Heroes of Chaos 3: Subconscious Memories

Jason 23

I'm not sure what exactly Percy said, but I was a little more focused on the coming battle. Anyone could feel that in the air.

"Anyway," Ares continued, "I tinkered with the magic a bit, so the bolt would only return to the sheath once you reached the Underworld. You get close to Hades... Bingo, you got mail. If you died along the way - no loss. "I still had the weapon."

Well... that's... interesting.

'But why not just keep the master bolt for yourself?' I said. 'Why send it to Hades?'

"Really? Really?" asked Nico, "You ask Aries that, of all the gods in the world."

I kinda had to agree that wasn't the smartest thing to ask.

Ares's face cleared. "I didn't want the trouble. Better to have you caught redhanded, holding the thing."

Okay even I could tell that was a lie.

"You're lying."

I rest my case.

"Sending the bolt to the Underworld wasn't your idea, was it?"

Where did that come from?

"Of course it was!"

Well his eyes are now smoking I'm not sure it was a good idea to make this guy any madder.

"You didn't order the theft. Someone else sent a hero to steal the two items. Then, when Zeus sent you to hunt him down, you caught the thief. But you didn't turn him over to Zeus. Something convinced you to let him go. You kept the items until another hero could come along and complete the delivery. That thing in the pit is ordering you around."

Where was all this coming from, I mean Percy explained things, sort of, but I was still completely lost.

"I am the god of war! I take orders from no one! I don't have dreams!"

"You have a really bad habit of making enemies of gods don't you?" asked Piper.

"I take pride in my talent, thank you."

I'm not sure that was something to be proud of, but Percy seemed more like his old self.

Ares looked agitated, but he tried to cover it with a smirk.

"Let's get back to the problem at hand, kid. You're alive. I can't have you taking that bolt to Olympus. You just might get those hardheaded idiots to listen to you. So I've got to kill you. Nothing personal."

"Wow my first death threat, I kinda miss it."

Annabeth rolled her eyes.

The sand exploded at his feet and out charged a wild boar, even larger and uglier than the one whose head hung above the door of cabin seven at Camp Half-Blood. The thing looked ready to kill.

Young Percy stepped into the surf, well that's actually a pretty good idea, if he wasn't fighting the god of war.

He laughed, but I heard a little edge to his laughter... an uneasiness. "You've only got one talent, kid, running away. You ran from the Chimera. You ran from the Underworld. You don't have what it takes."

Well that's not true, now I'm sure if he's just stupidly brave, or not smart enough to run away, but Percy doesn't normally run away from things.

"Scared?"

"Now that's a stupid question to ask the god of war!" exclaimed Frank.

"Yeah, well, um..."

"No come back huh?" asked Annabeth.

"Shut up Wise Girl."

"In your adolescent dreams. No direct involvement. Sorry, kid. You're not at my level."

"Isn't that the truth," said Nico.

"Hey!"

The giant boar charged.

Young Percy didn't move.

"I'm sure you've been asked this, but do you have a DEATH WISH!!!!!" yelled Leo.

Percy only shrugged. I looked at his two brothers, one of them was lying on top of the other, watching with a mixture of boredom and mild interest.

Percy drew his sword. I was about to question what good that was when he sliced off the boar's right tusk. The animal ran into the sea pretty confused.

"WAVE!"

The boar was instantly swallowed by the sea with little a squeal of terror.

"Are you going to fight me now? Or are you going to hide behind another pet pig?"

"You are an idiot."

"Thank you."