Percy smiled, "Jackson, Percy Jackson."
"So are you saying we can leave?" Christy asked with hope.
"Yeah," Luke nodded, "we can go right now if you three want. I'll carry Christy on my back and we might reach town by sunrise."
Everyone was quiet as the three questers looked at the college students. But just then Jet spoke up, "no. We aren't leaving."
"Why the hell not?" John asked, "that thing kill everyone Jet! We are the only ones left!"
"Exactly!" Jet screamed as he stood up, "that thing killed everyone we care about! I am not leaving until that thing is dead!"
"Jet you can't be serious!" John shouted, "you want to fight that thing?!"
"Yes," Jet crossed his arms, "I do."
"So do I," Christy said causing everyone to look at her.
"Christy?" John looked at the girl with worry, " but you can't even move Christy what is something happens to you? What is this thing take you into the lake?"
"Then I'll wait for you guys to come and rescue me," Christy replied and then grabbed the blade Luke gave her off the coffee table, "also I'm pretty sure if I cut the thing in half it will die."
John looked at her and then Jet. He sighed, "you two are fucking crazy. Fine. I'm in."
"Good," Luke said, "now does anyone have a plan?"
Percy smiled, "I do."
A few minutes later the six people in the cabin were split into groups of two and spread throughout the lake. Luke and Christy took the area in front of the cabin while Percy and John took the area to the left and Jet and Grover to the right.
Percy gave Jet and John the spare celestial blades he carried and after insuring the mortal that what they were holding was in fact a sword and not a club, like the Mist made them think, they set out.
Luke looked at Christy, "you were very brave to suggest fighting back," Luke said as they watched the lake for the Nokken.
"Thanks," the wheelchair bound girl replied, "I figured if I could dance I could fight."
Luke chuckled in approval as a silence came down between them.
Percy was currently walking with John in tow as they looked across the large lake. John was alert but Percy's mind was elsewhere. As they were walking along the lake PErcy tried several times to control the water, but for some reason he couldn't. It was like there was something blocking him mana from infusing with the water. Maybe it had something to do with the Nokken?
"Ah Percy," John asked, "are you paying attention?"
"What?" Percy snapped out of his thought, "ah no sorry John. What's up?"
"I was just wondering who are you? Like who are you really? You are far too strong for a normal 12 year old. And the fact that you could identify a monster with a single glance rises more questions than it answers."
Percy smiled, "you wouldn't believe me if I told you John."
"Try me."
"Maybe later. For now-"
"HELP!" Grover's voice cut through and Percy turned back in surprise.
"Shit!" Percy and John then dashed across the forest hoping against hope they could make it in time.
Luke and Christy had heard Grover as well and then went for the Satyr as well. Luckily they were close and managed to reach Grover and Jet just as the Nokken was trying to drown Jet in the waters of the lake.
The Nokken was in the form of Nat as she held Jet down with Grover on the side holding his arm which was bleeding badly.
"Grover!" Luke shouted out as he charged the Nokken. He quickly began to swipe away at the creature, which dodged each and every swing with the grace a creature of water could only posses.
Luke was now knee deep into the lake as the mud on the lake floor slowly began to pull him down. Realising his mistake Luke tried to walk back but found his legs stuck. "Shit!"
The Nokken then transformed again, this time into a tall blond haired woman with bright eyes and a warm smile. Luke's breath caught in his throat as he looked at her, "mom?"
The form of May Castellan smiled at Luke as she opened her arms, "come to your mommy."
Luke dropped his sword and slowly stepped in deeper into the lake. "Luke!" Christy called out as she saw him slowly walk deeper and deeper into the dark waters. The blue skinned face of Nokken could be clearly seen underneath the water as it smiled revealing rotten yellow teeth.
Christy pushed herself off her chair and fell to the ground hard. She pushed pasts the pain and pulled herself up using her hands. She clawed her nails into the soil and dragged herself into the lake. The front of her shirt became messy but she didn't care.
The moment she found herself in the water of the lake Chisty moved faster. She swam to where Luke dropped his sword and picked the thing up. The weight of the metal was nearly too much but Christy managed. She put the blade between her teeth allowing her to use her arms to swim.
She grabbed Luke and pulled herself onto his body. She then took the blade out of her mouth, "Luke! Snap out of it!"
"Mom," Luke replied in a daze. The water was now nearly to his chin. Christy looked at Luke and then at the Nokken which now stood a mere few feet in front of them.
Lifting the sword up Christy swung blindly at the monster, "get away from him!" One of the swings however managed to nick the Nokken on it's nose. The monster growled and slowly the water in the lake started to shit.
The Nokken then lifted itself out of the lake. The rest of it's body was the same as it's face. It's blue skin glowed as it lifted on hand and slashed at Christy. The disabled girl held up Luke's blade and managed to block the Nokken nails from slicing her open.
The Nokken growled and then grabbed the blade and pulled it out of her grip. It threw the weapon onto the lake shore and turned to her. Slowly the monster started to smile. It's yellow teeth became clearly visible as it;s smile grew bigger and bigger until it literally split it's face it half. The Nokken then opened wide revealing several rows of teeth to Christy. It reached for Christy, who closed her eyes in fear, but just then.
"Hey shit head!" Percy's voice called out. The Nokken turned just in time to see a fist collided with it's face, "Earthquake fist!"
The Nokken flew across the lake surface like a skipping stone. Christy opened her eyes and there standing next to them was Percy with an outstretched fist.
Critical Strike! 400% of 550 Attack!= 2,200 Attack!
Percy helped Christy and Luke back onto shore, "are you okay Christy?"
The red haired girl nodded, "yeah, yeah I'm fine. How did you do that?"
"It's a gift," Percy replied just as John arrived.
"Christy are you and Luke okay?" John asked as he helped pull Luke, Grover and Jet further into the land.
"Yesh we are— Percy look out!" Christy screamed and just the the water in the lake exploded outward as the Nokken revealed itself.
It had half its face crushed in and it looked pissed. It grabbed Percy by the head and pulled him deep into the lake.
"Percy!" Christy and John cried out.
Underwater Percy struggled to break free but the monster had too strong a grip on him. Bubbles started to flow out of Percy's mouth and nose and slowly Percy stopped moving altogether. As the last bubbles left his mouth the Nokken smiled in victory.
But just then Percy's eyes shot open and he grinned, "surprise mother fucker!" Before the monster could even react Percy had Riptide out and swung the blade cutting off the monster's head.
Ping!
Quest Completed!
Find out who is messing with your head!
Reward,
A way out of this god forsaken place,
Skill book: Mist illusion techniques
The Nokken's body then disappeared into dust leaving behind a skill book and some cash. Percy grabbed both and put them away in his inventory for later. He then began to swim away but just then he noticed something at the very bottom of the lake, something very shiny.
Percy swam down and there buried deeply into the muddy lake surface was a silver disk shaped like a halo with symbols written around it;
Disk of Surge,
A magical tool used by magicainaspeacising in water attacks. The more mana you put into the disk the stronger blast of water is sent out as an attacking force.
Cost— depends on user
Attack— 5 times the amount of Mana put in.
Percy put the disk away and then swam back to the surface. He broke the water surface and saw John and Christy look at him in shock, "w-what? How?!"
Percy just smiled, "I'm special."
Percy then lifted Christy on his back while John helped Grover. Luke woke up soon after that along with Jet and soon the whole group was back in the cabin. Percy feed Grover some Ambrosia which immediately healed his wounds. The human of the group quickly packed up and ran to their vehicles.
The theory of the Nokken stopping them from leaving was proven true when they found all the cars working now. Soon Percy, Luke and Grover took one care while Nat, Jet and John took the other.
But sun rise they had cleared out of the cabin and were driving back to town. On the way there the mist was finally clearing up and the sound of animals returned to the forest. Soon the road hit the main road as the two cars stopped and their occupants got out.
"So I guess this is it," Luke said as he took a breath of fresh air.
"Will we ever see you again?" Asked John.
"Hopefully no," Percy replied.
"Ain't that the truth," Jet said chuckling, "oh god this is going to be such a mess. I have to tell Nat's parents what happened to her."
"We have a lot of people to inform that their loved ones are gone," Christy said with downcast eyes, "but at least we are alive."
"Just tell them a bear killed them," Luke said, "they will never believe you about the Nokken."
"But in case you need help," Percy said s he took out a business card, "call this guy. Tell him Percy sent you and he will help."
Christy took the card and read it, "Edward Neak? Who the hell is this guy?"
Luke smiled, "he is family." He then bent down and hugged Christy, "take care wheels."
"Oh haha very original," Christy said as Luke smiled back. As he broke the hug and stepped back Christy spoke, "that's it? A hug? I save you from a freaking monster and you give me a hug?"
"Well I mean-" Luke stammered. Christy grinned and then pushed herself out of her chair and grabbed Luke's neck, "careful!" Luke shouted but Charity just smiled. She then pulled him closer and pressed her lips against his. Luke looked surprised at first but then gave in as he hugged her tightly.
Finally after Percy coughing on too many times the two decided to stop. "There now you have something to remember me by," Christy replied as Luke helped her back into her chair.
Luke smiled, "I don't think I can ever forget you Christy."
The girl smiled and with that the two groups parted. The questers went West while the humans went East.
Percy sat on the front seat as Luke drive and smiled as he felt the wind role across his face. "So where are we going now?"
Luke looked at Percy and with a look that was a mixture of worry and uncertainty he replied, "Denver, we are going to Denver."
"Right, Denver," Percy repeated as he looked head. He didn't know what Luke was planning, but he knew one thing. The son of Hermes was up to something, and Percy was going to find out what.
Okay here you go, 11,000 words. And all I had to do to write this was break my back. But seriously though your reviews and continued support really does motivate me to write more.
This chapter I thought to go for a more personal touch, after all the entier reason I wanted Luke to be with Percy on th quest was for the two to grow close, before I ripe them apart, WHAHAH!
Question;
Minor abilities in other branches of magic: Yes of cource. Percy will get various diffrent types of magic and even his own special type, but all that in the future, for now lets take it slow.
Flings before meeting Artemis— Yes very much so. I mean come on! Who wouldn't?!
Minimap— this is something I don't want Percy to have. It just seems to much of an OP thing to have. Like just imagine him having a minimap in the Labyrinth. Ruins the whole idea of a dark and mysterious place that is uncontrollable.
The futures involving the multiverse: Huh maybe. For now lets focus on this world, then when I'm bored I'll throw Percy into another world.
Alright that is all the questions I can see. Just P.M. me with a question you might have or better yet leave them as a review.
Chapter 17
Chapter 17:
By then end of the day they ended up in Denver. Needless to day Luke drove like a madman to get them there, and they only got pulled over like three times. Of course they got away with a little help from the Mist.
Percy and the rest now stayed in a motel at the edge of town and for dinner they went to dinner across the street. Inside they found a private booth at the back where they quickly sat down and ordered a huge meal. Needless to say after killing evil lake sports and driving miles on end they were all hungry.
"Here you go deary's," said the nice old woman who was their waitress, "one chicken burger for the young man with the pretty blue eyes," that was Percy, "a mac and cheese combo for the young gentleman," Luke, "and a steak for you handsome," Grover.
"Correct ma'am," Percy replied as he smiled at the woman.
"Oh you know how it is. I worked thirty years in this restaurant, I am very good at getting my customer's orders right. Now eat up," and with that the woman left them.
As soon as she did Percy grabbed the steak, Luke the steak and Grover the mac and cheese and Luke the burger. She was so sweet that they didn't have the heart to tell her she got the order's wrong.
As Percy carved into his steak he sighed happily, it had been a long time since he had dinner food and even longer since he had steak. The grease, the salt, the fat all combined will give a person either a feeling of bliss or a heart condition.
"So where to after this?" Percy asked Luke who was nearly halfway done with his burger.
"If we continue on this pace for the next day we should reach LA tomorrow afternoon," Luke repled.
"What about the car? Do you think Jet and the other would report it stolen?"
Luke shook his head, "no I explained to them to do so only after a week. So even if a cop pulls us over, and they are clear sighted or something, the car won't be reported as stolen."
Percy nodded as he continued to eat his steak. But just then;
Ping!
Warning! Bloodlust behind you! Origin:Ares!
Percy's eyes shot up when reading that text. He then quickly got up and turned around and there at the entrance of the dinner was Ares.
The god was in disguise true, but one look at him and any demigod would know who he really was. He wore a leather jackets with spikes on it and his hair was shaped like a mohawk. He looked around with his red shades behind which Percy could see glowing eyes filled with anger and power. Yup, that guy was definitely the god of war.
