Nyxs' Knight - Percy Jackson

Trial Three

Percy sighed and picked himself up off the damp, mouldy leaves of the forest. He hated being transported by Nyx's stupid portals, which left him dizzy for numerous minutes after he had hit the ground.

He shook it off and looked around. Here he was, in yet another forest, filled with towering pine trees and rocks. Small white mushrooms dotted the leafy ground here and there, whilst large tree fungus and Staghorn ferns riddled the pine trees. Everywhere he looked, there was another mould or fungus or random plant reaching for the scarce sunlight.

He quickly looked down at himself, relief surging through him as he saw it was his own body, and not some random animals. If he ever had to eat grass again...

He sat back down as the dizziness returned, and closed his eyes, remembering what Nyx had told him.

(Flashback)
Percy was sitting at the bench in his glossy black cave eating blue toast and sipping his blue Coke after dressing in the clothes Nyx had provided, when the shadowy figure he had become used to floated into the room. He turned and faced Nyx, whose starry cloak covered her entire body. He realised that he hadn't even seen her face yet.

"Perseus. It is time that I explained the third trial to you." She said as she hovered above the floor.

"I will transport you to the island of Crete in the Pacific Ocean. The inhabitants there are know as the Scythians - worshippers of Artemis. When they capture any intruders on the island, they make them participate in a survival game, where they will release you from their prisons and hunt you down until only one of the prisoners is left."

Oh boy, was all Percy thought.

"Then, they may let you live. Your task is to survive this trial, and also to show your resilience towards life. You will leave now." She said as she conjured up a portal.
Percy groaned, not expecting a challenge so soon. As Percy leaned into it, he prayed that he would make it out alive. (End flashback)

CRACK

A noise started Percy out of his reverie. He looked around the forest, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. He was about to stand when suddenly, twelve men appeared around him in a circle. They were brutish, wearing flannelette long sleeved shirts under leather vests and loose pants. A bow and quiver was slung over every men's shoulders, along with knife hilts protruding from numerous sheathes in their pants, whilst they held small hunting knives in their hands. Their faces were broad and flat, with each man having a crooked nose and long beard, and the occasional caveman like protruding bottom lip. There was not a single piece if modern technology in sight, which probably explained why they smelt like rotting flesh: no showers. There was only one name to give these men.

Scythians.

The tallest man took a step forward, and lowered his knife to Percy's throat.

"Well, what do we have here?" the man grinned, showing his yellow teeth.

"Another little prisoner for our sacrifices, hey boys!" he yelled, and got several cheers in response. Before Percy had a chance to say anything, he was bound with rope by one of the men and slung over his shoulder.

" No escapin' for you now, pretty boy!" The man breathed into Percy's face, making his eyes water from the stench. He decided to go along with it, since he was only there to win their stupid game and finally get this trial over with.

After a long, uncomfortable journey of being bumped and nudged around, the men walked into a camp, with many tents lining the outskirts of the clearing, and a fire roasting a boar in the center. Percy was unbound and thrown into a cage made of sticks held together by rope, joining three other men and a woman in the tight space.

"They got you too." The woman said sadly, her blue eyes watching him intently. She was pretty, maybe around twenty, with full lips and long black hair cascading down her shoulders.

"I'm Selene" she said quietly, holding out her hand.

"I'm Percy" he replied, shaking it. She gestured over to the man with similar features sitting beside her. "This is my twin brother, Flynn."

Flynn turned and smiled at him. "Nice to meet you." He said.

Percy turned and greeted the old man behind him. He was clearly in his sixties, with stark white hair and a wrinkled face.

"I'm Jon" he croaked, but offered no hand for Percy to shake. He turned to the last man who sat as far away he could from the rest. His head was downcast, and he was silent.

"Hi" Percy said, but received no answer. He turned and faced Selene for an explanation.

"He hasn't spoken since we have been here. When we arrived, he was already in the cage." She said.

Suddenly, one of the Scythians traipsed over to the cage. "How many do we have?" another man yelled from across the camp.
"We got five! We got five! It's enough!" He yelled happily whilst running over to tell the man.

The brute that had brought him here opened the cage and pulled them out and threw them on the ground.

"Get up" he growled viciously, loading up his bow and pointing it at Percy and the group.
"I said GET UP!" he roared again, slapping Percy's head in the process. Normally, he would have retaliated quite viciously, but he decided to keep his mouth shut until they let them run.

"Last one t'a live earns their freedom" one of them yelled.

"You've got ten seconds t'a run. Go"

***
Ok... I know this is short, but I'm writing the next chapter at this moment. Sorry :( . Hope you enjoyed and my apologies for not updating in ages. Pleeaasse vote and comment.

Jaydeebooboo.