It hit me like a lightning bolt.
No, worse—like someone had decided to weave razor wire into my body and pump it full of electricity. I dropped to my knees, my mouth open in a silent scream that never came. The pain was all-consuming, radiating from the core of my chest and spreading outwards in brutal, unrelenting waves.
Something lit up inside me, arcs of burning energy surging from one side of my body to the other. My muscles felt like they were twisting in on themselves, melting and reforming over and over. My knees buckled completely, and I collapsed further, slumping forward until my forehead nearly hit the floor.
The worst part wasn't even the heat—it was the sharp, stabbing explosions that erupted across my back. Tiny pinpricks of white-hot fire bloomed like an army of angry fire ants, crawling along my shoulders and spine and sinking their imaginary jaws into my flesh.
Every nerve felt raw, exposed, and screaming in protest. My vision blurred at the edges, black spots crowding my peripheral like vultures waiting for me to collapse entirely. I clenched my teeth, my jaw aching from the pressure, but no amount of mental fortitude could block out the searing agony. Honestly, I wished I could pass out. Fainting would've been mercy compared to enduring every second of this.
It felt like an eternity, like I was trapped in an endless cycle of torment. But then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the pain began to ebb. My body loosened, and I gasped—finally able to take in a ragged, shuddering breath. My lungs burned as fresh air filled them, but it was better than the silence. With shaking arms, I dragged myself to my feet, leaning heavily against the edge of my bed. My legs trembled like jelly, threatening to give out beneath me, but I managed to keep upright. My hand went to my chest, as if to reassure myself I hadn't been ripped apart from the inside out. It was over.
At least, I thought it was.
I glanced at the mirror across the room, and what I saw made me pause. Through the hazy layer of sweat dripping down my face, I noticed it immediately: my body was… different.
The pain hadn't been for nothing. When I first got to camp, I was barely five feet tall, and everyone towered over me—including Annabeth.
She'd made sure I never forgot that fact, and I'd lost count of how many times she'd teased me about it. Back then, my reflection in the mirror had been that of a scrawny, scrappy kid who looked like he could get blown over by a strong wind.
But now?
Now things were starting to change. If I had to guess, I'd say I'd grown at least three inches taller already. My face, once round with baby fat, was sharper, more angular. My chest and abs were defined, the faint outlines of lean muscle beginning to show beneath the sheen of sweat. I wasn't shredded like Luke, sure, but I wasn't the same scrawny kid who stumbled into camp, either. It felt strange—my body, I mean.
My muscles tensed and relaxed in ways I wasn't used to, like they were recalibrating themselves. Everything felt tighter, more precise, like a machine that had just been tuned up. Even standing still, I could feel the potential energy thrumming through me, waiting to be unleashed.
I wiped the sweat off my forehead with a shaky hand, my fingers brushing against skin that felt hotter than usual. It was almost like my body was still burning, still adapting to whatever had just been unleashed inside me.
Taking another deep breath, I turned my attention back to the glowing screen in front of me. My fingers hovered over the interface, and with a small flick, I pulled up my stat screen.
The numbers were waiting for me, and something told me they'd reflect the transformation I was already starting to see in the mirror.
— - —
{Perseus Jackson} [Son of Poseidon] [Hestia's Favored]
[LVL]: 14 [5000/6000]
[HP]: 8750/8750
[SP]: 11,000/11,000
[MP]: 3750/3750
[FEALTY]: N/A
[STR]: 24 [+5]
[VIT]: 17
[DEX]: 32 [+20]
[INT]: 18
[CHA]: 12 [+5]
[WIS]: 15
[LUC]: 7
[AP]: 25
[PP]: 2
[$]: 46USD, 53D
[Info]: Son of the legendary lord of all seas, Poseidon, and Sally Jackson, Percy is the current [Child of Prophecy] and bearer of Olympus' flame. Despite his murky past, Percy is ready to take on his future with determination.
{Titles} [Son of Poseidon]
Permanently grants [+][1000][MP] and increases [Mana Regeneration] rate by [1%] per five seconds.
[Hestia's Favored]
Permanently grants [+][750][HP] and [+][750][MP]
— - —
Hm. Well, my [DEX] is really up there, given the boosts I got from training with Luke, and my [STR] is nothing to sneeze at because of some of the weight training I did.
The major holes in my offensive game are from my [INT] at this point, seeing as [WIS] is mostly tied into mana and mana usage. For now, though I shuffled seven points into [INT] and the remaining four points into my [CHA].
I noticed that was sort of lacking, too. Alright. Cool.
Perk and attribute points allotted! I'm feeling good. Back to packing, we go! Eh, who am I kidding?
The only packing I'm doing is shoving food and clothes into my inventory.
A few minutes later, I walked over to the Big House. It was near sunset. I knew most of the campers would be heading to the feast right now, but I figured this way, I could sneak out without anyone knowing.
I didn't have the heart to tell any of my new friends I wasn't bringing any of them along. It wasn't that I didn't trust them, or something, but my dad had been pretty clear; this quest was mine and mine alone to undertake.
Chiron was waiting for me in his wheelchair. Next to him stood the surfer dude I'd seen around camp a few times. I zipped up my jacket as I got closer to them. Even though it was summertime, the night felt cold for some reason.
My attention turned back to the guy with the eyes in weird places. According to Grover, he was the camp's head of security. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised.
Today, though, he was wearing a chauffeur's uniform, so I could only see extra peepers on his hands, face, and neck. I tried not to stare too much. In hindsight, I don't know if I succeeded as well as I wanted to. "This is Argus," Chiron told me as I got within earshot. "He will drive you into the city, and, er, keep an eye on things."
I nodded at Argus, and he responded with a nod back. I guess he took that as me saying I was ready to go. He jingled car keys around his finger and began to walk towards a white SUV parked alongside the grass by the road, a few yards away from the Big House.
"My boy, I must implore you to rethink your decision," Chiron urged. His fingers drummed against the handrest of his wheelchair every few moments, kind of like he was playing out my last heartbeats. "Walking into the world alone, with two of the Elder Gods baying for your blood…it seems foolish. Very foolish."
"I know," Believe me, I did. Hestia chewed me out for an hour last night when I told her of my plan—and she knew Hades was actually on my side. I could only begin to imagine how Chiron felt. "I can't let anyone else get hurt, though. Not when the quest is personally related to me. It's my problem. Even if it's not true, it's because of me. I'm sorry."
Before I could follow Argus, Chiron caught my arm. His fingers dug into my wrist, and I winced. "I should have trained you better, Percy," He said. "If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason—they all got more training."
"It is what it is," I tried to ignore the sad look in Chiron's eyes. I got the feeling that he thought this would be the last time he'd ever see me. Alive, anyway. He probably wanted to get everything off his chest in case I came back in a casket.
"I'll be careful."
"I fear this may only be the beginning. Mortal fate is hard. You'd best get used to it," Chiron nodded, a tear running down his cheek, "Good luck, child."
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Damn, that was rough Percy really went through it this chapter, but hey—at least he came out taller, stronger, and looking way less like the scrawny kid from before. What do you guys think about his transformation?
Also, if you're enjoying the story, don't forget to throw me a Power Stone ⚡—it seriously helps a lot. And remember, for every 300 stones, I'll drop a bonus chapter as a thank-you.
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