Reflection with Snow
For nearly 20 minutes Percy dodged the icicles and cold winds blasted at his direction. When opportunities present itself, he threw several Celestial energy techniques at Khione. Usually, the goddess avoided it easily. Which is a part of his plan.
The thrown Celestial energy attacks did not disperse to the surrounding like it usually did. Instead, it stayed at the spot he threw them, slowly accumulating. Now, he has to wait until the Celestial energy is large enough for what he was planning.
Percy threw few more shots at the goddess, who dodged it easily. She then mocked the demigod. "Its that all you can do?" The mocking taunt was ignored by the son of Poseidon, who looked at the sky expectantly.
"No," he said. "This is what I can do," He jumped toward the sky seemingly heading toward the goddess, who thought he planned to engage her in close combat. 'Not happening' she thought as she back off as far away as possible. Which is a big MISTAKE.
Percy extended his arms toward the gathering Celestial energy, before grasping it toward his chest. He focused on the energy before unleashing the best technique to defeat the goddess.
"Celestial Energy Technique: Star God Chamber"
As he yelled the technique, he threw it at the goddess. The goddess, surprised by the action, created layers of ice shields and barriers to protect herself, which is an even bigger mistake. For the move is not for attacking but for imprisoning foes.
As the Celestial energy descend, it split into several different balls of light, each looking like a small star. The little stars surrounded the goddess before lines formed, connecting the stars like a constellation.
The goddess, surprised by the turn of event, gathered her power to blast the prison she was in. To her surprise, she cannot gather more power and the barrier around her was restraining her power. She looked at the demigod in shock, who smiled at her. The smile turned into a neutral look.
"Well now that is over, why don't we talk properly?" He asked coldly, the tone caused the goddess to shiver. She is the goddess of snow, how could a demigod, much less a child demigod, made her shiver in fear.
"We had a nice conversation until you insulted me child," Khione growled, which caused Percy to back off. Good, she scared him a bit.
"I would have been nicer if you don't send all the monsters after my back," he yelled back
"I want to see what you can truly do,"
"Then just appear in front od me, don't send every monster in 20 miles from here toward me,"
"That wouldn't be as fun,"
"That's the reason I insulted you, to pay back for what you did, which isn't as bad as fighting monsters every 2 minutes!"
"You called me a stalker, a creep, and crazy,"
"I could call you much worse,"
"I don't even know why I'm arguing with you,"
"Then let stop yelling at each other and looked the other way,"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
As they said it, the two turned their back to each other, waiting for some time to calm themselves, at least in Percy side. Khione just fumed, releasing steam which should not be possible considering her domain.
Percy suddenly shakes, trying to stop something, before laughed, loudly. The sound of his laughter made the goddess of snow to look at him with annoyance.
"Why are you laughing now demigod?" she questioned the boy.
"Its just, when I look at it, the situation is kind of funny. I never thought I will fight a goddess, then argued with her like some kind of tv scene," he let out between laughter before letting out another laugh.
Khione looked at the demigod in shock, before she sealed her mouth with her hands, trying to suppress something, before she also let out a laugh. Now that she thought about it, the scene is ridiculous, which made her laugh even more.
After they bust their guts off, they looked at each other with a bit of understanding. Percy decided to break the silence, again.
"I let you out if you promise not to attack me," he bargained, causing the goddess to look thoughtfully.
"Deal," she agreed quickly, not wishing to be restrained any longer.
Percy touched the barrier, concentrating on dispersing the Celestial energy. As the Celestial energy dissipated to the surrounding, he let out a tired sigh. Khione, noticing his action, decided to question him.
"Why didn't you made me swear by the River Styx. Don't you think of the possibility of me betraying you?" Her question caused the demigod to look at her inquisitively.
"Would you do that?" he questioned back, causing the goddess to sputter
"No, don't be stupid," and she got another inquisitive look before he replied back
"There is your answer. I have 95% that you won't turn against your word,"
"What about the other 5%?"
"If that happened, I just run away as quickly as possible,"
"You think you can run away from me,"
"Lady Khione, I will be blunt and honest. If I know you coming after me, I can beat you or at least flee quickly. I did beat you without using my power,"
The last statement hurt more than she would admit. The boy able to hold on his own against her while not even using his full power. It broke her pride. Deciding to banish such thought, she focused her thought on the enigma beside her.
She decided to ask the thing the question that bothered her the most. "How did you create that energy cage? As far as I know, no son of Poseidon or any other demigod for that matter can do things you've done"
Percy seemed to contemplate something. He finally answered, "I will tell you, but first, lets go to a comfier place, I want to talk about it somewhere other than here,"
Khione thought for a moment before nodding her head. He probably about to tell her some important or at least dangerous secrets. She decided to share a secret with another secret.
"I have a place for that,"Percy sat on the ice chair inside a cabin made out of ice. He looked at his host, who currently sitting on her own chair, though throne make a better description. He decided to sip on the cold tea that Khione' servant had prepared some time ago.
As for how he got here, Khione had placed a hand on his shoulder before he turned into wind and travel north, judging by how cold and common snow is on the way, to Khione personal place. He probably should had panicked when he was turned to wind, but frankly, its not even weird at this point. Besides, Celestial energy manipulation helped him control himself in wind form and not suffer any sickness.
He turned his gaze back to the goddess of snow. She seemed to be interested in the technique that he had used against her, not that he couldn't understand it.
The only issue was whether he could trust the goddess. The goddess intention seemed to be on the mischievous side, though if its her real self or a façade is hard to tell. He decided to put his trust on the goddess, mostly because his instinct told him that she can be trusted.
"Alright," he finally spoke, "I will tell you about the power I used against you, but you cannot interrupt me during my explanation, agree?" he took the small nod as yes.
He then started talking about Celestial energy, the mysterious power that all living beings have but never used, due to how hard it is to access it. He then talked about how some people have more of it inside their body compared to others. He told her that demigods and gods have better chances of using the power, though the gods already used it unknowingly.
Of course, he didn't tell her everything. He didn't talk about ways to harness the energy, though that mostly due to the fact that demigods and gods have different ways to properly control it. He also didn't tell her the way he learned about its existence and how he had trained with it. Simply put, he only told her the thing she wish to know while keeping the more important and personal part of it a secret.
Khione listened intently on the subject, showing great interest about it. Energy inside every living being? Power that even the gods know nothing about? Such thing is prosperous but she couldn't deny it, for the proof of such thing stand in front of her.
She wondered what to do with such information when she looked at the son of Poseidon eyes. One eye formed a storm yet the other one is a calm sea. Such contradictory person. She knew that he still didn't tell her everything about this Celestial energy, and she doubt she can force it out of him. To get an answer to her question, an exchange should be done.
"Demigo-," she was cut off by an irate son of Poseidon, "Percy, my name is Perseus Achilles Jackson, but call me Percy," normally such impudence will result in being turned into statues, something she doubt she could do to the demigod, not to mention the overprotective father behind him.
"Percy, how about we do a little exchange?" her word seemed to intrigue the demigod. "If you tell me an information I wish to know, I will help to resolve a problem you have." Her word confused Percy. What kind of problem he has that Khione knew that he didn't?
He decided to gamble for it, "Deal." His answer caused the goddess to smile coyly.
"Very well, I, Khione, goddess of snow, swear by the River Styx to hold my part of the deal and help Perseus solve a problem he has," lightning boomed on the background, but it did not stop Percy from gawking at the goddess.
"I have my pride as a goddess. What I see might be wrong. Swearing by the River Styx is my way of showing my sincerity," she said, like she knew what he was thinking, "and you didn't have to swear by the Styx. I'm only doing this to show my sincerity." OK, she definitely can read mind.
Percy decided to do his part of the deal, "Ok, what do you want to know? And before saying something like you should be the one to do your part, you already swear by the Styx. I should be the one to hold my part first," as he said that, Khione mouth closed, stopping whatever she wanted to say.
After thinking about it, Khione decided to ask her question, "How can I find this energy and use it?" Predictable, thy name is Khione.
"This one hard because I'm not a god. A god and demigod, even parent and child are so different that the way demigod find and use it will differ from how a god do the same thing. But the main idea is focus.
Demigods have a hard time to focus on a single thing while the gods are so powerful that they can split themselves to multiple being to do their duties. In a way, both demigods and gods lack the focus necessary to detect Celestial energy.
You should focus your, well... focus on a single spot. In time, you will be able to detect Celestial energy. It will be small at first, but it will snowball into bigger one if you tried to guide and control it. It's how I know about Celestial energy, I decided to focus on something after meditation, and then 'poof', I can see glowing energy that I can control.
As for controlling it, that another problem. Everyone have different ways to control but the basic is push and pull. You can pull the energy, gathering it and then push to unleash it. Combining controlling it with your own power will depend on yourself. I can't help much except you can imbued it into any attack you made, making it stronger.
That's all I can tell you. The rest is for you to learn and figure it out yourself. Gods and demigods are too different so I can't help you that much."
Khione looked blankly at the demigod, trying to digest everything he told her. Unfortunately, from what he said, she has to find her own way to use it. Sensing it and controlling it is two difficult problems. Using it in conjunction with her power is another one where she will have to walk completely blind.
She pushed the thought away, right now, she should fulfil her part of the deal. "The problem you suffer Perseus, is that you aren't being truthful to yourself." Her word confused him even more. How did he not be true to himself?
"Tell me what do you wish to accomplish and your reason to do so." Hearing Khione, Percy did just that. He told her of his goal and the reason, at least what he believed is the reason. Khione didn't think so.
"Like I said you are not being true to yourself. Your reason is sound but it come from your mind. Sure, some of it come from your heart but its not your true reason. That reason hidden deep inside your heart and influence what you thought your real reason," Khione explained, causing Percy to be in deep thought.
"Then what do you think is my reason of making sure demigods can live their life without worrying about monster?" he asked, wanting to know what hidden deep inside his heart as Khione eloquently said.
"I don't know what influence you to make such goals," Percy nearly screamed at that statement before Khione continued "However, I can help you find it," as she said that, she created a mirror made out of ice before placing it in front of him.
"I want you to look at the mirror and think of everything that happen in your life. Its often the past that influence your decision, whether you realize it or not," she explained, Percy nodding at the explanation. And with that said 'Percy Therapy Session' began.
He thought about thing for some time, but came completely blank. "Are you sure my past connected to my problem. Maybe something else i-" "Yes. You have never met another demigod before, yet you wished to help them. I'm not saying that you are lying, just that there is something personal that made you put it as a goal because making sure strangers save without having some kind influence from either other demigods or idols is difficult to happen,"
Percy thought about it some more and realize Khione is right. if he saw a demigod on verge of dying or killed in front of him, it made sense if he wanted to make sure such thing never happened again. But he never witnessed such events, so where does his desire come from?
So, taking the snow goddess advice, he dive deeper into his memories. When he came short, he started pondered before he realized something. An incident that happened that made him wanted to protect other demigods.
He remembered when he watched his mother got killed in front of him. The horror, pain and despair still etched at the corner of his mind, never forgotten but hidden to not let it consume him in grief.
"M-my mom, she d-died when I was 5, got killed because of a monster. I killed it. But it still hurt so much. Is that what is wrong with me? Why I wanted to protect other demigods so much?" as he spoke, sobbing while talking, his body shock from crying and tears spilled from his eyes.
Khione, realizing her heart may not be as cold as she thought so, hugged the trembling demigod, patting him on his back, soothing the now wailing demigod. She let the son of Poseidon stayed there, comforting him. In her mind, she thought of a past event similar to what happened now, with she was the one who was crying while another hold her close to him.
As his tears subsided, Percy looked at the snow goddess before uttering his thanks. "Thank you, Lady Khione for helping me with a problem I didn't even know about,"
"It's not a problem. In a way, a just repaying my debt to someone else by helping you," she brushed it off like it was not a big deal.
"That someone, is my brother from my father side isn't." His word stopped the snow goddess from her track. Wordlessly, she laid her gaze onto the demigod's eyes.
"Dad talk about one of my brothers, he didn't have any great achievement with the exception of being able to live a long happy life. Not as awesome as killing powerful monsters but still the hardest thing to achieve for a demigod. He also mentioned that he was married to a goddess living in the north, so I made the connection." Percy said, his voice indicating he just know about it but not to surprise.
Khione slumped from his words "I thought Poseidon told you. You able to figure it out from what I just said?" her question was answered with a swift nod, triggering the goddess to slump once again.
"Huh, well I should tell you about it myself, instead of you hearing wrong rumours written by the mortals. My lover's name, your brother, Afosi, short for Afosíosi, his name means loyalty in Greek. As his name, he is loyal to a fault. He never had any affair, in his eyes, I'm the only woman for him,"
He was born and lived at a region at the north of Greece, somewhere north of Macedonia at that time. While he was not as famous as many other demigods, he was well known locally for taking down an entire bandit's hideout and killing monsters in the wilderness.
And that is how we met. One day, he walked into the forest during winter when he came across a maiden in white, crying on rock. He came towards her, toward me, with no ill intention and try to comfort me. I'm being a goddess tried to send him off but he was persistent.
His last attempt was when he hugged me. I tried to push him away, even freezing some part of his skin, but he never let go. He let me cried and comfort me. We talked, the same way how I talked to you. After that, when I was no longer crying, he told me that I am the most beautiful woman he ever seen.
In a way, that spark my interest of him. He sees a maiden in distress and he didn't even let such thing affect him. I started to visit him every winter. As times go on, that feeling blossomed to love. I told him my identity and he accept me, even saying if I was a mortal, he will still fall in love with me.
We soon got married. We had a happy life together, even a couple of children, 3 daughters and 2 sons. Life was good. I was happy with him. And that made his death even more painful. He didn't wish for immortality, he wished to die like everyone else.
While it hurts me when he died, at least he will be happy. I accept it. Doesn't made it hurt less but the pain lessened over time," her stories stuck a chord with Percy. Because he knew how painful it is to lose somebody.
"Why are you telling me all of this?" he questioned, one that Khione swiftly answered.
"Because you need to know about it. You remind me of him in few ways. Your noble goals, your way to solve problems, just to name a few. Telling his story will also help you learn from him." She answered.
Percy nodded. While the story was short, it talks about a demigod that is loyal and persistent, someone who did not flaunt his achievement and able to live a peaceful life, barring the monsters that come and go in demigod's life.
"I will. I will carry his legacy and make sure what he achieved can be done for all demigods, living their life until old age." His words contained a great aura on them, like he was a beacon.
The only time Khione felt this way was when her husband told her that she loved her, not the feeling she had, but the aura that the man she loved released as he proclaimed his love toward her. To remind her of him, the demigod will be rewarded.
"Perseus closed your eyes," this starting to become a routine for him at this point, so he rolled with it.
Only this time, he did not feel a finger poking on his forehead, but a lip that grace his skin with but warmth and cold. He did not even believe such thing was possible. Then again, gods exist so such thing can be done by them.
"I have given you, my blessing. May you used it to achieve your goal with it," Khione proclaimed. She watched as the demigod closed his eyes, probably concentrating on something. While teaching him how to use her blessing should be the proper action, she had a feeling she did not need to do anything.
Her feeling was proven correct when the demigod created and ice glove surrounding his right hand. He smiled, likely to be happy that his first time using her blessing was a success. But then again, he had multiple blessings. She felt the blessing of Hestia and to her surprise, Pan. Wasn't he faded sometimes ago?
Percy looked at his hand with a big smile. Khione blessing had a cold feeling, he had to guide the coldness to a certain degree to ensure that he can control it and not be frozen because of it. He didn't want to turn into and ice statue.
"Thank you, Lady Khione for the gift," he said. Khione looked at him with a smile. "Please call me Khione, Percy." He nodded, agreeing with the goddess request easily.
"Now, Percy, what are you going to do now?" her question caused him to be thoughtful before finally uttering his answer.
"I'm going to help demigods survive and live their life, of course,"