(So who's a dumbo that can't count, me! So bear with me, I didn't count the Olympians right so it'll say that he only faced eleven but really he did all twelve, but I'm stupid and miscounted! Sorry it took me FOREVER TO UPLOAD! I've just been soooo busy and haven't time to sit down and right, which is sad because you guys know I love doing that, so I made this chapter extra special and hope you guys enjoy it. OH WAIT! Thanks so much for all the reviews and alerts and favorites I get, you guys keep me going )
Perseus
The King felt his hand slip on his grip around Riptide. His opponent was advancing on him with fierce and fluent skills of sword mastery. Ares was not to fight Perseus, himself, but to send one of the most prolific sword masters of all time to defeat him. The war god had given no warning as to whom it would be... The great master was none of other than Achilles himself. The dark-haired hero, much like himself, teased him, tested him and drove the younger man to the edge of his wits. The son of Thetis seemed to drag the battle on for hours.
When Perseus was about to surrender, Achilles would pull back, allowing the mortal King to breathe. "Young king, you do not use the gift." He sauntered around him, practically leaping with energy the High King no longer had.
"What gift?" The King asked, slowly blocking a jab from the great hero. Achilles smiled and pulled his sword back.
"Well, firstly, get yourself in order, man! War is upon you! Your men are falling dead at your feet, and what do you do? Give up? Throw in your spear? Do you think you can quit because you are tired? Neigh, I say to you! King Perseus, you who has fought in the most awesome and epic battles, how can you compare yourself to this? You may be tired and weary of your great trials and tribulations of today, but you cannot ever give up!" He crushed his sword against the rock beneath him.
Perseus listened to Achilles words with intent. What the great hero said was true, but the meaning of Ares's test still remained unclear to him. He could not think on defeat at the moment. He was only on the eighth god, but he could not arm victory. "But, my great lord, you have had three long years to rest up for my battle with you." Achilles laughed at the young king's words.
"I've had a lifetime of training for my battle with you. I've heard stories about you, King Perseus. Your skill is said to be comparable to mine. Rumors, is what I thought essentially, but I can see it in your eyes you are more. You have the power to surpass me, Perseus. You have everything you need, but you need to get it up in your mind." He pressed his hand to his forehead.
"Why is it that every time I go to fight one of the gods, my skill never shows itself to me?" He added a frustrated sigh at the end of his words. Achilles laughed at Perseus's desperation.
"Never give into the heat of battle, Perseus. Courage!" He shouted and raised his sword and ran at the King with fierce speed. Perseus breathed in and prepared himself for the impact of the great hero. He brought his sword up and blocked quickly, Achilles gave him a knowing smile and brandished his sword once more.
Man to man, the demigods fought with extraordinary ability. Achilles speed and wit was undeniably, brilliant. But the King's skill was comparable to the great hero's. The chosen son of the gods had been right; Perseus was amazing with a sword in his hand. He blocked everything that Achilles threw at him. He managed to make the hero follow him around the cavern, eventually backing him up to the edge of the gorge. The great hero looked behind his back, seeing rocks crumble to the darkness below.
Startled by the King's quick-witted ability to maneuver him to his death, Achilles smiled at King Perseus. "I'm surprised, Perseus. I thought you had given up." Perseus gave a wry smile to the man.
"Honor to you, my lord, but I never will give into the heat of battle until my heart stops beating." Achilles gave the High King a proud smile.
"Spoken as a true hero, Perseus. Now, if you'll excuse my rudeness, I must be going to feast over victory." Perhaps the greatest hero of all time raised his sword to Perseus in a soldier's salute. "Till our hearts stop beating, my dear friend." Perseus smiled and raised his own sword in confirmation. Achilles slid his sword home into the scabbard and walked with boldness out of the cavern. He didn't give a last glance back to Perseus. For he was the type of man to never regret his actions and it was for that reason that Perseus honored him above all men.
The eighth god. Three more to face and he would be home to Annabeth. He felt like he could fly to her, but he couldn't. He was trapped in this gods forsaken cavern until they released him of the trials. He wanted to do away with the labors, but they held him close. He could not stand the slow, sinking seconds between each one. The young king wanted to be done, like any young man; he was impatient and wanting to learn.
Warmness trickled into his heart and a great wave of love circled around his heart for his home city, Argos. He missed the bustling streets, the beautiful ocean that surrounded it, and the great people that served him. His home was where he wanted to be now more than anything. A soft, flickering light appeared. A young woman was brought forth from the light. A soft, gentle flame circled around her feet. Her subtle, but vibrant appearance made her a beautiful woman. She gave him a light smile. Her long, crazed reddish hair was laid across her back like a blanket.
King Perseus bowed before her. "Queen Hestia, I am honored to receive your test." The young woman's full lips turned upward in a warm smile.
"Dear Perseus, how I have missed the days when you were a boy. I remember you used to play along the shoreline of the great Mediterranean. Charles and you would race ponies along your father's domain, but all this happened at your dear home, Perseus. Can you begin to guess what my test may be?" The King was clueless as to what the goddess's test would be. She had always made Perseus puzzled. Her power lasted to the life of one. The home. Home was where the heart of every being was planted, where they were brought into the world.
Family, love, death and birth all happened at the home. The home was where all life circled. It was there that Perseus was at peace. He always felt at home with Annabeth. Her body contouring perfectly to fit his, that's where he found his peace of mind; his home was with her. But as to what the goddess had in store for him, the King had naught a clue. He made a point to look un-phased by her question.
"Dear goddess, I'm sure your trial is as powerful and fierce as all the other gods." The Queen of the home smiled kindly at the King.
"Do you understand what peace means, dear Perseus?" The son of Poseidon hesitated for a moment.
"My lady, I always thought peace was where we are felt loved and included. Where man and spirit are fully at rest and combined." She smiled widely. She clasped her hands behind her back. Her gentle eyes were smoldering lightly in the dull light of the cavern.
"You show much knowledge for the age of yourself, young king. Tell me more." The High King thought over his words for a minute. He gathered Hestia's test was not like the other god's own trials. Hers was simple, but it meant everything. Say the wrong word and, alas, he would fail.
"My mother always told me, my queen and goddess, that peace is found in the hearts of the men who strive for the happiness of others. Whom can find the quiet reverie of the world, away from all corrupt war and retribution and still give back the world their mind and soul. And yet…still never abandon their friends and lovers. To never forget the past and gore that they have faced." Hestia's wide and calm eyes settled on his.
"And tell me, Perseus, why do you not follow your own mother's virtue?" Perseus removed his gaze from her. Her well-focused eyes made it hard to look into. Her eyes seemed to see into the depths of his tarnished soul, sense his guilt, and yet, see the pure good and resolve inside of him.
"I don't know, my goddess. I have naught found why, but my anger controls me. It grabs hold of my life and takes me to another place where I blindly kill anyone in my path."
"You have your father accountable to that, but Perseus, peace is found in anger."
"With all due respect, my lady queen, but is all this mingle necessary? Where is my trial, my fight?" Hestia studied him once more with curious and unselfish eyes.
"Perseus, do not think of this as a test, but as a lesson. I wish to see you at your home, but with a new outlook onto your realm." Perseus's eyes flooded with tears as the goddess's kindness.
"Goddess…thank you…" He murmured to her. He wept at her feet, kissing her clean and soft feet.
"But first," her voice demanded authority, "you must prove yourself to me, my dear." The High King nodded and looked up to her.
"My lady, I swear by your name to honor your wish of peace."
"First, my dear Percy, you must learn your lesson. Peace, as I was saying, is used in your anger. You must use the quiet focus it offers, and bend it to your righteous will. If you use peace to your advantage, it will grant you much power. Seek the quiet peace in your soul, forgive those who have wronged you and unleash the fire." Her eyes flamed as her last words tumbled from her tongue. "The anger."
Perseus's skin tingled as her words drove themselves into his soul. He shuddered at her fierce, unmerciful gaze. Her eyes seemed to ignite with a flaming hatred for evil. "To find the peace of yourself, Perseus. You must journey home to find those evils and find the peace of yourself. If you do not listen to the words I have spoken to you of, you will…in fact, Perseus, fall and your kingdom will as well."
The King bent onto one knee and took her hand and kissed the air above it. "I promise, my lady, to carry out your wishes. You will be honored in my kingdom, every man, woman and child will know of your good graces. Thank you, my lady." The goddess seemed so intent on the King. She smiled lightly.
"Perseus, don't forget your home. Keep the peace in your heart." She raised her chin and showed her regal attitude. Her queenliness radiated and her gentle brown eyes glimmered with greatness. Perseus nodded to her request. She picked up her flaming dress and turned around, her long, fiery locks bouncing against her back. She pushed against the rock of the cavern. Light poured from the hole, Argos shined brightly beneath the gaping hole.
High King Perseus pressed his hand against the rock. The fresh air breathed onto his face. It all seemed so far away. "Because it is, Perseus." He looked back and the next god stepped forward. A beautiful woman with long, silvery, golden hair looked at him. She stepped up the shadows, beside her strode a large white wolf. She laid a soft hand onto the massive beast's head.
"Sovereign Queen, excuse my rudeness." He bowed to her feet. She bid him rise, but her eyes studied him with lack of interest. Her face was full of youth and her skin was soft like a new babe's bottom. The soft, silvery glow that glowed around her showed her divinity and strength. But it was the goddess eyes that truly got into the mind of the man. Her midnight, blue eyes shimmered like two beautiful, bottomless pools.
"It will be excused for now, young king. But the time has come for your tenth test. Do you wish to flatter me? Or see your earthly city or Argos?" The goddess walked around him, her dark eyes scanning him like a tiger. She was stalking him, sizing him up. Her eyes were that of a predator's, she was smart and willing to pounce whenever she saw opportune.
"By all means, my lady, give me my test. I only want to return home to my humble kingdom." She smiled brightly.
"I have never had reason to dislike you, Perseus. Therefore, I want to see you succeed. I have never had much respect for the man, but you are different, Perseus. You have taken good care of Thalia, made her rise up in your kingdom. You formed her into a powerful, young woman. I am glad. So, I want to see you win. My task is not simple, but it is not the most difficult you have faced." She pulled a silver-tipped arrow from her quiver. She ran her fingers down the long, rose-wooded arrow. The beautiful tip had a tiny silvery dear engraved into it. She handed it to the young king.
"Send my arrow to the heart of that rock." She pointed to a rock that hung above on the high-arched ceiling of the cavern. It was an almost impossible shot. The King lacked of an archery skill. He had always found it marvelous to watch, but his aim and strength of the bow were definitely not his talent.
Artemis handed King Perseus her arrow. It felt light like air and as unbreakable as the bonds of iron and steel. She held out her own bow to the young king. The bow, itself, was a beautiful piece of weaponry. It was the same rose-wood as the arrow, but it shined brightly like moonlight. He gently ran his fingers across the long piece of wood.
"Dear Artemis, I have no strength of the arrow. Is there anything you could offer me? To, perhaps, aid my unguided hand?" The goddess smiled lightly.
"Believe in the target." Perseus furrowed his brow. What kind of aid was that?
"My goddess… W-what exactly does that mean?" Artemis's laugh echoed off the empty walls of the cavern.
"It simply means what it is, Perseus. Believe in your target. It will not move or break. It will not fool you or perceive you. It is your aim of yourself. It can either come to you, or be pushed away. But, if you chose to believe in it, you will succeed." She gave him a bright smile. "You have proved yourself worthy many a time, Perseus, why stop now?" She raised an eyebrow with a sly smile on her face.
The goddess's words gradually sunk in. Perseus knew what she was speaking of. In a way, it was as easy as writing one's own name, but as difficult and tedious as moving a mountain. The son of Poseidon took up the bow and adjusted the cloth string that hung between the two pieces of wood. He looked up at the long rock that hung high above him. You are the chosen one… Believe in the target, Perseus… You almost have to have love in your heart to succeed… Thoughts circled around his head as he focused on the rock. He took aim at the rock, and as he did a beautiful voice whispered into his mind. I love you, Percy. It was Annabeth. Her love gave him power. It became so clear at that moment; it was she who gave him power. It was she, who gave him the light in the darkness. It was all her doing to make him live. It was in her quiet, sweet ways that he carried on.
In one single, quick shot, the great King shot the arrow right in the center of the unreachable rock. He turned to the goddess who gave him a knowing smile. "My lady, I thank you once more for the honor." He handed her back her precious bow.
"I knew you would succeed. You only have eleven and twelve left, young king. I wish you good luck on your hunt, Perseus. I have a feeling; you will go way past the average mark." She gave him one last smile before she leaped up onto the giant wolf, and then ran off into a distant corner of the cave.
So, it had been luck that had been with him. It had been Annabeth, his ever beautiful and brilliant queen. He smiled to himself. One more god and he would be home to her. Besides, how difficult could they be? Almost as if by answer, the walls of the cavern broke. The large rock walls came crumbling down to the ground like some forgotten empire. As the cavern fell away, Perseus realized he stood upon a large, grassy hill. Below him lay Argos, his home and beloved kingdom. He looked to the young woman that sat upon a boulder. She had long, curly hair that was braided tightly to her back. A strong intelligent, power circled in her eyes and a terrible premonition settled in the King's stomach as he watched her.
As the last goddess turned to face him, the last slip of victory and hope slipped away. Her defined, grey eyes were as fierce as her daughter's and her unavoidable gaze made the strongest man shiver. She could strike fear into the greatest of all gladiators, for her stature and purposeful walk made her queen of all lands. She was Athena, goddess of Wisdom.
"King Perseus of the House of Jackson, you have passed all the sister tests of my family. What you thought was difficult then shall not even begin to surmount my own test. If you should think you should succeed, you will not. If you succeed, it is because I allowed you to pass." Her hands clasped behind her back and she began to walk in a circle around him. "You do have a soldier's form and your heart beats wildly. Why do you fear me?" She asked with a hint of a smile.
Fear seemed to breathe heavily down onto the King's spine. "Queen Athena, good and righteous woman, I fear you because you are my last goddess. You are my last barrier blocking me from home. I only ask to pass and see my family. If I lose to you, I will in fact never return home to see my family." Athena drew her face into a smirk.
"To see my daughter." Her words were not raised nor accusatory, but they carried warning and a deathly threat. But Perseus, young and noble as he was, stepped defiantly to her.
"Yes, my lady queen, to see your beautiful, bold daughter. Whom I have loved since I first became of age. I love her with every being in my soul; with everything that I am worth I love her! And, my lady, I would understand if you struck me down at your feet now, but I will not rest till she is in my arms once more."
Both words of ignorance and defiance tumbled from the King's tongue, but the goddess of wisdom didn't seem offended, only amused.
"You truly love the lass, do you, young and arrogant king?"
"Everything inside of me does, lady Athena." Athena looked up towards the sky, sighing deeply. Her grey eyes closed slowly and then reopened again.
"My test will not face you here." She spoke softly. Perseus's eyes widened. His heart beat joyfully as rising hope resurfaced in his abdomen.
"Oh, sweet and prosperous queen, do not fool me; do you play me?" She met his eyes.
"King Perseus, I do not play nor do I jest. I simply tell. My test will come eventually, good man, but not now. The test of my choosing will decide your fate, but for now and your young kingdom, you are free." Athena stated simply, but in her simplicity an unattainable happiness blasted through the King's heart. His breath caught in his throat and life came to a stood still.
"My lady, thank you! With all the great praises on Earth! Thank you! Thank you, dear sweet queen!" He wept and kissed the hem of her dress furiously. Athena scowled and pulled the chemise away from his hands.
"Do not lose your composure, soldier!" she snapped harshly. Her face twisted into a fierce and foreboding glare. "Kings do not weep at any one's feet, even the gods'. Hold yourself to higher standard, man!" She grunted and stood tall. "Now you may see my daughter, Perseus. I give you permission to speak with her, once more." She smiled mischievously and pulled the hem of her dress up, walking down the hill. Perseus watched after her with joyful eyes full of perfect harmony. He knew what he must do.
Annabeth
Emery screams pierced the night. Annabeth sat up next to Nico, who still remained in a deep-set slumber. She smiled at him and touched her husband's strong jaw tenderly, before rising to go get the babe. Annabeth realized with a sudden agonizing stab that it had been one year since the victory over the Urations…a year since the death of the greatest King Greece had ever known. Emery had been born rather smoothly, a horrible, painful night it was, but a beautiful son with the King's wide green eyes had came from her own flesh. His own flesh.
The babe was beautiful. He had a full head of golden curls with the widest eyes that seemed to peer up at the world with wonder and awe. But he always cried. His screams always sorrowful and sullen like he was eternally mourning, but Annabeth worried he was always in pain. Lia had reassured her that was never the babe's case, but only longing for his mother. He did always seem to be more reserved and pacified when Annabeth was with him, but the child was only months old. How could he know the difference between a maid and his mother?
"Oh, sweet Emery, you would have adored your father." she cried. She rubbed gently in methodic circles around the child's head. The babe ceased to cry and began to suckle on his mother's breast. Annabeth winced at the sting of his gums against her, but relaxed soon enough. Her eyes moved across the darkened room and felt a shiver run down her spine. Something would happen today. Something that her intuition told her would be colossal.