Confused by Storm

Chapter 20 - The Challenge

Percy didn't know how much time had passed before someone else entered the cell. His clothes were stained gold from his ichor and his wrists burned from the constant chafing of the manacles and scabs had encrusted onto the metal.

Zeus hadn't reappeared after the first round of electricity and Percy found himself fervently hoping that he wasn't going to. His muscles still tingled. In fact, no one had appeared. For hours, days, Tartarus it could have been weeks and Percy wouldn't have known.

When someone did finally visit Percy, it was with an entourage of armed beings.

Percy groaned. "What now?"

"You need to come with us," Hermes said flatly.

The Titan waved his bound hands. "Not like I can do anything like this." Honestly, Percy was happy to just see someone else. There was a reason isolation was considered to be a mental torture. Percy was marched to a completely different room which honestly looked pretty similar to his cell.

His arms were brought above his head and chained firmly to a ring driven deep into the stone wall. Percy's eyes narrowed in suspicion at Hermes and he tugged experimentally on the chains.

A drop of golden ichor rolled down his arm.

Hermes grimaced. "I'm sorry, Percy," he sighed. "Really, I am. This should have never happened."

"I said I'd cooperate," Percy growled at the god.

"Look, what happened with Zeus won't happen again," Hermes promised. "Poseidon made sure of that."

"My father-"

"Is still struggling to protect you. He hasn't abandoned you."

Percy fisted his hands. "Then why hasn't he visited?"

"Because Zeus decided – in his infinite wisdom – that no one could visit you," Hermes murmured. He reached up and fiddled with the manacles, forcing Percy's hands closer together. He deftly moved away as Percy kicked out at him.

"So why are you here now?" Percy questioned, acting as if he hadn't just lashed out at the god.

Hermes produced a thick piece of fabric and used it to gag Percy. "Zeus is challenging Kronos. We figured he might lose his temper if he sees you."

Percy moved to kick the god again, but the god had already slipped out of reach. "Sorry," Hermes repeated.

The door behind Hermes opened and Zeus stepped forth. His eyes narrowed sharply at Percy before he dismissed Hermes. The King frowned at Percy as if he'd personally disappointed Zeus, which was a distinct possibility.

Zeus exhaled sharply. "My apologies, Perseus," he said stiffly. "I acted rashly last week."

A week. Percy's breath caught in his throat, he'd been left alone for a week. The Titan defiantly lifted his chin, looking Zeus in the eyes. The god's jaw tightened. "You're supposed to be a demigod," Zeus said lowly, "not a Titan."

Percy wanted the gag off in that moment to scream at the god, to tell him that it was his choice and if he didn't want to do something then he didn't have to. But he couldn't say that, so settled for glaring at the god.

Zeus seemed to know what he wanted to say though. He pressed his lips together before turning his head away from Percy and waving a hand to summon a screen of mist. "Iris," Zeus rumbled, "find Kronos for me."

There was several seconds of silence, before Iris' voice chimed back at Zeus. "My apologies, Kronos cannot currently be found. May I suggest searching for a different being?"

Percy shut his eyes, heart hammering in his chest.

"Tartarus," Zeus said finally. "Find me Tartarus."

When the screen shimmered and revealed Kronos, Percy wanted to be sick. Even Iris couldn't tell the difference between the two at that point. Kronos or Tartarus – Percy distinctly hoped it was Kronos because the other option he couldn't stomach – was facing away from the screen and seemed occupied with the body on the floor before him. Percy only faintly recognised him, but it could only be the body of Pontus. Even as Percy watched, the body shimmered before dissolving into seawater.

Tartarus knelt and cleaned Backbiter on the grass at his feet even as his gaze flicked up to the screen. The grin that crossed his face was all Kronos. "Zeus," he greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" His eyes flicked behind Zeus to Percy, but the smile didn't drop.

"Is that Pontus?" Zeus asked, taken off-guard by watching a Primordial dissolve.

"Yes." Tartarus' smile grew and Kronos tilted his head to the side. "Two of my siblings down... four to go."

Zeus' jaw tightened. "I wish to speak with Kronos, not you."

Tartarus hummed. "Shame. You are speaking with Kronos. And you are speaking with Tartarus. If you have any objections, speak now or forever hold your silence."

The god's body was utterly tense. He'd been expecting Kronos, not some twisted version of the Titan whom was having identity problems. "I challenge you, Kronos. In three days at sunrise."

As custom, he left the location up to the one challenged. Kronos tapped a finger against the blade of Backbiter and grinned. "Yellowstone's caldera," he said, a smile playing across his lips as if he had a hidden secret. He tilted his head. "Bring Perseus with you, and I imagine you'll have godly backup. So my Titans will be with me. I win, I get Perseus and you bow your head to me. You win..."

"We get you," Zeus said curtly. "You hand yourself over and you will bow your head to me."

Kronos smiled. "Fair enough," he mused as he finally stood. Then he finally looked back Zeus to Percy. "You look well," he informed Percy.

Zeus hesitated briefly. "You don't care that he's here?"

"Care?" Kronos snorted. "Why would I care? He assured me before he left that we were finished... why would I care what you do with him?"

"Then why do you want him?" Zeus asked suspiciously.

Kronos chuckled. "Why wouldn't I? He turned his back on me, he betrayed me in a time of war. That's treason. The price for treason is death. That I why I want him, so he can face the consequences of his actions."

Each word was like a sledgehammer to the chest. Percy stared in horror at the Primordial in Kronos' body. If Kronos won, then he'd execute Percy and Tartarus would take over. And if Zeus won, then he'd kill Kronos and Percy would be left to face the price for treason against Olympus.

But Percy? While he was listening to the conversation, there was an idea forming in his head. A potential way to both save Kronos and stop Tartarus, and it could end the war.

And it all hinged on the beautifully deadly black blade in Tartarus' hand. The blade known to be a soul-splitter.