Disclaimer: Percy Jackson belongs to Rick Riordan, and Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Nickelodeon.
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"Thoughts"
"Speaking"
This fanfic is an Alternate Universe (AU)
Explanations will appear as the chapters progress.
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Percy's Point of View
As soon as we finished breakfast, Haru and me left Mr. Chen's house early with the necessary equipment to explore the drainage routes, and this consisted of two oil lamps, two ropes several meters long, a first-aid kit, a couple of shovels and picks, and of course, food, enough to get through the night.
We decided to enter the drainage system through a secluded point in the city center, it was necessary not to be seen to avoid any problems or inconveniences since if the guards saw us they might recognize us, not to mention that one of us is responsible for the presence of an illegal casino.
We were wearing some uniforms of the city's maintenance staff, basically they are huge orange one-piece suits and on the side a line that extends from the shoulders to the feet, work boots to avoid getting wet and helmets, although I still can't decide if the helmet or the blades are heavier. I had my sword on my back, so that all my luggage hid it.
When we arrived, a city guard was waiting for us, he looked quite calm despite being seated next to what is already a possible monster's nest.
"How is the drainage supervision going, guard?" Haru asked.
Immediately, the officer stood up and took an upright position as if Haru was his commanding officer and even put his hand on his forehead in a show of respect.
"Sir, no problem, sir, nothing interesting to report, sir," the officer said quickly
"Any sign of the beast?"
"None, sir."
"Has anyone else entered the tunnels?" asked Haru as he inspected the entrance.
"Negative, sir."
"What?!, I thought the city guard already knew about this problem"
"That's right, sir."
"Then what happened?" asked Haru
"The other officers don't want to let anyone know about the monster, they're afraid of losing their post and do everything they can to avoid attracting attention, they pretend not to know anything, sir."
"Almost five people have already disappeared!" Haru exclaimed as he hit the ground, "this is not a game, innocent people have already been affected."
"I'm sorry, sir, but I was ordered not to say anything about it."
You know, I understood Haru's anger perfectly, it's the duty of the officers and the city to protect their people is what my father and my older brother have always told me, but it's because of these officers that they haven't searched for the victims or eliminated the beast. Haru was always like this, he gets annoyed by this kind of thing and I don't blame him, his parents were killed years ago and Jeong Jeong with his heavy hand raised him.
"Very well, open the damn door and wait here until you hear from us, if we don't show up in three days report my grandfather directly, do you understand?"
"What do I do if I'm assigned to another position, sir?"
"Tell them to go to hell," I said before adding, "and stop saying, sir" I didn't like formalities unless it was someone I respected
"All right, sir," said the officer, raising his hand again and placing it on his forehead, "good luck."
"Thank you, see you," Haru said
Beneath the bustling surface of the city, the noise of urban life faded the deeper we went into the tunnels until only a distant whisper was perceived. It was an underground labyrinth of intertwined secrets and passageways that echoed the untold stories, Haru told me that his grandfather Jeong Jeong told him that those who dared to venture into this underground world were plunged into a clandestine and ancient realm, where the gloom became their silent accomplice.
Currently these tunnels are used by different smugglers or mafia gangs, as well as corrupt army personnel who work for some politicians, for years my father investigated these matters but without success, the appearance of monsters and problems with other nations have more priority, but they were also used in ancient times of war as a way to evacuate citizens and all personnel quickly if necessary. And the situation is complicated, because currently the maps that were made in great detail of the tunnels have disappeared and it is not known if they were stolen or destroyed, what I do know is that they are necessary since this labyrinth has lots of hidden cameras, traps and many of them leave you in dead ends.
But now no one knows what it is and no one knows what the end is or where you can go.
"My grandfather once told me a rather curious story, do you want to listen to it, it's about these tunnels," Haru asked me
"A story by Jeong Jeong?, but of course!" I replied
"The entrances to these tunnels were disguised, camouflaged in the weathered architecture of the city, remember that in those times the witch Bathsheba had so much power that she was in a simultaneous war with the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. My grandfather Jeong was very young, possibly our age. It was beginning to get dark and much of the city had been evacuated when the defensive lines were pierced, but some monsters came into the city and started a massacre, so the firebenders put up a big fight, and amidst all the confusion of the fighting, my grandfather was separated from his brothers and a huge explosion occurred near him, throwing him to the ground. When he was able to react, his body was stunned and covered in dirt from the explosion, but when he looked up he could see something, a monster without a doubt, but it was different"
"On what?" I asked, fully immersed in the story
"Don't interrupt," Haru complained and cleared his voice to continue with the story, "hmmm, where I stay?. Like this...
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Several decades ago
Jeong Jeong's POV
I wasn't a young soldier, not even a man when I saw that nightmare.
Twisted human legs were intertwined with the legs of an insect. Its arms, a monstrous parody of human anatomy, extended forward, transformed into sharp claws
The head was an indescribable horror, housed pupilless eyes that glowed in a shade of sickly yellow, with teeth as sharp as macabre blades, drawn from instruments of torture that not even the sickest criminals dared to use, peeked out from the disproportionately large mouth, insinuating an insatiable voracity. And the skin, if you could call it that, was an amalgam of grotesque, twisted shades of red as if the flames were burning it from within or if it was possessed by an ancient curse.
The monster's every movement resounded with an ominous crunch, as if their own joints were protesting against the deformity that forced them to move. It emanated a foul stench, a mixture of rotting flesh and the very essence of fear. However, despite its monstrous appearance, the monster moved with inhuman agility.
But his mere presence unleashed panic among all those present, including the entire army, and the sound of his multiple limbs resounded with a terrifying echo in the minds of those who had the misfortune to witness, some people decided to take their own lives at his mere presence or simply lost the will to live, being unable to move as victims of other monsters.
It was a creature that defied all logic, a manifestation of unfathomable horrors.
Its very existence was reminiscent of those who beheld it, that, in the darkest corners of the imagination, lurk nightmares that defy human comprehension...
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Back to the present
Percy's Point of View
"... or that's how my grandfather described it, and I should mention that he sleeps with a huge sword under his pillow"
"What happened next?" I asked, his drama making me impatient
"I told you not to interrupt!" Haru complained again, as he continued counting and walking
"You make too many dramatic pauses," I said as I rolled my eyes, "but keep telling the story, my friend"
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Several decades ago
Jeong Jeong's POV
The smoke rose so high that a light black blanket covered the battlefield, where a small army was preparing to face the living nightmare. The swords, wielded with fear by some members of the army, but also bravely, reflected a glow like stars in defiance of the looming threat.
The monster, with its twisted limbs and sharp teeth, slowly and completely emerged from the gloom.
That gave a brutal roar that echoed through the air, raising the hairs of the soldiers lining up in formation and extinguishing the flames in his fists from his firebending. The monster's pupilless eyes glowed with malevolent intensity as he assessed his adversaries. In the background a human voice was heard with great courage, a young soldier screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Attention soldiers! Do not back down, civilians are still present and it is our duty to protect them. Let's kill that damn nightmare!"
With a terrifying impulse, the monster advanced towards the young soldier. The deformed human legs moved with supernatural agility. The metal clash echoed as a few swords slammed into the beast's hind limbs, but the monster's twisted flesh seemed to withstand the blows with unnatural resistance, it was like hitting iron shields. Quickly the swordbearers fell back, but the beast slashed at its opponents, piercing the torso from side to side of four soldiers, wasting no time the firebenders continued with multiple attacks aimed at the beast, but they were ineffective.
The sharp claws darted in all directions like ravenous blades, it was like watching an animal being twisted against its will...
Even so, the soldiers fought determinedly, attempting to dodge the brutal onslaught as they searched for vulnerabilities in the red-hot flesh armor that made up the monster's entire body. But as the battle unfolded, fear gripped the hearts of the soldiers more and more. For in spite of his valiant efforts, the swords and firebending could barely scratch the skin of that aberration.
And the monster, imperturbable and voracious, moved forward like a walking disaster. The screams of the soldiers, the clashing of swords, along with the brief explosions and launching of large fireballs transformed into a chaotic symphony of despair. But a young soldier managed to get right behind the beast, what seemed to be his blind spot, while the other soldiers fought desperately they managed to create a small window of opportunity and without waiting, he engulfed the sword itself in flames using his firebending, and in one leap the tip of the burning sword managed to reach the head of the nightmare.
But all these efforts were in vain, for from that thrust the sword was broken into pieces, and the beast raised its claws and from one second to the next, the young officer's head rolled on the ground while the torso and limbs were bitten away.
So, the monster's unnatural laughter echoed in the darkness like an echo of the warriors' futile efforts. Each roar seemed to transform into a twisted laugh as the creature advanced, its twisted limbs defying the swords clashing in vain against its monstrous flesh. The monster's pupilless eyes looked different, as if it was pleasurable, as if he were enjoying the desperation and failed attempts of the soldiers to do him harm. As the claws deftly dodge the soldiers' attacks, the sharp-toothed mouth opened into a grimace that could be interpreted as a mute laugh, but far more terrifying than anyone could imagine.
Every time a sword slammed into the monster's flesh, the monster responded with a deep growl that resounded like an horrible laugh. As I watched the battle, I could see that the movements made by the beast seemed to convey a message that the warriors were insignificant in the face of its power, as if the battle were a hunt or, rather, a game.
The monster's laughter grew more intense as desperation gripped the soldiers, enjoying the helplessness of those who stood up and denied its abominable existence. The entire area surrounding the monster had become a floor of corpses with rivers of blood, heads separated from their bodies, organs strewn all over the floor, and severed arms that were still held by their swords.
"Run!" A middle-aged soldier hurriedly stood up and held my head tightly. "Child, listen to me, you have to survive so run, don't turn around and no matter what you hear don't stop running!"
"But my legs... don't answer me"
When I finished saying those words, the next thing I knew, I wanted to vomit, but I realized that the middle-aged soldier had given me a good blow to the abdomen.
"You look better boy, I think you can run now," the man said
It was a strange feeling, my legs had stopped shaking so I got up and started running, as that man asked me to, I didn't look back, I didn't even have the courage to ask him about his name. By running several meters I was able to reach a corridor with stairs, I was in the old market which was good because going up the stairs and crossing the market I would be able to reach the stables and with some luck a elk dragon would still be there.
But I'm not so lucky...
A shadow was cast on the top of the stairs and I could perceive multiple footsteps, but I knew perfectly well that they were not human, I hid on the side of the ladder and covered myself with a cloak, I closed my eyes and tried to control myself however I could not resist and slowly opened my eyes with the desire to see the entire Fire Nation navy.
Between the stairs, the monster moved with a stealthy skill, its eyes gleaming in the gloom exploring every nook and cranny with a malice that suggested a twisted intelligence. In their deformed limbs, an innate knowledge was hidden to track the presence of any hidden survivors. Sharp teeth gleamed in the darkness as the beast sniffed the air, looking for any hint of human presence... mine.
But this time the monster moved in deathly silence, like a lurking shadow, exploring every possible hiding place with the certainty that some witness to the massacre lay hidden.
The limbs, now used as dexterous tools, lifted debris and displaced objects. Every move was calculated, as if the monster could sense someone's presence and to my bad luck that was me.
The pupilless eyes moved with murderous intent, scanning every nook and cranny in search of their prey.
My breathing was ragged, but it mingled with the sounds of the surrounding destruction.
The monster was like a lurking predator, getting closer and closer and seemed to revel in hunting, enjoying the tension its presence generated in those who still struggled to stay hidden. With a slight movement I pressed something that looked like a button, the walls behind me opened, I fell backwards, but the monster tried to catch me with its claws, it was by sheer luck that it did not succeed, and it did not manage to enter where I fell, as the walls closed leaving only a large stone wall in front of me.
I didn't understand anything, I was in a corridor that I hadn't seen before, with a little firebending things cleared up and what I saw left me speechless, a few meters from me a man was watching, but he was only half a man, from the waist down he had a hairy body, like that of a farm animal. Hairy, hoofed legs, freckled tanned skin, his eyes sparkling and full of cunning, tangled beard adorned with wildflowers and small bits of moss. The curly-haired mane adorned with leaves and twigs with two large horns.
But his presence was not at all frightening like the one in the nightmare, but he was not going to risk it, I shot a great flame directly at him, but he skillfully jumped to one wall and then to another.
I continued with my attacks without having any effect, that half-man being only dodged the attacks, so I started to panic when I took a step back and again the wall opened from side to side and then closed.
When I turned around I thought the nightmare would be there but that suspicion was wrong, there was nothing, I hurried up the stairs and across the market, when I arrived at the stables there was a large camp of soldiers, near them a young man, who wore a military uniform and when they saw me each and every one of them were petrified.
"Help please, monsters have invaded the city and killed almost all the people, I don't know where my brothers are, please help me," I begged them desperately
"Are you a survivor?" The young soldier asked me. "Were you hiding the whole time?"
"Help us, please, the soldiers won't be able to resist that thing any longer."
"Is anyone still fighting?"
I couldn't understand anything, don't the soldiers know that we are under attack?
"What do you mean?" Jeong Jeong asked
"You see... we were late, the attack was a week ago, we checked the whole city but we didn't find survivors, only some monsters but they were already defeated. I'm surprised no one could find you," he explained.
"A week ago?" "I didn't understand anything, and if it was a joke it was a horrible one."
"My name is Iroh and I'm glad you're alive. What's your name?"
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