LoSP Ch.54: Of Deep Talks (Patreon)

Blue skies and white clouds stretched outside the window, drifting past them. A tall woman rolled a cart to my cabin, holding out a hot towel.

“Hot towel, sir?”

“A little while later.” I gave her a smile. “Thank you.”

She rolled the cart past me, and I slipped out of my cabin and knocked on the adjacent door. The door was yanked open, and Clarisse stood on the other side with a dagger in her hand.

“Problems?” She looked around.

“No,” I pushed her dagger down and looked around. “I need to talk to you for a moment. Personally. It’s regarding the quest and everything.”

She nodded and allowed me in, sitting on the sofa, and turning the light music off. “What’s up?”

“So, we’re on our way to Virgin Islands,” I glanced outside the window. “Where we will confront Perses. One of the most dangerous Titans.”

“And we’ll kill him.” Clarisse banged her fist against her palm. “Crush him to pulp.”

“That’s the point, Clarisse,” I sighed. “You can’t fight everything. You need to have more control over yourself. You cannot be out for blood every time.”

Clarisse’s forehead creased. “What do you mean?”

“In the fight against Pallas, you ignored what I told you to do.” I pursed my lips. “You had been given a job. To kill the monsters. Instead, you went to fight Pallas despite me explicitly telling you otherwise. And due to that, Bianca and Grover nearly died.”

“I saw a chance—”

“No, you didn’t.” I snapped. “You wanted to fight him, Clarisse. Don’t lie to me.”

“So what?” She glared at me, her fists balling up. “It's always Thalia or you fighting them. I’m the daughter of war. I can—”

“I am not saying you can’t.” I cut in. “You are probably the most capable warrior I have ever fought. You could even take Thalia in a straight fight.”

“So why don’t you let me?”

“Because you would die, Clarisse. I don’t want that! Don’t you understand? These are Titans. If you push them into a corner, which I have no doubt you can, they’ll lash out. And the problem lies there. If they use their powers, you cannot throw them back. Thalia and I can.”

“So, it's just that?” She spat. “You kids of the Big Three have powers and I don’t. Well, guess what? I killed the Titan. Yes, Thalia fought him and weakened him, but he fell to my spear.”

I shook my head. “And he did because he didn’t cheat. Pallas was an honorable warrior. He represented the honorable side of war. Had you been against someone else, they would’ve slammed you across the battlefield and killed you with one blow.”

“So what? If I die, I’ll die a warrior’s death. I am not afraid of dying, Percy.”

“That’s not the point, Clarisse and you know it,” I said. “You may not be afraid of dying but I am afraid of losing any of you. You are my friends and my family. I cannot— I can’t lose you over something this stupid.”

Clarisse laid a hand over my shoulder, her eyes softening. “Percy, this is the way of Ares. The way of Sparta. We fight for honor and immortality. If we die, we’ll be honored forever in the fields of Elysium.”

“Clarisse, if you die, I will lose my biggest asset in the war against the Titans. You know Thalia and I cannot lead the demigods. We’ll be on the front lines. It will be up to you to command them. We cannot fight freely in the midst of an army of our own.”

“So, you want to fight solo?”

“Both you and I know that I can level an army when I want to with a single clang of my swords. I can turn a tide of monsters to dust and ashes without breaking a sweat.”

“Well, aren’t you humble?” Clarisse snorted. 

I smiled wryly. “I speak based on my record. What’s beyond me is beyond me. But whatever is within my grasp, I will not be humble about. Athena told me that all my allies should know my true strength during a war because when people like me fight, we can cause a lot of destruction amongst our own army by downplaying what we can do.”

Clarisse rolled her eyes. “But you say it everywhere. You begin your battles by bragging, Percy.”

“That’s another strategy.”

“Yeah, I know that.” She grinned. “Bragging to get your enemy afraid. Maybe even avoid a fight. It’s what you pulled with Theia and got her to take the oath. Can’t say I liked the move but I sure as hell respect it, Perce. I won’t insult you by saying it doesn’t irk me that you try to get a peaceful way out with our enemies.”

“Sometimes, it’s better to take a diplomatic route. It can be strong-arming the opponent but it’s still a better gamble,” Alexander’s words spilled through my lips. “You cannot always fight. But scare them into believing they will lose, and you can win a lot.”

Clarisse leaned back on the sofa, licking her lips. “So, what do you want me to do?”

“I want you to listen to me next time and not put yourself in needless danger,” I said. “There’ll be a time where you will face and kill more Titans. But against the better ones? Let Thalia or I handle them. You got a little lucky with your opponent being Pallas. He was honorable. Most Titans aren’t. You could defeat a lot of them in a straight fight. But when divine powers are added in the mix…”

“I’ll be outmatched and outgunned. I know.” She rubbed her arms. “I just wanted to prove myself, you know? Stand amongst the greatest of my age.”

“You are the greatest warrior of our age, Clarisse. You are the most badass girl I know. But no unnecessary risks, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And you’ll always be the Titan Slayer, Clarisse. You killed Pallas, a warrior of great might fairly and without any tricks. Even I haven’t done that yet, you know? Won a totally fair fight against a Titan.”

“Bullshit,” she snorted.

“No, it’s true. I always look to trick them rather than fight fairly. That’s how I win. I goad them into making mistakes and use my powers to limit them. You? You fought like a true warrior. No barbs, no provoking, just a fight to death spear against spear. And you won. Every Titan I’ve killed was by trickery or goading or outright powers.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. The first fight against your father? I fought it in the sea. I avoided fighting against Oceanus by using the Ancient Laws, which already crippled his wife from acting against me. I provoked Coeus and made him mad. I literally tricked my way through the whole battle against Phoebe and Meneotius. Theia, I subdued by fear. Believe me, when it comes to truly fighting, the only one I’ve had a remotely fair fight against was Tethys. And she nearly killed me.”

“She went nuclear on you, you mean.”

“Yeah, that. But it’s the closest to a fair fight I’ve come. You fought with your own skills, and you killed one of the best fighters in the world.”

A hint of red crept up her cheeks. “Thanks.”

“But next time, listen to me when I give you something to do. Bianca and Grover almost died while you were busy fighting Pallas. I don't want that to happen again. If soldiers don’t follow the general, the war is lost.”

“I understand.” Clarisse nodded. “I’ll do my best to follow the tasks next time.”

I gave her a faint smile and stood up. “That’s all I ask.”

I pulled the sliding and went back to my seat, only to find Annabeth and Grover waiting for me.

“What’s up?”

Grover nibbled on a tin can. “Been too long and far too hectic for the past few months. Annabeth thought we could relax just like the old times, you know?”

“And talk.” Annabeth added.

“Talk about what?” I plopped on the seat beside them, tugging my shoes off. “If it's about the war or anything, let’s avoid it if it can wait. We’re in first class. Let’s just sit back and enjoy these six hours of flight, I say.”

Annabeth leaned across Grover; her gray eyes boring into me. “I want to talk about you, Percy.”

“About me?” I frowned.

“You’re the subject of a prophecy that holds the whole world’s fate in balance. I led one quest, and it weighed down on me. Every decision, every second of it. I thought I knew but I was still going in blind, I felt.”

“Well, you technically were,” I said. “I told you reading about the Labyrinth wasn’t enough.”

“That’s not the point.” Annabeth glared at me. “The point is, a quest to save the camp— or more appropriately, potentially save the camp from a fight, weighed down on me like a ton of bricks. There was a plan B in case we had failed and a good one at that. This prophecy, we don’t have a plan B.”

“We do.” I shook my head. “Thalia is one day from being sixteen. There’s Bianca and Nico too. In case I fail, Thalia’s immortality will be taken away so she can preserve Olympus.”

“I don’t think that’s how fate works, Percy.” Annabeth bit her lip. “If you fail, Olympus will be razed. It would be the Titan Lord on one side and Typhon on the other. And you think Kronos won’t know that you’ll have a plan B? One that can only be limited to one other person in the short term? He’ll do everything in his power to prevent it. Including sparing you if needed and you know it.”

I felt a sharp sting beneath my ribs. “I do. But there’s still hope, even after me.”

“You know it’s going to be you,” Grover said, narrowing his eyes. “I know you, Percy. You know it’s you and it has been on your shoulders. This? This is just you trying to beat around the bush to distract Annabeth. It won’t work.”

I sighed. “What do you want me to say, guys?”

“Talk about it, Percy,” Annabeth’s eyes softened. “Talk to us. It’s okay to let it out.”

“What is there to let out!” I threw my hands in the air. “It’s inevitable. I have to face what comes at me. I have to take the decision that decides the fate of the world.”

“And how do you feel about it, Percy?” Annabeth prompted.

“How do you think I feel?” I retorted. “It’s a weight, Annabeth. But it’s something I have to carry, and I have to do. It’s doing what’s necessary. I have to fight Kronos. I have to defeat him and his army. I’ve known it forever and prepared for it. I’m ready for it.” 

“Then what troubles you?” Grover raised an eyebrow. “There’s something you’re not ready for. You’re scared, Percy. Of something. If it’s not the prophecy, what is it?”

I felt my throat go dry. “I might lose my friends along the way. Many will die in the war. So many did in the attack on the camp. I'm scared of what will happen when Kronos marches on Manhattan.””

Grover gave me a sympathetic smile. “Death is not the end, Percy, and you know it. Heroes get Elysium. Eternal happiness, green fields, and sunshine. It’s not bad, you know? Some would say it’s better than life.”

I shook my head. “It still means leaving your family. A part of you breaks off forever, Grover.”

“No, it always stays with you.” Grover’s finger tapped against my chest. “In here, Percy. Those who love us never really leave us. It’s just a matter of time.”

“Sometimes, losing one family means getting a new one,” Annabeth added. “I left my family, not once but thrice, technically. And yet, I’m a part of all of those, aren’t I? My dad, Thalia and Luke, the camp, and the hunt.”

“You can continue to be a part of it if you live,” I said. “Except the Luke one.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Percy, if there’s something I know, it is that everything heals. Luke’s betrayal healed. Thalia’s death healed. Everything heals. You still miss them; you wish they could be with you. But it eventually heals.”

“And I want to avoid the wound in the first place. Call me whatever you want, but I’d rather walk to Kronos alone than take you all with me. The problem is—”

“If you do that, Olympus will definitely lose, followed by the whole world and you’ll lose everything,” Annabeth completed.

“Yes.” My voice broke. “Exactly.”

“Come here.” She pulled me into a tight hug, Grover joining in with her. “We’ll be alright, Percy. You won’t lose us. We’ll get to see the end of this war and live our lives as we are meant to.”

“It is okay to be scared. But whatever comes, we’ll face it together, alright?”

“Yeah,” I whispered. “Together.”

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The light of the morning sun fell against the sand dunes, reflecting off the waves of the sea. The salty gale tugged at my clothes, ruffling through my hair as I breathed it in, letting the calm wash over me. 

Thalia plopped herself onto the sand, the heels of her shoes sinking into the dune, while Grover kicked off his shoes and stomped his hooves, breaking little piles of sand.

“Why are we on the beach?” Nico picked a seashell and chucked it into the waves. “Shouldn’t we be searching for the Titan? Or is he here?” 

He craned his head, frowning at the few tourists around.

“Had he been here, do you think these two would be so relaxed?” Annabeth jabbed her thumb at Thalia and me. “Percy would be in his armor and already in motion. No, we’re here ‘cause he can go into the sea and ask his fish friends for directions.”

“That and the fact that we need to discuss a plan.” I glanced at all of them. “One that accounts for plausible collateral damage.”

Clarisse blinked. “Collateral damage? We’re going to fight the— oh. There’s going to be a lot of destruction and you don’t want civilian casualties. Yep.”

I gave her a smile. “What she said. There are tourists here and we need to begin sending them away. Back home.”

“The line of the prophecy said it too.” Bianca tugged the cap off her head. “On the Maiden’s land, the destroyers battle the world must withstand.”

“Destroyers,” Grover frowned. “More than one?”

“The name Perseus has two meanings,” Annabeth glanced at me. “Avenger and destroyer.”

“Seems kind of opposite, doesn’t it?” Thalia snorted. “But he can do both.”

“So… Percy is going to fight the Titan of Destruction. Now that’s a fight I would pay to stay away from.” Grover gave me an apologetic look. “No offense, bro.” 

“None taken. In fact, that’s what I want you all to do. Stay the hell away from the fight and get the civilians out.”

They whirled around on me, and I raised an eyebrow challengingly.

“Percy—”

“No, Thalia.” I raised my hand. “I am leading this quest. This is my fight to fight. Believe me, if you aren’t around, I can fight without worrying about hurting you.”

“So, we hinder you?” Nico’s forehead creased.

“No, you stop him from bringing out his big guns.” Thalia told him, giving me a look. “He, or even I at times, do not unleash our full power in blows because you guys are on the other side of the battlefield. I’ve seen Percy bring down buildings with one strike of his sword and even burn armies to ashes just because he can. He won’t be able to do that when you are there.”

“I only brought down the building because there were no mortals there… well, except those with Atlas.” I scratched the back of my head. “That seems like a lifetime ago now.”

Thalia smiled faintly. “It does.”

“So, you want us to just clear the area when you fight? That’s it?” Clarisse cleared her throat.

“No, Clarisse. I want you to clear the island.”

“The… what?”

“The whole Island. The Virgin Islands shouldn’t have a single mortal on it when we fight,” I said. “Because I have a feeling our fight will get messy. Messy enough to maybe even sink the island or parts of it.”

“You can sink an island?” Bianca bit her lip.

“That’s awesome,” Nico muttered.

“Maybe, maybe not.” I mustered a wry smile. “I’ve never tried it. But against the Titan of Destruction, all bets are off. Between us, we can definitely sink a good part of the place.”

“That’s not the point though,” Clarisse said. “Percy, you want to do this solo? Fight the Titan of Destruction?”

“Percy’s the only one who can,” Annabeth said. “Maybe Thalia too. But she doesn't have the destructive capabilities he does to match him.”

“But if we fight destruction versus destruction, don’t we risk— I don’t know? Empowering the Titan?” Nico frowned. “I mean, he’ll get what he is meant to do, won’t he? Destruction?”

“That’s not exactly how all domains work.” I glanced at Annabeth. “Annabeth might be able to explain it better than I can.”

“The domains of Gods and Titans are more of an extension of what they govern.” Annabeth twirled a blonde lock between her fingers. “When the domain is celestial, the gods do gain power by being in the influence of it. That’s why Percy’s dad is way more powerful in the sea. The gods who don’t have a celestial domain are a different case. Sure, they feel empowered when something happens in their domain. Ares gains more power during times of war. But if he uses his power to cause the war, he’ll use more than he’ll gain. It’s like spending money and getting a cashback. You won’t get more than your original amount.”

“So basically, he won’t grow more powerful by destroying stuff,” Thalia grunted. “Good to know.”

“Grover, track him for me, will you?” I stretched my fingers. “I’m going to warm up a little in the sea. Thalia, Annabeth, Bianca, and Nico, work on the mist to begin clearing out this place first. You all still have those things Athena gave us, don’t you?”

“It’s in the bag.” Annabeth flipped her hair over her shoulder. “But I think we won’t need it to clear this resort. But if we want to clear the island, we’ll have to set it up in its center.”

“Do whatever you need but I need this done by the evening. Thalia can drive my car.” I tossed the keys to her, and she caught them with a grin. “Get going.”

The Aston Martin appeared, and Thalia leaped into the driver’s seat. “Get your asses in.”

“What am I to do?” Clarisse asked as they drove off in the car, leaving Grover, her and me on the beach

I removed a bag from my pocket and pulled out a laptop from it. 

“That’s Annabeth’s.” Grover said.

“No, that’s mine. I swiped one off Daedalus when we were in the workshop. And I had Athena make changes to it. It can’t do much, but it does have a very detailed map and a crazy zoom. It can also access the city’s cameras. See if you can find the Titan.”

“You think it’ll work? I don’t even know what he looks like.”

“If you’re lucky, Clarisse, I don’t see why not.” I laughed. “Have fun. I’m going into the sea and I’ll ask the fish and local deities. Let’s see what we can find, yeah?”

“Sure.” Clarisse’s face twisted. “For the record, I like fighting more.”

Grover snorted. “If that wasn’t obvious from day one, I don’t even know what was.”

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A thin spire of flames curled around my finger, flickering with the beat of the blasting music in the car. Grover held three acorns in his hand, while Clarisse had my laptop.

I felt anxiety niggle its way into my heart. ‘Alexander. Any advice?’

#Perses is a good fighter. Not as good as either of us but what he lacks in skills, he makes up for it in power.# Alexander mused. #He takes destruction a step further and he’s intelligent enough to use his surroundings, unlike most others. But he is also like a child throwing a tantrum at times. Very prone to breaking even unnecessary things.#

‘How does it help?’

#I suppose you’d figure it out like you always do.# Alexander chuckled. #Ease up, Percy. You’ll be fine. You’ll figure out some way to take him down.#

‘Aren’t you in my head to help and guide me, and stuff?’

#And I am doing that by telling you to ease up.# Alexander replied. #I cannot give you advice on how to fight him because Perses went down way too fast in the first war. I am not even sure how it happened. I was more concentrated on Kronos and the other big titans than the younger ones. That’s why I knew how you could defeat Coeus. I fought against him. I fought against Atlas. But I barely saw Perses in the fight.#

‘So, I have to wing it?’ 

#Yeah.# Alexander said. #I know him by reputation but I don’t really know him.#

‘Right. What about weapons?’

#A really huge war hammer. One alit with flames, if I remember correctly.#

‘Flames shouldn’t be a problem for me, thanks to Hestia.’ I drummed my fingers against my thigh. ‘Hammer… well, I’ve never fought against any hammer wielders before aside from Ares or you in an occasional spar.’

#Don’t let the hammer hit your head and put your shield to good use, you’ll be fine. Hammers have a lot of brute force but none the finesse of a sword or spear. If you think you cannot take him normally, piss him off, sass him, do all that stuff—#

“Percy, you’re awfully quiet.” Thalia glanced at me before looking back at the road. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I gave her a wide smile. “I was just lost in thought about the fight.”

“It’ll be alright when it comes down to it.” Grover laid a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, reminding me that satyrs could sense emotions. “You always come through when it is most needed, Percy. You find a way. I believe in you, brother. We all do.”

I laid my hand over his and nodded, pushing away the gnawing anxiety.

“How far are we?” I looked over my shoulder at Clarisse, who grimaced and carefully pressed a key on the laptop.

“We are a few miles out from where we spotted him.” She licked her lips. “The resort is abandoned by now, but they still left the cameras running. There’s only one person left and he’s on the beach.”

‘Perses.’

#Which is good for you,# Alexander told me. #If you’re near the sea, you’ll have a limitless arsenal.#

I gave him a mental nod, watching the houses, shops, and buildings blur past us, the needle on the speedometer slipping past the hundred mark. The road and houses seemed deserted, the shops closed, the close signs hanging over them.

“And what about the mortals? How many are still left on the island?” 

“There are basically none within five miles of the beach.” Clarisse pressed two keys. “This half of the island is almost empty. Annabeth concentrated the mist on this side to get as many mortals as she could, away from the fight.”

“That means you can sink only half the island safely.” Thalia snorted. “But seriously, Percy. Kick the fucker’s ass. Better destroy him before he destroys something more precious.”

“That’s what I intend to do.” I took a deep breath, reaching for the water in the air and feeling my senses expand. “You all, stay away from the resort and preferably in the air. This is a car made by Hephaestus so it should have flying capabilities.”

“Oh, it does.” Clarisse chimed in gleefully. “It also has a thirty-seven-millimeter, eight-barrel Gatling gun with six-fucking-thousand RPM. And the best part? Unlimited bullets, baby.”

“Half of it went over my head,” Grover muttered.

“It means it’s a big machine gun,” I said. “Which can kill most monsters that come in its path.”

“Exactly. It might even injure gods, if not kill them outright.”

“Gods are not so easy to hurt. Not with bullets,” I said. “I saw a chopper once fire on the hunters. Artemis turned it into a bunch of crows without even blinking.”

A faint smile curved on my lips at her name, and I felt my heart soar. 

“Maine? I remember it too.” Thalia craned her neck. “I think I see the resort.”

“We’re a mile out and nearing. Yeah, that’s the place,” Clarisse agreed.

“Stop the car then,” I said. “Now, Thalia.”

The tires screeched and slowed, the car stopping in the middle of the road. I unbuckled the seatbelt and stepped out, peering through the window. “Take a U-turn. In five minutes, get in the air and go to our resort. It is far enough from here that it will likely not be hit by the fight. If you see any mortals, save them.”

“Okay. I’ll call Annabeth too. Nico and Bianca should be with her too.” Thalia bit her lip. “Percy? Stay safe, please.”

“I will.” I smiled at them. “Don’t worry about me. We’ll meet back at the resort. And if it is not there, then Miami. It’s where Nereus is.”

“He shifted his base?”

“He always does after he’s caught.” I shrugged. “He’s found one on Miami beach this time. Go there and wait for me in case the island goes down. I’ll try to prevent it the best I can, but just in case.”

“Let’s hope we meet at our own resort. I’d hate to miss the empty place it is now.”

“It also means no service,” Clarisse grouched. “But we still have the whole thing to ourselves.”

“Well, see you soon,” I straightened up.

“Good luck, Percy.” Grover opened his door, stepped out and hugged me tightly, shoving an acorn in my hand. “We satyrs and Pan stand with you, brother.”

“Thank you.” I patted his back and slipped it in my pocket. “Get them back safely, Grover. You’ve told the nature spirits and animals to get away, right?”

“I did.”

I nodded and he slipped into the front seat next to Thalia. Clarisse waved at me from the window, giving me a thumbs up as Thalia turned the Range Rover around.

“Good luck, Percy. Kick his ass for me.” Thalia stepped on the accelerator and drove off.

“Well, time to meet the Titan of Destruction.”

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AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter!

Next up, Perses, the Titan of Destruction. One of the baddest Titans out there. Not as bad as the elder ones or worse, Kronos, but still. Also, in the next chapter, I have a LOVELY SURPRISE for you all! And I mean, lovely to the point of squealing.

As for the double update for LoSP, it is because of the FFN update, which was short-ish… and I felt bad. Also, I have hit kind of a roadblock on RoLP on how to end a certain fight which is causing a delay in the chapter. You’ll get the update soon, probably at the end of this week. I just need to figure out the fight and make it meaningful.

Black Dawn’s chapters too, you will get very soon. Time frame is the first week of August in my calendar. So, wish me luck. 

A huge thanks to Mughil, Nanu, and ShadowCheck for betaing this chapter.

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Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep Smiling! Keep Reading!

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