"Percy?" A woman's voice rang out, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?"
"I snuck away, mom." Percy answered back, "I wanted to see you." Standing before Percy was a woman, no older than thirty-four, thirty-five. She has long brunette hair with a gentle facial expression; though she was angry that her son had ran away from school, she was still happy to see him, nonetheless.
"Sweetie, I miss you too." The woman started, "But you can't run away from school like that." The woman chided. "I know, mom, but I—" Percy was interrupted midsentence as a gruff voice yelled from behind the doorway, "Oi, Sally. How about another beer?"
"In a moment, honey." The woman, Sally, softly yelled back. "Mom, you can't let Gabe keep treating you like that." Percy adamantly confronted his mother, "It's no big deal, sweetie." Sally waved her son off. "Gabe is just in one of his moods." Percy sighed, hearing his mother defend the worthless piece of shit. "Mom, can we talk outside, just you and me?" Percy asked with seriousness behind his voice.
Understanding that something was wrong, Sally agreed to her son's request; taking a step out, she closed the door behind her. "What is it? What happened?"
"Why did you think something happened?" Percy questioned. "You're never this serious," Sally replied, "so what's wrong?" Sally's tone matched her son's. Taking a deep breath, Percy looked to his mother, "I was attacked by a monster at school today." Percy answered quickly, now trying to avoid eye contact.
"What do you mean you were attacked, monster? Did someone come to your school with a weapon?" Sally grew concerned. She had hoped that Percy hadn't discovered his true heritage yet, but a part of her knew that was the case. "Mom. One of the Furies, Alecto, attacked me at a school museum today." Percy stated matter-of-factly.
Sally visibly paled hearing the name but tried to hide her concern. "What are you talking about, Percy? What are Furies? What's an Alecto?" She tried to play it off, but Percy saw right through his mother. "Mom, I know about the Greek Gods. I know who my father is."
Sally cursed under her breath, "Who told you?" Sally practically demanded her information from her son, "Did Chiron tell you?" "Mr. Brunner, uh... Chiron didn't tell." Percy answered, "Alecto did when she cursed me."
[Deception: 19]
"I came to see you because Grover wanted to take me to some camp. Camp-what's-it. But I couldn't go without at least telling you first."
"Camp Half-Blood?" Sally questioned.
"Yeah! That's it." Percy exclaimed.
Sally wanted to be mad at her son but found herself unable to. "Sweetie, I appreciate you visiting. But because you know about the mythological world, you're in danger every minute you're not at Camp Half-Blood." Sally sighed as she opened the door back into her apartment, "Honey," Sally announced, "I'm going to take Percy back to school. I'll be back in a bit." Sally lied.
"Are you not going to get me my beer?" Gabe angrily questioned, "It's in the fridge, honey. I really need to take Percy back to school." Sally replied sweetly before closing the door. "Damn woman." Gabe cursed. "Before we go to Camp Half-Blood," Percy stopped his mom, "I want you to meet a friend of mine."
"Oh?" Sally was immediately intrigued, "Who's this friend?"
"Her name is Nancy; I think you'll really like her," Percy answered as the duo made their way down the flight of stairs. As they reached the bottom of the stairway, the duo saw Nancy waiting patiently by the door. "Nancy, I'd like you to meet my mom; mom, this is Nancy."
"Aww." Seraphine cooed, "You're already showing Nancy off to your mom. How sweet." Seraphine laughed hysterically inside Percy's head, causing Percy to roll his eyes. "Oh, hey mom, I forgot something I wanted to grab in the apartment. I'll be right back." Percy began frantically running back up the flight of stairs, ignoring the protests from Nancy and Sally. "So, what are you planning?" Seraphine knew what Percy had planned on doing and had no intentions of stopping him. "I think you already know, Seraphine," Percy growled as he continued to climb the stairs, running as fast as he could until he reached the apartment's door.
Reaching out and grabbing the doorknob, Percy gave it a quick turn. Opening the door to his apartment. "Whatcha doing back, brat?" Gabe's gruff voice echoed out upon seeing Percy. Percy said nothing as he stepped inside the apartment complex, closing the door behind him. Percy said nothing as he casually walked up to Gabe, towering over the sitting man. "How long?" Percy growled out.
"What?" Gabe slurred his words, confused about what Percy was rambling about. "How long have you been hurting my mom?" Percy continued, his teeth clenched, bared at Gabe. "Oh. You think you're a tough guy, heh?" Gabe placed his hands on the chair's armrest, pushing himself up.
The grown man now towered over Percy's small frame, "You think you can waltz up to me and start shit, heh, kid?" Gabe snarled. "I'm not going to ask again, fucker. How long have you been hurting my mom?" Gabe clenched his fist as he wound himself back, ready to strike Percy, but Gabe found himself paralyzed before he could. Stuck in place.
"You've been hurting my mom for Gods knows how long. My mom, who's done nothing wrong. Who's done everything for you, and yet you still beat her and insult her?" Gabe felt his throat tightening as his heart began beating rapidly. Unable to speak, Gabe let out a few grunts as fear shone for the first time in his eyes. "It ends today. You get your worthless ass out of our apartment and never return. Do I make myself clear?" Percy snarled. Gabe could only nod his head in fear. The moment he did, the tightening around his throat cleared as he could move again.
Percy, feeling accomplished in scaring Gabe, turned around and began walking back to the front door but was stopped midway as he felt a pain erupt from the side of his head. The next moment, he found himself lying on the ground, blood oozing from his head and lips. Quickly turning around, Percy watched as Gabe threw another punch, catching him in the right cheek. Growling, Percy instinctively formed his [Aqua Blade] in his hand as he quickly thrusted the blade into Gabe's abdomen.
Giving out an incoherent pained grunt, Gabe immediately backed away from the young boy. "What?" Gabe began to question but never got the chance to finish his sentence. "[Watery Explosion]." Percy stated calmly as he shakily pushed himself off of the floor. The [Aqua Blade] exploded whilst still embedded inside Gabe, causing him to reel over as a mixture of blood and water spewed from every orifice. Emotionlessly, Percy held his right hand, "[Transcended Ability: Gluttonous Lordess, Adephagia]." Percy muttered to himself as a dragon of cosmic energy shot from his hand, flying towards Gabe's corpse before consuming it in a single bite.
[Do you wish to internalize Gabe Ugliano's Stats into your own?]
Without hesitation, Percy clicked no before turning around, walking out of the apartment, and heading down the stairs again. "Well, that was pretty brutal," Seraphine commented, having taken a backseat in viewing the murder. "I gave him an option in leaving my mom alone."
"No—I know, I was there with you—but that was your first human kill. How, how do you feel?"
"You and I both know Gabe was a monster at heart. If he had the chance, he would've continued hurting people I cared for."
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
Still replaying the scene in his head, Percy didn't care for the notification as he met up with Sally and Nancy again. "Percy! What happened?" Sally worriedly questioned her son, seeing the blood still oozing from his lip and head. "Yeah, I'm okay, mom." Percy answered, "I got into an argument with Gabe." "What did he do?" Sally questioned firmly. "It's fine, mom. I took care of it. Gabe won't be hurting us anymore." Percy stated blankly, causing a concerned expression from Sally.
"Percy?" Sally asked, worried, "What did you do?"
"Nothing, mom. But Gabe won't be hurting us again." Percy smiled as he reiterated his previous answer. Sally understood that she wouldn't get a straight answer from Percy. She knew that he had only wanted to protect her, but she couldn't help but be saddened by her son's action. Sighing, Sally looked to Percy, "Promise me you'll never hurt an innocent person, Percy."
Percy stared strangely at his mother, but saw the worry shining in her eyes, "I promise, mom." Resigning, Percy promised his mother. "Good. Now get in the car."
::
::
::
::
The drive through upstate New York was an interesting drive to say the least. Nancy and Sally were discussing the mythological world whilst Percy was mindlessly staring out the window, watching the world pass him as the light pitter-patter of rain filled the air.
Bored and still people-watching from the car, Percy turned his attention towards his head-mate, "Are you going to tell me how you were able to create a whole skill, Seraphine?"
"I could." Seraphine answered boredly, "But that would be considered spoilers." Percy saw a brief glimpse of Seraphine in her full glory lying on a golden couch whilst reading a book he couldn't quite make out.
"Spoilers? What are you spoiling?"
Seraphine sighed as she snapped her book shut, "Trust me, Percy. There are many things in this world that you don't want to encounter yet. I can tell you, but just like how knowing about the Greek world places you in danger as a demigod—or as a seer through the mist—knowing how I was able to do what I do will place you in deeper trouble."
[Insight: 8]
"I don't believe you," Percy replied bluntly. "Well, too bad. I'm still not going to tell you." Seraphine quipped back.
"How did you become my… advisor? Head-mate?" Percy questioned again, annoyed at Seraphine's vagueness. "Well, when a mommy Goddess and a daddy God love each other very much…" Seraphine laughed, cackling inside Percy's head.
"What the hell is that thing?" Percy was reeling from his thoughts as he heard Nancy scream. Percy whipped his head towards the front of the car, immediately on high alert as he heard Nancy's panicked question. Percy instantly saw a man-like creature with a horned bull's head standing in the middle of the road, directly in the car's path. Having seen this creature, Sally took immediate evasive maneuvers, pulling onto the steering wheel and veering left. However, due to the wet road, the car lost control as it skidded off the road and crashed into a nearby tree.
Groaning in pain, the three inhabitants unbuckled their seatbelts as they stumbled out of the totaled car. Feeling the light rain on his skin, Percy's reflexes were immediately heightened as he felt the pain begin to recede.
[Special Condition: Watery Regeneration]
[Health Healed: 45]
Noticing the half-man, the half-bull creature was rapidly approaching them, its horns directed towards them, ready to gore whomever it ran into. Percy gathered his courage as he summoned his newest treasure into his hand, [Sword of the Oathbreaker]. Quickly spinning the sword in his hand, Percy met the creature's charge. "Shit, shit, shit." Seraphine cursed, "They sent the fucking minotaur after you? Percy, this is bad. You won't win this fight." This was the first time Percy witnessed Seraphine truly panicked, but yet, choosing to ignore her, Percy focused on the imminent fight.
As the two warriors were merely a few feet from each other, Percy immediately jumped to the side, rolling to break his fall. Percy turned on his knees in a quick maneuver as he thrusted his sword into the minotaur, hoping to kill it with a single, vital strike.
[Damage: 9 (2d8) Piercing Damage + 6 (1d6) Cold Damage]
The Minotaur screamed in rage but still continued its rampage as it ignored Percy.
Percy watched in horror as the minotaur continued its charge, headed directly toward his mom, Sally. "No!" Percy screamed as he witnessed the minotaur gore Sally, impaling her abdomen with its large horns. Blood erupted from Sally's wound, mouth, and nose. A look of terror flashed through her before being replaced with a gentle smile; Sally turned towards her son, "I'm proud of you, Percy." Sally silently mouthed as tears streamed down her face. "Sally!" Nancy screamed as she summoned her [Soul Bound Bow] in her hand before letting loose two arrows into the creature, but the arrows merely bounced off the minotaur's skin.
The minotaur ignored Nancy as the creature ripped its horns from the poor woman. Letting out a grunt, the minotaur grabbed ahold of Sally's neck with its large hand. With a quick jerk, and a sickening snap, Sally's body went limp. The minotaur grinned, having felt accomplished in its mission. Now turning its gaze towards a cowering Nancy.
Something broke in Percy; he had only wanted to protect his mom; he had murdered Gabe to protect her, but now she was permanently taken away from him. In his rage and sorrow, he hadn't realized that his mother's body had dissipated into golden dust. "Arise." Percy snarled, tears now free-flowing from his eyes. Immediately, the nearby shadows began to coalesce as a dozen hyena-like creatures armed with darkened spears materialized.
Percy allowed his shadow creatures to charge at the minotaur as he stomped onto the ground.
[Earthen Javelin]
The earth shook violently as rocks and debris tore themselves free from their binds before shooting toward the unsuspecting Minotaur.
[Damage: 80 Slashing and Piercing Damage]
The minotaur howled in agony as the [Earthen Javelins] impaled it; taking this opportunity, the shadow-Gnolls pounced onto the man-bull, tearing and ripping it to shreds. That was the last thing Percy saw as his vision darkened.
"Percy!" Nancy screamed as she saw her friend collapse onto the field.
Percy's Stats
Level 2
[Strength—16 (+3)]
[Dexterity—16 (+3)]
[Constitution—16 (+3)]
[Intelligence—12 (+1)]
[Wisdom—12 (+1)]
[Charisma—12 (+1)]
[Points Available: 0]
Percy's Skills
Transcended Ability: Fortunate Queen of Knowledge, Seraphine
Transcended Ability: Gluttonous Lordess, Adephagia
Uncommon Ability: World-Shaper, Sythaeryn
Uncommon Subskill: Wrath of Sythaeryn
Common Subskill: Aqua Blade
Common Subskill: Ice Armor
Common Subskill: Water Shield
Common Subskill: Earthen Grasp
Common Subskill: Earthen Javelin
Common Subskill: Eternal Chasm
Common Subskill: Mist Ward
Percy's Equipment:
Larsa's Dagger:
A dark red dagger with a blackened hilt. This beautifully crafted blade is also coated in a strange and caustic solution. The dagger does 1d4 piercing damage and an additional 3d8 poison damage on a hit.
Ring of the Gnoll Lord:
A rustic green band with a silver lining. The ring grants the wearer a +1 to their Constitution score when worn.
Sword of the Oathbreaker:
A bastard sword tapered to thrust as well as slash. Three fullers were incised into the blade to reduce its weight. The sword radiates an aura of dread and fury.
The sword does 2d8 piercing or slashing damage and an additional 1d6 cold damage on a hit.
Nancy's Stats
[Strength—8 (-1)]
[Dexterity—18 (+4)]
[Constitution—12 (+1)]
[Intelligence—13 (+1)]
[Wisdom—10 (+0)]
[Charisma—10 (+0)]
[Points Available: 0]
Nancy's Skills
Common Ability: Soul Bound Bow