AN: Again sorry about the gap, I think I'm going to shoot for every two weeks on this story. I think I need to take more time so that this story isn't a disappointing sequel to the original.
As always I own nothing you recognize from officially published/licensed works, only my imagination.
Chapter 5: Just Children's Stories?
Percy was in the room Apollo and Hermes had dubbed 'the Armory.' He was making copies of some of his favorite weapons from the past few months when Hermes came to find him. Before he could say anything Percy decided to just ask the question that had been on his mind since the meeting with the Three Sisters.
"Wait, wait, wait. How many different pantheons have you run into over the years?"
"Too many. To be honest I've never understood why we moved around with the West and no one else did. Though that sounds like a question for Athena."
Percy snorted even as he was summoning a decorative sword that a son of Hephaestus had made for him. It was a replica of a sword from a movie he had watched with his mom growing up, and he couldn't help but flourish it while one of the lines played in his head, 'You killed my father. Prepare to die.' He saw Hermes smiling out of the corner of his eye and quickly hung it in the space on the rack he had cleared for it.
"Yeah so um, yeah." Percy thought back to what he was going to say before his brain went off on a tangent. "Oh! Right! That sounds like a question we shouldn't ask Athena if we don't want to die of boredom."
"Good point. So any more questions?"
"Yeah. I have a couple. Was King Arthur real?"
Hermes gave him a half smile at the question.
"Should have seen that one coming. Yeah, he was real. Though it may surprise you that he was mortal through and through."
Hermes was right, that did surprise Percy. Even George Washington had been a son of Athena. To learn that one of if not the most famous kings in the West was purely mortal almost seemed impossible.
"Where's the other shoe, Hermes? I sense a but coming."
"But that doesn't mean all of his knights were the same, and it doesn't mean Excalibur was a normal sword."
"What do you mean?"
Percy's curiosity about the sword grew, though he wasn't sure if that was because it was a part of one of his domains or if he wanted to know. That thought unnerved Percy slightly but he pushed it aside for the moment. Hermes looked contemplative but answered quickly enough.
"What do you know about King Arthur's sword Percy?"
"Uhh he pulled it out of a rock right?"
"I suppose you could say that. He did pull a sword out of an enchanted stone, but that is not the sword Excalibur. He received that sword from The Lady in the Lake."
Percy paused and thought about what little he knew.
"So what's the real story?"
"Surprisingly exactly what the legends say. Arthur was deemed worthy of Excalibur by the Lady in the Lake and thus the sword passed to him."
Something about these words tickled Percy's subconscious but at first, he wasn't sure what. Something about what Hermes had said seemed off to Percy. Then it clicked.
"Wait did you say passed? That almost sounds like..."
"Like he wasn't the first to use it?"
Percy nodded as an odd thrill raced up his back, like a sudden chill causing goosebumps to rise momentarily on his skin.
"He wasn't. Not the last either. Though he made the sword far more famous than many who bore it before or since. Though Hephaestus or your father would know the specifics better than me. I just pick things up on the fly after all."
Hermes winked cheekily at him before vanishing with the sound of feathered wings. He left Percy with his lips slightly parted to ask a question though he wasn't even sure what exactly he wanted to ask. Question after question raced through him and he found himself torn in his curiosity. Though one connection had made itself clear to him after all Hermes had mentioned his father. 'Perhaps the Lady in the Lake was a water spirit?' Too curious to wait Percy split himself again going to speak with his father and Hephaestus at the same time.
In Atlantis
"Dad, you got a minute?"
Poseidon raised an eyebrow and Percy could see amusement in his eyes.
"Something tells me this is going to take longer than a minute."
"Well yeah probably. It's just a... Nevermind. Hermes told me you'd know something about Excalibur?"
What Percy had been expecting was surprise or maybe exasperation. He had not been expecting the deep burning anger that filled his father's eyes. Percy felt his father's wrath in the oceans as well and for a moment even his control of the currents and tides was ripped from him before his father reigned his anger in. The feeling had been akin to having the air driven from his lungs for Percy.
"Dad, what's wrong? Did I..."
"No Percy. You did nothing wrong. The woman you may know of as the Lady of the Lake was once a member of my council before my brother took issue with her existence."
"But why would Zeus..."
"Because she loved Hephaestus and he her. When she threatened the politically advantageous union my brother sought between his son and Aphrodite, he found a solution."
Percy felt his mouth go dry, and the other him speaking to Hephaestus hesitated for a moment.
"Why haven't I ever heard about this before?"
Even as he asked the question though he thought he knew the answer. Poseidon snorted derisively and his voice dripped with an age-old anger.
"And let the world know that he kept his son from one who loved him for who he was despite everything? This is one of the reasons Hephaestus agreed to forge a net with which to trap his father."
Percy remembered that story, all too well. Knowing that this hidden reason existed however turned it from kind of funny at Zeus' expense into something else entirely; Something filled with a hidden grief that Percy could relate to all too closely.
"I see. Though that still doesn't explain her connection with the sword."
"Zeus attempted to destroy her utterly, but a small amount of her essence survived because of a gift that Hephaestus had made for her. Much as the original Riptide was linked to Zoë's power the weapon you know as Excalibur was linked to her's. After all was said and done my brother did his best to erase every scrap of her existence until the only records that she lived are in the memories of those who knew her. Her spirit lingered on in the world, however, strongest in the lakes that were her domain, often stumbled upon in moments of great need by heroes. Those she deemed worthy she passed her blessing and weapon onto until their need was fulfilled."
Percy stayed quiet thinking about his father's words. For the first time in a long time, he had no more than a handful of questions, and he was sure as the interaction with Hephaestus continued he might learn something of their answers.
Below Mt. St. Helens
It had taken him longer to locate Hephaestus than his father and he was not as accomplished in maintaining more than three streams of consciousness as he would like. Keeping track of his conversation with his father placed too great a strain on him so he did his best to keep himself separated.
"Good to see you, lad. What do you think? You are responsible for the renovation after all."
Hephaestus' voice filled the forge despite his rather quiet voice. Percy glanced around nervously as memories flashed in his mind of the last time he was here.
"Well, it's just as hot as I remember. Bit better outfitted than either of the camp's forges. Though that's not a surprise."
Hephaestus laughed at that, his booming laugh at odds with his gentle voice.
"That it is, lad. Though you didn't come to make small talk I hope?"
"No. I came to..."
Suddenly it felt as though all the air had been driven from his lungs and he was acutely aware of his father's anger. Within moments the feeling passed and his streams of consciousness grew separated again. When he refocused on his surroundings he found Hephaestus watching him out of the corner of his eye while his hammer rose and fell.
"Still here, lad?"
"Sorry, domain anomalies. You know how it is."
Hephaestus bobbed his head and Percy noticed it was in time with the hammer strikes.
"I came to ask you what you knew about Excalibur?"
Hephaestus' hammer came down with such force that it splintered the massive anvil he was working on top of into pieces. Razor sharp shards of metal shot in every direction and Percy had to summon a shield to avoid being riddled with holes. In addition to the hammer blow, however, Percy felt the air in the room burn even hotter than before. Was it not for his godly durability and his connection with the sea he was sure he would have spontaneously combusted. As it was his shield was already beginning to glow on the edges as the air heated it. Just before the leather strap ignited Percy willed it to disappear. When he did he could see Hephaestus again and he felt a surge of pity for the god before him. Hephaestus knelt on the ground amongst the ruined shards of his anvil with a small chunk of some bright blue material in his fingers, a material that Percy recognized as coral.
Because of the heat Percy knew they would never fall but he could feel tears gathering in the corners of Hephaestus' eyes. Suddenly the blue disappeared and Hephaestus was on his feet. He dashed the tears from his eyes and turned to face Percy; He recognized the emotions etched into every line in Hephaestus' body and face. Stepping forward Percy broke the silence even as he gripped Hephaestus' forearm.
"You helped me Hephaestus. Let me help you. Do you trust me?"
Hephaestus met his eyes and he could see that the god wasn't sure what to say. Something switched in them however he nodded once to Percy. In an instant, Percy had transported them to his armory. The room was built like a bunker and he knew they would not be interrupted by anyone save Calypso, or someone else Percy trusted with his life.
"Tell me Hephaestus."
The god snapped his fingers and sank onto the rolling machinist's stool that he had created before speaking.
"The weapon you know as Excalibur has a long and tragic history that begins with my father betraying me. You wouldn't know this but..."
Percy let him talk without interruption as he told Percy the story of the woman who had never seen a cripple and had loved him for him. It made Percy's heart ache to listen to the story, and his anger at his uncle only grew as Hephaestus continued to talk. Almost ten minutes into him talking he felt the part of himself that had spoken to his father fade back into the other parts and his memory caught up. Eventually, Hephaestus came to tell him how and why he created the weapon that would become Excalibur.
"Just before my father took action, I created a weapon at Viva's request."
At this point the adhd part of Percy's brain that godhood hadn't ever fully quelled chimed in.
"Wait, isn't the lady in the lake named Viviane? Seems pretty close to me, that's a surprise."
Hephaestus just looked at him with raised eyebrows for a moment and Percy sheepishly dipped his head.
"When it was done she bound it to her power in much the same way that yours is connected to Riptide or your father's is to his trident. I never saw her again. Long have I looked after those whom her spirit deems worthy."
"Wait what do you mean? What do you do?"
"If you pay attention to the stories the mortals tell you'd be surprised by how often my work shows itself. Wherever Amyntor goes my work is not far behind. Even in the stories, mortals tell there are tales of those around the hero whose arms also rise to great renown. One of my greatest regrets is that one such blade was used to slay Arthur."
Percy's scalp prickled slightly as the story flashed through Percy's mind.
"Mordred..."
"Indeed. King Arthur's son, who betrayed him for want of the crown or so the stories say. Though you would see it differently I think."
Percy had started pacing slightly between the racks but he stopped at those words.
"What makes you say that?"
"Because you are a good man, and you would recognize the fell influence that had poisoned Mordred in a heartbeat."
An all too familiar sensation crept into Percy's chest and the ghost of a beastial howl seemed to ring in his ears.
"You're telling me Moros had something to do with Mordred betraying his father?"
"Something? He had everything to do with it. The younger Olympians know nothing of this but the reason Moros has been hunting us, the reason he has set himself against us as bitterly as he has is that Viva much like you is an affront to his domain. He has dogged the steps of her champions from the moment their hands touched the Amyntor. What is that old saying? Show me a hero..."
"...and I'll write you a tragedy."
Percy finished the line with a barely audible whisper. Annabeth used to read out loud when he was around because he struggled far more than she did with the reading. She had wanted him to feel included and he had enjoyed spending time with her. That line had stuck with him as it was heartbreakingly accurate. A heavy sigh escaped Hephaestus as he raised his eyes to Percy's.
"Francis always was a good listener, you are too Percy. Thank you. You should know that you cannot speak about this to anyone who does not already know the truth. I do not know how but my father found a way to bind the knowledge so that all those that learn it second hand are incapable of passing the knowledge on. I can only assume that witch Hecate is involved."
The venom and bitterness in Hephaestus' voice were so foreign that Percy realized just how used to his friend's gentle, unflappable demeanor he was.
"I shall tell you the same thing that Arthur was told, that Setanta was told before him, and others before them, and you will not be the last. Brave the ethereal waters for in the deep the lady will see the shadows of your soul."
"Oh, goody. Nice and cryptic. I was starting to miss having to interpret cryptic advice!"
Hepheastus' face cracked into a smile despite the topic at hand, which Percy was glad to see.
"I apologize, I forget that you have more experience with prophecies than most at times. I will simplify it for you as I believe you will need Viva's help. I can forge you a thousand blades, but none will ever match the weapon I created for her. Some of the greatest mortal heroes in history, and many from our bloodlines have been chosen. Though history does not know the whole truth."
"There it is again. You just called it a weapon, isn't it a sword? Excalibur was a sword right?"
"Yes, Excalibur was a sword. However, the weapon that Setanta bore was a spear. When it was called the Aias it was a shield and when it was carried by Robin it was a bow. It has been many things, I made her weapon as fluid and changeable as she was but in the end, I still failed her. It has been a long time... So long since I said goodbye. Promise me something Percy, treasure every moment with Calypso. Even we immortals have no guarantee that we will see those we love tomorrow."
"I will. Thank you Hephaestus, I'm sorry to bring up so many painful memories."
His friend waved a hand and he seemed to be reigning in his emotions.
"You confided in me. You trusted me. You are my friend, Percy, I should thank you. Now this has been far too much emotion for a few centuries, I need to get back to my forges."
Percy gripped his forearm and shook it before Hephaestus disappeared in his usual swirl of orange and yellow embers. Percy was left standing alone in his armory surrounded by his replicas of many of the greatest weapons that he had come across, and yet they all paled in comparison with even one of the weapons that Hephaestus had named. Now Percy knew that they were not many weapons, they were a single weapon, a blessing from the beloved of the god of the forge who had long since been destroyed. The idea made his head spin but now he had a goal besides simple revenge for his own sake. He would break the chain of tragedy that followed in Moros' wake as he chased Viva across history for the sin of defying her doom.
Percy was tired. Tired of so many things that it would have been easier to list all the things he wasn't tired of than the things he was. Right at the top of the list was Calypso. She was the brightest part of his life and right now he needed that. Stepping across the threshold of their cabin he immediately felt some of the tension leave him, draining away into the floor below his feet. He could hear her somewhere in the cabin and she was singing. The song seemed to fill the whole cabin with her voice and he knew she probably hadn't left the cabin that day. He had been encouraging her for years now to go out, explore, and learn about the world, but after so long on her island she sometimes forgot that she could.
"Calypso?"
"In the kitchen Percy!"
He stepped through the doorway into the kitchen and was greeted by quite a sight. He would never say that Calypso was not skilled in the kitchen, but he had never met someone who could make as much mess in the kitchen as she could. Every surface had a bowl or some other implement, and many had a dusting of flour or some other ingredient. That wasn't the most obvious thing however, the most obvious was the bright blue coloring that was all over Calypso and her apron. There was even a small streak on her forehead where she must have accidentally wiped it.
"I made cookies!"
He looked down and resting on the cooling rack were dozens of perfect, blue cookies. A pang of nostalgia rushed through him but it was just background noise. It wasn't going anywhere but it was easier to deal with now than it had been for a long time. He moved forward and ignoring the blue batter on her apron and face kissed her deeply. When he let go he found his right hand, forearm, and a bit of his forehead had batter on them. Calypso wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him her eyes searching his face.
"I'll help you get cleaned up then we need to talk. I don't know what to do."
She laughed a little and snapped her fingers which caused all of the mess but the batter on them to disappear.
"You always forget we can do that Percy. Now let's go get changed."
He followed her like a puppy and they might have gotten a bit distracted but he wasn't going to complain, it delayed having to think about everything he had learned. Eventually, though they settled onto stools around the island in the kitchen. Percy mindlessly munching on cookies while he contemplated how to start the story.
"So yesterday Hermes came to find me but I wanted to ask about the whole pantheon thing."
He glanced at Calypso who seemed as curious as he was. He realized, not for the first time, that though she was as old as most of the Greek pantheon she had missed so much on her island that she only knew fragments more than he did. So he kept talking, stopping to explain what he knew about a few things so that she wouldn't be even more confused than he was. He told her everything he could remember about King Arthur, Robin of Loxley, the little Irish mythology he knew, and about the pantheons he had encountered in Carter and Magnus. Calypso was an excellent listener, it was like she always knew exactly what to ask and when to make sure he didn't miss anything.
When finally got back to telling her about his conversations with his father and Hephaestus the sun had long since fallen. With the sun had gone his remaining good mood, and as the moon rose so too did the black anger that he had tried to forget. Every insult, every bully, every injustice, so many of which could be laid at the feet of fate. Too many however he could trace back to Zeus, from his own suffering, to Nico and Bianca, to his immortal friends. He knew that Zeus wasn't stupid, that much he had to admit to himself. Though if the things that Zeus did were out of arrogance, fear, or cruelty he couldn't say. Though some combination was the most likely. He knew despite everything he knew his father to be, he had been far different in the past. All the gods had changed with the societies that had worshipped them to a degree. That thought brought back his worry that his interest in Excalibur was not even his own.
He was lost in his head again as he had been so many times before. It was Calypso who helped pull him back to the present as she always did. Her gentle fingers traced the shapes of his face and came to rest in his hands. She grounded him and he brought himself back to the topic he needed to discuss with her. She was all too familiar with his hopes and fears to ask him any right now. So he continued, he told her of his conversation with his father, and his conversation with Hephaestus. Once again he felt the burn of anger filling his chest and almost bubbling into his throat.
"I need to find her. If I can find her maybe I can help. Maybe if I... I can..."
"Percy? You said that she wasn't completely gone right?"
He nodded though his mind was still racing, searching for something, anything, an answer.
"Then... Never mind I need to think about that more. Until then though you should find out everything you can about... What did Hephaestus call it? Amyntor? It sounds like you need to find it or maybe find whoever is meant to carry it and help you defeat Moros and Cernunos."
The thought that it may be someone else's destiny to walk this path beside him was terrifying. Percy didn't care about the glory but after everything he had suffered and lost, he still thought that it was better that he suffered rather than those he wanted to protect. In that instant just as he had all those years ago, he chose this fate. He wasn't sure it was going to work the same as it did back then but he didn't care. He was going to find Lady Viva, and finally force Moros into a hole so deep that he would never get out again.
"I've seen that look before Percy. How can I help?"
"I've gotta go see Athena. I'll hopefully have an answer to that question after I do."
Percy found himself standing outside Athena's palace and was about to knock when he heard a loud whisper.
"Psst. Percy. What are you doing? Trying to get bored to death? Don't you have a wedding to not die before attending?"
Percy glanced over his shoulder to see Hermes and Apollo hiding behind a statue to the side of the gate before Athena's place. Percy rolled his eyes and walked over to them.
"Don't make it so obvious! We don't want her to lecture us too!"
"Oh get a grip both of you I'm not going to die. I just wanted to ask her if she knew anything about some stuff. Besides Calypso said that Hera and Aphrodite just took over planning the wedding and only asked her to say yes or no to things. Even tried to include me but Hera and Aphrodite blatantly refused. She kept me updated though and we did get to pick the date."
"Oh, when is it?"
"June thirteenth."
"June thirteenth? That's less than a month away! That's almost no time for us!"
Percy looked around at Apollo confused at first then he remembered. Apollo and Hermes were going to throw him a bachelor party.
"Sorry guys, but that's the anniversary of when I landed on Ogygia."
Hermes shrugged seeming to understand, but Apollo wasn't listening.
"That's like three weeks from now... Hermes what did Dionysus say when you asked him about..."
"Shush Apollo. It's a surprise remember?"
Apollo shot a glance at Percy and the smile on his face was like a Cheshire cat.
"Hey, what's a surprise? Guys... Do I need to be worried...?"
Hermes grabbed Apollo and put him in a headlock before turning to Percy again. Still struggling with Apollo under his arm Hermes tried to keep his voice even and relaxed, failing miserably.
"Pfft. Oh yeah, nothing to worry about here. See you later Perse."
With that, the struggling pair disappeared off to they only knew where. Percy shook his head and then turned back toward Athena's palace. His original reason for his being here coming back and destroying the sense of lightness and mirth that his friends had brought. He knocked three times with the large knocker and stepped back to wait. There was every chance she would not answer which he was prepared for, he wasn't even sure exactly what he was doing here. Was he going to ask about Moros, the Irish deities, or should he push his luck? Fortunately or unfortunately his train of thought was interrupted by the door before him swinging open.
"Hello, Perseus? What brings you here?"
"Oh... Uhhhhh... I have a lot of things I could ask. Guess I'll start with the obvious. Cernunos, the Babd, the Macca, the Morrigan? Ring any bells?"
Athena cocked her head at him as though studying an interesting specimen that had wandered across her path.
"I heard that you had encountered the sisters. There are not many who are still living who can claim the same. Even I never met her."
"So... Can you help me?"
"I will see what I can find on Cernunos. Come with me. If you are going to interrupt you may as well make yourself useful. Do not break anything, but feel free to explore the library in search of your other questions."
Percy paused at the door to her library after hearing her.
"What no warning against messing up your books? No instructions on where I can and can't go?"
"I trust that you will not make an undue mess of my library. Or are you suggesting that I should have some reason to treat you as some sort of child Perseus?"
Percy had no answer for that so he remained silent. Athena disappeared between shelves and Percy took a moment to look at the room he was in. He felt his mouth open slightly as he widened his field of view and realized that the room seemed to stretch endlessly in both directions. He was about to call after Athena to ask how he was supposed to find anything when the sound of soft footsteps came toward him.
"The Lady Athena believed you may need assistance, Lord Perseus."
"Oh, Clio, it's good to see you. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Percy? If you don't stop calling me Lord I'm going to have to hurt Apollo."
He knew Apollo often worked closely with the muses and he was sure it was him putting them up to messing with him whenever they could. He hadn't found a way to prove it yet but he was going to find a way. Clio simply laughed at his threat to Apollo and nodded.
"I am sure he would be most aggrieved to hear you say that Percy. So how can I help you?"
"I'm looking for as much information as I can find about legendary weapons."
It was his best cover for what he wanted given that he was the god of weaponry after all. He wasn't sure how close an eye on things Zeus kept but he didn't want to risk giving the king of the gods an excuse to try and punish him for something. A surge of anger toward Zeus flared at the thought, that he had to hide his search for information that could aid him in defending Olympus because of an oathbreaker's pettiness and insecurity. He shook off the thought and refocused on following Clio who it seemed had been talking to him.
"...should be in this area. Though if you were able to give me specific names then perhaps I could be of more help?"
"I'm sorry Clio, what were you saying just now? I drifted off for a second."
Percy attempted an apologetic smile but Clio just rolled her eyes.
"Of course you did. No matter. I was simply saying that this library is not like other libraries you may have visited. It is arranged by topic and chronology. So within the section on war for example you would be able to find things by the year it was created. Information about famous arms and armor of all kinds should be in this area. If you could give me a name I could help more."
"Does the name Aias mean anything to you?"
"I don't suppose you've read the Illiad?" She paused to glance at him and saw him shake his head. Seeming unsurprised she continued, "The Aias was the name given to the shield of Ajax. Come to think of it you remind me of him."
"Who Ajax?"
Clio nodded even as she stopped near the end of a shelf beginning to examine bound books, scroll holders, and parchment containers.
"You are nothing alike in appearance, but Ajax was...different. He fought in defense of his brothers, he did not go to Troy seeking glory for himself as many others did. He sought to stand between his comrades and destruction. It was he who covered for Greek retreat, and he who recovered the body of Patroclus. Never once was his shield pierced, even by the spear of Hector."
She had pulled several scrolls from the shelves even as she talked and handed them to Percy. Moving to another section of the shelf she continued looking.
"You have always fought for much the same reason. Even if you once bore the curse that became famous because of the same war."
Percy swallowed heavily his throat feeling tight as Clio's words washed through him. She was the muse of history and he had never experienced being the sole focus of her influence before. Her words seemed to bring the past to life in a way that felt as though if he closed his eyes when he opened them he would find himself standing before the walls of Troy or maybe on the blood-streaked streets of Manhattan.
"Thank you, Clio. What about Setanta's spear or Robin's bow... Wait as in Robin Hood?"
At these words Clio spun to face him, her eyes narrowed.
"The Spear of Pain and the Pauper's Bow? What interest have you in those?"
Something in her eyes betrayed that she knew more than she was saying. Perhaps she was unsure how much she could say, Percy needed to know.
"Does the name Viva mean anything to you?"
Clio's face paled and she cast her eyes downward. When she spoke her voice was incredibly quiet.
"I am sorry my Lord. I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Clio, I'm sorry for asking. I understand that you don't know anything about this. Look at me, Clio." He waited for her to meet his eyes then very careless began to speak, "If I am on the right track can you find me information on other...similar weapons?"
She seemed to be torn for a moment between fear and something he couldn't quite identify. Then she gestured to a table nearby before hurrying to another shelf. He set down the things she had handed to him before pulling a chair out and sitting himself. 'Why did Zeus go so far in order to hide her from existence? Unless...' His thoughts were interrupted as Clio returned with a handful of manuscripts which seemed to vary widely in age.
"Take these. Take them somewhere they will not be found. If he finds out Athena kept them... Let's not find out."
Percy touched the stack and snapped his fingers so that they would appear in his palace deep in his armory.
"Thank you, Clio. Will you apologize to Lady Athena for..."
"Leaving so soon Perseus?"
Percy groaned audibly and turned to face Athena who was walking toward him holding two books. Well book was a bit of a stretch, it almost looked like a stack of leaves that had been glued into sheets and then strung together with tree bark. Athena did not seem to appreciate his groan and narrowed her eyes at him. Before she spoke however she looked at Clio and then at the shelves around them. A strange cast seemed to come over the goddess's eyes and she held out three books for him to take. For just a moment Percy was confused, 'Hadn't there only been two?' But the look on his face convinced Percy that he should trust her.
"Thank you for your help Lady Athena, and yours Lady Clio. It has been a pleasure as always."
Athena and Clio both rolled their eyes at that comment and that was the last thing Percy saw of them before he flashed back to his palace where he found Calypso staring at him worriedly.
"Is everything Okay? What's going on?"
Percy looked around confused, searching for anything amiss. He saw that he had somehow managed to land the books on one of the couches but aside from that nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"Why? Is something wrong?"
Something in Calypso's expression made him pause. Her face seemed concerned but there was a light in her eyes that he had seen one too many times in many Half-Bloods eyes as well as their father's.
"Are you sure everything is okay Percy? Books just started appearing at random! I was sure that you had somehow managed to incur Lady Athena's wrath."
It seemed that she couldn't keep it together after all and he moved to trap her in his arms. She dodged him and darted around the couch away from him laughing the whole time.
"Get back here you..."
She managed to evade him again but then made the mistake of trying to go over one of the couches. He caught her around the waist and fell onto the couch bringing her down with him. She fought half-heartedly to push him off of her but soon gave up as even laughing was beginning to be a challenge for them both. It felt good to laugh like that again like there was nothing going on and that they were the only two people in the whole world. Percy kissed the tip of her nose then clambered to his feet offering her a hand up. She took it and attempted to tug him back down beside her but he had expected it. He hauled her to her feet and kissed her again.
"You're no fun."
She pouted once again badly concealing her smile.
"I am lots of fun. You're just a sore loser."
His eyes landed on the books and the reason for them brought reality screeching back in. Something must have changed in his face because Calypso spoke again and the laugh had faded voice as well.
"Percy?"
"You remember what you asked me last night?"
She nodded and he continued.
"Well, I've got your answer. I am terrible at reading so..."
She just stared at him for a minute before she started to laugh.
"Lady Athena... hahahahaha... Lady Athena gave you... Homework!"
He couldn't help but laugh too but soon enough their laughter died. They headed into the main room and Calypso went through the stack with Percy's help identifying the books. There was an incredibly detailed history of Arthur Pendragon, Setanta, Robin of Loxley, and even Ajax the Greater. There was an entire volume dedicated to the arms and armor of the Knights of the Roundtable and a compilation of every single story involving the Lady in the Lake. There were others too but most seemed sort of irrelevant, but the newest book of the lot was an atlas of the lakes in North America.
When the heart of the West moved so too did the important locations. Olympus had been in numerous cities and now it was above New York. The main entrance to the underworld, the Garden of the Hesperides, and even the Sea of Monsters had moved. The biggest question Percy had now was if it was a single lake or if he just had to be worthy and have need. They began to sift through the pages, one book at a time, and in Percy's case painfully slowly. He had started with the book on the Lady in the Lake, and even though it was written in ancient Greek he still thought his brain would melt before the end of this.
The stories said that after he was gravely injured, the Lady of the Lake carried Arthur to the Isle of Avalon. Could it be that perhaps Viva was less dead than she seemed? His eyes found Calypso, she had been trapped on an island cast adrift outside of time. Would Zeus have tried to do the same to Viva? Words from his past came to him, and despite the intervening years, they seemed as clear to him as the day he had first heard them. 'All the gods know how to do is replay their past.' Luke hadn't been entirely wrong but Percy knew it was more than that. In the end, history echoed itself all too often. Sighing heavily he reached over and gently rested the book on the table.
"I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose my mind if I try to read anymore tonight."
Calypso looked up to him a smile ghosting across her lips. She shook her head slightly and returned to the book.
"I'll be here for a while still. You go have fun or blow off some steam."
Confused he looked up and realized that the sun was shining again. He had been on the couch studying the book for over five and a half hours. He sometimes forgot even still that he didn't need to sleep the same way he had when he was mortal. He flopped back down on the couch next to Calypso and poked her gently in the side. She absently swatted his hand away without looking up at him so he did it again. She looked up at him with her eyebrows raised and he smiled innocently at her. She rolled her eyes and started to go back to the book when he poked her again. She snapped her fingers and he found himself sitting on the other couch across the table from her. He didn't think she could teleport him without him knowing so he took a shot in the dark. Extending his arm he felt his hand contact her side again and the illusion shattered.
Before the mist had completely broken however he felt her tackle him and start tickling his sides. He tried to escape but she wasn't letting go. He closed his eyes and just forced himself to clamber to his feet. When the world stopped spinning he opened his eyes and found Calypso clinging to his back.
"It's been a while since you got me that good with the mist. Nice try."
"Oh, you think so?"
He froze when her voice came from the other side of the room instead of on his back. The world felt like it turned over again and he found himself standing by himself with Calypso against a wall across the room from him.
"Damn. You got me good that time."
"Yeah. I did. Maybr you should go take a nap or something."
He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, embarrassed that she had managed to trick him so completely. The mist had never worked on him as well as it did others but Calypso always had one more trick up her sleeve. Though Percy knew he still had some too.
"I'll take a nap if you join me."
The next few days were a blur for Percy. Between attempting to read the books, training, and saving demigods, and doing his best to help continue the expansion of New Athens, he barely had a moment to rest. He had learned more about the past in the last week than all of his time in mortal school, well at least history that seemed relevant he thought. Names, titles, dates, and locations were jumbled in his head to the point where he felt like a bingo ball tumbler. So far he hadn't managed to find anything he thought was useful save a brief description that came from a fragment of writing that the book it resided in claimed was written by King Arthur himself, the real man, not the legend.
"As I ventured into the chill embrace of the lake's icy depths, the frigid waters clung to my flesh, akin to the unyielding grasp of fate itself. The world above swiftly receded into a distant memory, its warmth vanishing into the inky abyss below. Amidst the eerie hush, a spectral voice, delicate yet resonant, emerged from the depths, as if carried from on high it held an angelic beauty. It was the gentle tones of a lady, ethereal and beguiling, echoing with the ageless whispers of yore, revealing secrets of a long-forgotten fate, entreating me to not waver in bearing of the challenges that faced me. That help could be found concealed beneath the somber waters for those worthy of it."
Because of that passage, Percy had started searching lake after lake in his few free moments. He started in Maine and began working his way across the country. He didn't bother venturing very far south as the description of the lake as the icy depths seemed to point to the northern reaches of the country. He even ventured into Canada though the farther he went the more exposed and raw he began to feel. It reminded him of when the Tiber had washed the curse of Achilles from his flesh, vulnerable and weak. It was until he reached the midwest that anything changed. After so long searching he was growing frustrated because he had felt icy waters in the past and no lake seemed to be able to match the feeling.
That is until he appeared on the rocky shores of Lake Superior. It was late May so the chill of winter should be long gone, but as he looked out over the massive lake he felt something different here. Even the stones beneath his feet through his shoes felt cold to the touch and as he stepped into the water he knew that if any lake was it, then it was this lake. By the time his head was enveloped by the waters he knew that he would have been shivering were he not the Son of Poseidon. More than that however the quiet seemed to be almost unnatural. Other lakes seemed to be almost busy compared to this one. The sound of mortals, their boat's engines, and even the sounds of the creatures that filled his mind all served to fill the lakes with sound for him. Here though there was almost nothing, save the sound of a massive ship far, far in the distance. As he shot forward beneath the waves he extended himself as far as he could and was astonished by the sheer size of the lake even compared to the other Great Lakes.
Even as he thought it he felt something that caused him to falter. Were he running he would likely have tripped and skidded several yards on his chest, but as he was underwater he only came to a tumultuous halt. There was a voice but it seemed far away, just beyond the range of even his hearing.
"Lady Viva? Is that you?"
Percy sent his words into the water with as much force as he could muster. Sending the words roaring through the water so that no matter how far she was there was no doubt that she could hear him. The other voice grew silent leaving the water around him devoid of sound save for the single ship making its way southwest many miles from him. Then it broke the silence with one clear word.
"Hupomone..."
Percy knew the meaning of that word all too well.
"Have you not suffered enough?!"
Though he tried to suppress it his indignation and anger colored his words.
"Hupomone."
After that, the voice did not speak again but returned to the barely perceptible sounds from before. Percy stayed until he realized that what he could just barely hear was a song and that he was not going to change her mind. She had repeated that word to him, hupomone. He flashed back to the cabin near Camp Half-Blood and stood ankle-deep in the surf. Had he not suffered enough? He knew that the word she had spoken meant patience, but it was more than that. It was perseverance despite any and all circumstances. He had borne the fate of the world not once but twice, he had helped Apollo free the mortal world's connection to fate from Python. He had lost everything and everyone he had loved once, he was not going to do it again. He tried to ignore the frustration, to calm his racing heart but it was no use.
"Dad? Can you help me blow off some steam?"
Percy knew his father would hear him though he didn't expect a response. To his surprise, he felt a disturbance in the ocean racing toward shore at impossible speeds. Moments later with a fountain of water that soaked the beach for a hundred feet in every direction Poseidon landed on the beach.
"You know Percy. I can hold back if you want."
Percy didn't even bother to respond. His father knew his response and would insist on only matching Percy's blows never exceeding them until he decided he wanted to end their contest. Riptide appeared in his hands and he sank into his ready stance, Riptide's tip tracing a figure eight as he swayed subtly. Poseidon held his trident lazily in one hand and to anyone watching it would almost look as though he wasn't taking this seriously. Percy however knew differently. As soon as he moved he knew his father would meet his blow with an unbending wrist. Lunging forward as hard as he could Percy brought Riptide around in a deadly humming arc aimed at intercepting his father's trident rather than striking him. As he expected Riptide was almost ripped from his fingers but he managed to hold on as he skidded in the sand just past his father who spun to face him.
Percy started to rain blows on his father much as Clarisse had tried with him. Just like with Clarisse his father met every single blow and knocked it aside with ease. Just before the next blow landed Percy had an idea and let his grip loosen just before his father parried the attack. Riptide was torn from his fingers and disappeared into the distance. Without the expected resistance the trident continued farther than Poseidon had expected and tucked his elbow in to cover his exposed side. The speed of his reaction, fast as it was, just wasn't fast enough. Percy's fist landed heavily against his father's side and braced for the impact he knew was coming. The trident's lower half continued and slammed into his side sending him flying dozens of feet down the beach. When he struck a small crater formed around him and it almost knocked the wind out of him. He refused to give up and leaped out of the hole summoning his own trident that he hurled at his father.
Under normal circumstances this was almost entirely pointless, however, what Poseidon didn't know was that Percy had changed the trident he threw slightly. He had added power and weakened the weapon so that when his father struck it the weapon would explode, blinding him to Percy's movements for a brief moment. As the trident neared his father Percy willed Riptide to return and felt the sword reappear in his left hand as he had summoned another trident just like the first. As soon as he knew his father was about to destroy the first trident Percy heaved the second one at him and then sprinted toward his father's left side.
BOOM...BOOM...
One after the other the tridents exploded and despite everything when Riptide came down his father's trident was there to meet it. Gripping it like a Bo staff Poseidon struck upwards deflecting Riptide up, then swept the tines around and struck the side of the blade. It was nearly torn from his fingers yet again but Percy hung on just barely. Though his effort cost him, he realized he had taken his eyes off of his father for a fraction of a second. That was enough time for him to use the momentum of his first strike to sweep the trident through Percy's legs. His back hit the sand and opened his eyes to see the tines of his father's trident inches from his chest.
"I yield."
Percy groaned tiredly as he lay on the sand. Hearing this his father spun his trident and it vanished in a glimmer of golden and aqua-blue light. Percy felt his father seat himself on the sand next to him and he smiled ruefully.
"Did the tridents at least surprise you?"
"Sort of. I could feel you charge them but I wasn't sure exactly what they would do. Against anyone save my brothers and I it would have been quite an effective ploy."
Percy just nodded and continued lying on the sand, soaking up the warmth of the late afternoon sun. The warmth combined with the small waves that soaked his ankles and calves he soon felt mostly recovered. He knew his father had to try against him far more than he had at one time but it was still an incredibly one-sided contest.
"I see that Triton's influence still has not had time to show in your fighting."
Percy cracked his eyes open and looked curiously at his father.
"What do you mean?"
"You suffer from much the same issue all young immortals do, especially those who spend much of their time in the mortal world. It shows in the way you fight. The foes you face regularly are so far beneath you that you begin to take risks, and do things you would have never even considered when you were mortal."
Percy thought about it and though he couldn't put his finger on the moves exactly he knew his father was right. He remembered how he had felt when Chrysaor had disarmed him in seconds, and how hard he had trained after that to regain his skill. He needed to be the best there was with a blade, no not a blade, with every blade. He knew he would never likely beat Artemis with her daggers, Athena and her spear, or his father, but he needed to try.
"Can you help me, dad?"
"Perhaps more often than I used to. Olympus knows that you put up an entertaining show, to say the least. I'll talk to Hades as well, you should try sparring with him someday."
Percy felt his smile falter slightly at this comment and Poseidon laughed at the look on his face. He slapped Percy on the back then hauled them both to their feet.
"I will bid you farewell for now Percy. Tell Calypso hello for me."
"I will, and thanks, Dad."
His father waved without looking back even as he sank below the waves. Percy closed his eyes again and felt himself swaying in time with the gentle waves coming to shore. It was relaxing and he didn't want to move even though he knew he needed to turn around.
"You done ruining the clothes I made for you?"
His eyes flicked open and down to see that his clothes were rather worse for wear. He turned and smiled as best he could as Calypso stood on the sand well above the high tide line. She was in blue jeans and a loose-fitting white shirt that whipped and snapped in the ocean breeze. He once again forced himself to remember everything he was thankful for. It was so hard not to focus on the darkness, the pain, and everything else that made life nearly unbearable at times. He had to choose happiness, choose hope, and compassion. He had to choose to be thankful and to smile despite everything that he had suffered because he had been down the other road, and it was a road that he refused to walk again. Because if he gave up there would be no coming back, Moros would have won, and everything he had lost would have been for nothing. He kept living, he kept smiling, and loving, for every smile, for every I love you, and every moment that fate had stolen from him.
"I love you Calypso. More than I can say."
"I love you too Percy."
AN: Like I said at the beginning sorry about the gap but I think I'm going to be shooting for every two weeks. I'm not great at writing things I can't relate to and unfortunately, I have a harder time relating to happily in love than everything in most of the first story. Not asking for sympathy just figured I'd let you in my head a little bit.
As always thank you for reading, following, and favoriting! It means a lot that people enjoy and are looking forward to new chapters of this story. Also thank you for reviewing I do read all the reviews. Feel free to PM me but the weirdness between mobile and desktop means I won't always see it right away. So if you've messaged me and I haven't responded, my apologies.
Specific credit where it is due:
Much like the universe this story is set in, and the characters in it. The line 'All the gods know how to do is replay their past.' Is from the Percy Jackson books. That line specifically is from The Lightning Thief and is said by Luke Castellan to Percy Jackson.
For those who read all this way, I'll give you a tiny preview of what will be happening next chapter.
...and for some reason hearing his full name didn't bother Percy quite so much that time. He felt his lips form the words though strangely he didn't hear himself speak. His attention was too focused on Calypso's face. He saw her lips move as well and felt a surge of power rush through him. Then she was kissing him and all he knew was the feeling of her lips on his and the sound of cheering. Eventually, their lips parted and Percy rested his forehead against hers for a moment. Then a grin grew on his lips and he opened his eyes to see hers still closed.
"I told you I'd remember."
Calypso just laughed and kissed him again before turning to her right still clutching his right hand in her left...
It's gonna be a fun chapter. See you all in the next one.