A Crown of Golden Leaves: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Capvt XXIV: Creeping Shadows

Capvt XXIV: Creeping Shadows

WHITE.

That was the first word Percy thought of when he opened his eyes. He stood on top of what looked like white nothingness, a vast expanse of fog and cloud. A deep, primal part of him understood that the laws of nature did not apply to this place, possibly because there was no wind. There was no warmth, but it wasn't cold either; it just was. He couldn't smell or feel anything, not even himself. His fingers felt devoid of warmth, and when he touched his wrist, he couldn't feel his skin. The place didn't feel particularly malicious, just wrong, if that was possible. As though it didn't belong there- or he didn't belong there.

It feels like that place I dreamed of months ago, he thought, With the weird visions.

What was the being called again? It began with a Κ... Καος? Κηαος? No, it called itself Χαος. Khaos. He felt like panicking. Was this a dream? He thought the last one had been a dream!

Deciding to squash down the hysteria building in his chest -he felt like running like a headless chicken, a screaming headless chicken- as he had to keep a level head, he took one step forward, and another. And another. And another. He extended his arm out, but it was just there. Was this place even solid?

It's eerie, he thought as he spun on his heel in a full circle. There's something not right here.

What is it then? A voice that sounded suspiciously like Reyna asked.

I don't know. He told the voice. And he didn't know what it was. The last time he had been so disoriented that he didn't really sense it, but now, it just hung there like a heavy tapestry.

"Pax."

He jumped a little, his heart jumping into his throat as the multilayered voice echoed all around him. It was Khaos, there was no other explanation for it, no one else could have that strange voice. And Pax? That meant "Peace".

"Brother." A female voice spoke, not at all sounding like Khaos' multilayered voice. The white nothingness seemed to split apart somehow as a man and a girl walked toward him. He froze, but he couldn't hide anywhere so he stayed still, trying to not breathe, and he prayed that they wouldn't see him. This place was like one of those open fields, and it made him feel like a sitting duck.

"It's so good to see you again," the man, who had hair as white as snow, told the girl. She closed her eyes and smiled. Percy noticed her feet were bare and her hair was loose- it was pretty, the same color as the sun. "How is Earth?"

She shrugged, and in his mind, he could see her skipping along the side of a riverbank. "In turmoil again. The Olympians are horrendous at keeping the peace. You should take it back."

Huh? He thought. He leaned forward onto the balls of his feet, not really realizing it. He agreed with the girl, but the way she said it was so blunt, almost adult-like, and yet childish at the same time. He didn't know how to explain it.

"I would take over, but..." The man flicked his finger and a small bolt of lightning jumped out of his fingers. The hairs on the back of Percy's neck stood on end, but he couldn't smell the ozone. Suddenly, the lightning reflected back at the man, a bright blue color that was close to white, crackling, sizzling, and he absorbed it into his fingers. "But I'm afraid I am stuck in this retched place until one of my brethren breaks me free from these chains that bind."

The girl sighed, blowing some hair out of her still-closed eyes. What color were they anyway?

"I would free you, but you are chaos. I'm afraid the peace will be uprooted even more so. Discordia has been doing a fine job at that."