When I opened my eyes, I knew I was in a dream.
Now, I haven't always been the brightest bulb in the box. I can admit that—but generally speaking, when you fall asleep in the lair of a millennia-old monster and wake up to the smell of cinnamon and the sound of a lyre being plucked gently, it's pretty easy to make the call.
I looked around.
I was sitting in one of those old Southern-style gazebos. The ones from around the Civil War, with white marble columns, bubbling fountains, and pretty flowers that spanned every color in the rainbow.
I vaguely remembered my Social Studies teacher telling me that the South had strategically placed all these beautiful gardens in their states to distract people from the cruelty of war.
It always rubbed me the wrong way, knowing that all those soldiers were getting exploded by cannonballs just so rich people could sit in places like this, have crumpets, and talk about the war like it was some faraway thing that no one cared about.
I turned my gaze away from the beautiful garden. In front of me, a table was set with silverware, china cups, and a steaming pot of tea whose fragrance shifted—sometimes it was cinnamon, or jasmine—other times, it was mint.
There were plates of scones, cookies, muffins, fresh butter, and jam in front of me, arranged in a little display that was in the shape of a rose. Everything looked super expensive—the kind of expensive where I didn't even want to look for too long, let alone touch.
"I'm glad you could join me," A delicate voice slipped around my senses, breaking my concentration.
A woman was sitting in front of me—when I noticed her for the first time, I forgot my name. I forgot where I was. I forgot how to speak in complete sentences.
I even forgot how to breathe.
She was wearing a white satin dress and her hair was curled in a cascade of ringlets. Her face was the most beautiful face I'd ever seen, complete with perfect makeup, dazzling eyes, and a smile that could've lit up the dark side of the moon.
Pick the most beautiful actress you can think of. The woman was ten times more beautiful than that. Pick your favorite hair color, eye color, whatever. The woman had that.
When she smiled at me, for just a moment, she kind of looked like Megan Fox. Then, like this model I used to have a crush on back in fifth grade. Then, a girl I'd seen at the train station earlier this year.
And then, well, you get the idea. She was a kaleidoscope of everything I thought I'd ever wanted.
"My name is Aphrodite," She continued, blissfully unaware of my inability to think. I took a deep breath. "You are dreaming, as I'm sure you've realized."
"Yes, my lady," I ground out. My [Gilded Tongue] perk activated in the top right of my vision. Feelings of tranquility streaked over my nervousness like markers on a whiteboard, and it felt a bit easier to breathe.
It felt less like I was talking to a celebrity and more like I was just talking to a really hot girl. Sure, my chest was still buzzing with anxiety—it felt like someone had hooked my heart up to a car battery—but the feeling was still more manageable than it'd been a few minutes ago.
Aphrodite smiled, leaning forward and gently entangling her fingers. Her features shifted again, and she looked like a younger Jennifer Connelly. My heart jumped in place a few times. "I'm sure you have questions. You've been thrust into quite the situation."
"A few," I admitted. Aphrodite smiled at me again, patiently, as she nibbled on one of the scones. She waved her hand, and pink strings spooled out of the table, rolling the plate over to me. I politely declined. "Why would you go to the Lord of the Dead for help? Piper told me a bit about her situation, but it still feels a little out of left field to go to him, and by extension, me."
"Well, that part's simple enough. Your father and I are good friends; he informed me of your quest, and I knew I could pull some strings to make Piper's path intersect with yours. Hades was the one who gave the quest, so it only seemed natural for me to ask him if she could join," Aphrodite explained, all with a small smile on her face, "There's someone after her, too, as I'm sure you know."
"But…" I trailed off. I didn't want to offend her.
"You can speak freely," Aphrodite said, still munching. "This dream is for your benefit, after all. I'm here because I feel sorry for you."
I somehow doubted that, but I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to ask my questions. "I'm pretty green, too. I've only been a demigod, well, knowingly, for two weeks. Why would you stick her with me? Like, is it really a good idea for us to travel together?"
Aphrodite's eyes gleamed. "No."
"No?" My stomach dropped all the way to my feet.
"No. It isn't a good idea," Aphrodite sighed. She gently set her teacup down. "It's a horrible idea, in fact. You're both new demigods, with virtually no experience or instinct. If you're confused and she's confused, all you'll do is slow each other down and get each other hurt. In a normal situation, I wouldn't want anything even resembling this. I'd prefer if Piper found her own way to camp, on her own time—without involving you—or anyone else for that matter. To tell you the truth, I'm not doing this because I think you're capable."
"Oh," I felt like I'd been slapped across the face.
"I'm sure you're quite capable," Aphrodite added. "But you'd need to be more than just capable to survive this. I don't mean to comment on—or believe in—you. Instead, I'm throwing my support behind your father. It's a political move. If this goes poorly, and you and Piper do end up hurt, then it'll be a lot easier for me to argue my case to the rest of the council if I have the support of your father. That's something he understands as well. I needed his permission to force this intersection, after all."
"Oh," I repeated. Nothing about the tanned man I'd met a few weeks ago screamed shrewd to me, but I figured he had a dark side, too, like most gods. Even the nice ones had their own agendas.
"Sorry," Aphrodite flashed me a dazzling smile that turned my insides into jelly. "But, for what it's worth, I believe you'll do just fine."
"Are you saying that to spare my feelings?"
Aphrodite's smile turned dangerously thin. "Is that a question you truly want an answer to, demigod?"
"Nope," I shook my head. "Well, forgive me if I overstep my bounds, here, but I find it a little hard to believe that my uncle would just accept your request out of the kindness of his heart. Not that I'm insinuating that he's a bad person—he's keeping my mother safe—but even then, he's doing that on the condition that I do something for him. See what I mean?"
"Good question. You're quite smart," Aphrodite complimented, pursing her lips and dabbing at her face with an embroidered napkin. She took great care to not smudge her lipstick. "Your uncle and I did indeed strike a deal. In return for Piper's safety, he asked me to lend him some of my expertise regarding a security matter around his palace."
"Ah," I said, a little confused, but willing to drop the matter for now. "Why is, uh, that particular person chasing Piper?"
Dream or not, I wanted to avoid saying any names.
"Well, let's just say that someone out there wants to get back at me for something. This person has no morals and would stoop to any level to do so," Aphrodite frowned. "Including killing my daughter."
"Why does he want to get back at you?"
"Ah. I assumed you would ask," The frown on her face deepened—almost as if my predictability had offended her. Like my alleged stupidity was somehow a personal offense. "Tell me, Percy, do you happen to know why most gods rebel?"
"Um, they don't like the life they were given?" I guessed. I mean, I knew I'd go crazy if I was assigned a role and expected to carry it out for all of eternity.
Funnily enough, that sort of annoyance and anger at life was a trait that I was beginning to see in demigods, too. It was all just a continuous cycle of people getting mad at their fate. Gods hated the life they were forced to live, demigods hated the responsibility they were burdened with—it felt like the only party winning in this situation were the monsters that got to fight both.
My stomach tightened with phantom pain, and I saw Luke's face in my mind's eye. Right. Even the monsters weren't living their best lives.
"Partially. I won't bore you with the double talk and riddles. When I first got to Olympus, every single male god instantly fell in love with me. They all wanted to make me their wife—Lady Hera, feeling that her godly family was about to unravel, was determined to prevent that. She ordered the other Olympians to silence themselves. As the goddess of marriage, she felt an obligation to pick the perfect husband for me and proclaimed that such a match was her son, Hephaestus," Aphrodite explained, rolling her eyes. "My husband redefines the word workaholic. I've never talked to him for more than five minutes. On top of all that, as the goddess of love, I can quite literally sense his feelings—he truly never has been and never will be capable of loving something. Well, something living, that is. All he cares about are his creations."
"Oh. Well, I'm sorry to—"
"—in a way, it's quite nice," Aphrodite continued, with an exaggerated sigh. Pink energy sizzled around a fan, and it hopped into the air. The fan unfurled and began fanning the goddess as she leaned back in her chair, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "I don't have to worry about him actually making a move on me. He'd much rather tinker in his workshop, or build automatons. That's for more interesting to him than idle conversation."
"I mean, I guess—"
"—he isn't very lustful, either, as far as I can tell. I could cut my top open in front of him and that wouldn't make a difference, and that's saying something. My breasts are perfect. Literally perfect," Aphrodite blew a raspberry and grabbed her chest. "Still, though. I am love incarnate! Trapped in a marriage with a charisma black hole. Put yourself in my shoes. After thousands and thousands of years, where do you think that left me?"
I caught my gaze before it drifted down too much. I just wanted to see what the hype was about! My cheeks burned as a smirk grew on Aphrodite's face. "So, all those myths—"
"History, young demigod, as you may find, is horribly misconstrued," Aphrodite's good humor faded instantly. Her eyes flashed dangerously and the plates on the table rattled. I reminded myself I was talking to a real goddess, here. Sure, she looked like my all-time crush, but she could turn me into a snail and pulverize me if I pushed her too far. "Mortal minds are easy to manipulate. You fools are willing to believe anything."
"What about all of your godly children? And your demigod ones?"
Aphrodite laughed. It was a light tinkling sound, like silver bells. Somehow, though, it didn't sound as relaxing as I'd expected. It felt more like a pretty tornado siren. "Percy, if Athena can make kids from her mental connection with mortals, wouldn't you agree that the goddess of love can do the same? As for my godly children, I created them myself. Once upon a time, I did have a great deal of power. I was made out of the remains of Ouranos, you know."
"Made them?"
"I am a goddess. I can create children with my power," Aphrodite explained. Her tone was airy, if not a little condescending. I felt like she saw me as nothing more than a little puppy, wagging my tail, and trying to impress someone. "Try not to think too hard about it. Godly powers can be confusing."
"So, you haven't gone around, uh," I touched my two index fingers together a few times.
"No," Aphrodite laughed, leaning into her chair. "I have not had sex with an Olympian or a mortal and I do not plan on it. It does not appeal to me."
"That…" I trailed off, unable to find the right words. "Okay, so, what, you rejected a few people, and they started telling everyone you're, um…"
"A whore? A slut? A good-for-nothing—"
"Right. Exactly. Isn't that kind of contradictory, though? If even more people are lining up to, um, ask you out, but nobody actually gets to date you, wouldn't that whole situation just kill the rumor on its own?"
"You might think so, Percy, but you must remember: there are many ways to trap an immortal," Aphrodite muttered. "The easiest is to sap away their power. Most times, the power of an immortal is linked directly to the belief in them and their respective domains."
"So, if everyone thinks you're a disloyal wife who sleeps around with other people…"
"Even if it isn't true, they have no verifying it. So, even it's little by little, they lose their faith in love. Their faith in me," Aphrodite finished for me. "With no real love in my own life and little to no support from mortals, I have but a fraction of my power. When you're powerless, you don't have much of a choice but to bend to the whims of those who are powerful, hence the need for, well, all of this. I'm doing the best I can with what I have."
"I'm…sorry to hear that."
"Are you?" Aphrodite paused for a moment, "Say, Percy, would you be open to making a deal with me?"
"A deal?" I repeated. "What kind of deal?"
"One that will benefit us both," Aphrodite shrugged. She interlaced her fingers again, her face growing more serious. "I need you to help me take care of Ares and regain my power."
I stared across the table, more confused than ever. "Didn't you just say you didn't make this deal because you believed in me? And now…you're believing in me?"
"Well, yes, in a sense, you're just my insurance. However, I have a feeling about you. A good one. On the off chance you do succeed, I want you to get Ares to permanently stop his pursuit of me," Aphrodite elaborated, and my jaw dropped. "You could do this by securing a vow on the River Styx from him."
"I...okay, before I even get into the logistics of me being able to do that, why in my uncle's name would I do that?" I questioned. "Don't take this the wrong way, but it seems dangerous for me to try to bargain with that lunatic. My best bet would be to avoid him at all costs."
"You're correct," Aphrodite raised an eyebrow, "But, I'd offer you something equally as impossible in return. I would pledge to keep your mother safe for as long as she lives."
"Well, from what?"
"Oh, come on, Percy," Aphrodite scoffed, tapping the side of her head with her index finger. Her white nails slid underneath her hair. "Where's the intelligence you were showing before? If you actually fend off Ares, you'll instantly be put on his list of enemies, a list he takes very seriously. There's no line he wouldn't cross to get his revenge on you. Your mother's death would be among the first things he would orchestrate."
"And risk my father's wrath?" I countered, "Isn't my dad, like, top honcho? Or one of them?"
"You misunderstand your father's position," Aphrodite returned softly. A devious smile formed on her face. "He could very well be angry at Ares, but ultimately, his hands would be tied. He'd be going back on his own word, the word he'd had to not let himself get involved with mortals and sire a son. Assuming he threw all caution to the wind and attacked Ares, as you said, there's no way another war would be started, over a mortal. Despite his immense power, your father would be unable to make a move, and you would be forced to take this quest for revenge alone. Not only that, but let's say you somehow gained enough power to exact your revenge on Ares. Becoming a godslayer would paint a gigantic target on your back—it would force you to constantly live your life on the run. On another note, let's not forget the monsters that would come to challenge you every time you'd go to visit her. You're only growing stronger, Percy. Pretty soon, you'll become a homing beacon for monsters. With my help, you could forget about all of that while you're with your mother."
"You're quite smart," I said, returning her words from earlier. Aphrodite smiled pleasantly at me, as if I'd just given her the best compliment she'd received in a while. "You'll believe me if I don't trust you implicitly, though. You've shown that you've got your hands in a couple of deals, so I'm not under any false impressions about how helpless you really are. Let's say I agree—how exactly are you going to guarantee that my mom is going to be safe?"
"My power right now is not as vast as it once was, I'll freely admit that. That's why, the second part of my request has to do with you," Aphrodite said. "I need you to form a bond with me."
"A bond?" I repeated, the words feeling alien in my mouth. "What kind of bond? And why?"
Aphrodite sighed softly, "Without getting into the nitty-gritty of things, I gain power from a couple of different sources, a major one being bonds that I form with other people. I don't have many bonds with loving individuals, seeing as my fellow gods tend more to care about themselves than anyone else, and the ones that do care for others, well, I'll just say that they don't care for me as much. You, on the other hand, have a great deal of love for your mother—and an immense capacity to love in general. To top it off, you'll have a beneficial attitude toward me because of the outcome of our deal."
"Boosting the strength of the bond," I finished for her. "Giving you extra power."
"You catch on fast," Aphrodite praised. She winked at me, and my brain felt like it was short-circuiting. "Once we've finalized the bond, I'd be happy to use some of that power to keep your mother from harm."
"You still haven't explained that part," I pointed out, "You're not getting this partnership out of me unless you give me the whole story."
"I would essentially bless your mother and recognize her as my family," Aphrodite explained, "That would keep monsters from attacking her, and it would warn any immortals about crossing her path, at the expense of risking my wrath—not much on its own, but with the added benefit of your father's protection, which she already has, it would be more than enough. In the event that they choose not to heed my warning, I'd intervene myself. Whether that's engaging the other immortal, simply escaping with your mother and bringing her to you, or showing up with your father—rest assured, she'll be fine. Not a single hair harmed on her head."
"How would you have that much power from one bond?" I leaned back in the chair, my head flipping through the situation. While I'd never say this outright, I was sort of getting the sense that I was going to have to face down Ares, anyway. If I could secure my mother's eternal safety as a consequence, why not? "And this bond? What do I have to do on my end?"
"Nothing. Just be you. As for the power, protecting a mortal is something I can do, even now. Your bond would just make things easier for both of us. My powers are a little...odd, at times, but to put it in perspective. Think of me as a cellphone. I'm at 5% or so, right now. If we made this deal, I'd be drawing on your latent capacity to love, as well as your overpowering love for your family. You'd be like my boost for a while. A portable charger."
"Gods have shown they like to lie," I pointed out. "You could've been lying about all of this, for all I know."
Aphrodite's eyes flashed. "I wouldn't."
"How am I supposed to believe that?"
"An oath," Aphrodite suggested. "Of honesty. Just until the bond is solidified."
"How long would that take?"
"A few years?"
"And you'd be willing to be honest with me for a few years?" I scoffed.
"Given the nature of the bond, you'd likely be able to sense my feelings and thoughts, anyway," Aphrodite shrugged. She tapped her nails against the table. "It isn't ideal by any means, but if it helps assuage your fears, it's not a horrible price for me to pay."
"Fine," I said, running a hand through my hair. "We can make the bond, and I'll kick his ass into next Tuesday. I'd like a proper oath from you, if you'd please."
"Gladly," Aphrodite said softly, raising her right hand. "I, Aphrodite, pledge on the River Styx to uphold my deal with Perseus Jackson and maintain honesty in our dealings for the next three years."
— - —
Quest Alert!
[SIDE QUEST]
{Love's Arrow!}
[Quest Prompt]: For centuries, the goddess of love, Aphrodite, has been caught in the crossfire of Olympus's endless rivalries, her heart shackled by divine politics. Embark on a perilous quest to break the ancient binds holding her captive, traversing mythical landscapes, deciphering cryptic prophecies, and standing toe-to-toe with powerful Olympian guardians bent on preserving the status quo. Only by uniting your courage, wits, and belief in love can you restore Aphrodite's freedom and guide her to the destiny she's been denied for so long.
[Total Possible Rewards]:
- [Variable] boost in reputation!
- [+][50,000][EXP]!
Please select: [YES/NO]
— - —
"We have a deal, then," I said, her eyes trained on me as I mentally clicked yes.
"Partners, then," Aphrodite said in a smooth tone. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. Pink energy flashed around her irises, and a megawatt smile formed on her face. "The bond has been made. We'll talk soon."
— - —
~ You have slept in a comfortable bed. [HP] and [MP] have been restored to their maximum capacity. All ailments and negative status effects have been cured.
— - —
I gasped out for breath, shooting straight up in Medusa's bed.
Piper, who looked like she had gotten up a long time ago, was sitting in one of the chairs nearby. She was munching on a bag of sour cream and onion chips.
"Well, finally," She called out. Piper tossed me my bag. I caught it, lifting it up and down a few times. Why did it feel heavier? "I stocked up some food and drinks from down there. I figured you'd want to get a move on."
"Good call. How long have you been up?"
"A few hours. Also, I'm, like, 90% sure this place is haunted," Piper looked up at the ceiling. "I had the weirdest dreams...I also, uh, may or may not have gone downstairs and used her credit card to get two train tickets west."
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and threw the blankets off, sitting on the side of the bed. Deciding not to think too hard about why a monster from the myths would need a credit card, I said, "Piper, demigods aren't supposed to use the internet. It sends up a gigantic flare. The monsters probably have a good idea of where to find us."
Piper rolled her eyes as she hefted her bag over her shoulder. "Did you have a better idea?"
"Uh…we could steal her car?"
Piper snorted. "Do you know how to drive?"
"Uh…"
"Besides, we'd have to worry about gas and all that, too."
"That's…a fair point. I didn't think about that."
"Guess we're just going to have to get moving, then," Piper patted the edge of the bed. I noticed her leg was wrapped in gauze. She knew first aid, too? Not bad, Piper. "Let's go."
A couple of minutes passed as I brushed my teeth and got ready, and we went off in search of the Amtrak station from last night. I looked back as the gnome emporium disappeared behind the trees. It was like the forest itself swallowed it back up. I hoped no weary travelers made their way over there ever again.
The station itself wasn't that far away. Maybe a half a mile, give or take. Piper remained silent the entire trip, which was fine by me. We boarded the train with no problem.
I'm sure we must've looked weird—two slightly dirty-looking kids, boarding a cross-country train—but no one said a word.
I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I got on the train, and almost had to do a double-take. The baby fat had almost all but melted off of my face. My cheekbones looked higher. My nose suddenly didn't look so big.
If I had to guess, I looked less like I was twelve and more like I was fourteen!
We spent two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, and past amber waves of grain. Between my ability to create almost any food and Piper's charmspeak, we were able to keep mostly to ourselves for the entirety of the trip.
We weren't attacked at all, but I didn't relax. It kind of felt like we were traveling around in a display case, being watched from above and maybe from below, that something was waiting for the right opportunity.
[Mana Detection] wasn't going to level itself. I bumped it up to three more levels just by actively using it, and now, I could keep a passive version of the skill employed at all times. It wasn't perfect; it wouldn't tell me how much mana a person had, but it did alert me when a new presence popped up.
You'd be surprised how many monsters just existed out in the world. I know some of it had to do with the fact that both of us were demigods, and that Piper used the internet, but still.
At every station, they were just there; waiting, plotting.
That friendly-looking stray on the stairs? Yeah, a hellhound ready to bite my head off.
The vendor selling cotton candy with a smile plastered on his face? A telekhine, with his cart full of swords and daggers.
These monsters were different from the ones I'd encountered back home. They were smart and deliberate. They'd blend right in with the rest of the crowd, hoping to catch a demigod lacking, and I couldn't help but wonder how many of them had succeeded.
Still, though, I couldn't help but wonder about what Luke said. Why were all these monsters just allowed to be out and about?
Medusa's eye was interesting, too. I hadn't gotten the chance to experiment with it too much, but based on what I could tell, the rules weren't as simple as I thought. It didn't just turn any living thing into a statue, it also turned any organic tissue into stone.
For example, when I looked at some of the monsters in the crowd outside of the train and focused on their legs, I could see them get gray and brittle. It wasn't as immediate of a reaction as I'd originally hoped for, but it was a start.
Not to mention, it was a little harder to concentrate that hard, but it was beneficial enough to at least learn the basics of the eye. Every advantage is worth chasing down—and, who knows, maybe it'll end up saving my life someday.
At first, the past few days had been a nice break.
Ever since I became a demigod, all I'd been doing was train, train, train, and then run, run, run. With my mom missing, I never got to fully relax, even when I felt like I was relaxing.
Now, though…
On the train, all I did was talk to Piper, sleep, and eat.
It was fun at first, but I was getting antsy. Plus, the train didn't have a shower, and even though Piper was being nice about it, I was pretty sure I was starting to smell kind of funky.
At least Piper was good company. I'd never had many friends growing up because of all the moving around I did, so having someone to talk to who actually seemed like they wanted to talk to me was a welcome change.
I could see Piper switching back and forth between pacing the length of the train and looking out the windows.
"Restless?" I asked.
She whipped around. "Really? Yes, I'm restless. Percy, we've been on this train for days."
"Don't get so worked up," I sighed, sliding off the seat and standing. I rolled my shoulder. "I'm with you."
"You are?" Piper repeated. She crossed her arms and cocked her head. "Really?"
"Yes! Really!"
"Mmm, I don't believe that," Piper shook her head, and her braid whittled through the air. She dropped her voice a few octaves, and started moving closer to me, "We have to stay safe, Piper. Your mom is scary, Piper, she'd get mad at me if I let anything happen to you. I wasn't staring at that girl at the coffee kiosk, Piper."
"The girl was cute! I admit that!"
"So, you admit I was right?"
"No," I shook my head. "She was cute, but I was staring at the menu behind her. Papa was hungry."
"One, don't call yourself Papa. Ever," Piper wrinkled her nose. "And two, you mean it? You're getting bored on here, too?"
"Yes, I mean it. I need a shower and some sleep in a bed. I think I'm going to need a back brace after all this sitting," I sighed and cracked my back. My eyes drifted toward the map. Annabeth's face rippled across my mind, and an idea took hold. "We have a layover in St. Louis coming up. How about we take a little break and check out the Gateway Arch? Maybe we could get a hotel, too. You still have Medusa's credit card, right?"
"Yes!" Piper said gleefully, coughing awkwardly as everyone else on the train turned to look at her. She sat back down rather abruptly and whispered, "You're the best!"
We pulled into the Amtrak station downtown around noon. The intercom system blared overhead, telling us we had about three hours to burn before we got on our connecting ride to Denver.
"Alright, Piper, let's go check it out."
The Arch was about a mile from the train station. The lines to get in weren't that long. We threaded our way through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other junk from the 1800s. It wasn't all that thrilling to me personally, but Piper kept telling me interesting facts about how the Native Americans used to live around these parts, and my skills kept leveling up, so I was pretty content with the situation.
— - —
[Skill]: Observe
[System Denomination]: Active
[Attribute Group]: INT
[Level]: 7
[Description]: Use this skill to scan targets and extract critical intel.
[Leveling]: At [Level 1], this skill, reveals the target's level and basic stats as long as the target is within [10] levels of you. As the skill levels up, you'll unlock deeper insights and uncover hidden details about characters and objects in your world. At [Level 5], the skill no longer requires manual activation to display basic target information, and it also reveals how much damage you've inflicted in real time.
— - —
Score! I was never ever going to get caught off guard, again.
"Come on, Percy," Piper urged, grabbing my arm. She basically ran to the elevator. "Let's go!"
A few moments later, we were shoehorned into the car with this big fat lady and her dog, a Chihuahua with a rhinestone collar.
I figured maybe the dog was a seeing-eye Chihuahua because none of the guards said a word about it.
We started going up, inside the Arch. I'd never been in an elevator that went in a curve, and my stomach wasn't too happy about it. The two plates of fried dough with extra sugar I had in the lobby probably didn't help the cause, either.
"No parents?" The fat lady asked us.
"Nah, they're downstairs," I replied, getting a good look at her. She had beady eyes; pointy, coffee-stained teeth; a floppy denim hat, and a denim dress that bulged so much that she looked like a blue-jean blimp.
— - —
{Echidna}
[The Mother of Monsters]
[LVL]: 60
[HP]: 200,000/200,000
[MP]: 150,000/150,000
[?]
[Info]: Echidna, often called a dracaena (half-woman, half-serpent), was described by Hesiod as a cave-born monster who—alongside her mate Typhon—mothered many of the major and minor monsters in Greek mythology. Her parentage varies across sources, linking her to entities like Tartarus, Gaea, Phorcys, or Callirhoe. In archaic art, she appears with a woman's face and torso, sometimes winged, and a serpent's body, occasionally with two tails.
— - —
Holy fuck.
I turned to the little chihuahua that was yapping away at me.
— - —
{Chimera}
[Legendary Monster]
[LVL]: 70
[HP]: 350,000/350,000
[MP]: N/A
[Info]: In the ancient myths, the Chimera was killed by Bellerophon on Pegasus when Bellerophon jammed a lead ball into its mouth. The ball melted, killing it with lead poison and suffocation. The original Chimera died long ago at the hands of the hero Bellerophon, though lesser Chimera still prowl the labyrinth of Crete.
— - —
Oh. Okay, then. Thanks for that, fate.
Another thing that wasn't sitting well with me was that these two were really good at hiding their true forms—their mana levels had appeared to be average for a human and a dog until I'd taken that closer look right about now.
That proactive approach I'd taken might've just saved the lives of everyone in this elevator.
Still, though. Neither Echidna nor the Chimera made a move to attack me yet- they probably wanted to do it on their own terms. Some monsters were just more imaginative than others, I guess.
— - —
~ For thinking in a logical manner, you have gained [+1] to your [INT] stat!
— - —
Really, game? Really? That felt sarcastic.
The Chimera growled, drawing me out of my thoughts.
The woman said, "Now, now, Sonny. Behave. We're not at the top, yet."
The Chimera had beady eyes like its mother, intelligent and vicious. I'd read somewhere that looking an animal in the eyes was a sign of aggression, so I settled for staring at Echidna, instead, "Sonny. Is that his name?"
"No," Echidna told me, with a kind of snippy tone. "He knows his name; just like you know your name."
Then, she smiled as if that cleared everything up.
At the top of the Arch, the observation deck honestly just reminded me of a tin can with carpeting. Rows of tiny windows looked out over the city on one side and the river on the other. The view was okay, but if there was anything I liked less than confined spaces, it was a confined space six hundred feet in the air.
I was ready to go pretty quickly. If possible, I wanted to completely avoid fighting enemies that were leveled this high.
Piper kept talking about how cool things looked from up here, and how her Dad always told her about some of the tribal myths revolving around this place. She probably could've stayed up there for hours, but luckily for me, the park ranger announced that the observation deck would be closing in a few minutes.
I steered her toward the exit and loaded her into the elevator. I was about to get in myself when I realized there were already two other tourists inside. No room for me. The park ranger said, "Next car, sir."
"I'll get out," Piper said. I could tell she knew something was up, too. My opinion of Piper just rose a couple of notches. "I don't mind waiting with you."
No way, Piper. I knew she meant well, but she couldn't compete with these two—plus, I thought about what Aphrodite had said. We'd only hold each other back. I could tell my chances at survival were pretty slim, to start. "Eh, it's okay. I'll see you at the bottom. Get me some fried dough!"
She looked nervous but let the elevator door slide shut. The car disappeared down the ramp.
Just me and my monster friends, now.
— - —
Quest Alert!
[SIDE QUEST]
{Prove Your Worth!}
[Quest Prompt]: Trapped at the edge of a monster's den, the only way forward is through danger itself. Will you seize this chance to show Olympus your mettle, or become just another meal for Echidna's brood?
[Total Possible Rewards]:
- [Variable] boost in reputation!
- [+][20,000][EXP]!
- [?]
Please select: [YES/NO]
— - —
This was probably the hardest yet most rewarding quest I'd received to date. I squared my shoulders and clicked yes.
"Let's cut to the chase, then," I said as Riptide appeared in my hands. I turned to look at Echidna, "Echidna."
"Oh, does it feel good to hear my name," She groaned, rolling up her denim sleeves, revealing that the skin of her arms was scaly and green. When she smiled, I saw that her teeth were fangs. The pupils of her eyes were sideways slits, like a reptile's. "Be honored, Percy Jackson. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test a hero with one of my brood."
So Zeus had allowed this. Go figure. The big bastard was starting to get the sense that he was wrong, and he'd rather be dead than capable of proving him wrong.
I let out a small breath, sensing the mana in my surroundings. My manipulation abilities weren't as high as I wanted, but I could still pull things to me and push things away from me, so it was alright. Game on.
"Come, sonny," Echidna said, cooing at the dog. I noticed wisps of mana edge out from her fingertips and onto the dog's fur—she was essentially boosting his power exponentially.
The Chimera barked, and with each bark, it grew. First to the size of a Doberman, then to a lion. The bark became a roar. All the while, Echidna kept pumping more and more power to his collar—she was like his battery pack. A really fat and fashionably questionable battery pack, but an effective one nonetheless.
The Chimera was now so tall its back rubbed against the roof. It had the head of a lion with a blood-caked mane, the body and hooves of a giant goat, and a serpent for a tail, a ten-foot-long diamondback growing right out of its shaggy behind.
I made a throwing motion with my hand, and [300][MP] drained out of my stores as a chair was flung towards the beast. It weaved underneath it, and the chair went sailing into the wall, crashing loudly.
The Chimera charged, its lion teeth gnashing. I managed to leap aside and dodge the bite, springing off of the beast's broad chest and into the air. It opened its mouth, emitting a stench like the world's largest barbecue pit, and shot a column of flame straight at me.
I easily dodged it, dropping into a roll the moment that I landed.
Okay, think, Percy, think.
I glanced up at its neck. There was no way I'd be able to land a fatal blow there—it had that gigantic metal collar on. My [STR] definitely wasn't high enough to cut through something like that.
My eyes strayed to the tail. The snake didn't look too friendly to me, either.
I had to make sure to stay on the move, though. The Chimera was too fast for me to stand still for more than a few seconds at a time.
I took off running towards the Chimera. I vaulted over one of the observation tables and launched a fireball at it.
It weaved under the crimson, baseball-sized flame. Unfortunately for him. I expected that. It smashed into Echidna, causing her to howl in pain as her dress ignited in a swathe of red fire.
She put it out with nothing more than a pat and a scowl. I tried not to lose too much hope at the measly damage I'd done—there had to be a way out of here alive.
"It's going to take more than that," Echidna warned. The Chimera roared in agreement and started running towards me again.
My legs tensed, and I flipped over it, grabbing the snake-like tail. Unfortunately for me, the tail was much stronger than I'd expected, and a flick from it sent me skidding across the deck.
This was going to be a tough fight to win.
According to The Game, Bellerophon had originally killed this overgrown puppy using poison—from the inside out. That meant that the rest of the Chimera's body was probably incredibly durable, but the insides weren't.
Well, I guess I could try his approach, too, in that case. The only problem with that is that approach is that I needed poison, fast. If I had a steady stream, I could superheat it with my powers from Hestia and send a burst of noxious gas deep into his mouth.
Where the hell was I going to find poison right now?
The Chimera turned faster than I would've thought possible. Before I could swing my sword, it opened its mouth and shot another column of flame straight at me.
This time, given the constraints of the room around me, I had no choice but to dive through the explosion. The carpet burst into flames; the heat was so intense, it nearly seared off my eyebrows. Where I had been standing a moment before was a ragged hole in the side of the Arch, with melted metal steaming around the edges.
So…I'm not paying for that.
I winced at the smell of burnt metal. That fire had shredded through the metal like it wasn't even there.
RAGH!
I dodged another bite from the monster, and its fangs cut through the metal of the Arch like it was cardboard. A couple more fireballs exploded from my fingertips, but they splashed disappointingly softly against his hide, netting me a meager [300] or so [HP] for each successful hit.
This thing was like fighting a wall!
I looked around, my mind hopelessly listing things that could help me. The floor, no, the ceiling, no, Echidna, no, the lights, no—wait!
Yes! They could!
Most light bulbs were fluorescent—that was the one thing I'd ever actually learned from Smelly Gabe. Well, learned might be giving him too much credit. He was ranting about a countrywide bill that had passed, making it so that only certain kinds of lightbulbs could be sold, which in turn made it so that he had to shell out more money for his store—why am I telling you this?
The bottom line was that I could theoretically superheat one of the bulbs and blast it down the Chimera's throat. That was the only real choice I stood, really.
Back to the fight.
I dodged a few more of the lunges from the beast, and snapped my fist through the light fixture, wincing slightly as the shards of glass cut deep into my skin.
Ugh, what a pain. I held the dimmed-out bulb in my hand, my fingers twisting around the copper filament. "Come get some, you big bitch!"
The next time the Chimera came rushing towards me, I ran towards it as fast as I could. It opened its maw, ready to chomp down on me, and I threw the now molten lightbulb right down its gullet.
CHYAW!
The Chimera started heaving and choking on the filament.
I blasted a column of red-hot fire into the mouth of the Chimera. It opened its mouth and tried to breathe its own fire, but it only succeeded in inhaling the light bulb further when it tried to garner enough energy for a jet of flame.
My fireball connected with its little spurt, and the combined flame dropped back down, sizzling as it churned and crashed in the Chimera's gut. I could see its chest glowing an ominous red as the filament activated fully in its stomach, blasting noxious fumes into the Chimera.
— - —
[Critical Hit]
[Poison Afflicted]
[-][20,000][HP]
[-][1000][HP/S]
— - —
The Chimera eventually stopped struggling, standing back up and fixing a murderous stare on me. I could see that it was hurt, but if anything, that seemed to make the beast look even scarier.
"Oh, come on, now, boy," Echidna chuckled incessantly. Her inhuman eyes glared at me balefully. "Pitiful. Just pitiful."
The Chimera blindly rushed forward, and I tensed my legs again, vaulting over its snout and onto its back. I readied Riptide.
CRUNCH!
"Argh!" I screamed in pain. The second my legs landed on its back, the blasted serpent tail whipped around and sank its fangs into my calf.
My whole leg was on fire. Sticking to my plan, I tried to jab Riptide into the Chimera's mouth, but the serpent tail wrapped around my ankles and pulled me off balance, and my blade flew out of my hand, spinning out of the hole in the Arch and down toward the Mississippi River.
I was slammed back onto the ground by the Chimera, hard enough to cause spiderweb cracks in the floor, crisscrossing from my point of impact.
— - —
[-][5000][HP]
[You have been severely poisoned]
[-][10,000][HP/MIN]
— - —
Fuck me. A minute of this poison and I'd be sleeping with the fishes—not in a good way, either.
I managed to get to my feet somehow, but I knew I had lost at this point. I was weaponless. I could feel deadly poison racing up to my chest.
Through my haze of pain, I remembered Chiron saying that Anaklusmos would always return to me, but there was no pen in my pocket. Maybe it had fallen too far away. Perhaps it only returned when it was in pen form. I didn't know, and I wasn't going to live long enough to figure it out.
I backed into the hole in the wall.
The Chimera advanced, growling, smoke curling from its lips.
Echidna cackled. "They don't make heroes like they used to, eh, son?"
The monster growled. It seemed in no hurry to finish me off now that I was beaten. I glanced at the elevator, on its way back up. Soon, there would be innocent people up here. Maybe it would be just the guard, coming to get me, or maybe it was Piper, forcing her way back up here.
Fuck. She was stubborn enough to pull a stunt like that.
I couldn't just…die. I tried to think, but my whole body was on fire. The Game was dulling some of the sensations, but my head still felt way too dizzy for me to even move.
I had no sword. I was facing a massive, fire-breathing monster and its mother. And you know what? I was scared. Yeah. Fucking scared.
I've been trying to hold it in this whole time, but I just can't anymore. I don't want to die! I have so much left to do!
I'm sorry, Aphrodite. I'm not going to be able to hold up my end of the deal.
There was no place else to go, so I stepped to the edge of the hole. Far, far below, the river glittered. Around the same time, the elevator door dinged open. There was one option...but I didn't know if I had enough health and mana to use it.
Damn it.
I knew my body wouldn't be able to handle it, but at this point, I didn't care. Those people coming up here right now couldn't be put in danger. Saving my mother was important, but I doubted she'd be truly comfortable with being saved if it meant that innocent people had to die for her. I couldn't put that sort of weight on her.
Mind hazy, I made my decision. I ripped off the linen around my left eye and opened it.
I felt a deep pool of mana well up in my eye. White-hot bolts of pain exploded in my eye, and I started to see spots dancing across my vision. If I couldn't defeat the Chimera...I was simply going to unplug it.
Echidna's eyes widened, and she started to scream. Before any sound left her mouth, her body stiffened and hardened. A gray color spread throughout her body and cracks began to form on her face.
The Chimera tried to lunge at me, but I flipped it off and slipped backward. Without Echidna, he started transforming again, slowly turning back into his little dog form.
Unluckily, before it could transform all the way, the Chimera got a lucky jab in with one of his claws, and I watched in fascination as my own blood splattered on the floor, covering the steel in a maroon shade.
I couldn't even make out the health I'd lost—the numbers looked like squiggly lines to me. I had pushed my body too far. My eye felt like it was on fire. Poison was coursing through my crushed leg and body. My chest was torn open, my shirt in smithereens.
I wasn't sure if I was hallucinating or not, but motes of pink energy were starting to float around me. Something tugged me backward, and I lost all feeling in my limbs as I plummeted toward the river.
— - —
Quest Complete!
[STORY QUEST]
{Prove Your Worth!}
[Quest Prompt]: Trapped at the edge of a monster's den, the only way forward is through danger itself. Will you seize this chance to show Olympus your mettle, or become just another meal for Echidna's brood?
[Hidden Objectives]:
- Kill the Chimera! [ ]
- Kill Echidna! [X]
[Total Rewards Earned]:
-[+][20,000][EXP]!
- [+][1000][REP] with [Piper, Hades, Poseidon, Aphrodite]!
- [+][Echidna's Bane] title!
- [+][Enhanced Water Healing] skill!
— - —
[Original Author's Note]
AN: Interesting chapter, huh?
This story is already incredibly AU, so might as well have some fun, you know? I've got a ton of great things planned, don't worry.
To that one Guest, I like your reasoning, but sorry, Aphro is the wave. Also- I love SMITE!
CharneX: SP is directly related to stamina, as in, how much Percy can fight and carry, etc. It doesn't play a huge role yet since he doesn't have any armor that requires SP, but don't worry, it'll all come in due time.
Ryunogame: Right in one, my friend. He's going to be rid of the eye patch by the summer, no worries.
Also, several reviewers mentioned the number of inconsistencies- sorry. Keeping track of numbers is harder than I thought, but I'll try to be better from here on out.
Let me know your thoughts as usual!
(i): Having a broken clock in your house or seeing a broken clock is often considered a bad omen. It can symbolize the stillness of time, ailing relationships, and bad luck.
In film and literature, a broken clock can be a motif about the distortion of time, being stuck in time, or being frozen in time. Seeing a broken clock in your dreams is also generally a bad omen and can be used as a wake-up call for the coming time.
[Patch Notes]
[4/17/21]: I changed the game visuals, and I severely changed the backstory of Aphrodite and Percy. The last one, admittedly, didn't feel as organic as I would've liked, so this time, I'm going to let Aphrodite go through and actually develop feelings for Percy, rather than make them come seemingly out of nowhere like last time. I also made her seem less helpless and damsel-like and tried to characterize her as a bit more smart and deliberate with her power, picking and choosing scenarios that benefit her.
Percy, again, rather than acting irrationally and making a dumb promise, gets over his thoughts of Gabe and makes a deal to guarantee his mother's protection. All around good changes, I think.
Another thing I tried to alter a bit was Piper. She's still acting the same, with some new things thrown in there, yeah, but Percy's doing a little bit of a better job of sympathizing with her, which, in turn, makes it a bit easier for the reader to see Piper as something except for just annoying.
Finally, I also reworked the Chimera fight. No inventory trick, no OP Percy somehow killing both. My main goal with the fight was to show you guys, the reader, the differences between Canon!Percy and my version of him. That loyalty, that desire to protect the innocent is still there, but, as many of us would, he weighs that desire against the desire to save his mother, ultimately deciding that the innocent people mattered more.
He also takes a more tactical and smarter approach to the fight, looking to use his surroundings, and science to his advantage. Clearly, he still can't defeat the Chimera outright, but still finds a way to save people, even at the risk of his own death. I'd say at this point, he's a bit better than canon, for sure. He's smarter, faster, stronger, and of course, has a slew of new powers.
However, naturally, he hasn't mastered these powers. He hasn't mastered his tactical mind. His inexperience with the battle, and inability to fully use everything at his disposal effectively highlights his own inexperience at being a demigod. Again, all good changes, I'd say. See you guys in the next chapter.
[2/3/22]: Visuals.
[10/18/22]: A few changes to the dream sequence, and a few tweaks to the visuals and grammar. Also added a symbolism explanation!
[01/02/25]: I changed the Aphrodite conversation a bit, and made it a bit more even in terms of dynamics. I want Aphrodite to appear a little less helpless than before, since logically, she should still be powerful. Also, I tweaked the plot point of her choosing Percy to switch from her choosing him to help Piper because she thinks he can help to her choosing Percy because that way, if Ares tries to kill them, she'll have Poseidon's support to retaliate. It's a political move now—which I think makes sense. Up until this point, Percy has literally 0 feats so it makes no sense for her to trust him on the merit of his skill. I also made it so that he prays to her after the Chimera fight, and she heals him a bit, which gives them more of a relationship than before. I also made her choose a teenaged form, which I think helps the conversation because then it's not like he's talking to a straight up adult. Furthermore, I tweaked Percy's interactions with Piper. I felt like he seemed very uppity toward her, when realistically, he's barely been doing this longer than her. Even with Gamer's Mind, I felt like he was being a bit too blasé about a lot of things, so I made their relationship much smoother and 1:1 than before, where she seemed like a complete idiot next to him. Lastly, I changed all the visuals and some of the skills—what I'm doing in every chapter, basically.