Prologue
"Percy! No!" A blonde girl screamed as a dark haired boy lost his weapon. A golden eyes boy stopped to look at the girl. "Luke please, I know you're in there. Remember you promised," The girl croaked through pain. The boy staggered back, golden eyes flickering to blue before staying in blue.
"Percy give me the blade, only I can stop him,"
The dark haired boy contemplated his words before the girl screamed at him to give it.
The blue eyed boy stabbed himself under his left armpit and his eyes glowed like molten lava. He screamed before it turned baritone and demonic.
"NO! No matter, I shall take another host. A golden mist rose from Luke and rushed toward Percy. Annabeth screamed as the gods arrived. Luke lay dead with ash around him. Percy dropped to his knees gasping, fighting away the demonic presence.
He rasped a few words out, "Send me to Tartarus, I can't stop him like this. There are too many people. I'll find out a way to contact you once I've dealt with him."
Percy's eyes turned golden, "NO! I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN!"
Percy's sea green eyes returned and he gasped out. "Do it now!"
Zeus had no choice but to raise his bolt. "Perseus Jackson, host of Kronos, you are hereby condemned to Tartarus until further notice."
A young man stumbles through the rugged, red and black terrain of a desolate place. The air was acidic and the ground infertile, all he carried was a ballpoint pen. His clothes were tattered and his normally handsome face was streaked with red dirt and blood. His left arm hung limp at his side as he stumbled to a river made of fire, the glow of the flames reflected off of his dull sea green eyes. The boy gulped down the fire and sighed as his arm closed its wound and the air didn't taste acidic anymore. He heaved himself to his feet and used his sword to help himself up. He could feel himself dying slowly. The river of fire can only do so much. It's been 3 years since he was here and he usually was careful while fighting making sure not to hurt himself more than necessary. Today however, he was caught off guard and he paid the price. His arm was severely wounded and he could tell at least 3 of his ribs were broken. A voice chuckled in the back of his head and spoke, "Perseus, Perseus, Perseus…when will you ever learn? You will die here and I will once again be set free. Your mission to become stronger and suppress me is fruitless."
The now identified Perseus grit his teeth, "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you from hurting my family. Anything," he snarled back at the voice.
"Monsters are coming your way…if I were you I would pray to those pathetic gods to save you because we both know you're going to die today," the voice snickered before receding back into the depths of the boy's mind.
"Shut up Kronos! I will not die! Not today or ever!" Percy screamed out in defiance and turned to face a particularly nasty goddess and a few of her servants. The goddess of misery and a multitude of Arae fanned out behind her. Percy groaned and started to work on the Arae, bearing curse after curse while Akhyls sent poison after him. The last Arae caught him off guard. It gave him a vision of Luke stabbing Annabeth while he watched, unable to do anything.
"Do you see Jackson? You can do nothing to protect her. My men will pick off your camp while its weak and I'll make sure to get her first. Nothing will protect her. You have no power to protect her with. No power. You are weak. I will escape once you die, and I will rip her apart. Piece by piece and I will enjoy every moment of it," Kronos uttered watching the vision with glee.
Percy felt rage bubbling up. Rage at everything. The ignorance of the gods. Rage at Kronos. Rage at his weakness. Rage at Luke. Rage at Olympus. Rage at his imprisonment. A burning hot feeling originated from his gut and with a scream he dropped to his knees. The burning sensation spread and he let it swallow him whole. Once the feeling swept past him, he stood up and stared at Akhyls unflinching at her glare. His eyes turned dark, resembling stormy waters. The ocean at its worst. The poison shot towards him. Percy snarled dangerously and willed the poison to stop in its tracks. After all, poison is a form of water. He brought it to him and made it circle around him making him look downright demonic. Akhyls's eyes widened dramatically as she found her weapon turned against her. She scrambled back and pleaded for mercy. Percy let the poison flow toward her and eat away at her flesh.
"There is no mercy for the wicked," he snarled at her as she dissolved into dust.
Kronos remained silent. "Still think I am weak Kronos? I am stronger than you. I always will be because I have something to fight for. Your essence may be inside me but I am always in control," he spoke, his baritone voice finally finding strength. He walked into the darkness with a slight limp and a vow to strengthen himself more.
A year had passed and Percy was looking better. He soon became the single most feared thing in Tartarus and even made a new friend. A sabretooth cat that shifted forms from a small orange kitten to its ferocious counterpart. After Iapetus left Small Bob to him, the cat and Percy grew very close. After a few months of relishing and getting comfortable with his new strength, he knew it was time to return to Olympus. He had long quelled Kronos, taming the spirit inside of him and taking his powers once in a while. Occasionally, Kronos would try his luck and break out but Percy would fight him back and keep him silent for another couple of months. Percy travelled to Hermes's fallen shrine and knelt at the shrine's base. He took his sword and cut himself. He watched the blood drip onto the dirty marble.
"I, Perseus Jackson, pledge my loyalty to Olympus and Olympus only. To serve till death and to protect the fifth age in all its glory. This I swear on the river Styx, "Percy chanted as the golden-red blood fizzled on the shrine and gave off a glow, as Olympus accepted his pledge. He felt himself start to get pulled out of the pit and he pulled Small Bob with him. The kitten shook excited to finally get out of the pit. Percy managed a smile, the only one he had in years, and closed his eyes.
Hermes was doing his usual deliveries when he felt someone spill their blood for him. He stopped short when he realized who that could be. He started to hear Percy chant and he quickly flashed to Olympus. Zeus and Hera were watching the rebuilding of Camp Half-Blood while a peacock and eagle were perched on their thrones. Zeus's eyes flickered to him before dismissing the viewing mist.
"What is it Hermes?" he asked annoyed at the unannounced arrival.
"He is ready, and is swearing his allegiance as we speak," Hermes replied, shivering with anticipation. Zeus's eyes widened before nodding. He threw his Master Bolt down and summoned the council, including Hestia and Hades. Hestia was the first to arrive, walking out of the flames of the original hearth in the form of an eight year old. Aphrodite and Ares flashed onto their thrones. Artemis appeared in a glow of silver light while Apollo arrived in a golden light that nearly blinded everyone in the room. Hades stepped out of the shadows and conjured a seat for himself. Hephaestus appeared on his throne, carrying the smell of metal and soot with him. Athena flashed onto her seat with an owl perched on her shoulder. Demeter poofed into existence spraying grain everywhere. Those present rolled their eyes at her antics. Dionysus flashed into his seat and sipped a can of diet coke while throwing a glare to his father. Finally, Poseidon appeared with mist surrounding him and his throne, his face still holding sadness for his lost son. It had been 30 years and he was sure that his favorite and only son was dead. Once all the gods were settle into their respective seats, Zeus spoke, "Perseus has contacted us through Hermes's fallen shrine. He has taken the oath of loyalty and swore by the Styx so I assume that he has quelled Kronos. All in favor of bringing him out of Tartarus?"
Everyone's eyes bugged out. "How is he alive father? "Athena spoke.
Hades responded quietly but with power seeping out of his words, "Time moves differently in Tartarus, it probably only has been three years to the boy."
Hestia grinned widely, always feeling hope from the demigod. Ares tsked, wishing that the punk had died. Aphrodite hummed thinking of ways to spice up his love life now that her favorite pairing had been broken.
All 14 hands rose in the air after a moment of consideration. The motion was passed. Poseidon let out a sob of joy and waited impatiently for his son to return from Tartarus. "The motion is passed; Perseus Jackson shall be brought back. Be ready we do not know his mental or physical state. Apollo, make sure the boy is treated right away."
Apollo nodded realizing the seriousness of the situation. All 14 gods raised their symbol of powers and chanted to pull Percy out of the pit. A bright light in the middle of the room grew and eventually revealed a 19 year old boy holding a kitten and a bronze sword. His green eyes brightening as he saw his father.
"Hey dad," Perseus spoke before falling to the ground, exhaustion from the past three years catching up to him in the teleport. Apollo picked him up and took him to his temple to heal. Poseidon smiled widely, knowing that Percy would be okay. The Olympians flashed out one by one, each promising to see the boy before he returned to camp.
Apollo looked at the boy in his arms. He was dirty, smelly and worn. His frame was thin with no fat and tons of muscle, he wasn't to the health Apollo would have liked, but that was expected if you came from the pit. He laid the boy to rest on a bed and got to work on him. Fixing bones and healing bruises and cuts and cleaned him in the process. The kitten he brought sat at the foot of the bed, waiting patiently.
A few hours later, Apollo stepped back to smile at his handiwork. The boy was now recognizable to be the son of Poseidon that saved them all. "What is that monstrosity that he calls hair?" He spoke to himself before taking a pair of scissors about to trim it when Aphrodite flashed in, furiously grabbing the scissors. "Uh-Uh Apollo! I get to style him do you understand?" Aphrodite told him off while conjuring a barber seat. They lifted him onto the seat and Aphrodite got to work on his hair. She cut off portions measuring with a comb and gelling his hair as she went. Once she was finished, Perseus now had a spiky cut with a slight Mohawk. A few strands fell onto his face and covered his closed eyes. She gave a good look at him and fitted him into a white shirt, a leather jacket with a few studs and dark skinny jeans with a couple of chains. To complete the look, she hung sunglasses on his shirt and conjured a pair of black and white high tops for him to wear later. Aphrodite squealed and gushed at his outfit, "Doesn't he look gorgeous Apollo?" Before he could reply the cat Percy brought back hissed at Aphrodite. She humphed at the feline before summoning a ball of yarn for it to play with.
Apollo snickered before replying, "A bit on the skinny side but once he recuperates, I think he can be as awesome as me."
"He gives off the bad-boy vibe doesn't he?" Aphrodite cooed at the sleeping boy and kissed him on the cheek. A pink glow settled over him and his features sharpened, he regained a little of his fat, bringing him to a slightly better build.
"You had to give him your blessing? You realize he's going to kill you once he finds out right?"
"Oh well, I had the chance and I took it. He is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous now!" Aphrodite spoke, excited at the prospect of watching girls fall in love with him and screwing with his love life.
Apollo rolled his eyes at her and ushered her out after putting Percy back on the bed, careful not to wake him. The cat followed and curled up against Percy's side.
"Get out. He needs rest." He spoke with finality while pushing her out the doors.
"Alright! Alright! I'm leaving!" Aphrodite huffed while vanishing leaving a pink puff of smoke and perfume wafting in the air.
Apollo turned to go back inside when he felt someone flash behind him.
"For the last time Aphrodi-oh, hey Uncle P," Apollo spoke, to the god.
"Is Aphrodite harassing my sleeping son?" Poseidon asked, with an eyebrow raised.
"She's already gotten her claws on him. Gave him the haircut and the works. Even gave him her blessing."
"That woman…" Poseidon growled, before starting to speak again, "Can I see him?"
"Sure, but he needs rest, he probably won't wake up for days," Apollo replied leading his uncle to Percy's room. Apollo closed the door behind Poseidon, giving him a little privacy and flashed out.
Inside, Poseidon smiled sadly at his son. "The world has changed Percy. I hope you are ready for it, "he said to his little sea prince, kissing his forehead and holding his hand for a few moments. Percy shifted and a soft smile graced his features. Poseidon smiled before vanishing in a sea breeze.