Chapter 5: MasterChef-Demigod Edition.
In a move Percy had seen many times before, Thalia grabbed her spray can and turned it into her spear. She pointed it menacingly at the old man, who didn't flinch in the least.
"You better explain yourself, old man," she snapped.
Behind the bars, the monster snapped its bony jaws shut.
"I understand your confusion," the old man's voice said. "The creature behind the bars is a leucrota. It has the ability to imitate human voices. This is how it attracts its prey."
Percy and Luke looked at the monster, but Thalia didn't look away from the man, nor did she lower her spear from him.
"But... the voice is yours?" Luke asked, looking at the man and then at the monster. "I mean, the guy in the snake suit."
"That's right," the monster said in an old man's voice, then sighed sadly. "My name is Halcyon Green, son of Apollo. This is my curse. And you three are in my prison."
Thalia's eyes widened in surprise, and she took a step back.
"Are you a demigod?"
A sour expression crossed his face, as if he remembered something that wasn't very pleasant. No one blamed him. The life of a demigod is never very good, and judging by where Halcyon lived, his was no different.
Halcyon looked down at his hands, old and wrinkled.
"Yes, I am," the leucrota said in a voice full of misery, as if he regretted saying it out loud.
"You said this place was your prison," Percy said, scanning the room. "How long have you been here?"
Halcyon shrugged nonchalantly.
"I've lost count. Years? Decades? As the days passed, I realized that the time I spend in this place does not matter. I am destined to die here."
"What? Why?" Luke asked.
Luke regretted asking, because Halcyon's face was filled with such misery that he looked like he might cry.
"I suppose you are demigods as well," the old man's voice said to the agreement of all three. "Then you must have inherited some of your parents' powers."
Hearing that, Percy made a face in annoyance. He hated his powers. Maybe it was cool to other people, but to him, it was just a reminder of who he was. And all that he had lost.
"As the son of Apollo, I was born with the curse of seeing the future," the old man continued. "My father warned me to be silent. He told me never to speak of what I saw, for it would anger the gods and upset the established order of the Sisters of Fate. But many years ago... I had to speak. I knew a little girl who was destined to die in an accident. I couldn't stand idly by when I could save her. And so I did. I saved her life by showing her the future."
The three of them looked at the old man, completely surprised. The power to see the future. To change things before they happen. Percy couldn't help but think of the things he would have done differently if he had had that ability. To save Sammy and her father from this tragedy.
To be able to save his mother that fateful night when he turned twelve.
Percy looked at Thalia and they both shared a revelation as their eyes met; this man was the False Oracle they were looking for. Although Percy didn't understand why Thalia's father had called him 'False'.
Apparently, Luke hadn't realized that fact yet, as he was immersed in the old man's story.
"I don't get it," Luke said, shaking his head. "You did a good thing. Why would that upset the gods?"
"They don't like it when mortals toy with fate," the leucrota said. "Because I dared to defy the established order, my father cursed me. He made me wear these clothes, the python skin that the Oracle of Delphi kept long ago, as a reminder that I am not an Oracle."
He opened his arms for them to see the clothes he wore.
"He made me speechless and locked me in this mansion, my childhood home, and made it my prison. Then the gods sent the leucrota to watch over me. Normally they only imitate human speech, but this one, and the many others throughout the house, are connected to my thoughts. It was Apollo's way of reminding me, forever, until the day death finally claims me, that my voice would only lead others to perdition."
The three demigods frowned as Halcyon recounted his curse. They knew the gods could be cruel and unreasonable. For seventeen years, Percy's father had ignored him, leaving him to fend for himself when he began living on the streets at twelve. And when he met a god for the first time... well, it didn't end very well for him.
And the fact that Thalia and Luke had seen their father at twelve only added to their resentment to them. But Percy didn't hate him. Strange as it may sound, he didn't hate his father. He had at first, with every cell in his body, but he had stopped a year after living on the streets because it was no use. There was no point in hating someone he had never seen.
Thinking about his father now only made him feel indifferent.
"Well, not anymore," Thalia said, her voice firm. "You've been cooped up in this place for too long. It's time for you to be free."
"She's right," Luke agreed. "This is Thalia, by the way. This is Percy, and I'm Luke. We have fought many monsters before. We can get out of here, Halcyon. We can help you."
The old man shook his head sadly.
"Call me Hal," the leucrota said. "You don't understand. As you may have noticed, you are not the first to come here. All the demigods who come think they have hope of getting out. I try to help them as much as I can, but it never works. The windows are protected by deadly curtains..."
"You mean rape curtains," Thalia growled. "The god who came up with that idea is insane."
"And the doors are heavily enchanted. They let you in, but not out."
"We noticed that too," Luke said, frustrated that his powers weren't working.
"Fighting is also impossible. Monsters cannot be harmed by any metal known to man or the gods."
To prove his point, Hal showed a dagger sheathed in his belt. He pulled it out, showing that it was made of Celestial Bronze, and walked over to the cage where the monster was.
The young demigods watched in amazement as Hal plunged his knife between the steel bars and toward the monster's head. They waited impatiently for the monster to disintegrate like all the others, but the blade pierced its head. The leucrota slammed its hooves against the bars, and Hal backed away.
"I have tried everything," the monster spoke for Hal as he sheathed his dagger. "For so many years, I have searched for a way to escape this place, but the monsters keep me from doing so. I cannot open the doors, nor the curtains. The leucrota do not attack me, but they do attack those who come to this place."
"Then why did you bring us to this place?" Thalia asked. "Why did you save us down there when you could have left us to die?"
"Perhaps I have given up trying to escape, but I always give others the chance to try, no matter how futile the effort."
Hal walked over and sat down on his bed. His posture reflected his resignation. His shoulders were slumped, and his eyes were cold and defeated.
"Leucrota like to eat in the evening," Hal reported, not looking at them. "When the sun dips below the horizon, the bars will rise. The monsters will drag you somewhere and kill you. There is no escape."
"No," Luke said. "I will not give up. And I will not die in this forgotten place."
"We agree on that," Percy grunted.
Without fear, he approached the cage and looked at the leucrota. His green eyes met the beast's red eyes, where he saw only a basic instinct that every living thing possesses: hunger. The leucrota slammed its hooves against the bars of the fence, and Percy took the opportunity to grab one of the monster's legs and reach for it. The leucrota growled in surprise, but any action it might have taken was instantly snuffed out as Percy drew his knife and plunged it into the beast's head.
Everyone watched in surprise as the beast disappeared in an explosion of golden dust.
Hal's eyes widened as he watched. He quickly opened his mouth to speak, but no voice came out. Then he realized there was no leucrota to convey his thoughts.
"Percy, how did...?" Thalia murmured.
"I had a hunch," he replied, looking down at his knife. "He said that no metal known to man or the gods could harm them. So I thought maybe a weapon made from a monster could do it. To kill a monster, you need another monster."
The silence in the room was broken by Thalia's cry of euphoria as she quickly approached Percy and hugged him.
"Percy, that was awesome!" she cried.
Percy went completely still, as if Thalia had given him an electric shock, which was very likely since Thalia lost control of her powers when her emotions overwhelmed her. He tried his best not to blush, but failed miserably when she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Dude, that was definitely way cooler than getting punched in the face by a magical goat," Luke said, smiling and putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I have my moments," he said as Thalia pulled away from him.
Hal still looked at him in astonishment, unable to say anything because he couldn't. He quickly looked around for a way to communicate, until his eyes fell on the computer, where he quickly went and started typing.
"Do you have any more of these weapons?" Hal typed into his computer.
"Unfortunately, no," Percy replied. "I'm the only one who has a weapon taken from a monster. Thalia has a spear, but it is made of Celestial Bronze. And Luke... well, he has a trusty golf club."
"Hey, it's saved us a few times," he defended.
"What about the Minotaur horns?" Thalia asked with realization. "We can make knives out of them! And you have both horns!"
Percy's face soured.
"That would work... but I left them in the car so Sammy and Annabeth could protect themselves if they needed to."
The emotion in Thalia's face fell as she heard this.
"Shit!" she exclaimed in frustration, kicking the wall with her toe.
"That's too bad," Hal wrote. "I don't have anything here to help kill the leucrota, and I don't think you can take them all on alone."
"I've done it before," Percy said. "I lived alone on the streets for years, taking on monsters with nothing but this knife."
"Oh, no. I won't accept that," Thalia said, frowning at Percy. "If you think I'm going to let you fight a pack of those things alone, you're sorely mistaken."
"We have no choice, Thalia. My knife is the only one that can kill them."
"Well, I'm not so sure. My father wouldn't have sent me here if he knew I couldn't take on these monsters. There must be another way."
"Did your father send you here? Aren't you here for the treasure?" Hal asked, typing fast on his computer.
"Yes, he did. I am on a mission. And what do you mean by treasure?"
Hal stood up and opened his cupboard. It was filled with supplies of various kinds: coats too small for Hal, dented pieces of armor, and some bronze swords that were bent and broken.
Among all these things, some more useless than others, he began to move them around and showed that behind them, at the back of the closet, was a square metal safe.
"Can you open it?" Luke asked.
Hal shook his head.
"Do you know what's inside?" Thalia asked.
Again Hal shook his head.
"Then it's locked," Percy said.
Hal nodded, then drew his thumb horizontally across his neck. Universal sign for 'death'.
"You can do something?" Thalia asked, looking at Luke.
"I'll see what I can do," he said, kneeling down in front of the safe.
He put his hands near the lock, closed his eyes and concentrated.
"Okay, this is not good," Luke said. "There's a curse on that handle. I think anyone who touches it will get spontaneous combustion."
Hal nodded grimly. Maybe that had already happened to some poor, unlucky bastard.
"If you have to touch it to be cursed, can you open it without touching it?" Percy asked.
"I can do that," Luke said. "But that is not all. There is a second trap that is more troubling."
"A second trap? Do you know what it does?"
"Poison," he replied darkly. "There is a small jar inside that is set to break when you hit the third number, whether the number is correct or not. And judging by the fact that it's still there, it's never been activated. I can try to deactivate it, but if I'm wrong, the whole place will be filled with poison, and we'll die."
"Great," Thalia said annoyed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Our best chance for survival is probably in there, and if we're wrong, we'll all die. How nice it is to be a demigod."
Percy couldn't help but agree with Thalia. Sometimes it really sucks to be a demigod.
Wait, sometimes? Delete that. Being a demigod always sucks.
He walked over to the safe and knelt down next to Luke.
"Luke," Percy said, putting a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. He looked frightened and very nervous. Percy couldn't blame him. One wrong move and they would all be dead. "This last month with you three has taught me not only to trust others, but to trust myself. So trust yourself as much as we trust you."
Imitating Percy's gesture, Thalia knelt beside Luke and placed a hand on his shoulders.
"We trust you, Luke," she said, conveying her support. "Remember, we are in this together."
Luke watched the confident looks both Percy and Thalia gave him and was touched by their faith in him. There was no way he could let them down if they believed in him so much.
He nodded and smiled at them both.
"Together."
Hal stepped behind them and nodded. His eyes were no longer sad, and there was a little spark in them that he hadn't had before. It seemed that the old demigod still had some fight left in him.
Luke closed his eyes and concentrated on the safe. He touched the padlock and got to work. For the next few seconds, he could almost hear the hearts beating in the room. Percy felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead, but he didn't take his eyes off the safe.
After what seemed like the most tense seconds of his entire life, the switch made an audible click, causing Thalia to jump slightly. When nothing happened, everyone breathed an audible sigh of relief.
"I think I just lost a few years of my life," Percy muttered.
Slowly, without touching the handlebars, Luke opened the door with his fingertips and pulled out a vial of green liquid.
"Is that all?" Thalia asked, the disappointment in her voice almost palpable.
She reached in and pulled out a bracelet made of a series of polished silver loops. Although it did not look like much, it looked like something Thalia would wear.
"It looks good on you," Percy commented.
"You think?" she asked, striking a pose.
"Complements your punk outfit."
"I don't see how it's going to help us deal with the leucrota," Luke said.
Hal clapped his hands, getting the attention of all three. He started gesturing with his hands, but when he realized he couldn't communicate, he got frustrated and walked over to his desk, where he quickly started typing.
"It's you! You found the treasure! I cannot believe it! That vault has been locked since before I was born! Apollo told me that my curse would end when the owner of the treasure claimed it! If you are the owner..."
The three quickly read what he had written. It helped a little that the letters were large to make them easier to read, as their dyslexia made it a little difficult for them to read.
"But I did not come to this place to claim any treasure," Thalia said, looking at her new bracelet. "I came to fulfill a mission my father had entrusted to me."
"And what was your mission?" Hal asked from his computer.
"I was to free the False Oracle from his torment."
Hal's eyes widened in surprise.
"The False Oracle? You mean...?"
"Exactly. We have come to free you."
Hal looked at the three in utter disbelief, unable to believe his words. He looked down at his wrinkled hands, which were shaking. Whether it was from excitement or fear, Percy didn't know.
"Wait," Percy interrupted. "Thalia's father wanted us to free the False Oracle. And you, who I assume is the False Oracle, were told that your curse would end when the owner claimed what's in that safe... Does that mean we've completed the mission?"
The sound of hooves hitting the floor of the hallway was heard. Causing everyone to go into a state of alert.
Luke scowled at the door, then looked at Hal.
"You got your voice back?" he asked.
Hal opened his mouth but made no sound. His shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"Maybe our parents said we had to save you from this place," Thalia said. She looked at the bracelet on her wrist. "This bracelet must be the answer. It's strange that it is so protected and does nothing."
"It's made of silver," Hal wrote. "Even if it becomes some kind of weapon, the leucrotes cannot be hurt by any metal. Only your friend's knife can hurt them."
"Then we'll have to find something else," Luke said, not losing hope. "There must be something else. Hal, lend me your computer."
Hal seemed reluctant, but he gave him the place. Percy had his doubts about finding anything on the Internet that could help them kill mythological monsters, but he didn't want to dash what little hope they already had.
Luke started typing in a Google search, and Thalia studied her new bracelet more closely. She had tried everything from hitting it, to fumbling with it, to making stupid poses while screaming her father's name. If it was another time, when their lives weren't in danger, Percy would have made fun of her.
Percy needed to relax a little, maybe see things from a different perspective. He walked into the bathroom, where he turned the knob, so the water ran down the sink. He poured some water between his hands and washed his face. He massaged between his eyes and down his neck. The water had always relaxed and invigorated him. Thinking about what he could do with the water, he wondered if he could do anything. Maybe he could flood the place and kill all the monsters, but his friends would be affected as well.
As he looked through the open bathroom door at Luke impatiently typing on the computer and Thalia annoyed at the bracelet, he wondered if this was where they would die. Being eaten by monsters while Sammy and Annabeth waited for them in their car.
The thought infuriated him beyond measure. Why the hell was he even in this place? For some stupid mission of Thalia's to prove to her father that she was worthy? To prove herself to the gods? What a stupid thing. The gods had never helped him in his miserable life, so why should he do something to prove himself to them?
He splashed water on his face again to calm his rising anger. No. This wasn't about him, it was about Thalia, and he had decided to help her. She and Luke had been with him on many occasions of life and death. They hadn't abandoned him then, and he wouldn't now.
But what could they do? Percy was the only one with a weapon to take on the monsters. Thalia's spear was useless, as was Luke's golf club. Thalia could call down lightning from the sky, but they were in a house. She could burn the place down. Luke had no offensive power. And Hal...
"Wait a minute," Percy said, looking at his tired reflection in the bathroom mirror. His eyes widened and the green in them sparkled. "That's it!"
His yell caught the attention of his friends and the old man. He left the room and walked over to the old man and put his arms on his shoulders.
"You can see the future, right?" Percy asked excitedly. "That means you can find a way to escape this place!"
Understanding came to Thalia and Luke's eyes, and they looked at Hal expectantly.
Hal slowly slipped out of Percy's arms and walked over to his computer, where he began typing.
"It's too dangerous. You know what happened the last time I used my gift. The gods might get even more angry."
"Fuck the gods. What's the worst they could do to you? You have lived in this place for too many years. Mourning, suffering and falling into misery. That time, you ignored the gods' warning and saved the girl because you knew it was the right thing to do. You knew she did not deserve that fate. Now you have the opportunity to do the right thing again and show the Gods that they are not the ones who control your life."
Hal met Percy's eyes. And there he saw unwavering determination. His green eyes sparkled with life, showing no sign of defeat or surrender.
"'The power to believe in yourself can be the power to change your destiny'. Someone once told me that. If you don't like your future, change it! Do not let those above you subjugate you. And if they want to kill you for it, then die proudly with your head held high."
Hal looked at the clock, sunset was approaching. There were only a few hours left. Percy could see the internal debate the old demigod was having. He had lived in despair for too many years. Now the young demigods could only hope that the old demigod had not given up, that he still had the fighting spirit that all demigods possessed.
The old man squeezed his wrinkled hands and came to a decision.
"You are right," Hal wrote. "I have been a cowardly old man. For years, I have lived in fear of what the gods would do, but they cannot punish me with anything worse than this. If I am to die, I will do so with honor, doing what I believe is right. Perhaps this curse I have can be a blessing to others. Thalia, give me your hands."
"Why me?" Thalia asked, a little hesitant. "Why not Percy? It was his idea."
"You are the one Zeus sent. This is your quest. Your success is everyone's success."
A little more convinced, Thalia put her hands on Hal's. The old man closed his eyes and concentrated. He frowned and shivered. After a few seconds, he let out a long breath. When he opened his eyes, everyone saw his eyes glow for a second, as if he had green lights. He looked at Thalia and gave her a comforting smile. He turned to his computer and began typing slowly while the others stood by.
"Thalia Grace, your destiny is to survive tonight," Hal wrote.
Thalia's eyes widened in surprise, as did Percy's. It was the first time he knew her last name, Thalia had never told him. He knew that Luke's last name was 'Castellan', Annabeth's was 'Chase' and Sammy's was 'Walker', but Thalia had never told him her last name. Maybe because she didn't like it. Or because she didn't want to remember what it meant. Percy understood the latter very well. Because he hadn't told anyone his real name either, not even Sammy.
"How do you know my...?" Thalia inquired, but her surprise quickly turned to annoyance. "Did you know? Never mind, I don't want to know. The important thing is that I won't die tonight, but... why do you look so sad?"
"What lies ahead is not pretty, dear," Hal wrote. "Your name will be known, both in the Greek world and in the mortal world. You will be hailed as the most powerful demigoddess and your name will live on in history, but... your suffering will be as great as your deeds. You will live years of loneliness, pain, remorse, and guilt. Your path will be sad and very lonely. But one day you will regain the precious thing you thought you had lost, and you will find happiness."
Percy could see the obvious conflict in Thalia's face. Surprise, fear, anxiety. And when she read that last part, he saw a little hope in her eyes.
She clenched her fists and took a long breath.
"That's... good?" Thalia asked, confused.
"Sorry, I can't control what I see," Hal wrote. "I only see what is most prominent in your future."
Judging by the sour look on Thalia's face, she didn't like the fact that her future looked so bleak, even though he told her that she would find happiness one day.
"Hal, there must be something else," Luke said hopefully. "You told us Thalia would survive. Do you know how she's going to do it? Is it something to do with her bracelet?"
Hal shook his head slowly. Sadly, he went back to his computer to type.
"I didn't see anything about the bracelet. I'm sorry."
Percy tried not to be depressed, but he didn't have time for that when Hal held out his hands in Luke's direction. It was his turn, and judging by the frightened look on his face, he didn't seem too happy about it. But he pushed his doubts aside and gave him his hands.
Hal took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Just as he had done with Thalia, he flinched visibly, and his brow furrowed again. When he opened his eyes, he looked at Luke with sadness and pity. It almost seemed as if he felt sorry for him.
When he turned to his computer, he hesitated to type, but after a few seconds he did.
"Luke Castellan, you too are destined to survive tonight and for years to come. You will live a long life, longer than any demigod I have ever seen. Your life will be that of a true hero, and the meaning of that. You will be a guardian, a protector of that which is the hope of all demigods. And your life will be an inspiration to others."
Luke looked at him in shock. He had turned pale as he read about his future.
"Wow, finally some good news," Luke said somewhat relieved. "Anything about how we survive tonight?"
Hall nodded.
"I saw fire."
Luke found himself lost in thought, even striking the same thoughtful pose as Percy, with his hand cupping his chin and staring up at the ceiling. After about a minute of thinking, a smile spread across his face.
"I know that look," Thalia said. "You have an idea."
Luke smiled knowingly at her. Then he turned to Hal.
"Leave the computer to me," Luke said. He sat down at the computer, opened a new browser window, typed in what he wanted to search for, and his article promptly appeared.
Thalia and Percy looked over Luke's shoulder, one on each side.
"Luke, that would be perfect!" Thalia said.
"But how can we do this?" Percy asked. "I don't think we can find the recipe on the Internet."
"Maybe Yahoo Answers?"
"I don't know," Luke admitted. "I don't know of any way we can get it."
Hal's face seemed to light up at what was on the computer screen. He rapped his knuckles on the desk to get the young demigods' attention and pointed to the bookshelves.
"Ancient history books," Thalia deduced. "Hall is right. They are very old books. There is a chance to find the formula we are looking for."
The four demigods quickly searched the books on the shelves. Percy swore that he had never read a book with such speed and enthusiasm. Perhaps it was because his life and the lives of his friends depended on it.
Hal seemed just as excited, his eyes had a very youthful sparkle to them, very different from the dead eyes he had when they met. Indeed, it was thanks to the old demigod that they found what they were looking for. When he found the page, the old man would have screamed with joy if he could have. Instead, he did a triumphant dance similar to the rain dance.
"This is it!" Luke said excitedly as he looked at the ingredients in the book. "The recipe for making Greek fire. We have everything we need in this room, all we need is... a catalyst. We need lightning!"
All three men looked at Thalia at the same time, who shifted uncomfortably under their watchful gaze. She even looked a little embarrassed.
Percy found it cute.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "The last time I did this..."
"You saved my life," Percy said. "You saved us all."
"And you will again," Luke said. "I will prepare the mixture. When it's ready, there's a satellite dish under the computer. You need to summon a bolt of lightning over the house and run it through the wires to here."
"I could burn the whole house down," Thalia said.
"That will happen anyway if you succeed in making the Greek fire," Hal wrote. "Are you sure about that?"
"It's not like we have many other options," Percy said. "Let's do this."
As Thalia and Luke prepared the mixture in the kitchen, Hal, sitting in front of the computer, looked at Percy and held out his hands. Percy got the message. Hal wanted to see his future.
"Why?" He asked. "We already have a way to fight our way out of this. I don't think there's anything more important in my future."
"It's best to be cautious in these situations," Hal wrote. "Perhaps I can see a safer way for everyone to survive tonight."
Percy looked at Hal's wrinkled hands. He was reluctant to try the prophecy thing. The demigod's dreams had caused him enough stress, he didn't need a prophecy about his future. But maybe the old demigod was right. Maybe there was another way to do things, a less dangerous way. And he would curse himself if he hadn't taken a different path, one that was better for everyone.
Pushing his doubts aside, Percy took Hal's hands. The old man closed his eyes and focused. He began to take long breaths and his hands began to sweat and shake. Percy had to resist the urge to push them away as Hal tightened his grip. Finally, his eyes snapped open and he looked at Percy in obvious surprise.
"What? What did you see?"
Hal turned to the computer and typed.
"Perseus Jackmnbbbbbbbbb..."
Hal looked at Percy curiously as he slammed his hand down on the keyboard, stopping him from typing.
"I've given up on that name," Percy said, his voice cold and hard. He scowled at Hal. "I'm just 'Percy' now. That's my name. Now, what have you seen?"
"Nothing good, I'm afraid," Hal wrote ruefully. "Your future is the darkest and most painful of the three... and of those that I have ever seen. Soon you will sacrifice yourself to save your friends. It is difficult to describe, for I have seen only endless darkness. You will not die, but you will not be fully alive, and your soul will not find peace. On your shoulders, my boy, rests the future of those like you. In your blood is salvation, but your body is the temple of damnation."
Percy frowned deeply as he finished reading. He felt like punching the screen, or maybe Hal for being so cryptic about his future. What the hell was that about him not dying but not living? His soul will not be at peace? Will he become some kind of haunted ghost? But what caught his attention the most was the fact that he will sacrifice himself to save his friends. Is that how he will die? But Hal said he wouldn't be completely dead.
"Fuck!" Percy shouted, pounding on the desk and getting his friends' attention.
Thalia slowly approached him.
"Percy, are you okay?" she asked, concern in her eyes. She looked at the computer, then at Hal, "He told you about your future, right? What was it?"
Before Thalia could read what was written, he hit the delete button.
"It's nothing," he said, then looked at Hal, daring him to say otherwise. "He just told me he couldn't find any other solution but Greek fire, right?"
Hal just nodded slowly.
Thalia looked at them both, not believing his words. Percy just hoped that she wouldn't ask him about his future, because even he didn't know how to explain it properly, because he was too confused.
"Guys, I'm done!" Luke said and approached them, but stopped when he felt the tense atmosphere. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," Percy said quickly. "Is that Greek fire?"
Luke had what looked like a jam jar containing some kind of thick, dark liquid. It seemed to be some kind of hellhound vomit, or something the Minotaur would shit when it had diarrhea.
"Are you sure this will work?" Thalia asked, studying the vial.
"There's only one way to find out," Luke said, handing the vial to Thalia. "It needs a little spark. The glass will prevent it from exploding before it breaks the vial."
Thalia didn't seem very enthusiastic.
"I'll try," she said, not entirely convinced by the idea. "I need to pull some wires out of the wall. And to summon the lightning, I need to concentrate for a few moments. You might want to stand back a bit. Just in case... You know, just in case it blows up."
As Thalia began to fiddle with the wires under the computer desk, Hal grabbed an old green-bound book and motioned for the two boys to follow him.
Outside the door they had entered, Hal opened the book and began writing with a pen he took from his jacket.
"Now I am certain that it is you who will end my curse. I think I finally understand why I'm cursed. Apollo was right. Sometimes it is better for the future to remain a mystery."
He gave Percy a pitiful look, as if those last few lines were meant for him.
He pulled out the Celestial Bronze dagger from his belt and held it out to Luke.
"I can't," Luke said. "I mean, I appreciate it, but Percy's the one with the knives. I prefer the swords. Besides, you're coming with us. You need a weapon."
Hal shook his head and handed Luke the dagger.
"It was a gift from the girl I rescued," he wrote in his book. "She promised me the dagger would always protect its owner."
Percy didn't want to say how ironic that sounded, given Hal's curse.
"Keep it," he wrote on. "It will be far more useful to you than to me. I'll feel better knowing you have it."
Hal looked at the two teenagers, resolution in his old green eyes. And they understood what he meant.
"No," Luke said, his voice a little raspy. "We're all getting out of here."
"Exactly," Percy agreed. "That's what we're here for. To set you free."
Hal looked at Percy with a sad smile.
"Believe me, my boy. You have freed me from my torment. Besides, we know it is impossible to escape without someone distracting them. I can communicate with the leucrota. When the gates open, a panel will open where more of these monsters will enter. I'll lure them into the bathroom while you hide in the closet. These seconds before the explosion will be crucial."
"I... I can't let you sacrifice yourself for us," Luke said weakly.
A sympathetic expression appeared on Hal's face. As if he found Luke's words touching.
"Today will be the day I do the right thing again," Hal wrote. "The day I redeem myself. The day my curse finally ends."
Before either Luke or Percy could object, thunder shook the walls of the house. From under the desk came the audible sound of sparks, followed by a small explosion on the computer screen, where the glass shattered. Black smoke billowed from the CPU and a burning smell filled the room.
Thalia stood up with a smug smile, as if to say, 'Too easy'. The wall behind her was shattered and blackened. In Thalia's hands, the bottle of Greek fire glowed a greenish hue.
"Greek fire supply," she said. "Please keep it away from children."
Just then, the clock struck seven, and the fence bars began to rise, and at the bottom of the cage, a back panel began to rise. The monsters were coming.
The old prophet held out his hand.
"Thalia," Luke said. "Give Hal the fire."
She looked at them carefully.
"But..."
"He's made up his mind," Percy said, his voice hoarse. "Hal will help us escape."
She looked at Percy, and seeing the sadness on his face, she understood his words, and her face twisted in sadness.
"Percy, no..."
The bars of the fence creaked from the rust that was already halfway up. And under the raised back panel, red hooves were visible. In the hallway, the leucrota growled and scratched at the door.
"There's no time," Percy urged as he took Thalia's hand. "Let's go!"
Hal grabbed the vial from her hands and smiled at her. He looked at Luke and Percy and nodded to both of them.
When the three of them were in the closet, the leucrota burst into the room. From the sound of its hooves hitting the floor, they were many.
"Here!" Hal's voice was heard. One of the leucrota must have been speaking for him, but his voice sounded braver and more confident. "I caught them in the bathroom!"
As the creatures entered the bathroom. Percy grabbed Luke and Thalia's hands.
"It's now or never."
He kicked open the cabinet with a Spartan kick, and they ran out toward the cage. The panel began to close, but they didn't stop. One of the leucrotes growled at them, as if it realized it had been tricked. The leucrota lunged towards them, but didn't get far when Percy's knife flew through the air and embedded itself in the middle of its forehead.
Running, Percy grabbed his knife from the pile of gold dust and slid under the panel, followed by Thalia and Luke.
Hal's voice came from the bathroom:
"Do you know what this is, you disgusting filth from Tartarus? It will be the last thing you see before you go back to that disgusting hole you came from!"
Before the panel closed completely, the last thing they saw was the leucrota lunging at them with open jaws and Hal's voice screaming one last time:
"FOR APOLLO!"
The panel closed completely, and the mansion shook on its hinges from the explosion. By the time they got to the corridor they had come through, the place was completely engulfed in flames. The fire spread impressively over the walls and carpet. The door to Hal's room flew off its frame, and fire shot out of it like a flamethrower, burning everything it touched to ashes.
They ran to pick up the stairs they had climbed, but as they were about to descend, a group of about six leucrotes growled menacingly at them as they climbed the stairs.
"Shit!" Thalia growled. "We need to find another way out!"
"Here!" Lukas yelled.
The three demigods ran down the other side of the corridor, which looked like a tunnel of fire from the Greek flames that were rapidly spreading throughout the place. Behind them, the leucrota were in hot pursuit.
At the end of the corridor they saw a window covered with the same black curtains that were twisted by the fire that was burning them.
"Luke, go and pull the curtains aside! We're going to jump out the window!" Percy yelled. "Thalia and I will keep the Leucrotes busy!"
"Okay!"
As Luke ran to the heavy curtain and began stabbing at it with the dagger Hal had given him, Thalia and Percy stood in front of the approaching leucrotes, which already numbered more than ten and were increasing in number. Percy took his knife and Thalia took her spear. They did their best to keep the monsters at bay, but there were too many of them, and they began to overwhelm them. It was hard to fight in such close quarters, but Percy did his best. He killed every monster that came near, but for every one he killed, another one took its place. While Thalia kept them all as far away as she could, thanks to the length of her spear.
When Percy stabbed a leucrota in the head, and it exploded in a cloud of golden dust, his vision was partially blinded, and he could not see another leucrota that lunged at him, knocking him to the ground. He interposed his forearm in front of the monster's neck to keep its bony jaws from tearing his face off.
"Percy!" Thalia yelled.
She grabbed her spear and tried to stab the leucrota with it, but it passed through it like a mirage. The leucrota turned to her and growled at her. Percy used that moment to grab his knife with his other hand and stab the monster in the head, turning it into a cloud of golden dust.
Thalia helped him to his feet as Percy breathed heavily.
"There's too many of them," Percy said as he watched the other leucrotas approach.
"Damn! If only I had a weapon to fight with!"
There were eight leucrotas approaching slowly, enjoying their prey. Perhaps they liked to play with their food. However, due to the narrow corridor, they couldn't get close in large numbers as the flames ate away at the walls.
The bracelet...
"What?" Percy said, looking at the leucrota in case one of them said something.
"That voice..." Thalia said.
The bracelet. Call its name!
The realization hit Thalia. She tapped her bracelet and screamed as she held it up.
"AEGIS!"
Instantly, the bracelet expanded into a bronze disc that Percy recognized as a shield. It had intricate designs around the edge, and in the center, bathed in metal, was a face so horrible that it would be etched in the memory of anyone who saw it until the day they died. Percy had to fight the urge to scream like a child at the sight of Medusa carved into the shield. He looked away, but the memory of it seemed to burn behind his eyelids.
Thalia aimed her shield at the leucrotas, who shrieked like puppies and began to back away. Some weren't so lucky and walked straight into the flames on the walls, howling in pain as they began to burn.
But some were wiser. There were three who closed their eyes and walked slowly towards them. Thalia cursed beside him when she saw them, but Percy was too focused on the fire that had reached the ceiling and began to crumble.
"Luke! Not yet!?" Thalia yelled as she turned to see her friend grab a burning stick and scatter it across the wildly writhing curtain.
Seeing that, Percy knew he needed a few more seconds, seconds they didn't have when he saw the leucrota only a few feet away from them. The situation was desperate, and they needed a desperate move.
'I have no choice...' Percy thought.
Looking at the three approaching leucrotas with his eyes closed to avoid seeing Medusa's head on Thalia's shield, he gritted his teeth and did something he swore he would never do again unless he had no choice.
And that time was now.
He reached out his hand to the leucrota in front and concentrated. Even if it was a monster that turned to gold dust when killed, it was still a living being with flesh, bone, and... blood.
The leucrota in front visibly tensed and then abruptly its body began to spasm uncontrollably. The monster groaned in pain as, slowly, its body began to levitate, and its limbs began to twist unnaturally.
"What the hell...?" Thalia mumbled, utterly perplexed.
Percy made a thrusting motion with his hand and the leucrota in midair was brutally flung towards the other two and the other leucrotas that began to fill the flame engulfed hallway.
Out of the corner of his eye, Percy could see Thalia look at him with shock and... fear.
"Percy..."
He looked away, unable to meet her gaze. He feared she would look at him the way others had looked at him when he used that power.
At that moment, Luke parted the curtains and smashed the windows. It was a twenty-foot jump, but none of them faltered. The three of them jumped, and at that moment, the entire mansion exploded.
They landed hard on the overgrown grass with an audible groan of pain. Percy felt his eyes and throat burn as if he had drunk a bottle of acid. He coughed violently as he tried to sit up, but a little girl's scream drew his attention. At first, he thought it was Thalia, and that worried him. But it turned out to be Luke, who had just seen Medusa's face on Thalia's new shield. He quickly sneaked up behind Percy and used him as a shield.
"What the hell is that thing?" he yelled from behind Percy.
Thalia stood up and rubbed her head. She looked at her shield and then at Luke.
"It's the weapon my father promised me," she explained.
"A shield?" Percy asked doubtfully.
"He said he would give me something to protect my friends."
Percy nodded, accepting the fact. That shield could come in handy if the monsters ran away in fear when they saw it.
The three of them walked away from the burning mansion and stopped at the monument where they had met Amalthea. Thalia turned her spear back into a spray can and her shield back into the same bracelet. The three watched as the mansion burned. The bricks collapsed. The grass began to smolder. The roof collapsed and smoke rose into the dark night sky.
Percy was surprised when Thalia, who was next to him, hugged him tightly, buried her face in his chest and began to sob. Percy felt the tears soaking into his shirt, but he didn't care.
"He sacrificed himself..." she said, her voice breaking. "Why did he save us?"
"Because he felt it was the right thing to do," Percy said quietly, stroking her back in a soothing motion. "Just like he felt it was right to save that girl."
Next to him, Luke looked at the dagger Hal had given him. He looked back at the burning mansion, tears in his eyes.
"He chose to be a hero," Luke said, his voice hoarse. "The best I ever met."
Percy didn't know how long they stayed like that. Thalia cried into his chest as he comforted her, and Luke looked at the burning mansion in silence, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Percy," Luke began. "What you did at the mansion... When the leucrota cornered us..."
"I... I don't want to talk about that," Percy said, with no room for discussion.
It was selfish of him to say that, he knew it. But he didn't want to say it, not even Sammy knew, and he wanted to keep it that way.
Luke looked at him in a way Percy couldn't put his finger on.
Was he scared of what he was capable of doing?
Happy that they could survive because of what he could do?
Sad that they couldn't save Hal?
Percy also wondered if they all would have made it out alive if he had shown them what he was really capable of.
"We all have secrets," Luke said. "But even with some secrets, a friend is still a friend. Is friendship forced to tell a secret? I don't think so. I'll wait until you're ready to tell me. Isn't that what a friend would do?"
"We are your friends, Percy," Thalia said, her head still resting on Percy's chest, refusing to break their embrace.
"Guys..." Percy felt a warm sensation in his chest. It was comforting and very nice. "Thanks."
The sound of the sirens brought everyone back to reality. None of them wanted to stay there and be questioned by the police or any other authority. None of them were in the best mood to deal with mortals.
"Time to go," Percy said, gently pushing Thalia aside.
Before he left, he took one last look at the burning mansion. He promised himself that he would never forget Halcyon Green, the son of Apollo, who had sacrificed his life to save them. Luke was right. He was a hero and deserved to be remembered as such.
...
..
.
And that's all for now, dear readers.
I have to say that this chapter was difficult to write. I wanted to follow the original story of Luke Castellan's diary in The Demigod Diaries, but I also wanted to make it different in some important points, which will make more sense later.
The story is beginning to take shape and the adventures of our beloved group of demigods has just begun.
There have already been several major changes to the story, the most noticeable being the slight personality changes of some characters, such as Percy and Luke.
Luke is someone who is more optimistic and hopeful, as his reasons for hating the gods are no longer present. He has a slight dislike for mortals, but nothing too drastic. Because of that, most fans of the series will have noticed the divergence when Hal read his future. I have big plans for Luke, so stay tuned.
But the most noticeable change so far is Percy. He is someone who is very tired. Very similar to Percy in the Heroes of Olympus saga. Someone who is tired of the way he has lived and also resentful of the gods, which is one of the main reasons why he refuses to use his powers unless absolutely necessary, because it reminds him of the connection he has with the father who abandoned him.
In Thalia, we don't see the change yet, but it will happen little by little, because I see great potential in her. Potential that was wasted on the cannon. But that's just my opinion.
Tell me your thoughts and expectations for the future.
What do you think will happen?
Tell me your theories in the comments.
And since there is nothing more to say... Until next time, beautiful people!