The Seasons Of Chaos

Chapter 10

The dining hall silenced as soon as we stepped in. Apparently, not everyone knew I was back. "PERCY!" three other familiar voice yelled.

I turn to face Jason, Frank, and Calypso. Bad memories floated to the top of my head and I struggled to keep them at bay. I looked down and shuffled over to the table, where the other seasons we staring at me. "How'd that happen?" They ask me.

I gave a lopsided smile. "I gave him up."

"Gave who up?" Spring asked.

"I gave up Winter," I respond as calmly as possible. Their eyes go wide.

"You did what?!" Fall exclaims, voicing their thoughts.

"I gave him up," I shrug. I was currently not in the mood to explain. I was focused on getting through dinner.

Barbecue chicken with blue Coke appeared in front of me and I began to rush through it so I could get out of there as soon as possible. The chicken tasted bland as I felt everybody's eyes on me. I hated all this attention. Seriously, do these people not have a hobby or friends?

Apparently not.

I was almost home free when a rush of air blows across the room, bringing the smell of the sea with it. I knew who had appeared but I was not about to look back.

"Dean, what do you need now?" Poseidon asked.

"Father, why are you upset?" My half-brother asked.

I hear a groan. "I'm not. I was just busy."

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you then."

Everyone was silenced and I swear I could've heard Onyx drop from a thousand miles away. "Why is it so quiet? It's never this quiet for me anymore." My father asks.

I stiffen up. I did not want him the recognize me. I could play out a million different responses in my mind but I couldn't use them. Not yet.

I risk looking back and see him looking directly at me. "Percy?" He asks in a small voice.

I stand and walk straight out of the pavilion. I can hear him calling my name but that just makes me run. I run deep into the forest and into my hidden cove. Even Father didn't know about this so he couldn't find me.

I collapse into the shallow water and a sob escapes my lips. He seemed shocked that I was alive. I laugh through the tears. Of course he was. He thought the son he disowned was dead. He mourned my 'death', even though he knew he caused it. I hated him.

He was the best father anyone could've asked for, but Dean corrupted him. He thought my stupid half brother was more powerful than I. He didn't want me anymore.

I lifted some water out of the cove and angrily froze it into an icy ball. It was a power that I could do before Father disowned me. I threw it at the wall and as it shattered into pieces, I broke down again.

I know, it's old. Percy cries, then everything's good. I wish it were that simple. I wish I could just stop and face everything that had haunted me. Problem was, I couldn't.

Wiping my eyes, I climb out of the entrance and walk through the woods. I couldn't go back yet.

Just then, the sea breeze glides against my cheek and I'm forced to turn around. There is my father, looking as sleep deprived as ever. "Percy? Is it really you?"

I turn and continue walking. He appears in front of me and I stop. "My boy is back!" He whispers happily.

I give him my best death glare. "I'm not your boy anymore," I growl.

He looks shocked. "Why not?"

I throw up my arms. "Is everyone here so naïve?! Do you not remember how you disowned me? Do you not remember anything?!"

He looks broken and I didn't mind. I wanted him to feel my pain. "Percy-"

"No! Do you even know what happened to me? Do you even know what that-that devil spawn of a brother did to me?" I ask, demanding an answer.

"Dean was the best thing to happen since you left! Don't speak like that!" Father scolds.

"I will speak about him however I want, Father!" I say, voice powerful enough to keep him quiet. "He came and immediately took over. He stole Annabeth from me! He stole most of my friends from me! He turned everyone against me! He demolished my life, Father!"

Poseidon opens his mouth. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't. Only few actually understand. You didn't even try to understand, did you?"

His head hangs in shame. I doubt he even scraped the surface of what has happened to me. He doesn't know the true pain I have suffered. He puts a hand of my shoulder. "Look son-"

I push his hand away. "Don't call me that!"

I run away from him and hope that he doesn't come after me, but I was wrong. "Percy!" He calls.

I'm still running, trying to push back the feelings I'm experiencing. With a harsh breeze, he stops me. "Percy."

I turn. "What?" I ask, voice cracking.

"Look, I know what I did was wrong, but I did it to protect you," he answers.

I scoff. "Protect me? Care to explain?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "Well, um, I didn't want to hurt you. Dean was already here and I didn't want another World War."

"Really?! You disowned me and caused me pain beyond compare in order to not hurt me? Didn't you think this through? I looked up to you!"

"Percy, they told me that you were evil and you tried to hurt them."

"Hurt them?! My fatal flaw is loyalty! It has broken me and you only added to it. They hurt me! Annabeth turned the whole camp against me!"

He looks stumped. Before he can say anything else, I hear a faint roar. "Do you hear that?" I ask.

Poseidon looks puzzled. "Hear what?"

The roar is now louder and the world is covered in darkness. "Run," I say.

"What?"

"Run! He's back!"