Now that I think about it, I should have stayed in the car. It's march now so it isn't that cold normally but wearing just a t-shirt and some thin jeans, in ice-cold rain, that became just a bit stronger every time it thundered. Made it seem like I was walking around in the Antarctic, not Manhattan. Fortunately, the apartment I lived in was only a few blocks away, so I would soon be in the heat of the apartment.
I wrapped my arms slowly around myself before starting to walk a bit faster home. What would I tell her? My mom would seriously not let me live with my dad, if she couldn't be there and make sure nothing goes wrong. And what about Annabeth? she most likely wouldn't like that I just left her without explanation. And what about Chiron? He would certainly not appreciate that I left the camp without permission. And what about Grover? … And what about –
Jeez, so many people! I realized when I started walking through an alley, which was a shortcut to my apartment.
As a kid I always hated this alley, since it smelled horribly, which to be honest it wasn't any better now. But I was in a hurry of getting to the apartment/warmth and protection from the heavy rain, which was making me soaking wet.
I could smell rotten garbage from the old garbage bins and a strong powerful smell of alcohol from the many empty bottles laying all around the alley.
My complaints to the alley were then suddenly interrupted by a bottle clinking into another bottle somewhere in front of me. I looked up and then noticed a man standing at the end of the alley.
The guy looked like a normal homeless man looking for some food, until I was halfway down the alley and noticed how the air seemed to get colder and colder the closer I got to him. And then when the man was almost right in front of me and the world seemed to pass into some evil silence. Looking up at him again I noticed that he had bright red eyes and was staring right at me.
That isn't good. I thought and decided it would be better to just turn around and find another way home. But when I turned around, the opening to the alley I had walked through just seconds ago was gone. It seemed to be replaced by a wall, but that wasn't the worst.
The worst was that in front of the wall stood two other men with a gigantic dog beside them. The dog almost looked like a hellhound, but it was a bit smaller and instead of having black fur like a normal hellhound, it was red and didn't have fur.
The dog growled loudly when he noticed that I was staring at him.
"Don't look at Buddy like that, you, filthy demigod!" the man to the right, who was wearing a green motorcycle jacket snarled.
"He doesn't like it." Sneered the man to the left, that was also wearing a motorcycle jacket, but it was pink with some red flowers on the sleeves.
Buddy? They named that monstrous dog Buddy. Seriously? I thought and almost laughed, which I would if I had not been in this situation; Me against three full-grown (possibly monsters) men WITH A GIANT DOG in an alley where I didn't have an escape route. This did not look promising!
The only thing left is to find out who it does not look promising for, I thought and reached down to my right jeans pocket, but before I was able to draw Riptide out someone kicked me from behind sending me face-first into a metal trash bin.
Congrats, Percy, you definitely have got a concussion now! I congratulated myself while quickly getting up. Unfortunately, it wasn't quick enough, since the man I had mistaken for a homeless man kicked me back down to the floor again.
"Rude!" I replied, trying again to get up, but then all of a sudden all the three men started kicking me while I was still down.
And to be honest, it wasn't that bad at first, their hits were painful for sure, but it wasn't something I couldn't just easily shrug off. It was only after some time, everything started to hurt; my arms, my legs, my chest –. It felt like my body was burning and although I tried to crawl away from the men, I could not.
After what felt like an eternity, the men stopped kicking me. But it didn't really matter, I was in so much pain that whether they were kicking me everywhere or not, it didn't really make a difference.
"Okay, okay, I think it's enough now!" the not-homeless guy announced, placing a hand on both of the other men's shoulders. "Pablo, do you have the knife?"
What? What knife?
"Yeah, of course, Maddox." The man wearing the green jacket grunted, placing a dagger carefully in Maddox's hands.
Maddox nodded slowly while looking at the thing. "Do all of you remember what our Master wanted us to do with this?"
"Yes, yes, Maddox! We know!" the man with the pink motorcycle jacket whined. «but we need to seriously hurry up before someone comes looking for him!» the man sounded a bit anxious.
«I agree with Gavin, we shouldn't waste any more time.» Pablo agreed.
Maddox nodded to Pablo slowly and then kneeled down beside my head. «You ready?» he asked, looking at Garvin.
«For… whaaaat?» I tried to ask, but then Pablo and Gavin together pulled me up by my shoulders and pinned me to the wall.
«For this!» Maddox said holding a dagger up high.
Oh, shit! They are gonna kill me! I panicked, and to my own and the others surprise I managed to wiggle myself out of Pablo's and Gavin's grips. And dodge the dagger Maddox had thrown after me when I ran past him.
I am free! I thought, running desperately to the other opening of the alley, whimpering in pain but not stopping.
But then of course I was painfully reminded of something I had forgotten.
Because the second I was almost out of the alley, I was thrown right down to the ground by something heavy and … growling?
HADES! I HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE DOG!
The dog they had called Buddy was now standing on top of me. And OMG he was heavy!
What did they feed this dog? I thought to myself, trying to push the dog off myself, but of course, the dog didn't seem to like it and before I knew it, I felt razor-sharp teeth go deep into my left shoulder and I screamed out of shock and pain.
«Good boy, Buddy!» I could hear Pablo praise the dog, and walk up to the dog, before pulling him off me by a golden collar it had around its neck.
Then some seconds later both Maddox and Gavin pulled me up and pinned me to the wall again.
«Here, Pablo.» said Maddox holding out the dagger for Pablo to take it from his hand. But Pablo didn't seem to be paying attention, and was instead crouching down and looking at a small piece of paper, that was lying on the ground. Why is he so interested in that paper?
"Pablo!" Maddox shouted at him, and Pablo jumped up and quickly put the paper into his pink jacket pocket.
"Here." Maddox said, gently throwing Pablo the dagger, that Pablo by luck caught and walked over to me. Laying a hand over my chest to hold me still before slowly dragging the tip of the dagger along my body, until the tip was pointing right at where my heart was.
Oh no there it goes, I'm going to die! I thought to myself, but right before the tip penetrated my skin someone stopped Pablo.
«Not there, you stupid!» yelled Maddox at him again.
Pablo looked confused at where the dagger's tip was pointing. «Why not here?»
«It's where mortals get their life from, so if you stab him there you gonna kill him, and then our Master will kill us too!»
They aren't trying to kill me? Why not? Why would their master kill them for it?
«So where do I stab?» Pablo whined, dragging the tip of the dagger all over my upper body.
Maddox grinned in frustration, before talking to Pablo like he was some five-year-old. «A bit lower … lower … lower … okay, that's good, now go to the right … no that's left, you stupid! … little bit higher… Here! Stab there!»
"No, please, guys, there is no nee –" I tried pulling away, but Pablo without any hesitation stabbed me in the lower left abdomen. The blade went right through my t-shirt – that Pablo hadn't bothered pulling up, Not that it really mattered – and I had to clench my teeth together to keep myself from screaming from the unbearable burning pain at that moment.
I yelped when Pablo without any bother just yanked out the dagger – I might have blacked out, since the next thing I heard was Pablo cursing.
«I broke the dagger!» He cursed, sounding a bit panicky. «The dagger Kronos gave to us!»
Kronos? Broke the dagger? I asked myself before I looked down to where Pablo was holding the dagger.
Half of the blade was broken off, and the rest of the dagger was covered in blood – my blood.
Wait a minute! If half of the blade is broken, does that mean that – shit, there is a blade in me!
Garvin and Maddox must have also been surprised by that, because the next second they pulled away and I fell right into a puddle of dirty muddy water, panting and gripping my lower torso, where I could feel the quick flow of blood seep out of the wound.
«Pablo, it's okay» Maddox comforted Pablo after letting go of me like Pablo was the one needing comforting.
"Our master gave us the sword with a purpose, and we did what we were supposed to do," Garvin said. "I don't think he cares about the dagger itself."
Was the purpose of the dagger to just stab me? Why would Kronos give a dagger to someone just to stab me and not to kill me? I thought.
"Okay, I suppose you two are right," Pablo said, exhaling a slow breath. "But shall we leave him now and here?"
"I think that's the best choice." Garvin said, scratching his head. "although Maddox you should take down that fake wall before you draw all the monsters and gods in the city here."
Maddox nodded and to my surprise all three of them walked away from me – not bothering to even look back at me, to see if I had escaped or not – and walking up to the wall for some reason.
But to their defense, it was only a miracle that I was still conscious, trying not to inhale the muddy water I was lying in.
I need to get out of here! I desperately thought. I need to get help, before I bleed out or the men return–
Then I remembered something dad had told me at the Empire State Building Go to anywhere there is some kind of water and call my name, and I will be there. The only problem was if what looks like a puddle of muddy rainwater would work. Did it count as 'some kind of water'?
I lay my palm on the water, trying to get some control or connection with the water. Which kind of worked, since I could feel a little bit of energy returning to my body.
"Dad," I said, trying to speak as clearly and loudly as I could.
My voice echoed through the alley, and I just now realized that the three men had returned from the wall, that now had disappeared like it had never been there. Yeah! Maybe it had never been there… a fake wall… maybe that's what they had meant?
"Are you already hallucinating, demigod?" Pablo laughed. Already? I thought, getting a bit distracted, before I forced myself to ignore Pablo and focus on the water.
"Dad, please." I pleaded.
"Why would your father save you," Maddox kneeled down close to me, looking at his own nails with no care in the world. "Why would he care?" he said waving with his hands like he actually didn't see any reasons for my father to care at all.
"I'm his son!" I exclaimed, spitting a bit of blood out of my mouth. That isn't good.
Maddox laughed. "Yeah, and he sure doesn't have like a thousand other sons."
Ouch, I winced at that, although I didn't want to admit it, it was the truth. "He said he cared about me" I mumbled, remembering him telling me that just minutes before I left him just maybe an hour ago.
Maddox just started to laugh more. "Yeah, I'm sure he cares about a weak demigod."
Just a demigod.
A weak demigod.
I tried to not let Maddox's words sink into me, but I couldn't help myself from asking the question of Why would my father care about me?
Then suddenly a strange breeze caring the smell of the sea entered the alley. Is there a sea close by, I wondered, forgetting that I was in an alley in Manhattan.
I could see Maddox tens, feeling the breeze, that at first was calm and peaceful. And felt pleasantly warm against my freezing and shaking body.
I lifted my head to see that the breeze was coming from somewhere in the middle of the alley. It seemed to get stronger, turning from a pleasant warm breeze to a strong cold ocean wind, before it changed direction and returned from where it came from. It seemed to be gathering together, before forming into a man with black hair, tan skin – dad.
He was no longer wearing his blue and green Hawaiian shirt, but armor made of what looked like celestial bronze; a breastplate that had a trident carved into it with some horses galloping and different fish leaping out off the water in the background. He was also wearing what I would believe was a helmet, but it looked more like a crown. Of course, this made him more god-looking, than I have ever seen him.
"Shit," Garvin curses, getting the attention of Poseidon – which I think he didn't intend to, because the next second dad without any hesitation sent his trident, that he had been holding tightly in his left hand, after Garvin. And just milliseconds after Poseidon let go of the trident, it went right into Garvin's chest, who let out a short scream before he fell to his knees on the ground, gripping the shaft of the trident before exploding into dust. Wow, I thought amazed at how fast my father managed to kill a monster.
Pablo, who had been standing just some feet from Garvin when it happened decided that he no longer wanted to stay. So he sprang the fastest he could towards the exit of the alley.
Dad threw his trident after him, but just before the moment the trident was about to impale Pablo. Pablo stumbled and the trident went flying right into a green car that had been parked on the other side of the street. And Pablo managed to get up and exit the alley before the trident again reappeared in dad's hands. Lucky jerk! I cursed angrily.
Looking back at Maddox, who to my surprise was still kneeling next to me and not running away like Pablo did. Instead, he put my arm around his neck – which I didn't have the strength to do anything about – and pulled me up. Why was he helping me up?
My dad who had been walking towards me stopped when he saw Maddox pick me up from the ground.
«Let go of my son.» my father said in a low, but death-threatening voice.
«Oh, but my Dear, very attractive, very brave, very … cool Lord Poseidon,» spoke Maddox in a strange, it was kind of seducing. «I was the one protecting your son from all of the monsters, since he was so dumb and walked right into this alley in the middle of the night.»
… dumb …
My dad looked a bit taken aback by the way Maddox spoke, but some seconds later he smirked and began walking towards us, his trident reappearing in his left hand. «You know, you must be very stupid or you are thinking yourself to be very powerful to try to charmspeak a god.»
Charmspeak?
«What do you mean, my lord?» Maddox said in a sweet, but offended voice, while pulling me some inches away when my dad had finally reached us.
«Are you hurt, Perseus?» My dad said ignoring Maddox and looking at me.
I looked a bit confused at my father, before I looked down at myself and saw that I was covered in mud, probably from the puddle of muddy water I had been laying in, and that it was probably why dad didn't see any of the injuries.
«They –»
I was about to tell my dad that they had stabbed me, but Maddox hit me in the ribs with his elbow before starting to whisper words into my ear. «There is nothing wrong with you. It's just a small wound. Why should you concern your father because of it? You're weak if you do that, just a weak demigod.»
Just a demigod.
Just a weak demigod.
I looked back at my dad. «I'm fine, dad.» I said putting on a fake smile.
«You see! I have protected him –» Maddox exclaimed and my father looked at him in a strange way, before he lowered his trident a bit.
I looked in shock at dad, he couldn't just let him go. "No, no" I hurried myself to speak. "He didn't protect me! He is a monster."Although I may be a weak demigod, I would not let Maddox go free, and kill someone innocent.
My dad quickly returned his death-threatening-glance to Maddox, who had a face covered in fear and shock, like I had stamped his toes with what I just had said.
«Let go of my son!» Poseidon growled.
Maddox bit his lower lip, but then out of nothing he yelled «Fine, here is your precious son!» and then he pushed me with a strength no human possesses towards my father. Who although not expecting Maddox to do that, put his foot behind himself to get a better balance before the impact between him and myself, when he realized I was not able to stop myself from flying into him.
And I'm sure my dad could have stopped me before hitting him and that it wouldn't have been such a big deal. After all, he did have massive strength and all that, since he is a god. But unfortunately, when he stepped back to get better balance he accidentally stepped on an empty wine bottle – that was lying on the ground for absolutely no reason – which resulted in dad losing his balance right before I came right at him, not managing to stop myself and before I knew it I knocked him to the ground.
By luck, I landed right on my father, which made it somewhat of a soft landing. Although if you ask my dad, he would've told you a different story.
Dad mumbled something, but I didn't hear it since a loud growl interrupted it all. God dammed! How do I keep forgetting that dog!
"Percy, you need to get off of me… Now!" My dad exclaimed between clenched teeth, looking at something behind me, if I didn't know any better he sounded a bit panicky.
"Yeah, sorry." I yelped, before I rolled myself off him. Landing on my back on the cold asphalt again and whimpering silently from the pain the stab wound all the other injuries caused. Luckily my dad didn't hear it, since right after I rolled off him, the dog jumped on him.
To describe the situation; my dad wasn't really happy about being a mattress for me and the dog. And especially the dog, Buddy, since it now was trying to bite the head off him. The only thing stopping the dog from doing it, was dad's trident between the beast's teeth. That father was holding with two hands and trying to push off the dog.
I which I could help him, but if I can tell you anything; it is that I had no strength left in my body. If someone had come at me right now to kill me or something, I wouldn't have the strength to stop it.
But then out of nothing, a giant person lifted the dog off my dad. I didn't see who it was at first, since my vision was a bit blurry and it was still quite dark out here, although I would admit that since dad had appeared the alley had become a bit brighter and blue? I don't know how to describe it, other than it seemed like someone had lit one of mom's special candles that shone blue, in the middle of the alley. (I would later come to know that it was the trident that lit up the alley.)
"Aldric!" I laughed out of relief and because seeing him hold the dog like it was nothing more than a toy looked hilarious.
The other thing I noticed was that now that he wasn't sitting in the car, he looked giant. Was he a giant?
"Hello, Percy," he smiled and threw the dog at the dumpsters at the end of the alley and the dog turned into dust right when it hit the ground. I looked amazed at him; he could no way be a human with that strength.
"Hello, Poseidon." Aldric quickly added and bowed down when dad had finally stood up. But dad didn't seem to care, he didn't even look at Aldric. He was staring right at Maddox, and boy did he look angry. I pulled myself a bit up from the ground, just to see what was happening.
Maddox started backing away, but my father didn't go after him. Instead, he just slightly pointed the trident at him, what was my father trying to do? What was pointing a trident at someone going to do?
But then something strange, happened Maddox fell on his knees, gripping his throat, I almost thought he was choking himself. His eyes were turning red, tears started running down his chins. Wrinkles appeared on his face, it was like he was aging right in front of our eyes a hundred times faster than normal.
Suddenly it hit me what my dad was doing, he was draining Maddox's body for water. And gods did it look painful, his whole body was shrinking until it fell down to the ground looking like just a skeleton with really dry skin.
Dad turned around to look at Aldric and me, his face not showing any sign of regret or horror. How could dad do that? Do something this cruel?
"Explain." My dad said suddenly, not adding anything else to that word. Explain what? I asked myself, before Aldric fell to his knees and began speaking in a hurry with his tears running down his cheeks.
"I'm so, so, so sorry" he subbed. "I know I was supposed to drive him home and keep him safe, but … but … but then he left the car and I tried following him, but he was gone … gone … gone. And and …"
"It's okay, Aldri –" My dad began.
"I didn't mean to!" Aldric subbed even louder and I felt even more guilty for leaving the car.
"Aldri, I understand –" My dad tried again, but Aldric closed his eyes like a sad toddler and didn't listen.
"No, it's my fault." Aldric howled so loudly, that I started to get concerned that other monsters may hear him. "But I swear on Lilly, Lilly, Lilly that I didn't mean to set your child in danger –"
Who is Lilly?
"Aldric!" My dad said loudly, his voice echoing in the alley and he stepped closer to Aldric, who had stopped sobbing and was now looking at him with big eyes. "This isn't your fault, my friend and I do not blame you."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, my lord, my friend –" Aldric weeps, and falls onto dad, who pats his shoulder, not really managing to reach Aldric's back.
And just to point out, I was surprised my dad didn't fall over because of all that weight. Now that Aldric and dad were standing right beside each other, I could see the enormous height difference. Dad almost looked like a child beside Aldric, although I'm sure dad can make himself higher, since he could control his appearance.
After some time when Aldric had completely calmed down, dad stepped back and whispered. "Now go back to fishing. I might join you sometime." with that Dad snapped his fingers and Aldric disappeared – or more like he blew away turning into breeze.
Dad turned around to face me, his eyes being full of concern, he walked up to me. "Perseus" I looked up at him, although he had just been fighting, he didn't look tired at all. "Are you harmed, son?"
Thank gods, I was covered in mud and dad didn't see the wounds and the blood running down my body. "Yeah, I'm fine." I lied, shifting my gaze from dad's eyes to the asphalt, because I didn't trust myself enough to manage to lie to dad while looking him in the eyes.
"Hmm, well, good then," my father's voice suddenly changed from concern to anger. And he grabbed my t-shirt with one hand and without much effort pulled me to my feet.
I bit my lower lip, forcing myself not to let out a cry of pain, when I felt every wound in my body burn from being forced to stand.
"because you are in great problem, boy!" my dad continued, letting go of my shirt.
"What did I do?" I asked confused. Did I offend him without knowing it? The only thing that had happened since the last time I saw him, was that I had been beaten up, stabbed, and bit by a stupid red dog.
"Oh, don't act like you don't know!" my dad said, almost yelling. "Why did you leave the car? It was supposed to drive you home – wasn't it what you wanted?"
Ah, right, that… "hmm, I … I needed …" I mumbled, trying to find a way to explain why I left the car.
«Perseus! Do you realize that you could have been killed? Were you listening when Zeus said that Kronos is after you?" My dad exclaimed angrily.
«Well, dad,» I said when I finally decided that I would just tell the truth. «… I just needed more time to think of a way how to tell mom about the situation." I waved with my hands out of frustration. "And like what am I supposed to tell Annabeth. And I'm in so much trouble when I come back –»
My dad frowned and I quickly explained. «I'm not allowed to leave camp without permission!»
My dad seemed to at first think about what I just had just said, letting it sink in, and I thought he might understand me, but then to my surprise, he just shrugged.
«Well, for your first problem; I'm sure your mother will understand, Sally is a smart woman. I'm sure the same goes for Annabeth … she's … smart too I suppose and will understand...» my dad said struggling with the last few words before continuing. «And I spoke to Chiron –»
«You spoke with Chiron?»
«Before I woke you up, I spoke to Chiron" he nodded "Dionysus was there too, but I couldn't tell if he was really listening or not."
"Anyways," Dad said, walking up to me again. "let's go, before any other monster appears."
"But I still need to tell mom and get my stuff." I hurried.
"Well, too bad, Percy, you could have told her and gotten your stuff, if you wouldn't have left the car and safely gotten home." Dad took another breath before continuing. "Instead, you chose to wander along the streets in the middle of the night, when almost every monster is looking after you."
Wow, can he stop telling me how stupid that decision was? a) I got beaten up, which wasn't pleasant. b) Stabbed, AGAIN! not pleasant and I will probably bleed to death soon c) It made Aldric upset, and that's a thing I never wish to do again, it almost felt worse than a) and b).
My dad then suddenly put his hands on my shoulder, taking a slow breath, and closing his eyes.
At first, I actually thought he was falling asleep or something. But then I remembered … oh no.
"No, no, no." I said, quickly pulling away from dad's hands. "Please, Dad, can we please not teleport?"
My dad opened his eyes, frowning with his brows. "And how are you then thinking we will get to Atlantis?" he chuckled, like he actually found it funny.
"We can … hmm … swim!?" I suggested, although I was in no condition to swim, but I had my first teleportation just hours ago and it didn't feel good. So, I was desperate to not have to go through that again. "or take a boat … or anything else!"
"Yes, that's right, we could," Dad laughed out of my desperation. "But it would at least take us two days to get there. And that's also very dangerous, since I'm sure every sea monster will be looking for you too. So no, we are teleporting, but from what I have heard, the second time is always easier than the first." And with that, dad gripped me by the shoulders and everything faded away.
FIRST OF ALL! TELEPORTING THE SECOND TIME IS WORSE!
I don't care who told dad that teleporting the second time was better was, because whoever it was, was absolutely wrong – it's worst. After a very long time of only darkness, we materialized in a beautiful blue room.
But I didn't get a good look at it, because unlike the first time teleporting, the dizziness and nausea began immediately after my feet touched the floor of the room. Which made everything worse, since not only was my body burning from all the wounds, but my head was making everything spin too.
I could feel my body giving up. Luckily dad hadn't walked away like last time, instead he was ready to catch me when I started falling forward, closing my eyes because of the exhaustion.
"I. hate. teleportation." I gasped, getting a soft chuckle as a response from dad, who pulled me a bit towards himself.
"I'm sure it isn't that bad," dad said, patting me on the back before starting to pull me towards something or somewhere, I didn't have the strength to opening my eyes to see what it was. "if there is any comfort. I can't see any reason for you needing to teleport somewhere anytime soon."
Thank, gods. Because I am never going to teleport again. Ever.
"hmm … where are we?" I frowned, when my dad suddenly lifted me up, only for me to open my eyes and see him lie me down on a giant bed.
My dad smiled. "We are in your room in my palace here in Atlantis."
"I have a room?" I snorted. "And isn't your palace … underwater." I frowned, only now noticing how strange it was that we weren't underwater.
"Yes, of course, you have a room here. You are going to live here for some months, so I can't just let you live in a guest room." Dad snickered. "And yes you are correct, my palace is an underwater palace, but I have decided that it's smart that your room is not filled with water at least for some weeks."
"Till you get more used to breathing underwater." My dad explained when I looked at him confused. "I know you have been underwater a lot, but it would be bad for your body, especially your lungs to straight away breathe underwater for months without end."
"Oh, okay." I managed to nod just before a blond young man suddenly entered the room.
"Your Majesty, sir Castor is requesting your help urgently." The man said bowing down.
Dad stood up from where he had been sitting beside me on the edge of the bed. "Tell him that I will be there as soon as possible and tell Delphin to wait for me in my quarters."
"Of course, your majesty." The man nodded and bowed down again before leaving the room.
Dad shook my shoulder, like he thought I was asleep, which I don't blame him for thinking – to be honest, it was a miracle that I wasn't asleep.
"I must go, Percy." he whispered. "But promise me to go to the shower, when you are feeling better before going to sleep." Wow, he sounded like mom.
I nodded. And some seconds later I heard a door close as dad left the room.
When you are feeling better, I closed my eyes and repeated what dad had said to me, well that's not anytime soon.