Pain.
All I could feel…was pain.
Oceanus' body had dissolved into a blast- an explosion of heat so powerful it had melted my shirt off and catapulted me away from the fight.
A ringing sound filled my ears as the blast turned me around and flipped me over multiple times.
I groaned as the feeling of nausea overtook my body. My head turned to the water above me, two notifications pinging at the same time.
-20,000 HP! and [Last Breath] activated!
Oh…good.
BOOM!
My body skidded across the ocean floor, bouncing up and down on the sand. The force of the explosion had been so strong that even now, dozens of yards away, I was being thrown into the depths of the ocean like a pebble.
My bare back was getting shredded up by the various shells on the ground, blood beginning to leak into the area around me.
How ironic- a child of Poseidon getting cut up by shells. Oceanus would be laughing right now- if the bastard could, that is.
A part of me knew the only reason I was alive was [Last Breath]- the perk that I'd written off as dumb and useless was the only reason I was still kicking around. That, and being underwater, but I digress.
I bounced a few more times before I slammed into a boulder, all of the momentum from the blast fizzling out. My body was mangled- again. I swear to Zeus, this is becoming a daily occurrence for me.
I couldn't move or feel anything. I thanked my lucky stars I was propped up against this boulder, or I would've been lying face down.
My eyes cracked open slowly. Somewhere off in the distance, I could make out the forms of Triton and Alpheus duking it out.
My vision was hazy. Everything was tinged with red. Full disclosure- both of my eyes weren't even open anymore. Just Medusa's eye.
In the corner of my vision, I could see my HP slowly refilling, but the damage I sustained was bogging it down. By this point, it was hard for me to even keep awake.
I caught glimpses of the battle, but I wasn't sure if I was seeing clearly. I'd heard stories about being so wounded you start hallucinating, but I'd never really thought it would happen to me.
News flash: I was wrong!
Back to the fight- there was Alpha, still in full battle armor, jabbing with a javelin, laughing insanely as he fought. I couldn't hear what he was saying but my eye was tracking his lips- he was taunting Triton.
Triton, in response, was a blur of green.
He had two wicked-looking knives, each as long as his arm, and he slashed wildly at the ex-commander, dodging and leaping with unbelievable grace.
I had to have been tripping by this point- he seemed to change form as he maneuvered. He was an eel, then a mako shark. He twirled himself around all of Alpha's hits, shifting into a stingray before turning back into a human, smashing the hilt of his dagger into Alpha's nose.
I could hear his yelp from all the way over here.
I grinned. Triton was kind of a badass.
I just…wanted to keep watching…
My eye struggled to stay open. The last thing I saw was Triton rock Alpheus with a punch to the stomach. Then the world faded to black.
By now, I've been in so many dream sequences, it's been easy for me to tell what's real and what isn't. There are some tell-tale signs when you're being forced to view something that isn't real- there's a sort of surreal feeling in the air. A little haze. Things don't seem quite….normal.
The biggest tell, of course, is that when I'm in a dream, I don't have the gaming powers I normally do when I'm awake.
That's why, when I opened my eyes, I was more confused than I've been in a long, long time. I thought I'd take a little power nap, wake up in a comfy bed with my dad and brother around, and hash out some stuff with a few pissed-off gods. Maybe grab a bite.
That wasn't the case at all.
I appeared in a grand hall. Appeared in the most literal sense- I literally manifested out of the air and was plopped into this place.
Double rows of stone pillars held up a ceiling so high, you could've parked a blimp under it with no trouble. A shimmering blue carpet that looked like water ran down the center of the hall, which was so long, even I couldn't see the end even though it was brightly lit.
There was a pinging noise, accompanied by a small message in the bottom right of my vision:
WELCOME, [PERSEUS JACKSON]- PROCEED.
Balls of fire floated around like helium basketballs, changing color whenever they bumped into one another. Millions of tiny symbols, sort of like the one that had appeared when Triton cast his spell drifted through the air, randomly combining, and then breaking apart.
The sound of another notification pinged as I regarded the symbols.
[MAGIC] DIVINE WORDS
In Egyptian mythology, [DIVINE WORDS] are another term for Egyptian Magic commands. These are also called hieroglyphic spells or [WORDS OF POWER]. They are called 'divine' because they enable the magicians to use the commands to wield godly strength and powers. Magicians speak them to create or tweak reality.
I curiously grabbed a pair of red, glowing legs. They walked across my palm before jumping off and dissolving.
Egyptian mythology, huh?
So, this is what Triton was messing around with. This is why Hestia was mad.
I continued walking, the true force of my realization not really settling in. Even after I put two and two together, I couldn't help but wonder how I fell into all of this.
Between the columns on either side of me, images shifted, coming into focus and then blurring out again, like holograms in the middle of a sandstorm.
The first twenty feet or so, the magical scenes cast a golden light across the hall. A blazing sun rose above an ocean. A mountain emerged from the water, and I had the feeling I was watching the beginning of the world. Giants strode across what I could only assume was the Nile Valley: a man with black skin and the head of a jackal, a lioness with bloody fangs, a beautiful woman with wings of light.
I stepped closer to the images, completely mesmerized.
They rippled. Instead of the scenes from before, I saw something completely different.
I saw…what looked like me…but….I don't know.
I saw a version of me, no doubt, walk into Aunty Em's Emporium, just like I had earlier this year. Instead of Piper and I, though, I saw Annabeth and Grover with me. I stood, shell-shocked, as the other version of me fought Medusa.
This one didn't lose his eye, though. This one didn't even get hurt. They took care of Medusa, and I saw him put her head in a box or something. Then, the trio got in a car and started driving away. The other version of me took the backseat, and Annabeth took shotgun while Grover drove.
Other Percy laid his head on the window, and the scene zoomed in. I went to touch the screen, and at the moment I made contact, the other Percy literally turned to look at me.
"What the fuck?" We both said at the same time.
The scene shifted again.
This time around, my eyes were drawn, almost against their will, to an image of a dark cavern. It was barely visible in there, with screams of torture and dismay ringing out into the hall I was standing in.
While an ominous scene like that would have been spooky enough on its own, this time around I could feel a veritable whirlpool of energy around it, although I couldn't get a good enough grasp on what that energy was.
I frowned to myself- this sort of feeling was reminiscent of when Hades had shown Ares his semi-true form. It was thick and oppressive, it felt like my body was getting heavier. Sleepier.
Okay, okay, I hear you. My body's getting heavier from a super scary image in a wall- believable, I'm sure.
But hey, give me a break, alright?
This sequence of events is trippy enough as it is, and I don't need any blame for not knowing everything on the spot. You wouldn't either. Even Observe wasn't offering me any assistance this time around. You guys are lucky I'm even describing this!
A few minutes passed of me just staring at the screen, trying to decipher things like where this weird cavern-looking thing was, what I was meant to see, you know, the general questions that would come to mind when looking through a magic portal.
I tried a few things; I tried shouting out into the screen, I tried waving my hands and jumping around, hell, I even tried blasting some fire around in there. The flames simply extinguished the moment they made contact with wall.
Now, this time around, I guess we can play ball, so to speak.
I'll let it slide if you want to call me an idiot. Why? Because, at the end of my rope and all out of options, I chose to, once again, reach out and touch the screen.
In my defense, it was the only thing that worked the last time around!
The world was turned upside-down and, unlike the previous time when I was simply a bystander, I felt a powerful tug pulling me towards the image. Immediately, I could tell that resistance was futile.
This power, wherever it originated from, was far beyond the scope of my own strength.
I let myself get dragged in.
My surroundings darkened as my head finally stopped spinning, letting me catch my breath. Despite it being nothing more than a surreal moment- to the best of my knowledge at the time, anyway- nausea was still something I, unfortunately, had to deal with.
Finally, I managed to get my bearings straight. My very next move was to flat-out abuse Observe, hoping to get an idea of where I was. The notification I got, however, wasn't really that helpful.
Everything I stared at, annoyingly enough, gave me the same description:
[LOCATION] HALL OF MONSTERS
One of the sacred spots of [?]. Located in one of the caverns connected to the Underworld.
Oh, looks like whoever comes here is somewhat allied with Uncle Hades. And anyway, if things go south, at least I know there's a familiar face around who can help me.
Hopefully. Our last argument was pretty rough.
It sucks that they don't make Hallmark cards for that sort of stuff. They should.
Hey, sorry I threatened to kill your friends!
No problem! Sorry, I tried to fight you at a family dinner!
As my inner monologue played out- amusingly so, I might add- something deeper within my conscience noticed something…off about my surroundings. It was almost impossible to describe, but I felt as if the very world was slightly off-kilter, although nothing I saw gave any such indication.
Everything seemed as normal as it could be- for a random cavern in the Underworld, that is.
However, my musings were cut short when I felt a presence suddenly appear somewhere off to my left.
I immediately turned around, my guard up, prepared for anything. The green fire roared to life on my arms, illuminating the room in a verdant blaze. I raised my hand and turned to face whatever it was, ready to blast it into oblivion.
Or at least I thought. As I'd come to find, the wind was going to be knocked out of my sails real fast.
"Huh, guess you're a bit harder to sneak up on, huh? Now tell me, what are you doing in my…" the figure began, before suddenly trailing off.
After seeing his face, it wasn't surprising why, especially if he felt even a fraction of my confusion.
"What… how…" I sputtered, Gamer's Mind completely failing me at that moment as I faced an older version of myself for the second time that day.
Look, I know I should have expected it. After all, hadn't Oceanus pulled something similar, and hadn't I just seen a vision of another version of me fight Medusa? But this Percy… I could tell there was something different about him.
Physical appearance aside, I couldn't feel any sort of familiarity toward him. Not yet. He seemed…inhuman.
Even before activating Observe, I could tell the key differences right off the bat.
I may have grown a lot during my time in Atlantis, but this dude was easily another five inches taller than me, and if his frame was what it seemed to be like under his hoodie, he could most likely wipe the floor with me and not even break a sweat. The dude was ripped.
Also, his features suggested that he was much older than I was. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that he was in his mid to late twenties.
However, what truly drew my attention were his eyes. The obvious difference was that, while mine were still purely sea-green (except for Medusa's eye), his had an equal amount of green and almost fiery orange, the latter represented by several flecks in his irises, constantly moving about in an almost hypnotic fashion as if they were tongues of flame.
Still, even that wasn't what truly intrigued me.
What did pique my interest was the almost luminous glow of his eyes, which gave off an incredible sense of power. Also, they seemed to hold countless years of experience; the gaze he currently held me in, while mostly displaying shock, held a deep-seated hardness, showing that he was ready for anything I could possibly throw at him.
Well, no time like the present, I thought, activating Observe once again to get a read on this version of me.
The notification popped up almost instantly, as always.
PERSEUS JACKSON [GOD OF HEROES, FOURTEENTH OLYMPIAN]
HP: 1,000,000,000,000,000+
MP: N/A
(?): N/A
Perseus Jackson is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson, as well as the adopted son of Hestia. He ascended to godhood after his unparalleled contributions to Olympus in the…gaining the domains of heroes, swordsmanship, loyalty, animals, combat, tides, volcanoes, weaponry, earthquakes, and monsters.
[HERO OF OLYMPUS]
[BANE OF …]
[…]
Holy shit.
What in the fuck was I seeing?
I had previously thought that he would be able to wipe the floor with me, even though I had my gamer abilities, but now I realized how wrong I was.
He could obliterate me without a second thought.
Zeus, he was probably almost as strong as my dad, and all those domains he had were probably enough for him to hold his own against any of the Big Three. I would be willing to go as far as to say that he could probably take down Ares without using any mana.
Adding to it was the fact that he was apparently a fucking Olympian.
And yet, something about that last line gave me the creeps. The fact that I couldn't understand it didn't do any favors, and it being written in an almost blood-red, gave me an inkling that there may be something more lurking underneath.
Even as I continued to gawk at the stat screen on display, Other Percy, as I took to calling him for the moment to both prevent confusion and preserve my sanity, managed to overcome his shock.
Instead, he turned his head to either side, his eyes seeking something. Finally, he let loose a low growl, similar to one I remember hearing from some of the hellhounds I'd killed in the past.
Suffice to say, that was enough to knock me out of my stupor, but not before he began to talk.
"What the fuck is this?" he ground out, the low rumble still present in his voice. "How does this even make any sense?"
From his expression, I could tell that the words weren't directed at me.
However, I had to diffuse the situation somehow, because having a pissed-off deity with that amount of power would not be good for my health.
"If it's any consolation, I'm just as confused as you are," I said, my voice somehow staying level. As a show of non-aggression, I cut off my fire.
Logically, I knew that I should avoid anything that could be taken the wrong way by him, or I'd be thrust into a situation I didn't want to be in.
Other Percy's eyes flicked back to meet mine, the intensity of the stare almost causing me to flinch. Fuck, even the version of me possessed by Oceanus didn't even come close to being as unsettling as this one, nor did it have the kind of presence he exuded.
What was with this guy?
Silence descended between the two of us for a moment, and I felt as if he were judging me in that short span of time. I tried my best to not fidget, but his gaze was far too piercing for me to stay completely still.
I could see him frowning as he saw my eye, obviously not having expected something like that. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but he seemed to decide against it. Maybe he planned to get around to it later.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, but was most likely not more than a few seconds, he nodded slightly, almost as if he found me acceptable. The gesture caused a small hint of annoyance to ignite within me, but it was still overshadowed by the nervousness which spread throughout every fiber of my being.
"So, are you who I think you are?" he asked, the previous harshness in his voice mellowing out a bit. He went from I'm going to kill you to I want to hit you in the face with a chair level of gruffness as his tone thawed.
For a moment, I was inclined to say, no, I'm Bob Joe, but I felt that it wouldn't be received all that well. Instead, I simply said, "Yeah, I'm Percy Jackson. And what about you?"
Hey, I may know who he is thanks to Observe, but appearances had to be maintained.
"Well, I don't know how to put this, but so am I," he said. "Percy Jackson, God of Heroes, at your service."
Damn, so this was the real deal.
But even as I took in the magnitude of what was before me, I noticed that he hadn't mentioned his status as an Olympian. Interesting. Looks like he's not as pompous as most of the deities I've met.
We both kept watching each other, with me occasionally consulting Observe. There were so many questions I had. Why was he adopted by Hestia? I know I'm her champion, but this was something even more. Also, what was up with those parts which were scrambled?
It felt like trying to make theories about the end of a show after only watching the first episode- there was just too much I didn't know. I couldn't even begin working on a starting theory.
Other Percy, on the other hand, just kept watching me with his luminous eyes. His gaze was powerful enough to almost make me flinch, something even Zeus had been unable to do. Maybe it was seeing me like this again, or maybe it was his unnerving presence. I still don't know.
His eyes darkened for a moment, but for what reason I couldn't tell. There was a small dripping noise somewhere off in the cavern.
"What happened to your eye?" he asked suddenly, throwing me off completely. I hadn't expected him to return to it that quickly. What kind of guy does that?
Okay, yeah, yeah, I do, woohoo. Moving on.
"Medusa slashed my eye when I fought her, but I got one of hers as a trophy when I defeated her. It's been an acceptable replacement so far," I said, knowing that lying before him would more than likely leave me much worse for wear. Plus, it's a version of me! How bad could he really be?
His face shifted to a look of surprise. "And Annabeth and Grover didn't say anything when you did it?"
Now it was my turn to be surprised. I was getting the sense that this Percy's fight against Medusa was more similar to the one I'd seen in the other image than it was to mine.
"No," I replied. I smiled sheepishly, "It was just me and Piper on that quest, and she didn't have enough combat experience to help me. In fact, I actually wanted to leave, but she wanted to stay."
That was enough to cause Other Percy's expression to shift to near befuddlement. "Wait… what? She was with you?"
As he looked into the distance, no doubt contemplating the situation, I continued to look at him.
The first things I noticed were a dozen knives strapped to him, six at his waist and six at his shoulders. They pinged my game, reading off some scrambled words instead of an actual description.
By this point, so much of this dude was scrambled that my curiosity got the better of me. I needed some sort of information to work with.
"Hey, cool knives," I said, causing him to once again return his gaze to meet mine. "Where'd you get those?"
His eyes once again returned to mine, sharpening with focus. For a moment, I thought I saw the ghost of a smile flit across his face before he pulled one of the knives out of its sheaths. He must probably be used to the ADHD of demigods, although I wasn't really expecting him to actually follow up on my question.
I may not have an eye for weaponry like some of the kids back at camp, but even I could tell that they weren't normal knives. The metal was a deep black, and it emanated an aura that caused the hairs or my arm to stand up.
He offered me one. I rolled it around in my hand, the metal crackling with ice as it passed around my fingertips.
Neat. I handed it back to him, and he sheathed it without breaking eye contact.
"Stygian Iron blades, blessed by Lord Hades himself," he said. "They were a present from him, a show of gratitude after I'd helped him once."
Nice! So, this version of me is tight with Hades, too. Good to know, good to know. At least we may be able to find some common ground on that.
"Oh, cool," I said, my mouth running away from me once again. We were both starting to get comfortable in each other's presence. "Uncle Hades can give stuff like that? I should ask him about it sometime."
Other Percy, however, simply frowned- maybe this wasn't common ground, then. He seemed disapproving. "You would be so casual with the Lord of the Dead? Are you sure that would be wise?"
I shrugged. "Well, he's had no problem forking over money whenever I needed it. Like, that trip to Santa Monica? I don't know how it went for you, but he got me a hotel room and everything. I don't think he would have that much of an issue giving me a couple of blades. He does like me after all, or at least I think he does." Seeing the look on Other Percy's face, I stopped for a moment. "I'm guessing I lost you."
"I think…" he began, "that I may have finally understood what's happening here."
"Really?" I asked, my interest peaking. "I have no clue."
He scrutinized me, once again causing me to feel smaller than I hoped to. Something about his gaze was enough to unsettle me more than any other deity I'd encountered so far.
I'll reiterate: it's fucking weird being looked at by yourself.
"If I'm correct, and this may be a ridiculous stretch," Percy said, "We may be from different realities. From the two pieces of information you've given me so far, it could very well be possible."
At first, I was tempted to laugh at the outlandish explanation. However, two things stopped me from doing so. First, even though this Percy has been among the most accommodating gods I've met, there was no guarantee he wouldn't zap me out of existence for the slight.
Second, well, I could faintly recall a conversation the Athena cabin had about multiple dimensions and their possibility. It had seemed laughable at first, but now, I wasn't so sure. In a world of supernatural powers, stuff like this could be just another Tuesday.
However, that brought up a whole other realm of questions. I spoke my concerns, "Wait, you're saying I was able to transport myself to another dimension?"
Other Percy shook his head. "I don't think it was you who did it. Divine intervention is the likelier answer, or most likely, interference by the Fates."
This time around, it was my turn to be shocked almost into silence. "Y-you're saying that the Fates themselves are the reason why I'm here?"
Other Percy simply nodded.
"It seems the Fates have some sort of plan for you," he said, his eyes never leaving mine. "They must feel that you're at a point where you need some type of outside influence in order to make the right choice, and for some reason they selected me."
My thoughts were reeling, with Gamer's Mind barely able to hold them together. The Fates had taken an interest in me? And they could connect different realities? It was almost too much to bear.
Wait, could they have been the ones to give me these powers?
It was a possibility, one I couldn't ignore, but at the moment, I had to focus on other matters.
"What do you mean, 'I have to make a choice,'" I asked, some of the strain seeping into my voice. Couldn't I get, like, one day off? Maybe? Please?
Other Percy sighed, his eyes telling me that he knew exactly what I was going through. There was an unspoken aura of understanding exuding from him.
"This chamber has been the place where I'd been right before two of the largest upheavals in my recent life," he said. "I fear that you are also on the cusp of entering something far bigger than anything you've faced before."
The blood drained from my face at that statement. More than anything I'd ever faced before? I'd just fought Oceanus and almost died from that, what more could I endure?
Other Percy looked at me once again, his expression shifting to become kinder. "I can tell it may worry you. After all, you must have just finished fighting…"
Whatever he was about to say dissolved into nothing more than a buzz in my ear, causing me to frown in confusion. "Could you repeat that? I didn't really get you there."
Other Percy raised an eyebrow but complied. "I said, you've fought…haven't you?"
Once again, the buzzing returned, only this time it was even louder than before. I flinched at the noise, causing Other Percy to shoot me a look of concern.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Kind of," I replied, still grimacing. "Whatever you tried to tell me caused this gods-awful buzzing in my head."
Other Percy quieted for a minute, before seemingly arriving at a realization. "So, the Fates don't want you to know everything, do they?"
"Huh?" While I may have received these powers, I knew my mental speed was nowhere near to what a gods was. Probably why I kept losing track of what Other Percy was saying.
He looked at me once more, a slight frown on his face. "I must apologize. I thought that you had already battled…a being who I won't mention to spare you the discomfort. You actually look more developed than I was back then. Just to clarify, how old are you exactly? At least I'll have a basic idea of what to avoid."
Oh. Well then. We're getting into that. Once again, I was tempted to lie, but I had two issues. One was that, again, I was risking being vaporized since I still hadn't gotten a read of this guy, and the other was that I didn't want to subject myself to another round of that infernal buzzing if he let anything slip.
"I'm…well, I'm twelve," I managed to say, seeing the almost instantaneous reaction on Other Percy's face.
"What? Twelve?" For a moment, I almost laughed at his genuine incredulity.
"Uh, yeah," I said. Seeing that he wanted an explanation, and not wanting to simply mention the influence of [Godly Constitution], I chose the easier route. "I've been living in Atlantis for a while ever since Dad said I could train there. The water in Atlantis has the property of accelerating the growth of a person until they reach their prime. Something about drawing out all their potential."
Once again, it seemed like Other Percy was deep in thought.
"So, it seems our realities are even more different than I'd initially imagined. Nothing like that exists in my Atlantis. But why would the Fates send us together, unless…" he trailed off, before rounding back on me. "Have you found yourself stuck in anything against your will? Something you don't know how to handle?"
I froze for a moment, thinking over everything that was happening in my life. So many issues, but which one would affect me the most? There was the thing with Triton, with the gods, with everything, but then…
"Well, there is one thing," I said. "I may have been roped into a marriage with a goddess without knowing that it would happen."
This time, I expected a similar response from him as when I had told him my age, but all I got was a faint look of horror, along with… was that pain?
"So, we're not that different after all," he said, causing me to gawk in surprise.
"W-what?" I stammered. "Did you get roped into marrying too? Is this some Percy Jackson multiverse trait?"
"Well, mine was more of a political alliance between Zeus and Poseidon, even though my dad tried his best to divert it," Other Percy said, a small grin forming on his face at my finishing statement. "As for that, well, our luck is…interesting, isn't it?"
Wait, Zeus?
Okay, hm. That means with one of his godly daughters, then.
But the only ones who were significant enough to be a part of such an alliance, considering he was, again, an Olympian, were…oh, this poor dude.
A sudden glint on his right hand drew my eye, only to land on a silver wedding band on his ring finger. The color was enough to clue me in.
"Artemis?" I gasped, a bit of terror slipping into my words. Man-hating, scary, I'll kill you, sort of hot Artemis? "Oh gods, how did you…"
"It doesn't matter," he said, cutting me off. "While the beginning may have been… rocky… we're slowly coming to an understanding. Nothing like what you would call a couple or anything – that's far in the future, if ever – but it's definitely better than before. However, this isn't about me but about you. And after seeing your response, it's safe to say you didn't marry her."
I shook my head vigorously. I wouldn't have survived a day. But it did give me some hope. If this man could manage to get along with Artemis, then he could definitely help me out with my issue.
"Um, I'm married to Aphrodite," I said, my words sounding oddly weak.
His response, however, actually managed to shake me. A hint of sickly yellow flashed in his eyes, and unless my own eyes were deceiving me, his stats momentarily spiked a little before returning to normal.
Okay, it's confirmed. I do not want to piss this guy off.
"You're married to her?" The words once again held a hint of a growl, but it was even more pronounced than before. Guess it's one of the traits of being the God of Monsters.
"Um, yes. Is that somehow wrong?" Why was he so angry at the mere mention of her name? Did she hurt him in some way, or was he bitter about something?
"Yes, something's definitely wrong, seeing that you're trapped with the Olympian wh…" he raged, before suddenly cutting himself off as he saw me back away a step. A deep sigh escaped his mouth, before he spoke, much calmer than before.
"Forgive me, I forgot myself. I should remember that our realities are significantly different. The goddess you're married to and the one I know may have completely differing personalities." He thought for a moment, before speaking again. "Could you tell me how exactly it came about? I need to know some of the background before I say any more."
I won't lie, I was still extremely apprehensive about what had just occurred. But I guess I'd already taken the jump, hadn't I? Guess I'll just keep going forward.
"Well, I guess it started because she was trying to escape Ares, who had been pursuing her for centuries and had spread the rumors of her being so promiscuous. She'd lost so much of her power that she needed to bond with a demigod in order to keep her strength from ebbing any lower, and I guess I fit the bill. However, what we didn't know was that it would be seen as a marriage contract between the two of us. And since then, she's slowly been coming out of her shell, which has led to a few awkward moments."
Other Percy, however, frowned. "Wait, she was trying to escape Ares? And what was that part about rumors? Also, what about Hephaestus?"
Wow. Those were some rapid questions. But I can see where he's coming from since his universe is probably radically different. "Well, yes. Aphrodite didn't want anything to do with Ares, but he kept going after her. And as for the rumors, all her kids are actually brain-children, kind of like what Athena has done. But she's actually still a virgin, despite everything that's been said. As for Hephaestus…" I frowned for a moment, recalling my experience with the disfigured god. "He doesn't care what happens to Aphrodite. Never was a good husband, and from what she's told me, all he does is check her out."
I could see the shock that passed across Other Percy's face before a rueful chuckle escaped his lips. "Even now, I'm shocked at the differences between our worlds. While your description of Ares is pretty much spot-on for the one I know, the other two are radically different."
I felt a sinking feeling in my gut, somehow knowing what was coming next wouldn't be something I wanted to hear.
Other Percy continued. "In my reality, Hephaestus is one of my closest friends. Despite his appearance, he is among the most soft-spoken and level-headed Olympians. What plagued him his entire life was his rotten luck and his marriage." He almost spat out the last word, clearly showing his disdain.
"Aphrodite," I asked, feeling my hands shake.
He sighed. "I know this may hurt, but I feel you must know. In my reality, Aphrodite was even worse than what the myths portrayed. She toyed with many a mortal, and even Hephaestus had been under her whims for the longest time. She kept stringing him along until he finally broke it off. The only person she may have displayed any loyalty to was Ares, but even that was questionable."
Look, I know the Olympians weren't always trustworthy. But Aphrodite had sworn an oath on the fucking Styx, hadn't she? There was no way she could be hiding any ulterior motives.
Right?
Even as I thought so, my mind kept running around with so many theories that I couldn't even keep track of them. Hadn't Zeus and my dad broke their oaths, without anything happening to them? And could Aphrodite have phrased it in a way to leave her some loopholes? Was she only using me to return to the peak of her powers?
I guess Other Percy must have noticed my inner turmoil because he took it upon himself to speak. "I didn't mean to cause you strife, but I had to lay it out for you. However, don't let my words sway your judgment too much. As I said, it seems like our worlds are radically different, and until I interact with your Aphrodite, I will not be able to say for certain exactly what her character is like. Just…keep an eye out."
I tried to smile, showing that his words had a positive impact, but all I managed was a strange grimace. Even then, my mind was still reeling, although more subdued than before. The dark whispers of possible betrayal lurked at the edges of my psyche.
Kernels of doubt, fears I'd convinced myself were baseless were resurfacing. Theories I'd written off as crazy were making a bit more sense.
Other Percy suddenly looked up, before a frown formed on his face. "Our time grows short. It seems as if the Fates have more for you to witness before you awaken. But before you leave, I feel as if I must give you some advice."
"Oh, and what is that?" I asked, with no little amount of trepidation. I appreciated the tips, but I also couldn't deny that the last few minutes had basically left me questioning almost everything about my life.
Other Percy smiled softly. "From what I can see, you carry a heavy weight on your shoulders, one that you haven't shared with anyone around you. Am I right?"
I froze. How did he… does he know?
He merely chuckled at my trapped look. "Fear not, I do not know exactly what plagues you, nor do I think anyone else would have noticed. While our worlds may be different, I am quite confident that your gods rarely interact with demigods. And unless you have a God of Heroes in your universe who knows how demigods behave, the way a god thinks would usually cause them to miss the subtle clues to the fact that you have something to hide, although I must concede you've managed to keep it very inconspicuous."
Well, looks like some things never change despite there being multiple dimensions. While I may have four Olympians constantly interacting with me, I'm quite sure I'm a very significant exception.
"Yes, there is something I haven't told anyone," I finally said. Again, lying would not be good for my health. "But forgive me if I don't feel like sharing. It's something I still haven't truly understood myself."
Other Percy simply nodded, a look of understanding passing across his face. "I know how that feels. Trust me, I've been through something similar."
For a moment, it looked as if the last line of his stats was slightly unscrambled for a moment. All I could make out before it blurred over again was the word Demon, but it was enough to send a shiver down my spine.
Hopefully, he knew how to handle that power, otherwise, I could tell that untold horror would be left in its wake. Something in my gut told me that he kept it under lock and key for a very specific reason, and that it would most likely make his current power, and maybe that of all the other Olympians even, look puny in comparison.
The silence stretched a bit longer before he finally broke it. "Well, Percy, all I can say is that if someone is trustworthy enough, tell them. Maybe they can help you. You never know until you try."
Right, and be branded as a lunatic in front of everyone. How would that even go down?
Hey Dad, you know how it looks like I'm progressing ridiculously fast at everything I do? Well, it's because one day I woke up and found out that my life is a video game! Crazy, right? Could you help me with it?
Yeah, fat chance.
But still, a part of me actually wanted to listen. there were multiple situations that I can think of where it could have been extremely awkward if I hadn't noticed someone looking at me. Maybe it might actually help.
Or then again, it could lead to you getting royally screwed over, another, more sardonic part of me brought up.
I shook myself. I would think over that later.
Other Percy must have noticed my hesitation. He gave a small nod, acknowledging my reluctance. "I know how difficult it is, and I'm not saying you have to, but it's simply something I'm suggesting, maybe for when times get tough."
I gave a short nod, but still felt conflicted over that piece of advice. I went to open my mouth but suddenly felt a tug in my gut. Other Percy noticed my change in expression, causing a small frown to crease his brow.
"It seems the Fates see it fit to cut our time short," he said. "I wish you luck, Percy. May you succeed in whatever mission is laid out before you."
"Wait," I said, causing him to lift an eyebrow, intrigued. "What should I call you? I can't just call you Percy, and all this time I've been calling you 'Other Percy' in my head, which sounds quite weird."
Don't ask me why I said it. It seems like my mouth enjoys disconnecting from my brain at times.
I really need to get that checked out.
Other Percy, however, simply threw his head back, a hearty laugh escaping his lips.
"You're as mouthy as I was back in the day," he said, even as my surroundings slowly began to blur.
"Well, as to what you can call me, Perseus may be appropriate, but that's still something that's related to you," he said, his voice getting more and more distant. "But maybe you could… yes, I may not use it anymore, but it is an integral part of how I came to be who I am today."
The voice was barely audible, and I couldn't see him anymore, but somehow his last three words managed to cut through the gathering fog.
"Call me… Monaxiá."
I jerked awake.
I once again found myself in the hall, my eyes frantically taking in my surroundings. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest, but it slowed down little by little with every passing second.
Even then, my mind was stuck on the dream I had. I remembered the name he had given me before I left.
Monaxiá.
From what I knew of Ancient Greek, the name translated to something along the lines of alone. I could tell there was a story in and of itself there, but I doubted I would ever get to know. Even so, I knew that my curiosity would remain for a long time.
Another version of me…from a different dimension…just gave me advice.
It was almost too much to wrap my head around. I fell to my knees. The situation kept replaying in my head, lopping over and over like a broken tape.
Multiple realities? The Fates shoving me around? A version of me stronger than any Olympian? Aphrodite…
Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. I grabbed the carpet underneath me, the material washing over my fingers like the cold ocean.
All I wanted was to help people! Save people! Why did things have to get so complicated?
"Sorry, sorry!" I heard a voice yell from the end of the carpet. "You're not supposed to go near the images!"
I looked up.
There was a woman running toward me. She was, admittedly, very beautiful. She had vaguely Arabic features and straight, jet black hair cut at her jawline. Her skin was caramel-colored, and her eyes were startling amber and lined with kohl.
Her high cheekbones and bright lips made her look like a queen, but the dozen weird-looking knives around her waist made her look like a warrior. She looked like she was equal parts beautiful and dangerous.
The woman ran all the way to me, bending down low and wrapping me in a hug. "Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. No mortal should ever dwell on those images."
"What are they? Why…why are they there?" I mumbled, still bummed out.
"Memories. Realities," The woman said comfortingly, "Images so powerful they could destroy your mind."
"You should put a tarp over them, or something," I said petulantly.
The woman looked down at me, a smile gracing her features. "Hush. I'm grateful to meet you, though, Percy. I apologize again for not meeting you here instantly, but I was repairing the damage done to your mind by Oceanus."
"The damage?"
"Yes. The cracks. They were numerous. I repaired the damage, though," The woman gestured around us as she pulled away. "You're here now because I summoned you."
"Who are you?" I asked curiously, examining the woman closer. To my disappointment, Observe didn't pop up.
"Your power won't work here, even if we are in your head," She said, a little sternly. "I am Heket. And you are Percy."
"I am Percy," I confirmed. "And you said you're Hecate?"
"No. Heket. He-ket. Do not mistake me for your Greek goddess," Heket's voice had a warning edge. "I'm a goddess of birth, fertility. Rebirth."
The clues from before came back in full force, slamming together. "You're an Egyptian goddess."
"Bravo, young one," Heket complimented genuinely. "You are correct. I am a goddess. Please do not grovel at my feet or bow like your dramatic gods would have you do. I wouldn't prefer that."
"You wouldn't?"
"No," Heket agreed. "The Egyptian gods were…are primeval forces that were once worshiped by the Ancient Egyptians. Much like your gods, we served as a bridge between the natural world and the human world. The difference being that as time grew on, your gods grew more and more conceited, more focused on their image. The exact opposite happened to us. Long ago, the Egyptians realized that the gods were not to be worshiped and although they still prayed to them and used their powers, magicians began to train to fight the gods when needed."
"Magicians?"
"Magicians, known in Egyptian as shesh, are those trained in the methods of Egyptian mythology and magic and can cast a variety of spells," Heket explained patiently. She had the same aura as Hestia- she was warm and inviting. Matronly. "Anyone can become one with basic knowledge and practice, but those with a family history in the art have greater innate power and skill. Magicians are often members of the House of Life and are trained by the members."
I felt like I was teetering on the edge of something big here. "Then, why am I here?"
"In ancient times, all members of the House of Life followed the Path of the Gods. Some only called upon the power of the gods on occasion, while others sought to become the Eye of a god: a perfect union between god and magician," Heket told me. "You're an eye. Or well, not an eye now but you have the makings of an eye in the future."
"W-what?" I felt like I just got rammed by a train with cinderblocks in the front. I felt my body go weak again. "How? Who?"
"That much is unknown to me. I reside in your body, yes, but my presence is different. I believe you've acquired certain…powers as of late?"
I gasped, "The Gamer powers?"
"If that's how they've appeared to you, yes," Heket laughed lightly. She reached forward and softly ran a hand through my hair. "For the longest time, I had faded out of existence. My body and spirit were forgotten, and my husk was residing in the Fourth House of the Night. Then, I was drawn to you by…an external power, and given a deal. There are big things at play here, most of which I can't mention, but there are a few things that I can mention. These powers, specifically the way you perceive them, are my doing. I facilitate them to a level where you can comprehend and use them."
My brain was reeling, but this felt like the most understandable thing so far. "So…not the powers themselves, but how I perceive them. So, this interface, the game aspect of it, the progression, that's all from you?"
"Yes. Given the nature of the powers, if there was no intermediary, your brain would instantly melt and your body would burn out of existence," Heket said simply. "Think of it as a gigantic body of water- I'm your dam, of sorts. I stem the tide of the brunt, and I leak it to you in droplets. The game, as you've called it, is simply how you perceive the gain of these powers."
I tried my luck, "You can't tell me who gave me these powers, or how they came into existence, though?"
"I admire your persistence, but no," Heket laughed. "I, too, am not fully aware of where these powers came from. All I know is that I get to live once more, so long as I help you. And that's a good enough deal for me."
"I…see," I replied slowly. "So, again, whatever power this is…it isn't from you. You're just the person in the middle, making sure I don't turn into goo? And for this, you get to live. In my head."
"No, you silly boy," Heket giggled. "I get to live! In general! I'm a part of you, yes, in a basic sense. Some of my essence is always within you. The rest of me is free to do as I please."
"How did…I don't know, Aphrodite not notice you in, well, here?" I wondered aloud, gesturing at the hall. We have a bond, right? I feel like it would be pretty noticeable if there was a whole immortal living in my head from time to time.
Heket's face darkened considerably. All pretense of being nice dropped from her face. "Percy…I need to speak with you about something."
I stared at her, anxiety bubbling in my stomach. First Monaxiá, now Heket- what did all these people have against Aphrodite?
"I need you to evaluate this situation with me, okay?" Heket said kindly, comforting me with a small pat on the cheek. "If you're a goddess, why would you send your child with a novice warrior, knowing that a powerful deity is after her?"
I was stumped, revisiting a conversation I'd mentally had multiple different times. "We…she said she made a deal with Hades."
"Okay, but you're still missing the point," Heket sighed. "Why would that be her first move? The deal with Hades was secondary, her desire to move Piper onto your quest was primary. Why? Why would she do that instead of sending her to camp or sheltering her elsewhere?"
I couldn't reply.
Heket was on a roll now, "Isn't it peculiar that Aphrodite started appearing in your dreams right after Piper appeared to you? Isn't it convenient that she just happened to always have enough power to interact with your life in small little ways? Ways that you'd think about her just a bit more?"
My eyes widened. But…no! That doesn't make sense. Why would she…
"Isn't it weird that she started appearing to you in forms that you found attractive, but just a little older? That she'd do things you found cute, or maybe things which you found to be over-the-top? Maybe she'd act in ways that made you feel like the bad guy as if the way you were reacting to the situation were immoral?" Heket said, her voice getting angrier. "Haven't you noticed how different things have been?"
"I-I'm doing the right thing I thought," I stammered. "Hestia said to give her a shot!"
"Hestia, bless her, wanted to make things better for the both of you by suggesting being friends, but she didn't see or hear the things you did. Her advice was generalized," Heket growled. "Percy, I really don't know how to tell you this."
"What are you getting at here?" I somehow forced out.
"You noticed the strain Oceanus put on your mind," Heket looked at me grimly. "I wanted to avoid that. I'd been trying to reach you since you got these powers. Every attempt I made was deflected."
Somewhere over in the hall, there was a small spilling noise. One of the scenes had started leaking, images floating into the hall.
I gaped at Heket.
"Aphrodite stopped it?"
"Not intentionally. You see, Aphrodite did stop me from doing anything from merging with you, but even then, she never intended to do that," Heket said cryptically. "She's been shielding your mind, wrapping it around in her influence- no one in or out unless they're right there with you. She's been extracting your love, dopamine. Your pleasure-feelings. Did you not find it a little weird when you transitioned into being so gung-ho about fighting, leaving everything behind? Your mother, Percy- you fought so hard to get her back, only to leave for Atlantis two weeks after without even visiting her. You felt like you missed Annabeth on your quest but what did you do when you came back to camp? Think, Percy, think!"
I dipped my head. Fuck…she was right.
"That…bond…you have, have you ever seen it?" Heket asked me, before slapping a hand to her forehead. "You can't see it. You're human. Here. Hold still."
Heket dissolved into black smoke. She swirled around me—filling my nostrils with a smell like boiling tar.
I hear you asking- oh, Percy, what's it like merging with a god willingly? Was it fun? Was it cool? Better this time around?
Let me tell you- it doesn't get much better the second time. Heket, thankfully, was much gentler than Oceanus had been, so I didn't feel like my entire body was being smushed in a hydraulic press. It just felt…weird.
Full disclosure, it still sucked.
If you want the full details, read my Yelp review. I don't feel like going into it again. I gave the experience half a star and a couple mean comments.
Thousands of years of memories flooded my mind. I saw pyramids rising from the desert, the sun glittering on the Nile River. I heard priests chanting in the cool shadows of a temple, and smelled myrrh incense on the air.
I bounced over the cities of Ancient Egypt, circling the palace of the pharaoh. I walked along the paths of the Nile! I was the frog goddess Heket!
Trippy.
I looked down, staring at my shoes...the same old pair of Converse, a chewed shoelace on the left when some dog in my neighborhood nearly bit my foot off and black shoelace on the right because the one that came with the shoe fell off.
I had all these memories but I was still, well, me.
I raised my arm to make sure I could still control my muscles. My arms were surrounded by a powerful ultraviolet aura.
Heket's voice spoke in my head again: The mark of a Greek demigod.
Neat.
Relax, Percy, the voice of Heket spoke in my mind. Let me take charge.
I relented- her life's contingent on mine, so I'm not overly worried.
My head turned to the hall- a rush of energy coursed through my eyes, and the ceiling opened.
Bursts of light danced and bobbed the hole as if a thousand kids were writing their names with sparklers.
I didn't understand what I was looking at, but Heket did.
Having her sight and guidance, I recognized that this thing was called Duat—a magical dimension that existed beneath the mortal realm.
We, as in the Greeks, called that the Mist.
I saw layers of reality, like strata of glowing multicolored jelly, plunging down into infinity. On the surface, where the mortal and immortal worlds met, whatever I'd done was whipping the Duat into a storm—churning waves of color and frothy white plumes of smoke.
I, well, Heket, lifted my legs and I went shooting through. Colors flew by me in streams as I flew out of the hall and began floating above it.
Cold fear ran through my body like ice water.
Do you see now, Percy?
I looked out at my mindscape. The cracks from before were gone, completely healed by Heket, but what truly scared me was everything that was outside of the white room I'd been in before.
It was like staring out into the ocean- an ocean as far as the eye could see. At a second glance, the white room was more of a ship of sorts. Currently, though that ship was being tossed around.
The entire ocean was choppy and rough, waves larger than I'd ever seen before were crashing around. Ominously dark clouds gathered above the ocean.
And right, smack dab in the middle, was a colossal pink tornado that had arcs of lightning shooting out, impacting the ocean. Some of the lightning careened toward the ship, taking hold like the tentacles of a giant squid.
T-that's the bond?
Yes. There was a pause. I felt a rush of shame- how the fuck did something like this sit here for so long? You didn't know any better, Percy. You didn't have any way of knowing what you were agreeing to.
I want it gone. There's…there's no fucking way I'm letting all of that be taken from me, Olympian or not.
You'll need to break your bond with her, Heket said softly. Would you like to do so now?
A ping caught my attention.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO REMOVE [APHRODITE] AS A COMPANION?
I growled, my fingers smashing through the button.
The tornado imploded.
Before I could see the damage, Heket and I appeared back in the hall, back in our respective bodies.
"Your life will only get harder from here, Percy," Heket warned quietly. "You're in deep with these gods. They won't leave you alone."
"I know," I sighed, frowning. "I know. I have no clue what's going to happen."
"I do," Heket pursed her lips, a look of determination forming on her face. She grabbed my shoulders lightly. "I'm going to train you in the art of magic- and not just that. I'll show you everything I know. I'll teach you how to defeat a god."
AN: This won't be a regular note, seeing as this is just part one of a chapter that was quickly getting too large for me to handle. Part two will be out sometime in the next two weeks, so I'll do my usual Q+A then.
A few major things to mention:
Aphrodite: I bet that one came as a surprise to most people! I've been sneakily planning this from the start! Literally the first chapter I wrote her, I was like, man this sucks! I wanted to get rid of her but I couldn't find a productive way to do it, but this is it! It's also a convenient way to retcon some of the dumber things Percy did while also offering a pretty good explanation. You know what that means!
Pairings: Guess what! If anyone wants their favorite pairing to be considered, all you have to do is leave a review and maybe a reason or two. I will mention, this story is going to elevate super soon, but that's a surprise- there will just be a lot more…options for a pairing soon. A few of you might be able to work it out if you pay close attention to everything here. Still no harem, though. You already know how I feel about that.
Power: This is the start of Percy's power creep. He's going to begin to take off soon.
The Images: Without spoiling too much, all I'll say is that Percy was indeed in another dimension. Take that as you will.
On another note, I wanted to give a big, big shoutout to my man, The Prophesied. We both did something a little quirky here, but I cannot plug this man enough.
If you haven't read his fic, Road To Tranquility, I highly recommend it. One of the best pertemis fics I've read, PERIOD. I binged it all on four hour car ride, and it was the best time ever.
He allowed me to use his Percy (he actually wrote that part) so if you liked Monaxia and you want to see more of him, head on over to his fic. I promise it'll be worth your time. Who knows, maybe down the line, my Percy will show up over on his page.
A few months ago, I reached out to him, asking if he'd like to cameo in the fic. His Percy played a large role in mine finding out about Aphrodite, so I was beyond elated to see he was down. We've been working out logistics for a while, and maybe I'll even have him co-author another chapter with me sometime!
Again, I can't thank you enough, man. That was fun.
If any of our fans intersect, this will be like an early Christmas present!
Otherwise: stayed tuned for part two soon. As always, let me know what you thought.