The World of Gods (COTE X Percy Jackson)

Chapter 1

Percy POV

It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, were trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf. The Eagle swooped down and slashed the horse's muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagle's wings. As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuckled somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder.

I ran towards them, knowing I had to stop them from killing each other, but I was running in slow motion.  I knew I would be too late. I saw the eagle dive down, its beak aimed at the horse's wide eyes, and I screamed, “No!”

I woke up with a start.

Outside, it was really storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There was no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and five-metre-high waves pounding the dunes like artillery.

With the next thunderclap, my mom woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said, “Hurricane.”

I knew that was crazy. Long Island never saw hurricanes this early in the summer. But the ocean seemed to have forgotten. Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made my hair stand on end.

Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice - someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door.

My mother sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock.

Grover stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn't… he wasn't exactly Grover.

“Searching all night,” He gasped. “What were you thinking?”

“Calm down, Grover.” A familiar monotone voice spoke from behind him. “He wouldn't understand even if you ask him.”

Kiyotaka stood just slightly behind Grover.

“What are you two doing here?” I asked, but my eyes kept going back to Grover as I couldn't understand what I was seeing.

“I was dragged along against my will. Unfortunately, we don't really have the time to explain right now.” In contrast to the scared and impatient Grover, Kiyotaka calmly said. He looked at my mum. “Mrs Jackson, both you and Percy need to get going. We don't really have much time before the thing behind us catches up.”

As if understanding the situation, my mum nodded.

She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, “Get to the car. All three of you.”

Grover ran for the Camaro - but he wasn't running, exactly. He was trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs made sense to me. I understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked.

Because where his feet should be, there were no feet.

There were cloven hooves.

Kiyotaka POV

We tore through the night along the dark country roads. Wind slammed against the Camaro. Rain lashed the windshield, making it rather difficult to see anything from it.

I wasn't sure if Percy's mother was able to see everything or if she knew the place well enough to be able to drive through without problems from memory.

She was probably prepared for something like this to happen beforehand.

As I looked at the car mirror, I could still see the silhouette of the monster chasing us.