The Blood of Poseidon [Based on Percy Jackson]

Chapter 21.

Chapter 21

(Jay's POV)

I arrived on the surface, face down. I looked around for Priya but I couldn't find her.
"Priya!!! Priya!!" I shouted, desperate to find her. I wanted to make sure that she was safe.
Her last words kept playing through and through my mind. These aren't her last words. She has to be alive.

I walked, still searching for Priya, but as the same time, looking out for Edward and Will. We still needed to complete the quest. I checked my watch and found out that we had less than 24 hours remaining to return the jewel. The jewel that we still hadn't found. Did I really spend 3 days underground? It just felt like a couple hours, but I knew time worked differently, especially if someone was willingly slowing it down. After hours of searching, I took rest next to a spring.
A water source. I could offer to Iris, in order to talk to Will and Ed.

They answered my message. I told them where I was and I explained to them that Priya was no longer with me. They said that they'll find me soon and that I should stay put. However, we only had 24 hours to get the jewel to the gods. Will ended the message by saying that they found a jewel in the burning building, and it was guarded by basilisk. A 30 feet long serpent. Not just any serpent, but the king of serpents. After trying to defeat it, it's poisonous skin and deadly eyes, and after obtaining a few cuts, they were finally able to get rid of it. They remembered the tales of the famous basilisk, that could be defeated by staring at its own reflection. They used whatever metal pieces they could've found, and the remaining bits of their water, to create a puddle, and luring the basilisk to it, a more dangerous job than they anticipated.

At least they found something right? I haven't slept in days. My insides still hurt from the cave but I had to be strong, especially after all that happened to Priya. I tried to sleep but all I could see was her face as she apologised. I stared up at the sky, looking at the stars, hoping, just hoping that the gods, if they were even looking down, would help me. That Poseidon, if he really cared for his children, would save Priya. I needed her. Camp Half-Blood needed her.

After waking the entire night, wild thoughts running through my head, Will and Edward met me at sunrise. We needed to act fast and get the jewel back to the gods.

We took the nearest bus, finally seeing that we were in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania?

We were just in Nevada two days ago! How was it possible for us to go from the west coast to the eat cost on just 2 days?!?

We arrived at the Empire State Building, just over 10 hours later. It was evening time, only a couple hours until our deadline was near. We rushed into the elevator and tapped the button for the 600th floor. Normal mortals wouldn't see that but for us demigods, we can see through the mist. We reached up on the 600th floor and rushed out. Olympus was beautiful. It was the first time I've ever seen it in person.

It was white with gold highlights, with Ancient Greek designs. Huge white columns each about 50 feet high, lead us down the narrow walkway, as we passed by persons, who stared at us, interestingly. It looked majestic. The columns lead us to hold doors, about the same height, and just as we reached in front, the doors opened.

The three of us stood there in amazement as we saw the gods, sitting on their thrones. The thrones were arranged in a reversed U formation with 2 in the middle and 5 on each side. Zeus in the middle, Hera on his left and Poseidon on his right with a fire in the middle.

"Half bloods, you have reached before yhe deadline. Return the jewel," Zeus said, his voice echoing, even though he barely whispered. His voice was cold, as if waiting impatiently for the jewel

Will pulled it out of his bag. He held it in both his hands. The gods all whispered and gasped, as he pulled out a silver crown, with numerous pearls placed intricately on it. I took a deep breath, as the crown was pulling me to it. It was the most beautiful piece of jewellery, I had ever seen. The way it was carved alone, I knew it was created by a god. It had to be.

"Silence!" Zeus said, raising his voice. He put his hand forward to collect the jewel. Will threw it upwards and Zeus caught it.
Immediately it expanded, and grew until it looks regular sized in Zeus' hand, as he examined it. He passed it over to Hephaestus, as he looked at it, twisting the ends back into place. Hephaestus created it. Of course. He gifted it to Aphrodite, hoping to win back her love. It was his jewel not hers.

I felt someone's eyes on me. I glanced at Poseidon, while Zeus was examining the jewel and sure enough, he was looking at me.

I looked away, afraid to look at him in his sea green eyes. Quite like Priya's. After a few minutes, when the gods had settled, I finally gathered the courage to look at him. He stared back at me confused. Does he not know what happened to Priya?

I slightly shook my head, so that Zeus wouldn't notice, but Poseidon understood what I said and he looked away.

Poseidon stood up now as Zeus returned the jewel to Hera, with Haphaestus' permission.

If I had known that the jewel was hers then I wouldn't have agreed to go on this quest. Not after what she did to Percy.

He looked at me once again, his eyes so intense I could barely stare at them for more than a few seconds.
He  mouthed "Percy?"
I mouthed back, ever so gently, "he's okay."

"Brother, you're not supposed to be communicating with them," Zeus said calmly.
Poseidon shut his eyes at once and turned away.
"Leave demigods." Zeus said as he sat back down.
"My daughter has not returned on this quest brother," Poseidon said firmly, yet his voice was still low and gentle. I was deathly afraid of him. Even more than Zeus. At least with the king of the gods, at least I expected him to pulverise me at any second, just because he felt like it. But with Poseidon m, I didn't know what to expect at all.
"There are three of them there, brother. As per the prophecy, three was allowed on this quest," he looked to Apollo to back him up.

I looked at the others, and they were both staring at Apollo, their father, so I wasn't even sure he heard Zeus. I used my elbow to nudge Will and he shook his head and bowed, waiting for dismissal from Zeus.

"You can leave," he said, sitting back down in his throne. We both walked put after Will. I stopped at the door and looked back at the gods. I looked at my mum and smiled at her. She returned it with her much more beautiful smile, her eyes sparkling with love.

I then gathers my courage and  turned my head towards Poseidon, begging him silently to help me and Priya. I hope he understood.

"I'm not yet ready to give up on my daughter," I heard his voice in my head and he nodded slightly at me before he walked out.