Mesopotamia, eastern bank of the Euphrates River (Buranun), 5800 B.C.
The day had dawned clear, with a persistent cold that marked the end of autumn. They met with the dawn at the edges of the settlement. Just the two of them. Perseus walked behind Ishtar, silent and tense.
He had found her surrounded by Deviants. Ikaris believed he was lucky; Deviants are known for their reckless impetus. He remembered the briefing in "The Domo": the Deviants were cruel, born to devour and consume the sentient force of the universe. They did not mate and had no blood; the closest thing Perseus could use to describe them was oil—homicidal and powerful oil.
But so far, he had found no difference from the average monsters that Tartarus unleashed in his world. They had been tough bastards, especially the intelligent ones.
Ishtar's breath froze, and Perseus refocused on his surroundings. They were on a small hill, surrounded by reeds, with the rising sun crowning the mountain range. The girl looked at the horizon with bright eyes and a dropped jaw. Perseus joined her, closing his eyes and listening to the river rushing in the distance. His heart tightened, and a painful cold filled his belly. The morning breeze blew strongly, bringing the earthy scent of the riverbank.
Ishtar extended her hands like an eagle in flight; her long hair waved free, whipping against her face. Ishtar laughed, scrunching her features and fighting with her hair. She wore a cream-colored fur tunic with mud caked on it and worn leather sandals.
—Leave them be —Perseus indicated.
Ishtar stopped her struggle and looked at him with her head tilted. Perseus walked behind her, holding her shoulders when she tried to turn. He knelt, combing her hair into an improvised ponytail that he secured with a piece of leather he had taken from old Enu, the tribe's elder.
—There it is —he told her in a low voice.
—Thank you —she smiled at him.
It pained Perseus to see the ancient glint in her eyes. For the last seven days, he had seen her grow restless, her eyes dancing all over the camp.
—Always, dear —Perseus gave her a stretch of the lips that attempted to pass for a smile.
For a few minutes, he let her be. Perseus remained kneeling, leaning on his elbow. This grain of happiness lightened his shoulders; it reminded him of simpler times.
—Let's begin —he stood up after a while.
Ishtar wiped her smile away instantly and took on a solemn face. Without asking, she began to do the stretches. Perseus had taught her as Chiron had taught him, trying to maintain the old centaur's routines. The little girl had obeyed him, even if Perseus had to carry her back when she fell asleep between breaks. During the rest of the day, he supervised her progress: he corrected her posture, adjusted her balance, and strengthened her body.
That morning there was much to work on, but later on, Perseus would only remember Ishtar's glowing eyes when she learned. In the end, when the sun was at its zenith, they returned to the camp, to the elder woman's tent.
—I leave her to you, Enu —Perseus said to the woman; her years did not show, though the tribe claimed she had lived seventy summers. —I will pick her up tomorrow at the same time.
—As you command, Lord Ishkur —the woman bowed to him.
—I leave you now —Perseus wrinkled his nose, turning around.
He felt the elder's black eyes following him as he retreated. The tents surrounded a central hearth, and the place was almost deserted, with only women and children running with the previous day's catch. Humans bowed to him as he passed, and whispers followed in his wake. Druig was very vocal in complaining about this behavior, and Perseus usually backed his ramblings in silence.
Leaving the settlement, he reached the upper boundary. There was the Domo, his new home. Entering was simple; the ship was anchored to the ground, and the ramp was accessible only to the Eternal eye. The cold interior hit him, as did the alkaline smell of death.
In the control room, with only a steering console and two data screens, they were gathered. Perseus only nodded, focusing on Ajak, their leader. Resisting the grimace that thought brought him, he waited for her to speak.
—We can begin our mission —she sighed. —We have established a control zone that we can manage and we have a native group under our care.
In the last part, she looked at Perseus longer than the rest.
—You already established that, Ajak —Perseus arched an eyebrow.
—We must decide where we will establish the first congregation center —Ajak continued as if he hadn't spoken. —Phastos?
—Allow me —he projected a hologram. —The idea is to create a central core that expands over time; a sectorization to maximize organization.
He showed the image of an organized city. Zones marked for agriculture, storage, and housing; it had intricate drainage tunnels and sewers alongside areas that could only be for recreation. Perseus frowned at the sight of that model.
—You don't agree, Perseus? —Phastos complained.
—Something like that.
—Something like that?
But Perseus did not answer.
—What is the problem, Perseus? —Ajak asked with a modulated voice.
Perseus exhaled, scratching his head.
—Computer —Perseus called; the "listening" beep filled the room. —Cross-reference the blueprints with the terrain and the climate factor; determine viability with the geological foundations.
A new loading beep resonated, and everyone grew nervous. Phastos looked at him with glowing eyes. Perseus nodded toward him; Phastos began to fidget with the creation rings he wore at his waist.
—Calculated viability is 15% with available materials, labor, and the climate factor. This design favors dry climates, but periodic rain hinders the settling of geological foundations, which are unstable due to humidity. A progressive approach and division into channels to take advantage of natural wetlands is recommended.
—I suppose that is my doubt, Ajak —Perseus answered slowly, pausing each syllable.
—How did you know?
Perseus turned to see Ajak, who had her head tilted.
—Mass vibration —was his answer, pointing to Phastos.
—Perseus is capable of manipulating the frequency at which molecules vibrate —Phastos hummed. —I suppose that allows him to read the terrain and the weather...
Perseus nodded.
—Have you solved the problem, Phastos? —Ajak requested.
—I have —he showed a new set of plans, much more similar to the city in Lady Athena's memories. He identified the two religious cores on the banks of the Euphrates and the sectorized division of the three walls.
—This is our purpose now —Ajak nodded.
Perseus left the meeting and spent the rest of the day in the settlement with old Enu and Ishtar. He taught the women gravity filtering; it was simple to take a vessel of river water and a linen fabric that Phastos had developed as soon as they arrived.
—This is how the river's impurities are washed away —he explained to them, and he could understand how Athena would get frustrated when explaining "simple" topics.
—But the Buranun is pure water from your uncle Enki, Lord Ishkur —Enu murmured.
Perseus gave her a narrowed look. In his mind, he cursed the superstitions of mortals.
—The Buranun cleanses the evil spirits from the human soul —Perseus whispered. —Before consuming it, you must purify it as I have taught you.
Enu nodded; her lips were pursed, and she no longer touched the vessel with the river water.
—Share this with everyone; let all know how to purify their source of life.
Enu left. As soon as she was outside, she was already giving the details of the ritual delivered by her Anunnaki.
—Why did you deceive her? —Ishtar asked as soon as they were alone.
—Sometimes we refuse to learn for fear of breaking tradition —Perseus answered her.
Ishtar tilted her head, the gears of her mind turning. Perseus gave her his tense smile before leaving the tent. Like every night, he walked to the clearing where he trained the girl. He stood there until dawn, watching the sky. Today was no different; he let himself be shrouded by the mantle of stars on that clear night. Millions of lights welcomed him. Perseus felt a sting in his nose.
—Bob says "hello" —he whispered to the sky.
He let himself be carried away by the view, silencing the world around him.
He was in his dreams. Perseus had had too many of those over the years not to recognize the sterile landscape and the stormy clouds in the sky.
—I thought I wouldn't have any more of these —he whispered to the void.
—And you won't —a voice answered.
Perseus turned, looking at the face of the man smiling at him. They were both so alike, yet so different; they shared the black hair and the sea-green eyes, but in the man, there was an air of command that Perseus had lost.
—Dad —Perseus exhaled.
—My son —the man's eyes watered.
A knot formed in his throat, his mouth moving without saying a single word.
—You've done well, Percy —his father smiled. That half-smile that his mother used to describe with distant eyes in front of the campfire in Montauk.
—They don't call me that anymore —Perseus slumped his shoulders.
—I know —Poseidon nodded. —But I seem to remember a sulking demigod saying: "Only those who want to kill me call me Perseus."
Perseus glared at him.
—It might as well be my fate —he complained. —How did you all stand this life of adulation?
—My dear brother loved it.
—I don't doubt it.
—For my part, I learned that it is not necessary to micromanage humans —Poseidon gave him a dramatic wink.
Perseus sighed, massaging his eyes.
—I don't know what I got myself into, Father —he whispered.
—I don't think anyone knew, Percy.
—How am I supposed to restore the Flame of the West? —Perseus let himself fall to the ground. His shoulders hunched, devoid of strength.
—You are already doing it —Poseidon reclined beside him, his eyes on the heavens.
Perseus saw him out of the corner of his eye, making a face like a confused seal.
—I don't understand.
—My granddaughter has your mother's character —Poseidon softened his smile. —She is quite the princess of the seas.
—Ishtar?
—A fitting name —he nodded firmly. —I suppose dear Aphrodite would be excited to pinch her cheeks.
Perseus frowned.
—She doesn't have cheeks.
Poseidon looked at him perplexed.
—You will find, Percy, that has never stopped Aphrodite.
—Do I want to know?
—I don't think so, no.
Perseus remained silent, happy to watch the clouds move and the occasional flash of lightning. His father didn't say anything either, humming an old Greek hymn with a voice that thundered in Perseus's ears.
—What did you mean by "And you won't", Dad? —Perseus inquired in a low voice.
—I believe Athena has that answer —his smile became manic and his eyes sparkled. —It wouldn't be proper of me to steal her moment.
Perseus threw his head back, groaning.
—You don't know, do you?
—No.
Poseidon laughed.
—About Ishtar...
—I think Artemis had the best idea of what you can do to not be separated from her.
And suddenly, he was no longer in his dreams, but standing in the middle of the clearing where he watched the stars. Perseus staggered; his vision blurred and the world spinning.