"Stay away from us!" the daughter of Ares shouted.
"Clarisse it wasn't my fault! I wasn't in control! You have got to believe me!" Percy tried to reason.
"Shut up!" Clarisse said as more and more demigods surrounded Percy. Some drew their weapons, but their hands shock, they knew they had no chance. The ones who knew Percy, the ones who owed Percy their lives didn't try to make a move, they were either too scared or didn't want to harm the demigod.
"Clarisse, you know me," Percy tried to plead, "I would never-"
Percy was cut off half-way as a sudden flash of light transported him away from camp. The demigod found himself standing on top of a large building. Percy blinked away the blindness and looked at the surrounding building. He immediately realised where he was, on top of the Empire State building.
"You have failed us Perseus," three voices spoke at once.
Percy turned and there standing with him were the three Fates.
"Why did you bring me here? I need to go back to camp! Kronos might be back any time soon and-"
"-You shall never go back to camp," The Fates said together.
"What?!"
"You will never go back to camp Perseus Jackson," they said, "you have failed us. We gave you your powers to protect the demigods and to defeat Kronos, you have failed in that task."
"Please give me another chance!" Percy cried out, "I swear that I will protect them! Even if they want nothing to do with me I'll protect them!"
The Fates shook their heads, "this is not up for debate. We take now the power we gave to you," the Fates raised their hands up and suddenly Percy felt a pull on his chest.
Your level has been reduced to 5;
Percy Jackson
Health— 250/250
Mana-0/0
Title— Son of Poseidon
(+20 Str,+20 Vit, +20 Dex, while in water)
Level-5 Exp— 50/1,000
Race— Demigod
STR— 5
VIT— 6
DEX— 2
INT-3
WIS-1
LUC-2
POINTS-0
"We take from you your divine lineage."
Race— Demigod
Race— Human (Clear sighted.)
Good Bye.
The notification boxes closed itself as Percy fell to his knees in pain. Suddenly a blue glowing orb was ripped out of Percy. The ord disappeared into thin air as Percy slowly felt weaker than he had ever before. He felt the pain in his hand slowly increase, it was the first time in years he felt physical pain.
"We take back the gifts you have earned through our powers," they spoke again as suddenly Percy's jacket and armband vanished.
"Why?" Percy asked through gritted teeth, "why are you doing this?"
"You have failed us Percy Jackson," the Fates said.
"Give me another chance, please," Percy lowered his head to the ground, "I'm begging you."
"You have failed us," the Fates simply repeated as all three suddenly disappeared in a flash of light.
Percy looked up, his body was exhausted beyond belief. The pain he felt in his hand was to much. The physical strain on his body due to the super speed made his legs throb in pain. Percy tried to get up, but promptly fell on the ground, his mind was overrun by fear, anger, loss, guilt as he slowly fell unconscious.
The last thought on his mind was a apology to his friends for failing them.
Morning
Percy felt something peck his check. The human boy woke up and moved his stiff arms scaring the pigeons away. He felt cold, without his jacket on Percy was exposed to the elements and he felt like he was on the edge of a fever.
Percy slowly got up, 'did that really just happen?' Percy wondered as he slowly picked himself up.
"Status," he spoke, but nothing happened. Percy smashed his fist onto the gravel below and a sharp pain ran up his arm.
Percy winced and slowly looked at his arm, his knuckles were bleeding, the pain was so clear. Percy got to his feet, they were shaky, but Percy could stand now. The former demigod walked slowly to the door on the roof and kicked it open. He leaned on the railing and walked down the staircase.
'How is this possible?' Percy wondered, 'am I really human now?'
Percy reached the floor just below the roof and called the elevator. While he waited of that he tried to use his various skills. He focused on his eyes, trying to activate 8.0 Eyesight, but nothing happened. He tried to activate Body From, btu his arms just went limp in pain.
Percy even tried to form water out of the moisture in the air. But then he tried to fell his mana, nothing remained except an empty void.
'They took the Gamer's power, they took my strength, my speed. Even my mana.' Percy cursed as the elevator came up. The human entered the lift and slowly went to the bottom.
'What am I going to do? What am I going to do?' Percy wondered as panic started to attack him. He could feel it trying to choke him, he had less and less access to his mind. He couldn't think, all that he could think off was what was going to happen to him.
'I can't go to Olympus. If what I saw just before the Fates took my powers is true then I'm just a clear sighted human again.' The lift doors opened and Percy walked outside. He saw a crowd gathered around, the day had begun already.
Percy walked out of the building and towards Central Park, he needed to be somewhere safe, and the only place he knew is with his mother.
Percy's legs had gotten better, he no longer limped when walking. Percy did a full body check. He had Riptide in his pocket in pen form. The blade however was still broken. He had his camp necklace and his necklace of Poseidon. He had his friction proof shoes, which aren't really useful now. He had his bronze watch, but the led inside was broken. Percy didn't know what happened to his inventory, the Fates possible took it all back for themselves.
It took half an hour for Percy to reach his mother's apartment and all that time Percy spent wallowing in his own guilt. He had killed them, so many of them. He did it with his own two hands. He lost control, but that was the only reason he even had a chance at hurting Kronos. He regretted what he did now, but back then it didn't seem like there was any other way.
'I'm a mortal now......does that mean I can never see any of my friends ever again?' Percy didn't have anyone now. The only person he had was his mother.
Percy eventually reached the street his mother lived on. His legs hurt a lot, but Percy was already used to the pain. Sally's apartment however was different today. There was a lot of people gathered around the building, there were several cars parked near the building, it took only a second for Percy to realise that those were cop cars.
'No.....no, even I can't have that bad a luck!' Percy told himself as he ran. His feet pounded against the pavement as he reached his mother's apartment. He took the stairs, he didn't want to wait for the lift.
His breath was sparse, his stamina was back to the level of an ordinary teenage boy. His legs were paining again, but none of that mattered. Percy only had one thing in his mind, 'please let me be wrong. Please let me be wrong. Please let me be wrong.'
Percy reached the third floor and turned down the hallway. There standing gaurd were two police officers in front of his mother's apartment.
'No, no this can't be happening!' Percy charged forward.
The two officers were alerted by the sudden movement, "hey you can't come in he-"
"-Get out of my way!" Percy said launching a punch into one of the cop's mouth throwing the man back. Before the other could react Percy ran passed him and into the apartment only to stop dead in his tract the moment he saw what was inside.
There was blood everywhere. The walls were covered with them. The living room was filled with cops and forensic personnel. Percy could see a body in the center of the room, he could peices here and there, but the people blocked his view.
"No," Percy said through paused breath as he fell to his knees, "this can't be happening."
"Get this kid out of here!" a police officer said as the two uniforms outside grabbed Percy pulling him out of the apartment.
"Wait," a voice called out. Kate Beckett walked out of the living room, her gloves were stained with blood. "He's with me."
Percy was pulled out of the apartment and into Castle's. No one was home, Percy sat on the couch witch Beckett kneeling down in front of him.
"Percy..... Percy look at me," Kate spoke in soft gentle tones, "everything is going to be alright. I promise you everything will be fine."
"Is it her," Percy asked as tears welled up in his eyes, "is that blood on you gloves her's?"
Kate looked at her gloves and cursed. She quickly removed them and turned to Percy, "we I want to assure you that you will be taken care off. I promise. I will find the person who did this and-"
"What happened to her?"
Kate looked surprised, "I don't-"
"-WHAT HAPPENED TO MY MOTHER!" The policemen outside Castle's apartment barged in with guns drawn. Kate quickly motioned them to stand down and they slowly did.
The detective turned to Percy, "are you sure you want to-"
"-Just tell me," Percy snapped.
"She.....we can't be certain until we have done an autopsy. But it looks like she was mauled by some kind of animal."
Percy's eyes glowed with pure anger, if he had the Le Bete perk with him they would have turned yellow by now. "Do you know what kind?"
Kate shook her head, "no....we don't."
"When?"
"Sometime last night. I heard it happen. I ran into your mother's apartment to try and help her, but by the time I went in......there was nothing I could do. Her last words were, 'tell Percy I am proud of him.'"
Percy looked at Kate as tears slowly filled up his eyes. "T-thank you detective Beckett."
Kate nodded, "Percy why don't you stay here for a while, just until we can find you somewhere else to go."
"I have nowhere else," Percy said.
"No other family?"
Percy shook his head, "I never knew my mother's parents. And....well there is my dad, but I don't know whether he wasn't to have anything to do with me anymore."
Kate nodded, "then stay here. I'll take care this as fast as I can and we will get through this together Percy."
Percy nodded blankly as Kate went outside to deal with the investigation. The moment the door closed Percy was up. The anger in him called out for vengeance, he wanted to scream out at Kate for not getting there sooner. He knew that the mortal police woman would have had no chance against a monster, but he still felt the anger.
'No.....never again. I will never lose myself to my anger ever again,' Percy told himself as he rained in his anger. It was strange doing it without the help of Gamer's mind, it was like scooping out water with your hands.
There was only one person Percy could go to get the help he needed, his dad. The Fates might have abandoned him, and the other Olympians might hate him, but Percy had to believe his dad hadn't given up on him. What he told the detective was true, he didn't know whether his dad wanted anything to do with him, but he had to try.
Percy looked around the apartment and found 100 bucks tucked away in a drawer. It was a lot of money, but for someone like Castle it would be chump change. Percy knew he couldn't walk out the front door, the cops would see him and detain him. So Percy went to the fire escape and got out through that.
Once he was down the fire escape he hailed a cab and asked to be driven to the closest beach, Silver Beach in Parkchester.
Percy spent that time wondering how he was going to talk to his dad. He couldn't use Iris messaged anymore, he had no drachmas. He could try to swim inside and try and find him, but something told Percy his swimming skills aren't going to be what they used to be.
Eventually Percy reached the beach in 30 minutes. He payed the driv 40 dollars and quickly left for the shore. The 'beach' itself wasn't really a beach. It was just a few meters of sand surrounded by building at the shore. But it was technically a beach and Percy hopped this would work.
It was around 10 in the morning, the beach was empty. Percy walked to the waters and stood there. He took a deep breath, "dad, if you can hear me. I need your help."
Percy stood on the beach for hours. Time passed quickly for the mortal boy. Hours came and left and Percy repeated the same thing, "I need your help." Eventually he stopped realising he was even saying it. The words came out, but inside Percy was recalling all that he had done.
He had killed those he had sworn to protect. The only reason he wanted to grow stronger was to protect them, and now all he cared for were gone.
Percy knew only one thing, pain and loss. He could feel the guilt in his heart, the uselessness of regret. He felt anger, he felt fear. The way Clarisse looked at him, the way they all drew their blades on him, that was his greatest nightmare.
His mind was also filled with memories of his mother. The way she smiled, the way she cared for Percy. She was the kindest person he knew. She was the reason Percy wanted to protect others, so that he could be like her.
Percy fell to his knees as he looked up at the setting sun. 'Have I been here all day?' Percy asked himself. Time didn't seem to bother him anymore. Maybe it was because he hurt the Titan of time. A curse that Kronos managed to inflict on him on top of everything else that was going on.
The only thing that mattered to Percy now was his losses. He didn't want to live anymore, he couldn't take it. He had failed his mother, he had failed his father. He lost control and killed people he called family. Tears rolled down his eyes, he looked up at the sea, "dad.....I need you."
"Grrr," Percy heard a growl behind him.
The former demigod turned slowly and there standing at the entrance to the beach were a pair of yellow eyes that belonged to a Hellhound.
He should have felt scared. He should have felt like running away, after all he was now human. But Percy felt neither of those things. Instead he felt calm. He felt relieved. Standing before him was a piece of the world that abandoned him, that left him.
He may not be a demigod, but at the least he could at least die like a demigod.
Percy stood up and faced the beast. His breath was slow, his hands steady. "Well? What are you waiting for? I'm here, eat me!"
The Hellhound snarled and charged. It's mouth opened wide as spit drool off the side. Percy unfocused his eyes. He was ready, 'I'm coming.'
The Hellhound was nearly on top of him. Percy knew this was the end. There was no reason to keep fighting anymore. All of this....it didn't matter. Percy slowly let all of his anger, his fear, his hate go. He was at peace.
The Hellhound bite into his neck and pushed him into the water. Percy gasped as it's fangs tore into his neck. Pain filled his entire being. Percy could feel himself slowly die. His blood filled the sea, slowly mixing with the water.
