Ocean vs Sky and Messenger
"You mean you are my cousin!" Thalia yelled, her mind trying to comprehend the fact (keyword: trying). She just found out that the boy who killed all those monsters and helped them escape from possible confrontation with the Hunter of Artemis was her cousin.
"Calm down Thalia." Luke said, trying and clearly failing to calm down the daughter of Zeus.
"I AM CALM" Thalia spoke loudly, still shocked by the reveal.
"No, you are not." Percy bluntly rebutted, though his remark was absolutely unnecessary.
"Not helping Percy." Luke replied loudly, annoyed with his calm demeanour when Thalia clearly wanted to wring him for answers, and Luke would let her do that if he didn't need to worry that she might kill him in the process.
"Didn't try to help anyway. I brought here so you guys can rest, not cause destruction and chaos." Percy told them, treating Thalia anger like mere children tantrum.
"So, you brought us here just so we can rest?" Annabeth asked, her voice sounded a little wary, probably not sure of trusting the stranger after only a few moments meeting him.
"Yes, and I can't be sure that you will not follow me after I finish the monsters force. I better bring you there and you can rest without worrying about the monster attack." He said truthfully.
The group look thoughtfully. Sure, they have several safe houses but they always have to be wary of monster attacks even when they were in them. The thought of not having to worry about monster attacks seem too good to be true.
"How can you be sure that no monsters will strike while we are sleeping? I mean, you can't stay up all night." Luke question, not fully believing the boy words.
Percy sighed before motioning the trio to the outside of the house. They, not sure what their host planning, just follow him. What they saw surprised them even more. (No, the jaw-dropping only happen in the chapter before, okay maybe they will happen in this chapter too.)
Wolves seem to be patrolling the area. Except for the fact that the wolves were made of water. The weirder fact is that they seem to be able to move with their own free will.
"How? I know you can control water since your father is Poseidon but to control that many simultaneously, that should be impossible." Thalia said, her voice cannot hide her shock by what her cousin can do.
After some period of silence, Luke tried to speak, only for Percy to cut him off.
"I don't control all of them at one time." Before any of them can ask any question, he continues. "Yes, I created them. However, each one of them had their own mind and can move freely. I can order them to attack and they will attack in any way they want. Only when I'm being specific, that and only then they will attack the way I wanted." He finished, hoping the answer will satiate their curiosity.
Unfortunately, it did not. "How did you even make them?" The ever-curious Annabeth asked, wanting to know the detail more.
He thought about it carefully. Should he teach them the technique of making familiars? He did wish to teach the technique but he not sure he should teach it to them. After giving it some thought, he finally spoke.
"I will teach you, with one condition." Before Thalia could protest, Luke silence her by placing his hand at her mouth. "The two of you have to fight me, no powers allowed. Only use your weapon and hand to hand combat in the spar." He placed the condition while pointing both Luke and Thalia.
Luke released Thalia's mouth, but not before receiving an elbow to the gut. Both of them look at each other for a moment before nodding. They will be able to learn the method of making those things and assess Percy's skill.
"We agree." They both said, at the same time. Annabeth seriously wondering how on earth they did that. "So, who do you want to spar with first?" Thalia asked. The answer surprised them.
"Both of you, at the same time." Thalia tried to clear her ears to see if she misheard. After confirming that her hearing still fine, she looked back at Luke with a surprised look on her face. Luke, mirroring her face
Luke at Percy again. "Are you sure?" he asked.
Percy just nodded, confirming what they heard. They were still unsure about fighting someone younger than them, even if he killed all those monsters. After giving it some thought, they nodded, agreeing to fight the demigod.
"Alright, let fight. So, where are the room we going to use for the fight?" Luke asked, wanting to know the place they will be fighting.
"Follow me," Percy ordered, motioning them to follow him. They walk through a hallway before arriving in a spacious room. Unlike the walls of the previous room, the walls there are rather bland and simple. The size of the room can probably fit an entire ice rink and still fit 2 more and have room to spare.
After seeing his guests finally stop marvelling the size of the room, he finally spoke. "Let's take our place. Thalia, Luke, you guys take the right while I take the left."
Thalia and Luke nodded before going to their designated spot. Thalia quickly grabs her mace canister and tap her bracelet, both items transforming into her spear and shield. Luke took out his sword, the item disguised as a pendant.
Percy stands there for a while, observing his opponents first before taking out 2 pens from his pocket before uncapping it, both pens transforming into xiphos, a sword at each hand.
"So, he's a dual wielder," Thalia observe, trying to find anything more to know their opponent better.
"How about we use our usual strategy? We don't know much about him so let's just use our best technique." Luke suggested.
Thalia agreed wholeheartedly. Against some weak monsters, even in a large group, they still stand a chance. But against an opponent, who skill miles better than their usual adversary, it will be a tough challenge.
"So, I take front, you flanked him." She spoke. The nod she received confirm her to use the strategy they commonly utilise.
"Annabeth, start the match" Percy ordered. When he saw she looked clueless, he decided to guide her. "When everybody looked ready to fight, just say begin."
The explanation seems to be enough for the little girl. She quickly said it "BE- "
"Not yet. Get out from the arena and when everyone ready say it." This time he explained it with more details.
Annabeth nodded before going out of possible combat zone before bellowing "BEGIN"
At that moment, both Luke and Thalia move in sync, Thalia rushing toward Percy while Luke moved around to strike his side. The plan almost works. It will probably work if their opponent isn't Percy.
He leapt toward Thalia, ignoring Luke completely, and performed a downward slash, forcing her to deploy her shield.
Thalia blocked the attack, but there was one problem. The force behind the slashes was so strong that she got push backwards and caused her shield arm to feel numb.
Percy didn't stop, it just the beginning of his onslaught. He unleashed countless strike before parrying a spear strike with one sword before thrusting his other sword at Thalia, the attack gets blocked but she still got pushed by Percy strength.
Luke quickly encircled him, trying to strike him from his blind spot. Keyword: trying. Percy spins around, blocking Luke's attack before kicking him in the stomach.
He quickly crosses his swords together in an X – shaped and parried another one of Thalia's strike before shifting his attention to the older girl.
He jumped at Thalia's shield and used it as a springboard to propel himself upward and land behind her. But Thalia doesn't survive until now by being a weakling. She turned much faster than Percy anticipated and aimed at the unprepared demigod. Luke was recovering quickly and began to move toward them. This fight is theirs. Or so she thought.
Percy slammed his swords at Thalia's spear before stepping on it, causing the tip to be embedded in the ground. He then runs on the spear before jumping and performing a flip and twist mid-air before once again landing behind Thalia. This time, however, she was not prepared.
He performed a side kick, hitting her solar plexus and make her fly before landing roughly.
"Thalia!" Luke screamed, hoping to get some reaction from the daughter of Zeus. He was rewarded with a weak groan. He changed his attention to Percy; the boy is more powerful than he and Thalia originally thought.
However, his attention is not at Luke, but on the downed Thalia. Luke realizing that Percy trying to take down Thalia so she cannot fight anymore tried to stand between him and Thalia. But he didn't account on one thing, Percy's speed
He moved faster than anybody Luke fight, his objective was likely to incapacitate Thalia. Luke tried to sprint but he still cannot catch to the faster demigod. He watched as the younger boy avoid a shield – wait, what?
Luke looked at the shield that was thrown and realised it was Aegis. He realised Thalia must throw it out of desperation and probably thinking Luke can use it as another weapon. He moved toward the shield direction and picked the shield, just in time as Percy knock Thalia out.
Percy looked at Luke and saw him with Thalia's shield. Probably got it when Thalia threw it at him. He quickly changed his stance into a more defensive one. With a shield, Luke can afford to be more aggressive.
Sure enough, Luke began to attack more ferociously. Percy started to be more defensive, Luke's attack left him with no breathing room. He quickly blocked a slash and use the pommel to smash the shield, pushing Luke back for a moment.
Percy began his counter attack, slashing continuously, forcing Luke to stay behind the shield. He then punched the shield, barehanded, the force behind it strong enough to push the older boy by a few metres.
Luke was shocked. He never thought such a young person can dish out that kind of punch. His little though was stop when Percy began his offensive.
Percy launched a downward strike with both swords, causing Luke's knees too bent from the force. Luke quickly took the chance to jab at his unprotected torso only for the son of Poseidon to use the momentum from the strike to propel himself upward, doing a flip while at it, and landed behind the son of Hermes.
The surprised Luke tried to spin and slash at the demigod only for Percy to duck and rushed toward Luke's personal space, making the older demigod unable to utilise both sword and shield in his possession.
Percy turned his sword so that the pommel faced Luke instead of the tip and slammed it at Luke's torso. The impact caused him to spit cough and kneeled, trying to catch his breath. Percy took Luke's moment of respite to jump a few feet upward, using Luke's shoulder to boost his momentum. As gravity took hold, Percy slammed the pommel at the unexpecting demigod's head, gravity aiding the process.
Luke felt a push at his shoulder, causing him and ground to be acquainted for a few seconds. He rose, only to feel a blunt object slammed his head, causing his vision to blur before he saw complete darkness.
Annabeth cannot believe what she just saw. Luke and Thalia, two older demigods that had taken her under their wings, each strong in their own right, not to mention how deadly they are when they work together, were beaten by a demigod only 2 years older than her. Even at the beginning of the fight Annabeth, an inexperienced fighter, can tell that Percy only toying with them, probably holding back and hid some of his own skills, when Luke and Thalia tried their best in the spar.
Her thought was broken when she saw Percy moved toward the downed demigods. Annabeth, fearing the worse tried to run toward him only to saw the boy create hands made of water and carried the older demigods with it. She barely heard him calling her, telling her to go to him as he moved toward the door.
She quickly ran to Percy side before asking a question." What are you going to do with them?" She was greeted with silence. She tried to ask again, thinking that he might not heard her only to close her mouth when she heard the boy answered her question.
"I will throw them into the pool." The statement threw the younger of the two off her guard. Before she could protest, Percy speaks again.
"The water in the pool can help them heal faster, I can use my power to aid their healing." He explained.
Annabeth only nodded, agreeing that throwing them into the pool only so their injuries will heal faster.
Percy, uncomfortable with silence, tried to engage the blonde with some talk. "Do you want to help me cook? At least they can eat after they wake up" He suggests. The slight nod indicating the younger demigod want to do it.
He put the 2 older demigods into the pool, but not before willing the water to heal them. The water started to glow and Thalia, despite being unconscious, let a sigh of relief, or so he thought. He quickly led her to the kitchen, wishing to distract the daughter of Athena while his older caretakers recover.
*
Luke groaned in pain, the pain on his head, while already subside, still remained. He moved his hand subconsciously only to feel it wet for some reason. He opened his eyes to be greeted with half of his body submerged in water.
"Waaaah!" He screamed, surprised that he was in the pool he saw earlier before groaning in pain, the sudden movement caused his sore body to scream in agony.
"Waaah!" Apparently, his scream had awoken Thalia and caused her to scream as well.
Thalia looks around, overcoming her shook of being partially submerged and look at Luke. And by look, I mean glaring at him so intensely that it can melt him. "By the gods Luke, you scared me half dead. Why did you suddenly scream?" She asked, her annoyance lose so she can speak to her friend.
"It just … you don't surprise we were submerged underwater? He asked incredulity can be heard in his voice.
"Well, now you mention it, I just realize we were underwater, at least one half of our body is," She explained, her voice sounded embarrassed.
"Wait, you don't realize half of our body in water until I just told you?" Luke asked incredulously, his tone sounded a bit surprised at how Thalia didn't realise it earlier.
"Well, I more focused on your scream. I kinda surprised and thought you were in danger or something." She replied bashfully, some embarrassment still lingers.
"Okay, my scream kinda loud bu – "anything he wants to say was cut off by another fake cough, alerting both of them to the source of the cough. Swiftly, they turned their head and saw the origin of the cough, Percy, their host in his glorious pyjama, accompanied by their youngest member, watching the argument takes place with amusement.
"Well," he finally spoke, "while I found both of you arguing over something like that funny, we need you to get out of the pool so you can eat. After all, you two love birds don't want to spend in that pool forever, do you?" he said, amusement laced in his voice.
They turned bright red from his word and leap out of the pool quickly, splashing a bit of water in the process. They moved to the boy only to be hampered by their wet clothing. They squeeze their clothes, trying to get as much water out when the water suddenly pulled from their clothes before thrown back into the pool.
They look to the only person that can do that with a raised eyebrow. "I'm the one who thrown you into the pool so at least I should remove the water on your clothes." The said person explained himself.
They probably about to let it go when Thalia suddenly caught on to what he just said. "Wait, you threw us into the pool?!" she screamed furiously.
When she saw him nodded, she blasted him with another question, "Why on earth did you do that?!"
"I throw you into the water so you can heal quicker and not groaning in pain and agony." He calmly replied. "You welcome by the way,"
Before she could go on another rant, Luke stopped her. "He's right you know. I mean, I didn't feel like we just got our butt handed by someone younger than us." He said before he realised the implication. "Oh no."
"What did you mean by oh no Luke?" Thalia, the only person who heard him, asked.
"I tell you later Thalia," at that moment Thalia's and Luke's stomachs decide to join up and make a duet, "right after we eat," he amended, his last meal was at least 6 hours ago. No wonder his stomach decided to unleash a barrage that could be mistaken for the artillery barrage and caused mortal soldiers to run for cover.
They quickly take their seat next to Annabeth, who in turn seat next to Percy. They quickly look at their tray, which has pumpkin soup and sandwich on it. They ate it voraciously, not eaten anything during the past few hours make them abandon their manner and attack their food savagely.
Both Percy and Annabeth watched them eat their food, the two of them had eaten early under Percy instances when he heard her stomach growling. When the 2 older persons slow down their gobbling, mainly because of the lack of food, Percy spoke.
"If you excuse me, I'm going outside to check on the security system, to see if everything worked perfectly. If you two still hungry, there are extra food in the kitchen. You can ask Annabeth for the direction." As he finished his sentence, he quickly went outside, presumably to do everything he said. As he left the room, Luke let out a sigh of disappointment.
"What's wrong Luke?" Thalia asked, not knowing what caused her first and best friend depressed.
"It's just that we can't learn how to do how to make that creature from before." He lamented. Learning how to make those things (he didn't know what to call them) sure will be helpful in the long run.
"Why do you say that we can't learn how to make it? We could always ask him to teach." Annabeth said, not knowing what the problem is.
"Didn't our condition to get him to teach is that we beat him?" He asked, the question turned some gear in Thalia's head.
"We lost to him, so he might not teach us, is that what you saying Luke?" she replied his question with another question, receiving a nod as his answer.
A sombre aura suddenly surrounded the group, food forgotten. Learning the technique will be absolutely helpful during their travel. It is something they hope to learn when Percy shows them those things. Now, they probably never know how to make the things, though filling their bellies make a meagre substitute to learning how to protect themselves.
As they lamenting their defeat and the consequences of it, Percy entered the room, breathing heavily but fine. "Why did you seem tired?" the youngest person in the room asked.
"I just manipulate the Mist a bit and give new order and energy for the familiars." He explained.
The trio perks up when they heard the word familiars. Finally, they have the word for those things.
Their thoughts disrupted when Percy spoke once more. "You should get some rest. Keeping up with me and the spar before likely tire you both. The short nap earlier probably rejuvenates you a bit but not enough." True to his word, Luke yawned while Thalia blinked her eyes, trying to prevent it from closing and likely dragging her to Snooze Town.
"Especially you Annabeth." His words cause the 2 older sibling figures to the younger girl to shift their eyes to her, watching her body nodding before straighten up, before slowly leaning forward again and fall if not for Luke catching her and placing her on his lap.
Percy motioned them to stand up, which they did, and pointing to another hallway.
"Walk through that hallway until you see an intersection. Keep going straight until you reach a door. That's where your room is. Unfortunately, it is the only room linked to a bathroom and other rooms have been repurposed for other uses. So, you have to make do." He explained.
They both nodded, Annabeth's already fallen asleep. Him offering a place for them to rest is a blessing indeed. They ready to go when he said a sentence that caused them to halt their track.
"You better sleep early or you will be late for training." The word shocked them both that they have to look at their host to see if he was joking, only to be greeted by a stern face.
"B – B – But I though you won't be training us," Luke stuttered, his guard got thrown out of the window before getting stomped by a group of cyclopes.
"Why would you think that?" Percy asked, wondering how the son of Hermes came to that conclusion.
"You said we have to beat you or you wouldn't teach us." He replied, thinking the younger boy might forget it.
"I never said that" before Luke could argue he continued "I only said you have to spar with me. I never said anything about beating me." Luke tried to refute but he can't. Now that he thought about it, Percy only asks for a spar and never told them they need to beat some test to be taught.
"Well, that out of the way, you can go to your room and sleep. I need you to be on top shape for tomorrow training after all." He said while patting Luke's shoulder before heading to another hallway, most likely going to his room.
They glance at each other before following Percy's instruction, but not before Thalia punched Luke's shoulder, regardless if he carried Annabeth, seriously, she believed that they will have to go without learning how to make familiars because of him.
Percy walked through the hallway that Thalia and Luke never walked through, Annabeth had passed it when they go to the kitchen. He walked and passed by a door, Annabeth had asked where it goes and he had replied secret. He continued walking until he reached an intersection before going the opposite way that will lead him to the kitchen.
He continues until he reached a staircase, the only way to go to the upper floor. He walked up the stair until he stepped on the floor of the upper floor before heading toward his room. As he entered his room, he headed toward the balcony, his favourite spot, and sit on his favourite chair, his position granted him the view of the forest below and the city far away.
He created a water tendril and grab a cold chocolate drink, not that it bothered him as he willed the water to heat up. He drank it, savouring the taste before gazing at the star above. He smirked, the night sky illuminating his presence while the water in the moat rippled and his familiars stand on guard, their creator seemingly in a good mood. He muttered to himself,
"Tomorrow will be an interesting day."