Big chapter wooooh. I'm also getting married? Regardless, hope you enjoy.
The storm had been a very unpleasant event.
After a night of patrol, Percy expected he could sleep all day with nothing huge happening. Oh, boy. It was like he brought this bad luck without barely trying. Now, after being woken up by the ship threatening to turn on itself, Percy made his way outside of his cabin, immediately running upstairs, where the situation truly looked dire. He had seen sizeable storms before, but this was unreal. All around the Argo II, the wind swirled without any control, and the rain crashed relentlessly onto the ship. The sails of the ship were already threatening to fall apart, and the noise that the storm generated was deafening. Even the thunders were barely audible. Massive waves were hitting the ship, threatening to completely sink the ship, and shaking the entire vessel.
It took a lot of concentration from Percy to keep himself dry. Even when underwater, it wasn't this intense. Opposite to his dryness, however, stood Nyx and Erebus, both facing off the storm near the staircase. The two immortals were soaking wet, with Nyx's hair splattered across her neck. And yet, they barely seemed affected. While Percy was fighting off to not lose his balance, thanks to the incredibly strong winds that might as well be called a cyclone, the primordials were perfectly still, side by side, simply looking into the horizon. That also contrasted the rest of the crew, who were clearly doing whatever they could to keep the Argo II afloat.
Piper and Annabeth were trying to save the rigging, while Frank, transformed into a massive silverback gorilla, had swung upside down off the starboard rail, using his massive strength and his flexible feet to hang on while he untangled some broken oars. Leo, on the other hand, had lashed himself to the console with a bungee cord harness. The crew was seemingly trying to get the ship airborne, but it didn't seem like it would get a lot better up in the sky.
As soon as Percy got close to the primordials, both turned to face him, which he found quite unsettling. He tried to speak, but it soon proved to be fruitless, since his voice was barely audible unless he put an effort to scream.
"Don't bother too much." Percy heard the voice of Erebus echoing in his mind. "Took you a while to get here."
Instead of speaking out loudly, the demigod thought of his answer. "I was trying to have a good night's sleep. Or day."
"Duty called again." Erebus answered, and Percy saw the god chuckle, not that he could have heard it amidst the storm.
"It doesn't take too long to notice that this storm is not a natural occurrence." Nyx pointed. "There is something – down in the ocean, most likely, causing this storm."
"Any idea of what this could be?" Percy inquired, just as he heard a concerning noise of wood being torn away from the ship's hull.
"Not many beings can generate storms. Especially ones this potent. And with both Zeus and Poseidon weakened, this doesn't leave too many candidates. Beware of any sea deities that could be lurking."
Erebus nodded. "And you're going to have to deal with this fast. The spells Night put will save us some time before we become a shipwreck."
"Spells?" Percy questioned, intrigued.
"Neither Erebus nor I are foreign to forms of magic." Nyx explained. "Magic is naturally aligned with the dark and the shadows, and it produces the most results at night. I fear you are the one most able to deal with threats. We," She waved her wand towards Erebus. "are not very fond of the sea."
"Understandable." Percy thought with a grimace. At this exact moment, the limping figure of Jason appeared beside him, also coming from downstairs. While worried for the still-yet-to-heal wound inflicted by the gladius at Ithaca, he knew very well how it was to be treated like you would fall apart if you got out of bed, like most of the crew were doing to the son of Jupiter. As such, he simply nodded in acknowledgment, to which the blonde seemed grateful.
Jason clearly had said something, but it was lost to the storm, making Percy tap his ears to signal that he couldn't hear a thing. An idea springing up to mind, the Greek demigod pointed downwards, signaling the sea, and then to Jason. The Roman seemed surprised, as if saying "You want me to go at this state?", to which Percy's response would have been a resounding yes. Perhaps he could conjure an air bubble to breathe, being able to control the winds and all.
"Are you planning to bring Jason with you?" He heard Erebus asking.
"Yes," Percy responded. "If there's something right there, better not to be alone."
Darkness nodded and faced the son of Jupiter for a moment, perhaps telling him the information. Seeing this as his cue, Percy went to the edge of the Argo II, and jumped over it, soon hitting the sea, and sinking into the water, where it still seemed very chaotic. The water currents swirled without much cohesion, and as soon as Jason sank, it got even worse. It might have to do with the fact that, to breathe, he had summoned an entire air capsule that surrounded his entire body.
"Hi." Percy greeted, standing on a ledge jutting over a deeper abyss, looking down below where something had gotten his attention.
"Hey," Jason answered, his voice sounding like he was talking in front of a fan. "What could be going on to cause all of this?"
Only moments after the son of Jupiter stopped talking, a strange green light, almost ethereal looking, swept through the darkness before disappearing seconds later.
"Probably that." Percy stated, looking over to his companion. "Follow me closely. You probably can't see much, but I can at least feel the right way."
With Jason opting not to protest, they dived forward towards the darkness, the only signs of life being the progressively fading light from the surface, and of course, the green glow they tried to follow every time it lighted up. After a good few minutes of swimming – which felt like hours, considering that the ship could already be a pile of wood and metal sinking to the bottom of the ocean – they found something, and this something gave Percy a strong feeling of DeJa'Vu.
Soft white luminous patches floated before their eyes. As they approached the seafloor further, Percy noticed that these patches were glowing fields of algae surrounding the ruins of a strongly familiar palace. Silt swirled through empty courtyards with abalone floors. Barnacle-covered Greek columns marched into the gloom. A large citadel stood in the center.
"Atlantis?" Jason asked, and if he was with a different company, he could see himself face-palming. Really, these people were too obsessed with this lost city.
"That's a myth." Percy stated. "Like, actually. It never existed."
"I see." The blonde said. "But this is something. Do you have any idea?"
With a frown, Percy said, "That's what I'm trying to figure out." Resuming swimming, the boys soon found themselves in the citadel, where there were large openings and something that resembled a fountain. A fountain, underwater? Annabeth would have a heart attack.
"This is too familiar." He spoke. "It's almost like I've been here..."
At that moment, the green glow returned, but this time, it flashed directly below them, and in such a potency that it disorientated both the on-edge son of Poseidon and the debilitated son of Jupiter. With a start, he noticed that they weren't alone anymore. Sitting comfortably in front of them was a giant woman dressed in a green dress, although she was still shorter than the Gigantes. Her appearance was unsettling, with striking bright white eyes, skin that almost glowed in the dark, and raven hair that flew around like jellyfish would. She was currently handling a huge green metal disc, placed on top of a tripod. As soon as she spun the disk, the green light once more appeared, and the entire structure of the palace shook heavily, churning the water.
"You're making the storm," Jason stated.
"Indeed I am." The woman said in a very weird voice. It was melodic but at the same time weird to the ears. Percy put a hand in his pocket, holding his pen. To his side, Jason grimaced, clearly uncomfortable with the sound.
"Alright, I'll bite." He spoke. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
Turning to face him with a haunting smile, the woman said, "I am Kymopoleia, Perseus Jackson. Goddess of Violent Storms. And your sister."
That, of course, made Percy surprised. Sister? Of course, he knew Poseidon had been very busy throughout the years, the fight with Antaeus becoming vivid in his mind, but he had never heard of a Kymopoleia. And... there was something off about her. It didn't seem like she was another random son of the sea god as that giant had been.
"Percy..." Jason started, seeming just as confused as him. "Do you know this... individual?"
"I... do not." He carefully answered, not taking his eyes off Kymopoleia. "I have never heard of you until now."
The goddess scoffed, violently raking her fingernails on her disc in frustration. "Of course. You don't know me. Why would you? Why would I be important enough?"
Percy almost felt like sighing. He exchanged a look with Jason, who pretty much just made it clear that it was his problem to solve. Now unable to contain the sigh he had been holding, he once more looked towards Kymopoleia.
"I apologize for not knowing you... Kym. I will call you Kym, okay?" The goddess barely moved a muscle as she heard the nickname, which made Percy a tad bit awkward. "What are you, really?"
"What am I?" Kymopoleia answered with a question, her tone threatening. "I've said it already. I'm the goddess of violent storms! The one that mortals feared just enough that they would pray to father, to get protection. But of course, you must assume I am but a minor goddess, isn't that right, Perseus?"
Jason raised his hands, in an attempt to calm the goddess. "Don't go too hard on him. The gods aren't famous for being very informative. Especially to demigods."
Percy wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was glad that the white gaze of Kymopoleia was diverted toward Jason, who seemed like he really wanted to step back.
"Jason Grace. Son of Jupiter." Kym stated as if only acknowledging the blonde now.
"Yeah." Jason answered nervously. "I am a friend of Percy."
Kym's eyes narrowed. "These times make for strange friends and unexpected enemies. I would have never expected your groups to come together. The Romans never worshipped me. To them, I was a nameless fear – a sign of Neptune's greatest wrath. They never worshipped Kymopoleia, the goddess of violent sea storms!"
She spun her disc. Another beam of green light flashed upward, churning the water and making the ruins rumble. It made Percy even more nervous at the prospect of the ship sinking. He hoped the spells Erebus and Nyx put on the Argo II were enough to keep it in one piece.
"Uh, yeah," Percy said. "The Romans aren't big on navies. They had, like, one rowboat. Which I sank." He remembered the ship he had used in his quest towards Alaska to free Death. It seemed so long ago, after the venture across the Atlantic, the fight in Rome, Tartarus, and the journey to Athens. "Speaking of violent storms, you're doing a first-rate job upstairs."
"Thank you," Kym said without changing her expression.
"Thing is, our ship is caught in it, and it's kind of being ripped apart. I'm sure you didn't mean to –"
"Oh, yes, I did."
"You did." Percy grimaced, not exactly surprised. "Well… that sucks. I don't suppose you'd cut it out, then, if we asked nicely?"
"No," the goddess agreed. "Even now, the ship is close to sinking. I'm rather amazed it's held together this long. Excellent workmanship. But I can also feel the spells. It has been a long time since I've seen a magically protected ship. Even the first Argo..." The goddess was out of nowhere lost in thought, dreamingly staring at the ruins.
While Percy was irritated by this goddess, Jason wasn't being too good at hiding his own emotions. Sparks of lightning were flying from his air bubble. Was the capsule getting smaller? Perhaps his eyes were misleading him, but Percy was sure it had been bigger before. If that was the case, it wasn't good news. Percy didn't think fighting Kym underwater would be a pleasant experience, especially without Jason by his side.
"Is there... anything we could do to make you stop the storm?" Jason questioned, and in Percy's opinion, more desperate than anything. He couldn't blame the Roman, though. They needed to sort this out fast.
Kymopoleia directed her creepy smile towards Jason. "Son of Rome, do you know where you stand?"
"You mean these ruins, right? This was a palace."
"Correct." Kymopoleia said. "This was the original palace of Poseidon when he still ruled in the Mare Nostrum."
Realization soon came to Percy as to why this place seemed so familiar. The entire structure was shaped very much like the current palace that was located somewhere on the East Coast.
"That's why this seemed so familiar." Percy voiced his thoughts. "Dad's new palace is very much like this."
"I wouldn't know..." Kym said. "I am never invited to see my parents." If she meant parents, surely, she was a child of not only Poseidon but also Amphitrite. "They find my presence disruptive."
Once more, she spun the wheel, causing the back wall of the palace to collapse. Sand and algae flew through the water, and Percy was forced to cover his eyes. Jason on the other hand seemed unfazed in his bubble.
"How so?" He asked, and Kymopoleia stirred.
"My father does not welcome me in the court." She explained with anger. "He restricts my powers. I am not allowed to wander in his new domains. This storm? It has been so long since I was free to create one like this. And this is a mere sample of what I'm capable of!"
"A little goes a long way." Percy said. If this was small in her books, he didn't want to see what she could do if left unchained. Perhaps his father had some reasoning. Not that he would voice it at this moment. "But about Jason's offer..."
"He even married me off." She blatantly ignored him, continuing her previous line of thought. "Without my permission, he handed me over to Briares, one of the Hundred-Handed Ones. I was tossed away like a trophy because he supported the gods against Kronos so long ago."
At that, Percy lighted up slightly but still felt hesitant. Her tone didn't indicate she had much affection for her husband. "I know Briares. I freed him from Alcatraz. He's a friend of mine."
Kymopoleia stared coldly. "I am aware. I was not pleased to have him back, Perseus."
"I... see," Percy said with distaste. "Is he around?"
"Not anymore." She answered. "He wasn't with me for long, and he was called away to help shore up the defenses of Olympus. Not that it will matter. The home of the gods will soon be in ruin, like this palace. Do you know why I like to stay here, brother?"
"I wouldn't guess." Percy responded sharply.
"It pleases me to see the work of our father in ruins. And soon enough, his new palace will resemble this one."
Inside of his capsule, Jason crossed his arms. "So, this is the part where you say that Gaia has offered you a better deal and you are working for her."
"And you know she isn't going to keep any promises she made you. She is using you." Percy complemented, but Kym did not seem affected.
"Thank you for your concern, little brother." She spoke. "Not like the Olympians have ever used me, huh?"
"At least they are trying." Percy said, spreading his hands. "I asked for them to recognize the left-aside gods. Hades, Hebe, Nemesis, you name it. We've built shrines, cabins in Camp Half-Blood, offerings-"
"And is there for me, Perseus?" Kym furiously glared. "Have I received any of those benefits?"
"We weren't aware of your existence." Jason came to his aid. "This could change-"
"Save your words, Jason Grace." She interrupted yet again, turning to face her brother. "I've heard so much from the great Percy Jackson. The giants really want to capture you. I don't see what the fuss is about."
Percy gritted his teeth. "You don't seem like much either, honestly." He knew Jason was most likely looking at him like he was crazy, but he was fed up with his sister. "I've faced Nike and Akhlys quite recently. Not to mention the other gods I've battled. Compared to them, you aren't anything remarkable."
If possible, Kymopoleia's gaze hardened even more.
"Oh, I won't be the one to kill you." She smiled. "My part of the deal was to get your attention. Destroy your boat in the process. But there is someone here very eager to see your demise."
Close by, a sound like thunder was heard as a figure landed on the edge of the broken roof of the palace.
"Son of Neptune." A voice too familiar boomed, and the giant jumped from the roof, landing with a loud thud on the ground. Polybotes looked quite different from how he looked he did months ago during the battle at Camp Jupiter. Instead of a human-like face, his entire skin was blue, and his chest was covered by a green breastplate. However, he still ported the same trident and net in his hands. After the dreadlocks shook, basilisks were just like the ones Frank had killed. Inside of his head, Percy could almost feel the terror from his time at Tartarus.
"I SMELL HIM." The giant had screamed, and not even Bob could have made him feel safe as that monster approached, most likely surrounded by a horde of beasts eager to tear him and Annabeth down, limb by limb. "BEWARE, SON OF POSEIDON, I COME FOR YOU!"
"Polybotes." He heard Jason say. "The anti-Poseidon."
The bane of his father gave a horrible grin. "Perceptive, son of Rome. But excuse me now. My immediate business is with Perseus Jackson. I have tracked him through the realm of my father, and in his father's ruins, I seek to bring him down once and for all."
Of course, the mere presence of the giant made Percy's connection to the sea feel much looser. That didn't stop him from grabbing his trusty sword from his pocket and slicing down two bold basilisks that had charged him. Despite that, ten more remained, out of the range of Riptide.
"Hey, how about some love here?" Jason called, but the monsters ignored him, and so did Polybotes, who stood back with a smug smile on his face, and that view only made the anger inside of Percy boil. He heard Jason talking to Kymopoleia but didn't pay attention to it. He had bigger concerns. Once more, Jason called for the basilisks, but they kept focused on Percy, who desperately tried to control the currents to keep them away from him.
Suddenly, a cloud of yellow light much brighter than the one emitted from Kym's disc billowed. Daring to look towards Jason, he found out he had glanced at the right time to see the light hitting Jason's gladius, zapping the serpents. Percy felt every hair on his body to go to its end, but the strategy had worked. The basilisks soon were dead, floating away in the water. Polybotes's smile failed, replaced by annoyance.
"Are you so anxious to die, Roman?"
"Perhaps I just don't feel too comfortable being ignored." The son of Jupiter answered, brandishing his sword. Percy did the same, charging towards his old foe. What he wasn't accounting for was for Polybotes to swirl his arm towards him, an arc of black poison engulfing Percy.
Immediately, he dropped Riptide, feeling his skin burning, along with tears appearing in his eyes. He was suffocating, and Percy brought his hands to his throat, not acting fast enough to prevent the poison from entering his body. His lungs also burned. He managed to barely hear Jason pleading with the giant to let him go, but the answer from Polybotes was lost to his ears. He felt his consciousness drifting away from him, but at the same time, the pain became even more pronounced.
"A slow death! A death by a thousand poisons!"
Almost all had heard of karma. How one's actions would come to haunt him in the future. Percy was forced to believe in this since three beings were weaving his fate at this very moment. Perhaps this was justice for what he had done to Akhlys...
After everything, was this how it ended? After escaping Tartarus, overcoming so much, just to die like this? Death by poison in the environment that he had called home for years? Jason was fighting a battle with a massive wound, outnumbered by two deities, and here he was, dying slowly.
And yet, he could get away from this situation if he wished to.
But he shouldn't.
It wasn't right.
Annabeth would disapprove.
But would he ever see her again if he fell now?
"The choice is yours to make."
Those words weren't from a memory. He was certain he had just heard it in his head. Percy had an idea of who it was, and he hated it. He felt like he was being manipulated. Even with his consciousness ceasing, the poison making his vision foggy, only able to see blurs of green, blue, and yellow swirling around, he felt rage.
"War isn't won by holding back." The voice whispered. "Would you trust a son of the skies to save you under the sea?"
No.
"Then do what you must."
She will hate me.
"You are wrong. She will understand. One way or another."
This is madness. This is wrong.
"Then embrace it. BREAK LOOSE. Or would you rather sail through the Styx today?"
At last, Percy let out a cry, a cry of anger towards himself, the gods – all of them – Gaia, the giants, and especially the one foe currently battling Jason. Just like in the Edge of Chaos, he willed himself to control the poison, much like he would do it to water. The pull on his gut was even bigger this time, but he managed to get the poison away from him.
Immediately, he felt Riptide back in his pocket, uncapping the pen and revealing the mighty bronze sword. Thankful for the healing effects the water had on him, he charged again at Polybotes, who had unfortunately noticed Percy had escaped from his poison, and thus was able to block the blow, but the giant seemed surprised, nonetheless.
"How?!" Polybotes cried, dodging an attack from Jason. "You cannot do that. Not even the sea god-"
"You will find my ways to be different from Poseidon," Percy growled, swinging his sword at the giant, who was having a hard time deflecting. At the same time, he managed to hear some of what Jason was saying to Kymopoleia.
"I can change that," The blonde told her, resuming the talk Percy wasn't able to hear while in the poison. But he could feel the subtle looks from the son of Jupiter, as well as Kymopoleia. "I will personally arrange a shrine for you on Temple Hill in New Rome. Your first-ever Roman shrine! I'll raise one at Camp Half-Blood as well, right on the shore of Long Island Sound. Imagine, being honored –'
"And feared." His sister added, just as Percy stabbed Polybotes in the gut, making the giant yell in pain.
"– and feared by both Greeks and Romans. You'll be famous!"
"STOP TALKING!" Polybotes changed his target from Percy to Jason, and the former wasn't fast enough to prevent that. Thankfully, the son of Jupiter got out of the way of the trident without issue, but Kymopoleia wasn't so lucky. The weapon hit the goddess at full strength in the ribcage, making the goddess flinch in pain, the vibrations of the blow able to be felt at a distance.
The giant widened his eyes, slowly lowering his trident. "I am sorry, Kymopoleia, you shouldn't have been in the way!"
"In the way?" Kym screeched. "I am in the way?"
"That is not what I meant-" Polybotes tried to argue with the goddess. but he was stopped by Percy, who once more charged against him. The giant once more tried to throw poison at him, but Percy, now prepared for it, took hold of the poison as soon as the giant had summoned it, throwing it back to Polybotes. The Gigante managed to get out of the way in time, but he was still distraught.
"Are you sure you are the son of the sea god, Jackson?" Polybotes tauntingly asked, swinging his trident. "I am very much in doubt now that you have shown that display."
Choosing not to answer this, he continued to battle Polybotes, while Jason was still trying to convince Kymopoleia, "You heard what he said. You are just being used by the giants to get to us. They will cast you aside when they're done."
"HE LIES!" Polybotes bellowed, deflecting a blow from Riptide. "Kymopoleia, when Gaia rules, you will be able to rage and storm as you please!"
The goddess seemed thoughtful. "Will there be mortals to terrorize?"
"Well, no..." The giant said with apprehension.
"Ships to destroy? Demigods, to cower?"
Of course, the giant did not have a rebuttal to that, which made Percy wonder how Kymopoleia even agreed to this in the first place. But of course, his sister didn't seem too bright – and sane, for that matter.
"Help us!' Jason urged. "Together, a god and a demigod can kill a giant.
"No! Gaia will be most displeased" Polybotes said with some difficulty, given that Percy continued to furiously strike the giant. Whenever the giant tried to summon more poison, Percy would simply deflect it. This sensation of power felt good. His whole body was tingling, much like when he had tortured Akhlys. But against Polybotes? He barely felt remorse.
"If she wakes," Jason argued. "The mighty Kymopoleia can prevent this from happening. All demigods will honor her!"
"Will they tremble at my name?" Good thing that Kym had her priorities straight.
"Tons of trembling!" The son of Jupiter promised. "Shrines, temples, a cabin at Camp Half-Blood."
Polybotes managed to throw Percy away just enough for him to protest, "Kymopoleia, you cannot trust this vile Roman!"
"The deal certainly seems better than what the Earth Mother has offered," Kym said, looking at her fingernails.
"And if I don't fulfill the promise, you can kill me. Something you won't be able to achieve with Gaia." Jason argued.
Kymopoleia hummed. "I cannot say you are lying in this regard."
With Polybotes distracted long enough, trying to think of an answer, Percy went forward and hit the giant with the handle of Riptide, knocking him backward. Jason finally attacked again, the gladius morphing into a javelin that stabbed Polybotes's guts, making the anti-Poseidon cry in pain.
"Say goodbye, Polybotes," Kym said, grabbing her disc from the tripod. In turn, the rim of the disc was sharp, and so, when Kymopoleia threw the disc at the giant like a frisbee, it only took a second before the giant's head was disconnected from his body.
Panting, Percy almost let the currents take him away, but stood still, letting the air – or water – back into his lungs. He hadn't been too much wounded from the battle itself, not being punctured by the trident, but the effects of the poison were still in effect, especially with the adrenaline dissipating from his body.
"Percy?" Jason called. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." He answered. Of course, it seemed his cousin wasn't too satisfied with the short answer, but Percy simply signaled later with one look and turned to face Kym. "Thanks for coming to your senses."
"You know what the price will be." She said, turning to Jason. "I expect your promises to be delivered."
"I will do it," Jason said firmly. "Percy here has already started the process, making sure the Olympians would pay attention to... some of the minor gods."
Kym once again scoffed. "We all know how much an Olympian's promise is worth."
"That's why I see it through." The son of Jupiter stated with conviction. He truly seemed like he would fulfill his promise. "I'll make sure none of the gods are forgotten at either camp. Maybe they'll get temples or cabins, or at least shrines."
"You do realize you are talking about hundreds, potentially thousands of gods, right? Are you up to the task, son of Rome?" Kymopoleia mused.
"It might take a while," Jason admitted. "But I will make sure the mistakes of the past won't be repeated. And you'll be first on the list, Kymopoleia… the storm goddess who beheaded a giant and saved our quest."
Kym stroked her jellyfish hair. "That will do nicely. And do not worry about your ship, it is still afloat. Very resilient." She regarded Percy. "I am very much impressed by your control over poison. As Polybotes said, it is not something I have ever seen father doing."
Percy felt that anger from before returning. Did she need to remind him of that? "It's probably something he tries to avoid." He hesitantly said.
Kymopoleia just stared thoughtfully. "I will be watching your progress. Polybotes was not boasting when he warned that your blood would awaken the Earth Mother. The giants are very confident of this."
"My blood, personally?" Percy asked. Kym's smile was even creepier than usual.
"I am not an Oracle. But I heard what the seer Phineas told you in the city of Portland. It is not a coincidence that old beings take such an interest in you." Her smile widened. He knew who she was talking about. And he needed to have a conversation with them. "Would it not be easier to flee into the depths with that girlfriend of yours?" Percy put his hand on Jason's shoulder and got on his feet again.
"Juno offered me a choice like that, back when I found Camp Jupiter. I'll give you the same answer. I don't run when my friends need me."
Kym turned up her palms. "There is your flaw: being unable to step away. Perhaps it would have been wiser to do that, considering your situation. I will certainly retreat to the depths and watch this battle unfold. You should know that the forces of the ocean are also at war. Your friend Hazel Levesque made quite an impression on the merpeople and their mentors, Aphros and Bythos."
"The fish pony dudes," Percy remembered the two brothers of Chiron. "They didn't want to meet me."
"Not all appreciate the extent of our father's power." Her eyes glinted. "But even now they are waging war for your sake," Kym said, "trying to keep Gaia's allies away from Long Island. Whether or not they will survive… that remains to be seen. As for you, Jason Grace, your path will be no easier than your friend's. You will be tricked. You will face unbearable sorrow." Percy could see that Jason was just as unhappy hearing Kymopoleia speak.
"Kym, you said you're not an Oracle? They should give you the job. You're definitely depressing enough" Percy could only agree with that.
The goddess let loose her dolphin laugh. "You amuse me, son of Jupiter. I hope you live to defeat Gaia."
"Speaking of which, any tips on defeating someone who cannot die?" Jason asked.
"Oh, but you already know the answer to that," Kym said, once more with a glint in her eyes. "If the Earth Mother awakes, let us hope it doesn't come to this, the best way would be to do exactly what was done with the first lord of the skies, eons ago. And if you do manage to win, remember your promises, Pontifex."
Jason blinked. Percy didn't recognize the word immediately but felt like he had heard it before. "I'm not a priest."
"Is that so?" Kym tilted her head. "By the way, your Ventus servant says he wishes to be freed. Since he has helped you, he hopes you will let him go when you reach the surface. He promises he will not bother you a third time."
"A third time?" Jason asked, seeming shocked.
Kym paused as if listening. "He says he joined the storm above to take revenge on you, but had he known how strong you've become since the Grand Canyon he never would've approached your ship."
"The Grand Canyon..." Seeing Jason's face go from confusion to horror was amusing to Percy. At least as amusing as it could get. "Dylan? Are you kidding me? I'm breathing Dylan?"
"Yes," Kym said. "That seems to be his name.'
Jason shuddered. "I'll let him go as soon as I reach the surface. No worries."
"Farewell, then," said the goddess. "And may the Fates smile upon you… assuming the Fates survive."
And with that, they left Percy's peculiar sister behind. If they survived this, he would surely ask Poseidon a lot of questions about her. But right now, his priorities were directed somewhere else. As they swam upwards, following the dim light from the surface, he could feel the gaze of his cousin on him.
"You have questions," Percy stated, and his assumption was proven correct.
"What was that, really?" Jason inquired. "I know Poseidon is the god of the seas, but not the god of every liquid. Especially not poison."
"That was the same thought I had in Tartarus." Percy pursed his lips. "Me and Annabeth, we chose to hide many of the details of what happened down there. Mainly because we wanted to forget."
Jason nodded, urging him to keep talking.
"We encountered a goddess. Her name was Akhlys." Percy shuddered as he remembered the horrid face of that monster. "She lured us into a trap. To feed us to the Night, as she said."
"You mean..." Jason didn't finish the questions, but both boys knew what he meant.
Percy nodded. "Yeah. Then, she tried to kill us and summoned poison against me. I was dying, just like down there. And then I took control of the poison. And I tortured her."
"You... tortured a goddess." Jason echoed.
"I did," Percy confirmed. "It felt good. Until I saw... until Annabeth called me. Then all was gone. I just felt shame. And right after, Nyx appeared. I promised to not do it again, but..."
"I understand." The Roman told him. "I was wounded. Fighting against a being of the sea underwater. I can't blame you. It's just that..."
Percy once more nodded knowingly. "It seems unnatural. I don't know how I'm able to do this. It frightens me to think of what else I'm capable of." He paused for a moment, turning to face Jason. "I noticed that you seem to be much better."
Apparently, the blonde himself hadn't come to realize this. "Yeah..." Jason lifted his shirt, where the gladius-inflicted injury was gone. The skin had healed. There was no smoke, blood, or anything. "It's gone. I feel just fine!"
"I suppose you found your own cure. Maybe wanting to heal the rift was enough for it to get better." Percy smiled, trying to be as optimistic as possible. If anything, trying to motivate his friend. Jason soon returned the smile.
"Can't say I'm bothered. Come on, we should probably swim faster. They're gonna start to get worried."
Percy agreed, but that wasn't the only reason he wanted to get to the Argo II faster. He hadn't told Jason about the voice he had heard while engulfed by poison.
He just knew he would need to have a conversation with Nyx.
Ever felt like this chapter in BOO was dumb because Percy was beaten like nothing in his own domain? Well, maybe this helped a bit. And yes, I am leaning into this trope again. Not that it will be too central compared to the other fic. Thanks for reading!