Chapter Three
Our Timing is Off
You know that moment when you don't exactly expect a visitor until seven, and then they show up at five? That's how we felt about the titans. It started a few days after the Romans arrived. was training some new kids. One kid, C.J. Sheppard, from the Hephaestus cabin, made a pretty good impression. Great fighter. I only mention him, because he'd been giving a certain sister of mine a "look" ever since she arrived back from college to aid us. And she had been giving the same look, if you know what I mean. Now, of course, you're probably thinking. There's no time for relationships when the worlds is ending! Well, you're wrong. I'm not going to go into detail, but if you want, I'll call Aphrodite down here to talk to you. I needed to know what C.J. was made of.
"Okay, class is over for today. C.J., can I see you for a minute?""
He nervously walked over. "Uh, yes, Sir?" Point One.
"How'd you learn to fight like that?" I asked.
"Your wife."
Figures. Point two for him.
"Okay. Learned from second best then, eh?"
"Uh, s-sure" he stammered. Point three.
"Okay, Hephaestus Cabin is probably looking for you. You can go."
He left, awkwardly. He probably thought I was a weirdo now. I began picking up.
"What's this I heard about a second-best fighter?"
I looked up to see Annabeth removing a Yankees cap. She had her invisibility hat on! I blushed.
"Uh, yes, about that... Hey, what are you doing being invisible anyway? We're at camp!"
Annabeth strolled up to me, making her fingers walk up my chest. I knew I was blushing furiously.
"And who, would you say, is the best?"
I gulped.
"I wanted to say me."
"Want to test that?" Annabeth smirked.
We hadn't had a friendly sword fight in a long, long time. And I like a challenge. Unless that challenge is the milk challenge. That had ended very poorly for me. And no, I'm not telling you what happened.
"I accept the duel, Mrs. Jackson." I replied cordially.
I drew Riptide and got in my stance. Annabeth drew her knife.
"Hey, guys! Percy and Annabeth are gonna fight!" Connor Stoll hollered.
How the Hades does he always know what's going on? A crowd quickly formed. I guess we needed to give a show. I struck first, thrusting my blade inwards. She dodged and parried my blade away with hers. I quickly swiped back in her direction. Annabeth leaped over Riptide and lunged forward. Luckily, Riptide made a full arc, and struck my wife's rear end with the flat of the blade. Surprised, she dropped the attack to many cheers from my supporters, and a disgusted Booo! From Annabeth's. We both grinned, knowing that we had only been warming up. She lunged again, getting in close. She always had the leverage up close. I jumped back, and swung Riptide at her skull. She ducked, bringing her hand up, striking mine, causing Riptide to fly out. At the same time, my left hand snaked out and snatched her knife. Loud cheers erupted again, and I heard a few scattered bets being made. With the weapons reversed, everyone leaned in eagerly.
"Come on, Daddy!" Andrea yelled. She was hobbling forward. Thankfully, it was only a mild back injury. She could do all normal activities as long as she wore a brace.
"You can do it, Mom!" The twins encouraged.
I slashed. Annabeth parried perfectly. She spun, bringing Riptide around to slice me. I twisted in the opposite direction, stabbing at her mid-section. We both missed. However, she took advantage of my arm being in front of her. He smashed down on it, and I dropped her knife. Roars of approval rang from her side. Quickly, I swiped my leg beneath her, and she tumbled to the ground, carrying me down on top of her. Annabeth smiled.
"Great fight, Percy." Her arms snaked around me, and I leaned in with her, when she suddenly grabbed my neck and flung me to the side.
"Dammit!" I cried. I had fallen for her feminine wiles.
The Aphrodite cabin swooned at Annabeth's seduction tactic. My supporters groaned. I was weaponless. She had Riptide and her knife. She grinned and stood watching me. I scrambled to my feet. So, I did the most illogical thing. I yelled and charged. Her eyes widened as I slammed into her. Both weapons slipped from her grip, scattering out in front of us. I landed on top of her and pinned her arms.
"I believe the battle is mine, Darling." I teased triumphantly, since was the only battle out of hundreds I had ever really won. Campers cheered. Campers booed. Campers paid their bets. Annabeth groaned, and I gave her a helping hand up. She looked genuinely impressed.
"Very smart move, Percy. Even you have never done anything that illogical in a fight against me. I guess you're not ALL Seaweed in that Brain."
I smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. But we never got to, because at that moment the earth shook violently. Everyone was off-balance.
"WE ARE FREE ONCE AGAIN!" A voice bellowed. There was a tidal wave sound, so we all looked to the water. There, in the sea foam, was Oceanus rising forth.
"Everybody bear arms!" Annabeth ordered, tossing me Riptide. We weren't expecting an attack for at least another week! I ran for the pier.
"Ah! Perseus Jackson!" Oceanus laughed when he saw me, "Where is the Old Man, eh? Too frightened to fight his battle this time?"
"No, just smart enough to know not to waste time on you!" I shot back. This was not good. I leaped in the water and surveyed the assault that was inevitably happening down there. There were so many bubbles it was hard to see, but I could make out my dad arriving right now.
"Dad! Why didn't you warn us he was coming?"
He zapped Oceanus' leg.
"I didn't know, Percy. He just popped into existence. There were no signs!"
Suddenly, I heard music.
And another one gone, another one gone, another one bites the dust. Hey! Gonna get you too, another one bites the dust!
What the Hades? Then, I realized it was my phone. Okay, normally your kids might change your ring tone. No, this was my pegasus. I was going to have to have a talk with Blackjack. His choice of music wasn't very inspiring at this moment. I answered the call.
"Hello?" I jabbed a crab, dissolving it.
"Percy, we've got a giant problem. Alcyoneus." A dial tone. A double end- entan- en- oh whatever. She had double meanings when she said 'giant'. Anyway, I still wondered. Why were these attacks so sudden? My phone rang again.
"Percy!" It was Paul. "Sally's in labor!"
My eyes widened.
"Get her the Hades out of camp! My mom can't give birth while we're fighting a war!"
Dad looked up. His black beard was beginning to grey.
"Sally's having a baby?" He asked, perplexed.
"Don't worry, Dad." I responded.
"Percy, it's too late! He's coming out now!" Another dial tone. It annoyed me slightly, but I figured no one has to bother with a courteous goodbye during the apocalypse. I swam upward, trying to see where Alcyoneus was. We never had a full strategy. Even if we could defend Camp Half-Blood this time, we would be weak. Besides, Kronos was the titan we needed for our master plan. I broke surface. Alcyoneus towered above the buildings. He was still on the outskirts though. I heard pained screams from the Infirmary.
"Dad, keep him busy!"
I ran for it. Annabeth met up with me half-way.
"Percy, we're not ready! We're scattered. Ares cabin is holding us up with the Romans, but do the gods even know we're under siege?"
I shook my head.
"Just my dad. He said Oceanus just showed up from nowhere. Literally. One second everything was peaceful and the Boom, there's Oceanus in our lake. Send word to Olympus. Mom's giving birth, I got to move her to safety. And try to get Athena cabin running some things with Reyna. We need formations and group attacks."
She got to it. I kicked the infirmary doors open. Mom was passed out. Paul stood holding a baby.
"Percy!" He whispered. "Say hi to your brother, Dylan Blofis!"
I walked over, took one look, and cursed.
"Percy!" Paul exclaimed.
This baby was the one from my dreams all those years ago. The one Annabeth held that screamed "Daddy" before it was sucked into a vortex. But he was older in the dream...oh gods. What was going on? I had a sickening feeling that something seriously bad was going to happen. I backed towards the door.
"P-Paul. I don't care how weak my mom is. You take her right now and GO!"
"Percy, what's the matter?"
"I've got a big damn problem, Paul."
Suddenly, my mom's heart monitor flatlined. Paul and I stared in disbelief. I rushed over and kicked the machine.
"No! Where is Will Solace?!" I demanded. Paul set Dylan down in a crib, tears in his eyes.
"H-He-he had to fight, he said."
Paul desperately punched the monitor.
"Sally! Come on, Sally!"
Gaea's image appeared before me.
"Everything you love must go, Perseus."
I grit my teeth. No one was going to hurt my family.
"I will kill you!" I seethed. "You won't destroy the world on my watch!"
Gaea laughed.
"I said everything YOU love, Perseus."
She vanished. I looked at the flatline. A small tugging sensation began in my gut. I stomped outside. The sky was dark. Alcyoneus had made it to the heart if camp. I had walked out in front of him. He spotted me and swatted a camper aside, just to anger me. It worked.
"Perseus Jackson! I have come for you...and your family!"
I snapped.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
I screamed, eyes shut tight. I didn't know where I found the lung capacity for that. The tugging sensation now felt like it was ripping my insides apart, as if something was trying to claw its way out of me. I had never felt this before. I heard loud crashes, waves of water, and cries of alarm from others. Finally, it died down and all was quiet. I opened my eyes to everyone looking at me. Typical. I looked around. Trees were uprooted, the docks were destroyed and everyone was soaking wet. Golden mist rained down. Most importantly, the threat was gone...the outside threat, that is. Annabeth's face was ghastly white. After a few more agonizing moments of silence, Annabeth attempted to speak.
"Percy..."
I dropped to my knees. Oh gods.
"She's dead. My mom is dead. Delivering the baby must have been too much... she flatlined..." I said.
"Wait, the old heart monitor?" Will questioned. "I told Paul not to use that because it was defective! Did you check for a pulse?"
I laughed. And cried. I hadn't checked for a pulse. I was caught up in the moment. I laughed some more in my bitter-happy moment. A few campers actually joined in. But it was nervous.
"I'm not complaining," Connor Stoll said. "Without that defective heart monitor, we never could have seen you take on Oceanus and Alcyoneus and kill them in thirty seconds! Three cheers!"
Approval went up, with some hesitant, scared about my power. I savored my laughing. I didn't know what had just happened, and I didn't know if I'd be able to do it again. I knew peace was but only for a moment
