The Challenge of the Thrones
Sally returned to the kitchen with a smile. When she noticed that Tyson was not there, it was fairly obvious that Miraak had stopped by.
"Tyson is such a good boy. Even though he scared me a little at first, after all, it is the first time I have ever seen a cyclops. He really seems like a small child. Who could his damn father be, to abandon him under a bridge? Poor thing…" she said while shaking her head with slight irritation, clearly indignant at the kind of parents capable of something like that, even if Tyson was not human.
"Yes, a very good boy," Percy replied with a faintly sarcastic tone.
"How about after school we go to that place you like so much? We take Tyson with us and then go eat," she suggested with a smile, planning a fun day for the three of them. "It will be impossible for your teacher to want to come with us, but…"
"Wait, Mom," Percy said, stopping her as he frowned with mild confusion. "But it will be late. I have to pack to go to camp, remember?" he added, looking at her intently.
Sally immediately seemed a bit nervous and looked away for a moment.
"Well… I was thinking that maybe this year it is not necessary for you to go," she said quickly. "After all, you originally went for safety. But what place is safer than where your teacher is, right?" she added at once. "Besides, as far as I understand, being his disciple puts you in a very bad position with your father's relatives."
But it sounded like a rather forced excuse. His teacher had allowed him to go to camp without any problem, because he truly did not care much, as long as Percy kept up with his training. In fact, he had even created an even harsher training regime. According to him, it was so Percy could show his possible opponents how prepared he was to tear their heads off in a single strike. Miraak's words, not Percy's.
And even though he was sure Zeus would not be very happy to have Percy hanging around the camp, after all he was still Poseidon's son, and it was his right to be there. The only one who could really complain was Zeus. Well… maybe Athena too, because of that eternal rivalry with Poseidon.
Although, thinking about it, maybe she was actually enjoying the fact that Poseidon's son did not even accept his father and instead followed another divine being as a father figure.
He was also certain that his mother still knew nothing about that supposed tournament between gods, where he would be Miraak's champion to fight against Olympus' champion. After all, it was very likely she would flat out refuse.
It was not that Percy liked lying to his mother, but sometimes it was necessary so she would not worry. Besides, that was already set in stone.
"Mom… you got a call from the camp, right?" Percy asked, staring at her, attentive to any twitch that might give her away.
Sally, feeling her son's gaze on her, let out a sigh. Percy had become much sharper in his observations. She did not quite know how it had happened, but sometimes she caught him watching her closely, especially when she was about to leave, as if he were making sure of something before smiling in satisfaction when he noticed everything was fine. His eyesight also seemed to have improved a lot. Truly surprising details.
"Chiron called," she finally admitted. "He said that maybe this year the camp will not be very safe for you."
"And why is that?" Percy asked, pressing the issue.
But Sally put on that expression Percy simply could not resist; a mix of sadness and restrained tears.
"Please, Percy," she said almost in a plea.
"That is cheating," he muttered. "Fine," he added, crossing his arms.
He really wanted to see Annabeth. And Grover, obviously. Though Grover was on his mission and probably would not be back for a while. But saying he only wanted to see Annabeth would sound weird, right? So let us say he also wanted to see the other campers.
Percy changed and went to look for Tyson, who was in the backyard, where his teacher had created a well prepared outdoor forge. There was a forge, an anvil, a grinding wheel, and a furnace space that looked as if it were made of lava. One of those tanning racks was also there, with a deer hide hanging from it.
All around, the ground was covered with daggers scattered everywhere, while Tyson worked on a new one, adjusting the final details.
"I am done," he said, before presenting it to Miraak, who was standing there with his arms crossed.
Miraak took the dagger and examined every detail, running a finger along the edge and then checking its balance.
"Mmm… usable," he said, which was practically a nod of approval, before tossing it back toward Tyson's hands.
That made Tyson show a truly happy smile.
"Tyson, it is time to go to classes," Percy said as he walked in just in time to see that exchange, while thinking that his teacher would never say something good to him. Even if he improved his
strength, he would most likely only say something like: well, at least now you will not die so easily and I will not have to revive you… although that would turn you into my slave forever.
"Right," Tyson replied, saluting Miraak before running off to change.
Percy remained standing there for a moment, throwing glances toward his teacher.
"What?" Miraak said, staring at him.
"No… nothing," Percy replied quickly, before turning around and heading off toward school.
Miraak watched his back as he raised an eyebrow slightly, with the clear feeling that the boy was thinking nonsense again. Then, suddenly, he turned his head to the side, where something like a shadow seemed to be lurking around Percy.
For an instant, Miraak's eyes became like those of a dragon, an intense red, almost imperceptible, as he narrowed them and fixed his gaze on that shadow. Then he curved his lips into an amused smile and made a small gesture with his hand, as if granting permission for it to disappear. The shadow moved immediately, followed by hurried footsteps filled with panic that fled at full speed.
Miraak then shifted his gaze toward the sky, toward a very specific direction. In the distance, an enormous mountain could be seen floating in the heavens, something no one else would be able to perceive. For a moment, from that very place, someone seemed to return his gaze, as if they had always been watching his every move. Miraak knew it very well.
He smiled in a violently amused way, as if provoking, encouraging something to happen, to be given a new excuse to return.
But that gaze withdrew quickly.
Miraak then pulled a golden, shining paper from his pocket. The same one that contained Olympus' challenge. From Zeus himself.
To the thrones:
The conflict shall be resolved by heroes.
Each domain shall make its will known through its own. No higher power shall intervene while the confrontation lasts.
Whoever crosses that boundary shall bear the consequences.
Let the chosen prepare themselves.
The confrontation shall take place after the Winter Solstice.
Below it, the symbol of his power. A lightning bolt that still seemed to crackle with living energy.
Miraak looked at the letter with the same mockery as before.
"Do you think those foolish games will serve any purpose?" he murmured. "Fine, we will do it your way. Let my disciple bathe in the blood of your chosen," he said, with a smile laden with dangerous excitement.
At that moment, Sally approached him from behind with a serious expression. Miraak noticed and turned to look at her.
"I cannot stop it, can I?" she asked, meeting his gaze firmly.
"Even if I did not exist in this world, he would be dragged along by the currents of his destiny," Miraak replied in a calm tone. "At least now he is gaining the power to oppose it without fear."
Hearing that, Sally showed a sad expression. She understood, at least in part, the fate of a hero. After all, there were countless legends about them.
"I am not training a hero," Miraak said, as if he had read her thoughts. "I am training a warrior."
With that said, he turned around and vanished into the mist.
Sally let out a faint smile, hoping from the depths of her heart that it would be so.
…
Meanwhile, Percy was leaving the house alongside Tyson when he felt a cold shiver run down the back of his neck. He stopped and turned around to look at his surroundings, but he found nothing.