The Road Ahead
"Phew, we made it alive. So many miles and not a single monster trying to eat us," said Percy with a grin as he looked at the tickets in Annabeth's hands.
At those words, Annabeth frowned, visibly irritated, before glaring at him.
"Don't say things like that, seaweed brain. It's bad luck."
Percy looked at her calmly.
"Remind me again—why do you hate me so much?" he asked with complete ease.
"I don't hate you," she said softly.
"Well, you almost fooled me," replied Percy with a touch of sarcasm.
Annabeth, holding her cap in her hands, folded it slightly and squeezed it before speaking.
"Look… it's just that we're not supposed to get along," she admitted after a moment. "Our parents are rivals."
"Huh? Why?" asked Percy, genuinely confused.
"Oh, how many reasons do you want?" Annabeth snapped, clearly losing patience. She sighed and then looked at him with a more serious expression.
"Once, my mother caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in one of Athena's temples. That alone was deeply disrespectful. And another time, Poseidon and Athena competed to become the patron of the city of Athens. Your father made a stupid saltwater spring as a 'gift,' while my mother created the olive tree. People saw that her gift was more useful and named the city after her," she explained, in her usual intellectual tone.
"Wow, she must really like olives," said Percy, completely missing the point.
Annabeth let out a frustrated growl, her face tightening in annoyance before sighing again.
"Forget it," she muttered and hurried toward the parked bus.
Percy watched her walk away, amused, before calling after her with a grin.
"I mean, if she had created pizza instead, that would've been a real gift!"
"I said forget it!" Annabeth shouted back, turning with fiery eyes before walking even faster to get away from him.
Grover just sighed tiredly before following both of them.
As Percy was about to step onto the bus, something caught his eye. A poster on a nearby pole showed his own face in large print. The words "Have you seen this boy?" were written in bold letters.
His eyes widened as he quickly tore the flyer down before anyone else could see it.
Reading the small text beneath, he muttered quietly, "Missing person. Possible witness to the disappearance of Gabe Ugliano and Sally Jackson," followed by a police contact number.
"Great," Percy said with irritation. It made sense that they were looking for him; his mom had vanished, and his stepfather too, both on the same day he was sent to camp. The police had no way of knowing where he'd gone, and now they probably thought he had something to do with his mother's disappearance. The idea alone made his stomach twist.
He realized they weren't far from his old neighborhood. That explained why the poster was here. Around this time, his mom would usually be finishing work and heading home. Gabe would be there too, playing cards, pretending not to care, just waiting for money to waste on his bets.
But everything had changed thanks to his master. Gabe wouldn't bother his mother ever again. And Percy himself would make sure to save her, to give her the peaceful life she deserved… as peaceful as possible, considering her son was a demigod.
"You know why she married him, Percy?" Grover suddenly asked, catching him slightly off guard.
"What, you can read minds now?" Percy replied, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"Only emotions," Grover said calmly. "Didn't I tell you? Satyrs can do that."
"You didn't tell me a lot of things, Grover. Not that I'm surprised," Percy muttered with mild sarcasm.
Grover ignored the remark and continued.
"She married him because of you. You call him Smelly Gabe, but that's an understatement. That man has an aura that's… blegh. I can still smell it on you even now, and you haven't been near him for a long time."
"Thanks," Percy replied flatly.
"You should actually be grateful," Grover went on. "Your stepfather smelled so disgustingly awful that his stench masked your demigod scent completely. I realized it the day we met in the car. Gabe's presence hid your essence for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, the monsters would've found you long ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was smart—and she really loved you to put up with that guy. For what it's worth, she did it all for you."
Percy looked away, his expression cold. "That's not much of a comfort," he said quietly.
For a moment, his demigod aura seemed ready to flare up, the air around him tense with restrained anger. Then he exhaled slowly, rubbing his face before forcing a more neutral look.
"But… it just gives me one more reason to finish this quest. My quest," he murmured.
Then a familiar scent reached him. He stopped, sniffed the air, and his eyes softened. It was a known aroma, warm and comforting, one that brought back a sense of security. For the first time in a long while, he smiled genuinely.
That faint trace reminded him that he had something behind him, something that gave him strength to keep moving forward. With an authentic, renewed smile full of energy, Percy ran toward the bus, ready to continue the journey.
…
Meanwhile, standing atop the roof of the ticket office building, Miraak calmly watched the movement of the crowd below.
His silhouette stood out against the sky; he wore his black jacket, the one with the image of a skeleton on the back and the word "Death" written beneath it. The fabric swayed slightly in the breeze, giving him an air that was both relaxed and menacing.
His eyes focused on the bus where Percy was boarding, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile formed on his face.
"It seems the boy's senses are improving," he murmured, his voice carrying a restrained note of pride. "But he shouldn't get too confident. I won't interfere… I want to see how he handles himself. If he doesn't meet my expectations, he'll have to endure the infernal training I've prepared."
His words faded into the city noise as he continued watching the vehicle. Then, his gaze shifted toward a pair of women walking through the crowd. There was something off about them; they moved with too much precision, like predators among distracted prey. They seemed to be searching for something… or someone.
Miraak observed them for a moment longer, showing no apparent interest, before sitting down on the edge of the roof.
With complete composure, he pulled a can of beer from his pocket. It was the same one he had been given as a reward for his first mission in this world. He held it between his fingers for a moment, vaguely recalling that event, then opened it with a sharp metallic click.
Immediately, a thick, intoxicating aroma spread through the air.
The scent was so strong it seemed to travel for kilometers. People walking below stopped in their tracks, glancing upward in confusion. Some closed their eyes and inhaled deeply, overcome by a strange sense of calm. Their bodies relaxed, their expressions softened, and a few even began to laugh for no reason, stumbling as if drunk.
Miraak studied the golden liquid inside the can with mild curiosity, watching the bubbles move lazily.
"Definitely beer," he muttered quietly before drinking it down in a single motion.
The liquid vanished so quickly that a single breath was enough to empty it.
"Not bad," he said with approval, nodding slightly.
He crushed the can in one hand, reducing it to a crumpled piece of metal. When he was about to throw it away, he paused, his gaze sharpening on the material. Something about it caught his attention.
After a few seconds of inspection, he slipped it into the inner pocket of his jacket, right where he kept his magic pouch.
Then his eyes returned to the bus already driving away, a faint spark of interest glinting within them.
The wind played with his hair and the hem of his jacket, and though he said nothing else, his mere presence made the air around him feel heavier.
Miraak remained there, silent and patient, like someone who already knew the outcome but still wanted to see how fate would unfold on its own… before he suddenly disappeared with a faint murmur, his body dissolving into mist.