Chapter 10

5 years later

We were walking back to our room from our most recent strategy session, when Artemis, now my wife, starting ranting about how Zeus has been gaining his allies.

"I still can't get over how Hera was only on our side until we get married," said Artemis.

"Yeah," said Percy, "And you'd think that after all these years, she'd be our ally, or at least neutral, and help overthrow Zeus who forced her to marry him, but no. She just had to be on Zeus's side. I mean, where was this when Zeus was cheating on her? "

"And the fact that he bribed Dionysus to join his side just goes to show how much of a bad ruler he is," said Artemis, "I mean, who bribes their own children to be allies?"

"Apparently Zeus," I said, "Besides, we all knew that he and his brothers were somewhat paranoid in their own special way."

"You do realize that you just called your own father paranoid, right?" asked Artemis

"If he heard me, he'll get over it." I said, shrugging it off.

"We heard that!" came a voice from the other end of the hall.

"That was either your dad or Lord Hades," said Artemis

"Again, my dad will get over it, he always does when I call him that," I said, "Lord Hades, it's going to take longer."

"You called your dad paranoid before?" asked Artemis in disbelief.

"Only when he starts pacing in his throne room, ranting about how Zeus doesn't care about his brothers enough to spare their children." I said, "And then I remind him that Lord Hades can always bring them back as skeletons if we needed to."

"You know," said Artemis, "it never ceases to amaze me as to how much of Annabeth's brain rubbed off on you."

We laughed, and then we realized that we skipped lunch. We then flashed to the cafeteria, where our troops immediately stood up and bowed. We have a wide variety of troops, ranging from monsters to plain mortals. Ever since Zeus took down the Mist five years ago, Americans have taken sides. Those who wished not to take sides fled the country. Me and Artemis have been able to restore the Mist just enough to block the reality of the war from the rest of the world. They still see America in war with itself, and they send supplies to each sides by their own ways, water for us, and air for Zeus, but the only reason that we didn't block America was because our troops wanted to help us win. Our troops know the real reason, but the rest of the world thinks that the U.S. has split due to some political shenanigan.

I then realized that we haven't checked up on our battles.

"Hey Arty," I said calling her by her nickname that only I can use, "We haven't checked up on the battles."

"Oh, yes," she said, "We can do that while we eat."

So, we took our food up to the battle watching room. Yes, it is what the name is, but we couldn't come up with a better name okay. We checked up on all our battles, which somehow was only in the Midwest.

"Dang it, they took New Orleans," I said, "We need that base if we are to get our supplies from Europe," I said.

"But we gained Topeka in Kansas," said Artemis

"Now, if we can get Jefferson City, the rest of Missouri will fall," said Artemis

"That will give us a good foothold to grab the states around it, which we can eventually use to continue east," I said, finishing what was probably the rest of her sentence.

"Great," she said, "We've captured Arkansas."

"Good, then we can attack Missouri from the West and South," I said. "Do we have enough forces in the
North to attack Minnesota?"

"We have twice as many troops we need to capture Minnesota," she said, "We can hope to capture it by Tuesday."

"Great," I said, "Then send about half of the extra forces south to attack Iowa," I said, "If we can capture that, then after we capture Minnesota, we can attack Wisconsin."

"Yup," she said, "And the rest of the battles seem to be in our favor."

"Fine, but ask Hades if he can send some troops down to Baton Rouge," I said, "Once Poseidon captures New Orleans again with his forces, they can join up to capture Louisiana, and force Zeus on the ropes."

"Done," said Artemis

"All right," I said, "That seems to be all of them. Now why don't we go to the hot tub, and have some relaxing time to our own."

"Fine, but if we're needed, we are going to join right away," she said, "Got it?"

"Yup" I said, "Right after we change."

"Yes," she said.

You see, the last time we had a calming hot tub session, we slept in it, and when we woke up, we were needed in St. Louis. Somehow, I had slowed us down and we were just able to make in there to save a couple hundred troops and a few hundred crates of supplies before we had to retreat.

"I just thought of something," I said "A way to end the war."

"What is it?" asked Artemis

"A duel," I said, "Between me and Zeus, whoever wins the duel, wins the war."

"But Percy, what if yo lose," said Artemis, "What will happen to us? Think about our children!"

"Arty, I am thinking about our children," I said calmly, "If I don't do this, then the war can go on for who knows how long!"

"But there's the chance I might lose you," said Artemis, who looked like she was on the verge on an outbreak, "I don't want that to happen, not now, when we have a family."

"I know, dear," I said, "But if I don't do this, then even more lives will be wasted, and we be able to live like a normal Olympian family."

"Fine," she said, "But if you lose, I'm coming down to Tartarus with you."

"And I would for you," I said. "Now come on, we need to tell the others of our plan."

"All right," she said, "But only so our children can live."

We called the leaders of our army to the meeting room. Artemis and me flashed in there, and saw the rest flash in. Poseidon, Hades, Apollo, Nico, Will, Hermes, Luke, Hephaestus, and Beckendorf stood on one side, while Aphrodite, Silena, and Thalia stood on the other. I know what you're thinking. 'How come some of the leaders, such as Luke Beckendorf and Silena, are there if they're dead?' Right? Well it's simple: Hades let them come back to life if we gave him another soul in their place, and to find that soul, we went to the nearest hospital, and asked for three patients that are on their deathbeds with no chance of recovery, and traded their souls. And, before you ask, Thalia is only here because she feels that it's her duty to follow Artemis, as Lieutenant of the Hunt, and she also doesn't want to fight her husband, Nico.

"Now, we've called you all here to discuss a plan that I've come up with to end the war," I said

"This better not be something that would jeopardize the whole war, Kelp Head." Said Thalia

"I'm not making any promises," I said, "But my plan is to have a duel with Zeus, where loser hands over the war, and goes to Tartarus."

"NO!" said Poseidon, "I will not have you give your life for this! Not like this, anything but this!"

"Sorry dad," I said, "But unless there's a better plan out there, this is the only way I see out of this war."

"Give us time, Percy," said Nico, "We just need time."

"That's just it, guys," I said, "We've been at war for five years, and we've been at a stalemate for most of it. This duel will ensure that less lives will be wasted and the war over."

"Percy, you're not going to give in, are you?" asked Poseidon

"Not unless there's a better way out." I said shaking my head

"Fine, Kelp Head," said Thalia, "If this is how we're going, we need to decide on the terms."

"I've got some of the rules and terms of the duel all set out," I said, "#1: Unconditional surrender by the loser. #2: the Winner gets the throne. #3: under no conditions will there be outside help. #4: only swords, symbols of power, etc. allowed. #5: If one side doesn't show up, they forfeit. #6: No fighting allowed outside the duel. #7: Fighting outside the duel will cease the day before the duel. If there's any more I need to add, tell me now."

"That seems like a good list," said Thalia

"There seems like there's no way out of it," said Aphrodite.

"As it should be," I said, "I want to make sure Zeus does not have a choice in this. I want to make sure that Zeus will have to accept this challenge, or he shall look weak and have to forfeit his rule."

"All right," said Poseidon, "When do you plan on telling this to Zeus, son?"

"Right after this," I said. "All right, unless anyone else has anything else that they need to tell me right now, this meeting is adjourned."

After a moment of silence, I dismissed them, and went over to the nearest water fountain. Man, am I glad that Iris didn't join Zeus's side, or I'd never be able to communicate as quickly as I should.

I fished a drachma in my pocket, and threw it in the fountain.

"Show me Zeus, Mt. Olympus." I said.

Zeus showed up, and it looked like he was in a planning session with his team. I saw Athena, Ares, Annabeth, Clarisse, Jason (Thalia's brother, who's been conceived as Zeus was in his Roman form), Hera, and a few others. One of them seemed like one of my officials that attended each and every one of my meetings (that wasn't for lieutenants and gods only).

"Perseus!" said Zeus "Are you so desperate to lower your standards to spying during our strategy sessions?"

"You're one to talk, Zeus, you hypocrite" I said, "You've had a spy in my midst this whole time, which is why he's now being evicted from his official position and banished from my side of the country." –this seemed to infuriate the spy, Jake I think, and Zeus—" but that is not why I have contacted you. I have come up with a proposition to end this war soon."

"Heh!" he said, "so you've finally decided to surrender your life and be sent to Tartarus, huh?"

"No," I said trying to control my anger, "I have decided that we shall have a duel for unconditional surrender from the losing side, with the throne on the line. Also, if you accept, fighting anywhere else shall cease at midnight the day before the scheduled bout, with no help from outside sources before, during, and after this bout. This will include any animals, mortals, demigods, immortals, etc. We will only be able to use our symbols of power, such as Riptide for me and your master bolt, and if you agree and don't show up, then we shall consider it forfeit, and shall claim ourselves as victors."

"Hmm," said Zeus, "this is a good way to finally end this war, and get my daughter away from sea scum such as you; I accept."

"All right," I said, "but before we can continue, I need you to swear on the River Styx."

"And what if I don't?" asked Zeus.

"Then I shall continue the war, and make sure that no one will be able to pass on any material from our side to yours," I said, "thereby forcing you to lose the only way that you've been holding on."

"Fine," said Zeus, "I swear on the Styx to accept the duel under the conditions laid down by Perseus Jackson."

"And I, too, swear on the Styx to accept the duel under the conditions that I have laid down."

Thunder rumbled on both sides.

"Now, with that out of the way," I said, "When will the duel take place?"