LoSP Side stories Ch.1: Riddle Me This (Patreon)

“Do you think the girls know about us?” My voice cut through the silence of the forest, ringing through the trees.

“Shhh!” Artemis hissed, her knuckles whitening against her silver bow. “You will alert the Sphinx.”

“I am already a beacon.” I said dryly. “If they’re as intelligent as they are said to be, the Sphinx would have already fled.”

“Not necessarily,” Artemis kept her eyes trained on the surroundings. “They know how to evade my senses. I have come across some very old Sphinxes in the past. Believe me when I say that they can easily take you by surprise. A few of them even know magic and have visions of the future.”

#Sphinxes are the most intelligent monsters around.# Alexander commented. #And sneaky when they want to be. An intelligent enemy is the most dangerous enemy.#

“Don’t they just want answers to riddles?” I muttered. “We can answer a riddle.”

“That won’t do any good if they know you’re hunting them.” Artemis rolled her eyes. “And I can’t let a Sphinx roam free around my camp, Percy.”

“And you will hunt it down because you never let your prey go.” I grinned. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

“If the girls know about us?” Her eyes flicked toward me. “Definitely not. I am more worried about the gods. Aphrodite definitely knows.”

“She was the one who advised me to… well, not let you go,” I whispered. “It involved a speech about love and a lot of rose petals. I remember doves flying around us at one point.”

“Don’t tell me she is rooting for us,” Artemis wrinkled her nose. “Half the throne room was covered in rose petals during the Trojan War.”

“She most likely is,” I laughed. “I was honestly more worried about your brother knowing.”

“I still can’t believe you got out of the shovel talk with him,” Artemis huffed. “I wanted to see if you squirmed.”

“Very—”

My senses tingled and I acted, slamming myself into Artemis. A big, brown blur flew above us while we crashed onto the brambles below.

‘How did it get so close?’ I rolled to my feet, my trident appearing in my hand.

The monster was taller than me and the size of an SUV. Her face was wrinkled like an old lady’s but her amber eyes bore into me. The small wings on her back fluttered as she pawed on the ground.

There was no way I should’ve missed her nearing me.

#Magic, probably.# Alexander said. #If someone can hide a ship in the ocean from your father, a Sphinx can evade your senses.#

“Perseus Jackson.” The Sphinx bared her canines. Around us, the leaves rustled and two more Sphinxes leaped out from the shadows. “We were told you would be here.”

I felt Artemis’ back brush against mine and we stood back to back.

“Let me guess,” I spun my trident. “The Crooked One told you to hunt me down.”

“Very astute,” her hind legs tensed and claws sprouted from her paws. “The Titan Lord wants you dead.”

Her wings fluttered and she sprang, her claws glinting in the patches of sunlight. I swung my trident, catching the beast in the abdomen, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Before I could stab the monster, goosebumps erupted over my left arm. On instinct, I dove to the ground just in time as the second Sphinx pounced.

“It’s like they’re invisible to my senses,” I muttered, bouncing back to my feet.

I jabbed my trident and a burning inferno shot toward the monsters. Before it could reach them, their skins glowed a brilliant golden, swallowing the flames. A silver arrow shattered against one of their skins.

“They’re invulnerable,” Artemis shot another arrow that turned into a net but the two Sphinxes scrambled out of the way. “Sphinxes don’t have invulnerable skin. We need to trap these.”

I looked past her shoulder to see the third Sphinx hanging from a tree, tied thick in steel ropes.

“You won’t win this, Perseus Jackson.” The lead Sphinx growled, prowling toward us. Her amber eyes burned with hate. “We were prepared for this purpose. Months of enchantments and preparation have gone into this.”

“Let me guess? Hecate helped?” Artemis snarled, releasing another net toward the Sphinx.

The Sphinx twisted like a feline, melting into a shadow and appearing on top of the branch where the third Sphinx was tied. She slashed her claws through the metal net and it snapped open, and the third Sphinx bounding free, her wings flapping as it flew to the ground.

“They’ve undergone some serious transformation,” Artemis’ eyes narrowed, watching the lead Sphinx fly off the branch and land on the ground to stand in between her companions.

“Tell me about it,” I muttered. “Invulnerable skin, fire resistance, and even shadow travel. Let’s see if they freeze.”

I turned my trident toward them, a torrent of water shooting from its tips. I balled my fist, feeling a tug grow in my gut. I commanded the water to swirl around them and freeze. Just as ice began to form, the Sphinxes glowed within the water.

A second later the water burst into steam, sending me stumbling.

“What the fuck?” I muttered.

With a flick of my wrist, my trident turned to a sword and my shield appeared strapped to my left forearm. With a thought, the steam faded away, revealing the three Sphinxes. They bared their canines at us.

The middle Sphinx prowled forward. “In battles, I’m fought. In bed, I’m sought. I’m the end of the dance, the final romance, the last chance to take a stance. What am I?”

“What?” I frowned.

“Answer it, Perseus Jackson.” The Sphinx’s pearly white canines glinted. “In battles, I’m fought. In bed, I’m sought. I’m the end of the dance, the final romance, the last chance to take a stance. What am I?”

“Death,” I replied after a pause.

“And that’s what’s coming for you.” All the Sphinxes charged toward us.

Taking a step forward, I swung my shield catching one in the jaw, sending the monster sprawling.

Beside me, Artemis twisted out of the way of the third Sphinx, catching her by the neck and physically throwing her to the ground. Long, silver hunting knives appeared in Artemis’ hands and she leaped at the monster.

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and threw my head back, a blur of claws barely missing my crown. The middle Sphinx growled, swiping her claws across my shield.

I slashed my sword at her neck but the sword bounced off, sending the Sphinx reeling.

#Blunt force Percy.# Alexander told me. #Let’s hope it works.#

The hair on my neck stood and I ducked out of the way. The first Sphinx went soaring above me, crashing into the second one. I let my shield vanish and summoned my second sword.

The two Sphinxes rolled on the forest floor, slamming into a tree trunk. One of them growled at me while I channeled my powers through my swords.

As the two monsters got to their feet, I brought my swords together. A shockwave ripped through the clearing, sending the two monsters crashing through trees.

On the other side, Artemis wrestled the third Sphinx, holding her mouth open while trying to force her knife through. Without waiting, I dissolved into mist and appeared next to her.

“Hold her mouth open!” I turned my Tempest Dormitor into a spear while Artemis grabbed the Sphinx’s jaws and forced it open, the monster’s canines digging into her hands.

I shoved the spear into the mouth of the woman, its tip sinking through her skull.

The Sphinx exploded into golden dust and Artemis fell face-first into the mud.

“Are you alright?” I knelt next to her.

Ichor soaked her torn right sleeve while there were numerous thin scratches on her arms.

“I’ll be fine,” Artemis spat some dust out, gagging. “Gross.”

“You’re injured.” I told her. “I have nectar.”

“I will— heal,” Artemis coughed as I helped her up. “They’re just scratches. These Sphinxes had enough raw strength to fight against me somehow.”

I frowned.

“You used your godly—” A roar rang off the trees and our heads turned in its direction. I turned to Artemis. “The other two are coming.”

“They’ve gone through changes like no other monster has.” Artemis put her hunting knives away and summoned her bow back. “Hecate and whoever else worked on them left no loopholes.”

“We just killed one,” I brought my shield and Thyella Kavalris back, putting the spear away.

“Yes, the two of us together.” Artemis scowled. “Any decent hunter could take out a Sphinx without any help. I got injured and needed your help to kill it off. That’s me and you, Percy.”

“They’re not normal and neither are we, got it.” My arms tensed as the remaining two monsters appeared through the tree line. “You deal with the one on the right. I will do the left. Go!”

I charged at them while Artemis let loose a stream of arrows toward her Sphinx.

The other Sphinx— the one that had asked me the riddle, bounded forward and pounced. I set my sword alight with Greek fire and skidded under her, thrusting the fiery sword up.

A blast of Greek fire lit up in the center of the clearing, sending the Sphinx high up in the air.

I twirled my sword, sinking its blade into the ground. The tug in my gut tightened and water erupted from the forest floor, freezing into spikes of ice.

The Sphinx crashed into the spikes with a pained yelp and I immediately felt the hair on my arms prickle.

A wave of force exploded from the Sphinx, destroying the spikes, sending me stumbling.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Artemis nail her own Sphinx in the eye with a silver arrow. The monster screamed in pain, its sound between a lion’s and a woman’s.

Artemis pulled her bow-string and another silver arrow materialized in her grasp. She released it and the arrow turned into a net in mid-air.

The net fell on the injured Sphinx, wrapping around her tightly.

“Artemis, mine too!” I pointed at the Sphinx who was getting to her feet, avoiding the icicles littered on the forest floor.

Artemis released another arrow, the silver net flying toward the Sphinx. The monster leaped out of the way and scowled, bounding back into the forest.

“She’s fleeing.” I said. “Thank the gods.”

“Fuck no!” Artemis exclaimed. “That’s the way to my camp.”

“Oh shit,” I cursed. “Alright, you kill this one, I will go warn the hunters.”

I twisted on the spot, disappearing into sea mist. A moment later, the hunters’ camp swam into view.

“GIRLS!” I yelled as loud as I could. “TO ARTEMIS’S TENT. NOW!”

The huntresses appeared from all around, some emerging from their tents while some from around the camp.

“What’s happening?” Zoë stalked forward, her forehead creasing under the silver tiara.

“Is everyone here?” I asked her, watching Thalia and Annabeth run in, their weapons in their hands. “Make sure no one’s missing. A powerful, murderous Sphinx is on its way here.”

Zoë looked around while Phoebe snorted. “Percy, don’t tell me you are worried about a Sphinx. Any one of us could take a Sphinx down. They’re intelligent, sure. But—”

A high-pitched roar cut her off.

“This one’s different,” I said, spinning my sword. “Zoë?”

“Everyone’s here.” She confirmed. “Can the Sphinx do magic?”

“And more,” I muttered. “Artemis and I had trouble killing them. One ran toward here.”

“Where is she?” Thalia squinted into the tree line.

“I don’t know,” I extended my senses but got nothing.

“Can’t you—”

“I cannot sense it,” I told Annabeth before she could finish her question. “She was prepared by the Titan Lord to kill me.”

“It is an older Sphinx then,” Zoë readied her bow. “Girls, the moment you see the Sphinx, you shoot.”

“Net arrows,” I said. “Her skin is invulnerable.”

“What?” Zoë turned to me as I saw the branches rustle.

“THERE!” I pointed my hand at the place and silver arrows soared in the air.

I felt energy gather near Thalia’s shadow as arrows disappeared into the foliage.

“Thalia, watch out!” Bianca screamed, beating me to the punch.

Thalia’s shadow grew and the Sphinx emerged out of it, pouncing onto Thalia, its claws raking across the Aegis.

I took a step toward Thalia but electricity cracked down her arm, blasting into the Sphinx.

The Sphinx went reeling, another scream escaping its throat. Barely a second later, dozens of nets covered it, tying it firmly.

“Whoa,” Thalia took a step back. “Since when can Sphinxes shadow travel?”

“Since today,” I told her. “Don’t go near it!”

I pointed my sword at the Sphinx while pulling Zoë back by her shoulder.

“We need to kill it,” Zoë’s eyes darkened. “Sphinxes are intelligent creatures. She will find a way—”

“I know,” I cut her off. “But I plan on taking her to Olympus.”

The Sphinx growled, wriggling on the ground.

A flash of silver caught my eye as Artemis appeared, a gash of ichor bleeding down her cheek. Her eyes moved from the Sphinx to me as she gave me a nod.

“Are you alright?” I eyed her. “I could’ve sworn that the gash on your cheek wasn’t there a minute ago.”

“The Sphinx shot her claws at me somehow,” Artemis scowled. “Are you all alright?”

“Thankfully.” I said.

“It nearly got me,” Thalia pipped up. “leapt out of my fucking shadow. Bianca warned me in time though.”

“That’s good,” Artemis smiled at Bianca. “Come, Percy, let’s take this Sphinx to Olympus to be dealt with.”

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AND… DONE! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

This is the first of my side stories for my fic, The Legend of the Son of Poseidon. These will not have an ‘impact’ on the main story but still be a part of it. These chapters will have no definite order as I am writing them on my whims.

This first chapter for instance is set around the time-frame of chapter 45 of LoSP.  This originally was a deleted scene, which I converted into a side story now.

If you wish to read more of these side stories immediately, subscribe to the Mystic Seeker tier of my Patreon. I sincerely hope you do subscribe because all my further chapters of these side stories will be posted there alongside early access to a month of my regular stories.

They will of course go live on FFN and AO3 eventually… in about five-six months.

So, why wait when you can read them at the earliest? And that’s not all. You will have the exclusive privilege to suggest scenes you want to read in LoSP to me!

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A huge thank you to Mughil, Anax and Nanu for betaing this chapter.