No POV
"I'm so bored. At least tell me today you want to go practice a bit after finishing all your work." An irritated girl looked at the blonde haired boy sitting on a desk.
"Look Reyna, there is no need to fight or train so much now that we have a fifteen foot wall outside the perimeter of Camp Jupiter. Also demigods are dying less since we build the road from Camp Jupiter to Lupa's Wolf House." The dark haired girl groaned in annoyance and placed her hands firmly on the desk of the high priest.
"When are you leaving to the Greek camp?" She was just waiting for him to leave so she could retake command of the camp while Jason was away. After the defeat of the giants and Gaea, Jason had essentially taken complete control over the camp and the praetors now served as mere advisers much to Reyna's chagrin.
The blonde boy let go of his paper work and smiled at his thoughts. He was going to leave Camp Jupiter in just a few days to get married with his girlfriend Piper. Just two weeks ago he had proposed to an unusually glum Piper and brightened her day. When he explained that he had been busy doing extra work so they could have a well deserved rest and honeymoon should she answer yes, Piper jumped with glee and happily embraced him. Good times.
"You'll be glad to know that I will be leaving in less than week. I am almost finished with most of the paperwork and had paid off most of the debt the improvements on Camp Jupiter got us so you should have no problem taking care of everything once I'm away." He gave Reyna bright smile which Reyna just found incredibly annoying.
I do not need his help taking care of anything. He is acting so peaceful and carefree, that is not the Roman way. He has not trained for the past two weeks and has been stuffed in this office for the past few days. Sigh. Reyna just smiled back and turned to look at the Frank.
"What about you Frank? Do you want to go spar for a bit?" The boy shook his head uneasily and gave her a small smile.
"Sorry Reyna, I'm kind of liking our new system and to be honest I can't really get any better than I already am. Also, I have a date with Hazel tonight and I can't be sweaty." Although Reyna was an equal in his rank and he had proven to be the most Roman of all the praetors for the past few years Frank could still not help but to be intimated by glare of the black eyed girl he once obeyed. I guess power comes from more than just a spoken rank he thought.
"Look Reyna, why don't you just come with us to Camp half blood. As far as I'm concerned that Ares girl has been wiping out the campers in their arena. I'm sure you would enjoy going in there, maybe you could even go toe to toe with her like in an epic fight. I heard that she is really good." Reyna feigned disinterest at his proposal and brushed it away.
"I don't have any real interest in battling with her, besides if any of you would just accept to some sparring we would not be having this conversation."
"Come on Reyna. I am already going to stay here with Hazel so you might as well go with Jason and Piper. I'll have everything covered and you'll finally have someone to train with."
"Fine but I'm leaving today. If I stay here any longer I might just die of boredom." The girl walked out of the room and slammed the door shut. Who would have thought I would willingly want to travel to the Greek camp rather than stay in the Roman.
"Reyna has been getting more difficult to live with. I don't think she is liking our new sedentary, secure and efficient lifestyle." The blonde boy directed his eyes towards the asian looking boy and eagerly awaited for his response.
"Well if you ask me she needs to get herself a boyfriend or find another way to ease up all her sexual tension besides fighting." Frank chuckled silently to himself but faltered when he noticed Jason's disapproving glare.
"Anyway, are you sure about asking Percy to be your best man?"
"Sure, I would have asked you since we been having a good time here but Hazel has duties here and so do you. I haven't talked to him in a long time, maybe I should give him a call or something." The boy reached over to the bottom drawer on his desk and pulled out a pouch containing Greek currency.
"Since when do you keep Greek currency?" Frank asked him. Jason chuckled and opened the pouch and took out a golden coin.
"One of the perks of being the Pontifex Maximus." The pouch instantly refilled itself and Jason put it away. Jason closed his eyes and held the golden coin between his thumbs and index fingers where it promptly disappeared.
"Oh Fleecy do me a solid. Show me Percy." Immediately an image started to flicker in front of him but disappeared instantly.
"I don't think the coin is supposed to disappear before you send an Iris message."
"Frank, it's one of my newly appointed powers. All I have to do is hold it in my thumbs and once it disappears I can communicate with almost anyone." Frank just nodded but wondered if Jason was saying the truth, why did it not work.
"So um, are you going to try again?" Jason shook his head but nodded.
"Something must be wrong with Percy or he flicked it away. I will just ask someone else." Jason took another coin out and held it in his thumbs making it disappear as well. Another image started to form and this time it was that of Annabeth making out with a boy who was definitely not Percy.
"Um Annabeth." Frank said. He eyed the new kid and wondered what was going on. Does Annabeth not hear me or she's just pretending not to?
"Annabeth! It's me Jason!" Annabeth let go of the boy and turned around frantically looking for Jason until she saw the Iris Message above her.
"Is it a bad time Annabeth?" The daughter of Athena shook her head and fixed herself a little.
"No it is fine Jason. What is going on?" Jason eyed the blonde boy on the other side of the message and noticed he was very well muscled. He was quite handsome,had a perfect tan and looked like a very nice person.
"I'm sorry Annabeth but can I ask, what is going on?" Annabeth moved uneasily at his question. Jason could not believe that Annabeth had cheated on Percy so he did not want to jump to conclusions. He had to make sure first and really wished Annabeth did not brush his question aside since Piper needed a maid of honor and if she was cheating on Percy, Piper needed to reconsider.
"This is Clayton my boyfriend and this is my friend Jason, one of my Roman friends. The one that is doing all that new stuff in new Rome." Annabeth pointed at Jason who was relieved Annabeth introduced him and made the situation less awkward.
"Hi Jason, I'm Clayton, a son of Hephaestus. I admire your work on the Roman camp and everything you do for the minor gods." Jason took the compliment graciously but Frank interrupted.
"Are you sure that you are a son of Hephaestus?" Clayton chuckled and lowered his head a little.
"I took a lot after my mom." Frank nodded but Jason just looked at Frank in disbelief.
"So what's up Jason. You need anything?" Frank and Jason focused back on the matters at hand.
"Do you know where Percy is? I tried Iris messaging him but it did not work, is he busy or something?" Annabeth quickly held her hands tightly and looked away.
"Percy and I broke up like 2 months ago. We were fine with it he even got with Clarisse but she died in a monster attack while she bore his child and Percy was never the same. He left the camp like a month ago and we haven't heard from him since." Jason was shocked at this revelations, it hardly seemed possible all of this happened in such a short amount of time. Frank was just as surprised, it seemed like just yesterday they were all boarding the Argo 2 ready to fight the giants alongside their respective godly parents.
"Well do you know where I can find him? I tried to Iris Message him but it didn't work, maybe I can reach out to him." Annabeth simply shook her head and sighed.
"Iris message don't work on him and none of the Olympians give us any information about him either. I would have sent out a party to look for him but rumor is the gods themselves had took matter into their own hands after he almost killed my sister and threatened to kill us all…" At this Frank and Jason's mouths went agape. The news were just incredulous to both of them. His fatal flaw is loyalty, why would he betray his fellow campers?
"Well, thanks for the update Annabeth. I'll try to get in contact with father or any of the other gods to see if they know anything. I'll get back to you if I find out anything." Annabeth nodded and waved the Iris message away.
Jason took out his pouch again and held a coin in his thumbs. Being the grand priest allowed him direct contact with all mortals and most deities including the Olympians after Iris herself blessed him. Oh fleecy do me a solid and show me Jupiter. Immediately the image of the king of gods flickered and the god shifted from his Greek form to his Roman to talk to his child.
"Jason, my son. What is it that you wish to discuss?" Jason noticed his distant demeanor but figured Jupiter thought it was a professional matter.
"Father, I would like you to know I am getting married in a month or so." A smile crept across the king of god's face and he softened a bit.
"I see, and you would like my blessing." Jason nodded.
"Yes, father but there is something else on my mind." Jupiter's face turned a bit sterner but Jason continued. "I need a best man, I tried to get in touch with Percy but he was unavailable. When I contacted Annabeth she told me of some rumors." Frank noticed the tension building up and backed away. He did not want to be within the vicinity of the king of gods when he unleashed his rage upon his son. To his surprise Jupiter just sighed and leaned back on his throne.
"Find yourself another best man Jason. The Greek boy is not dead if that is what you assume but he is unavailable and is dealing with, to put it gently, great issues. I would like for you and my grandson hiding over there to keep this from everyone including your future wife." Jason nodded and gulped. I guess I won't be Iris messaging Annabeth back. Look at me, already keeping secrets from Piper too and we're not even married yet.
"Of course father."
"Also stay away from the Greek camp. Not because I disapprove of them since after all I am part Greek but because they are under a spell." Jason raised an eyebrow at this. The Greeks camp under a spell? Why?
"What kind of spell?" Jupiter considered not telling Jason but he was the high priest of the gods and filled his name his pride. He could count on his discretion, he already knew about Percy and he did not want his Roman son to get married in the Greek camp when they could get married in his temple.
"It is nothing of much importance son, Perseus outburst scared and traumatized some of the campers. The spell is just there to assure they can live with peace of mind. Get married in my temple on Camp Jupiter son. You have my blessing." Jupiter raised his hand and waved the Iris message away. The boys just stood still for a minute trying to process everything that they been told.
"So you will get married in New Rome after all?" Jason nodded but sighed. He did not plan any of this to happen and now he had a secret to keep from Piper.
"I guess you'll be my best man after all Frank." Frank smiled a bit but he was just not in the mood to crack up any jokes or anything.
"Do you really think he did all of that?"
"I don't know. Jupiter and Annabeth would not lie about that. If something happened to Piper…" Frank slowly nodded they stood in silence.
"Should I go stop Reyna? She did leave to the Greek Camp already and is going to want to fight Clarisse. The girl that died... my sister." As he said that Frank realized that the girl that died was his half sister, a literal part of his family. One that he never got to interact with and now he never will.
"It is no good. Reyna probably already left and she is kind of annoyed with us already. She needs to go outside as well, she was dying of boredom in here." Frank nodded understanding where Jason was coming from.
"So what now Jason?" Jason stood up from his desk and stretched a bit.
"Well as you know I'm no longer getting married in Camp Half Blood." A small smile crept on his face." Let's go prepare my wedding, best man." Frank smiled as well and they both exited the room trying to make the best out of the current situation.
No POV
"Are you sure you have to go back already?" Apollo smiled and gently cupped the cheek of the naiad he was talking to. The naiad with short blonde hair just smiled and reciprocated his gesture.
"I have to check on the boy my sister dragged in. I'll be back though, if not today tomorrow, as long as you let me." Maya smiled and gently kissed Apollo on the lips. Apollo delighted radiated sunlight, lighting up that part of Olympus.
"I'll be waiting." With that Apollo walked away to his palace. As the sun set Apollo felt himself become slightly weaker. One of his sources of power moving further across the world.
I wonder if Percy is all better now. Poor kid, tortured by my sister. He probably experienced the full extent of her wrath, like my father.
Apollo chuckled at the memory of a week ago. Artemis had inexplicably unleashed her fury upon his father and nailed a couple of arrows in his genitalia.
Apollo kept on walking and reached his palace, luckily for him the doorway was close to Percy's room. He could have easily flashed there but flashing everywhere required him to unleash his true form calling upon all his essence. That was easy to do but a part of him was currently talking with a few his children and they were having good conversations.
Apollo reached Percy's room and soon figured something was not right. The pack he left for Hebe to give to Percy was still on the table next to the door. Where Percy laid there was no longer a tank but instead was a bed. His special IV machine was no longer plugged in and a dress was on the floor.
This isn't possible, Percy should not be awake at all, this can't be him.
Apollo bent over to grab the silky yellow gown he knew too well. It belonged to his sister Hebe, the one he promised his father he would look after by keeping her under his wing. That was his punishment.
Apollo calm down, don't assume the worst. You are optimistic, remember?
Apollo nodded to himself and stood up. He walked to the bed and noticed a sleeping Percy. He did not look sick anymore, he looked healthy and had a smile planted on his face. A smile that showed he had done the deed.
Apollo did not want to believe what he was seeing. His favorite cousin, he had gotten with his daughter and now laid naked with his also nude sister covered by a simple layer of white fabric. Apollo did not know whether to feel happy or angry. Hebe had been miserable in her stay here and was always quiet. Now she laid hugging a nude boy with a smile plastered in her face as well.
Maybe they can be happy together. Hebe is a goddess and he is a very powerful immortal demigod… but then again she is my sister, my responsibility and him sleeping with her was out of line. Hera will not be happy about this either and neither will father.
"Apollo." The sun god immediately turned around towards the voice of another deity, one of the few that could enter his palace freely.
"Hestia, is there something you need?" Apollo quickly walked towards Hestia by the door and blocked her view of the sleeping couple.
"No Apollo, I was just wanted to check on young Perseus. Athena mentioned he was brought here by Artemis. Obviously she was not going to stay, so I figured I would stay with him a bit and keep him company while he heals. Is something wrong Apollo? Something seems to be bothering you." Apollo walked to the side and guided Hestia inside and let her get a clear view of the bed.
"Oh my." Hestia said as she covered her mouth.
"I know, I know. I was away, I let Hebe in charge of him and when I got back here they were like this." Apollo gestured to the sleeping pair and felt himself helpless. Now Hestia knew and soon everyone will as well unless he kept it a secret and he was pretty bad at keeping secrets. Zeus will have his ass for sure, he figured.
"I don't know what to do. Do I wake them up and keep their secret from Hera and my father or do I pretend I never saw this happen and come back later once they are awake. Then we all pretend nothing happened?" Hestia just shook her head and looked at Apollo sadly.
"They will understand it was not your fault Apollo. Blaming you for something like this makes no sense and Zeus has gotten a lot more forgiving this past few months. However, Hera already knows about this, she knows when people break their marriage vows remember?" Apollo sighed and sat down in a chair.
"On the bright side Hera never liked Heracles so she might be a little understanding."
"Just because I understand doesn't mean I approve or that I'm happy about this." The queen of gods spoke and Hestia and Apollo had to bow down as the queen of gods entered the room..
"Enough of that, we will handle this situation immediately. Apollo, you keep them sleeping and you Hestia make sure nobody interrupts us." Hestia stepped back a little and placed a magical barrier on the room.
"How will you solve this Hera?" Hera turned to Apollo annoyed but answered his question.
"I will have to make them forget this happened for now. They will regain their memories after a while and hopefully by then the problem is easier to solve. As for you Apollo, pray to Chaos that Zeus never finds out and if he does that he is in a happy mood. You don't want to be punished by him." Hera waved her hands over the pair and mumbled a few words.
"Percy was angry at you last time you did this to him." Hera turned to Hestia and sighed.
"He was, but he understood why I did it. Hopefully he understands this time too."
"Hera, how much will they remember?" Apollo walked up to Hestia and looked at Hera as well.
"I just erased today, don't worry about it. And Apollo, you're welcome. Be glad that I don't like Heracles at all and that Hebe has a smile plastered on her face, if that had not been the case this would have ended differently." Apollo bowed again to show Hera his appreciation and thanked the fates as well.
"Thank you Hera, I owe you one. I was totally freaking out, thank you."
"You owe me too many Apollo. I will now leave this situation in your capable hands. I trust both of you will handle this." Hera pointed towards the bed and flashed away leaving behind the two other deities.
"Help me dress them Hestia." Hestia went wide eyed at the request and shook her head.
"I can't, he is naked." Apollo turned to see the goddess in the body of a nine year old girl blush and shook his head in disbelief.
"I mean help me dress Hebe, I'll dress Percy up." Hestia did an 'oh' with her mouth and picked up Hebe's dress to put in on her. Apollo had to give Percy some of his clothes since the only clothes on the floor were Hebe's. Some loose fit jeans and a blue tank top that had "Hot Stuff" written on it with a sun wearing sunglasses. Hestia did not find Hebe's underwear but knew that pointing it out to Apollo will not help so she just put on her dress and flashed Hebe to her palace. Hestia then turned to look at Apollo and frowned at his shirt.
"It was a gift from Hermes." Hestia giggled and smiled.
"Sure." Hestia noticed Percy was in his adult form and had a thought. She turned Percy back into an eight year old boy and took a deep breath."Ah, much better. Where will you be dropping him off?" Apollo decided not to questions his aunt's judgement but scratched his head and shrugged at her question.
"I don't know, does it really matter? I mean, it is not like he can die or is in danger of being killed by weak monsters. I'll just drop him in a forest or with someone that'll recognize him." Apollo grinned and flashed Percy away.
"Where did you drop him off?" Hestia gave Apollo a concerned look but Apollo shrugged it off.
"Don't worry about it Hestia. I sent him to a safe place, he is in no danger." Apollo smiled but Hestia was not convinced.
"I hope you are right, If something happens to him you will have to answer to Poseidon." With that Hestia also flashed away leaving behind a thoughtful Apollo.
"Nah, he is totally safe. The fates guided my judgement."
Percy POV
I woke up with a sharp pain on my forehead. I rubbed my head gently trying to reduce the pain as I slowly stood up from my bed? No, this is not my bed. In fact, I don't have a bed, this is someone else's and it's underwater! I swam on my feet and looked around the room. Nothing, the room was obviously fancy but empty, the only thing besides the bed was a small drawer and a few celestial bronze tools near the door.
"Hello?" I asked aloud. Not the smartest thing ever but maybe the owner of the bed I was staying at was friendly, after all I am in the ocean from the looks of it. I realized I was wearing clothes I never seen before. I did not like them, did Ares dress me like this? No, this clothes are ridiculous it must have been Aphrodite.
"Who's there? Who's in my room?" A dark figure appeared near the doorway, he slowly made his way in my direction and tilted his head when he saw me. The seven foot figure wore full battle armor and wielded a very large… club?
"Tyson! It's me Percy!" My brother removed his head gear and looked at me closely.
"Percy? Is that really you, your eyes they change color and you are smaller? Are you sure it's you?" I looked at my small hands and figured I was in my child form, probably a god did it. When I nodded I was immediately wrapped around by giant armored hands.
"Percy, my brother! I am so happy!" Tyson lifted me up and twirled me around the room as if I was his dance partner. If it weren't for the fact he was squeezing my ribs I probably would have enjoyed it.
"It's been so long Percy." Tyson's face light up and he grabbed my hand to drag me outside the room.
"Are you hungry brother? I have lots of food here. We can eat lots of it." Tyson rushed outside with me held tightly and almost dragged me out of the room. As I swam down the corridor I noticed the pictures of many other cyclops on the wall, they all stood proud and looked pretty intimidating. About halfway through the corridor there was a picture of Tyson, full battle armor very similar to the one he currently wore and with his stick over his shoulder like a baseball bat.
"Tyson, where exactly are we? If I had to guess, I'd say we were in the house of Cyclops commanders." Tyson then turned and smiled back at me.
"This is my house now. It is very nice but sometimes it gets lonely in here. I don't have any neighbors either, everyone is too far." So this is where my brother has been living for this past few months? A lonely house with no company but Ella and only when she is not busy herself? We passed more rooms, all with no water but full of scrap metals and tools.
We went into the kitchen which was also dry and Tyson made enough peanut butter sandwiches and food for the entire twelfth legion. We ate until we were full and I told him about all this stuff that's been happening, training with Ares and me receiving this blessing and Ethereal Reftate which he just loved and thought was really cool. I took out the inappropriate and the other depressing stuff since he did not need to know that and Tyson was so happy, I did not need to unburden my problems with him. He told me he had been here working on tools and plans for the past 4 months. We sparred a little outside with our 'sticks' and he mentioned how Ella visits him every weekend and they pretty much have picnics and dates on Atlantis when she visits.
I turned to look at my brother and noticed he was actually pretty bored here when alone. There were probably not going to be any more wars soon and here he could only work on tools alone. Did Ares bring me here to take care of my brother? Or maybe dad sent me here to keep him company, yes that must be it. If if weren't for him sending me here I would have probably never been aware of how Tyson was doing.
"Tyson, do you want to come with me? I have to go do some stuff and I would really love your company in my journey. You won't have to stay here anymore." Tyson face light up when I said that but saddened when I told him he won't have to stay here anymore.
"I am sorry Percy but I like it here. This is my home, my job and my responsibility. Sometimes it is boring but father visits and helps me and you visited me today." Tyson paused and blushed a little. "Ella also visits and that is good enough for me." I couldn't help but to admire and envy my brother in that moment. Sure his life was sometimes boring and he lived mostly alone but he had an actual purpose, he had a girlfriend and most of all he had a home.
I swam my way to the door and realized I was being dumb, I could just mist travel out. I looked back and my brother and waved at him. We had a good time here but It was obvious this was not my home and that I did not belong here.
"I'll get going now Tyson but I promise I'll visit you again sometime so we can catch up." Tyson walked a bit closer to me.
"Okay but where are you going Percy?" I don't know why but I just smiled back. Soon my body dissolved into the water and I was gone.
No POV
Percy trailed a hundred meters behind a little group of monsters about eight or so. There was something special about them and he felt the need to be there to kill them. He walked down a ranger trail on the national forest and wandered why they were grouped at all. They must be eating something, or someone… The image of a camper being munched on by a group of monster dwelled in Percy's head but he did his best to think of something else.
"What ever happened to my training with Ares? Did he beat me again and just gave up on me?" Yes, probably. Why else would he send me to my brother. Then again maybe my father sent me there after he realized I could not handle Ares' training. In that moment Percy felt ashamed, he really wished he remembered what happened.
Suddenly the monsters changed position and dispersed a little. Percy immediately noticed the change in their position and stopped walking. Are they waiting for me?
"He stopped, do you think he heard us?" Percy heard a someone whisper behind him. Dammit, how did I not realize they were there?
"Do we kill him already?" Percy frowned at the suggestion of the other person, a girl nonetheless. Why would they immediately want to kill me? Percy sniffed the air and realized there were three scents behind him, about forty meters away. Three demigods, all about the same age, children of Aphrodite, Hermes and some other weird deity.
"Don't be stupid Jesse, he is just a defenseless little boy. I doubt he's the one we're looking for." Said the son of Hermes.
"As if, a little defenseless boy in the middle of nowhere, I think not. I bet he is some weirdo shape shifting psycho that disguises himself as a little boys to lure demigods to their deaths."
"Stop being a scaredy cat Zeke. Look he's moving again." Percy jumped into a tree and hid as best as he could. The kids noticed but did not follow.
"I think he heard us." Said Zeke. In the blink of an eye Percy reformed himself a few feet behind the three kids. The boy Zeke heard him immediately and reached for his waist. He pulled out a golden dagger, 12 inches with jewels on the hilt and got into position. The girl reached for a nasty poison tipped spear while the son of Hermes took no action.
"Stand back vile creature, my spear is tipped with crystallized gorgon blood, if you come close you will die." Percy noticed the girl was about twelve and was very impressed. She had the eyes of a killer and Percy could sense her treat was as real as her spear. Percy willed a thin layer of Reftate around himself but remained in place, he was not going to take any chances with this girl.
"I'd listen to her if I was you. She hasn't washed that thing since the day she got it, it could kill you of an infection alone." Percy could not help but to chuckle at the boy named Roy he vaguely remembered.
"Told you he was a psycho." Zeke whispered to the girl.
"I'm going to kill you anyways so might as well tell us what you are." said Jesse. Percy did not remember being this courageous when he was that young so he was amused with the girl's bravado.
"I am just defenseless little boy." Percy said trying to be as sincere as possible. Truth was that he was not lying completely, he was kind of a defenseless little boy. He had no weapon and he was in the body of a little boy.
"Stop with your mind games, I won't believe anything that you say. We know you are some kind of freak, the oracle told us we would encounter someone like you." The oracle? Rachel? Percy was taken aback by this new revelation.
"You are demigods on a quest? I can help you, I am a demigod to-."
"Shut it dirt bag!" said the boy named Zeke who Percy immediately shot a glare at. I'm not going to lie, being called a dirt bag kinda hurt.
"You are the deceitful vagabond the oracle told us about. We need to kill him he is a monster." Jesse said. Percy was not sure what to make of this. Deceitful? Yes okay, maybe I don't tell the full truth and that does make me deceitful to some degree but vagabond? I guess that's also true… Percy thought remembering why he left Tyson. But kill me? Why would Rachel tell them to kill me? I am not a monster.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I just happened to be here. I had no idea any of you were going to be here. In fact I was just tracking down some monsters over in that direction." Percy pointed west towards the group of monsters that Percy realized were planning to ambush him. The kids looked at each other wondering if Percy was saying the truth but decided otherwise.
"You lie, the oracle described you and the oracle does not lie. We would have to be idiots to believe you. Strip off your clothes and let Roy here tie you up to that tree."
"Jesse, we do not need to strip him." said Zeke.
"Yes we do, he might have concealed weapons." Roy shrugged and walked closer to Percy.
"What? No!, I'm not going to strip in front of you. You know, I was trying to be nice and help you out but you obviously don't believe me. I'm outta here." Percy turned his back on the kids and walked towards the ambush. Stupid kids, telling me what to do. They are so lucky I promised to keep my identity secret. The campers unaware of what to do decided to follow Percy at a distance as he walked towards the monsters.
"Maybe he is saying the truth, the oracle did say something about agony that precedes death, maybe it was not our deaths but the monsters from that weird boy." Zeke shrugged but Jessie thought otherwise.
"My mother is a goddess of violent death, If anyone here can bring forth agony as a being dies it is me. It is my duty as her daughter."
"My mother is Aphrodite and I don't care much about girlfriends and I only ever fix my hair. Our parenthood means nothing Jesse." Zeke said.
"Well my dad is the god of thieves and I never stolen anything in-" A loud shriek interrupted Roy and the campers rushed towards the noise. Before them stood Percy holding an escrima on his left hand while his right one penetrated the belly of an empousa.
"Eeeeiaaaaah!" The empousa screamed at the top of her lungs however Percy stood unfazed. The high pitch sounds sending chills down the campers' spines. The empousa shook violently as the reftate stole her life force and twisted in pain until she turned into the dust. The rest of the monsters could only stand in shock as their fallen comrade was reduced to nothing. A surge of power compensated for his spent effort returning Percy to his full power while some more gave him the life essence of the empousa as a bonus.
The legs of the three hell-hounds trembled in fear while the four remaining empousa remained in a state of shock. Percy then slowly made his way towards the remaining monsters freezing them in place with his power over water. The power of Nemesis alerting him of their misdeeds and who deserved the most punishment, making him realize he had been neglecting his duty. I do have a purpose. Thank you Nemesis.
The eyes of the empousai widened as Percy made his way to each one of them and with immense force he penetrated the newly created escrimas into their abdomens with their flat surface. As soon as his material entered their bodies Percy released the soulless creatures, letting them writhe in pain and experience the most agonizing moments of their collective existence before they made their way back to Tartarus. As that happened the remaining monsters could only watch aware that their fate was sealed. The color of blood lingered on Percy's red eyes and the hell-hounds howled when Percy approached them.
"Don't worry hell-hounds. You won't have the same fate as them." The hell-hounds immediately relaxed until Percy's face darkened and his voice became angrier.
"You have killed hundreds of demigods, each of you more than the five empousa combined. Your fate will be much much worse!" Percy then summoned a huge wave of water and Reftate that engulfed the remaining hell-hounds. Percy recalled the moment he killed the pack of hell-hounds by boiling their blood before saving Sharon. With the desire to avenge his death brethren Percy made the water mix with his powerful weapon and willed it to reach unreal temperatures.
The hell-hounds yelped, whined, howled and even cried as they were burned alive. Their protective tough fur slowly deteriorated and once the boiling material was in full contact with their bare skin they started to suffer a lot more. After a few minutes the wrinkly, pink and unappealing hairless bodies of the hellhounds dissolved into the searing celestial solution.
"All the pain they have caused, this was nothing."
At that moment Roy fell on his knees and tears fell from his eyes. Never had he seen something so horrible. How can he do this... Percy remembered when he first saw the him, he was a fit boy that looked like a young Luke and was great with a sword. He did not pay much attention to the new campers since he was busy at the time but Roy was an exception since he reminded Percy of Luke. A strong kid with a great future but now he was on his knees appalled by what he had just seen.
Zeke feared for his life, the boy he had threatened had killed monsters in a ruthless matter. No hesitation, no mercy and no sympathy. Am I next? Is that my fate as well? Mom, what do I do?
The girl on the other hand was facing an internal dilemma. This was her quest, she was to find the deceitful vagabond, learn what agony before death is and ultimately do a great dead. What am I supposed to do? What is my great dead? How do I become the heroine of my quest?
"You're a monster." She finally said. "You just like killing them and torturing them. You lied, you aren't a demigod. Demigods are heroes and you are far from it." Percy stood silent at the girl's accusations. Building up her courage the girl was about to continue but was interrupted.
"The first thing you said when you saw me was and I quote, 'Do we kill him already.' I had a reason to kill this monsters, what was your reason to kill me with your gorgon blood tipped spear? Your desire to be a hero is so strong you would have killed me the same way I killed them?" Jessie flinched at this. Percy was right and Jesse knew it.
"I... I was wrong. I don't want to be a hero if it means doing what you do."
"Your mother, she is a spirit of violent deaths. This is her domain, this is what she represents." Jessie did not know how to respond. Am I a hero or my mom's daughter….
I am a hero. Heroes are not supposed to kill, they are supposed to save people. What the boy did, he is no hero. Jessie stood up and helped Roy up. Percy walked closer and looked at the girl.
"Roy, are you okay?" Roy came back to reality and wiped his tears. He then closed his eyes and fell on the floor.
"Everything is going to be okay Roy, the quest is done. We are going home."
"I can help you in your quest. I am a demigod and I can help you if you just let me. You've seen what I can do." Jesse shook Zeke back into his senses as well but he was not any better. She turned back to Percy and shook her head.
"The quest is over. You've revealed the truth." Percy analyzed the situation and stood in front of her.
"I see. When demigods arrive at camp they have to go on a quest where they become heroes. This quest was to find yourself." Jessie nodded while still trying to bring the boys into reality.
"Yes, now I know what I have to do." Percy felt happy for her. Although he hated the idea of being used for a quest and Rachel calling him a homeless liar he was glad he could be of help to the girl. He was glad that experiencing this had changed her way of thinking.
"We were following a trail of blood ahead of us, presumably towards the monsters. Then you appeared out of nowhere in our path and-" at that instance Jesse fell to the ground unconscious. Percy sensed the area around him becoming aware of the spirit behind him.
"I guess you are her mother." Percy turned around to find a ghoulish figure. It was a woman with a disfigured face that holstered a sickle on her blood stained himation. A grim smile formed on her lips and the monstrous deity slowly transformed into a woman wearing a catholic nun costume whist keeping the deadly eyes
"You are no ordinary little boy, that I am sure off. I can smell wisdom inside that you could only be gained through millennia and you radiate the power of the seas. I do not know who you are or why you are here but I want to thank you." To say Percy was shocked would be an understatement. Why would she even dress like that?
"You are thanking me? Is it because you like what I did?" The woman shook her head and continued.
"No, I want to thank you for saving her." Saving her? "As you know I am not an actual goddess, I am not even allowed to have children." Percy now felt a little sympathy for the woman and listened closely. Percy could only imagine what that would be like or why that was.
"They are always born with an implanted desire to kill. As soon as our children, us being Keres, are born they only want to please us and choose a path of blood-lust. Too many of our children are born sociopaths and become serial killers or assassins so Olympus strictly forbids it."
"And Jessie?" She can't be a sociopath, she cared for her friends at the end right?
"She is normal by mortal standards if that is what you mean. I personally asked the Fates themselves for this, I begged them to give Jesse a chance as soon as I found out I was pregnant and they accepted. I wanted to give my third child a chance at a good life." I guess the fates aren't all bad if they complied.
"To make things short I appreciate what you did, you showed her that violent deaths are not to be praised and changed her mind. Who knows maybe when you are older I can give you a proper thank you. Jessie's father did say I was an animal." The Ker giggled and teleported the campers away. Percy started to visualize what it would be like but controlled himself, this was not the time and it was not normal, specially since she was wearing a nun costume. Also it is kind of creepy, like pedophilia creepy. Necrophilia creepy too, her true form is that of a ghoul. Also, I am in the body of an eight year old...
"I'll be keeping an eye on you from now on and for the record I did not enjoy your performance. I feed on violent deaths but by no means do I enjoy watching them." The Ker then disappeared leaving behind a nodding Percy. Hmm, the more you know. Percy began to sense the area around him and found another large group of monsters, about three states south.
''I better get started on being Nemesis's champion and getting both of us stronger. I really have been neglecting my duties." Percy talked to himself unaware the deity he mentioned was listening.
Forget the monsters Percy, you owe me a favor and I'm cashing it in now.
Nemesis cashing in her favor? What do you guys think it is? hmm :)