Chapter 10 : This is Skyfall!

I stood next to a big hellhole, the hole didn't show a bottom, only darkness. The darkness around the hole was so thick I could almost touch it. But the hole didn't frighten me, not longer. After spending some time in Tartarus Kronos wasn't so bad. Especially if I had to fight him on the surface. A dark laughter came from the hole and I was about to roll my eyes when the dream changed. I stood in camp half blood only, it was different this time.

It looked a lot like the nightmares Gaia used to give me but the camp was not on fire or destroyed. It was abonded. A complete ghost town.

Vines grew over the Cabins, some collapsed from decay while others were completely taken over by nature. I entered the Poseidon Cabin without thinking. I saw something lying on my floor.

It was a clock, a classic white clock with metal frame and black numbers. In front of my eyes the clock began to speed up. It was going faster and faster, till one of the pointers broke.

_________

(Luke)

Luke was staring at Percy who was stirring in his sleep. He felt somewhat guilty for the nightmares Kronos was sending him. Even though he was supposed to betray Percy it didn't feel right.

Maybe he could convince Kronos that Percy would join him. Yeah maybe that was the right thing to do. What Percy did with Medusa sure showed he had a good moral compass. He wasn't afraid to say that something was right or wrong because of the Gods. On the other hand Percy was really fond about Hestia. Not that Luke ever met Hestia or heard any stories about her. In fact Kronos never even mentioned Hestia ever. It sounded like she was a good Goddess. It was sad that Kronos wanted all his kids dead but it was for a better world after all.

He promised.

Percy's suddenly twitched in his chair, waking up Annabeth who was sleeping. Annabeth gave Percy a mean glare. Percy was still asleep but clearly having a nightmare.

He was mumbling something along the lines of, "don't wake up" which was weird.

Wouldn't he want to wake up from his nightmare?

Annabeth had a smug smile when she saw Percy struggling.

Luke reached out for him but Annabeth stopped him.

"Don't" she whispered.

"Why? He's having a nightmare." Luke whispered back but Annabeth shook her head, "we need to talk."

"About what?" Luke asked, confused. She looked down at the boy beside her.

"Percy." She said with a tone of anger.

"What about him?" Luke asked, curious.

"I don't trust him, I think he is the lightning thief." Annabeth said with a little bit of pride.

Luke shook his head, "I spend a lot of time with Percy and I know he would never do something like that."

And beside that, Luke knew who the real thief was.

"No he's been lying to us the entire time, suddenly he turns out to be a champion of an Olympian? His control over water is also impossible for a son of Poseidon who discovered his heritage exactly one day. Things are not adding up."

Luke shrugged, He just assumed Percy was powerful. Even if he had secrets everyone had them right? He certainly has his own secrets.

"So what? Percy has every right to have secrets." Luke said.

"No, he doesn't. We're on a quest to save Olympus. He literally lifted one of my mom's curses; something forbidden. If Athena finds out he did it, she will have our heads." Annabeth sneered.

Good thing I'm leaving anyway Luke thought by himself.

"So he did a bad thing in the eyes of the Gods, why should we care?" Luke asked, particularly angry, because what Percy did was right.

"Because she is a Goddess." Annabeth fired back.

"So what? We should do whatever your mom says because she is a Goddess?" Luke said.

Annabeth went silent for a minute.

"Yes." She finally whispered.

"You're just a pawn." Luke said with disgust.

"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked, hurt visible in her eyes.

"We're on a quest ordered by the Gods to return Zeus's firecracker, they are using us. There's no reason we should do what they say."

Annabeth didn't react, she only looked at Luke with shock.

"We're just a pawn, whatever Percy's up too, he's just a pawn as well." Luke said with a sad tone.

"No I'm not a pawn." Percy said. He woke up from the conversation, the two we're arguing louder and louder and forgot about Percy. Percy however listened to the conversation with new respect for Luke. The pride of Annabeth however began to annoy him.

"What do you mean?" Luke was surprised by the fact that Percy listened to the conversation.

"I'm not going to retrieve the Lightning bolt because they told me to." Percy said casually.

"What?!" Annabeth scowled at Percy.

"Yeah everyone thinks I'm on the quest to clear Poseidon's name and prevent a war on Olympus but that's not the main reason for my quest." Percy said without hesitation.

Luke curiosity was going through the roof, he had underestimated Percy.

"Then what is the reason you're on the quest?" Luke asked.

"I'm here to help my friends at camp, the people I care about."

Annabeth gave Percy a sarcastic look, "And how are you helping them?"

Percy smiled, "You will see." He said mysteriously.

____________

(Percy)

We started going up, inside the Arch. An elevator in a curve, my stomach's lovin it.

Instead of being inside an elevator with a disguised Echidna (no not the animal) and a Chimera we were with a normal person this time. Maybe because I altered fate, or maybe because I had to pee before going up.

The man looked Afro-american and he seemed familiar. He reminded me of someone but I didn't know exactly who. He had a brown skin and brown piercing eyes that seemed to study me. He was dressed impeccably like he was going to a meeting instead of a tourist attraction.

"No parents?" The man asked.

"They're below," Annabeth told him. "scared of heights."

The man grinned, "same for my son." He said. Luke raised an eyebrow.

"May I ask you why you are going then? You don't seem like a guy who goes sightseeing." Luke asked, suspicion seeping through his voice.

The man sighed, "I'm traveling with my son across the country. I also have a daughter but lawyers prevent me from seeing her so I'm taking pictures for her."

Oh that's sad.

'He reminds me of someone.' I told Chaos.

'Yes.' Chaos said not helping me.

The doors of the Elevator opened and we each went our different way. Annabeth was talking about some boring Architecture stuff that neither Luke or I did understand. The view was great but kinda boring after seeing Olympus.

A nearby speaker announced that the Arch would be closed within a few minutes and I got up from the bench, wondering why I hadn't seen Echidna and her Chimera. Then I saw the pair coming towards me. Luke and Annabeth recognized the two disguised monsters as well but I gave them a quick glance that said, 'get out, I'll stand my ground'

Annabeth wanted to protest but Luke grabbed her by her shoulder and pulled her to the elevator.

Echidna waited patiently for everyone to go away till only a few people were on the Arch.

"Quiet now, Sonny." Echidna said petting the chihuahua.

Sonny looked angry at me, a forked tongue came out of his mouth, however I didn't flinch.

"So how is it to have a chihuahua?" I asked casually.

Echidna smiled. "Well as long as you feed it on a regular basis it's pretty easy."

I shrugged, "Yeah, I think about taking one as well. Maybe I will tame the Nemean Lion if I come across it." I said jokingly.

Having distracted the monster I lunged forward, FrostSilver in my hand. It barked before growing to the size of a lion.

'You were defeated the first time right?' Hemera asked suddenly.

'Yeah, he had to jump down the Arch.' Nyx snicked.

'He still have to do it this time though.' Chaos said.

'Now's not the best time.' I told the Primordials while dodging Chimera's snake tail.

The Chimera, now grown to its real appearance, had the head of a lion with a blood caked mane, the body and hooves of a giant goat, and a serpent for a tail, with a ten-foot-long diamondback growing right out of its shaggy behind. The rhinestone dog collar still hung around its neck.

Echidna just watched as I tried to kill her son with FrostSilver, I could use my powers but I didn't want to look powerful or the act might fail.

The snake lady made a hissing noise that might've been laughter. "Be honored, Percy Jackson. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test a hero with one of my children. For I am the Mother of Monsters, the terrible Echidna!"

"You had sex with Typhon right?" I wondered how in Hades name that was possible.

"Ugh Kill him Sonny!" Echidna yelled angrily. Guess she still had marriage problems.

'Kill him!' Nyx shouted back.

I took out Riptide as well and began to fight the snake head with it while using FrostSilver to dodge fire. I maneuvered to the edge of the Arch, this time I was luckily alone. The mortals had all run away when Echidna approached me.

The Chimera kept closing on me. It lunged forward, I silently prayed to Apollo before I threw FrostSilver at the Lion head. While throwing Riptide at the Snake head like the swords were projectiles. FrostSilver went straight through the Lion's mouth while Riptide was spinning like a deadly chainsaw before cutting off the serpent. Both heads let out a roar of pain and hissed. They tried to move but the monster dissolved into golden dust leaving a lion pelt behind.

"Nooooo!" Echidna cried out before looking at me. She realised I was weaponless (or at least it looked like it).

"I'm going to kill you!" She yelled angry. I quickly grabbed the Lion pelt and went to the Arch edge trying to look panicked. Riptide still hadn't returned to me and I didn't have the time to materialize FrostSilver.

"Please don't Kill me." I screamed faking fear.

'Just kill her already.' Nyx said annoyed.

'He can't, he needs the pearls.' Chaos explained.

I stepped on the edge of the hole.

"If you are the son of Poseidon," Echidna hissed, "you would not fear water. Jump, Percy Jackson. Show me that water will not harm you. Jump or die. Prove your bloodline."

I prayed to Poseidon, I hoped he would be protecting me this time.

'If Poseidon doesn't protect you I will.' Nyx reassured me.

I faced Echidna and gave her the finger before stepping back and let myself drop down.

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I have finished the first Volume in p atreon

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p atreon : Moonhorse