Dedicated to Queen-of-hell6666
All Characters belong to RR
Percy POV
"Is he okay?"
"He'll be fine, just mentally exhausted."
"Who cares? He's a Greek."
All these voices were swirling around my head as I woke up. Their sounds mixing together barely constructing into the right sentences. I don't know who said what, but I definitely know Octavian said the last one. I rolled over pulling my pillow over my head trying to keep the waves of sound out. As I shifted, the cot I was on squeaked gaining everyone's attention. I ignored them trying to keep from crying as yesterday's events caught up with me.
"Percy?" A tentative voice asked. I barely moved, but I moved just enough to let them know I was listening.
"Can you speak to me? Are you okay?" It was a sweet powerful voice.
Definitely feminine, familiar, I've heard it the last couple weeks. With a quick elimination I concluded it was Piper. I shook my head under the pillow pulling my knees to my chest forming a ball with my body. I heard a few sighs.
"Wanna talk about it buddy?" Leo. Again I shook my head, then hesitated.
I slowly sat up and faced the people in the room. It was the remaining seven, cabin leaders, Octavian, Chiron, and Reyna. All crammed into the small infirmary. They all held in a breath as the covers fell from around my shoulders to my waist.
My torso was bare, but I could feel the rough fabric of my jeans under the sheets. Their faces were shocked. They held many emotions behind their faces and the uncomfortable shift of their bodies as they stared at my bare skin.
Scars, scars everywhere captured their attention. Knife scars, burn scars, whip scars, they can't see the poison remains, that healed, but anything you could think of they used on me down their.
They had Annabeth and I down their for 7 months. 6 months of captivity before we managed to get free with the help of Bob the Titan. (The rest of their time in Tartarus was equivalent to the book) Those 6 months were their worst with Polybotes, Alcyoneus, Hyperion, Kelli, and many other significant monsters. Luckily Kronos is definitely out of commission when Luke ran Annabeth's dagger through his Achilles spot.
Annabeth wasn't as bad as me in their sessions, seeing I was their main target of hate. She still got hurt, but only cuts and bruises, nothing that would last her life time. No poisons or burns either. When we came out of the pit, we found out a Day on Earth was equal to a Month in Tartarus.
When a few got over my messed up body they startled their comrades out of their staring. A few more moments of silence before they erupted into gasps as horror over took them. A few upheaved into the waste bin... *cough cough Leo cough cough* and others just stood shocked.
Thalia did a different approach with Nico close behind. Thalia marched right up to me, her eyes were red and puffy, and she didn't look like she had a good nights rest. That's understandable from my view. Once she stormed up to me she slapped me hard across the face with Nico slapping the back of my neck.
"What was that for guys!" Frank screamed at them fury pouring off him.
"For being an idiot." Thalia shouted right back at him sparks flying off her.
"It's not like he tried to get them." Hazel said trying to get them to see reason.
"Well he's a kelp head for not letting us know." Nico said trying not to shout at his little sister. The ground shaking a little bit.
I turned away from their feud and looked at Will. The one who was supposed to be taking care of me. He already saw the scars, being the one who's the doctor. I tapped my wrist. I knew what time it was because of Tyson's watch, but what time do we have to be at Olympus. Will seemed to understand, while the others were confused on why I didn't look at my watch.
"You have to be at Olympus in an hour." Will answered.
I nodded and sat up swinging my legs over the side of the cot. I heard sounds of the spat still going on about my scars.
"No, Percy!" Will ordered. "Back in the cot, your too weak from no rest and the battle." I ignored him and stood up. Bad idea, a wave of nausea hit me and I stumbled falling into the body of another.
"Blah-ha-ha" They bleated. I looked up, wispy beard, curly horns peaking out from the top of their head, goat legs. None other than my best goat friend, Grover.
"Perce!" He said, concern and excitement blending in his voice.
He picked me up steadying me on my feet before I could fall onto the hard ground. I mouthed his named, relief showing on my face. It's good to know that I still have my other best friend. The goat boy helped me back to the cot.
"How are you buddy?" He said seriously looking me in the eyes.
I simply shook my head. He seemed nervous, but he has gained confidence and muscle from being Lord of the Wild and all that. He did a quick observation from my toes to my head, pausing around the torso section. He bit his lip before grabbing my wrists clamping together in one hand and pinning them to the cot. Then he grabbed my face squishing my cheeks a little forcing me to look him in his environmental eyes.
"What happened?" He demanded."I want the truth. I just arrived and all I heard was that you were unconscious in the infirmary." I said nothing because I couldn't. He became impatient, his growing anger gathering the arguing people's attention.
"Tell me what happened Percy!" He bleated.
He was greeted with silence. No one else said anything. He shook my shoulders roughly letting go of my wrists and face. I rubbed my sore wrists.
"Perseus Jackson." He pleaded seriously. "Please tell me. Where did you get these? Where's Annabeth? Why aren't you talking to me?"
Not able to bare his heart broken voice I pushed my self off the cot and away from him. I stumbled and shoved the sad satyr away from me. I wobbled out of the infirmary as the others watched the heart breaking scene.
As I exited the infirmary I was hit with the bright sunlight. I put a hand over my eyes clearing my vision. Everything was perfect outside, training demigods, laughing teens. Just one thing missing, the happy veteran half-bloods.
Everywhere I looked a memory of Annabeth and I flooded my brain. The lake, our underwater kiss. The pavilion, our first kiss over blue cake. The arena, our long lasting training. The campfire, our singing and laughing times.
My head started pounding again as everything came crashing down. Yesterday's horrifying news. I sunk to my knees, out of tears I just stared. Soon enough a large shadow fell over me. I glanced up, Chiron.
He said nothing, but picked me up like a small kitten depositing me on his back. I held on as he galloped to Thalia's tree. When we got there Peleus opened an eye and then shut it seeing us as harmless. The guard dragon went back to sleep.
Chiron knelt down and I climbed off him. We sat there in silence for awhile until he spoke. His voice was calm, but had a tinge of melancholy to it.
"Do you want to know how your parents died?" He said quietly. I nodded. He sighed deeply.
"They Iris Messaged me a little bit after you fell into Tartarus. They wanted to know what happened. They were scared and concerned, apparently they both had dreams about you." I stiffened, did they see what happened the first 6 months? Chiron glanced at me sorrowfully.
"Your mother demanded to know where you were. She said she and Paul had dreams about you in a place with a red sky, rocky terrain. You were in this kind of dungeon, hanging from chains around you wrists attached to the ceiling. Your feet were barely touching the ground." His voice started cracking.
"Your mother was sobbing and she could barely speak when she told me. I wasn't much better, but she told me everything she saw. She said that Annabeth was in the corner chains around her ankles and wrists attached to the wall, enough to let her move around comfortably, but still bound. Sally said Annabeth was beaten with a bat sometimes, but mostly by fists, but only a few times, not that much." He sounded relieved at that.
"Your mother also said your clothes were rags, but they were better than nothing. Apparently an empousa named Kelli hurt Annabeth, but you as well. She saw two giants, a titan, and many monsters in the dreams. She saw the whipping, the poison, the electricity, everything. Even the games." He whispered, tears started falling from his eyes, I remained stoic.
"She told me they would take you out of Annabeth's sight and force you to fight. Run around in nothing trying to keep ahead of hell hounds. Test out certain tortures. They would try and interrogate you for information. Ripping your skin off sometimes. Sally told me you never spent that much time in the room with Annabeth." He stopped there. He was a mess, I awkwardly hugged him patting my mentor on the back.
"I'm not going to say anything else she saw, it's too traumatizing." He sniffled,"Anyways, you want to know after that."
I nodded.
"After she told me the dreams, she wanted to come see me in person. She told me 10 minutes, 10 minutes." He started sobbing again, my shirt was soaking up all his tears.
"It was storming bad out. Raining horribly with lighting lighting up the sky. She crashed into the hill when her wheels spun on the wet road. She lost control. The car exploded. We-we dragged them into the boundaries, but by the time we got them to the infirmary. They- they were gone."
Chiron bawled tears falling faster than a river. All my tears were used. My parents died because of me. They wanted answers of me, and impulsively drove into a storm to get some answers. My fault. I pried off the tearful horse man and started walking to the beach. I needed to think. Before I could do anything a bright light flashed next to me and Hermes appeared.
"You're the last one Perce." He said grabbing my shoulder and flashing us away.
We appeared in the throne room, thankfully saving me from having to walk through all of Annabeth's amazing work. The rest of the seven were there including Reyna, Octavian, Grover, Thalia, Nico, and the cabin leaders. Hermes returned to his throne and sat down as Zeus banged his bolt against the floor signaling the beginning of the meeting.
"We are here today to recognize the bravery of the gods-" blah blah blah.
Zeus droned on and on, but I wasn't listening. I was looking around the room glancing at some gods, staring at others, basic observation. Zeus of course was boring the council. Hades was looking at his son and daughter in pride. Poseidon was looking at me concerned, his eyes were like sinking ships with a powerful storm in the background determined to help.
Hera for some reason was watching me mildly concerned as well. Demeter was glaring at Travis while he was looking at Katie in love. I wish I could do that while Athena glared at me. Ares was watching Clarrise smugly and sharpening his large knife. Apollo was glaring at Nico as Will stared dreamy eyed at the zombie dude.
Hephaestus was watching Leo proudly, but curiously and fiddling with a machine. Dionysus was watching Pollux and Miranda, he was sipping some wine secretly. Aphrodite was watching Piper and Jason kissing behind a few people squealing, but when she glanced at me her excited blonde natured turned into sadness. Her hair turned brown with blue eyes as they teared up.
Athena was glancing at Malcom every once in a while as he made googly eyes at Nyssa who was temporarily cabin leader with Leo gone. The wisdom goddess mostly watched me with wet eyes as I looked back at her forlorn. Artemis was watching Thalia as she stood proud, but glanced at me glum. Hermes was watching his sons, Connor and Travis as Connor did his dreamy face at Lucy, the other temporary cabin leader of the Aphrodite cabin.
Hestia was hidden in her fire in her eight year old form. She beckoned me over with her finger, so I walked over to her ignoring the distressed looks sent my way. When I get over there we don't talk, I just sit next to her as the fire warms me up a bit.
"I'm surprised you still hold hope, young hero." Hestia whispers surprised. I look at her confused.
"You have lost the people who you fought for your whole life, yet you still hold a spark of hope. It is surprising." She says calm. "Many would have lost hope and gone dark. Yet you haven't."
We stayed silent for the rest of Zeus' boring speech. Her words sinking into my mind ever so slowly. I must still have hope for my remaining friends and father.
"Now we must thank our heroes who it would have been a little difficult-"
The sevens parents coughed loudly. I grew angry. How. Dare. He. Athena threw a book at her fathers head and in a blur of grey, she had her spear in his throat and pinning his master bolt in its sheath. She glowed a powerful grey as her aura flared up. I glared at Zeus as his eyes wandered around the room for help. All he was met with was furious expressions. When he saw my glare he cowered in his chair. I didn't even glare at Gaia, but with my life lost eyes glaring at him. Hades would have nightmares.
"How dare you make off my daughters sacrifice as nothing." Athena bellowed. "Have you no humility?!" She cried incredulously. My eyes said everything when he glanced at me fearfully.
"You better fix that small mistake father or you will regret ever being prideful." She threatened.
He gulped and shivered under my glare. He cleared his throat after a few moments straightening up.
"We must thank you heroes who have risked their lives in this war. Without them it would have been impossible to win. Firstly, Annabeth Chase who lost her life from the powerful deity herself." Zeus said carefully as Athena watched him carefully. She nodded for him to continue.
"She will get a statue that will last a milliena for her bravery." Athena smiled acceptedly.
"I will call your name and you will get a gift granted by the council. The remaining seven, cabin leaders, and Reyna will gain partial immortally like wise of Artemis hunters. You will be immortal, but can die if fatally wounded." Zeus announced loudly.
"Jason Grace." He called loudly, of course his son first. "Your gift son?" Jason walked forward nervously.
"I wish for monuments for all of the minor gods, such as Lord Poseidon's kids, ahem daughter." He coughed apprehensively. All of the council glanced at each other before they nodded.
"Your wish will be granted son." Jason smiled and retreated to his spot.
"Piper McLean." Aphrodite divulged. Piper walked confidently to the center of the room.
"I wish for the ability to change my appearance." Piper sought dauntlessly. Aphrodite studied her curiously.
"Why would you want that dear? You have charm speak already to get what you want."
"All I have is a pretty face and knife, everyone else has these amazing powers that helps them in battles. If I could change appearance then I would be more effective in battle." The council thought it over, but could see the logic in her fight.
"Wish granted Piper." Aphrodite snapped her fingers and a pinkish glow surrounded her. She smiled graciously and retraced her steps, but not before thanking them.
"Leo Valdez." Hephaestus proclaimed.
"Mr. Mcsizzle is requesting that Calypso be released right here and now with the same partial immortality as moi." Leo requested fearlessly. He lit himself aflame and grinned. His father grinned and snapped his fingers.
A flash later Calypso appeared and once she saw Leo she ran at him and he picked her up and spun her around. They shared a passionate kiss and I turned away. Memories resurfacing painfully.
"Frank Zhang." Ares boasted loudly. Frank awkwardly shuffled forward to the center of the room, but confidence radiating off his shape.
"I wish for my curse to be gone." He spoke clearly.
Ares simply snapped his fingers and his fire wood in his hands lit on fire. Frank shouted in alarm and dropped his life stick too shocked to do anything. What was Ares thinking? I summoned water from the air and a large wave of it put the fire out. Where the stick was, was now a pile of ash... but Frank was standing next to it hyperventilating. Hazel shook him talking rapidly calming him down.
"Th-thank you father." He gasped finally clear headed enough to see his curse was gone. Ares smirked and nodded. Frank stumbled back to his place where everyone patted him on the back reassuringly.
"Hazel Levesque." Hades boomed. Hazel walked boldly to the center of the room.
"I also wish for my curse to be gone." She wished.
Hades nodded and snapped his fingers. Unlike last time nothing was on fire, but a black glow surrounded her for a second before disappearing. She smiled happily and skipped over to Frank.
"Percy Jackson!" My name reached every corner as my father howled my name.
I walked calmly to the center of the room bowing to Zeus, then kneeling at my fathers feet. The six behind me glanced at each other uneasily. They forgot to bow.
"Rise Perseus. What is it you wish my son." My father questioned.
I just stood up and looked him in the eyes silently. Quiescence took over the room.
"Speak son, we will not strike you where you stand."
Still I stood and stared him in the eyes, the other behind me shifted uncomfortably. Hera was staring at me cluelessly as were the other gods. Eyebrows furrowed as my dad tilted his head to the side like a lost puppy. Suddenly a warm brown glow surrounded me and a soothing voice whispered in my head.
"I have blessed you Perseus. You have lost your family and girlfriend in this last war. I stand for family, and you are worthy of my blessing." Hera, Hera the Queen of the gods just blessed a demigod she hated. Weird day.
"You will now be able to project your thoughts into other people's minds or around the room. Your mind will be blocked off from anyone who tries and reads it, but you will be able to read any mortal, demigod, and minor god's mind. No one will be able to corrupt, or manipulate, or even trick you." Definitely handy.
"Your mind is warded off to all powerful beings, only Chaos would be able to break your wards, but even he would have trouble. You need not worry about him, he has long since faded. Try it out."
I focused and glanced around the room. I imagined waves of sound pulsing from my mind into the bodies of the people I wanted to talk to. I sent the waves to all the half bloods and my father and Hera.
"Can you hear me?" I looked at them uncertainly.
All their jaws dropped and their eyes widened. Some stumbled backwards and tripped, Leo even fainted for a brief second. The gods besides Hera and my father looked confused. Hera started to bawl out laugh. My father joined her chuckling.
"What? Why have you reacted in this way?" Zeus demanded.
"Because of me." I said calmly sending the sound wave into his body. He went ridged before he turned slowly to his wife.
"HERA!" He bellowed outraged. She smirked.
"I'm more powerful than you think Zeus." Then she turned back to me leaving him opened mouthed.
"Your wish young Perseus?" She asked not skipping a beat.
"I wish for Hades and Hestia's thrones, their Olympian title, and place back on the council." I sent my telepathy around the room. The ones who haven't already heard it gasped and fell out of their chairs.
"We will do no such-" a glare from me quenched Zeus' anger.
"Fine." He snapped his fingers and a black throne pulsing darkness with souls swimming in the edges appeared.
"Hestia is too humble to accept the throne, but she welcomes the title and place on the Olympian council." Zeus grumbled.
"Thank you nephew." Hades smiled happily, but somewhat creepily at me.
"Thank you Percy." Hestia humbly whispered in my head. I nodded in acknowledgement to both of them.
"Now on to partial immortality." Zeus commanded. I shook my head as everyone else nodded. "What Perseus?" Zeus grumbled annoyed.
"I don't want partial immortality." I channeled out. Zeus looked infuriated.
"You will have it or I will-" he warned.
"Or what? I said I don't want it." I said growing angry as the floor started shaking.
"You have no choice! It's partial immortality anyways. You can die." Zeus growled out.
"In forever, I wouldn't kill myself. After what I did to Gaia how long would it take for a monster to actually steel its nerves to attack me? I will probably live for a few centuries! I want to see Annabeth after a couple decades not centuries!" I argued the fountain water splashing louder with each word.
"Ares. Dionysus. Hephaestus." Was all he replied.
As if practiced they all at once lunged at me. I got a glimpse of an apologetic look on the blacksmiths face before he lunged at me. I sent a message saying it was fine to him keeping his conscious clear.
I evaded all their attacks, when Ares brought out his sword I pulled out mine. I shook the earth, he stumbled and I sent an unexpected hit towards Dionysus instead. He barely dodged. Hephaestus threw a hammer like how Leo does, I ducked and kicked Ares feet out from under him. I thrust my hand out at Hephaestus and water blasted him in the chest.
I gathered the water around me and a small personal hurricane formed. Anything the blacksmith god threw at me got lost in the wind hitting unintended targets. Suddenly a sharp sword was slammed into my side, I spun, but it still caught my shirt pinning it to the ground as I fell.
I forgot about Ares. I tugged and tugged until my shirt ripped rolling right into the wine god. He grabbed my arms struggling to hold them to my sides. I brought my leg up and kneed him in the stomach. He doubled over in pain and I slammed my fist into the side of his temple dropping him to the ground unconscious.
"Apollo!" Zeus barked.
The sunshine god barreled off his throne into my midsection pinning me to the ground. I freed my left arm and sent a hard punch to his nose. He fell back clutching the broken skin. I uncapped my sword and brought it up just in time to block Ares from knocking me out. That's when Hephaestus decided to knock me onto my stomach.
I spun a 360 knocking all the offensive gods off their feet. They fell with a grunt. I stood up jumping out of their range when Hermes tackled my torso slamming me to the ground. Faster than the normal gods he quickly position himself on me so I was completely immobile. No free limbs.
I squirmed. I kicked my feet and tried to free my arms. Hermes was having trouble keeping me down. As I was just about to wrench out of his grasp the rest of the gods overcame me, Hermes fell off. Ares grabbed my forearms and restrained them behind my back. I was bind between Apollo and Hermes like a sandwich. Hephaestus and Ares keeping a tight hold on my forearms and biceps. I was completely immobilized. I looked back up at Zeus pleading with my eyes.
"Please! No!" I screamed through the sound waves.
Zeus smiled smugly. I narrowed my eyes and ice spikes flew through the air pinning his clothing to his throne. My dad, Hades, and Hera busted out laughing. The male gods were to busy restraining me and the female ones were to proper to do it in public.
The ground shook immensely, but their grip held. Water pounded them and tried pulling them off. Their godly bodies glowed, shielding them from my power. I struggled with all my might, nothing. I sent an imploring look at my friends. They stared sadly at me. I stomped my foot as one last try shaking the ground powerfully. The stumbled, but nothing else.
Zeus shouted something in Greek then Latin as fast as he could. A golden glow surrounded all of our bodies before fading. The male gods let go of me. Apollo, Hermes, and Hephaestus apologized. I was too upset to reply. I sunk to the ground as everyone else rejoiced.
"To our heroes of the 2nd Giant War!" The council cheered.
"To our heroes of the 2nd Giant War!" Everyone else echoed.
While they celebrated, I cried silently in the middle of the throne room. Mute to make any sound, only able to talk. No such thing a telepathy crying, gasps, any other sounds.
They triumphed.
I mourned.
Tell me what you think...