Chapter 5
Response to Reviews:
"Damn, I don't know what political affiliation you might have. But, shoving all this political propaganda don't the readers throat is no better than any political slander they talk on the tv or internet."
Response: Hmm… yeah, I'm not sure if you're the same person that originally commented about this or not, and I honestly don't care. The political side of this story is completely fictional, hence the name "fanfiction." I'm not sure if you know what propaganda even means, since its quite clear I'm not promoting my point of view on politics, and it would be even more clear if you read the author's note at the start of chapter 1. I'm also fairly certain my fictional story based around Greek myths is not biased or misleading, nor is it promoting a political cause. Overall, your review makes no sense whatsoever since I'm quite clearly just writing a fictional story and not shoving "propaganda" down the readers throat. The rest of your review is pointless and makes zero sense in terms of a fictional story I'm writing for fun. I'm not exactly sure what your problem is, or if you're writing these reviews to be annoying deliberately, and I don't particularly care either. You can keep writing them and I'll keep explaining why you're wrong at the start of every chapter if you really want to.
Definition of propaganda: Information, usually biased or misleading, to promote a political cause or point of view.
Yeah. Last time I checked I wasn't promoting a political cause with biased information in a fictional story based around myths. Think before you review next time.
AN: Sorry for the VERY long wait. I intend to have another chapter out this week (although we'll see how that goes haha). Unfortunately, the biggest term of the school year is coming up in just one week, meaning I'm going to have to focus primarily on that as opposed to writing this story. So on Monday of next week, this story will once again be going on Hiatus (at least until I've finished my assessment). Although I will try to write bits and pieces when taking breaks from study etc.
Anyways, enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 5:
February 4th, 2020
Connor Stoll's eyes opened. But he couldn't see. He could barely make out the world around him, nothing but blurry shapes and bright lights. He could feel the heat of a fire nearby but could not see it. He groaned and rolled over sideways. The warmth beckoned him, and yet he couldn't move his arms or legs. They weren't bound. Connor realised he felt extremely warm, hot even. His mind didn't think straight.
He slowly sat up, blurry shapes and bright lights spinning around him in a flurry of colour. His vision swam as it began to come back. But it was different. He saw the shadows in the corners clearly, they leaked darkness and despair. He slowly turned around on the floor and saw the fire. It was so bright and warm Connor couldn't believe it. He wanted to reach out and touch it but couldn't move his arms.
The fire called to him. Come Closer it said.
Connor shuffled forwards on his knees, his arms hanging limply by his sides. The fire was right in front of his face now, and slowly, Connor lay down, head in the fire, feeling its warmth, its power.
XXX
Percy, Annabeth, and Travis continued to creep through the camp, swords ready. They had been hearing shouts all night, and the daylight had crept across the sky, lighting up the camp. The battle seemed to be nearly over.
Percy poked his head around the corner of a tent, and immediately lurched back. Around the corner, in the clearing, was a group of 100 or so Russian soldiers. Their final stand. Percy could see demigods hiding all around the clearing, waiting for a chance to strike against the last Russians in the camp. Percy could see his father, Poseidon, hidden amongst them. He looked worn, tired, and weak. He stood hidden behind a tent, trident in hand. He was focussing on summoning and earthquake, but all he could manage was a shudder of earth to unsettle the Russians standing uneasily in a circle.
Percy caught the eyes of several sons of Apollo, bows loaded. He nodded. Better now than never. Arrows flew.
Russians fell in shouts of pain as 30 arrows smashed into their throats and eyes. The remaining demigods rushed forwards, swords flaring. They crossed the distance quickly, not allowing the Russians time to shoot them all down, although several of them fell.
The 30 demigods attacking managed to knock down and kill the remaining 70 or so Russians, and lay on the ground, exhausted. They had done it. They had won.
XXX
Poseidon lay in his tent, five kilometres from the Russian camp they had just burnt to the ground. He felt… weak… weary. Like he had been here too long. He had never felt this before. He knew the other gods were feeling it too. They all looked drained. Not just physically and emotionally, but powerfully drained. They didn't look like immortal beings, but rather tired mortals. Aging mortals…
XXX
Zeus stood in front of the eleven other Olympians.
"Russia struck the Empire State Building with a powerful missile early this morning. The people think Mount Olympus is gone. None believe it still exists. They all think we have died or are dying. I don't know why, or how this happened, but their minds are muddled. They think that because the Empire State Building is gone, so are we. We need to get back to Mount Olympus, right now." Zeus said.
"But what about the demigods?" Apollo asked.
"There is only 40 or so left. They can take the Argo II" Zeus said. "But we need to get back immediately. Which means we fly."
Poseidon nodded grimly. The demigods could look after themselves on the trip back to America.
XXX
February 5th, 2020
The demigods woke up from in their small campsite to the eerily quiet of the early morning after the battle.
Percy was up first, and his jaw dropped as he noticed the God's tents had disappeared. He immediately rushed over and began waking up the 40 remaining demigods.
"What do you mean the Gods disappeared?!" one of them yelled.
"I don't know! I woke up and their tents and chariots were gone!" Percy yelled.
The demigods, bleary eyed, gathered in the center of their campsite.
"Did the Gods ditch us?!" one of them yelled.
"It appears so…" Annabeth said sadly.
"We've still got the Argo II, at least we have a way home." Leo said, staring fondly at his ship, anchored by the shoreline.
Suddenly, the roar of a plane engine sounded overhead. The demigods looked up in disbelief as a Russian spy plane flew overhead, its guns firing directly for the Argo II.
"GET IN THE FOREST AND HIDE!" Percy screamed, leading the rush to the forest to escape the view of the Russian jet. Rushing, the small group of demigods stumbled into the forest, fear and adrenaline running through their veins. In the distance, the Argo II burst into flames, much to the demigod's dismay. This seemed to be the Russians only focus however, as the plane vanished off into the distance.
"We're trapped…" Percy whispered in dismay.
XXX
The Olympians arrived in New York city two hours after sunrise. They charged down the streets in their chariots, only to find the city mostly abandoned, with only a few pale faces of the poor and the lonely staring at them from broken windows.
Poseidon coughed. Then gasped.
"Gods don't get sick…" Poseidon said, fear coming into his voice.
The other gods stared at him in dismay. They were fading.
"We need to find where everyone went and make them believe we're still here. They must think we're dead or dying…" Artemis stated.
"Lead the way daughter, you are, after all, the Goddess of the Hunt." Zeus stated.
XXX
Connor Stoll woke up blearily, his vision perfect. Gasping, he tore his head from the fire he had been laying in, only to find he was not burnt.
"W – What?" He asked himself, speaking to the darkness.
The room he was laying in suddenly lit up, as the fire had just begun to burn much brighter than it had been before. Connor looked at his hands and gasped in shock. There were red burn marks running across his hands and up his arms.
"You have been blessed by fire…" a voice said from the darkness.
Connor spun, and saw only the shadows given off by the flickering light.
"Who's there? Who are you? Where am I?!" Connor shouted desperately at the darkness.
"Who Am I? An interesting question, one I do not know of the answer. As for where you are? Why, you are laying on the floor of a small cottage on Westminster avenue, hidden from the normal eye, of course." The voice from the darkness said, surprisingly welcoming. "A better question would be, what am I? You see, child, I am the darkness. You are born of fire. Most people would have it that we are enemies, light, and the dark. This is not true, for light cannot shine without darkness for it to shine upon, and shadows cannot be cast without the light to cast them." The voice spoke.
Connor looked at the darkness, the shadows cast by the light of the fire.
"There is only one true being in this universe. One true god. And it is not a god of light, or a god of darkness, or even light or death. The Greek Gods pale in comparison to the one true creator of all. The atom. The atom is our god, not the fire, the magic, the darkness. Not Zeus, or Poseidon, or Hades. Not Death, or Life, or Chaos and Order. We bow only to what we are made of. The atom. The light is formed from atoms, the darkness, shadows cast by the atoms forming the light. The air we breathe, is made of atoms. You were chosen to be blessed by fire. That is why you are here, dear child, because you are the prophesied one to stop this war before it goes out of control." The voice from the shadows whispered.
"What am I to do? I'm not a chosen one, I'm just a son of Hermes, the god of thieves and travel and messages. How am I the one to save the world?" Connor asked in desperation.
"Save the world? No. You will not be saving this world, for it is already doomed. If not by this war, then by the foolish working of mortals. Their machinery and pollution have long doomed this earth. No, you have been chosen to create a balance…"
"How do I do that?" Connor asked, beginning to relax.
"Seek out a mortal by the name of Jonathan Crowl." The shadow stated, and with that, Connor was ejected from the house, leaving him with nothing but the clothes on his back and the odd brandings on his arms.
XXX
Pilot James Kenzie glanced at his radar again. Nothing in sight but clouds. Glancing at his map, he estimated they were seven hours from Russia, a further nine from the capital of Moscow.
He picked up his speaker and spoke to his crew. "Check that nuclear bomb, soldiers. If that thing detonates in here, well, let's just say our chance of survival is quite literally 0." He said grimly.
The President had sent him on a dangerous mission. They were attempting to drop an atomic bomb on the Russian capital, a direct attempt on Putin's life, as well as millions of people. Kenzie couldn't help but agree with General Dunford. Dropping a nuclear bomb on Russia was only going to end badly for everyone. Literally everyone. Not even China would remain unscathed should more than 50,000 atomic bombs be detonated during this war.
"The atomic bomb is secure captain. Ready for dropping in 16 hours." A soldier said to Kenzie. He was a keen lad, the soldier, having volunteered for this mission to 'protect his country.'
Kenzie nodded, but he couldn't help but think that this mission would be the opposite to protecting America.
XXX
February 6th, 2020
Percy continued the painful trek through the forest with the other demigods. Food was short, and they had no tents with them after their sprint into the forest. Percy had considered going back for supplies, but Annabeth had dismissed the idea as too dangerous. Whilst Percy agreed, what was the point of it being too dangerous if they were just going to starve anyways?
"We aren't going to starve out here Percy." Annabeth said, reading his mind. "We have the children of Apollo to hunt, and the children of Demeter to find fresh fruit and water. The children of Hermes are surprisingly good at making fires as well. We're going to be fine, all we need to do is wait for the Gods to send us a ship or a way back." Annabeth stated confidently.
"But what if they don't? What if their flight back to America was because of something else? I doubt they would abandon us like that, not after fighting that battle with us." Percy said worriedly.
"I don't know Percy, but I'm sure they had good reason for doing what they did. I doubt they would forget about us, not after…" Annabeth trailed off, her breath fogging in the cold air.
"We need some way to motivate the demigods to survive, some of us have already given up." Percy said, remembering back to the previous morning. It had been a gruesome sight, waking up to see that three demigods had committed suicide during the night. It was almost unbelievable with the situation they were in.
They had sent children of Hermes ahead to scout earlier that day, along with the few of Artemis's hunters that weren't part of her main hunt.
Still, the yell of Russian forces up ahead startled the small group of miserable demigods out of their stupor.
"Run! There way too many of them!" came the yell from one of Hermes's children, quickly followed by screams from further on in the forest.
"RUN!" Percy yelled, shocking the demigods into action as they charged back the way they had come, stumbling through the snow.
More screams rang out through the forest. Percy and Annabeth were with the rest of the seven and a small group of about eleven demigods. The rest were split up in the forest, fighting for survival.
"Come on! We can escape this! We're stronger and faster than they are! Just don't leave the forest!" Percy shouted to the demigods nearby. They stumbled further into the forest, adrenaline and the knowledge that if they slowed down, they died keeping them running. Eventually they stumbled upon a small cave in the snow, and the group collapsed wearily in the cave, the shouts of Russians and screams of demigods in the distance.
XXX
February 7th, 2020
Pilot Kenzie rubbed his hands together nervously, preparing to take the controls back from his co – pilot for the big moment. The moment they would drop the atomic bomb on Moscow and hopefully kill Vladimir Putin. His co – pilot nodded to him grimly and Kenzie took control of the aircraft.
The head soldier on the plane entered the small cockpit.
"Prepare for the dropping of the atomic bomb. We'll be over Moscow in less than an hour." Kenzie said.
The soldier nodded.
"Prepare the bomb!" he shouted back into the area behind him.
A chorus of 'Yes Sir! Rang from the group of men in the back as the hurriedly prepared to drop an atomic bomb on Moscow.
The time passed achingly slowly for Kenzie as he nervously piloted the American bomber.
"5 minutes until drop!" He shouted, the soldiers in the back of the plane yelling affirmatives at him.
When the bomb was released, Kenzie could never have prepared himself for what he saw next.
XXX
Connor walked calmly through the streets of New York, eyes scanning the surrounding high rises and skyscrapers. Upon leaving the house, he had calmed down immensely, his mind clear and free of issues. He had no burdens and no fear of the ruined city around him. He walked over to the part of the city, which was most civilised, and began to ask the people who refused to leave about Jonathan Crowl.
After what felt like hours of fruitless searching, Connor finally found an old woman who said she knew where he lived.
"Why are you searching for him?" The old lady inquired, peering at Connor suspiciously and eyeing the burns on his arms in distaste. "You aren't part of one of those gangs, are you?" she asked, eyes screwing up in scrutiny as she looked him up and down.
"No Ma'am, I am searching for him because he knows something important, or so I believe" Connor said, tilting his head slightly.
The old lady gazed at him suspiciously for a moment, then shook her head. "What happened to your arms?" she inquired, eyes darting towards the burn marks.
"My apartment caught fire a couple of days ago, I barely made it out." Connor stated in a monotone.
The old woman grimaced. "Mr. Crowl lives in an apartment about 2 miles that way." The old woman said, gesturing in the direction of Long Island. "I can't quite remember the name of the apartment block he lives in, but it shouldn't be too hard to find." The old woman stated, waving her hand dismissively.
"Thank you." Connor said sincerely, immediately setting off at a brisk pace in the direction the woman had pointed.
It was close to sundown by the time Connor found the right apartment.
"Jonathon Crowl? I'm Connor Stoll, and I'm a demigod. I was told to look for you" Connor said as the door of the apartment opened to reveal a tired looking man with messy black hair.
XXX
Thanks for reading chapter five! Leave a review and let me know what you think :D