A/N: may I say how truly fantastic it feels to be writing once again, I mean it's just perfect. Also may I also mention how much each and every one of your all's support means to me, so thank you as always. You allow me to do what I love.
I first noticed something was wrong when the coffee shop became eerily quite. I opened my eyes a crack and peered around at the surrounding people, only to discover they had all run inside and we're looking with fearful eyes in the opposite direction of me. I followed their gazes and saw what was causing such a commotion, and I doubted any of them could actually see what I saw. Walking towards the shop was a crowd of Earthborn causing destruction everywhere they passed, mixed among them were these werewolf type creatures that I remembered had footlong claws that dripped poison. Tartarus had called them Lykonthropes.
However this was not the most fearful part, for leading the charge was a massive Cyclopes with various assortment of weapons hanging from his belt, a horn protruding from the crown of his head, an imperial gold left automation arm, and in this hand he held a spiked leash for a Leucrocota. I never had the displeasure of meeting one before now, because the beast was so ferocious that the only description on record was made completely of predictions, since none lived to tell the tale. It was a terrifying creature with the body of a stag, a lion's neck, cloven hooves, and a wide mouth with a sharp, bony ridge in place of teeth. And if it's physical attributes weren't bad enough, the beast spat a flammable acid that it could ignite with its flaming claws.
But then my eyes were drawn to the real threat, striding in with his usual imperial gold apparel but this time it was modified. He had black spikes on his shoulders and they continued to run down both of his arms. Wielding in both hands flaming cutlasses, and he sliced through a water hydrant next to him causing it to explode with pressure. The water son changed its course from simply shooting upwards too surrounding the area in a glacial wall. His helm was open faced unlike last time, and his eyes glowed a evil gold, but his facial features were human, and he wasn't terribly bad looking. Other than a jagged scar running straight from his upper lip too his eyebrow.
"I told you that we would meet again Percy Jackson! And when we did that you would have no chance of survival." Chysaor's voice boomed from across the street, "But it seems I was wrong, for I am too take you in alive not dead, unfortunately."
I was about to answer his challenge, but as I opened my mouth Frankcesca came barreling out of the shop holding what I think was a spatula.
"Now I don't know who or what you are mister, but you better take you golden self and get the heck outta here. And while you're at it I would very much like you to take your friends with you." Frankie yelled brandishing the spatula as menacingly as she could, but she was obviously terrified.
One of the Earthborn grabbed a chunk of earth beside him and hurled it at her nearly crushing her. Before it could smash her I flipped over top of her and sliced down on the boulder with both Justice and Silence at the same time. Luckily I had thought to channel flames through them so it sliced through the earth like it was butter.
"Percy...?" She started.
"Run. Now." I commanded her leaving no room for argument. And she turned to sprint towards the doors. Before she reached it though one of the Lykonthropes leapt over the others to block her way baring his fangs and slashing out at her. She backed towards me and i sheathed my weapons knowing they wouldn't do me much good.
Chysaor took strides towards us with his army following close behind. In one swift motion I took the spear from off my back and hurled it like a javelin right in front of the lead Cyclopes. "Don't come any closer, I'm warning you."
"Don't do anything rash Jackson, I wouldn't want to hurt your girlfriend there, or maybe I do. I have a thing with causing people pain." Chysaor mused as he picked the spear out of the ground and twirled it around. "A fine weapon here, fit truly for a warrior of Chaos." It whipped out of his hand and straight into mine where I clipped it back onto my back.
"Comes with the job." I said in retort.
"Oh yes, I know and I would love to learn all about this job. Which is why you'll be coming with us or I'll leave this entire place in ashes." And he illustrated this by having the Leucrocota spit acid at the window and then ignite it causing the people to jump back in terror.
I put my hands on my sides as too show that I was giving up and in the blink of an eye had thrown 6 daggers with precision accuracy at the monsters in front and the Lykonthrope which was blocking the store. Frankie saw her opportunity and bolted towards it gathering the people up and leading them to a jagged hole left in the ice wall. I stepped foreword while she was doing this to serve as a distraction and the monsters saw this as an act of aggression and sprang forward in a great mosh of claws and teeth. The Lykonthropes came at me first and I drew my blades slashing through the first two so unlucky to come in reach.
These monsters were smarter than the others I had faced though and came at me in waves with the Earthborn hanging back and chucking projectiles at me. Chysaor and the Cyclopes watched me fighting, almost studying my fighting style. I had little time to focus on this however as because of the more present threat of the monsters surrounding me. The Lycanthropes were parrying my sword swipes however and sparks were constantly flying. Slowly their numbers dwindled until there were only three left and they circled me, the two in front charged at me and I went to meet their attacks, I felt a sharp pain rake up my back as the Lycanthrope stuck his claws in the slits in the armor meant for my wings. I twisted around quickly snapping his claws in half leaving them stuck in. While the beast roared in insane pain before I slashed down his torso slashing him in half.
Then whipping around I chopped the remaining two in half, them bursting into ash before me. The Earthborn looked stunned at my sudden rage and I willed the ice to turn back into water and it punched holes through their chests with the immense pressure. I turned on Chysaor and the Cyclopes with my fury and was about to launch in and attack when I saw Frankie being held captive with Chysaor sword to her throat, luckily not flaming at the time.
"I must say Jackson, your fighting skills have grown to become very impressive. Too bad your observation skills have still remained lacking." He smirked, "Now that you've made it difficult for me however, seeing as how I'll have to replace those beasts, I'm going to have to put you to the test. You have to beat Argres if you want the girl to live."
The Cyclopes stepped forward with the Leucrocota straining on its leash to attack me, "I once served the gods too Perseus, but they betrayed me when all I had done was do as they commanded. Hermes killed me, but he did it slowly and he did it painfully. He even made me, permanently loose my arm as you can see. Through pain however, I have grown strong and I have grown vengeful. You may no longer serve them, but soon you shall serve us and shall be their destruction." And with that he released the beast and it lept at me spraying acid at my feet and ignite it setting me ablaze.
Though I may not have liked it, I was still a son of Poseidon and his blessing kept me from burning. I quickly grabbed my shield however and pulled it up just in time to avoid being sprayed in the face. I jumped backwards and shrugged the shield to my left arm and brandished Justice in my right hand. It hesitated at the sight of the blade that it had just watch vanquish plenty of its comrades. I took this hesitation to my advantage tho and threw the sword at it twisting hilt over blade until it sunk itself into the side of the beast. I did not expect it to take that hit, however it simply was knocked back slightly and came at me once again.
Once again I unslung my spear from my back and prodded at it, keeping the beast back and giving me some distance to circle it. I noticed once again Argres was hanging back allowing me to battle it out with his pet, probably seeing if it could tire me out and earn its worth. As I was jabbing out at the beast though I felt the claws in my back sting with an immense burning. I twisted to the side just in time to dodge a lunge, and rolled to a standing position once more. Realizing I needed to finish the battle up I did something very stupid. I chucked the spear in an arc in the air and charged the beast with just my shield. The Leucrocota was shocked by this tactic, but accepted my charge and met suit barreling at me. I leapt up in the air and it jump to meet me claws headed straight for my chest. Before we made contact tho, the spear shot straight into my hand as it had done early and I brought it down with insane force driving it through the Leucrocota open mouth through its entire body driving it into the ground.
It made several choking sounds as its organs no longer worked and it made a few feeble attempts to struggle, before I yanked Justice out of its side and it exploded into dust. Before I had the time to make a snide remark however, Arges was on me holding a massive club obviously furious I had just destroyed his pet. I knew I wouldn't have much time for close attacks so I morphed into war form and ducked out of the way of his first swing. He came in for an over the top blow that would have crushed me like a fly, but I rolled underneath his legs and as I was doing this grabbed the war axe from my back.
I backed further away from him in order to put the full length of my weapon to use, and swung it at him causing him to jump back in order to avoid his stomach being slashed open. He swung at me once again and it hit me in the side and the force knocked me off my feet and slammed into the ruined wall of the coffee shop. Shakily I stood up just in time to see him come barreling at me once again and I took a running start at him.
Last second however I juked to the side and swiped at his legs cutting his right leg off at the knee. He toppled to the ground and slid forward, but instead of disintegrating into dust he bled profusely of golden ichor. "Didn't you know Percy Jackson. Even us immortals bleed." He laughed then winced and grabbed at the stump. I strolled up to him and took one look at his suffering before lopping off his head and it rolled away on the ground. Disgusted I turned away before I saw him turn into his true form and explode, I looked for Chysaor and couldn't see him, but then I felt his blade at my neck. I saw Francesca lying on the ground near the wall, breathing just barely.
"What have you done to her?" I yelled snd made a move to jump towards her till I nicked my neck.
"I left her alive, but I made her different. Special you might say, don't worry you'll learn all about what I've done, and what you'll do. After all a deals a deal." And that was the last thing I head before a sharp pain to the back of my head knocked me out cold. A burning world was the last thing I saw before it all turned black.