Percy's POV
I front-flipped over the broad sword that was swung at my knees, and swung my sword in my left hand. She parried and went for a quick thrust at my ribs. If I hadn't been training for a year, I would have never been able to block the strike. But luckily for me, I did.
I brought both my swords to the side and neatly flicked her sword to my left. That's when I saw my chance.
Twisting my body around, I knocked the broadsword out of her hands and I placed my twin blades on her neck, Alpha on her throat and Omega on the back of her neck. All it would take to kill her would be one swift movement.
"Do you yield?"
"I yield," Acheron said smiling, "It seems that the student had surpassed the teacher,"
I removed my swords and sheathed them on the scabbard on my back. I bowed respectfully and said "That it may seem to be, but I will always be your student,"
She smacked me on the back of my head and I let out an indignant yelp. "What was that for mom?" I whined, probably not sounding like the super powerful primordial I was.
"I know you too well Percy, you hate being respectful." Acheron said smugly, "You are still connected to the sea and the sea does not like to be tamed,"
I stiffened, "I do not see Poseidon as my father anymore Mom, and you should know that better than anyone,"
She just smiled at me like she knew something I didn't, but I couldn't really get mad at her.
"Now, you are going to be late," she said picking up her sword where it dropped. My heart sank, as I realized our match went on longer than it was supposed to. "Got to go Mom, I'll see you at dinner," I yelled over my shoulder as I took off running out of our makeshift stadium. Controlling the Acheron waters, I burst out of the river, and headed to the Heart of the Rivers. Even though the Rivers Goddesses could freely move throughout the world, they were accustomed to living in their river, so they normally resided there. And even though I first met them all in the Styx, they can't stay in their sister's domain for too long so they either meet in the mortal world or in my domain.
My domain or as my mother's refer to it, the Heart, is the one place in the entire world where all five rivers meet and mix. It was impossible to comprehend but I at least understood that it was my source of power.
I was the Heart and the Heart was me.
I finally reached the meeting place of the five rivers, watching the Acheron rush past me in a deafening torrent of water where it could finally meet its sister's waters. I crested the hill and was struck with a familiar, awe inspiring sight.
The Heart can appear as two very different things depending on how I feel or how it needs to function. It can be a paradise for great mortals or even greater heroes that I chose. It even surpassed Elysium in its greatness. The water's had properties that would give the dead a physical body.
Currently, it appeared as an island, mirroring Calypso's island home. The shore was made of pure white sand, not a glimpse of pollution could be seen. Palm trees flowed in the wind, and the sound of bird calls echoed in the forest. The waters glistened in the light, not shining like any river specifically but changed colors as it shifted. A wave would form of liquid fire and crashed into the shore as dark blue water.
And it currently only had one inhabitant living there.
But that was not all this paradise could do.
It could also appear as punishment worse than Tartarus. I chose the worst of the worst to be sent there. When an evil soul was sent to the Heart, the waters would swirl violently and would change to the darkest black imaginable. The soul would be tossed into the river as they screamed in agony. The Heart would literally disintegrate the soul, similar to being claimed by the Styx but they would not be kept alive. They would be erased from existence completely, not to return to any afterlife.
I ran to the shore, diving in and becoming the Heart as my conscious was spread throughout my domain. I needed to get to the island fast or I would be castrated.
Zoe did not like being kept late.
^^^^Camp Half-Blood^^^^
One year
We have been searching for one year, mused Thalia as the Hunters walked into camp
She had been depressed and angry at everything but Nico and the hunters these days.
She wanted to wring the camper's necks and some of the gods as well. She couldn't believe Poseidon would have another son and favored him more than Percy. She couldn't believe Annabeth fell in love with him. Even she could see that kid was trouble.
Annabeth
Thalia didn't know what to think about the girl she raised on the run. Annabeth knew what Percy did for her, Hades, everyone did.
But that didn't stop her.
A figure burst from the shadows on her right causing the hunters to aim their bows. Thalia waved them down when she recognized him.
"Hey Nico,"
Nico just nodded at her, trying to communicate a message through his eyes. She understood.
"Go set up at our cabin," she ordered, the rest of the Hunt did so immediately. As soon as they left, Thalia turned back to Nico, "Explain," she commanded.
He looked at her mournfully, worse than how Grover looked for months. "I've found nothing, he's not in the Underworld, so he can't be dead, and I haven't found anything in the mortal world. You got anything?"
"No, we even split the Hunt up and searched the entire country; we even went to Alaska, no sigh of him anywhere." Thalia said, shifting her bow nervously.
"How about that mystery guy you met when Percy first went missing, have you seen him again?" Nico asked curiously as they started walking into camp. "No, we haven't seen him and I'm glad we haven't, he freaked out Artemis,"
"Where the Hades is that Kelp Head?!" Thalia yelled exasperated, throwing her hands in the air. The sun was sinking and campers were streaming out of the pavilion, apparently having already eaten dinner. The two cousins headed to the campfire, as everyone else was too. "What's going on?" Thalia asked a random camper, "I don't know, we got a message from the gods telling us to be there," he said while shrugging. They sat down just as the fireplace flared up and the gods appeared.
Chiron trotted up nervously, "Lords and Ladies, what do we owe the pleasure?"
Zeus looked haggard as spoke, "We have had the opportunity to make some changes to the camps, first off, will all camp counselors step forwards,"
It took a while but eventually all of the counselors stood up front nervously. Katie grabbed Travis' hand nervously and Travis blushed brighter than the Ares' cabin.
"We have decided to give partial immortality to you because of your actions in the Titan War and the Giant War. You will serve as guides to future heroes and will fight in any recurring wars." Zeus announced.
There was a bright flash of light and the counselors stood a litter straighter with a proud grin on their faces.
"Second, we have decided to combine the camps here at Long Island, as certain events have proven in the past, it is finally time for you to live with your brothers and sisters," he said looking at Annabeth and Orion, who had just received immortality as he was a counselor, with his arm around her, "I trust our architect to create the plans for this?"
Annabeth just nodded proudly. Thalia couldn't help but wonder why Annabeth had changed so much.
"The centurions and Praetors in Camp Jupiter will have the same immortality as the counselors as well," Hestia added.
Zeus started to speak, probably to end the meeting but was suddenly cut off.
Rachel rose from her feet and swooned, her eyes growing green as the Oracle spoke through her,
"Risen has the Legends that cannot die,
Cursed are the ones who have lived a lie,
Fallen from the stars, a hero returns,
Seek salvation through the river that burns,
This is the End,
She collapsed as the gods and campers alike erupted in a deafening roar of questions and opinions.
Hey Pixels!
Thank you so much for the continued support! Keep reading Pixels!
-PixelUp