AN: Thank you all for following this story. So far I've stayed committed to my promise to write every day. It means a lot that all my work is already paying off.
Please leave reviews, I would love feedback. However, I'd like constructive feedback. Telling me something you liked or something you didn't is more helpful to me as an author than telling me "I liked it" or "This sucked". If you give me good feedback, I can give you better content, so it's a win-win!
I put an obscure Incredibles reference in this chapter, be on the lookout!
All rights to Supreme Leader Rick Riordan. Long live the Supreme Leader.
Chapter 2: Waking Nightmare
Previously...
"What do you want?" I grumbled haughtily as I turned around to face the person who interrupted us yet again. To my surprise, it was Thalia, and she looked a little worse for wear.
"I know, I know, it's date night, but I need you to get over to Yellowstone Park as fast as possible," she demanded as if it was as easy as running to the store to get some orange juice.
"Why. In the FUCK. Would I do that?" I punctuated.
Thalia gave me her classic death glare that I'd come to know and love. "Because the hunters are in trouble."
Now...
"Ugh, again? Man, we really jinxed ourselves back at the restaurant," grumbled Annabeth. I couldn't help but agree. I gave my best New York taxi cab whistle, and I saw a dark figure flying overhead, slowly getting bigger.
"Hey, boss," neighed Blackjack. "Got any sugar cubes for me?"
I rolled my eyes at my old friend. "Sorry, dude. Put it on my tab." Blackjack snorted and stamped his hoof in frustration.
"Really? I hate running on empty." he nickered. While Blackjack is loyal to a fault to those that have him as a friend, sometimes that loyalty has to be bought.
"Give us a ride, and I promise we'll make a quick stop to get you some sugar cubes" I conceded.
"I can't say no to that deal, boss!" he whinnied. "Hop on!"
I helped Annabeth up on Blackjack, which she glared at me for, but hey, I had to be the gentleman! Then I hopped on behind her, and Blackjack took off.
Despite the chilly night air, I was warm because I had my arms wrapped around Annabeth. She turned around and gave me a peck on the lips, and it spread warmth through my body. As we left the city, the trees began to thicken until I was looking down at a carpet of forest green, swaying back and forth in the chilly winter wind. The moonlight on Annabeth's hair flashed like silver weaving through her princess curls. There were stray hairs clawing their way to freedom, but to me, she looked like a goddess. I couldn't help but think how lucky I am to be engaged to such a beautiful woman.
"I'm lucky to be marrying a man as handsome as you are, too Seaweed Brain". Annabeth said dreamily.
My face reddened as I realized I said that out loud. "Whoops, didn't mean for you to hear that. I probably jinxed us again." I sputtered.
Annabeth laughed angelically. "As long as we're together, Seaweed Brain, we're the luckiest people on the planet."
I chuckled lightly. "Us, lucky? Are you kidding?" I said incredulously. "Luck is completely overrated. I don't know if it exists or not, but I don't care. You're better than luck, Wise Girl."
A red tinge swelled her cheeks as she leaned in and kissed me. "You're really asking for trouble, Seaweed Brain. The Fates are going to take that as a challenge," she mumbled.
"Bring it," I replied.
As we grew closer to Yellowstone, I could begin to make out faint whispers of the cries of Laistrygonians, the yelping of hellhounds, and the thunks of arrows finding the chinks in their armor. We came down on the hunters forming a defensive circle around their camp. Hunting wolves were gnashing their teeth as they charged the werewolves. Silver hunting knives flashed like fish in a sunlit pond as they found the throats of the giant cannibals. I saw Lycon and his wolfish grin as he slinked up towards the front line.
"You can't withstand us forever, princess!" he jeered. A second later, an arrow whizzed so close to his ear that he yelped, finding blood from further examination.
"I think my hunters and I disagree with you on that!" retorted Artemis as she continued to launch arrows so fast it was like she was shooting lightning.
Lycon growled, "Alright, pack, full charge!"
As a dozen more wolves began to come out of the woods into the clearing where the hunters were camping, Annabeth and I landed, armed and ready to fight. Annabeth winked at me as she pulled on her Yankee's cap and disappeared. I turned my attention to the charging wolves and noticed a few water jugs stacked to the side of the fire pit. I felt a familiar tug in my gut as the water burst from the jugs and whooshed swiftly to meet the wolves. The water intercepted the wolves' charge as the fell to the ground, sputtering and hacking up the water.
"Now, ladies!" shouted Thalia next to me, and a volley of arrows charged the wolves like a silver wall of death, obliterating the pack.
Lycon snarled at the hunters. "You'll pay for that, you dikes!" he growled as he leaped savagely towards the defenders. He landed just in front of Thalia, who had about half a second before a silver paw slashed her kneecap. Thalia dived towards the dirt, clutching her injured limb. As Lycon stalked towards her for the kill, I hastily snatched up her dagger and plowed it into his ear. Lycon seized up, stiff as a rock.
"I would say 'What big ears you have, Grandma!', but there seems to be a hole in one of them." I jested. Then, Lycon dissolved into golden dust.
Out of the corner of my vision, I saw Thalia roll her eyes. "What's the deal, now? Are you really making these corny superhero quips?" she asked condescendingly.
"Hey, I think the audience would really enjoy them," I replied matter-o-factually.
"Whatever Kelp Head, just get me out of here, I can't get up." she groaned.
I picked Thalia up off the ground and threw her arm over my shoulder. Together, we limped away from the clashing of metal and the roars of battle. I maneuvered her over to a table in the infirmary tent, and after a lot of wincing and groaning on her part, she laid down and got comfortable on the table.
"Gotta go Thals, but I hope you feel better!" I quickly told her as I tossed her a square of ambrosia.
"Stay safe Kelp Head, and protect my sisters for me," she warned.
I burst out of the tent, unable to stay out of the fight for another second. The cold winter air bit as I dashed towards the front lines. In fact, I was going so fast, I ran into nothing. And by nothing, I meant Annabeth in her invisibility cap.
"Oof!" we grunted as we collided.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Annabeth chastised.
"Annabeth, you were invisible. How was I supposed to see you?" I questioned.
"Oh. Duh," she mumbled. I smiled because I had finally caught Annabeth in the wrong. Being the gentlemen I am, I didn't make a big deal out of it. Still, it secretly made me bubbly inside.
Together, we chewed through the remaining monsters, who fought lusterless after Lycon was defeated. After another few minutes or so, I ran my sword through the last Laistrygonian straight through the belly, and he dissolved into monster dust.
"Well, that's the last of them" I sighed. Despite not taking any serious injury, fighting two full-scale battles took a lot out of me. My sword arm was a ton of bricks. My back was twisted into knots. I already knew in the morning that my legs were going to be stiff as a board. Annabeth looked just as exhausted. She's in good shape for a college student, but she was still huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf. Her hair was matted and tangled. Even her knees were vibrating like there was an earthquake.
"Sorry Percy... but I think... I'm gonna be... too tired to... 'celebrate'... like we'd planned." she said in between breaths.
"I hear ya, Wise Girl," I said, leaning over on my sword.
I was almost too tired to notice Artemis and Phoebe walk over to us, as we both collapsed on the ground.
"What's wrong, boy? Can't handle a little skirmish?" Phoebe mocked.
"Hush Phoebe. Go tend to the others, and make sure Thalia is alright." Artemis chided.
"Yes, milady," she grumbled as she sulked off.
Artemis turned back to me. "Sorry, Perseus. Phoebe gets a little cranky whenever one of her sisters go down, especially her lieutenant." she apologized.
"It's alright" I replied.
"So there was a large battle at Camp Jupiter as well? I wonder what's caused all the mass attacks...?" Artemis pondered.
Annabeth put on her thinking face, which is when she scrunches her eyebrows together and stares off into space. "I don't know, but it's definitely not good." Annabeth grimly stated.
"Man, can we ever catch a break? Why can't we wait at least another fifty years before we have to save the world?" I ranted. "I feel like a maid. Like, I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for ten minutes? Gods..."
"The Fates really hate us," Annabeth added.
Artemis grimaced. "Come, I'll give you a cup of hot chocolate, and flash you to Camp Half-Blood. You two deserve it." she offered.
"Thank you, Lady Artemis" we replied gratefully.
Artemis helped us up and led us to her tent. Walking through the hunters camp was very different from when I did it as a fourteen-year-old. Instead of outright glares, I saw grudging nods of respect and even some looks of gratefulness. I felt proud that I had done something to possibly, ever so slightly change their opinion of my gender.
"When you took the sky from me and won the favor of Zoe, the hunters decided that maybe, you aren't a piggish, stupid male after all. So congratulations." Artemis explained as if she had read my mind, which she probably had. I smiled for a second, then after fully hearing everything she'd said, I wondered if that was really a compliment.
Artemis pushed away the tent flap and led us into the tent. It looked just like it did last time I was in here.
There were furs on the floor, which was bigger than the outside. Various stuffed animals were mounted on the walls. They all turned and lowered their heads, (their bodies?) as they saw Artemis enter. She poured us our hot chocolate, and as I drank it, I felt it warm me to the bone. Slowly, the cold was taken away and replaced with drowsy. I looked over and saw Annabeth nodding off on the rugs.
"Thank you, Lady Artemis for your hospitality, but I think we need to be going. My fiance is looking sleepy."
"She is. By the way, congratulations on the engagement," she replied.
I smiled back at her. "Thank you. If you could flash us close to the Poseidon cabin, that'd be nice." I requested as I picked up Annabeth off the ground, bridal style.
"Of course," she responded. "Have a good night." I covered my eyes as she turned into golden light, and suddenly I was in front of the Poseidon cabin.
"Home sweet home," I said, glad to be back to familiar territory.
Carefully I budged open the door with my shoulder, not wanting to bump Annabeth's head on the door frame. I carefully laid her down on my bed and tucked her into the sheets.
"Stay," she said as she drowsily clawed at my arm. I chuckled as I kicked off my shoes and climbed into bed with her. Slowly, as I wrapped my arms around her, as if I was afraid to lose her, my mind melted into her warmth, and I drifted off asleep.
Unfortunately for me, sleep was not quite so peaceful. I dreamed I was at Camp Half-Blood, but the camp was burned to the ground. I looked over to where the Big House was and found it was leveled. A few shaky columns were all that remained of the dining hall. I couldn't figure out where the other buildings were, partly because I couldn't see very far with all the smoke, and partly because there was nothing left of them.
Right in front of me, Nico, Thalia, Travis and Connor Stoll, Katie Gardner, Will Solace, the Seven except me, my camp friends and my mom were on their knees, with gags around their mouths and their hands tied behind their backs. They all were weeping in fear as their eyes frantically darted toward the figure standing in front of them. Laughing, the figure grabbed my mom by the throat. Sally Jackson struggled with all her might, but I was helpless as the figure rammed his fist through her body, and pulled out her heart. I saw the light leave her eyes as she dropped to the ground, motionless. I tried to scream out at the figure, but my voice wouldn't work. I tried to run towards him and reach out to him, but I couldn't move.
The scariest part of the whole dream was when the figure turned around. He looked like a bodybuilder, with large and defined muscles. The only other normal thing about him were his boots, which were Stygian iron. On the weird side, he was purple. Eagle-like talons extended from his fingertips. His armor was solid darkness. Vague figures seemed to move throughout the armor. Despite how odd he looked, there was something familiar about him. The scariest part about him was his face.
He had black, messy hair and sea green eyes, just like me. In fact, he looked almost exactly like me. However, there was something different in his eyes. His sea green orbs danced around like they were on fire. His smile wasn't easy going, but a smile of a madman. He cackled as he turned towards me.
"Do you like the new look Perseus?" he mocked. "I never forget the face of a demigod."
"Who are you?!" I yelled. "What do you want?!"
The man broke into a smile a mile wide and said "Aw, pity. I would hope you'd recognize me. After all, we'd had so much fun together. Last time you saw me, you nearly wet your pants. Ah, good times!" he reminisced with a fiendish smile.
"Leave my friends alone!" I screamed, which made him burst into a fit of hysteria.
"I'm sorry, old friend. I really have to do this. It's imperative for the new world order. You know the phrase. Out with the old and in with the new. Well, I best be off. Keep your wits about you, buddy. I'll be in touch shortly. Toodles!" he said before giving me an impish little wave with his fingers. Suddenly, the ground below me opened up, and I fell into a dark hole that seemed to go for miles and miles.
I awoke with a start. Shakily, I tried to get out of bed but ended up face-planting on the floor.
"Ahh!" I screamed as I fell. Not my most dignified moment.
"Shhh! I'm trying to sleep, Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth hushed.
"Sorry, I had a nightmare," I mumbled groggily. I felt sore all over as I slowly tried to pick myself up. I realized I was still in the clothes I was wearing yesterday at the restaurant and the ensuing battles. As I started to wake up, I started to hear shouting and panicking coming from the other cabins. I looked out the window and saw the Ares cabin in armor, swords drawn and heading over to Thalia's tree.
"I can't believe my luck." I groaned. I tried to bang my head against the wall to see if I was just hallucinating, but it seemed like the Fates really had it out for me.
"Will you be quiet! I'm still sleeping over here!" Annabeth scolded.
"You might wanna wake up, Wise Girl." I droned grimly. "Another army is here to ruin our day."
AN: Thanks for reading! Please review! Keep it constructive. Since this is coming out on New Year's Eve, Happy New Year!