Alarm bells had already begun raging in my head... I had never told her my real name. And nothing good ever comes when people start calling me Perseus.
Percy POV:
"Now, I really wish I didn't have to do this."
The mermaid's eyebrows knitted together, puzzled by the haphazard comment.
Sighing, I clasped my arms behind my back and twirled a finger, silently constructing a whirlpool around the guard that had been trailing behind us — Amaris, I think the mermaid had called her.
"I had really hoped we could be friends," I explained, concentrating on pushing the molecules together to form a thick cage of ice before morphing it into metal. I mentally thanked Hephaestus's blessing for that trick.
"Even though you all looked real ugly and scary I was all like nah... they're definitely nicer on the inside than the outside." I pushed the little whirlpool with the guard towards the cage and let it dissolve once she was safely contained.
"I mean look at those teeth! And your eyes!" I feigned a horrified shudder while building a current around us to protect me from the merpeople that had noticed their comrade rather... inaccessible at the moment.
"Your point?" the mermaid queen lady questioned, eyes narrowing. Whoops. Might've offended her.
"Weeeell, since you asked, my point is that you really shouldn't lie to me. I don't –"
In a breath of a moment, the mermaid had her trident at my throat. I had to say, it was a disappointing piece for a leader's weapon – scrappy almost. Although I could always appreciate something a little rough at the edges... wait no pay attention there's a trident at your throat Percy.
Rolling my eyes, I pushed the tip of the blade away. "Now now, no need to be so rash. As I was saying, I don't appreciate being deceived."
She didn't seem to like that (especially because no matter how hard she pushed, she couldn't seem to move the weapon) and her eyes began to glow a bright gold before she released a high piercing noise.
She moved as to hit me before I solidified some water before me to shield myself.
"Easy now, let's just talk before I actually have to hurt you."
I loosened the grip on my power aura in warning before manipulating the currents around her to turn to my handiwork. Eyes widening, she took in the scene before her: her single guard locked in a metal cage floating in the middle of the water and fifty or so other merpeople fighting (rather fruitlessly) through a sort of underwater current that had formed a sphere around the mermaid, cage, and I.
When she turned back to me the color had drained from her face. "How?"
Hermione POV:
Percy was... frightening, to be quite honest.
Striding into the room, a human-sized bubble of water floating in tow behind him, Percy's eyes flashed with thinly concealed power. Darkness surrounded him, snapping and cracking like a sort of electricity that charged the air. His usually bright green eyes, usually so easygoing, were completely dark.
"This creature claims some force is rising. It's what killed that girl," he explained, wholly unconcerned by the varied looks of confusion from the people in the room. They had all paused whatever they had been doing to gape rather unabashedly at Percy.
Ron was gawking, utterly flabbergasted, and Snape, who had come in at some point with Professor McGonagall, looked equal parts unnerved and exhilarated – like a kid who had just met his favorite superhero. Have to say that's just strange. Dumbledore eyes knit together with intrigue, Professor McGonagall looked nervous – her hand hovered over her pocket, as though eager to reach for her wand, and Harry... Harry looked uneasy, but also... oddly blank. His green eyes were lighter than normal, giving an eerie, otherworldly sort of feel to him.
Percy, miffed by the silence, cleared his throat before waving his hand towards the water. A mist I hadn't realized that had clouded the water cleared, revealing a mermaid... but different. This one had whiter, more translucent hair, and an overall more refined look compared to what I had studied.
Percy ran a hand through his hair before breathing deeply. The charge in the room seemed to lessen and I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "Now, we've talked already. Apparently, she won't be talking to anyone else but I'll explain everything, so y'all better be listening real good."
Dumbledore raised a single brow. Percy turned to look at him expectedly. "Is there anyone in this room I shouldn't be telling this to?"
Dumbledore chuckled, but his gaze seemed to drift to Harry for a moment, some emotion like uncertainly flashing across his face briefly. His answer though, was no.
Percy flashed a brief smile, dazzling and arresting, before turning to us. "Well then, you're in for a treat. Who here knows what a demigod is?"
Azalea POV (A/N: this is right after the last Percy POV)
[Percy POV] When she turned back to me the color had drained from her face. "How?"
This boy's aura was overwhelming. Even that being, the one that had threatened her people, had nothing on him. His power pulsed, weighty and charged as it shifted around him. She couldn't imagine how he had masked such power until now. What was he?
"I can't say I know what exactly your question refers to – how did I just do that? How did you not notice? Something else? But, I will not be the one explaining anything until you tell me who you've been speaking to. And, well, you are the one at a bit of disadvantage so I would make it quick if I were you."
The lighthearted manner that he had carried himself just moments before – it had dissipated, and a colder, far more daunting creature stood before her now. How had he known?
"I will say, though, since you're probably rather confused – your slip was using my full name. I hadn't given it to you so that's where I'd like you to start."
"Very well," I allowed, hoping my face did not divulge the fear I felt. I put my arm up to signal to the merpeople gathered around the current Percy had created to stand down.
What sort of being had elemental manipulation such as his? I knew there was no such cage like the one that trapped Amaris nearby, so he had to have constructed it somehow. And how had he created this... sphere? He had no wand, had chanted no spells. And he certainly didn't seem exhausted maintaining the barrier. Son of a deity he had said. But... it still did not make sense.
Percy coughed loudly. "Well, I'm definitely not pressed for time or anything. Do take your time doing... whatever it is you're doing."
"What are you?" I asked instead.
Percy barked laugh. I felt myself calm a little when his demeanor softened slightly. "Nope, you're going to tell me what you know first."
Well I'm not getting anything out of him now. And since he's more powerful...
"Guarantee your protection for my people."
He sighed. "Granted. You have my word."
I nodded. "A few months ago there were three wizards that came here. They were different though. Not right. Massacred my people – and threatened more. They promised mercy in exchange for favors. They wanted the mermaids blessed by the moon – their blood, freely given – and some of yours when you arrived, forcefully taken. They said you would come – Perseus, a wizard that could do magic without a wand and breathe underwater; they said you would have eyes of the sea. And then when you said your name was Percy... I was certain it was you."
Percy released some air before running his hand through his hair. It suddenly seemed as though he bore the world on his shoulders. "What can you tell me about these other wizards?"
"Powerful, dark auras. Two male, one female; one of the males was in charge. They weren't right though. Their eyes were all oddly light – translucent almost. Fantasmas they called themselves. I believe they were... inhabiting the bodies. Feeding off them. The female had blond hair, tall and slender, and one of the males was heavily built with close cropped muddy hair. The male in charge was slim – dark hair, green eyes. Had a scar on his forehead – lightning shaped."
Percy's eyes widened. "Well shit."
A/N (s):
Okay, first of all, I cannot believe you've actually read this far. Like actually – thank you so much for sticking with this!
Also, sorry for the writing style – I know it's badly written but I wanted to get the chapter out asap.
Okay and finally: don't forget to vote and definitely feel free to comment your thoughts on the chapter – some of you are actually hilarious.