PERCY'S POV(3 years later)
I block the strike aimed at my heart and parry another strike from my enemy. I move two steps away from him assessing his position as I grip my trusted weapon Riptide tighter. My breath comes out shallow but my eyes remain precise.
"Not bad sea star. But still you can't defeat me." Triton boasts his words trying to rile me up but I refuse to take the bait. But I could pretend I took the bait. With this idea I immediately leap at him with a loud cry. He raises his trident smiling smugly thinking he riled me up but before my sword could meet his trident I propelled the water to swivel me sideways as I will the charm on my bracelet to turn into a trident, it's sharp point at his neck. His eyes widen in disbelief before he laughs.
"I should have known you wouldn't fall for my bait." He says and I turn my trident back to it's charm and my sword into its pen form.
"I win. Again" I sneer arrogantly. "As always" I huff out with false arrogance before into dissolves into a carefree grin.
"Yeah yeah." He grumbles. "No need be so cheeky. It's bad enough I lose to you, just a demigod, no need to rub that off" He huffs looking like anything but the prince he is. To be frank he looks like a five year toddler rather than millinea old god.
"Oh shut up with the complains sae'bu. I was the God of swordsmanship. I know tactics." I roll my eyes and his eyes narrow.
"Exactly. You were the God of swordsmanship. Now you are just a demigod. Yet I still lose" He sulks before he looks at me softly. Almost tentatively and I know what is coming.
"Are you still getting the dreams?" He asks his eyes concerned. I shrug averting my eyes downward to the reef filled bottom, my mertail swishing.
"Sometimes. There are still many blanks in my memory. Aunt Hera and Hestia help me sort out the memories I am recovering along with sister Athena. But still there are many memories missing. And recently I am having the same dream. I am running through a forest and a girl was with me I think. I feel this intense emotion, this love before I get a sharp pain and I wake up. It's frustrating. Why are my memories so hazy? When will I receive all of them?" I say frustration creeping in my words. I know everyone knows who the girl is. But they never say it. It was always the same with them- It's best you don't know Percy. I scoff at their words. I have every right to know but everyone even the rule breaking Apollo is hell bent against the idea. Before Triton could say anything, most probably some false placatings on how everything would be fine, a guard come rushing towards us.
"Prince Perseus and Lord Triton! The King requests your presence immediately in the throne room." He says bowing. We look at each other. Father is back already? We nod at the guard dismissing him and start swimming to the throne room.
"Do you know what this is about? Father has been visiting Olympus very frequently these days and always returns in a foul mood. The storms in the southern bay are also increasing. The sky too. Are dad and uncle Zeus arguing?" I ask and hold back a sigh of frustration at his expression of hesitancy. This is another thing that's bothering me. Everyone is hiding something from me. It was like this ever since the Winter Solstice. Even mom seems to be hiding this from me.
We enter the throne room to find mom, pat'mi and pat're already present greeting us with gentle smiles. I nod at father and kiss mom and mother on cheeks in greeting. They all smiled at me the usual but their eyes held a tension that they tried to hide and I immediately became alert. I look at Triton to see him in what seems to be a mind conversation with father. I watch curiously as Triton's expression turns from indignant to anger to disbelief and then settles on defiance.
"This is ridiculous. Please tell me you are not going to do this father!! " Triton exclaims.
"Would somebody please explain to me what is happening here?" I intervene trying to be calm at their hesitancy. I wait a few seconds before talking again.
"What is happening between you and uncle Zeus?" I ask father at last.
Father sighs. "I should've known you would suspect something. Yes Perseus something has happened indeed. Zeus' master bolt has been missing. Nobody knows of this yet but even Hades' helm is missing." He reveals and I regret ever asking the question. Two of the three weapons of the elder gods missing is nothing but a huge disaster. And now I understand why the weather has been like this.
"Uncle Zeus is blaming you, isn't he?" I ask feeling a headache coming.
"Yes" Father says tiredly. "While Athena and I have been arguing that no god can steal other's weapon, he seems to have got the idea that I used a demigod to steal the bolt. " Here he looks at me. "Specifically he thinks one of my own demigod stole it." And it takes me a moment to understand the implication. My eyes widen in disbelief.
"Woah. Woah. You mean he thinks I stole it? That's ridiculous. I've not once visited Olympus let alone steal something as absurd as his weapon." I splutter at the idiocity of the situation.
"Well he doesn't blame you since he doesn't know of you. But yeah that's the gist of it. He suspects I sired a demigod and that the child helped me in stealing his bolt." He says. "And of course His Highness gave me a deadline. If the bolt is not returned by summer solstice, he will wage a war on us." He says drily with a huge amount of sarcasm that says he is doubting Zeus' sanity.
"When did Uncle Zeus become so stupid?" I exclaim and even in such a dire situation they all couldn't help but smile at my question.
"You should've seen Hera and Athena. They looked ready to strangle him then and there when he declared war." And I smile at at that. It seems like them to want to do that type of thing. Then a thought filters into my brain and my stomach churns with uneasiness.
"Pat're?" I call and chid myself at how shaky my voice sounds and he looks at me sadly and in understanding. "Does it mean it's time?" I ask my heart drumming in my ears. He nods looking pained and I sigh out shakily. Mother looks at me and father frantically and gasp as she understands.
"No!" She exclaims looking at father. "No Poseidon. I won't allow it. He is not going!!" While this is happening I look at mom my eyes pleading for advice. She smiles at me understanding. As my birth mother this life she understands me more than mother and father. She nods at me and I turn back to the argument of mother and father.
"I don't like this Amphitrite but I don't see any other option." And before mother could reply to his statement I intervene.
"I'll go mother" I say and she freezes before turning to me her eyes blazing.
"No you're not" She grits out and I sigh.
"Mother. I was given a second chance at life not to enjoy the comforts of a prince. I was born to become a hero and it's time I started my journey for that." I say firmly and saw how she breaks at that.
"But I don't want to lose you. Not again" She whispers her eyes tearing up. I felt my heart twist at her miserable expression and hug her.
"You are not going to lose me. I will come back for you. I promise." I say and she hugs me hard sobbing. After few minutes she composes herself and looks at me.
"Well then I have to pack the necessities you need. Triton come and help me." With those words both her and Triton swims out. I turn my head to father as he swims towards me and hugs me hard.
"I want nothing but to bind you and lock you in your room sea star. But I also know I couldn't do that. It is your choice and for whatever it's worth it I am proud of your decision." My throat clogs up at his sincere words and I nod. He looks at me with proud eyes before swimming out leaving me with mom.
I look at her as she comes towards me. "Do you think I made the right decision?" I ask feeling like the child I was in front of her. She doesn't say anything and hugs me. I melt into her embrace without shame and look up as she looks at me.
"When you were in my womb, always kicking me I know you'd be a fighter. And your decision just proved me that you'll be the greatest hero ever. You are ready to go save a world that owes you nothing just because you felt it was right thing. So you tell me yourself Percy. Did you do the right thing?" She asks smiling and I just hug her harder.
"I love you mom" I whisper thankful that I got such a wonderful mother.
"I love you too my son."
TIMESKIP
After two hours I am all ready and packed. There's a backpack with me containing my bracelet, a sea mirror through which I can communicate with my parents anytime. Some of our family photos, some cash, some golden drachma and of course my bow and arrow in ring form. Mother even kept some nectar and ambrosia for just in case. And for some reason she even kept my crown in there. I wore a normal blue colored tshirt and jeans with my trusty sword as a pen in my pocket. And to be frank I am excited for this. I have not stepped a foot into the mortal world since that fateful day where Triton brought us to Atlantis. I don't remember much about mortal world. Just bits and pieces like how I once drowned my classmates in a shark tank. How I bombed my bus when we visited The Grand Canyon. And of course, I think sourly. I remember my horrid step father Gabe or better yet Smelly Gabe. Mom visits the mortal world every now and then but mother is very afraid to send me. Till now. And I revise the instructions given by mother in my mind feeling amused. It's simple really. I would go near CHB. Then Uncle Hades would send few monsters after me so no one could get suspicious. I would defeat them, go to camp, get claimed, get a quest, find the bolt and helm, return it and cone back to Atlantis. And of course I have to do all this without getting a single scratch(Mother's order). I bid everyone goodbye. I get smoldered with kisses from both mother and mom. Dad suffocates me with a tight hug. Then Triton hugs me hard.
"I don't like this sea star. Not one bit. I brought you here promising myself that I would never leave you again. But you became a big boy huh? Going on all types of quests on your own." He says ruefully. "But remember this sea star. If I find you are in danger, I will come and help you. Just fuck off to the laws. I will not lose you again" He says fiercely and I hug him feeling nice at his protective nature. I bid everyone a last goodbye and start swimming upwards to start my journey as a hero.