"Is it my turn then?" Gareth smiled as he took the book.
No surprise, really. Even though they're one of the most numerous Familias in the room, they're also the ones with the most illiterate in their corner.
With Tiona and her dyslexia, Ais being barely able to read as it was, Lefiya being too shy, and Bete refusing to participate, the Loki Familia wasn't exactly ripe with choices.
And between Tione acting as her sister's minder and Riveria as Bete's, naturally, that left him. Though he guessed if he really didn't want to do it, he could always refuse. But honestly, he didn't mind.
In fact, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit curious to see what happened next. Like a good brew, each chapter just seemed to draw you in, leaving you thirsty for the next barrel.
So far their had been monsters, Gods, Demigods, and a crowning of a forbidden child. What else would they see?
"Ok, guys, but I think after this chapter we'll go and take a break again," Hephaestus said.
Invested in the story as well, Loki waved her off.
"We'll see."
Gareth opened to the next chapter he read. "I am offered a quest."
"No were finally getting somewhere." Bete grinned.
The next morning, Chiron moved me to cabin three. I didn't have to share with anybody. I had plenty of room for all my stuff: the Minotaur's horn, one set of spare clothes, and a toiletry bag.
"Not much, is it?" Welf noticed.
Heck, he remembered when he fled from Rakia that he had way more slung over his back. Most of it was tools, but that wasn't the point.
The point was that after setting up shop with Hephaestus-sama, he had immediately gone and used what money he had to replace what he had left behind. Though maybe that's the difference.
When Welf left Rakia, he had gone knowing that he was never going back. Willingly or not, he was never stepping foot on Rakia soil again. Breathing or not. Percy on the other hand, still believed that this was all temporary.
The Camp, his Dad, the Gods. Everything that's happened with his Mom, Percy still wanted to go home.
Mama Mia scoffed.
"Please, you kids are all so spoiled, back in my day, we were happy with just the clothes on our backs and our weapons in our hands. We didn't need none of those wagons of supplies you kids seem so insistent on bringing."
I got to sit at my own dinner table, pick all my own activities, call "lights out" whenever I felt like it, and not listen to anybody else. And I was absolutely miserable.
"What?" Lefiya looked up in surprise. "Why?"
Blushing when everyone looked at her, she turned her face towards the floor. "I-I mean, what's wrong with that. I-It's pretty nice, h-having some peace and quiet."
Think back to all the times when she just wanted to sit down and enjoy a nice book, only to be rudely interrupted by either her Goddess seeking company, the twins fighting, or Bete being Bete.
Well, at those times she did not think anyone would remiss her for wanting to have her one place.
"'Cause he's alone," Ais whispered.
Just when I'd started to feel accepted, to feel I had a home in cabin eleven and I might be a normal kid—or as normal as you can be when you're a half-blood—I'd been separated out as if I had some rare disease. No one talked about the attack, but Percy knew what they said behind closed doors. That he was a mistake, that him being alive was a danger to them all. That the Gods would stop at nothing to kill him, even if it meant destroying the peaceful camp. They all stayed away from him, well, not Luke.
"Those goddamn cowards, what the hell's their problem?" Bete snarled.
Those spineless weaklings. Blaming the strong for their lack of strength. If they were so worried about more monster attacks, then why didn't they pick up a sword and fight them themselves?
If they won, then good for them. If they died, well, no real loss there.
Riveria sighed.
"Bete, they're children, it's normal for them to be scared. Especially if it's the son of a criminal."
"Criminal!?" Tiona whirled around to look at the elf.
W-Was she blaming this on Percy? Like this was his fault.
But Riveria wasn't deterred. Crossing her arms, she looked dismissively at Tiona.
"Yes, whatever reason Posiedon had, he still broke an oath on the Styx. And, hearing how important such oaths are. Such actions demand punishment."
"But Percy-"
Ouranos interrupted.
"Young Perseus has no place on the scale that Poseidon will be judged on. But he is a piece of the weight all the same."
"The end of it is, is that these kids remember what happened the last time a God broke their oath. And what happened to their child? And with signs of it happening again, well, I don't blame them for wanting to stay away from the proverbial storm that is about to hit." Hermes raised his hands.
"Phe- I thought these were Demigods, not chicken." Mama Mia sneered.
"....At least Luke doesn't treat him differently," Haruhime said.
He pushed me harder than ever, and wasn't afraid to bruise me up in the process. "You're going to need all the training you can get," he promised, as we were working with swords and flaming torches. "Now let's try that viper-beheading strike again. Fifty more repetitions."
"..Well, he can treat him a little differently." Tione sweat dropped.
Wasn't this a little much for a newbie? I mean, even for Amazon toddlers, this was tough.
"Don't be a pansy kid, work hard when you can cause you don't know when you'll be able to take it easy again." Garteh chuckled.
"Viper-beheading strike…"
"What was the Ais?" Lefiya looked over, seeing Ais quickly covering something on her lap.
"....Nothing." Ais blushed. Moving her hand, she peeked at the stick figure drawing on the page. Others dotted the page, all with little swords at various stages of the move. When she got back, she was definitely trying that.
Annabeth still taught me Greek in the mornings, but she seemed distracted. Every time I said something, she scowled at me, as if I'd just poked her between the eyes. After lessons, she would walk away muttering to herself: "Quest . . . Poseidon? . . . Dirty rotten . . . Got to make a plan . . ."
"What the hell's her problem?" Lili frowned.
Wasn't it just last chapter that she was all concerned with his injury? What made her change so quickly?
"Well, remember Athena and Poseidon aren't really friends, so I guess-" Hestia blushed as she scratched her cheek. Sad to say, things like this happen all the time in Orario.
Sometimes you make a good friend, but then later on you learn that they're from a rival Familia. That led to arguing, fighting, and then finally the breaking of a relationship. All without their Gods knowing.
It was kind of embarrassing to her how childish some Gods could be.
"What does that mean, Percy and Annabeth can't be friends. That's a whole lot of minatour shit." Huffing, Tiona crossed her arms.
"Tiona!" Tione screamed.
"Hmph, I'm just saying, just because Loki doesn't like Hestia doesn't mean I'm gonna stop being little rabbit's friends."
"Tiona." This time, it was Loki sighing. She had better stop being his friend. She didn't need him getting his grubby hands on any more of her girls. Especially if he was trying to work his dark magic on her, a Goddess.
Cause if he got his terrible, soft, tiny hands on her. Then the whole Familia would fall.
"Ok, but what about that bit with Hestia and Apollo. Or for that matter, Ares and Orario. Whether we like it or not, our Gods' perceptions and relationships do color our own in some ways." Welf brought up.
"Well, yeah, but Apollo's kids were a bunch of sissys that loved Apollo so much that they'd rather die than go against him, and Ares's guys are too muscle-brained to even try. All I'm saying is that Anabeth knew Percy way before all this son of Poseidon stuff happened, so they should still be friends." Tiona gripped.
Even Clarisse kept her distance, though her venomous looks made it clear she wanted to kill me for breaking her magic spear. I wished she would just yell or punch me or something. I'd rather get into fights every day than be ignored.
"I feel that way sometimes." Finn chuckled.
Sure would make his job a whole lot easier.
"Yeah, why can't our enemies just attack instead of waiting all the time?" Gareth nudged him.
"Sure would erase all those times spent waiting in the night for an attack that you're sure would come."
"Not just that, last time Evilus attached right when I was in the middle of taking care of some business in the outhouse. I barely had enough time to clean up and pull my pants before the fighting started."
I knew somebody at camp resented me, because one night I came into my cabin and found a mortal newspaper dropped inside the doorway, a copy of the New York Daily News, opened to the Metro page. An article covering the missing story of a mother and her son on a trip to the beach. The only thing found was a turned-over car; the stepfather, Gabe, commented that Percy had always been a disturbed child. Getting kicked out of every school that he went to. A number at the bottom for more information was circled. Percy went to be angry that night, saying "Lights out" to an empty room.
"What the hell?"
"Who the hell gave him that?"
"Someone looking for a punch in the teeth is who."
"That bastard is calling Percy disturbed."
"They're blaming that whole thing on Percy, can't they see it wasn't his fault?"
"They can't-"
Finally, Riveria's voice cut through the chatter.
"The Mist." She realized.
Finn nodded along with her.
"The Mist hides and shields all forms of monster activity, which I'm guessing includes the aftermath."
"They can see all the destruction, but the Mist prevents them from seeing the obvious signs. It makes them make up their own answers to fit the narrative." Ryuu explained to her Familia.
"So instead of seeing a Mom and her son attached, instead they see a turned over car, tracks that lead to nowhere, and a history of bad behavior from the son." Tsubaki clicked her teeth. All this mess was just making it easier for Percy to never leave the camp.
Sure made it look like someone was trying to make it that way.
"And with that..man, giving them a story. Even if it isn't true its one that fits in the only puzzle that they have." Finn sighed.
That night, Percy had another vision. This time, two men in togas are fighting in a thunderstorm on a beach. Throwing punches at each other like two heavyweight boxers.
"Hey its another one of those-" Bell sat up. Stopping, he scratched his head trying to remember the name of these dreams. Luckily, Lili helped him out.
"Visions."
"Yeah, that."
"But whose those guys fighting?" May asked.
"Last time it was a horse vs an eagle. Now it's these two." Asfi wrote down.
Next to her, Hermes rubbed his chin as he narrowed his eyes at the two men on the wall.
"I think the one in blue is Zeus."
"You think so?" Loki asked.
"Yeah, he looks different, but his beard is pretty much the same."
"Then, if this vision is related to Percy, then maybe the one in green is Poseidon." Hestia tilted her head.
"We must see more," Ouranos said.
They grappled with each other, wrestled, kicked, and head-butted, and every time they connected, lightning flashed, the sky grew darker, and the wind rose. I had to stop them. Percy tried to run to them to stop them, but no matter how hard he ran, he couldn't get closer. One of them cried like a child wanting his toy, Give it back, give it back.
"So Zeus thinks Poseidon stole his bolt." Hephaestus crossed her arms under her bust.
No surprise there, he was always quick to assume. Mainly with women and their perceived attraction to him. But there were times back when he had his Familia that if he felt there was a slight to him, he'd immediately rush into a War game.
"Stupid, idiotic, dumbass." Hestia grit out, glaring at the screen.
"Hestia-sama." Bell tried to calm her down
"What? He is." Hestia defended herself. "If that Poseidon is anything like ours, then he would never resort to stealing."
"Well." Hermes motioned his hand, half and half.
Hesita rolled her eyes.
"Ok, he won't resort to stealing and not brag about it. If he does something, then he'll want everyone to know it."
"Honestly, he's almost as arrogant as Zeus." Loki joked.
"Yeah, really makes sense why they're brothers in that world." Hermes chuckled.
"Hold on somethings happening." Finn learned forward
Laughter came from somewhere under the earth, and a voice so deep and evil it turned my blood to ice. Come down, little hero, the voice crooned. Come down! The sand split beneath me, opening up a crevice straight down to the center of the earth. My feet slipped, and darkness swallowed me.
"Hestia-sama."
"Lord Ouranos."
Shouts rang out across the room as their Gods collapsed.
Hestia, on the ground, white as a sheet, while Ouranos was leaning halfway out of his seat, clutched his side as a phantom pain came forth.
Freya, Loki, and the others were fine. Shaken by the voice echoing from the wall, but fine. They had gotten used to this darkness that clung to them. But for some reason, Hestia and Ouranos couldn't
The darkness called to them, gripped them, and pulled on their minds.
Hestia tried to put on a brave face for her kids. "It's fine. I-I'm getting used to it."
Getting up, she leaned on Bell and Welf as she made her way back to her seat. She thought that she was past this, that she could fight through whatever this was. But that voice-
"She might be, but Ouranos, I think it's getting worse for you." Loki clutched her knees as she glanced at the resident Supreme God in the room.
It looked like it was physically hurting him just hearing that voice.
Ouranos looked down in confusion. Why? Why did it feel like someone was carving him when he heard that voice?
Shaking off Fels's hands, Ouranos sat up. It's fine, nothing was wrong. The pain was fading. Whatever this story was doing to him, whatever The Watcher was doing, it wouldn't break him.
Ouranos looked up to multiple eyes looking at him in concern. "I am fine, continue the reading."
I woke up, sure I was falling. Grover was knocking on the door as the same thunder that he heard in his dream sounded out behind him. "Mr. D wants to see you"
"What the hell does that tub of wine have to be so upset about?" Loki cried. She did not want to see his annoying face right after having to deal with, whatever that was.
"You think Percy's in trouble," Syr asked.
"Nya, for what? Not like he's done anything." Anya said.
"But Poseidon's oath-."
"Is a matter between Posideon and Styx, no one else. Not like he broke a law or anything." Mama Mia said.
"And even if he did, Percy wouldn't be held responsible," Luniore added.
Syr looked down sadly.
"Thalia was."
Over in Hestia's corner, Haruhime looked concerned.
"But what about Zeus's bolt, if he thinks that Posedion took if will he-"
Hestia scoffed.
"What? Think Percy stole it for him. Please, if he does, then he's a bigger dumbass than he is in this world."
Percy tried to act normal, but even he was scared. Obviously, they finally knew what to do about him, and no one thought that it was good. Making their way over to the big house, everyone was looking up at the sky in concern. Even the Apollo kids stopped their game of Basketball to start up. No rain was falling, but each crack of thunder made people flinch.
"I don't like that storm," Ryuu muttered.
It felt wrong. Like it didn't belong.
"I don't think Percy does either," Yamato said.
"It's Zeus, he's watching him through the clouds." Hestia sighed. Why, why did Zeus have to be so extra? What, was tormenting a kid with Visions not enough? Now he had to scare a whole camp of them too?
"What?" Bell looked over at his Goddess, confused. What did she mean 'watching through the clouds'.
"It's something most Gods can do. If you are within the sphere of their Domain, and they are actively looking for you, then they could use it to view you."
Hermes turned to add his two cents.
"Well, most Gods. Back on Tenkia, Hestia could view mortals around a hearth while Athena could only do it if they were within a place of learning. Me, I have the roads, but Loki kind of has it rough. Not really many places where trickery is."
Loki frowned. Not her fault, people tore down her Palaces of lies. Have one too many idiots trying to do a loop whole with their marriages, and suddenly you've got a horde of angry wives demanding they get taken down.
Once they got to the Big house, Chiron and Mr. D were already playing cards, treating the coming storm like it was any other boring day. Not caring for Percy or the threat of Zeus Mr D waved Percy off. "If I had my way," Dionysus said, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."
"Man, this guy is way less charming than ours," Loki whispered to Hermes as he nodded with her.
"W-What, he wouldn't actually do that, would he?" Lefiya fearfully asks.
"He might, in fact, it looks like he really wants to." Finn says.
"I-I think I'm kinda of glad you Gods don't have that power down here. Ah, well, no offense."
Loki waved her hand.
"No its ok. We always knew that mortals would fear our powers. Plus, to us, it's more fun to be this way."
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron put in. "Nonsense," Dionysus said. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."
"T-That sounds nicer." Haruhime stuttered as she tried to think positively.
Honestly, to her, if she had been given a chance. She would have liked to have been changed into a fox, then be forced into the life she had. Though-
Haruhime blushes as she takes a peek at Bell.
-Not everything is so bad now.
"It's still kind of bad." Yamato shook her head.
"Mr. D—" Chiron warned. "Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. Mr D told them that he was leaving. A meeting on Olympus was called, but if Percy was still here by the time he came back, then he'd turn him into a dolphin. Turning to Percy, he said, "And that's the smart decision for you." Before leaving.
"What the hell does that mean?" Tsubaki asks.
What was so bad that being turned into a dolphin was the smart decision? Was what Chiron had to tell Peryc really that bad?
"It's a quest." Finn realized
That was the only explanation.
Loki rolled her eyes. As if that was some big mystery. They were literally told that at the beginning of that chapter.
But like any good mother, she wasn't about to embarrass her child in front of all his friends….She'll do that later.
Nodding her head, Loki acted as if she had just come to that same revelation.
"He's been sent on a quest. A dangerous one if we're going by Mr. Sourggrapes over there."
Chiron told Grover and Pery to sit down. Turning to Percy he asked in the hell hound and scared him. Percy wanted to say no, that he was brave and ready for any fight. But right now, after his dream, Mr. D's words and the thunder still going on outside. He just didn't feel like it. "I was scared, scareder than I've ever been since …that night."
"At least the boy is smart." Mama Mia sighed.
Ottar agreed with her.
"Too many Adventurers try and carry that false bravado, or worse, think its reall and get killed for it."
He looked out to the younger Adeverutes. "Better to say that you're afraid, then to believe that you're not."
"Done . . . with what?" "Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?" I glanced at Grover, who was crossing his fingers. "Um, sir," I said, "you haven't told me what it is yet." Chiron grimaced. He tried to explain what was happening, but Percy felt like he had a pretty good guess. "Zeus and Poseidon are fighting."
"Really not that hard to figure out if you know everything." Hermes chuckled.
"Yes, they make it seem like such a big mystery that they were hiding, but if you know that Gods are real and see weird weather, then I think you know whose causing it." Freya giggled.
Really, silly little Chiron. He had started out wanting Percy to enjoy his naivety, to give him this last gift before tearing off the curtain. But in doing so he caused what happened to poor Sally.
Oh, poor little Centaur. Thinking he's so smart and wise, wanting so much to be kinder than the Gods that he serves. Trying so hard to hide the ugliness of their parents from them. But no matter how smart he thinks he is, he still underestimates his charges.
And that, more then anything, will come back to bite him.
Chiron nodded, saying that yes, Zeus and Poseidon are fighting. The King's thunderbolt was missing. Percy was confused, a thunderbolt. But Chiron explained, "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."
Hephaestus sat forward as she listened to Chiron's description of the Bolt.
"That, that sounds a whole lot more impressive than the one he's got."
Hestia shook her head, scowling. Her pig tails flapping around like whips
"More like terrifying. Why the hell does he need that kind of firepower? I mean, god-level explosives. What? Did he want to see the moon?"
"W-What does it look like here?" Bell asked
"Well, exactly like what CHiron described earlier, a bale blue zig-zag of power. About yay-big" Hephastus stretched her arms out about a yard in length.
"It's flashy, but at the end of the day it's really just an overpowered bolt, nothing that noteworthy." Loki waved her hand dismissively.
Thor's hammer was way more threatening. That thing could shatter mountains, what could Zeus little Bolt do? Make a loud noise. Please, her farts were louder than his thunder.
But Heaphestus shook her head.
"No, what makes it special Zeus's Bolt special is that it isn't special at all. It's not even a Divine weapon."
Loki looked at Hephastus, confused. "What?"
"Yes, Zeus's famous Thunder Bolt. One that he's used to defeat countless Gods, is nothing more than a bit of lightning that he plucked from a cloud and empowered. I was surprised too when I saw it." Hephaestus looked up as she remembered when she walked by Zeus in Tenkia. "And that's what makes it so special, if he wanted to, I bet Zeus could have hundreds, thousands of Bolts at the ready. But he doesn't, all he ever uses is the one."
Hephaestus looked at the Black wall.
"But this one, this one…it sounds like those thousands of Bolts all packed into one."
"And it's missing?" "Stolen," Chiron said. "By who?" "By whom?" Chiron corrected. Once a teacher, always a teacher. "By you."
"Dear Heavens, he is that much of a Dumbass." Hestiawhispered. She stared, dumbfounded, at Zeus' sheer stupidity.
During the winter solstice, Zeus and Poseidon were doing their yearly arguing. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly—that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it." "But I didn't—" "Patience and listen, child," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious.
"They sound like children." Syr giggled.
"They really are." Mama Mia said, deadpanned.
And she wasn't exaggerating. She's heard enough children's arguments at the Hostess, what with her customers' kids and the cats in her employ always starting something.
"Who is Rhea Nya?" Chloe asks.
"I guess their mother, if Kronos was their father." May thought about it.
"Kind of weird how Gods can't take each other's weapons but humans can." Tsubaki said.
Thankfully, Ournaos decided to explain.
"It has to do with the different planes that we reside on."
Seeing their confused faces, Hermes stepped forward to help. Positioning his hand over the floor, Hermes pointed to his shadow.
"A better way to explain it would be like saying that a man can not pick up another man and walk away, as the second guy is likely to fight back. But an ant could steal the man's shadow and get away with it so long as he doesn't notice."
Crickets echoed as many people tilted their heads at Hermes. Next to him, Asfi sighed, dragging her hand over her face, she closed her eyes.
"That makes no sense at all. Like how the hell does an ant steal a sha-"
"Don't think too hard on it, just know that Gods exist on different planes that affect one another, but you mortals can't be since you don't view those planes."
Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."
"Yeah, that makes as much sense as Haruhime stealing those offerings just because she has bits of crumbs on her." Yamato growled.
"Honestly, I'm surprised that he even put that much thought into it." Hestia sighed.
I mean, really. Stealing a God's Divine weapon just to make copies of them. What would be the point? Either they wouldn't be as strong, or they wouldn't work as well as the original; they required the God whose Domain they're connected to to use its full power.
What, did Zeus think Poseidon just wanted to make thousands of pipes to crack people's heads with?
"Don't be, I'm sure someone is up there trying to verify his little temperament or people. Really, I bet you it's just because he's Posedion's son. Like 'He's your son, ok, he dies' kind of mentality." Loki rolled her eyes
"Yeah, that does sound like him."
"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!" Chiron looked at Percy and told him that Zeus's paranoia wasn't without cause. He asked Percy to think about it."Something about a golden net?" I guessed. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods . . . they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"
"Ok, now I know that at least Zeus isn't the only dumbass in the family. I mean, what's to stop him from going back on his words after freeing him?" Loki sighed. Sometimes it feels like she's the only smart one. Do none of these Gods take time to think things out?
"I'm sure they thought that they could force him to swear on Styx." Riveria said.
"Yeah, and that would have been worse, you wanna know why. Cause there is no clear-cut answer to a good ruler. It all comes down to perspective, how Zeus and Styx would view what a good King was. Cause to me, a good King kills traitors, not lets them go. If they had forced Zeus to swear to be a good King and let him go, it'd be well in his power to kill them for defying his rule, and the vow with Styx would hold up."
Freya nodded her head.
"Why do you think we didn't try that when we threw him and Hera out of Orario. Cause it's better to get rid of a problem than think that you've outsmarted it."
"Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since." "But I'm just a kid!" "Percy," Grover cut in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you. . . . Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"
"Yeah, but he broke the oath first," Bell exclaimed.
"Bell, no one said Zeus wasn't a hypocrite." Hestia shook her head sadly.
Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that." Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I
"Ok, his suspicion kind of makes sense. It's less than he thinks Perc did it and more that he doesn't trust Posedion." Finn drummed his fingers on his seat.
"Yeah, hearing how Chiron puts it, it's like Zeus doesn't believe that Percy did it but is instead using him to find the real answer." Riveria added.
Because that was the only thing that made sense to her. No way a High God like Zeus would jump to conclusions like this. There must be some higher planning that they just weren't seeing right now.
"Expect that kind of plan only works if one, Poseidon actually has the bolt and two, if Poseidon actually cares for his kid."
"Even if he doesn't, his pride and reputation would demand that he answer back, cause if he did have the bolt but let his son die, it might cause some distance within his own camp."
"Yes, but again, that only matters if he actually has the bolt. As far as we know from our own Posdieon, he doesn't. So all this postering and ultimatums achieves nothing but covers the tracks of the real thief in a cloud of chaos and war."
"Bad?" I guessed. "Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight." "Bad," I repeated.
"That…doesn't sound good." Tione gulped. She didn't know what a Trojan war was. But she knew that it was being compared to a children's game, and any war that could do that was one best not thought about.
"It's not." Bete growled.
He didn't like this whole thing. To him to just sounded like Zeus was too weak to notice when his prized possession was stolen. And instead of being a man and doing something about it, he's throwing a hissy fit that could affect the entire world.
"This, this is why Gods are forbidden from using their Arcanum down on Genkai." Ournaos didn't like this either. This was precisely the reason why Gods could not and should not flex their powers below Tenkai.
It disturbed the Balance, it throws millennia of stability out of the window and endangers all. And all on one being's whim.
"We're like big kids in a small puddle. Just a single kick and we could clear out all the water, leaving nothing else for anyone." Hermes sighed.
"And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath." Percy looked out over the field under dark clouds"So I have to find the stupid bolt, and return it to Zeus." "What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?" "If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?" "I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim.
"Wait so he knows, why hasn't he told anyone yet?" Tiona asked.
"Cause more than likely it's the work of another God and spreading baseless accusations, no matter how sure you are, without evidence just makes everything harder." Loki leaned her face on her hand. It was the same everywhere, if you didn't have evidence, then it didn't happen.
"Better to keep an eye out so that when they do act your ready to pounce."
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?" "Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge." I swallowed. "Good reason."
"So they do have an oracle." Freya asked, intrigued. An oracle, while not the most prized resource, was one that, if used correctly, could turn the tide of any situation.
Good or ill, either way it was better to have one in hand just in case.
"I'm more interested in why Chiron thinks it matters when he tells Percy. I mean, he's gotta know where to go, right?" Mama Mia asks.
"It's because of the nature of Prophecies. Just knowing the words of a Prophecy can lock you into its web. Before, if he had declined to hear it, he might have been able to slib under its grasp, but as soon as it is known to him, he will be bound." Freya explained.
"Then isn't Chiron manipulating him to take the quest?" Tiona pipes up.
"Yes and no. Percy knows the danger, even knows that he probably shouldn't go. But Chiron knows Percy, he knows that his kind heart won't let him sit back as a war rages, knowing that he can prevent it."
Directed towards the attic, Percy climbed the ladder and passed the green trap door going up.
"The attic-" Finn muttered as his eyes widened.
"Thats were that thing was." Garteh came to the same realization. They remembered that feeling, like something was watching them from that top window.
Tione looked at them, confused.
"What, but I thought Chiron said nothing was up there."
Finn shook his head, "No, he said nothing living was up there. that nothing was up there."
"But how can this Oracle be up there then if it's not living?"
Loki laughed at Tione's question.
"Well, that's simple, take a look at Fels over there."
Fels sighed. Seeing everyone look at him, he wished he still had eyes, just so that he could roll them at everyone. You'd think by now they would have gotten used to the talking walking skeleton.
"There are more things in this world that we don't know," Lefiya whispered.
The attic was filled with Greek hero junk: armor stands covered in cobwebs; once-bright shields pitted with rust; old leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying ITHAKA, CIRCE'S ISLE, and LAND OF THE AMAZONS. One long table was stacked with glass jars filled with pickled things—severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, various other parts of monsters. A dusty mounted trophy on the wall looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.
"Whhooaa, that looks so cool! Why don't we have a trophy room?" Tiona bounced in her bean bag.
"Cause, Drop items are either sold or used, and weapons are either put back into circulation or lost in the Dungeon." Riveria explained.
"Oh."
"We could make a business about selling fake trophies, like horns or stuffed heads. Stuff like that." Tione tried to cheer her sister up.
"It wouldn't be the same."
By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy. Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk. She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair.
"The Hell!"
"What is that?"
"It's the Oracle, but dead."
"I thought it'd be a skeleton like Fels b-but this is way worse." Lefiya whimpered.
And that was before she sat up on her stool and opened her mouth.
"AAAHHHH!"
A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes. I stumbled over myself trying to get to the trapdoor, but it slammed shut. Inside my head, I heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around my brain: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask.
"Ah! It's just getting worse NYA." Chloe covered her ears as she cried.
"T-That thing is not alive." Luniore tried not to look away. But it was getting hard too.
"No its speaking like a puppet." Loki said.
"What did it say, spirit of Delphi, speaker of Apollo?" Hermes leaned in.
"Phe, if it's Apollos' voice, then anything it speaks is probably going to be worthless." Hestia spat on the ground.
I wanted to say, No thanks, wrong door, just looking for the bathroom. But I forced myself to take a deep breath.
"HA" Welf laughed. Man, if that didn't cheer him up. That one joke made all the scary things happening on the wall seem a whole lot better.
"Hehe, something happened to me like that once."
"Really, Ryuu," Bell asked curiously.
Blushing at the attention, Ryuu tried to keep a straight face as she told the story.
"Y-Yes, well, I had just broken into one of Evilus mansions to track down a disruptor of theirs. Once in the room though, I must have made a noise cause one of the guards heard something and opened the door. I was prepared to start fighting my way out so imagine my surprise when he takes one look at me, nods his head, and closes the door. Afterward, I head out in the hall, someone else asking what the problem was, but the guard said nothing was wrong, and then walked away."
Yamato chuckled as she nudged Ryuu with her shoulder.
"Smart guy, I mean, look at it from his perspective. During a quiet night, you hear a sound in a room, only to open the door and come face to face with the Gale herself. Properly thought, not my house, not my problem."
"Hahahaha."
The mummy wasn't alive. She was some kind of gruesome receptacle for something else, the power that was now swirling around me in the green mist. But its presence didn't feel evil, like my demonic math teacher Mrs. Dodds or the Minotaur. It felt more like the Three Fates I'd seen knitting the yarn outside the highway fruit stand: ancient, powerful, and definitely not human. But not particularly interested in killing me, either.
"Kids got good instincts," Gareth muttered.
"Yeah, not many people are able to infer others' intent so well, especially against Gods or things of a similar nature." Riveria nodded.
I got up the courage to ask, "What is my destiny?" The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of me and around the table with the pickled monster-part jars. Suddenly there were four men sitting around the table, playing cards. Their faces became clearer. It was Smelly Gabe and his buddies. Using their faces, the Oracle told him his Prophecy.
"Was that it? That was a prophecy." Tiona demanded. She thought there'd be more of a riddle to it. You know, something confusing and mystical.
But Loki dashed her hopes away like waves on rocks.
"Yep, even from this room, we could feel fate's words. It's the real deal."
Tiona looked at her to make sure that she was telling the truth. Seeing none of her usual tells, Tiona slumped into her chair.
"What?"
"Nothing, just thought it would be more impressive, I guess."
"W-What, what more do you want. It's literally a map for your future." Loki asked.
"Yeah, what's the use if it just tells you all the answers. I mean, most of it was easy to get. Go west, face the god who turned, return what was stolen."
Tione nodded.
"Most of those things we figured out ourselves, and if Chiron's theories are correct, then he knows who stole the bolt. The only thing that we really learned was that Percy wins, loses, then gets betrayed."
"I don't know what you guys are so upset about. I think it's pretty clear. In fact, compared to most other Prophecies its one of the simpler ones." Loki pouted as she crossed her arms.
What do these kids know? They've never heard a Prophecy before. Most of the time, those things are so convoluted that no one can make heads or tails of what they're saying. It's better to enjoy these simple ones when you get them.
"I guess, but it didn't really add anything, just more questions." Finn scratched his chin.
"Yeah, well, I think you kids just like to complain."
Afterward, Peryc came down and explained what the Oracle said. Nodding, Chiron said that he expected this and revealed that he believed that it was Hades who stole the Bolt.
Immediately, Hestia was shaking her head.
"No, I don't believe it. Hades would never."
"Hestia-sama, but all the other things-" Bell tried to reason with her.
"I-I know, okay. But I just can't think about my friend Hades like that. He'd never do something like this. Ever."
"But this isn't your Hades," Ryuu said.
"What?"
"Remember, this is a whole new world, a whole new Heaven, and a whole new Hades. Some things that you know might not be true there. All we can do is trust what we see."
"Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest." "Great," I muttered. "That's two major gods who want to kill me." "But a quest to . . ." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."
"Goddanm weakling," Bete growled.
"Bete, leave him be. It's not wrong to be scared." Riveria chastised him.
"No, just wrong to drag dead weight with you."
"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."
Loki narrowed her eyes. That all seemed to fit together, like one little perfect puzzle. But something seemed off to her.
Life wasn't like a puzzle. Things didn't always fit together; sometimes, when they did fit, it was because someone made them fit.
And right now, this perfect little story seemed manufactured. And she wasn't paying it one bit.
A strange fire burned in my stomach. The weirdest thing was: it wasn't fear. It was anticipation. The desire for revenge. Chiron then explained that Gods couldn't just go into other Gods' Domains, but Mortals could. "You're saying I'm being used." "I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you." My dad needs me. Emotions rolled around inside me like bits of glass in a kaleidoscope. I didn't know whether to feel resentful or grateful or happy or angry. Poseidon had ignored me for twelve years. Now suddenly he needed me. I looked at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"
Hestia tearfully shook her head. "No, t-that can't be the only reason that he claimed him, is it?"
Hephaestus sighed. She knew that most of these Gods were Hestia's friends. Gods whom she had known for thousands of years. So to hear versions of them, even ones so different. Act in such a way, well - it was hurting her.
She could only hope that things got better.
"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" he asked weakly. "You don't have to go," I told him. "I can't ask that of you." "Oh . . ." He shifted his hooves. "No . . . it's just that satyrs and underground places . . . well . . ." He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his T-shirt. "You saved my life, Percy. If . . . if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."
"Ahh, that's sweet." Lefiya gushed. It was hard for her not to see herself in the place of Grover. She too felt like she was always scared, running after someone way more skilled than her. But- if Grover can do it, then so can she.
Behind her, Bete acted as if he was about to get sick. This entire group-hug, Kumbaya nonsense was a big waste of time. And he wanted it to be over with
Percy smiled, turning to Chiron he asked were they needed to go "Where?" Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles." "Oh," I said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane—" "No!" Grover shrieked. They explained to Percy just why he should never rise into Zeus's skies.
"T-That seems too much."Haruhime whimpered.
Killing someone just because they stepped into your space, who would do such a thing?
"No, that sounds exactly like Zeus, if he didn't like you, he wanted you nowhere near him…Unless you were a girl." Loki snorted.
"So, I'll travel overland." "That's right," Chiron said. "Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept her help." "Gee," I said, feigning surprise. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?" The air shimmered behind Chiron.
"Ehh, who's that?" Tiona pointed at the distortion.
"I-It looks like-" Finn narrowed his eyes.
"But I thought she hated him," Riveria said.
Hermes grinned at Loki. They knew what was coming. No way someone from her blood would ever pass something up like this.
That Goddess was always trying to act like she was above everyone else. That she was the more intellectual of the Goddesses. But when she got her blood going…
Annabeth became visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket. "I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up." Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own." Lightning flashed. Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather. "No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."
"That's it." Gareth closed the book.
"Annabeth, that was Annabeth." Tiona looked confused.
"Yeah, I'm surprised too." Tione nodded.
"No, I get why she wanted to go. But-"
"But what?" Her sister asked.
"How long was she standing there?"
"..."
"..."
"Let's not ask questions, ok."
Loki chuckled. "Let's leave little Miss voyeur for another day, it's late, so let's all go to sleep."
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Ok a few things.
First, sorry for the later than usual update, don't have any excuse other than these days I've been having a harder and harder time getting things done. I'll try ot get better but we'll see.
Second. I got a reply about how Dnamchi Hellhounds are the fire ones, and Rick's ones are the Shadow ones. I know this; I just thought I'd mix the two, so now both are in this world.
Lastly, the Update from the other day was to fix some typos I didn't know I had. I use Grammarly to spell check, but sometimes the A.I glitches and doesn't highlight it or sometimes it turns it into another word then the one I wanted. I'm trying to look over everthing but sometimes things get by, so please be patient with my spelling.
And as always, check out my two other Stories on here. Magic and Chaos and Jackalope's Journey.
One is a fanfic that was stuck in my head and the other is an origanl WebNovel that I'm trying to write. Please let chekc them out if oyur bored waiting for updates.