Firstly, thank you to Olympus and back for posting corrections. Secondly, I am happy to see that the characters are developed enough for you to hate them so much. And no, I am going to neither discontinue this fan fiction nor give it to someone else to complete.
About the weapon Perseus creates- the diblade: (a) If you know of such a weapon in existence, please direct me to it- I really wish to check it out; (b) If someone can create an image of it so that the other readers can correctly know its construction, please do so and send me a PM informing of it.
Also, about the version of mythology I am using: I repeat that it will be a hybrid id est I will use the version that best suits my needs at the point. For instance, I don't think that any version contains Hephaetus being born first. But I used it for a simple stupid gag about premature birth and immortal deformity. Further, tell me where I can read the 'Fate myth' you mentioned. I would really like to read the special Medusa story.
4. The Immortals' Guide To Useless Things.
Iapetus arrived the very day the children had procured their weapons. For the first day, he asked for a demonstration of their stamina and skills, and he was pleasantly surprised that they weren't nearly as bad as he'd expected.
But that just meant he could go hard on them. He had informed his niece of that and she had agreed, just requesting that he bring them home every evening fit enough to enjoy the time beside the hearth, and not spend making moan of how dangerous and tough their day was. He had wholeheartedly agreed.
So, after the demonstration, Perseus had, with a few inputs from his siblings, narrated the tale of training with their uncle, and the meet with their half-brother (who was actually their cousin, since he was only Hera's, not their father's). He also explained his new powers, and earned himself quite a glare from the adults for owing Hecate something.
The island slept lightly that night. Whether it was because of worry for the next, excitement or due to the wails of their now official slave resonating throughout Delos, was a personal matter. Perseus used his magic to place reminders to one, cut off their prisoner's voice box, and two, create a signal for when he was about to break his oath. He also placed a third reminder to procure information regarding how was he to get immortality if he failed again, since if that happened, he couldn't use the same source again.
And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Artemis was awoken by Helios tormenting her eyes and her mother groaning and cursing the aforementioned Titan for pranking her with Eos' help.
Both immortals gained full consciousness fairly quickly and went about to do their duties: no need for any morning rituals- the perks of immortality.
Leto, after carefully curating breakfast and calling out the males' names for them to wake, resorted to throwing fruits at their sleeping forms to 'politely' unmake the sleeping beauties.
Apollo was the first to get up. "Woah!" He swatted at the fruits, half awake and yelled: "Percy! Mom! There is an attack! Somebody help me!"
Leto aimed one at his abdomen and flung it hard. The breath was knocked out of him and he was fully alert, "Mom!" He gasped, then whined, "Mom...!"
"Stop it, Apollo." Perseus said, pressing himself so hard against the bed it seemed he was trying to fuse with it, "I'm trying to sleep!"
A well placed apple to the back of his head and another to hit his funny bone solved that. His shout of discomfort was enough to get the gods' granduncle to sit up in bed, just as another stream of fruits hit him, "Wh-What?!" He looked around so quickly mortals would worry his head would unscrew from his neck.
Satisfied with a job well done, Leto simply smirked at the three and left. She knew her uncle: being the Piercer did not mean you could get angry at your niece, and she had spent enough time with Krios and him in the Golden Age to know how to take advantage of that: she hasn't always been one for Demure.
She met her daughter on the way to the kitchen and told her of the incident as they looked around for work to do.
And they found none! Every part of their glorified shack was clean, organised and decorated even. The floor was being cleaned in their wake, Artemis noticed, and immediately thought of Percy's magic. She informed her mother of this and they both went to him to confirm the goddess' theory.
They found him laying across his bed, with his feet propped up against the wall, staring into infinity.
"Perseus, did you do this?" Leto did not trifle time.
"What?... Oh. Yes."
"Do what?" Apollo inquired.
"Enchanted the house to clean itself and placed decorations. The clothes are all done, as are all the dishes." Leto replied.
"How," Artemis asked, "are you able to perform so many spells. Most of which I know must be complex."
"All because of Rhea. To make me immortal, she converted me into mom's demigod first and then Zeus' child. So my skills in the once mortal blessing were squared twice."
"Still doesn't explain how are you not drained." Iapetus said, "Many skillful mages would require a large period to recuperate from that high an energy loss."
"About that... Are you feeling dizzy or something?"
"Why you!" Iapetus lunged at the god, and failed in his leap to face-plant directly into a lily decoration.
"Yeah... He won't be demonstrating to-day." Perseus yawned.
"But he's a full grown Titan, one of the First Dozen! How much energy did the spell require?" Artemis queried.
"That and half my energy, which was, in fact, all I could spend without becoming like that." He pointed at the fallen Titan, "So I thought, who here needs the least energy output: who is the big badass Titan warrior? Besides mom, of course." He helped the the Titan in question to his cot.
"Flattery can get you nowhere expect nearer a sinner, Percy."
"I know, Arty. But that title contains every breathing person, don't you think? Provided you have the know-how, you can flatter anyone... except the unflatterable."
"You do realise that that is a tautology, right?"
"Of course he does, Leto. I distinctly remember you saying something very similar to Phoebe on Kronos' coronation. He is your teenage Form. Except physical and immortal elements."
"If I were Apollo, I'd say 'Duh!', Mister Titan: I am my mom's demigod first."
"Don't let it get so visible, Perseus." The Titan chided.
"What're you talking about?"
"Your eternal flaw: loyalty."
"Eternal flaw?" The god whirled towards his mother, "What is that?"
But before she could reply, her uncle did, "Your eternal flaw is what makes you weak. Every immortal has one. Some of us are blessed with more than one. It is roughly equivalent to a hero's fatal flaw." He explained, "Yours is loyalty. And that is very easy to exploit. So I advise you to hide it well, and not flaunt it in front of enemies.
"Though now that I think about it, that may have been what the sea spawn must have thought: making you fall by injuring those nearest to you. Further reason why you must curb it."
"Yes, Perseus. While I love that you care so much, I wish for you to be safe: Chaos knows what you'd do if one of us was in grave danger."
"Yes mom, Iapetus, I will try to control it."
"You cannot. That is the Fates' decree. You must learn to plot and plan with a calm mind, instead of jumping at the enemy, letting them know your weakness."
"I will try my best to avoid that."
"Now, isn't it time for your training, Perseus?" Leto said.
"Yes. It is." He waved his hand and muttered under his breath, and a second later, he spoke audibly, "There you go, gramps- can I call you gramps?" a nod, "- There's your energy."
As soon as he said that, a soft glow was emitted by his grandfather's body.
"Wow! Perseus, how did you manage this? I am at my best now! This was more than what I was missing! Where'd you get it? What was the source?"
As if in response, the eldest triplet fell to his knees and only by putting his hands in front of himself did he manage to not arrange a meet of his face with the ground.
"Perseus!" Leto rushed to help her son up, but before she could move, he put a hand up to stop her and pushed himself up, leaning against a wall.
"I think I'm good now. So, Iapetus, when do we start? And don't you dare start the 'As soon as you're functionable.' business: it won't in forever suit you."
"I won't. However, she can and will." He barely managed to complete before Leto started berating her first born about his recklessness and commanding him to rest until he recovered.
"No, mom. I cannot rest. We can't delay any further in our training. I wish to have at least a few months of peace with you."
"But you are in no state to fight or even practise!"
"I am not. Iapetus, would you please start their training now? I will join you guys in an hour: I need to recuperate."
"Gladly. Though I wish you would be there to control Apollo's ADD."
"Get the brat and Artemis an archery range for now. Close combat requires me to keep him focused."
"As you say," and Iapetus left the room.
"Now, you TAKE SOME REST!"
"'Kay, mom. Calm down. Keep that sound level up and you might wake up Kronos!" He plunged, or rather fell, into his bed face first, "Also, do not worry so much, I had conserved energy since my time at Hephaestus', so it will be quite quick to regenerate..." he said as his mother left, and muttered, "only painful." When she was gone.
It was good, in a way, that the pain level was so high, or else he'd've had a hard time silencing his screams. As it was, the agony was too great to allow his bodily instinct to cry out for help.
The good side was that it decreased quickly, and so he was able to leave the bed in a half hour. Milling around the house for about a quarter hour more and he was ready to train.
By the time Perseus was out of the house, the makeshift archery range resembled an acupuncturist's masterpiece: equally spaced arrows covered every patch of wood and each stood perpendicular to the surface. He quickly called them to him and instructed the archers to get their secondary weapons.
Artemis brought out her knives while Apollo ran in to get his dagger. Perseus himself took out his new sword and practised a bit while their teacher arrived with Apollo.
"You three are going to spar with me." Iapetus announced, "Now, give me an order."
"Perseus, Artemis and me."
"I, then Percy and then Apollo."
"Youngest to eldest."
"Hmm...," he thought for a while, "The winner is: Perseus, then Apollo and finally Artemis."
The sibling just stared at him in confusion. Perseus spoke first, "If you wish to reject all of ours, so be it."
"So then, get into your stance and tell me when you're ready." He ran into the center of the clearing and took up a totally unknown position and posture.
Perseus followed him there. He crouched a bit and rested his weight on his toes, intending to use speed again at the Titan and not the firm-footed strength stance. He brought his sword up and switched its grip a few times to get comfortable.
Suddenly, Iapetus charged. Perseus sidestepped his raging bull form and turned to deliver a blow to his back, but the heavy Titan was faster than he had perceived. Iapetus had charged without any intention to land a direct blow, and instead swung his sword to hit the back of the god's knees with the flat to make him fall.
Perseus jumped with all he had and managed to receive the blow on his right calf. Stunning, sure, but not immobilising. He swung at his granduncle's non-sword arm only to be blocked and thrown off. He stumbled while moving backwards, but not enough for Iapetus to take advantage of. Each charged the other and they met in a flurry of slashes and blows, each either parried by the younger one or thrown onto the source by the bulkier.
Perseus managed to get his teacher to swipe over him while leaving his torso open. He quickly rose from his ducked position and swung at his ribs and twisted his grip at the last second. The hit wasn't as affecting as he'd expected, and what was worse, he was in no position to dodge the next few strikes.
Iapetus soon had his sword locked with his student's and was beginning to press him back and below, but Perseus was resisting hard. The godling was kicking his shin and trying pull his feet in a last ditch effort to save himself, and it wasn't in vain: his opponent was losing control over the lock. Then the strangest win happened.
Iapetus, desperate, pushed his blade against the other till his guard met its edge. He then slid his sword down quickly and hit Perseus' guard with all the force he had, in order to have it push into his hand.
There was a crack, a sound not usually heard in swordplay, and Perseus' blade fell, followed be the person himself, clutching his arm and squeezing the life out of it to stop the pain from shooting up it and to halt the ichor supply to those pain receptors near his broken bones. He loosened his grip for a second to toss a piece of ambrosia into his mouth, and, still chocking his forearm, looked up at his opponent and said, "Great fight,"
"Not for me, no. I haven't got much to teach you expect grey zone techniques like that one and to train you in speed and strength." He said, "You are dismissed for now."
Apollo couldn't resist it: "You as in plural you, yes?" He said from his seated position near the edge of the jungle.
"On, the contrary, Apollo, I would like to test your skills in a while from now."
He nodded, and then said, "But first, sir, I would like to inquire that why do we need to learn all this if we're gonna receive badass powers and strength and weapons. Seems pretty useless to me to learn about all these things."
"Three words: 'worst case scenario'. Are you satisfied?"
"Yeah..." Apollo said dejectedly.
"And your time is up! Come on. Get up."
He got up and placed himself in front of the other warrior, who whispered a few words to his weapon and had it transform into a dagger.
Apollo waited for the Titan to charge as he'd done with his brother, but he didn't. His face and form betrayed no weakness or opening. Apollo thought of charging him, and almost did it, but at the last minute, thought of fake-charging instead, to startle him into movement.
He charged with all the force of a bull, and about as much grace. But that was good, since he intended to hide his skills. He swung at the taller man's midsection, while at the same time moving his right leg in an arc, in order to make Iapetus lose his balance.
Iapetus though, was expecting this, the godling was too busy planning to notice that his face was displaying all his plans: Iapetus knew enough about face-reading to know that the god was planning a feint. But he went with it, to demonstrate to Apollo his folly, instead of only pointing it out.
As Apollo swung, his opponent just jumped back and grabbed his extended hand and pulled him towards himself. Apollo crashed into his chest and could only let out an "Ow!" before Iapetus threw his dagger out of his hand, picked him up and slammed him onto the ground.
"Why, for Olympus' sake, why?!" Apollo groaned from the ground, throwing his hands around for unnecessary emphasis.
"You need to control your expression. Contingencies are a must. And speed- don't get me started on that!" Iapetus turned to the other two, "I thought Lelantos trained you?"
Artemis replied, "He tried to, yes. In the end, the only ones he trained were me and Perseus."
"His low strength leads me to believe he will have remarkable raw energy in his godly form," Iapetus remarked, "unless he is the unlucky one and doesn't get a seat on the Council, that is."
"NO!" Apollo screamed, horrified.
"No." Perseus said, calmly, "That won't be the case. I am sure, if what I heard from Hephaestus is correct, that Zeus will be most happy to fill the Council with his children."
"To have more influence?" Artemis guessed.
"Yes. If there were fewer of the original Titans, Kronos would've done the same." Iapetus said, "Now, Artemis,"
"Of course," she stood up and walked to him and started assuming her ready stance.
Iapetus looked to Apollo, "By the way, you can go look for herbs for your brother's broken bones, but come back in under four minutes."
"I'll make it under two." And the healer-in-making ran off.
Perseus leaned back against Spruce's tree's trunk, curious to know how his sister would fare.
The two moved around each other like they were binary stars, each trying to read the other's form and searching for attack possibilities.
Then, without a cue, Artemis flung one of her knives at the Titan and lunged at him herself. Her knife he dodged fairly easily, and he parried her other knife with the knife in his right hand. He pushed her away with his arm roughly to create breathing room. She did not stumble, and was on him in an instant.
They exchanged slashes and stabs, but clearly, Iapetus' height and weight were aiding him in that, so Artemis began throwing one knife at him while using the other normally, and resummoning the former back repetitively.
Iapetus was more fully occupied. He had to contently dodge or block one knife while parrying the other. New wasn't getting any chance to retaliate! But he knew Artemis' tactics were short-term. It wouldn't be long before she either burned through her energy, or missed.
It turned out to be the latter. She missed his body by a fist-width, but he turned gracefully, to have it stick into his lower back. He swing around towards her and hit her incoming knife with immense strength, and, using brute force, made it escape her grip. It fell to the ground, and before she could summon it back, he placed a heavy foot on it, simultaneously removing the other of the pair from his back and giving it the same treatment.
"Yield?" He inquired. She nodded, and that was when he allowed himself a gasp to signal the ichor loss, "Nice fight, Artemis." Another nod, "Now, if you'd pass a piece of ambrosia from your brother,"
Artemis went to Apollo and brought the immortal food to her granduncle. As he inhaled the square, she asked him, genuinely curious, "Did I have a chance? Please, the truth."
"Honestly, no. You were going to burn away all your energy soon enough."
"While you're the father of Endurance."
"Yes. However, that tactic was very creative. I would need quite a while to overcome you if you were a full grown god."
"You mean I wouldn't be able to defeat you even on growing up?"
"Of course, Arty," Perseus said, "He's got at least a few centuries on us. Our only hope would be to surprise him and win quickly: not giving him time to adapt."
"Your brother is correct. Surprise tactics only work till the surprise lasts."
Perseus then grinned at her, "You are so losing your bow and quiver! You fared better than me in close combat!"
"No, Perseus. She is made for stealth and range. If I had taken her attacks for a moment and hit her with any force, she'd have gone down faster than one could say 'Tartarus'. So I recommend the younger ones to stick to range and short blades, while you run with swords and heavier weapons."
"Like a morning star?" Apollo asked gleefully, "I've always wanted to see someone wield a morning star!"
"Yes, he can choose that. Or a mace, or an axe, or any of the countless others not aforementioned."
"Alternatively, something for stealth... something of my own design... something both melee and short range."
"Okay, then. But I advise you to procure it as soon as possible, to get maximum use from this training."
"Okay. What now, then?"
"I sense that all three of you are battered, so let's take rest of the day off."
"As are you, Iapetus." The eldest triplet grinned, "But first, I am leaving to get my weapon. Can you flash me?"
"Brace yourself," was all the Titan said before he flashed the god to a Forge.
When Perseus finally returned, it was after missing lunch and almost missing dinner. When he came into the house, he simply washed his hands and sat down for food, not mentioning anything about his trip.
"What happened?" Artemis asked, "Where is it?"
"I'd rather not have it in front of you before I explain everything about it to you."
"So then, explain to us everything about it."
"Is rather not do that before I have my fill." He closed the topic... for only a minute.
Throughout the time he was saying, Perseus' sister kept pestering him about how slowly he ate, and urged him to swallow his food quickly, while he, smirking, took his own sweet time finishing his supper.
After food was finally done, he told the for to gather around the hearth for his showcasing. He told his story of how he used magic to create a design for the forge god to work on.
"Once the basic design was made, I guided him to add some things. I then enchanted it a few times and my weapon was ready.
"Now, the warning. Do not touch it unless I show you how to."
He summoned his weapon into his left hand, "It's called a diblade. 'Cause, you know, the two blades."
"How are you holding it?" Apollo inquired.
It was a curiosity indeed. The diblade consisted of two daggers with a common handle. The guards were both plus-shaped, and each tip of the plus formed a ring, through which Perseus' index and ring fingers were hooked. The end result was that he was holding the weapon parallel to the plane of his hand, so that when he fisted it, the flat of the blade was in his way to punch someone.
"The handle is actually a bunch of needles covered lightly by a leather grip. The only way to wield it is to slip your fingers through the cross-shaped guard in either of two positions: to stab or to slice."
"Good work, Perseus. A unique weapon, and a difficult one to master. What are the enhancements you put on it?"
"The spikes are energy-draining and the guards are super strong. It can be summoned by me from anywhere. I also toughened the blade. So, between magic and Hephaestus, it is, mostly, indestructible."
"Mostly?"
"I didn't waste much energy on strengthening it. It is a stealth weapon. Doesn't need much hardness for that."
"And range?" Asked Leto.
"Yeah. Streamline, balanced and completely throwable."
"Hephaestus must be jealous, brother."
"He tried to trade some automaton for it- Talos, I think."
"The Talos?"
"I hope not. He won't trade it that high."
"No, Perseus, he might have. Imagine having a formerly unknown weapon as your sacred symbol."
"Aren't all mortal weapons based on gods'?" Artemis asked.
"No, godling, there are some exclusive parts for each group."
"Okay!" Apollo yawned, "Now that your talks are over, I need to sleep!"
"Go to bed then. None of us will bother you."
"It's not that! It makes feel like I'm the youngest, and that I'm alone."
"Aw... Apollo needs somebody to sleep him!"
Apollo's head drooped. Perseus turned a steely gaze onto his sister, "It's not nice, Artemis, to tease him for such a natural want. Stop your irrational behavior."
"Natural for mortals, Perseus," Iapetus said, "and he's not one."
"It doesn't matter, Iapetus. If he detests solitude, so be it. Come Apollo, let's go sleep." He stood up and pulled his brother upright, and began towards their room.
"While we have all the grown-up talks," Artemis muttered.
"Artemis," Perseus said in a warning tone, not turning around or slowing, "think of the aftermath before you act."
And the evening and the morning were the second day.
Oh, the aftermath hurt. Emotionally and physically. Artemis hadn't known it would hurt her so much if Percy didn't talk to her and only ever look at her with a disappointed look.
She also hadn't known how much Apollo had been looking out for her. He had been, somehow, bribing every sentient creature of the forest into not bothering her in her daily monster hunts so she wouldn't kill them by mistake or in a fit of rage. And Chaos knew how much she hated killing animals: she would only swat them away while warning them, and hence ended up getting wounded a lot.
Leto tried to get her to apologise, but Perseus stopped her after her fourth attempt, saying that it wouldn't work if she goaded her into doing it.
That had sounded colder to her than it should've. The way he talked about her as if she wasn't there: he had always asked for her thoughts in every matter, and not just for making her feel better. He'd always help her ease into a conversation before this incident.
She'd never thought Percy would take the jab so seriously- never thought he'd protect Apollo so fiercely: he hadn't talked to Iapetus any further than his training! She thought he was only so protective of her. It seemed wrong to her that he'd care equally for his brother too.
Iapetus' teaching was almost done: three days remained till he departed. Leto had already scheduled Selene next, though Artemis didn't know what could the lunar Titaness possibly teach them.
Artemis decided to swallow the bitter spikes of pride and walked to where Perseus was training in the middle of the Clearing: they'd been dismissed for the day, but Perseus had become obsessed with training after that one time Iapetus had berated him for slacking off when he'd been actually helping out his mother in expanding their abode on the island. He was currently practising deadlifts of weights that were enough to break every bone in his immortal body if they were to fall on him from the height of a tree, at least, that was Artemis' closest estimate.
She walked to in front of him, "Perseus, we need to talk."
"No. I don't. Unless we're breaking up before we get into a relationship" He said, knowing well that it would infuriate her.
She controlled her emotions fairly well, "Please... just listen to me for a while."
"No I won't. Even if you make me hear you I won't listen."
"I think my brother should listen to my case at least once."
"I'd think my sister wouldn't resort to such dirty tricks to state her case: forcing me on my oath is very low, Artemis." He glared at her.
"Sorry," she squeaked, suddenly afraid of him: his glare was extremely scary.
"Speak." He commanded.
She drew in a deep breath and spoke, "I apologise for my actions, Perseus. I hadn't known it would wound him so hard. I was stupidly thinking of all the times he's made fun of me.
"It isn't that hard to get furious at him, you know. Not too much to like. It's like he wants you to hate him and plans his day as such. I'm sorry, but I would like it if you'd tell him to allay his bad behavior a bit."
"I would like to, Artemis, but I won't. I want for our family to stay close, and we cannot do that by letting ourselves get distracted by the deficiencies of others. You need to look beyond his irritating side and accept him as your brother, for he is deserving as I am of that title. Besides, your jab could have been ignored if you'd have made it clearly for his sake, or followed it up by a loving gesture."
"Sorry..."
"Now," he lifted her chin to gaze into her soul, "go tell him that you're sorry and I'll help you get reaccepted by him."
Artemis nodded and scurried off in search of her younger brother.
Perseus, true to his word, helped Artemis gain Apollo's forgiveness. The rest of the days passed faster than Helios when chased by Eos' husband Astraeus clearing the way for Selene.
Speaking of Selene, the godlings received the information that she was to teach them the basic of godly magic and immortal life. Artemis was seriously disheartened by this: she was never one for company. Besides, Leto could teach them about that.
Apollo, on the other hand, was overjoyed. This was his thing- this had to be his thing. He needed something to woo Aphrodite, defend himself from Ares and guarantee himself a Council seat. This was that something. He couldn't go through eternity without power.
Though Leto had assured him that Selene was a good idea, Perseus kept doubting the truth of that. He wasn't one to distrust his mother, but he knew for sure she had not been there when a pale look had passed Iapetus' face when the triplets told him that she was their next mentor. There was something wrong with her, of that he was sure: nothing less than a marital matter or a psychopath Titan could draw that expression out of the stoic Piercer.
He was debating the virtue of telling his mother about her uncle's reaction to Selene's name when there was a blinding flash right in his face and the Titaness in question materialised in front of him.
"Now. It is a little too late for complaining about my arrival, isn't it, godling?" She said, staring at him with a look utterly devoid of emotions.
"Yes..." he said cautiously, "Mom! Selene's here!" he called.
Instantly Selene was pinching his cheeks, in a loving but painful gesture, "Oh, youngling. Hasn't your mother taught you how to address your elders. It is 'the Lunar Titaness' or 'Aunty Selene', or, as I'd rather, 'Lady Selene'." Said the Titan of the Moon, in an extremely sweet voice that gave of the feel of hemlock.
And that was when Perseus knew they were doomed.
Please review. I would like to know how my writing feels like at the reading end. PM me the corrections if you feel a review is not worth it.
Summary:
Training with Iapetus.
Iapetus arrives on the island the day the triplets are back with their weapons. A demonstration latter he knows he can go hard on them. When the first day on their training dawns, Perseus is incapacitated for a while due to energy lost in giving his home a magical makeover. After a fight with the Titan of Mortality, Perseus decides he needs another weapon and so is flashed to a Forge. He returns and tells the others about his diblade. A spat occurs between the eldest triplets and is resolved later. After the month of training is over, Perseus reveals that Selene may not be in the appropriate state of mind just as the Titan arrives on Delos.