Percy Jackson--The Blazing Trident

Chapter 6: Percy v.s. Percy

I think it was ages before I woke up.

I had been deployed to some weird path and all around me were trees. It felt like 7:00 PM--like evening, or when I should be at camp having dinner. I got up and dusted myself off, looking around to figure out what to do.

"Can't I just leave then?" I grumbled and tried to walk off the path, but a small shock zapped me and sent me back a little. "Ah, great."

I cautiously took a couple steps forward, and before long, some ruins came into view. I wondered what could've happened here? A fire? Sort of...but the remains were kind of damp, like there'd been a flood. Still, there were unmistakable singes on wood where flames might've burned.

I looked closer, and I stifled a yelp. The ruins..they were Camp Half-Blood! My head spun, and I whipped my head around the area, scanning for survivors. "Chiron! Everyone!" I called. There was a bloody hoof on the ground, bones and corpses piled like Zeus's Fist. Then I steadied myself. This is my path of fear, right? Naturally there'd be some warped illusion like this. It's set to traumatize me, to stab at my fatal flaw--protecting my loved ones.

Still, the scene was very, very realistic. More than I'd wanted it to be. Trying not to look at it, I walked straight ahead. I just have to get past this path. Then I'm done. That's it. No biggie. I stiffened as I passed the Poseidon cabin--washed out by flood, and burned down by fire. Fire and water--apart, they cancel each other out, but together, they are a powerful weapon, I realized.

As the smoke trails left my sight, I saw a figure approach me. I reached inside my pocket, ready to battle as I uncapped Riptide.

The figure came into view, and I could make out an orange T-shirt, jeans...seemed about the same height as me. A beaded necklace, black hair..just then I realized when I gazed into those familiar green eyes.

"Me?" I could barely make a sound. The "Percy" I was seeing looked exactly like me--except he was smiling diabolically and brandishing a dark Riptide. Although I was astonished and angry, I had to admit my evil twin was kind of cool.

He grinned and came closer, putting the point of Riptide's blade near my throat. "Hello, Percy."

"Who are you?" The strangled words came out.

He laughed. "I am you! Just as you are me! I'm the part of you you always hid! The part you never knew! We're the same!"

"I'm not like you!" I charged and sliced through him, but I might as well been cutting water. It had no effect at all. Evil Percy stared into me.

"You can't hurt me until you get it. This world is worthless! Why do you save it? Aren't you scared, Percy?" He asked.

I stopped in my tracks. "No! I'm doing it for Poseidon, for my mom! For the good of this world! With these reasons, no matter how scared I am, it doesn't matter."

Evil Percy scoffed. "Please! Those aren't your real reasons. I know everything; remember, I am you! Your darkest parts! You're just being selfish. Face it. You're saving the world to be a hero. Because your scared that you won't be able to, and you're scared of what would happen."

I sank to my knees. Wasn't it true? Who, or what, was I exactly doing this for? The evil Percy grinned and snatched me up by my shirt, preparing to destroy me with my own sword. "You're useless."

All along, it then struck me. I wasn't righteous. I was no "hero". I wasn't even doing it for the world.

"You're right," I said. I looked at my darker self and smiled. "I'm doing it because I want to."

His eyes widened. Obviously he wasn't expecting such a self-based answer.

I took the chance and grabbed Riptide. "Five years back, I was weak. I could barely fight for myself. My mom was abducted, Annabeth was tortured, Grover had to wear a wedding dress--and I'm done! Even now, I can't do it without everyone. But, you know what?"

I slashed through Riptide at him, and it cut his arm. "I want to live in a happier world!"

I stabbed down, striking his leg. "I want to save--no, stand with everyone together!"

Finally, I readied my blade, pointed at his heart.

"And I want to protect the ones I love." I felt a rush leave me, my mind screaming "CHEESY LINE ALERT!" and my heart screaming "Annabeth!". The evil Percy smiled kindly now.

He began to disappear in a hazy glow. "That's right, isn't it?"

I breathed heavily. After a while of panting on the ground, I heard a twisted tune.

"The song of truth, the song of spite...." An eerie voice traced past and my eyes clouded over. Slowly, I got up and followed the melody.

"The song brings you to your grave, and buries you unto the night..."  I was in a graveyard, and my fingers were about to touch the stone as laughter echoed around me.

Suddenly, I was jerked out of it.

When I snapped out of it, I was back at the forest. Zephr looked a little worried.

"Weird. Sorry, Jackson fellow, something disrupted the connection to your path of fear. I sensed you being dragged away, so I had to bring you out of it. But congrats! Even though the last ordeal was ruined, consider yourself passed!" He clapped.

Thalia came, with a few bruises here and there, but otherwise okay. I felt a wave of relief. "Thalia! You're all right!" I looked at Zephr.

His smile turned down into a grimace. "Yeah..I decided to let her go. After all, you guys have got it bad as it is right now." I was bewildered. What did he mean? Then I noticed Thalia's solemn and grave face. She looked as if she'd been crying a little lately.

"..Guys, what's going on?" I trembled.

Zephr gave me a pitiful look. "Strong people have strong fears." Thalia stared down, but not before I saw her steal a glance to the side. I followed the direction, and saw someone collapsed on the floor, battered with many scrapes, unmoving. A grayish gold lock of hair fell down her face. I ran to her side and tried not to shriek everything that'd been weighing on me at that instant.

"She didn't pass." Zephr came beside me. My blood chilled, and I let out a shaky cry.

"Annabeth!"