30+ Advance Chapters on my [email protected]/Saintbarbido.
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(Loth's P.O.V.)
The Denver streets were alive with noise and movement, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows over the cracked pavement.
Annabeth walked beside me, her sharp eyes scanning the crowded sidewalks as I fiddled with Hecate's purple booklet.
"We're leaving Percy at the diner so we can make some cash. You better have a good plan," she muttered, her tone just shy of accusatory.
"Relax," I replied, stopping at a busy intersection where tourists gathered. "This is a big city. People here love street performances."
Annabeth gave me a dubious look. "You're going to use Mist Control… to busk?"
"It's practical. Besides, I've been practicing," I said, flipping to a page that described layering illusions. "Just trust me."
I set up on a relatively open patch of pavement, making a show of clearing my throat to draw attention.
Annabeth, reluctantly stepping into her role as my assistant, crossed her arms and did her best to look approachable.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please."
With a flick of my fingers, I wove threads of the Mist into the air, creating the illusion of gold coins appearing out of nowhere and raining into my hand.
Gasps rippled through the sidewalk as I added shimmering sparks and the faint scent of lavender.
"Thank you, thank you!" I called out, gesturing for Annabeth to collect tips.
She held out an old coffee cup, her expression caught somewhere between begrudging approval and annoyance.
"It's working," I whispered under my breath. "The Mist feeds off belief. These people want to see magic, so it's easier to manipulate their perception."
"Just don't push your luck," Annabeth muttered, scanning the growing crowd.
Unfortunately, she didn't have to wait long for something to go wrong.
A chill crept down my spine—Aura sense warning me of a monster's presence nearby.
My grin froze as I scanned the crowd, my instincts screaming at me to run.
"Annabeth," I hissed, dropping the illusion. "We've got company."
Her expression hardened immediately. "Where?"
A consequence of the curse was a limited range to my aura scanning.
"Close," I said, grabbing her arm and steering her through the clapping crowd into a nearby alley. "We need to lose it."
Reaching for the Mist again, I layered a subtle illusion around us, altering our scents.
Annabeth's shifted to something sharp and oily, while mine became burnt wood.
The monster's presence wavered before fading entirely, leaving the alley eerily quiet.
Annabeth let out a breath, though her glare remained sharp. "You've got terrible timing."
"Noted," I muttered, shaking the pouch of cash we'd managed to collect. "At least we made enough for dinner."
---
By the time we returned to the diner where we'd left Percy, it was almost evening.
He looked up as we slid into the booth, raising an eyebrow.
"Took you long enough," he said. "What happened?"
"Street magic," I replied, tossing the pouch of cash onto the table. "Made enough to eat. You're welcome."
We ordered our food but before could even start, the atmosphere shifted. The mist in the diner grew heavy, pressing against my skin like an invisible weight.
The door jingled, and a man walked in, his boots clicking against the linoleum.
From my memories of canon, I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Ares.
The God of War strode toward us, his black trench coat swishing around his ankles and red sunglasses glinting in the fluorescent light.
His aura was suffocating, filling the diner with raw, unbridled power that made my bestial instincts scream for a fight. Even as my common sense told me I stood no chance.
"Well, if it isn't the little heroes," he drawled, stopping beside our booth and sliding in.
Annabeth stiffened, her hand twitching toward her dagger. Percy's grip tightened on his fork. I forced myself to meet Ares' smirk, though my fists clenched under the table.
"What do you want Ares?" I asked, keeping my voice steady despite the growl building in my throat.
If he was surprised that I knew him, he didn't show it and chuckled, the sound low and menacing. "Just checking in. Heard you've been making a name for yourself, mutt. Humiliating my daughter? Bold move."
He spoke to me with a strange familiarity, almost like we'd met before.
"She deserved it," I said flatly. "Maybe if she spent less time being a bully—"
"Spare me," Ares interrupted, leaning in. His smirk widened as his voice dropped. "You're already halfway to being a monster yourself Lothy boy. Feel the claws yet? The teeth? Maybe you're already dreaming about ripping these two apart."
He snapped his teeth at me and I almost jumped at him, a part of me taking the action as a challenge.
Annabeth's hand shot out to grip my arm. "Don't," she whispered, her voice tight. "He's trying to provoke you."
I exhaled slowly, forcing the beast back down. "Y-You're right. I'm not falling for you games God of Cheaters."
Ares shrugged, clearly amused by the weak attempt at an insult. My bad trying to shame someone with no morals. "Suit yourself. Oh, and by the way—Medusa?..."
He trailed off with a slow dark laughter that sent me on edge. "She's not in Denver or anywhere you're headed to. She's in New Jersey, over a thousand miles back the way you came. You're fucked brat."
The words hit me like a slap. The revelation bringing forth forgotten memories of the books.
Aunt Em's Emporium was always in New Jersey. Gods! How could I have forgotten?
My jaw tightened, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. I slapped myself but not even the sting of pain felt like punishment enough.
Percy stood abruptly, glaring at Ares. "If you're not here to help, then leave."
Ares tilted his head, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "You've got your father's temper, kid. Me and him? We go way back."
That was the last straw. My vision blurred with yellow, a growl escaping my throat before I could stop it.
"Relax, mutt, you attack me and I'll kill everyone in this dump. Their deaths will be on your conscience, and we both know you can't carry anymore weight on that thing." he stated, removing his glasses to reveal blood holes where his eyes should have been. "Or you can ignore that and we can Tango, right here and now. God of War vs Hecate's little pawn. Your call."
Dammit. I felt like ripping out Annabeth's hand where it rested on my shoulder, and beating Ares to death with it. Fortunately, a cooling sensation from Luna's bracelet settled me down.
Ares raised an eyebrow, a bit of disappointment flickering in his hollow eyes. The fucking bastard.
"Ahem, moving on, I've actually got some good news. Your mom, kid—" He nodded at Percy. "She's not dead. Hades has her hostage."
Percy's eyes widened. "What?"
"She's alive," Ares said with a smirk. "But if you want to save her, you'd better get moving and find that Bolt, Waterboy. Here's a helpful tip from Cousin to Cousin, there's a truck heading to the West Coast loading outside. Hop on or walk. The choice is yours."
With that, he got up, eyes lingering on me. "If I were you Magic Boy, I'd ditch these two before they wake up with half their faces stuck between your teeth. Then again, that sounds like fun. Hahahaha..."
He turned and strode out, his laughter echoing behind him.
---
The truck jolted as it hit a bump in the road, rattling the crates around us.
I barely noticed.
My eyes were closed in a picture of calm, but inside my mind kept drifting.
Every time I tried to focus on the magic control exercises, the weight of Ares' words dragged me back into fury and frustration. A little directed to him but most at myself.
Beside me, Percy was swinging Riptide(Anasklusmos) in slow, controlled arcs, his expression focused. A part of me wondered how he was able to keep his balance at all.
Annabeth had fallen asleep against the wall, her breathing soft and steady.
The faint hum of the truck's engine filled the silence, a monotonous drone that only made the tension in my chest worse.
I tried meditating again, closing my eyes and focusing on my breathing. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exha—
The scratching sensation came back, sharper this time. It was like claws raking against the inside of my skull, accompanied by the faint, haunting echo of a growl.
My fingers twitched, and before I could stop myself, I cursed under my breath.
"Loth?" Annabeth's voice broke through the haze. She was awake now, her sharp gray eyes fixed on me. "What's wrong?"
I let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through my hair. "The curse. It's… getting worse."
Percy paused mid-swing, lowering Riptide. "How bad?"
"It's like something's trying to break free," I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended. "Claws scratching at my mind, like it's trying to rip its way out."
Annabeth's frown deepened. "Gods, don't tell me this what you've been going through during the entire trip."
"Not like this," I said running a hand through my wild hair. "It's stronger now. Ares might be right guys. If I lose control—"
"You won't," Percy cut in, his tone firm, unshakable. He stepped closer, his gaze steady and unyielding. "If it happens, I'll stop you before you hurt someone. That's what friends do."
I blinked, caught off guard by his sincerity. For a moment, I just stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in.
Then, unexpectedly, I laughed—a soft, breathy chuckle that surprised even me.
"You really are the quintessential protagonist, aren't you?" I said, shaking my head.
Percy grinned. "Someone has to be."
Annabeth didn't look as amused. Her gaze lingered on me, her expression worried. "If going back to Medusa isn't an option, what's the plan?" she asked quietly. "Seaweed brain and I need you to finish the quest."
I looked down at the bracelet on my wrist. Luna's gift was the only reason I was still mostly me.
Hecate's words echoed in my mind: 'Remove it. Embrace the curse.'
The idea made my stomach churn, but a part of me knew it might be the only way to survive this mission. The only way to keep my...friends safe.
"I'll figure it out," I said finally, forcing a smile. "Guess I'll take a page from Percy—be optimistic and stubborn."
Annabeth didn't look entirely convinced, but she nodded. "Just don't do anything reckless. Remember, we're all in this together. I'll go over the prophecy again and see if we missed something. It can't be an accident that Medusa's Fang was mentioned."
The rest of the ride passed in relative silence.
Percy went back to training, Annabeth jotted on her notebook, and I kept my gaze fixed on the bracelet, the weight of the decision I'd have to make pressing down on me like a storm cloud.
We just had to get to Las Vegas first and then it would be sink or swim.
-0-
The truck rumbled to a stop, jolting us awake. Percy groaned as he stretched his arms, his hair sticking up in every direction.
Annabeth blinked blearily, rubbing her eyes as the three of us clambered out of the cargo hold.
The hot, dry air hit me like a furnace, and I shielded my eyes from the blazing Vegas sun.
We stood on a strip within the city, neon lights from the numerous luxury hotels, shops and casinos flickering against the skyline even in daylight.
Las Vegas had an energy to it—loud, chaotic, and restless.
It felt like a city that never stopped moving, which made the weariness in my bones even more pronounced.
"Well," Percy muttered, brushing dirt off his shirt, "at least we're not walking anymore."
Annabeth took a moment to study the skyline before pointing to a massive building to our front.
It was unmistakable: the Lotus Resort and Casino. Its glowing lotus flower logo gleamed atop the building, and the entire structure sparkled as if it were dipped in starlight.
Even from here, it radiated an air of luxury and indulgence.
"We should rest there," Annabeth said decisively, adjusting her Yankees cap. "We need time to regroup and figure out our next move."
My chest tightened at her words, and my gaze narrowed at the resort.
I recognized it immediately—from the fragmented memories of the future. I knew what that place was.
The Lotus Resort wasn't just a hotel—it was a mystical trap. Once inside, time would bend and twist. Days would pass like hours inside. Even the mist hovered over it like a nimbus cloud.
In the story, Percy, Grover and Annabeth were trapped inside for five whole days.
And the worst part? I couldn't warn them about it. Not yet.
I shoved my hands into my pockets, forcing my expression to remain neutral. "I don't know if that's a good idea."
Annabeth frowned, turning to me. "Why not? We're exhausted, Loth. We haven't had a real break since Denver."
"Yeah," Percy chimed in, shooting me a look. "You were the one who said we needed to rest back on the truck. What's the problem?"
I hesitated, trying to keep my voice casual. "I just don't think we should waste time. We've only got six days left."
Annabeth crossed her arms, her sharp gray eyes narrowing. "A few hours won't kill us. We can use the time to recover and plan our next steps."
Percy nodded, already looking toward the resort. "She's right. A quick break won't hurt."
I swallowed the lump in my throat, guilt gnawing at the edges of my thoughts.
I couldn't tell them the truth—not without raising questions.
The Lotus Resort would trap them, yes, but it would also buy me time. Time to figure out the curse. Time to face the monster clawing at my mind. Time to master it or die.
"Fine," I said finally, forcing a shrug. "Go ahead. I'll catch up later."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'catch up'? Where are you going?"
I waved a hand toward the desert stretching beyond the city. "I just… need some air. Clear my head."
Percy frowned, clearly skeptical. "You sure? We're not exactly in a position to split up."
"It's fine," I said, keeping my tone light. "I won't be long. Just go ahead without me."
Annabeth's eyes lingered on me, and for a moment, I thought she'd press the issue. But then she nodded slowly. "Alright. Just don't take too long."
Percy didn't look entirely convinced, but he didn't argue. "Yeah, okay. But hurry up, alright?"
"Sure," I said with a weak smile, watching as they turned toward the glowing hotel.
Annabeth led the way, her steps confident, while Percy followed, shooting me one last concerned glance before disappearing through the grand entrance.
As soon as they were out of sight, the smile dropped from my face. I stood there for a moment, staring after them, the weight of my deception pressing down on my shoulders.
They had no idea what they'd just walked into, but that was the point.
Inside the Lotus Resort, they'd be safe from me. Time would move differently for them—days to me would only be hours for them. They'd rest, recharge, and be none the wiser.
I glanced down at the bracelet on my wrist.
"Time to see if this was the right call," I muttered, turning toward the desert.
The sprawling sands stretched out before me, barren and endless.
It was the perfect place to lose control—far away from anyone I could hurt.
The sun was already dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of red and gold by the time I left the city and entered the desert.
I couldn't afford to second-guess myself now.
If I failed to master the curse, it wouldn't matter how much time we had left. The quest—and the world—would be doomed.