I looked around at the gathered Olympians blankly. Artemis and Apollo had already taken their thrones and grown to their godly heights the moment we flashed into the grandiose meeting room of the gods. It was adorned with silver, gold, and bronze fixtures, paintings depicting the various feats of the gods, no doubt there to make the gods seem as perfect and powerful as possible to keep Zeus' ego in check, adorned the magnificent walls of the room. However, my favorite part of the throne room was the roof. It was a live view of the entire night sky, it could be zoomed in and out on a whim so that the gods could observe any part of the sky that they wanted. Currently it was focused on the section of Ouranos' domain containing the Huntress constellation. My favorite constellation, I looked at the twinkling stars that stood as a tribute to my old friend with a sad smile, "It seems that my thoughts just keep getting more and more depressing," I thought grimly.
I was snapped out of my dark musings by the King of the Gods clearing his throat.
"Perseus?" he asked, "Are you listening boy?" he asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"Sorry my lord, I wasn't," I bluntly sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out his own sigh in return, clearly used to my bluntness and lack of respect.
"Fine then, I shall repeat myself," Zeus said before once again he cleared his throat and began another thundering yet somehow still boring speech, "Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon, you have been called before the gods to answer for the incident that took place just three days ago," the lightning god droned on while running a hand through his beard.
My eyes widened when I registered what he had said, "T-three days!?" I shouted sending all the gods reeling in shock at my sudden outburst, "I've been asleep for three days!?"
"Yes child, it has been a total of seventy-two hours since the attack at Camp Half-Blood," Zeus told me, his voice actually sinking to a low rumble and his eyes filling with something resembling pity, "And Olympus is very sorry for your loss child." That's what truly struck home, Zeus, who had always hated me, felt pity and was even being kind to me. It made everything so much more real… it made her death so much more real. I glanced around with grief filled eyes only to make contact with an equally distraught pair of gray orbs towering above me in a throne just two seats away from Zeus. I dropped to my knees making many of the Olympian's eyes widen in shock at what they thought was a sign of respect from me, the rebellious son of Poseidon they have known for years.
I bowed before the wisdom goddess with my head hung in shame, "Lady Athena," I began my voice quivering slightly, "I-I am so sorry, I couldn't save her, it's all my fault," I choked out as my salty tears began to pool in my eyes before rolling down my face and dropping to the marble floor quietly. I vaguely heard my father shuffle in his throne as he attempted to rise in an attempt to reach me. However, he was quickly stopped by Hades, who knew as well as I did that this was between me and Athena. I was so lost in my angst ridden storm of thoughts that I hadn't even noticed the presence of the gray eyed goddess until she already had me wrapped in her arms.
"D-don't you dare blame yourself you insufferable sea spawn," the sobbing goddess growled, "She would never blame you and would never forgive me if I did so you shut up right now," she cried.
Needless to say I was shocked. Athena, the mortal enemy of my father, was crying right along with me. And I was most definitely was not the only shocked one in the throne room of the gods. Both Apollo and Hermes looked like they were about to fall out of their throne according to those ridiculous expressions on their faces, Dionysus watched open-mouthed as diet coke dribbled out of his mouth onto his leopard print shirt, and my father and Zeus looked as if their brains were malfunctioning. A few moments passed in these varying positions before Athena rose and for what I think is the first time and possibly the last Athena gave me a small watery smile before returning to her throne. Zeus' grip on his Master Bolt once his daughter was securely back in her seat though he still looked as if he was about to have a minor stroke.
"Now then…" Zeus began firmly, shaking his head to rid his mind of any stray thoughts, "I know this may be difficult for your child however we need you to tell us everything that happened, whatever you know.
I similarly shook my head, not quite over the shock of being embraced by the teary eyed wisdom goddess, and then I told the council the entire story, everything I knew. Even about the newest bit of information I gained from my dream. By the end of it all the faces of every god and goddess were either filled with tears and pity or were overrun with anger at the death of the love of my life and the sound of my broken voice. Aphrodite actually had to leave the room, it was later that she said that the death of a love so strong had rocked the very foundation of her domain and that the heartbroken feelings coming off of me in waves were so strong that her domain was physically making her ill. Athena was openly sobbing when I told my audience in a cracked, emotion filled, voice about the fate of Annabeth's soul. Overall my earlier premonition was correct, this sucks. I hated the pity filled stares, I hated their sad faces, I hated the many tears and the angry curses said under breath, it was selfish yet I hated them all. They ripped open the scars of my sadness and poured salt into my wounds. I hated it.
"I see," Zeus spoke after about fifteen minutes of silence, "Be assured Perseus, we will find whoever has committed this vile act against Olympus, no," he began correcting himself forcefully making everyone look up at the king of the gods with wide eyes as he began to raise his voice, "No, we will find those who have committed this vile act against our family!" His voice echoed throughout the hall, a Zeus no one had seen for many centuries began to take his place as he shouted his declaration of war, "We will make them pay I swear it!" he roared as lightning rocketed out across the skies above and below, responding to their master's anger. Everyone in the room looked at Zeus in shock as the usually prideful god truly became the leader he claimed to be. What brought on this change in personality he would never say, however, everyone in the room knew who they truly had to thank. Seeing the hero of Olympus, who had saved them all time and time again so broken and weak had lit a flame in them all, even the arrogant Zeus.
All gods in the room had the same thought in that moment, "Is there nothing this boy cannot do?"
Artemis' POV
"Though he is sad and broken, this boy is still reshaping Olympus itself for the better. He really is something else, for a boy anyway, Artemis thought as a small smile broke out across her face.
Percy's POV
Even I smiled a bit when Zeus started acting like the King he was supposed to be. However, I was slightly shocked when he turned to me after the ending of his speech. "Perseus, you have aided Olympus countless times and, though it pains me to say this to a son of my brother, we owe you much," he said. "So for this one time only I will offer you any wish you may have and, if it is within the Olympians' power, it shall be done," the god told me. Needless to say, I was shocked. Zeus hated me and here he was offering me anything I wanted. It took me a few moments before I could even find the words to respond.
"Lord Zeus, thank you, however I don't think I've done anything deserving of a wish," I explained hesitantly, for once hoping not to offend the god in front of me.
"Silence Perseus," Zeus said quickly, not even giving me a chance to answer, "You have done more for the gods than we can ever repay, the least we can do is one wish," Zeus replied with an air of finality and even a rare smile that shocked me more than a strike from the master bolt. "Now wish away," he demanded with his tanned arms crossed against his chest.
I thought for a good ten minutes before deciding, "I could have almost anything I want, even godhood," I thought, "But that would mean staying on Olympus forever, there are too many memories of her here,"
It took me a few moments to decide how to exactly word my request before I just went and said it, "I wish… to leave," I simply said looking up at the surprised faces of the gods surrounding me.
"My son, whatever do you mean?" my father asked worriedly, fearing for my mental state most likely.
"I want to leave, I want to be able to come and go from the world of the gods as I please," I began, "What I mean is, I want to be able to disappear," I pleaded. "I want to become a ghost, a story, I want the opportunity to track down Annabeth's killer on my own," I growled with fury at the mere thought of her death.
"Perseus, we beg you to reconsider, let Olympus aid you in the hu-" Zeus began only to be interrupted by me (Wow interrupting Zeus, I must really feel like being electrocuted today).
"I'm sorry Lord Zeus, but this my wish, I need to do this on my own," I finished leaving no room for argument, not even for a god.
Many of the gods seemed to slump in their seats and my father seemed to be at a loss for words, "As you wish demigod, so tell us, what exactly are the specifics of this wish?" Zeus asked.
"It is fairly simple," I explained, "I need the ability to be near impossible to track, even for gods, I will also need partial immortality in you would be willing to grant it as I have no idea how long this mission may take, it is as simple as that," I finished.
Zeus seemed a bit taken aback when I asked to be untraceable, I suppose it was a bit of that old paranoia seeping back in though he still managed to grimace through it and nod, "As you wish Perseus," he sighed, giving up on changing my mind. So, on his command, every Olympian in the room stood ready to grant my wish. Though, the gods I was closer with like Hades, Artemis, Hermes, Apollo, and my father did so rather unhappily. The gods began to chant in an ancient language older than Greek, Latin, or really anything I'd ever heard before. Out of their symbols of power silver energy flowed into my body. Now I expected to collapse from all the energy flowing through my veins, and apparently the gods did as well considering their surprised expressions when I stood tall through it all. As soon as it was over I instantly noticed a slightly silver-gold aura surrounding me proving my partial immortality.
"Your request has been granted demigod, we wish you luck on your journey and before you take your leave please take this," Zeus said before his palm glowed with golden light until that light shaped itself into a small orb in the palm of the giant sky gods hand. The light made its way toward me, floating out of Zeus' hand and into mine.
"This is a private direct link to any god on Olympus and, much like you, it is untraceable," he told me as the light began fading away until a small crystal the size of a rubber bouncy ball was left.
"T-thank you Lord Zeus," I replied with shock and bowed my head equally shocking them with the rare sign of respect.
"Think nothing of it young demigod, good luck on your journey," he nodded with a smile that almost looked… proud, before he and Hera disappeared in a flash of lightning. However, it seems that Zeus was not the only one with a parting gift as a few more gods shrunk after their king had left and walked over to meet me. First up was Aphrodite who had returned just moments ago. She stood in front of me with red rimmed eyes, their kaleidoscope colors somewhat deluded with sadness.
She snapped her fingers and in her hands appeared a midnight black cloak with silver stitching around the edges and on the hood of the cloak was a tiny, barely noticeable silver dove, "This cloak has several powerful enchantments on it," she began slowly. "It will repair itself if any damage is done to it though that won't be easy considering that this cloak is bullet proof as well as slightly magic proof," she explained shakily, still not acting like herself, "Also the hood will shroud your face in shadows that cannot be pierced by any light."
"Thank you Aphrodite, you have no idea how much I appreciate this," I thanked her graciously. She merely nodded forlornly and began trudging off.
"Aphrodite," I called out the sickly looking goddess. She turned to look at me, surprised to be stopped. "Please, don't blame yourself, and thank you for bringing us together even if you made it difficult at times," I smiled sincerely. Her eyes widened for an instant before some of the many colors in them became a bit more vibrant, and with her own small grateful smile she flashed away. The next god to greet me was Hades.
"Jackson, you were a friend to Bianca and you've been an asset to Nico as well as myself," Hades said begrudgingly. "I myself also owe you for bringing respect to the house of Hades and for returning me my throne."
"It was nothi-" he interrupted me with a raised palm and a glare.
"Silence boy, you are one of the few demigods that are not my own children that I actually care for, so my gift is to give you the ability to hide yourself in shadows as well as to mute the sounds of your own movements and even breathing, effectively making you a true ghost as you wanted," he finished while blasting dark energy into my chest sending me stumbling backwards before disappearing into a cyclone of shadows with only a barely noticeable grimace. My father was the third god to approach me. He gripped me by the shoulders and looked me over before pulling me into a bone crushing hug.
"My son, I am so sorry for your loss, I would have been proud the have Annabeth as my daughter in law," he whispered pulling me closer as I fought the damn of tears threatening to break once again. He was just the same as I remembered. The same black hair, out matching sea green eyes, a fisherman's tan with a Hawaiian shirt and smile lines. I took solace in knowing that though my entire world had been turned on its head that some things, some remnants of my old life, were still the same.
He pulled away sadly, still holding me by the shoulders he said, "Perseus you are my son, my family, and as such my gift to you is this," he pulled one large tanned hand off of my shoulder and with a whoosh of my father's famous sea breeze a small bottle appeared in his hand. "This is extremely rare blessed water purified by Pontus himself," he told me making my eyes widen drastically at the mention of the primordial, "It has the power to heal virtually any wound, as long as the person's soul is still in their body, this gift is far too late but if you ever have a person who means just as much to you as she did, then I want you to have the opportunity to save them." Without a word I basically tackled the sea god, my arms wrapping around him with strength that I didn't even know I had, I swear I heard his spine popping as he let out a strangled laugh and returned the embrace. He smiled kindly at me nodding and disappearing into thin air.
"Thank you father," I whispered while clutching the small flask tightly. Apollo and Hermes both came next. Apollo gave me a set of keys and wink only telling me that I'll see what they're for when I get to the parking lot. Hermes handed me a black credit card with a winged sandal adorning the front, he explained that it was connected to a private Olympian account set up by him and Apollo that would give me unlimited mortal cash and a large supply of drachmas as well. I thanked them both but they just waved me off telling me that it was the least they could do for their favorite cousin and pat me on the back before disappearing. I will say that the last goddess left did surprise me, Artemis. She looked at me neutrally. The seconds ticked by slowly 1…2…3… and then she held out her hand. My sea green eyes sparkled with surprise at the actions of the man hating goddess. I looked at hesitantly while she just stared back with eyes as strong and solid as steel until I reached out and shook it.
"Perseus you were a friend to Zoe and still are an ally to my hunters and for that I will give you this," she said a soft smile slowly growing across her face. There was a silver flash of light and in her hand a silver compass appeared, "This compass will always point towards my hunt, if you ever find yourself needing sanctuary then find us, you will always have a place there." She smiled at me once and her eyes seemed to shine, "Please be safe Percy, you are incredibly important," her form shimmered before disappearing completely. I stared around the throne room with a grimace, the throne room that she rebuilt.
My fists clenched to the point of drawing blood, "Annabeth I swear I will avenge you," I whispered to myself. Artemis' smile flashed briefly through my mind, "And maybe, just maybe, I won't have to be completely alone like I thought." I smiled at that. With a determined expression I began my trek down the home of the gods, the entire time thinking, "If you have answers then I'm coming to find you," the only answer I received was a gust of icy wind blowing towards the north.