The Betrayed Prince |Percy Jackson Fanfic|

Chapter 16: The Return

Chapter 16

The Return

~Earth: Olympus, 600th Floor, Empire State Building, Manhattan, New York~

||Annabeth Chase||

For once, the usual and chatter-filled room is quiet and gloomy. Everyone is absolutely still, dreading for the arrival of the Creator and the fearless, legendary Army Leaders. Even Timothy was quiet.

Suddenly, the room had turned colder and darker and a swirling vortex appeared as if all the lights had been sucked into the vortex. Everyone stiffened simultaneously and stood straight as the Creator stepped out of the vortex. Immediately, everyone bowed to him as if we had practiced is but we didn't. We felt the room return to its normal temperature just as Chaos' voice echoed around the throne room telling us to stand up. We obediently followed. He was the only one there.

His black hair was ruffled that immediately hit me with familiarity and there was nothing but void of emotions and coldness in his face. There was no wind and yet, his cape from his armor was flowing majestically. You can tell the material of his clothing was not made of this world.

"Lucky for you," his voice boomed, piercing us like a drill, "my son has agreed to help you. You all you should be thankful. My soldiers can fight for themselves but I am telling you this for your own sake. Gods and immortals, they are your allies and they will not bow to your every will. They are to help you in this unnecessary war. They had fought wars more times than you can count and will ever survive. They will handle this war and you will follow. You don't have to like them but cooperate if you want this world to survive. Keep your distance and do not test them and if you do, things would not go so well for you."

There was a heartbeat when all of a sudden, flashes of light kept appearing. I covered my eyes just as everyone had and waited until the flashing had stopped. Slowly, I removed my eyes still dazed from the sudden light show only to be jolted straight back up from reality.

It was like I was in a dream but a nightmare all at once. All the people--friends that I had thought--no, knew were dead stood there, looking stoic and very military like in their armor and capes with power in a V shape, except one person being up top, there was two.

Nico, Luke, Zoe, Leo, Bianca, Ethan, Silena, Beckendorf, Michael Yew and Castor. 

They all stood there. I felt my body move, gravitating towards my old friends just as my eyes drifted to everyone. Anyone who knew or related to the people standing right in the middle of the throne room. But just as I was an inch away from my chair, I felt an invisible weight in my body that pushed me back down.

The shouting of protest and calls for them rose around the giant room but they made no move. They just stood like statues. Are these the people I actually knew? I surveyed them again, my eyes drifting and taking them in, they all look more muscular than I had last seen them and more matured. They are indeed the people I knew....but at the same time, they're not. They've changed. They would've at least showed reaction but they didn't.

Suddenly, a thought it hit me like a bullet. Everyone was there, except him. Percy. Is it a foolish hope to wish that he were one of them?

I opened my mouth but no words came out. My tongue wouldn't move. When I looked at the others, they had shut their mouth and it seems they have the same thing. Chaos had his hands raised in a snapping motion. "I'd like everyone to shut their mouth and not interrupt as the Army introduces themselves. I will give you the power of speech back as long as you promise to remain quiet and keep your distance. Am I understood?" Chaos' voice echoed loudly, the tone of his voice sounded as if he was talking to little kids which we might be in his eyes; without a second thought, I nodded, the others following my movement. The weight lifted and I can feel my tongue move again.