A/N: Chapter 9 is here. Thanks to all those who Followed/Favorited/Reviewed. Support is always appreciated when you write for fun.

Pairings are now final! Congratulations to Hestia, Annabeth, and Scathach for being voted for above all others. Along with Thalia, they will be involved with Percy as he goes through his new journey. It will take some time to build a few of the relationships I'm sure, but I'll try my best to make them satisfying and semi-believable at the same time, which means that things won't always be smooth sailing.

Reviews:

Nebular Reaper- I'm glad that the chapter was worth the wait. It would be neat-o if writing fanfic was my job and sole responsibility, seeing as how its pretty fun, but alas, I can only try to get chapters out in a timely manner. Thanks for the review and your kind words!

impatientkid- I'm glad my writing had such an effect on at least one person. I don't think there is going to be a main girl and the "side" girls who come second to the main. With the way that Percy is, I picture him as a guy who would do his damnedest to make each girl feel like the main girl. I'll do my best to make sure that each are given their fair share of the love. I don't plan on having Algos have a secondary function other than to just cut and kill. I thought about it, and as fun as the idea sounded of having Percy go Bankai or use a Cero with Algos, I wanted to make it so that he had a distinct disadvantage at range. That way he actually isn't an all around great fighter, making him rely on others from time to time. He'll still be killing fools left and right, but he's already a god-tier close-combat fighter. Adding giant, country leveling ranged attacks just makes him too well-rounded for my taste. Thank you for the kind review!

Kazzaaaaaaa- Welp, here we have it for both of your statements.

Legacy of Olympus- Thank you for your kind words.

dar4452- Thank you for the review!

sirGLOCKsalot- I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!

NONAME2002- I would like to answer that by saying that Crom Cruach, in this story, is more powerful than any single Olympian. He is an ancient god from before their time, and Percy was able to land three killing blows on him, which while not finishing Crom, would have been fatal for most other gods that didn't have the ability that Crom did. (That ability will be explained in the story further along). A roundabout way of answering I know, but still. In other words, Percy can take on any Olympian or Titan, even in their divine form for some time. Should they underestimate him, they will more than likely die, however, no fights are ever set in stone, considering how many factors go into each battle, including the gods domains. For example, a god with control over gravity would have better chances than a god that could control fire for example, considering how distinctive the control of gravity is and how many applications it has. Final answer, he can get to near protogenos-tier in terms of physical attributes, but since he has no cool domain, it really depends on his opponent if he'll even be able to fight for long.

Just Phatom- Well fret not, because Scathach is gonna be there anyway, along with Hestia!

Shigure Toshiro- Thanks for the kind words!

Raceman1234- Thank you for the review!

blurrybenjamin- Romance is a yes, as I said the pairings were finalized this chapter with them being Hestia, Annabeth, Scathach, and Thalia. Lemons are still up in the air. There will more than likely be a slice of lime, but I'll see about the lemons.

spnaph- Yes, finally getting around to the romance! Only 100k words in! I'm glad that you're learning a bit more about the different cultures of the world through my fic! And sassy!Percy will be here to stay for the foreseeable future. I do love writing that persona, especially since I feel Percy has always been sassy. Thanks for the review!

To all the guests- Thanks for your kind words and reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any money off of this work of fanfiction. All rights for the characters in Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus go to Rick Riordan and all who were involved in the creation of the novels.


9. Fulcrum of a Confused Hero


Tartarus… 6 Years Prior…

Percy and Annabeth stared at the massive canyon of red-tinted rock that extended before them. The air was a mix of red and gray, which only got thicker as they looked upward. The "ceiling" to Tartarus couldn't be seen from where they stood now, and both of them wondered just how far it really was from the bottom to the top. That was also ignoring the fact that it felt like they had fallen for days―or perhaps it had been only minutes―and that they had no way of knowing where in Tartarus they were. Certainly, nobody had given them a map prior to their excursion. Hell, Percy wasn't sure that anybody ever even made a map. Most of the inhabitants of Tartarus were monsters, who didn't think too much more than to fill their stomachs with delicious demigod flesh. Some had a semblance of higher IQ, but they too were still just base creatures.

If there were any beings in Tartarus that had thought of making a map, it would have been some of the Titans. Kronos especially came to the forefront of Percy's mind. The Titan King definitely seemed like one who could see the strategic value of carrying around directions in a place so hellish.

"P-Percy… we… we have to get down there…" Annabeth wheezed, her breathing becoming labored as she spoke. Percy too understood what she was suffering. His chest felt tight, like somebody had stuffed his lungs full of pudding. The constricting feeling was overwhelming, and the son of Poseidon was sure that if Annabeth hadn't been there to help push him onward, he would have drowned in the Cocytus as soon as they had landed. It would have been humorous to see on his gravestone―should he get one. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, died drowning.

Percy coughed several times, holding a hand over his mouth as he did. When he pulled it away, he saw the appendage stained red. Tasting the coppery-tint of blood, the demigod wiped his lips with his arm. "Get down… down there? We'll have… to scale the side… of the canyon…"

Annabeth nodded with apprehension in her eyes. It was clear to Percy that she was just as nervous about doing so as he was. Whatever her reasoning, he figured that the daughter of Athena must have had some kind of plan in mind. She wouldn't risk such a dangerous maneuver for nothing. With a look of anxiety crossing his face, Percy took her hand in his. He gave her a firm nod, though his visage was still tainted with consternation at the idea of making their way down such a sheer descent.

"The river… is important?" Percy croaked, his throat felt like he had swallowed a handful of rocks. One look at his girlfriend and he saw that there were more angry red welts growing on her skin. They grew all over his own skin as well―every inch that was exposed to the noxious air of Tartarus at least. There was a rash forming on her face, and her eyes looked bleary and disoriented as if she couldn't get a grip on what was real and what wasn't. Admittedly, he felt the exact same way. He was having a difficult time concentrating on their task, and the longer that they lingered in the tainted air of Tartarus, the more he forgot why he was still fighting in the first place.

The blonde-haired girl nodded once more, her sweaty and disheveled hair bobbing along with her head. "The Phlegethon… come… we'll talk as we go down…"

Percy couldn't recall a river called the Phlegethon or what its significance was, but if Annabeth was risking falling to her death for it he assumed that it was important. He followed her lead as they approached an area that granted them a way to descend into the canyon and down to the riverbed. He swayed a bit on his feet as he stared down at the 80 foot drop down to the ground below them. As a son of Poseidon, it was only natural for him to be apprehensive of being in high places.

Lowering himself against the edge of the cliff, he began the slow climb down. The glassy rock cut into his palms as he put weight on them, and he had to bit his lip from crying out. Before Annabeth could start her own descent he warned her to find a way to cover her hands. She complied and ripped off parts of her shirt, tying the scraps of cloth to give her some protection from the sharp rock.

"Thanks… for the… warning…" Annabeth grunted as she nearly lost her grip on a particularly loose handhold. Percy looked up toward her, and saw that her bad leg was giving her problems while she placed her weight on it. So distracted was he that the demigod slipped on a narrow foothold, leading to more pressure being applied to his hands as he supported his body with only his arms.

"Percy!" Annabeth cried out, seeing that he had nearly fallen to his death.

"I'm okay…" The teen called out, breathing a sigh of relief when his foot found another place. He continued his descent, wiser to his surroundings now that he had almost left the mortal plane. "Do… you think… people that die… down here… stay down… here… in soul form…?"

Annabeth didn't respond for some time, and the son of Poseidon wondered if the subject was too dour to broach at the moment. After all, if one of them did die in Tartarus, the other would more than likely hate to leave their soul down in the worst place for a demigod to stay. Yes, he decided not to ask such morbid questions in the future, knowing full well that it would only lower moral for both of them.

It took some time, but eventually the duo had scaled their way down the sheer cliff face. Percy almost fell down from the sheer exhaustion that spread through his entire form when he reached the ground. He would have too, had the ground not been made of small chips of obsidian sharp enough to cut him. Instead, he opted to lean against the cliff face, letting out a deep breath, causing him to start a coughing fit. Annabeth joined him on the ground seconds later, looking equally as drained as he felt. She motioned for them to walk to the flowing river made of fire that was now only twenty feet from their position.

Percy dragged his feet as he walked beside his girlfriend. The blonde placed her arm around Percy's shoulder, clearly attempting to support herself with his own body. The son of Poseidon gripped her waist with his left arm, also trying to steady himself as they walked. It was difficult to discern at that point who was supporting who, but it hardly mattered to the couple. As far as Percy was concerned, that was what their relationship was built on. Mutual strength. As long as they both stood, then they both could keep going.

Finally, after what seemed like a stretch of miles, but in reality took only fifteen to twenty steps, the two fell to their knees before the Phlegethon. Percy stared at the undulating orange fire, his head bobbing to the side on occasion as he simply watched the river flow by.

"...Cy… Cy… Ercy… Percy!" Annabeth's voice shocked him out of his self-imposed daze. Shaking his head, Percy cleared his thoughts as best he could.

"Sorry… what were you saying?" Percy asked hoarsely, looking at his blonde girlfriend with drooping eyes.

"Drink… only way to―" She interrupted herself with a violent fit of coughing, causing her to spit up blood onto the ground.

Percy frowned and looked at the river tepidly. He gave Annabeth a skeptical glance. "It's fire… how do… you want us to drink…?"

Annabeth looked slightly disgruntled as she too pondered the question. Soon enough, she made her decision and thrust her hands directly into the Phlegethon. Bringing her hands out she quickly downed the fire water, her face scrunching in disgust. Then, only a moment later, she collapsed on her back, convulsions taking her body. Percy reacted faster than lightning, his hands shooting out and grabbing hold of his girlfriend before she rolled into the Phlegethon. Tears streamed down her face and she was gagging and retching, her hands clasping her neck tightly.

Several seconds passed where Percy held onto Annabeth as her body seized in his arms. He looked at her worriedly, but before long she relaxed into his grip. Letting go of a relieved sigh, Percy pulled Annabeth away from the river, seeing that her eyes were still closed. Her breathing was calm, and the ugly red welts on her skin had all but disappeared. Knowing he had little time before he passed out, Percy took the chance and rushed to the river. He took a handful of the fire, ignoring the burning pain from his lacerated palms, and downed the "water" in one go.

Recalling his girlfriend's reaction to the orange liquid, the son of Poseidon threw himself haphazardly backward, hoping to get away from the Phlegethon before he started to convulse. There was a pain in his throat as the river "water" passed down his esophagus, searing its way into his stomach. He could feel it even as it coated the inside of his stomach, filling him with pain. True to form, Percy felt himself loose control of his body as he started to twitch uncontrollably on the ground, letting the sharp obsidian chips lacerate his skin.

Eventually, he regained control over his motor functions and rolled over, pushing himself up and off the ground. The raven-haired teen looked at Annabeth and noted that she was unconscious. He sighed heavily and walked over to her body. He knelt beside his girlfriend, lightly shaking her shoulder, hoping that she would wake up so that they could move. She would have a plan too, something that he desperately needed.

From the corner of his eye, the son of Poseidon saw movement. His eyes flickered around, instantly scanning for monsters in the vicinity. While it wasn't an ideal situation, he knew very well that he was on the monsters' home turf. Letting his guard down in Tartarus would be one of the biggest mistakes in his life. If he lived long after doing so that is.

He heard the sounds of scuttling, and before he knew what he was doing, he had Riptide out and uncapped. A hiss from behind was all the warning he got before he was assaulted by a creature with eight hairy legs and evil glinting eyes. He spun around and swung his sword, missing his attacker by mere inches. The spider-woman pounced on him after his near miss and knocked Percy off his feet. The son of Poseidon cursed as he dodged sharp claws that nearly tore into his face. He pushed his leg in between himself and the monster, then pushed her away with all the strength he had.

They separated, and Percy took the time to scramble to his feet, raising Anaklusmos.

Arachne stood several feet away from him, growling menacingly at the demigod. Percy backed up a little as Arachne scuttled forward. They didn't speak to one another, knowing that words would mean little in their current predicament. No matter how they looked at it, both of them were in Tartarus, and the only way to get out would be to make it to the Doors of Death. It didn't matter that Percy and Annabeth hadn't killed Arachne, she had still ended up in the Pit, and she was undoubtedly very angry.

The two circled one another for some time, eyes narrowed with both caution and hatred. Percy moved first, stepping up and sending an experimental slash toward his opponent. Arachne moved back, before swiping her front two legs at the demigod in an attempt to knock him down. He stepped to the side and tried to cut her extended legs clean off her body. The spider-woman was quick enough to retract her legs, avoiding having them severed. The air around Percy's Celestial Bronze sword hissed as it moved around Anaklusmos, almost as if the blade was anathema to it.

Arachne moved fast, nearly closing the gap between herself and Percy, forcing the demigod to swing rapidly in order to ward her off. The cursed woman growled at Riptide as it streaked through the air, forcing Arachne to move back. Percy took the movement as a sign of hesitation and charged her. The monster had time to look surprised before she felt the Celestial Bronze blade cut through her lower abdomen. Hissing in pain and anger, Arachne scuttled away, clutching her wounded gut. Percy didn't stop though, and grabbed a handful of the obsidian chips that littered the ground. Arachne didn't notice as he did, therefore she was caught by surprise when he threw the chips into her eyes. The monster was able to wail once at the pain of being blinded before Anaklusmos separated her head from her body.

Percy turned away from the dissolving form of Arachne and went to check on Annabeth, who had been a fair way away from the brief fight. He spotted her, still lying flat on her back, eyes closed and hair tousled around her. Taking long strides to reach her and kneeling beside his girlfriend, Percy placed the back of his hand against her forehead. Her breathing was steady and strong, indicating that she was at least healed from the poisonous air that Tartarus naturally produced, and the angry rash had faded some time ago.

The raven-haired demigod looked at her softly. He sat down beside her, hoping that she would wake soon so that they could continue moving.

"Well, well. What have I stumbled upon in this dreary place?"

Percy immediately spun around and stood up, drawing his sword once more in preparation for a fight. He came face to face with a man dressed in double-breasted burgundy suit coat with a dark shirt underneath and a blood red tie. His lower body was encased in a pair of black dress pants and on his feet were two-toned cream and black colored formal shoes. His white hair was swept to the left and his warm, chocolate colored eyes held a trace of amusement in them.

"Who are you?" Percy's voice called out, attempting to demand an answer, but even to him it sounded weak. With everything that had happened in such a short period of time, he found himself growing more despondent. He figured that in addition to the situation, that perhaps the River Cocytus was having a lingering effect on his demeanor.

The man walked toward him languidly, his movements efficient and yet unhurried. He had his arms placed behind his back, drawing Percy's suspicion. The demigod looked back at his girlfriend nervously as the white-haired stranger drew ever closer, worried about a fight breaking out so close to her prone body. If confrontation was inevitable, Percy would need to draw the stranger away from Annabeth so that all his attention could be focused.

The well-dressed man stopped walking, seemingly sensing Percy's discomfort with his proximity. Chocolate brown eyes drifted down to see the young woman unconscious and they lit up with understanding. Chuckling to himself, the god raised his hands and backed up a step.

"I'm not looking for a tussle kid. Just came down to have a stroll, then lo-and-behold, I find you and this girl by the banks of the Phlegethon, looking the worst for wear." The man stated calmly, his lips twitching into a small smile as he spoke. His eyes, while seemingly inviting and warm, held a depth to them that Percy was unsure he wanted to delve into.

Licking his dry lips, the demigod worked the courage to ask his question once again. "Who are you?"

The man smiled a bit wider at hearing the words escape Percy's mouth. "The name's Angra Mainyu; I'm pretty sure that I have a proposition that you'll find yourself hard-pressed to refuse."


Percy opened his eyes once more, his vision slightly obscured by the steam that wafted through the air of the bathroom. Water poured onto his body as he stood under the showerhead, allowing himself the reprieve of the heat. Shaking the memory of his first encounter with the God of Evil from his mind, the former demigod took the complimentary shampoo and began to lather his hair. It had been over six years since he had fallen into Tartarus with Annabeth, and he could still remember the sights and sounds as if it had happened only an hour prior. The sulfurous scent and the poisonous atmosphere would more than likely never leave his mind. Thankfully, he hadn't had many nightmares of his time in the Pit for some time.

If he could admit that Ahriman's training was good for something, then it would certainly be mental acuity. Percy's mental fortitude had increased dramatically since the end of the wars, thanks in no small part to the intense ―and highly disturbing― training that Percy had been subjected to. Even though he hated every step of the way, there was no denying that he had taken great leaps in the area. True enough, without the training, he would more than likely never have been able to utilize the curses that he bore.

Percy rinsed his hair thoroughly and turned off the water, stepping out into the bathroom proper and taking a towel. He dried himself quickly, knowing that he had spent far longer reminiscing of past events than cleaning himself, though that didn't lessen the overall change the amount of time that he had spent in the bathroom overall. He caught a glance of the grotesque scar that took residence on his chest, the one that he had been given courtesy of Gáe Bolg. A few other scars lingered on his body, though there weren't any nearly as horrid as the one inflicted during his first meeting with Scáthach. In actuality, he didn't have many scars from his time in Purgatory, even though he was injured more there than he ever was on Earth.

It was good that Angra Mainyu had the ability to heal most wounds completely, without scar tissue forming over them. Only the most horrendous of wounds, inflicted by the most dangerous of weapons would leave scars, thusly he had a few scars from Gáe Bolg that littered his body. That was before he gained his new curses though. With the curse of vitality he had yet to encounter a wound that he couldn't fully heal. Of course, the trade-off was immense, soul-crushing, identity rending, pain. Honestly, in Percy's opinion, it was a just payment for such a mortality-defying ability.

Of course if he were to be instantly killed then the curse would be invalidated. He needed to actively will his wounds to heal, otherwise the curse wouldn't be of any use. In other words, he needed to avoid anything that would cause severe brain injury and decapitation at all costs. Truly, even if his heart were destroyed he would more than likely be able to quickly heal it before he died of blood loss. That was if he didn't pass out from the shock of his blood pressure plummeting like a comet to earth. Either way, he tended to avoid normally fatal blows, and as long as he continued to do so, he would never have to test his heart theory.

Shaking off his macabre thoughts, the young man stepped out of the shower with his towel wrapped at the waist. Scáthach was planted in front of the small television sitting in the corner of the room. Percy ignored her for the moment, and went to pull on his clothes that she had bought for him the day prior. He took them back to the bathroom and changed there, before he made his way back out into the main room. Percy walked up behind Scáthach and looked over her shoulder to see what held her attention so tightly.

"...That's right Emma, here we stand at what experts say is the epicenter of the massive explosion that occurred yesterday evening. Reports indicate that the explosion was likely caused by a buildup of methane gas or a similar substance under the crust of the earth that was ignited. The explosion went on to cause an earthquake rated a five-point-eight on the Richter scale, along with a series of aftershocks that could be felt across all of Skye and even into mainland Scotland."

Percy blinked several times as he saw the camera pan away from the male reporter to show the devastated landscape that was all too familiar for him. He couldn't forget where he first fought an ancient god in his divine form, especially since it had taken place only sixteen hours prior. The land was pockmarked where he and Crom Cruach had clashed swords. He noticed that there was no more forest surrounding the area, and guessed that the silver-haired deity must have dropped his domain when the fighting ended. The camera then moved to show the largest of all the craters that gouged the earth, where he had "killed" Crom Cruach for a second time with an extremely powerful swing.

The son of Poseidon thinned his lips when the view changed to an overhead shot from a helicopter. Even though the trees and plants had vanished, the holes that had been a product of their growth still spread across the land. Add to those the craters that he had formed, and it looked like a veritable war zone. In essence Percy supposed that it was a war zone. Perhaps the first battle in a new, long war that had the ability to shake the world to its foundations and beyond.

Suddenly, the screen of the T.V. when dark, and Percy turned to Scáthach to find the remote in her hand. The witch stood up and stretched her back, garnering a few pops from her spine as she did so. Turning around, she smiled when she saw Percy standing behind her.

"Glad to see that you made it out of the shower, my little princess. Did you enjoy the twenty-minute soak?" Scáthach asked playfully, much to Percy's ire.

The raven-haired man huffed and pinched her cheek lifting her face a little as he did so.

"Oaw, oaw, oaw, oaw! Pewccy, it huwts, it huwts, staop! Pweease!" The witch blubbered, trying to pry her face free from her companion's grasp. Percy swatted her feeble attempts away with a dark chuckle. He let go of her face, much to her pleasure, only to attack from the side and tickle her ribs. Scáthach gave an indignant squeak out as she threw herself away from Percy's hands. She landed on the bed and scrambled over the top of the mattress.

Once she made it to the other side of the room, the woman glared at Percy, her mouth twitching with displeasure. She went to say something, but thought better of it and simply huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Percy watched with amusement as the witch ignored him for a few moments, before she sighed heavily and shook her head, a small grin crawling onto her face.

"I hope you know that you'll be receiving retribution for that one of these days," The magenta-haired woman said wryly. "So, care to go grab a bite to eat?" The witch asked, changing gears almost immediately, something that Percy found admirable.

He nodded his head. "Sure, sounds good to me. Fighting a god can really help work up an appetite."

"We should have had dinner last night before we found a hotel," Scáthach mused, tapping her finger to her chin. Then she shook her head, allowing her hair to sway around her. "No, you were dead tired, and I don't think I would have liked picking you up out of your food had you fallen asleep at a restaurant."

Percy snorted and gave her sidelong glance. "Yeah, whatever. Let's just go, I'm starting to feel the gnawing in my gut."

Scáthach and Percy left the room and walked down the stairs. The receptionist was sitting in her spot behind the counter, looking bored as she scrolled through her phone. Scáthach strolled up to her and began to question the woman for good restaurants in the area. Percy simply sat down in a chair while the receptionist told his companion about the local eateries.

After a minute of discussion, the magenta-haired witch moved away from the counter and motioned for Percy to follow. Catching up to his companion just as she moved out the door, Percy walked alongside Scáthach as they exited the building. The duo walked down the sidewalk, and Percy noted that his friend took a deep breath of the cool air as they made their way to the restaurant. The son of Poseidon reciprocated the small smile that formed on Scáthach's face as she inhaled the bay air. Percy looked out from where they stood, taking in the view of Broadford bay, with the water gently rolling and undulating as the wind swept across it's surface. He craned his neck and looked behind the hotel building, seeing the large mountains that stood proudly behind the small village.

"So," Scáthach began as they crossed an intersection. "It seems that Angra Mainyu is held up in Iraq. I don't think he's fighting his brother quite yet, otherwise I'm sure that the news stations would be going crazy over whatever the fallout of their battle would be. Unfortunately, that does leave us with little options in terms of where to go next."

Percy nodded his head and pondered the situation. If Angra Mainyu was fighting against Spenta Mainyu, then there surely would have been some kind of collateral damage. That being said, the mortal news would certainly have picked up on it, and it more than likely would have made the headlines. Admittedly, Percy was afraid that a duel between the brothers of good and evil would lead to Iraq being wiped off the map, taking the lives of any mortal within range. But seeing as how that wasn't the case as of yet, the son of Poseidon wondered what Ahriman was held up by.

"Maybe he walked into a trap?" Percy inferred. "I mean, Crom Cruach and Mórrígan knew that somebody was on the way to try and stop them. That means that Spenta Mainyu must have guessed that somebody would have been sent to all four locations in order to halt progress on the portals. I wouldn't be surprised if he figured that his own brother would try and stop him in Persia."

Scáthach pushed her hands into her pockets and let her eyes close as they approached a quaint diner. Percy moved to the front and pulled open the door, holding it for his companion to walk through. With a grateful nod, Scáthach moved into the establishment, with Percy following shortly after her. The two were greeted by a man who led them to a table near the window, overlooking the bay. Seeing that it was only a quarter past ten, Percy sighed when he realized that asking for alcohol would be frowned upon. Or not, he supposed, since he wasn't very aware of cultural norms in Scotland. Deciding to play it safe, the former demigod ordered a glass of orange juice, just like Scáthach, along with eggs and sausage.

The waiter smiled and nodded, stating that he would get their orders placed. The man left, leaving Percy and Scáthach alone. Percy looked around and noticed that there weren't any people around them. A couple was seated further down the restaurant, but apart from them and the workers the diner was empty.

"Scáthach," Percy began slowly, mulling the words over in his mind before he spoke. "About last night-"

The magenta-haired woman stopped him with a raised hand. Percy looked at her expectantly, noticing the she was giving him a soft smile, though he could see a faint trace of disappointment in her expression.

"I think I know what you're going to say. You told me about how you still felt something for both your blonde lover and that hunter of Artemis a few months ago remember?" Scáthach said, she looked out the window and stared at the image of Broadford Bay. After a moment, she returned her attention to the young man, who was giving her an apologetic look.

"Ah, yeah I do remember that now. I think I had a bit too much to drink one night and I came crawling into your room thinking it was mine," Percy responded with a vacant expression, though the corners of his lips were twitching upward in amusement as he recounted the night. "I then went ahead and made myself at home, flopping down on your bed… with you in it. If I recall correctly you proceeded to tease me about how easy it would be to take advantage of a helpless virgin such as myself, but at that point I was half gone and I just told you my fears of being rejected by Annabeth, and that I had no idea what to do with Thalia."

Scáthach gave him an entertained nod, her face splitting into a large grin as he spoke. "Yes, that is a vague reiteration, but fairly accurate nonetheless. And I can therefore understand why you would feel conflicted about kissing me last night. You feel like you at least have an obligation to give the blonde another chance seeing as how she helped save your life in the Cocytus. Not only that, but you also want to get your feelings for the hunter out of the way by confronting it directly and basically committing social suicide with her. To top it all off, you have some form of attachment to my own person for helping you become stronger while in Purgatory. Am I on the right track?"

The son of Poseidon scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Erm, yeah. You almost hit the nail on the head there. I… I don't want to give you some kind of wrong impression. The kiss… I mean it was amazing, I won't lie. But I can't commit myself to you ―you alone― right now Scáthach. Annabeth deserves another chance-"

"-Some may not see it that way. I certainly don't," Scáthach interrupted, garnering a small frown from her green-eyed companion. "You saved her life just as many times as she saved yours. You don't owe her anything. Sure she saved your life in the Cocytus and by telling you about the Phlegethon, but in return, you literally dragged her out of Tartarus on your own. You fought through a veritable army of monsters in order to reach the Doors of Death, with her on your shoulder the whole time."

"You don't understand," Percy shook his head with conviction.

Scáthach gave him a withering glare, but Percy wouldn't back down. He didn't show any signs of displeasure, but he knew that she just couldn't understand that he really did owe his girlfriend. It was who he was. In a way, he would always be loyal to Annabeth, and he knew that because of that, he would always be broken.

"I understand well enough, Young Hero," The witch said with steel in her voice. Scarlet eyes narrowed at him as her fingers clenched slightly, forming a fist with her right hand. Her lips thinned before she opened her mouth once more. "Your loyalty will get you nowhere in this situation. You've paid your debts with blood. She doesn't deserve somebody who would stick by her side even when she refused to reciprocate that gesture."

"Don't bullshit me!" The former demigod hissed, finally having reached his boiling point. "What the fuck is your problem, witch?"

The woman almost recoiled at the venom in his voice, but she regained her composure quickly. She almost took a swing at the son of Poseidon, but reined herself in, knowing it best not to cause a scene. She ground her teeth together, losing the battle to keep from exploding on the young man seated across from her.

"What's my problem? My problem, is that I almost got you KILLED yesterday!" Scáthach all but shouted, her fist slamming down onto the table, rattling the silverware and causing those in the diner to look toward her and Percy. She pointedly ignored the concerned glances and the disapproving eyes that roved over her, staring deeply into the sea-green eyes that had captivated her those five years ago. "My problem is that you refuse to see that your loyalty will be the death of you. My problem is that as much as I want to protect you from outside harm, I can't protect you from yourself damnit."

Percy took a breath in, and breathed it out heavily, blowing the air out through his nostrils. "It's war Scáthach. There are bound to be people who die."

"I refuse your death then."

The once-demigod felt something tug at his chest when he heard the words leave her mouth. He looked at her, his eyes softening exponentially as he saw her pained expression. She bit her lip and looked at the table. Tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, the woman glanced back at Percy's face. Before anything else could be said between them, their food came, carried by an uncomfortable looking waitress. Percy looked at the young woman with the name-tag that read Sharon.

Percy smiled at her, causing the woman to gain a bit of her confidence back. "I'm sorry about that. Don't let us scare you though. Just a small… disagreement."

Sharon nodded and placed their food down before she left hurriedly. Percy and Scáthach began to eat their food slowly, their previous discussion all but dropped. His hunger being the only thing that drove him to fill his stomach, Percy couldn't help but taste ash on his tongue.


Percy took a seat on the bench next to his magenta-haired companion. The two had finished their breakfast at a sedate pace, neither of them feeling particularly lively after the small argument that had erupted. From the diner, they had decided to walk through the small settlement and had ended up at a small gazebo overlooking the bay area.

It was odd for Percy, considering that he had never seen his mentor so upset over anything before. At least, not so violently upset. True enough, the day past had seen her acting oddly due to her return to the Isle of Skye. Percy could understand the sentiment, though. When he thought of his own return to New York, seeing his Mom and Paul, along with the daughter that Sally had been carrying prior to his abduction, he was sure that it would be fairly emotional for him.

To add, he would also eventually meet with the campers and gods once again, though that as a whole was less anxiety inducing. There were a few specific people that he was especially perturbed interacting with, one of them being his girlfriend―if she hadn't moved on―and the other being his cousin who he still hadn't managed to drive from his mind. If he was honest with himself, Percy wasn't too anxious about their reactions to knowing that he was now in league with Ahriman and of his newfound power, but more about how things had changed between them within the past half-decade. The dynamics would probably never be the same, he knew this, however, they had been changing ever since the end of the wars. After all, had he not developed a large romantic interest in Thalia, who was a hunter of Artemis, her lieutenant no less. Certainly, if events had unfolded differently in Tartarus, his whole life might have been much more simple.

Perhaps he would have gone on to live happily with Annabeth in New Rome, or perhaps something else would have happened that drove a wedge between them, leading to their eventual split. At least then he would have been far less contrite over his emotional investiture with Thalia, and how that certain path might play out in the future. As it stood, he felt stuck. He was in a bad situation, what with the plans of Spenta Mainyu being put into motion. The question of how to approach them was gnawing away, always hidden in the background thoughts that floated through his brain. Occasionally, he would remember the conundrum and focus his attention on finding a solution to the multiple outcomes that were possible between himself and the women that were apparent in his life, sans his mother.

If Annabeth was willing to continue with their relationship then he would jump at the opportunity. If not, then perhaps he could find something with somebody else. He was unsure of what Scáthach wanted if he were honest. They hadn't discussed exactly what they kiss meant, if anything. Percy wasn't childish enough to believe that the only person you kiss is the one that you love with all of your heart. People did far more just for the thrill―for the fun that it brought. He wasn't going to peer too deeply into a motive for what happened the night prior. That being said, he could freely admit that he thoroughly enjoyed doing what they had.

It had been exhilarating, to feel her body pressed close against his own, with her legs placed on either side of him. The electricity that ran up his spine when her tongue brushed against the inside of his mouth was nearly enough to make him shudder at the recollection. When she had slowly grazed her teeth over his neck, planting her soft lips against his throat and jaw, he had been just about ready to roll her over and start their activity all over again. Everything about her in that moment had jarred his mind out of it's previously numbed and exhausted state, though it had only fueled the guilt that had been building.

When regarding Thalia, however, the former demigod found himself in a much more difficult position. With Annabeth, and even Scáthach, there was a precedent of intimacy. Sure, there was guilt associated with both of them, more so than with Thalia, but Percy still felt uncomfortable when thinking about discussing what he felt towards her. They hadn't done anything that could be deemed as "inappropriate" for a man already in a relationship. Taking into consideration that he still had a straightforward, if somewhat neglectful, relationship with Annabeth when he and Thalia were bonding, it was definitely a good thing that nothing had happened. Now that things had gotten complicated, he felt that he had taken advantage of the situation and used it to partially justify the fact that he intentionally kissed Scáthach. While he wasn't the instigator, he didn't make any move against his mentor when she had locked lips with him. Percy knew that people reacted differently to infidelity, and many people had their own views on how severe the affair was depending on the nature of the acts done. Given that he and Scáthach had basically done something that even middle school children did, Percy was unsure of how Annabeth would react to the truth.

This was applying his implication that she still wanted to date him. If she didn't, then he more than likely wouldn't feel the need to even mention the incident. Whatever the case, he had to prepare himself to be rejected by the daughter of Athena. It would hurt, that was for sure, but he had no doubts that he could move on. Of course, even if she didn't want to continue where they left off, he would still protect her with fervor.

If Annabeth were to have moved on, or if she wanted to break off what they had, it would leave Percy in a whole new conundrum that he had no pleasure in debating over. His attraction toward the lieutenant of Artemis was undeniable, at least to himself. He doubted that anybody else knew of his feelings toward Thalia, not even herself. Percy liked to believe that there had been no signs of romantic inclinations after the wars and during his isolation. Even he hadn't truly considered himself to be so invested in the daughter of Zeus until he had been dragged in Purgatory by Angra Mainyu. It was only when he lost everything that was normal to him, did Percy realize just what Thalia meant to him. He knew she was important, but there was a very fine line between a platonic relationship and a romantic interest. Somewhere along the way she had moved across the line.

It felt like he was in the middle of a gavelkind succession crisis. If he and Annabeth didn't work out, then he would feel conflicted in whether or not to pursue a romantic relationship with either Thalia or Scáthach. Between the two, he didn't know if they even wanted to be with him in such a sense. He supposed that he was building up his own anxiety for the chance that they would become romantically involved, yet he had no form of absolutes. He wasn't dealing with a well-known fact, but more a conceptual crisis that very well might never come to fruition.

'I guess I should ask them before I develop an ulcer from worrying about it. Heh, maybe they'll both want to be with me. Now that would be crazy.'

He sighed out loud, leading to his companion noticing his troubled expression.

"Something on your mind?" Scáthach asked, crossing one leg over the other and placing her hands over her lap. She looked at Percy, who didn't take his eyes off of the lapping waves that brushed over the rocks near where they were. A few seagulls flew overhead, cawing loudly as they swept through the crisp, misty air.

"You could say that, yeah," Percy responded slowly, placing his arms on the back of the bench and breathing out deeply.

"Would you like to share?" The witch offered. Percy gave her a sideways glance from the corner of his eye. He wondered if broaching the subject would be appropriate given their situation. He doubted that there ever would be an "appropriate" time to discuss what was on his mind considering the war that was upon them. Then again, once it started in earnest there might not be much time to talk about it, if any at all.

He mulled the question over in his mind, licking his lips before he spoke. "I was wondering…" He trailed off, trying his best to not let his voice betray his emotions. "If that kiss meant anything. I know that it was a heat of the moment 'glad you're alive' kind of thing… but was there anything else to it? I'm probably reading too far into it, but still."

A soft, unhurried silence descended upon the two. The ambient noise of their location helped to dilute the minute that passed in which Scáthach hadn't answered. Percy had taken his arms off the bench and laid them on his legs, slouching forward where he sat. He stared at nothing in particular, allowing his vision to soak in the serene atmosphere that was painted in front of him.

Finally, Scáthach spoke, her voice strong, indicating that she had no discomfort toward the subject she was airing. "And if it did? Say that me kissing you designated that I harbored something for you. Would that change anything between us?"

"It depends," Percy replied softly. "How do you mean?"

Scáthach shook her head and moved closer to Percy on the bench. She twisted her torso so that her full upper body was facing his own. In response, the former demigod did the same, knowing full well that his companion was giving him her full attention, and that not responding in kind would be incredibly rude. They looked at each other for some time, Percy staring into the scarlet-red eyes that always seemed to enrapture him, no matter the situation. They conveyed so much, and yet so little, that it was painful at times to attempt understanding what hid behind them. Sometimes, he could peek past the veil and comprehend what Scáthach wanted, but more often than not, he would be lost in the sea of red that held his very body in place.

"I know that you have your own justifications for wanting to stay with the blonde architect. I know that, but I just can't understand why. As such, I know that you will never involve yourself in an extra relationship while you are still with her. It's admirable, really. Though I would not have asked for that anyway," The witch paused and placed her hand on his jaw, letting her thumb brush against his chin, then moving up to touch his lips. She leaned closer to him, leading to Percy almost pulling back, but she stopped a few inches in front of his face. The air from her nose was easily felt on Percy's skin, as was the breath exhaled from her mouth when she spoke. "What I want to know is if you'll start avoiding me, or if my answer will strain our mutual friendship in any way."

The son of Poseidon gave Scáthach a small smile in return. He took her hand off of his face and moved it down, all the while holding it in his own. "No. Your answer wouldn't affect me in that way. I just wanted to know, so that I could properly plan for the future. My life is pretty complicated right now, but I wouldn't want to alienate a close friend because of something petty."

"I can empathize with that," Scáthach said with a nod. She pursed her lips, before giving Percy a wide smile, her eyes never leaving his own. "I'm glad I chose such a responsible man to teach… and to romantically pursue."

For his part, Percy swallowed thickly. He blinked a few times, nodding to himself and breathing out deeply. "So that's how it is then? I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised."

"You think too little of yourself then," The woman responded honestly, the smile never wavering from her lips.

Percy gave his companion a dry look. He idly played with her fingers that were still trapped in his hand. Running his thumb over her palm, which she allowed. Scarlet-red eyes drifted down toward the image of their hands, and she moved so that she could push her digits between his own, intertwining herself with him. The witch of Dún Scáith stared for a few moments longer, until she felt Percy's other hand move below her chin.

"You deserve to be with somebody who can really dedicate all of themselves to you," The former demigod intoned. His face was a mask of neutrality, no emotion was betrayed, even as he spoke. Scáthach had to praise him for being able to act so aloof when he wanted to. Undoubtedly it was a result of his training with the God of Evil.

"I know," Scáthach replied blithely, her face mouth twitching up and forming a smirk. "And I also know that you can be that man. More than that though, I want you to be that man." Her face dropped a bit, turning serious almost instantly. "Percy, I care deeply for you. Truly, I didn't believe that I would reach this point, but here we stand. I want to see you happy, but I also want to be happy. I want so desperately to be selfish in this endeavor… and yet… yet… I can't bear thinking that you would be miserable if I were to interfere where you didn't want it. That's why I'm willing to let you talk to the architect without fighting and clawing at you to stay with me. I know there's a chance that I'll lose you. You deserve to be happy though… probably more than I do."

Percy's face broke its facade of ice, and his expression turned sorrowful and conflicted quickly. Scáthach knew what she had done. She knew damn well that saying what she had was perfect hypocrisy. She knew that he would feel guilty, and that he would agonize over his decision now more than ever. And a part of her hated that she had resorted to what was basically tantamount to blackmail in order to gain a better foothold in his heart. Yet, another part of her was excited that she was now in a better position than what she had been in before.

"Tell me one thing, Percy," Scáthach's voice filtered gently into the air as she spoke. "Do you feel the same for me?"

"Yes." His reply came easily and unabatedly. Sea-green eyes looked down, showing clear signs of guilt when he freely admitted his own interest. Scáthach bit her lip when she saw the pain that flitted through his expression, understanding that he was wrestling with the knowledge that he was walking a fine line.

"I'm glad then. Please promise me this. You do what you feel is right. Make yourself happy, don't think about anything else. You deserve to be selfish, Percy. So for me, be selfish," Scáthach whispered as she closed the gap between them, planting her lips against Percy's once more.

This time, the former demigod responded instantly to her advances. He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her torso and pulling her body toward his. The position they were in made it difficult to gain good body contact, but in that moment he didn't care. He hadn't experienced such emotional turmoil for some time, even during the training with Ahriman. His mind unfocused and uncaring, he pushed his tongue into Scáthach's mouth, fighting against her own. Feeling Scáthach move one hand to his hair and the other to the back of his neck, Percy felt her add pressure to the kiss. His own hands moved in opposite directions on back, with one coming to a rest on her hip and the other being placed on the bottom of her jaw, near her cheek.

They took their time together, relishing in their small reprieve. Both understood that with war knocking on their doorstep, their lives would become tragically difficult. When they sat together, though, attempting to lose themselves in one another, both felt a small blip of serenity. The war became a background thought in the moment, neither of the two able to find the ability to care. And yet, even as they drowned out the world, Percy and Scáthach fought against the pain in their conscience that told them of the errors they were committing.

Percy's guilt gnawed at him, and an uneasy knot twisted in his gut as he enjoyed the feeling of the magenta-haired woman's tongue roving over his teeth.

Scáthach's own self-loathing for manipulating the man across from her hammered in her brain.

The duo parted after several minutes. Percy looked away, groaning internally at the thought of explaining to Annabeth two kisses with Scáthach. One could probably be forgiven with minor anger. Two would be more difficult to justify in any way, shape, or form. Then again, if he did try to justify it, there would have been little point in admitting to Scáthach that he was romantically interested. Percy realized just how terribly conflicted he was then. Both he and Scáthach had admitted their own desires. She wanted to be with him, and he had romantic feelings for her. And then there was Thalia.

'Fuck.' Percy thought to himself, burying his head in his hands. He audibly bemoaned his situation, letting out a pitiful whimper.

"Was it really that bad for you?" Scáthach asked, amusement coloring her tone. The son of Poseidon raised his head to see that the witch had a small smirk on her face, though it dropped upon seeing his deadpan expression.

"No, it was amazing," Percy admitted. "And that's the fucking problem! Alright, enough. I can't think about this right now. We'll deal with it when the time comes. Scáthach, can you give me some time, at least until I can meet with Annabeth again and have a talk with her?"

Scáthach nodded her head tentatively. She was unsure of how long the wait would be, which she was fairly disgruntled about. 'I actually like kissing him. And now I have to wait for who knows how long. Maybe I pushed a bit too hard.'

"First and foremost, we have to find a way to get in touch with Ahriman and see what we should do. We technically failed the mission, considering that Crom opened a portal to the Realm of the Faded and brought back a bunch of his butt-buddies from Irish Mythology."

The magenta-haired witch gave her companion a wry glance. "I wouldn't exactly call them Crom's 'butt-buddies', as you so eloquently put it. You underestimate just how much Crom Cruach was reviled for his practices, even by the other gods themselves. They don't really like him, and he hardly likes them. As you said, Crom has other reasons for coming out of the woodwork. His allegiance certainly doesn't lie with the Celts, though it probably isn't with Spenta Mainyu either. Fucking enigma. Didn't he say he hated enigmas?"

Percy nodded his head thoughtfully. "Yeah, but at the same time he said he liked the way the world was currently. Personally, it sounds to me that he's gonna betray everybody in the end. Though… I doubt that he has the power to do so on his own." Percy ruffled his hair in confusion. "It doesn't make sense."

Before they could think to say anything else, a voice contributed to their conversation. "Perhaps I can help with that conundrum?"

Both Percy and Scáthach looked toward the person who spoke. She was a woman, looking to be in her early thirties, with long, wavy black hair that fell to the middle of her back. Her eyes were twinkling in a literal sense, as Percy could see there were several small dots that glowed, even as the rest of her eye, iris and all were pitch black. Occasionally, a line would streak through her glittering orbs. Her nose was straight and defined, and her cheekbones were placed fairly high on her face, though they weren't very prominent. She had a diamond shaped face, nearly perfectly proportioned and symmetrical. Even though her physical attributes were ones of ethereal beauty, the woman wore a simple black t-shirt, blue jeans that were cuffed to her calf, and white low-cut canvas sneakers.

Percy and Scáthach were immediately on edge, having realized that the being that stood before them was divine in nature. Both were up and off of the bench quickly, standing in relaxed, but prepared positions, knowing not to let themselves be taken off guard by a deity. The goddess' twinkling eyes crinkled a bit as she smiled at Percy. She raised her hand in greeting.

"Hello. I'm going to need to borrow you for a minute. I hope that doesn't inconvenience you in any way, but if it does, you really don't have any say in the matter." Her voice carried power and authority the likes of which Percy had never heard before.

"Sorry," Percy replied. "I'm not really in the business of allowing random goddesses to kidnap me. If I was, I probably would have died a long time ago considering how many were probably out to get me."

"Hera doesn't count then?" The goddess asked, her voice tinged with sarcasm.

Percy narrowed his eyes. "How do you know about that?"

"I've seen and heard so many things. I know so much about you Percy. Past. Present. Even a bit of your future."

"Congratulations, you can go ahead and sign up for the fortune-telling act at the nearest circus then. Don't let me hold you back, I don't really like the whole 'predicting the future' thing," The former demigod snarked, his eyes rolling slightly, though he did well to make sure he never lost sight of the potential threat.

The goddess chuckled softly before she shook her head. "Your patented sardonicism is intact I see. Either way, I wasn't asking. When your creator calls for your presence, one would do well to fall in line with her wishes." The goddess said with a smile that belied the threatening undertone.

Percy raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Creator…? You don't look a lot like my mom... nor my dad for that matter."

The dark-haired goddess nodded her head, raising her hand once more in a friendly greeting. "Yes. Nice to meet you Perseus Ajax Jackson, my little Anti-God. My name is Chaos, creator of most life as you know it."


A/N: Regarding Scathach in this chapter. I felt like I was writing her a bit too perfect in every way. I wanted to show that she too can be affected by normal human sentiments, such as selfish desire. I also made her make mistakes last chapter such as when she forgot to tell Percy about Crom Cruach's other domains. Just to reduce Mary-Sue moments, I tried to make her believable without being unlikeable.