A Bargain to Change the World

Deal With... a Spirit?

Divergent timeline, from the beginning of the first book, also AU where everyone takes things a bit more seriously, everything is a bit more high stakes, and, most importantly, everything is shifted by four years. Because everything is more realistic, and twelve year olds don't fight monsters, even in the myths. Adolescents, yes, but children? No. Also, other minor things are different. You'll see, if you're paying attention.

As a side note, this is very much a pet project and I will not hesitate to skip over the parts that I don't want to write, and if there's a plot hole, I very much don't care in any way. If you think it's cringe-y, then I probably think it is a thousand times worse, and yet I do not care. (Also, there is one part in this chapter in particular that is very cringe-y, but actually it's only things he has in the books. You'll see what I mean by that) Also, if there are grammar, spelling, or syntax errors... oops. Also, nobody's abandoning anything, so don't even bother asking that particular question. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is a fan made work, not intended to infringe upon the copyright held by Rick Riordan or anyone else. I do not claim ownership of the setting, characters, or plot created by Rick Riordan or any others, but I do claim ownership of any extraneous elements not under previous copyright.

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A sixteen year old boy with hair dark as ink and eyes the color of the sea stumbled back from what had, only seconds before, been his teacher.

Once an old lady with a serious mean streak, what stood, or rather hovered, before him was a leathery bat-like creature with razor sharp talons and a fiery whip, with a look in her eye that told only one story: that of endless suffering.

They were in a museum; the class had taken a field trip. The hag had taken the boy aside after he somehow used the water from a fountain to pull a bully into it, in defence of his friend.

"Where is it, boy!" The thing screeched.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" The boy pleaded.

Crack!

The whip came down on the child's shoulder, tearing his blue T-shirt, as well as the skin beneath it.

The child screamed in pain, clutching his shoulder, his hand dripping with blood.

"Do not lie to us, Perseus! We know you have it!" The hag continued to scream.

"Have what!? What do you mean!?" Perseus shouted, his will strong for one so undisciplined.

A look of absolute fury passed over the hags face, and this time it was her talons that struck the boy, leaving him with four long gashes from his right shoulder all the way down to under the ribs on his left side.

Perseus screamed in pain, blood slowly but steadily flowing down his torso. It seemed the hag was trying to torture the information out of him.

Unfortunately for both the hag and Perseus, one cannot draw blood from a stone*. However, it was very easy to draw blood from a Perseus, and this is what the hag did, over, and over, until Perseus's body was covered with bleeding gashes from claw and whip alike. His shirt was little more than tatters at this point, and his pants did not fare much better, barely covering his groin.

Perseus could hardly think. His body was on fire. If he didn't have his mother to worry about, he would have wished wholeheartedly for death. But, he did have his mother. If he died here, she would be devastated, with no one in the world but his disgusting stepfather to console her. He could not die.

He needed to be stronger than this horrible demon. He needed more power. Power. Perseus kept pleading in his head for power. Anything to see his mother again. Please! he screamed in his head, too tired from the blood loss to speak out loud. Give me power!