Rewards and Back-Up Plans
"We are here," a booming voice started, "To congratulate our young heroes. They have completed a great quest and deserve honour. Respect. A prize." A round of applause excited around the huge room. "Firstly, it is my belief that, each veteran from the war should be given partial immortally. Does anyone disagree?" There were no objections. The king of the gods collapsed his hands, arousing collective 'ooh's and 'ah's from around the room.
"Now," came the great thundering voice again. "Individuals." A silence spread throughout the room. "Each of the seven, my daughter Thalia, and," his face dropped a bit at this, "Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, are deserving of one wish, whatever they like. A wish," the lightning god looked around the room. "That us gods swear on the river Styx to uphold." The gods paused. Then the god of the sky spoke again.
Percy POV
To be honest, I was quite shocked at the statement. I mean, after my wish after the Titan war, I didn't think they would allow too much freedom with wishes.
"Firstly, Nico di Angelo." Nico walked up boldly to the middle of the thrones, but his face was even paler than normal, and a light sheen of sweat was spread across his face. When he reached the centre, he coughed a little, and debated whether or not to bow, but then a steely look crossed his face, and he spoke.
"I Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, wish for more control over my powers. I can't live whilst every second I feel someone die." The gods didn't comment on his wish, but Hades (who was sitting on a more than uncomfortable wooden chair) smiled sadly and shot him with a blast of godly energy. Nico let out a chocked gasp and clutched his chest, but after a few seconds he stood up straight and returned to where he came from. I grinned at him and patted him on the back. He smiled back at me, proudly.
Next up was Thalia. She strutted up to the centre, fully equipped in her Hunter uniform, looking as bad-ass as ever. I smirked. That was Thailia for you. Her father spoke, his voice booming across the throne room. "Thalia Grace," Thalia winced at her full name, but made no comment. "What is your wish?"
Thalia thought for a bit, then smirked to herself. She spoke confidently and louding, forcing everyone to hear, as if they weren't listening anyway. "I wish that the Hunt is not bound by any stupid laws. Lady Artemis and ourselves will decide what laws are stupid or not."
Zeus grumbled, but he was forced to accept due to the river Styx. "Hazel Levesque, your wish." Zeus sighed, asking half-heartedly. Hazel bounded forward and spoke, nervously and with a beat red face. She looked at Frank and smiled at him. She stared at my grouchy uncle and responded with her wish. "I wish for Frank's curse to be removed."
Apollo grinned at Hazel. Already sorted. Part of partial immortal. "Oh." Hazel's face flushed a beat red. "Well then I guess that I wish my own curse is removed." Pluto was sitting where Hades had been, and smiled at Hazel. He shot a beam of energy at Hazel, and a black mist like thing came out of Hazel and was sucked into the energy beam. Hazel smiled and hugged her dad, then ran back to Franl, who grinned and kissed her.
Frank then spoke from where he stood, I could see his knees shaking slightly, though he gave off an aura of confidence, and spoke boldly like the big scary Roman Praetor he was, though his face ruined the image a bit. "I wish, like Thalia, that Hazel and I aren't held by stupid laws and," He added, looking at Aphrodite, "That no-one messes with our love life."
Dionysus and Zeus rolled their eyes at the same time, which was slightly creepy to be honest, but nodded, sighing again. I think Zeus was regretting his promise, which I smirked at. Serves him right. Piper and Jason had a quick discussion, before turning to what I am sure will be Piper's father-in-law. Eugh. That's disgusting. I shook my head and look back at the two. They looked at each other, unsure, before Jason spoke up.
"We wish to be immortal."
Zeus nodded and, as well the other gods, shot a beam of energy at Piper and Jason, until they glowed in a healthy, golden light. Finally it was my turn, so I stood up and faced all the gods. I smirked and ran through the list in my head. Then I spoke out, still smirking, and keeping one eye glued to Zeus, so I could see his reaction.
"My wish is... well, for one, Hestia's throne is to be restored and a new throne for Hades is to be added to the throne room, making both of them part of the council. I also wish that I don't have to abide by your laws unless I want to."
Zeus was red with rage, but let it pass, not wanting to break his oath. I looked at Annabeth, and she smiled. I smiled back, letting myself zone out and think of our underwater kiss. I remembered that day well, I remembered the campers giggling and the fireworks going off in the woods. I snapped back to reality to see my girlfriend smiling widely at me, and she hugged me tightly, bouncing up and down a bit in excitement. I grinned at her, before I asked her.
"Err... I'm sure it was great, but what happened?" Before you ask, my voice did not squeak. At all. My girlfriend slapped me lightly, before whispering in my ear.
"What? Didn't you hear? Or did you have something better to do?" I blushed, and stuttered, before I got cut off by her grin.
"I am now the official head architect of Olympus, Camp Half-Blood, and the Parthenon. " I grinned some more, probably looking like a goofy dork, but I didn't really care.
"That's great!" I said, and hugged her tighter. We hugged until the gods obviously got tired of it, and we were teleported to Camp Half-Blood. We broke apart, and I pouted slightly, which my girlfriend laughed at. Rude. She left for her cabin, and I waited for her to go safely in. I turned around to be confronted by Grover. As he was helping out, being the Lord of the Wild, he couldn't make the 'awards ceremony'. We chatted about and walked around the woods, before the conch horn for dinner went. Grover and I hurried to the mess hall to get my food, before I got harassed by the harpies. I shivered at the thought.
The Olympian Throne Room - 3rd Person POV
"Can you feel it?" The god of travellers asked, shifting his feet nervously.
"Of course I can!" The thunder god replied, weak sparks flickering off him. "Each one of us can. We know it, and we are going to do something about. We're not just going to stand her and let ourselves fade away into but a memory! We are gods, the powerful beings! Mortals should worship us, believe in us!" His voice got sadder, his face contorted slightly into self-pity. "It is not my time to fade. We must initiate Omega."
The goddess of the hunt stood up from her throne and stormed to her father. "No. We have lived long enough. While it saddens me that the time we will have to leave this world is soon, we are not initiating Omega. Lives, families, women's rights! All of them will be gone! Not a single trace left, just gone from peoples minds. I will not stand by it!"
Crackling with electricity and storm clouds brewing above him, the god of the sky stood up too, facing his daughter with fury etched onto his face. "Whether you, like it or not you will! We are immortal! Not puny humans, who die after a few years! We live forever!"
The moon goddess took on a pose of deadly calm, before putting on a mask of deadly calm. "I hold you to your oath father." She spat at the king of the Gods feet, and teleported to her hunters.
