Mortal Power: A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Chapter 29

I cut my fall off with a cushion of air - about two feet off the ground. I sigh a breath of relief; talking with your mother, discovering your daunting secret and nearly falling to your death in the same two minutes really takes it out of you. I release the cushion and impact the ground with a big "oof!"

"Audin!" Cries Orca, clinging to the bars. "Are you alright? What happened?"

I shake my head as I get up. "You have no idea." I stretch my back.

"Fool!" Laughs Elisa. "You have lost." She beckons me forward.

I smirk and shake my head again. "You should pay attention to wording when promises are made. I'm not yours."

Her smile twists into a sneer, though I still see a spark of mischief in her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"I swear upon the River Styx that if I lose each battle against your people, I will surrender and join your cause. You get that? I didn't lose each battle. I'm not yours." I fold my arms.

My expression drops when she just cackles at me. "Well played, Snatched One. But perhaps you should pay attention to wording also. I swear upon the Styx that if you win against me, my people will surrender and return to the Fields. It appears we are at a stale mate."

It's my turn to sneer. How could I be so stupid to miss that? Thinking I'm so clever. What a joke. "Okay, Elisa," I say, feigning relaxed shoulders. "I guess we're just going to have to do this the old fashioned way." I unsheathe my dagger and extend it.

The group shifts uneasily. "You mean, a battle? You have already duelled our fighter-"

"I meant," I say, swinging the sword around, "all of you." I bring the sword to a stop. "Same oaths, same stakes."

Elisa stands taller. "Agreed. Fight!" The group rushes toward me and I quickly get into a starting position. Thanks for the warning much.

In a hurricane of people, I swing my sword around and hope for the best. Wait, they aren't affected by my blade, are they? I grin. I'm not affected by theirs either.

I rush in toward a tall man with blond hair and grey eyes. This must be a son of Athena. We exchange blows while I do my best to figure out another way to cut him with his own blade, but he saw the move I used on Otrera and could probably outsmart me. I pray to the Olympians that they favour me over their kids.

As I avoid his disarming move, I wonder: Perhaps I could reuse the move since he might not expect it due to the fact that most would expect it? I groan. I hate overthinking.

What the hell? I twist behind him and, sure enough, he brings his sword back. I see his eyes widen just as I push his sword down, but with much more force this time. He collapses with the pain.

I turn just in time to dodge a striking vine. Twisting and thrusting, a woman controls a collection of plants, using them to attack me. I duck to avoid getting hit by a storm of wheat seeds. "Orca!" I exclaim.

"I've got your back!" The plants begin turning on the woman, growing out of control as her and Orca fight for dominance. I rush at the woman and start striking at her with my sword; though she can't get hit, it's still a distraction. With a victorious cry, Orca twists a cocoon of plant life around the woman, entrapping her.

I turn to the rest of my enemies and blanche: they're all converging on me with murderous looks. How am I supposed to defeat so many enemies? I raise my sword and smirk. I can do it. How? Counters my inner critic. Because I am the Snatched Hero.

In a flurry of celestial bronze I counter several attacks, intent on downing my enemies in style. Or perhaps drowning? "Orca, is there a drink bottle over there?"

"Yeah!"

"Throw it."

Thank the gods she doesn't hesitate. The full water bottle comes sailing overhead and I stare hard at it, hoping I'm focused enough to use it.

I splay my hand and the bottle explodes, the water forming into a big glob at my command. I bring it down to an enemy in front of me and I envelop their head with the liquid. They clutch at their throat but cannot esacape; they fall to the floor.

There are still too many of them. I raise my hand and try to summon the feeling I felt back at the woods at camp, the feeling of panic and concern-

I feel static rush through me before a small storm cloud starts swirling arund my wrist. I push harder with my mind and it swirls bigger and faster, enveloping my whole hand in angry weather.

With one last push, strong static rushes from my toes and up to the cloud. With a loud buzzing, at least six streams of electricity spalys out from the cloud and finds my enemies, electrocuting them with no mercy. I bring my hand down and stop the lightening. They all stand there for a moment, dazed, before dropping.

Elisa stares with disbelief. "I- That's impossible! You are a cheat! You-"

"I won the battle. Go back to where you came from." I fold my arms and tap my feet.

She stomps hers and points at the door. "Go!" She says to her comrades, who disappear with a puff. "But I will not follow. I swear upon the Styx that if you win against me, my people will surrender and return to the Fields. You are dense, Snatched One. I did not say I would let your friends or the fickle god go! Perhaps the power of Athena does not lie with you?"

I grind my teeth. "I will make you go back."

She laughs manically, alone in the middle of the room. "I will rise again and you will not stop me! I-"

The room starts glowing a warm gold. A whiff of barbeque wafts through and light souls begin to shimmer and appear around Elisa. They turn to look at me and my gut wrenches.

I don't have to be told to know that these are souls from Elysium. They all pick the struggling Elisa up. As they exit the room, no doubt on their way to drop her in the Fields of Punishment, they nod at me, as if saying, "see you soon."

I sigh with longing before turning to Hades. "How do I-"

Before I can ask how to free them, Hades is helping his wife up. "Their power no longer has a hold on mine. Thank you, Audin." He looks over at the cage. "I can supply you transport to the camp. Close your eyes."

I do so, and there is a high-pitch sound in my ears. When a waft of strawberries reaches my nose, I open my eyes to see Camp Half-Blood under the sinking sun. I fall to my knees on the grass as Orca appears beside me, holding Drake. She drops him and runs to get help.

I sit next to him as Chiron and some Apollo kids stumble up the hill.