For a moment, Percy felt at peace. He was laying on a warm surface, the temperature being a nice contrast from the cool breeze that blew past. His eyes closed, he dug his cheek further into the surface like it was a pillow, feeling it shift underneath his weight to accommodate his movements.
After a few moments of comfort and peace, Percy finally began to truly stir. His hands brushed up against the surface to rub his eyes. Groggily, one hand slid through the surface of the ground, feeling the fluid movements of grains as it contorted through his fingers. Bringing the hand up to his eyes, he slowly opened one. Blinding light obscured most of his bleary vision, but making out his hand, he could see the soft grains of sand fall as he rubbed them between his finger and thumb.
With a start, Percy rolled over so his back was to the ground, his eyes opened wide as he struggled to get up. A groan erupted from him as he got onto his side as heat flared all over his body. Looking down himself, Percy saw a litter of cuts and slashes all over, some of which were still open and oozing the red nectar of life.
The sound of crashing waves shook Percy out of his stupor, and he turned to see a vast blue dominate his field of vision. It was difficult to distinguish the horizon that separated the two great aqua domains from one another, forcing Percy to push himself to his feet against the hot pain in his legs and muscles and squint his eyes to make out as much as could of the view.
He spun around. Behind him, a lush forest appeared where the white sand stopped, and in front, there was nothing more than the expanse of the blue sea. He swallowed, panic rising in his chest. Where was Thalia? Annabeth? Kronos? Quickly looking down, he saw the front of his shirt seared black – with a start, Percy remembered the golden dagger than had come so close to skewering him. Lifting open the front of his shirt, he sighed in relief when he saw unblemished skin, with no sign that the dagger had actually harmed him.
However, the moment he took a single step forward, he stumbled onto the ground, and he remembered that his limbs were covered with cuts and bruises, courtesy of his short but brutal fight with Victor. His legs, with numerous slashes lined on his calves and thighs, refused to respond to Percy's commands. Crawling over to the sea, he flopped into the ocean water, letting the refreshing coldness of it wash over him. The saltwater seeped into his wounds, but instead of burning them, it healed them, closing up the numerous gashes and restoring bruises to pristine skin.
As Percy lay in the shallow water, staring into the heavenly blue of the clear sky, his mind wandered. Specifically – where was he? A beautiful place, yes, but it was nowhere that Percy recognized. The clear-blue water, bright skies, and clean white sand made it seem like he was somewhere almost tropical, but the heat was hardly that oppressive; it was actually quite temperate and cool. He closed his eyes in defeat. He had no idea where he was and was pretty sure that he wouldn't be able to find out. Either way, resting and recovering was the best option.
Percy lost track of time, his eyes closed and his breathing even as he let the restorative powers of water heal him. However, the sound of sloshing – water being moved by an unnatural object – awoke him to the world, and when he opened his eyes, he saw that the sun had moved from its morning position to an afternoon spot. Blinking his eyes a few times, he sat up in the water, reveling in the feel of his damp hair in the cool breeze under the warm sun. Turning, he saw a ship – a boat, really – slowly sailing towards him. The white sail was retracted, and there were some men using oars to row it into the shallow depth Percy sat at.
When the boat pulled parallel with Percy, a middle-aged man, his skin tanned bronze and his black hair cropped short at his shoulders, leaned over and smiled at him. His teeth were relatively clean and he wore a beard and moustache that suited his look and gave him an appearance of friendliness and kindness.
"Hello there, stranger. We saw you in the water and quickly came over. Are you in need of help?" the man said, his deep voice gruff but friendly in tone.
Percy quickly nodded. "I shipwrecked on the island." He remembered Annabeth's captured state. Thalia's blank expression as he yelled in pain. "I was the only survivor."
The man nodded, his smile fading to a solemn expression for a few moments before returning. "You are the not the first I have rescued from these shores. The beauty of this area can be deceiving – the tide can be rough and dangerous for those who are inexperienced." The man reached out a hand to Percy, and the demigod accepted it, clasping on as the older man pulled him to his feet. By now, the vast majority of Percy's wounds had fully closed or healed to a point where they were minor, so he could stand with little issue or pain as the water had also reinvigorated his muscles and replenished his strength.
"My name is Alexis," the man said, stepping back to let Percy onto the boat. Climbing onto the vessel, Percy saw four other men onboard, each with an oar. To the side, there were some nets and other fishing gear, which matched with his own estimation that they were local fishermen. "And yours?"
"I am Perseus," Percy said. He blinked. Why had he given out his full name? He had no idea, but before he could really think about it, Alexis laughed and patted him on the back, the force of the large man's friendly pat being enough to knock Percy over.
"Ah, like the great hero, no?" Alexis said, a wide smile on his face. "A strong name." To this, Percy weakly smiled, and stood up again.
"Now, Perseus," Alexis continued, "where are you from? If it is close by, we may be able to return you to your home before the sun sets today."
Percy looked around. He had no inkling where he was, and from that, he had no way to know how to get home. "My home," he hesitantly began, "is very far away from here. I may be better off following you and finding shelter elsewhere for now."
Alexis slowly nodded, his brow scrunched up in thought. "That is no issue. It explains your…" he gestured up and down Percy, "interesting dress. In fact, you can stay with me for as long as you need to."
Percy looked up at the older man, a genuine smile on the demigod's face. "Thank you, Alexis."
The journey took a few hours, with Percy alternating between helping row and staring out the side of the boat to the vast blue sea. Every now and then, there would be a few islands in the distance, but for much of the journey, it was just water. None of it helped Percy place where he was in the world. This was somewhere he had never been, and the fact that he, Alexis, and the other men on the boat shared the same language only made it more confusing.
As the sun began to set, Percy saw an island in the nearby distance. The men cheered as they saw it, causing Percy to turn to Alexis with a curious look.
"Why did you all cheer when you see that island?"
"That, my friend, is our home," Alexis replied, a smile on his face. "It is our tradition to welcome a safe return on every trip."
They approached the island with haste, and as Percy continued to stare at the island, his brow furrowed in confusion. As they came closer to the landmass, it became evident that their destination was a small village on its coast. However, from what he could see, the village was rather backwards. The docks were no more than a single walkway made of wood. The buildings were little more than wood huts, with the occasional stone brick building. It was, to someone who had grown up into the concrete jungle of metropolitan New York like Percy, a place that looked exceptionally poor.
Still, when Percy looked up at Alexis, the older man looked at his home with a proud smile.
"Welcome to Serifos, home of us humble fishermen," Alexis proudly proclaimed as they stepped off of the boats and onto the wooden walkway that constituted the village's only pier.
Percy looked around. His initial assessment of the village was not entirely accurate. There were more stone buildings up into the heart of the island, but they were largely abandoned, and many had fallen into disrepair. It seemed like much of the coast was poorer and consisted of the small wooden huts and shacks compared to the more advanced buildings in-land.
"Ah, Alexis, you have returned!" a voice cried out. "And with a guest, as well!"
The group turned to see an old man with a small entourage of villagers approach them. Alexis raised a hand to greet them.
"Elder," Alexis amicably said, looking up at the old man with respect. "our day has been fruitful. Our catch was good, and we have rescued this young man here." Alexis clasped both hands on both of Percy's shoulders, and the demigod nodded carefully.
The old man smiled at the sight. "Good, good. Very good. If I may, let me speak with young Perseus alone for a little while as you all clean up." Without waiting for Alexis' response, the old man swung an arm around Percy's shoulders and guided him up the stone steps.
Percy was a little concerned about leaving the only person he knew on the island in the care of a mysterious old man, but there was something else niggling at his mind.
… how did the old man know his name?
The old man led Percy to a small hut a few minutes from the shoreline, and after letting Percy enter, he closed the door behind them. Light shone through the windows to illuminate the interior, but the old man still lit a small candle to provide more light on the table in the center of the hut.
"Sit," the old man said, offering one of the chairs at the table. Slowly nodding, Percy took a seat at the table, and the old man swung around to the other side of the table to sit on the opposing seat.
"So," the old man began after a few silent moments, crossing his legs as shifted into a more comfortable position on his seat, "how have you been, Percy? I hope your trip was not too harsh."
Percy shifted uncomfortably in his own seat, his eyes locking on the old man he saw in sights. "What do you mean? What do you know of me and my trip, and how do you know my name?"
The old man chuckled, lifting a pitcher of water from a small nearby table. Filling two metal cups, he pushed one over to Percy's side of the table while taking a long draught from his own. Sighing, he put down the cup and looked at Percy with a whimsical look.
"Come now, my dear Percy – have you not noticed anything odd about this conversation? Anything at all? I understand you demigods are sometimes unnoticing of these sort of details, but I'm sure someone as smart as you can piece it all together."
Percy took a deep breath, thinking back to every memory he had since he had awoken on that beach, alone and injured. The climate of his environment. The geography of the land. His interactions with Alexis and the other people of this place…
"I am Perseus."
With a start, Percy's vision honed in on the old man, the latter's expression becoming a smile as he saw the sudden start of realization manifest on the young demigod's face. There was only one reason he would say 'Perseus' instead of 'Percy'.
"I'm in Greece, and I've been speaking Greek," Percy simply said, stating it as much as a statement as he did a question. The old man nodded.
"Right in one."
"But you're speaking to me in English?"
The old man shrugged. "Naturally. It hardly makes a difference to me, and I'm not sure if every meaning you intend will actually translate into a second language, regardless of your natural fluency. It's simply… simpler."
Percy eyed his still-untouched metal cup of water. "So where in Greece are we?"
The old man rolled his eyes. "I'm afraid that is the wrong question, Percy. The right question is 'when' are you."
"Wait, when?" Percy suddenly stood up, his voice rising in volume. "Are you telling I'm not even in my own time?"
"Of course not. Serifos isn't particularly rich in the twenty-first century, but it is hardly this poor or backwards. You're in its distant past."
"How?"
The old man took another swig of water from his own metal cup. "An interesting question. Kronos had much to do with it, him and that fancy dagger of his he likes to prattle on about. Your father, Poseidon, played no small part in providing the power necessary. And of course, I was involved."
Percy narrowed his eyes at the old man. "What do you mean, you were involved? Exactly who are you?"
The old man leaned back in his chair. "I am Chronos."
Without a warning, Percy's hand slipped into his pocket and drew pen-form Riptide, quickly uncapping it. Chronos looked at the sudden motion with an exasperated expression before flicking a hand, blowing Percy into the wooden wall of the hut and knocking Riptide out of his hand. The sword skittered away from him.
"My dear boy! I am not Kronos – I am Chronos."
Percy glared up at the old man with a confused look.
"Oh, yes, I'm terribly sorry. Homonym and all," Chronos sheepishly said, taking another drink from his cup. "Sorry, I'm rather parched today. Anyway, you are well acquainted with the Titan Kronos – that is, K-R-O-N-O-S."
"And what does that have to do with you?" Percy spat out, still wary of the old man in front of him, who, from Percy's point of view, was considerably more dangerous than his elderly appearance gave him credit for.
"If you would let me finish, I will tell you." After a few moments of silence, he continued. "I am one of the protogenoi – my Chronos is C-H-R-O-N-O-S. At any rate, I am older and far more experienced than the Titan Kronos, and I'm still not over him taking a name so similar, time-puns be damned."
Percy sat himself up against the wall, already feeling Riptide return to his pocket and an uncomfortable soreness over his back from the impact. "Protogenoi? Primordial… so does this mean you're stronger than Kronos?" Chronos had a thoughtful expression as he rounded the table and helped pull Percy to his feet.
"In a sense, yes," Chronos finally answered as they both sat down at the table again. "But also, no." Seeing Percy's confused expression, he continued in his explanation. "Of course, as a far more ancient and, well, primordial being, I represent a fundamental understanding of the fabric of time than a Titan could ever hope to be. However, with this understanding and power comes restriction and responsibility. I cannot intrude on mortal affairs quite as callously as Kronos, nor do I truly wish to."
Percy finally took a drink from his own metal cup of water, relishing in the cool delight of the water as it both refreshed him and healed his soreness. "So why are you helping me, then?"
"Helping? Well, I guess you could call this 'helping'. This was always meant to happen – it was preordained, and I have no power of that which is preordained. I can see the flow of time, the flow of all possible pasts, presents, and futures, but I am not at liberty to pick which is to happen. That power is solely reserved for the Fates. You being here today was fated to happen. All I did was make it happen."
Percy nodded. "Alright, so send me back then."
"No can do."
"Why?" Percy banged his fist on the table, rattling the metal cups. "My friends are in danger! Olympus is in danger! I have to save them!"
Chronos waved a hand. "Kid, I don't think you quite understand how the whole 'time' thing works. The future you left behind? Functionally, it doesn't exist anymore. Or at least, it hasn't existed yet. There's no one to save."
Percy looked stricken at the thought of his friends and loved ones not existing. None of them had been born yet.
"Don't worry, kid," Chronos said, seeing the anxious look on Percy's face. "Time has already priced you into history. Your arrival here was pre-ordained – it has always happened, and it had happened in your original timeline. You can't change history because that's just not how it works. It's a comforting thought, I think. No matter how badly you mess up here, it won't affect your present time."
Percy whipped around and looked at Chronos with a desperate plea. "But what about my future? Where I am in the present isn't good. I want to change that. I need to change that."
Chronos looked thoughtfully at the ceiling of the hut. "Well, that's up to you and how you make use of your time here in the past. I can't say whether or not you will go back; not because I don't know, but because I'm not allowed to." He put a hand on Percy's shoulder in a sagely manner. "You should make use of the time you have been given by Fate."
"Oh yes," Chronos suddenly continued, "that reminds me. I have a prophecy for you, like all great heroes do." He cleared his throat.
Without friend and without foe, the hero is far from home.
For quite some time, this new land the hero must roam.
To find where one must go, one must seek the king,
To find what one must do, the future to one must cling.
A great sacrifice must be made, as all worthy things require,
For to gain the needed power, one must go through fire.
Your true enemy still waits, stirring as you go,
But not now – later, for time is not your woe.
Chronos coughed a few times after finishing, taking a long drink from his cup to wet his parched throat. Percy stared into nothingness, his mind committing the prophecy to memory as he thought about its words and implications.
"Alright," he said out-loud, as much to Chronos as to himself. "The first two are pretty obvious. It seems like I'm going to have to explore ancient Greece for a bit. The next two are a little harder, but one of the kings around here can help me through this."
"And the next two?" Chronos asked, curious about the demigod's analysis.
"I'll… need to give something up for power," Percy hesitantly said. "We'll see about that when I get there, then."
"And the last two?"
"Easy," Percy said. "Kronos isn't ready to rise in this time yet, only in my present. And as you said, none of what has happened in my present has come yet, so I don't need to worry about any of that just yet."
"Astute observations, young one," Chronos said, nodding. "So, what will be the first move of Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon?"
Percy stared at the door of the hut for a few moments, sighing before he turned around to face the primordial in front of him.
"Who is the king that rules this place?"
A/N: And the ball gets rolling… in a different setting altogether. Sorry for the late update, I was kind of busy last week (sleeping in and being lazy after finals) so I missed my Monday update time. This will be, I think, the only chapter other than the first one to be uploaded on not-a-Monday. It won't be a regular thing. I'm already working on Chapter 19 and that will be coming next Monday (5-28-18). Also, chapter 4 received a minor edit to have a small intro that leads into the chapter proper. Otherwise, it remains mostly unchanged, because I liked the chapter as it was originally, even if it is a little short.
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, don't be afraid to leave a review – starting now, I'll try my best to answer all of them or respond to any comments. Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review, and stay tuned for the next chapter!