Chapter 23: The Red Meeting

Chapter 23 

The Red Meeting

||Percy Jackson||

Every step I took echoed into the dark, giant hallway of the Darkness mansion. I could feel my heart beating wildly and my head pounding, the closer I get to my destination. My withheld powers straining to get out, knowing that a fight is coming, after holding it in for so long. If I do let it out while in the camp, there was a high chance I could destroy the planet and so, the majority of the time, I held it in.

I steadied myself, trying to ignore it. I can't be distracted now. I have to reach Nyx and Erebus' room, where he is surely held. Nyx is a soft-hearted person and truly loves Erebus and no matter what, she cannot bring herself to hurt him even if it means hurting herself. Knowing her, she wouldn't have the heart to lock her husband in the dungeon which could only mean that he is in their room.

Upon reaching the massive door, I found it locked heavily. Unsheathing my blades, I used Vanquisher to cut through the door. It fell apart in two, revealing the darkened room. I heard shackles move and snap, next thing I know I could feel something jump in front of me. Lighting up both of my blades with Void Fire, I parried it with the upcoming attack, grunting with effort as I did so. I stared straight into my opponent's eyes and I knew at that moment, Nyx was absolutely right.

The eyes I stare into at that moment doesn't belong to my brother and my friend, it belongs to someone else. The look in them was bloodshot red with a crazed look. The enemy grinned at me as I gathered my strength and pushed him off, he jumped a few feet away from me, going into battle stance just like I did.

"I'm honestly disappointed in you, Erebus." I sighed, "I thought you were stronger than this. But here you are, being controlled by someone weaker and smaller than you."

He came at me again, with more force than the last, snarling. I sneered, countering the sudden appearance of his claws, venomous claws. "How weak. You disgust me."

A cold, raspy voice echoed in the giant room, "And you think you're so good, Jackson."

"At least, I'm not pathetic enough to actually hide under someone else's skin." I looked at past those bloodshot, seeing the starry, begging eyes that belong to who I have come to consider as my brother and my friend. "Erebus, I know you're stronger than that. I know you can fight this and I will fight you if I have to, as long as you come back to us, to Nyx. She's waiting for you. Even if I have to drag the both of us to near death, I will do so."

I charged, both my blades swinging in a diagonal arch, passing by each other by a millimeter as I try and put some damage into my enemy. Unfortunately, he dodged. For the first time, I saw clarity in his eyes, and the voice was clearly different than the one I just spoke to a while ago. "Percy...Nyx....where is she?"

"Fight me, fight this, Erebus and I'll tell you what happened to your wife."

The clarity disappeared, the crazy eyes returned and the laugh followed, "It's no use." He charged; I ducked and cutting his stomach slightly. He stared at it in a wondered look before growling and charging at me. His sword, now out, clanged against my two twin blades. Sparks flew at the touch of two metals.

We both flew back, regaining ourselves before charging again. We flew around the room, destroying just about anything there is. Like flashes of a camera, disappearing and appearing like lightning. I have a gash in my head, my leg, a broken rib, punctured a lung, and deep wounds. A dagger has embedded on my stomach and a giant slash across my chest from his claws but I paid no mind to it as I continue to do as much damage to the primordial, who have even much worse damage than I do.

I had to end this now, I can feel my blood slowing down and everything in my system is preparing for a shutdown. As quickly as I could, I made an opening, simultaneously making a portal with electrifying chains coming out, holding the possessed primordial in front of me. I wrapped both of my blades in Void Fire with a substance that would harm the thing inside Erebus the most and not as much damage to the primordial. Crossing both of them at his throat, I asked, "Who do you work for?"

He shook his head, keeping his smug smirk. I bit the inside of my cheeks, dropping the arm that holds Vanquisher, leaving only the other blade at his throat. "Executioner," I said, "the name of this blade, neat don't you think? This pretty, blazing sword will be your execution if you don't tell me who you work for. I promise I will make it as slow and as painful as you will ever experience in your pathetic life."

Like a coward he is, he spilled his secret, the moment he saw the murderous intent in my eyes and the edge of the blade pressing closer to him. He stuttered, "Ouranos. Oranos ordered us"

I grinned coldly, slowly dropping the blade, watching him sigh in relief. Before he can finish that sigh of relief, quick as lightning, I had already plunged the still blazing blade into Erebus' throat. I watched the demon's eyes glare at me with pure hatred, I returned the same cold smile and said, "Your information is very much appreciated."

~

I took the slumped form of the primordial, the chains holding him captive losing their electricity and letting go of him as they disappeared into the never-ending portal. I followed next, stepping into the swirling vortex, closing it right after.

Because of my weakened state, I had no full control of where I had wanted it to, and so I ended up falling in Chaos' desk, my bloody shoes marking the nicely carved desk; wincing as I felt the gash in my legs scream in protest at being used even more.

Chaos stood up from his fallen chair out of shock. "Percy!"

Panting, I said, "Call out the medics."

With a push of the button with urgency, the medics teleported to the office in a split second with a stretcher ready. I carefully laid Erebus on the stretcher and watched as they take him away. My eyes drifted towards the digital clock on Chaos' desk, the block of numbers signaling that the meeting is less than a few minutes.

I turned towards my father, who was rushing about in worry. "Percy," he said as if sensing I needed him. "Are you okay?" he raised a hand, motioning, "Nurse!"

"I'm fine." I played off, waving the nurse off. Now that I'm at the home base, where my power is the strongest, my body is mending itself physically although, there are things it can't fix but that can wait.

"Listen, dad," I said, catching his attention. "I need your help with something."

~

||Nico Di Angelo||

My eyes silently followed the pacing co-leader of Section 10. Silena Beauregard-Beckendorf could burn a straight line on the ground of the Amphitheater.

I sighed, feeling a comforting hand on my shoulder. At the same time, Charles Beckendorf took his wife's wrist. "Darling, calm down."

"But Charles!" she argued.

"Look, immortal or not, Percy has always been strong. It isn't the first time he's late for a meeting." He took her hands into his, the rings in their hand, catching the light. "He'll handle himself. Besides, don't make everyone worry more, and you're doing that by trying to create a hole in the ground."

I glanced at everyone around me, biting the inside of my cheek. Percy, where the hell are you?!

I have gotten zero sleep with worry and dread burning inside me because of that damn, self-sacrificing, annoying piece of crap. All night, I could feel a glimpse of what he was feeling because of the bond between both of us, a commander to right-hand man and best friends.

I was a second close to stepping up and taking the impromptu meeting when the air had stilled and chilled and I could feel the ground quake slightly from the power. For others who would tense and would sense danger, all I could feel is an extreme relief.

The portal we've all been waiting for appeared and out came Chaos and Percy. The amphitheater filled with nymphs, campers, and the immortals all silenced. We all approached him, "Percy!" Leo exclaimed, "What was the holdup? Are you okay?"

I frowned, watching Percy nod and wave the concerned question about what happened and why he is covered and splattered in blood. As if sensing my gaze, he turned to me. Eyes flickering and a feeling emanating from him appeared at the back of my head with a warning.

"Enough of that, I'll go into details later. For now, let's start this meeting." He commanded and immediately we all went back to our places. I watched him nod at Chaos, wordlessly, the creator of the universe, snapped his fingers. "Okay, first things first. Erebus is not at fault. I will repeat, he is not at fault. Instead, the one you'll be facing is Ouranos."

Gasps erupted around us.

"Settle down. Now, I've received a message from my watchers. The screen in front of you is a summary of the information you need to know. There is no need to commit them from memory, it's just to inform you. Of course, I have more than one spy on the other side. I put three spies for each branch of the enemies' side. The information that you have has been carefully scrutinized through." Percy swayed, coughing. Chaos stepped closer in concern but he waved it away again and continued, "As for safety's sake, I assume you all can read and so there is no need to voice out the plans out to you. In a few minutes, that screen will disappear concluding the meeting. Now, I ask everyone to keep their loose mouth shut or you will face the consequences. Do not take the threat lightly, I will do what I have to do. After all 'loose lips, sink ships'. I want to end this war with fewer casualties....."

To our absolute horror, the great commander fell down. As if in slow motion, we, the army, immortal campers, camper and the Gods, moved toward him. Chaos caught the Prince, a horrified look on his face.

"I'm fine," he said, eyes searching through the crowd. So I did too, and so I pulled the frozen maid from her spot and thank the heavens that the campers made way.

"Percy," Fyna's voice cracked as she uttered his name. His stance instantly relaxed upon seeing her. The creator slowly put him down, followed by the groan of the Prince in pain. Fyna settled his head into her lap, "What in the name of Callithrix happened?"

Immediately, Michael Yew, dragging the sun god behind him, followed by Will who nodded at me, tore up the Prince's armor to find it filled with blood from his seemingly endless wounds. I took my spot right beside Fyna's. "What the heck happened to your healing abilities?!" I exclaimed.

He chuckled, "Ah, that. It seems Erebus' claws was more poisonous than I thought. My healing properties could only repair the outer, not the poison."

"You idiot!" Fyna chided, her statement followed by an agreement bark from Nevalth who is blazing right at the other side of Percy's head. "First, you go off to an enemy's' territory by yourself and then you don't tend to your wounds!"

"My star," said Chaos, "what were you thinking? Don't make me die of worry earlier than I'm supposed to be."

"You're an immortal, shut it. If you leave me alone to deal with those paper works, I'm gonna hunt you down and forcibly shove your immortal soul down in your immortal body." He chuckled upon hearing Chaos' scoff. "You should all relax, I'm not gonna die." As if contradicting his statement, his body jerked in pain. "Nico..." he called.

"What is it?"

"3 weeks....I'm gonna need 3 weeks. Speed up the training process, I don't care what you do, just speed it up.......the first attack is coming....."

~

||Fyna Sveira||

"Fyna," I heard someone call my name, except I can't tear my eyes away from the unconscious fallen prince. I felt Nevalth nudge me trying to get my attention but I can't. I'm just frozen. I knew something was wrong the moment he entered and started the meeting, how could I have been so stupid?!

I felt somebody put a heavy hand on my shoulder, "Fyna," someone called. I raised my eyes to meet Nico's, whose eyes were filled with urgency. "Fyna, I need you to snap out of it. Listen to me, according to the healers, Percy's own body is trying to get rid of it the best as it can but it's not working as well. The healers will heal Percy, now he needs you to be strong and be by his side like always. Percy is unstable, which means his power is too, if his powers go out of control, do what you have to do. You can't freeze now."

"Fyna, my dear," Chaos said gently, "Take Percy to the infirmary, the healers would follow soon."

I nodded, pulling out the device that allows me to create a two-person teleporter. We landed into the camp's infirmary, immediately, I carefully placed Percy into the bed, hoping I didn't do anything to make it worse. I moved the hair that was on his face, taking one hand in mine, I kissed his forehead. "Please, please, please," I pleaded. I know that this is Percy, one of the most stubborn people I know, he won't end like this so easily but I can't help the twisting in my stomach, the fear coiling so deep in me. "Come back, Percy. Please." 

~

~

Heyyyy, how's it going, you guys? 

Is your 2017 going great so far? Any new year's resolution? 

Did you enjoy my lame attempt at a fight scene? It failed. I tried, really. 

I think it's about time I tackle the "dream/memory" reveal in Chapter 20. I've held it out far too long, expect it coming in the upcoming chapters....or I could reveal another information regarding that rather than solving it together. Who knows? ^W^ 

Thanks for waiting and I'm sorry it took so long and my updates are slow af. School is killing me. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter even though it's not much. 

Don't forget to vote and comment, I'd like to know what you think ^^ 

Have a lovely day, you guys. 

~Leannexo

P.S: I've been forgetting to put the disclaimer but yeah, credit goes to Rick Riordan, creator of the wonderful PJO and HOO series. The picture for the quotes aren't mine either, credits to those who made them.