The Bird and The Sea

Chapter 8

Percy's POV:
You might be wondering why I keep getting attacked. It's not just because of the city, it's because of my title. Let me explain. After a few weeks of getting attacked nonstop and the attacker's barely making it out alive, me and my family are now known as "The Shadow Gang."

According to everyone else, we come blend in with the shadows and when we're attacked, people get left alive, but barely. We're all trained in fighting and some of us even have powers. Apparently I'm "The Shadow King" and whoever kills me, gets my place. We're know for making people disappear. They think that we kill them, but we actually help them. Like if you want to go get away from Gotham or an abusive family member, they have the choice of staying with us or us faking their death and giving them a new life. "The Shadow King is also said to have enormous power. And money.

We don't actually have a lot of money. The weapons we have, I made them and I also taught the gang how to make some. The clothes, I summoned them. They also think that the gang is a group of trained men. The only rule that we have is no killing unless necessary. The trained part is right, but not the men. Apparently, "The Shadow King" has a trident brand mark. That's actually my SPQR brand. Somehow, it stayed with me.

Anyway, right now I was at home sitting on the couch and I was waiting for my gang to show up. I had them all in for a meeting about 30 minutes ago and they should be here right about, now. 2 minutes later, they all come in. "What's up, Perce?" Jake asks. I take a deep breath and I motion, "Why don't you guys sit down," they sit and wait for me to continue. "Most of you guys have been with me for about 3 years and I think it's time you know my story." They grin because they have been wanting to hear how I got my powers ever since they came into the family. I take a deep breath and I tell them everything. When I'm done they look at me in awe and then Liam says, "If you were a hero in the their dimension, then why aren't you a hero here." I open my mouth, but Ruby beats me to it, "He's still a hero Liam, he saved us." She smiled at me.

"When I came into this dimension, I saw that it was very different in Gotham than where I lived. I thought that it would be better to help kids who needed it, than to be thrust into the spotlight like Superman or Batman. I wouldn't be able to help you guys if I were like them."

"Does that mean that you haven't shown us all your powers." Nicole asks excitedly. They all perk up at this. I laugh, "That's right Nicole. I also have more abilities."

"Can you show us?" Bryon asks. And they all grin at me. I nod and I spend the next few hours showing and explaining how the blessings work. By the time I finish it's nighttime, so I send them all to their rooms. "I just wanted you guys to know, that if anything ever happens, you guys will stay out of it and you will follow Bryon, Caleb, and Jake. Said guys smile proudly and the rest of them nod. "Off to bed then. I'm going to pick up another girl. Ashley, can you come with me?"

"Sure," she says. She follows me to an alleyway where the girl, Kylie is supposed to be. I had met her 3 days ago and she was running from her drunken dad. She also had mind reading powers. She had agreed to come with me when I showed her some mental images of our family. She then jumped at the chance.

When we got there, she was waiting for us with a duffle bag and she was nervously tapping her fingers on the stair rail. Her face brightened when she saw me and Ashley. "You ready?" I asked. She grinned, "Yeppers." I chuckled and I said, "Alright then, follow me and Ashley will follow behind." We start to leave when a giggle rings behind us.

"You're not going anywhere, "Shadow King," I turn around to see a red headed girl with a green dress and vines coming towards me. I turn to Ashley and yell, "Go, now." She swallowed before breaking into run with Kylie. They disappear from sight and I let ou a breath I didn't know I was holding. I feel a knock on the head before I see complete and utter darkness.
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When I open my eyes I was on a wooden chair and I could see the same woman from before giggling with a man in a black and white suit. "Hello, Shadow King,"  The man says. "You're way too young, but no matter, I want to know where your gang is. I want to kill them with you watching and then I'll kill you and take your title." I grit my teeth at the thought of him hurting my family, but I stay silent. "No, okay, Ivy, bring me the knifes." He calls out. The woman, Ivy, bring in different sized knifes and hands them to him. "Oh, by the way, you can call me Penguin." He lifts my shirt before he takes one of the bigger knifes and starts to cut at my torso. Blood starts flowing out like a river. "I've got all day, but the question is do you?"
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3 hours later and I had new scars. I knew that once I got out, I would just heal myself with water and with Apollo's blessing. Ivy was watching me while Penguin was taking a break. I sat there staying silent and was waiting for Penguin to come back in, so that I could escape. He came sauntering in and I prepared to make my move. "Ready for round three," he said cackling. I had already freed my hands from the rope when the glass windows shattered. It was a blur of black and I could see the shape of a bat knocking Penguin and Ivy out. He then walked towards me and Robin stayed behind. "I didn't need your help Barstow," I drawled our. "I had it covered. I held up my hands as proof.

"I was about to take him out." I continued, but he just rolled his eyes and I could see him looking at the blood seeping out of me. "This was fun and all, but I'm going to go now." I tried to stand up and instead I fell to the ground. "That's gonna leave a bitch of scar," I said trying to laugh when I realized that I had fallen on top of a knife. Batman looked at me like I was crazy, before he took out a needle and plunged it into my neck. "I hate my life," I mumbled out as I fell into darkness for the second time today.