Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Aftermath

Chapter 1:
A Goddess Interrupts The Burial Of My Old Friends

Styx was too strong. I can't do it. I can't…

Tears stung my eyes as I observed the battle again and again in… in Katoptris. Where did I go wrong? I squeezed Frank's firewood, which was now useless, Jason's golden coin, and Hazel's spatha in my right palm. Where did I go wrong? I clutched Nico's Stygian Iron sword in my left and squeezed it too. Where did I go wrong?

I keep asking myself that. Where did I go wrong?

Where did I go wrong?

I watched the battle again and again at Hades' palace wondering what I did wrong. Hades patted my shoulder reassuringly and kneeled beside me. His hands were very cold.

"It's alright. You did everything you could. I don't detect any flaw in you that could've been the reason of your… failure.", Hades said. But it clearly isn't alright. His eyes were already misty from the loss of his two children.

"Couldn't you just bring them back? I mean, you're the god of the Underworld, after all.", I stared at him, but I already knew the answer.

"I already told you. No. Styx wiped their soul's existence. They couldn't be saved. Only their bodies can be retrieved." And with that, Hades stood up and walked away.

…

I don't know how long I kneeled there in the Hades' palace's hall, watching the battle. Maybe hours, maybe a few days, but I didn't care. My mind couldn't detect any wrong moves, any misjudgement at all so it just went remembering my times with my friends.

I remember our crazy moments in the Argo II. Leo teasing Frank, Piper flirting with Jason, Hazel talking to Nico. I remembered the way we defeated the giants, the way we made Gaia go back to sleep. I remembered our friendship, all those adventures and dangers we've been through.

I remembered, and that made me sob.

Persephone took pity on me and made me get up.

"Come on, you can't do this forever. Come, join us for dinner. I got you excellent fruits. Come, mortal."

"Why don't you just kill me now?" I asked bitterly. "You don't like me, didn't you? Why don't you just blow me up to ashes, and throw me to Aphodel? I don't know what my goal is, now. You can just kill me right here."

"Of course I don't like you. You're a mortal. But you're currently suffering pain that most mortals can't stand and, I'll admit, I am impressed. Also, I think, my husband needs some company. And it will please you to know that there is no chance that you will get to the Fields of Asphodel."

I watched the battle again for the last time. I watched as Hazel swung her spatha but just went through Styx. Styx just touched Hazel's forehead before her soul was sucked out and destroyed. I watched as Frank turned into a dragon but, to no avail, got his soul destroyed, too. I watched as Jason flew up and shot lightning to Styx, but Styx vanished and… Jason's soul got destroyed. I watched as Piper went down with the thought of Jason dead… and also got her soul obliterated. I watched as Nico, Leo and Annabeth struck Styx but missed and Nico was thrown to Leo and Annabeth, soul annihilated. I watched as I caught her in surprise and stabbed Styx on the back and then she vanished.

I picked up Katoptris and stood up shakily and almost stumbled if Persephone didn't catch me. I hugged Leo's Archimedes Sphere firmly and walked to the castle's "dining room" unsteadily, tears still stinging my eyes.

I entered the dining room, admired the place and sat beside Hades on the long table.

The room was huge. A gigantic golden chandelier lit the place. The table and chairs are adorned with precious gems: rubies, sapphires, emeralds. The walls were flooded with pictures of skeletons and nuclear wars.

Hades turned to me, eyes puffy. "Please, put those things on the table." And so I did.

The doors behind me burst open, and in came skeletons with platters of food. The skeletons propped up the food in front of us. There were dragon fruits, strawberries, blue melons and other fruits I can't describe. I knew there weren't any meat because Persephone's mother is Demeter, goddess of agriculture. And then there were the ambrosia and nectar.

I wiped the tears in my eyes and dug up.

After the meal, Hades stood up and gestured me over the balcony of the castle.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"No." I immediately answered. "You?"

"Of course not. I lost two of my best children. Nico… he was my favourite. And I also am getting fond of Hazel. They were… how do you say… awesome. But still, you must live your life. You must go on. I bet this is not the best advice for the god of the Underworld, but dying is not the answer here..." he hesitated "…for I fear Styx is not yet defeated. She must be just hiding right now, weakened by that stab on her back."

"Yeah, I thought so."

"We can revisit that place again and bury your friends if you like."

"Okay, that feels right."

Then, everything turned black.

I didn't notice it but Hades shadow travelled. We were now standing on the riverbank of Styx where it all happened. All my friends had their lifeless eyes open, except for Annabeth and Leo. The river Styx flowed peacefully, just like how its namesake fought. Peacefully.

Hades was commanding the earth to dig a grave when I heard Annabeth gasp.

"Percy!" she exclaimed "Percy, are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" I went to her, tears in my eyes. "I should be the one asking you that!" And I hugged her so tightly that she pushed me away.

"Let me breathe! Of course I'm okay." She smiled. "And I bet you defeated Styx while she was distracted?"

"Yes." I was ecstatic. I couldn't be happier. I released all my emotions on Annabeth's shoulders.

"Hush now. It will be alright. Where are the others?"

And it struck me. She didn't know that the others were dead yet. "Well…" I gestured around.

"Unconscious?"

"Dead."

Annabeth's face slackened. "You're kidding." She stood up and surveyed the area. "No." She whispered. "No. No, no, no. This is all wrong." And she stumbled down and sobbed.

"It's okay. We're alive. Styx probably didn't kill your soul because she didn't touch you. She threw Nico at you, remember?" And joy suddenly struck me as realization did. "Leo."

"What?" Annabeth asked shakily.

"Leo didn't touch Styx. He just went down with you, remember?" And I checked his pulse.

Sure enough, he was breathing. "Leo's alive!" I said excitedly.

"Leo! Wake up!" Annabeth crawled to him and shook him. "Leo!"

And Leo's eyes flew up.

He sat up quick, bumping Annabeth's head with his. "Ouch! What's wrong? I was taking a comfortable nap here!"

Annabeth hugged him and so did I. "We thought you were dead."

"Why would I be dead? I'm too gorgeous to be dead." He looked around, and his eyes widened. "They aren't-?"

"Yes. They are." I said grimly.

"Oh, gods. This is not happening. I mean… why?"

"The graves are ready." Hades face turned from sorrowful to surprise. "Aren't you two supposed to be dead?"

"No. They didn't touch Styx so they're alive." I said.

"Well, that's good news!" But his face turned sorrowful again. His children still weren't spared.

"It won't be good news if I am done you." And a hammer knocked Hades unconscious to the ground.

I uncapped my pen as the woman with a hammer smiled at me.

"Greetings. I, Bia, goddess of force and raw energy, daughter of Styx, has come to avenge my mother. Prepare to be vanquished, Persius Jackson!"