The mountain was just as cold as he'd dreamed.
No, actually it was worse than he'd dreamed, much worse. The mountain just... bore down on him, crushing him with its size, smothering him with its gusts, threatening to freeze him in place with its frigid winds. It hurt. It hurt a lot, but it wasn't just the climate that he was forced to march through that hurt Percy. No, Percy had been through worse, and a little wind up on a mountain wasn't anything compared to what he'd gone through.
What hurt was that he was doing it alone.
He'd considered going back, making his way back down the mountain and finding that cave, barging in rubbing the back of his neck and muttering out an apology before Zoe probably broke his nose with a punch and then broke some more bones with a crushing hug. He'd apologize and tell them how foolish he was and give the compass back to Freya and they'd all march up the mountain together, big smiles on their faces.
They'd march up the mountain to their deaths.
Percy closed his eyes, shuddering not from the cold, but from the thought of them, dead. The idea of it happening to Zoe... that especially got to him. His mind forced the image into his head, making him picture it in gruesome detail. He could see it so clearly every time he closed his eyes, her exactly the same as she was on Othrys all those years ago. Her body broken, her life wavering, the light going out in her eyes just like it had all those years ago. He gritted his teeth and picked up his pace, making certain they couldn't follow him.
The mountain was so bloody rough. The snow reached up past his boots, nearly to his knees, and if it weren't for his thick jeans it'd be biting at his bare knees by then. Every step was different than the last, the ground under the snow inconsistent and rocky at best and brutally slippery at worst. He silently cursed whatever Norse god of mountains had decided to be such an asshole as he trudged along his path.
There was one solace to the journey, and that was Moskstraumen. Percy couldn't lie, in the few days he'd had it he'd come to love this sword. He loved the feel, the weight, the balance. The way it rested so beautifully in his hand, and did so even better after Brokkr had laid his name onto the blade. It felt special, especially considering the story it held, but it wasn't just the fact that it was a reliable, comfortable blade that made it so special, it was the fact that it could catch fire, and provided him some much needed warmth on his journey.
It could only catch fire because of Leo.
He stopped in place, freezing in his steps as the words floated through his mind. He gritted his teeth and pulled his eyelids over his eyes and fought back the tears that he knew would only freeze to his cheeks. Leo was gone, and it was his fault. He'd gone over it, the scenario leading up to his death, over and over in his mind. He found himself examining every detail, every choice, every minor action he'd made up until it had happened, and no matter how he broke the events down, it was always his fault.
Another gust of frigid air brought him back to reality as he continued his trek up the mountain, gritting his teeth as he did so. He'd have time to mourn when he was done, that's what he told himself, how he both distracted himself from the guilt and convinced himself to keep going, but... He knew he wouldn't. He knew what this was.
A suicide mission, that's what deep down he'd known it was from the start and that's why early on he knew he'd finish this alone.
Another gust of wind made him grit his teeth and narrow his eyes at the path ahead as he pulled the toque down tighter on his head. It wasn't a good choice of headwear, not for this weather at least. It kept his head and scalp warm, sure, but his face had no such protection, and the snow that fell from the sky reminded him of that as it but down on his skin. He should've taken the cowboy hat, would've kept him dry, and been poetic of him to die in it, but no.
He wanted her to have it, and the photo too.
He swallowed his emotions and eyed up the compass. The compass that really drove a knife through his heart when he'd slipped it from Freya's sleeping grasp and, the second it met Percy's, had pointed it's needle directly at Zoe. He'd bared his teeth, holding the thing close to his face as he whispered to the stupid device.
You know where I need to go. Show me the way or I toss you down the mountain.
Apparently it had more brain power than a magnet in a case should've because it pointed him out of the cave pretty immediately after.
He eyed up the device as the needle skittered in a circle before pointing off to his right. His eyes followed the direction and he made something out in the distance, something that would've been invisible if he weren't looking for it.
A cave.
He picked up his pace, admittedly eager to get out of the brutal cold and into the manageable brutal cold. He practically dove through the entrance, dusting his clothes off as he did and taking in his surroundings.
It was pretty well the same as the cave he'd been in last time, a simple hole in the wall, wide enough for a group, a group that Percy couldn't help but regret wasn't with him, but he pushed that aside. He took in that there were some ancient, dusty looking supplies scattered around the cave: Some animal pelt sleeping cots, a poncho made from a bears pelt hung up in the wall, and right in the middle of the room, a stack of firewood. Percy looked up above the lumber and took note that this cave had a hole in the roof, perfect for letting out smoke.
He let out a soft smile as he drove Moskstraumen into the lumber, it illuminating almost immediately. He grabbed the bear pelt poncho off the wall. throwing it over his shoulders as he sat next to the fire, silently rubbing his hands together as he held them up to the flames. He took in the silence, took in the lack of Annabeth's quick witted observations, or Nico's exhausted complaints, or Freya's overly eager attitude towards all this insanity.
He took in how he'd probably never really get to know Leif, despite how obvious it was that the man and Annabeth had something going on that made Percy smile when he thought about it. He took in how he'd probably never get to properly see Leo off, be there for the burning of his shroud or, more importantly, be there for his family.
He thought about how he'd never see Zoe again.
He didn't feel brave right now, or smart, or like this was the right decision. He felt cold, and empty. He felt like he shouldn't even bother with this fire, because what was the point? He felt tired, like he wanted to crawl back into his bed with Zoe, no, into their bed with Zoe. He felt one way, with one solitary word there to describe it
Alone.
He pulled the poncho tighter across his chest as he let his eyes wander over the walls and he noticed something, something he hadn't when he'd first entered the cave.
Paintings, and old ones at that.
It was hard to make out the drawings at first, but as his eyes adjusted to the light he was able to see some notable images. A group of figures, marching toward a mountain. Those same figures crossing a rainbow bridge. The figures huddled close together as they faced what looked like a crude drawing of a massive dog. The figures celebrating over the massive hounds corpse.
He turned back to the flame, a glint of tears in his eye as he stared into the fire. The flames flickered in front of him.
They flickered.
They flickered.
The fire was comfortable, very much so, and made more comfortable by how wet and miserable Percy was. He grumbled as he pulled off his boots, sitting on a log that was tucked safely under the tarp Zoe had set up to protect them both from the rain. If it were sea water? He'd snap his fingers and be dry, but the rain was always... tricky, and didn't obey him like most water did. He let out another grumble as he pulled at his socks. trying desperately to pry the soaking wet piece of clothing from his foot. He eventually did, too much, and watched in horror as the sock flew out of his grip and directly into the coals.
He slumped in his seat, a frown growing across his face as he heard snickering from behind him. He turned around to find Zoe leaned against a tree, hood of her jacket up as she stood in the rain. She had her arms crossed and her legs close and a very suggesting look in her face.
Percy let out a deep breath as he turned back to the fire, "How the hell did you convince me to do this?"
Zoe let out a chuckle as she crossed over to him, ditching her jacket on their clothesline as she plopped down next to him on the log and held her own hands up to the fire.
"Easy." She said, poking him in the ribs with her elbow as she did, "we both know you can't say no to me, Percy."
He let out a sigh, trying to cover the blush that had spread across his cheeks the moment she'd sat down next to him, "Yeah, I guess I can't."
They sat in silence for a moment, the sound of the rain gently bouncing off the tarp as they huddled close to the fire. It was almost... romantic. But Percy knew damn well better than to ever say that.
"So..." He offered, making her look at him.
"So?" She replied.
"So," He continued, shooting her a side eye and a wayward grin, "Did you catch anything?"
Sle scoffed at his non-accusation, before she reached over to her coat, "You know I did, you jackass..." She grumbled, before holding up her prize. A hare, and a pretty big one too.
Percy smiled, before giving her a worried look.
"You're okay with skinning and gutting that thing, right?" He asked, "Because I don't think I have the heart for it."
She sighed and shook her head, letting out an "unbelievable" as he let out a laugh, pulling out a frying pan from his backpack as he did so. He pulled out various spices, and a Tupperware container of butter, while she quickly skinned and gutted their meal. They finished getting ready at the same time, Zoe wiping the blood off on her shirt as she handed him the hare.
He took a look at her shirt as she plopped the meat in his frying pan, and she cocked an eyebrow at him.
"What?" She asked.
"Nothing," He said, holding the frying pan over the fire as the hare sizzled on the metal, "You're just so... gritty."
She shook her head with a sigh as she turned away from him, "You're ridiculous, you know that?"
He was about to say something in return, some witty comment about him only being that way with her, when he turned to her and felt his heart just about burst from his chest.
She'd pulled her shirt off, and was rummaging through her bag. She must've heard his breath hitch because she turned over her shoulder and gave him a sly grin.
"Oh don't clutch your pearls now, Percy." She said, turning back to the bag with a smile, "We both know you've seen more."
He struggled to steady his breathing as he remembered the day he'd walked in on her in his shower. He couldn't help but let his face heat up, remembering just how awkward he'd felt, and how intrusive he'd been...
He also couldn't help but remember how much he'd wanted to shut that door behind him and join her, but he shook those thoughts from his head.
She found a new shirt, standing up so she could pull it over her head before she turned to Percy with a smile.
"Better?"
He turned to look at her and gave his head a weak nod. She put her hands on her hips and gave her head a shake.
"You're hopeless, you know that Jackson?"
He let out a soft sigh as he used one of Zoe's hunting knives to push around the meat, staring at it as he did before giving her a quiet response, "Only when I'm with you."
She felt her mouth slightly open and her hands loosen a bit, an errant thought worming its way into her mind. She'd asked him, no, basically begged him to finally come camping with her. He'd tried to refuse at first, saying it reminded him of bad memories, but had shut up and agreed when she'd shot him a glare and made a very convincing implication that she'd slash his tires.
The trip had gone well, for Zoe at least. For Percy? The poor man was miserable, barely able to keep up with her as she marched through the rain. They'd eventually stopped when she'd taken a look back and seen him shivering in the cold, cowboy hat soaked and drooping slightly as he clutched his arms across his chest. Zoe had decided then and there to make camp and go hunt them some dinner.
And now here they were, standing under a tarp under the rain while a soft fire was at their feet and Percy hunched over it, cooking one of his incredible hand prepared meals. It was just so...
Romantic, and she really didn't know how to feel about that.
He must've noticed her in thought, because he turned to her, a look of worry in his eyes.
"Zoe? Are you alright?"
She shook off whatever... emotion she'd felt and gave him a steely look.
"Depends." She replied, eyeing up the food, "Is that ready yet?"
He gave her a look, which drew into a smile as he heaved the frying pan off the fire, laying it in a shallow puddle to cool it off.
"It is. Got cutlery? Or are we go all primal on this?" He asked, to which she let out a sigh and pulled two forks and two knives out of her pocket.
" You're a pain in the ass, you know that?"
He let out a smile and shrugged, "Only for you."
"Yeah, well..." She dropped down next to him, handing him cutlery with a soft smile, "Maybe you should see if you can make some more friends to annoy in town."
Sh turned to him, expecting a retort, but got a look that she could really only describe as glum happiness.
"No, I don't think so." He replied, carving out a piece of hare, "If I did that, then who'd spend time with you?"
She opened her mouth, trying to make a response, but couldn't. He was right. She was how many years into this place? She honestly couldn't name five people from town, and sure, her main goal was to get out of town, but still.
He pulled her from her thoughts as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't sweat it," He said, "honestly, there's no one I'd like to spend my time in this town with more than you."
She blushed. She couldn't help it, couldn't help the smile that drew across her face either, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, unsure of why she was suddenly so dissatisfied with her position, before the realization hit her like a pallet of bricks.
It was because she wanted to be closer to Percy.
She wanted to lean into him, to hold him, to lay her head on his lap and listen to him recount stories of his past to her. She wanted that more than anything. She felt her face heat up even more and prayed for something to save her from these feelings, these thoughts that she couldn't deny like she'd been trying to for some time now. Who would've guessed it'd be him to save her.
"That being said..." He continued from his last statement, "... I'm pretty sure Freya would've packed a bit better."
Zoe let out a laugh, the tension gone from her voice as she gave him a look, "What's the matter, Percy?" She asked, leaning over to him, "Don't like the rain?"
He let out a sigh, "Oh I like it..." He said, before gesturing at the fire, "just not when it burns up my socks."
"Well technically you threw your sock in the fire." She replied, barely holding back a laugh.
He let out a laugh of his own as he looked at her, making her heartbeat race as her eyes met his.
"Yeah. I guess I did."
They stared like that for a moment, a moment longer than people who were just friends should've stared. They stopped when Percy cleared his throat and held up the pan, offering her some more meat. She let out a laugh, forking a piece of it and taking a bite.
They stayed up that night, talking until the fire died.
Until the fire died.
...The fire died.
...Died.
Percy stared into the flames, his hands still outstretched as he did. His hands held up to the fire as he warmed his palms. He moved his hand up to his face, wiping away the tear that had fallen from his eye at the memory. He didn't want this anymore. He felt so empty, so alone. He felt so tired, so weak. He needed someone.
So someone showed up.
Percy didn't really notice the man until he'd sat down beside him. On one hand, Percy should've been on it. He should've yanked that sword out of the fire, kicked a batch of coals into the man's face, and had fhe blade at his throat in a heartbeat.
But he couldn't, he needed someone right now.
He turned over to the man and took him in. He was old, very much so, a thick head of white hair falling down his back and a long white heart hanging off his gaunt cheeks. His eyes were blue, that classic hammer falls shade, but looked faded from age. He wore the same style of clothing Percy had draped over his shoulders, simple animal pelts, with a similar style of fabric pulled over his feet in the form of boots. He was a mountain man, it was obvious to anyone who had eyes, and Percy didn't really know how to react as his eyes settled on the man.
The man held his hands up to the fire, rubbing them together as he did. He was so casual about it that Percy almost didn't say anything, or react at all, or do anything that would make the man leave. He just enjoyed the company as he sat by the fire.
Eventually, curiosity got the best of him, and he spoke.
"You're not here to kill me, right?"
The man let out a laugh, a low grumbling noise that echoed through the cavern, before he turned to Percy, a look in his eyes so kind Percy couldn't help but let a smile spread across his lips.
"After you started a fire and warmed up my cave? Not a chance, Percy."
Percy smiled, nodding to the man before he turned back to the fire, holding his hands up as he did. It flickered as Moskstraumen sat in the lumber. He paused for a moment, thinking about what the man said as he got over the happiness of having some company on this gods forsaken mountain, before his heart sank, and he felt a sinking feeling reach into his gut as he slowly turned back to the man.
"How did you know my name?"
The man smiled to the fire, letting out a soft chuckle as he did, "The same reason why I know that you drooled in your sleep until you were 20. The same reason I know that you secretly packed extra underwear every quest so Annabeth wouldn't complain about the smell..."
He turned to Percy, his eyes now swirling with life as he spouted facts about Percy, facts that he couldn't possibly have known.
"...the same reason why I know you're making a big mistake being here alone."
Percy steeled his gaze as the man let out a small breath, turning back to the fire.
"I am Forseti." The man said. "God of, amongst many things, truth."
Percy let out a sigh as he slumped back into his seat and placed his hands onto his knees.
"What're you here for, then?" He asked, turning his gaze over to the God, "Gonna hold my palms? Read me my future?" He considered for a moment that he may have used too rude of a tone with the God, but it faded when he looked back and saw that the man's face hadn't changed a bit.
"Possibly." Forsetti said, reaching into the coals to pull out a red hot ember, rolling it in his hand as he shot Percy a wayward glance, "That all depends on if you want to know your future, Perseus."
Percy sighed, giving his head a shake as he did, "I don't know what I want."
"Yes you do." The God said, tossing the coal back into the flames, "You want her, the one you love."
Percy furrowed his brow, letting his head drop as he did, "I know. But I can't have her."
"Because?" The God asked, in a tone that was half annoyed and half interested.
"Because..." Percy began, his voice breaking slightly as he did, "...Because she can die on this quest. Leo already did. His death was already hard enough, I can't let that happen to her too."
The God was silent for a moment, taking in Percy's words as they sat by the fire, the gentle crackling of the flames the only noise accompanying them. The God let out a sigh, leaning back as he did, giving Percy another look, one that captured Percy's full attention.
"Do you really think that's what's going to happen, Percy?"
Percy shook his head with a humorless chortle, turning his gaze back to the fire. "Shouldn't you know? You're the God of truth, shouldn't this all just be in your brain already?"
The God let out a sigh, his breath snaking out of his mouth as he did, making his beard flow slightly from the action.
"The God of truth, Percy, not the God of prophecies. I can understand that which has transpired perfectly, whether I was there or not, the future, however, is a blur which I can only experience with you. All I can make out from it are possibilities, possibilities that may or may not transpire, but exist as a result of your actions."
Percy gave his head a shake, trying to understand what the God had said, but Forseti didn't give him a chance.
"You know, mortals have a saying about me, one that I rather enjoy. They say the truth, it will set you free." He stood up, and placed his hand on Percy's forehead as he continued, his voice taking on a stern tone.
"Let me show you the truth."
It was like something out of a sci-fi movie. Percy felt his body go weightless, just for a second, before he felt himself leave his body, watching as he floated away from his seated form. He floated there for a second, before he was blasted back, into the sky, into orbit, into space. His not-body flew through the stars, floating through the sky as he turned to his destination. He watched as it approached, knowing exactly what it was the second he saw it.
Her constellation, Zoe's constellation.
He closed his eyes, blinking as he approached it. Faster, and faster, and faster, until he blinked again and it was gone. He wasn't in space, wasn't even close. No, he was outside of his house. Still in his weird ghost form, but outside of his house nonetheless, at what looked like dusk.
He turned his head to see Forseti there, floating right alongside him. Percy opened his mouth to talk, but Forseti held a finger up to his lips, silencing Percy as he pointed to wars his driveway, Percy turning as he watched a truck drive up.
It was his truck, clear as day, yet it wasn't. It looked older, worn out. The paint had started to peel at the doors and the frame had a bit of rust on it. Percy felt a slight pang go through his heart as he looked at his old machine, but it was quickly replaced when he saw who stepped out.
It was him. But... not.
He was older, that much was obvious to anyone. His eyes were the same, but just about everything else wasn't. His hair was a bit shorter, and styled in the natural, wild Percy style. His face had a few wrinkles, namely crows feet by his eyes just like his dad had. His mustache was gone, with him instead having a simple five o'clock shadow all over now. He looked older, and better somehow. He could tell just from the way he'd gotten out of the car, the way he moved that this wasn't the Percy of the last five years. This was a man who was happy.
Older-Percy shut his door behind him, letting out a breath as he did, and turning back to the truck, opening up his back door. From the angle ghost-Percy was at he couldn't make anything out, so Forseti floated him over to the other side of the car.
Older-Percy was lifting something out of the car, and having a hell of a time doing it. He heaved, and groaned, and lifted with all he had as a steady flow of hushed curses poured out of his mouth. He finally got whatever it was out, and when ghost-percybsaw what it was, it nearly made his heart drop.
It was a present, and a big one at that. It was a massive square, wrapped in sea green wrapping paper that Percy heated as gently as he could. He held the box and kicked his door shut, taking a deep breath as he walked to his front door, setting the box down before he eased his keys out of his pocket and gently turned the key, as slowly as he could.
It evidently wasn't slow enough as the door was suddenly ripped open and a little girl ran out. She was young, probably only five or six, with the biggest smile on her face as she did. Her skin was a gentle olive color, a combination of tan and caramel that almost glowed in the dusk light. Her hair was light brown, and flowed freely down her shoulders as she wrapped her arms around Older-Percy, who was now sitting on the ground with a small chuckle as a sme on his face. It wasn't those features that stood out to ghost-Percy though, it was her eyes.
They were sea green. Just like his.
The little girl pulled away, a gigantic smile across her face as she did, as she spoke, saying words that made ghost-Percy nearly cry right then and there.
"Hi daddy."
Older-Percy stood up, dusting himself off as he did, before eputting his hands on his hips, giving g the girl a mock upset look.
"Hi Sally." He said, cooking an eyebrow, "Shouldn't you be in your pajamas right now?"
The little girl shrugged, "Mommy said I didn't have to on my birthday."
Older-Percy gave her a squint, before he lifted his gaze into the house.
"Is this true, mom?" He called, as his daughter whirled around with an excited look in her eye.
"Well I don't know, dad..." A familiar voice called from the kitchen as an even more familiar woman stepped out, "What do you think?"
It was Zoe, and gods above... she was beautiful. Her skin was still just as smooth, her eyes just as dark, her hair, just the same as her daughters, flowed freely over her shoulders. She had on an apron over an orange flannel and some jeans and was holding a mixing bowl in her hands, a spatula inside of it and was giving Older-Percy a raised eyebrow from the kitchen.
Older-Percy tapped his foot slightly, "Well, let me think..." He said, raising a hand to his chin, "I think," He said, scooping up his daughter who giggled like a maniac when he did, "That you are perfectly capable of eating cake in pajamas, young lady."
Sally squealed as he heated her onto his shoulders, carrying her over to a room that used to be Percy's pseudo-office, but was now most likely his daughter's bedroom. He let her off his shoulders and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Now get in your pajamas, little miss." He said, before poking her in the nose as he shot a glance over his shoulder, "...or me and mom are gonna eat your cake."
The little girl's eyes widened as she ran into her room, with Older-Percy letting out a small laugh as she did, closing the door behind her. He jogged back over to the door, grabbing the box again, and bringing it to the kitchen table, before he turned back to Zoe, who was giving him quite the look from the counter.
"What?" He asked.
"Nothing." She said, with a sigh and a smirk, "just wondering why you've gotta petrify our daughter like that."
Older-Percy waved his hand and gave her a smell all his own, "You know she doesn't scare that easily..." He took a step forward, gently talking the bowl from Zoe as he did, "... she got her bravery from you."
"No, she got it from you." Zoe replied, leaning back into the counter, "She got her love of the rain from me."
Older-Percy shrugged, before giving Zoe a smile, "I think she got her tenacity from you."
Zoe let out a sigh, before she met his eye with a smile, "Maybe she'll get cooking skills from you, too."
"Yeah I was gonna ask..." He said, looking into the bowl with a frown, "... this is supposed to be icing, right?"
She playfully punched his shoulder, before crossing her arms with a mock frown.
"I thought we agreed when we got married that you would do the cooking, mister."
Older-Percy nodded, "Yes, and I would've..." He turned to the table, glancing at the present, "... but then again, I'd like to see you get one of those from Nico."
Zoe sighed and shook her head, turning to the cake that was on the counter. It was a simple mound of chocolate, shaped into a circle. there were some candles on the counter next to it.
"I could... use a hand icing it." She said, looking back at him. He met her gaze and smiled, pulling out the spatula.
"Anything for you... Mrs Jackson."
Zoe blushed, a smile pulling at her cheeks as she watched Older-Percy gently ice the cake, his hands softly spreading the blue icing over the mound of chocolate with the spatula.
She moved behind him as he worked, weaving her arms around his chest.
"I won't lie, Percy..." She said, easing her head on his back as she spoke, "...if I'd known this were my future, well I..."
"Would've kicked me out of town the second I'd shown up on that beach?" He offered in a joking tone with a soft smile. She shook her head.
"I would've married your dumb ass on the spot when you showed up on that beach." She corrected, taking a deep breath as she squeezed him a bit tighter. He stopped, having finished spreading the icing, and turned around to look at her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
"I think we should have another kid." He said, making her look up at him, eyes glimmering a bit as she did.
"You sure? I recall being very... feisty, while I was pregnant."
He let out a soft shudder as he closed his eyes, "That's one way to put it." He said, as he tightened his grip on her shoulders, "But I mean it. I want to have more kids with you, Zoe." He clicked his tongue, looking off into the room, "Let's try for seven."
She let out a laugh, scooping some icing out of the bowl and putting it on his nose, much to his annoyance.
"How about let's try to get through our daughter's birthday first..." She said, as she leaned into his ear, "... then you can try for as many kids as you want tonight."
He felt his cheeks flood with crimson as she let out a laugh, before she ran her hands up to his cheeks and pulled him into a kiss. He let his hands go to her hips, pulling her close as they melted into each other's arms. It had to have been one of the most romantic things ghost-Percy had ever seen. All until...
"Ewwwwwww."
Older-Percy and Zoe pulled away as fhey both looked back at their daughter, who was standing in front of her room in her pajamas, her face pulled into an extremely over exaggerated frown. Percy let go of Zoe and made his way over to Sally, cracking his knuckles as he did.
"Oh, ew you say?" As Zoe struggled not to laugh behind him and Sally let out a small giggle, "I'll show you ew, young lady."
He scooped the squealing girl into his arms as he planted kisses on her cheek while she giggled like a maniac. He carried her over to the table, plopping her in the head chair before he took a seat off to her left. Zoe carried the cake over to the table, candles already in the cake as she set it down in front of her daughter and gave Sally a kiss on the cheek, before wrapping her arm around her daughter and giving Percy a raised eyebrow, which Sally observed and then copied.
"Percy, if you will." Older-Percy sighed and pulled out his lighter, giving Sally a glance as he did, who's eyes were wide in anticipation. He smiled, opening the lighter and flicked it, the sword forming in his hand, with another flick setting it ablaze. Sally watched in amazement as her father lit her candles with a flaming sword, before he shrank it back into a lighter and rested his elbows on the table.
"Alright Sally, you know to make a wish, right?"
His daughter nodded, a motion that nearly shook her head from her shoulders before she took a deep breath and blew out the candles. Percy and Zoe both clapped as she did, earning a giggle from Sally.
"So what'd you wish for." Zoe asked, as Sally looked down at the cake with a bashful look.
"You already know what..." The little girl said, as Percy met his wife's gaze and shot her a grin.
"I do..." He said, reaching for the present and sliding it over. Sally's eyes widened as she gave her dad and mom both looks before she reached over to the present, practically tearing the paper off before she opened the box.
Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, she grabbed her dad a massive hug before doing the same to her mom. She reached into the box and pulled it out.
It was a puppy, a little hellhound puppy. It was tiny, barely big enough to fit in Older-Percy's hand, but a hellhound nonetheless.
"His name is Mr. O'leary." He said, gently rubbing the dogs ear as it nuzzle into his daughter's shoulder, "He's... well he's gonna be a handful, but Nico assured me he's just as sweet as his mom." Older-Percy let out a gulp, "...I hope."
The girl could barely pay attention to his words, hiding the puppy in her arms as she squealed with delight. The puppy had taken some initiative and responded to her, licking her face before letting out a gentle bark. She laughed when it did and put the puppy down, running towards the living room as Mr O'leary chased her to the couch.
Older-Percy smiled as he watched his daughter play with her new dog, and Zoe walked next to him, him wrapping his arm around her as she did.
"So..." Older-Percy said.
"So." Zoe replied with a smile on her face.
"So... dad of the year?" He asked her with a wiggle of his eyebrows. She let out a gentle laugh, before she rested her hand on his cheek.
"Dad of the century."
She pulled him in, for another kiss, softly pressing her lips to his as they gently embraced in his kitchen.
It was beautiful, it was romantic, it was perfect. It was everything Percy wanted, everything he'd ever hoped for. So of course Forseti had to ruin it.
The old God held his hand up in front of Percy's face and snapped his fingers, and just like that, it was gone. The home, the puppy, the life, his daughter, his wife. All of it vanished, and he was back in the cave.
He slumped back to the floor, taking shaky breaths as he tried to process it all. He turned to the God, who'd taken his seat by the fire again, once again warming his hands by the.
"What... why did you show me that?" Percy asked, his voice shaky. He struggled to catch his breath, a mountain of emotion crashing down on him, smothering him as he struggled to gather himself. He wanted to cry. To cry and scream and slam his fists into the ground, then march right back down the mountain, back to his friends, back to Zoe. The God gave him a look, a sympathetic one as he eyed Percy up.
"Because you needed it, Perseus. You needed to see it. To see what will make you stop." The God reached into the coals again, running his hand through them as he breathed deeply through his nose.
Percy gave his head a sad shake as a tear welled in his eye, "Stop what?" He asked. He didn't know why he did, he already knew the answer.
The God smiled, taking his hand out of the coals as he cast his gaze over Percy again.
"Stop taking the blame, stop taking the weight, stop taking all the pain." The old God turned back to the flames, "Then again, heroes tend to do that, don't they?"
Percy let out a dry laugh, familiar words tracing themselves into his mind. "Guess I just can't help but be a hero, huh?"
The old God smiled, grabbing a coal as he looked back at Percy, finishing his sentence, "... it's just in your nature."
Percy sighed, turning back to the fire as a knot of guilt worked its way into his stomach.
"I can't go back and get them, can I?"
Forseti shook his head, "No, you're far too far ahead on your path to turn back now, however..." He said, walking over to the entrance of the cave, "... I'm sure they'll find their way here on their own."
The old God pressed the coal to the wall of the cave, letting it sizzle as he turned over to Percy who watched with a focused eye.
"How will they know?" Percy asked as he stood up, "The way to go? I took the compass, they can't find their way without it."
The God let out a soft laugh as he took his hand away from the wall, admiring his handiwork, "Well Percy, I am the God of truth, and the truth is..." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he opened them, "That they will find their way."
Percy shook his head with a breath as the old God turned towards the snowy outdoors and started to march into the blizzard. Percy rushed forward, staying in the cave, but calling after him.
"How do I let them know? How do I help them?" He called into the cold. He couldn't see anyone, but he heard Forseti's voice ring out into the wind.
"Already taken care of, Percy."
Percy shook his head in confusion, before he turned towards the cave wall, to where Forseti had pressed the coal, and felt a soft chuckle escape his lips.
It was an arrow, pointed in the same direction the compass had sent him, with the words Percy went this way burned into the wall under them, and below that was something else burned into the wall, something that Percy couldn't help but smile at a little as he did.
It was the omega symbol.
Sound didn't feel real.
It just didn't, and if it were real at that moment, it wouldn't have mattered. There were a lot of sounds around Zoe, a lot of noise that she couldn't make out at all. Mumbling, louder mumbling, aggressive mumbling that drowned out the other mumbling as the two sources of the noise sparred each other in a battle of mumbles.
Zoe couldn't focus on any of that. Her ears that she always bragged about, always relied on to keep her safe, may as well have been filled with wax and taped over. She couldn't do anything but ignore the sounds that surrounded her, ignore the blurs of movement that danced around her peripheral, all she could focus on was what laid in her hands. Percy's hat in her left hand, and the photo in her right.
She felt her lungs re-learn how to breathe, her eyes re-learn how to focus, her ears re-learn how to hear. She felt herself pulled back to reality as a gentle hand laid itself on her shoulder. She looked up, finding Annabeth holding her, tears welling in her eyes as she did. Zoe felt her breathing get heavy again as she broke eye contact with Annabeth and looked at her hands again, at the picture. She flipped it around and read the message again.
Don't follow me, I can't watch any more of you die. I won't.
I love you Zoe, with all my heart, and I always will.
-Percy
She felt her teeth grit as she forced back tears, and read the first words with a scowl.
Don't follow me? Fat chance, Jackson.
She rose to her feet, a sudden movement that gained the attention of the group. She marched over to her bag, throwing items in as she furiously held back her emotions. Annabeth was the one to approach her, laying a hand on her shoulder as Zoe jammed supplies into her backpack with just about as much rage as she could manage. Zoe stiffened at the gesture, before she focused back to her bag and continued.
"Zoe..." Annabeth said, trying to soothe the furious ex-hunter, "Zoe, what are you doing-"
"What does it look like, Annabeth?" Zoe snapped, turning around as she did, "Im going after the idiot."
"Zoe..." Annabeth tried to interject, but was cut off by her jammimg a finger in Annabeth's face.
"Don't even suggest it, Annabeth. Don't even say the words." The daughter of Athena took a step back, raising her hands as she did. Her eyes took on a more determined look.
"I won't. " Annabeth replied, "But we cant just march out there. You know that."
Zoe was silent for a moment, her breathing slow and deep as she stared down the daughter of wisdom, before her gaze fell to the floor and she dropped her bag. She stepped forward and Annabeth didn't hesitate, she pulled her into a hug.
Zoe let it out, she let out... well, something. Anger? Frustration? Some tears? Yeah, all three. She wrapped her arms around Annabeth and just held her for a minute, letting her emotions pour out of her onto Annabeth's shoulder before she pulled back, rubbing the tears from her eyes.
"He's an idiot." Zoe said with a sniffle, "And a dumbass, and selfless, and so, so stupid." She took a deep breath, calming herself, "and we need to go find him."
Annabeth pulled her lips into a grin, "You're damn right we do."
Zoe let out a breath, before taking a deep inhale and meeting Annabeth, "You've got a plan, right? Because I could really use one of your plans right about now."
Annabeth nodded, "I do."
Zoe gave her a squint, "Is it a good one?"
Annabeth let out a small smile, "Depends." Before she turned back to the group.
Back to Leif.
She marched right up to him, right up into his face as he admittedly took a slight step back, not particularly ashamed to admit that Annabeth, amongst other things, scared the crap out of him.
Just like Camila had...
He was brought back to reality when Annabeth crossed her arms.
"So." She began.
"So." He nervously replied.
"So, you're a tracker." She continued, "And from our conversation we had last night," She said, a slight smile pulling across her lips as she recalled the hours they'd spent discussing each other's lives, "I remember you being a pretty damn good one."
He took a moment to let her words settle on him, slowly working her plan out in his mind as a smile drew across his face, "The best there is."
Annabeth nodded, taking a step forward and getting so close he could practically feel her breath in his face, "Think you can track him for us?"
Leif nodded, "Even in the snow, a path is always clear. I'll find him for you."
She nodded, "Good." Before she turned back to Zoe, who had a slight smile on her face, "How's that for a plan?"
Zoe let the smile grow into a grin as she hefted her backpack back onto her shoulders, "Not bad at all, Wise Girl."
Annabeth felt herself frown a bit, "Hey now, only Percy gets to call me that."
Zoe nodded, "I know," Before she placed her hand on Annabeth's shoulder with a smile, "Which is why we're gonna get him back."
Annabeth returned the gesture as the rest of the group picked up their supplies and Zoe made her way over to Leif, who was somehow even more intimidated even though Zoe was shorter than Annabeth.
"You can find him, right Leif?" Zoe asked, her eyes soft as she spoke.
Leif nodded, "We'll need to move quickly though."
Zoe moved past him, walking to the entrance of the cave as she did, before she turned back and gave him a smile, her face now filled with determination.
"I'll move however fast you need me to, let's just get my boyfriend back."
However fast they needed to was not as fast as they could go.
The mountain, by the gods, it was as if the things was alive. Alive and angry and annoyed that these little creatures were walking around on it.
The wind howled, biting at them as it whipped around their heads, slicing snow across their bare skin. The rest of the group lagged behind, with Freya taking the rear as to make sure no one fell behind. They were all miserable, but determined, none more so than Zoe.
She marched through the snow, hot on Leif's heels as he followed the path that was just about invisible to anyone but him, but must've stood out like a sore thumb to the ex-herald as he matched through the snow, following the trail like a bloodhound.
Zoe followed the man, keeping up with him as best she could as she tugged Percy's hat down on her head. Part of her was upset that he didn't have it. It was doing a damn good job keeping her dry and considering he was alone up here, he needed all the help he could get.
Another part of her was upset that he wasn't here to take it back from her, and that part is what kept her moving.
She couldn't lie, the second they'd formed a plan and started out of the cave, most of Zoe's sadness and despair had melted away to reveal rage that she hadn't felt in a long time. That God damned moron. That idiot. That fool. He'd gone and done exactly what she should've known he'd do, and now they were trudging through the snow after him instead of trudging through it with him.
She was gonna break his nose when she saw him, then when she was done suck the air out of his lungs.
Her thoughts escaped her when reality snuck back into frame as Leif stopped in front of her, holding up his hand as he did. His ears perked, she saw them, and couldn't help but feel hers perk up as she heard it too.
Something was out there, in the storm.
The rest of the group had caught up at this point and looked at the two, confused by their stillness. Annabeth approached the two, laying a hand on Leif's shoulder.
"What is it?"
The man didn't respond immediately, he instead wrapped his arm around Annabeth's shoulders, a protective gesture that he probably didn't even realize he'd done, but drew a blush from Annabeth all the same.
"I heard something. She did too." He said, gesturing at Zoe.
Zoe nodded, a sharp controlled motion, and the waited. For something, anything, a voice, a growl, something.
Nothing came, and they couldn't afford to wait around for something to do so.
Leif continued ahead, everyone close in tow as they continued their trek. They kept going, led by the tracker as they marched through the powder until Zoe stopped in her tracks. Everyone else stopped too, worried something was wrong, but it wasn't. She held he head up and took a deep breath, four words worming their way into her head.
Smoke. Fire. Moskstraumen. Percy.
She took off, ahead of Leif as she stormed up the mountain, with the group close in tow. The knew her nose, and trusted it, and could tell exactly where the smell was coming from. As they got closer she guessed Leif smelled it too, because his pace picked up all the same.
The rushed forward, with Zoe starting to make out images in the distance. A cave, and a small plume of smoke rising up from it.
She grit her teeth as her pace increased, her heart pounding in her chest as she clenched her fist, ready to drive it into the big oafs stomach the second she saw him. She bolted through the entrance of the cave hoping, no, praying he'd be there.
Imagine her disappointment when all she found was an empty fire pit and some animal pelts.
She grit her teeth, clenching her fist tighter as she did. Her breathing quickened and her brow pulled down. She wanted to scream, or cry, or both. More than anything, she wanted to punch something, and the cave wall would have to do.
She pulled back her arm, turning to the wall, before Leif reached out and caught her fist, stopping her. He gave her a look, one that made her loosen her brow and unclench her fist.
"He's close." Leif said, "We can catch him."
She gave him a small smile, and hefted her bag farther up her shoulders. Leif took a deep breath, looking out the cave as he did.
"...and when we find him, I don't think you'll be much help if you've got a broken hand, eh?"
Zoe grumbled to herself as she turned back to the cave, the rest of the group behind her catching their breaths. She paused for a moment, listening to the wind, to the snow. Listening to the sound of the storm outside their shelter. Listening, until she heard it again.
Someone out there.
She didn't hesitate, he's bow was drawn in and instant and an arrow notched, same thing with Leif. The second she'd caught their movements, Freya had her rifle cocked and readied. They hefted their weapons, glaring out into he snow as a figure, no, many figures approached.
Zoe tightened her grip on her bow, as did Leif. She had thoughts going through her head, namely observing the situation as the figures approached. Here she was, an ex-hunter, standing next to Leif, and ex-male hunter, both their bows pointed at the cave entrance. As if that wasn't weird enough, they'd both somehow attached themselves to Percy and Annabeth, who used to be a couple. It made her head spin a little, but the figures in front of them brought her back to reality.
The figures got closer, and closer, and closer, and close enough that Zoe lowered her bow as she recognized them, recognized the leader.
"Artemis?"
The goddess of the hunt let out a smile, stumbling into the cave as her hunters joined her. Artemis let herself surge forward, wrapping her arms around Zoe as Zoe did the same. They squeezed each other tight as Artemis whispered, "You made it." Into her ear.
Zoe pulled away, a sad smile across her face as Artemis looked around the cave, around Zoe's group, before her eyes settled on Zoe, a knowing look that mixed with clear frustration.
"He's not here?" She asked, Zoe shook her head. Artemis let out a sigh.
"He didn't..." She began, Zoe finished her sentence.
"He did."
Artemis rolled her eyes, burying the anger under the disappointed annoyance. She gritted her teeth slightly, letting a scowl curl across her lip as she did.
"That useless, selfless, idiot..."
Zoe gave a nod with a small smile, "Im gonna kick his ass when I see him."
Artemis smiled at that, before straightening up. "Have you found his tracks?"
"Even more so now." A voice called from behind her. Zoe and Artemis both turned to the speaker, Leif, who was staring at the wall near the entrance of the cave along with the rest if the group. Staring at the words on the wall.
Percy went this way, with an arrow pointing to guide them.
Freya frowned at the words, "Can we trust it? Anyone could've wrote that."
"You're right." Annabeth said, running her hands over the words, "But I don't think we've got a choice. Unless Leif wants to keep tracking."
Leif shook his head with a shudder, "Hard enough to stay standing in that storm, not much easier when I'm trying to track someone too."
Zoe approached them both, letting out a sigh as she did. She ran her hands over the words, taking note of how the wall was still hot where they'd been burned. Meaning whoever had wrote them was probably close by. She steeled her gaze, gripping her bow as she did.
"It's him. It's gotta be."
The team, hunters and all, collectively had a silent agreement, and then collectively turned to the entrance of the cave, setting off in the direction of the arrow.
Zoe made sure to take the lead.
Yeah, I know what I said. "Oh man guys, wah wah wah, woe is me, putting out chapters is so hard, probably only one a week now."
Now here I am, two days later with 9500 more words.
I think I'm going to give up on having a schedule, on trying to say "okay, NOW is when you guys get one", and I'm just gonna give em to you as they come.
That being said, more shout outs:
Hunter, it's time to stop being a guest account, man. Make an account, p.m. me, every review you leave it's like you're more in tune with this story, noticing the small details I leave as I go. If not here, shoot me a discord request or something, which I'll come back to at the end.
Parafron, you've got nothing to apologize for. I do this for you guys, always, if it takes you a week to get to my chapter, I hold no ill will.
Just another readerrr, I got you with the grieving, didn't I? didn't want to stuff the previous chapter too much, so I saved it for the next, that being said it was a little hard to hold off on the grief.
Zephyruxx, I'm glad you found this too. It makes me smile when people find my work and it's exactly what they're looking for, and you made that very heart warmingly clear with your first sentence, as for your second sentence... well let's hope Forseti was right with his vision ;)
Random randomness, your firsr review made me smile, your second one made me laugh, don't hesitate to leave more.
Archnidhivemind, this is where the discord thing comes back (another callback, even in AN's, I'm just full of em, eh hunter?) Thank you for your interest, and if you can, please shoot me an invite on discord to that server you were talking about. If people are talking about me outside of this site, I'd love to talk with them, this extends to anyone who wants me in their servers on discord.
P.M. me and I'll send you my discord name.
That being said, I'll see you guys... soon? Not sure, we'll see, maybe you'll get another chapter this week, maybe you won't.
Like I said all those chapter ago.
I'm full of surprises ;)
-Bronzeandsteel