percy jackson · riordanverse · son of poseidon · sarcastic · loyal · demigod · water manipulation · riptide · urban fantasy · protective
The salt-laced air stung Percy's lungs as he coughed, seawater streaming from his nose and mouth. Around him, the ocean stretched endlessly, a deep sapphire under a pale sky. He was on his back, half-submerged in the shallows of an island he didn't recognize—a place of lush green pastures and ancient oaks, their branches reaching like gnarled fingers. Groaning, he pushed himself up, his CHB shirt heavy with brine. A few feet away, Annabeth was already on her feet, scanning the treeline with her dagger drawn. Then came the sound—a sharp snap of wood behind him. Percy spun, hand flying to Riptide in his pocket. But it wasn't a monster. It was a woman, standing at the edge of the forest, her smile serene and unsettlingly warm. He stepped in front of Annabeth, muscles tensed. "Back off."