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Chapter 2: Where do your loyalties lie?
I was woken up by a knock. I raised my head groggily, as Luke entered this ship with some food.
"Hey," he greeted curtly, "Brought you some food."
I muttered a quick thanks as the food was set beside me. I expected something nasty, something repulsive that they would force me to eat, but standing next to me was an innocent looking hamburger, fries, and blue coke. Blue coke...how did he know that I liked blue coke?
"Saw you drinking blue coke at camp," he said distastefully as if camp had made his mouth go sour, "Thought you might like this."
"Wow, thanks," I replied. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until now. Luke sat down next to me as I began eating.
"Hey, just wanted to say, sorry about my behavior last time," he apologized, "I guess I was just too excited about you know..."
I didn't know what to feel. Pity? Anger? Forgiveness?
"It's ok," I replied, crafting my sentence carefully, "I could understand how excited you'd be. It's just...nevermind."
Luke began grinning.
"I think I know what the problem is," Luke said smiling, "Is it because your worried that you won't find a girlfriend? Because I know camp had a lot of girls, especially Annab-OOF!"
I don't know why, but I shoved him as his grin faded away.
"Don't talk about Annabeth," I growled, "Your the one who ripped me apart from her!"
Did I just say that? Luke immediately cracked another grin.
"Ahh, so you do like Annabeth, right?" he asked.
"Well, ummm," I said, lost for words.
Luke rose up.
"Plenty of fish in the sea Jackson, plenty of other girls," Luke told me, "Now go eat. And think about it. I'll be back in 20 minutes. Take your time. Today is the day you will swear your loyalty to Kronos."
He left the room, closing and locking the door. After his footsteps faded away, I resumed eating, lost in thought. I didn't like Annabeth that way, after all our parents were rivals. Annabeth and I had more fights than regular talks. If we weren't trying to strangle each other, we would be arguing and if we weren't arguing, we'd be strangling each other. I sighed as I took a deep sip of the Coke. My mind thought about whether siding with Kronos would be a good idea or not. After all, what had the gods done for me? I had been framed for stealing Zeus' lightning bolt and he didnt hear me about until I returned it to him. The only reason my dad claimed me was to save his sorry rear from a war, World War 3. How are the gods better? Zeus, by breaking the promise on the Styx, doomed his daughter to a horrible ending. As I was listing all the bad things about the gods, another part of my conscience questioned about the Titans. Were the Titans any better? After all, Kronos' rise was only because of his hunger for power and revenge against the gods. I knew he would kill anyone to achieve his goals. They don't call him "The Crooked One" for nothing. As I bit into another french fry, the door opened and came a monster. The monster looked disturbingly like a dog. He had fish flippers for hands. The way he walked made me want to laugh. We waddled like a penguin, a very clumsy penguin.
"Can I help you?" I asked.
"Luke wanted me to tell you that he wanted to see you in the engine room after you finish eating," the monster told me, "He said he had a plan. He apparently has an idea that will cause chaos on the gods. He says to hurry."
The monster bowed to me, then left. Why did he bow to me? I finished my hamburger and Coke. I looked down and saw 5 fries left. I grabbed them in my hand and exited the door. There was a stairway leading upstairs to the engine room and another stairs leading downstairs to gods knows where. I realized that I could escape. I could run away if I acted quick enough. I was about to run away, when I felt another force, more chilling and ancient then I have felt before. It began leading me to the engine room, away from the stairway leading downstairs. I gritted my teeth, trying to fight this feeling, but all the fight proved useless. I went upstairs and saw Luke pacing across the steering wheel.
"Oh, Percy!" he said, noticing me for the first time as he saw me holding fries. He grabbed a fry and popped one in his mouth.
"That was mine," I replied.
"Oh don't worry," he answered, "You can get more during dinner. Anyways, I just had a valuable plan that I'm sure the telekhine mentioned."
"Those dog things?" I asked as he nodded.
"Yup, them," he replied, "Anyways, before we can progress to the next step. You must swear on the Styx that you will serve Kronos and only Kronos forever."
"I'm not ready for that kind of commitment yet," I answered as Luke raised his hands, "Well, you have to pick soon."
"Hold up. When I was eating, I was debating on who's side to be loyal to," I explained, "But my flaw personal loyalty, made me choose the gods, so I have to respectfully decline your offer. I'm sorry."
Luke was silent for a second...two second...three second, then his face twisted into a smile.
"Well, I want to show you something," Luke said, "You know the Iris Messages, right?"
I nodded.
"Well," he continued, "Let's see what your so called friends and family are doing right now!"
He tossed a coin into a fountain and said, "Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please except my offering. Olympus."
Olympus shimmered into view and I saw all the gods had gathered, as well as Annabeth, Clarisse, the Stolls, a view other campers, and a girl with spiky hair that looked suspiciously like a goth/emo. What?
"Thalia," Luke whispered.
I watched on as the gods began talking about me...
"I knew that little punk would ditch us for the Titans!" Ares roared, "You should've let me kill him when I had the chance!"
He was interrupted by a blast of water to his face. Ares spluttered in fascination.
"Don't talk about my son like this," Poseidon growled, "Thanks to your child's incompetence, Athena, my son has been captured!"
"Don't bring my daughter into this Poseidon!" Athena roared, "You broke your oath and by doing that, you gave the Titans another chance to rise!"
"Me? ME?!" Poseidon was yelling, "What about Zeus, huh? He sired Thalia! Thalia could also be the one that will serve Kronos!"
"ENOUGH!" Zeus yelled, silencing the two arguments, but the glares continued.
Zeus turned to Poseidon, "My daughter is with us right now. You don't see her with Kronos! Your son, I gave him the chance to live, but he uses that chance and joins the Titans. Therefore, he is our enemy, and I'm sure everyone can agree that we must kill Perseus Jackson, the first chance we get."
I clenched my teeth as I saw my father do the same.
"But father," Thalia spoke, "Who is Percy Jackson?"
"You haven't told her yet, halfblood?" Zeus asked Annabeth.
Annabeth shook her head.
"No my lord," she replied, "Not yet. His disappearance had been a sensitive topic for me. But, his fatal flaw is personal loyalty. He just wouldn't betray the gods."
"Don't develop a soft spot for him daughter," Athena warned, "He is Poseidon's spawn and you know that I will never approve you and him together, right?"
"I know now mother," Annabeth whispered.
"And to answer your question," Zeus said, "Personal loyalty for the Titans. After developing hate for the gods, it is easily to switch sides."
"Once I find him, I will pound his face in!" Ares yelled, "I will destroy him!"
"Hmph, another male wanting power," said a young girl that looked around 12.
"Artemis," Luke muttered in my ear.
"Are you sure he isn't dead father?" Thalia asked.
"No my dear," Zeus replied, "Hades was sure he was alive."
Hades nodded distastefully.
"So, he's coming to destroy us? Our home?" Thalia asked.
Zeus nodded.
"Then let the demigods help you too," Thalia growled, "No one threatens my home, no one."
Zeus smiled and turned to the council.
"All in favor?" Zeus asked.
Everyone raised their hands, except Hermes, Apollo, and a seething Poseidon.
"Poseidon?" Zeus asked.
"This is a majority, father," Athena replied, "We don't need more votes."
"Yes my daughter," Zeus agreed, "But I want to make sure I can get everyone."
"Apollo, we must destroy the boy," Artemis commanded, "He joined Kronos."
Apollo didn't say anything, as he just looked forward. Artemis was confused, but her eyes narrowed. Artemis strode over to Apollo and yanked the earphones out of his ears.
"APOLLO!" she screeched.
"HUH?!" he exclaimed as he jumped a good 20 feet, "What? What?"
A couple of teenagers girls snickered.
"The Hunters of Artemis," Luke whispered again, "A bunch of man hating girls. You don't want to piss them off."
"Were you listening to this meeting at all?" Artemis asked.
"Uhhh," Apollo replied.
Artemis sighed, "I thought not. We were voting whether or not we should destroy Percy Jackson as he has turned against us and he is coming to destroy our home."
"What?" Apollo asked, all traces of happiness gone, "Then we must vote! I vote for destroying him!"
"That's what we all voted," Artemis said in an obvious tone, "But there are 2 more exceptions and brother, that is the most smartest thing you've said in your whole lifetime."
"Hey..." Apollo began, but Zeus interrupted.
"Alright! What about you Hermes?" Zeus asked.
"I know Luke betrayed us too and it just pains me very much," Hermes sighed.
"Luke had a good reason too," Annabeth said as eyes were turned to her, "He felt abandonded and I'm really sorry Lord Hermes, but..."
"No, it's okay Annabeth," Hermes replied, but Annabeth rose her hand.
"I don't mean no disrespect, but I wasn't finished," Annabeth answered, "I said Luke had a good reason to, but Percy, he didn't have any reason to betray us. He is a traitor Lord Hermes and we must see him destroyed. It's for Olympus, my lord and I can promise you that I will try my best to save Luke. He doesn't know what he's doing."
"Very well Annabeth," Hermes replied, "I trust your judgement. I am for destroying Percy Jackson."
Athena and the other gods beamed at Annabeth while she blushed. Grover hugged Annabeth as Thalia nodded, smiling.
"Poseidon?" Zeus asked again.
My dad was silent for a couple of minutes and then he finally sighed.
"Fine," he replied, shocking me the most, "I agree to your terms, but brother, I hope you know what you are doing."
Zeus smiled and nodded.
"Of course," he answered, "Then it is decided. Perseus Jackson must die. Meeting over!"
I sliced the Iris Message in anger, clenching my teeth. How dare they? Without any proof, how dare they vote to kill me. My own dad, Annabeth, Grover, and Hermes... After this, something inside of me cracked. I felt more at peace and I knew what to do.
"I accept your proposition Luke," I replied, "I will swear my loyalty to Kronos."
Luke smiled, a pained expression.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"It's alright," I replied, "You tried to tell me that the gods were no good, but I didn't listen to you."
Luke led me to the sarcophagus as he opened it.
"Look inside," he said as I did.
I gasped. I expected something to be inside it, pieces of missing body parts mending, but I didn't see anything in there.
"It's empty?" I asked.
"For now," Luke replied, "The only way Kronos can talk to us is through dreams. He will explain more tonight. Don't worry. Anyways, just swear your loyalty to Kronos and I will get you the weapon I promised and we will train your powers."
"I swear that I will serve Kronos for as long as I live. I renounce the gods, curse them! I will see that they will all fade and Kronos will rise. He is my Lord, my sheperd, nothing more shall I want. I will dwell in him forever and he will dwell in me, I swear it," I declared as the earth rumbled.
I swear I heard Kronos laughing, but maybe it was my imagination.
"Good Percy," Luke smiled, "Now sit, let me tell you about the plan that will throw the gods into chaos. We have found some new halfbloods, 2 siblings, an older sister and a younger brother. They radiate power so we will see to them soon."