Chapter 4:
Percy needed to get away, get away from his friends, get away from Camp, get away from it all.
He was running and running, not noticing the growing pain in his legs from muscle cramps.
All Percy knew was he had to keep going for whatever reason. Percy thought that getting away from camp would be a good change in his life.
Boy, how wrong he was. Ever since the confrontation with Annabeth, Grover, and the rest of the campers Percy had been feeling very downcast. Saying that the gods were at fault for all of their problems probably did not help the situation at all.
In fact, if he had to bet, Percy was almost certain that the gods were watching him rant about them. Why wouldn't they? He was the Savior of Olympus. There's one thing they don't tell you, about being a hero, its that being a hero comes with a certain set of expectations and that you have to accomplish. Like going on this quest or going to save this person or retrieve that item.
Percy imagined if he were Zeus he would probably have smited himself down for the way he was disrespecting and disparaging the gods. Yet, they didn't smite him down so there must be another motive or another.
Percy checked his surroundings and slowed his sprint to a slow jog. He was currently in a forest with a small stream running nearby. Percy stopped jogging and sat by the banks of the small stream running through the forest.
Further downstream Percy saw a deer gently grazing with a doe nearby.
With the sound of the running water nearby and the sounds of the forest and wildlife around him, Percy felt oddly at peace with himself and the environment.
Percy checked his bag and found the small bag of drachmas, ambrosia, nectar, and an iPod with earplugs. Percy decided to sit cross legged and meditated for a while just listening to the ambience of the woods and stream.
Percy had actually tried meditating before at camp and found it ridiculous at first. Yet now he just felt at peace with himself and his surroundings.
After a few minutes Percy started honing on his demigod powers by beginning to levitate a small amount of water in front of him. Percy reached out in his mind and started manipulating the water to form different shapes, first a rough shape of a bird, then a house, a car.
Percy repeated these transformations then dropped the water back into the stream letting out a deep breath and wiping some sweat off his forehead.
Percy then continued to meditate in this position for about another 30 minutes before he felt something in the environment shift. Percy wasn't sure what had changed so he tried to focus.
Then Percy knew what had changed, the birds. The birds had stopped chirping and chortling away their lively, familiar tunes. The forest's previous atmosphere had changed from something warm and inviting into something more sinister.
Percy opened his eyes and felt his trusty pen in his pocket and slowly stood up from his seated position and arranged himself into a crouch unsure of what was happening.
Percy then heard something crunching underfoot, leaves were rustling and then a high pitched voice said "Where issssss the demigod sssson of the sssea?"
Percy had a fair idea that this was an empousa having faced some before and recognizing their type of voice.
Percy was preparing to jump out and run his sword through the monster before she had a chance to realize what was going on but froze when another voice answered
"I do not know sssssister, I sssssmelled him over here but the scent of the ssstream has made it difficult to find him"
"He mussst be around here ssssomewhere, maybe if we catch him we can bring him back to Zeus and get a reward?" The other empousa hissed back.
Percy was now very alarmed. Why would the empousa be working with Zeus of all people? Was my short conversation with the camp that bad? Percy now needed to get information from the empousa so he hid until one of them appeared in his line of sight and had their back to him.
Percy pulled out his pen and uncapped it causing a faint rippling sound to go through the air. The empousa tried to turn around but Percy's sword flashed and ran through it causing it to disintegrate into dust.
Percy then turned to the remaining empousa who tried to charge him but ended up missing.
Percy cut the arm off of the empousa causing it to shriek and charge at him. Percy squarely landed an uppercut causing the empousa to be knocked back and onto the ground.
Percy then decided to interrogate the empousa by stepping over it and looking right into its eyes.
"What did you mean when you said you could get a reward for bringing me to Zeus" Percy demanded.
"I don't have to tell you a thing!" the empousa hissed back and tried to spit in his face but Percy turned his face to the side.
"You are going to tell me now" Percy said projecting some power into his voice and making the ground shake around them.
The empousa appeared to have been cowed as it answered hesitantly "What…what do you want to know?"
Percy answered quietly but nonetheless menacingly to the empousa "I want to know why you said that you would get a reward from Zeus for bringing me to him."
The empousa stared at Percy incredulously "You mean you didn't think your attack would have any consssequencessss?"
Percy was extremely confused "What do you mean?" he asked.
"When you burned down all the cabinssss at Camp Half Blood, you created quite the stir. It made you quite popular with a lot of monsters" The empousa practically purred at Percy.
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Percy replied with a very shocked and confused look on his face.
"I sssssee what you're trying to do, acting like you are innocent when you are actually guilty, I like it!" the empousa winked at him.
Percy finally understood that the empousa was flirting with him. Percy looked at the empousa who was giving him a look that he did not like one bit.
"Alright nope, not happening" Percy said quickly and then stabbed the empousa ending the awkward situation.
Percy decided the best course of action was to just pretend that the whole situation never happened and quickly exited the forest.
So, Zeus wants to have me captured because I supposedly attacked Camp Half Blood? Aren't any of the gods doing anything about this?
Unless they have already condemned me without even bothering to thoroughly investigated. One day a hero and another day a villain.
Percy continued walking until a sudden flash of light caused him to shield his eyes. When the light faded he saw it was Hermes.
Percy immediately drew Riptide and looked at Hermes and asked him "What do you want?" suspiciously.
"Peace Perseus, I am here to help." Hermes said while offering his hands in a placating matter.
"How can I trust you?" Percy asked him still a little suspicious.
"Look if I wanted to capture you I would have already tried to fight you" Hermes reassured Percy still with his hand in front of him outstretched.
"Fine, what did you want to tell me?" Percy asked while lowering his sword slightly.
"I am here to let you know that Olympus is now on the hunt for you due to the fact that most of them believe you attacked Camp Half Blood" Hermes explained.
"I already suspected this, Zeus always was paranoid" Perseus replied while finally sheathing his sword.
Hermes' eyebrows raised in a question of how he knew this information already. After all, no one else he was aware of had made contact with Percy.
"Ran into some empousa, don't want to talk about it." Percy answered ambiguously.
"Well if you want to know, there was a vote in order to decide whether you were guilty or not. Basically everyone voted against you except Poseidon, me, and Artemis. Your father and I voted for you to be innocent while Artemis didn't vote for or against you which is surprising" Hermes explained quickly to Percy.
"Your father and I are on your side Perseus, don't hesitate to call us anytime you need. I don't know about Artemis though" Hermes told Percy quietly.
"Goodluck Percy" Hermes gave Percy a nod and then flashed out.
Percy was still reeling from all this new information given to him. Thanks for watching out for me Dad, even if you weren't there as much as I wanted.
Back in Atlantis, Poseidon heard Percy's message and smiled. A small tear escaped his eyes, as he replied: I'll always care for you son even if you don't realize it. Always.
AN: Another chapter is in. I will probably take a brief break after writing this much but thank you once again to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed. I hope you all have a nice day!