Chapter Text
The moment he opens his eyes, he lets out the loudest, most done sigh in his entire life.
One would think that, after everything he’d gone through, his life could finally be peaceful.
Yes, he and Annabeth broke up, but it was mutual and, in hindsight, it was probably for the best. Sure, his days were aimless at times, but he had actually been looking forward to a life where he wasn’t subjected to Olympian bullshit and being the whipping post of the fucking Moirai who saw his existence from the age of 12 as some inside joke.
All of that resolutely went out the window, though, when he went to bed, and woke up suspended in some empty, black void.
‘Fucking Hades, what the fuck is this?’
An offer.
Immediately, he freezes. He looks around, and at first, he sees nothing, even though the sudden voice seemed to come from everywhere , all at once.
“Who are you?!”
A second of silence, before the void is broken by the sudden appearance of a glowing orb of soft, white light. He then finds himself floating down, to what he has no idea, but his feet touch solid ground. The orb follows him down, and then changes shape, becoming somewhat humanoid.
“You do not need to trouble yourself with who I am, Percy.”
He raises an eyebrow at the glowing figure, completely featureless except for a pair of golden eyes, completely empty, no irises, no pupils, just a sheen of spun gold that stares back at him unblinkingly.
“Shall we sit? We have a lot to discuss.”
On cue, a bench of the same white light manifested from nothing. He stares at it for a moment, before taking a seat. The figure sits down next to him, a few inches to his left.
“What is this? Some bullshit quest? My dad already said -”
“Far from it. An offer, as I said.”
That still doesn’t make things any more reassuring, but he simply gestures for the figure to continue. He is stuck here, anyways, he might as well listen.
“A chance to do things better. Save lives that could have otherwise been saved. Bring forth righteous justice for all of the wronged. Give yourself the happiness and love you rightfully deserve.”
He stares at the figure, for how long is immaterial.
“That sounds like bullshit.”
The figure has no visible reaction, merely shrugging, “Just an offer. Nothing else.”
More time passes, and silence persists. Seeing that nothing is evidently going to happen, he sighs, “This sounds like some kind of shitty time-travel fix-it fanfic.”
“Perhaps. One can argue as such. But, Percy, at the same time, is fixing things not always a bad thing?”
A rhetorical question, he thinks to himself, but yet, he also thinks of all of the death, destruction, loss , many out of his control…some within his control, and some that were because of him.
Before this moment, he had just begun to talk about it, commencing the painful, non-linear process of healing and acceptance. One that will take years of effort, grit, more pain and heartbreak, before he could achieve some semblance of peace. That is, if he actually stuck to it, and didn’t slip back into avoidance and self-reproach.
And, truly, was going back to fix things, to do things better , such a bad thing?
“What is the catch?”
“You will still bear the weight of what you went through, even as your physical body returns to the point in which you woke up. You will need to learn again, re-learn what you previously knew, and grow once more.”
He stares at the figure, “What else?”
“You will decide whether or not you want to suppress the power that holds the key to the gods, but inflicts mortal terror in those you hold dear.”
He knows what the figure is saying. Staring down at his hands, flashes of the utter terror in Annabeth’s eyes, her desperate pleas for him to never use such power again, and his promise in response. That was then, in hindsight it was easy for him to see why he agreed. Now, though, he isn’t so sure.
Well, he’ll cross that bridge when he comes to it.
“What will it be, Percy?”
He turns back to the figure, those gold eyes still staring deep into him, never once blinking, or changing.
“I won’t be able to save everyone, will I?”
“You are only one person, Percy. It is impossible.”
He nods. It is just a fact, nothing cruel, or sugar-coated about it. It is to be expected, whatever this figure is. They are simply stating facts. Being completely honest with him, which certain individuals could stand to learn from.
“But you will be able to save those who matter most. And they will aid you in kind.”
He flexes his hand, curling his fingers into a fist and releasing them. The silence stretches for another moment.
“My actions will change the future, right? Even in ways where it never happened before.”
“Yes. Every choice you make will alter what comes next. When the unknown comes, be sure to keep those important to you close.”
Yes. He can do that.
He makes his decision.
“I’ll do it.”
It may have been his imagination, or not, but he swore that the figure’s eyes shifted, crinkling slightly in the manner of a smile. Again, not of triumph, or satisfaction, simply a smile.
“Godspeed, Percy. And remember, veer hard left.”
It takes a moment for it to register, but he nods, his own smile spreading his lips without his permission.
Then, a heaviness descends upon him, the kind that feels like he is falling asleep. He closes his eyes, and knows nothing more.
As soon as Percy fades away, he gets up. The bench blinks away, and he walks.
He just walks, until he emerges into a large chamber, where three beings, aged and old as time itself, stand. One spins the thread, the second creates the tapestry of a person’s life, and the third cuts the thread of their destiny.
His eyes narrow. No more.
The three beings do not notice his arrival, which suits him just well. He flicks his right hand, and a sword materialises into his grip. He strides forth, and without warning, he runs the blade through the one who cuts the thread.
He savours in the choked gasp of pain and surprise, “Wha -”, but does not give her any longer to fully react. He twists the blade, slices her across the waist, brings the sword up, and for good measure, chops her head off. The scissors she had in her hand clutters uselessly to the floor.
He goes for the other two next. He hacks off their arms, slices their torsos to pieces, and chops off their heads. It is all over quickly. They stood no chance, because while some legends claim them as above the gods of Olympus, there is always something higher than them.
He watches impassively as the pieces and parts disintegrate into dust, not the gold in which slain monsters become, more of a cosmic shimmer, if there is such a colour. The dust is blown away by an unseen wind, leaving him all alone in the chamber. The sword in his hand also disintegrates, dematerialised into nothing. He has done what he had set out to do. There is no further need for it.
In the empty chamber, devoid of the beings once called the Fates, he stares up to the endless above, and makes a proclamation.
“Henceforth, mortals, demigods, gods, monsters, titans and giants are the masters of their own destiny. Their actions determine their outcome, be it their preservation, or their destruction.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Basically, I fell down the rabbit hole that was PJO time travel fix-it fics, and I just couldn't not make one of my own.
Will it be utter shit that will rapidly turn into a raging dumpster fire?
Probably.
Is this also my way of spreading the good word of Perpollo, Permes and other Percy-centric slash ships?
Absolutely yes.
Because I am simply sick and tired of Percy going through shit time and time again. My precious boy deserves all of the hugs, cuddles and love, dammit! He deserves to have nice things, and so do us readers/writers!
So anyways. I don't really have an update schedule or planned upload dates. Just like with the ever-growing pile of WIPs I have in the dusty corner of my barely-functioning brain, updates will come whenever they are ready. That said, I hope you guys enjoy this do-over of Percy's shenanigans. This is my first long-form PJO fanfic, so I hope y'all will support me in this endeavour!
- Kai
Chapter 2: An Awakening in the Past
Summary:
Percy wakes up on the fateful day he turned his maths teacher into gold dust, and chooses violence.
Figuratively, and literally.
Notes:
I am just gobsmacked by the responses to the first chapter. Truly, y'all have my sincerest thanks and gratitude🥹🥹🥹
Have this quick update as a treat!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Percy knows this day all too well.
From the moment his eyes snapped open, and took stock of his surroundings, he knew beyond any possible doubt, further confirmed when he double-checked the date.
When he reduced his maths teacher to gold dust, and he got Riptide for the first time from Chiron, masquerading as his Latin language teacher.
Admittedly, it was jarring to not have his trusty sword with him when he first woke up, but as soon as he registered the date, Percy reminded himself that, should things go as they had gone, Riptide will be his once more.
For now, though, he just needs to put up with Nancy Bobofit throwing bits of food at him, pretend everything is all hunky-dory with Grover and Chiron - ahem, Mr. Brunner, and get to the Met without murdering anyone.
Not yet.
Lunch break couldn’t have come fast enough. If he doused Nancy with more fountain water than last time, nobody needed to know. Gods, he forgot how fucking irritating she was, and preteen children in general. Especially Nancy’s screeching, alternating between complaining about the cold water and blaming Percy for her unplanned bath.
“What, do you think I’m Aquaman or something?” Percy shoots back, eyebrow raised.
Nancy just screeched louder, drawing more looks from other museum visitors. He can feel Chiron staring at him with veiled interest, while Mrs. Dodds practically tries to murder him from mere sight alone. In hindsight, Chiron had been a shit mentor to him, period. He made a lot of bad decisions, his unwillingness to teach was clear to anyone who could see, had zero tact whatsoever, lacked a spine, and withheld important information that could’ve saved Percy a whole lot of trouble if he had just been fucking honest . And the fact that he let a Fury be in close proximity to mortals is just another red mark against his character.
Regardless, now isn’t the time for dragging the centaur through the mud. Mrs. Dodds is already ordering him to follow her. Grover tries to take the blame for him, which Percy appreciates, but unnecessary. He shoots Grover a firm look, which makes him freeze up. He doesn’t spare the rest of the class a further glance, though he does notice Grover immediately going to Chiron.
Without warning, something zips through the air, and shoots right into his pocket.
Blinking in surprise, Percy dips his hand into his pocket, his fingers closing around an all-too familiar pen.
He blinks again, casting another glance back towards Chiron. The disguised centaur is still in hushed conversation with Grover, his back towards Percy. He couldn’t have thrown Riptide in the distance between them, what with the class nearby and other museum visitors in the vicinity.
Percy wonders, did his beloved sword sense his presence and come to him itself?
…
…
Huh.
As they say, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Percy subtly glances around. They have passed the gift shop and are approaching the Graeco-Roman section. There are no other visitors around them, and as far as he can tell, there aren’t any security cameras aiming in their general direction. They are about to reach the room where Mrs. Dodds first revealed her true form, so it is now or never.
He uncaps Riptide.
The Fury barely has the chance to turn around when Percy brings his sword down on her left shoulder, slicing her in two diagonally. She lets out a screech of surprise, mixed with outrage, as her body explodes in a cloud of gold dust.
Fuck, he really needed to get back into shape. Riptide felt heavier and unwieldy, being held in his stick-like arms. He misses his strength and agility.
Casting a glance around, Percy caps Riptide back and puts it in his pocket. No one appears to have heard the Fury’s death screech and come running. Pausing by a nearby pillar to catch his breath, Percy rejoins his class, schooling his face into a blank deadpan.
“I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt,” Nancy sneers.
“And I hope you drown in the bath, you little bitch,” Percy snaps back.
Maybe he should’ve said it with less force, but he really didn’t want to deal with this gaslighting by Mist bullshit. Either way, Nancy actually flinches, and takes a step back. If Percy relishes the vindictive spark tingling his spine, then nobody else needs to know.
He pointedly ignores the strange look from Chiron. Grover tries to talk to him for the rest of the museum tour, but Percy also ignores him. He really doesn’t want to give the satyr the cold shoulder, and it isn’t his intention. In this lifetime and the last, Grover has always had a special place in his heart as his best friend, but right now, Percy has more important priorities at hand.
Chiron stops him as they leave the museum, asking if he has seen his pen lying around. Percy shakes his head, knowing what Chiron is trying to do. Fuck you, Riptide is his .
Furthermore, he needs his sword.
Waiting for him back at the apartment is the sorry excuse of a human being known as Smelly Gabe. Percy knows that his mother would’ve done him and his poker buddies away thanks to some help with Medusa’s decapitated head. But frankly, despite his mother’s reasoning that she married Gabe in order to protect him from monsters, it took years for Percy to come to terms with the cruel words, beatings and cigarette burns, that he was more than the monster he was forced to share a living space with. And while it was his mother’s decision to petrify Gabe and his friends, he isn’t going to wait for that time.
Yes, it can be argued that he is taking what is rightfully her choice away, but as far as anyone is concerned, nothing that happened before has happened yet. A clean slate, so to speak. He loves his mother, truly, and her wellbeing will always be paramount. She wouldn’t be extorted by an abusive sack of shit. She’d get to keep her money, and pursue her dreams without anyone getting in her way.
All of that can only happen when Riptide has its first taste of mortal blood.
Stepping into the apartment, Percy is hit by the acrid scent of cigar smoke and the foul odours of whatever trash littered the living room. Smelly Gabe and his friends are playing poker, as usual.
“So, you’re back,” Gabe looks up, a cigar held between his disgusting, yellowed teeth.
Percy doesn’t deign him a response, making sure that the front door is securely locked. Striding forward, he uncaps Riptide for the second time that day.
“What are you -”
A violent slash, accompanied by the ringing of metal, and Gabe is forcibly relieved of the burden that was his head. With the cigar still clasped between the teeth, the head hits the filthy floor with a dull thud, rolling until a discarded beer can stops it in its tracks. Blood spurts from the stump, spilling all over Percy and the poker table.
A split-second of stunned silence.
Just as the other three men rise to their feet and their mouths open in the beginnings of terrified screams and horrified shouts, Percy leaps forward like a tidal wave crashing onto a beach. He might be back in his untrained, weak 12-year-old body, but pure adrenaline and rage carries him forward. Metal rings out in shrill cries, followed closely by more blood splattering everywhere and the dull, wet thuds of heads, limbs and bits of bodies hitting the floor, ceiling and walls.
In ten seconds, Percy had taken four mortal lives. He can practically taste the iron as blood continues to spill and spread. In time, it will cool and coagulate into a sticky, sickly mess, as the remains of the four mortals go cold, rot and decay away.
By then, though, Percy had long departed from the scene.
He only has several hours before his mother is back from work. He needs to make haste.
Thankfully, what he needs is readily available on the blood-stained poker table.
Grabbing one of the cards and a lighter, Percy caps Riptide back. He digs into Smelly Gabe’s pocket, fishing out the man’s wallet and swiping all the notes inside. Stepping over the dismembered body parts and blood, he leaves the apartment, and flags down an approaching taxi. Thankfully, the driver doesn’t comment on the blood splatters on his clothes. Percy counts his blessings, the driver just acknowledges his stated destination, and takes him to Coney Island.
Away from the famous boardwalk and the myriad of fairground rides, stalls and attractions, the taxi drops him off at Manhattan Beach park. Going down to the shoreline, he looks around. Seeing as there is no one else present, he takes out the blood-splattered card, and flicks on the lighter. Holding the flame to a corner, Percy lets the card smoulder and burn.
‘Dad, I need you here. This is important. I do not care for Uncle Z or whatever ancient laws bullshittery he spouts. This pertains to the future. The fate of Olympus, the gods, the entire world , is at stake. Please, meet me here.’
The card burns through quickly, and Percy lets the remnants go. The wind carries the ashes out into the ocean, and immediately, a spray of saltwater that didn’t come from the ocean in front of him settles over his head and down his body. Good, his dad heard him, understandably confused and likely very suspicious.
A literal second later, the ocean parts with a vicious roar. The waves pull away like Moses with the Red Sea, and from the surf, Poseidon emerges. Dressed in Atlantean regalia, there is no trace of those tacky Hawaiian print shirts. Percy knows right away that his dad means business. Poseidon comes before him, his eyes stormy with unspoken questions, and a stern demand for answers.
“Perseus.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I guess you guys can tell I have quite a few notes about certain characters in this chapter.
- Kai
--------------------------
Chapter 3: A Discussion
Summary:
Not even the god of the sea is safe from the storm that is his own son.
Chapter Text
Percy steels himself. He knows that it is to be expected. His dad doesn’t know him as he did before in this current timeline. But he cannot let himself be intimidated or cowed. Not when so much is at stake, and he had already pushed the wheels of change.
“I speak the truth, Dad. How can I mess with you, since, at this time, I should not have known you, let alone know how to contact you?”
His throat feels like quivering glass, even if his words came out firm. He maintains his gaze on his dad’s eyes, never looking away or daring to blink.
“You should not have known.”
“I know. You only saw me once, as a baby. Mum made sure to keep as much detail about you from me. She did so to keep me safe from Uncle Z and the monsters who prey on demigod blood. But greater danger awaits, and we risk losing everything if we do not act.”
Poseidon raises an eyebrow.
“Names have power, as I have been told before.”
Silence follows, save for the strong wind and the waves crashing and receding from the shore. Poseidon continues to stare him down, but his eyes now dig into him with a different purpose. Even so, Percy does not flinch or look away.
Poseidon eventually remarks, “You are young, but you carry unimaginable struggles. Somehow, you survived the impossible and came out stronger than before. It should be impossible, but I sense no deceit or lies from you.”
“Lying does me jackshit, not with what is coming,” Percy says seriously, “Can we talk somewhere…private? You are the only one I can trust at this time.”
Poseidon’s eyes are still dark, but they no longer carry the storm of suspicion within them. Percy takes that as a win. “Come with me.”
Percy takes his dad’s offered hand, idly noting how small his own is within Poseidon’s much-larger palm. He holds on tight, as Poseidon takes him into the depths. The beach and sky disappear as Percy’s entire world becomes entirely water. He finds himself in the depths of the abyss, far away from the coast, deep within the Atlantic. They come to a stop over on a cliff, overlooking the dark unknown below.
“We can talk here, but not for long,” Poseidon says, “My brother will become suspicious, and something tells me that your mother does not know what you are doing.”
“She won’t know for a few more hours, not until she gets home from her shift, and finds…” Percy trails off.
He can feel his dad’s gaze on him, but Poseidon decides to put that aside for the time being, “What do you want to tell me?”
Percy jumps straight to the point, “I came back in time, from the future.”
Poseidon inhales sharply, “...what?”
“I’m twelve, currently, but I was…” Percy pauses for a moment, “...twenty-two, I think. Anyways,” he turns to Poseidon, “The Great Prophecy? The one about dear old grandpa? It’s happening. Again.”
His dad’s eyes widen with horror, “Perseus…”
“And that’s not to mention the second one,” Percy sniffs, turning back to the endless ocean in front of him, “When that bitch dirtface came and…” he sighs, rubbing a hand down his face. He sits at the cliff’s edge, knowing that he is in no danger of falling, “I lived through it all, and it will all happen again.”
Poseidon releases a shaky breath. He sits down next to Percy, barely an inch of space between them, “What happened? After the first one?”
“It wasn’t even a full year,” Percy replies, “Two wars, less than a year apart. We lost so many lives, Dad. So many innocent lives, all because Uncle Z is a paranoid fucker who sees anything that exists as a plot to overthrow him.”
Poseidon says nothing to that, because there is nothing to dispute. “Does the theft of the Master Bolt trigger the first war?”
“No, it is but a mere domino,” Percy shakes his head, “The Master Bolt was stolen by someone within Camp Half-Blood to start a war amongst the gods. It was part of a larger plan by Gramps to destabilise Olympus.” He sighs, “In the first timeline, I was sent off to search for the Master Bolt, nine days after you claimed me at camp. Honestly, I wished you did so sooner, but, at least in hindsight, I can understand why you chose to do so after the summer solstice.”
“You are my son, Perseus,” Poseidon declares firmly.
“I appreciate it,” Percy nods, “Even though by mortal standards, you would be nothing but a deadbeat sperm donor who doesn’t pay his child support,” he ignores the wince that flashes across his dad’s face, “you are still leagues better than many others. So much of what I went through could’ve been avoided if the gods actually visited their children, showed that they care . But no, somehow, the council just sits by as Uncle Z lets his paranoia and ego overrun him.”
“The sheer disrespect you have towards the gods is concerning…” Poseidon observes.
“I never respected the gods, save for Hestia, she is truly the best of you lot. And if you weren’t my father, I wouldn’t have held any respect, let alone love, for you either,” Percy states bluntly, and he knows it hit when his dad winces again, “As it stands, the gods mean fuck all to me. Not at this rate. Olympus has done nothing but make my life a living nightmare over the next five years, simply because they refuse to take responsibility for their fuck-ups. Honestly, I can see where Luke is coming from - the one who actually stole the Master Bolt, by the way, that for the most part, the gods don’t give a fucking shit about the consequences of their actions. But that doesn’t make Gramps the better option. Anyways, I’m digressing.” Percy switches topics, “I’m told of the prophecy, the god in the west who had turned. We all thought it was Hades, but his helmet was stolen too.”
Poseidon frowns, “My brother has not said anything…”
“Uncle Hades is just overworked and exhausted at this point,” Percy says, “And why would he want war anyways? War means more deaths, and more souls to process. I can’t imagine the sheer amount of paperwork that goes through the Underworld. I don’t blame him for being so done with everything, but what I do blame him for is taking Mum as fucking insurance .”
“What?!”
“Hades thought I was the one who stole the Master Bolt, so he used her to convince me to hand over the Bolt and return his helmet. It hasn’t happened yet, though. Not in this timeline.”
Percy waits until his dad calms down, “And, in hindsight, I can sorta understand where he’s coming from. He has been blamed and shunned for everything bad under the sun, and when his helmet gets stolen, with his belief that you were behind it, it was the final straw.”
“...I see. Please, continue.”
Percy leaves no stone unturned. His encounters with various monsters, the near-death experiences, his fight with Ares, the Lotus Casino, Procrutes, his journey into the Underworld, and Luke’s betrayal. The more he talks, the paler Poseidon becomes. By the end of it, his dad had closed what little space that separated them, and had an arm wrapped around Percy’s shoulders.
“My son…” he all but whispers, “How did you survive all of this?”
“Sheer, dumb luck? The Fates thinking my mere existence is one sick inside joke?” Percy shrugs, appreciating the gesture, “Even after I brought back the Master Bolt, there was still Luke and Gramps to deal with. Not that Uncle Z did anything useful then. He did jack-shit when his own daughter, because even when he took the oath he couldn’t keep it in his pants, the pine tree that was Thalia Grace, was poisoned and weakened the protective barrier around camp that kept monsters out. I had to go retrieve the Golden Fleece to heal the tree, but the Fleece’s power was too great, and it revived Thalia, thereby providing another candidate for the Great Prophecy.”
Poseidon sighs, “My brother is a hypocrite.”
“No shit.” Percy agrees, “He also didn’t fucking care when Artemis was tricked into holding up the sky by Atlas. I ended up taking the sky myself to let Artemis fight against Atlas.”
“Oh, Perseus…”
Poseidon squeezes his shoulder, keeping him grounded. Percy quietly talks about the death of Bianca, and his broken promise to her brother to keep her safe. Tears spill from his eyes, and he pauses to pull himself together. She is still alive, he tells himself, still inside the Lotus Casino. He then talks about Zoë, mortally wounded after being thrown off a cliff by Atlas, and Artemis turning her into the Huntress constellation. His tears turn into rage, as he recounts how, despite everything he, Artemis and the others went through, Zeus had the fucking gall to make the council vote on whether he should be killed or allowed to live.
Percy has to take a minute to calm down. Poseidon wholeheartedly understands. Just hearing what his brother tried to do to his beloved son, after everything he’d done for Olympus, it is both a miracle and a testament to the inherent goodness in Percy’s soul that he didn’t defect to Kronos right then and there.
“Things didn’t get any better from then on. There was the Labyrinth -”
He could feel his dad freeze.
“That - my son, how did you end up there? That is no place for demigods -”
“No,” Percy agrees, “but again, I was a mere punching bag for the Fates, and because Uncle Z would rather bury his head so far up his flat, nonexistent ass until the threat to his very existence is marching up to Olympus, twice .”
Poseidon goes quiet, allowing Percy to continue. His encounter with Janus, Briares and Kampe on Alcatraz. Poseidon tenses at the mention of Kampe, only relaxing when Percy reassures him that he and Briares managed to escape. He moves on to the farm, and what Apollo’s sacred cattle were being used for.
“He’s not going to be happy when he finds out,” Poseidon hums.
“No, no he won’t be.” Percy agrees. He continues with meeting Hephaestus, the detour to Mount St. Helens, and what the telkhines were doing.
“Don’t tell me they -”
“They were. They were almost done too,” Percy says, prompting his dad to squeeze him again, “I managed to stop them but…I inadvertently aided them too.”
“What do you mean?”
“I sent Annabeth to tell Hephaestus what was going on. I fought the telkhines, and because there was no ocean water, the earth answered my call. I ended up causing Mount St. Helens to erupt, which sped up Typhon’s awakening.”
“Typhon…woke up?”
The fear is palpable in his dad’s eyes. Percy nods, “Gramps woke him up, part of his greater plan. Anyways, I woke up in Ogygia some time after.” He glosses over Calypso and talks, with some grim humour, about crashing his own funeral. Percy talks about returning to the Labyrinth with Rachel, dueling Antaeus, finding the workshop and fighting the empousai before escaping. He briefly mentioned Kronos taking over Luke’s body, before going into graphic detail about the battle against the army rising from the Labyrinth. It hurt his heart and soul to recount every single camper that was lost, but Percy soldiered on, if not in remembrance, but to remind himself that, as of now, they are still alive, and hopefully, have a chance of surviving this time.
He takes another minute to gather himself. Percy talks about the final summer before the fateful Battle of Manhattan. The destruction of the Princess Andromeda and Beckendorf’s demise, the war waged against Atlantis by Oceanus, the guilt Percy carried by calling his dad away from his domain to deal with Typhon along with the other gods, how Hades tricked Nico into betraying him, and how he got back at Hades by bathing in the Styx and proceeding to hand him his ass (Poseidon couldn’t help the gleeful snort at that mental image), and how it all culminated in that final confrontation, with downtown New York City bearing the brunt of the destruction. Nico managed to convince Hades to join the battle, and Percy recounted how he convinced Poseidon to aid them. It all came to an end when Luke, the traitor, managed to briefly regain control and, with Percy’s help, injures himself at his mortal point, killing Kronos, before dying shortly after himself.
The next few minutes pass in complete silence.
“All of this…and it doesn’t even include the second prophecy…”
“No. The dirtface bitch didn’t even give us a full year before enacting her rise.”
Poseidon lets out a mournful noise, “Why? Why are you always in the middle of everything?”
“Because the Fates see my suffering as Saturday night entertainment,” Percy repeats himself, “And if it makes you feel any better, dad, she’s been planning this long before you broke the oath. Since the 1940s.”
“How do you know this?”
“Hazel, daughter of Pluto,” Percy replies, “She encountered the bitch back then.”
Poseidon nods, “How did you get involved?”
“You can thank Aunt H for that,” Percy scowls, eyes darkening, “Planned an unexpected exchange program without telling anyone, wiped my memories clean and kidnapped me, unceremoniously dumping in the middle of nowhere -”
“She fucking what ?!”
“And apparently did the same for Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, because of-fucking-course that bastard couldn’t keep it in his pants, twice, with the same woman. It was all a ploy by her to bring the Greek and Roman camps together so that they could ally against dirtface when she rose. As for me, I was bumbling around northern California, fighting off monsters at every turn, until I arrived at Camp Jupiter with aid from Lupa, the wolf-goddess of ancient Rome.”
Poseidon has to take a long, shaking breath before he can speak, “Why wasn’t I informed of this? Why didn’t I come to your aid?”
“I…never really thought about it? I mean, on the one hand, Aunt H went against her husband and the council by pulling this stunt. At the same time, I think the schism between your Greek and Roman forms was already taking its toll? Uncle Z closing off Olympus certainly didn’t help matters…”
Poseidon sighs, lifting Percy onto his lap, “I promise you. I swear on the Styx, that I won’t let this happen. Not again.”
Percy feels the waters around them shift, and he knows his dad felt it too. Swearing on the Styx is never something you just fucked around and found out.
“Well, regardless, I was stuck in New Rome, won some war games for the Fifth Legion, and then Mars appeared.”
“Why so?”
“Thanatos had been captured, and his absence enabled dirtface to seize control over the Doors of Death and force them open, allowing monsters to regenerate almost instantly and allowing souls who could defeat the Olympians back into the mortal world. I was sent on a quest with a son of Mars, Frank Zhang, and Hazel to free Thanatos. Just so you know, there was no prophecy. Nothing.”
Poseidon frowns, “Apollo would not have appreciated that.”
“No, he would not. And neither did his legacy, Octavian.”
Hearing the grimace in his son’s voice, Poseidon remarks, “You didn’t like this Octavian.”
“The feeling was mutual,” Percy says, “Fucking nepo-baby, taking advantage of his lineage with Apollo to seize power for himself. Though that’s not to say that New Rome was all roses and rainbows too. He was just part of the bigger problem.” He sighs, continuing, “Anyways, even though there was no prophecy when Mars issued the quest, we did hear one later on, the first two lines, actually, from the Sibylline books. I still remember them, To the north, beyond the gods, lies the legion’s crown. Falling from ice, the son of Neptune shall drown . Turns out, that was me.”
Poseidon stares at him incredulously, “You are a child of the ocean, my son.”
“Yeah, well, dirtface tried to drown me in muskeg. Hazel had to save my ass.”
Poseidon swallows, followed closely by a particularly exhausted sigh, “So you joined Frank and Hazel on the quest?”
“Yes, and I was treated to the clearest example of how much the Romans disrespected Neptune and other seafaring gods.” Percy huffs, looking especially miffed, “They gave us this rundown rowboat without any fucking oars. Whole quest would’ve gone under even before it began, had it not been for me.”
“I…how?”
“My guess? Fucking Octavian,” Percy sneers, “I mean, when you consider that the ancient Roman navy was integral in their conquest of the entire Mediterranean basin, the Pax was an insult to their ancestors and Neptune. If we had a proper ship, we could’ve saved a lot of time. But, again, I digress.”
He continues with their encounter with Phineas, and Ella the harpy. Hearing Percy describe how they managed to free Ella makes Poseidon stare down with a severe frown, “That was so reckless, Perseus. You could’ve died.”
“Well, it worked,” Percy shrugs, “Phineas bit the dust, and we freed Ella. Good thing we did, because she had read and memorised the entire Sibylline books. Plus, we needed to know which glacier Thanatos was imprisoned in, because, again, stupid time limit. Anyways, more shit happened, we arrived in Alaska, found the glacier, fought against Pluto’s bane, and after freeing Thanatos, we rushed back to New Rome to fight against Polybotes -”
Poseidon chokes, “Poly - Perseus, my son, he is supposed to be my bane. How did you fight him -”
“Three times, actually.”
Poseidon stares blankly at Percy, before letting out the most done sigh Percy had heard thus far, “Three times. Just…how…?”
“First time? I yeeted a statue at him.”
“...what.”
“Terminus.”
“...fine. The…other two times?”
“I’ll get to that,” Percy assures him, “So we fought Polybotes and his army of monsters, defeated him, and I was made praetor. Our favourite Aunt H came to me in my dreams, called me a “loose cannon”, fucking bitch, but said that I am the glue that will unite the two camps against dirtface.” He talks about the Argo II, how Leo was apparently possessed into attacking the Romans, and their escape. He glosses over what happened before their arrival in Rome, focusing on rescuing Nico from the twin giants, Ephialtes and Otis, and Annabeth’s quest to recover the Athena Parthenos, which was integral to restoring peace between the Greeks and Romans.
“In short, Annabeth succeeded where all her other siblings failed,” Percy continues. However, Poseidon notices that his voice is quieter, and Percy averts his gaze from him, “She used trickery to push Arachne into Tartarus. We managed to save Nico, and secure the Parthenos to the Argo II. But…” he trails off, not saying anything else.
“Perseus?”
“You’re not going to like this, Dad. Arachne used her remaining webbing to pull Annabeth down along with her. I…I told Nico to meet us at the Doors of Death and…and I chose to fall into the pit with her.”
…
…
…
“You - I…you…Perseus!”
“I had no choice, Dad,” Percy replies simply.
“No choice?!” Poseidon screeches, grabbing him by the shoulders and making Percy face him, “Perseus, no demigod should ever go through the pit! How could you do something so - ?!”
“We had to close the Doors, Dad,” Percy interrupts, “And Annabeth wouldn’t have survived by herself.”
Father and son stared at one another for a good minute. Poseidon is the one to break, all but crushing Percy in a suffocating hug, “How did you…how did you both survive?”
“Not without help,” Percy admits. He talks about Damasen and Bob, formerly Iapetus. When he gets to the part with Akhlys, his voice is thick with conflicting emotions as he explains how he dealt with the goddess of misery.
“I won’t lie, Dad. I really wanted to kill her. I wanted her to feel every second of pain and misery that she did to me and Annabeth when she betrayed us. Her screams and begs for mercy were like music to my ears, and I relished in her suffering. But Annabeth got me to stop. She was utterly distraught, and she begged me not to use such power again. At the time, my thoughts were entirely about her, so I agreed. Now, though, thinking back…” Percy runs a hand down his face, “I wonder if I made the right choice. You told me before, the ocean does not like to be restrained.”
“I did,” Poseidon agrees, “But poison is not specifically my domain.” He cups Percy’s cheek, running his thumb along the smooth skin, “Regardless, it is clear to me that you did what you had to do to survive. I cannot speak for Annabeth, but it doesn’t make me think or love you less.”
“...thanks, Dad.”
After a long moment, Percy continues with Bob’s sacrifice to enable him and Annabeth to reach the doors and, with help from the others aboard the Argo II, close them. Nico helped Reyna bring the Parthenos back to Camp Half-Blood, while he and others travelled to Athens. At the Acropolis, Percy recounts how he, Annabeth and the other demigods fought the army of giants, along with the Olympians, but blood from Annabeth and his own, from a fucking nosebleed of all things, made Gaea wake up.
“Uncle Z basically backhands us into Camp Half-Blood, and we fight against dirtface, eventually atomising her thanks to Leo’s fire supernova and Octavian’s onager. Leo sacrificed himself in the process, but thank fuck, he was resurrected with the Physician’s Cure and went off to rescue Calypso from her island. And…yeah, that’s it, really.”
He doesn’t mention all of the bullshit that happened to Apollo, because frankly, now isn’t the right time for that.
“Oh Perseus, my son…” Poseidon hugs him again, “You went through so much, and now you have to do it all again. Must you really shoulder all of this by yourself?”
“...no, I don’t intend to,” Percy replies after a moment, “I’ll have others with me. I will need to be careful with who I tell about the future, but I promise you, dad, I won’t be doing this alone.”
Poseidon is still worried, “Aren’t you afraid of changing the future too drastically? What if something happens that did not happen before?”
“There will always be a risk,” Percy acknowledges, “And, before I came back in time, some…someone told me to keep those important to me close, when I face the unknown. Like I said, I don’t intend to confront what is coming alone. That’s why I called for you, Dad, even when I risked Uncle Z’s bullshit. And, you could argue that I already made changes, even if the outcome is still the same.”
“What do you mean?” Poseidon asks, admittedly a little wary, given everything his son just unceremoniously dumped onto him.
“Remember how I mentioned that Mum won’t be back for several hours and won’t know that I’ve disappeared until she gets home? Well, you know how Mum married after I was born?”
“Yes, I remember. His name is Gabe…”
“I killed him, and his poker friends.”
…
…
…
“What.”
“Yeah, so, um…can you help me get rid of some human remains? I promise I’ll explain everything.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
In the span of a few hours, Poseidon has aged a full millennia hehe.
Anyways, this chapter was especially tricky, given that I've never actually read the books (shocking, I know), and relied entirely on Wikipedia and the PJO wikia pages for plot information. Let me know if I made any mistakes in the comments section, and I'll rectify them ASAP.
Cheers, everyone!
- Kai
--------------------------
Chapter 4: A Promise
Summary:
Percy tells his mother about what happened while she was gone. She responds in the only way a loving mother who has dealt with godly bullshit can do.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Perseus, my son…”
“I don’t blame Mum for it.” Percy stares at the poker table, now cleared of all blood and organic matter, “She loves me. She knows what would’ve happened. The only one I blame is that monster.”
“I…I’m so sorry, Perseus. If only I’d known the true extent of what he did to you both -”
“…there will always be a part of me that will resent you for not stepping in,” Percy admits bluntly. Unlike before, he takes no comfort or vindictive pleasure in Poseidon wincing, his face falling with guilt, “That will never change, even now. What Gabe did to me will never truly go away. However, that doesn’t make me love you any less. I know things could’ve been much worse. And…you answering my call, and your apology, does help.”
Poseidon gently runs a hand through Percy’s hair, eyes downcast, “Someone so young like yourself should not have to say that.”
“I’m only young physically, mentally I’m already an adult,” Percy corrects, “Anyways, you should probably go, before Uncle Z notices and raises a stink -”
At that moment, someone unlocks the front door, and opens it.
“Percy, are you home? I’m -”
At the doorway, Sally Jackson freezes, her eyes widening at the sight of her son, standing by the poker table, and Poseidon, still clad in his royal regalia. Poseidon is also frozen stiff, eyes wide like a deer in the headlights, staring at the woman who birthed his son.
“P-Poseidon,” Sally eventually mutters, quickly closing the door, “What are you doing here?”
The god of the sea tries to find the right words, but Percy cuts in, “Welcome home, Mum. I called for Dad, and he helped me clean up the place.”
“Ah…w-where is -?”
“Dead.”
Sally blinks owlishly, “Come again?”
“I killed him,” Percy replies bluntly, because there is no point beating about the bush, “I killed him and his friends when I got back from school. Dad helped me dispose of the evidence.”
He turns to Poseidon, “You should go, before Uncle Z notices. Can you come by tomorrow?”
The god exhales, nodding after a moment, “I will.” He turns to Sally, “It is good to see you again, Sally. I’m afraid I must leave for now. But I promise to return tomorrow.”
Sally can only nod dumbly. Poseidon squeezes Percy’s shoulder, and disappears in a mist of sea spray and salt. Now with just the two of them, Percy turns to his mum, “I know you have questions, and I’ll answer them.”
Percy doesn’t tell Sally everything he told Poseidon that evening, sticking to just the bare bones of the details. He waits until the next day, which thankfully is a Saturday and he doesn’t have to contend with school. No sooner have mother and son sit down for breakfast, Poseidon reappears in the living room. Unlike the day before, though, there is no trace of Atlantean regalia. Today, Poseidon is dressed in those all-too familiar, tacky Hawaiian print shirts, bermudas, fishing hat and sandals. Anyone looking in might think of Poseidon as simply another fishing enthusiast, not the literal God of the Sea.
Percy would be remiss to not notice the undercurrent of awkward tension in the air, which was to be expected. His mere existence has always been tinged with awkwardness, stemming from his dad’s infidelity, and now especially, given what has already been changed and revealed.
Regardless, Sally is still a respectable host, even towards the god standing before her, “Poseidon, we’re just about to have breakfast. Would you like to join us?”
“I would love to, Sally.”
Percy knows that mortal food provides no sustenance to the gods, not like ambrosia and nectar, but that hasn’t stopped them from partaking in it before, based on his recollections. Breakfast is quiet, and the tension is still in the air. But only when the food is finished, does the talking begin.
“Percy told me some of it,” Sally begins, jumping straight in. Percy can see the flash of recognition in Poseidon’s eyes. The god evidently thought Percy inherited her bluntness, at least in this present timeline, “He said he came back from the future, ten years from now. He also told me how he killed his maths teacher, Mrs. Dodds, at the Met, and later…Gabe and his poker friends.”
Her voice may be more or less firm, but Sally is still troubled. Percy expected as much, not that he regretted what he did.
“Percy also told me what would’ve happened if things had stayed the same,” Sally continues, “How he would’ve been expelled from Yancy Academy, that I’d take him to our cabin at Montauk, only for us to get attacked by the Minotaur. I…I would then be kidnapped by your brother, used as a…bargaining chip, essentially.”
Poseidon doesn’t say anything. He merely nods, because what else can he say, when it is the truth of what would happen?
“Percy said there is more. He said you are best suited to explain.”
And he does. Poseidon tells Sally everything she needs to know, all of the important details, what their son will go through in the next five years. Percy himself doesn’t say anything or add any input. His dad is just rehashing everything he dropped on him the day before. He just watches his mum, gauging her reaction, or lack thereof.
Sally’s expression doesn’t outwardly change, but Percy can see a literal storm of emotions flash rapidly in her eyes. When Poseidon finishes, she grabs her mug, gulps down what is left of her coffee, and sets it back down with a definitive thud.
“You will keep him safe,” Sally says after taking a long breath, “Even if you have to wage war against Olympus itself, you will do everything in your power to keep him safe.”
“I swear on it,” Poseidon nods, “I swear on the River Styx.”
His dad might’ve already made that promise yesterday, but it still feels comforting for Percy to hear it again, along with the accompanying rumble of thunder above, despite the weather being clear and bright outside.
“Percy might’ve changed things, what with the expedited murder of his…stepfather,” Sally continues once the thunderous rumble fades away, “But I can’t imagine that, somehow, I won’t still be taken by your brother. I…I refuse to put Percy in harm’s way again, knowing now what happened then.”
“Rest assured, Sally,” Poseidon replies, “I will take him to Atlantis. He will be safe there. I won’t have him step foot into Camp Half-Blood until the day he previously arrived.”
Percy turns to his dad, “Does your…wife and children know?”
“Not yet, but I will inform them,” Poseidon replies.
Percy exhales shakily, “I can’t imagine my presence will be well-received.”
“Why not? You are a child of the ocean, Perseus.”
“Your infidelity aside, I remember the times I was there previously. I understand Amphitrite was initially cold towards me because she was worried about the war with Oceanus, she did warm up to me later on; but Triton…I don’t remember ever having a civil conversation with him. I don’t recall if Amphitrite ever revealed her true thoughts about my birth, but Triton never once turned down the opportunity to express his displeasure about my existence.”
Poseidon sighs, “I don’t deny that you being my favourite son must have led Triton to develop intense jealousy and wariness towards you. He probably thinks that you are going to usurp him as my heir to the throne.”
“Yeah, well, I have no intention of ruling Atlantis,” Percy rolls his eyes.
“I can see that. But I also think you and Triton did not have the chance to really get to know one another, given the circumstances of what happened previously. Also, I don’t know if you were aware of this, Perseus, but Triton has suffered a profound loss many millennia ago, when his own daughter, Pallas, was accidentally killed in a duel with Athena. I suspect…despite the clear differences, you bear some resemblance to Pallas, thereby contributing to Triton’s behaviour towards you.”
“That may be true,” Percy concedes, “But again, I had no control over my birth, and Triton never indicated that my appearance might’ve caused him any emotional pain.” He takes a sip of his juice, wishing it was coffee, but that would make his ADHD even worse, “He hated my guts, and never let me forget it .”
Poseidon sighs, but makes no move to refute him, “It seems that I need to communicate with my children better.”
“No shit.”
Sally pours Poseidon another mug of coffee, to which he downs it all in one go, “I still ask that you try to get along with Triton, Perseus.”
“I mean, I’ll give it a shot,” Percy shrugs, “But that will be jack shit if Triton still wants to be an ass about it.”
“That’s all I ask, Perseus. I promise I will also have a conversation with him when I return.”
“You won’t be taking me with you now?” Percy raises an eyebrow.
“I still need to have the court prepare for your stay,” Poseidon explains, “I will come again tomorrow.”
“Right, and what about Mum?” Percy glances at Sally, “I did deprive her of her chance to sell a sculpture that will be a “huge step forward in the art of ugly neo-realism” and give her enough money to go back to college.”
“I did offer her a palace of her own,” Poseidon points out, to which Sally huffs and shakes her head, “But given the current circumstances, I will provide her the means to pursue her education. I am aware that humans have pawnshops, so regular deliveries of precious stones should suffice.”
Percy glances over to his mum. Sally eventually nods. It is a reasonable compromise, and less likely to draw awkward questions.
“Right, thank you for the food, Sally. I need to go now, sadly.”
“I understand, Poseidon. It’s…good to see you again.”
The god manages a small smile, “Our circumstances are not ideal, but make no mistake, Sally, it always fills me with immeasurable joy whenever I have the chance to see you and Perseus.”
She huffs, but makes no attempt to hide the slight blush on her cheeks.
Poseidon ruffles Percy’s hair, and disappears in another spray of sea salt.
“Help me with the dishes, Percy?”
“Sure thing, Mum.”
They don’t talk for a few minutes, the only sound coming from the water running out of the tap, and the clinking of plates, mugs and cutlery being stacked to dry.
“I’m surprised that you aren’t freaking out more,” Percy remarks.
Sally sighs, not unkindly, “Even before you were born, Percy, I already knew that my life would be different from that of others. I saw things that made me question my sanity, or had others question my sanity. And when you were born…I knew straight away that your life would be just as far from ordinary as mine. A mother’s instinct, if you will. So when you told me that you came back in time from the future, I was surprised, but not overly so. I felt the same with what your father explained earlier. My only regret is that you, Percy, is at the centre of all of this, again. You deserve to have a peaceful, happy life. Not one that is constantly full of danger and not knowing if you’ll make it to adulthood.”
Percy hums, flicking another plate dry, “I made the conscious choice to go back, because if I can save more lives, I would do so in a heartbeat. I know I can’t save everyone, but there are those who deserve to live.” He thinks of Bianca, Beckendorf, Jason, and numerous others. If Percy played things right, their deaths can be prevented. That was the least he owed them.
“I just wished you didn’t have to do it,” Sally laments.
“I know.”
As promised, Poseidon returns the next morning with a box containing cut diamonds and gemstones like rubies, emeralds and sapphires. He explains that more of these boxes will come once a week, so as to not arouse suspicion from the pawnshops.
Sally thanks Poseidon, and envelops Percy in a tight hug.
“Take care of yourself, Percy.”
“I will,” he nods, turning to his dad, “Make sure to keep an eye on her at all times, alright?”
“I promise, my son. Now, we need to get going.”
Percy pulls away, and Sally presses a farewell kiss on his forehead. Percy joins his dad, taking his offered hand. Sally waves goodbye, as the world suddenly flashes away in a veil of bubbles and waves. Percy finds himself underwater, many miles below the surface.
And there, right before him, is Atlantis.
It is almost jarring to see the massive underwater kingdom in relative peacetime. Percy’s memories of Atlantis were set during conflict, the battle against Oceanus, and the city slowly rebuilding once the fighting had ended. As big as Olympus, Atlantis simply bursts with bright colours, with houses and shops made of shells and coral, sprawling courtyards and gardens bursting with aquatic plant life, columned pavilions of polished rock and marble, and at the far end, overlooking everything, the towering royal palace, an imposing structure of pearl, sea stone and abalone shell. All kinds of aquatic species swim freely, from fishes darting in and out of windows, turtles cruising by, and jellyfish hovering above the city like bundles of Christmas lights.
“It’s beautiful,” Percy utters.
Poseidon smiles, eyes gleaming with pride. His Hawaiian shirt and bermudas shift into his royal regalia, “Come, Perseus, let me introduce you to your Atlantean family.”
Percy swallows the lump in his throat. No better time like the present to smooth over potential family drama, right?
To Be Continued.
Notes:
At the end of the day, Sally loves her son no matter what, and simply wants him to be safe.
- Kai
-----------------------------
Chapter 5: An Underwater Family
Summary:
Percy is introduced to his family in Atlantis.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Poseidon flashes Percy and himself to the throne room, and Percy takes a moment to marvel at the splendour greeting him.
The throne room is just as magnificent as the palace that it is a part of. Also constructed from the same pearl, sea stone and abalone shell as the exterior structure, the chamber is also accentuated by the same precious stones that Poseidon had gifted his mum, and colourful coral that grow from the pillars.
Percy has always preferred the Atlantean court, not just stemming from any inherent bias as a child of the ocean. Hades’ court had too much death and melancholy surrounding it, and Olympus felt too oppressive, what with Zeus’s overwhelming paranoia and ego encompassing everything.
That said, today, there is a source of uncertainty and potential tension in the throne room. Percy immediately spots her, because to simply not notice her would mean that he is both blind and wilfully stupid.
Amphitrite is as imposing as she is beautiful. Dressed in a long, flowing gown of white and sea-green that perfectly emulated the flow of waves along the ocean, the Goddess of the Sea is bedecked in a diadem of red crab claws and sapphires, her dark hair pinned back in a net of small pearls and silk. Easily the most beautiful of the Nereids, and carrying herself with the same forceful power that stands to reason that she is the Queen of Atlantis and spouse of his dad.
Indeed, Percy feels tiny compared to her, and not without good reason. This Amphitrite has yet to warm up to his existence as she had before. Her current perceptions towards him are completely unknown, and how she reacts to him, and to a smaller extent, how he presents his first impressions towards her, will determine their relationship for the foreseeable future.
The moment of truth comes when Amphitrite, evidently sensing their arrival, turns around.
“My king, you have returned.”
“Yes, my queen.” Poseidon nods, “I bring with me my child from the surface, as promised. Perseus Jackson.”
Percy practically feels Amphitrite’s appraising eyes raking all over him, her expression otherwise unreadable. He bows deeply, his hand over his heart, “Your majesty, Lady Amphitrite. It is an honour to meet you today.”
He maintains his bow, even as Amphitrite hums in acknowledgment. So far, he hasn’t been scorned or written off, so he takes that as a win.
“You are capable of respect,” Amphitrite remarks, “A surprise, given what I was told.”
“Unlike the majority of those on the Olympian council,” Percy responds, “there has not been any instance, past and present, where I was not put into a life-threatening situation by your hands.”
“Indeed,” the goddess allows with a nod, “I was also told about your return from the future. To be frank, I had some difficulty believing everything at first. However, I reasoned that, had you been lying, you would not have known how to contact Poseidon, nor would the level of detail about what you went through be quite so thorough and, dare I say, harrowing.”
“I have no reason to lie or deceive, your majesty. Not when the fate of the world and everyone I love is at stake.”
“Quite so,” Amphitrite agrees, “At ease, Perseus. I would like to have a private conversation with you. Just the two of us.”
Percy raises his head, glancing at Poseidon. His dad gives him a nod, and he turns back to Amphitrite, “Please lead the way, your majesty.”
“Come, then,” the goddess nods, before pausing, “Ah, before I forget…” She gives Percy another look-over, and snaps her fingers. Immediately, his clothes morph and dissipate like bubbles into a sleeveless black top, white slacks with a lilac hue, a set of golden shoulder plates, gauntlets, and armoured boots, and gold chain pendant with a scallop shell. “There, attire fit for a child of the ocean.”
Percy gapes at his new outfit. Pulling himself together, he bows, “Thank you, Lady Amphitrite.”
The goddess nods, “Shall we?”
Percy acquiesces, and follows Amphitrite out of the throne room. He has no idea where they are going, but reassures himself that his dad would come immediately if he is suddenly in danger.
They cross paths with other courtiers and servants, all of them bowing as they pass by, though Percy can sense their confusion and curiosity at his presence by their queen’s side. He understands why, of course, and puts all of his focus on where they are going. Eventually, they emerge out into what appears to be a large balcony. Percy can see the wider ocean, and the distant sunlight shining on the surface above. They go to the balcony’s railing, where Percy not only sees Atlantis as a whole in the background, but a large courtyard down below. There appears to be an entire platoon of guards in the midst of their training, running drills with their spears, overseen by their commander, an all-too familiar merman for Percy.
“Tell me, Perseus,” Amphitrite’s voice brings his attention back to her, “What are your impressions about Atlantis, and us?”
His response will matter, that much is still clear. Percy chooses his words carefully, but he doesn’t forget his honest thoughts, “Atlantis is beautiful, much more than even Olympus or the underworld. Even though this is literally my first time here in this timeline, and my physical presence is a testament of infidelity and broken oaths, I will do everything in my power and ability to protect the kingdom and the family that rules it.”
Amphitrite hums, giving him a look that Percy can’t decipher. Her gaze turns back to the courtyard and the wider kingdom beyond, “I presume you are aware of how Triton views you?”
“I promised to be civil with him, even if it is not reciprocated,” Percy replies, “Whether or not we are able to get along is not fully within my control.”
“You don’t intend to challenge Triton for his place as heir?”
“No, I do not,” Percy shakes his head, “His place as heir is rightful and secure. I love Atlantis, and I will willingly lay down my life for the kingdom, but it is not my intent to rule it someday. I chose to come back in time because of the hope and desire to save lives that were previously lost.”
No other words are spoken for a short while. Amphitrite nods, mostly to herself, “Poseidon is increasing and strengthening defences, and has taken it upon himself to establish contact with Oceanus and persuade him to remain neutral.”
“That would be the best case scenario,” Percy remarks, “But my dear grandfather has been known to be very persuasive.”
“I am inclined to agree,” Amphitrite nods, “We can only hope to minimise our losses.”
“And I will do whatever it takes to ensure that.”
The goddess eyes Percy, “It seems that I made the right decision to hear you out first.”
“I do not wish to make an enemy of you, Lady Amphitrite,” Percy replies earnestly, “In the coming wars, we will need to be united.”
“I agree,” the goddess turns to him, smiling for the first time, “You are young, but I see strength beyond your years within your heart. It would be beyond foolish of me to harbour ill will towards you. Your birth may be as a result of infidelity, but you, yourself, are innocent and bear no fault for what was out of your control.”
“I thank you for your understanding, your majesty.”
“Perseus, we may not be of biological lineage, but you are still a child of the ocean. There is no further need for us to be so formal with one another.”
Percy blinks, but he quickly nods, not looking a gift horse in the mouth, “I understand.”
Amphitrite’s smile grows a little wider, “Shall I give you a tour of the palace?”
“That would be nice,” Percy nods, feeling a little lighter inside.
Three days in, and Percy can confidently say that things are going…as well as they can be.
He had been introduced to Benthesikyme and Rhode, the former of whom was instantly taken to him since he got the pronunciation of her name right, funnily enough. It took a bit of getting used to not seeing Kymopoleia around. Percy brought up Kymopoleia at dinner on his first night in Atlantis. Speaking to Poseidon and Amphitrite privately once the meal had concluded, Percy made the case that the reason why Kymopoleia sided with Gaea initially was due to her bitterness at being neglected and exiled from the palace, having her powers restricted and her unhappy marriage to Briares. Considering his reasons, Amphitrite concluded that, perhaps, their treatment of Kymopoleia might not have been the best, and Poseidon agreed to track her down and have an honest chat with her.
As with Triton…well…
Percy had his first encounter with his half-brother when he turned the corner and almost collided into Triton’s chest. Stepping back, their eyes met, and for a long, tense second, neither of them moved or said anything. Triton’s expression then hardened, and he side-stepped Percy to continue on down the corridor.
Not good, but not terrible, Percy concluded.
Triton joined the dining table on Percy’s second morning, and throughout each meal, he pretended that Percy didn’t exist. Whether the lack of insults and cruel words were due to Poseidon and Amphitrite’s presence or not, Percy didn’t know, but either way, he was getting nowhere at being civil with his half-brother.
On the third afternoon, Percy decides to take a stroll through the palace, as he has done so several times before. He isn’t the worst at directions, but it would do him good to become familiar with the layout.
Taking a different course down a set of corridors that he hadn’t yet explored, Percy comes across an open doorway, and peeks inside.
It looks like a training arena of some sort, with a floor of soft sand rather than polished sea stone. Stepping through the threshold, Percy looks around for a better view, only to freeze as he sees Triton.
His half-brother has his back turned to him, too busy in the midst of his own drills to notice that he was no longer alone. Percy spends a moment too long watching Triton slash and thrust a trident at a well-assaulted training dummy. It reminds Percy of when he cut monsters to gold dust with Riptide, only with much more finesse and skill than even he had in the previous timeline.
Percy considers just leaving the arena and continuing on his stroll, but remembering his dad’s plea to try getting along with Triton, he hesitates for a moment, and enters the arena.
Triton still doesn’t notice his entry, and knowing that suddenly announcing his presence while Triton is holding a deadly weapon is not the smartest of moves, Percy doesn’t approach his half-brother. Spying another rack of training weapons to his left, Percy goes to it, eyeing what is available for his use. He picks the trident after a moment.
Just like with any weapon that isn’t Riptide, the trident feels unfamiliar, unwieldy, and just wrong . Percy is reminded of a moment in the previous timeline, where he was taught how to use a trident by Triton. That session hadn’t lasted long, what with Triton taking every chance he got to belittle Percy, and Percy not holding back in the insults in response. Suffice to say, Percy never held a trident since that day, or willingly trained with his half-brother.
Now, though, with knowledge of what is coming in the subsequent five years, Percy sees the merit of being able to wield more than just Riptide. In the event that Ares curses him again, or he somehow gets disarmed, having a back-up weapon could be the only thing standing between him and an untimely demise. Percy is under no illusion that he will wield another weapon as good as Riptide, but it always works to be over-prepared than not.
Stepping away from the rack, Percy casts one last look at the trident. It is unwieldy, but he’d best start getting used to a different weapon.
Even though his only session with Triton had mostly been belittling criticism and scathing insults, the one thing Percy couldn’t deny was that Triton, when he wasn’t wishing that Percy hadn’t been born, was an effective teacher. Even if it was a whole timeline ago, Percy remembered all of the bits of actual teaching that Triton imparted to him.
The only problem is, that was when Percy was approaching twenty years of age. Being in a body that hasn’t even started going through the physical changes of puberty yet and lacking all of his previous strength doesn’t help matters, but Percy quickly discovers that anything useful that was instructed to him simply doesn’t come out right. Every thrust, twist and slash are off by massive margins, and more often than he would’ve liked, Percy has to stop before he accidentally overexerts himself or pulls something.
Setting the prongs of the trident down against the sand, Percy wipes the sweat from his forehead, out of breath and vision swimming slightly.
“You’re doing it wrong.”
It is testament to how off-kilter Percy is at that moment, that he doesn’t immediately jump straight into “fight” and thrust the trident into Triton, who at some point noticed him and came up to him, all without Percy hearing him approach.
“...I know.”
Percy doesn’t have to turn around to see the critical gaze bearing down on him.
“You favour your right side too much. Your left side is dangerously exposed.”
Percy has to bite down the instinctual snarky clapback. Be civil, he reminds himself. Triton hasn’t yet insulted his existence.
“I’m not used to a trident. I’ve only ever used a sword.”
Percy straightens up, seeing that his breathing has levelled down. He turns to meet Triton’s critical gaze with his own carefully blank one.
“Then why do you bother?”
Be civil. Be civil. Be civil .
“Better to be proficient with another, than to solely rely on one,” Percy replies, voice stony, “My sword is attuned to me, more than any other weapon can be. I will never be able to master another, but I’d rather not be dead if I’m disarmed.”
They stare each other down, neither blinking, a considerable feat on Percy’s part given that he doesn’t even come up to Triton’s chest.
“At least you acknowledge your weaknesses.”
“If I don’t, I’d be signing my last will and testament. Do you have anything else you’d want to say to me? Anything else you want to criticise?”
Maybe Percy is subconsciously baiting Triton at this point, but when all of his previous memories of his half-brother have been nothing but belittling insults, there isn’t much ground in Percy’s heart to remain civil all of the time.
“...Let me see how you handle a sword.”
Percy blinks, admittedly not anticipating that. Regardless, he puts down the trident. He takes out Riptide, uncaps it, and gets into a battle stance. Triton eyes it critically, “Somewhat better, but you are still favouring your right side too much.”
“What do you suggest then?”
Triton, evidently, suggests a lot.
Percy ends up staying in the arena for well over three hours. Just like before, Triton is an incredibly effective teacher, his instructions clear, concise, and, surprisingly, free of insults. Yes, his critiques are blunt and unflinching, but not once did he utter something scathing or belittling. In those few hours, Percy has learnt a lot more than he had previously.
(Then again, considering what he experienced before, that sounds like a massive understatement.)
Percy is thoroughly sore by the end of it, but he can confidently say that his grip (no pun intended) on both Riptide and a trident have drastically improved.
“You are not the worst I have seen,” Triton remarks.
Percy has to bite back the snarky retort that was practically begging to be let out, “Well, a lifetime of near-death experiences certainly helps…”
“Yes…father told us all of that before he brought you here,” Triton allows.
When he feels confident that his legs wouldn’t give out from under him, Percy stands up, “I take it that you didn’t believe him?”
Triton folds his arms across his chest, “I struggled to, at first. The fact that mother did not outright dismiss him made me pause. Then…when I encountered you in the corridor, you were…not what I expected.”
Percy snorts, “No doubt you expected some cocky demigod who thinks he is tough shit.”
Triton’s lips curled slightly at the foul language, but he doesn’t admonish Percy for that.
“Listen, Triton, for what it’s worth, I don’t intend to challenge you as dad’s rightful heir to the throne. Ruling Atlantis is one of the absolute last things on my priority list, you have my promise on that. My main focus is to prevent our dear grandfather from winning, and stop dirtface from destroying everything that we love.”
Percy glances away, “I also know that my existence is a sore spot for you, because I’m the testament to dad’s infidelity towards your mum. We…might not be able to get along, let alone become close, but I want to, at least, be civil and co-exist with you. Once gramps and dirtface has been dealt with, you won’t have to see me again.”
Triton doesn’t immediately respond, so Percy takes it that their session is over. He is about to thank his half-brother for his time, when Triton suddenly blurts out, “She would’ve liked you.”
It takes a moment for Percy to put the pieces together, “Pallas. Your daughter.”
A flash of pain sweeps through Triton’s eyes, and he bites his lip in a moment of heartbreak.
“Dad told me,” Percy explains, “He…theorised that part of the reason why we were constantly at each other’s throats was…I bear some resemblance to her.”
Triton’s lips curl as another wave of heartbreak washes over him. Releasing a shaky breath, “Father’s mortal children all bear her physical traits. And yours…” he gives Percy a long look, “you actually resemble her the most.”
Percy gets it, “I don’t just represent the fact that dad cheated on your mum. I constantly remind you of the daughter you lost.”
Triton nods tightly, “Not only that. Father’s mortal children tended to inherit the worst parts of his powers. They leave a trail of bodies and blood in their wakes. Those who come down here expect to be treated like royalty, just because father’s blood is in their veins and they wield his power. They care not for our culture, traditions, or way of life. And…they always have her eyes. You can’t imagine how much pain my heart and soul goes through each time.”
“…you’re right. I can’t imagine. I have never lost my own family before. The closest is when my mum was taken as a bargaining chip by Uncle Hades, but even then, I got her back eventually.” Percy turns to Triton, “I don’t blame you for what you feel, now especially. And honestly, these past few days have been leagues better than what we were like previously.”
Triton has a strange look in his eyes, “What…was I like before?”
“For starters, you never let me forget how much you hated me, how I shouldn’t have been born, as if I was solely responsible for dad’s infidelity. You were also supremely arrogant, a real asshole, probably stemming from worries that I would usurp your place as heir because dad always made it clear that I was his favourite.”
Triton nods, because he knows, deep down, that this was exactly how he would have regarded Percy if circumstances were like before.
“But, well, that was all in the past,” Percy shrugs, “And if anything, it reflected more on who you were than me. With hindsight, I just feel sorry for you.”
“W-What?”
“It’s kinda pathetic, the image of you taking out your insecurities and prejudices on a teenager whose only “crime” was to be born, don’t you think?”
“I - You -!”
“Am I wrong?”
At Percy’s raised eyebrow, Triton closes his mouth, lips pursed.
“If it makes you feel better, none of that happened this time. I dare say, actually, we’re on better footing now. Would you agree?”
Triton meets Percy’s expectant look, eventually nodding, “Indeed. You are…very unlike what I may have previously thought.”
“And I intend to keep it that way.”
“...why does that not make me feel reassured in any shape or form?”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Percy bearing some physical traits of Triton's daughter Pallas is the hill that I will die on, and you will have to physically recover my cremated ashes to convince me otherwise.
- Kai
-----------------------------
Chapter 6: A Countdown
Summary:
A countdown to camp and a claiming.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
As each day passes, it feels like a countdown for Percy.
Not so much of dread, but of anticipation.
If things happen the same way as they did before, his mum would get attacked and taken by Hades. He will get her back, make no mistake, but the knowledge that so much of this bullshit could’ve been avoided if the gods simply communicated with one another instead of squabbling like overgrown children throwing tantrums always stunk like a lump of shit that no amount of cleaning could get rid of.
Of course, his dad defending his innocence did make Percy happy, but it didn’t change the fact that, for the most part, the gods being too far up their own asses has been an issue for long before even Percy was conceived, and more often than not, it was mortals and demigods such as himself who suffered the consequences.
At the very least, Percy has his Atlantean family for support.
A soothing, but firm word from Amphitrite is more than enough to help Percy pull himself back from the endless, spiralling void that were his thoughts. Benthesikyme kept him busy by introducing him to shell mosaics, a particular favourite hobby of hers, and all but ordered him to call her “Benti” because she too agreed that her name can be a mouthful. Rhode took him to the gardens around Atlantis, explaining to Percy what the plants and coral were, and what they were used for in the kingdom. And Triton, naturally, spent many hours training Percy, keeping him occupied and active with drills, teaching him proper movements and stances, and even sparring with Percy once Triton was confident that he could hold his own in a scrap.
That being said, his family keeping him busy and occupied only went so far. Sometimes, Zeus’s rumbling thunder reached even at the depths of Atlantis. The ocean currents occasionally became choppy and unsettled, a telltale sign that Poseidon’s patience was being tested. And when Percy went to bed, sleep didn’t always come easy. Sometimes, he’d toss and turn but remain wide awake and susceptible to the dark thoughts in his head, and other times his slumber would be plagued by terrors created by his mind replaying the horrors he went through before.
Suffice to say, Percy’s sleep quality that month isn’t the greatest, he can’t fully relax, and he is constantly on edge.
Perhaps, paradoxically, this was his subconscious preparing him for the fateful day, which dawned on Atlantis with an ominous storm brewing over the surface above, and the ocean currents flowing rougher than what can be comfortably called normal. Everyone, from the ordinary Atlantean citizen, royal courtier, to Percy himself, knew that something was afoot. The distant rumbling of thunder could be heard louder than it had been before, and a general miasma of unease descended upon the underwater kingdom.
From the moment he woke up from an uneasy sleep, Percy knew what was coming. He had held on to what little hope his mind and heart allowed him, but the storm above? The rougher currents? He knew what they meant, and when he arrived at the dining room, his expression was stony, his eyes dark with resigned determination.
“Perseus, you need to eat.”
“I know, Amphitrite.”
Nobody says anything, which Percy appreciates. When he can no longer force down any more food into his stomach, he makes his excuses and heads for the throne room. The currents swirling from that place are especially potent, with the courtiers, servants and guards giving it a wide berth. Except Percy, who silently enters, knowing that the only other person inside will never take his rage out at him.
Poseidon sits on his throne, looking very much like the feared god of the seas, father of monsters, the Earthshaker and Stormbringer that he is. The tacky Hawaiian shirts are nowhere to be seen, and his grip on his trident is so tight Percy wonders if his dad will snap it clean in two.
The deadly scowl on Poseidon’s face softens somewhat when he sees his beloved demigod son approach.
“My boy.”
“Dad,” Percy greets, “It happened, didn’t it?”
“I am afraid so,” Poseidon sighs, rising from his throne, “She was taken.”
Percy’s lips tighten, riptides forming around his feet as his rage leaks out. They stop when his dad pulls him into a tight hug, which Percy returns with equal, grim fervour.
“How did it happen this time?”
“My brother sent the minotaur after her,” Poseidon explains, “She was walking past a shop selling porcelain kitchenware and other items. The minotaur attacked, destroying the shop, and took her to the underworld.”
As harrowing as the situation undoubtedly is, Percy couldn’t help the slight snort at the mental image of the minotaur tearing up a porcelain store, giving a whole new meaning to the idiom of a bull in a china shop.
“So Uncle Hades still thinks I stole the Master Bolt and his helmet, huh?”
“Believe me, Perseus, I tried to communicate with my brother about your innocence, but it seems that, even now, he refuses to listen to reason.”
“Not that I expect the gods to do so,” Percy rolls his eyes, “We wouldn’t have ninety percent of our current and future problems if they did, or have any ounce of common sense.”
“No, we wouldn’t,” Poseidon agrees.
They remain in each other’s arms for a minute longer, processing the implications together. Percy steps back, regarding his dad with the same resigned determination he had since he woke up, “I guess I should get ready, then.”
“I will inform everyone.”
The mood is sombre, but one of understanding. Everyone knows what Percy needs to do to get his mum back, even if it means leaving the relative safety of Atlantis behind.
Percy let Benti and Rhode hug him like he was going to vanish forever into the ether if they let go. He has no intention of doing so, but the risk was definitely real. Amphitrite gives him her own hug, softer but no less firm, a reminder to come back alive . Triton didn’t hug him, but Percy appreciated his stepbrother squeezing his shoulder with a glint in his eyes that basically mirrored the unspoken promise Amphitrite made him swear. Triton cared in his own way, and that was enough.
“Before you go, I have something for you, my son.”
Percy turns to Poseidon, eyebrow raised in question.
“I have been talking with Triton, and he has been keeping me updated on your training. Triton also informed me of your intention to wield a secondary weapon as a safety precaution. As such, I took it upon myself to have one forged for you.”
Poseidon produces a celestial bronze trident, plated silver, not unlike his own symbol of power. The shaft is carved with stylised waves, and the base of the three prongs are embellished with cut amethysts and emeralds.
“Just like how your sword acts as a normal pen when capped, this trident will take on the form of a ring when not used in combat. It has been charmed so that no one, be it mortal, demigod, god or monster, can take it off from you. Only you have the power to do with it as you see fit.”
Percy takes the trident with reverence. Immediately, a rush of sensation bursts forth from the shaft, seeping into his hands and filling every fibre of his soul. It is similar to the warmth that he feels when Riptide is in his grip, not quite the same, never the same, because Riptide has always been first, in this timeline and the last. But similar enough to be familiar, to know that he can trust his trident as much as Riptide.
And just like Riptide, there is a name engraved in the staff of the trident.
Maelstrom
‘How fitting’, Percy thinks to himself. He says to Poseidon, “Thanks dad. I love it.”
For the first time since Sally was taken, Poseidon smiles. He nods to Percy, and with a simple will of a thought, Percy shrinks Maelstrom down into a plain, unassuming metal band of a midnight purple colour, which he slips onto his right middle finger.
“I will send you to the border of the camp.”
Percy nods, “I’ll call for you, as we discussed.”
“Make sure you do, my son. Good luck.”
When the world comes into view again, Percy sees Thalia’s Pine, protecting the camp from monsters. Seeing the tree again made Percy’s heart twitch with a pang of grief and anger, but only for a moment. If the timeline mostly remains the same, Thalia will return. Hopefully he will be able to retrieve the Fleece with less bullshit and bloodshed.
Already, he misses Atlantis. As he clears the border, and peers down at the all-too familiar campgrounds, Percy feels like his throat is closing up. It takes a deep, shaky breath to loosen up his throat and have his thoughts become clear again. He chose this, he made the conscious choice to go back and do it all over. Even with so many physical reminders, he must not stray from what he knows needs to be done.
Percy heads to the Big House, going around the porch in the hopes that a certain god of wine and insanity is with a centaur and a wise girl, the mere thought of her bringing back another wave of memories and conflicting emotions that made Percy pause in his step, if only to lean against the railing to shake his mind back into some semblance of stability. Once he is certain that he won’t keel over, Percy rounds the corner, and almost sighs in relief.
There, sitting at a card table, is said wine god acting as an unwilling camp director and centaur, with Annabeth leaning against the railing.
Chiron turns around at Percy’s approaching footsteps, “Oh! Percy, you’re here. When did you arrive?”
“Just.”
“I see. Why not join us? We have four for pinochle now.”
Percy wordlessly sits down on the unoccupied chair in between Chiron and Mr. D, setting his dufflebag down by his side. Annabeth is giving him strange looks, which Percy dutifully ignores, mainly to keep himself from spiralling.
“As it is, Mr. Brunner is just a pseudonym. I am Chiron.”
Percy simply nods, not saying anything.
Chiron gives Mr. D a look. The wine god sighs tiredly, “If I must. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, kid. Don’t expect me to be glad to see you.”
Percy side-eyes the wine god, again not saying anything.
“I must say, Percy, you can’t imagine how glad I am to see you alive. We tried contacting your mother when you failed to return after the weekend, but she did not respond. I was beginning to wonder if I had to make a house call, but I can see that I would’ve wasted my time.”
The look Percy gives him is particularly withering, becoming more so as Chiron continues, apparently oblivious to the storm brewing behind Percy’s gaze, “To be honest, I wasn’t sure about you at first. But you made it, unscathed I might add, and that is always the first test.”
“So having young children die because they can’t make it here by themselves is okay to you?”
Three pairs of eyes now stare at Percy. He doesn’t care though.
“I…of course not, Percy. Why would you assume so?” Chiron asks, eyebrows dipped in a frown.
“Because you apparently never considered they needed help ? Because protecting vulnerable children against monsters out for their blood is apparently such an alien concept to you that you won't know what it actually is even if someone explained it to you?”
Percy probably shouldn’t be mouthing off on Chiron, but he is a right mess at the moment, and being reminded of this exact same moment a lifetime ago when he was still a terrified, confused twelve-year-old who was just attacked by a monster and believing his mum to be dead isn’t helping in the slightest.
Indeed, Chiron looks taken aback at the blatant rudeness, and his expression begins shifting towards one that promised a severe dressing down, but Percy doesn’t let him, “Fuck this, I’m done.” He gets up, slinging his bag over his shoulder in one fluid motion. He gestures to Annabeth, “You look like someone who would do a better job here than these two. Can you show me where I’m supposed to go?”
Still evidently stunned, it takes a moment for the daughter of Athena to come to her senses. Quietly apologising to Chiron for Percy’s blatant disrespect (to which he simply rolls his eyes), Annabeth gets up and gestures for Percy to follow her.
“You’re in so much trouble for that.”
“Do you think I care?” Percy drawls, “Evidently, Chiron was half-expecting that I’d be mauled to death by some monster, as if I would know what the fuck is going on. I don’t intend to play nice with someone like that.”
Annabeth is silent once more, her expression torn between the shock at his continued disrespect and wary intrigue, like he is some complicated puzzle that she had to solve at all costs. Percy knows that this won’t be the case forever, it was only a matter of years before Annabeth loses any respect she currently possessed for the gods and beings like Chiron, coming to terms that they are just as flawed as the mortals they believed themselves to be so above. Regardless, Percy reminds himself this Annabeth isn’t the one who literally went through hell with him and back. He keeps his face impassive, as Annabeth points out the various facilities in the camp - the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (Percy sneakily hung back a little bit to return the various greetings by the various horses housed inside), the javelin range, amphitheatre and the arena.
Annabeth mentioned the ‘one-cabin, one-table, and no mixing’ rule at the dining pavilion, to which Percy scowls. They got rid of that stupid rule not long after the whole shitshow with Gaea. Percy made a mental note to disregard it as often as he could and get the wheels rolling on having the rule repealed, hopefully, earlier this time.
The cabins brought another phantom punch to the gut for Percy. It was jarring to see no cabins for Hades, Hecate, Hypnos or other minor gods. It was as if everything he’d worked for before had been destroyed, wiped out of existence.
No, he tells himself, that isn’t true. None of what he’s done for the camp has happened yet, and by hook or by crook, he is going to do it again.
As Annabeth points out the different cabins and their corresponding god or goddess, Percy’s eyes linger on his dad’s cabin, the aura of ocean waves and sea breeze beckoning to him like a siren luring a sailor to his watery doom. Indeed, he is sincerely tempted to just go inside and claim it, bring it out of its current state of emptiness. He has to resist the temptation, reminding himself that he will move in, very soon.
They come to a stop in front of cabin eleven, the Hermes cabin. Percy grimaces as the memories come back, of an overcrowded space that feels more like a disaster evacuation shelter than a proper cabin, how the children of Hermes and unclaimed campers had to sleep on the floor in sleeping bags with no privacy whatsoever, the uncertainty and dimming hope with each passing year of whether they would get claimed or left adrift by a godly parent bound against their will by Zeus, or just didn’t care.
Annabeth knocks on the door, and pushes it open. She turns to Percy, “Cabin eleven. Make yourself at home.”
“Regular or undetermined?”
“Undetermined,” Annabeth replies, to a chorus of groans.
Percy gets it, even if his expression doesn’t show it. He feels dozens of eyes gazing at him, and it takes considerable willpower on his part to not instinctively flinch away. He recognises the Stoll brothers - though, no minotaur horn for them to try and swipe, and, more heartbreakingly, Chris in one of the bunks. Unfortunately, there is a high likelihood that Chris had already joined Luke by this point, meaning that he’ll be aboard the Princess Andromeda when Percy is crossing the Sea of Monsters, and that Chris will have to go insane, again .
And speaking of Luke…
“This is Luke,” Annabeth introduces, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks, as the counsellor comes up to them. Percy has to squeeze his fists, nearly breaking the skin of his palms, to stop himself from uncapping Riptide or extending Maelstrom, and running it, or both, through Luke right this moment, “He’s your counsellor for now.”
‘No, not for long,’ Percy says to himself, even when externally, he greets Luke with a nod. He can’t kill him, despite the opportunity being right there . Kronos would just persuade and manipulate someone else.
As much as it killed him inside to be, once again, in close proximity of the one who he thought he could trust, but turned out to be a traitor who led to so many deaths, so much suffering and so much loss, Percy has to hold strong, until he can, at least, put some considerable distance between him and Luke.
Thankfully, Annabeth goes to show him the volleyball court, despite him already seeing it on the way over. He quietly follows her, pointedly ignoring the dozens of eyes gazing upon his back as they leave, ranging from the mildly curious to the piercingly analytical. It would be a fool’s bet to say the latter was mainly from Luke, but Percy forces himself to not linger on that.
“...have to do better.”
Percy is suddenly thrust back into the present, while at the same time dragging up another memory. Annabeth had said the exact same words last time, and this time, it twinged an annoyed nerve.
“Oh, sure, you think getting torn apart by a Fury would be a good thing.”
Annabeth’s eye twitched, “Can’t believe I thought you were the one.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
Annabeth throws her hands upwards, “Do you know how many people want your chance? To kill a monster? To prove themselves to their parent? What do you think we train for?”
Percy bites back the snark eager to dive bomb out of his mouth. As much as this Annabeth has yet to get her first taste of what awaits outside the camp borders, she does have a point. Everything his dad has done for him up until this point is leagues and so much more than any other demigod currently in camp has received from their godly parent. He wishes that it wasn't the case, but as things stand now, he is very much the exception to the rule.
Annabeth is still rambling on, though Percy has tuned her out long ago, his focus on the match currently taking place on the volleyboard court. His heart twinges at the sight of Lee Fletcher leading his fellow Apollo siblings in absolutely trashing the nymphs. Percy can’t quite remember how Lee died in the battle against the Labyrinth army, but if Percy has his way, his demise will be prevented. He owes Will that much.
“Well, well! A newbie!”
Percy bites back a sigh.
“Clarisse,” Annabeth sighs tiredly, “Why don’t you go polish your spear or something?”
“Sure, princess,” Clarisse grins savagely, mirroring her three siblings behind her, “So I can run you through it on Friday night!”
Percy almost rolls his eyes.
“And who’s this runt?” one of Clarisse’s siblings sneers.
“Percy Jackson,” Annabeth introduces, “Meet Clarisse, daughter of Ares.”
His expression doesn’t change, although he relishes in the thought of whipping the war god’s ass again.
“We got an initiation ceremony for newbies like you, Prissy.”
“Clarisse -”
“Stay out of this, wise girl.”
Percy hides a savage grin, letting himself be manhandled by the four Ares children towards the bathroom. Exactly as he planned.
‘Dad, it’s happening. Wait for my signal.’
His dad doesn’t respond verbally, but the humming in Maelstrom is all the answer he needs.
Clarisse hauls him into a toilet cubicle. As soon as the foul odour reaches his nose, Percy swings out a leg, and catches one of her siblings in his crotch.
Hearing the rather high-pitched shout of surprise and pain, Percy makes a note to send an offering of thanks to Triton later for teaching him hand-to-hand combat in Atlantis. The boy goes down, clutching his brutalised manhood, as Clarisse and the other two siblings whip around in surprise. Their grip loosens just enough for Percy to break free, he drives an uppercut into Clarisse’s chin, and slams the other two into the cubicle walls. Without missing a beat, Percy calls upon the water in the pipes and toilets. This time, he doesn’t hide the savage grin, as he thrusts his hand out. Water bursts out of shower heads, taps, drains, ruptured pipes and toilet bowls, slamming into Clarisse, her siblings, and Annabeth, who had, predictably, come in to see what was happening. With the force of a tsunami, all five are blasted out of the bathroom, washed away several metres until coming to an undignified landing on the grass.
The match at the volleyball court is unceremoniously interrupted. Other campers who had, just moments before, been minding their own business immediately came running over at the commotion. Percy emerges from the wrecked bathroom, completely dry and still grinning savagely.
Coughing up water and other unmentionables, Clarisse extricates herself from the tangle of limbs and bodies, “You’re dead, new boy. You’re so fucking dead !”
Percy raises a hand, and the water at his feet quivers from his will, “If you wanna gargle toilet water again, be my guest and keep your mouth open.”
A vein bulges on Clarisse’s forehead, and she looks all the world like she wants to lunge at Percy again, if not for her siblings evidently possessing enough brain cells to begin dragging her away. They don’t, however, as at that moment, the water around Percy rumbles and surges upwards. The campers gasp and step back. Percy simply turns to the water, his grin becoming more genuine, as it takes on the translucent image of his dad.
Another, louder, collective gasp rings out, and the campers immediately fall to their knees in reverence.
“Hey, dad.”
Poseidon smiles, unable to speak as, in this form, he has no direct control. He pulls Percy into a hug, which Percy eagerly returns. Poseidon leans down, pressing a kiss on Percy’s temple, which produces the telltale holographic sign of a green trident directly above Percy’s head.
Chiron, who at some point had joined the onlookers, announces with a mix of shock and awe, “It is determined! Hail Percy Jackson, son of the Sea God Poseidon, Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses!”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
As is very much clear, I have several notes about Chiron. My overall perception of him, at least from the books, is that he is very much like Aizawa from MHA, very good at his job, but a shit mentor/teacher to those who he doesn't show favour towards.
That being said, I won't outright bash him, because he does have good traits, but unfortunately, none of it was shown to Percy in any meaningful way. Or if he has, I didn't see such moments in my scouring of the PJO wiki pages. Feel free to let me know down in the comments if I missed any.
On the other hand, I couldn't not have Percy's claiming be taken up several notches. Will this have consequences further down the line? Maybe so. But Percy must've gotten his penchant for chaos from somewhere.
As a final note, I haven't forgotten about Grover. I just haven't figured out when would it be a good place to bring him back.
- Kai
-------------------------------
Chapter 7: A Return to Routine
Summary:
Percy settles back into life at Camp Half-Blood.
Or, as much as he can, given the ripples he created and what's coming next.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Percy can already see the ripples forming even before Chiron had finished his proclamation. He can practically hear the whispers that have yet to be verbalised in hushed tones. A forbidden demigod, a child of the Big Three, an oath that was broken.
And he doesn’t give a shit.
When his dad pulls away, Percy nods. Poseidon squeezes his shoulders, and his image fades away as the water crashes back down onto the ground.
Percy still feels the eyes of all the stunned campers on him, but he ignores them all. Spotting his duffle bag by the volleyball court, he goes over, slings it over his shoulder, and makes his way to Cabin Three.
It was a good job that he hadn’t yet settled down into the Hermes cabin.
The aura around the cabin that bore his dad’s name is practically ecstatic, welcoming him with a homely, fluid coolness of ocean water. Opening the door, a wave of familiarity washes over Percy. The bunk bed set is exactly the same as it was last time, and so is the salt water fountain that his dad had placed at one end. The only thing missing is Tyson’s decorations, but if everything still went as they did, Percy won’t be the sole occupant come the next summer.
Setting his bag down, Percy climbs into his old bunk, staring at the ceiling in silence. He gets a grand total of five minutes to himself, before someone pounds on the door.
Percy sits up with a grunt, hops down, and goes to answer the door before it is utterly destroyed. At this point, there is only one person who could be on the other side.
“Wise Girl.”
Annabeth has a fist still raised. At Percy’s raised eyebrow, she drops it to her side.
“What is it?”
After a moment of silence that stretches for far too long, Annabeth says, “I think…I want you on my team for capture the flag.”
‘Same as always,’ Percy nods to himself, “Lovely. Is there anything else?”
“...I haven’t yet finished showing you around.”
Ah, right.
Well, Percy thinks, might as well get it over with. Hopefully, if he is out there right now, the other campers would get bored with gossiping about him faster.
Considering what went down in the bathroom, the rest of the day passed by uneventfully.
As expected, eyes were on him throughout dinner, and as far as he can tell, all conversation was about him too. The fact that he was the only one sitting at the Poseidon table made it all too easy for him to notice.
And yet, no one confronted Percy about his claiming.
Yes, it was a mere formality, given the month he spent in Atlantis, but no one else knows about that. Also, Percy knew his dad broke all precedence by manifesting before him, and, even more shockingly, actually showed affection to him, when in all other claimings, the camper in question would just have the symbol of their godly parent appear above them.
The lack of any campers confronting him is even more surprising, given the overcrowded state of the Hermes table. He can practically feel Luke and Chris’s eyes burning into him throughout the meal, and the whispered, but no less heated, discussions amongst the other unclaimed campers. Percy wouldn’t be surprised if there was now some animosity towards him moving forward.
Then again, the fact that no one confronted him during the meal could, perhaps, be boiled down (no pun intended) to the waterworks display he inflicted upon Annabeth and the Ares campers. In one fell swoop, Percy had seemingly fostered an image of immense power within his first hour in the camp. Maybe his dad appearing before him might have also added a secondary psychological layer to this perceived image of invincibility. Again, as far as he can remember at this point of the timeline, no gods have showed up in any shape or form at camp before, and now that one has , and showed clear affection to their demigod child, it wouldn’t be that far of a stretch to assume that anyone threatening to harm or harass the child of said god risked some kind of retribution for doing so.
Either way, the timeline has moved up, so to speak. Whether Luke will now sic the hellhound on him before Capture the Flag or not, remains to be seen. Regardless, Percy is going to be prepared.
As it turns out, it seems that Luke is biding his time.
The next couple of days pass by without any hellhound being summoned and attacking him. Percy proves he has no need for Ancient Greek classes by showcasing his fluency to a stunned Chiron and a suspicious Annabeth. His time at the archery range goes…marginally better, compared to last time. At least, Percy is able to hit the target, albeit at the edge and nowhere near the bulls eye, and not have the arrow somehow end up in Chiron’s tail despite the centaur standing behind him. He chalks it up to the time Apollo taught him (read: strong-armed him into practice) during his time overseeing camp activities after Apollo regained his godhood and made it a point to visit his children regularly.
He knows he will never be as good as the Apollo campers, but at least, he didn’t embarrass himself too much this time.
The wood nymphs left him the dust, no surprise, as was canoeing. He briefly considered if he should duck out of wrestling practice, especially since Clarisse had been giving him the stink eye since her unwilling bath in water of questionable overall cleanliness, but decided that he might as well begin the process of establishing a, if not cordial, working relationship with the daughter of Ares. She would become a formidable combatant during the Battle of Manhattan, but that would only happen if they began to work past their current (one-sided on Clarisse’s part) animosity.
Wrestling practice was…interesting, to put it simply. Clarisse was eager to give Percy what she expected to be the pummelling of both this lifetime and the next. Instead, Percy took what he learnt from having his ass handed to him repeatedly by Triton in Atlantis into practice. No doubt, the spectating campers were confused at the start when Percy kept side-stepping Clarisse’s attempts to knock him down like some matador in a bullfight. But one of the most important things Triton taught him, regarding impulsive opponents, is to not get caught in their charging attacks, tire them out, before taking them down with one well-timed and immobilising attack. And Percy has to admit, hearing Clarisse cuss him out with all kinds of colourful insults only a teenager can come up with from their still-developing brain is funny.
When Clarisse finally begins showing signs of fatigue, Percy waits until she gets close enough. He side-steps her one last time, and kicks her to the ground. With her momentarily stunned by the impact, he leaps onto her back, grabs her ankles, and pulls them back hard enough to the point that her joints begin to strain. Percy vaguely remembered seeing it from a Japanese basketball anime, of all things, even though it is an actual wrestling move.
Of course, Clarisse did not appreciate having her ass handed to her by someone who didn’t appear to be taking her seriously, but, perhaps after seeing the full extent of what Percy was capable of with bathroom water, she doesn’t raise a stink beyond the typical grumblings. And, unless Percy was mistaken, he thought he saw the first glints of begrudging respect in her narrowed eyes, and if that is actually the case, then Percy will count that as a win any day.
Three days later, the Hermes cabin has their sword-fighting lesson, which is also when Luke decides to make his first move. The Hermes counsellor approached Percy at breakfast, seeking his “help” in demonstrations.
His inclusion in the lesson is a bit of an awkward predicament, as Percy technically is the counsellor of the Poseidon cabin, but he is also literally the only occupant at the moment. So with no campers of his own to lead lessons, Percy stands by Luke’s side, with the other Hermes and unclaimed campers sitting before them in a circle, listening with varying degrees of attentiveness. They lead the campers in warm-ups, and then some simple slashing and stabbing exercises on practice dummies.
Admittedly, it felt a little awkward for Percy, as a 12-year-old facing a good number of campers who are easily years older than him, but he is more worried about the demonstrations itself. Luke is sizing him up, and admittedly, Percy is unsure whether to act like a wet-behind-the-ears demigod who doesn’t know what he’s doing, or a twice war veteran who, if not for the physical limitations of a preteen body, could whip off the flesh from Luke’s butt cheeks and bury him six feet beneath the Atlantic ocean floor without breaking a sweat.
He settles for somewhere in the middle, even if it means fighting with a weapon that is just completely wrong .
At first, Percy holds back as Luke runs him through various thrusts, parries, attacks and movements. Suffice to say, it hurt like a motherfucking bitch , but Percy never once let it show on his face or expression. Sure, he might be giving mixed signals, but it’s better to confuse one’s enemy than to give them a clear picture.
In the meantime, Percy analyses Luke in between dodging and pretending to be completely amateurish with a sword, mentally marking down stances and attacks that Luke seemed to favour, identifying potential openings and weak spots that he could take advantage of later on when things really start rolling, because if Luke is going to size him up, Percy might as well return the favour.
Luke calls for a break, and Percy goes to douse himself with some water from a bottle, literally washing away the aches and bruises beginning to form throughout his body.
“Everyone, circle up. Now we’re going to move on to disarming your opponent. Percy and I will demonstrate again.”
With that, he decided, he’s been patient for long enough.
Maybe it is his stance, or his expression subconsciously hardening. Either way, Percy overhears the Stoll siblings whispering to themselves behind an unclaimed camper. Luke doesn’t appear to notice them, instead demonstrating the disarming technique in slow motion, before declaring that both he and Percy will go at each other until either one of them loses his weapon.
Percy is ready when Luke charges at him. He side-steps Luke’s first swing, and he catches the second strike. Percy hits back against Luke, who is stunned for a split-second, before proceeding to up the assault. If his intent was to humiliate Percy in front of his fellow campers, well…
Percy imagines this as just another sparring session with Triton, combined with his previous display with Clarisse. He moves fluidly like water, almost as if he is dancing. Before anyone realises it, Percy not only knocks Luke’s sword out of his hand, but also kicks the older camper’s feet out from under him. It all ends with Percy’s foot on Luke’s chest, the wooden, unwieldy sword aimed at his neck.
The silence is absolutely deafening.
“Shit, I should’ve betted on that,” Percy overhears Connor grumble.
Luke’s stunned expression shifts into an inquisitive grin, “That was amazing. Show me that again?”
Percy responds by removing his foot from Luke’s chest, and walking away without a further word. Capture the Flag is tonight, after dinner.
As much as things are setting up as they previously did, Percy is by no means eager to meet the hellhound again.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Tbh, I'm not exactly satisfied with this chapter, despite editing this several times. Do let me know if there's anything I can improve down in the comments section.
Anyways, the long-awaited quest is afoot, and in case anyone asks, Grover will be returning in the next chapter.
- Kai
-------------------------------
Chapter 8: A Game and A Quest
Summary:
A certain zappy stick is stolen, and Percy, once again, has to go retrieve it.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Heroes!” Chiron announces loudly, “You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be displayed prominently and with no more than two guards present. Prisoners may be disarmed, but no bounding or gagging are allowed. No killing or maiming is allowed either. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!”
Percy wonders how many campers had been bound and gagged for that rule to be put into place, and more morbidly, how many had made an untimely trip to the Underworld. And no dessert privileges for maiming? Percy sneaks a glance at Chiron. Maybe he should’ve let that arrow somehow find its way into the centaur’s tail, or better yet, actually hit his rear.
Luke hands him the ill-fitting helmet, “Here, Chiron thought these would fit. You’ll be on border patrol.”
Yeah, fuck no. Percy is tossing this away as soon as everyone’s eyes are turned.
“Blue team, forward!” Annabeth yells.
Percy joins the others in their venture into the south woods, pointedly ignoring the rude jeering coming from the Ares campers.
“Border patrol huh?” Percy says conversationally as he comes to Annabeth’s side, “You want me to keep the reds away?”
“Pretty much,” Annabeth nods, “Just stay by the creek. Leave the rest to me. Us Athena campers always have a plan. Oh, and watch out for Clarisse’s spear.”
‘Yep, because this plan of yours involves sacrificing me,’ Percy rolls his eyes, which Annabeth doesn’t notice, ‘And you don’t even bother to warn me about the electricity from the spear.’
They reach the creek, and he takes his post. The rest of the team scatters into the woods. When he sees that he is truly alone, he chucks off the helmet, and yeets it and the sword that he was equipped with somewhere. He doesn’t bother to check where they landed. He uncaps Riptide, just as the conch horn echoes through the air, followed immediately by sounds of fighting and shouting.
Admittedly, it gets a little boring after a few minutes. Percy is used to being in the thick of it, and in the previous timeline, Capture the Flag games where he and Annabeth are on opposing sides are by far the most intense anyone has seen, the both of them practically on level ground in terms of trying to outwit, outplay and outsmart the other. One has to admit, the clash between the calculative, long-term planning and strategising that Annabeth is known for and the on-the-spot improvisation and oftentimes reckless quick thinking that Percy falls on to, much to the detriment of others’ cardiac health, is a spectacle that never gets old. So to just stand at this otherwise quiet creek, with the fighting taking place elsewhere, is more than a little discomforting.
That said, the quiet is decisively broken by a distinctively canine growl coming from the nearby woods.
‘Right on schedule,’ Percy sardonically thinks, gripping Riptide tighter.
But before he could brace for the hellhound, Clarisse and four others burst out of the underbrush on Percy’s left.
“Cream the punk!”
‘Well, looks like I’m destroying the spear,’ Percy concludes, as his attackers charge straight at him.
He easily dodges an Ares camper, swinging Riptide up to block a sword coming down at him. Clarisse thrusts her spear at his arm, the blade tingling with electricity. Percy leaps out of the way, and with one fluid motion, he cleaves the spear in two.
“You fucker!” Clarisse screams, “You’re so fucking dead!”
“No thanks,” Percy mutters.
Another Ares camper tries to bring the back of his sword down onto Percy’s head, and it would’ve landed had Percy not swerved out of the way, the blade missing his hair by millimetres. The Ares camper stumbles into the creek, and Clarisse leaps at him. Percy bats away her fists with the back of Riptide, and wills the water from the creek, pulling the half-submerged camper out and launching him at Clarisse. Then, without breaking a sweat, Percy pulls the water itself out of the creek, grabs the bladed tip of Clarisse's spear, and unleashes the water in a continuous barrage at his attackers. Electrifying the tip, Percy jabs it into the water, shocking the five campers just long enough to immobilise them. It would do him no good to have to explain why he has five dead Ares children on his hands, after all.
Percy drops the water and the spear tip, just as he sees Luke emerging out of the woods, red team’s flag in hand, with some Hermes campers and a few Apollo kids covering their flanks as they hold off the Hephaestus campers pursuing them. But Percy already knows that the game is in the bag. With Clarisse and her fellow campers down and unable to move beyond angrily twitching like electrocuted fish, there was nothing they could do to stop Luke from crossing the boundary, and with it, changing the flag’s insignia to that of a caduceus.
Cheers erupt, and the conch horn echoes. The game had been won.
“Not bad, hero.”
Percy doesn’t need to turn around. Annabeth was hidden under her Yankees cap.
“Don’t even bother. If I hadn’t noticed several important omissions on your part, I would’ve been in deep shit.”
Annabeth reappears as she takes off her cap, “Athena always has a plan.”
“And this one nearly made you an enemy of me,” Percy snaps. It is a good job that he’s already capped Riptide back, “If, my dad forbid, your plan went tits up and I died because Clarisse here got a little too stabby-happy, I can guarantee that everyone associated with your mum will become an enemy of the oceans!”
An ominous rumble shakes the air, not like the rolling of thunder which accompanied an oath sworn on the River Styx, more akin to the rolling of ocean waves in the middle of a storm. The other campers, who had been watching the argument with bated breath, all looked towards the sky with a mix of confusion and wariness.
But all of that is shattered when a positively deathly howl pierces the air. Percy turns in time to see Luke’s hand fall back down to his side. He turns to where the howling came from, and his eyes widen in disbelief.
‘Motherfucker,’ Percy uncaps Riptide, ‘there’s two of them now?’
Chiron is shouting orders, the cheering instantly dies as weapons are drawn, and Annabeth screams for him to run. Instead, Percy charges forward, at the same moment when both hellhounds leap at him. One of them takes a swipe at him, its claws managing to nick his arm, but he cleaves Riptide through its leg. The beast yelps in pain, crashing onto the ground. For good measure, Percy slices its head off. The remaining hellhound, seeing its fellow being slaughtered, assumes that Percy is no longer a safe target. Instead, it turns towards the Apollo campers, where the young ones are fearfully hiding behind their older siblings’ legs.
Percy’s eyes narrow, not on his watch!
He charges at the beast, yelling out a battle cry that gets its attention. He slashes Riptide through its body, its howl of pain cut off abruptly. It is definitely overkill when he chops off its head, but he is just about done with this whole mess, and he absolutely refuses to put young children in danger.
As the hellhound sinks into a pool of shadow and seeps into the ground, Percy huffs, wiping his fringe from his forehead.
The silence is deafening, until Annabeth utters, “T-Those are hellhounds…from the Fields of Punishment. T-They…aren’t supposed to be…”
“Someone summoned it,” Chiron surmises, “Someone inside camp.”
“Yeah, no shit, Captain Obvious,” Percy drawls quietly. He looks around, most of the campers around him, with their weapons drawn, are staring at him with wide eyes, and more than a few had their jaws hanging down. Many of the younger ones are hiding behind their older siblings, equally terrified.
Except for one, that is.
Percy vaguely remembers him as one of the unclaimed campers from his bout with Luke earlier. The boy approaches Percy, eyes still wide with residual fear, “That…was really cool.”
Percy huffs, “I did what I had to do.” He ruffles the kid’s hair, “But you didn’t need to see any of that. Not yet, anyways.” Straightening up, he gestures back to camp, “C’mon, let’s head back. The show’s over.”
Even so, it seems that virtually everyone else was still incredibly unnerved, not just Luke.
Percy supposes he went a little bit too hard with the hellhound, and admittedly, it was a little jarring to see other campers visibly flinch and hurriedly look away if their eyes met for even just a second, as if he would just uncap Riptide and slice their heads off just for looking at him. Chiron did approach Percy after everyone returned to the campsite, asking him where he got Riptide from.
He told the centaur, again, perhaps in too dark a tone, “Riptide is mine . And it will do you good to not bother me about it again.”
Maybe he was still salty about Chiron taking the sword away after he’d killed Mrs. Dodds and only giving it back to him just before he set off to retrieve the Master Bolt, but either way, Percy didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty about the deeply disturbed reaction from the centaur. And Chiron never asked him about Riptide again, so that was a plus.
What was less of a plus was that now, Luke sought out every opportunity he could to duel with Percy. Even outside of official swordfighting and defensive classes, Luke was practically one of only two who dared to approach Percy - the other being Clarisse, who kept challenging him to another spar, and attempted to wrangle him into another clash of swords.
Percy may have unnerved Luke, but he also evidently intrigued him, far more than their bout that resulted in Luke pinned to the ground with a wooden training sword to the neck. Percy realistically knew he couldn’t get away with politely refusing Luke with weaker and weaker excuses until he had none left whatsoever, so he had no choice but to occasionally agree to one-on-one sword practices in order to not draw unwanted questions towards himself.
The only reason why this wasn’t a complete issue was, at least, his duels with Luke helped Percy stay active and keep his strength up. And he does need a worthy opponent to keep his swordfighting skills in shape. He just wishes that it wasn’t Luke.
One week, Percy tells himself tiredly, just one more week.
The dream of his dad and Zeus wrestling on the beach, followed by Kronos beckoning him to join his side - to which he told the titan to, quote, stuff your nonexistent dick up your flat ass and fuck off, Percy wakes up to someone knocking his cabin’s door. Opening it, he is met with someone he hasn’t seen in more than a month, and, admittedly to his greatest shame, practically forgotten because of everything that has happened thus far.
Grover said that Mr. D wanted to see him, and knowing what was coming, Percy asked for a minute to get ready, and joined the satyr in the trek to the Big House.
He’s particularly enraged today.
If not for the fact that he and his dad had been telepathically communicating throughout his time in Atlantis, Percy would’ve tripped from the sudden appearance of his dad’s voice in his head.
‘When he is never a tantrum-throwing baby, dad?’
…true. But I need you to know, my son, as it stands, I will not be able to help you directly or appear to you, what with my dear brother breathing down my neck as hard as he is now.
‘I get it, dad. Don’t worry.’
I worry, because you are my son. But, if you do need help, I will have Amphy assist you in my stead.
‘Thanks dad. Appreciate it.’
Be careful, Perseus.
‘I’ll do what I can. Knowing Uncle Z and Uncle H.’
Both of them knew that was really all they could ask for. His dad’s presence recedes from his mind, just as Percy and Grover reach the porch of the Big House. They go around to the card table, where Mr. D and Chiron are in the midst of a game with two invisible players.
“Well, well, our little celebrity,” the wine god drawls without looking up from his cards.
“Don’t go Severus Snape on me, Derek,” Percy snarks, “You have nothing on the legend that is Alan Rickman.”
That makes Mr. D look up, and a flash of fear appears in Chiron’s eyes.
“Two can play that game,” Percy smirks, while Grover looks like he is about to piss himself from terror.
Mr. D’s expression is unreadable, but contrary to what Chiron and Grover feared, he simply puts down his cards, and gets to his feet, “I’m off to Olympus for an emergency meeting. Chiron will fill you in. Make sure to be gone by the time I’m back.”
‘No further insults? Huh…is this the end of the world?’ Percy wonders jokingly, before sitting down on the chair that the wine god vacated, “So, what’s up, Chiron?”
Chiron pinches the bridge of his nose, “I implore you to show respect to the gods, Percy -”
“When the gods actually get their shit together and stop dragging children into their messes, maybe then I will show them respect,” Percy cuts in without a hint of remorse, rolling his eyes when thunder rumbles over the camp.
Chiron sighs, appearing to age several decades just from that alone, “Your quest, will you accept it?”
“I mean, I don’t have a choice, do I?” Percy shrugs, leaning back, “Someone stole the great King of the Gods’ zappy bolt, he thinks I stole it, and now he’s dragged my dad into his tantrum like the universe’s greatest man-child to ever exist.”
A much louder crash of thunder shakes the camp, but Percy remains completely unfazed. Chiron, on the other hand, is deathly pale, and Grover looks like he actually pissed himself.
“H-How did you know -?”
“Did you not see the moment when I was claimed?” Percy raises a sarcastic eyebrow, “I know my relationship with my dad is the furthest exception from the rule when it comes to gods with their mortal children, but he loves me, and I love him back. He told me what is going on, unlike a certain centaur within our midst.”
Chiron sighs, sounding absolutely exhausted, “Zeus is demanding that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice, ten days from now, June 21st. Poseidon demands that Zeus apologise to him by the same date.”
‘Tell me something I don’t know,’ Percy rolls his eyes, “And where do you think the zappy stick might be?”
“I heard a prophecy years ago,” Chiron says, “Knowing the issue we have on our hands, some of the lines make sense to me now. But before I can say more, you must officially agree to the quest -”
“I already said I have no other choice, don’t I?” Percy interrupts, “Either I go, or I don’t, and the piss-baby up there will destroy the world in his tantrum.”
An actual lightning bolt strikes the ground some metres from the Big House. This time, Percy raises an eyebrow at the scorched patch of earth. Chiron looks like he is about to keel over from his wheelchair, and Grover has gone sickly-green.
“...you must seek the counsel of the Oracle,” Chiron says after a long moment of silence.
“Sure.”
Percy gets up, and heads into the attic, the junk-filled abode of the desiccated mummy which hosts the spirit of the Oracle. Percy feels bad for her, Hades’ curse has done her dirty in so many ways.
“What is the prophecy of this quest?”
“You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.”
‘Right, one fight with Ares coming up.’
“You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned.”
‘One zappy stick for the biggest spoiled brat in the universe, and one helmet for an overworked, unappreciated god of the underworld.’
“You shall be betrayed by one everyone calls a friend.”
Percy raises an eyebrow, but given how things between him and Luke are different now, he can’t really say that he didn’t see that slight change in the line coming.
“And you will fail to save the one whom you trusted the most before, in the end.”
That causes his other eyebrow to shoot up. Previously, he might’ve thought it was leaving his mum behind in Hades’s clutches, or failing to save what little goodness remained in Luke, but now? What does this mean?
Slowly, Percy gets to his feet, and robotically descends from the attic and rejoins the card table.
“Well?” Chiron presses.
“I will retrieve what was stolen,” Percy nods numbly.
Grover bounces on his hooves, “That’s great!”
“What did the Oracle say, exactly?” Chiron presses, “It’s important.”
Percy has half a mind to be all cryptic and shit, give Chiron a taste of his own medicine. But given what just happened, now isn’t the time to be petty, “I will go west to look for the god that turned. I will be betrayed by someone that everyone sees as a friend, and I will fail to save someone I once trusted before.”
Chiron hums, crossing his arms, “The Oracle’s words often have double meanings. The truth may not be clear until the events in question come to pass.”
‘Again, tell me something I don’t know,’ Percy rolls his eyes, “Alright, let’s do this shit.” He turns to Grover, “C’mon, G-man, let’s get moving, yeah?”
“Wait, do you even know where you are supposed to go?” Chiron stops him.
“Yeah, well, you seem to think Hades is the thief, despite this whole shit being counter-intuitive for the King of the Underworld,” Percy side-eyes him, “And besides, I have business to talk with him.”
Chiron is silent for a moment, several different emotions flitting in his eyes far too quickly for Percy to register, “Two companions may come with you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered herself, if you will accept her help.”
“Uh-huh,” Percy drawls, sarcasm dripping from every word he spoke, “And who would be so stupid to accompany me on this glorified fetch errand?”
On cue, Annabeth shimmers into view, taking off her Yankees cap, “I’ve been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain. My mother may be at odds with your father, but if it means that the world doesn’t come to an end, I will make sure that you don’t screw this up.”
“Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night. Do you have a plan, Wise Girl?”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Percy is just so done with this shit, and is that a hint of foreshadowing in the prophecy?
- Kai
------------------------------
Chapter 9: A Ruined Bus and Decapitated Heads
Summary:
The glorified fetch errand begins, and Percy establishes himself as the impertinent little shit he is.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Just like before, the “supplies” he received from the camp were piss-poor, and Luke gave him the cursed winged sneakers, trying to act all casual and wishing them luck on this “quest”. Percy almost bit his tongue out of his mouth from how hard he was keeping the snark from escaping.
He thanked his lineage when it started to rain, and he simply willed the rain droplets to not get the three of them wet. As promised, Argus dropped them off at the greyhound bus station on the Upper East Side. They bought tickets, and after a frustratingly long wait, the bus arrived.
Just as they are boarding, Grover becomes restless.
“What is it, G-man?”
“I-I don’t know. Maybe it’s nothing…”
“G-man, Grover, if you think it’s a monster, that is not nothing -”
At this moment, three old women board the bus. Percy immediately recognises Mrs. Dodds. It isn’t immediately clear if they recognised him, but once the three Furies had taken their seats, Percy swipes Annabeth's cap, slaps it on, and pulls both Annabeth and Grover’s backpacks down from the overhead rack, setting them down by his feet.
“What are you -?”
“Got a bad feeling about this,” Percy whispers as he gives the hat back, glancing back towards Mrs. Dodds, “You’ll see, Wise Girl.”
The bus pulls out of the station, and takes to the highway. Once it approaches the Lincoln tunnel, the three old women call out to the driver, saying they need the bathroom, and get up from their seats.
“Percy, take my hat.”
Already in the process of doing so, Percy gathers their bags, slaps it on, and as quietly as he could, climbs over the front two empty rows of seats, crouching near the driver, just as the Furies accost Annabeth and Grover. Chaos promptly erupts, and Percy hits the emergency brake.
The bus jam-brakes, skids in a circle down the wet road, narrowly missing a cluster of trees before coming to a violent, lurching stop. Percy slams the button that opens the doors and lays low. The driver immediately books it, and the other passengers trip over one another to get off the bus, screaming and shoving. Only when the last passenger is clear off the bus, does he get to his feet, uncap Riptide, and jump straight into the battle taking place at the back.
Without missing a beat, Percy slices off the closest Fury’s head, not even waiting for her body to disintegrate into golden dust before slashing the second from her shoulder down to her waist. Alecto spins around at her sisters’ death wails, giving Percy the perfect opportunity, “Hey Mrs. Dodds! Long time no see!”
He whips off the hat, throws it to Annabeth, and no sooner had Alecto opened her mouth, he relieves her of the burden that was her head. Her headless body hits the bus floor, with the head itself rolling towards Grover’s hooves, which promptly makes the satyr turn an unhealthy mix of pale white and nauseated green.
Overhead, thunder rumbles, and Percy’s breath hitches in his throat.
“Everyone! Off the bus! Now!”
Without even capping Riptide, he dashes to the front, where he had secretly stowed Grover and Annabeth’s backpacks. Grabbing them, he spins on his heel and all but tumbles off the bus, followed closely by Grover and Annabeth. He takes care to not get photographed by any lingering passengers by dragging his companions behind the bus. Just seconds later, a blinding bolt of lightning strikes the bus, ripping a hole in the roof and blowing out all of the windows. The trio barely avoid getting lacerated by the flying glass, just as a second one strikes the bus, hitting deep enough to reach the fuel tank. The bus promptly explodes, rocking the highway and sending a massive plume of smoke and fire into the overcast sky. Given the torrential downpour, any flames are quickly contained. Percy stares at the charred, wrecked shell of the bus, barely remembering to will the rain to not drench the three of them even more.
“What…the fuck…” Annabeth wheezes, eyes equally wide.
“W-Why…” Grover tries to ask, but the rest of his words aren’t able to be formed.
Percy pulls himself together. He draws the water out of their clothes, leaving them completely dry, “C’mon, we need to go. Here, take your bags.”
He has to help Annabeth and Grover sling their bags securely, both of them still too shocked to be fully functional. They do regain their bearings enough to follow Percy into the tunnel, leaving behind the smouldering wreckage of a greyhound bus behind.
“H-How…did you know the bus was going to get hit?”
“I didn’t…” Percy lies through his teeth, “Just…wanted to be careful. We can’t afford to lose our supplies.”
“B-But I don’t understand,” Grover wrings his hands, “Why would -?”
“Because he is a paranoid fucker who doesn’t use his fucking brain,” Percy ignores the rumble of thunder overhead, while Grover yelps in terror, “We’re trying to get his zappy stick back, and he tries to kill us.”
They had left the Lincoln tunnel behind, now sitting on a bench in the Weehawken Waterfront Park, across the Hudson from New York City. They spend an hour there, processing their close brush with death (for Annabeth and Grover, at least).
“We should get going,” Annabeth says.
“Yep,” Percy nods, “I’m going to arrange our transport.”
“How?” Grover asks.
Percy doesn’t immediately respond. Instead, he goes in the direction of the Hudson, closes his eyes, and opens his telepathic link with his stepmum.
‘Amphy, can we talk?’
A rush of seawater flows through his soul.
Perseus. What is the matter?
‘I’ve been sent on a quest to retrieve Uncle Z’s zappy stick with Annabeth and Grover. He tried to kill us by striking the bus we were on with lightning. Can you send us some pegasi? We’ll get to Los Angeles faster that way, and Uncle Z wouldn’t dare strike us while we’re on the pegasi since they belong to dad’s domain.’
The flow of seawater within his soul momentarily churns with horrified rage, but quickly settles back down. Percy knows Amphitrite isn’t mad at him, anyways.
I will need to inform your father first, since pegasi are not within my domain of control.
‘Thanks, Amphy. Much appreciated.’
The link is cut after that. Percy goes back to Annabeth and Grover.
“What was that? You didn’t do anything!”
“Patience, Wise Girl. If everything goes well, we shouldn’t have to wait long.”
Indeed, ten minutes later, the flapping of wings prompts all three to look up. With a rush of wind, three pegasi land on the grass in front of them. Percy pushes down memories of Blackjack, who at this time, is still held prisoner on the Andromeda. He will free his loyal steed, he just hopes that he can do it sooner rather than later.
“W-What the - What? I -?” Annabeth splutters.
“Did you forget, Wise Girl?” Percy smirks, “My dad is the father of horses. Pegasi are included. I had to get them through my stepmum, since my dad is currently busy being falsely accused of theft.”
Grover stares at a pegasus, white in colour with a golden mane, “B-But won’t we risk getting -”
“If Uncle Z has any sense of self-preservation, he won’t dare strike us while we’re on the pegasi. Not unless he wants to risk a legitimate war with my dad and Atlantis.”
Percy mounts the front pegasus, sunlit orange with a black mane. Annabeth mutters something unintelligibly, likely something scathing about him and his dad. Grover gingerly climbs onto the white pegasus’s back, and once all three are ready, the three pegasi flap their wings, and take off into the early evening sky. New York and New Jersey very quickly disappear beneath, nothing but uninterrupted sky and a smattering of clouds around them.
“I need to make a quick pitstop first!” Percy calls out over the flapping of pegasi wings.
“Where?!” Annabeth calls back.
“Not too far from here, if I’m not mistaken!”
Earlier, he’d whispered the location to his pegasus ride, and after about another ten minutes of flight, Percy begins to descend back down to the ground. The other two pegasi follow suit, eventually coming to a gentle land on the side of a road, cutting through thick woodland somewhere in New Jersey.
“What the - where in the world are we?” Annabeth looks around.
“I need to take care of something first,” Percy says, leaping off his pegasus, “You two, stay here. I won’t take long.”
Annabeth opens her mouth, but Percy is already running down the road. Grover tries to pass the time by playing a tune on his reed pipes. After about another fifteen minutes, Percy returns, bearing a box with packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express taped to the top.
“Hey, thanks for waiting.”
“What’s…that?” Grover asks warily.
“Oh, this?” Percy taps the box, “This contains Medusa’s head.”
Annabeth very nearly falls off her pegasus ride, flailing wildly, “Percy Jackson! What the actual Hades?!”
Grover is in no better state, “That…M-Medusa…I…wha?”
“Yeah, so, a little birdie told me that a monster was lurking around here, using the cover of a snack bar to lure unsuspecting mortals, creatures and demigods to her “emporium”, tricking them into posing as models for her garden gnome business, and turning them into stone. And,” Percy’s expression softens with compassion, “when I was there, I saw a statue of a satyr that bore an uncanny resemblance to you, Grover. Did…anyone in your family go missing some time ago?”
Grover instantly freezes, his eyes ballooning with a dawning horrified realisation, “M-My uncle…he…disappeared some time back…”
“I’m so, so sorry, G-man,” Percy whispers. Even if it was technically a lie, his heart still went out for Grover, “Even if it…doesn’t mean much, she won’t take any more innocent lives again.”
Grover has to spend a minute trying to calm down, furiously rubbing his eyes and slowing his rapidly heaving breaths back to normal, “I…I’m okay. I think so. I think I will be.” He meets Percy’s eyes, lips still trembling but his gaze very much steady, “Thank you, Percy. I mean it. T-This…means the world for me.”
“Anything for you, G-man. Plus, this will serve us well as a big fuck-you to Uncle Z up there.”
Annabeth tenses, instantly becoming wary, “Percy…Seaweed Brain, just what are you planning to do with the head?”
Percy doesn’t reply to her. He fishes out the necessary drachmas, places it on the packing slips, and the box instantly disappears from his hands. Only then does he answer, “Since Uncle Z wants to be an ungrateful bitch by trying to kill us, he can expect a nice little present in his temple up in Olympus.”
For the second time, Annabeth almost falls off her pegasus, “You fucking idiot! Are you trying to get us killed for real?!”
“Knowing Uncle Z, he may try, but my dad will stop him,” Percy shrugs.
Grover blinks, “You…are very confident that Lord Poseidon will protect you from Lord Zeus’s wrath.”
“Oh, he will, but he won’t have to,” Percy gives a shit-eating grin, mounting his pegasus again, “For all his ego, paranoia and general idiocy, Uncle Z should have enough brain cells, admittedly far fewer than there should be, to understand the point of my “present”. After all, we are doing him a favour. And him killing us won’t get his beloved zappy stick back, which I think is more important than a fuck-you from an impertinent demigod, don’t you agree?”
Grover seems to get it, but still looks decidedly uncomfortable. Annabeth alternates between the conclusion that Percy has gone off his rocker and the belief that they will be smited where they stand at any moment. Percy gets the pegasi flying again towards the west.
As they reach the skies, a voice echoes inside Percy’s head.
You did it again, didn’t you, Perseus?
‘Hey dad. Do you mean my special gift?’
Yes, I do mean that. My brother is not amused.
‘Well, tell him to not kill the one who is trying to get his beloved stick back. I do not appreciate getting struck by lightning because he can’t fucking think for himself.’
His dad audibly sighs, sounding exhausted just from the conversation alone, You are going to be the death of me, my son.
‘I aim to please, dad. And don’t lie, it was funny seeing his reaction, wasn’t it?’
…yes. Yes, it was.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I mean, Percy has to have gotten his impertinence from somewhere, amirite?
Also...
No. of heads Percy has lopped off: 9
- Kai
-------------------------
Chapter 10: A God of War (who has a phobia of cupid statues)
Summary:
Percy's impertinence continues.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Thanks to the pegasi, they avoided St. Louis and the Gateway Arch entirely, and with it, Echidna and the chimaera, which was a shame, Percy thought for a moment, because he was, admittedly, curious about how things would go if he used Maelstrom against Echidna, but he certainly didn’t want to destroy the Arch again if he could help it.
They are making good time, all things considered. By the evening of the 12th, they had arrived in Denver, and with the sun quickly setting, Percy suggests they stop by a diner to grab some decent food and give the pegasi a chance to rest for the night.
The diner is just as Percy remembers it, and even though they are here several days ahead of schedule, he is all but certain that a certain god of war with a penchant for tacky leather jackets and ugly bikes will show up at any time, likely when the three of them are just sitting down. This time, there is no need for them to try conning a free meal out of a waitress. Percy pays for their dinner, and sure enough, no sooner had they sat down at a random booth, Ares strides into the diner like he owned the fucking place.
It is only the extra restraint that Percy forcibly put on himself that he did not extend Maelstrom and run it through the god’s neck. He allows the unimpressed scowl to stay on his face as Ares slides into the booth, crowding Annabeth against the window.
“So, you’re old Seaweed’s kid, huh?”
‘No murder, no murder, no murder,’ Percy all but chants to himself, his knuckles white from squeezing his fists so hard under the table, “Yes, and you’re Ares, cocksucker masquerading as the god of war.”
“Percy!” Annabeth hisses.
“Heh, you got quite the tongue, don’tcha,” Ares grins, his teeth glinting sharply in the evening light, “Still, I don’t mind a little attitude, so long as you know who is the boss here.”
‘Not your pathetic ass, for sure, given that you lost to a poorly-trained 12-year-old and are nothing but a pawn for Kronos,’ Percy instead says in a stony tone, “What do you want?”
Ares doesn’t respond immediately, given that the waitress returns with their food, giving Ares a strange look for his sudden appearance. Ares waves her off, and, likely with some subtle manipulation of the Mist, she walks away, “I’ve got a favour to ask of you.”
‘Because you are fucking coward with a phobia of cupid statues,’ Percy tosses a fry into his mouth, “Yeah?”
“I left my shield in a waterpark here in town. I was on a…date with my girlfriend. We were interrupted, and I left it behind. I want you to get it for me.”
Percy’s expression remains utterly deadpan, taking a bite of his burger with mechanised boredom. Inside though, rage is beginning to simmer inside his soul. Ares must have sensed it, because his grin becomes even sharper, “Think about it, a god is giving you a chance to prove yourself. Unless you are a coward, Percy Jackson? You think you’re tough shit, but only when there’s a cute little stream nearby for your daddy to protect you?”
‘Takes one to know one, shitstain,’ Percy swallows his bite, “You think I need to prove myself to you? Just how fragile is your ego that you need a preteen demigod to fetch your fucking shield for you?”
Ares’ grin becomes fixed, the glint reflecting off his teeth taking on a sinister edge, “Listen here, punk. I know about your little quest. When the item was first stolen, Zeus sent out his very best to look for it - Apollo, Athena, Artemis, and naturally, me. If I couldn’t sniff out a weapon that powerful -”
Percy promptly tunes the god out. Maybe if he leveraged the boredom of already knowing what Ares is going to say, time will pass a little faster?
“ - After all, I’m the one who told him my suspicions about old Corpse Breath.”
“You told my dad that Hades stole the Master Bolt,” Percy remains unimpressed, even as he opens a telepathic link with Poseidon, ‘You seeing this shit, dad?’
Hm. Ares is not the brightest bulb in the box, as mortals would say. He won’t come out unscathed if I went to war with my brothers. Regardless, it looks like I owe Hades an apology.
‘You do that, because none of this would’ve happened if there was communication between the three of you,’ Percy ignores the sigh that echoes inside him, “So, we’re on this quest because of you.”
“Yep,” Ares smirks, popping the ‘p’, “In a way, you should be thanking me.”
“Oh sure, thank you so much for telling us what we already know,” Percy drawls with sarcasm so thick he could cut them into squares, stick them through the prongs of Maelstrom and roast them over a campfire like marshmallows.
“Hey, I’m a generous guy. You do my little job, and I’ll help you on your way. Tell you what, I’ll arrange a ride west for you and -”
“Already got a ride, idiot,” Percy sniffs, jabbing a thumb towards the window, where the pegasi are chilling, and all three eyeing Ares’ bike with disdain, “In case you haven’t noticed, you’re just wasting our time with your “little” job.”
“Really?” Ares leans forward, “A waste of time? Hm, maybe I can sweeten the deal a little. You help me, and I’ll tell you something about your mum.”
If he hadn’t already done this before, Percy might’ve latched on to that. Now, though, it was more of just getting Ares out of the way, that Percy raises an eyebrow, a subtle, but no less sign that the god of war has his attention, even if he knew, inwardly, that it was absolutely pointless, and he was just going ahead with this farce just to actually get the bolt.
“Alright, you have my attention. Where’s this waterpark at?”
“A mile west of Delancy, you can’t miss it. Look for the tunnel of love ride.”
“Sure.”
Ares flashes away, and the oppressive aura fades with him. Percy sighs, finishing the rest of his burger. “Looks like we’re going to do another detour.” He pushes his unfinished fries to Grover, “We’ll be back in a few hours, G-man. C’mon, Wise Girl.”
“Hey! Wait!” Annabeth stumbles after him.
A short while later, Percy and Annabeth land in a run-down and very much abandoned waterpark, the sorry and neglected state of the buildings and rides indicating that the gates were shuttered and locked years ago at the very least.
“Not the place I’d bring someone on a date,” Percy scoffs, “Asshole has no taste.”
“Would it kill you to show some respect for the gods?” Annabeth scowls.
“Yes.”
They find the ride in question easily. Percy chuckles at the sight of the countless cupid statues. At the bottom is the boat, still the same clichéd pink as last time. Perched in one of the seats, is the stupid shield. Percy studies his surroundings closely, what would be a better way of disabling the trap this time around?
“There’s some Greek lettering here,” Annabeth notes.
“Hephaestus,” Percy supplies.
Annabeth’s eyes widen, and immediately, she starts mumbling a mile a minute. Percy looks around. He remembers how the trap was set off last time. The golden net had trapped them in the pools, the spiders came flooding in…
His eyes linger on where the pipes would be, hidden behind the mirrors and containing the spiders.
“You think this is some kind of net? Would flooding the pool help?”
Annabeth goes to one of the statues, seeing the golden threads connected to the arrow, “There’s definitely some kind of net. Maybe the statues create it, and that triggers another trap further down. Something to do with the mirrors, perhaps.” She turns back to Percy, “We could reach through the net once the pool is filled, but how would we do that? I don’t think the plumbing works anymore.”
“Well, guess being a kid of Poseidon comes in handy here,” Percy remarks, earning him a raised eyebrow from Annabeth, “Ever since the bathroom incident and being claimed by dad, my…shall we say, affinity with water has amplified. I can sense the presence of water, basically.” He is simply bullshitting, but best not to reveal the full extent of his abilities to Annabeth just yet.
Her eyebrow remains raised, but there is a considering look in her eyes, “Can you sense any now?”
“Yep,” Percy nods, “there are pipes behind the mirrors, and there’s still water in them.”
“Think you could do the same with what you did in the bathroom?”
‘Oh, ye of little faith,’ Percy scoffs inwardly, “I’ll see what I can do.” He goes to the edge of the pool, and clenches his fist, willing the water to burst from the pipes. The cavities containing the spiders quickly fill up, and the arachnids are blasted out of the hatches and spill into the pool. Annabeth promptly stumbles back, her hands flying to her mouth in a shriek of terror. The boat bobs around the surface of the rapidly-filling pool, the force of the gushing water spilling onto the seats, washing away the golden tripwire threads. The cupid statues immediately activate, firing their arrows at one another and lacing the golden net, the countdown to Olympus Live blaring from speakers within the statues.
“B-By the Gods…” Annabeth wheezes out, still backed up against the wall, determined to stay as far as possible from the pool, which is filled with squirming and drowning spiders, “Can you get the boat over?”
Percy nods, willing the water to carry the boat over to him, before it could get stuck in the netting above. He grabs the boat, and Annabeth quickly plucks the shield and Aphrodite’s scarf from the seats, before scurrying back, frantically checking herself over for any spiders that may have latched onto her.
“C’mon, let’s get outta here,” Percy gets to his feet, as the countdown reaches the final ten seconds.
They make good on their escape, rushing back to where the pegasi are patiently waiting for them.
“Well, well,” Ares drawls as he sees them land, “And I was beginning to think that you got yourselves killed.”
“You sound disappointed. Not sorry,” Percy smirks, “Here, your precious shield.”
He tosses it at Ares, feeling Annabeth’s terrified stare on him. The god easily catches it, spinning it in the air and turning it into a bulletproof vest which he slings over his shoulder, “I was looking forward to the show. How’d you get out of the trap, punk?”
“Simple. We used our brains, something which I’m sure you’re quite unfamiliar with,” Percy crosses his arms, relishing in the sight of a vein bulging with annoyance on Ares’ forehead.
“Whatever, here’s a little something for the job,” Ares tosses Percy a blue nylon backpack, which he catches by the strap. Instantly, a slight electric tingle runs through his hand. The bolt clearly isn’t happy being handled by a son of Poseidon.
‘The feeling’s mutual, fucker.’
“One more thing, your mother’s not dead.”
‘Tell me something I don’t know, asshole,’ Percy keeps his expression mostly blank, raising his eyebrows for the effect of pretence, “What?”
“She was taken by the minotaur. Kept hostage down there.”
“To force me into compliance.”
He is just playing along, really. He looks forward to their upcoming duel even more now.
“Yep, see you around, punk.”
Percy just flips Ares the bird, as the god climbs onto his bike, revs up the engine, and roars off down the road.
“Seriously, Seaweed Brain?”
“Fucker deserves it.”
“You don’t want to make an enemy of the gods,” Annabeth presses, as he walks back to the diner, “Especially not him.”
“Story of my life, Wise Girl. And tough shit for a god who won’t go near cupid statues with a ten-foot pole.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Is Percy going to bring up cupid statues every time he and Ares are in the same vicinity?
Absolutely yes.
On a different note, I know that Rick's portrayal of Ares in the series is a divisive one amidst the fandom. Does he represent the worst aspects of war? From what I can tell, absolutely, but in the classical myths, Ares is arguably the best father among all of the Olympians, and from my dive into the PJO rabbit hole, Ares' treatment towards Clarisse is like...um...hello?
Anyways, I've been thinking about this, and while I intend to remain mostly faithful to the crucial plot points of The Lightning Thief, I have been floating the idea that, after Percy's duel with Ares in LA, Percy inadvertently relieves Ares of Kronos' influence, and over time, Ares slowly begins to regain the traits he is known for in the classical myths.
What do you guys think about this? I know Rick portrayed Ares as he did because PJO is a children's series and he probably wanted to teach kids that war in general is bad, but I'm always down for doing things differently in my work.
To close things off, no heads were chopped off this time round, but we can expect a few more further down the line, so stay tuned!
- Kai
----------------------------
No. of heads Percy has lopped off: 9 (no change)
Chapter 11: A Descent, A Beheading, and A Good Boi
Summary:
Percy and co. descend into the Underworld.
Notes:
The people have spoken, so Ares getting a "redemption arc" in the form of gradually regaining the traits he was known for in the classical myths has been given the green light!
Now on with the chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
With the morning sunrise, they mount their pegasi and continue on west.
By early afternoon, they touch down on the beach in Santa Monica, a little ways off from Los Angeles, but Percy said that he needed to settle something first before they went into LA itself. Telling Grover and Annabeth to wait for him with the pegasi, Percy trudges into the water, and quietly submerges himself into the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
Stopping at the plunging end of a sandbank some 50 metres below the surface, Percy closes his eyes, and says a prayer, “Amphy, I’m here.”
While they were crossing state lines from Colorado, his stepmum had spoken to him, wishing to touch base with him on their progress.
No sooner had his prayer been sent into the endless oceanscape, a huge, stallion-sized seahorse rises from the abyss below, carrying the Queen of the Seas on its back. Percy bows, his hand on his heart. Amphitrite dismounts the seahorse, and pulls Percy into a hug.
“Perseus, dear child, how have you been?”
“Honestly? Much better than last time,” Percy returns the hug.
“Your father informed me about what Ares did,” Amphitrite sniffs, “It was his reassurance that you were handling the situation that I did not step in to deal with that foul-mannered brute.”
“Yeah, well, Ares has always been a pain in the behind, and being under gramps’ influence doesn’t help matters,” Percy replies, “I just tell myself that he runs from cupid statues with his tail in between his legs to make myself feel better.”
“Indeed, that is quite an amusing image,” Amphitrite agrees.
Percy steps back, “How are things in Atlantis?”
“We continue to bolster our defenses and weapons productions,” she replies, “Despite his attempts, your father unfortunately has not made much headway with Oceanus. It seems we have to accept that war will come for us in the future.”
“I suspected as much,” Percy nods, not all that surprised, if a little disappointed.
“Thankfully, Zeus appears too preoccupied with his missing Master Bolt to notice that we are preparing for battle.”
“Yeah, we don’t need him assuming that we’re going to overthrow him. Though, not gonna lie, if not for the fact that we have more pressing issues now and in the future, marching on Olympus and overthrowing Uncle Z doesn’t sound that bad of an idea.”
Amphitrite huffs sardonically, “You know, it does not surprise me if you actually manage to dethrone him.”
“Yeah, well, he’s been on my shitlist for two lifetimes now, at this rate. If only he’d keep things in his pants and the council not let him get away with his bullshit, all of our problems would’ve been solved.”
Amphitrite chooses not to respond to that, instead changing topics to a more pressing issue, “Perseus, before you and your companions enter the Underworld, you will need these.” She produces four shimmering, milky-white pearls, “I presume you know what they are for?”
Percy nods, “For a fast-pass exit. Three for us, and one for my…mum.” He takes them, putting them in his pocket, “Thank you, Amphy.”
“Be safe, my dear. I am not against you antagonising Zeus and Ares, but I beseech you to not get on Hades’ bad side within his domain. There is little we can do to help if he decides to strike you down.”
“I know,” Percy nods, and he means it. Contrary to popular opinion, he knows there is a time and place to antagonise the gods, “I promise to do what is only necessary to free my mum.”
“Make sure that you do, Perseus. Take care.”
Returning to dry land, Percy meets up with Annabeth and Grover, and gives some cryptic half-truths about what he was doing down there. They head off for Los Angeles, and upon touch down, go in search of DOA studios. Their search takes them near Procrustes’ waterbed shop, and Percy stops them, “Wait.”
“What now, Seaweed Brain?”
“I’m…sensing someone. Someone familiar.”
“Familiar?” Grover asks.
“I told Wise Girl when we were looking for Ares’ shield. After my dad claimed me, my affinity towards water was amplified. I’m…getting something strange from that shop.”
Annabeth and Grover turn to where Percy is pointing, “Of course you would. It sells water beds.”
“No, no, you don’t understand, Wise Girl,” Percy improvises his bullshitting, “I’m not just talking about water itself. There’s…someone like…um…family in there.”
“Seaweed Brain, you’re not making any sense.”
“Look, there’s something about that place,” Percy is already making his way towards the shop entrance, “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but just wait for me. I won’t take long.”
Grover picks up on that last line, and goes unusually quiet. Percy disappears into the shop, and about fifteen minutes later, he steps out, carrying a plastic bag in his hands.
“Percy…did you…?”
“So, yeah, you know how I said there’s something about that place?” Percy jabs his thumb behind him, “Turns out it was a trap by Procrustes.”
“What?” Annabeth freezes, “T-The monster who -?”
“Yep, he is also one of my dad’s children,” Percy replies, conveniently hiding the fact that he already knew Procrustes’ shtick, “And he was doing some really fucked-up shit in there. Thankfully, Riptide came in really handy there.” He lifts the plastic bag, which is noticeably saturated with gold liquid inside, and contains something like a deformed football.
“So you gave him the Medusa treatment,” Grover remarks.
“Yep. Now he will no longer lure unsuspecting travellers to their demise on beds that don’t fit their heights.”
Annabeth stares at Percy for several long moments, her expression becoming even more disturbed when Percy adds, “I might mail it to Uncle Z if he tries to give us trouble again, or I might give it to Ares as a warning. Eh, I’ll think about it.”
The rest of the walk to DOA studios passes in silence. They approach a building that practically screams Hades - constructed of black marble, golden lettering proclaiming the establishment’s name above glass doors, and an overwhelming aura of death and demise. Percy pushes the doors open and they step inside. The lobby is abuzz with souls, Percy ignores them as he beelines to the front counter, where Charon, dressed in an expensive tailored Italian suit, sunglasses and an earpiece with its wire snaking into the blazer’s breast pocket, sits behind.
“Well, hello, how can I help you three little ones?”
“We want to go to the Underworld,” Annabeth says.
“Hm?” Charon sits up, “My, this is interesting.”
“What is?” she questions.
“Straight to the point, clear and concise,” Charon says, his lips upturned with intrigue, “Quite refreshing, I might say.”
“What do you mean?”
“No screaming, no crying, no begging, no “there must be some horrible mistake” or the like,” Charon clarifies, sounding genuinely pleased, “You won’t believe how few souls I have encountered who have displayed such readiness as you three. Now, tell me, how did you die?”
“Our bus exploded,” Percy says, always eager to make a jab at Zeus above.
“I see, a tragedy, given your youth,” Charon nods to himself, “Now, I suppose you don’t have coins for passage? Your ends did come without warning.”
“Well…I have these,” Percy fishes out three drachmae, and sets them on the counter, “Will they suffice?”
At the sight of the golden coins, Charon slowly gets to his feet, “Fascinating. Real, authentic drachmae.” He picks one up, scrutinising it over, “I’ve never seen one for millennia. How did you get your hands on them?”
“Her dad’s a history teacher,” Percy gestures to Annabeth, who nods, catching his drift, “He has a collection of them, and she likes to snag a few every now and then.”
“How convenient, I don’t suppose you have anymore?”
Percy easily hands another three drachmae over. He hasn’t found any use for them yet, and if it means getting them passage to Hades’ realm faster, then so be it.
Charon takes the coins and pockets them, “You three are in luck. The boat’s almost full, but I should be able to squeeze you in. Come along.”
He leads them to the elevator, pushing through crowds of souls trying to grab, cling and clutch at them. Percy shifts into the back, Annabeth and Grover by his side. A few souls try to rush in, but Charon forces them back with a stern warning to behave. The doors slide shut, and the elevator descends. As it goes, Charon’s suit and the clothes on the deceased turn into identical dark robes, but because the ferryman has his back turned, and the tightly-packed souls provide additional cover, he doesn’t notice the three living children.
The elevator slows down, and transforms into a barge being sailed down the River Styx. The waters churned and frothed, bearing all kinds of random items, from lanterns, chairs, plastic bottles, to fish bones, plastic bags and driftwood. The barge reaches the other side, and Percy tugs Annabeth and Grover along, ducking behind other disembarking souls to avoid being spotted by Charon.
It isn’t clear if the ferryman didn’t see them, or he did but just kept quiet. Charon simply pushed the barge off, returning back across the river to begin the process again.
The entrance to the Underworld rather resembles a large transport terminal, not unlike an airport or railway station. Percy sees three lines snaking towards gates, two of which barely moved while a third had the souls move along quickly. He vaguely remembers the line, EZ Death, went straight to the Fields of Asphodel, where those who lived neither good nor bad lives go to wander in melancholic oblivion. Annabeth had explained to him the first time around that souls in this line don’t want to risk judgement by the Underworld courts lest the rulings backfire on them.
They head towards the EZ Death line, but before they join the procession of souls moving along, the green mist floating around them suddenly reveals the oversized, three-headed rottweiler that is Cerberus. They freeze when Cerberus’ three sets of eyes zero in on them, his three noses sniffing.
“He smells us,” Annabeth mutters.
“Cerberus can smell the living,” Grover confirms, “We…We do have a plan, right?”
Percy stares at Cerberus for a long moment, his unblinking gaze matched by the three-headed dog. Interestingly, Cerberus doesn’t do anything. His three heads simultaneously tilt with curiosity, the three sets of eyes glimmering with something that Percy can’t quite figure out. Then, Cerberus rests his heads on the ground, his massive tail thumping excitedly.
Could it be?
Percy goes over to the massive rottweiler, ignoring Annabeth’s frantic whispers. He reaches out to Cerberus’s middle head, rubbing the nose with a gentle touch. Cerberus whines softly, his tail thumping even harder. Cerberus’s left head leans over to snuffle Percy’s hair, and the right head nudges his arms, demanding pets too.
“Who is the goodest boi?” Percy coos, “You are, Cerby. You are ~”
He can practically feel Annabeth and Grover staring at him, stunned and understandably very confused. Unfortunately, he can’t explain to them why Cerberus is acting this way, not without spilling the beans on the whole time-travel shebang and trying to explain how Cerberus remembered him from the previous timeline. Percy frankly has no idea how the latter part worked. Some things are truly beyond explanation.
“I know you miss Neeks, and Mrs O’Leary,” Percy whispers, “Don’t worry, I will bring them back soon. I promise to play with you again, okay? I need to go now, but I’ll be back. I promise.”
Cerberus whines, his middle head leaning down to lick Percy’s cheek with the tip of the tongue. Percy gives scritches to all three snouts, whispering more praises to reassure the reluctant pooch. Eventually, Cerberus lets him go, and Percy returns to Annabeth and Grover.
“What…was that?”
“Cerberus is lonely,” Percy replies, “He hasn’t had someone to play with for millennia, I think. I’m just promising that I’ll come back and hang out with him in the future.”
Annabeth stares at him, which is an understandable feature by this point.
“C’mon, we need to keep going.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
There used to be a rottweiler who lived on the top floor unit of my apartment building. Her name was Hana and she was the sweetest girl you can imagine. I remember the first time I encountered her. Being a rottweiler, one might think that Hana would be fierce and/or dangerous to be around (indeed, the parks authority of my country lists rottweilers as one of the dog breeds that must be leashed to avoid potential harm to other passersby), but no, she bounded over, absolutely delighted, tail wagging like no tomorrow, and was just so affectionate.
Her owner was surprised, telling us that Hana has never warmed up to someone so quickly before, though the fact that I've had dogs for almost 15 years now probably helped.
Unfortunately, rottweilers are not known to live long due to many factors, like their rather inbred genetic make-up. Hana came down with cancer, had to have one of her legs amputated, and she eventually passed away not long after. Sometimes, when I walk past the apartment swimming pool, for a brief moment, I expect Hana to be lounging at one of the deck chairs with her owner, but I know she's no longer with us.
When I was writing Cerberus, I couldn't stop thinking about Hana, which is why Cerberus didn't need to be tamed this time. Also, the goodest boi of the Underworld remembering Percy from the previous timeline? Well, if Vicchan can remember Yuuri in my YOI fic, I don't see why Cerberus can't do the same.
- Kai
--------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 1
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 10
Chapter 12: An Overworked God and A Shoreline Duel
Summary:
Percy confronts the King of the Underworld, and lays waste to a god on the shores of LA.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
They make it through the Fields of Asphodel relatively easily, though they have to stay out of sight of the security ghouls patrolling the endless landscape of melancholic oblivion. Passing by the judgement pavilions, Percy notices that Grover had stopped, staring at the brief glimpse of Elysium with a wistful look.
Glancing down, Percy immediately is on alert, “Grover, take off the shoes, now!”
Annabeth freezes mid-step, and Grover is snapped back to attention. At some point, the satyr had put on the cursed shoes Luke had given them. The sneakers have sprouted their wings, flapping languidly but not yet ready to take flight. Grover hurriedly kicks them off his hooves, and barely a second later, the cursed sneakers bounce up into the air, fluttering around Grover’s head before shooting off in the direction of Hades’ palace.
“What the -?” Annabeth mutters, before running off, “Where are they going?”
Percy and Grover follow suit. They follow the shoes into a dark tunnel, which opens up into a massive cavern with a massive hole in the middle. Percy’s breath hitches, his stomach plummeting to his ankles, as he is reminded of the one place that the hole leads to, where he and Annabeth walked through unimaginable suffering, the literal incarnation of eternal torment and agony.
Beside him, Annabeth is in no better a state, as the shoes shoot down into the hole and disappear from sight, “N-No…this is impossible…”
Percy can feel his blood freezing into ice, his ears ringing from the whispered temptations of Kronos beckoning him to come down. Tartarus’ taunts join in, the memories of Bob and Damasen fighting off the monsters, sacrificing themselves so that they could get out playing over and over, his younger body feeling every injury he sustained even years before he actually got them, Percy gasps emptily, unable to breathe, as if the sulphuric air from below was actually suffocating him right where they stand before the chasm.
“Percy! Percy!”
With a particularly loud shout from Grover right into his ear, Percy is abruptly snapped back into cognitive awareness. His body acts on its own, fuelled by adrenaline and preservation instincts, he grabs Grover and Annabeth’s hands, drags them back through the tunnel, and re-emerges onto the intersection that leads to Hades’ palace. Only then does the visceral terror begin to recede from his mind and soul. He collapses against a boulder, trying to get his breathing under control. Tears spill from his eyes, but he makes no attempt to wipe them away. He can’t anyways, not when the memories are still replaying in raw, uncaring detail before his eyes. It takes another half hour before he regains any semblance of functionality.
“Percy, are you okay?” Grover kneels before him, squeezing his shoulder.
“I…I’m…” he swallows, forcing himself to meet the satyr’s worried eyes, “I’m fine. Just…give me a sec. Please.”
Grover nods. Annabeth says nothing, staring blankly into space by Percy’s side.
After a few more minutes, Percy slowly gets to his feet, assisted by Grover.
“T-That chasm…it couldn’t be.”
“It was,” Percy quietly says, “The realm of eternal punishment and suffering.”
“W-Why…” Annabeth begins pacing back and forth, “Why would L-Luke’s shoes just dive down…there?”
Percy exhales slowly, “Don’t trust the gifts.”
Annabeth whips towards him, “W-What?”
“Remember what I told you guys, at the beach in Santa Monica?” Percy reminds them, “The spirit gave me a warning. Don’t trust the gifts, except for the pearls, which are from my dad.” Even after such a harrowing, unwilling recall of his trek through literal Hell, for the sake of preventing awkward questions, he bullshits by mixing the two timelines together into a plausible story, “The gifts, the backpack from Ares, and the shoes from Luke. We…we saw the shoes dive down into…there, and the backpack…”
He slips them off his shoulders, unzips it, and fishes out the cylinder, his fingers tingling with the residual crackling electricity from inside.
“W-What is that?”
Percy wordlessly opens the cylinder, revealing the Master Bolt inside.
“If not for the fact that Hades has my mum, there was no reason for us to be down here in the first place. Hades never had it.”
“W-What?” Grover squeaks, eyes wide with disbelief.
“H-How did…” Annabeth runs a hand through her blond hair, trying to put the pieces together.
“I think…” Percy doesn’t think. He knows , but he can’t let the others figure out the truth, “Ares must have caught the real thief, and joined forces with him. He made Hades the scapegoat,” Percy also knows that the god of war is being influenced by Kronos, but that is neither here nor there, “Ares handed the bolt to me. And with Luke’s shoes…I think they were hoping that I’d wear them, and when the shoes were activated, they would take me straight down to…there. To him .”
Annabeth’s mouth opens and shuts like a fish, no words coming out. Now it is her turn to crumple against the boulder, the damning realisations warring with her previously infallible beliefs, “B-But…Luke gave them to us. He wished us luck on this quest. Why would…why…?”
Percy sighs, “The Oracle said, You shall be betrayed by one everyone calls a friend . And now, that person is Luke.”
Annabeth is still at a loss, everything she thought she knew crumbling all around her. Percy rubs a hand down his face. He doesn’t say anything else to that effect. Either way, she will come around to it. Right now, though, they have more pressing priorities at hand.
Time to confront an overworked King of the Underworld.
Hades’ palace is just as imposing and terrifying as Percy remembered it. The three Furies circle above it like crows above a villain’s evil lair in a children’s cartoon, the outer walls and towers constructed in the same black marble as DOA studios, and the two-storey bronze gate yawns open, depicted with all kinds of death, both archaic and modern.
Leaving the gate behind, they cut through Persephone’s garden, where all kinds of colourful and very deadly mushrooms, poisonous shrubs and flowers, and other luminous plants grow. Pomegranate trees bear abundant fruit, and just like last time, Percy has to pull Grover away from them.
Skeletons in various suits of armour and military gear across the ages stand in guard by the archway, their empty eye sockets somehow boring into them and following them as they pass by. The hall leading to a massive set of double doors feels endless, but Percy continues to stride forward, making use of his knowledge of what lay behind the doors to push away the traumatic memories of the previous timeline.
As they near the doors, they creak open by themselves, sensing their approach. The throne room is just as massive, grand, and deathly, exactly as Percy remembers. At the other end, seated in his throne, is Hades, at his full godly height, dressed in midnight black silk robes. Just as before, Percy is struck by just how god-like Hades looks, even with his current memories of his dad in full Atlantean royal regalia. Hades carried himself with the same power that he did in ancient times, and just like before, Percy feels the visceral, very real urge to lay down at the feet of this god, to feel that immense power overwhelm him down to every inch of his being.
“You are brave to come before me, son of Poseidon,” Hades’ deep, echoing voice sends tremors down the spines of the three children, “Brave, or should I say, foolish.”
Percy steps forward, a valiant effort given the overwhelming aura of death and slumber bearing down on him. He kneels before Hades, “My sincerest greetings to you, Lord Hades. There has been a grave misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“Everyone I spoke to believed that the Master Bolt was in your hands, but I know that such a belief could not be further from the truth. We were sent on this quest on that false belief.”
Hades’ eyes glow faintly, “How bold, especially given what you have done.”
A mild rumble reverberates through the throne room. Percy grimaces, Los Angeles had just been hit with the earthquake, “What I have done? I simply arrive at Camp Half-Blood, and are told right off the bat that the Master Bolt was stolen, at a time when I had no idea I was even a demigod to begin with.” Percy gets to his feet, his eyes never once leaving the king of the underworld, “No, I have done nothing wrong. And I did not buy into the belief that you were responsible. After all, why would you, Lord Hades, want war?”
Hades simply raises an eyebrow.
“The entrance is bigger than the largest mortal airports, the wait times for judgement is atrocious, so many subdivisions that I lost count on the way down here, and not to mention the salaries and wages, the disputes and complaints, and worse, the paperwork .” Percy is only half-faking the shudder that runs down his spine, remembering the rant that Hades went on the last time, “War will only mean more dead, more souls to process and judge, more subdivisions, increased expenses, more work for you, Lord Hades.”
Hades doesn’t respond for a while, “You may try to fool me by pretending to understand my struggles, but I can see right through your lies. Poseidon used you as the thief to steal the master bolt and my helmet -”
‘And there we go,’ Percy nods to himself, before proceeding to do what might be, in any other circumstance, an outright suicidal decision, “Nobody told me that your helm was stolen, Lord Hades.”
Hades falls silent.
“They only said that the Master Bolt had been stolen, nobody said anything about your helm. And, again, how could I have been the thief when I did not even know I was a demigod at the time?” Percy challenges, ignoring Annabeth and Grover’s frantic eyes behind him, “Lord Hades, if I may ask, why did you not inform the council that your helm was stolen?”
“...I am under no illusion that anyone on Olympus would offer the slightest assistance in retrieving my helmet, or the slightest justice against the perpetrator,” Hades says after a moment.
“I can see why, Lord Hades,” Percy nods, “Zeus believes that anything that moves is a plot to overthrow him, many of the gods are wary of you, and even mortals generally view death, and by extension, you, as something to be feared, to be avoided at all costs, one of the ultimate taboos. But because of this lack of communication, something which I also held my father to account after I was claimed, the real thief took advantage of the disunity to steal your symbol of power, along with the Master Bolt, in what I believe is a bid to start an all-out civil war in Olympus.”
Hades continues to scrutinise him, silent, neutral and completely unreadable. What feels like hours of silence stretches on, and even as Percy’s gut churns with growing unease, his gaze never wavers, almost daring the king of the underworld to push back against his point.
“The argument you put forth bears merit, as loathe as I am to admit it,” Hades eventually says, “You play a dangerous game by calling out the gods on their behaviour.” Even so, he snaps his fingers, and before Percy and his companions, a golden sphere of light appears.
“Mum…” Percy swallows, blinking at the sight of Sally Jackson, frozen at the moment she was taken, inside the golden sphere.
“I suspected that you would come here to bargain with me for her release,” Hades says, “And yet, it seems that I have unwittingly become part of a greater scheme by a fourth party, where it is hoped that I would go to war against my brothers. I will give you this chance to prove your words, demigod. Return my helmet, and I shall release her.”
“Very well,” Percy nods, cutting off any attempt by Annabeth to argue, “And I shall hope that you will honour your bargain when your helm is returned.”
Hades’ lips actually tick upwards, “I can see where you got your impertinence from. This chance I give you will hold until the summer solstice. Fail to do so, and I will not return your mother.”
Percy has to push down the part of him wanting to run Riptide and Maelstrom through his uncle. His first priority will always be his mum, and getting on Hades’ bad side will almost certainly not see her return alive.
Hades sends them back to the surface. Faster than he can blink, Percy finds himself floating on the surface of the Pacific, not too far from the shoreline. For a moment, he entertains the idea of just staying there, letting the currents and waves do what they want with him, but the sounds of Annabeth and Grover surfacing and struggling to stay afloat brings him to his senses. Percy wills the currents to keep his companions afloat and carry them to the beach. When they step onto dry land, he pulls the seawater out of their clothes and bodies, sending it back into the ocean. In the distance, Percy can see plumes of smoke rising from the city and sirens wailing. Los Angeles is no stranger to earthquakes, but the city had been hit just as hard as before.
Turning away from the city, Percy sees the god further down the beach, leaning against his bike.
“Hey, punk,” Ares greets him as they approach, “Not dead, huh?”
“Yeah, no thanks. Not when I want to slice your fucking head off. Just hand over the helmet and fuck off, will ya? I am this close to losing my shit.”
Ares scoffs at the sight of Percy’s thumb and index finger basically touching, “Nah, we’ll have a nice three-way slug-fest when the solstice passes.”
“And what, you get your precious war when your daddy throws the mightiest of tantrums like the fucking spoiled brat he is?” Percy snaps, not even bothering to acknowledge the loud rumble of thunder overhead, “Think, Ares, think! If the Big Three gods go to war, not just Olympus risks being destroyed, the entire world will be destroyed in the crossfire! You will fade, and that’s it! Done. Over. No coming back! Is that what you really want?!”
Ares actually stills at this, stroking his chin as he considers the implications, “Yeah, why didn’t I -?” Suddenly, his entire body seizes up, and Ares clutches his head as if the mother of all migraines had just struck him. After a moment, his hands fall back to his sides, and he snarls at Percy, “You fucked it all up, punk. I can’t let you get back to Olympus. You might just get those fucking numbskulls to listen. So now, I’ve got to kill you.”
The god snaps a wild, enraged boar into existence, and Percy rolls his eyes, “Fight me yourself, you coward.” The boar charges at him with a loud squeal. Annabeth screams at him to get away, but Percy simply uncaps Riptide, and swings the blade down on the boar. The head comes flying off in a splatter of blood, splashing all over him in a spray of crimson.
Percy wipes the blood from his mouth, “You call yourself a god of war? Or even a god at all? You hide behind fucking pigs, and run away screaming from cupid statues like a fucking wuss!”
Perhaps it wasn’t the wisest idea to provoke a god under the influence of a primordial titan, but he is just so done with all of this. Ares snarls like a beast unleashed from the depths of Tartarus, turning his baseball bat into a huge broadsword with a silver skull as the hilt.
“I will crush you like the bug you fucking are!”
“And I will send your nonexistent ass back to the cesspit it came from!” Percy yells, brandishing Riptide.
Ares roars, charging at Percy with his broadsword raised. Percy jumps out of the way, landing several paces from where the waves crashed onto the sand. He wills the seawater to rise, and blasts it at Ares. The god is knocked back a few steps, spluttering and coughing. Percy charges at Ares, the god blocks his attack, and Percy leaps away from the retaliating slash. They go at it for several minutes, Percy parrying between trying to get a strike in, and holding back against Ares’ attacks.
‘I can’t get close enough,’ Percy observes, ‘Looks like I have to fight dirty.’ Rolling out of the way from another charging attack, Percy slides his ring off his finger, and extends Maelstrom out. He vaguely hears Annabeth and Grover gasping in surprise, and Ares momentarily freezes at the sudden appearance of his trident. Percy latches on to that by thrusting Maelstrom at Ares, who only barely manages to avoid getting impaled, though the sharp ends of the prongs graze the god’s arm.
Suddenly, the air is filled with shrill sirens, and the screeching of tyres.
“Percy!” Annabeth shouts, “It’s the cops!”
He barely hears the officer shouting at them from a megaphone to drop their weapons and surrender peacefully. Ares whips towards the police and the gathering crowd of spectators, “Fuck off! This is a private matter!” He sweeps his broadsword towards the crowd. A wall of fire surges towards the cruisers, the officers just barely managing to scramble back before the vehicles explode.
“Now, let’s add you to the barbecue, punk!”
Fighting against a god is one thing, but when innocent mortals get dragged in?
An unimaginable rage rapidly boils over inside Percy. The air becomes saturated by sea spray, and overhead, ominous clouds not caused by nature, Zeus, or any other god turn the evening sky into an imminent storm. The winds pick up, and the waves, once pallidly splashing onto the beach and receding, suddenly surge and crash onto the sand, flooding the beach and spilling up onto the adjacent road. Annabeth and Grover retreat to a storm barrier, climbing up on it to not get caught in the crossfire to come.
“You think you’re tough shit, Ares,” Percy growls, a low, rumbling noise so deep that the god actually hesitates, “But you fail to see what you’re truly up against. I fought monsters stronger than you, I went through hell and back to save your ungrateful asses, and most of all, I am a son of Poseidon, stormbringer, and father of monsters! And now,” Percy’s eyes flash a deadly, venomous green, “you just made an enemy of a monster.”
Percy charges at Ares with Maelstrom. Ares blocks the incoming thrust and swipe, but is caught off guard when Percy bashes the back of Riptide into his head. Ares stumbles back into the frothing ocean, to which Percy wills the water to grab Ares, lift him up, and throw him back down onto the sand with such force, the god has the metaphorical air knocked out of his lungs. The momentary stun is long enough. Percy roars like a hurricane unleashed upon the world, leaping onto Ares and plunging Maelstrom right into the god’s stomach.
Ares howls in pain, a splatter of golden ichor shooting out of his mouth. Percy twists his trident and slashes it across Ares’ abdomen, right out of his right side. If he had been anything other than a god, Ares would already be at Hades’ door in seconds. And indeed, blinded by rage and a deeper, darker sadism that spans two lifetimes, Percy raises Maelstrom again, this time aiming for Ares’ neck, to deliver a finishing blow that, if it landed, would test the limits of Ares’ immortality.
Instead, a massive wave that he did not conjure knocks Percy off his feet, pushing him away from the downed Ares. Coughing up the water that got into his throat, Percy pushes himself up, confusion pulling away the rage that had all but consumed him seconds before.
“That’s enough, baby brother.”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Ooh? A new member of the seafam makes her appearance?
- Kai
-------------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 1
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 11
Chapter 13: A Chaotic Sister and A Zappy Stick Returned
Summary:
A chaotic half-sister with a penchant for violent storms makes her debut, and a zappy stick is returned.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
At the sound of her melodic voice, confusion turns to recognition, chasing away the last vestiges of primal rage.
“Kym!”
The goddess of violent seas and storms, Kymopoleia, stands by the ocean’s edge, the waves churning and frothing around where her ankles should be. Her luminous white hair, resembling jellyfish tendrils, swirl and float around her head and shoulders. She is just as beautiful, otherworldly, and deadly as Percy remembers, although, this time, there is no murderous intent to end his life. Make no mistake, the thirst for chaos and destruction is very much still present in her large eyes, but this time, there is also a hint of closeness, a fondness reserved for family.
“As much as it delighted me to see you effortlessly turn the sea into a violent storm, and it excited me to see you draw copious ichor from Ares, you can’t kill him.”
Percy raises an eyebrow, getting to his feet.
“Oh, I don’t mean that it is impossible,” Kymopoleia clarifies with a giggle, “If I hadn’t stepped in, it is quite probable that, given the state of Ares’ injuries, he would’ve been in grave, existential danger. But what I mean is, killing him now would cause more problems for you than what it’s worth.”
Now that he is no longer consumed by blind, sadistic rage, Percy can see where she is coming from. He nods, turning to the god of war. Ares appears frozen, suspended in a cage of seawater, not unlike his mum in the golden sphere under Hades’ control.
“What do you intend to do with him?”
“I’ll take him to Atlantis,” Kymopoleia replies, and at his raised eyebrow, explains further, “We cannot risk Zeus finding out that one of his sons had been seriously wounded, not while he is still feuding with father. Ares will be kept in the palace and have his injuries treated. Take it as my thanks to you, baby brother, for convincing father to seek me out, to allow us to have a frank and honest conversation, and to express my grievances to him. Father also told me about how you had come back from the future, and how this was also to prevent the actions I would’ve taken in anger and haste.”
He nods, “I just want to do things better. To save more lives and prevent unnecessary conflicts.”
“And you already have,” Kymopoleia agrees, “I will leave you to return what was stolen. And do make sure to visit, yes? I look forward to having a baby brother around to create storms with.”
‘Well, anything’s better than her trying to kill me later on,’ Percy thinks to himself, before saying, “I promise. I think dad will kidnap me and hold me captive in Atlantis for a while after this is over, anyways. Just…make sure to keep this brute as far away from me as possible when I’m there.”
“I will make sure of it, baby brother,” Kymopoleia promises. She turns to Ares, and snaps her fingers. From the immobilised god, Hades’ golden helmet appears, and hovers over to Percy. The moment it touches his hands, he feels the power of death and demise radiating from the metal. Unlike the aversive feeling he got from being in close proximity with the Master Bolt, there is nothing adversarial about the helmet. Yes, he is holding something that belongs to a god of a different realm, but not factoring in his biased emotions and thoughts, and the actions of the gods because of their shared stupidity and insufficient brain cells, Percy feels no terror, rage or anything unpleasant when holding Hades’ symbol of power. For all intents and purposes, it is just like holding a regular, if rather scary-looking helmet. Percy surmises this stems from the fact that, despite all of the pain and frustration Hades caused for him by taking his mum, the king of the underworld always honours his promises.
“Farewell, baby brother. Don’t keep me waiting.”
“See you soon, Kym.”
The goddess disappears in a violent burst of wind and seawater, taking the immobilised Ares with her. The ocean calms down, and the overcast, rolling thunderclouds above dissipate, returning the sky back to its clear canvas of evening colours.
The flapping of wings approaching makes Percy look up. The sight of Alecto’s disappointed scowl makes him smirk with vindictive glee, “We saw everything. It…it really wasn’t you?”
“As I told your master twice , I am not the thief,” Percy drawls, “I do not appreciate being framed for something I did not do, and I do not appreciate my mum being used as leverage by your master for things that she has nothing to do with! In fact,” Percy tucks the helmet to his side, produces Riptide, and before any of the Furies could react, he slices off Alecto’s head, and sends the head of another Fury, Megaera, if he remembers correctly, to the sand too. He caps Riptide, turning to the last Fury standing, Tisiphone, “Take this to Hades, and make sure that he frees my mum. Otherwise, I will deal with him, just like I did with Ares.”
Surprisingly, Tisiphone doesn’t do anything about her sisters getting their heads chopped off. Perhaps, somehow, she understood where Percy was coming from, or the more likely explanation was that she knew, sooner or later, her sisters would reform back in the underworld. Either way, she takes the helmet, and regards Percy with an unreadable look, “Live well, godling. Become the true hero you are meant to be.”
He says nothing, as the Fury takes off into the sky with the helmet in hand. When she disappears from sight, he hears Annabeth and Grover running over.
“Percy! That was so…so…”
“Batshit insane.”
“...freaking awesome!”
“Thanks, G-man, it felt good, running my trident through Ares’ gut,” Percy replies honestly.
“Percy, that goddess, who was she…?”
“Oh, my half sister,” Percy says, “Don’t worry about it. She’ll deal with Ares. Now though,” he readjusts the strap of his backpack, “we have a zappy stick to return. I’m gonna call our ride. Best get this over and done with.”
After a quick prayer to Amphitrite, the three pegasi from before return within minutes. They mount their rides, and take off eastwards back towards New York city. Leaving California behind, Percy’s thoughts momentarily flicker towards New Rome and Camp Jupiter, and he briefly entertains the thought of gatecrashing the Romans and causing untold chaos. He shelves that idea very quickly, rightfully so.
Basically back-tracking across the continental United States, taking breaks intermittently and spending the night at a motel somewhere in rural Kentucky, they arrive in Manhattan just as the sun is rising over the Hudson. Landing in Central Park, out of sight from mortals, Percy convinces Annabeth and Grover to head back to camp to inform Chiron about their success, while he deals with the shitstorm that is Olympus and Zeus.
Strolling up to the receptionist, the man is leaning back in his chair, feet kicked up on the desk, and like last time, is reading Harry Potter .
“Keycard for the 600th floor, please.”
“No such thing, kiddo.”
Percy stonily slides the straps of his backpack off his shoulder, “I need to speak with Zeus.”
“You got an appointment?”
“No, but -”
“No appointment, no way up, kid.”
His eyelid beginning to twitch and his patience starting to fray, Percy unzips the backpack, and fishes out a familiar cylinder, “Oh, I think he’ll want to have an audience with me, unless you prefer to become a scorch stain where you sit?”
The effect is instantaneous. The man almost falls out of his chair with the most unmanly shriek Percy has heard thus far, “No, no! Gods, no!” He grabs a keycard from a tray, and all but jabs it at Percy, “Take it! Take it! Just don’t hurt me!”
“Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Percy smirks, taking the card out of the man’s shaking hand, “Thank you kindly.” He puts the Master Bolt back into his backpack, and heads towards the elevators. He is treated to absolutely trashy elevator music throughout the ascent up, and Percy makes a mental note to rip Apollo a new one for the absolute ear-rape he was forced to endure.
Blessedly, the elevator finally comes to a stop with a soft “ping”, and the doors open, revealing the grandiose splendour of Olympus. Even so, Percy beelines straight for the massive palace in the centre, completely ignoring the eyes that fell upon him as he strode like a man on a mission. Entering the massive throne room, Percy is greeted by an all-too familiar sight - twelve huge thrones spread out in an inverted ‘U’ formation, with a massive firepit in the centre with flames burning high up into the unseen ceiling. Each of the thrones are easily identifiable to the respective god or goddess it belongs to, but at this moment, there are only two gods present in the chamber.
Standing at their full, towering godly heights, Zeus and Poseidon lash out at the other with colourful threats and eye-watering accusations, their squabbling causing storm after storm to strike not just Manhattan, but the rest of New York state and New Jersey.
At first, neither god noticed Percy standing there, looking comically small in comparison. Even as an adult in the previous timeline, Percy only stood, at most, less than a third of the gods at their full height. As a twelve-year-old who hasn’t even begun puberty yet, Percy might as well be invisible to the two squabbling gods.
If not for one spoken word from his mouth, “Dad.”
Poseidon stops, immediately looking down and meeting his son’s eyes, “Perseus.”
Percy glances at Zeus, acknowledging him with only the slightest nod. The King of the Gods opens his mouth, no doubt offended at the apparent (read: definite) lack of respect, but Poseidon cuts him off, “What are you doing here, my son?”
“To end this petty squabble once and for all,” Percy replies, already setting his backpack on the floor, “And I wasn’t going to take my sweet time to do so.” He unzips it, and produces the cylinder. It immediately flies out of his hand, extending to its full length of five metres, and Zeus grabs it from the air, a satisfied glimmer in his thunderous eyes.
Poseidon gives him a knowing look, “Tell us everything.”
And Percy does, taking extra care to omit any details that may implicate his dad and his Atlantean family and using plausible covers to hide their involvement, subtly emphasising Hades being a victim in this whole debacle (which he sends an equally knowing look back to his dad), and downplaying his powers and abilities, especially his duel with Ares.
“I sense no deceit or lies, the boy tells the truth,” Zeus mutters lowly, “But to think that Ares would do such a thing…”
“He is impulsive, and does not use his head much,” Poseidon remarks, “The apple does not fall far from the tree, it seems.”
Percy disguises the resulting snort with a cough, before quietly adding, “I suspect that he is being influenced by his grandfather.”
The mere mention of Kronos starts another round of bickering between Poseidon and Zeus, to which Percy just tunes out.
“Enough,” Zeus growls with no uncertain finality, “we will not continue speaking of this now. I must personally ensure that my bolt is purified in the waters of Lemnos, to remove the human taint from the metal.” Percy rolls his eyes, though Zeus doesn’t notice, “You have done me a service, boy, for which I will spare your life. But make no mistake, Perseus Jackson, I do not like what your presence means for the future of Olympus. I had better not find you here when I return, otherwise I will not be as merciful.”
“Sure.”
Evidently too focused on cleaning up his bolt, Zeus doesn’t register the unsubtle lack of respect and vanishes with a deafening crash of thunder and lightning. When his ears finally stop ringing, Percy lets out the loudest, most exasperated sigh that he’d been holding in since the start of this glorified fetch errand.
“Your uncle…has always had a penchant for the dramatics,” Poseidon remarks, equally exasperated. He shrinks down to mortal height, and goes to Percy.
“No shit, and don’t say you're any better, dad,” Percy snarks. Poseidon chuckles, pulling his son into a tight hug.
“How are you feeling?”
“Just done with it all,” Percy replies, his voice muffled from his face buried in his dad’s chest, “I mean, the fuck is his problem? I go fetch his stupid bolt, and he “spares my life”? He tried to fucking kill me when the Furies attacked us on the bus! He only got his fucking stick back faster because I knew what happened before! How can he fucking expect us to help him when all he does is threaten our lives?!”
Poseidon sighs, not unkindly, and runs a comforting hand through Percy’s hair, “His paranoia has overtaken him, my son. No amount of reasoning or logic reaches him anymore. And, as you pointed out, he refuses to see the problem until his own existence is threatened.”
“Yeah, we saw that when I mentioned gramps,” Percy sneers, “Just because he defeated the bastard one time, that doesn’t mean shit!” He rubs his eyes, “I honestly would’ve let gramps destroy him and Olympus, if not for the fact that I will lose everything and everyone I love.”
“I know.”
A few minutes pass in silence.
“Dad, has Uncle Hades returned mum yet?”
Poseidon nods, and relief washes over Percy, despite knowing that, even with his grandstanding, Hades always honours his promises.
“Can we go see her? I just want to make sure that she’s okay, like with my own two eyes. And I also need to get back to camp. Annabeth and Grover went ahead first.”
“We can do that, my son. Plus, it saves me from having to deal with my brother for a while.”
“You’re the best, dad.”
“So I have been told,” Poseidon grins, and Percy responds by hugging him tighter.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I have said it before, and I will say it again, Poseidon is best godly dad FTW!
- Kai
----------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 2
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 13
Chapter 14: A Prophecy Fulfilled (in an unexpected way)
Summary:
The prophecy is fulfilled in a way that Percy could never have imagined.
Notes:
I'm probably going to get lynched by a certain section of the PJO fandom for this chapter...
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Poseidon flashes them to Percy’s apartment, and no sooner does he step through the door, he is instantly pulled into a desperate hug by his mum. He simply hugs her back, not saying anything as she rambles, tearful but equally relieved that he was alright.
The three of them sit down, Sally explains that, despite basically being held in stasis, she could still hear and see everything. Even though she couldn’t speak, or move, she saw Percy confront Hades, calling him (and the gods in general) out on his actions. Despite how much fear and worry she had experienced at that moment, she trusted Percy to resolve everything, and he did. Sally tells Percy, in no uncertain terms, how proud she is of him, to which Percy simply ducks his head, a flush spreading all the way to his ears, and whining about Sally embarrassing him, to which Poseidon only adds fuel to the fire with his own declarations of how much Percy makes him proud, and making the boy’s flush turn absolutely ruby.
Eventually, Percy makes his excuses. He really needs to get back to camp, check in on how Annabeth and Grover are doing. Sally hugs him one more time, and Poseidon flashes Percy to the border of the camp, right next to the vans. Giving his dad a final hug too, Percy crosses the border, momentarily pausing at Thalia’s Pine, before heading to the Big House.
As he approaches the porch, Grover appears round the corner.
“Hey, G-man. Where’s Annabeth?”
“She went off in search of Luke,” Grover replies, which makes Percy pause, “She told me that she couldn’t stop thinking about the winged shoes he gave us. She went off to talk to him.”
For some reason, an unsettled feeling churns his stomach, “And…when was this?”
“About ten minutes ago?” Grover scratches his head, “Like, I totally get it, what with Annabeth seeing Luke as basically her family -”
A piercing, pained scream shatters the air across camp. Percy is already moving, followed closely by Grover. They rush past campers who, just moments before, had been merely doing their own things or minding their business, but are now completely stunned and confused. Percy has already extended Maelstrom, as he goes into a familiar patch of woods.
There, he and Grover screech to a halt. Standing a few feet in front of them, is Luke and Ethan Nakamura, a son of Nemesis who was never claimed and would ultimately die in the Battle of Manhattan. On the ground before Luke and Ethan, a sight that made Percy’s blood drain out of his veins and get the air lodged in his throat.
Annabeth, prone, unmoving, and with the pit scorpion on her neck.
“You…”
Luke, clearly the smarter of the two, slashes his sword in an arc and disappears in a ripple of shadows. In that split second, Percy throws Maelstrom at Ethan, its prongs stabbing into the camper’s leg and with a cry of pain, sending him to the ground. Grover deals with the scorpion, while Percy lunges at Ethan, uncapping Riptide as he goes.
In the previous timeline, while Ethan plunged to his death when Kronos opened a fissure in Olympus and the son of Nemesis fell through, Percy had fulfilled his promise to Ethan by making the council honour the minor gods by building cabins in their name at camp. Now, though, at the sight of Annabeth’s unmoving body, and Ethan being Luke’s apparent accomplice, the same rage that filled Percy during his duel against Ares returns with a vengeance.
Ripping Maelstrom out of Ethan’s leg, Percy throws the boy onto his back, just so that Ethan can witness, with full, unobstructed clarity, his final seconds as Percy raises Riptide above his head.
“Percy -”
“Die.”
He swings Riptide down, the celestial bronze ringing sharply in the air. With all of his rage channelled into that swing, Percy easily slices Ethan’s head clean off the neck. Blood splatters, and the head comes to a wet, rolling stop a few feet away, the face frozen forever in a look of panicked realisation that death has come for him.
Percy hunches over, heaving breaths shaking his body. His hands fall limply to his sides, the tip of Riptide digging into the soil, its shaft dripping with Ethan’s blood. Percy suddenly remembers Grover and Annabeth, and he runs back to where the satyr is hunched over the daughter of Athena, the pit scorpion lying motionless on its back a few feet away, legs in the air, and with a branch stabbed through its abdomen.
“Grover, Annabeth, is she -”
The satyr looks up, his eyes haunted and heartbroken. Percy’s stomach plunges to his ankles.
“We’re…we’re too late, Percy,” Grover hiccups, tears already spilling from his eyes, “S-She’s gone.”
Percy does not attempt to deny.
He does not attempt to bargain.
Or beg.
He does not cry. Not yet. He will cry his heart out later.
Right now, Percy screams .
It hits Camp Half-Blood like a tsunami, sweeping across the grounds and knocking campers off their feet. The sky above immediately turns overcast, and the winds start to howl in tandem. Rain falls hard on the camp, and lightning not by Zeus or any other god strikes at random. Campers run for their cabins, but after two lightning bolts strike the Hermes cabin, many turn on their heels and rush for the Big House instead.
Amidst the chaos, Chiron shifts into his centaur form and gallops off towards the woods. Braving the storm and the random lightning strikes, with one missing him by inches, Chiron rushes into the clearing, the eye of the storm raging over the camp.
“Percy!”
The son of Poseidon whips towards Chiron, eyes blazing. Chiron flinches at the streaks of gold in the boy’s glowing, venomously green eyes. But just as quickly as the centaur saw them, the streaks disappear, and Percy seems to regain conscious awareness of his surroundings.
“C-Chiron, Annabeth, she…”
Hearing Grover’s broken voice, the centaur kneels down before the girl that, for years, he has held a particular fondness for. Realising that she was, truly, no longer with them, Chiron lets out a shaky, broken breath. Suddenly appearing every single one of his years, the centaur regards the sniffling Grover with grieving, but no less firm eyes, “We need to inform the campers, her siblings especially.”
Grover nods, rubbing his eyes in a futile attempt to stop his tears, even as he heaved and moaned with grief. Chiron gets up, turning to Percy, “How did this happen?”
“A pit scorpion,” he replies hollowly, robotically pointing to where the blasted thing was impaled into the ground, “It was Luke, and Ethan. H-He…sicced it on her.” He doesn’t yet tell him about Kronos’ involvement, or the fact that he murdered Ethan in his rage. He doesn’t have to, for the latter part. Chiron looks over behind Percy, spotting the decapitated corpse.
Chiron draws in a strangled breath, “I need to report this to Olympus. Her mother needs to know.”
Percy doesn’t respond to that. His mind is too preoccupied. The last sentence of the prophecy by the Oracle - fail to save the one whom you trusted the most before , repeated over and over in his ears like a death knell. Truthfully, he had no idea that it was referring to Annabeth. Yes, in hindsight, his relationship with Annabeth may not have been healthy, but he still trusted her to come up with plans and strategies. They had their ups and downs, but in no way, shape or form did he want Annabeth to die.
Now, though, all of the memories of them together, side-by-side, will remain as that, memories. Annabeth, in this timeline, did not make it to her 13th birthday. She never got to become an architect of Olympus. She never got to truly see, for herself, how the gods are just as flawed and unfair as the mortals they looked down upon. She will never get justice for the unforgivable betrayal by Luke, because in this timeline, she was betrayed, and died, by Luke’s hands.
As quickly as it came, the rage dissipates from Percy’s being. He becomes consumed by the grief, becoming numb to everything around him. He barely registers Chiron announcing to the camp about Luke’s betrayal, how Annabeth was tragically killed, and the absolutely heartwrenching wails of her siblings as her body was shrouded, and later that evening, in place of the campfire sing-along, cremated.
But what comes as a surprise to many campers, Percy included, is the arrival of Athena herself.
The goddess of Athens, dressed in her iconic armour and ancient Greek regalia, is stone-faced and unreadable, even as a eulogy is read for Annabeth, prayers are made, and at the penultimate moment, her shroud is cremated. For all intents and purposes, Athena is the picture of the goddess she is, poised, regal and very much in control. But after the campers dispersed to mourn in private and with one another, Athena stopped Percy just as he was about to head to the Poseidon cabin.
“Peace, son of Poseidon, I do not mean you any harm.”
Percy doesn’t immediately let his guard down, even if he relaxes his stance a little.
“Contrary to reasonable belief, I do not blame you, Percy Jackson, for the death of my daughter.”
Percy is silent, as Athena continues, her expression seemingly still stony, but her eyes, if one looks closely, bears the sorrow of a grieving mother, “You ensured she was safe during your quest to return the Master Bolt. You ensured that my father’s symbol of power was returned quickly, far quicker than I imagined. You do not possess the power of Sight, and you could not have foreseen the act of betrayal by the son of Hermes against my daughter. There is no one I blame for her untimely end, other than that boy.”
Percy remains silent, but he gives a clear nod, an acknowledgement of Athena’s words, and a quieter thanks for her understanding. In truth, he had expected vengeful vitriol that promised retribution, not this.
“Perhaps,” Athena glances in the direction of the ocean, “this is overdue punishment. I am certain you heard about what happened with your half-brother’s daughter, Pallas.” At Percy’s nod, she continues, “Even though I did not intend or wanted it, I was responsible for her death. It may have been an accident, but her blood is forever staining my hands. Perhaps, this is balance being restored, that one of my own children is killed before her time. This is justice for my transgression.”
There are many things that Percy could say, but none of it would matter. He simply nods again, as a soft rush of ocean currents flows through his veins, a sign of his half-brother, Triton, listening into this one-sided conversation, and merely acknowledging Athena’s words too.
The goddess departs soon after, and nobody else bothered Percy or Grover, perhaps from a mix of Chiron warning the campers to leave them alone, and putting the pieces together and determining that Percy was the one who caused the freak storm to lash the camp just minutes after Annabeth’s final scream echoed from the woods. Being left undisturbed enabled Percy to numbly beg his dad to take him to Atlantis. Under the cover of night, Percy trudges to the beach, and within seconds of his feet touching the water, Poseidon appears in a wave of sea spray and breeze. The god of the seas says nothing, letting Percy fall into his arms, and just cry .
Percy doesn’t register his dad flashing them away from the beach into the royal palace in Atlantis. Poseidon carries Percy to his bedroom, gently setting him down on the bed. He doesn’t leave immediately, simply staying by Percy’s side, never pulling away. Only when Percy has literally cried himself into exhaustion does Poseidon leave him to get some rest, but even so, he has Percy’s room charmed to inform him when his son wakes up, or is in any form of distress.
He meets Amphitrite in the hallway outside.
“How is he, my king?”
“Distraught, absolutely heartbroken,” Poseidon replies wearily, “I do not blame him. He has every right to mourn and grieve. We can only support him and be there for him, however long it takes.”
“That poor girl,” Amphitrite sighs, “To be betrayed by the one she saw as family. How is Athena taking the loss?”
“As far as I can tell, she is putting on a front for the council, but Triton has told me that she is grieving deeply inside,” Poseidon replies solemnly.
“Yes, I’d imagine so.”
The subsequent month sees both the royal family and Sally try their best to support Percy as he grapples with the grief of losing Annabeth and the messy emotions that plagued both his waking and sleeping hours.
He couldn’t bring himself to stomach much food, so Amphitrite had the kitchens prepare small servings of easily digestible foods that can be taken away if left unconsumed. Sally did the same whenever Percy stayed over in New York. Her blue cookies were the one thing that Percy always ate without hesitation, but anything else was a challenge that required adapting so as to prevent Percy from starving himself out of grief.
Just as he alternates between Atlantis and New York, Percy alternates between holing up in his bedrooms and being dragged out to do something, anything to keep him from wasting away under the covers. Admittedly, there isn’t much he can do in New York, since monsters could attack him at any given moment, but down in Atlantis, there is plenty to do, in a manner of speaking. Just as Benti introduced him to shell mosaics, she guided Percy in creating his first mosaic work, a memorial to Annabeth and her qualities. Rhode sometimes took Percy to her island in the Aegean Sea, where she maintains a garden of her favourite flowers and plants, several of which help to soothe and calm the emotional storms inside Percy, thereby enabling him to sleep better and actually feel rested come morning. On days where Percy’s mood was absolute shit, Triton kept him busy with weapons drills, sparring, and honing his hydrokinesis powers, the last one overlapping with Kym, declaring that what Percy needed was to let loose, release the rage inside him at Luke for killing Annabeth. For this, as promised, she took Percy out into the vast expanse of the Pacific, where Poseidon had a palace built for her. Together, they created vast storms that ravaged the waters of the Pacific, though localised within a specific area so as to not harm mortals who travelled by boat or air.
Even so, accidents sometimes happened, like the time Kym accidentally caused several large container tankers to run aground in Papua New Guinea. Or the time Percy created a storm that unintentionally strengthened into a typhoon, which subsequently wreaked havoc across the Philippines, Vietnam, and south-eastern China, before finally dissipating over Taiwan.
Accidentally creating a typhoon that caused untold damage across four countries was one too many. Poseidon had considered banning Kym from taking Percy out to create storms, but some persuasion convinced him to lighten up a bit. If Percy wanted to create storms with Kym, another one of their siblings had to be present to mitigate future accidents.
(Some of the persuasion came from Amphitrite, no surprise, but what nobody knew then was that this was the birth of the infamous, but undoubtedly irresistible, Baby Seal Eyes™.)
That said, Poseidon considered other ways for Percy to process Annabeth’s death in a healthier way, and one less likely to result in widespread property damage and mortal casualties. He brings it up during dinner, “Perseus, my son, I believe it will do you good to meet with a mind healer.”
Percy doesn’t immediately respond, setting his spoon down. Taking his silence as his cue to continue, Poseidon explains, “Physical injuries and ailments can heal with relative ease, but the turmoil in your mind and heart, in both the past lifetime and the present, healing is not as straightforward. I fear that if not addressed and processed in a safe way, the trauma you bear will cause more problems in the future.”
Percy gazes down at his empty bowl, again not saying anything, but not outright refusing or denying anything was wrong with him, as Poseidon inwardly feared his beloved son might do. Across from him, Amphitrite says, “There is nothing wrong or shameful with saying that you need help. You have been carrying so much for so long, you deserve to have someone to share your burden with.”
“And no excuses about you saying “it’s mine to hold” or “it’s my fault”,” Benti points her fork at him to emphasise her point, “We may have only known each other for a few months, but I can definitely see you opening your mouth to say something along those lines!”
Percy closes his mouth. It is honestly a little unnerving to be read so openly.
“We may be different from mortals, to varying degrees,” Rhode adds, “But even gods cannot survive on their own power or strength. And, as mother said, it is not a weakness to seek help from others.”
Slowly, Percy turns to Poseidon, “Can I meet them first? And…make them swear to secrecy?”
“Of course, my son.”
The next day, Poseidon introduces Percy to Kainalu, a merman who hailed from the mer settlement near the Hawaiian islands. Kainalu also spends time on the surface, earning a degree in psychology before starting a practice in Atlantis.
For some inexplicable reason, there is something…interesting about Kainalu. Percy can’t quite put his finger on it, but the Hawaiian merman feels familiar, despite this being the first time they had met. Kainalu didn’t help matters when, while Poseidon’s back was turned, the merman flashed Percy a knowing grin, and winked at him.
Before he is due to start regular sessions with Kainalu, though, there is something Percy needs to do.
It had always been at the back of his mind, even during the glorified fetch errand of Zeus’ zappy stick. But his encounter with Hades in the underworld, and Annabeth’s unexpected death, prompted Percy to speed things up rather drastically.
He had already floated the idea of getting the di Angelo siblings out of the Lotus Casino earlier than before with his dad, and despite the potential risks, Poseidon readily said that he would support whatever decision Percy made. Now, with Annabeth dead, and so much changed from the previous timeline, Percy makes his decision.
Fuelled by the further revelation from his dad that Hades hadn’t acted, or seemed to notice, the hints dropped on to him, Percy gathers enough supplies for at least a week, knowing that time flows differently in the casino than outside it, and prepares to make the journey. Amphitrite equips him with a charmed watch that shows the time and date outside of the casino, and once everything is ready, Poseidon flashes him to the border of Camp Half-Blood, and sends him a pegasus as his ride.
Mounting the pegasus, Percy takes off into the sky, flying once again westward to Las Vegas. If his uncle isn’t going to act, then he’ll do it.
After what happened to Annabeth, Percy isn’t going to take any chances.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
So, a couple of things.
I initially was going to go for how Athena was portrayed in the books, but I've read a lot of comments on Reddit, Discord, and even here that complain about how Riordan basically butchered her character, much like with Ares. So after sleeping on it, I decided to make Annabeth's death as the catalyst towards a "redemption" of sorts for Athena. Will things suddenly become roses and rainbows between her and Percy? No, but we can expect Athena to act in ways that are more in line with how she is portrayed in the classic myths.
Also, the di Angelo siblings are coming soon! We can expect a lot more chaos, drama and comfort in the next chapter.
- Kai
---------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 1
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 14
Chapter 15: A Son of Hades
Summary:
Percy gets Nico and Bianca out of the Lotus Casino.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Percy spends a long moment standing at the entrance of the Lotus Hotel & Casino, simply staring at the doors. He swallows, memories of the scent of lotuses that permeated the air, having to use Annabeth’s deathly fear of spiders to break her out of the trance that the casino trapped guests in -
Tears prickle at his eyes, and he hastily rubs them away. He is still grieving, make no mistake, but he is also on a mission. He can’t afford to let the casino somehow latch on to his grief and try to imprison him there forever.
Taking a moment to pull himself together, Percy straightens his back, and strides towards the doors. The moment he steps over the threshold, and the doors close behind him, the watch on his wrist begins spinning wildly. Percy sighs, time to look for two siblings.
Collecting his infinite money card (he briefly wonders if they only work inside the casino or the outside world too, before deciding to just take several, because why the fuck not. It would be a huge boon if the cards actually worked outside, and it's not like there was anyone keeping an eye on how many cards were being taken at the moment…) and promptly begins his search. Just a few minutes inside the casino, and a full day has already passed in the outside world. Keeping his fingers around Riptide helps to keep himself grounded, as he weaves through rows and rows of game and slot machines, room after room, hallway after hallway, looking for two children with dark hair in a complex that was absolutely massive .
He cursed the Lotus Eaters repeatedly, for all of the mistaken identities where his heart rose in hopes that it would either be Nico, or Bianca, or both, only to discover that it was somebody else. Percy also thinks that, by the time he gets out of here with both siblings in tow, however long it takes, he is going to hate lotus blossoms with a passion , the only thing keeping him from falling under the trance of the lotus scents is his mission, and the grief he still has from Annabeth’s murder taking a back seat for now.
In the end, it takes Percy almost a month (or a full day in casino time) to find the di Angelo siblings, and it was literally by accident.
Turning a corner, he collides with Bianca.
“Oh! Sorry!”
Percy’s brain literally does a jam break. Standing just inches from him, Bianca is apologetic, but that is far from Percy’s focus, as the memories that promptly flood his consciousness - of his promise to Nico to keep her safe, only for her to die when she took the figurine from the landfill, simply because she wanted to give it to Nico, having to tell Nico that his sister was dead -
Percy has to blink several times and squeeze his eyes shut for a moment to clear his head. Bianca’s apologetic expression becomes a tad concerned, but he quickly reassures her, “No, no, not your fault. Just got a bit of a headache from the noises of the game rooms.” He opens his eyes, making sure to give off a friendly vibe, “Hey, do you play Mythomagic?”
Bianca’s nose twitches, “Well, not really, but my brother does. He’s crazy over it, you wouldn’t believe -” Except, Percy does believe it, so much so that it hurts his heart a little, remembering how much Nico lost over the years previously, not just his sister, but also his innocence. “- anyways, do you wanna meet him? He would absolutely love to have someone to play with.”
Percy didn’t care if the gratitude in his voice was unusual or out-of-place, “Yes, please.”
Bianca takes him to a part of the casino where he hasn’t gone through yet. There, sitting on a plush sofa with lotus blossoms embroidered into the fabric, sits Nico. Percy has to swallow down the images of the chirpy, hyperactive Italian boy, an image lost to the rage and grief of losing his sister, and the trauma of being a child of a Big Three god. Their approach makes Nico look up, and Percy’s heart pangs from the lack of dark bags under Nico’s eyes, another telltale sign of the boy’s current innocence and naïvity, courtesy of their soak in the Lethe.
“Bi, who’s this?”
“Ah,” Bianca turns to Percy, “What’s your name again?”
“Sorry, I’m so rude,” Percy sighs, “Percy Jackson.”
“This is Percy,” Bianca introduces, “He plays mythomagic.”
The way that Nico’s dark eyes practically lit up with joy and excitement should be protected at all costs, but Percy knows an act of futility when he sees one (with the benefit of hindsight, of course). Nico is already taking out a deck of cards by the time Percy brings his focus back to the present.
“Poseidon is really good,” Nico rambles, showing Percy the card in question, “He has this really cool side effect and- ”
“He’s my dad.”
Might as well rip off the bandage.
“What? But Poseidon is- ”
“A god, yeah,” Percy nods, “The gods are real.”
Bianca is staring at him as if he’d just grown a second head.
“They’re real?”
“Yep, as real as you and me,” Percy confirms. Seeing a small fountain right next to the sofa Nico is on, he flicks his hand, and the stream of water swirls towards him. Both siblings stare in wonder as the water dances around them. Percy sends the water back into the fountain, before proceeding to bullshit, “Children of gods are called demigods, and we have the ability to sense other demigods around them. I happened to be passing by, and…I sensed you two.”
Nico is now speechless, staring at him with a slacken jaw. Bianca takes over the speaking, “Then…do you know which god is…ours?”
“We’ll know for sure once you get claimed,” Percy says half-truthfully.
Bianca nods, then notices his watch, “Why is it acting weird?”
“It shows the time outside the casino. Time moves really, really slowly here. I’ve only been here for about a day, but outside, a month has passed.”
Both siblings whip towards one another, eyes wide for a very different reason. Bianca shakily says, “We’ve…been here for…I think several months?”
Percy nods, “Alright, time to go.”
“Wait, what?”
“By your sister’s estimates,” Percy says to Nico, “You’ve been here since the 1940s. If I’m not mistaken, it’s currently September 2006. You two have been inside here for about sixty years.”
Nico’s mouth opens and closes a few times, before he jumps out of his seat, “We need to go.”
“We should,” Percy agrees, “The time distortion only gets worse the longer you stay. Where is your room?”
They collect the siblings’ belongings, and depart from the Lotus Casino. Nico and Bianca take some time to re-orient themselves to the present day, seeking out newspapers to confirm the date, and generally marveling at how much Las Vegas has changed since the time they apparently stepped foot into the casino.
Percy breathes a sigh of relief, this part of the mission is over. Now comes the next part, getting the two to camp.
The urgency makes itself clear when Percy spots a hellhound trying to take its chance at them while the siblings have their backs turned and are too awed by the replicas of various world landmarks to notice the beast. Percy quietly disposed of the hellhound by chopping its head off, and once the dust had been cleared away, made a comment to the siblings about taking them to the camp where other demigods like themselves stay in, and are protected from monsters that like to snack on them for their mid-meal cravings.
Bianca had been a bit concerned about the time it will take to reach Long Island, but thankfully, after a quick prayer to his dad, the pegasus that Percy came on was soon joined by another, and after a bit of awed gushing by Nico at the sight of the winged horses, Percy helps the siblings onto their mount, and together, they leave Las Vegas behind, heading eastward.
They stop at a run-of-the-mill Holiday Inn to let the pegasi rest. Remembering the infinite money card from the Lotus Casino, Percy decides to give it a shot and see if it helped with fooling the front desk into letting them check into a suite with connecting bedrooms for the night. Surprisingly, not only did the staff buy his excuse that they were cousins (which was technically true) and they were sent ahead by their family on the way to a big reunion event in the next town over (total bullshit) but have to stay the night because it was getting late, the infinite money card did work outside of the casino, easily paying for the room.
Bianca immediately snagged the bathroom, while Nico went to ogle at the various electronic devices that came with the room. Percy just flopped onto the bed, more than happy to just stare at the ceiling until he dozed off. Nico and Percy got their turns with the bathroom, and the three of them hit the hay.
At some point in the night, Percy got up to answer the call of nature. Stepping out of the bathroom, he is taken by surprise, “Bianca? What’s wrong?”
The elder di Angelo is sitting on the couch, staring out of the window at the night sky. At Percy’s appearance, she turns to him, “Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?”
“No, no, it’s fine. You can’t sleep?”
“I mean…not really?” Bianca shrugs. Percy goes to sit at the sofa, on the other end, “I…I was just thinking…about a lot of things.”
“Do you wanna talk about it?”
“I…our father…do you think he’ll claim us?” Bianca asks, looking torn between hopeful and afraid, “Do you think he’ll want to talk to us? To… want us?”
Percy has no easy answer to that. As much as things have changed with Hades when compared to before, the god still hadn’t acted on Poseidon’s hints to get his children out of the casino. It was Percy who took the initiative. “I’m hoping that he will. I got really, really lucky with my dad. Even if by mortal standards, my dad would be seen as an absent parent, he is making it up to me in spades right now. I’m pretty sure I still get jealous looks from the other campers till this day.”
Bianca nods, “Do…you think Nico and I will remain unclaimed?”
“I sincerely hope not. You two deserve to have parental attention and care,” Percy replies verbally, and internally, unheard by the girl, ‘If Hades continues to drag his lazy ass, I will kick it so hard that he won’t be able to sit on his throne for a year at the very least . I have whooped his ass before, and I will do it again if I have to.’
“I hope we get claimed,” Bianca continues wistfully, oblivious to Percy’s inner monologue, “I love my brother. I really do. It’s just that…for so long, it was just the two of us. I’ve always looked out for him, because that’s what older siblings do, right? I…never got to really live for myself.” She turns to Percy, eyes glimmering with worry, “D-Does that make me a bad sister?”
“No, absolutely not,” Percy replies firmly, leaving no room for doubt, “You did what you could, and that is all anyone can ask of you. I’m sure Nico appreciates what you have done for him. Also, you are your own person, Bianca. You should get to live your life too.”
Bianca still looks a little unsure, but also relieved. They talk for a little longer, before Bianca bids Percy goodnight, and heads back into her room. Percy stays where he is for a moment, making a mental note to periodically return to camp after the siblings have settled down, to help ease Bianca’s load wherever he can. Nodding to himself, Percy heads back to the room he and Nico are sharing.
He opens the door as quietly as he could to avoid waking up the younger boy, only to notice Nico is already awake, sitting bolt upright in his bed, and staring at him as if he had seen a ghost.
“Nico?”
Those dark eyes are wide, very much frightened, a far cry from the awed and excited looks he saw in the casino and in Vegas. They are etched with pain, loss, heartbreak, rage and terror, flitting between each one at random, all of them far too out of place for the young boy.
“Nico, what’s wrong?”
“W-Where am I? What’s going on?”
“Neeks, you aren’t making any sense- ” Percy hadn’t intended for that nickname, always spoken with the closeness and familial intimacy, to slip out. But it made Nico gasp quietly, his wide eyes shimmering with something like…recognition and hope? That makes Percy’s breath hitch, chasing away any frantic fears about a potential screw-up.
Could it be?
He dares to ask, “You…remember?”
Nico just nods.
“Everything? Kronos, the Pit, Gaea?”
Another nod.
Percy couldn’t help himself. And truthfully, he wouldn’t have stopped himself anyways.
He all but crushes Nico in a suffocating hug, to which Nico returns with equal, desperate fervour.
“Oh Gods,” Percy whispers after what feels like an eternity, “I…Neeks, you don’t know how much this means to me.”
“You bastard, how do you think I feel?” Nico grumbles, yet doesn’t let go, “Suddenly waking up as a ten-year-old, in an unfamiliar room, and hearing my sister’s voice outside, and you talking to her- ” He hiccups, and sniffles, “I thought…I thought this was some fucked up dream. Or that I was back in the Pit…”
“I get it,” Percy runs a hand through Nico’s hair, “I totally get it.”
They remain in each other’s arms for some time, in complete silence, save for Nico’s quiet weeps muffled in Percy’s shoulder. When he is calm enough to speak again, Nico pulls away, “H-How did this happen? I just remember going to sleep, and then -”
“You woke up here, ten years in the past,” Percy nods. He lets go of Nico, adjusting to sit properly on the bed, “Truth is, I likely had some hand in this.”
“What?”
“Some…being offered me a chance to do things better,” Percy explains, “They sent me back to the day I killed my maths teacher, Mrs. Dodds, who is actually Alecto, one of the Furies. But…I moved the timeline up drastically. I…murdered Gabe and his friends with Riptide -”
“Wait, I thought celestial bronze doesn’t affect mortals?” Nico interrupts, a little perplexed.
“I…I guess those four had sunk to the level of monsters?” Percy shrugs, “Anyways, I killed them, and I contacted my dad. I told him everything, as well as to my mum. Then, she got kidnapped by the minotaur, sent by your dad, because the master bolt had been stolen, and so too was his helmet. I had to go through the entire quest again, thankfully retrieving the bolt much quicker and returning it, and -”
“Did Annabeth come back too?” Nico asks.
Percy swallows, eyes downcast, “No, Annabeth…didn’t show signs that she came back. But…she…”
Seeing his lips quiver, Nico suddenly has an uneasy feeling settle in his stomach, “Percy…where is Annabeth?”
“...gone.”
“What?”
Percy sniffles, unable to stop the tears, “S-She went to confront Luke about the cursed sneakers he gave us. He…He sicced the pit scorpion on her.” Nico inhales sharply. “B-By the time Grover and I got to her…i-it was…too late.”
Percy breaks down, now with nothing to distract him from the grief that he forced into the back-burner despite it continuously bubbling inside him. Nico, utterly speechless with shock, finds himself at a loss. He has never been the type of person who can easily comfort someone who is grieving, let alone while also grappling with news so devastating as this. While he and Annabeth hadn’t been the closest of friends, they were on good terms, and to hear that she is dead…
Percy has to grab his pillow to muffle his weeps. He won’t be able to explain to Bianca why he is suddenly distraught without some awkward questions. Nico doesn’t make any move to comfort him. He doesn’t know what to do in this situation. Thankfully, Percy doesn’t take issue with this. When his tears finally subside, he continues, “I haven’t been back to camp since that day. I alternated between Atlantis and my mum’s apartment.”
“You’re staying with your dad’s side?” Nico asks quietly.
Percy nods, “He told the royal family about the time travel situation. They…have been my biggest supporters, when mum got taken, and when Annabeth…” Percy exhales shakily, “I probably would’ve gotten you and Bianca out sooner, but things haven’t been easy during the month before I arrived at the casino.”
“I…no, I understand,” Nico reaches over to squeeze Percy’s arm, “I’m…I’m glad that you came for us. I…just…I can’t believe Annabeth is dead. And…knowing what happened to Bianca last time…”
“...I think Bianca will want to join the hunters again,” Percy admits, and Nico nods, understanding what went unspoken, “But, since I got you two out much earlier than before, maybe getting you two to camp will help her acclimatise to being demigods in a different way?”
“Maybe,” Nico nods, “And…I happened to overhear what she said. Could…can I stay with your mum? That way, Bianca can have some space for herself.”
“Yeah, I think that could work.”
They fall silent for a minute or so, before Nico asks, “So…what’s going to happen next? Will everything we went through be, if not the same, then similar?”
“I might not have been Luke’s target with the pit scorpion, but I’m fairly certain he’ll poison Thalia’s tree again, and we’ll need to rescue Grover and get the Fleece.”
“Right. Speaking of Thalia, do you think that she might…remember too? As well as Jason and Hazel?” Nico wonders.
“It might be possible,” Percy acknowledges, “Now that I know you remember the past timeline, maybe the other children of the Big Three gods will also remember? I can’t say for sure, though, until we heal Thalia and revive her.”
“You think Luke will make his move earlier?”
“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t put it past him. Fucking bastard…”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
One thing I liked about 'Once more' is that Percy, Nico, Thalia and Hazel remember the previous timeline because they are children of the Big Three gods, and I figured that going down the same route here would make things a lot easier for Percy (and myself, really). Plus, the chaos that will come from that? How can I say no to that?
- Kai
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No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 1
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 15
Chapter 16: A Roller Coaster of Events
Summary:
As Nico and Bianca adjust to life in camp and a new world, Percy brings about the first of many changes for the Hermes cabin.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
They arrive in New York by the early afternoon, swinging by Percy’s apartment. He introduces Nico and Bianca to Sally, explaining the siblings’ situation to his mum. Sally was more than happy to host Nico and Bianca, while Percy returned to Atlantis to bring his underwater family up to speed about Nico remembering the previous timeline.
The di Angelo siblings eventually stayed in New York for about a week, with much of the time being used to further acclimatise to the present age. Percy occasionally dropped by, as he had begun his sessions with Healer Kainalu in earnest, an experience that had Percy and Nico discussing it well into the early hours of the morning.
“You think that Kainalu knows more than he lets on?”
“That’s the vibe I’m getting,” Percy admits, “I mean, he knows I time-travelled, sworn to secrecy and all that, but I always feel like he…somehow knows about me, more than what I have revealed to him.”
Nico crosses his arms, “Mind-reading powers?”
“No,” Percy shakes his head, “He doesn’t possess that ability. He told me as such. And it would still be a breach of trust if he dug into my mind without my consent.”
“Hm, well…I guess if he has your best interests at heart, then there really isn’t a problem?”
“I guess so…”
Eventually, Nico decides to enroll in a school. Privately, Nico explained to Percy that this was to allow Bianca to live her own life. He acknowledged that their relationship in the previous timeline was codependent, and her untimely death had rippling repercussions that took him years to process and deal with, let alone begin to move forward from. His decision was further bolstered by Bianca’s choice to stay in Camp Half-Blood as a regular, moving into the Hermes cabin. Percy had offered the Poseidon cabin to the girl, but she politely declined.
“I want to get to know other people, especially if they share the same interests I have,” she reasons.
That being said, Percy is unsure if Bianca will be able to tolerate sharing the same cabin with so many other campers for long periods of time. Even with Luke and Chris gone, along with several demigods that the former either persuaded (or coerced) to follow him, there were still twenty occupants in total. Bianca’s desire to get to know her peers aside, Percy was uncertain if the lack of privacy would eventually take its toll on her.
As he spoke to Chiron later, “We need to expand and renovate the Hermes cabin. For too long we have been making an unconscionable number of campers live in a cramped, run down space. And don’t make excuses about the lack of funds,” he interrupts the centaur when he opens his mouth, “We have cabins for Zeus and Hera, and both are empty. It honestly sickens me to see such ostentatious designs -” Percy flips the bird upwards at the resulting rumble of thunder, despite it being a clear day, “- being maintained when the Hermes cabin is practically falling apart at the seams. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, Chiron, but many of the occupants have to sleep on the floor because there just aren’t enough bunks. They have to share pillows and blankets, and there is no sense of privacy whatsoever. How could you have let this happen, I haven’t the foggiest idea.”
Chiron, admittedly, has nothing that he can say to refute the allegations. When he asks where they will find the funds and resources for the renovations, Percy simply flashes the infinite money card that he swiped from the Lotus Casino, “I used this to book a suite for the di Angelos and myself at a Holiday Inn on our way back to camp. It works perfectly fine outside of the casino, I discovered. You now have no excuse to not, at the very least, get more pillows and blankets for the Hermes campers. As for renovation and expansion, leave that to me, because it is clear to me that providing a comfortable living space for dozens of unclaimed campers hasn’t crossed your mind in a long time.”
Was he being too harsh on the centaur? One could argue that, Percy supposes. But Bianca will be staying in camp more or less full-time, and the last thing Percy wants is to set her on a path that would get her killed like last time.
Percy and Sally spend the next day at Ikea, buying out every pillow and blanket set they can get their hands on. The cashier stared at them weirdly, but Percy simply presented his card. When the transaction goes through with no issues, no further questions are raised. Argus is roped in to help transport all of the pillows and blankets to camp, and it takes several counselors from other cabins to carry them all to the Hermes cabin.
Travis and Connor are the first to notice the shipments of pillows and blankets coming their way. Percy simply says to the stunned Hermes siblings, “Stolls, this is phase one of the plans to expand and renovate your cabin. Until we finalise the design and layout, these will ensure that, at the very least, everyone currently staying in the cabin has proper pillows and blankets to sleep with. Please bear with us, we promise to get the new cabin up and running as soon as possible.”
After a long beat of silence, Travis says, “But…even after what Luke -?”
Percy’s smile becomes a little fixed at the mention of that bastard, but his eyes remain warm, “Travis, and Connor, for that matter, are either of you Luke? Are you going to sic a pit scorpion on me? Are you going to betray your siblings and the other campers?”
Both Stolls shake their heads vehemently.
“Then why would I equate you two to him?”
Percy is more than happy to accept the Stolls’ grateful hugs and repeated thanks after that. What he is arguably less happy about is the fact that, shortly after, Travis and Connor started leading their fellow Hermes siblings and other willing unclaimed campers in ritualistic prayers and offerings of blue cookies to Percy every morning, making use of a crudely-put together trident as their symbol of dedication.
(Technically, the offerings ended up going to Poseidon, who just found the entire thing amusing, much to Percy’s annoyance.)
Adding to the general mess, is the unexpected arrival of Hermes, the god, himself.
Percy had volunteered to clean out the stables and give the horses their feed. Ever since he was claimed by his dad, the horses had taken to him like ducks to water, and as a result, Percy was the go-to guy for duties involving the care of the horses, or resolving disputes between them.
He had been in the process of brushing one of the horses when the stable doors opened, and the messenger god stepped in, completely unannounced.
“Hello, Percy.”
He pauses his brushing. All of the horses turn to stare at Hermes, one even still mid-chew.
“Hermes,” Percy gives the barest of acknowledgement, resuming his brushing.
Looking all the world like an unassuming postal worker, Hermes approaches Percy, the eyes of the horses following him as he goes. The stallion that Percy is brushing immediately moves in front of him, clearly believing Hermes to be a threat that Percy needs to be protected from.
“Peace, I come with no ill intent or will.”
“What do you want?” Percy asks curtly, after convincing the horse to back down.
Hermes sighs, “I can’t stay long. It’s…about Luke.”
“What about him?”
Hermes looks down. It is apparent to Percy that the messenger god is heartbroken by Luke’s betrayal, and him murdering Annabeth.
“I…I can’t reveal too much. But, if you do encounter Luke in the near future, can you…try -?”
“Hermes, with all due respect,” Percy cuts the god off, his patience beginning to fray, “I don’t owe you anything. While I understand that whatever ancient laws bullshit that cocksucker up there -” the stables tremble from the deafening rumble of thunder, “- forced upon you and the other gods does tie your hands somewhat, there are still other ways for you to spend time with your children. But you didn’t. I don’t know if it was your intention or not, but you basically left Luke, his siblings, and all other unclaimed demigods to waste away in an overcrowded cabin, bitter, resentful, and believing that they are not worthy of love. Obviously, I don’t blame Luke for feeling resentful, especially given how showy my own claiming was. However, I do fault Luke for attempting to sabotage my quest, hoping to send me into Tartarus so that Kronos could get the Master Bolt, for killing Annabeth, and betraying his siblings and fellow campers. And if you somehow think that he can be saved, I have some news for you, Hermes. The moment he killed Annabeth, Luke was gone. Your favourite son is no more. He is nothing to your other children, the campers, anyone. He is nothing but a traitor , who will spend the rest of eternity in the Pit for his actions.”
Percy is practically heaving by the end. Hermes looks as if he’d been slapped across the face.
“Luke is a monster now. And while you are not solely to blame, your actions helped to create the monster who only wanted to be loved.” Percy pointedly turns away from Hermes, “Get out of my sight, otherwise I will not be held responsible for what I do to you next.”
He doesn’t see the look of utter devastation in Hermes’ eyes, or the way the god seems to sink under the weight of guilt and grief. He doesn’t see the moment that Hermes flashes away. Percy just continues brushing the stallion, silent and stony, but on the inside, his own grief and rage bubbling anew.
It is just as well that he has a session with Kainalu later on.
Being in the presence of the healer while he ranted about Hermes helped to release the rage trapped inside his chest, but Percy just feels exhausted by the end. He asks Poseidon to send him to his apartment. There, he finds Nico in the guest room, and Percy all but crumples onto the bed, while the younger boy is still on it.
“Tough session today?”
“No, just an… unwanted encounter with a god before that.”
“Crap, which one?”
“Hermes.”
“Ah, it’s about Luke, isn’t it?”
“Ding, ding, give this boy a prize,” Percy finger-guns Nico with the most sarcastically monotone voice he could muster with his face muffled in the sheets. He pushes himself up, and sits next to Nico, “I swear, half of our problems would’ve been solved if the gods actually paid attention to their kids, showed that, while they can’t always be around because of the fucker up there,” Cue another rumble of thunder, “they love their kids no matter what and would try to help them where they can. But no, they just lounge prettily in their temples on Olympus, while their kids battle to survive against monsters day after day.”
“You’re not wrong,” Nico agrees quietly, “Yet…I also think they do care, just not the way we would expect them to. Fundamentally, gods are different, even from us.”
“Won’t deny that,” Percy acknowledges, “but they too forget that their mortal children aren’t likely to understand, or accept their rationale. We’re lucky, in the sense that we’ve lived through all of this bullshit before. I’m lucky, that my dad stepped up and has done more than he did last time. But that’s also partly because I dragged him through the mud and revealed how things went last time. Gods have been around for so long, and most think that mortals are beneath them. They may try to care, but unless they had experience being mortal, they will never truly understand or know how to care in a meaningful way.”
His thoughts shift momentarily to Apollo, his stint as Lester, and how that had changed the sun god significantly, and arguably, for the better. Percy remembers Apollo being a more regular sight at camp, actually spending time with his children beyond his godly duties.
Nico switches topics, knowing that, at least for now, they go on and on about ethics, philosophy and more about godly parents and demigods, but will ultimately get nowhere, “How are the plans for the renovations coming along?”
“Ah, right,” Percy sits up, grateful for the change in topic, “I spoke with Malcolm not too long ago. I intend to note down what the Hermes and unclaimed campers need, and maybe factor in a few of what they want for a new cabin. Once I have their inputs, I’ll pass them to Malcolm, who will then draw up a couple of plans, and we’ll decide on which one to go for before beginning any work.”
Getting Malcolm on board with expanding the Hermes cabin had been a huge boon for the son of Athena. As one would expect, Malcolm was utterly destroyed by Annabeth’s death, and now with his duties as the new Athena cabin counselor, things have been quite rough for him over the past few months. Working together with Percy on an architectural project provided a much-needed distraction for Malcolm, who sadly didn’t have someone like Kainalu to help him process his grief.
(Perhaps, when they are finally done with Kronos and Gaea, maybe the camp can bring in a clear-sighted therapist? Something to come back to in the future…)
“Hopefully, by next summer, the new cabin should be ready.”
“Why would you stay in the Hermes cabin?” Percy asks, eyebrow raised, “You can stay with me if you want.”
“Would your dad be okay with that?”
“I don’t see why not,” Percy shrugs, “He knows you also came back from the future. And, since you’re enrolled in Meriwether, Tyson should be coming along soon enough, if things still happen as they did.”
“True,” Nico nods, “It’ll probably also push my father to claim Bianca and I.”
“Oh, I have no doubt he will,” Percy replies, lips spreading into a shit-eating grin, “With a bit of luck, Uncle Hades will have to fight with my underwater family for legal custody. Serves him right for taking so long.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Nico flops back down onto the mattress, running a hand down his face, “Your Atlantean family are really nice, but I swear Rhode and Benti won’t stop spoiling me! Rhode is even giving me an allowance ! What am I supposed to do with that?!”
“Treat yourself? Get something nice?” Percy offers, shit-eating grin growing even wider, “Or, I could spoil you instead? After all, I have my card -”
“No. Absolutely fucking not.”
“Aww, c’mon Neeks, let me spoil my favourite little cousin.”
“No! No! Get the fuck away from me, Jackson! The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!”
“Really? You seriously trying to pull that whole Christianity thing on me?”
“Anything to get you away from me! No! No! Stay back! Nooooo!!!!”
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Hermes has his work cut out for him if he wants to have a chance at winning Percy's heart.
Also, is this the start of Percy not only being the Camp Mom, but also the sugar mommy of Camp Half-Blood?
- Kai
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Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 15 (no change)
Chapter 17: A Day of Monster Beheadings
Summary:
The camp comes under threat when Thalia's Pine is poisoned.
Notes:
To make up for the lack of beheadings in the last chapter, let us enjoy the sight of more heads hitting the ground this time!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The day before Nico officially begins his first day at Meriwether, Percy gives him a charmed bracelet, made of black steel with an obsidian sphere. Before Nico could grumble about being spoiled (again), Percy explains, “Given how much I’ve changed the timeline, it wouldn’t surprise me if those laistrygonians from Detroit decide to move their game of dodgeball up by several months. If you come under attack, I’ll know straight away.” He shows Nico a similar bracelet, only it is made of polished silver and with a sapphire cut into a sphere, “Also, Tyson should be joining Meriwether as part of the feel-good programme. That way, I can get you both to camp after we deal with those lumbering goons.”
It takes about another month for the Lastrygonians to attack. In that time, Tyson shows up at Meriwether as predicted, the resident bully, Matt Sloan, tried to give himself an ego boost by targeting the cyclops, only to have the fear of the gods put firmly into him by Nico, who, after re-acquiring his Stygian iron sword (the little shit simply gave him a smirk when Percy asked about it later), threatened to disembowel Matt if he dared to lay a finger on Tyson. Percy is notified of the confrontation, and when the school day ends, he meets up with Nico and Tyson, introducing himself and easily going along with Tyson’s belief that Percy had been sent by Poseidon after the cyclops prayed to him.
The night before the attack, Percy is in Atlantis, and has the dream where he sees Grover in a beach town somewhere in Florida, being chased by an unseen pursuer, and hiding in a wedding boutique as a storm brews overhead. Come morning, Percy tries to go about his day, even with knowledge of what is about to happen. He is in the midst of training with Triton, with Poseidon overseeing them both. Without any warning, the sapphire on his bracelet turns black.
“Dad, I need to get to Meriwether.”
Poseidon simply nods, and has Percy teleported to the front gates of the college prep school. Already, he can see smoke rising from where the gym is. Taking advantage of the growing confusion and chaos, he ducks and weaves around fleeing students, and upon arriving at the burning gym, he enters through a shattered window, and assesses the situation.
The other students have fled, leaving Nico and Tyson against Joe Bob and the other five giants. Tyson is hurling dodgeballs at the other giants, while Joe Bob is advancing on Nico, who has his Stygian iron sword out. Without missing a beat, Percy rushes into the fray, uncaps Riptide, and thrusts the blade into Joe Bob’s chest.
The giant barely has the chance to choke. Percy pulls Riptide out, slices off a leg, and when the giant goes down, with a final ringing swing, slices Joe’s head off the neck.
“Came as fast as I could,” Percy nods to Nico.
“The bracelet?”
Percy nods.
“Right,” Nico returns the nod, “Let’s help Tyson.”
The baby cyclops had already taken down two of the giants, leaving the last two for Percy and Nico to finish off. Just like with Joe Bob, Percy decapitates one after cutting off its legs, and Nico bisects the other across the stomach. When both giants have been reduced to dust, Percy turns to Tyson, “Hey, big guy. You okay?”
“Percy! You came!”
“Of course I would,” Percy pats Tyson’s arm, “I promised Nico, and I would never let anything hurt you.” He looks around the wrecked gym, and the noises and voices coming from outside, “C’mon, we need to get outta here. Before the teachers and police think we’re responsible.”
“Knowing mortals, they might think you’re the one who caused this, despite not being a student,” Nico cheekily points out.
“You’re probably right, but why do you have to jinx things, Neeks?”
“Payback for spoiling me.”
“Then I’ll just have to spoil you even more!”
“No, you’ll never take me alive!”
After retreating a safe distance from the chaos surrounding Meriwether, Percy sends a quick prayer to his dad to send them some pegasi. Joe Bob’s attack might’ve taken place months before it actually happened in the previous timeline, but it likely meant that Luke had already poisoned Thalia’s Pine, and the camp was now being besieged by the Colchis bulls.
The three pegasi arrive, Tyson spends a moment gushing over the winged horses in an uncannily similar manner to how Nico did before his memories came back, they mount their rides and take off towards Long Island.
They land on the hill, and Percy swears under his breath, “Fuck me sideways.”
It’s not just the Colchis bulls, but also several carnivorous sheep. The campers are locked in battle against the monsters, led by Clarisse, and things are not going well for them. Percy notices the fighting taking place behind Thalia’s Pine, the tree itself a sickly looking yellow, piles of dead needles gathering on the ground, and a festering puncture wound on the trunk, oozing a nausea-green sap. Angrily pushing all thoughts about cursing Luke to the back of his mind, Percy shouts, “I, Perseus Jackson, hereby allow Tyson the cyclops to enter the camp!”
The barrier gives way to Tyson, and together, the three of them charge in, swords and fists raised. Percy makes quick work with dispatching three meat-eating sheep by relieving them of their heads, Nico turns two more into mutton chops, and throws them at one of the bulls that was about to run over one of the campers.
“Border patrol, to me!” Clarisse shouts.
Unfortunately, because of the noises and the general panic, none of the other campers seem to hear her. Patches of grass and other foliage are ablaze, and one camper is running around in circles, screaming like a banshee as the horsehair plume of his helmet burns uncontrollably.
If not for the monsters trying to take their pick at them, Percy would’ve found the sight hilarious, if a little embarrassing since all the guy had to do was to take his helmet off. He extends Maelstrom, aims it towards the lake, and pulls a jet of water straight at the camper. He winces as the water knocks the guy off his feet, but at least he is no further danger of getting burned.
Turning to one of the bulls, Percy launches Maelstrom at the bull, the trident striking it on one of its legs. The bull immediately turns on him, charging at breakneck speed with white-hot flames bursting from its snout. Tyson cuts it off, body-slamming it onto its side.
“Bad cow!” the cyclops shouts, his punches caving in the bronze plating, “Stay down!”
Knowing that Tyson wouldn’t have too much trouble with the bull, Percy scans the hill for Nico. He sees him taking out some more sheep, and a little further away, Clarisse and several campers facing off against the other bull. They are in formation, locking their shields to form a wall and spears held firmly over the tops. However, five campers against a bull of metal and white-hot fire is an unbalanced match, as it becomes immediately clear when the bull charges at them. Clarisse is barely able to hold her ground when the bull crashes into the shields, while the other campers are sent flying. The white-hot flames melt the shields, leaving them completely defenseless.
Percy is already moving, launching Maelstrom at the bull before it could gore Clarisse with its horns. The trident pierces through its side, and Percy takes advantage of the bull’s momentary distraction to swing Riptide down into the gaps of the bronze plating around its neck. The blade doesn’t go all the way through, but it is enough for the bull to be brought down. Percy stabs it again through the neck multiple times just for good measure.
Silence rings out over the hill, only broken by Nico appearing next to Percy, a little out of breath, “Everyone okay?”
Clarisse pushes herself up, “I…you…”
Seeing the indignant rage in her eyes, Percy says evenly, “You were about to become barbecue meat, La Rue.”
“Next time, don’t ever, EVER try saving me again!”
“Sure, whatever you say,” Percy shrugs nonchalantly.
Clarisse storms away, muttering unsavoury things about Percy under her breath. Tyson ambles up to him, “Percy okay?”
“I’m good, big guy,” Percy reassures the cyclops, “Don’t worry about Clarisse. She’s just like that to everyone.”
Nico looks around the smouldering hillside, “Was it this bad last time?”
“The sheep are new,” Percy replies, “The bulls are the same. Though…” he glances at the bull at their feet, and the other one several metres away, looking more dented metal plates than bull at this point, “...I don’t think the Hephaestus cabin will be able to use them for plowing the tracks this time.”
Nico raises an eyebrow, and is about to ask further when Clarisse returns, storming up to them, “Oi, get moving, Jackson. We need to move the wounded to the Big House, let Tantalus know what happened.”
‘Ah, shit. Here we go again,’ Percy sighs, earning himself a confused look from Nico, “I’ll explain later, Neeks.”
They help to get the injured campers to their feet, and escort them to the infirmary for treatment. Upon reaching the main camp grounds, the noticeable change in the atmosphere makes Percy grimace. The air is thick with tension and fear, the trees in the forest are the same sickly yellow as Thalia’s Pine, and the campers that Percy does see all look like they are preparing for war - sharpening blades, patching up damaged armour and helmets, assisting counselors and satyrs with stockpiling weapons and arrows in the tool shed. Even the dryads have been mobilised, taking up position at the edge of the woods, bows at the ready, looking around nervously for the first sign of attack.
Nico breaks off from the group when he spots Bianca with some Hermes campers, leaving Percy to take Tyson with him into the Big House, hoping to catch Chiron before he leaves. They find the centaur listening to his favourite music while packing his belongings.
Tyson’s eyes light up, “Pony!”
Chiron whips up, clearly offended, “I beg your pardon?”
“He’s young, Chiron,” Percy says, “And he’s never seen a centaur before.” Eyeing the saddlebags, he asks for the sake of asking, “Chiron, where are you going?”
Chiron sighs, looking far more exhausted than Percy has ever seen him before, “Hello Percy, I wish we could’ve met again under more favourable circumstances, but I was told that I have been fired.”
“Because someone poisoned Thalia’s Pine,” Percy says, “You were made the scapegoat.”
“Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus is furious, rightly so,” Chiron shrugs helplessly, “Mr. D had to fire someone, and one could argue that I was let go because I failed to protect the tree.”
‘He may have dropped the ball on a lot of things, but Chiron doesn’t deserve this,’ Percy thinks to himself, “What’s going to happen now?”
Chiron sighs, “The tree probably only has a few weeks left to live at most. The poison is some venom that even I have never seen before, let alone know how to cure -”
‘Elder python venom,’ Percy recalls, ‘Basically a ploy to make us get the Golden Fleece and resurrect Thalia, so that Kronos can control the prophecy.’
“ - if nothing is done, Camp Half-Blood is finished. Unless…”
Percy says nothing, even as his mind runs a mile a minute. Chiron shakes his head, pressing the ‘Stop’ button of the boom box. “Percy, you must promise me to not act rashly. I had hoped that you wouldn’t come, so you didn’t have to deal with this. But since you are already here, promise me that you will stay here. Train hard, learn to fight, but do not leave.”
“I’ll try,” Percy says noncommittedly, already putting together a plan to retrieve the Fleece.
Chiron gives a ghost of a smile, “I suppose that is all I can ask from you. Fear not, Percy. Hopefully, my time away from camp will not be long. In the meantime, I will visit some of my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. Perhaps they might know a cure to the venom. In any case, I will be in exile until the matter is resolved, one way or another.”
A conch horn echoes across the valley, signalling the time for dinner.
“Go on, Percy. You’ll meet my replacement at the dining pavilion. I will also inform your mother to let her know that you are here and unharmed. Do not forget your promise.”
‘Oh, ye of little faith,’ Percy thinks as the centaur clops past him.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
And so, Percy's do-over of the Sea of Monsters begins.
- Kai
--------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 5
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 20
Chapter 18: A Complete Disregard for Authority
Summary:
Percy makes his stance on the new camp activities director very clear.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Sitting down at the Poseidon table, Percy watches the other campers take their seats at their respective tables. Nico and Bianca sit at the Hermes table, still yet unclaimed. Tyson sits by Percy's side, looking around the pavilion with a mix of curiosity, awe and nervousness, the last one not helped by campers from other tables unsubtly staring back at Tyson, wondering how a cyclops managed to get inside the camp.
At the front, Mr. D sits with a Diet Coke in hand. His expression seems unreadable, but Percy can see the god's eyes are more irritable than usual. No doubt, it has solely to do with the monstrous bastard sitting next to him - Tantalus, who was sentenced to eternity in the Fields of Punishment for murdering his children and trying to feed the gods their butchered flesh. Why Zeus saw him as the best fit to replace Chiron (for all of the centaur's shortcomings) is beyond any reason or logic.
Whatever, Percy isn't going to take any crap from the bastard sitting down.
"So, you are Poseidon's spawn, hm?" Tantalus' eyes are on him, his lips twisted in a sneer, "I've heard a fair bit about you. Quite a lot of trouble, you are."
"Really?" Percy drawls, eyebrow raised, "Can't be more trouble than slaughtering your own children like cattle and having the audacity to offer the flesh to the gods." He rests his chin on his palm, "So, what's your deal, huh? Hoping to drive all the campers away into the waiting mouths of monsters? Maybe use whatever flesh remains to make another offering?"
Some gasped, others stared at Percy as if he had gone insane. Nico simply locks eyes with Percy, a shared understanding between them to cause as much trouble, inconvenience and irritation for the cannibalistic bastard.
"Perseus, behave yourself," Dionysus grumbles, though it sounds half-hearted at best. Good to know that the wine god is just as happy about Tantalus' appointment as Percy and Nico are.
"I see," Tantalus narrows his eyes, "So you intend to bring your troublemaking antics here, don't you?"
"I'm surprised you only just noticed," Percy levels an unimpressed gaze in return, "Highly ironic, really, given who you are. It is clear that you're only here because the cocksucker up there can't be bothered to do his job." Thunder shakes the dining pavilion, drawing more than a few terrified noises from other campers. Percy, though, remains wholly unimpressed, "Oh, suck it, you piece of shit. Go shove your zappy stick up your nonexistent ass." In response to the even louder crash of thunder, Percy simply flips both birds upwards.
A satyr brings Tantalus a slab of barbecued meat. As he tears into it, he points a finger at Percy, "You better watch yourself, boy. I will not have any trouble from you while I'm running this -"
"Oh, we have been dealing with trouble for a long time," Percy interrupts him, "You're just the latest one. You ain't special."
"Perseus Jackson, please…" Dionysus looks like he is nursing a headache, despite being barred from any form of alcohol.
"And we need to decide on what to do with that monster next to you."
Tyson flinches at being singled out, trying to making himself smaller. Percy, though, gets to his feet, any semblance of being the little shit he was just seconds before evaporating. Bearing the full might of his godly lineage, Percy uncaps Riptide and draws it on Tantalus, inciting startled gasps and cries from nearby campers, "His name is Tyson."
Nico draws several startled gasps from the Hermes table, including from his own sister, when he too rises and draws his sword, brandishing it at Tantalus.
"What -"
"He singlehandedly defeated one of the bronze bulls at the border," Percy's voice drips with danger, his eyes boiling with barely-controlled rage, "Or would you rather have the bulls burn down the camp that you so lovingly claimed?"
Tantalus gets to his feet, "You will show me some respect, boy -!"
A shock of wind whips through the pavilion, as Maelstrom is launched from the Poseidon table, ripping the slab of meat from Tantalus' hand, and embedding itself, with the meat still skewered on the prongs, on the wall behind the cannibalistic prisoner.
"Listen here, you motherfucking pile of shit," Percy growls, his eyes glowing as his rage spills out, "Tyson was sent by my dad to stand by my side. You do anything to him, and my trident will find its new home down your throat."
Tantalus, still stunned by the previous attack against him, tries to bluff, "Y-You wouldn't dare - !"
"You think I wouldn't dare? You think you're tough shit?" Percy challenges, "Tell me, Tantalus, are you stronger than, say, Ares? The god of war and carnage? Well, in case no one told you about the incident near LA a few months ago, I duelled Ares because he was involved in the theft of the Master Bolt and Hades' helmet. That same trident I used against your dinner? I plunged it into Ares' stomach and disemboweled him without breaking a sweat." More gasps ring out, and he could practically feel Clarisse and her siblings staring at him, "The only reason why I did not test the limits of his immortality was because I had more pressing things to finish, namely returning what was stolen to their rightful owners. So, Tantalus, do you want to find out if you have stronger guts than the fucking god of war, or will you sit down and leave Tyson alone?"
Everyone seems to hold their breaths. Dionysus watches silently, waiting to see what Tantalus would do. The prisoner bristles, veins bulging underneath his skin, "You -!"
"If you know what is good for you, Tantalus, you will stand down right now."
Before anyone could process the sudden presence of the booming voice, a massive wave from the ocean crashes onto the beach, sweeps far in-land towards the dining pavilion, and floods the floor, catching many campers off-guard and soaking their shoes and feet. A strong wind blows through, heralding the unexpected arrival of Poseidon himself, dressed not in his Atlantean regalia or his cheesy Hawaiian shirt get-up, but in a himation that makes no attempt to hide his immense bodily strength, gold armbands around his biceps, and clasped in his hand, his own trident and symbol of power. Immediately, all of the campers, save for Percy, Tyson and Nico, fall to the floor and kneel in reverence. Nodding minutely to his son and the baby cyclops, Poseidon strides towards the head table, the water flooding the floor parting way for him as he goes. Dionysus affords a raised eyebrow in silent questioning, while Tantalus has gone deathly pale, despite his defiant sneer.
"I may not have authorised your appointment as activities director, nor do I have the authority to remove you from said position, but if I find one single scratch on either my son, Tyson, or any of his friends, regardless of my brother's orders, I will have you cast straight down to the depths of Tartarus. This is your final warning, Tantalus. If you dare incur my wrath again, your sentence in the Fields of Punishment will seem like a mercy compared to what will await you. Am I clear?!"
At this, any pretence of defiance is lost, and Tantalus nods hastily. Without a further word, Poseidon turns on his heel, going back the way he came. None of the kneeling campers dare to look up, but even they can't help the curiosity when the god of the seas stops at the table that represents his place in the Olympian council.
"Tyson, my boy. Come forth."
Unlike the stern, booming voice he used on Tantalus, Poseidon regards the baby cyclops with a gentleness that seemed almost out of place for a god of his standing and power. Tyson blinks in surprise. Percy, already knowing what is coming, nudges the cyclops forward with an encouraging nod. Tyson goes to Poseidon, his single eye looking up to the god. Poseidon smiles softly, gently squeezing the cyclops's shoulders, and presses a soft kiss on Tyson's forehead. Just like with Percy before, the act brings forth the holographic image of the trident above the baby cyclops's head, drawing a round of quiet, but no less surprised, gasps from the campers.
"On this evening, I have claimed Tyson the cyclops as my child!" Poseidon proclaims to the pavilion, "He will be a brother of bond to my son, Perseus!"
Percy rolls his eyes good-naturedly. Trust his dad to indulge in dramatics.
At the head table, Dionysus snorts into his Diet Coke, "Not surprised that he pulls this stunt."
Poseidon raises an eyebrow at the wine god. Dionysus simply raises an eyebrow in return, daring his fellow god to question him. Poseidon rolls his eyes in an uncannily similar fashion to Percy seconds before, and turns to Nico, "Your father has not claimed you and your sister yet?"
"Not yet, Lord Poseidon."
"Hmph, looks like I might have to give him a good kick up his behind after all."
"Save me one go at him, dad."
Poseidon promises nothing, simply ruffling Percy's hair. He says, "I presume you wish to talk with me later, my son?"
"Yep, I'll call you then."
Poseidon nods. Then, as suddenly as he appeared, the god of the seas disappears in a flash of sea spray and wind. The remaining seawater on the pavilion floor drains away, leaving everyone who had been drenched completely dry.
Percy wills Maelstrom to return to him, shrinking it back into its ring form. He looks around the pavilion, "Well, shall we eat? I'm starving, to be honest."
Percy ignores Tantalus's pitiful attempts at taking back the reins of authority, not even paying attention to the prisoner's declarations of re-instating the chariot races, making use of a reward of no chores for a month to silence any possible protest or concerns about safety. He also blocks out Tantalus announcing Clarisse as the hero of the day for dealing with the Clochis bulls and carnivorous sheep, though he has to stop Nico from running the prisoner through with his iron sword.
Not even bothering to join the other campers for the evening bonfire and sing-along, Percy drags Nico and Tyson to the Poseidon cabin. The baby cyclops is immediately taken by the interior, roaming around the cabin, examining the bunk beds, poking and prodding at the fixtures, and even seated himself in front of the fountain, dipping his hand into it with child-like curiosity and wonder.
Leaving Tyson to his fun, Percy and Nico climb up onto Percy's bunk to discuss the present issue at hand.
"Right, so Thalia's Pine has been poisoned. Go and retrieve the Fleece?"
"That's a given, but there are also other things we need to discuss too," Percy admits. He turns to empty air, 'Dad, you can come now. We're in your cabin.'
Barely three seconds later, the air shimmers, and Poseidon reappears, this time dressed in his tacky Hawaiian-print shirt and fisherman's hat. If not for the general aura that permeated from him no matter which form he took, anyone else would've struggled to equate this Poseidon with the fearsome god who strode into the dining pavilion earlier.
"What do you wish to discuss, my son?"
"First things first, with Annabeth…gone, and Nico and his sister removed from the casino way ahead of time, the sequence of events leading to Artemis' dilemma has been thrown off the rails."
"I am inclined to agree," Poseidon nods, "The manticore now longer has any reason to go after Nico or Bianca, since they were ignorant of their lineage and isolated before. And, with Athena's daughter no longer in the picture, she cannot be targeted either. However, Father still wants to free Atlas from his punishment. It would not surprise me if a different demigod ends up targeted, or perhaps one of Artemis's hunters, in order to lure her into holding up the sky."
Nico casts a worried glance at Percy, who instantly picks up on his concern. "I don't think Bianca wants to leave camp just yet, even with that bastard as activities director. That said, I think it wouldn't hurt to have one of the nymphs from the lake keep an eye on her. You think Amphy could help with that, dad?"
"I will speak to her," Poseidon assures him, "But I believe it should not be an issue."
"Thanks. Now, to the Fleece," Percy continues, "It turns out, Grover has it, or rather, his captor has it. The cyclops, Polyphemus, mistook Grover for a female cyclops, and wants to marry him. Thing is, Polyphemus has been luring satyrs into his lair and eating them. I'd rather not have Grover be turned into Polyphemus's next meal, and with Thalia's tree likely only having weeks left to live, I'm more than happy to skip over the chariot races and let Clarisse get her moment of fame."
"What exactly happened last time?" Poseidon asks.
"Annabeth and I ended up in dishwashing duty for "cheating"," Percy makes air quotes with every bit of sarcasm he has available, "Hermes spoke to me after the chariot races," Percy explains, "He asked me to board the Andromeda and try to talk to Luke."
"Did he give you anything?" Nico asks.
"He did give me supplies, vitamins to reverse Circe's curse, and…" Percy scratches his head, searching his memories, "Ah, right, a thermos full of wind, to get away from the monsters aboard the Andromeda. Frankly, I'd rather avoid the ship if I can help it. We have to sink it, but I think its currently being protected by Oceanus."
"You would be correct, Perseus. That being said, I suppose letting Kymopoleia have her fun with it would not hurt anybody. Plus, any monsters that fall overboard mean fewer to deal with later on."
"True," Percy mirrors his dad's devious grin. "Moving on, last time we used a lifeboat from the Andromeda, though I suppose we could have ridden on the hippocampi. We could avoid Circe's island, but the problem is…Reyna's currently there."
Nico's eyes balloon in surprise, "Then we'll need to get her off the island. She's crucial in the battle against Gaea -"
"Ah!" Percy immediately shushes Nico, eyes darting around. Tyson looks over from the fountain, "Names have power. I don't think anything would happen, not yet anyways, but to be safe, I refer to her as "bitch dirtface"."
"…okay." Percy withdraws the finger he shoved onto Nico's lips, "Before I was so rudely interrupted," Percy sticks his tongue out at him, "Reyna is crucial in the battle against "dirt bitchface" after we deal with…Gramps. We'll definitely need the vitamins, but where can we get them?"
Poseidon answers by snapping his fingers, and a jumbo-sized bottle appears in his hands, "Dime a dozen, actually. Quite easy to procure."
Nico blinks, "Huh, well, that solves one problem. As for transport -"
"Easy," Poseidon grins, "You need a ship, I will get you one."
"Thanks dad," Percy nods, "We need one that is quick but sturdy against attacks. I'd rather be safe than sorry with a certain half-sister of mine..."
"Who, exactly?" Nico asks.
"Charybdis."
"Ah, yes," Poseidon sighs, which earns him a raised eyebrow of confusion from Nico. Percy explains, "She was once a very beautiful gianttess who sided with dad against Uncle Z back in antiquity. Uncle Z cursed her into her current monstrous form, an orthodontist's worst nightmare, nothing but this huge black maw with misaligned teeth and a serious overbite. I don't think she ever brushed after meals either…"
"Charming…"
"Yeah, last time, Clarisse got her butt kicked by Charybdis and Scylla, and she had this ironclad Confederate warship from the civil war given to her by Ares," Percy recalls.
"Speaking of Clarisse, should we ask her to come along?" Nico brings up. Percy worries his lip as he thinks about it.
"I don't feel good about potentially stealing Clarisse's "laurels", so to speak, but if we want to be efficient, it might be best to not have her join us. And, if I can help it, I'd rather steer clear of Charybdis and Scylla."
"Some sacrifices have to be made to achieve a desired result, my son," Poseidon says.
"I know. And besides, our main focus is saving Thalia and rescuing Grover. Clarisse can win the chariot races for all I care. I'd rather not get stuck in kitchen duty because Tantalus is a piece of shit."
"I was a little surprised that you didn't try to take his head off earlier," Nico admits.
"Too much hassle, and I don't want to deal with the consequences of that. Once we get the Fleece, he'll be on a one-way Express ticket straight back to the Fields of Punishment."
"And you two will get a good night's sleep before that," Poseidon says firmly, leaving no room for argument, not that there were any from either Percy or Nico, "I will send you a ship as soon as you finish breakfast tomorrow, as well as the supplies that you will need."
"Yes, dad."
After a bit more discussion, Percy and Nico agreed that it was best for Tyson to join them on the voyage ahead. Just because Poseidon claimed him and announced, under no uncertain terms, that the baby cyclops is now his child, Percy was still uncertain if Tantalus possessed enough brain cells to remember his dad's warning and not harass, or worse, harm Tyson while they were gone.
This meant that they had to explain to Tyson about their whole time-travel business, how they came from the future, and that Tyson, under no circumstances, could tell anyone unless they were cleared by both Percy and Nico. For his part, Tyson immediately promised to keep their secrets, and Percy showed his gratitude by sharing a few memorable moments with the baby cyclops from the previous timeline, which made Tyson immensely happy and excited for those moments to come again this time round.
By the time they actually went to bed (Nico had no intention of going back to the Hermes cabin, so a single-sized bed magically popped into existence right next to Percy's bunk), it was past midnight. Thankfully, with winter fast approaching, the sun rose later, thereby giving them sufficient hours of sleep. Percy is the first to wake, so he goes to rouse Tyson and Nico, the latter taking a bit of shaking and reminder of their plan to finally open his eyes and agree to get up.
Percy and Tyson head to the dining pavilion first, while Nico makes a detour to the Hermes cabin in hopes of catching Bianca to inform her about their unannounced quest, albeit without any revealing details. To avoid suspicion, Nico sits at the Hermes table for breakfast, while Percy and Tyson have their first meal of the day at the Poseidon table. They quietly slip away from the dining pavilion, thankfully no one really noticing where they were going, and head down to the beach.
Coming to a stop by the water's edge, Percy prays to his dad, informing him of their arrival. Just seconds later, the calm waters near the shoreline begin to bubble and froth. Even Percy has to admit that he is awed by the sight of an ancient Greek trireme, its wooden hull painted with purple and ocean-green stripes, rising bow-first out of the water, the bronze ram glinting in the morning sun. It is truly amazing, how the ship is practically in pristine condition, with its name, Kymaēris, translating to "wave-goer", painted in gold along its hull.
They board quickly, and Percy sends a quick prayer of thanks to his dad. He turns the Kymaēris away from the shore, sailing out into the Atlantic with none of the other campers, Mr. D or Tantalus any the wiser. Percy sets them along the southward-flowing currents towards the Bermuda Triangle, and with that, their voyage to rescue Grover and obtain the Fleece has begun.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
We all hate Tantalus in this house 😤
Also, I simply couldn't not have Poseidon give Percy his own ship to traverse the Sea of Monsters. Originally a concept from "Once more", I tried to give that part my own spin. The last thing I want is to be accused of plagiarism.
And sadly, no decapitated heads this chapter. Let's hope the subsequent ones will see more hit the ground.
- Kai
----------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 20 (no change)
Chapter 19: A Monstrous Half-Sister and An Island Massacre
Summary:
Percy deals with Charybdis, and lays waste to an island resort.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
For the first part of their voyage, things are calm, even boring. With the currents and a southerly wind blowing, Percy doesn't even need to use his powers to sail or steer the Kymaēris.
He explores the ship with Nico. There are rooms for sleeping in place of where the rowers would sit, a storage space which holds all of the supplies Poseidon promised them, bathing facilities that converted seawater into fresh water, and even a stocked armoury, which Percy personally felt was a little excessive, but figured that, at least, it was better to be safe than sorry.
"This honestly reminds me of the Argo II," Nico comments, "Except it can't fly, which is a plus in my books."
"Yeah, given the proclivity of a certain someone who tries to strike us with lightning when we are trying to save his nonexistent ass…"
"Ugh, tell me about it," Nico sighs, going to the railing to gaze out to the horizon.
After about an hour of uneventful sailing, Nico does a double take, "Hey, Percy? Is it just me, or is there a storm brewing over there?"
Percy looks to where Nico is pointing. Sure enough, there is a storm blowing at a point in the horizon about several nautical miles away. Producing a pair of binoculars, Percy takes a closer look, and snorts loudly, "Oh, this is good. Looks like Kym is already indulging in her fun."
"What?"
Percy wordlessly hands Nico the binoculars. He takes a look, and also snorts at the sight. The Andromeda is being tossed and pummelled by waves several metres high. If not for the protection Oceanus placed on it, the cruise liner would've long met her watery end, either being capsized by the waves, or torn to pieces by the continuous assaults. From what both demigods could tell, there are no monsters out on the decks, which given the waves pummelling the ship, was a smart move so as to not fall overboard. Percy idly wonders if there are any mortals on board, and more gleefully hopes that Luke is suffering from the absolute worst case of seasickness in all of medical and human history.
"Well, it seems that Kym is keeping the storm away from the coast, so we should be safe if we stick to our course."
"Yep, better them than us," Percy nods.
That night, Percy has another dream about Grover, the satyr having just unravelled his wedding train and being handed magic wool from the same carnivorous sheep that attacked the camp border with the bulls to spin and sew with.
He awakens to the sound of rough waves hitting against the hull of the Kymaēris, and hurries to the top deck. The sky above is an ominous grey, occasionally lighting up with flashes of lightning. Waves crash against the Kymaēris from all sides, sometimes rising high enough to breach the railings and flooding the deck. Percy immediately wills the seawater back into the ocean before it could spill down the stairwell.
"Percy? What's going on?" Nico calls out from further down the stairs.
"I think we're getting close to Charybdis," Percy replies, "Hold on to the handrail. I'll try to get us into a safer position."
Usually, controlling the waves and currents should be as easy as breathing for Percy. But with Charybdis not too far away, her power outstrips his, and it requires quite a bit of effort on Percy's part to make the waves listen to his will. Gritting his teeth, Percy forces the waves to shrink, and the currents to weaken. The winds quieten down into a gentle breeze, and the ominous clouds above lighten up somewhat.
Percy leans back against the handrail, sighing and wiping the bit of sweat from his brow.
"You okay?"
"Big brother Percy good?" Tyson asks, appearing behind Nico.
"I'll be fine. I won't be able to keep the storm at bay forever. Charbydis is stronger than I am."
"Damn, sucks that we're back in our younger bodies," Nico grumbles.
"You can say that again, cousin dearest."
True to his suspicions, the storm begins to intensify once again as they continue sailing, though through Percy's sheer will, he is able to keep things relatively stable for the Kymaēris. Several kilometers ahead, an island comes into view, made entirely of sharp, craggy rock with cliffs towering over thirty metres high. Churning waves crash violently against the sheer drop of the cliff face, the water frothing madly with each ebb and flow. South of the island, a whirling greyish-black mass of wind and water indicates where Charybdis lies in wait.
There is no other option. They have to engage with Percy's monstrous half-sister.
Sensing their approach, Charybdis exhales, raising the water levels considerably. Percy grunts as the waves crash against the sides of the Kymaēris, his sheer willpower being the only thing keeping the ship from getting thrown against Scylla's cliffs. He turns to Nico and Tyson, "You two, get down inside! I don't want either of you to end up thrown overboard!"
Nico nods, and quickly ushers Tyson into the lower decks. Percy dedicates all of his will and focus on keeping the Kymaēris as central as possible and away from the whirlpool. Sweat once more begins to drip down his forehead. Charybdis inhales, and the waters pull the ship along. Percy pushes back against the pull, a battle of wills quickly slowly into a stalemate with each in- and exhale Charybdis makes.
The constant pushing and pulling against his monstrous half-sister takes its physical toll on Percy. After one particularly deep exhale, the Kymaēris is pushed towards Scylla's cliffs. It is only because of the reflexive pull by Percy that the ship isn't smashed against the cliffs. He isn't able to stop the hull from scraping against the craggy surface, the creaking and splintering of timber grating against his ears. Down below deck, Tyson whimpers, clutching Nico tightly, almost to the point of pulverising his ribs.
Steadying himself, Percy steers the Kymaēris away from Scylla's cliffs, pushing all thoughts about the possible damage to her hull into the furthest reaches of his mind. He doubles his mental efforts against Charybdis, not only keeping the Kymaēris sailing forward, but also channelling his will of his very soul against the primal instincts of his half-sister.
'Back off. You will not sink us. You will not harm us. You will not best us. You will back. off!'
A pulse of something reverberates through the air, and if Percy had been paying attention, he would've noticed that it was very similar to the rumble that trembled the air above the creek during that fateful game of Capture the Flag when he made that warning to Annabeth for essentially using him as the sacrificial lamb. It coincided with Charybdis taking another inhale, and again, if Percy had noticed, his monstrous half-sister seemed to pause for a few, precious seconds. But Percy never noticed, his instincts grabbed on the momentary break in the assault, and fuelled by adrenaline, he propels the Kymaēris forwards as fast as he physically and mentally could. Below deck, the sudden lurch throws Tyson several feet backwards. He is still holding on to Nico, so his larger body protects the son of Hades from being tossed around by the sudden momentum.
Percy's conscious awareness comes back when the wind no longer threatens to blow out his eardrums. Overhead, the sky slowly shifts back to a calm, placid blue, and the currents slow back down to a gentle flow. Percy lets out a long, shaky breath. His limbs numb, his vision swimming around the edges and his heart pounding against his chest, he sinks onto the deck, his hand still gripping the railing, not trusting himself to stay conscious if he lets go.
"Percy!"
Footsteps thunder towards him. Percy vaguely registers Nico kneeling beside him, with Tyson hovering worriedly close behind.
"Percy, are you okay? What happened?"
"G-Give me a moment, Neeks. Let me…gather myself first."
Nico stays by side, hand on his shoulder, which helps speed the recovery up a little. When sensation returns to his legs, Percy, with a bit of help from Nico, stands up, exhaling as he goes.
"What happened? We felt a lurch, like the ship was speeding up."
"Really?" Percy looks back towards where his monstrous half-sister is. The sky above the nightmarish (and likely foul-smelling) mouth and the island of craggy cliffs is still ominously grey, and he can hear the wind howling whenever Charybdis breathes. But it is all distant, growing smaller into the horizon as the Kymaēris sails away further south towards the Bermuda Triangle.
"Huh, that's…odd."
Nico alternates between Percy and the storm, now all but a speck in the horizon, before settling on Percy, "You don't remember what you did?"
"No…I was just pushing back against Charybdis. Then I felt the surge…"
Silence follows, none of them saying anything or proposing any possible theories.
"Well, at least we didn't get turned into your half-sister's lunch," Nico eventually says.
"Yeah, that's always a plus," Percy sighs, running a hand through his hair, "Gods, that took a lot out of me. I'm going to take a nap." He ambles to the stairs, "Wake me up in an hour, or if we come under attack again. Whichever comes first."
"Aye aye, captain."
As expected, Percy had another dream of Grover, sent to him by their connected empathy link. Percy isn't sure if Grover ever actually heard him, this one even less so, given that Polyphemus was present and didn't give Grover much opportunity to communicate with Percy, so he just hoped that his intent to rescue him reached the satyr.
Percy wakes up before dawn breaks. He had discussed with Nico and Tyson the day before, and the three agreed to take turns in steering the ship and be on the lookout for Circe's island. Percy volunteered to take the longer shift, since he can stave off sleep somewhat by occasionally splashing seawater on himself. Not something that can be used to completely rid himself of the need to sleep, but it did allow Nico and Tyson more hours to get some shut-eye. Plus, if they encountered danger along the way, there was a higher probability of Percy being the one to spot it and, if needed, deal with the problem without having to wake up the others.
As soon as he wakes up, courtesy of an alarm clock that Tyson somehow found in a cabinet, Percy already senses that something is off. The currents are still, unnaturally so, and the air is just quiet. He goes to check on Nico and Tyson, both of whom are still asleep, with the latter snoring away while curled on his side, the blanket being far too small to cover his large body, which is such an adorable sight that Percy allows himself a few seconds to smile at Tyson, before snapping back into serious mode and ascending up onto the deck. He sees an island in the near distance, one that is all too familiar.
"Circe," he simply says, as the Kymaēris comes to dock at the harbour. Nearby, he sees Blackbeard's pirate ship and a modern-day yacht. Percy goes back down below deck, first going to Nico's room. The son of Hades is still fast asleep, though not for much longer as Percy starts shaking him vigorously.
"Nico, wake up. We're on Circe's island."
Nico grunts, his eyes fluttering open. Sitting up, he blinks blearily, "Wha…come again?"
"Circe, we've docked at the harbour."
"Ah, fuck. Guess we're doing this, then."
"Yep."
Swinging himself out of his hammock, Nico follows Percy as he goes to wake Tyson up. Percy gently tells the baby cyclops that they've docked on a particularly dangerous island, and under no circumstances, should Tyson leave the ship. Percy continues that he and Nico need to rescue someone from the island, and hopefully, will not take too long.
"Brother Percy will come back, right?"
"Of course I will, big guy. For now, just stay on the ship, and make sure no one gets on it, unless they are accompanied by either Nico or myself. Okay?"
"I can do that!" Tyson nods with determined smile.
"Good man, Tyson." He turns to Nico, "I'll get the vitamins."
With the jumbo-sized bottle in his pocket, Percy and Nico disembark. For all intents and purposes, the island is practically deserted. Of course, they both know better, and Percy immediately pops a Hydra-shaped vitamin gummy in his mouth, and hands Nico one to consume. They walk past an airstrip with all kinds of different aircraft across the ages parked on it, several dancing fountains spewing water high into the air in choreographed patterns (which were honestly beautiful, but Percy wasn't in the mood to appreciate them), several large swimming pools with rows of lounge chairs, several of which are occupied by beautiful young women, sipping cocktails and basking in the bright sun, and occasionally, tamed wild animals like a tiger, leopards, and Percy was even certain that he saw a hippopotamus soaking in a large pond.
They turn a corner, and both do a double-take. Standing before them is the Queen of the Amazons - or, rather, the future queen, Hylla, dressed in a tight blue outfit reminiscent of a flight attendant. She holds a clipboard, a customer-service smile plastered on her face, which, given what Percy remembers, just feels totally out of place.
"Welcome!" Gods, even her tone of voice is so jarringly different that he feels his stomach clench on instinct, "Is this your first visit?"
"…yeah, let's go with that," Percy says after a moment. Nico glances around, trying to spot a glimpse of Reyna, but finds no sight of her.
Hylla writes something down on the clipboard, before looking Percy and Nico over from top to bottom, "Yes. A complete makeover for the two of you."
Percy bites down the grimace, and so does Nico, if for different reasons. Hylla pockets the pen she had been holding, "Well, I'm sure C.C. would like to speak with you two personally before the luau. Come along."
She walks off, clearly expecting them to follow. With her back turned, Percy spends a moment trying to figure out the best way to get Hylla and Reyna off the island. Eventually, he has to catch up with Hylla, lest she realise that they haven't followed her. After a moment of further thinking, fuelled by the approaching sight of a familiar white building and a singing voice that grew louder with each step, Percy decides to just fuck it and go full chaotic cryptid.
"Are you happy working here?"
Hylla stops in her tracks, turning back to him with a questioning look, "Pardon?"
Feeling Nico's own questioning look, Percy doubles down, "I know that you and your sister had nowhere else to go, and Circe took you both in. And yes, there are many men in this world who deserve to be turned into guinea pigs, but so many more who have lives and simply want to live them. But are you really happy working on a cursed resort for a wicked sorceress who revels in ruining the lives of innocent people?"
A flash of conflicting emotion comes and goes across Hylla's face, "What -"
"There is a camp for Roman demigods near San Francisco," Percy continues on, cutting her off. Acting nonchalant, but clearly egging her, "I'm quite sure that children of Bellona like yourself and Reyna would feel right at home there."
The mere mention of the Roman goddess of war and her younger sister immediately has Hylla on high-alert, "Who…are you? A child of Apollo?"
"Nah, I'm not. In truth? I wish I was nothing special," Percy shrugs, "But I see and know things I shouldn't. And I know that you and your sister deserve better than to be accomplices to Circe's treachery. In fact, you are destined for so much more than just being a simple spa attendant. And, as it stands, I have beef with your boss. I really don't want you or your sister caught in the crossfire. From where things likely stand, there won't be much of a resort left once we're done."
At this, Hylla pales, and she grips her clipboard tightly, "But…we can't just leave -"
"Why not?" Percy counters, "Did Circe tie you and your sister to this place? Did she bind you in a contract that cannot be terminated or broken by any and all means?" Hylla doesn't respond, but she eventually shakes her head. "There we go," Percy nods triumphantly, "Theoretically, you and your sister can just drop whatever you are doing, leave right now, and Circe can't do jack-shit about it. Even better, you can just leave the island without her knowing. Plus, from what I could see, there are plenty of boats for you to choose. Just don't take mine, the Kymaēris. We are on a time-sensitive mission, and there is a baby cyclops on board who won't take too kindly on anyone trying to steal our ship."
He turns to Nico, "Can you go with Hylla and find Reyna? Take them to the harbour, and ensure that they get off the island safely."
"Will you be okay against that bitch?" Nico asks worriedly.
"I'll be fine," Percy reassures him, "One effective rule against your enemies, catch them off-guard, give them no time to attack. And, if it makes you feel better," he produces the bottle of vitamins and gives it a slight shake, "I'll take another one before I introduce her to Riptide."
Nico still looks a little concerned, but he nods and gestures for Hylla to lead the way. The future queen of the Amazons glances at Percy, still uncertain and suspicious, but there is the unmistakable early glimmers of hope in her eyes. Without waiting for any further answers, Percy continues on, entering the main marble building via the stairway. The singing voice is practically deafening, beckoning him to come closer, relax and stay forever. Percy pops another one of the vitamin gummies, and continues on to where he remembers Circe was in the previous timeline.
True enough, he finds her in a big room at the back of the building. The wall at one end is completely covered in mirrors, creating an endless illusion, to which Percy forces himself to not look at. White furniture is arranged around the room, and he finds Circe seated at a large loom, evidently in the midst of weaving a large tapestry. Even without looking at what she is creating, one thing that Percy would readily agree is that Circe is very skilled, whatever she weaves easily a masterpiece.
Circe turns around at his approach. Percy immediately feels the full force of her magic bearing down on him, but thanks to the vitamins, and his subconscious focus on his dad's power coursing through his soul and veins, he remains unaffected. Regardless, he gives a shy smile, putting on the act of a child who merely lost his way and accidentally stumbled on this room.
"Do you like my work, dear?"
"It's really beautiful," Percy says truthfully.
Circe's smile widens a bit, "You have good taste, my dear. Very few people have such refined standards as you do." She gets up, approaching him. Percy keeps the shy smile on, even as he braces himself inwardly. Circe eyes him appraisingly, "Oh dear, goodness, yes…you do need help. A lot of help, frankly. So much so, you need my personal attention."
"What do I need to do?" Percy continues to play up the innocent, oblivious act.
Circe makes the mistake of turning her back to him. As she walks towards the wall of mirrors, going about what she intends to do to "help" him, Percy quietly uncaps Riptide. Then, without any warning, he lunges at Circe, blade raised. She evidently sees him coming, and spins on her heel, but it is too late.
With a shrill, metallic ring, Riptide slices through her neck. Circe's head comes flying off, golden ichor splattering across the mirrors and Percy's body. The head hits the floor with a dull thud, and rolls to a stop several feet away, mouth stuck in the beginnings of a shout or scream. Percy doesn't care.
He knows he didn't really kill her. At some point, though admittedly he doesn't know how long from now, Circe would reform, similar to Alecto and her sisters. But seeing as she is not immediately regenerating right before his eyes, Percy is fairly confident that, by the time she does, he would be long gone.
And, as he remembers one crucial fact, perhaps with no resort left standing on the island.
Leaving the decapitated body of the goddess to continue spilling ichor on the marble floor, Percy locates the cage which contains all of Circe's victims. The guinea pigs inside all squeak and squeal, and Percy uncaps the bottle, and pours a sizable number of gummies inside. The guinea pigs feast on them, and Percy opens the cage lid. One after the other, all of Circe's victims are restored to their human forms.
"Captain Blackbeard, son of Ares," Percy greets, "Wanna cause carnage and destruction?"
The infamous pirate captain blinks once, before a savage grin takes over.
Down at the harbour, Nico leans against a pillar, waiting for Percy to return. He and Hylla managed to locate Reyna some time back, and he had seen off the two sisters on a small yacht with instructions to go through the Panama Canal to reach the Pacific Ocean, before heading northwards to San Francisco.
That was ten minutes ago, and so far, there has been no word, sound, or hide from Percy.
Admittedly, Nico is starting to get a little worried that something happened to his cousin, when suddenly, out of nowhere, screams, hollering and loud noises of chaos erupt from deeper within the island.
Pushing down the instinctual battle-ready reflexes that span a lifetime before, Nico smirks deviously. Percy is fine, and trust him to stir up chaos when given the opportunity.
Normally, Percy would be, at the very least, hesitant to join in on the untold destruction and carnage like the one he is now gleefully participating in. But in all likelihood, Circe's attendants are immortal like her, and at some point, will reform again. Plus, there is an inner need to let off steam and stress from dealing with Charybdis, and the memories of being turned into a guinea pig himself in the previous timeline certainly help in fuelling the need for retribution.
And, perhaps, he is acting on the innate traits of being a son of Poseidon, when in antiquity, his dad did things that, in modern sensibilities, would be considered horrifying and morally repugnant. Percy doesn't claim to be a saint, and he never will be. Perhaps he will fret and worry about the moral and ethical repercussions later, but right now, he is letting loose, and going absolutely apeshit.
Percy, Blackbeard and his men first ransacked the main resort building. Anything that was fragile was knocked over and thrown around, ending in pieces all over the floor. Furniture was ripped apart, tapestries and paintings were shredded, and windows and fixtures smashed with complete abandon. Fires were also set at random, aided in part by the discovery of bottles of alcohol that could double up as improvised Molotov bombs.
Most staff members they encountered turned tail and fled, and Percy cut down those who tried to come at him. If he is not mistaken, he relieved 26 employees of their heads. Notably, Blackbeard and his men never once assaulted the staff or patrons they encountered. They simply caused as much damage and destruction to property as possible. Perhaps they were still getting used to being human after being stuck as guinea pigs for centuries. Either way, he thanked his lucky stars that no unsavoury acts took place.
When the pirates stormed out into the outdoor areas of the resort, laying waste to the pools, fountains and other amenities while also sending the women and other attendants fleeing in terror, Percy broke away from the marauding stampede, backtracked his way to the harbour, and spots Nico near the Kymaēris.
"Hey, Neeks."
"You look like you had a lot of fun."
"I did. No problems with getting Hylla and Reyna off the island?"
"Yep, told them where to go. They left about…" Nico tilts his head to the sides, "twenty minutes ago?"
"Great, I've had my full share of bloodshed and property destruction," Percy says mildly, the splatters of ichor still present on his clothes.
"You don't say, so what about the pirates?"
"I'll let them have their fun. They can have their ship back."
"Alright. Shall we go?"
"Let's go. G-man is getting desperate, and I don't blame him."
They board the Kymaēris, greeting an ecstatic Tyson, who was momentarily worried about the ichor on Percy's shirt, but Percy reassured the baby cyclops that he was unharmed. He gets the Kymaēris sailing again, pulling back from the harbour and away from the island. The burning resort is still visible even after fifteen minutes of sailing, courtesy of the billowing column of black smoke rising high into the heavens.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Basically, this chapter can be summed up as:
Percy, to Charybdis: Fuck you! I'm dad's favourite!
Percy, to Hylla: Don't you just want to go apeshit?
Percy, to Blackbeard: Wanna go apeshit?
- Kai
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No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 27
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 47
Chapter 20: A One-Eyed Nuisance and A Fleece
Summary:
Percy and Nico have several conversations, and they arrive on Polyphemus's island.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
All things considered, the rest of the voyage passed rather uneventfully.
Sailing at the fastest the Kymaēris could go through his powers alone, Percy steered clear of the sirens that, one lifetime ago, had a profound impact on Annabeth and the realisation of her fatal flaw. It brought back a wave of sadness, knowing that she is no longer with them. Given how short her mortal existence had been, Percy can imagine, with her comparatively unremarkable life, Annabeth would be in the Fields of Asphodel, wandering around aimlessly until she is reborn into her new life. Or maybe she'd go for judgement, believing that she deserved better.
Who knows, really?
When the island disappears behind them into the horizon, Nico appears from the lower deck, "Morning."
"Mm."
Noticing the faraway look in Percy's eyes, Nico goes up to him, tapping his shoulder lightly, "Percy? Is everything okay?"
Percy exhales quietly, "We passed by the Island of Sirens."
"Ah. It reminded you of Annabeth."
Percy nods, "It just…feels strange. The sirens had been an integral part in making Wise Girl come to terms with her fatal flaw."
"Hubris," Nico hums, "Mine is grudges, and yours is loyalty."
"Yep. Even if she was with us, because let's face it, she would've strong-armed herself into joining our unsanctioned quest," Percy says, to which Nico snorts, but doesn't disagree, because it is a fact, "I would've steered us past the island, give us more time to reach Polyphemus's island. I can't help but wonder…if there would be other chances for her to be confronted with her fatal flaw, despite knowing that such speculation is…pointless."
"I'm pretty sure there would be," Nico replies, "Like in the Labyrinth, the game show with the Sphinx, perhaps?"
"Yeah."
They fall silent for a moment, with nothing but the waves and the ocean breeze around them.
"You know, speaking of fatal flaws," Nico says, "I don't think I've ever apologised for blaming you about Bianca's death."
"Why? It doesn't matter now, does it?" Percy raises an eyebrow.
"That may be true, but…" Nico rests against the railing, staring out into the ocean, "It wasn't fair to you. Yes, you promised to keep Bianca safe, but you were not the one who led her to the junkyard. You didn't make her take the figurine. It was her decision to take it, despite being told not to take anything. But I still blamed you for everything. Gods, I even wished you were dead."
"You were grieving," Percy rebuts, not unkindly, "You lost your only family, and you were literally only a kid then."
"But that doesn't make it any more right of me to take it out on you," Nico protests, "I also could've avoided so many things if I didn't let myself succumb to my grudges. I could've even jeopardised the fight against Gramps if I didn't get my head out of my butt."
"Yeah, well, as it stands, getting your head out would've been fairly easy, since there isn't much down there for your head to get stuck in," Percy cheekily teases.
Nico whacks Percy's arm in retaliation. Percy simply laughs, and Nico grins at his gracious attempt to lighten the mood.
"But seriously, though, it took me a long time to deal with it. I had to talk with Bianca's spirit, and see how at peace she is in a dream to finally begin moving forward. And, I think Will told me that, even if you didn't seem like it, especially after everything that happened, you still felt guilty for Bianca's death."
"Well, to be honest, there will always be a part of me that feels guilty, not just about Bianca, with every person that, just maybe, I could've saved, but they died." Percy regards Nico with a look of wistful acceptance, "I know I can't save everyone, even when I came back in time. I couldn't save Annabeth, and memories of the previous timeline will always be with me, even if they are alive and well. I guess that's where my own flaw weighs me down, I'm loyal to a fault, and whenever it seems like I broke that loyalty to my loved ones, I carry that guilt long after they may have forgiven me, or even if they don't blame me in the first place."
"Even if I apologise to you now?"
"Even then, but I'd still say that you don't need to anyways."
"And if I want to?"
"I won't stop you, but I'd still say that it isn't needed."
"Then, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blamed you."
"Apology accepted. And that's all there is to it. There's nothing for me to forgive."
Nico inches closer to Percy, their elbows practically touching, "We can't save everyone, but at the very least, we keep our families alive."
"Amen to that."
Speaking of families, a shimmering screen suddenly appears before them. Bianca's face becomes visible in the Iris message, and to Percy's bewilderment, he recognises the background as his dad's cabin.
"Hello you two, is this a good time?"
"Hey Bi."
"Good morning, Bianca. Yeah, now's a good time. If you'd call earlier, we'd been too busy trying to avoid being turned into monster food or guinea pigs to talk."
"What do you mean? Where are you guys now?"
"The Sea of Monsters," Nico replies, which earns him a surprised look from Bianca, "We managed to track down the location of the Fleece. We're going to retrieve it to heal Thalia's Pine."
Suddenly, two familiar faces join Bianca on the screen.
"Wait, seriously?!" Travis exclaims, eyes ballooned wide, "You know where it is?"
"Hasn't it been lost for like ages or something?" Connor adds, his shock mirroring his brother's.
"Yeah, well, it has been found, so we're on our way to get it," Percy says, "By the way, I'm not angry about you three being in my cabin or anything, but why are you guys there?"
"We'd figured that it was the safest to call you guys from," Bianca explains, "Even with Luke gone, the Hermes cabin is still too crowded. Also, Tantalus announced that you three have been exiled for all eternity."
"He can go fuck himself with a cactus for all I care," Percy waves off, Nico nodding in solidarity, "Did Mr. D say anything?"
"He did say something about turning you two into squirrels," Travis reveals, "But Connor and I are pretty sure we overheard him muttering to himself, hoping for your safe return. I think he knows about your unsanctioned quest."
"It wouldn't surprise me," Nico shrugs, "After all, Percy is the only one who can match Mr. D's disregard for basic respect and courtesy."
"Hey now."
"He isn't wrong," Travis grins, a mix of shit-eating and awe, "I've never seen anyone cuss out the gods as blatantly, crassly, and often as you do, Percy, and still be breathing after that."
"That's because he has his daddy's protection," Nico drawls, to which Percy silently gasps in mock-outrage.
"Yeah! That's so unfair, y'know, Jackson?" Connor pouts, though his eyes betray the teasing intent, "Where's my fatherly love? You're making the rest of us look bad here!"
"In all fairness, I did drag your dad through the mud when he showed up some time back," Percy admits, earning him stunned looks from both sides of the call, "Yeah, he tried to convince me to speak to "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named", perhaps try to get him to come back to the light, so to speak. I told your dad to basically shove his cudaceus up his behind, and actually care for his remaining children like yourselves. Speaking of which, has he actually shown up in some form or another to you guys?"
"I…um…no?" Travis sputters out.
Percy sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Gods fucking dammit, how far is he up his own stupid ass that he completely forgets his other children?"
"Yeah, and they wonder why so many demigods side with Luke," Nico mutters.
Percy groans, before turning back to the screen, "Enough of that fucker. How are the pillows and blankets I got for the cabin?"
"They're great!" Travis lights up, "Literally, there are no more fights for pillows and blankets now that everyone has their own!"
"Granted, there were a few squabbles over certain colours, patterns and designs," Connor adds, "But at least, no one is going to blows over who's turn it is to have a pillow."
"Yeah, sorry for not being able to get you guys proper beds or bunks yet," Percy rubs the back of his head, "If we don't rescue Grover and get the fleece, there won't be a camp left to deliver beds or bunks to."
"The fuck? Why are you apologising, man?!" Travis exclaims in utter disbelief, "You've done more for us than anyone has since Connor and I got claimed!"
"I mean, you should have, at least, proper beds and/or bunks. Compared to the other cabins, it just seems negligent on Chiron's part that you basically have to live like disaster refugees rather than actual campers," Percy points out.
"Yeah, we know," Connor concedes, "But Chiron didn't go out of his way to empty Ikea of all pillow and blanket sets for us. Also, even though it's nice that our dad claimed us and all - no offense, Bianca," the girl shakes her head, brushing it off, "Did we ask to be born? Is it our fault that our dad is a horny fuckboy who never uses protection?"
Nico snorts loudly, "That's a new one."
"I guess that's true," Percy gives Connor that, "But let me at least promise you that once we get the Fleece and heal Thalia's Pine, I'll continue working with Malcolm from the Athena cabin on finalising a bigger design for your cabin."
"Shit, man, at this rate, we might as well declare you the patron god of demigods and actually start worshipping you," Travis says.
"Please don't."
"Nope! You can't stop us, Jackson!" Connor cuts in, "We're still offering blue cookies to you every morning, for the record. Yeah, we know that they technically go to your dad, but once you are a full-fledged, bonified god, you will receive our cookies and other offerings and actually be happy for them!"
"Why does that sound like a threat?" Percy mutters weakly.
"You know they'll go through with it," Nico smirks, lightly nudging Percy with his elbow.
They continue talking for a few more minutes. Percy makes Bianca and Stolls promise to not tell anyone at camp about their quest. Additionally, he gives the Stolls permission to let other Hermes cabin occupants make use of the Poseidon cabin anytime they need to. At the rate things are going, it will still be several days before Percy returns, and rather than have the Poseidon cabin just sit empty during that time, it might as well be used by those who need a little peace and quiet from the usual rowdiness of the Hermes cabin.
Percy has to end the call after that. Not only would it be almost breakfast time back at camp, in the distant horizon, he can see an all-too familiar island coming into view. They have arrived.
As the Kymaēris approaches the shoreline, Percy, Nico and Tyson scan the landscape - lush green meadows embedded between rolling hills of an equally verdant green that slowed down in front of a valley at the base of a ravine with a rope bridge running across it.
"This feels like the start of some cheesy villain's lair or something," Nico remarks.
"It wouldn't surprise me that Polyphemus likes to be dramatic," Percy nods.
Dotted across the meadow are a flock of the same carnivorous sheep that had attacked the camp borders with the bulls. There are too many of them for Percy and Nico to get across without being spotted. Percy turns to Tyson, who is eyeing the island with visible apprehension, "You okay with staying here and watching over the ship, big guy?"
"Yes," Tyson nods emphatically, "Don't like the smell here."
"Of course," Percy pats the baby cyclop's arm, "And don't worry, we'll be safe. And we'll come back before you know it."
"Shall we go look for another way in?" Nico asks.
"Nah," Percy uncaps Riptide, "Wanna go and get some mutton chops?"
They proceed to do just that. Between Percy and Nico, they slaughter the entire flock in just minutes. Percy slices off the heads of eight sheep and guts another six with Maelstrom, while Nico butchers the rest into pieces with his sword.
It's truly a pity that they didn't have anything with them that could act as a refrigerant for the meat. Aside from their carnivorous nature, the sheep are indistinguishable from regular sheep, and would go a long way in adding to the camp's stock of food.
With the flock reduced to bloody slabs of meat and other body parts, Percy checks on Nico, "You good?"
"Yeah, it's nice to have a good workout," Nico nods, "Help us to get back to our previous strength faster."
Capping Riptide back, Percy says, "C'mon, let's go get the Fleece and rescue Grover."
The first part is laughably easy. They simply cross the rope bridge, approach the tree where the Fleece is draped across, and simply pluck it from the branches. Percy immediately feels the immense power radiating from it, any aches that his body might've had from his slaughter of the sheep instantly fading away.
The second part is a little trickier. Crossing the ravine, they can see the cave where Grover is being kept. Nico turns to Percy, "I can shadow-travel us in."
"I know, but, give me a moment."
"What is it?"
"I'm just thinking…"
"Don't push yourself."
"Fuck you, Neeks."
"Not my type."
…
…
"Anyways," Percy continues, "Theoretically, we could do that, but we don't know if Polyphemus is in there right now, or when he'll come back. If he catches us, we will need to fight him."
"Shouldn't we try to kill him?"
"I'd rather not risk the possibility of him being revived to fight on dirtface's side."
"Fair enough. So basically, go inside, assess the situation, and just wing it?"
"Pretty much."
Nico grabs Percy's hand, and pulls him through the shadows inside the cave. Grover practically jumps a metre in the air when they emerge, dropping his needle and the wedding train in his hands. Upon seeing them properly, Grover pretty much bowls Percy over in a desperate, tearful hug, crying out his relief at finally being rescued.
Meanwhile, Nico looks around the cave. There is no sign of Polyphemus.
"Guys, we can do reunion speeches later. We need to go right -"
The entire cave trembles, bits of rock and dust raining down on them. Something large and heavy stomps in, getting closer with each stronger tremble.
"Who dares to slaughter my sheep?!"
Percy drags Nico and Grover behind a large boulder, just as Polyphemus storms into the cavern. The cyclops sniffs the air, his single, half-blinded eye zipping around the cave, "You will pay for killing my sheep! You will pay with your blood!!!"
"Neeks, get Grover out," Percy whispers, "I'll handle him."
"Percy, I'll over-exert myself. I'm still not used to back-to-back shadow-travelling yet."
"Alright, then we'll slow him down. Here's what we'll do."
They quickly run through an impromptu plan, before Percy darts out from behind the boulder. He extends Maelstrom, and whistles loudly, "Hey!"
Polyphemus whips towards his general direction, "You! Who are you?!"
"This bitch!"
"This - what?"
"This bitch empty! YEET!"
With all of his might, Percy launches his trident straight at Polyphemus's eye. It lands its target, and the cyclops roars in pain. Polyphemus stumbles about, arms and fists thrashing and swinging at nothing but the cavern walls. Nico darts out from the boulder, charges straight at the fully-blinded cyclops and draws his Stygian sword. He plunges the blade into the cyclop's ankle, and slashes it across the tendon. Polyphemus's howl of pain is even louder than the first. He loses his balance, and seeing the massive beast tipping over, Nico quickly books it. Polyphemus hits the cavern floor with a deafening crash, the shockwave nearly knocking Nico off his feet. Percy recalls Maelstrom back to him, just as several stalactites break off from the cavern ceiling. They fall right onto Polyphemus, most just smashing into pieces harmlessly, but one plunges into his ruined eye. The cyclops roars again, thrashing and kicking like a baby unable to pick itself up from the ground.
"C'mon, let's get out of here." Percy whispers over the din.
Using Polyphemus's cries of rage and pain as a cover, the three of them flee from the cave and hurry across the rope bridge without looking back. They cross the meadow where the butchered sheep still lay, and return to the Kymaēris. Percy wills the waves to lift them onto the deck, where Tyson is waiting.
"Brother Percy! You're back!"
"I promised, Tyson. I always keep my promises," Percy returns the suffocating hug the baby cyclops is subjecting him too.
Tyson puts Percy down, and noticing Grover, "Oh! Hello, you are Percy's friend?"
"Y-Yes…" Grover takes a step back, quietly whispering to Nico, "W-Why is there a baby cyclops here?"
Tyson frowns, turning to Percy, "He doesn't like me."
"Sorry, big guy, G-man doesn't mean anything like that," Percy tries to reassure him, "He was kidnapped by a much larger, more evil cyclops."
"Oh, okay," Tyson nods.
Percy turns to Grover, "Hey, G-man? Tyson here won't hurt you. He's a big softie, and my dad's claimed him too."
"Y-You sure?"
"Positive."
Grover still a looks a little unsure, so Tyson, bless him, decides to take the first step, "Hello, nice goat! I'm - achoo!"
Grover stumbles away from the splash zone as Tyson starts sneezing uncontrollably.
"Oh, yeah, I forgot," Percy sighs, "Tyson is allergic to Grover's hair."
Sensing the growing awkwardness in the air, and hearing Polyphemus's distant roar from within the island, Nico says, "Let's get going, guys?"
To Be Continued.
Notes:
To be honest, I've been having thoughts of whether things have been too easy for Percy and Nico thus far, and if you guys think so, what do you think would be the best course of action to make things more realistic? Do let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
- Kai
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No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 8
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 55
Chapter 21: A Floridian Outing
Summary:
Percy and crew make a pit stop in Miami to prove Chiron's innocence.
Notes:
Thank you to everyone for your feedback and inputs! I'll take some time to consider all possibilities.
Now on to the chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"So, double-check, where are we now?" Nico asks.
"About seven nautical miles from Miami," Percy replies.
They had discussed this while the Kymaēris was sailing back to the US mainland, and both Grover and Tyson were fast asleep. They could easily make a U-turn and sail back to Long Island, but in order to prove Chiron's innocence and have Tantalus booted back into the Fields of Punishment, they will need to confront Luke in Miami. Also, they could use this as a pretext to have a decent lunch, at the very least.
And so, about half an hour later, the Kymaēris docks in Miami. The locals and tourists milling around the docks don't even bat an eye, the Mist likely masking the Kymaēris as just another large yacht. Wandering around the cruise yards, Percy sees the Andromeda, and swallows down a grimace. The Fleece has turned into an unassuming red-and-yellow varsity jacket with a glittery omega symbol on the pocket. Percy hands the Fleece to Nico, the latter ready to shadow-travel away at the slightest sign of trouble, namely Luke or one of his minions.
Grover kept fretting about Thalia's Pine dying, despite Percy's reassurance that they still have time. Seeing no sign of Luke or any monsters, they slip into a McDonald's for lunch, using Percy's infinite money card from the Lotus Casino to pay for the meal. They probably drew plenty of stares from the sheer mountain of chicken nuggets that Percy bought, most of it piled before Nico, but who is Percy to not spoil his favourite cousin? And the fact that this one of the rare moments where Nico would willingly allow himself to be spoiled?
After their stomachs are full and Nico's craving for chicken nuggets have been satisfied, they make their way back towards the yacht docks where the Kymaēris is parked. Even so, Percy remained hyper-vigilant, which enabled him to not flinch when, out of nowhere, the tip of a sword almost digs into his throat.
"Hello, cuz," Luke grins, "Welcome back to the States."
"Why, thank you," Percy deadpans, "Did you enjoy getting violently seasick?"
Luke's eyelid twitches. One of his goons immediately grabs Grover, and another tries to reach for Tyson, only to get punched into the nearby harbour. Percy subconsciously wills the water to drag the bear-man down to the bottom, holding the beast captive until it drowned, before sending the corpse away with the currents out into the Atlantic. Glancing to the side, Percy notes that Nico had vanished during the few seconds of altercation, taking the Fleece with him. Neither Luke nor his remaining goons seem to have noticed, which Percy counts as a win.
"Percy," Luke says calmly, which he doesn't buy for a bit, "tell your giant to stand down, or I will have Oreius turn your satyr friend into grass juice."
"Cyclops, you uncultured swine," Percy maintains his unimpressed deadpan, much to Luke's annoyance, betrayed by another twitch of his eyelid, "What do you want?"
"Why, I want to extend my hospitality to you, of course."
Knowing what Luke meant, Percy tilts his head side-to-side, "Eh…how about no? We did just eat, after all."
Luke's eyelid twitches for the third time, and his tone becomes steely, "Move."
Even so, Percy remains unfazed. He turns to Tyson, the baby cyclops returning the look with a mix of worry and uncertainty. Percy's gaze flickered to Oreius and back, and Tyson's lone eye glimmers with determined understanding. Faster than anyone could react, Tyson charges at Oreius at lightning speed, punching the bear-man right in the snout. Oreius roars in pain, dropping Grover who immediately scrambled backwards. Not letting the bear-man recover, Tyson lands another punch into Oreius' snout, kicks him over, and starts pummelling him into the ground.
Luke makes the mistake of turning around, giving Percy the chance to uncap Riptide, charge at the twin of the bear-man that he drowned, who had been just standing there rather stupidly, and slice off his head. The momentum sends the head flying into the water, where it quickly sinks and disappears from sight, also being sent out into the Atlantic.
"So…wanna try that again?" Percy raises an eyebrow, not even blinking when Luke turns Backbiter on to him once more, "Will you be a civil, polite person now?"
"Hand over the Fleece, now."
Percy keeps his eyebrow raised. Did Luke seriously think that such a move would intimidate him? It's not like he was pinned to the ground, or he had lost both Riptide and Maelstrom. Plus, Tyson had already turned Oreius into minced bear meat by now. Triton would be so embarrassed by this, not even "amateurish" can begin to describe this farce of a display.
"That's not being polite, Luke," Percy tuts, "And, as it stands, I don't have it."
Luke's eyes narrow, his lips twisting into a snarl, "You're lying, you couldn't have…" Percy has the audacity to actually start tapping his feet, as if waiting for Luke to come to the correct conclusion, "…sent it ahead."
Percy's grin is positively shit-eating, "Ding ding! Give this boy a prize!"
While he is busy riling Luke up, Percy fiddles in his pocket for a drachma, "You really didn't think this through, huh? That I could've foreseen this pitiful attempt at an ambush, and taken necessary precautions ahead of time." Finding what he needs, Percy continues to keep Luke distracted, "You truly are pathetic, Luke."
Luke looks like he is about to run Backbiter through Percy's neck when a loud roar echoes over the harbour. Taking advantage of the distraction, Percy wills the nearby seawater to rise, turn into mist, and flicks the drachma into it.
"What did you expect was going to happen? That I was going to happily gift you the Fleece like one of the many birthday presents that your daddy dearest never got for you?"
"Yes, you fucking idiot! You messed everything up!"
"Takes one to know one, eh?" Percy drawls, as he makes a prayer in his mind, 'Oh goddess, accept my offering.' He continues, "After all, you messed things up for so many people. Your siblings, Chiron, Dionysus at Camp Half-Blood."
He can feel the mist shimmering, but Percy keeps Luke distracted by extending Maelstrom.
"Why, Luke? Why did you poison Thalia's Pine? Didn't you see her as your own family?"
Luke sneers, "I did it because it was necessary! I made sure it was quick too! Elder python venom, straight from Tartarus!"
Percy continues baiting him, "And you let Chiron take the fall."
"Ha! As if that old pony had the guts to do it!"
'Keep talking, you bastard,' Percy inwardly snickers, "And for what? Betraying your siblings and friends, killing Annabeth, destroying the very camp that was the literal reason for your existence?"
"They mean jack-shit to me! Not when I will aid in the creation of something greater!"
"Do you honestly think that healing Kronos will achieve that?"
"YES!" Luke shouts, starting to appear agitated, "Do you not understand, Percy?! Do you not know how much the gods in their gleaming Olympus do not care about us? They only see us as toys to be discarded once they get bored with us! But I will say to you, Percy Jackson, you may have sent the Fleece ahead, but you only delayed us at most! Soon, Kronos will rise, and I will aid him in creating a better world!"
"Did you not consider for a second that, yes, as callous and uncaring as most gods are, that they are the lesser of two evils compared to fucking Kronos? Who will simply destroy everything and everyone? Including you?"
Percy could practically see the veins pulsing in Luke's forehead, "Enough! You are blind, Percy Jackson. You are too stupid to see the glorious vision Kronos has for those who swore their loyalty to him!"
"And you are too blind and stupid to notice that we have an audience," Percy drawls.
"What audience?" Luke spins around at where Percy is pointing Maelstrom, and just like that, all colour drains from his face in abject horror, because not only did the Iris message go through, but the resulting screen opened right in the dining pavilion, where Dionysus, Tantalus, and the entire camp had been sitting down for lunch.
"Well, I certainly didn't expect to have some lunchtime entertainment," the wine god drawls, to which Percy waves back with a shit-eating grin.
"Gotta liven up mealtimes every once and a while, am I right, Darren?"
"I suppose," Dionysus shrugs nonchalantly, though Percy could see a glimmer of what seemed like satisfaction in the god's eyes.
"T-This has to be a trick!" Tantalus stammers frantically, "This cannot be happening!"
"Unfortunately for you, this is not a trick," Dionysus replies, his voice like a death knell to the prisoner. Tantalus makes a desperate dive for a nearby cheeseburger, but grape vines suddenly shoot up from the floor and ensnare him before he could grab it. "I will be reinstating Chiron as activities director, once I have reported this to the Olympian council." Tantalus lets out an anguished wail, as the vines drag him through the floorboards back into the Underworld. Only then does Percy cancel the call by swiping the screen with Maelstrom.
"And as for you, you look like you need to cool off."
Before Luke could lunge at him, Percy wills the seawater to grab him, and drag him into the depths of the harbour. He then sends Luke shooting out into ocean with the currents, far enough to give him and the others enough time to make it back to the Kymaēris.
Nico is waiting for them on the upper deck. His hand reaches for his sword when he sees them board, but Percy reassures him, "Don't worry, we dealt with Luke's goons, and he's currently preoccupied trying not to drown."
Nico relaxes, "We should get going. I heard that roar even from the ship. I think it was a drakon."
Percy grimaces, as memories of the drakon attacking Manhattan, Silena and her suicidal charge against it flash in his mind, "Yeah, we should."
Without needing any further prompting, Percy wills the Kymaēris to pull away from the docks, and reverse out into the deeper waters. He turns the ship northwards, and sails it away from Miami, Luke and the Andromeda. Though, no one is foolish enough to believe for a second that this would be the last they would see of them.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I know this one was comparatively short this time, but we do need to prove Chiron's innocence. I'll do my best to have the next chapter be longer in length, and as promised, a certain loyal steed will make his appearance!
- Kai
--------------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 1
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 56
Chapter 22: A Loyal Steed, A Return, and An Unplanned Reveal
Summary:
A beloved, loyal steed makes his debut, Percy and crew return to camp, and for one sun god, curiosity very much killed the cat (i.e. his sanity).
Notes:
This chapter is for everyone who was screaming about Blackjack in the comments section of the last chapter. Rest assured, I did not forget him, I just wanted to give the right opportunity for Blackjack to make his debut appearance.
Without further ado, let us begin with this double update!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The next morning, Percy trudges onto the upper deck. Yawning loudly, he squints up at the sun, far too bright for his liking. Mentally cursing Apollo for being too sunny on this morning, Percy spies Nico absolutely thrashing Grover and Tyson in Mythomagic. Immediately, Percy's heart warms at the sight of the son of Hades having fun with his favourite card game. He doesn't recall Nico ever picking it up again after Bianca's death in the previous timeline, another sign of Nico's lost innocence as a result of being exposed to how cruel life and the world can be at far too young an age.
"You look like you're having fun."
Nico looks up, "Hey Percy. Sleep well?"
"More or less. Had a dream of Luke throwing the mightiest of tantrums after he pulled himself out of the water. It wouldn't surprise me if he tries to come after us again."
Grover immediately looks up to the sky, scanning the clear expanse of blue and white for any sign of imminent danger, "How far are we from camp?"
"We just passed the coast of Virginia," Percy estimates, "Probably several more hours if we maintain speed."
Grover nods, casting another glance to the sky, and muttering to himself, "Soon. Soon."
"Nice pony will be back home soon?" Tyson asks.
"He should be," Percy replies, "If Chiron hasn't been reinstated by the time we arrive, I will lead a riot against Olympus."
"For all of his shortcomings, he didn't deserve to be blamed," Nico mutters under his breath, before proclaiming louder, "I win."
"The cocksucker up there needs to be severely whooped in his nonexistent ass," Percy flips off the resulting rumble of thunder, "Just because Kronos is Chiron's sperm donor, he automatically gets the blame? If we go by that bullshit, then the cocksucker on his fancy throne can just as likely be the culprit," Percy makes an even more obscene gesture at the second rumble of thunder, louder than the first.
Nico simply shakes his head at Zeus's fragile ego.
The flapping of wings rapidly approaching the deck has everyone on their feet, and in the case of Percy and Nico, their swords drawn. Percy relaxes slightly when he realises that it is only everyone's favourite son of Hermes, and more excitedly, his most loyal steed in a lifetime's past.
"Ah, Luke. So glad of you to join us," Percy smirks, "How was your swim? Did you manage to cool yourself off?"
Luke slid off the visibly disgruntled black pegasus, looking all the world like he wanted to drop kick the young man into the ocean away from the coast, which Percy wholeheartedly understood, "Thought you'd seen the last of me?"
Percy simply raises an unimpressed eyebrow, "Of course not. That would be quite stupid of us. And you, evidently. Did you honestly think you stand a chance against us?" Judging from Blackjack's disdainful snort, even the pegasus shared the same conclusion as Percy and Nico, "Also, think you're so tough and intimidating by landing so dramatically on the deck with a black pegasus. Do you not know who my dad is?"
Luke's wary look is absolutely priceless, made even more so when Blackjack simply trots over to Percy, and rubs his muzzle affectionately against Percy's head.
"Get back here, you little -"
Percy slaps Luke with the back of Riptide, knocking him back several steps, "Seeing as you need as refresher, my dad is the father of horses, pegasi included. Also, did you honestly think that you stood any chance?" He spreads his arms out, "See for yourself. Water all around us! And your ship is nowhere to be seen." It is true, the Andromeda is nowhere to be found, meaning that Luke literally flew on Blackjack's back for gods know how far to reach them. And, with his ride now firmly on Percy's side, even a fool would see that Luke, realistically, is at the mercy of the crew of the Kymaēris, which includes a baby cyclops who easily turned one of his lumbering goons into minced meat.
A bead of nervous sweat betrays Luke's growing realisation of the tight spot he is in, "Y-You can't control open ocean waters!"
Percy doesn't even deign that with a verbal response. He simply flicks a hand, and a strong wave hits the starboard side of the Kymaēris. Tyson immediately grabs Grover and Nico, steadying them as the ship is knocked off-kilter. Luke has no one to help him maintain his footing, and he is thrown to the port railing in an ungainly heap of limbs and obscenities. Perhaps from sheer will, he still has Backbiter in his grip, but judging from the fresh cut that has appeared on his cheek, it was a stubbornness that turned on him.
"Seriously, just relieve us of your ugly mug, Luke," Percy drawls, assessing the distance between the Kymaēris and the Delaware coastline. Near enough that, should Luke go overboard, he can swim ashore.
Luke slowly gets to his feet, teeth grit with a snarl, and his arms readying Backbiter again. Percy sighs, flicking his hand once more. A fist of water rises up over the port side of the Kymaēris, grabs Luke, and on Percy's silent command, basically yeets Luke towards the shoreline. Percy doesn't bother to check to see if Luke made it or if he needs to swim. If Luke actually drowned, then that is truly one of the dumbest ways that he could go.
"You'd think that he would learn his lesson by now," Nico remarks.
"With Kronos likely breathing down his neck, it doesn't surprise me that Luke constantly messes up like this," Percy replies, watching Tyson go to the railing and attempt to spot Luke in the water, "And as I told Hermes, Luke is too far gone. He truly believes Kronos's lies, even if it ends with his own destruction."
"But why not kill him?"
"Killing him won't solve matters," Percy leads Nico away from Grover, "Kronos hasn't yet taken control of his body yet. If I kill Luke, the bastard will simply use another demigod body. As much as Luke likely manipulated so many demigods by taking advantage of their resentment towards the gods, the last thing I want is for some random demigod to become the host of the primordial bastard."
Nico nods, not liking the situation but understanding Percy's rationale. Despite all of the changes they had wrought on the timeline, there are certain things that Percy and Nico would do their utmost to not alter too drastically if they can help it. They couldn't save Annabeth, but even so, they will do their best to save other lives that were lost before.
Blackjack trots up to Percy, gently nudging him in the head, 'Its good to see you, boss. You got any donuts?'
"Not at the moment, Blackjack," Percy pats the pegasus' neck, to which Blackjack makes a disappointed noise, "But I promise, when we get back to camp and ensure that Thalia's Pine is on the road to recovery, I'll get you donuts, three whole boxes to make up for having to be on that cruise ship with the bastard."
'Make that five, for all of the storms I had to endure.'
"Deal."
Thankfully, Luke and the Andromeda did not bother Percy and the others for the remaining leg of their voyage, allowing the Kymaēris to come ashore along the beaches of Long Island. Percy had Blackjack take Nico ahead to Thalia's Pine, while he, Tyson and Grover disembarked on foot and with a little help from Percy's hydrokinesis.
As soon as they reached the hill where the dying pine tree stands, they are immediately besieged by campers, dryads and satyrs alike, both welcoming them back and bombarding them with questions after questions. Percy deflects them all first, going up to Thalia's Pine, where Nico and Blackjack are waiting. Immediately, everyone goes quiet, anticipating what is to come. With some help from Tyson, Nico drapes the Fleece over the pine's branches, and almost immediately, the effects take hold.
The campers all gasp and cheer as slowly, but surely, the yellowing and brown pine needles start to turn back to green, as the Fleece's healing magic begins to spread. Already, the sunlight feels brighter, the breeze cooler, and there is no longer the sense of uncertainty and fear that greeted Percy after he arrived from rescuing Tyson and Nico from Joe Bob and his fellow giants.
And speaking of Nico, the son of Hades turns to Percy with a knowing look, to which he reciprocates. Anytime now, Thalia would be back with them again. Of course, no one else knew this, except perhaps Tyson. But for the time being, everything seemed to be going back to what it was before. Their camp was now safe, Chiron is due back soon, and in the minds of the cheering campers, their home and world was now on the mend.
Chiron returns some hours later, and after greeting the ecstatic campers, declares that there will be a round-the-clock, rotating roster of guard duty around Thalia's Pine. While the tree was healing, it would still take time for it to return to full health, and no one could risk any monsters jeopardising the healing process.
Meanwhile, Percy walks around the camp, assessing the damages sustained while he was away. The arts-and-crafts cabin had been reduced to smouldering pieces of wood, but that was by far the worst of it. Any other damage sustained by structures are purely cosmetic and easily fixable. He checks in with Malcolm, who excitedly told him that, while he was not battling monsters and keeping them away from the main camp grounds, he'd been drafting designs for the expanded Hermes cabin. The Athena counsellor shows Percy the plans, and after some deliberations, Percy and Malcolm select the final design, and Percy leaves Malcolm to put together a list of materials needed to start construction.
In the meantime, Percy brings the Hermes cabin occupants together to announce the news. He explained that, while he will do his best to ensure that construction is completed as efficiently as possible, the Hermes occupants will need to vacate the current cabin so that it can be torn down and allow for construction to proceed. As such, Percy opens the Poseidon cabin to those who are willing to sleep in the same space with Tyson, and for those who need a little more time to get used to seeing a baby cyclops around camp, the unused Hera cabin is also opened up to house those particular campers.
(Frankly, Percy doesn't give two shits about what the Queen of the Gods thinks about this decision. It's not like she ever paid attention to what was going on in Camp Half-Blood before the whole shitshow with Gaea, if he recalls correctly.)
And with that, the quest to retrieve the Fleece and heal Thalia's Pine comes to a quiet, even lacklustre end. Sure, Percy did eventually answer the questions heaped onto him by curious campers, mainly the Stolls and Bianca, since they were the ones who called in via Iris message while Percy was out on the ocean, but life very quickly returned to normal. It was almost as if Percy never left, which suited him just fine anyways. He didn't go on quests for fame and glory, even if, deep down, he knows that fame and glory would find him, whether he wanted it or not. He did what needed to be done, and a small part of him couldn't help but wonder if, aside from Clarisse, whom the quest was given to last time, if anyone else would've actually volunteered to search for the Fleece if Percy and Nico hadn't done so.
It was a hypothetical what-if with only bleak outcomes, so Percy doesn't dwell on it for too long. Instead, he focuses on getting the five boxes of donuts that he owes Blackjack. It was the least he could do for the pegasus, being stuck on the Andromeda for so long and dealing with Luke's bullshit.
Chiron surprises everyone by announcing a re-run of the chariot races that Tantalus reinstated. Apparently, just like in the previous timeline, the race had been interrupted by the sudden appearance of the Stymphalian birds. And this time, with both Percy and Annabeth absent, it was Bianca, Travis and Connor who stopped the birds, and the ones to end up in dish-cleaning duty by Tantalus.
If not for the fact that the cannibalistic prisoner was already back in the Fields of Punishment, Percy would've actually gone through with his threat of shoving Maelstrom down Tantalus's throat, or relieving him of his head.
In all honesty, Percy has no interest in taking part in the races, so while the other campers prepare, Percy retreats down to the beach, where the Kymaēris is docked along the shallows. Sitting down on a fallen log along the sand, he just quietly looks out to the horizon, occasionally flitting over to the ancient Greek trireme that got them through the Sea of Monsters faster. Percy doesn't really feel the need to contemplate, brood or reflect on everything he and his companions went through. He just wanted to relish in the peace and quiet, to take a moment and just relax, knowing that the camp that was his third home is no longer in any danger of being wiped out for now.
"Hello, Perseus."
Unfortunately, it seems that he won't be able to relax just yet.
"Apollo," Percy greets with just the barest of nods, though with no uncertain exasperated wariness, "What brings you here? Did your dad somehow misplace his zappy stick after using it as an electrified dildo?"
Likely, if it was anyone else, they would've been smited on the spot for the utter lack of respect and reverence for the sun god, and Zeus by extension. Although the sky does rumble with thunder, Apollo doesn't respond beyond that of a sardonic smile, "No, he has not misplaced it again. Can't I, Phoebus Apollo, simply pay you a visit with the intent to have a conversation with you?"
Percy has to forcibly wipe the discomfort from his face. This Apollo had not yet been unfairly accused of enabling Gaea's rise by Zeus, stripped of his godhood and thrown down as an acne-riddled mortal with orders to basically go on a wild goose chase to restore his immortality and powers. This Apollo has not yet gotten a taste of what it means to be mortal, the hardships that come with mortality, and therefore not developed a greater and deeper understanding and appreciation for mortals, and by extension, his demigod children.
Furthermore, Percy is wary about Apollo's sudden appearance to him, which definitely did not occur the last time around. Why did the sun god suddenly want to talk with him?
Without waiting for a response by Percy, Apollo sits down on the remaining side of the log. His sky-blue eyes, masking the godly gold that was the original colour, glances at the Kymaēris, "Was that the ship that got you through the Sea of Monsters?"
"Yes, it was," Percy replies hesitantly, "What about it?"
"Well, colour me intrigued, Perseus, when my name was invoked by a daughter of Bellona when you were apparently on Circe's island," Apollo says, which makes Percy's breath hitch in his throat from horror, "Granted, I personally did not know about it straight away, not until my Roman counterpart brought me up to speed. As such, I became curious, and discreetly watched your voyage to Polyphemus's island, you and Hades' child slaughtering his meat-eating sheep, rescue that satyr and leave Polyphemus fully blinded and incapacitated, all without breaking a sweat. Also, your little display against that traitor working for that dastardly grandfather of mine. It wasn't just the entire camp who saw it, Perseus. When my dear brother reported what happened to the council, I had him show what you made the traitor admit to everyone in the dining pavilion. Quite a number of my fellow council gods were understandably outraged that my father had the audacity to install that monster as activities director, just so you know."
"But I'm digressing. I suppose you can imagine my intrigue and curiosity watching you retrieve the Golden Fleece with relative ease, almost as if you knew what was coming, prepared beforehand, and achieved your goal with admirable efficiency," Apollo's eyes bore deeply into Percy's soul, and he has the burning instinct to run Riptide through the sun god, "Tell me, Perseus, aside from the Kymaēris, which I suspect you received from your father, what other assistance did you receive that aided you in your unsanctioned quest?"
Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Percy knows there is no way out of this. It doesn't matter that Apollo had apparently watched him essentially speedrun the quest to retrieve the Fleece, the fact that he is also the god of truth, which basically nullifies any attempt to lie, whether outright or by omission, basically has him backed into a corner. Under Apollo's questioning look, Percy sends an urgent prayer to his dad, 'Dad, please come, Apollo somehow found out about my time travel from the future.'
Feeling the wave of surprise that falls upon him, Percy sighs, meeting Apollo's gaze, "Look, give me a moment. I just…need to wait for someone."
"Who?"
That someone is Poseidon, who emerges from the waves just seconds later. Just like when he made his unannounced appearance at the dining pavilion to threaten Tantalus, Poseidon is dressed in the same himation that makes no attempt to hide his godly power and strength. His trident in hand, Poseidon steps onto the beach. Apollo immediately jumps to feet, surprised, while Percy goes to his dad and hugs him, to which Poseidon returns with his free arm.
"Has it not occurred to you, nephew," Poseidon says lowly, levelling a thoroughly unimpressed look upon Apollo, "that some things are meant to be kept secret?"
Sighing, Percy intervenes before things could get ugly, "Dad, enough. He already did, there's nothing I can do to change that. Please don't start a godly fight that would both incinerate and drown the whole of Long Island and Manhattan?"
Poseidon sighs, but acquiesces. Regardless, he points his trident at Apollo, "Swear on the Styx that you will keep everything you hear next to yourself."
Apollo's eyes widen in surprise, not from the trident pointed at him, but the scarily similar severe looks from both Poseidon and Percy, "Y-You're actually serious. I-Is it really that important?"
"Swear it," Percy orders, "I will not tell you anything until you swear on the Styx."
Seeing that Poseidon is firmly on Percy's side, Apollo has no choice but to comply, swearing himself to silence on the Styx. Only with the distant rumbling of the oath taking effect does Poseidon lower his trident, and for Percy to begin spilling every single bean he held since coming back in time. Contrary to what some might think, Percy takes no pleasure in watching Apollo's swimsuit model skin lose all colour and his expression morph into abject horror as he goes into every sordid detail of the previous timeline, especially in the battles of the Labyrinth and Manhattan, and how, by the time of Kronos's defeat, they would lose half of all campers, and half of Apollo's children.
Silence follows for a good ten seconds after Percy finishes, before Apollo, eyes still as wide as saucers, weakly utters, "You aren't lying." And then, in a louder, more hysterical voice, "How are you not lying?!"
"I'm not," Percy simply replies, just looking exhausted, "There is nothing for me to lie. I don't gain anything for lying. Other than me carrying even more guilt from knowing I could've done something, but chose to do nothing."
Apollo, practically losing his mind, says, "The prophecy, the one that Father explicitly banned anyone from telling -"
"A half-blood of the eldest gods, shall reach sixteen against all odds," Percy recounts, and if it was even possible, Apollo becomes even more deathly pale, "In the previous timeline, that half-blood was me, because Thalia joined your sister's hunters, and Nico is a few years too young when Gramps made his move." He continues, "And see the world in endless sleep, we think it means Hypnos would put all of Manhatten into a slumber, ensuring no mortal would bear witness to the battle. The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap, that means Luke, even though by our modern standards, Luke is nothing but a traitor who betrayed his family and friends. A single choice shall ends his days. Olympus to preserve or raze." Percy sighs, "Last time, Luke managed to wrestle control from Gramps just long enough for me to injure him in his mortal spot, thereby killing Gramps. Last time…I pushed for those who fought on Luke's side to be spared from the traitor's fate, because while their actions caused so much death and destruction, at the core of it, Gramps took advantage of their resentment and hatred towards their godly parents for abandoning them. As much as the Olympian gods are the lesser of two evils compared to Gramps, their disregard and lack of care towards the children of their affairs very much contributed to Gramps' rise and the attack on Olympus."
Apollo is utterly speechless, staring at his hands unseeingly. He begins pacing back and forth, muttering incomprehensibly in a mix of ancient Greek, Latin and English. Percy makes no attempt to comfort the sun god. He can't anyways. After a brief debate with himself, Percy decides to not disclose the subsequent shitshow that is Gaea's awakening, and Apollo's unwarranted stint as Lester. He doesn't think the sun god can handle this much earth and reality-shattering information all at once. Not right now anyways.
"H-How…how could we have let this happen?"
"If there is one thing I can sort-of agree with Luke, is that most gods don't give two shits about their demigod children. Yes," Percy interrupts Apollo when he opens his mouth with a flash of indignance, "I know you claim all your children, and others like Athena and Hermes do too, but more often than not, others don't. And just because a demigod child gets claimed, it isn't enough. Being claimed is the bare minimum, and if we go with the perspective of mortals, that means jack-shit. Not when the godly parent doesn't even show up for their children, or are involved in their lives in some form or another. Yes, I know you are technically bound by the ancient laws bullshit, but for fuck's sake, aren't you all gods? Isn't it possible for you gods to find ways to somehow circumvent the restrictions imposed on you by that lightning fuckboy up there?" Percy flips off the resulting rumble of thunder, practically instinctual by this point, and Poseidon merely rolls his eyes in annoyance, a sheer contrast to the flinch that wracks Apollo's body, "But from what I can tell, even if you claimed all of your children, you're never actually present in their lives. You just go about your godly existence, flying around on your sun chariot, causing plagues, fucking random mortals because you are a horny slut who doesn't even know about protection, and writing god-awful haiku because you somehow lost your sense of good poetry."
Again, anyone who isn't Percy would've been instantly smited and had the subsequent generations of their family lineage cursed to Tartarus and back. Apollo just stares at Percy, as if he'd been robbed of all capability for speech. Eventually, after a long, awkward moment, he mutters quietly, "My poetry is awful?"
Percy facepalms, groaning muffled under his palm. After taking a moment to pull himself together, aided in part by his dad squeezing his shoulder, "My point is, even though you claim all of the children that are born as a result of your one-night stands," he pushes on despite the offended squawk from Apollo, "you are as deadbeat as all deadbeat sperm and egg donors who refuse to pay child support, let alone actually be present for their children and be a part of their lives. It is honestly a gods-damned miracle that none of your children actually defected to the Titan Army at the end, though half of them ended up dead when all was said and done."
The repeated mention of his children's deaths in a war that they shouldn't even be a part of once again causes Apollo to visibly wilt with despair and guilt. Percy, again, takes no pleasure or vindication in seeing the sun god in such a state. He just waits to see how Apollo would respond to this revelation.
"Percy…"
That was the first sign. Even so, nothing could've prepared Percy for Apollo literally falling to his knees before him, with the most desperate, pleading look Percy has seen anyone put on, "Please, how do I be a better father for my children?"
Percy turns to Poseidon, who is just as surprised as he is. Poseidon can only shrug, still too stunned by this turn of events to offer anything useful. Percy sighs, taking a moment to force his neurons into coming up with something on the fly.
"Alright, first things first, get up. This is too weird a sight for me."
Apollo gets to his feet, eyes still pleading.
"Second, I'm not asking you to suddenly barge into your children's lives right off the bat, because, unlike my dad, you are not a Big Three god. You are still bound by Uncle Z's ancient laws, as unfair and bullshit as they are." Ignoring the rumble of thunder, he continues, "The last thing your children needs is you getting punished by him. You won't like this, and neither do I, for the record, but you will need to be discreet. Start small, things that can easily fly under the radar. Until we get the opportunity to change things, that is pretty much all you can do right now."
True enough, Apollo is visibly displeased by the reality of Percy's argument. Regardless, he nods, because he truly wants to be a better father for his children, despite the unfavourable circumstances.
"You can start off with this…"
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Luke truly isn't the brightest bulb in the box, and to Apollo, you got what you wanted, now you suffer the consequences 😈
Also, to make it very clear, Thalia will make her debut in the next chapter. I honestly had no plans for this chapter to take the form that it did, but I guess that comes with being a fanfic writer. Sometimes, chapters and characters write themselves.
- Kai
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Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 56 (no change)
Chapter 23: A Revival and Uncomfortable Conversations
Summary:
Thalia returns.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Apollo ended up staying for another hour, dutifully listening to Percy as he went through all of the ways he could show his kids that he was sorry for not being there for them, and how he sincerely wanted to make it up to them and be a part of their lives without incurring the wrath of Zeus and his ancient laws bullshit. Things like writing to his children, promising them assistance wherever he can, and other little blessings that wouldn't go noticed by Zeus.
Apollo also promised to do what he can to get Hermes out of his own ass, and have the messenger god do the same for his own remaining children. It certainly didn't reflect well on Hermes that it was a son of Poseidon that was bettering the lives of his own children in camp, and even after Percy had dragged Hermes through the stable floor, the messenger god still hadn't taken his words to heart. There is space for grief, but this was getting ridiculous.
Come the next day, Chiron pulls Percy aside to inform him about the situation with Meriwether Prep, reminding Percy about Joe Bob's attack and the destruction of the gym.
"Don't tell me that they're actually blaming me for it."
"Far from it," Chiron chuckles, "The matter has been resolved, and they do not blame anyone, especially not you or Nico, for the damage caused."
"So will Neeks still be able to attend?"
"Ah, well, despite the school not blaming him for the damage done to the gym, the principal, a Mister Bonsai, still argued that Nico and Tyson brought in a very negative vibe into his establishment, and had him expelled."
"Of course," Percy rolls his eyes. As much as he would've liked for otherwise, it seems that Nico will be following in his footsteps of getting constantly kicked out of schools for things that aren't even their fault.
"But at least, the school is not pressing criminal charges against Nico, which I can imagine would be an unwanted headache for your mother," Chiron replies.
"Small mercies, I suppose…"
Chiron gives Percy a mobile phone to contact his mum and reassure her that he and Nico are safe. After a tearful and emotional phone call between them, with Percy reassuring Sally that he and Nico will be back in time for Christmas, and if not, then New Year's, Percy hands the phone back to Chiron, just as Tyson approaches him.
"Brother Percy, dream came from daddy last night," the baby cyclops tells him, "He wants me to stay with him."
"Dad sent you a dream message?" Percy asks. It seems that Tyson has completely forgotten about the whole time-travel schtick, or maybe it just didn't fully register with the baby cyclops.
Tyson nods, "Wants me to go underwater for the rest of the year. Learn to work at the Cyclops' forges. He called it an…inter…intern…"
"Internship?"
"Yes," Tyson beams.
"That's awesome!" Percy pats the cyclops' arm, "When will you be leaving?"
"Tonight," Tyson replies, now looking a little sad, "Don't what to leave my brother, but I want to make things for camp. For you. Daddy says you and the others need them."
Percy nods, swallowing the grimace. Even now, Atlantis is still beefing up defences, especially since diplomacy with Oceanus failed and war is looming on the horizon. Then there's Luke, the Andromeda, and the ultimate bastard himself, Kronos. The camp is going to need everything it can, especially since there is also Daedalus and the Labyrinth to deal with in the not-so-distant future.
"Before I go, I want to give brother Percy something I made," Tyson says, bringing Percy out of his thoughts, "I want Percy to use it, keep himself safe."
Already knowing what it is, Percy smiles, squeezing Tyson's bicep, "I'm sure you make the best weapons." And he isn't exaggerating, because while Tyson may have largely forgotten about his time travel shenanigans, the shield did save his hide before, and likely, it will come in handy again.
Tyson rubs his eye, "Brothers take care of each other."
"Of course we do."
Later that evening, Tyson gives Percy the shield, depicting different scenes from last time, since they never faced the Sirens, Hydra or sailed towards the Andromeda on the back of hippocampi. Instead, Nico is depicted running his sword through one the laistrygonians in the Meriwether gym, the Kymaēris sailing through the Sea of Monsters, Tyson himself punching one of the Clochis bulls into scrap metal, and Percy about to launch Maelstrom into Polyphemus's eye. It is truly a work of art, and Percy makes a mental note to do his absolute best to not lose it this time.
He sees Tyson off at the beach, where his ride, Rainbow the hippocampus, is waiting. Percy promises to visit as often as he could, and after having his ribs nearly pulverised into powder by Tyson's crushing hug, the baby cyclops mounts his ride, and sails off to Atlantis.
Percy is able to keep his promise of visiting his mum, with Nico in tow, for Christmas. Sitting down for the festive dinner Sally whipped up, she discussed with the two boys about enrolling Nico in another school following his expulsion from Meriwether. Percy and Nico share a glance, and Percy expresses his concerns about Nico practically following in his footsteps in not being able to stay in a school for one entire year before he is expelled for some reason or another. Whenever he is in Atlantis, Percy is being taught by tutors to make up for the fact that he is no longer enrolled in the school system. Percy proposed the same for Nico, especially given that Hades, for some ungodly reason, has yet to claim Bianca and Nico. Percy only half-joked that Nico had already been semi-adopted by his underwater family, and he can easily extend the same arrangement to Nico too.
Make no mistake, Sally is well-aware of how much the American public school system continues to fail children like Percy, and she is all too familiar with the struggles that demigod children like them face on a daily basis, even more so since Percy and Nico are Big Three children. But perhaps she wanted to see, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Nico is just as cursed as Percy is when it comes to trying to last a full year enrolled in a school. In the end, they settled on a compromise. With the new school year coming, Nico will enrol in Goode High School, making use of the Mist to trick the administration into letting Nico in. And if that doesn't last more than a full year, then Percy will bring up the possibility of extending tutoring to Nico as well to Poseidon.
Percy and Nico return to camp once Christmas is over, easing back into the routine of camp life and the additional guard duty to keep Thalia's Pine safe from opportunistic monsters.
That said, the routine of camp is disrupted by several surprises, both expected and unexpected.
Two days after Percy and Nico returned to camp, the Apollo campers all woke up to find letters with their names on it under their pillows. Surprise and excitement fills the cabin as they discover the letters were from their dad, all written by hand. As Percy and Nico found out, Apollo had written to every single one of his children, praising them for their respective strengths and capabilities, and most of all, apologising for not being a part of their lives up until now. While he could physically be with them due to Zeus's ancient laws, he made it very clear that he loves them no matter what, and how much he truly wishes that he could spend time with them. In a more collective angle towards his children as a whole, he promised to regularly send them what they needed in their daily lives, be it arrows for archery practice and lessons, medicines and other supplies for the infirmary, so on and so forth.
Evidently, Apollo honoured his promise to pull Hermes out of his self-pity. The day after the Apollo campers woke up to letters under their pillows, so too did Hermes's remaining children. Travis and Connor actually ran up to Percy while he was in the midst of preparing to teach the younger campers basic sword-fighting drills, clutching their own letters and excitedly rambled about what their father wrote to them. Like Apollo, Hermes had apologised to every one of his children for not being there for them, for letting them think that he didn't care about them or loved them, and he will do whatever it takes to make it up to them, even if they never forgive him during this lifetime or the next. Also like Apollo, Hermes promised to make his children's lives easier in ways that he could, given the limitations imposed by the ancient laws.
Speaking of Hermes, demolition of the old cabin has finally been completed, and construction begins. Instead of a wooden cabin, Percy and Malcolm planned for the new one to be constructed out of stone and marble, mainly to provide protection against the elements, and also to be sturdier should the cabin come under attack. Any concerns about the cost of construction materials are quickly put to rest courtesy of Percy's infinite money card, with the satyrs and Tyson, who came by when he heard the news, providing much-needed construction labour. With the final days of 2006 coming to their close, work on the expanded and reinforced Hermes cabin proceeds quickly. Given the current number of occupants, with foresight for increased numbers in the future, Percy and Malcolm planned for five large rooms for sleeping in, two for Hermes' own children, and the other three for unclaimed campers. Connecting the five sleeping rooms is a large communal living space and another room that can be doubled up as a game room or activities space. If all goes according to plan, the new cabin will be completed with the new year.
And just before the new year, someone makes an unexpected appearance, one that leaves Percy questioning everything he once thought and believed.
He came just as Percy and Clarisse were finishing up their spar in the arena. Percy had just immobilised Clarisse with a headlock, when slow clapping reaches their ears. Upon seeing who it is, Percy immediately jumps to his feet and instinctively reaches for Riptide.
Ares, with an unreadable expression on his ugly mug, strides up to them, still clapping. Clarisse, quite understandably, is very much confused.
"Good choke hold, punk. Any harder and longer, she'd be on her way to the underworld."
Now it is Percy's turn to be confused. Did the god of war and carnage just compliment him? Not even in a backhanded way?!
"F-Father?"
Ares turns to Clarisse, expression softening just the slightest, "Hey, kid. It's been a hot minute."
"What are you doing here, bastard?"
"Can't I pay a visit to my kids?" Ares retorts with a raised eyebrow, the lack of obscenities and threats catching Percy even more wrong-footed.
"You…never done that before," Clarisse mumbles.
"Yeah, a lot of shit happened, some of which was mine," Ares runs a hand through his hair, "Look, I can't stay long. I'm here only because I'm one of Father's favourites, and even then I had to push somewhat. But…I'll see if I can come again, hopefully longer next time. I'm gonna swing by the cabin, check in on the others." He turns to Percy, "See ya around, punk. Next time, we spar, and if you beat me, I'll give ya the full explanation."
Ares heads off towards the cabins. Clarisse, once more speechless, turns to Percy. He can only shrug, and gestures for her to follow the god. Clarisse nods numbly, and she quickly rushes off to catch up with her dad. Percy stays in the arena for a bit longer, trying in vain to process what happened, before deciding that he needs to go lie down for a bit.
Come the first night of 2007, a blizzard sweeps across New York city, but parting around camp as it always had, indicating that the borders have been fully restored to their previous strength. Even so, Percy's dreams are just as restless as the blizzard freezing New York into an icicle. He flipped off Kronos for taunting him and trying to beckon him over to the dark side. He sees Tyson learning the ropes in the forges, and in the magnificent throne room, Poseidon looked at him in the eye from his coral throne, and spoke only two words, Brace Yourself.
Percy wakes up with a start, those two words ringing in his head. In hindsight, his dad's words were less of an ominous warning and more of Poseidon just messing with him. And this time, even if it was his dad's intent to prank him, it just served as a reminder to Percy that, very soon, Thalia will be revived.
On this morning, the sky over the camp is overcast, but otherwise calm, a sharp contrast to the blizzard blowing over the rest of New York City. Dawn has yet to break, but already, someone is knocking on the door. With Nico and the other campers who took on his previous offer still dead to the world, Percy goes to answer it.
"Ugh, I'm beginning to regret telling your dad how to be a better father to you and your siblings."
Lee Fletcher stands on the steps, looking far too jovial for the early hours. Even though he wasn't by any means doing so, looking at him feels like he is staring into a bright LED bulb for Percy.
"You don't mean that," the counsellor for the Apollo cabin teases, and Percy squints his eyes, feeling as if the bright vibe from Lee just grew a little more blinding.
"…yeah, I don't."
"You and Nico are up for guard duty," Lee says, already turning on his heel to head back to his cabin. Despite the sunny disposition, Percy knows that Lee must be exhausted and all but ready to embrace the loving comforts of his bed. "Also, I don't know how you did it, and you didn't have to, but seriously, thank you. You can't imagine how happy my siblings are right now. Especially Will, since he didn't inherit any of our dad's singing or music abilities."
Knowing how much of a fearsome force Will will become in the infirmary, Percy nods, feeling a little more awake. Watching Lee amble off, fiddling with the straps of his arrow quiver, Percy goes back inside, shakes Nico awake, and puts on some warmer clothes. The camp might be protected from the worst of the blizzard, but the air is still colder than what Percy is comfortable with. Knowing that Nico will not rise for several more minutes, Percy heads out, trekking up the hill to Thalia's Pine.
Setting himself down amidst the roots, Percy extends Maelstrom and sets the trident on his knees. As expected, Nico comes trudging up the hill, his Stygian sword drawn, and yawning obnoxiously loud.
"Good morning to you too, sunshine."
"Fuck off," Nico grumbles, sitting himself down next to Percy and leaning back against the trunk of the pine tree. He rubs his eyes, groaning quietly, "You sound too much like Will."
"At least you didn't come face-to-face with Lee earlier," Percy says, idly tapping on the staff of Maelstrom.
"Ugh…thank you for your noble sacrifice."
A minute of silence passes, "You know, speaking of Will, I take it that he doesn't know about the previous timeline?"
"No," Nico grumbles, for a different reason altogether, "He doesn't seem to remember." He curls his knees to his chest, "It fucking hurts, you know…?"
"I know."
"Do you think I should tell him?" Nico asks.
Percy considers it for a moment, before shaking his head, "Try to put it off for as long as possible. Unless, of course, he somehow pieces it together like his dad did, or you slip up," Nico glares at him, but doesn't refute the possibility, "Ultimately, the fewer who know, the better. I don't doubt Will's alliegances, but if possible, let's wait until Gramps has been dealt with before letting more in on what's coming after."
Nico doesn't like it, but Percy has a point. Who knows how Will would react if he learnt that, over the next couple of years in the previous timeline, he would lose half of his siblings. Apollo's children might have inherited different aspects and strengths from the sun god, but if there is one thing they shared in common other than godly lineage, it is his proclivity for dramatics. And when emotions take over, there is a greater risk of impulsivity and bad choices.
The minutes tick by. Percy and Nico run out of small talk, and are left scanning the slope and surrounding landscape for any signs of trouble. However, things are as peaceful as they had been since the pair took up post. So peaceful, and so utterly boring, Percy almost wished that some disturbance happened to get him on his feet and have him deal with the problem, just to have him do something, other than just sit and stare out at nothing.
"C'mon Thals…wake up already."
Finally, as the first specks of dawn peek between the grey clouds overhead, something happens.
The trunk of the pine suddenly creaks, and the roots between Percy and Nico shift. The pair are immediately on their feet, turning towards the large tree. The pine rumbles, the needles trembling and shaking. Beams of golden light burst out of creaks and crevices within the bark, growing brighter by the second. Percy and Nico have to shield their eyes, it was almost as if a second sun was rising out of the tree itself. The roots shift and move, clearing a space where, almost like magic, an unconscious young girl appears in a shimmer of light. Short but built with lithe muscles, with a head of short, black hair styled in spikes, and dressed in black clothing in a cross between punk and goth.
Percy shakily exhales, stepping towards the girl, and brushing the hair away from her forehead. She is breathing, and for all intents and purposes, looks like she is merely napping, not having spent years as a tree.
The girl's eyelids flicker, and Percy steps back. They open fully, revealing electric-blue irises that immediately swing towards Percy and Nico.
"What-" she abruptly tries to sit up.
"Easy," Percy is by her side, hand hovering close to her back.
She groans, rubbing her head, "Strange dreams…felt like…dying…"
"Yeah, that tracks," Nico nods, "Happens to every demigod."
"Though I'm no doctor, I can safely diagnose you as very much alive, possibly healthy too," Percy adds.
She snorts, "Yeah, sure, Kelp Head."
Percy and Nico immediately whip towards one another, eyes wide, but also understanding the implications. The girl slaps a hand over a mouth, her eyes flashing with panic. Before she could spiral or sputter out anything, though, Percy smirks, "Welcome to the club, Pinecone Face."
Suffice to say, any trace of sleep is immediately banished from Chiron's mind as soon as the centaur sees Percy and Nico in the infirmary with a very much alive Thalia Grace, nursing a mug of water. Chiron proceeds to have what can only be best described as a complete mental breakdown, panicking about there being another candidate for the Great Prophecy, completely oblivious to the fact that Percy, Nico and Thalia could very much hear him. Not that it mattered, as far as the trio were concerned, but the centaur didn't know that.
Eventually, they leave Chiron to break the news to the rest of the camp at the dining pavilion during breakfast. Heading deep into an isolated part of the woods where no one is likely to see or hear them, Percy and Nico sit down on some moss-covered rocks with Thalia. Now comes the difficult part, revealing what has happened thus far while she was a tree.
"Where's Annabeth?"
Percy and Nico share an uncomfortable look. There is no point beating around the bush. Might as well rip the bandage off. They know how to protect themselves by this point anyways.
"Dead."
Thalia freezes, her mouth gaping open and shut like a fish out of water.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, Thalia." Percy mutters, eyes downcast, "It was because of Luke. He murdered Annabeth."
The air starts to crackle with residual electricity. Thalia's hair stand on end, making her look more fearsome than she already was, "H-How -? What?"
"The quest to retrieve the Master Bolt? He gave us the winged shoes," Percy explains, stonily but ready to jump into action if needed. Between him and Nico, he is better equipped to intervene if Thalia flew off the handle, "We saw the shoes fly into the Pit down in the underworld. Annabeth…she went to confront Luke about them, which didn't happen last time. I wasn't there when she went to confront him, but…Grover and I heard her scream, and when we came running over, we saw…Luke had sicced a pit scorpion on her. W-We were too late to do…anything."
Thalia is unable to make any further words, just choked, strangled noises of disbelief, horror, despair and ultimately, unbridled rage. Frankly, Percy didn't blame her. He expected this to happen. It was always at the back of his mind, from the moment he saw Annabeth on the ground, her body cold and destroyed by the venom. Even when he went on the quest and retrieved the Fleece, he knew this moment would come. He braced himself for when Thalia lost control over her powers, bringing lightning down from the heavens onto the earth, and quite possibly starting a forest fire that required immediate intervention before the flames spread towards the campgrounds.
Thalia howls with furious despair, almost as if she is about to turn into lightning itself and fry the entire world. The sky above flashes with light, and several lightning bolts strike the ground at random. Before Percy could try and diffuse the situation before Thalia rained the wrath of electric hellfire upon Long Island, she leaps to her feet, runs to a nearby tree, and pounds her fists repeatedly against the trunk. Her screams clash with broken sobs and furious curses on Luke for betraying them, along with promises to tear him apart from limb to limb until nothing was left. Percy and Nico hover nearby, not yet approaching but close enough to move in when it was safe to do so. Eventually, with her knuckles scraped and raw from repeated punches and blows against unyielding wood, despair fully takes over Thalia, and she crumples to the ground, sobbing so hard that she sounded like she was about to expel her own lungs out of her chest. Percy goes to her first, wrapping his arms around her, not saying anything, just squeezing her tightly. When she doesn't attack or lash out at him, Nico joins him, his own tears streaking down his pale cheeks. Thalia just sobs and wails, curling into herself, barely registering the two boys by her sides.
No one knows how much time passes. Eventually, Thalia cries herself into numbness. With the lake not too far away, and with it, the infirmary, Percy and Nico carefully help Thalia to her feet, and silently escort her there. Carefully setting her down on a fallen log, Percy and Nico once again set themselves at her sides, still silent, but no less ready to talk if she wanted to.
"Why…?" Thalia whispers, quietly and so utterly shattered, "Why would he…do this? After…everything…?"
"My guess…it was Gramp's influence," Percy replies just as quietly, "He…probably panicked when Annabeth confronted him. He already planned the pit scorpion, at least for me, if I came back from the quest alive. He likely sicced the scorpion on her, whether or not he truly intended to do it. And when Grover and I appeared, he just…ran. I…noticed a pattern." Thalia and Nico turn to him, "Those under Gramp's influence, Luke…Ares…they tend to act more rashly and impulsively. Like…when Luke confronted us in Miami after we rescued Grover and retrieved the Fleece from Polyphemus's island. It was slapdash at best, since not once did Luke try to disarm me. His second attempt was even more laughably ludicrous. When he came flying in on a pegasus, while we were out on the open ocean on the way back to camp. It was as if he completely forgot who my dad is. Being under Gramp's influence and control reduces the person's capacity to think logically. And Gramps not being the smartest out there doesn't help matters, I think."
Regardless of the reason, if there was any to begin with, there is no excusing what Luke did, and what the future now had in store for them. Thalia is silent, staring at her scraped up hands in her lap. Frankly, Percy finds it amazing that she hadn't run away from camp in a rage-fuelled bid to track down Luke and personally send him on a one-way express ride to Tartarus. As much as she is wracked by grief and betrayal, her restraint is unprecedented. Sure, she took out her initial rage against an innocent tree and likely traumatised several dryads and satyrs if they happened to be in the general area, but she hadn't set the camp on fire or struck anyone dead with her lightning strikes.
"When I get my hands on him…"
"We'll glad let you at him, provided he hasn't already gone and bathed in the Styx yet," Percy points out.
Thalia sighs shakily, "True. Then, when that stupid battle comes, make sure to hit his mortal point hard."
"For sure. If any of us gets to him, he's open season," Nico nods.
They sit in silence, simply being in each other's company, as the sun finally begins to rise, reflecting Apollo's light upon the still waters of the lake.
"So, what now?"
"If the timeline remains as it does, barring any sudden changes, Artemis will face her dilemma and being forced to hold up the sky in Mount Othrys. But…with Annabeth dead, and Nico and Bianca out of the casino much earlier than before, we don't know who will be used as bait to lure Artemis into holding up the sky," Percy says.
"I can't lose Bianca again," Nico quietly mutters, squeezing his fists, "Not this time."
"It might not be her," Thalia reasons, Percy nodding, "Since Bianca has spent time in camp already, I don't think the manticore will target her. Not unless she wanders off or something…"
"I asked my dad to see if the nymphs could keep an eye on her," Percy adds, "Amphy agreed, and so far, none of them reported any strange behaviour or movements."
"Maybe one of her hunters then," Nico suggests, "It would give Artemis an even greater reason take the burden from her."
"Still, best we keep an eye on Bianca, at least," Thalia says, "And the manticore too." She exhales shakily, flexing her fingers, "I…I need to do something…anything…just to…"
"Wanna spar?" Percy offers, "Just…pretend like I'm Luke?"
"I don't want to kill you."
"You won't. We know you too well, Pinecone Face. You love me too much to actually kill me."
Despite the situation, Thalia can't help but snort quietly, "Yeah, you tell yourself that. Maybe I'm secretly plotting to get rid of you once and for all?"
"Nah, if you really wanted to do that, you'd had to go through my dad first," Percy nudges her arm with an elbow.
"And my dad too," Nico adds, "He'd resurrect you just so to avoid dealing with Uncle Poseidon."
"Hah!" Percy jabs a finger at him, "You're three-quarters towards getting adopted by the Undersea Fam with that!"
"Oh gods, does that mean you're going to spoil me even more?!"
"You know it, sweet baby cuz!"
"No! You will never take me alive!"
"Just let me spoil you!"
"No! Get away from me, foul demon! The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!"
Thalia watches, silently, as Nico runs off in the direction of camp, shouting what she guesses is exorcism rites, first in English and then Italian, as Percy goes after him in hot pursuit. Again, despite herself, Thalia snorts at their antics. She gets to her feet, and heads back to camp at her own pace. Her heart is still heavy from Annabeth's untimely demise, and her fingers crackle with static electricity at the mere thought of Luke's betrayal. Maybe she'll have another cry later, or she'll break down again and actually unleash a storm of lightning bolts all over the camp.
She isn't sure, but at least, if the worst does happen, she trusts Percy and Nico to be there.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Let me know what you think of Thalia’s reaction. I genuinely can’t make it anymore dramatic than this. My brain juices have evaporated and I’m about to crash.
- Kai
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Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 56 (no change, I’m really sorry)
Chapter 24: A Sudden Rearranging of Events
Summary:
Orientation day for Nico's new school reveals an unexpected rearranging of important events.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Percy remembers Goode High School very well, not just because his second stepfather, Paul Blofis, was the English teacher there and would later marry his mum and have Estelle together, but it was also where he met Rachel, the girl who would later become the latest host of the Oracle in the previous timeline.
Admittedly, it was strange visiting Goode High School in early January, and more than a year before he himself was due to enrol there in the previous timeline. But Goode High School had intakes in both January and July, with the semesters officially starting in March and September respectively. Last time, Percy had enrolled in the July semester, and it was in the orientation for that intake in early June where he met Rachel and was attacked by the empousai masquerading as cheerleaders.
But for all intents and purposes, as he sits in the back of the car with Nico while his mum drove, everything seems similar, if taking place a year and a half earlier, and it was Nico who was enrolling, not him. Additionally, unlike last time, Thalia has tagged along with them for the orientation day. Even though Nico is more than capable of holding his own against monsters, Percy had insisted on coming along, and Thalia, well, she wanted to come just because.
Also, even though it isn't supposed to happen yet for another year and a half, if they end up being attacked by the empousai, Percy hopes that they can avoid setting the school on fire. Meriwether was more than enough, thank you.
"Just relax," his mum says from the front seat, a bit ironic given how she herself seems on edge, "It's just an orientation tour."
"I mean, can't help it if monsters attack, y'know?"
"Well, just try your best, at least. This is Paul's school, after all. So try not to…"
"Destroy it. Yeah, we know," Nico replies quietly.
"Geez, don't tell me that you've destroyed more schools now than last time?" Thalia wonders half-jokingly.
"You'd think so, but no. At least, not yet," Percy replies, "Hopefully not."
It may be concerning that the main worry on both boys' minds is property damage and potential casualties, but really, that is the life of a demigod. And that being said, when their lives were not being threatened by an unenviable combination of gods, titans and monsters, Percy and Nico had been able to snatch some moments of normalcy over Christmas. Sally had taken them to see the iconic Christmas tree and lights at Rockefeller Center and ice skating in Central Park. Furthermore, Nico has begun seeing Kainalu in Atlantis as well, while Percy had gone to visit Tyson down in his dad's forges. Talking about their past trauma between themselves is one thing, what with having their adult brains in their current young bodies, but having a third party, professional opinion to help process what they went through previously in a safe, confidential setting, makes a big difference in coming to terms with what happened, and the uncertainties about the future.
It was leagues better than just bottling up and suppressing the trauma until years after the fact. Along with the whole host of questionable decisions and bad choices that came with such moves.
"But you know, it'd be a whole new record if I get expelled before I even properly start my first day," Nico drawls.
"Let's seriously hope not," Percy replies, "Don't want to scare Paul off with our antics and bullshittery after all."
All Sally could do was let out a long-suffering sigh.
The car pulls up at the front gates. Looming over them, the brownstone buildings of Goode High greets them as Percy, Nico and Thalia alight from the car. Percy turns back to wish Sally good luck on the job interview she had later that day, before joining Nico and Thalia in the general flow of people heading towards the gymnasium for the opening speeches. However, barely two steps in through the doors, Percy smacks face-first into a redheaded girl who is just standing there, rooted to the spot. Hearing the impact, Nico and Thalia turn around, eyebrows raised in concern.
"Oh gosh, sorry!"
Percy immediately freezes, as do Nico and Thalia. Upon a better look, Percy had bumped right into Rachel.
"I didn't mean - I just -"
Peering ahead to the other end of the hallway, Percy catches a glimpse of flaming hair, chalk-white skin and bright red eyes, and he swears under his breath.
Rachel sees the look on Percy's face, and her stance relaxes the slightest bit, "Did you see them too?"
Before he could respond, Nico and Thalia come up to him.
"Percy, what's wrong?"
"The empousai," Percy whispers, using the general chatter of the other kids around them as cover, "They're already here." He takes another peek down the hallway. The one he saw had already gone on, presumably to the gymnasium.
"You know what they are?" Rachel asks.
"Yeah…yeah, we do," Percy nods, as both Nico and Thalia both register the redheaded girl's presence and also do double-takes. "This is bad, all hell will break loose if we go inside."
"Shall we lure them away?" Nico suggests.
"Unless we want to explain to mum why we suddenly torched the school before orientation even started, we should," Percy nods, before remembering that Rachel, at least now, doesn't know who they are, "Sorry, name's Percy Jackson."
"Nico di Angelo."
"Thalia Grace."
"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," the redheaded girl introduces herself, "You know how to deal with them?"
"Yep," Percy pops the 'p', "Far too often for our liking, but it's practically second-nature to us by now. Look, I know this is unexpected, but we need you to stick with us, Rachel. We'll explain everything afterwards, preferably when we prevent the school-wide disaster from unfolding."
A plan is quickly drawn up. Nico will shadow-travel to the gymnasium to get the empousai's attention and lure them away, preferably to a secluded spot. Based on what Percy remembers of the layout of Goode High, there is an outdoor basketball court not too far away from the gymnasium that isn't being used as part of orientation. Once everyone agrees to the plan, Nico slips away in a dark corner, while Percy, Thalia and Rachel head to the basketball court.
Nico reappears in the backstage area, goes to hide behind some wooden boxes, and waits. He doesn't have to wait for long. Within minutes, the nearby door leading to the stage opens, and the empousai enter, still dressed in their cheerleader outfits.
"There you are, Nico di Angelo," Tammi cackles, "Time for your orientation!"
Nico doesn't deign them a verbal response, simply giving them an obscene gesture, before slinking back into the shadows. Tammi and Kelli curse loudly, and immediately pursue him. Nico shadow-travels all around the backstage area, leading the empousai on a game of cat-and-mouse that only serves to infuriate them more. Finally, he bolts out of the backstage area, with the empousai in hot pursuit. He runs out of the gymnasium building, beelining towards the basketball court and drawing his sword as he goes. Percy, Thalia and Rachel are already there. Percy has Riptide out, and Thalia has produced her celestial bronze spear. Both stand protectively in front of Rachel, and so does Nico, when the empousai appear. Tammi and Kelli both freeze at their drawn weapons, all that was needed for both Percy and Thalia to charge at them. Thalia shoves her spear right through Kelli's nethers before ripping it up through her torso. Percy slashes Tammi across the abdomen, before chopping off her head for good measure. The empousai scream in terrified fury, before disintegrating into gold dust.
When a sudden breeze blows away the dust, only then does Percy dare exhale, "Everyone okay?"
Nico and Thalia nod, while Rachel stares, both awed and perturbed, "That was insane."
"Yeah, well, this is pretty much par for the course, at least for us." Percy shrugs nonchalantly, capping Riptide, "The curse of the demigod, specifically children of the Big Three."
"Demigod? Big Three?" Rachel parrots, very much confused.
Percy spends the next couple of minutes explaining their circumstances, as children of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Yes, the Greek gods are real, and they can have children with mortals, hence demigods. Monsters like empousai are attracted to the blood of demigods, especially children of the Big Three.
"But why could I see them?" Rachel asks, "Both of my parents aren't gods."
"Ah, well, sometimes mortals are able to see through the Mist, which keeps the Greek pantheon and the associated monsters hidden from them," Thalia explains, "We don't quite know how it works, or why it happens, but some mortals can see monsters. We call them "clear-sighted", since the Mist has no effect on them."
"My mum is one such clear-sighted mortal," Percy adds, "Though she did end up having me with my dad."
"Maybe you have some legacy lineage your family doesn't know of?" Nico suggests, "Remember the Romans and their proclivity towards living longer and having legacies?"
Percy opens his mouth, considers Nico's point, and concedes, "I guess that's plausible."
Rachel takes a moment to process all of this, "This is…so strange. I always thought that…maybe there is something wrong with me, that I kept seeing things that others couldn't."
"Yeah, that tracks," Nico nods, "I would say that you'd get used to it, but…I think your circumstances are different?"
"I…yeah, I would say so," Rachel agrees, "Still, flaming haired monsters that drink blood aside, that was…really cool, the way you two just tore them apart," She turns to Percy and Thalia, "Could you…um…teach me how to fight like…with weapons? I mean, I have some self-defense training, but I definitely wouldn't know how to use anything like what you're holding without hurting myself -"
"Nah, you won't hurt yourself," Percy waves off, "Celestial bronze can't hurt mortals, unless you sink to the level of the monsters that attack us. So as long as you aren't a bully or an abusive piece of shit, you're good."
"And, you have the best swordsman in centuries right here," Thalia nudges Percy.
"Hey now, Thals."
"Don't listen to him," Nico whispers to Rachel, "He has kicked gods' asses before, and will do so again in a heartbeat."
"Yeah, well, they pissed me off, and I gave them what they deserved," Percy pouts.
"That's so cool," Rachel mutters, totally amazed, to which Percy's pout turns into a grimace, "Hey, so, I need to get back inside before my clubmates wonder where I ran off to. I'm supposed to showcase the art club with them as part of orientation. Can we like…um…meet up afterwards? I really wanna talk more about learning how to defend myself in case I come across any other monsters like those empousai."
"Um…sure?" Percy replies, "I guess, we'll meet at the gates?"
"Sure! See you guys there!"
Rachel runs back off to the gymnasium, waving to them as she goes. When she is out of sight, Nico turns to Percy, "Should we tell her about the whole…Oracle thing?"
"We should, but not now," Percy replies, eyebrows furrowed, "We've got more important things to worry about now, specifically…"
"The Labyrinth," Thalia realises, "But wait, doesn't all of the stuff with the Labyrinth only take place after we rescue Artemis from her burden of holding up the sky and such?"
"Previously, yes," Percy nods, "Which is why I'm concerned. We now have one major event taking place earlier than it should be. What if this happens concurrently with Artemis being forced to hold up the sky?"
"If that happens…" Nico shudders, "I can't begin to imagine the ripple effects."
"We'll need to split up," Thalia says, "Some of us will need to stop the monster army from getting into camp via the Labyrinth, and some of us need to save Artemis and get Atlas back under his burden. I hope it doesn't come to that, but after everything that has happened…all of the changes…we can't rule it out anymore."
Both Percy and Nico grimace. Even if Thalia didn't outright mention it, they knew she was referencing Annabeth's death. It is very much clear that, at this point, even if major events still take place as they did before, who is to say that they will still take place in the same chronological order as before?
"Let's…just go back inside," Percy says after a long, silent moment.
Both Nico and Thalia make no objections, and they somberly head back into the gymnasium. While Goode High School is now in no apparent danger of being set ablaze, a different kind of uncertainty looms heavy over them now. Until further developments or events dictate otherwise, all they can do is be mentally-prepared for any and all kinds of scenarios, even ones that shouldn't be possible before.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Before y'all have me lynched for shifting important plot points around, there is a very good reason for my choice. I just ask that you trust the process, and when all is said and done, decide then if I should be lynched.
- Kai
----------------------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 1
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 57
Chapter 25: A War Council
Summary:
Percy, Nico and Thalia discover that the events of the Labyrinth are happening, and take necessary precautions.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
With the orientation tour concluding with no further hiccups or unexpected monster attacks, Percy, Nico and Thalia return to the front gates. As promised, Rachel is waiting for them there, and they get straight to business. Percy tells Rachel about Camp Half-Blood and what demigods such as themselves get up to while there.
Eventually, Rachel has to leave first, but she gives Percy her phone number so that she can be contacted at a later time. Not long after, Sally pulls up, and she seems genuinely surprised that Goode High School is still standing with no signs of damage or evidence of monster attacks that required the authorities to come screeching in with sirens wailing.
They return to the Jackson apartment, and spend another week there before Sally brings them back to camp. Dropping them off at the border, the trio climb up Half-Blood Hill, passing the pine tree, with the Fleece still draped over its branches, and its new, permanent guard, Peleus. Still a baby dragon, Peleus looks up at their approach, makes a high-pitched noise that Percy assumes is a greeting, before returning to his nap.
"You guys go ahead," Percy tells Nico and Thalia as they descend the hill, "I'm going to check on the infirmary."
"To see if Chris has been rescued?" Thalia asks.
"Yep."
They, like the other campers, shouldn't be aware that Clarisse had gone into the Labyrinth on a scouting mission by Chiron, not until much later when Clarisse herself revealed where she had been, and had apparently found Chris, driven into insanity by Minos, and brought him back to camp in a bid to nurse him back to health.
But with the benefit of hindsight, Percy makes the detour into the Big House. Going to the infirmary door, he peeks in through the window. Despite not being able to see the entirety of the inside, Percy easily spots Clarisse sitting by one of the beds, appearing to talking to the person lying on it. Of course, based on what Percy knows, Chris wouldn't respond, too lost inside his own scrambled head to make any coherent or conscious response.
Percy doesn't linger for too long. He shouldn't know what happened to Chris, or the quest that Clarisse had gone. He quickly leaves, and meets up with Nico and Thalia inside the Poseidon cabin.
"So? How is it?" Nico asks.
"Chris is in the infirmary," Percy replies, climbing up to join Nico and Thalia in his bunk, "Looks like the events of the Labyrinth have been moved forward. What about Bianca?"
"She's still in camp," Nico replies, glancing off in the direction of the newly-completed, expanded Hermes cabin. Construction had finished with the new year, and it had been fitted out with all of the necessary furniture and necessities a couple of days ago. Much to Percy's chagrin, the activities room in the cabin had been converted into a literal shrine dedicated to him, and the Stolls were still leading their congregation in ritualistic prayers and presenting offerings of blue cookies, and now, other blue-coloured foods, to Percy. "I met up with her earlier and chatted for a bit."
"No sudden changes in behaviour?" Percy clarifies, "No unusual movements?" Nico shakes his head at both questions.
"Alright, so unless something changes, looks like our main priority will be preventing the monster army from using the Labyrinth as the staging ground of their attack on the camp," Thalia surmises, "As far as Chiron is concerned, we're still blissfully unaware of the Labyrinth's existence. We'll have to make it look like an "accident" that we found an entrance to it within the campgrounds."
"That's easy," Percy says, "It should still be in the same location like last time. We just make sure no one's around, we see it, and then announce our "accidental discovery" to Chiron. What he doesn't know won't hurt him."
They end up going later that evening, just before dinner. Percy and Nico slip away, while Thalia stays in the main campgrounds to act as a distraction. They go to Zeus's Fist, a rocky outcrop within the forest surrounding the camp, and there, right where they expected it to be, is the entrance to the Labyrinth. Percy and Nico share a nod, return to the campgrounds, put on their best disturbed expressions and hurry to the dining pavilion, where Chiron and the campers have already gathered.
"Chiron!"
The centaur jumps at his name being called. Upon seeing the disturbed looks on both Percy and Nico, he immediately becomes concerned, "Percy, my boy, what happened?"
"W-We found this weird entrance to a tunnel at Zeus's Fist," Percy explains, adding a little tremor in his voice for extra authenticity, "T-The tunnel seemed to just go on and on, and it felt…weird, and very wrong."
The entire dining pavilion had gone silent. Chiron has a look of horror on his face, as Nico picks up where Percy let off, "It just didn't feel right. There was something very evil about it. I…I only know of one particular place that fits what we saw. T-The Labyrinth."
Chiron promptly announced a war council meeting for the next morning. Come sunrise, Percy, Nico and Thalia find themselves gathering in the arena, an admittedly unusual place for such an important meeting, together with the other head counsellors - Lee Fletcher, Malcolm, the Stolls, Silena, Beckendorf, and Clarisse, along with Grover, Juniper, and Argus.
Quintus has joined them, Percy notes, since Dionysus is off on a mission to dissuade the minor deities from siding with Kronos. Percy can't help but think about how the quest into the Labyrinth before had, ultimately, been almost akin to a fool's errand. If he could, he would just cleave off Quintus' head right now, and the Labyrinth would collapse, preventing the monster army from being able to launch their attack on the camp. But there were other extenuating factors that complicated things, like Pan, Briares and Kampê, Geryon, the Telkhines, as well as Antaeus and his horde of monsters, among others.
" - Luke must've known about the entrance," Travis is saying, "He knows practically every corner of the camp."
"He has used it before," Juniper confirms, "That was what I was trying to tell you yesterday. It's been there for a long time already."
"And you didn't mention this before?" Silena questions.
Percy and Nico share a look, an entire unspoken conversation exchanged between them. Percy nods, they will need to check to see if Silena has started spying for Luke and Kronos. Preferably after dealing with this.
"I didn't know it was the Labyrinth," Juniper defends herself, "I thought it was just a regular cave. I don't like yucky old caves."
"She has good taste," Grover nods.
Percy huffs quietly to himself.
"Interesting," Quintus remarks, polishing his sword, "And you believe this young man, Luke, would dare use the Labyrinth as an invasion route?"
"Definitely," Clarisse, Percy, Nico and Thalia all say at once, which is a little uncanny, but no less true. Clarisse continues, "If he could get an army of monsters into the camp, completely bypassing the borders, that's the end of us. We wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight. It's clear that he's been planning this for months, at least. And, he's been sending scouts into the maze. I know this for a fact, because…I found Chris inside."
Percy stays quiet as Clarisse explains Chris's current predicament, driven insane by his time in the Labyrinth, and how, until now, there has been no improvement in his situation, despite everything that Clarisse and Will could do for him.
"The point is, Luke is trying to navigate around the Labyrinth, to find Daedalus' workshop."
"The greatest architect and inventor of all times," Malcolm comments.
"I'm pretty sure Archimedes has a bone to pick with that assertion," Percy smirks, to which Malcolm raises an eyebrow, but doesn't provide any rebuttal.
"Anyways," Clarisse brings the attention back to her, "If the legends are correct, Daedalus' workshop is right in the centre of the Labyrinth. He is the only one who knows how to navigate the maze perfectly. If Luke managed to find the workshop and convince Daedalus to help him, he'd be able to reach camp with no trouble, wiping us all out, and then…followed by Olympus."
The gathered members glance at one another, silent in the face of such horrific outcomes. Only the sound of Mrs O'Leary trotting over with her rubber squeaky ball in her mouth could be heard, as she leaps up onto Percy's lap, making herself comfortable.
"Wait, back up a bit, isn't Daedalus dead? Like for millennia or something?" Beckendorf says.
Percy's gaze immediately turns to Quintus, while Nico replies, "I'm pretty sure Hades would love nothing more than to get his hands on him. Daedalus has been eluding him for the longest time."
"How so?" Lee asks.
"There are some stories that Daedalus is making use of…other forms to keep himself tied to the mortal plane, even when his physical flesh-and-blood body has long since decayed," Nico drawls, now also eyeing Quintus, though this goes unnoticed by everyone except for the swordfighting instructor himself, who flinches and pointedly averts his eyes.
"It would make sense," Percy adds, "Daedalus was arguably the greatest inventor of all time. I'm sure he must've come up with some way to stay anchored, perhaps a new body or something…"
Apparently oblivious to the damning gazes aimed at Quintus by Percy and Nico, Chiron continues, "We should still mount a quest to go into the Labyrinth. It is imperative that we find Daedalus before Luke does. Hopefully, we can convince him to not side with Luke and his army. If Ariadne's string still exists, we can also try to convince Daedalus not to give it to Luke."
'Optimal outcome, but unfortunately, not feasible,' Percy thinks to himself, "I don't think the string exists anymore. Or if it is, who is to say that Daedalus hasn't already placed it somewhere else, or given it to Luke already?"
"He wouldn't do that, right?" Malcolm asks.
"It wouldn't surprise me if he did," Nico replies, not unkindly. If anything, Malcolm didn't inherit his sister's hubris, "Daedalus betrayed Minos, killed his own son, gave the Labyrinth a murderous consciousness despite being warned against it by both Apollo and his own mother, thereby killing untold numbers, even innocent mortals who just happened to stumble into it by accident and never escaped. And not to mention Perdix, his own nephew, whom he killed because Daedalus was jealous of him. That was how Daedalus was branded with a partridge by Athena, to forever be known as a murderer."
Quintus flinches again, which also goes unnoticed by the others, except for Percy and Nico.
"Either way," Chiron brings the focus back to him, "We should have a quest. Venture into the Labyrinth to locate Daedalus before Luke does. Furthermore, there have been developments that further incentivise us to organise a quest into the Labyrinth. Before I convened this meeting, young Grover here was given a week by the Council of Cloven Elders to locate the god of the wild, Pan, in which failure to do so by that deadline will have him stripped of his searcher's license."
Percy instantly scowls at the mention of those fat, lazy bastards known as Silenus and his ilk. He'd be more than happy to lay waste to the entire council, chop off their heads and display them as spoils of war. Judging from the equally dark looks from both Nico and Thalia, they are of the same wavelength.
"I think, in that case, there should be two parties for this quest," Percy speaks up. With all eyes on him, he explains, "One party should look for Daedalus, and the other to assist Grover in searching for Pan. That way, we'd be quicker and more efficient."
Chiron looks at Percy for a long moment, before saying, "What do you propose?"
"For the quest to search for Daedalus' workshop, I think Clarisse should go with myself, Nico, Silena, and Rachel," at the looks of confusion regarding the last name, Percy clarifies, "Rachel's a clear-sighted mortal whom Nico, Thalia and I ran into at Goode High School last week. Nico is supposed to start school there, but looks like that is off the table." Percy glances to Nico, who simply shrugs nonchalantly, "Then for the mission to look for Pan, Grover should take Lee, Thalia, and Beckendorf with him. Malcolm should stay behind and organise a camp-wide defense in the event that monsters start pouring out from the Labyrinth, since, no offense, you aren't really known for combat or fighting," Malcolm waves him off. He might be trained in hand-to-hand combat as with any other camper, but his true strengths lie with strategising and planning for all possible scenarios.
Clarisse, on the other hand, looks pensive, and Percy understands completely. However brief her time in the Labyrinth was, nobody should be going down there, period. Chris's current state is the clearest evidence for anybody who doesn't have a death wish to stay the fuck away from the Labyrinth. Unfortunately, their situation is anything but ideal, and they have no other choice, if they want to prevent Luke from destroying their camp a second time.
"Are you sure it is wise to bring a mortal with you? It could be very dangerous," Chiron says.
"Look, unless we want to immediately get lost at the first turn, then it's the best course of action. Plus, didn't Theseus have the assistance of a mortal princess? A clear-sighted one, to boot?" Percy challenges, "Also, don't bother with the argument about the sacredness of the number three, we're doing this to prevent the destruction of the camp. So what if the rule is broken? I'd rather have that than needless death and destruction."
After a moment of silence where Percy dares Chiron to argue with him, the centaur looks around, "Does anyone object to what Percy has proposed?" When there are no objections, he sighs, and nods, "We will set off for the Labyrinth as soon as Percy is able to get Rachel to the camp." Chiron turns to Percy, "I presume you have the means of contacting her?"
"Already ahead of you, Chiron."
"Very well. This emergency war council meeting is adjourned. Everyone, prepare well, for we do not have much time. We head out first thing in the morning. You are all dismissed."
As he was leaving the arena, Percy is pulled aside by Juniper, who warned him that she didn't trust Quintus, having seen the man lingering around the entrance to the Labyrinth. She implored him to not trust Quintus either, though she didn't need to anyways. Percy simply nodded, his mind long already set.
Percy goes to the Big House to make a few calls, one with Rachel to confirm that she can come down to camp tomorrow morning, despite how last minute it is. Once she gives him the green light, Percy passes his mum's phone number to her, and then gives his mum a call to inform her about the quest, and that he will need her help to bring Rachel to camp. Sally readily agrees, though she implores him to be careful. By now, Percy has learnt to not make promises that he can't guarantee to keep, so he tells her that he will do what he can to get back.
He goes back to the Poseidon cabin right after. Nico is lying on his punk, lazing away, and to his surprise, Tyson is there.
"Hey, big guy. What brings you here?"
"Little brother Nico prayed to Daddy, and asked for me to come!" Tyson replies, blissfully oblivious to the half-hearted glare aimed at him from the upper bunk, "I am supposed to help with the quest, and Daddy promised to send the weapons that I made in the forges."
Knowing that the baby cyclops was referring to when the monster army would attack the camp, Percy nods. They're going to need all the help and assistance they can get.
"Tyson, Nico and I won't be going with Thalia, since the quest will be split up between two parties. I want you to join Thalia's group, because they will be going with Grover to look for Pan. Keep them safe, alright?"
Tyson nods solemnly, "I promise, big brother!"
"Good man, now, can you tell me what dad will be sending to us later?"
Come the next morning, Percy meets Sally and Rachel at the foot of Half-Blood hill. Sally pulls Percy into another hug, and tells him to be careful.
After Sally drives off, Percy turns to Rachel, "So, ready for the shitshow?"
"Is it going to be dangerous?"
"Normally so, but I think with you on our side, we'll be just fine."
Percy leads Rachel up the hill, approaching the pine tree that marks the border.
"Can you see it?"
"The border? Yeah, it looks like a shimmering mist," Rachel replies, though when she puts her hand on it, she simply phases through. Stepping through entirely, Rachel does a double take, "I-Is that -?"
"Yep, that's Peleus," Percy nods, "He's a cutie, so long as you don't mean harm to the tree or the camp in general."
"Right…" Rachel says after a moment, "So this is the Pine, and…is that the fabled Golden Fleece?"
"The one and only," Percy confirms.
"Wow…do you have any other mythical artefacts lying around the camp?"
"Maybe? A lot of previous campers did leave their spoils of war in the attic of the Big House," Percy replies, already heading down the slope, "After this is over, if we have some time, maybe we can have a look."
Percy brings Rachel to the main campgrounds, pointing out the different buildings and facilities to the ever-curious redheaded mortal. Taking her to Zeus's Fist - which he dubbed the "Lightning Fuckboy's Fecal Pile", with the accompanying rumble of lightning to boot, they meet up with the other questors, who have already gathered with Chiron.
"Hey, everyone, this is Rachel," Percy introduces.
They exchange greetings. Percy observes that things appear cordial between them, so while Rachel gets acquainted with the questors, he goes to Chiron, who is standing a bit of a way behind the party to be led by Grover.
"Just so you know, Juniper told me not to trust Quintus."
"Why so?"
Percy relays what Juniper told him about Quintus using the Labyrinth entrance. Chiron sighs, "It doesn't surprise me."
"So you know."
"I do," Chiron admits, "When Quintus showed up at camp, offering his services, just after Dionysus left on his mission, I was immediately suspicious."
"So you know that this whole quest could just turn out to be a fool's errand?" Percy whispers, so as to not be overheard by the other questors nearby.
"The possibility has crossed my mind, admittedly," Chiron replies, "While he could very well just be another half-blood in need of a place to stay, I decided that, regardless of his true identity, it is better to have someone like him nearby so that I can always keep an eye on him. And, as it stands, Quintus has done nothing to make me question where his loyalty stands."
'Well, here's to hoping that things involving him won't change from last time,' Percy sighs.
A few minutes later, the time to depart has come.
"Are we ready?" Percy addresses his party, with Clarisse by his side.
"Goodbye, sunlight," Grover whimpers quietly.
"Hello, endless rocks," Tyson nods in solidarity.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Into the belly of the beast they go.
- Kai
--------------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 57 (no change)
Chapter 26: A Herd of Holy Cows
Summary:
Percy and gang traverse into the Labyrinth, and come to a ranch where some shady stuff is going down.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Hey, Rachel?"
"Hm? What's up, Silena?"
"You're from Goode High School, Percy said so before. Are you still a student there?"
"Yep."
"Won't you like…um…get in trouble for skipping school?"
"In theory, but to be honest, I'm all for it," Rachel shrugs off, "Anything to disappoint my dad even more."
Silena looks at Rachel weirdly, until she explains, "My dad is all for destroying untouched nature and turning the land into parking lots and outlet malls."
"Ah."
The party had split up with Grover's party some time back, whether that was minutes or hours ago is immaterial by this point. Just like with the Lotus Casino, the Labyrinth distorts the passage of time, so what feels like only minutes of trekking could actually have been hours up on the surface.
The constantly shifting and changing of the Labyrinth doesn't help matters. Percy is certain that they had just passed through a tunnel that was constructed entirely of huge marble blocks, possibly from some ancient Greek tomb that was illuminated by lit torches in bronze holders, a few minutes (Labyrinth-time) ago, and now, they are trekking through what looks like a mine shaft, supported by cedar beams with cast-iron lanterns overhead. Thankfully, as Rachel pointed out earlier, she can see a line of light on the ground, or floor, leading them ahead.
As much as the Labyrinth is a death sentence for anyone foolish, or unfortunate, to end up in there, someone who is powerful or determined enough can make it work for them instead. And just like with the clear-sighted mortal princess who aided Theseus, Rachel is invaluable in guiding them to where they need to be, safely moving them away from tunnels that led to certain death, and pointing out traps for them to disarm.
It is one such trap - a sudden sinkhole about three metres deep that was filled with water, that Rachel was given her first taste of Percy's lineage.
"That's really cool," she remarked, "What else can you do? Aside from slaying monsters and kicking gods' asses?"
"Well," Percy counts off his fingers, "you just saw me control water to get us over that sinkhole. Then there's being able to control any seafaring vessel, speak with horses and pegasi, as well as any marine and aquatic life."
"You totally forgot to mention that you can create hurricanes, or typhoons," Nico smirks cheekily, "Yes, Kym told me about that typhoon you unleashed upon those poor mortals in Asia."
"That was an accident!" Percy retorts hotly.
"He can heal himself just by taking a bath," Nico continues on relentlessly, "is pretty fire resistant, can cause earthquakes if he is really mad, and is notorious for outsmarting his opponents via strategy or just riling them up."
"You're exaggerating," Percy pouts.
"Oh for fuck's sakes, Prissy," Clarisse whacks his shoulder, which he doesn't even acknowledge, "Fuck your humility. The pipsqueak isn't exaggerating."
Nico scowls at that, but Clarisse simply raises an eyebrow in challenge. Percy breaks away to go to Rachel, "I don't like talking about my powers. Yes, I can do all of those things, but I don't talk about them. My powers are just an extension of who I am."
"Hm, also because you don't want to get a big head, don'tcha?" Rachel guesses.
"You could say that, yeah," Percy agrees, his thoughts straying momentarily to Annabeth and her fatal flaw, "Must stay humble."
They stop for a quick breather in a cavern that looks all the world like a regular cave, with large stalactites hang from the ceiling. While Rachel chats with Clarisse and Silena, Percy goes to check on Nico, who is now pensively quiet, despite being gladly in favour of ribbing Percy just minutes ago.
"Hey, Neeks, you okay?"
"Yeah, it's just…the mine shaft we came from," Nico replies quietly so as to not be overheard by the girls, "I think…no, I'm sure that was where I summoned Minos last time."
Percy nods understandingly, sitting down next to Nico, "He really took advantage of how vulnerable and desperate you were."
"I'd argue I was stupid too," Nico mumbles.
"You were grieving, and still a kid back then," Percy reminds him firmly, though not unkindly, "As far as you were concerned, you had lost what family you had."
"Strangely, it still feels like that from time to time," Nico admits. Percy stays quiet, letting him speak, "Even though Bianca is alive and well, the fact that she is there, sometimes makes the memories of last time all the more vivid. Sometimes…I expect to wake up and find myself back in the old timeline, all of this being just some elaborate dream. And…you could say that my decisions now reflect some subconscious desire to distance myself from…"
"I suppose," Percy nods nonjudgmentally, "but don't forget, you're allowing Bianca to have her own life too. The fact that the two of you are living apart doesn't change the fact that you two love each other deeply. Actually…" Percy suddenly remembers, "when we were at the Holiday Inn after I got you two out of the casino, Bianca confided with me about whether she would be a bad sister if she wanted to live her own life aside from taking care of you. I told her that she isn't a bad person, or sister, for wanting to live her own life. She has every right to do so. And she gets to do it now, make friends with people her age, and do things she never got to do before. I think…so long as you don't lose yourself to the darkness, so to speak, and cut her off entirely, I think things will always be okay between the two of you."
Nico blinks, mouth opening and closing, as if he isn't sure how to respond. Eventually, he manages a quiet, "You think so?"
"Trust me, I'm no Oracle, but I definitely think so."
After their short break, the party continues on, guided by Rachel. Not too long after, light shines in from a grid on the tunnel ceiling. Rachel pauses at that, looking up, prompting the others to look up too.
"Ah, this is -"
Before Percy could continue, a shadow falls over the grate, and a cow peers in from above.
A very much bright red cow.
"Quite literally, holy cow."
Clarisse and Silena turn to Percy, the latter asking, "What?"
"Apollo's sacred cattle," Percy replies, still staring at the grate, "I wonder what they're doing here?"
Only Nico notices the sarcasm dripping from Percy's words, with the benefit of hindsight, of course. He can already see it, Apollo is not going to be happy when he finds out.
"Prissy, what - ?"
"Might as well find out what the actual hell is the sun god's beloved cattle doing here, of all places." Percy is already pushing the grate off, and hauls himself up. The landscape is immediately familiar - rolling hills in all directions, dotted with oak trees, cacti and boulders. The others climb out through the grate, looking around in confusion.
"Where are we?" Silena asks.
"Somewhere in Texas," Percy replies, which draws looks from Silena and Rachel, "All thanks to the mind-boggling workings of the Labyrinth."
Nico eyes the barbed-wire fence running in both directions, and the herd of red cattle grazing idly on the pastures. He goes to Percy, whispering, "Do we play along? Or attack on sight?"
Percy considers this for a moment, his thoughts on Eurytion. If he could help it, he'd rather be on the guy's good side.
"Let's play along first," Percy replies, just as rustling comes from the underbrush.
Clarisse and Silena immediately draw their weapons, standing in front of Rachel in a defensive position. A two-headed dog bursts out from the growth, looking similar to a greyhound, long, sleek, with brown fur and both heads barking warningly. Percy's hand hovers over Riptide, though he doesn't draw his sword straight away.
"Heel, Orthus!"
Thankfully, the timely arrival of the son of Ares relieves Percy from actually having to dispatch the guard dog. The sight of Eurytion, looking all the world like Kronos who went redneck and absolutely jacked doesn't make Clarisse or Silena any less wary, but Percy flashes them a warning look to not make any sudden moves.
"What've we got here? Cattle rustlers?"
"No, just travellers," Percy replies firmly, meeting Eurytion's eyes head-on, "Half-bloods, for the record."
"Half-bloods, eh?" he rests his club on his shoulder, "Name's Eurytion, cowherd for this here ranch, son of Ares -"
Being the little shit he definitely is, Percy glances back, "Hey, Clarisse! Your half-brother!"
Clarisse actually does a double-take, as does Eurytion. The cowherd narrows his eyes, "Is this true?"
"Yes…Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares."
Eurytion looks Clarisse up and down, "I can see that. You got the vibes from the old man." He turns to the party in general, "I will say this only once, demigods. Get back inside the maze now, before it's too late."
"Actually, we're here to settle something with the bastard who runs this place," Percy says, which makes Eurytion pause, "Can't help but notice that the cattle here," he gestures idly to a nearby cow, "happen to belong to a certain sunshine cousin of mine. I don't think he is aware that his sacred cattle are being used for slaughter, with the meat being sent to certain…unsavoury characters. And I don't think he's going to be too happy once he finds out." Percy levels a deceptively-calm look at the cowherd, "Listen, you sound like a decent, hard-working guy. I can tell you're just as happy about your predicament as anyone in your situation would be." Percy is probably getting strange looks from the girls, but he soldiers on, "Bring us to the bastard who runs this place, and we'll deal with him. Hopefully, when my sunshine cousin finds out what he did, he'd let you off the hook since you weren't directly involved and had no choice on the matter."
Eurytion stares at Percy for a long moment, before whispering, "Who are you…exactly? One of his messengers?"
"Gramps could try his damndest, but he will never get through to me," Percy replies evenly, knowing that his words would make Silena decidedly uncomfortable, "Honestly, it's kinda pathetic. I've kicked his henchman's ass multiple times already, practically yeeted him into the ocean twice. I've made it my sworn mission to bring him down, and everyone associated with him, which includes the bastard running this place."
"Also," Nico adds with uncertain shit-eating gleefulness, "aren't you tired of working for him? Don't you want to turn the tables while he languishes down in the Pit, and when he reforms, make him work for you?"
Eurytion now looks thoughtful, rubbing his chin, "Now that's something I can get behind."
"After all, despite the less than ideal situation," Percy continues, "You're clearly good at your job. The animals around here need someone to care for them. And who knows? Once we do away with the bastard, the animals might be on your side going forward."
Eurytion ponders the offer for a moment longer, "Alright, you've made your point. I'm tired of his bullshit, fighting his fights for him, dying for him and getting an ass crack back for all of it." He nods to the party, "I'll bring you to him. And I won't stop you."
"But you won't help us," Nico confirms, just to be sure.
"Nope," Eurytion shakes his head, "Though its more the fact that, somehow, you lot seem more than capable on your own."
Without a further word, the cowherd leads the party towards the farmhouse, Orthus running ahead, sometimes weaving through the other animals around the pastures, disappearing into the underbrush, but always returning with Eurytion whistled or called for him.
Meanwhile, Clarisse runs up to Percy's side, "Alright, spill, what the fuck was that all about?"
"Heard a couple of things about this place," Percy replies cryptically, "the sight of the red cattle all but proved it. The guy who runs the ranch, Geryon, is slaughtering animals, including Apollo's sacred cattle, and other endangered species to sell. The cattle, especially? Geryon is sending the meat to a certain primordial titan down below, to aid in his rise."
Clarisse sucks in a breath, while Silena quietly looks anywhere but Percy, which doesn't go unnoticed by Nico. Rachel, on the other hand, looks positively livid, especially with the part of endangered species.
"So, since we're here, we might as well throw a spanner in one of Gramps' plans," Percy continues, "Also, the thing about Geryon, he has three hearts. Unless we destroy all of them, we won't be able to kill him. So, listen closely, this is what we're going to do…"
They arrive at the farmhouse. Eurytion nods, but makes no move to go inside. Percy nods back, and leads the party into the house. Inside, he immediately spots Geryon, sitting on a bench near a window, dressed in his traffic-coloured western shirts. Sensing their arrival, Geryon looks up, his pencil moustache twitching.
"Oh? Visitors?" He rises to his feet, a smile that was far from friendly gracing his hideous mug, "Welcome to the Triple G Ranch."
As per the plan, Silena steps forward, looking all the world like a demure, beautiful woman, "We're so sorry for intruding, we got lost and we need a place to spend the night." As Silena activates her charmspeak, Percy, Nico and Clarisse ready their weapons. With Geryon falling completely under Silena's spell, he doesn't notice Silena also producing her sword, and upon luring him close enough, she suddenly plunges the blade right through his middle heart. Geryon snaps out of the alluring spell, which gives Clarisse and Nico the opening to rush up and plunge their weapons into Geryon's other two hearts. He gasps in horror, making a series of choking sounds as his skin turns a sickly green. Percy finishes the job by slicing off Geryon's head, and within seconds, the corpse disintegrates into a pile of sand, with the clothes Geryon had been wearing falling harmlessly onto the sand.
"Nice work, you guys," Percy caps Riptide.
Slow clapping comes from the doorway. For a moment, Percy wonders if Ares himself had shown up, remembering the god of war's appearance while he and Clarisse were sparring. It is only Eurytion, looking vaguely impressed.
"I was right. Still, can't believe you actually went through with it."
"I am a man of my words," Percy nods. He gestures to the pile of sand at their feet, "One dead Geryon, as promised. Consider yourself the new owner of the ranch."
Eurytion laughs, again, the resemblance to the god of war quite noticeable, "I will honour our bargain. No more supplies to the Titans."
"And if my sunshine cousin decides to raise a stink, I'll make sure to put in a good word on your behalf," Percy adds, "Also, before we go, do you need help with anything else? Anything you've been putting off for the longest time because of Geryon?"
Eurytion ponders this, "There are the stables, but they are a literal stinkpile because the bastard is too cheap to pay for their cleaning. I'd be grateful if you could help, but after what y'all have done for me, it doesn't seem right -"
"Nah, it's cool," Percy waves off, "After all, I am a spawn of Poseidon. All I need is a little water, and we're good. Just point me to the stables."
The stables, like last time, are situated right next to a river, about 600 metres from the farmhouse. Percy can smell the literal shitloads of dung even before he neared the stables, and he remembers not being able to use the river water because the local naiad didn't let him.
"Seriously, Prissy?" Clarisse asks behind her hand, "You're going to clean that?"
"That is disgusting," Silena shudders, "How much dung is in there?"
"About four billion shovelfuls in total," Percy replies nonchalantly, bending down to run a hand through the soil just outside the stable doors, checking to see if there are bits of fossilised shell mixed in with the earth.
"That is…weirdly specific," Rachel says, her voice garbled since she is holding her nose.
Finding what he needs, Percy flicks the soil from his hand, gets to his feet and turns to his companions, "You might want to stand way back. You don't want to have salt water with bits of dung in it getting on you."
Clarisse, Silena and Rachel give him odd looks, but with some nudging from Nico, they retreat about fifty metres. Percy goes to the doors, and slides them open. He almost pukes from the unholy stench that hits him like a tsunami. The horses aren't in any better condition, their fur and manes absolutely caked and smeared with shit from having to constantly wade through the metre-deep piles of their own excrement.
"Hey! I'm going to clean the stables!" Percy calls out to the horses.
Half-blood! The nearby stallions brayed, Tasty! Come inside! Eat you!
"Be nice!" Percy scolds, "I am a son of Poseidon, father of horses!"
Eat you both! Seafood!
Seeing as the horses, once again, need a good lesson in humility, Percy calls upon the ocean in his gut and soul. He draws it to act upon his will, picturing how the deep-cleaning and long-overdue bath he gave to the horses went down last time. Such a move, especially given how far the ranch is from the actual ocean, will no doubt take a lot out of him. Hopefully, with better control and strength from training with Triton, pulling off his next move won't outright exhaust him, considering that they need to continue on in the Labyrinth.
Small bursts of water shoot up along the fence that separated the stables from the river. Under Percy's command, the water starts rising higher and stronger. Soon, veritable geysers are blasting out of the ground, swirling around Percy as he wills the water into one massive, high-pressured pillar. Then, without giving the horses any warning, Percy blasts the water straight into the stables.
Stop! Stop! Bath is bad! Bath is bad! The horses inside whinnied and brayed loudly.
Percy continues on, making sure the water got into every single nook and cranny within the stables. The dung on the floor is quickly carried away by the water, broken down and washed away down a drain that hadn't seen use since the mountains of shit started piling up. No matter where the horses run or gallop, they are forcibly hosed down of every bit of shit and mud that clung to their manes and bodies.
It takes a few more minutes before the horses finally capitulate, Stop! Stop! We give! We give, lord! Please! No more baths! No more baths!
Imagining himself like a faucet being turned off, Percy stops his control over the water. The geysers disappear, and what water remained quietly streams out from the now spotless stables, flowing in little trickles to the adjacent river. Percy goes to lean on the fence, a little winded, but nowhere near exhausted as he might be after a spar with either Clarisse or Nico. Not only were the stables now entirely clean, so too were the horses, their coats sparkling with residual water, and even their teeth deep-cleaned off any scraps, mud or dung.
"Baths are important for hygiene," Percy admonishes, "Also, from now on, you will only eat the food that your handlers give to you. No eating humans or anything else. If you don't behave, I will be back, and your next bath will be twice as worse!"
We promise! We'll be good! No eating half-bloods! No seafood!
Satisfied, Percy turns on his heel, and goes to where his companions were standing, greeting their stunned looks, or in Nico's case, shit-eating smirk.
"Thanks for waiting, let's go tell Eurytion and continue on."
Rachel blinks, and quietly mutters to herself, "Must stay humble, he said."
Pointedly ignoring her, Percy leads the party back towards the farmhouse. Along the way, he quietly sends a prayer to Poseidon, 'Dad? You busy?'
What is it, my son?
'We're at the Triple G ranch, the one where Geryon is breeding Apollo's sacred cattle and slaughtering them for meat to sell to Kronos and his army. Can you pass on a message to Apollo and inform him about what was being done to his cattle?'
Poseidon is silent for a moment, but Percy can feel the sudden veil of saltiness in the air, which Rachel and the others also notice, I will pass on the message, Perseus. He is not going to be happy.
'I know, but we killed Geryon, three hearts and all, so Gramps won't be getting his supply of meat from sacred cows and other endangered species any longer. Oh, and also, can you tell Apollo to not blame Eurytion, the cowherd who is now the new owner of the ranch? He technically had no choice on the matter, and he didn't give us any trouble earlier.'
I will do so, my son. But Apollo's actions are not something I can control.
'I know, but it is the truth.'
Very well. Please, take care of yourself.
'Thanks again, dad. I'll do what I can.'
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Here's to hoping that things go much smoother down the line!
- Kai
---------------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 1
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 58
Chapter 27: A Forge and A Volcano
Summary:
Percy and his fellow questors meet the God of Forges, and throw another spanner into Kronos' plans.
Notes:
I don't claim to be a geologist or volcanologist, so if there are any mistakes in this chapter, please don't be too harsh. 🙏
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
After bidding farewell to Eurytion and his ranch (it didn't feel right to call it Triple G anymore), Percy and gang return into the depths of the Labyrinth, and with Rachel once again acting as their guide, they press on.
As time passes, the traps seem to get easier and easier to overcome, to the point that it just seemed ridiculous.
"Are these even fucking traps anymore?" Clarisse scoffs as Rachel points out a series of holes that shot arrows past a certain height, meaning they just had to duck underneath to get through.
"Maybe we're getting close to Daedalus's workshop?" Silena suggests.
"I think the Labyrinth is running out of ideas, frankly," Percy remarks, "Many of the traps we passed are just variations, or even repeats, of one another."
"The Legos were abominable, though," Nico mutters.
"If we weren't wearing shoes, perhaps."
The only excitement, so to speak, that broke the monotony of the lame excuses for traps were the occasional monster that could be heard coming from at least a few hundred metres away. When the party had no choice but to confront these monsters head on, they were quickly dispatched either by one of the questors, or through teamwork. The last encounter involved several dozen skeletons that Percy and Nico effortlessly cut down, either by hacking them to pieces, or in Percy's case, relieved fifteen of their skulls. Nico could've easily tried to see if the spirits within the bones would bend to his will, but as far as everyone, except for Percy, is concerned, he is just an unclaimed camper with no clue of who his godly parent was. Percy and Nico had talked about it sometime back. Until either Hades publicly claimed him and Bianca, or the unlikely (but apparently growing) possibility of the Undersea Fam formally adopting him, Nico would keep his knowledge of his lineage a secret.
In hindsight, how the camp treated Nico because he is a son of Hades left plenty to be desired. Yes, some of it was because Nico was extremely antisocial and did nothing to dispute the apparent image of him being a creepy loner who hid in shadows and possibly even thrived on nightmares and terror, but the camp in general could've done with being a lot more tolerable and patient with Nico. Part of it, Percy guesses, is the subconscious or even conscious aversion and fear of death, and Hades in general, which is understandable, at a fundamental level, no one wanted to die, but in turn, that aversion and fear was wrongfully aimed at Nico too.
So Nico made no attempt to control the possessed skeletons, and just reduced them to individual bones. Rachel wanted to give them a decent burial, but there wasn't enough dirt around, and nothing that could serve as a grave marker. Plus, as Percy knows in due time, the Labyrinth would collapse in on itself, thereby taking the bones with it.
After more trekking, Rachel suddenly stops.
"What's wrong?" Silena asks.
"There's a door," Rachel replies, pointing ahead.
Sure enough, there is a door, one that wouldn't look out of place on a submarine, or perhaps a doomsday bunker for the super-rich. Oval in shape, made of metal with large rivets around the edges, and a big wheel in place of a handle. There is no window, but there is a bronze plaque, oxidised green over time, and inscribed with Eta in the middle.
There is no doubt, Percy thinks to himself. Out loud, he says, "One of Hephaestus's forges."
"One of them?" Rachel asks.
"Some myths say that volcanoes are forges of Hephaestus," Percy explains, which is true, as memories of him causing Mount St. Helen's to erupt come to the forefront, "Rachel, does the light lead towards the door?"
Rachel double-checks, "Yep. It does."
"Then we're supposed to go in, then."
Percy goes to the door, and turns the metal wheel. It moves easily, and the door slowly swings open. Inside, the forge is absolutely enormous, looking like a cross between an automobile garage and a factory building. There are several hydraulic lifts, cranes and furnaces burning away, casting a warm reddish-yellow glow upon the entire room. Everywhere the party looks, there are piles of various metal objects, ranging from cars, half-assembled or discarded automatons, and general scrap such as beams, metal frames, and other unidentifiable pieces. There are also several worktables, all of the cluttered with half-completed projects, piles of celestial bronze and other divine metals, and what Percy guesses to be blueprints. Because of the furnaces burning at full power, the air is noticeably hotter than it had been in the Labyrinth.
But Percy doesn't care about the sweat beginning to roll down his brow. His attention is on the deafening clanging of metal being worked at the other end of the forge. There, looming over an anvil and periodically slamming a heavy hammer down on whatever he is working on, is Hephaestus. Compared to the last time he had seen the god, Hephaestus is absolutely filthy, his exposed skin caked in soot and dust from the nearby furnace. Dressed in overalls and thick boots that are saturated with oil, grease, more soot and Olympus knows what else, the god doesn't immediately appear to notice their unannounced arrival.
Eventually, though, he straightens up, and then he senses their presence. Hephaestus turns around, the metal brace around his left leg clinking as he moved. His shoulders are lopsided, giving him the appearance that he was permanently favouring his right side. Though, if Percy has to admit, Hephaestus's appearance looks less deformed and monstrous, and more…intimidating, for lack of a better term. Perhaps this is a side-effect of having already seen the god of forges before in one lifetime. Who knows?
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Hephaestus's deep, booming voice nearly knocks over the party just from sheer volume, even louder than all of the ambient background noises of the forge.
"Greetings to you, Lord Hephaestus," Percy bows respectively, which prompts the others to do so too.
"Ah, one of Poseidon's kids," the god of forges says gruffly, his eyes scanning over the party, before coming upon Rachel, "And you are…?"
"Not demigod," Rachel replies quietly, "Mortal. Clear-sighted."
Hephaestus nods, "Makes sense. Definitely not one of my creations. Now," he addresses the group as a whole, "There better be a good reason why you have entered my domain and interrupted my work."
"We were looking for Daedalus's workshop," Clarisse explains.
"What?!" Hephaestus bellows, "Why would you seek him out?"
"We discovered that there is an entrance to the Labyrinth in Camp Half-Blood," Nico says, "The Titan army led by a traitor who is working with Kronos in scouting the Labyrinth, hoping to find a way to our camp in a bid to wipe us all out. We were sent on a quest to look for Daedalus and persuade him to not work with the Titan army."
"Bah!" Hephaestus waves off, "You'd be wasting your time. That scumbag doesn't help anyone but himself."
"You may be right, Lord Hephaestus," Percy says, "But for the sake of our camp, and the wider world as a whole, we have to try. If Camp Half-Blood is destroyed, Olympus will be the next to fall."
Hephaestus eyes Percy for a long moment, expression completely unreadable. Percy doesn't dare blink, but shows no signs of faltering.
"I still believe that you are wasting your time," Hephaestus eventually says, "however, if you are willing to help me, I will return the favour and ensure that your quest is not an entire waste of your efforts."
"What do you need help with, Lord Hephaestus?"
Instead of answering right away, the god of forges ambles to another worktable, and presses a button on a console. The entire forge rumbles, and the party nearly lose their footing. On a nearby wall, several metal shutters rise up out of sight, revealing a screen behind them. An image then appears, revealing a picturesque image of an all-too familiar volcano.
"Mount St. Helens," Hephaestus says, "One of my forges. I have many, but this used to be my favourite."
"Used to be?" Silena picks up.
Hephaestus scratches his beard, which seems to spontaneously spark and catch on fire, while extinguishing into wisps of smoke at the same time, all without actually burning the hair, "The monster, Typhon, is currently trapped there. It used to be Mount Etna, but after the move across the Atlantic, his force was pinned there instead." He turns to the party, "Many seismic events lately, even some minor eruptions. Typhon is growing restless."
"If he got out, it would spell doom for us," Percy mutters, grimacing inwardly at how his forced eruption of the volcano inadvertantly sped up Typhon's awakening in the previous timeline.
"Pray that you never have to face him," Hephaestus remarks seriously, "Even the gods ran from him when Typhon last walked free. That said," he levels a stern look on the party, "lately, I have been sensing intruders in my mountain. Someone or something is using my forge without my knowledge or consent. I have sent numerous automatons to investigate but none have returned. I believe…something truly ancient and evil has infiltrated my forge, daring to desicrate my domain."
'Oh, you don't know the half of it,' Percy thinks to himself.
"I need someone to go and see who, or what, it is. None of you are gods, so they may not sense your approach."
The party turn to one another. Aside from two members, the others are of the shared thought that this is a deviation from the quest's intended goal. However, the mere mention of Typhon is enough to impress the gravity of the situation. Percy assesses his fellow questors. None of them appear unwilling to take Hephaestus on his offer, so after another moment of deliberation, he turns to the god, "We'll do it."
Hephaestus nods, and claps his hands once. From a worktable, a small, metallic spider swings down on some steel thread, and lands with a soft clink at Percy's feet. Briefly reminded of Annabeth's phobia, he almost misses Hephaestus saying, "My creation will lead you where you need to be. It is not far through the Labyrinth. And one final thing, make sure to stay alive. Humans are far more fragile than automatons."
For the first time, Percy and his questors have to run in order to catch up with the automaton spider. It scuttles over roots, rocks, bumps and lumps, making sudden turns seemingly at random, going so fast that its individual legs simply blur into a buzz of silver.
By the time it comes to an abrupt stop, as the tunnel opens up into a large cavern that, like the forge they just came from, the air is hot and the rocks appear to glow red from the heat, the group are out of breath and heaving. Rachel is the worst off, having nowhere near the athletic stamina as the demigods, her freckles almost hidden from how flushed her cheeks have become.
Percy picks up the spider, upon which it crawls up to his shoulder and just stays there, and takes a look around. The path they are on ends on a ridge that circled the entire cavern, acting as a walkway around the deep pit with magma bubbling away several hundred metres below. The ridge is connected at various points by metal bridges that all meet at a large platform suspended over the magma pool. On this platform, several cauldrons, machines and furnaces are situated around the edges, and right in the middle, stands a massive anvil that can easily dwarf a small house in terms of size. What seems like dozens of creatures, although too far away to make out clearly, bustle around the platform tirelessly.
"W…What is this?" Silena asks breathlessly.
Nico takes another step closer, staring straight ahead at the platform, "Telkhines."
Rachel leans over, "What are they making?"
Percy, already knowing what they are working on, simply mutters, "They're making a scythe. Specifically, Kronos's Scythe."
Three heads whip towards him.
"You're shitting with us, Jackson," Clarisse says lowly, before grabbing Percy by the shoulder and forcing him to face her, "Tell us you're shitting with us!"
"I'm not, La Rue," Percy replies stonily, "I can hear their chants. The telkhines, they are sea demons. They are working for Kronos, because they believe that they were mistreated by the Olympians despite their hands in creating their symbols of power."
Slowly, Clarisse's hand falls from his shoulder. Percy turns back to the platform, standing by Nico's side.
"How do we stop them? There's too many," Rachel wrings her hands.
Percy stares at the magma bubbling away beneath the platform. Last time, he'd called the ocean from within his soul to defeat the telkhines, but it caused Mount St. Helens to erupt and sped up Typhon's awakening. He'd much rather not endanger his fellow questors, blow up Washington state and send much of the west coast into a panic, or get yeeted all the way to Ogygia. But as Rachel said, there are only five of them, against several dozen telkhines at the very least.
"S-Should we turn around?" Silena suggests, "Tell Lord Hephaestus about the telkhines and let him deal with them?"
Percy doesn't respond, instead pacing back and forth as he wracks his brain for an alternative to blowing up them all up to kingdom come. His thoughts stray to his geography lessons at school, as much as his dyslexia made it all but impossible to study properly, one thing that he does remember is the chapters on volcanoes. Almost like pages of a textbook flipping through at rapid speed, his thoughts land on the volcano that they are now in, and just like that, it hits him like a wave crashing on the beach.
"I've got it."
Four pairs of eyes snap towards him.
"What is it, Jackson?"
Instead of responding, Percy goes a little ways down the walkway around the magma pit, places a hand on the glowing-red stone wall, and concentrates. His powers do give him slight resistance to heat, so placing his hand on stone that is undoubtedly heated by the magma doesn't hurt him. Sure enough, he picks up the presence of water in a regional aquifer located further down the slope of Mount St. Helens. Nodding to himself, Percy goes back to the group, "Alright, I have a plan, but I will need to be undisturbed throughout. You four, head back into the Labyrinth, but stay within earshot. If things go wrong, you need to get the hell out of here as fast as possible."
Nico eyes Percy warily, "Just what are you planning to do?"
"I'm not going to blow up the volcano, but I can't fully eliminate the risk. Just…trust me, Nico."
Nico doesn't immediately respond, but he nods. He ushers the girls back towards the Labyrinth, leaving Percy to do his thing. Before he goes back to the cavern wall, Percy opens his backpack, takes out his ration of ambrosia squares, and pops one into his mouth, feeling the taste of his mum's blue cookies on his tongue, before getting to work.
Placing his hand on the glowing-red wall, Percy closes his eyes, and concentrates again. He channels his focus through the layers of rock, until it reaches the deep, regional aquifer underneath the volcano. Then, Percy diverts his attention to where the deeper aquifer merges with the shallow aquifer located nearer to the surface, specifically to the northwest and southwest of the volcano's main structure. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Percy brings forth his godly power, calling upon the water within the aquifers, bending it to his will, and dragging it slowly, controlled, towards the cavern.
He has to time this carefully. While the water is heated from the magma, if it surges in at great speed, and more importantly, comes into contact with the magma, the water will flash-evaporate into steam, and the sudden expansion of water vapour will fracture the rock layers and possibly lead to a steam-driven eruption. His intent is not to flood the entire cavern, rather to manipulate the heated water to sweep up the telkhines and disrupt their work entirely. To do this, he needs to be careful, and in control at all times.
Percy feels the water pushing through the rock layers towards the cavern, growing more heated as it goes. He can practically feel the heat, not just in the bones of his hand, but also within his soul. A warning to not lose control. To remain firm and steady.
Small tremors rumble through the cavern, but are minor enough for the telkhines to not pay them much heed. This is ultimately their downfall, as at the right moment, Percy's eyes snap open, and water bursts through a crack running up along the cavern wall several metres to his left. Even as it starts gushing into the cavern, Percy does not relinquish control, keeping it under his will, and sending the deluge straight towards the platform. The telkhines barely have time to notice the oncoming water, and with shrill screeches and cries, they are all swept up. The machines, furnaces and cauldrons fall silent as the water hits them from all sides, and the half-finished scythe is practically ruined before it can be properly shaped. Percy starts to sweat from the exertion, but he maintains his hold, ensuring that all of the telkhines have been swept up into a prison of heated aquifer water that, as it forms a ball, he hovers it over the magma pit. The heat rising from the magma causes the water to start boiling. Percy grits his teeth, as the screams and wails of the telkhines being boiled alive grate against his ears. He just hopes that he didn't crack any of his teeth in the process.
Finally, when the screams fade away, Percy wills the water to sweep up the massive anvil and pushes it against the crack, hoping to stem any future flow of water. He then wills the water to gradually evaporate. The boiled carcasses fall limply everywhere, some on the walkway, while others fall into the magma and are consumed immediately. The ruined scythe also falls into the magma pit, quickly disappearing from view as it melts away.
Feeling very much like he'd been put through the wringer, Percy sinks down to the walkway, resting mostly against the cavern wall. He doesn't know how long he spends trying to steady his breathing and have his vision clear up, but he does hear someone calling out to him, and footsteps rushing over.
"Percy! Are you okay?!"
A face hovers close, "Hey, Neeks, never better. Just…give me a sec…"
"What the fuck…" oh, that is Clarisse, "What the actual fuck did you do to the telkhines, Jackson?!"
"Boiled them."
…
…
"What."
Percy raises a hand, requesting a moment to gather his bearings. When he feels confident that his legs won't give out from under him, and using both the cavern wall and Rachel's assistance to steady himself, Percy stands up. Nico immediately pushes his canteen of nectar towards Percy. He takes it gratefully, and tilts back a sip. Immediately, he begins to feel better.
"That's why I said I needed to be in full control," Percy explains, returning the canteen to Nico, "Even with heated water, if I just flooded the forge, it could cause an eruption event. I had to make sure that no water touched the magma pool down there, while ensuring that all of the telkhines were killed."
The four of them just stare at Percy with wide eyes. Rachel breaks the stunned silence by uttering the only thing that could accurately sum up this entire situation, "Must stay humble, he said. What utter bullshit."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
So head's up, everyone. Moving forward, the next updates may take longer than usual to be uploaded, given that I have started volunteering at my therapy centre and will be there for whole working days. That being said, I'll still continue writing whenever I can, because we're about to get into really fun parts soon.
- Kai
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No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 15
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 73
Chapter 28: A Literal Bloodbath
Summary:
Percy deals with a delusional half-brother.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"So, that's what was going on there…"
Upon returning to Hephaestus's forge, the party told the god everything that was happening at Mount St. Helens, and how Percy dealt with the telkhines.
"In all truthfulness, I am surprised at how much care and control you put into your plan to deal with those beasts," Hephaestus says to Percy, "Given your lineage, I would have expected you to just hit them with a flood."
"Yes, but it would very likely have caused the volcano to erupt," Percy replies, "I would've killed myself and my companions in the process." And unlike last time, Percy isn't sure if he has the plot armour to survive a repeat eruption.
"I suppose so, and my forge would have been wrecked too," Hephaestus acknowledges, running a hand through his beard, "Well, all things considered, I thank you for ridding my forge of those foul creatures. A bargain is a bargain, and I will honour my side."
For all the gods can be right bastards, Percy can say with relative confidence that, at least, Hephaestus has his rightful place, along with Hades, in his "not-so-shit" list.
Hephaestus sits down on one of his worktables, not bothering about what was on it, "So, remember how I told you that your quest in search of that scumbag, Daedalus, was a pointless endeavour? I stand by it, because, Daedalus no longer lives. At least, not in the body he had during his mortal life."
To Percy and Nico, this comes as no surprise, but for the three girls, they all suck in breaths of shock to varying degrees of intensity.
"You weren't joking…" Silena mutters, eyes on Nico.
"Then, how is he still able to carry on living?" Rachel asks.
"Daedalus committed the worst crime against life and death by tethering himself to the mortal plane by artificial means," Hephaestus explains gruffly, "He tied his soul into an automaton, and when that body starts to weaken, he simply transferred into a new automaton shell. That, and by remaining in the Labyrinth, he continues to escape from his ultimate fate."
Nico glances down, hiding his grimace.
"Daedalus only serves himself, as shown by his stubborn refusal to face judgement for his actions to this day," Hephaestus continues, "It does not surprise me if the traitor that betrayed your camp has offered him a deal that he cannot refuse and will not give up even if you tried to persuade him otherwise."
As the god's words settle in on the five questors, Percy remembers one thing that Hephaestus said early, "My lord, how will you ensure that our quest will not be totally in vain?"
"Ah, yes," Hephaestus nods. He gingerly gets off the table, and ambles off to another end of the forge. The party follows him, coming to a stop at another door that they hadn't seen before, "Whether or not you choose to see through your quest to the end, the path ahead leads to a place where, I believe, one of your family resides. His arena stands between the army led by the traitor and your camp."
Percy, Nico and Clarisse perk up at this, with Clarisse muttering, "Antaeus." At the questioning glances from Rachel and Silena, Clarisse explains, "Chris…mentioned him before - "a thousand skulls, the earth keeps healing him". Antaeus collects skulls in order to one day build a temple in honour of Poseidon."
Silena and Rachel immediately swing towards Percy, who simply shrugs, "My dad isn't the father of monsters for nothing. My family tree is one fucked up horticultural project, if you think about it."
"You can say that again…" Nico mutters.
"So…we need to go to Antaeus's arena," Rachel surmises, "What's so special about him?"
"Antaeus lives for violent bloodsports," Percy explains, "I think the only reason why Luke's army of monsters is stuck at the arena is because Antaeus is forcing monsters and demigods to fight to the death for his entertainment. If Luke and his army somehow make it through Antaeus, nothing will stop them from reaching camp."
"Ah, right," Rachel nods, "That makes sense."
"So…how are we doing this?" Silena asks.
Percy and Nico share a glance. They can't risk Silena being seen by Luke, where she could be manipulated further. Additionally, both do know that there is no bargaining with Daedalus, not until his arguments about accepting the deal from Kronos via Luke have been invalidated and he had seen the carnage unleashed during the battle between the campers and Luke's monster army.
'Has the deathly pretender to your title been dealt with?' Percy asks with his gaze alone.
'Already did that,' Nico replies with just a blink, the finger on which his ring is on twitches slightly.
Percy nods, before turning to the girls, "Rachel, take Silena back to camp. We need to get the campers ready for a possible attack. Clarisse, wanna come with?"
"And possibly get to beat up some monster ass? You really need to ask, Prissy? Fuck yeah!"
"Will you be okay?" Rachel asks.
"As okay as we'll ever be," Percy shrugs, "While Luke may be held up at Antaeus's arena right now, it won't surprise me if they get through at some point." If his eyes flitted momentarily over to Silena, then no one other than Nico needed to know.
Rachel looks a little uncertain, but she nods. Taking Silena by the arm, she drags her out of the forge and back in the direction that they had come from before their diversion to Mount St. Helens. Once they are gone, Percy turns to Hephaestus, "How do we get to Antaeus's arena?"
"The spider will lead you there again."
"Very well, thank you for your assistance, Lord Hephaestus," Percy bows, with Nico and Clarisse mirroring him.
"Godspeed, son of Poseidon, as I believe mortals would say."
Once more, Percy, Nico and Clarisse run through the twists and turns of the Labyrinth to keep up with the metallic spider. After some time, and passing by an all-too familiar crossroads with one path overgrown with tree roots, the spider comes to an abrupt stop, flops on its back, and curls into a ball. Percy bends down to pick it up, giving Nico and Clarisse an unobstructed view of the disturbing sight looming over them. A towering skeleton of a cyclops, its teeth frozen in a permanent grin, is strung up by the wrists and ankles from the ceiling.
"Fucking Hades…"
"A warning of what lies ahead," Nico mutters.
Percy puts the spider in his pocket, glancing up at the skeleton. He clicks his tongue, "Tch, fucking tasteless." He continues on, "As if my dad would appreciate an entire temple made up of skulls and bones."
"He wouldn't," Nico agrees.
"How do you know that, pipsqueak?" Clarisse asks.
Nico glares at Clarisse, but she remains unfazed, "I've been to the Atlantean royal palace. Uncle Poseidon is more of a corals, shells and pearls kind of guy."
"And besides, we know skulls and bones are more of Hades' vibe," Percy adds as a throwaway comment.
"Yes, but a whole temple? Please," Nico rolls his eyes, "As if m-" he coughs to cover his near slip-up, "- the god of the underworld would be so tacky. He has more taste than that."
Percy glances at Clarisse. She doesn't seem to have noticed Nico nearly slipping up. Also, the two laistrygonian giants from before suddenly appearing round the corner certainly helped. The trio make quick work of them. Nico uses his shorter height to dodge around the giants and slice their tendons. Clarisse electrocutes them with her spear, and when the giants came crashing down, Percy relieves them of their heads. A few more minutes of trekking later, they come up to a set of bronze doors, three and a half metres high, and taking up the entire width and height of the tunnel.
"Well, can't get anymore of a bloodsports arena than this," Nico drawls.
"Again, fucking tasteless," Percy spits.
Percy pushes the doors open just enough to allow them to slip in. The roars of the bloodthirsty crowd nearly blows out their eardrums, chanting and jeering as a giant and a centaur duked it out in the middle of the arena. Just like before, the odds were not in the centaur's favour, trying to duck out of the way of the giant's javelin, as long as a telephone pole. Percy and Nico sneak closer. The sight of all those skulls and bones, stacked high like pyramids, in all manner of age and condition, made Percy's stomach curdle with disgust. Though not as much as the massive green banner with Poseidon's trident emblazoned on it, which hung beneath the seat of honour. Percy very nearly puked at such an insult, if not for the sheer rage boiling through his veins.
The pair within the seat of honour also contributed to Percy's rage. There was Antaeus, looking like some twisted, hideous mockery of a sumo wrestler, and Luke, in tacky camouflage pants, scowling down at the dirt pit of the arena where the two combatants were duking it out. Judging from the scowl alone, Luke must be nowhere near gaining Antaeus's approval for his army to pass. Which is just as well. The longer Luke continues to get held up here, the more time not only Percy has to come up with a plan, but also for the camp to prepare for the coming attack.
Also, judging from the subtle glow emanating from Luke's body, he must have already bathed in the Styx and took on the Curse of Achilles. Percy curses under his breath. Looks like Thalia won't be easily able to tear Luke apart limb by limb for his betrayal and murdering Annabeth.
"There must be hundreds of them here," Nico mutters, "How are we supposed to stop them from getting through to camp?"
Percy purses his lips, trying to think of something. Meanwhile, in the dirt pit, the giant had lunged at the centaur, breaking one of his legs and sending him crashing to the ground. The giant hauls his opponent up into the air, and the crowd goes absolutely nuts, screaming for the centaur's death. Percy looks over to Antaeus, who, like a Roman emperor deciding a defeated gladiator's fate, pretends to think about it for a moment, before promptly gives a thumbs-down gesture. The spectators roar with bloodlust, as the giant literally tears the poor centaur apart, limb by limb. Percy grimaces as ichor spills all over the ground, and the dismembered centaur disintegrates into dust, leaving just a leg behind, which the giant lifts into the air triumphantly, to the deafening cheers of the crowd.
"Damn…" Clarisse mutters.
Suddenly, Percy has a brainwave. Glancing to Nico and Clarisse, then to the remaining ichor on the dirt pit, he wonders if such a move is possible. In theory, it should work. But whether he could actually pull it off, and whether he could deal with the moral implications afterwards is something else entirely, a question that he has no easy answer for.
Especially, looking around the arena, and in a section that has decidedly not joined in on the raucous bloodlust, he sees several dozen demigods, a few he vaguely remembers as unclaimed campers from the Hermes cabin. Others, though, he doesn't recognise, and Percy can't tell off the bat if Luke had encountered these demigods after he fled the camp, or if they were also former occupants of the Hermes cabin. Either way, a good number of them, if not most, were not happy to be here. Several of them actually looked deathly pale, as if sickened by the indiscriminate violence and bloodshed down in the dirt pit, and afraid that they'll be the next to be dragged into the arena to face an almost certain death. It doesn't surprise Percy if a number of their peers had already met their ends before he, Nico and Clarisse arrived, which made his stomach clench tightly.
Percy knows, logically, that he can't save everyone. Annabeth had been the greatest, and most unexpected, example thus far. But the sight of those demigods, who were likely manipulated, or worse, coerced into joining Luke's side, staring death in the face long before their time (because fuck the Fates) was something that Percy will not stand for!
"I know that look," Percy is snapped out of his thoughts by Nico whispering to him, "You're going to do something completely reckless and/or unexpected, aren't you?"
Also feeling Clarisse's stare boring into him, Percy whispers back, "Just…trust me. And be prepared to fight if needed."
"…I trust you."
"Okay," he addresses both Nico and Clarisse, "you two see that section where the demigods are seated?" At their affirmative nods, Percy continues, "I need you both to discreetly get over there, and make sure none of them get into the dirt pit unless they do so of their own choice."
Nodding, Nico gestures to Clarisse, offering his hand. Despite her incredulity, she takes the offered hand, and almost yelps when Nico drags her into the shadows.
"Good entertainment!" Antaeus, meanwhile, declares loudly, his voice prompting the spectators to fall silent, "But nothing I haven't seen before. What else have you got for me, son of Hermes?"
Luke's expression immediately soured even more. Percy snorts loudly, not even caring for the heads instantly swiveling towards him. Mentioning his godly parent has always been a sore spot for Luke, and even in this situation, Percy can't help but revel in the traitor's pet peeve.
Luke blinks in surprise when he spots Percy. He becomes thoughtful for a moment, before smirking, "Lord Antaeus, it is very clear that I need to switch things up a bit. How about a son of Poseidon? A brother of yours?"
Percy doesn't flinch, already knowing what he is going to do. Nico and Clarisse is no longer next to him, having shadow-travelled to the other side of the arena where the other demigods are situated.
Antaeus's eyes light up, "A son of Poseidon! Then he should fight well, or die well!"
Percy doesn't respond, instead making his way to the gold-dust and ichor covered dirt pit.
"If his death pleases you," Luke continues, "will you let our armies past through your domain?"
"Hmm…" Antaeus rubs his chin, vague enough to not directly respond to Luke, which he evidently realises, if the gleeful expression he once had dips into a scowl.
"There's no way in hell that you're related to me," Percy says, gesturing to all of the skulls and bones, "How on earth does this honour Poseidon?"
Antaeus howls in laughter, the monsters around the arena also joining in, "I am his favourite son! This, is my temple to the mighty Earthshaker! Built from the skulls of those I killed in his name!"
"Yeah no," Percy drawls, fiddling with Riptide in his pocket, "Get with the times, brother dearest. Dad has said I'm his favourite. And besides, skulls? Dad is more of a corals and pearls kind of person. He'd much rather receive a Father's Day bouquet of corals than…whatever bullshit this is."
"You know nothing about the Earthshaker!" Antaeus bellows.
"Uh…you sure about that, mate?" Percy raises an eyebrow, "Do you make regular trips to Atlantis? Stay in the royal palace for considerable lengths of time? Or, I don't know, actually have dinner or spend time with dad? Since this is literally the first time I've met you, and have never seen you in the corridors of Atlantean royal power, I think it's safe to say that you know nothing about Poseidon beyond your own delusions, but I digress," Percy interrupts Antaeus before the giant could open his mouth again, "So the entertainment has been rather lacking so far, I've heard? Why not we try something different?"
As he talks, Percy once again channels his focus towards any sources of water within the arena. To his delight, he finds abundant water, all around him, "How about, all of these monsters, against me?"
The arena goes dead silent. Percy is sure that even Nico and Clarisse are staring at him like he has truly gone off his rocker.
"You…against," Antaeus gestures to Luke's monster forces, "all of them?"
"Why not?" Percy shrugs, mentally making a note to let Nico stab him and Clarisse pummel him later, preferably when they returned to camp and he has ready access to the lake, "Tell me, so far, all of the matches have been one-v-one, no? It must be pretty boring. Why not switch things up? Make it more…interesting."
He spares a glance at Luke. The traitor looks torn between delighted glee at the seeming certainty of his suicidal suggestion, and rightful wariness that he might be planning something.
"You think you can stand against over 500 monsters?!" Antaeus exclaims, "How can you think you stand a chance?"
"I mean, aren't we sons of Poseidon?" Percy retorts, as he inwardly channels his will to the water within the monsters and beasts, not doing anything noticeable, just laying a hook on the water content, threading the hooks back towards his right hand, and curling the fingers slightly, again, not to do anything noticeable, just to lay the bait. "We always win, no?"
Antaeus bursts out laughing, "You have spunk, I'll give you that!" He claps his hands, "Very well, I approve of this challenge! Show me what you've got!" He turns to the monsters in the stands, "All of you! Have at him!"
It takes a second for the command to set in, then with a cacophonous cheer of bloodlust, the first wave of monsters jump over the barrier and rush towards Percy.
Percy waits until even the demigods who made their choice get up and stand out from those who want to live. He then raises a hand, and clenches it into a tight fist.
Just like that, the over five hundred monsters and murderous demigods in the arena, and one Antaeus, instantly freeze in place. Many let out choked sounds, and some tip over before they are also frozen in place. Antaeus tries to break free, and Luke's eyes bulge out in a mix of rage and horrified realisation.
"What do you know? It actually works!" Percy's resulting grin is positively monstrous, "Now, what some of you might not have known, or completely overlooked," Percy's eyes sweep slowly over the struggling monsters, as they fight in vain against the binds that he has them trapped in, "is that ichor, just like mortal blood, is partially made up of water. It doesn't matter if the proportion is smaller. Any source of water is mine to control."
Any confusion left is quickly replaced by pants-crapping terror.
"And now, I'll show you how hundreds of monsters in one location mean jack-shit to me," Percy raises his clenched hand up slightly, and like a stretched rubber band being suddenly released, he throws his hand open.
Like corks bursting out of champagne bottles, the heads of over five hundred monsters, beasts, demigods, and one giant half-brother are blown off their necks in great blasts of ichor and blood. The gorey liquid falls everywhere, some on the stands and Luke, but most cascades upon Percy, literally bathing him in the blood of his enemies. The headless carcasses disintegrate into dust, though some spoils are left behind - legs, hooves, but most are heads, the faces permanently etched in looks of horror and fear.
When the sounds of gore subside, all is silent in the arena, save for Percy's breathing. After several, horrified seconds, Clarisse breaks the silence in the only way she could after witnessing that massacre, "What. The. Fuck."
Percy exhales loudly, "Oh godddsss…that was…"
He looks down at his hands, and his body. He is completely drenched in ichor, and truth be told, it is a…questionable experience feeling the blood of monsters and demigods starting to dry and coagulate all over him. But more importantly, Luke's army has all but been decimated. Sure, he likely would get more forces thanks to Kronos, but that will take time, and time is what the camp needs right now.
Plus, the sight of Luke being torn between apoplectic rage and sheer fright is more than enough for whatever disgust Percy experienced after that literal bath in blood.
"Y-You…You…!"
Percy makes a show of raising his hand towards the traitorous demigod, "Wanna see if you'll join your forces in the Pit?"
Luke's immediate answer is to jump from the seating box, rush through the disembodied limbs and heads and ichor, and flee through a set of doors on the opposite side of the ones that Percy and his companions came through earlier.
"Tch, fucking coward," Percy sneers, letting his hand fall to his side. He turns to where the remaining demigods are. Collectively, they all flinch, though Clarisse is still dumbstruck, while Nico is deceptively stony.
"Hey now, no need to be afraid," Percy says placatingly, "You lot clearly didn't want to be here, and I wasn't going to target innocents."
None of the demigods look particularly convinced, though, to Percy's credit, none of them also tried to flee through the same set of doors that Luke just went through. Percy goes towards them, only to get cut off by Nico suddenly accosting him.
"Did you plan this?"
Percy nods.
"Did you know it would work?"
At this, Percy shrugs, "Theoretically, it should. To be honest, though, I wasn't one-hundred percent certain that it would work. But hey! It did, and now, that traitorous bastard is currently deprived of an army -"
"You will be deprived of your life once we get back to camp, Perseus Jackson," Nico cuts him off, his tone still stony, but his dark eyes promising retribution of the highest order for his absolutely reckless stunt.
"Hey now, Neeks, I promise you can stab me once we get back," Percy tries to placate his seething cousin. He glances over to Clarisse, "You can thoroughly pummel me too. I promise I won't fight back. Just go ham on me."
That snaps Clarisse out of her stupor. Her smirk isn't as vicious as it normally would be, but her eyes burn in a similar way to Ares when he is about to go berserk, "I'll hold you to that, fucking punk."
"And one more thing, Jackson," Nico adds, deathly serious, but also hiding an undercurrent of vindictive mirth, "I'm telling Uncle Poseidon, Aunt Amphy, and Mum about your reckless stunt."
The smile drops from Percy's face, "Low blow, di Angelo. Low, fucking, blow."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
As I wrote in response to previous comments, just as well that Rachel wasn't there to see this latest act of bullshittery.
On a different note, in the next chapter, we'll be switching to how Grover's quest to look for Pan is going. Also, just in case anyone asks, I haven't forgotten about Briares. I intend to cover him and Kampê in a different chapter.
- Kai
------------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 527
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 600
Chapter 29: A Fading God
Summary:
Grover leads his quest in search of Pan.
Notes:
A chapter without Percy being the main focus? What is this sorcery?!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
As soon as they separated from Percy and his party, Grover led his own quest in search of the god of the wild, Pan.
Satyrs could navigate the hellscape that is the Labyrinth, albeit less accurately than a clear-sighted mortal like Rachel. Regardless, Grover is determined to find Pan. He had heard the god's voice, but the council was adamant that he wasn't speaking the truth.
Now, he was given a week to find Pan, or he would lose his searcher's license. A deadline that was, realistically, doomed to fail. A tiny, traitorous voice at the back of his head hissed at him, saying the council wanted him to fail, they set him up to fail, they wanted to take away his license, that those fat old bastards are so far up their asses that they refuse to see or listen to the truth.
However, deadline or not, Grover knows what he heard. The council might be stubborn in their refusal to believe him, but Grover also refuses to capitulate.
Okay, that wasn't entirely accurate. Grover knows what he heard, but he had also been left downtrodden and doubtful of himself by the council's decision. Grover knows himself best, after all. Even without the council disparaging him, Grover is not the strongest or bravest satyr out there. He will admit openly that he has a lot of irrational fears, and he has succumbed to cowardice on more than a few occasions. He is also far from being a capable leader, if the quest to retrieve the Master Bolt was any indication, where he was more than happy to let Percy take the reins, which was a smart move, since Percy got them through it in record time, long before the solstice deadline.
(Truthfully, there was something off about Percy, something that made him different seemingly overnight. Grover can't quite put his finger on it, but something was definitely up with Percy…)
And it was Percy who proposed the idea of sending two parties into the Labyrinth, one to seek out Daedalus, and the other to look for Pan. Even without saying anything, Grover ended up being assigned to lead the latter quest. As much as the one-week deadline loomed over him like the sword of Damocles, finding Pan remained his top priority. Come what may, hell or highwater, Grover was going to face his shortcomings and insecurities, lead his fellow questors, and find the missing god of the wild.
It was that drive that kept Grover mostly put together, as he leads the party into the cruel, unforgiving darkness of the Labyrinth. Already, his fear of the underground nips away at his hooves, and the pervasive smell of danger and monsters afoot nearly make his head spin. If not for the faint, ambient glow that Lee Fletcher emanates, a common feature among children of Apollo, Grover would've succumbed to the mother of all panic attacks. All he has is his senses and instincts, no faint trail of light that clear-sighted mortals could see.
To complicate things, Grover's habit of underestimating and second-guessing his instincts occasionally lead to near-misses with monsters and traps. If not for Tyson and Beckendorf's overwhelming strength, Lee's scary accuracy with a bow and arrow, and Thalia's steadfast combat capabilities, they would've been monster food or the victim of the elaborate traps the Labyrinth kept throwing at them.
They eventually come into a nondescript cavern with stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Deciding that this would be a good place for a quick rest, Grover heavily plonks down against a boulder, curling into himself.
"I'm sorry," he whispers, though he is heard by the other four, "I'm horrible at this. I keep leading everyone into danger -"
"Grover," Lee cuts him off, "We're already in danger as soon as we stepped into the Labyrinth. Even if you weren't leading us, we'd still come across dangerous obstacles almost from the get-go."
"But -"
"Look, those bastards that are the council can fuck themselves with tree branches and their horns for all I care," Thalia adds her two drachmas, "We know you heard Pan. We believe you. And frankly, I'd trust you over anyone else to look for Pan."
At this, Grover looks up hesitantly, "R-Really?"
"Really," Beckendorf nods, Tyson mirroring him enthusiastically, "The fact that Percy specifically chose you to lead this part of the quest, and selected us to accompany you, shows how much he trusts you. Do you trust Percy, Grover?"
"I do!"
"There ya go," Beckendorf gestures, "If Percy thinks you have what it takes, then you do have what it takes."
"Also, once we get back, I'm going to kill every one of those council members," Thalia mutters to herself, though Grover hears her, and squawks in horror.
"This council bullies nice goat?" Tyson asks, his lone eye shimmering with concern.
"Yeah, they are right bastards," Thalia nods.
"Can I join you?" Tyson pleads, looking like a child begging his parent for a lollipop.
"Sure thing, big guy."
Grover bleats, and hides his face behind his arms, his ears flushed.
Once they had rested enough, the trek continues.
Fuelled by the pep talk in the cavern, Grover tells himself, over and over, to trust his senses and instincts, to feel Pan's presence somewhere ahead in the never-ending twists and turns, and succeed in the quest that so many people have entrusted him to lead.
Make no mistake, the doubts and second-guessing were still there. Those can't be banished with just a single pep talk. But it had been the oomph Grover needed to keep moving, even as the Labyrinth continued to throw whatever twists and dangers at them.
Surprisingly, things are going pretty well, all things considered. Grover finds out in what must be the most paradoxical way possible.
"Grover, you okay?" Beckendorf asks, "Your breathing is getting laboured."
Sure enough, Grover is having a hard time keeping a steady breath, and he has noticeably slowed down and grown sluggish. He has to stop repeatedly, bracing against the walls of the tunnel they are in. His head is spinning, far more so than before with just the smells of danger and monsters, and his vision is blurring in and out of focus.
"Is something wrong?" Lee asks, concerned.
"N-No…t-this…this is…actually…great!" Grover wheezes out, which startles the party, none of them expecting the satyr's actually excited expression, "T-This…means…Pan is…c-close by!"
"You're…going to have to explain that one to us," Thalia says.
Grover stops, resting on some ruined stone columns, "Pan…is the god of the untamed wild. S-Satyrs like…myself…are also attuned to nature and the wild. But Pan is the untamed wild! His power far outstrips what I am…capable of. In the face of such immense power, my body isn't able to cope."
"Which is why you're getting more exhausted as we go," Beckendorf surmises.
"That doesn't sound healthy," Thalia worries, "What happens if you -?"
"Oh, well…" Grover sways a bit, "I'll probably pass out. But…I don't think I'll die or anything like that. Just…you know…sleep for a while."
The rest of the party trade uncertain looks, but with only Grover's reassurance to go by, the only thing they can do is press forward.
Eventually, after more trekking, and Grover becoming so sluggish that Beckendorf has to physically support him just to keep him from keeling over, they come to a crossroad, with two tunnels leading off in different directions. Grover looks up, and, for a brief moment, he seems to be refilled with a burst of energy.
"That one!" he points to the tunnel on the left, the one that was overgrown with tree roots, "It's that one!"
Perhaps fuelled by the brief spike in energy, Grover breaks out of Beckendorf's supporting grasp and runs down the overgrown tunnel.
"Hey, wait!"
The party immediately follow in pursuit, stumbling and tripping over tree roots as they try to catch up. They turn round a bend, and gasp in tandem. Grover lies, slumped, on the ground, completely motionless. Thalia immediately rushes forward, flipping the satyr and checks for injuries. Thankfully, Grover is unharmed, and his breathing is stable. He looks all the world like he is sleeping, just as he had explained earlier.
"Should we…continue on?" Lee asks.
"Let's wait for him to wake up," Thalia replies, "Pan may be close by, but we don't know what lies ahead."
It's as sound advice as any other, so the party camps out where they stand, taking the chance to refill their stomachs or quench their thirst, while also keeping an eye on Grover. They don't bother checking the time, since time flows differently in the Labyrinth, and as far as everyone is concerned, the one-week deadline could very well be truly up by now.
However much time passes, eventually, Grover does wake up. His eyelids flutter, and snap open.
"W-Wh…What happened?" he asks groggily.
"You passed out," Thalia tells him bluntly, "Pan's power overwhelmed your strength. As you said so earlier."
"Ah, right…" Grover sits up, rubbing the back of his head, "How long was I out?"
"Honestly? We don't know," Beckendorf shrugs, "It could've been hours, or days, really."
Grover's face falls at that, the one-week timeline ringing like a death knell inside his mind. However, he doesn't remain downtrodden for long. He gets to his hooves, telling the party, "We're not much further. Pan is really close by. Let's go!"
Stowing away their supplies, the party continues on down the tunnel. As they go, the roots running along the tunnel become covered in branches and thicker foliage. No one in the group, other than Grover, perhaps, are experts on plants or horticulture, but they know enough to understand that, with thickening plant growth, there was more access to light, which means they are fast approaching the end of the tunnel.
Sure enough, not long after, the tunnel opens up to an expansive cavern that looks more like a secret garden. Plants, flowers and vines grow in abundance, despite the only source of light coming from a hole in the cavern ceiling, which given the reds and yellows mixed with a growing darkness above, meant it must be evening, with nightfall fast approaching. Crystals of all colours sprout from the parts of the cavern that aren't covered in plant life. And most of all, reclining on a ledge lined with multiple layers of feathers sewn together, is -
"Lord Pan!"
All eyes swivel to the ledge, as Grover stumbles forward and prostrates himself in deep reverence before the god of the wild. As Thalia notes, Pan looks like a very old, wizened satyr, the hair on his head as white as snow, his skin wrinkled, and the goat fur on his legs is more frosted grey than the typical brown. But even so, Pan's sky-blue eyes are as clear and aware as ever, if clouded over with obvious exhaustion. The rest of the party also kneel in respect behind Grover, not daring to look away from the god of the wild.
"Grover, my child," Pan speaks, his voice still clear, but incredibly aged and wheezing, "please, rise, and come to me."
Grover does as told, and gingerly approaches the god. Pan takes his hand, a gentle smile on his lips, "My dear satyr, you have done well. You have been so brave. I have waited long, but I knew that you would come."
"You…knew…?"
Thalia looks around. Watching the proceedings with rapt eyes, but not making any noises, are all kinds of extinct animals and birds that she recognises - a woolly mammoth, a sabretooth tiger, a dodo, a Tasmanian tiger, the list goes on.
"Yes, my child," Pan nods, smile never wavering, "I have waited millennia for a satyr as good and pure-hearted as you to come find me. I am now more sure than ever before that I made the right choice."
"Lord Pan, I don't understand. What do you mean -?"
Suddenly, the god's body briefly flickered out of focus, as if the edges of his body were made of dissipating smoke. Thalia notes that all of the extinct creatures watching them also briefly flickered before returning to clear focus. A look of weary heartbreak flashes across Pan's face, his eyelids closing for a moment before opening.
"For two millennia, I knew that my time was coming. I would fall into slumber, and wake every few centuries, the time I spend awake growing shorter each time." Grover's eyes balloon with horror, and he squeezes Pan's hand tightly, "My child, this will be the last time I will remain awake. My eternal slumber beckons."
"But - n-no, no!" Grover cries, inching closer, "You can't! You can't fade! I-I spent so long trying to look for you -!"
"My dear Grover, there is no more delaying the inevitable," Pan says kindly, but firmly, "Ever since human civilisation grew and expanded, nature and the wilds became less untamed and untouched. Especially now, in the modern era, the careless and greedy actions of mortals have sped up the decline of nature. In truth, my child, I should have faded and gone into eternal slumber long ago, but the refusal of the satyrs as a kind to believe my passing has prevented me from resting. Even when the satyr by the name of Lysas, who bears as much goodness and pure-hearted compassion as you do, tried his best to spread the word, the sweet stubbornness of his kin, and the generations after him, refused to believe I had passed, thereby preventing me from truly achieving my eternal rest."
"No!" Grover is now crying, tears spilling freely from his eyes, "We need you! We need you to restore the wild! You can save us!"
"Oh, my dear child," Pan's eyes are also misty. With his other hand, he wipes away the tears streaking down Grover's cheeks, "My ability to help has long passed. By refusing to let me go, the satyrs are simply prolonging my pain. I love you, my child, as much as every satyr and being tied to nature and the wilds. But you must let me go, to let me rest. You must accept the truth that I am no longer of any help to this world. And it must be you, Grover, and your companions who must spread the word, once and for all, that the god of the wild, Pan, is truly dead, and that I can no longer be your salvation."
Grover is too overwhelmed to speak any further, any words dying under the weight of his heaving weeps. Behind him, even Tyson and the demigods wipe away tears as, one by one, the extinct creatures in the cavern start to lose focus and colour, becoming more like subjects in a grainy, black-and-white picture.
"Do not grieve too much for me, my dear Grover. It will be painful, but you have your friends and the one you love by your side. The pain will lessen, I promise. It will become easier, even if the pain does not completely fade." He strokes Grover's cheek, "Take comfort, in that I can rest easy, knowing that a good and compassionate satyr like yourself remains in this world to spread my final message to his brethren and all beings. The great god Pan might be gone, but his essence lives on in you and your companions. It is you, Grover, who I chose to find me, and who I choose to be my steward." His hand squeezes the young satyr's, "It will be you who will lead others in restoring nature and the wilds. It will be you who will help others, be it brethren, kin, or otherwise, to be their own salvation. It is you, Grover, who I entrust to carry on my work."
Grover is openly sobbing now, burying his head into Pan's reclined side, words jumbled incoherently with his tears and cries. Around the cavern, the extinct creatures begin to fade away one by one, until the last one, the dodo, also fades from sight. Suddenly, a great gust of wind blows through the cavern. From the hole in the ceiling, the messenger god, Hermes, unexpectedly descends with a flap of the wings on his ankles. The demigods gasp, and bow deeply in reverence. Hermes greets them with a nod, before turning to Pan and Grover.
"Father…"
"Pan, my son…" Hermes' voice is thick with emotion, as he strides over to the ledge. Grover shifts to make space for the messenger god, but Pan doesn't let go of his hand. Hermes kneels by the ledge, a shaky hand reaching for the dying god.
"Is it happening? You are…truly about to fade?"
"Yes, father." Pan nods, his eyes still misty, but now alight with a renewed joy, "I should have gone to rest millennia ago. But my dear satyrs refused to believe that I was gone. My existence was prolonged by their fervent stubbornness. However, I have entrusted my final command to my dear Grover, and now, to my immense joy, I get to see you one final time. I...I never thought I would get to see you again, father."
"Pan…I…" Hermes sniffles, head bowed, "I'm sorry. I should have been there for you. I should have come to see you before, not when you are about to…t-to…"
"I bear no resentment or anger towards you, father. I have lived a long, full existence. I have fulfilled my purpose, and I have passed the reins to Grover and his companions. I can rest easy now, so do not grieve too much for me, father. Do not forget your other children, who still wait for your presence and love. They still need you. The world does not need me anymore. Grover and his trusted will keep my message and work alive."
Hermes chokes out a sob, leaning down to press one last, fatherly kiss on Pan's forehead, before pulling back, his own tears falling from his hidden eyes. Pan turns to Grover, with a smile of finality, "I chose you, my dear Grover, to spread the message of my passing, and to carry on my work. And it is you, who must be the first to let me go."
Despite his sobs and heaving weeps, Grover squeezes Pan's hand one last time. He pulls away, stands up to his full height, and with a voice that, while still trembling, is loud and clear, "Lord Pan, god of the wilds, I have spent my entire life looking for you. And now that I have found you, and received your final message to the world, I…" he sniffles, "I am letting you go."
Pan sags, and he lets out a heavy sigh, as if being released from an immense burden, which, give the situation, is absolutely true, "Thank you, Grover Underwood. This is my final blessing to you and your companions." Pan pulls his hand away, sweeping it around the cavern. A wind not from Hermes blows around, and the plants that had been growing on the walls are pulled away from the rocks and swept up with the wind. The shape of the cavern makes the wind howl loudly against their ears, but even so, Grover and his companions hear Pan's final words, "Farewell, father."
Hermes lets out a sob, "Goodbye, my son."
Pan closes his eyes for the final time. His body fades into the whirlwind of plants and flowers, which then shifts into a swirling white mist that has a floral scent. The mist breaks up into wisps, which float to Grover and his companions. On the demigods and Tyson's hair, the wisps turn into beautiful flowers never before seen or documented in the natural world. Truly one of a kind, and a symbol of Pan's blessing and message to the world.
Thalia's flower is a vibrant, electric yellow which shifts into black towards the edges of the petals, with streaks of sky-blue. Lee's flower is reminiscent of the actual sun, Beckendorf's looks like a flower blossoming from a ball of fire, while Tyson's flower is an oceanic mix of blues and greens, the petals with edges akin to ripples on water.
But it is Grover who stands out the most. He has multiple flowers adorning his hair, shaped in a way that is reminiscent of a crown or diadem. And his horns, once short enough to be hidden under a cap so that he could pass off as human, have grown and curled in a similar style to how Pan's horns have been. Green vines with small leaves wind around the horns, trailing down almost like a veil to wind around his shoulders and down his arms. Furthermore, in the dimness of the cavern, everyone can see that his entire body is emanating a soft golden glow. If anything, he looks regal, stately, even godlike.
"Pan, my son, no longer breathes," Hermes mutters, "But he lives on in you, Grover, and in all of you, who bore witness to his final moments and his message."
Thalia is the first to rise to her feet, "Lord Hermes, how did you find this place?"
The messenger god's eyes, no longer hidden by his helmet, fall on Grover, "As soon as my son took Grover's hand, I…felt his dimming essence. In truth, I heard about his fading two thousand years ago, but I must have forgotten, what with so much time passing between then and now, with so much happening too within that length of time. I…I realised that my son was going to truly going to fade, so I hurried down from Olympus, hoping that I wasn't too late…"
Despite not standing at his full, godly height, Hermes is still taller than even Tyson. And yet, he seems much smaller, his posture hunched with grief, guilt, and so many other human emotions. His eyes keep flitting to the empty ledge, to Grover, and to the demigods.
"Would…you be in trouble with that fuckboy of a father back in Olympus?" Thalia asks, casually flipping off the resulting rumble of thunder which echoes throughout the cavern.
Despite himself, Hermes snorts, "It seems that Percy's impertinence has infected you as well. To be frank, even if my father punishes me for my unplanned trip, I have no regrets. I…" whatever mirth he has drops, replaced by melancholic guilt, "…I have failed so many of my children. I have abandoned them, failed to be part of their lives. I have lost so many of them, even those who are still alive." The indirect mention of Luke makes Thalia scowl, but she doesn't interrupt Hermes, "I am truly a horrible father, I do not deserve to be called one. But…despite my many failings, I am reminded of what Percy told me some time ago. He made me face my failings, take responsibility for them, and to begin making amends. Even if it is never enough, I have to make it up to my children, the ones who are still here and not yet lost."
Thalia doesn't comment, it isn't her place to do so. Lee comes up behind her, "Lord Hermes, where will you be going now?"
"Ideally, I should return to Olympus. But…" the god turns to Grover, and then the party in general, "I will personally see to it that you all return to camp safe and unharmed. I am aware of what happened to Chris after he was swayed to work with Luke. I wish to see him, and my other children, before I have to return. Even if for just a few minutes."
Thalia meets Lee's eyes, turning to Beckendorf, Tyson, and then Grover. The satyr, while still visibly upset and grieving, shakily exhales, and addresses the party as a whole, "Let's go. We need to tell the world that the great god of the wilds, Pan, is dead."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Finally, at long last, Hermes is making significant progress towards getting into Percy’s good books.
- Kai
———————————
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 600 (no change)
Chapter 30: A Return to Camp
Summary:
Percy returns to camp, a certain messenger god pays a long overdue visit to his demigod children, and certain council elders are dealt with.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Percy, Nico and Clarisse spend a minute discussing their next course of action. While they had intended to go to Daedalus's workshop, now that they had about two dozen demigods, all still in various degrees of shock and apprehension after the bloodbath they just witnessed, it is unanimously decided that they should just head back to camp.
After all, as Clarisse mentioned, Hephaestus's revelations about Daedalus continuous attempts to evade death got her thinking. Daedalus evidently only thinks about himself, fearing death and Hades like the literal plague. She had come to the conclusion that going on in search of Daedalus's workshop would be pointless, especially since now they have two dozen traumatised demigods to get to safety, and while she might be one for spars, duels and violence, one of the last things she would do is make frightened children wander around a maze that is out to kill them, or drive them insane, as she adds quietly under her breath.
Never mind that he was still covered in drying and coagulating ichor and blood, or the fact that, as soon as they returned to camp, Nico is going to stab him and Clarisse will kick his ass within inches of death, Percy leads the way as the party backtracks the way the trio had come before. Percy overheard a few of the demigods whisper among themselves, worried about whether Percy knew where he was going.
Which…was a valid concern, Percy won't lie. But, for reasons that he can't quite explain without sounding any more like he has lost what marbles he may still have after that bloodbath, backtracking the way he had come from earlier…was surprisingly easy.
He found the corner where they had cut down the two laistrygonian giants earlier with no problem, and any other monsters that do block their way are swiftly eliminated. Percy tries his best to not decapitate the monsters that attack the party, given his earlier display of popping of the heads of several demigods who likely once spent considerable time with his charges. But, as it is, old habits die hard. Nico has to remind Percy after he sliced off the head of a pit scorpion, the third head he'd removed from a monster in a span of likely twenty minutes. The less he further traumatised the young demigods that he was leading back to camp, the less likely that they would lose what fragile trust they had in him, and make impulsive decisions like taking their chances against the Labyrinth or outside the safety of the camp borders.
Either way, they had just reached the crossroads where the other tunnel was overrun by tree roots, when their trek is suddenly interrupted.
"You have arrived."
Percy does a double-take, as gasps ring out behind him, "Hermes? What are you doing here?"
The messenger god nods, "I had sensed the fading essence of my son, the god of the wilds, Pan. I met your friends in the cavern where my son resided, and witnessed his final moments and blessing. Thalia told me to wait for you at this crossroads, in the event that you returned through here."
"Where are they now?" Nico asks.
"I have sent them back to camp," Hermes replies, eyes downcast, "I…I have accepted that there is no hope in saving Luke. Before he left us, Pan reminded me about my other children, to not lose them too. Even if I am to be punished by my father for this trip down, if it means that I can visit my children for a few minutes, it is a risk I am willing to take. As such, I have waited here for you, and seeing as there are a lot more than I expected," his eyes briefly sweep over the stunned and worried demigods, "I will have you transported to the border of the camp right away."
While surprised to hear Hermes verbally express his acceptance that Luke is beyond redemption, Percy's thoughts quickly shift to more pressing matters. He nods to Hermes, "Take us there now."
The messenger god nods, producing his caduceus, and slams it into the Labyrinth floor. A ferocious gust of wind howls through the tunnel, forcing Percy to shield his eyes. The world blows away, and when the wind subsides, Percy opens his eyes again.
They are at the peak of Half-Blood hill, right next to the pine tree, with the Fleece still draped over the branches. Peleus the baby dragon immediately looks up at their arrival. He eyes the demigods with suspicion, but upon seeing Percy, and sensing that he is not in any danger, Peleus settles back down again, but does not take his eyes off the group.
"Don't worry," Percy tells the wary demigods, "if you don't pose a threat to the camp, he won't attack you." He turns to Hermes, "Well, if you're serious about visiting your children, you know where the cabins are. Oh, and for your information, I had the cabin expanded and rebuilt. There should be enough room for these kiddos here, until they get claimed or such."
"I see," Hermes nods pensively, "Thank you, for looking out for my children and the unclaimed campers."
"Someone has to," Percy says as he begins descending down the hill, "Especially if you weren't going to do so."
He can practically feel the guilt radiating off Hermes, but frankly, Percy doesn't give a shit. Right now, he needs to change out of his filthy clothes, get ready to be stabbed and pummelled within an inch of his life, and help prepare the camp for the coming attack.
Indeed, as soon as he passed the Big House, Percy could sense the tense atmosphere hovering over the campgrounds. Similar to the time that he arrived when Thalia's Pine was poisoned by Luke, he could see campers scurrying around, gathering weapons, stockpiling ammunition like arrows, and kitting themselves out in armour and other protective gear.
However, all activity stops when they notice Percy, and subsequently, Hermes. Gasps ring out. Everyone drops what they were holding previously to kneel in reverence to the messenger god, though Percy notices Travis, Connor and their siblings looking shell-shocked at seeing their father in the flesh.
"Kelp Head!"
Percy barely turns around when Thalia throws herself onto him. He wraps his arms around her as she squeezes the air out of his lungs. It takes a few seconds for Thalia to notice the dried ichor on Percy's clothes.
"What the - Percy!" she steps back, eyes wide, "What the hell happened to you?!"
"Oh, this?" he gestures to his stained shirt, "Nah, don't worry, Pinecone Face. None of this is mine."
"None -" Thalia's words trail off, "Percy, what the hell did you do?"
Nico, being the little shit he definitely is, chooses then to make his presence known, "You want the full details? Or the summary?"
Thalia's expression is now extremely wary, "Full. Details."
"This motherfucker here," Nico jabs Percy's arm, "realised that he could fucking blood-bend, challenged over five hundred monsters and enemy demigods to come at him in an all-out battle royale, took control of their ichor and blood, and made their heads explode off their necks like corks popping out of champagne bottles. And the worst part?" his dark eyes gleam with deviousness, "He wasn't fully certain that he could pull it off."
Percy doesn't even bother to defend himself, bravely facing Thalia's now-stony expression with the air of a man about to meet a horrible, bloody fate.
"I will run my spear up your ass and electrocute you with the strongest voltage possible, Perseus Jackson," Thalia robotically declares, "And don't even think of trying to run off to your daddy's palace."
"Get in line, Thals," Nico smirks, "I'm stabbing him first, and he is due for a thorough beatdown by Clarisse too."
"I'll go after La Rue, then."
Percy sighs, "At least…let me change out, and make sure that the demigods we rescued are settled in first?" He glances back, seeing Clarisse addressing the demigods, pointing them to the way of the Hermes cabin. And speaking of the messenger god, he is standing before Travis and Connor, as the two siblings subject him to rapid-fire questions that, evidently, have no easy answers. Hermes has his back to him, but judging from his penitent posture, the god isn't having a great time right now.
"Don't take too long, Kelp Head. Grover is dealing with the council right now."
Ah, right.
"Actually, changing out can wait," Percy decides, "Let's go see if I'll be adding several fat, lazy satyr heads to the pile."
"You lie!"
"I do not lie. The god of the wilds is dead."
By the time Percy reaches the clearing that houses the Council of the Cloven Elders, things have reached a fever point. What must be hundreds of nature spirits, from dryads, nymphs, and other satyrs, are crowding around the stone forum, watching the spectacle go down. Percy nudges and squeezes his way to the front, Nico and Thalia close behind. He spots Grover being stared down by Silenus and his fellow council members. What catches Percy off-guard is the fact that Grover is meeting the accusatory eyes of Silenus and his ilk with stony, unyielding defiance. There is no trace of the nervous and easily-frightened satyr that Percy knew all too well, and combined with the diadem of flowers in his hair, his larger horns and the vines that cascade from the horns down his shoulders and arms, Grover seems almost unrecognisable.
"This is preposterous!" Maron screeches, "You spin a nonsensical tale of finding the great Lord Pan, only for him to die?!"
"I do not spin such a tale," Grover stands his ground, folding his arms across his chest, "His essence lingered only because we, as a kind, failed to accept that he was gone. Lord Pan should have faded a long time ago, but due to our stubbornness, we prolonged his pain!"
"You dare to speak such sacrilege - ?!"
Percy has had enough.
"Oh shut your fucking trap, you fat, lazy asses!"
Eyes all swing towards Percy, and more than a few council satyrs flinch at the sight of the dried, coagulated ichor on Percy's clothes. He strides towards Grover, Thalia and Nico following suit. Grover stares, wide-eyed, as Percy comes to stand next to him.
"The only sacrilege being spoken here is you lot trampling on Pan's final message by daring to disparage Grover's efforts!" Percy shouts, eyes blazing.
"You have no right to -!" Leneus begins to stand, only to get shut down.
"We have every right, because we speak the truth!" Thalia yells, "I accompanied Grover along with Lee Fletcher, Charles Beckendorf, and Percy's brother Tyson, in search of Lord Pan. We were there when Lord Pan made Grover his steward, and we received Lord Pan's final message and blessing along with Grover too! By daring to question Grover, you are spitting on Lord Pan's final hope for the world!"
Percy notes that several of the younger council members are starting to appear doubtful, whispering amongst themselves.
"Enough!" Silenus jumps to his hooves, "This council will not stand for such blatant falsehoods!" He jabs a finger at Grover, who doesn't even blink, "You will be exiled from our lands, never to return - !"
"And on whose authority are you to make such judgments?"
A strong gust of wind blows through the clearing, along with the scent of sour grapes. Gasps ring out from one side, the crowd of nature spirits parting like the Red Sea as both Hermes and Dionysus stride into the stone forum. Dionysus looks like he had just stepped out of a business meeting. There is no trace of the bitter camp director who never got anyone's names right. Dionysus is decked out in a black suit, royal purple tie and dark violet dress shirt, a crown of woven grape vines around his head, and his iconic thyrsus in hand. Hermes' expression is decidedly stormy, and Percy is reminded of the perpetual glare that Zeus has plastered on his ugly mug.
"M-My lord - !" Silenus stutters out.
"Save the pleasantries," Dionysus snaps, the scent of sour grapes growing stronger, signifying his foul mood, "I repeat myself only once, on whose authority are you to make such judgments on your own? I distinctly do not remember being consulted, and neither was Chiron. Furthermore, was there even a vote cast on such a motion?"
"W-Well, n-no, m-m-my lord, but there doesn't need to be one! Not when such a falsehood is so blatant - !"
"So you claim that my witness to my own son's passing was entirely fabricated?" Hermes growls, effectively shutting Silenus up, "Are you insinuating that I was not there, in the cavern where my son was residing, when he passed? When I saw him off to his eternal rest?!"
Silenus tries to come up with some form of answer, but only jumbled, incoherent noises spill from his trembling mouth.
"It may not be common knowledge that Pan was one of my sons, but he was my son regardless!" Hermes shouts, "And to my greatest shame, like my demigod children in the camp, I neglected to be part of his life, and I only did so in the final moments of his existence! It is only because of Grover Underwood, that I was able to see Pan one last time, and be by his side when he went into his long-overdue slumber! And you have the audacity to call him a liar? By that, are you also calling me a liar?!"
Silenus is now incapable of making any noise. He just falls back onto his seat, unable to come up with any semblance of an excuse.
"It seems, that this council is not fit to stand in its present form," Dionysus remarks. He jabs a finger towards Silenus and his ilk, "You will either recant your false accusations against Mr. Underwood and seek his forgiveness, or you will remove yourself from your seats at once, and never darken this forest with your presence again. What will it be, Silenus?"
A few, tense seconds pass in complete silence, those present collectively holding their breaths. In those few seconds, Silenus and his brethren do not appear ready to make either choice. It is a few seconds too long for Grover, who breaks the silence with a low, deadly tone, "The great Lord Pan said, before he passed, that he loves each and every one of you as his children, despite your stubborn refusal to believe the truth. I can only imagine how heartbroken he would be, if he saw you all denying his final message to be our own salvation. Lord Pan made me his steward, to spread his message to the world, and begin the process of restoring nature and the wilds. I will not be able to perform my bestowed duty, if you three remain in the way."
Before anyone could react, Grover throws his hands out towards the surrounding forest. The sound of rustling leaves grows louder and louder. Then, without any warning, several large vines shoot out from the trees and, on Grover's command, snatch Silenus, Maron and Lineus up into the air by their limbs. Screams and shouts echo everywhere, as the other council members stumble and trip over themselves to get away.
"Grief is understandable, even expected. But denial only serves to harm," Grover continues, as the three satyrs struggle against their bindings, "It is your denial that sent so many of our brethren to their deaths when Polyphemus lured them to his island using the Golden Fleece. It is your denial that prolonged Lord Pan's suffering. And it is your denial that insinuated that Lord Hermes lied about seeing his child fade away from existence!" With a snap of his wrists, the vines forcibly pull the three satyrs out spread-eagle.
"Your denials prevent us from performing Lord Pan's final wish. As the saying goes, we need to nip the problem in the bud, before it becomes a problem. And now, I will nip all three of you in the bud."
Grover clenches his hands into fists, and jerks them in opposite directions. The vines violently rip the three satyrs clean in two, organs and ichor falling in a gory cascade upon the seats they once occupied. Perhaps the only mercy was that their end came quickly, giving the three satyrs no time to even scream.
With a final flick of his wrists, Grover sends the vines back into the forest, taking the carcasses with them. Exhaling loudly, he turns to the remaining council members, ignoring the stunned looks from Percy and the others, "From here on, I will lead the council. For now, our work to restore nature and the wilds will be put aside, for we have a more pressing issue at hand. Any time from now, an army of monsters led by a traitorous demigod in service to the Crooked One will attack the camp from the entrance to the infamous Labyrinth located at Zeus's Fist. We must assist the campers in their defenses, and arm ourselves in preparation."
Grover sweeps his gaze over the forum, "Do you have any questions?" At the lack of satyrs, or anyone else, speaking up, he nods firmly, "Very well. This council has been adjourned!"
It takes a moment for the new reality to set in, before the council satyrs all disperse, along with the nature spirits, who kept glancing back at Grover even as they departed. When the forum is quiet, Grover lets out a loud, manic bleat, and falls to his knees.
"I-I can't believe…I can't believe I did that!"
"Holy fucking shit, G-man!" Percy yanks Grover up to punch him gently on the shoulder, "That was fucking awesome!"
"You were so badass!" Thalia joins in, which makes Grover so flustered that he tries to hide his face behind his hands, only for her to grab his hands, "I thought we'd have to step in and kill those bastards ourselves, but you showed everyone present that you aren't grass to be stepped on, but a whole fucking forest!"
"Shame, though, that you didn't get to see Percy pop their heads off with his fucking broken blood-bending powers…" Nico mumbles, though not unkindly.
"What?"
Nico immediately realises that he'd been overheard, and slowly turns to Dionysus, who, like Hermes, is now staring at him with a disturbed expression.
"Nicholas, since when does Perseus know how to control blood?"
To Be Continued.
Notes:
We might just find the upcoming battle taking a drastically different direction, unless you guys want to see carnage and bloodshed?
- Kai
-------------------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 3
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 603
Chapter 31: A Bloody Battle
Summary:
The battle of the Labyrinth commences.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Truthfully, they should've had the conversation right then and there.
It was too important to just simply set aside.
Because, as much as Nico, and Percy by extension, would've liked for such important information to have been kept between as few people as possible, that was no longer the case. Dionysus and Hermes had overheard Nico, despite Nico not even being that loud, and now know that Percy can blood-bend.
There was simply no way Nico and Percy could've avoided the conversation, deflected it or tried to pass it off as a joke. By deciding not to change out of the clothes he wore into the Labyrinth, Percy had circumstantial evidence of Nico's slip-up. Plus, one does not simply lie to the gods unless you have an ironclad, bullet-proof reason to do so, or if you simply had a death wish.
But they didn't have that conversation.
Not yet.
Not when there is still an army of monsters marching on the camp, and no one knows for certain when they will come.
So after some persuasion, Dionysus and Hermes agree to postpone the discussion to after the army has been dealt with. But the knowing look in the wine god's eyes made it very clear to both boys that they won't be getting out of this, so they better not try anything.
Not that Percy was in a position to try anything. He and Grover jumped right into assisting the camp to set up defensive positions around Zeus's Fist, stockpile arrows, weapons and other ammunition, and plan attack strategies and formations with Malcolm. Percy has no choice but to reveal his blood-bending powers to Malcolm, which, to the son of Athena's credit, his response is just to blink, stare at Percy for a few seconds, before simply factoring it in to his plans. Percy can tell that Malcolm has questions, but was polite enough and more focused on the imminent attack to not ask.
Eventually, it is decided that, given Percy's blood-bending powers, he would be the first line of defense against the expected army of monsters along with Clarisse and her siblings. Thalia and Nico will take up position behind them, followed by the Apollo, Hermes campers and satyrs, armed with bows and replenishing arrow quivers provided by the sun god, and led by Lee Fletcher. Beckendorf and his siblings will lay all kinds of traps, ranging from pits filled with sharpened spikes and Greek fire, barriers lined with barbed wire, to the ancient version of land mines, around Zeus's Fist and leading towards camp. Tyson will man two catapults aimed directly at the Labyrinth entrance. And within the forest, Grover will coordinate with his fellow satyrs, dryads and other nature spirits to form ambush teams and assist the campers if needed.
Dionysus had remained in camp while Hermes returned to Olympus. Percy doesn't know what fate awaits the messenger god, but whatever happens, a small part of him hoped that, regardless of what that Lightning Fuckboy does to his son, Hermes will still get to visit his children at camp in the future. The memory of Travis and Connor pulling him aside during one of his earlier rounds to check on how the defensive set-ups were coming along to express their sincerest gratitude and thanks for getting their dad to actually visit is still fresh in Percy's mind. The siblings' genuine smiles had made the usually-annoying praises and exaltations to Percy's name and goodness all the more worth it.
Dionysus had privately confided to Percy that, under no circumstances, would he let his twin sons, Castor and Pollux, out of his sight and grasp. Percy had just nodded, but he was grateful for the wine god's promise. Castor's death at the hands of an enemy demigod in the previous timeline weighed heavy in Percy's memories, as it had been, arguably, the first time that Dionysus showed visceral emotion beyond the usual grumpiness and annoyance towards the campers.
As it is, Percy doesn't see the twin brothers anywhere near the front lines, which he takes as a good sign. However, his thoughts then stray to Lee, who was also killed last time amidst the chaos, having his chest caved in by a monster's club. Even though he can't see the Apollo counsellor, Percy makes a mental note to do whatever he can to keep Lee alive. Even though he knows that he can't save everyone, he owes Will and his siblings Lee's survival at the very least, and, he hopes, Michael too, when the Battle of Manhatten takes place.
Percy hears hooves trotting over. Chiron says, "It isn't enough."
"It will never be enough," Percy agrees, "But…hopefully, with five hundred fewer monsters and enemy demigods, we can get through with fewer losses."
"Yes, Dionysus told me as such," Chiron replies, his eyes gazing at him with disturbed intrigue, "I must also remind you that we expect the full details once this is over."
"Gee, thanks for that," Percy huffs sarcastically, even though, again, he has no intention of going back against his promise.
The sudden rumbling of the ground around the Labyrinth entrance forces an end to their conversation. Percy draws Riptide and Maelstrom, and Chiron readies his bow and arrow.
"Lock shields!" Clarisse barks to her siblings, as Nico draws his Stygian sword and Thalia brandishes her spear.
The first wave of monsters, a group of five laistrygonian giants emerges from the cave, roaring loudly and thirsting for blood. Percy promptly raises Maelstrom, and, channeling his power through the trident, he forces the ichor in their bodies towards him, effectively paralysing the giants. With their huge, lumbering bodies essentially causing a bottleneck at the cave entrance, the subsequent waves of monsters - several dozen dracaenae in full armour, six frothing hellhounds, and a dozen telkhines, are all stymied and forced to go around the giants to begin their assault. The traps promptly go off, catching several monsters and leaving them vulnerable to the archers' arrows, or incinerating them with Greek fire until they were nothing but gold dust.
Suddenly, one of the giants lets out a bellowing roar, and forcibly rips himself out of Percy's blood-bending grip. The giant eviscerates himself in the process, but the sudden opening allows more monsters to break through. The Ares phalanx immediately swoop in to engage the monsters, but they are hopelessly outnumbered. The sight of one of the other giants trying to reach down to the Ares campers forces Percy to make a quick decision. With a jerk of his trident, he causes the heads of the four remaining giants to explode off their necks. The resulting cascade of ichor descends upon the Ares campers and the attacking monsters, slowing the latter down just enough for Thalia and Nico to rush in. Percy joins them, slashing heads off and impaling bodies.
Then, Percy sees several a pack of hellhounds breaking away from the main assault and charging towards one line of archers. He breaks away from his friends, cutting the canines off, and brandishes Riptide. Suddenly, a massive shape of grey and black leaps from behind Percy. Mrs. O'Leary knocks one of the hellhounds down to the ground, her teeth sinking into its neck and promptly tearing out the flesh and fur. Percy leverages the distraction to decapitate three more and stab another four, when grape vines suddenly appear, snatching up the remaining beasts and dragging them off elsewhere.
Percy sends a quick prayer of thanks to Dionysus, calling to Mrs. O'Leary, who had just finished off another of her more feral canines, "Good girl! Go help the others!"
She barks an affirmative, bounding off towards the sounds of the battle. Trusting Nico and Thalia to be able to hold their own without needing him there, Percy runs through the secondary line of defenses, looking around for any monsters that managed to get through the front lines.
He had just removed the heads of a dracanae soldier and four pit scorpions when, amidst the noises and shouting, he sees Dionysus up ahead, with both Castor and Pollux by his sides. They were in the midst of fending off a flock of enraged harpies, and, to Percy's horror, did not see an enemy demigod rushing at them, specifically Pollux. Percy's feet move by themselves, and acting on a mix of battle instinct and his sworn refusal to let any harm come to Dionysus's twins, Percy launches Maelstrom at the enemy demigod's torso. The trident pierces through the armour like it was made of wet rags, and the enemy demigod is knocked off his feet, blood spewing from his mouth. Percy is immediately on him, and with a ringing swing of Riptide, slices the demigod's head clean off the neck. The head goes flying, smacking into a nearby tree trunk, which knocks the helmet off. Percy instantly recognises the face - Alabaster Torrington, son of Hecate. Immediately, Percy pales, but before he could fully register what he just did, someone calls out to him.
"Perseus!"
He spins around. Dionysus is staring at him, Castor and Pollux too. The wine god glances to the beheaded enemy demigod, and then back to him.
"Shit, thanks man," Pollux wheezes out.
Some colour returns to Percy's cheeks, as he nods, "Anytime, Pollux. Please, be careful."
Without waiting for a further word from the wine god and his sons, Percy charges off in the direction of the campgrounds. Out of the corner of his eye, he had spotted a squad of dracaenae and several telkhines rushing off in that direction. The campgrounds had been left empty, with all of the campers gathered around Zeus's Fist. Percy brandishes Maelstrom, ready to immobilise them, when suddenly, the ground beneath the half-snake soldiers and sea demons turns into a sea of black, and with hissing screeches and howls, the dracaenae and telkhines sink down to their waists, thrashing and flailing, but unable to escape. Percy grabs the chance to take hold of the ichor in their torsos, and violently blast their heads off their necks.
The sea of shadow dissipates, as do the carcasses. Nico appears from behind a nearby tree, "I wasn't trying to steal your kills, by the way."
"Wasn't thinking of such," Percy waves him off, "Thanks, Neeks. Where are Thals and G-man?"
"Thalia is still at the entrance, I think," Nico replies hurriedly, "I'm not sure about Grover."
"Right, I'll go join her," Percy nods, "Go help your sister and the archers."
"Aye, aye, captain."
Percy and Nico speed off in opposite directions. Along the way, Percy hears the telltale whoosh of fire. Several feet away, flames rapidly spread through the trees, growing larger by the second. Remembering how, previously, a wildfire had set part of the forest ablaze, Percy immediately raises Maelstrom, and with the power of the sea within his soul calling to the ocean and lake, Percy draws a mighty deluge of water over the fires. Instantly, the blaze is extinguished, but in the process, it also sweeps two enemy demigods right towards Percy's feet. Evidently, they were the ones who started the fire. Percy doesn't spare them a further thought. He impales one to the ground with Maelstrom, and brings Riptide down on the other's neck, severing the head clean off. Percy then relieves the other demigod of her head, before snatching Maelstrom back.
He runs back towards Zeus's Fist. Chiron is firing arrow after arrow at the monsters. Several metres away, Percy spies Quintus engaged in a battle against an enemy cyclops. Any triumphant thoughts about the man finally recognising the futility of his continued flight from Hades is quickly tossed aside by the sheer number of monsters still pouring out from the Labyrinth entrance. Percy doesn't quite remember how big was the army last time, but right now, it just seems like the monsters keep coming with no end in sight.
'Fuck, is this Gramps' response to his scythe getting destroyed and what happened in the arena?' Percy worries, as he subconsciously slices off a harpy's head and hacks another's wing off. The campers are all fighting bravely, but they are still severely outnumbered. The Ares phalanx has long since been scattered, with Clarisse on her own in dealing with another laistrygonian giant. A pack of hellhounds charge towards her from behind, forcing Percy to act. Thrusting Maelstrom out, he grabs the water within the hellhounds' ichor, freezing them in place with startled yelps. With more force than was strictly necessary, Percy blasts the heads off their necks, the resulting wave of ichor splashing over Clarisse and the giant. Percy then launches the trident straight into the giant's face, impaling right through the eyes. The giant's pained roar snaps Clarisse out of her stupor. She quickly thrusting her spear into the giant's gut, zapping it with the full voltage of electric power.
As it goes down, three more of said giants suddenly rush past, and as Percy discovers, are charging straight towards Chiron, who had been knocked to the ground after getting clipped by a glancing attack.
"No!" Percy immediately draws Maelstrom back to him and is about to rush in to intercept the giants, when suddenly, one of the worst sounds in the entire world echoes through not just Zeus's Fist, but all across the forest.
A horrible, ear-piercing screech shatters the air, and even when Percy clamps his hands over his ears, it is still loud enough to rattle his eardrums. Even across two lifetimes, Percy can only best describe it as the sound of true, unbridled fear, and like before, Grover unleashed it upon the monsters of Kronos' army.
Like a switch being flipped, the monsters and what enemy demigods remained dropped their weapons and fled, enmasse, back into the Labyrinth. It is just a stampede, monsters and demigods trampling over one another to get away from the primal panic tearing through their souls. The last of them eventually disappear down the tunnel, and everything goes quiet, save for the groans and cries of exhausted and injured campers.
Just like that, the battle is over.
Percy rushes to the triage tent set up next to the infirmary, assessing the sight that greeted him when he arrived.
To his immense relief, Castor and Pollux are together, with the former hugging his twin tightly and not likely to release him anytime soon. Several rows away, Lee is sitting up on a cot, shirtless, his chest wrapped in bandages that are being changed by Michael. Nico and Bianca are moving around, checking on campers, assessing their injuries, and helping out wherever they could. Beckendorf is with Tyson, the latter helping the Hephaestus counsellor to set the broken leg of a camper with a splint. However, the sight of several downcast faces and a few weeping campers being comforted by others dampens Percy's relief. Worse, Percy spots Clarisse hunched over on a cot, resting her head on her knees.
He goes over, and she looks up at his approach.
"I don't want your fucking pity, Jackson."
Nothing more needs to be said. Percy simply sits down next to Clarisse, "I'm not pitying you. Do you need me to help change your bandages?"
She doesn't respond for a moment or two, "No. Just…go help the others."
Percy simply nods, getting to his feet. Deaths are inevitable in battle, he reminds himself, he can't save everyone.
He goes over to Nico, "Hey, do you need anything?"
The son of Hades looks up, "Oh, Percy. Yeah, could you go and get some more rubbing alcohol from the cabinet? I'm about to run out."
"Sure thing."
Percy backtracks to the infirmary, entering quietly. Immediately, he does a double-take. Will is by the cabinets, assisted by Travis and Connor, but what grabs Percy's attention is the sight of Dionysus talking quietly to both Hermes and Apollo. At no point did Percy see the messenger god or the sun god during the battle, what were they doing here?
His arrival prompts six pairs of eyes to turn to him.
"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Percy says quickly, feeling embarrassed for some unknown reason, "I just need more rubbing alcohol and I'll -"
"Perseus," Dionysus cuts him off, "I was just talking about you. If you're not busy, we want you to join us."
Suddenly rendered speechless, Percy's eyes dart to the supply cabinets.
"You said you needed more rubbing alcohol?" Travis says.
"U-Um…yeah, Nico is the one who needs it, actually. He sent me here to get some."
"You got it, my lord."
On the one hand, Percy no longer feels like a deer in the headlights, but on the other, he can't help but exhale in slight annoyance at Travis still addressing him like he is an actual god. He turns to Dionysus, "You want to talk?"
"Yes," the wine god nods, "let's move somewhere more private?"
Percy gestures for Dionysus to lead the way. He follows the wine god into the main infirmary itself, where the beds are. On one side, are the more seriously injured campers that required more intensive care than those outside in the triage tent. The other side…Percy notes that the privacy curtains have been drawn around five of the beds. It doesn't take much for him to ascertain what those five beds are being used for.
Hermes has also joined them, though lingering back somewhat. Dionysus stops at the only bed on the side with the seriously-injured that has its privacy curtain drawn.
"I was told about what Mr. Rodriguez went through in the Labyrinth before he was found by Ms. La Rue. Despite willingly siding with the traitor, he has endured much suffering from his own mind, in both the Labyrinth and under the careful supervision of Ms. La Rue." Dionysus turns to Percy, "I have the power to heal the insanity ravaging him, but whether or not I will do so depends on your choice. There is no guarantee that he won't betray the camp again of his own will, or be manipulated by the traitor into joining his side again."
Percy quietly sucks in a breath. He wasn't given agency over Chris's fate last time. To decide whether Chris will be healed, it suddenly feels like a heavy weight has been unceremoniously dropped on his shoulders. Both Dionysus and Hermes staring at him, waiting for his response, doesn't help matters.
He takes a moment to compose himself. While Dionysus' concerns have merit, in truth, Percy has already made up his mind, if also for Clarisse's sake. He just wished that the wine god just healed Chris's insanity and moved on, but then again, maybe this was a subtle move on Dionysus' part to get back at him for the constant mis-naming in the past.
Gods can be very petty, as he is well aware.
"Please heal him."
Dionysus nods. He turns to Hermes, "Your son should be back in his right mind by tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, brother."
Seeing as he doesn't appear needed anymore, Percy turns to head out of the room, only to be stopped by the wine god, "Don't forget, Perseus, about the conversation you owe us."
Right, that.
"I won't."
Percy leaves the room. By the supply cabinets, both Will and Connor are no longer there. However, Apollo still remains, leaning against the counter, his arms folded across his broad chest.
"You're probably wondering why I'm here," the sun god says, as he notices Percy's presence.
"I guess…yeah," Percy replies slowly, unsure where this is heading, "Did you actually fight in the battle?"
"As much as I wish I could, I did not interfere directly," Apollo sighs, closing his eyes momentarily, "Doing so would've gotten my father's attention, something I cannot afford right now."
Percy nods, not saying anything.
"I do, however, want to talk to you, for a moment," Apollo turns to him, "In the days and weeks after you told me that you came back from the future, I have been experiencing…episodes, shall we say." At Percy's raised eyebrow, Apollo explains, "They come and go without warning, and the only ways I can describe them is like feeling prophecies literally changing, my visions of the would-be future going haywire, and like I'm actually about to go insane. And during some of these episodes, I saw what…I can only imagine was the previous timeline that you talked about."
Percy is on alert, "What…did you see?"
"Many things," Apollo admits, something akin to a thousand-yard stare in his eyes, "Regarding the battle against the monster army, I…I saw that…" he squeezes his eyes shut, "I saw Lee dying, having his chest and ribcage caved in by a monster's club. I-I saw Castor's death at the hands of an enemy demigod. I saw so many deaths, of campers who are still alive right now."
"Oh…"
Percy, frankly, doesn't know what to say in response.
"It is one thing to know that, in the previous timeline, half of my children would die in the coming years. But to actually see their deaths…" Apollo runs a hand down his face, his lips trembling, "E-Even if I couldn't directly intervene during the battle, I did everything I could to lower the odds of Lee, or any of my children, dying today. Thank us, none of them were killed, and any injuries they got are minor." Apollo meets Percy's eyes, and he could see the pure gratitude in the sun god's sky-blue irises, "It is all thanks to you, Perseus Jackson. I owe my children's survival entirely to you. You have done so much for the camp, and for us. It truly, truly saddens me that, as the Olympian council, we have let things get to the point where our children have to fight our battles for us."
As it stands, Percy isn't completely convinced.
While he can appreciate Apollo's words, just because he is also the god of truth, that doesn't stop Apollo from using words in ways that are not the truth. Especially, given that Percy never revealed to him about what happened with Gaea, or his stint as -
"I can tell you don't believe me, and I understand. After all you hadn't yet told me about the utter clusterfuck that is Gaea and my father dearest stripping me of my godhood and casting me down as an acne-riddled mortal that went by the name of Lester Papadopoulos."
Percy's entire world screeches to a halt.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Oh my, looks like the conversations Percy will have just got interesting ~
On a different note, I will say it first and foremost, I have a soft spot for Apollo's children, Lee especially. In fact, my multishipper ass started shipping Lee and Percy together after finding Tatortor367's series, "silent tongues speak no prophecies verse", where Percy is not only Poseidon's son, but also has prophetic sight. Furthermore, it has inspired me to think about concepts where I can ship Lee and Percy together, like a sun/moon dynamic where Percy gets adopted by Artemis as an infant, and later, when he comes to Camp Half-Blood, meets Lee and his siblings in the Apollo cabin.
But I'm just rambling right now.
- Kai
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No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 40
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 643
Chapter 32: A Series of Difficult Conversations
Summary:
Certain developments are discussed.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Seeing the stunned, horrified look on Percy's face, Apollo is quick to reassure him, "I presume you didn't tell me about those two events before because you didn't want to overload me with too much at one go, right?" That prompts Percy to snap his jaw shut. The way his eyes shift downwards to the side is all the answer Apollo needs, "I appreciate the concern, but honestly? I don't think it would've made things any worse."
Percy eventually finds his voice, "So…you remember, or saw, what happened, even with dirt bitchface, and…when you were Lester. How…did - no, how do you feel about it, especially the latter?"
Apollo is silent for a moment, his eyes intense, and his face completely marble-like. Percy knows that the sun god isn't looking at him, but even he can't completely avoid the oppressive feeling that has now descended upon the space they occupy.
"I…Truthfully, Perseus? At the time, I was just so happy to get my godhood back, and being able to spend time with my children in camp. But, now…looking closer, I…" Apollo squeezes his eyes shut, and Percy can feel the air in the infirmary starting to become a bit warm, "I…I am furious with father." Percy's eyes widen at that, "It was his decisions, his inactions, his refusal to take the problem seriously, that have left us with this current, and future mess. And…" Apollo runs his hand down his face again, "…why me? Why did he blame me for Gaea's rise? Just because I let that…stupid legacy of mine do what he wanted?"
"If you're referring to Octavian, I will admit that you were stupid for encouraging him," Percy replies bluntly. Unfazed by the offended look from the sun god, he plows on, "Octavian is part of the bigger problem in New Rome, and you encouraging him didn't help matters. However," he cuts Apollo off when the latter opens his mouth, "pitting the blame entirely on you was a dick move by that fuckboy up there." Percy just flips off the resulting rumble of thunder, "You being stripped of your godhood and being sent on that wild goose chase, resulting in more unnecessary deaths and conflicts, is just the latest example of that fucker up there screwing things up because he lacks any brain cells and common sense."
After the second rumble of thunder fades (and Percy flipping it off, naturally), Apollo sighs, crossing his arms across his chest, "I…guess you're right, about Octavian."
"Huh, how much pride did you have to swallow to admit that?" Percy teases.
Apollo scowls petulantly, "I should smite you for that."
"But you won't."
"…no, I won't. Also, because Uncle Poseidon would eviscerate me and scatter the pieces into the void of Chaos if I tried anything with his favourite son."
"Aww, glad to see that the apple falls far from the tree when it comes to brain cells and common sense," Percy cheekily says.
Apollo huffs, decidedly looking away from Percy, muttering under his breath, "Why do I like you so much…"
"That's part of my charm, as someone once told me," Percy winks, decidedly forcing the slight blush off his cheeks, though he can't help the brief flutter of butterfly wings in his stomach.
"They'd need to have their eyes checked then…"
Percy can't help but laugh at how childish Apollo is acting. As such, he fails to notice the sun god turning back towards him, still pouting, but his eyes gazing at him with a level of fondness only reserved for those who hold a special place in Apollo's heart, which, barring his children, can literally be counted in only one hand.
Percy has just gotten his laughter back under control when someone enters the infirmary. Nico steps in, and does a double-take when he sees Apollo, "Um…am I interrupting something?"
"Ah, well…" Percy glances to Apollo, then going back to Nico, "my favourite sunshine cousin just told me about some new developments since you accidentally let slip to Mr. D and Hermes about my…powers over blood and ichor."
"I heard my name?"
Right on cue, Dionysus and Hermes reappear from the main infirmary wing.
"I was just telling Neeks about some…certain revelations that Apollo just dropped on me with the subtlety of a nuclear bomb," Percy tells the wine god.
"Like you didn't do so yourself…" Apollo grumbles.
"Quite," Dionysus nods, "Now," he turns to Nico, "since you're here, Nathan, I believe now should be a good time to have that chat you two owe us?"
"Well, maybe give us a few minutes?" Nico asks, "Quintus…wants to talk to us, urgently."
Immediately getting what Nico is insinuating, Percy tells the trio, "Yeah, just give us a few minutes. I promise we won't try to run away."
Apollo glances at Percy, telling his brothers, "He's telling the truth."
"Alright," Dionysus sighs, "You have a few minutes."
Percy nods in thanks, following Nico out of the door. The triage tent has noticeably emptied of campers, with those no longer present likely helping the satyrs and other nature spirits to restore the forest and repair any damage sustained during the battle. Percy and Nico head towards Zeus's Fist, where they find Quin - no, Daedalus, lurking around the entrance to the Labyrinth holding something to his chest, Mrs. O'Leary by his side. The clearing around the rocky outcrop still bears the scars and marks of the battle just hours before, with copious amounts of ichor and gold dust scattered across the grass.
"Ah…you came."
"Is this…what I think it is?" Percy asks rhetorically, even if, inside, he knows.
"Yes," Daedalus nods, expression sombre, "I was…persuaded to make the right choice." His gaze briefly flickers to Nico, who simply stares at back him blankly, "For too long, I was selfish, a coward, who let his pride and hubris get in the way of what matters most. I…am ready to take responsibility of my actions." He hands over what he had been holding, his laptop, Percy recognises. Before, he had given it to Annabeth. But, with her no longer around, it is now Percy who receives it.
"I only have one request. Please, take care of Mrs. O'Leary. She has no desire to return to the Underworld."
"Of course," Percy agrees immediately. After all, Mrs. O'Leary is the best girl, and Cerberus is in need of his playmate.
Despite the sombre look on his face, Daedalus gives a small, melancholic smile, "Thank you." He turns to Nico, "I am ready to go. I must tell my son and Perdix…how sorry I am."
Nico nods, and without a further word, he releases Daedalus's soul into the grasp of Hades. The automaton shell promptly breaks apart and disintegrates. Mrs. O'Leary, who had trotted over to Percy's side when he received the laptop, let out a howl of grief, just as the ground beneath them rumbled, as the Labyrinth collapsed in on itself with Daedalus's passing. The entrance also collapses, and Zeus's Fist crumbles into itself, no more a rocky hill, just a jumble of earth and rock.
Percy kneels down to comfort the hellhound. If it is true that Mrs. O'Leary, like Cerberus, also remembers the previous timeline, seeing her master die a second time is a heartbreak that Percy can only imagine.
They spend another minute just staring at the remains of Zeus's Fist, before quietly making their way back to the Big House. They have several uncomfortable conversations ahead of them, might as well get them over with.
A few steps in, Percy stops, "Hey, can you go on ahead, Neeks? I…think my dad would like to be part of the conversation, since it also pertains to Apollo."
"Oh, sure. See you in a bit."
After sending a quick prayer to Poseidon, asking to meet him at the beach, Percy is reunited with his dad, dressed in his tacky eyesore of a Hawaiian print shirt and fishing hat. Quickly bringing Poseidon up to speed on what happened as they go, they reach the Big House and slip in without anyone else noticing.
In the main sitting area of the house, Nico has already gathered with Apollo, Hermes, Dionysus and Chiron. Evidently, Nico already told them of Poseidon's arrival, so none of them were taken by surprise when Percy entered with the god of the seas by his side.
"Lord Poseidon," Chiron bows in greeting.
"Uncle P," Apollo nods for both Hermes and himself.
After returning the greetings, Poseidon sits down with Percy on the remaining space of the sofa where Nico had claimed earlier. Mrs. O'Leary, shrunk down to the size of a regular dog, bounds up onto Percy's lap and makes herself comfortable, "So, I was given the summary by my son. Before we get into the part where he can…control ichor and blood," he turns to Apollo, who straightens up, "you told my son that you remembered things…beyond what we told you before?"
"That is right, Uncle," Apollo nods, and explains what he revealed to Percy in the infirmary to those present. While Nico is surprised, both Dionysus and Hermes are completely speechless.
"Wait, wait, hold up," the messenger god tries to wrap his head around the bombshells, "this all sounds like some messed-up time travel -"
"That's because it is time travel," Percy cuts Hermes off, "Both Nico and I are from the future, specifically from the year 2016. One night, after going to bed, I found myself in a void, where some mysterious being offered me the chance to go back in time and do things all over again. I took that offer, and woke up in 2006, the day I learnt I wasn't some ordinary child with dyslexia and ADHD." He continues with a summary of all the changes he made since that time, which still took considerable time to get through, given the sheer number of things that he changed from the previous timeline. Hermes stares at him with his jaw hanging open, while Dionysus is sitting up, though his expression is unreadable.
"So…Castor was supposed to die today," Dionysus finally says after Percy is done, "Along with Lee Fletcher."
"Yes," Percy nods.
Dionysus turns to Apollo, who gives him a grim nod. He leans back, eyes squeezed shut, and he sighs loudly. Running a hand down his face, Dionysus opens his eyes, and fixes Percy with a stern look, "You will tell no one outside of this room."
Percy raises an eyebrow in question, which is answered by Dionysus quietly saying, "Thank you. For Castor, and for Pollux earlier."
"No problem," Percy nods, miming his lips being zipped shut, "I won't tell anyone."
"That…explains so much of your behaviour towards me," Chiron remarks, "How even from that day in the Met, and when you first showed up at camp."
"Yeah, well, I can sorta understand why you did so, a coping mechanism over millennia of seeing heroes and children die," Percy replies, "But I wasn't going to let anyone, not even you, get in the way of my goal to do things better."
Chiron just nods, not saying in rebuttal.
Percy continues on what will happen after the Battle of Manhatten. The second prophecy about Gaea's reawakening, Hera's plan to bring the Greek and Roman camps together by forcibly swapping Percy and Jason Grace, wiping their memories in the process and, in Percy's case, throwing him to monsters as he tried to find his way to Camp Jupiter. Poseidon's expression is dark and stormy at that part, and the wind outside picks up considerably.
Apollo then takes over, explaining how he was made the scapegoat by Zeus, stripped of his godhood and cast down as a mortal, before being sent on a wild goose chase in the form of restoring his oracles as the condition to have his godhood reinstated.
By the end of it, Dionysus is both gleeful that one of his brothers had suffered a similar set of circumstances as he did, if not worse, and looking like he actually needs a bottle of wine right now. Hermes is just shell-shocked, all colour drained from his face, and his hands trembling slightly.
"Yeah, I had a similar reaction when Uncle P and his little shit of a favourite son told me everything that happened before," Apollo simply sticks out a tongue at the glare from the god of the seas.
"Well, not everything," Percy points out, "How did you even come to know about dirt bitchface and your time as Lester?"
"Honestly? I'm not too sure myself," Apollo admits, "Though I suspect it's to do with one of my domains being of prophecy. Sometimes, things happen that are beyond the understanding of the gods."
"Hm, I suppose," Poseidon allows, before turning to his other two nephews and Chiron, "I don't suppose I have to remind you three to not spread what has been revealed here outside this room?"
"No, Uncle Poseidon," Dionysus promises, with Hermes shaking his head emphatically.
"I will take what I learnt to the end of my existence," Chiron says, "I just need time to process everything."
Apollo glances at Nico, who has been silent throughout, "Hey, does your dad know about your time travel?"
"No, I don't think so," Nico shakes his head, "He hasn't even claimed me and Bianca yet. I don't know if he is even aware that the both of us left the casino early."
"If there is one thing I know about my brother," Poseidon remarks, "He is not the most observant being in existence."
"Given how overworked he is even without Gramps bringing about the end of the world," Percy adds, "I can understand why, but the fact that your hints and nudging continue to be ignored, I'm all but ready to give his ass a second whooping."
"You don't get to say shit, Jackson," Nico pokes his arm, "Not when you added over five hundred monsters and enemy demigods to his workload."
Poseidon whips towards Percy.
"Ah," Dionysus leans back, "is this…where the blood-bending comes in?"
"I'm sorry…what?" Poseidon's voice comes out strangled.
Percy can only level a half-hearted glare at Nico, who now has his shit-eating, gremlin grin plastered on, "Did Percy not tell you? While we were in the Labyrinth, we encountered Luke's monster army in Antaeus's arena. And this guy here," he claps Percy's shoulder for emphasis, "challenged over five hundred monsters and enemy demigods to a one-versus-all battle royale with the plan to control the water content in their ichor and blood. I watched, dumbstruck, as Percy took control of their blood, and with a single hand gesture, made all of their heads explode off their necks and get bathed in the downpour of ichor and blood."
Dead. Silence.
"And worse? Percy wasn't completely certain if his plan would work."
That one single sentence alone causes Poseidon to promptly bury his face into his hands, and let out the most exasperated groan anyone in the room has heard him produce. Amazingly, his black hair actually started to turn grey right before their very eyes.
"Perseus…my son…my beloved, my most favourite son…" Poseidon pulls his face away, levelling Percy with a look that is a convoluted mix of exhaustion, worry, fear, pride and frustration, "why do you do this to me? Why do you insist on giving me so much stress?"
"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Percy replies defensively, though it does come across rather like a petulant child, "I wasn't going to let Luke have those five hundred monsters and demigods march on our camp!"
"Holy shit," Apollo says emphatically, "He actually did it. The gremlin actually got his dad's hair to turn grey."
Poseidon pauses, checks a strand of his hair, and groans again, "Look what you did to me, son. My hair isn't supposed to be like this. I didn't even make the change! This is all because of you!"
"Well I'm sorry for wanting to keep my third home safe from Gramps and Luke," Percy crosses his arms, now very much pouting.
Poseidon stares at Percy for a good moment, visibly trying to decide what to do or say next. He goes for pulling Percy into his arms in the tightest hug possible, which makes Mrs. O'Leary whine from the loss of body heat, "Saving the camp should not come at the expense of your safety."
"Yeah, well, my safety means jack shit because of that fuckboy up there," Percy grumbles, unable to flip off the resulting rumble of thunder because his arms are trapped by his dad's hug.
"Screw that fuckboy up there," Nico flips off the next rumble on Percy's behalf.
Dionysus hums, "I presume you will inform your wife and Perseus's mother of his reckless stunt?"
"Absolutely," was Poseidon's response.
"C'mon dad, must you really?" Percy whines, pulling out the Baby Seal Eyes™.
Poseidon visibly winces under the onslaught of pitiful cuteness from his favourite son, though the effect is undermined by Nico saying, "If you won't, I'll tell Aunt Amphy and Mum. I already threatened Percy with that in the arena."
The Eyes™ promptly disappear, and Percy groans in defeat, pressing his face into his dad's chest.
"You deserve it, you reckless piece of shit," Nico smirks.
"As if you are any better, you bastard," Percy grumbles.
"Yeah, one lifetime ago, perhaps. But have you seen me do anything of your level in this lifetime?" Nico challenges.
Percy lifts his face up to retort, only to come up with nothing. Under Nico's triumphant smirk, Percy buries his face back in Poseidon's chest again.
"Oh, and don't forget, you owe me one stabbing next to the lake," Nico adds, his smirk growing.
Poseidon whips towards Nico, "What?"
"For his reckless blood-bending stunt, Percy promised that he'd let me stab him, since he can heal himself by just diving into the lake," Nico explains far too cheerfully, "He's also letting Clarisse beat the shit out of him, and Thalia threatened to go next with her spear."
Poseidon looks torn between admonishing Nico for trying to hurt his son, and actually considering letting his nephew go at Percy. Eventually, Poseidon says, "Just don't cause any serious or lasting injuries."
"Thanks, Uncle P!"
"Why do you betray me, father?" Percy whines into his chest.
"Maybe this will teach you some degree of restraint in your future shenanigans," Poseidon retorts.
"Still betrayal…" Percy pouts.
"You are my son, and as your father, the last thing I want is harm coming to you," Poseidon tightens his hug.
"Geez, save some fatherly love for the rest of us," Nico drawls, teasingly.
Guilt promptly flashes across Hermes' face, his lips twisting in a grimace. Dionysus takes this as his cue to get up, "I need to check on my sons again before tonight's proceedings. Hermes, I presume you wish to do the same for your children?"
Grateful for the suggestion, Hermes nods, "I intend to."
"Gotta make sure that he doesn't lose his children to Percy," Nico snickers, "I'm pretty sure the Stolls are going start building an actual temple to Percy so that they can properly worship him for bettering their lives."
Percy groans, "Why, Neeks? Just…why?"
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Oh dear, looks like someone is in trouble ~ 🤭
- Kai
————————————
Total number of heads Percy has lopped off: 643 (no change)
Chapter 33: A Succession of Payback and Consequences
Summary:
The camp mourns their dead, Percy gets grounded, and plans are made.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
They cremated five shrouds that night.
Which, compared to the number they burnt last time, is a huge improvement, logically speaking.
But it doesn't make it any easier for Percy.
Despite telling himself over and over that he can't save everyone, five shrouds are still five too many. Five shrouds meant five lives that came to a violent end. Five lives that never got to see adulthood, the challenges and joys of being an adult. Arguably worse, three were unclaimed, which feels like a knife being twisted further into the wound. Three demigods who never got acknowledgement or recognition from their godly parent.
The other two came from the Ares and Demeter cabins. It didn't surprise Percy that the latter goddess didn't show up, or make any form of acknowledgement of her child's death. If not for the fact that he personally witnessed Ares showing up in camp while he and Clarisse were sparring, Percy would've been taken aback by the sight of the god of war and carnage appearing that evening, solemnly standing with Clarisse and her siblings to witness the cremation of his child.
In fact, one could say that on that very night, there were more gods in Camp Half-Blood than in any other period of its history. Percy just wished that it wasn't because they were all mourning the deaths of five campers, and sending them off into the afterlife.
Poseidon held Percy and Nico by his sides, with Dionysus doing the same with Castor and Pollux. Apollo's children crowded around him, and if anyone noticed Apollo holding Lee tightly as if the cabin counsellor would disappear forever if he let go, nobody said anything. Hermes didn't let go of Travis and Connor's hands, and Bianca held Nico's hand in a subtle act of comfort between siblings. Tyson hugged Percy from behind, sniffling quietly, and Thalia silently patted the baby cyclops' back.
When the bonfire dies down, and the campers disperse for the night to mourn and grieve in private, Percy, Nico and Thalia retreat to the Poseidon cabin, while the god himself made his excuses and returned to Atlantis with Tyson. In the privacy of Percy's bunk, they sit together, silent at first, with only the fountain making any noise.
"It doesn't get easier," Percy admits quietly.
"No, it doesn't," Nico agrees.
"I just wish we could prevent all deaths, even though I know we can't," Thalia sighs.
"My dad would probably be happy," Nico tries to make a joke, "Less work for him."
Neither Percy nor Thalia laugh, but they both smile, appreciating Nico's attempt. Silence returns for some minutes, before Thalia broaches a different topic, "So, what's going to happen now?"
"Labyrinth's over and done with, unless that fucking Pasiphaë goes and rebuilds it," Percy mumbles, leaning back against the pillow, "Unless something changes the timeline again, the stuff with Atlas and Artemis being forced to hold up the sky is likely to happen next."
"You think Apollo may try to step in?" Nico wonders.
"I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past him to do so," Percy replies honestly, "There are few that he loves more than his sister, after all."
Nico hums in agreement.
"But we still don't know who will be taken to force Artemis to act," Thalia points out.
"That worries me," Percy nods, "With Wise Girl gone, it…could be anyone."
"I just hope it isn't Bianca," Nico mutters, "I can't imagine her being forced into such a perilous situation."
"We know," Percy prods Nico's leg with his socked foot, "And we'll make sure to be on our guard."
"I'll be in camp when you guys leave, anyways," Thalia adds, "I know you asked your stepmum to keep an eye on Bianca. I can help too."
"Thanks, Thals," Nico gives a small, grateful grin.
"Anyways, on to a different topic," Percy sits up, "What are your plans for tomorrow?"
"Well…I still owe you a stabbing," Nico's grin becomes devious, "Non-lethal, of course. I won't break Uncle Poseidon's trust."
"Yeah…of course."
"After Clarisse has her turn, there's still mine, so don't try running off after she's done, Kelp Head," Thalia's grin is equally devious.
"Wouldn't dream of it…"
The next day, for those who are up for it, they try to return to some semblance of routine with morning conch call for breakfast.
However, any sense of normalcy goes out the window when several campers who just happened to be lounging near the lake notice Percy and Nico walking towards the lake some distance away. Curiosity quickly turns into horror when, out of nowhere, Nico produces a dagger and stabs Percy right in the stomach. Panic quickly takes hold when Nico then kicks Percy into the lake, before walking off like nothing had happened.
Those campers rush off to the Big House to inform Chiron about what they just witnessed. The centaur is in the midst of a game of pinochle with Mr. D when the horrified campers came running, blabbering about how Percy just got stabbed by Nico.
If they expected a reaction out of Chiron, the one reaction they did not expect was for the centaur to just sigh, and pinch the bridge of his nose. When they turn to Mr. D, the god just shrugs, "Nathaniel promised Patrick's father that the wound will not be lethal. Plus, Patrick's in the lake. He'll be fine."
Several of the campers are just left stunned at the blatant nonchalance. A few rush back to the lake to see for themselves. They are just in time to see Percy emerge from the water, looking as right as rain. Sure, his shirt is stained with blood from getting stabbed, but he just wicks the water off his clothes and body, sending it back into the lake. Noticing the campers, Percy waves at them, and heads off towards the main campgrounds, looking far too casual for someone who just got stabbed.
Soon enough, rumours begin to spread throughout Camp Half-Blood about Nico attacking Percy, which were soon joined by more rumours of Clarisse grabbing Percy by the collar, dragging him to the arena, and then proceeding to pummel him into the sand. The claims that Percy never fought back, appearing to let Clarisse beat him down into a pulp, only made the rumours even more convoluted. When alleged sightings of Thalia then having a swing at Percy with her spear, and actually stabbing the tip into his left buttcheek and zapping him with considerable voltage were added into the mill, a messy, outlandish legend was born, with everyone having their own opinions, debates and contradictions about the matter.
Yes, getting stabbed and beaten within an inch of his life was painful, make no mistake, but for Percy, the pain and the residual aches that came with his body healing itself was completely worth it. As much as he groaned and whined whenever someone, mostly Nico, brought up the Stolls' worship of him in the Hermes cabin, Percy really did not want anyone, especially his fellow campers, to see him as some kind of heroic legend. Like some god that demanded worship and sacrifice to be appeased.
(That last one became a real concern when, during one breakfast, Percy sits down with Nico and Thalia at the Poseidon table, only for his plate to suddenly fill up with all manner of blue breakfast foods - mainly pancakes, and some cookies, with no warning whatsoever.)
And even if it started off as a joke, much to his horror and frustration, the Stolls' worship became noticeably less Stoll-like tomfoolery, and more genuine reverence towards Percy, much to his despair.
Percy has caught Travis and Connor introducing the demigods that he brought back from the Labyrinth to their worship practices and singing praises of how the "great and loving Perseus Jackson, patron of demigods" had improved their lives since appearing in camp. Hell, when Malcolm suddenly approached him one afternoon, greatly perturbed, asking why in his mother's good name are the Stolls asking him to draw up a plan for a literal temple in honour of Percy's name, Percy simply blinked at the Athena counsellor, quietly asked to be excused, walked into the forest, and just screamed, startling many of the satyrs and dryads in the process.
(And when Bianca, whether ironically or not, came up to Percy when he returned and asked if, should her father never claim her and Nico, he could claim them as their parent instead, Percy didn't bother with a response. He just turned on his heel, yeeted himself into the lake, and didn't emerge for the rest of the day.)
Perhaps this is karma for all of the insane bullshit he pulled since coming back in time, and for making his dad's hair turn grey in real time.
And it's not like things eased up when Percy was in Atlantis. Whether it was Nico, or his dad, his underwater family was told about his reckless blood-bending stunt.
While Kym cackled and delighted at the news, the rest of the family were understandably, if a bit much, horrified. Quite literally, Percy was grounded to the palace. As he feared, Amphitrite gives him the "not mad, just disappointed" look that every mother figure has perfected, along with a long lecture about how he can't just dive straight in without assessing the risks and possible consequences. Triton never let Percy anywhere out of his sight, except perhaps the bathroom, but that was only after Percy physically fought his older half-brother to stop him from actually following him inside. Both Benti and Rhode coddled him even more than when he'd been mourning Annabeth's death, behaving as if that he'd disintegrate into a cloud of bubbles and disappear if they so much as looked away for a second.
And Percy couldn't complain about any of it. His Baby Seal Eyes™ had no effect on Amphitrite, and with her word as law in the palace, his siblings had all the authority to coddle him as much as they liked.
Percy may have pouted and grumbled like a petulant child during his "grounding", but deep down, he knows that they care, and contrary to popular opinion, he does know that what he did was reckless, and had it not worked as he theorised, he would've been in a lot of shit.
(Also, he'd rather deal with his siblings' overprotectiveness than the Stolls actually worshipping him like he's already a god -)
Plus, it wasn't all bad. He and Triton bonded over the fact that Percy actually got Poseidon's hair to involuntarily turn grey. It had been an, admittedly, hilarious sight to see the mighty god of the seas struggling, and failing, to turn his hair back to its previous black. No matter what Poseidon did, be it spell, ritual or hair product, he wasn't able to remove all of the grey hair. At most, a few visible streaks remained, and stubbornly refused to go.
The rest of the family was unsympathetic. Amphitrite simply chuckled behind her hand, her eyes gleaming with mischief. Benti and Rhode teased their father about finally looking the part of the King of Atlantis. Triton goodnaturedly proclaimed that this was karma for all of Poseidon's past infidelities, and Kym cackled that this was overdue payback for marrying her off to Briares.
Speaking of Briares, when the name of the hundred-armed being was first brought up by Kym, Percy is immediately reminded of how, in the previous timeline, he'd encountered Briares when he was travelling through the Labyrinth, and later, took part in the battle when he launched boulder after boulder with his hundred hands at his former jailer, Kampê, killing her in the process. Briares would later work in the Atlantean forges, and be a key player in the war against Oceanus.
This time, though, with Rachel's help right from the beginning, Percy never stumbled into Alcatraz and encountered Briares. Plus, Kampê herself wasn't part of the attacking monster army. Which means, barring any unforeseen changes, both are still on the prison island.
Percy waits until a week has passed since he arrived in Atlantis. After lunch, Percy and Poseidon are strolling around the palace gardens when he broaches the topic.
"Briares?"
"Yeah, last time, we got him out of Alcatraz, and he killed Kampê during the battle," Percy explains, "But we didn't go there this time."
"Hm…" Poseidon ponders this for a moment, "You mentioned that he took part in the war against Oceanus?"
"Yep," Percy nods, "He was a great help in the forges, because of his hundred arms, of course."
They come to a stop near some pillars where corals are growing in an abundance of colours.
"Do you…wish to free him?" Poseidon asks.
Percy glances at his dad for a moment, "I want to, because we need him, dad. But…I'm still grounded, aren't I?"
"Well, yes, but…" Poseidon rubs his chin, "I suppose if you have someone capable go with you, I would feel more assured that you will not do anything stupid."
Percy would've given Poseidon a betrayed look, but in light of who he will need to face if he wants to free Briares, he just nods, "Maybe…you could come with me?"
"Hm?"
"I know this may seem wild given what I've done thus far, but…" Percy swallows, "…I'd feel better if you were with me. For one, Briares might be easier to convince if you came along, and I…I told Healer Kainalu about this the other day…"
"The fact that Gramps never actually had Kampê officially join his side before…it honestly scares me. S-She may have fought in the Labyrinth battle before, but I think that was because we freed Briares. I don't think she was really a part of Gramps' plans against Olympus. If she was…"
"It still haunts you, even now."
"Yeah…occasionally, she appears in my nightmares during the Battle of Manhattan. With her powers…we would've had a harder time defeating Gramps and his army."
"We can't let Gramps get a hold of her," Percy says, "Especially not after what happened with the Labyrinth. We can't have her marching through Manhattan on the way to Olympus."
Poseidon nods after a moment, "You have a point, and frankly, I am relieved that you asked me to accompany you, given your proclivity to just dash right in with no regard for your safety or the consequences."
Percy glares half-heartedly in response.
"You know I am right, son. My grey hairs are testament to that."
"…you're going to hold that over me for the rest of my life, won't you?"
"Absolutely."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Like I said, I haven’t forgotten about Briares. We’ll be seeing him in the next chapter, and all of the chaos and carnage that comes with it.
- Kai
———————————
Total number of heads Percy has lopped off: 643 (no change)
Chapter 34: A Breaking of Binds
Summary:
Silena makes a confession, and Percy and Poseidon go to free Briares.
Notes:
And so, we cross the 100k word count with this wrecking ball of a chapter.
Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Before Percy and Poseidon can commence with their plans to free Briares and deal with Kampê, however, Percy receives some unexpected news from camp.
It comes via a sudden IM call from Nico.
From his room in Atlantis, Percy sits up on his bed, and answers the incoming call, "Hey, Neeks. What's up?"
"Hey, Percy? Can you come to camp like…right now?"
"What's wrong?" Percy immediately becomes concerned.
"It's Silena," Nico says, "She came to me and Chiron, and confessed about spying for Luke. We're in the Big House right now."
"I'm on my way," Percy promises, ending the call and jumping out of bed.
A few minutes later, Percy flashes in a spray of sea mist at the foot of Half-Blood hill, courtesy of Poseidon, whom Percy quickly brought up to speed about what happened. He dashes through the border, not even bothering to greet Peleus. Beelining for the Big House, Percy all but kicks the door down, and finds Nico, Chiron, and a tearful Silena in one of the meeting rooms.
"Ah, Percy, glad that you could join us on such short notice," Chiron greets him.
Percy sits down on the last available chair, "Silena, I was told you were spying for Luke?"
Silen promptly bursts into loud sobs, burying her face into her hands. Any words that tumbles out are an incoherent babble amidst the tears and sobs. Percy patiently waits for Silena to calm down enough to string words together, and have her explain things on her own terms.
"Luke…H-He…" she sniffles, "He told me that it w-wouldn't be much. J-Just pass a bit of info h-here and there. He p-promised that if I did so, h-he'd keep those that I love safe f-from harm…"
Percy and Nico share a glance, already knowing the end result. They nod to each other, already setting the plan they'd discussed before into motion.
"Silena, I want to make it very clear, we don't blame you for falling for Luke's manipulations," Percy says calmly, "If there is any greater sweet-talker in the world who doesn't use charmspeak, it's him." He shudders at that, not because he said something remotely positive about Luke, but because how scarily true it is, "And I totally understand your desire to protect the one you love. Luke is a right bastard to use that against you, since he will never keep that promise." Percy knows this, because even if, by some miracle, Luke somehow intends to, Kronos certainly wouldn't any promise.
"S-Shouldn't you be upset? Outraged?" Silena is very confused, even while still in tears, "I-I betrayed the camp! I agreed to work for a traitor! S-Shouldn't I be p-punished? Exiled? Even -?"
"Silena," Nico cuts her off, quietly but no less firmly, "Did Luke already ask you to pass information to him? If so, what did you tell him already?"
"I-I…" Silena shakes her head after finding her voice again, "He hasn't yet asked me to pass him anything. I-I just agreed to -"
"There we are," Percy nods, satisfied, "You haven't actually passed anything of note to that bastard yet. He just thinks he has you under his control. And frankly, we can use that to our advantage."
"W-What? How?"
Percy lays out his plan. Silena, while still very much confused by the lack of retaliation for her confessed crime, listens with rapt attention. Chiron, despite already knowing this thanks to Percy coming clean about his time-travel actions, still expresses his concerns, "Pass on false information? That could be risky."
"It is," Percy agrees, "but better to mislead the enemy than to have them become suspicious when Silena fails to deliver. We can send them off on wild goose chases, or straight into traps or ambushes. Anything to disrupt their plans or movements as much as possible."
"Plus, if Luke and Gramps are anything to go by," Nico adds, "they aren't the smartest or have the most common sense. I mean, the Lightning fuckboy up there is testament to that, like father like son."
Silena flinches when lightning rocks the Big House, though Chiron just sighs, partly because of Percy and Nico instinctively flipping Zeus off simultaneously.
When the noise fades, Chiron says, "You have a point, Percy. I just worry about young Silena here, given what we just went through."
"I get it," Percy nods, "We can't prevent all deaths, as much as it pains me to accept it, but this is our best chance to protect Silena and the one she loves. Plus, it's pretty clear that Silena no longer blindly wants to work with Luke anymore, right?"
At Percy's pointed look, Silena shakes her head vehemently.
"Then I think we have a plan. Also, let's keep this under wraps for the time being. No need to let the other counsellors know just yet. The fewer who know for now, the better."
"We will tell the others, to be clear," Nico clarifies, "but not until we can convince them that Silena's adapted arrangement has delivered results."
"Very well," Chiron nods, "Keep me updated. I will also ensure that Silena does not come to any harm in the meantime."
Percy thanks the centaur for his promise, and he and Nico take their leave first. Some ways from the Big House, in a quiet spot near the lake, Percy turns to Nico, "How are things with Bianca?"
"Still uneventful, all things considered," Nico replies, "I'm still worried, but Bi hasn't shown any unusual behaviour or patterns thus far. While she's still upset about the five campers we lost in the battle, she's still spending time with me and her friends in cabin eleven."
Percy nods, and since there isn't anything that requires his urgent attention at camp, he bids Nico farewell, and returns to Atlantis.
That evening, Percy and Poseidon break the news at dinner, and the reactions around the table are a varied mix. Pretty much everyone knows about Briares' involvement in the previous timeline, and everyone knows about Kym's troubled history with the hekatonkheire.
In all honesty, Percy expected Kym to throw a right fit. He wouldn't blame her, he just hoped that she didn't kick up such a fuss that part of the palace gets destroyed.
Surprisingly, while Kym does go quiet at the mention of the one whom she was unceremoniously married off to, Percy doesn't need to flee back to dry land to avoid dying at the ripe old age of fifteen. She stays stonily silent as Percy explains what he and Poseidon plan to do, and when he is done, all she says is, "Make sure…that he never crosses my path." Without a further word, she leaves the table, and doesn't return for the rest of the meal.
All things considered, things went as well as they could be. Amphitrite had no qualms about them going, but she made clear to Percy, under no uncertain terms, that he better stick to Poseidon's side, and listen to his father's orders, at all times. Otherwise, he'd find himself being grounded in Atlantis until he is an adult at best.
Being the momma's boy he always had, and will be, Percy swears up and down not to do anything stupid. He pointedly ignores his dad's unbelieving huff and mutters about Percy likely trying to break off and fight Kampê on his own.
Which is…true, if Percy really didn't want to disappoint Amphitrite and his mum. And also rude, since if he really wanted to fight Kampê on his own, he wouldn't have told anyone, let alone his dad.
That night, Percy hardly slept, his body too riled up about their mission to really settle into any form of proper sleep. He chalks it up to nerves, since he won't be dealing with Kampê alone. His dad will be with him, and once they kill the monstrous bitch, there will be one less potential weapon Kronos could use when he marches on Olympus next year. But at the same time, there is something else that Percy can't quite put a finger on. The best he could associate it with is one of Grover's many irrational fears, which, if it was merely the case, is understandable. Kampê is formidable monster, terrifyingly powerful, and her poison-filled scimitars which kills demigods after making them slowly and painfully shrivel into dust. But there is more to it. Percy knows it, but he can't find any words to describe it. It just makes his stomach feel unsettled, and each breath harder to breathe, almost as if his lungs are trapped in an iron cage with barely enough room to expand.
Either way, when morning comes, Percy has slept just enough to be functional. Triton and Amphitrite see both him and Poseidon off, with the latter repeating her warning to Percy to not do anything reckless or stupid. With his half-brother's gaze on him, Percy solemnly swears. He doesn't think Kampê's poison is lethal against gods like his dad, remembering how Tyson described getting hit by her scimitars as very painful, but ultimately not fatal, but he isn't going to take any risks, or put his dad into a potentially dire position.
With Amphitrite's warning echoing in his ears, and Triton's serious gaze imprinted in his mind, Percy takes Poseidon's offered hand, and together, they flash in a sea of bubbles and currents into San Francisco Bay, incidentally just beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Not too far off, Alcatraz rises from the waters, a prison once thought to be impenetrable and inescapable, until three inmates famously broke out and were never seen again.
And now, even as Alcatraz has become one of San Francisco's most popular historical tourist attractions, Percy and Poseidon are about to stage a prison break of their own.
Stepping ashore onto the island, unseen by security cameras and wandering tourists courtesy of the Mist, Poseidon changes their clothes to help them blend in better.
Percy looks down at what he is now wearing, "Seriously, dad?"
"What? This way, the mortals will know that you are my son!"
"You could've chosen anything, but you went with these tacky Hawaiian print shirts," Percy deadpans, gesturing at the absolute eyesore of hot pink and bright green shirt that was unceremoniously thrown onto his frame.
"They are comfortable," Poseidon retorts.
"Oh gods, you're such a dad."
"I am your father, Perseus."
Percy sighs after a moment, "Let's just look for Briares."
Remembering where he found the last hekatonkheire previously, Percy and Poseidon head into 'D'-block, which houses the solitary confinement cells when Alcatraz was in operation. Even before they reached the doorway that opened up into 'D'-block, Percy could hear Briares' heart-wrenching weeps echoing from within. Even with a lifetime's experience and memory, the sound of Briares' anguish always made his heart crack, and it made Percy more determined to kill Kampê for torturing the man for so long.
Speaking of Kampê, Percy hears her on the second floor, talking to someone in the "tongue of the ancients" which, without Tyson to translate, just sounds like boulders grinding against each other. Percy and Poseidon wait until the sounds fade, the latter squeezing his shoulder tightly. Like before, Kampê spread her wings and leaps off the catwalk, flying through an open window and soaring off towards the recreation yard. As she goes, a hot, sulphuric wind blows through 'D'-block, and Percy promptly gags.
"Perseus," Poseidon whispers behind his right hand clamped over his nose and mouth, "Are you alright?"
"Just…it's the same gas I smelt down in the Pit," Percy whispers back.
"Oh, my son…"
Percy appreciates his dad squeezing his shoulder. But, traumatic memories or not, now was their chance to reach Briares.
Double-checking to make sure that 'D'-block is empty, Percy rushes over to the cell where Briares is being kept. Incidentally, it is the infamous solitary cell 14, where paranormal investigators experienced all kinds of unsettling and unexplained phenomena. Pulling the door open, Percy sees Briares huddled in a far corner of the barren cell. He is exactly as Percy remembered him - the same size as an average human, skin as pale and white as milk, clad in only a dirty loincloth, feet too big for his body and with eight toes on each foot, and of course, the hundred hands and arms sprouting from his body, several of which were hiding his face as he sobbed.
"Briares," Percy calls out quietly, which in the empty cell, echoes significantly.
Briares snaps up, his entirely brown eyes staring straight at Percy. At the back of his mind, Percy wonders if the Mist makes his eyes appear red, in line with what several paranormal investigators reported over the years. He quickly pushes the thought away.
"W-Who are you?" Briares moans pitifully, mixed with fear, "R-Run while you still can-"
"No, we need your help," Percy says.
"I can't even help myself," Briares moans again.
"You’re a Hekatonkheires," Percy continues regardless, as Briares' many hands make shadow puppets, play rock-paper-scissors among themselves, and scratch pitifully against the concrete floor, all at once, "You can do it."
"I can't!" Briares wails, "Kampê will be back! The Titans will rise and cast us all into Tartarus!"
"Been there, done that," Percy waves off, ignoring Poseidon's mournful stare boring upon him from behind, "C'mon, we can beat Kampê, toss her into the Pit, and stop the Titans from destroying the world! Put on your brave face!"
Briares' face immediately morphs into something that, perhaps with some effort, could pass off as a brave expression. But right away, his face crumples into a confusing mix of fear and sadness, before settling back into the despair that he has experienced for gods know how long, "It's no good, my sad and scared faces keep coming back."
Percy now takes a step into the cell, crossing the threshold but not going any further. Poseidon hovers close, just out of sight.
"Briares, I get it. You're scared of Kampê, and you have every right to be. You're terrified of being tortured again. I get that you feel hopeless and helpless against the reawakening of the Titans, that they are growing stronger again. But listen," he stares at Briares with unflinching intensity, "they fought a war against you before, and lost. We will not fall to them. They will not rule over us, because we will beat them and send them into the Pit where they belong."
Briares sniffled, "Who's we?"
"Myself, my son, and our allies."
Poseidon chooses then to reveal himself to Briares, coming to stand next to Percy, his hand clasped over his shoulder in a show of solidarity. Briares lets out a choked sound.
"I agree that the Titans are regaining strength as we speak," Poseidon addresses the prisoner firmly, "but that does not mean that they will win. We defeated them before, and as my son said, we will defeat them again."
"W-W-Why are you here?"
"There are many reasons, many that I cannot say without breaking the trust and confidence of others. But, we do need your help, Briares. My son has made it his mission to protect Olympus and the world from the evil that is my father and his forces. I will stand by my son no matter what, and with your help, the odds will be stacked further in our favour."
Briares is no longer crying, staring at Poseidon in utter disbelief. Percy sees all manner of expressions flash rapidly across the prisoner's face, before settling on somewhere between doubt and cautious hope.
However, before he could verbally respond, a noise that is a cross between a snarl and boulders grinding against one another echoes through 'D'-block. This is followed by a loud, crashing sound. Percy and Poseidon whip around. Kampê looms behind them, hissing and snarling in her ancient tongue.
"Fucking hell," Percy growls, uncapping Riptide, "I was hoping that we'd avoid her a bit longer."
Kampê roars, brandishing her scimitars menacingly. Poseidon draws his trident, and aims it at one of the high windows. Suddenly, water from the bay crashes through the windows, glass shards clattering all over the floor before swept up by the water. Poseidon thrusts his trident towards Kampê, and the water, with sharp glass mixed in, is launched at the monstrous abomination. Kampê screeches in pain as the water hits her dead-on, the glass lacerating her all over her body. Percy then forces the water to wrap itself around Kampê, and launches her out another window, hopefully far enough to reach the bay itself.
He turns to Briares, "C'mon! Move!"
Hesitating for a moment, Briares quickly gets to his feet, and hurries out of the cell. Poseidon conjures water from his feet, wrapping it around the three of them, and flashes them out of the prison and on to the rocks that formed the edges of the island. However, at that moment, there is a loud boom, and some distance away, a hole is blasted through the concrete and barbed wire lined wall of the recreation yard. Kampê screeches, the many snakes that make up her hair hissing in tandem, as the screams and shouts of tourists echo behind her.
"Perseus! Get behind me!"
Percy does so immediately, dragging the wailing Briares with him as Kampê rushes towards them, scimitars ringing with her screeching cry. Poseidon raises the water from the bay behind them in a wall to cut her off, but Kampê slams into it, shattering the wall through brute force alone. She tries to go for Percy and Briares, but Poseidon cuts her off with his trident.
"You will not lay a finger on my son!"
Poseidon sweeps his trident at Kampê, forcing her back along the rocks, making her movements uneven and jerky. Kampê charges at Poseidon again, slashing her scimitars wildly. Poseidon blocks and parries against the onslaught, as waves several metres high crashes against the rocks. Percy has to force the water back from sweeping over him and Briares and dragging them out into the bay. While he could easily swim back if he got washed out, he can't leave his dad to fight Kampê all by himself. Just like with Typhon, even gods didn't want to be on the opposing side of a primordial monster like Kampê.
Poseidon side-steps a swing from one of the scimitars, and lunges at Kampê with his trident. The prongs graze the jailer's skin, infuriating her. With a positively feral scream, Kampê leaps at Poseidon, whipping her scimitars in a criss-crossing arc. To Percy's horror, despite his dad's attempt to dodge, one of the blades, dripping with sickly-green venom, slashes Poseidon's shoulder.
Immediately, golden ichor shoots out of Poseidon's mouth as he yells in pain. Poseidon staggers, nearly losing his footing on the rocks.
"Dad!"
Percy rushes to Poseidon, just as Kampê lunges at him. Suddenly, the jailer is brained by a large rock, knocking her off her feet for a moment. This is followed by more rocks, as Briares, seeing the mighty god of the seas getting hit by his captor's poison, is spurred into action.
As Briares keeps Kampê distracted, Percy reaches Poseidon's side. The wound on his dad's shoulder is festering, and the god grits his teeth in obvious, agonising pain.
"Perseus…"
"Dad, please, hold on. I'll -"
A shout of pain interrupts him. Percy turns around in time to see Kampê knock Briares onto a particularly large rock by slamming him with her scorpion tail. Briares slumps over the rock, and Kampê is on him, raising her scimitars up.
"Hey!"
Percy hates having to break his solemn promise to Amphitrite. But with his dad in unimaginable pain and Briares appearing out for the count, only Percy stands between Kampê and her goal of wiping them all out. So, with renewed drive, Percy sends a tidal wave upon Kampê. It knocks her off her feet, and while it washes Briares off the rock, Percy wills a current to keep Briares anchored to the shore. Kampê steadies herself, and with a shrill screech, charges at him. Percy unleashes wave after wave upon her, and while the constant onslaught of water disorients the primordial jailer, it just serves to make her even more feral in her movements.
Percy fails to see the swipe of her scorpion tail until it is too late.
Suddenly, his entire world goes white, as blinding pain shoots through his entire body. Percy screams as the venom is shot into his chest, and it is only the momentum of him tilting backwards that forces his body off the stinger.
Immediately, his vision blurs, and his ears ring loudly. The pain is indescribable, not even being burnt alive or being sunk into acid can begin to compare. Percy can't make head or tail of anything, save for his own body slowly, and painfully, getting destroyed by the venom.
Yet, in his mind, he hears a voice of a being that, years ago and a lifetime past, offered him a chance to do it over.
“You will decide whether or not you want to suppress the power that holds the key to the gods, but inflicts mortal terror in those you hold dear.”
It all comes rushing back. One specific memory, of him down in the Pit, choking a goddess with her own poison, only to be prevented from killing her by someone he once loved, only for her to meet an untimely end this time round. He remembered the look of pure, horrified terror in her piercing eyes, and her desperate plea to never use such depravity ever again. But now, as his body starts to shut down from the venom ravaging through his arteries, he stands on the cusp of life and death. What was once a moral dilemma when first presented to him has now become a choice. Suppress, and die? Or embrace, and live?
And with so much at stake, with so much changed since he woke up on that fateful morning, and with so many depending on his survival, Percy chooses to live.
Just like blood and ichor, venom is a liquid. And while venom is not the same as blood or ichor, just like water, liquids are Percy's to bend to his will. In that critical moment, when Percy chooses to live, he unleashes a second scream, not of pain, but of power.
One so loud and earth-shaking, Kampê is frozen in her tracks, her murderous expression quickly morphing into one of confusion.
With a single command, the venom forcibly ejects itself from Percy's bloodstream, leaving no trace behind. Some of Percy's blood is dragged out with the venom, and when mixed with the sickly-green venom, Percy turns it into a whip of black liquid, with a noticeable sheen of gold. With the crashing waves of the bay being whipped up his power rapidly healing him, Percy grabs his whip of poison, and lashes it out at Kampê.
The monstrous jailer barely has time for her eyes to widen in horror. She howls in pain when the whip cracks against her shoulder, hard enough to break through the skin. The whip wraps around one of her scimitars, and Percy yanks out it out of her grasp. Meanwhile, Briares had recovered sometime in the last few moments. Seeing the scimitar fly overhead and land uselessly into the bay, the hekatonkheire is rejuvenated to once more resume his assault. He grabs the boulder that he'd been flung on, and hurls it at Kampê, just as she raises her remaining scimitar. The boulder knocks it out of her hand, also sending it flying into the bay.
Poseidon, despite still being in unimaginable agony, unleashes a massive wave that knocks Kampê off her feet. This time, with more boulders being flung by Briares, Kampê gets knocked onto the shoreline, quickly pinned onto the rocks by several boulders landing on her, breaking her legs and crushing her tail.
Percy is on her in seconds. Grasping his whip and willing it to harden into something akin to a giant needle, Percy aims it at the wound on her shoulder, and without a single shred of mercy, plunges it straight into the tissue.
Kampê doesn't screech. She doesn't hiss. She doesn't even roar.
She screams.
Even as she thrashes violently, wings beating against the rocks in a desperate attempt to free herself, Percy remains unyielding, forcing the venom that he created with his blood and power into Kampê's body. He keeps pushing more and more into her, her screams shooting up into an ear-piercing falsetto. She is probably begging for mercy, or something. Percy doesn't know, and he frankly doesn't care. Any mercy he may have had has long since drowned. He keeps going, until her body, completely ravaged by his poison, suddenly explodes in a cloud of gold dust.
When his feet touches wet, slippering rock, Percy relinquishes control over the whip, and it collapses back into a liquid, seeping through the rocks and getting washed out into the bay. A wind blows through, howling against his ears. Overhead, a flash of lightning startles Percy back into conscious awareness. He looks around, spots his dad crouching against the rocks, and gasps loudly.
"Dad!"
Percy immediately rushes over, tumbling before Poseidon. He doesn't care that the jagged edges cut into his knees. His hands hover over the festering wound, his eyes ballooning with horrified realisation. Percy turns to his dad, Poseidon's breaths are laboured and ragged, his eyes dilated and unseeing. His tanned skin is now deathly pale, and his hair is turning white right before Percy's eyes.
"P-Perseus…"
"Dad, no, hold on, just - just let me…"
Make no mistake, once things have calmed down, and he has time for conscious thoughts to form in earnest, Percy will run around in circles over what he had just done. Right now, his dad is visibly weakening before his eyes. Kampê's venom might not be fatal to beings like Briares or Tyson, but Percy isn't going to take any chances. More than anything, he can't lose his father.
Percy puts his hand over the wound. Even as his dad flinches and hisses from the touch, Percy keeps his hand there. Closing his eyes, Percy concentrates, feeling for the venom in his father's being, and with his newly-accepted power, he commands it to his will. Immediately, the venom is drawn to Percy's hand, and he keeps pulling, until not a single trace remains.
He wills the venom into a ball, and throws it into the bay. Percy immediately draws waves over Poseidon, willing the water to heal him. It takes a few, agonisingly long, minutes, but sure enough, Poseidon's breaths begin to stabilise, his skin returns to its tanned hue, the white hair changes back to black and grey, and his eyes, once on the verge of going dark completely, become bright and clear once more, if exhausted from the whole ordeal.
"My son…you…"
"Dad, a-are you alright?" Percy asks desperately, because even though he healed his dad, he needs to be sure, "Does it still hurt anywhere?"
"N-No…I…I think I will be…" Poseidon exhales deeply. Slowly, with some effort, though Percy is quick to help him, he gets to his feet, "Y-You…you saved me…"
"You were dying, dad," Percy says, breath hitching as tears pool in his eyes, "Y-You were literally withering in front of me." Now, with nothing to keep the adrenaline from flowing out of him, Percy breaks down spectacularly, "I can't lose you, dad! I can't lose you!"
Any other words are lost as Percy is overcome by hysterical sobs. Poseidon, despite still being exhausted, immediately crushes his son in a suffocating hug. He just holds Percy, letting the teen cry, even as his sobs causes the sky above to open up, raini pouring down in a torrent over the bay and downtown San Francisco. Percy buries his face in the crook of Poseidon's neck, gripping the fabric of that eyesore of a Hawaiian print shirt until his knuckles are white, his body shaking as he cries all of the adrenaline out.
Eventually, Percy literally knocks himself out from crying so hard. With his body going limp in Poseidon's arms, the god of the seas merely readjusts Percy to carry him more comfortably, and stands to his full height. He turns to Briares, who up until that point, had tried to make himself invisible, so as to not intrude in what was obviously a private moment between father and son.
"Let's go."
No further words are said. Briares simply nods.
With another massive wave crashing against the rocky shores of Alcatraz, the three of them disappear, leaving behind an island prison which just witnessed its second-ever breakout of an inmate, a whole bunch of tourists whose panic and terror were quickly rectified by the Mist, and a city that was suddenly drenched by torrential rain when the forecast promised it to be a clear, sunny day.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
So...what do you guys think?
- Kai
--------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 643 (no change)
Chapter 35: A Reckoning
Summary:
Percy finds himself in a familiar void, and grapples with what his choice will entail.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
All Percy remembers is crying himself into exhaustion. The last thing he feels before he goes under is his dad holding him tightly, as rain pelted down onto him from the sky above.
He doesn't remember or feel anything after that, but he does know, at some point, he fell asleep.
And he suddenly wakes up in an all-too familiar void.
This time, Percy notes, he isn't floating, or suspended, in empty nothingness. He is standing on what should be firm ground, even if the empty black, like before stretches endlessly.
"Hello?" Percy calls out, though he doesn't quite know why, "Are you here?"
For some inexplicable reason, he thinks the mysterious being who sent him back in time might be here. But that is impossible, the more logical part of his brain scolds, why would that being still be here anyways -
"I am here, Perseus."
If there was one thing Percy did not expect when he spun around at the familiar voice, it was coming face to face with a certain mind healer.
"Kainalu?"
The Hawaiian merman smirks, which honestly looks so out of place and worlds away from the gentle, compassionate smiles that always regarded Percy with kindness during their sessions, that Percy is immediately on edge.
"Yes, that is my name. But, I must admit, Perseus, that it is merely a name that I chose for myself. I am…shall we say, more than just a mind healer."
Before Percy could ask, or demand, what his mind healer is talking about, everything about him - his hair, his features, his face, even the details of his body, melts away. In Kainalu's place, is an all-too familiar (in an ironic way) mysterious being.
Suffice to say, Percy's jaw is on the metaphorical floor, "Y-You…you…!"
"Did you think I was going to just leave you to do things?" Despite having no features, the being's voice is a little cheeky, and, if they had a mouth, it would almost certainly be in a shit-eating grin, "That would make me a horrible mind healer."
"I…I…I fucking knew it!" Percy jabs a finger at the being, "I knew there was something up with Kainalu!"
"Of course you would know," the being nods, voice still cheeky, "You are more observant and perceptive than others give you credit for, which is, frankly, their loss and detriment." The being waves a hand, and the same bench from before appears with a shimmer, "Come. Have a seat. We have much to talk about."
Percy takes the offered seat, idly noting that the mysterious being is now sitting closer to him than in their first meeting.
"You can ask me anything you want, Perseus."
"Why…did you disguise yourself as Kainalu? What was the point?"
"In truth, even though it is the actions and choices that determine the outcome of people's decisions, I wanted to keep tabs on you, Perseus -"
"Hang on, I thought the Fates determined how people's lives would -"
"Shortly after I sent you on your way after our first meeting, I killed them."
…
…
…
"What."
"Frankly, Perseus, you deserve to have nice things. You should not be a plaything or whipping post for those old hags. You suffered immensely before, and I refused to let them put you on a path of unnecessary pain and conflict. So, I killed them, and proclaimed, thereafter, that the choices and actions of every living being will shape their own destinies." The being regards him with what Percy thinks is utter seriousness, "Everything that has happened thus far, as been determined by the choices and actions you, and others, have made. Sometimes, there are overlaps, and changes, but barring major timeline events, everything that has happened, good, bad, changes and consequences, have all been caused by you, your loved ones, and others."
Percy is utterly speechless, staring down at his hands as he tries to comprehend and process everything that was just dumped onto him. The mysterious being just stares him, patiently waiting for Percy to respond, or not, depending on what he decides to do next.
"So…Luke murdered Annabeth, all by his own choice? He wasn't…fated to do so?"
"He made the choice. An impulsive one, driven by momentary panic, but the decision to murder the one you loved before was entirely his own."
Percy falls silent again, this time staring off into the endless void. Maybe he should've been angry, furious, raging, apopletically mad. Maybe he should've been cursing Luke even more, damning him and anyone who consciously made the choice to follow him to eternity in Tartarus. Damning Kronos too for manipulating Luke, and the Olympians for abandoning their mortal children and contributing to this whole mess.
But he just remains quiet.
While the revelation is unexpected and damning, it ultimately doesn't change anything. Luke still murdered Annabeth, he manipulated, coerced, and forced demigods to work for him and enable Kronos's rise, he was responsible for the deaths of five campers, and in a lifetime ago, was responsible for so much unnecessary death and destruction.
If anything, Percy will just take more pride and vindictive glee at killing Luke, and Kronos, sending them both into the Pit when the time comes.
"Are you alright, Perseus?"
He sighs, and nods, "I think so. When those two are dead, I'll be fine. For a while, at least."
The being nods, changing the subject, "I saw your battle against Kampê. You made your choice."
This one requires no hesitation from Percy, "I did. W-When I saw…her poison dad, and when she struck me…I…I…there was no other choice. I…didn't want to die, and…" Percy suddenly chokes, needing him to pull himself together, "…my dad, he was withering right before my eyes! He was dying in front of me! I…I didn't have any other choice, I didn't want my dad to die!"
The being simply nods, "You made your choice." Their tone is nonjudgmental, simply is, "You chose to embrace the power, making it yours. Right now, it is entirely up to you on how you will use your power."
Percy is appreciative for the lack of judgement. Even now, in this void that was likely a dreamscape, he can hear Annabeth's desperate begging in the previous timeline. However pointless it is, Percy can't help but wonder if her plea to him then was truly because she was terrified of what he was doing to Akhlys, or if she was so repulsed by the very idea of controlling poison. Either way, the memory of her desperate pleas have been muffled. Unless said memory is forcible removed or erased, it will always remain, but Percy's conscious choice ensures that it has little power over his actions and choices going forward.
Right now, Percy is more focused on something else.
"You said that my power holds the key to the gods. What…what do you mean by that, exactly?"
"Previously, you turned down godhood when it was offered to you, because you wanted to hold on to your mortality, no matter what. When you turned Akhlys's poison against her, you stood at the cusp of godhood, the very state that you so definitively refused. If you had actually killed Akhlys, you would have ascended right then and there."
'So…Wise Girl's pleas stopped me from ascending, neither of us any the wiser…' Percy reflects on this. He wonders if he should be outraged, insulted that Annabeth tried to enact control at that moment. But ultimately, Percy dismisses that thought. It's pointless to ruminate on that, when he has more pressing concerns right now.
"So…I'm ascending, then?"
The mysterious being simply nods, "After everything you have done, the changes you have made and the lives you have both improved and ended, your mortality is hanging on by the barest of threads. There remains little left between you and godhood. You might have refused the offer last time, but now, you are at the cusp of burning through your mortality entirely."
Percy wonders if he should be terrified. No doubt, his dad will be over the moon to learn that, if it really comes to it, he will become a god, immortal like him. But losing his mortality means that he will outlive everyone he loves. Not just his mum, Paul Blofis and his unborn sister, but also Nico, Thalia - if she doesn't join Artemis's hunters, and everyone else at camp. It had been a big part of his refusal of godhood last time. He didn't want to watch as everyone he loved eventually died. He just can't imagine enduring all of that heartbreak and pain over and over.
And then there is the fact that gods and immortal beings can fade too. Pan immediately comes to mind, along with Helios and Selene, the original beings in charge of the sun and moon respectively, fading due to a lack of worship from the Romans. The thought of his dad fading, for whatever reason, is simply too much to even consider. If the unthinkable truly happens, where will that leave Percy?
"I see your fear, your uncertainties," the being snaps Percy out of his spiralling thoughts, "I do not fault you for experiencing them. It shows how much you love your family and those closest to you. It shows how much goodness you possess." They regard Percy with a firm gaze, "I do not possess the absolute knowledge of what the future will bring. The possible path forward is infinite, endless and always changing. However, what I can tell you, when an immortal being such as a god fades, that is not the end of them. What makes them uniquely them is forever lost, but their very being continues to exist, in infinite mass and particulate. Time passes, however much is unknown, and the mass and particulate have the potential to become something new again. The mortals of many present-day religions believe in reincarnation, where death is simply the beginning of something new. Think of it as something similar whenever an immortal being fades."
Percy takes a long moment to process what was just revealed to him. Eventually, a question comes to him, one which he needs to know, "How do you know this?"
"In the previous lifetime, you and the one you loved was told about the void of Khaos, where the souls of any being is permanently destroyed." If the being had a mouth, they would very likely be smiling right now, "Perhaps…you can see me as an embodiment of Khaos."
Percy does not know whether to gape, gasp, cry, scream, shout, or anything. He is just speechless.
"I am everything and anything, all at once and none at all," Khaos says, no hint of joking or teasing in sight, "Everything, from the gods, to mortals, from demigods to monsters, is made up of mass and particulate that is Khaos. Even you, Perseus Jackson."
That does nothing to help Percy. His mind is still crashed, and trying to reboot but struggling.
"Do not think or dwell too much on it, Percy, you will simply go insane. The point is, even if everything and everyone you love fades and dies, if you die as a mortal, or fade as a god, nothing is truly lost forever. Perseus Jackson may no longer exists, but the fundamental mass and particulate that makes up you will be created into something new. And when something new is created, so too will the opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses of existence. Everything exists to be in balance, Percy, even if it does not seem that way at first."
Eventually, Percy nods, taking what Khaos said for what it is. Even though he was not given a straight answer, he honestly feels…calmer, for lack of a better word. When his thoughts had been running in circles before, right now, perhaps in a much broader, wider scale, the puzzle pieces have started to line up.
"Is there anything else you would like to ask me, Percy?"
He does, actually.
"At least…will Nico also be a candidate for immortality? In some way?"
"In truth, Perseus, Niccolò has the potential for godhood too. He is also ascending, albeit at a slower rate than you are. But what he chooses to do with that knowledge, whenever he comes to learn of it, is ultimately his to decide."
Percy nods. He would very much like Nico to be immortal like him, but he can't force Nico to do anything. It wouldn't be right. Nico's life, mortal or immortal, is his, and only his, to decide and make of it.
"Then…I have no further questions."
"Very well, Perseus. Now, rest."
Just like that, the void somehow shimmers, despite being empty blackness, and Percy knows no more.
The entire palace had been in a frenzy when Poseidon returned with Percy in his arms, Briares close behind and trying to make himself appear small. It took a minute for order to be restored, whereupon Poseidon ordered the servants to bring Briares to the forges, have him housed in the workers' quarters, and tend to whatever pressing needs he has at that moment.
After which, with Amphitrite and Triton following close behind, Poseidon brings Percy to his bedroom, gently laying him down onto the bed and tucking him in.
"My king, what happened?" Amphitrite asks worriedly, once Percy is settled.
"We had to fight the primordial jailer keeping Briares captive," Poseidon replies, sitting down next to Percy, running his hand through his son's hair, "In the heat of the battle, I was struck by her poisoned scimitars."
Amphitrite gasps, and Triton noticeably pales. He is about to open his mouth when Poseidon cuts him off, "I am fine. Perseus…well, he too was struck when he engaged the jailer in combat. But, it seems, that he made the choice to embrace the power that, until now, he had been suppressing and ignoring. He used said power to turn the tide on the jailer, kill her, and subsequently, removed the poison from my body. I promise you both, I will have the royal doctors check me over, but I can assure you that I am in no danger whatsoever."
A different realisation dawns on both Amphitrite and Triton. They had been told, confidentially, about Percy choking Akhlys with her own poison in the Pit, and how Percy had been grappling with the dilemma ever since he came back from the future.
"Father," Triton eventually asks quietly, "what does this mean for Perseus?"
Poseidon turns to Percy, still fast asleep, "I believe…he might be close to ascending. Poison is not traditionally within our domains of control. To see him wield poison so effectively, and to decisively kill one of the most terrifying primordial monsters with such power, to not believe that ascension is inevitable will be beyond foolish of me."
Amphitrite goes to sit at the foot of the bed, gazing at the teenage boy who, despite their audible conversation, remains firmly in Morpheus' grasp.
"Perseus has been adamant in his refusal of godhood before. How will he react to this revelation?"
"I do not know. I suspect that he will be far from elated at the very least," Poseidon guesses. His hand takes Percy's smaller one, squeezing it gently, "Can I trust one of you to remain by his side? I shall not take long with the doctors, but the last thing I want is for Perseus to wake up alone with no familiar family in sight."
"I can do it, father," Triton offers.
"I shall accompany you then, my king," Amphitrite gets up, "We should also inform Nico and Sally, so that they know what happened and are not left in the dark."
"Yes, we should. This is too important for them to not know."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Ngl, I was cackling when people were speculating if Apollo was Kainalu. Hands up if anyone saw this coming 🙌
- Kai
—————————————
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 643 (no change)
Chapter 36: A Heart-to-Heart
Summary:
Percy discusses his imminent ascension with his loved ones.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
As expected, his check-up by the royal doctors comes back empty. They find nothing that indicated a threat, present or future, to his life. So within minutes, Poseidon is U-turning back to Percy's bedroom.
He may have left Triton to watch over Percy, but deep down, Poseidon knows that, if Percy woke up and didn't see him at first sight, his beloved demigod son would fly into a right tizzy.
And, with Percy's newly embraced poison abilities, they were simply asking for a monumental disaster if Poseidon did not hurry.
Stepping back into Percy's bedroom, Poseidon and Amphitrite find Triton still sitting by Percy's side, the latter still fast asleep.
"Father," Triton greets, "I take it that the doctors gave you a clean bill of health?"
"Yes," Poseidon nods, "They were of the unanimous conclusion that there is no threat to my life or wellbeing."
Triton turns back to Percy, reaching over to gently brush the hair from his half-brother's forehead. Suddenly, without warning, Percy's eyes snap open, and with a loud gasp, he bolts upright.
"Perseus," Poseidon is immediately by his side, Triton moving away to give him space, "It's alright. You are in Atlantis."
Percy immediately snaps towards Poseidon, eyes wide and halfway through an inhaled breath, "D-Dad?"
"I'm here, son." Poseidon runs a hand through Percy's hair, "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
Percy immediately throws his hands onto Poseidon's neck and shoulders, pulling the god close and holding tightly, "R-Really? You're telling the truth?"
"You saved me, Perseus," Poseidon returns the hug, squeezing the teen gently, "I'm in no danger. You really removed all the poison from me. The royal doctors could not find anything that posed any threat to my life."
Percy lets out the breath he'd inhaled, choked but so, so relieved. Triton steps back a bit, joining Amphitrite's side. They let them have their private moment, until they are ready to address the elephant - or, rather, multiple elephants in the room.
"Dad…" Percy says, pulling away, "when I was asleep…I…I met someone."
"Who is it?" Poseidon asks, with Amphitrite and Triton also coming closer.
"Khaos."
…
…
…
"I - …what?"
"I met Khaos," Percy replies, softly but no less firmly, "Like…the void of Khaos under Tartarus. And…Khaos, like Tartarus, has a physical form." Seeing the stunned looks from his underwater family, but with no interruptions, Percy continues, explaining how Khaos was the one who made the offer to send him back in time, and the more surprising revelations they revealed to him while he was asleep, "You may not believe this, but…Khaos is Kainalu."
"I…I'm sorry?" Poseidon splutters.
"Khaos can take whatever form or shape they want," Percy nods, "For a time…Khaos were literally my mind healer." He chuckles awkwardly, "It sounds absolutely batshit insane, but it is the truth. And…I suppose it's pretty on-brand for a being like Khaos?"
"…yes, I'd imagine so," Amphitrite agrees after a moment. She sits down at the foot of Percy's bed, "What else…did Khaos tell you?"
"They…killed the Fates."
…
…
…
"WHAT?!" Poseidon bellows in sheer disbelief.
"Yeah, I had the same reaction," Percy scratches his cheek, "Turns out that everything that has happened since I came back from the future, everyone's actions, choices, decisions, my own and…Luke's actions, they are all entirely their own. Nobody is bound to the Fates anymore. Khaos told me, everyone's destinies will be shaped by their actions."
Amphitrite and Triton share an uncomfortable glance. The latter had heard Athena talk to Percy the night the camp cremated Annabeth, after all. And while Triton felt some modicum of comfort and a sliver of vindication at Athena losing one of her children, in a manner like when he lost Pallas, now he just feels conflicted.
"In the end, it doesn't change anything," Percy continues, "The way things are heading, Gramps will march on Olympus using Luke's body, and we still need to stop him, and all the stuff that happens after." He grips the sheets tightly, "What isn't so straightforward anymore…is what Khaos revealed to me next."
"What did they say?" Poseidon presses.
"I…I think you'll be overjoyed to hear this, dad," Percy says, although his expression remains carefully neutral, "Because of the changes I made, and especially after I killed Kampê, I…I'm ascending."
A difference silence takes hold.
"Oh, my son…"
Poseidon once again pulls Percy into a tight hug, "To hear my suspicions be confirmed, you cannot imagine how overjoyed I am. That you are ascending, and that I will not lose you. However…" Poseidon regards Percy with a meaningful look, "I know…at the same time, you did not want this. You refused godhood last time, and now, you do not have a choice."
"I made the choice to accept the power of poison," Percy says, not quite in rebuttal, just a statement of fact, "The decision was mine."
"But…how do you really feel about this?" Triton asks quietly.
"I…I don't know, actually," Percy shrugs helplessly, "I guess conflicted is the best I can describe it? I… when Kampê struck Dad, in that moment, nothing else mattered. H-He was withering right before my eyes. I had to save him. I couldn't let him die. And yet…" Percy sighs wearily, "if and when I do ascend, I will have to contend with seeing the people I love pass on, my mum, my future stepdad, my unborn sister…hell, even Nico too if he refuses -"
"Nico?" Amphitrite appears surprised, "Hades' son?"
"Nico is also ascending," Percy confirms, "That's what Khaos told me too, but at a slower pace than I am. If he…doesn't want to ascend, I'd lose him too. I-I know…in the grand scheme of things, I won't lose everyone," Percy's gaze sweeps over his underwater family, "b-but so many people I know now…I…"
Even though he had the conversation with Khaos, it is still a bitter pill to swallow. As Apollo aptly put it, knowing someone's inevitable demise is completely different from actually witnessing or experiencing it. Percy has no idea how he will confront such heartbreak when the time comes, or how many times he will go through it, knowing that he can't do anything.
"I regret that such an unbearable dilemma has been forced on your shoulders, my son," Poseidon says, gently stroking a thumb on Percy's cheek, "I truly wish I could help you, but not even a god as old as I am has the answers."
"…does it get any easier?" Percy asks quietly, "Your children…especially the mortal ones. When they die…does the pain stay the same each time?"
"Every death of a child of mine is always a tragedy," Poseidon replies, "The mortals say that time heals all wounds, but the truth is more complicated. Time marches on, and life continues. There is not a day that goes by where my thoughts do not stray to my children who are no longer here, but at the same time, the responsibilities I bear as King of Atlantis, and God of the Seas, still require my attention and action. The pain does not necessarily become any easier, but with time, it does become easier to co-exist with the pain."
It is not a straightforward answer, and really, such a difficult and philosophical conundrum will not have easy answers. Deep down, beneath all of the uncertainty, fear and sadness, Percy knows this, but simply accepting that is easier said than done.
"I think…" Amphitrite suddenly says, "I should go and inform Sally and Nico about this development." At Percy's surprised look, "I spoke with your father when you were asleep, and we agreed that this is too important for them to be kept in the dark about, especially with your admission that Nico is also in the process of ascending."
Percy considers his stepmum's reasoning, and eventually nods. He isn't looking forward to the conversations that will come once they are made aware of what's going on, but there is no way around this.
He just hopes that he won't lose anything even before he ascends.
Amphitrites wastes no time. When she arrived at the Jackson apartment, Sally and Nico are inside, and, surprisingly, Paul Blofis. Greeting them all warmly, Amphitrite requests to speak to Sally and Nico privately. Moving into Percy's bedroom, she explains that their presence in Atlantis is needed at the earliest convenience. Immediately, Sally guessed that it had to do with Percy, to which Amphitrite simply nods, recognising the same mother's instinct she possesses for her children.
They can't leave straight away, what with Paul still being there on an apparent social visit (Sally's slight blush was all the telltale sign Amphitrite needed to know what kind of social visit), so Amphitrite apologises for the sudden intrusion, and parks herself at a nearby café until Paul takes his leave. Half an hour passes, before Sally and Nico show up at the café. Amphitrite finishes her latte, and with the nearby mortals none the wiser, they leave the café, Amphitrite casts a breathing charm on Sally, and whisks them off to Atlantis.
They reappear in the throne room inside the royal palace. As Amphitrite leads them through the hallways, she explains the situation, "My husband and our child returned from Alcatraz to free Briares. And while they had to fight a truly monstrous jailer, and sustained injuries, rest assured, thanks to Percy's timely intervention, they were both healed of their injuries and are in no danger of harm."
They come to a stop at the door, "That being said, Percy faces a difficult conundrum, one that involves the both of you, if for slightly different reasons. I hope, that by talking with him, you two will be able to ease the burden that he carries on his shoulders."
Both Sally and Nico nod. Amphitrite knocks lightly on the door, and pushes it open. Percy is still on the bed, with Poseidon by his side, and Triton at the foot. All three look up when they enter, and both Poseidon and Triton get to their feet.
"Mum! Neeks!"
"Sally," Poseidon greets, "And it's good to see you again, Nico."
"Likewise, Uncle P."
Amphitrite says, "I have told them both a bit about what happened. Let us leave them to speak with Percy in private."
Triton follows his mother out first, with Poseidon lingering a bit to cast a glance at Sally, entrusting Percy to her care with a single nod. When the door closes behind them, Sally goes to pull Percy into a tight, almost-suffocating hug. Nico waits his turn, before also subjecting Percy to his own hug.
"Okay, what really happened, Percy?"
Pulling away, Percy sighs, "You both might want to sit down for this." When Sally takes the chair previously occupied by Poseidon, and Nico sits down on the bed, Percy proceeds to rip the bandage off, "I'm ascending."
Exactly three seconds of silence passes.
"I suspected as much."
Both Percy and Nico turn to Sally simultaneously, "What?"
"I want to be honest with you, Percy," Sally says, her eyes a mix of sadness and pride, "The thought has crossed my mind on more than a few occasions, especially whenever Nico comes back with tales of what reckless stunt you pulled off." Percy gives the younger boy a betrayed look, to which Nico just sticks his tongue out at him. "And from what I remember of Kampê, she wields poison, am I right?" At Percy's hesitant nod, Sally reaches over to squeeze his hand, "That means you and your father were exposed to her poison. And while I was assured by Amphitrite that you and Poseidon are unharmed, something must have happened, right?"
Percy hesitantly explains what he did, the choice he made, and how he killed Kampê thereafter. Through it all, not once did Sally express disgust, revulsion or fear at what Percy did to save his dad and himself. She held his hand all the way, even as Percy finished explaining his encounter with Khaos while he was asleep.
"Khaos…the realm beneath Tartarus…" Nico mutters, before levelling a deadpan stare at Percy, "The part of Khaos being Kainalu is one thing, but from what you've said, you are literally the ultimate nepo baby."
Percy splutters, "I - wha- no, what the actual hell, Nico?!"
Nico's deadpan stare only intensifies, "Without Khaos, there would be no Earth, no universe, nothing. The fact that Khaos personally gave you the offer to go back and do things over, went and killed the Fates so that they can't interfere in your mission, and they are looking out for you?" Nico does some approximation of jazz hands, "So, nepo baby."
Percy struggles to find any words to string together a response, before deciding, after a few more seconds of incoherent spluttering, to just drop it entirely. Turning back to Sally, he continues, "Khaos said that, because of my choice, I'm in the process of ascending. There…really isn't much left for my mortality to hold on to. I…I'm really not joking when I say that I could ascend at any time now."
"I can see that," Sally nods, still looking as steadfast as ever, which only serves to confuse Percy even more. "Percy, what is going on inside that mind of yours?"
"Um…shouldn't you be more frantic, or something? Like denial, bargaining, grieving, something that isn't calm?"
"Perseus Jackson," at the sound of his full name, Percy's mouth snaps shut, "Even before I learnt that you came back in time from the future, you have always been more. You have always stood up for what was right, even at great cost to yourself. And seeing and hearing about your adventures and reckless stunts in this timeline, it truly doesn't surprise me that you are ascending. In fact, given how much shit you and Nico have said about Olympus and the council, I think you are exactly what it needs right now."
"But…I don't want to watch you die, or Paul, or Estelle and -"
"Listen, I'm your mother," Sally interrupts him, not unkindly, "I'm older than you. I'm supposed to die before you. Whether or not you are a god, you will watch me die first. Same with Paul, for that matter. Also, someone once told me, when I was about your age, incidentally," Sally draws Percy close, his head resting against her shoulder, "death is always painful, especially when it is someone we love like family. But just because a loved one dies, that doesn't mean the bereaved no longer has the capacity to love again. The pain of losing a loved one not only reinforces how much we love them, but it is a reminder to keep loving those who are still with us, and, importantly, to give yourself the chance to love someone new. You aren't betraying those who have died by loving someone else. Some might even say that it is what they want their loved ones to do."
Percy quietly contemplates this perspective. In truth, he never thought of it this way before, likely because he'd spent most of his previous lifetime, and much of this current one, preventing the end of the world. He didn't really have the chance to live, to just be Percy Jackson, not the demigod son of Poseidon, but just one of billions of human beings who inhabit the world. And while Kronos, and later Gaea, still pose an existential threat to everything Percy loves and holds dear, what separates this lifetime from the previous, stemming from all of the ripples of change that Percy created, was that when he wasn't risking his life with quests and pulling reckless stunts (because, contrary to popular opinion, he knows, deep down, that he is reckless), there are moments of just simple domesticity and living - spending time with his mum (and Paul, whenever he was around) and his underwater family, fooling around with Nico and Thalia, both in camp and the Jackson apartment, which she started frequenting after their return from the Labyrinth, and, as much as it still annoyed him to be called the "patron god of the campers", Percy did enjoy teaching the younger campers how to fight with a sword, or engaging in more camp-like activities, especially canoeing.
While all of these moments come from different versions of care and love, ultimately, they all serve to bring Percy immeasurable joy. Joy that Percy will protect to his last breath against Kronos, and later Gaea.
"We can't escape death," Sally says, "even the gods aren't immune. What we can do while we are still here is to love and provide love, and even when I'm gone, Percy, I would want you to continue loving others. If there is one thing that ties mortals and gods together, is the ability to love."
And really, that is the answer to one of Percy's greatest, unspoken fears about ascension and godhood. He feared, in the previous lifetime, and subconsciously it seems, in the present one, that should he ascend, he would lose everything about him that made him human, including the ability to love. He'd seen the gods at their worst, and their version of "love" is so far removed from how he and mortals perceive it that, barring some exceptions, it is no better than abandonment or a fate worse than death. He'd rather throw himself into Tartarus than become lose his ability to truly love others.
But, when he thought about it, wasn't it his actions and choices that changed Apollo, Hermes, and even Ares, of all gods? When they'd been all but absent from their children's lives except when it was convenient before? Didn't it show that, with the right nudges (or, he supposes, being dragged through the mud and impaled in the abdomen), the gods can change?
Percy turns to Nico, levelling a deadly-serious look at him, "If I ever show signs that I'm forgetting what it means to be human, I want you to stab me in the stomach. Lethal or not, fuck it. Just stab me. I'll do the same for you."
Nico nods in equal seriousness, before a quizzical look takes over, "Hang on, why do you assume that I'd forget how to be a human?"
Percy also rips the bandage off, "Khaos said that you're also ascending, Nico. Just at a slower pace than I am."
For the first time, Nico is visibly dumbstruck, his eyes impossibly wide and jaw falling open. Percy meets his eyes with a meaningful gaze, patiently waiting and gauging Nico's reaction, or lack thereof.
"M-Me?"
"Khaos said so," Percy confirms, "Slower, though I don't know by how much. I think it's a Big Three gods thing?" He shrugs helplessly, "I'm really not sure. Khaos didn't say or explain anything else. I…I just needed to tell you. You deserve to know, you shouldn't be kept in the dark about this."
Seconds tick by, and Nico shows no further change in his reaction, or how he would respond. Percy really wanted to reach over, squeeze Nico's hand or pull him into a hug. Anything to show that Nico doesn't have to process this earth-shattering revelation alone. But he holds back, unless Nico makes the first move to seek his touch, he can't risk accidentally setting off a chain reaction that results in disaster.
"I…wh…I -"
Percy is growing concerned. Nico now looks unusually pale, his wide eyes are flashing with the telltale signs of confusion and panic, and Percy can almost hear the thoughts and worries howling inside Nico's head like a hurricane. Additionally, the shadows in his room are moving oddly and irratically, as if his control over his powers is slipping.
"Nico, what's wrong - ?"
Suddenly, Nico lets out a choked cry of sheer panic, and the shadows surge towards him. Appearing to act entirely on instinct, Nico dives head-first into the inky darkness at his feet.
"Nico!"
Percy tries to scramble up, but it's too late. The shadows dissipate, and all is silent, save for Percy's horrified breaths.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Hehe, and thus, The Titan's Curse begins!
- Kai
----------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 643 (no change)
Chapter 37: A Spiralling Panic
Summary:
Nico spirals, and subsequently, so does Percy.
Notes:
This is probably the shortest chapter I've written thus far, but to be fair, I wasn't particularly clear about what was going on inside Nico's mind before he bolted.
Though I have to say, reading the comments and speculation was very fun, and to users @THE_GREEK_KITSUNE and @LeydiyDiana, you two get a cookie 🍪
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"You deserve to know, you shouldn't be kept in the dark like this."
Thing is, Percy may have said it in one contextual manner, but the moment the words left his tongue, a different kind of darkness looms over Nico's soul.
The revelation that Nico is bound for godhood felt like a star imploding and exploding into a black hole inside his chest. Subconscious worries, buried deep in the recesses of Nico's mind, suddenly surge out all at once. Like a tidal wave slamming into an unsuspecting coastline, Nico has no time to brace himself, or prepare himself to deal with the fallout.
In essence, only three of them - himself, Percy and Thalia, carried the memories of the previous timeline. Everyone around them lived in blissful ignorance, unless one of them chose, or was forced, to come clean to.
Will was not one of them.
It tore at Nico's heart to see Will smiling, being around his siblings, doing what he did best in the infirmary, completely unaware of the major apocalyptic battles to come, and completely unaware of the love they shared a lifetime ago, erased by Percy's choice to accept Khaos' offer. The temptation to just spill everything to Will made his throat hurt, as was his forceful restraint of his impulses. Hearing Percy tell him how Apollo had basically suffered the mother of all breakdowns when the sun god was first told about Percy's time travel, and also witnessing Apollo earnestly talk about how he nearly went insane from somehow seeing the previous timeline, Nico would rather impale himself on his own sword than subject Will to the same experiences, even if Will did not inherit his father's prophetic sight.
Knowing it might not be as bad as seeing it, but it was still bad enough for Nico.
But now…now Percy revealed that he is destined for godhood. The Fates might have been killed, but his future is already set.
Nico feels his stomach free fall. Dionysus is the physical proof that mortals could ascend, but not once did Nico consider that it will happen to him. Even after all of the changes, big and small, that he and Percy made to the timeline, ascension had never been in his thoughts. Suddenly, everything that he went through before, especially when he and Will went to save Bob from Nyx's regeneration bubble, and having their relationship tried and tested by the darkest depths of Tartarus and the absolute oblivion of Khaos, now seems meaningless. Gods don't get to grow old beside the mortals they love. Gods can only watch, can only endure the resulting heartbreak of the inevitable.
He can already see it. He will have to bear witness to Will aging, faltering, and eventually dying. Will's golden hair turning white, his tanned skin going pale and wrinkled, his voice going silent, while Nico remains untouched in a permanent state of stasis. And when that time comes, no second chances, or offers by primordial beings, will ever bring Will back.
The darkness sinks its claws right into his throat, robbing him of any coherent words.
Never mind the fact that, technically, he won't be alone. Percy will still be there, as would Poseidon and his family. His father, though he has yet to claim Nico, will still remain, as would Bianca and Thalia, should they join Artemis' hunt. But despite everything, all the changes he, Percy and Thalia wrought upon the world, the one person that has always been a consistent ray of shining light in Nico's life is Will. And once Will dies, who will Nico have left? Just because they share the same state of immortality, who is to say that Percy, Thalia, even Bianca and his father won't disappear from his existence? Leaving him all alone, immortal and so, utterly, alone?
Even worse, what if Will doesn't love him this time? Not even factoring the possibility of Will refusing to be with someone who will outlive him, what if Nico's continued silence on his time travel inadvertently drives a wedge between him and Will? Apollo's children have always been beautiful, regardless of gender. Plus, Will is bisexual. He isn't bound to a specific gender preference. The dating scene is Will's oyster. He could have anyone he loved, to marry, start a family and new life with, grow old together…everything Nico would not be able to give as a god.
He tries to make a sound, a word - anything, really, but all that comes out are choked noises of his growing horror and panic. The shadows around him coil and quiver irratically, as the darkness spreads down to his lungs. Every breath is unbearable, the ringing in his ears growing louder by the second, and his head feeling like it is both spinning and splitting in two at the same time. It feels like everything is crashing down all around him, falling onto him, almost as if the sky itself was crushing him down from his shoulders - the unfathomable weight of what awaited him, the inevitability and eternity of the prison he cannot escape from.
It is simply too much.
He thinks he hears Percy trying to speak to him, but all he hears for sure is the strangled cry that, by sheer force of panic, escapes his throat. The next thing he knows, the shadows converge on him, and he dives, head-first, into the void of his own fear.
A beat of silence, before panic promptly breaks out.
"Nico!!!"
The door bursts open. Poseidon, bearing his trident, rushes into the room, followed closely by Amphitrite and Triton.
"Perseus, what happened?!"
Percy, eyes blown wide in escalating panic, "Nico, h-he's gone!"
"What?" Poseidon gasps, "Where did he go?"
"I don't know!" Percy cries, unshed tears beginning to form, "I-I told him that he was in the process of ascending, but slower than me, and then…h-he…he…"
Sally takes over, seeing her son becoming overwhelmed, "Nico seemed to suffer a panic attack. He shadow-travelled in a state of panic. We don't know where he went."
Triton inhales sharply. Amphitrite's hand flies to her mouth, and Poseidon, while also visibly worried, puts on a stern face, "Triton, mobilise the guards and soldiers. Have them search the entire kingdom. Leave no stone unturned!"
"Yes, father!"
Triton rushes out of the room. Poseidon flashes his trident away, and goes to Percy. He quickly pulls the panicking teen into his arms, running a hand through his hair to try and soothe him.
"It's all my fault!" Percy heaves and cries, "This is all my fucking fault!"
"Perseus, my son," Poseidon gently rocks Percy, "We'll find him. We won't rest until Nico is located."
"He could be anywhere by now!" Percy cries, looking at his dad desperately, "He was literally panicking! It's because I told him he was ascending like me!" The tears promptly begin to fall, and Percy, seeing that he can't move his arms because of his dad's tight grip, "It's all my fucking fault!"
Poseidon says nothing, just squeezing his son as he cries. Sally and Amphitrite move close, not touching Percy, but close enough for the teen to sense their presence.
"I-I'm a fucking dumbass! I completely forgot that Nico and Will were dating last time! A-And…" he is cut off by a heaving sob, "Will doesn't remember the previous timeline like we do. I-I don't think Nico told Will about it. And neither did Apollo." More sobs overwhelm him, "H-He must've realised that he could lose what he had before, a-and panicked -" At that point, Percy is unable to say any more, his tears flooding him completely.
No one says anything. Nobody can say anything that would suffice. They simply can't.
He doesn't know how long he spent in the shadows.
All he knows, he suddenly emerges into the open world with no warning or subtlety.
The next thing Nico feels is the cold.
While being a son of Hades does give him some immunity against cold temperatures and environments, that doesn't mean Nico is completely unable to feel the cold. The sudden drop in temperature makes him look up.
He appears to be in a wooded area, with snow all around and more falling from the overcast sky above. The trees around him are barren, bereft of their leaves.
Even though his godly lineage does protect him from the below-zero temperatures, Nico tightens his leather jacket around himself. He doesn't like this place. He can't explain why, but there is just something about this place that is filling him with foreboding dread. It also feels familiar, which adds to the general unease and fear brewing in stomach.
Trudging through the snow, Nico can see the woods beginning to thin out up ahead. Even as a wind suddenly blows through, and more snow continues to fall from the sky, Nico picks up the pace, eager to get a better understanding of where he'd shadow-travelled to.
It is an understanding that he suddenly wishes he did not know, when he sees what lies a short distance away from the edge of the woods.
The imposing, dark, and all-too familiar stone masonry architecture of Westover Hall.
The memories flood back - he and Bianca were sent here by Alecto masquerading as a lawyer after they were removed from the Lotus Casino, Percy, Annabeth and Thalia snuck in to try and get them out, only for the manticore - Dr. Thorn - to attempt to kidnap them, which resulted in Annabeth being taken.
Every instinct within Nico's soul screams at him to get away. Pull the shadows back to him and get the hell out of there. But Nico is frozen, unable to even lift his feet off the ground and move himself back in the direction that he came from. The memories from before, and the growing realisation of what he did after Percy revealed his future ascension to him in Atlantis, made his entire body lock up, as if a paralytic of pure fear, despair and hopelessness had been injected right into his veins -
"Well, well, what do we have here?"
To Be Continued.
Notes:
To my readers, you might want to strap in, grab your comfort object/food/drink and brace yourselves, we have a bumpy ride ahead.
And I'm not referring to Thalia almost incinerating New England when she flew the Sun Chariot.
- Kai
--------------------------
Chapter 38: A Frantic Hunt
Summary:
A frantic search for Nico begins, and a prophecy is made.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
When Triton returns a few hours later, he is the sombre bearer of bad news, "Father, despite our best efforts and thorough search, we were unable to locate Nico anywhere in the kingdom, or in the surrounding waters."
"Forgive us, your majesty," the guards chant in unison, kneeling down with their heads bowed behind Triton.
Poseidon sighs, merely nodding, "Thank you, I know you all did your best. Triton, my son, please remain. Everyone else, you are dismissed." Once the guards have left the throne room, Poseidon gets up, goes to his eldest son, and squeezes his shoulder.
"Percy is going to be even more worried."
"I know," Poseidon nods, "but we have to accept the truth that Nico is no longer within Atlantean boundaries. We need to discuss our next course of action with him."
Triton nods. He follows Poseidon back to Percy's bedroom, where the younger teen is still being held by both Sally and Amphitrite. All three look up at their entry, with Amphitrite getting to her feet first, "My king, Triton, any news?"
"None, I'm afraid," Triton sighs, "Despite our best efforts, Nico is no longer in Atlantis."
Percy visibly wilts, but he has run out of tears by now, throat raw from crying his lungs out and just numbed with shock.
"Where could he have gone to?" Sally wonders, as she hugs Percy.
"There are a few possibilities," Poseidon replies, "He could've gone into the Underworld, or even to camp, but I'm certain that Percy or I would have received a message or call from Chiron by now -"
"Bianca…" Percy's quiet, scratchy voice cuts through the discussion, "She doesn't know. She has no idea what happened." Wrenching himself from Sally's hug, Percy says desperately, "I need to get to camp now! Dad, please, send me there!"
"I…alright. But Perseus, my son, please, don't do anything stupid or reckless."
"I won't, just…I need to tell Bianca, and Thalia," Percy says, "Also, please tell Uncle Hades about this. He doesn't know yet, but this is more important!"
Poseidon nods, and squeezing Percy's shoulder, he snaps his fingers. A surge of ocean currents and bubbles envelope him entirely, and a few seconds later, Percy finds himself at the foot of Half-Blood hill. He climbs the hill, passes through the border, and hurries down. As he reaches the Big House, he screeches to a halt. Coming at him from the campgrounds, Bianca is running, pale and frantic, with Thalia not too far behind.
"Percy!"
"Bianca," Percy goes to meet her, "I was just about to -"
"Something's happened to Nico!" Bianca cries.
"…come again?"
"I was taking a nap, a-and I had a dream," Bianca explains hurriedly, "He was in some wooded area I didn't recognise. S-Something, or someone was attacking him. I couldn't see what it was, no matter how I tried. N-Nico tried to fight them off, b-but -" her breath hitches, "whatever or whoever he was fighting struck him in the head, and then I woke up." Bianca is visibly trembling now, "I-I tried to Iris message him, multiple times, but he never answered!"
Percy has gone pale himself, "Bianca…did you see anything else about where Nico was?"
"Um…I-I think there was some stone structure not too far away? Like some castle or fortress?"
Percy sucks in a horrified breath, and he starts cursing quietly.
"Kelp Head, what's going on?" Thalia asks.
"I…Bianca, can you…um…give Thalia and I a second?" Percy grabs her arm, and leads her a short distance away, "Should we tell her?"
"About our time travel?" Thalia whispers, glancing back to Bianca.
"It pertains to that. I…I think Nico is in Maine, specifically Westover Hall."
Thalia swears under her breath, "Which means…"
"It's all my fault," Percy runs a hand through his hair, "I told Nico that he and I are ascending, and he…freaked out."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah, long story, I'll tell you later," Percy promises, "So, we tell Bianca, or come up with some bullshit?"
"Tell me what?"
Ah, fuck.
At some point, Bianca had come up to them.
"Well, that takes things out of our hands," Thalia mutters.
"Yep," Percy mutters back, before turning to Bianca, "Something very, very important, which you absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, tell anyone else in camp."
A slight look of wariness instantly appears in Bianca's expression, "Okay…does it pertain to Nico?"
"Yes, it does," Percy looks around, there aren't any other campers within earshot of them, but they aren't too far from the Big House, and anyone could come from the main campgrounds at any time. "Follow me."
He takes Bianca, with Thalia following, into the nearby woods. Again making sure that none of the nature spirits were eavesdropping on them, Percy begins his explanation, "Alright, so background context. I time-travelled from the future, because the primordial being Khaos offered me a chance to go back and do things over. Somehow, though I suspect its a Big Three god thing, Nico and Thalia have memories of what happened in the previous timeline."
"Thing is, the three of us have made huge changes to the timeline. The battle against the monster army from the Labyrinth wasn't supposed to take place until sometime this year. And, when I came to get you and Nico out of the Lotus Casino, it was actually more than a year before you two were taken out of it by Alecto and enrolled in Westover Hall academy in Maine."
"And it's because of these changes…" Percy runs a hand down his face, "I'm ascending, and so is Nico too, albeit at a slower pace. When I told Nico about it…he panicked, and blindly shadow-travelled to, presumably, Westover Hall."
"Also, previously, the deputy principal of Westover Hall was actually a manticore working for Kronos, under the alias of Dr. Thorn, with orders to kidnap you and Nico so that you both were brought to him," Thalia adds, "We fought Thorn, but he managed to escape with Annabeth, another demigod which…tragically, died a few years ago this time around." Her lips twist in a grimace, before smoothing out, "Given what you saw in the dream, Nico must have been attacked by Thorn, and possibly captured by him."
Bianca stares, speechless, her mouth opening and closing for several moments. She visibly tries to wrap her head around the bombshells dropped unceremoniously onto her, pacing back and forth around the trees for a few minutes. Percy and Thalia let her have this, waiting until she managed to find her tongue, "That…explains so much. Nico…he…he seemed different the night after you got us out of the casino." She quickly explains, "Not like a big different, you know? Little things, like looking at me when he thought I wasn't looking, his eyes just…appearing older, and the fact that you two got so close rather quickly…" Bianca nods, as if confirming to herself that she gets it now. Then, she asks, "But I don't understand, why don't I have these memories too?"
Percy and Thalia shared an uncomfortable glance, "Last time, you joined the Hunters of Artemis because you wanted to live your own life outside of being Nico's big sister. Soon after, you went on a quest with Zoë Nightshade to rescue Artemis, who was being forced to hold up the sky by Atlas. The party arrived at the Junkyard of the Gods, which Aphrodite warned to not take anything from. But…you took a Hades figurine because Nico loved Mythomagic and it was the only one he didn't have in his collection. One of Hephaestus's automatons attacked, and…you sacrificed yourself to help the others escape."
Bianca's hands fly to her mouth, a soft, strangled sound lodged in her throat. Her legs tremble, and give out from under her. Thankfully, she had been standing near a tree, so she didn't end up crumpling hard onto the ground. Percy looks especially guilty, wrapping his arms around his chest, "Nico blamed me for your death, because I had promised him to keep you safe. It…It took a long while for him to come to terms with and accept your death, though…not with a lot of impulsive, grief-fuelled decisions that complicated things in the process. But, I still feel guilty every now and then, and Nico has said that, on occasion, seeing you alive and well reminds him of how much he lost last time."
Bianca's eyes shimmer with unshed tears, and Percy feels his guilt increase tenfold. He really didn't want to horrify Bianca anymore than she already was, but he couldn't withhold anything important, especially with what's at stake. Plus, he's sure Nico is going to give him hell for traumatising his sister like that.
He just hopes he can make it up to them both later.
"We need to get to Westover Hall," Bianca eventually says, as she shakily gets to her feet, "Nico could still be there, maybe being held captive by the manticore -"
"You'd be wasting your time."
The three of them swing towards where the voice came from. A teenage girl, about thirteen years of age, stands a few paces from them, where there had been no one before. Despite her youthful appearance, her silvery-yellow eyes, reminiscent of the moon, are old and weathered with time.
"Lady Artemis," Percy whispers, immediately bowing with a hand over his heart.
Thalia and Bianca quickly bow too.
"Percy Jackson," the goddess of the hunt and moon acknowledges, "and friends. I was informed about what happened by the King of the Underworld. Your father had contacted him to report about his son's disappearance." Bianca's eyes widen, and Percy grimaces inwardly. That is certainly one way of learning about your parentage, "Hades had determined where his son was last located, and he subsequently contacted me to scope out the area to see if his son is still there. My hunters and I scoured the area, and while we found traces of a struggle, but we were unable to locate him, or the one who took him."
Bianca buries her head into her hands. Thalia tries to provide what little comfort she could give, while Percy swears audibly this time. Artemis, for her part, doesn't react to the crass obscenities spilling from Percy's lips, "After reporting to Hades about what we found, he tasked me and my hunters to locate the one who took his son. He also briefed me to seek you out, Percy Jackson, to inform you about what has happened, and, if it pleases me, to include you in the search for his son."
Truthfully, Percy would've gone off in search for Nico even if Artemis didn't make such an offer. However, given the offer in question, and knowing what is about to happen, he responds evenly, "If you would have me. However, I only have one request," he glances to the two girls behind him, "that Thalia and Bianca come along too. We are the closest to Nico, and I will not leave them behind and waiting endlessly without news for however long it takes."
This is also to prevent Bianca, and to a lesser extent, Thalia, from mounting their own searches, and possibly getting into trouble with no backup. Evidently, Thalia sensed Percy's inner thought processes, rolls her eyes in fond annoyance, and mutters under her breath, "Speak for yourself, Kelp Head."
Artemis readily nods, "That is amenable." She turns around, "Come, we must get moving. Our transport is waiting."
The trio hurry to catch up with the goddess. They end up going towards what remains of Zeus's Fist. The signs and scars of the battle that took place there have been covered up by nature and new plant growth. Even the crumbled remains of the rocky outcrop has been taken over by grass and wildflowers. Except for one particular spot, which has been charred black by the residual burning heat of the sun chariot, and a familiar sun god leaning against the hood.
"Dearest sister!" Apollo beams, which makes Percy wince and shield his eyes, "Took your sweet time, did you?"
"Brother," Artemis deadpans, turning into a beautiful, ethereal young woman in a silvery-yellow dress, "As a matter of fact, there were some additional developments that prevented me from immediately seeking Percy Jackson out." Her eyebrows dip slightly, "Did you, by any chance, know that Percy Jackson travelled backwards in time from the future?"
Percy sighs audibly, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of course, even when he didn't want to be overheard, there was still someone eavesdropping.
"Ah…well," Apollo rubs the back of his head, "yes, actually. But I was sworn to secrecy, Styx and everything. If Percy had given me permission to, I would've told you, honest!"
Artemis glances towards Percy, meeting his deadpan gaze evenly, "Yes…that is a reasonable argument." Turning back to Apollo, she nods, "Take us back to where my hunters have set up camp."
"As you wish, my dearest sister." Apollo pushes himself off the hood of the chariot, suddenly pausing with his gaze alternating between Percy and Thalia.
"You want one of us to drive the sun chariot, is it?" Percy guesses, still deadpan.
"Hard pass," Thalia says immediately, "Not unless you want me to set all of New England on fire again."
Percy sighs, "It's a good job that I learnt to drive last time." He steps forward, "Alright, you have your designated driver. Everyone, all aboard."
Sliding into the driver's seat, Percy waits until everyone else has climbed in, "Buckle up. I don't want any of you flying around if I have to swerve or jam brake."
At the back of his mind, Percy wonders if Artemis is coming to regret seeking him out, what with her general dislike towards men. Surprisingly, though, the goddess straps herself in without a word. Mentally adding a point in Artemis' favour, Percy starts up the engine, and floors the accelerator. He is pretty certain that he turned all of Zeus's Fist into a smouldering, charred lump with that take-off, but frankly, he doesn't give a shit.
Even though he technically doesn't have his license yet this time round, Percy wasn't lying when he said that he remembered his driving lessons from the previous timeline. All things considered, the drive-slash-flight from Long Island to Maine was relatively uneventful. Percy did have to swerve away from a flock of birds that were too stupid to notice the chariot flying right towards them, but it was smooth enough to not cause any of the passengers discomfort. Percy kept his eyes firmly ahead at all times, but even so, he could sense Apollo watching him throughout the ride. While it could be chalked up to Apollo not wanting Percy to crash or damage the chariot, the sun god's gaze felt more…appraising, if Percy wanted to be generous. If one were to ask him what it truly felt like, Percy would have said that it felt like the god was eyeing him like a piece of meat.
"If you keep undressing me with your eyes, I'm going to literally catch a cold."
Apollo blinks, while the two girls and the goddess behind them snap towards Percy, and then to Apollo.
"I can keep you warm," Apollo regains his bearings, smirking while waggling his eyebrows.
"And subject me to your awful poetry?" Percy raises an eyebrow back, "I'm pretty sure I'll become sicker as a result."
"Oooh…" Thalia snickers, and on the other side, Artemis actually snorts quietly.
"Rude!" Apollo gasps in dramatic outrage, "My poetry is the best!"
"Ehh…debatable."
As they near Westover Hall, Percy begins the descent. Finding a small clearing in the woods surrounding the military academy, Percy brings the chariot to a landing with nary a bump on touchdown. Turning off the engine, he alights from the chariot, followed by the girls and Artemis. Apollo gets out, pouting, "See if I ever let you drive the chariot again…"
"You will," Percy replies easily, "I'm easily the best driver you've seen in recent memory."
If it was anyone else, they would've been, at best, smited on the spot, or horribly cursed at the worst for such arrogant insolence. Apollo, however, just pouted even more, purposely looking away from Percy with arms crossed. Percy just turns to Artemis, "Please, lead the way, my lady."
Artemis leads them to another clearing where tents have been set up and a campfire is burning. Percy sees about two dozen adolescent girls, all in identical silver skiing parkas and armed with bows and arrow quivers. All of them look up and stop whatever they were doing previously when Artemis steps into the clearing, though more than a few pairs of eyes immediately zero in on Percy walking behind the moon goddess.
"Do not draw your bows," Artemis says to several hunters who had instinctively reached for their weapons, "Percy Jackson is here on my explicit invitation. Any harm that comes to him will be dealt with the severest consequences."
The goddess's eyes linger on one particular girl, with long, flowing black hair, coppery skin, and piercing eyes which, coupled with the silver circlet with a crescent moon in the middle, gives off the impression of Persian royalty. Immediately, Percy's stomach churns with conflicting discomfort. Zoë Nightshade, Artemis' loyal lieutenant for the past two millennia. Percy and Thalia had mourned her deeply when she died and was turned into the Huntress constellation, but as it stands, Zoë has yet to break from her old mindset, her infamous hatred towards all men because of Heracles' betrayal. Percy just hopes that Zoë doesn't give them unnecessary trouble this time round.
"Yes, my lady," Zoë acquiesces, though a single glance at Thalia bore all of the animosity and disdain she held towards the daughter of Zeus, to which Thalia simply ignores.
Artemis glances at Percy, "Come, we shall talk inside."
The goddess heads for one of the tents, Percy, Thalia and Bianca trailing after her. Inside, a brazier burns but produces no smoke or soot. There are silk pillows and rugs on the floor, and various animal pelts, ranging from bears, jackalopes, and even tigers, hang from the walls. Artemis sits down on the only bench in the tent, next to a polished oak display stand which holds a large silver bow, carved to look like gazelle horns.
"Have a seat."
With no other chairs or benches in the tent, Percy, Thalia and Bianca sit down on some of the cushions. At some point in the few seconds they took to get comfortable, a deer with glittering fur and silver horns had settled down by the goddess's side, seeming to have appeared from thin air. Zoë enters the tent at that moment, coming to stand by Artemis, levelling a glare at both Percy and Thalia, to which they don't even bother to respond to other than a cursory glance.
"I seek your understanding regarding my hunters," Artemis says, idly stroking the deer by her side, "It is extremely rare that we have boys in the camp. And quite a few do not have high regard for boys or men."
Percy simply gives Zoë the side eye, before turning back to Artemis, "Well, I hope you do not feel the need to turn me into…what is it? A jackalope?"
Zoë bristles at the perceived disrespect, but a stern glance from Artemis makes her stand down. Turning back to Percy, her lips quirk upwards slightly, "I see that you are well-read about what happens to men who cross myself or my hunters. Fear not, Percy Jackson, I have heard about your adventures and quests, and nothing I have heard warrants anything of the sort. No, instead," her expression settles back into its previous serious look, "I need you to tell me what you know about the creature that took Hades' son."
Percy tells her about the manticore, masquerading as the deputy principal of Westover Hall. When he finishes, Artemis nods, "Yes, I feared this was the case. Things are stirring, scents of beasts I have not seen in millennia. However, while your description of the manticore fits with the signs of the struggle that we found at the edge of the woods, there is another that I have been seeking. One that is rumoured to hold the power to slay the gods." She levels an intense look at Percy, "I believe, given that you have knowledge of future events, you know what it is."
Outwardly, Percy's expression is stonily blank. Inside, though, rage begins to bubble, and he has to forcibly keep the lid on so as to not have his power lash out.
"The Ophiotaurus."
For a moment, a flicker of fear appears in Zoë's eyes, before she tries her damnedest to keep a straight face. Artemis herself has gone quiet, before nodding resolutely, "I have been too slow to see the signs. I must slay this monster."
'Over my dead body you will,' Percy thinks, his right fist clenching, 'Apollo's beloved twin sister or not, no harm will come to Bessie!'
"We will leave right away, my lady," Zoë says.
"No, Zoë. I must do this alone."
"But -"
"I will not endanger my hunters by making them go with me on this perilous mission," Artemis says firmly, already on her feet, "You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."
"…as you wish, my lady."
Artemis regards Percy, Thalia and Bianca, vowing, "I will find this creature. I will bring it to Olympus before the winter solstice. It will be not only be the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods how much danger we are in, but I will ensure that it does not fall into the grasps of the enemy."
Knowing that there is no hope in Artemis not going after Bessie, Percy just hopes that the goddess doesn't order him to escort the Hunters to camp. He absolutely does not need the campers to butt heads with a group of hunters led by a man-hating archer who isn't above using lethal force against those she perceived to be insulting her or Artemis.
Suddenly, there is a shimmering sound, and right beside Percy, a rainbow unexpectedly appears, bearing an incoming Iris message. Percy accepts it, and Chiron's face appears within the resulting screen.
"Percy? Where are you?"
"Chiron, I'm in the camp set up by the Hunters of Artemis. What's wrong?"
Chiron blinks, evidently surprised, before composing himself, "The Oracle suddenly appeared before Dionysus and I, and made a prophecy which we interpreted to involve you."
Percy sits up straighter, as does Thalia and Bianca, "What does the prophecy say?"
Chiron promptly responds, "A shadowed youth shall bear the dome, A maiden's strength will match his own. The ocean's child will bear heaven's cries, And through the sun, a hero shall rise."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Full disclosure, I had some help from ChatGPT regarding the prophecy at the end. I will admit it wholeheartedly, writing might be my strength, but poetry or anything that rhymes are not. I know I'm likely to get serious flak for it in the comments section, but I'd rather not run myself ragged churning out something completely rubbish.
I await the subsequent pitchfork-wielding mob with determined acceptance.
- Kai
-------------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 643 (still no change, I'm truly sorry)
Chapter 39: A Rescue Plan
Summary:
With a changed prophecy, plans to rescue Nico and an ophiotaurus are made.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
All is silent in Artemis' tent, save for the brazier still burning away with little regard for the newest bombshell to drop on them all. Seeing as no one speaks for close to a minute, Chiron says, "Percy, please, be careful. As your father would say, don't do anything reckless."
Wordlessly, Percy ends the call.
"My lady…" Zoë quietly says, "what does that mean?"
Instead of the goddess responding, Percy says in an equally quiet voice, "Nico will be forced to hold up the sky."
Bianca whips towards him, "What?!"
Percy turns to Artemis, glancing momentarily to Zoë, "Lady Artemis, do you trust your lieutanent with our secret?"
Zoë is immediately suspicious. Artemis, however, simply nods, "I trust Zoë wholeheartedly."
'Might as well start telling everyone, what with Hades likely also knowing about our time travel by now,' Percy sighs inwardly. He turns to Zoë, and gives her a truncated, summarised version of their time travel as children of the Big Three gods. He doesn't mention Bianca joining the Hunters last time, or her death in the junkyard. Percy wasn't going to remind Bianca of her untimely demise again so soon, and he absolutely wasn't going to let Zoë persuade or coerce Bianca into joining the Hunters this time. If she joins, that will be entirely Bianca's decision, without any influence from anyone.
"Last time, it was another demigod we knew, although she is dead this time around." Percy momentarily glances at Artemis, "To relieve her of the unbearable burden, Lady Artemis took the sky from her hands."
Bianca mutters under her breath, "A maiden's strength will match his own…" she gasps quietly, "Does that mean Lady Artemis will also-"
"No!" Zoë rudely cuts her off, "That is preposterous!" Her head darts between the demigods and Artemis, who has remained silent this entire time, "Why would our good lady take such an unfathomable load from a…a disgusting boy -"
Before he even realised what he had done, Percy is on his feet and uncapped Riptide. It is only when he hears Thalia crying out his name, that he registers the damning fact that he just drew Riptide (once called Anaklusmos) and pointed it at Zoë, who once possessed it and subsequently gave it to Heracles.
Indeed, Zoë's eyes are the size of dinner plates, her coppery skin has lost its colour, and a choked sound brokenly escapes her throat. However, within seconds, white-hot rage sweeps over Zoë, and Percy swears that he sees a vein bulge under her skin.
"You dare -"
"I fucking dare, Zoë Nightshade," Percy growls. He feels someone stand behind him, whether that was both Bianca and Thalia, or only one of them, is immaterial, "That was Bianca di Angelo's younger brother you just called disgusting, as if he is nothing but a piece of trash! I know you got screwed over by Heracles, but tell me one good reason why I should not use the sword you once owned to relieve you of your own head!"
That reason ends up being Artemis, as the goddess rises to her feet, "Peace, Percy Jackson. Please forgive my lieutenant's lapse of judgment." She turns to Zoë, meeting her look of outraged confusion with a stern, almost disapproving look, "You forget, my lieutenant, that while I do not like men, the boy who is prophesied to hold the sky is but a child, an innocent being who has done nothing to deserve such a perilous predicament. I may not be the one who holds domain over youth and children, but as the goddess of childbirth, every child that is born into the world must be protected and cherished, not forced to hold up the sky by monsters with no heart or soul."
Despite still visibly outraged, Zoë's eyes dip downwards, a trace of shame in her features.
"Heracles may have betrayed you, and left you to face the wrath of your father and sisters, but your wholesale hatred towards all men and boys is unwarranted," Percy admonishes, though he does lower Riptide as a conciliatory move to Artemis, "And what has Nico done to you? Has he caused you any harm? Any pain? Did he assault you or defile your dignity? No, because you have never even met him, and you dare to defile his name in front of his own sister because of what he has between his legs! In fact, how many boys or men have you killed or turned into animals to be hunted were either completely innocent, or were at the wrong place at the wrong time and had the misfortune of crossing your path?"
Perhaps he shouldn't be throwing around potentially baseless accusations like that, but Artemis is once more staring down Zoë questioningly. The mere fact that Zoë doesn't meet either the goddess or Percy's eyes is answer enough.
"Again, I may dislike men, but it seems that my lieutanent has let her past pain cloud her sense of reasoning. I will need to have a word with her, in private." Artemis regards the three demigods, "Please leave us. I will call for you again."
"Yes, Lady Artemis," Percy caps Riptide and bows, Bianca and Thalia copying him. They silently leave the tent, the closing of the flaps blocking out any sound coming from within. The hunters who are still outside look over, but none try to talk or engage with them, which suits the trio just fine. With no one around the campfire, they sit down on a log bench, huddling together. None of them say anything for a good minute, before Thalia turns to Bianca.
"How are you feeling?"
"I…I should be apoplectic," she replies quietly, "Insulting my brother like that, equating him to those monsters who took him. I should've given her a piece of my mind. But…" she gives Percy a grateful look, "…you stood up for him. You defended his honour. Thank you, truly."
"We may not be related in the traditional sense," Percy says, "But he's my family too. No one, not even the gods themselves, will get away with disparaging Nico. Not on my watch."
Bianca nods, a small, but no less grateful smile appearing on her lips.
Thalia then brings up, "Last time, you joined the Hunters. What about now?"
Bianca hums, turning to stare at the crackling campfire, "I don't know, frankly. It does sound intriguing, but…" glancing back at Artemis' tent, she quietly adds, "not with Zoë around."
"Understandable," Percy nods, "And frankly, this is one grudge that you're more than welcome to keep holding."
"What? Oh-" Thalia nods, "Right, yeah. Forgot about that for a moment. Children of Hades having 'holding grudges' as their fatal flaw."
Bianca picks up on that, "Hades, the king of the underworld." She turns to Percy and Thalia, "Why didn't he claim Nico and I? Why did he make us…or rather, me, think that we didn't have parents?"
"It's not pretty," Percy admits, "Are you sure you want to know?" Bianca thinks about it for a few moments, and nods, "Because of a stupid prophecy that may or may not even exist anymore, what with my whole time travel schtick, the Lightning Fuckboy known as Zeus," both he and Thalia flip off the resulting rumble of thunder, even as the hunters are all startled by the noise, and Bianca flinches, "tried to kill you, Nico and your mortal mother because he is a paranoid fuckwad who thinks anything that moves is a plot to overthrow him," cue another rumble of thunder, angrier this time, and another set of raised middle fingers in response, "Hades was able to protect you and Nico, but failed to save your mother in time. Distraught, and worried that you two would be targeted again, Hades had you and Nico bathed in the River Lethe to wipe your memories, and subsequently, relocated to Washington DC for a time, before being placed in the Lotus Casino, where I took you both out of."
"I…I see," Bianca nods, "You're right. I don't remember anything about my mother, or Hades, for that matter."
"He was trying to protect you, I think," Percy says, "But sixty years is a long time, so I think, unfortunately, he forgot about you two until Nico went missing and my dad told him about it. He's been trying to get Uncle Hades to remember and claim you both for some time, but he never got the hints."
"Must be the overwork," Thalia adds, "And the fact that he doesn't trust the Olympians."
At that moment, Zoë emerges from Artemis' tent. She goes to the trio, "My lady wishes to continue speaking with you three."
Percy notes that, while she is still visibly unhappy, there is hint of contrition in her voice. Regardless, even if holding grudges isn't his fatal flaw, Percy isn't going to forgive Zoë for disparaging Nico earlier, nor is he going to apologise for drawing Riptide on her, anytime soon. Not unless she herself sincerely apologised for her transgressions.
Or dies, a dark voice whispers in the back of Percy's mind, which he doesn't acknowledge.
Re-entering the tent, Percy notices that Artemis' bow is now strapped across her back, and she is no longer sitting on the bench.
"Percy Jackson," she nods at their entry, "In light of the prophecy that Chiron has revealed to us, I have decided that, as much as the bane of Olympus must be captured by the winter solstice, the shadowed child must also be rescued. I cannot, in good faith, let him languish under the weight of the sky."
"What do you need us to do, Lady Artemis?" Percy asks.
"I want you three to work together with my lieutenant to track down the bane of Olympus, and destroy it before it can be captured by the enemy. I will go in search of the shadowed youth, and relieve him of his burden."
"But Lady Artemis, your presence will be needed at the winter solstice council meeting," Thalia says.
Despite the stonily serious expression, Artemis's eyes glimmer with a knowing look, "I trust that you would know what to do."
Thalia meets Percy's eyes. He nods grimly. Anything to save Nico, and Bessie.
"I will inform the rest of my Hunters about my mission, and I request that you bring them to Camp Half-Blood so that they can stay in safe grounds while I am gone," Artemis continues, "Once they are settled in, you are to go and search for the beast."
"Very well, Lady Artemis. Does Zoë know about this?" Percy asks.
"She does," Artemis nods, "She will help the rest to break camp, in which time, you will arrange for the transport."
Percy nods, "Alright." With that, he, Thalia and Bianca leave the tent. Sure enough, they spot Zoë bringing all of the hunters together, saying in a loud, clear voice that Artemis will soon address them all. In the meantime, Percy goes to the campfire, which is still lit, and kneels before it. From his pocket, he fishes out a handful of drachmae, part of the small stash that he always carries on him in case he needs to Iris message someone, and tosses the coins into the crackling flames.
He then closes his eyes and makes a prayer, 'Apollo, I need to borrow the sun chariot once more. Artemis has ordered me to bring her Hunters to Camp Half-Blood while she goes to rescue Nico from Luke and Atlas' clutches.'
Immediately, the flames turn a blinding gold, and roars loudly. Percy vaguely hears some startled gasps from the Hunters, but his focus is on the sudden rush of warmth from his shoulders, almost as if Apollo himself had run his hands down his arms.
Despite himself, Percy shivers, as a different kind of warmth pools in his stomach. A blinding flash of light makes him opens his eyes, though luckily, the light dissipates before he accidentally blinded himself. Once again, a familiar cherry red Meserati comes to a stop a few metres from him. Percy gets to his feet, as Apollo steps out of the chariot, wearing the same sunglasses that he'd worn previously.
"Colour me surprised, Percy, when I received your offering and prayer."
"Yeah, well, I have two dozen Hunters that need to get to Long Island," Percy jabs a thumb to the group of staring adolescent girls, "Your ride is the only one that can hold everyone on such short notice."
Apollo huffs, folding his arms across his chest, "I still haven't forgotten how you dragged my masterful poetry through the mud, though I must say, your offering and prayer almost made up for it."
"I'm pretty sure anyone I ask would agree that your poetry leaves plenty to be desired," Percy is unfazed, also crossing his arms across his chest, "That aside, you could've ignored me, blissfully carried on with your day, leaving me to scramble for a suitable mode of transport. And yet, here you are."
Behind him, Thalia snorts, "He's got you there, sunshine brother."
Apollo actually pouts, "Of course you would side with Uncle Poseidon's little gremlin."
"Haven't you heard? I'm a gremlin too," Thalia teases.
"And I can only pray that you don't infect anyone else with your gremlin germs," Apollo huffs.
"Who do gods even pray to?" Percy wonders.
"Is that a challenge?" Thalia smirks.
Meanwhile, the Hunters have been briefed, and they go about taking down the tents. Artemis comes up to Apollo, who immediately brightens at the sight of his twin. Artemis takes Apollo aside to converse privately for a moment, and although he couldn't hear what was being said, Percy could tell, from Apollo's sudden stony look, it was a serious matter.
When the twin deities return, Apollo has his carefree expression plastered back on, "Alright, kiddos, time to get moving."
With a snap of his fingers, the Meserati turns into a bright yellow bus. The doors hiss open, and the Hunters are all herded on board. Artemis makes sure that all are seated, before wordlessly taking her leave, disappearing into the woods. Percy and Apollo are the last to board, after Thalia and Bianca. Once again, Percy sets himself down at the wheel. The doors swing shut, and Percy starts the engine.
At least New England won't have to worry about heatwaves and wildfires in the middle of winter this time around.
Touching back down on the charred lump that was Zeus's Fist, Percy has the Hunters alight, and instructs Thalia to bring them to camp and explain the situation to Chiron. He then heads to the beach. As soon as his feet touch the water, the waves dramatically part, and Poseidon appears in a spray of salty mist. Percy is immediately suffocated in a crushing hug.
"Chiron told me about the prophecy. Perseus, is this really happening?"
"I'm afraid so, dad."
Poseidon sighs, loosening his grip a little. He gently cups Percy's cheek, "It never gets easier. Even with the knowledge that you are close to ascending, I still fear for your safety."
"Until Gramps and bitch dirtface are dealt with, my safety will always be threatened. But I won't let Nico and Artemis suffer under the weight of the sky."
Poseidon rests his forehead against his son's, "I would demand that you don't do anything reckless, but knowing you…"
"Loyalty is my fatal flaw."
"I know."
"Just…do me a favour, dad. Go look for Bessie, and make sure that he is kept safe. I won't let an innocent creature die just because his entrails can somehow kill the gods. I promise I will do everything I can to come back."
"I will hold you to that, my son."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Looks like Bianca won't be joining the Hunters anytime soon, unless... 👀
- Kai
--------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 643 (no change, but I promise heads will roll in the next chapter!)
Chapter 40: A Manticore and A Family Reunion
Summary:
Percy and co. travel west to save Nico and Artemis.
Notes:
As promised, heads will roll in this chapter.
Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
A few minutes after Poseidon returns to Atlantis, but not without making sure to give Percy enough supplies to last until the winter solstice, Thalia, along with Bianca and Zoë, arrive at the beach.
"Thought I saw your dad there," Thalia says, "What did he want?"
"He passed me supplies to last us until the solstice," Percy replies, "He also promised to deal with the bane." That last one was for Zoë, who became instantly suspicious the moment his dad was mentioned. "We won't have to worry about it, Poseidon always keeps his promises. For me, at least..."
He still feels conflicted, but for the sake of Bessie's survival, he will beat around the truth so that, technically, he is following Artemis' orders, and Zoë can't say that he never did so.
"Of course he would," Thalia smirks, "You're daddy's favourite."
"You know it, Pinecone Face."
Zoë doesn't look particularly appeased, but she doesn't harp on it any longer. Not that Percy would allow her to, anyways. They can touch Bessie over their dead bodies!
"As it is, there is a second monster that needs to be dealt with," Percy turns serious, "It may not be the one that Artemis wanted to pursue, but he's the reason why Nico is now likely being forced to hold up the sky right now. Nobody harms my family and gets away with it."
Bianca is all for it, and so is Thalia. Zoë still seems unsure, but frankly, she is outnumbered. And, from what Percy can guess, she may still hate all men with an unfair passion, but even someone like Zoë would still hesitate to go after a Big Three god like Poseidon unless they had a death wish and had no care or regard for their family, blood or bond.
"But do we even know where the bastard is?" Thalia points out, "He could be anywhere by now."
"That is true, but, given who he has already captured, it wouldn't surprise me if Thorn was ordered to bring his sister to Atlas," Percy gives an apologetic look to Bianca, "I really don't want you to assume that I'm using you as bait. But there is a chance that Thorn will also be looking for you too. The more demigods are brought in to swear allegiance to Gramps, the stronger his power will be."
"I understand," Bianca nods, "Just give me a chance to take a swing at the bastard."
"You get first strike."
While it is still true that the manticore could be anywhere in the continental US, Percy makes an educated guess about the perfect location to draw the bastard out. He turns back in the direction of the camp, and whistles loudly. Within seconds, Blackjack gallops out of the woods and on to the beach.
"Hey boss, long time no see."
"Good to see you again, Blackjack," Percy strokes the pegasus' mane, "Could you get two more pegasi from the stables? We need the transport for a cross-continental flight."
"Will do, boss."
Blackjack lets out a loud, braying whinny, and within seconds, two pegasi, one gold and the other snow-white, gallop onto the beach from the direction of camp. Thalia urges Bianca to take the gold one with her, leaving Zoë with the white pegasus. Once the three girls are safely mounted on their rides, Percy leaps onto Blackjack's back, and turns back to the two pegasi, "Follow my lead at all times!"
"Yes, my lord," comes the two responses.
"C'mon Blackjack, to San Francisco."
The loyal pegasus nods, unfurls his wings, and takes a running gallop towards the ocean. Just before his hooves hit the water, Blackjack lifts off into the air, the other two pegasi close behind. Long Island disappears behind them, as they take to the sky. Doing a U-turn, they fly back towards the mainland, and over the next three hours, with a break in a small, rural town somewhere in the mid-west, they touch down along San Francisco's iconic piers, hidden from the locals and tourists by the Mist. Again, Percy's thoughts momentarily flicker towards New Rome and Camp Jupiter, but it was the sight of Mt. Tamalpais in Marin county, on the outskirts of San Francisco, that dominated Percy's thoughts. He knows Nico, and likely Artemis, by now, are in there, with either one still being made to hold up the sky. The mere thought of it makes Percy's blood boil, and the waters of the bay become a little rougher as a result.
Forcing himself to calm down, Percy has Blackjack and the two other pegasi be on standby and wait for his call. Leading the three girls down the piers, Percy looks around intently, scoping the unassuming tourists and residents for a certain manticore, and, if need be, the mortal mercenaries he hired.
They end up in one of the less crowded piers, away from the iconic tourist hotspots. The area is less maintained, with trash and other litter dotting the sidewalk, and a number of homeless people squatting on benches or any corner they could snag. Percy grips Riptide in his pocket, ready for any trouble that could suddenly come at them without any warning.
None of the homeless pay them any heed, which is just as well, because not to far up ahead, Percy spots a man with spiky, greasy hair and dressed in a ratty black trenchcoat, talking to a trio of mercenaries. Two more are by the manticore's side, their backs turned to the quartet.
"Thalia, I need you and Zoë to distract the mercenaries. Thorn is Bianca's and mine."
"Will do, Percy."
Zoë is, not surprisingly, unhappy at taking orders from Percy, but a pointed look from Thalia and Bianca forces her to acquiesce. She readies her bow, and Thalia extends her spear. Zoë fires three arrows in quick succession, striking the three mercenaries in the stomachs. Thorn and his guards spin around as the trio go down, giving Thalia the opening to charge in, her spear crackling at the tip. Zoë fires another arrow, hitting the mercenary on Thorn's right, and Thalia tackles the last one to the ground and stabbing her spear into his throat.
"You!"
"Yes, me," Percy uncaps Riptide. He had given Maelstrom to Bianca, and she is by his side as they stalk up to him, their eyes burning with a wrathful promise of untold pain, "You kidnapped our family, and subjected him to unimaginable suffering." Seeing as his minions are either incapacitated or dead, Thorn is forced to partially drop his human disguise, his scorpion tail coming into view, "Spare us your poisonous tongue. You, who has done us wrong…"
Riptide rings shrilly against the pavement.
"This will be your fate!"
Bianca charges at Thorn, brandishing Maelstrom. The manticore tries to leap back, swinging his tail at her. Bianca easily dodges the stinger, bounds off a concrete planter, and knocks Thorn onto the ground. "This is for my brother!" she cries, raising the trident and plunging it into the tail. Thorn screams in agony, going louder as Bianca rips the trident out of his tail, slams it back in, and with a rage-fuelled slash, slices the tail off Thorn's body. Admittedly, the manticore's screams sound especially melodious to Percy. And if he jumps onto the manticore's chest, and without missing a beat, slices off Thorn's head from the neck with a delighted, savage grin, then anyone who has a problem with that will just have to deal with it. Indeed, the only ones who appear to take issue with Percy's manic slasher smile were the three mercenaries that Zoë shot first. They babble and beg in fear, but Percy just sends their heads flying off their necks, his smile never wavering and acting as the last thing those wretched men would ever see. He has the water along the pier drag the corpses into the bay, willing the currents to send them out into the ocean for the marine life to feast on.
In less than a minute, it is all over. The pavement is stained with blood and ichor, but none of them care. Percy exhales deeply, wiping his fringe from his forehead, "Is everyone okay?"
"We're fine," Thalia nods.
"That…felt good," Bianca admits quietly. When her breathing levels back to normal, she returns Maelstrom back to Percy, "We still need to rescue Nico and help Artemis."
"Yep, just give me a sec."
Percy whistles loudly again, and Blackjack and the two pegasi fly over. They hop on to their rides, and with a whispered order to Blackjack, Percy leads the flight towards Mt. Tamalpais. Despite overcast sky hanging over much of downtown San Francisco, the sky above Marin county and Mt. Tamalpais itself is particularly ominous. Clouds darker and stormier than the ones over San Francisco swirl in a circle over the entire county, centred on Mt. Tamalpais itself. The three pegasi land amidst the eucalyptus trees on the base of the mountain. Percy could see flashes of light amidst the swirling clouds overhead. Zeus might not be the ones creating them, but the last thing he needs is any or all of them getting struck by lightning and sent plummeting out of the sky.
Jumping off Blackjack, the loyal pegasus nudges Percy's shoulder, "We can't go any further, boss. We'll be spotted."
"Thought as much," Percy nods, "Just stay here until you hear me call for you."
At Blackjack's nod of agreement, Percy goes to join the others. Zoë is staring straight ahead, up the only path in sight.
"Zoë?"
"Quiet," the Huntress hisses, "do not wake Ladon."
"We must be near, then," Percy whispers.
"Indeed."
Without another word, Zoë goes down the path, the three demigods keeping pace behind her. After a short trek, interspersed by rumbles of thunder overhead, a thick veil of fog obscures the path beyond. Likely the most visible manifestation of the Mist, Zoë and the trio disappear through the fog, and when they emerge out, there is a noticeable change in the weather above. While still decidedly stormy and ominous, the clouds now have a twilight-red hue amongst the dark greys. Looking around, Percy notes that the grass is thicker, the trees loom taller, and the path ahead cuts through a valley of shadows and wildflowers.
There is no mistaking it, this is the Garden of the Hesperides, the place that, in antiquity, was once Zoë's home.
Stepping into the garden of twilight, Percy sees Ladon curled around a tree in the centre that is growing with the golden apples of immortality, the hundred heads of Ladon piled on the ground and the black marble terrace that is constructed around the tree bearing the golden apples. Surrounding the terrace, beautiful flowers glow faintly amidst the dim light, and the grass shimmers with a mix of silver and the same twilight red in the storm clouds above.
As the quartet take a few more steps in, the shadows suddenly ripple and shift. The air becomes filled with ethereal singing voices, and right before them, four figures shimmer into existence - the Hesperides.
"Sisters," Zoë greets stonily.
"We do not see any sister," one of the Hesperides sneers coldly, "We only see three demigods and a Hunter, all of whom will die soon."
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Percy growls, hand once again gripping Riptide, but not yet uncapping it.
"Leave at once," another says, "You have no business here."
"Yes, we do," Bianca scowls, "My brother was kidnapped and held captive in there," she points to the mountain looming over them all, "Let us pass right now!"
"He will kill thee," the third Hesperide, "You are no match for him."
"Whether or not that's true means fuck all to us," Thalia snaps, "Let us pass and we'll get out of your hair. Don't make us go apeshit on you four!"
The four Hesperides' faces remain infuriatingly stony, "None of you have power here, especially the Hunter. We only have to raise our voices, and Ladon will awaken."
Seeing the cogs running in Zoë's mind, Percy quickly steps in to throw a spanner, "That is…" he uncaps Riptide, "if you even have voices at the end."
He slices off the nearest Hesperide's head, and stabs another through the throat before also removing her head from the neck. Thalia dispatches the other two by running her spear into their mouths and up their heads. Bianca stands back, grabbing Zoë's arm to prevent her from stepping in. Percy finishes the job by putting the final two Hesperides out of their misery by relieving them of their heads. All the while, Ladon remains fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the bloodshed taking place a few paces away from him.
"Why…did you kill them?" Zoë asks quietly.
Bianca releases her grip. Percy explains, "They would've woken up Ladon. Even if we could deal with him, we shouldn't, not when Nico and Artemis are in there." He jabs his thumb to the summit, "And besides, they clearly don't see you as their sister anymore. There's no bargaining with someone who is too set in their ways or beliefs."
"And it's not like they won't come back anyways," Thalia adds, "They'll reform with time."
Zoë still looks uncertain, but she doesn't try to question or argue with the demigods. Plus, as Percy thinks, she made the choice to betray her sisters by helping Heracles create Riptide and obtain the golden apples, even if it resulted in Heracles not crediting Zoë and leaving her to face the wrath of her family. There was no clear villain and victim in Zoë's backstory, and it seems that, at least as a start, Zoë is beginning to realise that.
Without Ladon waking up and inhibiting their progress, the quartet continue up Mt. Tamalpais. The sight of Othrys slowly rebuilding itself is not a welcome one, but one that they expected nonetheless. They can't do anything about it, Percy and Thalia know best. Not only do they have to rescue Nico and Artemis, but this is something that the Romans will have to deal with. They just hope that Jason will come through like he did before.
Eventually, they reach the summit. The swirling clouds look even more monstrous up close than before. The clouds create a funnel shape that almost touch the summit itself, but are prevented from doing so by the sight of a young maiden, bound in celestial bronze chains, and being forced to hold up the sky itself.
"My lady!" Zoë cries out, rushing forward.
Not too far away, also bound by celestial bronze chains against a massive boulder, is Nico. He appears unconscious, his skin covered in bruises and scrapes, and his hair, once all black, now has a streak of shock-white running down the side.
And, infuriatingly, Luke is standing before Nico, his sword held menacingly to his throat.
Zoë struggles in vain against the chains keeping Artemis prisoner, when a loud, booming voice laughs across the summit, "Ah, how touching! The prodigal daughter returns!"
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Did anyone spot that EPIC reference?
- Kai
--------------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 8
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 651
Chapter 41: A Hero Rises
Summary:
A prophecy comes to fulfilment.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Percy whirls around, hand on Riptide. Once again, he comes face-to-face with Atlas, still wearing the same brown silk suit, and with half a dozen dracaenae bearing the golden sarcophagus of Kronos.
"Let Nico and Artemis go!" Thalia shouts, brandishing her spear.
Luke's smile is strained, but no less infuriating, "That is the General's decision, not mine. But it's good to see you again, Thalia."
"Fuck off, Castellan! You are fucking dead to me!"
Whether the resulting grimace was real or just for show, or something else entirely, isn't exactly clear. Percy can tell from a single glance that, even after bathing in the Styx, Luke is still struggling to hold Kronos' power.
Atlas booms with laughter worthy of a dastardly villain, "So much for old friends, huh?" He turns to Zoë, "How are you, traitorous bitch? I will enjoy killing you immensely."
"Do not respond…" Artemis groans quietly, but loud enough to be heard by at least Zoë, "Do not challenge him…"
"Don't you fucking lay a finger on her!" Percy uncaps Riptide and draws it on Atlas.
"Hah!" the titan scoffs, "What can you do, puny demigod? I am Atlas, general of the Titans and terror of - !"
"Oh shut the fuck up, you fucking pussy," Percy cuts him off, "You think you're tough shit? I've faced worse than your sorry ass!"
Atlas snarls as a flash of rage makes his eyes burn brighter, "I will kill you first, in front of your friends, as soon as I deal with this impudent bitch -"
"Get in the fucking line, you ain't special!" Percy flips Atlas off, at the same time that Thalia shouts, "You lay a finger on Zoë, and I'll tear your tiny balls off!"
"Let her go! Let Lady Artemis go!" Zoë cries out.
"Oh? Why, are you so desperate to take the sky? Is that what you're offering?"
Zoë opens her mouth, but Artemis once again cuts her off, "No! Do not offer, Zoë! I forbid you!"
Atlas just laughs, moving past the three demigods to crouch down in front of Artemis, "You see? It seems that this little goddess loves her new job! Perhaps I should keep her around, when Kronos rules again and this becomes the centre of our palace! She can watch as I mount the heads of her beloved Olympian family all around her!"
"You seem so fucking confident that the gods won't whoop your flat ass like last time," Percy spits.
Atlas scowls, rising to his feet and glaring down at Percy, "Are these truly the strongest heroes of the age? All bark and no bite?"
"Fucking fight us, then!"
"Tch, you are not worth the effort. I will have Luke dispose of you instead."
"What, you scared that we'll whoop your ass instead? Gods above, you're just like Ares before I disembowled him -"
"Do not compare me to that brute!" Atlas bellows. He turns to Thalia, "As for you, it seems that Luke was wrong about you -"
"Funny, he's wrong about everything," Thalia scoffs, "You gotta be more specific, asshole."
"I wasn't wrong!" Luke declares desperately, actually lowering his sword from Nico's neck to face Thalia fully. The strain in his expression is noticeable now, "Thalia, you can still join us. Don't you remember all of the times we cursed the gods for abandoning us? We can make a better world! Just call the Ophiotaurus!"
With a wave of his hand, a simple move that still appeared painful for Luke, a small pond with black marble lining appears.
"Please, Thalia, listen to me! Call the Ophiotaurus, and we'll become stronger than the gods can ever dream of!"
"Fucking hell, will you shut up, Castellan?!" Thalia shouts, "You murdered Annabeth, nearly destroyed our home, and led gods know how many demigods to their deaths! What part of you being dead to me do you not understand?!"
"Please…this is my last chance," Luke seems impervious to her scathing words. His voice is wavering, and he is visibly struggling against an unseen force, "He will use the other way if you don't agree. Please…"
Percy would like to think that the hint of desperation in Luke's voice is him beginning to regret working with Kronos, but he banishes such wishful thinking away from his mind. Luke made his choice, and whatever happens, he will just have to suffer the consequences.
"Then I hope you rot in Tartarus, Castellan," Thalia says with no uncertain finality. She turns to Percy, and he nods. As one, both charge towards Luke, weapons drawn.
Thalia produces Aegis, and at the sight of the shield, the dracaenae screech loudly, drop the golden sarcophagus, and flee in terror. Thalia engages Luke in a clash of sword versus spear, while Percy goes to deal with Atlas, trusting Thalia to be able to hold her own and keep Luke distracted.
"Fool! You want to challenge me?" Atlas laughs, his silk suit changing into battle armour, a spear appearing in his hand, "I will crush you like the tiny insect you are!"
Percy knows that once he lands the first blow, Atlas will not be bound to the ancient rules that prevent him from retaliating directly. But he doesn't care, slashing Riptide on the titan's kneecap. Atlas thrusts his spear towards Percy, who dodges and knocks the spear upwards with Riptide. Admittedly, Atlas had not anticipated such a move. The titan is briefly knocked off-kilter, and the tip of his spear knocks several black marble bricks off the slowly-reforming wall of Othrys.
With both Luke and Atlas distracted, Bianca, who was once again entrusted with Maelstrom by Percy, rushes over to her brother. Unsure about the chains, Bianca thrusts the trident's prongs against the divine bindings. To her relief, Maelstrom shatters the chains like they were made of glass. She keeps going until all of the chains have fallen off Nico's unconscious body. Bianca quickly takes her brother into her arms, carries him behind the boulder, and crouches down, trying to make them as small as possible so as to not be seen.
"Hah! You call this fighting, foolish boy?" Atlas taunts after parrying off another slash from Percy, "Just because you defeated that weak god of war, you stand any chance against me?!"
Percy doesn't deign the titan a response. Clouds of rolling mist descend upon the summit, and seeing as this is just regular water vapour, Percy calls the mist to his will. Turning it into liquid water at just above freezing temperature, Percy launches it at Atlas's eyes, momentarily blinding him. As he roars in a mix of pain and fury, Percy darts between the titan's legs, running up to Zoë and Artemis.
"Percy, you must get away," Artemis whispers, "Run, while you still can."
"No, I refuse to be a coward like these monsters," Percy replies, looking towards the boulder where the di Angelo siblings are hiding behind. Bianca has peeked around the edge, and with a confirming nod from Percy, throws Maelstrom towards him. Percy quickly picks it up, and hands it to Zoë, "Free Lady Artemis. We need her help to defeat Altas."
Eyes wide with surprise, it takes another nudge from Percy to get Zoë to take the trident. Immediately, she strikes it against the chains holding Artemis captive. Meanwhile, seeing as Atlas has recovered, Percy once more rushes to engage him.
"You dare fight with such petty tricks?!"
"If it means I survive, then yes!" Percy shouts back. Atlas charges at him again with his spear. Percy blocks the incoming thrust, striking Atlas back with a mix of defensive parries and attacking slashes. Atlas growls with frustration, raising his spear to bring it down upon Percy. Just then, about a dozen silver arrows strike the titan in his exposed armpit. Howling in pain, Atlas stumbles back, almost dropping his spear. Several more arrows shoot at him, distracting him long enough for Percy to rush back to Artemis, who has been freed from the chains but is still holding up the sky.
"Lady Artemis, please, pass me the sky."
"Percy, no, it will kill you," Artemis grits out, "Mortals are not supposed to hold the sky."
"We need you to fight Atlas," Percy argues, as Zoë fires another volley of arrows, "Please, just long enough for you to knock back him under his burden." Without even waiting for a response, Percy kneels next to Artemis, his hands touching the cold, unforgiving clouds. For a brief moment, they shared the burden/ Percy's joints creak under the unimaginable strain, and his breaths come out laboured.
"You…will not be argued against this," Artemis says quietly.
"No. Please, fight Atlas in my stead."
Artemis purses her lips, her eyelids closing tightly. A few seconds later, she opens her eyes again, and nods. Artemis slips out from the burden, and immediately, the full weight of the sky presses down against Percy's hands and shoulders. A pained hiss escapes his lips, his joints and muscles screaming in white-hot agony. Percy's vision rapidly blurs, and he slams his eyelids shut.
Everything hurts.
Everything hurts.
His joints aren't creaking anymore. Percy can literally feel them splintering into powder and turning into liquid. His muscles are faltering and twisting, and it wouldn't be long before they too are liquified. Every breath is harder than the last, and even with his eyelids firmly shut, Percy can still see the darkness swirling and pulsating as his vision begins to fade.
He can't die here, not when there is so much more at stake - his family, both surface and underwater, his unborn sister Estelle, the campers…hell, even the gods, for all of their flaws and general bullshit that led him to this very moment. But no matter how much he tried, he increasingly can't ignore the dark, pleading voice inside his head, begging him to just give up. As Artemis said, no mortal is supposed to hold up the sky. Even an unnaturally powerful demigod such as himself isn't supposed to shoulder such a burden.
Yet he made the choice. He told Artemis to pass him the sky so that she could fight Atlas. But he can't hold on for much longer, and he can't tell if Artemis is any closer to knocking the titan back under the burden he was supposed to hold for all time.
The dark voice is becoming more insistent, and Percy feels his willpower receding. The sky continues to press down on him, and any longer, he would literally be crushed.
Will this be his fate? Everything that he has done, changed and destroyed, will it all just end like this?
Is there even a point anymore?
Yes.
There is.
Unbeknownst to Percy, when he set off with his friends and Zoë for San Francisco, Apollo had actually stayed on in Camp Half-Blood.
While the sun god had made the excuses of making sure his sister's hunters were properly settled in, and wanting to pay a short visit to his children, the real reason he stayed in the camp and didn't just flash away with his chariot was because Artemis asked him to stay.
Before leaving the woods surrounding Westover Hall behind, Artemis had secretly confided to her twin about what she, and subsequently Percy, intended to do. Apollo, naturally, was unhappy about the plan, but it was the best they got. Artemis told Apollo to listen out for her call, and what to do as soon as he received it.
A couple of hours after Percy departed for San Francisco, Apollo, who had been sitting by the campfire after spending some time with his children, suddenly receives Artemis' telepathic message.
Percy has taken the sky. I will need to fight Atlas. Please help him.
Immediately, Apollo slides off the wooden log bench that he was on, kneeling before the campfire. Whether it was a coincidence or not, there was no one around him at that moment. The other campers and his sister's hunters are nowhere to be seen, but even if there had been people nearby, Apollo wouldn't have cared.
Snapping his fingers, Apollo has a golden plate of blue cookies, sadly not made by Sally, appear in his hands. Infused with nectar and ambrosia, the cookies are carefully slid into the fire as an offering.
Anyone who might have witnessed this moment would be forgiven for being flabbergasted. In antiquity, and in the modern day camp, it is always mortals who made offerings and sacrifices to the gods, never the other way around. But Apollo's intentions are clear. When the flames consume the cookies, the sun god closes his eyes, and makes his prayer.
'I, Phoebus Apollo, god of the sun and prophecy, make this humble offering to Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon, god the seas and the mortal Sally Jackson.'
Apollo had heard about how Hermes' children and several unclaimed campers, led by Travis and Connor Stoll, routinely make offerings and prayers of thanks to Percy for improving their living conditions. While it had been a Stoll-like joke at first, it has since turned very much serious, despite the fact that Percy isn't even a god.
At the back of his mind, Apollo knows his dearest father would be apoplectic that some mortal, especially Percy Jackson, of all people, was receiving offerings and prayers like he was already a god. The fact that one of his own sons is making an offering to Percy would, in his father's eyes, be grounds for being stripped of his godhood and cast down onto Earth, or maybe even Tartarus too, if Zeus was in a particularly foul mood that day.
'The burden you bear is unimaginable, but you took it willingly to save my sister, and to allow her to fight against the titan who subjected her to such torment. You are greater than the greatest of heroes, who put himself in grave danger not for personal glory or fame, but to selflessly save others and protect the good. You are a god among men, Perseus Jackson. Please, accept my humble offering, along with the honour bestowed upon your name by your fellow campers whom you showed love and compassion for, who you stepped up for when we failed, and who continue to venerate you as our equal."
For a moment, Percy thinks he hears a different voice in his dying mind, one that sounds uncannily like Khaos, but it is gone before he could properly registers.
But he does register the sudden surge of voices, of the Hermes and unclaimed campers, flooding his mind like a massive deluge of water, somehow hearing every single one of them as clear as day.
He hears the Stolls, once again, thanking him for stepping up when their father failed to do so, improving their living standards and being compassionate to not equate them to their traitor of a brother. He hears several younger campers thanking him for the new activity room in the Hermes cabin, the fun games they can play, the more comfortable bunks, and most importantly, remembering each and every one of their names and interests. He hears the unclaimed campers hoping that, if their godly parent fails to claim them, Percy would adopt them instead.
Percy hears the campers' praises to his name. They praise him for being fair, for being compassionate and understanding to their different needs, for being a great teacher, and being a kind and caring person who never turned them away if they needed someone to talk to. He also feels the essence of their numerous offerings to him, from small things like blue-coloured candy, flowers, sea shells, pebbles, to large ones like the blue-coloured breakfast foods that suddenly appeared on his plate that morning, a paper-mâché trident made by the Stolls in the arts and crafts cabin, and even a sapphire pendant that was commissioned from the Hephaestus cabin. The offerings, one after the other, fill him with strength and power that, bit by bit, makes bearing the unbearable weight of the sky easier.
But most of all, he hears Apollo's prayer to him, and the essence of the sun god's offering of blue cookies, though small in relative size, is the one that fills him with the greatest boost of power.
And then, the last lines of Apollo's prayer echoes within him like the deafening toll of a bell, 'Rise, Perseus Jackson, the true hero who protects the good and the ruthless destroyer of evil. Become the god you are meant to be.'
His willpower had been receding before, but it was not just because he was dying. It was the false calm before the calamity, the phenomenon where the ocean pulls back from the shoreline in a clear warning of impending destruction. Then, as the last strands of his mortality fray and snap, coupled with the immense power of the campers' prayers and offerings, like the waves of a tsunami barreling towards the shoreline, the power within him rapidly grows at frightening speeds, tearing away what remains of his mortality and heralding the inevitable destiny as declared by Khaos.
Apollo's prayer and offering is the last straw. The final strand snaps clean in two, and a choked gasp escapes out of Percy's throat. In his last breath as a mortal demigod, he screams, "Everyone! Shut your eyes now!"
A fraction of a second later, a second sun lights up the summit and the skies above Marin county.
As soon as they heard Percy's bellowing cry, Thalia and Bianca slam their eyes shut and dive to the ground, while Artemis grabs Zoë and shields her with her body.
Even so, the resulting explosion of light burns so bright, their eyelids glow a searing red. Their ears are rattled by what can only be described as the heavenly cries of a young god ascending to his rightful place in the heavens. They dare not look, not when even glancing at, or facing an ascending god is more than enough to reduce their bodies to ashes.
But Artemis and Atlas could see what is happening, and they watch, stunned, as Percy literally rises to his feet, still holding the sky, but actually lifting it fully over his head. His body grows right before their eyes, rising to the full godly height of six metres tall. His muscles, once breaking down under the unbearable weight of the sky, bulge and expand,ripping the sleeves of his shirt and tearing the seams of his jeans. His hair cascades down to his waist like a waterfall, the streak of white in his fringe turning a luminous gold. And then, just before another blinding flash of light explodes over the mountain and the surrounding county, Percy's eyes snap open, revealing burning irises of glowing, luminous emerald green.
When the light recedes and fades, Percy is once again on his knees, the same size as he had been as a mortal, but no longer straining against the crushing weight of the sky.
"You…" Atlas tries to find his words, but remains speechless. Instead, rage takes over, and with a deafening roar, he lunges at Artemis with his spear. The goddess dives away, taking Zoë with her. However, seeing the titan taking aim at them again, Zoë screams, "NO!"
Wrenching herself from Artemis's grasp, she fires two arrows at Atlas. One bounces off his armour, but the other strikes him in the palm. Screaming in rage, Atlas backhands her with his spear, sending Zoë flying onto the rocks that dotted the summit. Atlas lunges at Artemis again, but the goddess grabs the spear, kicks him in the groin, and launches him over her shoulder towards Percy.
Bracing for impact, Percy loosens his hold on the sky. Atlas crashes into him, and Percy propels himself backwards. The sky momentarily falls, but it comes to a deafening crash on Atlas' back.
"NO!" the titan bellows, struggling to his knees. He tries to free himself, but is unable to, "NO! NOT AGAIN!!!"
The summit trembles from Atlas' rage. Thalia, opening her eyes, sees Luke frozen stiff in disbelief at the sudden turn of events. She kicks his legs out from under him, and pushes him off the edge. Luke's scream of terror echoes long after he disappeared over the edge, although Thalia knows that, having bathed in the Styx, the fall won't kill Luke. Instead, she rushes to where Zoë landed. Artemis is already there, cradling her lieutanent to her chest. Percy and Bianca join them, the latter still carrying Nico.
"We need to go," Percy says.
None of them have any objections. They leave Atlas to his eternal sentence, bellowing and screaming in rage that will never be quelled.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Did I just leave Zoë's fate on a cliffhanger?
Yes, because I frankly have no concrete plans on what to do with her.
I'll sleep on it as I write the next chapter.
- Kai
----------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 651 (no change)
Chapter 42: A Farewell and Reckoning
Summary:
Fateful decisions are made.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
They don't stop, not until they reach the foot of the mountain.
Coming to a small clearing, Artemis gently lays Zoë down on the grass. Percy steps forward to assess the situation. Zoë has lost a lot of blood from getting slammed onto the rocks, her coppery skin has gone deathly-pale, and her breathing is shallow. Moments after being laid down, Zoë gingerly opens her eyes.
"M-My lady…"
"Hush, Zoë, do not speak. You need to keep your strength," the goddess says.
Bianca turns to Thalia, nodding quietly. Thalia quickly removes the hoversack that Percy had given her prior to their departure from camp. Inside it, along with other supplies, are squares of ambrosia and a canteen of nectar. Taking out the canteen, Thalia uncaps it and rushes to Zoë's side.
But then, "No. Please, just…I don't want it."
"Zoë, you're injured, you need to -"
"I can feel it," Zoë cuts her off, "My time…is coming. And…I want to go on."
Thalia inhales harshly. Percy crouches down beside her, "Zoë, what are you saying?"
"Percy…" he blinks in surprise. This is the first time Zoë has ever spoken his name, without a hint of hatred or contempt, "I…I thought about what you said. When my good lady admonished me for my lapse in judgement, I began to realise that you were correct. I…I was hurt badly by a man, exhiled from my family…but that is no excuse to hate all men and boys, to equate them all to monsters…" Her breath comes out shuddering, her eyes beginning to dim, "I have hurt many innocents, because of my blind hatred. I besmirched the name of a boy unjustly made to bear an unfathomable burden…" Zoë glances to Bianca and Nico, her eyes glimmering with apology, "I am sorry."
"I forgive you," Bianca says quietly.
"T-Thank you…" Zoë turns back to Percy, "I…I have much to atone for, Percy. More than I can do so in this life. I…I want to face death, atone for my ills for however long it takes, and start afresh to live better."
Percy's shoulders dip, and he asks, "Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?"
"Yes, I am sure."
Percy exhales, turning to Artemis. Despite her downcast look, Artemis simply nods. Percy slowly gets to his feet, as does Thalia. They retreat back a few steps, joining Bianca in silent vigil.
"H-Have I served thee well…even with my failings?" Zoë asks Artemis quietly.
"With great honour," Artemis replies firmly, "It pleases me that you want to atone and live well."
Tears begin to spill from Zoë's dimming eyes. Even so, she looks up to the sky, and lets out a quiet breath of awe, "The stars…they are so beautiful…"
Indeed, with the clouds over Mt. Tamalpais and Marin county dispersed after Atlas was forced back under his eternal burden, the night sky has come into view, and without the artificial lights from the county, the stars above shine and sparkle with crystal clarity.
"Yes, they truly are," Artemis nods, a single, silvery tear trickling down her cheek.
"I hope…in my next life, I get to truly marvel at the stars…"
Zoë lets out a breath, and does not move again.
Percy bows his head, pulling Thalia close as she quietly weeps. Bianca sniffles, wiping away tears with her free hand. Artemis stays by Zoë's side for a few moments, then looking up to meet Percy's gaze, "She has passed. We must give her body the proper rites."
And that is what they do. The next few minutes are spent gathering wildflowers from the surrounding woods, and bringing them back to the clearing. A shroud is produced from one of the hoversacks, a grim reminder of the dangers of being a demigod, and one Percy and his friends hoped they would never have to use for themselves so soon. Zoë's body is shrouded, while Percy goes to collect firewood to arrange into a makeshift pyre. Her body is placed on the pyre, and the wildflowers arranged around the shroud. Her bow and arrow quiver are placed atop her body last.
Percy recites prayers for Zoë's soul, and gives Artemis the duty of lighting the pyre. A simple lighter is used, and they watch in mournful silence as the flames rapidly grow thanks to the divine will imposed by the goddess. The ashes float off into the night with the smoke, and no one moves until the pyre itself is consumed, and nothing remains but a charred patch of grass.
"My loyal lieutanent has passed, but she won't be forgotten. I hope that her next life will be one of love and fulfilment."
Percy nods, saying next, "We should head back to camp."
As it well past midnight by the time they return to Long Island on the backs of Blackjack and the two pegasi, Percy expected everyone to be asleep by now.
Instead, as they touch down on the peak of Half-Blood Hill, he is surprised to see the camp still very much awake and full of activity. The Big House still has its lights on, and so are the cabins in the main campground. In the distance, Percy can see campers in groups, either huddled around the campfire, or milling about at random. He is also certain that he sees Apollo by the cabin bearing his namesake, with a few of his children round him.
"Why is everyone still up?" Thalia wonders.
With no reasonable answers himself, Percy just descends the hill and heads into the camp proper. A pair of campers near the Big House freeze at the sight of him, their jaws fall open, and then they proceed to announce, in their loudest voices, that Percy has returned. One goes into the Big House, and the other towards the main campgrounds. In less than a minute, virtually the entire camp descends upon the returnees, shouting questions over one another and welcoming them back. Percy is about to shout at all of them to back up a bit, when Apollo's sudden appearance in front of him forces the campers to take several steps back.
Before Percy can get a word in, he is suddenly engulfed in a suffocating hug by the sun god. Admittedly, he hadn't expected this, or the fact that Apollo is visibly trembling as he crushes him in his muscular arms.
"A-Apollo?"
"You…you actually ascended. I-I can't believe it."
A collective gasp echoes from the campers behind Apollo, and they immediately kneel or prostrate themselves to Percy, much to his annoyance, but he focuses on the more pressing concern currently squeezing the air out of him.
"Wait…how did you know?"
Before Apollo could respond, though, a strong ocean wind blows through, along with the distinctive taste of sea salt. The campers gasp again, as Poseidon suddenly appears in full Greek armour with his trident. They scurry away, keeping themselves low but making way for the god of the seas to stride towards Percy, who still remains in Apollo's hug.
"Apollo, release my son."
"No."
Many campers do a double-take.
"Apollo…"
"Just…let me have this," the sun god says.
"My son has ascended, and you refuse to let his father check him over?"
"Please, uncle…just…a moment more."
Percy glances over to his dad, "Dad, I'm fine. Really. Just let him have this?"
Faced with the tired, grieving, but still very effective Baby Seal Eyes™ that he just cannot win against, Poseidon sighs, but nods. Percy lets Apollo continue to hug him for a few more moments, before tapping the sun god on the shoulder, "Okay, Apollo, let me speak with my dad."
Apollo lets out a quiet whimper, as if he loathed to actually let Percy go. Regardless, he releases his grip, allowing Percy to take a step back and fully regard his father.
"My son, you have ascended."
"I have," Percy nods, his tone carefully neutral. He had expected it, knew it was coming, but it was still surreal, to know that he is longer mortal, no longer human. He is completely divine as his dad, Apollo and Artemis. And as much as he had time to come to terms with and, dare he say, accept it, Percy still feels like his centre of gravity had been violently shifted.
Poseidon steps forward, and pulls Percy into his own tight hug, "I'm just so relieved to see you whole and well. I'm so happy that you have returned."
He vaguely senses Apollo actually pouting behind him, but Percy just returns the hug, nodding against his dad's chest, "I'm glad too."
Bianca assesses the present situation, glances at her still unconscious brother, and quietly clears her throat, "Uncle Poseidon, I'm sorry for interrupting, but Nico still needs help." Eyes turn towards her, "He was made to carry the sky before Lady Artemis relieved him of the burden."
Apollo sucks in a breath, and Poseidon noticeably pales, while shocked whispers circulate amongst the campers. The sun god quickly goes to Bianca, "Follow me to the infirmary." He turns to the gathered campers, "William! With me, now!"
Will jumps to his feet, and follows his dad and Bianca towards the Big House. Percy turns to Poseidon, pleading, again, with his eyes to let him go with them. Poseidon nods, and lets Percy run after them.
While Thalia, and by extension Artemis, stays behind to deal with the campers, hunters and the sudden appearance of Chiron, Nico is gently placed in one of the infirmary beds. As Apollo begins his assessment, Bianca explains, "We don't know how long he was made to hold the sky, but he was in rough shape when we got there." She wrings her hands nervously, "I fed him some nectar on the way back, but I don't know if it helped."
Apollo nods absently, too focused on getting the full picture on any wounds or injuries Nico might have. It takes a full, excruciating minute, before Apollo has his diagnosis, "The nectar you fed him must have helped. I saw evidence of bone and muscle damage that has been mostly healed over. Regardless of how long he was made to hold the sky, the damage would have been serious even if it was for a relatively short time. No child of the underworld should ever be made to hold the sky. It's just not supposed to happen."
"So what now?" Bianca asks worriedly, "Will Nico ever wake up?"
"He should, but he needs to be monitored constantly for the next couple of days," Apollo replies, also addressing Will, "He will need to be fed liquids and small amounts of nectar to help his body receive nourishment and to heal the remaining injuries. Once he wakes up, I will be able to determine if there will be any other lasting effects of his torment."
It is not a clear case of Nico being out of the woods, but Bianca takes comfort in knowing that, with proper treatment and care, her brother will wake up.
Stand a few paces away, Percy turns to his dad, "Do you know if Mum is awake?"
"I don't know, Perseus. I was in Atlantis the whole time, awaiting news about your quest. She could very well be sleeping now, so it wouldn't be wise to disturb her." A gleam in Poseidon's eyes indicates his desire to change the topic, "Speaking about your quest, and your ascension, what happened?"
Glancing over to Apollo, who is apparently entrusting Nico's care to Bianca and Will, and is just getting up, Percy says, "I took the sky from Artemis so that she could fight Atlas. It…It was pure torture. I don't know how long I was holding the sky, but I could literally feel my entire body dying under it." Poseidon let out a pained wheeze, so Percy takes his dad's hand and squeezes it, "But then, I thought I heard the voice of Khaos, before I started hearing all of the prayers and praises by the Hermes and unclaimed campers. I felt their offerings infuse into my body, sustaining it against the sky, and then…" just as the sun god approaches them, "I heard Apollo's prayer to me."
Poseidon rounds on Apollo, who freezes, "You prayed to my son?"
Standing up straighter, Apollo pulls himself together and levels an unrepentant, challenging look at his uncle, "Yes. I did. I even made an offering of blue cookies to Perseus."
Poseidon's expression is unreadable. Hoping that his dad doesn't destroy the infirmary, Percy adds, "I think it was Apollo's prayer and offering that cut the last strand of my mortality. The reason I ascended was because of him."
Seeing the earnest look in his son's now emerald-green eyes, Poseidon glances at Apollo's challenging gaze, and sighs, "Fine. Nephew, thank you for helping to bring my son back."
Apollo grins smugly, but he is cut off by Percy as he opens his mouth, "Apollo, for the sake of your continued existence, please do not antagonise my dad." Turning back to Poseidon, Percy says, "You'll need to attend the winter solstice council meeting, right?" At his dad's nod, Percy remarks, "A certain brother of yours will not be happy when he finds out."
"Ah, right," Poseidon agrees, and Apollo winces, "He certainly won't."
"How is Bessie, by the way?"
"He is fine," Poseidon nods. At Apollo's questioning look, he explains, "The bane of Olympus."
Apollo sucks in a breath, and noticing Will glancing over, Percy suggests, "We should probably take this outside."
Poseidon nods. While Apollo hangs back to privately talk to his son, Percy and Poseidon step out of the infirmary. They are soon joined by Apollo, and they continue the conversation, "Artemis has been searching for Bessie, because for some ungodly reason, his entrails have the power to slay the gods. Artemis was hoping that by capturing Bessie, she could convince the council about the threat posed by Gramps and the titans during the solstice meeting."
"I heard my name?"
Perhaps it is due to his newly attained godhood, but Percy doesn't jump when Artemis seems to suddenly materialise from thin air behind him.
"Yes, we were discussing about the bane of Olympus," Apollo says.
Artemis blinks, and frowns, "I need to -"
"No point," Percy cuts her off, "Bessie has been captured."
Artemis blinks again, "Bessie?"
"Yeah, so…I wasn't completely honest with you, Artemis. While I did promise to "deal" with the ophiotaurus, I just had my dad take him to Atlantis where he could be safe."
Artemis looks between Percy and Poseidon repeatedly. The god of the seas nods, a fondly exasperated glance aimed at his son, "Perseus has a bleeding heart for sea creatures. But, my niece, rest assured that the ophiotaurus is in a secure enclosure deep within my palace in Atlantis. My father would not be able to reach it without me knowing right away."
It takes a few seconds for Artemis to find her tongue, "If…my father finds out about this…"
"He will definitely see this as an act of subversion, a plot against his rule," Percy says bluntly, "And frankly, he can think whatever the hell he wants."
Apollo and Artemis whip towards Percy as if he had gone insane. Truthfully, Poseidon thought the same, but he holds his tongue until Percy explains why.
"I'm sick and tired of his bullshit," Percy unwittingly slips into a rant, "Most of all our problems are because of him! He threatened my life when I was trying to get his zappy stick back for him, he is the hypocrite of all hypocrites with his ancient laws bullshit, and trust me, Artemis, I truly don't think capturing or killing Bessie and telling him at the solstice meeting would change anything! That fucker up there will refuse to properly deal with the problem until it is literally marching up to kill him!" He flips off the resulting rumble of thunder, as expected by this point. "For too long, the council has let him get away with everything. And while I kinda get why, all of the bullshit the campers and I went through are because he foists the responsibility onto us and forbids our godly parents from interacting with us, let alone helping us! This was what made Luke bitter with Olympus, and made him susceptible to -!"
"Perseus, my son, take it easy," Poseidon suddenly squeezes his shoulder.
He hadn't realised it, but as Percy ranted, his divine power started spilling from his body in waves, growing stronger the more riled up he became. Any and all liquids in the room, from the supply cabinets to the water dispenser in the corner, started vibrating, and likely would've burst out of all their containers if Poseidon hadn't stepped in as he did.
"Sorry, sorry," Percy takes a deep breath, "Forgot I'm not a mortal demigod anymore…"
"I'm pretty sure you could do that even as a mortal," Apollo mutters to himself.
Percy decides to ignore the sun god's comment, "My point is, the root of all our current and future problems is him. He may not realise it, or care enough to recognise it, but it is his inaction and paranoia that will enable Gramps to bring about the destruction of Olympus and the world. And frankly, I'm not going to just sit by and let this happen."
Poseidon catches on to what his son is insinuating, and just quietly sighs in resigned acceptance. Come what may, he will always stand by his son's side.
Apollo and Artemis evidently also catch on, and sport identical shocked expressions. Apollo mutters, "Perseus, are you…?"
"The fucker is always afraid of plots to overthrow him," the resulting flash of lightning lights up the room, and makes Percy's glowing eyes all the more menacing, "And he has every right to be, because that is what he will get."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
I weighed between keeping Zoë alive, killing her, or something different entirely. I decided to go with something in between the second and third options. So instead of the Huntress constellation forever shining in the night sky, Zoë will spend her time in the underworld, before being reborn into a new life.
I know some readers might not like the decision I made, but I figured this was the best fit given the nature of this fic and the changes I made.
- Kai
----------------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 651 (no change)
Chapter 43: A Conspiracy is Afoot
Summary:
The final days before the winter solstice...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
With just a couple of days before the solstice, Percy spends his time between planning his move for the council meeting, and coming to terms with the fact that he is now a full-fledged god.
The latter was very quickly driven home by the Stolls' very excited and awed reaction to the revelation of Percy's godhood. By their own admission, their "worship" of Percy after he bought all of those pillow and blanket sets from IKEA for the Hermes cabin had grown from a mere joke to a genuine practice. Of course, Travis and Connor still got a kick over the fact that they were leading the worship of someone who, at least a few days ago, was still a mortal being. The fact that the subject of their worship is now a full-fledged god was just all the more better.
As much he was still exasperated about being worshipped, Percy has to give the Stolls credit for keeping it up for so long. Although he could do without all of the bowing and kneeling by the other campers, that had gotten annoying right from the get-go. No matter how much he tried to persuade them otherwise, whether it was from habitual instinct, sheer stubbornness or driven by misplaced fear, there are always campers who dropped whatever they were doing to prostrate themselves before Percy, until he told them to rise.
Which is why he appreciated Clarisse and Thalia all the more. Clarisse had cornered Percy after lunch on the same day that he returned from Mt. Tamalpais, and on no uncertain terms, declared, "Listen Jackson, just because you are some hotshot god now, that doesn't mean I won't kick your fucking ass in our spars or if you do something fucking stupid."
Thalia had also said something along those lines, "You're still the same Kelp Head I know and love, just with ichor instead of blood. Which I will love see spilling out of you if I have to run my spear through your ass cheek again."
Has Percy ever said that he loves his friends?
Speaking of which, every few hours, Percy checks in on Bianca and Nico in the infirmary. The older sibling adamantly refused to leave her brother's side until he woke up. She had been, with assistance from Will, following the treatment plan as laid out by Apollo to the letter. Indeed, Nico's external injuries have healed up, although the white streak in his hair remained. Percy knows that there's nothing that can be done to reverse it. That aside, it does look good on Nico, if he ignored the circumstances in which the son of Hades had been through to end up with it.
Nico remained unconscious until the day before the solstice. With the late sunrise, Nico suddenly woke up, and for a moment, is lost in a confused panic. Bianca quickly takes hold of her brother's hand, squeezing it tightly, while gently calling out his name. She can't afford to let him accidentally shadow-travel again amidst his panicked confusion.
"Bianca? Where am I -?"
"You're in the infirmary, Nico," she replies gently. Will returns with a glass of water for him to drink, "You're safe now. You don't have to be afraid."
When Nico's breathing returns to normal, Will asks him a series of questions, mainly what he remembers from the past several days. Nico slowly recalls shadow-travelling to Maine, getting captured by the manticore, being brought to Luke and Atlas, and having to hold the sky until someone took it from him. He doesn't remember anything after that, beyond a bright flash of golden light, and then waking up here in the infirmary.
Bianca gives Nico a quick rundown of the events that took place after Artemis took the sky from him. Nico interrupts her by asking, "Where's Percy? Is he okay?"
"I'm right here, Neeks."
Nico swerves towards the doorway.
In what can only be described as a coincidence, Percy had just been about to enter the infirmary when Nico woke up. He was about to rush in when Bianca and Will took control of the situation. Percy stayed out of sight while Nico was being assessed, so as to not crowd his personal space and inadvertently trigger another episode.
When Nico asked about him, Percy makes his presence known by the doorway.
Upon seeing him, Nico's eyes balloon with shock, "You…ascended."
"Yep, got it in one," Percy nods. He goes up to Nico's side, "It happened, as was anticipated. Turns out the worship and prayers from the Stolls and their fellow campers helped facilitate my ascension. Apollo's prayer and offering of blue cookies was the final catalyst."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously," Percy nods.
Nico takes a moment to respond, "What the fuck…"
"Yeah, I'm still wrapping my head around that. Ironically, the Stolls declaring themselves the official priests of Perseus Jackson who will officiate worship of me really drove home how serious it is."
"Again, what the fuck, Percy."
Percy can only just shrug helplessly.
Will gets to his feet, saying he's going to get Nico's lunch ready. When he leaves the infirmary, Percy turns to Nico, all traces of joking gone, "After your disappearance, I had no choice but to tell Bianca about our time travel."
Nico blinks, turning to his sister for confirmation. Bianca nods, so he replies, "I…guess that makes sense. It would've made things easier too."
"Yeah, it did. Though, Artemis also found out because she eavesdropped on us."
"…how did she react?"
"She confronted Apollo about it, but she seems to have accepted things. She's also kept quiet on it, as far as I can tell, so we won't have to worry about the rest of the council knowing until we're ready to spill."
"Right…and Zoë?"
"Zoë…she still died," Percy dips his head, his voice growing sombre, "She wasn't poisoned by Ladon this time, but Atlas back-handed her onto some rocks. We wanted to heal her, but…she refused the nectar. Zoë…she…she came to accept that her hatred of men and boys is wrong, just because Heracles screwed her over." Percy explains Zoë's desire to atone for her actions, and be born afresh into a new life once she had paid back her dues. Nico quietly nods, it still hurts to know that she died, but at least, there is a chance for redemption when she is reborn.
"So what happens now?"
"The solstice meeting is tomorrow," Percy says, "The Olympian gods will gather, probably bicker over some inconsequential stuff, and Artemis will try to make her case about the threat posed by Gramps. Knowing the fucker up there," both Percy and Nico flip off the thunder, "he will bury his head up his own ass and refuse to acknowledge the real cause of the problem."
Anyone who doesn't know Percy Jackson would be forgiven for assuming that is the end of it. But Nico just narrows his eyes at Percy, saying quietly, "You're planning something, are you?"
"Yes." Percy turns to Bianca, "Can you get Thalia here? She needs to know what's coming."
Bianca nods, and leaves the infirmary. A few minutes later, she returns with Thalia in tow. Seeing Nico awake and sitting up on the bed, Thalia immediately smothers him in a hug, expressing relief that he is fine, before proceeding to give him a noogie.
"Hey - ow! Ow! What the - ouch! Fuck off, Thalia! Ow!"
"This is for making us worry, you little shit!" Thalia does let up, though. Nico pulls away, nursing his brutalised head.
"It's not my fucking fault for having a panic attack about my future ascension…" he grumbles.
"We don't fault you for that, Neeks. What we can fault you for is the subconscious habit of running away from problems that followed you into this timeline," Percy points out.
"You're the absolute worst -"
"What ascension?"
All four of them freeze, slowly turning to the door in perfect synchronicity. Will is standing there, holding a tray with a bowl of soup and a small cup of nectar, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"…how much did you hear?" Percy asks quietly.
"Ascensions and timelines?" Will replies a little warily, stepping back a bit from the divine aura leaking out of Percy's intense stare in dangerous waves.
Percy closes his eyes, pinches the bridge of his nose, and releases an exasperated breath, "Fuck this, we might as well tell everyone about our time travel at this rate."
"We just have really shitty luck with people overhearing us," Thalia says, her face buried in her hands.
"Though I'm sure Khaos is getting a kick out of this," Nico mutters quietly.
Percy groans, turns to Will and jabs a finger at him. The son of Apollo immediately throws his hands up in surrender, dropping the tray and sending soup and nectar splashing all over the floor.
"I'm getting sick and tired of saying this, but it has to be done. Swear on the Styx that you won't tell anyone outside of this infirmary unless I give you explicit permission to do so."
Will, who but seconds before thought he was going to get smited on the spot, hurriedly swears the oath. When the resulting rumble in the air fades away, Percy, still exasperated, gives a summarised version of their time travel, and how it led to all of the changes done to the camp.
"That…actually makes so much sense."
"Of course it does," Percy deadpans.
"No, no, you don't understand, Percy," Will insists, "Just…I've been seeing things, between you and Nico, and Thalia, for that matter," he quickly clarifies, knowing how it could sound out of context, "You three just…seemed to click instantly, acting like you knew each other for years…even lifetimes." A blush appears on Will's cheeks, as he tries to dig up more examples to give, "And there was that time you let Nico and Thalia stab you, and whenever you and Nico are in camp, he sleeps in the Poseidon cabin instead of -"
"Were we really that unsubtle?" Thalia asks quietly.
"Or maybe we just got a little too comfy," Percy muses.
"Maybe both," Nico suggests.
Seeing as Will is becoming more flustered, Percy raises a hand to stop him, "Alright Solace, we get it. You're scarily observant, we aren't the best at keeping secrets, and we need to work on our spatial awareness." Glancing at the tray and spilled contents on the floor, "You also might want to get another bowl for Nico."
Will follows Percy's line of sight, curses loudly, and spins on his heel. When the door slams behind him, Bianca sums it all up with a single line, "So we can expect this to keep happening?"
"Just so long as Gramps and his minions don't find out…" Percy sighs.
Despite the latest hiccup, the plan is set.
To Will's credit, he does keep what he learnt a secret from his siblings and the other campers. This allows Percy, his fellow gremlins, and his other godly conspirators to finalise their move.
As expected, those who were involved in Artemis' rescue from Mt. Tamalpais had been summoned to appear before the Olympian council. According to Apollo, Zeus had apparently no idea that Percy had ascended. Percy would've commented about the fuckboy's chronic obliviousness if Thalia hadn't pointed out about their latest slip-up with Will. Still, this worked to their advantage.
The plan was simple. Nico, Bianca and Thalia would head in first, while Percy stayed back, out of sight and hiding his divinity under a mortal disguise, making use of Olympus' generally divine atmosphere to keep himself out of Zeus's notice until the right moment. Normally, when a council meeting is in session, the throne room would be sealed shut, and nobody could hear what is being discussed inside. However, as one of the Big Three gods, Poseidon granted his son a charm to hear what is going on inside, kind of like special dispensation to be a part of an important, closed-door event that only he, Zeus or Hades, if he actually did attend such meetings, could grant to non-council gods or beings. A major oversight that, again, fit perfectly with the plan.
Was it completely foolproof with no potential for things to go sideways? Of course not. As much as there is an undercurrent of excitement at the idea of overthrowing Zeus, there was a very good reason why there had been, at least in recorded history, of only one rebellion against Zeus. And it resulted in both Poseidon and Apollo being stripped of their godhood, and Hera being dangled over the Void of Khaos. But frankly, times have changed, and this time, the conspirators have an equally good reason to stage a second uprising against Zeus.
For the sake of his family, both on the surface and underwater, the campers who view him as the reason they feel safe and cared for, and the larger world oblivious to the imminent threat posed by Kronos, Percy will risk the ways the plan could go awry and the possible retribution for challenging Zeus's authority.
He has seen the world nearly come to an end twice, and so many lives lost in both instances. He can't save everyone, even now; but to save more lives that would otherwise be lost, the King of the Gods has to go.
They tell few people about their departure. Not even Will, the latest to find out about the trio's time travel, knew what was about to take place.
Chiron is left in charge as Dionysus is also expected to be present at the meeting, the latter being one of the few to actually be told, by Percy incidentally, about the plan. For the first time in both lifetimes, the wine god actually looked excited, his eyes gleaming with manic glee of the chaos to come.
Percy instructed Blackjack to take Nico, Thalia and Bianca to the Empire State Building. He meets Poseidon by the beach, who whisks them both to Olympus itself. Again, Percy doesn't hang around to marvel at the grandiose splendour around him. He discreetly follows Poseidon into the central palace, the seat of divine power, looking all the world like an inconsequential minor god or sea spirit thanks to a charmed cloak loaned to him by Amphitrite. Approaching the throne room, Percy holds back, hiding behind a marble pillar just a few metres from the doors. Poseidon nods to him, his face stony, but his eyes all but ordering Percy to come out through this in one piece. Percy returns the nod, his own eyes determined, and Poseidon goes inside to take his place.
Percy doesn't see Apollo or Artemis enter, which meant they were likely already inside, or entered or flashed into the throne room from who knows where beforehand. He does see Nico, Bianca and Thalia approach the doors from the opposite side. At first, they don't appear to notice him, but a glance from Nico is all the evidence that, at least, the son of Hades knows he is there, and ready. Nico nods to him once, and like before, Percy reciprocates, before the trio enter the throne room, all determined, but also looking like they are walking into the lion's den.
The doors slam shut behind them, but thanks to the charm placed on him by Poseidon, Percy hears everything going on inside in crystal clarity.
"Welcome, heroes." Artemis greets them, thereby starting the meeting.
Percy hears Zeus rumble, "Where is that spawn of yours, Poseidon?"
"He is still recovering from his ordeal, brother," his dad snaps, "In case you were not made aware, my son held the sky for fifteen minutes, and almost died because of it. As his father, I would be a horrible parent if I made him appear before us when he is still recovering, something I believe you would also do if your mortal daughter had been in his place."
He can't see Zeus's reaction, but it wouldn't surprise Percy if Zeus is now bristling with irritation. While it would also be understandable if Thalia felt uncomfortable at being placed under the spotlight like that, thankfully it was all just an act by Poseidon to rile his brother up, something which the god of the seas briefed them about beforehand.
(Plus, Percy thinks, any chance to disparage Zeus would be wholeheartedly supported by Thalia anyways.)
"Peace, brothers," ah, there is the voice of Percy's favourite Olympian, just slightly above his own dad in his list of "good" gods. Hestia, goddess of the hearth and home, says gently, "Let us not argue, as I believe we all have places to be and things to do." She must have then turned to the trio of demigods, "Come, you three. You can sit with me by the hearth while the rest of our family gets on with the meeting."
A minute or so passes, before Zeus irritably addresses the council, "If we can proceed with the matter at hand…"
Percy just rolls his eyes.
Artemis briefly recounts the events of the past week, starting with Nico's kidnapping by the manticore, followed by the prophecy given by the Oracle, Othrys slowly rebuilding itself in the west, and how the threat posed by the army led by the Titans can no longer be ignored.
"Faced with such irrefutable evidence, the council has voted to act. What is left now is the appropriate actions we must take to deal with this rising threat."
The goddess of the moon takes her seat, and the next fifteen minutes are the most boring in all of Percy's life, both the present and the previous, as the council went back and forth over what needed to be done to counteract against Kronos and the Titans. Had he truly not recalled how Olympian council meetings are so utterly, mind-numbingly mundane?
"And what of these heroes, then?" Hera's voice abruptly knocks Percy out of his growing state of boredom-induced numbness.
Even from outside, Percy can feel the oppressive weight of the entire council staring down at the three demigods. If he hadn't ascended, Percy would've been right at the centre of it with them too.
"They have done Olympus a great service, have they not?" Apollo's voice is deceptively whimsical, "They prevented Atlas from escaping his eternal burden, and saved my dearest sister, no?"
"…they have," Hera's acknowledgement sounds like it was forcibly pulled out with pliers, "…but we must not forget the risk posed by Zeus and Poseidon's mortal children."
And therein lies the second part of the plan. While the children of Hades are known to hold grudges, even to their own detriment, Percy and Poseidon can easily match them over what Hera did to Percy in the previous timeline. While Zeus's continued presence poses a risk to the lives of the campers who will later fight against Kronos and Gaea, Hera's continued existence is a personal threat and affront to Percy and Poseidon. Even though she hasn't yet kidnapped Percy and wiped his memories, Percy never forgot. A ruthless part of him demanded retribution, and a more protective side wanted to prevent her from subjecting any innocent people to being used as her pawn.
"Stepmother," Athena speaks up, "just because the prophecy is not completely clear, we must not assume that the demigod in question will only bring us to ruin."
As tragic as Annabeth's death had been, if there is truly one good thing that arose from her untimely end, was the role it played in helping Athena to reassess herself. The goddess wisdom wasn't this conciliatory last time.
"Regardless," Percy hears Thalia stand up, "I will not turn sixteen tomorrow."
"But…" for the first time, Zeus has a semblance of concern in his voice.
"The prophecy will not be mine to bear," Thalia continues, turning to Artemis, "I wish to join your hunters, Lady Artemis, if you will have me."
"I welcome you with open arms, Thalia. As it stands, I need a new lieutenant, now that Zoë, my most faithful, has passed on. I can think of none better to join my hunt than you."
Percy nods to himself. So far, everything is going as planned. Thalia kneels at Artemis' feet, reciting the oath of the Hunters, and Artemis ceremonially accepting her oath. The goddess will formally introduce Thalia as her new lieutanent at a later time. Now, though, Percy needs to get ready.
"This solves the issue about Zeus' daughter, but not the other two with her, or Poseidon's child who is unable to be with us today," Hera remarks.
Apollo addresses Bianca and Nico, "Has your divine parent claimed you yet?"
"Not officially, at least." Percy hears Bianca reply.
"We have suspicions, but he has not publicly claimed us yet," Nico adds.
"Then I do not believe the prophecy will be placed on either of their shoulders," Apollo tells the council, "After all, the prophecy explicitly states that it will be a demigod child of the eldest gods. Since these two have not been officially claimed, the chances that the prophecy will go to them are dubious at best."
"Then that leaves Poseidon's spawn," Zeus declares.
"And, what, brother, are you insinuating about my son?" Poseidon asks.
If Zeus noticed that his dad's voice has gone deathly calm, he either did and thought nothing of it, too wrapped up in his own paranoia to dwell on it much further, or he remained chronically oblivious to the change in his brother's demeanour.
"The prophecy clearly states that this demigod will either bring about the ruin of Olympus, or preserve it. I cannot risk this spawn of yours destroying Olympus."
"Father, have you considered the possibility that, rather than destroying Olympus, Perseus Jackson could actually be our salvation?" Hermes puts forth.
"He did help to relieve me of the influence by the Crooked One," Ares suddenly adds, much to Percy's momentary surprise. And unlike Hera's acknowledgement of Percy's deeds regarding Atlas which must've felt like one of the greatest humiliations to do so, the god of war actually sounded genuine, "Furthermore, if you smite him, I will not be able to claim that spar I promised to him."
'And there it is,' Percy shakes his head almost fondly, though he could definitely get behind this more mellowed version of Ares.
"I would have considered it if this spawn of Poseidon did not possess such unexpected and unnatural levels of power, beyond what a demigod should be capable of," Zeus shuts them both down, "That sort of power is dangerous, especially in the hands of a demigod like Perseus Jackson. Even if the Crooked One does not already have his hands on the boy, I cannot let such a wildcard run free while -"
This is it.
That is his cue.
Pushing away from the pillar, with only a singular goal in mind, Percy rises to his full, godly height, storms towards the doors, and unceremoniously kicks them open with his foot.
The doors slamming against the chamber walls echo so loudly they must have been easily heard all over Olympus itself. Even the normally calm and steadfast Hestia jumps at the booming sound, and twelve pairs of godly eyes swing towards the door.
Zeus is immediately on his feet, Master Bolt in hand, "Who are you?!"
Percy simply lowers the hood of the cloak he'd been wearing, exposing his face to the entire council.
"Good to see you again, Uncle Fuckboy."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
And so it begins.
- Kai
-----------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 651 (no change)
Chapter 44: A Solstice Uprising
Summary:
Percy establishes a new order of governing in Olympus.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Unlike what many might expect Percy to do, like launch in some power monologue, call out Zeus on his many misdeeds and crimes, or declare war on said king of the gods, Percy does the one thing that he's only done once before, but is completely necessary to establish his leverage over Zeus, and Hera, for that matter.
He throws his hand out, clenches it into a fist, and yanks it back towards him.
Immediately, both Zeus and Hera choke, their bodies momentarily appearing to bulge in unnatural places, before being forced back into neutral seated positions on their thrones. Zeus's Master Bolt falls from his hand, clattering on the marble floor uselessly.
It takes another second for the other gods to realise what had just happened, and what Percy just did.
Poseidon simply smirks, as gasps ring out from his fellow gods.
Only when Percy knows that he has both the king and queen of the gods under his mercy, does he begin his monologue.
"See this, dearest uncle and aunt? I learnt this really cool ability in my half-brother's arena. After all, be it blood or ichor, there is still a proportion of water within the liquid. And water, just like with poison, answers to my will."
The throne room falls deathly silent, save for the crackling hearth, which, despite the situation at hand, actually appears to be burning brighter than before.
Percy relishes the way Zeus and Hera struggle in vain, and visible pain, against the invisible force binding them to their thrones, "How does it feel, to experience a modicum of the pain and suffering you callously inflicted on countless mortals, gods and other beings? You ruined their lives, as well as their innocent families, and you sit back on your pretty platinum throne, remorseless and cruel. You never knew true suffering, you think that just because you are the king of the gods, you have the absolute authority to screw with people's lives like they are your toys to play with, and discard them when you become bored."
While the other gods, despite not being subjected to Percy's cold wrath, are rooted to their thrones in shock, Poseidon's smirk simply grows larger. The god of the seas rises from his throne, and calmly goes over to Percy's left side. Apollo and Artemis do the same, coming to stand by Percy's right. Zeus's eyes bulge out in a mix of outrage and betrayal, but he is silenced by a twitch of Percy's fist, which evidently sends a jolt of unimaginable pain ripping through his body.
"You fear the Great Prophecy, if it even is still a thing by this point, because your paranoia is unlike anything that exists before or since. I think you know that it foretells the rise of the Crooked One, but your paranoia and cowardice stops any decisive action from being taken. Also, I doubt this has ever crossed your mind, but have you considered that it was your paranoia and cruelty that, perhaps indirectly, facilitated the Crooked One's rise?"
A series of gasps ring out through the throne room, as the remaining council gods who remain seated all whip their heads towards Zeus. Meanwhile, Nico, Thalia and Bianca have also gone to Percy's side, though they are somewhat unnoticed given that they only come to Percy's knees in his full, godly height.
"If you hadn't bound the gods to your "ancient laws" bullshit, demigods like Luke Castellan would be less likely to become embittered and feeling like they were abandoned." Hermes promptly buries his face into his hands, letting out a pained whimper. Percy's heart twinges a little for the messenger god, but only a little. Hermes bears some of the fault too, but Percy has to acknowledge that, had he not been prevented from spending time with his mortal children, Hermes likely would've jumped at the chance. But that is neither here nor there at this point, "And embittered demigods like Castellan would be less susceptible to being manipulated by the fucking Crooked One. If you really think about, you are just as much at fault for the deaths of innocent demigods as Castellan is, including the pointless murder of Annabeth Chase."
Now it is Athena's turn to be hit by a wave of grief. She pointedly looks away from her immobilised father and stepmother.
"Your cruelty and callousness can never be forgiven. Nor will I forgive you for trying to kill me multiple times, and for callously calling for me to be destroyed because of the ambiguity of a fucking prophecy. And besides," Percy's smirk becomes truly monstrous, something which makes Apollo stare at him for far longer than is strictly necessary, "I frankly don't think the prophecy even stands anymore, since I'm no longer an unnaturally overpowered demigod."
Suddenly, Zeus lets out a choked gasp. His body suddenly goes slightly dim, at the same time that Percy suddenly glows in golden light.
"Oh my," Dionysus drawls, though his eyes belie his intrigue, "looks like a few of father dearest's domains had just been transferred to someone more worthy to oversee them."
"Huh," Percy mutters, "looks like I'll have to figure those out later." He turns back to Zeus, a mirthless laugh dancing on his lips, "Your paranoia made you see plots to overthrow your authority and rule everywhere, even where there aren't any. Don't you think it's fucking poetic that the one you wanted to destroy over a dubious prophecy would actually be the one to herald your own undoing?"
His emerald eyes blaze with righteous retribution, "Kronos is no doubt an existential threat to Olympus, but you are just as much a threat as him. Just as I intend to defeat Kronos, prophecy or not, I intend to make sure that you will never harm a single soul ever again. Rest in pieces, Zeus."
Percy simply flicks a finger, keeping the rest clenched. For a split-second, Zeus's body bulges and distorts in monstrously unnatural ways. A scream barely escapes his throat when, suddenly and very much violently, Zeus's body explodes in a gory, golden shower of ichor, which rains down all over the throne room, save for those by Percy's side, and Hestia, because the goddess did nothing to deserve getting her now-deceased brother's bodily fluids all over her.
Nothing remains of Zeus, save for his head, permanently frozen in a scream of terror and pain. It goes flying with the ichor, hitting the marble floor and rolling to a stop by Percy's feet. Quite literally, the king of the gods has been reduced to a spoil of war. A single spark of dim golden light flutters uselessly in the air, but is quickly snatched up by Poseidon, who declares, "I will make sure to toss this into the void of Khaos, so that he can never reform again."
"Thanks dad, you're the best," Percy nods, getting a pleased grin in return. His gaze turns to Hera, who still remains immobilised on her throne by his power. His burning eyes meet her terrified ones evenly and unsympathetically, "Hera, widow of the deceased Zeus, while you may not have openly sought me harm, you did insinuate that my existence poses a danger to Olympus. Furthermore," Percy braces himself, because, to justify what he is going to do next, he will need to reveal the one secret that, admittedly, he hadn't been keeping secret that well, especially recently, "one timeline ago, you literally threw me to the wolves in a harebrained attempt to unite the Greek and Roman camps in the coming fight against Gaea."
This time, noises of confusion among the gods who weren't privy to Percy's time travel fill the room. Percy continues, "This happened, technically, in a future that has yet to happen. But I was offered a chance by Khaos themselves to go back in time and do things over." He doesn't gauge the reactions from the Olympians, keeping his eyes on Hera, "I do not fault you for needing the Greek and Roman camps to be united. What I can fault you for is forcibly wiping my memories, throwing me in the middle of Gods-forsaken nowhere, and having to fight for my very life against monsters as I stumbled, confused and lost, to Camp Jupiter in New Rome. While you did the same for Jason Grace, brother of Thalia, you gave him a modicum of safety by ensuring his arrival at Camp Half-Blood. But that was because he was your, or rather, your Roman counterpart's, champion. And I would expect that you wanted your champion safe, never mind a spawn of Poseidon who could've easily sought retribution against you if he wasn't being badly affected by Gaea's rise and the schism between his Greek and Roman sides."
"Your crimes against me would have warranted harsh penalties, if not for the fact that we had to deal with Gaea, and by the end of it, I wanted nothing to do with the gods or Olympus thereafter. This time, though, with knowledge of what you will do if nothing changes, I will take preemptive actions against you, to ensure that, when the time comes to fight Gaea, there will be minimal difficulties in uniting the Greek and Roman camps together and preparing everyone for the battles to come." Percy's eyes flash with decisiveness, "You will face the same fate as your deceased husband. However, in light of how much you had to endure, with your unhappy marriage, your husband's countless infidelities, and others that I care not to remember, you will at least have a chance at reforming in the distant, far future. I pray that when you do, however long it takes, you will learn to be a better goddess, or whatever being your next form will take."
This time, he releases his fist all at once. Hera doesn't get a chance to even scream, as her body is also violently exploded in a cloud of vaporised ichor that is subsequently spread so thin, the slightest movement of air carries it away. Not a single drop splashes onto anyone in the throne room, though, like Zeus before her, Hera's head is violently blasted into the air, hits the floor and rolls to a stop at Percy's feet.
Percy bends down, picks up the two decapitated heads, and raises them aloft for everyone in the throne room to see, "On this day, the winter solstice, the King and Queen of the Gods are no more!"
Perhaps one could remark on how embarrassingly easy it was to depose both Zeus and Hera, but what is definitely undisputed was that Percy possessed the power to kill them both, and by implication, any other god that he deemed to be a threat against him or his loved ones. Indeed, the faces on the remaining Olympians still on their thrones, to varying degrees, reflected the understanding of that implication - from clear wariness, shades of fear, to traces of uncertainty.
The one Olympian who does not appear, at least outwardly, fazed by Zeus and Hera's violent and bloody demises is Hestia herself. She glances at the hearth, the fire still burning strongly, perhaps stronger than ever since the first Titanomachy. Nodding to herself, Hestia rises to her feet, and approaches Percy.
"We will need a new leader. Since you were the one to best the previous king -"
"Aunt Hestia," Percy politely interrupts her, a genuine, caring smile appearing for the first time since he violently and unceremoniously kicked the doors open, "what this council needs is not a king or a ruler who lords and imposes his will over everyone else. What this council needs is a reminder that, at the end of it all, we are a family." His gaze sweeps around the throne room, and to his dad, his demigod friends, and Apollo and Artemis, "While presumably, I will have a place in this council, I can think of no one better to be the core of our family than you, Aunt Hestia, as the goddess of the hearth and the home."
Hestia is visibly surprised, a look shared by the other Olympians. Poseidon steps forward, "I agree with my son's reasoning. While I may have secretly harboured desires to be king myself, that was a long time ago, and with time, I have become wiser, and my priorities have shifted. Ruling Atlantis is enough for me, as is ensuring my son remains safe and well," the subsequent glance is both fond and exasperated, to which Percy responds with a cheeky wink.
Nico taps Percy's lower leg, bringing the attention to himself, "Also, I'm pretty sure my dad is too busy with the underworld and still has unresolved issues and trauma with Olympus to ever consider ruling it."
"Yes, we need to inform Uncle Hades that his brother and his sister-in-law have been deposed," Percy nods, "We should also ask him if he would like to have a formal place on the council too, and begin any reconciliation efforts as and where needed." He turns back to Hestia, "Dear aunt, I truly mean it when I say that you are the best option for this council, as the bedrock of our family, and what you represent as the goddess of the hearth and home. Therefore, will you accept?"
Surprise gives way to emotional understanding. Hestia's appearance turns from a young maiden to that of an older woman. She bows her head to Percy, "I am honoured to be offered such a responsibility. I accept, Perseus Jackson, and I promise to fulfil my duties with integrity and righteousness."
"I know you will, Auntie," Percy nods, taking her hand and placing a kiss on her knuckles.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Ngl, Percy raising both Zeus and Hera's heads up is inspired from the statue of "Perseus with The Head of Medusa" by Italian sculptor and author, Benvenuto Cellini in 1554, which you can see as the header image of Perseus' Wikipedia article.
Also, while I guess some of you might've wanted a more drawn-out, climactic battle, frankly I see Percy as being more brutally efficient with his opponents, taking them down and only then monologuing if needed.
And to those who guessed Hestia, you're correct, and you get a cookie 🍪
- Kai
--------------------------------
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 2
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 653
Chapter 45: A New Order
Summary:
The Olympian council undergoes several changes.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The moment Percy kissed Hestia's hand, the clearest sign of respect to the newly-appointed head of the Olympian council, Zeus and Hera's empty thrones suddenly explode into bits of metal and stone that are immediately swept away by an unseen wind. The entire throne room then rumbles, as if an earthquake was rolling through. The few Olympians who remained seated quickly leap to their feet, as their thrones shift to the left and right, almost like they are on conveyor belts.
From the resulting cleared space, three new thrones materialise from thin air. It is very much clear who the middle throne is for. Made of polished teak wood and silver-coloured stone, upholstered with rich red leather with gold trimmings, and with the symbol of a flame at the head, the throne signifies the Hall's acceptance of Hestia as the head of the new council, and symbolising of her role as goddess of the hearth and home. To the left of the teak throne, a golden throne not unlike that of Apollo's stands with ocean waves decorated along the armrests and legs, clearly meant for Percy.
Percy also notes that his dad's throne had changed in appearance while the thrones were shifting to make space for the three new ones. Rather than resembling a chair on a deep-sea vessel with a holster for his trident, it now bears similarities to his new throne, but a deep ocean blue instead of gold, decorated with vibrant-coloured corals, and inlaid with numerous shimmering pearls.
The third throne to the right of Hestia's new throne is made of black marble, lined with gold reliefs, with a white leather cushion on the seat, and decorated with black flowers and feathers, with the image of an hourglass at the head. While it is not immediately clear who that throne is for, Percy makes an educated guess, "That must be for Uncle Hades, if he wishes to accept a place in the council."
"Or maybe for Nico," Apollo points out, "since he is also ascending and will attain godhood at some point in the future."
Thalia counts in her head, "There are thirteen thrones. Does this upset the divine Rule of Three?"
Artemis scans the entire hall, "Not quite, my new lieutanent. There is space for what I believe to be two future thrones on both ends."
"But who will take those thrones, though? If they even appear?" Bianca wonders.
It is a valid question, one that the Olympian gods don't quite seem to have an unanimous answer for. Percy spies Dionysus retaking his throne, and remembering something the wine god said before, he snaps his fingers, "Maybe this is Olympus' way of ensuring that the voices of minor deities are represented in the council?" Coming under the gaze of questioning eyes, Percy turns to Dionysus, "Is it still true that they have defected to Kronos' side?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Dionysus nods, "Most of them have gone over. Hecate, Hypnos, you name it."
"Well, hear me out on this," Percy addresses the council, "Maybe we can try to convince the defecting minor deities to come back to Olympus' side with promises of amnesty and that their voices will be represented in the council? Then, when we're done with Kronos and Gaea, we can hold elections where two minor deities are elected to represent their brethren for tenures of a set period of time?"
"Huh," Apollo makes an intrigued noise, "why have we never thought of that?"
"Probably too stuck in your millennia-long behaviours and ways to consider new ideas? That's probably one of the reasons why your poetry sucks now," Nico snarks, which earns him an offended look from the sun god.
"That, or being too afraid of my deceased sperm donor to bring it up," Thalia adds.
"Also possible," Nico concedes.
"I think that is a wonderful idea," Hestia says, "Let us, as mortals would say, put a note on that for the time being. For now, we have more pressing issues to deal with. First things first, let us determine what are the domains Perseus will oversee."
Hestia goes to the hearth, and Percy joins her there. Meanwhile, the gods return to their respective thrones. A small knife with a golden, bejeweled handle appears in her palm. She passes it to Percy, saying, "All you need to do is prick your finger, and let a single drop of your ichor fall into the fire. I will recite the incantation, and the hearth will show us what your domains are."
Percy nods, and without a moment's hesitation, pricks his middle finger and, as instructed, let a single drop of ichor fall into the flames of the hearth. After all that he has gone through, this isn't even worth batting an eye. And besides, as the flames accept the drop of ichor, and Hestia recites the incantation, the cut on his finger immediately heals up.
At the end of the incantation, the flames erupt into a pillar of white fire. A few seconds later, several golden symbols appear in the pillar - a traditional weighing scale, an ancient sailing vessel traversing through calm waters, a stylised hurricane, a bottle with a skull-and-crossbones sticker, and finally, appearing the most luminous with all the colours of the rainbow, a parent with their child raised up in their hands. Once the symbols fade back into the flames, the pillar collapses in on itself, turning back into an ordinary hearth fire. A sheet of parchment flutters down from above, and Hestia catches it before it could fall into the hearth.
She scans what is written on the parchment, proclaiming, "Olympus has decided. Henceforth, Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon and the mortal Sally Jackson, has domain over justice, righteousness, hurricanes, safe sea voyages, poison, and most importantly, is the patron god and protector of demigods!"
The council let out a collective roar of acknowledgement, with Poseidon appearing especially proud. The three demigods applaud and cheer loudly. The parchment burns away, and she takes Percy's hands, saying, "Just as you trust me with being the bedrock of the Olympian family, I trust you to oversee your domains and perform your duties diligently and responsibly."
"You have my promise, Aunt Hestia."
Hestia smiles, and presses a kiss on Percy's forehead. She makes her way to her new throne, as does Percy. Nico, Thalia and Bianca return to where they were previously gathered around the hearth, staring up to Hestia as she sits down, thereby formally claiming her place as the head of the Olympian family.
"As we have established prior to Perseus'…unexpected gate-crashing," Percy hides a snort behind his hand, "the threat posed by the Crooked One and his army cannot be ignored. We must be clear and coordinated on our response and preparations for the coming battle, to stand the best chance of defeating him and his allies. Do any of you have anything to share first before we begin discussions?"
"I do, dear sister," Poseidon raises a hand. At Hestia's nod, the god of the seas gets to his feet, "The kingdom of Atlantis has, for the past few years, been ramping up defenses and battle capabilities against Oceanus, one of Kronos' key allies. In the previous timeline, as described to me by my son, this was done to keep us divided and weakened when the Olympians are to fight against Typhon, while Kronos himself led the march on Olympus here in Manhattan." This makes the other gods sit up, "While Oceanus has yet to make his move, my guards have reported small skirmishes between them and monsters in the outskirts of Atlantis. I suspect that Oceanus is trying to test our defenses in preparation for a full-scale attack."
"So a three-pronged battle plan," Hestia surmises, to which Poseidon nods before sitting back down, "A calculated, devious move, certainly."
"If I may interrupt, Aunt Hestia?" Athena raises her hand. At her nod to proceed, the goddess of wisdom stands up, "I wish to clarify beyond all reasonable doubt, Perseus Jackson made a deal with Khaos to travel back in time to do things over?"
"You would be correct, Athena," Perseus nods, "It was 2016, I was twenty-two, still a demigod, and I believe just gone to bed when I woke up in an empty void…"
He gives a summarised, but incredibly detailed account of what transpired - the offer Khaos made to him, his acceptance, and what he did upon waking up on the day that he first learned that he was a demigod in 2006. The accounts of his subsequent shenanigans and adventures made the gods listen with rapt attention, save for those who already know or had some idea beforehand. Even so, no one interrupted Percy until he was done.
"I can confirm that everything Perseus said is the truth," Apollo adds, probably as a precautionary measure, but a knowing look from Nico and Aphrodite belies a different motivation.
Grief flashes across Athena's face, "It still pains me to know that my daughter was brutally murdered over what was, essentially, an impulsive decision by the traitorous demigod. I can only hope that her afterlife is more peaceful."
"So what happened in the previous timeline?" Demeter asks as she idly weaves wheat stalks together.
"So much more death, so much unnecessary conflict," Percy replies grimly. Like before, he gives a summarised, but incredibly detailed, perhaps far too detailed, account of all the lives that were lost before. Apollo noticeably dims when it is mentioned that half of his children would die by the end of the coming battles. Poseidon grips his trident so tightly that his knuckles turned white when Percy talks about falling into Tartarus with Annabeth. And Ares too looks aghast at how much his behaviour impacted events in the previous timeline.
"It seems that Khaos has taken a liking to you," Hestia remarks, "If they saw you as the best choice to go back in time and fix things."
"Indeed."
The doors to the throne room are suddenly thrown open again. Everyone, both mortal and deity, jump to their feet, though Percy and Hestia rise at more leisurely paces. At the doorway, the unmistakable, featureless but still humanoid-appearing figure stands, peering around the hall before striding in.
"Khaos," Percy greets.
"Percy," Khaos nods back, "I see that you have ascended. Divinity looks good on you."
"Eh, well, I would debate that, if it not for the fact that I deposed the former king of the gods and his wife by blood-bending," Percy shrugs.
"Excellent," Khaos' glowing eyes appear to crinkle with mirth, before settling back into a neutral shape, "Peace, Olympian council. I do not intend to bring harm to anyone in this hall. I merely wished to check in on how Percy is doing, as would a mind healer on a regular basis with their client."
"You had the embodiment of Khaos as your therapist?" Hermes wheezes.
"For a while," Percy nods, "They masqueraded as a merman from the Hawaiian islands."
"So nothing too unusual in the life of Percy Jackson," Thalia teases.
"All things considered? Yep."
Hestia nods in greeting, "How can we be of help or assistance to you, Khaos?"
"Not too much. Aside from wishing to check in with Percy, I do believe my name was invoked by his father not too long ago?"
Poseidon perks up at the reminder. Rising from his throne, Poseidon approaches Khaos, and presents the tiny speck that was the last physical remnant of Zeus, aside from the former king's decapitated head, which had presumably been stowed away until Percy collected it, along with Hera's head, later on.
"I intended to throw this small fragment of my deceased brother's essence into the void to prevent him from ever truly reforming again. As my son rightly declared, Zeus contributed significantly to many of the problems we had before, and still continue to deal with until now. After he was deposed and disposed of, I wanted to ensure that he would not cause any problems in the future by reforming. However, seeing as you have appeared to us right now…"
"Indeed, a sensible decision," Khaos nods, extending a hand, "Come, let me take care of it."
Poseidon happily hands over the speck, which, if one looked closely, appeared to be trembling and resisting. Of course, it is all in vain, as Khaos simply takes it, clenches their fist around it, and the speck is forever lost.
"By us…" Aphrodite remarks, "I believe we just witnessed a fate far worse than death."
"One could argue that, indeed," Khaos nods, "Now, I will not impose on your time any further. It is good to see you again, Percy." The newly-ascended god nods. Khaos turns on their heel, and heads to the doors, before pausing, "Oh, before I leave you all, I believe I have a new prophecy to present that pertains to upcoming events."
"A new one?" Apollo asks, sitting straighter.
The form of Khaos shimmers, and turns into the image of a young maiden. While she was unfamiliar to some, like Percy and his demigod friends, others like Apollo and the first-generation deities knew who she was, the Oracle of Delphi, as she appeared before she was cursed by Hades.
Four shall arise when night is near
To guard the thrones the gods hold dear
A god once mortal leads the way
But none alone shall win the fray
Of righteous storm, the hunter true
Of Death's second, shadows turn blue
Of war's red flame, her wrath shall rise
The bond they bear will hold the skies
United as one, through pain and strife
The world will wake to sun and life
But woe their bond, they fail to keep
The world shall fall to endless sleep
With barely enough time for the council to process the prophecy, the image of the young maiden fades back into the featureless form of Khaos.
"I will leave you all to do as you see fit with this prophecy. As much I do not have control, nor do I seek to control, what you choose to do with this, I hope that you will act rationally in the coming darkness."
Without a further word, Khaos dissipates into mist and scattered particles, and the doors of the throne room close on their own. Silence takes hold for several moments, save for the crackling of the hearth.
"I believe," Apollo says, "we have a clearer picture of who will lead the fight against Kronos here in Manhattan."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Again, full disclosure, I had some help from ChatGPT with the prophecy at the end, but I tried my best to give it my own spin.
- Kai
------------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 653 (no change)
Chapter 46: A Tying of Loose Ends
Summary:
For the first time in living memory, things actually get done in the Olympian council.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
After a full minute passes in complete silence, as the council processes the new prophecy unceremoniously dropped onto them, the session continues from where it left off.
Poseidon will continue to ramp up defences and battle capabilities in Atlantis, much more so now that he didn't need to be discreet against Zeus's paranoia. He will also appoint his wife and eldest son as leaders of the Atlantean forces. Amphitrite and Triton will work with Poseidon's other children to coordinate the defense of Atlantis and lead battle formations and tactics against Oceanus.
Regarding Typhon, the council is equally unanimous on the decision that the gods will need to fight against him. As Hephaestus reiterated, the last thing any of them can or should do is have the demigods face him, something Percy wholeheartedly agreed with. And while Poseidon's presence will provide a huge boon in the Olympians' side, the uncertainty on whether Hades will fight alongside his fellow gods or not get involved cannot be ignored. At this, Percy makes a suggestion.
"As we need to tell Uncle Hades that his brother has been deposed anyways, perhaps we can pay him a visit and persuade him to join the fight against Typhon? If Aunt Hestia, as the new head of the council, is the one to present the news to him, Uncle Hades might be more amenable to fighting on our side."
"I would also recommend that Bianca and I come along to meet with my dad," Nico adds, "While he does know about the time travel, I don't think he knows the crucial details. Also, we need to tell him about the new prophecy, and my role in the fight against Kronos."
"I would like to volunteer myself in accompanying you all into the underworld," Apollo raises his hand, "As the god of truth and prophecy, my presence will add further credibility and lay to rest any doubts or suspicions of Hades' part."
"You just want to spend more time by Percy's side," Thalia snarks.
Apollo gasps in apparent outrage, "Excuse me?!"
"Even if what you said is the truth," Artemis drawls, "You did not deny my lieutenant's claim."
Poseidon raises a suspicious eyebrow at the sun god, while Apollo's cheeks flush a luminous gold. Hermes has an unreadable look, even as he stares intently at his half-brother.
"I think it wouldn't hurt to have Apollo accompany us," Percy says, "I would expect Uncle Hades to still be distrustful about Olympus and the council."
Apollo's cheeks are still flushed, but his eyes glimmer with a mix of joy and relief.
"Very well," Hestia says, "We will set out to Hades' palace once this session has concluded."
As for the defense of Olympus against Kronos himself, Hestia will stay behind to keep the hearth flame going, and, as the prophecy declared, Percy, Nico, Thalia, and after some deliberation, Clarisse, will form the core of the defensive forces, which will include the campers, nature spirits, and Artemis' hunters. And without Zeus getting in the way with his bullshit, the Olympians are free to provide the means and supplies to keep them fully and constantly armed and stocked against the likely thousands of monsters and enemy demigods that will march on Olympus. While the finer details will need to be hashed out, the council is, at least, all on the same page about helping Percy and their mortal children to defend themselves while they deal with Typhon.
In the final half hour before the meeting concludes, Percy suddenly raises his hand.
"I would like to propose a vote, regarding Dionysus and his punishment by Zeus."
The wine god sits up fully, while the others react with looks and noises of curiosity.
"If my memory serves me correctly, Dionysus was punished by Zeus after pursuing an "off-limits" dryad because the fuckboy wanted her for himself. Whether or not Dionysus deserved the punishment is not one for me to judge, since it happened long before my birth. However, to deprive him of his core domains, that is wine-drinking or growing grapes, is simply overkill and unforgivable. I cannot imagine what Dionysus went through to be cut off from his domains, though his oftentimes disagreeable attitude towards demigods and heroes is perhaps testament to the inner turmoil that he faces every day. As such, I propose a vote to lift Dionysus of his punishment, restore his connection to his domains, and relieve him of his role as director of Camp Half-Blood."
For the first time, something akin to hope appears in the wine god's eyes. Hestia simply nods, "We shall proceed with the vote." She rises to her feet, "All in favour of lifting Dionysus' punishment?"
It takes a few seconds, but every single god in the council raises their hands. Dionysus covers his slackened jaw with his hand, as Hestia nods decisively, "Since it is a unanimous vote, the punishment placed on Dionysus by Zeus is hereby lifted with immediate effect." She turns to the wine god, "Your connection with your affected domains will be restored, and you are also hereby relieved of your duties as director of Camp Half-Blood, effective immediately."
Dionysus barely waits until Hestia has finished. He lets out a very undignified whoop of sheer joy, jumps from his throne, and all but kicks the doors open and runs off to who knows where. Percy, though, just chuckles, "I think Olympus is going to run out of wine and other alcoholic beverages for the foreseeable future."
"It would not surprise me either," Athena remarks, "Though, with Dionysus no longer the director of the camp, who will replace him?"
"Frankly, I would do it," Percy says, "I have been told that Hermes' children and other unclaimed campers have been worshipping me and making offerings to me ever since I got Nico and Bianca out of the Lotus Casino. While it started out as a Stoll-like joke, it has since evolved to your son, Malcolm Pace, being asked by the Stolls to design a temple dedicated to me within the camp grounds, and the Stolls declaring themselves to be my official priests when I returned after my ascension on Mt. Tamalpais."
"Not to mention," Nico adds, "The younger campers, especially the unclaimed ones, have already starting calling Percy "Mum" and other similar things."
"There was also that time I asked Percy if he could adopt Nico and I if our father did not claim us," Bianca recalls.
Percy just smiles sardonically.
"It seems that you are the perfect candidate to take over from Dionysus, unless anyone has objections?" Hestia looks around the hall. Seeing no raised hands, or any of the council rising to their feet, she nods, "Then it is settled. Perseus will take over as camp director, effective immediately." She turns to Percy, "I trust that you will inform Chiron about this in due time?"
"As soon as we return from the underworld, Aunt Hestia," Percy promises.
"Very well," Hestia turns back to the council, "does anyone have any further issues or notions to bring forth?" When no voices are heard, she nods conclusively, "Then I hereby bring this solstice meeting to a close. We will convene again after the new year to establish where we stand in terms of preparations."
The council disbands, with some flashing away instantly, and others chatting quietly amongst themselves. Hestia, Percy and Apollo gather at the hearth with Thalia and the di Angelos. The three deities shrink down to mortal size, and once all are ready, Nico has the shadows in the hall converge on them, and transport them to the underworld.
For a moment, it feels surreal to see the long queues of souls snaking towards the three gates, with EZ Death in the middle.
To think, just a few years ago in this timeline, Percy stood here on a mission, as a supposedly ignorant demigod sent on a quest to retrieve a glorified electric dildo. Now, he is here once more, this time as a god. Yet, the purpose of his visit is the same.
Still, his gaze lingers on the queue moving towards the EZ Death gate. He doubts that Annabeth went straight through that one. Knowing her, she would've likely tried to demand whoever is on duty in the Pavilion of Judgement to let her go back to the mortal world. Of course, knowing how Hades and the underworld operate, at least for now, Annabeth would've been swiftly and coldly denied, and likely sent into the Fields of Asphodel given how abruptly her life had been cut short by Luke's treachery.
As they head towards Hades' palace, Percy notes that Cerberus is not overseeing the queues of souls right now. There are skeletal guards in place, but the oversized, three-headed rottweiler is nowhere to be seen.
Reaching Hades' palace and passing through Persephone's garden invokes a visceral feeling of déjà vu in Percy's gut. He wonders how his uncle will react to his two mortal children appearing to him, or the fact that Percy killed his brother and sister-in-law in an act of Olympian ruthlessness. As they approach the throne room, Percy figures they're about to find out.
The throne room is exactly as Percy remembered it. And just like before, Hades sits on his throne. Though, unlike last time, there is no bargaining or dealing with godly bullshit. As soon as Hades sees his children, he immediately gets to his feet, shrinks down to mortal size, and immediately pulls them both into a tight hug. Percy, Apollo and Hestia stand back, waiting until Hades is ready.
"My son, are you alright?"
"Could be worse," Nico replies.
Hades lets go of his children, standing up, and only then does he fully register the trio behind them, "Hestia? What are you doing here?" His dark eyes flit towards the other two, "Apollo, and…Perseus."
"Good to see you again, Uncle Hades," Percy has to force back any instinctive snark or sass from his genuine greeting. The king of the underworld is visibly stunned, clearly not expecting him to be standing here as a god, when in their last physical meeting, Percy had still been mortal.
"You did not show up at the winter solstice meeting," Apollo says.
"I do not," Hades replies, "Not for a long time, as you would know, Apollo."
"I understand," Hestia nods, "But because you did not show up, you were not present to witness the change in governing order."
"Change?" Hades frowns.
"Aunt Hestia leads the council now," Percy replies, unable to stop the shit-eating grin from lifting the sides of his lips, "because I made Zeus and Hera go boom."
"…what."
"Yep," Nico pops the 'p', "this fucker here took control of your brother and his wife's ichor, and exploded them to smithereens." He mimes explosions with his hands for emphasis, "Aunt Hestia wanted to make him the new king of the Olympians, but Percy did an UNO reverse and convinced her to take the lead instead."
Hades is rendered speechless. His jaw hanging open, dark eyes flitting from Percy to Hestia and back again, repeatedly.
"We have quite a bit to discuss, brother," Hestia says, "Is there somewhere private we can talk in?"
Wordlessly, Hades leads them to his quarters, specifically a small drawing room overlooking the Fields of Punishment. Percy entertains the wonder if he could spy Tantalus toiling away, but given the apparent endless expanse of the plains of gruelling torment and suffering, such a thought was outright impossible.
They all sit down around an ornately-carved coffee table. Nico sits down next to Percy, cheekily depriving Apollo of the chance to do so, much to the sun god's displeasure.
"Can you…start from the beginning?" Hades sounds almost like he is begging.
Taking pity on the poor king of the underworld, Percy and Hestia summarise what happened during the solstice meeting, from Percy murdering Zeus and Hera, Hestia being made the new head of the council ("family", Percy insisted, which earns him a gentle smile from Hestia), Percy earning his domains as the newest member of the council, the new thrones, including the one for Hades. The king of the underworld never once spoke during that time, and the first thing he says after Percy and Hestia finishes is, "This really happened."
"One hundred percent," Apollo nods, "Truth and everything. And, off the record, seeing my father's body go boom, and you holding his decapitated head aloft was glorious. I already have so many ideas for paintings and poems from that alone!"
Percy's cheeks flush a vibrant gold.
Hades falls silent again, needing a few minutes to process everything he was told. In that time, Jules-Albert, the zombie who was Nico's chauffeur in the previous timeline, appears with a tea set. He pours out cups for everyone, and for Hades' cup, adds something that Percy guesses must be some kind of strong alcoholic substance. Hades takes the cup and downs it all at one go, "Never did I think I would see the day that Zeus was deposed. I felt something shift throughout the underworld, but I dismissed it as I was busy with my duties as usual."
"Not every day that the King of the Olympians was usurped and killed in one go, huh?" Percy smirks in his cup.
"…no, not every day indeed."
"So will you take your place in the council?" Bianca asks.
"I…" Hades pauses, staring at the table for a long moment, "I am uncertain. Even though Zeus has been removed, and Hestia has taken the lead, I am under no illusion that the other gods will be too happy to see me once more in their midst."
"I think Aunt Hestia will have some choice words for those who try to give you any trouble, Uncle Hades," Percy says, glancing at the goddess with a pointed look.
"I most certainly do," the goddess nods resolutely, "Furthermore, whatever beliefs or misconceptions held towards you do not take away from the fact that Olympus will be threatened by Kronos and his army. And frankly, with most of the minor deities on Kronos' side, I do not believe that there are many left who will cause you problems should they encounter you, brother."
"You have a point," Hades concedes, "I ask that you let me think about it a little more. I promise you will have my answer very soon."
"Take the time you need, brother."
"And, if you decide not to take the seat, it'll just go to Nico, since he is ascending, just slower than I did," Percy points out.
Hades turns to Nico, who simply nods.
The conversation then shifts to the whole time travel business. Percy wastes no time on telling his uncle every important detail, especially when it pertained to his children.
"But why does Bianca not know about the timeline until you told her?" Hades asks, eyebrows furrowed.
Percy, Nico and Bianca share pensive glances. There had been a reason why Percy, and Poseidon, for that matter, did not outright tell Hades about the previous timeline, even after Nico revealed that he remembered.
"Should we tell him?" Percy quietly asks.
"He won't like it," Nico says.
"I think…he should know," Bianca says with a note of finality. She doesn't like it herself, make no mistake, but since it pertained to her fate, at least before, she was the deciding factor, "At least right now, I'm still here."
"What…are you implying?" Hades cuts in, already not liking where this is going.
Percy exhales, and says, "In the previous timeline, Bianca joined Artemis' hunters, and when the goddess was prophesied to be held captive under the sky by Atlas, the hunters went in search for her. They went to the Junkyard of the Gods, but despite Aphrodite's warning to not take anything from it, Bianca…took a Hades Mythomagic figurine from a pile."
If it was even possible, Hades becomes even more pale than he already is. He lets a quiet, utterly broken, "No…"
"Talon, one of Hephaestus' automatons, attacked the party, and Bianca…chose to sacrifice herself to let the others escape."
Hades' mouth opens and closes helplessly, unable to form even sounds, let alone words. He then buries his face into his hands, his shoulders trembling from overwhelming emotion. Bianca, downcast but understanding, goes to her father, and willingly lets herself be crushed in his desperate, tearful hug.
"I had pretty much the same reaction when I found out about the previous timeline myself," Apollo says sombrely, "It's one thing to know that half of my children died before, and another to actually witness the events that killed them through my domain of prophecy."
Hades has to take a few minutes to compose himself, and willingly let Bianca out of his grasp. She does, however, stay close by his side, "H-How…was she prevented from dying this time?"
"I took them out of the casino you had Alecto put them in early, I think a year early if I'm not mistaken," Percy explains, "I…I had recently lost Annabeth then. She was murdered by Luke, which didn't happen before. I couldn't risk anything else happening to the people I know and love, so I got them out early." He scratches his head, "I think the fact that Bianca got to experience life at camp for a considerable length of time, plus being able to live her own life beyond taking care of Nico, helped her to feel more settled in camp. Also…Zoë Nightshade disparaging Nico after he was kidnapped likely soured Bianca's perception of Artemis' hunters this time."
"…I see," Hades nods. He meets Percy's gaze, "It is not often I find myself indebted to someone else, let alone someone whose mother I used as leverage when my symbol of power was stolen."
"To be fair, I already knew what was coming," Percy shrugs, "I can understand why you did it, even if your actions are questionable. I mean, if you don't target my mum again, I think we can call things even, especially with Gramps lurking in the near future and a new "Great" Prophecy to boot…"
"A new prophecy?" Hades asks, "The old one no longer holds?"
"I guess not," Percy glances at Apollo, who shakes his head in confirmation, "We determined that, while the gods are busy with Typhon -"
"He will wake?" Hades asks, surprised and more than a little worried.
"At some point, yes," Percy nods, "While I didn't have a hand in waking Typhon up this time, courtesy of not blowing up Mount St Helen's…" Percy cringes at the memory, "He will wake eventually. It's all part of Gramps' plan to keep us divided. Typhon keeps the gods distracted, Oceanus attacks Atlantis, and he himself, in Luke's body, marches on Olympus."
Hades takes a moment to process this, "What does the prophecy say?"
Apollo recites the entire thing from start to finish. Percy explains, "There will be four figures who will lead the defense of Olympus. One of them is me, obviously, as the newest Olympian god who ascended from mortality. The other three, we suspect them to be Thalia, who joined Artemis' hunters as before, Clarisse, since she is a child of Ares, and Nico, as "Death's second", which likely means your second child."
Hades seems conflicted, rightfully so. Nico, noticing his father's expression, dryly comments, "Well, so long as you don't try to have me "betray" Percy and have him locked up in a bid to make me the prophecy child, we can make this work."
"I don't understand?"
"That's what you did last time," Percy says, not unkindly, "Nico busted me out, I took a very traumatic dip into the River Styx, and proceeded to wipe out your army of the dead and whoop your ass."
Hades gapes at Percy, turning to Apollo for confirmation. The sun god simply nods, though the cheeky smirk is indicative of how much even Apollo finds that particular situation utterly hilarious at Hades' expense.
"Why…would I do that?"
"Desperation? Some kind of warped survival instinct? Plain ol' batshit insanity and/or stupidity?" Percy suggests with a shrug, "Either way, I whooped your ass last time." Percy suddenly remembers, "Speaking of which, and I'm sorry for going off on a tangent here, but Uncle Hades, when in the name of everything good and righteous are you going to claim Nico and Bianca?"
Both siblings immediately turn towards their father, with uncannily similar questioning looks.
"I get being overworked and all, but have my dad's hints and nudging really all gone over your head?" Percy wonders, "I'm pretty sure if you keep this up, you'll lose total custody of Nico and Bianca to my Atlantean family. They are semi-adopted already, as it stands. Neeks even gets an allowance from Rhodes."
"Which I will use on my own terms," Nico very pointedly reminds Percy, which only makes him smirk and waggle his eyebrows teasingly, "You had better not spoil me again, Jackson. God or not, I will get the crucifix out on you!"
"Aww c'mon! After everything that's happened and will happen, I'm far behind on my spoiling quota!"
"Didn't you already expand the Hermes cabin and improve the lives of the occupants?" Nico begins inching away from Percy, "Aren't you spoiling the younger campers already?"
"Still behind on the quota, evidently," Percy's shit-eating smirk only grows wider, "Admit it, Neeks, you can't stop me, I will spoil you and you will enjoy it!"
"No! No! Stay the fuck away from me, Jackson! The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ - ack!!!"
Before Nico can leap away, Percy knocks them both off the sofa and pins Nico to the floor. Trapping his younger cousin in his arms, Percy is besieged by Nico's frantic punches and kicks and all manner of colourful Italian vulgarities. The pair end up wrestling on the floor, rolling around the drawing room, bumping into furniture and other random objects, though thankfully there was nothing fragile or easily broken.
Even with this act of childish tomfoolery, Hestia simply smiles, as if glad to see them getting along. Apollo chuckles to himself, while Hades just stares, dumbfounded. Bianca doesn't help things by adding, "If you don't claim us by the time we leave, I will ask Percy to formally adopt Nico and I."
Hades blinks, registers the serious look in his daughter's eyes, and sighs loudly, "Perseus, please release my son from your childish antics."
Percy looks up from the opposite corner of the room where he had Nico trapped against, "Oh? Are you actually going to, officially, claim your children now?"
"Yes, so please," Hades actually begs, "let my son go so that I can claim him."
Nico takes the chance to break out of Percy's grasp, and run head-first into his father's torso. Wrapping one arm around Nico's waist, and the other across Bianca's shoulders, Hades presses a kiss to each of their heads, and above them both, a symbol of a skull with a wreath of black feathers appears. Percy watches with rapt interest, as he has never seen a child of Hades getting claimed before, not even in the previous timeline.
"Well, looks like Perseus and Uncle Poseidon won't be able to stake their claim on Nico and Bianca anymore," Apollo drawls.
"Dad's gonna be disappointed," Percy agrees, coming over to actually sit by Apollo's side, which makes the sun god beam with happiness, "But that won't stop me from spoiling Neeks!"
"Can you not?" Nico deadpans.
"Then you need to take better care of yourself!" Percy shoots back, "Like not shadow-travelling away from your problems!"
"I was panicking!"
"And I don't blame you for that!" Percy clarifies, "But shadow-travel shouldn't be the default, instinctual option!"
Nico pouts, pointedly turning away from Percy, "You're the absolute worst."
"Aww, love you too, Neeks."
"Well, I don't."
"Liar," Apollo immediately calls out.
"Oh, I know," Percy grins, "Neeks' like a black cat. An actual gremlin, will stab me if I do something stupid, pretends to hate me but actually loves me unconditionally and will die for me -"
Nico, proving Percy's point, lunges at him. Both end up on the floor again, and once more roll around the room, wrestling with each other, with Nico swearing colourfully in Italian and Percy just laughing and egging him on.
Hestia, still smiling and unfazed as ever, turns to Hades, "I can see that Nico and Perseus are very much their fathers' sons."
Hades opens his mouth to retort, considers his sister's words, glances over to Percy and Nico still wrestling around the room, and concedes with a sigh, "You are right."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
So Hades finally claims his children, and it took him...*checks notes*...46 chapters and over 130k words?
- Kai
-----------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 653 (no change)
Chapter 47: An Unplanned Find
Summary:
Percy makes an unplanned discovery in the Fields of Asphodel.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Percy and the others end up staying in Hades' palace for another hour, as once both Percy and Nico were persuaded to stop trying to kill each other on the drawing room floor, they managed to convince Hades to, at least, commit to assisting the Olympians in the fight against Typhon. Not only would this help to smooth over any remaining tensions with the other council deities, but it could also lay the groundwork for wider reconciliation with the minor deities once Kronos has been dealt with.
In that time, Percy got to reunite with Cerberus who was understandably overjoyed to see Percy again, even more so now that he is a god and immortal. When Percy stands at full godly height, he didn't have to worry about getting smothered or crushed under Cerberus' immense size as he played with the three-headed rottweiler, though Nico idly remarked that, at least for a good number of mortals, getting smothered by an oversized puppy would be one of the best ways to go.
They eventually leave Hades' palace to return to the surface. But as they pass by the Fields of Asphodel again, Percy suddenly stops.
"What's wrong?" Apollo asks, noticing Percy staring intently towards the fields of melancholic oblivion.
"Something's up in there," Percy replies absently. Before anyone can stop him, Percy breaks into a run into the Fields of Asphodel, "I'll be right back! Wait for me here!"
He is gone before anyone can get a word out. Apollo turns to Nico, who simply shrugs, "If Percy senses something unusual, then there is a good chance it truly is noteworthy and requires a closer look."
"Spoken from experience?" Bianca asks.
"Mhm."
They just sit by the entrance of the Fields of Asphodel, watching the endless line of souls from both the EZ Death gate and those judged to have lived unremarkable lives enter in a never-ending procession of quiet melancholy. How much time has passed is immaterial, as the flow of time, at least outside of Hades' palace, is nowhere like the linear, constant passage in the mortal world. It could've been an hour, a day, or a week, none of the group waiting for Percy has any idea. They just wait for Percy to return, quietly talking amongst themselves.
And when Percy does return, he is with a teenage girl with a dark complexion, curly cinnamon brown hair that falls to her shoulders, and striking gold eyes, and a ten-feet tall Titan of mortality, pain and violent death.
Nico's eyes immediately widen, "Hazel?"
Bianca asks him inquisitively, "You know her?"
Before Nico could respond, Hazel's eyes also widen, "Nico? Is that really you?"
Apollo stares at the Titan by Percy's side, noting his rather unusual, almost child-like disposition, and the fact that Percy is also wielding a sword that is definitely not his own. He asks sardonically, as Hestia looks on in interest, "You have something to share, Perseus?"
"Indeed I do," Percy nods.
When that feeling struck him, it took Percy a moment to figure out what it was.
The closest thing he can describe it is like a honing beacon, one that, possibly because of his new status as patron of demigods, alerts him to the locations of demigods.
In truth, he had felt that sensation ever since Olympus assigned him his status of protector of demigods, but mixed with the general divinity of the council hall, the fact that he was in close proximity to three of such demigods (i.e. the di Angelos and Thalia), and because Percy's main focus had been claiming his seat at the council and discussing the preemptive actions against Kronos and his army, he hadn't really paid much attention to it.
But as they passed the entrance to the Fields of Asphodel, that same feeling came pinging out from another location, somewhere inside said fields of melancholy, and it made Percy pause. It was very similar to the feeling that came from Nico, Thalia and Bianca, but also somewhat different. Percy can't quite describe it, other than the abstract notion that the demigod in question isn't…completely dead.
It was what prompted him to go into the Fields of Asphodel. As a god, Percy didn't have to worry about any side-effects from spending any significant length of time in the fields. He does still find the endless plains very depressing, with the multitude of souls just standing or roaming around, staring blankly like robots. But, perhaps because of his newly-attained divinity, he isn't as badly affected by the endless melancholy permeating the air.
And it helps him to track down that one demigod that he sensed from the entrance, their unusual aura sticking out like a sore thumb amidst the endless grey of oblivion.
When he finds the demigod in question, Percy does a double-take, "Hazel?"
The Roman daughter of Pluto, who had been standing beside a stumped, leaf-less tree, immediately swings towards him. For a second, she blinks uncomprehendingly. Then, what seems like the mother of all migraines strikes Hazel, and she clutches her head in visible agony, so much so she almost topples over. Percy immediately rushes over, crouching beside Hazel. As soon as his hand touches her shoulder, Hazel gasps, head snapping up. She turns to Percy, eyes blurry for a second. She blinks, and her golden eyes are clear.
"Percy?"
He nods, and is immediately bowled over by Hazel in a crushing hug. Several souls wander past, completely oblivious to the unusual sight within their midst.
"Gods, this is so weird," Hazel wheezes as she gets up.
"Remembering everything?" Percy asks.
"Yeah," she nods, "but what happened? I just saw you, and then -"
"Time travel," Percy replies, "And the effect of being a child of the Big Three gods. Nico and Thalia remember."
"They do?"
Percy has Hazel sit down on the tree stump, and runs her through all the events that occurred up to this moment. Her golden eyes balloon with shock, "So…you're a god now, and you deposed and killed the literal king and queen of the gods."
"Yep," Percy pops the 'p' at the end, "turns out, being able to control blood and poisons, having dozens of campers worship you and making daily offerings, and having the god of the sun pray to you and make his own offering of blue cookies, all the while you're holding up the sky, sets you on a one-way ticket to godhood. And Zeus and Hera are fuck-ass bitches who needed to go."
"…right. Um…is that…how you managed to find me?"
"Sort of?" Percy shrugs, "I sensed something strange within the Fields of Asphodel. I realised it was one of my domains picking up the presence of a demigod, so I followed it. Though," he scratches his cheek, "I really had no idea it was actually you."
"Huh…talk about strange coincidences," Hazel hums.
"Yeah…" Percy agrees, "That said, it does make a fair number of future problems easier to deal with."
"How so?"
Percy is about to respond when another brainwave hits him. He pauses for a moment, before getting to his feet, "Care to walk with me? We can talk as we go."
Despite the non-answer, Hazel nods. As they go, Percy explains how, by getting Hazel out of the underworld early, she will be able to get herself settled into Camp Jupiter and eventually help the Romans deal with Mt. Othrys later on. Plus, there is also the issue about Gaea and the need to close the Doors of Death after that.
They cross into the Fields of Punishment. Hazel becomes a little nervous with the endless torment and suffering all around, but Percy reassures her, "Don't worry, just stick by me at all times."
Crossing over a lava stream and past endless plains where souls are punished on all kinds of cruel and unusual torture devices, they reach a hill where a grinding noise can be heard coming from the other side of it. Percy clicks his tongue, "The number one expert in cheating death. Ignore him, Hazel. He's a right pain in the ass."
Hazel raises an eyebrow, glancing at Sisyphus pushing a boulder up the hill in a never-ending cycle of punishment. Regardless, they carry on, bypassing the spirit of the Corinthean king as if he wasn't there. They continue trekking for some time, before Percy suddenly stops in his tracks. His eyes narrow slightly, as he strains his ears for something in the distance.
"What is it?" Hazel asks.
"Some kind of monster," Percy replies absently, running through his memories, "I know what they are, but the name is a little fuzzy…" A moment later, he snaps his fingers, "Ah, I remember now. Keres."
Sure enough, as if summoned by his mention of their name, a flock of half-bat, half-female abominations swoop down from above and encircle them, two dozen in total. Hazel flinches as the Keres screech and hiss at them, but Percy, without missing a beat, simply raises a hand, and clenches it tightly into a fist.
Just like that, all two dozen abominations crash onto the ground, twitching violently as they scream in pure agony. Hazel watches, dumbfounded, as Percy, against without missing a beat, releases his hands in one swift motion. The Keres are immediately relieved of their heads, popping off their necks like the corks of champange bottles, with ichor spewing from the stumps. The heads fly in all directions, disintegrating with the bodies into gold dust within seconds.
"Y-You…I- wha…?"
"Blood-bending," Percy replies, as if merely talking about the weather, "Really useful. Saves me a lot of trouble and mess."
Hazel eyes the gold dust that still remains on the ground, "And…this is how you killed Zeus and Hera?"
"Yep. C'mon, shouldn't be too far now."
Even as Hazel continues on, her nonplussed expression becomes more or less permanent. A few minutes pass before she can find the ability to make words, "Where are we going anyways?"
"To get myself a Bob."
"A what?"
Percy doesn't elaborate. Soon after, they arrive at the churning, milky waters of the Lethe. Hazel stares at the river warily, but Percy simply flicks a wrist, and the waters of the river part like the Red Sea in the biblical story of Moses. He can feel the river fighting against his control, so he turns to Hazel, "After you."
Hazel takes one look at the river, then at Percy, and immediately crosses. Once Percy has crossed too, he lets the Lethe return to its natural flow. He can feel the divine essence of the river cursing him from behind, but Percy pays it no heed.
A short distance up the path, a cave looms before them. Hazel grimaces at the sight of many human bones and skeletons lining the path towards the cave, though Percy just rolls his eyes, "Again, what is it with monsters, Titans and goddess of ghosts thinking that bones are tasteful decor?"
"Um…because we're in the underworld?" Hazel hesitates a guess.
"I suppose," Percy shrugs, "but still, fucking tasteless."
As they approach the cave, Percy wonders if Melinoe will summon the ghosts of Annabeth and all of the demigods that he has killed to torment him with. Again, as if the mere thought of her name was enough to summon her, a cloud of white mist billows from the cave, and a deathly hissing noise fills the air. Within the billowing mist, a humanoid shape flickers between various forms before settling on Melinoe's true form, a half-female, half-ghoul creature, with her right half pale and completely drained of blood, and her left half black and dessicated like a mummy. Her empty, black voids for eyes flicker irritably between Percy and Hazel.
"You!"
"You will not torment Hazel," Percy glares down the goddess, drawing Riptide, "Leave us, or you will suffer the consequences!"
Melinoe hisses, "You are too late! The deal has been struck!"
'Fine by me,' Percy thinks, verbally saying, as he grows to his full height, "Just how stupid are you to believe that Kronos will reward you if he takes power? He will cast you into Tartarus along with all of your father's servants."
The goddess, enraged at the insult, lunges towards Percy. Without even blinking, he thrusts Riptide into her stomach. She gasps, a mix of ichor and some black fluid spilling from her mouth. Percy rips the sword out, and with a ringing swing, slices off Melinoe's head from her neck. Hazel watches, stunned, as the goddess's decapitated head lets out a shrill scream, before, like the rest of her body, it disintegrates into gold dust.
Percy shrinks back down to mortal size, shaking Riptide off, "Hope Uncle Hades doesn't mind that I killed her. She'll come back eventually. Hopefully with more brains next time."
Hazel slowly turns to him, still stunned, "Is this…normal for you?"
"Hm? Oh, this? Yeah," Percy nods absently, "Zeus and Hera are obviously my biggest wins. So Melinoe? Small fry, really."
Hazel's nonplussed look only deepens, even as Percy continues on towards the cave, forcing her to rush after him. Inside the cave, Percy sees the one Titan that he came all the way and dragged Hazel along for. Iapetus is just as he remembered him - eyes of pure silver, scraggly beard, hairdo like that of Einstein's, only much worse. Beside him is a demigod whom Percy doesn't recognise, and at the back of his mind, he wonders why the presence of this demigod never once called out to him, unlike how Hazel's did. Maybe this demigod, like Luke, is already beyond saving? Far too gone to the dark side for even Percy's divine protection as patron of demigods to save?
Either way, the unfinished Stygian iron sword that, one timeline ago, Persephone would've sent him, Nico and Thalia on what was another glorified fetch errand to retrieve, is in the demigod's hands, lacking a hilt but set in its base a golden key that is glowing.
Iapetus spins around, as does the unknown demigod, at Percy's presence. "Who are you?!" the Titan bellows.
"Nobody in particular," Percy replies nonchalantly.
"Nobody, eh?" Iapetus cackles, "Well then, then nobody will miss you when I destroy you!"
A spear materialises in the Titan's hand. The unknown demigod, looking exhausted, half-starved and very much in need of a bath, cries out, "Master! We have the sword, we should get out now before -"
"Get out?!" Iapetus rounds on the demigod, as Percy sighs, running a hand down his face, "What are you insinuating?!"
Evidently, the demigod either has a death wish, or lacks the required number of brain cells to recognise how his choice of words are a poor one, "Master, you're not yet at full strength. Our orders were to flee -"
"FLEE?!" Iapetus bellows, loud enough to shake the entire cave and, even as a god, rattle Percy's eardrums, "IAPETUS DOES NOT FLEE!" He jabs a finger at the terrified demigod, "I have waited three aeons to be summoned from the Pit! I want revenge," he then jabs his spear towards Percy and Hazel, "and I will start by killing these two weaklings!"
"Like father like son, huh?" Percy drawls, not even flinching when Iapetus charges at him. He just sidesteps the Titan and his spear, taking Hazel with him in the same breath, "Idiocy truly runs in your family." He rises to his full height, and while he is still shorter than Iapetus, ensures that he keeps the Titan's attention focused solely on him. Iapetus charges at him again, but Percy simply grabs the spear, yanks it out of the Titan's grasp, and throws it to one side. Leveraging Iapetus' haggard frame from his long incarceration in Tartarus, Percy grabs him by the collar of his prison uniform, lifts him off the ground, and basically yeets Iapetus towards the Lethe. The Titan yells as he plunges, head first, into the river, sinking like a stone.
Percy waits for a few seconds, before willing the milky, churning waters of the Lethe to spit Iapetus back onto the riverbank. He, Hazel and the unknown demigod watch with bated breath as the Titan coughs up water, and looks around blankly. When Iapetus meets Percy's eyes, he smiles politely, "Hello, who are you?" He looks around curiously, wondering, "Who am I?"
"Hey," Percy smiles, relief bleeding into his voice. He crouches down next to the Titan, "My name's Percy. Your name is Bob, by the way."
"Bob? Oh! I see," the renamed Titan nods in understanding, "What is this place? Am I your friend?"
"One of my greatest friends," Percy nods firmly. Bob's smile is positively blinding. Percy glances back, noticing that the demigod had decided, then and there, to make a break for it. Hazel, still bemused as ever, had taken the sword, staring at Percy questioningly.
"C'mon, let's get you outta here. This is no place where friends of mine should be in."
"So, yeah, that's about it, really," Percy finishes his tale.
Apollo stares at him for a moment, his golden eyes then flitting over to Hazel, who is in the midst of deep conversation with Nico and Bianca, the former latched tightly around her in a tight hug, and to Bob, formerly Iapetus, who is still looking around with a childlike curiosity that just seemed wrong, if not for the story that Percy just told, with no trace of a lie or deceit sensed by the god of truth.
"So let me get this straight," Apollo eventually says, "You found a demigod daughter of Uncle Hades' Roman counterpart, took her on a jolly stroll through the Fields of Asphodel and Punishment, to locate a sword that my Aunt Persephone secretly had made in a bid to elevate Uncle Hades to the same power level as Uncle Poseidon and my deceased father, only for the sword to be stolen to raise Iapetus, the Titan of Mortality, Pain and Violent Death, of whom you now called Bob, because otherwise, she would've made you and your fellow gremlins go retrieve it?"
"Yes, pretty much."
Apollo silently gapes at Percy, evidently struggling to find any further words that could represent the utter incredulity of the situation, despite being fully aware of Percy's knowledge of the previous timeline. Based on the sun god's body language, he looks seconds away from grabbing Percy by the shoulders and throttling him violently.
Whether or not Apollo truly did want to throttle Percy, he didn't get the chance to do so.
"Hey, Uncle Hades. Guess you heard about what your wife did behind your back?"
Without any warning whatsoever, Hades and Persephone had appeared to the group. The king of the underworld has an unreadable mask plastered on, while Persephone looks torn between defiance and contrite embarrassment.
"Is it true?"
Percy produces the sword in question, "Right here, dear uncle. Not quite finished, but definitely made for your use in mind."
Hades takes the sword, giving it a lookover. Percy takes no uncertain vindictive glee at seeing the unreadable mask crack just enough to reveal the bubbling disappointed rage inside. Hades turns on Persephone, "Did you not consider the implications of your actions?"
"All I'll say is, Uncle, let's just count our blessings that I killed your brother before he ever found out about this," Percy idly checks his finger nails, "We wouldn't want the entire world to be blown up because the fuckboy assumed that you were trying to overthrow him."
Hades glances back at Percy. He simply raises an eyebrow in response. A tense moment passes, before Hades hisses towards Persephone, "Never go behind my back like this again!"
"I sure hope not," Percy drawls, "but hey, on the bright side, you have a cool new weapon you can use against Typhon!"
"…I suppose so."
Hestia, who had simply been watching the entire scene with a genial smile, chuckles, "Truly, like father like son."
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Me casually slipping in my take on the Sword of Hades short story to give Percy the excuse to find Hazel early and get Bob on his side -
Also because I figured that more heads needed to roll ☺️
- Kai
——————————
No. of heads Percy lopped off this chapter: 25
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 678
Chapter 48: A Mortal Stepfather
Summary:
When Paul Blofis met Sally Jackson, never in his wildest dreams did he anticipate having an actual god as his stepson.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Any notion that Hades would be firmly against Hazel being allowed to leave the underworld is swiftly put to rest, courtesy of a quick negotiation between Hades and Percy, with the former agreeing to have Bob work in his palace as Cerberus' caregiver. Hades takes his leave with Persephone and an excited amnesiac Titan in tow, bidding farewell to his children.
With their time in the underworld at a close, Percy and gang return to the mortal world. Apollo and Hestia head back to Olympus first, while Percy brings the di Angelos and Hazel to the Jackson apartment. Kicking down the door with the subtlety of a bomb going off, Percy calls into the apartment, "Mum! I'm home! And I brought a guest with me!"
Paul Blofis, who had just been sitting on the couch with a mug of coffee and his laptop on the coffee table, jumps at the loud sound, somehow keeping said mug from flying out of his hands, probably from sheer force of will itself. Sally sticks her head out from the bedroom, her eyes balloon at the sight of her son at the door, and immediately rushes over to crush him in a hug.
"Welcome home, Percy. And who is this guest?"
"Her name's Hazel," Percy introduces, to which Hazel waves shyly. Seeing as Paul is nearby (still visibly trying to get his heart rate back under control), Percy quietly asks, "Mum, can we talk privately? There's some things you should know, if…dad hasn't already told you." He casts a glance over to Nico, who just wordlessly nods and drags both Bianca and Hazel to go sit on the couch and (probably) traumatise Paul.
Sally nods, and together, they retreat to her bedroom. They sit on the bed together, and she asks, "What is it, Percy?"
He exhales deeply, and jumps straight into it, "It happened. I've ascended."
Sally immediately pulls Percy into a tight hug, "How do you feel about it?"
"It's…a lot," Percy admits, before revealing everything that happened thereafter. Sally just listens as he talks about his coup d'état, killing Zeus and Hera, and taking his place on the council.
"We both knew it was going to happen one way or another," Percy says, "I've accepted it. But it's still a lot."
"Of course," Sally agrees, "it's understandable to feel everything all at once, even when what you feel seems to be conflicting at the same time."
Percy appreciates his mum's compassion, "Also…are you still planning on getting together with Paul?"
At this, Sally's cheeks pink a little, "I…Paul has proposed to me a few days ago, incidentally."
Percy smiles, "That's great, Mum. You deserve to have someone who will make you happy and love you as an equal."
Her cheeks darken a bit more, "You won't be giving him the shovel talk?"
"Why should I? I'm pretty sure Neeks being himself will do the job for me." Percy chuckles, before sobering, "On a serious note, I ask because…I'm considering letting Paul know the truth about me and my lineage. I don't doubt that he is the right man for you, I just don't want any…shall we say, awkward situations if something happens that logic or science can't explain."
Sally nods, "Yes…I can imagine so. Especially with what is coming…"
Percy squeezes her hand, "I will do everything to defeat that bastard. God or not, I will come back."
Sally swallows down the instinctive urge to remind Percy to not make promises that he can't guarantee to keep. The way his now-emerald eyes burn with divinity, brighter and exuding a tremendous aura of sheer will, and the unyielding line his lips are set in, all point to not just a god, but a devoted son who will move the sky, land and sea to return, alive and in one piece, to her. Both Sally and Percy know this, because there is literally no other option. He will return, or the entire world will end.
"All I ask, you don't scare him too much."
"I promise."
Nico and Bianca dip out for the afternoon, intending to show Hazel around New York and, if need be, help their half-sister to get to grips with holding her own against monsters that wanted demigod blood for lunch.
This provides Percy with the perfect opportunity to chat with Paul without any interruptions.
"So, Paul, I heard you proposed to my mum."
Paul is about to take a sip of his coffee when Percy made his presence known. Again, whether it is from sheer force of will, or practiced ease, he doesn't drop his mug. Instead, he slowly sets it down next to his laptop, "Are you going to give me the shovel talk?"
Percy makes himself comfortable on the couch, "Nah, as I told my mum, I'm sure Nico unnerved you enough just by being himself."
Paul glances at him, true enough, a little warily, "That…is true. Nico…who is he to you?"
"He is one of my greatest friends, and my brother from a different father," Percy replies in a measured tone, even as a cheeky smirk dances away at the edges of his lips.
"Ah, well…um…you see, Percy," Paul clears his throat, "I'm not one to eavesdrop on things that aren't my business, unless it pertains to the welfare of the children that I teach. But I…can't help but overhear a number of…strange things that Nico and his…um…"
"Sisters," Percy helpfully provides, "though Hazel is his half-sister."
"Right," Paul nods, clearing his throat, as if, ironically, trying to find the right words to use without apparently, weirding out or offending his soon-to-be stepson, "they were talking about things that just…don't make sense?"
"Ah, I'd expect as much," Percy folds his arms across his chest, "A mortal like yourself would be hard pressed to understand a fraction of what demigods like Nico would talk about."
Paul visibly does a double-take, "A…demi…what?"
"Yeah, so you're going to need more coffee for this, or something stronger," Percy says. "Gods exist. Like whole pantheons of deities. Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, you name it."
Paul is now speechless, his mouth moving but unable to make a sound, let alone actual words. His eyes visibly checks Percy's expression for any sign of joking, any sign that what he just dropped onto his lap was just some elaborate prank, complete with hidden cameras and a filming crew.
There is none.
"You're…not joking."
"I'm not," Percy confirms, "the gods are real. They are just hidden from most mortals by something called the Mist, which also obscures other beings like giants, Titans, spirits…monsters," Percy grimaces slightly, before schooling his expression back, "But some mortals can see past the Mist, and the gods sometimes take an interest in certain mortals. The children of these relations are demigods. Nico and his sisters are demigods. And, just a short time ago, I was one too. My dad's Poseidon, the god of the seas."
"Was?" Paul's voice goes a little shrill, "W-What are you now, then?"
"A full-fledged god," Percy replies evenly, reaching over to helpfully pass Paul his mug, and wordlessly dragging the coffee pot from the kitchen, thanks to the steaming liquid inside the pot. Paul just stares dumbly as Percy refills his mug, "God of justice, righteousness, safe voyages, hurricanes, poisons, and the patron deity of demigods."
Paul, still unable to make a sound, decides then to just knock back all of the coffee in his mug, despite the beverage still steaming hot. Percy would've offered something stronger, preferably alcoholic, but after Gabe had been killed, the Jackson apartment has been pointedly bereft of anything remotely alcoholic.
"Greek gods…wait a minute," Paul realises, "Isn't the god of justice supposed to be Zeus?"
"Yeah, well, I staged a coup d'état and killed both the fucker and his bitch of a wife," Percy instinctively flipped the bird towards the sky, only to remember belatedly that there is no affronted rumble of thunder anymore. He flushes gold, lowering his hand, "Sorry about that, I'm just too used to flipping him off whenever he farts out a rumble of thunder because I insulted or called him out on his bullshit. When I killed him, a few of his domains went to me, justice being the biggest one."
"…right," Paul glances down at his empty mug. Percy pours out the rest of the pot, before it suddenly refills itself unprompted.
"Huh, neat."
Paul doesn't comment, far too busy chugging down his coffee. Only when he has set the mug back down on the table, and politely refused a refill, does he find the ability to verbalise words, "Does your mother know about…this?"
"Yep, was expecting it, really. The godhood, not the coup d'état or killing my uncle and his wife. Same thing will happen to Nico at some point, though we don't know when."
"…right."
Percy then has a funny thought, and snorts quietly, "Nico was supposed to enrol in Goode High School, but didn't in the end. Can you imagine having him in your English class, and you had no idea that you were teaching an actual god?"
By the way Paul's face instantly paled, he definitely imagined something, and it was evidently not that pleasant.
"Then again, you more likely would have to deal with unexplained absences, constantly being late, or suddenly disappearing for no apparent reason. That's life of a demigod, especially one of the Big Three. Hardly ever peaceful, constantly in danger, and likely not to reach adolescence because of monster attacks."
"I…beg your pardon?"
"Yep, we attract monsters like flies to honey. Must be our blood, I think." Percy shrugs, "Thankfully, I've done all of this before, so I'm definitely more prepared this time than-"
"I'm sorry, you did all this before?"
"Oh, right, I haven't told you about the time travel yet."
Percy hasn't even gotten into the details yet, and Paul is already reaching for the coffee pot. By the time Percy has finished, the pot has been refilled another two times, and Paul had finished all of the coffee.
Bianca and Hazel end up staying for dinner and spending the night, they and Nico returning to the sight of a very much shellshocked Paul who looks like he went through several existential crises in the span of a few minutes.
"Percy, what did you do to him?" Nico asks at the table.
"Told him everything."
"All at once?"
"All at once."
Nico turns to Paul, "You poor, poor man."
"I told you not to scare him too much, Percy," Sally shakes her head exasperatedly.
"What do you mean too much?" Percy whines, "I didn't embellish anything! I just told him the straight facts!"
"I think your definition of "straight facts" is equivalent to "exaggerated embellishments" by us mortals, Percy," Bianca deadpans.
"Rude."
Hazel casts one look at Paul, "I'm surprised that you haven't yet run for the hills, Mr. Blofis."
"He won't," Percy grins confidently, "He already proposed to Mum, and he won't go breaking her heart like that. Also, I have a younger sister that is yet to be born, and I will make sure that Paul fulfils his duty to bring Estelle into the world."
Paul has hunched over the table, and if one looked closely, they might notice him quietly weeping into his soup. Sally merely squeezes his hand, which naturally does nothing to calm him down.
To Be Continued.
Notes:
Poor Paul...let us pray that he doesn't go completely insane from Percy's shenanigans.
- Kai
-----------------------------
Total no. of heads Percy has lopped off: 678 (no change)
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frosted0nuts on Chapter 1 Mon 18 Aug 2025 10:28PM UTC
Last Edited Fri 22 Aug 2025 10:05AM UTC
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