Children of Olympia: Apocalypse

Sore Memories

"Alex!" Percy called. "Please, bro, you don't need to do this. The boy isn't worth your anger."

Alex took a deep breath and pulled Eddy back, slamming him on the ground. He turned to the principal. "Expel me if you like, but you should teach him some manners."

Back home, it was a total hell breaking loose! Sally Jackson threw an HD quality tantrum, while Percy tried to calm her down. As for Alex, he just went to his room and liberated his anger on the innocent action figures.

"Alex!" Percy knocked on the door. "Can I come in?"

"Leave me alone, Percy!" Alex shouted back.

"But I got you some coffee." Percy replied. "Your favorite."

"I don't want it!" Alex replied.

"Bro!" Percy's voice came from outside. "You know you need someone to talk."

Alex sighed and opened the door. "Make it fast."

"Alright." Percy said, giving Alex the coffee mug. "See, I won't judge your reaction as right or wrong. But do you actually feel hanging a person out of the building was a good idea?"

"He needed a lesson." Alex replied.

"He sure did." Percy said. "But did that cause any good to you? The principal would definitely kick you out of the school. Alex, what Eddy said is not the problem. The way you reacted is the real deal. You remember those bullies you used to fear?"

"Yes." Alex replied.

"Well, they are called 'bullies' for a reason." Percy elaborated. "Those guys just charge on to weaker students just because they have more strength. Take a look at what you did to Eddy. What's the difference between you and the bullies?"

"Well, I had a cause." Alex replied.

"And did the cause justify what you did?" Percy asked. "Look, l'il bro. I can bend the sea at will. But that doesn't mean I'll do that every single time I get angry. If I did, I would've caused tsunami strikes every month! The fact is, we can't hurt someone just because we can. Especially not some low-life idiots like Eddy Bobofit! No matter how much the urge, we shouldn't use our skills on people weaker than us."

"Easy for you to say, big bro!" Alex replied. "You are the gun of Olympus."

"That's what you think." Percy said. "These adventures, these powers, all seem cool from a distance. But see it from my perspective. Powers corrupt a person. I had a friend who went this way. His grudge against the gods led to his death. He offered me several chances to help him overthrow the gods. It was tempting, like 'why can't I when I can'. Similar temptation hit me when Gaia was stirring. But you know what had kept me sane all this time?"

"The camp?" Alex asked.

"No, not the camp." Percy replied. "Not even my friends or Annabeth. It's the feeling that however powerful, I'm still a mere mortal. The realization that I have no authority to be the judge, the jury and the executioner, all at once. I am no god! This has kept me from falling off the deep end. And this thing hasn't come with my powers. It comes from the most human part: morals."

Alex nodded with a smile. "I guess I should apologize to mom." He turned towards the door, but stopped. "Hey, Percy! What if someday you actually went rogue?"

"If that happens," Percy replied, "I have a younger brother to beat the hell out of me."

The scene melted again, reforming to a burning forest. Alex could see Paul Blofis in front of him, guarding him from three youths. Paul's face was old and wrinkled, but he stood strong and confident. The boys walked into light.

"Step away, Paul!" Percy said. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Percy, this is insane!" Paul spoke.

"You heard the laws, Paul." Percy said. "Anyone who opposes the New Gods will be executed. Alex is identified as a rebel, I have to abide by the divine laws."

"Divine?" Paul asked. "You took over the entire American continent, planning to attack others as well. You destroy anything and anyone who stands against you under the name of the law of Olympus. You consider this divine?"

"Remind me to add 'lectures not allaowed' in the laws as well." Leo spoke. "Percy, let's finish this. We have other important works."

"Leo!" Nico objected. "There's no need to kill anyone." He turned to Paul, "If Alex surrenders, I promise to try to decrease his punishment to imprisonment."

"Jason is the king of Olympus." Percy said, negating Nico. "He made the rules. I have no other choice. Alex shouldn't have stood against us."

"Please, Percy!" Paul said. "Spare him. I swear he won't do it again."

"Paul," Percy said, walking closer, "I say one last time. Get the hell out of my way!"

"Percy, stop!" Nico spoke, holding his friend's hand.

"Don't object me!" Percy spoke, brushing Nico off and taking out Riptide.

"He's your brother, Percy!" Paul said. Paul's last words were followed by the sound of metal clanking and the blade of Riptide going through the old man's chest.

Alex sat up on his bed, his Blade of Olympus gleaming in the moonlight. He looked around, but the burning forest and the body of his father was nowhere. However, Percy's reply to Paul's last words was still clear in his mind, "Correction: half-brother!"

Alex stood up. The nightmare had washed all his rest away. Maybe a little walk would help him relax, he thought.

"You're not sleeping?" Chiron's voice came from a distance.

"Nightmares." Alex replied. "And you?"

"I'm a centaur, kid." Chiron replied. "Plus, an immortal. I don't usually sleep."

"Chiron," Alex asked, "can I trust these people?"

"Which ones?" Chiron enquired.

"The twelve?" Alex asked. "When they say they're not like they had been in my time. I've seen Percy change in a matter of days. He had said that powers corrupt a person. And it happened to him. What if they went through something similar in this time?"

"Well," Chiron replied, "that remains to be seen. As far as I am concerned, we'll be prepared for such a time, if it ever came in this time." Getting a nod from Alex in reply, Chiron continued. "What about these new teammates you have? You trust them?"

"Not much." Alex replied. "But enough. Which brings me to a question, do you know about this last guy I'm trying to find?"

"Yes." Chiron answered. "He came to the camp when he was 11. That time, we had only twelve cabins. The boy felt neglected and fell for Kronos' alluring. After the war, he was given a place back in the camp, but he refused. Angry, the gods restricted him from the camp forever."

"So, this was the second chance she was talking about." Alex wondered. "I guess I must leave at sunrise."

"Alone?" Chiron asked. "Salt Lake City is full of monsters, being so far from the camp. I would advice you to take companions."

"I'll see that in the morning." Alex replied. "It's gonna be a long day."

Anyone guessed who is the final addition to the team?