Chapter One: A Turn for the Worse

Kronos scythe fell again and it was all I could do to keep the blade away from my body. I felt my strength giving out when the Titan Lord kicked me in the chest.

Flying through the air, the back of my head smacked against my father's throne. A normally fatal blow just made my head swim for a second. I looked up to see Kronos slowly walking over. I'm done I thought, beginning to panic.

"Well, well, well Grandson, It seems the curse of Achilles saved you yet again," Kronos taunted swinging his scythe back and forth. "Worry not, I will find your heel eventually," he growled swinging the scythe down in a powerful arc, when "Luke, stop. I know you are in there," a very frightened Annabeth pleaded.

"The child Luke is dead," Kronos roared. "I am in control!" The Titan Lord's blade had stopped inches from my chest while Annabeth had been talking. With a roar the Titan lord spun and struck Annabeth with the butt of the scythe. Her body flew through the air, landing with a sickening crunch by the hearth.

Struggling, I got up raising Riptide to strike at the Titan Lord's back. The blade whistled through the air, but something made me slow at the last second. Luke, there had to be a way to save him.

The arcing blade stopped inches from Kronos' back. Gasping in surprise I thought maybe Kronos had frozen time again, but no, it was much worse. Kronos' hand had come around and gripped my wrist; effectively immobilizing my arm.

"Grandson, you need to learn something; don't let your feelings get in the way during a battle," Kronos laughed hurling me across the room. "Sadly though, your time is up," the Titan taunted, beginning to glow a harsh golden color.

"No," I tried to shout, but Annabeth leapt at the Titan Lord. "Luke stop this now!"

"Luke is dead!" Kronos roared smacking her with the back of his hand. She screamed as her jaw shattered. I tried to get up and attack again, but Kronos froze time again.

Her jaw broken, blood streaming down her face, Annabeth looked into Luke's eyes. "You promised," she started to cry.

"Annabeth. Aghhh," Luke's head snapped up and his eyes started to flicker blue then gold then blue again. After a brief facial battle, Luke's blue eyes returned. "I don't know how long I can hold him at bay."

He reached down and grasped the side of his armor. Sliding it aside he pointed at a small spot in-between his third and fourth ribs. "Percy, give me your blade," Luke gasped out.

Shaking my head I started towards the fallen traitor. I couldn't give him my sword and leave myself defenseless; it was probably just a ploy to get me unarmed. I positioned the blade to stab Luke's Achilles spot, but again something stopped me.

'There had to be a way to save my friend,' I thought. 'No, to save the world.' thrusting the blade downwards I let my eyes drift closed, but sound of Luke screaming never came. I opened my eyes again and almost screamed in rage. There, on the floor, was Kronos staring right back into my eyes. The golden pits glistened mockingly.

"Did you not learn anything from our previous lesson, Grandson," the Titan Lord taunted. Standing he looked around, "You have no chance, Demigod. Here witness," he said waving his hand. An iris-message-like image appeared. The giant figure of The father of all monsters stomped its way through New Jersey. The gods flew around his head peppering him with arrows, lightning, and blasts of energy. Until Zeus threw his master bolt and the world exploded, but the father of monsters just stumbled; right into the Hudson River.

Conch horns blew and a confused Kronos roared in rage as Poseidon and his armies arrived. Typhon went down under the shackles and Kronos slashed through the image. Thanks dad, I thought.

"No matter half-blood, it's time," Kronos said as he started glowing.

Savoring his victory, Kronos didn't notice Annabeth until it was almost too late. Her blade stopped inches from his body. Tut-ing like he was reprimanding a naughty child, the Titan Lord took the blade and drove it into her chest, right above her heart. For a moment she just stood there, frozen in time. This couldn't be happening, I thought. She stared into Kronos' eyes before time resumed and her body slumped to the floor.

Screaming, I tore free of Kronos' spell and launched myself at him. Logic and skill faded out, replaced by the need for revenge. My blows rained down on the Titan Lord, but none reached his body.

I cursed as Kronos threw me back once more, there was nothing I could do. Yet something in his facial expression changed; as if a battle for control over the host was being taken. Finally Luke's eyes returned.

"Annabeth," he screamed running to her side. Released from the Lord of Time's hold, I rushed to where Annabeth lay dying.

"Did...did you love me," Luke asked, clutching her fading grip.

"Yes, more than anything, I loved you so much. I wanted to save you so we could be together, but it looks like I failed. I.." she coughed up more blood before continuing. "I'm sorry Percy. I'm sorry that I never loved you, that I led you on for so long. I needed someone to replace Luke, but I...I am sorry," she ended as her eyes glazed over.

Luke and I gazed at each other for a moment before Luke snatched the blade from the floor next to Annabeth's corpse and plunged it into his side. Luke screamed in agony as the blade pierced his Achilles spot. His roar turned deeper and more ancient after a few seconds.

Kronos blinked a few times, "You think you have won, Grandson, but I have a present for you demigod." He waved his hand and an image appeared of the street below. Hades was stalking through the streets laying waste to monsters in his path. The undead were finishing off the remaining monsters when something to the side drew my attention. Nico, backed against a wall held off four giants and a blonde haired man holding a bright ball of light. I watched in horror as a giant smacked Nico towards a shadow, but before the young demigod could dive into it, the man threw the ball of light illuminating the shadow. Nico landed on the ground, clearly unconscious. Then something drew my attention once more. Standing at the end of the street stood two figures holding hands, shoulders pressed together. I watched as the giants stepped forward as the man sent a ball of light toward the two. I gasped, it was my mom and Paul. I started to turn away, but the image followed me. The giants reached them, but they never let go of each other's hands until the end.

"All this will be in vain hero, for the end is coming," a gravely voice brought me back. Kronos. The fucker had taken everything from me, my mom, my soon to be stepdad, my friends and my girlfriend. Well, she never loved me, I told myself as the body of Luke began to glow, brighter and brighter, but I couldn't turn away. My eyes began to burn and they forced themselves closed. I howled at the sky in agony, for the pain, for my mother, for the fallen.

After an undetermined amount of time I heard a loud bang and turned towards it raising Riptide. I opened my eyes, but there was just darkness. "Hades am I dead," I asked out loud beginning to panic.

A laugh came from the left, "No, Nephew. But would you mind explaining what happened here."

I turned towards the voice and heard a series of gasps.

"Percy," I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. The faint smell of the sea entered my mind and I knew who it was.

"Dad," I started to say, but he cut me off. "Apollo, can you come heal Percy's vision."

I felt the hand leave my shoulder and a new set of hands touch my face. The hands were soft, like they had never seen a day's work in their lives, but the fingertips were rough and calloused; the telltale sign of a guitar player or musician.

Apollo started to speak in Ancient Greek, but the meaning was lost on me. All I could think about was Annabeth's betrayal and the loss of my mother.

I was jerked back into reality as Apollo asked me if I agreed. I had tuned out the world and Apollo's question. "Sorry, I missed the question,"

"It's ok Percy. You've been through a lot, but I need you to listen. You looked at Kronos as he died, you saw a brief glimpse of his true form. This should have killed you, but the blessing of Achilles saved you; leaving you alive, but blinded. I can heal your eyes, but you will have to give up Achilles Blessing to fuel the healing. Is this what you want?"

I stood dumbfounded, Blind, I couldn't be blind; but I knew he was right. "Yes, Apollo. Do it."

Apollo began to speak in Ancient Greek again and a tingling sensation started in my toes and rose up my body. The sensation reached my eyes and Apollo stumbled back exhausted.

I blinked my eyes a few times, and the horrors of the throne room came into focus.

I tore my gaze away from the destruction and turned to see the Olympians standing in shining battle armor, their weapons out looking around for an enemy "Father, Lord Zeus, we need two shrouds for fallen heroes. A son of Hermes and a daughter of Athena," I said before I turned to Hermes and then Athena. Hermes had an expression of gratitude and sadness on his face, while Athena's face was a mask of disgust suppressing sadness. She met my eyes and glared at me. I had lost her daughter, but then I remembered that she never loved me. I'll have to explain that to Athena one day.

I turned back to my father and met him in the proffered hug. "You've done well Percy. I am proud of you."

Poseidon released me and we stood together, just sharing a brief bit of peace. I was still too shocked by the events for them to sink in, and when Zeus called for the meeting to begin I zoned out for a few minutes.

"PERCY JACKSON!" Poseidon boomed. Shit, I had missed Thalia, Tyson, and Grover's rewards; I berated myself silently before starting to get up.

"Well, come forward boy," Zeus called. "Let's get to it. For acts of bravery, courage, and loyalty to the gods, we, the council, will grant you, Percy Jackson, godhood." I was speechless, a god, me? Immortal? My thoughts turned to Thalia and Grover, as they stood staring at me nodding. I turned to the gods and saw several nodding approval, Apollo gave me a thumbs up, and Ares face split into a vicious grin. I looked around the room and my thoughts turned to the fallen campers, my friends. My mom, they were all dead. I would never see them again if I was immortal. I thought of the fallen demigods in Kronos' service and I knew what my decision would be.

"No."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO? YOU REJECT OUR GIFT," Zeus roared as several Olympians began glaring at me.

"No, I don't want to be immortal, but I still would like a gift from the gods. It's not even a big gift, it just requires a little effort," and so I spent the next several minutes explaining about how all demigods must be claimed before they turned 14, and how there must be new cabins built, and that the peaceful Titan kind, like Calypso, must be released. The gods just sat and listened as I spoke and a few nods of approval and understanding were given.

When it was put up to a vote by the gods, they all agreed and then swore upon the Styx. Zeus ended the meeting and the partying began. Several Olympians came to me and offered congratulations and words of support, but most were focused on partying and repairing the throne room. I turned from speaking to a distressed Apollo, who had a look of fear at having to claim all his children, and met a cold grey eyed Athena.

"Percy Jackson," she said with a more than obvious hint of distaste in her voice. "It seems I was correct. You could not save the world and your friends."

"Lady Athena, I am sorry. If I could go back I would sacrifice myself for her," even if she did betray me in the end, I thought bitterly.

"You cost me my daughter Percy Jackson. For that you have earned my distaste," Athena said, bursting into flames and igniting my shirt. I cursed and swatted at my shirt as the flames seared my flesh, until a cold wave of water washed over me; putting out the fire and healing the burns. I turned to an approaching Poseidon.

"Athena will get over it son," Poseidon said, patting me on the shoulder. Looking up into his face I almost burst into tears. "Dad, she's dead," I said.

"I know son, but there will be others. I'm just sorry it had to end this way."

"No dad, Mom's dead." I said. The words had barely left my mouth when I was crushed in an embrace, "How, how did it happen," Poseidon asked, pain creeping into his voice.

"Kronos showed me, I saw them die dad. I saw them."

"Kronos could have lied son," a hint of hope in his voice. "Hades, could you come here my brother," he called across the room to a Hades kneeling next to his unconscious son.

Hades approached, guessing what it was about, and his face fell. "I'm sorry Percy, brother. I was going to tell you after the party." Hades said softly. "I made sure they both were put into Elysium straight away."

Poseidon grabbed me in a hug and we shared a moment of sorrow. After a few minutes, Poseidon said something about looking at his destroyed palace, and he disappeared in a fine sea mist. Hades apologized once more and went back to his son, leaving me to my thoughts. I turned and left the party, returning to the throne room and sitting at the hearth.

After a few minutes a nine year old sat down next to me. "Lady Hestia, what brings you here," I asked.

"You," she said soothingly, embracing me as I stared into the burning coals. I sat like that for a moment before turning and facing her. Her flaming eyes stared right at me, full of sympathy.

I sat there for a few moments before I my eyes began to drift closed.

"Rest Percy, you have a big day and many choices to make tomorrow," she said smoothing my hair as I drifted off at the foot of the hearth.


AN: Well I am new to the story business, but I think I can create a semi-not crappy story (or at least I hope.) I would like to thank Anaklusmos14 for being awesome and helping me with Ideas, Spelling checks, and Grammar checks and overall just making my work readable. If you don't already know about his stuff, go check him out. He already has several stories finished (and they are awesome. He has storys over a range of different ideas with awesome parings) and a character-reading story on one of his finished stories (its extremely well done and is awesome) Seriously; go check him out.

I would also like to thank You are right ... Not for being awesome and helping me brainstorm some ideas. The first three chapters are done before I started talking to him, but after chapter three you should see some awesome ideas, some of which are mine and some of which will be built with his help.

This is like a short teaser cause I couldn't really get into the action in this chapter, so it is only 2k. Chapter two and onwards will be longer anywhere up to 15k words. Depending on if you all like the story so far, I will keep posting chapter weekly. Chapters two and three might be up by sunday or monday depending on if people read and want more.

-Invictus