "I will endure any torture!"
"No you won't." Percy said. "I wield the Trident of Neptune. Do you really think that there's any possibility of you resisting his power? Not mine. His. Neptune's. Our chief deity. If he wants you to talk, you will, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. We are in his domain. His will is all around us. How long do you think you'll last? What do you think he'll do? Will he drain all the energy from your body? Take away your ability to breathe water, forcing you into exile on land? Who knows. I've seen both happen to assassins who thought they could kill me before. And all I have to do is ask. Do you think I need to, Mavors?"
"You lie!" He exclaimed, so Percy took a gamble.
"Do you think you're the first they've sent after me?" He asked. "Do you think other cells haven't tried and failed before? But they don't tell you that when they send you after me, do they?"
"What…what do you want to know?" Mavors whimpered. Percy withheld a victorious smirk.
"Where'd your lot come from? Atlantis or Olympia?"
"Atlantis! The Fifth Tride!"
"The Undercity? The army barely recruits from there. Where'd you get your training?"
"I'm from the Third Tride! I only went down to the Fifth after I joined the Red Current!" Mavors wailed. "Please, that's all I know! Don't make me a surface dweller!"
"Not nearly enough information yet." Percy replied. "You report to someone, and they sent you after me. Who?"
"I don't know! We never interacted with any other cells!" He exclaimed. "On Neptune's Oath, it's true!"
"Six men can't be your entire cell. How many more?"
"There's two dozen at our hideout. It's located underneath the Temple of the Nereids in the Fifth Tride! The priests serve as watchers and recruiters!"
Percy studied Mavors for a moment before grabbing his chin. "Look at me. Look at me, Mavors. Have you lied to me at any point?"
"No, I swear I haven't! You must believe me!" He pleaded.
"I do. I do." Percy nodded. "But I lied to you. The Trident can't do any of that stuff."
He snapped his neck before he could realise what Percy had told him. Then he studied the area around him, listening closely. After a moment, he pointed to his south.
"You can come out now." He called out. "I know you're there."
There was a moment of complete stillness before a body emerged from a cluster of rocks. Percy had been expecting a few things. Spy? definitely. Assassin? Possibly. But he hadn't been expecting a gorgeously beautiful woman. He blinked several times as she settled in front of him. Warm brown eyes studied him closely, matching her copper-skin perfectly. Her face was framed by onyx-hair, and Percy was altogether reminded of a Persian princess. "I don't know you."
"But I know you, Prince Perseus." She said. "I have been watching you for some time now."
Percy cocked his head, before a thought came to him. "You'd be the Olympian agent?"
"Atlantean spies." She shook her head, though she didn't look as annoyed as she sounded. Almost amused. "Good enough to know more than most, but still not enough. Yes, I am the Olympian Agent."
"Are you going to try and kill me as well?" Percy asked, before shaking the limp-and-trying-to-float-upwards body of Mavors. "It didn't work so well for the last guys."
"I was to observe." She said, before flushing. "I did not expect to be seen."
"Oh, I didn't see you." Percy told her. "I heard you."
"Excuse me?"
"You parked your craft just beyond the outcrop you were hiding in. I could hear the engine idling." He explained. "You know my name, but I'm at a disadvantage…"
The woman was silent for a long minute, before nodding to herself.
"Zoe Nightshade." She spoke. "Handmaiden to Princess Artemis."
"I think you Olympians have a different definition of Handmaiden than Atlanteans do." He noted. "Artemis never mentioned you before to me, which means you only showed up after we split. Did she ask you to spy on me, or was it just happenstance that the same person asked was also the person that was going to be closest to her?"
"She was not…unaware of my orders." Zoe said carefully. "Though she did amend them some."
"Interesting…" Percy mused. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nightshade. I have business to attend to, if you'd excuse me."
"And where do you plan on going, exactly?"
"Atlantis."
"Why?" She frowned. "You haven't been back for months."
"Yeah, and then some asshole terrorists tried to kill me." He pointed out. "I don't take kindly to that under the best of circumstances, and this wasn't close to that. So I'm going to go do the job that the Royal Guard seems incapable of. Why? Want to join me?"
"The Red Current is a viciously active reactionary group." Nightshade said. "They're responsible for dozens if not hundreds of deaths in Olympia, likely more in Atlantis. They are a scourge on innocent people and a threat to the safety of my mistress."
"So…that's a yes?"
"That's a yes." She echoed with a small smirk. "Come, we can take my craft. It will allow you time to recover from your wounds."
"Awesome. Let's get a move on, then."
XXX
Six hours later, Zoe's little craft began approaching the outer edges of Atlantis' territory. They had held a respectable silence for most of the journey, but it was then that Zoe decided to start a conversation.
"Artemis is most upset with you." She said, not exactly neutrally. Percy glanced over at her, interested to see she was watching for his reaction and response.
"I know. We didn't…part on the best of terms." He said. "I doubt we'll have much of a relationship going forward."
"That bothers you?" She was perceptive, at the very least. "From what I understand, it was your actions that led to the falling out."
"I'm aware of that too." He said quietly. "And trying to find out why I did what I did on her behalf isn't going to work."
"The Queen Mother knows but won't say." Zoe noted. "Lord Chiron as well."
"They're smart people."
"Your brother is unaware, however." She continued. "As is Artemis. You told her you were planning on leaving Atlantis, but there was no indication to anyone that was your intention, so I believe you were lying to her when she confronted you. When I mentioned that I was Handmaiden to Artemis, you smiled reflexively. You are in love with her. That's why you've left Atlantis. She's to marry your brother, after all."
Percy raised a hand, and the ship came to a jerky halt as the water around them hardened.
"Let me be clear." He said slowly. "I have absolutely no qualms crushing this vessel with you inside it. I've already killed five people today. Another one doesn't bother me in the slightest. So unless you want to be found killed in a tragic accident where the pressure in your vessel ruptured, you'll keep that train of thoughts to yourself."
"How—Artemis told me your water bearing could only be focused with the Trident!"
"I was possessed by Neptune. Do you really think that there wasn't something left behind from that?" He turned to her. "I'm going to have you swear on Neptune's Oath that you won't speak of this conversation ever again. No matter what Artemis asks. You speak of her rather loosely, which makes me think that you're a childhood friend. Do you want her to lose another person in her life?"
"I…swear so in Neptune's Name." Zoe conceded grudgingly. Percy released his hold on the ship.
"Yes, I love Artemis. I didn't mean to, and didn't particularly want to, but it happened. And my family has broken my heart without even realising it. I left Atlantis because I know that despite his best efforts, my brother will be unable to win Artemis over if I'm there, and I don't want any sort of scandal or rumours to emerge. Happy?"
"Not particularly, because I can't tell the one person who would want to know." Zoe grumbled. "How did you know I would keep my oath? It's not legally binding anymore."
"Olympia is a traditional society. Some things are still held sacred, even if they aren't legally binding." He said. "You may continue onto Atlantis. I am going to swim on my own."
"You're still injured!" She protested.
"I've suffered worse." Percy said, pressing the button to open his side door. He rolled out of the craft easily, bringing the Trident with him. "See you when you arrive."
"Hey!" Zoe cried out, but Percy was gone. By the time she was able to match his speed, he'd be long gone.
Six miles from the outer perimeter of Atlantis proper, Percy reactivated the tracking signal on his gauntlet. Since confronting Kym, he had turned it off, another message to Triton about privacy, but at the speeds he was swimming, he'd want them to know far off that it was him. What that meant, unfortunately, is that his family was waiting for him when he arrived. It took less than three seconds for them to really see him, and after that, all bets were off.
"You're hurt!" Rhode exclaimed, reaching him before anyone else could and grabbing his face gently, tilting it so she could look at the wound. "Why wasn't this treated?"
"I'm okay." He told her, pulling her back slightly. She was still looking at the cut, though. "Rhode."
She tore her gaze away, and Percy got his first good look at her in nearly two years. She had grown some, and he knew it wouldn't be long before she was her mother come again. "What happened?"
"Someone doesn't like me very much." He told her before winking. "It's okay though, not a lot of people like me."
"I like you."
"I know, it's why you're so special." He said. "Is it okay if I talk to Triton? I think he's waited his turn long enough, don't you?"
"Fine." She crossed her arms. "But you'll stay for the night?"
"We'll see." He said, before swimming to Triton, and lowering himself to a knee. "My King."
"Get up," Triton hauled him to his feet, "what happened, Percy? Who did this?"
"No one who can live to regret it." He told him. "I was ambushed on land by the Red Current."
"How many?"
"Six of them. One was ex-military. They came from the Fifth Tride. I know where the cell's headquarters are, so I was wondering if I could talk to Lysander or whoever's in charge of monitoring the group."
"I will arrange a meeting." Triton nodded. "You couldn't have picked a worse time, I'm afraid."
"Oh, sorry, next time I'll tell the assassins to come back another day."
"I didn't—I didn't mean it like that." His brother sighed. "King Zeus is here with his family. So are Queens Demeter and Hestia. There's been startling amounts of aggressive movements between Nysia and Aphaea. We're worried they're going to go to war and are trying to stop it before it starts."
"Yeah, fair enough, timing couldn't be worse." Percy agreed. "Look, I can handle it on my own if you want?"
"No, of course not, you have my full support as always brother, but we weren't expecting you. The other monarchs will want to meet you, see the Trident, that sort of thing." Triton explained. "And Artemis will likely want to hit you."
"She got her free hit in half a year ago." Percy shook his head. "I'll let you get back to it. And I'll keep a low profile until you need me."
Triton looked at him for a moment, a look in his eyes Percy didn't recognise. "Does it say something that I don't quite believe you?"
"I…yeah, that's fair." Percy wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "I'll do my best to keep a low profile?"
"More realistic, I suppose. I'll see you at dinner, Percy." Triton said before swimming off, half the guards in the courtyard following after him. Rhode began to swim towards Percy, but Amphitrite grabbed her by the leg and pulled her back, shaking her head.
"I will escort you to Lysander." She said. "Rhode is going to return to her lessons."
"But—"
"It's important, Rhode." Percy cut in. "I never skipped my lessons, not on the surface, not in Atlantis."
"You traitor!" She gasped. "Fine. But I won't be happy about it."
"Hey, neither was I."
She stuck her tongue out at him before vanishing in the opposite direction Triton had gone. Amphitrite is much more controlled in her approached, and Percy offers the courtesy of a small bow. Technically, it's not required—even as Queen-Mother, his rank is equal to hers—but it's polite.
"Artemis' handmaiden is yet to return."
"She'll be here soon enough. I'm just faster." He replied. She gave a small chuckle as she began leading him towards the Guard Offices. "She's very perceptive too."
Amphitrite is too smart to not understand the implication behind his words.
"I see. It will not be an issue, I presume?"
"Not if she enjoys living."
She hums in response, and before long, he's outside the office Lysander works from. The door is open, as it always is, and the guard commander glances up when he hears them. His eyes widen when he sees Percy, and more specifically the cut on his face, and he scrambles to his feet. "My prince!"
"It's alright, I already dealt with them." Percy holds a hand up. "But I wanted to talk to you about the group. The Red Current. What do you know about them?"
"I will leave you to work." Amphitrite said, waving her hand and closing the door behind her.
"The Red Current." Lysander sighed. "Extremist group. It recruits extensively from the Fourth and Fifth Trides, but we believe it originated as an ex-military group. And…it was founded about nine years ago."
"Not long after I arrived."
"We believe there to be a correlation." Lysander admitted.
"Oh, there is. They think I'm trying to usurp the throne." Percy explained. "What about bases, what do you know?"
"We know of a cell operating in the Fourth Tride, and we suspect they have several in the Fifth." The guard commander told him. "But we don't have any locations that deep. We barely have any agents."
"There's a decent sized base underneath the Temple of the Nereids. The priests are working alongside them."
"Priests?" Lysander made a face. "That makes this much more difficult. The guard isn't popular in the Fifth Tride, and if we're seen assaulting a temple…it could cause a riot. Which is even more undesirable considering our current guests."
"Then we don't assault it." Percy said. "They have support down there because they feel ignored. They feel threatened. They're able to play off of sympathy because they're seen as defenders, not aggressors."
"What do you suggest?"
"Nothing you'll like." Percy admitted. "I'll go alone. I know the effect the Trident has on people, so I'll use it to my advantage. The Red Current will hate that. They'll challenge me, and when that doesn't work, they'll attack me."
"But at that point, you're not an attacker." Lysander noted. "If we show up too fast, they'll think its staged."
"You're not going to show up at all." Percy told him. "You'll be dealing with the Fourth Tride."
"That's—"
"A brilliant tactic." Percy interrupted. "Everyone will be focused on the bastard prince in the Fifth Tride that no one will bother paying attention to the guard raiding a criminal outpost in the Fourth Tride."
"And what if you need help?" Lysander asked him. Percy just blinked.
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, for both our sakes." He said. "I won't need help."
"Dangerous words, your highness." Lysander shook his head. "If I could put some plainclothes—"
"No, anyone who isn't local will stand out." He countered immediately. "That's the point. I'm trying to stand out."
"But—" This time, Lysander was interrupted by the door to his office sliding open, revealing two new arrivals.
One of whom was someone Percy didn't particularly want to see.
"Oh, are we interrupting something?" The other newcomer said. Percy studied him for a moment.
"Tall, blonde, blue eyes…entitled smile. You'd be Apollo?" He asked. The other man grinned at him.
"Entitled smile? Those sound like Artemis' words." He turned to the Princess in question. "Do you think I'm entitled, dear sister?"
"You're a prince." Was her concise reply. "They said someone tried to kill you?"
"Six people tried, actually." He corrected. "And yes, you were interrupting something."
"Ah, it can't be that important." Apollo waved dismissively. "You stopped to talk to us, didn't you?"
"I believe we simply stopped." Lysander said politely. "And I'm afraid that while Princess Artemis has unrestricted access to this section of the palace, you do not, Prince Apollo."
"He is my guest." Artemis frowned. "He can go anywhere I can."
"I'm sorry to say it doesn't work like that, your highness." Lysander explained. "Your access comes from years of familiarity and a betrothal contract with the king. Prince Apollo was not granted the same access, and being your guest does not confer that access on him. If you wish to return without him, that is acceptable, but I must insist the Prince leave this section of the palace."
"It's alright, 'Mis." Apollo grinned. "I'll just head back to the courtyard. Say, Perseus, will we be seeing you for dinner?"
"Probably." He shrugged. "Call me Percy."
"Percy it is. See you later." He ambled off, and after a moment, Lysander activated his communicator.
"Tylos, Mithas, make sure Prince Apollo doesn't get lost on his way out of the offices."
"He's my brother." Artemis protested.
"He is a foreign dignitary, your highness." Lysander said. "I would do it for anyone else who came here."
"What were you two discussing?" Artemis asked after a moment. "Something to do with the attempt on your life?"
"Something like that." Percy said neutrally. "We've discussed everything we need to, Lysander. I'll leave it up to you to organise things on your end."
"Really, Percy?" Artemis scoffed. "I show up so you leave?"
"No, we actually were done talking, Artemis." He rolled his eyes. "Lysander was protesting because it's his job, but he also knows to obey, is that not correct, Commander?"
"…yes, your highness. I'll have the orders prepared and sent to Captain Acheran." Lysander conceded. "The afternoon cycle?"
"Works for me. Third Mark should do it." Percy said, rising to his feet and turning to Artemis. "Your handmaiden make it back yet?"
"No." Artemis replied harshly. "She did message me."
"Which is how you found out I was here. Who told you where I was?" He said as he swam out. "No, let me guess…Rhode?"
"Yes, she was more than happy to talk about your return." Artemis nodded, following him into the hall. "You still haven't had that wound treated."
"It'll heal on its own." He shrugged her concern off. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I need to prepare."
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing you need to worry about, Princess. I'm sure your father will want to hear about the plotting of a guard commander and the bastard prince, though. Give him and your brother my regards."
"That's not fair, Percy." She protested.
"Isn't it? Your handmaiden was spying on me at your father's orders. Clearly because I'm seen as a potential threat to your becoming queen. I'm guessing the only reason Nightshade didn't try to kill me was because of you. That's the order you 'amended,' right?" He challenged her. Artemis fell quiet and her face tightened. "Yeah, I thought so. Look, Artemis, you made it abundantly clear that we weren't friends anymore last time we saw each other, and I'm working with that. Have a good day."
He left her in his wake, making it to the courtyard before swimming up above the palace, overlooking the entire city. Well, that parts that weren't hidden under the trench. Which was where he was going. Percy only knew about the Fifth Tride through his lessons, and none of them had been particularly informative other than the fact that the concept of 'Atlantis' was thinnest there. The people there barely believed in the legal system, and they were frequently forgotten by the city government as a whole. Going down there was a dangerous move for Percy to make. But he was going to make it regardless of the risk.
What did he have to lose, anyway?
MMXXI
So pretty much the next little Atlantis Arc is going to be the most we see of the Atlantean folks for the next while, but it was important to introduce Zoe as a character. She's not going to be important for a while, but as one of Artemis' companions, eventually, she will be.
Out of interest, some people have mentioned wanting me to post this more frequently, and while I can do that, it would mean that I run out of pre-written content faster. What are y'alls thoughts on that?
Cheers, CombatTombat
