Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue

            The feeling was all too familiar. In the past few years, Luke Castellan had grown more and more terrified at everything around him. And as the ground shook beneath him, he felt his skin crawl in anticipation, as if a silent plea from his body to run far, far, away from that man.

            His master, the titan Kronos, had spent millennia rotting in the blackest pit of Hades, Tartarus, mixing with whatever Lovecraftian horrors lurked in those depths. No doubt the horrifying appendages and torturous conditions would prove ample inspiration for the titan lord to punish him.

            His heart froze. The titan’s chest emerged from the stone steps of the battlement. His master’s torso was a thick slab of dark red magma rock, punctuated with pulsating lava veins. Luke looked into his red eyes, swarming with hungry fire, and swallowed.

            Kronos looked over at Luke, and then turned to look beyond the battlements at the sea of bright green grass shimmering before him. His posture straight, chest pronounced, hands folded behind his back, he looked the picture of a general. He nodded gently to Luke.

            The boy remained still, unsure of what it meant. Kronos coughed expectantly, prompting Luke to curse and hustle to his side. “My Lord,” he began, his voice quivering, “I have terrible news to report.”

            Kronos turned to look down at Luke, his glassy eyes hovering over the boy’s face. His mouth betrayed no emotion. He placed one massive palm against Luke’s back, the heat of the palm nearly searing into the young demigod’s back. Luke shivered.

            “Stand up straight.” Kronos gave his back a solid tap where it had been bulging out. “How are you going to face the gods with such terrible posture?”

            “I… Excuse me?”

            “You heard me.”

            Luke stumbled. “My lord, I–

            “I already know about the labyrinth,” grunted Kronos, his shoulders sinking a bit. “It’s sunk. Whatever.”

            Luke’s body stopped trembling for a minute. “You don’t care?”

            Kronos turned to Luke, leaning down to look him in the face. He raised a very annoyed eyebrow at the boy. “Of course it bothers me!” He turned back to look out at the grass. “But it’s not the end of the war. We need to move on.”

            Luke stared at his master warily, more than a little confused. Kronos took notice. “Stop looking at me like that. It’s unsettling.”

            “Apologies, my lord,” muttered Luke. “You just seem more… how should I put this…

            “My gods, spit it out already!”

            Luke couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. That’s more like it. “Well, in our past communications, you’ve been a little more… irritable.”

            “Have I?” asked Kronos, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he stared out at the grass. “I was contacting you from Tartarus. I had other things on my mind.”

            Luke shivered. “No doubt.”

            “So forgive me if I got a little testy.”

            “Right,” said Luke. Sensing an opening, he lobbed a nagging question at the titan lord. “How exactly did you get out of Tartarus early, again?”

            Kronos frowned, avoiding Luke’s gaze. He began to play with his hands – nervously, if Luke didn’t know any better. “I discovered a pathway out of Tartarus. But it’s a secret, of course. The gods can’t find out.”

            “Alright.” Luke paused, looking away from the titan lord. “I get that you want to move on, but the labyrinth’s fall leveled our best form of transport AND half our army. I don’t understand how-

            “No one seems to understand,” muttered Kronos, taking a seat cross-legged on the battlements. “My brothers are backing out already. Well, they were weak even when I took down our father.”

            “But even so-

            “Luke, do you think I can’t win this war?”

            Luke snapped his mouth shut, trying to make himself smaller. He had said something wrong. He had fucking said something wrong, something horrible, something–

            “I asked you a question.”

            “Of course you can win, my lord.”

            “STOP.” Kronos’s command hung in the air for a minute, the sweat pouring from Luke’s pores. Kronos sighed, shaking his head. “I didn’t ask you to kowtow to me. Tell me the truth, Luke.”

            “You can win,” said Luke, “but you don’t have much room for error.”

            Kronos pushed himself up from the ground, methodically stretching his limbs. They seemed to crack as he lengthened them one by one. “Walk with me,” he grunted. “This is the first time we’ve met in person, no?”

            “It is.”

            “When you were back at camp, what did you think of Percy Jackson?”

            Luke held his forehead, his eyes narrowing with distaste. “It’s been a long time. He was a kid back then.”

            “He still seems like a kid to me.”

            “No,” said Luke, his face hardening. “Four years at camp toughens you. He’s bound to have changed.”

            “But he’s not like you,” said Kronos. “He’s not doing anything about the corruption in Olympus like you are. I think he’s been able to ignore it thus far. To avoid growing up and facing it. He’s still immature.”

            “I guess,” shrugged Luke.

            Kronos paused his walk, a smile cracking through his craggy face. “So how did someone who’s just trying to survive take out the most genius inventor to ever spring from Athena’s brain?”

            Luke frowned. “Well, Annabeth probably did it.”

            “Kill her idol?” asked Kronos, chuckling a bit. “Come on, Luke. I sincerely doubt that.”

            “Well, it couldn’t be Percy,” said Luke, turning to face Kronos. He balled his fists a little. “He doesn’t have it in him. He’s not tough enough.”

            “And Annabeth does?” asked Kronos, leaning in. “To kill the one man who could teach her to be the greatest inventor of the next generation?”

            Luke shrunk. He didn’t get why Kronos had cornered him about this. He absolutely hated hearing about Percy, and this should’ve been blatantly obvious, even to a titan. Rather than lash out, Luke tried to get straight to the point. “What are you getting at?”

            “It’s unlikely Percy outsmarted Daedalus. After all, he had a soft spot for a sea cow. We think he murdered his girlfriend’s idol? In cold blood, right in front of her? Or that she did it herself?

            “Sure, it’s odd,” admitted Luke, his tone flaring. “Maybe it was self-defense. I don’t know. Frankly, I don’t care.”

            “What if Daedalus sacrificed himself?”
            “That’s impossible!” said Luke, a little more aggressively than he intended. “You… must’ve missed hearing the stories. The gods abandoned him. He hates his mother.”

            “I’ve heard,” said Kronos, smirking. “Either way, the answer is strange. Which leads me back to the boy. Do you think he’s odd?”

            “He’s lucky,” shot Luke, clenching his fists. “He’s been at camp all this time, and he’s still happy and oblivious. Can we not talk about Percy for a minute?”

            “I wouldn’t be so harsh, Luke,” said Kronos. “Maybe he hasn’t had it as rough as you, but he’s still a demigod. But, yes, we could probably chalk a few things down to luck. For example, when I had the Sirens sing to him, he wasn’t hypnotized like other sailors would be.”

            Luke stopped walking, eyes widening. “What? That’s impossible.”

            “Indeed. And yet Medusa recalls him accidentally catching her eye when fighting her. I didn’t see any stone statues of him nearby. These are all direct reports from my monsters. They’ve filtered back to me over the years. One can be chalked up to a fluke, but I’ve heard so many reports, Luke. And now he’s convinced Daedalus to do the impossible and commit suicide to protect the Olympians.

            Luke’s voice grew icy. “You never mentioned any of this.”

            Kronos chuckled. “I like keeping my cards close to my chest. Only way you can survive as a titan under Olympian rule. Percy may be even more powerful than we can imagine.”

            “If that’s the case, we’ll lose!” said Luke, shaking his head vigorously. He felt a deep distaste churning in his stomach. “He’s fighting for the Olympians.”

            “So we’ll lose… If he stays with them.”

            Luke’s eyes widened. He turned on a heel, baring his teeth at Kronos. “Of course he will! For fuck’s sake, he’s been an Olympian brat since he arrived at camp! I saw it in him when I first met him. He never understood the cruelty of the gods. He just wanted to get through the fucking day. Gods, it drives me insane!”

            “You can only put up with so much abuse at that age,” said Kronos, waving his hand in the air. An orb of blue flame appeared, a wispy image of the Olympian Council Room superimposed on it, complete with Zeus’s self-important stare and bushy beard.

            Zeus leaned closer to the orb, as if speaking directly to Luke. “Percy Jackson remains a threat to our realm!” he thundered, his voice sending ripples along the edges of the orb. “Before we let him leave, we need to decide if we’re going to let him live.”

            The orb shimmered, the scene changing to a man with an unkempt beard and leopard print shirt sneering down at Luke. Dionysus. “Kid, I’d sooner turn you into a dolphin and send you back to your father than help you out. At least in that form you’d be entertaining to beachgoers.”

            Then it changed a final time, a closeup of a woman with long blonde hair and stark gray eyes. Athena’s gaze seemed to capture every detail in her wide view, her eyes unblinking and uncompromising. “Get too close to my daughter, Percy Jackson, and I will view it in light of all your previous misjudgments and failures. I will not hesitate to kill anything I see that threatens my daughter’s safety and security, including you.”

            Luke looked up at Kronos in disgust. “Are you really trying to make me feel bad for the enemy?”

            Kronos raised an eyebrow. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you came to me to help the demigods, not kill them. He may be naïve, but that’s a common defense to trauma.” Kronos paused, his voice growing just a bit lighter. “And… he has his mother… and friends to think about. Are you going to fault him for that?”

            “I don’t need your sympathy,” muttered Luke. He sighed. “Maybe I’m a little harsh, fine. That’s how life is, though. You can’t seriously think he’ll join us. And even if he did, why wouldn’t he just overthrow you?”

            “It’s not a concern,” shrugged Kronos. “I’d just step aside, anyways.”

            Luke’s body trembled violently. The part of his brain that filtered speech shut off, and his eyes filled with hatred. “What?”

            Kronos shook his head. “I’m not going to be sitting in Olympus all day.”

            “Have you gone mad?” screamed Luke. “I thought the whole point of this war-

            Kronos held up a massive hand in Luke’s face. The heat was enough to get him to shut up. “I started this war to free myself from Olympian tyranny. I have no desire to rule, nor to be ruled.”

            “The Olympian throne will remain open!” said Luke. “How could you turn down the opportunity to reshape the world? You’d have to be insane to give that up! No wonder the gods overthrew you!”

            Kronos whipped his head towards Luke, his voice growing harsh. The fire in his eyes flared, coming very close to singeing Luke’s face. “You have no clue what you’re talking about, boy! You want to know how I can leave the throne open? Why I seem to be a huge fool? I castrated my own father and ruled for thousands of years. What did it get me, Luke?”

            “The power to change and rule the world!” shouted Luke. “To do whatever–

            “My gods, how envious you must be of thousands of years settling petty disputes between siblings, of avoiding plots to overthrow me by my own family! Have you seen the disputes of the gods? 90% of it is about who they fuck or fuck over. You think I’m insane? You’re the insane one if you think that throne is worth anything!”

            “Then I’ve fought for nothing!” screamed Luke. “You led me astray, convinced me we were going to remake this world-

            “And you will,” said Kronos. “You might have to share it with other demigods, but I intend to deliver. I admire your vision for the future, Luke, but I cannot return to the throne after thousands of years in exile. When you and the others have created a better Olympus, I will take my leave to see what has been made of the mortal world.”

            “So, you’ll leave me and Percy to clean up the mess, basically?” sneered Luke. “Is that it?”

            “Oh, I’m sorry, is that not what you asked for?” yelled Kronos, curling a massive fist in Luke’s face. “You came to me asking for a change! I’m handing you Olympus on a silver platter!”

            “You’re just like my father!” screamed Luke, nearly headbutting the titan lord. “A fraud and a coward!”

            “I AM NOTHING LIKE YOUR FATHER!” roared the titan lord. Kronos’s chest pulsed with lava, the air around the two of them flared about forty degrees to a point so hot Luke could barely think, and suddenly Luke remembered who he was talking to. He stepped back from Kronos, horror painted on his face.

            Kronos stood back up straight, reclaiming his perfect posture. His nostrils steamed, but otherwise his anger had died. “I’m helping you get what you want, aren’t I? I may leave after everything is done, but I’ll be there when you need it. That’s more than your father can say.”

            Luke composed himself, his voice faltering. “Why go so far? Why start a war where hundreds die?”

            “I want to be free,” said Kronos, his eyes trained on the endless sea of grass stretching off into the horizon. “That’s it. The demigods happen to benefit if the gods are overthrown. Is there something wrong with that?”

            Luke balled his fists. “I never would’ve worked with you if I had known it was just personal. I didn’t betray my family just to make your life easier.”

            “Alright. Are you going to work for them now?” asked Kronos, raising an eyebrow.

            Luke’s body trembled. He swallowed heavily, but he balled his fists. Even if he had to die here, he wasn’t about to let another immortal bully him. “I won’t work for them, but… I will let them know. That you’re just the same as them all.” He stood there for a few seconds, waiting for Kronos to stab him. To end his life. He had angered the titan lord, and this was how he would go out. Speaking righteousness until the end, and-

            Kronos began laughing, each laugh permeating the air with greater and greater gravity. Then he grew silent for a moment, taking a breath of fresh air and smiling. “Alright. Go ahead. Leave. I won’t stop you.”

            Luke blinked. “You won’t?”

            “Go back to the demigods. See if they can help you rule over Olympus. Or maybe in five thousand years’ time, you can make peace with the gods and join them on the council. Dionysus found his way on.”

            Luke stared at the titan in disbelief. “But I… I could tell them so many secrets, I-

            Kronos chuckled, swinging his scythe playfully in the air. “Oh, you thought that you would go out feeling like a hero, huh? Well it’s not that simple, kid. While you spout off, titans and gods and demigods all suffer. Just because I’m not doing this for exactly the reasons you want doesn’t mean my goals are worthless.” Kronos froze, frowning, turning back to the sunset. “And anyways, I’m not selfish. You know nothing about me. So what will you do now, Luke?”

            For the first time in a long time, Luke was unsure of himself. He stood frozen, his eyes locked on Kronos’s stolid figure, his perfect posture, his fiery rhetoric, the look of longing in his eyes as he looked out at the horizon. It shook Luke’s sense of drive and purpose. He wondered if he could ever match this man in any way. “I’ve failed,” said Luke, hanging his head in shame.

            Kronos sighed, sheathing his scythe. He walked over to Luke, patting him on the head. “Come on. We’ve got somewhere to go. I haven’t been totally honest with you. Might have told a lie or two. And you should learn the truth.”

            “Why tell me all this?” asked Luke. “I’m not part of this. I’m not part of anything–

            Kronos smirked. “Much as you piss me off hurling baseless accusations around, I like you. I want you to succeed. And I’m not petty like the Olympians, so I can take a twenty-something yelling at me.”

            “But I just called you worthless!” said Luke. “And I can’t rule Olympus, it’s–

            “Yeah? I’ve worked with some wonderful demigods in the past. Never regretted it.”

            Luke frowned. “Wait, you said… that you’ve been locked inside Tartarus all this time.”

            “Like I said, I might’ve told a few lies,” said Kronos. “Didn’t think I had to win you over. So Luke, what do you say? You want to know why I started this war?”

            “Yes,” said Luke, raising his head. “I want to know.”

            “Then follow me.”

            “Where are we going?”

            Kronos smirked. “To see an old friend.” And then, he let out a great, bawdy laugh, operatic in tone. Luke’s stomach swelled with a melancholy feeling, one of longing. For a second, as the fading sunbathed Kronos in light, the faint contours of the titan’s form seemed softer. Bold, yet benign. For a second Luke thought he looked like what a father should be.

Chapter Text

PART I: PROTECTOR

Chapter 1

Life of the Party

            As Percy had come to expect, Olympian parties did not disappoint.

            Decked out in an expensive white suit with a sea-green tie to match his eyes, Percy felt for the first time in a long time that he was welcome in the city. He heard his name whispered in the crowd, passed around like a quiet shot of ecstasy. It spread through the throngs of people until suddenly, they swarmed him, lifting him off his feet up into the air.

Unknown hands supporting his prone stomach, he spread his arms out as if he were flying. The shimmer of the disco ball fell on him, to the point where he had to retract his arms and shield his eyes.

 A flash of hot pink shot across the main stage in front of him. He made out a young woman sporting a frilly pink dress. She stretched her arm out to one of the Muses audaciously, but the ancient entertainer only smiled and happily lent her the microphone. Silena Beauregard’s voice cascaded throughout the venue. “HEY! I WANT HIM A SECOND!”

The sea of hands deposited him somewhat on his feet, but he soon began to stumble on the edge. Silena caught his arm before he could fall, reeling him in with a mischievous smile. “Almost lost you there!”

Percy smiled. “Thanks.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him off the stage, where the crowd had thinned enough to make a viable passageway. As they raced down the stairs, Percy piped up. “Where are you taking me?”

Silena gave him a cheeky smile he knew all too well, her face bright pink with glee. Silena didn’t play matchmaker as often as the other Aphrodite campers. Perhaps because of this, she lit up like a Christmas tree when she did. “Where do you think, hero?” She shoved him right in the stomach, a powerful push that sent him tumbling into a wall of long blonde hair. Annabeth turned around, flashing him a soft smile. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He blushed. His face grew so hot that he almost forgot about the throbbing pain in his stomach.

“Alright, folks, let’s give the lovebirds some space!” said Silena. She shooed the crowd aggressively, rushing around in a wide circle until the area was cleared. Mission accomplished, she turned to the two of them and winked. “I’ll just give the two of you some space.” And with that, she turned to the crowd again, barking orders at any fool who dared cross the imaginary perimeter formed by sheer force of her will.

The right side of Annabeth’s lips curled up into a smile as she offered him a hand. He clasped it, their hands tightly interlaced, and then he wrapped his other arm around the back of her black dress. She pulled him in close. He stared into her eyes, a dazzling light grey that clashed with her dress. They began to spin, forming a spiral of privacy that flashed with his suit’s yin and her dress’s yang at every turn. In that privacy, Percy frowned a bit. “I feel like I haven’t really seen you all night.”

Annabeth’s smile faltered as well. She bit her lip, sighing. “Well, Daedalus doesn’t just give his life up for anyone. People have been asking me non-stop. I still can’t believe you actually pulled it off.”

Percy looked away from her. “I’m sorry. I still don’t know how I did it. He was your hero, and I-

“Let it go,” she said, squeezing his hand tight. “My hero’s right next to me.” It was enough to cheer Percy up. His smile slowly reformed. “Daedalus was my idol, though, so you’re still kind of an ass. We’ll let it slide for now. Just don’t get overconfident.”

Percy chuckled. “I’ll try.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “He says this while surrounded by hundreds of adoring fans,” she muttered. “Toasted by the gods. Beloved by all. Dancing with an incredibly beautiful girl.”

“What’s this about overconfidence?” asked Percy, cracking a smile.

She pulled him in close, her lips mere inches from his. He felt the faint sensation of her breath cool his mouth. Her voice fell to a whisper. “Oh, so you’re saying I’m not incredibly beautiful?”

Percy’s forehead broke out in sweat. His cheeks flushed. “No, of course not. I could never… tell a lie like that.”

She smiled. “Good answer, Seaweed Brain.” She leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his, until Percy felt the wrenching force of a massive hand on his back pull them apart. He looked up in shock.

“Tyson,” muttered Percy. “What’re you-

“PERCY! ANNABETH!” he said, smiling gleefully. “I’ve been looking for you!”

Percy laughed nervously. “Great, man!”

“Can I dance with Annabeth?”

“Well, Tyson, Annabeth and I… were kind of hoping to-

“What Percy means to say is of course, so long as he gets to spend some time with me later,” said Annabeth, nudging Percy. “He’s very possessive. You’ll have to share.”

“Of course!” said Tyson. “Let’s dance!”

Annabeth grabbed Tyson’s hand, winking at Percy. “I’ll see you later, Seaweed Brain. The night’s still young.”

“Yeah,” he muttered half-heartedly, trying to maintain a smile. “See you soon.” They disappeared into the crowd, leaving him alone. The lights and music seemed to dull a little as he took a seat on an ottoman. Daedalus’ final words came flooding back to him.

“Up there, time seems cheap,” the inventor muttered with his soft voice as the doors to his workshop bulged under pressure. Only Percy remained; the others had already flown away. “A year’s inconsequential when you have millennia ahead of you, especially if you spend all your time with other immortals. But when you bring the gods to earth, chain them against it, that world crumbles. The ugly blisters of time pierce their divine skin, and they hurt. They just choose to live somewhere it’s easy to repress. When you bring mortality to them, Percy, be careful. Some of them might respect you for it. Others can’t live with it; they’ll try to kill you. Good luck.”

Percy knew that their dance would only last a few minutes, but he wondered more and more how much time they had together before his 16^th birthday. Already well into 15, the prophecy haunted him like the loud chiming of an ancient grandfather clock. He slumped in his chair.

“What’s biting you?”

Percy found Grover next to him. He glanced off to side, offering a little smile. “Oh, nothing big. Tyson stole my dance.”

Grover sat down next to him, munching on a coke can. He wrapped an arm around his friend’s back. “It’s just one dance, Percy. And it’ll mean the world to him.”

“I know. Just a lot of pressure on my shoulders right now.”

“Sure,” said Grover. “Hey, you’re not the only one, you know. Juniper ditched me too.”

“What?” asked Percy. “That’s pretty unlike her-

“Nymph-networking,” said Grover, shaking his head. He took a swig of some ambrosia. “Gotta impress Dionysus.”

“I wasn’t aware nymphs networked.”

“Gotta make connections somehow.”

Percy sighed, staring at Annabeth and Tyson. A flicker of a smile dawned on his face. He couldn’t help but enjoy their enthusiasm. Annabeth was leading Tyson at a rapid pace, the two of them rocking out in front of the entire city. The crowd cheered. Percy barely noticed as someone sat down next to him, though he did catch the faint sound of lips sipping at a glass.

“Not enjoying your party?”

Every hair on Percy’s body raised to attention. He recognized that voice. “Hey Athena,” he managed weakly, sulking in his chair.

Grover stopped eating his coke can, eyes wide. “How the Hell did you recognize-

“They sound alike,” muttered Percy. “Athena’s more… regal, I guess.”

She gave him a half-smile that mixed annoyance with slight amusement before taking a long draught of wine from her glass. “Well, I suppose you’re learning how to network. That’s good.” She turned to Grover, flashing him a wide smile. “Grover, dear, nice to see you as always. Congratulations on your victory. Would you mind giving Percy and I a minute? I’m afraid we have important matters to discuss.”

“Sure!” said Grover, his smile far too wide. He looked at Percy as if to beg his forgiveness. “You two… uh… have fun! Bye!” Percy had never seen his hooves trot so fast.

Percy glanced over at her, unsure of how to proceed. She looked a lot like an older version of Annabeth, if Annabeth wanted to kill him. His mind raced, and all he could think was that this was a patently bad metaphor. Annabeth wanted to kill him sometimes, too… just not as much, or not with the same malice in her eyes, or-

“You alright?” she asked, sipping her wine. “You’re awfully quiet.”

“You said we had to talk,” he muttered, thinking quickly. “I’m just waiting on you.”

“Fair enough. I just thought you would have realized by now.”

Percy mustered a frown, his bottom lip trembling with fear and his top with anger. “Look, it’s our party. I just wanted to dance with your daughter. My girlfriend. So what?”

“So nothing,” she shrugged. “It’s your day. Enjoy it. It’s not like you’re getting married. I can stomach a bit of teenage romance for an evening. I didn’t come here to badger you about my daughter.”

“Huh. Must come naturally.”

She glared at him. “Hilarious. I came to talk to you about a much more… infuriating matter. My son.”

He looked up at her in shock for a second. His mind turned to Annabeth’s brother, and his head immediately filled with all the terrible things Alex might’ve said. “I don’t know what the Hell Alex told you. He was probably just joking around. We never… it wasn’t my idea to TP your cabin when you didn’t send Malcolm a birthday present…

“No, you idiot!” said Athena, exasperated. “My dead son! The one who built the labyrinth! And I did send Malcolm a present that year! I sent him gourmet cookies from his favorite store!”

Percy shrank in his seat. “Well, uh, Alex and I… certainly didn’t eat those cookies. And we definitely did not think up a cover-up plan.” He froze, realizing he had said too much.

Athena stared at him for a few seconds in exasperation before looking back at Annabeth and Tyson. She took a long, disturbed drink of her wine. “I can’t deal with whatever idiocy you and my son concocted. For once in your life, focus. How did you get Daedalus to kill himself?”

Percy straightened, a little taken aback. “Why would you want to know that? It’s… not a pleasant memory.”

            Athena’s face softened a bit. “I’m sorry. But I spent millennia trying to track down my son. Every time, he evaded me. And yet some random fifteen-year-old boy he’s never met who has a crush on my daughter just waltzes into his office and convinces him to sacrifice himself for a pantheon he didn’t even support. Needless to say, I’m a little perplexed.”

            “Well, I talked to him like a human being, for one,” said Percy. “Based on what I saw of your relationship, you weren’t on equal footing.”

            “I didn’t pull you aside for your famous snark.”

            “I’m serious. You’re a bit… intimidating.”

She sighed. “I suppose that’s true. But it’s not like I didn’t try to engage Daedalus as my son. After several decades, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and forgive him. It may not come as naturally for me as some others, but I am his mother.” She paused, her voice a little shaky. “I mean, I was his mother.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know much else about it.”

“He must’ve said something to you, Percy. I need you to think back. What did he tell you? What made him willing to die for you?”

            Percy looked to his feet. She seemed pained, and he couldn’t quite face her. As it turned out, when she talked to him with a bit of respect, he felt bad denying her the information. “I don’t… I’m sorry. I just don’t know. I mean, he said something about the demigods… and protecting them. But I’m not really sure. I’m sorry. He seemed to really like me. I don’t know why, though, because he’s a lot like you. And you don’t like me-

            “My son and I are similar,” she muttered. “I don’t trust you because you remind me of your father. It wouldn’t normally matter. I don’t usually bear grudges against teens, but you decided to date my daughter. That’s a bit different – more personal. But Daedalus never had the experiences with Poseidon that I did, and he doesn’t have to worry about that.”

            “Yeah, but I barged into his office and begged him to help us. Like, I may have implied that not killing himself was selfish at one point. The guy had no reason to like me.”

            “That was… remarkably dumb,” said Athena.

            “Thanks.”

            “I’m sorry. Force of habit. What happened?”

            “Well, we had some time to talk,” said Percy. “But that was it.”

            “Did he say anything to you?” she asked, leaning in. “Please, Percy. This is my son!”

            She meant it. Though the steel in her eyes displayed strength, he could see a conflicted mother’s tears welling behind them. He thought back, hard. “I remember one thing,” said Percy. “Just one.”

            “What?”

            “He said I had to change Olympus.”

            She looked at him, opening her mouth, and then decided against it. She stared ahead into the crowd, eyes drifting. “He thought you could destroy us. Because of the prophecy. He hates us.” Her shoulders sunk, a shadow descending over her face. “I can’t believe that he hates me enough to-

            “No,” said Percy. “You’re wrong. He said change. He didn’t say destroy. And he wasn’t totally clear on this, but I could tell from the way he was talking. He thought I could change the Olympians.”

            She stared at him. “But why you?”

            He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe your son just isn’t as cynical-

            “Percy, I’m not trying to insult you, but you’re just a kid! Even you must realize that!”

            He sighed. “I mean, I guess.”

            They sat in silence for a minute. “My son was no fool, Perseus Jackson. Whatever he meant by it, I’ll be on the lookout.” She studied the room. “Oh, look. My daughter is done dancing with your brother. The monster. Why don’t you go have fun?”

He sighed. “You know, he helped save your children. He was with Annabeth, Grover, and I in the labyrinth.”

            “I’m sure he’s a wonderful cyclops. But he’s immature. He’s a kid, Percy. The boy doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

            “No, you’re wrong,” he said. “He knows when he’s in danger, and he still protected the both of us in spite of that. Annabeth and I would have died if not for him.”

            Athena smiled. “You are devoted to your friends. I admire that about you, Percy. It will still be your downfall.”

            He thought for a moment. “Annabeth would say… there are worse ways to die.”

            She chuckled half-heartedly. “Well, go have fun before then. I won’t bother you anymore.”

He sighed as she walked away, and making sure she had walked out of earshot, he headed for Annabeth and Tyson. But someone placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him backwards. He turned to see Apollo, his face bright as usual. The music changed to a classic hit, Zeno the Elean Lover, as he pulled Percy in closer. “Long time no see, kid!”

            “Hey, Apollo,” said Percy. “Nice to see you. I know, it’s been too long. Maybe we should get together sometime.”

            “Yeah, I’d be down for some archery practice if you want!” said Apollo. “You can’t get a better viewpoint than the sky, you know.”

            “Listen, Apollo, I’d love to. But I just got separated from Annabeth, and I haven’t really gotten to spend any time with her.”

            Apollo laughed. “Hey, say no more, my friend. I wouldn’t dream of getting in your way. But call me sometime, you know? Hit me up with an Iris message!”

            Percy smiled. “Thanks. I will.” He turned to head for Annabeth, but quickly bumped into Hermes. The music changed to a classic 90’s hit, Do the Hunky Sisyphus.

            Hermes looked at him, fear in his eyes. “Percy, I’ve got to talk to you.”

            “Hey, hey, chill out, bro!” said Apollo, patting Hermes on the back. “The kid’s trying to have some fun with his girl, you know? You don’t get many big parties like this.”

            “No, you don’t understand,” said Hermes. “I have to talk to him.”

            “It’s that urgent?” asked Percy.

            “Yes,” said Hermes. “And it’s best we don’t talk in here.”

            Percy glanced at Annabeth, sighing. “Yeah, if it’s urgent, let’s go.”

            “Sorry about that, kid,” said Apollo. “Just… not in the stars tonight, I guess?”

            “I appreciate it, Percy,” said Hermes. “I know it’s a lot to ask. Come on.”

            He followed Hermes, trying to hide his disappointment.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

A Desperate Gamble

The cool night air hit Percy as they left. Underneath Hermes’ silence, he could hear faint music from the party mixed with chirping bugs. They walked about half a mile to the elevator, Hermes deadly silent, and then the messenger god beckoned Percy towards a metal bench. Charles Beckendorf, whistling to himself, noticed Percy and stopped. “Sorry. Heard the party was fun.”

“What are you doing here?” asked Percy. “Weren’t you inside?”

“It’s your party, and you’re not inside,” shrugged Beckendorf.

“I got him first,” confessed Hermes. “I wanted to buy you some time. He’s already been briefed.”

“Yeah? Well?”

“Kronos has moved the Princess Andromeda right off Camp Half-Blood,” said Hermes.

“Then we’ll blow it up,” said Percy.

            “He wants to negotiate,” muttered Hermes.

            “What point is there talking things over?” asked Percy. “I thought you all wanted him in Tartarus.”

            “True enough,” said Hermes. “I don’t know why he’s pulling this, but he’s got half-bloods with him. We should hear him out, if only for their sake.” His eyes betrayed a hint of concern.

            “So why us?” asked Percy.

            Hermes shrugged. “He requested the two of you specifically.”

            “It sounds a little odd.”

            “Of course it does,” sighed Hermes. He put his hand on his face, taking a seat next to Beckendorf. “But if there’s a chance that we can get some people back… I don’t want to give it up. Besides, for Kronos to pull something while that close to Camp Half-Blood would be insane. He’s already lost a lot of troops in the labyrinth. If he betrays us now, he’ll probably have to sacrifice the naval theater to get out of there.”

            Percy looked at Beckendorf. “But… why Beckendorf? I don’t mean to be rude. It’s just that-

            Beckendorf raised an eyebrow, mildly peeved. “Oh, just because I’m not a ‘child of prophecy’-

            “No!” said Percy. “That’s not what I-

            He chuckled, flashing Percy a smile. “I know what you mean, man. It is strange. Maybe they just want someone that the older kids remember better. You weren’t always a hotshot.”

            “Well, if there’s a chance we can… bring anyone back… I’m in,” said Percy, his gaze lingering on Hermes’ troubled eyes.

            “I’m right there with you,” said Beckendorf. “Hermes, you want to lead the way?”

            “A few wind spirits will bring you both down. I’ll fly behind you.”

OoOoOoOoO

            The titans had changed the Princess Andromeda to serve more as a battleship, but the deck and concert hall were still lit up like a cruise ship. At its very end, near the entrance to the interior, Hyperion stood militantly upright, anticipating their arrival. Hermes landed beside the boys, marching alongside them. They stopped in front of the entrance. Hermes stoically offered his hand to Hyperion, and they shook.

He turned to the boys, flashing them a smile. “Well guys, knock ‘em dead.” He hesitated. “Not literally, of course.”

            Hyperion cracked a paltry smile, nodding slightly. “We’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.”

            The doors swung open, a blond-haired teen framed between them. His face, wrenched with derision, was staring directly at the messenger god.

            “Luke,” said Hermes softly. “I didn’t realize-

            “I am Kronos’s humble servant, father,” he said, his syllables strict and militaristic. “I am always by his side.”

            Hermes’s diplomatic pose broke down, his shoulders sagging and lips faltering. The majesty of godhood had collapsed under the weight of his son’s gaze. “Luke… just come home, son-

            “I’m afraid I cannot allow that request to go unanswered,” said Hyperion. “We will not allow any type of solicitation of our troops on our own turf.”

            Hermes let out a deep and painful sigh, and then contorted his face back to model diplomacy. Still, Percy noted that his eyes still seemed glazed over, as if he were reliving a nightmare. “Of course. My apologies. I will return when you launch a blue signal, in honor of the sea god. We can discuss the end of the ceasefire at that time.” He gave Luke one last regretful look and then flew off into the sky.

            The sound of grunting within the ship caught the nerves of the boys. They turned to survey the inside, a faint light glowing behind Luke. “Hyperion, was that really necessary?”

            Hyperion straightened, a little agitated. “We cannot allow enemy forces to incite insurrection on our ship, brother.”

            Luke moved aside. Kronos stepped into the piercing lights that lit up the deck, standing firm against the strong winds that battered the ship. He roped his arm around Luke’s back, patting the demigod delicately. “Luke’s loyalty wouldn’t waver so easily. Our bond is stronger than blood.”

            Luke sighed, breaking his façade of stone. “Even so, I didn’t want to get into it with him.”

            Kronos shook his head, taking a seat on the deck. “You’re going to have to face him eventually, Luke. You can’t avoid him forever.” Luke crossed his arms, frowning. Kronos grunted, turning his attention to the two visitors. He greeted them with a wide smile. “Perseus Jackson and Charlie Beckendorf! Welcome to my ship!”

            Beckendorf blushed, his upper lip contorted with sheer rage. “Excuse me?”

            Kronos’ eyes flitted between the two boys. “Ah, you are… Charlie Beckendorf, right?”

            “Only my girlfriend calls me Charlie,” said Beckendorf, his face sown with anger. For a second Percy entertained the idea that Beckendorf might be the child of prophecy after all. He certainly looked ready to beat the shit out of Kronos. “I don’t remember asking you out.”

            Kronos laughed heartily, slapping his knee. “Oh dear, I certainly hope not! There’s a bit of an age difference there… ah, my apologies.” He gave off another big smile, though Percy saw the edges of his lips seemed a little too forced into position. “Luke, you shouldn’t have told me that was his name. Rather impolite of you, don’t you think?”

            Luke shrugged, shooting Beckendorf a knowing grin. “Hey, for old time’s sake, right?”

            “It’s Charles,” muttered Beckendorf. “If you have to call me by my first name.”

            “Forgive me, boys,” said Kronos. He gazed out over the waves, looking up at the stars. “It’s a lovely night tonight, but I’d like to have a private chat with you both. Why don’t we head inside?”

            Luke coughed. “My Lord, you said-

            “I said plenty of things, Luke. We discussed this beforehand.” Luke opened his mouth to protest, but Kronos simply shook his head. “I will talk to the boys inside. Alone. There are some things that can only be said in confidence.” He motioned for the two boys to come in, and reluctantly, they followed.

OoOoOoOoO

            They entered a vast dining room with a long and elegant oak table. Someone had packed the tabletop with food: freshly baked cookies oozing with chocolate, pancakes sticky with maple syrup and creamy butter droplets, shimmering, succulent fruits piled in baskets, freshly caught lobsters steamed in their shells plated on a bed of clams and oysters, a freshly baked ham in maple-pineapple sauce with the caramelized chunks still sticking there. With each dish, the boys’ mouths began to water more and more. Worse, all of the baked goods were colored blue. “I knew I had to compete with a party,” offered Kronos. “Figured I should put up a fight.”

            Beckendorf licked his lips, his eyes locked on the food, not daring to look up at Kronos. “All of my favorite foods.”

            Percy took a moment to process. “How the Hell did you know all of this?”

            “Oh, you’d be surprised how many sources I have in your little camp,” said Kronos, dangling a scythe keychain in front of the boys. He pulled three chairs up to the end of the table. “You’re quite the gourmand, Charles. Please, dig in. It would be a shame if it all went to waste.”

            “No way,” said Beckendorf, crossing his arms. “I don’t know what the Hell you put in there.”

Percy, who hadn’t eaten, listened to the sounds of protest emanating from his stomach. He rubbed it gently, sighing. “I’ll pass too.”

            “I went to a lot of trouble for this,” said Kronos, picking up an apple and taking a bite. He continued speaking while eating, his lips smacking between words. “Really, the food is absolutely safe to eat. Good apple, too. Freshly harvested. And Percy, I baked the cookies myself, though I wouldn’t dare compare myself to Sally Jackson.”

            “No,” muttered Percy, his eyebrows knitting with anger at the sound of his mother’s name. “Beckendorf’s right. We should get to the point. Why are we here?”

            Kronos eyed the food with annoyance, sticking out his tongue. “What a waste.” Turning his head back to the boys, he looked pretty upset about the food, but shrugged it off. “Suit yourselves.”

            “Gentlemen, as the god of time, I’ve seen quite a lot of it,” he began, reaching for one of the cookies and munching on it solemnly. “And, like myself, it can be quite volatile. One moment, everything seems to be at peace, and then in the next… pantheons are rising and falling. Now, I try to maintain my composure as best I can, but we all mess up, and time is no exception. There are periods of peace, but they cannot remain undisturbed for all eternity.” He paused, his voice growing slower. “As you know, the gods have ruled over Olympus uninterrupted… for 5,000 years.”

            Beckendorf balled his fists. “Don’t tell me you’re trying to recruit us. It won’t work.”

            “Whatever your thoughts about me, you know it’s true,” said Kronos. “Percy, the gods have clearly become complacent. They are cunning and calculating, concerned only with themselves. That has warped their minds to focus only on their self-preservation. Look at how they treat you, their own children! Just like tools!”

            “You ate your own kids, man!” shouted Beckendorf.

             Kronos sighed a long, breathy sigh, as if he needed the time to separate himself from the moment. “Can’t really live that one down, can I? But I assure you, a lot can change after 5,000 years in exile. Even a Titan. I ate my kids, it’s true. Then I languished in Tartarus for several thousand years. When I got out, Rhea, my own wife, wouldn’t look at me. I lost a lot and learned my lesson.” He meditated on this solemnly for a second, eyes drawn to the floor. Then, he sat up, a new vigor growing within him. “But I changed only because I was forced to reckon with what I had done. You know who’s never been held accountable so far? The gods. They don’t give a shit about family or treating people right. Do you really think that if they viewed you as a serious threat, Percy, they’d hesitate to chop your head off right in the middle of the council room? Their appetite for power is more ravenous than mine ever was.”

            “They let me live this long,” mused Percy. “I’m almost 16.”

            “I understand the finality you might feel, Percy, but there’s more to life than your 16^th birthday. Even if you fulfil the prophecy and maintain Olympus, there are other prophecies which foretell that Zeus will be overthrown by the next generation, just like I was. That includes demigods like you.”

            “Yeah, one problem,” said Beckendorf. “Percy can’t take on a god so easily, let alone twelve.”

            Kronos got up to pace for a minute, the smile fading from his face. His eyes locked on the ground, and he seemed absorbed in his thoughts. “I’ve collected plenty of stories about odd circumstances surrounding Mr. Jackson that suggest otherwise, Charles. Medusa said she caught his gaze when he cut her head off.

            Percy’s heart pounded. He had written that off long ago as a fluke of his imagination. But in his mind, he could still picture the serpentine skin that sent chills down his spine. And now, to hear Kronos confirm it…

            “They say he listened to the song of the Sirens without succumbing.” Percy heard the haunting melody ring out in his head as he swam across the sea to save Annabeth’s drowning figure. “They say that the sky lifted for him when he took it on his shoulders. And now, with my very own eyes, I have seen the genius inventor of the labyrinth, traitor to his pantheon, give up his life for this boy. Tell me, do you think these things are the mark of a normal, average demigod?”

            Percy shivered, releasing a frigid, haunted breath from his mouth. “How do you know all of this?”

            “My servants regenerate,” shrugged Kronos. “I’ve had an eye on you for a while now.”

            Beckendorf clasped Percy’s shoulder, his sturdy fingers like a bridge back to sanity. “He’s psyching you out, Percy.”

            “Don’t you want to know why these things are happening?” asked Kronos. “To find out what makes you so different?”

            Beckendorf’s voice became more urgent. “He’s trying to bait you!”

            “Of course I am!” snapped Kronos, his voice forceful. “But it’s Percy’s choice whether that is a good or bad thing!”

            Beckendorf shot Kronos a look. “I’m one of his fellow diplomats. You called us both here-

            “That was a bit of a formality,” said Kronos, his words getting faster. “I’m thrilled to have you here, Charlie, really, but I’m more interested in talking to Percy right now!”

            Beckendorf bit his lip. “It’s Charles. And if you felt that way, why even invite me?”

            “Well, I can’t expect Percy to leave all of his friends behind,” said Kronos, shrugging. “I thought having an older mentor from camp might help him navigate his new life working for me.”

            “I won’t do it,” said Percy, his voice and body trembling. “Whatever you’re trying to pull, I don’t want in.”

            “At least hear me out,” said Kronos. “The gods have reason to fear you. You should know your other options.”

            “No,” said Percy. “This meeting is over.”

            Kronos leaned towards them, his hands resting firmly on his scythe. “Do you really think that when you threaten the gods, your divine pals will flock to your side? Can you imagine Dionysus sticking his neck out for you? Ares vouching for his dear friend Perseus Jackson? Let’s not forget Athena; she’d rather have you out of her daughter’s life as soon as possible. You only need to know how to count to six to see how they’ll kill you, Percy. Zeus breaks ties, and I’m pretty sure he’s against you.”

            The room was silent for a minute as the logic sank into their brains. Kronos had named four of twelve deities decidedly against Percy. There wasn’t much calculus required; just the tortured imaginations of two boys who had angered their fair share of gods and goddesses. “Let’s go,” muttered Beckendorf, his voice like the hiss of winter winds.

            “Wait,” said Percy, grabbing Beckendorf by the shoulder. “I don’t get it. If I’m so much of a threat to the Olympians, why help me? You want to take over the Olympian throne-

Kronos rolled his eyes. “You demigods all think the same.” He took a moment to reconsider. “I’m sorry, that’s not fair. You’ve been trained to. By your parents. But believe it or not, not every divine being wants that kind of power… not anymore, anyways. Did you hear me earlier? What good did the throne get me? A hateful wife. Millenia of torture in Tartarus. Boring council meetings were punishment enough on their own. And to balance the egos of my family… a ruthless endeavor!” He paused, and then there was a flicker in his eye. “But there’s so much to live life for. When the Olympians no longer have power, I am free to roam the world once more. To visit the ancient ruins of Rome, dine in the cafés of Paris, seek the ancient treasures of Mali! True freedom for a deity is obscurity, Percy. I have no interest wasting my life ruling over anyone.”

Curiosity broke Beckendorf’s disinterest. “If you won’t rule… who will?”

Kronos smiled. “Well, I suppose I require some volunteers with open minds. Right now, only Luke is on board. But I’m offering you something the gods would never give you. They’re so wrapped up in the world of power politics, it won’t stop until they’re dethroned. If you’ve ever imagined a better Olympus, and I know you both have, I can help with that. You just need to join my side.”

“He can’t be serious,” muttered Beckendorf. “He’s just bullshitting. Let’s get out of here.”

Beckendorf began to walk out, only to look back and see Percy firmly planted in place. A thick line of sweat had built on his forehead. Under Kronos’ gaze, he pondered these new revelations and the feelings that were blossoming inside him.

“It’s time to go,” said Beckendorf, his voice more urgent. “It’s too perfect. He’s lying.”

“Too perfect!” roared Kronos with glee. “That’s the best defense one of Olympus’ staunchest defenders can offer in response to my deal? Oh, Charlie-

Beckendorf’s eyes flared with rage. “For fuck’s sake, man-

“You’ve just made my day!” Kronos turned his attention to Percy, nearly bouncing on his seat. “What do you say, Percy?”

“You’re right,” said Percy. Beckendorf let out a relieved sigh, reaching out to offer his hand and bring Percy out of there. But Percy didn’t take his hand. The young demigod stepped forward, bowing at Kronos’s feet. His voice shook with reverence and wonder. “I do want to join you. But I need to know the truth. All my life, I’ve been tormented by what I’ve seen. It keeps me awake at night, wondering. Tell me everything.”

“Percy, you can’t be serious,” said Beckendorf, stepping beside him. “Everything we’ve worked towards… all the people he’s hurt-

            That stream of thought ended with a flick of the titan’s finger. Beckendorf’s speech slowed to an incomprehensible pace. Kronos’s face flickered with an eager smile, his eyes shining like rich gems. “You have made the right decision, my child. Percy, the truth is… you are a god. You have ichor within your veins. The rest can be explained with time.”

            Percy let that sink in for a moment. “Okay. Unfreeze him.”

Kronos nodded, and Beckendorf turned to Percy, his face a canvas of different emotions. “Percy, how could you?”

            Percy shrugged. “Annabeth dragged me to an acting class once. Come on, we should go.”

            Kronos’s smile faltered. “But… but you-

            “I didn’t swear on the Styx.”

            Kronos straightened, burying his face in one massive hand. He began chuckling, but his laughs grew louder and louder. “Oh, you really had me going there, Percy. And I really hoped we wouldn’t have to do this.” He raised his scythe. Beckendorf’s hands tightened on his blade. Kronos punched Beckendorf in the gut, slamming his body into the wall of the ship. When his back made contact, he slumped to the floor, coughing up blood.

            “Athena once said your fatal flaw was overwhelming loyalty,” said Kronos, swinging his scythe as he approached Percy. “Wise or not, she was wrong. You don’t know how much you’re worth, child. And it shows.”

            Percy held Riptide up in front of him, sweating nervously. “You’re insane. We’re in the middle of Olympian territory. They’ll destroy your navy-

            “I don’t think you understand what I’m saying,” said Kronos, his voice dripping with self-assured glee. “It doesn’t matter who has the largest army or navy. When it comes down to who’s winning this war, it all depends on who has you at their side. My strategy does not depend on a land victory, or a naval victory. It hinges on a Percy Jackson victory.”

            Percy’s eyes darted around the room, looking for some exit. He considered how to get Beckendorf’s body out of the room, glancing over at his friend. Beckendorf’s eyes were barely open, but his hand was moving at his side. Slowly, delicately, he pulled out a small metallic device from his pocket, not arousing Kronos’ attention. Percy’s eyes widened.

            For weeks following the incident, Percy would go over the situation in his mind a thousand times. He wondered if somehow, he could’ve reached Beckendorf and saved him. But Beckendorf shook his head subtly, giving Percy a sad smile. He knew just as Percy did that only one of them could get out of there alive.

            Kronos glanced between the two of them, confused. His eyes began to widen with realization, and he leapt for Beckendorf. “PUT IT DOWN, CHARLIE!”

            “My name’s Beckendorf!” screamed Beckendorf, pushing a button on the bomb.

            Percy raced towards the window, taking one look back at Beckendorf. “I love you, man.”

            Beckendorf gave him a salute as Kronos’s body tackled him to the ground. In an enormous flash, the hall lit aflame, and Percy felt the force thrusting him deep into the water, knocking his head straight into the waves. He slowly began to lose consciousness, his vision fading to black. The raging surf hid his tears as his last thoughts darted to Beckendorf.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Ominous Horizons

Percy woke to a putrid cocktail of saltwater and rotting fish brewing in his mouth. Overwhelmed by the taste of ocean carrion, he thrashed his head to the side and vomited in the surf. Thousands of dead fish carcasses surrounded him. The beach looked like the aftermath of a plague.

Struggling to regain control of his senses, his hazy eyes made out ship remnants among the well-aged sashimi. The memory of Beckendorf’s body, tossed aside like a ragdoll, came roaring back to him.

“I… I see someone!”

The sound of that voice crushed him. She had spoken to Beckendorf so sweetly on this beach not weeks ago, yelling with glee as each firework lit up the sky. Beckendorf had looked up at her namesake that night, marveling at her name each time he said it, not entirely believing how happy he felt. Silena, Silena, Silena.

Percy’s heart ached. He tried to rise to a sitting position, but his spine revolted, screaming at him to lay back down. He had risen just enough to become conscious of the fact that his clothes had burned off entirely. He reached out with his right arm to cover himself with some seaweed but found that he had lost control of his arm, and of his dignity. His eyes began to well up.

Finally, the footfalls slowed, the water silent. She looked down at him, a smile finally appearing. “Percy! I’m so glad you’re safe.”

He managed a faint smile, and then he saw her smile. It hit him too hard. In seconds, his mouth twisted to dread, and his eyes filled with tears. He broke into hysterical sobs as more footsteps came, and Silena’s face lost all of its luster as the terrible realization hit her.

“Please don’t… don’t act like that,” she muttered, stepping back as if from a cliff’s edge. “Charlie can’t be…

He’d lost the capacity for language, responding only with wails of agony. She knelt down beside him and covered her face, wailing in perfect harmony with him. He wished deep in his heart that he could comfort her in some way, but his body refused to move. He couldn’t repress the feeling of disgust at his weakness welling up inside him. Here, once more, was a demigod rendered powerless to help the ones he loved.

Annabeth came racing over, took one look at the two of them, and knelt beside Silena, cradling her like a mother would a child. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“IT’S NOT FAIR!” she shrieked. “HE WASN’T SUPPOSED TO DIE!”

Annabeth sighed shakily, her eyes fuzzy with tear droplets. She beckoned behind her. “Clarisse! Get her inside.” Clarisse followed Annabeth dutifully, a sign of dire times. She hugged Silena tightly as Katie Gardener came to help, and the two of them carried her away, sobbing.

Annabeth knelt down next to Percy, sniffing as she brushed a tear aside. “Hey Seaweed Brain.”

He winced, trying to hold back his tears. “I… I couldn’t… I couldn’t-

“I know,” she said, caressing his face gently. “It’s not your fault.” She stood up, taking a deep breath, and surveyed his body. Her face flushed with red as she passed below his torso. She averted her eyes to the sky. “Um… how are you feeling?”

“Can’t move,” he managed. It was the understatement of the century. He felt like he couldn’t do much of anything, much less be of any use.

Alex Chase and Grover approached Annabeth from behind. Her brother patted her on the back. “Grover and I can, uh… inspect his body, I guess.”

Annabeth nodded. “They’ll check you out. Tell me if it hurts.”

As Grover patted Percy’s body down, Percy’s limited medical training came rushing back to him. He tried to offer some help. “My right arm is numb. And… AGH!” His body spasmed a bit as Grover prodded him. He looked at Grover.

            “Glass,” muttered the satyr, sighing. “Large piece buried in his back, near the spine.”

            “Shit!” shouted Percy.

            “It’ll be okay,” said Annabeth. “You’ve held up the sky, right?” She offered a faint smile, trying to look confident. “Guys, do you mind taking him to the infirmary? And… maybe getting him some pants?”

            “Sure,” said Grover. “As for the pants-

            He stopped mid-sentence at the sound of a zipper. Annabeth and Grover looked at Alex.

            “What?” asked Alex. “I’ve got boxers on.”

            Annabeth sighed. “I’m going to check on Silena.” She took one last look at Percy. “I’ll be over as soon as I can, alright?”

            He nodded. As the two of them picked him up, he felt the consciousness fade from his body.

OoOoOoOoO

            He came to in an infirmary bed, a random girl staring down at him, her face deeply inquisitive. Her long dark hair had been braided into an elaborate pattern, and she wore beaded necklaces of varying materials and colors around her neck. They melded together into a rainbow of sorts, hanging far beneath her neck. When she noticed his eyes opening, she smiled. “Well, this is intriguing!”

            “I’m sorry,” said Percy, shaking his head. “Who are you?”

            She shrugged, leaning back in her chair. “Oh, no one in particular,” she said. “I just like watching things.”

            “Right,” muttered Percy, studying the rest of the room. They were entirely alone, but this was not too abnormal for Percy. He never quite understood why, but Greek deities and monsters had a penchant for appearing with an air of mystery and not telling him anything. “Could you maybe give me some space?”

            Percy watched with disbelief as she scooted her chair back no more than an inch. She leaned in enough that she was basically closer than when she had started, and her stare grew more intense. “Tell me, Percy, are you afraid?”

            With a sigh, he gave into the cryptic bullshit of it all. “Afraid of what?”

            “Being a god.”

            He tried to sit up, but a spout of dizziness marooned him to the bed for the moment. He sighed, glaring at her. “Would you mind not saying that so loud?”

            She laughed happily. “Sorry, sorry! I forget how secretive everyone can be. These things are just so clear to me that I forget they’re so novel to you all!”

            “How do you even know something like that?” asked Percy. A wave of concern descended over him. “Are you the spy?”

            “I’ve never really thought of it as spying,” she said, considering the proposition thoughtfully. “I mean, I don’t intend to spy on anyone. It just happens to me.”

            Percy blinked. “What?”

            “The prophecies,” she said, as if that were obvious. “It’s not like I have any control over them.”

            “You’re… an Oracle?”

            “Well,” said the girl, “not just ‘an Oracle’. I’m the Oracle. Of Delphi. You know, I’m quite proud of that. The name’s Grace.”

            Percy rubbed his eyes. “I must be dreaming. I mean, you should be dead.”

            She frowned. “I thought Chiron taught you not to say such rude things!”

            He sighed. “Oh, for fuck’s sake - last time I talked to you, you were dead!”

            “Well, I suppose that’s true,” she said, pondering it like there was some greater significance to his words. “Are any of us really alive?”

            “Lady, have you been smoking or something?”

            “Oh, did you want some?” she asked, pulling out a bag of green leaves from under her shirt. “It really helps with the pain.”

            He decided it was best not to ask her any more questions. Just as he was about to call for help, her body convulsed, her eyes went green, and she seized him by the collar, pulling him in close to her face. Connected, their bodies shook in tandem. He could feel her skunky breath on his face, a green mist pouring out from her mouth.

DARKNESS AWAITS YOU, O SON OF THE SEA

SHOULD YOU TAKE UP THE FORBIDDEN DEGREE

AND FOLLOW THE TEACHER, LOCKED TO THE SKY

THOUGH YOU WILL EXTINGUISH THE LORD OF TIME

THE WAR WILL UNRAVEL ALL THAT YOU LOVE

AND ANGER RAIN DOWN FROM HEAVENS ABOVE

THE SEA WILL RISE UP ALONGSIDE THE DEAD

AND TERROR IN WAR CRACK OPEN YOUR HEAD

            She fainted on the floor next to him. He stared at her lifeless body for a few seconds before he heard the door open across the room. Annabeth walked in, a cup of ambrosia at her side.

            “Oh, I’m so glad you’re awake,” she said, sighing and rushing to his side. She tripped on Grace’s body, cursing as she fell. The ambrosia splattered on Grace’s body, and she muttered something about blue cookies in her sleep. Annabeth gathered herself, brushing ambrosia off her jeans as she rose up. “Percy, who the fuck is this?”

            He gave her an exasperated look “How the Hell should I know?”

            “She got in here somehow,” said Annabeth.

            He sighed. “Okay. I… she’s the Oracle. That much I know.”

            Annabeth eyed him for a second before leaning over him, placing a hand against his forehead and nodding. “Oh yes, you do have a fever. A bad one. Alongside the delusions that’s not-

            He pushed her hand aside. “I’m serious, and I’m not delusional!”

            “Percy, the Oracle’s dead.”

            Both Percy and Annabeth were overcome by a cold chill, and suddenly Grace’s body reanimated, rising upright and staring at the two of them with the same piercing green eyes and hallowing green mouth smoke and fragrant green marijuana in her hand. She stared directly at Annabeth this time.

DAUGHTER OF WISDOM, HEED YOU MY WARNING

IF THE MAD KING FLOODS, AWASH WITH MOURNING

THE BEAST IN WAITING WILL SEIZE SPEAR FROM TIME

AWAKEN THE BLIND TO UNSEE THIS CRIME

TO REBUILD YOUR HOMELAND AND PEACETIME FIND

REND SENSES FOR SENSELESS; MEND BROKEN MINDS

WILL YOU BOW DOWN TO YOUR TERRIBLE FATE?

OR CAST ASIDE SUCH UNBEARABLE WEIGHT?

            Then, Grace blinked, and her eyes were back to normal once more.

            “Wow!” said Grace, smiling ear to ear. She clasped Annabeth on the shoulder, studying her with great interest. “I must’ve been out a little bit! Who are you?”

            Annabeth sighed. “This is too much for one day. Percy, please tell me you caught all of that.”

            “Not much. In my defense, I probably have a concussion.”

            “Whatever it was, it sounded very ominous,” muttered Annabeth, taking a seat on the bed next to him. “Was yours any more comprehensible?”

            Percy wracked his brain, but it still felt fuzzy. “Annabeth, I only woke up a few minutes ago. I recall something about a forbidden degree from a teacher locked to the sky… something about Kronos, probably… and my head cracking open.”

            She shivered. “Out of all the things she could’ve said… speaking of, um… Oracle lady, you wouldn’t happen to have memorized what you said?”

            Grace chuckled slightly. “Oh, I have, alright. But… I’m afraid I can’t tell you.”

            Annabeth shot her a look. “You’re serious? You just told us-

            “I can only repeat a prophecy to the person it pertains to,” she said. “Vision is a powerful thing, Annabeth.” She winked, chuckling to herself. “Incredibly powerful in the right hands. If you’d like to hear yours again, I’d be happy to step aside.”

            Annabeth nodded. “I’ll take a lap. Let Percy know what his said, please.” She shut the door behind her, leaving the two of them there. Grace repeated the prophecy, her voice taking on an ethereal tone as she delivered it.

            “That sounds terrifying,” muttered Percy. He fixated on the forbidden degree part. “Grace, would you know anything about me being a god?”

            She smiled from ear to ear, and Percy swore she looked like a wolf licking her lips. “Percy, I just might. But I’m afraid I am just a servant of the future, not its master.”

            “Says who?”

            She shook her head, laughing. “Oh, if only you knew. There are things not even the Olympians know, you know? Desolate corners of this earth and of existence… whole histories ravaged by the great conduit of erosion, time.” Then, she approached him, her face mere inches from his. “You might even get to hear about some of it!” And then she poked him on the nose, sitting down on the bed and humming to herself.

            “Uh huh,” muttered Percy. “Helpful. Real helpful.”

            “Don’t hate the messenger.”

            Annabeth walked back in a minute later. “Can we talk now?”

            Grace winked at Percy. “Be right back.”

            Percy waited in silence for a few minutes, seeing which parts of his body could move. Regardless of the pain in his spine, he seemed to be recovering his faculties at a quick rate. Despite this, his bed-ridden state still unnerved him. The image of Beckendorf’s resolute stare fresh in his mind, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he should be up and moving.

            The door reopened. Annabeth motioned to a bed in the corner. “I’ll talk to Chiron later, but for now, you should probably consider this your home.” She walked over to Percy, sitting on the bed across from him. “I don’t like this prophecy one bit. It’s saying I’ll have to rebuild my homeland. That means it will be destroyed at some point. If the mad king floods, whatever that means. Any insights from yours?”

            “Same shit as before,” muttered Percy. “Avoid the forbidden degree from the teacher locked to the sky or else I’ll go crazy or something. But it would probably help me defeat Kronos. There may be something with Hades and Poseidon thrown in there.”

            Annabeth cringed. “Could it be a war between the Big Three? World War III?”

            “I can’t imagine that,” muttered Percy.

            “Whatever the case, we have to make sure you don’t take up this forbidden degree, whatever it is, and stop the mad king from flooding. If the first thing is going to be a temptation for you to defeat Kronos, we should find some other way for you to defeat him.”

            “Sounds reasonable,” said Percy. “Once I heal, anyways.”

            Annabeth thought for a second. “I’m going to see who I can contact about reading prophecy. They might be able to offer some more help. These dual prophecies… it really irks me, Percy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that happening.”

            “We’ll make it through,” said Percy. “Whatever she throws at us, we somehow always end up winning.” He clasped her hand, and she gave him a relaxed smile, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

            “I’ll be back in a little while. I’m so glad to see you feeling better.”

            “Thanks.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

Reflections

            “Now look here, Percy. Hey. Hey! Focus, man!”

            Beckendorf hit Percy’s stomach with the side of his sword. Percy felt the metal blade whip sharply against his torso, and he was sent tumbling into a thin layer of snow which cushioned his fall. He peered up at Beckendorf, a little peeved. “The Hell was that for?”

            Beckendorf sighed, shaking his head. “That’s what would happen in a real fight.” He gripped Percy’s hand tightly, yanking him back to his feet. “Only you’d have a hole through your chest. You can’t slack, man! You’re the child of prophecy!”

            Percy sighed, glancing over at the snow pile by the arena door. A faint chorus of laughs and yelps hung over the battleground, the sounds of younger campers out enjoying the bounty of winter. “Sorry, Beck. We haven’t done anything exciting lately, and with the snow…

            “I know,” muttered Beckendorf. The snow had caught his eyes as well – it was the beautiful, crisp kind that had just fallen and looked like cream. “With the Artemis campers here, things have gotten a little crazy.”

            “It’s just one day of practice,” said Percy. “We can make it up.”

            Beckendorf dug his teeth into his lip, squeezing his eyes shut. “Oh, what the Hell. Just make sure you bring your a-game tomorrow. We’ve got a lot to get through. Practice has been way too slow lately.”

            Percy narrowed his eyes, watching as Beckendorf paced the arena. “What do you mean by that?”

            Beckendorf stopped to sit down, sighing. He pulled a rag out of his back pocket, using it to clean off his sword. “I’m just not the swordsman Luke was.”

            “You’re doing fine, man.”

            “He was a prodigy, Percy.” He looked up from his sword, weight in his eyes. “To lose a guy like that to Kronos is… such a blow.”

            Percy took a seat next to him, patting him on the back. “You’ve been stressed about him a lot lately. What’s the big deal?”

            “I’m one of the older campers now,” shrugged Beckendorf. “Someone’s gotta step up.” He turned to see Percy trying to suppress a big smile. “What’s that look for?”

            “Nothing, nothing,” mused Percy. “I just remember back in the day when you were… you know, fun, and hip. And not a stick in the mud.”

            Beckendorf blushed slightly. “The Hell do you mean? I’m not a stick in the mud! I still know how to have fun-

            Percy hopped onto a pedestal, balancing playfully. “I remember the days when the great Charles Beckendorf rigged a fire-breathing Roomba to chase Clarisse around camp for 48 hours straight. Now that… that was-

            “That was NOT my finest moment,” said Beckendorf, staring up at Percy with a look of sharp disapproval. “Clarisse is on the same side as us. And when you turn 16, you start to appreciate these things.”

            A haughty voice called out from the mouth of the arena. It was deep, but artificially so. “Oh, someone get too old for fun?”

            Beckendorf stood up, one finger held up in retort. He looked ready to break into a long rant, but upon seeing Silena Beauregard, his body froze up. His voice faltered a bit. “Silena? What’re you doing here?”

            “Dunno,” said Silena, shrugging. “I wanted to see my good friend Mr. Jackson here. He knows how to have a little fun.”

            “Yeah, he’s good at that,” muttered Beckendorf. “But I’m trying to teach him how to be disciplined. So if you don’t mind, I don’t need you butting in on our practice!”

            “Relax, hotshot,” she said, sidling up to Beckendorf and nudging him playfully aside. Beckendorf grumbled something just passably profane to himself, deciding to sharpen his blade. Silena continued. “Percy, I’ve got a proposition.”

            “Yeah?”

            “You should come with me upstate this weekend,” said Silena, taking a stand next to Percy on the pedestal. “You’ve been practicing pretty hard for the past month, and you ought to get away for a while. The Hunters are really bringing everything down, and my uncle invited me to his house for a football game. You should come!”

            Beckendorf raised an eyebrow at her, a look of disappointment in his eyes. “No way,” he said, beginning to pace about as he began his rant. “Think of all the monsters he would attract. Maybe you can make it up there safely, but he-

            “Is his own person,” finished Silena, her voice overpowering his. He frowned, glaring at her. “I don’t recall asking you.”

            “But this is insane!” mouthed Beckendorf, wringing his hands in protest. “You could both die!”

            “It’s a short drive, Beckendorf,” said Silena, rolling her eyes. “We can get Argus to escort us.”

            Beckendorf huffed, crossing his arms. Percy noted that he looked like an angry pastor. “No. No way. And if you won’t listen to me… I’ll get Annabeth to talk some sense into him!”

            “Oh, that’s not fair at all,” muttered Silena. She stepped off the pedestal, and she began to circle him slowly like a predatory shark just waiting to move in for the kill. “You know, you just know how to take all the fun out of it, don’t you? That’s a real… a real Charlie move, you know?”

            Beckendorf’s face contorted into the most intriguing mix of pulsating veins and liquid hot anger Percy had ever seen. “WHAT did you just call me?”

            She gave him a doe-eyed look, her upper lip puffed up in a display of mock innocence. “All I said was your name, Charlie.”

            “Oh, that is it!” shouted Beckendorf. “First of all, it’s fucking Charles! And secondly, I’m going to march over to the Athena cabin right now! Someone needs to serve as a good role model for our younger campers, and it is clear to me that you-

            “You’re just jealous!” said Silena, pointing her finger centimeters from his nose. “I mean, if you want to join us that bad, I suppose I could bring one more along, but you only had to ask!”

            His mouth, previously open to rebut, shut almost immediately. His cheeks grew slightly red, and his pupils began to dilate. He took a step back from her, averting his gaze. “I… it’s still a bad idea.”

            “Hey, suit yourself,” she said, making a show of shrugging her shoulders. “You don’t have to join us… if it’s that much of a chore.”

            “Yeah, come on, Beckendorf, it’ll be fun!” said Percy, stepping off the pedestal to walk over to him. “Silena’s always telling me about how cool her uncle is.”

            “He is pretty cool,” nodded Silena. “You should consider it.”

            “I’M NOT GOING!” said Beckendorf, his forehead tickled with sweat. He looked ready to keel over. “Have fun dying! I’m out.”

            He marshalled his legs quickly, speed-walking out of the arena and leaving the two of them behind. Percy looked on in confusion. “What was all that about?”

            Silena stroked her chin, smiling. “Not sure… but I have my suspicions. Come on. Let’s grab Argus. I’ve been waiting to introduce you for a long time!”

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy woke with a start, wiping sweat off his face. His heart ached thinking about Beckendorf. Percy was still in the hospital on injury watch, but he felt fine. He decided to forgo the mandatory bed stay and take a walk.

            The sun had only just begun to crest over the waves when he arrived at the beach. No shoes on, he felt the soft sand beneath his feet and smiled. It was nice, but even the beautiful view couldn’t take his mind off Beckendorf for too long. He heard the sound of soft breathing at the other end of the beach and headed towards it carefully, worried that it might be a spy or something worse.

            As he approached, he saw Silena sitting in the dunes, hugging her knees as she looked out into the ocean beyond. She caught his eye and then sighed, turning to look back at the sea.

            “Hey,” he said, sitting down next to her. “You doing okay?”

            “No.”

            He leaned over, offering a warm hug. “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble with it too.”

            “Yeah, of course,” said Silena, her voice barely above a whisper. They sat rocking in the sand for a minute or so. “Percy, I’ve got to know. Are you sure he’s dead?”

            He bit his lip, his teeth a levy against the words that might pour forth. He hadn’t really told anyone what exactly happened on board, perhaps because it would’ve been too painful. But the last person he wanted to tell was Silena.

“I can take it, Percy.”

            “He sacrificed himself,” gasped Percy, his eyes watering. “Kronos was going to kidnap us. That was his mission. Beckendorf pulled out a bomb and… I think he knew, Silena. And I just couldn’t save him… this past week, I’ve seen it play out over and over again. He’d reach in his pocket, really quiet, really discreet. You know how he’d gotten so stealthy, so serious. It was just like him. He just snuck in there, and… and he-

            She placed a hand on his shoulders, squeezing it more firmly than he expected. “It’s okay, Percy. You don’t need to go on.” She let go of him and he sat there, eyes hollow, staring down at the sand, watching it listlessly. “Why’d Kronos want to kidnap you two?”

“I don’t know,” muttered Percy. “Some insane thing about the prophecy. As for Beckendorf, I don’t understand it. Something about having an older demigod there to mentor the young demigods and help me out. It was insane.”

            She nodded, fighting back tears. Her voice had hints of sobbing in it. “Yeah, he would’ve made a damned good mentor, wouldn’t he? He was always an amazing guy. There for you anytime. Too bad he’s dead.”

            Percy winced at the force of that final word. “Yeah,” said Percy, his voice close to that of a whisper. “Too bad.”

            She hugged him tightly and then offered him a hand. “Come on. You shouldn’t be here.”

            “I like it,” protested Percy. “I’ve always come to the ocean when I’m lost.”

            “Sorry,” she said, sniffing. “I guess I just assumed… I’m out here because I keep hoping he’ll walk out of there. Can you imagine how dumb that is? Like, he ascends from the water in a giant clam shell just like Mom, totally naked. I’m insane.”

            Percy opened his mouth to say something, then sighed. “Let’s just get back to our rooms,” said Percy.

            “Yeah, that sounds good right now.”

OoOoOoOoO

            He arrived back in his hospital room. Annabeth had taken a seat on his bed, and Nico was sitting on the bed next to her, chatting with her. Annabeth turned when Percy came in, nodding to him. “Good thing you’re back. I’ve had the chance to speak awhile with Nico about the prophecies.”

            “That’s right,” said Nico. He kept glancing back at Grace, who had taken up residence in the corner and built herself a small shrine using household objects, including Coke can braziers. Nico covered his mouth, pointing his thumb towards her. “She’s certainly an interesting case. I wish she’d come down to Hades with me, but…

            “What makes you such an expert on prophecy?” asked Percy, sitting down next to Annabeth. She gripped his hand, squeezing it gently.

            “Namely access to my father’s library,” said Nico. “And the fact that I’m studying magic. I wouldn’t call myself an expert though.”

            “Well? Any ideas?”

            “Of all the records I searched, only a few spoke of joint prophecies,” muttered Nico, withdrawing some notes from his pocket. He unfolded the paper, his eyes darting rapidly over it. “But those records told me very little. No, what’s more interesting is the type of prophecy you received.”

            “Most prophecies are static,” explained Nico. “Or, colloquially, dead prophecies. They represent what will happen, period. What you’ve both received is called a ‘living’ prophecy. It gives the receiver a choice. And, to complicate things further, Annabeth received a living conditional prophecy. Hers won’t even happen if certain conditions aren’t met.”

            “Okay,” said Percy, a little hesitantly. “I get the main idea, but… why does that matter? So it’s saying things might happen. So what?”

            “That’s the thing,” said Nico. “Prophecy draws on the same tapestry that the Fates weave, but the Fates are generally thought to know all. So in theory, the prophecy should tell you what’s actually going to happen. It’s very rare to see a prophecy that offers two possibilities, and it only occurs when powerful beings are in the picture. And the fact that the oracle offered Annabeth an entire prophecy that might not occur… I’d say the occurrence is unprecedented.”

            “Powerful beings,” noted Annabeth, pursing her lips. “What exactly does that mean, Nico?”

            “Well,” his eyes slowly skimmed down the page, “it means the prophecy involves gods, usually. So, not necessarily you two. But if someone were in the first Titanomachy, they might’ve received a prophecy like this. It suggests that some kind of great shift to the status quo is on the horizon.”

            Percy frowned, taking a deep breath in as the concerning ramifications set in. He leaned in, eyes affixed firmly on Nico. “But… Kronos is on the run. Half his army and his navy are gone. The 2^nd titanomachy is almost over.”

            Nico sighed, shrugging. “What can I say? It doesn’t have to be something bad. Just upending. But you’re in for something major. Thing is, you can control it. If you like how things are, well… don’t take up the forbidden degree. Find some other way to defeat Kronos. Which reminds me: have you ever thought about jumping into the Styx?”

            Annabeth bristled, as if she had just been rudely awakened. “That sounds like suicide.”

            “Well, maybe if you’re unprepared,” muttered Nico. “But the rewards… look what happened to Achilles!”

            “He died,” said Annabeth, the frown on her face growing more pronounced.

            Nico huffed. “Before that!”

            “Even the gods feared him,” muttered Percy, looking up at the analog clock ticking away on the wall. “If I need to defeat Kronos when I turn 16, it could give me the power…

            “Percy, the Styx is an accursed river,” said Annabeth, her words slow and cautious. “I doubt even your powers would protect you. And even if you did succeed in gaining invulnerability, entering its waters is almost like offering yourself in sacrifice. You would achieve a lot, but you would have to pay the price eventually.”

            “I don’t know about that,” said Nico. “I mean, only one other hero has done it, to my knowledge.”

            “This isn’t the river on some Mythomagic card, Nico!” said Annabeth, glaring at him like a naïve child. He frowned, taking evident offense. “Every oath taken on the Styx is binding! To enter its waters is, in a sense, to bind oneself to something greater than any one demigod. You cease acting for yourself, and start acting for…

            “Yeah?” asked Nico, his tone flaring a bit. “For who, Annabeth?”

            “Well, I don’t know, but it could be bad!” she said, her words growing faster.

            “Look, I’m not some kid anymore,” said Nico. “I did extensive research on this, and I’ve never seen anything that said that. It’s risky, but not in that way. And I talked to my dad about it. He’s going to help us. So long as Percy finds a bond to this world, he’ll be alright.”

            Annabeth turned to Percy, squeezing his hand again. “You should think seriously-

            “I’ll do it,” said Percy, avoiding Annabeth’s eyes. “I want to get back at Kronos for what he did to Beckendorf as soon as possible. I have a chance to end this war quickly.”

            “Then we’ll leave tomorrow morning,” said Nico. He nodded to Percy, rising from the bed. Turning to Annabeth, he offered a slightly more formal nod. “Annabeth… always a pleasure.”

            She crossed her arms. “Yeah.” She watched him walk out, then turned to Percy. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Seaweed Brain.”

            He offered her a half-hearted smile. “Annabeth, demigods don’t plan, remember? They improvise.”

            She sighed, rising from the bed, and walked out of the room without saying a word.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

A Dangerous Oath

            The next day, Percy made his way outside of the Big House and found Nico muttering something under his breath. He looked up to see Percy, smiling. “You feel in fighting shape? We should make sure you can handle the stress.

            “I’m ready,” said Percy. “We should get going.”

            Nico led Percy to a passage to Hades not far from camp. The cavernous entrance would not make it on Annabeth’s list of must-see architecture, but it did the job. It led into a long staircase, skulls affixed to the moist rock walls. Their hollowed eyes gave off light, serving as torches for the way down.

            “Nice touch,” muttered Percy.

            “My Dad’s got an interesting taste in scenery,” shrugged Nico. “I guess that’s what time underground does to you.”

            As they descended deeper down the spiral staircase, the light grew much dimmer. It seemed a dull existence in Percy’s eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna turn out like your father.”

            If Nico felt concerned, he didn’t show it. “I’m trying to mix things up downstairs. I’ve been pushing Dad to get a garden.”

            Percy’s interest piqued. “Oh? You’ve taken a sudden interest in… gardening?”

            Nico hesitated. “Yeah. So what?”

            “Oh, no, that’s real cool,” said Percy. “You know, I just… Alex suggested you had a crush on Katie Gardener.”

            Nico’s cheeks went red, quite an effect for someone so pale. “It’s got nothing to do with that.”

            Percy nodded, pausing to think it over. “So… you have the crush, but the garden doesn’t have anything to do with it?”

            “That’s not what I’m saying!”

            “Well…

            Nico stopped, stomping his foot against the next stair. “I don’t have a thing for Katie Gardener!”

            “I think it’s cute,” chuckled Percy. “You know that demigods whose parents hate each other often make the best couples. I would know.”

            “Demeter doesn’t hate Hades; it’s far more complicated than that. Oh, why am I bothering with you?”

            They passed into the underground proper. The air had a slight mist to it, which obscured Percy’s vision and made it difficult for him to focus on anything. The walls had changed to a deep obsidian, absorbing most of the light which remained at that subterranean depth. Percy’s jovial tone dampened to one of worry. “Nico, are you sure this place is good for your health?”

            He sighed. “Well, it’s not great for… socializing, that’s for sure. Not for carrot growing either.”

            “You could always try impressing Katie with a friendly demeanor, you know,” said Percy.             “I think it’s better to be a friend of Demeter,” muttered Nico.

            “Alright, alright, we get it, Romeo,” said Percy, rolling his eyes. “But everything else down here is okay?”

            “Well, it’s more than just okay,” said Nico. “You know I’m more the ‘dark and brooding’ type anyways. Maybe it’s not the best place I could live, but there’s a lot to do. I have access to my father’s library, plenty of time to practice magic, you know, all that. But most of all it’s a practical decision.”

            “Right,” muttered Percy, watching a drop of grimy water trickle down from a stalactite. “Very practical, I guess.”

            Nico walked on for a few seconds in silence. “I can’t trust the other gods,” he said finally. “I have to stay down here.”

            They approached Hades’ signature bone-carved gates. Nothing like scenes of death and destruction to brighten up your day. The A-bomb carving really went nice with the décor. Percy stepped back in surprise as the gates flung open.

            Hades stepped forward, his sizeable form towering over Percy and Nico. He was very pale, but his eyes gleamed like bright opal as he moved towards Percy, his arms wide open as if to hug him. “Perseus Jackson!” he said, laughing a little too happily. “How nice to see you!”

            “Yeah, well, thanks for the offer,” said Percy, laughing nervously. “Not every day you get to… jump in the Styx!”

            Hades laughed again, and Nico seemed to turn even paler, if that was possible. “Of course, of course. Why don’t you come closer? We have a lot to talk about if we don’t want you to die. Can’t just jump into the Styx! That would be a tragedy they’d tell for millennia!”

            Percy took a step away from him. “You seem… awfully chipper today, Hades.”

            Hades chuckled lightly. “Well, Percy, today is a great today. You see, my darling son came to me the other day and said that he had to impress this cute little child of Demeter and needed some extra gardening space. And so I told him, ‘well of course, Nico, but I need you to help me’.”

Percy could almost hear Annabeth chiding him in her eulogy. The gravestone would only make things worse: Here lies Percy Jackson: It’s doubtful there was anything in his brain, even seaweed. Percy’s voice revved up slowly, a hint of annoyance in it. “Nico. You didn’t mention this.”

            Nico struggled to find the right words. Hades stepped in for him.

            “You see, I said to him, ‘I just need you to get your friend Percy here so that he can jump in the Styx and’”, here he savored the words for a minute, “GAIN POWER. And can you believe it? He ACTUALLY fell for it!”

            Percy turned to him in disbelief. “NICO! WHAT THE FUCK?”

            “Hey, I didn’t realize-

            “No, Perseus Jackson, you see, I’m at a low point in Olympus right now,” said Hades. “I need to gain a bit more power in the Pantheon. And apparently, if my child reaches 16, I might get that. Now Thalia’s got a provisional license forever, and the only thing standing in my way-

            “Dad, you can’t kill Percy!” yelled Nico, staring up at his father in horror.

            “SILENCE, BOY! YOU’LL UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU’RE OLDER!”

            “No way!” said Nico, standing between the two of them. “I won’t let you!”

            “GUARDS!” bellowed Hades. From the obsidian walls, white rock between to crack through – ossified material which gradually morphed into two skeletal guards. They grabbed Nico on both sides, dragging him away from Hades and Percy. Hades crossed his arms, a miffed look on his face. “If you interfere again, you’re not getting that garden!”

            Nico thrashed about in the grasp of the guards, kicking his legs against the ground to delay their retreat. “I DON’T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT CARROTS IF YOU KILL MY FRIENDS!”

            Hades watched patiently as Nico’s body disappeared around the corner. Percy’s eyes frantically scanned the room for somewhere to hide, but Hades cut off his train of thought. “Now, where was I? We can do this the easy way or… ah, yes, that’s what I thought you might say.”

            Percy ran towards the gates with his sword drawn, hoping to escape. But Hades flicked his wrist, and the gates closed shut with an intense metallic screech that sounded like a car crash. Percy, trapped inside, turned to face Hades. The god of the underworld towered over him, his chest swelling with pride. “There’s nowhere to run, boy! All face death sometime… you just get a head start!”

            Percy tried to will some water out of his surroundings, tugging at the air with great rigor. But try as he might, he couldn’t feel anything behind him. He was about to flee deeper into Hades’ chambers, but when he looked up, the god of the dead had stopped smiling.

            “Now boy,” said Hades, suddenly incredibly serious. He moved very slowly away from Percy. “We shouldn’t do anything rash.”

            “You’re one to talk!” shouted Percy. “I’m just trying to survive here!”

            “I don’t think you know what surviving quite means,” said Hades, his eyes darting between Percy and something far above the two of them.

            Percy dropped his fighting stance. “What the Hell are you talking about?”

            That was when something dripped onto him. Hades gasped, jumping back from Percy with lightning speed. Percy noticed a bit of water on his shoulder, and he flicked it off, unsure how it got there. It seemed to have a gray quality to it. When he looked at Hades, Hades was shivering, staring intently at whatever was above him. Percy looked up.

            A torrent of water hovered ten feet above them, dangling tantalizingly near to the spot where the two of them were fighting. Its gray waters churned with the ferocity of a serpent whipping about, and Percy knew immediately that he was holding the river Styx.

            “How are you not dead?” asked Hades, glancing at the drop of water Percy had just brushed off like nothing.

            “I don’t know,” muttered Percy. Then he slowly smiled, taking a single step towards Hades. The water surged forward, spewing viciously in Hades’ direction. “But I sure know how to do something rash, if that’s what you’d prefer.”

            “Let’s just sort this little misunderstanding out over a cup of tea,” said Hades, laughing nervously as he continued to back away. “I have chamomile!”

            “Sorry; I actually prefer under some water rather than over tea. I think we’ll have a much more civilized talk that way.”

            “If you drop that on us, all of Hades will be thrown into chaos,” said Hades. “No one will have control over the dead. The consequences will be catastrophic-

            “Well, I wouldn’t want that to happen. But you are kind of trying to kill me, so maybe you could promise not to do that.”

            Hades’ shoulders sagged, and he let out a massive sigh. “I really can’t believe I’m being threatened by you.”

            Percy lowered the water a good foot, the sounds of the river growing louder above them. “I’m still holding the water, uncle.”

            “What do you want, boy? Spit it out!”

            “An oath, in the Styx or on it.”

            “On it,” said Hades, holding up his hands in surrender. “Name your price.”

            “You swear never to try to kill me… or order anyone else to do so… again!”

            “It’s done,” said Hades. “Just put the water down.”

            “Wait,” said Percy, glancing around. He noticed the dim light and the dreary mist strewn about the entire room and thought back to Nico. “This place isn’t much of a home.”

            Hades blinked. “Well, I’m not the god of interior design!”

            “You can’t raise a kid in here.”

            “That’s… worth noting,” said Hades, eyeing the water. “But your body can’t hold up that much water forever, if you catch my drift. We’ll both die.”

            “I want you to always pursue Nico’s best interests,” said Percy. “Swear that to me, and I’ll put the water down.”

            Percy expected for Hades to accede immediately. But the god of the underworld just stared at him, in terrified disbelief. “Perseus Jackson, I am not meant to be a father. Offer me something I can do.”

            Percy raced forward, the water surging behind him. “I SAID SWEAR IT!”

            “On the Styx!” screamed Hades, falling back against the wall. The water had come so close to him that he was squeezing against the obsidian, pulling his stomach in. “I swear on the Styx that I will never try to kill you or order anyone to, and I will always pursue Nico’s best interests!”

            Percy brought the water down closer to him, away from Hades, and he suddenly felt the weight of the river on his arms. He stumbled, and then it came crashing down all around him, drenching him entirely in the water. Hades stood frozen in shock, although he remained dry. The water flowed off of Percy’s shoulders and left him dry. Hades took a step closer, still eyeing the ground. “Percy… are you-

            “Well, I had a nice bath,” muttered Percy. “But it doesn’t seem to have worked.”

            “It’s the Styx!” shouted Hades, nearly jumping with anger. “No mortal can swim in it and survive… at least not without a bit of mental preparation. You just shrugged it off like it was nothing!”

            “I’m Poseidon’s-

            “I’ve known other sons of his who died in the Styx. I’ve known gods who suffered terribly in the Styx. There’s no way in Hell you should be fine!”

            “I am,” shrugged Percy. “Now, would you mind calling Nico? I want to talk to him.”

            Hades growled. “I am not talking to my son after that.”

            “Oh… is that really in his best interest?”

            Hades sighed. He glared at Percy, almost in pain. “Perseus Jackson, I will call my son in here, fine. But no matter how many times you make me swear on the Styx, it does not change the fact that I am a god. I do not know how to parent. You should give up on that.” He turned towards the door in the corner of the room. “NICO! COME OUT HERE PLEASE!”

            “FUCK YOU DAD!” came a voice from very far away.

            “PERCY IS FINE. PLEASE COME OUT HERE.”

            They heard footsteps, and then Nico stuck his head out from behind the stairwell, glancing around tentatively. His eyes lit up when he saw Percy, and he rushed towards him.

            “You’re alive!” shouted Nico, a bright smile on his face. He raced to hug Percy, who promptly slapped him on the face. Nico stumbled back, a little surprised.

            “You’re an ass!” said Percy. “You sold me out for a garden?”

            Nico rubbed his face. “I thought he was serious! My dad wants to beat Kronos as much as the next guy, and he doesn’t have a lot of faith in me.”

            “Well, maybe he will now,” said Percy, turning back to Hades. “Hades, something you’d like to say?”

            Hades shrugged. “Am I supposed to say something?”

            “You lied to your son.”

            Hades groaned, averting his gaze from his son. “Nico, I’m sorry I tricked you. I guess I’ll… make it up to you.”

            Nico looked at Percy. “What… did you do to him?”

            Percy shrugged. “How big is the garden gonna be, Hades? Big as a football field?”

            Hades whipped his head towards Percy, glaring at him. “I’m not spoiling my kid. You said ‘best interest’. He’ll have a sizeable vegetable garden. Enough to serve several people.”

            Nico rubbed his eyes, sniffing. “You know, my cheek really hurts, but I think this makes up for it.”

            “Oh, and you deserved it too,” muttered Percy. “I mean, really.”
            “You could’ve just yelled at me. It didn’t have to be physical.”
            “We’ll agree to disagree.”

            Hades rolled his eyes, moving towards the doorway in the back of the room. “Absolutely heartwarming. A son of Poseidon beats up a son of Hades, but it’s all for his own good. But I’m sure Persephone will love the garden. Well, if you don’t mind, Mr. Jackson, I’d like to have a private word with you about our little deal.”

            “We literally just fought,” said Percy. “No way I’m doing anything in private with you.”

            “I’ve sworn on the Styx not to kill you. Besides, nothing to stop you from doing that again. You’ll be fine.”

            “Alright,” said Percy. “Nico, enjoy the gardens.” He followed Hades into the back doorway, nodding to Nico as he went.

            Admittedly, Hades’ study was not what Percy expected. He had a solitary mahogany desk stuffed away in the corner. On the desk, mounds of paperwork were piled up. The room was filed with filing cabinets, and they actually blocked the path to the desk. In the left-hand corner of the desk closest to the wall, Percy spotted a single plant, the stem shooting upwards and then performing a drastic 180 so that the bell-shaped bloom seemed to hang out in front like an angler fish’s lure. The bloom glowed silver-blue, and Percy realized that the flower was moonlace, the same flower Calypso had gifted him.

            “Persephone might like the gardens,” said Percy, eyes still affixed on the moonlace. “It can be like a little piece of home for her.”

            “This is her home,” muttered Hades, shoving aside several filing cabinets and unfolding two chairs. He took a seat. “You’d do well to actually pay attention to some of the gods’ sensibilities, you know.”

            Percy shrugged, taking a seat across from Hades. “Apologies. What’s all this about? You want parenting advice? I’m 15.”

            “No,” said Hades, leaning towards him intently. “This isn’t about Nico. This is about you. Since I can’t kill you, I’m stuck with you. You’re now my only hope for ensuring my father doesn’t win. So, I’d like it if you stayed alive rather than died.”

            “Wow. Never thought you’d say that.”

            “Immortals make interesting bedfellows. Which brings me to a piece of advice: don’t trust the other gods.”

            “Gee, thanks, Sherlock,” said Percy, rolling his eyes. “You think I’m that dumb?”

            Hades tried to suppress his annoyance, but he couldn’t avoid glaring at Percy just a little bit. “You’re missing my point. The gods, the titans- we’re all bullshit artists. Every one of us. That means not just Ares, but also Hermes, Apollo, Artemis. The pacifist titans. Even your own father. You must trust none of them.”

            Percy looked to the ground. “You’re kind of paranoid.”

            “Maybe I am,” said Hades, raising a massive hand to knock against the obsidian ceiling. “When the world is constantly caving in on you, you tend to get a little cloistered. But just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean the Olympians aren’t out to get you.”

            “At the very least, my father wouldn’t betray me-

            “Of course not. Poseidon wouldn’t actively try to kill you. If he didn’t have to, that is. But he can fail you in the council, or get distracted by some frilly water spirit who tickles his fancy when you need him and then get ensnared in a loveless, destructive marriage where she keeps her claws-

            “That is way specific.”

            Hades nodded matter-of-factly at Percy. “That’s because I’ve met Amphitrite. And gods am I glad I’m on her good side. She’s one mean woman.”

            Percy studied Hades’ face. He seemed sincere enough. “On the boat… Kronos said something about me being… special.”

            Hades shivered. “If my father thinks you’re special, he probably wants to kill you and everyone you know. Just look at what he did to my brothers and I.”

            “Right. I’ll keep that in mind.”

            Hades rose from his seat, pacing the room thoughtfully. “I don’t understand how you survived the Styx so easily. You may be very special indeed. But I’m afraid I can’t help much beyond that. I can, however, take you home. I guess it’s the least I could do after you beat me in combat. How about we head to Camp Half-Blood?”

            “Sure,” said Percy. “But one last thing. You have a chance to treat Nico like a real father now. To really make a difference in his life. Please do it. He needs someone more than any of the other campers I know. To have lost Bianca like that… he seems a little lost.”

            “I suppose I’ll have to try my best,” said Hades. His eyes lingered over the mounds of paperwork, and Percy began to wonder how he could juggle this and being a father. “Though, quite frankly, I’ll be making it up as I go along. Kronos never exactly set the perfect example.”

            “Well, just try not to eat him.”

            “I guess I can manage that,” shrugged Hades. “Now, let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

Ebb and Flow

As the next week passed, Percy didn’t mention what went on in the underworld. He felt that it might undermine his case a little. When Annabeth pressed him on it, he fine-tuned his responses to be as non-descript as possible. A shrug here. An “it was ‘meh’” there. Lots of emphasis on his control over water helping. Very little on his uncle almost killing him.

            “What are you hiding?” she asked at one point.

            Percy suddenly found an interest in the weathered beauty of his armor straps. He began methodically tightening each one. “It was just a boring trip.”

            “To the underworld?”

            “Yeah,” he muttered, scrubbing the grime out from underneath his metal breastplate. Amazing, he marveled, taking in the amount of grime that had accumulated during one game of capture the flag.

            Annabeth raised a skeptical eyebrow, watching him scrape the inside of his breastplate with his knife. “Soaking in the Styx?”

            “It was painful.”

            Something told Percy that his strategy of silence and/or obfuscation might not be working. Thankfully, he didn’t need to own up to his shortcomings as a boyfriend. He could, instead, distract Annabeth with a wonderful date for her anniversary of arriving at camp. The plan was foolproof.

            He woke up Alex Chase the day before, incredibly early in the morning. Alex emerged from his cabin in his pajamas – the shirt had a cartoon owl on it that said, “I’m a hoot!”, and the pants had a repeating image of that same owl, though much smaller. Alex looked ready to kill him, and Percy thought he looked eerily reminiscent of his mother, although the pajamas kind of broke that image.

            “It’s 5AM, Percy.”

            “It’s an emergency.”

            Alex straightened. “Alright, lead the way. Who should I alert?”

            “Not that kind of emergency.”

            “I’m going back to bed.”

            “Wait! Please! I need to impress Annabeth on her anniversary of getting to camp, and you’re the only one who can help me pull it off. It’s got to be an incredibly special day.”

            Alex considered this for a moment. “Because I’m a wonderful older brother and I want what’s best for my sister, I’m going to go along with this. What do you need from me?”

            “I’m trying to steal some of the refilling goblets for tomorrow evening,” said Percy. “I heard you pulled it off once.”

            “Eh,” shrugged Alex. “I did temporarily. Argus tracked me down a few days later and had me cleaning the pegasi stables for about a month. But if you need them for a night, and just two, I can help you pull it off pretty easily. We just have to be extra careful. I don’t think Argus has forgiven me yet, and I don’t want to see what he has in store for the second strike.”

            “You’re the best, Alex.”

            “Bathe me in praise,” he said. “It’s the closest thing I’ll get to a shower after waking up this early.”

OoOoOoOoO

            As night fell and camp grew dark, they met in Percy’s cabin to dress in dark outerwear and plan the theft. Alex brought his Yankees cap with him, identical to the one his sister owned, especially in regard to invisibility. As they slipped into their clothes, Alex questioned Percy with a discerning eyebrow.

            “What’s so important about the goblets?”

            “I think Annabeth’s been a bit annoyed with me lately,” shrugged Percy. “I wanted to do something special for her anniversary of getting to camp to make up for it. The goblets are a part of that. I have a picnic prepared, and I scoured camp for all the right elements.”

            “Well that sounds nice,” said Alex, pulling up his pant leg with thorough focus. “But, uh… why don’t you try to find out what’s annoying her?”

            “I’m hiding something from her.”

            “And it’s worth hiding?”

            “Yeah,” said Percy.

            “Mind telling me?”

            “You’re her brother.”

            “You’re already this far in.”

            Percy shrugged. “Nico offered to bring me to Hades to bathe in the Styx and gain power. Turns out it was a trap set by his father to kill me. I nearly died. Annabeth warned me not to go, but… I couldn’t do nothing. Not after Beckendorf died.”

            “I admire that,” said Alex, patting Percy on the back. “Beckendorf was a good friend, and he deserves a proper send-off. Real vengeance against the Titans. Annabeth may not like it, but someone’s got to stick it to Kronos. You are the child of prophecy, after all. I won’t tell her. But you know how stubborn she can be, Percy. Sooner or later, shit will hit the fan.”

            “Well, that’s fine,” said Percy. “As long as later is after Kronos has been cast back into Tartarus.”

            “No guarantees there,” said Alex, putting on the last of his gear. “Alright, you ready to hear the plan?”

            “Hit me.”

            “I’ll pretend to be lost or something,” began Alex. The whole time he delivered the plan, he had a wide smile on his face, like a nine-year-old at a birthday party. “You know, just wandering out by the dining area. Meanwhile, you’ll use the invisibility cap. See, no one will suspect it, since last time I went to steal the goblets, I wore the cap! They’ll be expecting what happened last time. If there’s a guard by the shed, I’ll distract them. Otherwise, you can just waltz right in!”

            “Genius!” said Percy. “And what about curfew?”

            Alex waved his hand to the side. “Oh, I’ll make some shit up. I’ve done it plenty of times.”

            They stepped out the door, Alex walking in a faux casual manner towards the pavilion and Percy following close behind, the Yankees cap concealing his body. As they got closer to the pavilion, Alex slowed his pace, advising Percy to stop. “There’s a light on. I hear people talking.”

            “That shouldn’t be the case,” said Percy. “Curfew started a while ago.”

            “I’m going to try and see what’s going on. You sneak around to the shack and grab the goblets. If it’s something bad, I’ll call for help.”

            “Got it.” Percy snuck around the edge of the pavilion, and he could just make out voices from his position in front of the dining shed.

            “I hardly think this is the best time,” said Chiron. “After Beckendorf’s death-

            “I assure you, we’re aware of how sad the campers are over his passing.” This seemed to be Zeus, surprisingly enough. “But the casualties won’t stop until Kronos has been stopped. In order to keep morale high, I think it would be best to gather the demigods together once more. It hasn’t been done for several years, and we finally have the chance to do so.”

            “You all agree with this? All of you?”

            “I stand by it.” That was Athena. “I know it seems so soon after the boy’s death, but that’s precisely why we want to invite the demigods to Olympus once again. We need to take their minds off of his death. Kronos may be out of commission right now, but we can’t let him sit and gather his forces. We need to get out there and crush him, and that requires demigod help. They need to be reinvigorated so that they’re ready to fight.”

            Percy could hear Chiron’s front hooves clopping nervously against the pavilion floor. “A visit to Olympus won’t necessarily achieve that, especially if they see you all on edge.”

            “But we aren’t on edge,” said Zeus. “In fact, we are more relaxed than we have been in years. It’s just that we’re taking the future into account here. We can’t let Kronos benefit from our indecision.”

            “Hold on.” Poseidon spoke, his voice a low rumble of suspicion. “I sense someone’s presence nearby. Someone… very familiar.”

            Percy froze.

            “Oh no, you got me!” shouted Alex, walking into the pavilion and laughing. “Whoops!”

            “Alex!” said Poseidon, his voice a little happier. “Come to lose another Poker game?”

            “Alex?” asked Chiron. “What’re you doing here?”

            “Evening walk.”

            “After curfew-

            “Not important,” said Alex. “What is important is that you’re talking about another field trip to Olympus, and I want in.”

            “Yes, well, we were having a private conversation about such matters,” said Zeus, a low rumble in the back of his throat.

            “Ah, but don’t you think a camp representative would be useful? Someone who could gauge the feeling of the demigods?”

            Poseidon laughed. “I think that’s an excellent idea. Why don’t you give us a full report?”

            Athena groaned rather loudly, but Alex happily obliged Poseidon, beginning a long, meandering, detailed rant about the state of the camper’s happiness. Percy took the time to duck in the shed and grab two goblets. As he made his way out and crept closer to view the scene, Dionysus glanced in his direction, but only sighed and returned to watching Alex.

            “So, in summary, I think we’re just about ready for another visit to Olympus,” said Alex. “Of course, you’d do well to tread carefully on the issue of Beckendorf’s death. We’re still all feeling it.”

            “Thank you, my son,” said Athena, trying to put on a polite smile. “And… um… why do I feel something unnerving?”

            “Ooh, right. Forgot to shower. Sorry Mom. It’s been a busy day.”

            She sighed. “Right. Well, whatever you came for initially, I’m sure I don’t want to know.”

            “Alex, the presence I sensed earlier,” began Poseidon. “It seemed like my son.”

            “What? Percy? Here? No way! That’s… that’s just crazy!” He turned away from the gods, looking into the distance. “Hey! Hey Jackson, you here? Been spying on us, huh? I’ll kick your ass if you were! This meeting’s none of your business, and-

            “Oh, shut it already!” said Dionysus, his lips bursting open. “Your acting is terrible! Tell Johanson he can have his goblets for a night, and for sanity’s sake, leave us alone, child.”
            “No idea what you’re talking about, D-man, but I’ll relay the message when I see him next.” He raced off without saying another word.

            Dionysus pursed his lips, turning to Athena quite casually. “Athena, can I turn that boy into a dolphin?

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy laid out a blanket on the beach the next day, the sun slowly descending towards the ocean as he arranged an entrée and the goblets. He didn’t have anything too fancy – just some sandwiches and a small salad to split between the two of them. It was meant to be light. He leaned against a sand dune, the little grains of sand massaging the back of his neck. The dune, baked in the sun all the day, filled him with warmth. It reminded him of time at the beach with his Mom. And yet, for a moment, the image of washing up on the beach came back to his mind. He ignored it, trying to enjoy the day.

            Annabeth arrived minutes later, and he flashed her a winning smile as she approached, patting the blanket next to him. “Come join me!”

            She looked at the chalices, cracking a smile. “You’ve really outdone yourself.”

            “I try.”

            “Of course, Alex told me you got caught.”

            “Well, he’s a dirty traitor.”

            Annabeth tried to contain her smile, bunching her lips together. “Well, I think it’s romantic.”

            Percy couldn’t suppress a slight smile. “Then, I guess he’s a good friend.”

            She chuckled, pulling him into her body. They sat watching the waves crash against the beach, the sun finally touching the base of the ocean. Annabeth pursed her lips.

            “So, it’s been eight years,” said Percy.

            “Yeah, it has.” Her eyes were fixed on the ocean, clouds gathering in those stormy eyes. Percy stared at her for a second before looking down at the ground. He wondered if she had remembered Beckendorf.

            “Maybe I should’ve waited a little bit before we headed back to the beach.”

            “No, it’s lovely,” she said quietly. “Really. I just need a moment.”

            They waited, silent. He listened to the sound of her breath and felt the soft beat of her heart as she leaned against him. He heard her lips open gently, still not looking at him. “I lost a lot of friends over the years. Thalia was the worst. She’s back, but… there were others. Beckendorf. And… Luke.”

            He shivered hearing that name. His mind twisted every time she said it, jealousy grasping at him with the force of a god. He managed to get out a choked but neutral, “I’m sorry.”

            She turned to look at him. He nearly did a double take. He saw a seriousness in her eyes, a storm unlike any other he’d seen within her. No, he’d seen it elsewhere. She looked the stunning image of her mother. “He bit off more than he could chew.”

            The jealousy faded, replaced with confusion, and a little bit of fear. “Annabeth, what… what are you saying?”

            She looked away from him. “He always wanted love from his father. And I don’t think Hermes ever knew how to give him that. But he kept searching for it, and when Hermes wouldn’t give it to him, he went to join Kronos. Somehow, one day, he just cracked. I don’t really know where or when, Percy. I guess it just kind of happened.”

            His voice faltered. “Annabeth, I… I’m sorry. I don’t understand. You haven’t mentioned him for so long-

            “I know,” she said. “Because I haven’t seen him for so long.”

            “Well, what changed?”

            “You nearly died in Hades,” she said, eyes on the horizon again. “It was just like him. And it terrified me.”

            “That’s different,” said Percy, almost instinctually. “I had to avenge Beckendorf-

            “How far are you going to go?” she asked, looking him straight in the eyes. “Are you going to go mad on me too?” She sniffed a bit, her eyes coating with a thin film of water. “Percy, I can’t handle losing you too.”

            His body was shaking, mind pulsing. “Annabeth, I… it’s not just that. Kronos knows me better than I know myself. He’s hiding something. I have to get answers. And avenge Beckendorf. And protect the demigods, and… and-

            She squeezed his shoulder. “You don’t need any of that.”

            They sat in silence for a minute. “I’m the child of prophecy. You want me to do nothing?”

            “No,” said Annabeth. “I want you to be careful. You’ll fight Kronos eventually. You don’t need to rush into it. If you do… well, I know how you feel about Beckendorf. But Silena needs you. And I need you. And Nico needs you. Percy, we all need you. Beckendorf was there for us. Are you really going to honor him by leaving us all even worse than before?”

            “I… no, of course not.” He winced. “But I can’t avoid the final fight.”

            She gave him a bittersweet smile. “Even I don’t think I can change prophecy. All I’m asking is for you to give me as much time as you can. And you can do that by not trying stupid things to avenge your friends.”

            Percy sighed. “Alright. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

            She hugged him, sighing. “I know. And this was really sweet… despite the fact that you tried to hide the shit that happened in Hades. And I went and talked about Luke of all things.” She paused, sighing. “Sorry, I had to. But there’ll be plenty of time to spend together when we visit Olympus. Maybe I could show you around up there. After all, they shut off the field trips right before you got to camp.”

            He smiled, thinking back to when he had first met her, before they’d rescued the bolt together. “That’s true. I’d like that.”

            “I’ll bring you around to every building,” she said. “And point out every minute detail until your head spins.”

            “Um…

            She punched him playfully. “That was a joke. Besides, my mom leads that tour. I can only imagine what she’d look like if I brought you along.”

            He shook his head, chuckling nervously. “Yeah, well, that’s a shame. I was really looking forward to it. It could’ve been fun.”

            “Uh-huh. Well, speaking of fun, I haven’t had a swim in a while. If you’re up for it?”

            Percy smiled. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

OoOoOoOoO

            “My lord,” said Luke, bowing at Kronos’s feet. They were in a sizeable war tent, Kronos seated on a simple cushion on the floor. “The Olympians are hosting their first field trip since I stole the bolt.”

            Kronos nodded, rising from his seat. “That’s our next chance. We have to reach out to Percy now.”

            Luke’s forehead pulsed with a bit of pain. “You’re putting all your eggs in one basket. If Percy doesn’t pan out-

            “There are no other options,” said Kronos, his words hovering over the tent like a command. “The side that controls Jackson will dictate the terms of the new world order. I already told you this! Multiple times! Have you contacted our spy?”

            Luke took a deep breath in. “No, sir.”

            Kronos frowned. “Why not?’

            “It’s… it’s a retreat for them,” said Luke, his voice pained. “I don’t think we should do this.”

            Kronos sighed. “Luke, this is not the time to doubt our cause.”

            Luke glanced away from Kronos’s eyes. “I’m not doubting our cause.”

            “Then what-

            “I don’t like the manipulation!” said Luke, his words rushing forth like a gushing steam. “It’s twisted!”

            Kronos tightened his fists, gritting his teeth. “I’m trying to do what’s right-

            “Then don’t psychologically scar innocent demigods!” said Luke, his breath growing faster, angrier. Kronos sighed, his nostrils giving off steam. He rose from his position in the middle of the tent, moving to the back, staring away from Luke. He folded his arms behind his back, taking the formal stance Luke now recognized so well, and meditated for a few seconds, his eyes closed shut. After a moment, he came back to Luke, staring down at him.

“Let’s consider what your father and his companions would do to defeat me,” mused Kronos. “They would throw countless demigods at my army with no concern. Now, I care about the demigods. You know that. But you have to keep in mind that we’re not playing a fair game. You can’t expect me to be a saint and take down the gods at the same time. If you want to join up with the god of non-violent protest, be my guest, but I doubt the Olympians will give you the time of day, especially not as a traitor.”

            Luke winced. “Look, this just seems a little drastic.”

            “It’s like tearing off a band-aid,” said Kronos, his fiery eyes flickering as he looked down at Luke. He seemed tired – his posture was a bit saggy, and his brows seemed to weigh down his face. “The sooner we get Percy, the sooner the pain is over. We’re almost there, but if you give up now, all of our hard work goes to waste.” His voice softened. “I’m sorry that it hurts. I’m sorry that you have friends that have suffered… suffering I caused. But if there was another way, we wouldn’t be here. Are we on the same page, Luke?”

            Luke sighed. “Yes, my lord.”

            “Good. If you don’t mind, leave me. I’ll make the call.”

            Luke’s eyes widened. “Oh? I thought–

            “It’s fine,” said Kronos, waving him aside. “I can handle it.”

            “Of course,” said the demigod, not looking Kronos in the eyes. “Um… good luck, I guess.” Feeling a bit awkward, he made his way out of the tent, leaving Kronos alone.

            Kronos huffed, pulling the scythe-shaped communication device out from his pocket. He toyed with it in his massive palm, his thumb hovering in the air, hesitant to press the button. For a second, he was still, his eyes shaking as he stared at it. Sighing, he tapped down on it. The device crackled with static.

            “Agent Moon,” he breathed. “Do you read me?”

            The response came back muffled, any identity hidden in the transfer. It was hesitant. “I await an order.”

            “Keep your eyes on Perseus Jackson. Report on his movements during the field trip. That is all.”

            “I… will not be attending.”

            Kronos winced. “Moon, you must attend. It is imperative that you do.”

            “You ask too much.”

            A bead of lava sizzled on Kronos’s forehead. He wiped it away, glancing up at the tent’s ceiling. “All I’m asking is that you follow him. Just surveillance. I will personally ensure he won’t die. That is a guaranteed promise. I swear it. On the Styx, Moon.”

            He waited in agony as the seconds ticked away without a response, the static seeming to grow louder in his ears. His heart beat steadily, the lava in his chest glowing brighter than normal. Finally, the speaker jumped to life. “Affirmative. I will monitor Jackson.”

            Kronos covered his mouth, hiding a sizeable sigh of relief. “I promise you will not regret it. You are fighting for the right side.”

            “Agent Moon, signing off.”

            He dropped the scythe emblem on the floor, laying his back against the ground. His back cracked as he did so. “It’s all coming to a close now. That much I promise you. I just need you to give me a bit more time.” He laughed, aware of the irony. “Lord of Time, and I don’t even have enough!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

Tears and Triumph

            Chiron gathered the campers in the arena, officially announcing the field trip and discussing the rules and plan for events. “You will each have time to spend with your divine parents; I can’t say how much for each, but all of the gods want to see their children at least once… even those who are very busy. The Hunters will join us as well.”

            He hesitated, gauging the faces around him. “I know we’ve been through a lot recently. Camp has lost a great mentor and friend to the whims of this war. It may seem odd to celebrate now of all times, but the gods felt this was appropriate for multiple reasons. First, Beckendorf died in hopes that we could continue to live our lives in peace. We celebrate his legacy by bringing the gods and their children together. Second… the final battle against Kronos is coming, and we all need to be prepared. I know it won’t be easy, but please, try to unwind a bit. This may be the last time before things ramp up.” The campers muttered as he stepped down from the podium, their enthusiasm slightly muted, but not against the idea.

            Percy watched the campers head for the exit, noticing how their numbers had waned since when he had first arrived. Everyone seemed older, more mature. The bodies dissipated, revealing a crying Silena, Clarisse and Annabeth huddled around her. Percy got up to check on them.

            “Silena, I know it’ll be hard, but you should come with us,” said Clarisse, her arm wrapped around the girl’s shoulders.

            “It’s insane!” said Silena. “Everyone expects me to just move on with my life!”

            “No, of course not,” said Annabeth, caressing her back. “But… Clarisse is right. The worst thing for you to do now is stay here alone. You need to be around other people.”

            Silena wiped her eyes. “It’s all my fault. I could have prevented it from happening, and-

            “That’s not true,” said Percy. The three girls noticed him for the first time. “Silena, we had no idea. No one knew-

            “I knew!” she said, almost screaming. “I knew the minute I found out!”

            “It’s not worth blaming yourself,” said Annabeth. “Just… Silena, please. We want to make sure you’re with other people. Please come with us.”

            Silena sighed, rising from her seat. “Fine. I’ll come. Percy, can I talk to you alone for a minute?”

            Percy heard knuckles cracking to his side. Clarisse met his eyes, glaring at him. “You take care of her, you got it?”

            “Of course,” he said, hiding his annoyance. What the Hell did she think he would do? Clarisse passed by him, then Annabeth patted him on the shoulder, and they were alone. He turned his attention to Silena. “What’s up?”

            “Kronos is still out there,” said Silena. “I don’t… it’s not everyone’s job to miss Beckendorf. But… I… we have to do something.” She turned away from him, burying her face in her hands. “I just can’t-

            “Silena, I’ll do whatever I can. I promise.”

            Suddenly, with far more force than he anticipated, she grabbed both of his shoulders tightly. Her eyes looked fierce, determinate. He stumbled backwards a bit. He had forgotten just how strong she could be when they were sparring. “I need to know what he said beforehand.”

            Percy scrambled for words. “He couldn’t say much, Silena. He was trying to… to hide what he was doing, so–

            “I’m not talking about Beckendorf, Percy. Kronos. I want to know what Kronos said to you.”

            He blinked. “What?”

            “Kronos called you there for some reason. Why?”

            Percy glanced around the arena to make sure they were truly alone. “Kronos… thought I was a god. A really powerful god. He thought I could overthrow the Olympians. But I don’t know what he was thinking, Silena. Personally, I think he might be a little crazy-

            “What’s this war all about?” asked Silena, her eyes still eating into him. “Did he tell you?”

            “He talked about being free from the Olympians,” muttered Percy. “But he could’ve been lying.”

            “I’m sorry,” she said, releasing him. He hadn’t quite realized how deep her fingernails had cut through his shirt and skin until now. She seemed perplexed, like she had been expecting a different answer from Percy. “I need to go.”

            “Hold on a second,” said Percy, reaching for her shoulder. “Clarisse said-

            “I need some time to be alone, Percy.”

            Percy moved towards her slowly. “Now, hold on, I don’t think-

            She shoved both hands right below his ribcage, as if giving him the Heimlich maneuver. The wind knocked out of him, he crumpled to the ground in surprise, cussing. Silena had made it about 50 paces before she turned around to check on him. “Sorry Percy! I just need some time to think.”

            “WAIT!” he shouted, but she didn’t look back. He rose to his knees, catching his breath. “Gods, that hurt! What the Hell?”

OoOoOoOoO

            He looked for Silena, but with little luck. Finally, Clarisse found her sleeping in her room (she gave Percy a large bruise on the shoulder for that). Two days passed quickly, and soon the campers had gathered in the dining pavilion to await the arrival of the gods. Alex Chase slid by Percy’s table, flashing a devilish smile.

            “You sure you want your mom seeing you with ocean trash?” asked Percy.

            “Eh, I’ve already disappointed her,” said Alex. “No, Annabeth’s the one she had to worry about. Wouldn’t want her getting tangled in seaweed, you know?”

            Percy rolled his eyes. “So, what’s up?”

            “Just wondering if you have any free time,” said Alex. “Cause I think you should join the Chase siblings for dinner one night.”

            “I… have a feeling your Mom wouldn’t like that.”

            “Oh, can it, would you? I’ll get Mom to suck it up.”

            “I’ll think it over,” said Percy.

            In the distance, the atmosphere crackled with electricity, greedy sparks eating at the open air. Eleven deities appeared in glory, resplendent in their battle regalia. A rousing cheer went up from the campers. Dionysus stepped forward to bring the group to an appropriate twelve, and the Olympians had convened on Camp Half-Blood.

            Some of the gods seemed more excited than others. Hephaestus was the first to break form, bounding over to his children and hugging them tightly. He seemed a bit nervous while socializing, but Percy could tell that he felt his presence was needed. Athena made her way to her children next, smiling as she sat down among them and held court at the head of her table. She didn’t even seem to notice Alex fraternizing with the enemy. Hermes, Ares, and Apollo joined their cabins amid much fanfare, as if they were cool uncles, while Demeter seemed more like a cool mom than an aunt. Dionysus, used to seeing his children around, gave each a good-natured hug, laughing a bit at the ritualistic nature of it all. Artemis joined a table of Hunters who had arrived at camp that morning. Aphrodite went to see her children, kissing each on the cheek, though she reserved a deep hug for Silena. Silena didn’t seem too thrilled about it. Watching all of this, Percy nearly missed his father.

            “Well, well, look who it is,” said Poseidon, his bottom lip pronounced in a haughty manner. “Some young punk wandered over to the Poseidon table.”

            “Just what I’d expect from old man river,” said Alex, sneer equally arrogant. “He always puts his hope in that final card.”

            “Talk all the trash you want,” said Poseidon, bringing his face close to Alex’s. “Last I checked, I won our last Poker match, and I expect to do the same once more.”

            “Nah, you got lucky,” said Alex, pressing his nose against the god’s. “It won’t happen again.”

            Poseidon smirked, retracting himself from Alex’s personal space. “Well, I’d offer to prove you wrong right here, but I was hoping to snag my son for a bit of a private chat. You see, I have to teach him how to play, and I don’t want any bad influences rubbing off on him.”

            Alex rolled his eyes. “See ya later, you old crustacean. Don’t get too rusty before we face off.”

            Poseidon shook his head as he walked away, chuckling. “Oh, what a character.”

            “How exactly did you two meet again?” asked Percy.

            “Oh, it’s best you don’t know. If I recall correctly it involved a motorboat, three nymphs, and 17 pounds of chocolate cake.”

            “What?”

            “Nymphs are like dogs; they can’t eat chocolate,” explained Poseidon matter-of-factly, as if this cleared up any confusion. “Look, Percy… I’ve been busy, but… well, I heard about the ship. And your friend. I’m terribly sorry. You must’ve been close.”

            “We were,” said Percy. “He was… he meant a lot to me. And Silena is… was… his…

            “I see,” said Poseidon, nodding. “Well, I assure you, he didn’t die in vain. Kronos paid a thousand times over when I heard about it. The Princess Andromeda is a mess of ruins at the bottom of the sea. But what am I doing, talking about the war? You should be using this time to cool off a bit. And, if you have some free time… I was hoping we could catch up!” Poseidon offered him a bright, friendly smile, the kind of sunny look that probably attracted his mother so long ago. “The other kids… they’ve all been through this before. But years of prophecy have robbed us of the chance to spend some time bonding. I want to set that right.”

            “Of course I’ve got some time, Dad,” said Percy. “I just might try to join Alex and Annabeth at Athena’s one night.”

            “Oh, don’t join Alex!” said Poseidon, waving his hand. “It’s bad enough Athena gives you crap for dating her daughter; why would you want to have dinner with her?” He blinked, chuckling. “Well, I guess you probably want to hang out with your friends, too.”

            “We’ll see,” said Percy. “I mean, if Athena’s against it, it might not matter.”

            A loud voice boomed from behind them. “Well, if Athena’s going to be a bad host and not invite you, why don’t you grab dinner with us?” Percy caught sight of Hades and Persephone, Nico standing between them. Hades and Nico seemed to be smiling.

            “Hades,” said Percy. “I didn’t realize you’d be coming!”

            “Of course I’m here!” said the lord of the underworld, a confident smile on his face. “After all, it’s healthy for Nico to get out and see his friends every once in a while. And it gives Persephone a little time to spend with her mother!”

            Persephone sighed. “Yes, well, that would be nice. Six pomegranate seeds may have been a bit of overkill, dear.”

            “I’m just surprised,” said Percy. “The last time Olympus hosted everyone, you got a pretty bad deal.”

            “Say no more, child,” said Hades, shaking his head. “I’m actually happy to be here today, and I’m not letting you ruin that.”

            “It’s unlike you to be happy, brother,” said Poseidon. “Why the sudden change?”

            “You didn’t hear?” asked Hades. “Well, let’s just say your son can be very persuasive.” He patted Percy on the back awkwardly. “Percy, would you mind if I grabbed your father a second? There’s something we have to discuss privately.”

            “No problem,” said Percy. “Nico and I can catch up.”

            Hades nodded. “Right. Nico, lunch is on me. Keep it healthy, though.”

            Nico sighed. “Okay Dad, thanks.”

            Hades rolled his eyes, guiding Poseidon elsewhere to talk privately. Persephone went to find her mother.

            “I can’t believe it,” said Percy, the unfamiliar imprint of his uncle’s affection still etched into the back of his shirt. He touched the wrinkles, as if to confirm it had happened. “He almost looks happy. He’s treating you better?”

            “Kind of,” shrugged Nico. “A promise on the Styx is strong, Percy. We’ve even been having family dinners.”

            Percy’s eyes lingered, holding Nico’s gaze, as if he were speaking… well, not Greek, but a foreign language all the same. “Holy shit.”

            “That’s not all,” said Nico. “He said we’d have a family get together. Demeter and her kids. So that Persephone can see her mother.”

            Percy cracked a smile. “Oh, yeah, sure. It’s all for Persephone.”

            Nico blushed. “Well, I suppose I might’ve suggested it to my father. But that’s enough about that-

            “Oh, come on, you can’t change the topic after dropping all that on me!”

            “Shut up!” said Nico. “Look, I’ll fill you in later. You should join us for dinner, actually. It would give me a bit of a reprieve from Dad trying to ask me how my day was for the hundredth time.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Hours later, a sea of demigods piled into vans. The older campers who had licenses took the wheel. Percy, Annabeth, Clarisse, Silena, and Nico had all been crammed into a van. An Apollo camper who they all kind of knew was driving.

            Percy, pressed against Silena’s side, felt a weighty sigh pass through her body. “I remember when we used to do this. You know, as a group.”

            In previous seasons, Percy, Annabeth, Silena, and Beckendorf had taken several road trips together. Beckendorf, the only one with a license, would take the wheel and sing David Bowie and Prince songs, his mother’s favorite. Percy had always loved the way he swelled the high notes with seriousness, and how he would hit the gas and increase his tempo if a monster started following them, his three friends screaming throughout the trip. They had known back then that they were in danger, but perhaps never realized that one of them would ever be missing.

            Nico and the Apollo camper made awkward small talk and touched on their favorite forms of poetry for prophecy. Percy, half-listening, thought the guy seemed nice, but he couldn’t muster the courage to talk. After what seemed like an eternity of hearing about dactylic hexameter, they arrived at the Empire State Building.

            As they all piled out and the Apollo camper parted, Clarisse muttered under her breath. “I don’t understand how someone can read prophecy, but not a god damn car.”

            “Let it go, Clarisse,” muttered Silena.

            Clarisse muttered incoherencies to herself, but she didn’t dare raise her voice to audible level in front of Silena. Percy and Annabeth left their friends by the car, pushing into the elevator together. The doors closed behind them. The muzak buzzed to life, and shortly thereafter a voice recording of Apollo played. And remember, if you spot any signs of an abnormal hatred for mustard and baby-sized rocks…

            Annabeth winced. “I can’t help but think this is going to go terribly.”

            “It was a rough ride,” admitted Percy. “But… the games will be fun. And Silena will get through this. Plenty of other kids have dealt with this. It’s sad, but…

            “It’s not the same,” muttered Annabeth, turning away from him. “You’ve never felt quite what Silena’s felt. But when I saw Thalia’s transformation, I… I was only seven years old, Percy. I only knew her for a few weeks, and I was a mess. This will stick with her for a long time.”

            “Regardless, she’s better off here,” said Percy, crossing his arms. “And the campers… they need some moral support. We still have to finish the war. Silena wants me to do that. She-

            “I know,” said Annabeth, her words terse. “It’s fine. I just… sometimes you act like there’s a perfect answer. She’s a human being, Percy. And if you treat her like you can just… fix her… you’ll be disappointed. And you might hurt her.”

            Percy sighed. “Okay. I guess that makes sense.”

            When the elevator door opened, the muzak died away. Magnificent horns and trumpets burst to life, ringing in the air. Annabeth and Percy looked at each other in confusion, and then they stepped forward. They walked out into the streets of Olympus, draped in beautiful silk banners of deep-sea blue and olive green. Trident and Owl emblems dominated the cityscape.

            Percy smiled, leaning over to her. “Well, this is… an odd sight.”

            She gave a knowing smile. “You know, the last time a city showed off this much for our parents, Poseidon tried to drown all of its citizens.”

            “He told me that was hyperbolic.”

            “I’d hate to hear what he does when he’s serious.”

            They processed forward, an onslaught of Olympian citizens cheering their names wildly. The elevator doors opened after them, the banners changing to include some brown banners. Hand in hand, Grover and Tyson entered the streets. The citizens cheered their names ferociously. The gods stepped into sight farther up the hill, dressed in full battle regalia. Poseidon stepped forward to thunderous applause.

            “HEROES!” Poseidon shouted. “You have done well. But the Olympians felt your celebration was cut short. We needed something to top an Olympian party… no easy task. It is no mistake that Dionysus serves on our council.” He flashed a winning smile at the crowd, and they ate it up with great appetite. “So we had to look beyond our roots to something a little more… Roman! A TRIUMPH, OF OLYMPIAN PROPORTIONS! STEP FORWARD, CHAMPIONS OF OLYMPUS!”

            Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson all moved ahead, never leaving the eyes of the adoring fans who had gathered at the base of the mountain. They bowed at the feet of the gods, and Poseidon laughed.

            “We have worked hard to make this field trip as special as possible,” said Poseidon. “Just as in ancient times, the successes of these four heroes will be heralded in a parade of gargantuan proportions. A series of games held in your honor will follow, with plenty of time to spend amongst family in between. And I assure you, all of the gods are proud and bursting with enthusiasm for this week. I’ve tried to restrain the other gods from overdoing it, though… apparently, we have a tendency to get riled up and… ‘drown’ things…

            Annabeth’s face paled, Grover and Percy cracking up beside her. Poseidon just laughed heartily.

            “Whatever the case, we are grateful for the sacrifices all of you have made thus far. We’ve called for these ceremonies in order to spend precious time with you. Even with Kronos on the run, the war is far from over. We cannot be sure we won’t lose more of you. And that cuts terribly deep. But we Olympians do not forget your sacrifices, nor do we forget what you mean to us as children. And so, we want to spend all the time we can together as a family during this lapse in hostilities. So I implore you – please, enjoy the parade in honor of these four heroes, and spend some time with the ones who love you most.”

            The four of them were escorted to the stands by Apollo, who chatted with them amiably about his latest hit album, Petrified: Sirens, Snakes and Love at First Sight. They were seated in the best seats in the house, and then floats began to pull through the Olympian streets, showcasing their adventures in the Labyrinth. The special effects were marvelous, and Percy could not help but get lost in the pyrotechnics for a little bit.

            Annabeth went to grab some extra snacks from the concession stand. As she was making her way over, she bumped into a rather imposing figure. “Oh, excuse me-

            “Not a problem, Ms. Chase,” said the man. With a start, she realized who he was – Poseidon, in the flesh. She began to blush a deep red. “Oh! Lord Poseidon! I’m terribly sorry about my… um… comments earlier today. Percy and I were just–

            “Trying to shake his confidence in his father?” asked Poseidon solemnly. Annabeth’s face grew ghostly white, but then Poseidon let out a massive laugh. “I’m only kidding! I can take a joke, dear. How are you enjoying the parade? Is everything to your liking?”

            “Oh, it’s lovely!” she said, laughing nervously, thanking her lucky stars that he was understanding. “I mean… I feel a bit embarrassed, if we’re being honest here. I can get a little arrogant at times, and to see all my accomplishments played out in a parade of floats… well, it’s… it feels wrong.”

            Poseidon shook his head, smiling at her. “I hardly think it’ll go to your head if you’re worried about one little parade. Spend a few days on Olympus and you’ll see real hubris, Annabeth.”

            “Right,” she said nervously. “I guess there’s… just one thing I would’ve liked to see.”

            “Hm?”

            “Well… Silena just seems so sad,” said Annabeth. “I’ve been watching her from the stands, and–

            Poseidon patted her on the back. “I know. It’s terrible. We can’t hope to heal her pain. But… I assure you that we’re doing everything we can to keep people’s spirits up. Why don’t you return to your seat? The finale is about to start, and I wouldn’t want you to miss it. I’ll make sure they send up…

            “Erm… Sour Patch Kids, I guess.”

            “We could bring you anything, Annabeth!” said Poseidon, a wide smile on his face. “The entire bounty of the sea is at your fingertips!” He studied her face for a few seconds, his face falling a bit. “But… Sour Patch Kids are of course available, if you so choose it. Anyways, run along now! It’s one Hell of an ending!”

            She nodded. “Thank you, Lord Poseidon! And uh… sorry I’m not that into seafood.”

            He rolled his eyes as he watched her go. “Well, there are just some people with… subpar taste.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Annabeth took her seat next to Percy, nudging him. “I saw your Dad.”

            “Yeah? Did he say anything to you?”

            “He was nice. I think he was disappointed I didn’t order seafood though.”

            “Sounds like him.”

            And then the sky went dark.

            Annabeth and Percy scrambled together. “Are you all right?” asked Annabeth.

            “Doing fine,” said Percy. “Here, let me–

            The lights blinked on for the parade route. A massive float passed in front of them, golden banners bearing a picture of a massive hammer and anvil, the symbol of Hephaestus. The top of the float bore a diorama of Mount Olympus, and at the top of the hill, in front of the council room was…

            “Beckendorf,” muttered Percy.

            “OLYMPIANS!” boomed the speaker system. It was Hephaestus, standing at the front of the float. “My son sacrificed his life to save a friend. He put his trust in Perseus Jackson – he believed that he, the demigods, and the gods would prevail against Kronos to save our home, and he gave up his own life to support that! He deserves to be celebrated!”

            The crowds cheered, but then he silenced them, stepping off the float. He tossed a torch into the float, and it burst into flames. Spectators watched in awe as the ashes slowly trickled off the fire.

            “You will all be guided to your housing facilities for the next week,” said Hephaestus. “I know that you all harbor sadness inside your hearts... I have been distraught for a long time, and the games won’t change that. But what Beckendorf wanted to protect most… were his cherished memories with his greater family. The war is still ongoing, but with this time he has bought you, try to soak up those memories together. And remember that we carry on only because of his sacrifice!”

            He held up his fist, and the demigods chanted Beckendorf’s name as the fire roared on in the night.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

The Face of Love

            Percy passed the majority of the first day playing basketball with some of the younger demigods. It was something that Beckendorf and Alex had done for him when he first arrived at camp, so he was happy to do it. But as the young ones trickled off to attend dinners with their parents, he was left alone for a while to shoot hoops in silence. The sound of the ball reverberated around the court, the silence reminding him how few of the new demigods there were – how many had died.

            But his father had left him a note to meet outside the council room later, so gradually he made his way over there. The cool night air gave him a gentle reprieve from those thoughts until he arrived at the door.

Inside, he could hear the heated debate going on. It did not seem to be the entire council, just a subsection of the gods. Soon enough, Nico arrived, happy to spot Percy there. He sat down next to him. “You’re waiting for your Dad?”

            “Yeah,” said Percy. “Guess they’re both in there.”

            The doors burst open with incredible energy, hitting the sides of the building with palpable force. Poseidon strode out of the building with a smile on his face. He was followed by Athena and Hera, both looking decidedly unhappy. Then, Hades and Zeus followed, their faces neutral. They all turned their attention to the demigods.

            “Hey, what… were you all talking about?” asked Percy, an eyebrow raised.

            “You!” said Poseidon, laughing. Then he sobered up. “Sorry. Not to talk about you behind your back… on tonight of all nights.”

            “We talk about him behind his back all the time,” deadpanned Hera.

            Hades approached Percy until he was quite close. For Percy, it was a bit odd to have his uncle in such proximity while not trying to kill him. “Percy, I don’t mean to impose on your first night here, but I think Nico and I should join you and your father for dinner tonight. We have a lot to talk about.”

            Athena eyed Hades warily, no trust in her eyes. “Why are you going through with this, uncle? What has Jackson done to make you trust him so easily?”

            “Oh, I wouldn’t call it trust,” muttered Hades. “But, ah… the boy’s gotten a bit more mature since we last fought.”

            Athena’s eyes widened, darting between Percy and Hades. “Fought? You two fought?” Percy sank back in his seat, shrinking his shoulders as much as possible.

            Hades glanced at her, as if confused. “Well, you know the story. He passed through my realm on his first quest.”

            Athena sighed. She sat down next to Percy, grasping him by the shoulder. “Percy.

            He squirmed a bit, hesitation overtaking his lips. “…Lady Athena.”

            “Annabeth told me she was interested in inviting you to join us one evening.”

            His eyes perked up a bit. “Oh, well, I’m flattered–

            Athena sighed, shaking her head. “How about you save that for after the field trip? It’s a pretty packed schedule.”

            Percy blinked. “What?”

            “I’m afraid I just can’t deal with it right now,” she said matter-of-factly.

            He stared at her for a second, and soon the heat began to flow to his cheeks. He opened his mouth to begin protesting, but Poseidon had inched closer towards them, putting a warming hand on Percy’s back. Percy closed his mouth.

            “Athena, I hardly think that’s fair,” said Poseidon. “This week is for the demigods. What kind of example does that set?” It was an odd sight for Percy – his father stepping in to mediate for him and be his mouthpiece. As if a demigod could not speak for himself, and their anger had to be channeled through a god. But he was also grateful to avoid some of Athena’s ire.

            Athena glared at Percy, those same grey eyes he knew so well on Annabeth now biting into his. “It’s sets a fine example. I don’t think things would go over well, so I’ll refrain from welcoming him under my roof.”

            Poseidon looked ready to fight, but he held steady. “Well, maybe the Chase children could join me for a barbecue.”

            Athena smirked, giving Poseidon a side-eye. “Well, uncle, I hope for their sake you’re serving sushi. Last I checked, you can’t cook.” She rose from her seat and began to walk away, arms crossed. Then, she hesitated. “I’ll think about it. Seriously. You have my word.”

            “Wait!” said Percy, rising to address her. She shot him a look, anger flaring in her eyes.

            “That’s a maybe,” said Hades, taking Percy’s other shoulder. “It’s good enough for now.”

            Percy seriously regretted not drowning Hades in the Styx, but Nico seemed tense now too, so Percy held his breath until Athena had walked out of earshot. “What was all that?”

            “I’m sure you father and Hades will inform you at dinner,” said Zeus. “Personally, I apologize for the disturbance. I know you’ve been under a lot of pressure, but your father and Hades insisted. I suppose it was rather pressing.” He nodded to his brothers and kissed Hera on the cheek. She glared at him. He walked off.

            “He’s going to see his bastard child,” said Hera, looking peeved.

            “Hey, you should grab dinner with Persephone!” joked Hades, laughing. “Join the club!” Hera’s face contorted with rage, her nostrils flaring like a dragon’s.

“Dad, what the fuck?” asked Nico.

            “Sorry,” muttered Hades. “Someone has to lighten the mood a bit. After all, this is a celebration. I’m funding.”

            “I hope you choke,” said Hera, her spittle nearly painting Hades face. She left the two children and their parents alone together.

            Nico sighed. “Alright, where are we going?”

            Hades straightened, his eyes practically beaming. “The finest restaurant in Olympus!”

OoOoOoOoO

            It was not the finest restaurant in Olympus, but in Hades’ defense, it was pretty nice. The breadsticks, in Percy’s opinion, were the best on the mountain, and that was saying something.

            They ordered a sizeable spread of food, and Poseidon and Hades goaded their sons to eat. They, in turn, drank copious amounts of wine, laughing together, making jokes, and patting each other on the back jovially. Percy and Nico watched this display in silence, taking it in like a nature documentary on some incredibly exotic species alien to human experience. They chewed slowly, trying to hide their confusion. Finally, Nico decided to take a risk, leaning over to whisper in Percy’s ear. “When did your dad go completely nuts?”

            Poseidon’s face grew red as he frowned. “Hey, I heard that!” And then he broke out into laughter alongside Hades, a big smile on both of their faces.

            “Okay, what the fuck is going on with you two?” asked Percy.

            Poseidon coughed enough to convince the kids he was choking. He gathered himself. “Hades, I think I had too much. You tell them.”

            Hades leaned forward, swirling his wineglass between his two fingers. “We got Zeus to offer support for your training.” Percy looked at him in confusion. “It means you can learn high-level magic now without any of the gods interfering,” continued Hades. “Normally, that would be forbidden for a demigod of the Big Three. And technically, it still is for the most part. But Zeus made a special exception: so long as you can’t defeat a god in battle, you can study it.”

            “Uh, isn’t there a problem with that?” asked Nico. “I mean–

            Percy kicked him under the table. “I mean, I technically fought… Ares… and kind of won. Isn’t that a problem?”

            Hades and Poseidon looked at each other, their faces smug. Hades piped up. “Absolutely not. We’ve already discussed that. Technically speaking, when you fought with me, you used abnormal terrain factors to defeat me. And we didn’t tell anybody that you did it.”

            “Except for my father,” muttered Percy.

            “And what’s the harm in that?” asked Poseidon. “I’m on your side, Percy! And now, so is Hades! We have reason to celebrate as brothers again, and so do you. This will give you the freedom to take on Kronos.”

            “Yeah, I guess,” said Percy. “So long as I don’t surpass the gods. But if I do–

            “You could be killed,” said Hades. “But don’t get ahead of yourself. The gods aren’t going to interpret you taking on one of us as much of a threat. You’d have to overpower one of us in one-on-one combat. Powerful as you may be, magic alone won’t get you there. Plus, even if you did win against one of us, the council would also have to decide that it’s worth killing you. And when you’re our ticket to defeating Kronos, well, that’s risky!”

            Percy sighed, looking at his food. “Alright, great.”

            Poseidon frowned. “Percy, I thought this would be good news. I thought for sure you’d want to avenge Beckendorf.”

            “No, I do,” said Percy. He began poking and prodding the fried rice balls he had ordered with his fork. “But Annabeth is worried that I’ll overdo it while trying to get revenge. You know… do something risky. Or run afoul of the gods.”

            “It’s just a bit of training,” shrugged Hades. “How far you take it is up to you.”

            “Alright,” said Percy. “So who do I train with?”

            The divine brethren lost their jovial demeanor for a second. “Generally, when the gods want to train a capable warrior,” began Hades, gesticulating for a moment, “they… hand that person off to… Athena.”

            “But that’s not going to happen,” said Poseidon, butting in quickly. “She would never train you. We think you might benefit from self-study. That way, you don’t push yourself more than you or Annabeth wants. We might ask you to ramp things up, but for right now, it’s your choice.”

            Nico nudged Percy. “Choice is not a bad thing.”

            “Yeah,” said Percy, his voice low. “I appreciate it. It just took me by surprise.”

            Hades frowned, his face sobering a bit. He studied his wineglass with narrowed eyes. “I didn’t want for that to happen, but for Zeus to agree to this, we had to tell him right away. If I wasn’t here to push it, I’m not sure Poseidon would’ve succeeded alone, particularly not with Athena on the advisory council. But when the two of us agree on something, Zeus takes it deadly serious.”

            “Why?” asked Nico. Percy groaned.

            “Let’s just say that the last time two of the big three were facing off,” muttered Hades, “One of them didn’t have a good time.”

            “Hey, we had to do it,” said Poseidon gruffly. He munched on a breadstick. “You can’t blame us.”

            “For the gods’ sake, I get it!” said Hades, pounding the table. “Believe me, I haven’t forgotten those days. But let’s put that aside for now.”

            Nico looked at Percy. “I still don’t really know–

            “World War Two,” said Percy quietly.

            “Oh.”

            “You know, I’m having a wonderful dinner,” said Hades, his voice rising. “I don’t intend to spoil it by talking about old disagreements. We should be celebrating!”

            “I’d love to celebrate, but let’s just clear the air here,” said Percy, his eyes darting between the two gods. “I know you’re trying to be nice. And I appreciate what you did. But I didn’t want to be in the center of Olympian politics.”

            “I didn’t want you to be either,” said Poseidon, sighing. “But that prophecy and who you are have put you in the middle of it.” He began gesticulating with his breadstick like a conductor’s baton. “You need to play the game if you want to survive. But when the prophecy’s done, it’ll all go away. You can live the rest of your life without ever catching the council’s attention again.”

            “We hope,” muttered Hades.

            “Okay,” said Percy quietly. “Thanks.”

            Hades and Poseidon nodded, though they seemed quieter now. Percy glanced past the two of them, catching sight of a familiar face walking towards them. “Silena? Is that you?”

            She pulled a chair up to their table, her eyes watery. “Can I join y’all?”

            Percy scooched over. “Come on in.”

            “Well, uh, hello there,” said Hades. “You would be-

            “Dad, this is Silena Beauregard,” said Nico. “Silena, Dad.”

            “Oh,” muttered Hades.

            “Yeah, ‘oh’,” she said, leaning against Percy’s side. “Who’s paying?”

            “Why?” asked Percy gently.

            “Mom won’t order us anything unhealthy,” said Silena, her cheek sinking into Percy’s shoulder. “She vetoed my order of chili cheese fries. I want something dripping with fat.”

            Hades perked up, a smile on his face. “You know what?  You came to the god-damned right table, Silena.” He waved a waiter aside. “Bring us something loaded with carbs, cheese, salt… you get the picture.”

            “Ugh,” said Silena, shifting off of Percy’s shoulder. She lounged back in her chair. “That sounds so good right now.”

            Percy eyed her with concern. “Silena, something’s clearly wrong. What’s going on with you?”

            “It’s Mom,” she muttered. “She doesn’t know what the Hell she’s talking about. She spent the whole dinner lecturing us about what it means to be an Aphrodite camper.”

            “What does that mean?” asked Nico.

            Percy shot him a look. “Nico… you’ve got to learn to read the room a little better. I–

            “Hey, I’m still new here!” protested Nico.

            Silena gave Percy a wry smile. “You know, Percy, you’re not as smooth of a mentor as Beckendorf. Give the kid a break.” Percy sighed as Silena sat up in her chair, her face deadly serious all of a sudden. “Nico, my mother is the goddess of passionate love, the kind that sweeps you off your feet and knocks you senseless, not the rational kind. And sex is a part of that. Aphrodite likes to advocate that her children engage in… how can I put this politely… sowing their wild oats before they get married. In fact, I’m not sure if my Mom has ever had anything good to say about marriage. She likes to talk about how young love is a time to test things out and break some hearts. And how our childhood crushes… don’t matter.” She winced saying that. “You’re, like, what, twelve?”

            Nico’s eyes narrowed. He looked like he was trying to hide his annoyance. “I’m actually fourteen.”

            “Yeah, that counts as an excuse,” muttered Silena. “Aphrodite’s been alive thousands of years. She still doesn’t know how to read a room.”

            Poseidon burst out laughing, attracting the attention of numerous nearby tables. Hades crossed his arms. “I’m sorry, Silena,” said Percy. He felt overwhelmed. It seemed that all of Olympus was fucking somebody over. “That sucks. Maybe we should walk you home?”

            “Later,” she said. “I could really go for whatever Hades ordered.”

            Poseidon had still not managed to get a hold of himself. He patted Hades on the back. “Oh, that was a good one… can’t read a room… Jeez, man, this girl should do stand-up with Apollo.”

            Hades leaned forward, sighing. “Hey kid. Look, I don’t know jack shit about you. But I know the gods. I know your mother. It sucks what she said to you. But you’ve just gotta take us in stride, you know? All of the gods… we’ve lived forever. We’re cynical. For her, after watching countless lovers die, of course she’s gonna see love as fleeting. She’s not gonna be able to understand how important it is to a mortal like you.” He looked away from her, almost embarrassed. “Look, it’s not meant to be consolation. It still sucks. It still hurts. But I think… if you understand where we… where your mother is coming from, I hope maybe you won’t take it to heart as much. I hope you’ll, you know, just shrug it off. Because she’s gonna keep being an idiot like that, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you. She’s like an electrician trying to teach her kids carpentry. They kind of overlap, but she doesn’t even see the difference. I don’t mean to sound preachy…”

            Silena gave him a soft smile, her eyes gently creased in appreciation. Her voice was soft, warm. “No, I get it. Thank you. I guess I don’t think like a goddess does.”

            “Yeah, it’s hard, maybe even impossible, for you to think like someone who has lived so long,” said Hades. “It’s the same for us. I’ve never been mortal. It makes it difficult for us to empathize.”

            Silena leaned forward. “You said ‘us’, Lord Hades. Like you were talking about yourself there.”

            Poseidon blinked. “Hey, maybe don’t push my brother so far. He’s–

            “No, she’s right,” said Hades, putting down his wineglass. “There’s this entirely different world that we impose on you kids, and it’s… it’s unfair. I’m not the type of person someone like you or Nico deserve for a parent. You know, it just… the gods are like those animals that have hundreds of babies and just hope that one lives. Our lifestyle just doesn’t scream childrearing. But every once in a while, you meet one of those mortals and you take a liking to them. And for a brief moment, you feel like maybe, maybe, you want to treat all mortals better. And then you see just how shitty you can be.”

            “Hades, come on,” said Poseidon, wrapping his arm around his brother. “You’re being far too harsh to yourself. We’ve done the best we could for the kids, I mean–

            “Have we really?” asked Hades, a touch of anger entering his voice. “I mean, I can’t comment for Silena, but Percy and Nico’s very existence broke our laws. How’s that for inclusivity? And I didn’t even know her name until she got to the table. She’s technically our niece, Poseidon.” He shot the demigods a look. “How do you three feel about it?”

            Percy and Nico were silent. Silena just laughed. “No, I agree with you,” she said. “It’s not ideal. But I can’t help but think that you’re not that bad.”

            Hades grunted, looking away from her. “You haven’t known me long enough.”

            “Maybe not,” muttered Silena. “Still… I’m enjoying dinner.”

            Hades laughed. “Well, maybe our little table is enough to get through the night.”

            “Ugh,” muttered Poseidon. “I don’t know. You’ve gone dreary all of a sudden, Hades. You haven’t even touched your wine.”

            “I don’t want anymore,” he said. “But I could go for that food right now. I don’t know about you, Silena.” He waved frantically for the waiter.

            The rest of the discussion was not noteworthy, but still, something different permeated the air for the rest of the night. In the discussion between Silena and Hades, Percy felt something fresh, alive, palpable. He could not help but feel a little awestruck as the hours passed, the bacon cheddar potato skins arrived, and a god and a mortal managed to bond for just a moment.

OoOoOoOoO

            The boys walked home with Silena, and when they got to the girls’ hotel, Percy made sure to wake up Clarisse just in case. As he and Nico walked back to their hotel alone, Percy pondered Silena’s criticism from the dinner. He had chided Nico a lot for all those questions…

            “Hey, I didn’t mean to sound harsh tonight,” said Percy, his voice cracking. “I just get so nervous around the gods, but Silena was right. You have a right to ask questions. I don’t know how I would’ve survived if I hadn’t asked a thousand questions when I came to camp. And you don’t even get that.”

            “I know, dude,” said Nico, nodding. “Believe me, I wouldn’t want to be in your position. I’d be watching my tongue all the time. Silena was right about one thing – you’re not Beckendorf. But that’s alright. It’s okay to be Percy Jackson. You do other things right.”

            Percy sighed. “Like nearly escape death?”

            “Yeah,” said Nico, his face brightening a bit. “And you know, you also have a way with the gods that a lot of other campers… don’t.”

            “What do you mean?” asked Percy, his eyes narrowing. “I totally clammed up there.”

            “Yeah,” said Nico, nodding his head to consider. “But just look at the way my father opened up. I’ve never seen him act like that. And that all started with you.”

            Percy chuckled a bit in spite of himself. “Well, it was something to see, that’s for sure.”

            “You’re doing something right, Percy. I appreciate it, even if you can be a little mean sometimes.”

            “Hey!”

            Nico smiled. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I should get some sleep. Have a good night.”

            “You too, Nico,” said Percy. He headed to his bedroom. Sleep took him quickly.

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy’s dreams took shape, rending Silena into existence once more. He was standing next to her, looking at a small wooden house nestled in the woods of upstate New York. He had been here before, seen the place in real life. And yet, conscious of his dream, he could not wake himself. It had to play out.

            “You’re gonna love my uncle,” she said. She opened the door quietly and beckoned him in. A man with a crop of thick black hair and dark glasses was sitting on the couch, paging through a thick newspaper. He looked like a professor and had a strong jawline. Silena snuck towards him on her tiptoes in a playful manner, but eventually his ear twitched, and he looked up from his paper. His face burst into a wide smile. “Silena!” he said, voice booming. He rose, giving her a great bear hug, and nuzzling his chin against her forehead. “It’s so good to see you! It’s been far too long!”

            “I know, Uncle Kristian,” she said, her arms wrapped tightly around his massive frame. “Sorry about that. Camp’s been busy.”

            “Oh, I figured as much. No harm in that.” He parted from her, glancing over his shoulder. His eyebrow cocked with amusement, and Percy blushed. “Oh. Who’s this guy?”

            “This is my friend, Percy,” said Silena, dragging him over. “He’s the guy I like to spar with. The one I told you about?”

            Kristian laughed. “I see, I see. So, Percy, you’re a wrestler?”

            “Uh, I mean, with Silena I am–

            “He’s just embarrassed,” said Silena, kicking him. “You know. Doesn’t like to admit that he gets beat by a girl at wrestling camp.”

            Percy’s nostrils flared. “Hey, you’re two years older than me!”

            “It’s not just that!” announced Kristian, his smile wide. “She’s better than any other kid her age! I taught Silena everything I know! So you have me to thank when she’s whooping your ass!”

            “Hey, I put in a lot of work, too,” said Silena, punching him on the shoulder.

            He rubbed his shoulder, laughing a singsong laugh that rose in pitch. “Oh, I know that. Trust me, I’ve seen it over the years. But I like to brag just a little bit. Can’t I be proud of my god-child?”

            “God-child?” asked Percy.

            “Oh, sorry, forgot to mention,” said Kristian. “Trent Beauregard asked me to be her god-father when she got baptized.”

            “Wait, you’re Christian?” asked Percy.

            “That’s my name,” said Kristian, a smile dancing on his lips.

            Silena rolled her eyes. “You’re not as funny as you think you are. And, yes Percy, my dad is kind of Christian. It’s a long story.”

            “For another time, I hope,” said Kristian. “It’s a rough one, and we’ve only just met. Why don’t the two of you sit down? I want to hear all about how camp is going.”

            Percy paled. “Well, I–

            “Again, he’s just nervous about how much he loses,” said Silena, grabbing a chair for herself. “But of course, that just means that I have more victories to tell about.”

            “Um… Mr. Kristian, sir–

            “Call me Kristian.”

            “Right. Kristian. You said you worked with Silena. How do you know wrestling?”

            “I was never that good,” said Kristian, his arm held out to lecture. “But Trent doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, and I saw him babying her. I knew this world could get tough, especially without a mother to watch over her. So… I learned to wrestle and taught her. I have the time. I used to be a lawyer, but I retired long ago. I’ve got the money to coast now.”

            Percy looked around the house. It was a cozy place. When he looked at Kristian, something subtle welled up inside him. He exuded a paternal air, something which Gabe and Poseidon never did. And looking at Silena and Kristian, the way they laughed together and played off of each other, he couldn’t help but feel a touch of yearning.

            “Percy?” asked Silena, worried suddenly. “You’re drifting. Something wrong?”

            “No,” he said, blinking. “No, I just…

            “It’s hard,” said Kristian, smiling sympathetically. The look in his eyes suggested something pretty serious. “Right?”

            “Huh?” asked Percy.

            “Camp. It’s tough. You’re probably thinking about some old defeat or something,” said Kristian, his glance drifting away from Percy.

            “Oh,” muttered Percy. “Oh, yeah. Camp is pretty tough.”

            “It gets better, Percy,” said Kristian. “When you learn your craft well enough, it gets a lot better.”

            The dream faded. Percy woke up, a vague feeling of desire in his heart. He would’ve killed for a normal family just then.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

History

            The festivities continued throughout the week, many of them gatherings of the demigods to have dinner together or play games. Percy saw his father once more, but only for a very short time; Poseidon had several important meetings to attend. “I promise, on our last night together, I’ll be around,” he said, his eyes apologetic.

            In the meantime, Percy spent his days catching up with old friends and exploring the city. About halfway through the week, while wandering through the alleyways of Olympus, Percy stumbled upon an old-fashioned burger joint near the base of the mountain. At the counter, he saw Thalia eating something rather heavy. When she saw him, she called him over.

            “Gods, has it been a long time!” she said, hugging him. “Take a seat, join me! Lady Artemis is coming in a little bit.”

            Percy sat, staring at the menu. Everything seemed terribly caloric. “Are you sure Artemis will like this?”

            “She’s a Huntress,” said Thalia, rolling her eyes. “Meat’s always on the menu.”

            He decided not to bring up the fact that hunting did not produce nearly as much grease. Fortunately, the door saved him. Artemis walked in, taking a seat next to Thalia. She nodded to Percy. “Congrats on your triumph. It would’ve made Caesar pink with envy.”

            “I like the sound of that,” said Percy, suppressing a smile.

            Artemis looked up at the burger that Thalia was holding. Her eyes narrowed. “Ah… how… appetizing… that thing… looks.”

            “It’s so good,” said Thalia, spewing bits of meat and bun and sauce everywhere as she chewed through the discussion. “My father took me here the first night between meetings.”

            “Of course he did,” muttered Artemis. “Well, I’ll have to mull over the menu. Maybe I’ll wait until Mr. Jackson has ordered. He might… inspire me with some fresh ideas.”

            “Right,” muttered Percy. “I’ll get back to you on that.”

            Thalia glanced between them suspiciously. “I don’t really like this new dynamic between the two of you. I don’t get it. Something’s afoot. I mean, I know Lady Artemis way better than you do, Percy.”

            “Well, perhaps you’re hallucinating,” said Artemis, nudging her playfully. “After all, it’s been a long few months. We’ve been scouting out Kronos’ position, Percy, so we’ve been on the move frequently. Thalia’s probably pretty tired.”

            Thalia glared at Artemis. “Do you think you’re too good for burgers?”

            Aside from a slight quiver of her upper lip, the goddess showed little sign of concern. “Hardly. I’m just overcome by the amount of choices this place offers. How is a goddess to choose between a… a double and a triple while at the same time considering which kind of cheese to lay on top? Whether to fry the bun or lace it with ketchup and mustard? The possibilities… it’s just too much to handle.”

            Percy snickered. Thalia shot him a glance. “What’s so funny, Jackson? You in on the joke? Wanna tell me?”

            “Nothing, nothing,” said Percy. “It just… warms my heart to see how my friend Thalia has taken to Lady Artemis. It’s kind of refreshing after seeing how all the other gods struggle with their kids.”

            Artemis smiled. “One reason I formed the Hunters was to avoid the strained relationships that I saw my brothers and sisters experience with their children. It’s hard to get attached to someone when you know you will outlive them. But the Hunters are different. With the gift of immortality, we can hunt and fight together as long as we need.”

            “I don’t see what this has to do with hamburgers,” muttered Thalia. She looked expectantly at Percy.

            He laughed nervously, trying to cover his lack of response. Someone else interrupted him, though. “Well, if it isn’t seaweed and skyweed!”

            Percy turned to see Alex Chase walking towards them. “That was pretty lame.”

            “We’re not all creative visionaries, evidently,” shrugged Alex. He took a seat next to Percy, glanced down the counter, and blushed. “Oh! Lady Artemis! Sorry. Must’ve missed you there.” Artemis shrugged.

            “I haven’t seen you all week, man,” said Percy.

            “I know. Mom’s been keeping us busy.”

            “Well, that sounds nice. My dad’s been pretty busy.”

            Alex sighed. “Yeah, it is nice in a way. But you know she has an ulterior motive. Mom has never been this clingy during past field trips. My guess? She’s trying to avoid you seeing us. I had to work hard to escape.”

            “Tough,” muttered Thalia. “Where’s Annabeth?”

            “Still hanging with the family,” said Alex. “After all, she’s the one Mom’s most worried about.”

            “Gods, I can’t believe it,” muttered Percy. “I just wanted to spend a little bit of time with her. After all we’ve been through… I didn’t think it would be too much to ask.”

            “Hey, I’m right there with you,” said Alex. “Mom’s out of line.”

            “Sounds like it,” said Thalia. There was silence for a moment. “So anyways, about these burgers…

            Percy tried to think of something to avoid talking about the menu. He fixated on Lady Artemis, recalling her stance about equality with the Hunters. “Lady Artemis,” he began, “can I ask you a question?”

            “Hey, uh, what about my question?” asked Thalia, waving at him.

            “Be my guest,” said Artemis, her face locked strictly on Percy’s, turned far away from Thalia’s.

            “You’ve got a lot of perspective on the gods. I was wondering… I know Athena doesn’t get along with my Dad, but she seems really harsh. Is this all just about Poseidon?”

            Artemis tried not to frown, taking a long draught of water instead. “Probably.”

            “But, I mean, Athens and Medusa, that’s all ancient history,” said Percy. “Is that really enough to make her angry all these years later?”

            “They have a longer history than Athens and Medusa,” muttered Artemis.

            “What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Alex.

            “Gods live a long time.”

            “I know that look,” said Thalia. “You’re not telling us everything.”

            Artemis gave her a side-eye. “As my lieutenant, you should know very well that I don’t get involved in matters of romance.”

            “Lady Artemis, I’m just trying to spend a bit of time with Annabeth,” said Percy. “If you know something–

            “It wouldn’t help.”

            “Why are you so tight-lipped about this?” asked Percy. “Is this because of Annabeth and the Hunters?”

            Artemis sipped her water coolly. “Annabeth made her choice and I respect it. I harbor no ill will towards either of you. But you are so focused on seeing her… I doubt you’d want to spend any time considering how her mother feels.”

            “Well, yeah,” said Alex. “Lady Artemis, my mother is cruel to Percy. That’s no secret. It shouldn’t be on him to prove his innocence. He didn’t even do anything. It was his father who my mom has history with.”

            “I have met dozens of Poseidon’s children,” said Artemis. “As has Athena. Believe it or not, she doesn’t always treat them like Percy. She even got along with some of them.”

            The three demigods stared at her. “How?” asked Percy. “I mean, that’s kind of news to me.”

            “Yeah, well, you’re the first son of Poseidon to date one of her daughters in… it’s been a long time,” explained Artemis. “Quite frankly, I don’t think any ever pursued that relationship for very long. Look, I agree that she’s harsh towards Percy. But she has plenty of reason to be… at least from her perspective. After all, you’re just like your father from what I’ve heard of his younger years. A bit impulsive. A bit aloof. That is exactly the kind of attitude that led Athena to dislike Poseidon in the first place.” She paused. “And, if I’m being frank… it might not be the best thing for your relationship, in the end. But I don’t want to get into that.”

            “Oh, come on, you can’t say that and expect me to just be content!” said Percy.

            “Let me ask you something,” said Artemis. “Suppose you continue dating Annabeth. Are you going to try to get along with Athena, or just try to avoid her?”

            “I… haven’t thought that far ahead,” said Percy, his shoulders sinking.

            “Well, right now, you’ve defaulted to the second,” said Artemis. “That’s great for you, but it’s not fair for Athena, and it’s not fair for Annabeth. That’s her mother. Unlike the rest of the gods, Athena pays attention to her children when they grow up. That relationship is valuable. For you to restrain that just because you love Annabeth is not ‘love’ at all. It’s possession. The bane of a Huntress.”

            “Hold on, you conscript the Hunters for eternity, and I’m not ‘possessing’-

            “Not true,” countered Artemis, her voice confident. “If a Huntress wants to leave our group, she may. Many have. Some even do it to pursue a relationship, the very thing they swore off. It doesn’t happen often, but I know that people change. I don’t stand as an impediment. But they must revoke immortality. The choice must be important for them, just as important as joining the Hunters is. Call it possessive if you want, but we value their choices as individuals. You, on the other hand… the path you are headed down will put you in opposition with the girl’s mother.”

            “But Athena started it!” said Percy, his voice rising. “I don’t know how you can’t see that!”

            “I do see it,” said Artemis, not losing her cool. “But you don’t want to do anything about it. Right now, you’re more prideful than you are compassionate.”

            Percy took a moment to breath. “Look, I… maybe you’re right. Maybe I ought to make an effort… to understand Athena. But I don’t know how. It’s not like she’ll talk to me about it. If I want to understand her, I need your help.”

            Artemis studied his face thoughtfully for a minute. “Alright. That’s fair. But listen well, Percy. Neither your father nor Athena would ever admit this to you, and for you to understand our history in the position you’re in… I fear it’s imperative.”

OoOoOoOoO

            You’ve heard the beginning of this story before. Long ago, before Zeus had married Hera, he married an ancient goddess named Metis. She became pregnant with child. But an ancient prophecy warned that a child of the next generation would overthrow the Olympians. Zeus feared it would be Metis’ child, for she was the wisest of all living beings, and he feared she would bear an equally wise goddess. So, he devised a plan wherein he would consume Metis.

            But Metis still bore the child inside him, and an immortal baby will still develop inside of a stomach. Athena grew and grew, until Zeus became consumed with pain. He asked Hephaestus to cleave his head in two, and out sprang the young Athena.

            She was a woman by ancient standards, but not fully grown, not yet a goddess. Zeus spent time raising his daughter, listening to her wise counsel, and he came to see that she would not overthrow him. But he soon learned of a plot against him brewing in Tartarus. He needed to descend into Hades to ensure that the rebellion was quashed.

            But Athena had no mother that Zeus could leave her with. He had consumed Metis in his caution. He decided that she would live underwater with her uncle, Poseidon, that he might watch over her while her divine powers were still developing.

            With Metis gone, Zeus had depended on Athena as his closest advisor. She was his daughter, but she was also a professional in his presence, and had little opportunity to spend time for herself. But Poseidon welcomed his niece with open arms, happy to have a foster daughter not drenched in ocean politics. They spent Athena’s early years in the ocean touring the great wonders that it held, combing the beaches of the world. Poseidon taught Athena how to relax. And for a time, it looked as if she might take to this lifestyle. There were even rumors that she might look for an ocean deity to marry, perhaps one of the children of Oceanus or Pontus, bringing further peace between the deities of the sea.

            But as Athena neared divine maturity, a beautiful water spirit visited the court of Atlantis. She knew of her charms well but knew even better that to compete with the many other minor deities of the sea, she would have to marry a powerful god. While she courted several, she became enamored with Poseidon. This was Amphitrite.

            When she began living with Poseidon’s court at Atlantis, she met the young Athena, who Poseidon often spent time with in those days. Amphitrite saw her as a threat and worked to keep the two of them apart. Athena went from being the star of Atlantis to being the social outcast, ostracized from her main connection to the realm under the waves. So great was her ire that she returned to Olympus, announcing boldly to her father that she never wanted to marry, never wanted to become as distractible as that fool Poseidon. She swore to live as a virgin for the rest of her life, never marrying. And though Athena has had partners, she still foreswears the romance and sexual passion that led Poseidon to forget about her. As such, children of Athena are not conceived like normal children. They emerge from her brain, a symbol of the mental connection between two partners, rather than the sexual connection between two lovers.

OoOoOoOoO

            “I looked up to Athena as a role model,” said Artemis. “At the time, she was the only virgin goddess on the court, the only person I could go to. She relayed her experiences with Poseidon to me. To this day, I haven’t forgotten it. Now, we made the choice for different reasons, and as a result I tend to be a bit more zealous about it. Athena would never advise her children to forgo love, for example. Unlike her, if I ever had children, I would advise against it, as I do with my Hunters. And Athena has lapsed on occasion, but it rarely happens, and it always ends swiftly.”

            “Wait, really?” asked Alex. “How do you know?”

            Artemis chuckled. “Well, it’s not every day that Athena is so enamored with a man that she decides to break her vows. The news normally spreads. And you can tell a natural-born child of Athena by their stomachs. They have belly buttons.”

            Alex paused. “But… I have a belly button.”

            Artemis smiled. “Oh, I’m well aware of that.”

            “Wait, what?” asked Alex. “No way. She never mentioned this! Are you telling me if I ask Malcolm about his belly button… he doesn’t have one?”

            Artemis laughed. “Yes, Alex. That’s right.”

            “Huh… I always thought his stomach looked a bit weird at swim practice,” muttered Percy. “Now that you mention it–

            “It would be hidden by the mist,” said Artemis. “And, Alex… as for your not knowing this… there’s a good reason why. She does not publicize it. Zeus has a tendency to marry off his daughters for political reasons. As such, Athena’s vows – as well as mine – are enforced by Olympian law. Otherwise, someone might start asking. So, when she breaks her vow, she keeps quiet about it, and it never lasts very long.”

            “Huh,” said Alex. “And did you ever… uh… break your vows?”

            Thalia gave him a stern look, but Artemis didn’t seem fazed. “Never,” she said. “I view sexual passion as detrimental to a person’s freedom and sober judgement. The metaphor of Cupid’s arrow has a lot of truth in it. Watching the other gods lose their senses in the throes of passion has always haunted me. When I was much younger, I had the same passions. But over the centuries, the temptations have faded so much that they barely even register now. To an extent, I have conquered love.”

            “Ah,” said Alex, his shoulders sagging a bit. “That sounds… nice.”

            “So you don’t believe romance can ever result in anything good?” asked Percy.

            “I wouldn’t go so far,” shrugged Artemis. “I don’t sit in my camp and laugh at all the plebeians who ‘fall in love’, if that’s what you’re thinking. If I thought that, I would never have told you Athena’s story. I know people can have healthy romance. But more often than not, I see the ‘romance’ part getting in the way of the ‘relationship’ part. If you’re asking me to sanction your relationship, I would say it can be healthy if you go about it the right way. But make no mistake, Percy, romance is a complex thing. And if you want to have a real relationship, one which doesn’t replace compassion with passion, you must make peace with Athena. You must show her that you are mature, that your compassion for her daughter is not fleeting. At that point, she might respect you as an individual, rather than the byproduct of your father.”

            “Thank you, Lady Artemis,” said Percy. “You’re… quite wise yourself.”

            She smiled at him. “I know we will never see eye to eye, Perseus Jackson. Be that as it may, respecting others is the first step to surviving in Olympus. Keep it up.”

            Thalia smirked. “And if you do, maybe one day… you’ll be wise enough to join the Hunters yourself!”

            “Okay, I see we’ve devolved into banter again,” said Artemis. “I’ll leave you all to bond. After all, Thalia only gets so much time to see you two. I’ll see you back at camp.”

            “Wait,” said Thalia, suddenly deadly serious. “I have one last question. I really need your wisdom here, Lady Artemis. And I think Percy and Alex would benefit too.”

            “Yes?”

            “What’s so bad about burgers?”

            Artemis’ voice flared in a singsong fashion. “Goodbye, Thalia.”

            She snickered. “Now, Alex, for the gods’ sake, order something good.”

            “Oh gods, I am starving,” he said, pulling open the menu. “What’s the fattiest thing on here?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

Bread and Circuses

            Another dream came to Percy that night. Not a memory this time; not one of his, anyways. Instead, he saw Luke traipsing through the alleyways of Olympus that night, glancing nervously to and fro as he walked. Stepping up to the very outskirts of the city, the edge of Olympus, Luke looked down and saw the vast expanse of New York City below him, still roaring with life. He looked back up towards the top of the mountain wistfully, and then sat at the edge, unwrapping a satchel he had brought with him. It contained a glimmering ball which he threw into the air. The device exploded into a bright cloud, a digitized screen appearing in front of him.

            “Thank you for using Hyper message,” said a robotic woman’s voice. “Who would you like to contact?”

            Luke thought for a moment. “Show me Lord Kronos, please.”

            “Contacting Kronos…

            The screen changed to Kronos, dressed in battle armor. “Luke. I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Is everything going according to plan?”

            “Not exactly, my Lord. Our spy has… gone silent. I haven’t located Percy yet.”

            Kronos seemed bothered by this, but he waved it off. “There’s nothing you can do about it now.”

            “I was thinking… what if we played our trump card with the spy?”

            Kronos didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. His eyes did all the talking; flames, they kept burning, crackling at a nonchalant pace that paid no heed to other’s concerns. “Luke…We have discussed this.”

            Luke’s face betrayed no sign of doubt. “I think it’s a smart strategy, my Lord.”

            “You’re lying to me,” said Kronos, raising an eyebrow. “You’re getting sentimental. Have you forgotten our mission?”

            “Of course I remember!” said Luke, his composure finally breaking. His brows knit with passion as he threw his hands towards the image of Kronos. “But everything changed when you told me our endgame. Everything! I don’t understand how you can continue to deny that!”

            “People will get hurt, Luke,” said Kronos, a little annoyed. “That’s part of a rebellion.”

            “You expect me to be okay with that?”

            “I expect you to give me some leeway here!” said the titan, his voice rising. “I may not like it, but at least I’m not lying about it! At least I’m not shoving all the demigods into some camp so I can forget about them! And isn’t some temporary pain better than living with the Olympians? The slow, painful realization that your parents don’t give a shit, and all you have to look forward to are these bread and circuses? You know what happens to demigods in Olympus, don’t you? Is that what you want for your friends to deal with their whole lives?”

            “No!” shouted Luke. “But we’re asking too much of them!”

            “The gods ask too much of them!” boomed Kronos. “How do you expect me to win if I can’t do the same? You come in here and show me a way to win without a war, and I’ll gladly do it! That’s why I put my chips with Jackson! But you need to find him first!”

            Luke gritted his teeth. “I’m doing my best, alright? I just thought I’d raise an idea.”

            Kronos was silent for a minute. “You once described to me a dream you had… of a place where demigods could take refuge, where they could be safe from monsters and from the gods. You and Annabeth were going to plan it. The army would be led by Clarisse. Not even the children of the Big Three turned away. But there was always something missing: someone who could protect it. You could never find that person who had the power of a god, but the heart of a demigod. Percy Jackson is the key. The only way you all can have a normal life. So go and find your protector. Once you secure him, the others will follow. Otherwise, I’m afraid that our trump card… is just as human as everyone else.”

            Luke bowed, trying to rid the anger from his eyes by closing them. “As always, my Lord, you are a wise leader.”

            Kronos frowned, his mouth stewing with distaste. “As always, my lieutenant, you use flattery to conceal your doubts. Don’t give up now; we are incredibly close. I leave you to your mission.”

            The Hyper message faded. Luke sighed. “Sorry. I want you to know that I tried.”

            Percy woke to someone shaking his shoulders. He caught sight of the wisps of blonde hair, a pale-faced man standing over him. He reached for his sword, brandishing it. “I don’t why the Hell you want me, Luke, but I’d rather die than join you!”

            Hermes stood wide-eyed, staring at Percy. “Um… I–

            Percy rubbed his eyes. “Oh. Oh my gods. Lord Hermes. I’m so sorry. What’s up? What’s going on?”

            “The Olympian Council requests your presence,” said Hermes, his voice still a bit shaky. “At ten o’clock, precisely. It’s a legally binding summons. You have to show up.”

            “Okay,” muttered Percy.

            “I ought to be going,” said Hermes. He rushed to the door before Percy could say anything, fumbling with the knob, his hand still shaky. Finally, he made his way out, leaving Percy alone to ponder his dream.

OoOoOoOoO

            When Percy entered the council room, he found thirteen sets of eyes pinned on him, all sizing the boy up for whatever personal agendas they had. Zeus rose from his seat. “Perseus Jackson. Welcome to our meeting.”

            “I hope this isn’t another vote to kill me?”

            “Hardly,” said Zeus, though he said it as if the suggestion were rather trivial. “I doubt that would happen unless you did something incredibly stupid.” By the looks of some of the other gods, that was not quite as unlikely as Zeus suggested.

            “So why’d you call me?”

            “As I hope your father and Hades informed you, you now have the right to study high-level magic, provided you do not become as powerful as one of us,” said Zeus. “Olympus typically assigns a mentor to guide you through such a process. However, in this case, she refused to teach you.”

            “I figured it might get awkward,” said Athena. She leaned forward. “I’m sure you don’t mind?”

            “Yeah, I’m totally okay with that,” muttered Percy. He piped up a bit. “But no one else has ever been a mentor? Athena can’t be the only one.”

            “We’ve rarely given demigods such authority,” Athena said. “So I have always been the mentor.”

            “So we need to find you one,” said Zeus. “Unless you would like to self-study.”

            Percy looked around at the thirteen gods sitting before him, weighing his options. He figured that maybe, maybe, a third of this group could put up with him long enough for him to survive. And of those, not many seemed like they would make a good mentor. His eyes veered to the right-hand side of the room, towards the goddesses.

            “I’d like to study under Lady Artemis.”

            The room collectively sat back in surprise. Athena seemed to repeat his words under her breath, as if not quite understanding.

            Zeus’s voice rumbled like thunder. “Perseus Jackson, it is not your right to study under a maiden goddess.”

            “That’s not what I meant!” he said, blushing. “I just think that she’s… you know… she knows what she’s doing.”

            Dionysus raised an eyebrow, huffing at him. “What on Earth is that supposed to mean?”

            “Would you prefer he study under you instead?” asked Artemis. Dionysus paled a bit. She looked at Percy with a kindly smile on her face, winking at him. “It’s no one’s choice but mine whether or not I accept your request, Percy. And I am flattered. But my father’s concern has some truth to it. You are male. That’s a complication for traveling with the Hunters.”

            “A good point,” said Poseidon. “Besides, someone closer to Percy’s skillset might–

            “Absolutely not,” said Athena, her brows knitting with anger as she stomped her foot on the council room floor. “The last time you tried anything close to mentoring a child, it went horribly. I will not allow it!”

            “He is my son!” said Poseidon, bounding up from his seat. His voice shook the room. “I will watch over him well!”

            “Ah, yes, I can only imagine how well you’ll watch over him in that undersea prison of yours!” roared Athena. “One night you’ll be enjoying a finely chopped filet à la Jackson, courtesy of the butcher queen herself!”

            “Thank you for that lovely analysis,” boomed Zeus, “but we must be moving on. Poseidon, your sentimentality for your son concerns me as well. I’m barring such a decision.”

            “How about you come with me, Percy?” asked Apollo. “We’d have a lot of fun!”

            Artemis cleared her throat. “Brother, he doesn’t need healing magic or your flirting tips.”

            “Maybe I ought to just self-study,” said Percy. “I mean, it seems like whatever choice I pick, there’s bound to be some… eh… complications.”

            “What do you mean?” asked Zeus.

            Percy shrugged sheepishly. “You’re all a complicated bunch.”

            “That’s a surprisingly mature decision from you,” said Athena. She frowned. “But it neglects the fact that you’re a terrible study.”

            “Annabeth could help me,” he suggested gently.

            “My daughter is not going to spend her time tutoring C minus students!”

            “I’d love to hear you propose someone else, then,” said Percy, crossing his arms. “Lady Athena, my plan may not be good, but if the goddess of wisdom herself can’t come up with a better one, I don’t see much else I can do.”

            Athena sighed. “I suppose you have a point. If it really pleases you to study on your own, I’ll support it. But my children have their own lives. Don’t depend so heavily on them.”

            “Does anyone oppose this plan?” asked Zeus. “We are leaving the fate of Olympus in the hands of a fifteen-year-old, after all.”

            “One thing,” said Hades. “Someone ought to lend him study materials.”

            Zeus nodded. “I’m sure Athena can arrange that. If no one else has any concerns, I’ll leave the rest to you, my daughter.”

            “Of course,” she said, rising from her seat. She looked at him across the room, her face split between disgust and amusement. “Follow me, Perseus Jackson.”

OoOoOoOoO

            They descended silently into the crypts of the Olympian council building; catacombs carved from pitch-black bricks the size of suitcases. Athena, shoulders weighed down by the pain of being in proximity to Percy Jackson, sighed. “Welcome to the basement floor of the Olympian council building. Built entirely of obsidian, to model Hades’ realm. A bit dreary I suppose, but eerily beautiful at the same time.” Percy cracked a smile. She looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. “What?”

            “Whenever Annabeth tells the building history, I always think it’s kind of cute.”

            Athena stopped abruptly. “Cute? I am a five-thousand-year-old deity with the power to incinerate you-

            “Okay, okay!” said Percy, waving his hands. “I’m just trying to make conversation! Jesus Christ.”

            Athena looked up to the ceiling, as if to ask whatever gods reigned above her why she had been forced to do this. “Why would you ever want to make conversation? We don’t need to have conversations between us. They’re bound to be terrible!”

            They kept walking for about a minute, the silence building between them. “Maybe not,” squeaked Percy. “Our conversations could be interesting.”

            She paid no attention for a moment, yanking a large book off a nearby shelf and dropping it into his hands. “It’s the best spellbook you’ll find in Olympus. I hope it’s not wasted on you. And what do you mean by interesting?”

            “Artemis and I were talking,” said Percy, “…and she told me that you’d gotten along with some children of Poseidon back in the day.

            “Most were girls,” murmured Athena. “And none ever tried to date my children.”

            He chose to ignore that comment. “I mean, why couldn’t you and I get along?”

            “Do you want me to sugarcoat it?”

            He thought for a second. “Um…No?”

            “You’re immature,” she said. “I don’t know how you’re going to get through that book, much less maintain a relationship with my daughter.”

            Percy spoke slowly, as if he had rehearsed this line. “I think… maybe… your opinions of me are… shaded by some past experiences. Between you and my father.”

            For once, Athena actually smiled in his presence. Although given the context, he didn’t find that a good thing. She suppressed a laugh. “No, really? You’re a modern-day Freud, kid.”

            “Maybe that comparison’s not fair?” asked Percy. “Because I’m not a god? I don’t mean to be presumptive, but Hades told me the other day that gods act differently than mortals.”

            “Hades was right, but it doesn’t matter,” said Athena, shaking her head. “You have your father’s genes, more or less. And it shows, too. So the comparison is still fair.”

            “I think you’re overlooking a lot,” said Percy.

            “Why are we having this conversation–

            “Just hear me out!” he said. “Look, I’m not my dad! I’m not immortal! And I’m not surrounded by power-hungry politicians who guide my–

            She froze, which was not something Athena usually did. Percy bumped into her. “What… did you just say?”

            Percy hesitated, a band of sweat breaking out on his forehead. “I was just suggesting that I’m not as… as vain as my father, because uh–

            She turned to face him now, her eyes as grey as steel, unblinking and unbending. And slowly, the worrying edges of a taught smile crept across her face. “Well, well, well,” she began slowly, an icy hiss in her voice. “I guess you wised up and made a friend among the gods, didn’t you? You certainly opted for Artemis rather quickly in the council room. What exactly did she tell you, Percy?” Her face had crept closer to his such that she was inches away from him, her neck taught like an owl’s predatory stance.

            “Well, um… she told me that Poseidon wanted to piss you off during a vote, so he snuck into the temple with Medusa–

            Her eyes flashed in the dim light. “Stop talking. Now.” He nodded, goosebumps rising on his shoulders as he felt her breath against his face. “What happened between me and your father when I was growing up is not a story I like hearing parroted to me, or talking about for that matter. But I’ll clear it up for you just this once so that you never even dream of bringing it up again. Your father abandoned me. Not because he was a god. Not because he was prey to some overbearing sea slut. He abandoned me because he was immature! He has always been immature! Just like you are!”

            “That’s unfair!” said Percy. “I’m just fifteen–

            “I’ve watched you since you arrived at camp! Everyone has! And what have you done the whole time? Cling to your friends! Depend on them, leech off them, eat up their time!”

            Percy balled his fists. He felt a growing anger. “You can try to paint my relationship however you want, but you’re not going to be able to twist it to fit your shitty little narrative of how sons of Poseidon work. I have never left my friends behind. EVER. And I–

            “I frankly don’t give a shit, Perseus Jackson!” she yelled, banging her fist against the bookshelf next to him. The entire contents spilled out, crashing against the ground like rubble in an earthquake. “Because you can’t do anything on your own, and I know one way or another that you’re going to mess up! So let me end this right here. Nothing you say will change my mind. I don’t intend for you to see Annabeth or Alex while they’re living under my roof. I’ll put up with whatever little romantic games you want to play until Kronos is in Tartarus. But get too close to my daughter, make her anything more than your cutesy little friend, and I will end your life.”

            He stared up at her, wanting to be mad, willing himself to scream. It didn’t come. His heart was racing. She stood so close to him that he could feel her breath on his face, the ire in her glare, the raw power coursing through her body. She could end him in a heartbeat. His eyes began to well with tears. “That’s not fair–

            “Life is not fair!” thundered Athena. “Do you think that I enjoyed being locked under the sea with Amphitrite for years on end? Now if you’ll excuse me, I don’t intend to waste my time with some kid who thinks he’s got the gods all figured out after hearing a few stories at a family reunion! Good luck getting out of here by yourself. If I’m lucky, maybe you’ll die down here anyways!” She turned a corner, leaving him in the depths of Olympus, a pitch-black abyss that sucked at his very soul. He did not move. He did not dare even cry. He just sat down against the wall in silence, wishing that he could cease to exist in this hellhole.

OoOoOoOoO

            He tried to read the book. To prove Athena wrong, and show that he was mature, that he had pored over its contents and mastered its magic and was the responsible leader he knew himself to be. But the words were in English; they swam around on the page and escaped his mind. More than usual, he found himself unable to focus. He gave up, and began to wander the halls, searching for an exit. As he did so, he entered a room deep within the catacombs, an inner sanctum with a pedestal in the middle of it. On the pedestal sat Zeus’s thunder bolt.

            “Funny,” said someone behind him. “Once again, it would be so easy to take it.”

            He turned around. There, standing about six feet away from him, Luke Castellan. He looked tired; he had grey bags under his eyes and had dispensed with that angry expression he liked to wear. He seemed more sincere that way.

            “I’m not helping you, Luke,” said Percy, drawing his sword.

            “No,” said Luke, spreading his arms out to reveal his unguarded chest. “I wouldn’t ask that of you. I’m here to help you.”

            “Bullshit.”

            “Is it? Percy, I watched that conversation. I saw every minute of it. It was terrible. Athena is the goddess of wisdom, but that was all blind emotion. The gods are scarred beyond recognition.”

            Percy had heard plenty of Luke’s bait before, and he was growing tired of it. “Give it a rest, you sack of shit!”

            “Kronos told you that you had power, Percy,” said Luke. “He’s right. You can ignore the signs all you want, but you’re going to grow even more powerful and become a god one day. And when that happens, do you think Athena and the other gods are going to sit by and let you live? You won’t just be some mortal boy with a crush on her daughter anymore. You’ll be the center of attention. The gods will be out to get you, and you’ll need help.”

            “No,” said Percy, shaking his head. “I’d rather die than join the side that killed Beckendorf. You haven’t had to sit there and watch Silena learn how he died. You haven’t had to walk by his cabin every day, waiting for him to walk out like always. He’s fucking gone because of you!”

            Luke’s face fell to sorrow. “We didn’t intend for that to happen, Percy.”

            “Well it did!” he roared. “And all the shit you’ve brought into camp, all the hatred you’ve sown in our little family–

            “Oh, that’s my fault?” screamed Luke, his face finally crumbling into derision. “It’s my fault that Athena hates you? That Mr. D is a fucking abusive instructor? That your life is a fucking crime, Percy? Is that all my fault? Percy, I hate… I HATE that Beckendorf died! Every day I beat myself up about it! But the Olympians have done things so much more fucked up than Kronos ever did, and I couldn’t stand by and watch the abuse! Why aren’t you tired of it all? Don’t you feel the pain yourself?”

            “How is Kronos going to change anything when the entirety of camp hates him? Luke, you have to be blind to think–

            “We don’t need the camp to like him!” shouted Luke. “Kronos will let us have the throne!” He paused, his chest heaving up and down, up and down. His voice grew hoarse. “Percy, please… you need my help… and I need yours too! Look at yourself! You’re all alone in the middle of a fucking dark catacomb! This is what the gods do to us! But if you come with me… if you come with me, we can actually do something!”

            Percy looked across the room at his old mentor. What had once been a smiling and confident face had been reduced to… desperation. Luke had no other place to go. But Percy couldn’t bring himself to look Luke in the eye. Anger swelled inside his heart.

            “You left us behind, man,” said Percy. “We were doing alright on our own. After you left… you should’ve seen Beckendorf. He couldn’t stop thinking about how to replace you, about how much we had lost. You’ve got it all wrong, Luke. You should’ve stayed.”

            Luke balled his fists, his eyes watering. “I don’t get it. All this time, how could you… how could you still believe that? Percy, we could achieve so much more if you just stopped sitting on the sidelines!”

            “Is watching out for your friends the same as sitting on the sidelines, Luke?”

            “I wish life could be that simple,” said Luke, his face scrunching in pain. “You’re naïve. I told Kronos you were naïve! How could he have suggested that you…

            “Get out of here!” roared Percy. “Before I decide to take you out myself!”

            “Fine!” said Luke. “But when the gods destroy our family from the inside, don’t come crying back to me!” He disappeared into the shadows, leaving Percy alone to contemplate Zeus’s bolt.

            Percy winced, realizing he had lost the only other person who knew where the entrance was. “Wait… I wonder if… I just kind of… used it for a bit…

OoOoOoOoO

            “In thousands of years of ruling over Olympus,” muttered Zeus, “I have never had a demigod use my bolt to cause an earthquake in the council room.”

            “Blame Athena,” muttered Percy. “She’s the one who left me down there.”

            “That’s very unlike her,” said Zeus. “She must really hate you.”

            “That’s putting it lightly.”

            Zeus looked back at Percy, his eyes showing just a bit of sympathy. “You look tired, Percy. You ought to get some rest. After all, this trip is for relaxation.”

            “Right. I will.”

            Zeus nodded, leaving him in front of the hotel. It was nighttime, the second to last day of the field trip. A day he would never get back.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

Fate’s Flight

            On the morning of the last day, Percy emerged from his room with the bleary eyes and blundering pace of a braindead zombie.

            “Hey, come on, man,” said Will Solace, balancing a basketball on his hip. “We’ve got space for one more.”

            “Thanks, but no,” murmured Percy. “I’m going out to think.”

            Grover bleated at him, trotting over. “Percy, you’re not exactly the contemplative type.”

            “Not right now, dude,” said Percy, his voice straining. “Please.”

            Grover hesitated, swiveling sheepishly on his hooves. “This is our final day in Olympus. You should be taking advantage of that.”

            “There’s nothing to take advantage of,” muttered Percy. Grover’s eyes narrowed with just a touch of offense. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong. I… I mean, it’s not quite what I had imagined. I just…

            Grover could be a good sport about this stuff, and thankfully, he played that role once more. “The Council Meeting got you down?”

            “In a big way.”

            Grover sighed. “Alright. Why don’t you grab some air? Will, I’ll take last spot.”

            “Oh, come on!” said Will. “Last time you played, your hoof tore through my shoe!”

            “I hope you tear through a lot more today,” muttered Percy.

            “Don’t worry; Will just sucks at basketball.” Grover hesitated, then smiled. “I’ll beat him.”

            Percy nodded, heading out the door.

OoOoOoOoO

            He made his way through the outskirts of Olympus, his gaze fixed on the ground. The weathered stone roads led him into a dark alleyway where he lingered for a long time, content to listen to birds chirping. He sat down to pet a passing cat, which purred and brushed its fur lovingly against his side. He appreciated that the interaction was so simple; the cat wouldn’t hate him for his lineage. In the emptiness he passed as a nobody, which presently seemed much better than a somebody.

            Then somebody called out, breaking into his mind as a nasty headache. It felt like someone was crushing his temples, fingers sinking into his skull and yanking his whole head back into reality. He gave into the impulse and faced the noise, finding a stranger standing in front of him. His pain subsided a bit when he realized that the man was still a stranger, and he still a nobody.

            “Perseus Jackson,” said the man, his voice smooth and quick. “I’ve been looking for you.”

            He felt the urge to slink back into the shadows, his eyes shifting away from the man. “You’ve got the wrong guy.”

            “Oh?” he asked, leaning towards Percy. “Then who is it I am speaking too, if not the child of prophecy?”

            “Nobody,” he muttered.

            “Well, if Percy’s not around, Odysseus will probably do.” The man put his hand on Percy’s shoulder. “I was instructed to find a noble hero who could save Olympus.

            The inside of Percy’s head was pounding, and he could do without the bullshit. He balled his fists. “Cut the flattery. What do you want?”

            “We’ve heard you need a magic teacher,” said the man, stepping away from Percy. “My master is interested in training you.”

            “Thanks. I’ll pass.” He swiveled his shoulder, sauntering away from the man.

            “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” called the man. “From what I’ve heard, you’ve turned down several mentors in the past few days because of all that Olympian baggage. But my master isn’t involved in this war. He’s free. Weightless.”

            Something about that final word struck him as off. This man, dressed in long flowing robes, seemed a bit cultish. “Who?” asked Percy, eyes narrowing.

            “He’d rather introduce himself,” said the man. “But he goes by ‘O’.”

            The man began walking, but for a few seconds Percy hesitated. He had a history of following weird, cryptic people that ended up betraying him. The man looked back, noticing his hesitation.

            “My master knows how to beat Kronos AND survive the gods, Percy. That’s a rare combination. And besides, we’re in Olympus. No one’s going to try anything while all the gods are out with their children. That’s why my master wanted to reach out to you today.”

            Percy nodded. “Fine, I’ll meet the guy. But we’re doing it out in the open.”

            The man smiled. “You’ve learned well. I’m glad to see I’ve found a fine young protégé for my master.”

OoOoOoOoO

            On a patio in a dark alleyway did not exactly meet the definition of ‘out in the open’, but Percy figured he had made progress. The man before him, O, had one of the longest beards Percy had ever seen. The mess of white hair spiraled like a Van Gogh painting, a canvas of silver against O’s chest. He wore a simple t-shirt and pants with sunglasses over his eyes, and he sat on a metal lawn chair.

            “Percy,” he said, offering his hand. His voice was soft and breathy, only slightly audible, like wind.

            Percy shook his head. “We’ll shake later. I came here because I’m curious, not naïve. Your friend said you had no skin in the game.”

            “Did he put it that way?” asked O. “Well, you’re right to suggest I’m not taking sides. I do have a lot of skin in this game, though.”

            “And yet… you’re staying neutral?”

            “How could I not?” asked O, shrugging. “There’s sin on both sides.”

            “Who are you?”

            O stared up at the sky, the clouds shifting over him, blocking out the sun. “Well, if you’re not willing to trust me yet, then I’ll wait to trust you before I tell you my name. But I do have something that might convince you I’m your guy.”

            “Okay. Let’s see it.” Images of backstreet drug deals flashed in Percy’s mind. He didn’t like the image.

            O smiled. He took a folder out of his briefcase and slid it across the table. “I assure you that these lessons will be far easier to follow than whatever Athena gave you.”

            “Better study materials,” said Percy. “Okay, that’s… good, I guess.”

            “This isn’t just the next edition by some overpaid textbook company,” said O, deftly avoiding trademark concerns. “First of all, it’s written entirely in Greek, so you can actually read it. Secondly, it’s got far more than magic… battle strategy, profiles on the gods, all kinds of stuff you need to face Kronos and Olympus. Athena shoved a book on magic in your face without a second thought. This book has been handcrafted for your survival.”

            “That’s very kind of you,” said Percy, taking it hesitantly from the table. “If a bit creepy. How exactly did you know to craft a book… just for me?”

            “You’re a special child, Perseus Jackson. My acolytes have been spying on Kronos, and they’ve come to much the same conclusion that he has.”

            “So you want to tell me why he called me a god?”

            O fidgeted. “Not really.”

            Percy’s mouth collapsed into a frown. “Excuse me, but if you’re trying to help me–

            “I’m trying to help you to become a better leader,” interjected O quickly. “To defeat Kronos, and then make peace with the gods. Stroking your ego by telling you about how powerful you will become is not my idea of good mentorship.”

            “Look, that’s great and all, but it’s my life that’s in danger,” said Percy. “So, regardless of your good intentions, I don’t think my mentor ought to be withholding information. Especially if I’m going to agree to let you train me.”

            “May I tell you a story, Percy?”

            Percy’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t want a story. I want the truth.”

            O shrugged. “Eons ago, when Earth arose from chaos and Sky from Earth, the primordial deities, Gaia and Ouranos, spent their days procreating. But Ouranos was disgusted with each creation they wrought together and cast them into Tartarus. That was when Kronos was asked to castrate his father, forever severing Earth and Sky. The realms remain separate, never to touch again. When Gaia gave Kronos his scythe, she told him that it would help him to achieve his will. But she did not teach him how to rule. She did not teach him how to be a parent. And as a result, Kronos ended up acting just as Ouranos did. And to this day, that cycle continues. I could tell you how to navigate Kronos and the gods today, and then you could run off, screw something up, and throw the world into chaos once more. What I want is to teach you to wield your power correctly before telling you all about it.”

            “But that’s–

            “Exactly what you need,” said O. “Magic is a powerful tool, but a dangerous one. If I let you go out into the world fully primed to fight Kronos without teaching you anything about how to deal with the gods in your everyday life, you might act out. And tell me, Percy, what happens to your relationship with Annabeth if the Olympians have to throw you in jail?”

            Percy swallowed. “Okay. I’m beginning to see where you’re coming from.”

            “And let me just mention: if you want help dealing with Athena, getting along with her instead of getting chewed out in the catacombs? I can help. But you must pledge to not use the magic I teach you to sow chaos in the world.”

            “Alright,” said Percy, nodding. “How do we train together? Will you be around? I can’t exactly just make my way up to Olympus on a whim.”

            O handed him a cell phone. “It’s protected from interference or monster tracking.”

            “Um… a cell phone?”

            “I’m not much for show. Anyways, I’m afraid I must be going. Andros, mind calling Jeanie?”

            The man, Andros, bowed and rushed inside a nearby house. A woman in white robes came out, and each of them took one of O’s sides. They picked him up, transporting him into a wheelchair. Percy had barely noticed. “You… can’t walk.”

            “Afraid not,” said O, trying to shrug it off. “An old battle wound.” His legs seemed fine, though. He had shown a fair bit of flexibility in his legs when talking to Percy, adjusting his position every now and then without the slightest hesitation.

            “Hold on,” said Percy, grabbing Andros by the shoulder. “I don’t mean to be rude, but… I need to see something. I want O to sit on the ground.”

            O looked up at Percy, smiling a little. “It is rather impolite to ask someone in a wheelchair to sit on the ground.”

            “Fine,” said Percy. “I just need to see you touch the ground with your hand. Any part of your body, really. I don’t care which.”

            O sighed, rising from his wheelchair without any aid. But when he did so, he didn’t step down on the ground. Instead, as he approached a standing position, his body raised higher into the air, his feet not coming into contact with the ground. His beard spread out across the sky, strands of hair like wisps of winds. “As you… seem to have guessed, Percy, I cannot physically touch the ground. I am separated from my wife forevermore… locked to the sky, one might say.”

            The hairs on Percy’s spine stood up. “You’re… you’re Lord Ouranos?”

            “I prefer Ouranos, actually,” he said. “And O, when we’re on Olympian territory. But yes. I am him.”

            Percy backed away, a sinking feeling in his chest. “I’m sorry, sir, but… you can’t mentor me.”

            Ouranos’ cheeks fell. “Why the sudden change of heart? I know enough to teach you magic. I’ve been severed from the earth, so I really don’t have any political motivations… except for peace, I suppose.”

            “A prophecy,” said Percy, his voice shaky. “It said that everyone I love would die in the war, and darkness await me, and–

            “Slow down,” said Ouranos. “Prophecies are often quite ambiguous, Percy. And even if the move is risky, that doesn’t make it worse. The path you are headed on… puts you on a direct collision course with the gods. It might be better to accept this prophecy. That way, at least, you know what you’re getting into.”

            “How can cracking open my head be good?” asked Percy. “And losing all that I love?”

            “But you’ve changed the wording,” said Ouranos. “Percy, the exact wording is important. Prophecy is flexible. There’s no telling what it means.” He hesitated. “But if you’re not comfortable with me teaching you, that’s fine. Just… keep the phone. If you change your mind, or even if you need me, I can help. Even if I’m not your mentor, it helps to have me as a friend.”

            Percy nodded. “Alright. I mean, I appreciate the help. But I’m not gonna lie. I can’t promise I’ll call you.”

            “That’s fair, Percy. Just know that I am always here, and that you have great potential in you.”

            Percy nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Once again, the Olympian Advisory Council had a late meeting. Zeus, Athena, Hera, Poseidon, and Hades piled out of the council room late into the night, Nico and Percy waiting for them there.

            “Hey,” said Hades, flashing the two of them a wave. “Nico and I are going to bounce. I think we’re heading back to the underworld early. Good luck at camp, Percy.”

            “Thanks,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll see you both soon.”

            Nico waved, and then he hopped off the steps and followed after Hades. Hera branched off too, leaving Zeus, Poseidon, and Athena there.

            Athena looked over at Percy with distaste. “Jackson.”

            “Don’t berate him so much,” said Zeus. “If you hadn’t left him alone down in the catacombs, he wouldn’t have had to use my bolt.”

            “Big deal; you have to wash off fingerprints,” muttered Athena.

            Poseidon glared at her. “How about the fact that he’s going to fight Kronos for us? Does that not matter to you?”

            “Oh, for the love of the gods, Poseidon, would you can it?” asked Athena. She turned to Percy. “Was it really that bad to be left down there?”

            “I mean, I could’ve died when Luke showed up,” he muttered.

            The three of them froze in unison. Zeus coughed. “Excuse me?”

            “I mean, he left, so I didn’t really mention it,” said Percy. “But yeah… Luke was down there too.”

            Athena went pale. “Please tell me that we can still reach Hera and Hades.”

            “This is our last night with the kids,” said Zeus. “Thalia expects me–

            “This is an emergency!” said Athena, her voice taut with urgency. “If agents of Kronos are crawling around… Percy, why the fuck didn’t you tell anyone?”

            He sighed. “Gee, I don’t know, maybe I wasn’t feeling great after last night!”

            “Well… did anything happen?” she asked, grabbing him by the shoulder. “I mean, spit it out, kid!”

            “He was just looking to recruit me,” said Percy. “It’s nothing.”

            “Did you follow him?”

            “No.”

            “WHY NOT?” she asked, nearly screaming at him. “You let a spy walk free, and–

            “Look, I wasn’t thinking straight, alright!” said Percy, wrestling his shoulder out from her grasp. “I didn’t really want to deal with it!”

            “Because you can’t date my daughter?” asked Athena, her grey eyes wild with disbelief. “This is all because of a relationship?”

            “That’s enough!” roared Poseidon, his teeth clenched like a guard dog’s jaw. “I’ve had enough of you treating my kid like he’s a cog in a machine!”

            “Silence!” said Zeus, thunder crackling the heavens. It seemed to be enough to get the two of them to shut up. He looked at Percy. “Child, I’m not going to hold you accountable given the details, but understand that it was a gross oversight on your part.”

            Percy sighed. “I’m sorry, I just… I didn’t really have it in me to take him on. He seemed depressed, anyways. I don’t think he had anything else in mind.”

            “Next time, you fight him, alright?” said Zeus. “Athena, you’re right… we need to meet now. The three of us will have to do. Percy, you should come into the council room. We need to ask you some questions.”

            “Now, hold on,” said Poseidon. “Zeus, you entered the catacombs after Percy used the bolt, didn’t you? If that didn’t scare Luke away… I mean, the alarm system would have been blaring by that time. Surely Luke had left. We should be able to salvage the night if we ask the Olympian guard to sweep the catacombs.”

            “Even so, we should know exactly what Luke had to say,” said Zeus. “Percy is the only one who can tell us that.” He paused. “And… Athena, what did you say to him about Annabeth?”

            “I told him to stay away,” she said, crossing her arms. “What does it matter?”

            “You told the child of prophecy… that he couldn’t date your daughter… right before a war?” asked Zeus.

            “Zeus, I have a right–

            “You have a right to be as idiotic as you want to be!” said Zeus. “But we turn to you for wise counsel!”

            “Oh, is that it?” asked Athena. “Well, if you don’t want that counsel, I’m happy to waltz right out of here and leave the two of you to deal with this!”

            “I’m not saying that!” said Zeus. “I was simply suggesting it wasn’t the best move–

            “I know when someone is euphemizing something, Zeus! I’m not twelve! Now can we please turn our attention to the boy?”

            “You’re not going to hide behind my son to avoid the blame here, Athena!” said Poseidon. “This is on you just as much as it is on him!”

            “Well at least you admit he’s culpable!”

            “We’re letting the boy get away with it, Athena,” said Zeus. “That’s final. And for you to suggest leaving the council behind in a time of war, for a petty squabble, frankly, I’m more than a little concerned at your behavior–

            “HOW THE FUCK DO YOU ALL EXPECT TO DEFEAT KRONOS LIKE THIS?” screamed Percy, his jaws flaring with intensity even he didn’t expect.

            Zeus looked at him, thunder in his voice. “Boy, I’m about to forgive you for letting a spy go, and–

            “No,” said Athena, holding up her hand. “He’s right. We’re a mess right now.” She turned to Percy. “Call off dinner with your father. He can make it up to you. I’ll send you some questions to answer by midnight tonight. You’ll have to fill out what you remember of your discussion with Luke as well.”

            “Athena,” said Poseidon. “That’s ridiculous.”

            “It’s the only way we can take care of this tonight. We’ll meet in the Council Room at twelve, on the dot.” She turned to Percy. “And I can trust you to do this?”

            He sighed. “Yes.”

            “Just making sure,” she muttered.

            “I’m not letting that happen,” said Poseidon. “This is the one day–

            “If we need to do this, Dad, we can grab dinner some other day,” said Percy. “Right?”

            Poseidon paled. “Percy… my generals were worried enough about this week of games. I don’t think I can get away from them again.”

            Athena rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah, it’s not like you have a private chef in Atlantis who could make food. That would be a security threat in the eyes of your generals, right?”

            “Listen here, Athena–

            “Why don’t you just admit that Amphitrite’s behind this?” asked Athena. “Or you could stand up to her for once in your life.”

            Poseidon gripped his trident tight. “One more word–

            “That’s enough,” said Zeus. “Percy, I think it’d be best if you leave.”

            He looked back at the three of them, anger in his eyes. “Fine.” He walked away without looking back, leaving them in total silence.

OoOoOoOoO

            He got to the hotel and found some parchment waiting on his desk. Percy, it read, Apologies for causing you to miss dinner with your father. Please fill out the questions thoroughly, and then give a complete account of your conversation. Slip the paper under your door when you’ve finished. Someone will pick it up at midnight. Athena. He crumpled the note, tossing it into the trash can, and moved on to filling out the questions. As midnight approached, he left the parchment in place and headed to bed, exhausted. Once again, he found himself in a dream.

            He was inside Kristian’s kitchen, sitting with him. It was just the two of them, and his memory wouldn’t supply where Silena had gone. Kristian read the newspaper, pencil in hand for marking things he found interesting. He was twirling it every few seconds. “Tell me, Percy. You’re a nice boy, and Silena’s quite close to you. Are the two of you… you know… an item?”

            “No, sir,” said Percy, blushing. “We’re just friends. I’m… quite a bit younger than her.”

            Kristian sighed. “Yes, that’s true. I just worry, you know… so much stress at camp. No mother to depend on. And so I often wonder who’s looking out for her at that infernal camp.”

            Percy leaned closer, not quite believing he had heard correctly. “Infernal?”

            “Oh, you know. Wrestling camp. Filled with aggressive guys. Must be a toxic environment.”

            “Right,” muttered Percy, retreating a bit. “Well, I suppose it gets like that at times. But Silena has a lot of friends, and we all look out for each other. There’s not much to worry about.”

            “Well, that’s good to hear,” said Kristian. He closed his newspaper. “You strike me as a stand-up young man. Very loyal. But there’s also something peculiar about you I can’t place my finger on. Have you noticed anything?”

            “I’m dyslexic,” said Percy.

            Kristian nodded. “Yes… most wrestlers seem to be dyslexic for some reason. Ah, never mind.”

            “You seem pretty worried about camp,” said Percy. “Um… abnormally so.”

            “I just wonder if Trent is putting her in the right environment,” said Kristian.

            Percy blinked. “But you’re the one who taught her how to wrestle.”

            “And he had to take it overboard and send her to a camp!” he said, banging his fist on the table. “I swear to God, sometimes that man… it’s a wonder I’m not driven to drink.”

            “Well, her friends are there,” said Percy. “So it’s fine.”

            Kristian sighed. “I know, I know, but… it’s just a hard thing for me to wrap my head around. It’s like the best of two bad options. But I guess we have to face those choices at times in our lives. We can’t just sit them out. Otherwise, something even worse happens. You know what I mean?”
            “I… I guess?”

            “I was faced with a difficult decision recently,” said Kristian, his voice growing more serious. “I got an offer over email. Something I’m not sure is a good idea. And yet… I feel there is no other choice.” He placed the newspaper on the table, leaning towards Percy. “I need to know, Percy… you will protect Silena at camp, right?”

            He avoided Kristian’s gaze. “Well… she can protect herself, sir. She’s stronger than me.”

            “But you’ll help her? You’ll support each other?”

            Looking up, he nodded. “I… of course, sir.”

            Kristian patted him on the shoulder. “Good man. And here I’ve probably bored you half to death with the concerns of an adult. You should go see what Silena’s up to. No point spending the day inside with an old fogey like me.”

            Percy nodded. “Right. Well, good luck with your decision, sir.”

            Kristian smiled. “Good luck with yours, Percy. And remember… the adults don’t always know what they’re doing. Sometimes, you have to take things into your own hands.”

            Percy woke from the dream, his head pounding. He couldn’t seem to get Kristian’s last words out of his head. Something about them was odd. And yet… they seemed so true. He looked over at the cell phone on his bedside table. Slowly, toying with it for a while, he picked it up and looked at the screen. And then his fingers moved.

            I don’t think I can do this on my own. I need some help.

            In the ensuing years, Percy would wonder whether prophecy had begat reality or reality prophecy. But regardless, in that moment, he settled his fate. The prophecy was in motion.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12

Desperate Dream

            Percy’s first week back at camp allowed him to take advantage of two sorely needed things. He got to spend time hanging out with Annabeth, and he spent hours training over the phone with Ouranos. He feared, though, that they wouldn’t mix well, and it turned out he was right: Annabeth caught on.

            It was a normal day like any other. She made her way into the Poseidon cabin to look for him, not intending to linger too long (this was a summer camp, after all – there were RULES, dammit). But her eyes spotted something sitting atop his dresser: a cellphone.

            “I didn’t know you bought a cell phone,” she said, cradling it in her hands like a rare gemstone. “Considering it’ll just draw monsters to you.”

            “Oh, it’s just… for games and stuff.”

            She flipped it open. “This is a flip phone, Percy.”

            “Yeah,” he said. “Well… I’m not rich, and Tetris is fine.”

            She navigated to his contacts. “You’ve got one contact here… O.”

            “Annabeth, stop messing with my phone!”

            She dialed the number.

            “Hello?” asked Jeanie on the other end.

            Annabeth was alarmed. Her eyes knit with anger, and she practically shouted into the phone receiver. “Who’s this?”

            “My name is Jeanie,” she said. “My husband and I teach Percy magic. Who is this?”

            “His friend,” said Annabeth, her face resolved to peace. “Thanks.” She hung up, turning to face Percy. “Why were you hiding that?”

            “You… seemed nervous about me training,” he said. “I wanted to keep it a secret.”

            “Percy, I can’t ask you to go into battle untrained. I was nervous, but the gods have basically asked you to train. It’s out of my hands now.”

            “So your Mom mentioned something?” asked Percy. He became interested in his bed post. “Or, you know, anything about me, really?”

            “Hardly,” said Annabeth, rolling her eyes. “I mean, occasionally she’ll grunt about you or something, but she doesn’t ever go into much detail. I hope she didn’t give you too much trouble?”

            He looked away from her. “Well… she kept us apart for a week.”

            “Sorry. Mom knows how to keep us busy.” Annabeth smirked. “Look at it this way, though… out of fifty-two weeks, I spend one with her each year.”

            “Right,” muttered Percy. “You’re completely free down here.”

            She smirked, walking over to kiss him on the cheek. “I guess you’re not optimistic.”

            “I’d prefer not to talk about it.”

            “That’s unlike you.”

            Percy sighed. “A lot happened on the field trip. I saw Olympus for the first time.”

            “You’ve… been there before.”

            “No, I mean… you know when you really start to get a place? Like, start to understand it?”

            “Kind of,” said Annabeth, though she looked concerned. She took a seat next to Percy, leaning in. Her voice was gentle. “I’m listening.”

            “I saw for the first time how strange it all was,” he said. “Not like, mythological strange. Just normal strange. Like, how the gods are all dysfunctional. And it all just… I saw it all at once. Packed into the space of one week.” She sat down next to him, but he felt more distant than before. She leaned over and held him close.

            “So,” she said, pursing her lips. “Do you want to tell me about some of what you saw?”

            “Some other time,” muttered Percy, leaning away from her. “We’re getting close to curfew.”

            “That’s never stopped Alex from staying out.”

            He blushed. For a second he desperately wanted to agree with her, but then the image of Athena skewering him with a spear came to his mind. He could almost taste the blood in his mouth. “Now’s maybe not a good time. I have a… something… tomorrow.”

            She smirked. “You have a ‘something’ tomorrow?”

            “Yeah.”

            She pushed her body flush against his, her face playfully close to his cheeks. “What is it? Like an exam?”

            “Training session,” he said, resisting her body weight. He tried pushing her off. “Come on. You know I’m nervous about this.”

            She laughed a very bubbly laugh, cheeks pink with enjoyment. “Percy, you’re terrible at lying.”

            He sighed. “Look, I have a good reason to lie, alright? You know, your mother–

            There was a knock on the door. Annabeth shivered, springing up from her position on the bed to get it. “Oh, I hope it’s not Chiron.” She looked back at him as she turned the knob. “I want to hear what my mother said or did after this is over with, alright? No hiding it, Percy.”

            The door swung open and no one was there. She looked outside, curious. “Hello?”

            “Maybe I should’ve opened the door,” said Percy. “If it is Chiron–

            Her face paled. “It’s not Chiron.”

            A deep, infuriating voice emanated from the doorway. “Hello, Percy.”

            Percy reached for his sword, a sour taste in his mouth. “You look like shit, Luke.”

            With leaves and twigs stuck to his body, it wasn’t exactly an inapt description. “I need to talk to you.”   

            Percy rose from his bed, water flying into his hands. “I warned you not to come after me, Luke. I’m not going to be so forgiving this time.”

            “Percy,” said Annabeth, speaking so softly that he could hear the sound of her lips parting. “He is… unarmed.”

            It seemed true enough. Usually Luke wore long shirts and pants where he could conceal numerous weapons, but he wasn’t wearing much in terms of clothing – A slim fitting shirt and pocketless shorts. They clung to his body enough to reveal that he was probably unarmed, though a small knife could probably fit beneath his belt loop.

            “It’s true,” said Luke, holding up his hands. He moved into the room, away from Annabeth, so that they formed a sort of triangle.

            “This isn’t another one of your diplomatic missions, is it?” hissed Percy.

            “I’m leaving Kronos,” said Luke, his breathing heavy. His face was covered in a profuse layer of sweat.

            Annabeth’s face sunk. “Luke… you’re lying.”

            He shook his head furiously. “It’s true! I–

            “Then why’d you come here?” she asked. “To Percy’s cabin?”

            Luke looked over at Percy. “You know why.”

            Percy’s hands lowered, the water dropping to the floor. “He might be telling the truth, Annabeth.”

            “How do you know?”

            “I ran into him during the field trip. We talked a bit. He seemed… he seemed more nervous than usual. Like things weren’t going well with Kronos.”

            “You saw him?” she asked. “And you didn’t tell anyone?”

            “Well, I did eventually, but–

            “He wasn’t exactly in the best state,” said Luke, his voice cut with anger. “Your mother was verbally abusing him, practically speaking.”

            “Why didn’t you tell me this?” asked Annabeth, her face flaring with light anger.

            “I had a lot on my plate!” protested Percy. “Plus, shouldn’t we be worrying about Luke right now?”

            Annabeth drew her knife. “You’re going to spill your guts, Luke… one way or another. Start talking now. Why’d you come back?”

            “Kronos is insane,” he explained, backing away from Annabeth’s knife. He moved toward Percy. “He’s doesn’t have a realistic plan to win. It’s just, like… some dream of his, honestly. And quite frankly, I wasn’t thrilled to hear about how Silena is doing, or how you all view Kronos at camp. I guess I just felt like Kronos’s plan wasn’t viable anymore.”

            Percy’s eyes narrowed. “And you decided that… working with the gods was better?”

            Luke hesitated. “I’m still no fan of the gods, but I’m willing to put up with them for now. What’s clear to me is that Kronos is bad and needs to go down. Anyways, I don’t mean to separate the two of you, but if Chiron catches me, I’m dead. And Annabeth’s only going to draw his attention here.”

            “Good,” said Annabeth through gritted teeth. “Let him come. You should the face of the man who loved and cared for you all these years, who suffered at the hands of your master’s abuse. See what you did to him, how betrayed he was.”

            Percy studied Luke’s face. His body was shaking, his face stricken with sorrow. He didn’t seem ready to betray anyone. But Luke had been cunning before and separating the two of them would make sense. Then, something dawned on Percy.

            “You don’t think you can take me, do you?” Percy asked Luke.

            For the first time, his old sword fighting teacher smiled. “You’ve come a long way, Percy. I don’t think I could.”

            “So then Annabeth should stay here,” said Percy. “She has every right to be–

            “I came to see you,” said Luke, his voice hearty, sure. “You alone, Percy.”

            “It doesn’t matter what you want!” yelled Annabeth. “You’re at our mercy, and–

            “I think I should speak to him alone,” said Percy, his voice solemn.

            Annabeth’s eyes seemed to sink. “That’s insane. He could have some trick up his sleeve, Percy.”

            “It’s not likely,” said Percy. “Even then, I could take him.”

            She glared at him. “Percy, I know how you feel about Luke. This isn’t the time to try and be macho and put on a show. He’s dangerous, and he needs to be watched!”

            “I don’t think so anymore,” said Percy. “And if I need your help… well, I’ll just scream like Hell. It’s a pretty crowded camp.”

            She froze in place. He imagined the images flickering through her mind: the explosion that killed Beckendorf. Luke’s knife in his chest. She marched over to Luke, sticking her knife under his chin, the razor sharp edge revealing a speck of blood. “I’m not leaving. I don’t care what the two of you have in mind. I don’t trust him. I’ll never trust him!”

            Luke smiled, placing his finger on the knife. Slowly, he lowered it as Annabeth looked on, her face still livid, but something sinking in her eyes. “Annabeth, I’ve got nothing left but this. I’m not going to hurt Percy. I’m not going to hurt anyone.”

            She blinked, trying to conceal her tears. “Be careful, Percy. He’s betrayed me plenty of times before.” And then, slowly, she edged away from Luke towards the door. She closed it, leaving the two of them alone.

            Luke exhaled loudly. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. I thought it would just be you, given the time of night. And I absolutely needed to talk to you alone. Annabeth cannot hear this.”

            Percy blushed. “Yeah, well… just tell me what’s going on,” he said. He still had an edge to his voice.

            “Kronos has gone crazy,” said Luke. “But he’s right about one thing. You need to watch your back. When the gods find out how powerful you are, all Hell will break loose. I don’t think either side is going to win this war.”

            “I’m not that powerful,” said Percy. “Kronos is exaggerating.”

            “He’s not,” said Luke curtly. “If you were to cut your arm open now, the blood would be pink in color. That’s because it’s turning into ichor. And when you start studying magic, that will only prime your powers to grow faster. I was closer to Kronos than I had ever been in the past few years, and he convinced me that you would be the demigod to fulfill the prophecy.”

            “We already knew that, Luke!” protested Percy. “The gods have expected that–

            “No, the ancient prophecy!” said Luke, sighing. “That a child of the Olympians will overthrow their reign. Kronos didn’t give me all the details, but he suggested that you might be able to take on all of the gods. Alone.”

            “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!” said Percy, wringing his arms. “And even if I could, which I can’t, why would I want to?”

            “When they come for you, you’ll either have to lie down and die or defend yourself. And I don’t know about you, but to me, the choice is obvious.”

            Percy hesitated. “I mean… if the gods went after me just because I got stronger, yeah, I would probably defend myself. But you sound crazy, Luke! You expect me to believe any of this?”

            Luke approached him. “You know it’s true. Kronos told you of all the reports. Medusa. The Sirens. Holding up the sky. Daedalus. Need I say more?”

            “Still, that I gain all of this power–

            “You still don’t trust me.”

            “Can you blame me?” asked Percy, getting up from his bed, his face growing red. “You betrayed us once before. You really hurt Annabeth.”

            “Uh huh,” said Luke, clearly not amused. “You don’t seem very betrayed.”

            Percy grabbed him by the collar. “You think this is funny? Annabeth spent the last four years depressed because of you. I had to hear about you so many times. And now you waltz back into camp after being an ass for a couple of years, and you worry the fuck out of my girlfriend, and you expect me to greet you with open arms? Yeah, Luke, it was a bit different in the catacombs.”

            “First of all, I didn’t come back to ‘steal’ Annabeth from you,” said Luke. “You can’t seriously think after all this time… look, I know how she felt about me, but I’m four years older than her, Percy! And this is not the time to be jealous that she had a crush on me at… one point in her life!”

            “Really?” said Percy. “So when should I be angry?”

            Luke shoved him, breaking his grip on Luke’s shirt. “Maybe after hearing me out about how the gods are going to kill you? I get that you’re mad, but you don’t seem to get how you’re literally going to get killed, and I’m trying to stop that from happening! I am the only one who’s willing to tell it to you straight! Kronos isn’t telling you! The gods aren’t! Annabeth isn’t! I risked my life to find you because I FUCKED UP, ALRIGHT?”

            They stood in silence for a moment, Luke’s breathing filling the cabin. Percy sat down on the bed, his voice shaky. “Okay.”

            “Look, I’m not going to stay here long anyways,” said Luke. “Camp’s not a safe place for me anymore. I can’t call it home. So, once I’ve told you everything and taken care of all my business here, you and Annabeth will never have to see me again. You can figure out how to run a better Olympus without me. I’ll be happy to disappear.”

            Percy looked up at the abalone shells on his ceiling, thinking back to his time on Olympus. “Annabeth always told me you really liked camp. And it would suck if you never got to come back.”

            “Well, that’s fine,” said Luke. “At this point, just knowing my friends are safe–

            “I saw you talking to Kronos in a dream. About how you wanted to remake Olympus. It sounds nice, Luke. And I don’t feel like it’s fair to… to cut you out of that. Or even to berate you for wanting something like that. But I’m not the god you think I am. I don’t even know how I would begin to fulfill that role of being the camp’s… protector?”

            Luke didn’t seem fazed. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel like you can now. Kronos didn’t know how long it would take. He just wanted to capture you, and keep you safe, until you matured enough to take on the gods. It might take years, Percy. You just have to go into hiding.”

            “I can’t do that, Luke! What would happen to camp?”

            “Camp would be fine,” said Luke. “Kronos would turn his attention to you.”

            “I can’t leave camp like you did!”

            Luke’s breathing grew light and airy. His pupils grew distant, his lips quivering with sadness . “Percy… you do understand why I left now… don’t you?”

            Percy looked at this child of Hermes, his face devoid of all the cunning and joy that coursed through his lineage. He couldn’t bring himself to turn away from him now, but still… “Luke… I… I get it. Yeah, I do. But I could never bring myself to do the same.”

            Luke looked at the ground, a defeated laugh emerging from his mouth. “You know, most kids just graduate. They leave your school, but you can call them. But my older friends? They all just died. Those kids you looked up to like Beckendorf? Where do you think they’ve all gone? You ever notice how none of the demigods are older than, like, eighteen? Nineteen in a lucky year? I got tired of watching them all die.”

            “Luke…

            “Aren’t you tired of it too?” he asked, his face seizing up to stare into Percy’s soul. “Doesn’t anyone get it?”

            Percy nodded. “I get it.”

            “But you don’t want to do anything about it!” shouted Luke. “How can you… you can’t get it if–

            “Luke, we’re just demigods,” said Percy, forcing the words out of his mouth. “We can’t do anything about it. All we can do is help each other.”

            “Percy… I came here because you are the only person I can turn to, you’re the only hope for the future,” said Luke, his voice straining with pain and sorrow. “I need to hear that ‘helping each other’ isn’t the only thing the demigods have to look forward to for another two millennia.”

            “I… Luke, I’m not good enough,” said Percy. “I don’t even… how could I do anything about it?”

            “You are, Percy. I believe in you.” His eyes seemed wider, reverent. It was like he was looking at someone – something – else, something transcendent.

            “It’s getting late,” said Percy, a sinking feeling in his stomach. For the first time, he felt the unbearable weight on Luke’s mind, the crushing burden of seeing clearly. “Can we… can we talk tomorrow? This is heavy stuff, after all.”

            Luke laughed, the faint aftertaste of bitterness ringing in its echoes. “That’s right. I guess sometimes I forget you’re still just a kid. Yeah, sure. We’ll get to it eventually.”

            “Yeah, thanks,” said Percy softly. He gently handed Luke some covers and a pillow, and the child of Hermes took it with a gentle nod. He lay down and was out in a heartbeat, his body sprawled on the bunk like a man worn to the bone. Percy poked him gently to see if he was faking, but he barely moved, lying there totally defenseless. Percy sighed, casting a charm on him to alert him to any deceptions. Then, Percy lay down as well, entering the realm of sleep and dreams.

OoOoOoOoO

            His dreams had no obvious form that night, a sea of talking heads bringing new figures in and out like waves on the shore. He saw Athena first, her body thrust against an all-black background like the catacombs they had been in.

            “Get any closer to my daughter, make her anything more than a cutesy friend, and I will end your life.” She stared at him, silent and unblinking, her grey eyes growing more intense by the minute.

            “I don’t care,” said Percy. “Annabeth and I have known each other now for a long time. I’m not going to let you get in the way of that!”

            Athena blinked, taking a step back. “Is that a challenge?”

            Percy shrugged. “Maybe.”

            She studied his face. “If you want to make an enemy out of an Olympian goddess, that’s your choice.”

            “Look, who would you rather be with your daughter?” asked Percy. “It’s not like she can date some regular mortal! And the other guys at camp are dying left and right!”

            “Is that so?” asked Athena. “Are you sure about that?”

            “Yes!” said Percy. “I mean, Beckendorf was already taken… but there was… there was… oh Gods, who else died?”

            “It’s doesn’t matter!” snapped a beautiful woman standing in a seashell. Athena had disappeared, replaced by Aphrodite. “Mortals have no business getting involved with demigods, no matter the circumstances. Who are you, and what do you want with my daughter?”

            “What?” asked Percy. “Are you talking to me?”

            “Don’t feel like answering, huh?” asked Aphrodite, her face suddenly angry. Percy had never seen her angry before, but she looked like a snake ready to strangle its prey. “If that’s how you feel, old man, perhaps I should just leave you with this last warning. If you get any closer to my daughter, I will bring the wrath of Olympus down upon you. Do not underestimate me just because I’m the goddess of love. I’ve killed plenty before you.”

            “I didn’t do anything!” said Percy. “All I did was hang out with Silena! What is this about, anyways?”

            “I know you’re planning something!” shrieked Aphrodite, her red hair rising like flames into the black abyss. “I can tell that you’re hiding your magical abilities from me, but I am a goddess! I can sense your power!”

            “I don’t have any powers!” shouted Percy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

            “YOU LIE!” said Aphrodite. She flew towards him, becoming a wave of fire that swallowed him whole. Then, he was dropped in front of a broad-shouldered figure with a crew cut and sunglasses. He had the kind of grin that you see on a childhood bully when punching another child: pure violent bliss.

            “After all, kid, they say snitches get stitches,” said Ares. “And traitors? Well, they get terminated. So you take one step closer to my daughter, well, I’ll stab you through the heart right here, in front of the whole camp. Nothing personal, Luke. It’s just karma.”

            Percy woke up, his forehead sweating. He looked over at Luke’s bed to see it empty. His temples pounding and heart racing, he ran out into the night without even changing from his pajamas, which didn’t do much to stop the deluge of rain falling on the camp. He saw Ares there in the moonlight, Luke in front of him with a look of horror in his eyes. Percy rubbed his eyes, pained and confused. His dream had become reality, but reality seemed a nightmare. He yelled out. “LUKE!”

            Luke dodged a swipe by Ares’ sword, calling out to Percy. “Percy, I need you to buy me some time! There’s something I have to do!”

            Percy didn’t hesitate to trust him. He ripped the rain out of the air and sent it hurtling towards Ares, who growled and slashed the water in two. “The Hell are you doing, Jackson?”

            “He’s here to rat on Kronos’ army!” said Percy, trying to speak Ares’ language.

            “I never met a rat I didn’t want to squash, Jackson,” said Ares. Apparently, Ares didn’t speak his language.

            Percy drew Riptide and rushed at him, yelling as Luke ran towards the Athena cabin. Ares swerved out of the way, but Percy made a wall of water on his right side, trapping Ares there for a second. Ares yelled at the top of his lungs, an awesome roar that shook every house and tree in camp, waking the other demigods. Lights came on around the camp. Ares’ body began to boil with steam, and then his body burst out into golden light. Percy looked on at it in horror: Ares’ divine form.

            It was unlike anything he had ever seen. His body remained, though lit up a brilliant golden color. But around him, there was a kaleidoscope of blood and metal, dirt and decay. It spiraled before his eyes, surrounding the god of war, revealing his inner essence. Percy’s head pounded with an unbearable force. And yet… his body held together. His vision was fuzzy, his breath was hoarse, and his whole body felt like it was on fire, his skin searing off. But Percy stepped forward. As he got closer, he could see Ares’ eyes beneath his sunglasses. They were locked on him, the slightest bit of awe in his fluttering eyelids.

            “You ought to be dead, kid.”

            Percy roared in anger. “PUT THAT FORM AWAY!” And energy surged through his body despite the pain he felt. He leapt and stabbed into Ares’ chest with Riptide. The god roared in pain, reverting to his normal form. He thrust Percy off and punched him in the face several times, breaking Percy’s nose in the process.

            “OUT OF MY WAY, KID!” said Ares. He raced towards Luke, who was between the Athena and Aphrodite cabins, beneath the windows of both. Ares raced with inhuman speed towards him. Percy tried to get up and stop him, but he could not match the pace of a god. The god of war grabbed Luke with a crumpling fist, thrust him to the floor, and stabbed a spear clean through the outer flesh of his chest. Luke coughed, blood emanating from his stomach out onto the cold ground of camp, and Percy knew that it was too late.

            Ares looked back at Percy, a sadistic smile on his face. “You see what happens when you cross the gods, Jackson? You get a spear through the chest! Now I don’t know how the Hell you survived my divine form, but if you ever raise that sword at me again, I’ll make sure you die just as painfully.” And then he disappeared, leaving only Percy, Luke, and the rain. Percy knelt in the mud by Luke’s side as the cabin doors of camp opened and campers began to pour out.

            Annabeth got to Percy’s side first, kneeling next to him. Her eyes were welling with tears. “No… Percy, did you… did you kill him?”

            “No,” said Percy, looking at his bare hands. “No… it was Ares, I–

            Annabeth’s voice shook with sorrow as she clutched Percy by the shoulder, cutting him off. “Will he live?”

            Luke looked over at her, his eyes fluttering as he gave her a gentle smile. He shook his head no.

            “No,” she said. “That’s not… I can’t–

            “We’re not gonna let that happen,” said Percy, balling his fist. The water around him was boiling. “Luke, we’re gonna get you to the infirmary. We’ll heal you. You’ll live to see that dream come true. I promise, Luke, I promise you!”

            Like shook his head sadly, pointing to Percy. “You’ll… do… alone.” He looked away from the Athena cabin. “Percy. Must… tell… something.”

            Percy’s hands shook beneath Luke’s body. “Anything, dude. You did it right in the end. Just tell me.”

            Luke looked at the crowd to see Silena racing to the scene. When she saw Luke, she couldn’t contain herself. “LUKE!” she screamed. She fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

            “Percy,” he muttered, his eyes glazing over. “Protector.”

            “Yeah, buddy,” said Percy, feeling Luke’s body go limp. “I’ll be the camp’s protector. I’ll make sure everyone survives. I swear to you.”

            Percy’s hands went numb and he dropped Luke’s body to the ground. Luke coughed up blood, but he seemed to get a second wind. He looked at Percy in horror. “Protector… Protector!”

            “I swear on the Styx, man, I’ll protect the camp!” said Percy, stopping the rain around him. “I mean it Luke!”

            Luke’s face began to fade, but as his body went numb, he raised his arm with the last of his strength. Just as his hand stretched out towards the crowd, it fell to the ground, a final message lost to the world.

            Percy looked out at the crowd of demigods, Silena at its head, his mind scrambling to put together that final message. He had seemed worried, but he pointed to the crowd. He had said he wanted Percy to protect the camp… would he not be the protector of the demigods? Chiron approached his side, his eyes wide with concern. “Percy? Percy, what happened here? Why is Luke here? Where has your skin gone?”

            He could not answer. Chiron turned to Annabeth but found her in the throes of tears. “Can anyone tell me what happened here? Is there anyone who saw what happened?” He looked back down at Percy. “And we need a medic! WE NEED A MEDIC!”

            Alex raced to Chiron’s side. “I heard it happen, Chiron. I heard Ares outside. He must’ve killed Luke. I don’t know the rest, sir, I–

            “Never mind that, boy!” shouted Chiron, glaring down at Percy. “We might lose him any minute now!”

            Percy glanced up at them, snapping out of his trance. “You might still be able to save him! Please, get someone!”

            Alex and Chiron looked at him in confusion. “He’s delirious,” said Chiron. “Grief-stricken. Get someone here quickly!”

            “What?” asked Percy. “We have to save Luke! What are you… who are you talking about?”

            Annabeth looked over, shaken from her tears. She covered her mouth. “Jesus Christ, Percy… your skin… are you… oh my gods, no!”

            “This is taking too long!” said Chiron. “Alex, Grover, pick him up! We’ll get the story from Annabeth. He needs to get to the infirmary NOW!”

            “Wait, no!” said Percy. “I’m fine! I need to talk to Luke; please! You can’t–

            But his vision began to fade. He could just barely catch Grover and Alex grab ahold of both of his sides. As they picked him up and began to carry him off, his eyesight receded to Luke’s grief-stricken face, terror still in his eyes. His mouth seemed to be still saying the word, over and over again, as if he could simply will it to happen. “PROTECTOR! PROTECTOR! PROTECTOR!” It was the last word Percy thought of before his mind faded out.

Chapter Text

PART II: OBJECTOR

Chapter 13

Wake Up

            He slept for a long time. In the interim, visions came to him. Odd ones. He thought he saw Uncle Kristian visit him in the infirmary. Athena left him flowers. Amphitrite dropped off cookies. Ares choked him twelve times. Hades nearly strangled him, but then made him a fresh kale salad. Zeus electrified him. Poseidon drowned him. Annabeth hit him upside the head with a pan. And finally, Clarisse walked into his room and sat by his bedside, looking down on him.

            “Hey Jackson,” she said. “Uh… hope you’re doing well… I guess.”

            “Your father’s an idiot,” he slurred back at her.

            She tightened her lips, glancing away from him. “Yeah, uh, I know. Sorry about that. I just–

            “He killed Luke because of some dumb rule,” muttered Percy. “Because ‘all warriors’ have to act a certain way. There wasn’t any rhyme or reason to it. He literally just killed a fresh source of intel because he’s stubborn. Like a fucking idiot.”

            She looked at him, clearly uncomfortable with all of this. “Um… well, I… I didn’t mean to be… maybe I should just go–

            “Percy, I know you’ve been through a lot right now, but lay off Clarisse,” said Annabeth, placing her hand on his shoulder. “She’s done a lot for camp in the past month.”

            He thrust her hand off him, sitting up in bed. “I’m not talking about Clarisse,” he said. “Clarisse is a fucking miracle. Magnificent. She had her father’s genes and turned out alright anyways. I’ve got a lot of respect for that. But I can’t believe a man like that is a god. I would be a better god. Annabeth, I think your mother hates me, but she would probably prefer me to that arrogant sack of shit–

            “Percy!” shouted Annabeth. “This is really the first thing you have to say out of bed?”

            He blinked, looking around. Alex, Grover, Silena, Clarisse, and Annabeth were all staring at him like he was some kind of maniac.

            “Is this real?” he asked.

            Alex began laughing. “Oh, gods, he thinks he’s dreaming! Oh, Percy, my man, that was a good one. You really chewed into Clarisse, I mean–

            Annabeth punched her brother. “Shut the fuck up!”

            “Jeez, sis! Gods forbid we have a bit of levity!”

            Percy rubbed his forehead. “I’m awake.”

            “Yeah,” muttered Clarisse. “Which I wasn’t expecting. I thought I would be talking to a vegetable… which would’ve been a lot easier.”

            Percy looked at the five of them for a second. “Jesus Christ, you all look like shit.”

            All five seemed taken aback by this, but in the haze of his awakening, it was all Percy could think to say. They really did look bad. They looked like they hadn’t slept in a month. Their clothes were a mess. Half of them seemed to be on the verge of tears to see him. But Annabeth looked like she had had it. “Percy, what the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

            “You look… tired.”

            “Tired… is one way of putting it,” said Clarisse. “Attacks on camp have increased over the past month. Whatever Luke came here to do… he led Kronos right to us.”

            “Did you say ‘month’?” asked Percy.

            “Surprise!” said Alex, a wide smile on his face.

            “Shit,” muttered Percy, beginning to scramble out of his bed. “I need to start training again.” He paused, looking up at Silena. “Hey, uh… I don’t mean to be inconsiderate… but how’d you know Luke beforehand?”

            Clarisse sighed. “Jackson, what is with you today?”

            “No, it’s fine,” said Silena, sighing. “I had a thing for Luke before I met Beckendorf.” She blushed. “You know. Good swordsman. Good looking. I don’t really want to talk about it, though.”

            “Aren’t you… sad about it?”

            Even Alex seemed to take offense at that one. “Buddy, you really need to think about what you’re saying.”

            “Of course I’m sad,” said Silena, averting her gaze from him. “But then again, I’m getting used to all of this.”

            Percy tightened his fist. “That’s insane. Like you can just get used to losing people.”

            “Yeah,” muttered Silena.

            “The fuck was that for?” asked Clarisse.

            “Oh come on!” yelled Percy. “We’re all thinking it, aren’t we? I mean, what the Hell has this camp come to? We just think it’s normal that two of our closest friends die within a month of each other?”

            Silena frowned. “Well, no, but… what did you and Luke talk about… exactly?”

            “He… it was like there was this terror flowing through him,” muttered Percy. “Like Olympus was haunting his mind.”

            “Did he really say that?” asked Alex, crossing his arms. “Are you sure he didn’t mention a spectre haunting Europe?”

            “Give it a rest, Alex,” said Annabeth, shoving in front her brother. There was an intensity brewing in her eyes as she stared down at him.

            Silena pursed her lips. “Percy… he did sound crazy, right?”

            “No,” said Percy. “He was… oddly… he had a point.”

            Annabeth fidgeted with his covers, avoiding his gaze. “Maybe you’re not in the right frame of mind right now,” she muttered.

            He pushed the covers off of him. “I’m serious, Annabeth. We act like we have to put up with all of this shit, but we don’t. We could do something about it. We could at least try talking to the gods.”

            “I don’t think the gods will be very receptive,” said Grover.

            Percy sighed. “Alright, fine.” He began to get out of bed.

            “Hold on,” said Annabeth, stepping in his way. “You’ve just woken up. Shouldn’t you–

            “I need to train,” he said, jumping out of bed on the other side. He stood up for all of them to see. “I’m fine, see? Everything’s fine. Missing a month is bad enough, so I ought to go.”

            “Don’t do anything stupid, Percy.” said Silena, gripping him by the shoulder. “We’ve already lost enough campers.”

            He stopped, turning around to smile at her. “I’ll be alright.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Ouranos sounded livid. “Andros and Jeanie told me that you almost died, Percy. They looked for you for an entire week before they thought to look into leads at Camp Half-Blood.”

            Percy sighed, balancing the phone against his ear as he slipped on fighting gear. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that. But it’s not like I planned to get knocked out by Ares.”

            “You shouldn’t have gotten involved with Luke,” said Ouranos. “It was too risky.”

            “Lord Ouranos,” said Percy, putting on that fawning tone that demigods used when conversing with gods. “I had to. He was desperate, and I had to help–

            “First off, I’m millennia old, Percy,” said Ouranos. “No amount of calling me ‘Lord’ is going to get you out of the hot seat with me. If you choose to ignore my advice, that’s fine – it’s your choice – but it’s a bad one!”

            “Oh come on!”

            “I understand why you wanted to help your friend,” said Ouranos. “But you’d be better off keeping a low profile. And you can’t do that if you’re helping every demigod that knocks on your door.”

            “Okay,” said Percy, his eyes scanning the room, looking for some sort of distraction. “I mean, I get what you’re saying.”

            “And?”

            “…and I’m not quite there yet. Anyways, I’ve gotta go.”

            “Go? We need to practice, Percy!”
            “It’ll have to be later,” he said. “Unfortunately, camp’s not been faring well without me around. I think I should show my face. I promise I’ll be around for practice later.”

            “Alright,” said Ouranos. “But if you don’t get around to calling me, you’re to practice fire spells, alright?”

            “Can’t we do–
            “NO!”

            “Alright, bye,” muttered Percy. He hung up the phone, racing out the door as he tried to buckle his breastplate in place.

            He made it up to Thalia’s tree, where he found Katie Gardener on lookout. “Welcome back to the land of the living, Jackson.”

            “Thanks,” he said, taking a seat next to her. “How’s the food supply holding up?”

            “Decent,” muttered Katie. “Some of Kronos’ troops have rustled up the fields a bit, but they’ve mainly stuck to one or two troop attacks. It’s not exactly a siege, even if we’re stretched thin.”

            “You’ve been here a long time, Katie,” said Percy.

            “Well, uh… yeah,” she said. “With the rise in attacks…

            “Do you, um… were you friendly with, like, older campers?”

            Katie’s face sunk for a second, and she looked down at the ground in silence. Then, she put her hand on his shoulder, patting it, looking him straight in the eyes. “Don’t listen to Luke.”

            His voice grew a bit shaky. “Where are they?”

            She took a deep breath. “They’re dead, Percy. They’re all dead. Thanks for the morale boost.”

            “Sorry,” he muttered, his voice falling almost to a whisper.

            “You can’t let it faze you,” she said. “Because it’ll destroy you if you do. Why do you think Beckendorf spent so much time with younger campers? They need someone to put on a brave face.”

            He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in. “So you’ve all just been lying to us.”

            “Lying to you?” asked Katie, taken aback. “Percy, we’re trying to help you. Depressed demigods just end up dying.”

            “So do happy ones,” he said, an intensity in his voice.

            Before Katie could show her reaction, they heard rustling from the bushes nearby. A demigod leapt from the bushes wielding a hefty mace, charging towards the two of them at full speed.

            “I got this,” said Katie. She raced out to meet the attacker, catching the hilt of his weapon with her blade.

            Percy blinked. “Ethan?”

            “Long time no see, Jackson,” said Ethan Nakamura, smiling at him. “I was beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up. Lord Kronos said that your spat with Ares was something to behold.”

            Percy pulled Riptide from his pocket. “Jesus… do you even know why Ares attacked us?”

            “I know that traitor Luke left Kronos behind,” said Ethan. “But I won’t make the same mistake. I’ll have my revenge against the gods if it’s the last thing I do!”

            “How the Hell is killing their kids going to achieve that?” asked Percy, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Kronos is leading one-man missions to attack demigods… to defeat the gods?”

            “I don’t question his wisdom!” shouted Ethan, his voice fervent. “He’ll lead us to victory! And there will finally be a place for the unclaimed to call home!”

            “Do you… have you even talked to Kronos about what he wants to achieve?” asked Percy.

            “Hey, Jackson, get that you’re having an existential crisis and all,” breathed Katie, “But apparently he’s better with the mace than I thought.”

            Percy sighed, brandishing Riptide and racing to her side. He feigned a blow at Ethan’s chest while silently muttering a spell under his breath that sent a fireball into his chest.

            “SHIT!” screamed Ethan, checking out his burning chest.

            Katie looked at Percy. “Where’d you–

            Percy knocked the mace out of his hands, drenching Ethan with water. He pinned his arms to the ground, looking Ethan in the eyes.

            “Go back to Kronos,” he said, breathing, “and tell him that he needs to work on his image, because I don’t know what the Hell you think his plan is supposed to be.”

            “I’d rather die,” seethed Ethan. “Lord Kronos expects the best from me–

            “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” said Percy. “He’s not going to kill you! He can barely afford to lose a troop, much less a battle. Get up!”

            Katie knelt next to the two of them. “Percy, we should take him captive. He could tell us–

            “He couldn’t tell us anything I don’t already know,” said Percy, burying his fist in the ground. “Ethan, Kronos sent you here to capture me, right?”

            Ethan blushed. “No.”

            “Right,” said Percy, turning his attention completely away from Ethan and towards Katie. Ethan squirmed beneath his hold. “So we know what their strategy is. And he doesn’t know anything Luke didn’t.” Katie placed a foot on Ethan’s chest just as he was about to get free. Percy continued. “I’d rather send a message straight to that titanic idiot.”

            “You call him an idiot, but what’s your plan to change things here?” asked Ethan. “Where’s my mother’s cabin? How are you going to pull that off?”

            “I… well… I’m sure if we just… tell the council that it would drain Kronos’s troops–

            “The gods would never agree to such a thing,” said Ethan. “Recognizing Nemesis’ cabin would mean giving her more bargaining power in Olympus. Suddenly, the gods would have to cater to her to gain the support of her children. Which is fine, really, except for the fact that the other minor gods would get antsy. The gods decided long ago that it would be better to divide the children of minor gods by placing them in Hermes’ cabin. It ‘would maximize our access to fighting assets while minimizing our risk of insurrection’, according to Athena.”

            “Of course she said that,” muttered Percy. “Wait, how do you know this?”

            “It was in the proceedings of the Olympian Council,” said Ethan. Percy stared at him. “You know. In the library? Camp has years of old proceedings that are available to the public.”

            Percy looked at Katie. Again, Ethan tried to emerge from his pin and Katie’s foot. “We have a library?”

            She shrugged. “Malcolm runs it during the week. I check out gardening manuals from there all the time.”

            Ethan laughed. “You think you can just change the way the gods operate, and yet you don’t even know where the library is? How do you intend to navigate Olympian political life if you know nothing about it?”

            “Hey, look, I’m dyslexic,” said Percy. “I don’t spend my time asking about libraries.” He looked at Katie, who sighed, and then he got off of Ethan. “Get out of here. I don’t want to think about what would happen if Ares found you.”

            Ethan paled. “Fine. I’ll accept your mercy this time.”

            “THAT’S TWICE ALREADY!” shouted Percy as he ran back into the distance. “Come on, Katie, let’s head back to the tree.”

            When they got up the hill, Percy caught sight of an owl sitting in its branches. He looked over at Katie. “Um… has that thing… always been there?”

            “I think Lady Athena has been keeping an eye on the border periodically,” said Katie.

            Percy’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the bird. “I’m kind of paranoid that this thing… is… Athena.”

            Katie chuckled. “I don’t think she regularly transforms into an owl.”

            “Zeus has turned into every animal under the sun, Katie!”

            “Well… I guess it’s possible… but I doubt Athena would spend the time here herself.”

            He looked the owl in the eyes, leveling Riptide’s hilt towards it. It looked back at him as if to say, ‘you’re crazy. I’m a totally normal owl’, which Percy figured was exactly what Athena would look like in owl form. Gently, he prodded it.

            Wrong choice. The owl leapt from the tree, brandishing its talons at him.

            “Percy, what the fuck did you do that for?” screamed Katie.

            He shielded his face with one hand, batting at the owl with the other. “It was looking at me!”

            “That’s a creature sent by a goddess! You don’t just hit it!”

            The owl sunk its talons into his shoulder, but he hit it with the sword hilt. The owl retreated back into the tree, watching him cautiously.

            He nursed his shoulder. “God damn it,” he muttered. “Frickin’ hellspawn.”

            “Jesus, man, calm down!” said Katie. “That owl is here to help us!”

            “To help you, maybe,” he muttered. “Athena hasn’t exactly been my best bud in recent weeks.” He couldn’t help but wonder why she had sent the owl. “Ah, whatever. I’ve probably got to check in with Chiron. I’ll catch you later, Katie.”

            She sighed. “Don’t get any dumb ideas in that head of yours, Jackson.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Later that night, he settled into bed and found himself dreaming once more. Only this time, it wasn’t a memory.

Kronos appeared right in front of him, sitting by a fire in his tent. He patted a seat next to him gently, a slightly cocky smile jutting out on the left side of his face. “Care to join me?”

            Percy sighed. “Do I have a choice?”

            Kronos laughed a hearty laugh. “You’re catching on to the ways of the gods rather quickly.” Percy sat down across from him in front of the fire. Even in his dreams, he could feel the warmth. “That’s the benefit of having Morpheus on your side.” Kronos’ smile faded. “I am sorry about Luke.”

            Percy gritted his teeth, leaning forward. “Before he died… he said you were crazy.”

            “I’m afraid Luke is wrong,” said Kronos, leaning forward to match Percy’s gaze. “Oftentimes, when faced with radical solutions, people call us crazy. But in reality, Percy, people like us just see the world for what it really is. We see past all the bullshit.” His face, surrounded by little sparks fluttering around like fireflies, looked chiseled and hard in the dim light.

            “You said ‘people like us’,” said Percy. “I’m not like you.”

            “Really?” asked Kronos, sitting back. “I received an interesting report from Ethan Nakamura that sounded to the contrary. It sounds like Luke managed to convince you where I couldn’t. Even in betrayal, my viewpoint was so convincing, he couldn’t stop serving me in the end.”

            “That’s a lie,” said Percy, balling his fists. “Luke saw through you in the end. He–

            “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” said Kronos. “How did Luke feel about the gods when he talked to you, Percy? He might not have agreed with my methods. But he absolutely agreed with my plan. He went straight to you, didn’t he? Just like my plan.”

            “Luke had a point,” said Percy, averting his gaze. He felt angry that Kronos had even gotten that from him. “But he didn’t have to tear down all of Olympus to do it.”

            “Yes, Ethan said you were considering this,” said Kronos. “Tell me, Percy, what’s your plan, exactly? Have you even thought to consider what you want to change on the council, let alone how?”

            There was an intensity to his words that made Percy hesitate. Kronos wasn’t quite angry, per se, but he did look… miffed? No, Percy realized. He looked disappointed. Much like his son had all those years ago, playing the part of Mr. Brunner. Percy raised his chin, thinking over his words carefully. “It can be done,” said Percy. “I just need to reach the gods.”

            “Uh huh,” said Kronos, tossing a log on the fire. He sipped something from a mug. “Well, I’m all ears. Try convincing the Olympians to listen, though.”

            “I’ve already convinced one,” said Percy. “Lord Hades has helped me these past few weeks–

            “Hades isn’t on the council.”

            “Well… I’ll start by getting him more influence on the council.”

            Kronos nearly choked on his drink. He swallowed, laughing. “Are you serious?”

            “Why not?” asked Percy, leaning forward. “It’s worth a shot. And I have to do something to honor Luke’s legacy.”

            “Yes, honor the revolutionary with slow, piecemeal changes,” muttered Kronos, nursing the corner of his mug. “Sounds like a fitting tribute.”

            “It’s better than honoring him by killing and maiming his friends.”

            Kronos sighed. “As I told Luke, change doesn’t come easy. But it’s worthwhile.” Then Kronos smiled. “But you know what? If you think you can pull off real, meaningful change in Olympus with an olive branch, be my guest. I’ll even call a ceasefire.”

            Percy’s eyes widened. “You… you will?”

            “Sure,” said Kronos. “If you want to lobby the gods to get Hades elected to the council, I’ll call off my attacks on camp. No promises about other theaters of war; this is our little secret deal.”

            Percy’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you want to do this?”

            “Maybe I just don’t want to squash your dreams.”

            “Not likely.”

            “Percy, as I told you earlier, I’m offering you the Olympian throne. I don’t know how I can be more supportive of your ambitions.”

            “You’re lying to me, and I know it.”

            Kronos scoffed. “Fine. Maybe I think that your little lobbying efforts will backfire, and the gods will turn on you. Is that straight-forward enough?”

            “Yeah.”

            “So we’ll put that offer aside for now.”

            “I didn’t say I wouldn’t take it.”

            “Because you think you can still pull this off without a hitch?” asked Kronos, raising an eyebrow.

            “I know I can.”

            He sighed. “I will say, I did find it easier dealing with Luke than I do with you. But if this is what it takes to convince you that there’s no future with the gods… I’ll lay off the attacks on camp. Consider your friends safe for now.”

            “Great,” said Percy. “Now if you don’t mind, I need some sleep.”

            Kronos smirked. “Very well. But know this. When the gods do turn on you, as they inevitably will, my arms will be wide open. I still believe you will make the right decision in the end. Well, have a good night.”

            He swept through the coals of the fire with one massive, rocky hand, the tent quickly engulfed in darkness. Percy’s consciousness slowly drifted back into sleep.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

Inklings of a Plan

            Malcolm Pace had a ritual every Sunday. He would emerge before dawn while he could still hear the snores of his brothers and sisters in the Athena cabin. After tidying himself up, he made his way across the pavilion, past the cabins for the gods, and over to a small little shrine on the side of the way. He would enter, descending the massive set of stairs that spread out below the camp’s surface, and make his way over to the librarian’s desk at the head of the library. Grabbing the keys from beyond it, he would open up the doors at 6AM, grab his copy of an award-winning economics journal, and enjoy three hours of uninterrupted solitude as he read the latest in economic theory.

            So it was with great surprise that at 6:30AM, well before any other sane soul would be up at camp, he heard someone tapping against the elegant wooden desk that he read at. “Morning, Malcolm.”

            Malcolm looked up from his journal, closing it at the mere sight of Percy. “Percy… is there something wrong? Is Annabeth okay?”

            “Everything’s fine!” said Percy, shaking his head matter-of-factly. “I’m just here to check out some books. I need some help finding something.”

            Malcolm stared at him for a few seconds, his mouth slightly ajar. He shook his head. “Right. Well, uh… what did you have in mind?”

            Percy rested his right elbow on the desk. “I was wondering if we have anything on the last time a god was added to the Olympian Council.”

            Malcolm laughed nervously. “Percy, I don’t mean to judge, by why in the world would you need access to something like that?”

            “I’m just curious,” he said, studying his fingernails for a second. He looked back up, rather too nonchalantly for someone whose nickname was Seaweed Brain. “It’s a… personal research project.”

            “I didn’t think you were much of a research project guy,” said Malcolm, still not moving.

            Percy frowned. “I don’t recall reading any signs that said I need to bring my report card to get into this library.”

            Malcolm sighed, fumbling with a large set of keys behind the desk. “Whatever we have on… Dionysus’s appointment to the council, it’s ancient, and it’ll take a while to get down there. Are you certain you want to pursue this?”

            “Yes,” said Percy, quite firmly.

            “Alright,” shrugged Malcolm. He made his way from behind the desk. “It’s a bit of a walk, let’s get moving.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Apparently Camp Half-Blood had a massive library.

            Like the Olympian catacombs, the Camp Half-Blood records stretched deep underground, though the walls were made of a more pleasant brickwork and the rooms much better lit. Malcolm and Percy traveled about a quarter of a mile to get to the location of the book, which had been converted from a scroll generations before.

            “Yeah, apparently the campers used to work in this library all the time. They constantly had to update the forms the files took,” said Malcolm. “We were considering moving to a digitized format for the longest time, but not enough campers come down here to merit the work. Well, that and the war.” He pulled the book from the shelf. “Here you go. Just leave it on the reading room table when you’re done. Oh, and you can’t leave the downstairs area with the book.”

            “Could I… grab other books if I need them?” asked Percy.

            “It’s all yours,” said Malcolm. “Just don’t tear any pages. I don’t need Chiron on my butt for the next week.”

            “Thanks, Malcolm,” said Percy. Malcolm took one last look back at Percy, as if taking a mental picture of this moment, and then turned, shaking his head as he departed. Percy was left to page through the proceedings of Dionysus’ appointment. Apparently, his appointment was fairly mundane. Hestia had stepped aside to make room for him, avoiding a conflict within the council. The vote was anticlimactic; Hestia more or less resigned, meaning they had no reason not to appoint Dionysus.

            After an hour of reading (ancient Greek, thankfully), Percy didn’t feel like searching much longer, but he took one last look around the room and spotted something interesting. “The appointment of Hermes,” he mouthed, pulling the book off the shelf. He read the transcriber’s note.

            Prior to Hermes’ appointment, many older Olympians worried that giving influence to a younger god would bring the Olympians closer to the mortal realm. The natural deities (Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, etc.) largely disliked this idea, whereas the deities that represented mortal interests (Athena, Apollo, Hestia, etc.) were supportive. However, they feared the outsize influence of the older generation, and none would support a procedural vote to put Hermes’ candidacy on the table. That is, until Apollo forced the issue. As an Olympian, he could bypass one procedural vote every two hundred years. The council had heavily regulated his prior actions with mortals, so Apollo decided to promote his favored nephew to the council. Due to Hermes’ popularity among the younger gods and his tendency to promote communication between mortal societies, the gods with mortal interests rallied behind his candidacy and brought him onto the council, rounding out the number of gods to twelve.

            “That sounds like a winner,” muttered Percy. “I just need to get one of the gods to sponsor this vote.” He closed the book, making a mental note of its previous location, and headed back to his cabin.

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy approached the passageway to Hades, remembering the red and black walls that Nico had shown him some two months ago. He did not relish the way down – he had brought some music to listen to on the way down, and the second he stepped foot in the passageway, he began to zone out.

            And yet as he got deeper, his eye caught sight of a small blue vine twisting along the side of the blackened rock that made up of the walls of the passage. It was jarringly bright for the underground. He pulled out his earphones, a hand instinctively reaching for Riptide. But the vine didn’t move. It simply rested there, totally still.

            He eyed it cautiously, gingerly moving forward step by step. The vine grew larger, and soon there were two, three of them tracing their way along the wall. On the fourth one he spotted, there was a little purple bloom. He poked and prodded at it with his sword, but there was no response. And as he continued, the purple flowers grew in magnitude and size, as did the vines, and there were glowing mushrooms interspersed with everything that gave light to the passageway.

            “What the Hell is all of this?” asked Percy.

            “Funny, I don’t recall planting son of the sea god around here.”

            Percy must have jumped six feet in the air. He drew Riptide, his chest heaving as he waited for the source of the woman’s voice. Slowly, he heard footsteps descend the stairs, until Persephone rounded the corner, a bright smile on her face. Her hair was drawn back in a bun, and she wore two sizeable gardening gloves. “You can put the sword down.”

            Percy sheathed it, letting his muscles relax. “Lady Persephone… what is all this?”

            “Come with me,” she said, waving to him casually. Nervously, he began to inch forward. “I’m not going to do anything, Percy. I was just gardening, for Heaven’s sake.”

            He followed her, all the while marveling at the flora that traced the passage’s walls. By the time they arrived at the bottom, there was no more rock visible. The exit was completely covered by the vines, flowers, and mushrooms, a strange but wonderful tangle of foliage. He stepped out from the passageway, and his eyes widened. “Woah.”

            They had entered a massive hallway with high ceilings, and along each side were thousands of flowers and mushrooms, shrubs and perhaps even little trees. Blooms or red and blue, black and white, silver and gold brought life to the underground, their leaves and stems just as vibrant, if not more. He approached a particularly compelling flower of blue speckled with golden dots, with a silver stem and blue leaves.  He knelt down to smell it, a rich aroma of warm honey hitting his nose.

“Lady Persephone. Your garden is… incredible.”

            She was leaning against the wall, sporting a playful smile. “I appreciate the compliment. But it’s not really my garden. Technically, it was someone else’s garden first, although I do dabble a bit when I get free time. Now what are you doing, skulking around the underworld?”

            “I wasn’t skulking!” he said, rising from the blue flowers.

            She rolled her eyes. “Okay, but why are you here?”

            “I wanted to talk with Hades,” said Percy, approaching her. He hesitated. “Is he around?”

            “Well, I don’t know if he’s taking walk-ins today, but yes, he is,” she said, chuckling. “How about I go get him for you? You can talk to Nico while you wait.”

            She beckoned him forward, and together they walked through the hall of flowers. Percy kept his eyes glued to both sides, noting the fascinating array of flora, each more alien than the last. Finally, they got within fifty feet of a small alcove on the right side. Percy could just make out a steel desk, and a boy in a thick lab coat behind it. He looked almost professional, except that it was way too big for him. He was buried in a pile of books.

“Nico!” bellowed Persephone.

            He didn’t bother turning his back. “Is this pressing?”

            “Oh, no, no,” she called in a singsong voice. “I came all the way here just for shits and giggles!”

            He grunted, in a way that eerily reminded Percy of Hades. “Seph, I’ve been working with this particular plant for five hours straight and I’m almost done. Can it wait?”

            Percy straightened, staring slack-jawed at Persephone. “Did… did he just call you ‘Seph’?”

            Nico’s ears perked up. He turned around. “Percy?”

            “So I get ignored, but the second Percy Jackson shows up, you’re all ears?” asked Persephone.

            “Well, I see you pretty often,” said Nico, blushing a little. “Percy finds his way down here… never.”

            “Yes, I was pretty surprised as well to find a son of Poseidon strolling around our halls with his iPod,” she said, smirking. “Well, since I’m clearly not wanted here, I’ll go get your father. I suspect Mr. Jackson will be joining us for dinner.” She winked at Percy, making her way farther down the hall.

            Percy looked over at his young friend. His hair was frazzled, further breaking the appearance of professionality. “Nico… Persephone said this wasn’t her garden. Is this…

            Nico smiled. “You like it?”

            “This is all to impress Katie Gardener?”

            “Not exactly,” admitted Nico, though his cheeks grew a touch redder. “I mean… it started that way. But I kind of liked sprucing the place up. I figured out that if you tweak the genetics of certain plants, they can grow in subterranean environments.”

            “That’s insane!” said Percy, almost laughing. “I mean, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

            Nico got up from his seat, his eyes passing over his floral empire. The hint of a smile crept across his face. “Yeah… it’s pretty cool. We have our own little realm miles beneath Earth’s surface. Of course, I never would have been able to do it without Persephone. Here, follow me. There’s something I want to show you.”

            They walked deeper into the hall, the plants changing from flowers to shrubs. Percy watched the purpose in each of Nico’s footsteps – he walked like someone with somewhere to be. “So you’ve managed to get along with her?” asked Percy.

            “Surprisingly, yes,” he said. “Though I’m not sure how she’s taken to the nickname.”

            Percy snickered. “I wouldn’t use it much, if I were you.”

            Nico shrugged. “Come on in here.” They stepped inside a small room where Percy spotted a wall of solid grey-brown rock, a waterfall cutting down the middle of it. But snaking across its surface was a sea of bright blue vines, bright pink flowers sprouting from them like little paper boats, opening up wider than basketballs. “Persephone helped me arrange this. She also had a private word with her mother. Apparently, these are Katie’s favorite colors.”

            Percy smirked. “So let me get this straight: you asked a goddess to ask another goddess your crush’s favorite colors? Why didn’t you just ask her yourself?”

            Nico blushed. “Well, I… I’m not around that much, and–

            Percy laughed. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I’m sure she’ll love it!”

            “Well… alright. Maybe a batch of carrots was a better idea.”

            “A batch of carrots?” asked Percy. “Your plan B was a batch of carrots compared to… this?”

            “When you put it that way, it sounds pretty good,” said Nico, studying the bright hues with the upturned brow of a critic. He turned away from it, shaking his head. “Anyways… didn’t expect to see you down here. What brings you to our neck of the woods?”

            Percy paused for a moment, stifling his desire to chuckle. He grew more somber, reflecting on his purpose. “Well, uh… it’s about Luke, actually. He was killed. While defecting. He was about to spill the beans on Kronos, and then… Ares skewered him through the heart.”

            Nico hesitated, his mouth hanging on his next words. “I’m sorry… I think? I just… I never knew Luke, but you must’ve been somewhat close. How are you feeling?”

            “Terrible,” muttered Percy. “I felt like Ares murdered a scared child.”

            “Luke was… 22?” ventured Nico, just a little bit more forcefully than normal. “He wasn’t a kid.”

            “I don’t know, Nico,” said Percy, taking a seat at his desk. “The gods keep their children running around all their lives. They might become physically older and maybe even a bit wiser, but I’m not sure they ever outgrow the constant fear of monsters and gods.”

            Nico’s body grew still. “You’re talking about monsters and gods like they’re the same thing.”

            “They were both the same type of card in Mythomagic.”

            “No, they weren’t,” muttered Nico, shoving him. “Nice try, though.”

            “Well, anyways, the fact that Ares could do that concerned me. So, I was hoping to do something to put demigod interests back into the council.”

            “You came to the wrong place, then,” said Nico, his narrowed eyes and slow response betraying a hint of suspicion. “Dad has no influence.” He thought for a second. “Really.”

            Percy nodded slowly, a bit of “I’m hoping to change that.”

            Nico chuckled, though it seemed half-hearted. “You can try. I’d love to see what you have in mind but can’t say I’m confident. Why don’t you join me in the kitchen? You could help me toss the salad, and then I’m sure dad will want to see you.”

OoOoOoOoO

            They sat down with Hades and Persephone, a rainbow of different lettuces mixed up in a salad bowl in front of them. Percy took a bite of an orange piece of lettuce; immediately he tasted a gush of water from the stem, and then the aftertaste of tomato and broccoli mixed together. “That’s good.” He leaned into his food, quickly filling his mouth with a brilliant burst of flavor.

            Persephone smiled. “Little boy genius hasn’t stopped since he got the idea to make that wall for Katie.”

            Percy swallowed, looking up at her. “And you’ve been working together?”

            “Nico brought me plants before spring for the first time in millennia,” she said. She placed her utensils down, chewing thoughtfully on the lettuce. “And he’s deeply interested in their biology, too, something we share. He’s brightened this place up a lot.”

            “Frankly, it’s amazing to me,” muttered Hades. “I never thought they’d get along.”

            “That’s not license to go have more kids,” muttered Persephone. Percy felt something woosh by him under the table.

            Hades winced, his eyes wide with pain. “Well, uh, whatever the case,” grunted Hades, leaning over to nurse his knee, “Nico mentioned that you wanted to talk.”

            Percy looked at the rainbow of food before him. “It’s amazing what a little bit of cooperation can create. Unfortunately, I’m not sure Ares got the memo.”

            “I heard,” said Hades. “Zeus sent word. I guess you aren’t thrilled.”

            “I wasn’t. I think someone should rebuke him.”

            “You can’t do anything about that,” said Hades, pointing his fork at him. He raised an eyebrow in concern. “You understand that, right, Percy?”

            “Of course I do,” said Percy. “It would take a huge change in Olympian culture for that to happen.”

            Hades chuckled, cutting into a bit of pork. “Well, you know what they say. Olympus and ‘change’ are antithetical.”

            Percy pursed his lips, cutting into a slice of lettuce as he talked. “I’m sure plenty of people would’ve said that about the underworld. And yet, here we are.”

            Hades dropped his utensils, and they clattered against the table, drawing everyone’s attention. “You know, boy, I’ve been alive long enough to know when someone is trying to sell me something. Get to the point.”

            “Alright, fine,” said Percy, shrugging. He leaned forward. “I want someone on the council who will bring new ideas and support for the demigods. I think it would be a good way to move in the right direction, to make sure more incidents like Luke’s death don’t happen.”

            Hades leaned back, crossing his arms. “So… you came up with the idea to put me on the council. Just… on a whim?”

            Percy hesitated. “Well… it wasn’t exactly my idea.”

            The Lord of the Underworld narrowed his eyes expectantly. “Then whose was it?”

            His question hung in the air for a few seconds, but finally Percy sighed. “It came to me in a dream. Or Kronos did, anyways. He said that if I advocated for it, he would call off the attacks on Olympus.”

            Hades teethed at his lips with much distaste. “And you came down here… expecting me to listen?” He shook his head. “Percy, this would be dumb enough on its own. If Kronos suggested it to you, you have to know it’s dumb.”

            “I get that it’s a long shot,” said Percy, averting his gaze. In the back of his mind, he heard Annabeth nagging him that Hades was right – that Kronos was using him. But then he turned back to Hades, leaning in. “But why not try it? You want more influence, don’t you?”

            “Because I’m not stupid enough to think they’ll grant it to me!” said Hades, rolling his eyes. “You would need six gods to support it, and Zeus would have to be among them to break the tie. Never gonna happen. I don’t want my name anywhere near that plan. It’ll just be used to portray me as power-hungry, especially if Kronos put his support behind it! Just lie to him and pretend you’re fighting for it. Problem solved.”

            Percy sighed, shaking his head. “It’s not so simple. It doesn’t solve the Ares problem.”

            “Ares is not a problem that can be solved,” said Hades, crossing his arms. “Give it up.”

            “The gods have changed their minds before,” said Persephone, cocking her head towards Percy. He silently thanked the gods for her existence. “The Trojan War changed the Olympian Council with ease.”

            “Don’t give him any ideas,” muttered Hades, eyes darting between the two of them.

            “But what if I did get six votes?” asked Percy. “I mean, would you take the position then?”

            “No!” said Hades forcefully. “What more do you need to hear?”

            “If you were in Olympus, I could see my mother more often,” said Persephone. “The underworld would be more connected with the rest of the world than ever, and at a perfect time too – your son is on the brink of refashioning our realm as an exotic tourist destination. It would benefit all of us.”

            “His proposal is insane!” said Hades, the patience wearing thin on his face. “Let me be clear: I know why Kronos proposed this. It’s illegal for a demigod to petition councilmembers. In some cases, grounds for death. He’s planning to put you in harm’s way–

            “I know that!” said Percy. “But if he’s willing to gamble, I am too!”

            “But it’s not just that!” said Hades, a little exasperated. “If you fail, what do you think that puts on me? A terrible reputation! And I need you alive, remember! I don’t want to hear any more of this!”

            “Hades, the benefits are clear,” said Persephone, placing a hand on his back. “And they won’t risk antagonizing Percy for something so minor when we’re so close to his 16^th birthday. Nico would be able to join camp just like all the other campers.” She sighed. “And, you know, all of your other bas– I mean, children… who are out there. I guess.”

            “Not if it doesn’t pass!” said Hades, banging the table with his fist. Plates and silverware clattered.

            “And if it does?” asked Percy, eyes dead set on Hades. “Then what?”

            “It will not!” said Hades, erupting from his seat. “I’ve got other matters to attend to. You all can finish dinner without me.” He threw his napkin down, leaving them all to eat in silence. Percy chewed cautiously on the pork, waiting for Persephone to say something.

            “Well, I’ll admit, I didn’t expect you to go that far,” said Nico finally. “But I lean towards Dad’s opinion here. I doubt the gods would pass it.” He looked at Persephone. “You’re more optimistic than I thought, though.”

            Persephone shrugged. “Desperate times call for desperate measures. It’s amazing what the Olympians have passed when the pressure is on.”

            “Well, if Hades won’t accept the position, what can I do?” asked Percy.

            Persephone suppressed a laugh. “I’m sorry, you actually believe that? He would take a council seat in a heartbeat. If you have six votes, he’ll listen.”

            “And how am I supposed to get them if Hades isn’t willing to say he’s in support?”

            Persephone smiled. “You can tell them Demeter is willing to support it instead. My mother is one of the oldest and most revered members of the council. If she’s intent on something, the other gods will listen.”

            Nico gaped. “You’re going to ask your mother to support this?”

            “I think Percy has some surprises in store for us,” said Persephone. She had an airy, elfish smile on her face. “He’s already done a lot down here. So, what do you say?”

            Percy smiled. “I mean, we might as well try it.”

            “You’ll need someone to sponsor the legislation,” said Persephone. “If my mother tried to introduce it as a normal bill, it would probably get shot down. And right now, I doubt she’s willing to force the issue. But if you can find someone else, it might work.”

            “I had someone in mind,” said Percy. “The last person to be ushered into the council by forced vote.”

            “Huh?” asked Nico.

            Persephone grinned. “Well, well, well. Look who did his homework. And given that Hermes is Luke’s father, you might just have a shot at this.” She turned to Nico. “What did I tell you? He’s got tricks up his sleeve yet.”

            “Thanks,” said Percy. “It feels good to have one of the gods actually believe in me for once.”

            “Just one thing,” said Persephone. “Don’t let the others know that Kronos originated the idea. If word gets out, it’s buried. On the other hand, I don’t think it’s important enough that you need to disclose it.”

            “Alright,” said Percy. “Thank you, Lady Persephone.”

            “No problem,” she said. “Nico, I’ll have the servants take care of dishes for tonight. Why don’t you see Percy out?”

OoOoOoOoO

            “Some plan,” muttered Nico, kicking a stone along the underworld’s rocky surface.

            “Persephone seemed to like it,” offered Percy.

            “Yeah, I noticed.” Nico sounded tired, like he hadn’t slept for a week.

            “You… don’t like it?”

            “It… makes things difficult for me,” said Nico. “And that may be why Persephone likes it.”

            “I thought the two of you were getting along?”

            “We have been,” said Nico, pausing to admire the flowers blooming on the passageway out of Hades. The vines wove on into the more barren bedrock that had previously coated the walls on its own. “But if Hades were to win a seat, he would need to choose a successor. Not, like, in case he died, but in case he got thrown into Tartarus. And once successors need to be named, I’m sure Persephone will want to name her children… and get rid of any potential rivals.”

            Percy slowed his pace, his shoulders sagging a little. “I didn’t realize that.”

            “It’s alright,” said Nico. “I’m not particularly worried. I don’t think it’ll pass.”

            “But if it does?” asked Percy. “I mean, shouldn’t we consider if I should continue at all?”

            Nico studied one of the flowers on the wall, cupping it into his hand. “Percy, if on the off chance you do manage to make some kind of change in Olympus, my own safety is probably less important than the change itself. I still think it’s idiotic… but if you pull it off… then I think it’s worthwhile.”

            “I’ll go about it carefully,” said Percy. “Maybe I can work something out with the gods where you’re protected.”

            Nico gave Percy a weary smile. “Percy… what happened to that fear of the gods you mentioned to me during our week with the Olympians? You know you can’t control them, right?”

            “I’m not trying to control them,” said Percy, shrinking away from Nico’s choice of words. “Just… push them in the right direction.”

            “Even that kind of talk sounds outlandish,” muttered Nico. They came to the entrance, the woodland trees beckoning. “Well, this is it. Good luck.”

            “Thanks,” said Percy. “Same to you.”

            Nico waved at him, but it was a doubtful kind of wave, the kind that wondered whether or not you’d ever see that person again. Percy made his way into the wilderness, trudging back towards camp, trying to ignore the sinking feeling that everyone else thought it was a bad idea.

            But as he walked and reflected more on Nico and Hades and Kronos’ doubt, he wondered how long Persephone’s support might last. As he watched the sun fall beneath the horizon, he thought how inconsequential Luke’s death was to the gods, and how little time he had to bring the issue forward. Hermes would be distraught, but to him, Luke was just a mortal. He could not hold onto that anger for long.

            Clutching his fist, he made his way to the street, flagging down a cab. He only had so much time – he was not going to let another minute pass without seeing Hermes.

Chapter Text

Chapter 15

City Nights

            Percy approached the Empire State Building, the windows lit giving off a faint golden hue in the otherwise black night. He stepped inside, straightening his clothes as much as he could, and made his way over to the security guard. “600^th floor, please.”

            The guard, immersed in a magazine, slowly raised a skeptical eyebrow. “There’s no 600^th floor, kid.”

            Percy placed his elbow on the front desk, leaning in. “Are we really going to do this right now?”

            The guard began to open his mouth, but he shut it, eyes drifting towards the sound of heels clacking against the smooth floor of the building. “I’ll take care of him, actually,” said a voice from behind Percy. He winced at the sound of it. “I’ll make sure that he gets up to Olympus.”

            “Of course, Lady Athena,” nodded the security guard.

            She looked down at him, an air of curiosity in her eyes. “Come on, Percy, we should get going,” she said. Though he desperately wanted to run towards the exit, he forced himself to follow her, but still kept a healthy distance. When the doors closed, she looked over at him, mildly amused. A budding smile had sprouted on her face, though she pursed her lips a bit to try and hide it. “What brings you to Olympus so late in the evening?”

            “I’m looking for some tips on magic,” he said, looking away from her. “And… what about you? Why were you out so late?”

            “I thought I would pay Annabeth a visit,” she mused nonchalantly.

            Percy looked up at her in shock. “Really?”

            “Yes,” muttered Athena, crossing her arms. “I mean, half the world heard about Luke’s death. I was sure that would shake her. Unfortunately, I’m so busy, I just hadn’t been able to visit up until now. And of course, I know she must’ve been concerned greatly by your… skin condition.”

            Percy blinked. “My what?”

            Athena frowned. “Ares burned your entire body?”

            He grew bright red. “Oh. Oh. Well, it’s funny, I barely even realized, I was just so distraught.”

            Athena raised an eyebrow at him. “You didn’t realize that practically all the skin on your body had burned off entirely?”

            Her eyes were grating, and for a second all he could do was marvel at her ability to make him sound like an idiot. “Well… I was in pain, I guess.” He avoided her gaze as best he could, and decided to pray to the Egyptian gods, hoping that they might thwart her from inquiring further about whether or not he was a god.”

            “Uh huh,” said Athena slowly. “Well, a flamethrower would definitely hurt a good deal.”

            Percy winced. “Flamethrower.”

            She raised an eyebrow. “That is one of the weapons Ares claimed that he used… unless you think he’s lying?”

            “No!” said Percy. “Not at all.”

            “It’s strange,” she said. “When I came by to look at your wounds, they didn’t seem like normal burn wounds. And you healed remarkably quickly.”

            He looked up at her in wonder. “You came by?”

            “Yes,” she said, quickly looking away from him, though not so quickly that it looked rushed. “I brought flowers,” she muttered. “I assumed you weren’t quite awake for that.”

            “I thought it was a dream,” he muttered. “Did I… say anything?”

            “You mainly just groaned,” she said. “It wasn’t really intelligible.”

            He cracked a smile, chuckling a bit. “Most of what I say isn’t.”

            She smiled in spite of herself, the enjoyment slowly creeping its way up the sides of her mouth. “Well, at least you’re honest. Tell me, Percy… I asked Annabeth, but she said she wasn’t there – what did Luke say to you?”

            Percy’s heartbeat jumped a bit. He grew somber. “He was going to defect. I was sure of it. He wanted to tell me something about Kronos’s plans, but he was tired. We… we argued for a long time. I was angry. Otherwise, he might’ve told me earlier.” He paused. In the back of his mind, he could hear the desperation in Luke’s dying words. It him angry, seeing his dying figure trying to reach out to Percy, the image seared into his mind. He balled his fists. “To think… what Ares did was… was stupid. Beyond stupid.”

            “Probably,” admitted Athena, though her voice was quiet.

            “So you’ll punish him, right?” asked Percy, his voice rising in expectation. “I mean, he did impede the war effort.”

            Athena’s eyes narrowed. She looked unsettled by his suggestion, almost as if it were impossible to imagine. “Percy, he is a god. Even if you’re angry, you ought to know your place.”

            “I see,” said Percy, still not looking at her. His voice cracked. “Very wise strategy, Lady Athena.”

            She sighed. “Even if I had the power… which I don’t… I don’t think it would be a good precedent to set. Even though I do think Luke might’ve been worthwhile to keep as a prisoner, Ares had every right to kill a traitor to the state. And there’s no guarantee that Luke was telling you the truth.”

            “He was,” said Percy, clenching his teeth. “I could tell.”

            “You can’t just ‘talk’ to people and discern their motives,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You’re letting your sentimentality–

            “I’m serious!” he said, his voice rising. “Luke was desperate. Something about Kronos was bothering him. He tried to tell me, but I just wasn’t strong enough to stop Ares.”

            “Right,” said Athena slowly. “That would be illegal. We would probably kill you for it.”

            “Oh, great,” he said, rolling his eyes. “So, by helping you out, I screw myself over?”

            “The power of the gods must be respected,” said Athena, a hint of anger spreading across her face. “Otherwise–

            “Otherwise we stop idiots like Ares from running around?” asked Percy, his muscles tensing.

            “No; otherwise we start wars with titans like Kronos!” shouted Athena. “Otherwise upstart demigods like you start asking questions without knowing anything about how our system works!”

            “Is it my fault that you can’t answer those questions?” asked Percy. “You’ve got a rogue operative on the council who you can do nothing about, and you want to yell at me?”

            “We’ll deal with him in our own way!” said Athena, rolling her eyes as she flung her hands in frustration. “I know it’s frustrating. I’m frustrated, alright? Even I admit that it was dumb. But the council’s traditions serve some very important purposes! Chief among them is stopping wars between the gods, wherein demigods like you get hurt!”

            “We get hurt anyways,” said Percy, straightening his figure as he glared up at her. “Luke knew. He’s just about the only demigod I know who lived past 20.”

            “Oh, please,” said Athena. “That’s ridiculous–

            “Is it?” asked Percy. “I don’t know! I’m starting to wonder why you care so much who your daughter dates, since she’s just going to be dead in four years’ time!”

            The color slowly drained from Athena’s face, her eyes taking on a haunted, empty look. For a second she stood still, mouth open just a touch. And then the color came rushing back to her face, and she gritted her teeth. “How dare you–

            “I dare because you know it’s true!” said Percy, his face contorting in rage. He stepped up to her, getting in her face. “It’s the biggest open secret in all of Olympus! Hades knew it! Artemis knew it! You know it, too!”

            Athena closed her eyes, and for a second Percy snapped back into reality. He realized he might have gone too far. But she breathed in, calmed herself, and looked back at him, mildly peeved. “I know the likelihood of a demigod living past twenty. It’s bleak. And I can’t blame you for your anger. Seeing someone like Luke shot down is… harrowing for a demigod. I know that much. But as for the relationship between you and my daughter… I want to make whatever time my daughter has on this earth happy and meaningful.”

            There was a moment of silence between the two of them before Percy finally filled in the missing piece. “And you think I’m not part of that picture.”

            Athena’s lips flattened, and for a second she stared at Percy with cautious eyes. Her face fell, like she was suddenly tired. “I… I have my doubts, Percy. That’s all I can say.”

            He stared, a little taken aback by how little confidence she seemed to have in that statement. Part of him wanted to push, to hear more. But he also knew he was talking to a goddess, who might very well decide she had had enough of this conversation. He had already pushed her pretty far before…

            The elevator opened before he could say anything. She sighed, stepping out of it hurriedly. Before she got far, though, without looking back, she began to speak once more. “You are not as much like your father as I once thought.”

            “Well… if I’m not like Poseidon, then why–

            “I can’t read you,” she said. “I dislike that.” And then she disappeared into the night, without saying any more.

OoOoOoOoO

            Though Athena’s budding concern deeply troubled him, he found no trouble locating Hermes’ house, a stately mansion near the top of the mountain with winged creatures engraved in the walls. He recalled seeing the Hermes campers visit the place, but they didn’t seem to go there very often. Apparently, Hermes was pretty busy during the field trip. When Percy knocked on the door, he soon found out why.

            Hermes opened the door, a phone pressed against his ear. He looked surprised to see Percy, but he kept on talking as if nothing had happened. “Yes, I’ve heard of all this shit, and no, I’ve got nothing that I can do about it right now.” He waited for a few seconds. “Iris, if I knew how to block hyper messages, I would do it. But right now, I’ve got nothing.” He waited again. “Blue vines? What the fuck do you mean ‘blue vines’? Are you talking about the candy? Look, I can’t deal with this now; I’ve got someone… unexpected at the door. I’ll call you back, I promise.” He hung up the phone, sighing. “Sorry. Business.”

            “No problem,” said Percy. “Mind if I come in?”

            Hermes’ mouth fell. He quickly turned, his eyes scanning the mansion, and looked back at Percy. “Um… I guess?”

            “Is that… is that a faux pas?” asked Percy, glancing around nervously. “Are demigods not allowed–

            “No,” deadpanned Hermes. He glanced back once more. “It’s just a bit… messy. Come on in.”

            Percy followed behind Hermes, careful not to scan the room too much, although it was readily apparent that there were papers and office supplies strewn about everywhere. Hermes took a seat on a very comfortable looking couch, lounging back. Percy sat across from him in a simple wicker chair. “I’m sorry about Luke,” said Percy.

            Hermes looked pained, taking a drink from something on the coffee table. “I was trying to forget about that,” he said, licking his lips as he avoided Percy’s gaze.

            Percy leaned forward. “Don’t.”

            Hermes looked him in the eyes and let out a grim laugh, somewhere between insanity and sorrow. “Yeah? What, you think I can just give up on being a god for a few days? Hundreds of my kids have died. I gotta move on somehow, kid.” He breathed out. Percy recognized the scent on his breath from poker nights when Gabe was still around: alcohol. “Sorry. That must sound a little callous. But it’s true. You know, we all have our own ways of coping with immortality.”

            Percy twiddled his thumbs awkwardly, trying not to mention the fact that ‘coping with immortality’ sounded like an oxymoron. “Right. Well–

            “Sounds dumb, right?” asked Hermes. “Well, plenty of mortals struggle to get through a day. Why can’t I struggle to get through a decade?” He slumped back in his chair, sinking into the plush back pillow, which immersed half his body.

            “Yeah, fair,” said Percy. “But I was thinking… why get over it? Why not do something about it?”

            “Oh? What’d you have in mind?” asked Hermes. His voice dropped at the end as he took a drink, almost as if he had lost interest mid-sentence. “I mean, if it’s legislation, the gods will never go for it. We need the demigods in the middle of a war, and anything that even reeks of messing with that…

            “If you need us, why is Ares going around killing demigods?” asked Percy.

            Hermes growled. “That idiot. Ah, so what? It’s not like I’d have the support of the council, Percy.”

            “Then we’ll get support,” he said, nodding encouragingly. “I’ve already got one vote.”

            Hermes sat up. “Wait, hold on. You already got one of the gods to support legislation? That you came up with? Percy… that’s illegal!”

            Percy smirked. “Only if I get caught.”

            Hermes shook his head thoroughly. “No. No way. Not doing it.”

            “Hermes, I know Luke is the last thing you want to think about,” said Percy. “But he always wanted something to change within Olympus. And you could fulfill his wish. Now is the perfect time to push for something – the other members of the council will be more willing to hear it, and if memory serves, you still have your divine privilege to push a vote to the forefront of the council.”

            “How… did you know that?” asked Hermes, putting down his drink. He stared at Percy, a perplexed look on his face.

            “I did some reading.” Percy hesitated. “And, before you say no… even if it is illegal, it’s illegal for me. But what would happen to you?”

            “Well,” muttered Hermes. “I guess… for not reporting it, I’d get what amounts to a slap on the wrist.” He tilted his head, musing over the suggestion for a second, nursing his drink in the interim. Finally, he nodded. “Okay, what did you have in mind?”

            “I want Hades on the Olympian council.”

            “Whoa,” said Hermes, throwing up his hands. “Slow down. Why do you want that, and why do you think it will pass?”

            “Well, Hades has been really connecting with Nico,” said Percy. “I think he would be a good advocate for the demigods. If you bring on an ally like that, it might open up an era of more legislation in favor of us. And as for why I think this will pass… I already have Demeter’s vote, and I’ve got a few others in mind.”

            “Zeus would never support it,” breathed Hermes. He glanced at Percy, his mouth pursing. “You know that.”

            Percy had been expecting this. He leaned in a bit. “Well… I think I might know a way around that.”

            “There is no way around it,” said Hermes. “Unless you can get 7 votes, which I doubt.”

            “Hear me out,” said Percy. “First of all, Zeus wouldn’t want to offend you. I mean, this was how you got added to the council, right? Apollo forced it through. And even if your push isn’t enough to sway Zeus, if my father were to support it alongside Hades, Zeus would have to take that seriously. He might not vote for it, but he might be willing to break the tie in your favor.”

            Hermes took a long draught of his drink. “You’ve really been boning up on your legislative history, I see… which is something I thought I’d never say to Percy Jackson.”

            A tinge of annoyance passed through Percy’s brow as he recalled the look of surprise that Malcolm had on his face in the library. He pushed that aside, raising an eyebrow at Hermes. “So?”

            “I’m still not there,” said Hermes, shaking his head. “Look, even if I can legally do this, it might look bad to the other council members. I’m willing to try if we have some idea of who you’re aiming for. Demeter and I would be two votes. You would have Zeus’ tiebreaker in theory if you got Poseidon to support… but the last time Zeus did it was in the 70s. It’s so rare, Percy.”

            “How about if we can get to six?” asked Percy. “I mean, isn’t that enough that you won’t get bad press for it? And when you’ve got the chance at six, I feel like it’s worth taking!”

            Hermes chuckled, cocking his head a bit. “Well, let’s get serious. Tell me how we get to six.”

            Percy sunk back in his chair, counting the votes on his fingers. “Well, Apollo would probably support you. And Artemis would be there too.”

            “Both are reasonable,” muttered Hermes. “Who else?”

            “Hephaestus just lost Beckendorf,” said Percy.

            “Okay,” said Hermes, nodding as he did the calculations in his head. “And then we’d need your father.” He leaned forward, tapping his fingers on the table. “Now that’s the tricky one. He’s in direct competition with Hades.”

            “Let’s say I can get Poseidon on board,” said Percy. “If I can do that, will you support it then?”

            “Well… I don’t know, I–

            Percy leaned forward. “Hermes: yes or no?”

            “Okay,” said Hermes. “You bring Poseidon in, I’ll put the vote forward.”

            “That’s all I need,” said Percy. “So I’ll talk to my father. Could you talk to Apollo if I convince him to join?”

            “Alright,” said Hermes, nodding. “It’s a deal.”

            “Wonderful!” said Percy. smiling. “I know we can make this work. I’ll be back.”

            “Alright, kid,” said Hermes. He gave Percy a thumbs-up and smiled. Still, though, it seemed like he was hiding a lot of doubt and pain. “I really hope your dad supports this.”

            Percy made his way towards the door, nodding at him happily. He shut it behind him, leaving Hermes alone with his drink. He hung his head over the table, sighing as he mused over the idea.

***

            “Hey,” muttered Hermes, the alcohol on his breath seeping into the phone receiver. “Can we talk?”

            “You seem… awfully less chipper,” crackled Apollo’s voice. “I don’t get many drunk calls from you, Hermes. It’s usually the other way around.”

            Hermes smirked, his face just a little bit somber. “Yeah, well… can’t afford it. Got a business to run and all.”

            “So what’s on your mind?”

            “It’s this plan,” muttered Hermes. “Percy came to me with it. He’s going to lobby the council.”

            “Are you sure you should be telling me this?”

            Hermes cursed under his breath. “Ah, he’s already told two gods… it can’t be that bad, right?”

            “I guess?”

            Hermes took a quick shot of his drink, the fiery liquid tumbling down his throat like hot magma. “He wants to appoint Hades to the council. I’m going to push it if he gets Poseidon on board, and we need your support. It’s supposed to get better representation for the demigods, since Hades has decided to be a good dad all of a sudden.”

            “Well, if you care that much about it, I’ll support it.”

            Hermes paused, breathing in. He closed his eyes, a pained expression drawn taught across his face. In one powerful sigh, he let all his concern come out. “Am I an idiot for wanting it to work? For thinking this possible?”

            “No.”

            “Are you saying that because I gave you the lyre?”

            There was silence on the line for a moment. Apollo’s voice, slow and gentle, passed through the line. “I think that you have a gift for convincing people. If you think it has a chance… then you can help make it a reality.”

            “You know, when the kid was talking to me, I wanted to believe?” said Hermes, burying his face in his hand. “But, uh… I just don’t know. It sounds ridiculous, now that I say it out loud to someone of our… our blood type.”

            “Hermes, I’m not sure it matters,” said Apollo. “If it doesn’t reach the council, then there’s no harm done to you. And no one’s going to give you shit for grasping at straws a few days after your son was stabbed. No more than Ares will get, anyways.”

            Hermes bit his lower lip, a single syllable slipping out of his mouth like a fizzling balloon. “Ffffffuck him.”

            “Yeah, man, fuck him.”

            There was silence between them for a moment. “So you don’t think this is batshit?”

            “No,” said Apollo. “You know, I think it’s great that Percy wants to bring us closer to our kids.”

            Hermes straightened, almost as if the alcohol had been drained from his body. “I’m sorry… I think the idea has more to do with getting better representation for them.”

            “Well, that too.”

            “I can’t… you know this wasn’t my fault, right?” he asked, clutching the phone. “I’m busy, Apollo. I don’t have time for–

            “Yeah, of course,” said Apollo. “I know that. I’m not accusing you–

            “Because there was nothing I could’ve done.”

            Apollo sighed. “We all know how busy you are. How much you put on your back to keep things running in Olympus, make sure people hear from us when they need to. We depend on you, Hermes. No one is accusing you. It’s just that for me, personally, I might have a little bit more time to spend with the kids. You know, after the sun goes down.”

            Hermes breathed in, recalling the dark night in which his brother had approached him so long ago, bearing a half-moon of laurel leaves in his hands. The things his brother got up to after dark… “That’s right. You’re off half the day.”

            “In the winter months, pretty dependably,” said Apollo. “And we understand that you’re on. All the time. That you have a lot on your plate.”

            Hermes’ lips trembled. At camp, Chiron claimed that the Hermes cabin was the home of all travelers, that that was why unclaimed kids lived there. Of course, it was also the cabin with the most campers because… well, as a busy traveler, he met a lot of people, but never for very long. “Will the kids, though?”

            “It won’t matter,” said Apollo. “It’s just an addition to the council. It’s not… they’re not a part of this. It won’t be publicized like that. So don’t worry about it.”

            “Alright,” breathed Hermes, nodding his head affirmatively. “Thanks, brother. I’m gonna go. I’ve got a lot to do tonight.”

            “Yeah, man, sure,” said Apollo. “Good luck. Have a good night.”

            Hermes hung up the phone, slamming the receiver down in its placeholder. He flopped down onto the couch, lips suckling at the side of his drink as he closed his eyes, drifting into something he rarely saw: sleep.

Chapter Text

Chapter 16

Atlantean Animosity

            Percy made his way out of the Empire State Building, subtly eyeing the guy at the desk who had given him the whole spiel about the 600^th floor. He pushed through the door, out into the dim lights of the city and the rain now engulfing it. His cellphone rang – the screen read “O”.

Ouranos’s harrowed voice crackled over the other end. “Where in the world are you?”

“I’m… trying to hail a cab?”

            Ouranos sighed, sounding suspiciously like a fed-up parent. “That’s not what I … why aren’t you at camp?”

            “I was looking for a birthday gift for Annabeth,” he said.

            “First of all, it’s ten o’clock at night. And even if that weren’t weird, her birthday is not for another seven months.”

            Percy did a double-take, then pressed the receiver closer to his face. “How in the world did you–

            “The important thing is, you’re lying to me,” said Ouranos. Percy begged to differ – gods always knew some disconcerting information about you, and he always wanted to know how. He thought it pretty important. But he wasn’t going to tell that to an angry Ouranos. “You’ve been away from camp for a whole day now, and apparently, it’s driving Chiron mad. And seeing as you don’t lie to the camp director to buy your girlfriend a birthday gift, I can’t fathom what you’re up to.”

            Percy cupped the phone to his cheek, glancing around nervously. Even in the streets of New York, he knew better than to trust that the homeless guy on the street corner was just some guy. He had once been mouthing off at Hera one day as he entered the Subway, passing a rather burly male security guard. But when he looked back… let’s just say he had made a big mistake.

            “I’m… doing some lobbying work,” said Percy, straightening his back.

            “You’re getting involved in U.S. politics during a war with Kronos?” asked Ouranos. “What… wait a minute… do you mean to tell me–

            “Yes,” said Percy, cutting him off. “I have been working for the, um… Libertarian party. Canvasing various households and such.”

            “Is someone listening to you on the other end?” asked Ouranos.

            “You never know.”

            “Percy, you know that lobbying the council is criminal, right? Even I know that, and I can’t even touch the floor.”

            “I thought you wanted me to… um… make changes,” said Percy. The phone screen was getting wetter and wetter, and it annoyed him pressing it against his ear. “And… work through the… institutions… that already exist?”

            “No!” said Ouranos. “I wanted you to practice magic! What part of that suggested becoming politically active?”

            “The part where you said you would help me.”

            “Percy, I am trying to help you,” said Ouranos. “But engaging in illegal activity which could get you killed… my plan depends on your survival, and on you getting stronger!”

            Percy let out a long sigh. He was not enjoying the conversation at all, especially given the rain, and the underabundance of cabs. “This is starting to sound oddly similar to another plan that I recall hearing about.”

            “Well, yes, Kronos and I are starting from the same premise,” admitted Ouranos. “But his plan involves you going to war with the Olympians. Mine doesn’t.”

            “How do you propose that?” asked Percy. “If the goal is to get stronger–

            “Because once you can put up a fight, you don’t have to,” said Ouranos. “The Olympians will be far more accommodating once you represent a credible threat. But if you become a threat before becoming strong, they won’t hesitate to squash you.”

            “I’m not going to become that strong.”

            “Kronos seems to think so.”

            “Yeah?” asked Percy. “You want to tell me why that is?”

            “As I said before, it’s better if you don’t know.”

            “Well, regardless, you said you would help me,” said Percy. “Not that I would carry out whatever you wanted. And I want to lobby the cou… the city council. About getting rid of parking regulations.”

            Ouranos sighed. “I… that is true. But I’m begging you not to do that.”

            “Okay. I’m ignoring you.”

            “Good gods… alright. Just keep practicing, then. And try to be discreet about it. What are you lobbying for?”

            “A seat on the council,” said Percy. “For an anti-regulation candidate… named… Haynes. D.”

            “Is that… supposed to mean Hades? Never mind. Don’t answer that. I’ll probably sleep better the less I know about this. Listen, Percy, I have two pieces of advice for you. First, make sure that you’re practicing–

            “I have been!” said Percy, shouting into the phone over the rain, a little bit angrily. “I’m making a lot of progress!”

            “Okay, okay! Secondly, if you’re going to do this, finish it quickly. The longer you drag the lobbying process on, the longer the Olympians will have to figure out what you’re doing.”

            Percy mulled that over. “Okay, so… I was about to head back to camp. Does that mean I should just bypass that?”

            “Probably,” said Ouranos. “Whatever you can do to keep this more discreet would be good. And if anything goes wrong, call me immediately. I can get you out of trouble.”

            “Okay,” said Percy. “Got it.” He hung up, and then, deciding against the cab, headed for the subway. It would be faster to get to the ocean that way.

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy found that getting to Atlantis was a lot like getting around in New York. Instead of hailing a taxi, he just ended up hailing a dolphin after reaching the southernmost point of Manhattan.

            “Hey man, don’t know how to thank you,” said Percy as they jostled through the depths of New York’s Upper Bay.

            The dolphin squeaked, essentially claiming that the ride was free of charge for first timers. It dropped him off near the edge of the city, a massive palace at the bottom of an ocean trench, stretching hundreds of meters above him.

            He stepped into the main square, a stream of mermen rushing by him carrying construction materials. The streets seemed to be teeming with life. Children played games in the coral gardens, and the Atlantean markets seemed to be turning a hefty profit. Signs of war were scarce. Percy reached the doors to the palace, finding two guards diligently keeping watching. They eyed him as he approached.

            “Pardon me, guys,” said Percy. “I’m trying to visit my father.”

            The one on the right opened his mouth to speak, but the merman on the left held up his hand to stop him, butting in. “You must be the famous Perseus Jackson.”

            Percy blushed. “Oh, well, uh… I don’t know about famous, but yeah. That’s me.”

            “Well,” said the merman, clearing his throat. “It’s generally Atlantean policy that when one asks for an audience with Poseidon, the purpose must be specified.”

            “Right,” said Percy, hesitating a little bit. He glanced between the two mermen rather awkwardly. “Can… we put it under family matters, maybe?”

            “What kind of matter?” asked the merman, taking out a device that looked suspiciously similar to a tablet. Percy couldn’t help but wonder how it worked underwater. “If you’re looking for funds, it would normally take about four weeks to secure–

            “I’m sorry, I don’t think you understand,” said Percy, shaking his head. “I need to talk to him pretty soon. Like, now, if possible.”

            “We don’t really ‘do’ that here,” said the guard, letting out a smug chuckle. “You see, in Atlantis, people can’t just barge into the royal palace and get whatever they want. They have to plan ahead and work for what they get.”

            Percy balled his fists. “Look, man, I’m not trying to get any special favors. I’m the guy’s son. That must merit some kind of priority!”

            The guard sighed, checking his tablet. “Look, if you need funds, I can maybe pencil you in a week from now and recommend some accommodations for your stay. Delphin’s Cove is quite nice, and every stay comes with a free manatee massage.”

            “I’m just a demigod!” protested Percy. “I don’t have the kind of money to afford that!”

            “Well, that’s funny, you’re certainly acting like a VIP,” shrugged the guard. “I would’ve thought the great Perseus Jackson would surely carry some wealth to his name. I mean, after all, you are the bastard son of Poseidon destined to carry out the prophecy. With luck, you may live until you’re eighty years old and gain a bit of fame!”

            “Uh huh,” said Percy, eyeing him angrily. “And what makes you so much better, hotshot? What the Hell have you done?”

            “I was waiting for you to ask,” said the guard, bowing. “My name is Triton, rightful heir to the Atlantean throne. I have served in my father’s army for millennia, fighting beside him against titan rebellions since long before you were born. Even today, I still serve Poseidon in whatever capacity he needs, even as a door guard. And long after you’re dead, Mr. Jackson, I will still be here serving faithfully.”

            “I see,” muttered Percy. “You’re jealous.”

            “Are you jealous of amoeba and bacteria?” asked Triton coolly.

            Percy felt a very strong urge to punch Triton in the face, but he knew that wouldn’t get him anywhere. He took a deep breath (or gulp, perhaps) and tried to put on a diplomatic tone. “Look, Triton. I don’t really get the whole animosity between divine children and demigods. I mean, it’s not my fault that I was born. And I have something really important to talk to Dad about.”

            Triton approached him, lauding his figure over Percy. “If it’s important, then you can report it to me.”

            “No!” said Percy, gritting his teeth.

            “I am Poseidon’s right hand!” said Triton, batting the end of his spear against the ground. The earth cracked at Percy’s feet. “I highly doubt you have something so important that you can hear it, but I cannot. If it’s personal, well, wait in line like everyone else! My father is busy!”

            “Our father,” said Percy, his lips quivering. Still, they held back the flood of anger. An idea popped into his head. “Well, I guess I can tell you, though it is a bit uncomfortable to say.”

            Triton blinked in surprise. “Oh. Very well. I’m listening.”

            “I can’t say it here, though,” said Percy. “It’s something I can only entrust to Dad.”

            Triton opened the door to the palace. “Step inside. You will tell it to me, and then I will judge the importance. Pescino, please excuse us.”

            Pescino saluted, moving off to the side.

            Percy stifled a laugh. “Like Pacino?”

            “No. Pescino. Like Pisces. It’s descended from Latin. Now, you have something to tell me?”

            “Yes, actually,” said Percy. “See, the thing is, I’m not a demigod.”

            “Uh huh,” said Triton, nodding slowly, a disbelieving smile stretched across his face. “Would you care to elaborate further?”

            “Well, it’s just that I’ve noticed my blood,” said Percy. “Getting pinker, actually. Yeah, I think it’s turning to ichor.”

            Triton crossed his arms. “Oh, ha ha, very funny. Now if you don’t mind, the palace door is over there.”

            “No, no, look!” said Percy. He drew Riptide and dragged it across the side of his arm. A slow trickle of pink blood emerged, its size growing from a small line of liquid into a massive spiral that covered half a meter. Triton stared at the swirling mass in front of him, his upper lip quivering.

            “What kind of magic are you using?” sneered Triton. “That’s not funny!”

            “I know,” said Percy. “That’s why I need to see Poseidon immediately. Otherwise I’d have to work my way up the ranks of the Atlantean army just to see him. I mean, think of how many joint assignments we’d have-

            “Fine!” thundered Triton, wincing at the thought of that word. “We’ll go see Poseidon now!”

            Percy smirked, eyeing Triton. “Thanks a ton, step bro.”

            Triton looked ready to tear Percy’s head off. “Don’t. Call me that.”

            They walked up hundreds of stairs in silence until Triton arrived at the door to Poseidon’s room. He knocked politely, and then Poseidon opened the door. He glanced between Triton and Percy, blushing. “Son…s.”

            “Hello, father,” said Triton dryly. “Percy wanted to share something with you.”

            Poseidon glanced over at Percy nervously. “Well, hello Percy. Nice of you to… visit, I guess.” Percy felt nauseous. His father did not look very happy to see him.

            “He says that his blood is changing,” said Triton, forcing the words out like a loose tooth. “Do you happen to know anything about this, father?”

            Poseidon looked horrified. “I was not aware-

            “Oh, that’s okay,” said Percy. “It was a prank.”

            “B-b-b-but you… you lied to me?” Triton asked, his voice flaring to an incredibly high pitch.

            “Well, you know what they say,” said Percy, shrugging. “That’s politics!”

            Triton levied his spear at Percy’s chest. “I should skewer you-

            “Triton, please!” said Poseidon, grabbing the spear. “He is… your brother, in a way.”

            “He’s no brother of mine,” sneered Triton. But he lowered the spear. “To avoid upsetting Olympian war plans, I will let you live. Now what is it you’ve come for?”

            “I will handle that, Triton,” sighed Poseidon.

            Triton grunted. “Very well, father. As always, I am your humble servant.” He bowed, leaving the two of them. Poseidon closed the door to his chamber.

            “I wish you had given me some heads-up,” said Poseidon. “With an Iris message, we could have avoided all of that. You’ll have to forgive him, Percy. These things can be tough when you’re immortal. It hurts.”

            “Well, maybe he should forgive me first.”

            Poseidon sighed. “This is obviously quite important for you to come all the way here. What did you want to talk about?”

            “I’ll cut right to the chase, Dad,” said Percy. “I want to change the Olympian council. I’m courting votes to get Hades elected as the 13^th member.”

            Poseidon sat in silence for a moment, letting the words take full effect over him. He shook his head no, as if in shock. “Percy, how did you even dream this up? It’s absolutely insane.”

            “I have some support already.”

            Poseidon offered a weak smile. “Well, I’m terribly impressed. You’ve certainly matured quite a bit to lobby Olympian votes. Of course, it’s also terribly illegal…”

            Percy stepped closer to him, his face determined. “I’ve got to do something after Luke’s death.”

            “Do you really?” asked Poseidon. “Maybe it wasn’t the best decision by Ares, but… Luke was a… a traitor, son. It doesn’t hurt any less, of course, but… well, some things have to be done.”

            “I agree,” said Percy. “Some things do have to be done. Changes have to be made to prevent more demigods turning into Luke and going rogue.”

            “Percy, let me be frank with you,” said Poseidon. “I can’t elevate Hades to the council. It would be political suicide for me.”

            “Maybe not,” said Percy. “If you scratch his back, he’s bound to scratch yours.”

            “For how long?” asked Poseidon. “Sure, we got along at the one dinner you saw. But these decisions will last millennia! Long after you’re dead.”

            “Maybe so,” lied Percy, instinctively pushing the arm he’d cut against the seat so it wouldn’t bleed as much. “But there will be other kids like me who need that kind of input.”

            “Hades will change back. I just can’t do it.”

            “Dad, don’t you want things to change?” asked Percy. “There’s so much animosity in Olympus-

            “No,” said Poseidon, his voice growing firmer. “My answer is no. I’m sorry. There are some things I just can’t do, even if you ask me to.”

            “But Hermes only said he’d go through with this if you did too,” said Percy. “I can’t return to him empty-handed.”

            “You’ll have to,” said Poseidon, his throat rumbling like it might cause an earthquake at any moment. “I can only look the other way for so long, Percy. If you’re going to keep pestering me about this, I’m going to ask you to leave.”

            Percy balled his fists, eyes watering. “I guess I’m just something to be discarded, then. Triton will be here long after I’m gone, right?”

            Poseidon sighed. “Don’t make this about yourself. It’s about Hades.”

            “It’s not about just me,” said Percy. “It’s about my friends! It’s about the fact that when I talk to Annabeth, Athena gets fucking PTSD thinking about when you left her behind as a kid!”

            “She TOLD YOU THAT?” asked Poseidon, rising from his seat. “That’s enough, Percy! Out! I don’t want to hear it!”

            Percy rose from his seat, glaring at his father. He slammed the door on his way out. The palace floors rumbled, but otherwise Poseidon did not come after him. He walked down the spiral staircase, his legs growing tired as he got to the bottom. When he pushed through the door to leave the palace, he was met with Triton’s gaze and that of a tall woman with elegant crustacean head gear. He then realized with shock that it was not a hat, but rather part of her body.

“How was your meeting?” sneered Triton.

            “I’m not in the mood to talk about it,” muttered Percy.

            “Perhaps bastards shouldn’t converse with their fathers,” said the woman, her voice weighty and regal. “Maybe you should stick to the land above, where you belong.”

            Percy sighed. “You must be… Lady Amphitrite. Lovely to meet you.”

            “Hmph. Most visitors bow and kiss my feet.”

            He bit his lip. “You sure you want my mouth on your feet?” he muttered.

            Amphitrite raised a hand against him, and immediately a current of water sent him flying into an abalone wall. “You’d do well to remember your place, mutt!” She left him to sit there and went inside, ignorant to the blood streaming up from his head wound.

            Triton winced. “How long does that spell last for, Jackson?”

            “A few days,” he moaned, holding the pain in. He struggled to his feet, wiping his jeans off “Your mother packs quite a punch.”

            Triton chuckled. “Of course she does. She is Queen of Atlantis, after all. So, now that you’ve been turned away by father, you’ll leave?”

            Percy straightened himself, testing his limbs to make sure everything still worked. “No, I don’t think so. This is too important.”

            “I doubt it,” said Triton. “If it was important, father would know. Besides, you can always ask someone else for funding or magic instruction or whatever.”

            “Yeah, alright,” said Percy. “That’s great. I’ll be here tomorrow morning.”

            “I’m not going to let you in,” said Triton. “Besides, Poseidon will not change his mind on a whim. He leads a nation – that requires strong will.”

            “Does it?” asked Percy, his eyes narrowing. “How strong-willed do you think the gods really are? I mean, is it a fluke that I’m a bastard child?”

            Triton balled his fists. “How dare you question–

            “Oh, you’re full of shit, you know that?” said Percy. “You’re gonna pretend Poseidon is just perfect after complaining about my existence?”

            “He is a god!” said Triton. “It’s out of the question for you to criticize him! You don’t understand the pressure!”

            “Then why are you so fucking angry?”

            Triton balled his fists. “Get out before I kill you, scum.”

            “Gladly,” muttered Percy, marching towards the door. He clutched his arm, still bleeding, and headed for the outskirts of the city. Many of the residents had settled into their homes for the night, and he had no drachmae on him. He took a seat on a bench and then slowly laid down, drifting off to sleep.

OoOoOoOoO

            He woke up in a bed. He had a warm blanket draped over his body and a comfortable mattress beneath. When he looked around, he saw that the walls surrounding him were adorned with glimmering pearls. He got out of bed gingerly, trying to determine where exactly he was. Still underwater, it seemed. When he stepped out of the room, Riptide drawn, he found himself in a long dining hall. The guards eyed him carefully but remained silent as he passed by. He found Triton eating some shellfish at the table. He looked up at Percy, mildly annoyed.

            “What’s going on?” asked Percy.

            “Oh, father asked me to take you in if you were still around,” he muttered. “Couldn’t stand to see you out in the cold.”

            Percy sat down across from him. “That’s kind of him.”

            “Yes, indeed. I thought a lot about our discussion yesterday, Percy.”

            “About the blood?”

            Triton appeared disturbed. “What? No… about how angry I am. Perhaps you don’t understand why it is I care so much about you waltzing into the palace.”

            Percy sunk in his chair. It was about the last thing he wanted to hear about on that day, but he figured that if Poseidon had asked Triton to look after him, he might need to maintain the peace once more. “Uh huh. Go on.”

            “When you grow up as an Atlantean prince, life isn’t so simple,” said Triton. “Not only are you trained for the position from birth, which is not easy… you also are trained in familial relations. And while I’m sure someone like you doesn’t see the importance of, say, the animosity between my father and Athena, I need to know those things, because one day it may mean the success or failure of my entire realm. I could replace Poseidon one day, and I cannot afford to screw things up. So you swaggering into the palace and simply demanding to see our father annoys me, because you’re breaking all the rules. I’ve had to work hard, and you just waltz in.”

            Percy’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t really need the lecture, but in some ways it echoed Hades’ confessions at the gathering in Olympus. “That can’t be the only option. Artemis refused to conform, and things worked out for her.”

            Triton sighed. “Yes, well, not all of us can start a virginity scout troop,” he muttered. “Someone has to rule the ocean.”

            “I see,” muttered Percy. Not worth pursuing, he thought. “Well, anyways… did Dad say he wanted to see me?”

            “He seemed pretty peeved,” said Triton. “I would wait until he talks to you. Might take a while.”

            Percy nodded. “Alright.” He returned to his room, waiting until Triton left, and then climbed the stairs to visit his father. He thought Triton might be trying to mislead him. He knocked on the door gingerly, and Amphitrite opened the door. She shrieked. “Poseidon! You said he was gone!”

            Poseidon scrambled over, breathless. He took one look at Percy and went pale. “When did you come back in?”

            “I thought you brought me back in,” said Percy. “You know, after I went to sleep on the bench!”

            “You slept on a bench?” asked Poseidon. “I thought you went home!”

            “Well then who brought me into the palace?” asked Percy.

            “Does it really matter?” asked Amphitrite. “Your father already told you he wasn’t interested in your idiotic scheme! He doesn’t want you here!”

            “Amphitrite, dear, please-

            “No!” she said. “This boy is a disgrace! Why don’t you treat him like what he is? A waste of space; a sperm gone rogue-

            “Thank you,” said Percy. “I think I’ve heard enough. Get the point. Not wanted. I’ll be going now.”

            Poseidon looked pained. “Percy, wait-

            “It’s fine,” muttered Percy, his voice trembling. “I can walk myself out.” He marched down the steps once more, the weight of the insults adding to the pain on his feet as he descended. He walked straight out the door, straight past Triton.

            “Hold on a second,” said Triton, walking up to him. “Where are you going? Father hasn’t talked to you yet–

            “I’m pretty sure I walked in on ‘father’ and your mother post… you know,” said Percy rubbing his eyes. “It was pretty clear Dad didn’t want me around. I think I embarrassed him. I’m leaving.”

            “You’re going to give up that easily?” asked Triton, calling after him. “You talked a big game before-

            “Before I realized I wasn’t wanted in Atlantis,” said Percy, turning back to face him. “Yeah, I give up. You win.”

            Triton sneered. “You’re going to give up that easily?”

            Percy stopped, turning to glare at him. “You want me to fucking leave? I’m leaving, asshole! What more do you want from me?”

            “You seemed quite sure of yourself, and–

            “Well I’m not anymore!” said Percy, fighting back tears. “Thanks to you, and lying to me about dad bringing me in–

            “I didn’t lie!” said Triton. “I mean, for the most part, I didn’t lie!”

            “Yeah?” said Percy, balling his fists. “What kind of sorry fuck hates a kid so much that he tries to make things more painful for him?”

            Triton tightened his grip on his spear. “The same one who took an ungrateful idiotic kid off the street and put him in a bed!”

            “Why would you do that?” asked Percy. “You’re cussing me out one minute and helping me the next? What the fuck do you want?”

            “I WANT YOU TO FUCKING DELIVER!” screamed Triton. The crowds stopped, all eyes fixed on the two of them. Triton cupped his mouth. “God damn it,” he muttered under his breath, his tone lowered, but still piercing. “I talked to my father about your proposal. And it is batshit insane! I don’t know how you got it through your head that Poseidon would vote Hades onto the council. But you know, not a lot of kids come down here and actually push my father to resist Olympian diplomacy and stick their neck out for the children of the gods. So I maybe, for one millisecond, allowed myself to hope. Because I don’t always enjoy the layers of Atlantean politics getting in the way of my life every day of the year. Sometimes, I want to tone it down a little. Sometimes, I get what it’s like to be a mortal.” He paused. “But then you leave. Like everyone else. You talk big, but you march your ass out the door once you figure out that it’s all set in stone. Does that tell you why?”

            Percy stepped back. “Should we… talk inside?”

            “I don’t see what there is to talk about!”

            “Why… what do you mean… why do you feel so strongly about this?”

            Triton’s face faltered. He sighed and began moving towards the inside of the palace as Percy had suggested. “I… there are times when I… I never really took to any of Athena’s children. But I met children of Zeus over the years who I grew fond of. But you can’t do that. It’s expected that you’ll toe the line.” He froze up, seemingly regretting the fact that he had divulged that. “That was a long time ago, though. I’m not going to dwell on it.”

            “You still remember that stuff?” asked Percy, pausing to think it over. “Even… after all these years?”

            “There are moments,” sighed Triton. “Usually, you just let the current take you along and forget about life. But those times when the pain becomes unbearable stick to you like scars.”

            “Look, I’m sorry,” said Percy, staring at the ground. “I’m happy being who I am, but I didn’t mean to bring back all the pain of what that entails. Even so, I can’t convince Dad. I don’t know how to convince him.” His eyes narrowed. “But… maybe you could convince him.”

            Triton let out a grim laugh. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” But the animosity, the fight was no longer in his eyes.

            “Why give up on it so easily?”

            “Because you have no idea what you’re talking about!” said Triton. “I have a reputation to uphold, and if I suggest something so foolish to my father, he’ll think I’ve become daft!”

            “You said you’ve served Dad for millennia,” said Percy. “Have some faith in yourself! He has to respect you. If you give him advice, he’ll listen!”

            “But it’s not advice!” said Triton, thrusting his head to the side. “There’s no benefit to him taking on Hades’ case!”

            “There’s nothing you can say?”

            “Well,” muttered Triton. “I could… there are some benefits. But I don’t know if he would take them seriously.”

            Percy paused, looking up at his half-brother. “I can’t do this alone, Triton. And if it’s something you want–”

            Triton winced. “Alright. Fine. We can do it together. Does that sound alright?” Percy noticed the desperation in his eyes – it reminded him a lot of Luke, the kind of sad yearning of someone who knew the truth but couldn’t get anyone to listen.

            “Yes,” said Percy, nodding his head. “I’m not going to let you down.”

OoOoOoOoO

They knocked on Poseidon’s door together. When Poseidon opened the door, he did not look surprised, only thoroughly and incredibly tired. “Percy, for the last time, I can’t-

            “Father,” said Triton. “I believe Percy has a point about Hades.”

            Poseidon gaped. “Oh, no. Not you too.”

            “Now hear me out,” said Triton.

            “No!” said Poseidon, clenching his fists. “Look, Hades is a political rival. I understand how Percy could make such a miscalculation, but you’re a god yourself, Triton! You should know better!”

            “Dad, I know Hades’s change will last a long time, at least in mortal years,” said Percy. “But you can make it last longer if you build on it-

            “We’ve fought against one another in two world wars, Percy!” said Poseidon, his face anguished. He seemed miffed, but not altogether angry. “What don’t you understand about the fact that we don’t get along?”

            “Father, you’ve cooperated with Hades far more than you’ve fought,” said Triton. “Besides, he would serve as a check on Zeus’s power. Effectively, your other brother has two votes if it comes to a tie. But with Hades on the council, you wouldn’t have to worry about that! Plus, Percy is probably right- having Hades on the council would reduce any, ah, misunderstandings between the two of you.”

            Poseidon bit his lip. He brought his finger up, as if to lecture his eldest son. “Yet the risks-

            “Are present,” said Triton. “And yet, those you can work to prevent. But the benefits are guaranteed. Less power for Zeus. Less war for you.”

            Poseidon’s eyes drifted over to Percy, lingering on him. “How’d you get him to do this?”

            “I, uh, actually had no idea he was going to say that,” said Percy. “Still new to the whole politics thing.”

            “I admire his determination,” said Triton. “Maybe he’s a bit standoffish. He doesn’t quite tread diplomatically. But he’s got some new ideas. And they probably will work.”

            Poseidon sighed. “Very well. Percy, if you can gather the remaining votes, I will support this decision. But only because of the wise council of both of my sons. You put Athena to shame.” He smiled, a tinge of pride in his eyes. Then he frowned. “Now do me a favor. Amphitrite is on her way back…”

            “Understood,” said Triton. He bowed to his father, and then he quickly whisked Percy out of the room. Percy would’ve found it rude, if he didn’t owe Triton.

            “I appreciate your help,” said Percy. “And, you know, allying with your bastard brother for a bit.”

            Triton shrugged. “Well, if I have to deal with it once in a century, I suppose it’s manageable. Just please don’t get any ideas about moving here. Even if I could stomach it, I’m not sure my mother could.”

            “I think for my health I’ll try to avoid that,” said Percy.

            They got outside the palace, and Percy hailed a dolphin to take him back to camp. Triton waved, shaking his head as he watched Percy go.

            “What a wild child,” muttered Triton. “Well, as long as he’s not immortal, I suppose I can deal with him for now.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 17

The Hunt

            Percy emerged from the ocean around the north side of Long Island Sound. Thrusting the water off of him, he dialed Ouranos. “I just got Poseidon on board. And Hermes should have Apollo. That’s four.”

            “It’s impressive,” admitted Ouranos, though he sounded uneasy about it. “I hope you’re moving quickly. The camp has been in an uproar over your absence. You are the child of prophecy, Percy.”

            “I’ll be back soon enough,’ he said. “And I’m trying to move quickly… I just don’t know where Artemis is.”

            “She’s a bit north of here,” said Ouranos. “I’ve had my acolytes tracking her.”

            Percy’s eyes widened a bit. “You… you’re helping me out?”

            “My first job is to make sure you don’t get hurt,” said Ouranos. “And helping you find Artemis is the best way to do that right now. Anyways, you can use a tracking spell. Just as the moon attracts the tides, Artemis’s presence will attract water if you say this spell over it.”

            He conveyed the spell to Percy, and dutifully, he said the words over a small orb of water in his hand. It came to life, tugging lightly in the direction of Artemis’ camp.

            “Huh,” said Percy, marveling at it. “How about that?”

            “You had best get moving, Percy,” said Ouranos. “As word spreads, more and more people will become aware of your actions.”

            “Alright, well, I’m heading out.”

            “Good,” said Ouranos. “And remember, Percy – this lobbying is a secondary concern. Your main goal is to survive. So long as you can do that, you will have the power to change Olympus on your own. Goodbye.”

            “Bye,” said Percy. He frowned, turning to the water he had animated. It bounced in the direction of Artemis, almost like a little pet. He rather liked it – it didn’t scold him for lobbying the gods.

            He followed it for a few hours, enjoying the peaceful sounds of the forest and practicing other magic skills on his journey. Compared to the bustle of Atlantis, or even the relative chaos at camp lately, it offered him that rare thing called respite. Which Percy felt funny about, because he had never been much of a ‘long walk in the woods’ kind of guy before.

            As the sky grew gray, he approached a campsite with several tents set up neatly in a circular formation. Cautiously, he moved towards the center tent, the camp eerily quiet. As he got closer, the water began to tug against his power. He tugged back, and yet it kept gravitating towards the center tent. “Come on, don’t do this now,” he whispered. “I was going to name you after Connor, but I’m starting to think you’re more like Travis…

The water pulled more forcefully away from him. Angrily, he yanked back his hands, and then with a great burst it flung out of his control. Like a speeding bullet it tore through the tent canvas and made a large splashing sound. For one second there was silence. “Fuck,” whispered Percy.

            The trees came alive. Twenty girls with heavy armor circled around him in a split second, bows drawn, arrowheads pointed directly at Percy’s face. The sharp tips, glistening in the firelight, revealed just a sliver of each Huntress’ face.

            The flaps to the center tent fluttered for a second, and then Artemis emerged, her hair and face dripping wet. With a strong pull, she wrung the water out of her hair, all the while staring at Percy with mild annoyance.

            Percy laughed nervously, his face beet red. “Lady Artemis. Sorry about that. I didn’t expect that to happen.”

            “Mind drying me off?”

            “Sure,” muttered Percy. He flicked his hand, and then all of Travis dissipated, gone to a better place in the clouds.

            “Hunters, at ease,” said Thalia, holding up her hand. In the dim light he could make out a barely suppressed smile. “I have a feeling we don’t need to shoot this guy. It’s not like he could ever beat us at Capture the Flag, so I doubt he’s a threat now.”

            “Hilarious,” muttered Percy. He turned back to Artemis. “I’m really sorry, Artemis. I was trying to find you, so I used this spell and–

            “Oh, I know the spell,” she said, glancing to the side. “It works, though you’re lucky you caught me at the right time. When Actaeon used it, I ended up killing him.”

            Percy glanced away from her, blushing a little bit. “Um… who’s Actaeon again?”

            Artemis sighed. “So, Perseus Jackson, I guess you didn’t take my advice about learning your mythology.”

            “I did!” he protested. “But I can’t learn everything in the span of a few months!”

            The goddess could not help but smile. “So, care to tell us why you’ve come and destroyed my tent? It’s not a very polite way to treat a goddess, mind you.”

            “Actually, I was hoping to tell you privately. It’s not something I want everyone hearing about.”

            Artemis nodded, lifting the flap to her tent. “Very well. Come inside.”

            The Hunters scattered, and he took a seat across from Artemis inside the tent. He looked around. It seemed fairly empty for a goddess. Only a few pieces of clothing, weapons, and supplies were there. She did have a bag packed and ready to go. “I expected something a bit more… regal, I guess.”

            “I don’t share my siblings’ tastes in furnishings,” shrugged Artemis, seating herself on a small embroidered pillow. “So… what’s such a big secret?”

            “I’m working with Hermes on introducing some new legislation,” said Percy. “I want to get Hades elected as the thirteenth Olympian.”

            “Is that all?” asked Artemis. “I thought you might be here for something more difficult, like joining the Hunt, or–

            “I’m serious here,” said Percy. Artemis crossed her arms, eyes skeptical. “I count four of the gods who have already thrown their support behind it. And I figured you might want to support this too.”

            She pursed her lips, musing over it a bit. “Well, I normally would. But I like to share such consequential decisions with my Hunters before agreeing to them.”

            “Could I ask you to make an exception?” he asked, looking her in the eyes. “I’m trying to keep this under wraps. I heard it’s highly illegal.”

            “If you think you can keep this a secret, you’re only fooling yourself,” said Artemis, a smirk emerging on her face. “But my Hunters are completely trustworthy. You don’t need to worry about that.” She rose from her seat. “Stay here. I’ll call them all in.”

            Growing nervous, he reached out to grab her hand. He grasped firmly, catching her attention. “If you could just reconsider–

            Framed in the mouth of the tent, she looked back and smirked. “Just because you’ve convinced me to tell you a story about Athena, Percy, doesn’t mean we’re best buddies. I have a hunting organization to run.”

            He let go of her hand, sighing. “You’re one of my biggest supporters. And the longer this remains under wraps, the better it has to pass. I know that I’ve asked a lot of you, Lady Artemis, but… it’s because I look up to you as a role model that I feel like I can. This is in the spirit of the hunt – creating something greater.”

            “Even so, Percy, you can’t have it both ways,” she said, shaking her head. “In this world, you either speak your truth or give it up.” She pushed out of the tent and yelled something to the hunters, and then they all began to pile in, creating a circle with Artemis at the head. Percy could’ve sworn that the tent walls had expanded somehow. Thalia sat down next to him, patting him on the back.

            “So, what’s all this about, seaweed brain?” asked Thalia, leaning in towards him.

            Percy scooted away from her, trying to make himself seem small. “Well… I think we need some change on the Olympian Council. And to do that… Hermes and I are working to get Hades added as a thirteenth member.”

            The Hunters stared at him expectantly, their eyes sharp and discerning. Though they all bore the countenance of girls or young women, Percy could tell that some of the members were ancient. He felt like he was facing the gods. Thalia poked him in the shoulder, a half-smile on her face. “Staring is considered rude.”

            “Oh,” muttered Percy, looking at the ground. “Sorry. Just not used to such a big audience.”

            Artemis’s eyes lingered on him for a second, and she couldn’t help but smirk and shake her head at him. She took out a bag of trail mix. “Why Hades, Percy?” she asked, helping herself to a handful and passing it along. “I have nothing against my uncle, but he does have a hot temper.”

            “Well, Hades has really been working hard to be a good father lately,” said Percy. “That bond with Nico should help him be more concerned about demigod safety. And… while I wouldn’t lump you all in with the demigods, exactly, the Hunters might benefit from that kind of consideration.”

            A girl to his left smiled. “The Hunters of Artemis don’t exactly need more representation on the council. We operate above normal demigod affairs. You won’t find other Olympians challenging us.”

            “On the other hand, more demigods mean more potential recruits,” said her neighbor. “And I don’t see any reason not to help the demigods.”

            “But Lord Hades will bring more to the council than just an affinity for demigods. We ought to consider that his appointment may bring further chaos.”

            “Actually,” interjected Percy, “we believe that this will prevent conflicts like the two previous world wars.”

            “That would be a significant benefit.”

            “But will Hades’ care for demigods outlast his son’s death?”

            “Hades has a streak for siding with the underdog due to his position off the council for thousands of years. It seems likely that those opinions will persist. Lady Artemis, what do you think?”

            Artemis smiled. “I think Percy’s proposal will ultimately help the council to achieve a more peaceful environment. All of the concerns and benefits you brought up are valid, but ultimately, integrating the governance of the underworld and the overworld will benefit us greatly when hunting monsters, as well as the demigods. I am in favor, and if no one else has any other comments, I think we ought to vote.”

            The Hunters nodded. Artemis cleared her throat. “All for?” A majority of the hands went up, including Thalia’s. Artemis smiled, turning to Percy. “I will support your motion before the council when the time comes. And my Hunters know not to blab about this.”

            Percy smiled. “Thank you. It means a lot.”

            “Now, leave us,” said Artemis, waving her Hunters out. “And don’t eat all the trail mix,” she added as an afterthought. She turned to Percy. “Now, as for getting you back home… we don’t usually allow men to stay in camp with us. Much as you might want to join,” she said, chuckling to herself.

            “No,” he muttered. “I don’t know how you deal with women that old. The way they looked at me–

            “Well, it does help to be older than them,” said Artemis, her voice sounding very regal. “Something you forget, clearly.”

            “Look, you get along with people of all ages; is that an insult?” asked Percy.

            She cupped her hand around her mouth, trying to suppress a laugh. “I have to admit, Jackson, I do find you entertaining. Even so, you can’t stay the night at camp.”

            “That’s fine,” said Percy. “I’ve been training hard and can defend myself.”

            “I didn’t say I want you to leave,” said Artemis. “In fact, I forbid it. I was just going to lend you a tent outside the perimeter.”

            “No, I need to go,” said Percy. “I want to get this done as fast as possible.”

            “I cannot allow it, Percy,” she said, looking at him with an air of authority. “If the gods knew you were here – which they won’t – I would be obliged to escort you back. You are key to the war, and I intend to see that duty through, even if nobody knows you came here.” She frowned. “Huh… that’s not right.”

            “Uh… what do you mean?” asked Percy.

            She rose from her seat, moving towards the mouth of the tent. “We have company.” She stuck her head out the mouth of the tent, calling out. “Thalia, keep Jackson safe. The rest of you, with me, now.” Percy followed a few yards behind Artemis, Thalia catching up to him.

            Percy drew Riptide, gritting his teeth. “I can fight.”

            “No,” said Thalia. “Lady Artemis said to keep you safe.”
            “Thalia, I’ve been getting a lot stronger,” protested Percy. “If anyone should be helping–

            “That’s not the problem,” said Thalia. “The gods are betting on you now. You’re the child of prophecy. If that changes, so do their strategic plans.”

            A twinge of annoyance shot through his body. He didn’t like being compared to a poker chip that the gods could just throw in or out of the game whenever they wanted. Swerving to Thalia’s left, he raced to Artemis’ side. Thalia ran after Percy, screaming profanities at him, but he kept on running.

            In the distance he could make out Artemis facing down a giant of a man, her eyes wide with fear. He stood tall and lanky over her, his face sporting an unearthly lunar pallor, his eyes distant like the moon. He looked up past her, spotting Percy running towards him, and the faintest hint of a smile danced across his face.

            Without turning, Artemis yelled out. “I told you to watch him!”

            “I’m not just a kid anymore!” said Percy, running up next to her. “Who is this guy?”

            “I never thought I would have the honor of looking upon him,” said Coeus, marveling at Percy. “So vibrant, so strong… yes, he seems fitting.”

            Artemis gritted her teeth, her legs planted firmly in the leaves that covered the forest floor. “Percy, this is Coeus, the titan of rational thought. And if you’re going to insist on helping me, which you shouldn’t, then you should know that a couple blows from Coeus and you are dead. His moves are so precise that there’s no room for error on our part.”

            Percy straightened his stance a bit. “I’ve picked up a lot of magic. I think I can at least help you.”

            Coeus smiled his eerie smile, perfect white teeth shining in the moon light. “Oh, this will be a rare pleasure.” And then he leapt into the air, landing in between the two of them amidst a loud explosion of forest flotsam.

            He raised his right hand towards Percy, who prepared his sword to parry. Then, in one swift movement, Coeus seemed to twist himself around Percy’s sword and jab right at his elbow, and immediately a burning hot sensation filled Percy’s arm. He screamed, his forearm swinging lifelessly from its socket, and he fell back a bit.

            Artemis swore, moving in between Percy and Coeus. She took a jab to the lower torso, grunting and smashing her teeth together so hard she thought they might break. “Get back!” she screamed. “Otherwise everything is lost!”

            Percy retreated a few steps, but he stretched out his arm and the earth ruptured beneath him, leaping up and seeking out Coeus’ face. The titan swiftly dodged, but it allowed Artemis to get a cut into his leg. The titan didn’t even react, maintaining a stone face.

            Without turning, she yelled out. “Percy, you shouldn’t be helping me!”

            “You don’t seem to be doing so hot on your own!” he said, wincing as the pain set in his elbow.

            Artemis signaled to one of her Hunters. Percy had only just noticed them, pelting Coeus with arrows on occasion. He expertly blocked them by picking each one out of the sky like a tiny mosquito. He thrust them each aside with ease.

            Percy sent a fire blast towards Coeus as one of the arrows closed in on him. The titan dodged the arrow and shoved Artemis in front of him, forcing her to take the brunt of Percy’s fire. The demigod winced as Coeus slammed Artemis’ body into the ground and raced past her, jabbing at his left leg. Percy barely dodged, feeling the skin on Coeus’s fingers brush his ankle. With his healthy arm, he swept his sword in a low arc, just cutting Coeus’s kneecaps.

            “You’re not bad, but you’ve a lot to learn, too,” said the titan. And then he clapped Percy on both sides of the head, causing him to stumble backwards with a pounding headache. Coeus grabbed Percy just as Artemis got to her feet. She raced towards them, but the titan already had Percy in a fireman’s carry, and he was rushing away from the Hunters quite quickly.

            His head swimming, Percy looked out on the forest whizzing by him. He saw Artemis getting further and further in the distance, the Hunters failing to catch up, and then–

            Coeus stumbled forward, dropping Percy on the ground and falling to his knee. A knife with an owl on its hilt had split open his leg, ichor pouring out at a stunning rate. The titan struggled to his knees just as the Hunters caught up to him. He turned to fight Artemis.

            It was a fatal mistake. Bounding through the forest with Aegis at her arm and a look of ferocity strewn across her face, Athena leapt for his head and brought her shield down with full force, smashing Coeus against the forest floor. He took a nasty chunk of skin from her leg, but between Artemis and Athena, he could not fend off all the attacks, and they whittled him down until he had fallen gasping to the ground.

            “I’ll hold him down,” said Athena, thrusting a couple of rolls of twine towards the Hunters. “Hephaestus made this magical string to constrain other deities. Wrap him tightly. Coeus is crafty and if we miss one inch, I’ll have a headache for the rest of the day.”

            Artemis knelt down besides Coeus’s face. She reached out with her left arm to cradle his cheek, a look of awe on her face.

Thalia coughed. “Um, Lady Artemis…

“You misunderstand,” said the goddess flatly. “Coeus is my grandfather. I never thought I would get to see him.”

Coeus smiled, a softer, warmer smile. “Is that so? You do look like Leto. Granddaughter, let me see the boy once again.”

“Absolutely not,” said Athena, glaring over at Percy as the Hunters bound Coeus down. Like busy worker bees, they had moved in swiftly and with ease, taking the project over quite efficiently. “It’s bad enough that Jackson put himself in harm’s way; I don’t intend to do it for him.”

Percy struggled to his feet, his sense slowly returning to him. “Athena? You came to help me?”

Her voice quivered like a bomb about to go off. “Yes, believe it or not, I have the coveted privilege of playing babysitter to a child of Poseidon.”

He blushed, deciding to hide himself among the Hunters rather than draw any more of Athena’s ire or submit to her questioning. The Hunters watched him slowly inch towards them, some confused, some amused. As he stepped into the circle, safely out of Athena’s vision, the air shimmered and a blond-haired girl appeared in front of him. He screamed.

“God damnit, Jackson, would you keep quiet?” asked Athena. “It’s hard enough restraining Coeus without you yelling in my ear!”

His heart rate slowed. It was only Annabeth, arms crossed, the tip of her Yankees cap pinched tightly between her fingers. “Hey there.”

“You scared me,” he muttered.

She raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

Percy looked around at the Hunters. Perhaps because they rarely dealt with relationships, they looked like a crowd of moviegoers hooked to a screen. He took this as a sign that he might be in trouble. “I guess,” he muttered. “Anyways, you want to take a walk?”

“We just fought off one of Kronos’s allies trying to kidnap you,” said Annabeth. “And you want to take a walk?”

Percy sighed. “I just meant… you know… away from… the crowd.”

“Wow, you got a problem with us, Jackson?” asked Thalia. She wore a mock frown on her face but was struggling very hard to suppress her smile.

As he glared at her, he developed mild revenge fantasies about forcing her to eat vegan for a week while dangling a McHale’s hamburger in front of her. Sighing, he turned back to Annabeth. “I thought we could talk in private?”

Annabeth moved closer, pointing a steady finger straight at his nose. “Percy, the whole camp has been watching me freak out over the course of the past two days because NO ONE had any idea where you went! So what the Hell are you doing here?”

The air was silent for a minute. In the distance, he watched Athena’s movements slow. “I came to Artemis for some help with training,” he said. “I got a tip that she was something of a specialist in tracking magic.”

“Bullshit!” said Annabeth, rolling her eyes. “Mom told me she spotted you at Olympus the other night!”

Percy blushed. “It was a pit stop beforehand!”

Her face twisted with rage, she turned to Thalia. “Is he telling the truth?”

Thalia blinked, then smiled. “Well, we were a little hesitant about letting him sleep so close to camp – he’s kind of suave around Lady Artemis.”

Artemis’ voice erupted from over Coeus’ body. “Thalia, I swear to the gods, if you start spreading rumors about me and a 15-year-old demigod, I am going to leave you stranded in the coldest part of Canada without any supplies!”

Thalia’s face looked ready to burst with laughter. “Anyways, it was for the war effort, so we were just gonna make him sleep away from camp.”

Annabeth still looked annoyed. “I see. You’re in this together.”

“I think you’re a bit paranoid, wise girl,” said Thalia calmly.

Behind them, Athena rose and brushed the dirt off her hands. “Well, we’re all wrapped up here, and so is Coeus. I’ll be taking him back to Olympus. As for Percy and Annabeth, Argus is waiting about a half mile from here. Artemis can escort you.”

Thalia waved, giving Percy a bright, toothy smile. “Have a fun trip back!”

OoOoOoOoO

            The trip to the van was largely silent as Artemis, Percy, and Annabeth made their way over. When they arrived, Artemis cracked a smile, turning to Annabeth. “Well, I didn’t mean to interrupt your relationship as Thalia suggested. He’s not really my type, as you probably know.”

            “Oh, believe me, I’m not worried,” deadpanned Annabeth, her face lined with the signs of a simmering anger. “You can have him if you want.” She climbed into the van, leaving the two of them alone.

            “Ouch,” said Artemis, her lips pressed together to hide her amusement. “Sounds like you’ll have fun.”

            He sighed. “You know, I’d appreciate it if you got just a little less entertainment out of this.” He straightened. “Although, I guess given the favor–

            “My pleasure,” she said, simply. “And yes, you’ll have to allow me a moment of laughter. After all, I only get to see the travails of youthful courtship so often. Good luck, Percy. I believe you will achieve great things.” She waved, leaving him to climb into the back seat with a very livid Annabeth.

They sat silently for a while, long enough for Argus to whistle, which concerned Percy enough to convince him to speak. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you, but I just–

            “You were lying,” said Annabeth sharply, struggling against her seatbelt to get in his face. “Because if it was just a training mission, you could have told somebody! Do you know how worried I was? How about Silena? She thought Kronos had gotten you already!” She crossed her arms, turning away from him to look out the window. “Great job, Percy.”

            “I had to!” said Percy, leaning back towards her. “I couldn’t… I’m lobbying votes for the Olympian Council. It’s illegal, and God knows your mother doesn’t need any more reasons to hate me, alright?”

            She turned back towards him, eyes wide with surprise. “Why would you do something you know is illegal? That’s the dumbest thing–

            “Someone has to do something!” roared Percy. “It’s not like I want to break the law, but after Ares slaughtered Luke like an animal, I had to act! How do you not understand that? Aren’t you angry?”

            Her face seemed to smolder with a dark, repressed rage. “I’ve been angry for a long time. But I learned long ago that you don’t go toe to toe with the gods. They’re gods. Demigods stick together or die.”

            “That’s fucked up, Annabeth,” he responded quickly.

            “You want to talk about fucked up?” she asked. “I moved into camp when I was seven years old. I’ve seen four more years of this shit than you have! So stop bitching about how terrible it is! You think I don’t know that?”

            He struggled for words. “Annabeth, I… I’m sorry, but you need to hear this. I have five votes for nominating Hades to the council! I just need one more to draw a council split, and I think Hephaestus will buy into it. It’s not some fantasy anymore. We can make this happen!”

            “That’s just great,” she muttered, closing her eyes. “Gods, I can’t believe this. Out of all the things you could have lobbied the gods for, you really went for the most complicated one, didn’t you?”

            He hesitated. “You’re not… going to tell your mother, are you?”

            She exploded. “Why the fuck would I tell my mother?” Her head whipped around at him like an owl’s. “Why would I need to? You already told five of the gods! And then you talked about it in the car with Hera’s henchman!” She mellowed a bit. “Sorry Argus. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”

            He took it in stride, about fifty eyes winking back at her.

            “I mean, you think this is all still a secret?” asked Annabeth. “And no, I won’t tell my mother! Of course I wouldn’t tell my mother! Is that why you didn’t tell me anything?”

            He shrank in his seat. “Well… the two of you are pretty close.”

            “I keep everything Percy Jackson related and everything Athena related in two clear-cut and distinctly separate boxes, because I know how shitty of a combination that is! And it’s hard enough to do that without you lobbying the council and giving them ample reason to distrust you! You know what Mom’s gonna say now? ‘He’s breaking the law!’ And what can I say to her? At least before, I could say that Poseidon was the one who screwed things up rather than you. Now you’re a delinquent!”

            “This isn’t about your mother!” said Percy. “This is about the dead demigods I see in my dreams every night! I’m sorry your Mom fucking hates me! Would you put that aside for one minute so that we can fix Olympus? I mean, how self-centered–

            “That’s enough.”

            They both paled, looking towards the front of the car. Argus cleared his throat. “We’re here. Take a breather.”

            Percy sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, I guess.” He paused, his voice somber. “Thanks for saving me.”

            She sighed. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She stepped out the other side of the car. “Thanks, Argus.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 18

Miscalculations

            After traveling up and down the east coast, Percy welcomed a return to his own bed. Melting into the mattress, the aches of his upper body slowly calmed, and his consciousness began to fade. But just as fast as he had fallen asleep, he heard someone rapping loudly on the door to his cabin. Groggily, he struggled out of bed and over to the door, opening it.

            “Percy,” said Chiron, nodding at him. “You’re on probation.”

            Percy rubbed his eyes, glancing around. It was still dark out. “What for?”

            “Well, you did miss curfew. Twice.”

            “Ah,” muttered Percy, yawning. He fiddled with his night shirt for a second. “Sorry, Chiron. I had some pressing business matters. Can I get, like, an excuse for training purposes? I mean, juggling camp rules and fighting on behalf of Olympus–

            “Of course,” he said. His voice was calm, but it had an edge to it – like he was about to spring a pop quiz on Perxy. “I’ll just need you to provide documentation from your mentor or any other individuals that took part in your training.” He handed Percy a complicated looking form. “After all, that is what you were skipping camp for. Right?”

            Percy laughed nervously. “What else would I have been doing?”

            “Well, despite having 100 eyes, Argus miraculously didn’t see anything,” said Chiron, crossing his arms. “But you really shouldn’t bet on that. Anyway, there’s someone here to see you.”

            Percy braced himself. “Right. Tell Annabeth to–

            Something warm and weighty, and smelling vaguely of lilac rushed straight into him, thrusting him to the floor. He felt arms wrapped tightly around his body – so tightly, in fact, that he was almost gagging. He knew who it was from that alone – only Silena had the same wrestler’s vice grip. “Oh my gods,” she said rapidly. “I thought you were dead.”

            He patted her on the back, struggling to rise from the ground and breathe. “Sorry about that,” he wheezed.

            Chiron looked at his watch anxiously. “I’ve assigned some folks to guard your cabin. Dependable folks who won’t let you escape so easily. They’ll be watching you for the next few days.”

            “Alex and Grover, right?” asked Percy.

            Chiron huffed. “You think I would put Alex Chase on guard duty? No. Annabeth’s going to monitor you.”

            Percy paled. “Annabeth? Chiron, that has to be against camp rules. Girls can’t be in my room after curfew.”

            “We’re making an exception,” said Chiron, giving him a sly smile. “Seeing as she’s the only one who knows how to keep you on a leash anymore. Besides, I consulted with Argus about this. Let’s just say he doesn’t think you two are going to break any other rules right now.”

            “Gee, Chiron,” muttered Percy, rolling his eyes. “How thoughtful.”

            “Don’t thank me,” said Chiron, raising an eyebrow at him. “This is a punishment, after all. It’s meant to teach you a lesson.”

            “I’ll be here too,” piped up Silena. “Guarding you with Annabeth.”

            “You shouldn’t be guarding me right now, Silena,” said Percy. “You already have a lot on your plate–

            “I can handle it,” she said, shaking her head matter-of-factly. “I’m the one who pitched it to Chiron.”

            Percy stared at her a second in disbelief. “What?”

            “Otherwise, you’re bound to get yourself into more trouble,” she muttered, looking away from him. Percy noticed her sunken cheeks and baggy eyes for the first time. “It’s for the best.”

He sighed, not wanting to push the issue with Silena. “So when does house arrest start?” he asked Chiron.

            “Right now,” said Annabeth, pushing past Chiron. The camp director trotted away from her, a bit surprised at how forceful she had been. She held her knife tight in her right hand, and for a second his mind flashed back to the rupture of Coeus’s skin when she had stabbed the titan. It looked rather painful. “Silena and I will alternate shifts at night.”

            “Great,” muttered Percy. “Well, I’m just going to… um… study some stuff.” He opened the spell book Athena had given him, though he had never read it outside of the Olympian catacombs and began paging through it. Chiron left, leaving just the two girls in the room.

            Something began buzzing across the room. Silena raised an eyebrow, looking for the source of the sound. She picked up the phone Ouranos had given him. “You’re getting a… phone call?” asked Silena. “Why do you have this?”

            With impressive speed, he bounded over to her and snatched it out of her hands. Silena jumped back in surprise. “Hello?”

            “Are you alone?” asked Ouranos.

            “Definitely not.”

            “Well, did you get Artemis’s support?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Anything interesting happen?”

            “Got attacked by a titan,” muttered Percy.

            “What?” asked Ouranos, his voice flaring with concern. “Which one?”

            “Some guy named Coeus. He was looking at me weird. Talking about me, too.”

            “Coeus?” asked Ouranos. The line was silent for a few seconds. “The Coeus? Percy, this is much worse than I thought.”

            “Who’re you talking to?” asked Annabeth, arms crossed. “He seems to know a lot.”

            “I found a pretty good magic teacher,” muttered Percy, glancing over at Annabeth. “Right, Andros?”

            “Listen to me closely, Percy: If Coeus attacked you, that means Kronos is getting desperate. Coeus is deadly accurate; Kronos would only use him to capture you in a last-ditch effort. I… can’t say why he seemed so interested in you, though.”

            “You sure?” asked Percy. “You kind of hesitated there.”

            “Yes, Percy,” said Ouranos angrily. “I’m sure. I’ll call you at another time. How long until you’re free?”

            Percy looked back at the two girls. They were both staring back at him with discerning eyes. “It could be a while,” he muttered.

            “You need to make it not awhile. If you wait too long, all of Olympus will catch on to the lobbying you’re doing. Hades will never get elected. Goodbye.”

            Percy sighed. “Alright, time to study more.” He opened the book again, the words swimming in front of him. It didn’t matter. He was already planning his escape.

OoOoOoOoO

            When night fell, Annabeth took first watch. She and Silena had agreed to swap the bunk bed above Percy’s when changing shifts. “It’ll alert us to any movements he makes,” explained Annabeth.

            Silena fell asleep slightly after dark, leaving Percy and Annabeth alone. At his desk, Percy’s eyes began to flutter as he pushed through the textbook Athena had lent him. He didn’t enjoy the experience of fighting his dyslexia, but he needed new spells to pull off his plan, and Athena’s text was all he had.

            He looked back at Annabeth. She sat in front of the door dutifully, staring half-heartedly at a page in an architectural magazine. Now alone, he thought she might have something to say. After all, it wasn’t every day he studied for ten hours. But she remained silent, perhaps still angry at him.

            He made his way to his bed, burying himself under the covers. Very slowly, careful not to create too much movement, he began to make hand symbols underneath the covers and chant beneath his breath. Ordinarily, magic could be done without so much fanfare – the skilled magician could simply will a spell into existence with enough practice. But as he was working on the fly, he had to focus on the fundamentals. Thankfully, it was a quick spell.

            As he finished his spells, he stepped out of bed and looked at his handiwork. To the naked eye, a living, breathing double image of Percy lay face down in his bed, cooing in its sleep. He had also cast a spell which silenced his movements. Very slowly, he began to make his way to the window.

            “Where’d you learn that?”

            “JESUS CHRIST!” screamed Percy, tumbling over and face-planting on the ground. Annabeth’s head shot up from the pages of her magazine, and her head flailed about wildly.

            “What’s going on?” she said, drawing her knife. “Are we under attack?”

            Percy undid the charms quickly, sitting back down in his bed. “Uh… I had to pee.” He froze for a second. “Wait, did you not… see any of that?”

            Annabeth blinked. “Did you try something?”

            “You bet he did!” said Silena, jumping down from the top bunk. She crossed her arms, gazing at Percy with stern disapproval. “I didn’t know Percy knew illusory magic, but he still doesn’t know it well enough to fool me.”

            “But how?” asked Percy. “You were asleep!”

            “Nope,” muttered Annabeth. “I was.”

            “But-

            “You fell for it, too,” said Silena, shaking her head. “Percy, we’re trying to look out for you. If you keep running away and betraying us–

            “Look, I have to go!” said Percy. “I have five votes in the Olympian Council! I need one more to get Hades elected. If I don’t get it, that’s not gonna happen!”

            “Good,” said Annabeth, rising from her seat. She approached Percy, jabbing a finger at his breastbone. “That’s exactly what we’re here to stop. We want to keep you in camp and out of trouble!”

            “Plus, you could get captured!” said Silena, her face betraying a certain sadness. “Kronos is out there hunting you down! The last place you should be is searching for some sixth god to help with your side project.”

            Percy began to speak, but then clammed up, sitting back down on his bunk. The two girls looked at him expectantly, waiting for affirmation that he wasn’t going to run away. But he knew he needed to leave. He considered that with his magic, he could probably fight his way past the two of them, though he didn’t relish the idea of pissing off Annabeth and waking the entire camp.

            “Well?” asked Annabeth. He sat in silence for a moment, staring back at her.

            “Percy,” said Silena, “do this for me. I’ve been through enough already. Please.”

            He winced. “Fine. But I’m not feeling very sleepy. I’m gonna do some stuff around the cabin.”

            Annabeth frowned. “What kind of stuff?”

            “Just passing the time,” he said, an edge rising in his voice. “What, are you scrutinizing my hobbies now too?”

            Annabeth frowned, but she just shook her head and returned to her magazine. Silena pursed her lips, her eyes following him. He sighed, making his way to the saltwater fountain in the corner of his room.

            He considered his options. He could try to pray to Poseidon, though it would be pretty showy, and the girls would catch on. He thought of other ways to contact the gods. The only thing he could think of was making sacrifices at the dining hall, but he didn’t have any food, nor did he have a pyre.

            Then he looked down at the ice water, and his own hands before it. He smiled. “That’s right,” he thought. “I have both of those things.”

            He knelt down, placing his hands in the fountain and slowly shaping the water into little tendrils which would form the base of his sacrifice. At first Silena watched in confusion, and after a while even Annabeth looked over at him.

            He wanted to make the sacrifice good. He feared that saltwater would already be something of an insult, and he needed someone to pay attention to this. As such, he slowly began to shape a miniature workshop made out of ice. As the elements came together, the girls seemed enraptured by the process. They walked up behind him, mesmerized.

            “I didn’t know you were into ice sculptures,” whispered Annabeth.

            “Recent pastime,” he muttered.

            “Is that a little anvil in there?” asked Silena.

            “Uh huh,” said Percy.

            “What’s it supposed to be?” asked Annabeth.

            He thought for a moment, the water floating undecidedly inside the workshop door. “It’s… It’s supposed to be Beckendorf’s workshop. Or what I remember of it anyways.” Silena and Annabeth grew silent as he worked the water into shape, slowly developing this model. Then, finally, it was done. He set it down in the fountain, staring at it as the water trickled in the background.

            “It’s beautiful,” said Silena.

            “Yeah,” said Annabeth. “I guess you’ve been listening to some of my discussions on architecture.”

            He sighed. “Uh huh.” And then, with a decided snap of his fingers, the ice sculpture burst into flames, the whole thing melting away. The two girls looked on in horror.

            Annabeth turned to him in horror. “Percy, I think you need to chill out.”

            “It’s just a way of clearing my mind,” he huffed. “Ice is impermanent, after all. Just like life.”

            Silena nodded silently, watching him as he shuffled towards bed. “I’m feeling tired; I think I’ll catch some Z’s.”

            The girls watched him get under the covers nervously, but they said nothing. He waited, eyes closed, desperately hoping for something to happen. But in the darkness of the night, he heard nothing. Eventually, he drifted off, his vision fading to black.

OoOoOoOoO

            In his dreams, he found himself in a burning forge. He heard the steady sound of metal clanging off to his right side. He followed it and came upon Hephaestus, hefting a massive hammer over his anvil.

            “Ten points for creativity, Jackson,” said Hephaestus. He had a deep, raspy voice, probably from all the smoke that his work generated. “It’s wasn’t exactly a tasty sacrifice, but the craftmanship was surprisingly thorough. It got my attention.”

            “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t have much to work with.”

            Clang. “I know.”

            “So… I kind of thought you would come down to camp?” asked Percy. “Or send a distraction?”

            Hephaestus wiped his hands. “No need. All gods can appear in your dreams at will.”

            Percy gaped. “You’re serious? It’s that easy?”

            Hephaestus looked up at him, a little annoyed. “Yeah, for a fee. It’s not exactly cheap. It would be nice if you came to me, but I understand the circumstances. Now, you wanted to talk?”

            “I’m one vote away from electing Hades to the council. We have five votes. I think he can change the council and help ensure demigods are safer and better cared for.”

            Hephaestus crossed his arms, his massive form leaning to one side. “You still need Zeus’s tiebreaker vote.”

            “I know, but with six votes, he’ll have to take it seriously,” said Percy. He nodded to himself. “Especially if Hermes encourages it. After all, we’re in the middle of the second titanomachy. If ever a time called for drastic measures, it’s now.”

            “I doubt it,” muttered Hephaestus. “Sorry, not interested.” Percy, shocked, watched as he picked his hammer back up and turned back to his anvil.

            “Lord Hephaestus, the sacrifice I sent you was modeled after Beckendorf’s old workshop,” began Percy. “Where he used to forge weapons. If he were alive today, he’d want to forge a better future for his friends. That’s why he sacrificed himself!”

            Hephaestus groaned. “We all know you’re not cut out for high literature, Jackson. Spare me the poetry.”

            “Okay, fine,” said Percy, though he felt a little offended. That one seemed pretty good to him. “But it’s still for his sake. I mean, I don’t understand why you’re avoiding this so much, frankly.”

            The god kept his eyes trained on his work, bringing his hammer back with steady and precise aim. He brought it down and made one satisfying ‘clang’ that shook the whole room. He breathed in. “Percy, do you know what my mother did to me when I was born?”

            “If I remember correctly, it wasn’t very kind,” muttered the demigod.

            “Right,” said Hephaestus. “Olympians,” he began, hammering once more, “aren’t meant to be parents.”

            “Sir, please, I’m sure your son would’ve considered this–

            He cut Percy off with another thrust of his hammer, a screeching sound halting Percy in his tracks. The hammer had smashed through whatever Hephaestus was working on and dented his anvil. “Don’t start with me about what he would have wanted. I respect your care for your fellow campers. I thank you for being so close to my son. But it’s not what he would’ve wanted. Not if he gave it any clear thought. You’re doing this because you can’t handle Luke’s death. Well, I can. He’s a traitor, part of the reason my son is dead.”

            “You have every right to hate Luke,” admitted Percy. “I hated him too. But I realized in the end that he was just scared. If Hermes had been able to get closer to Luke, if that norm had been there–

            “You’re being naïve,” said Hephaestus, his voice sharp with disdain. “Gods can have the best of intentions, but they’re always going to be gods. We aren’t crappy parents for avoiding our children. It’s not like we choose to do that. We’re busy. I have an entire industrial society to watch over. Hermes handles the communications networks of the world. The kind of ideas you and Luke are stirring up in today’s demigods are dangerous. I love my children. I struggle every day to get that across. But I can never give them the same kind of relationship that a normal father would have with his sons. Ultimately, I accept that, because if I deny it, I’ll just end up hurting my kids more. Hades can’t change that, nor can you.”

            “Lord Hephaestus, your children are dying,” said Percy. “I understand that it’s hard, but don’t you care enough to at least consider trying something new?”

            The flames of the forge leapt to life, searing hotter than Percy would’ve ever thought possible. They raged, dancing before him with vibrant anger. “Don’t ever suggest that I don’t care! He was not your son! You did not love him the way I did!”

            “I know that!” said Percy, his eyes wide with fear but his voice still strong. The hairs on his skin were steaming. “I’m just trying to do something about it! Lord Hephaestus, I have nothing against you – I just need your help to make this change!”

            The air began to grow thick, shimmering in the heat. Percy’s throat grew dry and fiercely hot. He began coughing, choking on the smog that surrounded him. Hephaestus looked on him with great discontent. “If you continue down the path that Luke took, aggravating the demigods, you will have made an enemy for life, Perseus Jackson. I suggest you get some sleep and rethink your position.”

            “No!” coughed Percy, fighting back against the debilitating heart of the forge. “You’re my last hope! I need your help–

            “But you will not get it,” said Hephaestus. “This fantasy of yours will have to fade.” He held up the bent sword he had been forging, a mangled piece of metal that looked broken beyond repair. “Not every piece comes out perfect. The smiths who turn out best are those that learn to live with their failures and move on. I understand that you are distraught. I will not fault you for flailing and trying to save this proposal for a few more days. But mark my words: come to the council room with this proposal, dare to present it in front of me, and I will not hesitate to sign your death warrant.” And then the room set ablaze, and Percy felt the pain of fire on his skin, and his mind went numb.

Chapter Text

Chapter 19

Raisins in the Sun

            Percy woke to a terrible sense of foreboding. He dragged his body, weighed down like a boulder under the covers, from out under the bed all the way up to a sitting position, his head throbbing from the exertion. In his vision, he could see afterimages of the dream – the roaring and powerful fire, the stern look of Hephaestus hammering away at the forge and at his dream until it had shriveled up in the heat. He sat there in silence, staring down at his hands.

            Annabeth, whose gray eyes matched the grey bags under them, stared at him for a second, mildly annoyed. “Whatever it is you’re planning, don’t do it.”

            “I want to be alone,” whispered Percy.

            As Silena yawned, waking up from her sleep, Annabeth sighed and crossed her arms. “Percy, you know that’s not possible.”

            He took the weighty covers from his bed and pulled them back over his head, setting up a little tent to give himself some space. But within seconds, Annabeth had pulled the cover off of him, standing over him with a harsh frown on her face. “Percy–

            “Leave me alone,” he muttered, looking up at her with empty eyes. Her frown faded, replaced with a wrinkle of worry on her forehead.

            “Are you okay?”

            He didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him, trying to get the feeling of the smog out of his throat.

            “Percy, you’re really worrying me–

            “Let me talk to Silena,” he muttered. “Just her. Alone.”

            Annabeth hesitated, but Silena grabbed her by the shoulder. “It’s fine. I’m not going to let him do anything stupid.” Annabeth nodded, heading for the door. She looked back at the two of them with worry, but then closed it.

            “What’s wrong?” asked Silena, taking a seat next to him. “I hate seeing you like this. I know there’s a lot going on, but we’re going to make it through, I promise.”

            “Silena, I need to get this bill to go through. But Hephaestus rebuffed me.”

            She took a deep breath. “Maybe it’s for the best.”

            “It’s not.”

            “I’m still not sure I should be helping you.”

            “What about your mother?” he asked, his voice rising just a little bit. “I know you’re hesitant, but let’s say you could reach out to her. What would she say?”

            “She doesn’t really like Hades. And I don’t think she’d do it just for me,” murmured Silena. “Look, Percy, I think it’s admirable you want to change things. I wished so many times that I could. But we have to accept who we are. We’re demigods. It’s a precarious existence, and we’ll never be able to escape that.”

            She offered him a weak smile, a sign of empathy, but also of resignation. Her face seemed pale, her eyes sinking. Ages ago, when he first met her, he remembered that she had the brightest smile in all of camp. She’d put it on, and you knew you were in good company, if a bit mischievous. She never knew defeat or sorrow; she was always courageous, confident gleeful. But age and battle scars had caused that smile to fade. Time had filed down the edges, made her smile smaller and more reserved, until this pathetic thing was all she had left.

            “Percy?” she asked. “You’re staring.”

            “Sorry,” he muttered. “I’m drifting off. I must be losing it.”

            She put her arms around him. “Hey, dude, listen. You need to take things one step at a time. It’s breakfast. Let’s get you some food.”

            “I’m not hungry.”

            “Yeah, but your heart is,” she said. “You need company. Come on, I’m not taking no for an answer.” She pushed at his back gently, but with enough force that he had to resist, something he didn’t have in him at the moment. She won out, and soon he was out the door.

            Annabeth tagged along with them, whispering something to Silena that Percy couldn’t quite make out. They traded whispers all the way to the dining grounds, and then sat Percy down at the Poseidon table. Annabeth sat with him, and Silena went to corral campers to join them. As it turned out, it was pretty early in the morning. There weren’t many campers around.

            “Look who’s here to see you!” said Silena, laughing nervously. She made a mock presentation with her hands, carrying with it all the enthusiasm of someone who knows they’re not cut out for the job. “It’s Clarisse!”

            Percy looked up at Clarisse and Silena for a second with the glacial pace of a donkey, but he cracked something of a smile. “Hey there, La Rue. Beat anyone up lately?”

            “No,” she spat out the side of her mouth, “but I’m seriously thinking about trashing your sorry ass.”

            Silena coughed. “Um, Clarisse, we’re trying to cheer Percy up.”

            Clarisse raised an eyebrow at this inane suggestion. “What for?”

            Annabeth and Silena looked at each other nervously. “Um–

            “I tried to elect Hades to the Olympian Council,” muttered Percy, burying his mouth beneath his arms on the table. “Didn’t work,” came his muffled response.

            “Huh,” said Clarisse. “Odd thing to get upset over for a demigod. High expectations you’ve got there.”

            “It’s more than odd,” muttered a voice behind them. Mr. D lowered his morning newspaper, taking a sip from his Coke. “It’s illegal. Also legitimately stupid. You’d never havw the support.”

            “Mr. D, maybe right now is not the best time,” said Silena, her tone almost too polite, with an edge to it.

            Mr. D huffed, sipping at his diet Coke. “I don’t need your sass, Serena.”

            “I had five votes,” said Percy, his voice rising above a mutter for the first time. “Maybe it was stupid, but I almost pulled it off.”

            “Oh, I’m Perry Johanson, I’m so cool!” said Mr. D in a high-pitched, sing-song voice. “I can do anything!”

            Percy clenched his fist, his head raising towards Mr. D. “At least I tried helping the demigods! The last thing you did for them was save Ariadne, if I recall correctly. And everyone else is just sitting and watching them die.”

            Dionysus shrugged. “Whatever you say, kid.”

            “Don’t listen to him,” whispered Annabeth.

            “Yeah, old man’s just trying to get your goat,” said Clarisse.

            “You know, speaking of that, maybe we should get Grover over here,” said Silena. “He’d know how to cheer you up.”

            “That’s a great idea,” said Annabeth. “Percy, we’ll be right back. Stay here. Come on, Clarisse.”

            “What? I’m in the middle of breakfast-

            “I said come on!” she grabbed her, and Clarisse begrudgingly followed, muttering to herself about children of Athena. Percy sighed, patting his hands against the table.

            “Why’d you do it?” Percy looked up at the source of the reflective, almost wistful voice. Mr. D had taken a seat across from him, leaning back casually. “You knew it was illegal. And you had to know everyone’s watching.”

            “I had to do something,” said Percy, averting his eyes. “I couldn’t stand by anymore.”

            “And why Hades?”

            “He treats his children well,” said Percy. “I mean, I made him swear on the Styx, so he kind of has to, but–

            “Imagine that,” said Dionysus, leaning forward, his mouth taut with interest. “That sounds highly illegal.”

            Percy shrugged. “It was self-defense.”

            “Ah, yes, that will go over well in the council.” He rolled his eyes. “So you have five votes? How about Zeus?”

            “I was hoping Hades and Poseidon would pressure him to consider it,” shrugged Percy. He looked up at Mr. D, who was staring at him intently. He began to wonder whether the god was enjoying how naïve he was. “I did some research,” he added defensively. “It’s happened before, you know.”

            “And once Hades is on the council, you’ll have a guy on the inside. You made him swear to support you, right?”

            “I made him swear not to kill me, which is a pretty low bar,” said Percy, crossing his arms. “If you’re trying to say I did this for personal gain, you’ve got it all wrong.”

            Dionysus leaned in, his eyes narrowing. If Percy had been in his right mind, he might’ve thought the god looked out of place being quite this inquisitive. “Do you really think a god can change, Perry?”

            “Hades has. Maybe others can too,” said Percy. But under Dionysus’s gaze, his confidence began to crumple. “I don’t know,” he muttered. “It was worth a shot.”

            Mr. D nodded for a moment, his face neutral. Then he smirked, rising from the table. “Well, I think you’re batshit insane.”

            “Thanks for the encouragement, asshole,” said Percy, glaring at him.

            The ground erupted, earth flying everywhere beneath the table. Percy, shaken from his stupor, jumped out of the way as vines ensnared the Poseidon table, fresh grapes dangling from each of them. He stared at Dionysus in disbelief. The god simply whistled to himself a few feet away, not looking at Percy.

            “What the Hell was that for?”

            “Oh, I just got tired of you sitting there moping to yourself,” muttered Dionysus. “You sounded so defeated after all that triumphant talk, and I just couldn’t stand it.”

Percy tried to follow what Dionysus was saying, but he quickly gave up out of frustration. “Where I am going to sit now?”

            “I don’t know. You might have to go and join your friends.”

            Percy shook his head. “This is insane. Tell the girls I’ll be back at the cabin. And don’t worry about my house arrest; I won’t do anything.”

            Dionysus’ voice carried behind him. “That might be a problem. I can’t just leave you alone while they’re gone. You’re supposed to be monitored, 24/7.”

            Percy ignored him, heading back to the cabin anyways, leaving Dionysus all alone. The god chuckled to himself, approaching the table where the grapes were. He raised his fingers, positioned like pincers, to delicately pluck one of the fresh grapes from the vines. Putting it to his mouth slowly, it tumbled gently into his throat, where he savored the delicate flavor of the grape’s juices. His eyes lit up as they danced around in his mouth. “Amazing. Absolutely intoxicating.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 20

Or Does it Explode?

            The day seemed to pass in a haze. Percy had trouble recollecting almost any of it. Occasionally, he would make out the face of one of the girls, a troubled hand pressed against his forehead to check for fever. But his mind was so cloudy that he didn’t really register anything they said to him. Chiron stopped in at one point too, but eventually, he just fell asleep.

            He woke the next morning to someone shaking him vigorously, the feeling of a pounding headache crushing his head. He opened his eyes, finding himself face to face with grey eyes and blonde hair. He cracked a small, flirty smile. “Hey there, hot stuff.”

            Alex Chase’s cheeks grew bright red. “Dude. Gross. We don’t look that much alike.”

            “Shit,” blurted Percy. He groggily sat up in the bed, conking his head on Alex’s. Alex tumbled backwards, cursing.

            “What’s wrong with you?” asked Alex, rubbing the welt on his head as he struggled to his feet. “You don’t sound like normal.” He studied Percy’s face. “Are you drunk?”

            As Percy rubbed his head, he realized that Alex might be on to something. He still felt a little woozy, but also a bit happier than he had the day before. “I guess Dionysus might’ve put a spell on me. He seemed mad yesterday.”

            “Well, put that behind you,” said Alex. “Come to the Athena cabin. We’re having a viewing party.”

            “Viewing party?” asked Percy, sitting up. He was beginning to feel normal again. “Did you smuggle in a cable box? All we get is the Olympian channels. Hestia’s Hearth is pretty soothing though.” He yawned, lying back down in bed.

            Alex gaped at him a little, no doubt perplexed that Percy was a big fan of Hestia’s Hearth, a knitting show. “Um, no, we’re watching the vote.”

            Percy turned over in bed. “What vote?”

            “Your vote,” said Alex, his wide eyes staring down at Percy. “The one you illegally collected votes for? I mean, half the camp knows about it by now.”

            “I only got five, Alex,” said Percy, shaking his head. “It’s not going through.”

            “Hermes called the special session already,” said Alex. “He’s going forward with it.”

            Percy’s eyes widened. He slowly sat up, the stupor draining from his body. He grabbed Alex by the shoulders, nearly shaking him. “You’re serious? You’re not toying with me?”

            “I’m not a dick!” said Alex, unlatching himself from Percy’s grip. He blushed, thrusting Percy roughly back into bed. “Now get dressed! I can’t believe you slept in your boxers with my sister in the room!”

            Percy hurried over to the dresser, throwing on clothes over the fierce beat of his now charged heart. Bounding over to the Athena cabin, he threw open the door with a massive clatter. Silena, Grover, Juniper, and Clarisse had all gathered around the TV. To the side, Annabeth beckoned to him. “Come on! You’re gonna miss it!” He sat down next to her. She kissed him on the cheek. “You do some really dumb stuff sometimes, seaweed brain, but this is pretty impressive.” She turned up the volume, and the screen showed Hermes standing and addressing the Olympians.

            “…death of my son shocked me to my core,” said Hermes. “The entire process of watching him betray me, his own father… it stuck with me. I couldn’t just let it go.” He breathed in. “Luke was only a symptom of a much larger problem. Evidence has come to light that this titanomachy arose in part because of the perception of the demigods that we don’t care for them. We have to change that. As such, I wish to propose a new delegate that will represent our greater concern for the demigods. I have been informed by Demeter that Hades has developed a newfound relationship with his son. I can think of no greater standard-bearer for the post-war period. As such, I am using my divine privilege to bypass the council’s floor discussion and bring this directly to a vote.”

            “Very well,” said Zeus, sighing. “But Hermes, I need not warn you that this is… a hail Mary.”

            “I understand that,” said Hermes. “But I think you’ll find that many of our fellow council members recognize the importance of proposing real change in light of the current circumstances. As such, I have a request for you, father. Break the vote in favor of change. Too much is at stake for us to stagnate now.”

            “I will consult with my advisors as always, my son,” said Zeus, stroking his beard.

            “Very well,” said Hermes. “Let’s get to the vote.”

            Zeus nodded. “For these proceedings, we operate by seniority, with the exception of myself, as leader of the council. I vote nay. Hera?”

            “Nay.”

            Zeus turned to Poseidon. “Brother?”

            Poseidon cleared his throat, rising from his throne. With one sharp thrust of the butt of his trident, the council room floor burst to life, tremors shaking the attention out of a crew of disinterested gods. Athena rolled her eyes. “I have consulted with my counselors in Atlantis. They believe, as do I, that integrating Hades into the council will prevent the repetition of the many tragedies that transpired last century and ensure more equitable representation for my demigod children. I vote in favor.”

            A cacophony of confused whispers began to spread among the councilmembers. Zeus looked over at Poseidon, his eyes narrowing. “I’m sorry brother, you voted for Hades?”

            Poseidon’s voice boomed throughout the hall. “I would like to invite our brother onto the council to serve as a coequal representative of his realm.”

            Zeus folded his hands together, his lower lip jutting out in disbelief. “Oh. Yes. Very well.” He cleared his throat. “Demeter?”

            “Aye,” said Demeter, a gleam in her eye. “I look forward to warmer winters with my daughter by my side! Perhaps that’s what’s behind global warming!”

            Though the joke prompted snickers from some in the room, Zeus remained silent, eyes darting between his brother and sister. Finally, he settled “Right, well… Aphrodite?”

            “I’m afraid I’ll have to vote against my brother joining the council,” she said.

            “Alright,” murmured Zeus uneasily. “Hephaestus?”

            Hephaestus coughed loudly, clambering out of his chair to take a stand. He glanced around the room, his brow furrowed, eyes sharp with annoyance. “I must warn the council to vote against this measure. I regret the pain Luke’s betrayal brought my brother. We must not forget that Luke asked for something impossible to attain: for us gods to become like humans. I regret the loss of my demigod children just as much as any councilmember, but we cannot fulfill impossible expectations. Elevation of Hades to the council now represents just that agenda, the agenda of someone operating through illegal actions.”

            Murmurs erupted throughout the room. Athena, eyes widening, sat up in her chair, her hands practically crushing the base of each armrest. “By who?”

            “Not by any of us,” said Hermes. “Besides, Hephaestus, none of us supporters feel the need to convince our children that we can be there at all times for them. That would be lunacy. But if Hades is in proximity to his son, he’ll at least have a feel for the demigods’ thoughts, and serve as a line of communication. There’s a significant difference between saying we’ll act like normal parents and having greater voice for the demigods on the council.”

            Hephaestus sighed. “Brother, you are within your rights. But the demigod manipulating you intends for just what I said. You must not have probed him like I did.”

            “Which demigod manipulated you?” asked Athena, the hem of her dress fluttering as she rose from her chair. “What is going on?”

            “It doesn’t matter,” said Hermes quickly. “I brought the motion of my own volition–

            “It most certainly does!” quaked Athena’s voice. “We should know which demigod is pulling the strings of the council!”

            “Quite frankly, we haven’t punished the last couple of demigods who got involved in pushing for legislation,” said Zeus, pondering the matter. “It can’t be that important…”

            “Surely the council should at least know the details!” said Athena, her voice rising like a tsunami above the council as she gesticulated around the room, looming over the other gods with a fierce presence.

            “Fine,” muttered Hermes, glancing away from her. “Percy Jackson proposed it,” he muttered.

            Athena gaped at him for a second. “Jackson? The fifteen-year-old? You’re joking.” Hermes shook his head no. “Hermes, the child is too stupid to bring…” she hesitated, perhaps remembering that this was airing live, “I mean to say… he is immature. How could a boy who has never even set foot in the Olympian bureaucracy manipulate our political system?”

            “He had help,” said Hermes, looking cross with her. “From us. From the gods who willingly decided that he had a point. Percy may not know all the intricacies of council room procedure, Athena, but he’s not immature.”

            Back in the Athena cabin, Alex smiled and offered him a high-five. “Score one for Percy Jackson.” Percy smiled in spite of himself, trying to suppress his concerns about Hephaestus’s outburst.

            “Well, we now have the evidence we need,” said Zeus. “Do you have anything else to add, Hephaestus?”

            The god of forgery sat slumped in his chair, arms crossed in tight annoyance. “Yes. We ought to consider the kind of precedent this sets for demigods who act out against us.”

            “Very well,” said Zeus. “That brings us to Athena.”

            She looked at Zeus for a moment, stunned. “Of course I’m not supporting a rogue demigod’s wish! We shouldn’t even be having this vote! He’s gone too far!”

            “Hermes brought the vote,” said Zeus. “It’s legitimate. You know that.”

            Athena opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She looked down at her hands. “Perhaps it’s legal,” she muttered, sitting back down in her chair. “But incredibly concerning. I vote no.”

            Zeus shrugged. “Ares?”

            “Hell no,” said Ares. “No way I’m standing by something Jackson came up with. And I don’t really want to deal with the old loner downstairs either.”

            “Okay,” said Zeus. “Currently, the proposal has six nays and two yays. It will require full support by the rest of the council and a tiebreaking vote. Next up, Hermes, I assume you support this.”

            “Got me there.”

            “Very well. Artemis, I believe you emerged first, technically speaking…

            She rose from her seat. “Much as the Hunters are united in this time of turmoil, I believe the Olympians should be united as well to best respond to this threat. That includes Hades and the demigod children who make up our family. We know change is deeply needed. When ancient titans like Coeus rise to attack our forces, we need unity more than ever. I vote in favor.”

            “Right,” said Zeus. “Apollo?”

            “I vote in favor.”

            Zeus nodded. “Dionysus. You are the last vote before the tiebreaker.” Zeus looked expectantly at the god, waiting for him to say something. He coughed after a few more seconds of silence. “Dionysus? Dionysus? Has he… has he fallen asleep?”

            Poseidon leaned over, shaking him. “Um… well, it seems… wait a minute… I don’t think this is Dionysus.”

            Zeus’s face grew as red as a beet. “What do you mean it’s not Dionysus?”

            “He doesn’t seem to be giving off his usual divine energy,” said Poseidon. “It’s almost as if this were some kind of illusion, or-

            The council room doors burst open with a blast of air. A young man entered the room, luscious black hair perpetually preceding his entrance. He wore a chic, thin-cut toga, and had a movie star smile with bright white teeth that he flashed with reckless abandon. The gods stared at him, all of them speechless.

            “Who’s that?” asked Alex.

            “I wouldn’t mind his number,” muttered one of the Athena campers in the background.

            Zeus rose from his seat, a vein pulsating on his forehead. “Dionysus? What is the meaning of this?”

            In the back of the room, the Athena camper who had spoken grew bright red and slinked into the corner of the room. Alex blinked. “That’s Mr. D?”

            “What is the meaning, father?” asked Dionysus, flashing faux surprise at the camera. He marched towards his throne, whooshing the illusion sitting in it away with a sweep of his arm. Taking a seat, he snapped his fingers and a goblet appeared alongside a pitcher of dark purple liquid. He poured himself a glass, taking a swig.

            Zeus balled his fists. “YOU DARE OPPOSE OUR LAWS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE COUNCIL–

            “One day is hardly a crime,” muttered Dionysus, sipping his glass casually. “After all, I figured a day like today requires something more than the usual old pomp and circumstance.” He stood up from his chair, voice rising to a glorious octave. “After five thousand years, the council will finally embrace the Lord of the Dead as a coequal! If ever there were a time to celebrate, would this not be it?”

            Zeus’s words erupted like thunder. “You know very well what the punishment is for drinking against our agreement–

            “I do, old man, I do!” said Dionysus, laughing merrily. “But for now, take a seat and breathe in the moment!” He did so, his nose dancing like a ballerina in pirouette. “Smell that? Absolutely intoxicating! Now, I believe that I have a vote to decide, don’t I?”

            Zeus grimaced, leaning back in his chair. “Fine,” he mouthed, though there was a look in his eyes that said this would not be over.

            Dionysus shrugged. “Right. Thanks, pops.” He waltzed to the center of the room, winking at Athena, which seemed to enrage her. “I have a confession to make. After sixty-four drab years as director of Camp Half-Blood, every day more boring than the last, I caught a whiff of the finest vintage you’ll ever taste. Our budding lobbyist friend was crying his heart out to a gaggle of young demigod girls in the mess hall and I happened to hear that he had five votes in favor of adding another member to the Olympian Council. Tell me, Athena, do you remember the last time that happened?”

            Athena crossed her arms. “Dionysus, I’m not playing along with this–

            “Sister, we’re making history here!” he said, drawing his hand into his heart. “Are you going to deny this moment just because a son of Poseidon wrought it?”

            She sat totally still, her eyes telling the whole story.

            “Okay,” he said, turning instead to Hermes. “How about you, brother? Do you know the last time this happened?”

            “Thousands of years ago,” muttered Hermes. “When you were elected.”

            “That’s right!” screamed Dionysus, laughter bounding to every corner of the room. “And ever since then, we’ve been doing the same thing over and over again. Well, not today! Today some little nobody named Percy Jackson convinced five members of the council to vote for the largest change in millennia. And when I heard that, well, I thought the boy just might be crazy, drunk, wrapped up in a hallucination.” He flashed a winning smile. “And as the god of intoxication,” he said, the last word dancing on his lips, each syllable either high or low, “I just had to get a taste of that refreshing madness! In fact, I might even say we all need a taste of it.” He raised his glass. “So, Percy Jackson, let me just say that I will be drinking to your delicious brand of insanity. I vote YES!”

            The council room broke into chaos. There were cheers, boos, and all manner of emotions flying around the room. But the Athena cabin was silent. Everyone turned to the son of Poseidon.

            “Percy,” said Annabeth, shaking him. “If Zeus votes for this, your name will be etched into the history books. Do you know how crazy that is?”

            Percy’s body felt numb. The stupor from before seemed to be wearing off, sobering him up. “Insane. It would be insane.”

            “Exactly,” said Annabeth. “Gods, look at them! I can’t believe–

            “ENOUGH!” shouted Zeus. The council room slowly quieted. “I am more than a little bit shocked, for more reasons than one. We have reached a tie on a historic proposal. And while I am concerned about my son breaking his oath, we need to come to a decision now. I will consult my advisors on this issue. Hera, Poseidon, Athena, if you would please join me in the antechamber.”

            The screen cut to an intermission card, and the folks in the Athena cabin began chatting uproariously. Clarisse punched Percy in the shoulder, giving him a thumbs-up. Annabeth and Silena both hugged him, and Alex and Grover offered high-fives.

            “Percy, you absolutely have to teach me your ways!” said Juniper. “I can’t believe you got Dionysus himself to support you!”

            “Who would’ve imagined Mr. D would do that?” asked Grover. “You’re a star, Percy!”

            He chuckled lightly. “Thanks, but there’s no guarantee Zeus votes for it.”

            “And if he does?” asked Annabeth. “What then?”

            Percy stopped. “Well, Hades becomes a council member, I guess.”

            “Yeah, but what about Nico?” asked Annabeth. “And what happens to the council’s voting pattern? With a new tiebreaker, things could really get shaken up–

            “Slow down there, sister,” said Alex. “I think Percy’s just glad he got this on the docket.”

            Annabeth nodded, smiling to herself for a second. Then, her smile faded. “And what happens to you?”

            “Huh?” asked Percy.

            “You’ve got a reputation now,” she muttered. “The gods are going to be watching you.”

            “I guess,” said Percy. He frowned but thought better of it. “Maybe I’ll keep surprising them. After all, that’s what you’ve always wanted, right? To be the best architect in Olympus?”

            Annabeth paled. “I guess. Maybe second best. You know, stay on Mom’s good side. Not get turned into a spider.”

            “Mom wouldn’t turn you into a spider,” said Alex, patting her on the back. “Lighten up a little. Percy’s making history here!”

            “Right,” muttered Annabeth. “After all, that’s the best thing you can be in Olympian society. A history lesson. Just like Icarus.”

            “Annabeth, it’ll be fine,” Percy said, cupping her shoulder. He looked her in the eyes, as if this act would ward off the animosity of the gods who disagreed with him. “Look, I’ll handle this. I’ve got plenty of fight left in me.”

            The screen roared to life, a jarring burst of static catching everyone’s attention. They quieted as Zeus and the others proceeded to their thrones. None of Zeus’s advisors looked confident in their discussion, but Zeus was measured and calm. He cleared his throat.

            “For five thousand years, the Olympians have operated without Hades.” Percy’s chest clenched, his heart bracing for bad news. “We have done this in recognition of the fact that Hades alone could handle the underworld by himself. Only our brother knew the underworld well enough to rule it. He could have no living assistants from land or sea, and it was always going to be a full-time job. We cannot overturn this precedent without a significant change. Without assurances that the dead would not descend into anarchy, we have no way of integrating Hades onto the council.”

            “Furthermore, the allegations of a child of prophecy engaging in our affairs is worrying,” said Zeus. “Percy Jackson has been given power by the council, and the fact that he feels the need to pursue more power is troubling. We cannot ignore the fact that this may be a sign of dangerous behavior.”

            The roomful of demigods was silent. No one looked at Percy. Zeus’s words hung over him like swords in the air, dangling painfully close to his head. But Zeus did not sit. Instead, he cleared his throat once more, plowing forward.

            “Yet even in this troubling behavior, we see a promising sign. Percy Jackson has decided to invest himself in the decisions of our council. His prophecy suggests that he will make a fundamental choice for the future of Olympus. As of right now, he seems to be betting on a long and continued Olympian reign.” Athena’s eyes widened, as did Poseidon’s.

            “Furthermore,” continued Zeus, “There is no question that the separation between the Big Three has caused massive problems. Poseidon and I quarrel at times, but our wars with Hades have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of demigods and millions of humans. Breakdowns in relations have occurred more frequently because of the incredible distance between us, and animosity sown by Hades’ lack of a vote.”

            “I was doubtful at first, but Poseidon has convinced me that integrating Hades into the council will reduce tension between us all and lead to greater stability for the Olympians as a whole. Moreover, Percy Jackson apparently feels confident that Hades will ingratiate the demigods to us, fixing the problem that caused the titanomachy in the first place. I recognize the concerns of my son Hephaestus that we cannot fulfill what could be called the idealistic vision of a young advocate. And that is something that Percy and the demigods must come to terms with. But we can provide them with a sign of good faith that we are listening and willing to do our part to recognize their fears. We are willing, albeit collectively, to make drastic changes. Individually, gods take ages to change. But as a pantheon, we possess the power to react quickly in times of crisis.”

            “Both viewpoints have merit. We must fix the problems plaguing Olympian society with realistic proposals and avoid throwing the underworld into question. As such, I offer my conditional support for welcoming Hades into the council.”

            The demigods burst into applause. Percy smiled; he didn’t have much time to think before a slew of bodies crushed him with hugs and pats on the back. He could barely make out who was who, but they all wanted to congratulate him. But despite the roars of the demigods, Percy kept his ears open to hear the conditions that Zeus would impose.

            “Hades shall have full voting rights in the council provided he fulfills his duties in the underworld. We will endeavor to accommodate him as best we can, providing him with over-the-air access to our proceedings. While officially senior to many councilmembers, he will always hold the last vote in our council in recognition of the fact that we cannot slow down our proceedings to wait for him. And I will only accept Hades on the council if he nominates an assistant to oversee administration of the underworld. Furthermore, we will be watching Percy Jackson’s behavior closely for any more signs of insurrection. I will postpone my vote until Hades responds, but, Hades, if you are watching, the council welcomes you.”

            The screen faded to black, and the demigods gathered around in a circle, chatting excitedly. Percy got shoved playfully several times. Annabeth looked at him, sighing. “Whatever happens… I’m impressed, Percy.”

            He wondered if impressing her was a good thing, if in transcending ‘Seaweed Brain’ he had stepped into uncharted and dangerous waters. But Malcolm did not allow him much time to meditate on this. “What does Zeus mean by ‘employ an assistant?’” asked Malcolm. “It’s not like just anybody can live beside him in the underworld.”

            “Nico knows how to live in the underworld,” said Annabeth. Her voice felt slightly shaky.

            “But would Persephone accept that kind of decision?” asked Alex. “After all, this is as much an opportunity for her to choose an heir as it is for Hades.”

            “Heir?” asked Percy, the sound of the word ringing in his ears.

            “All the gods have a designated heir,” muttered Annabeth. “In case they were ever temporarily… or permanently… indisposed, they appoint a representative to stand in for them. Whoever Hades picks will probably also fulfill that role in council. Essentially, whoever takes this position will become quite influential.”

            Percy nodded. “Right.” He had a queasy feeling in his stomach, and the picture of Amphitrite came to his mind. If Poseidon had been asked to appoint an heir and Percy were in the running, he wondered what she would do. “I think I need to take a walk.”

            Alex blinked. “A walk? We should be partying, Percy! You just–

            “I’ve got a lot on my mind,” he said. He didn’t give them time to respond, making his way out the door within seconds.

Chapter Text

Chapter 21

The Walking Dead

            Percy made his way down the passage to Hades that Nico had shown him weeks before. As he pushed deeper, he began to see the blue vines, though they were pulling back, slowly descending back into the darkness of the underworld. He didn’t like that.

            When he got to the bottom, he emerged in the greenhouse that Persephone and Nico had constructed, finding it empty. The plants there seemed too pristine, almost as if someone had anticipated his arrival. He made his way farther, towards Hades’ palace, past the iron-wrought gate, the empty wind whistling in his ears, and he entered the inner sanctum. The guards, normally cautious with visitors, did not seem to question his arrival. It was as if they were expecting him.

            He racked his memory for the path to Hades’ throne room, at this point rushing towards it. Finally, he arrived, thrusting himself breathlessly through the open doors. “Lord Hades, I–

            “My husband is not here.”

            Percy chin rose slowly, the tone of the woman’s voice chilling his body. The lady of the underworld sat in Hades’ throne, legs crossed casually, a stunning neutral looked impressed on her face. She stared at Percy expectantly, as if she had been waiting for him, all of this pre-ordained.

            “Where is he?” asked Percy. He tried to hide the edge in his voice, but it emerged violently like shattering glass.

            Persephone remained neutral, her eyes staring blankly back at him. “He’s looking for Nico.”

            “Do you know where Nico is?” demanded Percy, just barely swallowing back the force in his voice.

            “I haven’t heard anything,” she said simply.

            He remained silent for a second, tapping his foot nervously against the floor as he kept his eyes trained on Persephone’s. She didn’t blink. He began to weigh options in his head – weighty options, ones he had never considered before. He had never felt he had the power to truly take on a god alone. And yet, now, with Nico’s absence, he needed information, and Persephone did not seem to want to give it. He wondered if perhaps Ouranos had trained him enough to fight her.

            “He left shortly after the vote,” said Persephone, breaking the silence. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, a frown finally passing across her lips. “Percy, I’m being serious when I say I haven’t heard anything. Nico disappeared on his own.”

            “How do you know that?” It came out accusatory, raw.

            She sighed. “It’s not a matter of knowing what he did. It’s a matter of knowing him. He did the same thing you might’ve done if your father was choosing an heir: hide.”

            Percy reflected on his time working alongside Triton. He wondered what Amphitrite would do to him in that situation. How long he would be allowed to live. Persephone was not Amphitrite, but he still did not like the implications. He maintained his silence, standing in the empty hall as Persephone leaned back in Hades’ throne, clearly uncomfortable.

            Footsteps broke the silence, taps echoing throughout the room. Someone came to a stop at Percy’s side, eyeing him carefully.

            “Mother,” said the man, of pale skin and bright, refulgent eyes. “Is he bothering you?”

            “It’s alright, Plutus,” said Persephone. “Percy’s just a little on edge.”

            Plutus raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Perseus Jackson? The boy who pushed the vote? That’s impressive! You’ve done my father a real favor! Or not. It is the Olympian Council after all – one is bound to get a headache from it.” Plutus laughed heartily, a pleasant sound. “Anyways, why be on edge? You’ve just achieved an impressive victory.”

            “My friend is missing,” said Percy quietly.

            “Ah… how unfortunate.”

            “Unfortunate?” snapped Percy. He felt his blood boiling, for the first time imagining it as ichor, a source of power that he could summon with his anger. “It’s terrifying.”

            Plutus blinked. “Well… I’m sorry to hear that. I meant no offense.”

            Persephone leaned forward. “Percy, what are you going to achieve by staying here?”

            He crossed his arms, his voice inflecting a bit. “What is that supposed to mean?”

            “I don’t know anything,” said Persephone. “And if you suspect me of doing something, then why would I tell you? Either way, you’re not going to get information.”

            “You’re accusing my mother of removing a potential heir?” asked Plutus. “That’s audacious.”

            “And what are you here for?” asked Percy, whirling on Plutus. “Right after the vote? After my friend goes missing–

            “To congratulate my father!” said Plutus, gritting his teeth. They locked eyes, leaning into each other like dogs sizing one another up. “And if you have a problem with that, then–

            “THAT’S ENOUGH.” Persephone’s voice, so rarely angry, snapped at the two of them, stinging Percy’s ears. She spoke to the two of them like she was disciplining dogs. “Percy, you should leave. Plutus, take a breather.”

            “A breather?” asked Plutus, nostrils flaring. “Mother, the boy is disrespecting you, accusing you of–

            “He got your father the seat,” said Persephone quietly, though her voice still hung over the room. “Hades himself dared not even pursue it.” Plutus glanced at Percy out of the side of his eyes, but he simply shrugged.

            “I’ll be back,” muttered Percy. He turned, leaving the two of them to catch up.

OoOoOoOoO

            “I can’t believe I was this stupid.”

            “Percy, you never could have predicted this,” said Silena, sitting down next to him on his bed. “And you achieved something that no other demigod has ever pulled off. You shouldn’t be beating yourself up for it.”

            He grunted, shifting in the bed. “Annabeth and Alex saw it coming.”

            Annabeth, who had positioned herself by his dresser, had been eerily silent since he got back from the underworld. Only now did she open her mouth. “I don’t see why Persephone would need to kill Nico, though. I mean, if someone like Plutus is available, he would be the most natural pick. He’s the son of Hades and Persephone, and he’s got millennia of experience! He would be top choice for Hades… unless there were something else forcing Hades to think otherwise.”

            Percy felt his chest clench, a dull throbbing pain emanating from within. He winced in spite of himself, thinking on Hades’ oath on the Styx. “Right, well… you never know, I guess.”

            Annabeth raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

            He averted his gaze. “Gods are just… complicated.”

Annabeth’s eyes lingered on him for a few seconds, but she turned away after the silence persisted. “If that’s the case, maybe Persephone would do something. But it would be a risky move, particularly in light of this vote. All of Olympus is paying attention, and Hades might react negatively if she took such a drastic measure.”

Percy sighed, clapping his hands together. “Well, I need to take a walk. This is all going to my head.”

“You’re still on curfew,” shot Annabeth.

“Eh,” shrugged Silena. “Do we really need to enforce it now?”

Annabeth’s cheeks grew bright red as she clenched her fists. “Yes, we need to enforce it now! Silena, he makes his stupidest plans in the heat of the moment!”

“I’m just taking a walk in the forest!” he said. “Jeez!”

Annabeth crossed her arms. “Alright… just be back before curfew.”

He shook his head, making his way out the door. By the time he reached the forest, the sky had grown dim, and the rustling of the wind had picked up such that tree limbs shook all around him. He clutched Riptide instinctively, though he felt his magic would be more than enough to take on any monster that showed itself.

As he got deeper into the forest, a strange fog began to emerge from the trees, rising just above his ankles. He popped open Riptide, brandishing the sword, but he saw no movements, heard no sound. Eyes narrowing, he trudged forward, hands still clutching at his sword.

In the distance he caught sight of a figure moving towards him. “Who are you?” he called, but the figure seemed to dissipate into smoke, sinking down into the fog. He froze, waiting, deep breaths, eyes darting across the terrain.

Something jumped up from the fog.

He screamed, breaking into a sprint back towards camp. He looked back at the thing in the mist. It looked humanoid, but had no discernible features to speak of, like a walking silhouette of mist. He didn’t stop running until he emerged from the forest, approaching the cabins. Still, as he came to a stop, he noted that the fog had covered the whole of the camp, and many other campers seemed to have noticed, including Annabeth and Silena. Upon seeing him, Annabeth frowned, her hand instinctively scratching the top of her knife.

He threw up his hands. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Right,” said Annabeth. She rolled her eyes. This was so frequent an excuse that she rarely accepted it. “So… how was your walk, Percy?”

“A ghost attacked me!” said Percy. “A fog monster, I guess?”

“You’re not the only one!” said Clarisse, marching towards him. “Something came at me as I was leaving the cabin! I punched at it, and it disappeared, but I doubt anything happened to it.”

“I don’t recall any myths that would help,” muttered Annabeth, stroking lightly at her chin. “Maybe Hades is angry, but I don’t know how he’d do this.”

“So what do we do?” asked Alex. “It doesn’t seem like we can fight this thing.”

Annabeth’s head snapped up, squinting at Clarisse and Percy. “Is this thing aggressive?”

“Yes,” said Percy. “It jumped at me.” Clarisse shook her head in agreement.

“Was it trying to attack you?” asked Annabeth. “Because if you can’t touch it, there’s no proof that it can touch you.”

Clarisse craned her neck at Annabeth. “So, what, we just go on living with that thing? Am I supposed to sleep with mist curling around my bed tonight?”

“No,” said Annabeth. “We’ll monitor it in shifts. If everyone sleeps out here and we rotate, we can keep a good eye on it.”

“Maybe we should split up by cabin,” said Katie Gardener, taking a tentative step forward. “I mean, Percy can join with someone else, but the fog doesn’t seem to be going inside. Wouldn’t that be safer?”

“We’d be split up, Katie,” said Annabeth. “If anything happens to one cabin, we won’t know until it’s too late.”

“We can handle ourselves,” she said. “Really. I’m sure it will be fine.”

Annabeth moved towards her. “Katie, that’s kind of an odd suggestion to be making right now. Is something going on you want to tell me about?”

“This isn’t just a matter for the Athena cabin to decide,” said Katie, the words pouring out of her mouth with surprising speed. “And besides, your strategy assumes it will balk at taking on multiple people. Maybe that’s exactly what it wants. Instead, we should be adopting a strategy that considers both options – assembling in defensible groups, but with enough of them that we can aid each other if that thing attacks one group.”

Clarisse shrugged. “She’s got a point.”

Annabeth sighed. “Alright. But I’m grabbing a few people to check on everyone’s cabin. Percy, Clarisse, Silena, you’re all with me.” They got behind her, Katie breathing a sigh of relief. The campers began moving back to their cabins, closing the doors to block out the fog.

“I didn’t volunteer to be out in the ghost fog,” muttered Clarisse. “For the record.”

Annabeth took a deep breath in, the grey bags underneath her eyes showing underneath the torchlight. “Clarisse, I’ve been monitoring Percy for the past two days, barely getting any sleep. I don’t need you complaining about one assignment before you’ve even done it.” Clarisse pursed her lips, but she didn’t say anything in response. Annabeth continued on. “We should check the Demeter cabin. I still think Katie was acting shady.”

Clarisse frowned, shaking her head. “You shouldn’t antagonize her. And there’s no indication that she’s doing anything wrong. If she were a spy, I doubt her cabin would go along with it. Unless they’re all spies.”

“But don’t you think it’s odd?” said Annabeth. “I mean, she only brought up strategy after I pressed her. It was like she was hiding something in her cabin. And I want to find out what.”

As she said this, the fog began to recede from around their feet, conglomerating around the Demeter cabin. “That’s not good,” said Silena.

“Shit,” said Annabeth. “We need to get over there now.”

They set a rapid pace, kicking up dirt as they raced to the door of the Demeter cabin, practically barreling it down. The campers inside were huddled together on top of their bunk beds, weapons in hand, eerily scanning the fog below. Katie stood below, her eyes wide with horror as she tried desperately to fan the fog away.

“Katie, why is this thing targeting your cabin?” called Annabeth. “There has to be some reason–

“I don’t know!” screamed Katie, her eyes a bit wet. She glared at Annabeth. “Why won’t you just trust me?”

Annabeth gesticulated to the floor where the fog was amassing. “Maybe it has something to do with ethereal fog on the ground–

She jumped back as the fog began consolidating rapidly, the plumes rushing about the room with intensity right in front of Percy. The mass was humanoid for a few seconds, and then, he could see more clearly that it had taken the shape of a young woman. Her body had become opaquer, though it bore a heavy gray tint that made her look not quite alive. She gave Percy an awkward smile, which might have been alright if he wasn’t already convinced she was going to drag him down to the depths of Hell.

“So you’re Perseus Jackson,” she said, circling him with an eerie smile on her face. She had a breathy voice, pronouncing her words at a slow, whimsical pace, and her feet floated just above ground level. “You’ve pulled off quite a feat.”

Percy blushed. Annabeth cleared her throat. “Um… who would you be, exactly?” There was a sharp edge to her comment.

The woman turned to Annabeth. Her smile had not changed since manifesting, fixed in position. “My name is Melinoe,” she said, curtsying to Annabeth. “I am looking for Nico Di Angelo. I believe he is your friend?”

“Haven’t seen him,” said Katie, a little too quickly. “Normally he hangs out in Hades. You should probably look there.”

“Mmm, I know,” said Melinoe. “I’ve seen him practicing magic at the entrance to the underworld. He’s such a dedicated student. It would be a shame for all of that talent to go to waste.”

The demigods exchanged awkward glances between themselves, and finally Annabeth piped up again. “Um… yeah. So since he’s not here, perhaps you should try somewhere else? Like that underworld passage where you like to… watch him.”

Melinoe turned her attention back to Annabeth, shaking her head no. “He’s not in the underworld. I know that much. I’ll have to keep looking–

“How about you stop looking, huh?” asked Percy. Annabeth shot him an annoyed look, but he pressed forward. “I don’t care if it’s your job to surveil Nico; whoever set you up to it is probably going to face the wrath of Hades when he finds out–

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” said Melinoe. “It is time for Nico to join me for all eternity.”

“Join you?” asked Annabeth. Her eyes widened. “Wait… you’re the goddess of ghosts and spirits!”

“That’s it!” said Percy, drawing Riptide from his pocket. “I’m not going to let you–

“STOP!”

Everyone’s eyes turned to a lump of bedsheets on the bottom bunk. Katie looked pale as one by one, the bedsheets were thrown off, and Nico emerged, stepping in between Percy and Melinoe. “It’s alright. This is how things have to be.”

“It’s not alright!” screamed Percy. “There’s no way in Hell I’m letting her take you!”

Melinoe frowned. “But I–

“I don’t care whatever your task is, I don’t–

“Shut up!” said Nico, placing himself in front of Percy’s face. “You pulled this off, and now we have to face the consequences. But I’m not going to let any other campers get hurt, alright? This is my business – not yours!”

Percy gritted his teeth. He wasn’t about to let Nico die. But at the same time… “Melinoe, do what you came to do. But I’ll be watching what happens to Nico. You can ask Hades what’ll happen if anything bad happens to him.”

Melinoe’s smile faded. “You’ve done my father a great service, Perseus Jackson. I can put aside the disrespect for now.” She turned to Nico, floating eerily close to him, her smile returned. “Hello, brother.”

Nico raised an eyebrow. “So… what is it you want, exactly?”

She took his hand, her smile growing larger. “You’re a wonderful practitioner of magic, you know. I can see the focus you put into it, how your movements are all so precise. It’s inspiring, really.”

“Right,” said Nico, blushing a bit at the compliment. “Uh, thanks. Now Persephone must’ve asked you to find me, so–

“Well, mother did ask that, and I should contact her,” said Melinoe, turning away from him. “But there’s no need to rush. Besides, I figured it would be nice to have some time to get to know each other. I mean, if you are to spend all time with me–

Annabeth, her eyes narrowing with suspicion, coughed. “I’m sorry, you’re taking Nico to be a ghost… right?”

Melinoe turned to Annabeth, cocking her head at an angle. “Well, no. That’s not really necessary. I can manifest a physical form if I need, and there’s no reason for him to become a ghost for us to get married.”

Nico blushed. “Married?” he squeaked.

Melinoe batted her lashes at him, giggling. “Well, not right away. But the heir to Hades will need a consort eventually. That is why mother sent me… I think.”

“Uh… Melinoe,” began Nico, “You’re very… pretty and all. But we’re half-siblings. We have the same father.”

Melinoe gave Nico a faraway look with her glassy eyes. “My mother is my cousin. My father is my great-uncle. It won’t be a problem!” The room was silent for a few seconds, all eyes on Nico.

“Right,” said Nico. “Well… maybe we should talk about this after speaking to Persephone. It’s just a little sudden is all…

“Ah, I see,” said Melinoe, blushing. “I didn’t mean to surprise you. I just thought it would be obvious. Hades has no other female children, and I thought he would’ve talked to you about maintaining our familial line.”

“I’m sorry, you keep saying ‘heir to Hades,’” said Percy. “I don’t think… Hades never mentioned anything about this.”

Melinoe blinked. “Really? Mother mentioned it to me a few days ago. I would have thought he knew by now.” She looked around the room, all of the demigods staring at her. “Well… I guess I ought to call her.” She muttered something under her breath in Greek, paused for a moment, and then there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” called Katie, her voice almost hoarse at this point.

Persephone stepped through the door, taking one glance at Nico. “Well, I’ll commend you on the hiding spot. I never would’ve thought to check here.”

“Yeah, well, I asked Katie for some help,” said Nico.

“Woah,” said Percy, coughing to hide his amusement. Nico shot him a dirty look.

“Yeah, we’re pretty friendly given that we compare notes about gardening,” muttered Nico.

Persephone didn’t bother trying to hide her amusement. “Uh huh. That’s cute. Look, in case Melinoe hasn’t already told you, I’m not trying to kill you. Your father and I talked, and we think you would make a fitting heir.”

“But you have two immortal children,” said Percy. “I don’t understand why–

“Both of our children roam the earth,” said Persephone. “Melinoe haunts the earth at night, and Plutus is the god of wealth. But aside from Charon’s fees, there’s not a lot he can spend it on down underground. Nico, by virtue of being only Hades’ child, is more fit to live in the underworld than one of my own. And he’s also a part of the family, for what it’s worth.”

“Well, I’m honored,” said Nico. “That you would gravitate to me so easily. And, um… consider me a natural match for your daughter.”

Persephone gave Melinoe a strange look. “What did you tell him?”

“Well, I wanted to get to know my new husband, and–

“Dear, Nico’s heart is taken,” said Persephone gently. “I didn’t mean to give you that impression.”

“Oh,” said Melinoe, frowning. She looked back to Nico. “Are you sure I can’t convince you otherwise? I would love to spend time with you while you train during the day. And you could join me on my haunts at night!”

Nico blushed. “I, uh… it’s–

“Dear,” said Persephone. “He’s just a boy. Don’t push him into a corner.”

Melinoe frowned. “Mother, I don’t get to meet many mortals. They run away from spirits!”

            “We can find you a husband, dear, but I think Nico’s really got his eyes on someone,” said Persephone. “And there are other mortals around who I’m sure would love to spend some time with you!”

            Melinoe’s face fell a bit, but she turned to Nico. “Well, whoever this woman is, she’s lucky to have someone like you. I do hope you’ll say hi when I pass by at night, though. It gets rather lonely with only the dead.”

            “Of course,” said Nico. “And maybe I could help set you up with someone. I mean, given his track record, Alex might take to you...”

            Annabeth jolted upright. “Huh? What’s that mean?”

            “It’s a long story,” muttered Percy.

            Persephone rolled her eyes. “Well, if the two of you are ready, I think we should go see your father. As you can imagine, Nico, there’s a lot to talk about.”

            He smiled. “I guess so, Seph.”

            She laughed, turning to Percy. “I know why you were nervous, and normally lashing out at two goddesses in one day is a bad idea. But you’ve done Hades a great service, and the same for me in turn. Our realm has never been brighter. I owe you my thanks, Percy.”

            “Oh, uh… it’s nothing,” said Percy.

            “Alright, let’s go you two!” said Persephone. Melinoe nodded, and then she and Persephone disappeared.

            Nico gave Percy a thumbs-up. “You pulled it off without a hitch, Percy. Nice job.” And then, he shadow-traveled out of the room, leaving the demigods alone.

Chapter Text

Chapter 22

A New Order

            As the morning light sifted through Percy’s blinds, the sound of twittering birds gave the room a light and airy feeling. He smiled. Sitting in the silence, it all felt rather bucolic. But as he made his way to his dresser and pushed Silena’s book out of the way to grab his deodorant, he couldn’t quite tell why things seemed so peaceful.

            He opened the door, noticing someone seated on his doorstep. “Morning, Percy,” said Travis, rising to greet him. “You’re wanted in the dining area.”

            “Thanks,” said Percy. Then he realized it. “Hey, where are Silena and Annabeth?”

            “Oh, Chiron’s called off your house arrest,” said Travis. “Sorry about that.”

            “Sorry?” asked Percy, cocking his head. “It’s a house arrest, Travis.”

            “Right, right, of course,” said Travis, nodding his head a little too slowly. He made a face of mock seriousness. “It must be so painful having two hot girls watching you at every moment.” There was a moment of silence between them, Percy smiling nervously. The mock seriousness faded from Travis’s face. “You know, the Percy Jackson I knew probably would’ve gotten a kick out of that.”

            Percy laughed a bit, scratching his head. “To be honest, I guess I was too preoccupied to think of it that way.”

            “Motherfucker,” muttered Travis, walking ahead of him. “Lucky son of a bitch.”

            He trailed a bit behind Travis until they made it to the dining area, trying to avoid the copious string of swear words emanating from him. All of the other demigods were there, and Chiron and Mr. D were chatting amiably on stage. When they spotted Percy, both smiled at each other, quickly returning to their discussion. Percy waved at Mr. D, and the camp director raised an eyebrow in his direction, but otherwise ignored him.

            “I guess some things never really change,” muttered Percy as he made his way to the Poseidon table. Mr. D had rid it of vines, though, which Percy appreciated. Grover sat down next to him.

“What’s going on?” asked Percy.

“Big announcement,” said Grover. “I think they’re planning a celebration of some kind to welcome Hades into the council.”

Chiron cleared his throat, lulling the voices of the spirited campers. “As you all probably know, Olympus has elected Hades to the council. Hades accepted the position and all its attached conditions today. In honor of this historic event, the council will host a two-day festival in Olympus starting later today, beginning with his inauguration. I’ve been tasked with transporting you there. We’re leaving by noon, so please pack your things, and wake up your siblings that like to sleep in. That is all.”

Chiron waved to them, and the crowd dispersed. Mr. D began making his way out of the cafeteria, and Grover watched him cautiously. “Wow. To think he was the final vote.”

Percy, blushing a little, forced himself to get out of his seat and approach Mr. D. He reached out his hand tentatively, watching it float in the air for a few seconds until it gently brushed Dionysus’ arm. “Um, sir…

“Hmm?” asked Dionysus, as if he had not even realized the demigod was there. “Oh, there you are, Perry.”

Percy cleared his throat. “I really appreciate your help with the council,” he said. “I… never quite expected it, to be honest. But I wanted to try starting anew after all that… I mean, I know you like to call me Perry and all, but–

“I knew I shouldn’t have helped you!” erupted Dionysus, stomping his foot against the ground. “The first thing you ask me for after that is another favor! Will the requests ever stop?”

Percy straightened in surprise, then he smiled. In some ways, Mr. D’s bluster reminded him of a theater teacher getting a little too into it. “You know what, you’re right. I can live with Perry. But, uh… I’m just really curious about one thing.”

Dionysus let out a long, weighty sigh, furrowing his bushy eyebrows. “Oh, alright, what is it?”

“Why’d you make me drunk after I talked to you?”

“So that you’d fall asleep faster,” said Dionysus. “Otherwise, who knows how long you would have been nagging me to vote for Hades? No, best to bypass all that. You’re more ‘bleeding heart’ than lobbyist, child.”

“Oh, yeah,” said Percy. “Well, uh… thank you, sir.”

“Don’t mention it. Seriously. I have a reputation to uphold.” He walked away, leaving Percy staring at his back.

“Gods,” muttered Grover, sneaking up behind him. “It’s like talking to two different people.”

Percy smiled. “No… I think he’s nice, underneath it all.”

OoOoOoOoO

            The commute to Olympus was a cut and dry matter, and Percy, perhaps overwhelmed by all the attention, fell asleep in the back of Argus’ car. He was accustomed to portentous dreams, so he wasn’t surprised to see Kronos. But this time, the Titan didn’t seem to notice him. He looked younger, if that were possible. His eyes burned brighter, and his body seemed more human than magma giant.

            He let out a deep, weighty sigh. “What’d they do to him, Abby?”

            A woman with dark skin approached him, her eyes welling with tears. “He made it all the way to Nebraska territory, Kro. Thought he was home free. But the hunters found him with their dogs. He wouldn’t go. Went out fighting. Bullet to the head.”

            Kronos winced. “Ah, damnit.”

            “Damnit,” she said, tonguing the word gently on her lips. “Damnit, damnit, that’s all you can say?” Her voice rose to a shriek. “He was our son! Don’t you care, you big sack?” She kicked the side of his body, as if that would do anything, and his leg shifted about half an inch. Kronos rose to his feet, biting his lips, hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

            “It’s not all I want to say,” he moaned. “But yes, it’s all I can say. That’s what immortality does to you. I’m sorry.”

            Abigail took a deep breath in. “I get that, Kro. And I can forgive you that.” He gritted his teeth, his face bunching up in agony. “But gods damnit, you can do something. And you know what you can do. They got Lincoln on the run. He needs your help.”

            “Abby–

            “Do you love our son?”

            “It’s not about loving our son!” said Kronos. “It’s about fighting against most of the gods! I’ve been on the run; I can’t just–

            “What’s life on the run if you can’t see your sons grow up?” she bellowed through misty eyes. “Oh, I forgot. We’re just playthings to you. You’re a God!”

            “That’s not… that’s not true!” he said. She turned from him, walking away, but he strode along next to her, pleading his case. “Abby, I do care! Gods know I care! I just…

            She refused to look at him, her eyes dead set forward as she tried to walk faster than him. “If you care, you’d be up North right now. I don’t want to see your face around here anymore. We’re fine down here, soon as you drive Lee into his grave like they did my boy.”

            He closed his eyes, taking a seat in front of the grave. “Nine of the gods are fighting for the Confederacy. The chances we win are–

            “Damn the chances!” she said, coming to a stop. She scrunched her face in pain. “And Kro, I’ve known you long enough to know what immortals are like. He’s not the only son you have with skin like mine.”

            Kronos opened his mouth, but only breath left, like wind whistling through an empty husk.

            “I can forgive you that, Kro. I can forgive almost everything. And all those dead boys and girls can forgive almost everything, too. But there’s one thing to be done. Lincoln’s standing up to his mom.” She set that look on him that he knew so well, and it made him feel ashamed. It washed up feelings of Rhea’s hate, and the vengeful looks of his sons as they cast him into Tartarus. He balled his fists.

            “I’ll go,” he said, lips parting faintly.

            Abigail’s face softened, her cheeks growing hot. “You know I think the world of you, right? I know I said those mean things, but I can deal with all of it. I just,” her eyes watered, and she rushed to his side to embrace him, “I just want to see my baby again.”

            “And you will, my love,” he said, cradling her head in his arm. “In due time. Who knows… you may even live to see yourself completely free one day. If the Fates are kind, anyways.”

            “No,” she said, “the Fates have been kind. If you’re up there fighting, I know you’ll win.”

            He said nothing, gaze drifting over the rest of the dilapidated graveyard. In his own mind, he wondered whether it could be pulled off. He had heard Lincoln was brilliant and had appointed one of Hermes’ finest sons to the Union army. But he still feared the might of the gods. He still felt the sting of their cold steel against his chest from so long ago.

            The scene changed. It was a tombstone, a feeble, crumbling little thing, jutting out from the mud at an odd angle. Rain poured down, turning the earth to mud. Percy found himself present in this dream and standing next to him was Kronos, holding an umbrella over the two of them.

            “She never saw his real gravesite,” muttered Kronos. “I convinced her not to. It would’ve been too dangerous to go back.”

            “You think this is enough to sway me?” asked Percy. His tone was harsh, but the edges of his voice trembled, as if sensing the weakness in his resolve.

            “What, you want to see what they did to him?” asked Kronos, glancing down at the boy with a cold, sardonic smile. “I didn’t believe her when she said they shot him in the head. That’s probably what the observers told her to cover up what happened. And as the god of time, I am privy to visions of the past.” He waited for a few seconds, letting it sink in. His voice began to shake. “Do you want to see what I saw, Percy?”

            Percy was silent, the sound of the rain splattering against the ground filling up the empty air. Kronos didn’t really need to show him anything; he could imagine some of the things they did to his son, or the things they might’ve done to Abby.

Kronos gave a slow, deep chuckle. “Right. That’s what I thought.”

“It’s been a long time since then,” said Percy, the anger rising in his throat. “And you’re the one who started this war. Who killed so many of my friends–

“Luke was your friend, wasn’t he?” asked Kronos. “It was the gods who killed him – Ares, who stabbed him like he was just another tool for the–

“You lost!” erupted Percy, twisting towards the titan in fury. Up close, he could see Kronos’ appalled face clearly. “I told you the gods could change, I lobbied the council, and proved you wrong! You thought I’d fucking screw up! And yeah, you’re right, Ares was pretty shitty. But last I checked a war with the gods hasn’t been without casualties either.”

“You still don’t understand?” barked Kronos. His eyes fluttered as he grimaced, shaking his head. Turning back to Percy, there was a disappointment about him, much like what Percy had seen on Chiron’s face long ago, as a teacher. “Changing one god will not change the way the council operates. They support whatever helps them in the moment; yesterday it was slavery, today it’s supporting you, tomorrow it might be sacrificing more of your friends in a war between them!” He moved away from his son’s grave, clenching the umbrella so tightly in his fist that it snapped, the dilapidated pieces falling to the ground and leaving the two of them soaking in rain. “They’ll keep using you up like I did them. And they’ll go for you first. You have a target on your back now, Jackson. The Olympians hate change.”

“I bet against you once,” said Percy, his eyes knit with determination.

After a moment, Kronos snickered, turning to Percy with a clenched fist. Though he smiled, he looked pissed, his voice falling to a low, growling tone. “Then let me remind you where I’ve been the past two millennia. I brought the glory days to Rome, supported the heyday of this country, and helped more human achievements than you can count. Before my nephew brought fire to your people, I taught them to strive for greater things. I stood by Lincoln in a time of injustice, and when you need me, I will be there, hand outstretched. Take my side, and I can free you from the sins of Olympus.” He then frowned; a dark pallor cast over his face. “But bear in mind that every moment you hesitate, my army gets weaker. My ability to protect you from the gods and ensure a brighter future for your friends and generations of demigods, diminishes. So take your sweet time fantasizing that the gods will play along with you. It’s not like anyone ever got hurt waiting for the gods to do the right thing.” He placed his hand on the tilted grave of his dead son, shifting it back into an upright position with a slow, methodical movement. He gave Percy one more chilling look, empty eyes fixed on him with a distant stare. And then he disappeared.

Percy waited for the dream to fade, but it didn’t. Instead, he was left to stare at the dilapidated grave marker and listen to the sound of the pouring rain as his body grew wet. He frowned, noticing dirt smudged on the boy’s grave. A somber look in his eyes, he began to clean it off, fingers scrubbing with an intensity he was unaccustomed to, the rough cut of the dilapidated stone breaking open the skin of his fingers with each forceful scrub.

OoOoOoOoO

            As Percy and other demigods made their way out of their cars, attendants swarmed them like gnats, directing them all over the city. Percy was whisked into a beautiful changing room with oak furniture and velvet carpeting alongside several other demigods. Suits and ties lined the room; they had their pick of clothing. Percy put on his suit, choosing a basic black tie, but one of the attendants stopped him. “You’re to wear a blue tie. You are the son of the sea, after all.”

            Percy looked at the tie in his hands, thinking it was a perfectly good tie, but not wanting to upset anyone. “Alright, sounds fair.”

            “Looks like someone’s getting the royal treatment,” said Alex, nudging him as he tied an expert Eldredge knot. “The rest of us all just get plain black ties. You’re star of the show.”

            “I’d rather not be,” said Percy, memories of his dream still swimming in his head. “This is supposed to be about Hades.”

            “If you’re getting involved in Olympian politics, you’re going to get recognized. You can’t have it both ways.”

            Nico approached them, sporting a red tie and vest. He smiled. “How do I look?”

            “Dashing!” said Alex, grasping both of Nico’s shoulders. “Like half of a bright Christmas card. Now let’s see if we can find that other half, huh?” He turned back to Percy, winking. “Have fun tonight. They’re just making things a bit more formal.”

            “Yeah,” muttered Percy. He tightened his tie and then moved to follow them, but the attendant grabbed him again. “No, you’re to come with me,” he said.

            “But my friends-

            “The ceremony involves you,” said the attendant. He yanked Percy by the arm behind a back door, leading him to a small waiting room. Thalia was the only other person in the room, and she looked ready to skin someone alive. She was wearing a yellow dress as bright as a sunflower. He could not help cracking a smile, in spite of himself.

            “I’ll murder you,” she said, eyes bearing down into his soul.

            “And I got concerned over the tie,” he said, taking a seat next to her and shaking his head. “So, what, the children of the Big Three get the spotlight tonight?”

            “I think so,” she said. “But Nico’s not here.”

            “I guess we’ll find out why.”

            The attendant, tapping his foot in the corner, flicked his wrist out to check his watch. “You’re live in three minutes, you two.”

            “Live?” asked Percy.

            “This is a historic occasion,” said the attendant, marching over to straighten the creases on his pants. “So I want you both looking sharp.”

            “The whole world gets to see me in this?” asked Thalia, raising the ends of her dress like rags to feed a garbage fire. “I don’t know what my Dad was thinking. Percy, kill me now.”

            “I think I’ll pass,” he said, tightening his tie knot a little bit. “No need for World War III. Don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic?”

            “Maybe,” sighed Thalia, dropping the dress in defeat. “I’d hoped that by joining the Hunters, I wouldn’t have to deal with any of this shit, y’know? That I could escape it somehow. Heh. Damn it.”

            “Naïve, Ms. Grace,” said the attendant, stuying his nails with practiced disinterest. “I’m afraid there’s no escaping Lord Zeus’s fashion sense. Now I suggest you two make like cousins and pretend you’re having a good time. When you walk out that door, follow directions to your assigned places. When they call your names, walk on stage, and don’t get nervous.”

            “Great,” sighed Thalia. “Real simple. Percy, let’s do this.” She grabbed his hand, her grip like a vice, and walked him towards the door. A rush of people grabbed them by the shoulders, all diamond white smiles too big to be natural. They were shoved into place, waited for a few seconds, and then heard their names.

            Hand in hand, they brushed away the red felt, stepping into an oversize spotlight. A massive crowd, the gods at the head of it, broke into wild cheering. A voice blared over the loudspeaker, nearly popping Percy’s ears. In the pandemonium, he noticed the voice seemed oddly familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. Squinting, he spotted Poseidon clapping wildly, giving Percy a thumbs-up. But Zeus didn’t look nearly as thrilled – he seemed confused about something.

            The announcer’s voice wound the crowd up with long, drawn out syllables. “Folks, we are welcoming Percy Jackson and Thalia Grace, demigods borne to Poseidon and Zeus respectively. Together, they’re welcoming upcoming botanist Nico Di Angelo to the stage in a show of solidarity! Put it together for these magnificent demigods!”

            A veil of applause blocked out most other sound as another attendant pushed Nico forward from the audience, and he climbed onto the stage, waving at everyone. Percy stepped forward instinctively, smiling. “How are you doing?”

            “Well, they’re a little rough on the merchandise,” he said, nodding towards the attendants. “But otherwise, I’m fine.”

            “And what are we supposed to do?” whispered Percy.

            “Welcome me,” shrugged Nico. “As you normally would.”

            Percy glanced out at the audience, flashing them a smile. “Okay,” he said, wrapping his arms around Nico. Thalia followed, and the crowd erupted with applause. Nico freed himself, grabbing both of their hands, and rose their arms in unison.

            “Together, these three demigods have set the stage for a new era of peace and prosperity,” the voice continued. “Thalia Grace, whose spirit protected Camp Half-Blood for years, ensured peace for a generation of demigods. Before her brave sacrifice, monsters prowled Long Island Sound hoping to catch demigods unawares. Only now do they have the protection they desperately need. And she now serves as a proud lieutenant of Artemis, putting her life on the line to hunt down threats to peace. Thalia, please take a bow!”

            She rolled her eyes, nudging Percy slightly. “Well, if they insist…” She bowed, but as she did so, a haunting feeling rose in Percy’s chest. He knew that voice, and worse, he knew it to be unsettling.

            “Nico Di Angelo,” boomed the voice, “has been working to integrate the Olympian world with the underworld. On moving in with his father, he developed hundreds of new plant species that can survive underground, bringing Persephone a piece of home to her winter residence.” Persephone rolled her eyes at that, giving Nico a thumbs-up. “This new horticulture has brought renewed life to the land of the dead, attracting more tourists than ever before. And he plans to step up and help his father rule the underworld. Nico, please take a bow!”

            Nico waved to the crowd, then taking a subdued bow. Percy waited for the voice to say something about him… something terrible, perhaps? He grimaced, which the audience seemed to take as stage fright. It played well, prompting them to clap.

            “Our reserved hero Perseus Jackson has served on countless quests to avert the destruction of Olympus, and it seems he has taken a recent interest in politics! He orchestrated Hades’ induction into the council to reconcile the Big Three, prevent the gruesome conflicts of the past century, and ensure better representation of demigods in the council. Despite personal risk of punishment for these illegal actions, Percy bravely pushed forward the legislation to protect his friends and comrades and ensure a fairer future for demigods in Olympian society. Percy, please take a bow!”

            He froze, the Big Three looking on expectantly. The crowd waited with bated breath as his lips trembled, anxiety rising in his stomach. Where did he know that voice from? And what was it doing here, outside the… the Labyrinth?

            “Hey,” hissed Thalia, nudging him, “you gonna bow, Seaweed Brain?”

            Embarrassed, Percy bowed, but the crowd seemed to love his ‘showmanship.’ He rose quickly, gripping Thalia’s shoulder. “Something’s wrong.”

            “Yeah, you’ve gotten a little full of yourself,” she muttered, her lips upturned with distaste.

            “That wasn’t… do you recognize his voice?” Thalia still looked unconvinced, but Nico looked like he was trying hard to remember something.

            “These three demigods represent a new era in Olympian history,” said the voice, savoring the last few words. “A generation stepping up to the plate to ensure peace.”

            Nico nodded slowly. “The labyrinth.”

            “Where the gods had failed to provide inroads and ensure peace, their children have stepped up to do it for them,” continued the announcer. The gods and the crowd grew silent. Zeus rose from his seat, heading for the rafters. “The new generation of demigods look promising. That is, if they can continue to make strides in the Olympian council.”

            Percy drew his sword. “Ethan Nakamura.” He was sure of it. And then, the lights in the building went dark. The other gods were approaching the stage, following Zeus, but they were pushed back by an explosive force. The room lit up with a bright orange glow, a large screen of light appearing on stage. Inside the screen’s light, Percy could make out Kronos’ smiling face.

            “A hearty congratulations to this new generation of demigods,” he said, clapping. “I failed. My children failed. But somehow, they have worked tirelessly to ensure peace. Who would be better to remake Olympian society, after all? They’ve seen all of its flaws firsthand.”

            “SILENCE!” roared Zeus, and with a thrust of his muscled right arm, he hurled a lightning bolt at the screen. But it flew through it, prompting Kronos to laugh. The screen seemed to shine brighter in response, and Kronos’ voice just magnified.

            “Oh, my son, always so headstrong. Quite frankly, if you keep up that way, you might just eat your own kids like I did. Or, alternatively, they might just overthrow you, as prophecy suggests.”

            “Come on,” whispered Percy, tugging at his cousins’ arms. “We’ve got to find Nakamura. Or at least get off this stage. We have to stop this.”

            “It doesn’t have a clear source,” said Thalia. “It’s a projection, but there’s no projector it’s coming from. What can we do?”

            Percy paused to think. As he did, Kronos continued. “The demigods have proven themselves worthy to rule Olympus. Worthier than their selfish predecessors. And so, I will offer to them all what I offered to Perseus Jackson, and to Luke before him: join me. When the war is over, I will step aside, and allow you all to rule Olympus as you see fit.”

            “Gods,” muttered Percy. “I’ve heard of Hyper messages, but… I have no idea how they work. I wish Annabeth were here…

            “She’s not, Percy,” said Nico. “But you’ve lobbied the council without her; you can do this too.”

            Percy bit his lip, studying the light that formed Kronos’s face. “She would say… something about light. About… about things that could change it, or–

            “In water!” said Thalia. “Percy, you’re a genius!” She paused, considering this. “Wow, never thought I’d say that. Look if you douse this thing in water, the light will be all muddled. You just need a source!”

            “Alright,” said Percy. “Nico, it looks like the party venue is shot. Do you think you could get everyone outside? It’d be great if we could salvage this.”

            “Leave that to me!” said Thalia. “I’ve led the Hunters in battle; I think I can lead a conga line at a party.”

            Percy nodded. He dashed off to the bathroom, pulling a massive amount of water out of the sink. Dragging it onto the stage, he covered up the Hyper message, and the light distorted, the image of Kronos becoming indiscernible. His voice was still strong, but Percy managed to yell over it. “HEY! PARTY’S OUTSIDE!”

            The crowd cheered, racing from the doors. As the room grew emptier, he caught Athena staring his way, looking at the flooded screen. Eyes wide, she nodded to Percy before quickly racing out. Zeus raced towards him, flashing a smile. “Quick thinking, Percy! Any idea how to occupy them?”

            “Pray Athena’s good with parties?”

            “It’s passable for now,” muttered Zeus. “But she’s not a conventional entertainer.”

            “I’ll handle the screen,” said Poseidon, rushing to his son’s side. Hades followed close behind. “You’ve done well, Percy. We’re proud of you. Hades, accompany him. With luck, we can complete the ceremony outside.”

            Hades nodded. “Right. We ought to go, Percy.”

            They raced briskly to the doors, and upon stepping outside, their eyes caught a makeshift obsidian stage set up in the plaza, alongside a number of chairs. The obsidian rafters were hung with blue vines sprouting pink flowers, forming curtains of sorts.

            Zeus raced out after them, Athena joining him again. Athena took one look at the stage and looked ready to be sick. “Oh, gods, he’s churned up the pavement–

            “And may have just saved the ceremony,” said Zeus. “Come, brother. Let’s make it official on stage!”

            They raced up there, Zeus yelling, “OLYMPUS!” at the top of his lungs to silence the crowd. “Even after all this time, the Titans continue to try and split us up. Well, Kronos’s stomach couldn’t split us up back then, so he’s certainly not going to stop us today! I am thrilled to welcome Hades, Lord of the Underworld, bearer of the Helm of Darkness, and my dearest elder brother, into our pantheon!”

            Applause burst forth, a wild uproar ascending over the city. Caterers poured out of the party venue, balancing trays of food and drink on both hands, and laid them out on makeshift tables in the city center. The Muses took the stage once Zeus and Hades descended, breaking out into song with their powerful voices. The crowd began to dance.

            Percy watched all of this with wonder, unable to suppress the smile growing on his face. Someone put an arm around his shoulder. “Damn,” said Apollo, patting Percy on the back. “You’ve really outdone yourself.”

            “Thanks,” breathed Percy, finally emitting a sigh of relief.

            “It’s gonna be a real party tonight, I’m sure,” said the sun god. “Maybe you could… finally have that dance?”

            Percy smiled. “Have you seen her anywhere?”

            Apollo kicked at the ground, the right edge of his lip curling up playfully. “I might have caught sight of her.” He looked over at Percy, winking. “She’s over that way.”

            “Appreciate it, Apollo!” said Percy, briskly moving away from him.

            “Hey, tell her I said hi!” said Apollo, giving him a thumbs-up and his golden smile. “And hey, you deserve to have a good time after tonight!”

            He rushed towards the back end of the crowd, finally finding her. She smiled at him, squeezing his hand. “Nice save, Seaweed Brain.”

            He hugged her gently. “Thanks. I was thinking… we might as well dance, right?”

            She grabbed his shoulder with her free arm, giggling a bit. “Alright, let’s dance.”

            They pulled together and began moving. Percy, eyes locked on Annabeth, tilted his head close to her. “Gods, this is long overdue.”

            “Yeah,” she said, touching her forehead to his. “You know, anyone who didn’t know your name already will definitely know it now.”

            “Uh huh,” muttered Percy, glancing away from her. “Well, it’s a lot to think about.”

            Her voice dropped to a low whisper, and she leaned close to his ear. “Are you nervous?”

            “Sure,” said Percy. He frowned. “Are you?”

            “A little,” she admitted, shrugging. “Things are already getting more complicated.”

            He glanced up at the sky, pursing his lips. “We’ll get through it all,” he said, a bit forcefully. “I mean, we always do. You’ve saved our butts countless times… Circe, Atlas. We lived through that.”

            “I guess you’re right,” she said, pulling him in closer. “We don’t need to worry about that right now.” She pressed his lips to hers, causing silence to descend over the party for a second. Then, someone shouted Percy’s name, and the crowd burst into applause. Annabeth drew away, offering a bright smile. She had never kissed him on the lips before… and he liked it… but the limp edges of her smile made him fear something was off. He stepped back a bit, a nervous smile on his face. In the distance, he could see Athena watching, her face completely neutral, her grey eyes enigmas.

            “It’s gotten crowded,” he laughed nervously. “You want to sit down somewhere… more private?”

            “Sure,” she said. He grabbed her hand, and the crowd parted as they made their way out of the center of the party. People patted them on their backs and greeted them, and even Aphrodite winked at Percy. Only Silena seemed to sense something was wrong, so she shoved people out of the way so they could finally make their escape. They found a small stone bench to sit on, hand in hand.

            “So,” said Annabeth, her eyes bashful, “I’m a pretty good kisser, aren’t I?”

            “Yeah,” he muttered.

            She slowed a little. “Just… yeah?”

            “You seemed… tired,” he said. “Or… I don’t know… not yourself.” She seemed a bit offended at first, but her anger leveled off. She opened her mouth to say something, but then thought better of it. Percy continued. “I know it was… our first kiss on the lips, but… is something wrong?”

            She gave him a weary smile. “You don’t want to just enjoy the night?”

            “I can’t enjoy the night if you’re… concerned.”

            Annabeth’s shoulders sank as she considered this. “I guess there was a time when I imagined things being simpler,” she muttered.

            “But you’ve always wanted to do more,” said Percy, squeezing her hand. “Now I have this chance, and–

            “I grew up, Percy,” she said, the playful tone of her voice deflating. “Doing more is great, until you start to watch your friends die one by one. I don’t know, it’s all confusing now. But I do know you’re walking right into the prophecy that Grace laid out.”

            He paled, fearing she had heard about Ouranos. “But… it’s not like that–

            “The attention from the Olympians could be really, really bad,” she said. “You’ve done more than even Luke at this point.” She leaned close to him, nearly whispering in his ear. “Please, for my sake, slow down. It’s bad enough you’re the child of the first prophecy. I don’t want to see what happens if you become a threat to the gods. I can’t go through that again.”

            “You know I can’t make promises like that, especially not right now,” said Percy. “What if I need to fight Kronos?”

            “At least compromise with me,” she said. “Nothing unnecessary. Just keep a low profile until the fight with Kronos. Alright?”

            “Okay,” said Percy, his voice gentle. “I won’t stir up any more trouble.

            “Alright,” she said. Her worry seemed to slowly fade, and she squeezed his arm. “I’m amazed by what you’ve done. Really. But I’m even more amazed by who you are. I love you, Percy. And I don’t want to lose you.” She placed her lips on his once more, and the firm press of her lips felt genuine, at peace. They parted, and he took her hand, and together they watched the sun set over Olympus, their heads resting on one another’s shoulders. He let himself slide into the belief that they might develop some sense of permanence and stability. But prophecy was an insatiable god; it would demand more of them.

Chapter Text

Chapter 23

The Straining One

            Annabeth parted with him a little while after the darkness set in. “I’m going to go see what’s going on with the party,” she said. “You should come.”

            He smiled at her, nodding. “I’ll be there in a minute. Go ahead.”

            She nodded, smiling back at him, although she looked just a tad bit skeptical. He watched her leave, eyes turning back towards the blackened sky when she had disappeared. In the back of his mind, he could still see the gravestone, feel the guilt coursing through him.

            He didn’t want to get back up and join the party. In truth, he wanted to bury his head in a pillow and sleep. But he also feared that Annabeth might notice something was wrong. Grunting, he pushed himself off the bench and wandered up the hill.

            The party venue was largely empty, although he did notice Demeter and Hades whispering to each other by the makeshift stage. Athena, too, was there, eyeing the obsidian stage with the same look Annabeth got whenever she saw an objectionable architectural accoutrement.

            “The party’s gone up to the council room,” grunted Hades, nodding towards him.

            “You’re not going?” asked Percy.

            “No,” said the god of the underworld rather matter-of-factly. “Too much to talk about.” Demeter smiled at Percy, raising her glass to him before the two of them returned to their hushed whispers.

            Percy continued on up the hill, noting the statues that adorned the Olympian streets. They were all well-polished, a robust marble that never seemed to lose its luster, and they all praised the gods.

            When he made it to the council room, he pushed open the mighty wooden doors that separated the gods from the rest of the world and stepped inside. The twelve thrones lining the room were empty, and the only light reflecting off of them came from the streetlamps outside. It was surreal to be in there when none of the gods were around; you could sense the overwhelming regal purpose of the room, but it felt eerily as if something were missing.

            He stepped forward, approaching Zeus’s throne, a streak of light cutting diagonally across the otherwise darkened platinum. He stopped, holding his breath before it. It was so polished, so beautiful – the kind of thing that might be kept in Fort Knox, guarded by a legion of hired guns.

            Someone put their hand on his shoulder. “It’s quite something, isn’t it?”

            His lips parted. “It’s a lot of platinum, Lord Zeus.” In fact, he could kind of make out the god’s figure reflected in the metal. It wasn’t a perfect image, but the outline of the bushy beard was a dead giveaway.

            Zeus laughed, patting him on the back. “Yes… I have a penchant for simplicity… but also expensive tastes.” He stepped next to Percy, looking over at him. “You were just admiring it?”

            “I’ve never been here completely alone before,” he muttered.

            “Well, I didn’t mean to interfere–

            “No, it’s fine. It’s creepy when there’s no one here.”

            “Erm, right. I was going to say… party’s down in the catacombs.”

            For a second, Percy was shaken from the trance he seemed to be walking in. “The catacombs? The place where Athena abandoned me? Where all the scrolls are?”

            Zeus scratched at his beard, looking a bit embarrassed. “Well… it is at least modeled after the underworld. It’s symbolic, I suppose.”

            “Oh, right,” said Percy. “Well, I guess I should head there. No sense… wasting time out here.” He began walking towards the entrance. Zeus kept pace, glancing at the boy every now and then.

            “Are you alright?” asked Zeus, voice low and gentle. “This was a massive achievement. I would think you’d be happy–

            “I am, I guess,” shrugged Percy. “But it’s also… sobering. You have your eyes on me now, more than ever before. The Council, I mean. I didn’t really… plan ahead for that. Or even think about it. I just woke up one day and… I was angry and felt helpless. I felt that I needed to do something. Well, now I’ve done it. And I guess I need to realize that there are aftereffects.”

            Zeus pressed his lips together, a flattened smile. “A lesson you learn early on as a god. Anyways, Percy, you really shouldn’t worry about any of that. You’ve done a good job with the celebration and helped us respond to Kronos’s threat. The other gods will understand that… some already do, and most will in time.”

            “Yeah,” muttered Percy. They had reached the bottom of the steps, entering the catacombs. There were minor deities strewn about the inkblot rooms, leaning casually against the walls, sipping from wide-rimmed martini glasses and speaking in low, suggestive tones. From distant rooms, he could hear the louder demigods, who were not allowed to drink, chatting amiably with each other.

            “Well, we’re here,” said Zeus, patting him on the back. “Have some fun. Or a drink. If they ask your age, tell them I’ll smite them.” He left Percy to wander the obsidian halls, passing by various deities whose eyes followed him, curious about the boy who had gotten Hades on the council. Their eyes seemed to pop against the darkness, little galaxies bursting in an otherwise empty cosmos, hushed conversations passing between their lips.

            Aphrodite caught his eye and smiled at him, sipping from her martini elegantly. She was with Ares, who merely grunted at his presence, sufficiently drunk as he was. Percy stopped, looking at them. Ares raised an eyebrow. “Staring’s rude, Jackson.”

            Percy shook his head, pressing his fingers to his temple. “No, I’m… this place just gives me bad memories.”

            “Oh, really?” asked Aphrodite, giggling. “What happened down here?”

            “Luke,” said Percy, pushing the sound out of his mouth with some difficulty.

            Ares was silent, sharp eyes fixed on him. He turned away, downing half a glass of an amber drink. It had a large ice cube in it, hugging the brim. Percy’s eyes remained on Ares, wondering what the god was thinking at the moment. There was the slightest bit of anger in his brain, but… he was more curious than anything. Ares looked up at him again, his mouth curling with distaste. “I’m trying to have a good time, Jackson. Maybe you should take a walk.”

            Percy shrugged, turning his attention away from them. He wandered in the catacombs for some time, growing more and more dazed as he did. He caught sight of other gods – some minor, others whose names he knew. Hephaestus looked displeased. Hera was harder to read. Though he passed by the demigods, their jubilance failed to capture him. Instead, he kept wandering on, sometimes spending minutes pacing through completely empty rooms.

            Finally, he emerged from the catacombs, stepping back out into the empty throne room, the thrones towering over him. He made his way out into the midnight air, reflecting on what he had seen inside. He didn’t know exactly what he had been looking for, in truth. To know the gods better? To understand something he was missing? It didn’t matter.

            He made his way down the mountain, the gentle breeze tickling him as he passed into the outskirts of the city. The wind seemed to guide him towards the location he was seeking. Ouranos’s house was unassuming, and he took pleasure in knocking gently on the normal-sized door. A slat-opened at eye level, O’s spiraling eyes peeking out, staring intently at Percy. A series of unlatchings occurred, each lock clicking gently as it opened, and the door swung open. Ouranos beckoned him in.

            The deity took one look at his dreary appearance, and he grunted in the direction of a nearby chair. “Have a seat. I’ll bring you some tea.” Percy watched him steep the herbs for a few minutes, and then watched the stream of translucent green liquid pour out of the kettle, the steam rising up from it. “It’s rare for you to visit me in person. And possibly not wise.”

            Percy ignored his last comment, glancing away from the god. “Kronos visited me in a dream. He likes to taunt me, usually, but this time was different. This time… he showed me his son’s grave.”

            Ouranos waited for a moment, his voice falling to a gentle timbre. “Which son?”

            “I don’t know. But he was a slave,” muttered Percy.

            Ouranos’s eyes remained locked on him. Slowly, the god took his teacup, sipping it thoughtfully. “You’re having second thoughts about supporting the gods.” He sipped some more. “Given your recent successes, is this really the best–

            “I don’t want to hear strategy.”

            “Of course,” muttered Ouranos, sighing. He put down his teacup, allowing him to lean back in his chair. Percy felt he looked like an agonized god in one of the Renaissance paintings he had studied in class so long ago, his body stretched out with stress. “Well, Percy, if you’re looking for an unbiased comparison between the gods and Kronos, you came to the wrong place. I am his father, and he separated me from my consort for all eternity. It is his fault that I exist in this sorry state.”

            Percy frowned, studying Ouranos’ face. Despite his words, he didn’t betray any anger. Yet doubts still lingered in Percy’s mind – Ouranos was still a god, even if friendly. “So you think he’s evil?”

            Ouranos breathed in. “No. He’s desperate.”

            Percy’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

            Ouranos sat back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling with a mournful look on his face. “It is… odd. Speaking to you. You are on the verge of becoming a god, and yet… to be a god… I wonder if it is the same thing as what I am. What I was.” He took a determined sip of his tea, his face resolute as he looked Percy in the eyes. “It’s time you learned what the gods are. It’s time I showed you.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Long ago, before the eras had taken root, the primordials ruled – Gaia, Ouranos, Tartarus. Gaia and Ouranos gave birth to twelve titans, beings befitting of their divine form. But as Gaia and Ouranos coupled once more, and Gaia’s stomach teemed with life, trouble was afoot.

            Kronos, youngest of the titans, sat back stoically against an apple tree, his eyes transfixed on the sight of his mother’s abnormally swollen belly. The other titans had all gathered too, and at the head of them was their father, Ouranos, eyes locked on his consort with an intensity that scared Kronos.

            Something knocked gently against Kronos’ head. He muttered something under his breath, looking up at the base of the tree. In its branches, perched with expert form, was his sister, Rhea, a beautiful goddess of auburn locks. He sighed, climbing up into the tree, squatting next to her. “You did that on purpose.”

            She smiled at him, her lips radiant. “I’m nervous, Kro. Just wanted some company up here. Mom doesn’t look so good.”

            “Maybe she’s just having a lot of kids,” said Kronos. “We came in batches, you know.”

            “I know better than you,” she muttered, rubbing her brother’s hair playfully. “And I never saw anything this enormous.”

            Kronos turned to admire Rhea. Her face was taut with worry, but it was in that state that he found her the most beautiful. She had a natural ability to soothe her family members that he so often lacked. Seeing many of his siblings coupled off, he often looked at her with desire, wondering if they might not form the same kind of bond.

            She smirked when she noticed his gaze, handing him an apple from the tree. “You look hungry, brother.” She emphasized the word ‘hungry,’ eyelids flickering mischievously at Kronos.

            “Ah,” he said, blushing and looking away. “Thanks.” He kept his eyes trained on Gaia, taking a bite of the apple.

            At this moment, something began to push its way out of their mother. The titans and Ouranos leaned in, watching as a large head popped out.

            Ouranos, eyes settling, smiled. “He’s a big one, clearly–

            “Wonderful observation, dear,” said Gaia in a singsong voice. Then the ground shook with a ferocious anger, loud snapping sounds ringing in Kronos’s ears as the ground cracked opened around her. Alarmed, some of the other titans fell back to safer ground. “Now get over here and help me deliver it!”

            Ouranos grunted dutifully. He didn’t need to be told twice. Floating over to his mother and wife, he took the baby’s head and began pulling.

OoOoOoOoO

            “I’m sorry, what?” asked Percy, pulling his head back in surprise. “You just… pulled the baby out?”

            Ouranos’s face faltered for a moment. “Well, yes, I–

            Percy squinted at him, raising an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound very safe–

            Ouranos frowned. “Percy, the point of the story is… look, we didn’t have doctors at the time. It was very irresponsible of me. I know.”

            “Sorry,” muttered Percy, looking away from him. “It just sounded a little weird to me.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Gaia continued to push, and Ouranos to pull, and slowly something else began to peek out of Gaia’s body. Slowly, Ouranos’s eyes widened with surprise. “It’s… another head.”

            There was a pause for a moment, Ouranos’s face flummoxed with distaste. The titans all looked on with worry. “I’ve never seen something like that before,” muttered Rhea.

            “It could just be twins–

            “You have no idea what a birth looks like, Kronos,” she muttered to him.

            Kronos rolled his eyes. His siblings could be doting, but he disliked when they talked down to him.

            He watched as the baby continued to emerge, a mess of heads and arms pouring forth from Gaia’s body. With each new body part, Ouranos’s gaze grew more and more disgusted. “What monstrous… things… these are,” he muttered to himself. “How could you deliver something so hideous?”

            “It doesn’t matter right now!” snapped Gaia. “There’s more to be done, Ouranos!”

            “There are more?” yelped the sky god. “Heavens above…

            The titans continued to watch. Kronos glanced around at their reactions, noting the growing distaste on their faces. Only Rhea seemed unperturbed.

            “You’re not terrified?” he whispered to her. He found their amalgamated nature to be unsettling, that nature might simply erupt out so many different body parts onto one body.

            “They are… different,” she muttered. “But they are our siblings, after all.”

            The birthing took a very long time, but when finished, the cyclopes and hundred-handed ones had been born. Ouranos looked weary, but Gaia brushed herself off, returning to a standing position. She looked down at her children and sneered. “They are hideous.”

            “They make a mockery of us,” said Ouranos. “And are unpleasing to the eye. They must be hidden away.” With a great burst of wind, he battered the ground, driving a hole into the rocky earth and causing Gaia to yelp with pain.

            “What are you doing?” yelled Gaia.

            “Locking them back inside your domain,” said Ouranos. He gathered his new children with the winds, ignoring their wails and protests. Each fell into the hole, beating against the sides of the earth, causing Gaia to bowel over with pain. Ouranos swept dirt over the hole with his winds, and his children were gone from the surface of the earth.

            Kronos looked on, horrified. “Those were our… siblings, you said.”

            Rhea looked distraught, but her voice remained calm. “Yes… but they were too different from us, it seems.”

            He looked over at Rhea, his eyes wide with fear. “And if we were as different? Would Ouranos do that to us, too?”

            “It’s best not to think about it, Kro,” she said, sighing. “They are the lords of this land. We should not question what they do.” Still, she looked pained. Straightening, she turned to her brother. “We should get going. After all… I need to bathe.”

            Kronos watched her jump down from the tree, her lithe body stretching in the sunlight. He had no doubt that she was flirting with him, trying to distract him. But truthfully, after watching Gaia’s rather horrid birth, and the cruelties that ensued it, he wasn’t much in the mood for… well–

OoOoOoOoO

            “You look horrified,” observed Ouranos, sipping his tea casually. This was more than a little off-putting to Percy. It was as if this were a normal, everyday story.

            In truth, there was a lot going through Percy’s mind, and horror didn’t exactly get to the point of it. “This is… all kinds of fucked up.”

            “Yes,” said Ouranos, sighing. “That’s my point. My generation of deities was… imagine making small children into gods, giving them no supervision. The world was raw before civilization, Percy. We lived by primal urge alone. Gaia and I did live with the titans for some time, and we were a family, but that only scratches the surface of forming a moral compass.”

            “And you want me to believe that Kronos is the bad guy in all this?” asked Percy, his voice rising. “That he’s evil, even after you locked away your own children?” He caught himself at the end, realizing that the accusation might be in bad taste.

            “That’s not my point,” said Ouranos, shaking his head. “What I did was horrific. Kronos’s response was not evil, per se. No more evil than my actions. Yet it is cut from the same primal cloth.”

            “I don’t see how we get to the sympathetic part,” said Percy. He looked up at Ouranos, who looked crestfallen. “Sorry,” he muttered.

            “There is no sympathetic part, Percy,” said Ouranos, his voice hollow like a winter gale. “It’s all horrible.”

            “Oh,” muttered Percy. He shifted nervously in his seat. “Well… let’s get it over with, then.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Kronos brooded over the imprisonment of his siblings for months, even years. Gaia, too, locked in pain, often cursed Ouranos for his actions, and approached all twelve of her offspring about freeing the children that still lived within her. And–

OoOoOoOoO

            “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, can we slow down just a tad?” asked Percy.

            “I’ve just started telling–

            “This is ridiculous!” said Percy. “They’re locked in the earth! How can children the children be locked within her when she has her own body? How in the world–

            “Percy, primordial gods like myself are sensitive to the actions going on within their domains,” explained Ouranos. “It’s not like Zeus, who rules over the realm. We, in some ways, embody the realm. So when Gaia felt that pain, she didn’t literally have something inside her body per se, but she very much felt it.”

            “How… how does that make any sense?”

            “I don’t know!” erupted Ouranos, yelling at the boy. It was the first time Percy had seen him truly angry, and fear crossed his eyes. Ouranos spotted this quickly, and his shoulders sank, as did his voice. “I’m sorry. That was very rude of me. But the thing you must understand is that when we started out, we knew very little about ourselves. We still don’t know much. And it’s… it’s frustrating! You will be frustrated too as you become a god. And you must learn how to cope with that.”

            “Okay,” muttered Percy. “So–

            “I’m going to continue now,” said Ouranos, cutting him off hurriedly.

OoOoOoOoO

            Though Gaia approached all her children, they all rejected her request to release their siblings in turn. And though her anger at Ouranos boiled under the surface, they were consorts, and they continued to do as consorts do. Kronos, too, deepened his relationship with his sister, often running off with her to talk and do as lovers do.

            But even so, Kronos became quite gregarious. He spent his time speaking with his siblings, learning their hopes and dreams, fears and desires, and keeping his distance from his parents, who could lock him away at any time. But one day, long after Gaia had given up hope of freeing the children locked away inside her domain, Kronos become bold enough to approach her.

            “Mother,” he said, bowing before her. “I have reflected on your request for some time now. On the pain you must feel.”

            “You have?” asked Gaia. She smiled with pride. “I have kept my eye on you, son. So young and ambitious… and apparently quite the charmer if Rhea is to be believed.”

            Kronos blushed, scratching the back of his head. “Well… I… she said that to you?”

            Gaia winked at him. “You have your father’s intensity about you. It is attractive… if you don’t get too wrapped up in yourself.”

            He was unused to hearing such praise from his mother, and more than a little uncomfortable with it. Gaia was wild in the primordial sense – she had little time to spend with her children, and generally did as she pleased. And yet she did have a human side to her, if you knew where to look. “Right… well, even so, I would need two things from you to pull it off.”

            “What do you need?”

            “First: a binding oath after I finish the deed.”

            Gaia pursed her lips, puzzled by this. “You expect to gain something from this?”

            “Forgive me, mother,” said Kronos. “You are… well… more unpredictable than my siblings. And this job will not be pleasant at all times.”

            She stared at him expectantly. “Go on.”

            He swallowed. “And I would need a scythe that can cut through anything.”

            Gaia’s eyes flashed with recognition. “Ah. You fear reprisal.”

            “It’ll hurt,” he said, putting it bluntly.

            “Fair enough, my child,” she said. Molding the earth with her hands, she shaped for him a massive scythe, handing it to him. He took it, admiring the curve of the blade, its razor-sharp edge. “This blade will cut through anything you wish it to. And on the Styx, I swear to agree to any oath you require following the deed… painful as it might be.”

            “Thank you, mother,” he said.

            “Now how will you distract your father?” asked Gaia. “He will not like seeing his other children again.”

            “I have a plan,” said Kronos, eyes flashing with fire. It would become a common thing for him. “But there is only one thing which can distract him long enough.”

            Gaia flashed a knowing smile. “I will see to it that your father is… appropriately distracted.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy grimaced, staring up at Ouranos with the abject terror of a pre-teen just hearing about the birds and the bees. “Can we please not–

            “Percy, it’s an important part of the story!” said Ouranos.

Percy could not believe how casually he was taking this. He looked just like Mr. Brunner, the same professorial glint that seemed to have been passed down from him to Kronos to Chiron.  “I don’t want to hear about you having sex!”

            Ouranos ruffled his eyebrows. “Look, I’m not going into explicit detail, alright? Just calm down!”

OoOoOoOoO

            Ouranos approached Gaia to… um… make out. While… naked?

OoOoOoOoO

            “Seriously?” asked Percy. “Make out while naked? That’s the best you can do?”

            “Look, the fact that I was naked was very important,” said Ouranos, huffing. “You know what happens, right? Kronos castrates me. It’s a little harder to do when you’re wearing clothes! Scythes get caught on belt buckles–

            “You said the fucking scythe could cut through anything!” shouted Percy. It was loud enough that Andros and Jeanie emerged from the back of the house, peering around the corner of the room.

            “Yes, the… the blade of the scythe, it… this will take just one second, Percy!” said Ouranos, exasperated.

            Percy crossed his arms, eyebrows knit with annoyance. “Go on,” he said through clenched teeth.

OoOoOoOoO

            Ouranos approached Gaia to… copulate. He was obviously exposed while doing this. Which is when Kronos jumped from the bushes and castrated him. There. It wasn’t that hard.

            Ouranos howled in pain, this being a rather painful castration, and Gaia too jumped back in surprise. The listener is spared the gory details of a certain body part flying off into the ocean, and a naked goddess emerging from the sea foam in a clam shell, owing to the frankly juvenile disgust expressed previously. One would think that, naturally, the person castrated would be more likely to react with distaste, rather than the person who is a fifteen-year-old, and doesn’t really know much about immortal suffering, and–

OoOoOoOoO

“Okay, I’m sorry!” said Percy. “Jeez!”

“Thank you,” muttered Ouranos, his lips upturned. “Anyways, moving on.”

OoOoOoOoO

            “What have you done to your father?” screamed Gaia at Kronos. “You were to distract him–

            “And so he is,” said Kronos, shaking his head. “I told you that this would be painful, mother!” He took the scythe, which could cut through anything, and broke through the surface of the earth, causing his mother to howl in pain. The cyclopes and hundred-handed ones poured forth, exiting the earth. His parents grimaced at the sight of him, and slowly Kronos closed up the hole. “There. It is done.”

            “How dare you attack me like that!” screamed Ouranos, who was bowled over in pain. “I should lock you away for all time–

            “You can’t,” said Kronos, his voice growing harsh. “You’ve been severed from the earth for all time, father. You won’t be able to meddle here or hurt any of your own children ever again.”

            Ouranos balked. “That’s what this is about?” He turned to Gaia. “You plotted this with him?”

            “No!” roared Gaia. “I just wanted him to get those beasts out of me! I didn’t ask him to do this! Kronos, for your insolence–

            “You shall not touch or interact with any other being on the face of this earth unless I say it!” howled the youngest titan. “Your pain will heal, but you and father will never again have control over this earth! You are bound by my command until I renounce it! You both have no power over me anymore!”

            Gaia and Ouranos looked on horrified. Gaia opened her mouth to speak, but thinking on the oath, thought better of it. Her face grew hateful, and she shot Kronos a look before leaving him, walking off into the hills. Ouranos remained, floating above the earth now, glaring down at his son.

            “You have usurped your parents, my son,” thundered Ouranos. “But one day your own children will do the same to you. They will humiliate and isolate you as you have humiliated and isolated the two of us.”

            “I did what I had to!” yelled the titan, spittle frothing from his mouth. “To protect my family! The ones who care, anyways! And if you ever come close to this earth again, I swear that I will cut the rest of your body apart too! Mother gave me a scythe that can sever anything! If you want to keep your limbs, I suggest you leave!”

            Ouranos, now intensely aware of what it felt like to lose a part of his body, preferred to keep the rest of it, so he begrudgingly left. In time, Kronos would gather up the other titans, announcing his reign. Though they were all shocked at the usurpation of their parents, he assured them that under a more intelligent rule, they would thrive. And they followed him.

OoOoOoOoO

            “Kronos was right,” said Ouranos. “After banishing us and ensuring a less primal rule, he was able to bring about a golden age of peace and prosperity. But in exchange, he controlled the world with a tight grip, restricting the freedoms of mankind. And when someone came around to challenge that rule, his own children, even though Rhea begged him to remember his family, he could not risk the loss of control. The return to terror. He ate them. As you know.”

            Percy sat for a second, staring at Ouranos.

            “It’s messed up?” asked Ouranos, raising an eyebrow. He was suppressing a smirk.

            Percy shook his head, finally taking a long draught of tea to think on it. After putting the cup down, he stared at Ouranos with confusion. “How can you laugh at that?”

            “Because I lived through it,” said Ouranos. “I can either live in despair or laugh at how ridiculous it all is, Percy. But it’s over now. I have had millennia to reflect on my actions.”

            “And you don’t think Kronos has?” asked Percy. “He keeps telling me how different he is–

            “He is different,” said Ouranos. “Wiser now, I’m sure. But he still seeks control, Percy, and does so through violence. It’s not that Kronos is evil – it’s that once he takes over, what happens to the gods? Do you think the conflict will end with him in control, and his kids buried away somewhere, minding their own business for all eternity?”

            “I… I guess not,” said Percy. “Although… I don’t know if that’s his plan.”

            “His plans are already pitting the demigods against one another,” said Ouranos. “The titans and gods are at each other’s’ throats. It would be better for a peaceful solution to prevail. And you can achieve that, Percy.”

            “What if I can’t?” asked Percy. “The gods have tried to kill me before, Ouranos. If they get wind of the prophecy–

            “Which is why I advised against drawing their attention. But even so, you only have to make it so far.” Ouranos placed a hand on his shoulder, wide, spiraling eyes staring down at the boy. “It is not just a matter of strategy, Percy. It is creating a new foundation for how deities interact. When I locked my children away within their mother, I sowed sin into this world. We need a new, wiser generation of gods to remove it.” His gaze made Percy uncomfortable, because it reminded him of the way Luke had looked at him before someone put a spear through his heart.

            “Understood,” muttered Percy. But he didn’t really understand. He had lived with the gods too long to believe that they would simply agree to some kind of pact of neutrality. “Thank you for telling me all of this. I should really be going now.”

            “Enjoy the festivities tomorrow,” said Ouranos. “This war is almost over, Percy.”

OoOoOoOoO

            On his way back from Ouranos’s house, he noticed a flash of blonde hair out of the side of his eyes. It was Annabeth, sitting against a tree outside of a rather stately house. She was petting a cat, scratching its ears playfully. She looked up at him, a big smile spreading across her face. “You’re out late. Come to visit me?”

            He smirked. “Um, yeah,” he said, approaching. “This isn’t the girls’ lodging, though–

            “I’m staying with Mom,” said Annabeth. “This is her house.”

            His face paled. “You know, I just remembered something–

            “For God’s sake, Percy, relax!” she said, patting the ground next to her. “Mom’s not going to care that you sat next to me outside her house.”

            He sighed but took a seat next to Annabeth. “Just don’t let me fall asleep here. I don’t want to die.” He leaned against her shoulder, and she wrapped her arm around him.

            “Something weighing on your mind?”

            “Just… the gods,” he said. “They’re overbearing.”

            “Mmm, tell me about it,” said Annabeth. She scratched at the cat’s head. “This is Whiskers. He’s Mom’s cat.”

            Percy sat up in surprise. “Your mother. Has a cat?”

            Annabeth suppressed a laugh. “Is that a crime?”

            “I just… it sounds so normal.”

            “She is normal, Percy,” said Annabeth, rolling her eyes. “And eventually, she’ll speak to you like a normal person too. You just need to give it some time.”

            He sighed. “They’re just so different from us. I never know where I stand with a god. Not even with Dad.”

            “Trust me, Percy – it’ll pan out.”

            He sighed, leaning against her. He had seen a lot the past few days, been on an emotional roller coaster of sorts. But there was still a bud of hope buried deep inside his chest, an awareness that for all the wrong the gods had done, Hades had accepted him. Triton had too. Dionysus had yielded, if briefly. Even Zeus seemed to have been proud of him. Maybe there was hope… maybe even someone like Athena could come to appreciate, or at least put up with, him.

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            With their backs against a similar tree millennia ago, the same apple tree in which Kronos and Rhea had watched their mother give birth, Kronos rested his head against Rhea’s side. The titan was not so sure of the humanity of his own parents.

            “They’re fundamentally separate from us, Rhea,” grunted Kronos. “They don’t understand the world like we do. To them, all of existence is a plaything. But to us… it means something. We care about each other.”

            Rhea flitted with his hair, her lips taut with anxiety. “Kro, these are our parents you’re talking about.”

            “And look what they did to our siblings, their own children,” he said. “You saw it. You were disgusted by it.”

            “I know, but… mother and father have always been with us,” said Rhea. “They care for us.”

            “I’ve never once been sure of that,” muttered Kronos. “And I have less faith in it now. Rhea, if we don’t do something, they may give birth to other children who try to usurp us. We have no idea what kinds of terrible powers they might have. All we know is our own humanity.”

            “I don’t want to lose them,” she said. “That kind of pain–

            “I know you love them,” he said, cupping her cheek with his hand. “But sometimes we have to make a choice. If we let them continue on like this, Rhea, there’s no telling what they might do. And it would only be them. No one else would get hurt.”

            She looked down. “No one else? You promise?”

            “Of course. Once we know we have control, we can make a better world. One without pain.”

            For a moment, Rhea hesitated, weighing the idea in her mind. She was closer to her mother than any of her other siblings, certainly closer than Kronos. And she did love Gaia, in a way. But she also knew Gaia enough to know that Kronos wasn’t wrong. Gaia was a force of nature; her whims ruled the movements of the planets, and sometimes her whims were not exactly predictable. She had hurt other titans, sometimes on purpose, other times unintentionally. The same could be said for Ouranos. She turned to her brother and husband, gripping his arm. “Alright. But you must ensure that no one else will get hurt. They will be the last ones.”

            “Of course,” he said. “I take no pleasure in this. But it has to be done. They are monsters, Rhea… if we don’t take control now, I fear someone else will.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 24

The Old Way

            Percy’s eyes cracked open, prompted by the rays of sunlight beaming down on him from a window high up on the wall. His body slowly creaked back to life, back aching as he pulled himself up from the surface of a hard sofa. He scanned his unfamiliar surroundings: an ornate globe, a massive bookshelf with numerous weighty tones lined neatly along the shelves, and an olivewood table supporting a TV. He rose quickly, glancing around the room nervously.

            “Here,” said someone behind him. He shot up from the ground, stumbling backways at the sound as he turned to see Athena. She was holding a plate with eggs up to his face, and she looked like she had not slept all that much in the past few days, her normally tidy blonde hair in a frazzle, and her grey eyes dwarfed by the grey bags under them. She sighed at his surprise. “Relax. Annabeth brought you in last night. She said you fell asleep watching the stars.”  

            “Oh,” muttered Percy. Almost instinctively, he did a quick inventory of his body parts to ensure they were all intact, which Athens watched with bemused annoyance. “Um… thanks for breakfast?”

            “Don’t mention it,” she muttered, moving to the dining room to eat her own breakfast. She sipped at her coffee gently, eyes scanning a newspaper.

            He waited in silence for a few minutes, scratching away heartily at his eggs but never really managing to get them into his mouth. Just as he popped the first bite into his mouth and was satisfied that it wasn’t poisoned, he heard footsteps from the hallway. Annabeth emerged in her pajamas, plopping down next to him and wrapping her arm round his shoulders. “Good morning, Seaweed Brain!”

            In the corner, Athena glanced over at them. She turned her seat about 45 degrees to get them out of view, then returned to her paper.

            “Hey,” he said, laughing nervously. “So… uh… nice place.”

            “It’s great!” she said. “Mom’s got good taste.”

            He looked at the bookshelf. He wasn’t sure the full volumized set of Olympian legal code was truly good taste in décor, but he wasn’t going to mention that in Athena’s presence. “So, um… what’s the plan for today?”

            “We’re going to watch the tournament!” said Annabeth, her smile brimming with joy. “Every few decades, the Olympians face off in battle at special occasions, and this is one of them. I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

            “Well, as a possible alternative,” began Percy, “I was thinking we could… um… have a nice lunch, maybe a quiet afternoon? I mean, we’ve been doing so much–

            “Percy, Mom is fighting in this,” said Annabeth. “I’ve never really seen her take on another god. This could be a once in a lifetime chance–

            “Nonsense,” muttered Athena, sipping quietly at her coffee. Percy winced on hearing her; it was jarring to have Annabeth being so… well, forward… with her there in the background “I’ll beat up Ares anytime you want. Although, yes, this is probably when I’m at my best.”

            “So we’re going,” finished Annabeth. “Besides, Alex and everybody else will be there.” She squeezed his shoulders playfully. “It’ll be fun!”

            Percy gave her a light smile. “Okay, yeah!” He had wanted to keep things low-key, but Annabeth seemed dead-set on the tournament.

            “Okay, I’m gonna change,” she said. “Be right back!” She raced off deeper into the house.

            Percy waited nervously for a minute before finally rising from the couch and making his way over to the table with Athena. If she had noticed his approach, she hadn’t said anything. “Um… Lady Athena?”

            She put down her coffee, her lips pressing hard against one another. “Yes?” she said, voice low.

            “First of all, thank you for… um… hosting me last night.” He paused, waiting for a response, but she was silent. “And, um… second. I know you don’t feel great about the vote. But I thought it would help Olympus. And I thought also that… it might suggest I’m more mature. Mature enough to… date your daughter.”

            She was silent for a moment, her eyes narrowing. Percy waited, his heart beginning to pound, as she seemed to ponder the comment. The intensity on her face was odd – Percy might’ve believed she was unraveling some advanced mathematical theorem, or deriving a principle in physics. “Not even your father would have done something like that,” she said slowly.

            “Right,” said Percy. “So–

            “You misunderstand,” she said. “Your father’s loyalty to our family would have kept him from meddling in our affairs. He passed up the opportunity to rule the council. Perhaps you’re not like him. Perhaps you’re the exact opposite. That’s not exactly a good thing.”

            His eyes widened, voice beginning to shake a bit. “You… all this time, you’ve been telling me to stop being like my father.” His voice began to rise. “All this time–

            “I didn’t tell you to illegally lobby the Council,” she said, shooting him a warning glance. Her face softened. “But that’s not to say anything about my daughter. I’ll think about it.”

            “You’ll… you’ll think about it?” he asked. “What the Hell does that mean?”

            “It means what you think it means, Percy,” she said, sipping at her coffee without looking up at him.

            “You’ve been thinking about it for two years!” he said, on the verge of screaming. “Athena, I’ve tried, like, five different ways of ingratiating myself to you, and–

            “Look, you dumb shit,” she said, thrusting her newspaper on the table, “I get that! It’s not about you being Poseidon’s son anymore. I’m over that. Now, I’m just trying to figure out… look, you’ll get your answer at the end of the day, alright? Twenty-four hours. Now go have fun doing… whatever it is you two are going to do.” There was a part of Percy that wanted to say something to rub it in her face that they had kissed, or get angry at Athena and yell at her, but he remained silent, stoic, staring at her. She frowned, uneasy with his gaze. “Percy… twelve hours.”

            He sighed. “Alright. Fine. Twelve hours. I just… want you to stop stringing me along. Some closure. Please.” He turned away from her, plopping himself down on the couch in defeat. Athena’s gaze lingered on him, a hint of sadness in her eyes, but she rose from her seat.

            “I need to make a few phone calls,” she muttered, her voice lithe and somber. “Have fun.” She left the kitchen, sequestering herself deep in her office.

OoOoOoOoO

            Annabeth and Percy left Athena’s house about half an hour later. Annabeth seemed much cheerier than she had been the night before. He enjoyed this, except for the sinking feeling in his stomach that Athena might deliver bad news, or Ouranos might derail his promise out of the blue. But he tried to brush that aside.

            They made their way to the stadium, catching Alex waving in the distance. When they arrived, he grabbed Percy by the shoulder. “You’re gonna love this. It’s usually Mom and Ares duking it out in the final round. She beats his ass a lot.”

            “I’d love to see that!” said Annabeth. “Don’t tell Clarisse, though.”

            “So how does this work?” asked Percy. “They just fight?”

            “Not all of them,” explained Annabeth. “I mean, in theory, anyone can fight, and they can choose to fight to the death if they want to. That’s why so many gods, like Zeus and Poseidon, sit out. They need someone on reserve to defend Olympus. But during a war, I’m sure everyone will be relaxed. Still, it should be intense! Mom told me there’d be a lot of hand-to-hand combat.”

            “There are some special rules about the arena,” said Alex, pointing to a red button on the side of the wall. “That button allows the fighters to change the terrain. They have a few different options, but Mom said only three are available today. A ground stage, naval stage, and aerial stage.”

            “How does that even work?” asked Percy.

            “For the naval stage, it’s just like Rome. They fill up the arena and simulate waves. For the aerial stage, the ground will open up all the way down to NYC. There’s one central rafter that fighters can walk on; that’s it.”

            “What if you’re afraid of heights?” asked Percy, shivering a little bit at the thought.

            “Don’t fight?” asked Annabeth, raising an eyebrow.

            “Uh huh,” he muttered. His phone began to ring.

            “Hey, dude, you trying to get us killed?” asked Alex. “Why do you have a-

            “It’s his mentor,” said Annabeth, rolling her eyes. She took a seat next to Alex.

            “He rarely calls,” muttered Percy. “I should take this. I’ll be right back.” He raced outside of the arena, answering it. “Hey O? I’m kind of busy–

            “Well, get unbusy,” said Ouranos. “You need to come meet me right now.”

            Percy looked back at Alex and Annabeth. Grover had joined them. Annabeth’s shoulders were bunched together, her head held low. “O, this is a terrible time. I just promised Annabeth–

            “I’m sorry, but you don’t understand,” said Ouranos. “I have critical information on the war effort, and I can absolutely not tell you this over the phone. We need to meet. Now.”

            “No, I really need to stick around!” he said. “Annabeth’s been hounding me about not pushing it too much for weeks, and frankly, I’m starting to think she’s right. The stunt with Hades has garnered a lot of… unwanted attention.”

            “I warned you about that.”

            “Okay, you did,” said Percy, his voice rising a little. “I just need a calm day with her, alright. Unless this is super important–

            “What part of, ‘You need to come right now,’ was unclear? I’m well aware the tournament is going on. You’ll be back before the final match and get to see Athena fight. But I need you here immediately.”

            He sighed. “Okay. I’ll be over as soon as possible.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Though Percy was annoyed, Andros and Jeanie ushered him into Ouranos’ office with haste. Percy stood across the table from him, hoping to remove himself quickly. Ouranos had a wild look in his eyes, and his breathing was uneven. “Jeanie was spying on Kronos, poking around his camp, and she discovered that he had in his possession an ancient account of an incredibly powerful weapon. It seems that as a Plan B, Kronos is looking into finding this weapon, and using it to defeat the gods.”

            “How powerful?” asked Percy, eyes narrowing.

            Ouranos hesitated. “Immense power. I shudder to think what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands… Kronos or the Olympians.”

            “Alright,” said Percy, sighing. He took a seat across the table from O. “Let’s hear it.”

            “It’s called the Spear of Tartarus,” said Ouranos. “The accounts say that long ago, ancient blacksmiths under titan rule predicted an age of cataclysm brought about by this terrible weapon. They believed that its components would be forged by a set of skilled smiths, but the account doesn’t specify when, or what they are.”

            “So we don’t know if it exists?” asked Percy, his response a little bit accusatory.

            Ouranos bit his lip. “Well, it will almost assuredly exist. This is a prophetic account.”

            Percy leaned forward. “These kinds of prophecies can take millennia… there’s something you’re not telling me, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”

            Ouranos looked pained. “Young minds need time to mature–

            “Look, I didn’t come here to hear about vague prophecy,” said Percy. “You said this is important. If it’s so important, tell me where to find the damned weapons–

            “I don’t know that!” said Ouranos, glaring at him. “Kronos does!”

            “Then what do you know?” asked Percy.

            Ouranos sighed. “Percy, I… I know something, but…

            “You know what, I don’t care,” he said. “What does this spear do, exactly?”

            Ouranos seemed relieved to stop discussing what he knew. “It’s a conduit for magic. An incredibly powerful wand in the shape of a weapon, you might say. It can give human beings near divine powers, and in the hands of a deity, their powers would be magnified to an incredible extent. It’s said to give the wielder the destructive power of Tartarus, hence the name. When the war is over, you’ll need to ensure the Olympians don’t find out about this. That means hunting down Kronos and destroying any reference to the weapon that he has.”

            “Fine, I’ll do it,” he said. “But you had to pull me away now? I told you it was a bad time!”

            “Percy, the gods are on edge,” said Ouranos, sighing. “I heard about Kronos’ message. Now they know he offered you the chance to overthrow them. I wish I could wait, but you must understand that you are in danger now! Kronos has forced our hands.”

            “I supported the Olympians! I drowned out his broadcast–

            “For now,” said Ouranos, his tone a warning. “The Olympians think in centuries, Percy, and there’s always a risk you turn. Especially given what I know, they have ample reason to fear you.”

            “So the gods could kill me, and you just want me to play nice with them?” asked Percy. “Without telling me why they’ll… they’ll fear me?”

            “I can’t tell you,” said Ouranos, shaking his head vigorously. “It’s not right for you to know–

            “I could die!” shouted Percy, banging his fist on the table. “How could it possibly not be right for me to know something that could keep me safe? You know what, screw this, I’m leaving. Thanks for jack shit.” He made his way to the door.

            “Percy, wait!” shouted Ouranos. “I’m not hesitating to frustrate you. But there’s more at risk than your life. You will become a god. And when you do, you will have to look beyond your own safety, to the safety of others. This is not merely about you anymore. You will have immense power, and you’ll have to choose how to use it. I just want to make sure you don’t make any mistakes. That you are mature enough to use that power when you find out how to use it–

            Percy stopped in the doorway, gripping the siding. “Maturity, huh? That’s a nice sentiment. But apparently maturity isn’t enough when you get it. They want you to be more reserved, then. You know, I’ve been trying to meet Athena’s expectations for three years, O. You offered to help me with it, but it looks more like I just have a second person to conform to. I think I can do without you–

            “I’m trying to help you be happy!” said Ouranos, his voice trembling. “Unlike me! Unlike my sons! Unlike my grandsons! I’m trying to save my great grandson from making the same mistakes! I’m hoping you won’t be as screwed up as us!” He was breathing heavily, staring at Percy desperately.

            “Whatever,” muttered Percy. “I have a fight to catch.”

OoOoOoOoO

            When he arrived back at the arena, his forehead was drenched in sweat. Checking his watch periodically, he swerved between fans until he caught sight of Annabeth and Alex, alongside a collection of their friends who had finally arrived. He marched towards them, head held low, and took a seat next to Annabeth.

            “I’m sorry, I–

            “You missed Mom,” she muttered. Her eyes, trained on her mother accepting a sizeable trophy, were narrow with anger. “What could’ve possibly kept you so long?”

            “It was an emergency,” said Percy, shaking his head. “I rushed out of there, Annabeth. I didn’t mean to–

            “What’s the emergency?”

            Percy sat up. “Well… um… it’s kind of a secret. I can’t–

            “Percy, we’ve worked together for four years,” said Annabeth, crossing her arms. “Everyone here is one of your teammates. So why exactly is this a secret? Didn’t you meet with your mentor?” She raised an eyebrow.

            Percy glanced around nervously at his friends, whose eyes were all trained on the two of them. “Well… it’s an important role I have,” he muttered. “I have to defeat Kronos. And that requires… some discretion, right? I mean, there’s a spy at camp–

            “Bullshit,” said Annabeth, shaking her head. She rose from her seat. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

            “Hold on!” said Percy, grabbing her arm. “Just because I’m late doesn’t mean you have to miss your mom’s–

            “I don’t feel in the mood for it,” she muttered, shaking his hand off her.

            “Annabeth, I’m not trying to take Percy’s side here, but you might as well stay,” said Alex. “I mean, we don’t get to see Mom speak that much.”

            Annabeth sighed. “Record it. Bye.” She brushed past Percy, the rest of the group eyeing her as she left.

            “Well damn,” muttered Grover. “That was…

            “Percy, you really couldn’t have avoided that?” asked Thalia. “I mean, this is her Mom–

            “I’m supposed to fight a titan!” he yelped. “You think I want to do all of this?”

            “But you’re being avoidant,” said Nico. “There’s something you don’t want to tell us.”

            He eyed them all, feeling cornered. “I–

            “Mom’s about to talk,” said Alex, clearing his throat. “We should shut up and listen… especially if I’m recording this.”

            Percy sighed, sitting next to him and burying his cheeks in his arms. “She beat Ares?”

            “Whupped his ass,” muttered Alex. “Want to give me that phone?”

            Percy handed it over without even looking at him. “Go wild.”

            The applause from the crowd dulled, and Athena stopped waving, clearing her throat. Over the speakers, an enthusiastic announcer’s delighted voice sang out to the entire arena. “And now, after her stunning victory, Athena has the right to address the crowd, as has been the tradition for eons! Please, Lady Athena, the Olympian people are waiting!” A microphone spun towards her from a distant overlook at the top of the arena. She caught it expertly, chuckling a bit to herself.

            “It’s lovely to see everyone today!” she said, flashing a bright smile to the crowd. They all cheered.

            Percy leaned forward. “God, she sounds… I don’t know…

            “Friendly?” asked Alex, raising an eyebrow.

            “I didn’t say-

            “My mom knows what she’s doing, Percy,” said Alex. “You don’t get to see it, but she does.”

            “I always love these tournaments,” she said, stretching her arms behind her back. “Primarily because I get to take out my anger about my brother’s proposals in the council… but there’s a second reason too! As gods, we have our disputes, and often we fight. But our pantheon persists. At the end of the day, we are still a family. These games magnify that – we compete to blow off steam, but also show off the immense power of the Olympian pantheon. The world sees us fight as individuals, shaking the arena, fighting each other. But they are left to wonder… if we unite, is there any way to stop us?”

            “On occasion, there are threats to our unity,” said Athena. “Sometimes external, but just as often internal. In fact, I once tried to split up our pantheon. It might have succeeded, except that my uncle, Poseidon, refused to overthrow his brother. Though we’re at odds over many things, loyalty was perhaps the most important thing Poseidon taught me about being in a pantheon. Even with all our differences, we are one.”

            “It’s a fitting message as we bring Hades into the Olympian fold,” she continued. “After all, Hades was there from the beginning, before I was even born. It’s time he joined our council, and I can see that now. Which begs the question… why couldn’t I see that during the vote?”

            The crowd leaned in. She held the pause, letting her words sink into their minds. “Because the vote,” she began, “wasn’t just about Hades. There was another candidate looming in the background. Someone sitting in these very stands.”

            Percy’s stomach dropped. “No,” he whispered. “Not now. Please not now.”

            “A demigod hasn’t dared to lobby for legislation in a long time,” she said, her voice rising. “And I certainly would never have thought that Percy Jackson would do such a thing. But as flustered as I may have been, we all heard it. What we know from the public footage is that Percy believed he had five votes, and that he approached Hephaestus, who refused him. The child was working with half of our council members and crying to a seventh one. Lobbying one member to bring a vote is egregious. But Percy didn’t even bother with discretion in talking to seven gods.”

            “Jesus Christ, Mom,” muttered Alex. He looked over at Percy. “I’m sure she’ll get through this, just–

            “We’ll see,” he muttered, clenching his fists. The way she punctuated her points as if he were some… monster… just made his blood boil. She jumped into things without knowing anything about them, inserting herself where she shouldn’t be. It reminded him, more than a bit, of Ares.

            “All of this alone would be concerning,” said Athena. “Certainly, illegal for him to do. But to be fair, we haven’t punished previous efforts by demigods for it. And if that were the extent of his crimes, I might let this go. But that’s not the case.”

            “None of Percy’s supporters in the council mentioned a very salient fact about his lobbying effort. They were probably not aware that Perseus Jackson threatened Hades with drowning in the Styx, and that Hades was made to swear on the Styx never to try and kill Percy. In effect, Percy pushed a candidate on the council to ensure he had a vote to protect his interests. He has not only broken our laws; he has trampled on our trust and engaged in outright corruption.”

            The crowd gasped, but they were only able to ponder this for a moment. “That’s a lie!” boomed Percy’s voice, amplified over the crowd. He had stood up, now, eyes affixed on her in the middle of the arena. “I didn’t threaten Hades; I defended myself when he tried to kill me! And you neglected to mention the reason I pushed for Hades in the first place – the other part of his oath!”

            Athena’s eyes were locked on his, studying his face with the same analytical prowess she had shown the first time they met. “You did threaten him, whether in self-defense or not, Percy. And that’s not all!” she announced, gritting her teeth. “You let Luke escape Olympus, and then harbored him at camp without ensuring his allegiance to our cause! You neglected to inform the council that Kronos offered you a seat of power–

            “BECAUSE I REJECTED HIS OFFER!” shouted Percy, throwing his arms up in the air. “Why in the world–

            “You’ve been operating apart from the council, apart from the camp!” she said, pointing her finger at him. “You’re hiding all kinds of things from us! I can deal with one lapse in judgement, but I’ve been up all night, pouring over the evidence for days! It’s a pattern of behavior that suggests you’re working for your own benefit, rather than that of the council!”

            “Percy,” said Alex, grabbing his shoulder. His voice was low and firm, an anchor to bring him back to the land of the sane. “She’s just blowing off steam. She can’t do anything to you alone. Just let it go.”

            “You have your opinion,” announced Percy, taking a seat and crossing his arms. “But for a goddess of wisdom, you’ve offered very little proof.”

            She frowned, glaring at him. “Olympus has no judiciary for matters of national security, Mr. Jackson. You’ll have the chance to prove your innocence, but it’ll have to be at a vote about what to do with you.”

            Images of council room votes on his life flashed before his eyes. “WHAT?” he screamed, raising from his seat. “After everything I’ve done for the council, every quest I’ve gone on–

            “PERCY!” shouted Alex, rising from his seat and shaking him. “She’s just mouthing off! None of this is set in stone yet!”

            “She’s threatening to kill me, Alex!” said Percy, swiveling towards him. “After I stopped Kronos’ message, saved the inauguration, and publicly rejected his offer to rule Olympus! What the Hell do I have to prove to this woman–

            “For one thing, you could explain why you didn’t tell us any of this!” shouted Athena. “After all, you’re a part of Olympus, aren’t you?”

            “Not so much that I just overlook all the times you’ve tried to kill me!” said Percy. “Apologies for being a bit cagey – this is the second time you’ve proposed cutting my head off in three years!” He balled his fists. “I’m not going to sit here and listen to you tear down my reputation when I’m just trying to survive!”

            “I have the right to address the Olympian public,” she said. “And say whatever I want. If you want to stop me, you’ll have to fight me for the title. Otherwise, it’s my microphone, Jackson.”

            For a second, he paused, reflecting on Ouranos’s pleas for peace, on Annabeth’s desire for it. He considered sitting down. But that might mean another vote on his life. Another chance at death. And frankly, he was getting a little tired of it. Slowly, his limbs flashed with life, and he began marching down the stairs. “If it’s a fight you want–

            “Are you insane?” asked Alex, rushing towards him. He gripped Percy by the shirt collar, his fist pressed against his Adam’s apple. Alex formed a wall of sorts between him and Athena, so close to him that he could see the terror in the boy’s eyes. “That’s Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle strategy! She just beat the god of war in hand-to-hand combat! And this tournament is to-the-death unless both competitors agree otherwise. You could die, you idiot!”

            Athena studied Percy cautiously. “My son seems to think you’re weak. You might as well back out–

            “ALRIGHT, THAT’S IT!” said Percy. He shoved Alex to the side, the boy tumbling into the stands, and jumped into the arena. “You want to fight, Athena? I’m tired of playing nice!”

            She stepped off the podium, swiveling her spear in both hands. “Very well. If you want to make it easier for me to get rid of you, well–

            “You just hate me because I remind you of Poseidon!”

            “I praised your father in my speech!” she shouted, gritting her teeth. “You really don’t get it? This isn’t about your parentage anymore, Percy! You concealed so much from the council! You betrayed our trust on any number of things! You’re a threat to national security! I might give you a chance if you actually listened for once, but right now, you’re only thinking about yourself!”

            He gritted his teeth. “You can think that, but I’ve said all I need to say. How about we let the weapons do the talking?” Athena nodded slowly, a grim determination setting in her face.

            The arena was silent for a few seconds, and as Percy looked around at the audience, he saw the intensity of their stares, the wonder in their eyes. The announcer coughed into his microphone. “Well, folks, it seems as if Percy Jackson has challenged our reigning champion. A… um… gentle reminder to our competitors that in times of war, non-lethal termination is traditional. But of course, the choice is theirs…

            “Enough talking,” said Percy, gripping Riptide in his hands. “Let’s fight.”

Chapter Text

PART 3: DEFECTOR

Chapter 25

Blood

            He made the first move, striding across the battlefield with fire on his heels. Athena tore off her breastplate, gripping it outstretched in her hand. It turned into the famous shield Aegis just as Percy brought Riptide down on her. Their armaments collided, and the sound of his blade hitting her shield heralded a new age for Olympus.

            Percy rebounded off the shield, landing about six feet back from her, his heels digging into the dirt. She held Aegis out towards him, the putrid face of Medusa staring back at him. His body still pumping with adrenaline, he stared at the shield, remembering how he looked the real Medusa in the eyes so long ago. “Are you going to attack or not?”

            “Gladly,” she said with an authoritative voice, and she raced at him with her spear, jamming it in rapid succession at his chest. He parried each blow, the metal clanging together, but fell back a bit each time. As she battered him with the spear, his mind began to race. If he was going to survive without using much magic, he couldn’t win against her superior combat abilities. In the distance, his eyes caught a glimpse of the red button Alex had discussed that would change the climate of the battlefield. He recalled that it cycled from a flat plain to a naval arena. He smiled. He could certainly beat her on water.

            He parried her spear thrust, wresting himself outside of her range, and then he began to maneuver himself towards the button. She slid in front of it, stance wide like a basketball player. “I’m not giving you the advantage that easily, Percy.”

            “Of course not,” he muttered. “You’d never make anything easy for me.” He gritted his teeth and rushed towards her head on. Athena blinked in surprise, then leveled her spear with a look of determination.

            Shing!

            Percy’s body had slid past hers at the last second, yet a cascade of blood was pouring out the side of his body. Several onlookers gasped, and even Athena looked surprised. An entire chunk of skin had been torn out the side of his body, and he looked ready to keel over.

            Athena moved towards him cautiously, eyeing him like a wounded animal. He winced, holding the blood to his side with his free hand. As she moved in for the kill, she leveled her spear, and–

            Percy slammed into her stomach with the butt of his sword, knocking the wind from Athena’s body. She flew backwards, thrust against the ground, and he raced for the button, sliding towards it like a home run. He slapped the button with his hand, letting the blood drain from his side.

            “How the Hell did you–

            “Picked up some illusion magic from your textbook,” he said, flicking the blood off his hands. “Fake blood is quite the tool.”

            She eyed him as the floodgates opened, pouring water into the arena on either side of him. “You’ve learned some new tricks, I see.”

            He didn’t bother with a response, instead racing at her, trails of water streaming behind him. He whipped the water at her, the torrents crashing upon Aegis like great waves against ocean bluffs. Athena retreated to the back of the arena, hopping onto a small trireme that had emerged onto the field. Though Percy saw one on his side, he didn’t bother, opting instead to simply stalk her from the surf.

            He began to batter the side of her trireme with waves, but Athena was able to avoid most of them, steering the vessel in the direction of the stage change button.  He leapt from the water onto her boat, lobbing volleys of water at her until she entrenched herself beneath Aegis.

            “I’ve got the advantage, Athena,” he said, leveling the water at her. “You should give up.”

            She laughed. “You think just because the stage is wet, you can beat a goddess in battle? I’m made of stronger stuff, Perseus Jackson. And you forget where I first trained as a warrior.” She lunged forward with her spear, and Percy instinctively parried with Riptide. With his free hand, he shot a wall of water straight towards her, but she slammed through it, nearly jabbing her spear right into his chest. Her body pressed close against his, she leaned into his face, gritting her teeth. Up against her, he could see the lust for battle strewn across her face. “I’ve defeated hundreds of naiads and merpeople in my days on this earth; one demigod son of Poseidon is not going to be that hard!”

            He shoved her off of him, ducking as she brought Aegis slamming down where his face would’ve been. Instead, his back took the brunt of the force, a painful endeavor, but one which allowed him to drive Riptide deep into the flesh of Athena’s ankle. She wailed, falling back a bit and gritting her teeth.  “Gods you’re annoying!”

            “Look who’s talking!” he shouted. “For all my time as a demigod, you’ve been in my way!”

            “You weren’t innocent in that!” she shouted. “All of what you’ve done to get here was a corruption of our political process! You’ve manipulated the council more than any demigod I know!”

            “To bring peace to Olympus!” he shouted. “And protect my friends!” He lashed out at her with an angry slash of his sword. Instead of dodging, she slammed her body into the blade. Percy’s eyes widened as a spray of ichor emerged from her body, splattering his face.

            He looked up at Athena’s face, a dread look of determination upon her. His eyes followed the arc of her arm, and he realized then that she had moved the ship close enough to the red button, as she set her hand on it and pushed down. “Lesson one of fighting with a god,” she muttered. “We don’t get mortal wounds.” Against his hip he could feel her other hand, and a sharp blade she had pulled just gently brushing up against him. He feared she would bury it deep into his body; instead, she drew the hand back and punched Percy straight in the face, and he stumbled back, dropping Riptide from his hands. She gripped the hilt of Riptide and tugged at it with immense force, grunting as the blade ripped from her body with fresh ichor on it.

            From the sides of the arena, a single rafter emerged, stretching all the way across the stadium. Athena leapt onto it just as Percy began to feel the water beneath the boat spiral into the center of the ring. He used some water to propel himself onto the rafter, watching as the water opened up and revealed the top spire of the Empire State Building hundreds of feet below. The wooden carcasses of the two triremes tumbled in the sky until they hit the side of a skyscraper, bursting into hundreds of tiny pieces.

            “Shit,” he muttered, centering himself on the rafter. He began to feel dizzy at the sight of it. “That’s some fall.”

            “I’m impressed!” shouted Athena, the wind from below muffling her voice a bit. “You’ve grown smarter, stronger, maybe even more daring than before. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’ve broken the law one too many times. I’m taking you down right now.”

            “I don’t think so!” he shouted, but as he balanced carefully on the rafter and caught sight of the cars honking below, much of the bravado he had entered the fight with left him. He looked back up at Athena, turning to face the crowd, and then he caught sight of the wide, terrified eyes of Annabeth watching him. He gripped Riptide tighter, trying to look confident.

            Athena charged at him with Aegis held aloft, yelling at the top of her lungs like an enraged butcher. She blew into him, knocking his feet backwards to the point where he almost fell off, and began to bludgeon him with her shield. Battered and bruised, his left foot slipped on the marble, and suddenly he found himself balancing on one leg. Athena kicked his steady leg, his body thrown up in the air. As he began to fall, he grabbed for the rafter with his right hand, but he missed it, and he felt himself falling backwards–

            Something caught his hand – warm, calloused skin gripping his fingers and dragging his body to a halt. Athena had sheathed Aegis on her back, kneeling down to grab his right hand. She looked in his eyes with stern determination. “I can spare your life… if you swear on the Styx to tell the council everything you’ve been hiding.”

            He gritted his teeth. “I’ll die either way–

            “I’m giving you a chance, Perseus Jackson,” she said, hand squeezing his fingers even more tightly, almost as if she could will him into submission. “That’s more than I offer to most of my opponents. I suggest you make use of it.”

            He gave her a fearsome smile. “No. Not in a million years. You really want to kill the child of prophecy a few months before his birthday? Fine! Be my guest!”

            Athena frowned. “If you insist,” she muttered. And then he felt the pressure on his hand gently unwind, until there was nothing there, and he began to move downwards, his body falling mercy to the air for the first time.

            Slowly, his figure passed below the rafters, down past the sight of spectators until it receded from view, engulfed by the clutch of city skyscrapers topped with snow. As he fell, Athena watched his descent with her lips pursed, their eyes locked in mutual frustration, until he had disappeared from view. She turned to face the crowd, her facial expression stern but enigmatic.

            In the stands, Percy’s friends looked on with disbelief. Annabeth’s eyes began to well with tears. She gripped her brother by the shoulders, her fingernails scratching at his skin. “Alex… did she really just–

            “I think so,” he said, stunned. “I’m sorry sis.”

            “That… BITCH!” yelped Silena, balling her fists. “I can’t believe–

            “Folks,” came the announcer’s loud but weary voice, “I believe that the goddess Athena has just won the match, as Percy Jackson has… fallen… out the ring.”

            Athena held up both arms in victory, though she did not wear a smile. Some of the audience cheered, while a select few began to boo. Most of the demigods were silent. “Percy made a choice!” boomed Athena’s voice. “Many, many choices. I gave him a path forward, a path to work with Olympus, and he chose not to take it. He chose to die.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Being a demigod is an odd way to live. The rush of the life can get your adrenaline pumping and show you things you never imagined you would see. Percy Jackson, for one, never thought he’d be hurtling towards the spire on the Empire State Building at terminal velocity. Yet he could feel the wind rushing past him, see the clouds pass at an even faster rate, catch sight of the pinpoint texture of the spire waiting for his torso. He tried coaxing water from the snow, but his fingers were trembling, and his body would not cooperate. The tip got closer and closer, and he closed his eyes, imagining the point of impact and–

            The world stopped around him. He cautiously opened his eyes, catching sight of the pedestrians walking below the building, the cars honking at each other in cacophony. He wondered whether some god had taken pity on him, as he noted the spire below him. But then he tried to raise himself back up to the stadium, and his body moved on its own.

            “I’m flying,” he muttered. “Holy shit.”

            He moved around a bit, getting a sense for it, and then tested the speeds he could reach. After satisfying himself with how fast he could go, he looked back up at the bottom of the arena, a single gaping hole with a thin rafter running across it. Along the edge of the rafter, he could just make out a blip – the sign of someone’s foot. Balling his fists, he took aim.

OoOoOoOoO

            “When individuals threaten the sanctity of our Pantheon, we stand up to them!” shouted Athena. “There is no demigod, no matter how important, who can commit such actions as to–

            The spot where Athena had previously been standing erupted with bricks and shrapnel. They flew off and hit the sides of the stadium. Athena’s body, and the body of another, shot upwards in the sky with incredibly velocity. Percy stopped about fifty meters up and began to come down, but Athena, not suspecting the attack, was still flying farther and farther into the air.

            “I… I DON’T BELIEVE IT, FOLKS!” screamed the announcer. “PERCY JACKSON… KNOWS HOW TO FLY!”

            The crowd went wild. Percy, blushing a bit, smiled, waving to them gingerly. Athena slowly hovered down to him, looking thoroughly peeved, and settled herself on the still intact part of the rafter. “It looks like you’ve learned some new tricks while studying. Powerful tricks. It takes a lot of energy to fly.”

            “I’ve picked up a bit,” said Percy, rubbing his nose. In the collision with the rafter, he had done a number on his face. He cast the snot onto the rafter behind him.

            Athena’s grey eyes grew thin as she focused on the spot he had left behind. “What’s that?”

            He snorted a bit, more snot on his nose. “Well, I don’t see any tissue boxes around the arena–

            She blinked, her face caught in surprise. “You… you can’t be serious–

            “What was I supposed to do?” he asked. “It’s not like manners matter in a fight–

            “YOUR BLOOD IS THE COLOR OF PINK LEMONADE!”

            He looked down at the spot, and for once found Athena’s descriptive abilities quite lacking. His blood was much closer to white now – and in fact had taken on a bit of the golden color which was characteristic of ichor. He looked back up at her, his response a little too quick. “Maybe you’ve lost too much blood,” he said. “It seems like you’re hallucinating.”

            “You lied to me!” she shouted, chest heaving. The tone of her voice had grown accusatory, outstripping her previous frustration and replacing it with red hot rage “My son… this is something he taught you, isn’t it!”

            “I have no idea what you’re talking about!” said Percy, sniffing the remainder of blood back up into his nose. “Your son didn’t tell me anything I didn’t tell you!”

            Athena charged him, spear jabbing at him from all different directions. He saw an opening to her abdomen, so he brought Riptide in, slicing her stomach slightly. But as he did so, she thrust her spear away and grabbed the hilt of his sword, ripping it out of his hands until she took hold of it. Then, with him disarmed, she flung his body against the wall, creating a sizeable crater in the side of the arena, and flew towards him, pinning him there.

            “I can see it now,” she said, studying his body. “It wasn’t a fluke that you survived the attack by Ares and flew up just now. You’ve grown immensely powerful.”

            “I’ve been training!” he shouted in protest.

            “Your blood is like ichor now,” she said. “But if you want to deny it still, I can prove to the whole audience that you’re a god.” Her eyes had a cold, inhuman stare about them; her voice had dropped to a threatening tone. “You can stop me when you feel ready for it.”

            His voice quivered. “What’re you doing–

            She brought her hand back and jabbed it into his torso with such force that it felt like his stomach had exploded. Based on the cracking sounds that he heard, that may not have been far from the truth. But more immediate than that was the extreme pain he felt welling inside his chest – so intense that his eyes began to glaze over, and–

            It was the strangest feeling Percy had ever felt in his life. His body seemed snap to attention, reflexes taking over what his mind had previously controlled. Animal instincts that he didn’t know existed had kicked in, causing his body to convulse. His torso began to shake, and he felt the internal workings of it concoct themselves. Athena smiled. “Finally. Show them what–

            His eyes flashed bright gold, and he thrust his hands out at her stomach, throwing her off with immense power he didn’t even realize he had. She was sent flying into the rafter, and before he knew what he was doing, he sent half the arena wall flying at her.

            The right side of the ring exploded with the sounds of raw collisions, and for a time Athena couldn’t be heard beneath the rumbling. Then, a massive piece of marble was thrust forward, and she emerged, her mouth wide with rage. “Percy Jackson has made himself into a god!” she announced. “He has been experimenting with his blood–

            She stopped mid-sentence as her body sparked with lightning, a bolt Percy had loosed straight at her heart. The blue arcs bounced around her body for a few seconds before she escaped, her breath heavy. She turned to defend herself, but Percy was already on her, and he thrust her body onto the rafter. She parried his fists, but he wrested Riptide from her and landed a cut deep in her thigh.

            When she raised Aegis to defend herself, he ripped it from her arms and sent a blast of fire straight at her face. She wailed, struggling to free herself from under his grasp. When that failed, she pulled out a knife and began stabbing at his chest. He pulled water out from behind the walls and doused her with it, then sending a lightning bolt. She screamed, scuttling away from him finally, and he backed away, the adrenaline receding from his body for a moment. He pointed his sword at her face.

            “Surrender,” he said, his voice commanding. “There’s no way you can win.”

            “Hell no,” she said, wiping the ichor off her face. She leapt at him, tearing Riptide from his hands with incredible speed. He wrestled the spear from hers, tearing it in two, and knocked Riptide into the hole below them. With great gusto, Athena slugged him in the face, sending him stumbling backwards. Then, she moved for his torso, and he roared as his entire abdomen lit up with terrible pain. He grabbed Aegis from her back and began battering her with it. Athena tried to dodge, but he was too fast, and she fell down on the rafter beneath the shield’s weight. Her arms seemed to fail, falling down to her sides, and her eyelids fluttered until she lay limp on the rafter. Percy struggled to his full height, watching in disbelief as her body remained completely still.

            An air of imposing silence had descended over the arena. Not a soul moved, not a voice rang out from the stands. Percy could not avert his eyes from the sight of the goddess passed out before him. He had faced Athena many times before as an imposing, authoritative presence, someone who could end his very life in a second. Now, he stared at her in wonder. Her face was still, eyes closed, and her stomach was every so faintly rising up and down, up and down, and he watched it move rhythmically in total silence, waiting for her to jump back up, yell at him, punch him, anything. Yet nothing came. The shrill whisper of the wind in his ear was all that he heard, and in its own way, it was deafening.

            “Folks,” came the announcer’s voice, breaking the weight of the silence, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… Percy Jackson seems to have beaten a goddess in one-on-one combat!”

            He wondered why those words sounded so eerily familiar. He glanced over to where the gods were sitting, all their mouths agape. All except Zeus, who slowly stood up and leveled his lightning bolt in Percy’s direction. “Perseus Jackson, you are under arrest for violating Olympian law by overpowering an Olympian deity.”

            “Shit,” muttered Percy. He recalled all the warnings Kronos had given him about the gods turning on him, all the begging pleas of Ouranos and Annabeth to simply stand down. Now, he found himself in front of all the Olympians, ribs still broken, body in overwhelming pain, back bashed by Athena’s shield, and pondered how he was going to survive whatever Zeus had planned.

            He was not quite a god yet. And indeed, whatever part of a demigod that remained within him kicked in in that moment. Four years of training reared its head as he embraced the oldest mantra he had ever received as a demigod. When shit hits the fan, you run.

            And Percy ran fast.

Chapter Text

Chapter 26

Olympian Loyalty

         He did not even consider the possibility of sitting down to negotiate. He had a bit of power left, enough to carry his legs at inhuman speeds away from the arena, but he doubted it would be enough to fight all twelve other gods. As he ran, he pondered where he might hide. In the hotel? In the catacombs? Maybe if he laid down right next to Athena’s body, no one would think to look there. He realized all of these ideas were terrible, yet his legs would not stop moving. He was terrified what the gods would do to him if he did.

         It didn’t matter. A blast with the force of an atomic bomb apparated next to him, knocking him off his feet. In terms of goods news, his ribs and face had begun to heal, no doubt drawing from his divine power. But there was not much hope in sight. He decided to risk it all and head straight for the edge. With luck some sky spirit might take pity on him and whisk him away to a fairyland castle far away from Olympus.

         “If you don’t stop, I will blow you off the face of this earth, Jackson!” bellowed Zeus. “Submit to Olympian justice!”

         He did not think Olympian justice would treat him very well, particularly not after he had beaten up Athena. He realized that in terms of proving her point, it may not have been a smart move. But in the end, his body had practically moved on its own after she had crushed his ribs. As he stumbled again, one of Zeus’s blasts hit him square in the back, and he went flying, his body arching with pain. He struggled up from the ground only to see another bolt headed straight for him. He knew as it approached that this would be the last one – a hit from that, and they would pin him down, strap him to a mountainside, and train an owl to tear his brain out each day. Seaweed brain.

         He watched in terror as the bolt approached him in slow motion. Only when it did not hit did he realize that it had stopped abruptly, frozen in mid-air.

         Zeus looked on in confusion. “How did you do that?”

         “I… I didn’t­–

         A cold voice rose up from behind him. “I did.”

         Percy felt the earth shake beneath him as someone stepped next to him, placing a protective hand over his shoulder. It was a warm hand, large in size, and when Percy looked over, he could see why. It was Kronos. The eight or so gods who had followed Zeus looked on in horror. Zeus prepared his bolt. “Father.”

         “Not just me,” said Kronos. From behind a slew of buildings, other Titans came forward, a roughly even match for the Olympians there.

         Zeus grimaced. “How did you get past the wind gods?”

         Kronos’s face grew smug. “Well it might surprise you to hear they didn’t like one of yours challenging the budding young head of a new pantheon. Nor did I, for that matter. The wind gods are waiting to see what he chooses to do now that I’ve stepped in to save him.” Zeus moved to hurl another thunderbolt, but Kronos held up a singular hand, and all the gods slowed to a crawl. Kronos knelt down next to Percy, smiling. “Thankfully, we have time on our side. Now didn’t I tell you I’d be here when you needed me most?”

         Percy looked up at him, eyes wide with fear. The Titan, far from looking like a monster, sounded more like a father than Percy had ever known. In fact, something deep within his soul stirred at the way Kronos said those words and offered his hand to help Percy up. It seemed far too human, too familiar. He took Kronos’s hand, rising, and through the slow-motion Percy could see some of the gods’ eyes falter. They felt betrayed.

         “We need to go, Percy,” said Kronos, gripping his hand tightly. “I know your friends are in the arena, but you have to move now. But if there’s anything you’d like to say to the gods before you leave, now is the time.”

         He stared at their grief-stricken faces, wondering what they were thinking. After chasing him here, they still felt betrayed? There were gods Percy felt sorry for… Dionysus, for one thing, and his father. But even Hera and Hephaestus, Ares and Zeus, looked absolutely shocked to see him take Kronos’s hand.

         “Percy,” said Kronos, his voice a little irritated. “Do it quick.” His tone reminded Percy of the giddy, domineering tone he had back on the cruise ship. Of the way he talked to Beckendorf dismissively. It was odd – one-minute Kronos could sound like the most nurturing of parents, and the other moment he could sound like a domineering taskmaster.

         Kronos looked at him with quiet frustration, his eyes demanding a response. His smoldering gaze reminded Percy of all the demigods he had killed without a second thought. Perhaps the gods had done the same, but they were not so mercurial. Hades, at least, admitted to his faults at dinner. Triton and Dionysus could open up. They didn’t lie about it.

         Finally, Percy gave a slow nod. “Just one thing first.”

         Kronos’s face loosened up, and he took a relieved sigh. “Of course.”

         He turned to face Kronos, his eyes wide with wonder. “Fuck you.” He slammed his knee straight into Kronos’s stomach with all his remaining power, and the Titan exhaled all the air from his body and flew backwards off the side of the mountain. The time manipulation broke, Zeus’s frozen bolt exploded among the titans, and the gods charged past Percy as he fainted, and his vision went blank.

OoOoOoOoO

         His eyes fluttered open. He was lying down, his head on a pillow. He began to get out of a portable bed, pulling a thin sheet off of himself to reveal his nude body, battered and bruised but otherwise back into regular shape.

         “Oh gods, I really didn’t need to see that!” shouted Ares. Percy looked around the room for the first time, noting the presence of twelve deities, most of whom were averting their eyes, except for Apollo and Aphrodite. His face grew beetroot red, and he scurried to cover his private parts with his hands. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted that Hades was sitting in a makeshift wooden chair for the moment.

         “I’ve been watching over your recovery,” said Apollo, his gaze strictly on Percy’s eyes. “We’ve commenced a council meeting on your survival, though. Your presence was… needed.”

         “Right,” said Percy. “And Aphrodite is… helping?”

         She gave him a coy smile. “Some of us are just more comfortable with a little skin.”

         “Jesus Christ,” said Ares, closing his eyes as he undid his belt. He threw his pants at Percy, who graciously put them on. “Okay, he’s decent.”

         “Could I like… get a shirt, too?” asked Percy. “You’re all wearing suits and dresses; it’s kind of embarrassing.”

         Zeus shrugged. “A reasonable request. I’ll have an attendant bring you one in a moment.” He cleared his throat as the attendant went about her business, bringing Percy the shirt. “Anyways, as you may have surmised, we’ve decided to put you on trial. Your little show in the arena had a lot to do with it, although Athena’s recommendation also played a part. Whatever the case, challenging the gods was the worst of your crimes.”

         “She was lying!” said Percy. “I had to–

         “Frankly, I don’t care,” deadpanned Zeus. “No matter what she said, acquiring enough power to defeat her and flee us when we tried to arrest you? You’ve been dabbling with something unacceptable.”

         “That’s not true!”

         “Then how,” said Zeus, leaning forward with a rumble in his throat, “did you get so powerful? I’ll remind you that if you are on our side, you would tell us.”

         Percy sighed. “First of all, I’m clearly on your side. I kneed Kronos in the chest. But I’ll tell you. I didn’t… do anything. When I spoke with Kronos on the ship, he said I would become a god. I’ve been training in magic, sure, but if he’s right, that didn’t matter. I was bound to be a god from the beginning. Besides, any training I did was just to take him on. And… I don’t know, maybe I wanted to be able to defend myself and my friends if someone like Ares threatened us again.”

         Zeus was silent for a moment. “A bold claim for a demigod–

         “Bold but fair,” said Hades. “He may push back against us, but it’s only when he’s threatened. Even when we were going to capture him, he chose to fight against Kronos, and turned down any power our father offered him.”

         “Brother, can you be trusted to give fair testimony?” asked Zeus. “If what Athena said was true–

         “I could not vote to kill Percy,” said Hades. “But other gods have sworn similar oaths without any suspicion. And it doesn’t matter. If what he says is true, and I have every reason to believe it given the ichor I saw, he is immortal. I can vote to imprison him just fine. But even so, I wouldn’t. He’s done nothing but support me. I suppose Athena is right – he has me in his corner. Oh well. I am still just as rational as all of you.”

         “Fair enough,” said Zeus. “Percy, tell us: were Athena’s charges true?”

         He frowned, offput by Zeus’s uncompromising stare. “Some of them,” he admitted. “Not the ones about Daedalus, but… yeah, I lobbied. And Kronos did offer me power. But if I wanted it, I would’ve taken it back when you all were chasing me, or on that ship, or when he visited me in dreams to offer me power. He was serious; he doesn’t want the throne. He wants a demigod to have it. But I’ve rejected power every time.”

         “Percy, you cannot be certain about your grandfather’s intentions,” said Poseidon. “He is wily and cunning and has always hungered for power. He is called ‘the crooked one’ for a reason. I trust you, my son, but why would he stop craving power?”

         Percy struggled to remember. “Kronos said he had been free from Tartarus far longer than you’ve all suspected. He claimed to have been free since Roman times–

         “We tried to squash Saturn’s cult, but never succeeded,” said Artemis. “We could never find out why it was so prevalent. Now, we have our answer.”

         “He was also tired of political maneuvering,” said Percy. “So Kronos was going to install us on the throne to deal with the actual politics. All he would get from us was a promise not to jail him. He would be free. And he thought, for whatever reason, that I could defeat you all.”

         “Just as ancient prophecy suggests,” muttered Zeus. “He is playing his cards right, that’s for sure.”

“The prophecy says one of our children will overthrow us,” said Poseidon. “Not my son.”

“But it could be him!” thundered Zeus. “You cannot let family ties get in the way!”

“Uh… if I may butt in here,” said Apollo, “we don’t have the exact wording of the old prophecy. That was your interpretation, father. You did burn the prophecy so that no one would ever find out about it.”

Zeus blushed. “Well, that was a strategic move. What does it matter?”

“Because if the prophecy said that the child would surpass us, for example,” said Apollo, “It could mean that Olympus survives with new power at its side. There is always the option of integration rather than decimation.”

“That is a heavy risk,” said Zeus. “And I’m fairly sure the prophecy suggested a clear-cut victory over our society.”

“We could debate this matter all day,” said Artemis. “We all have our own presuppositions about how the prophecy will manifest; it’s not worth arguing over. We should be gathering more evidence. Percy, is there anything you’ve left out? Anything at all?”

He fidgeted nervously. “Um… not that I can remember.” In truth, he did remember something. There was always Ouranos, and the newest prophecy to mention. But he felt certain if he revealed it, they would kill him – or worse – on sight.

Artemis continued. “Do you think it’s true that Kronos only wants his freedom?”

“He seemed sincere,” said Percy. “He spoke about eating my father and the other gods with regret. He said you had become like him, and that he wanted to make a paradise for the demigods. Frankly, all the emotions on his face seemed real, like a father thinking about the future of his children.” Poseidon winced a bit at that. “I also had a dream about him where he was speaking about his enslaved child being hunted during the Civil War. He mentioned… something about helping Lincoln, and Hermes’ son–

“General Meade,” muttered Hermes. “I always suspected he had divine help at Gettysburg.”

“So he has a history of watching out for demigods,” said Artemis. “And rightfully so. Those of us who advocated for the North saw the pain his children would’ve faced firsthand. Some of my Hunters today were escaped slaves from that era.”

Zeus rolled his eyes. “If you’re trying to shame us for strategic decisions from one hundred and fifty years ago-

“I’m trying to determine whether or not we should engage peace talks,” said Artemis.

Poseidon glared at her. “You may be younger than us, Artemis, but for you to suggest letting Kronos walk free… have you forgotten that he ate us?”

“Demigods are dying,” said Artemis. “My Hunters are dying. If we can end this war so easily, I support it.”

“Kronos also has to appease the other Titans,” said Zeus. “I doubt those peace talks would succeed. Not in his council or ours. Besides, I think we’ve argued long enough. We have a vote to make. Hades, we’ll have you vote twelfth this time. If Athena needs to break the tie, she’ll do it. Now, I think we’ve debated this long enough. Let’s have a quick vote.”

One by one, the gods either voted for or against killing Percy. They did so silently, only Dionysus speaking on his turn. “Sorry, kid. There are some lines even I can’t cross.”

Poseidon, Hades, Hermes, Artemis, Apollo, and Demeter all supported Percy. Zeus, Hera, Hephaestus, Ares, Dionysus, and Aphrodite voted against him. It came out to a dead tie. He was a little surprised to see some of the Olympians switch their votes, but ultimately, he didn’t spend much time mulling it over. His thoughts were interrupted when the doors burst open, nearly knocking him out of the hospital bed.

Athena marched in, ignoring Percy and taking a seat on her throne. She looked somewhat bruised in the face, but otherwise seemed unfazed.

“Daughter, you’re just in time to break the vote,” said Zeus. “It’s a tie. We’re voting on Percy’s life. You get to decide whether or not he lives or dies.” The words seeped into Percy’s brain, driving him to the brink. Images of Prometheus having his liver devoured and the Titans suffering in Tartarus filled his mind. “I trust you’ve been following along from your hospital bed?” asked Zeus.

“Yes,” she said. The first thing she did was look over at Ares. “You couldn’t have kept your pants?”

“Well, I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t realize you wanted to see him naked.”

She rolled her eyes, turning her attention to Percy. She held up her hand, beckoning him closer. “Come here.”

He got out of the bed, standing in front of her throne. It was as awkward for him as it was for the other gods; oftentimes the witness stood in the center of the room rather than address one god personally. She stared at him, those piercing eyes sizing him up. They seemed like little masks covering up her true feelings. She said absolutely nothing for a solid minute, during which his heart raced as he pondered whether or not she would kill him.

“You have grown up more than I gave you credit for, Percy,” she said simply.

His mind went blank. “Um… come again?”

She rolled her eyes, sighing. “Percy, I’ll level with you. I haven’t always been fair to you because I thought you were immature. But I’ve seen that that’s not true. Nevertheless, you’ve broken more laws than I prefer to count. You’ve walked a very fine line, but in the end, you chose loyalty to Olympus.”

“Now, you’re still a huge liability,” she said. “Too powerful and too criminal for us to do nothing. But you don’t deserve death… yet. So here is my proposal. I will grant you your life. But in exchange, you must lead the demigods against Kronos. You must defeat him without our help. When you have done that, I will consider your side of the bargain fulfilled. So, child, will you lead the Olympian forces?”

The gods looked on, stunned. Zeus piped. “Athena, this is the demigod-

         “This is my vote, father. Well, Percy? I’m waiting.”

         He almost teared up a little. “I’ll do it. I’ll defeat Kronos. I am loyal to Olympus.”

         She smiled. “Good. I vote to save your life. Now leave. We have a lot to discuss.”

         He nodded, trying to maintain composure as he walked out the door. When he passed outside, however, he yelled out happily, rushing off to wherever to celebrate his unexpected freedom.

         “I’m shocked,” muttered Ares. “I didn’t think you would be so weak after losing to a scamp like him.”

         She chuckled. “Oh, because you could take him on after I whupped your ass, right?”

         Ares muttered something under his breath. Zeus piped up. “Athena, putting aside Ares’s prodding, he is a threat to the realm, and he was weak. It’s unlike you to be so… well-

         “Merciful?” she asked. Her face betrayed no emotion. “Well, I do have my moments. And I meant what I said. Although, to be quite frank, mercy was the last thing on my mind for that vote. It was maybe the most strategic one I’ve ever made.”

         Artemis probed her. “Oh? How so?”

“I heard about what happened with the Titans,” said Athena. “About how the wind gods momentarily betrayed us. Even though we captured Coeus, the Titans are still powerful. And one cannot forget that Percy, even if he has matured, could not have mastered so much magic in so short a time with any old teacher. I suspect he has divine aid on his side. And then there’s the matter of the demigods, who practically venerate the boy now. I saw how they reacted when they thought I killed him. Weak as he is right now, his support is strong. There’s no telling what would happen if we tried to throw him into Tartarus. We can have a real vote on Percy’s mortality… and loyalty… later, when he has wasted his energy weakening Kronos and we have tracked down his powerful mentor. When we’ve split all of his supporters, he will be vulnerable. Only then can we truly discuss what to do about him.”

         “So we’re just going to sentence the boy to eternal torture after he served us so dutifully?” asked Artemis, leaning forward in her throne. “And you think the demigods would trust us after that?”

         “I didn’t say we had to punish him,” said Athena, eyes narrowing. “But we can if we need to. Besides, he can prove his true colors when he fights Kronos. I said I would be fair, Artemis, not merciful.”

         “As always, your council is wise, my daughter,” said Zeus. “I think we should proceed as you’ve suggested.”

         “Wonderful,” said Athena. “If we’re all agreed, I have some business to attend to outside.”

OoOoOoOoO

         For the next fifteen minutes, Percy had no purpose in life. Instead, he ran around an empty Olympian alleyway, skipping along with glee.

         “Look alive!”

         Percy turned around just in time to see a giant metal shield hurtling towards him at full speed. It hit him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He tumbled to the ground, clutching his still painful ribs.

Athena smirked, picking up the shield. “Okay. Now we’re even.”

         “Did you really have to do that?”

         She offered him a hand, helping him to his feet. “Well, I’ve never had a losing record against Ares, so… yes. Besides, you took me by surprise in the arena. If you hadn’t lied about the extent of your magical powers, I would have planned for them. Come. We should talk. Besides, you look like you’re going insane.”

         He grunted, walking beside her. “So… you spared me. Thanks, I guess.”

         “I meant what I said, Percy. I haven’t been fair to you. And yet you’re an enormous risk for the Olympians. You have to prove your loyalty to us. Otherwise, I can’t promise I’ll make the same decision again.”

         “I’d never dream of teaming up with Kronos,” said Percy. “He’s the reason Beckendorf died.”

         “I’m sure Luke said the same thing once,” said Athena. “But he must’ve gotten fed up with it too.”

         “But I’m not like Luke. I tried to change the council. And succeeded.”

         “We are gods, Percy. Change takes time for us… as I suppose you will soon learn.” She pursed her lips. “You must be very careful to stay in line, Percy. You promise me you’ll do that?”

         “Of course–

         “I don’t just mean do what you think is right,” said Athena, leaning in close to him. “You must avoid even the appearance of impropriety.”

         “I don’t–

         “I mean don’t do anything that even looks bad,” explained Athena, sighing. “If you manage to do that, then maybe you have a future in Olympus.” She backed away, smiling. “And who knows? That might include a future with my daughter.”

         His eyes widened as they arrived at the bottom of the mountain. “Is that just a hypothetical, or–

          “We’ve arranged for Argus to take you home,” she said, nodding to him. “Have a good night, Percy.”

         “Thanks,” he muttered, watching as she made her way back up the hill. He wondered if she had been serious.

Chapter Text

Chapter 27

Not Quite a Demigod

            Percy returned to Camp Half-Blood late that night, a weary pressure bearing down on his forehead. His eyes were glazed over. With curfew already under way, there were no faces to greet him on his way back. He stumbled into the housing area, opening the door to his cabin. He slammed the door, sat down on his bed, and remained in silent contemplation for a minute. Then, from across the room, there was a knock on the door.

            He darted up from his bed, startled. “Uh… hello? It’s 1 o’clock.”

            “It’s me,” came Annabeth’s muffled voice.

            Percy sighed in relief. “Oh, yeah, come in.”

            She opened the door carefully, shutting it behind her with only the slightest sound. She looked at Percy, concern in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

            “I’m doing alright,” he said, eyes fixed on the ground. “I had a bit of a scare in front of the council. Nothing bad.” He looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. “It’s pretty late for you to be up.”

            “I’ve been waiting outside your cabin for five hours.”

            Percy became very interested in his bedsheets. “Something… on your mind?”

            “I just watched my boyfriend beat up my Mom and become a fugitive,” she said. “So there’s been a lot on my mind.”

            “I didn’t have a choice, Annabeth,” said Percy, looking up at her with incredulity. “She was denigrating my name, telling lies about me. What was I supposed to do?”

            “Stay silent,” she said, brows knit with annoyance. “Not make a fuss. No one would have listened to her.”

            “They wouldn’t have listened to the goddess of wisdom?”

            “That doesn’t fucking matter, Percy!” shouted Annabeth, her face contorting with rage. “They wouldn’t have done anything to you!’

            The room was silent for a minute as they both caught their breath. “Annabeth, the council voted on my death. Before your mother arrived, the vote was tied. But when she came, she voted to save me. She said I had matured. She commanded me to lead the fight against Kronos. It wasn’t pleasant, but for the first time since I’ve known you, your mother actually respects me!”

            “She doesn’t respect you, Percy!” said Annabeth. “She’s sizing you up! That thing she did with your ribs was a way of testing your divine power. And she’s making you fight Kronos to whittle down your strength! With the Titans and the wind gods potentially against them, it’s no wonder she’s using you! You’re falling into her trap!”

            “I know that!” he said. “She made her vote conditional on me using my power. What did you want me to do? Keel over and die?”

            “I don’t know!” she said, shaking her head. “But you keep getting yourself into these situations! For once, I don’t want to have to deal with you almost dying! I want a normal life!”

            “I can’t have a normal life right now!” he said. “My birthday’s coming up, and the Olympians are on the verge of killing me! I need to prepare! Annabeth, let me finish the war. We can talk about a normal life once it’s over.”

            He reached out his arm to touch her shoulder, but she swatted it away. “I don’t have to do anything. If you’re going to dig yourself a deeper hole, I… I’m not going to be by your side while you do it.”

            He stared at her for a second, his face pale. “But we’ve been in this together since–

            “We haven’t been,” she said, closing her eyes. “When Beckendorf passed, when you went to Hades, when Luke died, when Hades was elected, when Mom attacked, every time I asked you to lay low. To just let it go. But you never did! You’ve been locked up in your own little world! I’ve never fought side by side with some god who dealt in Olympian politics. I fought with Percy Jackson, the demigod.” She swallowed. “And I… I don’t know how. To work with Percy Jackson, the god. Who just wants more and more power, damn the consequences. Who tells me nothing about any of this.” She looked up at him, her eyes a little watery.

            He paused for a moment. “Annabeth, come on, don’t do this to me–

            “I need some sleep,” she said, heading for the door. She opened it and began to head out.

            “Annabeth, please, give me a break here!” he said, rushing to the doorway. “I’m just going through a lot; it’ll be over soon–

            “No!” she said, turning to face him. The moonlight illuminated her form, showing a bright red face with cheeks dotted by tears. “No matter what I say, you won’t slow down. You’ll get yourself killed! I can’t give you the help you need. Good night.” She turned away, her body slowly melding with the darkness until even the wisps of her hair were gone from Percy’s sight.

            He stared off in the distance for a moment, trying to find some semblance of normality in it. An owl hooted in the distance, and he felt an oppressive insomnia come over him.

            “We’ll talk in the morning,” he muttered, closing the door and falling into bed. “It’ll be fine.”

OoOoOoOoO

            He woke up late the next morning, to rays of sunlight pouring down from the uppermost window of the cabin. They brought to life the seashells and celadon that lined the walls, aquamarine flooring and the sputtering well in the corner. Rubbing his eyes, he walked to the center of the room in his pajamas and looked around.

            It was a beautiful room, and peaceful. But a part of him yearned for the time when Silena and Annabeth had been there watching him. He began to make his way out the door, but his mind began to swirl with visions of the campers gossiping. What would they say about the trial? Would they know about Annabeth? He decided to sit back down on the bed, taking a minute to breathe. And then, resolved to stay inside, he pulled the training book out from under his bed. “Let’s get back to practice.”

            He picked a page on fire spells. Focusing his attention on the surface of his palm, he gave a brilliant thrust, and a burst of fire bloomed from his hand, the disparate tongues spreading outwards until they engulfed the room in a warm, overwhelming light. As he closed his palm, the fire faded, leaving behind only the light of the sun.

            He did this for two hours, the room growing hotter and hotter with each blast. His two arms thrust back and forth like two pistons of some massive engine. His breath got heavier, his body giving off more and more sweat. He threw his shirt on the bed, the heat searing into his chest. With the final burst, he gave off a massive yell, a wave of fire exploding from his palm. His eyes widened as the door began to open, and he quickly drew water from the saltwater fountain to douse the blast, just as someone with blonde hair peeled their head in. Percy froze.

            “Um… hey dude,” muttered Alex, glancing around the room, his eyes lingering on Percy’s bare and sweaty chest. “You know, if this is a bad time, I can just… come back later.”

            “It’s fine,” said Percy, his words quick like bullets.

            “Right,” said Alex. “Is it me, or is it hot in here?”

            “Just you.”

            Alex looked at Percy’s shimmering chest, which was practically giving off steam. “Okay. I’m gonna shut the door now. How you feeling, Percy?”

            “Everything’s fine,” he said, turning away from Alex. He began to pace the room. “You know, just… blowing off some steam. A little exercise.”

            “Magic training. That’s what we’re calling exercise now?”

            “Takes a lot of energy,” said Percy, shrugging. “You know, it’s efficient, kills two birds with one stone. How’s, uh… how’s your sister?”

            “Well, you know, she did watch her mother get beat up in front of one thousand spectators, so… not great.”

            “Right,” muttered Percy. “But did she mention–

            “She sent me to talk to you,” said Alex. “To make sure you’re… okay.”

            “I’m fine,” said Percy. “But what’d you think… about our… well, our fight. You know, between me and–

            “Dude, chill,” said Alex, shaking his head. He sighed, taking a seat on Percy’s bed and crossing his legs. “I wasn’t thrilled. She’s my mother, after all. But she also did some pretty fucked up shit to you. It’s complicated. I mean, you shocked her, clearly–

            “Well, yeah,” said Percy. “That’s what lightning–

            “That’s not what I fucking meant, man,” said Alex, rolling his eyes. “You took her by surprise with your powers. If she’d known about it beforehand, I think she would have fought differently. She’d still lose, but maybe lose better.”

            “I’m sorry, but I… I didn’t feel like I had a choice,” said Percy. “I lost control when she bashed my ribs in–

            He held up a hand. “I’m not here to badger you about it. I’m not sure what I’d have done in that situation. Course, I wouldn’t try to lobby the Olympian Council, so that’s a moot point. Anyways, I didn’t come here to talk about Mom.”

            Percy frowned. “Could I talk to Annabeth? I just want to… patch things up. It was late, and we got pretty heated–

            “I don’t think there’s going to be any patching up,” deadpanned Alex.

            “But she sent you–

            “To see how you were doing,” said Alex. “My sister has basic human decency. She wanted to make sure you hadn’t gone insane. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to put up with… well, all of this.”

            Percy took a deep breath in. “But I have to talk to her, Alex. At least talk with her.”

            Alex rolled his eyes. “I guess I can’t stop you. I’m not sure anyone can anymore.”

            Percy stared at him for a second. “Are you… are you serious, dude?”

            Alex narrowed his eyes, studying the still steaming mass that was Percy’s body “Very much so,” he said. “You may not have realized it yet, but you’re no longer a demigod, no longer mortal. You have the power of a god. The way Zeus, Ares, and my mother treat the demigods… you can do all of that now. So, you know, your fucking choice, man. I’ve got somewhere to be.”

            He slammed the door behind him, leaving Percy in silence. He raised his hand, studying his palm with an alien look in his eyes.

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy headed out towards the end of the day, approaching the Athena cabin with as much timidity as he could muster. Almost all of the campers, sans the Chase siblings, were sitting out on the doorstep, talking amongst themselves in hushed voices. When they caught sight of him, a great wave of silence slowly descended over them. He stared at the group for a few seconds, then gently coughed. “Um… is Annabeth there?”

            Malcolm rose from in front of the door, brushing off his jeans and crossing his arms. He was kind of skinny, so it wasn’t exactly a fiercely intimidating show. Still, his frown made Percy nervous. “Yeah, well, she just wants the room to herself right now. So, you know.”

            “Oh,” muttered Percy. “Well, maybe you could mention that I wanted to talk to her.”

            Malcolm nodded. “Yeah, we’ll tell her.”

            They stood in silence for a few seconds, Malcolm raising an eyebrow at Percy. “Yeah, could you tell her… like, now?”

            “She’s busy now. I’ll tell her later.”

            “I was kind of hoping–

            “Later, Percy,” said Malcolm. “I’ll tell her later.”

            The door flung open, hitting Malcolm in the butt. He hopped to the side, clenching his posterior in pain. Annabeth stepped out, eyes ablaze with anger. “Thanks, Malcolm, but I’m not twelve anymore.”

            Malcolm stared at her, dumbstruck. “Oh, uh, sorry.”

            Percy chuckled half-heartedly. “Looks like you gave your brother a scare–

            “Hilarious,” she said, crossing her arms. “What’d you come here to discuss?”

            “I was hoping we could talk in private,” he said, his chin sinking past his shoulders.

            “I hoped to live a fairly simple life,” said Annabeth. “And yet, here we are.”

            “Right,” muttered Percy. “Well, don’t you think last night was a bit of an… overreaction?”

            Annabeth smirked, her eyebrows knit with annoyance. “What was the first thing you did this morning?”

            He hesitated. “Brush my teeth?”

            “Alex told me that your room was practically on fire,” said Annabeth, taking a step closer to him. “I berate you for trying to become more powerful, and the first thing you do the morning after is to train and burn your cabin down in the process! Gods, you are insufferable!”

            “I was blowing off some steam!” he said in protest.

            “With fire?” she asked. “Generally, that’s a source of steam–

            “Okay, I get that–

            “I don’t think you do!” said Annabeth, her lips close to his. “Your entire life is starting to resemble that of a god more and more. You’re obsessed with being safe, and playing the politics right, and at the end of the day, you’re less and less a demigod every minute!”

            “Annabeth, it’s only for a few more weeks. I have to in order to deal with Kronos. There’s nothing more important than defeating him right now. He killed Beckendorf, corrupted Luke! He was your–

            “I get the point–

            “No!” said Percy. “Who’s next, Annabeth–

            “NO ONE!” she shouted. “Kronos hasn’t attacked the demigods in weeks! Ares was the one who killed Luke, and I’m heartbroken about Beckendorf, but he sacrificed himself! No one else will die if you sit there and wait like a sane person!”

            “I just,” he took a deep breath in, biting his bottom lip, “I’m so tired of putting up with all of this shit, watching my friends die and feel helpless. And I can do something now–

            Annabeth sighed. “You see, that’s the problem. I feel like that every day. But I know I can’t do anything about it. You know what happens when a god gets uppity about their parents? Why don’t you ask Ouranos, or Kronos? You think Zeus will just listen to you if you argue with him too much? And who dies when you and the Olympians go to war? Who dies because Percy Jackson feels uncomfortable?”

            He shook his head. “No, that’s wrong. If all you feel is uncomfortable about your friends dying–

            She ripped her camp necklace off her neck, shoving it in his face. “Nine years, Percy. More than you can say. You don’t have a right to question what I do in response to the deaths. You don’t know the half of it. You haven’t been here long enough. You don’t even know the older ones who came before Luke and Beckendorf.”

            “But more will die!” he said. “We can still die–

            “No, not you,” she said. “Not anymore. You’re different.”

            He pursed his lips. “I’ve been a demigod right there with you. I might not have been here, but I get the pain, the frustration. I–

            “You’re leaving us, though,” she said. “You’re bleeding ichor, and courting votes, and fighting my mother and Ares. How long before you start the next war with the gods? 5 years? 10?”

            “You’re buying your mother’s speech,” he said, incredulous. “Annabeth, how could you–

            “Mother clearly wasn’t lying,” sneered Malcolm.

            “Yes, she was,” interjected Annabeth. “She doesn’t know you like I do. But regardless of who you are, power corrupts, and you chose to head down a dangerous path, seeking more of it. I’m not walking that path with you.”

            Percy let her words sink over him, finally comprehending that she was dead serious. He balled his fists, anger welling up inside him. “Fine. I’ll go it alone, then. I’ll become a god on my own. I suppose that will make me less corrupt, or likely to go to war, or something. Being cut off from the people I’m closest to–

            Annabeth’s lips trembled. “You’re the most stubborn, idiotic–

            “I’ve got training to do,” he said, pivoting to his side and marching quickly back to his cabin. He slammed the door and began releasing fire blasts, clenching his teeth as the bursts grew in size and engulfed the entire space. The fire caught on the walls, his cabin ablaze, but he simply doused it all with a massive wave of water wrenched from the fountain. His room drenched, he could freely practice his blasts without fear of burning the cabin. His next attack bounced back towards him, lighting his bare skin aflame. He cried out in pain, but continued his attacks, dousing his skin with water. The tears began to flow from his eyes as the fire blasts got bigger, and slowly he fell to his knees, banging his fists against the ground, protesting his ascendance to godhood.

Chapter Text

Chapter 28

Wrenched Apart

            When Annabeth woke the next morning, she found little strength to get out of bed, the muscles in her arms aching as she flopped around the bed. Wearily, she looked over at her bureau, the nine beads denoting her long purview with this camp. She winced. Slowly, she pushed herself out of bed, wrenched her clothes over her body, and yanked open the door.

            On her way to the main quad, she passed by the Poseidon cabin, hearing a loud noise from inside.

            “Shit!” screamed Percy. “Oh gods, that’s gonna leave a mark…

            “What an idiot,” she muttered, approaching the doorway. She stopped, biting her lip, unsure whether she could take a step forward.

            There had been a time before Percy arrived on the scene, a time when Annabeth had made ample friends at camp apart from him. But now, she didn’t know anyone quite like she did Percy Jackson. Thalia had been ripped from her early into their friendship, and once in camp again, taken by the Hunters. Luke, her rock for so long, was a distant memory, and dead at that. She could go to Grover or Silena, she supposed, but they knew Percy about as well as they knew her, and she wasn’t sure how they would feel.

            Still, he wasn’t the same demigod she knew. In fact, he was so different, she wasn’t even sure she knew how to talk to him anymore. At the waning of the day in the past few months, she had watched him stare longingly in the distance, that same stare she had noticed in Luke so long ago. And Luke had only gone and run away from her, regardless of what she had tried with him.

            She sighed, raising a dejected fist to knock on the door.

            “Saying hi to your boyfriend?”

            She spun around, mouth trembling with rage. “He’s not my boyfriend, dammit!”

            Athena stepped back in surprise, staring at her for a moment. Her eyes narrowed. “Oh. I see. Having some relationship problems?”

            Annabeth’s anger faded. “Sorry, Mom. I didn’t know it was you. You could say that.”

            She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

            Annabeth avoided the gaze of her grey eyes, shrinking beneath it. “You made him a general. He’s going to gain more and more power, and he’ll be less like a demigod. I was hoping to avoid that.”

            “Annabeth, he’s a god,” said Athena. “And that’s what it will take for him to beat Kronos.”

            “But you’re doing this to kill two birds with one stone,” she said. “To whittle down Percy and Kronos.”

            “Let’s stay away from words like ‘kill’,” said Athena, a nervous look on her face. “I know what you’re thinking, but that’s not necessarily my intention. If Percy remains loyal to the state, I can stomach it. If not… yes, punishment of some kind is perfectly appropriate.”

            “I’d rather he stopped,” muttered Annabeth, a little bit angrily.

            “He has to fight,” said Athena. “Olympus is in a tight spot. If we take on Kronos ourselves–

            “So, what, you want me to suck it up and keep dating him now?” asked Annabeth, a little more forcefully than she intended. She couldn’t help herself. “You’ve screwed up my relationship, Mom. I don’t appreciate it.”

            Athena was silent for a moment, staring at her daughter with concerned eyes. “There’s a lot to unpack there, Annabeth, but… I have no plans regarding your relationship one way or the other. I don’t intend to tell you what to do with or without Percy. I just wasn’t aware of the tension–

            “You’ve been against him from the outset!” she growled. “Because he’s a son of Poseidon!”

            “Well, yes, I–

            “He’s the closest friend I had!”

            Athena looked pained. “I… you never said that before. I just thought you had a crush on him, Annabeth. I mean, you’ve known Grover a lot longer, and–

            Annabeth just sighed, causing her mother to slow to a stop. “I never should’ve expected you to get it.” Athena looked a bit insulted by that, but if she had something to say, she was silent. “What’d you want?”

            Athena blushed. “Well… to be frank, I kind of needed your help with something… Percy Jackson related.”

            “No,” deadpanned Annabeth.

            “Well, I could change the plan a bit,” mused Athena. “I’m trying to find out about Percy’s mentor. Some intelligence work. But I wouldn’t know where to start.”

            “He calls him on the phone every thirty minutes,” muttered Annabeth, rolling her eyes. “He’s the reason he missed your fight against Ares.”

            “Oh, is that right?” asked Athena, chuckling. “Well… I know I’ve asked a lot, but do you think you could retrieve his phone’s data for me using this device?” She handed Annabeth a small box attached to a plug. “I know this may not be the best time, but–

            “I’ll do it,” sighed Annabeth. “It might take a bit, though. He’s holed up in there.”

            “Take your time, dear,” said Athena. “Just send me an Iris message when you’ve retrieved it.” She smiled, hugging her daughter. “I love you.” And then she disappeared.

            Annabeth sighed, heading back to her cabin. Her mother could be affectionate, but it seemed rather opportune at the time. Rummaging through her drawers, she found her invisibility cap and headed back to the Poseidon cabin, waiting for him to finally leave. It took him awhile, but he finally headed somewhere besides the bathroom. She took a moment to ease her nerves before stepping inside, and once there, found the phone lying on his bed.

            She surveyed the room. It no longer looked like a bedroom. Alongside the beautiful abalone shells that made the walls shine, long-embedded shrapnel dulled the former shine of the room. And her sneakers got coated in soot. For a normal demigod, Mr. D. might sick monsters on them for this kind of damage. For Percy Jackson…

            She shook the thought from her head, sitting down on the bed to take a look at his phone as the data got downloaded. There was only one contact: O. The latest set of messages with him read:

Percy: I survived the vote, but it was a close one. They made me a general of the demigods ­– want me to fight Kronos, and take care of the dirty work. I’m worried.

O: This is not good, Percy. You’ll be in a weakened state.

Percy: That’s exactly what Annabeth said. She’s been so worried about my training that she broke up with me, though. She’s thinking I’ll become power hungry, just like the gods. You told me you could help me with this, O.

O: Percy, she’s a demigod. And she doesn’t have all the information you have. For now, you have to put up with it. But I did try to help you. I warned you about lobbying the gods, and then you went and fought Athena. Did I not tell you that?

Percy: Okay, fine. You did. I just… I’m frustrated. I feel so alone. You know, it was Athena who chose to save me? I mean, that’s progress, I guess, but I don’t know how long I can depend on her to support me.

O: Keep your wits about you. For now, just focus on training, and don’t do anything else that’s stupid. Remember how we want this to end: everyone’s happy, except for my son.

Percy: Yeah, okay. Nothing else rash. I’ll just follow Athena’s plan for now. But if I could ask a personal question… do you hate him?

O: Who?

Percy: Kronos.

O: You’ve not asked much about my personal life before.

Percy: For better or worse, you’re as much as a god as all the others. I’d like to know what your view is, I guess.

O: That’s fair. A part of me is still angry with him. But I’ve lived a fine life apart from this place, and I daresay learned a lot too. And I wasn’t always kind to him and his siblings, so part of the blame lies with me.

Percy: But he told me the exact same thing. That he learned a lot in exile, and that he was wrong about the gods. I don’t get it. You two seem awfully similar.

O: And maybe we are. But among all of us ancient folk, Kronos was the most active. He was never content with living in the moment – he always sought greater heights, even if it came at the cost of his family. He destroyed them to maintain his perfect kingdom… and now, once more, his war is costing the lives of innocent demigods. I prefer diplomacy.

Percy: I guess I understand that, and I feel the same way. But part of me wonders if diplomacy is enough. What if the Olympians attack me?

O: Let them make the first move, Percy. You can respond in kind. At the very least, if they’ve broken your trust, they’ll be the guilty party.

            Annabeth’s head throbbed so hard she worried she might be giving birth like her mother had. She could read between the lines to identify Ouranos as Percy’s mentor. But given the prophecy Percy had heard, that meant he had accepted a teacher “locked to the sky.” He was walking into a very dangerous prophecy. She gripped the phone, heading for the door to tell her mother about this.

            But she hesitated. Athena didn’t know about their prophecies, but if she found out, she would almost certainly condemn Percy to Tartarus. And no matter how daft his decision was, Annabeth couldn’t abide that. She had known him too long, fought side by side. As she pondered this, the door swung open.

            “I’m just concerned that you might abuse your godly powers to take revenge on my sister,” continued Alex, giving Percy a fairly serious look. “You’re a deity now, and I don’t want you sneaking around, you know, using your powers to mess with my sister’s stuff or some shit!”

            “I wouldn’t dream of doing anything like that!” said Percy, glaring at him. “I mean, you and Beckendorf got up to far more trouble at this age than I have, Alex. You can’t seriously be lecturing me–

            They both caught sight of Annabeth about two feet in front of them, each shocked into silence. Immediately, Alex blushed. “Um, Annabeth… what’re you… this is Percy’s room–

            “I was just… um… punching all his shit!” said Annabeth. “Because I’m pissed.”

            Percy’s eyes narrowed. “You usually have better excuses, given your heritage.” He looked over at Alex sternly. “Next time you want to lecture me about messing with other people’s stuff, maybe you should check what your sister is up to.”

            Alex sighed. “Annabeth… what are you really doing here?”

            “I left my favorite sweatshirt here!” she said, blushing. It was technically true. She opened the drawer, making a big show of pulling it out. “I just didn’t want to deal with all of the… you know… post-break up stuff. I’ll be leaving now.” She raced past them, out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

            “Oh, gods, she left her invisibility cap here,” said Alex. “I should–

            Percy put his hand on Alex’s arm. “Nope. She can come back and get it herself.”

            “That’s petty, dude.”

            “As petty as sneaking into my room after a break-up?” asked Percy. “If you want us to have a mature relationship, that’s fine with me. She can do the mature thing and come ask for her stuff back like an adult.”

            Alex sighed. “Whatever. Sorry about that. That was embarrassing.” He hesitated. “Anyways… you shouldn’t do that either, you know. Sneak around in her room, I mean.”

            Percy opened the door, motioning to it with his free hand. “Alex, get the fuck out of my room.”

            “I’m just looking out for my sister, dude!” he protested.

            “Yeah, good!” he said. “You clearly do need to look out for her! To make sure she’s not breaking the rules!”

            “Look at the state of your room! You can’t be fucking serious about breaking the rules!”

            “Goodbye, Alex!”

            Alex grumbled, shutting the door behind him.

OoOoOoOoO

            “I sent you the data, Mom,” said Annabeth, staring at an Iris message of her mother. She still felt the tumult of guilt within her stomach, rocky waters churning just beneath her calm exterior. She felt guilty about knowing the info about the prophecy, and about withholding it – after all, he’d probably broken several laws in the process. But there was nothing worse she could think of than watching Percy being tortured, or even thinking about the prospect. “There’s one thing you should know: he’s training with Ouranos.”

            “Gods,” muttered Athena. “I never would have imagined the old man still roamed the Earth. How does he get around?”

            “Huh?”

            “Well, he can’t physically touch the ground. He’s forever separated from Gaia. We always thought he would spend time out in space because of it.”

            “Oh,” muttered Annabeth. “Well, I’m not sure. But he’s in contact with Percy.

            “I’ll take good care of this, dear,” said Athena. “And you ought to take good care of yourself, too. You’ll need a friend through the end of this war.”

            “Maybe I’ll talk to Grover,” muttered Annabeth.

            Athena was silent for a moment. “Dear, there’s nothing wrong with clinging close to someone during hard times.”

            Annabeth’s brow bristled. “I’m sorry?”

            “Of all the times to break up with Percy, this may be the most difficult,” said Athena. “Are you sure you want to carry through with it?”

            “You hate him!” said Annabeth, shock on her face. “You’ve always hated him!”

            “He’s matured,” muttered Athena. “I do think he’s a bit unhinged, perhaps. But he’s in a difficult position. Besides, he’s… quite good looking. You know him well.”

            “Mom, what the Hell do you know about relationships?” asked Annabeth. “You haven’t actually dated a guy–

            “That’s not true,” said Athena. “Your father was very kind to me during a particularly hard time in the council. And during those years, I depended on him to lighten things up. I don’t ascribe to Artemis’ philosophy about men. There’s absolutely no shame in depending on someone when you need some help or intimacy.”

            “You left Dad, though!” she said.

            “Not out of choice,” muttered Athena. “But we knew it was bound to happen, anyways. I can’t stay with someone for long – it’s against the law. Anyways, I don’t see what the problem is with Percy. You want him to be less powerful, but I forced him to do it. And anyways, he had to defeat Kronos before that.”

            “It’s not about the physical power, Mom!” said Annabeth. “It’s about everything else that surrounds it. He’s not,” she hesitated, her eyes tearing up a bit. “I didn’t want him to mature so fast, I guess. I know what you respect in a demigod, but part of what I loved about Percy was that he took things easy. He wasn’t stressed about everything, wasn’t caught up in all the bullshit about the gods. Being in a cabin of know-it-alls can be kind of difficult. You’re always on. And you went and ruined him. He’s like Luke now.”

            “Like Luke?” asked Athena, her voice lowering in concern.

            “I mean, kind of like Luke,” said Annabeth quickly. “He lobbied the council, Mom. That’s something Malcolm would do, not… not Percy Jackson.”

            “Dear, you’ve always been interested in Olympian politics–

            “And I wanted someone who wasn’t!” said Annabeth. “Someone easygoing!”

            “Someone aloof?” asked Athena, almost not believing it.

            “YES!” shouted Annabeth. “Good lord, Mom… you wanted Percy to be like someone you’d get along with? I’m not you!”

            “Well, I,” Athena looked down. “Annabeth, there’s aloof when you’re a normal mortal, and there’s aloof when you’re a demigod. The second can be fatal. Plus… I needed to make sure he wasn’t going to get distracted with someone else–

            “Well he did!” shouted Annabeth. “You and the rest of the gods! Congratulations: you’ve avoided Poseidon and gone and created Zeus!”

            “Dear, that’s an exaggeration,” said Athena. “Percy isn’t like Zeus. He’s… well, he’s his own thing, I guess. If you don’t want to be with him, that’s fine. I’m just suggesting… you need a friend right now. And so if you’ll talk to me–

            “I don’t want to talk to you right now,” said Annabeth, crossing her arms. “You have the data, right? We can hang up.”

            Athena frowned. “Very well. I love you. I know we don’t get to see each other often, and I’m a goddess, but I do love you, alright?”

            “Yeah, whatever.”

            Athena sighed, her voice pained. “Bye, Annabeth.”

            Annabeth waved her hand through the Iris message and it faded, revealing her view of the beach. She didn’t know why she had come out here. Maybe it reminded her of Percy. Maybe it was a subliminal confession of her guilt. The beachfront rumbled at her, as if in protest to her decisions.

            “Yeah?” asked Annabeth, arms still crossed. “What the Hell are you looking at?”

            The current continued churning, seemingly meaningless.

            “Look, I don’t know how to handle having a god as a boyfriend!” said Annabeth. “Especially if he’s going to ignore everything I do to keep him alive!” The currents churned on. “Well it’s not my fault! How am I supposed to love someone who I don’t even know how to talk to anymore? You could say something to him, you know!” She sighed. “Gods, I’m talking to fucking water. What the Hell’s wrong with me?” She walked back to camp, head hung low.

Chapter Text

Chapter 29

Odes to Janus

            Ouranos weaved through the streets of Olympus in his hooded cloak, delicately probing the produce at the nearest stand for ripeness. Seizing a cantaloupe that looked particularly juicy, he handed the seller a few drachmae and went on his way, checking his sides to make sure he wasn’t being followed. He sensed a strong presence nearby but couldn’t locate its source. He planned a circuitous trip home.

            This brought him to one of the many back alleyways of Olympus, where he paused to bend down and pet a black cat who had passed in front of him. The presence of some deity still loomed over him, but he had the benefit of time on his side. He leaned over to pet the cat for a bit, letting it lick at the bare bottoms of his feet as he floated there. He covered them by pulling his robe down, pushing the cat away from his feet. He brushed its soft fur gently, his knuckles brushing against its chin. He was happy to wait, as he always had.

            “You can’t wait there forever, old man. Eventually you’ll get tired.”

            “Who’s there?” asked Ouranos, raising his voice with fake fear. “I’ve only a few drachmae.”

            Athena stepped out from behind a bend in the road, looking at him suspiciously. “Don’t forget the cantaloupe,” she said, pointing to it in his satchel. She smiled at him, an innocent, professional smile. “I imagine you have mouths to feed?”

            “Oh, Lady Athena!” he said, smiling graciously. “It’s really fine. They’re not to be home until dinner time.”

            “Well, then, perhaps I could join you,” she said. “I’m actually quite fond of cats myself. My son has one.”

            “Very nice,” said Ouranos, shifting over. “Please, have a seat.”

            Athena sat, smiling as the cat stretched and took a seat in her lap. She began caressing the fur, letting it sift between her fingers. “I haven’t had a chance to sit like this and do nothing for a long time. It must be nice.”

            “Well, eternal youth is, too.”

            Athena snickered. “Don’t kid yourself. Death is the eternal salvation; you no longer have anything you can do to protect those you care about. Otherwise I’d be petting cats all the time. But you wouldn’t know about death either.”

            “Hm?”

            “Being alive, obviously.”

            “Ah, yes,” muttered Ouranos. He threw in a fake cough to throw her off.

            “Do you like Olympus?” asked Athena.

            “Quite a nice city,” said Ouranos. “It’s been easy to find a home here.”

            “Yes,” muttered Athena. “Of course, all of that is being threatened. There’s a budding threat out West now that’s been on my mind. Typhon… has been trying to escape his prison.”

            Ouranos’s eyes flashed with worry. “Typhon? That monster?”

            “Yes,” she said. “I need someone who can fight him. The Olympians are a little bit busy dealing with internal insurrection, you see. There’s something brewing. And someone’s stirring the pot. We need to be ready to fight against that insurrection, and if we move to attack Typhon…

            “…you would leave yourselves open to… attack,” said Ouranos, his eyes widening just a bit. He regained control of his visage before turning back to her. “Of course, internal insurrections don’t happen so easily.”

            Athena gave him the same smile she had when she had approached him, a nice, professional smile of someone at ease with their authority. A smile she might use to greet a competitor at a weaving contest . “That’s a nice sentiment. Unfortunately, I don’t have the luxury of taking chances with matters of national security. In fact, I imagine I’ll have to clamp down on this budding insurrection if it gets any stronger. But if, perhaps, the individuals guiding that insurrection were to disappear from Olympus and the Typhon burden were solved in one fell swoop, I could… possibly overlook that problem for now.”

            Ouranos breathed in heavily, the lilt of an old man fading from his voice. “A smart strategist, as always. But you are not the goddess of mere intelligence – your domain of wisdom seems to be eluding you. Tell me, how long do you expect to survive making the same mistakes that my children and I made?”

            “We will not make the same mistakes, great grandfather,” said Athena, rising from the ground. “We know how to control problems better than anyone. To demand absolute loyalty. So, Lord Ouranos, are you with us or against us? We await your answer. You’ll find Typhon in Mt. St. Helens.” She walked back around the corner, leaving Ouranos alone, the cat brushing up against his side, deaf to the concerns of the immortal realm.

            “Well, my friend, I imagine I won’t be seeing you again for some time,” he muttered. “Do you think I can take on a monster of that caliber after all these years? Obscurity has not treated my fighting abilities well.”

            The cat meowed happily. Ouranos smiled. “Yes, I suppose there’s only one way to find out.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy had turned his room into a combat zone, the walls lined with makeshift targets. He had crafted mock monsters out of solid rock, their statutes placed all around the room like an encircling legion. He had destroyed his bedframe seven times over, each time subsequently recreating it with plant magic. Once again, he targeted the bedframe and released a blast of lightning. The room shook when it made contact, the targets dancing like pendula on the walls. “Almost done with these books,” he muttered, chest swelling with pride. “It’s all paying off.”

            He heard a faint knock on the door. He sighed, fearing it was Annabeth. “Come in.”

            Silena stepped into the room, a cheery smile coloring her face. But immediately upon seeing the state of his cabin, it twisted into a frown. “Percy… I’ve waited too long. I’ve been worried about you, and now you’ve gone and done… whatever this is.”

            He turned to her, smiling. “It’s just training. I have to lead the demigods against Kronos. And if that’s the case, I have to be able to protect them.” He spotted a tray of brownies tucked beneath Silena’s elbow. His stomach roared loud enough to wake a cyclops, at least by his experience, anyways. He blushed. “Uh, hey–

            She smiled, punching him on the arm playfully. “I brought them for you, ya dope. Eat up.”

            “Thanks, Silena!” he said, chuckling a bit. “I guess I haven’t been eating properly.”

            She made a mock pose, wagging her finger at him like an overbearing Professor. “My uncle always used to say, ‘make sure you eat a lot! You’ll grow big and strong!’ Maybe not with brownies, but… it looks like you’d eat just about anything right now.”

            “It takes a lot out of me,” he said, taking a bite from one of the brownies. His mouth swirled with the thick chocolatey batter. The rush of fat and sugar tasted so good after training for hours on end. He took a look at the bite he’d made. “Are these… blue chocolate chips?”

            “Well, I know how you–

            He hugged her tightly. “Gods, you’re the best!”

            She hugged him back, holding him tightly for a few seconds. Then, she sat down on the bed. He began to protest, but she waved him off. “Okay, so it’s not the prettiest thing after you’ve destroyed it. But I’ll live. I don’t need pampering.”

            “Right.”

            “But what the Hell did you do to it, Percy?”

            “Well, I… I needed a target to shock with lightning,” he said, musing to himself as much as to her. “The monster statues I made don’t really conduct well. So it’s a little burnt. I don’t really know what that does to the mattress, but worst comes to worst, I can sleep on the floor.”

            Silena chuckled through a mouthful of brownie, making a mock salute. “Real Spartan of you, Mr. General.”

            He shrugged. “What can I say?”

            Her chuckle began to trail off as she glanced around the room. She laid back on the bed, gritting her teeth. “Yeah, this is really uncomfortable.” Shuffling around, she found a position that she could bear. “Percy, I was… I was thinking. Is it really the best idea for you to take on Kronos directly? I mean, the gods have so much more experience with fighting than you do, even if you are growing more powerful. I just think they have a duty to take on that burden.”

            “I’ve got no choice, Silena,” he said. “Athena’s sparing my life so long as I lead the fight. Annabeth thinks it’s to drain me of my power… and though I hate to admit it, she’s probably right.”

            “Hate to admit it?”

            Percy sighed, crossing his arms. “She broke up with me.”

            “Oh,” muttered Silena. “I guess beating up her mom wasn’t the smartest move.”

            “Probably not,” admitted Percy. “But that was just part of it. She’s worried I’m too obsessed with power. But Silena, I can’t just sit through it all.”

            “You can,” she said, sitting up. “Percy, that’s a choice that you make. You don’t have to fight Kronos.”

            “Then Athena will kill me.”

            “Not if you ran away.”

            He looked over at her in surprise. “I’m sorry?”

            “The gods have the advantage,” said Silena, her eyes slightly somber. It sounded like she had been through the scenario a hundred times in her head. “They already defeated the titans twice. I’m sure that they can muck up whatever remnants of Kronos’s army remain. So you can just leave. Get a head start. Be free.”

            “I can’t do that, Silena,” he said. “There are so many campers who look up to me… I just lobbied the council–

            “They can’t look up to you if you’re dead or imprisoned, Percy,” said Silena, not meeting his gaze. “You’re no good to anyone dead!”

            “But I can take on Kronos,” said Percy. “I’m getting stronger each day–

            She winced, face twisting with a hint of anger. “Is that what you think? It’s funny, Beckendorf said that to me before he left… how prepared he felt. How ready he was. And then he gave his life to save yours.” The last words left her mouth with a chilling air. Her face had gone pale, her eyes seeming to glaze over. Whatever jovial attitude she had entered with, none of it remained. “You know how much I miss Charlie… but if I lost you, I… I don’t know what I’d do.”

            “Silena, I fought Athena and won!” protested Percy. “With just a little more practice–

            “And what if they double team you?” she asked, rising from the bed. “Kronos is devious. He’s always thinking ahead. They call him ‘the crooked one’ for a reason, Percy. You have to be careful!” She had grabbed him by the shoulders, her chest heaving. He gaped at her for a second.

            “Silena, are you… are you okay?”

            “No,” she said. “I’m not. And I won’t be until you promise me that you won’t fight him. That you’ll leave and survive.”

            “I can’t leave everyone behind!” he said. “This is my family!”

            “The gods can never pay you back for everything you’ve done,” said Silena. “And if you leave, they’ll be forced to look at the problem for once. And you’ll be safe. I–

            He grabbed her shoulder firmly. “Hey. Look at me. I’m not leaving everyone behind. I don’t give up on the people I love. That’s out of the question.”

            “Percy, for fuck’s sake, the gods don’t love anyone!” she shouted. “The demigods will be fine! Just leave!”

            “No!” he shouted. “What would Beckendorf say to that?”

            She paused, shaking her head and laughing nervously. “Of course. Of course, how could I ever think you’d go for something like that? You’ll be stubborn until the day you die. That’s okay. That’s okay.”

            Percy pursed his lips. “Silena, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m strong. I can deal with this.”

            “Right,” she said, nodding. Her face brightened once again, but Percy felt something off-putting about it. She had put on a mask, almost – a brave face to assuage his fears. “I’m sorry. I just lost myself for a little while. But I’ll be fine.”

            “Are you sure?” he asked. “Maybe I ought to come back to the cabin with you. It sounds like you need someone to talk to. Who’s not… eh… an Aphrodite camper.”

            “No, I’m fine!” she said, backing away from him. “I’m going to leave the brownies here, okay? Enjoy them!” She briskly opened the door, closing it quicker than he expected.

            “She’s definitely not fine,” he muttered. “I wish I could find out what’s wrong.”

            He looked over at his bureau, and a pang of guilt filled his chest. There was still a New York Yankees cap sitting atop it, the top fin beckoning towards him to come forward and put it on.

            “Ah, shit,” he muttered. “Well, if it’s for a mutual friend, it’s gotta be alright. I’ll get it back to Annabeth later.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 30

A Very Bad Day

            Percy, cloaked by the invisibility cap, hovered among the wispy clouds, trailing Silena from the sky. He had been practicing flying, but he still felt a little uneasy inhabiting Zeus’s domain. He very quickly realized that Silena was not headed back to her room.

            She had taken a heavily forested path, straight into the woods. It was not what Percy would describe as a relaxing destination. Then again, this was a girl who blew off steam by putting him in a chokehold. Taking out her aggression, whether on him or monsters, was probably not out of the question.

            But then she began to make incantations to ward off monsters. As she spent hours wandering the forest in a circuitous fashion, and he hours practicing his flying, it became clear that she did not want to be followed. And as the darkness of the sky enveloped him, he began to see her figure slump, her eyes sag with fatigue.

            Guilt boiled inside him. Percy did not spy on his friends, but especially not when they seemed so terribly out of it. After all, what Silena did to grieve, or work through her fears, was none of his business. It was killing him to not say anything for so long. But as the thought welled up in his head to fly down and speak to her, and he debated the possibility that that would just make things worse by scaring the living daylights out of her, she stopped. Her body straightened. She walked to a nearby rock and began performing privacy spells. He muttered a spell under his breath to counteract them. Only after laying out a very impressive list of protections did something finally break the silence.

            “Were you followed?”

            Percy nearly had a heart attack. It was an impressively deep, gravelly voice. Silena, however, seemed to be expecting it. “No,” she said. Percy could not make out her face, so he slowly descended through the trees. She was staring pretty intently at the ground, her eyes refusing to meet someone.

            The hair on his skin rose as something intensely hot passed mere inches to his left. He turned to see something like a walking volcano pass by. A walking volcano with a face and deep, resolute eyes that seemed to stare into his soul. He reeled back in horror, gripping onto Annabeth’s invisibility cap for fear of losing it.

            It was Kronos.

            “It’s unusual for you to call me out here,” said the Titan nonchalantly. “Risky. I hope you have something worthwhile for me.”

            She hesitated for a second. And then, she pulled a small scythe-shaped keychain from her pocket. A communicator, just like the one Kronos had flashed back on the Princess Andromeda. Percy moved back in horror, recalling Kronos’s talk about a spy.

            He felt his skin grow cold, recalling Luke’s dying face.

            He had been perched between the Athena and Aphrodite cabins.

            He had been looking directly at Silena.

            He had been telling Percy, “Protector.”

            No.

            Protect her.

            The rage built up inside him first, at seeing the face of that man so close to the friend whose boyfriend he had killed in cold blood. And then the emptiness began to well up. The questions. How could she have been a spy all this time? He took a few steps back, frozen with indecision. What should he do?

            Kronos was dangerous, that was for sure. But he had entered camp boundaries, and Percy arguably had been training for a while. Plus, he might hurt Silena. But then again, Kronos was supposedly more powerful than a god, and Percy wasn’t sure he could take him on. And if he made a move, Silena might be hurt in the crossfire. And yet… she was the spy. She had hurt people at camp. Was it… was it his duty to help her?

            Silena had been his friend for a long time, though. He couldn’t just leave her. He couldn’t just watch Kronos take his hand and–

            “My resignation,” said Silena, holding the keychain out to him. Her voice quivered, barely hovering above a whisper. “You failed to protect Luke. You failed to protect Charlie. I have no need for your help anymore.”

            He expected that Kronos would threaten her, but the titan only blinked in surprise. “Silena, those were both accidents.” To Percy, they hadn’t felt like accidents, but he held his tongue.

She looked up at him, unfazed. “You have nothing else to give me.”

            “That’s hardly true,” said Kronos. “You always agreed with Luke that the gods didn’t care one bit for you. And I can still protect your friends, Silena. Name them. I will ensure-

            “You can’t ensure jack shit!” she said, thrusting the keychain at his face. It hit him squarely in the forehead, his face painted with shock. “You let Charlie die! He was right there! You could’ve protected him, and you-

            Percy didn’t really hear the rest. His mind was swimming with horrific images. He envisioned Kronos reaching out with his titanic hand, the lava at its base bubbling up as he crushed her head or snapped her neck. Or perhaps he’d go for something slower and burn her and the forest right there. Gruesome deaths continued to percolate in his mind, each more horrible than the last, and they began to take on tinges of Olympian punishments: of Ares skewering Luke with a spear, or Athena sending him plummeting to his death. He began to feel regret that he hadn’t acted sooner. Was he truly going to leave another friend to suffer at the hands of another cruel deity?

            Percy put his hand on Riptide, waiting in agony for the titan to make a move. But he was instead silent, stoic. Kronos’s face seemed to freeze, his eyes darting across her face. The titan who had threatened Percy and his friends, acted so eloquent, seemed lost for words.

            When they did come out, his speech was slow and measured. “Silena, I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I lost Charlie. When he passed, I… I let my anger distract me. I didn’t act as a god should.” The words came forth like a fountain, like he had practiced this speech before, feeling it in his bones. “I never moved against him. But I was so fixated on making a better world that I… I did nothing. I will not make the same mistake again.” He stepped forward, face resolute. “I’m trying to put an end to the senseless world he died for. That Luke died for. Luke dreamed of a gentler world, after all. Surely you haven’t forgotten what they wanted?”

            “You don’t know what Charlie wanted!” she shrieked. So piercing was her voice that Percy’s ears began to ring. “Not the deaths you’ve brought to us! You talk about a gentler world, but you can’t even prevent anyone from attacking the demigods! So long as deities like you exist, they’ll abuse and kill their children, no exceptions! Not even you!”

            “Something has happened,” said Kronos, studying her face. Percy swore that he looked at her almost like a father would look at his own child. “Something terrible. You’re not telling me everything-

            “Beckendorf died!” she screamed, as if to shoot her heart straight at him. She threw a punch into her chest, but his massive body did not budge. Her eyes welled with tears, staring at his inhuman face. “Why don’t you just kill me right now? I’m just another tool, like every other demigod. I can be discarded.”

            Again, Percy’s hand tightened around Riptide, ready for Kronos to discard a liability. But the titan shook his head. “No,” he uttered, his voice gentle. “You’re more than a tool. I don’t treat demigods like tools. I refuse to treat you like that-

            “You’ve butchered plenty of demigods!” she wailed. “I’ve seen the blood spill from their chests. Why stop here?”

            “I only killed out of necessity!” said Kronos, his stone face finally colored with some emotion. A stubborn righteousness firmly fixed his eyes and mouth in place. “Silena, I am trying to minimize casualties as much as possible, but when the demigods fight with my troops, I have to allow them to fight back! Wars have consequences, as do the quests the gods send you all on. But this war will end; the quests will happen over and over again, on the whims of the council and individual gods, and the gods will kill you for random slights you don’t perceive half the time if the quests don’t kill you! I will not just let you… throw away your life! That’s insane! Tell me what happened!”

“No!” said Silena, shrieking at him, her face soaked in tears. “I’ll never help you ever again! I’d rather die! Just kill me-

            He shook his head gravely. “I will not kill you. I don’t know what’s brought you to this point, but that keychain is yours. It will always be. It’s a symbol of rebellion and change, of who you are. A reminder that time cuts through all to give us another chance. Remember the sacrifices your friends have made for the dream of a demigod family. The Olympians are the antithesis of that dream. You can’t throw away all of their sacrifice just like that.” He grabbed her hand rather forcefully and put the keychain gently into her palm, closing it. Then, he turned, walking away as if nothing had happened. Silena brought both hands around the keychain, weeping furious tears onto the earth. She beat the ground with both fists, a storm of dust swelling up around her and clouding Percy’s sight.

            Percy was still. Kronos was alone. He had moved away from Silena. Percy had a clear shot. The war would end. But the thought of Beckendorf flashed in his mind, steadying his hand in fear that Silena might be the next bit of collateral.

            But she had been a spy.

            He flattened that thought, discarding it, though it remained lingering in the back of his mind. He couldn’t betray her. But he couldn’t face her either.

            So he ran away, to his cabin, trying to remain quiet and force back the tears, swallow his emotions like a bitter pill. The wind rushed by him as he picked up the pace, dodging branches and bushes until he threw open the door to his cabin and landed on his bed, the water finally flowing.

            He tried to make sense of it all. He was about to fight Kronos, and maybe the gods. He had beaten up his girlfriend’s mom and she had dumped him. One of the only people who still trusted him was a spy for the titan who killed his friend, her boyfriend. The pains seemed to meld together, a growing ball of burning metal that welled inside his chest. He lay down on the bed sobbing, convinced for a moment that the world had gone insane. He was alone, everything a lie. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he decided firmly to lock the burning mass of hot sorrow in some dark vault inside his mind. He pulled the cell phone from off his bureau, eyes staring at the sole contact intently. If he had no sanity in his emotions, he could at least take control through his power. He could win the war, end it all, if he reached out. Dialing the number, he waited for Ouranos to respond, expecting to hear the characteristic ringing.

            “We’re sorry, this number is no longer in service.”

            His eyes welled with fear. “What… what’s happened?”

            He had no one left to call. He was, as he feared, alone.

OoOoOoOoO

            Athena sighed, dropping her purse on the table inside her house. She made her way outside, taking a seat on the front porch as she scribbled away at official documents.

            A deep voice she knew well coughed expectantly. At one time she had turned to that voice for stability, before he had fucked Amphitrite. And then fucked Medusa in her temple. She looked up, her face the model of diplomacy. “Uncle. It’s a rare day you pay me a visit.”

            Poseidon sighed. “Well, these are rare times.”

            Her lips were steady, not betraying any anger. “Sit.”

            He sat down next to her. “So, you’ve chased off my son’s mentor.”

            “Yes,” she said, shutting the binder she’d been working out of. “I did. He was teaching the boy to become incredibly powerful and may have been planning an insurrection. This is Ouranos we’re talking about, after all. He’s not exactly some kid you hire for the summer to teach Percy basic magic.”

            “He is the only mentor Percy knows,” said Poseidon. “And frankly, considering that he’ll be fighting Kronos in only a few weeks at your insistence, I find it highly unfair-

            “That’s not true,” said Athena, glaring at him with annoyance. “Percy broke the law, and it would be idiotic not to separate him from people who could help him do it again.”

            “You’ve always had it out for my son,” muttered Poseidon, clenching his fist a little. “From the minute he sat down and talked to Annabeth-

            “I got past that a long time ago,” said Athena, her voice turning cold for a second. She readjusted. “Still, your son is not above the law. He doesn’t get special privileges. He nearly betrayed the Olympians-

            “We’ve come closer to overthrowing the Olympian government than he has,” said Poseidon. “Remember that revolt against Zeus? We planned it together, on our own! But when Kronos promised my son total power over the Olympian pantheon, he turned against Kronos and let us vote on his death!”

            “Which is why I’m not having him arrested,” said Athena. “I haven’t done anything-

            “You’ve given him a task that will put him right within range of Olympian ire,” said Poseidon. “He has to increase his power to a dangerous level to take on Kronos. And then there’s the matter of how your daughter broke up with him because he’s too busy-

            “First of all, Percy would gain that power whether or not he trained,” said Athena, her anger growing steadily. “Why else would Kronos put so much faith in him? I’m just making it faster. You might say I’m buying him some time; since he’ll be weak after he fights Kronos, when we vote on his life after the war, he won’t seem as threatening to the other gods. Second, he’s been neglecting my daughter since long before I ordered this. It reminds me of another god of the sea. You might’ve heard the story-

            “I get it,” said Poseidon, crossing his arms. “You still hate me. But Percy shouldn’t have to bear that hate. He’s only distant from Annabeth because of what you’ve done! He’s always been nervous about getting close to her because you might kill him, and then you kept him away from her on the field trip, and threatened him enough where he felt the need to gain power, and now you ask him to do this-

            “If Percy wants to make up with my daughter, I won’t stand in his way anymore. But he must comply with the law, Poseidon. He is a threat to our realm. I can’t ignore that, even if I took part in separating them. And fine, I may have. Well, we’re dealing with the present, uncle. Hindsight’s a terrible detriment to strategy if you let it control you too much.”

            “So you’re just going to let him suffer after you put him in this situation?” asked Poseidon angrily. “My son is-

            “Not my problem,” said Athena, the guardrails she had constructed sloughing away. “Here’s a bright idea, uncle: maybe you could talk to him about it! Maybe you could tell him to apologize to my daughter and have them work things out! I know it would never occur to you, considering you never had the guts to talk to me or stand up to Amphitrite, but you know, Percy does have his shit together a lot more than you ever did. Maybe it’s worth a shot!” She got up and slammed the door to her house, locking it behind her.

            “Oh gods,” muttered Poseidon, shaking his head. “This will be fun.”

OoOoOoOoO

The next morning, Annabeth stopped by the camp store, dropping a couple of drachmae on the counter. “Do you guys have any chips? I need a pick-me up.”

            “Oh, sorry, sister,” said Connor Stoll, a bright smile on his face. “We’re out of everything that has sugar or salt on it.”

            “You’re lying,” she said. “You guys always keep stocked. You never miss a customer-

            “Yeah, well, a very rich customer stopped by and bought us out,” said Travis, sorting things in the back. “We have toilet paper if you need it.”
            Her brows furrowed. “Who has the money to buy you out?”

            “Uh… we like to keep our business dealings discrete,” muttered Connor.

            She raised an eyebrow. “Percy bought the store out?”

            Connor kept silent.

            “Travis, I will burn the store down, so help me Hephaestus-

            “Alright, lady, alright!” said Travis. “Yeah, Percy came by. I mean, he did technically win the tournament. So he also snagged the prize, which is a hefty sum of money. Percy’s, like, rich.”

            “Why did he buy everything?” asked Annabeth.

            “He looked pretty unhappy,” muttered Connor. “I think he was crying. I felt so bad for him that I didn’t try to swindle him out of the bulk discount. Just didn’t have the heart to.”

            “And you didn’t mention this to me?” asked Annabeth.

            “He’s your ex,” said Travis, a bit of skepticism crossing his face. “Of course we wouldn’t.”

            Annabeth blinked in surprise. “But… okay, I guess that’s fair. I’m taking my money back.”

            “Hey, information ain’t free, lady,” said Connor, putting his hands on the money. Annabeth’s face grew deadly serious.

            Travis laughed nervously, pushing his brother out of the way and handing the money back to Annabeth. “What my brother meant was, uh… sorry to be the bearers of bad news. Good luck with… well, whatever you’re up to.”

            “Thanks, Trav,” she said.

            She headed straight for the Poseidon cabin, not even stopping to knock. Percy’s body was sprawled out on the floor. He was snoring, drooling, and surrounded by cellophane chip packaging. Annabeth rushed over to his side, shaking him awake. He looked up at her in total shock.

            “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, alarmed.

            “What are you doing in my room?” he asked, equally alarmed. “We broke up!”

            She blushed. “The Stoll brothers told me you bought out the whole store! I’m… I’m worried about you! Besides, you… you… you have my hat!” She walked over to it, noting little black hairs embedded in the cap. “Have you been using it? What were you doing last night?”

            Percy’s heart nearly skipped a beat. Images of Kronos and Silena flashed through his mind. “NOTHING, YOU… PIECE OF SHIT!” He thrust a package of chips at her. She caught the bag of chips and grabbed her hat, staring at him like he was crazy.

            “What is wrong with you?”

            “I just want to be alone!” he said, walking over to the bed and burying his head in the pillow.

            She glanced around the room, unsure of what to do. For a few seconds her eyes lingered on him. “You need help, Percy.”

            His words came through tears. “I’m the only person turning into a god I know! Where the Hell am I supposed to find any?”

            She paused for a moment. “I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice faint. She shut the door quietly. He sobbed a little bit more and then waddled over to the fountain, taking a drink from the water. He spat it out, recalling that it was saltwater.

            “Damn it, Dad,” he muttered. “Why couldn’t you have made the olive tree? At least I could lean on that and cry.” He sighed. “Sorry. Dick thing to say.” He knelt down at the fountain, praying to some unknown deity that he could find someone that could help him. Despondent, he walked over to the tray of brownies Silena had left, savoring the blue chocolate chips. At least, for as long as he could stomach. They were the spy’s blue chocolate chip brownies, after all. He looked at the blue chips, shaking his head. Then his eyes widened. “Mom.”

            He rushed to the fountain and flipped a coin, announcing, “Sally Jackson.”

            His mother appeared, the familiar sight of her curled hair soothing to him. She was facing away from him, in intent conversation with Paul. Paul pointed behind her, and she turned to see the Iris message, stunned. “Percy!”

            He managed a half-hearted smile, trying to hide his tears from her. “Hi Mom.”

            She pursed her lips, her universal sign that she knew he was hiding something. “Percy, you look like something terrible has happened.”

            He nodded. “Maybe not terrible,” he lied. “But… not so great. I need some advice. A friend’s kind of… betrayed me. I don’t know what to do.”

            She gave him a soft and sympathetic smile, her voice tender. “It can be painful. Who is this friend? What did they do?”

            Percy swallowed. “I don’t want to… she lied to me. Hid things from me.”

            “Do you know why?” asked Sally, her eyes full of concern.

            Percy had always found his mother’s ability to stop and think very helpful, and he realized that he hadn’t bothered to really ask himself why Silena had been the spy. “She… I don’t know. She may have been angry at her mother, or maybe just wanted to… to help her friends.” He couldn’t think of Silena as acting with malicious intent. “But she did something wrong, Mom. I mean, I… I don’t know what to think about her!”

            Sally pursed her lips. “You seem conflicted.”

            Tears welled up in his eyes. “She’s a friend. And I care about her. But if everyone in the camp finds out, they’ll hate her.”

            Sally sighed. “Percy, sometimes people are put into awkward situations. It’s okay to forgive. If this is somebody you want to protect, you can find the inner strength to forgive and fight for her. But if not, you need to make a choice that’s right for you.”

            “What if other people wouldn’t like it?” asked Percy. “What if they turned against her?”

            Sally looked away from him, sinking back in her shoulders. “It’s uncomfortable for me to say this, because I want you to stay safe. But it doesn’t seem like you’re willing to give up on this girl. If you really care about her, there’s no changing that. You might not be able to protect her, or bring her to the right outcome. But you can do everything within your power to help and protect her. Sometimes, love is imperfect, but if you do what you can, you’ll have done the right thing.”

            Percy nodded. “Thanks Mom.”

            Sally’s mouth twisted with concern. “You should tell me what happened, dear. I can’t help you out if I don’t know-

            “No,” he said, sniffling. “No, this is something I need to deal with on my own.”

            Sally nodded. “Don’t hesitate,” she said, and Percy could hear the pain in her voice. “I’m always here for you. Always in your corner. No matter what.”

            Percy turned to face Paul. “Hi Paul.”

            “Hey, Percy,” he said. “Sorry to hear you’re down. Your mom’s right, though. You’ve got a lot of friends. A lot to fight for.”

            “Yeah. I do. I love you guys. I really, really want to see you again soon.”

            “We love you too, honey,” said Sally. “I want you to know how proud I am of you. And how strong you are – you’ve got Jackson family blood. We get through it all.”

            “Bye,” he said, and the message flared out. He balled his fists. “Okay… I can… I can make this work. I can do this. How can I... how do I do this?”

            He sat on his bed, wracking his brains for some answer. He thought about Silena, how much she had helped him over the years. If he could help her get free from Kronos, maybe she could leave it all behind her. Forget about it. If he simply defeated Kronos, it would go away too. And then, he made the connection.

            “He trusts her,” said Percy. “To a fault. If I get her to… trick him, maybe I can stop this war!”

            He would need to organize an ambush and rally the demigods to take part. But once the battle was over, Kronos would be finished. He would be a hero. The gods could never betray him after that. He clenched his fists, reveling in the victory, his only path forward. “I can do this, thank the gods! It’ll all be over soon! My life will finally be normal again!”

            He raced from the room, the sugar rush from the brownies finally hitting him. He even forgot to close the door behind him as he rushed off. It let in all the light from outside, illuminating the burn marks on the walls, the weathered mattress on his bed, the cellophane wrappers sprawled throughout the room, the chip dust floating in the fountain, and in the doorway, a pool of ichor he had bled when a training accident opened up his arm. It shone bright gold in the sunlight, glistening like treasure: unyielding, infinite, immortal life.

OoOoOoOoO

That evening, Annabeth took a stroll out by the beach again. A storm had rolled in, and the waves were rowdy as a result, pummeling the beach with a ferocity she had not seen in ages. She wondered if perhaps this were another sign.

            “What do you want me to do?” she asked, suddenly angry. “He’s beyond understanding! I’m so tired of all everything he expects from me… and maybe you.” She picked up some sand, patting it into a ball, and threw it into the waves as if to wound them. It simply made a splash, and the hole simply filled in with water.

            “You know, that’s the thing about water. You can throw all you want at it, but it always bounces back, ready to hit you one hundred times harder.”

            She paled, turning to see a man behind her. “Lord Poseidon! I was just… um…

            “I know what you were doing,” he said, sitting down next to her, placing his trident to the side. “You know how many heartbroken kids come and yell at the sea? A lot. A significant amount of demigods, too. I hate to tell you it’s not private, because… well, it’s not. But I’ve learned to take it over the years. Most days, anyways. You’re frustrated with my son?”

            “He’s unbearable,” she said. “I mean, I walked into his room last night, and he’s just lost it. He was passed out in a pool of drool and chip packaging. And I think he’s going crazy. I just don’t know what to do.” Her eyes welled up. “But I can’t handle all of that, you know? I used to know how to deal with him. I mean, he’s a god now. How could I ever help someone like him? Especially after he’s ignored me so many times recently, I just can’t take it!”

            Poseidon sighed. “I suppose you think he’s abandoning you, like I did your mother.”

            Annabeth shook her head no. “Mom defended Percy. She thought we should get back together.”

            Poseidon blinked. “I… oh. That’s–

            “But he’s not the Percy I know,” said Annabeth. “I mean, do you even recognize him?”

            Poseidon pondered this for a second. “Yes,” he said, breathing a slight sigh. “Not in that I’ve seen him act this way before. But rather, I’ve recognized the behavior in other gods. They are pressed into a corner, and suddenly they have only one option: use their powers. Fight. My father, for one thing, but that’s a bit of an unfair comparison.”

            “Annabeth, even though I know he’s been difficult with you,” continued Poseidon, “Gods require help. They can’t do it all alone, even when they try and act macho. I pushed your mother aside as a child, and that was wrong. But the reason I did it was because I needed a companion, and Athena was going away. She was growing older, and would leave me, as a daughter… or a niece, I suppose… should. When Amphitrite showed up at my door, I… I fell in love. And Amphitrite grew up in a competitive court environment, one where she felt Athena was a rival for my attention. Had I understood that at the time, I might have been able to do something about it.”

            He sighed. “I’m getting off track. My point is, having the right friends… the right partner… can be the difference between millennia of pain and happiness. And you know Percy Jackson better than most people. For him to lose you now would be devastating.”

            “In his heart, Percy is a lover. He’s more loyal than I ever could be. He feels a deep connection with people. But he’s losing the side of him as all of this stuff weighs down on him. He needs someone to keep him… him. Otherwise, I’m afraid of what he will become.”

            Annabeth shifted uncomfortably in her seat, tears dripping down her face. “But I just can’t do that! I don’t get how to do that!”

            “But you love him, don’t you?”

            She hesitated. “I just don’t know, okay? I mean, he’s so messed up right now-

            “You loved him back when he was himself.”

            “Of course,” she said, her voice faltering. “I’d give anything to go back to that time.”

            “That’s who Percy Jackson is,” said Poseidon. “A little bit of me, and a little bit of Sally. He’s really a great guy. But he needs help. I don’t think I can offer that to him. I’m a god; I can’t be close to him in the way that you and the other demigods are.”

            “I can’t do it,” said Annabeth. “It’s too painful-

            “I’m not saying you should get back together,” said Poseidon. “I mean, if you’d like that… go ahead. But maybe you need things to get back to normal first. Just keep an eye on my son. When you see the opportunity, send him on the right path.”

            “But everything he does just drives me off the wall!” she said. “And I… I just don’t-

            “Do what you can, Annabeth,” he said, patting her on the back. “I know there’s only so much one person can handle. Well, handle just that much, alright? He needs someone now more than ever.” He rose from the sand and walked towards the beach, sinking under the waves.

            “Alright,” she sighed. Her voice dropped to a low whisper. “It’s not like you’re putting a terrible amount of pressure on my back.” She walked back to her cabin, the storm still rumbling in the background.

Chapter Text

Chapter 31

Rallying the Troops

            It took Percy a few days to draw up a formal plan. Every time he entered the library, Malcolm stared at him like some kind of parasite. He saw him whispering to Annabeth outside the Athena cabin on occasion, and she would stare at Percy with an uneasy gaze. But over time, though their glances shook his confidence somewhat, he gathered the materials he needed.

            He made his way to the front door of the Aphrodite cabin. He raised a fist, staring at it hovering in the air in front of the door for a few seconds. Sighing, he began to gently rap against the oak door. As he waited, he tapped his feet nervously at the doorstep, each tap getting harder and harder. The door cracked open, and Silena peeked out, noticing first his ragged face and slow breathing. She wore a dejected look on her face, her eyes naturally gravitating towards the ground.

            “You look stressed,” she said, her voice quiet and gentle.

            “I need someone to talk to. Let’s take a walk. In the forest.”

            Silena cocked her head sideways. “Something private?”

            He held his breath a second. “Yeah.”

            They walked in silence for a few minutes, finally arriving at the edge of the forest. The morning sunlight cut through the dark green canopy. He beckoned her to follow. “We’re going to head for the waterfall. It’s nice.”

            “I didn’t bring a bathing suit,” she said. “You seem… different, Percy.”

            Percy shook his head. “I don’t want to swim there. It’s just private. I’d prefer if no one overheard us.”

            “Must be some secret.”

            “Yeah. Let’s just go.”

            They walked for a while. The greenery around him and the freshness of the air gave him a second wind. There was more to see than the four walls of his room, it turned out. He waved to the dryads, sitting on moss-covered rocks in some of the more populated areas of the forest, and finally arrived at the waterfall. The torrent of water crowded out the bird songs they had been listening to on their way there, leaving only an intimate space where they could hear each other.

            Percy jumped onto a large rock in the center of the river, patting the spot beside himself. “Come on over.”       

            She looked at him suspiciously. “Percy, I can’t jump that far. I’m gonna fall in.”

            A flicker of a smile crossed his face for a second. He placed the tips of his fingers gently against the surface of the water. Ice crystals rippled across the water, forming a bridge. She stepped on it tentatively, and then began to walk over. She sat down across from him.

            “What’s this all about?” asked Silena. “You’re making this like some kind of ceremony.”

            “I needed somewhere just the two of us could talk, completely alone,” said Percy.

            Silena blushed. “Percy, I’m not really ready for-

            “That’s not what I meant,” he said, glancing away. He blushed too, in spite of himself. “Um… actually, Beckendorf and I used to talk here a lot, so…

            Silena blinked, and then laughed. “Oh, gods, don’t tell me you two were fooling around behind my back, Percy! There are some things I don’t need to-

            “Would you… keep it serious for a minute?”

            The smile faded from her face. “Oh. That bad, huh?”

            He sighed, taking a deep breath. Every inch of his body was wracked with nerves. Though he tried to keep his composure, his voice, and to a lesser extent his body, began to shake. “Silena, I was worried about you after you dropped the brownies off the other night. So I… I… I just… I followed… you. Into the forest.”

            Her face sank with dread, her veneer of ease disappearing. Her eyes watered a little. “You saw,” she said, her voice faint.

            The hollowness of her comment hung in the air for a minute before he slowly nodded, responding. “I did.”

            She hung her head, struggling to get any words out of her mouth. “I… I hated the way that Hermes trampled on Luke’s feelings. And I saw how my own mother treated me. Kronos promised to protect Luke, and then he said he could protect Charlie, and I just-

            He put his hand on her back. Over the past few days, his feelings had been… confused. He wasn’t sure whether to be angry at Silena, or sad, or whatever. But seeing his friend so close, hearing the anguish in her voice… the echoes of Luke’s argument were louder, perhaps because he was closer to her. Perhaps because, much to his guilt, he cared for Silena far more. And for the first time, he began to entertain the thought that maybe a demigod revolution was not so crazy. “I’m not here to judge, Silena. I’ve lived through Olympian cruelty. But we need to keep our demigod family safe, and we do that together. I think that requires us working to change the gods. Not overthrow them.”

            She nodded sadly. “If you saw our meeting, I should tell you why I had it. When I heard you were leading the demigods into battle, I couldn’t stomach supporting him anymore. Not if he was going to put you in danger. I want to support you however I can.”

            He took a deep breath in. This was what he needed. He leaned forward, hand still on her shoulder, face close to hers. His voice was a low whisper. “Then I need you to tell me everything you know about Kronos. All of it.”

            She breathed in, as if remembering a bad dream. “Well… when I first came to camp, I met Luke. I was placed in the Hermes cabin like all the other kids until I was claimed. He was incredible. Very handsome, too.” She laughed a little bit, her voice still weak. “I don’t know if Luke felt the same way, but we still talked a lot, and we shared a lot of grievances with the gods. He tried to convince me to join him when he left, but I wouldn’t go. I did promise not to tell everybody about where he was going. That was before I knew what he was going to do to you.”

            “I still had a crush on Luke, and he made contact with me every once in a while. At first, he seemed unsure of himself. Kronos was cruel, and Luke was supposed to help him rise up. But then… something changed. Luke claimed that Kronos had been free of Tartarus all along and was just testing him. In fact, he said Kronos became a lot less moody after that. Still very demanding, but better somehow. That was when they approached me. Kronos found me outside of camp. In the flesh. He brought Luke along with him to convince me. They told me that this would be the last war. And I… I knew mom was never a mom. I knew Hermes would never be a dad to Luke. I mean, I looked around camp, and… we all have our own problems with the gods. I said that I’d help if they went easy on the casualties. I got the keychain communicator. And when I fell in love with Charlie, I asked Kronos to watch out for him.” She paused, frowning. “Kronos agreed. He never hesitated, never questioned it.”

            “Once Charlie died, I realized he wasn’t some savior,” muttered Silena. “But I still had to think about Luke. I became a little distant, and when Luke died, I tried to cut it off completely. But when I saw the way the gods were treating you, I hesitated. Because… I figured you might need an out.”

            Percy’s breath caught at her final words. “So then… why-

“Now that you have to lead Olympian forces against Kronos, I knew he couldn’t protect you. I tried to resign as you saw, and… you know the rest.”

            “Silena, Kronos was more cautious with you than anyone I’ve ever seen him speak too,” said Percy. “Why does he care about you so much?”

            “I might be his only spy,” said Silena. “He can’t really afford to lose me.”

            “But why did he look for you specifically?”

            “Maybe Luke knew that I liked him.”

            “Annabeth liked him too.”

            “Not in the way I did,” said Silena, a bit dismissively. Then she blushed, a little guiltily. “I don’t mean that to be competitive or anything. Annabeth’s younger, and she had a crush, but young Aphrodite campers are known for romanticizing undying love. It’s like a Romeo and Juliet thing. Really unhealthy, but I was younger, and that’s the environment. Plus, Annabeth seems to have accepted Luke had become evil. I… even now, I can’t help but empathize at times.”

            “This is all very helpful,” said Percy. “But I have to ask, just as friends… didn’t you ever regret helping Kronos?” He looked at her, hand still on her back, and he felt her shift uncomfortably in his grasp. Her face seemed to have gone pale.”

            “This is going to sound horrible, but… all of the campers he killed, I didn’t know them. And the campers I did know all had horrible situations with the gods. I mean, right, you used to bitch about Athena straight to me! And mom was horrible. I didn’t see how the deaths affected everyone until… until it was someone I loved. But the pain of years of abuse was real, palpable. Right here, boiling up in every cabin, every battle, every loss. To see that day after day, it gets to you.”

            Percy sighed, patting her on the back and withdrawing his hand. He leaned away from her. “I know. Sometimes I even wonder why I’m helping the gods at all. I mean, most of them can be downright asses. But Hades really turned things around with Nico. And Kronos can be an ass too. So… better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

            Silena smiled, her eyes telling a different story. “Isn’t that so insane? The only thing that separates Kronos from the gods in your eyes is that we came out of their genitalia somehow. Not even that. Like, if Kronos had his own camp and we could go there, would you feel the same?”

            Percy’s eyes widened. He hadn’t thought of it like that. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

            “I’ll support whatever you do, Percy,” said Silena, shaking her head. “I can’t bear to lose you, too. What’s the plan?”

            “Can you regain Kronos’s trust?” asked Percy.

            “Maybe,” said Silena. “I can try.”

            “We’re going to plan a large-scale scouting mission,” said Percy. “I’ll say I have some intel on where Kronos is. If you relay where we plan to search, he can organize an ambush. But then, we’ll do the same. We’ll strike the final blow. And the war will be over.”

            Silena grabbed him by the back, pulling him into a hug. “Oh, Percy, if you can finally put a stop to all of this… you’ll be a real god in my eyes.”

            He patted her on the back. “We’ll pull it off. Together. And after we do, I’ll get the gods to agree to treat the demigods better.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy approached Chiron later that day and requested a meeting of the cabin leaders. They were gathered that night. Ten demigods, Silena and Annabeth included, and Grover, stood at attention, ready to listen to him.

            “As some of you may know, I’ve been put in charge of the demigod forces,” said Percy. “Athena assigned me total control over leading you all in and out of battle.”

            “No, we didn’t know that,” said Clarisse, crossing her arms. “In fact, no one mentioned it last I checked.”

            “I hate to say it, but I agree with Clarisse here,” said Annabeth. “None of us really agreed to this. Maybe my mother gave you the position, but you’re still a demigod. You can’t just expect us to all bow to your commands.”

            “Last I checked, I ‘wasn’t a demigod’ anymore,” deadpanned Percy.

            Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Don’t be an ass about this. Chiron, isn’t there anything we can do?”

            Chiron shrugged. “If Athena hasn’t made it official already, she might try to vote for it in the council. It’s possible she would lose, but I don’t think you can gather enough support right now to overturn her proposal. Though, Percy, as your mentor, I do think it wise to respect the opinions of your troops.”

            “And I intend to do that,” said Percy, crossing his eyebrows with annoyance. “No one’s even heard my proposal!”

            “Fine,” muttered Clarisse. “Spit it out.”

            “I found some information,” said Percy. “I’ve got to protect my source, but I know where Kronos will be bringing his army within a few days. He’ll be vulnerable. We can ambush him.”

            “Sounds simple enough,” said Annabeth, her eyebrows raising with suspicion. “Do you know whether the information is accurate?”

            “Not for sure,” said Percy. “But I have some backup plans drawn out. I think we should be safe even if Kronos learns our position.”

            “Where will he be?” asked Clarisse.

            “He’s passing through a state park, a little bit east of New Haven,” said Percy. “We should be able to cross the Sound discreetly.”

            “Why would he be outside of New Haven?” asked Michael Yew. “I thought Kronos was in retreat right now.”

            “No one’s sure,” said Percy. “I have a guess, though. He’ll be right between us and Olympus. It’s easy to keep tabs on us and the gods from there.”

            “It just makes me nervous not knowing the source,” said Annabeth. “I know that you’re trying to protect them, Percy, but… what if you can’t trust them? Do you have corroborating evidence?”

            “Huh?”

            “Two sources saying the same thing,” explained Annabeth, sighing. “You know, good SAT word, while we’re on the topic.”

            “No,” admitted Percy. “But even then, Kronos wouldn’t do something too risky that close to Olympus. We should be fine.”

            Clarisse sighed. “I’ve got respect for your insight, Annabeth, but I think we need to trust your boyfriend on this one-

            Annabeth’s face grew red with anger. “He’s not my boyfriend!”

            Clarisse blushed. “Oh, sorry. Must be out of the loop. Well, Percy’s got a good sense for battle, and he’s right about Kronos being weak. He’d have to pull off some serious surprises for this to be too dangerous, especially if we’ve got the same Jackson who beat your mother on our side.”

            Annabeth sighed. “Yes, unfortunately, we do.”

            “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Annabeth,” said Percy, avoiding her gaze. “So you’re all behind me on this?”

            All the campers in the room raised their hands, save Annabeth. She finally relented. “There’s no use fighting about it if everyone else is willing. The Athena campers will fight by your side.”

            “It’s decided, then,” said Percy.

            “Right,” said Chiron. “How many days do you have to prepare?”

            “We’ve got about three,” said Percy.

            “And I believe you’ll need a second-in-command to support you,” said Chiron.

            “Oh, yeah,” said Percy. He instinctively turned to Annabeth, then caught himself. “Uh… how’s your brother doing, wise girl?”

            She crossed her arms. “Hell no. If you want an Athena camper to be your second-in-command, I’m doing it. That’s non-negotiable.”

            “We both know that’s a bad idea,” said Percy. “You’re clearly mad at me. It’s not going to end well.”

            “I can see past that,” said Annabeth. “And you should be mature enough to do the same. Look, regardless of the state of our relationship, you know how well we work together. We’re a natural team, seaweed brain! It would be idiotic to ignore that.”

            “Fine, then I’m an idiot,” said Percy, rolling his eyes. “Maybe I’m not mature enough to look past it.”

            “Percy, if you can’t do that, how are you mature enough to lead a demigod army?” asked Annabeth, approaching him slowly. “Come on, take me as second-in-command. It’ll work out fine.”

            “No, and that’s final,” he said. “I’m too distracted right now to worry about it.” He looked at Clarisse. “So-

            “I’ll do it, Percy,” said Silena. “You said you needed some help. So, I’ll do it.”

            Percy hesitated. “Silena, I don’t mean to be rude, but…

            “She’s trained with me enough times to have a good battle sense,” said Clarisse. “If you’ve got the chemistry, and gods know we certainly don’t, she’d make a decent second-in-command for you, Jackson.”

            Silena flashed Percy a smile. “You may be a god, but up until you became one, you rarely beat my ass in combat. Don’t underestimate me!”

            He smiled. “Alright, fair enough. Let’s reconvene tomorrow to plan out the invasion. Silena and I will discuss the agenda later tonight.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Silena and Percy met in his room, which he had carefully prepared with magical spells to ward off unsuspecting listeners. “And it looks like we have nothing to hide from the gods, right?” he said to Silena, offering her a seat. “Because we’re just protecting the conversation like generals would normally do. Foolproof.”
            “Close to it,” admitted Silena. “So, I’ll find some maps of Long Island and the Sound. Do you have an idea of how far inland the attack will be?”

            “I’ve found a good point where we can fight with him,” said Percy. “Daedalus left me some maps that are incredibly useful. There’s this area in the park where Kronos would have to pass through in order to reach us. There are two cliffs overlooking him from either side. Very light canopy. It’ll be perfect for an ambush. The best part is, it doesn’t show up on many commercial maps or on satellite imagery very well. He won’t know any better.”

            “Look at you!” said Silena, smirking. “Really thinking like a big-time general here!”

            “Well, I’m apparently a god now,” he said. “I’ve got big expectations to live up to. Anyways, there’s only one thing left to do: see if it works.” He paused. “Do you have the communicator?”

            She pulled out the scythe, dangling it in front of him. “I’ve been dreading this for a long time now.”

            “It’s just one more time,” said Percy. He put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it tightly. “And I’ll be here with you. All you need to tell him is that we’ll be a bit north of Chester, Connecticut. When the day comes, we’ll organize some way to get his attention.”

            Silena nodded, and then she pressed the button. She took a deep breath in, her voice getting more serious as she spoke. “Kronos? Are you there?”

            For a minute, they sat in silence. And then another voice came up on the other end of the line. “Agent Moon, I read you.”

            “I’ve thought about what you said,” she began. “And about Luke’s dream for the Olympians. The truth is… I always cared about it. But Percy will be leading the Olympian forces. I just want to keep him safe.”

            Kronos sighed. “That is troublesome. I can’t promise that he won’t get hurt. But he’s a god, so he’s pretty durable, as I’m sure you’re now aware. If I can capture him, I can keep him safe. But I’ll need you to help me. This will be the turning point of the war.”

            She wiped a tear from her eye, practically crying with joy. She gave Percy a big smile. “Yes, I’ve waited for that so long!”

            “I think Percy will buy into it eventually,” said Kronos. “He’s seen firsthand how cruel the gods can be.”

            “I know,” said Silena, her heart racing now. “I’ve watched him struggle with it. I just… I couldn’t bear it any longer.”

            Kronos laughed. “Moon, you are the sweetest girl I have ever met. That sense of loyalty is what makes you incredible. Never let it go.”

            She blinked in surprise. “That’s… that’s very kind of you to say.”

            “I’ve heard over the years how much you loved both Luke and Charlie. And I’m sorry that I couldn’t save them. But generations of heroes will never have to suffer because of your actions.”

            “Kronos, there’s an upcoming search party,” said Silena. “I was thinking you could move on the campers then. But you have to be cautious about casualties. Promise me.”

            “I’ll do everything I can,” said Kronos. “If you say the proper spells on Percy when we’re in battle, it’ll be easy. Where is the party going to be searching?”

            “Around New Haven,” said Silena. “We’ll be camping a little north of Chester in about two days.”

            The line was blank for a moment. “Yes, okay. I see it on my map. Two more days. Just two more days until victory is assured for us. Then this all will end.”

            She hesitated. “Kronos, how can the war end so quickly?”

            “It won’t, in truth,” said Kronos. “But the demigods won’t have to fight anymore. Once I have Percy, we can play the long game. It may take a few years, but when he has reached maturity, he can destroy the gods in battle.”

            Silena looked at Percy in alarm. “Surely you’re joking?”

            “Absolutely not,” said Kronos. “Percy is fulfilling an old, ancient prophecy. The oldest of them all. He is bound for greatness. And when the war is over, he will be able to take the Olympian throne.”

            Silena fumbled for words. “I… that sounds… practically divine.”

            “Yes, well, I can’t be expected to do it,” said Kronos. “Far too much work. But Percy is young and popular enough with the demigods. He’ll be able to change things. Goodbye, Moon. I’ll be in contact the day of to finally put this plan in place.”

            She let go of the button, wrapping the scythe charm in a bundle of clothes as quickly as she could. “What is he, insane?”

            “He’s been saying the same thing all along,” said Percy. “Even when Beckendorf and I went to meet him, he seemed convinced that I was destined to control Olympus or something. I don’t really know what he means. Ouranos said I would be quite powerful, but… never anything beyond that. Maybe I can beat the info out of Kronos when we face him.”

            “I don’t know,” said Silena. “Just be careful. But, I guess things really will work out after all.”

            “Yeah,” said Percy, smiling. “We’ll finally be through all of this shit. Okay, I’m going to get things arranged and head to bed. You should do the same.”

            Silena nodded, heading for the door. She turned to say goodbye to Percy one last time, and for a few seconds she watched him silently as he stared up at the ceiling. He looked absolutely exhausted; his eyes drooping, hair practically like a porcupine. He was thin, too- abnormally so. She frowned. “Percy.”

            He looked up at her. “Huh?”

            She hesitated, her heart pounding, and then smiled. “Good night!”

            He smiled back. “Good night, Silena.”

            She shut the door behind her, hesitating once more on the doorstep. Then, she sighed, heading back to her cabin.

Chapter Text

Percy woke up the next morning, a ray of sun bouncing off an abalone shell right into his eyes. Much of the wall no longer possessed reflective power; most of the shells had been charred by fire or covered in mud, but apparently this shell had escaped. He ambled over to his bureau, slipping into some clothes. He heard a knock on the door behind him. “Come in.”

            Annabeth slipped in, closing the door discreetly. She looked around the room. “Gods, Percy.”

            “I’ve been busy. What is it?”

            “I wish you wouldn’t have been so standoffish,” she said, moving deeper in. She took a seat on his weathered bedframe, or whatever remained of it, anyways. “We would have made a great team for this counter-attack-

            “I already told you I didn’t want to risk it. I’m distracted right now-

            “That’s a cop out!” said Annabeth.

            “It’s the truth!” he said. “Look, I get it. It seems childish of me that we can’t work together. I’m not saying I can’t manage that. But not right now. Not days after we broke up! It fucking… look, the point is, even you have to admit that takes time to get over.”

            Annabeth’s face grew red. She debated how to approach his statement – to talk about their romantic relationship or their professional one. “Percy, this may be the end of the war. Maybe the most important battle we’ll ever fight. And I want to help you and smooth things over. I can organize the whole battle for you. It’ll be-

            “That’s not what I need right now,” he said, holding his hand up. “The fight’s pretty straightforward at this point. Silena and I have got it figured out already. If I needed the best strategist at camp, I’d call on you. But that’s not what’s bugging me every night. I don’t need a strategist. I need a friend. Someone to support me. Because I know how to send thousands of pounds of water at Kronos, but I have no idea how to become a god, or how to survive that.”

            She faltered. “I don’t know how to do that either. Or live with one, for that matter. Or love one. But Percy, I don’t think anyone can tell you that. But I can handle everything else. I can give you the time you need to figure things out.”

            “I’ve got all the time in the world-

            “That’s not true!” said Annabeth, her voice pained. “We’re days away from your birthday. And then there’s the next prophecy to worry about.”

            “Which will be fine-

            “Really?” asked Annabeth. She wanted to strap him to a chair and lay out the truth for him. “Doesn’t sound like it to me! Last I checked, you’re training with Ouranos, who is, by very definition, ‘locked to the sky’! What happens when ‘terror in war cracks open your head’? Can’t wait; sounds like it’ll be amazing!”

            He gawked at her for a second, then shook his head. “Wait, how did you know about Ouranos?”

            Her face grew redder than she knew possible. “Well, I-

            He glared at her, the anger in his voice growing. “What did you do?”

            She hesitated. “Mom asked for a copy of your phone data,” muttered Annabeth. “So I-

            “Did you tell her about the prophecy?” asked Percy, his eyes widening. “You know, in addition to stabbing me in the back by ratting out my mentor?”

            “No, of course not!” said Annabeth, balling her fists. “I didn’t want to put you in danger-

            “Ouranos was the only guy who had some idea of what was going on with me! Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to reach him lately. I wonder who pulled that off?”

            “I didn’t know she was going to do anything. Percy, I swear-

            “You should know your mother well enough by now to suspect she had it out for me!” yelled Percy. “So should I, really. You know, that’s fine, I slipped up for a bit. I’ll pay her a visit right now. We’ll talk about it like god-damned adults-

            “You can’t say anything to her!” said Annabeth, holding her arms out to stop him from leaving. “Percy, do you know what she’d do? Her vote saved your life!”

            “Oh, and why do you care all of a sudden?” he yelled. “Last I checked, you don’t want me around!”

            “That’s not true!” said Annabeth, practically in tears. “I just want it to be like the old days.”

            “It’s never going to be like that!” roared Percy. “People are dead, Annabeth, and they’re not coming back! And I have to live as a god now, with a target on my head. Things change! You’ve got to make a choice about whether or not you’re going to accept that!”

            Annabeth wiped her eyes. “Whatever. I just wanted to talk about leading your army, you know? I didn’t intend to get into this. Do you have a speech ready?”

            He looked up at her, a little perplexed. The anger still coursed through his voice. “A what?”

            “A speech, Percy. That thing you need to give to convince people to potentially die for you? It’s a little customary for a general to have one.”

            “Shit,” he muttered, looking away from her.

            “Yeah,” she said. “Well, you’ve got Silena to help you, I guess.”

            He sighed. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Annabeth, Silena’s a good second-in-command!”
            “She doesn’t have the experience I would,” said Annabeth. She walked over to the door. “Good luck, Percy. I’ll be rooting for you out there.” She shut the door quietly, leaving him to ruminate.

OoOoOoOoO

            Several days and battle councils later, Percy had assembled one hundred twenty odd demigods on the beaches of Camp Half-Blood, their armor and weapons glistening in the morning sunlight. Chiron trotted around, making sure all of the campers were well prepared for the battle ahead. As he got closer to the corps of the cabin heads, Percy caught sight of his face. It was stricken with worry, a tapestry of sorrows he had been knitting over the millennia, a collection of tales of vicious parents and dead students. He approached Annabeth and reached out to tug at her helmet straps. Annabeth stepped back in surprise.

            “Chiron, I’m not a little girl anymore!” she protested, swatting his hand away. “I know how to fasten a helmet.”

            Chiron sighed, shaking his head. “You’re all little more than children to me. Perseus, come here.”

            “I think I can handle my armor too,” said Percy. “I am a general now-

            Chiron slapped him across the face, hard. Percy stepped back, blinking in surprise. “Do you think I haven’t seen gods defeated over the millennia? My own father, the strongest man I knew, was overthrown in my lifetime. You still have a lot to learn. Don’t get cocky.”

            Percy nursed his cheek. “You always were the coolest teacher, Chiron. I haven’t forgotten the myths.”

            “Some choose to remember them,” muttered Chiron. “Some to live them. Some to understand them. Only the third group lives through the battle.” He trotted off to fuss with another battalion’s gear.

            “Well, uh, we’d best get on with it,” muttered Percy. “Would someone-

            “CAMPERS, SHUT THE HELL UP!” shouted Silena, her voice reverberating throughout the beach. “OUR GENERAL HAS SOMETHING TO SAY!”

            The entire beach went silent. Hundreds of eyes turned on Percy, all expecting something. He tugged at his collar nervously, surveying all the faces. He recognized a lot of them, and they were all so different. He took a nervous breath, pondering how he could possibly say something to unite them all. Could he really measure up to their varied expectations?

            “Well, thanks for the introduction, Silena. I guess I’ll start with the obvious point. If we win this battle, we put an end to a long and painful war. Painful for all of us. I’ve planned this attack based on confidential intelligence. If true, we will almost certainly be victorious. If not, we also have a good backup plan. Still, this is war. And I know that not everything always goes as planned. It’s a risk. But we’ve got friends to pay back.”

            He looked around. The campers nodded in agreement, still looking at him expectantly.

            Percy hesitated for a moment, but then decided to continue. “Look. A lot’s been going on, you know? I mean, I became a general. I had an… unexpected fight with a goddess.”

The Athena cabin audibly groaned. Annabeth looked ready to saw his head off.

“And I’ve run into a lot more people over the past few days… months… even years, who… they see the bad side of Olympus. They’ve been slighted. No, they’ve been wronged. By the gods.”

He started to reconsider what he was saying, realizing how dumb it sounded. But he didn’t want to lie to these people. They were family, after all. But when he looked out on the crowd, he saw their hesitation. Yet he continued, plowing forward.

“Look, I know how fucked up we really are. It’s made me question why the Hell I’m even fighting. Why not let the gods just take on Kronos? Why us? Like, seriously, the soul of Olympus is lost right now. Why stand by it?”

            Chiron and the other lead campers looked at him like he was crazy. Except Silena. She flashed him just the slightest hint of a smile. He laughed a little bit at that.

            “So why fight?” asked Percy. The campers, all of them with worried looks on their faces, leaned in. He began to sweat heavily.

“Why do all of this if we kind of just hate the gods at times? Well, much as I’ve seen my fair share of crap, they brought us all together. Not just because we were born to one set of deities at random. I mean after all, we could’ve been in a camp for children of the Titans just as easily. All of us, whether we like it or not, exhibit the traits of our divine parents, good or bad, in some way. And yet, we still put up with each other.”

“Take Hermes. He rarely had time to see Luke. He was always too busy. But you want to know why? He’s always checking in with the other gods. Always making sure things are working out up there. When Luke was here, when he was fighting on our side, he was the big man at camp. He knew everyone, just like his dad! He was totally wrapped up in all things camp. Didn’t have time for anything else, just like Hermes.”

            “We’re inseparable from our parents, guys,” said Percy. “My father was always laid back, but he has this huge temper. And I’m just like him. If we move over to Kronos’ side, and he rules over everything, it’ll be different, but not necessarily better. Generations of Greeks have fought and overthrown one another in hopes that things will turn out differently. But they never do. Kronos probably envisioned a better world when he attacked Ouranos, and then he ate his kids. Zeus tried to recreate the pantheon, but we’re still hurting. It’s because for millennia, the gods haven’t actually faced their problems. They ran away from them. And if we turn away from our parents, and their mistakes, well, we’ll just make them all over again.”

            “We can’t make the same mistake,” said Percy, his voice rising, chest swelling with pride. “If we side with Kronos, we trade in one evil for another. The soul of demigod society is crying out for change. We shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking any other set of gods can offer that, including Kronos, including ourselves. For our family to survive, we need to stick with the gods. And I’ll admit it, that kind of change takes time. It doesn’t look as flashy or quick as a revolution, but it does actually last. When Hades swore on the Styx to protect Nico, I saw how things changed for the better. And it carried forward; Hades stood behind me when I needed help too. Change from within is the kind of change that works.”

            “So, when you go into battle today, know that you’re fighting for the right side. You’re the ones trying something new, rebuking thousands of years of failed coups and rebellions as all part of the same, dangerous ignorance. You’re turning away from the actions of Ouranos, Kronos, and yes, even our parents. Because we believe that we can coexist, that we are part of a larger family. When we sit around that campfire every night, singing songs and roasting marshmallows, that’s when camp shines the brightest. That’s what I want out of the future. That’s what we’re defending today.”

            “So, if you want to leave and help Kronos, go ahead. I won’t stand in your way. I’ve known many good young demigods who stood by Kronos’s side because they thought he could change things. But I’ll tell you now, he can’t. All he can do is keep devouring our family like he always has. There’s only one way forward, only one way to show the gods that we care, only one way to demand their attention. To fight. To win. And to come back to them. Walk straight up to Olympus rather than away from it. And when we get to their doorstep, I’ll make sure things change. I look forward to when you’ll join me there. But right now, we’ve got a titan to defeat. Who’s with me?”

            The demigods roared in unitary approval. Percy turned to face Long Island Sound, and with one fluid movement of his hands, two massive walls of churning water spread apart, the bottom of the sound calling out to them in all of its deep glory. Percy took the first step, and then the heads of cabins behind him, and finally the whole army processed.

            Annabeth caught up to his side, looking somewhat sheepish. “I’m really impressed, Percy. That was a nice speech.”

            “It’s a pretty rare day you actually compliment me, wise girl,” mused Percy, not looking her in the eyes.

            Annabeth frowned, red filling her cheeks. “You may have learned how to give a good speech,” she muttered. “But I want you to remember something. You can tell one hundred demigods to move towards family with as loud of a voice as you want. But when this battle is over, you’ve got to convince the gods you’re on their side. Actions speak louder than words, and you’re still beating the drums of war with all of this training you’re doing.”

            Percy frowned. “You had to bring this up right before the big, final battle? Really?”

            She sighed. “Percy, there’s no good time to say it!”

            “You’re right,” said Percy. “Because it’s a shitty thing to say! Focus on your troops. I don’t need your help.”

            She sighed, leaving his side without saying a word. Silena approached him a few seconds later, glancing back at Annabeth. “Still fighting, huh?”

            “I thought we had broken up,” said Percy, shrugging. “Guess it’s impossible to break her off entirely.”

            Silena shifted nervously. “Right. I… um… never mind. Anyways, we’re on track to the location you mentioned. I did some research last night. Apparently, the locals call the place the Pillars of Hercules. I don’t know if it has any real mythological connection to the Straits of Gibraltar, but maybe it will.”

            “We’ll smash right through Kronos’ forces,” said Percy, smirking. “Just like Hercules.”

            “Heracles,” corrected Silena, nudging Percy playfully. “You can’t make those kinds of mistakes with Chiron around.”

            “I heard that, Ms. Beauregard!” shouted Chiron from a bit farther back.

            She waved, smiling back at him happily.

OoOoOoOoO

They arrived at the Pillars, and Percy and the rest of the army began to survey the area and map out the best locations to station troops. The Demeter cabin and satyr corps began inspecting the grounds thoroughly, charting every inch of land. The cliffs were about 10 feet off the ground, the space between stretching about 30 feet in width. It would give the archers and other aerial soldiers ample room to rain down the pain on Kronos’s monster army. The demigod encampment was withdrawn about half a mile in the woods, and Percy planned for a very sparse defense of it. If they lost the advantage on land, they could always retreat into the sound once more. A few lost tents would hardly dent their budget.

            The cliffs were about 15 feet high, so if the demigods needed to jump in and skirmish, it would be possible, though a little dangerous. Their approach would be disguised by the thick trees, which blocked visuals up above. For whatever reason, the lower corridor did not have foliage that was quite as strong, so Kronos’s army would not reap the same defensive benefits. There was one area where the eastern cliffside curved inwards, as if someone had bombed the bottom face, and so Kronos’s army could in theory bottle up there for a little bit of extra defense. But it would not be a good position to be in.

            With the area well studied, the campers returned to their encampment for the night. They sang songs around the fire and cooked smores as they always did, reveling in the company of friends and family. Percy joined in for a little bit, but then he headed back to his tent and began training for a little bit. After that, he sat down with a book of notes and battle maps, planning out the battle.

            Around 9PM, Silena walked into his tent. “We need to discuss the last bit.”

            Percy smiled. “That’s right. You need to alert Kronos to your presence.”

            “I’ll stand at the opposite end of the strait,” said Silena. “I think he’s coming in from the North. I’ll send the signal, and when the battle starts, I’ll rush back up here. He should pass through, just as planned.”

            “Then it’s settled,” said Percy. “I’ll keep an eye out for it. Well, shall we get some sleep? It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow.”

            “Sure,” she said. “Have a good night.”

            “You too.”

            She headed for the tent exit, stopping abruptly. “Percy… I don’t think I can get much sleep tonight, actually.”

            Percy stood up. “Well, I’m sure some of the other campers know some good sleep spells. We can talk to the medical corps–

            She turned, her face fallen, and Percy grew silent. “I’m not ready to go to sleep. I… I don’t want to leave you. What if I lose you tomorrow?”

            “Silena, it’ll be fine.”

            She pursed her lips, scratching her head nervously. “I’ve been at camp a long time, Percy. And I’ve lost a lot of people. And there were days that I regret, because I should have known, and I did nothing.” She approached him slowly until she was just a few centimeters from him, her voice dropping low, to a whisper. “I want to stay with you tonight. I need to feel you there.”

            His skin buckled with a deep frisson, and he blushed heavily. He had wrestled with Silena many times before, and she was very attractive and all, but she had always put him in an easygoing mood. The way she looked at him and pursed her lips now was new, exciting… but also a little intimidating.

            He swallowed. “Silena… I’m not sure that’s a good idea–

            “The tent’s soundproof.”

            He blushed, sweating a little bit. “Um… well yeah, that’s true.”

            He was silent for a few seconds, and Silena’s lips wavered a bit. “I want to know you’re there tonight, Percy, but we don’t have to do anything. But let me stay. I just thought… maybe with everything falling apart for the two of us, you might want to…

            He turned away from her, thinking it over. He had always looked at Silena as a friend. He laughed nervously. “You know I’ve always found you attractive, Silena, but I always looked at you as older, and… you know.” He blushed. And yet he needed someone supportive by his side. He was missing that in his life. He looked up at her, a little hopeful. “But we are really close, and… maybe I can see that happening?”

            She wrapped her arms around him slowly, tilting her head close to his. “So… do you want to… you know…

            “Yes,” he breathed. She placed his hands on her coatails, pressed her lips against his, and he slowly began to pull off her sweater, lips locked in a passionate kiss.

Chapter Text

Chapter 33

The Final Battle

            Percy woke the next morning in his underclothes, Silena’s half-naked body pressed against his. At his movements, she stirred, a slight smile slipping across her face as she stretched her body in front of him.

            “Is it time?” he asked nervously.

            “No,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. “We’ve got a few minutes.”

            He turned over, facing her, and smiled nervously. “Um… that was fun.”

            She gave him a wide smile, tickling his chin with her finger. “You seem nervous.”

            He bit his lips. “I just… I’m sorry. It’s a bit weird. Like, I’m not used to you talking to me… like this.”

            She kissed him on the cheek. “It’s not like things have changed, Percy. I’m still your friend, but… there’s just a little bit more is all. Sometimes, I just want to be quiet with you… to really appreciate a bit of time together.” When he blushed, she squirmed her way out of his sleeping bag, pulling her jeans up above her underpants. “It’s tight in there,” she said, giggling.

            He chuckled a bit, making his way out of the sleeping bag. “Okay, time to get moving?”

            “I think so,” she said. She hugged him. “I can’t believe this is really happening. You’re a miracle worker, Percy.”

            He blushed, glancing down at the tent floor. He didn’t quite feel he lived up to the moniker. “Let’s actually win the war first.”

            “And then we can leave,” she said, eyes a bit starry. “I’ve always wanted to see Europe. No gods there.”

            Percy offered a half-smile. “That… could be fun.”

            She gave him a winning smile as she slipped into her armor. “I’m going on ahead, Percy. I’ll give the signal in an hour. Rally the troops, and I won’t let you down.” She kissed him on the cheek, racing out the door.

            He watched her duck beneath the tent flaps. He had enjoyed the night… he hadn’t felt that free in a long time. But the way Silena gushed about going abroad seemed a little farfetched. He couldn’t imagine leaving Olympus right after the war, even if they were going to vote on his life. He sighed, gathering his armor, and made his way out the door.

            He checked in with the cabin leaders, ensuring they were all headed for the right location, and then gathered the demigods together.

“In a little over thirty minutes, our forces will launch some kind of signal to ‘give away’ our position,” said Percy. “It will seem like an accident. It is not. That is a sign to the enemy. It will draw them into the passageway below us, and when Kronos arrives with his army, we will fill that passageway with arrows and bombs and anything else that kills monsters. When the dust has settled, I will jump in to fight and finish Kronos. After that, who knows? Maybe the gods will have a feast ready for us. Now, I’m excited about the future, but absolutely no cheering. We don’t want to give away our positions. Everyone should reach their location as quietly as possible. We have plenty of time, so no need to be sloppy about this.”

 “I’ve asked some of your cabinmates to join me in battle this morning. The goal is to send a force of about twenty demigods down in the pass to simulate a scouting squad. For those of you who are missing a cabin head, your second in command will take the lead for the cabin. Good luck, everybody.” He gave a silent wave, and then briskly walked to meet his force.

Annabeth had already gathered the scouting force for him. Despite his objections, the other cabin leaders had forced him into it. And they weren’t wrong, he had to admit ­– she had done an excellent job selecting them, and she would be a formidable leader. But as he caught sight of her, he blushed instinctively and dropped his head.

Annabeth gave him a strange look. “Where’s Silena? Shouldn’t she be second-in-command?”

“Silena?” he asked, his face growing brighter red. “Oh, she, uh… she’s setting up the signal. We’re headed to meet her right now. She’s rigging a bomb the Hephaestus cabin made. Small thing with a lot of smoke. Pretty standard, according to her. Beckendorf used to use it.”

“I see,” said Annabeth. She looked over Percy’s armor for a second, her eyes catching on his helmet. She reached in, brushing aside a strand of hair that had crossed his eyes.

He blushed, stepping back. “What was that?”

“I want to make sure you’re prepared,” she said, the timbre in her voice softer than it had been recently. “Don’t die, Seaweed Brain. Anyways, they’re all yours.”

He nodded, watching her fall in line. When he had gathered his wits again, he led the scouting force around the cliffside and finally reached Silena’s location. She turned to face Percy, giving him a slightly flirty smile. He blushed, and very quickly gave the signal.

 She hurled what looked like a grenade into the passageway. It exploded, giving off a vibrant sound and a cloud of orange smoke high above the treetops.

“That’s it,” said Percy, taking his position at the front. “Everyone get in line behind me. You need to look nervous for this. After all, we did just blow our position.”

They all nodded silently, and the troops began to move down the passageway. Around five minutes into their march, they began to hear rustling foliage.

Percy braced for battle. “I hear something, guys. Be ready!”

They turned the corner, and sure enough, Kronos was standing there with scythe in hand. Hundreds of monsters were assembled behind him, their weapons at the ready. Kronos offered Percy a pleasant smile. “Perseus Jackson! How nice of you to bring your troops right to me!”

“Kronos!” said Percy, pretending to be bewildered. “How’d you find us?”

            “I have my ways,” he said. “Now, as we speak, my troops are headed up above these cliffs to corner you in. They should be coming around the back as well. You’re going to be completely surrounded. I suggest you surrender your forces now, or else I’ll have no choice but to kill you all.”

            Percy hesitated. “How do I know you’re not bluffing?”

            Kronos chuckled. “Please. Why don’t you see for yourself?” He motioned to one of the monsters behind him, a fearsome black beast that looked like a cross between a hellhound and a raptor. It leapt up the cliffside, its claws sinking in and breaking off rock as it scrambled up the side. “I’d like to see your forces do that.”

            “Very well,” said Percy. “We should get climbing, I guess.”

            Kronos rolled his eyes. “Very funny.”

            Percy smirked. “Archers, FIRE!”

            A volley of hundreds of arrows, makeshift bombs, Greek fire, javelins, and water balloons went flying into the passageway, and in a grand explosion of color and material, the monsters of Kronos’ army were nearly cut in half as a sea of sulfurous dust filled the passageway. Kronos looked on in horror.

“ARCHERS, NEXT VOLLEY!” screamed Percy. Kronos raised his scythe, ready to freeze time, but Percy had prepared for this. Michael Yew, who was with the scouting force, raised his bow and shot a mechanically modified arrow straight towards Kronos’s face. Kronos froze time, but the arrow whizzed through as if nothing had happened, piercing him in the eye. He screamed, fell to the ground, and the second volley of projectiles fell on the monster army, suppressing those beasts who had tried to climb up the side of the cliff. The cliffs quaked with the sound of roaring demigods, preparing their next volley. Kronos, his rocky skin bursting into flames from anger, ripped the arrow out of his eye and froze time above the cliffs once more. “ENOUGH!” he thundered, his bloody eye staring straight into Percy’s eyes. “STOP THIS AT ONCE!”

            “Why the Hell should we?” roared Percy. There was a confident smile etched into his face – he felt better than he had in a long time. “Your army’s trapped, and unlike last time, I can fight you now and win.”

            Kronos braced himself, his massive forearms shielding his body against further bombardments. “I’d like to see you try. Unfortunately, that can’t happen today.”

            Percy smiled. “Oh yeah? What’s stopping me?”

            Kronos shot him a look, his eyebrows laced with derision. “I didn’t want to go this far, but if you insist on being a petulant child, I have no choice.”

            Kronos raised his hands above his head, his neck muscles straining. From the ground emerged great metal slabs, slowly siphoning off piles of earth and stone. As the rubble cleared and the dust dissipated, its form became clear: a metal prison cage. Sitting behind the bars, his eyes closed and his legs crossed like a buddha, was a young man with dark skin and short hair. He had well-sculpted muscles from long days toiling away in the mechanic’s shop, and when he laughed, it was liable to be contagious. He was a quick-thinker in battle, a dependable ally to fall back on, and a thoughtful and courteous friend. All of this Percy knew because he knew this young man, and in fact had known him a long time. And so did all the others.

            “Charlie?” squeaked Silena. Percy felt a pressure well up in his stomach, so intense that he thought he might vomit. He swallowed, neck muscles tensing.

            “So, General Jackson,” said Kronos, smiling deviously. His hands were folded behind his back, model composure. “It seems we’re at an impasse.” The titan placed one massive, stony arm atop the cage, gritting his teeth. “It’s easy to run around when nothing’s at stake, acting like the big important hero. But war isn’t like a game of capture the flag, Percy. It batters your body until your bones break. Destroys your will until you lash out like an animal. Do you understand me? It’s ten times worse than what Athena did to you! War is utterly and terrifyingly real.”

            “How?” asked Percy, his voice tremoring like a welling earthquake, mouth dry and brittle. “How did you–

            “I am a god, Percy,” said Kronos. “Don’t underestimate me. Now… I figured you might not see eye to eye with me. But I expected better from you.” He pointed a finger accusingly at Silena. “You recognized the cruelty of the gods. Your mother never gave you anything, but every time you stumbled and fell, I gave you a pass. Every request I fulfilled. I never killed Luke, and I certainly did not kill Charlie!”

            “Shut up!” roared Percy, the fear dissipating from his voice. “Only Silena calls him that!”

            “Silena, what is he talking about?” asked Annabeth, shaking her frantically. The daughter of Aphrodite was practically mute, her mouth a cacophony of the incomprehensible. Each stutter rendered her more stone-faced than the last.

            Percy glanced back at Silena. He reached his hand out reflexively to comfort her, and then his hand froze in mid-air when he caught sight of Beckendorf again. His skin crawled, fingers jerking violently back. But he felt he needed to do something, that Silena needed someone to show… affection? Friendship? Concern? And then there was the question of giving away her culpability. He froze, mind torn in numerous directions, eyes locked on Kronos.

            “I am angry,” seethed Kronos. “My anger has swelled for thousands of years. But I am willing to forgive even this. Silena, join me, and I will let it all slide. The offer stands for you as well, Jackson. If you want to avoid the wrath of the gods-

“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?” screamed Percy. Something inside him snapped. Confused as Percy was, he knew one thing quite well. The drastic manipulation by the Titan was beyond messed up. And he couldn’t stand to let it go unchecked. “DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT SILENA WOULD WALK OVER TO YOUR SIDE AFTER YOU KIDNAPPED HER BOYFRIEND AND PRETENDED HE WAS DEAD? WHAT KIND OF FUCKED UP BULLSHIT IS THAT? YOU ALWAYS SAY THAT YOU’RE BETTER THAN THE GODS, FAIRER, BUT YOU’RE NOT! YOU’RE JUST MESSED UP IN A DIFFERENT, EQUALLY CRAPPY WAY!”

For a second, Kronos’s face sunk. The fires in his eyes shrank to little wisps, revealing hollow eye sockets behind. In that moment, Percy actually thought he might surrender. But then, he gripped his scythe tighter, the fire and righteousness returning to his face. “I’m playing a rigged game, Perseus Jackson! The gods have put me in this position, and sometimes I have to make difficult choices! But I had her interests at heart! And I protected the man she loved better than the Olympians could! I risked troops to protect Charlie!” He continued blabbering on like this, completely ignoring the reactions of the demigods, who all seemed to be in shock.

Annabeth turned to Percy, a look of absolute horror on her face. “She’s your source of intel? She’s the spy?”

            “Shut it,” whispered Percy urgently. “That’s need to know-

            “Well I need to know now!” shouted Annabeth. “Since you’re not doing anything!”

            “I… we have time to think!” said Percy. “I just need-

            “Percy,” said Annabeth, her tone shifting to fear. “Percy, Beckendorf’s hand is moving. It’s Morse code.”

            “Shit… what’s he saying?”

            “He’s saying that-

            She froze, her face paling.

            “Annabeth, what is he saying? Annabeth? ANNABETH!”

            “He’s going to blow himself up,” she whispered.

            “WHAT?” asked Silena, suddenly shook from her shock. “NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!”

            “Calm down, Silena, we’ll handle it!” said Percy, squeezing her by the shoulder. “We can do this!”

            “How?” asked Annabeth, her eyes wide with concern.

            Percy opened his mouth, but he could only stand there, stuttering. He looked towards Beckendorf. His eyelids had raised just enough so that Percy could see a sliver of his eye. He was watching them. Kronos was paying him no attention. Very discreetly, Beckendorf offered a smile and a thumbs up. Percy froze.

            Beckendorf sat up violently, every fighter in the battle trained on him now. “TAKE HIM OUT, PERCY! YOU’VE GOTTA WIN THIS!” He roared, and with a simple thrust he threw the bomb straight at Kronos, a mere foot from the cage. It was a suicide attack, plain and simple, just like the one on the Andromeda. Percy and Silena and Annabeth and Kronos all screamed, Kronos leaping to grab the bomb. Too late, it burst open in a flurry of explosive force, filling the air with red and orange energy and vaporizing several monsters within the vicinity. When the dust cleared, Beckendorf’s cage was no more, mere ash where it had once been.

            “RETREAT!” screamed Kronos. His forces rushed out of the passageway, and some demigods went to pursue them, but many waited, turning to Percy for his orders.

            Percy looked over at Silena who had broken down, crying on the ground. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. His head was swirling with worry.

            “Percy!” said Annabeth. “Percy, they’re getting away!” She waved her hand in front of his face to no avail. He had seen something utterly mesmerizing, something he could not turn away from. He seemed to walk in another plane altogether, beyond the human. Above it all or below it all, Annabeth couldn’t tell. She gritted her teeth and levied her knives. “CAMPERS, FOLLOW MY LEAD! CHARGE!” The rest of the expeditionary unit raced after Annabeth, leaving Percy alone to stare at Silena, unable to comprehend the situation anymore. Something inside him had cracked.

Chapter Text

Chapter 34

Law of the Storm Cloud

            There was fury in Annabeth’s eyes – and with her mouth open, hollering at the top of her lungs, she was truly a sight to behold. The campers behind her fell upon the remnants of Kronos’s army with vengeance, and other campers slid down the sides of the canyon, using leverage systems that she had requested be set up before the battle. Kronos, racing among the members of his army, turned to face the approaching army, holding up a hand to stop time.

            “I’ve got this!” shouted Michael Yew, and again one of his arrows soared through the air as time froze, breaking through it and ripping into Kronos’s shoulder. The titan roared in pain, and as the campers rushed forward, he brought out his scythe.

            Annabeth’s eyes widened, catching the glint of the blade as it swept through the air. Some of the campers hesitated as Kronos gritted his teeth, his eyes daring them to come forward and face down a titan.

            She grabbed her knife from her pocket, picking up speed as she approached him. Leaping in the air, she came down with terrible ferocity upon him, his eyes widening as she approached.

            Kronos lowered the scythe, using his free hand to bat her out of the air. She was flung into the side of the canyon, but she managed to make impact with her feet, rebounding onto the ground into a relatively steady position.

            “You’ve got a lot of nerve, girl,” growled Kronos, levying the scythe at her. “I will tear you to pieces if I have to!”

            She held her knife close to her side, stalking towards him. She wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or not. For when Beckendorf had thrown the bomb, Kronos had not used the time to deflect it towards them, or rush at them and kill them. He had tried to jump onto it. In other words, in her mind, he was trying to save Beckendorf. And if that was the case… maybe he wasn’t going to kill her.

            She rushed him again.

            Kronos swept his scythe at her, narrowly swiping her arm. It drew blood, causing her to fall back from him, but it wasn’t fatal. In fact, she was pretty sure he could’ve maimed her significantly it he had wanted to.

            “You can stand here and fight all you want,” she growled, “but the gods will be coming soon. So you’ll either have to murder us all before they get here… or run.”

            The other demigods stared at her in wonder, waiting to see if he would strike her down for speaking back to a titan in that way. Kronos’s lips upturned with distaste, his eyebrows knit with frustration. “Any other god would kill you for that… any of your parents,” he hissed, intoning to the rest of the demigods. “Let that be a lesson to you all.” And with that, he took the back end of his scythe and jammed the wrought metal pole into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. As he zapped out of the canyon, the demigods of the scouting corps rushed forward to check on Annabeth, who had fallen to the ground.

            “I’m fine,” she muttered, though her voice sounded pained. “Help me up.”

            Clarisse rushed forward. “Annabeth, are you sure–

            “I hope you’re not pitying me now, Clarisse,” she said, glaring at the daughter of Ares.

            Clarisse bit her lips. “No,” she muttered. Begrudgingly, she leant Annabeth an arm.

            Annabeth got up, surveying the demigods who were with her. The rest of the camp was still in pursuit, farther down the canyon. “Has anyone seen Percy or Silena?”

            Alex scratched his head nervously. “Well… I could’ve sworn I spotted him wandering away from our corps.”

            “Away?” asked Annabeth, eyes wide with fear. “Which way?”

            “Towards the battle.”

            “We need to find him!” she snapped. “Alex, you’re on it.”

            He nodded, racing past them, into the mass of demigods and monsters up ahead.

            “And what about Silena?” asked Annabeth, head glancing between campers.

            An uneasy silence descended over the scouting corps. Several of the campers looked at the ground, their long faces betraying discomfort on the subject. Finally, Michael Yew parted his lips, taking a second to breathe before saying anything. “What about her?”

            “Where is she?” asked Annabeth, a little more forcefully.

            “Why does it matter?” he asked, stepping towards Annabeth just slightly. There was an edge to his voice, one that Annabeth had rarely heard before. “She’s a spy. You said it earlier and there’s no reason to doubt it. Is Silena our problem anymore?”

            She glanced around at the campers. Some of them seemed to be listening to Michael very intently, but others seemed very offput by the suggestion. Michael watched her expectantly.

            “Silena’s part of this camp,” grunted Clarisse, stepping next to Michael. “We can’t just leave her to die here in the forest.”

            “She wouldn’t die,” said Michael, shaking his head. “After all, Kronos said that she could come back to him at any time. She can just join Kronos’s army if she wants to.”

            Clarisse bared her teeth, glowering down at him. “Silena is the one who helped plan this attack. She’s responsible for our victory over Kronos today, not–

            “And for the deaths of other campers!” said Michael, pressing his face against Clarisse’s. “She could’ve dished on Kronos at any time and saved us years of conflict!”

            “You don’t know that!” roared Clarisse. “You have no idea–

            “Any amount of time serving Kronos is enough!”

            “I should skewer you alive–

            “No one’s going to do any skewering today!” said Annabeth, thrusting the two of them away from each other. “And while I’m willing to hear you both out, the fact of the matter is, Silena is nowhere to be found. If we ever need to ask her any questions, or do decide she’s welcome back in camp, we’re really going to regret losing her. So we’re going to find her.” She looked over at Michael, her arms crossed. “Understood?”

            He glanced away from her, anger brewing beneath his eyes. “Crystal.”

            “Good,” she said. “Clarisse, pick someone from your cabin to go find her. As for the rest of us, we need to gather the rest of the cabin leaders to talk about… all of that. And to make sure that we round up the demigods who are still fighting.”

***

            It took Annabeth some time to gather everyone, but eventually, she had eight or so cabin leaders in her tent, all seated in a circle. Silena had been accounted for, and under Clarisse’s command, the Ares cabin was keeping watch over her. She had done the obligatory status check on the death toll for the demigods, and they had done pretty well. Percy, however, was still unaccounted for.

            “If anyone tries to put a hand on her,” explained the daughter of Ares, “they’ll wake up with a black eye that lasts for months.”

            “That’s easy enough for you to say, Clarisse,” hissed Michael. “But Lee died defending the camp. Without her, he would still be here, sitting in my seat.”

            Clarisse opened her mouth to speak, but apparently, thought better of it. She lay silent for a moment, then began. “Silena is not the only reason Lee died. I get that you’re angry. But she couldn’t have stopped the war.”

            “She just did, if you’re all to be believed!” said Michael, glancing over at Clarisse. “We all saw the way the monsters scattered when the demigods fell on them, and the way Kronos backed down when up against Annabeth! There’s no reason we couldn’t have done that before–

            “There were more titans back then,” said Annabeth, her voice rising over the crowd. “We could’ve never carried out such an assault before with only demigods. And the gods weren’t exactly volunteering to help.”

            “You still have feelings for Luke, don’t you?” asked Michael.

            Annabeth’s eyes widened. For a second, she was silent, flustered, and then she grew angry. “You’re talking out of your ass, Michael!”

            “I’m talking common sense!” he said, looking at the other cabin heads. “Am I not? Lee’s death affected me personally. The idea that we would even maintain any sympathy for someone like Silena is mind boggling! I get that she was friends with some of you, but… but how? How can you all just sit by and say nothing?”

            “I don’t know,” admitted Katie. “Perhaps I’m hesitant because Percy trusted her. Maybe he thought she was just a strategic asset… or maybe he just cared for her as a friend. Also, without her here, there is no one from the Aphrodite cabin to represent her. If they would stand by her, that is.”

            Jake Mason, head of the Hephaestus cabin, leaned forward. “I have every reason to share in Michael’s pain, having watched Beckendorf die, but… it seems that the reason he survived this long was because Silena requested that. It’s not like she left us all to die. Why do you think Kronos backed down when facing Annabeth?”

            “Maybe because of Percy,” muttered Annabeth. “After all, that’s his plan, right? Recruit him? It wouldn’t do him good to strike down his,” she paused, “his longtime friend.”

            “Unbelievable,” said Michael. “None of you have problems with this?”

            “Michael, most of us know someone who went to the other side,” said Connor. “I don’t mean to make light of Lee’s sacrifice – we miss him too. But… Hermes campers in particular defected to Kronos’s army a lot. There is a sense in camp that… that Kronos offered something desirable. If you listened to Percy’s speech, he wasn’t speaking as if Kronos were some unthinkable solution to our problems. Maybe the reason why is because Percy and Silena recognized something we, as head counselors, have avoided facing: how many campers actually doubt our parents.”

            Travis coughed. “For the record, not all of us… feel that way. Silena definitely did some fucked up shit. And yet… I just can’t get behind abandoning her.”

            “I think I have to agree with Travis’ sentiment here,” said Annabeth. “After this war ends, camp’s numbers will have depleted significantly. Much of that was due to death, but… desertion was almost equally as important. If we abandon Silena, Michael, how many Apollo campers do we have to abandon as well?”

            His eyes widened. “I… that’s something I would have to consult with my cabin about.” His eyes fell. “But if I’m speaking personally… I would leave them behind? They were never much a part of this camp anyways–

            “That’s not true!” said Clarisse. “And even if it was, maybe they never got the chance to be!”

            “What does it matter?” asked Michael, glaring at Clarisse. “Do you really care about the kids who ran off to join Kronos? Who abandoned us all? Clarisse, you didn’t even know them!”

            “But we know who they could have been,” said Connor. “If things turned out a little differently. We’ve all seen terrible things happen to our friends with seemingly no explanation, seen the way their lives were wasted. We have the opportunity to give these kids – who often weren’t even given a chance by their parents to begin with – a true chance to be a part of the camp.”

            Michael looked dejected. “I can’t believe… you all just… this is ridiculous.” He got up from his seat, walking past the other cabin heads and out into the wilderness.

            Annabeth sighed. “It seems that, for the most part, we’re all agreed.” One by one, they nodded at her. “Then we’re going to make sure Silena stays safe… and that Ares doesn’t get to her like he did Luke. However, I should go speak with her. Whatever she has to say about Kronos, we need to know it now.” She got up to head out of the tent, but the flaps sprung open and Alex passed in, out of breath.

            “We found him,” said Alex, breathing in and out. “He’s delirious, but he’s in the tent.”

            “Right,” she muttered. “I guess Silena will have to wait, then.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 35

Battle Shrapnel

Percy recalled drifting through the forest in a daze, an unearthly haze descending on his nose. It was an eerie potpourri of pine needle and powderous sulfur, a sign that two conflicting worlds had once again been wrought together into one. Through the mist, Percy may have made out one or two faces. He thought he could make out Alex shouting at him, those classic grey eyes sinking with worry as he failed to respond to repeated probing. He probably left to fend off a telekhine. Grover may have passed by as well. Tyson too. Whoever they were, they didn’t stay long. Several monster faces popped in and out of existence, but their faces spoke no names for him to call out to. Eventually, everything would fade to black.

When he came to, finally conscious, he had a pounding headache and a permanent sense of dread in his chest. His mind started racing with questions. Where was Silena? Did the demigods survive, or did Kronos slaughter them all? Who had brought him here-  

            “Percy,” said Annabeth, waving at him. She squatted next to him. “Can you hear me? Is everything alright?”

            He rubbed his head. “Yes, I can hear you. No, I’m not alright.”

            She pulled a first-aid kit up in front of her, delicately fishing in its pockets for a piece of gauze and some ambrosia. “Where does it hurt?”

            “Nowhere,” said Percy. “That’s a lie… my body feels like it’s on fire. But that’s not the problem. I don’t know where Silena is. I couldn’t be there for her. The demigods could all be dead.”

            “We fought remarkably well,” said Annabeth, inspecting his arm anyways and wrapping it in gauze. “We lost four demigods today, but Kronos’s forces have basically withered down to nothing. Hermes sent me an Iris message that many of the titans who were allied with Kronos had scattered, either because you sided with the Olympians back on Olympus or because you routed Kronos just now. We’ve got him on the ropes. As for Silena… well, I don’t mean to be harsh when you’re clearly not doing well. But… why didn’t you say anything to her?”

            Percy winced, and his tear ducts opened without any fanfare. He kept talking, barely paying any heed to his sorrow at this point. “She came to visit me last night. We were hanging out. Started fooling around. It was nice… until I saw Beckendorf alive in that cage. I feel like shit even thinking about it. I couldn’t bear to touch her or even look her in the eyes.” He glanced off past her at the walls of the tent.

            Annabeth blushed, and images of Percy and Silena… well, she wasn’t going to think about it too much. “Wow, um… sorry. That’s a lot to process.” She began pacing the room, a bit of anger flowing into her voice. “I mean, it’s only been a week? Like, it’s your choice, but am I really that replaceable-

            “Silena’s not some rebound!” said Percy, snapping to attention. “Look, I guess I needed someone to be intimate with. To get away from it all.”

            “Yeah, you know, some cute mortal girl to snuggle with for a night,” she said, rolling her eyes. Anger slowly crept into her voice. “Same old story. Gods and one-night stands. When do you think the ‘turning into an animal to impregnate women’ phase starts?”

            “It wasn’t like that!” said Percy. “She was there when you weren’t-

            “You know, I’m sorry I brought it up,” said Annabeth, pulling on the gauze as her face grew deep red, and her eyes a little teary. Percy felt the gauze squeeze his skin extra-tight. “We shouldn’t even be talking about this. I came to report to you, after all. There are about one hundred demigods out there waiting for some news and your second in command is a little sidetracked with, you know, crying and apparently being a spy. You need to say something, Percy.”

            He groaned. “Annabeth, I don’t know what to say to them. I’m a little lost right now.”

            She sat down in front of him, hands folded, posture perfectly immaculate, words crisp and concise. “Let’s start with casualties: 4 dead, 18 wounded. We’ll need shrouds for their burials.”

            Percy shook his head, sighing and pushing himself off the bed. “Alright, I’m listening. How did Kronos’s forces do?”

            “He probably lost 80% of the troops that accompanied him in this battle. It was an incredible success. You did bring the war very close to its end.”

            “Silena did that,” he muttered. “She tricked Kronos. Provided us with the intel. Suffered the most because of it.”

            Part of Annabeth wanted to tell him otherwise. Even though she hadn’t sided with Michael, it was hard for her to picture how someone could act like Silena was a saint other than post-coital delirium. She began to have a bit more respect for her mother’s stance on virginity – perhaps sex and wisdom didn’t mix. Still, it felt wrong to just trash Silena when he was in this state. “I’m not sure all the campers see it the same way. Clarisse is watching over her for now, and the cabin heads largely supported her, but reports have been trickling in that the campers are fairly divided. I don’t even know how to feel.”

            “I felt the same way at first,” said Percy. “But she’s always had the right idea at heart. We welcomed Luke back to camp. We’re going to treat her the same way.”

            She shook her head, still mystified at his blindness. “We may need to spin it,” said Annabeth. “Pretend she’s a double agent-

            “No,” said Percy. “It’ll never work, and she probably doesn’t want us to do that either.” He rose and headed for the mouth of the tent. “Annabeth, I’m going to survey the damage. It’ll help get my mind off this stuff.”

            Her eyes widened, anger welling up in her stomach. “But the campers are waiting to hear from you,” she said, lurching towards him. “You can’t just leave them waiting!”

            “Tell them I’ll have a full report by tomorrow morning,” he said. “I need a full grasp of the situation.”

            She sighed. “Alright. I’ll cover your ass. Again.”

            “Thanks.” Annabeth watched with jealousy as he pushed past the tent flaps, leaving her with the mental and emotional burden once again.

OoOoOoOoO

            His search of the battlefield didn’t prove terribly fruitful in terms of intel. The moon, just a narrow sliver in the sky, provided terrible lighting, so he lit a small fire in his hand to navigate the night. He picked up some nice-looking weapons, pretended to be studying monster tracks and shit, and generally avoided any human interaction until Apollo’s molten enthusiasm woke the world. He did find something worth mentioning: a memento that looked to be from the Hephaestus cabin. It was an intricately crafted oval and bore an anvil symbol on the front. He resolved to return it to the cabin, dreading the discussion that he’d have to have about watching Beckendorf die a second time. He decided to put off returning it for a few days.

            When morning was in full bloom, he gathered the demigods before a great bonfire. The Hephaestus cabin had knit five shrouds, one for each of the four casualties and one for Beckendorf. Percy stood distant from the crowd of campers, leaning on Riptide, its hilt buried in the ground. He called out to them. “It’s been a Hell of a few days. And yesterday, I guess I lost my shit. I broke a little.”

            He thrust his hand backwards, and suddenly the bonfire roared with energy, growing twice the size. The campers looked on in wonder, the younger ones marveling at him like a god. The few who remained skeptical were mainly his friends, who seemed far too worried about him to be amazed. “Despite that, we didn’t lose. In fact, without a general to guide you, you still defeated enough of Kronos’s army that we’ve nearly ended this rebellion. All we need to do is finish him. I promised you a final battle, and while this may not have been it, you’ll live to see one for certain. And when it happens, I’ll be there for real. After all, the titan’s mine.” The enthusiastic demigods cheered at that.

            “Today we remember five heroes who gave their lives for our cause and brought us incredibly close to victory. One of those campers I’ve watched die twice. It was far too painful to watch a second time. So, when we burn their shrouds today, remember what they died for. A success. We didn’t win the war yesterday, but they made it far easier to do so tomorrow.”

            “One last matter to attend to,” said Percy, sighing. “Kronos called out Silena Beauregard yesterday as one of his spies. That was true. It was Silena who betrayed Kronos and helped me orchestrate this attack. Without her, our success wouldn’t have been possible. Now, that does mean that Silena was a spy for Kronos before. I’m not going to lie to you about that. But she had long since left Kronos behind. When I talked to you all about reuniting our family the other day, reintegrating demigods that fought with or worked for Kronos was part of that dream. As such, we’re going to welcome her back into camp. I hope you personally can forgive her. I know I already have. And don’t forget – we wouldn’t be here today without her.”

            The campers looked on in silence, but Percy merely stepped aside and directed the Hephaestus cabin to burn the shrouds. One after another, the silk went up in flames, each shroud giving off a particular hue to signify the cabin each camper belonged to. Beckendorf’s burned bright gold, which was usually reserved for Zeus. Percy joined his troops, blending in with the crowd. He watched the younger demigods react to the shroud burning, some wailing, others telling stories of the campers’ bravery. For a moment, the hint of a smile crept onto his face. He felt like just another demigod for a moment, despite the awed looks of his comrades.

OoOoOoOoO

            He returned to his tent that night alone, not intending to talk to anyone. They had no reason to break their position down, especially since Kronos would probably remain in the general area for the foreseeable future. He had no real plan to chase down Kronos yet but was hard at work developing ideas to trace the titan’s location. He was so consumed by the work that he dozed off in his sleeping bag while studying maps.

            He woke to someone shaking him awake. His eyes fluttered open to grey eyes and blonde hair dangling over him, her hands on his shoulders. She was looking at him with deep concern, a little bit of confusion painting the contours of her face. He felt mixed emotions course through his mind and decided to opt for the only positive one available. After all, he’d been through a lot. Why bother with getting more upset? “I want you to know that I still love you.”

            Athena’s face contorted into utter disgust, enough for him to realize his folly immediately. Something akin to an alarm shot off in his head. He violently pushed her away from him, scrambling out of the sleeping bag as her body flew into a nearby table. She rebounded fairly quickly, jumping to her feet and pinning his arms down. Pain shot to his ribs and face, akin to what he had felt in the arena. He lashed out, kicking at her and screaming for several seconds before he realized she wasn’t doing anything. He continued stuttering as she stared down at him like some kind of strange zoo animal. Finally, she sighed.

            “Look, just here to talk.”

            He nodded, his eyes still wide with fear, heart still racing.

            She let go of his arms, turning behind. “Apollo, what the Hell was that?”

            “Well, I’m not exactly a mental health deity,” said the god, approaching from near the tent canvas. “Physical healing is more my specialty. But if I had to guess, he may have had a visceral reaction to your face once he realized it was… uh… not someone else, shall we say. You probably triggered some budding PTSD there. In the future, I would avoid surprising him and not grab his arms like that. It probably reminds him of when you broke his ribs.”

            Athena nodded. “Great,” she muttered. “Just what I needed to deal with now.”

            The word PTSD wasn’t exactly the sweetest thing Percy had heard all day. “Uh… how long’s that gonna last, doc?”

            Apollo shrank backwards meekly. “Well, um… for most juvenile deities, it disappears… eventually. You know, a couple decades, maybe a century or two. With proper therapeutic treatment? I, uh, don’t know. They didn’t exactly have clinicians back when Kronos swallowed your dad, you know.”

            “Great,” muttered Percy. “Why are you two here?”
            Percy winced as someone stepped out of the corner of the tent, winged shoes on their feet. “We all have our reasons,” muttered Hermes.

            “Right, and we’ll get to them all,” said Athena. “But I’m carrying the most pressing message. Remember my conditional vote?”

            Percy swallowed. “Um… yeah.”

            “Well, first of all, I’m still ‘voting’ the same way,” said Athena. “But there’s an important condition change. I, and frankly some of the other gods on the council, have decided that it’s unsafe to have you fighting Kronos. You’re no longer a general. In fact, you’re not to lead the demigod forces at all or approach Kronos. I think bedrest would be best.”

            “What?” asked Percy. “You’ve got to be kidding me. The prophecy says-

            “The prophecy is probably already fulfilled,” shrugged Athena. “You ‘chose’ to preserve Olympus several times already. That’s that.”

            “Fine, but I’m not just going to sit back and do nothing while my friends are out there dying,” said Percy. “And no way am I not fighting. Annabeth told me why you made me fight Kronos and did… whatever terrible shit you did to Ouranos. If the gods think I’m too strong, they’ll kill me. I’m not sitting around gaining power while you feel that way.”

            “Look, maybe I didn’t make this clear,” said Athena. “I mean, I don’t really want to throw you into Tartarus. But this is an order. You are absolutely not to attack Kronos. If you do, I probably will vote to throw you in for disobeying orders and putting too much at risk. So just don’t leave the tent.”

            “What if I need to protect Silena?” asked Percy.

            “That’s what I’m here to talk about,” said Hermes, grunting. “I’m surprised you’re defending a spy.”

            Percy stared up at the messenger god in disbelief. “I defended your son. He was a spy and you didn’t seem to have any problems-

            “Luke didn’t skulk around in the shadows,” said Hermes. “He may have had his problems with us, but he was open about it. And he actually changed his views before he died. I’m not so sure about Silena-

            “That’s a fucking lie!” sneered Percy. “Luke still distrusted the gods when he came back to us, more so than Silena does! And frankly, it shouldn’t matter. They both supported me, and I supported you all through a lot of ridiculous shit. Even now I’m trying to convince the entire camp to fight for you!”

            Hermes lurched forward. “You son of a-

            Athena thrust her entire arm into Hermes’s stomach, holding him back from Percy. “That’s enough!” Hermes settled, crossing his arms. “Percy,” continued Athena, “the council itself has decided to protect Silena for now, but you are not to go near her unless she comes to visit you. Do you understand? You are on house arrest, practically speaking-

            “Oh, yeah, confine the mourning god-child with PTSD and no girlfriend to his tent,” said Percy. “That sounds healthy. Can I at least walk the premises of the camp?”

            “I mean, he’s right,” muttered Apollo. “Not exactly a smart plan-

            “Okay!” said Athena, exasperated. “Just don’t…

            She looked up at the tent ceiling, as if praying to some deity above even her. She squatted down in front of Percy. She looked exhausted and a little sad. “Percy, please, just don’t do anything dumb, okay? Don’t do anything to make us distrust you.”

            He bit his lip. “Fine.” He had not really decided whether or not to listen to them, but he did know that the more time he bought on Athena’s good side, the better off he would be.

            “Good,” said Athena. She rose and tapped Hermes on the shoulder. “Come on. We’re leaving.”

            “I’ve got one last thing to say to him,” said Hermes.

            “No, you don’t! Let’s GO!” And with that, the two of them left Percy and Apollo alone in the tent.

Apollo broke into a nervous smile. “Heh. Crazy crowd. I’m just here for moral and medical support. Mind stripping for me?”

Percy took off his clothes silently, down to his underwear. Apollo examined his body, rubbing various ointments on him while brewing some tea on the side. “I’m doing what I can for the physical injuries. I normally wouldn’t – you can heal easily enough on your own as an immortal. But PTSD does tend to come with physical symptoms, which can exacerbate your stress. I don’t want that to become a feedback loop. As for the mental side, well… I’ve got some experimental cures, but eventually we can get you to an actual therapist. If you’re lucky, it could be the goddess Psyche. I mean, she’s pretty nice. Beautiful, too, but very much taken. Famous story, really. You ever heard the myth?” He smiled, looking at the top of the tent, and began to chatter. “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl named Psyche. Some people said she was even more beautiful than-

“Apollo?”

Apollo looked up at him. “Huh?”

“You’re rambling.”

“Am I?” laughed Apollo, rather nervously. “I never do that.” He never did that, either. Laugh nervously, that is. It was so alien to Percy to see the sunshine of the council bumbling around like a schoolboy who had forgotten his homework.

“What’s wrong?”

He sighed. “Percy, you’ve got to listen to Athena on this one. The council’s a mess right now. They might actually vote to kill you.”

“For the record, I can never quite tell when they’re just pretending they might want to kill me,” said Percy. “I can only imagine the discussions: Zeus looks over at Athena and says, ‘hey, let’s prank Percy and convince him we’ll incinerate him today!’”

“You know what I mean,” said Apollo. “I’m just worried. I mean, when I saw Hermes against you like that, I… it’s serious.”

“Do you think I’m doing the wrong thing?” asked Percy. “I mean, is it unfair to ask for a little more respect as a demigod? To harbor a few doubts about the gods? And forgive a few traitors in the meantime?”

“Personally? No,” said Apollo. “There have been rebellions on the council for millennia, and we always forgive the rebels. It’s part of being a god, for gods’ sakes. But keep it on the down low. You can’t really die now, but Tartarus sucks ass. Or so I’ve heard.”

“Thanks,” said Percy. “I’ll keep that advice in mind.”

Apollo nodded, packing up his things. “Well, sip some of that tea tonight. Maybe take an evening stroll. See some friends. As for Kronos, I’m sure Zeus will have a battle plan drawn up in no time. Just keep in position. And Percy, please, just listen to Athena this time. It will work out if you do.”

He waved, ducking out the tent flaps. Percy grunted to himself, sipping some of the tea. Suddenly, without anything to do, he felt incredibly antsy. He sat down at his planning table and picked up the oval with the anvil on it, toying with it. To his surprise, it opened.

He squinted at it, his fingers tracing out a small metal plate bearing the creator’s name. Charles Beckendorf.

“No,” he muttered. Underneath the metal plate was a small screen with a detailed map of the Northeastern United States showing. There was a large red arrow slowly moving northeast towards Upstate New York. He poked at the screen and it zoomed in. “No way. God damnit, you mad genius. Even dead, you’re still saving my ass.” He wiped a tear from his eyes. “Well, so much for sticking around camp. I’ve got a titan to slay.”

OoOoOoOoO

            He made one last stop before he left. “Just visiting some friends,” he muttered, his body shaking with nerves. “Yep, my good friends in the Ares cabin.”

            Clarisse peeked out from her tent. “Jackson? What’s going on?”

            He put his hand on her shoulder, which seemed to cement the severity of the situation in her mind. Immortal as he was, he wouldn’t dare touch her unless it was something really important. “Keep quiet,” he whispered. “I’ve got one last order for you.”

            “You’ve been demoted,” she said. “Hermes told everyone.”

            “Man, fuck Hermes,” muttered Percy. “Listen, you’re fighting for the camp, right? Then carry out this last order: the Ares cabin? Protects Silena. In case anybody comes along and tries to kill her. You know, like your father did to Luke. That’s why I need you on the job. There’s no one else mean enough to take on that son of a bitch. And don’t mention what I’m about to do if Silena asks. Do I make myself clear, soldier?”

            She smiled at him. “Beat the shit out of Kronos for me, Jackson.”

            He patted her on the shoulder. “Glad I’ve got my friends in the Ares cabin there to support me.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Silena managed to leave her tent later that night, determined to check on Percy and see how he was doing. She knocked on the tent flaps, waiting patiently for his response. Nothing came. Someone put a hand on her shoulder, startling her.

            “Hey,” said Alex. “You doing okay?”

            “Surviving,” muttered Silena. “I thought I’d check on Percy.”
            “That’s why I’m here too,” said Alex.

Silena noticed that he seemed breathless, a look of concern on his face. “Alex, what’s wrong?”

“It’s not good,” he muttered. “I’ve had a dream. A very, very bad dream. I have to talk with him immediately.”

“What happened?”

“The destruction of Olympus,” said Alex. “If he continues down this path, I’m sure of it. A terrible storm brewed over the capital, and tornados destroyed the council room. Silena, it was a prophetic dream.”

“Let’s not wait,” she said. She pushed through the tent flaps. There was no one in there. Only a small tracking device with a location prominently displayed. Alex walked forward, picking it up. His eyes widened.

“Oh shit,” said Alex. “Silena, we… we have to stop him.”

She studied the tracking device, noting Beckendorf’s name on it. “I’m not sure there’s any way we can stop him. But we can’t just let him fight Kronos alone. Let’s find your sister. She’ll know what to do. She always does."

Chapter Text

Chapter 36

The Olympians, the God and the Titan

            When Silena and Alex reached Annabeth’s tent, they found her sharpening her knife with a whetstone, the edge ready to tear skin at mere contact. Her hands were fairly sweaty, but otherwise she seemed at ease. She looked up at Alex and Silena, frowning. “I take it this isn’t good?”

            “No,” said Alex. “Percy’s left to fight Kronos on his own. I had a prophetic vision that it would be the end of Olympus. Even if that was wrong, we can’t just let him go alone.”

            Annabeth sighed, rising from the ground. “Alright. I guess I’ll clean up his mess. Some things never change.”

            Silena nodded. “Should we come up with a plan tonight and move tomorrow?”

            “No,” said Annabeth. “We’re moving out immediately. There’s no time to lose.” She rushed out of the tent. Silena and Alex followed, watching as Annabeth bounced around camp like a pinball, hitting nearly every tent with rapid pace. By the time she had gathered the campers together, her hair had grown thick with sweat and hung behind her in a tangled mess. It meshed well with her tattered jeans and t-shirt, remnants of the battle the night before. She barked out orders, organizing the demigods into small squadrons. Perhaps noticing her intensity, they listened without hesitation, and soon set out.

            She set a rapid pace, depending on Silena to follow Beckendorf’s tracking device. Clarisse and the Ares cabin, gleeful to protect Silena, served as their honor guard. When the campers stopped to gather supplies, Annabeth vetoed the decision. “If we have to, we’ll steal from a supermarket once we get there,” she announced grimly. “I’m afraid we’ve got no time to stop right now.”

            Chiron trotted along beside her, the grey hairs on his mane looking especially prominent that night. “Are you sure about this? Rescuing Percy might be far too risky.”

            “My brother insisted that if Percy fought Kronos, Olympus would be in deep trouble,” said Annabeth. “Besides, he’s a member of camp. Even after everything we’ve been through, I know Percy wouldn’t let me do something so stupid. At least not alone. We’re in this together.”

            “Annabeth, it may be safer to wait,” said Chiron. “By now, Percy may be powerful enough to take Kronos on by himself. I can’t say the same for the mortal campers.”

            “I know,” she muttered. “But there’s no guarantee. If he starts losing, or we can rein him in, we need to be there.”

            “Now that he is immortal, we know he is the child of prophecy,” said Chiron. “He will face Kronos whether or not you get involved.”

            “I don’t care!” she said, her eyes flaring. “Chiron, whatever happens, I’m going to be there.”

            Chiron sighed. “I was afraid of that. You heroes… you just can’t let things go.”

            She gave him a grim smile. “Well, doggedness keeps us alive, Chiron. It’s just part of being a demigod. Keeps us alive.”

            “Until it kills you. Like it did Achilles. When he heard Patroclus passed…

            “I know,” said Annabeth. “That won’t be the result today. Anyways, I need to brief the troops once again. I know you’re worried Chiron, but I won’t let you down, alright? Everything will be fine.” She walked ahead, not waiting for him to respond. Perhaps she already knew that he would disagree with her.

OoOoOoOoO

            The remnants of Kronos’s army pushed northwest into upstate New York. The monsters seemed demoralized, and desertions had been growing. However, the bulk of the survivors stuck with Kronos, probably out of fear. While this was true for the monsters and demigods, most of the titans had deserted his operation by now. Those who remained allied to him were scattered throughout the country. If he wanted victory, he had to pull it off on his own.

            Kronos opted to walk at the front of the pack, alongside his troops. If anything, it would ensure morale didn’t fall any more than it already had. But, on a whim, he whispered an order to one of his attendants, who disappeared into the army’s bulk. In a few minutes, he returned with a prisoner wearing heavily restrictive chains: metal gauntlets around his hands to prevent any inventing.

            “To what do I owe the pleasure?” asked Beckendorf, struggling against the chains as if he could maim his captor. “After all, it’s not every day that the great Kronos talks to his lowly-

            “Don’t give me that attitude,” muttered Kronos. “I’ve treated you far better than the Olympians ever would one of their prisoners. I’ve never deigned to be better than any of the demigods, and I’ve certainly acted honorably-

            “Honorably?” asked Beckendorf, his voice rising. He felt heat in his throat, as if he could speak fire right then and there. “You have a funny definition of honorable. What kind of sick bastard manipulates a seventeen-year-old girl and then calls her out as a spy in the middle of all of the people who trust her? You said you were protecting her, but you’ve just put her in more danger than ever before!”

            Kronos crossed his arms, face covered with frustration. “I never said I was perfect. You don’t understand what I’m dealing with, kid. For you, it’s simple enough: throw a bomb and all your friends will love you as some kind of incredible martyr. I can’t just go and die; I have to live and watch the consequences of my actions. I can’t pick sides so arbitrarily-

            Beckendorf rolled his eyes. “There’s nothing arbitrary about picking the side that’s not imprisoning me.”

            “Your entire life as a demigod is a prison. Luke recognized that-

            “He came back to us,” said Beckendorf. “He realized how crazy you were.”

            Kronos shook his head, his stone jaw fixed with disappointment. “I’m not crazy. You want to know what’s crazy? If Percy Jackson finds me, he might win this war for the Olympians. He’ll be exhausted after fighting me but bring me in chains back to Olympus. And then, the first second they have the opportunity, they’ll cast him into Tartarus, the eternal Olympian garbage heap, right alongside me. You don’t understand how much of a Hellscape that place is. Now I’m the only one who seems to realize this and think it’s wrong. Is that the kind of hero’s welcome your friend deserves? To be ostracized and tortured? And like an idiot, he’s walking right into it!”

            “The gods won’t do that,” said Beckendorf. “They’re not always great, but they’re better than you.”

            “Oh, it’s so easy to point fingers at me!” said Kronos, gesticulating to the air. “I swallowed my kids! Far more gruesome than the Olympians, undoubtedly. They’re far more polite when they strip you of your freedom. They vote on whether you can live or die… sometimes. Oh, and when they do eat people, well, they do it discreetly and don’t get caught. And after all that, I’ve had to feel guilty about what I did. After all, I got backlash. But the gods? Who’s given them a taste of their own medicine? Maybe the Olympians are a little better than I was, though I quite frankly doubt it. Even then, what they do is reprehensible. Now do you really want to stand beside all that? And what they’re going to do to your friend? He’s just a kid, Charlie. Not even 16 yet.”

            “If what you say is true, I’ll turn away from the Olympians,” said Beckendorf.

            Kronos laughed. “And where will you go once I’m in Tartarus? Who’ll help you then?”

            “It won’t happen.”

            “Just you wait,” muttered Kronos, face grim. “I don’t need an oracle to know how this story ends.”

OoOoOoOoO

            The entire Olympian council had gathered in the throne room, a massive interactive map displaying the locations of Percy and Kronos’s army. Zeus peered at it with mild concern. “He’s headed for Kronos’s location,” he announced. “We’ve had some reports from the wind gods. They say he looks angry, that he grows more terrifying with each stride. That begs the question: is he powerful enough to win?”

            “It won’t matter,” said Athena. “I hardly see a difference between the two of them. It’s marginal, frankly. They may even be equal fighters. If Percy loses, we can take care of Kronos quite easily. He won’t have the energy to escape from us. If Percy wins, well, he’ll come back to us.”

            “And then what?” asked Poseidon, the room quaking as his voice boomed throughout the marble hall. “We’ll lead my son to the slaughter? Vote on his death?”

            “We already know the risks involved, Poseidon!” said Dionysus. “I may have grown to respect the boy a little, but he has gotten too powerful and disobeyed far too many orders at this point. A little bit of rebellion is a good thing in a demigod, but a lot means revolution.”

            “You talk as if we can prevent him from becoming a god, as if he is still a demigod,” said Artemis. “But in trying to stop the unstoppable, one often walks into demise. If we accept that Percy is a part of our world, he might become our ally. If we instead slay him in this council room, even if he stays locked in Tartarus, there’s no guarantee that other demigods won’t rise to take his place! We are acting far too hastily.”

            “No one is acting yet,” grunted Athena. “We haven’t made a decision. No one’s claimed Percy will assuredly die, contrary to Poseidon’s concerns. We will watch the battle and judge on what happens next when we’ve seen the evidence.”

            “I can’t wait that long,” sneered Ares, rising from his throne and grabbing his spear. “All of this talk is garbage. We’ll get to the decision when he comes back here. I need to clear my head!”

            “Oh no you don’t!” said Aphrodite, rushing to block the door. “Ares, dear, you cannot just treat my daughter like a-

            “Like a traitor?” asked Ares. “She jeopardized the entire war for months!”

            “I agree with Ares,” said Hermes, his eyes narrowing.

            “You were furious at Ares for killing Luke!” said Aphrodite. “How can you treat my daughter differently?”

            “Because my son turned at the end,” said Hermes. “He came back to us. To me! I’ve heard her; she still doubts the gods.”

            “I will not let you touch her!” said Aphrodite.

            “Well, if you can beat the two of us,” said Hermes, gripping his caduceus.

            Apollo rose from his seat, a frown on his face. “I thought we were all in agreement that the war was going to be over when Percy beat Kronos.”

            “That was before we knew all of this,” said Hephaestus, gritting his teeth. “Did she even stop to think that she might be putting Beckendorf in danger? That she couldn’t trust Kronos? Is that really the kind of love my son deserved-

            “She loved him more than you know!” shouted Aphrodite. “I knew she was too good for one of your spawn!”

            “Oh, she’s too good for him?” roared Hephaestus. “At least my son wasn’t a two-timing traitor! Clearly she learned a thing or two about sneaking around other people from her mother! She’s just like you!”

            Athena rose from her throne, banging her spear against her breastplate, Aegis. It made such a horrifying sound that it attracted the attention of almost all the gods. “THAT’S ENOUGH! We are Olympian gods! We need to present a unified front right now, not squabble like children! All of this will be resolved when Percy and Kronos finish fighting. Until then, hold your passions in for a few hours!”

            “Good luck with that,” said Ares. “I’m taking a stroll.”

            Athena looked like her nerves were about to explode. “You hot-headed, arrogant-

            “I’m out!” said Ares. He rushed out the door, slamming it behind him.

            “Same with me,” said Hermes.

            Athena watched them walk out, clenching her teeth to suppress the rage. “Okay, everybody who’s left, how about we make plans so that Kronos doesn’t escape after all of this trouble? I think we ought to join the battle at this point-
            “No one else is going down there while I’m here,” said Poseidon. “We’ll depend on Percy to bring Kronos back. I don’t want any of us reaching my son before he’s faced a proper trial.”

            “I’m seconding that,” said Hades. “Father will be weak anyways. His allies are scattered. We needn’t worry about him.”

            Athena laughed. “Unbelievable. But if that’s what it takes to earn your trust, Poseidon… I’ll bite. We’ll wait for Percy to finish the job.”

OoOoOoOoO

            Percy flew overhead of upstate New York, the landscape laid out before him like a small papier-mâché replica. The trees stuck out like little match sticks or Lincoln logs, tiny lights along the highway guiding his journey through the night. A slight dusting of rain gave the air a misty quality, cooling him down alongside the wind. It was surreal up in the sky. He realized that this was the first time he had ever gained pure enjoyment from his divine powers; up until now, they had only been for fighting and training. He wondered if Apollo felt the same when he drove the sun chariot across the sky.

            A fierce bright light to his right broke his train of thought. A spot of magma touched the landscape below, and Percy knew its origin almost immediately. Behind the figure of Kronos, waiting patiently with his scythe, stood the remnants of his monster army and whatever campfires they had mustered for the night. Percy flew down to meet him, landing in front of the titan. His feet hardly made a sound; the entire monster camp could hear the titan and the newfound god breathing in sync, sizing each other up.

            “This has gone on too long,” said Percy, drawing Riptide. “I’m bringing you back to Olympus.”

            Kronos sighed. “I am tired now, Percy Jackson. I am tired of watching the Greek pantheon consume itself like a serpent eating its own tail. It pains me to watch you fall right into the Olympians’ trap. They will abuse you just as I did them. So the cycle continues ad infinitum-

            Percy stomped the ground with his foot, a crater forming beneath them. It sent shock waves throughout the monster ranks, knocking most of Kronos’s troops over. “You corrupted Luke. You killed Beckendorf. You drove Silena crazy. You’ve killed more demigods than I can count. You drove Daedalus to kill himself. You’ve forced your son, Chiron, to watch his students die. You’ve tormented me with these accusations against the gods. I don’t know how you manage to fool yourself so much. You act like I’m the idiot, like you’re nothing like the Olympians. But you’ve done more to hurt me and my friends than any of them! Sure, you extended your hand to me when I broke the law. But can you bring back my dead friends? Can you repair the psychological trauma you’ve inflicted on my living friends? Well, Kronos? If you have anything new to bring to the table, I’m all ears.”

            Kronos gritted his teeth, tears streaming down his face. “No, Perseus Jackson, I can’t do any of that and you know it. I am a titan. Like all the other gods before me, I’ve failed. But at least I want something beyond power. I have dreams for a better world. The gods offer you a middling amount of stability, that’s for sure. It will not bring happiness to you or your children; it will not protect your friends forever or ensure they live worthwhile lives. I can’t make such a reality happen without sacrifice, but at least I’m fighting for a cause! You’re just a puppet for the council now! All I can offer is to cut the strings; I can’t protect the demigods, but I can give them freedom. But you don’t seem to even get that. Well, if I can’t get you to work with me, maybe I can force a parting lesson into you.” He swung his scythe and the ground around them lit up in fire. “NOW, PERSEUS JACKSON! NO MORE RUNNING! LET’S END THIS QUICKLY!”

            Kronos leapt into the air, the blade of his scythe shining against the black sky. Percy rushed to meet him, Riptide flaring to parry. Their blades meeting in mid-air, Kronos grabbed Riptide with his bare hands and flung it out of Percy’s hands. Percy reached for his pocket, but Kronos had already grabbed his arm. He flung Percy into the ground, his back spasming as Kronos brought his knee straight into Percy’s stomach. He coughed up ichor. Kronos did not seem to want to use his scythe; instead, he grabbed Percy by the leg and flung him left and right. Only after his face had been slammed into the ground several times did Percy break free, finally drawing Riptide again.

            Kronos roared, rushing towards Percy. Again, he swung his scythe. While Percy tried to slide between his legs this time, the titan caught Riptide with his scythe, and it flung free from Percy’s grasp once again. “You don’t really expect to take me down with a blade alone, do you? Nothing you do with that sword can harm me! I am an incredible fighter!” As if to showcase this, he did a somersault in the air and rammed his elbows into Percy’s midsection like a pro-wrestler. Grabbing the newfound god by the neck, he punched Percy in the face several times. Percy felt his head swelling with liquid; he tumbled out of Kronos’s arms straight towards the ground. The monster army cheered. Kronos approached him, scythe in hand.

            “Now, Percy Jackson, I believe that’s game.” He brought the scythe above his head, positioning himself like a golfer would in front of a tee. “You can surrender now and come with me, fully intact. Or I can slice you in half and carry both parts with me. I guarantee that the former is more comfortable.”

            Percy gritted his teeth, spitting up at Kronos. “Go to Hell.”

            Kronos shrugged. “Your choice.” He brought the scythe down slightly below Percy’s heart, piercing his lower abdomen just enough to make it hurt. Percy screamed in pain as Kronos withdrew the scythe. “THAT WAS A WARNING, JACKSON! IT’S NOT EASY TO SUBDUE A GOD, AND I NEED YOUR SUBMISSION IF YOU WANT TO AVOID GETTING CUT IN HALF!”

            Percy moaned, every neuron in his brain laser-focused on the wallet-sized hole in his stomach. Kronos didn’t do much except glower at him angrily; perhaps he had some reservations about wounding his ticket to victory too much. Percy struggled to turn his body and face the titan. He bared his teeth. “I’m not going with you, damn it!”

            Kronos sighed. “You just don’t know when to quit, do you? You couldn’t even hide your powers from the council!” He brought the scythe above his head again, slower this time, and then he thrust down with all his might.

            Percy couldn’t quite see, but he heard a loud clanging. Metal against metal. His vision blurry, he made out what looked like someone’s leg to his left, directly between him and Kronos.

            “Let him go, Kronos,” said Silena, her eyes steely.

            Percy struggled to move, placing his hand on her ankle. It was really the best he could do at this point; his senses were muddled beyond comprehension. “Silena, get out of here. He’ll kill you-

            “I can deal with that,” she muttered. “Well? What are you going to do next?”

            Kronos’s eyes were wide with horror. “This is a fight between the two of us. Get out of here!”

            “I’m not moving an inch.”

            “I don’t want to hurt you-

            “YOU ALREADY HAVE!” she said. She moved under his scythe, stabbing him in the heart. He lurched backwards, pulling the knife from his chest. Slowly, Percy’s senses came back to life: he could see Silena’s face illuminated in the moonlight. Her tattered hair flowing behind her, her cheeks caked with mud. It reminded him of the day they had first met in the pegasi stables. At that time, she had worn a mischievous and inviting grin. Now, her face bore only determination. She looked ready to punch the Titan in the face.

            “I didn’t ask for this,” she said. “I don’t know why the Hell you’ve come all this way for me, why you’re holding back and not slicing me in two. But I do know I don’t want it anymore.”

            Kronos held her gaze, his body trembling. “You’re too late. There’s no turning back now. My path is set-

            “Then you’ll have to kill me first.”

            He hesitated. “I am a god. I can defeat you without killing either of you.”

            “That may be true,” muttered Silena. “But I’d like to see how you hold up against my entire family.”

            A burst of green light filled the air, tinging it with a strong sulfurous smell.  Kronos winced, falling back against a hail of arrows and Greek fire. A number of battalions bearing flags for each cabin stepped forward, marching into the area and surrounding the fight. Several of Kronos’ remaining monsters moved in to fight, but they were quickly shot down. The Ares cabin was rushing towards the battle, Clarisse yelling to Silena frantically.

            “Don’t intervene, Clarisse!” said Silena. “I’ve got this!”

            “You don’t know who you’re up against, girl!” shouted Clarisse. “Get back over here before I whup your ass, you stubborn-

            Silena gave Percy a knowing wink, offering him a hand. “Come on, you’ve got this. You’re a god now. You just have to fight like one.” He took her hand, rising to his feet. He drew his focus away from his chest, and onto the fight. He didn’t bother taking Riptide out; instead, as Kronos levied his scythe, Percy sent a bolt of lightning straight at his chest. The titan fell back, and then another volley of arrows stuck to Kronos’s chest. He ripped them out.

            The hole in his chest still pounding, Percy moved forward anyways. At his will, water appeared before him, slamming into Kronos and battering him against the ground. The titan slowed time, maneuvering around the water. Percy struggled against his power, but the air seemed like molasses around him. He focused less on escaping the magic, instead directing energy to his arm. Moving it as fast as he could, it slammed into Kronos, sending the Titan stumbling. Percy compensated with higher speed in the rest of his body, adapting to Kronos’s time magic.

            “I’ve got this,” said Percy. “You can’t pull that trick on me again.”

            “You’ll drain your power even faster this way,” muttered Kronos. “How do you think I’ve managed to evade the Olympians so long?”

            Percy paid him no heed; instead, he sent a mass of water swirling around his body. Rising in the middle of a cyclone, he felt sweat pouring down his face as he resisted Kronos’s magic. To bring so much water to such an enormous speed took mounds of strength, but Kronos seemed to be receiving the worse end. His eyes wide, he struggled to contain the growing god. “How? How did you grow so powerful so fast?”

            “I guess I just had a lot to fight for.”

            With that, a strange looking arrow broke the air and hit Kronos. Something in it activated, and suddenly his hold over time broke; the water swirled around Percy’s body at razor fast speed. He sent it all flying into Kronos’s face, and the titan crumpled beneath the force of water. Percy’s eyes began to light up with gold as he kept the titan locked to the ground. Kronos struggled to free himself, finally slowing time enough to escape. But even after this, Percy could tell how the battle would pan out. Kronos looked ready to keel over any second. Unfortunately, Percy felt close to the same state. But he knew he could finish the titan before then. He realized that Kronos had been right; the gods would be able to deal with him at his weakest. But this didn’t bother him. He let the water settle and descended to the ground next to Silena, his eyes returning to normal.

            Kronos wheezed, looking around the battlefield. It was painted with golden blood. Some of it, he reasoned, was Percy’s; it seemed the child had completed his transition to godhood. “This is how it ends, huh? You’re walking right into the trap, Percy. I warned you over and over again-

            “I trust the Olympians enough,” said Percy, moving forward. He readied his sword to stab the titan. “Unlike you.”

            He swung the sword with all his might. He did not expect it to land. The stab was easy to parry but packed a lot of power; it was an easy way of draining Kronos’s energy. But it did make contact, passing right through Kronos’s heart. Percy blinked in surprise. Kronos had not even reacted to his attack. Instead, the titan’s eyes were trained on Silena, his hand outstretched. Percy’s eyes followed the arc of his arm. A spear was suspended in mid-air, hurtling towards Silena’s head at a snail’s pace. She turned to look at it, half entertained and half terrified to see it mere inches from her forehead.

            Kronos, Riptide still stuck deep in his chest, wheezed as he clenched his hand, struggling to keep the spear from impaling Silena. “They’ve finally come.”

            Percy and Silena looked to see where the spear had come from. Ares stood on a hilltop about a quarter mile away, a look of utter and ravenous delight on his face. “It seems I’ve found the next traitor!”

            Clarisse rallied the Ares cabin. “Dad, do me a favor… stay out of this!”

            Ares looked over at her, the side of his mouth twitching with annoyance. “I thought your mother raised you better. Really.”

            Clarisse growled. “Don’t start talking shit about mom.”

            Ares faltered. “You’re right. She did raise you better. After all, your mother was an absolute madwoman about discipline. It seems that Chiron or Jackson or whoever has gotten to you instead.” He raised his sword, face twisted with psychopathic delight. “Looks like we’ll just have to teach you a lesson!” He jumped from the hilltop and landed in front of his cabin, shaking the ground enough that some of the campers tumbled over. Clarisse held firm, her face visibly sweaty. They began trading blows at a ravenous pace. But Ares quickly gained the upper hand, and as Clarisse moved to parry him, his arm sliced straight down through her arm, and with one terrifying severance, it came clean off.

Her arm went flying past the campers, spewing guts and flesh among them, finally landing in the underbrush. The entirety of Camp Half-Blood looked on in shock as the war god knocked his daughter to the ground, blood pouring from her arm socket.

            “Holy shit,” muttered Percy. He withdrew Riptide from Kronos’s chest and rushed to Silena’s side. “We’ve got to get you out of here.”

            “Do you see now, Percy?” asked Kronos. “Even in the middle of the final battle of this war, the Olympians have no control over their passions! Ares has come to kill her!”

            Percy eyed Ares out of the side of his vision, still trying to keep watch over Kronos as well. “We’ll beat you before then.”

            “No need,” huffed Kronos, bringing his scythe to his side. He strode past Percy, casually, like they’d only been having coffee. “I have plenty of experience dealing with brats like him.” He turned to look at Silena. “Shouldn’t your mother be here by now?” And then he leapt in the middle of the Ares cabin, who were still trying to restrain their father. Kronos stepped between Ares and Clarisse, shouting to Percy and Silena. “GO! I’LL HOLD HIM OFF!”

            Percy turned to Silena. “We need to get you somewhere safe.”

            She blinked. “Are you kidding me? This is the final battle. I can’t just leave-

            “That’s the general’s orders,” commanded Percy.

            “I outrank you,” she said. “You’ve been relieved of your command, and I’m more senior than you-

            “That’s bullshit,” he said. “Now come on. We’re going to find Annabeth. She’ll know what to do.”

            He grabbed her arm before she could protest, attempting to drag her along. But before they could get very far, Percy ran into someone’s chest, stumbling backwards upon impact. He looked up.

            Hermes looked down at him, a weary look on his face. “Percy, Silena. Long time no see.”

            Percy blinked in confusion. “Hermes? Do you have a message for us?”

            He nodded. “For you. I’m going to have to ask you to let go of Silena.”

            Percy hesitated. “Why? What’s going on?”

            “Zeus’s orders.”

            Silena wrenched her arm free of Percy, giving him a brave smile. “Alright, Hermes, where are we headed?”

            Hermes looked at her, as if sizing her up for something. Then he wrenched his caduceus from the ground violently and stabbed her through the chest with it.

            Silena stumbled backwards in shock. Percy’s eyes swam in the thick red liquid spewing from her stomach right where the caduceus was lodged. Violently, his mind thrust him back to the spear in Luke’s chest, and to his final plea: protect her, protect her, protect her. Somehow, he hadn’t even managed that. He stared, glassy-eyed, at Hermes.

            “She egged Luke on,” said Hermes, his voice raspy, face wrinkled with hatred. “Supported Kronos through all of his evil. And now she wants to help you ‘change’ our relationship with the demigods. She’s a cancer, Percy, a-

            Percy couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He leapt at Hermes, a hidden strength seizing his body. The god raised two knives in defense, of course, but it didn’t matter – Percy had unleashed every magical tactic he knew on Hermes at once, something he didn’t even realize was possible. Vines ensnared the cherubic god, water quickly following, and then the lightning hit, jolting through his body. The fire and stone hit next, and then thorns emerged from the vines, and finally Percy leapt at him with Riptide in hand. Dazed, Hermes narrowly avoided the next blow, breaking free of the vines. But he didn’t look any better for it. While only slightly bruised, the god seemed to realize that he had met his match. Hermes took the defensive. “You’re falling for a lie, Jackson! Once the council discovers that you betrayed us-

            Percy punched Hermes in the face, and the god went at him after that, forget his strategy of remaining defensive. They clawed and punched at each other until Percy thrust him into the ground, stomping on his face. The god wailed, struggling to his feet.

            Percy’s fatigue finally caught up with him. He fell back a little, sweat dripping down his face. His throat felt clammy, acid shooting up from his stomach. Someone moaned. He turned, a little confused to see Silena still standing behind him. She was breathing, barely, but clearly she wanted his attention. He turned back to Hermes, who seemed ready to keel over, and ensnared him with vines once more, using the plants to drag the god’s limbs to the ground. Then the ground swallowed Hermes all the way to his head. In this state, Percy could keep him imprisoned, although the god was doing everything he could to struggle against it. Maintaining Hermes’s imprisonment in the background, he went over to Silena, who had stumbled to the ground on her knees.

            He knelt down next to her, placing his hand on her back. He could feel the blood and broken skin beneath his fingers, his wrist resting near the bottom of the caduceus. Tears sprouted in his eyes. “Silena, I… I don’t exactly know what we had, but I love you and I’ll miss you and I’m so, so sorry. I’m so sorry, I-

            She looked up at him, giving him a weak smile. She chuckled hoarsely. “You sappy, romantic dolt. Annabeth always said you had no way with words. Heal me.”

            His mind went blank. “Um… what?”

            “You’re a god now, you idiot,” she said, laughing and coughing at the same time, blood spewing from her mouth. “Start thinking like one. Heal me.”

            He blinked, and then realization spread to his face. He raced to recall his training with healing magic. He pulled the caduceus out, wincing as he did so, and then placed his hands over her wound. He watched the skin bind back together and the blood slowly dissipate. Slowly, the color began to return to her face. She rose to a sitting position, weak but steady, and hugged him. “Oh, gods, that’s a lot better. I don’t know how you can put up with a hole in your chest for that long.”

            He sniffed, gripping her tightly. “Well, when you’ve got friends by your side-

            “You know, you can heal yourself too.”

            He looked down at his chest, and then nodded, closing up the wound. He chuckled weakly, brushing away tears. “Yeah, that is a lot better.”

            Hermes roared at them. “You’re defending a traitor, you coward!”
            Silena marched over to Hermes, still buried up to his neck, and punched him in the face. After recoiling, the god bit at her hand, seemingly unfazed, but she narrowly dodged his attack. “I’m not the reason your son left, and I’m not the reason he stayed with Kronos. Luke was always upfront about the reason he joined Kronos. It was because you didn’t reach out to him enough. Stop blaming me for that!”

            Hermes fought back tears. “You still don’t get it. We’re gods! We don’t have time to visit our kids whenever we want! It’s people like you that convinced Luke that I didn’t love him. I may not have been able to visit him, but that didn’t mean I didn’t care!”

            “Then maybe don’t have as many kids!” shouted Silena. “Like, I don’t know why you and my mother and Zeus can’t figure it out. I can figure out how to use protection, so why can’t you, damn it!”

            Percy blushed. “Silena, maybe now’s not the best time-

            “Percy, let me have this,” she shot back, glaring at him. Percy grew silent. “I’m not proud of the fact that I helped Luke and Kronos. It was wrong. But you can’t sit by and expect that something in your children will change. This will happen again and again unless the council does something!”

            “It’s not that simple!” said Hermes. “You can’t expect the gods to change just like that! We have duties! Jobs! And-

            He grew silent as Kronos’ body flew between them, slamming against the ground. Ares leapt into the fray, but Percy parried his sword, catching his fighting arm with his free hand. “Yo, Silena, you done lecturing Hermes yet? We really need to leave.”

            She looked down at her chest, pondering her healed wound. “Yeah, I’d rather not get stabbed twice in a row. Let’s go!”

            Percy pointed towards the demigod army, and Silena began heading that way. He punched Ares in the gut and then followed her, the earth prison melting away as Hermes scrambled to apprehend them. Kronos snuck behind Hermes and Ares, holding them back.

            “Go!” said Kronos. “Get her out of here! I’ll handle these two for a while.”

            Percy caught up to Silena, running beside her. Sweat had begun to pour off his body, and he felt his energy slowly draining. Silena looked over at him. “Why does Kronos want to protect me again?”

            “I have no idea,” said Percy. “I don’t really intend to find out.”

            Annabeth waved to both of them as they got closer, running up to hug Silena. “Gods, I thought you were dead for a second.”

            “Yeah,” she laughed. “You know, your ex can be pretty slow sometimes.”

            Percy frowned. “You’re welcome for saving your life.”

            Annabeth motioned to them. “Come with me, Silena. I had the Hephaestus cabin dig a bunker. We’ll draw the Ares cabin back to defend you.”

            Silena shook her head. “Come on, Annabeth, I want to be here to help! This is it! If I put my life on the line to fight for the gods and for Beckendorf’s memory, that’s a good way to go-

            “No!” said Annabeth, grabbing Silena by the arm. “No more of that talk! We’re getting you out of here. That’s an order.” She shot Percy a look. “Give her the damned order.”

            “I already did-

            “GIVE HER THE ORDER!”

            He turned to Silena. “How would you feel about doing me a favor?”

            Silena patted Annabeth on the shoulder. “Fine. I guess if it makes things easier.”

            Annabeth shot Percy a look. “I’m trusting you with the cleanup of… whatever the Hell this is. I blame you for most of it. And,” she hesitated, “don’t die, Seaweed Brain.”

            He sighed. “Thanks. I won’t.” He rushed back into battle, sword at the ready.

Chapter Text

Chapter 37

The Council Cracks

            When Percy arrived in the middle of the battle, he mainly found discarded monster parts. Expecting to find Hermes, Ares, and Kronos locked in combat, he instead found only Hermes and Ares standing around. Each god looked very, very angry.

            “Where’s Kronos?” shouted Percy, Riptide resting against his hip.

            Hermes leered at him. “He got away. If you hadn’t fought against me-

            “Don’t start with that!” yelled Percy. “I wouldn’t have fought with you if you hadn’t stabbed my best friend!”

            “She was a traitor!” shouted Ares, beating his spear against his chest. “I would relish the chance to-

            Percy punched the war god in the face. Ares stumbled backwards, and then moved to spear him, but Percy expertly pinned the god to the ground, his limbs flailing against Percy’s hold. Percy glanced between the two gods, his eyes cold. “This was my battle. I was the general. And had things gone according to my plan, Kronos would have been in Tartarus by now! But the two of you couldn’t hold it together for one fucking hour! I don’t care how you feel about Silena, how you feel about my behavior, how you feel about anything! I would have won! Alone. Unencumbered by two idiots! Do I make myself clear?”

            “Crystal,” said Hermes, his tongue dripping with ire. “Oh, I understand everything perfectly. You’re a god now. A big, scary god. You can do whatever you want now, can’t you? Oh, but you’re so much better than the Olympians-

            “In this instance, yes!” said Percy. “I would have actually been able to defeat Kronos. As planned! Don’t make this about me being arrogant! It’s true, damn it!”

            “You don’t give the orders, boy,” sneered Ares. It didn’t quite carry the same weight with Ares pinned down, but he still put a lot of passion into it. “The Olympians are in charge. Never forget that. Who knows? It might even be your downfall today.”

            Percy grunted, letting Ares go. The war god and messenger god stared at him unevenly, as if unsure of what he would do next. He simply sighed. “Oh well. Kronos is gone, I guess. I ought to go gather the rest of the campers.”

            Before he could turn to rejoin the demigods, the air lit up with a thousand volts. Every hair on his body stood up as Zeus apparated in front of him wearing a solemn look on his face.

            “Lord Zeus,” said Percy, blushing a little. “I-

            “Save it for the council room, child,” he muttered, waving Percy aside. He looked past the boy, right at Ares and Hermes. “Kronos got away?”

            “All thanks to our little demigod friend!” said Ares, laughing to himself.

            “It’s true,” said Hermes. “Percy fought alongside Kronos for several minutes before-

            “I have already heard what happened,” said Zeus. “Nothing short of total incompetence on the part of the two of you.”

            Hermes looked dumbfounded. “But father, he challenged-

            “Like all the other gods, I make mistakes,” began Zeus. “But even I know better than to offend a hero’s honor during battle by trying to kill his friend. Have you forgotten the Trojan War? Of Achilles’ wrath?”

            “Silena betrayed the council, father!” hissed Ares. “She committed treason! Endangered our troops-

            “All true,” said Zeus. “It doesn’t matter. You could have waited for a council meeting. Instead, you jeopardized the entire war! Kronos has escaped, and the fault rests on your heads!” Before the two gods could interrupt, Zeus turned to Percy. “For your part, child, I’m required to remind you that you broke the law in conspiring with an enemy spy. However, you’ve done the Olympians a great service today in fighting Kronos. I have no doubt that you would have captured him had these two not interfered. I am requesting your presence before the Olympian Council for a debrief and vote on your crimes.”

            “I’d like to talk to my friends briefly,” said Percy. “After all, Silena’s probably pretty shaken-

            “I’m afraid I was being polite; you are wanted by the Olympian Council. You must go there immediately. As for Silena, I wouldn’t worry. I will personally see to it that she is protected for the foreseeable future.”

            “Alright,” said Percy. “So, I guess I’ll make my way to the Empire State Building.”

            Zeus chuckled, patting Percy on the back. “Percy, you have a lot to learn. Just fly up to Olympus.”

            Percy blinked. “Fly up?”

            “Yes. Like all the other gods.”

            He hesitated. Zeus had more or less promised to blow him out of the sky the last time he did that. “But I… well, okay. If you say so.”

            “I expect to see the two of you there as well,” said Zeus. “Percy, do be on time. We’ll expect you in the next fifteen minutes.” Zeus disappeared in the wind, leaving the three of them behind. Ares spit on Percy’s shoe before following his father. Hermes gave Percy the once over.

            “I hope you understand the line you’ve crossed.”

            “I was just protecting my friends,” said Percy.

            “You’ll only get so far doing that,” muttered Hermes. “You’re a god now. Enemies last a long time.”

            “Hermes, Luke never would have wanted-

            “DON’T LECTURE ME ABOUT MY SON!” roared the messenger god. He gave Percy one last look and then disappeared, going the way his two colleagues had.

            Percy sighed. “Well, I guess I better get up there.”

            He’d never approached Olympus from the sky, mainly because of the Zeus blowing him up thing, but more importantly because he’d never been able to fly. It was serene up in the clouds, no battles raging below him, no angry gods fighting. He ran into a couple of wind spirits flitting about, several of the young girls giggling as he passed by. The city of Olympus was already decorated, ready for his victory. He landed in front of the council room and nervously pushed the doors open. Thirteen gods turned to face him.

            “MY SON!” shouted Poseidon, rising from his seat. He barreled towards Percy like a giant about to trip, falling into his son’s arms. He hugged Percy tightly. “I am so incredibly proud of you! You’ve defeated Kronos’s army singlehandedly!”

            “Now brother, save your celebration for later,” said Zeus. Poseidon patted Percy on the back before hopping back into his throne.

            Percy looked around the council room, studying the faces of the gods. Some of them seemed ecstatic to have him there. Others, like Hermes and Ares, looked ready to kill him. He looked to Athena almost instinctively. She seemed to be studying him closely, her face not betraying any allegiance one way or another.

            “Percy, you’ve broken the law in several ways,” she finally said. “You ought to tell us everything that happened in the battle.”

            He obliged, relaying how he had discovered Silena’s betrayal after his breakup, how she had wanted to quit to protect him, how the battle was planned and played out, how Kronos had tried to save her, how he had leapt at the opportunity to fight Kronos, and how he had briefly stopped fighting the Titan to protect Silena. “But I never allied with Kronos,” he said, growing slightly angry. “Anyone who says that is lying. I let Kronos fight Ares while protecting Silena, but that’s a far cry from treachery.”

            “I’ll stop you there,” said Zeus. “You did commit the textbook definition of treachery. Colluding with the enemy. And you ignored our orders to stay off the battlefield. But personally, those are forgivable offenses. We should be worried more about your reward.”

            Athena inched forward on her seat. “Reward? Lord Zeus, not killing him now is reward enough-

            “I will not let you sway me this time, daughter,” said Zeus. “We have asked much of Jackson, and on the most important front, he has delivered. When asked to comply with Olympian justice, he had always done so. Even when given the chance to overthrow our regime, Percy has stood by our side. Even you have failed to live up to such an ideal at times, Athena.”

            She leaned back in her chair, silent but clearly disturbed.

            “Now, Perseus Jackson, by my decree, the council will grant you any wish,” said Zeus. “May I suggest dropping all of your charges?”

            “He can’t do that!” said Hermes, seething. “That’s impossible-

            “It’s not,” muttered Athena. “We’ve done it before. Since he never challenged the council head on, his crimes are pardonable if he won a major war. Which… he did.”

            “I can pardon any crime so long as I didn’t challenge the council?” asked Percy.

            “That’s right, Percy,” said Athena. “As long as no violent action was taken against the council as a whole, you can be pardoned.”

            “Lord Zeus, I want you to pardon and protect Silena Beauregard,” said Percy. “None of the councilmembers will do anything to harm her.”

            Zeus’s face grew grim. “It is within my power. But Percy, Silena’s protection would most likely pass the council. It may be better to think about the bigger picture here-

            “There’s no bigger or clearer picture than a caduceus through her chest,” said Percy. “She needs it more than I do.”

            “I’m not so sure about that, child,” said Artemis. “You have made enemies on the council-

            “My decision is final, Lord Zeus,” said Percy. “Protect Silena.”

            Zeus glanced around the council room and then sighed. “Very well, Perseus Jackson. From now on, anyone allied with Olympus who attacks Silena Beauregard will face grave punishment. She will be pardoned of all her crimes and welcomed back into the Olympian fold. Which brings us to the next part. Percy, for crimes against Olympus including colluding with the enemy and ignoring direct orders of the council, you face one hundred years in Tartarus. The council stands prepared to debate on the issue.”

            Zeus stood up, looking incredibly tired all of a sudden. “I don’t think I need to inform you all once again that Percy has fought for us valiantly and never truly betrayed us, even when he had the opportunity to overthrow the council-

            “He still might do so,” said Hera. “He could usurp all of us. We ought to prepare-

            “So shall I eat him alive?” asked Zeus, his voice rumbling with low thunder. “Like my father, who’s hiding in the woods cowering for his freedom? About to be thrown into Tartarus when we catch him? Tell me, Percy, what would you prefer to be cooked in? A curry sauce? Something buttery? NO! I will not make the same mistakes my father did. Perseus Jackson has shown us his worth and his allegiance. He has my support, and he should have all of yours, too!”

            “My brother is right!” said Poseidon, beating his trident against the floor. “My son has fought by our sides unquestionably since he arrived in camp! Even when challenged by the gods at every turn, targeted for his heritage and his power, he has not swayed off the path we proscribed for him! He deserves not our heaviest punishment, but our highest praise!”

            “I must echo the sentiments of my two brothers,” said Hades. “Even without my oath, Percy has changed my realm and my life for the better. I’d be lying to say he’s never been a thorn in my side, but he has always done the right thing, even if I never liked it. He has always worked to bind our family together rather than tearing it apart. It is apparent to me that that is something we all sorely need right now. For the first time in a long time, the Big Three are united about something. We ought to pardon him.”

            “It seems my elders are finally going blind,” sneered Ares. “Jackson has already challenged our power. The way he spoke to me and Hermes on the battlefield was reprehensible. He holds Hades’ vote in his hands and attacked Athena when annoyed. The signs that Jackson is getting too big for his britches are overwhelming. We ought to cut the problem off at its source now and lock him in Tartarus for all time!”

            “That’s insane!” said Artemis. “There’s no way we should crucify a successful general in view of all of the demigods! Imagine what kind of waves that would send through camp! They would hate us! Silena Beauregard already found us just as monstrous as Kronos was. They would all have reason to hate us after that!”

            “You can’t deny that Percy has challenged our authority in several ways,” said Hermes. “All of what Ares said was true-

            “And inconsequential!” roared Poseidon. “My son only lashed out at us when threatened or gravely insulted! In pursuing change on the council, he has always acted honorably! Never has he threatened one of us for a vote or tried to undermine the council. Always, always, my son was in the right!”

            “Your son asks too much of us,” grunted Hephaestus. “He is an idealist. I won’t pretend that everything Ares said was warranted on his part.” He looked Percy in the eyes. “Boy, you’ve done a lot of good for the council. But you’ve bucked a lot of trends in ignoring our authority, and you just can’t do that. You know how I feel about Silena, and you know how I feel about Luke.”

            Percy nodded. “And you know how I feel too. Beckendorf wanted more.”

            “His wishes wouldn’t have saved him, Percy. I want what you think my son wanted too… but I’m not so naïve as to think it’s possible,” said Hephaestus.

            “Does anyone else have anything left to say?” asked Zeus. “If not, we’ll begin voting.”

            “I have something to say,” said Percy. “If you’re ready to condemn me, I at least want to know why.”

            “Noted,” said Zeus. “Well, I know how I’m voting. Percy will live.”

            “Agreed,” said Poseidon.

            “Same here,” grunted Hades.

            “We can’t afford such a risk,” said Hera. “I vote against.”

            Percy blinked. “Is that it?”

            Hera glared at him. “Yes, that is it, boy. I don’t need to explain much beyond that.”

            He sighed. “Okay, fine.”

            Ares held up a thumbs-down. “You know why, kid.” Hermes did the same, not deigning to say anything.

            Hephaestus nodded. “We should sentence Percy. We’ve discussed this ad nauseum. Frankly, I’m tired of explaining it to you.”

            Dionysus sighed. “Hera is right.”

            Percy’s composure broke. “What? But Mr. D-

            Dionysus sighed. “Look, Percy, in what may be my final moments talking with you, I’m going to be completely straight with you. You had potential. You did some good things. But I know where this is headed. I’ve seen too many heroes get just a fraction of the power you have and start to challenge the council. And it starts innocently enough. You’re doing the right thing, just defending yourself every now and again. But you’re working against the council, not with us. You looked down on Hermes for his anger. I saw it. You’re not going to unite us or put up with everyone’s shit. You couldn’t even look an angered father in his eyes! So unless you can prove otherwise in this council room, I’m voting against.”

            “That’s not fair!” said Percy. “I had to protect Silena-

            “I’m not saying you had to let her die,” said Dionysus. “But you let anger overtake you just like Ares. I know a thing or two about that. It’s a form of intoxication, frankly. My specialty. And you won’t even admit you have a problem.”

            Percy stared at him, dumbfounded. “Okay.”

            Apollo gave a thumbs-up and a bright, cheery smile. “Hey, man, tomorrow, we’ll be doing some archery from the sky. You and me together.”

            Zeus cleared his throat. “Alright. That’s four for pardoning Percy, five against. Artemis, I believe you’re next.”

            “You’ve acted honorably at every step, Percy,” said Artemis. “I vote to pardon you.”

            Demeter studied him carefully. “I can’t get behind supporting someone so powerful. You’re a threat to Olympus, no questions about it. Sorry, kid. Them’s the breaks.”

            Aphrodite smiled at him. “I could never vote to condemn my daughter’s strapping young hero. After all, you two make a wonderful couple!”

            Percy chuckled nervously. “Gonna have to get back to you on our relationship status there, but I appreciate the vote. Silena and I were a bit shocked after Beckendorf-

            He stopped mid-sentence, turning to face the deciding vote, swallowing nervously. “Um… you know, on second thought, Silena might have mentioned a ring-

            Athena glanced around the room. “So, it’s a dead tie, huh?”

            Poseidon glared at her. “Are you really-

            Athena turned to him, confused. “What’re you going on about? I’ve barely said anything-

            “Dead tie?”

            “Oh, gods, I didn’t mean to make light of the situation, Percy,” she muttered. “And my vote is not going to hinge on your relationship status with my daughter. You don’t need to destroy your dignity today just to convince me.”

            “Right,” muttered Percy, his eyes darting between the other council members. He was having trouble focus on Athena, frankly. His mind was swimming with images of Tartarus, although he didn’t have much to base it on besides depictions of Hell. “So… what does your vote hinge on?”

            She was silent for a moment. “I… don’t really know.”

            Zeus practically rose from his chair. “You… you don’t know?”

            “Obviously I’m not thrilled with the many illegal things you’ve done,” she muttered, her grey eyes constantly analyzing him. “And yet, you did save Olympus. The question is… when it comes down to it, Perseus Jackson, will you betray us like Dionysus has suggested? Will you overthrow the Olympian Council?”

            No,” he said. “No, of course not. I would never do that. I would never want to do that. I never have wanted to do that! Come on, look at everything I did for the Olympians! I didn’t fake it! You heard my speeches to the demigods, you saw how I turned down Kronos’s offers! I’m still standing here, facing your judgement, my freedom and my happiness tied down by your vote! If I didn’t want to help you all, I would have left by now!”

            The hint of a smile crept onto her face. “All of that’s true, though you’ve clearly been thinking about fleeing. But then again, you’re used to life as a mortal. One hundred years in Tartarus is… well, that’s a lot to unpack for you.” Relief washed over him. It felt good knowing at least one of the council members understood that, even if it was Athena. “Is that it? Is that why you’re thinking of fleeing?”

            “Well… I don’t know about that,” bumbled Percy. He thought back to the battle with her. He had felt so strong and so free, and now, under the council’s scrutiny, he felt trapped once more. “I just wanted a normal life.”

            Athena pursed her lips. “A normal life, huh? Child, how do you propose to find that?”

            He stared at her, realization slowly dawning. Whatever he had imagined that the future held faded before her statement. His mind bowed to the reality that he may never have a normal life. “I never thought that far ahead, Lady Athena.”

            “I suppose that’s only natural. Now, Percy, say it outright. Are you truly loyal to us? You will respect the laws and decisions of the Council going forward? You will abide by our authority?”

            “Of course!”

            She nodded. “Council, that’s all I need to see. I vote for Tartarus.”

            Before Percy could even process the thought, Hades rose from his seat. “Have you gone absolutely insane? Is this your sick, twisted form of revenge?”

            Athena crossed her legs, leaning back in her chair. “Nothing of the sort. I simply made a decision for the benefit of the Olympian state. I harbor no ill will against Percy Jackson anymore; even so, cooler heads must prevail.”

            “Everything I’ve done as a demigod I’ve done to help the Olympians,” said Percy. “I have never gone against the Olympian state-

            “But you might,” said Athena, her voice calm, collected. “That is why I’ve made my decision. I don’t see loyalty in your eyes, Perseus Jackson. I see a child who went along with helping the Olympians simply out of complacency. It’s not wrong to do so, but I don’t believe you harbor loyalty to us. Just passivity. And when you grow into your powers, that will break.”

            Eleven of thirteen gods shifted nervously in their seats, unsure of what to do. Their eyes darted between Hades, Athena, and Percy like spectators overseeing a chess match. Athena rose, making the first move. Her voice grew loud, authoritative. “Well? Will you comply with the judgement, Jackson? If not, I will not hesitate to run you through with my spear right now.”

            Percy balled his fists. He knew he couldn’t take on all of the Olympians, but it didn’t quite matter. Either way, he would head to Tartarus. “Hell no.”

            Athena nodded. “So be it.” She leapt from her seat, Aegis in one hand and spear in another, and moved to fight Percy. Her spear made contact with a Stygian Iron sword.

            “Go,” said Hades, holding her at bay. “I’m not going to let them do that to you, kid.”

            “Failing to respect an official criminal vote of the council should result at the very least in termination of your position, Hades,” said Athena, “Stand down.”

            “So what? Jackson, get out of here. Cut through the floor. Go!”

            Percy balled his fists. “How could you all betray me like this? After everything I’ve done for you all, I thought… and I didn’t ask for much. I just wanted to live in peace.”

            “Percy, I’m sure there must be a mistake,” said Poseidon, glancing around the room nervously. “Someone will reconsider their vote.”

            Hephaestus kept his head pinned to the ground. Hermes glared at Percy unmoved. Demeter rolled her eyes.

            Athena spoke. “Well Jackson? Are you really as loyal as you say? Are you going to go willingly?”

            He drew Riptide. “Hell no.”

            She nodded, parrying Hades’s sword. “As I suspected. Well, for what it’s worth, you made quite an impression.”

            Percy looked around the room, noticing that several of the gods had begun to rise to apprehend him. Even Zeus, who didn’t look thrilled about it, had joined him.

            “I can’t hold twelve of my brethren off for long, kid,” said Hades. “You need to get out of here. NOW!”

            Percy sighed. He thrust his fist deep into the floor, the ground crackling around his fist. He broke a hole, clouds swirling in the open air below. He patted Hades on the back as several gods leapt at him, and he jumped into the hole, the air forming a cocoon around him. The wind spirits waved to him, oblivious to the decisions going on above. With the last of his energy, Percy flipped a coin in the air, willing a rainbow to appear.

            “Iris,” said Percy. “I need to talk to Grover Underwood, please.”

            Grover appeared in the mist. His eyes grew wide with fear. “Percy? Where are you? What’s going on?”

            Percy wiped a tear from his eye. “I’m sorry dude, but this is probably the last time we’re gonna see each other. The Olympians don’t want me around any longer, so I’m leaving town. Help me out a bit, dude. I need a distraction. If you can pull something off, well, maybe I can go into hiding.”

            “Hiding? Are you crazy? Did they vote to kill you?”

            He shook his head. “I can’t say.”

            Grover nodded. “I’m sorry, dude. I can’t do that. Pan was loyal to the gods, and I will be too. Sorry.” And then the message disappeared. But Percy felt something tugging at his heart – the empathy link between the two of them. A discrete sign that only he and Grover knew of.

            Percy smiled. “Thanks, dude. It’s been nice knowing you.”

Chapter Text

Epilogue

When Grover rushed into the bunker, Annabeth and Silena, already deep in discussion, immediately sensed the gravity of the situation from the look on his face. He caught his breath for a second, and then blurted out, “Is this a secure place to talk?”

            “I’ve set up several charms already,” said Silena, turning away from Annabeth. “It should be fine.”

            “The Council voted to kill Percy. Or whatever the equivalent would be. He needs a distraction.”

            Annabeth’s face seemed to slowly drain of color, bringing her skin closer to the color of her eyes. She remained silent. Silena, however, grew angry. “That’s insane!” 

            “It’s politics,” muttered Annabeth. Her eyes looked far away, like she was lost somewhere else for a moment. Then, she shook her head. “Grover, do me a favor. Grab Clarisse.”

            He moved quickly. When Clarisse came in, Annabeth couldn’t pull her eyes away from the stump where her arm had been wrapped, the gauze covering it a deep red. “What’s this about? I’m trying to rest.”

            “Would you say this battle has been handled well?”

            Clarisse looked ready to punch her. “Is that a joke?”

            “The Olympians voted to kill Percy. He needs a distraction. Now, if I were to ask everyone to express their dissent somehow, it might look bad. But you… well, the Olympians won’t blame you.”

            Slowly, Clarisse began to smile. If she didn’t know any better, Annabeth would say the arm wasn’t a big deal to her. “You want a protest, huh? I can do that. As it so happens, there’s a dump with about fifty tons of garbage a short walk away.”

            Annabeth smirked. “Thanks.”

            “Hey. We look out for our own kind.” She rushed out the door, shouting orders to the demigods.

            “You sure this is a good idea?” asked Grover. “If the gods find out…

            “They won’t,” said Annabeth. “Besides, it’s not like they can do much about it. They need us, Grover. If all the demigods are rioting, well, they have to listen. You made contact with Percy through your empathy link?”

            “He Iris messaged me. So I lied initially. But… he knows.”

            “Good. That may be the last you hear of him. Once he’s fully immortal, I think the link will fade.”

            “I’m gonna miss him,” muttered Grover.

            Annabeth nodded solemnly. “I guess I’ll miss him too, infuriating as he is.” Her voice fell to a whisper. “Best of luck, Seaweed Brain.”

OoOoOoOoO

            That evening, Zeus donned a hooded cloak and knocked on Athena’s door. She let him in, setting a kettle on the stove for him. Until the steam began to rise, she was silent. “It’s unlike you to make a visit,” she muttered.

            “This was a disaster,” he responded.

            “It’s also not often that you’re angry at me.”

            He frowned. “What were you thinking? Kronos and Percy are on the loose. Hades and Poseidon are livid. Others on the council now doubt us. Persephone is badgering her mother! The demigods are in protest! Athena, how was that a good choice? You are our chief strategist; you always think these things through! And yet-

            “I did think it through,” she said, cutting him cleanly off. “Like I always do.”

            “He was not going to betray us!”

            “He did,” said Athena, not breaking eye contact. “When I made my decision, he did.”

            Zeus did a double take. “What?”

            “Loyalty isn’t tested when you’re asked to do the easy thing,” said Athena. “I asked Percy to do something hard; something out of his comfort zone. And he showed his true colors. Better to face it now than later on.”

            “You voted to torture him for one hundred years! Of course he’s afraid!”

            “I can’t afford to take risks,” sighed Athena. “He took on Kronos and Hermes all in one day, and he wasn’t even at full power. Imagine how strong he will become. I had to know where he stood. Trust me. This was all for the best.”

            Zeus’s face looked overcast, sadness brewing in him. “I hope you’re right.”

            She poured him some tea. “I haven’t failed you yet. I will not fail you now. And these problems will all fade with time. We will address the demigods. Poseidon will calm eventually. Hades… well, he has always been known to play cautiously. We have time. Kronos and Percy are weak, and Olympus is stronger than ever.”

            “How will we placate them all?” asked Zeus. “They are fiercely angry, Athena. If we-

            She held up a finger, silencing her father with a smile. “It’s simple. We’ll give them what Percy wanted.”

            Zeus’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

            “We’ll make them into real Olympians. Bind our family together. We’ll do everything he dreamed of… just without him.”

OoOoOoOoO

            The wind swept through the foothills of the northern Appalachian Mountains, the vegetation bowing down before the powerful force. Beckendorf, the goosebumps on his skin sticking up, wrapped his arms around his body, hoping to retain some of the heat. It was abnormally cold for August, but then again, they were up high. Begrudgingly, he crept closer to Kronos’s warm furnace of a body.

            “So what now?” he finally asked, his voice flaring with more annoyance than he would ever give to any other god. Kronos minded, but not enough to do anything, it seemed.

            “You’re my hostage,” grunted the titan. “For now, anyways. Until I’m healed up.”

            “You piece of shit,” muttered Beckendorf.

            Kronos gave him an enervated smile. “Be thankful I’m letting you go. Other gods would probably keep you for your whole life. This’ll only take a few months,” his voice fell, “if I play my cards right.”

            “Don’t try to make yourself better than the gods.”

            “I am better than the gods,” said Kronos, not deigning to give Beckendorf face time for that comment. “You know nothing about me, Beckendorf.” It was the first time he had said Beckendorf’s true name, and it felt odd.

            “You manipulated all of them!” shouted Beckendorf, the wind drowning a bit of his ire. “You twisted my girlfriend and my best friend into warped versions of themselves… who does that?”

            “I had to!” roared Kronos, twisting to face him. “You think being a god is easy? You don’t get in this business without risking blood, sweat, and tears, Charlie!” Beckendorf rolled his eyes. “Oh, you think you’re so superior, on the good side, huh? Well, let’s hear what the Olympians are up to now, shall we?”

            He snapped his fingers and a tablet-like device appeared. Fumbling with the device, he finally brought up a television feed to watch.

            “Wanted fugitive Perseus Jackson is on the run from Olympian justice,” announced the news caster. Three images of the gods flashed across the screen: Hermes, Athena, and Apollo. “Three council members are dedicated to hunting him down and turning him in to Tartarus to prevent any terrorist insurgencies from reaching the Olympian capitol.”

            “No,” muttered Beckendorf, his breath growing heavy. “That’s not… they couldn’t have–

            “See what it is I’m up against?” asked Kronos. “See the hypocrisy in all of the demigods’ rantings against me? I was playing a rigged game trying to save Percy Jackson, save Luke, save Silena, and save you! But the gods would never do that. They’d rather you dead or locked away in a torture pit.” He snapped and the tablet was gone. “So next time you feel like lecturing me–

            “You didn’t need to start a war!” shouted Beckendorf. “You could’ve approached Percy carefully!”

            “You think the gods would tolerate me talking to Percy without an army, Beckendorf?” asked Kronos. “You’re absolutely mad! As if they would… unbelievable.” Kronos trudged forward, the wind breaking against his massive carcass.

            “But you don’t regret anything?” asked Beckendorf. “After all this fighting, all of it for nothing, you don’t–

            “I REGRET EVERYTHING!” roared the titan, turning on Beckendorf and lunging his face mere inches from the boy. For the first time, Beckendorf was truly frightened. “All of it is terrible! You think I don’t understand the horror I brought on my children and grandchildren? Do you think I enjoy lugging around an 18-year-old boy just so that I can live?” He backed up, sitting down on a rock and burying his face in his hands. “Everything I do in this life, I do wrong. But there is no other way to move through it, no other way to ensure peace for the future.”

            Beckendorf was silent for a second. Even though he was shivering, he didn’t feel too terrified. He had been around Kronos long enough to know that for all his intimidating theatrics, he wouldn’t really harm Beckendorf. “And what about Percy? Are we just going to leave him?”

            Kronos’s head peeked up from his hands. He laughed a little. “You’ve got to be kidding me. After all that, you want me to help Percy Jackson? He wouldn’t even give me the time of day, much less–

            “But he’s out there alone!”

            “He made that choice!” shouted Kronos. “Time and again, I offered him a family and a future, and every time I. Was. Rebuked!” The titan balled his fists. “I only have so much patience–

            “If you truly regret what you did to him–

            “Don’t lecture me!” yelled the titan. “I don’t want to hear it!”

            Beckendorf bowed his head, relenting. Kronos grunted, turning back to the path. They marched on for a while, the silence passing between them. Finally, Beckendorf sighed. “Did you really care about them?”

            Kronos sighed. “What do you mean?”

            “I mean my friends,” said Beckendorf. “You said you felt betrayed by Silena most of all, but also by Percy and Luke. Were they just tools?”

            Kronos snorted. “I don’t need to–

            Beckendorf’s voice flared to a roar, the first time he had truly matched the titan in ferocity. “Answer me!”

            Kronos’s face grew long. “Yes.” A tear streamed down his eye. “Not as much for Percy… I didn’t know him as well as I would’ve liked. But for the other two… and I could not do anything. And I can only put up with so much. So drop it.”

            Beckendorf sighed. “Fine.”

            They continued on for what seemed like miles in silence. Finally, as Beckendorf’s legs were growing tired, he caught sight of a small white piece of dust floating gently down in the air. He reached out his hand to grab it. “What… what’s this?”

            Kronos stopped, his eyes tracing the horizon with slow, calculating movements. More of the dust began to fall, sticking to their bodies. “Snowfall.”

            Beckendorf’s eyes widened. “But… it’s August.”

            Kronos licked his lips. “Things are worse than I feared.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “We need to go,” said Kronos, avoiding his gaze. “I’d stop and rest, but we really don’t have time.”

            “Is this going to continue?” asked Beckendorf. His skin began to grow cold. He moved closer to Kronos. “How is… how are people going to survive this? How is Percy going to survive this?”

            “Pick up the pace!”

            “Kronos, how–

            “I DON’T KNOW!” shouted the titan. He paused, chest heaving. “I told you to drop it. I can’t… I don’t… I have no power over this. We need to go, NOW.”

            Beckendorf looked out over the tree-studded foothills, listened to the sound of the snowfall as it grew faster, more ravenous. His breath grew misty, so he closed his mouth and swallowed.

            “In the forest, Charlie,” grunted Kronos. “It’s warmer there.”

            Beckendorf’s eyes grew wide, distant. He looked at Kronos, sadness in his gaze. “There’s going to be another war, isn’t there?”

            Kronos bit his lip, something he feared saying resting beneath his lips. “We need to leave,” he said softly. He turned, not looking back, and trudged forwards, as he always had. But Beckendorf lingered for a second, his demigod heart tugging at him to return and do something, do anything at all. Run another quest, fight another monster. Silently, he wondered whether there was any room for demigods in a war between the gods.

THE END