I'LL ACT LIKE TIME HASN'T PASSED IN THE MAGNUS CHASE SERIES.
Percy's POV
I woke up at a entry courtyard of an opulent town house.
I blinked a few times, trying to get it through my head. Why was I here? Was I set to elysium immediantly? I felt my clothes- I simple white shirt with jeans. I felt Riptide in my pocket.
No scars.
Nothing. Not even the rough burn on my cheek.
Maybe.
I extended my wings, and was delighted they were here. I snapped them shut.
So I was dead.
Then where was I?
I looked around the other buildings. I was in Manhattan. Skyscrapers. I could faintly see the Empire State building from here.
But the strange thing was that there were no cars.
No cabs.
I frowned. No. I was dead. I turned back to the house. There was a tree with glittering golden leaves and a bronze plaque. I squinted at it. There was English, and something else.
Norse?
I rubbed my eyes.
WELCOME TO THE GROVE OF GLASIR.
NO SOLICITING. NO LOITERING.
HOTEL DELIVERIES: PLEASE USE THE NIFLHIEM ENTERANCE.
"Niflhiem..."
I traced my memory back to when Annabeth had told me about Norse myths. Horror flashed through me. I was Greek. Someone had gotten me mixed up. Suddenly, the doors opened to let out golden light and a burly man in uniform. He stared at me with his bloodshot eyes.
"Dead?"
I nodded slowly.
He sighed. "Come in. I'll show you to registration."
~
I decided to keep quiet about the fact I was Greek.
My heart hammered in my chest as I followed the man.
"I'm Hunding."
"... I'm Percy."
He glanced at me once before looking back foward. I looked around. There were other guys in bathrobes, laughing and chatting with each other. There were spears and shields decorating the place, which I knew Clarissie would love. In the middle of the foyer, a free standing display board announced:
TODAY'S ACTIVITIES
SINGLE COMBAT TO THE DEATH!- OSLO ROOM, 10A.M.
GROUP COMBAT TO THE DEATH!- STOCKHOLM ROOM, 11A.M.
BUFFET LUNCH TO THE DEATH!- DINING HALL, 12PM
FULL ARMY COMBAT TO THE DEATH! MAIN COURTYARD, 1P.M.
BIKRAM YOGA TO THE DEATH!-COPENHAGEN ROOM, BRING YOUR OWN MAT, 4P.M
"Luggage?"
I fingered Riptide. "No."
"Welcome!" another bearded man with crazy hair said. "Checking in?"
I nodded slowly.
"Huh. Well... Died pretty early. But we have your room ready. We've upgraded you to a suite."
Hunding mumbled something next to me, but I decided to let it pass. The man eyed me.
"I'm Helgi." he handed me a stone engraved with a single viking rune. "Would you like the minibar key?"
I pondered on it for a moment. "Yeah."
He handed me the minibar key.
"Hunding will show you to your room. Enjoy your afterlife!"
~
"You're exeptionally calm about this."
I looked around. "Yes."
He didn't sat anything. I saw many hotel guests- all about my age or older. They were in small groups, chatting in different languages. I tried to keep my panic under control. I glanced at the buff female women serving breakfast. I looked at the axes and decided not to mess with them. For once that I wasn't sick, I felt a bit hungry, but I was too worried to eat.
"... This place is pretty nice for people who are dead."
"It's for the einherjar. The once warriors, who fought bravely and will fight bravely again on Ragnarok."
"Again?!"
He flinched at my tone. "Of course." he said quickly.
Again..... For people I didn't even know. I hope I would get out of this place soon. I spotted a few wolves pulling a corpse away but decided to ignore it.
"Where am I going?"
"Floor nineteen. Good hallmates!"
The elevator door opened and I looked around the spacious hallway. There was about 50 feet apart on every door. There weren't any doorknobs, just a plate size iron circle inscribed with a name surrounded by runes.
HALFBORN GUNDERSON
MALLORY KEEN
THOMAS JEFFERSON, JR
MAGNUS CHASE
"Chase?"
"Yes. He's pretty new- a son of Frey. Know him?"
I shook my head.
He led me to a room with my name.
PERSEUS JACKSON
I scowled at my full name. He pressed the stone against the circle and the door opened.
It took my breath away.
Sand. Sand as white as snow- and as soft as cotton. It shifted comfortably under my shoes.
Hunding held out his hands, and I realized he wanted a tip. I reached inside my pocket and felt my drachma. I tried heating my hand up and melted it into a lump of gold. I held out the gold and he frowned at it.
"Human gold." he grumbled, but snatched it out of my hand. "Guess I can use it somehow. Your Valkyrie will come before dinner."
He shut the door behind himself and I collasped on the sand.
What the Di Angleo.
I ran my fingers through my hair. What am I? Where am I? And why am I here!?
I took a deep breath.
Okay. Calm.
I looked around the whole place- a luxury hotel. The bathroom was large, really large, and the bathtub took up half of the space. It as big as a small pool. The white sand outside had a small beach lapping against it. The beds were bunker bed for some reason- with the same silky sheets I used at camp.
Camp.
I looked around to see pictures stuck on the wall.
So many pictures.
I pulled one with Annabeth and I in the lake, kissing. The underwater kiss. I folded it carefully and stuck it in my pocket. She would help me. I took off my shirt and stared down at my bare chest.
No scars.
I could barely trace the faint white scars. My arms were smooth. I swallowed hard.
My wings.
They just itched to be used. I flapped them a few times and smiled.
Suddenly, an IM appeared in the air. Hermes was staying something frantically.
"Come- sorry- mix up- Odin- stay put till dinner!"
It shut down and I sighed. So there was a mix up. And they were coming for me. All I had to do is wait.
Wait.
I pulled on my shirt and looked at the book lying on he coffee table.
GUEST SERVICES.
I examined a map of the hotel. It was way to big for me to memorize. I set it down and went to the bathroom. I filled the tub full of water and went in after pulling off my shirt. I relaxed in the water, feeling better.
I heard the door open and I scrambled out of the tub, quickly drying myself. I stepped out of the bathroom to see a girl with long brown hair and a white dress with axes on her golden belt. She shrieked when she saw me shirtless.
"Put some clothes on!"
I grabbed my shirt from the bathroom and slipped it on awkwardly.
She scanned me carefully.
"You took a shower. Right when you came.
"Uh.... Is that wrong?"
She scowled but held out her hand.
"I'm Samirah al-Abbas. You can call me Sam."
I shook her hand carefully. "... Percy Jackson."
She raised an eyebrow. "Not Perseus?"
"Please not Perseus."
A small smile flickered on her face.
"I'm pretty sure I'm right this time. Magnus...." she shuddered.
Chase.
"Magnus Chase?"
"You know him?"
"No.... Does he have any cousins?"
She frowned. "Maybe. Yes. I think he had one. Anne?"
"Annabeth."
Saying the name hurt. It left me almost breathless, left me missing her.
"Yes. Why?"
I fiddled with my fingers. "She.... She's my girlfriend."
Her eyes softened. "Oh. She's alive, right?"
I nodded slowly. "Can you-"
"Don't worry, I won't tell Magnus." she tilted her head to the side.
"Come on, I'll lead you to dinner."
~
Magnus's POV
When I saw the new guy, I wasn't very happy.
He looked like a god. One of the gods that liked changing their girlfriends every week.
Yup.
He was handsome with his black hair and sea green eyes, plus he was tall and well built. Sam was talking with him while he was nodding absentmindedly, looking around the hallway. He looked pretty calm.
"New guy?"
T.J looked over my shoulder. I nodded. Sam and the new guy came up to us. He stiffened when he saw me.
"Magnus, Percy. Percy, Magnus."
I nodded slowly as Percy held out his hand and smiled, showing off his pearly white teeth.
"Percy, this is T.J."
Jack slightly trembled on the chain.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine."
T.J raised an eyebrow. "Used to being dead?"
He smiled. "Kinda."
We were early today, so we didn't need to fly to get to our seats. Percy sat down next to me. I spotted a faint scar on his neck but it dissapeared under his white shirt. I spotted a few people with Valkyries. Only 3- four with Percy. Percy didn't ask many questions. He picked at his food.
"Not hungry?"
He nodded. His eyes flitted around. His body was tensed up but somewhat relaxed, like a panther. Jack was shaking slightly, as if he was scared or wanted to tell me something. Odin was at his throne, his ravens nibbling affectionately at his ears.
"Thats Odin?"
"Yup. And the fancy dudes are the Thanes."
He cracked a smile. "Fancy dudes."
"Yeah."
The thanes began banging their cups on the table in unison. Helgi stood and raised his goblet.
"Warriors! Four new fallen has joined us today! Let the presentation of the dead commence!"
Everyone's eyes turned to Percy and the newbies.
~
"Eunji Choi!"
An Asian girl stood up nervously. A video flickered to life and Percy paled.
"They show vidoes?"
"Yeah."
He looked like he was going to be sick. He gripped his goblet so tight his knuckles were white.
The Asian girl was a mortal. The next boy was also a mortal.
"Perseus Jackson."
"... Don't mess up."
Sam sat up, but Percy was frozen into place. Sam nudged him and he stood up abruptly, and his cup teetered dangerously but thankfully didn't tip over. The video flickered to life.
I could barely see anything. Just a figure lying in bed, and a blonde boy on he sofa. There was a girl with curly blond hair sleeping on a chair, her head resting on the bed. The one lying on the bed opened his eyes.
Sea green.
That was Percy.
The goblets on the table started rattling violently. I grabbed mine tight. A dark figure seeped through the window and put a sword at his neck. They exchanged a few words, and when the dark figure put a knife over the girl, he hissed, glaring at the figure. The figure stabbed down, but a shield of ice formed over the girl. The figure clenched his fists and Percy screamed, writhing in pain. He grasped something on the dresser- a pen? It elongated into a bronze sword. He stabbed at air, and the dark figure stabbed Percy right through his shoulder. Odin sat up from his throne.
"Samirah- how-"
Everyone gasped as the dark figure glowed in the dark- golden blood flowing out of his skin. Percy was doing something- something boiling him to death. All of he dark figure seeped through the cracks of the wooden floor and Percy keeled over, coughing up blood. He slumped back, a sword in hand and a knife through his shoulder.
He smiled.
He closed his eyes, and his face was serene in the dark. The video ended. Everyone turned to Percy. He was shaking hard. All the goblets exploded, covering my face with mead. The whole dining room was silent.
And he collasped.
Sam took a step back, having no intentions to catch him. The thanes argued with each other while Odin was almost as pale as Percy. I knelt over Percy and put my hands on his shoulders and put them off immediantly.
Pain.
Not physically, but emotionally. If healing Halfborn Gunderson was exploring a field of broken glass, this was like exploring a field with grenades all linked to each other. Percy's eyes were rolled back in his head, and he was gasping for breath, not making him so handsome. Suddenly, Odin pushed me back. Against Odin, Percy looked like a stick.
Odin banged a goblet on his head.
It was pretty effective.
"Samirah."
She clenched her teeth. "He died bravely. With a weapon in hand."
The thanes whispered to each other. Odin sighed.
"We have crossed a line between the gods." he swallowed hard. "Samirah. Take him to his room. And Magnus.... Follow her."
He yelled something to the thanes while we were leaving.
Dazed, I picked Percy up and followes Sam. She was pretty angry. Soon, my arm muscles were screaming against his weight. Sam broke the door open with her axe and I stepped into a beach. I dropped him on the soft sand. I wiggled my toes, feeling the sand between my toes.
"To his bed." Sam commanded.
I scowled but picked him up again and dragged him to his bed, which was oddly a bunker bed. Pictures covered the wall. I set him on the bed and examined the pictures. There were people who were as equally good looking as him. I saw him with a familiar blonde girl. I frowned.
Annabeth.
I scanned all the other pictures. Yes. There was Annabeth- them kissing, hugging and all that kind of couple stuff.
"Your cousin."
Sam stared at the pictures from behind me.
"How-"
"He told me."
I froze. Annabeth.... She was a greek demigod. If Percy....
I unattached Jack from the chain and he immediantly went to Percy's neck. But Percy was faster. In a second, his sword was out and he had blocked Jack.
"Is that Riptide!?"
"Is that a talking sword?"
"How-"
"Reflexes." he raised an eyebrow at Jack. "Can you get your sword off of me?"
"Jack."
"But he's a Greek!"
"Smart sword you have."
I grabbed Jack. "Thanks."
He capped his sword and it turned into a normal ballpoint pen. Thats when Odin came in. He glanced at Percy.
"... I'm sorry. My Valkyrie must of gotten you mixed up." he swallowed hard. "I heard from Hades-"
"I get it." he said smoothly.
"We have to go back." Odin grabbed us all in a group hug and we were back at the dining room. The thanes glared at Sam and Percy pointedly.
"Apparently, there has been a mix up of souls. It will be fixed-"
Suddenly, two men appeares. One was about 30 with brown hair in a greek tunic. He had a staff with two snakes. He had a godly aura that made me want to bow down.
The man next to him.
He was clad in a black cloak and clothes. His face was regal and calm, holding in any emotion.
The thanes gaped at the men while the brown haired man looked around pointedly.
Odin bowed to the man in black, and he scowled.
"Hello Lord Odin. It's nice to see you again." the man with brown hair said coldly.
"I'm very sorry about this mix-up Hermes." he glanced at Percy.
"Mix-up. You call this a mix up. You just snatched the dead Commander of Chaos's soul and say it's a mix up."
"Lord Hermes." Percy warned.
Hermes scowled. The man in black stared at Odin. Odin grabbed Sam and made her bow down to him.
"We apologize for this catastrophe. Our Valkyrie didn't know."
Mallory nudged me. "I... I think thats Chaos."
"Who's that?" I hissed.
"The creator of the universe. If he personally came to come for newbie.... He's someone important. Very."
Percy looked a bit uncomfortable looking at Sam and Odin bowing down.
"Chaos. It's alright." he glanced at me and smiled. "I've met someone."
Chaos's unerving eyes bore through me.
"I see."
I stood awkwardly like a fool as Chaos stepped towards Percy. Odin and Sam straightened, looking at Chaos and Percy.
"... I want to see Theo now."
Hermes looked a bit sad. Chaos hugged Percy, patting him on the back.
"I'm sorry." he let out a long sigh. "Lets go back. To where you belong."
Percy nodded slowly. He looked at me.
"... If you ever see Annabeth again-" he paused. "Tell her I'll miss her. And I'm waiting for her. With Theo."
I had a hundred questions to ask, but I knew I didn't have the time. The three dissapeared in a flash of light.
I blinked the white lights out of my eyes. A picture fluttered to the ground. I picked it up.
Percy and Annabeth.
They were kissing- inside a bubble of air. I flipped it over.
Underwater Kiss at Camp Half Blood
Percabeth Forever
~
Happy Holidays guys.
Percabeth Forever.
Love all of you.
I hope this is a nice present for all of you.
I'll be writing Chapter 101 ;)