5 Chapter 5: Exploration
A/N
So I'm starting canon now after finishing up the dungeon and a little side dialogue.
Edit: I have created a discord server for this fic. It's basically for providing updates, providing feedbacks, chilling etc.
h t t p s : / / d i s c o r d . g g / P Z P b B 5 S f 7 2
(remove the spaces ofc)
x.x
Chapter 5: Exploration
The knight walked around the coffin and towards Percy in a battle stance as it communicated its thoughts on Percy's presence. On the other hand, Percy searched for a way to kill this monster. He was not letting this mumbo-jumbo happen and neither was he going to back down from a fight.
Percy analysed the situation and decided to store his shield. The knight would be slow and heavy due to his armour and weaponry, Percy could use his superior speed to go in and attack it and step out before things could turn awry. He also summoned a water bottle and poured half of it on himself. Immediately, a screen popped up.
...
Son of the Sea God activated!
STR : 10 + 2 + 20 = 32
VIT : 7 + 20 = 27
DEX : 7 + 2 + 20 = 29
HP : 400 + 2000 = 2400
MP : 450 + 2000 = 2450
HP and MP restored. All status effects negated. Body healed.
...
Satisfied, Percy quickly dismissed the box. He needed to get a few critical hits in if he wanted to make it out of here alive since his damage was extremely low at the moment. As an afterthought, he chucked the bottle at the knight who, as he expected, cut the bottle letting the water spill on it. Percy grinned. This was exactly the time of advantage he needed at the start. He focused on his connection with the sea and willed the water to turn into multiple spikes and pierced them into the chinks of the knight's armor. The effects were immediate.
...
Notification 1
Spikes Damage : 500
Critical Damage : 300%
Total Damage : 500 x 300% = 1500
Death Knight
HP : 20,000 - 1,500 = 18,500
Percy
MP : 2450 - 41 - 100 - 25 = 2284
Notification 2
Due to constant use, Water Control has levelled up!
Water Control
(Level 10 - Cost 41 MP / Min)
Notification 3
Due to new skill created, Water Spikes has unlocked!
Water Spikes
(Level 1 - Cost 100 MP | Damage 500)
Create sharp spikes out of water to impale enemies.
Notification 4
Due to your mastery in Water Control, Water Manipulation has been unlocked!
Water Manipulation (Level 1 : 75 MP / min)
Manipulate water to form different shapes.
Notification 5
New skill unlocked!
Critical Strike (Level 1 : 300% damage)
Deal extra damage from hitting vital points of your enemies.
...
Percy knew that this attack would have some effect on the knight but to this extent? He could not fathom. Further, the water manipulation skill would be handy now since he needed all the help he could get and changing the forms of water would be helpful.
The attack seemed to annoy the knight more than anything. It did not make any sound whatsoever. It just continued on its path in order to beat Percy to a pulp. Percy was out of ideas so he just did the first thing that came to his mind - charge in, think later. He used his speed to maneuver around the knight as it continuously tried to impale Percy and started chipping away at the knights health. He was able to get in a few strikes until he got caught in the knight's shield and was blown back from the attack.
...
Sword Damage : 50 * 10 strikes = 500
Bonus STR damage : 32 * 10 = 320
Sword Fighting skill : 820 * 2% = 16
Total Damage : 500 + 320 + 16 = 836
Death Knight
HP : 18,500 - 836 = 17,664
Percy
HP : 2400 - 1000 = 1,400
Due to continuous use, Sword Fighting levelled up!
Sword Fighting (Level 2)
3% more damage with swords.
...
Percy was shocked, immediately Gamer's Mind activated and calmed him down. He just hit the knight so much, yet, he hardly made any damage to it. On the other hand, the knight reduced his health to nearly half with just a swing of its shield. Percy shuddered at the thought of the attack power of its sword. He then maintained some distance from the knight as he quickly thought of a plan. He needed to get rid of the sword first since it could outright kill him with one swipe. If the knight dropped the sword, he could in fact use it against the knight itself but he would need a window of opportunity for this since the knight also had a shield plus he needed to have increased strength to even lift the damned blade and he needed luck to pull it off. Percy then poured his ability points into LUC and STR.
...
STR : 14 + 2 + 20 = 36
LUC : 8 + 2 = 10
(Bonus : Chance of better loot +10%)
...
Satisfied, Percy was able to come up with a plan. He summoned all the remaining bottles from his inventory and dumped one over himself as he had dried up and needed the bonus.
HP and MP restored. All wounds healed.
He felt the bruise healing up and the pain from the blow fading away as he sighed. He then threw the remaining 3 bottles at the knight who, as expected, continued slashing at them until he too was drenched. This was what Percy needed. He willed all the water on its body to enter through one of the chinks in the knight's armour on its sword arm and had it settle over the joint that connected its arm to the rest of its body.
'Water Spikes', Percy yelled as he willed three different sets of spikes to rise within the Knight's armour.
Immediately, he was rewarded with the sound of iron clattering and a faint 'thump' as the sword arm of the knight was completely cut off from its body. The water had expanded into spikes and punctured through whatever the hell there was underneath the armour and managed to break it.
...
Spikes Damage : 500
Critical Damage : 300%
Total Damage : 500 x 300% = 1,500 * 3 = 4,500
Death Knight
HP : 17,664 - 4,500 = 13,164.
...
This caused the knight to suddenly kneel down and drop its shield as it clutched its right part of the body where an arm used to be. Percy then quickly willed the remaining water on the knight to form a veil around its eyes to temporarily blind it as he dashed forward seeing his opportunity. Percy reached near the sword grunting as he tried to lift the heavy blade. He was able to awkwardly hold the blade at an upwards angle as he brought it towards its neck and stabbed it.
...
Sword Damage : 5,000
Critical Damage : 300%
Total Damage : 5,000 * 300% = 15,000
Death Knight killed!
Dungeon cleared!
...
The knight almost immediately dissolved into a swirl of darkness and dissipated without a trace. There remained a few drops from the knight as Percy panted from the mental and physical toll this outing had taken from him, especially this fight. He knew he needed to end this fight quickly otherwise he would be Percy kebab. His clarity during the battle was outstanding as he menatlly patted himself.
Not wanting to stay in this place any longer, he quickly collected whatever he found around the place and looked for the glowing delta sign which had appeared sometime when he was collecting the loot. He pressed it and waited for a second as a set of stairs leading to the surface materialised. Percy ran up the stairs and was greeted by the evening sun as he reached the surface. He then plopped down on the grass as he rested his back against some boulders as he was still processing what had transpired. As the adrenaline rushed died down, Percy realised he was far more tired than he initially thought he was. For now, he didn't have the energy to go through the notifications that kept popping up. He ignored them and ran straight to his dorm room as he could feel sleep coming in. Just as he plopped on his bed, his eyes immediately fluttered close as he drifted into a dreamless sleep. He had stopped having dreams / nightmares ever since the gaming system popped up in his life. He didn't spend much time dwelling on it and had decided to accept it for what it was.
You have slept in your own bed! All HP and MP restored.
Percy woke up the following morning as he dismissed the screen out of habit. He was now refreshed and ready for the day. He recalled yesterday's fight and the notifications and decided to bring them up.
...
Notification 1
Quest Complete!
Clear your first dungeon.
Rewards added.
XP : 635 + 200 = 835 / 911
Ability Points : 0 + 2 = 2
$ : 360 + 1,000 = 1,360
Notification 2
Fast travel has now been unlocked!
Location : Yancy Academy
Notification 3
Due to effective use of your mind to come up with battle strategies, you gained 1 WIS.
WIS : 7 + 1 = 8
Notification 4
Rewards for killing Death Knight :
Death Knight's Sword
Death Knight's Shield
Resurrection Stone
XP : 835 + 2,000 = 674 / 1,663
$ : 1360 + 1000 = 2360
Notification 5
You have gained two levels!
Level 9
HP : 400 + 50 + 50 = 500 / 500
MP : 450 + 50 + 50 = 550 / 550
4 ability points added.
Ability Points : 2 + 2 + 2 = 6
Notification 6
Due to constant use, Water Manipulation has levelled up!
Water Manipulation
(Level 2 : Cost 74 MP / Min)
Notification 7
Due to constant use, Water Spikes has levelled up!
Water Spikes
(Level 2 - Cost 100 MP | Damage 550)
Notification 8
Due to constant use, Observe levelled up!
Observe (Level 4)
Observe now shows what people feel about you.
(Range : 10 levels above you and all levels below.)
...
Percy sat still as his jaw dropped. He did not know what to think of the amount of rewards and level ups he had received from one dungeon. This was way beyond his expectations and he did not know how to react. Before he could lose his thought, he quickly pressed on the resurrection stone and brought it from his inventory. Now that he had a closer look at it, he could see that it was in fact a pure black ring etched with diamonds throughout with a black stone set on it. The stone glowed purple as it gave him a feeling of death.
...
'Observe'.
Resurrection Stone
(Can resurrect anyone to fight on your side.)
(Upto 100 levels over wielder.)
(Upto 4 at a time.)
A stone blessed by Death. It allows its wielder to resurrect upto 4 spirits bound to it.
...
Percy just stared at it. This. This just changed things by a huge margin. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine having power over death and being able to reincarnate someone and that too his ally which would be bound to him and follow his orders. He was visibly excited to try it out but he didn't want to tip off Grover about it. He turned around to see that the satyr was still asleep. He quickly got up, freshened up and ran to the clearing once again.
Percy stood at the clearing as he got the ring out yet again. He slipped it on his finger and to his surprise, it fitted perfectly. It seemed as though the ring adjusted its size for its new wielder. He did not know how to use it so he just went with his instincts and tried to connect with it just as he did with water. As he concentrated, he could feel the ring light up and glow brighter than before. Suddenly, spirit like things or visuals materialised in front of him. He recognised these as the ones who he had killed in the dungeon. The Death Knight was easy to spot due to its height. Percy simply pointed at it and willed the ring to connect with it. The other images then dissolved as a wind-like thing flew to his ring and then proceeded to expand until he saw the Death Knight kneeling in front of him on one knee.
"Will you listen to all my commands?",Percy asked hesitantly.
The knight simply nodded.
"Cool, keep your stuff then. I won't use it anyway", Percy replied as he summoned the sword and shield from the inventory. The knight graciously picked them up and nodded its head in acknowledgement.
"You can return now", Percy said. He still felt uneasy at the thought of commanding someone to do things as per his whims but he also needed someone to help out in tough situations. The latter part of his inner turmoil had won as he had reincarnated the knight. Seeing that he was done for now, Percy headed for breakfast. Seeing that he was early and it being a Sunday, there were fewer people than the last time he was here. Since he already had a lot of food stored in his inventory, he didn't need any more of it though he did stack up on 5 more bottles of water. He grabbed a plate and served himself breakfast fit for a king. He practically hadn't eaten since yesterday and he was starving. Percy looked around to see a familiar red hair waving at him from one of the corner tables. Percy raised an eye at that. Until yesterday, she was hostile towards him and now her attitude towards him had suddenly taken a 180 degree turn. He was glad though that he could be there for her and she thought of him as a friend now if anything else. He made his way to her table and slid in the seat opposite to her and gave her his soon-to-be signature lopsided smile. With that, breakfast passed.
Percy returned to his room to find Grover awake.
"Hey Perce, you ready for the museum trip tomorrow?", Grover asked.
"Huh? What trip?", the ever so intelligent Percy replied. Even though he did become wiser than before, he still had his self professed moments of stupidity; how someone could achieve this of both worlds was still beyond him but he somehow managed to pull it off.
"Our class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Mr. Brunner. He announced it last week during Greek class."
"Huh, must've forgotten about it."
x.x
~ Next day ~
"Here we have a statue of Kronos as he ate his children", the voice of Mr. Brunner rang out as he obsessed over the Greek statues and paintings around the museum. "Can someone mention the significance of this event? I have asked this in class before, those paying attention would be able to answer it."
Percy ignored him as he looked around the museum trying to find something of interest. Ms. Dodds has also accompanied them for some reason and had been glaring a hole at his head since the start of the trip. He was annoyed by the constant icy stare and his ADHD too hadn't been helping. He simply could not focus, not until he saw something that made him grin ear to ear.
"Mr. Brunnner", Percy interrupted Chiron.
"Yes Mr. Jackson?"
"What is this painting about?"
Chiron to his credit had somehow managed to react outwardly as he managed to keep a poker face at this. Mrs. Dodds on the other hand was another story altogether.
"This picture represents Hades along with the Three Kindly Ones who help him watch over the Underworld", Chiron said carefully. Percy ignored the tone.
"So he basically created three bats to look over a place of death? What exactly do they even do other than hang upside down?" Just as the words left his mouth, he felt a sudden spike in power and a feeling of intense hatred directed towards him. However, Percy simply ignored it and continued, "I mean come on, how can these old people do anything anyway? Shouldn't they simply, I don't know, retire?"
By now, Alecto was seething. No mortal or demigod had ever had the guts to insult her or her sisters. Those who did were dragged to the Underworld, granting them an early death, where they were punished for it. Even though they weren't extremely powerful, they still had a lot of authority since they directly worked under Hades.
"Mr. Jackson", Chiron said in a warning tone trying to placate the situation.
"Honey", the sweet voice of Alecto drifted out.
Percy turned towards her and gave a sickeningly sweet smile as he matched her tone, "Yes, Ms. Dodds?"
By now, Grover had gone into a full blown panic as his face adopted a look of horror.
"Come, I need to have a word with you. Alone", as she eyed Chiron.
Chiron seemed apprehensive to leave Percy and Alecto alone. Even Grover would not be much of a match against a Fury. On the other hand, he needed to get the mortals out of danger as well since only he and Alecto were here, he had to escort them out. He was stuck in this dilemma until he caught Percy's eye. Percy discreetly nodded, conveying that everything would be fine and he didn't need to worry about it. Truth was, Percy was shared shitless but he also needed to get rid of her since she kept a constant eye on him and that she was a constant danger to him. Percy was certainly not okay with a monster so close to him and since his escapades yesterday, he devised that he had a fighting chance if not outright death.
The group then moved forward as Percy and Alecto moved to a remote part of the museum.
"It was only a matter of time before we found you Perseus Jackson", Alecto started. Welp, that did not bode well. Whenever someone used his full name, it usually meant that trouble was brewing and considering the fact that he was the one to instigate it in this case was really no brainer. He should have really thought this through instead of just outright instigating and challenging a Fury.
"I knew I smelled the sea on you but I did not know for sure. However, since the last few days, the scent seemed to be getting stronger. Initially, the master wanted to confirm what he had heard but now that you have revealed what you know, I shall first claim your soul and then inform the master about it. No one in their right mind would antagonise a Kindly One."
...
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Kill Alecto.
Rewards -
500 XP
$1000
?
Failure -
Death
Accept / Decline?
...
"So you're just a puppet?" Percy asked, completely ignoring her rant as he accepted the quest.
"Silence", Alecto bellowed as her eyes began to glow like barbecue coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talons. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings and claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs, and she looked ready to slice him into ribbons.
"Have you considered visiting a dentist? Because you really need to", Percy blurted out. Alecto hissed as she got angrier.
...
New skill unlocked, Taunt.
Taunt (Level 1)
Make your enemies angrier. Increase their chance of making a mistake by 5%.
...
This was exactly what he needed. Just as Alecto flapped her wings and jumped towards Percy, he pulled out his sword and shield seemingly out of thin air. He was able to deflect the first blow with his shield but got staggered in the process.
"What kind of sorcery is this?!", Alecto hissed. "Never mind because you would be dead."
As Percy prepared for her next attack, he realised that the shield had already been dented. He decided to keep it for the time being since it still offered some protection. Alecto suddenly grabbed the shield as she yanked it back. She was stronger than she looked as Percy with his level of strength was unable to hold it. She then proceeded to throw it away and then immediately slashed her claws across his chest, drawing blood.
HP : 500 - 300 = 200
Percy did not have the water bonus for his health. He had less than half his health and she could now basically one-shot him. That was not a happy thought, not in the least. He tried swinging his sword at her but it seemed to just pass through her. Percy drew a look of confusion and horror as the blade did not affect her in the least. Seeing his stupid expression, Alecto hissed with laughter or it so seemed.
"Foolish demigod, only a blade of godly origins can harm me", she explained.
'What was it with evil people explaining their own weakness?' Percy thought to himself. He however had more pressing issues. How can he harm her then?
Suddenly, Chiron appeared near one of the entrances still in his wheelchair.
"Percy, use this!" he exclaimed as he threw a pen at him.
Percy looked at Chiron as though he was an idiot. If a sword couldn't harm Alecto, how the Hades would a pen do? What would he do? Write on her with it or poke her with it? He had decided that if he died here, he would torment Chiron till the end of his days. He sighed as he uncapped the pen.
Immediately, it sprang into a beautiful 3 feet long blade which was shaped like a leaf. It was a shimmering bronze sword with a double-edged blade, a leather-wrapped grip and a flat hilt riveted with gold studs.
Percy did not have time to admire its beauty as his body suddenly moved on its own accord as he dodged a slash aimed at his head. He rolled sideways and got up with the sword ready. Alecto then flew right at him again this time ready to kill him for good. Percy went with his instincts as he stepped towards the side and brought the blade down from Alecto's shoulder to her other hip. The blade passed through her like a hot knife through butter. She then exploded into yellow powder and was no more. As the battle high faded, Percy looked around to see if there was anyone else only to find that he was alone. Chiron too had disappeared.
His wound was still bleeding so he summoned a bottle of water from his inventory and poured it over himself feeling the cuts close and his HP restore. He then looked at the blade and used 'Observe'.
...
Anaklusmos
Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna and cooled in the River Lethe, the sword contains the immortal power of Zoë Nightshade, one of the Hesperides. Hercules was its former owner.
200 damage, 2% chance to instantly kill.
Bonus : 2x Damage to Monsters.
...
Percy whistled. Now that he had a good look at it, this sword was beautiful in its own aspect. It even seemed to glow as though it was familiar with him. Little did he know that the sword was most effective when wielded by those of the sea. Percy then noted the notification that had since popped up.
...
Quest Complete!
Kill Alecto!
Rewards added.
XP : 674 + 500 = 1174 / 1663
$ : 2360 + 1000 = 3360
Mark of the Furies (tap for more information)
...
Creeped out, Percy reached out and tapped it.
...
Mark of the Furies (Level 1)
Grants shapeshifting powers. Can alter minor physical attributes. Effects increase with increase in proficiency.
...
Percy gaped. That was… unexpected. He realised that he needed to get out of here quickly since Chiron must be waiting for him outside. He quickly summoned his Resurrection Ring and got Alecto back.
"Master", she bowed.
He acknowledged her presence and then called her back into the ring as he was in a hurry. He would talk to her later about this change as he stored the ring back into the inventory. He didn't want people knowing about it since its appearance itself was outwardly. That was a bomb he wanted to avoid as much as he could.
With that over, Percy walked out of the museum as though nothing happened.
"Percy, where were you?", asked Nancy.
"In the museum, having a word with Ms. Dodds?" Percy replied though it came out more as a question since it did happen right in front of her.
"Who is Ms. Dodds?"
"Our new math teacher?"
"We never got one, what are you even blabbering about? Have you finally lost it?"
By now, Percy was more confused than anything. He needed answers and he reckoned that there was one person who could answer it better than anyone else. He excused himself and made his way to Chiron.
"Thanks for the pen", Percy said as he offered the pen/sword back to Chiron.
"Keep it. It is of more use to you than me Mr. Jackson and don't worry about losing it. It will always return to its owner", Chiron explained.
Percy nodded gratefully. This sword was far better than the iron one he had been using in the dungeon the day before. It was like a power upgrade if he had to say something about it. As Percy looked at the pen, it may have been a trick of the light but it seemed to be glowing with excitement. Unknown to Percy, the sword had craved the presence of the sea and now finally after thousands of years it finally had it. What better source than the son of the sea God himself?
"I still need to know why no one can remember Ms. Dodds", Percy said.
"Who are you talking about?"
"Do you really want to go down that line?", Percy said as he leaned near his ear and whispered, "Chiron?"
Chiron on his part sat shell shocked. Never in his life would he have imagined to be discovered so easily and by a twelve year old more less! Chiron quickly schooled his features and replied, "We will talk about it once we're back".
Satisfied, Percy nodded as he went back to the mass of students.
~Timeskip : Back to school in Chiron's room~
"So Percy, how did you know about Alecto?", Chiron asked as Grover stood nearby eating an apple nervously.
"Trade secrets", Percy quipped. He wasn't letting anyone in on the fact that they literally had giant floating identification bubbles over their heads in his eyes.
"And do you know what you are?"
"Demigod".
It looked as though him having the knowledge of his birth and origins was something that they did not count on as Grover was almost ready to faint from the revelation. His worry had skyrocketed since Percy's aura seemed to grow more potent and could easily match that of one of the children of the Big Three. He did not want another failure and he needed to save Percy's life as well.
"Speak to your mother. Tell her Chiron says 'It's time', she will understand. The summer break starts tomorrow and the earlier this is taken care of, the better it is."
Done with the conversation, Percy proceeded to walk back the clearing near the entrance to the Labyrinth and idlelly scrolled through his stats, inventory and the likes when suddenly an epiphany hit him. His inventory box could hold anything of any size as long as Percy could lift it and put it inside, Percy remembered. So in the event someone tried to shoot him or throw a knife at him, he could practically increase the size of the box and store everything in it immediately. Realising this, Percy felt like an idiot.
...
Ping!
For finding another loophole in the system through your logical thinking as well as realising your self-admitted moment of being an idiot, WIS has increased.
WIS : 8 + 1 = 9
...
Percy's eye twitched. This game had its own sick sense of humour.
x.x
~Timeskip : Outside Percy's apartment~
Percy stood in front of his apartment with clear reluctance and disdain on his face. He was apprehensive to enter as he now would have to meet an animal in human skin. He wouldn't have entered this place if it weren't for his mom. He reached out and knocked on the door.
Just a moment later, Sally came out to greet him in all her glory as the Goddess of Moms, Blue Food and most importantly, Blue Cookies. According to Percy, no one could ever match up to her. She was simply too good for this world and sometimes even wondered whether she was real to begin with. She was that amazing.
"Percy!", Sally greeted with a huge smile on her face as she immediately enveloped her baby in a tight hug.
"I had missed you so much, you have certainly grown quite a bit since I last saw you", she said appraisingly.
Percy to his credit blushed at the praise. He had certainly become a bit more developed ever since he discovered the gaming system and his origins. Even though it had hardly been a month, there were still faint traces of muscles being developed and Percy no longer looked frail as his body became healthier.
"It's good to see you too Mom", he replied with a matching grin. However, that grin was knocked off his face as he noticed something on her face that he previously hadn't. There was a bruising on her face which was still being healed as though someone had hit her. It didn't take a genius to add up the facts as immediately Percy adopted a look of rage on his face.
"Where is he?" he growled.
"Honey, it is alright. You don't have to worry - ", Sally tried before she was cut off.
"This is the final straw. He hit you. The moment he did, he was gone. Till I was there, it was fine but not anymore", Percy growled as his previously calm, beautiful sea green eyes turned into a harsher and darker shade of green, the color of a storm brewing. A storm, which would destroy everything in its path with nothing to stop it. The storm's target was Gabe and today would be his final day.
"Mom, please grab the bags and go sit in the car", Percy managed to say calmly. They were supposed to go to Montauk today as their custom and the day had already been ruined. Sally wanted to protest but knew that there was no stopping her son, not right now. She wasn't that worried for him against Gabe since what could a mortal do against the son of a God? She just nodded, grabbed their bags and walked out of the apartment.
"I am not comfortable with what you are doing dear and I would still implore you to forget about it", Sally tried.
"No mom, this I have to do", was the immediate reply as he turned towards the open apartment door.
"Sally? What the hell is taking you so long to get me a beer? Do you want me to come over there and whip you into obedience?", shouted Gabe from within the apartment. Little did he know that he had already signed his death warrant and was soon going to go on a date with him to the Underworld. Percy was going to make sure of that.
Percy then proceeded to walk into the apartment as he noted the discarded beer bottles, pizza boxes and many other things that littered the place. He saw the animal sitting on the couch watching tv.
"Oh so you're back punk", he said.
Percy didn't reply and merely stayed quiet as he proceeded to think about a way to kill this filth.
"Are you deaf? Or should I kill that bitch mother of yours to teach you some lesson? Or better yet, should I teach her a lesson so that she knows how to raise her kid right?"
By now Percy was seething. Never had anyone tested his patience like this animal did. He suddenly felt it, it was fleeting and could've been easily missed but he caught the rope of connection like he did when he had tried to control water. This time round, the connection seemed to be of water but it was of a form which was something far more potent : blood.
...
Ability unlocked, Blood Control!
Blood Control (Level 1)
Control the flow of blood within any being.
(Cost : 150 MP / min | Range : All levels below you)
...
Percy used this new connection as he felt the flow of blood within Gabe's body.
"I will use these two same hands to discipline her as I did a few days ago. She would not stop sobbing. She needs to be trained", the animal continued.
Percy reached out and commanded the blood flowing into Gabe's right hand to pump faster and then he made it stop there. As more and more blood started flowing in with the rest of it not being circulated, the hand started to expand as it suddenly burst into a shower of bones, flesh and red liquid. Percy being extra precautious had already summoned some water and commanded it to form a gag over Gabe's mouth to avoid any sound going out. Gabe screamed himself hoarse as tears fell uncontrollably from his face. He clutched the stump which was formerly his hand and kept crying but Percy was not going to have any of it. He felt the blood in the other hand and commanded it to do the same as the other hand which was clutching the place where the first used to be also broke like the former. Gabe was now holding both stumps in front of him with his eyes wide as he kept screaming in shock and crying in pain.
Percy eventually had enough of it as he made all the blood spontaneously clear the heart as it stopped beating. Since there was no more blood pumping to the brain or the heart, the body stopped responding as Gabe's eyes rolled back and he felt forward with a thump. Percy willed the blood to carry Gabe as he opened his inventory and chucked his body in it. He was going to have a few 'words' with Poseidon when he met him next.
The apartment was a mess with Gabe's blood and former hand all over the place. Percy opened a bottle of water and willed the water to clear all the blood and gore from the apartment as he flushed all evidence away.
Percy had kept a hard face on throughout the whole situation but couldn't stop thinking about what he had just done. This wasn't something he'd ever do or anyone his age should be exposed to but this needed to be done or else his mother would be hurt. This was the easiest choice he had to ever make and he didn't hesitate. Percy then walked out of the apartment, closing it behind him as this place held nothing more than nightmares. He would need to help find a new place for his mom and wouldn't mind doing so.
He finally reached the car and sat with mom. No words were exchanged, they didn't need to. Both knew how the other felt due to the bond only a mother and son could. The car ride to Montauk was a quiet affair, neither wanted to break the peaceful silence they had settled in. Soon, they reached their cabin and settled in.
It was nearly evening when Percy and Sally were in the kitchen. Suddenly, the door burst open as Percy immediately leapt on his feet summoning Riptide and stood protectively in front of his mom. As the figure looked up, Percy recognised the familiar face.
"What the hell Grover?", Percy blurted out before he could think of anything else.
Grover was scared more than ever as he looked at Sally and said the words she never thought she had to hear, "We need to get him to camp right now. It is coming after him."
Sally immediately understood as she left everything, took the car keys and grabbed Percy as she dragged him towards the car while Grover followed closely behind.
"Mom, what's going on?" Percy asked, a little fearful.
"Honey, I am taking you to a place where you will be safe. Your father asked me to take you to it at the earliest possible but I did not want you so far away from me. I tried to keep you as long as I could but it seems that the time has come for you to stay there", Sally replied.
"Perce, it is a camp where more demigods like you live and train", Grover supplied. "Right now, we need to reach that place since you are at risk right now."
...
Quest Alert!
Reach camp safely!
Rewards -
XP 1000
New friends
+2 ability points
Failure -
Destruction of the world
Death
Accept / Decline?
...
Percy stared at the screen. Why on earth did the safety of the world depend on him reaching camp? He did not have time to dwell as he accepted the quest. The system really had a sick sense of humour or it was being correct Percy did not know. For now, he needed to reach this camp quickly.
Rain had suddenly started pouring down and the visibility had reduced significantly. Sally was able to expertly navigate the roads as she gunned the engine.
Suddenly, an inhumane roar tore through the rain and Grover turned white as a sheet.
"Grover, what is that?", Percy asked fearfully. Before his emotions could rise further, Gamer's Mind took control once again as Percy immediately calmed down.
"We just need to reach quickly", Grover replied.
Suddenly, a tree came flying out of nowhere and landed on the road ahead of them almost hitting the car. Sally swerved as she tried to avoid the tree in front whilst keeping control of the car. However, the car skidded off the road and ended up on the side of the road, unable to move.
"Everyone out, quickly!", Sally screamed. This was unlike his mother to be so panicked. Percy quietly complied as he kicked open the door and helped Grover out.
Suddenly out of the woods a tall silhouette appeared. Lightning cracked as the figure was now revealed.
It was seven feet tall. It's arms and legs were bulging with muscles he couldn't even begin to name. It wore no clothes except under-wear. All that was fine. The issue was with its upper body. Coarse brown hair started at about its belly button and got thicker as it reached its shoulders. Its neck was a mass of muscle and fur leading up to its enormous head, which had a snout as long as his arm, snotty nostrils with a gleaming brass ring, cruel black eyes, and enormous black and white horns. Percy immediately recognised it though Grover was the one to voice it albeit hesitantly.
"M-M-Minouatur", Grover blabbered.
"RUN", Sally screamed.
The trio ran towards a hill where a pine tree stood tall and mighty. As they ran, the Minotaur charged at them and swung its massive axe. Sally and Percy managed to avoid it but Grover was unlucky as he got caught on the flat of its blade thankfully and was sent sprawling upwards.
"Grover", Percy screamed. Seeing his best friend get hurt made Percy's concern skyrocket. He kept running as he reached Grover and hauled him up. Sally supported him with Grover in between them as they carried Grover up the hill.
The Minotaur suddenly charged again but this time it reached out with his hand and suddenly grabbed Sally as she was trying to dodge the swinging axe. Just as he got a hold of her, Percy watched with dread as Sally's face converted into that of extreme fright. He watched as the Minotaur squeezed his mother in its hand as she writhed in pain when suddenly she burst into a golden light and disappeared. At that, the world stopped for Percy. He looked around, trying to find his mother but saw no sign of her. Dread settled in but more than that, anger was at the surface. This monster had just taken his mother from him. It was not going to survive.
Percy unceremoniously dropped Grover as he summoned Riptide and the Resurrection Stone. He connected to the ring and summoned the Death Knight. He needed all the help he could get. His anger kept going up as he replayed the dreadful moment again and again. Suddenly, he felt another tug in his gut but unlike last time, it was strong. He reached and connected to it as he suddenly felt the storm around him and the location of each drop of water as it felt on the Earth below.
You are in contact with water! All water related bonuses activated!
Percy ignored the notification as he willed the water to fall even more, battering the entire place with rain.
"Attack him", was the simple order from Percy as the Death Knight charged at the minotaur. Whilst they were locked in a battle with none of them gaining an upper hand. In his anger induced state during the battle, he gained greater clarity and control as he took note of all his surroundings.
Percy willed multiple spears to form from water as he recalled the Death Knight. He willed the spears to attack the Minotaur at high speeds, each finding its mark. The Minotaur's knees shattered first as it fell on the ground, then its arms were pierced in multiple places and the axe fell on the ground as the nerves connecting to its hands were destroyed. Percy then walked to the Minotaur and looked at it with hate with his dark green eyes swirling like the storm around him. He raised Riptide and brought it down as the blade passed through everything with hardly any resistance - it severed one of the Minotaur's horns and continued on its path as it finally dug into the Minotaur's neck, finally killing the monster. As per custom, the Minotaur burst into a yellow substance as it disappeared.
...
Ping!
Inherited Skill unlocked, Control Storms!
Storms (Level 1 : Summon a few clouds, providing light rainfall. Cost : 500 MP)
As the son of Poseidon, you have control over storms.
New ability unlocked, Water Spear!
Water Spear (Level 1 : Cost 50 MP / spear | Damage 100)
Make a spear out of water.
...
Percy threw the horn of the Minotaur into his inventory, dismissing the notifications as he ran back to Grover. The storm was over as Percy receded control over it and the rain turned into a drizzle. He quickly picked up Grover as he walked up the remaining few metres up the hill. As he passed the tree, he felt some resistance until it disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.
...
Ping!
Quest Complete!
Reach camp safely.
Rewards added.
XP : 1174 + 1000 = 511 / 160
Ability Points : 6 + 2 = 8
Level Up!
Level 11
HP : 500 + 50 = 550 / 550
MP : 550 + 50 = 600 / 600
Ability Points : 8 + 2 = 10
...
In the distance, Percy could see a large building which he assumed must be a house. He walked towards it and as he reached its stairs, he dumped Grover as he too fell beside him. Killing Gabe, losing his mother and then the fight with the Minotaur had finally taken a toll on him - menatlly and physically. Just as he was about to temporarily drift into the world of the dead, two faces filled his vision. One was a familiar-looking bearded man, the other was a pretty girl, her blonde hair curled like Cinderella's. They both looked at him as he heard the girl say, "He's the one. He must be."
With that, Percy's world went black.
x.x
Percy's Stats
Perseus Jackson
Species : Demigod
(gives +2 STR and +2 DEX)
Title : Son of Poseidon
Perseus is the son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. He has ADHD and Dyslexia which helps in combat and reading Ancient Greek respectively. He has a natural affinity with water due to his heritage which grants him control over water, horses, storms and earthquakes.
...
Level - 11
Exp - 511 / 2160
...
HP : 550 / 550 (+ 2000)
MP : 600 / 600 (+ 2000)
...
STR : 14 (+ 2 + 20) (Bonus : Weapon damage - Damage + STR | Unarmed damage - STR * 2)
VIT : 7 (+ 20)
DEX : 7 (+2 + 20)
INT : 11 (Bonus : 50 MP per 10 levels)
WIS : 9
LUC : 10 (Bonus : +10% chance of better loot)
Points : 10
Money : $3360 / D0
...
Status : Demigod
...
Skills
...
Combat :
Sword Fighting (Level 2)
...
Inherited :
Ancient Greek (Max)
Modern English (Level 16)
Swimming (Level 1 - 3 km/hr)
Breathe Underwater (Max)
Running (Level 3 - 26 km / hr)
Storms (Level 1)
...
General :
Observe (Level 4)
Sneaking (Level 2)
Critical Strike (Level 1)
Taunt (Level 1)
Mark of the Furies (Level 1)
...
Passive :
Gamer's Mind (Max level)
Son of the Sea God (Gives +20 STR, VIT & DEX as well as +2000 HP and +2000 MP when in water)
...
Abilities :
Water Control (Level 10)
Water Spikes (Level 2)
Water Manipulation (Level 2)
Blood Control (Level 1)
Water Spear (Level 1)
