Lost Hero

Storm

The mountain was quiet, all of the occupants sleeping soundly. It wasn't a surprise as it was three am and while Percy would be waking in about an hour, she was currently asleep. So she was only slightly aware when her door opens. And she just barely stirs when wet footsteps start towards her bed.  But she does notice and wake when the sound of a blade against a sheath wakes her. 

She rolls out of the bed, barely dodging the dagger that came down in an arch, stabbing the mattress where she was not a second ago. Uncapping Riptide, Percy lands in a crouch, facing off against the three Telekhines that had broken into her room. 

"Who sent you? Who is behind the war?" Percy demands, growling. 

"Did you really think you could overthrow your half-brother, sea spawn? If you hadn't been stupidly bold, you would have gotten to witness the deaths of your friends. Well, at least they can join you in the afterlife," 

Percy grins a nasty grin that makes the Telekines take a step back in fear. 

"Thank you so much for letting me know who was behind all this. You know, I'll never understand why monsters like you are so arrogant to think you can take down someone who has taken down gods," 

Within moments, gold dust replaces the Telekinesis, leaving Percy shaking. She was shaking and she knew that if she had been a second later, she would have been skewered. Pulling her hair back, she sighs. 

"Alright, at least we know whose behind this now," 

And with that, she runs out of the room, knocking on every room door she passes. 

"Everyone up! I know who we're fighting!" 

***********************

"Percy, enough," Dick says, catching her wrist. 

Her chest was heaving and sweat was running down her face, neck, back, and arms. Her fists were bright red, raw from her continued punching on the solid bag. 

"My half-brother is attempting to attack the world, he just tried to kill me, and I was too much of an idiot that I couldn't see that!" She yells, kicking the bag and it goes flying, smashing into the wall. 

"Percy, you can't expect to know everything. You were nearly killed and you are beating the crap out of a punching bag. The league is here, you need to explain," Dick says and Percy jerks her wrist out of his hand. 

"I'm not a leader! I am a soldier!" Percy screams, the gym shaking. 

"No, Percy, as much as you wish that, you are not just a soldier. You are a captain, a commander, a general. You've led armies, people trust and respect you. You need to see that! Orin and Mera along with the rest of Atlantis would happily see you as queen!" Dick shouts, feeling frustrated that she couldn't see how incredible she was. 

"But I don't want to be, Dick. Leaders make those hard calls, the one where you have to decide to either kill an archer or let the horde of monsters attack a whole group, the one who has to decide how many pawns have to die for the greater cause. Dick, I know you understand, you know what it's like to have to decide if someone should live or ten more should die in order to save one life. I'm tired of having to make that decision," Percy's voice was so soft, a tremble nearly breaking her words apart. 

"I do, I understand. But Percy, there's something special about you. You can see the reality of a situation and understand what needs to be done. And then you do it. You find the way to save as many lives as you can and you value and respect those lives you couldn't. I know being a leader is terrifying, to have that pressure on your shoulders, to be blamed when things go wrong, and they will, they always do at some point, but I know I wouldn't want anyone else besides you to make those decisions,"