Tartarus Champion

Missing Me

Chapter 5: Missing Me

Percy (POV)

I was hacking angrily at my opponents, a group of monsters which included some Telkines, Empousa, a Fury, Mini the Minotaur, Aria, and the Neomon Lion. Tartarus promised the monsters who help me train will get a quick and painless regeneration.

But my thoughts were on my visit to that wretched camp.

How dare Annabeth ask how I am? She betrayed me, cast me down here, and she dared to ask how I'm doing?! I sliced through the Telkines, their essence seeped into the ground.

Then the others; Clarrise, Jason, Hazel, Piper, Frank, Leo, all of them. They all looked worried! As if they actually cared about how I'm doing. With my eyes blazing, I cut through the Empousa.

Then Annabeth tried impaling me with her knife when I told her (half) the truth. I slashed the Fury, Minotaur, and Aria to dust.

And the worst part... I almost believed them. I almost believed that they were worried about me, and they missed me... and for a moment, I think I missed them. My wings snapped out, and with one mighty stroke with them, I rose in the air. The Neomon Lion looked at me with fear, but roared just the same. I plunged down, and as the monster's mouth opened wider, I plunged my swords deep in its throat.

I looked around and found that all my opponents were gone, dissolved into nothing but grain-sized dust that I was covered in. I turned and saw Kronos clapping, a smile on his face.

"Very good, my grandchild." Kronos smirked.

"Don't call me grandchild, makes me sound young... grandpa." I smiled back.

"That makes me feel old." Kronos said.

"You are old." I laughed.

"I'm not that old." Kronos retorted.

"You call being thousands of years old, not old?"

"Ugh, good point." We laughed and I hugged him in greeting.

"So, what are you doing down here?" I asked.

"Tartarus and I have a mission for you." Kronos said. He looked down rather guilty, and wouldn't meet my eyes.

"So what is this mission? Is it good," I questioned suspiciously, "or am I going to hate it?"

"Probably hate it." Kronos said, walking out. I reluctantly followed. We walked through the lands, the monsters were frolicking through the different fields, either arguing or killing each other. But occasionally you find some playing together, like a pack of Hellhounds that were playing a game resembling tag (besides that if you get tagged, they bite you), and a group of Cyclops that were playing dodgeball, but with boulders.

"So about this mission that I'm gonna hate," I said. "Does it have to do with that... camp?" I spat the word, and Kronos didn't say anything, only avoiding eye contact by staring strait ahead.

It seemed like hours had passed before he spoke again, but it had only been a few minutes. When he did speak, Kronos said, "I understand how much you hate that camp Percy, that's how I felt for a thousand years after my own children killed me. But, after a while I began to remember all the wonderful times I had with my children, and my anger diminished almost completely, and I started to feel longing. I wanted to be with my children again. I don't know if that's gonna happen to you Percy, but, just stay strong for me, okay? Better times are in both of our futures, so will you do anything to achieve that?"

I thought for a moment, puzzling over what he said. I answered his question, but after a quick hesitation. "Yeah, I guess I'll do anything to attain a good future."