Chapter 1
Percy fell to his knees, holding Annabeth in his arms. He could hear the battle raging around him, but he couldn't focus on that. His dad and Athena were protecting him, swirling around him like a wave. He watched as Annabeth tried to speak but choked on blood filling her mouth.
"Don't speak," Percy said as tears began to fall from his eyes. "Just wait, Apollo will heal you, just…just hold on."
Percy watched as Annabeth shook her head a little, tears coming out of her eyes and dropping into her hair and onto the ground. She began to mouth words to Percy, trying to get her final message across. Percy could only cry as he realised what her last words were.
"I know. I know." Percy sobbed, tears flowing freely.
Annabeth smiled as the life left her eyes and her body went limp. Percy felt and saw the change, and as he sobbed even harder as he held her body to his chest and kissed her forehead. All Percy could do was hold Annabeth's limp frame to his body. Not long after, still crying, Percy felt an arm wrap around him looked to see Athena holding him as tears continued to stream from his eyes. He looked around, seeing that the giants had been defeated in his distraction. Slowly, Athena moved Annabeth's body to the ground, and Percy, still on his knees, felt himself being lifted up and into a hug, recognizing the smell of the ocean that came with his father, Percy hugged Poseidon back.
Being let out of the hug, Percy's tears finally stopped, he looked at Athena, who was gently smoothing Annabeth's hair on the ground, ignoring the blood slowly pooling around her legs from Annabeth's body pouring from the wound in her gut. Before Percy could say anything, Zeus cleared his throat.
"There is a war going on. Mourn your loss later." Zeus said, earning a glare Athena and a number of the gods.
"I'm sorry Athena. I really am. But we need to look to Camp Half-Blood. All our children are fighting." Hermes said, drawing attention to himself, and Athena's glare away from Zeus.
Athena wiped her eyes and nodded. Percy looked at the other members of the Seven, now the Six. Piper and Hazel were crying freely, Jason had an arm around her, Leo was standing awkwardly head down as he cried silently, Frank was hugging Hazel to him. "We should go to Camp too." Leo said tearfully.
Jason nodded, and both Piper and Hazel wiped their eyes as they moved away from Jason and Frank. Percy just stood silently, and looked back at Annabeth's body. "We can't leave her here." Percy croaked, his throat dry.
"I'll send her body to the Olympian throne room, make sure there is a shroud prepared. I can do it fastest." Hermes said.
"Thank you." Percy said to the god.
Hermes nodded and vanished in a flash of light with Annabeth's body. Zeus began issuing instructions to the Six on how to handle the battle upon their arrival. Percy just stood there, vaguely aware of the plan to slap the Argo II to Camp. He could feel the gaze of a few different gods and goddesses on him, his eyes scanned the group of gods and saw Aphrodite staring at him, a look of sadness on her face, Athena standing off to the side on her own, Artemis staring at him with curiosity, and Apollo staring at Percy and the rest of the Six with anguish.
"Percy, we need to go." Piper said, laying a hand on Percy's arm.
"Yeah, ok." Percy said, turning and moving toward the Argo II.
O.o.O.o.O
Percy wasn't entirely sure how he survived the destruction of the Argo II, all he knew was that monsters surrounded him and he was angry. He slashed the throats of dracaena and empousai, decapitated and stabbed Laistrygonian giants and hellhounds, and fought the enemy earthborn as much as he could. It wasn't long before he heard the scream of one of the Six, seeing Hazel running to Frank as a Laistrygonian pulled a spear out from Frank's chest through his back. Percy began to see red, pure fury fuelling him, and he charged through the crowd of monsters and demigods to reach Frank and Hazel.
Reaching the two of them, he began fending off any monsters that came close, but soon wasn't needed as the ground around Hazel started to die and the monsters retreated in fear.
Looking down at Hazel's sobbing body as she cradled Frank's lifeless corpse, Percy felt his hatred for Gaea burn. Then as quickly as his rage sparked, it ignited into absolute fury as he saw Gaea take form at the other side of the armies. He began to fight his way towards her, ducking swords and stabbing monsters, but he was barely half-way when he saw Festus fly through with Piper and Leo on his back, Jason flying alongside, snatching Gaea up and into the sky. Continuing to fight, Percy saw in his peripheral vision Jason flying Piper to the ground, before taking off again to get Leo. As he became a dot in the sky however, Percy heard a missile fire from the onagers, following Jason up, trailing a screaming Octavian in its wake.
Then the explosion was heard. All fighting stopped as the sky looked to gain a second sun. From across the field, Percy saw Piper's hand move to cover her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. Looking back into the sky, Percy saw a dot begin to increase in size as it fell. Moments later a lone figure hit the ground. Rushing over to where the body landed, he found Piper crying into the body of Jason, burned beyond recognition as he lay a hand on Piper's face to wipe the tears away, before his hand dropped to the ground as life left his body.
Percy wasn't sure what to feel. He had lost Annabeth, which made him feel numb from the shock, and pure rage at any and all of Gaea's children. Then he had lost Frank in this battle, which made him feel sorry for Hazel, and only fuelled his anger. And now Jason was gone too, which made Percy simply feel empty. No joy at succeeding in the quest, because to him, the price was too high. Seeing Nico over by Hazel, Percy began to make his way through the crowd again.
Reaching Nico who was holding a sobbing Hazel, Percy asked the question he had to know the answer to. "Is Leo gone too? Are Hazel, Piper and I all that's left of the Seven?"
Nico frowned in confusion as he felt out for Leo's soul. "I can feel that Jason's, Frank's and Annabeth's souls have made it to the underworld, but Leo's is…I don't know where…it's like he's both dead and alive at the same time."
"How is that possible?" Percy asked.
"I'm not sure, I'll have to converse with father about it. And Percy…I'm sorry…about Annabeth." Nico said solemnly.
"Thanks Nico. I'll go take care of Piper. Make sure Hazel is ok." Percy said.
Turning away from Nico to walk back to Piper, Percy found himself facing Travis Stoll, tears in his eyes. "Annabeth? She's…?" He said.
"Yeah. In Athens, against the giants." Percy responded. Travis simply nodded and walked away to inform the other campers from Camp Half-Blood.
By now the crowd of campers, the monsters having retreated, had made a clear path for Percy to walk down, and when he reached Piper he pulled her into an embrace. It wasn't long before Percy found his shirt soaked through, and it wasn't for another quarter of an hour that Piper finally managed to stop her tears. "Leo…is he…?" Piper whispered.
"We don't know yet." Percy said softly.
Piper nodded her head and leaned into Percy's chest, breathing evening out as she fell asleep from sheer exhaustion both physically and emotionally. Lifting her up, bridal style, Percy carried her to the Aphrodite cabin and placed her on the cabin counsellor's bed.
Leaving and making his way to the big house, Percy stepped into the living room where he found Rachel Dare.
"Percy!" Rachel said as she flung herself into Percy's embrace.
"Hey Red." Percy said as he pulled away and sat on the couch.
"What happened? Nobody is telling me anything."
"Um, Jason died in the explosion that killed Gaea, not sure about Leo yet. A Laistrygonian ran through Frank with a spear, not sure what happened to that one either; hopefully it's monster dust. You would've liked Frank. He was kind, shy, and he was able to transform into animals." Percy listed, not entirely sure how to put it all delicately.
"Sounds like he would've been right up my alley, friends-wise." Rachel said, as she began to cry for Jason. It hadn't occurred to Percy really that Jason had been at Camp Half-Blood while Hera had Percy asleep and then at Camp Jupiter. Percy knew, of course, that's how Hera's plan worked, for the two to bridge the camps. But Percy hadn't really understood that Jason had been here. Jason had made friends with the campers, made himself part of their lives for months, whereas Percy had only been at Camp Jupiter a day, maybe a day and a half when he was sent on a quest, then it was straight onto the ancient lands. Percy certainly cared about Camp Jupiter, after all, it was a safe haven for him while he had amnesia, and it was the home of both Frank and Hazel.
"And what about Annabeth? Where's she? I could really use a friend in her right now." Rachel asked, clearly Travis hadn't managed to get to her yet.
"Rachel…she wasn't able to come from Athens." Percy managed to say, choking.
"What? Why?" Rachel said tearfully.
"She was stabbed by a giant. Her blood and mine woke Gaea. Except her wound…it was…" Percy tried to explain, but couldn't finish the sentence before he broke down into tears again. It was a disadvantage of being a son of Poseidon, since you're always hydrated from the water powers, you can always cry.
Rachel, herself breaking down as she grasped Percy's meaning, pulled him into a hug, both of them holding onto each other to prevent them from completely collapsing into their sorrow.
"Where's Chiron?" Percy asked once they had both stopped crying and had steadied their breathing.
"He went to Olympus before the battle, he probably got stuck there." Rachel answered.
"I'm going to have to go before the Council aren't I?"
"Probably. A few of us will."
"Piper, Hazel, Me. Reyna and Nico. Will you come?"
"Yeah, I need to speak to Apollo."
"We should just get it over and done with. Let's go find the others." Percy said, getting off the couch.
Pulling Rachel to her feet, the two of them walk outside, where they find the camp quiet, except for Nico walking up to the big house towards them. "They want to do the funerals for those lost in the battle. On both sides." He said.
"Good. Jason and Frank should be sent off with Annabeth though." Percy said, to which Nico and Rachel both hummed in agreement.
"Hermes is here, so afterwards he can take us all to Olympus." Nico said.
"Perfect. I want to get that audience over and done with."
As the three of them made their way to the beach, Percy realised how many campers were lost on both sides. Percy saw a line of shrouds along the beach, and every remaining camper standing vigil on the foreshore. Walking over to Hermes, Percy whispered to him the plan to take Frank and Jason's bodies to Olympus so that they could be sent off with Annabeth. Hermes nodded and walked briskly to the appropriate bodies and disappeared in a flash of light. Piper and Hazel looked a Percy quizzically before standing on either side of him and taking his hands.
It was over an hour later that all the funerals were complete. One member of the Athena cabin stood with a notepad to the side, writing down the names of each of the campers who died from both camps so that their names could go on the bead for the year. It would be the second bead since the Battle of Manhattan Percy realised. He hadn't received the bead for the first year after because of Hera, which saddened him. But Percy had a feeling that he would be missing a lot of the beads in the future. Once the funerals finished, Reyna, Rachel and Nico all walked up to where Hazel, Percy and Piper stood. They stood in silence, all contemplating the incredible loss of life that had occurred, but it wasn't long before Hermes flashed back. Linking hands, Hermes placed his hand on Rachel's shoulder and flashed them all to Olympus.
O.o.O.o.O
As soon as they arrived in the throne room of Olympus the six of them fell to the ground queasy from their first time flashing. However they all regained their composure when they saw the three altars with shrouds over the bodies laying on them.
Lining up before the Olympian Council, Percy led the six teenagers in a bow before Zeus before they split up and sat at their parents' or patron's throne (guest throne in Hades case). Once they all took their seats, Zeus began his speech, droning on about the courage of the gods in the face of their adversaries, whether they are within or outside Olympus. Percy didn't pay attention; his eyes were fixed on the left altar, a gold and grey shroud with owl eyes woven into the fabric. All he could think of was how fast the day had passed, between the tears, funerals, and battles; virtually no time to rest had come. Well, that and relive the Annabeth's last moments repetitively.
A little while later, after Zeus finished speaking of the gods, he finally turned his attention to the Seven of the prophecy as well as Rachel, Reyna and Nico.
"This last war cost our pantheon much. Let us remember those of the Quest of Seven who are fallen. Annabeth Chase, my granddaughter, and daughter of Athena. The Architect of Olympus, may her designs last for eons to come." Zeus turned into Jupiter, adopting a much sterner face (if that were even possible). "Frank Zhang, my grandson, and son of Mars. Praetor of the Legion, he was a leader, a warrior, and a friend to our heroes. Jason Grace, my son, and a former praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata, as well as the Slayer of Krios and the Trojan Sea Monster. May their souls live eternal!"
"May their souls live eternal!" Repeated the Council and the teens as the shrouds burned.
"Hades, I'm sure you will see to it that the three of them make it to Elysium." Jupiter said.
"Of course – oh. It appears the daughter of Athena had been reincarnated twice before; she has made it to the Isles of the Blessed!" Hades said with a small smile to Athena and Percy.
"Thank you, Hades." Athena said, while Percy lowered his head and wiped his eyes.
"Heroes! Piper McLean, Hazel Levesque, Nico Di Angelo, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, and Percy Jackson." Jupiter thundered, and all the demigods stood and lined up in front of Zeus's throne.
"You have fought untold horrors on this quest and saved Olympus, even I cannot deny that fact. Without each of your efforts we would likely not be here." Jupiter continued before mumbling. "Except Percy of course, if you hadn't gotten that nose-bleed, then Gaea wouldn't have risen…"
"Husband!" Hera reprimanded.
"Yes, yes! Each of you shall receive a reward as long as it is within the power of this Council, we swear on the river Styx." Jupiter said as thunder cracked in the distance. "Name your rewards. Step forward Piper McLean."
Piper stepped forward, legs shaking and her eyes glued to the middle altar, the shroud over Jason's body a combination of electric blue and imperial gold, woven in lightning bolts. "Thank you my lord. I want…" Piper paused and she looked around the throne, making eye contact with Percy and Hazel, her mother, before her eyes settled on Nico and Reyna, who were holding hands looking at the shrouds. "I want you to find a way to truly unite the camps. The Athena Parthenos has been returned; the rift should be completely healed. Jason believed it possible, and so do I. If you can find a way to do this, then that is what I ask for."
"Very well. We will find a way to grant your wish." Jupiter said with a smile. Percy suspected that Jupiter liked Piper basing her gift on what she believed Jason would want. Piper returned to her place in line next to Percy. "Hazel Levesque step forward."
Hazel moved forward and stopped next to Frank's altar, his red shroud the colour of blood.
"Thank you my lord." Hazel said. "All I ask is a chance to live my life. I was returned to life, I ask for a chance to live again. Frank wouldn't want me to die in this war as well."
Jupiter looked at Hazel, and sighed before beginning "Unfortunately the rules of the dead are not this council's to dictate. I am King of the Gods, but when my brothers and I divided up the world, I swore to allow the laws of life and death to be Hades to govern and his alone. If he deems you worthy of living again then that is his decision and I cannot undermine that. Given these facts, you still have the offer of a reward from this council."
"Oh…" Hazel said, her voice small. "A less dangerous life then. I ask to be taught to hide my demigod aura."
Jupiter gave a small smile, "Very well, Hazel Levesque. Your wish will be granted. Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, step forward."
Reyna moved forward, dropping Nico's hand, and knelt at Jupiter's throne. "My lord Jupiter. I truly do not know what to ask of this council, perhaps a better augur next time." This earned a chuckle from Jupiter.
"If you do not know what you want, then this council has an offer for you." Jupiter said. "You abandoned your post in the Legion to travel to the ancient lands, then ignored the feud between Greeks and Romans in spite of the Argo II launching an attack on New Rome. Then you sealed the rift between the two natures of the gods. Nico di Angelo step forward also." Nico moved forward and knelt next to Reyna, confusion on his face. "The two of you sealed the rift between the gods natures at great risk to yourselves, add that to your previous achievements in our Pantheon and it becomes clear that you are deserving of the god's greatest gift. So I, Jupiter, offer you Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano the opportunity to become a god." Jupiter quickly shifted to Zeus. "As do I, Zeus, offer the same to you, Nico di Angelo."
Reyna and Nico looked at each other stunned. Before turning back to Zeus and saying together "We accept, my lord."
Zeus and the other members of the Olympian Council stood up and began chanting in a language that definitely wasn't Ancient Greek. Glowing symbols made of energy began floating around the throne room, before all the energy converged into two balls of energy, which flew into the chests of both Reyna and Nico. When they stood their bodies glowed with a faint godly light, and their faces had a slight gold tint from the ichor that now ran through their body in place of blood. "Allow us to greet two new gods. Reyna, Goddess of Unity, minor goddess of strategy and battle. And Nico, God of Unity, minor god of death and funerals." Two guest thrones rose next to Hades, which Reyna and Nico walked over and sat in.
"PERCY JACKSON!" Poseidon shouted, quietening the throne room. Percy stepped forward, bowing to his father and knelt at Zeus's throne.
"Perseus, you have once again earned the chance to attain godhood. However, unlike last time, you shall be offered the chance to have a place on this council. As much as I hate to admit it, without you, the rule of the gods would have ended. I anticipate you will decline this offer, so the choice of a gift is also available." Zeus said.
"Thank you, Lord Zeus." Percy said, lowering his head. "You're right, I am going to decline a place among you. Last time I stood before you all it took Annabeth to show me what I would be giving up by becoming a god. Even without her…I still have my mother, my stepfather, anyone else that makes his or her way into my family. I can't turn my back on them, and I know Annabeth wouldn't want me to. I still have a lot of living to do, so yes, I decline the gift of godhood. But I don't know what to ask for. However, I do ask is that you fulfil the parts of your last promise to me that you didn't before. I understand there are peaceful titans still imprisoned, like Calypso or Leto."
"Very well. Hephaestus, bring Calypso here so that Perseus can see we are going to keep our promise this time." Zeus said.
Hephaestus disappeared in a small spectacle of flames, reappearing a few moments later. "Father, seems Calypso escaped her island on her own, she wasn't there."
Zeus frowned, before putting on a fake smile "No matter. If Calypso is free then she shall remain so as long as she remains peaceful and makes no moves against Olympus." Percy nodded and began to walk back to where Piper and Hazel stood before stopping and turning back to Zeus. "I just decided what I want to ask of the council. And I understand this time it is a large ask. But it is something I have to do." Zeus frowned, while Percy steeled his nerves to ask for his gift. "I ask that you free Iapetus and Damasen from Tartarus."
There wasn't as much outrage as Percy expected. There was a stunned silence during which Percy looked upon each of the gods, Zeus was speechless, Hera was examining Percy as though she wasn't sure he was telling the truth, his father looked confused but didn't seem to be questioning his request. Apollo was nodding slightly but was avoiding Percy's gaze, Aphrodite didn't seem to care for the request, and had one eyebrow raised, Hephaestus looked indifferent to his request as well. Demeter had a smile on her face (Percy remembered that Damasen had been a farmer before descending to Tartarus), Mars looked torn as though he was happy about a sparring partner in Iapetus, but disgusted at the thought of Damasen, Dionysus was reading a magazine, not paying attention, Athena shared the same expression as Percy's father, Hermes looked surprised, but not too caring about the idea, like Aphrodite and Hephaestus. Artemis was examining Percy, sizing him up.
"Very well." Zeus choked out with a tight smile. "So long as Damasen remains peaceful, and as long as Iapetus doesn't pose a threat."
"Thank you, my lord." Percy said before taking his place beside Piper and Hazel.
Zeus gave a closing speech before shifting forms and then Athena, Mars and Jupiter spoke the funeral rites. Percy didn't really hear the words spoken, he thought of what Hephaestus had said about Calypso being gone from her island and had a hunch about how she got away. So as tears began to fall from his, Piper's and Hazel's eyes when the shrouds began to burn, a small smile formed on his face as he reached his conclusion. Leo was alive. He found a way to survive and free Calypso, he kept the promise that Percy had failed to.
Taking Piper's and Hazel's hands in his, they watched the bodies of their friends and loved ones turn to ash before each of their parents stepped forward and muttered words Percy couldn't hear. Slowly each speck of ash glowed with blue light and began to fly up to the ceiling. Percy hadn't paid much attention to the ceiling that Annabeth had designed, but was in awe at its beauty. It was made from black marble with the constellations seemingly a natural part of it. Each piece of light flew into the marble and formed perfect constellations, like photographs made of stars.