Chapter three
Time Skip Two Years
I woke up and looked at my calendar. I rolled out of bed and sighed in relief. It was Saturday. Today is the day I go to camp. For the past two years I had been put through living hell. Quite literally.
For the duration of my training on Olympus, Atlantis, and in the underworld I had gotten close to my fathers. Trident and Amphitrite hated me, Hera hated me, Oh yeah, and Persephone definitely hated me. Though they tell me about how much they hate me I have definitely been able to find times when they put the fact of me being evidence of their husbands cheating behind them and actually acted like mothers and those times are usually when it is fun to be in their homes, but otherwise... Not that much.
In Atlantis, I trained on Mondays with my water, storm, and Earth powers, Friday I practiced and mastered the use of all weapons and surprisingly thanks to my father's cyclops I learned how to be a better than average blacksmith. On Tuesday in the Underworld I practiced controlling shadows, souls, hell hounds, precious metals, and shadow traveling. I got pretty good but I still sucked at summoning precious gems. On Thursday my father asked me to not tell my other dads but he actually allowed me to train with the dead heroes. The strongest and best to ever live. Achilles, the Original Perseus, Orion tried to teach me to shoot bow and arrow... Well let's just say he did not make any progress. It may have been due to the fact after the first week I convinced dad to send him to the fields of punishment because he would never shut up about how he raped some old king's daughter and how he was so proud he killed the king. But what really pissed me off for some reason was the constant stories he bragged to me of how he had sooo many close calls almost breaking Artemis' oath. That was the last straw. To my surprise, my father agreed with very little persuasion. Also I trained fighting with skeletons dad made me summon as practice dummies.
I trained and once I was able to summon an army worth of skeletons, zombies and souls he had high praise. I was shocked he was so proud especially because it took me about a day to recover from raising an army of five thousand undead. But what truly surprised me was he gave me a black leather belt and matching hand bracers. I was skeptical at first but then he told me to put them on. When I did he told me "These are the gauntlets of the underworld. On the belt and bracers appear thirty throwing knives that reaper mar within ten minutes. But the truly special thing is what they do. The twenty on the belt are for monsters. They send them to Tartarus but don't work on immortals. The five on your left are platinum and practically indescribable. They are for sending mortals to the DOA. The knives on the right, they can send anyone or anything straight to the fields of punishment by passing judgement." I accepted them and did something neither of us expected. I wrapped the lord of the dead in a bear hug and said "Thank you dad." He didn't reel back like expected, he actually hugged me back and said "You are welcome son."
On Wednesday I was on a special place on Olympus to train. I practiced my wind, flying, and lightning control too. On Sunday I sparred with him with sword and he also taught me how to fight with a shield and spear.
On Saturday I had the most fun, I was at camp and basically did the lava course, sword fighting, archer(which I suck at), training with hunting knives that I made in the Hephaestus cabin forge, and Chiron taught me how to control the mist. But my favorite parts had to be capture the flag and playing around with the campers, who eventually warmed up to me after two years. I definitely enjoyed when the hunters came and played capture the flag. I had had a few conversations with Artemis too. She started calling me Perseus too because she knew I didn't like it.
My father's each taught me a secret skill alone which was quite powerful. Poseidon taught me that I could control the muscles and blood of anyone with my water powers. I practiced with unsuspecting fish for about a week until I mastered it. He then told me to practice on him. I was nervous at first but then he told me. "I am immortal remember, the worst thing you could do is make me feel some pain." I finally agreed and felt the Ichor running through his body. I used my power and made him walk to me. His eyes looked scared as he did. He walked towards me slowly like he was a zombie. I could see the fear so I said "Dad, why do you look scared?" He snapped out of it and said "You can control a god's movements Perseus. And what you don't realize is I am the god of the seas and control water but can't fight back." It dawned on me what he said and released him saying "Oh I'm sorry dad." He shook his muscles and said "No it is fine. That move is crazy powerful." I agreed.
The next secret one of my fathers taught me was when I was on Olympus in my dads palace. He brought me to the living room and told me "Percy, son, I am going to tell you something, you have inherited an ancient power I swore that I would never use. I had hoped none of my children would inherit it, but you are the first one to do so." I was curious and he said "You have the power king's speech." I looked at him and asked "What is it?" He sighed and said "Because I am the king of the gods I received this. It is a power that I never wanted any of my children to have because of my fatal flaw. Myself and my children have arrogance and the hunger for power. I am glad to say you have neither of those and have recurve X your other father's flaw, loyalty. This has led me to tell you what this is." He finished and said " Aphrodite because of her prowess and seductiveness, she and some of her kin have Charm speak. You my boy have a much older, rarer, and more powerful version. King's speech. The power allows the wielder to give three orders over another living being. Only three times. But if you use it, it is unbreakable and the being you used it on is forced to do the command." I looked at him and said "Dad I wish to wield this power wisely and use it to help Olympus. If you wouldn't mind, may I train with animals?" He nodded and I again used Poseidon's fish subjects to test an overpowered move to control them. It took me two weeks but I was finally able to use my words to force my will over any other being. I told my father and he said "I wish for you to try it on me. Make me bow to you with your words." I nodded and in my mind I activated king's speech. A blue aura encased me and I said "Bow to your son!" I noticed when I used king's speech my voice tightened and made me sound Regal. I saw the king of gods fight against it but he failed and a faint blue light overtook him and he bowed to an eleven year old at the time.
The final secret one of my fathers taught me was Hades. It was a few months ago on the day I beat Achilles for the first time. My dad called me to his throne room in his palace so I knew it was serious. I walked in and said "Dad, why did you summon me today to your throne room." He looked over at his wife and said "My queen and guards leave us." The guards followed diligently but Persephone didn't at first. He gave her a look that told her that she should leave and she huffed and left. Once we were alone he got off his throne and walked over to me. The ruler of the underworld smiled at me and gave me a hug. I happily accepted it. It was nice but his body was cold. He broke away and said "Son, I want to first congratulate you on your first win against Achilles and the original Perseus. You are now on the level of the greatest swordsman to ever live. You are also a master at practically all weapons ranging from throwing knives to hand to hand to chains." I nodded and said "It is only thanks to my great fathers and the training you guys have given me personally." He smiled and said "Now Percy, what I really wanted to talk about is this, being a son of Hades, when I was in mortal form I loved your mother very much. The more a God loved a mortal the stronger the demigod is. Because my brothers and I held true love for your mother, you received every power of us. There is one specific power you received from me that may prove extremely useful. As you have found, you can tell when mortals are close to death, because of their spirit. But what you don't know, is you can actually contact and control spirits of living beings." I looked at him and asked "What does that mean and why would it be useful?" He laughed and said "When I was young I swore on the Styx not to use it because the council told me that it would be too powerful. Percy, if you contact a being's spirit you can get the body to do it. If you can break the spirit you kill the person, if you want their lost leg, you get their spirit to get their body to heal against it's own limits. This power has the ability to kill or bring back from the dead. I looked at him and asked "What do you mean?" He shook his head and said "When a person dies their spirit leaves their body and within five minutes Hermes takes them to the DOA. Even though you have the Stygian iron throwing knives I gave you that send their souls immediately there all other souls have to be brought there. But, if you can take their spirit and use your power to control it, you can put the spirit back in the body brining them back to life."
I nodded and then three flashes appeared. They spoke as one "Perseus Jackson, though we can see all in the present you are the only mortal of who we are unable to see the future of or the extent of your power. Yes this power from Hades is Amazing but we tell you you are only allowed to ever bring two beings back to life. That is the most we will allow. The reason we say this, is if you do any more, you will break the balance of life and you will have to sacrifice your or another life in turn." They flashed away and I looked at my dad and he smiled and said "Well shit! That is great! You are able to revive two beings. They told me I was allowed to revive one ever." I looked at him and said "So how do I practice this?" He summoned a blade and rolled up his punk jeans and made a deep gash on his calf I ran to it and was about to put nectar on it but he stopped me and said "No use your power and make my spirit heal my body." I nodded and thought deeply. I focused on my father and saw a perfectly fine black version of him and I heard a voice and could tell it was his godly soul. He spoke in my head "So Perseus, you are my mortal world's son. Cool" I said back in my head "I am learning to control spirits, so heal him." I heard a laugh and he remarked "Yeah right I am not going to heal his body for free, it takes almost a tenth of my power so you have to trade something." I thought for a second and said "Amphitrite was forced to teach me how to cook. If you do it, I will sacrifice an entire meal I make from scratch to you bodies soul well I mean you." He nodded and said "deal" I looked back to my dad and both of us looked on in surprise as the wound healed it's self. He grinned and looked at me and said "It used to take me thirty minutes to convince a spirit to use one percent of their power, you convinced my stubborn spirit in thirty seconds." I nodded and asked "How much power does food sacrifice give a spirit?" He looked at me and said "It restores them to full then gives them one hundred and twenty percent power for a day. But for gods it only gives us one percent more power." I nodded and said "I told him I would personally make and sacrifice a hole meal to your soul." He grinned then asked "Wait son you can cook?" I nodded and said "Poseidon told me I had to learn something from his wife so I chose cooking so every Friday I learn how to cook. Right now I am a first rate chef. She told me I would rival that of a chef from a five star restaurant. And for my birthday a couple months ago she gave me a present. It was a full sized modern professional kitchen in my bedroom you guys made for me. And the fridge and pantry are always stocked with the highest grade ingredients because of an enchantment she put on them." He looked surprised and said "I can see why he or I accepted. And how does a full kitchen fit in your room?" I laughed and said "You haven't seen it yet have you dad?" He shook his head and I replied "It is massive."
Back to present.
I stood up and looked in the mirror. I was in the boxers my drawer always magically had in my size. I was about five foot five and had and impressive eight pack from the intense training from my father's and the strict diet Amphitrite put me on. I had scars all over my body from sparring mister battles and my least favorite Gabe. I actually got over the scars a few months ago when Artemis told me "scars show the history of a hero. And they do kinda look good on you boy" I took her words to heart and have gotten used to my battered skin. I was extremely fit but my most predominate features would have to be my characteristics. I had raven hair that was unruly and could not be held down with a tub of gel or even glue as I found when I fell asleep in camp during a song a long. I guess the Stolls really did get me back for the arrows in their asses.
Beneath that I had a strong jaw thin lips pearl whit teeth that Annabeth told me would blind Apollo. The final parts of me are my favorite. From Zeus I got an electric blue eye that looked wise and challenging. From Hades my skin was pale no matter how much sun I get. And from Poseidon I got two things. No matter how much cologne I used or what smelling soap I wore I smelt like the sea. The other was my Sea green eye, it showed my joy and pain and it looked playful but showed my emotions. I remember being told by my dad when I beat Triton in a battle of water powers and swords my eye looked like a hurricane that whenever I fight the green disappears and becomes the color of raging sea and storms. I laughed it off but I guess it looks threatening that my eyes change with my mood.
When I was at camp once Chiron had to remind me that nature reacts to my emotions. I was one among three others who it has ever happened to. For Zeus tornadoes, thunder, and lightning appear when he gets mad. When Poseidon is mad, there are storms, floods, and earthquakes. Also if he gets mad near water it changes form, like it can evaporate,freeze, or melt. If Triton gets mad under or near water it boils. It is funny though because weather can change with how severe each emotion is, like when I found the Stolls painted Apollos cabin silver and his sister's gold, I accidentally caused a hurricane over camp all the way to New York I wasn't even mad but there was lighting and it kept shooting at the Hermes cabin. It didn't stop until Hermes came down from Olympus and said the council told me to shut up because I was so loud. I was immediately embarrassed and it dissipated in seconds.
I walked to my kitchen and remembered what I told Hades' soul a while back so I made blue apple cinnamon waffles from scratch with apple butter and some blue berries and strawberries. I put it on a paper plate and walked over to my fire place. Yeah when my dad found out my other dad's wife got to give me stuff pertaining to my bedroom he gave me a fire place. The fire was warm and I smiled as the black fire from literal hell was crackling eternally in the fire place. Yea I was spoiled. I tossed the plate of food in and poured son freshly squeezed by yours truly orange juice into the fire and prayed saying Hades' soul, thank you for letting me practice my powers with your immortal body. It went up in flames and there was a delicious smell in the air. I went to go cook my health weight watching diet my dad's wife set up for me when I turned to see a grinning Hades in Iris message. He nodded and said happily, "Di immortales son! You must be one hell of a cook, my spirit just told me he got that sacrifice and it is the most delicious food he had ever been sacrificed and that it brought it up to one hundred and fifty percent." I grinned and said "Thanks." He looked at me surprise in his eyes and said "Percy that meal brought him to one hundred and fifty percent power, godly food like ambrosia and nectar can only bring a spirit to one hundred and forty percent." I looked at him and said "I didn't know I was that good. I just cook when I'm bored." He shook his head and said "Kid you could rival to Hestia if you keep that up. Out of my fire place stepped a twelve year old girl who made me feel cozy and safe. She exclaimed "Take that back stupid brother."
I swung around and said while bowing "Lady Hestia!" She motioned for me to stand but Hades didn't say anything he just grinned. She blushed gold and said "Hades if you are so confident in your son I will have a cooking competition today and we will have the Olympians be the taste testers. If Percy wins I will give him my blessing, but if he loses he has to sacrifice me half his food every day for a year." Hades' Jaw dropped he looked at me and said "Son this is not a suggestion. You accept this or you will be the biggest idiot I have met." I looked at her and asked "Why is your blessing so good?" She looked down and put her hand to her head and Hades said "She is the oldest child of Kronos and never given anyone her blessing. You will get wings of fire, be fireproof, be able to control fire, and summon home cooked food. You would be foolish not to beg for this chance." I looked at her and bowed I humbly accept your challenge Lady Hestia. Do one of you think that we can get Iris to send a message on a big screen to camp?" She laughed kindly and said "I will try to convince her and that is a great idea. I will tell the Olympians soon, I am sure all of them would love to watch this. Meet me at the throne room by five and bring any cooking knives I will bring any ingredients and other tools you could possibly need."
With that she disappeared and my dad said "Do your best son. If you win you will be very happy she offered." I nodded and said "I am going to go tell Chiron I have a cooking battle later. By dad love you." We smiled and he whipped his hand through the mist. I opened the door and I appeared on the porch of the Poseidon Cabin. I looked around and camp looked abandoned. I looked at my watch and saw it was time for breakfast. I walked to the dining pavilion but to my surprise no one was there. I was about to run to the big house when I heard a lot of voices yell "Happy Birthday Percy!" I jumped as I was surprised and turned to find all of camp and all of the hunters there. Both had grown. Now there were about eighty five campers and forty hunters. I smiled and said "Is that today?" Annabeth and Grover came over and hugged me. They had both grown to be like siblings to me and I trusted them with everything. Well most things. I had not told anyone about all of my powers. I told some things to Chiron but no one knew everything I did when I disappear every week. Chiron and I just tell everyone I do special training because of my parents which is kind of true.
I walked over to Chiron and hugged him saying "I have a battle in the Olympian Throne room tonight!" Everyone looked at me with big eyes and tried to ask questions. I just gave them a crooked grin and said "I will go to Olympus and will fight for something very important." Everyone was extremely curious. I just shrugged as my reply and looked at Chiron and said "I am completely done with my training Chiron, I have the "go ahead" to come back to camp full time!" He looked at me and said "That is great news Percy." I nodded and was surprised when the two gods present walked up to me and Artemis demanded "What the Zeus are you talking about a battle on Olympus." I just grinned and winked at Her and said "You guys have to be patient. I think my dad is going to convince Iris to stream it to camp. I would love to have you guys watch!"
I paled and looked for Someone and when I found her I practically screamed "I need your help" everyone was confused and Nyssa just looked at me and said "Sure Percy wadya need?" I grinned and said I really need to use your forge or I am going to lose tonight in the battle." She laughed and said "You can use it whenever you need Percy. I hate to say it but you are a better blacksmith than me and you always clean my forge to where it looks brand new when you are done so go ahead." I smiled and gave her a quick hug and gave her a hug and went to run off.
I was stopped when someone called my name "PERSEUS JACKSON!!! Come back here. It is your birthday and if you don't eat at least one part of this cake I will castrate you with my electrocute you with my spear. Annabeth forced me to help her bake it for two hole hours!" I turned and saw an expectant camp and realized I had a few hours so I could spend time with my friends. I turned and saw an angry daughter of Ares holding her spear. At first she absolutely hated me but after her seeing how much stronger I was than her and realizing I didn't get offended when she tried to make jokes about or at me she gave up and over time we grew to be mutual friends and respect each other. I turned and scratched the back of my head I walked back to the pavilion and said "Sorry Clarisse. Now everyone, Lets eat some cake!!"
They all cheered and I walked over and sat down. I decided that I wanted to test my powers so I reached out and felt a pull in my gut and focused. I have never used my connection to water this much. I controlled everyone and made everyone sit down. There were screams and I just walked to the massive blue cake and heard Artemis scream "What the hell is this and why isn't Percy affected?" I picked up a piece of cake on a plate and looked around and laughed internally but on the outside I said innocently "What do you mean lady Artemis affected by what?" I took a bite of cake and released all of their muscles. I walked over to Chiron and handed him a plate I grabbed and said "How was that mentor?" He looked at me quizzically then grabbed the cake and raised an eyebrow and it clicked what I meant and he let out a billowing laugh and threw his head back. Artemis marched over to him and said "Chiron why are you laughing do you know who did this? Do you know what fight is going to happen in the throne room?" Her questions were like a Gatling gun on rapid fire. He grinned and said "no, I have no clue about this battle. And to the reason I am laughing is Percy told me an inside Joke and it was hilarious."
I was happy Chiron hadn't told her but she turned to me and rolled her eyes she walked away and when she was almost out of earshot I heard her whisper "Happy birthday Percy." I dropped my cake by accident and Chiron grabbed my shoulder and said "Percy are you ok you haven't moved the past like two minutes my boy." I grinned like I had won the lottery, because I guess in the terms of being a male I had. Artemis didn't completely hate me. Woohoo! I looked to Chiron and motioned for him to come closer. When he did I whispered in his ear "I am having a cooking battle with Hestia. She was really arrogant but the thing is I don't have any cooking knives except some cheap dollar store ones I bought because I am broke." He looked at me and said "Gods alive! Percy you will get destroyed in this battle if you fight!" Everyone turned to him and he face palmed as he realized everyone heard. I laughed as I heard Artemis scream in the background "Aha you do know." I laughed and yelled back "He won't tell you, you will find out tonight." I heard he make a noise along the lines of "Huuff!"
When my birthday celebration was over I headed to the Hephaestus cabin and found a machine that allowed me to make Iris messages. I threw in a drachma and said "Oh Iris, goddess of rainbows, show me Hephaestus." I heard the skype noise and a click. When I saw the oil and grease covered god I bowed. I wasn't expecting it when he said "Percy Jackson, I was waiting for you to call." I looked at him and asked "What do you mean my lord?" He grinned and said "You use the forge so much and have mastered the craft of my domain. I can feel how great your skills are. And call me Hephaestus, please." I smiled and said "So Hephaestus, why were you waiting for a call?" He looked at me and looked confused "weren't you wanting your own forge? I was going to give you one." I looked at him and said "I thank you for that and however much I would love to have my own forge, there is another favor I ask of you."he looked at me and said "Well I will give you a forge just tell me where. And what is the favor." I grinned and said "The best cooking knife I can afford is one so blunt it can't cut butter half of the time and I am in a cooking battle with Hestia and was wanting your help." He looked at me and grinned and said "Since it is your birthday I will personally make them. I am bored today anyway. One sec." He waved his hand threw the mist then I saw a flash.
I turned to see the god of forge in front of me. He was a massive man. I said "Hello Hephaestus. Why did you appear in person?" He grinned and said "I said I was gonna give you a forge didn't I?" I smiled back and he said "Where do you want it?" I thought for a minute and said "You probably won't be able to do it but would you follow me?" He laughed and said "I can do anything." I nodded and opened the door to my room and his eyes bugged out. He looked at me and said "Holy Zeus you have a magic pocket dimension bedroom!" He walked in through the door and I felt my mother come through me as I scolded the god"Shoes mister! I don't want you tracking dirt in my home." He looked at me then down then said quietly "Sorry." He put his shoes on my shoe rack and I did the same. I gave him the tour of the bedroom and bathroom and he said "you have a sweet crib Percy I definitely need something like this. And If you want it here then that is easy." He snapped his finger and his clothes changed and his shirt said "Hephaestus remodeling .co" I laughed and he took out a hammer he reeled back and hit the wall I was about to scream but was shocked to see the part of the wall he hit had a miniature garage door with a hammer on it. He snapped into his other clothes and his hands started fidgeting. He grinned and said "your craftsman paradise."
I was confused until he pressed a button and the door lifted. I gasped and as I looked around the ware house I was overjoyed to find every type of tool and machine needed for anything I ever needed. Hell I could make a knife and an outdoor seating system by taking ten steps from bed. He pointed at one corner and said "These will make any form of mortal wood or metal you could ever need." I ran to him and gave him a hug shocking him and said "Thank you so much. I will make so many different masterpieces. Especially since the Cyclopes don't want me using their forge after I got better than all of them." He got out of his shock and patted me on the head. He looked at me and said "If I didn't know better I would think you were my own son. You know what?" He started to chant and I gasped as I realized what he was doing.
"You just received my blessing. This combined with your own skill will allow you to better your work to help camp. My blessing allows you to know what every type of metal is and the best way to make thing. Also you will know how to work all machines and can create things with more ease. Also, traps. You will know how to make and avoid traps." The last one I saw an evil glint in his eyes. I looked at myself and asked him "Hephaestus, I am extremely thankful to you but I thought a blessing changed a part of my body." He grinned and made a ball of fire and brought it next to me. I didn't feel it almost. He grinned and said "Your skin is more sensitive, stronger and twice as resistant to flames." I thanked him again but he said "You have made so many creations already I am impressed you deserve my blessing and besides, I hand out my blessing left and right. Do you know how many mortals work on machines now a days?" I grinned and he said "Back to business, go choose a metal." I looked at the metals and thought for a second and replied"Can I use a metal that isn't from here?" He nodded and I summoned some must from the air and used another drachma.
A few seconds later I saw him and said quickly "Dad I am going into a cooking battle with Hestia but don't have a knife. Do you think you could get me any type of under sea metal to use for Hephaestus to make a specialty knife?" He looked at me shocked for a second and said "See what good her training did for you. If you tell my wife how thankful you are I will get you some amazing metal I have had for centuries and know you will love." I grinned and said could you bring her in?" He nodded and shouted guard go get your queen and tell her I need her in the throne room. Thirty seconds later she flashed onto the throne next to me and I bowed. And said "I know this long overdue and I have forgotten to say it but you Hera and Persephone have all became like step moms to me, but you have actually been the most kind and even taught me a skill that had helped me immensely the past year and I would like to say from the bottom of my heart thank you for everything you have done for me. I know it was hard to get over the fact I am a son of a woman and Poseidon and you weren't that woman by thank you." She smiled sweetly and I thought I saw a tear and she said "You are welcome and I am glad to tell you I have came to see you as some type of son also." I stood and smiled wildly and my dad nodes winking snapping making a hunk of metal appear behind the mist and said "Bye Percy I love you son."
Hephaestus who was on the other side of the shop walked over and looked at me and I picked up the heavy piece if metal and realized it was the size of a Great Dane. I looked at Hephaestus and his eyes were the size of saucers. He grabbed the piece and said "Oh my gods, oh gods. Percy this is Ancient black water Atlantean steal. I had not been seen for millennia. I thought there wasn't any left!" I looked at it and said if you make one knife and dagger you can have half of it." I said it like it didn't matter but from his reaction it was like he got the good part of the deal. He put the massive hunk on the table and shook my hand violently. "Deal. You have no clue how much I have wanted to work a piece of metal like this. Thank you so much." I nodded and he immediately went to work.
With and intense flame he cut the metal in half and snapped making it disappear. He went back to working and cut it in half again and took one Half over to another table and cut that in half. With that done he turned on the forge. Once it was glowing like the sun he took both pieces in his bare hands and put them in. I watched as he skillfully formed two knives one looked formed as a fourteen inch dagger, the second was the thin cooking knife. After what seemed like hours of folding and hammering on the anvil he dunked both in the oil and grinned as he pulled them out. Both were full tang and a deep sea green and blackish. I could tell the dagger would be wicked but what took my breath away was the thin cooking knife. It was full tang ten inches. The blade was six inches but what was spectacular was the artistry in the metal. I hadn't noticed when he made it, but the blade was Damascus steel. He walked over and for the dagger he made the handle a clear stained cherry wood which was flawless and made me want to test it immediately. But the cooking knife he had put a red stained mahogany to match my bow and it matched the green and black swirls in the blade perfectly. He heated them and stamped two with stamps he summoned out of thin air. I read the and on both they said "Olympic Grade by:Hephaestus" but on the cooking knife he muttered something and a red hammer appeared on the opposite side I was confused but then I saw it was sharp. So sharp the bare eye couldn't see the edge. He sharpened the dagger and then went to the leather station.
I was completely blown away by his work. After waiting he handed me the two blades in sheathes. The dagger was in a cow hide leather sheath that droned perfectly and clipped to my side. Then he handed me the cooking knife but it didn't have a sheath but he said "I enchanted this blade to always be sharp as possible, it is one hundred thousandths of an inch. It is also enchanted to never cut you if you accidentally slice yourself because if you got hit with this you would lose a hand. I hope you like it." I grabbed it and I felt like I was ready to take on Hestia. I hugged him and said "Be in the throne room by five if you would like to watch. I would be honored to use this to cook for the Olympians." He nodded and said "You might want to get ready, it is four right now." I looked at my watch and said "oh jeez! See you soon!" He grinned and flashed away.
I clipped the dagger to my back and put the cooking knife in a protective box. I walked out to camp and saw Chiron and everyone looking for me. I ran up and said "Hey what's up?" He smiled and said "I thought you had left already" I shook my head and said "No I was with Hephaestus making these." I pulled both knives out. Everyone gasped and I saw Artemis walking to me. I closed the cooking knife box and handed it to Chiron and asked "Could you watch this a minute thanks." I walked over to Artemis and asked "Can I ask a favor, can we duel? I want to know my level with my new dagger and you are the best person I have ever seen wield one." I thought I saw a blush for some reason but she turned away and her words didn't speak what I thought I saw when she said "Why would I do you a favor what have you done for me?" I grinned as she stared into me with her beautiful silver eyes. I leaned in and whispered to her "I sent Orion to the fields of punishment because he bragged that you got close to breaking your oath for him multiple times." I could see her face get bright red then she registered what I said and she was fuming "I hated that guy! I only admired his skills! How dare he say that!" She looked at me and said with a smile "I guess I could use some practice." I nodded and she walked to a flat spot of grass and summoned her dual daggers.
I said "No powers, straight daggers." She nodded and I closed my eyes and drew my deadly sharp dagger. I waited for the signal from Chiron and I sunk into a posture ready for anything. I let my head empty and become ready for battle. The second I heard him say "GO!" I closed the distance In an instance. She barely blocked my attack millimeters from her throat. She looked at me with fear and said "Percy your eyes." I grinned and said "I like your eyes too." She blushed and kicked my stomach and sent me flying I landed on my feet and sprinted again. This time she was ready. She was a mixture of Auburn hair and silver knives. Her movements were a blur and she was a flurry a cuts but so was I. I realized that the training from my dads had paid off when I stood toe to toe with the dagger wielding goddess for twenty minutes before she blocked my blade and cut me across the chest deeply. What she didn't realize is I meant for that to happen. I had my dagger in an ice pick grip and the blade was at her throat. I grinned and I let myself slip out of battle mode and she looked into my eyes. She gasped and said "Your eyes changed again what the Hades?" I laughed and said "Don't use his name like that. And yeah Poseidon said my green eye changes when I fight. But the important question is do you yield?" She laughed and it sounded like silk but grinned and she said "Look down." I looked and saw one of her daggers pointed at my man bits and I groaned and said "Damn it is a tie." Her silver eyes glowed at how we had fought and she finally said "I hate to admit it but yes it is a tie." I looked to Chiron and he was in shock. I grabbed the box and said "see you later." Before grinning and leaving.
I waved and said "I have to be on Olympus soon so I'll see you there. I need to go to restore some energy I lost fighting you." She waved and said "You had better win whatever battle this is Percy. I don't want you to tie against me and be beaten not even an hour later." I grinned and ran off to my cabin and walked through the door into my magic bedroom. I grinned as there were now five doors in my room which is slowly growing. I thought to myself "I have twenty five minutes to take a shower. I walked into the bathroom and stripped down and hopped in. I looked at the options and turned the water to sea water then to warm. I relished the feel for a couple minutes before I grabbed the same soap that dad put in the Poseidon cabin. I washed my body and hair and hopped out. I wrapped a towel around my waist and looked around and found my watch. I looked at it and almost screamed because it was four fifty five.
I dropped the watch and ran to the doors. I grabbed the cooking knife box and I opened the one to my dads palace then ran to the front door. I looked around and realized I had no clue where the throne room was. I didn't have time to notice immortals and minor gods gasping and staring at me. I admired the beautiful city then ran straight for the biggest building. I sprinted with all my might shouting "I'm gonna be late!!" I got to a giant set of golden doors and nocked before pushing them open. I stepped in panting and bowed deeply "I am sorry I am late!" To my surprise I heard booms of laughter. When it stopped Zeus said "Raise your head, it is one minute before five son." I stood and looked around at all of the gods.
Each sat in a thirty foot throne except Hades and Hestia and they were all smiling at me except Artemis. And Aphrodite who was staring at me with hungry eyes. Then Artemis asked "Percy I thought you said this was a battle? And why the Hades are you soaking wet and naked!?" I looked down and blushed at my towel clad self and blushed. Zeus turned to Aphrodite and asked "Could you give him some clothes." She broke eye contact with my pecks and snapped making me stand there in a black T-shirt, sea green board shorts, and flip flops. I looked at Artemis and said "To answer your questions lady Artemis, I will be having a cooking battle. Also I was in a towel because after we spared I took a shower. I got our and realized I had only a few minutes to get to Olympus by the time I told Hestia I would be here." She nodded the Apollo grinned and said "Apparently you made quit the ruckus, a deathly pale boy covered in scars running towards the throne room in nothing but a towel screaming about being late." I blushed and fiddled with my thumbs and said "Sorry about that." I was embarrassed but I I looked at Hestia and said "I am ready when you are lady Hestia. She grinned evilly and said "Alright. Hephaestus, go then I will contact Iris." He went down to his human form and changed to his "Hephaestus remodeling co." Uniform. He got out two hammers. He hit the ground with both and two state of the art kitchens appeared. I walked to one and smiled and asked "So what are the rules?"
She grinned and said "We have one hour to make a meal that reminds you of home. Make one for each of the Olympians because they will be the judges." I grinned and said "You can even use your powers of you wish." She looked at me shocked and said "Really?" I nodded and said "Yeah if I can use mine." She nodded still surprised then said "I will be making chicken noodle soup. My most famous and delicious meal." I thought for a second and said "That sounds cool. I will too."I looked at the gods and they looked at me in pure shock and I asked "What? Do you not want chicken noodle soup?" I looked at their faces and Hades said "No one has beaten Hestia ever. To think you would compete with her when making a dish she created would be foolish." I thought for a second ignoring his complaint and looked at the goddess and said "You created Chicken noodle soup? That's awesome!" She looked like I just came from Mars and I said "Have you talked to lady Iris?"
Twenty minutes later we had all of camp watching through an iris message. We got to our ingredients out and I saw all of her things were neat, organized and look to be fresh. I looked down and laughed at the pile of ingredients in front of me. I checked. I had 3 bone-in chicken thighs, pepper, salt, canola oil, a large onion, chopped garlic cloves, celery, medium carrots, bay leaves, fresh thyme, egg noodles, chopped fresh parsley, beef stock, and lemon juice. I looked towards my oldest father and said "I am ready whenever."
For some reason Poseidon had his hands in his face and asked "Percy, why is it that you don't have any chicken broth?" I looked at him then at my ingredient and then said "Because I am making chicken noodle soup?" I swear Athena was about to slap me when I said "O it is my own recipe, it gives it a different flavor." Hestia looked towards me in confusion then Zeus grumbled beneath his breath then said "May your battle begin!" I started boiling water and chopping all the ingredients in record time I could see they were impressed with my knife skills but I just grinned. I looked over at Hestia and stopped. I walked to her to see what she was doing. She set out twelve bowls and put them on a tray. She waved her hand and the ingredients disappeared into the bowls as the classic soup. I smiled as I smelt it and chuckled. I then said "I did say we could use powers." She smiled like she had already won and
I walked back to the water which was almost perfectly boiled.
Once it was the right temperature, I used my power over water to remove any foreign matter and make it among the purest water on earth. I knew it would be delicious because it was Olympian water, but this was and extra step to ensure the highest quality. I then cut the chicken finely with precision and knowledge from practice. I put all of the ingredients in and closed the lid I used my power to make a small vortex in the soup and make sure every possible morale is properly cooked.
While I was cooking my soup and watching it with my powers, I was watching and listening to the reactions of the Olympian council. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus all sat in food ecstasy. I could tell it was delicious but I wanted to prove myself and Hades right. I felt it stopped the soup come to perfection and I took out a ladle and fourteen bowls.
After playing the soup I took them and gave them to each Olympian, my oldest father and my opponent. Each one looked at my soup and I said "Please enjoy."
I waited and no one moved. I looked and asked "What is wrong?" They looked at me except Hestia and Hades then Ares said "Kid we just ate the meal of our lifetime and you want us to get rid of the taste with this stuff you made?" I looked towards each of my two Olympian fathers but they didn't make eye contact. I looked at Hades and he said "I will sure as my name eat it, thank you son for the meal." He took a long sip and to the surprise of the thirteen gods and goddesses watching, the lord of the dead and the underworld smiled.
I grinned as he gulped it down. He looked at me and said "That was infinitely better than my wife's! Hahaha if you weren't a my son I would kill you and make you my personal chef!" He seemed excited but I was just confused. "thanks?... Dad" he laughed which surprised us even more and put the bowl down and hugged me.
Hestia looked at what I had given her and shrugged and took a sip. Her eyes lit up like a fire and she stomped over to me "How the Hades did you make it taste like this?! It is supposed to be my recipe but this is incredible!" I bowed and said "Thank you lady Hesti-ow!" She slapped me upside the head and said "Don't bow I asked how did you make it?!" I handed her a notebook from my back pocket and said "I have a kitchen in my bedroom thanks to lady Amphitrite and I tried a ton of recipes. The ones I like the best are in there." She snatched the book and started flipping through pages while tapping her foot. She stopped at a page and slammed it. "I have never seen any of these!" I grinned and said "They are all invented by yours truly." She looked on in disbelief then I shocked her again and said "If you would like I could let you have that, I already have all of them memorized.". The book disappeared in flame and she blushed and said "T-t-thanks." I turned away from the hearth goddess who was happily slurping on my soup to the council who were shocked and Zeus said "I for one, will be trying it son." He took a sip and then downed it. His action was probably the most undignified the council had seen but he slammed his bowl and said loudly "That was exquisite! Somehow you managed to cook something better than God food!" I blushed and the other gods in the room had similar reactions.
At this point Hestia was fuming and started pacing in her nine year old form cussing at me in Ancient Greek under her breath. When they had all finished they all were pleased but also looked shocked. My fathers were smiling like idiots and Zeus said "We will now judge. All in favor for Hestia stand up. All in favor for my son remain seated.
Dionysus, Hera, Demeter, Ares and Apollo all stood. Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Hermes all remained seated. I was shocked. The flame grew three times normal size in the hearth and Hestia was as red as a fire truck. I could tell she was pissed but also embarrassed. After a few minute of calming down, she walked over and pulled me into a hug and began to chanting something I didn't understand.
After a few minutes I fell to my knee and a new pair of wings grew. On my back, just above the waist, I had a pair of magnificent flame wings. I stood and Hestia smiled I turned to the council and bowed. I raised my head and turned to my dad I gave him a cheeky smile and two thumbs up and he laughed.
I looked at the screen of the IM and saw camp half blood shocked frozen. I laughed then turned to the council and said "Thank you for trying and enjoying my meal." They were silent and I noticed my wings. Apollo looked at them and asked "Dude, why are they so low? Usually they are higher up." I began to panic but Chiron saved me back at camp and said "Perhaps lord Apollo, they are different for young Percy because the wing he was blessed with were those of fire and had to be farther from his heart because his main element is water." He nodded then I heard a twelve year old girl laugh in the background and said "Or he is a seaweed brain and Hestia didn't want what small amount is left up there to be burnt." This elicited laughs from everyone including the gods and I just blushed hiding my face. Loudly my father spoke "Hephaestus clean this up. Congrats son. If no one has any further discussion, council dismissed!" We all nodded and I went to the throne room door and went to my "Magic pocket dimension bedroom" as Hephaestus calls it to go to sleep.