The Assassin in the Shadows; Book One: The Betrayed Heroes

Chapter 3 - Why?

Previously,

"You have to train with the Amazonians and then get the apples of immortality by defeating Ladon to marry my daughter."

Percy

Olympus

Hades pink underpants!" Someone finished for me. I turned around to see who it was.

It was Apollo. I looked at him and he told me about a day when he played a prank on Hades and found out that his underpants were pink.

We both burst out laughing at the image forming in our minds. And we caught up on what was happening when he asked me what I was doing outside Athena's palace.

I told him that I was going to propose to Annabeth, and then he wrote an annoying haiku on it.

A week later

I had been training for the past week. I haven't seen Annabeth since the episode that day. So, I packed my bags today and told Chiron that I am leaving for the quest.

It seems as if Athena has already told Chiron. I left a note for Annabeth that I am going on a quest.

Damien has been a pain in my butt since day 1 but I'm happy that I am getting to stay away from him.

As I was eating breakfast before leaving, Derek comes up to me and tells me to bow to him. He was with his goons. So, I ignored him. He took out a dagger and dug it into my neck.

I stood up and pushed him and told him, " I have a place to be, so I can't waste my time listening to you."

I walk up to the camp border and see Argus waiting in the van. I got to Athena's palace and found her waiting outside for me.

"So, are you ready for your quest, sea scum?" She asked me. I simply nodded.

She went on to tell me that the average time taken by the Amazonians to complete their training was 6 months but if I complete it faster I get to propose to Annabeth quicker. So then we flashed to the Amazonians.

4 months later

"So Percy, it seems as if your training is over. Congratulations." Hylla said.

"Thanks, Hylla, it was really hard, took me four months to complete. I'm sure someone else would have completed it faster."

She replied, "Oh stop being so humble. You set a new record." Right then Athena flashed right beside me.

"So Percy, it seems that you have completed your training. So are you ready to fight Ladon?"

"Yeah, lady Athena," I replied. "Oh come on Percy, call me Athena. I don't want any of this lady shit." She replied.

So, for the past 4 months, my friendship with Lady Athena has grown. She didn't call me sea scum anymore and I didn't call her lady Athena.

Athena flashed me to the garden of the Hesperides. I heard a voice in my head, which I found out was Ladon telling me to fight him honorably unlike what Hercules did.

I promised Ladon to fight him honorably. And then I fought him and I won.

I don't remember anything about the battle. It turns out I was knocked out for about 2 months. The Hesperides healed me back to health.

I now have the permission to pluck the apples of immortality. I then plucked a few and called Athena.

She then flashed me to Olympus to give her the apples and then later I went to Hephaestus' forge with the design of the rings which I made in my free time with the Amazonians.