The ocean around Percy was silent—a silence that seemed to pulse and throb in the depths. He could feel the pressure on his chest, the weight of the water pressing in on him, but he didn't feel afraid. The sea was his domain, his blood and bone. Or at least, it was supposed to be.
The memory of his conversation with his father, the argument in the Throne Room, echoed in his mind like the crashing of distant waves. Poseidon's fury had been palpable, wild and unpredictable like a storm on the open ocean. One moment, his father's eyes were brimming with fatherly love and pride, and the next, they were hard as the depths, filled with betrayal and pain.
"You would turn your back on your own family?" Poseidon's voice had boomed, echoing in the vast chamber. "Do you know what you are asking for, Percy?"
Percy had stood firm, but now, as he floated in the dark, endless void of the ocean, he felt a pang of guilt, a heavy stone sinking in his gut. He had always been so certain of his place in the world, but now…now everything felt fractured.
The gate to Poseidon's trial loomed before him—a massive stone archway carved from ancient coral, the gateway pulsing with a deep, rhythmic hum like the heartbeat of the ocean. As he approached, the waters around him seemed to tremble, vibrating with an energy that made his skin prickle. This was Poseidon's realm, and it would be a trial not just of strength, but of heart.
With a deep breath, Percy swam forward, passing through the gate. The moment he crossed the threshold, the water around him shifted, and he felt a chill creep down his spine. The temperature dropped, and the sea became darker, deeper, as if he were plunging into an abyss.
The gate closed behind him with a thunderous roar, and the ocean fell deathly silent. Percy glanced around, trying to get his bearings, but there was nothing but inky blackness in every direction. Even with his natural ability to see underwater, the darkness seemed impenetrable.
Then, slowly, shapes began to emerge from the gloom. Massive, writhing shapes.
Percy's eyes widened as he recognized the colossal forms slithering through the water. The first creature to appear was the Kraken—a monstrous, tentacled beast that seemed to stretch on forever. Its eyes glowed a sickly yellow in the darkness, and its maw was lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth.
The Kraken let out a low, rumbling growl that sent vibrations through the water, and Percy felt a chill run down his spine. He remembered this creature all too well—the sea monster he had once defeated with Medusa's head, back when he had barely known what he was doing. But now, the Kraken was larger, more terrifying, as if his own memories had given it new life.
"Great," Percy muttered under his breath. "As if one Kraken wasn't enough."
But the Kraken wasn't alone. From the shadows, other creatures began to emerge—massive, twisted abominations of the sea. A colossal eel with eyes like glowing embers, its body coiled and crackling with electric energy. A serpent with scales as black as midnight, its fangs dripping with venom that hissed and bubbled in the water.
And then there was the Leviathan.
The mere sight of the creature took Percy's breath away. The Leviathan was larger than any sea monster he had ever seen, its body stretching into the dark depths, its scales shimmering with an unnatural, iridescent light. Its eyes glowed a deep, burning crimson, and when it opened its maw, rows of jagged teeth glinted like obsidian knives.
For a moment, Percy felt the urge to flee, to turn and swim as far and as fast as he could. But he knew that wasn't an option. This was his father's trial, a test not just of strength, but of his ability to confront his fears, his doubts, and his legacy.
The monsters seemed to circle him, their movements slow and deliberate, like predators sizing up their prey. Percy tightened his grip on Riptide, his knuckles white with tension. He could feel the ocean around him vibrating with their collective power, and he knew that this battle would be unlike anything he had faced before.
"Come on, then," he muttered, his voice steady despite the fear coiling in his chest. "Let's get this over with."
The Kraken struck first. Its tentacles lashed out with lightning speed, and Percy barely had time to react. He dodged to the side, the tentacles narrowly missing him, and slashed at them with Riptide. The blade cut through one of the tentacles, and the Kraken let out a roar of pain, thrashing violently in the water.
But even as Percy landed the blow, he felt the water around him shift, and he barely had time to register the movement before the Leviathan lunged at him. Percy turned, raising Riptide just in time to block the creature's massive jaws. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the water, and Percy was thrown back, the breath knocked out of him.
"Okay," he muttered, struggling to regain his bearings. "Not a great start."
He could feel the pressure building in the water, the monsters closing in on him. The Kraken's tentacles writhed, the electric eel's body crackled with energy, and the Leviathan's eyes glowed with a malevolent hunger. Percy knew he was outnumbered, but he couldn't afford to hold back.
He reached out with his power, summoning the currents around him. The water surged at his command, swirling into a vortex that pushed the monsters back. Percy gritted his teeth, focusing all his energy on maintaining the vortex, but the effort was draining. He could feel the strain in his muscles, the exhaustion creeping in.
The Kraken let out another roar, and its tentacles lashed out again, piercing through the vortex. Percy barely had time to react before one of the tentacles wrapped around his leg, pulling him down. He slashed at it with Riptide, but the Kraken's grip was relentless, tightening with each passing second.
"Let go!" Percy shouted, struggling to free himself. But the Kraken's hold only tightened, and he could feel the pressure building in his chest as his lungs screamed for air.
For a moment, Percy felt a wave of panic rising, threatening to overwhelm him. The memories of Tartarus flashed through his mind—memories of being trapped, suffocating, helpless. But he couldn't let those memories control him. He couldn't let fear win.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus, and reached deep within himself, summoning the full power of the sea. The water around him surged with a new intensity, and Percy felt a rush of energy coursing through his veins. He let out a shout, and a massive wave of water crashed into the Kraken, forcing it to release its grip.
Percy propelled himself upward, taking a moment to catch his breath. But there was no time to rest. The Leviathan was already charging at him, its jaws open wide. Percy tightened his grip on Riptide and dove towards the creature, aiming for its exposed underbelly.
The Leviathan let out a roar of fury as Percy's blade sliced through its scales, and it thrashed violently in the water. Percy barely managed to avoid the creature's tail as it whipped past him, the force of the blow sending ripples through the ocean.
But even as he landed the blow, Percy could feel his energy waning. The monsters were relentless, their attacks coming faster and harder with each passing moment. And no matter how many times he struck them down, they kept getting back up.
Percy felt a surge of frustration and anger building within him. He was the son of Poseidon, the Lord of the Sea. This was supposed to be his domain, his legacy. But here he was, struggling to hold his own against the creatures that were supposed to be under his father's control.
"Is this what you wanted, Dad?" Percy muttered under his breath, his voice laced with bitterness. "To watch me struggle? To prove that I'm not good enough?"
The monsters circled him, their eyes glowing with a predatory hunger. Percy knew that this battle wasn't just about defeating the creatures—it was about confronting his own doubts, his own insecurities. It was about proving to himself that he was more than just a pawn in the gods' games.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to center himself. The water around him seemed to hum with energy, and he felt a strange sense of calm wash over him. He wasn't just a demigod—he was the son of the sea, and the ocean was his ally.
When he opened his eyes, his gaze was steady and determined. He reached out with his power, summoning the full force of the ocean. The water surged around him, forming a massive whirlpool that enveloped the monsters. The Kraken's tentacles writhed in the vortex, the electric eel's energy crackled and sparked, and the Leviathan let out a roar of defiance.
But Percy didn't back down. He channeled all his energy into the whirlpool, forcing the monsters back. The pressure in the water intensified, and the creatures thrashed wildly, their roars echoing through the ocean.
"You want to test me?" Percy shouted, his voice echoing through the water. "Fine. But you're not going to win."
The Kraken lunged at him, its tentacles flailing wildly. Percy raised Riptide and slashed at the creature's maw, the blade cutting through its flesh. The Kraken let out a roar of pain, and Percy used the opening to dive towards its exposed underbelly, delivering a series of quick, precise strikes.
The Leviathan lunged at him from behind, its jaws snapping shut with a deafening crash. Percy barely managed to dodge the creature's attack, the force of the blow sending a shockwave through the water. He turned, facing the Leviathan head-on, and raised Riptide, his grip steady and determined.
"This ends now," he said, his voice steady and calm.
He lunged at the Leviathan, driving Riptide into the creature's chest. The Leviathan let out a final, agonized roar, its body convulsing violently before going still. Percy pulled his blade free, his breathing heavy, and turned to face the remaining monsters.
But the Kraken and the eel were already retreating, their forms fading into the darkness. Percy watched them go, a strange sense of relief washing over him. The trial wasn't over, but for now, the monsters were gone.
As the darkness around him began to fade, Percy felt a strange mix of emotions. Relief, exhaustion, bitterness, and anger—all swirling within him like the currents of the ocean. He had survived the trial, but the battle wasn't just against the monsters. It was against himself, his own doubts and fears.
And as he swam through the gate, emerging into the light, he couldn't shake the feeling that the true trial had only just begun.