AN: A bit of a warning, this chapter can be pretty gruesome and will result in a much more warlike Percy.
AN: This story uses the movie ages instead of the book ones for the prophecy and such.
The Meaning of Power
Chapter one
-Percy-
Hell. That was the only place that ten year old Percy Jackson could think of where such pain could be possible. A scream passed his lips as the multi-headed whip, Gabe had proudly called it a cat of nine tails, cracked against his back, its metal barbs stripping the flesh from his back as he felt blood dribble down his skin. "This is what you deserve you little FREAK!" Gabe roared drunkenly "I'm going to make sure you can't hurt hardworking people like me anymore with your unnaturalness!".
The sharp crack of the whip, the ripping pain across his mutilated back, and his loud screams that he knew couldn't escape the soundproof room that Gabe had built. These three things were the entirety of his world for hours on end, as he was forced to stare ahead, straight into the lifeless, unseeing, eyes of his mother's corpse as blood ran from her cut throat.
"Please," he choked out between his sobs, "someone, anyone. Save me.". He never expected for his prayer to be heard…or the results that it would unleash.
-Poseidon-
It was a thoughtful god of the sea that walked through the gardens of Olympus, strolling between the beds of flowers and listened to the soft sounds of music coming from the Muses across the way. As he stepped into the courtyard of statues, behemoths of gold depicting the 'triumphs' of the gods…almost all of which showed a stylized Zeus in some form or another causing him to snort in derision at his brothers arrogance before he collapsed to the ground as he felt a powerful, pain filled, prayer resonate within his mind 'please,' he heard 'someone, anyone. Save me.'.
"Percy." He breathed out in horror as the prayer sent him the images of what had befell and what was befalling his only demigod child before shooting to his feet and preparing to flash away to save him.
Before he could flash away he heard a cynical voice from behind him ask "Who's Percy?", the hatred and amusement in her voice clear to him and clearly revealed who she was.
"I do not answer to you Athena." He growled before preparing to flash away once again only to get thrown from his feet by a blast of magic from Athena which slammed him into a statue.
"I found him trying to flash to his demigod child, attempting to save the little bastard's life." Athena simpered to Zeus who stepped out from a shadow.
Angrily he tried to flash away only to feel an immense pain at his attempt , "it will not work brother," Zeus sneered at him "the spell I gave Athena is one that will prevent you from flashing anywhere for a week. By how scared you looked I'd say that your child is dying quite painfully right now…good. This is his punishment for being born against the oath.". With those parting words Zeus and Athena left laughing at him.
Paling in fear he ran to his temple on Olympus and rushed over to a fountain and summoned up a rainbow "Iris!" he yelled "This is an emergency! I need to get into contact with Hades!".
Iris clearly understood his distress and patched him through as he saw a vision of Hades, Persephone, and, to his surprise, Kratos in the throne room. "Poseidon," Persephone gasped in shock, being the first one to see him "what are you doing here?".
"Hades," he begged, not caring as he felt tears roll down my face "my son is being killed! Zeus had Athena curse me so I cannot flash away for the next week!".
"Your son?" Kratos asked in surprise "I thought you had sworn to not have any more demigod children.".
"I broke the damn oath!" he screamed in outrage "Just save my son!".
"And why should I?" Hades demanded "Why should I save him?".
"Because I tried to help you save your own children brother," he growled "I was the one who sent you the warning about Zeus' plan to kill your children all those years ago.".
"That was you?" Hades asked softly, all the anger that had previously flowed from the god of the dead now replaced with shock "You tried to…to save my children?".
With a grunt the god of strength and power rose from his seat next to Hades' throne "I will save the child Poseidon," Kratos told him "and I will hide him here…my new champion will be safe.". Before he could reply the strongest of the winged enforcers...and one of the strongest gods in existence, flashed away.
-Percy-
I'm dying. That was the only thought that filled his thought as he felt the whip crack against his back once again, no longer even registering the pain that he felt with each blow. When he saw a mountain of a man appear in a burst of light he thought he was hallucinating as he bled out. As such, he didn't even bat an eye when the massive man grabbed Gabe and made him vanish in a flash of light, just like when the giant man entered. Before the man scooped him up gently and flashed him away as he passed out.
Slowly he opened his eyes, not sure what he expected to see, before looking around to see what looked like a throne room as he felt hands running through his hair, he heard a gentle humming, and he saw the man who he now realized was real leaning against a wall. "Ah," the man said straightening "you're awake.".
Instantly the fingers in his hair paused before resuming as did the humming and another man entered the room along with three more individuals wearing robes. "Hello young Perseus," the unhooded man said as he sat in the large black throne before studying him "it is…good, to meet my nephew.".
"Nephew?!" he yelled out in shock before doubling over in pain as fire traced the wounds at his back and gentle hands laid him back down.
"Yes, I said nephew." The man said with obvious amusement "your father is my brother…and the one who contacted us to save you when he was stopped from trying.".
"M-my father wanted to save me?" he asked in stunned confusion.
"From what I saw," his savior answered "if he hadn't been prevented then he would have taken you and never left you out of his sight again kid. He would have succeeded too if your other Uncle and your Cousin hadn't prevented your father from reaching you.".
"Another Uncle?" he asked in surprise "I have more family?".
A soft laugh sounded from above him causing him to look up at the source allowing him to see a beautiful woman with flowing brown hair that curled softly around her face, flawless tanned skin, and soft brown eyes as she smiled at him (AN: movie appearance). "More than you could possibly know Perseus," the woman said as she leaned down to kiss his forehead "my name is Persephone, and I am your aunt.".
Blinking in shock he registered the name and asked "Like the goddess of springtime?".
"More than you could possibly know." his savior said with a laugh as he walked over before waving his hand and making a chair appear "Tell me Percy, what do you know about the Greek gods?". Over the next hour his savior, who he found out was named Kratos, his Uncle, who was Hades, and his aunt Persephone explained to him about how he was a demigod son of Poseidon and the whole situation with his Uncle Zeus and the rest of the Pantheon.
"Percy," Kratos said afterwards "how would you like to be my Champion?".
"Champion?" he asked confused.
"Well the gods and goddesses can select a demigod, who isn't their child, and name them their champion. That demigod will receive all the powers that a child of that god or goddess would have, one weapon, and armor which can be one piece or even a full set. But a demigod can only be the full champion of one god or goddess but can be the pseudo-champion of as many gods or goddesses who accept them.".
"Pseudo-champion?" he asked, even more confused than before.
"Same things as a champion only you only get one power as well as one weapon or piece of armor." Kratos elaborated.
"Y-you really want me?" he asked softly, not able to comprehend that someone would actually trust him to do anything.
Rolling his eyes Kratos leaned over and ruffled his hair before replying "Yes, I want you.".
Pride welled up within him as he heard that before he paused to think about his new patron's domains, "Kratos," he began slowly "you're the god of strength and power correct?".
"Yes," Kratos answered in the affirmative but was clearly confused "why do you ask?".
"Does that include demigod powers?" he asked and saw realization flash across his patron's face while the hooded figures in the back, who had yet to speak, chuckled.
Snapping his fingers Kratos summoned a piece of paper before placing a hand on his forehead and placing his other palm on the paper as words flowed from his fingertips onto the paper for a few moments before it stopped. "This is a list of all of your powers Percy." Kratos said before looking at the list intrigued and whistling "Impressive." Before handing the list over to him.
Reading it he saw that it read: (AN: list composed from what he does in the books)
Ability to breath under water
Ability to control water and all other liquids
Ability to be healed by water
Ability to gain energy boosts from water
Immune to water pressure
Ability to see hot and cold water currents
Ability to speak to all horses and horse like creatures
Ability to talk to all sea creatures
Great demigod strength
Having fighting skill enhanced by water
Ability to read Greek
Ability to cause earthquakes
Ability to summon storms
Resistant to fire
Ability to navigate anywhere on the sea
Ability to control and brings ships to life
Able to summon water from nothing
"I can do all that?" he asked in wonder at the sheer enormity of the powers laid out before him.
"Yes you can Percy." Kratos said thoughtfully before a wide grin split the face of the god of power "Hey Percy, how would you like to help me with a little…experiment?".
"What kind of experiment?" he asked curiously.
"Well," Kratos began slowly "if I can do what I'm thinking, and what I think you alluded to earlier, I can swap out one of your demigod powers for another one.".
"I'm in." he said instantly before pausing and asking "Can I have a pen so I can make changes to the list so you know what I want?". In response Kratos flashed a quill into his hand and crossed out certain items on the list until it now read:
Ability to breath under water
Ability to control water and all other liquids
Ability to alter the body's structure
Ability to gain energy boosts from water
Immune to water pressure
Ability to see hot and cold water currents
Able to talk to all animals
Enhanced demigod speed
Great demigod strength
Having fighting skill enhanced by water
Understanding all languages
Ability to cause earthquakes
Ability to summon storms
Immune to, and able to control, fire
Ability to navigate anywhere on the sea
Ability to control and brings ships to life
Able to summon water from nothing
"You are going to be one dangerous demigod," one of the hooded figures said impressed "but why did you put 'alter the body's structure to replace your healing power?".
"Because it can do that and more." He said happily before elaborating at their confused expressions "I can use it to speed up my body's natural healing, I can rearrange my muscles and bones to make bone weapons grow…and I should probably turn of my pain receptors there if I do that. I should even be able to change my appearance at will through it.".
"HAH!" Kratos crowed "I have a cunning champion! Bragging rights are mine!" making his jaw drop at the incredibly powerful god…acting like a twelve year old. "Not to mention the powers he'll get when I make him my champion.".
"And my Pseudo champion ." Persephone piped in while continuing to stroke his hair.
"And mine." Hades added.
"And ours." The leader of the hooded figures said as they dropped the hoods to reveal three figures very similar to Kratos.