Chapter 14:
A Small World After All
Percy had grown used to the Fata Morgana. Or at least, that's what he called it.
It was really hard to describe whatever was happening around this barren wasteland.
Sometimes cities, people or lakes would materialize on the horizon but the moment he got closer, to the point he could almost touch them, the mist pulled away. Revealing a cliff, a monster or a pit straight to Tartarus. For some reason those had been popping up everywhere.
Gaping black sinkholes, varying from just a meter, to football fields wide in diameter, all seemingly going down forever. The only way he was for sure they led to Tartarus was the smell they emitted. It was the kind of smell that would burn into ones mind after experiencing it once.
Often, those pits would be obscured by the mist. Disguising them as just regular land, a tree, in one weird case, a water park.
It shouldn't be a surprise to see the Mist weaponized. He had run into several Mist using monsters before but never had the landscape itself tried to kill him like this.
Or was it the Mist trying to kill him? At this point Percy wasn't even sure if it mattered. Everything, for a reason still unknown to him, wanted humanity dead.
To avoid being tricked, or wasting food and water, Percy decided to follow along the highway that separated the land in two. A red line through his journey in this weird wonderland of illusions.
It was because of this that he didn't immediately pay attention to the winged creature that appeared on the horizon.
It started as a smudge on the rising sun but grew in shape and details the more he looked at it.
The smudge on the canvas of the horizon was joined in by another figure, a smaller one.
A human shaped figure.
Still believing it to be an illusion Percy continued onward, following the road West, passing several torn down cars and trucks that had stranded here somewhere.
Percy had tried to hijack a car, multiple had still keys in them, but since these pits started appearing everywhere, he didn't trust his senses to stop himself from driving to a certain death.
However, due to the harsh sun and extreme boredom, he was starting to consider it. His feet were killing him and he was running low on Ambrosia.
Every so often his eyes would focus on the two figures on the horizon.
Like before, the lines and shades sharpened. They seemed to be flying. Or at least the winged one was.
The human shaped individual was trying to engage in a fight with it, but appeared to be stuck to the ground while the winged one hovered over it.
Even if it was real, which Percy refused to believe, he took comfort in his own invisibility. He had no idea what the two figures could be, but at least he could keep himself out of it.
His invisibility was his shield. Something that kept him safe, a way Annabeth kept him safe.
It reminded him of the Death Mist, except this time the world around him was twisted.
Despite trying to detach himself from the weird stuff happening between the two shadows he couldn't keep them out of his head.
The fight on the horizon continued for far longer than he'd anticipated. Most of the illusions shattered or faded the moment he stopped paying attention to them but this one remained. The desert was persistent, Percy had to admit that. But so was his resolve to keep moving.
There wasn't much else he could do except moving forward.
The figures grew larger and larger. The details of their battles were no longer confined to shadows as they struck and lashed out at each other.
The human seemed to be just that. A person. But the winged creature was something completely else.
For one, it had a long, dragon-like body. But it also had wings and a human torso, or so Percy thought.
The figures were going extremly fast and he couldn't pin them down exactly as they, at times, almost seemed to teleport across the horizon.
The winged figure had 2 swords while the other one, the human, had something that vaguely resembled a long sword. But it had the wrong shape. Too blunt.
The human hit the winged creature. Taking what appeared to be a giant leap. His weapon connected with the winged creature's body. A loud, dry explosion crashed across the desert and the shape grew bigger.
In that instance time began to slow down. Percy's eyes widened as he realized the thing was coming his way.
Without wasting another second Percy began to run. Hoping to create enough distance between himself and that thing, to avoid being crushed when it landed.
His feet pushed off against the dry asphalt with every step, trying to cross as much distance as possible with every step he took.
He briefly turned his head around and saw that the figure was speeding towards him way too fast. There was no way he could escape the damage its descent would undeniably cause.
It was big, way bigger than he was. And it looked heavy as well.
In that split second Percy wondered if this was how he was going to die. Not by any of the dead traps, nor by any of the gods. Instead he would die alone in the desert, crushed underneath a monster by accident.
Just before the monster crashed into the ground the wings on its back spread wide open, causing it to block out the horizon with its huge dragon wings.
Percy was almost blown away by the shockwave this sudden movement caused. But he had readied himself just in time to remain standing.
The monster's momentum completely stopped and it hovered in the air, only a meter above the ground where it would have crashed.
Its wings moved up and down, at first uncertain and clearly troubled but after a couple seconds it seemed they found their confidence again.
Percy did not move a single muscle.
He held his breath, not wanting to make a single sound that could alert the monster of his presence. His heart sounded like it was trying to tear through his ribs, and he feared everyone else could hear it.
He recognized the monster. Now, up close, just a small part of her body was enough to terrify him.
Thankfully she wasn't looking in his direction.
The human figure came into view, walking towards them as if he materialized right on the spot. Maybe he had.
He didn't even look winded in the slightest.
Percy remained frozen on the spot. As if one horrible monster wasn't enough cruelty, he recognized the man as well.
Or, if you could even call him that.
It was the club, what he thought to be an oddly shaped sword, was in actuality a wooden club. He should have known it.
The former demigod, Herakles, walked towards Kampê. His wooden oversized club was dragged over the ground, tearing open the sandstone foundation. Kampê seemed nervous, despite not being able to see her face he could see her body subtly stiffening as the god didn't slow down his approach.
Herakles didn't show any emotion on his face. No- there was an expression, but it wasn't one he expected from the god. His black eyes stared at the monster without any hatred or joy. No sense of excitement or dread was found. Only apathy. Herakles looked like he truly didn't care about what he was doing.
So many questions raced through Percy's mind. But like before, none of them were answered.
For now, he remained still and didn't move an inch. Silently wondering what circumstances caused Herakles to fight Kampê.
Did that mean the gods changed again?
Herakles was wearing what looked to be redstained suit, givinh him the apperance he had taken a casual murder spree after a business meeting. It would be funny if Herakles' eyes held any emotion at all. But instead, his careless gaze made him look somehow scarrier.
What was going on?
Suddenly Kampê moved forward. Her entire body was like a freight train and it sped towards Herakles. She was using her wings to gain speed, flying parallel to the ground.
The god didn't break his stride and kept walking, dragging his weapon in complete silence. Kampê meanwhile unleashed a roar as she charged. Revealing two shining green scimitars in her hands. Her cry became louder and more desperate as she came closer.
Herakles didn't do so much as blink. Instead he slowly lifted his club while the monstrosity came closer.
And then it came down.
It generated a shockwave that exploded in all directions. Stirring up plumes of sand and clouding the entire area in an orange color. The air crackled with energy as wind blew past Percy.
The grains of sand scraped past his skin, his bare lips and tried to crawl its way into his eyes but he kept them tightly shut.
His bare arms felt the sand blow past his flesh, scraping against it like a tiny chainsaw.
Despite this he lifted his right arm and pressed the invisibility cap against his head to prevent it from being blown away.
As quick as the sandstorm had been swept up it started to settle. Percy, carefully, opened his eyes.
Plumes of sand hung low above the ground, blanketing the entire area in a yellow mist.
The monster was lying in the middle of a newly created crater.
Kampê had seen better days. The scales on her skin were coming off, a black liquid was leaking from a big wound on her side. Her left wing was completely mangled, twisted like a paper crane.
The horrible monster was down.
Percy, silently, krept closer. Having trouble processing what just happened.
Did Herakles really just slay a monster? Were they back to their old ways? Was this good news?
For a brief moment Percy considered revealing himself.
Herakles stood on the edge of the crater, close to Percy. He was breathing heavily. This time the immortal didn't look nearly as perfect as before.
But there was no smug look on his face. No arrogance or cruelty. Again, just cold apathy.
What was going on?
Herakles stepped closer to the dragon lady. Stepping over her reptile-like legs and getting closer to her human head.
Percy noticed Kampê's fingers twitching, as if grasping for something. Her scimitar was still lying next to her, its edge still as poisonous as ever.
Both Kampê and Herakles were still completely unaware of his presence. Percy felt more like a ghost than ever at that moment. A silent bystander witnessing the end of the world.
Herakles slowly lifted his wooden club for another strike.
Kampê's hand slid towards the scimitar.
A sensation built up inside Percy. Something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Without realizing it he had taken out Riptide.
Percy took a deep sigh.
And the ancient weapon struck.
A/N Hey, look at that. Exactly one month since the last chapter. I am sorry for updating this sporadically but I have like 6 writing projects going on at any time, so yeah. But hey, you are still sticking around with this story.
But hey, happy new Year! Hope 2022 will at least have more alligators for all of us.
So yeah. Here's a chapter. 2.000 words almost. I probably could update more frequently if I did shorter chapters, what you guys think?
Actually, are you all liking this story in the slightest? I know it can be a bit depressing at times but hey, at least the real world is a happy place.
So yeah, leave reviews. Favorite and all that other stuff.
Cya next year!
-CaptainMoonShine-
(Reviews)
Silver Jojo:
As always, very grimdark, Percy desperately trying to see and still thinking he can fix this like he did his adventures is truly tragic, but know he knows that nothing will ever work again, the only thing keeping him going is trying to find the reason why and get some sort of satisfaction before he dies... One wonders how if the Gods saw his fire, they didn't immediately kill him, and Hestia conveniently appearing, almost like they want him alive to find out, we can't truly tell if Hestia is telling the truth or not…
A: I like the idea that this adventure, is completely different. No More Heroes, get it?
Alice Fairchild:
So we're finally getting some answers. Still I AM excited as to what comes next. Is Percy gonna give up now? Or will he keep going? Also what about the other God Pantheons like that of the Egyptians or Norse? I always believed that the pantheon of Gods kept each other in check, even if they try not to interfere with each other too much. At least that's how it's supposed to be in Rick Riordan's world.
A: I feel like I answered that question of yours to some extent. Though I'll try to make it more clear in the coming chapters.