A Fire Burns Within Me Version 2

HTTYD

Previously:
I tilted my head. "So it makes you fade," I said. "Perfect." I plunged my sword into his other arm and snatched the Olympian crystal from Regina's hands.

"You, sir," I said, "should probably have had a will. Now your brothers will need to find a replacement. Not even Tartarus is good enough for you." With that, I stabbed the crystal into his heart, making him explode into ash. Not even gold dust, which was disappointing.

I poked around the dust with my sword and found a piece of the crystal still intact. I picked it up and stuffed it in my backpack from Apollo.

"Hi," I said, turning to the two stunned ladies staring at me. "My name is Percy Jackson, hero of Olympus from an alternate dimension. Now, where am I?"

It's no big surprise to me that things turned out like this. I wasn't surprised but I was slightly disappointed. From all they've told me, I would have assumed that they would act with a little more caution. Regina and Zelina both saw some of my power in the office. This blonde Emma seemed to hold power but she trusted easily when it comes to Regina, it appears.

Granted, it also was a factor called Henry that did the final cinch. That boy trusted way too easily.

However, from all the power and my natural use with the sword, you would think that they would exercise a little more caution and put me in a holding cell until they knew they could trust me. That they would question me beyond what my name was and if I was a hero or a villain.

As I followed Henry through the town a few days later, I had no trouble keeping up with the fourteen or fifteen year old as he got excited to show me everything. We ended up on the dock, leaning over the railings at the water. Then came the fourteen year old Nico-questions.

"So did you live on Olympus? Have you met Zeus? How different is your Hades from our Hades? Have you ever been to the Underworld? How did you become the Savior of Olympus? Are you related to Hercules? Do you have any powers? Did you ever-"

"Whoa, dude!" I laughed as he stared at me with the biggest smile I have seen in a while. "One at a time! No, I never lived on Olympus but I have been there, a few times. Yes, I've met Zeus, he's my uncle. The Hades in my dimension is my uncle too, he's pretty cool. I've been to the Underworld at least twice. I am related to Hercules, he's my cousin and Hades of a jerk. I have powers over water and fire from my dad and adoptive mom."

"So who's your dad then?" Henry started again. "Why were you in the Underworld? Why is Hercules a jerk? Who's your adoptive mom?"

"My dad is Poseidon, god of the seas," I answered before he could go any further, still laughing. "I was in the Underworld for a quest the first time and to get Achilles' curse the second time. Hercules was a jerk because he broke a friend of mine's heart-he's a player. My adoptive mom is Hestia, goddess of the hearth."

"That is so cool!" Henry said. "So can you, like, surf really well then? How many quests did you do? Are you on a quest now?"

"You know," I said, looking off to the ocean at the first question. "My cousin asked that and I still have not tried surfing. I've been on more quests than I can remember and...I guess you can say I'm on a quest now. A quest for a cure."

"A cure for what?" Henry asked. Hades, he was bipolar. At first he was full of energy and excitedly asking questions. Now his eyebrows were furrowed in concern and his voice went up.

I smiled softly at him and whispered, "Nightmares."

It was well after dark when Emma, the kid's mom came up to us and leaned over the railing as well.