Hero of Two Worlds (Comp)

CHAPTER 3

<Percy P.O.V>

The quest was going on very well. While the quest group consisting of Bianca, Zoe, Grover and Thalia stopped at the museum, we had a faceoff with Nemean lion and defeated it using space food, fought skeletal warriors, road large boars and had a chat with Aphrodite.

Now, we are standing in front of Hephaestus' junkyard with Zoe giving us some important instructions. I got the feeling that someone was going to die here. Immediately on the alert, we quickly passed until we were confronted by Talos, the automaton guardian of the junkyard.

"Did anyone take anything?" I asked everyone when Bianca retrieved a figurine of Hades and gave it to me, saying "If anything happens to me, give it to my brother and say that I am sorry for leaving him and it is not your fault okay? I trust you to take care of him Percy. Good bye." She said and went inside the automaton, giving us a way to escape but dying in the process.

I was shocked. I had promised Nico that I will keep her safe if I can and here she is dead with a parting gift to her brother. I figured out they were from the past and, they were children of Hades, which will not change my opinion on Nico. But.... will he accept me after his sister's death? Will he blame me? Or will he forgive me? Will he run away from me? All is in the fates hand and I hoped he will not take any rash decisions due to his sister's death.

Moving on from the junk yard of gods, we went to the Hoover Dam where I met a clear-sighted mortal and scared the shit out of her, hiked a ride from statues which were a gift from Athena to Zeus, had a hard time with Nereus and a fight out near the Hesperides garden before we could reach Mount Othrys/Tam.

Then the fight started. Luke was fighting with Thalia, while Zoë and I were fighting Atlas. As the fight progressed, I knew that I had to take the burden from Lady Artemis to defeat Atlas and I did the same happily even though the pain was unbearable.

As I saw the status of the fighting, when I saw Atlas trying to backstab Zoë, I lost my temper. I don't know what had happened but all I knew was that there was a sudden rush of anger along with some power which had made Atlas lose control for a while, enabling Lady Artemis to return him to his place under the sky.

The quest was over, and we also lost Zoe, who perished by her father's hand. It seems that he had managed to hurt her before going under the sky again. The last thing she told me was "Percy, you are the only decent male I have met in my life and I am glad you are my friend. Keep Riptide. I am happy that it is in the right hands."

And now we were heading towards Olympus to recount the quest to the gods. I don't know how but the gods didn't feel any unusual power at the fight at the Titan base. 'Maybe that was the 'another world' Gabe was talking about' I thought. After recounting my tale, Lady Artemis and Zeus had granted me a wish each which I used for Nico's benefit.

Turning to Lady Artemis, I asked "Milady, if you don't mind......can I have telepathic communication with whomever I want in case we need privacy in a public place and mainly to help Nico and keep a check on him in case he runs off after knowing about his sister's death. He is like my younger brother and I had promised him 2 things and I want to keep them." I asked hesitantly, to which she agrees.

Turning to Zeus, I said "Lord Zeus.... if you don't mind, can you see to it that my memories of this quest can be sent to Nico via dreams? After all, he had lost his family when his sister died on the quest to rescue your daughter?" I asked respectfully, and he asked Hypnos to do the same.

'Perks of being on the good side of a god' I thought as I was leaving, only to be stopped by Hermes and Apollo.

"Percy.... for all you have done for Olympus, this is the least I can do to say thanks. I grant you the power of stealth and lying and free access to the mail" Hermes said and left.