Status— demigod, giving Percy — +4 VIT, +4 DEX and the ability to breath underwater, enhanced strength, communicate with fish, create earthquakes, talk to horses, control water and look cool.(Increase of +1 to VIT and DEX every 5 levels)
Perks—
Ј Anger of Alecto— whenever the user succeeds in taunting an enemy they are infected with the Anger of Alecto which gives them double their strength but also makes them clumsy and highly ignorant of their surrounds.
HP regeneration: 25%
MP regeneration 25%
Just then grover started to groan as he came to. Percy closed his status and immediately went to his friend and helped him to his feet, "easy there G-man you just got your ass handed to you by a giant snake, I think you can take it slow."
"Percy? Wait what happened?" Grover asked as he looked around, "are we outside the forge?"
Percy nodded, "yeah. I managed to get you and Luke out of there in time."
"WAIT!" Grover called out and then began looking all over the place, "where is that giant snake thing?!"
Percy shrugged, "it didn't follow us out here," it was the lie he had prepared before hand, "it must only attacks those who are inside the forge."
Ping!
Lie success!
Percy smiled as Grover visibly calmed down, "okay then, that's good. But what about the chains?"
Percy frowned as he dug out the note he found inside the forge and gave it Grover, "I managed to sneak in after getting you two out here and found this in the place of the chains."
Grover read the note and then looked up at Percy with a questioning look, "who the hell is Edward Neak?"
"No idea, but he sooo on my shit list."
"So this is a bust huh?" Grover said sighing, "well at least we didn't die."
Percy nodded and then went to Luke and carried the boy over his shoulder, "for now let's head back to Boston and get the train. We might have to settle for plan B."
"What's plan B?"
"Go in, grab my mom, piss on Hades throne and then get the fuckout."
"Ahh, I think you can do the pissing thing on your own," Grover replied with a weak smile.
Percy smiled back and the two left the forest and walked back to the main road. Percy was getting a little tired carrying Luke over his shoulder but hey, great exercise. Wait did I say that already?
As soon as they reached the road Percy managed to get a cab. Percy opened the cab and tossed Luke in, causing the young man to hit his head on the door handle, "shit!" Percy called out as he and Grover then put Luke upright and finally managed to get in the car.
"Where to?" asked the cabby who was looking at them through the mirror.
"Ah, just a motel or something," Percy replied.
"Sure....you two didn't ruffy the blond kid did you?"
"Waht? NO!"
"Because if you did it would be a crime if I brought you guys to a motel. Who knows what you two might do to that kid."
"Holy shit man! We aren't going to rape Luke!" Grover exclaimed
"Actually I meant it would be a crime for me to not bring him to a hospital," the cabby replied as the situation slowly became more and more awkward.
"J-just drive," Percy replied as the cabby took off. They made it to a motel where Percy paid the man and took Luke out. Grover got them rooms and the three quickly went in and shut the door.
Inside Percy and Grover waited in silence for Luke to wake up. Grover was looking at the news while Percy was checking his inventory. He had;
30 Bottle of water
Tooth of a hellhound
Torch
34 pancakes
20 meals
7 Apples
6 Bananas
10 Oranges
Picture of Mom.
Gabe's head
Horns of the Minotaur
Potion, low level x 5
Staff of healing, High level
13 swords
6 katanas
3 helmets
3 shields
17 helmets
A bow
A quiver
A Greek spear,(25)
Cape of Scales,
Helmet of Troy
Gauntlet of Kefka
Sword of Kefka
Imperial Gold Spear
Climbing gloves
Shovel Buster
Necklace of the damned
Scroll of hidden treasure
HNI,
Essences of Shadow, Crafting item,
Celestial bronze blades; (50)
Shards of light, (6)
Razor whip
Snake statue
Yeah he had a lot of shit. Maybe it was time to sell some on the HNI. Percy heard a groan and turned to see Luke waking up.
"Hey take it easy Luke," Percy said as he helped the boy up.
"What happened?" Luke asked as he shook his head, "did something hit me?"
"Yeah I giant robotic snake," Grover replied as he handed Luke a bottle of water.
"How are we even alive?"
"I managed to get you two out, the snake didn't follow use once we left the forge. I did however managed to sneak back in and find this," Percy then handed Luke the note from before.
Luke emptied his bottle of water and then took the note. After reading it fully he looked at Percy with a raised eyebrow, "who the fuck is Edward Neak?"
"We thought you might know," Percy replied with a shrug, "him being a son of Hermes and all."
"Hmm, I don't know who this Edward guy is but whoever he is he now has the chains," Luke replied as he rubbed his forehead, "damn I must and hit my head pretty hard."
Percy and Grover shared a look as a flashback to the cab came to mind, "yup." Percy said, "totally. You must have hit your head pretty hard."
Luke then reached into his backpack and took out a tin box. He opened it and inside was a square piece of yellow cake, kind of looked like a lemon square. Luke ate the cake and in front of Percy's eyes the bump on his head vanished and Luke became more focused as the dizziness vanished from his eyes.
"Woah!" Percy exclaimed, "what is that? Is that like a healing pill only a son of Hermes can use?"
Luke handed Percy the tin box and Percy used Observe;
Ambrosia,
Food of the gods. It heals demigods when eaten, but eat too much and they will burn from the inside out. WARNING: Never give to humans, they will instantly combust.
+100% HP restored with 1st time consumption (-25% HP restored with additional consumption.)
[Cool down period before someone can eat this with no -25% HP, 12 hours.]
Percy's eyes widened, "holy shit!"
Luke smiled, "yeah I know it smells great righ? It's called-"
"-Ambrosia," Percy replied as he inspected it again.
"Yeah that's right. You know your greek myth Percy. It has it's twin, Nectar," Luke then took out a thermostat and gave it to Percy. Percy saw inside was a golden liquid that kind of looked like caramel syrup.;
Nectar,
Food of the gods. It heals demigods when drank, but eat too much and they will burn from the inside out. WARNING: Never give to humans, they will instantly combust.
+100% MP restored with 1st time consumption (-25% MP restored with additional consumption.)
[Cool down period before someone can eat this with no -25% MP, 12 hours.]
Luke then continued, "anyway I'm surprised you didn't know about this sooner. Didn't the healers feed you some when you were in the med bay?"
Percy shook his head, "no I heal fast. Also being the son of Poseidon make me heal everytime I come in contact with water."
Luke whistled, "wow, that's amazing Percy. Anyway putting the food of the gods aside what's our next move?"
Percy handed the Nectar and Ambrosia back to Luke making a mental note to get some for himself, "I don't really know man. Just wing it I supposed."
"Okay then, next stop LA."
Percy and the others quickly took a bath and got into a change of clothes. Percy now wore a blue shirt with a black hoodie. They all quickly left the motel and took a bus to the train station.
Once they reached Percy and the rest were disappointed to know that they had just missed the last train to LA, the next one being tomorrow morning at 8!
"God damn it!" Percy replied angrily as the group of questers walked along the road aimlessly, "now what?"
Luke shrugged, "just wait I suppose. There really isn't much we can do."
Grover nodded, "so let's make the best of this. Let's explore a bit, relax and enjoy the small things in life."
"Oh okay. Let's relax doing that while my mom is stuck in the Underworld," Percy snapped back causing Grover to put his head down in embarrassment. Percy was getting tensed, his failure in getting the chains along with the fact he would basically waste a whole day was getting to him.
Luke put his hand on Percy's shoulder and calmed him down, "look Percy we will get there okay? We just can't do it now. So let's take this time to relax and, because tomorrow evening we will be in LA ready to go into the Underworld."
Percy sighed, "I'm sorry G-man."
Grover smiled, "neah it's cool Percy."
Luke nodded, "good. Now that that's settled let's go and get some coffee."
"Wait why coffee?" Percy asked.
"Because coffee in the true nectar of the gods, Mr. D said so."
"Isn't Dionysus the god of wine? Why would he say coffee in the nectar of the gods?"
"He likes to eat coffee beans raw. Says something about them causing him to becoming a hyperactive hamster, which the next best thing to being drunk, which he can't be due to the ban Zeus placed on him."
Percy shrugged, "that is one weird god." He then followed Luke into a Starbucks as they ordered a drink. Percy got a cappuccino, while Luke got a double shot vanilla mocha cocoa with whipped cream and extreme form. Yeah, needless to say Luke is basic as fuck. Grover on the other hand got a black coffee which he spiked with a little bit of nectar when no one was looking.
The three sat near the entrance with a view of the door, in case monsters managed to find them. The three enjoyed their drinks as Percy felt his worries wash away. "You know what this was a good idea," Percy said with a smile, "I feel better already."
Luke smiled, "see what I tell you? Starbucks is the best."
Grover laughed, "says the basic white girl."
"What was that?" Luke asked with narrowed eyes.
"N-nothing!"
"What? You want me to Iris message Juniper and tell her you have been thinking about Nymph's and their....help me out here Percy what was it?"
"'Healthy bodies'" Percy supplied.
"Right, their 'healthy bodies'. Are you sure you want me to do that Grover?"
"NO! Please no!" grover yelled out in a panic.
"Then tell me, whose basic white girl?"
"Me, I'm a basic white girl."
"You're goddamn right."
Percy laughed at this and then suddenly an idea hit, "wait! Why don't we Iris message him!"
"Who?" Luke asked confused.
"Edward Neak!" Percy exclaimed, "let's just Iris him and ask him fro the chains."
"What makes you think he would be willing to negotiate with us?"
"Ah.....I don't know. But we have to try something!"
Luke sighed and then nodded, "okay let's do it."
They finished their drinks and quickly went to the alley next to the shop. Percy took out a water bottle and made it into steam as a rainbow slowly appeared.
Grover then finished out a drachma and tossed it in, "Oh Iris goddess of the rainbow accept my offering. Show us Edward Neak, son of Hermes."
The waited for the image to appear but then a voice came out of the rainbow, "the person you are trying to reach is unavailable at this time. Please try later." The rainbow then tossed out the drachma into Grover's waiting arms.
"Well shit," Luke exclaimed throwing his arms up in the air.
"Wait what does this mean?"Percy asked.
"It means he has some way of blocking Iris's powers," Luke explained as he began leading the group out of the alley and back onto the street.
"You can do that?"
"Yeah pretty easily actually. Just need enough power for it. that's the reason people can't just call up the gods willy nilly."
"Did you just say 'willy nilly?'" Percy asked with a smirk.
"Why? Isn't that cool anymore?" Luke asked.
"Ah, guys," Grover said trying to get their attention.
"Yeah man it's totally not cool," Percy said ignoring Grover.
"Really? When I was your age it was the coolest thing one could say."
"Guys," Grove Tried again.
"Wait how old are you? 42?" Percy smirked.
"Hey! I'll have you know-"
"GUYS!" Grover roared out causing the two to turn back.
"What?" Luke asked.
"I found him," Grover then pointed to a newspaper stand on the side of the road. Percy and Luke turned and on the cover of The Times was a picture of a well dressed man in a black suit. He had black hair and grey eyes and on his face was a smile that can found on Luke and every son of Hermes back in camp. Below written in bold was; 'Edward Neak, the genius of Boston.'
"You have got to be kidding me," Percy said in a dazed tone. They quickly purchased the magazine and sat down on a bench reading all that was written about Edward Neak.
The man had a mysterious past, most demigods did, and the first time the public caught wind of him was when he was 17. He had just designed a website which people complain to the government about their situation. This lead to hundreds to domestic violence cases being reported via this website and even common problem like fixing a sink. He single handedly created a virtual platform for the whole city of Boston where people could interact with anyone they wanted.
He then spent most of his time creating new methods of security leading to the foundation of Half-Blood Inc. the leading monopoly in Boston for security.
Percy looked at this and a light bulb light up in his head. This was why he got a familiar feeling when he read Edward's name. The guy was rich and not a dick, which was rare. Percy had read about him before, during Yancy academy, Nancy even did a project on him.
"So this is the guy whose ass we need to kick," Luke said as he finished reading the article.
"Holy shit," Grover said with an open mouth, "if what this thing says is true, this guy is a bloody millionaire!"
Percy nodded and got up, "doesn't matter. This Edward guy seems okay enough, but we still have a quest to finish."
Grover sighed, "okay then. So where to?"
"Where all rich people go during this time of the day," Percy replied as he hailed a cab, "his office."
The building that hosted Half-Blood Inc. was huge. It had the company's name in bronze above the door and the lobby was filled with greek paintings and statues. This Edward guy was really pushing it with all this Greek stuff.
As the entered they were searched by two security guards, let's call them.....dumb and dumber. Percy used the Mist to conceal some of the divine stuff in their bags, like the Nectar and Ambrosia, and the two let them through.
Percy and the others got into a lift and pressed the top floor button, what? He is the owner and CEO of a very powerful company, of course he would be in the top.
The doors opened revealing a woman with blonde hair sitting behind a grey desk. All around the room where paintings of Hermes, okay this guy was obsessed with this stuff. The woman saw the three boys and smiled, "hello. Can I help you?"
