Percy's point of view
After the villagers questioned me about how I'd used my powers I decided to tell them at least part of the truth. Sure, I didn't technically know them well yet, but I wanted them to let me help them since I had the feeling they would need me. I understood what they meant by magic since minutes before they confronted me the deity who was helping me had given me some information about how magic worked in Alegasia and that most people didn't really trust magic users.
I replied, "It wasn't magic, or at least not the kind that you're thinking of. I was born with the ability to control water, but I wasn't aware of it until I was twelve when I finally learned how to use it. Before you can understand how I have that ability you will need to know more about my past. I lied when I told you all that I lived in the spine, the truth is I'm not from there, or anywhere else in Alegasia for that matter. I was banished here by my family after they accused me of a crime I didn't commit,"
The villagers seemed to have different reactions to what I was telling them but most of them seemed to be either shock or disbelief. I got the feeling that by the time I told them everything I was planning to they would most likely believe me despite how crazy my story would sound to them.
The next thing I did was ask them if they had a religion they believed in. It turned that they didn't or not one that included gods anyway. After that, I continued explaining my own story. I could tell that they all found my story hard to believe, but I think they all came to the conclusion that it would be nearly impossible to come up with that elaborate of a story to lie.
I don't think that was all that convinced them though because although I usually try not to show when I'm upset I think the pain from the betrayal probably showed on my face as I'd told them most of my real story. I hadn't told them about much besides me being a demigod and the gods and my friends betraying me. I basically told them enough, so they'd know why I had special powers and that they could trust me since I could kind of relate to their situation. After I finished explaining some of them looked like they might still be a little suspicious of me, but they didn't bother interrogating me further.
After that everyone went their separate ways probably still working on absorbing what I'd said.
I eventually found out that the prominent members of Carvahall held a meeting to decide what action the village should take and if Horst and his allies should be punished for initiating the hostilities. Roran told me the outcome of the meeting not long after it had finished.
Roran seemed to believe my story and seemed to be accepting me once again although I think he was kind of annoyed that he hadn't realized my previous story was a lie. After the meeting ended the funeral for the seven men who'd been killed by the Ra'zac and their soldiers. I went just to pay my respects even though I didn't really even know them.
I was kind of relieved when the villagers agreed to send all their young children to a farm outside the village, so they would be safer. Later in the day, Roran got everyone to help with creating some new defenses for Carvahall. Although I don't think everyone fully trusted me I helped where I could. That same evening Albriech went around giving Spears and shields to everyone. They certainly weren't as well made as the ones at camp were, but they would have to do. I'd also kept the sword I'd stolen from the soldier, but I hoped that I'd eventually get a better one since it wasn't right for me.
When the day eventually came to an end An elderly couple who seemed to have believed my story and trusted me allowed me to stay with them overnight since they had an extra room. I thanked them since I would have been staying outside otherwise. When I laid down, hoping sleep would find me I wasn't sure if I would get demigod dreams here, but it seemed that I would because not long after I fell asleep, I had one, or at least that's what I thought it was.
In the dream a woman stood in front of me, she was kind of short, she had brown hair and blue eyes. The dress she was wearing was also blue. I got the feeling that she was a goddess, but I didn't recognize her. Another thought occurred to me, could she be the deity who had been helping me since I arrived in Alegasia? I didn't know so I decided to find out. "Who are you?" I asked her, kind of confused.
She replied, "I am Kilf, I'm not one of your gods, I rule over the waters of Alegasia,"
Great, I thought sarcastically. Sure, she seemed nice enough so far, but I got the feeling that there were probably more deities in her pantheon than just her, and that meant I had a whole new group of gods to deal with, knowing my luck I would probably somehow manage to piss them off too.
Despite my pessimistic thoughts, I came up with a new question to ask her. "Are you who has been helping me?"
She replied, "Yes, my husband and I noticed you when you were sent here. We knew you were innocent of the crimes you were accused of, so I decided to help you. We have always disliked how your gods banish people they dislike here, but any time we've requested they stop they ignored us. Most of the time the people they send are innocent of the crime they were accused of, and this only frustrates us further. continue to help Roran and the villagers, I believe they will need you. I know you are still upset about how your family treated you, but you may yet find a new family here,"
Just as I was about to ask a new question she said, "Wake up now Perseus, you will learn the answers to your other questions another time,"
After she said that I did just that, I realized it was morning, so I started to get up. After that, I prepared for the day ahead and had breakfast before going to help watch for soldiers or the Ra'zac. Eventually, I heard Roran shout from somewhere else that he'd seen soldiers. For the moment I didn't see any, but I still unsheathed my sword, just so I'd be prepared if some of them did decide to show up.
Not that long afterward the disembodied voice of a Ra'zac slithered out of the mist: "By continuing to defend Carvahall, you proclaim your choice and ssseal your doom. You ssshall die!"
Loring responded: "Show your maggot-riddled faces if you dare, you lily-livered, bandy-legged, snake-eyed wretches! We'll crack your skulls open and fatten our hogs on your blood!"
Due to the mist that made it difficult to see anything that wasn't right in front of you I didn't notice the Ra'zac until they were almost right in front of me. thankfully I saw them soon enough that I was able to avoid the explosion that occurred soon after their arrival. I saw them throw something at the tree wall and it dawned on me that it might be what had caused the explosion the previous day.
Thankfully I'd gotten a bad feeling soon enough that I'd gotten out of the way of the blast in time. The blast created a gap in the trees that allowed the soldiers to enter. When the soldiers reached me, I was ready with my stolen sword in hand. Technically I also had one of the spears Horst and his sons had made, as well as one of the shields that Fisk made, but I'm better with a sword than a spear and since I went for so long using almost nothing but riptide, I was used to using a sword and preferred it over anything else.
While I was fending off one of the soldiers several others were dragging away the splintered remains of several trees. Beyond them, pale and wraithlike in the glittering rain, sat the Ra'zac on their black horses. While I was still fighting the first soldier Sloan and Roran came to help with the soldiers. I assumed they had probably heard the explosion when the soldiers broke through the tree wall.
I defeated the first soldier and moved on to another one. Sloan and Roran were also fighting now. Eventually, the last soldier panicked and fled toward the impassive specters of the Ra'zac while Sloan bombarded him with a stream of insults and foul names. When the soldier finally pierced the shining curtain of rain, we watched as the two black figures bent down from their steeds on either side of the man and gripped the nape of his neck with twisted hands. The cruel fingers tightened, and the man shrieked desperately and convulsed, then went limp. The Ra'zac placed the corpse behind one of their saddles before turning their horses and riding away.
I'd faced a lot of different monsters since I'd realized I was a demigod, but that didn't mean that I wasn't bothered by what had just happened. I think I was slightly less disturbed than Roran though. I could see that he was talking to Sloan and I think I heard most if not all of their conversation.
I heard Roran say, "You fought well."
Sloan said in a low voice, "They'll never get Katrina. Never, even if I must skin the lot of them, or fight a thousand Urgals and the king to boot. I'd tear the sky itself down and let the Empire drown in its own blood before she suffers so much as a scratch."
He clamped his mouth shut then, jammed the last of his knives into his belt, and began dragging the three broken trees back into position. While he did, Roran rolled the dead soldiers through the trampled mud, away from the fortifications. I think we were all wondering what else might have occurred, so we returned to the scene of the first attack.
When we got there, we saw that two soldiers hung lifelessly on the slick branches of the tree wall, but that was not what got our attention. we could see that Horst and the other villagers were kneeling in a circle around a small body. I recognized the kid, I'd seen him once or twice since I'd come to Carvahall I just couldn't remember what his name was, for that matter I wasn't sure if anyone had ever told me what it was. I could tell that the boy who looked like he might be around ten had been struck in his side by a spear. I saw two adults sat beside him. I recognized one of them as Delwin and I guessed the woman beside him was most likely his wife. I also guessed that the boy was probably their son.
Unfortunately seeing a dead child wasn't exactly new to me. Sure, most of the demigods who'd died in the wars were teenagers but not all of them were. I think that the boy's death reminded the villagers that something needed to be done to protect their children from harm. I wasn't sure what they should do, as long as they're in Carvahall they aren't safe but as far as I could tell we couldn't leave and take them somewhere else to protect them. We were basically trapped in Carvahall. I'd really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I'd agreed to help Roran but I wasn't going to abandon him either. We may not have known each other very long but I think we were gradually becoming friends. If I'd learned anything during the past few years it was that bonds seem to form quickly when you're fighting to stay alive.