𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐋¹ || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐋𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈

✦ 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ✦

JUMPING OUT A WINDOW ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY METERS ABOVE THE GROUND IS NOT USUALLY PERCY'S IDEA OF FUN. Especially when he's wearing bronze wings and flapping his arms like a duck. They plummeted towards the valley and the red rocks below.

As Percy tried to adjust to the newfound control of his bronze wings, he glanced over and spotted Aurora soaring gracefully beside him. Her magnificent white and gold wings spread wide, casting shimmering reflections in the sunlight. She navigated effortlessly through the air, her movements fluid and natural, a stark contrast to Percy's awkward flapping.

Percy was pretty sure he was going to become a grease spot in the Garden of the Gods, as Annabeth yelled from somewhere above him, "Spread your arms! Keep them extended."

The small part of Percy's brain that wasn't engulfed in panic heard her, and his arms responded.

As soon as he spread them out, the wings stiffened, caught the wind and his descent slowed. Percy soared downwards, but at a controlled angle, like a kite in a dive. Experimentally, he flapped his arms once. Percy arced into the sky, the wind whistling in his ears.

"Yeah!" Percy yelled.

The feeling was unbelievable. After getting the hang of it, he felt like the wings were part of his body. He could soar and swoop and dive anywhere he wanted to. Percy began to understand the sheer joy and love Aurora found in flying.

The ability to navigate the skies, to feel the wind beneath his wings, to witness the world from such a unique vantage point— it was nothing short of magical. Every twist and turn, every swoop and dive was a testament to his newfound freedom, a liberation from the constraints of the earthbound world below.

Percy turned and saw his friends – Rachel, Annabeth, and Nico – spiraling above him, glinting in the sunlight. Behind them, smoke billowed from the windows of Daedalus' workshop.

"Land!" Annabeth yelled, "These wings won't last forever."

"How long?" Rachel cried.

"I don't want to find out!" Annabeth said.

"Don't worry! I'll catch you guys if you fall!" Aurora said.

"That is not at all reassuring, Rory!" Nico yelled.

Percy swooped down towards the Garden of the Gods, following Aurora's lead. They did a complete circle around one of the rock spires and freaked out a couple of climbers. Then the five of them soared across the valley, over a road, and landed on the terrace of the visitor center.

It was late afternoon and the place looked pretty empty, but they ripped off their wings as quickly as they could while Aurora tucked her actual wings back in her.

Looking at them, Percy could see Annabeth was right. The self-adhesive seals that bound the wings to their backs were already melting, and they were shedding bronze feathers. It seemed a shame, but they couldn't fix them, and couldn't leave them around for the mortals, so they stuffed the wings in the bin outside the cafeteria.