Curse of the Hero - Percy Jackson

XVI

XVI
A Few Weeks Later

Percy breathed in, taking a deep breath, trying to calm down his nerves, he didn't know why he was nervous, he didn't want to feel nervous, but he couldn't help it. Percy turned towards the person in front, a man at the front of a wooden stage. His body was tense, he felt like he himself was in a horror movie. Percy turned beside him, seeing Wymer giving a thumbs up, today was when Percy would officially become a true Teutonic Knight, a true crusader, Wymer too was with him, turning from a full Teutonic Knight to a full Sepulcri, which wasn't an easy feat.

"You nervous?" Wymer asked, turning towards Percy. Percy nodded a little, Wymer chuckled, giving a small nod.

"So am I." Wymer said, chuckling awkwardly. Percy shook his head and turned towards the front, seeing the person in a small stage made out of wood, looking at the recruits, their numbers were a few hundred, it was the official knighting to becoming a full crusader, and each recruit from each order was there to become a full crusader, Percy though went through this already with Camelot, he was nervous at first but got over it once it was done, Percy didn't know why he was still nervous now, he has done it in the past, yet, it feels like it was still his first time becoming a knight.

"Today marks the day of your official knighting, the day you officially become a full crusader, now my fellow brethren, prepare yourselves. For once you become one of us, you can never live the life you once had, you can never take it back. Prepare your mind, prepare your soul, this battle we are fighting, this war, it is not for the faint of heart. You will encounter things that you wish you hadn't, out there, it's killed, or be killed. Once you become one of us, blood will be spilt, be it yours, or theirs, it is yours to decide who would die in the hellish battlefield." He said, immediately the crowd turned silent, as if only now realizing what they were about to dive into.

"Anyone who wants to back out can, it is understandable, If you do, step forward, for if you can't handle the intensity on the battlefield, and enter it when you're not ready, you can't go back, last chance to regain the life you once had." The person in front said, adjusting his tunic, looking around to see if there were any people wanting to go back to their old lives. Percy looked around, seeing a few people step in front, maybe around three to four, Percy was surprised it was that few, usually most of the recruits would just bail at the last second, well, that was what Percy heard from Wymer and Edeline.

"Is this all?" He said my looking at the four people stepping in the front.

"Well then, guards, take these four back to their quarters to be escorted out immediately, send them a bag of bread along the way and send them back home." The person said, the guards nodded and went towards the four, escorting them out of the area, presumably back to their quarters.

"Now then." He said, turning towards the crowd of soon to be crusaders.

"I, one of the high council members, dub thee, in the name of the Holy Eye, take these mere recruits, and transform them into holy crusaders." He said, a magical yellow light engulfing the area. Percy could feel rejuvenated, feeling a small surge of strength pass through him, it wasn't much, but Percy felt it, he felt a bit more powerful. Percy shook his head and turned towards Wymer who seemed to experience it too, he wasn't shocked though, as if he already experienced it a first time, which he already had.

"I welcome thee to the crusades, fellow crusaders, I wish you the best of luck, Dues Vult." He said.

"Dues Vult!" The crowd cheered, the word ringing through the area, Percy couldn't help but smile a little. Percy shook his head and turned towards Wymer who also had a small grin in his face.