One For Love

CHAPTER 10; TARTARUS AND THE SWORD OF ALI

Some characters in this chapter belongs to Rick Riordan. I own the Aikaterini and the demigods mentioned.

Nyx walked up to the thrones. Percy was about to say something when Annabeth leaped up, grabbed her dagger and pinned it right above Nyx's heart. "If you don't tell me what you're planning," she said menacingly, "I will plunge this right into your heart."

Nyx sighed, "I guess I would deserve that." She vanished and reappeared on the throne Annabeth just vacated. "Listen, I really want to tell you. But like Dr. Strange said, if I tell you what happens, it won't happen."

"How do you know about Dr. Strange?" Percy raised his eyebrows.

"I keep up with the mortal word, king." Nyx sneered. "Now I'll bring your Queen to the infirmary before she bleeds out."

Startled, Percy and Annabeth looked at Annabeth's feet, where the Goddess Durga's tigers had bit her. The wound was still oozing the liquid and blood. "I totally forgot about that." Annabeth whispered.

Nyx snapped her finger and vanished with Annabeth, leaving Percy sitting on the throne, alone in the huge room.

Percy looked around him. He noticed that there were mirrors all over the walls. It made the room look larger than it already was. But it also let him see himself from thousands of ways.

And he looked so small. So inconsequential. Like nothing he'd done will ever mean anything. After all, he was just a boy who could twirl around a sword.

Percy took out Riptide and unsheathed it. The golden blade which he'd been using for nearly seven years seemed too much. He was unworthy of it. After all, everything he's ever done was accomplished only because he was the son of the Big Three.

He was nobody. From nowhere.

Percy close Riptide and threw the pen as far as he could. Hopefully someone will destroy it. He wished it would never reappear in his pocket.

Grover's words came back and haunted him. He had forgotten all about his best friend. His oldest friend. He should have talked more to him. He should have checked up on him.

His thoughts moved on to his sister. The baby was somewhere out there in the world. The only clue he had were a clump of fur that he hadn't seen before. Percy's mind ran off, making him dizzy. He shook his head furiously.

Percy jumped up and ran towards a door on the side of the room. He opened the door, expecting to see something. But what he did not expect was seeing a huge training centre, larger than the other room. In there, countless monsters and demigods were sparring. Some demigods were using their bloodline magic to destroy some sacks that had been stacked on one end of the room.

The moment Percy opened the door, everyone turned to him. He habitually reaches for Riptide before realizing he'd wished it never came back.

The habitants of the room knelt as one and murmured, "Your Majesty."

"I'd rather be called Percy." Percy said in a normal voice. Surprisingly, his voice reached even the end of the room. " Nyx told me I would be the manager of the army, not king. And please. Stand up."

"Then, shouldn't we call you manager?" Someone shouted from the back as they all got up.

"What about Commander? Can we call you that?" A monster which looked awfully like a dragon asked.