Tidal Wave (Luke Castellan)

The Perspective

I took a deep breath of delicious air. It felt like a really long time since I'd breathed. Maybe it was. Wait... I was alive. I wasn't in the Underworld waiting to be judged by Hades. No... I was in the same spot I last remembered being. The gold tendrils weren't holding me down anymore. I was free to get up and move. What in the world happened?

Percy and Annabeth ran around the throne and stood on either side of me. They each held an arm as I stood up shakily. Their eyes scanned over me, as if to check that I was okay. They were wearing the same clothes as I last remembered seeing them in. Annabeth was still soaking wet too.

"How long was I trapped there?" I managed to let out.

"About 5 minutes," Annabeth said.

"5... 5 minutes? Wait... I..." My brain was travelling in about a hundred different directions at once, "How'd you guys get me out? I thought once I sat down I was stuck there."

"We had a conversation with Hephaestus. He seemed very impressed by you," Annabeth said.

"And we did a little bit of gaslightning," Percy added.

"That too," Annabeth agreed.

Hephaestus? Gaslighting? They gaslit a god? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts, "I'll just take your word for that."

Annabeth reached up and put my hat on my head with a grin, "Let's go give Ares his shield back."

~ ~ ~

Grover and Ares were waiting for us when we got to the diner. Annabeth and Percy had filled me in as to what went down with Hephaestus on the walk. I was surprised that the god would allow me to go free but thinking back on it, it made sense. I was caring for the others like he probably wished someone cared for him. Had it been someone like Ares, I definitely would've died back there.

Annabeth dropped the shield on Ares's table.

"Well, well, well," Ares grinned, "None of you ended up dead."

Percy took a defensive step forward. I grabbed his arm to hold him back. It wasn't worth starting a fight with Ares right now. Not when he was promising us transportation and information about Percy's mom.

"Where's the transportation you promised us?" I asked, trying my best to keep my voice level.

Ares must've detected something in me that I didn't realize that I was showing, "Ah, so you're the one who almost died. I should've guessed. You have a knack for evading death. This is what? Your third time? I'm sure Hades won't be too happy to see you for more reasons than one when you make it to the Underworld."

I ignored the looks of curiosity that the others gave me as I stated again, "Where's the transportation you promised us?"

Ares pointed to a wildlife truck outside, "See that truck over there? That's your ride. Take you straight to Vegas. From there, you'll want to find the Lotus Casino and find Hermes. Get him to give you a lift, his driver can take you anywhere."

Percy gave the truck a look of disgust, "You're kidding."

Ares led us outside to his bike, "Free ride west, punk. Stop complaining. And here's a little something for doing the job."

He handed Percy a bookbag full of goodies for us.

"Thank you Lord Ares," Grover said before Percy said something stupid. Based on the look on Percy's face, it was a good call.

Ares snapped and the back doors to the truck popped open. Annabeth, Grover, and I hopped in the back but Percy wasn't quite done with Ares yet.

He took a step towards the god of war, "You owe me one more thing. You promised me information about my mother."