Day Two
No verbal complaints about Luke being an einherjar, so far as the time as this opening author’s note, anyway, so that’s nice. Bit of a fun debate, really, as to whether Luke would be allowed into Valhalla or not given his past actions and ultimate sacrifice. After all, it is canon that the Valkyries brought in a Confederate soldier along with TJ, and Mallory was killed disarming the bombs she planted.
In this same idea, true to what he said, Luke killing himself to stop Kronos saved the lives of billions of people from the Titan, which massively outweighs the potential dozens he may have killed under Kronos’s control. So, if it’s purely a numbers game, Luke would be an einherjar, even more so with the idea being that he died with a weapon in hand after sacrificing his life to save others.
But that’s not important.
I’ve got a fun scene for this chapter planned, and then a very fun scenario later.
Disclaimer: I don’t own PJO or any other crossovers herein
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It was amazing what happened when you knew somebody, knew them real well. You could look them in the eye and have a whole conversation without a single word being shared between you. This was the situation between Annabeth and Percy, and Luke.
He looked at them, arms crossed, leaning on the wall, his eyes tired, disappointed, worn out—the eyes of an older brother who had seen what had become of his once hopeful and bright younger siblings, and had seen so many other stories that were similar. Eyes that had wished for something more, something better; eyes that had become bitter with time and experience, and yet…eyes that still held some small bit of hope.
Luke didn’t need to say anything to the young couple, and they didn’t need to say anything to him. All three of them already knew exactly how the conversation would go:
I trusted you two to fulfil my legacy and make sure the demigods were looked after so that none of them would ever have to go through what we did, or worse than we did, ever again.
We know, we’re sorry. We were naïve idiots who thought that making the gods swear an oath on the Styx would fix anything.
It’s not that you were naïve idiots, but that once you saw the gods weren’t doing anything better, you didn’t take matters into your own hands and do what needed to be done. You should have been out there, doing what needed to be done to make sure those kids were safe.
We know. We got caught up in the moment. Wanted to live our own lives-
And look where the fuck that’s gotten you!
We know. It has been beaten into our heads by this point that we fucked up, so please, for the love of God, will you people quit reminding us. You’re all starting to sound like broken records. Besides, we are trying to atone…or something like that.
And so this conversation did not come to pass. Instead, Luke slightly tilted his head up, appraising the two. He must have seen something, because he nodded ever so slightly. “Very well. Let’s go.”
“Go?” Annabeth blinked. “Where are we going?”
“To chop some trees.”
Luke removed himself from the wall and walked out.
A knowing grin spread across Jason’s face.
Percy and Annabeth both saw that.
“What does he mean by that?” Percy asked.
“You’ll see. You heard the man, let’s go.”
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The three of them followed Luke through the halls to the elevator, and rode in the car in silence to the floor he chose. Percy and Annabeth were wondering who else was here.
Zoë?
Beckendorf?
Bianca? Nico had said she chose rebirth after the Titan War, but, per this deal between the Fates and Norns, had they intercepted her and conscripted her? But…why allow her the Underworld in the first place? Unless she needed to be there to help Nico, and after that episode was passed, then her soul could have been collected. Though that would be macabre, denying Bianca rebirth just so she could fight in the apocalypse—then again…
…assuming just where Bianca had been reincarnated, she may very well be dead right now—for real, this time—due to the recent genocide of mankind.
That thought was actually so nagging to Percy and Annabeth that they started talking over themselves trying to ask Luke.
He stared at them. “One at a time, please.”
Annabeth set her hand on Percy’s stomach. “Is Bianca here, too? We know she was in the Underworld-”
“She’s here,” Luke confirmed. “Same boat as me, actually. We both went for rebirth, Fates said no, and now we’re here.”
Percy’s expression tightened. “I…I’ll need to talk to her.”
Luke shook his head. “There’s no need to talk to her. That was years ago, Percy.”
“Nico needs to talk to her,” Annabeth said.
“Also wrong. There is no need for them to talk. Nico is not an emotionally unstable infant who’ll throw a tantrum at the drop of a hat. He’s made peace with her death and her decision. Granted, he will be most surprised to see her again. You two need to realize and understand that this isn’t the place or even remotely close to the time for having heartfelt reunions. This is World War III. We can hug after we’ve won.”
“How do you know what Nico’s like?” Percy asked.
Luke and Jason looked at each other.
“You think we haven’t been keeping tabs on you guys?” Jason asked. “That’s how I knew Piper had gotten in way over her head four years ago.”
“Oh.”
“You think we’re going to win?” Annabeth asked quietly.
“Yes,” Luke said confidently. “This war’s unlike any history’s ever seen, nor will it ever see again. Hopefully. You see, in this war, there isn’t any trickery, or subterfuge, or a need for the good guys to do bad things. The enemy is clearly defined and is absolutely evil. There are no moral conflicts or ethical quandaries. There isn’t any need to for doubts or uncertainty, like, Am I killing someone’s father? Or someone’s son? Am I ruining someone’s family by killing this person?, because the majority of the enemy combatants are literal monsters-”
“What about the human personnel that are part of…er…Tartarus’s Army?” Annabeth struggled to come up with a name for the enemy belligerents. “The Legion of Doom? The Cabal? Injustice League?”
“Dude,” Jason said flatly.
“Well, we need to call them something,” Annabeth insisted.
“The Forces of Tartar Sauce,” Percy suggested.
“How about we just call them the Bad Guys?” Jason said. “Short, simple, easy to remember, doesn’t inspire any kind of fear, dread, or any negative connotation, really, and is perfectly befitting of this situation.”
“‘This situation’?” Annabeth blinked.
Luke was on Jason’s wavelength. “You can’t deny that there’s a degree of morbid comedy to what’s going on here. All the villains have teamed up to take over the world, forcing all the heroes to team up to fight them, and assisting the heroes are interdimensional copies of one of the main heroes.”
Percy blanched a little. “One of the main heroes…”
Luke looked him in the eye. “You’ve been one of the main heroes since you were twelve.”
“I know. It’s just…I know.”
Luke nodded.
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened to reveal a picturesque forest of tall trees with enough space between them to let in rays of sunlight to feed the grass growing beneath.
“This place is beautiful,” Annabeth gasped.
Luke nodded. “One of the many floors here in Valhalla that are just meant to be a place of peace of relaxation. Most days, anyway. Sometimes this floor gets used for exercise.”
“Exercise?”
“Chopping down trees,” Luke said with a grin.
Walking into the forest, he picked up a simple axe, tossed it to Percy, and came to stand next to a nearby tree that was at least two feet in diameter. Jason came to stand next to Luke, while Percy and Annabeth stood opposite, both figuring that whatever test they were about to go through involved chopping down this tree.
Or several.
Luke tapped the bark. “Here’s your test, Percy: I want you to chop down this tree with one swing.”
Percy blinked, staring at the tree. Then he looked at Jason, searching for some indication that this was a joke, but Jason was so composed and controlled that Percy couldn’t get a single read on him.
“Don’t worry about angering a dryad,” Luke said. “None of these trees are tied to any nature spirits.”
“Well, that’s also good to know,” Percy said, “but that’s not what I’m worried about. I’m strong, I guess, but that tree’s gotta be over two feet, and you want me to chop it down with one swing?”
“But it’s not just a tree. It’s the thing that you hate most in all the world. So tell me, Percy: what is it that you hate most?”
Given the most recent events in his life, Percy had a very quick and decisive answer. “Shin’en Yūrei.”
Luke gestured to the tree. “Then strike him down.”
Percy hefted the axe and stared at the tree, imagining it to be Shin’en, the man that had ridiculed him, insulted him—kind of—and most heinous of all: killed Annabeth right in front of him and then killed him. Yes, they came back to life, but still. Percy envisioned Shin’en’s coolly smirking expression, almost taunting him from within his own mind, and it was all Percy needed.
He squared his shoulders, spread his legs, and as if playing golf, shifted his weight, twisted his hips, and put his whole body into the swing.
THWACK
The axe bit maybe two inches into the bark.
Percy frowned.
Luke inclined his head ever so slightly. “Well, you clearly don’t hate him that much. Tell me, Percy: what do you hate?”
Percy didn’t have to think too much more about that. “I hate that after everything we all went through, it was all for nothing.”
He drew back the axe and swung.
THWACK
“Inadequate,” Luke said.
“I hate that I was hopeful, naïve, idiot who really thought I could change the gods with an oath on the Styx.”
THWACK
“And?” Luke asked.
“I hate that for so many years of my life, I was dragged around by the gods, forced to do their bidding without any say-so. Hera kidnapping me, the recommendation letters—and for all that I gave them, they gave me nothing in return!”
THWACK
Percy’s fury began to mount. The ground began to shake, the air pressure began to rise, a breeze started blowing, and the sun started to become hidden behind rolling clouds. Jason and Annabeth looked at each other, and Jason nodded reassuringly.
“Pathetic,” Luke said.
“Yes,” Percy breathed, before slamming the axe into the tree once more. “I hate that the one fucking time in my life that I actually had the choice about whether to get involved on a world-saving adventure, I chose not to get involved, and people died! People I could have saved!”
“You failed.”
“Yes!”
The ground was definitely shaking now, the storm getting stronger.
“To protect them,” Luke intoned.
“Yes!” Percy shouted, the axe digging deeper into the tree.
“That you gave up!”
“Yes!”
“That you…let them…die!”
With a booming roar, Percy swung the axe one more time, and the trunk exploded in a shower of splinters. With a loud groan, the tree fell over, tearing off nearby branches before landing with a mighty thud. The ground stilled and the storm began to roll away, light returning to the forest.
Percy was breathing heavy as Luke approached him, setting his hand on his shoulder. “Power, Percy—real power—doesn’t come from hate, but from truth.”
Percy nodded in understanding.
Luke gently took the axe from him and held it out to Annabeth with an expectant look. Annabeth accepted the axe and went over to square up with a tree just as thick as the one Percy vanquished. Now that she knew the gimmick behind the test, she set her feet, took a moment to think about what she hated in conjunction with the truth behind why she hated it, then twisted her body, and swung.
The tree exploded on contact.
There were no snide comments or witty remarks about Annabeth getting it on the first try because there didn’t need to be, and also because at this point in their relationship, Percy and Annabeth didn’t need to be making remarks about each other’s skills, talents, abilities, or intelligence. They were adults now, not punk kids or teenagers.
“Now the two of you know,” Luke said.
“What about the others?” Annabeth asked. “Leo, Frank, Hazel, Nico, Will, Thalia, Reyna—and whoever else, I guess.”
“They’re facing their own tests,” Luke said.
“Why all this testing?” Percy asked. “Does Shin’en really think we aren’t ready for this?”
“Yes,” Luke said flatly. “Before, if you died, you would just go to the Underworld, probably Elysium, and there was the large possibility that someone could pull some strings and get you back out. After all, Hades has a precedent for making deals to let souls return to the world of the living. Now, though…there is no more Underworld, or Duat, or any of the typical afterlife places. If you die now, you won’t be coming back, and for where you end up…well, I doubt either have you accepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, so I doubt you want to be dying any time soon.”
And the thing was, the way Luke said that, Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, referencing hell, he didn’t sound like he was making the stereotypical joke. He sounded serious about it.
It had been a longstanding tradition at CHB, and even CJ, to not bring up the “big three” religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the ones that claimed that there was only one God, and all the others were fake, false, or demons in disguise. First and foremost, the idea that there was, in fact, only one true god above all was scary and uncomfortable, because that would mean that there really was objective morality, that there really was definitive good and evil, and there really was right and wrong, and what that God said was good really was good, and what that God said was bad really was bad.
For a couple of people who had so many gay friends, the notion that they were condemned to hell by the edicts of God for being gay was uncomfortable. That was why the demigods largely abstained from talking about God, because in a world where myths and legends were inherently real, the idea that God Himself was real and was going to render judgement upon them all was something none of them wanted to rationalize. Now it seemed there was finally no escaping it.
“How does it work?” Percy asked quietly.
“How all the gods and spirits fit in a world with a reigning monotheistic God who claims that He’s the only One, and that only through faith in His only begotten Son will you receive everlasting salvation? The easiest way to rationalize it all is that the gods as we know them really aren’t gods, per se, but beings with incredible powers, and the spirits…well, they’re spirits. The one and only real god, is God. Yahweh. Jesus.”
“Doesn’t Islam deny the Jesus is the Son of God?” Annabeth asked.
“Yes,” Luke said, and before he could say anything else, Annabeth was already on a roll.
“But then why is Islam considered one of the Abrahamic religions? The Transfiguration on the Mount, God said that Jesus was His Son that He loved very much, so how can Muhammad, who says he’s speaking on behalf of the same God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, turn around and say the God never had a son, and make the claim that Jesus was just another prophet?”
Jason coughed into his fist. “Well, God actually said He was well-pleased with Jesus in that verse, not that He loved Him very much, but the whole Judeo-Christian/Islam debate is a theological discussion for another time. World War III and all.”
“I mean, if we really do die, we won’t ever be able to have that discussion,” Annabeth reasoned.
“In that case, we may never have that discussion,” Luke said. “Let’s go. Shin’en wants to see you two.”
“How do you know that?” Percy asked with a raised brow.
“Asteria told me,” Luke answered.
“Huh?”
“Telepathic link.”
“Oh.”
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In minutes, they were all gathered again, the others with their “mentors,” as it were.
Indeed, Zoë Nightshade was an einherjar, and was standing with Thalia and Reyna.
Beckendorf was standing with Leo.
Frank and Hazel were standing together, and behind them was Damian, the praetor that died during the Battle of Mt. Othrys during the Titan War.
Jason was standing next to Piper.
Will was absent, but Nico was there, and with him, of course, was Bianca. He looked like he was still trying not to explode with happiness.
They weren’t gathered in the Feat Hall this time, but an additional room on the floor Shin’en had commandeered for his team. In this room, there were no walls, and therefore the whole space was open, showing just how big the einherjar suites really were. However, this was no private abode, but something of a command center. The walls were filled with equipment and weapons, tables and benches were covered in gadgets and machines, and arranged around the center point of the room were a number of high-tech chairs.
Shin’en stood before them all in his standard pose: his legs shoulder-width apart, back straight, jaw squared, expression alert and focused, and hands clasped behind his back. He gave off the aura of a general about to address the troops, which was an entirely accurate comparison, as he was, after all, the general in command here, and Percy and co. were the ones vying for positions in the army.
Wheels was also there, and he looked uncharacteristically serious.
Shin’en said, “A final challenge remains before I will put you on the active-duty list. I assume you are all familiar with virtual reality gaming? Ready Player One, perhaps, or Sword Art Online? Maybe brain dances from Cyberpunk? Or the Matrix?”
Nods all around.
“Good.” Shin’en gestured to the chairs behind him. “These chairs function in a similar manner. When you sit in them, you will be taken to a virtual world in which I will assign you a mission. Succeed, and you will be granted a place in my army. Fail, and you can either petition for another test, or leave the war to others. Nothing will be held against you should you choose the latter option.”
“What’s the mission?” Annabeth asked.
“It will be revealed once you are logged in, should you accept the challenge.”
“Is there anything more to logging in than just sitting in one of the chairs?”
“No.”
Annabeth singled one out and was heading for it. Percy was on her heels, getting into the chair next to her, and the others, not the mentors, though, all picked chairs as well. Piper looked at Jason, and Jason had a resolute expression on his face. Piper could tell he didn’t know the specifics of this, but he had a pretty good idea what was going to happen. Funnily enough, Piper was thinking the same thing.
They took the last two chairs, and upon getting comfy, they found their vision tunneling into a white void as their bodies suddenly felt like they were hurtling forward at hundreds of miles per hour. Then it was over.
Thus, the Seven were reunited once more, with the addition of Nico, Thalia, and Reyna.
They stood in a group in a blank, white, endless space, like a videogame loading area, then Shin’en’s disembodied voice sounded from around them.
“Sound check, one, two, three.”
“Four, five six,” Piper was the first to say.
The others made it known they could hear Shin’en as well.
“Good. Wheels, load Program 10.”
And then suddenly the world started to build around them. Starting at the ground beneath their feet, white turned to the solid black of clean asphalt, then white parking lines, then tall lights—a huge parking lot formed around them, with numerous cars beginning to pop into existence as the program loaded. Smells and temperatures loaded as well, along with lighting: a sun setting in the Western sky. Then a huge stadium loaded in, Globe Life Field, the Texas Ranger stadium in Arlington.
Program 10 was apparently a baseball game.
But what did this have to do with getting Shin’en to let them join the war effort?
“Welcome to Globe Life Field,” Shin’en said. “Tonight’s game features the Rangers and the Red Sox. In attendance are over 40,000 baseball fans, and also your targets, of which there are a total of five.”
“Targets?” Hazel balked.
“Yes, Ms. Levesque, targets. As in people that you will need to kill. You are fighting in a war, after all, and the enemy is using human combatants. I need to see for myself if you have the killer instincts required to end human life, or if you will freeze up when the moment comes, and your hesitation costs you your life. I need to see if you can follow orders and complete objectives.”
“But-” Leo tried to say, but was cut off.
“I told all of you at the beginning that what I needed under my command were killers who could follow my orders. This is your chance to prove you can be that kind of person. However, if any of you want to back out, now is the time to tell me.”
“This is just a simulation, though,” Thalia said. “Not the same.”
“Is it?” Shin’en asked, and they could almost feel the grin in his voice. “Do you not smell the stadium food? Can you not hear the buzz of the crowd? Can you not feel the parking lot with your hands, or the pleasant temperature of the Spring evening? Do your eyes not hurt when you look directly at one of the light poles?”
The demigods took the time to let their senses work, and sure enough, they could smell, hear, and feel the world around them in its entirety.
“Now ask yourselves: did I lie to you? Did I really hook you all into a simulation and am currently tricking all of your senses by triggering electrical impulses? Or did I, by some means of technology and/or sorcery, send all of you to a completely different dimension?”
Piper stepped up. “It doesn’t matter. Who are the targets?”
“At ease, Piper. There is dissension amongst the ranks. Before this exercise continues, are there any among you that want to back out? I will not provide intel until you have made your decision, and if you decide to stay, you will not be permitted egress until the mission is complete. Now, once more, are there any who wish to leave?”
Piper didn’t need to think about it, nor did Jason. Thalia and Reyna needed only two seconds to make their decision as they recalled the year in which they followed in Piper’s footsteps. Percy and Annabeth, after having come this far, having accepted what they already had, made their decision as well. Hazel, Frank, Nico, and Leo were the ones who really had to think about if they were willing to spill actual blood, especially Nico, who had already killed in cold blood once before.
After so many seconds of deliberation, all decisions were made.
No one backed out.
“Very well,” Shin’en intoned. “Your targets are as follows: Christina Savanarolla, Miguel Castarolla, Thomas Hogwood, Daniel Lake, and Sophia Benitez. These five are the heads of a human smuggling operation that focuses on kidnapping children from third-world countries to use them either as slave labor or sex toys. Christina operates a front orphanage and Sophia a fake relief effort program. Miguel is an Interpol agent who sabotages investigations, and Thomas and Daniel oversee smuggling and distribution in the United States. The reason they’ve gathered here today is because they enjoy American baseball—even depraved scum have hobbies—and to discuss business.
“Your objectives, in no particular order, are to identify and locate the targets, and eliminate them. As in kill. Each of you must also kill at least two people, but don’t worry, there are plenty of private security agents in the stadium, provided you can single them out. If you fail to meet your quota, you will not be in my army. You are free to use any methods or tactics that you want. You can storm the stadium and slaughter the masses, or you can attempt a more surgical approach.
“Piper is in charge of this operation, and it is in her authority to determine the chain of command, and give assignments as she sees fit. Be warned: if you disobey her orders, not only does she also have the authority to discipline you as she sees fit, but after she’s done with you, then you will answer to me. Good luck, ladies and gentlemen. You have until the game is over to complete your mission.”
Everyone looked to Piper after Shin’en finished, and in what was a testament to the fact that she was no longer the uncertain girl struggling to find her place on the team so many years ago but was now a grown woman who was bringing experience to the table, Piper did not hesitate or become shy under the expectant weight of so many eyes.
“First things first, after me, Jason’s in charge, then Reyna, Thalia, and finally Annabeth. If something happens that there needs to be a fifth, then this whole operation is busted, and you’ll just have to do your best. Plan A is to do this surgically. We’ll find out who these sick fucks are, and where they are, and then go from there.”
“How are we going to do that, though?” Leo asked with a furrowed brow.
“You know how our dreams can take us to the past, present, and future?”
“Yeah…”
“We can control our dreams and basically astral project ourselves anywhere, anytime.”
Most of the demigods balked.
“Since when can we do that?” Percy demanded.
Piper shrugged. “Always. Just takes training and willpower.”
“But Chiron never taught us that!”
“Because Chiron didn’t want a bunch of teenagers astral projecting themselves into the showers, toilets, and/or bedrooms of other teenagers in order to get a free show.”
Cue a round of uncomfortable shifting accompanied by distinct blushing.
Reyna looked at Piper. “So you’re going to astral project into the stadium, find our targets, identify obstacles, and then get back to your body here with a plan of attack.”
“No,” Piper said. She looked at Annabeth. “You are going to astral project into the stadium and find us a good way in, whether that be some kind of secret access point, or if we can just walk in through the front door by somehow fooling security, or if it’s better if we all find our own way in.”
Piper looked at Percy. “You’re going to astral project and find out what the targets look like and where they are.”
Piper looked at Leo. “You’re going to single out the private security.”
Piper looked at the rest of them. “We’re all going to wait here in this lovely parking lot until they’re done, and then we’ll go from there.”
Percy raised his hand. “Uh, how do we do this whole astral-project-dream-control thing?”
“You dream, and then you tell your dream where to go.”
“Uh…”
Percy looked at Annabeth, but she looked just as uncertain as he did.
Piper shrugged again. “It’s not really something anyone can teach. You just have to do it.”
Reyna looked at the uncertain Percy, Annabeth, and Leo. “I was able to confine my dreams to the fountain in the Garden of Bacchus. Kind of like watching the TV. If I can do that, you three have got this.”
Reyna looked a little longer at Leo, sending supportive big sister energy his way.
“All right,” Percy said uneasily. “Let’s give it a shot.”
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And that’s this chapter.
Points to whomever knows what movie the tree scene is from.
The mission scene currently playing out can be likened to Hitman or Assassin’s Creed, of course, and is one I’ve had running through my head for a long time now. The Seven plus others being put in that kind of a situation, where they really have to break it down and find out how to use their powers to take down evil people.
The names have no significance. I made them up on the spot.
Food for thought: on a scale of one to ten, how messed up is it that the Fates and Norns scooped Bianca up as soon as she tried to go for rebirth?
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