Born a God

Chapter 19 :

Percy's POV:

I looked at my sweat clad body. Blood was pouring out of my chest where an arrow had impaled me. The pain shot up fast, erasing every thought from my head, paralyzing my body. The pain commanded my attention, it wasn't sitting quietly in the background, but was intimidating my brain into meek submission, demanding a solution that I couldn't provide. Suddenly, as though it was never there, the pain was gone. The pain that had once burned like the styx had faded away into an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of my vision. Thump. Thump. My heartbeat was the only sound left all around me. My breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Seconds passed as I laid there, as if I had entered another realm, I started to hear voices. People swarmed all over me, trying to help me. Artemis came into my view. Her mouth moving frantically but it was all too muffled. Her tears streamed like a waterfall as she held onto to me. Surely she could tell that it was far too late for me to be saved? Yet she called for help, naive to the darkness of the real world. Was this the life of a demigod? A pain-filled, and short-lived life? My surroundings shifted, leaving me with Artemis and her tear-stained face, who was frantically holding on to my lifeless body.

I woke up with a start. I could feel sweat seep on the sheets as my heart thumped against my chest. Unconsciously, my fingers curled into a fist. I felt my nails dig into my palms. I didn't try to stop it though - I needed the pain to keep me rooted. I couldn't hear my rapid breathing, but I could feel the oxygen flowing in and out of my lungs. Was this how I am going to die? Was this just a nightmare? Or could it be a vision? I turned to my side expecting to find Artemis sound asleep when it dawned to me that she had already left for the Island of Delos. I left the cabin and made my way to the main deck. As I opened the door, the wind messed with my already tousled hair. The waves were like a smoothing lullaby, comforting the turmoil within me. I closed my eyes and breathed in, embracing the cool sea breeze.

I looked up into the night, It was filled with millions of little spots of light that seemed to go on and on, forever into the distance. The moon was shining ever so brightly, "I'll try my hardest to stay alive. May we meet again."

-

In the entirety of my life, I've never felt so powerless. He only needed one hand to hold Annabeth and I. Despite all of the powers I've been granted, despite all that I've done, all that I've been through, was it really that easy to leave me helpless? Why now? And why in the hands of an ugly, worthless giant? 

Enceladus has really clammy hands. Okay, shut it, Percy! Concentrate!

Porphyrion got off his throne, "Thoon, destroyer of the Fates, come forward!", he bellowed.

A wizened grey giant shuffled into sight, holding an oversized meat cleaver.

A sheen of sweat covered my face as minutes passed. The ground rumbled and a geyser of water shot up into the sky.

Porphyrion laughed, "Is that what you, the saviour of Olympus, is capable of? You'll have to do better than that son of Poseidon. You're no match compared to Mother Gaia! But never fear, the only liquid we require from you is your blood!"

Thoon knelt and touched the blade of his cleaver reverently against the earth.

''Mother Gaia ..." His voice was impossibly deep, shaking the ruins.

Piper! Wherever the Hades you are, I need, really need you right about now! Styx! I need time!

"Hey Enceladus I think your deadlocks are tied pretty tight If you managed to let a few demigods kill you. Maybe you're not the cleverest giant after all." I really think I have a thing for annoying greater beings. Maybe that's why I have such a long list of enemies.