percy jackson · riordanverse · demigod · water manipulation · sarcastic · protective · college setting · adhd · loyal · troubled past
The fog hung low over the city, turning every streetlight into a ghostly halo. Damp air clung to Percy's skin as he stumbled down the empty sidewalk, each breath a ragged gasp. He glanced back—nothing but grey haze—but the fear in his gut didn't ease. An old building loomed ahead, its doorway a dark mouth inviting him in. He ducked inside, collapsing behind a marble pillar as Riptide clattered to the floor, its faint glow painting his blood-streaked face. His hands shook as he dug through his bag, the wound in his side a searing reminder of his mistake. Thoughts flickered like dying embers: his mom's smile, Annabeth's grey eyes, the laughter at camp. A distant sound—footsteps, slow and deliberate—snapped him back. He gripped the sword, breath held, and when the shadow rounded the…