Son of the Rivers (Wattys 2015 Entry)

Ch.5 Reincarnation

Time seemed to stand still for the heroes. At the foot of the Giant King Porphyrion, lay two bound demigods. And not just any demigods.

Two of the Seven, Annabeth Chase and Leo Valdez. Everyone froze, watching with horror as Porphyrion slashed a deep cut into both of the demigods hands, letting their blood hit the base of Mount Olympus.

"With this sacrifice of blood, I awaken the Earth Mother!" he roared as he gleefully watched as the ground seemed to absorb the blood.

I watched in fear as the entire Earth shook as Gaea, the goddess of the Earth finally awoke. I couldn't move. We had failed and the end of the world was probably at hand. Part of me wanted to run to Annabeth and Leo and free them while everyone was distracted. The other half of me was rooted to the ground in terror. I had not even been this afraid when we faced Tartarus, but the overwhelming sense of guilt overcame me.

We had failed.

I tried to move but couldn't. I looked down and saw that I actually couldn't move because the Earth held me in place. I struggled to break free, but the Earth would not relinquish it's hold on me.

The Gods, Greeks and Romans alike, watched in silence as the Earth split open, revealing a chasm that must have gone all the way to Tartarus. A lone figure rose from the gorge and opened her eyes.

I caught my breath. Gaea was beautiful, she was not made of dirt as everyone assumed but rather had flawless skin the color of coffee, her long straight hair was the color of obsidian. She had high cheek bones and a regal expression.

But that didn't change how evil she was.

Her eyes were green, but nothing like mine. Where as mine were sea green, hers was the green of an untamed forest. A bright green, the color that catches your eyes and hypnotizes you. The eyes of a true daughter of Chaos.

It finally sunk in what we were fighting. I've fought Gods and Titans, but Gaea was on a whole other level. I tried to remember what Gaea was. She wasn't just a god, she was a more powerful, she was one of the oldest goddesses.

She was a Protogenoi.

A Primordial.

Suddenly, our chances for winning seemed very low. But we couldn't give up. We had to win.

I turned to my friends.

My family.

"We need to rescue them, Piper and Hazel, can you do that?" I ask them. They nod grimly back at me. I continued, "Jason and Frank, protect them," they both nod but Frank looks at me questioningly.

"What are you going to do Percy?" he asked. "I got Gaea," I replied flatly,"No one touches my friends," My friends just look at me sadly, resigned to the fact that they could not change my mind.

I turned to the gods and demigods. Both were battered and exhausted. Too many were injured. Too many were missing.

Too many were dead.

I raised my sword and spoke clearly.

"I once fought in a great battle, very much like this one. We succeeded against impossible odds. And we will do so again."

"You are the greatest heroes of the ages. Your bravery is unmatched and strength is immeasurable. Today, we fight, not just for ourselves, but for the future. We fight for our loved ones, we fight for the future generations that will look up to us in respect. We fight for a life without tyranny, a life worth living. We fight, FOR OLYMPUS!"