Adrift (KotLC PJo Crossover)

✨ Chapter 9✨

Percy

Percy opened his eyes to see a beautiful mansion and rolling green pastures. Dozens of areas were sectioned off, holding bizarre looking creatures. Huge animals that might have resembled dinosaurs, except they were covered in fluffy, vibrant feathers. Smaller creatures like big hamsters were in a different section, giving him the stink eye.

A thunderous trumpeting noise interrupted his ADHD thoughts. He turned to see an enormous hairy elephant with tusks rear up on its hind legs. A group of short people ran to grab ropes and harnesses, and two people, a man and woman, ran out to help them.

The man grabbed a shimmering rope, swung it like a lasso, and threw it, the rope snagging on the beast's tusks. The creature reared up again, nearly launching the man in the air, but he somehow stayed on the ground. The short people threw more ropes, leaning back to hold the creature down.

"Ah, looks like the mammoth is acting up again." Elwin said. Now, Percy was never good with history, but he thought that mammoths had gone extinct a few years ago.

"Mammoth?" Percy choked in disbelief. Irritated by the mammoth, the dinosaur-looking things roared. Percy watched open mouthed as the woman grabbed a rope from one of the shorter people, swung into the mammoth's back, and yanked the rope back.

"That's Edaline. She and Grady own the property." Elwin pointed to the woman on the mammoth's back and the man on the ground.

"What about the short people?" Percy pointed at the people on the ground.

"Those are the gnomes. They are at most of the cities and properties. They are gardeners, builders, really anything."

"You guys keep slaves?!" Percy asked in surprise.

Elwin looked slightly offended. "Of course not! They volunteer and enjoy their work. In exchange, we give them protection. They don't much food or rest, since the sun recharges them, but they love their work, and we love ours. Unlike humans, our lifespan is not limited. We enjoy life and our work."

Percy tilted his head. "So, elves are immortal?"

Elwin shook his head. "We can be killed, but no one has died from old age yet. After our 20s, our bodies stop aging, except for our ears. After we reach a thousand years, our ears start growing points, like you saw from Councilor Bronte. Those people are the Ancients."

Percy didn't have a response to that. He couldn't understand the concept of infinite life. They stood there on the pathway until Grady and Edaline had calmed down the mammoth and surrounding animals.

Grady and Edaline noticed Percy and Elwin, and walked over with a tired expression on their faces. Percy could see the dark circles under their eyes.

"Elwin." Grady nodded a greeting. Edaline just gave a tired smile. "And this is...?"

"I'm Percy." He responded. Grady froze with recognition.

"Ah," Grady nodded. "You had the Hellhound, correct? She is healing up nicely. She'll need another day or two to be completely healed though." His gaze was suspicious now.

"Would you like to come inside?" Edaline asked. "Everyone is here, trying to figure it out."

Elwin nodded. They followed Grady and Edaline into the mansion, made almost entirely of cut glass. There was a seating area upon entry filled with dozens of people sitting, standing, holding scrolls, talking to each other, scattered everywhere. Percy felt a trash can compared to the rest of the people, all of which were wearing elaboratly embroidered tunics, gowns, capes, and intricate hairdos.

It went silent when they noticed Percy standing awkwardly in the doorway. Immediately, suspicious, curious, and assessing glances were shot in his direction. There were also several goblins, either standing in the shadows, or talking with some adults. One gave him an especially sharp look. In one corner, was a group of ten all dressed more elegantly than the rest.

One dressed in green sharply asked Elwin, "Why did you bring him here? Shouldn't he be at your property?"

Elwin bowed his head in respect. "I thought to check on things, Councilor Alina."

More Councilors? Must be something big. Percy thought.

One of the younger guys, brown hair, bright teal eyes, snorted. "Yes, well, nothing here. No sign of where she went. Registry pendant is offline, and Dex can't track fer Panic Switch." His voice was crisp with a vaguely English accent. He narrowed his eyes at Percy. "I don't suppose he told you anything."

"About what?" Percy interrupted Elwin before he could answer. Several raised eyebrows told him that they thought he had something to do with whatever had happened.

"Does he know what happened?" A blonde teenager asked.

Elwin shook his head. "I was going to fill him in on it once he got settled. Speaking of which, we should probably go."

The blonde guy shrugged. "Might as well go with you guys. I'm not much help here anyways." Blondie stood up, and the goblin giving him looks followed.

"Is Sandor your bodyguard now?" Elwin asked Blondie.

These people have giants as bodyguards? Percy thought in disbelief.

Blondie nodded. "Since Ro is gone, and Sophie is... well. He kinda just assigned himself. I knew Gigantor loved me!" He tried to lean his head on Sandor's arm, while the goblin scooted away, glaring.

Elwin shrugged and left the mansion, Blondie and Sandor trailing behind.

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" Grady jogged up behind them. "Do you want to see your Hellhound before you leave?"

Percy perked up. "If it's not any trouble." Percy grinned as Grady led him to an enclosure next to a netted done with a scary winged-scorpion looking creature. Mrs. O'Leary lay on a rock, sleeping in the warm sunshine. Her coat was a bit dull and gray instead of its usual black, but she looked normal other than that.

Grady opened the gate, and Percy walked in, whistling. Mrs. O'Leary's ears pricked up, and she bounded to Percy, knocked him off his feet as she licked him on the face. He could hear the Snickers from everyone behind him.

Percy scratched her behind her ears. "Good girl!" He was grinning and laughing. He stood up and dusted himself off. "What's that?" Percy gestured to the flying scorpion creature.

"A Gorgodon. They seemed to like each other, so I put them next to each other." Two baby horses with wings bounded up, jumping over the fence, and galloped around Percy, whinnying. His mouth hung open.

"Oh. My. Gosh. They are so. Freakin. Cute!" He pet them on the head, noticing little stub-like horns at the top. "Are they Unicorns or something?"

Grady chuckled. "Alicorns. The blue one is Wynn, and the other is Luna. One of the last of their kind."

"Well, I want one." Percy grinned at them as they ran around, jumping, and bumping into everything.

"Grady! We need you up here!" A voice from the mansion called his name.

Grady's shoulders slumped. "Sorry, gotta get back up there. Let me know if you learn anything." He shook Elwin's hand and patted Blondie on the shoulder. He turned and jogged back to the house. Percy gave Mrs. O'Leary one last scratch, then left the enclosure and closed the gate.

"I never got your name." Blondie asked Percy.

"Percy. You?"

Blondie smirked. "Keefe."

Elwin held up his magic wand thing, and light leaped away.