Percy Jackson: The Light Bringer

Close Calls To Being Squished

   What's the loudest, deafening noise you've ever heard. I'm willing to bet that this was louder. As I spoke, the huge man started to move. Each movement of his muscle gave off the sound of metal scraping against more metal and every breath that he took sounded of gears turning.

   The robot's body was party made of flesh and partly of metal. It was a cybernetic being with organic parts. It reminded me cyborgs from sci-fi movies. 

   < Like the 'Borg' in Star Trek...

>

   I watched with my very eyes as I saw two bright lights shine from somewhere above the robot. After further observation, I saw that those lights were nothing but his eyes. Two enormous orbs of blue, together giving out the light equivalent of the sun.

   Then...it spoke.

   "I have been watching you"  it said, it's voice raspy, like it hadn't been used in a million years...which was actually possible.  I raised an eyebrow and spoke.

   "Stalker" I muttered. 

<Know where that joke is from?>

   "Your journey has been an interesting one. I have seen many rise and fall. I hope that you aren't one among th-" The guardian suddenly started seizing up and it's limbs started shaking vigorously; the mechanical dude was having a stroke. 

   The guardian started falling forward. Mine and Danwer's eyes widened as we realised that we were about to be crushed by a thousand kilotonnes of metal and flesh. As a desperate measure, I created a shield of energy, not that it would help, around both of us.

   Fortunately, just before we were squished into human pancakes, the guardian extended his arm to the ground and brought forward his knee, steadying himself. Electricity arched through its body, charring some parts of the metal. The light in the guardian's eye dimmed a little, to nearly one-fourth of its original brightness, before becoming bright once more.

   The guardian exhaled deeply, blowing off hot steam and smoke from its gigantic nostrils. It gave off a tired grunt and lifted itself upward. Once he straightened himself, a pained noise left its mouth. 

   "My power is being spent. With every second, I am weakening. I struggle to hold back those who wish to escape the Pit" said the guardian. A newfound pity emerged in me for the giant. From what I could tell, his sole purpose in life was to guard the gate of the Bottomless Pit. 

   "I don't suppose there is anything we can do to help you?" I asked, straining my neck as I looked up. The guardian nodded and started moving his hand. I thought he was going to swat us like flies but instead stuck out his index finger and pressed it to my chest, nearly causing me to fall down.

   I then realised that he was pointing to my pendant: the container of Death's horse. Réalisation struck my face as the words of the second prophecy replayed in my head.

      Weapon of Death,

      And Soul of the Restless

   I looked at the guardian with wide eyes, hoping that it wasn't true. Instead my fears were confirmed when the metal cyborg nodded his head. Danwer looked at us in confusion, wondering what it was that we were discussing. Little did he know that we had to kill him.

   "Danwer..." I started, slowly turning towards him. "When I was unconscious, I had a divine visit. He gave me a prophecy...kind of. They were more like instructions" I said, sadness swelling up within me.

   "Go on" Danwer said with not a care in the world. Oh how that was going to change. "It demanded for a sacrifice. A weapon of death with the soul of the restless" I said grimly. I expected him to be horrified or shocked. Instead he just smiled, quite widely if I may add. 

   "Danwer, you're the restless soul" I said in confusion. Danwer's reaction was so unusual that I had to check if he knew that he was going to die. Smiling is not the general reaction a person gives when they realise that will soon die.

   "Oh I know" he said, still carefree "You talk a lot while you're asleep...heard the whole thing"

   I felt myself going red in embarrassment. I used to drool in my sleep but talking? That's new. But that still doesn't explain why he was acting so cheerful. 

   "Don't worry. I've been dreaming of dying for a thousand years. If my death can benefit the world, then I will gladly take it" he said in a calm tone, like he had accepted his doom. Again, I started feeling protective of his life...I needed to stop doing that. 

   "Is there no other way?" I asked, desperately looking at the guardian. The guardian sighed, the air coming out of his mouth enough to simulate a hurricane for us. 

   "Your sacrifice is not forced upon. If you wish, you can freely go ahead. However, it is needed by me. Without it, my strength would leave me within a matter of days, leaving the world open to the realm of monsters" he said.

   "Stop guilt tripping me!" I yelled. I buried my head in my hands, trying to think of anything, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Danwer looking at me reassuringly. Nothing had to be said, but I got the message clearly: it's going to be alright.

   I took the pendant from around my neck and held it forward for him to take. He extended his hand to take but stopped just an inch short. He looked at me with a smile and spoke.

       "Until next time" he said and grabbed the pendant. And then, the screaming began. 

<Remember to vote>