Well, I lied! This chapter will shock you, buuuuut next one will be even better! And Adge, you'll see Percabeth action later in story, don't fret!

Everyone else: good reading!


Chapter 11

Beginning of nasty problems

I gripped my staff tightly. Kronos and Perses sent a few monsters at me, just to test me; I was forbidden from using any kind of weapon except staff. I defeated them easily, and they sensed it, so they decided to give me a 'surprise'.

"Hello, cousin." I groaned inwardly.

"Hyperion", I growled.

I concentrated closing my eyes then opening them. I saw thin cobweb that stretched around, enveloping Hyperion in a cocoon. With a simple thrust of my hand, I pushed cocoon back. He stumbled back and regained his footing.

"Not bad, cousin, not bad", he admitted grudgingly. He lunged at me, and I instinctively created shield.

"Ouch!" he yelled as he flew back. Only then I realized that shield was transparent, but it was created from time itself.

"Impressive performance. I was never able to summon effective time shield." Kronos appeared behind me.

"It was created by an accident", I replied coolly. "It's possible I wouldn't be able to do it again."

"But you will", he said with a smirk on his face. His eyes glowed. I gritted my teeth: I was powerful, but I still had to learn how to repel his attacks.

My hands moved without any conscious command: they gripped staff and slammed its butt in the floor beneath us. Blast of power sent both of us sprawling back. I recovered first, and stood up quietly cursing. If I weren't immortal, I'd have been unconscious long ago.

"Can I have a rest? I am goddess, but I'm not invulnerable."

"Not yet. You still need to learn how to summon lightning." I face palmed. Control over water and shadows were relatively easy, but lightning was another matter.

"Not even a pause?" I pleaded. He halted.

"Ten minutes, and no more." I breathed sigh of relief: I needed some ambrosia and nectar. Jogging away, I wondered how Percy and Annabeth were.


"We have to do something!" Poseidon yelled slamming his fist on the armrest of his throne.

"But what? No god can get into Tartarus!" Athena replied hotly.

"So we should leave her there?" Artemis scoffed. "She may be goddess, but Tartarus would eventually drain her."

"I agree. We can't go there, but we should send heroes as our representatives", Hera voiced.

"Still, they need Thanatos to lead them and protect them", Hades yawned.

"Why don't we send one of us and send heroes in so they retrieve her?" surprisingly this came from Hestia. Everyone turned to her.

"It's a nice plan, Aunt Hestia", Ares muttered grudgingly.

"Yes, it is good plan", Athena agreed. "Now we only need to choose heroes and a diplomat who will divert Kronos's attention."

"Perseus and Annabeth, with Athena as diplomat", Zeus said.

"What?" he asked defensively as everyone looked at him. "They've saved our seat of power."

"Very well", Apollo said angrily. "They'll need one more companion."

"Maybe Thalia?" Artemis asked hopefully. Zeus opened his mouth in protest, but Poseidon beat him to it.

"Sorry, Artemis, someone needs to lead your hunters. Nico is much better choice." Hades looked at his younger brother incredulously.

"Why are you looking at me like that? He can navigate them better then anyone."

"OK. So, do you all agree?" Fourteen hands rose up. Zeus sighed.

"Let's inform the campers."


"Chiron! I'm not going to start Ella's shroud before we are almost positive she's dead!" Percy complained.

"Percy…" Chiron never finished that sentence, because Apollo and Poseidon flashed in.

"Dad! Lord Apollo! What are you doing here?" Poseidon sighed.

"Percy, we need you. We have to save Ella, and she's locked up in Tartarus."

"She's alive?" Percy couldn't hide his excitement.

"Yes", Apollo said impatiently, "but the problem is, she's immortal. She can't get out alone."

"I'll go and get Annabeth", Percy offered and sprinted away.

"Ah, heroes, always so reckless", Chiron muttered unhappily.

"Chiron, this is important. We know she told you the truth, and quite honestly, we don't want to leave her there", Poseidon told.

"That's why we decided to send Annabeth, Percy and Nico." Chiron nodded.

"How should I proceed?"

"Send them to the Oracle", Apollo said harshly. "After that, we can discuss details." Chiron trotted away to fetch Nico, leaving two very pissed gods to wait his return.


"Annabeth! Where are you? This is an emergency!" Annabeth exited from her cabin.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain", she said kissing him briefly then stepping back. "What kind of emergency?"

"Ella's trapped in Tartarus, and we have to save her." She nodded contently.

"OK, but you owe me a date." Percy blushed slightly, and kissed her on the cheek.

"Deal, Wise Girl. Let's visit Rachel, and we're as good as ready."

As they approached the cave, Percy steeled his nerves.

"Rach!" She ran out, her fingers splashed with paint.

"Hey, Percy, Annabeth, anyone needs a prophecy?"

"You're psychic", Annabeth laughed. "But yeah, how can we save Ella?"

Rachel closed her eyes, and spoke in chilling voice of Oracle.

Child of Sea and Time trapped against her will,

Alive in the darkest part of hell, waiting her chance to flee.

With Wisdom as distraction, and Sea and Ghost as helper

she will escape but only to cause mayhem.

Her last deed to mark new age of gods,

And to seal her father's fate, choice must be made.

(Wheeee! I'll leave it to this, so you can imagine what kind of reaction Poseidon, Apollo, Annabeth and Percy would have. You can say in review what you think! P.S. Hint for Apollo: he may be cool, but he inherited his father's 'long' fuse and flare for temper tantrums.)

"Ella, come here!" Perses called irritated. I quickly darted out of his room, not wanting him to know that I rummaged through his possessions.

"I'm coming!" After an hour of agonizing training with lighting, I wasn't in particularly good mood. As usual, when I got angry, I tended to not notice my surroundings, so it wasn't really surprising when I tripped and fell down, scraping my palms. Blood started dripping from shallows cuts.

"Oh my gods", I whispered shocked. This was disturbing as well as alarming.

You're probably thinking, what? Why is she fussing over a bit of blood?,but it wasn't usual red blood. Scratch, it wasn't even ichor, it was mix of both.

"Ella, why aren't you…" Perses noticed me kneeling, looking incredulously at my palms.

"Ella, what are you looking at?" I stood up carefully, and showed him. He cursed.

"So now you know."

"I'm still mortal, but I have quite a bit of an immortal blood", I deadpanned.

"Yes. Now…" He grabbed me by arm and started dragging me. I twisted out of his grip, and crossed my arms over chest.

"Why nobody told me?" He looked slightly guilty.

"Sorry, not your business to know." I snorted.

"Yeah, like I buy that story. I want full story, now." He gulped; I already lashed out at him, and he knew that it was better to give me some sort of truth then lying to me, or even worse, being quiet.

"Your father gave you immortality, but he placed a spell over you: you can't release your mortality until he dies." I huffed; this was so like Kronos.

"Nice from you to keep secrets like this." I danced away, carefully avoiding guards Kronos put to watch over me. It was laughable, really: Krios, Prometheus and Iapetus couldn't stop me if they wanted to.

"Where is she?" Kronos's voice froze me. I decided a little eavesdropping won't hurt.

"I told you already Uncle, she danced away! She's still in Tartarus…"

"You need to keep close eye on her. If she gets away we would lose everything. I thought you would be more careful."

"She's exceptionally observant", Perses whined. "She already figured about her incomplete immortality."

"She knows?" Anger in Father's voice was unmistakable. "You told her? After all effort I took in finding that spell…"

"She fell and scraped her hands." Perses was defensive now. "Not my fault she saw color of her blood."

"Very well. Now go and fetch her, sunset is coming, and I want her locked up in her room and you watching over her by time diplomat comes."

"Right away, Uncle!" I scooted away, not wishing to be caught. I ran off, my thoughts going into fifth gear: how to get rid of that goddamned spell?


Athena flashed into Hades' palace to find Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Poseidon and surprisingly Apollo waiting for her.

"Everyone ready?" Their looks were enough.

"Here's plan: you stall Father a long as you can with me", Poseidon said with his truce-for-now look.

"I will wait here and keep in touch with Nico", Apollo said through gritted teeth.

"And me, Annabeth and Percy will find Ella", Nico finished.

Athena had to admit, it was almost foolproof plan, but she and Poseidon must not mess up anything.

"I will transport them into pit", Hades said giving his son a concerned look. "And hope for the best."

"We all have to", Percy muttered. "I'm not leaving my sis there."


I ran into my room only minute before Perses banged in.

"There you are! Your father needs to speak to you." I scowled and got up from my bed. This was bound to be very nasty talk.

There was stony silence as he walked me to the edge of the pit. Kronos stood there, leaning casually at the boulders. Wait a minute, leaning? I took a better look and gasped. His body slowly started to solidify, so he now looked more like a vortex of darkness within a human shaped shell made out of shadows.

"Surprised?" Even his voice didn't sound so faraway and distant. He was reforming, and my presence just sped up the process.

"You are becoming… human", I uttered. He smiled his inhuman smile.

"Quite right. You are truly bright, my dear. Even Athena wouldn't be so accurate in her description."

Suddenly, I felt Poseidon's and Athena's presence. I smiled devilishly.

"Go ahead, Father, and meet your son and granddaughter." He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Athena and Poseidon. Who would've thought that two arch enemies will work together? Perses, your orders." He dragged me away, and as we turned around the corner, I spotted Poseidon, his green eyes telling me: Help is on the way.

Hehe! I love keeping you in suspense! As usual, R&R!

Ella: Hey, tell them the title of the next chapter!

Me: Aw, Ella, what's fun in that?

Ella: *her eyes glowing gold* Tell them, or I'll tell Apollo to torment you with his haikus!

Me: DON'T! All right, chill! Next chapter's name will be 'Negotiations'. Peace out, Jelena.