Chapter 25.
"Lord Hephaestus, we were hoping you could guide us on how to retrieve Ariadne's string from the Titan forces," Percy requested, his tone hopeful.
Hephaestus pondered for a moment before responding, "I can assist you, but I need some assistance myself." The demigods exchanged concerned glances, but Percy didn't hesitate to offer his help to the god. He held a deep admiration for Hephaestus, appreciating his modest use of his divine powers. Hephaestus kept to himself, and Percy respected that.
"What can we do for you, my lord?" Percy inquired.
Hephaestus smiled before responding, "I need young Theo to go check my forge under Mt. St. Helens. Someone has been using my forge, but they always flee when they sense my godly presence approaching."
Theo's expression shifted to one of concern, echoed by Annabeth, but he stepped forward nonetheless. "Why specifically me?" he questioned.
Hephaestus turned to him, explaining, "Because as a son of my uncle, you possess some immunity to fire, unlike the other demigods. You're better equipped, in a manner of speaking, to handle the intense heat of the forge."
Theo nodded, accepting the god's reasoning. As Annabeth quickly grabbed him by the arm and pulled him aside for a private conversation, Percy decided to give them some space. He strolled over to Hephaestus, curiosity piqued.
"My lord, what are you working on?" Percy inquired with genuine interest.
Hephaestus smiled warmly in response. "You don't need to call me 'lord,' Percy, especially since you're a primordial and probably older than me," he remarked with a chuckle.
Percy laughed, shaking his head. "I call you lord out of respect, not because I feel entitled to," he explained.
Hephaestus nodded appreciatively before returning his attention to the anvil. "Well, I've been working on a project involving a metal called Olympian gold," he explained. "It's stronger than most metals I know of, aside from Void silver. Unfortunately, it's not quite up to par for this particular project, and Void silver is nearly impossible to come by. So, I've been experimenting with alternatives," he concluded, a tinge of disappointment coloring his tone.
Percy's grin widened as he took a step back, summoning his scythe into his hand. "Is this enough?" he asked, presenting the gleaming blade to Hephaestus.
The god turned to see what he was talking about, his eyes widening in awe at the sight of the blade.. Slowly, he extended his hand towards the scythe, his fingers trembling slightly as they made contact with the polished metal. "That's plenty. I don't suppose you would be willing to part with this blade, would you?" he inquired, a hopeful glint in his eyes.
Percy grinned, a twinkle of mischief dancing in his gaze as he handed over the weapon. "Knock yourself out. I'll fashion another once I return home after this quest," he declared.
Hephaestus's expression lit up with a mixture of joy and excitement, reminiscent of a child receiving their most coveted gift from Santa Claus on Christmas morning. Gratefully, he accepted the scythe, his fingers tracing the intricate designs along its surface with reverence.
"Thank you, Percy. Truly," Hephaestus expressed his gratitude before hurrying over to a nearby workbench. Carefully, he set the scythe down and began to measure it with precision. Percy watched him for a moment, a satisfied grin playing on his lips, before turning back to the other demigods just as Theo and Annabeth returned.
"Alright, Theo, are you ready to go?" Percy asked, his tone brimming with encouragement. Theo nodded, a hint of nervousness still lingering, but Percy could sense that his conversation with Annabeth had lifted his spirits.
Hephaestus approached them, holding out the spider bot disk to Theo. "Once you're outside, press the button, and it will lead you to the forge. Good luck, demigod," he instructed.
Theo nodded solemnly, accepting the disk from Hephaestus before turning to head back the way they came.
After Theo vanished from sight, Hephaestus turned his attention to Grover. "Young satyr, I know what you seek. Thanks to Percy's generosity, I will share some of my own with you. Beyond that door lies a path that will lead you to your goal. But be warned, what you find may not be to your liking," he cautioned, pointing towards a door on the far side of the forge.
Grover's expression shifted from shock to slight fear, but he swallowed nervously and nodded in understanding. As he made his way towards the door, Percy cleared his throat, drawing Grover's attention.
Turning back to face Percy, Grover looked at him with confusion evident in his eyes. Percy grinned before speaking, "Grover, do you remember what I said at the start of this quest?"
Grover's confusion deepened before realization dawned in his eyes. Percy smiled before turning to the girls. "Thalia, accompany Grover on his mission. Stick together. I mean it," he emphasized firmly.
Thalia appeared surprised by Percy's tone but nodded in agreement. "Alright, Grover, let's get to it," she said, determination shining in her eyes. Grover nodded, grateful for the support, as they headed towards the door and soon disappeared from sight.
"Well, Annabeth, it looks like it's just us until everyone returns," Percy remarked, flashing her a grin as he turned to the remaining demigod. Annabeth returned the smile. "Yeah, I guess so," she replied.
Percy's grin widened before he shifted his attention to watch Hephaestus as he worked on the scythe. With great fascination, Percy observed as Hephaestus skillfully dismantled the weapon until only the Void silver blade remained on the workbench.
Turning back to Annabeth, Percy waved his hand in front of her, conjuring an architecture book for her to read while they waited. Annabeth's face lit up with delight. "Thank you, Percy," she expressed her gratitude.
Percy grinned in response before returning his focus to watching the god at work, content to pass the time in the company of his friend and the fascinating craftsmanship unfolding before them.
After what felt like an hour of watching Hephaestus work, Percy suddenly felt the entire forge shake violently. Reacting swiftly, he turned to Annabeth, who was seated beside him, and conjured a shadow shield around her just as debris and equipment began to crash down around them.
As the chaos subsided after what felt like an eternity, Percy lowered the shield and turned to Hephaestus, concern etched on his face. "What was that, my lord?" he inquired, his voice tinged with apprehension.
Hephaestus turned to him, his expression grave. "That was my forge under Mt. St. Helens," he explained grimly. "It exploded and triggered the eruption of the volcano."
Percy's eyes widened in shock as he turned to look at Annabeth, who was frozen in disbelief at the god's explanation. He could practically feel her thoughts racing at a hundred miles per hour before realization dawned on her.
"THEO!" she screamed, her voice filled with anguish, before collapsing to the floor, overcome with sobs.
Without hesitation, Percy wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she cried. Once she had regained some composure, Annabeth turned to Percy, desperation evident in her eyes. "Percy, if he's still alive, please find him. I don't know what I would do without him," she pleaded.
Percy nodded solemnly, determination burning in his gaze. "I will find him, Annabeth," he promised, his voice unwavering.
With that, Percy vanished into the shadows, embarking on a relentless search for Theo.
After several days of fruitless searching, Percy returned to the Void to seek help from his parents. He took his place on his throne notifying his parents of his return. Within moments, they appeared, seated regally on their thrones.
"Percy, what can we do for you?" Nyx inquired warmly as Percy gathered himself before responding, his gaze steely with determination. "I can't find Theo anywhere, Mom. I can sense he isn't dead, but despite searching the whole planet except Olympus, I've had no luck."
"Is Theo the reason Mt. St. Helens exploded?" Erebus interjected, his voice tinged with concern. Percy nodded in confirmation, his expression grim.
His parents exchanged a thoughtful glance before Erebus turned to Nyx. After a silent exchange of looks, Nyx turned her attention back to Percy.
"He's likely located in Ogygia, Calypso's prison. It's the only place he could be if he's not on Olympus," Nyx informed him.
Percy nodded gratefully, already fading into shadow to continue his search when Erebus halted him with a raised hand. "Percy, wait."
Solidifying once more, Percy turned to his father, confusion evident in his expression. "What's up, Dad?" he inquired.
Erebus tossed him two widened arm bracelets, their gleam catching the light in the throne room. "There, to replace your scythe until you make another one," he explained, a hint of pride in his voice.
Percy slipped the bracelets onto his wrists and focused on their transformation into weapons. With a sense of wonder, he watched as they glowed briefly before fading into shadow and reappearing in his hands, transformed into a spear and shield.
Grinning with satisfaction, Percy willed them back into bracelet form. "Thanks, Dad," he said appreciatively, his grin widening. His parents smiled in response, waving as Percy faded into shadow to visit Ogygia.
Arriving on the beach, Percy looked around, taking in the familiar surroundings. It had been some time since he last visited Calypso. Making his way down the beach towards her house, he spotted Calypso and Theo on the front porch, sharing a meal together.
Theo was the first to notice Percy's arrival, his face lighting up with a smile as he rushed over. "Percy, hey!" he exclaimed, reaching out to clasp forearms with him. Percy returned the gesture with a grin before turning to greet Calypso, who had approached them.
Returning her offered embrace, Percy held Calypso tightly against him, his hand resting gently on the back of her head. They stood like that for a moment, soaking in each other's presence, before Percy reluctantly let her go, allowing her to step back and courtesy to him in greeting.
"Perseus," Calypso addressed him warmly, her tone filled with affection. "Stop it, you know I hate that," Percy replied with a playful smile.
Theo interjected, his curiosity evident. "It's obvious you guys know each other, but that interaction was a bit too intimate for there not to be some history here."
Percy turned to Theo, his grin widening. "Calypso and I were together for a very long time when she was first trapped on this island, long after the first Titan war. Her curse eventually ended things, but she is still very important to me, and I to her," he explained, a note of fondness in his voice.
Calypso nodded in agreement with Percy's explanation, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Well, that makes sense then," Theo remarked with a laugh, his understanding evident.
Percy returned Theo's smile before turning back to him. "Theo, it's time for you to return home. Annabeth is waiting for you," he stated gently.
Theo looked nervous, glancing between Percy and Calypso, who was staring at the ground. With a reluctant nod, he turned and headed inside the house to gather his things, his departure weighed down by a mixture of emotions.
Percy watched as Theo disappeared inside the house before turning to Calypso, who remained fixated on the ground. "Caly, look at me," he urged gently, his voice soft and comforting. Slowly, Calypso lifted her gaze, revealing the distress evident in her eyes.
"I know, Caly, I know," Percy murmured sympathetically, enveloping her in a tender embrace as she began to cry. He held her close, offering her comfort and solace as she released her pent-up emotions.
As Percy felt Theo's presence outside, he silently conveyed to him with a tilt of his head to board the raft. Theo understood the unspoken message and left without a word, allowing Percy to focus on comforting Calypso.
Once Theo had departed, Percy gently disentangled himself from the embrace and rested his forehead against Calypso's. He looked down at her, noticing the traces of tears still lingering in her eyes. "Come. It's time to go home," he said softly, his tone filled with gentle reassurance.
Calypso's eyes widened in realization as she slowly comprehended Percy's words. "I can leave the island?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of hope.
Percy smiled warmly before gently wrapping her in a tighter embrace and guiding them both into the comforting embrace of the shadows, transporting them away from the island and towards a new home for the Titaness.