Chapter 10:

Their ride would take a long time, even if Thalia was pushing the limit. As such, almost everyone was asleep, weary from the day's challenges and sorrow.

One of those people was Zoe, who was peacefully dreaming about a life without any monsters, a happy one with just her, Artemis, and their Percy.

"Zoe," she heard a voice call. Turning around, she saw her beloved, sitting down in the field of grass.

"Percy," she breathed, rushing to him, she clutched him tightly. The dream altered as the god entered it. Now, it was just the two of them with Zoe's memories of Bianca returning.

"Hey it's ok Zo, I know you blame yourself for her, but you can't. It was not your choice." Zoe was glad she had a person that got her, so she didn't have to explain herself. Though Bianca's death wasn't the only thing weighing on her mind.

"I know, but… watching her die and the prophecy unfold just makes me think about…" She didn't have to continue, both knew what she was talking about. The dreaded line that Percy had promised to break.

"I promised you something Zo, and I would never break a promise to either you or Arty." Percy said, enjoying the smell of her hair. The smell of the wild was something Percy had never lost, even when he had gone to train with Chronos.

"I have to go now Zoe as you will be waking up soon." He said as the two finally released each other.

She nodded as the dream started to fade, receiving a kiss just as the dream ended.

Line Break

Percy had arrived at Olympus to give his answer to his father's question. "Father, I have come to give you my answer." He said, kneeling in front of the almost the whole Olympian council with exception of Artemis.

"What is it Perseus? Will you join alongside your closest family members in becoming a part of the Olympian council?" Percy took a breath, knowing his answer might cause a backlash no matter what it was.

"Unfortunately father, I must decline your gracious offer." He looked around to see the reactions. Apollo and Hermes both looked shocked, no doubt wanting myself to be a part of their trickster group. Demeter seemed to not care as did Aphrodite who simply gave me her 'lustful' gaze. Athena merely looked at me with her grey eyes, not showing any real emotion. Poseidon looked at me with respect while also throwing my father a smirk. Hera seemed to look at me with respect as well, giving a slight nod in acknowledgement. Ares and Hephaestus looked on with mild interest, but minding their own business as was Dionysus who had a glass of wine in his hand.

Finally, I looked to my father and noticed that he did not seem entertained by my rejection. "What do you mean you reject the opportunity to be an Olympian Perseus?" I could feel the tension in the air as thunder cackled outside.

"Forgive me father, but I can not accept because I feel as if being a primordial means I stand out to much in a council filled with gods. I also feel as if I don't deserve it. If anyone should receive it, it should either be Aunt Hestia or Uncle Hades, no matter what you think of the two."

I could see my father torn between accepting my decision and moving on and berating me for not accepting whatever he had to offer. However, Hera's hand seemed to calm him slightly as he cleared his throat. "Very well Perseus, I accept your decision and will think about your suggestion. You are dismissed." Zeus immediately flashed out, soon followed by his wife, Poseidon and the rest.

"Your too kind Perseus, it's a real wonder you know. After all, I've not seen many of my brother's children turn out like you. Plus, you share the same birth parents as Apollo, and Hades knows that he can be worse than your father at times. Although, Artemis I guess has caused you to go down the right path." Percy immediately turned his head to look at the speaker and noticed it as his aunt Hestia.

"Lady Hestia," Percy quickly said, kneeling on one knee. She merely laughed, forcing a confused gaze to go her way.

"There is no need to kneel to me Perseus, in fact, it should be the other way around. I mean, you were the one offered to be an Olympian, not I." She looked away from the hearth and faced Perseus, her eight year old form towered over by Perseus's adult one.

"I will always kneel to you Aunt Hestia, you are one of best immortal beings there is." His statement caused her to blush.

"Again, you are too kind for your own good. It'll be a wonder how you actually manage to fight another being instead of just trying to kill it with your charm and words." She said chuckling. "Unfortunately, I must go Perseus, it was nice talking to you and I hope to see you soon."

Soon it was just Perseus in the throne room as a column of flames marked his aunts leave.

He decided to not flash out and took a more mortal way of exiting Olympus, walking towards the elevator. Stopping in the garden to think about everything that had happened since returning. He knew something powerful had to have taken Artemis, and the Fates no doubt would make it a pain in the ass to get back his sister. As such, he knew the time to help Zoe as well as the demigods was looming on the horizon.

A short while later, he had arrived in the elevator, he took a deep breath as the elevator doors closed.

"Ah, grandson, it's nice of you to join me." A voice said. Percy immediately turned around, but found just himself inside the small containment. A deep, resounding chuckle caused Percy to growl in frustration.

"Come out you coward, show yourself!" He yelled in no general direction.

"I do not yet have a form Perseus. What I do have is an offer. Join me Perseus, I, as the Titan of Time, and you, as the Primordial of Time, will surely make an excellent duo. We can rule over those puny gods and mortals my dear grandson." Percy could hear the grin as Kronos's mind started forming images of the potential.

"You are naive Kronos if you really think I would join you. I did not inherit the title of Primordial of Time by having malicious intent toward this world." He said, eyes narrowing as the air started growing colder around him.

"Be careful about the words you choose Perseus. You should know that already, your father is harboring ill thoughts about you due to your decision. It will only be a matter of time before the other Olympians do as well. Especially your sister, she's already done it once before Perseus, what's to stop her from doing it again?" Kronos taunted, earning a growl from Percy.

Suddenly images of Artemis with every other male besides him floated into his mind as his knees buckled and he howled in pain. "Join me Perseus, and this will all go away. Join me and you can get revenge on your wretched sister." The titan whispered.

"NO!" Percy yelled and used all his power to push the elder being from his mind.

"Sir, are you alright?" Someone asked. Percy looked up to see the doors to the elevator had opened and people were starting to stare at him.

"I'm fine," he growled, getting back on his two feet and leaving the vicinity. However, images of Artemis cheating on him once more were still in his minds. As well as his grandfather's words. "What's to stop her from doing it again?"

A small part of Percy asked itself that question, wondering what would stop her.

Line Break

"It's four against one! There's no way we're getting past them!" Zoe yelled as as the skeletons were cornering them near a snack shack.

"What do we do?" Thalia asked, looking at the approaching skeletons wearily. Zoe thought for a second about that, was this situation worthy of being a final use of the Percy doll.

She decided it was as one of the skeletons raised a machine gun. With a determined cry, she threw the doll which immediately grew life sized, protecting the demigods from the onslaught of bullets.

"That'll buy us some time, but we need to find some other way out of here." Zoe said. The life sized Percy figurine was doing work, but since the skeletons couldn't die, it's efforts were fruitless.

"Thalia, try and pray for your dad's help." Jon suggested, knowing there were very limited options for the cornered spawns of immortals.

"He doesn't answer Jon, you know that. It's stupid to even suggest that Seaweed Brain." Thalia said, sending some shocks to help the Percy doll who was starting to show signs of fatigue.

"Thalia, Jonathan is right, our only option might be if thy prays to thy father." Zoe said. Thalia seemed annoyed at Zoe's decision to choose Jon's side, but closed her eyes and silently prayed to her father.

Suddenly, two angels that were on the wall came to life. "Oh wow! Doesn't it feel good to stretch after all these years George?" The one of on the left said.

"You bet Jasper." The other replied.

"Hey, can you guys get us out of here?" Thalia said, a slight bit of surprise creeping into her voice due to the fact that her father actually did answer.

"I swear, kids are slowly starting to forget their manners these days, but I guess if your Zeus's kid I'll let it slide this time." George said, grabbing Zoe and Thalia while the other grabbed Jon and Phoebe.

Zoe watched as the doll crumbled into dust, the skeletons staring murderously at their retreating forms. Zoe sighed, that incident was cut way too close.

"Hey Seaweed Brain, where did you get the idea to pray to my dad?" Thalia asked.

"I think it was Athena that gave it to me, but I don't know." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders.