Archangels

8

Percy POV
"Please Percy. Stay home." My father pleaded. "No. This isn't my home anymore." He breathed in sharply and I turned to him. His eyes scanned my body and I shifted uncomfortably. "You've grown. You have new scars, you're more mature." I scoffed, "Being trialed to death will do it to ya." He sighed. "I guess you don't want the council to know yet?" I shrugged, "I have to talk to my team. They may not want their identities revealed." He nodded in understanding, "Well, I guess goodbye till I see you again." I nodded and he disappeared in a sea mist.

I sat there for a while longer before I put my hold back on. I turned to head back but crashed into a body. They tumbled with an 'oof'. I stepped back and held a hand out to the person. "Thanks...Percy." My breath caught as I recognized the voice. I pulled him up and took a deep breath, "You saw me?" My voice was quiet and low.

"Yeah. Percy, why did you disappear?" I sighed and sat back down. Noah-James followed and stayed close. "After Annabeth challenged me, we learned that she snitched on us and told the council that we were planning on overthrowing them with our new found powers. We were forced to run so we wouldn't face death on unjust causes. I didn't want to leave everyone but I had no choice." His eyes were very distracting but I managed to concentrate.

"I defended you. Everyone lost faith in you. Everyone believed you to be a coward. I told everyone that they were wrong. That you would never abandon us. I was told that I need to face reality. Then, we learned that Annabeth was wrong. She had manipulated the gods to gain power for Lady Nyx. We don't know why she would do that but we needed her. With out best defender out for the count, we were vulnerable." His voice wavered and I took time to process everything.

"You defended me?" Again, my voice was quiet and low. He turned to face me again and in his eyes were unshed tears, "Yeah. You were my hero. In every way. You were my favorite superhero from my comics. The day I met you, I fell for you. Hard. I hated it but loved it at the same time." His voice fell to a whisper.

"I'm sorry. I knew there were more campers. Vulnerable campers. Young. I had to leave but I didn't want to. It was best for me to no matter how much it hurt." I reached down and put his hand in mine.

"Thank you." I gave his hand a squeeze before I dropped it. "Percy, I'm sorry." I was confused till I saw a flash of gold. I blocked with my hand and stood abruptly. "Please don't do this." Tears flowed down freely and I lifted my hands in a surrender move. "Noah-James, you don't have to do this." He held the sword to my neck but I refused to pull out riptide.

"Yes I do! They'll kill my sister and they'll destroy the camp if I don't!" He swung but it was weak, "She's all I have left!" I quickly disarmed him and he fell to his knees, "I can protect the both of you. Just, please, listen to me." He looked up with a tear stained face. "I won't let anyone hurt you or your sister. Or the camp." I kneeled beside him and he let out a sob before tumbling into me. I sighed and held him close. "It's okay." He continued to cry till he passed out. I sighed and pulled my hood up once again. I held his close to my chest and carried him back to my cabin, bridal style.

I pushed the door open and set him down on my bed before turning on a dim light. Everyone groaned, "Turn it off!" Jason chucked a pillow at me but I grabbed it, "Wake up." Once again, everyone groaned but sat up. "What?" Thalia was glaring daggers. "Remember Noah-James. Well, he saw me talk with my father who knows who I am but now the point. The point is he was ordered to kill me tonight but he's not going to. Because I saved him in time this go round." Everyone but Thalia was confused.

"Who sent him?" Datel asked. I held my hand up and held a star necklace. "Nyx." She whispered. I nodded, "She had Annabeth when she called us out. Anyway, we have to go to the gods. They have to know we are back and get a prophecy from Apollo." They nodded and hopped out of their beds. "Alright. I'll let them know. What do you want to with him?" Nico nodded his head towards Noah-James. "He and his little sister will have to stay with us. Nyx will go after them. We will set up patrols on camp and keep watch."

I walked over and shook him slightly. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, "Hey, where's your sister?" He woke up quickly and led me. "Go, I'll meet you there." They nodded and teleported out. I followed Noah-James to just outside the camp border. In a hollow tree slept a little two year old girl. "Selena, wake up." The little girl grumbled and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Noah-James? Who he? Going on? Wrong?" Her broken English made me smile slightly.

"This is Percy. He can protect us. No longer work for bad guys now." She clapped her tiny hands and Noah-James picked her up. He gave me a smile and I put a hand on his shoulder before teleporting us to the throne room.

Everyone's hoods were down and Aphrodite waved to her son. "I guess it's my turn." I stepped in front of Noah-James and his little sister and took a deep breath. I slowly brought my hood down and gasps followed. I looked up and saw a very confused Zeus. He held anger and surprise. He looked like he didn't know whether to try and kill me or jump with joy. I looked him dead in the eyes, "Kill me for all I care. But, if you dare touch the people behind me, I can and will torture you worse than what Tartarus ever did to me."