Insomnia

Part Four


Silence echoed between Morpheus, Selene, and Percy. A sigh left Nyx's lips. Moving closer to Morpheus, she looked over Percy's body at the punctures over his neck, arms, and legs. Even the holes in his shirt.

"Hm," Nyx snapped her fingers and all the shadow hawks' bodies disappeared. Motioning to the couch, Percy sat down, wincing in pain. Nyx bent down beside him, looking over the puncture marks.

"Phobetor and Phantasus are home fast sleep from some left over sand Hypnos gave me." Nyx said, rubbing the punctures marks on Percy's arm.

Percy winces at first but when he looked down at his arms, his eyes widen the marks were gone. He nodded in thanks to Nyx, who merely moved on to the other arm.

"I figured they couldn't keep you busy for long," Morpheus said, looking out the window. "I was hoping to have father back and all this taking care of, but it doesn't seem like that will be the case."

"Hm, I came to New York because this is always the last place he stops before coming to visit me." Nyx said, looking over the marks on Percy's legs. I saw dozens of mortals in long lines at the pharmacy getting a new pill called sleep. I tried one and was infuriated to realize it was my son's essence. Who would do such a thing?"

"A shadow hawk by the name of Benjamin Mann," Percy said as he looked down at his legs. All the marks were gone.

"I see, so he is behind my corrupted shadow hawks."

Percy nodded. He was about to open his mouth when he suddenly clenched his stomach as a wave of dizziness followed. Nyx gently removed his hand from his stomach. Lifting his shirt there were more punctures on his chest, but the ones on his stomach were leaking a dark purple fluid. Nyx placed her finger over the leaking punctures and with a light glow, it sealed up. She then lay her handover his stomach while the marks on his chest disappeared. Nodding to herself, she pulled her hand away.

"You need to vomit," Nyx said. "To get rid of the last bit of venom in your system."

"I'll take him," Selene said.

Helping Percy to his feet, Selene lead him into the bathroom in the other room.

Morpheus sat down beside Nyx, who laid back on the couch.

"I am sorry for not telling you sooner" "

I forgive you. I do tend to lose my temper when it comes to family," Nyx paused. "But I've learned there's a time for anger and a time for rationality.

"I am glad you see that."

"But I am furious and when the time comes, I will release my power on the enemy ten fold."

Morpheus gulped before laying back on the couch like it or not. He had a lot of explaining to do.

Meanwhile, back in his office, Benjamin leaned back in his chair behind his desk. His mind went over the encounter he had with his enemy and a smile spread across his face at the sigh of Percy control the power of water smashing the window at the end of the hall and escape with the others.

"For a hybrid, he is powerful," he said, amused.

He glanced over at the folders on his desk. There were simple moral reports about how Sleep profits were skyrocketing. He relished in such good news. It's a pity he couldn't keep this going for a little more.

Sighing, he rose to his fit as Luke walked in with another man beside him. From his long dark purple hair and eyes watching, he looked just like Luke. The only thing that was different he looked much more muscular. The man bowed to Benjamin.

"Luke and Luka, the hawk brothers, are together again.

Luke smiled "We are ready to server you,"

Benjamin walked over to Luka, whose eyes held a slight flicker in he shrugged it off.

"I assume Luke has informed you of our recent scuffle."

"Yes sir, While I may not destroy the Gods and I can keep them at bay,"

"And destroy the hybrid," Luck added.

"Keep him a live if you can. He could prove valuable."

Luke merely nodded. Benjamin smiled as he raised his hands.

"Now do what you do best!"

Both Luke and Luka smiled as they walked into the hallway. Benjamin followed and watched as Luke and Luka stood in front of 20 dozen shadow hawks with shouting they ran toward the shattered window and flew off into the sky.

"Ah, now the battle begins,"

Back at the apartment, Nyx and Morpheus stood by the doorway to the bedroom. They watched as Selene tucked a sleeping Percy in before standing up and joining them by the doorway.

"He's exhausted it, but he tried to convince me he was will to keep going." Selene said.

Nyx smiled, "Just like his father."

Nyx's smile disappeared the moment an odd sensation rattled her body. Morpheus and Selene looked at Nyx, whose eyes gave off a dark purple tint.

"Grandma, are you okay?" Morpheus asked.

Turning around, Nyx walked back into the living room. She looked out the window at the sky but see the dark gray tint as a lower rumble could be heard. Shaking her head, something wasn't right.

Selene walked in and turned on the TV. Her eyes widen as she pointed.

Looking at the TV, the break news report said human like birds were flaying over the city of New York. It showed one picking up a person while another dropped one. While showing video of people on the ground shaking because of the stingers along with people fighting with each other. The police and firefighters were also doing the same, as the chaos only seem to grow.

Nyx eyes fixed on the brief image of two shadow hawks generals leading a massive flock. One seem to wear armor and was muscular while the other was thinner.

"Luke and Luka, he has you both as well," Nyx said, balling up her fist.

Morpheus walked over to Nyx, who let out a sigh.

"This confirmed that Mr. Mann is an alter, but for him to capture a God and mess my haws while inflicting so much chaos worries me." Nyx said, as she continued watching the TV.

Percy opened his eyes and stood up, only to be welcome back a tan sand yellow light. He shook his head.

"Crap, I am asleep," Percy said.

Yes , you are,' Hypnos said, appeared a few inches away from he noticed Hypnos was leaning on a large shifting ball of sand.

"What wrong?"

The ball of sand formed into a TV. Percy bent down, looking at the screen. He saw shadow hawks swarming all over New York attacking people while people fought among themselves. He even spotted a few hawks dropping people.

"Mothers worried and if she is worried…." Hypnos trailed off.

"That's not good, but why is she worried who is Benjamin Mann?"

"Mother called him an Alter, which is a glitch in the system, as we call it. Where a hawk has the power to resist its master, but mother has quelled them with ease. But every thousand years there is the Alpha Alter, one that is supposed to have the strength of a premortal god. Hence, him being able to control the hawks while also enhancing them."

"So your mother has dealt with this before? "

"But not like this. She has never dealt with an Alpha with such intelligence."

"What does this mean? She can't stop him?"

Hypnos remained silent, only staring at Percy.

Balling up his fist, his cerulean aura rolled off his body like flames as he glowed.

"I need to get out of here."

"Percy,"

"No, there going to need my help. It's time to wake up!

Percy's eyes snapped opened as he jumped out of bed, his body still giving off his blue flames as he held his pen, which already morphed into a sword with the symbol of Poseidon glowing. Walking to the broken window in the room he glare as he could see a flock of hawks approaching I the distance.

In the living room, Morpheus stood by Selene as they spotted a flock of shadow hawks heading their direction. As the flock broke into two parts.

"Looks like they found us," Morpheus said.

"It was only a matter of time, Selene said, her eyes glowing.

Nyx remained quiet, her dark purple eyes flaring. She didn't enjoy having to attack her shadow hawks, some of them she raised from young hawks. But if it meant saving her son and the world, then she had no choice.