Percy found himself in yet another dream-memory.
The walls of the cave shimmered. Red, green, and blue crystals glittered, reflecting the light that seemed to appear from nothing. Percy couldn't see the light source. All kinds of flowers, from orchids to tulips to many he couldn't name, sprouted from the crystals. Berries of all varieties grew from vines that snaked along the walls. A green moss covered much of the floor, the only exception being a small stream of pristine water Percy just wanted to jump in. The room had high, glittering ceilings, like a basketball arena or a church.
A bed lay in the center, a Roman-style, velvet-laden bed similar in design to those Percy had seen in passing in New Rome. Around the bed sat numerous animals, but animals that absolutely shouldn't have been able to be there. A dodo bird, a weird mammal vaguely resembling a tiger. A wooly mammoth stood behind the bed. Percy could see a being in the bed, but he wasn't close enough to make out any defining features.
Percy whistled. "Damn."
As Percy took in his surroundings, a group of people walked past him. He recognized Annabeth Chase - she had been in both Nico's photo and his dreams. He still didn't know what their relationship had been, but he wondered if maybe… maybe they were together?
He shook his head. That was doubtful. He'd remember her name if they were together… right?
Next to Annabeth stepped a younger version of Nico. Percy guessed he was roughly 13 or 14 years old during this sequence - he seemed to be a bit tormented, like something was revealed to him recently that weighed down on his shoulders. His hair hung on his forehead, casting a brooding shadow onto his blank mask of a face.
There were two others - one was a satyr, his hooves evident against the green moss. He had very messy, curly brown hair, as well as a bit of a wisp on his chin. There were a pair of small horns as well, peeking out from the top of his head. He had an awestruck expression plastered on his face, as if he couldn't believe his surroundings.
The other person stood to Percy's right, a girl with frizzy red hair and sparkling green eyes. She had on a pair of jeans that had more little holes than swiss cheese, as well as a t-shirt with an art class's amount of paint spilled over it. Her eyes were wide, jaw slightly agape.
The satyr cried out first. "Pan!" He rushed forward, collapsing to his knees at the side of the bed. The rest of Percy's companions approached the bed, giving Percy his first good look at the being on the mattress.
The most famous of the satyrs lay, blue eyes sparkling with a long-held weariness and wisdom. He had curly hair like the satyr with Percy, but it was white, fading away. All of his hair was tinted gray, in fact - even his legs were tinged with white and gray. His horns were massive, akin to a bighorn sheep. A set of pipes hung around his neck, while his wrinkled hand patted the head of the dodo bird.
He spoke, his voice trembling with the stress of old age and the wisdom that accompanies it. "Ah, Grover, my dear satyr-kin. I have waited for this day…" He trailed off, looking into the newly-dubbed Grover's eyes, hand resting on hand.
Grover laughed nervously, the joy evident in his chuckles despite his hesitation. "I… I got lost, my lord."
Pan laughed. It was a beautiful sound, echoing against the crystals, bringing even more life into the cavern. A breeze swept through, a perfect springtime zephyr of sixty-five degree air, tussling Percy's hair. The dodo cuddled into Pan's side, while the tiger licked Pan's hand. Percy smiled despite himself.
"This is… stunning, lord Pan." Percy couldn't think of any other words to say - it was the only thing he could think of.
Pan smiled, turning his attention to the son of Poseidon. "Ah, yes, Perseus. 'Tis one of the final wild places left. The world outside, it has passed me by." Pan broke into a coughing fit, but his smile never disappeared. "This here… for a little bit longer, will be one of the final places of true wilderness."
Grover was confused. This was his journey, Percy had to assume. The others deferred to Grover in conversation. "My lord, please, I came here to find you. We need your help; the council, the Elders, they'll never believe it! Come help us, with you we can save the Wild!"
Pan's smile started to fall. He reached up, pushing his palm against Grover's chest. "Ah, Grover. So innocent and good inside, a true heart of the wild. I knew I chose well."
Grover's smile fell, replaced by what was close to desperation. "What do you mean by chose, my lord?"
Pan spoke with a wistfulness. Percy imagined he was yearning for a time gone by. "For so long, I have slept. My time has passed by - it is no longer the era of Pan. Now, we are finally near the… end, I suppose."
Grover looked up, staring at Pan's eyes. "The end?"
Pan breathed forlornly. "I sleep, and when I wake, I stay awake for less and less time. I waited to pass on my message, my second. But I know this will be the last."
Annabeth breathed, a sharp intake of air drawing attention. "Lysas, right? He tried to spread the message that 'the great god Pan was dead.'"
Pan gave a smile, looking up to the ceiling, staring through it. "Ah yes. Lysas. He was a good man. I'm glad he found his peace."
"But,... we need you!" Grover was panicked. "You're not dead! Lysas was wrong."
The god's image flickered, temporarily turning to what seemed like mist, before reforming on the bed. Percy wondered if that had been a recurring problem. "Grover… you sweet, sweet satyrs, you never believed it. But it was true." He coughed once again. "You only prolonged the painful twilight of a god's life. I thank you for your devotion, but I must… this is my end. Ask your companion, Nico."
Nico nodded. "He's not really… alive, right now. He's… a shade of his former self. He should have been dead already."
"No, no, no, no. We need you, we need you. How else can we bring the wild back?" Grover spoke with panic.
Pan smiled. "Grover, just as your companion saw the fading of my predecessor, you shall see my fading. And I ask you to carry my word for the rest of your beautiful life. You must tell all the great god Pan truly is dead."
Percy jerked his head away from Pan, turning to his friends. Everyone seemed confused, looking at each other, the same question on everyone's minds, asked by Annabeth.
"What do you mean? About one of us seeing the… fading of your predecessor?"
With that, Pan smiled, casting his gaze straight at Percy. "Perseus, of course. He… he was witness to the fading of my dear mentor, quite a long time ago. Or… hmm." He twirled his fading beard. "I suspect he has not yet. But in his future, he will witness her fading. And I thank you, for making it easier on her."
Percy stared. "I… will? You said it was a long time ago!"
A laugh. "Ah, young Perseus. Your story is just beginning, if my visions have been correct. I wish you luck on your journey. Say hello to sweet old Koma for me." He turned to Grover. "Carry my message now, young satyr. My story might be ending, but that does not mean the story of the wild has ended. Responsibility now falls on your shoulders."
As Pan turned towards the rest of Percy's group, Percy could feel a disturbance in the dream. As his body stayed standing around Pan's velvet bed, he found himself getting lifted up, away from the great god Pan.
Percy!
He wondered what Pan had to say in his waning moments.
Percy!
The coldness of confusion
Hangs in the morning air as
Brazen bells ring reality
To announce the conqueror dawn...
"Percy! Wake up!"
He jerked awake, sitting up. The bed was hard underneath him, the thin animal skins not providing much back support against the maple wood of the frame. He looked up, seeing Aika's face looming over him, a smile on her face.
Accompanied by her beautiful smile was her shockingly blue eyes, shining with a bit of mirth. Percy could get lost in those eyes for hours, he knew it.
He shook his head. Snap out of it, dumbass.
"Hey, Aika." Her face disappeared, Aika standing up straight as Percy swiveled out of bed. "What's up?"
She grinned. "Ah, nothing, really. But I figured we needed to get going. Zoë's been up for hours now, and she's getting restless."
Percy cast his mind back to the last night he spent in Tirida, where Aika and he had met Zoë the first time. She was a bit cold to them - the trio had eaten some dinner at a local restaurant to introduce each other. Aika was her usual self, joking around like she did with Percy. But Zoë, she had been… hesitant. She clearly seemed a bit more inclined to loosen up with Aika than Percy, but he had no idea why. He wondered what had happened in her past.
Now, he said she was a bit more inclined to loosen up, but that still wasn't very much. She was tight-lipped the entire meal - any direct question seemed to be ignored or deflected. After the first few minutes, Aika and Percy had decided not to press any further.
She'd tell them when the time was ready.
"Come on Percy. Zoë said she'd get us some food." Aika stepped out of the doorway.
Percy grabbed his gear, throwing on his tunic and grabbing his sword - it was a new sword, no longer the short sword given to him by the Athenians. Before sleeping, he had accompanied Gregorios to the armory, small as it was. He had found a xiphos there; it was still horribly unbalanced, but it would do a bit better.
As he dressed, he ran through the events of the latest memory to come back to him. Pan seemed like he knew of Percy's… predicament. The way he talked about past events coming in Percy's future, well, what else could it be? Percy had no idea who or what Koma was, but he knew he had to keep an eye out.
He had to honor Pan's dying declaration. Percy knew that, and was more than willing.
As Percy stepped outside, he saw both Aika and Zoë, waiting. Aika stood near the door, casually leaning against the wall, left foot pressed against it. Her black hair hung at shoulder level, while her imposing armor, belt, and scabbard combo stood out against the bland wall of the hotel. Percy was jealous of it, still.
Zoë sat at a table opposite Aika, rigid. Her black hair was pinned up, a bronze hairpin almost shining in the morning light. A quiver and bow rested against the wall behind her. Her obsidian eyes were piercing, as if in a staring contest with Aika. She didn't seem incredibly happy, if her scowl was anything to go off of.
Percy cleared his throat, drawing the two's attention. "Hey… let's sit and eat, yeah?"
Aika shot him a smile, before taking a seat. Percy joined her side of the table, leaving Zoë unaccompanied across from them. He grabbed a piece of bread, which felt rock solid in his hands.
He went to take a bite, but Aika stopped his wrist. "You can't eat it like that, you have to dip it. Softens it up." She gestured towards the pitcher of wine that sat at the center of the table. Percy could sense a large amount of water there too, like it was diluted.
It didn't seem very tasty. But, when in Thrace…
"Right, right. My mistake." He dipped it in the wine before chowing down. It wasn't the worst thing he had ever had.
His companions reached for their own slices of bread, breaking their fasts as well. As the three sat, eating some bread and wine, Percy felt the need to try talking to Zoë once more.
"Hey, Zoë… what is your… I don't mean to pry, but where did you come from?"
She scoffed, looking down at her plate. "No."
Aika drummed her fingers on the table. "Zoë, we - "
Zoë snapped her head up, her obsidian eyes glaring at Aika, reminding Percy of a wounded animal. "Not. Now."
Silence fell once more over the table. Only the sounds of Aika's drumming fingers, Zoë's foot tapping against the floor, and the bread crunching remained. It was an uncomfortable silence, one Percy was rushing to break.
"Zoë, so… ignore that question. Where are you going? Do you have any plans?"
The girl swallowed a bite of bread, before sitting back, wiping at her lips. She sighed. "I have nowhere."
"Nowhere?" Percy asked.
She shrugged. "I'm a… lone wolf."
"Is there anywhere you want to be?" Aika spoke up. "Anybody out there, maybe? Family?"
Zoë looked away, staring daggers into the wall. "No one, anymore. No place, either." Her words were drowning in sadness and depression, as if a good life was all ripped away from her. Percy wondered if maybe it truly was. "I just want some revenge."
Percy tried to think back to his dreams of a day prior. Zoë hadn't mentioned anything about her family then, right? He remembered a mention of her brethren when they were at the Hunters' camp, and then… nothing. Percy cursed at himself. He was getting sick and tired of not remembering everything.
Wait a second.
"Zoë, have you heard of the Hunters of Artemis?"
Zoë brought her head back around, leveling a stare at Percy. "I know of Artemis."
"No, her hunters." Percy shook his head. "They're a group of girls that follow the goddess. Immortal. They swear off men and join the goddess in her hunts, and if anyone would help beat up Heracles, it would be them. You might like it there."
Aika nudged him. "If it's all girls, why isn't it the Huntresses of Artemis?"
"I don't know," Percy responded quickly. "Why would I know that?"
"Well, you know they exist, why wouldn't you know?"
"Why would I try and guess the intentions of an Olympian naming her band of followers hunters instead of huntresses? In what world would I know that?"
"I don't know! You have experience!"
"What?"
"Yeah!"
"What the - "
"Oh, shut up, you two!"
Percy and Aika froze, turning to Zoë. She was standing now, annoyance evident on her face. She stared at the two of them, incredulity seeping into her tone. "Are you children?"
"Sorry, Zoë." Percy turned back once more to face Zoë, while Aika decided to slap the back of his head, eliciting a quiet "ow!" from him.
Zoë spoke once more, her voice wavering. "Percy, how could I become a Hunter?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, well, uh… I don't know?" He saw Zoë's eyebrow raised, and hurriedly continued, "I mean, you might be able to pray to her? Maybe she'll hear you and come recruit you? I don't know, Gods work in weird ways."
The future Lieutenant of the Hunt (although she didn't know it) shrugged. "Worth a try." She bent her head down, clasping her hands together as she mumbled under her breath. As she finished her prayer, she grabbed a portion of bread, walking over to the brazier and tossing it in.
"So now we wait?" Aika seemed skeptical.
Percy sighed. "I guess? I don't know if it'll work, I'm sure the Olympians have thousands of prayers to respond to every minute. But I think we'll know."
The three sat in silence once more. Percy chewed on his bread piece a bit more - it really was just bread. The Greeks needed to invent some more breakfast foods.
No silver deity appeared.
Percy could see Zoë's shoulders start to droop. He felt bad - he might have just proposed a ray of hope that it seemed she was missing.
He wasn't going to keep hope away from her.
"Hey, Zoë." She looked up towards him. "If Artemis doesn't come to you, let's go to her."
Aika took a sharp breath as Zoë cocked an eyebrow. "You don't mean…"
Percy shrugged. "Why not? Let's go to Olympus. Maybe we can even find some people to ask about your dad." He gestured towards Aika.
A nervous laugh came from Aika. "You make it sound so easy. We wouldn't even get close."
He shrugged. "Why not try?"
Zoë gave a slight smile, before reaching for her cup. "You're crazy, Percy." Percy shot her a grin in return.
Aika decided this was her moment to make fun of Percy. "Oh, he is crazy! You should've seen him race a horse for a sword."
A surprised laugh caused Zoë to spill her wine. "He did what?"
He groaned as Aika began retelling the fight against Diomedes' lost mare. She was waving her hands around, demonstrating to a confused Zoë about her shot that killed the Mare in the end, while Percy laid on a log. Percy covered his face, groaning.
"It was a killing machine!"
"You thought it was a regular horse!"
Zoë facepalmed as Aika snickered at his expense.
Percy stood up. "Let's get going. Mount Olympus waits for no one, I'm sure."
Removed from nights fleeting trance
Plunged headlong into cold days
Where in a circle we wander
The barren wastes of our pasts
- The Ivory Gate of Dreams, Fates Warning
They had been traveling for hours. Aika had pointed them towards the city of Amphipolis as a goal - it sat at a doable distance from Tirida, likely only a day's run with demigod stamina backing their legs. It was also supposedly an Athenian stronghold, according to Aika. If they needed to stop earlier, they could stop at Neapolis, too. Good enough for Percy.
They hugged the coast, ensuring easy access to the sea in case of emergency. Zoë didn't move with the grace and talent that Aika did, but she still moved quicker than Percy. She undoubtedly had some godly blood running through her veins. Percy had to strain to keep up.
By midday, the sunny sky had turned to clouds, which had in turn decided to punish them with the fury of a torrential downpour. Bullets of rain hit the earth, turning the dirt to mud, causing chaos on the water's surface. Their run turned more to a jog, the squelching of the mud and constant rain slowing down their progress.
So they slogged along, hoping to reach Amphipolis by nightfall. Percy had taken to just walking in the shallow water - he had to use his powers at a very marginal level to ensure he could keep up, counteracting the resistance, but it was worth it. Zoë had slipped a couple times, but Percy had helped dry her off and clean the mud from her clothes. Aika had still yet to slip.
The rain was brutal. Percy wondered why Zeus was pissed.
As they neared Neapolis, and the sun snuck lower towards the horizon, the trio could see the mountains start to stretch towards the coast. The slopes met the water, creating a sloped struggle for the adventurers. The mud and rain only served to compound their progress, causing them to slip and fall. Percy felt like a marathon runner trying ice skating for the first time.
It sucked.
Within five minutes of attempting to move past Neapolis, they looked at each other with a resounding feeling of 'hell no.' But they had just moved to turn back and find a hotel room when things went south.
"Hey, Aika, where did you get that armor?" Percy asked her.
She looked down, noting the arm guards laying atop her forearms. "I don't really know. My mom gave them to me, she said they were a gift from my dad. It's the only connection I have to him."
"She wouldn't tell you who he was?"
Aika shook her head. "My mom was… a private person. She cared about me a lot, that was for sure. But I think… Part of me thinks she wanted to keep me out of the whole divine world. That by not telling me, she was protecting me."
Percy nodded. "She was?"
Aika looked away, pain on her face now, even visible through the rain. "She died."
"Ah." Percy put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Aika."
She forged ahead, not looking at him. "It's in the past."
A heavy silence erupted between the two, the only sound the rain hitting their armor, the squelching of the mud, and the occasional thunderclap. As they forged ahead, Aika stopped suddenly.
"Where's Zoë?"
Percy jolted, whipping his head left and right. Sure enough, Zoë was gone - no sign of her anymore. He could've sworn she was right behind them.
"Zoë!"
"ZOË!"
The two spun around, searching for any signs. But visibility was near zero, the rain ruining any attempt at long-range searching. The mud was everywhere, and it was simply miserable. How were they going to find their companion in this weather?
Aika turned to Percy, nearly shouting over the rain. "Can you use the rainwater?"
Oh, right. Percy really needed to think of the applications his birthright afforded him. He closed his eyes, focusing on his senses, extending them out into the air. The drops fell, splashing against the green earth and the trees, weighing down the leaves of the maples riddling the mountainside. Percy reached with his power, trying to connect his mind to the rain as it fell from the clouds.
The rain started to come down harder. They needed to get to the city, soon.
As Percy focused, the rain roaring in his ears, he felt. He could envision what the water was hitting, feeling his surroundings, like a sixth sense. The world came into focus in a whole new light, the water illuminating the world. It reminded Percy of thermal imaging, almost. He scanned his surroundings, searching for any motion, before he found her. Zoë was running up the hill, moving on what seemed to be her own accord.
Percy pointed upwards, shouting to Aika. "She's moving that way."
She nodded. Percy dropped his concentration, the two running up the mountainside. The winds swirled, pushing against them. The trees swayed more violently than Percy had ever seen. The rain felt like bullets against their skin. But they pushed on.
As they climbed, the sounds of swords and battle cries swept over Percy and Aika. They paused, glancing at each other, before charging up with increased fervor. They ran, dodging trees and warding off the rain from hitting their eyes, until finally, they broke into a clearing.
Zoë was there, a familiar leaf-shaped sword in her hand, battling another man, nearly twice her size. The man was jacked, muscles rippling under his skin, making Zoë look positively tiny. Percy could make out the electric blue eyes and a scruffy beard, but much of his face was hidden by rain and shadow.
He stood, shirtless. His belt was holding up his pants, while he had on a pair of sandals that had seen some wear and tear. But by far the most intimidating part of his outfit was the Nemean Lion Pelt, worn like a cape, its head covering the head of Zoë's attacker. In his hand was a massive club, something that seemed almost impossible to lift.
This was Heracles.
Zoë dashed around him, a look of fury on her face. She darted around, dancing away from the reach of his club, jumping over or ducking under it on occasion.
"You ruined my life!" Zoë snapped at him.
He sent a massive overhead strike, causing the ground to shake with its impact. "I don't even know who you are," he snarled.
Zoë was like a snake, darting in with her sword, aiming for his Achilles' tendon and arms. He had a few gashes open already.
Heracles was none too happy about it.
Zoë got another good look in, a slice appearing on Heracles' torso. He roared with pain, before kicking in front of him. His foot caught Zoë's body, throwing her back like she was a soccer ball.
"ZOË!"
Percy's call drew Heracles' attention, who snarled. Percy stepped forward, drawing his sword from his scabbard. Aika readied her bow, nocking an arrow, settling in her stance.
And then the rain picked up even more, and Percy lost sight of him.
The fury of the gods was truly upon them.
Percy turned to his right, trying to communicate with Aika, but she was gone. Visibility was so low, he couldn't even tell if she was there or not. He shouted her name, but it was lost to the roar of the wind.
"AIKA!"
No response.
Percy whirled around, the mud splashing up against his legs. He held his xiphos out, warding off the invisible enemies. He hoped Zoë and Aika were holding up alright, but he worried. He closed his eyes, ready to channel his rain-sensing, hoping to sense their movements.
But before he did, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Percy whirled around, sword ready to strike, before stopping. It was just Aika. They had to shout to even hear each other.
"COME - WAY! ZOË!" He could barely hear her, but he got the intention. She gestured towards her left, but the rain was so disorienting that Percy had no idea what was forward and what was backwards.
"OK!"
Percy trudged with Aika. He saw the shadows of a couple trees, but he could barely even see their trunks. It was a full-on washout.
But then he saw Zoë. She was sitting on the ground, back up against the tree. A huge pool of blood had formed on her stomach, where her hands pressed down. She winced, her features contorted in pain as she bit down on a piece of cloth. Her brown eyes shone with pain.
"ZOË!"
Percy ran forward, hurriedly diving down to her, mud coating his forearms and legs. He held his left hand up, focusing on the raindrops, assembling a water bandage similar to the one he used during the Mare encounter.
As he leaned forward, bringing the water close to her stomach, he paused.
Something wasn't quite right.
He scanned Zoë one more time. Her black hair was tussled, messy and muddy, while her teeth were still clenched on the cloth in her mouth. The blood couldn't be contained by her hands, pooling at the wound and dripping onto the earth.
They locked eyes, and Percy realized.
Zoë didn't have brown eyes. She had obsidian.
He reached for his sword, but it was too late. Zoë's figure dissipated into mist, the space where she sat now just empty air. She was gone… or it wasn't even her that was there.
Percy instinctively dove to his left, but an arrow had already sunk itself into his back. He roared with pain. The arrow had pierced all the way through his body, head peeking through his stomach while the shaft poked through his back.
"Fuck!"
Percy dove behind the tree, another arrow flying inches from his head. He used his sword, slicing down over his stomach, disconnecting the arrowhead from the arrow itself, before reaching back behind him, clutching the shaft of the arrow.
With a grimace, he pulled. Percy shouted in pain, pulling the shaft as fast as he could through his torso. It didn't go fast enough. It was agonizing, and Percy didn't stop shouting until it was finally, finally free of his torso.
He took some deep breaths. That hurt. A lot. He raised his left hand again, the bandage reforming once more, placing it on his stomach. Percy could feel the wound restitching and his internal organs knitting back together, but it would take a minute to heal.
Percy leaned around the tree to get a look at his attacker.
It was Aika.
Her bow was raised, another arrow nocked. She walked slowly in a wide circle, trying to get another angle on him.
"Aika, what the fuck?"
She grinned. "Sorry, buddy." She shot an arrow, this time hitting the tree trunk. Percy could feel it shudder.
"Buddy? Who says that?" Percy said to himself. He kept his focus on the water, healing his injury. His front had been healed, but his back had just started closing.
Aika also had to have been a copy.
He leaned around the bark one more time, analyzing Aika closer. Like Zoë, there were imperfections - the blue on her arm guards was a different color, a lighter blue. Her hair was just a little longer, too. She wasn't perfect. Percy dodged back behind the tree, his upper back pressed against the bark.
Percy raised his voice, rising above the downpour of the rain. "Who are you?!"
Not-Aika laughed. "Doesn't matter, does it? Not when you're dead."
He scoffed. "I'm not going down without a fight, asshole."
Another arrow was loosed, digging into the tree. "And yet all I see is you, hiding."
Percy let out a gasp of relief as the water finally finished closing his wounds. He readied his sword, ready to attack. He closed his eyes, focusing once more on the water around him, focusing on the environment. Percy listened to the raindrops, growing his connection with the torrent around him. Soon enough, he had his doppler-radar-like sense back. He cast it over towards where Not-Aika stood to get a read.
She wasn't there.
Percy opened his eyes in a flash, bringing his sword up to deflect the sudden slash, coming from directly in front of him. Not-Aika had disappeared, replaced by the Heracles lookalike Zoë had fought. Percy had to assume Not-Zoë, Not-Aika and Heracles were the same being, and Heracles didn't have any shapeshifting powers.
Percy lunged forwards, putting his body weight behind the sword, pushing with all his might to push Not-Heracles off him. It was a successful effort, and he was able to put some distance between them.
Not-Heracles had foregone the club, now holding a massive longsword that seemed to defy physics. Percy readied his sword, before going on the attack.
He swung down, an overhead strike leaving a trail of water droplets, but the swing was blocked. Percy had to dive to his right to avoid the counter, a deadly stab that would've skewered his shoulder. He went low, feinting left before swinging at Not-Heracles' right ankle. It made contact, but not enough to draw blood.
Percy had to dive to the ground, dropping under a reactionary swing of the longsword. The swipe went wide, leaving Percy an opening - or so he thought. As Percy stabbed at Not-Heracles' Achilles tendon, it was deflected by… the longsword, which had shimmered out of existence and into reality at a different angle. Like the miss was a mirage.
"Shit!"
Percy lunged backwards, aiming to put distance between the two, but Not-Heracles was quick. He barreled right towards Percy, sword held like a giant cleaver, ready to tear him in two. Percy brought his sword up to deflect the swing.
As the blades made contact, Percy noticed something… unusual. The sound was delayed - it seemed like there was a small gap between the weight hitting his sword and the clang the blades made. As if the sword took longer to reach him.
Like it was shorter.
Was this all an illusion? Who was behind Not-Heracles?
Percy raised his free hand, feeling with his powers. A collection of raindrops turned to hail, and Percy shot them at his assailant, at least ten making direct contact. Not-Heracles cursed, but stepped back to ward off the projectiles, giving Percy the space he needed.
Percy held his hand out, balling it in a fist, before pulling. Water started levitating towards him, balling up in one massive, swirling ball, hovering over his fist. The rain bent to his will, Percy casting his reach to the entire area. The clearing he had found Zoë in suddenly lacked any precipitation, with the torrent now focused on adding to Percy's growing source of water.
But Percy could tell not all the water falling was truly real. As he focused on the droplets, he could tell nearly half of the rainfall was illusory, simply designed to limit visibility and separate him from his friends. This being was powerful, and skilled in illusions and magic, clearly.
Percy's ball of water had grown to nearly the size of his body, before Percy opened his hands, dropping his sword in the process. He commanded the water, expanding it to a wall nearly the size of a house, before pushing his hands forward, as if he was doing a standing push-up.
The wall was sent at blast speed towards Not-Hercules, whose eyes had widened. As the wall of water reached him, his image was blasted apart, the illusion falling apart. A sword dropped to the ground, one only half the size of the massive broadsword he had held.
But there was no being.
Before he could react, Percy felt a blade under his chin, and a voice spoke directly into his ear.
"Now, now, son of the storm-bringer. That's no way to treat a deity, is it?"
Percy bit his tongue. Son of a bitch. He raised his hands, turning slowly to face the god who spoke to him. The man had an impish face lacking any blemishes, one certainly worthy of godhood. He had brown hair, but as Percy focused, it seemed to flicker - it was hard to tell if it was always brown, or if it was blonde, or black, or red. He held a short dagger, barely a foot long, encrusted with gold.
The deity didn't seem mad though. Instead, he seemed positively delighted.
"I'm sorry for… who are you? Where are my friends?" Percy asked.
The man smiled. "Ah, no worries, little demigod! I am Dolos, spirit of trickery, deception, and craftiness. I must say, I think I outdid myself with that Heracles model, wouldn't you say?"
Percy stared at him blankly. "My friends?"
Dolos smacked himself in the face. "Ah yes. They're a bit occupied, no danger to them at all." He gestured behind Percy, who found himself facing the clearing. In the clearing stood Zoë and Aika, back to back, arrows shooting into the distance. By the looks on their faces, it seemed like they were facing an invisible swarm of monsters - Percy could only guess which ones.
"Uh… huh."
Dolos smiled, an entertained grin filling his face. "Isn't it hilarious? I love a good trick, this has made my year! I mean, your expression when you saw poor Zoë, bleeding from her stomach - "
The demigod glared at Dolos, cutting him off. "Yeah, well it wasn't exactly fun for me."
Dolos shrugged. "Part of the process, I'm afraid. Sorry I shot you. I made sure to avoid any vital organs, if it's any consolation. You were a star, though!"
Percy didn't say a word in response. Was this guy kidding?
"Now, ever since that whole debacle with Prometheus, I've been practicing, you see - it took me an hour to create a replica, and that just won't do! Now, that was clay, and these are all illusions of mist and whatnot, but I think it works anyway - don't you?" He looked at Percy, eyes actually seeming to seek an answer.
As if Dolos didn't have Percy at the tip of his dagger.
Percy raised his arm, pointing towards his friends. "Can you let them go?"
Dolos's eyes went blank for a second, before he came back to reality. "Oh, yeah, right! Chop, chop!" He clapped his hands twice in quick succession, and the rain immediately slowed to a light drizzle, while Zoë and Aika looked around in confusion. Percy imagined the monsters had just mysteriously disappeared.
"Zoë, Aika! Over here!" The two snapped their heads over towards him, concern on their faces, before jogging over to him.
Dolos just kept talking. "Man, that rain, that's my favorite illusion ever. I mean, just being able to make it seem like a downpour, low visibility, oh the atmosphere! The gravity it brings to a scene is just wonderful."
"Oh, would you shut up!" Percy glared at Dolos, who raised an eyebrow.
"Ouch. That wounds me, demigod."
Percy glared at him. "Why are we here?"
"Well, you see - ah, hello, ladies." Aika and Zoë had come close to them, arrows nocked on their bowstrings. "Please, put down the pointy sticks."
Aika stepped forward, lips curled in a snarl. "Get away from him." Zoë pulled her bowstring tauter.
Dolos grabbed Percy's collar, holding him as he waved the dagger towards the girls. "No, no. Drop that, come on."
With the wave of his dagger, he sent Zoë and Aika into what Percy assumed was another illusion. Within seconds, the two had dropped their bows, drawing their daggers - it must have been an illusion of some monster, perhaps a dracaenae or something similar, that would've warranted a close-range weapon.
But as soon as they dropped their bows, Dolos clicked his tongue, and they stumbled, eyes focusing once more on Percy and Dolos. Aika cursed, bending down before Dolos snapped his fingers. "Now, now. Let's just, relaaaaax. Jeez, you three have issues."
Percy cleared his throat. "Respectfully, you have me hostage."
Dolos smiled. "Yeah, I haven't killed you! I'm being polite here, buddy. You're my star performer! I couldn't kill you."
"Percy, who… who's this guy?" Zoë pointed towards his aggressor. Percy didn't notice the smile fade away from Dolos when Zoë said his name.
"Dolos, I guess. Trickery guy."
Zoë's fingers wrapped around her dagger, her obsidian eyes narrowing. "I see."
Percy turned his head towards Dolos. "Can we… go? Do we need to do something, or…"
Dolos stared at him, all pretenses dropped. "I'm sorry, what was your name?"
"Percy, Percy Jackson. Why?"
Dolos sighed. "Ah. Well. For what it's worth, you really were a fine actor, and I do regret this."
Percy frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I'm sorry, Percy. But the Earth Mother sends her regards."
Dolos stabbed down towards Percy, who tried to twist out of the way, but it was no use. Dolos' dagger headed straight for Percy's chest, when all hell broke loose.
Percy swore, while Zoë tried throwing her dagger at Dolos, eyes wide. But Aika… her reaction was the strangest part of the whole situation.
"PERCY!" Aika screamed, thrusting her hands forward.
Out of those hands came a violent gust of wind, unlike anything Percy had ever seen. The air itself seemed to ripple, the tightly concentrated blast arcing through the atmosphere. The world seemed like it had bent.
It hit Dolos right in the center of his chest, blasting him backwards through the forest. The sound the impact had made rang in Percy's ears, like a supersonic whip. Percy could hear branches snapping as the god flew, cursing.
Percy got to his feet, grabbing his sword, before looking at Aika. The girl was staring at her hands, shaking, eyes wide.
"Aika?"
Aika looked up at Percy, shock evident on her face. "I… I don't…"
"PERCY JACKSON!" The cry echoed from down the mountain, Dolos was not happy.
Percy ran towards Aika and Zoë, grabbing Aika's bow from the ground. He clutched her hand, pulling her along. "Talk later, run now! Get to Neapolis!"
Zoë sprinted in front of them, tossing her bow over her shoulder as she sprinted. Aika shook herself from her shock, taking her bow from Percy before following. Percy gave one last look behind them, but there was no sign of the deity. He sprinted.
The trio tore into the night, the sounds of an angry god echoing behind them.
A/N: Sorry for the late update! It's been an incredibly busy week, and some weird and unusual life events popped up as well. But not to worry! I hope you enjoyed it - once again, make sure to follow, favorite, or even leave a comment! Y'all are the best.
Special shoutout goes to a couple guests, DireRavenIII, Bolton101, N. Aepic Fael, and 7ove for leaving comments once again! Your support means the world to me.
See you in a week, give or take!