Hi all! Wow! It's been 4 years since I uploaded new content on this site! So, an explanation- I've had some free time right before college starts, and I cranked this one out really quickly. It's a short and sweet prequel to Percy Jackson and the Spear of Power (which could definitely benefit from a rewrite as well, but I'm not promising anything) that lays out the course of events that would take place during the Last Olympian in my AU. You'll notice many similarities between the two, and I have adapted a lot of that work into this. But there are very large differences as you read farther into this new story that I think you may find intriguing. I would love reviews if you have the chance, but more so that you just enjoy my story. Again, it's short and sweet- I didn't provide all that much embellishment- but it tells the important points of the story pretty well. If you'd like to see the minor differences that take place throughout the first 4 books, I'll provide a summary document sometime to catch you up on any major differences. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

P.S. I have a pretty large backlog of chapter (like I'm really almost done) so I can confidently say the likelihood I finish this is hovering in the high 90 percents.

Prologue

Humiliation

"It's really quite the sad story, you see."

"Well, I've got time."

Kronos sighed and leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling of the boat. "It all came so quick, brother."

Hyperion nodded. "Well, let it all out."

"Very well."

"Hey, hey! You can't get me!"

"Yesh I can!"

Kronos laughed, jogging lightly while cradling a football in one hand. A tiny child tread behind him, her pigtails bouncing behind her as she pursued the massive bespectacled figure. Slowly, she caught up to him, and eventually jumped onto his leg. He laughed, carefully faking a fall so as not to harm the child. They laughed happily, rolling around in the mud.

"Jesus, Crowley!" shouted a man off in the distance. Kronos smiled in response. "She's going to a fancy dinner with me tonight!"

"They've never seen a kid roll around in the mud?" asked Kronos, chuckling a bit.

"Yeah!" shouted the girl, jumping up and down. "Mud! Mud! Mud!"

"Come on, man," said the man. "I need her clean, for God's sake!"

"Alright, alright," said Kronos. "Sorry for having some fun, Mr. Beauregard."

"Crowley, for Christ's sake, we've known each other for 3 years now," said the man, chuckling. "I don't need the sass."

Kronos patted Jim Beauregard on the back. "Well, you get back to making the money, Jim. I'll make sure she washes off and gets dressed in nice clothes, okay? God, why do they have you taking a 6 year old to a business meeting?"

"Because she's cute," said Jim. "Even executives need a little levity once in awhile. It's just for an hour or so. They just wanna meet her."

"Who wouldn't want to meet that little bundle of joy?" asked Kronos. "Well, leave it to me. You go deal with whatever it is you need to do."

As Jim headed inside the house and Kronos explained to Silena why playtime had to end, he caught a glimpse of a striking young woman approaching them out of the corner of his eye. At first, he simply assumed her to be a normal passerby. Then, his eyes focused on her face- she wore an angry grimace, and did not seem to be bearing good will.

"Hey," shouted Kronos, stepping backwards towards the house. He picked up Silena slowly, wary of the woman approaching him. "Who're you?"

"I think the better question is, who're you, and what are you doing holding my daughter?"

Kronos froze, the realization dawning on him. He grew angry, but in the back of his mind he could sense fear of being discovered. "Y-Your daughter? I haven't seen you around."

"I'm busy," shot back Aphrodite. "Run along inside now, sweetie," she said with a calmer tone. Silena wiggled out of Kronos' arms and headed for the door. Aphrodite took a step forward, pointing her finger accusingly at Kronos.

"Look," she sneered, pressing against his chest. "I don't know who the Hell you are, but I can sense that you have power… and that you know who I am. So let's not play any games. I don't want you near my daughter-

"That is bullshit," said Kronos, attempting to stand up straighter. "You're not around for her. Gods forbid I give your daughter a little bit of time to have fun-

"I have a job to do!" roared Aphrodite.

"Well then don't go around fucking every hot guy you meet!"

She slapped him across the face, and he grimaced. "That's none of your business-

"It's their business," said Kronos, pointing back at the house. "It's Jim's business. It's Silena's business. I know the gods are busy, I understand. And to some extent, that's okay- it's just life. But every one of you sits up on your gilded throne in the sky and waits for the other parent and for some run-down camp to take care of your kids. That's not okay. You need to show her love- you need to protect her! I never thought I'd have to act as a surrogate mother for a six-year-old-

"That's all well and good for you to say," said Aphrodite. "I don't care, though. You can see my daughter if you want. I won't turn down a little extra care if you're truly Jim's friend. But don't get too cozy here. I'll have my eye on you, whoever you are. And if I find out one thing I don't like…" She made a cutting motion across her throat, and then turned around to back away.

Of course he couldn't die. Kronos was immortal. But he could be cut up into a million pieces, and it hurt. And she could keep him away from Silena and Jim. She could leave her daughter to die to the monsters and deities vying for power in Olympus. He'd seen it happen so many times. So he stared warily at her as she disappeared, biding his time, hoping one day an opportunity would arise. One day, he would overthrow the Olympians and make up for his mistakes. And then…

"I'll have my little slice of paradise," he muttered. "Just me, Rhea, Jim, and the kid. That's all I want."

But the gods and the titans were never ones for small dreams. And he was bound to let his anger get out of hand once more.