Chapter 142: Vivid Dreams

[Third Person's PoV] 

"Anyways, here you go. You can be on your way now," Lucian said as he tossed the spear back to Percy. "I upgraded it, made it way more durable. It won't break just because you put some weight on it. Do you need me to guide you to where you need to go?"

Percy fumbled a bit as he caught the spear, nodding in appreciation. "Thank you," he said, grateful for the gesture. "And no, I don't need you to guide me. I remember where the cabins are."

With that, Percy exited the basement and made his way out of Lucian's cabin, glancing around the camp until he spotted Ares' cabin a few down the line. Once he reached it, Percy knocked on the door.

A boy with black hair and a rugged look opened it, glaring at Percy. "What do you want, new kid?"

"Uh, I'm looking for Clarisse. Is she around? I'm trying to return her spear," Percy explained, motioning to the weapon in his hands.

The boy scoffed, amused. "Heh, I heard how she had our father's gift broken. She's not here; she's at the training grounds." And with that, he shut the door in Percy's face.

'That was weird…' Percy thought as he headed towards the training grounds, where Luke had previously taught him.

When he arrived, he spotted Clarisse training by herself in a secluded area, her expression frustrated as she swung a wooden spear.

Percy hesitated before clearing his throat. "Uh, excuse me—"

He was cut off as Clarisse spun around, her spear pointed at his neck, her glare sharp and deadly. "What do you want?" she demanded, her voice dripping with venom.

"Nothing..." Percy squeaked out, holding up the spear defensively. "I just came to drop this off. I thought you might want it back."

"My spear…" Clarisse muttered in surprise, momentarily taken aback as she eyed the weapon in Percy's hand.

She snatched it from him, examining it closely. The tip of the spear flashed a bright red, small sparks dancing around it, and she nodded approvingly.

"So, you got it fixed?" Clarisse asked, inspecting the area that had once been broken but now showed no sign of damage.

"Uh, I didn't fix it," Percy admitted. "But I saw how much it meant to you, so I asked Lucian if there was a way to get it repaired. He did it himself and mentioned something about it being more durable now."

"I see…" Clarisse muttered, feeling a bit awkward, which only made her more frustrated. "Thank you…" she mumbled, clearly annoyed at having to express gratitude.

"Yeah, no problem. Look, I'm sorry for breaking your spear. I didn't realize it—" Percy began, but he instinctively summoned his trident to block Clarisse's sudden attack as she swung her spear down at him.

"What the hell is your problem!?" Percy demanded, shocked by the sudden aggression.

Clarisse scoffed. "Listen here, fish breath. Just because you fixed my spear doesn't mean I forgive you or that we're friends," she snapped, swinging her spear around him.

Percy struggled to keep up, blocking her attacks with his trident.

"I still don't like you," Clarisse added, her tone icy.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry for trying to be nice. It was my mistake for thinking you could be reasoned with," Percy said awkwardly, attempting to defend himself.

"Was that an insult!?" Clarisse glared, her attacks growing more aggressive. "And why the hell are you using a trident? You look so awkward with it. Don't tell me it's because of your daddy?" she sneered, looking at Percy as if he were pathetic.

"No," Percy groaned under the pressure of her attacks. "It was Lucian's idea. He said it would help me learn to train my abilities. It's my first day wielding this thing."

"Heh, a son of the Big Three needing a crutch. How pathetic can you get?" Clarisse taunted, continuing her assault.

Unknowingly, the two spent the rest of the day sparring, with Clarisse subconsciously offering Percy advice on wielding a polearm weapon—though she would never admit to it.

…

One day later…

Lucian drifted off to sleep, expecting another uneventful night. However, as soon as he entered his dream world, he found himself in the middle of a dense, shadowy forest. Dark clouds rolled in above him, and the wind began to pick up, howling through the trees with increasing intensity.

Before long, the sky opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour. The rain was relentless, hammering the ground with a force that made it almost impossible to see. Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder that seemed to shake the very earth beneath him.

Lucian's attention was drawn to a family of screeching owls huddled together in a nearby tree. The largest owl, which Lucian assumed was the father, had his wings outstretched, shielding two baby owls from the storm. Beside him, the second-largest owl, likely the mother, did the same, wrapping her wings around the chicks protectively.

The storm grew fiercer, and just when it seemed the worst had passed, a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, striking the mother owl in the back. The strike was fatal, and she collapsed instantly, her wings falling limp as she plummeted from the tree.

The father owl let out a mournful screech, a sound so powerful and full of grief that it drowned out the raging storm. Lucian wasn't sure if what he saw were tears or just the rain streaming down the owl's face, but the pain and anger in its eyes were unmistakable. The owl turned its gaze skyward, glaring at the storm with a fury that could only come from deep, personal loss.

For a moment, it seemed the owl was ready to launch itself into the heart of the storm, to fight back against the force that had taken his mate. But the chirps of the baby chicks brought him back to reality. He looked down at them, then back at the storm, before gently placing them on his back.

With fierce determination, the owl flew against the wind, dodging the lightning strikes that seemed to target his precious cargo. He maneuvered through the storm with a precision that spoke of years of experience, his eyes never leaving the path ahead.

Eventually, he spotted a river below, where lily pads and lotus flowers floated serenely despite the chaos above. As another bolt of lightning shot toward them, the owl dove down, narrowly avoiding the strike. He carefully placed the baby chicks inside the petals of a large lotus flower, tucking them in so they were safe and protected.

With one final, sorrowful glance, the owl nudged the lily pad, sending it gently downstream, away from the storm. The owl then turned back toward the storm clouds, his gaze sharp and filled with murderous intent.

As the storm raged on, a golden eagle suddenly emerged from the center of the dark clouds, its wings cutting through the air with a thunderous roar. The owl opened its beak, letting out a screech that made the very earth tremble. The two birds flew toward each other, their cries growing louder and louder until, with a blinding flash, they collided, and everything went white.

…

Lucian was jolted awake by the echo of that final, ear-splitting screech. The sound was so intense it had knocked him off his bed, and he landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"Ughhh…" Lucian groaned, finding himself upside down, tangled in his sheets, and rubbing his throbbing head.

"Okay, okay, old man," he muttered, recognizing the message in the dream. "I'll go get them. No need to send me a dream; we can fucking call each other." He sighed, still reeling from the vividness of the dream, knowing exactly what he had to do next.

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