A Not-So-Fun Trip – PT. 2/2
"How dare you mock me!" screamed Echidna furiously, her voice echoing like a roar mixed with hisses. Her already hideous face twisted even further, becoming monstrous. Thick scales covered most of her body; she looked like a huge, bloated serpent, and her neck stretched slightly as rage distorted her features even more.
"Finish him, my son!" she roared, pointing toward the Chimera.
The beast responded with a violent swipe toward Percy, who rolled once more across the floor. With Riptide firmly held in both hands, he rose and slashed upward. The blade grazed the creature's chest, leaving only a faint reddish mark. It was barely a scratch, but enough to show how resilient the dragon-like scales covering its body were. A thin line of blood seeped from the cut, as if the steel had barely pierced the surface.
That only enraged the monster further. Its serpent tail lashed out toward Percy's neck, aiming to tear it off. The demigod reacted swiftly, catching the snake's head right in front of his face. The hiss echoed just inches from his nose… until a massive shadow fell over him.
the Chimera's lion's head descended, jaws open wide, aiming straight for his skull.
Percy had no room to swing his sword, so he let it go. The weapon hit the floor with a metallic clang. He released the snake's Head as well and, using both hands, grabbed the lion's jaws as they closed in on him. Throwing himself backward to soften the impact, his back slammed against the ground, but at that instant he lifted one leg and planted his foot against the beast's stomach.
With a strained shout, he used both his strength and the creature's own momentum to hurl it upward. The Chimera was sent flying, crashing into one of the walls with a dull, echoing boom that left deep cracks in the concrete.
The monster hit the ground hard, dazed, then shook its head furiously as it rose again.
Percy took the chance; he lunged for his fallen sword, grabbed Riptide, and pulled his other blade—the black one—from his bag. Leaping toward the Chimera, he was ready to end it. The dark blade aimed directly for the creature's neck, radiating a sinister glow, a darkness that seemed to devour the soul of whatever it touched.
But at that very moment, a deadly aura struck him like an invisible wave. An overwhelming fear flooded him—so deep that his entire body froze. Nausea, pressure in his chest, and an inescapable sense of impending death enveloped him completely.
In midair, Percy twisted around, crossing both swords in front of him as a shield. His eyes darted toward the source of the presence—and there she was: Echidna, staring straight at him.
The air thickened, and Percy was forced to jump backward to put distance between himself, the Chimera, and the monstrous woman. His body trembled uncontrollably; his face had turned pale.
That aura kept growing, like divine pressure crushing him little by little. It was reminiscent of the aura Mr. D radiated when angry… except this one wasn't "soft." It was ancient and primal—the raw presence of chaos itself, brutal and overwhelming.
His legs begged him to kneel, his body yearned to obey that primal command. But Percy forced himself to stay upright. His master's words echoed in his mind: "Never kneel before anyone."
The Chimera, now recovered, positioned itself in front of its mother and began advancing slowly toward Percy, smoke rising from its jaws as it prepared to strike again.
"Ha, ha, ha…" laughed Echidna mockingly. "They don't make heroes like they used to," she said, wearing a cruel smile.
Percy struggled to breathe, his chest heaving, until a sound caught his attention. He turned slightly, without taking his eyes off Echidna or her monster.
In a corner, a man was shielding his small son, practically using him as cover, while the boy's mother held him tightly in despair. They trembled behind a pillar. Percy hadn't noticed them before—they were ordinary people, likely tourists waiting for the elevator. Echidna hadn't noticed them either, too focused on him.
Percy's fury surged. He couldn't let an innocent family die because of him.
"Huff… huff…" he exhaled, forcing himself to think clearly. He couldn't run—not with civilians behind him. Even though he was scared, retreat wasn't an option. Not now.
"Aren't powerful monsters like you supposed to fight someone your own size? Why attack me? If Zeus gives you an order, do you just follow it like a loyal servant? Where's your honor, mother of monsters?" shouted Percy with all his strength.
He remembered how she had lost her temper earlier when he mocked her about the anteaters; if that had enraged her, this should work even better.
"What did you say?" roared Echidna, her fury rising with each word. Being called a servant of Zeus was an unforgivable insult. She was a primordial being, born from Chaos itself, the mother of monsters. Her age was equal to that of Zeus, and even the gods feared her power.
"Of course," Percy continued, his tone sharp with irony, "if Zeus tells you to wag your tail, you do it like a good dog."
He felt her aura crashing down on him like an avalanche, pressing the air from his lungs. "You should pick on someone your own size," he added, glancing sideways toward one of the windows.
He prepared to run and jump through it, hoping his provocation would be enough to distract her. If he angered her enough, maybe Echidna would follow him, leaving the humans safe.
Luckily, he didn't have to test that plan.
"Mm… the brat's right. The powerful should fight the strong, and leave the weak to deal with the weak."
The voice was cold, deadly, almost inhuman.
A chill ran down Percy's spine, followed by a wave of relief. His muscles relaxed, and he let out a trembling sigh, dropping to his knees from sheer exhaustion.
"Who…?" began Echidna, spinning around in fury.
A massive hand, its fingers ending in gleaming claws, emerged from nowhere and clamped down on her face. She had no time to react. In an instant, she was hurled with overwhelming force against the wall, which shattered completely before collapsing in a cloud of dust and debris.
Echidna's body was hurled outward, crashing against the ground with a deafening impact that sent debris skittering across the plaza
Percy looked at the person who had just arrived with a mixture of surprise and relief. A bright smile spread across his face as he recognized him, though there was also a flicker of emotion behind his eyes. There was something different about him—something far more powerful than before.
Miraak stood there, tall and imposing, while an aura surrounded his body, taking the shape of a dragon. The ethereal figure had horns, claws, and two vast wings that shimmered faintly with hues of gold, blue, and black. The air itself seemed to bend around him.
The master watched in silence for a moment before tossing something that landed right in front of Percy. Clothes. Miraak regarded him almost indifferently, seeing him still on his knees, then shifted his gaze toward the Chimera, which looked back at him with a mix of fear and tension, maintaining its guard.
"Take care of that ugly thing," said Miraak calmly, his tone devoid of emotion. "I'll deal with the other ugly thing."
Without another word, he walked toward the edge of the massive hole the battle had left in the monument. With a single push of his feet, he shattered another section of the arch and vanished in a burst of wind and dust, leaving behind a trail of draconic energy.
Percy sighed, staring at the enormous hole before him.
"Great. We just destroyed a historical monument… I think," he muttered, pushing himself up before grabbing the clothes off the ground.
It was a black jacket, fairly ordinary at first glance, though the hood was surrounded by a mane-like trim, resembling a lion's. Inside, the fabric seemed to match that same golden, faintly shimmering texture. Percy had the strange feeling he had seen something like it before. It was thick and warm, yet the material felt different—sturdy, almost unbreakable. Beside it was a pair of pants similar to the ones he usually wore: flexible, practical, and comfortable.
Since he wasn't exactly a pervert who stripped in public, he simply put on the jacket for now.
Once he did, he realized it wasn't as hot as it looked. It was soft, light, and comfortable—yet unbelievably durable. Perhaps too durable.
"Stylish," Percy remarked with a faint grin before picking up both of his swords from the ground. In front of him, the Chimera was watching intently, ready to strike now that Miraak was gone.
"Well then," said Percy, twirling the blades in his hands. "How about a second round? This time, without your mommy to help you."
A spark of excitement crossed his face as he tightened his grip on the twin hilts.
…
"AAAAAH!" people screamed as they fled the monument in terror. Chaos reigned after the explosion that had shaken the ground moments earlier.
Annabeth and Grover, who had just come down in the elevator, heard the screams and ran outside.
The moment they stepped out, another explosion shook the air. Dirt, dust, and stone fragments flew everywhere. More people screamed and bolted, desperately searching for an exit.
"What the hell was that?" exclaimed Annabeth, her eyes wide.
A voice roared in the distance, so loud it made their ears ring.
"CURSE YOU! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"
The sheer volume of the shout was so overwhelming that Annabeth and Grover instinctively covered their ears. Out of the dust emerged a massive shadow that grew larger with every passing second.
A serpent's tail rose and coiled into the air—so immense that it made Medusa look like a newborn hatchling in comparison.
As the dust began to clear, Annabeth managed to make out a figure standing before the colossal creature. Someone… human—or at least appearing to be. He stood calmly, facing the monstrous snake-woman towering over him like a living mountain.
His size was insignificant compared to hers, but a powerful golden and blue aura radiated from his body, shaping itself into a spectral dragon that spread its wings with majestic authority.
The jacket he wore bore the word "Death" across the back, alongside the image of a skeleton. Before him, a greatsword materialized, completely black, as if it absorbed the light around it. Its design was unmistakable: the same as Percy's black sword.
Annabeth recognized it instantly. She had seen it before, on the train. She remembered Percy carefully polishing it, making sure not a single scratch or speck of dust touched it, his expression softening with something close to happiness every time he looked at it.
She glanced sideways at Grover and noticed the satyr staring, eyes wide and mouth agape, completely frozen at the sight of the man before them.
"Grover… who is that?" she asked quietly.
"He… he's Percy's master," Grover replied, his trembling voice filled with a mix of awe and fear. He remembered perfectly the last time he had seen him—how this man had nearly confronted Mr. D without showing a hint of fear. And now he was here, wrapped in that draconic aura, facing a monster whose mere presence made their skin crawl.
The air was so heavy it was hard to breathe. They could feel the primal fear radiating from both beings; that ancient instinct whispering that to even think of facing them meant certain death.
When Annabeth heard that this was Percy's master, she studied the man even more intently. Percy's stories about his training had always intrigued her. He had described him as strict, almost Spartan, yet that training had completely transformed someone who had once been just an ordinary boy. Seeing this now, she understood.
"Hmm… so you're here now with your full power," said Miraak calmly, his voice steady as he gazed at Echidna's colossal form without the slightest trace of fear. "And therefore…" he added, with the faintest of smirks, "I'll stand before you under the full extent of my power as well."
His tone was arrogant, almost taunting—and it was enough to make the primordial serpent roar with an ancient fury that shook the earth itself.