Chapter 2
Percy P.O.V
The first thing that I needed to do before I set out is to get rid of my scent and begin my new life. I need to see my mom one last time and let her know I'm going to be okay. I can only imagine how worried she was when I disappeared those eight months and how frantic she must have been. She was just as distraught as Annab-No, as SHE was when I went.
Walking along the familiar streets of New York, I began to feel a bit of nostalgia run through me. The lights, the sounds, the hustling and bustling of the City that Never Sleeps, the place where I grew up and the area that was my city. Walking along the cracked sidewalk, looking up at the old buildings around me, I couldn't help but remember the battle that took place on these very streets. The sounds of past friends' defiant war cry as they met the monster army head-on, sounds of metal and battle howling through the streets, and, worst of all, the screams of dying demigods as they fell into Thanatos' cold grip defending Olympus and each other.
Shaking my head vainly, trying to clear my mind of the painful memories, I kept on walking until I reached the familiar old apartment building where my mom and Paul lived. Looking at the building, I felt a bit uneasy, and a little tingle on the back of my neck as the tiny hairs began to stand up. I instinctively reached into my pocket, pulling out my trusty pen Riptide. Something wasn't right. Years of being a demigod made me trust my senses and instincts in a lot of situations, and they are rarely ever wrong. That little voice in the back of my mind was yelling at me 'Danger! Danger!' as I made my way into the building.
Walking up the stairwell, I kept a hand on Riptide; ready to uncap it at a moment's notice should there be a threat. Turning into the hallway leading to my mom's apartment, I noticed something odd, or lack of something. There was no noise. A studio filled with people, and it was eerily silent as I made my way to my Mom's door. A cold sense of dread began to grip my heart as I saw the door slightly ajar. Suddenly, a cry of pain and fear broke through the building like a gunshot, and panic filled me as I recognized that cry: the call of my Mother. Uncapping Riptide, I barreled into the room and what I saw froze me in horror.
A trio of monsters was standing in my mother's living room; two dracaenas and an empousa were standing there over the bodies of my mom and step-dad. Two bronze spears pierced through Paul's chest, and stomach and blood covered his clothes and the ground he was laying on. But what chilled my blood was the blood trickling from the empousa's as she hovered over my mother, who had two small teeth holes on the side of her pale neck.
Rage roared in my ears as I let out a yell of rage and water burst from the sink and pipes in the wall. The water swirled around me in a raging storm as I created four tentacles of water with sharp ice tips and willed them to slam into the two snake women that were standing over Paul's corpse. They let out a wail of pain as the water spears slammed into them, piercing through their chests and stomach similarly killing them in the way that they killed Paul. 'Ironic justice,' I thought grimly before turning back to the monsters.
The empousa turned towards me with apprehension and slight fear on her face before a wicked smile adorned her mouth. Wiping some of the blood from her mouth with her fingers, she brought them to her mouth as she licked the blood of them.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" I yelled, leveling my sword at her as water continued to swirl around me.
"Oh, the son of Poseidon, fancy meeting you here. I was just in the neighborhood and decided to come up here for a quick snack. I had no idea how delicious draining the Hero of Olympus's mother could be." She replied in an active voice of cheerleaders with an undertone of malice in her voice. Her red eyes glittered with gleeful hatred as she said those words.
Trembling with rage, I shot my hands out to her, willing the water spears to pierce her through her arms, legs, shoulders and pinning her to the wall. She screeched in pain as the cocky smile was wiped off her face as fear replaced it as she looked into the glowing, rage-filled, sea green eyes of the son of the sea god as he stalked towards her.
"You killed my mother." I said in a deathly quiet voice, "You killed the greatest woman on this planet! For that, your death will be painful. I will rip you limb from limb as you beg for death! But first, who sent you?"
"I don't know what you're talking abo-AHHH" She screamed as I slammed Riptide into her stomach.
"Tell me who sent you!" I yelled in a constrained voice.
"GAEA!" She gasped out, "Gaea sent me! She came up with the plan that should she fail in rising that we were to seek out and kill your family!"
I froze as her words registered in my mind. Gaea. SHE did this. SHE ordered the death of my mother and step-dad because we beat her and her children. SHE was the one that took the best person in my life away from me.
With a roar of fury, I yanked riptide from the empousa's stomach and in one swift motion severed her head from her body and watched as she crumbled into golden dust.
I turned around and ran to my mother's side, dropping to my knees by her body. Her skin was a ghostly white and blood continued to trickle out of the hole in her neck. Suddenly, I saw her eyes flutter a little bit, and with a groan of pain, she opened her eyes and looked at me.
"Don't worry mom, I'm gonna call the paramedics, you'll be alright, you're gonna be alright." I tried to reassure her, but I knew that she is only moments away from death; I could see it in her eyes.
"Percy," She said weakly, "Percy, I want you to know, that I am so proud of you. You are everything a mother could ever want in a son." Tears began to trickle down both our cheeks, as we both knew it was almost over and she would die soon.
"Listen to me, Percy, don't let your heart lose to anger, bitterness, and hate." My mom whispered, "Don't lose yourself and don't lose yourself to grief. Know that I will always love you, and I want you to move on from this."
"But mom, I can't lose you too! I can't!" I sobbed out. I could feel her hand starting to weaken, and her eyes were beginning to close. "I already lost so much! Please don't leave me too. Please!"
"It's my time, Percy." I could hear her voice barely, "You are so strong, Percy. You will do so much more in this world. I love you, baby. I love you."
"I love you too, mom," I whispered in a voice choked with emotion. With that final comment, mom closed her eyes with a faint smile on her lips. I could feel the life leave her, and I knew she was gone.
Throwing back my head, I let out of wail of pain and sorrow. The ground shook violently, and storm clouds were swirling in the sky outside. I just lost my mother. Nothing would be right ever again. 'Don't lose yourself, Percy. I love you,' my mom's words whispered in my mind.
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I stood up and went to the closet in the hallway. I got out some bed sheets and carrying back to my parent's bodies; I began to wrap them in the layers. After the bodies were fully covered, I placed two drachmas on each lifeless frame, praying for quick and safe passage to my uncle's realm.
"Please, uncle, let them pass to your realm quickly and peacefully. Let them enter Elysium. They more than deserve it." I prayed as I fell to my knees in grief. As he readied the blade, a blinding flash of light appeared 10 feet away.
3rd Person P.O.V
Percy looked up when he saw a flash of light. He saw Hestia walk from the flash of light and Artemis(A/N: Didn't see them coming, huh?) walk in from the entrance of the house. "What happened here?" Artemis asked quietly. "My M-Mom... got at-attacked by some dracenea and an empousa. I killed them, but I was too late," Percy sobbed. Hestia walked to Percy and gave him a quick, motherly hug.
"Lady Artemis," Percy said curiously. "Not to seem rude, but why are you here?"
"I saw someone running from camp sobbing, and I was alone hunting, so I followed. I eventually found out it was you, Perseus, and then I heard your mother's cry, so I ran up the stairs a few minutes behind you. When I finally got here, I heard you sobbing, so I came in." Percy nodded at Artemis' explanation. "Also, I would like to bless you," Artemis said nervously.
Percy looked shocked at Artemis. Once he got over the shock, he said, "I accept your generous offer."
An aura of silver surrounded Percy, and he felt a sudden rush of power enter his body. He could feel a new connection to the wilderness, the moon, and... archery?
"Oh no." groaned Percy.
"You can now talk with wild animals, have enhanced senses, have the stealth of a hunter, more agile under the moonlight, and you are hopefully better with archery," Artemis said.
Percy then realized how useful the blessing could be.
"Lady Hestia" Percy said in a voice that was better than earlier's. "Can you please take care of their bodies? Could you take them to Montauk beach where they can be buried by the cabin, please?"
Hestia nodded sadly, and with a wave, she, Percy, Artemis, and the bodies vanished in a column of flames.
They appeared by the cabin at Montauk beach where Percy and his mother always went when he was a kid. The goddess and demigod were still holding each other in an embrace still feeling the effects of grief. Hestia again waved her hand as both shrouds, engulfed in warm flames, burned and the ashes spread over the beach and the water.
Finally, Percy released Hestia from the hug.
"Percy, I know what happened at camp, and I know how you feel. I know how much you're hurting right now, but I would like to offer you something."
Percy looked up curiously at the tone of voice she was using and to what she would offer to him. What she asked next left him stunned.
"I know that no one could ever replace your mother, but I would like to know if you would allow me to be your mother now? Percy, will you allow me to adopt you and to be my champion?" Hestia asked, hopefully.
Percy was stunned speechless. His eyes widened to almost comically proportions, and his mouth was opening and closing like a gaping fish. Even though he just lost his mother, he longed to have another mother figure in his life and who better to fill the position than his most favorite goddess? Even though he loves his mother with all his heart, it doesn't mean he can't have another one and one look into Hestia's hopeful eyes, he caved.
Finally, shaking off his surprise, he looked at Hestia and smiled the first genuine smile in a long time.
"I would love to Mom."
Hestia beamed in happiness as she once again hugged her new son. An aura of orange and red flames swirled around the two before Percy absorbed the fire. Percy felt a sudden rush of power enter his body. He could feel some hope return to his heart, and he could feel a new sensation that he couldn't quite identify.
He reached out to this new sensation and brushed against it as he felt a new rush of strength flood into his system. He held out his hands as he felt the tingling sensation rush through his arm into his wrist, into his hand before a small flame formed in his outstretched palm.
He looked at the small flame dancing in his palm in wonder. Mesmerized by the little flame, he tried the same thing as he does with water and willed it larger. A similar tug in his gut signaled that something was happening and he watched as the flames grew more significant as they licked and curled around his fingers in a tantalizing dance.
Hestia watched in happiness as son began to discover his new abilities. Her son. She never thought she would think those words due to her maiden oath, but now she couldn't be happier. Percy finally put out his fire and looked about ready to collapse before she rushed forward and caught him. He looked at her, and she gasped as she saw his eyes.
They were still their old sea-green, but now that she officially adopted him, they had a swirling ring of reddish-orange circling around his pupil. 'Like actual flames,' She thought. She had to admit; they went well with his eyes; the continuous swirl of the colors matching the flames of the hearth and the waves of the sea were mesmerizing.
"What?" He asked, "And why am I so tired?"
"Your eyes. They're different." She conjured up a mirror for him. "And you're so tired because you need to practice using your new powers."
"Wow," Percy said breathlessly. He had to say; the eyes seemed pretty damn good. He turned back to see a smiling Hestia looking at him in amusement.
"Thank you, Mom." Damn, that felt nice to say. "What other powers do I have?"
"Well, being my son and champion gives you the power over the hearth and home. That means that you can summon and conjure fire. You can project it from any part of your body, manipulate it any shape you want, and you can absorb it. Also, if you get angry enough, you can change your fire into Greek fire. You can also travel using fire. From the Home part of my sphere of power, you can summon any homemade food that families are supposed to have. You also can instill hope in others and teleport to any hearth or the original, on Olympus. Also, remember, the Power of the Hearth can heal as well as harm." Hestia replied, smirking slightly.
"Now, you go to my palace and rest, son." Hestia tapped Percy on the shoulder, flashing them to a bed in her palace.
Percy P.O.V
Already, I missed her laughter and the smell of baking cookies that always seemed to surround her. I missed her smile that could light up even the darkest room. I yearned for her soothing voice that would calm me down if I was frustrated. Then I realized something. My chest no longer hurt. I no longer felt a lump in my throat. I felt nothing. Emptiness. Something had snapped inside of me, and I couldn't feel anything. No anger, sadness, regret, or happiness. Percy Jackson was gone. The last sensation I remember was falling asleep.
A/N: So that's the second chapter done! Sorry for the short section. No 3rd chapter, unless we get 25 reviews! 24 already!