Percy Jackson: The Knight of Chaos

Alpha Force

"Luke?" I repeated. A ghost from my past, now in the flesh. "How are you not dead?"

Luke smiled, his scar rippling down his face. "Same way you are. Lord Chaos saved me from death, at the last second. I was the newest person, up until you. He told me we were waiting for one last person to join us; I just never realized it was you. I'm so sorry you died. How did it happen?"

Taking a deep breath, I recounted my story, starting from Dionysus's vicious words and ending at the attack from Troy, Annabeth, Leo and Piper. My stomach ached as I spoke of the X slashed across my chest and the dagger driven through me.

One of the seven held her hands up to her hidden face, as if brushing away tears. "I can't believe they did that to you, Percy."

I nodded. She, too, seemed familiar. "Do I know you?" I asked.

"You know all of us." The girl slipped the hood off her face. Bianca di Angelo's innocent eyes peered out, and my heart skipped a beat. Her life had ended so brutally, so quickly. I was elated that she had a second chance. Embracing her tightly, I froze suddenly when I realized that it was my fault that both of the di Angelo siblings had died because of me. I pulled away, internally despising myself but knowing I had to tell her.

"Bianca....Nico, he, he didn't make it. I'm so sorry."

But Bianca smiled, something so unexpected I nearly stumbled back.

"I know," she confided.

"It's all right, Perce." A new voice spoke. Behind Bianca, a shorter figure approached me. Throwing his own hood back, the son of Hades stood proudly before me.

"Nico, gods, I'm so sorry...." I began, regretting everything.

"Percy, it's fine. I would have died for you a hundred times over, and I know everyone here would to. I also know you would do the same for all of us." Nico's gentle words comforted me, and I looked to see the revelation of the next person.

"I agree with Nico, even if he is a boy," I grinned as Zoë Nightshade stepped forward, encompassing me in a short hug, something I would have never expected of her. "You are my commander now, Percy. I will treat you with respect."

"Thank you, Zoë. It's great to see you."

Suddenly, I realized something. If Nico was here, then perhaps...

"Jason? Hazel?" I called, expecting two to step forward. However, only one did. Hazel's curly gold hair exploded gracefully out of her hood.

"Percy, Jason is still alive. He managed to get away from Ladon, or so Lord Chaos promised us. He doesn't know you died, nor does anyone else. Perhaps Troy and his followers, but they have no proof. Your 'body' did disappear, after all." Hazel spat out the word 'followers' with venomous disgust.

"Hazel, I'm so sorry you died for me," I apologized first. She only replied with a consoling smile, her shy quietness reminiscent of when she, Frank and I had gone to Alaska.

Frank.

"Does Frank or anyone else know you and Nico are technically dead, too?" I asked. Hazel frowned at his name.

"No, not yet," Lord Chaos answered from behind me.

"Not that I care about him, anyway," Hazel rushed, "you saw the way he treated you. I gave up on him after that."

The three children of Hades stood together, a strange mixture of death and warmth surrounding them. I turned my attention to the remaining cloaked figures.

The last two stepped forward together, hand in hand. One towered over the petite other. Charles Beckendorf and Silena Beauregard revealed themselves, and my heart swelled with happiness at the two of them being together, even after death.

Lord Chaos clapped his hands together. "Percy, it is time for you to receive your powers. Don't worry, it will only hurt a little."

He led me to a wide open space in the middle of the circle of thrones. I bounced nervously on the black marble tiles. The seven demigods sat in their respective thrones, eagerly watching.

Taking a few steps back, Lord Chaos summoned a massive ball of pulsing, dark energy. It seemed like a black hole whipping through a sphere of space. With a small grunt, Lord Chaos thrusted the dark energy ball towards me.

Electricity ran through my body as the ball collided with me. Numbness spread from my fingers, down my arms, and up my legs, until the only thing I could feel was immense power radiating from the centre of my chest. Senses finally began to return to my body, but the feeling of power remained deep within. Lord Chaos watched, a thin smile across his lips. I guess this was normal for him.

But suddenly the smile melted off his face. His eyes widened, and behind him the seven demigods rushed off their thrones towards me, aghast. I frowned. What was wrong?

Looming shapes from behind me grabbed my attention. I whirled around, but the shapes went with me. Craning my neck, my mouth dropped open as I realized what they appeared to be. "What the Holy Hades are those?!"

Broad, black wings spread from my back. Blackjack's impressive wings were nothing compared to these. I flapped them once, twice, three times. Quickly, I overcame my shock and began to laugh, and I turned back Lord Chaos. But his reaction was completely the opposite of mine.

"Oh, Percy..." Bianca said sympathetically.

"What?" I asked. I thought the wings were pretty cool.

"I know you didn't want to be involved with any more prophecies, but long ago the Oracle promised Lord Chaos that the warrior with the wings would, in a time of great need, deliver unforeseen destruction, but great peace, to both the realm of Chaos and the realm of Order." Bianca explained.

I nodded solemnly, "Well, whatever this great 'time of need' is, it sounds like it might have something to do with the ancient force Troy and Lord Chaos spoke of."

"Yes, I believe so too," Lord Chaos agreed, "which means we must begin to train you, so you can become the greatest warrior to exist in the realm of Chaos and Order!"