He had awakened in the room that had been given to him when they came to his father's hostel. His last memory was watching the starry sky with Chrysaor, his brother.
A brother, Percy had now a brother. It had not been more than one day since he met Chrysaor but Percy wanted to trust him.
Chrysaor had seen Percy and not the demigod child of Poseidon. Chrysaor had seen Percy and was the first to acknowledge what Percy was doing. He had been the first adult since his entrance into the immortal world that had shown him respect, that had since the beginning been upfront.
Percy let his back leave the divine softness of the covers of the bed. Before coming here, Percy had never slept more comfortably in a bed.
The room that had been given to him looked more like the room of a billionaire than a room that would be given to a twelve-year-old.
The opulence of the room made Percy feel guilty. Here he was basking in an out-of-the-world luxury in a room at least three times bigger than his cabin in camp while most campers in the Hermes cabin slept on makeshift beds or with discomfort because of how crowded it was.
Percy had done nothing special to deserve it yet just because his father cared, he was awarded all of this. It wasn't fair.
His bare feet touched the marble. He went towards the door and opened it. On both sides of it were warriors with tridents. They saw him and kneeled.
"Please stand up, please," Percy said to them. He had tried to make them stop kneeling each time they saw him because honestly, it kinda made Percy uncomfortable and uneasy. They had told him that they couldn't not kneel before him, that Percy's existence was one superior to theirs and that should be worshipped at any moment. They sounded like fanatics, cultists.
They stopped kneeling "As you wish my prince" they answered. It would be also cool if they listened to his wish of never kneeling before him each time they saw Percy but anyway.
" Why are both of you in front of my door? Neither of you were there originally?" Percy asked them.
"Things have changed your grace" one of the guards replied.
"What changed?" Percy questioned.
The two guards looked at each other as if debating telepathically if they should tell Percy the reason why. Before they could decide if they should tell him or not, one of the hostel staff came before them. There was manager written in gold letters on the uniform of the sea creature, a Telekhine Percy had been told. " I'll handle it. I'll bring the prince to his brother and his companions. Go reinforce the security outside".
The guards nodded and left. "My Prince, may I ask you to follow me? I'll explain everything while I lead you to your companion and to your brother."
"Alright," Percy replied. The Telekhine began to walk. Percy followed him. " so what's happening?"
"It is because of your lord uncle my prince, the ruler of the sky ha-" Whatever the telekhine wanted to say was cut by the sound of a giant TV.
On the TV, there was written emergency on the left side of the Tv in big red letters. The person on the tv was an old black man dressed in a business suit. His name was written on a little corner: Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations.
He began to talk "I represent before you all the nations members of the United Nations. We are at risk of extinction and it is because of only one person."
An image of somebody that Percy knew perfectly. An image of him appeared on the Tv.
His friends and his brother came to him.
"Percy, maybe you shouldn't watch," Grover told him.
"That's my picture on an announcement international being made by the UN. How am I not supposed to watch?" Percy answered.
"There is no point in trying to hide it. He will learn it soon enough. Better now than later" Annabeth spoke.
"Chrysaor?" Percy said. The only thing his brother was put his arm on his shoulder as if to support him.
The UN secretary continued" The child in this picture is called Perseus Jackson. He had before disappeared in a strange incident that left the car of his stepfather a wreck. Perseus Jackson had always been known as a troubled child by his peers, his teachers and his stepfather. Unfortunately what seemed to be bad but harmless behaviour evolved into something worse. We didn't know before today that Perseus Jackson was the son of the chief executive of the greatest black ops organization in the world called Atlantis. Atlantis went rogue and is trying to destroy the world order. They're motivated by madness and anger. Perseus had a day met his father without anyone knowing and was given a mission by his father, to steal a powerful weapon developed by the five founders of the UN in case of a great threat to all. The weapon was hidden in New York in a place even the President of the United States of America didn't know but Perseus found it. "
It began to be hard to breathe for Percy "What is happening? what's happening!? This is just a nightmare, right?"
"Unfortunately my Prince, it is truly happening," The telekhine manager said to Percy.
Percy lost his balance. The arms of Chrysaor were there to ensure he doesn't fall. A chair that looked like a throne materialized behind Percy for him to sit.
"It's false. All of this is wrong". Percy spoke softly.
"It is brother but the Olympians are the rulers of this world and you made yourself an enemy of their king just by existing. The god of the sky wants you dead and he will do anything to make sure you meet an early end" Chrysaor answered.
"But we're on a quest for his bolt. The quest isn't even finished. Why would he do this??" Percy said.
"For the youngest brother of our lord, everyone is seen as guilty until it is proven otherwise" The manager declared.
On the TV, the secretary continued to talk" Perseus Jackson already used momentarily the weapon. He destroyed a road to the point it doesn't exist anymore. The use of the weapon had left behind an endless hole. The people that were around Perseus Jackson when he used the weapon died or were heavily harmed."
On the TV was shown the place where Percy and Alecto had fought. There were yellow bands put around the epicenter of his attack. There were military officers in tactical armor around the place. It was possible even on Tv to see huge traces of blood that had dried on the asphalt. There were hundreds of people trying to enter the enclosed zone. It looked like the scene of an apocalyptic movie.
"It is because of that" the Secretary continued" and the fact that none of our agents had been able to find Perseus Jackson that the United Nations put a large cash reward in dollars for the person that captures or eliminates Perseus Jackson". A number appeared on the TV.
"There are more than eleven zeros" Grover whispered".
"It is imperative that Perseus Jackson be found. Anyone with a criminal record that succeeds will be pardoned immediately. It is a question of life or death for all humankind. I Wish luck to anyone in their hunt The fate of the world lay on your shoulders," the secretary said.
The diffusion ended on this note. Percy felt crushed. Even if he succeeded in his quest, nothing will change the fact that he will be known in the whole world as a terrorist. He could never go back to how his life was before.
He felt even more tired than he usually normally felt these days since his introduction to the supernatural world. He should be screaming, crying and a big part of it wanted it but an even greater part of him was consumed by Anger so deep and so cold it left Percy numb.
"Zeus wants to kill me" Percy began to laugh. Around him, the others except his brother and his companions began to back down as if they were in front of a dangerous predator.
He stood up from his chair-like throne. " I'm tired of trying to be good and only receiving at the end scorn and hatred. Zeus, I know you can hear me." Lightning tore the sky of Virginia Beach. The sound of thunder that came immediately after was one that seemed to come straight from hell. It grated on the ears in a painful melody. It was like the sound of the damned, an ear-shattering sound of promised destruction. Percy continued as if nothing happened" I just say one thing to you. Bring your worst Zeus" Percy screamed.
The world itself shook and was painted in a blue-purple light for a second. Percy turned toward Annabeth, Grover and Chrysaor.
There was shock written on the faces of the two campers as if they could not believe what Percy had done. Chrysaor unlike them looked proud, proud of Percy. Watching all around him, he saw that Chrysaor wasn't the only that agreed and respected his decision.
All around him, they were kneeling before him, their head pressed on the ground before him in deference.
The words he wanted to say were interrupted by the apparition of a green hologram of his father. Being in the hostel had felt like being in the water for Percy. Since he was there, he had never felt physically stronger but when his dad appeared, it was as if the sun itself was now powering Percy. Percy felt as if he could with his two hands throw out mountains like basketball balls. Grover and Annabeth were now on the ground too but unlike the sea creatures that did it of their own will, it was as if gravity itself had pushed their bodies down.
"This is a message to all the denizens, all the children of the sea," the Emerald apparition of his father said. "The lord of the sky dared to put a bounty on the head of my youngest half-blood child for something he didn't do." the apparition hissed. "My brother is supposed to be justice but the currents have proven that is not in any way true. Because of that. "The voice of the apparition began to boom" I Poseidon, Ruler of all the Oceans and Waters of the world, declare all war on the surface world. I curse all liquids on the surface world. No liquid will be drinkable or safe to consume for anyone, not of the seas. I unleash upon the surface world the monsters of the trench and everyone that has died within a body of water since the beginning of this world. I release on the world all my spite, all my anger. As long as my child is falsely persecuted the Oceans will not accept any excuses from the surface world. No peace shall be known for any mortal or immortal, so long as my child stands accused of false crimes, so declares Poseidon Ruler of the Seven Seas. Let this accursed world that dares to go against what I hold dear perish if needs be, for what all need to thrive is revoked, I have spoken" The apparition after finished transmitting the message disappeared in motes of green.
" So what's the plan, little brother? You don't have to leave this temple if you want to. You don't have to fight anymore" Chrysaor told him.
" I know" Percy answered." In the beginning, I had accepted, to be honest, this quest because of one thing. I wanted to save my mother. My desire has not changed".
"It seems that I will follow you to the Underworld," Chrysaor said.
"You don't have to. Dad only asked you to protect us through the quest but I don't care about the quest anymore. Maybe the quest will never be accomplished" Percy told the older son of Poseidon.
"You are my brother. I chose to call you that when I didn't have to. I failed Callirhoe but I won't fail you. We're family and family support each other" Chrysaor answered.
Percy felt Warmth inside him. Percy would have to probably go through things that would destroy, and break most people but having Chrysaor with him, Percy felt as if his burdens and worries had been lessened.
A smile bloomed on Percy's face. He knew that if he broke Chrysaor and his father would be there to put him back in place.
Percy turned toward Annabeth and Grover." None of you got to follow me. I challenged Zeus and Hades already want me dead. The world itself will be against me. I'm sure that we could find a way to make the both of you go back to camp safely." He turned toward one of the kneeling Telekhine that nodded as if to confirm his word.
The shock that was on their faces had been replaced with resolve and steel. Percy already knew their answers. "I will come with you Percy. There are great chances of us dying but I would prefer to die at the side of my friend than die as a coward" Grover said steel in his voice.
"Who do you think I am Percy Jackson," Annabeth said. " I trained all my life for that, I'm not scared." Her voice began to soften" And even if it's not been long, I feel like I know the true you, your true character. I believe wholeheartedly that you are not the thief. I am tired of being powerless before children of the big three are hurt because of something that is not their fault just because they just exist."
"what hour is it?" Percy asked.
"It is 5 am my lord. The sun god hadn't begun his task yet" One of the still kneeling soldiers said.
"Good" Percy replied. "We leave at dawn"
Percy turned to the TV that was repeating the announcement of the United Nations in a loop. Percy should be scared, terrified but a savage smile bloomed on his face he could only feel anticipation.
He grabbed the pearl collar that had been given to him by his father. Through it, he could feel his father's presence and his father's love for him. Percy could feel strength permeate his bones. He could feel himself becoming stronger, wilder and colder with each second that passed deep inside him. Percy may have failed many things in his short life but for once, Percy swore that he will crush anything on the path of his objectives.
Do you truly love someone if you are not ready to burn the world for them?