Chapter 79

[Third Person's PoV]

Lucian appeared from the shadows in front of Hermes wearing big thick glasses, with a fake nose and mustache.

"Lucian isn't here at the moment, may I take your message in his stead?" Lucian said in a deep voice while adjusting his glasses, causing the nose and beard to move along.

Hermes looked down at Lucian with an unamused look, "Let's just go kid, I'm on official business."

Luke and Thalia exited from the Big House. Luke had a look of expectation hidden in his eyes, but seeing that his father wasn't even bothering to pay any attention to him caused him to unconsciously clench his fist and grit his teeth.

"Wait, why are you taking him away?" Thalia asked with furrowed brows and a serious expression.

Hermes looked at his half-sister and sighed, "He is to be judged by our father for the act of eliminating a God and stealing Golden Apples from the Garden of Hesperides."

Everyone nearby slowly turned towards Lucian, who was rubbing the back of his head with an awkward chuckle, causing their mouths to slowly turn agape.

"Then take us as well, we stole from the garden as well, didn't we?" Luke said with anger, throwing his apple towards Hermes.

Hermes let out another sigh as he caught it, which caused him to shake his head and throw the apple right back.

"You received a quest, thus you are freed from persecution alongside the ones that went on the quest with you. Lucian wasn't part of your group of three; he was trespassing on your quest," Hermes explained.

Just as Hermes finished speaking, the sky grew darker and lightning started to crackle. Hermes looked towards the sky with an uneasy expression. "He's growing impatient, we better hurry," he mumbled.

"But–" Thalia wanted to protest, feeling it wasn't fair that Lucian was going to be punished for something they all did together.

Before she could finish her sentence, Lucian raised a hand to the side, stopping her. "Drop it, Thalia, I got this. Look who you're talking to. It's Lucian BlackHeart, that's who," he said, giving her a reassuring smile.

Thalia looked at Lucian with narrow eyes before letting out a defeated sigh. "Fine, but you better make it back alive," she said warningly.

Lucian just put two fingers on his lips and blew her a kiss with a wink. "Don't miss me too much," he teased.

Thalia's face grew red, and she almost chucked her spear at him. "You can get struck down by my father for all I care," she growled, embarrassed.

'Can't he take this matter more seriously? How can he be so nonchalant about this?' Thalia inwardly worried.

Lucian turned back to Hermes and ran his hand through his loose hair, ruffling it slightly with a grin that exposed his canines. "Well, Godly Cuzzo, we have a family reunion to get to, don't we?"

"That attitude is going to get you struck down sooner rather than later… Let's go."

…

Lucian and Hermes exited the cab and appeared in front of the Empire State Building.

Hermes looked at Lucian's excited expression and found him even weirder than before. "Aren't you nervous?"

"What!? Of course not, I'm ecstatic! I'm going to be meeting the great infamous Greek Gods for the first time, and I'm going to be seeing Olympus. Why would I be nervous?"

Hermes looked at Lucian incredulously and shook his head in exasperation.

Just as they entered and were about to step into the elevator, Lucian stopped Hermes with a serious expression.

"What? Getting cold feet now? I'm afraid it's too late."

"No," Lucian said seriously, "I can't go in like this. I mean, look at me. I don't look like someone who's going to meet the great infamous Greek Gods. No, no, no, no, no, I would be embarrassing my father with such a display."

Lucian first controlled the mist around him to make himself appear normal, but his attire was anything but…

He was wearing a dark black toga that seemed to absorb the light around him, along with black sandals that had strings wrapping around his calves. He also wore an autumn-colored laurel wreath on his head.

Lucian then began posing before Hermes. "So, what do you think?" he said, striking different poses.

Hermes facepalmed and couldn't help muttering, "What is seriously wrong with this kid?"

The two snakes on Hermes' Caduceus came to life and chuckled as they looked at Lucian.

"He's a peculiar demigod, ain't he, George?" one of the snakes spoke with a soft hiss.

"I might have to agree with you on that, Martha. Do you think he has any rats on him?" George asked.

"Is eating all you ever think about?" Martha asked with annoyance.

"Yes," was all George answered.

Hermes pressed his staff down, silencing the two, while clicking on the elevator. "Not now, you two."

Martha and George then started to grumble as they slithered back to Hermes staff turning into golden snakes once more.

The elevator opened, and both Lucian and Hermes stepped inside.

Once inside, Hermes' staff turned into a bunch of keys, and he inserted one of them near a keyhole by the buttons, causing more buttons to appear.

After pressing the button with the number 500, the elevator started to ascend.

As it moved, Lucian looked at himself in the mirror of the elevator. He wiped a finger on his tongue and stuck his hip out to the side before pressing the finger near his butt.

He used his ability to produce a hissing sound and smoke to come off where he pressed.

"Oh yeah," he said smugly, "I still got it."

Hermes just had a defeated and lifeless look in his eyes as he watched Lucian's antics.

…

Back at Camp…

Annabeth was seen creating a fire in secret with a determined expression. After giving her offerings, she started to pray.

'Lord Hades, please look after Lucian as he faces the trial of Zeus… I'm not asking you as a God… I'm asking you as his father. Please make sure nothing bad happens to him.'

'Worry not…'

Hearing the reply, Annabeth's eyes shot open before she smiled. "Thank you," she said sincerely before extinguishing the flames.

'I can't be of much help, but I hope this would be enough. The only way to stop one God is to send another one to face him off,' she thought coldly.

…

After a while, Lucian and Hermes arrived at the 500th floor.

Lucian looked at everything in amazement before they arrived at a large golden door. "I have brought him," Hermes announced.

"Enter!" Zeus commanded.

As soon as the door opened, Lucian started strutting inside. "WHAT IS UP, FA MI LY!" Lucian shouted with a hand cuffing his mouth and the other hand out moving along with what he was saying.

BOOM!