Chapter 5
(Percy POV)
My eyes widened with anticipation as I expected the familiar embrace of the sun's radiant light, but instead, I found myself enveloped in an unsettling darkness. Echoing voices, akin to sirens in the abyss, filled the void around me. Straining my senses, I could discern fragments of their conversations. "Wake him up..." "Tired...Toll...Massive..." "My son." "So, punky boy is back." "Males."
Gradually, light began to pierce the obscurity, and I shot up, surveying my surroundings. A deep, guttural growl escaped me as I recognized them. Just great, I thought, clenching my fist, my hand instinctively inching towards my still-sharp sword, infused with the magic of Excalibur, capable of confronting even the gods themselves. "What...do you want?" I croaked out, my voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and bitterness.
Poseidon glanced at Zeus, who rolled his eyes and nodded before speaking with an air of authority. "I, Zeus, King of Olympus, King of the Gods, release you from your curses and seals, Vorlax Tengoril Thilamos!" As he uttered these words, a heavy burden lifted from my shoulders, and a weight added to my pockets, but I remained stoic, my emotions drained. I inquired, my voice now devoid of emotion, "So, you finally want your tool back?"
Uncomfortable shifts in posture and nervous glances were exchanged among the gods as Zeus hesitantly responded, "Well, it's been two years without you, and Kronos is rising again. We need you to lead the war."
Inhaling deeply, I couldn't help but feel a sense of detached calmness. "You all threw me away," I said, "Do not think I am blind to the demigods lurking in the shadows for blackmail. I would rather descend into Tartarus than assist any of you."
Zeus frowned, clearly taken aback by this vehement reaction. With a snap of his fingers, my parents appeared before me. "You think I CARE?" I shouted, my anger boiling over. "I LOVED THEM, AND THEY DISOWNED ME! YOU CAN'T BRIBE ME, ZEUS. I HAVE NO EMOTIONS LEFT. NO TEARS LEFT TO SHED."
I unclenched my fists, my fury taking over, giving rise to raging storms, quaking earth, thundering waves, striking lightning, blazing fire, and shadows that yearned to be unleashed. I gave in to them, releasing the pent-up energy, unsheathing my sword, which blazed with power.
I might have been impulsive, but I was the "seaweed brain." Poseidon shouted, "Percy, ENOUGH." In response, I growled, "I'm not Percy; I'm Percival," and walked menacingly toward Poseidon. Father versus son, the gods watched in tense anticipation. I twirled my sword, dividing Excalibur from my royal sword, preparing to dual-wield. Other gods positioned themselves, ready to either kill or detain me.
A wicked smirk crossed my face as I connected the two swords, creating a formidable double-sided blade. I twirled it around, pointing it upward, each of the gods confronted with their opposing elements. Zeus struggled with an uncontrollable wind that whipped around him, cutting him from all sides, while Poseidon was engulfed in fire. Apollo fought against a being of pure moonlight, and Artemis against one of pure sunlight, and so on.
I readied my sword and lunged at the demigods, knocking many of them unconscious with a powerful tidal wave. I engaged in a fierce battle with the one God protecting the campers, Mr. D. I couldn't help but smirk as I thrust my hand into the air, freezing a bit of their ichor. They all slowed down.
However, I had overlooked one crucial factor - the Roman gods. They duplicated themselves, transforming into their Roman counterparts, and Jupiter, their king, delivered a powerful punch to my face. His second right hook was met with my grip, crushing his fist. I seized Neptune by the neck as he tried to approach me, then hurled them both away.
