The Lion's Gaze (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter 2

Percy POV

I woke with a start, inhaling deeply and flailing around wildly. I opened my eyes, a harsh light causing me to shut them again. "I... I must be dead..." My throat was as dry as it was in Tartarus and my body felt like someone had stuck me in an Easy-Bake oven, but burned the instruction manual and now the cake was burned too. Wait... I'll never have cake again! "Do they have cake in Elysium. Did... Did I even get to Elysium?"

"If you'd have finished dying I'm sure you would have Perseus."

My head turned towards the source of the sound and I slowly opened my eyes, squinting under theharsh white light. When I finally could see properly, I saw that I stood in a large white space and in front of me was a man in a completely white suit sitting on a chair. Simply laying eyes on the man made me feel as if I could run a marathon. I felt energised and alert; more so than I have the past few days.

"You were, though... Dead, that is."

I could do nothing more than stare in shock for several moments. The man stayed silent, simply staring at me. After I found my voice, I stood "Then where am I? If I'm not dead anymore apparently... Then what the Hades am I doing here? Wherever here is...and who're you?" I couldn't help but feel suspicious, after all, I've met many gods in my day, but none that could raise the dead.

"The more important topic is the one of your death. Polybotes has risen millennia too early, and to have obtained a monster army of that size... You know what it means don't you?"

My fists clenched and I had an uneasy feeling, "The fates are cruel. Let me guess... another stupid war with another stupid god?"

"The fates had nothing to do with it, I assure you of that much. No this is all the work of my sister. Chaos."

My jaw dropped and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Ch-Chaos? As in... creator of the universe? That's who's behind this?" My mind couldn't comprehend it. Chaos was behind this mess? Gaea's mom? How can we possibly hope to win?

"Perseus. You're forgetting. That's my little sister we're talking about. There's still hope. Listen to me, my sister and I... We're simply too powerful for Gaea to handle. We can't manifest ourselves on the earth, so we have what you refer to as Champions. Warriors that fight in our name." He paused, "Perseus..." The still unnamed man stood, "I, Order, Designer and Co-Creator of the known Universe have chosen you to become my Champion. Do you accept?"

I was stunned, millions of thoughts racing through my mind. To be honest, I almost said no. I was so tired of the fighting. So tired of war. So tired of losing the people closest to me.

And that's when I realised I was being selfish. How could I be so self absorbed and begin believing it was all about me. If I didn't fight... If I didn't stand up to the people who threatened my home... what right would I have to call myself a hero?

"I will. I'll become your champion."