Mortal Power: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Chapter 25

Everyone whips around to stare at me. I swear I hear Drake quietly gasp my name.

"Well, well, well," drawls the woman. "The Snatched Hero has arrived. I was wondering whether the rumours were true."

At her words, the people in the side room begin to ooze into the main one, grouping behind the woman.

I falter for a moment. "I'm the Snatched Hero? What does that mean?"

The woman cackles. "Classic of the gods to put their little hero servants in the dark. If you live through the day, you may find out."

As silence follows the daunting comment, I desperately try to remember the prophecy. 'The great doors of death are stirring again?'

I can't remember a word of it. "What are your plans?" I finally resort to.

The lady just smirks. "Now, this isn't a theatre, hero. I am not going to monologue about my 'evil plot'. Perhaps you should agree to join us, then I would be happy to fill you in."

I snort. "Yeah, and Ares picks flowers. Look, I don't know what I'm beating exactly. Tell me what I've been sent to stop."

The woman simply gestures at all the people behind her. "Perhaps you could guess from our attire."

I inspect the people behind her. Some in 50s dresses, others in togas, and some even in 90s jeans and teeshirts. The more I look at them, the more I notice the diversity in the eras they're dressing from.

"What, you're planning a dress-up party?"

The woman sighs. "We are souls, hero. We have risen against our captors and broken out of the fields of Punishment and Asphodel. We are to live and conquer again." Her words bring murmurs of approval from her side.

I raise an eyebrow. So that explains the emptiness. "That's a lot of work to throw a party. You gonna play Safety Dance? Because if you are I'm totally-"

She scowls at me. "We are not to be fooled with! You modern people with your motorised wagons and your large factories are killing everything. We, of the old ages, did not disrespect Gaia's work in such ways. You are killing the planet and civilisation. If we were to regain control... We could save both."

I blink a few times. "Great monologue. So you're all dedicated conservationists?"

"Well... We each have our reasons."

I raise an eyebrow. "So what's the plan, get up there and politely ask everyone to step down and let you take over?"

"I was heavily considering murder."

I let it all sink in. "Sounds great. Unfortunately, sounds kinda sucky to me. So let's make a deal."

She perks up a bit at that. "And what would this deal involve?"

I shrug. "Maybe, we battle. I win, you and your idiots get back in the Fields and do what you were." There's some angry rustling at that.

She considers it for a moment. "And if we win, you join our cause."

I'm a little taken aback at that. "Me? I know I'm cool, but why?"

"You have no comprehension of the power you possess. You would be an unstoppable addition. Also, you may notice there are only eleven of us. One representative for each god - except one."

"Hera," I murmur. Of course I'm the best option; she can't have kids.

"Yes," smirks the lady. "It is difficult to put the Underworld in such disarray. The power of the Olympians will achieve our goal.

I swallow. "How do we do this?"

The lady looks at her comrades, who all nod. She smiles. "You fight in a challenge against each of us. Your power is fuelled by each of the gods, so you have fair game on us all." She lets that hang in the air for a few seconds. "If you win, we surrender," she cajoles.

"Fair game?" I exclaim. "I can't win eleven fights in a row!"

The lady laughs. "Then enjoy helping us make your people die."

I lick my lips and survey my allies. Hades is looking at me as if he's watching a mildly interesting show, Persephone is still sniffling, and Orca is nodding at me.

And then there's Drake. He looks as scared as I'm trying not to look, but I can see something in his eyes: do what you have to do.

I clear my throat. "I swear upon the River Styx that if I lose each battle against your people, I will surrender and join your cause."

She smirks. "And I swear upon the Styx that if you win against me, my people will surrender and return to the Fields."

We both stride forward and meet in the middle of the space previously between us. We shake hands.

I try to let go but she holds my hand tight and pulls me closer. "We are going to prevail, and there is nothing you can do to stop us," she whispers in my ear.

As we part and walk away from each other, I can't help but shiver.

"We cannot wait to have another powerful soul join us," mocks one of the enemy.

I shake my head. "Being dead must have messed with your thinking; I'm not a soul, I'm living flesh and bone."

A chorus of laughter follows my comment. "Your current body may be new, but your soul is very, very old."

I ball my fists. "What are you talking about?"

They just laugh again. "Let us begin with our war."

Someone pushes to the front and grins madly at me.

"Audin, of Hera, meet Otrera, of Ares."

It's a woman with silver hair and a frightening gleam in her eye. She draws her sword. "I will enjoy beating you. I choose a battle of swords, in honour of my father."

I raise my own sword.. "Didn't you marry him too? Man, you ancient guys were gross."

Otrera snarls at me. "I do not take kindly to such rudeness, particularly to a queen."

"Enough!" Says the woman. "You will fight now. Whoever bleeds first loses."

Otrera and I engage in battle.

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Sup! Man, I'm so onto things, right? You better be proud :P

Hope you guys liked this one. Is the pacing off or is it okay? I'm not quite sure, so it would really help me out if you let me know of any problems in the comments.

Vote, comment, and follow if you will,

K.C. Bailey