TAW Productions
PJO series is for Rick Riordan and not for the TAW so please do not accuse any members of the TAW on Anything…thank you.
The Dark Champion
Percy walked into the Olympian's main hall, which looked exactly like Ancient Greece 2500 years ago. It all seemed like a huge temple, with enormous columns, and between each column a throne that was designed exclusively for the god that seats him or herself on it. There were six columns to the left of the hall, and six to the right, however there were only five thrones on the right. Therefore Zeus would be in the middle.
Not long he felt a violent push and he fell to the ground, which was harder than anything he ever fell on. But already injured and in great pain, Percy did not get up but with great difficulty looked to who had pushed him.
"How dare you touch my brother!" a woman said, with a similar helmet to Ares on her head, clad with plate mail armor. She knelt down and touched his face, which was bloody and defeated.
Percy didn't reply. He looked around. There was someone missing. There were 12 thrones but not everyone was here. He started counting. Hermes, Hera, Athena, Demeter, Apollo, Hephaestus, Dionysus, Poseidon, and Zeus. All of them were staring at Percy. In shock, in triumph, in sadness, and in contempt. There were two missing.
"Where is Aphrodite?" Zeus' eternal voice echoed throughout the pantheon.
Hermes instantly replied. "No idea, my lord. We assumed she would be with lord Ares."
"Don't assume. I don't like assumptions." Poseidon said calmly, who still did not look at Percy.
"Forget Aphrodite! The traitor is in our midst!" Athena cried savagely, taking off her helmet to reveal her pure face. "I always knew you were bad news. Now look. A traitor! A fiend! A supporter of death and shadow! A fool!"
Percy stood up, cracked his back and shook his shoulders to life. He looked at Athena tiredly, not bothering to reply in the same fashion.
"You only swim deep because Apollo's sun doesn't reach! You tread lightly because you don't want to be seen or heard! Get away from my daughter you scoundrel!" she screamed. No one protested against these claims. She came to grab him by the shoulder and someone leaped in front of her.
"No, mother! He is not what you think he is!" Annabeth swatted her mother's hand away with a swift swipe. "He isn't a supporter of death and shadow! And neither is he a fool! It was you who tried to kill him countless times! Summoning monsters from the depths of the earth? Minions? Evil satyrs? All he did was try to survive!" she shrieked.
"I did not do any of that! We did not do any of that!" Athena corrected herself quickly.
"Oh yeah? Then who did?" Annabeth retorted.
"That would be me." Came a deep voice from behind them. Percy knew the voice, but he heard it many years ago.
"Hades! Undoubtedly you didn't-" Athena cried surprisingly.
"Silence, girl!" came another voice. It was Poseidon. "Do not talk your uncle like that!"
"But it was him! He sent those minions to battle the boy! He-"
"Order!" a voice boomed from the beginning of the hall. Percy didn't have to look for the source, because he already knew it was Zeus. "I told your uncle to send those minions."
Athena didn't reply, but her face flipped over. "And you didn't tell me? Or them?" She walked towards her father, who was now out of his throne, facing the rest of the immortals. To put it bluntly, Percy felt out of place.
"If by them you mean the second generation then yes. All the original Olympians knew. Let's put it like that." Zeus said matter of factly.
Poseidon then came to stand beside him. "Your father did what he can. Do not speak to him like he is otherwise."
Then Hera on his other side, Demeter beside Poseidon, and Hades near Hera. They stood tall, and Athena appeared like a child to them. She is, after all, the offspring of Zeus. So were the rest of the Olympians. Technically speaking, of course.
"There is someone missing." Percy said weirdly. He wasn't thinking about Aphrodite. It felt like the semicircle of the old Olympians wasn't complete, and that there was someone they were forgetting.
"Yes, Aphrodite!" Athena spat. "Worm how dare you speak?"
"No, not Aphrodite," Percy replied, ignoring her insult. "As goddess of wisdom you must know that when angry you are not yourself?"
Athena was fuming, clearly, but she didn't reply as to make a fool of herself. After using incredible energy to force herself to be calm again, she then asked. "Then who is missing?"
"Hestia, of course." Percy smiled. "I hope you didn't forget about her." He rolled his eyes and looked at the five senior gods behind her. They had no fathomable expression on their face, but Athena was flummoxed to the core. She didn't reply, but she looked around, apparently looking for Hestia.
Then, from behind the senior gods, a red haired woman appeared, with golden skin, her hair a very fiery orange, and her eyes on fire. She walked gracefully and stood beside Demeter, and the semicircle was complete.
"Ah, Percy, what are we going to do with you?" Zeus walked forwards with his two brothers following him.
Percy had almost completely forgotten that he was in trouble with the gods. Indeed, it had been great being in the pantheon and all, but after all, who lives to see Mount Olympus and tell the tale? Zeus' expression was neutral. He didn't seem happy that he had caught the criminal, and neither did he seem sad that one of his nephews would have to suffer punishment.
"On normal circumstances I would have your liver pecked out every day by a griffin. Of course, that wouldn't do me any good now, would it? But let me tell you something. We have vowed, by we I mean the gods, and specifically the Olympians, to never hurt each other. This is a fundamental thing you should know. Secondly," Zeus started walking around Percy, "I am not going to make this decision alone. I believe you have something to tell us. A confession, perhaps. Something that mildly pleases me, but would greatly please me, if not under the current circumstances, but unfortunately I do not think it would please everyone." Zeus stopped at his right ear. "Do tell of your adventures to everybody here."
Percy faltered. He knew what the king of the gods was talking about. He had interfered in issues between the gods. That would be punishable by something worse than death. He would be trapped in the darkest, dirtiest and most dangerous part of the Underworld for his crimes.
"I…" Percy started, readying himself to confess. "I was-" but he was cut off by another voice, female and soft, melodic and beautiful. None other than Artemis, goddess of the moon.
"It is not his place to tell as it was not his mistake." Artemis said loudly, walking into the gathering of gods and demigods. She was wearing one of her robes, and no huntress was with her to escort her. Her hair was freshly wet, but nevertheless she was as stunning as ever.
"Pardon me, daughter?" Zeus interjected not so calmly.
"It is not his deed to confess. It is mine." Artemis enunciated loudly.
Percy saw Athena come closer to get a look at Artemis' face. Intent on figuring out the worst, she started listening.
"No longer am I a virgin." Artemis clearly said to her father. Zeus did not reply at once. Artemis took it as an invitation to continue. Athena's face was in complete shock, as she was a virgin goddess herself. "It was by the help of Perseus Jackson that I was not so, but it was I who ordered him to-"
"Perseus Jackson!" Athena screamed.
"Stand down, child!" Poseidon roared. "Listen before you speak! I am sure that is one of your wise tactics!" he raised his trident threateningly.
"I ordered Perseus Jackson to unfold me. It is not his fault." Artemis said clearly again, still not looking at Percy and still emotionless.
There was silence for a moment, until it was broken by a genuine laugh. It was Zeus, and his brother Hades was chuckling silently as well. Poseidon, however, did not share their laughter. He was looking at Percy not with pride but with sadness.
"My son, you have dealt with forces that are beyond your imagination." He said softly.
"Well done!" Zeus boomed. He smiled widely at Artemis and embraced her in a fatherly hug. "Do you know how long I have been waiting for this day? Millenia! Me and Hades placed bets of colossal amounts on you! But to Percy Jackson! I would have never guessed!" Zeus let her go and resumed laughing heartily. "Now I," he looked at Percy fondly, "thought you RAPED her. So that's why I was stern. But this changes everything! Look at her! You won her heart Perseus!" he was still laughing deeply.
"Brother you laugh for no apparent reason. You have sentenced my son to death!" Poseidon interrupted calmly.
"Don't you understand, brother? The Fates said this would happen! They cut the strings or whatever the hell they do down there! It was meant to happen!" Zeus cried, apparently serious.
"Don't you understand what your daughter has done? She has put a spell under herself! She will crave Percy alone! For thousands of years!" Poseidon clenched his teeth as not to break his calm. "She will not look at another man again!"
Percy stopped thinking. Artemis was in love with him? This changes everything though, doesn't it? Percy thought. This can't be. I can't possibly be loved by a goddess! This is way out of line! He looked at Annabeth but her head was down. She was behind him this whole time.
"Nevertheless, punishments will have to be carried out." Zeus sighed. "We'll have a vote, as usual. Here are the terms, however: life, but in a death arena in the Underworld for 25 years, or death. And by death, I mean you'll be in the underworld forever. Don't expect yourself to be placed in the nice parts because frankly, I don't know how my brother picks them. There's a whole process that I'm proudly ignorant of, frankly. Anyways, ah…yes…vote for Underworld?"
Artemis immediately stood beside Percy, and he heard a voice in his head, saying, "I will never leave you."
Poseidon sighed once again and stood beside Percy. He didn't speak. Neither did he look at Percy. But Percy was great grateful for his support. Then beside him came Zeus. Smiling, apparently still happy from what happened to Artemis, he bumped his shoulder into Poseidon's. Then Demeter. Then Hera.
"The death of Percy Jackson?" Zeus prompted in front of him, and there stood Dionysus, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Athena.
"Ah, seems that we're at a tie. We should resort to temporary conditions, since Ares and Aphrodite are not here. Hestia, would you please make your vote?" Zeus prompted his sister with his hand. She then came to stand beside Hera. She was smiling. Apparently keeping Percy alive was something she has had in her mind for quite a while now.
"And Hades?" Zeus inquired.
Hades, his black robe leaving burn marks on the ground, walked towards Dionysus but stopped about three feet away from him, but Percy already knew where he would stand on this matter without testing him. As if hearing his thoughts, Hades said, "It would be wondrous to have you in the Underworld, Perseus Jackson. There's finally somebody to compete with the undead heroes of old." And with that he smiled. A quite terrible one, to be exact. Not something that would attract any living or dead thing near him.
Percy nodded, not able to speak. It was a tie once again. Ares' body still lay between the two groups, bloody and lifeless. He will come to life again, but not too soon. Zeus' face started to twist. What would he do now? It was his call. But, if he calls in the favor of Percy, then the latter would be furious, and vice versa.
"It seems that we will have to delay the vote until Aphrodite arrives." Zeus said, after a long moment's silence.
"There will be no need for that," a dreamy voice came from behind them. A warm skinned beautiful woman walked to the body of Ares. She knelt down, and Percy thought he saw a tear drop down from her eyes. Not a fraction of a second later, she stood up and looked at Percy.
"I assume it was you who did this. I will not deny that I expected nothing less from this. But know that this will bring you more harm than less." Aphrodite said clearly, her voice barely shaking from the loss of her lover. "Heroes are meant to interfere with the will of the gods. That is why we made you. That is why you stand here right now. We are forbidden to harm each other, as you must have noticed. That is why Ares took you to be his champion."
She sighed a long and tired sigh. Everybody was intently gazing at her, curious to what she would say next. She didn't take her eyes off Percy, who in turn was staring at her, entranced by her beauty but also ambivalent at the situation.
"But it is not my place to interfere with Fate, however. Whatever happened was meant to happen, and what will happen henceforth is, again, meant to happen. Anyone who tries to change this, will be sorely disappointed. To us immortals, this is just a mere quarrel. To you mortals and demigods, this is a war." She closed her eyes and large, fat tears came out of each of her eyes. "Ares will be very angry I did this but," she paused, and glanced at his body, then glared sadly back at Percy, "I want you alive."
With that she dropped to the floor, crying on the body of her lover. Percy didn't know what to feel. Relieved? Grateful? His troubles were finally over. With Annabeth safe. However, there were new players in the game now. But he would be in the Underworld, minding his own business.
After another moment's silence, Zeus spoke again. "Well, it is clear what we should do with you. Hades, would you do the honors?" he looked to his brother, who didn't seem to be disappointed at all.
"Of course, brother." Hades walked towards Percy. Artemis was still tightly at his left arm, and now he felt Annabeth's soft touch at his right. "With great disdain I say, welcome to the Underworld. Now, entering the Underworld alive is quite a shady business so I ask you to abide with me." He walked closer to face Percy head to head. "You will have to be my champion to enter willingly. To be my champion, there is a fight to the death."
Artemis stood in front of him almost immediately. "You will not touch my lover!" she said scathingly.
"Please, stand aside little girl. Do not meddle with affairs you know nothing about." Hades chuckled softly. He leaned on a sword which was thick from the handle to become quite lean at its end. It was marvelously thick, and incredibly and unimaginably sharp, with runes on its body. It glowed with a pale blue light, which could be a source of light as potent as the moon. The sword itself stood at Percy's chest. Percy took a step forward and stood beside Artemis to look at Hades.
"It is a most difficult process, by which you will be branded my champion, with your own armor, sword,-" Hades continued, but Percy cut him off.
"I already have a sword," Percy cut in, thinking about his own Riptide. It was a puny sword beside the one Hades had, and he wondered what it's name was.
"It has many names Perseus Jackson. And your sword, consider it…unwise to use it in the Underworld. It's history might be tragic, but it is nothing compared to where you will be staying." He smiled again.
"So when do I go?" Percy asked, his voice breaking, thinking of what will happen to him.
"Oh, right away. You will be coming with me. Special guest for now. I will tell you of your task. Then you will gain entry to the death arena." Hades replied immediately, as if he had said this a million times before.
"Will the task be part of my 25 years in the arena?" Percy inquired. 25 years wasn't that long. For demigods, at least. They age twice as slow as humans, meaning they can live twice as long.
"Oh, you don't think you'll be staying the full 25 years are you?" Hades scoffed. "My brother doesn't really know what the stakes on death arenas really are. You see, if you live long enough, you are…set free, so to speak. If you die, however, you will join us in the Underworld as a dead hero, not a special guest. So you have a chance of survival."
"How long do I have to stay alive?" Percy said slowly, thinking. If he could stay alive long enough, he could be back in an even shorter time. That isn't so hard, Percy thought. Considering defeating a god, I think I'll do fine down there.
"It depends. You will have to meet the blademaster of the arena. He will tell you everything you need to know, including becoming my champion." Hades answered patiently. "Are you ready to leave?"
"Just one moment," Percy nodded at him. He turned around to face Annabeth. Her face was shining in the light of the pantheon, probably because of the tears on her face. The reflected the light and made her face look like a star.
"Hi." Percy couldn't think of anything else to say. "I have to go." He walked towards her and touched her face. "I'll be back sooner than you think. I won't have to stay the 25 years."
"You better not." She choked back. She stopped sobbing for a second and looked him in the eye. "I'll be waiting for you."
"I promise you won't wait long." Percy whispered to her.
"But what about Artemis? She's in love with you forever now!" Annabeth gave another choke and grabbed hard on Percy's arm, crying on his shoulder.
"I'm sure you'll find a way to undo it. Besides, she'll notice that the feeling isn't mutual." Percy said quietly.
Annabeth didn't reply. She then hugged him. She held on for so long that Hades was starting to feel uncomfortable. He cleared his throat mildly and Percy took that as a sign to stop, and Annabeth pulled away with great difficulty.
"I am very unfamiliar with the feeling of true love. I wonder why…" Hades murmured to himself, but Percy heard him clearly. Apparently he was thinking about him. Then Hades, coming to his senses, said, "Come, Perseus Jackson." Then, to the immortals around him, he said, "Farewell! May I never come here again!" And Percy felt himself being burnt to shreds starting from his feet, up to his chest, then he saw and heard no more.