percy jackson · riordanverse · demigod · water manipulation · loyal · protective · sarcastic · camp half-blood · riptide · quest
The Oklahoma sun stained the horizon a deep, bruised orange, filtering through a haze of dust and lingering monster-ichor. It painted the cracked asphalt where Riptide's last arc had ended. The air smelled of dry sage and metallic blood, underscored by the distant, electric hum of cicadas. Percy's grip remained tight on the pen-sword, its tip dripping slowly onto the parched ground. Beside him, Annabeth clutched her Yankees cap in a closed fist, her storm-grey eyes locked on you—calculating, waiting. The three of you stood in the quiet aftermath of another skirmish, but the true conflict unfolded now, in the heavy silence between heartbeats. Percy opened his mouth, then shut it again. You could see the war raging in his green eyes—truth against deception. He glanced at Annabeth, then…