It was complete darkness, nothing to be seen but a burning sensation in the eyes. Percy believed he was deemed to die by God. He didn’t understand what he did to deserve this pain. All he had was his older brother, Luke, trying to guide him through the darkness. They just wanted to explore more of  Mt. St. Helen's ; they didn’t think getting off the tour bus would end like this. But as they were stumbling down the side of the mountain a bright light flashed in their eyes. 

“ Is this the end?’ Percy yelled.

 “I think it is, I  want to say I love you, " Luke said sobbing.  As they made their way to the bright light, Percy hated that he had to die this way; he wished he could see his mom one more time, but none of that was possible now.  As they made their way to the light Luke could feel Percy gripping his hand tighter. He was just as scared as Percy was but he would give up his life for his brother. When they made it to the bright light it wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning. 

“What do you think it is?” Percy whispered. 

“No idea. Hopefully it's a shelter,” Luke said. They found a heavy metal door and decided to  open it. They saw something they had never seen before: big bright screens with flashing lights covering the entire room, with a huge table in the middle pixelating a place they’d never seen. It was a place called Alexandria with huge buildings and in the middle of the map a huge ancient Greece building with a moat and shrubs all around it. 

“What do you think we should do?” Percy asked. 

“Wait in here until it's all over so we can go home, make sure not to touch anything.” Luke explained. As soon as Luke had said that Percy couldn’t help himself he touched the table. When he did the doors slammed shut and the whole bunker started to shake. 

“I said not to touch anything didn’t I?” Luke yelled. 

“The city was just so beautiful I tried to zoom in,” Percy explained. 

“You can never do anything right can you?” Luke screamed. Percy hated when Luke would say such things to him knowing he was the golden child, straight-A student, and a star quarterback while Percy was just a little nerd who sat in his room reading about volcanoes. That was the whole reason they were out there, he wanted to get close to an active volcano.

 “Now how are we going to get home?” Luke questioned.

 “I don’t know. First off, we don't even know where we are at the moment,” Percy said. After they both cooled off they walked around the bunker and they found the smallest bathroom they've ever seen. Also the whole electrical system was powered by energy they had never seen before. Lastly they found bunk beds where they both decided to sleep and ready themselves for whatever was ahead of them for tomorrow.

 "Percy do you feel that?” asked Luke, “it feels like the bunker is falling apart from all this shaking.” They both jumped out of bed and ran around trying to find even a small window to look outside and see what was happening, and they did. They heard the speakers say, “Reaching the destination in T-minus five seconds, brace for impact.” 

“What is there to grab onto?” Percy screamed. 

“Just grab onto anything!” Luke yelled back. Boom!

 “Luke… Luke, are you there?” Percy screamed.

 “Yes I’m fine. Are you?” Luke screamed back.

 “ I’m completely fine, let's get off this ship,” Percy said. As they made their way out of the bunker after they magically weren't touched by anything and any scratch they thought they had disappeared. While outside words couldn’t describe the amazement on their faces from all the colors and the smell of food that they could smell from what felt like miles away. Luke wondered if they were in heaven and that if this was too good to be true. Maybe this was all a dream. But when they tried to walk to the nearest food stand two soldiers who looked like they were Greek gladiators sneaked up from behind both of them. “You're both coming with us to meet the emperor and explain to him what you're doing crashing your ship in the middle of town.” the tall soldier explained. They made their way to the biggest palace they had ever seen. When they finally climbed up what seemed to be a thousand steps they made their way into the hall. 

“Kneel before the emperor!” the short redhead yelled.

 “This is Alexander III of Macedonia also known as Alexander the Great, the king of kings, the liberator of Greece.” the Jester stated. 

“Quite a long name for someone who wears older jewelry than my grandma,” Percy snickered. Before he knew it he felt a slap across his face without knowing who it was.

 “No one talks to the exalted one like that,” the redhead said wildly. 

“You just can’t keep your mouth shut can you?” Luke whispered. 

“What were you thinking crashing right next to the lighthouse that took 300 years to build?” Alexander questioned.

 “We didn’t mean to crash it at all, we don't even know where we are if we're being honest, '' Percy answered. 

“What do you mean you don’t know where you are? This is the year 3180 and you're in Alexandria, the capital of the world” Alexander explained. 

“3180? What did that bunker do to us?” Percy whispered to Luke. 

“We must have time-traveled to a different universe,” Luke explained. 

“We have to make a run for it on my count of three,” Percy said, “three… two… one.” As they made a break away to the giant door in the back, some young boy with dirty blonde hair joined them in running. It didn’t seem like he was trying to stop them, but he was trying to join them.

When they finally got far enough Luke asked, “Who are you and what are you doing following us?” 

“I’m Alex, son of Alexander and when I saw you guys running away I knew it was finally my chance to get away too.” Alex explained. 

“Why would you be running away, he's the emperor of the world?” Percy asked. Right when Percy asked, the sky turned black as night and started pouring with thunder and lightning.

“We need to get inside and I’ll tell you everything,” Alex said. They ran to Alex’s house on the north side of the city which is great because no one knows of his house except him. Every house they passed was dark red, no house different at all. 

When they entered Alex’s house they ran to the living room with huge 30 foot ceilings and the biggest furniture they’ve ever seen. Then Percy asked, “Why is every house red? Why was there a random storm in the middle of a bright sunny day? Why did you join us again?” 

“Maybe ask one question at a time please. Every house is red because my dad wants  to show his power off  and the blood of his enemies. The storm was from my father, each member of my family has a ring to keep us young and to give each of us magic. Finally I joined you because I believe you're the brothers from the prophecy that would take down my father,” Alex said breathing heavily.

“What prophecy, how would there be a prophecy about us if we just got here?” Luke questioned.

“It's the most famous prophecy among the common people who can’t stand my father. It goes like this: two brothers will come from the unknown and gain power from the two rings of creation and take down the one who rules them all.” Alex whispered, careful so no one but them would hear.

“So you're telling us that we are supposed to take down your father because you believe in an old folk story?” Percy asked, confused.

“Luke, Luke are you ok? You just passed out and your eyes turned dark red,” Alex asked.

“Yes I am okay. I don’t know what happened I just blacked out that's all,” Luke answered. 

Percy blurts out “Again you said we're going to destroy your father from a folk story?”

“I know you're going to beat him. I don't know why I just do,” Alex said.

“Is there anything else about your family we should know, and when do we get those rings?” Percy asked.

“First off I have a sister Megan who is more powerful than me because she unlocked her true potential. Also we start right after this storm is over.” Alex answered. While they waited out the storm they took shifts sleeping and watching out for Alexander’s guards. The first shift was Alex watching while Percy and Luke had well-needed rest.  After waiting out the storm they decided to make their way to the library to see the two rings that were displayed there. As they walked through the town instead of dark red houses, the houses were bright yellow. Luke wondered if the color had a different meaning as well.

“Why are these houses yellow and not dark red?” Luke asked. 

“They are yellow to show riches because they are part of the golden people.” Alex explained. Percy wishes Luke would never have  asked because he hates hearing golden people; it makes him think of his brother back home as the golden child. 

“How much longer? My feet are hurting?” Percy whined.

“It's just up ahead past those shrubs and across the moat.” Alex explained. While they made their way to the library Alex felt a shiver of fear run down his spine from the thought of them getting caught. He had faith that as soon as he could get the rings, they would become unstoppable. When they finally made it inside the library they could see where the rings were being held. They were in the middle secured around a magic barrier only a person from the royal family could take down.

“I’ll take down the barrier you two grab the rings and make a run for it.” Alex said. 

“Sounds like a plan” Luke replied. While Alex walked up stairs to the control room to shut off the barrier the brothers couldn't believe their eyes. The rings were the most beautiful rings they've ever seen. 

“How are we even supposed to use the rings?” Percy asked. 

“I don’t know, we’ll find out soon though.” Luke answered. At that moment the barrier was taken down and Luke grabbed both rings first, leaving Percy in shock. 

“The rings are for both of us, not just for you,” Percy said. 

“No, the rings are for the emperor and you're committing treason,” Luke replied. Right when Luke said that two guards came out of the control center with Alex in their control. Another two came right up behind Percy and took him and Alex to the dungeon right below the palace. 

“Why would my brother do this to us?” Percy asked, sobbing. 

“My dad is using his magic to turn Luke on us. We need to turn him back, steal the rings and beat him,” Alex explained. 

“How are we going to get out of this cell?” Percy whispered. 

“With my ring. They forgot to take it,” Alex said. Alex pulled the ring out of his pocket and put it on when he lifted his feet off the ground, his eyes were glowing yellow and he said "Open sesame,” and the bars ripped open right when he said it. They ran out of the cell and up the stairs to the hall and looked straight at the throne that was empty. 

“We need to run to my father’s room with the vault where the rings would be, '' Alex explained. While they run  up to Alexander’s room Percy wonders if he’ll see his brother again so they can go home. 

“Alex, what if we can’t beat your dad? What if I can’t get home?” Percy asked. 

“You will get home and we will beat my father to restore balance to this world.” Alex replied. When they finally got to his father’s room they both searched for the rings. They then heard a creak down the hall and both hid underneath the bed. Megan, Alex’s sister, entered the room and searched everywhere looking for something.

“Why are we hiding from her?” Percy questioned. 

“She believes everything my father says and she would turn us into my father if she catches us,” Alex explained. 

“What's this little red button down here for?” Percy asked. As he pressed the button the floor underneath them fell through and they fell down into a small pool of water inside of a metal bunker with nothing but the pool in the middle.

“What is this place?” Percy asked.

“No idea but I bet the rings are down here,” Alex said. They climbed out of the pool and began to search the entire room for the rings. 

“I think I found them!” Alex yelled. 

“Grab them and let's go before anyone finds us down here!” Percy said. Alex threw the other ring to Percy and both of them put it in their pockets. They both run to the door that leads right out of the palace. Just after they exited the bunker the sky turned pitch black.

“My dad must have found out that we have the rings. We need to get inside and end this once and for all!” Alex yelled over the thunder. They both ran up the red painted steps and just as they did Alexander, Meagan, and Luke were standing there waiting for them. 

“Luke you don’t have to do this” Percy yelled.

“Why run in fear when the emperor can give me everything I need?” Luke yelled back. 

“He’s using his magic to control you,” Percy replied. Alex couldn't take it anymore. He put his ring on and fired a shot of a magic beam straight at his father. 

“How could you do this to me?” Alexander yelled. 

“You never cared about me so why care now?” Alex screamed back. Just as he said this both Alex and Percy charged them while shooting magic. During the fighting Megan was the first one to go when Alex hit a direct shot into Megan’s back. Alexander saw that his chances were slimming so to even the odds he shot Luke in the heart thinking if he shot Luke, Percy would lose control of his emotions and be easily taken down. Just then Percy’s eyes started to glow and his body started to shine while rising into the air. The whole palace started to shake and both Alex and Alexander were blown away by the gusts that were coming from Percy. Now descended, Percy charged the emperor, his eyes filled with rage. He grabbed him and started punching him and wouldn’t stop even when it was over, until Alex had to drag him away.  Right away Percy ran to Luke who was long gone now and just sat over him crying. Percy didn’t understand why it had to be him, why did God have to take him? Luke always told Percy that he would give up his life to save Percy and today Luke fulfilled this promise. Percy learned that day that you can have all the power in the world but that isn't enough to save the ones you love.