THESE ARE THE THINGS
THE THINGS WE LOST
THE THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIREFIREFIREEEEEEEEE
Nothing to do with the story, that's just the song that's playing.
Chapter V
Another One Bites the Dust...
and Another One Goes and Another One Goes and ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUSTTTTTTTTTTT
Percy tittered around on his feet, at a loss of what to do. He had been sitting around for what felt like ages! Honestly, doing nothing was boring him. He couldn't forever amuse himself within the gruesome visions of his own mind. Okay, that was a lie, his gorey fantasies were rather fun, but still, it got old after awhile. One could only imagine the destruction of the whole world so many ways.
Percy sat within his own mind, sideways in a chair as his legs dangled and kicked and his head lulled over the side. What could he possibly do to entertain himself, and possibly further along his destruction of everything in the process?
Percy groaned. He needed an evil henchmen. One couldn't simply come up with everything himself. Sure, it would still be him coming up with everything, but it was nice to have the illusion of company, something which he hadn't had in a long while. Percy snapped his fingers.
A random satyr appeared on a stool in front of him, munching on a tin can. "What's up man?" He asked, a smile on his face. Percy sat up correctly in his chair, but still slouching on one armrest.
"I'm bored."
"Wanna materialized people to kill and or torture them in various ways?" The satyr suggest casually.
"Been there, done that. I was thinking some way to further progress my world domination."
The satyr winced. "World domination? You sure about that? Sound's like a lot of responsibility.
"Bored." Percy grunted. The satyr shrugged in acceptance.
"Uhm…"
"You're useless."
"I'm you, bro."
"I'm useless."
"You could kill a God."
"Okay, not so useless. That sounds fun. Who? Dionysus? He's a pain in the ass."
"He's also useless and nothing but detrimental to the Gods. If anything, we'd be doing them a favor, killing him off." The satyr countered. Percy frowned in thought.
"So someone who is helpful to the Gods? Someone who they'll need?"
"And someone who would very likely get in our way."
"I'm a genius!"
"Hey! I came up with it!"
"You're me. Get over yourself."
The satyr huffed in irritation.
Percy landed lightly on the balls of his feet. Black armor adorned his body, hard as steel but flexible for mobility. He crept throughout the extravagant palace, watching as flying books fluttered around the place, some landing on perches, most of which were unoccupied. Little decorative olive trees were scattered about, usually next to some stone statue or fountain or other marble structure. In the dead of night, not much could be seen, but the unblinking, large eyes of owls stared at him in the dark. He stared right back, challengingly. They rested once more, unbothered by his presence.
He held his electrified spear in hand, poised out in front of him to help light the way. He didn't use the spoil of war very much, but it had proven to become handy in the few months he had claimed ownership of it.
Stalking slowly throughout the large, marble structure, Percy wandered around to where he hoped his target would be. If he was correct in his assumption, the resting place of his target would be near the back of the palace.
As he ventured father and father, it became smaller, more crowded. Bookshelves began to adorn walls on all sides, some plain, others in extravagant designs, decorating the walls in swirls. Some of the books were organized by color alone, others were alphabetized, and some seemed completely random.
But he wasn't here to compare literature choices. Slowly, he made his way to where the doors were. He didn't bother attempting to open some of the more plain wooden doors. A Goddess who would spend that much time arranging her books would surely make her bedchamber entrance just as extravagant.
Percy was beginning to get impatient and paranoid. He kept passing ordinary looking doors, some metal and steel, others made of gold and silver, some just plain oak wood, others out of leaves and plants with olives decorating them. He kept turning around, feeling a pinprick of anxiety tickling the back of his neck, until finally he came across what he knew had to be her bedchamber.
The door was massive, towering at least ten feet above him, roughly twelve feet in width. It was a large, impressively carved marble structure decorated with lines of golds, silvers and emeralds, and Percy thought he saw some rubies. He also could have sworn there were hints of obsidian in places. Pictures, animals and several winged books were carved into the massive double doors, but Percy didn't spend any time worrying about architectural design. He knew the palace would be impeccably designed before he begun his journey.
He slowly opened them, holding his breath until he was able to slip in and close them once more. He knew the room within had to be even more magnificent than the doors and the rest of the palace, but he didn't spare it any attention, focusing solely on the massive canopied four-poster bed in the middle of the room.
He crept towards the bed slowly, quieter than a shadow. He thought Nico would be proud of him. Casting that thought aside, Percy diminished his spoil of war, instead taking out his faithful sword, Anaklusmos. It gave off its own golden glint of its own, but that couldn't be helped.
Percy was finally next to the bed. Athena rested peacefully, face relaxed and neutral and brown hair splayed out around her. Percy smiled a wicked smile. He let his subconscious drift out towards her, entering her mind and rendering her defenseless as he tore down all her senses of feelings, of hearing, of sight, of smell. She was completely oblivious to the outside world around her.
Percy trapped her within her own, everlasting nightmares. Never to awaken, never to be mercifully freed from the torturous hell her own mind would create and fuel hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second. Percy smiled, and began his departure. A maniacal smirk adorned his face as he sunk into the shadows, watching her too-still form on the bed, eyelids and fingers twitching as she begun the first stages of her eternal hell.
"Farewell, Lady Wisey." Percy cackled, before vanishing amongst the shadows.
Percy stumbled into camp, bloody, bruised and battered. He hardly made it several feet within the borders before an earth-quaking roar shook the ground and sent his weak legs tumbling. He fell to the ground gracelessly, closing his eyes and panting heavily through his mouth. His hair was matted to his forehead from blood and sweat, and his arms and legs felt like lead.
He heard the stomping noise and vibrations of multiple feet long before they appeared. He knew that roar was sure to attract some attention. He let himself go limp and numb as shouts were heard and orders were barked.
"Grover, go get Will! He's injured!" Percy recognized Rachel's voice, and even though he strained his ears to hear Grover, all was heard was a baleful bleet. "I don't care what happened a year ago, Grover, on top of some stupid tower! Go get Will, do you see the condition he is in?" Rachel shouted. Percy heard the sound of hoofs galloping away.
He heard someone fall to the ground next to him. "Leo, help me roll him onto his back!" Her voice was much closer now, and it was one of the hardest things Percy had ever done, forcing himself to stay limp as he was turned over. He felt hands on either side of his face, holding his head steady. His mouth wanted to drop open. He refused to be so undignified.
"Percy? Percy can you hear me?" Rachel's voice was beyond worried. Percy could feel Leo, whoever that was, shuffling nervously behind him. "What're you standing around for, people? Someone go help Will, they'll need a stretcher to move him. And someone get Chiron! Jason, you go, tell him Percy's back."
Even as Rachel smacked his face lightly to get a response, Percy listened intently to hear what 'Jason' would have to say.
"That-"
"Yes it's the almighty Demi-God gone mad, but obviously something is wrong so go get him!" He heard a murmured reply before he assumed Jason's footsteps went away.
"Percy! Go help me I will stab you with that sword just like you stabbed me all those years ago, and I promise it won't vanish-"
Percy's eyes flickered open slowly, as though heavy weights were placed on them. "What's Anaklusmos got do with this?" He murmured, voice scratchy and broken. He dimly saw Rachel sag in relief above him. "Thank the Gods, are you okay? What's happened?"
Percy ignored her, instead choosing to observe who he assumed was Leo off to his left. The boy was rather short, with curly brown hair and dark skin. His eyes flickered to his surroundings. Several people formed a misshapen circle around him, reminding Percy of roughly a year ago, when he woke up on Olympus with an oddly formed circle of Thalia, Grover, Annabeth and the Gods watching him from all sides.
There was a girl with dark skin, frizzy brown hair, and oddly colored eyes, somewhere between amber and golden, biting her nail off to the side. A big fellow with army style cropped hair was by her side, an arm around her to comfort her. He recognized Juniper tittering near the trees anxiously. Another girl with choppy brown hair pulled into a braid was behind Rachel, arms crossed over her chest. Katie Gardner was next to Juniper, comforting her. Lou Ellen was hovering over Leo. Jake was next to Lou Ellen. The last one he saw was Nico off to the side as well, shifting nervously on his feet.
Upon making eye contact with the small, pale boy, Percy smiled tiredly. Nico gave a hesitant smile back. "Don't be a douchenozzle, okay Percy?" He asked with a slight, nervous laugh. Percy smiled again.
"Percy? Percy, can you tell me wha-" Rachel was interrupted as several more people made an arrival.
Will was in the lead, hauling a stretcher with the help of two of his cabin mates. Percy vaguely recognized Kyla and Austin, but his memory was fuzzy as he wasn't around the two much. Grover was following behind them, munching nervously on a metal tin can. Chiron was only a few paces behind him, flanked by who Percy could only assume was Jason. Behind Jason, Annabeth followed at a shocked, wary, sedated pace.
I'm so popular.
"Let's get him onto the stretcher, quick. He looks like he's losing a lot of blood." Will told his siblings, and the agreed. Again, the mighty challenge of laying completely limp occurred. As he was raised he got a better look at everyone around him. It was surely an odd bunch. He didn't recognized a quarter of the people who were there. That's what he got go going MIA for a year and some change. His mistake.
"Hello, Will." Percy wheezed out. "Good to see you again." Will looked at him worriedly, even as a smile pulled at his lips.
"Stop talking. You'll wear yourself out. Also, I don't think I can handle the sound of your annoying voice again. It's been so peaceful without it." He said jokingly, causing a smattering of strained laughs to occur.
"How long do you think he'll take to recover?" Chiron broke in suddenly. They were starting to cart him away now, towards the infirmary, next to the Apollo cabin.
"I don't know. By looking, at least a few days. But we have to get him moving so I can treat him. Can someone bring some more ambrosia and nectar to the infirmary? Thanks!" Will called out as they pushed the stretcher gently away, still rushing slightly. Many people looked like they wanted to follow but refrained themselves.
Percy wanted to cackle as he was rolled away. He was an amazing actor. He always knew he would be. Though, it was a bit tedious instructing the monster on how much to injure him, and to screech once he had fallen through, but the least the ride on the stretcher was fun.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Percy let his eyes fall close as he waited to be brought to the infirmary. His plans were going perfectly. He cackled in his head. He was getting quite good at it at this point.
To my first review ever, from Lilireyna, thaNK YOU SO MUCH YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THAT MEANS TO ME LIKE SERIOUSLY
