"Dear boy," Chiron was waiting for me as I descended the stairs from the attic. It was apparent he'd just gotten back inside- he was wearing his "coming-and-going" tweed jacket and had a steaming cup of apple cider in his hands. He peered over his rimmed glasses, shooting me a concerned look, "What possessed you to go the Oracle now, of all times?"
I hated the way standing in front of Chiron made me feel. Despite everything I'd done in the last few years, Chiron still made me feel, I don't know, like a kid.
I blamed his cologne- every time I smelled that oaky, outdoorsy smell, memories would flood back to me. I'd start seeing images of me sitting at my desk in his classroom, or being forced to spend detentions in his office, reading myths about the Greeks.
I would remember the way he would patiently explain things to me, encouraging me to think critically and creatively. The care he took made me feel like I was smart and capable when Zeus knows I was his worst student.
In a lot of ways, he was kind of like a role model for me back in those Yancy days. If you were a regular person, you probably wouldn't expect him to be too cool, but he told stories and jokes and let us play games in class. He also had this awesome collection of Roman armor and weapons, so he was the only teacher whose class didn't actively put me to sleep.
I kept my voice level, "I just…had a question."
"A question that you took to the Oracle, Percy?" Chiron smiled knowingly. "Surely just a question could be answered elsewhere, no?"
Ah, and there it was. When I was younger, Chiron had always possessed this uncanny ability to see past all my facades to the scared kid I was at the center of it all. A part of me was afraid he'd still be able to do that, and the fact that he knew I went to the Oracle just by glancing at me didn't help, either.
"I thought she could tell me something," I admitted, sighing, and sitting down on the stairs. The worn-out wood creaked under my weight, "That she could, I don't know, show me the solution to this...problem I'm having."
"I figured as much. It's nothing to be ashamed of," Chiron nodded. He shrunk down, back into his wheelchair form so that we were eye to eye. After thinking to himself for a while, he eventually just placed a hand on my shoulder. "Many before you have attempted the same thing. Though, I must warn you...you should never listen to prophecies," he said firmly. "They will only lead you down a path of disappointment and despair."
"What do you mean?" I asked incredulously. "I'm in the middle of so many of them! My entire life right now, everything I've done- it's been in preparation for the great prophecy- something you didn't even want to tell me. Sure, you might be able to sit there and tell me not to obsess over it, but you're not the one who's going to die in two years!"
"Be that as it may," Chiron continued earnestly. "Prophecies are nothing more than interpretations of the future. In their vagueness and ambiguity, they offer you a false sense of security. They make you believe that you know what the future holds."
"A single choice shall end his days isn't very comforting, you know," I pointed out. "Even if I don't want to believe it, it's bad news for someone either way."
Chiron sighed and gave me a wary look. He was lost in thought for a moment before he began speaking again.
"The future is like a ball of clay; it is malleable and can be shaped and molded by the actions and decisions we make in the present. Just like a sculptor carefully molds and forms a piece of clay into a work of art, our choices and actions shape the future into what we want it to be," Chiron paused, "Perhaps you are right, and the prophecy foretells your death. Or, perhaps you're wrong, and the prophecy may not even be about you. The future is not set in stone, Percy; it is constantly changing. It's up to us to use our power of choice to shape it into something worthwhile."
"It just feels…hard to look past," I settled on eventually. I wasn't even sure if I was talking about me or Malcolm anymore, "It's like this timer on life. Other people think about growing up and all of that, but me? I can't see further than two years right now. I guess I just don't want to die."
"Then don't," Chiron told me kindly. He gave me a nostalgic smile, "Percy…it's been a pleasure watching you grow from a confused adolescent to the man you are today. Along the way, of course, you've matured and grown in ways I could've never foreseen- I suppose sometimes you feel like a completely different person, and I'm forced to remind myself that you are indeed the same boy who pushed Ms. Bobofit into a water fountain."
"She totally had it coming."
We both laughed for a moment.
"That is why, though, that I'm telling you this," Chiron's eyes glinted with wisdom. "You are strong, Percy. Perhaps the strongest demigod I've ever met. And, unlike so many of your predecessors, you do not shy away from the spotlight, the burden of making these choices. However, by listening to prophecies and believing in them unequivocally, you are essentially giving away that power- you're allowing others to dictate your actions and decisions. Trust in your own intuition."
I listened to his words, feeling a sense of empowerment and clarity. A newfound surge of motivation blazed through my body.
"Thanks, Chiron," I said genuinely. "I think I needed to hear that."
"Of course, Percy. I may not actively be your teacher anymore, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten about you," Chiron replied kindly, patting my shoulder one more time. "Besides, in your haste, you left the attic door open. I would be most grateful if you could close it before you leave."
Feeling a lot better after Chiron's pep-talk, I resumed my plans from before and continued walking toward the new and improved arena, where I had been told earlier that Jason and Thalia would be practicing.
Earlier in the morning, Medea warned me that they rented out the arena, but I didn't really care. Thalia and Jason butted in on my training sessions all the time- I figured the least they could do was let me butt in on one of theirs.
The arena hadn't changed that much outwardly, besides being about double the size it had been before. A nice change had been that the stone pathways from before had been replaced by finely powdered sand, the kind that somehow felt soft and cushiony but also stable.
As my shoes crunched through the sand, I also noticed that the entranceway to the arena had been renovated, too- the path to the doorway was surrounded by towering columns and statues of the gods that all had offerings at their feet.
I paused at the one of my father for a moment, running my hand over the smooth stone. Medea really had done a knockout job. It wasn't much, but I fished out a pack of Double Stuf Oreos I'd nicked from the Big House and left it at my dad's feet. He kind of had a sweet tooth, so I figured he wouldn't turn up his nose at that.
I let out a low whistle as I stepped inside- this is where the real changes were. Rather than a downward turn leading straight to the training floor, I was in what looked like a lobby. The sand abruptly stopped and transitioned into tiled flooring.
On the wall to my left, there were multiple corkboards with information for recreational leagues- apparently, the camp now had its very own intramural team for basically everything- fencing, basketball, soccer, every sport you could think of was on the wall. There was a large, and mostly empty trophy case there, too.
I snorted to myself as I looked at the picture of Clarisse choking out some poor soul under the Wrestling board. All power to whichever brave soul was going to be courageous enough to try to take her spot there.
On the righthand wall, there was a café that looked like it was self-operating. Almost in direct contrast to the ancient exterior, the cafe was a modern and sleek space, with high ceilings and large windows that let in plenty of natural light. The walls were adorned with bright and colorful murals, and apparently, they'd put up some of the younger kids' drawings there, too.
I walked up to the counter and saw an array of different smoothie options displayed on a large touchscreen. For a rather small subscription fee of a drachma a month, you could get unlimited smoothies!
I popped a golden coin in the nearby bucket labeled 'PAYMENT' and it disappeared. The touchscreen changed to say: 'WELCOME, PERSEUS JACKSON' and the closed window slowly opened up, revealing that it was piled high with baskets of fresh fruit; everything from plump red strawberries, juicy peaches, and firm green apples to dragon fruit and bananas.
I looked through the menu- each customization option was accompanied by a picture of the ingredients and a description of the taste.
I took my time browsing through the options before finally settling on a tropical smoothie made with pineapple, mango, and coconut milk. Why not, right?
As soon I was done punching in my order, the drink appeared in my hands, and I shook my head and began sipping as I toured the rest of the place.
There was a normal gym tucked in the back corner, with treadmills, weight machines, and dumbbells.
Like Medea said a few months ago, there was indeed a waffle bar with a rotating display and every topping you could think of. There was a convenience store inside, as well, this time with a person standing inside and everything.
Across from the store, there was a window where you could rent weapons and armor, and a vendor that was actively selling them, as well. I declined his offer for a shield but figured it was a nice addition anyway.
Finally, I got down to the training floor, which was unchanged but was quickly caught off guard.
First off, Thalia looked completely different. Clearly, she'd jumped right back into training. Her thin frame from earlier had been packed with lean, toned muscle. Her pale skin had taken on a light tan, and the black hair I remembered from before had streaks of blonde in it. She'd ditched the goth look for more of a natural vibe, and I was kind of digging it, honestly.
Jason looked stronger than ever. He'd let his blonde hair grow down to his shoulders, where it flowed freely. His posture and fighting style had changed and become even fiercer and more intimidating than before.
Between the two of us, he'd always been the beefier one. I'd always been more of a balanced, speed-oriented fighter and Jason had always been a heavy hitter. Now, though, he looked like he was pushing 220 pounds- his back was wider than it had ever been!
He wore a bronze, sleeveless chest plate, and his muscles rippled with tension with every movement. He looked every bit the part of a demigod son of Zeus- Herculean, almost. He looked like he could bench press an eighteen-wheeler.
But still, none of that was what surprised me. I'd honestly kind of expected them to train, anyway, but no- what surprised me was that instead of the two people I'd been expecting to see on the floor- there were three.
Jason and Thalia were fighting my uncle Zeus at the same time, and he was whooping them both without even breaking a sweat.
As per usual, he was wearing a pinstriped three-piece suit, but that didn't seem to hinder his movement at all.
He was a blur of motion; his movements looked like they were as light and effortless as the air itself. Even as Thalia and Jason tried their hardest to tag him with a hit, he dodged and weaved through them, his body moving with a fluid grace that seemed almost impossible.
His eyes roamed between Jason and Thalia- and, almost as if he was anticipating their every move, his body slipped and slid out of the way with ease. Each strike they tried to land was countered with a deft dodge or a graceful parry.
"Aim higher," He slapped away Thalia's spear, his expression unchanging. "Use your abilities in tandem with your strikes. It's impossible to block something if it moves faster than you can perceive."
Eventually, with a lightning-fast clap of thunder- yes, pun intended- he knocked both Thalia and Jason to the ground and dispassionately shook his head. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, "Better, but do not let this meaningless feat go to your heads. I still find my expectations…too high. Perhaps it is a fault of mine."
"That was a whole five minutes longer than last week," Jason growled, stumbling as he tried to stand back up, but Zeus raised his hand. From the ground, Jason pressed on, "Progress is not a short journey, father. It takes time to get good."
"Good," Zeus scoffed, kneeling to place a hand on Jason's shoulder. His eyes softened a fraction of a degree, "You are not training to be good, my son. My blood runs through your veins- and if you truly are my legacy, if you intend to use that blood, that power, that potential to your advantage, then simply being good won't be enough. Your life has been hard and will only continue to be hard- I fear that is your burden as my progeny. if you wish to survive the trials ahead of you…then you will have to be the best. It's either that or you will become nothing; you will be lost to annals of history like many before you, do you understand?"
"Yes, father," Jason said as he struggled to his feet. "I can go again."
"No. You two have exerted yourself enough today," Zeus replied commandingly, staring past Jason and right at me. My eyes widened, and I turned to leave when his whisper reached my ears from across the arena. "Perseus."
Jason and Thalia turned to me, the happiness breaking through their visages of tiredness. Thalia shook her head with a smirk as I made my way to the arena, where I gave Zeus a bow, "Lord Zeus. I'm sorry for your barging into your training. I was unaware that you were personally overseeing—"
"Your tournament," The Lord of the Skies interrupted me, the air between us crackling with ozone. The hairs on my arm stood. I felt a tingly feeling in my chest, "How did you fare?"
"I won, my lord," I replied politely. My PR training from Atlantis kicked in as I added, "All for the glory of my father and the city of Atlantis."
"Humph," Zeus replied, crossing his arms and regarding me with a neutral expression. "As expected from a prince, no?"
"I suppose," I agreed with a nod, "Still, I take pride in my duty to Atlantis. Expected as it may be."
"Good," He replied shortly. "Would you perhaps like to test your mettle, as your cousins have?"
I blinked a few times. "Sir?"
"I am no fool, Perseus. I am well aware of the danger brewing on the horizon," Zeus said in a clipped tone. He raised his arms outward, "Allow me to test you. Hand to hand only."
A quest appeared:
[SIDE][STORY] Quest Alert!
{An Electric Reunion}
|| While attempting to say hi to your cousins, you've found yourself offered a quick spar with the Lord of the Skies himself. From his demeanor, it's clear that your victory in the tournament has piqued his interest. The decision is yours: do you feel up to the challenge of testing your reflexes against arguably the most powerful Olympian? ||
{Rewards:}
- [+] 8,000 REP with [Zeus]!
- [+] 100,000 EXP!*
- [+][5] perk points!
- [+][20] skill points!
{Failure:}
- [-] 1,000 REP with [Zeus]!
- [+][Zeus' Vitriol]**
[YES/NO]
*Note that the [EXP] provided for this quest will be doubled upon completion, as per your title of the [Divine Consultant].
** [Zeus' Vitriol] is a temporary debuff, lasting a few days. It reduces the player's movement speed by 10% and causes their weapons to malfunction. It also deals periodic damage through electric shocks and forces them to take 50% more damage from all electric sources.
Accepted. Easy.
"By all means, my lord," I placed my smoothie down and settled into a boxer's stance. I cracked my neck, "At your move."
Zeus blurred out of the air in front of me, appearing at my side with his fist outstretched. The air around me crackled with energy, and I had maybe a millisecond to dodge.
I folded under the punch and rolled to the left- Zeus' punch, even though it missed, had been thrown with so much force that it created a vacuum of air as if all the air has been sucked out of the room. The air in front of me exploded, and I was sent skidding back, my ears ringing.
He was going way harder on me than he had with Jason and Thalia.
I wouldn't let myself fall for his trap, though. I'd seen it briefly in the fight he had with Jason and Thalia- it was like he was waiting for me to make a move so he could counter it. I just wasn't going to give him anything to work off.
Not that it was easy. You know, when Luke offered to train me back when I first arrived at camp, the very first things I'd been required to learn were his four cardinal rules. Playing on the cautious side against Zeus was directly contradicting the first one: never go on the defensive against a stronger, faster opponent.
There were three main reasons why.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Zeus was throwing haymakers that traveled fast and hard. His punches were blurs; lightning-fast movements that defied what I previously thought was possible. Even though his fists largely connected with just air, they were accompanied by loud bangs that echoed through the air, like the sound of a sonic boom.
Reason number one was simple. The way he explained it, playing on the defensive in a situation where you're outmatched inevitably leads to exhaustion. Think about it- you're being forced to constantly evade and block the opponent's attacks, which, in the best of cases can quickly drain your energy, leaving you open to a finishing blow.
Decisive strikes kept coming at me faster than I could even register. The only reason I was still upright was the fact that sometime between his fiftieth and sixtieth punch, my oh-shit-I'm-going-to-die instincts kicked in, and my body was basically moving on autopilot.
Sweat poured down my face as I tried to keep up with the relentless attack. Honestly, even with the sustained bursts of energy I was getting from the sweat on my face, I found myself barely dodging each hit.
The second reason Luke told me to never go on the defensive was that it tended to limit offensive options. Focusing solely on defense restricted your ability to launch counterattacks, which then, in turn, left limited options to turn the tide of the fight.
By this point, the fight had dragged on for somewhere in the ballpark of ten minutes, when Zeus suddenly stopped. He grudgingly said, "You are impressive, boy. Your stance is indicative of your preparation; your father has taken an active interest in you, then?"
"Yes, my lord," I wheezed out, my chest heaving and muscles aching. My limbs felt heavy as if they were made of lead, and my heart was pounding in my chest.
The final reason playing purely defensively is bad is because it creates predictable patterns: repeatedly using the same defensive moves can make your fight style predictable, allowing your opponent to exploit their weaknesses and gain the upper hand. Or, well, more of an upper hand, anyway.
It's like basketball- if you drive the exact same way every single time, you're more than likely to get blocked. If you stop dribbling the ball at the same place on the court and pull up every time, people will know not to back up on you. It's easy to exploit someone if you know they're doing the exact same thing every time.
The fact that this was my first fight outside of Atlantis wasn't great, either. I was used to the pristine oxygen of the Royal Palace, and the never-ending stamina granted to me by the constant water around me.
Being back on the overworld, fighting Zeus in this arena which was thick with the air of constant training- phew. Each breath was a struggle, and I could feel my lungs protesting, practically begging for a break. My muscles burned like they'd been lit on fire, aching with a deep, dull pain that felt like it was radiating from the very core of my being.
Zeus didn't give any warning before he resumed his attack- the only reason I knew something even happened was because of the way the air in front of me rippled- my vision distorted, and I had only a moment's notice before I ducked.
A gust of wind exploded outward from his clenched fist. I watched in disbelief as the metal beams behind me bent and twisted. Concrete blocks broke apart and soared through the air, and pieces of the new attack dummy were ripped away, slamming into the ceiling. The sound of the wind was deafening: it was like a roar that echoed through the stadium.
"Father!" Thalia yelled from across the room. "Calm down!"
"No," I groaned, excitement permeating through every pore in my body. Was I exhausted? Yes. Was I hurt? Also, yes. But, at the same time- I felt so alive. "We can keep going."
I was aware of every movement, every twitch of a muscle- every beat of my heart. It had been so long since I'd been pushed to my limits like this, and the added challenge of not being able to use my Gamer powers and being forced to just rely on the full force of my own strength was intoxicating, in a way.
Besides, I was beginning to notice a pattern.
Zeus seemed to favor heavy, lumbering attacks. They were relentless, battering me from all sides, but to tell you the truth, he was using the exact same attack sequence every time, as if he was a video game character.
Right, left, right, left, up. A wind-enhanced punch. A pause.
True to my hypothesis, he settled into the same routine. I waited for the right. The left. The right again. The left- I took a deep breath, and then, as my Zeus lunged forward with his powerful uppercut, I sprang into action.
I sidestepped the attack, slipping past his guard and delivering a quick punch to his exposed flank. As he stumbled, off-balance, I took advantage of the opening.
Activating [The Thousand Hand Technique] for what little time I could, I rained down a flurry of punches and kicks, each strike hitting with devastating force.
He whipped back, curving around and blasting next to me. My muscles coiled. I dug my feet into the dirt and dropped my body, settling into a stance with a lower center of gravity. I feinted left and slid right, juking past his outstretched hand. The moisture in the air accelerated my next kick, which rocked his upper thigh so hard my ankle cracked.
Zeus turned to me, anger apparent on his face. Blue lightning surged through his eyes, and before I could even react, he teleported forward, his fist slamming into my stomach.
I don't really even know what happened next. One second, I was standing in front of him, and the next, I was plastered on the wall like a fly, my body aching, and my head spinning. Thalia's mouth was opened in horror, and it sounded like she was shouting, but it was all muffled like I was underwater.
Anger unfurled through my veins, and I shot back toward Zeus, twirling my ring as my special armor began encasing my body. The water core immediately made a difference- a shot of energy boosted through me, and the soreness in my chest instantly subsided.
I dove to the right and shifted on my foot. Right as Zeus went to dodge, I twisted back and corkscrewed through the air, smashing a kick into his face. His head snapped back as a geyser of ichor exploded from his nose.
I lunged forward and let the droplets of ichor settle on my hand. I instantly felt an overflow of energy from his blood and slid under his wide stance, crushing his ankle with an enhanced jab so strong it could've probably punched a hole through metal.
He roared and zoomed in front of me again. I raised a hand to block his punch, but it smashed through my guard- cracking my arms and splintering my stance. As my arms fell, he picked me up with one arm, flung me up in the air, and slammed me back into the ground with enough force to crack the floor.
I growled and went to stand, but his eyes lit up blue again, and an angry blue arc of lightning exploded down on top of me. Now listen- I've fought with Jason and Thalia before. I've been blasted with my fair share of lightning- but nothing, nothing could've prepared me for this.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
The shock hit me like a freight train, a jolt of white-hot pain that coursed through my body, exploding in a million fiery points of light behind my eyes. My muscles spasmed, contracting in a violent convulsion, and I could feel the electrical charge coursing through my veins, pulsing with a sickening rhythm.
I was paralyzed, unable to move or speak, as the current continued to flow through my body. Every inch of me felt like it was on fire, a blazing inferno that threatened to consume me from the inside out. My vision was filled with a pulsing, strobing light, and I could hear a high-pitched humming in my ears, drowning out all other sounds.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the shock was gone, leaving me gasping for air and shaking uncontrollably. My body felt weak and heavy- as if all the energy had been drained from it, and my thoughts were jumbled and confused.
Zeus was saying something, but my brain felt like it was fried. His voice sounded like a harsh, grating sound, like nails on a chalkboard, that echoed in my mind and made my head hurt painfully.
I tried to focus, to make sense of what was being said, but it was like trying to decipher a foreign language, the words slipping away before I could grasp their meaning. His voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, a disorienting and confusing jumble of sounds.
I didn't even notice that I couldn't move until Thalia knelt next to me and picked my head up into her hands.
She, Jason, and Zeus all got into a heated argument. The ringing in my ears eventually subsided, and I came to, right as it looked like my uncle got ready to leave.
"I apologize for my desire to test you," Zeus said the word apologize dangerously, wiping his mouth angrily. Ichor was still leaking, "You did well, boy. Few mortals have survived as long in a fight as you. Take pride in it."
He boomed out of the arena, and Thalia muttered, "Asshole."
I felt her hands on my head, gentle but firm, and a warmth spread through me that seemed to chase away the chill of the world around us. Her touch was electric- not in the powerful, overbearing way her father's had been, but in a delicate, soft way. It sent shivers down my spine, and I felt myself being drawn into a state of blissful relaxation.
"Your dad is a sore loser," I said sourly as I sat up, the Game pinging to let me know I failed the quest.
"You don't know the half of it," Thalia replied softly as she rubbed my back. More pleasant tingles shot through me, "Are you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, nothing a little water won't fix," I waved off her concern and gingerly stood up. I grinned as I turned to Jason and pulled him into a hug, "It's good to see you guys. Look at you, you big hunk. What the hell did you do over break?"
"Personal training, courtesy of the royal douchebag," Thalia answered, still giving me a concerned look. "You're sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. I'm sure," I reassured her. "If you want to be really safe, though, you should keep holding my arm like that. A hug wouldn't hurt, either."
"Shut up," Thalia rolled her eyes and slapped my arm. I noticed, though, as Jason began talking, she didn't let go, either.
"A huge part of it had to do with your tournament, actually. Originally, he wanted to argue it on the grounds of being against the ancient rules, but it technically wasn't. I think he was aiming for a favoritism violation, but as the crown prince, it was your duty," Jason replied. "Still, he wasn't willing to let it go. Our father was…displeased you were getting training and then took a more active interest in ours."
"Is that why you look like Hercules?" I asked seriously, gesturing toward his arms, "You could probably lift a truck."
"Don't make me laugh," Jason returned easily with a grin, and I found myself grinning, too. "You're not as clever as you think you are. The both of us together can only fight my dad for five, maybe six minutes. You clocked in at twelve. Whatever you're doing is working better than what we're doing."
"Yeah, before he got all pissy about it and smacked me into the ground," I complained as the two laughed. "What kind of stuff did you guys learn?"
For the next few minutes, Jason and Thalia walked me through their training plan.
While not as intense as mine was, they still got put through the wringer. Zeus had them actively bulking, so they were both basically eating double the food they were eating before.
Thalia focused more on agility and the speed aspect of her powers. Apparently, her dad found it fitting to gift her some new weapons, too.
The first thing she showed me was a replica of Aegis- Athena's shield- that expanded from a shiny silver metal bracelet that she wore on her wrist. It was decorated with an image of Medusa's head, which, apparently, a ton of the younger kids and some of the older ones cowered from.
Next up, she got a collapsible spear that expanded from a Mace canister which she trained to use in tandem with her powers, kind of like I had.
Zeus had been helping her develop control of her aerokinesis- specifically, she was training with him to use the wind around her to boost the speed of her attacks, and channel fatal amounts of electricity into her weapons. Those pleasant tingles from before? According to her, she was working on refining her powers enough for electroshock therapy.
Jason, on the other hand, had transformed into a heavy hitter. His coin was retired- he actually gave me it- and he now donned a two-handed battle hammer that expanded out of a bracelet. It was the real deal- ten feet of heavy celestial bronze, with a leather grip and a frightening inscription of a Zeus, to boot.
His entire thing was strength, now. With his already near-perfect control over his aerokinesis and atmokinesis, Zeus saw it fitting to teach him how to use his control over the air to exponentially boost how quickly he could swing his hammer around.
He assured me that he got to work on more esoteric things, too, like mist control, and how to brainwash people through controlled electrical shocks.
According to him, it wasn't perfect yet.
Apparently, the logic has something to do with the fact that neurons use both electrical charges and chemicals called ions to communicate with each other. Even with Zeus' help, it only worked half the time, but Jason claimed he had plans to perfect it so that he could use it in battle and get his opponents to stop fighting off a single hit.
Then, of course, the conversation inevitably shifted back to me- what had I learned? The better question, I told them, was what hadn't I learned?
I'd all but mastered swordsmanship- my skill was level 80 now. I'd gotten physically stronger and more durable than I'd ever been. I could run faster, move faster, and think faster.
I wasn't going to tell them about my little experiment- after Medusa's warning, I figured I'd hold onto that tidbit of information as long as possible.
Eventually, we made our way out of the arena, and Jason excused himself to go shower and leave camp for a while. The Fall Ball was coming up, and my mom offered to take him shopping for a tux. I made plans to meet up with them after, for dinner, but in the meantime, I had absolutely no desire to see Jason try on different suits for an hour.
"What's your plan now, Percy?" Thalia asked me as we walked out of the training arena. The afternoon air, fresh and smelling vaguely of strawberries, helped me not be as grumpy about the taste of burning tinfoil in my mouth, and the random twitches I was still getting, "You have anything planned?"
"Just picking up Malcolm from school in a bit," I replied as we walked through the city. "What about you?"
"Meh. Nothing, really. You want to grab a burrito?"
"They have burritos here now?" I was so shocked that I stopped walking for a second. "Listen, Thalia, if I ever say no to that question…you need to get me checked out."
True to her word, right across the street from the Big House, there was a cute little shop.
The second we walked into the bustling burrito shop, the smell of spices and sizzling meat filled my nostrils. The walls were adorned with brightly colored paintings and posters, presumably from some of the younger kids at camp, and it honestly created a pretty lively atmosphere.
I approached the counter and was greeted by a friendly cashier who handed me a menu.
As I looked through the options, I was almost giddy with excitement at the thought of biting into a warm, fluffy flour tortilla filled with tender chicken, melted cheese, and tangy salsa- the kind my mom used to take me out for on Fridays.
I decided on the classic chicken burrito and watched as the cook expertly assembled my order, layering each ingredient with care.
As Thalia put in her order, I walked over to get us a table, when my eyes found themselves drawn to a shiny, silver soda machine- the kind with a touch screen and all.
I'd been on such a strict diet in Atlantis, I'd almost forgotten what something that didn't even have protein in it could taste like.
Sure, the magic dinner goblets in Atlantis would fill with anything you wanted, but even then, my Dad overrode them to give me healthy versions- but let me tell you. Kraken-distilled, organic Octopus Ink-Cola just doesn't hit the same as a real soda, straight out of a 7/11.
Argh- my willpower crumbled, and I picked up a cup.
I approached it with excitement, my eyes scanning the vast array of options.
There were so many choices - cola, lemon-lime, root beer, orange soda, and even a few energy drinks. I couldn't decide which one to pick, so I decided to try something new. I pressed the button for the cherry cola and watched as the brown liquid trickled from the machine, cold and frosty.
"Take a bite, Seaweed Brain," Thalia gestured toward my plate as I sat down across from her. She chewed for a bit, "I need to see that reaction."
"You're acting like I've never had a burrito before. Chill out—" I took my first bite, and the flavors exploded in my mouth. The tender chicken was seasoned to perfection, the melted cheese adding a creamy richness, and the fresh salsa providing a spicy kick. "Oh, shit."
"Mhm," Thalia giggled, her eyes sparkling playfully. "That's what I was waiting for. This is my favorite post-workout lunch place. Lady Hestia makes contributions to everything."
"That's why it's so good," I savored each bite, relishing the perfect combination of flavors and textures. "Damn. I want to marry this burrito."
"Okay, calm down," Thalia laughed as she dabbed her face with a napkin. "Just eat the food."
Conversation flowed easily enough between us. We got to talking about some light subjects, like training and stuff. She asked me about my breakup with MJ, and I told her all about how she basically wanted somewhere who could be more present for her, and I just wasn't really that guy.
In turn, she told me about how weird it felt to basically come back to life. Despite the awkwardness of everyone knowing about, well, her life story, she felt grateful to have a second chance. Especially one with her brother so close by.
"You really need to visit Annabeth more," Thalia admonished. "She says she never sees you anymore."
"I do," I agreed, sighing at the thought of my first friend at camp. "I just get really tunnel-visioned sometimes. I swear, if no one came to check up on me, I could probably spend the whole day alone in my cabin."
"Well, that's something we both can agree on," she said, winking. She leaned closer, "The you part, I mean. You're basically a hermit. A slow-eating one, that is. I could've eaten three burritos by now."
I gave her an annoyed look as she stood up to throw away her tray. Before I could help myself, I found myself drawn to her again. It was inexplicable, but when she turned around and flashed me a smile, my heart skipped a beat, and I felt a rush of excitement wash over me.
"So, are you going to that ball thing?" Thalia asked as she got back. "Piper and Jason are going."
"Nah. I'm taking a leave from school for the foreseeable future. I just have some projects to work on over here," I replied truthfully. "I'm kind of surprised Jason is going. It doesn't really seem like his scene."
"He has a date," Thalia informed me as she sipped her drink. She grinned at my dumbfounded look, "Oh, they're adorable."
"Spill," I deadpanned, twitching as one of the shocks from [Zeus' Vitriol] rocked my body. "This is like, grade-A tea right here."
"Nope," Thalia stuck her tongue out at me. "You need to find out for yourself. This is what you get for leaving us, Kelp Head- you miss out on this stuff. Though, I do like chocolate. So...if you ever get really desperate, I'm open to negotiation."
"Ugh, you airheads are all the same," I complained. "Jason gets bribed with cookies, you get bribed with chocolate. Keep it up, and you aren't going to fit through the door."
"Mm, see, that's where you're wrong. I take care of myself," She said, running a hand down her torso. "Nothing wrong with a bit of splurging once in a while."
I shook my head, "Please, if you're anything like your brother, once in a while probably means every other day."
"No comment." Thalia dissolved into a fit of infectious laughter.
As I joined her, I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I was enjoying spending time with her. Before, I'd been a bit concerned we wouldn't get along for one reason or another, but I was happy to be wrong. Thalia was smart and kind- not to mention funny and witty. It felt like we had a similar sense of humor.
"Your hair," I eventually settled on as I finished laughing. "Are you trying something different?"
"Oh…um, no," The air changed for a moment. The lighthearted tone of the conversation was gone, replaced instead by this weird, heavy feeling. Her pretty face settled into a scowl, "I've always been blonde."
"I don't mean to pry," I said quickly, "I just noticed the change."
"No, it's fine," Thalia bit her lip, "When I first ran away from home…my mom put out one of those missing child reports on me. Before I met Luke and Annabeth, it made getting by pretty tough. Everyone wanted to be the hero to find the Beryl Grace's missing daughter and bring her back on a silver platter. I don't know, maybe they thought she'd give them an autograph or something."
I listened with rapt attention. It wasn't often that I got to learn about Thalia's past. A part of me was happy she felt so comfortable telling me. The other part was just plain surprised.
"So I eventually just cut my hair really short and dyed it black. It wasn't a crazy change, but it was definitely enough to get people off my back. Then, of course, I met Luke and Annabeth and you know how that story ends," Thalia blew a raspberry and made an exploding gesture. "Tree Thalia."
"Tree Thalia," I agreed, fumbling over what to say, "Well…I like it. I think it suits you. You look less like a punk rocker and more like someone going through a phase."
"It isn't just a phase, mom," She said in an exaggerated tone, before giving me a sincere smile. "But, thanks. I, uh, kind of like how it looks right now too."
"Shoot," I glanced at the clock in the burrito shop. "I have to pick Malcolm up from school. This was awesome though. You should show me some more of your favorite food spots at camp sometime."
"It's a plan," Thalia smiled brightly at me. "I'll see you around, then."
Luckily, my lunch with Thalia hadn't gotten in the way of me picking up Malcolm from school. Which was surprising, since, for starters, the school was all the way by the lake.
It had the same, old-timey feel as some of the cabins found in the nearby woods, with warm wood paneling and large windows that let in streams of sunlight. The roof was made of shingles, and chimneys rose from either end, giving the school a cozy, homey feel.
As I approached the school, I was greeted by a wooden sign that read "Cedar Grove Academy." The entrance was a large, wooden door with brass handles that led into a spacious lobby with a fireplace crackling in the corner.
The school was surrounded by lush greenery, and the air was filled with the sounds of nature, which meant that nature spirits around camp were happy- a good sign. When they weren't happy…well…. you'd hear from them, alright.
They'd get downright malicious from time to time, if the situation called for it. You could end up like Connor Stoll after the famous 'litterbug' incident last summer and crawl into bed one night to find your sheets filled with centipedes and mud.
I was shaken out of my thoughts as a bunch of kids came running out. It was easy to identify Malcolm- he was the one with the bird on his shoulder after all.
I wish I could've taken a picture of the moment- his eyes lit up as he spotted me and ran towards the door, backpack bouncing behind him and Alcyone holding on for dear life.
"Percy!" he exclaimed, as he threw himself into my arms. I hugged him tightly, feeling a wave of love wash over me. "You're back!"
"Hey buddy," I grinned, ruffling his hair and setting him on my shoulders. "How was your day?"
Malcolm launched into a non-stop account of all the things he did, from his math lesson to recess to show-and-tell, where he got to bring in his lucky sweater. His words were tumbling out faster than I could keep up, but I didn't mind. I loved hearing about his day and seeing the world through his eyes.
As I walked him back to his cabin, I felt grateful for this moment and all the moments to come. With the craziness of the world, and the bad days to come ahead, being able to do the little stuff like pick up my Malcolm from school was a reminder that there was a whole lot of good stuff, too.
And as he begged me to come to play some chess with him, I made a vow to do some research that night- I wasn't letting him die. No way.
Malcolm and I spent the whole day together. He showed me around the new camp library, where we checked out some books for him and got to see a puppet show reenactment of Theseus slaying the Minotaur. I rented out a canoe for us and we hit Long Island Sound, spending the day fishing and telling stories on the glittering water.
Eventually, evening time rolled around and I deposited him back in the care of his cabin so I could get some work done.
I was sitting down at the table in my cabin, pen and paper in hand. I needed to map some stuff out to see if I could maybe get some hints about where all of this originated from. Best to start from, well, the start, I guess. I put the pen to paper and began writing.
I fight Dodds. Things get weird for a bit, and my mom and I got to Montauk. I fight Bessie, find out I'm a demigod, and mom is taken in front of me.
I paused for a moment, tapping the pen against the desk restlessly.
I fall into a coma of sorts, for a few days. I wake up with the Gamer interface and meet both my dad and Hestia. My dad tells me I need to find the Lightning Bolt. Luke, for some reason, trains me relentlessly for the week before I leave. I leave camp to save mom.
I drew a circle around the first two sentences and connected it to another circle. I filled it in with: Piper is on the quest- Aphrodite's influence. Aphrodite makes a deal with me to help me save mom. I meet Hades, fight Ares, and save my mom. Dad invites me to Atlantis. I accept.
A third circle: The summer is rough. I alienate Piper. I go to Atlantis and uncover a plot. Triton reveals himself to be a traitor- not the traitor- and is my first foray into the Egyptian world.
Hm. I turned the paper over: potential leads include Triton.
Back to my drawing board, I continued: Her bond saps me of positive emotions and I find out through meeting Heket, who teaches me the basics of Egyptian magic. She helps me sever my bond with Aphrodite and tells me about the true nature of my powers- that I'm a host for the echoes of gods.
Normal high school year. I fight Prometheus and save Jason. Thalia is poisoned, I fight Luke and two Titans and survive to save the camp. Serqet intercepts me during this time and tells me I'm descended from a pharaoh. Claims Malcolm will go crazy. Julius Kane and I cross paths, and his involvement attracts Nepthys to me, who tries to tell me I'm underestimating the Egyptians.
I go back to Atlantis and win the tournament. Get Oceanus' remaining power. Present.
My story was pretty short, but listing everything out like this brought some stuff to my attention that I hadn't noticed before.
Firstly, Luke. Why in Zeus' name did he train me if he knew he was eventually going to cross paths with me and try to kill me? Why did he leave without trying to sway me, or outright fight me? At Oscorp, why didn't he show up to fight alongside Jason and Prometheus- if his goal had truly been to see me dead, a 3v1 at that stage might've actually worked. I mean, even after that, when we fought with the Titans, why did he not kill me?
I thought earlier that he did try- he certainly made it seem convincing, but now, looking back with a clear head, he didn't.
Think about it: I'm the biggest threat to the Titan regime. Two titans perished trying to fight me. Surely, under Kronos' orders, he'd want to bring my body to him, cut my head off, or do something to make sure I was actually dead, rather than leave me in the middle of a rainstorm.
Secondly- the blood of the pharaoh. If I truly had some sort of connection to the Egyptian pantheon, why was no one gunning to get me? Even Julius Kane, a self-proclaimed expert in the field, didn't seem to know who I was or how I existed. Why couldn't Triton tell? Was this why Nephthys was so obsessed with me?
I leaned forward, my elbows on the desk, and rubbed my temples. I felt a headache coming on, a pulsing pain that seemed to radiate from the back of my neck.
I had been so sure I could figure this out. I thought that, just by writing all this stuff out, I'd be able to identify some leads, but this time, I was stumped. I was more confused than before.
I put the paper aside for the moment, turning my attention elsewhere: my defeat against Zeus earlier. It was weighing on my mind, not only because it was my first failed quest, but also because it had exposed some serious blindspots for me.
I was getting too used to fighting underwater. Even with my stats up, if I wanted to fight actual gods on equal ground, I needed to bolster my body even more,
I needed to hone in on some perks that I could use without attracting too much attention to myself. The Game was awesome, sure, but if I kept picking things that were cool and stuff without being easily explainable, I'd be stuck in a limbo of not being able to use them without exposing myself. I needed perks that were related to my powers.
Nodding to myself, I leaned back in my chair and called the Game forward. The perk tree, now so massive it was as wide as the wall, buzzed to life. My eyes got lost in the rows upon rows of icons that filled the screen, each one representing a different branch of perks.
I approached the screen, my finger hovering over the tree. I started browsing, my eyes flicking from icon to icon. Some of the perks were flashy and attention-grabbing, with bright colors and bold animations. Others were more subtle, offering small but meaningful powers.
At the top of the screen, there was a newfound search bar, which I immediately pounced on, typing in: hurricane.
A few interesting-looking perks showed up: [Hurricane Hands], [Wind Walker], [Calm Before the Storm], [Storm Surge], and [Typhonic Destruction].
Now, at this point, I still had 38 perk points, so I was feeling like a big spender.
I ended up purchasing [Typhonic Destruction] and [Wind Walker], two perks that I figured worked well together:
[ACTIVE][WIS]-[Typhonic Destruction]-[LV: 1]-[PROG: 0%]
|| When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about. ||
|| This perk allows the user to summon a hurricane at any desired location, creating a vortex that can drag enemies toward the center while growing up to eight times its size, when created with extra mana in mind.
[MP COST]: 6000 MP/SEC!
[DMG]: [100xWIS] * [DURATION] ||
[PASSIVE][WIS]-[Wind Walker]-[LV: MAX]-[PROG: N/A]
|| Thunderstorms are as much our friends as the sunshine. ||
|| This perk allows the user to walk on the winds generated by the hurricane, allowing them to travel across dangerous terrain with ease. ||
Nothing too crazy, of course, but it would be more than helpful for situations where I needed to change the tide of a battle fast. Besides, generating hurricanes would also let me abuse my water privileges, but again, the point of all of this is to get away from the crutch.
I leaned back in my chair again, trying to rack my brain and identify other areas of my powers I could abuse without leaning into water.
I had my bases covered for water generation, mobility in water, and healing in water…what about transforming its state?
Being able to make the water turn into ice and use it offensively was something already built into my [Hyrdrokinesis]- sorry- [Molecular Hyrdokinesis] skill, so I decided I wanted to take it in another direction and see if I could build some defensive habits with it.
I ended up settling on:
[ACTIVE][WIS]-[Frozen Over]-[LV: 1]-[PROG: 0%]
|| Life is only a flicker of melted ice. ||
|| This perk allows the user to temporarily turn into a being of ice, making them immune to damage and allowing them to freeze enemies on contact.
[MP COST]: 500 MP/SEC!
[RESTRICTIONS]: Only usable for [15] seconds before the player begins to experience frostbite! ||
And…
[ACTIVE][WIS]-[Chill Out]-[LV: 1]-[PROG: 0%]
|| He who cannot put his thoughts on ice should not enter into the heat of dispute. ||
|| Reduces the damage taken by the player and slows down nearby enemies with a burst of cold air.
[MP COST]: 1000 MP!
[DMG REDUCTION]: [15%] + [DIFFERENCE IN LEVEL]% ||
Rounding off the shopping spree, I decided on some good earth-shaker-related perks:
[ACTIVE][WIS]-[Fault Line]-[LV: 1]-[PROG: 0%]
|| There can be no reconciliation without justice! ||
|| Using this perk creates a massive crack in the ground that damages and slows down enemies, as well as opens up new paths for the player to use. This effect can be triggered by generating enough force and slamming down, as well.
[MP COST]: 5000 MP/sec!
[ACTIVE][WIS]-[Seismic Wave]-[LV: 1]-[PROG: 0%]
|| All things can be conjoined… ||
|| Send a shockwave through the ground, slowing down and knocking back nearby enemies.
[MP COST]: 5000 MP/sec!
[KNOCKBACK DISTANCE]: [40 X WIS]! ||
Satisfied enough with my spending, I stood up to get ready for dinner, when an IM message- one without a caller field appeared above my desk.
"Accept," I said cautiously. When I saw who it was, I couldn't help but chuckle, "Funny. I was just thinking about you."
"Cousin," Luke didn't match my energy as he greeted me tiredly. "I hope this isn't a bad time."
AN: Another chapter in the books! Not much to say about this one, so I'll keep this sparse and get to the reviews. Thanks for the continued support! As always, leave a review or PM me if you need anything clarified!
AkashaPsihi: Thank you! I think, with this chapter, we'll hit both 1 million views and the top 10 most followed in the fandom, which is bonkers.
TheHandOfJustice: She looks different cause I like being edgy! On a real note though, that's a good point you make. I think it's important to note that even if he's better at dealing with emotion, he still feels it.
Nextitan: oops….
jchiu044: I definitely do plan on it later in the story once he's older! But yeah!
Tyufvfv: Why not both? Also, interesting theory…can I hear your reasoning behind it sometime?
Guest: Actually, you make a fair point. I kind of forgot about that whole aspect of his powers…oops…
meryfcuckery: Yep! I'll dive into it a bit more when Piper returns to the story, but it also ties into that whole spiel Percy had earlier in the story about intent. I guess, for lack of a better term, Piper's connection to her power is purer, in a sense, whereas Jason was forced into it. Dude, trust me, Percy is going to get broken in this arc.
surya25addanki: Don't worry, he won't be bogged down by restrictions. I have a nice and clever way to let him eventually use all his powers in front of everyone.
Noctis Lucius Caelum: Excellent deduction as per usual. I hope you enjoy the perks he picks up here!