A/N
Well, I guess we have finally reached it. The moment where the story finally gets interesting. The first quest for our protagonist. The moment that you all have been waiting for since a long time. Damm. It took me fifteen chapters to reach here. Huh. Well, whatever.
Also, the story has now crossed 90k views. Wohoo!
As for last time's question, I got a number of correct answers from you guys, but the user s in the story. So, please refrain from asking about what happens in the future, cz even I have no clear idea.
Another important thing. See, I am trying to keep it as realistic as I can be with an OP main character. So, I hope you understand that there will be some dark themes like betrayal, depression and brutal deaths. This is inevitable. Only Chaos has the power to stop this, not even out son of Thor. So, I hope you understand if I kill of some character out of nowhere. I know you will be angry at me, but that won't change my mind. So, I am already informing you all about this right now. So, don't complain about this later. Savvy?
While that said, there will be no rape or forced sexual encounters. There may be mentions of rape, like a person's past, but I am highly disgusted by the concept of rape. I will not be including any such scenes, rest assured.
Also, wait a minute. Why did you guys think I was gonna rewrite this story? According to me, it has turned out quite well, hasn't it? I was asking you whether I should rewrite my other story. So no need to worry. This story stays as it is. Even if I Rewrite the other story, this one won't be affected as I will rewrite the other one in my spare time.
And the result is, yes, I am rewriting my story, 'The Cursed Hero'. But it will be like one chapter per month. So, this story won't be affected. any other writer out there. So, I tried to make him interact with Pythia.
Join my discord server for sneak peeks and extra spoilers.
The invite link is:
https/discord.gg/Zke3568Mds
Now, to address some reviews from the previous chapter.
First of all, stop bothering me about Nyx. I have an amazing plot planned for her. A plot I guarantee you all will like. So, wait and watch. And have some patience, people.
To Guest : Yeah. I told you. I am evil. Giving you something that you want, and taking it away immediately. Mwahaha.
To ArachnidHiveMind : Dude. Thanks a ton for that awesome review. Motivated me a lot. Also, I am in Ronin's server. So, no worries. And worry not, Percy will be using the snake slit eyes more in the future. I actually have something planned in the next chapter. And yes, we can reach 1million words. We will cross 200k by chapter 20
To Callum Runchman : Thanks man. Good to hear from you after some time. And I have my reasons for percy flirting with Annabeth. It is important for the future of the story. Especially for Percy's character building.
To Triainamoon : Yepp. I love irony. Especially when it comes to Athena and Annabeth.
Percy is gonna be hella shocked when he learns about it from Amphitrite. Hands down, that scene is gonna be epic.
To Datan-shi. okami : Thank you. As to your question, Percy will wield mjolnir.
To smithy : You see, The bolt doesn't increase Zeus' power, it concentrates the power together, thus stronger. The power is Zeus'. So, he is still a formidable foe.
To Woofington : In this story, Percy isn't obsessed with blue like canon! Percy. So, it is normal coke.
Anyways, moving forward.
Ladies in the pairing:
1 Artemis
2 Zoë
3 Hestia
4 Aphrodite
5 Piper
6 Athena
7 Reyna
8 Calypso
9 Sally
10 Thalia
Now, let's start without further ado.
Last Time :
"Rightttt." I drawled out, causing her to glare at me.
Chiron let out a chuckle at our banter and spoke, "You two sound exactly like an arguing married couple."
Annabeth blushed madly while I chuckled. Turning to her, I spoke in a deep voice, "Honey, we shouldn't fight in front of people, you know. Makes us look bad."
Unable to hold it in, Grover and I busted out laughing while Chiron chuckled. He also let out an accidental neigh, which caused me and Grover to laugh even louder. Annabeth on the other hand was glaring at me with a look that promised pain. But her cheeks and ear were as red as a tomato.
Not wanting Annabeth to kill me, Chiron stopped chuckling and spoke, "Now Perseus. That is enough. Annabeth, go back to your cabin and prepare for the quest. You leave tomorrow morning at seven."
Annabeth gave me a last death glare before turning around and storming out of the room.
Chiron then spoke to me, "Perseus, even you should go and attend your daily lessons." I nodded and headed out of the big house while thinking about the prophecy. I had a feeling that Hades wasn't the one who had stolen the bolt, but my gut also told me to visit the Underworld as it was important. Important why? I don't know. But I had always trusted my gut, and wasn't bloody going to stop doing so now.
As I passed the dining pavilion, I heard someone say, "Perseus."
I turned around and the sight of the person caused a huge smile to break out on my face.
Present Time :
Place : Camp Half-blood
Percy POV
I turned around and the sight of the person caused a huge smile to break out on my face.
"Well hello, Tia!. It's great to see you." I exclaimed happily while walking to the hearth, where the eldest daughter of Kronos was sitting.
"Likewise, Percy." Brightly returning my smile, she patted the log besides her. Accepting the silent invitation, I sat down next to her.
After a short but comfortable silence Hestia turned to me and spoke. "The gods saw your performance during the Capture the Flag game yesterday.
Surprised slightly at that, I turned my head to her and smirked in mock cockiness. "Impressed them, right?" I asked her.
Nodding, she spoke, "Yes, they have never seen a new demigod take on sixteen demigods, and that too of Ares by himself and emerge victorious. Suffice to say that I have never seen Ares so mad like when he saw you wiping the floor with his children.It actually came close to how he was when Sparta was defeated by Athens.
Letting out a chuckle, I replied, "That's great, I guess. Though I must say, I really did enjoy beating up Clarisse and her siblings."
Shaking her head at me in mock disappointment,
she sighed heavily. But I could see the slight tugging at the corner of her lips, easily betraying her act. She slowly shifted forward and leaned her head on my shoulder. Barely a second later, I winced as a spike of pain travelled up shoulder and neck at the pressure. Sensing this, she immediately took her head off my shoulder and stared at me in worry.
Looking at the arm, her eyes widened in realization as she gasped. She had leaned her head on my injured shoulder. Even though the wound was healed, I knew that my shoulder wasn't perfectly fine as of now. It would take a few hours more to heal completely.
"Oh! Ohh!. I am so sorry, Percy. I didn't realize that it was the same shoulder. Sorry." I put up a hand to silence her, but she just kept on babbling out apologies. Groaning, I put a finger to her lips to silence her.
"It's fine, Tia. I'm healed. Just a little sore at the joint. Don't worry though, it will heal before I depart on the quest."
Eyes uncrossing from my finger at her lips, her amber irises locked onto mine, and aftre a brief stare she nodded slowly.
Removing my finger from her lips I asked "Hmm. So, what're you up to these days? Anything interesting?" I asked casually, causing her to look at me as if I had grown a second head or something. I just gave her a look of questioning, mixed with confusion at her actions.
After a brief moment, she let out a small, adorable giggle that once again filled me up with that warm and fuzzy feeling in the chest I got every time I spoke to her. "Honestly Percy. You are the only person I can think of, that asks a goddess such a casual question like a friend."
Grinning smugly, I retorted with, "Well, I am not speaking to a goddess. I am speaking to my friend Tia, and she herself asked me to speak casually with her."
Her eyes widened before going back to normal as a smile formed on her face. "I guess you are right. Though I must ask you, who do you like better, Hestia the goddess, or Tia - your friend?"
'Uh oh! I am not answering that question.'
Thinking for a while, I spoke, "Now you see, I may be a tad bit oblivious and slow, but even I know what awaits me if I answer this question. So, I won't be answering that question because it is a trap that I don't want to fall into. But I will say that while Hestia is undoubtedly my favorite goddess after my parents, Tia on the other hand is my friend. She is the one who helped me when I was down. So, I like them both. and It's just my awesome luck that they are the same person." I winked at her in the end, causing her to blush slightly.
"That was sweet, Percy. I didn't know you were capable of saying something so nice, sweet and mature." She teased me as she giggled.
Smirking at her mysteriously, I spoke in an over-the-top voice, "Oh. ,Trust me Tia, I am more than just a cute face."
Mirth shone in her orange eyes as she scoffed and asked, "Oh really? And who told you that you are cute, Percy? I certainly don't remember doing so."
"So you don't think I am cute, hmm? Say that while looking into my eyes and I'll believe you." I challenged her light-heartedly.
She turned and locked eyes with me with a serious expression. And spoke in a solemn tone"Percy, I don't think you are...Oh who am I kidding. You are cute." she ended petulantly causing me to snicker at her pouting face.She groaned out in frustration, making me throw my head back and start laughing loudly.
This caused her to grumble something and push my shoulder. "Ok. No need to be mean about it." I said.
"Ughh. Let's speak of something else. Speaking about you will just be increase your already inflated ego." She spoke out humorously.
"Firstly, I have no ego. Secondly, why can't we talk about me? I find myself pretty interesting." I joked.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, oh mighty prince of Atlantis." Hestia snarked at me. Damn. She is really learning from me. Sarcasm, snarkiness,etc. Does that make me a bad influence on the sweet goddess? Meh. Who cares?
"Ahh. So we've come to formalities huh, Lady Hestia, goddess of the Hearth, eldest daughter of the crooked one?" I snarked back at her.
Rolling her eyes, she decided to ignore me. But she also supported a small grin on her face.
"So, how did the gods react when they found out about me being a son of Poseidon? I bet it must have been an interesting scenario up there in the throne room." I asked her with genuine curiosity lacing my words.
"I know that you only want to find out how Zeus and Dionysus reacted, right?" She asked me with a knowing look in her eyes. O simply shrugged and grinned. She had guessed it right. I wanted to know how that stupid drunkard reacted to my parentage. Also, I knew that my dear (note the sarcasm) uncle must not have been happy finding out that I was his nephew.
"Well, most gods were shocked as Poseidon hasn't sired a single demigod in the past three hundred years. And then you pop up. Also the fact that no feature of yours other than your hair match with Poseidon. Honestly, if I hadn't known you, I would myself have mistaken you for a son of Zeus because of the black hair and blue eyes."
She spoke with a shrug, putting in some humour at the end.
Said humour caused me to fake gag. I hadn't met my dad's younger brother yet, but from the stories of the past, I knew enough about his lust, paranoia and ego. In short, my uncle was like that annoying relative who seems more interested in your life and studies than you are. Only much more powerful. With the most powerful weapon known in the Greek Pantheon.
"Please, not that. Anything but that. I have heard enough about sir thunder pants to know that he is the most terrible father alive. No offense to you Tia, but your youngest brother is a dick." I told her seriously, while still cringing at the thought of Zeus being my father.
"Language, young man." She chided me with a wave of her index finger. I rolled my eyes and nodded. "Although you are right. Zeus is the worst father in existence, with only my father and grandfather being worse." She sighed sadly, but knew that it was the truth.
"Also, most gods were thoroughly impressed with your combat prowess and reflexes. The level of awareness and accuracy you showed is something that the gods haven't seen since Achilles himself. Ares was livid that you defeated his children humiliatingly, but seemed to agree that you are skilled. Something that he doesn't agree with for any other demigod. Athena seemed interested in you, but I don't think she likes you, seeing that you are Poseidon's child. Maybe she won't be so hard on you, considering that you aren't his blood child."
Hestia spoke in a calm voice, to which I nodded.
"Well, as long as less than six gods on the council hate me, I think I am safe. Let's see, Zeus, Ares and Dionysus hate me. Maybe even Hera might go against me, seeing that she hates all demigods. I can't say anything about Athena. Luckily, Artemis is a friend. The rest of the council, we will see later." I spoke, more like thought to myself. Hestia nodded and patted my shoulder.
"What about you? I hear you got a quest to retrieve my brother's symbol of power? What's the quest?" She asked me with curiosity, and a little bit of apprehension.
"Well yeah. I got a prophecy to retrieve the master bolt. It goes like:
'YOU SHALL GO WEST AND FACE THE GOD WHO HAS TURNED,
YOU SHALL FIND WHAT WAS STOLEN AND SEE IT SAFELY RETURNED.
YOU SHALL BE BETRAYED BY ONE WHO CALLS YOU FRIEND,
AND A CURSE MILLENNIA LONG SHALL YOU END .'"
"Hmm. That seems like pretty straight forward to me. The first line clearly states that the bolt is in the possession of some immortal. You have to confront that immortal and convince him or her to return the bolt. Not easy to do, but at least you know what you have to do. The second line must be referring to the master bolt. So this line is good, as it states that you will return the bolt. The fourth line is something that is easily understandable, but I don't know what it refers to. There are about a thousand such millennia old curses that have been inflicted by us Greek deities. That one is all yours. The third line is what I am worried of. A friend betraying you. I hope you know that I will never betray you, right?" She asked in a slightly hopeful, but nervous tone.
Locking eyes with her, I spoke confidently and comfortingly, "Tia, I know that you will never betray me. I never doubted you in the first place. Also, I hope you know that you can trust me. I'll always be there for you. I'd even sacrifice myself if it meant saving you." I tried to convey the sincerity behind these words through my eyes.
Hestia smiled brightly before pulling me in a hug. Fortunately, this hug was gentle, not like the one that had almost caused me to die due to lack of air. I returned the hug happily. Pulling back, we turned back to the ground in front of us.
She seemed to be lost in her thoughts for a moment. Her eyebrows scrunched over and her lips jutted out in a cute pout. She looked so cute right now, that I had to turn my face and try to divert my attention, lest I keep staring at her face like a lovestruck idiot.
Unfortunately, she noticed my unusual reaction and placed her hand on my cheek. She gently turned my face so that we were staring at each other. Royal blue met bright orange as I felt a shiver run through my body. The same shiver that I had felt when Zoë had kissed me.
For what seemed like eternity, we kept staring at each other's eyes, transfixed by the beauty of the other's eye. Neither she, nor I made any effort to look away, or even speak. Finally, I raised my hand slowly and placed it on her hand, that was resting on my cheek. I grabbed her hand and pulled it away from my cheek gently. Bringing her hand near my mouth, I kissed it tenderly. All this while, we had maintained eye contact with each other. When I kissed her hand, she seemed to snap out of her trance and gasped softly. Her skin turned a bright golden shade as she tried to hide her face.
Chuckling softly at her adorable actions, I slowly intertwined the fingers of our hands and turned back to sitting straight. Her hand was unbelievably soft, without a single rough patch or even a hint of callousness. In contrast, my hand was rougher, with calloused fingers from holding my weapons. There were also some scratch marks and small scars on my hand. Her hand also radiated the warmth that her aura did.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw her glance at the intertwined fingers of our hands. A part of me was worried that she would not feel the same about me and pull her hand away.
But to my immense delight, she smiled brightly before leaning onto my shoulder. Her head was resting on my shoulder, extra careful to not touch or put pressure on my wound. A goofy grin made it's way onto my face at this.
I felt all my worries about my quest vanish, instead being replaced by confidence and hope. Tia was subconsciously filling me up with hope.
I wasn't gonna protest though. The warm tingling feeling of hope made me let out a sigh of contentment.
"Hey Percy, what are your thoughts of this quest?" She asked me after a few moments of silence.
Taking some time to answer, I started with, "Honestly, I am mad and irritated at Lord thunder pants for losing his bolt. How the hell does someone lose a thing of such importance? How can anyone be so careless? Secondly, I have a feeling that the Lord of the Underworld doesn't have the bolt. You see, Alecto had demanded me to hand her the bolt, meaning that her master does not have it. It could easily have been a ploy to make us think that he isn't the thief, but I doubt your brother would stoop so low. From what I know, Hades may be cunning, even angry at his youngest brother, but thievery isn't Hades style. Yes, kidnapping Persephone was a different thing as he genuinely loved her. My father obviously isn't the thief, seeing that he is already strong enough to take Zeus out. If he wanted the throne, he could easily have dethroned Zeus long ago when Zeus and Hades were weak during the civil war. My dad's trident is almost as strong as Zeus'master bolt, and he hates anything to do with electricity. Also, my dad may have been a man-whore once, but one thing that he is not is a thief. Now that the big three are out of question, it leaves the other Olympians and minor gods. Minor gods won't do it, as they know better than to invoke Zeus' infamous wrath. Also, the other Olympians, other than Hera and Demeter of course, aren't strong enough to defeat Zeus even when he doesn't have his master bolt. Ares may be a suspect as he might want this war, but this seems too far-fetched for even the god of war. Honestly, I am confused and worried. I don't know what to do, where to search. Added to it, I have a duty to keep my companions safe. Annabeth might be a good fighter, but she is naive and won't be able to keep herself safe. Grover is defenseless other than his reed pipes, which I might say will be useless on the quest. The only reason I have him on the quest is to help him achieve his dream of getting a searcher's license. I am nervous, Tia. I don't want to let my father down. I don't want to put the citizens of both Atlantis and Olympus in danger. The failure of my quest will lead to a divine war, Tia. And in war, there are always casualties. When I close my eyes, I see the lifeless bodies of Mera, mom, dad, Triton, Chloe, Sally,Artemis, Zoë and you. It terrifies me. I can't lose you guys. You guys mean everything to me. All this depends on my quest. How do I know I will succeed? What if I fail?"
I finished my rant and then felt some wetness on my cheeks.
To my shock, I found out that the wetness was actually tears that were now seeping out of my eyes. My grip on Hestia's hand had tightened considerably, holding her like she was the only thing keeping me alive, the only keeping me from falling into darkness.
I tried to stop my tears. A true warrior and prince never cries. But to my disappointment, they didn't show any signs of stopping however much I tried. It was as if a dam had broken down. The nervousness and fear regarding this quest, which I had tried to hide with humour and distractions, had finally broken through my facade and caused me to break down. I felt vulnerable, weak.
A sudden pressure to my hand turned my attention to Hestia, who was looking at me with a sympathetic expression. "It is completely normal, Percy. Afterall, while you are the best warrior of Atlantis, and also the prince, you are still a twelve year old. A child not even in his teenage phase. And now the weight of the world's fate has been dumped on your shoulders. You are carrying the hope and prayers of millions of people. That would scare any hero away." She took a deep breath before locking eyes with me again.
"But you aren't just any hero, Percy. You are Perseus, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, prince of Atlantis, Slayer of the Minotaur and the mighty Leviathan. And most importantly, you are yourself. Remember your training, every time you fell, you got up again and fought back with even more fire. Instead of letting your failures and fears break you, you conquered and overcame them to emerge on the top. I have full trust in you, Percy. I know that you can do it. And that you will do it. If not for the others, I know you will do it for your father. Ask yourself this, Percy- Would you rather see those nightmares come true while you only sit and cry, or are you gonna stand against anything that stands against your loved ones and rip them apart?" Hestia asked in complete seriousness, with a monotone that didn't give out any feelings.
I didn't have to think for even a second before hardening my eyes and speaking decisively, "You are right. I am being stupid. I'll not let anyone harm the ones I love. Even if I have to take on two primordials at once to save even one of you, I will do so in a heartbeat. Thanks Tia, you are the best friend anyone could ask for."
She smiled brightly before pecking me on the cheek. "As are you Percy, as are you." She spoke softly as she pulled back with golden cheeks.
"Speaking of which, how are things on Olympus?" I asked her, trying to hide my red cheeks.
"Huh. Oh nothing much. The same as always. Apollo and Artemis quarrelling about who is elder, Ares and Hephaestus fighting over Aphrodite while the goddess herself ignores the two. Dionysus being useless as usual, sleeping throughout the meetings. Hera and Zeus fighting over his infidelity. Poseidon and Athena taunting each other. Demeter forcing everyone to eat cereals. Hermes minds his own business while pranking others occasionally. If I were to be honest, we are completely alike to those mortal politicians, maybe even worse." She said with a sigh, making me laugh out.
"Well, while it was extremely great speaking to you, Percy, I think I should take my leave now. I will be watching over you throughout the quest. Be safe, Percy. I would hate to ask Hades to resurrect you just so I can slap you for your idiotic tendencies." She spoke jokingly.
I cracked a smile and spoke, "When am I not careful? Also, reckless is my middle name."
She raised her eyebrows, "As for your question, umm let's see, taking on the Leviathan for one, flirting with the man-hating goddess for another. There are so many more that I can't even remember all. And as for your name, you don't even have a surname, leave a middle name, you goofball." She chuckled while pinching my cheek.
I swatted her had away. I hated it when anyone pinched my cheeks. Simply hated it.
"Ugghh. Technicalities. But okay yeah, I promise I will be careful and return to you in one piece. Happy?" I sassed.
"Yepp. Now goodbye, Percy." She spoke happily.
As she was about to vanish in flames, I felt a shiver pass through my body. I let my instincts take control of my body and launched forward. The next thing I knew, my lips were pressed against her's. My mind completely melted as a warm feeling passed through it. Her lips were extremely soft and warm, like perfectly roasted marshmallows.
She let out a squeak of surprise, but stayed still. I was about to pull back, when her hands shot forward and grabbed the backside of my head. She pulled me in and started to kiss back. I responded with equal enthusiasm. A small moan escaped her lips that sent a jolt through my nerves.
We stayed like that for what seemed like eternity before she finally pulled back. Her forehead was touching mine as we stared into each other's eyes. We were both breathing heavily, trying to get in as much oxygen as possible.
"That... that was incredible." She whispered out softly and lovingly. I smiled at her and replied, "Hmm. We are incredible."
"My first kiss. Never expected it to be so…" She trailed off happily, unable to vocalize her thoughts further.
"Amazing?" I prompted. She nodded, causing me to smile, before it turned into a smug grin.
"Wanna go again?" I asked mischievously.
She took on a mock thoughtful face, before shrugging. She started to lean towards me again with puckered lips. I closed my eyes and waited for the moment our lips would touch. But I never felt them. Instead, I heard her whisper in my ear, "Maybe later. Come back alive from the quest and maybe you can get more of that."
A bright light flashed in front of me, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that she had flashed away. I also saw how I looked like an idiot, leaning forwards with puckered lips, as if trying to kiss the air.
I groaned in disbelief before standing up and recomposing myself. Then I glanced at the hearth and scoffed. "Never knew you were the teasing type, Tia. But oh man, do I like it? And I hope you stay true to your word." I winked at the hearth, knowing well that she was watching me.
Then I turned around and started to walk towards the forest. I knew that it wasn't the time to show my skills to others. Ikol had strongly commanded this. I would usually carry out my training in the forest, near the clearing, where I wouldn't be disturbed by other campers. I may be terrible at shooting arrows, but my accuracy with throwing knives was second to only Artemis.
My eyes widened and I cursed myself when the image of Zoë Nightshade came to my mind. The recent events with Hestia came back and tore through my heart. I had just kissed another woman. I had betrayed Zoë. And the worst thing was, I didn't even feel guilty. Kissing Hestia, it felt just right. Not like that 'her lips are made for my lips' type of stupid cliché, but like kissing her was something that I was doing right.
However hard I tried, I couldn't find even an ounce of guilt in my soul. And this worried me. Since I was a child, I had decided that I would be with a single woman. I would never be like what my father used to be. Like what my uncles and cousins were. That is the reason I respected heroes like the original Perseus and prince Hector of Troy. They respected women and didn't see the opposite sex as objects. I had always vowed to be like them. But here I was, kissing a woman while already having kissed another.
I didn't even feel disgusted with myself like I thought I would. Instead, it was as if both my heart and brain were agreeing, saying that I didn't do anything wrong. That it was destined.
Never having believed in fate, I shook my head. I didn't need this kind of stress and thoughts of self-hatred right now. There were more pressing matters like the stupid quest for the stupid bolt. I needed to be in best physical and emotional state for it. I had a duty to my father and my friends. Also, I had to keep Annabeth and Grover safe too.
As I passed by the archery range, I waved back and smiled at some campers who greeted me with heys and waves. I walked on towards the forest while still thinking about the quest. As I reached the clearing, I took a deep breath before plopping myself down onto the shore of the lake. I sat Indian style, with my hands on my lap in the Jain position. I let my senses out as I meditated. I could feel the naiads in the lake watching me with curiosity and lust, waiting for an opportunity to pounce on me. The fish and other water creatures that lived in the lake swam up to me and bowed their heads. Nearby, I could feel a slithering of some snakes. I had always been drawn to snakes. They were majestic reptiles with high confidence and pride. And they waited patiently to strike, but once they striked, they never failed.
I was currently trying to hit targets with a blindfold on. Letting only my instincts and powers guide me. I would use my senses to scout my surroundings. The moisture level around a living body was obviously denser than free air. This would easily help me locate my target and shoot.
This exercise was for improving my skills and sharpening my senses. My spars with Artemis had shown me that I was not as fast as I thought myself to be. Sure, I could outrun any hunter or child of Hermes, but I knew that even though I didn't believe in Fate, my destiny wasn't normal. Also, Ikol kept telling me regularly that what I was right now was nowhere near what he expected from me. He would tell me about how I had many challenges ahead of me. Some challenges that would make even Poseidon pass out off fear. And let me tell you, I had never, never seen my adoptive father scared.
And one thing I had understood by now was that Ikol was never wrong. Also, he may be sarcastic and moody, but his advice would never fail me. I spent the next hour throwing knives at the targets, releasing the frustration that I held against myself.
"I don't think the tree nymphs would appreciate you throwing knives at their homes. You might just get attacked by acorns and other nuts." A humorous voice spoke from behind me.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. In fact, I reflexively threw a knife in the direction of the voice, being careful enough to not impale the person, just graze his hand slightly.
Removing my blindfold, I released a sigh, seeing that it was just Chiron. I had first thought it was some camper who had ran into me. I stifled a chuckle when I saw his widened eyes as he stared at the knife next to him in shock. His expression remained stoic, yet his tail swished around nervously.
"Need I remind you Perseus, that the game is about pinning the donkey's tail, not the horse's." He spoke out sarcastically.
Now I couldn't control myself. I busted out laughing. Even Chiron was chuckling humorously. After five minutes, we finally cooled down.
"Hello Chiron. Glad to see that it is you and not a camper. Otherwise there would be a ton of explaining for me to do. Especially if it was Annabeth." I sighed.
Chiron nodded with a smile. "Indeed. Annabeth would be more than curious."
Then he got a wistful look on her face.
" Annabeth. The girl is like a daughter to me. The closest I have ever been with a camper. The poor girl has suffered more than any other person her age. And losing Thalia might have been a major blow. Yet, the girl stays cheerful and haughty. Always curious and interested in something new."
He spoke with a smile.
I could see that Chiron cared deeply about Annie. His look was the same as what Aphros got on when he told me about his son.
"Yeah. She's curious. But Chiron, she is innocent. Naive, even. She thinks that the world outside is all strawberries and chocolates. She thinks that the gods will always protect her from harm. It may sound hypocritical coming from my mouth, but the gods are ignorant. Most of them care only about their thrones. Even now, most of them might me angry at me for speaking this way. But deep down, they know it is the truth. I was just lucky that my mom and dad cared about me unlike other demigods." I spoke seriously, with a scowl on my face.
It was not a lie, nor an exaggerated truth. It was the simple truth. I do love my mom and dad to the moon and back, but I know that I am the only demigod ever to have gotten to stay with my godly parents. Most demigods didn't even get to meet their parents in their lifetimes. Heck, Poseidon had never visited any son of his other than Theseus and Bellerophon.
"Although I cannot disagree with you Perseus, I must ask you to not speak such words. The gods might be forgiving, but their patience should not be tested, my boy." Chiron spoke gravely, yet in a firm tone.
I focused back on him and replied, "You are right, Chiron. Pardon me, I was lost in some thoughts that lead me to speak out. Anyway, what can I help you with?" I asked the centaur.
Chiron walked towards me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I might not know the extent to your skills, but I have a gut feeling that you might be able to take care of yourself well, my boy. But I can't say the same for Annabeth and Grover. I ask a favour of you. Please keep them safe. I know it will be hard as Annabeth can get …... difficult sometimes, but I know that if anyone can do it, it is you."
Nodding my head while looking up at him, I spoke, "No need to worry, Chiron. I intend to do that. And now seeing how much you care for Annie, I am even sure of this. I swear on my honor as a prince of Atlantis that I will make sure that Annabeth and Grover return from the quest alive." The resolve in my voice could be heard even by a deaf person.
His eyes widened before his lips set into a thin smile. "While I think that it was reckless of you to do this, I thank you for your promise. Now I will leave you to your training. See you later Perseus."
He turned around and trotted back towards the archery range.
Turning back to the lake, I sheathed the four knives and stuffed the blindfold in my pocket.
Stepping near the lake, I lifted my hands and started practicing my water manipulation.
After training for another six hours, I finally realized that I had completely skipped lunch and that it was time for dinner. Groaning, I jogged towards the dining pavilion. As I entered the pavilion, all eyes turned to me and a few whistles were heard from the Aphrodite cabin. Confused, I looked down and let out a groan.
In the rush, I had completely forgotten about the shirt that I had discarded and kept near the bank. So, I was now standing shirtless in the middle of the dining pavilion.
Letting out a sigh, I shrugged and walked towards the serving table. Getting some food and orange juice, I went back to the Poseidon table after sacrificing some food. Plopping myself down on it, I started eating the food slowly.
A random girl from the Aphrodite cabin shouted, "Hey Annabeth. You sure I can't accompany you on the quest?" The whole table erupted in a fit of giggles while Annabeth glared at them.
I groaned softly and turned my attention back to my food, but not before seeing Luke wink at me with a wide grin. I discreetly gave him the middle finger.
After the tiresome affair known as dinner, I decided to retire for the night. As I stepped in the cabin, I immediately went in the bathroom to take a shower. Feeling thoroughly refreshed, I wore my boxers and pajamas before going to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up at six. Freshening up, I walked out of the cabin with my bag pack, completely ready for the quest. I had taken some squares of Ambrosia, a flask of nectar, some spare t shirts and a jeans. I wore a pair of Nike air maxes, that would prevent noise and help me run comfortably. I had riptide sitting in my pocket, my knives hanging on the sheath on my belt.
I also wore the two rings that turned into twin Imperial gold gladiī. A few chocolate bars also rested in my bag pack. As I reached Thalia's pine, I saw that it was sparkling in the morning sunlight.
Touching the bark, I spoke soothingly, "Hey. I am Percy Jackson, adopted son of Poseidon. Your cousin, I guess. I heard about your sacrifice to save Annie and Castellan. And honestly, I admire and respect that. Not many would be willing to make that sacrifice. I guess we would have gotten along well. But worry not, I promise I will try everything I can to save you. And till that, I will keep Annie and Castellan safe. Well, I should get going. People will think I am crazy if they see me talking to a tree. Bye, Thalia."
I must have imagined this, but I swear I felt the tree glowing blue for a second. The next moment, a pine leaf fell on my shoulder. Picking it up, I held it in my hands and examined it before storing it in my bag pack. As I turned around, I saw four figures approaching me. They were Annabeth, Grover, Chiron and Argus.
I smiled at them, which they returned. As they reached me, I turned to Annabeth and asked, "Hey Annie, ready for the adventure of your life?"
"It's not an adventure, seaweed brain. It's a quest. A very, very important quest." She spoke haughtily.
I rolled my eyes. "Potato, potahto." I shot back.
She snorted and spoke, "Why do I even argue with you?" Before opening her bag and checking through her stuff.
I laughed and turned to Grover. "Hey Grover. You ready?"
He bleated nervously before calming himself down enough to squeak out, "Yeah, I guess. Can't really say I am prepared, but yes, I am ready."
I nodded sagely before turning to Chiron. He patted my shoulder before speaking, "I wish you all the best, Perseus. I know that you understand the importance and imapct that the outcome of this quest entails. I hope you succeed, my boy. May Tyche be with you."
I nodded before grasping his forearm. We did a small Roman handshake before he stepped back. "Ahh. I forgot to mention. Argus here will be driving you children to the bus station, from where you officially start your quest. I am sorry children, but that is all I can help you with. The laws made by Lord Zeus state so." He spoke sadly.
I nodded to Argus, who nodded back and went away to get the camp van. Chiron was about to say something when a voice interrupted him.
"Perce. Wait up, man." Said Luke Castellan as he sprinted up to us. He was painting slightly, but otherwise, he looked fine.
"Hey Luke. What's up? I don't remember you getting up so early." I asked him with a smile.
"What? You really thought I'd let three of my closest friends depart on a deadly quest without helping them and seeing them off?" He snapped at me playfully.
I grinned back at him. "Oh. Someone's got their panties in a twist this morning."
He flipped me off before turning to Annabeth. "Hey Annie. Take care. I know you can do it. Go on. Make Thalia proud." He went up to her and hugged her. I could see that he saw her as a little sister, but Annabeth clearly had a crush on him. Poor Annie. She was blushing so hard that I thought she would pass out on the spot.
Luckily for her, Luke stepped back, saving her from that embarrassment. "Thanks Luke. I will make her proud." She spoke softly while staring at him starry-eyed. I turned to Grover and jabbed him in the ribs. He turned to me and we both started laughing uncontrollably.
Annabeth turned to me and glared with so much anger that I couldn't help but wince a little. Satisfied, she turned back to Luke and gave him a smile.
Luke then came up to us. "Hey Grover. Take care, buddy." He spoke, to which Grover nodded and gave him a thumbs-up.
Luke then pulled a box out of his jacket and handed it to me. I opened it to find a pair of Converse that were about the same size as my shoes. I looked at him confused. "Hey man. Thanks for this, but I already have a good pair of shoes."
He shook his head excitedly before speaking. "Nah. You see Perseus, these aren't ordinary shoes. They are flying shoes. Copied straight from my dad's original ones. Check this out. Maia."
The shoes immediately sprouted small wings and started to rise in the air. I stared at them in awe, so did Grover and Annabeth.
"Man. That's simply awesome." I exclaimed, eliciting a grin from him.
"But sorry man. I can't use them. You know, son of Poseidon and all that. I am pretty sure my uncle won't find me flying amusing. He'd blast me out of the sky without doubt." I spoke sadly.
"Oh no. You can't refuse it. You have to keep them." Luke spoke and I could detect a hint of anger and dread in his voice. What was he dreading?
"Look man. I know you mean well, but I can't use them, you know." I tried to reason with him, but I knew it was futile.
His eyes darkened as he scowled at me. "Take them." He spoke dangerously, threateningly.
I was about to refute with my snake slit eyes, but Grover decided to finally stop it. "Hey guys. No need to fight. I'll keep them, okay?" He asked.
I nodded slowly, with Luke following my lead. "Ok Grover. That works. Now I think we should get going. Argus is here." I spoke slowly.
The others nodded and Chiron spoke, "Best of luck, children. May you succeed."
We jogged downhill to the camp van and got in. Annabeth and Grover sat to the corners, while I sat between them. It was silent for a while before we entered the city.
Annabeth and I stared in awe at the sights around us. For Annabeth, this was something she hadn't seen for the last five years that she had been in camp.
For me, this was the first time seeing NYC as my dad had never brought me here. He had always kept me away from Manhattan, as he knew that the other gods would sense me if I was near Olympus.
As I saw the Empire State building, I stared in awe. So this was the building above which Olympus was currently situated. I wonder how Olympus is like.
Annabeth saw me looking at the building and spoke, "The Empire State building. Olympus is located above it. You know about the Flame of the West, right?" She asked me.
I nodded my head affirmative. "Yeah. It's weird, but amazing right? How these humans are unaware of beings that can crush them like ants?"
I asked rhetorically.
She nodded with a smile. "Yeah. Amazes me too, you know. But it must feel good to be ignorant."
I nodded and smiled softly. "Yeah. That's true."
We again fell in a comfortable silence as we gazed around. After about twenty minutes, we reached the bus stand. Argus dropped us off and gave me a curt nod. I replied with a smile and extended my hand for a handshake.
He shook his head and showed that he had an eyeball on his palm. Nodding in realization, I simply waved him goodbye.
Turning to Grover and Annabeth I spoke, "So, now it's the three of us."
They nodded nervously. I could see Annabeth's ADHD acting up. She was nervously twirling some strands of her hair with her fringers while chewing on her lower lip uneasily.
Grover meanwhile looked nervous and hungry at the same time. He was eyeing some fruits that a man sitting near us was eating.
Sighing, I took an apple out of my bag and handed it to him. Believe it or not, the apple was gone in one bite. Annabeth and I just stared at the satyr in awe, which made him blush in embarrassment. We busted out laughing when Grover bleated like a goat and caused the man to jump up in shock.
"Damn, Grover. That was something I have never seen. The whole apple in one bite? That's crazy." Annabeth exclaimed while I nodded in confirm.
Grover just shrugged and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
A minute later, the sound of a horn was heard as our bus finally arrived. Getting on, we saw that we had been allotted a trio of seats at the very back of the bus. Reaching our seats, I quickly took the one next to the window. Annabeth slid in beside me, while Grover sat to her other side.
I stared out of the window, admiring the rising sun as it started it's journey across the horizon. Apollo driving his chariot across the skies.
"Hey Perseus. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions, that is, if you don't mind." Annabeth asked with a hopeful look in her eyes. I was about to deny her, but then I thought, what else did I have to do? Deciding that it was a good idea to spend some time, I nodded and smiled.
She let out a small squeal before starting to ask questions at a speed that I couldn't even process.
"Where did you get your sword? How did you learn sword-fighting? Do your eyes resemble your mother's? You know, because I have heard that Lord Poseidon has green eyes. Were you always so annoying?"
That last question caused me to let out a chuckle. "Okay there Annie. Calm yourself. You are not going anywhere and nor am I. We have plenty of time for this. So, ask a little slowly please. And one question at a time."
She puffed her cheeks and pouted adorably, before nodding slightly and asking the first question. "Where did you get your sword?"
"Oh. My sword? Well, it was a gift from my father for my fifth birthday. My mom told me that he had left it with her to give it to me on my fifth birthday. Its name is Anaklusmos, which roughly translates to Riptide." I told her.
She nodded, satisfied with the answer before asking, "Can I see it please?" I shrugged and pulled out my trusty ball-point pen from my pocket and handed it to her. She stared at it curiously and inspected it closely. After a few moments, she gasped loudly before staring at it in awe.
"This weapon literally radiates power. How? Not even the sword of Achilles or spear of Hector does that according to Chiron. How does your weapon radiate power?" She asked in awe.
My eyes widened at her observation. I knew that demigods had heightened senses, but it was extremely rare for a demigod to be able to sense auras. Like, once a century kind of rare.
"Did you just say that you could sense the sword's aura?" I asked to make sure.
She nodded with a 'duh' look. "Yeah. That's what I said, Seaweed brain." She spoke in annoyance.
"Annie, you do realize that it is extremely rare for a demigod to be able to sense auras, right?" I asked her.
She shook her head, not having any idea of what I was talking.
Sighing, I spoke, "You see, while demigods have heightened senses, you, dear Annie have an extra sense. The sense of aura detection. It is extremely rare. Not even heros like Bellerophon and Perseus had it. The only heros I can think of that had this ability are Heracles and Theseus. Both of them are legends." I gave her a moment to absorb this information. She seemed amazed by this information and a curious glint shown in her eyes.
Continuing, I spoke, "This ability helps you to sense the aura of a person or object. In a room of mortals, you can easily point out a god or Titan. Not a monster, as that requires a lot of practice and meditation, but any immortal or semi-immortal being is game. Demigods, gods, or rare artefacts and weapons, you can sense them if you completely concentrate on that ability." I explained further.
She seemed completely awestruck by now.
"So that is why I can sense the power of your sword; because it has an aura of it's own?" She asked excitedly.
I nodded. "This sword is a weapon like no other. Not even the swords Perseus, Achilles or Theseus used hold a candle to this beauty here. The reason is that this beauty holds the aura of a former Sea-spirit. A powerful one at that. I believe she was the daughter of a Titan." I spoke proudly. Her expression went back to amazement.
"Whoa. And what if you lose it?" She asked curiously.
I shrugged and threw riptide out of the window. Annabeth gasped in horror and shock at what I had done. "What the hell, Seaweed brain? You just threw your sword out of the window. Are you out of your mind?" She asked incredulously.
I ignored her and patted my pocket. Surely enough, Riptide had returned to my pocket. I pulled it out and showed it to Annabeth. "Voila" I exclaimed like a magician demonstrating a magical trick.
Her jaw dropped in shock as her eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. She seemed at a loss of words. "Wha?? I..I just saw you throw it out of a moving bus. What magic is this?" She asked.
"It's enchanted to return back to me even if I lose it. So, I can never lose it unless something that rivals or exceeds my father's power is blocking the enchantment. And I guess you know there aren't many beings in the pantheon that can overpower the god of the seas." I spoke sagely.
She nodded her head before asking the next question."How did you learn sword-fighting?"
I thought for a moment before deciding to tell her the truth, but fashioned my words as properly I could. "My mom taught me. She's an experienced swords woman. She learnt sword-fighting in Greece. That's where she met my dad, actually." I spoke with a smile. It was the complete truth. My mother had taught me one disarming maneuver that she knew. Also, she is a good swords woman. And of course she met dad in Greece.
Annabeth nodded. "So, this one's a little personal. Hope you don't mind. What's your mom like?" She asked me curiously.
I smiled brightly. "The best mom anyone could ask for. I love her more than anything. I would gladly give up my life for her and I know she would do the same for me." I spoke with a fond tone.
Annabeth smiled, but I also saw a hint of jealousy in her eyes. Honestly, I couldn't blame her. It was rare for demigods to have loving parents. And I knew about how Annabeth's dad and stepmom disliked her.
"Sounds like a pretty nice lady." Annabeth spoke, to which I replied with a nod.
Then I smirked. "As to your last question, I am not annoying. I just like to annoy you." I chirped.
She glared at me playfully and asked, "And pray tell me why? Is it because our parents are rivals?"
My eye twitched at this. "Ughh. I am definitely sure that that isn't the reason. To be frank, I don't care if my dad is your mom's rival. I believe that their rivalry shouldn't affect us. I hate it when Hephaestus kids get into fight with Ares kids just because their parents hate each other. Shouldn't we have our own opinions? I don't care that you are Lady Athena's daughter, or whether you like me or not. All I care is that I consider you a friend and that I am not going to let some petty rivalry come in between our friendship. That is, of you think of me as a friend." I spoke sincerely.
She seemed to think over my words for a moment before smiling. "Yeah. I guess you are right. And yes, I consider you a friend. Although your head is full of Seaweed."
We both laughed at this. "As for earlier, I like to annoy you because you look cute when you get annoyed or angry." I spoke while snickering.
She stared at me disbelievingly for a moment, before jabbing me in the shoulder. It hurt a little. But I took great satisfaction in seeing how red her face had become. She resembled a tomato.
I laughed out loudly while she groaned in frustration and banged her head on the seat in front of her. Grover stirred from his sleep for a moment, before mumbling about cheese enchiladas and going back to sleep.
For the next few minutes, everything was quiet before the bus stopped at the next stop. As I was sitting calmly, my senses and instincts went into overdrive all of a sudden. I sensed two powerful presences approaching us. The auras of the two beings were dark, signifying that they were here to cause some trouble.
I sensed Annaneth tense beside me and realized that she had probably senses the two auras too. Hmm. Her ability seemed quite developed. Good thing that.
Damn it Perce. No time for stupid thinking. Focus on the situation. I turned to Annabeth and grabbed her hand. I gave it a slight squeeze, making her look at me. I gave her a reassuring nod, calming her to some degree, but she still seemed panicked. I tilted my head towards Grover, signalling for her to wake him up. She nodded and followed my unspoken instructions.
Meanwhile, I turned my head to the entrance of the bus. The tap-dance that my senses were performing inside my head immediately escalated into a full blown Shiv-tandav. Two old ladies had just entered the bus. They had taken two aisle seats right behind the entrance, making sure that I wouldn't be able to exit.
The two old ladies were giving me scathing looks, which to be honest were a tad bit unnerving. Not that they held a candle to Artemis, Zoë or my mom. But something about these two ladies didn't seem right. They weren't normal monsters. No. I could sense the blessing of a divine being on them.
I glanced at them again and saw something that I had missed before. On their waists were two identical leather belts. The belts were a bright orange color and highly contrasted their dull clothes.
That is when it struck me. Of course it was them. It explained the blessing of a divine being and the bright orange belts. These two ladies were Megara and Tisiphone, two of the three Furies of Hades. Prime torturers of the Underworld and right hand demons of Hades. The bright orange belts were obviously their fiery whips that were supposed to hurt like a son of a bitch.
It also explained why they were giving me looks of absolute hatred. They knew that I had killed their sister, Alecto. The first time a fury had ever been killed. It must really have hurt their prides. It didn't take a genius to figure out the reason they were here.
I groaned loudly and nudged Annabeth. She looked at me questioningly, to which I replied, "Monsters. Those two old ladies with orange belts. I believe they are the two sisters of Alecto. And that they have come here to extract revenge for their dead sister. " I spoke softly, so that the two kindly-ones wouldn't hear.
All colour left Annabeth's face at hearing this. "The kindly-ones? Shit. This is bad. Really, really bad." She spoke, her voice cracking due to fear.
Then immediately, her eyes hardened with resolve and she turned to me. She pulled out her Yankees cap and handed it to me. "Here. Take this and escape. They are obviously after you. You should be able to escape safely using this. We will be fine. You go."
I was impressed by this, but sighed and handed her cap back to her. "As much as I appreciate this Annie, I can't and won't leave you guys to the mercy of these demons. We're a team, right? A team always stays together, no matter what."
She tried to argue, saying, "But, Perseus.."
I cut her off. "No buts, Annie. You know I am not going to change my decision." I deadpanned.
She sighed and grumbled about 'idiotically stubborn Seaweed brains' , which made me chuckle softly.
Turning to Grover, I spoke, "Grover, be ready and don't panic. Okay?"
He nodded his head and shrunk back into his seat when he saw the furies.
One of the two torturers of Hades got up and announced loudly, "I have to use the washroom."
Her sister stood after her and spoke, "So do I."
Nobody really paid them any attention, far too interested in their own schtick. Ignorant mortals. Tisiphone and Megara started to walk down the aisle, straight towards us.
As I saw them walking towards us, I handed the Yankees cap to Grover. "Hey Grover. I have a gut feeling that it's gonna get violent now. And I know that you aren't fond of Underworld creatures. Put this on and go to the front of the bus. Make sure no one interrupts us. We don't need any mortal getting caught in the crossfire. Okay?" I asked him seriously.
"B..but Perseus. I can't. As your protector, I have a duty to protect you. I can't just leave you two alone." He spoke frantically.
I gave him a stern look. "Now, I am gonna be blunt about it. Grover, you are a protector, not a fighter. Annabeth and I can protect ourselves. I want you to be safe Grover. Please listen and do as I say. Don't force me to kick your furry ass." I growled at him.
He gulped before accepting the cap and putting it on. Once he was invisible, he stood up and went to what I hope was the front of the bus. If that satyr stayed here and got hurt, I was gonna seriously kick his ass.
After this, I turned to Annabeth. "Annabeth, unsheath your dagger as discreetly as you can. We need to take them out in one clear strike, but we can't let the mortals notice us. Get it?" I asked with utmost seriousness. She nodded, but her eyes held a twinge of fear.
I put a hand on her hand and squeezed it. "Come on Annie. I trust you and know that you are the most capable demigod child of Athena at Camp. Prove me right and make your mom pride, wise girl." I spoke with confidence oozing out of my words.
She smiled at me before nodding and hardening her eyes. She unsheathed her dagger and held it tightly. I could see that she had kept a throwing grip on it, not a grip suitable for stabbing. I corrected it and signalled for her to be ready.
As the two old ladies reached us, I spoke slowly so that only they could hear us. "What do you want, Megara and Tisiphone?"
The two ladies sneered at me before one of them spoke, "While we would like nothing more than ripping you to shreds, our lord has asked us to bring you to him alive. So surrender Perseus, and we leave your little girlfriend alone. Otherwise we rip her apart and then take you to our lord."
I snarled at her, "You will not put a finger on her, lest you face the wrath of Perseus, son of Poseidon."
She scoffed at me before grinning wickedly. Honestly, it just made her look worse. "Hmm. The Lord never mentioned bringing you without harm. We can always teach you manners. Right, sister?" She asked her sister.
The sister in question shared her grin. "Oh yes! It would be wonderful seeing him squeal like a pig."
Third Person POV
Before anyone could react, one of the furies gasped out in pain. A celestial bronze throwing knife was sticking out of her throat. Her eyes widened in fear and pain as she tried to scream, but found herself unable to do so as the knife had completely demolished her vocal cords.
The next moment, she burst into golden dust which fell to the ground.
Annabeth and the remaining Fury turned to Percy and saw him sitting the same way as before. The only difference was the tenseness his right hand now had, signalling that he had thrown the knife even faster than they could comprehend. Also, his eyes were no longer the royal blue orbs filled with mirth and joy. Instead, now they were a deadly shade of electric blue, a perfect thunderstorm of many emotions, the most prominent being rage.
He then spoke in a cold tone that sent a shiver down Annabeth's back. "Go away before I lose it completely. What I did to your sister is what will happen to you, just much, much slowly and painfully."
The fury was positively terrified of the demigod. The speed and power he had shown was something impossible for a demigod his age, even for a big-three child.
But her anger over her two sisters being killed by this rude demigod overtook her thought process. Instead of following the logical choice and turning back, she turned her hands into deadly claws and attacked the demigod's female companion.
Annabeth was too much in shock to counter or block and just closed her eyes, accepting her fate. She waited for the pain of the Fury's claw ripping into her stomach take her, but the pain never came. Instead, she heard the clang of metal slamming against something hard. She opened her eyes and gasped at what she saw.
Percy had blocked the claws with another one of his throwing knives. She took a deep breath as she saw Percy push the Fury back. When she saw Percy's face, she felt unimaginable fear fill her. His eyes now held nothing. Not even anger or hatred. They were simply dark blue orbs of nothingness. His face was also completely blank, not showcasing any emotion he felt. Anyone could have mistook him for dead, had it not been the fact that he was breathing heavily. No doubt to control his anger.
"I gave you a chance, Fury. But you just tried to kill my friend. You can try attacking me and I may forgive you. But know this, the moment you attack someone I care for; you are finished. I will hunt you down and kill you mercilessly. And unfortunately for you, you just tried to kill someone I care for." Percy spoke in a voice devoid of any emotions, but ending in a snarl that would make even the Devil recoil.
Before the Fury could even blink her eyes, a knife was lodged into her forehead, right in between of her eyes. She gasped out loudly before bursting into golden dust and following her sister to Tartarus.
As Annabeth saw Percy calming down, she opened her mouth to speak something. Most probably a thank you for saving her, but Percy immediately tensed up.
His eyes widened before he turned to the front of the bus. "Stop the fucking bus." He roared out loudly. Fortunately, the driver must have heard him because the bus stopped immediately afterwards.
It stopped not a moment to soon as the next moment, a lightning bolt hit the spot where the bus would have been, had the driver not stopped.
The mortals sitting in the bus started to scream in fear as they immediately got up and started to run out of it. Once the bus was empty, Percy, Grover and Annabeth jumped out of the bus. The next moment, another bolt of lightning dropped from the sky and hit the bus. The bus exploded into a million pieces that went flying here and there.
Fortunately, no human was harmed and even the trio was safe. Seeing that they were out of danger for now, Annabeth turned to Percy and threw her arms around him. "Thank you. Thank you so much. This is the second time you have saved me in a span of three days. I don't know how to thank you."
Percy patted her back gently before stroking her hair softly. He could see that the poor girl was mentally exhausted. "It's nothing Annie. I told you I was your friend, right? I would be a bad friend if I let you get impaled, right?" He joked in hopes to raise her spirits.
It must have worked as she chuckled heartily and nodded. She pulled back and smiled at him, before her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell forwards. Percy caught her without trouble and gently laid her onto the ground. He took her head and placed it in his lap. The girl had been traumatized and passed out due to the fear. Percy couldn't blame her. He remembered his near death experiences. The fear that he felt.
Annabeth had just been a centimeter away from death moments before. It was a miracle she stayed conscious for so long. Percy turned to Grover and spoke, "Let's take a rest. Dad knows we need it."
Grover nodded and plopped down next to Percy. He rested his head on a tree and closed his eyes, enjoying the cool shade of the tree, which provided him safety from the hot and sunny summer afternoon.
Percy gazed up at the sky with unmasked anger and irritation. Here he was, on a quest to find Zeus' bolt, which Percy had no connection to. But the king of the gods wasn't making things easier and had tried to kill Percy and his friends at the very start of the quest.
He glared at the sky with as much killing intent that he could muster. And for a twelve year old, Percy had a rather large reserve of killing intent.
"Aren't we on a quest to retrieve your bolt? Eh? So what was that for? Just because I am a son of your brother, huh? Well, let me tell you. If you kill us, there's no one to retrieve your bolt. So, use your brain and think properly." He sneered at the sky.
He heard thunder rumble in the sky loudly, but it did little to scare him. He was angry enough that even if Zeus incinerated him right now, he wouldn't feel the pain. It would just increase his anger towards the king of Olympus.
Now Percy could see why his dad was so annoyed by his younger brother. The king of gods never thought before he acted.
Shaking his head, he got rid of his thoughts and decided to get some rest. He knew that he couldn't afford to sleep, as a monster could find them. Even though he hid his true aura, it was strong enough to attract monsters. And they couldn't afford to get ambushed by a group of monsters right now.
Instead, he took out his throwing knife and started to fiddle with it. All the while, Annabeth snored away to glory with her head resting in his lap. Grover was out cold beside him, snoring loudly, while moaning about food and trees.
Percy couldn't tell how much time had passed, but the sun was definitely setting now. The orange rays of light coming from the setting sun touched the ground and illuminated his surroundings. He could hear the chirps of birds as they flew to their nests, retiring for the night. Nearby, he also heard the chattering of squirrels as they raced against each other.
Percy closed his eyes and let his senses flow out. The calm aura of the evening scenery filled him with warmness and calmed his soul. He felt rejuvenated as he breathed in the fresh, cool air.
Now he could see why Artemis and her hunters liked living in the forests so much. The weather and surroundings were splendid, touching and purifying his soul. Bringing him something that he didn't get quite often - peace and tranquility.
He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the smacking of lips. He opened his eyes to see Annabeth in a half-asleep state. She still had her head in his lap, but her eyes were now half open, trying to decipher where she was.
As the realization came to her, she immediately jumped out of his lap with a squeak. But alas, her legs hadn't completely woken up. She ended up stumbling before falling on her butt. She groaned in pain as Percy chuckled at her antics.
"Sleep well, Annie?" He asked her with a gentle smile.
She blushed a bright red color, before mumbling a small yes.
"Thought so. My lap is a great pillow, after all." He spoke humorously. She glared at him before sighing and turning to her bag. She brought out her water bottle, but saw that it was empty. She checked Grover's bag, but found that his bottle was empty too.
As she was going to ask Perseus for water, her eyes widened in surprise.
In front of her was a ball of water, floating in the air. It was completely still. She turned around to see Perseus grinning at her. He nodded towards the ball and signalled for her to drink it.
Annabeth thought for a moment, before shrugging and drinking up the water he offered.
Grover chose this moment to wake up. His stomach rumbled loudly and he blushed in embarrassment. Percy sensed his friend's embarrassment and spoke kindly, "Good you are awake. I think we should have dinner, shouldn't we?" He asked Annabeth, who nodded while patting her own stomach.
"Well then. Let's get going. Hope there's some restaurant or home nearby." Perseus said, picking up his bag and starting to walk inside the forest. Annabeth and Grover followed him, matching steps with him.
After they had walked for a few moments, Annabeth suddenly shrieked in fear. Percy immediately whipped out riptide and got in a fighting stance. But when he saw the problem, he face-palmed hard. On Annabeth's shoulder was a spider. Annabeth was staring at it in unbridled horror as she shook from fear.
Percy sighed and walked to her. He grabbed the spider with his hand and threw it away as far as he could. Annabeth immediately started to dust her shoulder.
"Come on. It's gone now. Let's continue moving. Staying at one place will attract monsters and wild animals." Grover said with a twinge of fear at the thought of monsters.
His quest mates nodded and started walking. After a few moments, they could see a small light coming from the billboard of a nearby building.
They increased their pace and started to speed walk towards the house. As they reached the place, Percy read out the name loudly. "AUNTY EM'S GARDEN GNOME EMPORIUM."
They were a bit cryptic about entering the place, but when they smelled the scent of food coming from inside, their stomachs rumbled in response. They looked at each other and shrugged before entering the place.
As Percy stepped in the building, his senses again went into overdrive, screaming at him to run away as fast as he could. But more concentrated on his hunger, he ignored it and marched inside.
The next second, a shrill voice belonging to a female screamed from inside. "Prepare to perish, stupid children."
And Wrapp!
13k Words!
A/N
So, how was it?
What was the best part?
What did ya people think about the Perestia fluff?
Also, what do you think will happen next?
Ahh. Ain't I cruel? I am showing Percabeth fluff, yet that's not the pairing. Does it make reading this chapter a torture for Percabeth lovers? Hoping that it will happen, but knowing that it won't? Hmm. I suppose it is. Believe me, I feel even sadder writing this as I like Percabeth. But as the best series ever's title song would say,"Being evil has a price." Mwahahaha.
So, the spoiler for this chapter goes to TheFire44 . Your answer was the first correct one. You can claim your spoiler on P.M.
A spoiler for the reader who guesses which series this is from.
Please do vote for the pairings for my Cursed Hero rewrite. Your choices are:
Hera
Hestia
Calypso
Zoë
Demeter
Leto
Selene
Nyx
Comment your answers or vote on the poll that I have created on my profile. The response I get will decide the pairing for the rewrite of The Cursed Hero story.
Guys, please favorite, follow and comment. It means a lot to me. Let's aim for crossing 800 favorites and 1000 follows before the next chapter.
Ok then.
Thank you
Until next time
Peace out
Darkgamer08