Chapter 1

Sitting on the sandy shore under the cover of darkness allows me to watch the stars and see my old friend the huntress. I also got the experience of watching the waves as they rolled in towards me almost as if the ocean wanted its prince to return.

*Flashback*

"Let us reward our heroes." Zeus' voice boomed through the throne room drawing all the council's attention to him. The seven of us heroes stood in the middle of the throne room. "They have severed this council with strength and dignity. Without them it would have been difficult to win this war." He continued only to be interrupted by a clearing of a throat by his brother. "Ok it may have been impossible to win this war without these children of ours." He said looking at Poseidon with a glare. The sea god simply shrugged his shoulders as if he did not care about his brother's opinion. "This council is in agreement you all shall receive the gift of immortality." The king of the gods said boldly.

As my friends stepped forward one at a time they were immortalized and given their domains as gods and goddesses. When I was called forth I stepped I bowed to all the gods and goddesses. "I appreciate your gracious offer of immortality but I must refuse it for an alternative gift. I ask that you swear an oath on the River Styx to grant my request if it is in your power." I stated while holding eye contact with Zeus. He simply sighed and nodded his head that he and the council would uphold my request. "I want Hades and Hestia to be allowed back as members of this council also that you free the peaceful titans from their punishments as you promised after the titan war." I said looking at each of the members of the Olympian council glaring at them all as if daring them to deny his claims. When all the immortals simply shifted in their thrones silently I decided to proceed. "I also wish to be left in peace for the remainder of my days." The gods and goddesses acknowledged my request with nods even if my father's eyes were filled with tears.

Two new thrones rose from the ground one between my father and Ares while the other rose between Demeter and Athena. The throne beside my father was a form fitting pure black throne with bones and precious stones adorning it. In contrast the throne beside Demeter rose as a comfortable looking lawn chair one might see beside a camp fire with the Pithos of Pandora beside it. Before I could bow and step towards my father I was caught in a tackle hug.

"Thank you Perseus you have done us a great honor." Hades said resting his hand on my shoulder discreetly sending a pulse of energy into me at the same time as Hestia did from her arms wrapped around my waist. "Thank you for giving us our thrones Percy." Hestia squealed before her brother cleared his throat. "If you are quite finished we will continue with the awards ceremony." Zeus said in a worn out throne. The two new council members took their thrones as I bowed and went to stand by my father.

Afterwards Annabeth was called forward. "What of you Annabeth Chase daughter of Athena architect of Olympus? Would you also give up our gift of immortality?" Zeus asked boldly. "No Lord Zeus I do not intend to turn down such a generous gift unlike some might." She exclaimed with pride. "Although, I would ask it of this council to make it so I do not to have to see someone too foolish to accept such an offer ever again." The daughter of Athena said with a sneer breaking my heart into a million pieces. "Since he does not wish to be bothered then so it shall be daughter of wisdom." Zeus said with pride.

"Brother you shall not harm a hair on my son's head." Poseidon exclaimed rising from his throne. He drew much attention as he pushed me behind his throne.

"Very well I shall banish him from here and the camps from this day forth for scorning our generous gifts." Zeus declared level a glare at Poseidon.

"Peace brothers," Hestia said kindly getting them to quiet down. "It is true we will grant Percy his request by allowing him to leave and not be troubled by this council until he is ready to return to us, but I will not allow him to be punished for rendering a great service to us as he has over the past few years."

Poseidon bowed his head in acceptance as Zeus grinned before the council started chanting again to immortalize Annabeth. Once they finished chanting Annabeth was bathed in a grey light. "Arise, Annabeth Chase goddess of Architecture and Strategy." Athena said proudly. All the new gods and goddesses were given dominion over the camps. Jason, Hazel, and Frank were declared the protectors and directors of Camp Jupiter, and Annabeth, Leo, and Piper were declared as the new directors and protectors of Camp Half-Blood. Nico my friend became the god of the honorable dead. After the awards were given I was told to leave Olympus and not return.

After leaving Olympus I started to make my way towards my mom's apartment that she shared with Paul. I would not stay long because I knew that I would attract too many monsters for them to be safe. Once I got there I felt dread as I saw the door had been kicked open. I went in and found them Paul's neck was snapped and my mother was in a Cyclops's arms "A final gift hero from mother earth since you killed her." He said before crushing my mother's throat before my eyes. I charged in a blind rage and stabbed him through the eye. Before I held my mom close to me as she slowly passed from this life waiting on Thanatos to appear.

The beautiful god of death showed up in a matter of moments as I knew he would but he was not alone to see me weeping over my mother. Hades and Hestia were with him. Hestia came and held me in her arms. "It is ok Perseus we are here for you." She soothed me softly.

"Please just take me with them. Let this entire life end." I begged Hades and Thanatos as I looked up from my mother's lifeless eyes.

They shared a sad face shaking their heads. "I cannot allow that young hero not after what you have done for me but with my sister here there is something I can do to repay you for all that you have done for me and my children over the years." Hades said sounding as if he actually cared about what happened to me. "With our combined blessings you will be able to control fire but only by mixing the powers of both death and life together and the flames shall always show your mood." Hades said before Hestia interrupted him.

"Also the blessing I gave you will grant you immortality but you will not be a god. It will be similar to that of the hunters." Hestia explaining to me kindly in an attempt to cheer me up, but it had the opposite effect on me. Hades cleared his throat.

"Some of the others will wish you dead now my dearest nephew so I shall make it look that way but there will be a few conditions to the guise holding." He said in a slightly sad tone. "You will have to do as you wished and avoid contact with immortals altogether or they will know the truth and also you may never enter a natural body of water again."

I nodded my acceptance of his terms only to see a body looking like me to appear beside my stepfather. "We will take care to keep this secret for you nephew. Hestia I must go now please get him somewhere safe quickly before anyone else comes."

*End Flashback*

I simply sat on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico staring out onto the waves remembering the past trying to hold in my tears. I lit my hand on fire the flames were dark blue as they were a mix from the fires from the hearth and hellfire tanks to me patrons. I had been alone for five years moving around the country now here I sat just outside New Orleans I had contact with only my patrons and even then sparingly so a message here or a note there. I had learned greater control over my fire and it came in hand over the last two years as I have been collecting demigods of all origins and taking them to the camps or the hunt as it was needed.

I still felt the urge to go out and submerge myself beneath the waves of the sea, but that would lead to my freedom being denied and I would either be forced into godhood or trapped with my step brother under the seas for all eternity. I heard the sound of hissing drawing closer I knew it was far too loud to be a normal snake and that was quickly confirmed by the sound of voices that was drawing near. "I am telling you sisters I smell home and death trying to mute out the sea." A Middle Eastern voice said. 'Great all three of the gorgons.' I thought bitterly as I reache3d for my trusty ball point pen closing my eyes to sense the water in their bodies only to have my concentration disrupted by low whining from dogs. I refocused on the moisture around me and found the gorgons leading a pack of hellhounds my way. They already had me surrounded. Just my luck they tracked my scent in less time than normal. I had only been here a day but then the last note from my patrons told me to be careful and quick because the child was of the big three, but it conveniently left out which of the big three this child belonged to and now that I thought about it my scent seemed to be getting stronger with each passing day since I received my patrons' blessings. My musing had cost me my chance of escape to a new shadowed hearth though. The gorgons were now within sight but surprisingly enough the hounds' numbers were starting to diminish unbeknownst to my father's former lover or her sisters.

I spun as one of the gorgons tried to claw me open slicing her hand off for her troubles. I quickly became similar to the origin of my name Perses the titan of destruction. I whirled my trusty bronze leaf shaped blade trailing my dark blue flames behind turning my enemies to dust.

I was incredibly relieved that monsters turned to dust when killed here since I would have been swamped by all the hounds and two gorgons I had killed. Even though I only killed about a third of the hounds I did not feel any left and lowered my guard slightly stupid I know. I was tackled the moment my guard was down by the remaining gorgon. The force of the impact sent my dull bronze colored blade flying out of my hand off into the marsh. Riptide had long since lost its shine from disuse as I normally ran from fights now. "Why not open your eyes and look at me demigod? That way you can find peace in stone." Great the one to survive had to be Medusa. "You remind me of your father I promise not to harm that pretty face of yours." She hissed as her claws dug into my shoulders before we heard a sound that made my blood run cold and Medusa's blood to boil instantly. Soft laughing came from the woods it was the preface to my demise I knew it.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen. You can't even catch a single demigod on your own now monster you had to hunt in a pack." I heard a voice I knew well call out from the woods. 'This will not end well for anyone.' I thought bitterly.

Medusa pulled me up in front of her and started backing towards the sea. "I see your mistress let you little girls out to play." She teased as she got closer to the water's edge. I tried to will the water to retreat but it seemed to be rising on a higher tide to get to me or as if pulled by something. 'Not good she must be here in person.'

"I travel with my hunters on this night foolish beast." I heard before an arrow grazed my side and pierced the gorgon behind me. "And you thought using a boy as a shield would help you. You should think on that mistake while in Tartarus." Artemis said in disgust as she stepped out of the trees and I scrambled away from the dissolving monster but it was pointless as I knew my heel had caught the water. I knew my father would be here soon by the sound of the waves now roaring and the sudden hurricane gathering in the gulf.