Percy Jackson - Beyond the Gods

"What?"

Percy followed her gaze to the bleachers. The two half-blood children, Bianca and Nico, were no longer there. The door near the bleachers was wide open, and Dr. Thorn was nowhere in sight.

"We need to find Thalia and Grover!" Annabeth said, looking around frantically. "Where did they go? Come on!"

She dashed off into the crowd. Percy was about to follow her when a group of girls got in his way. He detoured to avoid the ribbon-and-lipstick treatment, and by the time he got free, Annabeth had also disappeared. Percy circled the gym, searching for her, Thalia, or Grover. Instead, he saw something that made his blood run cold.

About fifty feet away, lying on the gym floor, was a green beanie—just like the one Bianca di Angelo had been wearing. Nearby, cards were scattered across the floor. Then he caught a glimpse of Dr. Thorn. The vice principal was hurrying through a door at the far end of the gym, dragging the di Angelo kids by the scruffs of their necks as if they were kittens.

Percy still couldn't see Annabeth, but he knew she'd gone in the opposite direction, looking for Thalia and Grover.

He almost ran after her but decided against it. Saving the two half-bloods was more important than following Thalia's orders. Ikki would've done the same! Percy also thought about how Grover had looked to her, expecting her to save the day.

Not that he resented Thalia. She was great. It wasn't her fault she was a child of Zeus and got all the attention… But Percy didn't need to run after her to fix everything. Besides, there wasn't time. The di Angelos were in danger. They might already be gone by the time he found his friends.

After months of training, Percy felt he could handle this on his own.

He pulled Riptide from his pocket and sprinted after Dr. Thorn. The door led to a dark hallway. He heard the sounds of a struggle ahead, followed by a groan of pain. Percy uncapped Riptide, and the pen grew into a Greek bronze sword about three feet long, with a leather-wrapped hilt. The blade glowed faintly, casting a golden light over the rows of lockers.

He raced down the hallway, but when he reached the other end, no one was there. He opened a door and found himself back in the main entrance hall. He had come full circle.

Dr. Thorn was nowhere to be seen, but across the room, the di Angelo siblings stood frozen in terror, staring at something behind him.

Percy advanced slowly, lowering the tip of his sword.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

They didn't respond. Their eyes were wide with fear.

What was wrong with them? Where was Dr. Thorn? Percy's mind raced for answers. Maybe Thorn had sensed Riptide's presence and retreated. Monsters hated celestial bronze weapons.

"My name is Percy…" he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I'm going to get you out of here. Take you to safety."

Bianca's eyes widened, her fists clenching.

Percy quickly realized the look she was giving him wasn't fear—it was a warning. Sensing something behind him, he spun around and whipped off his jacket, using it as a shield.

The jacket flew against the wall, pierced by a sharp projectile. Percy turned to see the monster that had attacked him.

A cold laugh echoed through the hall.

"Yes, Perseus Jackson," said Dr. Thorn. His accent mangled the "J" in Jackson. "I know who you are."

Percy didn't reply, his gaze fixed on his jacket, now pinned to the wall by a black spike resembling a dagger, about a foot long.

A dark silhouette moved toward him. Dr. Thorn stepped into the pale light. He still looked human, but his face had taken on a demonic edge. His teeth gleamed unnaturally white, and his mismatched eyes glinted with malice.

"Thank you for stepping out of the gym," Thorn said casually, as if he hadn't just missed his shot. "I hate school dances."

Another spike appeared, flying out from behind Thorn as though an invisible figure were throwing knives.

Near Percy, Bianca whimpered. The second spike embedded itself in the stone wall, an inch from her face.

"It'll be okay," Percy said, stepping protectively in front of her and Nico, already calculating how to shield them both.

"You three will come with me," Thorn commanded. "Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, scream for help, or try to fight, I will show you just how precise my aim can be."

"I'll go. Just don't hurt them," Percy said, considering complying to buy time. He didn't know what kind of monster Thorn was, but he was fast. Percy could defend himself by activating his watch shield. Protecting the di Angelos, however, was another matter entirely.

He needed help, and only one solution came to mind. He needed to stall.

"Silence!"

Dr. Thorn marched them outside, and Percy focused his thoughts. He visualized Grover's face, concentrating on feelings of danger and urgency. Last summer, Grover had created an empathy link between them, sending Percy dreams to warn him of danger. Percy didn't know if the connection still worked or if it even worked while awake, but he had to try.

The monster forced them toward the woods. They followed a snow-covered path dimly lit by old lamps.

The wind cut through Percy without his jacket, freezing him to the core.

"There's a clearing up ahead," Thorn said indifferently. "We'll call your ride."

"What ride?" Bianca asked, trying to sound brave. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, insufferable girl!"

"Don't talk to my sister that way!" Nico snapped. His voice shook, but Percy was impressed he had the courage to speak.

Thorn growled—a sound that was definitely not human—and Percy's hair stood on end. But he forced himself to keep walking, pretending to cooperate. Meanwhile, he projected his thoughts desperately: Grover! Apples! Tin cans! Get your goat butt out here and bring heavily armed friends!

"Stop," Thorn commanded.

The forest opened up.

They had reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, Percy could sense the ocean far below, hundreds of feet down. He could hear the waves crashing and smell the cold, salty spray. But all he could see was fog and darkness.

His spirits lifted at the proximity of the water. Subtly, he willed the currents to rise toward the top of the cliff, preparing to use the ocean as a weapon. Feeling the water respond, Percy allowed himself a small smile. He was ready.

Dr. Thorn's mismatched eyes gleamed hungrily. He reached beneath his coat, and Percy braced himself, thinking it might be a knife. But it was just a phone. Thorn pressed a button on the side and said, "The package… is ready for delivery."

A distorted voice responded, and Percy realized Thorn's phone was in walkie-talkie mode. The mix of modern technology and a monster was unsettling.

"Unfortunately," Thorn said with mock regret, "they want you alive, if possible. Otherwise, you'd already be dead."

"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We have no family. Nico and I…" Her voice wavered. "We have no one, just each other."

"Don't worry, pests," Thorn said with a sly smile. "You'll meet my boss soon enough. You'll have a brand-new family."

"Luke," Percy said, stalling for time. "You work for Luke."

Thorn's lip curled in disgust at the name of Percy's old enemy—a former friend who had tried to kill him several times.

"You have no idea what's happening, Perseus Jackson. The General will explain everything to you. You're going to be of great service to him tonight. He looks forward to meeting you."

"The General?" Percy asked, noting Thorn's French-accented pronunciation of the title. "Who's the General?"

Thorn turned toward the horizon.

"Ah, here it is. Your transportation."

Percy turned to see a light in the distance, a beacon over the sea. Then came the unmistakable sound of helicopter blades, growing louder and closer.

"Where are you taking us?" Nico asked with a trembling voice.

"You should feel honored, my boy. You're going to have the chance to join a great army! Like that silly game you play with cards and figurines."

"They are not figurines! They are statuettes! And you can take your great army and..."

"Oh, oh..." Dr. Thorn warned with a smile, "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you don't, well... there are other roles for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Uprising is underway."

"The Great what?" Percy asked, feeling the water rising close to the top, he was almost ready to act.

"The uprising of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled, maliciously. "The worst of them, the most powerful, is waking up now. Monsters that haven't been seen for thousands of years. They will bring death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never seen. And soon we'll have the most important monster of all... the one who will cause the fall of Olympus!"

"Okay." Bianca whispered to Percy, "He's completely crazy..."

"I have a plan, stay close..." Percy whispered to her.

Taking a deep breath, he moved his hand in a gesture and made the water crash against Dr. Thorn at high speed, throwing him away. He formed a barrier of water in front of Bianca and Nico, the water almost transparent...

Annabeth, who was using her invisibility cap, quickly appeared by his side and threw a knife at the fallen monster. Dr. Thorn got up, dodging the knife, and growled, throwing his spikes towards Percy and the daughter of Athena who appeared, but Thalia appeared further ahead of them with her shield and blocked, wielding her magical shield, Aegis.

In her other hand, she squeezed a spray can, which expanded into a massive spear, but that wasn't the most frightening part. Her shield was modeled after one used by her father, Zeus — also called Aegis — a gift from Athena. The shield had the head of Medusa molded in bronze, and although it couldn't turn him to stone, it was so horrifying that most people panic and run at its sight.

Even Dr. Thorn shuddered and growled when he saw it.

Thalia advanced with her spear, trying to strike his head, but he growled and dodged the blow, throwing the spear aside. His hand transformed into an orange paw with enormous claws that shimmered against the daughter of Zeus' shield as he struck her.

If it hadn't been for Aegis, Thalia would have been sliced like bread. In these circumstances, she managed to roll backward and land on her feet.

The sound of the helicopter was getting louder.

Dr. Thorn threw another barrage of missiles at Thalia, and this time Percy saw how he did it. He had a tail — stiff, like a scorpion's — that rose with spikes at the tip. The missiles veered off Aegis, but the force of the impact knocked Thalia down. He quickly approached and swung his sword to deflect the missiles that rained down on him, jumping over the monster, he landed a powerful blow on his back.

A roar escaped the monster, full of pain and fury.

Percy rolled to dodge a tail strike, pressed his watch, and his shield made by Tyson appeared, defending him from another quick and fast attack.

Grover jumped forward. He brought his flute to his lips and began playing — a frantic tune that sounded like those pirates danced to. Grass broke through the snow, and within seconds, vines as thick as ropes wrapped around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him.

Dr. Thorn roared and began to transform. He grew until he took on his true form — still with a human face, but with the body of a massive lion. His stiff and sharp tail shot deadly spikes in all directions.

"A manticore!" Annabeth exclaimed, now visible. Her magical Yankees cap was in her hand.

"Who are you people?" Bianca di Angelo asked behind Annabeth as the water dissipated, revealing what was happening. The son of Poseidon couldn't maintain his concentration due to the fight with the monster, the scared girl continued, "And what is that?"

"A manticore?" Nico gasped in awe. "He has an attack power of three thousand and more five for rescue throws!"

The manticore tore through Grover's magical vines, turning them into threads, and then turned towards Annabeth and the two brothers with a growl.

Percy quickly got up and used the water that had dissipated in front of the brothers to form sharp droplets that rained towards the monster, which growled as it defended itself, blood pouring from its body, shocking everyone present.

"Damned son of Poseidon!" The Manticore growled.

Annabeth and Thalia quickly positioned themselves and surrounded the monster.

Percy raised his shield and manipulated the water again to form thorns behind him, mimicking the monster in front of him.

They had the advantage.

But,

The helicopter appeared from the mist, hovering just beyond the cliff. It was a sleek black military-style machine, with side attachments that looked like laser-guided rockets. The floodlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore threw her aside with its tail. Her shield flew off, landing in the snow, and the spear was propelled in another direction.

Percy ran to help her, dodging a spike just before it hit his chest. He raised his shield over them and hurled the water thorns, while thinking, the helicopter could only be piloted by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster?

Dr. Thorn laughed as he dodged the water thorns.

"Now you see how useless this is? Surrender, little heroes."

They were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter.

Percy thought about sinking the helicopter with his control over water, but he didn't have enough above the cliff, he needed time to pull water from below.

That's when he heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn echoing from the forest.

The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved.

There was only the whirl of snow and wind and the sound of the helicopter's rotor blades.

"No..." Dr. Thorn said fearfully, "It can't be...".

His sentence was interrupted when something passed by Percy like a streak of moonlight. A silver arrow pierced Dr. Thorn's shoulder.

He staggered back, groaning in agony.

"Damned be you!" Dr. Thorn shouted, launching his spikes, dozens of them at once, towards the forest where the arrow had come from. But just as quickly, silver arrows were shot in response. It was almost as if the arrows intercepted the spikes midair, splitting them in two — something Percy only thought Ikki would be capable of, not even the children of Apollo at camp could shoot with such precision.

The manticore pulled the arrow from its shoulder with a howl of pain. Its breathing was heavy.

Percy tried to strike it with his sword, but it wasn't as hurt as it seemed. It dodged the attack and threw its tail against his shield, knocking it aside.

Then the archers emerged from the woods.

They were girls, about a dozen of them.

The youngest seemed to be about ten years old. The oldest, around fourteen, like Percy and Annabeth. They wore silver ski parkas and jeans, and all were armed with bows. They advanced towards the manticore with determined expressions.

"The Hunters!" Annabeth shouted, recognizing them.

Percy thought of something, while beside him, Thalia murmured, "Ah, how wonderful."

He didn't have a chance to ask what she meant.

One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow ready. She was tall and graceful, with copper-colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver diadem on her dark, long hair, making her look like a Persian princess.

"Permission to kill, my lady?"

Percy couldn't tell who she was talking to, as her eyes were fixed on the manticore.

The monster whined:

"This isn't fair! Direct interference! It's against the Old Laws."

"Not exactly..." said another girl. She was a little younger than the other, probably about twelve or thirteen. She had reddish-brown hair tied in a ponytail and strange eyes, silver-yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful, but her expression was relentless and dangerous.

Percy instantly recognized her, remembering his best friend who had befriended this girl. His heart raced with hope, did she know what happened to him?

Not knowing the boy's emotional state, the goddess spoke: "The hunt for all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, disgusting creature, are a wild beast."

She looked at the older girl with the diadem, "Zoë, permission granted."

The manticore growled.

"If I can't have them alive, I'll have them dead!.."

It charged towards Percy and Thalia, knowing the girl was weak and the son of Poseidon distracted.

"No!" Annabeth shouted and attacked the monster.

"Move away, half-blood!" said the girl with the diadem. "Get out of the line of fire!"

But Annabeth jumped onto the back of the monster and pointed her knife at its mane. The manticore roared, spinning in circles and striking the air with its tail as Annabeth clung to it tightly.

"Fire!" Zoë ordered indifferently.

"No!" Percy screamed in panic.

But the Hunters released their arrows. The first one hit the manticore in the neck. Another struck its chest. The manticore staggered back, howling.

"This isn't the end, Hunter! You will pay!"

As the monster was about to flee and jump off the cliff with Annabeth, something happened.

Everything became monochromatic.

The colors of the world seemed to be sucked away, and everything turned black and white.

Time seemed to freeze, the helicopter blades slowed.

Silence dominated everything.

And then...

It was broken by slow footsteps echoing in the snow.

Everyone's attention automatically shifted to the silhouette emerging from the forest...

The tension rose with each step.

As it got closer, the figure slowly became visible to everyone present.

It was a boy.

He appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen, incredibly perfect. Beauty was subjective, as many had their preferences, but not in this case, the boy was 'perfection' incarnate. So beautiful that mere words to describe him were an insult to his beauty, too inadequate to measure the immensity of visualizing his figure.

His face had soft and sharp features, seemingly handcrafted by the creator as a masterpiece without equal, his skin as white as snow and as smooth as silk, his eyebrows perfect over a pair of sapphire-blue eyes that had no trace of emotion, his nose was one of the striking features of his face, perfect, his mouth soft with lips as red as fire, smooth like a shell. On his forehead was a vivid symbol of a diamond-shaped crystal of golden color that added the finishing touch to the picture.

He was easily 6'2" (187cm), his body was like a celestial work of art. His muscles not only looked extraordinarily splendid and refined, but they also could unleash power to the fullest. This was the most perfect form of a warrior, even with clothing covering him, anyone could say that just by looking at him.

Speaking of clothing, he wore a black dress shirt with one button open, showing a jewelry necklace around his neck, a beautiful and exquisite white jacket with a hood covered the shirt, though he wasn't closing it despite the cold, he wore black martial arts pants and black boots.

The wind from the helicopter blades blew through his long dark hair that cascaded down his back, and it had a supernatural shine, seeming to harmonize with the whiteness of the snow.

The cold was intense, but the young man didn't care.

He glanced at the helicopter, and before the shocked eyes of everyone, the massive iron vehicle began to crumple as if an invisible hand had wrapped around it and squeezed, and before they knew it, it turned into a simple crushed can!

The tiny can floated toward him, and he grabbed it with his hand, crushing it until it turned to dust that was swept away by the wind.

The frozen world began to move again, and the colors seemed to come alive once more.

Everyone noticed they had even forgotten to breathe.

The young man looked at the manticore.

The manticore was frozen and terrified, trembling all over in the presence of the boy. Not daring to move an inch.

Everyone looked at the boy in shock, admiration, fear, and a myriad of other emotions.

He calmly walked toward the manticore, passing by the girls dressed in silver and by his lady, not even glancing in their direction.

"Let her go..." Just one word spoken, a voice as intoxicating as wine that people would never tire of drinking, and the manticore, like a puppy, removed the petrified girl from its back and threw itself at the boy's feet, terrified.

"Kill yourself..." A second word came out, cold and merciless.

And to everyone's shock, the manticore, without hesitation, used its stinger to commit suicide, driving it so deep into itself that it pierced its body, and it fell before everyone's eyes, turning into golden dust...

Having done this, the young man turned his attention to Percy.

"So, seaweed head, did you miss me?"

Before his eyes stood Ikki Phoenix...