Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Welcome to New Haven! Your own candy afterlife!" I announce with a practiced smile, though the cheer feels as synthetic as the candies lining the shelves.

Just wait until lunch. You can make it.

Working in a candy shop is both the most torturous and best job I have ever done. Sure, I’m surrounded by candy and constantly greeted with the smell of sweets; it almost makes me forget Gabe’s stink. But that’s the problem. ‘No eating the merchandise,’ that's what Mr. Dower said. And all this candy is making my mouth drool. I’ve had to carry a handkerchief with me at all times, or they would think I was a drooling idiot. When the customers weren’t looking, I would quickly wipe my mouth, only to be assaulted with that smell and the drooling would start all over again. It gets worse when I’m near the blue stuff; if it weren’t for my self-control, I would be throwing the stuff in my mouth.

“Percy, your name tag,” Mr. Dower discreetly points to the floor.

“Oh! Sorry.” I scramble for the thing; it has to be the worst pin in the world. I carefully insert it around the vest of my uniform. I’m wearing a white suit with a red-striped vest, a paper hat, and a bright red bow tie. Mom thought it was the cutest thing I ever wore, and Gabe just laughed at me. I am both embarrassed and angry, but I've faced worse; this is nothing compared to the time I dressed as a woman; that was bloody.

“Welcome to New Haven! Your own candy afterlife!”

A couple comes in with their little girl; she asks if I’m the muffin man, and her parents laugh. It’s so humiliating; this is beneath my station. But Mr. Dower was kind enough to hire me, even after I lied about my age. I can't abandon the job now; it would be a betrayal of his generosity. Besides, I really need the money. It turns out smelly Gabe’s car got scratched; well, it wasn’t really a scratch, it was a light stain at best. I could have wiped it off, but that didn’t matter to him. He took any excuse to kick me out of the apartment. Now I have to pay him back or it’s ‘off to the streets’. That tiny stain is not worth a thousand dollars. That no-good, money-laundering cheapskate! I've killed men thousands times more worthy than him! I swear if I find him alone I will—

“Percy,” Mr. Dower interrupts.

“What—Oh! Welcome to New Haven! Your own candy afterlife!” I say with a smile.

“Don’t forget, Percy. You need to say that every time someone goes through those doors.” He reminds me before going to the back of the store.

Yeah. I know.

He was a kind old man; besides me, he had no other employees. I doubted he needed my help, so I guessed he took pity on me. I can’t help but feel a stab on my pride, but beggars can’t be choosers. Ugh, just the thought of being a beggar makes my skin crawl.

“Welcome to New Haven! Your own candy afterlife!”

I’m a sort-of prince; I shouldn’t have to resort to this. But if I took what I wanted, that would make me no different from a brigand. And there is nothing in the world I hate more than brigands and bullies. Would sooner stab myself in the heart than become that.

“Jolly Ranchers are to the right,” I said to a couple of kids.

But this job has its bright sides. I enjoy seeing the smiles on the kids and the joy on the customers' faces. In my other life, there was very little of this; everyone I saw was in a constant state of misery, I was no exception. This life sure is peaceful. Even though it isn’t perfect, at least its peaceful. I took a broom and dusted the left side of the shop, threw away wrapping paper, and added more merchandise on the shelves.

And smelly Gabe said no one would hire me. In a twisted way, he was right, though I'd sooner take that secret to my grave. Being twelve didn't exactly make me the top pick for employers, even for just a summer gig. So, I fudged my age a bit. Surprisingly, nobody caught on, but even then, my jobs never lasted. This marks my third gig this month, and let me clarify, it's not my fault. New York turns out to be a lot more monster-infested than I thought. I find myself facing three to four beasts a week. It gets even messier when they decide to fight me on the job; the resulting chaos usually gets me fired. Seriously, how can people not know they are next to a fire-breathing dog? But I've held onto this job for a solid week, and nothing out of the ordinary has happened. So maybe my luck’s starting to change.

“Welcome to-Oh it’s you.”

An old friend came to visit. He had curly brown hair and a wispy beard, wore a baseball cap, and what I believed to be fake feet in his shoes. But an ordinary person wouldn’t know that; to them, he would appear like your average teenager, if a bit hairy.

“Grover, what are you doing here?” During the storm, I initially mistook him for an enemy familiar sent to harm my mom and me. However, after he protected her, he regained my trust. Though our relationship was never quite the same, I couldn't help but notice the subtle way he flinched away whenever I approached. Understandable, considering I threatened to rip off his arms and torture him, if he ever hurt her.

“Percy,” he whispers. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I’m on the clock. Excuse me for a moment. Lollipops to your right,” I said to a confused customer.

“No. I mean, why are you still here? Didn’t I tell you?”

“Well, I decided not to believe you.”

“What!?” His eyes looked like they bulged out of their sockets.

“Percy,” Mr. Dower said from behind the counter. “No talking to your friends while you're on the clock.”

“Sorry! Grover, can't this wait til break? I’ll have one in a few minutes.”

“Percy,” he said quietly through clenched teeth.

“Just a few minutes. You can wait until then, right? I’m sure we have some vegetarian options near the front,” I pointed to the windows, leaving him flabbergasted. “Welcome to New Haven! Your own candy afterlife!”

I kept my word; after three minutes, I took a ten-minute break to the back of the store, in the alley. I assured Mr. Dower that Grover was a good kid; there's nothing suspicious going on. I think he half believed me.

“Percy!” He gripped my shoulders, practically shaking me. “Are you insane!”

“What? I don’t see the problem?”

“OIympus is hunting you!”

Olympus the home of the greek kami, why does that matter?

“The age of gods ended eons ago. How could they possibly be hunting me?”

“What!? Did you not see the lightning! They sent a god after you!”

“That wasn’t a kami.”

Grover looked even more confused, I didn’t know if he knew what that word meant or what language it was. I’m not even sure if I should tell him, the Holy Grail War is supposed to be a secret. Grover might be a phantasmal but he doesn’t strike me as the most knowledgeable. I’ve seen him sleep through an entire history class. Perhaps the intricacies of magecraft and mage society would be lost on him, as they were on me. I'm not even sure if I fully comprehend it myself.

“It’s, umm, that guy… He was my enemy?”

“Huh?”

Should I tell him?

“He’s a… magician.” Not the most accurate term, but fine, let's go with that.

“Percy, you're not making any sense.”

“Alright,” I took a deep breath. “Grover, I'm a wizard.”

His face remained blank.

“I… um… Last summer, I entered a tournament where a group of us, magic people, fight each other to win a… cash award?” Am I pulling this off? I’ve heard that the best lies contain a kernel of truth. Grover stared at me as if I were either crazy or a new creature he had just encountered.

“Percy, you're not Harry Potter. There’s no such thing as wizards.”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Percy!”

Should I tell the truth then? But honestly, the truth is much weirder. Would he even believe me?

“Ok. Ok. The truth is… The world is much stranger than it appears.” I spoke to him as if I were explaining to a novice. Grover, on the other hand, was not having any of this.

“Percy, I know.”

“Oh.”

“You're not a wizard, or magic. Percy, you're a demigod.”

That made even less sense than my explanation.

“Nuh-uh.”

“Percy, the gods, Olympus, all of it is real.” Grover said that with a straight face, his eyes were deadly serious.

“I know, but that happened a long time ago. They should be on the reverse side of the world by now.” I couldn’t look him in the eye; it reminded me of my mom when I didn’t listen.

“The what?”

“Grover, it's fine. I can handle it.” I tried to wave him off, but he kept coming.

“No you can’t! You have to go to Camp Half-Blood.”

Ugh, this again.

“Grover, I'm not going to some hippy camp. I don’t see how that solves anything.”

“Chir-They will protect you.”

“I don’t need protection. I’m not weak !” I was starting to get angry.

“Percy, I never said—”

“I’ve been fighting monsters all by myself! If the kami are after me, I will fight them too!”

Grover turned pale; he looked at the sky for something. There was nothing there, just a clear blue day without a cloud in sight.

“I don’t need some camp for protection! I—ugh,” I cut myself off before revealing too much. With the possibility of enemy mages eavesdropping, I couldn’t afford to be careless. My hands clenched into fists, and I grind my teeth in frustration. The nerve of this guy! I am more than capable on my own; I never saw him offer any help. I protected him from bullies, stood up for him, took his side in every situation, and yet he has the audacity to suggest I need protection. I have faced and killed kami, warlords, armies, beasts, and monsters all by myself. I didn’t need anyone; all I did was follow orders, no matter how difficult or terrible they were. I sacrificed everything for duty. In the end, no one was on my side; I was alone, left with nothing but...

I was too angry to talk.

“My breaks over.” I said harshly, walking back to the store.

“Percy!”

“Tell me tomorrow.” I shut the door in his face.

I had to relax my nerves. I can't be angry in the store. I patted my cheeks and tried to give my best smile. It was a bit aggressive, but it was still a smile. I took the broom and angrily dusted the floors. Two hours of this, talking to customers, greeting them, checking merchandise—it was all rather boring. But at least I didn’t have to write anything or read too much. It was pretty good, though the pay is under the table. I can’t see myself doing this all my life. I start to wonder… What would I do after school? I don’t have many options; my long list of expulsions and my permanent record can attest to that. What could I do?....

I shook my head.

All those thoughts would be pointless if I lose this war; it would render everything meaningless. I don’t have a future as long as the war continues. But... Now that I think about it, I don’t have a wish.

I momentarily paused.

A heroic spirit needs a wish to compete in the Holy Grail War. They hear the call of their master, who resonates the call in their heart. Their wish draws them from the Throne of Heroes; it is the reason they manifest on Earth. Despite all the impossibilities, they defy their own death, all because of their wish. The fact that I don’t have one means… I don’t know. Why am I in this war?

“Percy… Your name tag,” Mr. Dower says.

“Huh?” I'm knocked out of my thoughts and spy it on the ground. I give him an awkward smile. “Oops. Sorry.” I hastily pick it up from the ground and place it on my vest. I have no idea how it keeps falling off; it's a pin. Maybe the threads on my vest are loose?

Mr. Dower nods before walking to the front door. “Percy, have to run a few errands. I need you to watch over the store while I'm gone.”

Huh?

“Are you sure, Mr. Dower? I’ve only been here for a week.”

He smiles. “Don’t worry, I trust you. It will only be for a few minutes.”

I stand there, not sure what I should feel. None of my employers trusted me enough to go unsupervised. I can’t blame them; I'm a kid with a poor background. If they knew my history, I wouldn’t trust myself either. So, this is a new thing for me—responsibilities. Mr. Dower trusted me enough with his store. I can’t let him down.

“Alright. I will.”

Mr. Dower nods, then waves goodbye before exiting the store. It’s only for a few minutes; surely, things won’t go wrong. It’s a good thing I never said those words out loud. I walk behind the cashier, helping customers with their purchases and exchanging money. So far, this day is going great. Then came the curveball—in a blink, everyone was gone. Honestly, I should have noticed the weirdness when everyone automatically left at the same time. But maybe the high from being in charge got to my head.

A strange figure entered the store, decked in shimmering gold from head to toe—gold armor, sandals, kilt, greaves, even the sword at his hips was forged from gold. Perched atop his head was a bizarre mask resembling an ugly lady with snakes for hair, also crafted from gold. I’m sensing a theme here.

Oh great, another weirdo.

The store didn’t often attract such eccentric characters; usually, it was just greedy kids trying to sneak a few bars when no one was looking. But this guy was on a whole other level. Hopefully, he was just here to use the restrooms.

"Welcome to New Haven! Your own candy afterlife!" I greeted him with fake enthusiasm and an equally fake smile.

The man didn’t react. Instead, he walked straight to the counter where I stood.

“Can I help you?” I asked, trying to maintain composure.

“Yes,” he replied with a unique, exotic accent, perhaps Middle Eastern. “Can you tell me your name?”

A sense of dread gnawed at my gut. I didn’t know why, but something about this felt ominous.

"Peter Johnson," I replied, hoping he'd buy it.

The man tilted his head skeptically. "Really?"

“Yep.”

He pointed to my nametag. “It says here your name’s Percy.”

Urgh. Of all the times this thing didn’t fall. Why did it have to be now?!

“That's a nickname.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“I’m inclined not to believe you,” he stated, raising his arm to gesture, and that’s when I noticed the oni entering the store. They resembled humanoid dolphins, their gray bodies adorned with armor and swords at their belts, everyone was armed. Dread deepened in my gut, if things were going where I think they're going, there is a huge possibility this store would be wrecked. I can’t let that happen.

“Can we take this outside?”

The oni squeaked, the entire store was surrounded with dolphin cries. 

“You order me child?” Then the oni pushed someone through the door. They passed him like a sack of potatoes, he was battered, his clothes ripped and his face covered in bruises. His cap was gone, revealing two tiny horns on his curly hair.

“Pur-Percy.” Grover mumbled weakly. “Run...”

“You…” My rage flared, hot and intense. Sure we just had a fight but Grover is still my friend. How dare this man, I could feel the rage boil in me like hot water.

“Cute. You're as red as your bow tie.”

The oni laughed again.

“What do you want?” With fury in my voice.

“I want your name.”

“Percy Jackson.” I said through clenched teeth.

“No. Not that name.” The man draws out his sword, the blade shined a reflective gold against the light. It ringed, vibrating the jars filled with candy. “Or better yet. I’ll end this now.”

He was begging for a fight, the man irradiated bloodlust. The oni were ready to pounce, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. This feels so familiar, it took a few seconds before I recognized what's happening. 

“I know what this is,” I hissed, my fists clenched. “You're a bunch of brigands!”

Everyone was silent, the oni just looked at each other, the man tilted his head and Grover opened one eye to stare at me. His expression said ‘Really?’.

“I won’t let you steal Mr. Dower’s livelihood!” I exclaimed, leaping off the counter and delivering a powerful kick to the man's helmet. My shoes collided with the golden mask, emitting a gong sound. The oni were quick to follow, unsheathing their swords and charging at me with their distinctive dolphin cries. Everything was happening so fast; the man was ready to swing his sword. In response, mine materialized in my hands, surrounded by swirling green petals—an exquisite blade, as fine as porcelain.

“Oh [Divine Water],” I invoked, swinging my blade and unleashing a torrent that washed away everything in its path. Wind and water expelled everyone through the doors and into the streets, unfortunately taking most of the merchandise and shelves with them. Amidst the chaos, I grabbed Grover and hastily exited through the back door.

“Stay here, call for help,” I instructed him before darting out of the alley.

“Percy, wai—” Grover's voice trailed off as I stepped onto the sidewalk. To my right stood the brigands; the oni were regaining their footing, while the golden man was the first to notice me.

This man had beat up my friend and threatened the store. He's a brigand and a bully; he would receive no sympathy from me. Charging forward, I slid along the water, closing the distance between us in an instant. With a swift leap, I brought my sword down in a powerful strike.

*Clang*

He met my blade with his own, our swords locking together. I could see my reflection on his blade as I applied more pressure, causing the concrete beneath him to crack.

“So this is the power of a servant!” He screamed.

This was no ordinary man; through sheer willpower, he pushed me back. Skidding to a stop on the sidewalk, I gathered myself. He took deep breaths, readying himself for the next exchange. The oni began to move, but a glance from the man halted their advance.

“This one is mine,” he declared.

With both hands gripping my blade, I prepared for his next move.

“I am Chrysaor, the golden sword, son of Medusa and the sea god Poseidon,” he announced proudly.

I winced at the mention of 'sea god.'

“And who are you?” he inquired, his voice laced with challenge. This was a trap; he sought my name before, thinking martial honor would suffice. But I refused to entertain brigands and bullies. He wasn’t worthy of my name.

“Archer,” I replied simply.

The man huffed behind his helmet. “That’s a nice sword you have there, 'Archer,'” he remarked sarcastically.

“You don’t need a bow to be an Archer,” I retorted, swinging my blade as four projectiles of water raced toward him. Chrysaor raised his hand, causing the water to explode midair—a move that caught me off guard.

How did he—of course, the son of a sea god.

The golden man flew towards me, utilizing the leftover water to ride on a wave. But I am more than just water; the wind danced around me as I soared towards my opponent. We clashed our blades, the echoes reverberating for miles. I thrust, he parried; I slashed, he blocked. Despite using the wind to increase my speed, he still managed to catch my blade.

“Your swordsmanship is atrocious,” he spat.

We clashed again, and I pushed him back. “Nothing but brute strength. No different than a beast,” he taunted.

"Then why are you losing!" I break the hold, Chrysaor stumbles in surprise.

This is it.

I followed up with another strike, and he barely managed to bring his sword up before I deflected it. Again, I swung my blade, my speed too fast for him to counter. But then, the water beneath us rippled, shooting upwards and momentarily distracting me. That split-second distraction was all he needed to evade my attack. I chide myself for being too focused on him to notice the surroundings.

He and I were in a constant battle for control of the water, which is why I refrained from utilizing most of my abilities. I couldn’t afford to give him more ammunition. If I used my sword's true form it would be a different story, but I don’t know if anyone is watching this battle. Revealing my sword's true nature could be a dead give away for my true name.That is what he wants.

I vanished in a burst of speed, launching a flurry of attacks from all directions—left, right, above, below, left, right, behind. His armor took hit after hit; he couldn’t keep up. I intensified the pressure, sensing Chrysaor's growing panic. He missed his swing, leaving himself wide open, and I seized the opportunity. My sword cleaved through his armor, leaving a gaping gash from his breastplate to his shoulders. The golden man howled in agony.

He was defenseless now, and I moved to strike at his neck. My sword was mid-swing, poised to sever his head, when he screamed, “Mother!” Instantly, he emitted a blinding light. The force pushed me backward, and amidst the chaos, I heard the roar of a monster.

When my vision cleared, I was confronted by a towering golden hound with three heads—a creature of pure golden fire. The oni yelped in fright, scattering in all directions or cowering behind street lamps. The beast roared, its howls shattering glass, causing buildings to tremble, and concrete to crack under its immense power.

The golden man shakingly stood, clutching his chest. “Cerberus! Devour him!” 

The hound charged at me, but I swiftly darted to the side, causing the beast to crash into a nearby building. Shards of glass and broken debris rained down around us. I readied my blade, and water raced up its hilt. With a water spout, I leaped into the air and slashed downward at the beast, the liquid elongating my sword. My blade strained against the hide of the creature, and I pushed with all my strength until it finally gave way. I screamed as I fell to the ground, the dog’s roar drowning out my own.

It wasn’t dead.

I quickly backflipped away as the hound’s paw swiped at me, crushing the ground below. All six of its eyes glared at me with pure hatred. The left head lunged at me, but I deflected it upwards with my blade, striking the bottom of its chin. However, the other heads continued their assault, and I sped away before their teeth could tear me to shreds.

In the midst of the chaos, I barely noticed the golden man behind me, his blade almost slashing my back before I twisted and caught it with my own.

“Golden armor and a big mutt,” I quipped, using my strength I pushed him back until he stumbled and collided with a nearby newsstand. “Overcompensating for something?”

The monster was right behind me, its jaws gaping wide as it lunged forward. I dodged to the right just in time to avoid being swallowed whole. It chased me relentlessly down the street, its thunderous footsteps echoing behind me. I darted through incoming traffic, narrowly avoiding collisions with cars as civilians scattered in terror. This situation was rapidly escalating, becoming dangerous, not just for me but everyone in its path.

As the beast leaped towards me, poised to land directly on top of me, I knew I had to act fast.I halted my sprint and aimed my sword at the creature. I released a powerful beam of water that struck the beast mid-air, halting its momentum and causing it to crash to the ground. Civilians scrambled out of their cars, fleeing before the massive creature could collide with them. Explosions erupted around us, and fires ignited, engulfing the surrounding area.

Taking advantage of the chaos, I sprinted towards the fallen creature. With a mighty swing of my blade, I unleashed a gust of wind that extinguished the flames surrounding it. Then, without hesitation, I leaped onto the dog’s stomach, my blade ready to gut him.

From the air, the golden man lunged towards me, his sword aimed directly at my head. With lightning reflexes, I moved my head a few inches to the side, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow. His sword grazed my cheek, leaving a shallow cut in its wake. I thrust but instead of blocking my strike, he dodged to the side. He moves with astonishing agility, jumping and darting all around the monstrous dog. I followed him closely, one misstep could send me tumbling off the creature's stomach.

“What’s wrong? Scared I will beat you again?” My sword clashes with his, the weapons shake wildly in our hands.

“That arrogance will be your undoing.” The golden man sneers.

“I've seen all you can do.There's nothing you can do that I can't do better.”

“Really?” He breaks our hold then retreats. He gestures his hand and I hear a clicking noise around us. The oni surrounded me, they wielded old muskets, all aimed towards me.

“Now!”

The deafening roar of gunfire filled the air as bullets flew towards me. With a swing of my sword, I caught them all in a wall of water. But that left me wide open. Chrysaor was already upon me, his sword thrusting straight towards my gut.

I panicked. “Oh-ack!”

I felt the cold metal pierce my skin, the sensation of his blade penetrating my flesh sending waves of agony coursing through my body. At first, there was a numbness, but it quickly gave way to a searing pain that seemed to consume me from the inside out. I let out a primal scream, the sound echoing through the chaos around us as Chrysaor withdrew his sword, twisting the blade before pulling it free.

A line of blood flies from the weapon, staining the golden blade with a watery red hue. On instinct I clenched my gut, my sword disappearing in a blue light.

“Hahahaha!” He swings his sword and the blood lands on the fur.

The reality of war crashed down on me, my uniform now tainted with crimson as the pain intensified with each passing second. I fell to my knees, I was afraid, I wanted to run, I wanted to hide, I wanted to cry. The pain was getting stronger, tears fell down my cheek. This was a mortal wound.

“What now little boy!?” The golden man taunted.

I couldn’t think straight, I was too afraid. Chrysaor comes closer, he playfully walks towards me. I couldn’t think of anything, I couldn’t hear anything, there was nothing. I looked towards the sky, the street, the ground, then to his sword. I watched it, the blood ran down his blade. A field of gold on a summer's day, the rivers flowed red. A droplet fell from its tip, a crimson world and I see….

My brother on the ground, my sword drenched in blood. My father’s eyes, I smiled at him yet he… I don’t understand? Isn’t this what he wanted?

A party, everyone was smiling, drinking and then. A blade to their backs, corpses littered the ground. My sword dripped red. My duty.

Men cheered around me, and the army was ready to march on my father’s enemies. I see their laughs, their smiles yet… I walk through fields of blood, corpses piled until they reach the sky. A necessary evil.

Humans are so fragile, so weak . I must be more. I need to be more. I don’t have a choice. 

Yet, I wish…..

The bloodstained prince sighs. If it must be done.

I swing my sword, Chrysaor barely manages to block.

“How are yo-”

I stepped forward, only humans feel pain, I must be more. My speed increases and I force the golden man back. I was too fast for him to counter, he backed up to the creature’s neck. I am ready to deliver the finishing blow.

“Cerberus!”

The beast stirs and we are both thrown off. I land feet first on the concrete, Chrysaor rolls on the ground. The dog towers over both of us, he swipes his paw at me. I jumped to the side, and slash his fur. Golden fire escapes from the cut, the heat is scorching, but only humans feel pain.

The dog tries to bite me, I twirl to the side. The other heads followed, I jumped and weaved through their assault. My sword sliding through their face, I scar the right head. That only made it angrier. It smashed the road, concrete flew everywhere. I called on the wind and water and dashed in the air. Each of my swings makes a flurry of cuts that slice the dog. The water turns to steam on contact but it leaves a mark, this thing is a creature of fire.

Blood runs down my lips, I’m leaving a trail with each jump. The pain is becoming too strong to ignore. I must end this quick.

I raised my sword in the air and a cage of water surrounds the dog. I dash through the cage, using the bars as my lifts. With each jump I slashed at the beast. I moved so fast the average man couldn’t see. But the dog was still alive.

He said Cerberus? This thing’s a divine beast. 

I jumped out of the cage and whispered the name of my sword. Porcelain fell and revealed the jade beneath. I still don’t remember its true name, my last phantasm. I held my blade straight, the dog breaks out of my water cage. I gather water to my blade, it shines in a blue light. The creature turns to me, ready to charge.

“[Special Technique-

The monster runs.

-Serpents Slash]!”

I swing the blade and a monstrous snake rides out of it. I almost collapsed, the wound opened wider.

The snake twisted in the air heading for the dog. They collide, water and wind escape from their clash. The serpent coils around the dog, it’s body wrapped around it’s neck. 

“I…need…”

With trembling hands I lifted my sword to create a wave as I rode towards the animal. The beast's heads grab my serpent in their jaws, but my phantasm did wane, clenching tighter, pinning them to the ground. I summoned a water spout and flew to the air, higher than ever before. My sword glows in a blue light, the snake prepared it, giving me a clear shot towards it’s neck. 

I fell and my sword barely penetrates his thick neck. I could feel my serpent lose strength, the dog is breaking free. I clench my teeth and pushed harder. The pain in my stomach almost shuts my vision. I have to be stronger, I need to be stronger. I screamed as my sword finally entered its flesh.

“I'm not weak !”

The beast roars as I fall down, my weapon slices straight through, beheading the animal. A torrent of water explodes from us, a wave so big they eclipse buildings. It washed away everything, cars, newsstands, street lights, even trees. 

When the attack died and the water drained, the streets were clean. The dog was gone, it’s golden flames turned to steam. My serpent exploded in the torrent, turning into harmless water. The pain in my stomach feels numb, the wound must have closed, though I could still feel a slight sting. 

I turned to my last opponent. The golden man was catching his breath, leaning against a wall. I raised my blade and all the water gathered to me. His control was nothing against my full authority, the water danced around my blade like a tornado. Before he could react I rushed towards him, attacked with a wide downward slash. He raised his blade to catch mine but I sliced through it like butter. He screamed as the water broke through his armor, his mask halving in two, gold glitters out his body. The water expelled out of my sword breaking the building behind him, like a river it channels him upward sending him flying. 

The water fell like rain, Chrysaor fell like a rock in the middle of the street. His body shattering the concrete, all his gold is cracked or missing. He groaned in pain, twitching, he could barely move. I gripped my sword, its time to end this.

Then from the sky a large bird swooped down between us. It’s wings created a great white cloud.

Another enemy.

When the dust settled it revealed a giant white horse, it was larger than a car with wings on its back. I’m no horse whisper or anything but I could tell this horse is angry.

“Stop.” It said; that surprised me a little. Not everyday you see a talking horse.

“What are you?”

"I am Man o War, son of Boreas, leader of the northern Pegasi and representative of the unchained," the horse declared, despite being a horse he sounded regal, between the neighing.

“No!” Chrysaor muttered. “I won’t go back to mother empty-handed! Your, name! At least tell me your name!” He struggled to his feet, his hand covering his face while the other shakily braced the horse for support.

I entered a stance and the horse tensed.

“I don’t want any trouble between us. Allow me to take Chrysaor and leave.”

“No way!” The rage slips from my voice. “He tried to kill me!”

Chrysaor tried to speak but the horse neighed, stomping his hooves. He took a step back, his voice silent.

“I apologize on his behalf. This battle was never sanctioned. Please, allow me to take him. In return, I shall right his wrong. Three favors I shall give you. Only say my name, and I will be called.”

“And what if I say no.” That threat was real.

“Then I will be forced to fight as well. All Pegasi will be your enemy, and the winds will never answer your call again,” the horse warned.

I didn’t know if he was bluffing or not. Honestly I was a bit tired and hurt. Last time I fought, it was raining in the middle of the ocean. Here in this concrete metropolis, I don’t like my odds. And my wound still needs to be treated, or it may open again.

I was hesitant, my pride said no, but the prince told me to swallow it. I must know when to pick my battles.

“Fine.”

The horse huffed, it lowered its body allowing Chrysaor to climb him. It stood tall with his head held high, I couldn’t help but admire him, he was a beautiful horse.

“Three boons Percy, use them wisely.” It opened its wings, a gust of wind and small particles of snow reached me. He flew in the air, faster than any bird I had ever seen. When he was out of sight and everything was quiet I collapsed to the ground. I huffed deep breaths, my arms were sore and my stomach ached.

Wait? How did he know my name?

I looked towards my vest, my name tag is still there for all to see. With all the jumping and high speed attacks, how was that possible? I stared at the sky. I should probably go back to the candy shop, try to salvage anything before Mr. Dower comes back.

“Percy!”

I forced my torso to stand, Grover ran or was it clopped? Towards me. Bruised, his shoes were gone, he was running on hooved feet. At least his pants are still on.

“Percy!” He hugged me, checking me for any injuries. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah… Mostly.” The goat boy helped me up, I leaned on his shoulders.

“We have to get out of here.”

“Why?”

Then I heard the sirens, police cars blocked both sides of the road. They ran out of their vehicles pointing their guns at us. I just noticed how suspicious we look. Grover is bruised and shoeless. I’m still in my candy store uniform full of blood stains. We were at the epicenter of all this mayhem, I’m also pretty sure a lot of people saw my face. They're probably gonna pin this all on me like that kid from Los Angeles. I need an excuse to get out of this.

“The brigands did it!”

The cops cocked their guns, Grover and I instinctively raised our arms in surrender. They're probably going to arrest me; I'll probably be sent to juvie. Sure, I’ve lived a bad life, but juvie is the one place I thought I would never go. I don’t think I could look my mom in the eye if I did.

"Stop." A singular voice echoed throughout the street, sounding like a whisper in my ears, as though they were right behind me. Grover flinched, reacting to the same unseen force.

"These aren’t the people you're looking for," the voice continued, and as if in a trance, the cops' eyes glazed over, mechanically lowering their guns and retreating to their cars. It was bewildering.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused me?" The whisper transformed into a snark, more human, like that of a girl. She materialized seemingly out of nowhere, blending out of the surroundings as if she had emerged from the very walls.

“I ah…. Found some help,” Grover muttered, lowering his arms.

"Ugh, you stupid boys! It's going to take more than a simple cleaning spell to fix this mess. Look at this place, the water damage alone is going to cost a fortune!" The girl's exasperated tone broke the tension.

Her wild, curly red hair caught my eye first. Slim with a freckled face and green eyes, she wore a paint-stained T-shirt and an unusual uniform—a dark purple open vest with a cape, a white skirt, a purple beret, and a green neckerchief tied with an amethyst gemstone. Not like Nancy Bobofit at all. This girl exuded dignity.

“Who are you?” I finally lowered my hands, studying her.

“I am Rachel Elizabeth Dare.” She walked towards us, stepping through puddles. “I represent Atlas.”

Grover visibly shook at the mention of that name.

“And you must be Saber,” she said, eyeing me up and down. “A new star in the heavens, but how will you fair?”

“Actually, I’m—" I started to correct her, but my nametag lay on the ground. Oh! Now you fall!.

“I know who you are, Percy Jackson. I have business with you.”

“Huh?”

“What do you say to lunch? My treat.” Her invitation felt more like a command.

“Percy,” Grover murmured quietly, his eyes pleading for me to refuse. Why was he so scared? Didn't he invite her? Then again, free food was tempting, but I had just come out of a battle, and my wounds needed attention. Then there's the candy shop.

“I don’t know—”

“It's dyed blue.”

“Okay,” I blurted immediately.

"And with this card, I equip 'Bellerophon' with 'The Sword of Phoenix’s,' increasing his attack by two hundred. It also allows me to summon one Dragon Tooth token to the field," I say with pride, this strategy will end the duel in two turns.

The sheep tilts his... mask? I'm not sure if he has a head. The only facial features visible are two eye holes, not even a mouth. I'm also not sure how he could talk.

"Not bad, but I activate—" His stumps for hands slam a card on the table, and I have no idea how he's even holding it. "—'Pan’s Cry.' I pay one thousand life points to return all monsters on your field to your hand."

Ugh! I wasn't expecting this. He broke my strategy!

"Then I play 'Satyr of the Dawn.' Then I tribute it with 'Echo of the Lake' to special summon 'Curse of Dragon the Cursed Dragon'."

"Hey! Foul! That’s a Yu-Gi-Oh! card! We're playing Mythomagic!"

"Nope, this is custom."

"There are no custom cards! Foul!"

"Not until you admit I won that last duel."

I forgot how petty he is.

"Look, 'The Mirror of Venus’ can copy any card effect. It’s completely valid!"

"So was 'Typhon.'”

"You pulling off a turn one 'Typhon' is just as likely as pigs flying," I'd say it's beginner's luck, but I know he cheated using his golden rule skill. I glare at him, and for a second, I see sparks fly. We sit there in silence, a battle of wills, but bad news for him, I take Mythomagic very seriously. Finally, the sheep relents and backs down.

" Fine ," his voice is deep. “I tap four of my landscapes to get three white glitter and one red to play ‘Umu’.”

I flinched. Not ‘Umu’!

“I activated ‘Umu’ to summon the red theater. Then I set the kitchen scales to scale five ‘Hestia the chaste’ and scale seven ‘Isis queen of magic’, to kitchen summon my greatest card ‘Mikon’.”

“No!” I slammed both hands on the table. The noise must have been loud because it woke her.

"Luke," I heard a weak voice echo through the halls. 

Oh no.

Like a specter, she emerges, her hair gray, messy, with tufts resembling a sea urchin. Bone thin, she wears an equally large ragged dress that emphasizes her malnourishment.

"Luuuuke. You're home," she smiles, her few remaining teeth visible as she walks towards me, her hands open as if waiting for a hug.

"Hello, Mrs. Castellan," I say awkwardly.

"Luke, you've come back."

"I'm not Luke, Mrs. Castellan. Remember?"

"Luke. You dyed your hair?"

"No."

"Hello, Mrs. Castellan, you look as beautiful as you did a few hours ago," the sheep said softly. I glare at him. He better not be doing that thing again.

"Hermes. My love? Is that you?"

"Yes, I am definitely Hermes. Now show me where I left that treasure I gave you," I stood up and banged his head. “ Ow .” I doubt he felt that though, his wool is very shock-absorbing.

“Oh course, it’s right under the-”

"Mom! It’s me, uh, Luke. Can you make me more of those... ugh, peanut butter sandwiches that I like?" I cringed; those things tasted awful. I checked the expiration date; they expired four years ago.

The light appeared in her eyes, and I saw hope. She has gone through a lot, she's only happy when she's needed; Mrs. Castellan is very lonely.

“Oh course Luke, anything for my dear. I will do it right away.” She sprinted off to the kitchen, probably to get her rusted butter knife.

“What was that!?” I screamed at the sheep.

"It's not like she's ever going to use it. Look at this place," the sheep gestures to the room. It's covered in cobwebs and dust. The wood is breaking, with holes in the floor and walls. The living room is cluttered with stuffed animals, and mold on the furniture. The only things clean are the pictures hanging on the walls and shelves, all featuring the same boy and, I believe, her husband. They are spotless and well-maintained. It says a lot about the woman if those are the only things she cares for while everything else crumbles around her.

"She's lost in her own memories. The real world is dead to her; she doesn’t care about material things. And money is meant to be spent."

"On you," I interjected.

"I'll make better use of it than she ever could. Imagine the possibilities—the gold, the silver, the food, the gold. We wouldn't have to endure this shack any longer."

"You just want to roll around in the gold."

"I won't reject or deny those accusations."

My master was the one who brought us here. She said it was only temporary, but we've been living here for a week now. It's getting uncomfortable, especially since Mrs. Castellan isn't all there. I've had to sleep in an old, dusty room surrounded by toys, and it's starting to feel creepy. Even more unsettling is the fact that Mrs. Castellan thinks I'm her son.

“Are you sure you can’t help her?”

“The curse inflicted on her was done by a god. And I am only a shadow of what I once was. Maybe it’s possible between the both of us and a command spell, but I doubt you want to waste something so precious.” 

That’s what master said too.

Sadly, there are more important things at stake than helping an old woman. So I tried my best to keep her days as comfortable as possible—listening to her, cleaning up the house, even inviting her to play with us. Now she smiles more, and I feel a little warmth inside. Bianca would be proud of me...

“Bianca,” I sniffed.

The floodgates rushed in, and I struggled to stay composed. Being alone for a week had given me too much time to think, and I was overwhelmed by how much I missed her. I had never been away from her for this long before. I don't have memories of my mother, it was just a foggy haze; all I see is Bianca. And seeing Mrs. Castellan, always worrying about me, keeps reminding me of her. I'm only ten years old, I just want my family back. 

Suddenly, the golden sheep leaped out of his chair and darted to my side. His wool was incredibly soft, like running my hands through a field of gold. I found myself instinctively burying my face in his fur, seeking comfort as I wiped away the tears streaming down my cheeks.

“There, there, little prince, everything will be alright. Once you win this war, no one will hurt your family again.”

“Okay,” I rested my head against his wool. He's really soft. I could sleep like this.

Then came the thumping noise, echoing from the basement. Master should be done. The sheep and I walked towards the hall. My master was leaning against a wall. There were dark lines under her eyes, her coat hung over one arm. I could tell it was bad news. She looked at me, her violet eyes downtrodden, the purple glazed.

“I’m sorry,” her voice sounded tired.

We all sat on the couch, my master between us. The shining sheep occupied the far right, while my master sat in the center. Her hands gripped her kool-aid, and I could see her command spells—three red flower petals. Her long purple hair cascaded down like waterfalls, with a singular red ribbon tied on her left side. She was wearing a doctor's coat and a school uniform, brownish yellow with a red bowtie. There was a plate full of peanut butter sandwiches on the coffee table, and Mrs. Castellan stood before us, proud.

“Can I get you anything, Lady Aphrodite?” she smiled.

“No, this is fine,” my master replied.

I didn’t even touch my kool-aid; my master says the pipes are compromised. That didn’t stop the sheep, though. I have no idea how he's even swallowing it.

“Caster has begun taking leylines, he has taken most of the west coast.” She paused, waiting for that information to sink.

“How is that possible? Did he clone himself?” The sheep said, his tone never changing.

“He has monsters, everyday more flock to his banner. They are guarding the leylines, sending mana to Caster directly. But that's not the worst part.”

What could be worse than that?

“He's gathering bodies. His familiars are all over the states, digging up corpses or kidnapping people.”

“That's!? Why!? He has all the mana he could need!? Why is he doing that!?” I practically screamed. My authority is tied to the dead; every day, I could feel them stirring. Something is wrong; it's like the air is disturbed. In my dreams, I could remember distant screams, like a chorus of souls crying for help.

“I don’t know. But he has turned all of San Francisco into his workshop. Until one o'clock today, my magecraft can't penetrate his bounded field anymore. I can't see anything.” My master seethe.

I don’t know much about her, but she's an incredible magus. She can heal wounds in seconds, and her hacking magecraft is almost omnipotent. She even managed to hack the grail's systems to allow my brother-in-law here. She doesn’t rely on leylines to gather mana; she can command the Earth itself to fuel her. With her abilities, she can transfigure materials into anything she desires—gold, food, furniture. It's close to True Magic. Yet, despite her immense power, she still considers herself the weakest of the masters.

“I’m sorry Nico. But we have to stick with the original plan.”

What?

“We need allies. We can’t possibly face Caster’s forces alone.”

“No.”

“I don’t see another way.”

I remember that boy’s face, his eyes were cold. The sword just inches from my neck, the pain was too much. I was so scared, I can’t go back, I can’t face that again!

I stood up. “You said I won’t have to fight anymore!”

“Nico, I’m sorry, it was a mistake to send you there. I thought if it was him, he would help. But-”

“He tried to kill me!”

My master was silent, shaking her head slowly. When I first gained these powers, I thought I was invincible, that I was strong enough to face anything. I believed Bianca wouldn’t need to protect me anymore—maybe this time, I could protect her. But that battle only proved how naive I was. Even with all my power, there was still someone stronger. I didn’t take this war seriously, and I was so close to death. Just the thought of that scares me—that I may never see Bianca again, that I may never wake up, that I’ll never see the sky. My hands tremble, and I clench my teeth.

“Nico, this is more than you. The entire world is at stake.”

That is too big for me to comprehend; it might as well be an imaginary number.

“Caster’s wish will kill everyone, including your sister.” 

I flinched.

Yesterday, I found myself wishing she had never found me. I longed to be back with Bianca, wherever we had been together—a distant, blurry memory. One moment I was with her, and the next, I was wandering unfamiliar streets, lost in a dark alley in a city I'd never heard of. Then she appeared, and at that moment, I thought she was a goddess—she was so beautiful. She told me I was more than just Nico; she said I was a hero, that I will save the world. Her eyes were so kind, it reminded me of someone else, someone I lost. Then we flew, and I never knew the sky was so big.

“I won’t have to fight them?….”

“I can’t promise you that. The other servants—it may or may not happen. But if we do nothing, all of us will die.” I don’t know if that was a promise or the truth.

I swallowed hard, my fear still lingering, but the thought of her being in danger was even more terrifying than my own fears.

“Fine. But when this is over, we will look for Bianca?”

My master nodded her head. I shook away my fear. If I could be with Bianca again, then all of this would be worth it. I’ll keep her safe no matter what.

By the next day, we had packed our belongings; there was no reason to stay here any longer. The morning greeted us with a misty shroud, the fog enveloping everything in a somber gray hue. I stood outside the house, clad in my black jacket and street clothes, gripping my backpack tightly. It contained only the essentials: money, clothes, water, a map. And, of course, a plethora of peanut butter sandwiches—thanks to my master’s magecraft, now less moldy and even tastier.

Down the porch pranced my brother-in-law, a chest strapped to his back, its contents of gold visibly bouncing with each step.

“You didn’t,” I remarked, eyeing the chest.

The golden sheep merely looked at me, his expression said, ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ despite being just a mask.

“Thank you, Mrs. Castellan,” my master expressed.

“It’s no trouble, Lady Aphrodite,” she replied with a warm smile.

My master reciprocated the gesture, placing something in Mrs. Castellan’s hands. “I can’t stop the visions, but this, at least, will ease the dreams.”

Tears welled up in Mrs. Castellan's eyes. “Thank you, my Lady.”

With that, my master bowed and made her way toward us. We both waved goodbye to Mrs. Castellan, departing just as we had arrived—on a dirt road, with grass so tall it brushed against my head. It was only halfway when I remembered I left my Mythomagic figurine back on the table.

“Wait! I forgot something.” I ran back to the house, my companions shouting at me to come back.

As I walked up to the porch, there was Mrs. Castellan, the Hestia figurine in her hands. “Thank you.” I reached out to take it, but Mrs. Castellan grabbed my hand. Her grip was strong; she wouldn’t let go.

“Um. Can you-”

“Child of the Underworld, Beware .” Her voice echoed, her eyes glowing a sickly green. I could see something take hold of her, a green phantom sinking its claws into her head.

“ Many seek the Eye of God. The King in the West is the first. More will come, each a terrible curse. Be strong, dear one, fate is uncertain. For all who fight will share a hero's burden. ”

She was trembling, slowly inching towards my ear. She whispered.

“She is lying to you.”

Mrs. Castellan placed the figurine in my hands and gave me a weak smile, it was both sad and happy. “Thank you for indulging this old woman.” She walked back into the house and quietly closed the screen door. I stood there in silence, trying to process what just happened.

“Nico!” My master shouted behind me. I looked towards the distance; the fog was clearing, and the sun was rising above the gray. I ran back to the dirt road; the house disappearing in the grass behind me.

“Alright kid, spill it! Your friend told us everything!”

The cop slammed the table. I didn’t say anything, that just made him madder. I get it though, he was only doing his job, but I doubt he or anyone else would believe me.

The cop sighed, he stood up.

“Look kid, they're going to throw the book at you. If you are innocent, you have to give us something.”

I stayed silent. It’s been like this for a week, ever since I woke up in the hospital handcuffed to my bed. The doctors were amazed how I could be alive, I had bullet holes straight to my heart and my brain. Yet all I felt was a slight headache and the equivalent of heartburn. I did feel weaker though, it was hard to move for the first few days. Even now I’m not completely normal, my spirit core is still recovering.

“We know your mom is missing. Did someone put you up to this?”

That was close.

“Did they blackmail you?”

Dangerously close. It took all my skills as a king to not show any tells. I can’t get normal humans involved in this.

“Whoever they were, they shot you in the back. Do you really want to protect someone like that?”

I stared blankly at the table. The cop just threw his hands. “Seven hours and seven days, they usually break in the first three.” He stood up and walked out of the interrogation room. Everything was painted gray, and I sat by a silver table. A singular light hung from the ceiling, and I believed the camera would be in the top right corner.

I was the only one they found at the scene of the crime, so I’m the prime suspect. Destruction of property, vandalism, arson, possible possession of a bomb, possible possession of illegal firearms, trespassing, burglary, child endangerment, terrorism. Only three of those were right. But I can’t tell anyone the truth; it would put them in jeopardy. Besides, would they really believe me if I told them I fought multiple bunny girl robots wielding assault rifles and grenade launchers? Even I thought I sounded insane.

I waited for what seemed like hours before the door opened again. It was a woman, she was in a black suit, a folder under her arms. 

“Hello Mr. Chase. I am the social worker in charge of your case.”

I could feel goosebumps on my arms.

“It says here your mother is missing. A tragic event for someone so young.”

I clenched my fist. What is her game?

She sat down, opening the folder, flipping through the pages. Her glasses shined in the light, her lips were glossed over. “A trip to sunny California, did you enjoy the City of Dreams?” Her voice was both condescending and curious.

“Did you accomplish all your goals?”

“What are you doing here wench!” I didn’t hide the anger in my voice.

She just smiles, propping her head on her hands. The woman smiled at me; her hair was a silky violet, tied together by a purple ribbon. By all standards, she was beautiful, but I see straight through her guise. It’s a talent to see into the hearts of men, one I trained for, but she was no human.

“How rude.”

The lights flicked on and off, the shadows grew darker and the room began to shift. But with a tilt of her head it stops.

“Is that any way to speak to your master?”

I jump out of my seat, my handcuffs breaking in the force. I drawed my hand to summon Brahmastra. I was ready to cleave her in two. Then her eyes pulsed, I could feel the magic in the air. My divinity makes me resistant to such attacks but she didn’t use it on me but space itself. I couldn’t move, I stood there like a statue. I tried to activate my noble phantasm’s but time itself froze.

The woman giggles. 

“You warrior types always attack first.” She tapped my nose, and the rage boiled inside me. “So predictable.”

I couldn’t talk but the things I wanted to say would make my mom faint. Mom….

“That’s right, you are a momma's boy.”

The hate inside me boils to my skin, it’s emitting heat.

"Let's make a deal? If you don’t attack me, I’ll show you your mom?"

Like I would trust you.

“Scout's honor.” She crosses her heart. “Besides, it's dull talking to a statue.”

I’m no fool; I knew it was wrong to trust her. If I had it my way, she would be gone, the wish be damned. But I haven’t seen my mom in weeks; I have no idea what happened to her. The fear in me is constantly rising day by day. As much as I loathe it, I had no other choice. I just want to see her again.

She was waiting for me, her face was both smug and aloof.

Fine.

Her eyes closed, and then she jumped away. Time started to move, and my noble phantasms from before finally activated—a golden spear and longsword crushed the chair she had once sat on. I could finally breathe, the pain in my heart only tingling slightly. My phantasms vanished, leaving crushed pieces of metal. She slowly walked back, sitting on the table.

“See like civilized people.”

“Where is she!”

“The screaming is making this one sided.” She checked her nails, completely unfazed that I’m standing here. Any moment I could behead her, sever her in two, I could unleash a strike so powerful it could destroy the world's texture. But she was completely calm. She must think I will honor her deal, curse her. 

It took a great amount of willpower but I managed to calm down. If I’m ever going to see mom I need a cool head.

“Where is she?” I seethe.

“She’s in good hands. In fact.” She snaps her fingers and the entire room goes dark. The only thing left is the table and the ceiling lamp. Then out of the darkness something moved, I saw a dark silhouette that became clearer and clearer the closer it got. My breath escapes me as I see her.

"Mom!" I rushed towards her, but my master blocked my path.

"I said show, not touch," she reminded me sternly.

"Get out of my way!" My hand instinctively reached for my weapon.

"We made a deal," she reiterated, her tone laced with a veiled threat.

I swallowed hard, reluctantly stepping back. She nodded in approval.

"That's better."

We both returned to the table as my mom came into view. Then, my hopes turned to dread. My mom was dressed in a ballroom gown that seemed straight out of a Disney movie. It was yellow, covered in frills, with the bottom resembling a bell. She sat on a chair, sweating profusely, her face strained. Her eyes fluttered open and closed, her breathing deep and labored.

“What did you do to her!”

“Insurance.” She walked towards my mom, her hand gently caressing her cheek. My mom’s hair was golden blonde, cut short and adorned with violet flowers. Makeup masked her freckles, while amethyst earrings and a necklace with a giant dark gem adorned her.

"The Hope Diamond, doesn't it add to her beauty and her tragedy?"

My mom could barely look at me; her fever was too painful. She struggled to say my name, but only mouthed the words. A new rage surges within me, a feeling I've only experienced once before, in my previous life. I've never thought of myself as a violent person; I've always preferred talking first and only fought as a last resort. But now, something different stirs within me. It's not the fiery anger I'm familiar with; instead, it's a chilling, icy hatred that consumes me.

I’ll kill her. I swear to all the deva’s above, I swear to Vishnu himself. I will kill her.

That was a promise.

“You really hate me that much?” Her voice held no emotion.

I glared at her.

“Good, use it. You're going to need it if you want to win this war.”

“Not before I kill you.”

“We’ll wait and see.” She walked back to the table, my mom slowly disappeared into the darkness until she’s gone completely.

I’ll come for you, I promise.

“Do you want know why I did it?”

I refused to acknowledge her, all her reasons could go to hell.

“You see these marks on my hand?” She flexed her right hand, revealing a red mark—a trio of diamonds interconnected at the center, resembling a snowflake.

“The command spells.” I answered.

"Yes. I still have all three. Do you know how powerful these are? They grant me complete control over you," she remarked, circling me slowly. “But I only have the three. If I use them all, it's game over. So I thought, what would be the best way to have complete control over you without wasting a single spell.”

I clicked my tongue.

"Take control of the thing you love the most. Then, and only then, will I take control of you," her voice hung in the air.

“That was unnecessary.”

“But it is, that fight with Assassin was a proof of concept. You will do anything I say, of your own free will. Besides, you need motivation.”

“What?”

“Do you truly think you would journey across the country to engage in a life-or-death battle just because I commanded it? No, you are a reluctant hero, and I saw no need to waste command spells. This is the most logical solution.”

"Then why did you choose me?" I blurted out, my rage and curiosity overwhelming me. She fell silent.

"Out of all the people in the world, why me!?"

Then in a blink of an eye we were face to face. Behind the glasses her lilac eyes mesmerize me, we were so close our noses almost touched. I quickly stood up, moving back until I hit a wall.

“Because…. Your my hero.”

I flinched, what did she say?

“My creator said we could select anyone in the world as our servants, and I chose you, Magnus Chase. I believe in you. You can overcome anything,” she confessed, her words baffling me. It made no sense; I was an ordinary kid. I had never been outstandingly good or bad, always just somewhere in the middle. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about my childhood; I was from a single-parent household, living in a lower to middle-class environment. There was nothing in my life that could have attracted her attention.

“You don’t even know me.” I said with spite, she on the other hand giggled.

“More than you can ever know. Believe in yourself, Magnus.”

“Stop lying to me!” I say that but I know she isn’t lying.

“So much self-doubt, one of the things I love about you.”

“I…Y-You… You're trying to trick me.” I was baffled, completely derailing my train of thought.

“Believe what you want. In the end, I follow results. And out of all the servants, you are the strongest.”

I certainly don’t feel that way.

“You're still recovering, those bullets severely damaged your spiritual core. It’s absolutely amazing you survived, as expected of a Grand Candidate.”

“What?” She’s talking nonsense.

A Grand Candidate, chosen by the Counter Force, can ascend to the rank of Grand Servant, representing the pinnacle of their respective class. These individuals are the epitome of Heroic Spirits, the strongest champions of the planet empowered by an inexhaustible well of mana. They possess the capability to fight gods and wield influence over the world with every action they take.

“You heard me. There is a reason you were summoned as Archer instead of your preferred class. You could never be the Grand Saber, but Archer on the other hand is a different story.”

I don’t feel like a Grand Servant. If I were, I could probably single-handedly end the entire war in an instant. Even Caster wouldn’t be able to stop me. I could heal these wounds instantly, I wouldn't need a master.

“And there lies the problem. Without the presence of a Beast you could never manifest as a Grand. That’s why I want you to ally with Caster.”

Huh?

“He isn’t a Beast yet but he will become one, and when he does the Moo-Counter Force will pick you was the Grand to kill him.”

Beasts are embodiments of the Evils of Humanity, representing the greatest sins in the world. These powerful creatures pose a significant threat to humanity, their existence alone endangers civilization. They stand as unrivaled monsters, driven by a singular desire to bring about the destruction of the world.

“You're making a lot of assumptions here. What makes you sure the Counter Force will pick me?”

She looked at me like I was dumb, then she tilted her head. “You can’t be serious? In your legend, you slew a demon king, and that’s precisely what Caster is. Besides, you've already been summoned; naturally, it would choose you. You were the strongest in your era and the finest in your class. You are the perfect container.”

“And knowing who I am, you would let me serve a demon king?” The spite was coming back in my voice.

“Of course you're free not to, but you would know the consequences of such actions…” I tighten my fist.

“Yet you would let a Beast run free, you would willingly let it ascend. And threaten not only mankind but the entire world, including you!”

She shrugs her shoulders.

“I have complete faith that a hero will smite it down,” she said with a smile, her gaze fixed directly on me.

I grinded my teeth, I never met someone so irresponsible, so reprehensible, so morally bankrupt, that they would willingly allow a Beast to grow. And for what? A wish? No wish is worth this, not even mine.

“You are insane.”

“It depends on where you stand. But ultimately, Archer, the responsibility falls on you. I may hold the leash, but you are the one who must lead. With the power of a Grand, victory could be within our grasp, and Caster could be vanquished in a single blow. Yet, would you cower like a rat? Caster's transformation into a Beast is inevitable. Without your intervention, he will leave a trail of devastation, slaughtering innocent lives on his path to ascension. You possess the strength to reel him in, yet you hesitate. Your inaction is as damning as if you had wielded the blade yourself.”

I was conflicted. I didn’t trust her, but there was undeniable truth in her words. I felt damned either way, whether I refused or not. Anger coursed through me, a desire to shatter the room, to unleash the full might of my noble phantasm, to show her the true fury of Brahmastra. Yet, what good would that do? The king in me understood that there are moments when difficult choices must be made. No matter how much I hated it, or how much disdain I felt for those involved, for the greater good, I had to set aside my pride.

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” I said in defeat.

“There's always a choice. Yet, one must bear the consequences.”

“Then I swear, before this war ends, you will face yours,” I vowed silently, holding all my hate in my glare. For a moment, she seemed taken aback before regaining her composure.

“We’ll wait and see.”

A long silence enveloped us, stretching like an eternity before she finally broke it.

“But before that, a gift.” From the darkness, she produced a blade. If it were an ordinary weapon, it wouldn’t have agitated me. The blade drew my gaze like a magnet, captivating me with its presence. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it. The steel pommel and intricate decorations on the blade added to its allure, while the words etched in its center pulsed with unmistakable magical energy.

“What is this?” I asked, eyeing the blade curiously.

“A weapon,” she replied simply.

I have enough weapons.

“Well, more accurately, it’s a weapon that isn’t a weapon,” she explained, bringing the sword closer to her face, the words on it emitting a faint white glow.

“And why would I need that?”

She giggled, as if sharing an inside joke. “You aren’t complete without it,” she remarked cryptically, then plunged the sword into the center of the table. She backed away admiring her work. The sword’s pommel beckoned to me, tempting me to reach out and take it.

“Caster's workshop is San Francisco. Beware, he can see through all your lies.”

With a flicker, the lights danced erratically before settling. The shadows dissipated, and the room returned to its mundane state. Everything remained unchanged, except for the shattered chair and the sword embedded in the table. My master had vanished without a trace.

The doors swung open, and a man entered.

“Hello, Mr. Chase. I’m the social worker in charge of your—what happened here!?”

“How's the food Saber?”

“It’s-mmm. It’s really good!” I had no idea you could dye fish, it’s not just that though, it's the rice, the tomatoes, miso, pizza, and chocolate chip. I didn’t even know carrots could come in blue, even the steak was blue.

“How did you make this?” I kept stuffing myself with food, the chopsticks in my hand were moving rapidly, I didn’t even chew, just swallowed. We were at a picnic in central park, the day was sunny and the birds chirped in the trees. It was just me, the magus, Grover and that weird one eyed boy.

“Percy, uh. We have to leave, right now.” Grover whispers with fear in his eyes.

“Come on Grover, it's free food. Look at that salad, it’s completely blue!” Usually I don’t go for salad but it’s blue so it must be good.

“Percy…. There's a cyclops here.” He says through gritted teeth.

“Grover, that's rude, we don’t call people cyclops.”

“No, I mean an actual cyclops!” He shouted.

The weird tall boy turned to Grover and my friend paled, I could see the color leave his face in real time. Then the boy immediately went back to his food, a whole blue chicken. He ate it like a man starved, pieces of it went everywhere. I was a little annoyed but it wasn’t getting on my food and besides there were leftover wings I could eat, the only flaw is that there was no blue cheese.

I’m just surprised no one was looking, they just walked past us; it’s probably a bounded field. The magus was eating blue celery, her hat was on the ground showing off her messy red hair. 

“You're not going to eat more?”

“I already ate. Besides, I’m here on business.”

“Oh right.” I sipped some of that orange juice, at first I thought it was blueberry. “So what did you want to talk about?”

“I wanna hire you, Saber.” She said that straight faced, her eyes staring at mine, it was like looking into a forest.

“Can’t, I’m already employed.” I said as I bit a blue drumstick.

“I know, I hired you.”

What? I almost choked on my chicken.

“Mr. Dower owes my father a favor. I just asked him to employ you.”

Things were starting to make sense. No one in their right mind would hire someone on the street, I just walked in and asked if he has a job. Was this the magus plan? But why?

“So you followed me around when I was looking for jobs?” I tried everything, I looked through all the help aids on every newspaper, walked by every store for a help wanted sign. But no one would hire me, I guess I must have looked desperate.

“No. I divined it. My container possesses a talent for prophecy.” She sipped her water, also blue, but that’s not new.

Grover broke out of his fear and when in even more fear, I didn’t know that was possible.

“Ya-You-You're an oracle!”

“I could be an oracle. That possibility enhanced my Astromancy magecraft. It was how I was able to see where you're going, it’s why I prepared this meal.” She opened her arms to gesture at the food.

“So you knew I would be attacked.” I said, my voice was getting more serious.

She sighed. “Sadly, predicting the future is more an art than a science. I had intended to meet you today, which is why I asked Mr. Dower to leave. But that attack caught me completely off guard.”

I could sense she wasn’t lying; there was an honesty about her that felt almost transparent. Typically, when someone speaks, even when telling the truth, there’s a subtle hesitation, a flicker of doubt; my last life taught me that. But with her, there was none of that. It wasn’t magecraft influencing me; only someone of the caliber of a divine spirit could affect me this way. There was something off about this girl, something that set my instincts wondering.

“I mean you no harm. I couldn’t fight back if I tried. Saber, please help me.” She bowed her head to me, that broke my concentration. The one eyed boy stopped eating and stared at me, like he was waiting for something.

“Percy.” Grover whispers, his eyes darting between me and her but mostly at the one eyed kid.

“I… Um. Can you stop with the bowing, it’s making me uncomfortable.”

She immediately stood up right, her face was red. But that blush disappeared as she regained her composure. “Forgive me, I miscalculated.” She mumbled, trying to fix her hair.

“Right… So what do you need help with.”

The girl was silent, like she was trying to find the right words to say.

“Your… Master…. Me, guide you.” 

Why is she talking so funny?

“My mas-You know my master! I have a master!?” I blundered and Grover almost fell backward in the excitement.

 “Fought…. Lost… Then….. I can’t say.” She forced the words out, her breath struggling to keep up. “She placed restrictions on me.” Her eyes were wild, sweat dripped down her brow.

“Huh? She’s forcing you?” I asked, shock evident in my voice as the gravity of the situation hit me.

“No, I came here willingly. It was either this or complete deletion.”

“That's still manipulation, though!”

The girl smiled softly and shook her head. “Do not worry about me. I took a risk, and I failed. This is the consequence,” she acknowledged with a hint of acceptance.

I refused to let this slide; everyone deserves freedom. No matter who my master is, I can't accept this. If this is how she operates, I refuse to acknowledge her as my master.

“It is kind of you, but you are wasting your energy,” she cautioned gently.

“Who is she?” I practically demanded.

“I cannot say, the restrictions prevent me. But she is powerful, as are the other masters. She has forbidden all of them to manifest in this world, but only for a short while. Except for one, but she is the weakest of them all, almost human.”

That's good to know, so my master is a kami? Or similar to one. I need more time to process this. Rachel seemed to be regaining her composure. Meanwhile, the one-eyed boy stopped staring once Rachel smiled at him, immediately returning to his meal. Grover, however, seemed oblivious to all this, his gaze fixed on the one-eyed boy. Why was he so frightened?

“I didn’t come here for that though. I am your guide; I am instructed to assist you in all matters magical and serve as your master’s representative in this war,” Rachel explained.

I tilted my head, realizing my master must be a kami then. Only they would employ such a roundabout method.

“Right now, Caster is the main threat. He has amassed a great army and is gathering power as we speak, both magical and mundane.”

Grover paid attention when she said army, the fear is still there but subdued.

“He has begun summoning Servants, before your Master cut off my data I found he has summoned three. But that could change in the future.”

“What? How is that possible?”

“Caster must be a very accomplished mage, there are ways to go around the summoning restrictions, especially if you have innate knowledge about the Grails.”

That doesn’t sound good.

“The ones that attacked you. The man asked for your name?”

I nodded my head.

“Then my suspicions are confirmed. He must be part of Caster’s army, I could divine a stream of powerful individuals heading westward. This attack is only the beginning.”

“Wait, let me get this straight. An evil wizard is gathering an army to attack you?” Grover pointed at me, he sounded really confused. Honestly I am too.

“No! He’s going to… Ok I don’t know his exact plans but it’s definitely not good.” Rachel finally showed some emotion in her voice, it sounded irritated but at least it was more human. It made everything more comfortable.

“Wizard. Bad?” The one eyed boy finally spoke, he sounded very… I don’t wanna say slow but maybe mentally challenged. He had messy black hair and a huge body. He was the largest kid I have ever seen, he was dressed in jeans and a shirt that said ‘Beethoven’.

“Yes, ‘Caster’ bad. Not only is he gathering an army he started kidnapping regular humans. We have to put a stop to this.” She banged her palms.

I can definitely agree with that. Using innocent civilians is inexcusable. Caster must be inherently evil or morally corrupt. Either way, this cannot be allowed to stand. As a heroic spirit, it is my duty to slay him, not just to fulfill my wish but to uphold the peace.

“That is!... This is bad Percy. We need to go to camp half-blood and tell Chiron.”

I am starting to get a little irritated. He has been saying this ever since Montauk. “Grover I told you, going to some hippy camp isn’t going to help anyone.”

“It's not a hippy camp! It’s a place where demi-gods train!”

“I don’t care if they call themselves demi-gods. A bit pretentious if you ask me.”

“Percy! It’s real! Look at me!” He gestures towards his goat legs and removes his baseball cap to touch his goat horns. “I’m a satyr, that means the greek myths are real.”

“I know they're real. But what does that have to do with our current situation?”

“Percy-urrgghhh!” He gripped his horns, it had been a long time since I saw him this angry. The last time was when he witnessed someone littering despite a recycling bin right next to them. “Percy, how can I get this in your thick head? Mount Olympus still exists, it is on top of the Empire State building. That means that the Olympians still exist and the Olympians run camp half-blood. If you go to camp you can get their attention and stop this Caster guy.”

I ponder for a few moments before immediately saying. “No way.”

“Percy!” Grover screamed.

That caused the one eyed kid to move, Grover didn’t notice it. But his big hand patted directly on Grover’s head. The goat boy stilled, his face drained of all color.

“There. There. Don’t cry Bunny. It’s ok.” He petted Grover, with each repetition the goat boy trembled.

“Percy.” Grover hisses, his eyes darting to me like it was life or death. I have no idea why, I don’t sense any blood lust? I look into the giant's one eye and I see a gentle soul.

“Tyson stop.” Rachel said and the boy put down his hands.

“No?” He asked curiously.

The girl nods her head and Tyson returns to his meal.

“Forgive him, he’s still learning boundaries.” She placed a hand on the boy's arm and Tyson smiled. “He wouldn’t harm a fly, besides I have him in a geis contract. He won’t hurt anyone, unless I want him to.” I don’t know why but that sounded like a threat.

“Family!” The boy laughs while eating his chicken.

“Familiar.” The girl repeats slowly.

“I’m her family!” He says while eating, his hands are sticky with meat juices.

“I’m still trying to teach him how to use utensils.” She shrugged her shoulders and Grover slowly scoots behind me.

“Is she insane?” He whispers to my ear.

Maybe? Most magi I know are.

“He does make an interesting proposal. Before my information was cut off, I read there was a servant in ‘Half-blood’. It could mean your camp?” Her hands stroked her chin, eyes looking at the sky. “I need to divine this further.”

Grover eyes sparkled.

“We could ally with the servant in the camp. That would greatly increase our chances by seventy-three point nine percent. But there's no guarantee if that servan-”

“So we're going to camp half-blood!” Grover blurts out, all the fear is gone and replaced with excitement. And here we go again, this time with an excuse.

“Percy this is perfect. If we go to camp half-blood, that will solve all our problems.”

“Grover, I still don’t understand your fixation with this camp? Is it a cult?”

“No! Gods no!.... Well at first but that was a long time ago.”

“A lot of red flags here.”

“Percy please. Do you trust me?”

I already knew the answer; Grover had protected my mom. I recalled her telling me how he shielded her body when a stray rock nearly hit her head, even though he was passed out for the entire night. Both Rachel and Grover looked at me, waiting for an answer. Like it was my call to tell them what to do? I guess, if there’s no other options.

“Okay, I'll relent,” I conceded with a sigh of exasperation.

“Yes!” Grover pumped his fist.“You won’t regret this Percy. You're going to love it there.”

“Yeah,” I replied, taking a bite of a chicken wing. I’m still unsure about this. But then a thought struck me.

“I still have my debt! Smelly Gabe would never let me leave without—”

“If it’s money you need, then that isn’t an obstacle,” Rachel interjected, producing a couple of bills from her coat, each bearing Benjamin Franklin's face. Both Grover and I looked at her in a newfound light.

“How did you—”

“It’s not important,” Rachel dismissed my question.

“Are you sure?”

“Saving the world is a bigger priority,” she replied in a robotic tone.

“...Okay, as long as it's not anything illegal... Wait! The battle! Won’t I get arrested?” Panic tinged my voice.

“Also not important. Everything was pinned on those dolphin homunculi,” Rachel explained, crossing her arms.

“Me get fishies,” Tyson chimed in, patting his hands together while the chicken dropped to the ground.

“But Mr. Dower—”

“Percy, why are you stalling?” Grover interjected.

I let out a deep sigh, he was right. I nod my head. “Ok, but let me talk to my mom first. I still need to get bandages.” I touched my stomach, I could still remember the golden blade.

"Rest and heal. We shall depart when you're ready," Rachel declared, rising gracefully and dusting off her skirt.

"I believe a proper introduction is in order. I am Rachel Elizabeth Dare, a subtype of the Rani series, an Alchemist of the Atlas Institute, aspiring artist, and your guide," she announced, bowing her head with a flourish, her purple cape billowing behind her.

In turn, I introduced myself, "I am Percy Jackson, Servant of the Blade, broke middle schooler," and offered a respectful bow.

Grover, looking somewhat overwhelmed, managed to stammer out, "I’m, uh, Grover Underwood, wannabe Searcher," as he awkwardly followed suit with a bow.

"Tyson. I like food!" The one eyed boy chimed before enthusiastically devouring all the pizza.

“We’ll work on that,” Rachel said blandly.