Rival in Styx 15

'Thank you Triton. You may leave now.' Poseidon says.

Triton bows his head and leaves us. My father is right in front of me wearing a blue breastplate with green markings on it. He looks like one of those Chinese warlords that you see in a movie.

I was brought to an underwater castle by Triton, a different one than the one I saw last year. This castle was shining brightly like it was painted with glow-in-the-dark white paint. The inside was awfully white and bright as well; it felt like the walls were made of glitters, it sparkled surprisingly much. It was a wonder that no one was disturbed by this. The water inside the castle is so clear that I had thought that it is dry inside the castle.

Triton led me to a room with a big round table with a map on the table in the middle of the room. The room has a sky ceiling that shows the ocean above, even though it is still a bit dark. The room is decorated with armors and cased weapons. Also with gold decorations everywhere, from a gold vase to a gold cabinet. The map on the table was most likely a war map. My father was standing right next to the table, leaning right against it.

'Percy, I thought you were on your way to Los Angeles. What are you doing here?' Poseidon says.

I sigh, 'They threw me out from the plane. I'm guessing the old gods want me to be here.'

My father looks like he is working on something inside his head; 'I think you should go meet your companions. I will arrange a transport for you.'

Suddenly the castle walls shake violently, so is the ground, a tremor. It lasts for a couple of minutes and then it finally stops.

'What was that?' I ask.

My father looks at me with a worried look; 'It's a tremor, Percy. It's nothing to be alarmed for. In any case, about that transport—'

'The only thing that causes tremors is you.' I interrupt.

My father stands there and looks at me with a sad look.

'What's going on? Why are those grey mermen out there attacking us?' I asked.

He stays silent and then he looks down like he's feeling guilty.

'Tell me…' I whimpered.

Poseidon looks at me, he seems hesitant but then he says, 'I'm at war… Percy'

I stare at my father like he's some sort of crazy fool, 'With the primordial?'

'No. Even though those grey mermen are indeed Pontus's men, Pontus himself is not in this war, but neither am I.' Poseidon says.

'What does that mean?' I stare at my father.

'It means that both I and Pontus are not allowed to enter this battle personally. Pontus said that it will be unfair if either one of us is in this war.' Poseidon answers.

'So the victory will be decided by the troops then?' I say.

'Yes…' Poseidon answer is short and brief.

It's not everything of course, I can see that my father is still hiding something. There's something important about this war that he's trying to hide from me.

'You still haven't told me about Willy.' I blurted.

My father stays silent for a few minutes, 'I promise I will tell you everything. But I'm in the middle of the war right now, I cannot—'

'Then I'll stay and fight.' I interrupt.

Poseidon sigh, 'Percy, you can't stay here.'

'The primordial gods put me here for a reason. I think it's because they want me to be in this war. Besides, I was planning to stay and help you anyway, whether the old gods want me or not.'

'You can't! You'll be doing exactly what they want!' Poseidon raises his voice.

Another tremor strikes in, and this time it's definitely coming from my father. He looks a bit mad, but it is combined with sadness if such an expression is possible.

'…What is it? What is it that you're not telling me?' I asked.

My father looks up to the sky, or to the ocean above. He closes his eyes and there's a sad expression on his face.

'This is the first challenge from the primordial gods… The game of human chess.' Poseidon says.

'…And?' I reply.

Poseidon takes a heavy breath, 'The condition of victory… Is the death of the opposing general of the army… Either Pontus's general… Or mine…' Slowly he elaborates.

My father looks at me and then I understand everything perfectly.

'I'm your general. That's why the old gods brought me here.'

Poseidon nods. Sadness is all over his face, he can't hide the sorrow any longer.

I stand there in silence and then; 'I'll win. I always do.' I smile to Poseidon.

Poseidon looks at me and then he looks down, 'Everyone will be after you Percy. All Pontus's troops… And to make it worse…' My father pauses.

I just stand there in silent staring at him.

'Do you know anyone by the name Matthew Frost?' Poseidon continues.

I shook my head.

'He's the general of Pontus's army.' Poseidon says.

'A human?' There's a weird tone in my voice.

'A demigod…' Poseidon says, 'My son… And your brother.' Poseidon continues.

I wish I could say that I didn't see that coming, but I did. I didn't know when it was going to happen, that I will have to face my brothers, but I knew that it was coming and it was inevitable. Now it's finally here, Matthew Frost.

Poseidon knew it as well, that every son of his that took Willy sides, has a deep grudge against him, that the grudge they hold can't be simply be erased.

'I'm going to face him, dad. I have to.' I say with steel resolve.

My father looks at me with guilt on his face, 'I'm sorry that I can't stop this, Percy.'

I smile, 'It's fine, dad. I'm going to knock some sense into Matthew. Maybe he'll snap out of this and agrees to go to a picnic with you.' I say with a false hope.

Poseidon smiles back to me, he knows that I might have to kill Matthew in the end, but he still smiles, even though I'm sure that it's a smile full of pain.

'There's something I would like you to have, Percy. And this might be the perfect opportunity to actually use it.' Poseidon says.