LAST TIME:
I took the horn off the wall and slung my bag over my shoulders before locking my room and the Poseidon cabin. I walked towards the Hearth. Hestia wasn't there but it mattered not as I dropped the horn in the fire, saying, "To Hestia. Thank you for believing me to be worthy enough to be your champion, and thank you." I felt a warm feeling fill me up like my mom had just hugged me. I hurried towards the pine tree.
A quest to prevent a war awaited.
Ch. 9 Quest for the Lightning Bolt
PERCY POV
As soon as I reached the pine tree, I saw that the daughter of Athena was already waiting for me, tapping her foot impatiently. She had a backpack slung over her shoulders and was fiddling with her invisibility cap which was in her hand. I just gave her a nod and stood there, playing with the Balisong Hestia had given me, practicing moves with it. The knife was incredible and fun.
"What are you doing?" Annabeth asked
"What do you think?"
"Where did you get that knife?" She questioned.
"None of your business. It is just a knife." I replied curtly. I had no obligation to answer her.
She glared at me but I paid her no heed as I continued flipping my knife, practicing the draw and everything I knew off.
Soon, Chiron arrived with Grover and Argus, a hundred-eyed dude created by the queen of the heavens.
Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human. He wore a green rasta-style cap, because when it rained his curly hair flattened and you could just see the tips of his horns. His bright orange backpack was full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket was a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knew two songs: Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 12 and Hilary Duff's "So Yesterday," both of which sounded pretty bad on reed pipes.
"This is Argus," Chiron told me. "He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things."
I nodded, but that's when my hearing picked up the sound of footsteps behind me. I turned and saw Luke hurrying towards us, carrying a pair of shoes.
"Hey!" he panted. "Glad I caught you." Annabeth blushed, the way she always did when Luke was around. "Just wanted to say good luck," Luke told me. "And I thought... um, maybe you could use these."
He handed me the sneakers, which looked pretty normal but I immediately recognized them as the Talaria of Hermes. Luke said, "Maia!" White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, startling me so much, I dropped them. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings folded up and disappeared.
"Awesome!" Grover said. Luke smiled.
"Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days..." His expression turned sad.
"Thanks man." I replied, knowing fully well that I couldn't use them.
"Listen, Percy..." Luke looked uncomfortable. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just... kill some monsters for me, okay?"
We shook hands. Luke patted Grover's head between his horns, then gave a good-bye hug to Annabeth, who looked like she might pass out. After Luke was gone, I told her, "You're hyperventilating."
"Am not." She replied hotly.
"Sure." I sarcastically said.
She stomped down the other side of the hill, where a white SUV waited on the shoulder of the road. Argus followed, jingling his car keys. I picked up the flying shoes and turned to Grover.
Hey, Grover. "You want a magic item? I won't be able to use them anyways, being a son of Poseidon."
His eyes lit up. "Me?" Pretty soon we'd laced the sneakers over his fake feet, and the world's first flying goat boy was ready for launch. "Maia!" he shouted. He got off the ground okay, but then fell over sideways so his backpack dragged through the grass. The winged shoes kept bucking up and down like tiny broncos.
"Practice," Chiron called after him. "You just need practice!"
"Aaaaah!" Grover went flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawn mower, heading toward the van.
Before I could follow, Chiron caught my arm. "I should have trained you better, Percy," he said. "If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason—they all got more training."
"That's okay Chiron. I will be fine." I assured him.
"Do you have the Riptide?"
"Yep." I said, taking the pen out and uncapping it before giving it a spin. Chiron smiled.
"Good. It will serve you well."
"Oh, and my father also gave me this." I said putting the Riptide back into my pocket in pen form and bringing forth the storm-rider in its Trident form. "Apparently I had it all my life. My mom had gifted it to me and told me to never remove it. My dad came in my dream and told me to unlock it." I replied to Chiron's questioning gaze.
"It is beautiful weapon Percy." I smiled at him. "And I think you should get going. Your friends are waiting. May Tyche be in your favor."
"Thanks." I said before hurrying down the hill to where the SUV and took the shotgun seat next to Argus.
Argus drove us out of the countryside and into western Long Island. We rode in silence. Traffic slowed us down in Queens. By the time we got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain. Argus dropped us at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from my mom's apartment. I wondered what my mom was doing.
I had been conversing with Alexander about a lot of things in my head on the way while absent mindedly playing with my knife. There was complete silence in the car except for the radio that was playing.
Argus unloaded our bags, made sure we got our bus tickets, then drove away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch us as he pulled out of the parking lot.
Soon the bus came. As we stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air like he smelled his favorite school cafeteria delicacy— enchiladas. "What is it?" I asked.
"I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing." But I could tell it wasn't nothing.
Grover had smelled monsters.
I was on high alert as I boarded the bus. Annabeth was going to lead us to the back of the bus, but I took seats in the fifth row.
"Percy, we could have gone to the back." She whispered heatedly.
"Stupid girl." I muttered "If monsters attack, we can make a quick get away from here. And we are far enough to get sufficient time to be prepared. If you didn't see, there isn't a back exit in the bus. Also, there would be less mortals in our way. First lesson of survival, always check your surroundings."
Annabeth nodded grudgingly and made a move to stow her backpack away, following Grover.
"Keep the bags with you." I hissed. Seriously? Did I have to tell them every single thing?
"If we need to make a quick getaway or abandon the bus, we won't have time to retrieve our bags. They have things we will need and money."
"Oh. Err. Right." Grover said, taking his bag back from the overhead storage.
As the last passengers got on, Annabeth suddenly clamped her hand onto my knee. "Percy."
An old lady had just boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered, and my heart skipped a beat.
It was Mrs. Dodds... Alecto.
Older, more withered, but definitely the same evil face.
I scrunched down in my seat. Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise they looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds—same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Triplet demon grandmothers- the three furies.
They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves. The bus pulled out of the station, and we headed through the slick streets of Manhattan. "She didn't stay dead long." I stated, readying myself for a fight.
On an open ground, it would have been an easy fight but now, it won't be an easy one as we were in a narrow bus with mortals in our way.
"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di Immortales!"
"It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."
"They don't open." Grover and I said together as the bus roared to life and started moving.
"Back exit?" Annabeth suggested.
"I just said there isn't one." I all but growled.
"Okay. I have a plan." I said after a minute of silence.
"What?" Annabeth asked.
"I am most likely the one they want. So, Annabeth will sneak under her invisibility cap to the front of the bus. Grover, you take care of the mortals with help of nature music and mist. Put them to sleep or something. Now, I will go and get their attention. As soon as they get up Annabeth will press the emergency breaks. They will loose balance and I'll attack. Annabeth, you sneak up on them and kill them with your knife."
"Sounds good." Annabeth nodded and Grover followed.
#Confront them when you get near the Lincoln tunnel. The darkness will help keep the mortals from seeing anything and blaming you for the attack. You will enter there in three and a half minutes top.#
"Thanks. We will hit the Lincoln tunnel in about three minutes. As soon as we're about to enter, I will gain their attention. They'll get up and move out of their seats. That's when you press the brakes. We'll be well into the darkness by then. We kill the furies and return to our seats before the Lincoln tunnel passes. I don't want a criminal record for killing three old Grandmas."
"Excellent." Annabeth said.
"Go now Annabeth. Fast. Avoid their legs."
"Got it." She said, before wearing her invisibility cap and disappearing in thin air. I immediately extended my senses and felt her move to the front of the bus, jump above the fury's legs and stand beside the driver.
#Don't hold back Percy. Two minutes to the Lincoln tunnel. Go and attract their attention in a minute. And tell the Satyr to start playing.#
'Okay.'
"Grover, start."
He started playing a low tune on his reed pipes
As soon as a minute passed, and I could see the tunnel at a distance, I got up and went two rows ahead and leaned on the third row seats. I manipulated the mist a little more to ensure no one interfered
"Aunt Dodds! Aunt Meg! Auntie Tisi! It is so good to see you!" I exclaimed and the three old grandmother's head snapped towards me. Their eyes gained a malicious glint.
"Perseus Jackson. You have offended the gods, you shall die!" Mrs. Dodds snarled and the mist they had covered themselves with started converting to their true forms.
We hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain. But, I could see clearly.
The old ladies were not old ladies anymore. Their faces were still the same-I guess those couldn't get any uglier- but their bodies had shriveled into leathery brown hag bodies with bat's wings and hands and feet like gargoyle claws. Their handbags had turned into fiery whips.
"I liked you better as a math teacher." I taunted.
Mrs. Dodds snarled. And started to move towards me.
"NOW!" I yelled and Annabeth hit the brakes.
"What the-" I heard the driver say, but paid him little heed. Alecto had lost her balance, and I lunged, the storm rider already in my hand in sword form and stabbed her in the heart. She gave a hideous wail and turned to dust.
Another fury snarled at me. "YOU WILL PAY!" And she lunged. The other fury started to follow her, but was hindered by an invisible Annabeth.
I parried her claws effortlessly before moving and converting my sword to the trident form. The weapon elongated and immediately stabbed the Fury in her abdomen. She screeched in pain. I twisted the Trident and pulled it out of her abdomen and stabbed her neck this time, killing her.
The bus roared to life once again
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Annabeth piggyback the third fury and stab her in the neck with her knife. Her cap had fallen to the ground. Her fury too wailed out loud.
All the three furies were now dust.
Annabeth bent and picked her cap up and nodded at me. I nodded back and we went back to our seats.
"Done?" Grover asked.
"Yep." Annabeth answered as I leaned back in my seat.
We soon exited the Lincoln Tunnel. There was a storm brewing outside.
#This is Zeus's storm. He will most likely hit the bus with thunder to kill you. You three have to get off the bus or else everyone in the bus, including you, will die. Get off!# Alexander yelled in my head.
"Annabeth, Grover. We need to get off. Take your bags. Now. " I said, pulling Annabeth's hand and we all walked to the front and told the driver to stop the bus as we needed to get down, using the mist to convince him. Thankfully, neither of them questioned me.
He dropped us off down near one of those New Jersey rural roads where you can't believe there's so much nothing right across the river from New York. There were woods to our left, the Hudson River to our right.
"We should go to the woods." Annabeth said once the bus went out of sight. "We can take shelter there from the storm and Grover can help us navigate better in a forest."
The sound of thunder shook my eardrums and the winds quickened. I quickly agreed with Annabeth.
So there we were, Annabeth and Grover and I, three pre-teen kids walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank, the glow of New York City making the night sky yellow behind us, and the smell of the Hudson reeking in our noses.
"So, your plan worked." Annabeth said after we had walked a mile or so in the forest. I just hummed in response.
"It was a brilliant plan." She added and Grover agreed.
"Thank you. And you both were pretty good too. The plan wouldn't have worked without you guys."
"I didn't do much." Grover stated. "You both did all the work"
"Nonsense. Without you helping, the mortals would have gotten in our way or worse, we would have been labeled as criminals by now for killing three grandmas." I placated.
We walked for a few more minutes in silence when Annabeth broke it. "If you don't mind me asking Percy, where did you get your sword and Trident from?"
I contemplated if I should tell her or not, but I decided that it would do no harm to tell her the story Alexander and I had made up. "I have had the Trident as long as I can remember... well, in the band form atleast. My mom gave it to me, saying it was a gift from my father and told me to never remove it. Today, my dad came in my dream and told me that it wasn't a band but a weapon and told me how to unlock it before wishing me luck for the quest. And as for the sword, I sort of took it hostage from Chiron for answers and then he let me keep it."
"Hostage... for answers?"
"Yeah, I was on a school trip to this museum where..." I narrated the story of my meeting with Mrs. Dodds and my meeting with Chiron afterwards with Grover adding a few tid-bits here and there. Annabeth looked impressed.
"So, you didn't fall for Chiron's mist manipulation and acting. I must say... I am impressed. Most would have believed him."
I just smiled in response. "Well... even if Chiron would have managed to fool me, Grover would have given something away within a few days. He's a pretty terrible actor."
"Hey! I am not that bad!" Grover said indignantly and we both gave him a deadpan look. He just grumbled.
"I have one more question." Annabeth said, ignoring Grover. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. The children of Athena and their curiosity.
#More like nosiness.#
'Agreed.'
"Ask."
"How did you get so good with a sword? I heard that you even beat Luke in your practice spars."
I told her the same story I had given to Luke and cabin eleven in my first sword training session.
"Oh. That's nice."
We continued to walk ahead, striking conversations on various topics. You know, team bonding.
After tripping and cursing and generally feeling miser-able for another mile or so, I started to see light up ahead: the colors of a neon sign. I could smell food. Fried, greasy, excellent food. I realized I hadn't eaten anything unhealthy since I'd arrived at Half-Blood Hill, where we lived on grapes, bread, cheese, and extra-lean-cut nymph-prepared barbecue.
That was when I realized something. Why the hell would a restaurant be in the middle of wilderness? My senses went on alert, but we kept walking ahead.
I saw a deserted two-lane road through the trees. On the other side was a closed-down gas station, a tattered billboard for a 1990s movie, and one open business, which was the source of the neon light and the good smell. It wasn't a fast-food restaurant like I'd thought. It was one of those weird roadside curio shops that sell lawn flamingos and wooden Indians and cement grizzly bears and stuff like that. The main building was a long, low warehouse, surrounded by acres of statuary.
'It is a monster, isn't it?'
#Most likely.# Alexander replied.
"What does the sign say?" Annabeth asked. Even though she was a daughter of Athena, she was still dyslexic.
"Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium." I replied.
"You can read?" Annabeth asked flabbergasted.
"Obviously. duh."
"Percy's one of the top students in his year at Yancy." Grover added.
"Really?" Annabeth asked.
"Well... I definitely am in top ten."
"That's... cool. I smell burgers! Maybe we'll find food!" Annabeth suddenly exclaimed.
"Food." Grover moaned.
#There's magic on this place. Definitely a monster.#
"Snack bar," Annabeth said wistfully.
"Snack bar," Grover agreed.
"Are you two crazy?" I said. "This place is weird."
They ignored me. Annabeth and Grover rushed forward before I could stop them. Damn idiots. I followed them. It was best to act like Grover and Annabeth so the monster didn't get suspicious and I could sneak up and kill it before it killed either of us.
Well, time to kill some monsters and save their asses.
The front lot was a forest of statues: cement animals, cement children, even a cement satyr playing the pipes. That one made Grover hesitate but he continued walking ahead.
#'MEDUSA!'# Alexander and I yelled at each other together at the same time, piecing the clues together.
#Yeah... Medusa. Be careful Percy. She is still dangerous even though her gaze won't affect you due to my presence.#
That relived me a bit. I wasn't getting petrified atleast.
Annabeth knocked at the door. Then the door creaked open, and standing in front of us was a tall Middle Eastern woman-at least, I assumed she was acting Middle Eastern, because she wore a long black gown that covered everything but her hands, and her head was completely veiled. Her eyes glinted behind a curtain of black gauze, but that was about all I could make out. Her coffee-colored hands looked old, but well-manicured and elegant.
One would never have thought that this was Medusa and not a grandmother who had once been a beautiful lady. Her accent sounded vaguely Middle Eastern, too. She said, "Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?"
"They're... um..." Annabeth started to say.
"We're Orphans." I lied easily. Best make her think that I had fallen for her charms too.
"Orphans?" Medusa said like the word sounded alien in her mouth. "But, my dears! Surely not!"
"We got separated from our caravan," I lied. "Our circus caravan. The ringmaster told us to meet him at the gas station if we got lost, but he may have forgotten, or maybe he meant a different gas station. Anyway, we're lost. Is that food I smell?"
I really should get an Oscar for my acting skills.
"Oh, my dears," the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."
We thanked her and went inside. I heard her lock the door behind us.
Annabeth muttered to me, "Circus caravan?"
"Always have a strategy, right?"
"Your head is full of kelp."
I ignored the comment. This was not the time to bicker.
The warehouse was filled with more statues-people in all different poses, wearing all different outfits and with different expressions on their faces. All of it screamed of Medusa.
The aroma of the food was delicious though... perhaps I should enjoy her hospitality before killing her.
And sure enough, there it was at the back of the warehouse, a fast-food counter with a grill, a soda fountain, a pretzel heater, and a nacho cheese dispenser. Everything you could want, plus a few steel picnic tables out front. I was going to take all of that. It looked expensive and useful. No need to let perfectly good appliances go waste, eh.
"Please, sit down," Aunty Em said.
"Awesome," I said, looking around.
"Um," Grover said reluctantly, "we don't have any money, ma'am."
Before I could jab him in the ribs, Aunty Em said, "No, no, children. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat, for such nice orphans."
"Thank you, ma'am," Annabeth said.
Medusa stiffened.
I remembered that Athena was the one who converted her to the monster she was.
"Quite all right, Annabeth," she said. "You have such beautiful gray eyes, child."
That set off all alarm bells in my head. She had been informed that we were coming.
Our hostess disappeared behind the snack counter and started cooking. Before we knew it, she'd brought us plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, vanilla shakes, and XXL servings of French fries.
'Well,' I decided as I ate my burger, 'now I was going to kill her happily.'
Alexander laughed in my head.
"What's that hissing noise?" Grover suddenly asked.
Ah, he had heard the snakes.
Annabeth shook her head.
"Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Grover."
"I take vitamins. For my ears." Grover gave his standard lie for Satyr senses.
"That's admirable," she said. "But please, relax."
As Annabeth was eating her fries, I pickpocketed her invisibility cap and put it in my own pocket.
"Where's the bathroom, Aunty Em? Nature's call." I asked her politely. She pointed me in the right direction. I thanked the gods that the Bathroom door was in such a way that she couldn't see it, making my job easier.
I thanked her and got up before moving to the bathroom's direction. As soon as I turned around, I put on the cap and walked forward to open the bathroom door. After a moment, I audibly closed it, so Medusa would think that I went inside the bathroom. I sneaked back out and went to stand exactly behind where Medusa was sitting and narrating her tale... an abridged version of it anyways, to Grover and Annabeth.
She was saying, "You see, Annabeth, a bad woman was jealous of me, long ago, when I was young. I had a... a boyfriend, you know, and this bad woman was determined to break us apart. She caused a terrible —" That was as far as she got before I beheaded her cleanly in one, single smooth stroke of my sword from behind. With a sickening shlock, Medusa's head rolled off her head, thankfully still covered behind her veil.
Annabeth and Grover jumped up from their seats. Annabeth went for her knife, but stopped as I removed her cap from my head, still holding my sword, which was covered in sickly green blood.
Medusa's body, bar her head disintegrated into monster dust.
"WHY DID YOU KILL HER!" Annabeth suddenly screeched as Grover began shaking his head, as if coming out of a daze. They probably still had the lingering traces of magic on them, compelling them to fall into Medusa's trap.
I converted the storm rider back into its band form and casually picked up a couple of fries and dipped them in ketchup. "Look around Annabeth. Whom do you think she was?" I asked before eating the fries and retaking my seat.
Annabeth pieced everything together and gasped. "That was Medusa!"
"Brilliant deduction detective. You're welcome." I said without looking up from my plate as I ate my dinner.
"M-Medusa. You killed Medusa!" Annabeth said, still catching up to that fact. Grover was still staring at the severed head.
"That means Medusa was killed by a Perseus twice." I added. "Oh, and don't lift the veil. It still can petrify you. I will take it properly once I finish eating"
Annabeth slumped back in her chair and put her head in her hands. "Gods, this is not how I thought the quest would go."
I looked at her sharply. "Excuse me?"
"If it hadn't been for you," She sniffed, "we would most likely be dead Percy. I made such stupid mistakes already on the quest and would have made more if it hadn't been you. I am supposed to be the intelligent one and the strategist, but all I have done is mess up and failed to apply the basic things that I have been taught." She started sobbing.
I got up from my seat and knelt beside her. "Hey- hey, Annabeth. Don't cry. Its okay. We all make mistakes and we learn from them. And don't you think that you have failed."
"Yes Annabeth. You were pretty awesome while fighting the Furies." Grover added.
"Anybody who can piggyback-ride a Fury is okay by me." I added.
She removed her head from her hands and looked at me. I squeezed her shoulder in an assuring gesture.
She gave me a watery smile.
"You're also pretty good with that knife." I complimented her to make her feel better. But, it was a genuine compliment. She was pretty good with a knife.
"You think so?"
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."
"But, I messed up. I led you both here. We had food. You even said that this place seemed weird and yet I didn't listen to you."
"Even I didn't listen to you Percy. Sorry." Grover added.
"No need to feel bad you two. We all make mistakes and we learn from them. No need to feel ashamed. Just take a lesson from this and next time something like this happens, be alert."
They nodded.
"Now, eat. Let us finish our dinners and then rest here for the night. We will set out tomorrow morning again at sunrise."
"That seems sound." Annabeth nodded in agreement.
"Hey Percy, what are you going to do with her head." Grover asked, munching on a tissue paper.
"It is a spoil. I am going to keep it. The head won't loose its petrifying stare for a few days atleast. It may come in hands during the quest or as a sacrifice... or I will make it into a Aegis-like shield." I shrugged. I really didn't fancy the last option though. I liked shields plain and smooth. Not with monster heads on it.
"Thalia had such a shield." Annabeth said sadly.
"What?"
"Thalia had a replica of my mother's Aegis. It was a gift from her dad. She wielded it with a adamantine-celestial bronze electric spear."
Grover suddenly looked guilty.
"Oh." I said. Thalia was sort of a legend at camp half-blood. She was a daughter of Zeus. She had reached camp with her two companions and a Satyr but they couldn't make it all the way inside to safety due to the horde of monsters following her. So, she stood against an army of monsters to buy her friends time. She almost while doing so and Zeus converted her into a pine tree to save her, and now, Thalia's spirit, guarded the borders of the camp.
"Wait... that means you were one of Thalia's companions who came with her." I pieced it together. Annabeth nodded.
"Luke, Grover and I. I was seven when I ran away from home. My dad and step mother didn't have the best relationship with me especially since monsters started attacking. So, I couldn't bear it anymore and ran away. My mom guided me to Luke and Thalia. Then, the three of us journeyed together, fighting monsters which the lord of dead had sent after Thalia to kill her." She said sniffing as a tear rolled down her cheek. "In the end the monsters caught up with us... and everyone knows the rest of the story."
I did the only thing I felt appropriate. I hugged her. She hugged me back, still sniffing.
We broke the hug once she calmed down.
"You know, Percy? You remind me so much of her. Thalia. You and she both are leaders, making decisions and all. She wasn't as knowledgeable as you are... actually she was highly dyslexic. But, her instincts were great. Just like yours. And she was a natural at fighting too. And she never buttered things up. She would call a lame man lame to his face. If you'd meet, you both would be best friends or worst enemies." She gave a watery chuckle.
"Let's go with best friends, shall we. Now, I think you both should sleep. I'll take the first watch and also take care of the head." I said, wanting to change the topic. We had a quest first and foremost. And we needed to be fresh tomorrow to continue our quest.
"You sure? I can take the first watch." Grover said. I nodded.
"Yes. I am sure. You both should go to sleep."
They nodded and started looking around. Annabeth found Medusa's bedroom which looked pretty normal for the bedroom of a monster and claimed it. Grover collapsed on a couch and both of them were soon asleep.
'You know, Thalia's story is pretty sad. You never told me that Annabeth and Luke were her companions.'
#I didn't know myself Percy... I just got the basic news that time. And yes... It is sad that a hero like her should suffer such a fate. Now, I think you should explore this place. Its Medusa's lair. You will likely find something interesting in here. If not... you are still taking the appliances for yourself.#
'True.'
I started exploring the place. The very first door that I decided to look inside was locked. I took out the Balisong knife Hestia had gifted me and touched its blade to the lock.
"ανοίγω" (open)
The lock clicked open and I pushed the door open and saw that it was an office of some sort. I started looking around. Her account book showed her six most recent sales, all shipments to the Underworld to decorate Hades and Persephone's garden. According to one freight bill, the Underworld's billing address was DOA Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California. I folded up the bill and stuffed it in my pocket. In the cash register I found fifty dollars, a few golden drachmas, and some packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express, each with a little leather bag attached for coins.
I pocketed the money too and started searching further, only picking up a box on the way to keep Medusa's head in. I found nothing more interesting though.
#Percy. There's something behind that painting of the shipwreck.# Alexander suddenly said as I was about to leave her office. I immediately removed the painting from the wall and saw that there was a small safe behind it similar to the one I had in my own cabin. I immediately flipped the Balisong open and touched the blade to the vault and said "ανοίγω".
The vault opened, Hestia's knife was awesome. In the vault there were two standard celestial bronze cavalry swords, a standard spear, an imperial gold knife- similar to the one I had taken from the cyclops all those years ago, a celestial bronze dagger, a pouch of Drachmas and a book.
#She has probably taken all of that from Demigods except for the pouch. That must be whatever she got from her sales. Put everything in your tent and see what's in that book.#
I put the rectangular piece, as big as a credit card on the ground and it turned to my tent. It was the one I had taken from the vault with my backpack and everything else.
I picked up the weapons and went inside the tent. The tent from inside was actually a 5 BHK fully furnished house. Two bedrooms had been merged and converted into a training room, and another into an empty store room. There were two proper bedrooms and a kitchen though which had all basic things. The hall was fully furnished with a small dining table, several couches and most importantly, a T.V.
I put the weapons into the store room and then reconverted the tent to the size of a credit card. I put the book and the tent back into my bag and proceeded to look behind each and every painting in the room, just to make sure there wasn't another hidden vault.
There wasn't.
So, I went back out and carefully placed Medusa's head into the box I had chosen and put that too in my bag. I was thankful that the bag was expandable. I went into the kitchen and erected the tent again before proceeding to loot the kitchen of all the appliances and a couple of sets of crockery. I took the soda machine, the coffee maker, the nacho machine, the grill, the mixer-blender, a food processor, the microwave, the induction stove, the toaster, an electric fry pan, a waffle maker, the juicer, the deep fryer and the electric kettle. I had to clean a couple of them but they were worth it. All of them were of big brands and of high quality.
For a monster, Medusa had a pretty modern kitchen. And she made good food too.
#Even pretty well funded too. Also, she was informed of your arrival.# Alexander said as I placed the last of the appliance in my tent's kitchen.
'Yeah... that is concerning. But, what can we do about it now?'
#True.#
I looked around the rest of the house but found nothing more interesting than a flashlight and a small tool box. By the time I finished, there was only an hour left for my shift to end and Grover to take over. So, I sat down and started to form a fireball in my hand.
#Hey Percy.#
'Hmmm...'
#You are now Hestia's champion, right?#
'Yes.'
#And the blessing includes summoning food.#
'So?'
#Why did you take the appliances if you can just summon food with the snap of your fingers?#
'Err... no need to let such good appliances go waste. If nothing, then my mom will use them.' I quickly made up an answer. I seriously had forgotten that I could summon food now with a thought. I decided to practice that skill too.
I thought of a steaming cup of hot chocolate and snapped my fingers. True enough, a cup of hot chocolate appeared in my hands. I blew the steam away and took a sip. Yum.
I soon finished the cup of hot chocolate and woke Grover up for his turn to watch and guard us.
I dozed off to sleep immediately.
In my dreams, I stood in a dark cavern before a gaping pit. Gray mist creatures churned all around me, whispering rags of smoke that I somehow knew were the spirits of the dead. They tugged at my clothes, trying to pull me back, but I felt compelled to walk forward to the very edge of the chasm. Looking down made me dizzy. The pit yawned so wide and was so completely black, I knew it must be bottomless. Yet I had a feeling that some-thing was trying to rise from the abyss, something huge and evil.
"The little hero," an amused voice echoed far down in the darkness. "Too weak, too young, but perhaps you will do."
The voice felt ancient-cold and heavy. It wrapped around me like sheets of lead.
It was Kronos
I tried to growl and retort, but no sound came out. I was frozen in time.
"They have misled you, boy," it said. "Barter with me. I will give you whatever you want. All the ones you love would be safe forever. I will give them Immortality if you wish. They will be able to live with you forever. Join me. Or else, I will kill them before your eyes just before I will kill you."
An image of my mother sleeping peacefully in her bed shimmered in front of me.
"Join me or suffer the consequences!"
Cold laughter echoed from the chasm. An invisible force pulled me forward. It would drag me into the pit unless I stood firm.
"Help me rise, boy." The voice became hungrier. "Bring me the bolt. Strike a blow against the treacherous gods."
Suddenly a bright flash occurred throughout the world and I found myself in Alexander's home. He was standing in front of me, panting visibly.
"Are you... alright?" Alexander wheezed out.
I nodded.
"It was Kronos. He was trying to persuade me to join him" I said and Alexander nodded.
"He has gained more power than I assumed Percy. That means he has gained followers. A lot of followers."
"How long until he completely returns?" I asked
"If we are extremely lucky, three years at the most. But, he'll take one year at the very atleast... So, let us assume around two years. Of course, he won't be at complete power immediately when he returns to the upper world, but even then, he'll be very powerful. I assume that the other Titans would start rising soon too. Perhaps, the first few would have already appeared in the upper world and are currently gaining allies and regaining their power."
"Yeah... Medusa being informed of our arrival is no coincidence."
"Agreed. We need to increase your training. We have a change of plans. You will stay as a year rounder."
"Wh-WHAT! No. Absolutely not!" I said firmly. "I am not leaving my mother. We can train as we did before I came to the camp. This is not negotiable Alexander."
"Percy please-"
"Alexander, we can train as we did. We don't need to be at the camp to train. We will train even when I sleep at night if needed. But, I have promised my mom that I will return home at the end of summer. And I will. If I don't she'll be heart broken"
Alexander sighed in defeat. "Okay... It is actually not for training, but rather staying connected to the divine world. If you go home, for nine months you get cut off from the divine world Percy."
"I have promised my mother Alexander that I'll come back to her at the end of the summer. The world can go fuck itself. My mother is more important to me. I won't cause her grief. Her life has been shitty as it is." I firmly told him.
"I know... Personal loyalty. Okay. If you do that, you'll return to the camp for the winter break and whenever you a short vacation for this year. After next summer, you'll become a year-rounder, BUT," Alexander said before I could protest, "You'll go home for the weekends. We'll convince Chiron. It would be like Yancy. Stay there for five days a week, return home for the weekend if you want. Agreed."
"I will think."
"No, this is the deal. We'll spend one year training as we do, just a little harder. After that, your participation in the divine world must increase."
I sighed. "Alright. Deal."
"Good. Now go to sleep. You have a long day tomorrow."
We spent the next two days on an Amtrak train, travelling west towards Los Angeles. We had booked a compartment to ourselves, using a little mist and the money we had taken from Medusa along with some funds from what the camp had given us. The journey was pretty boring and I definitely would have gone mad if I didn't have Alexander in my head. A positive which came from the long tedious train ride was that Annabeth, Grover and I bonded as a team. I came to know a lot about them. Their dreams, aspirations, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses etc. I also shared mine. I hadn't thought of a career goal in the mortal world yet, but Marine biology seemed interesting. Annabeth wanted to do architecture while Grover's goal was to find the lost god Pan.
Annabeth recollected some of the better times she had with Luke and Thalia when they were on run. I felt sad I saw Annabeth like that, reminiscing about Thalia.
Another thing of note was that we weren't attacked once during the train ride, but I didn't relax. I felt that we were traveling around in a display case, being watched from above and maybe from below, that something was waiting for the right opportunity. I was a kid of the big three. Some monster was bound to be attracted to my scent.
Toward the end of our second day on the train, June 13, eight days before the summer solstice, we passed through some golden hills and over the Mississippi River into St. Louis. Annabeth craned her neck to see the Gateway Arch, which looked to me like a huge shopping bag handle stuck on the city.
"I want to do that," she sighed.
"What?" I asked.
"Build something like that. You ever see the Parthenon, Percy?"
"Only in pictures."
'And Alexander's memories.' I thought to myself but didn't voice it out loud.
"Someday, I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods, ever. Something that'll last a thousand years."
We pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. The intercom told us we'd have a three-hour layover before departing for Denver. Grover stretched. Before he was even fully awake, he said, "Food."
"Come on, goat boy," Annabeth said. "Sightseeing."
"Sightseeing?" I asked.
"The Gateway Arch," she said. "This may be my only chance to ride to the top. Are you coming or not?"
I nodded. Despite the potential dangers, I was pretty bored being cooped up in a train compartment.
Grover shrugged. "As long as there's a snack bar with-out monsters."
The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day the lines to get in weren't that long. We threaded our way through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other junk from the 1800s. It wasn't all that thrilling, but Annabeth kept telling us interesting facts about how the Arch was built, and Grover kept passing me jelly beans, so I was okay. I kept looking around, though, at the other people in line.
"You smell anything?" I murmured to Grover. He took his nose out of the jelly-bean bag long enough to sniff.
"Underground," he said distastefully. "Under-ground air always smells like monsters. Probably doesn't mean anything."
But something still felt wrong to me. I had a feeling we shouldn't be here. I should have listened to my instincts but Annabeth's excitement kept me going. She really wanted to go up there in the arch.
And let me tell you, being an ADHD demigod and being cooped up in a train compartment for two days sucked. Like really. Even though I could get my ADHD pretty under control when I wanted, there was still a limit to it. So, I followed her.
'Alexander, what do you think?'
#You should go with her Percy. If there is some monster, we'll deal with it. But, if you forbid Annabeth from going, she may become bitter and would cause problems in the quest. Give her a suggestion to stay on the ground but don't expressively forbid her.#
'Okay.' I replied and did as he asked me, but Annabeth was insisting that we go up the arch. I sighed. I should have backed out of it when I saw the tiny little elevator car we were going to ride to the top of the Arch. I hate confined places. They make me nuts because my senses always get restricted... But, I didn't back out. If any danger was to befall Annabeth or Grover, they would need protection and I was the most skilled among us three.
We got shoehorned into the car with this big fat lady and her dog, a Chihuahua with a rhinestone collar. We started going up, inside the Arch. I'd never been in an elevator that went in a curve, and my stomach wasn't too happy about it. "No parents?" the fat lady asked us. She had beady eyes; pointy, coffee-stained teeth; a floppy denim hat, and a denim dress that bulged so much, she looked like a blue-jean blimp.
"They're below," Annabeth told her. "Scared of heights."
"Oh, the poor darlings."
The Chihuahua growled.
The woman said, "Now, now, sonny. Behave." The dog had beady eyes like its owner, intelligent and vicious.
That set of Alarm bells in my head.
'Which monster is this!?' I half yelled to Alexander.
#Not sure, but, I think that it may be Echidna.#
'The mother of all monsters?' I half yelled in my head.
#Yes. Do not panic Percy. It would do you no good#
'Yeah. I am calm. I am calm. No need to worry. It is just Echidna. No need to worry.'
#Oh, and the dog's also a monster. If this is Echidna, which I am about 99% sure she is, the dog is most likely the Chimera.# Alexander stated calmly.
Only one thought went through my head: 'Shit. Shit. Shit'
#Don't Panic Percy! Clear the mortals in the area and send your friends away. Ensure that only you and the monsters remain up in the Arch. Use your abilities to full extent. Also, Medusa's head will come in handy. Due to Hestia's blessing, you're fireproof. Like completely. If you jump into a volcano, you'll come out unscathed. So, the Chimera's fire is nothing. I will protect you against the poison, in case you get infected. Below you, is the river- your father's domain. Don't worry. Make sure that no one else gets in the way though. Unleash your full powers Percy. Don't hold back. Earthquake punches. Don't bring a storm though. Slow time down and use the shadows to your advantage.# Alexander lectured and I gave him a mental nod.
'Okay.' I said calming down a bit. 'Let us make a plan. First, clear the area, what next?'
#Try to finish off the Chimera first. Despite being more dangerous than Echidna, he will be easier to kill. Chimera has a thick skin, but your storm-rider will penetrate it with only a little difficulty. Echidna on the other hand is a tougher kill. Her skin is more impenetrable than the Nemean lion's and her mouth doesn't open wide enough for you to shove a weapon through it. You will have to crush her skull to kill her. Oh, and her nails are made of celestial bronze, so they won't break. They're more like daggers. She's extremely resistant to elemental attacks too. It would take a point blank hit from my brother's master bolt to kill her. Her endurance is equivalent to that of an Olympian and so is her strength.#
'You're doing nothing to reassure me Alexander.'
#I don't need to. You're capable enough to finish them both off or even in the worse case, escape with your life by jumping into a shadow. Have trust in your skills Percy.#
'Well, if you say so. Can't you just take over though?'
#No. I can't. Not unless you're facing a god or Titan or Primordial. Or you're badly wounded and have no chance. Here, I am confident in your skills Percy. You can do it.#
I took a deep breath. I had been training for this. I was the son of Poseidon and the Champion of Hestia and Alexander. I could kill a Chimera and Echidna. Even Alexander thought so. Nothing is impossible. I could do it.
'Okay. I go up, start clearing the area till only the monsters and I are left in the arch, confront them, kill the Chimera somehow and then punch Echidna to death. Plan B, jump into a shadow and get the hell out of there and deal with the consequences later.'
#That's about right.#
The elevator doors dinged open.
At the top of the Arch, the observation deck reminded me of a tin can with carpeting. Rows of tiny windows looked out over the city on one side and the river on the other. The view was okay, but if there's anything I like less than a confined space, it's a confined space six hundred feet in the air where I am trapped with two of the most dangerous monsters in the Greek world.
Annabeth kept talking about structural supports, and how she would've made the windows bigger, and designed a see-through floor. She probably could've stayed up there for hours, but luckily for me the park ranger announced that the observation deck would be closing in a few minutes.
I immediately started using the mist to clear the area, till only six people were left. The lift had a capacity of five, and there would be the park ranger/ lift man in there already. So, in the end, two people would have to remain back up here, and that would be Echidna, her sonny and I. Them versus me. No biggie.
As soon as the lift came, I manipulated the mist to make the two mortals climb in and then I steered Grover and Annabeth inside.
True to my assumption, Echidna had lingered behind.
The park ranger said, "Next car, sir."
"We'll get out," Annabeth said. "We'll wait with you."
"Naw, it's okay. I'll see you guys at the bottom." I said, desperately praying that they would listen to me.
Grover and Annabeth both looked nervous, but they let the elevator door slide shut. Their car disappeared down the ramp. I sighed in relief. Now, the only people left on the observation deck were me, and the fat lady with her Chihuahua aka Echidna and her Chimera.
I turned to her and she gave me a smile, her forked tongue flickering between her teeth. I smiled back.
"So, what can I do for you both today, Ms. Echidna and Mr. 'I am the result of a threesome between a lion, goat and snake' Chimera?" I casually asked, flexing my shoulders.
The Chihuahua bared his teeth at me, foam dripping from his black lips.
"Down half breed." I told the Chimera.
But, Echidna look unfazed by my insult to her dog and instead grinned maliciously.
"So, you recognize who we are." She said. "And yet you remained here. This means you are either delusional or foolish. Any sane person would have ran away with his tail between his legs."
"Well, I assure you that I am neither foolish, nor am I delusional, Ms. Anteater."
She growled. "Be honored, Percy Jackson. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test a hero with one of my brood. For I am the Mother of Monsters, the terrible Echidna! And for calling me that ridiculous name, my son shall destroy you!"
#Nonsense.# Alexander growled. #Zeus would never fall so low to employ Echidna of all monsters. He would just smite you.#
'We can talk about that afterwards. I have a bigger problem'
Echidna rolled up her denim sleeves, revealing that the skin of her arms was scaly and green. When she smiled, I saw that her teeth were fangs. The pupils of her eyes were side-ways slits, like a reptile's.
The Chihuahua on the other hand, barked louder, and with each bark, it grew. First to the size of a Doberman, then to a lion. The bark became a roar.
I could see why they were one of the most fearsome monsters in the Greek world.
The Chimera was now so tall its back rubbed against the roof. It had the head of a lion with a blood-caked mane, the body and hooves of a giant goat, and a serpent for a tail, a ten-foot-long diamondback growing right out of its shaggy behind. The rhinestone dog collar still hung around its neck, and the plate-sized dog tag was now easy to read: CHIMERA-RABID, FIRE-BREATHING, POISONOUS-IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL TARTARUS-EXT. 954.
I frowned at the plate. There was no number given. Foolish people.
Alexander groaned in my head. #Not the time Percy.#
I brought forth my storm-rider.
The Chimera charged, its lion teeth gnashing. I leapt aside and dodged the bite before swinging my sword which bounced off the Chimera's hide. The Chimera roared.
"Yeah, fuck you too doggy." I said gritting my teeth.
The Chimera turned faster than I would've thought possible. Before I could swing my sword, it opened its mouth, emitting a stench like the world's largest barbecue pit, and shot a column of flame straight at me.
I stood my ground and only concentrated on stopping the fire from melting off the arch. I didn't wish to blow torch a national monument. Annabeth would murder me.
As soon as the fire enveloped me, I felt energy rush into my body. So stepping into a fire would feel same as stepping into a water body for me now due to Hestia's blessing. Nice. Thank you Hestia.
The flames swirled around me, and I decided to try redirecting it, straight towards Echidna. I prayed to Hestia and willed the flames to obey me.
I felt a painful tug in my gut and the flames did as I willed.
Fire alarms started blaring as Echidna was blasted back due to the flames. But, she was still very much alive.
I turned back to the Chimera and narrowly dodged its serpent-tail, before I chopped it off in one clean strike of my storm-rider, putting a lot of power in the strike that I almost stumbled back. The Chimera roared in pain so loudly that I was sure that it would have been heard for several miles.
I wasn't resting though. I immediately slid under the Chimera, and in mid-slide, I turned my storm-bringer to Trident form and stabbed it in the Chimera's heart, mustering all the force I could.
It penetrated the skin, stabbing the Chimera's heart.
The Chimera turned into dust as I got out from underneath it. Now, all left on the floor was a hell lot of monster dust and lying on top of it was a hide and my trident.
I extended my hand and the trident flew back to me and converted back into its band form. I turned and saw Echidna had stood up with a murderous look on her face. Her clothes were in tatters, giving me a look that I absolutely didn't want to see.
"THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!" She screeched like a mad woman.
"Oh darling, you have no idea what's possible." I calmly replied before lunging at her at godly speed and slowed time down too, before punching her in the face with my favorite power: earthquake fist.
She flew and hit the wall on the other side of the room. Most monsters or even minor level deities would have died as soon as my fist connected with their skull. But, Echidna got up the very next second and roared at me, her nails lengthening and her size growing. Now, she still looked the same, only bigger.
She lunged at me.
I leapt high in the air, dodged her claws in the mid-air before I kicked her on the shoulder, channeling Earthquake power through my leg. She stumbled back but grabbed my leg in the mid air and threw me across the observation deck. I slammed next to the Elevator doors and groaned in pain before I had to roll out of the way to dodge Echidna's claws but, one nicked my shoulder, scoring a deep gash. Blood flowed from the wound and I saw red.
I kicked the side of her knee (like I had done with Clarisse), obviously channeling my earthquake power in it. She won't even have felt a normal punch or kick.
The mother of monsters fell to the ground, crying out in pain. I didn't waste the opportunity and punched her on the jaw before I started raining down punches on her face. I could hear the bones crack.
I kneed her in the chest and she fell on her back. I immediately leapt on her, planted my knee on her chest before bringing my hands together and channeled as much earthquake power and brought them down.
Echidna turned her head to the side to avoid the punch, but, I saw it just in time and acted, moving my aim a little downwards- straight on her neck.
Her neck snapped like a twig and I felt the arch shake slightly. If my hands had impacted the floor instead of Echidna's neck, I was sure that the arch would have broken down completely. I was glad that I had seen Echidna's defense just in time.
Echidna disintegrated into dust, leaving behind snake skin and her celestial bronze claws. I rolled to the ground and lied there catching my breath. I was exhausted. Putting earthquake powers in so many punches and kicks was no mean feat. My energy reserves had completely depleted and my hands and legs were almost numb.
#Congratulations Perseus Jackson. You are the first hero in History to singlehandedly kill the mother of monsters and the second to kill the Chimera. I am so proud of you. You didn't even need my help or help of Medusa's head. You did it with pure skill and your own powers. I am so very proud of you, my champion.#
I just panted while lying on the ground, too tired to care about Alexander's compliments.
That was when I saw the lift indicator showing that someone was coming up. The fire alarms were still blaring. I looked around. There was no concerning damage to the arch except for the few claw marks on the walls and a crack on the window. The monster dust was slowly disappearing but the pelts remained on the ground with Echidna's celestial bronze claws.
#Percy. You need to convince them that it was a false alarm. Use the mist. I will help you as you're tired.#
I immediately felt a small rush of energy. I slowly got up, wincing in pain as pain flared from the cut I had received. Blood flow from the wound had slowed down but it was still bleeding. I saw several droplets of blood on the floor.
The lift would be here in 20 seconds top. I removed my enchanted bag from my pocket and expanded it. From the side pocket, I removed a square of Ambrosia and popped it in my mouth, before taking a sip of nectar from the small bottle next to it. I felt better.
The lift was almost here. I immediately picked up the spoils and stuffed them in my bag before bringing forth my trident and shooting a glob of water from it and willed it to clean the droplets of my blood from the floor. I covered my short with mist to make it look normal. The glob collected all my blood on the floor. I threw a fireball at it and the water turned to steam as soon as it met the fireball.
The doors of the lift opened and uniformed firemen rushed in. I behaved like a scared kid and convinced them that the alarm was a false one (with a little use of the mist). Ten minutes later, I found myself back in the small lift, going back down to the ground. The bleeding from my wound had completely stopped but, I still needed to wash the wound and completely heal it. I would need water for that.
The door lift opened and I stumbled out. I saw Annabeth standing a few meters away behind a squadron of police an uniformed firemen. Even ambulances had arrived and so had the press. The fireman who had accompanied me, told the officials that it had been a false alarm and his men were checking what had gone wrong with the alarm that it rang needlessly.
A policeman climbed on his car and announced that it had been a faulty alarm and there was no fire as I went to meet Annabeth and Grover who were waiting for me.
As soon as I got nearer, Annabeth's and Grover's eyes went wide.
"PERCY YOU"RE BLEE— MMPHGH." I muffled her mouth with my hand to cease her shouting and hysteria.
"Come with me to the river. I will tell you both what happened up there."
I said and went towards the Mississippi river which was flowing a little distance away. As soon as we arrived on the banks, I removed my shirt and shoes before stepping into the water and starting to wash the blood away from my torso. The water gave me energy and increased the speed of healing. The cut was still very much visible.
"We can't leave you alone for five minutes! What happened?" Annabeth ranted.
"Nothing much." I replied. "The fat lady and her chihuahua were actually monsters. I fought them and killed them. End of the story. The fat lady gave me this." I added pointing to my wound.
"What monsters were they? A Dracaena and a hellhound?" Annabeth asked.
"Close but no. Echidna and the Chimera." I casually replied as if what I had done was no mean feat.
"SORRY, WHAT!?" Both Grover and Annabeth yelled, uncannily in sync.
"The fat lady was Echidna and the chihuahua was the Chimera. We fought and I killed them. Echidna gave me the scar." I replied with my back still turned away from them as I washed my wound.
"That's not possible."
"I have the spoils in my bag. Can you hand me the nectar bottle from the side pocket?" I said, finally turning to them.
I heard Annabeth's breath hitch and she furiously blushed seeing my chiseled body. I smirked.
"Annabeth, the nectar. You can ogle me later." She blushed even more despite scowling at me.
Grover took pity on her and handed me the bottle instead. I poured some of it on my almost healed wound and started sipping the rest. There was about 150ml and once I finished drinking it, savoring the taste of my mom's blue chocolate chip cookies, I aimed and threw the bottle in the trash can kept about 30 meters away. Bingo!
"Grover, my bag too please. I need to wear a new shirt. This one is bloody." I said. Grover handed me the bag and I took out a new shirt and immediately wore it. As I was about to come out, I felt a disturbance in the river. Something or someone was calling out to me.
"Wait. I will come back in a moment." I told Annabeth and Grover before diving in.
The riverbed was very dirty. bits of garbage and other things were floating about at the bottom.
"Err... Hi. Anyone here?" I said to the water.
No response. Just the dark drift of garbage downriver, the enormous catfish gliding by, the flash of sunset on the water's surface far above, turning everything the color of butterscotch. Fump-fump-fump. A riverboat's paddlewheel churned above me, swirling the silt around.
Then I heard a feminine voice. "Your father is very proud of you Percy."
Her words seemed to come from everywhere, rippling through the water like dolphin sonar.
"Where are you?" I called aloud.
Then, through the gloom, I saw her-a woman the color of the water, a ghost in the current, floating just above the catfish. She had long billowing hair, and her eyes, barely visible, were green like mine.
"Who are you, noble lady?" I asked, not wanting to offend her.
"I am a messenger child. I have a message to deliver from your father. Go to the beach in Santa Monica."
"What?" I asked in confusion. There was nothing in Santa Monica of importance to the divine world.
"It is your father's will. Before you descend into the Underworld, you must go to Santa Monica. Please, Percy, I cannot stay long. The river here is too foul for my presence"
I nodded in understanding. "Very well. I will. Tell my father that I said hi, won't you?"
She smiled at me. "I will brave one. Remember to go to Santa Monica before you descend into the underworld. And Don't trust the gifts. Farewell." saying so, she immediately merged with the current and went away before I could question her further.
'What was that supposed to mean?' I asked Alexander.
#Don't trust any gift you receive on this quest. Why, I have no idea.#
AND... CUT! I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
thompmil000: Tougher enemies. Tougher challenges especially from Titan's curse arc.
Reddragon God emperor of death: Well... Earthquake fist... here you go! Of course, Percy won't shout Earthquake fist before punching though. Its a mental thing and not like things which gamer! Percy fanfics show.
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I hope you are all enjoying this story. Some snippets are from the canon itself.
Stay Happy! Stay safe! Keep Smiling! Keep reading!