Hey all! I got a bit of my groove back, and I knocked this baby out quicker than chapter 13! I'm glad those who reviewed liked it, despite its late update. Charlee, GodJax, I know you guys like the character development, so I know you'll like this chapter. A little background on Iapetus and Kelli, all non-canon, of course. But I think you'll like it.

As for the Backbiter/Soul Razer ordeal, Percy isn't gaining another scythe. The sickle he carries is Backbiter. It was his trophy for defeating Kronos. More lore expansion on this weapon will occur next chapter.

Also, Tom 2000 asked a great question; just how powerful is Percy? While he is not yet on par with Chaos himself, Percy is easily more powerful than the Olympians. Although, since I don't want him too OP, he is currently strong enough to take on the Gods in a 1v1 situation, not all at once. And, his true powers haven't even been fully awoken yet!

Now, on to the story!

Enjoy!

~Begin Chapter~

Percy felt as though he had just fallen asleep when a piercing, haunting howl, like the moans of the dead, startled him awake. The Son of Chaos shot up from his bedroll, eyes wide and alert, his sword instinctively drawn.

"Quiet," Iapetus whispered calmly. The Titan sat near the embers of the dying fire, his silver eyes scanning the trees. "A rogue pack of hellhounds seem to have wandered nearby."

"Rogue pack?" Percy parroted, glancing to his left to check on Thalia. The Daughter of Zeus was sound asleep with a light smile on her face. Iapetus nodded.

"The packs of Tartarus operate like that of a hierarchy," Iapetus explained, still watching the tree line. "They are not so dissimilar to Lycaon and his pack, though they lack human form. The packs normally stick to a specific area of Tartarus. For one of the packs to stray this far? They are rogues, and do not conform to the alpha."

"And who is the alpha?"

"Many would believe Cerberus," the Titan shook his head slightly. "Many would be wrong. Cerberus is the father of hellhounds, but the alpha is a powerful female by the name of Nuala."

"Nice name," Percy commented. "For a hellhound."

"Indeed, yet she is anything but." The howls of the rogue pack began to fade, and silence fell around them once again. "They have gone. Rest, Son of Chaos, I shall wake you in a couple of hours." Percy snorted and shook his head.

"Right, like I'm gonna sleep after that," Percy snarked. He stood from his bedroll and joined Iapetus by the fire, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The pair sat in silence for a while, simply staring into the glowing embers. Unconsciously, Percy started to finger his bracelet, drawing comfort in the warm, but muted, pulses of comfort the beads emanated.

"That is an interesting artifact," Iapetus commented, drawing the demi-Primordial's attention. "I can sense ancient power in it."

"It was a gift," Percy explained. "A birthday present from my father when I was a child."

"What does it do?"

"The beads hold traces of the essence of Chaos and Order," replied Percy. "They provide comfort when they can't be with me." Iapetus nodded his understanding.

"And the charms?"

"Weapons and trophies from enemies and monsters I've defeated." Percy lifted his arm and showed the Titan the many charms dangling from the bracelet. "The Yin-Yang is my sword, and my first weapon, Void Breaker. The horn is a battle-axe I won from my first fight with the Minotaur. A huntress friend of mine gifted me the bow, the scythe was Kronos', and the spear is a trophy from Atlas."

"O Damalídis," Iapetus said quietly, staring at the miniature spear-head. "That was my son's weapon, named so in my honor."

"Atlas tried to kill me and Thalia," Percy stated frankly. "He nearly killed his own daughter as well and held the goddess Artemis captive under the sky."

"Atlas was always the most troublesome of my children," Iapetus sighed sadly and shook his head. "Then again, he was forced to hold the sky for eons, a burden that would weigh heavily on even the strongest of beings." The Titan regarded Percy curiously. "Rumors say you held the sky, albeit briefly?"

"Five minutes and thirty-seven seconds," Percy admitted quietly. "Though it felt like hours."

"You are truly powerful and must contain great strength to have lasted more than a minute," Iapetus smiled. "That is why I have no fears of the future."

"Forgive me for sounding rude," Percy started, regarding the Titan with his own expression of curiosity. "But you are the living embodiment of an oxymoron."

"How so?" Iapetus asked with an amused look and an arched brow.

"The stories I've read of you - and your past attempt to kill both me and Thalia - paint you as this indomitable warrior with a bloodlust, yet you might be the most peaceful of Titans that I've met so far - aside from maybe Calypso." Iapetus opened his mouth and let out a deep, rolling chuckle.

"I like you, Perseus Jackson," the Titan stated with a grin. "Indeed, I am the Titan of Mortality and Mortal Death; that is a title, young Primordial, nothing more. Eons I have spent in this accursed Pit, contemplating my role in the first Titanomachy, though it was not until you threw me into the River Lethe and my sister restored my memory that I reflected on my role. I ventured into the Pit, willingly, and searched for answers. When I discovered that my Mother had a hand in my brother's resurrection and that she had poisoned his mind, I knew my path lay not with the Earth Mother." Percy nodded his understanding and glanced across the small camp at the sleeping form of Kelli.

"And Kelli?"

"Persecution of the monsters on behalf of my mother," Iapetus replied with a shrug. "She has seen many sisters fall, either to Titans or demigods. They are children of Hecate and, as the goddess was all but forced to join the Titans during the second war, the Empousai were forced to join as well. Kelli is one of the few of her sisters who solely feasted on the worst of men in the mortal world; murderers, rapists, drug lords. She never asked to kill innocents."

Percy was surprised by Iapetus' admission and felt a newfound respect for the Empousa. Surprisingly, he realized he shared a commonality with the vampiric girl; both had been used for the benefit of others. For her, it was the Titans. For Percy, the Gods. He found it odd to feel… he wouldn't call it a 'kinship' exactly… more like an understanding sympathy, with a monster. It seems those bereft of immortal blood - and even some with immortal blood - would always serve as pawns for some 'higher purpose'. This revelation left a bad taste in Percy's mouth,

"Perhaps you should rest," Iapetus repeated, drawing Percy's attention. "You will need it for the day ahead."

"Well… that doesn't sound at all ominous," Percy muttered.

~Break~

For maybe the fifth time since Iapetus roused the small group Percy was grateful for the extra couple hours of sleep he had gotten after his talk with the Titan. According to Iapetus, today was the final stretch and they would reach Kronos' lair before the end of the day. Of course, this would be the most dangerous part of their journey, but also the swiftest. In order to reach the Titan Lord's lair, the contingent of two half-bloods, an Empousa and a Titan, would have to cross through, what Iapetus claimed was, a veritable hot-zone of some of the most vicious of Tartarus' monsters. Rogue packs of hellhounds, smaller species of drakon, Stymphalian birds (most likely the flock the crew of the Argo II had defeated), and smatterings of Laestrygonian Giants.

A chill swept over Percy and Thalia as they crossed into a different section of Tartarus. The pair were surprised to learn that the Pit was divided up into different biomes with different environments, each with their own groups of monsters that preferred whatever type of environ that section offered. Swamps, deserts, vast landscapes of razor-sharp rock. Even unnaturally cold climates like the one they had just crossed into. Bitingly cold winds buffeted and tossed them about. Deceptively snow-covered patches of ice threatened their footing. Impossibly sharp shards of ice poked and snatched at their clothing and occasionally drew blood from small scratches and cuts.

All in all, if you weren't a monster or a Titan, Tartarus was full of things that could kill you. Even the weather.

As the small group trudged on through the snow and harsh wind, conversation was, understandably, all but nil, and moods were as bitter as the cold. However, their determination to finish their task showed the group would not be swayed or deterred. Two hours the odd group walked, their pace slow, but steady, when Iapetus shouted through the wind to the rest of the group.

"I can see the end of this zone! We are almost clear of this abysmal cold!"

"About damn time!" Percy shouted back, pulling the Nemean lion skin coat close around his body, grateful to Artemis for gifting it back to him in exchange for a small favor. He glanced at Thalia, wrapped in her own fur-lined coat, and was pleased to see the girl was okay, though her constant shivering and the slight bluish tinge to her lips was worrying. Percy sidled up alongside his girlfriend and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Calling on a little of his power of Order's white fire saw Thalia sighing in relief and snuggling up close to her boyfriend. "Alright there, Angel?"

"N-n-no," Thalia managed to stutter out through chattering teeth. "B-b-but I'm w-warmer n-now."

Percy nodded and gave Thalia a gentle squeeze.

"Hold in there, Thals. Just a little longer and we'll be out of here."

"L-look at h-him," Thalia grumbled, glaring half-heartedly at the towering form of Iapetus. The Titan had a resistance to the cold, thanks to his immortal blood, and appeared quite comfortable in a thin, woolen jacket and his red-black combats pants. "S-s-show off."

Percy chuckled and kissed Thalia's forehead, earning a small smile and seeing her eyes glow happily. In order to handle the mind-numbing - quite literally - journey through this land of ice and snow, Percy took this as an opportunity to distract himself and ponder on his relationship with Thalia. There was no doubt he loved the girl. They'd said it plenty enough to establish that. It was the little things about the Daughter of Zeus that had him head over heels for her. The way her nose would scrunch up cutely when she was frustrated, how her eyes would sparkle when she was happy or excited. That smile that made his heart skip a beat and would make him feel flustered - a feat that even Aphrodite couldn't achieve.

Thalia wasn't just beautiful to him on the outside, however. She possessed a pure heart and was fiercely loyal to her friends. Her rebellious attitude and her fierce determination made her all the more attractive in Percy's eyes. But the clencher for Percy, was how easily Thalia could read him. He always kept his emotions bottled up to deal with at a later time, especially when the current situation called for rational thinking, and couldn't be blinded by his emotions. Thalia, however, could always tell when he wasn't dealing with something and all but threatened him with electrocution when they had a moment alone. The blue-eyed girl knew him better than most, had learned all about him and who he was, and what he had done. Yet she never turned him away or looked down on the choices he'd made. She accepted him for who he was, and he saw the love in her eyes every time she looked at him. Percy couldn't see himself loving anyone but her.

As if reading his thoughts, Thalia turned those sapphire-like eyes to Percy and stood on her toes to give his lips a soft, loving kiss that sent a bolt of warmth through his body. Thalia grinned when she pulled away and nodded at the goofy grin on Percy's face.

"I love you too," Thalia said with a thousand-watt smile.

"Come, my friends," Iapetus called out ahead of them. "The zone ends just ahead!"

"Move it, love birds!" Kelli shouted from behind Iapetus, shivering with a look of annoyance. "I fucking hate the cold."

~Break~

"I'm glad we're out of that freaky blizzard zone, but I'm not sure rivers of lava and fields of pumice are any consolation," Percy grumbled alongside their Titan companion. Iapetus hummed his agreement but didn't reply. "Have you noticed it too?"

Iapetus nodded and continued to cast his narrowed gaze about as they walked.

"Yes. The absence of monsters in the last two zones could be dismissed as coincidence, but three is unnerving."

"Wonder why," Percy had felt as though a pit had opened in his stomach since they started their journey, and it had only grown since. "I figured we'd run into that rogue pack of hellhounds or even a drakon eventually."

"I have a bad feeling the Earth Mother is gathering her forces," Iapetus commented thoughtfully. "Most likely concentrated to a specific area of Tartarus with some significance - even then, we should have encountered something."

"An army of monsters that would undoubtedly outnumber even a full-fledged military is an unsettling thought."

"Indeed," the Titan agreed with a grim expression. "We must make haste to my brother - we are nearly there."

"Where is there?" Iapetus raised his hand pointed to a tall spire in the distance.

"The Tower of Titans," Percy heard a sense of pride in the Titan's voice. "It is where the Immortal Hall resides; a vestibule that honors all Titans, both living and faded. It is here that the symbols of power for all Titans was forged and assigned. For myself, and several others, this tower is a beacon to us Titans, a place we may call home and safe haven when we enter Tartarus."

"Sooo… it's 'Titan's Tower'?" Percy grinned a bit at Iapetus' confusion. He heard Thalia snicker beside him. "Will we meet Beast Boy, Raven and Robin there?" Thalia's snickers turned to giggles and she had to grab Percy's shoulder to steady herself. Even Kelli couldn't hold back her smirk of amusement - her time topside allowed her to catch up on pop-culture.

"Of course not. Wild children and small birds would find Tartarus very inhospitable," Iapetus intoned seriously. That saw Thalia doubling over in laughter, and Percy grinning innocently.

"Of course," Percy replied, waving his hand dismissively. The Titan regarded Percy and the laughing Thalia with a confused look, then shrugged and continued on towards the tower.

"By the Void," Thalia gasped. "I haven't laughed that hard since you told me the nickname you gave my father."

"Now Thals," Percy chastised with mock-seriousness. "Don't discredit ol' Thunderballs by comparison."

The sound of feminine laughter echoed off the rocks.

~Break~

"Damn."

Percy gazed up at 'Titan's Tower' in awe. The tower seemed to stretch as high as the Empire State Building and was just as wide. Surprisingly, it reminded him much of the Washington Monument in D.C… except the stone was as red as rust and several times wider, from the base to the spire at the top.

"It is an impressive sight," Iapetus said in agreement. The Titan started towards the set of massive, onyx-black stone doors that served as the entrance. "Come. My brother awaits."

The doors swung open silently and allowed the troop to enter the entrance hall. Bronze braziers lined the walls, their golden flames illuminating dozens of tapestries and statues. Each seemed to depict one of the Titans, with both their likeness and their symbols of power. Further into the tower they dwelt, climbing numerous flights of stairs to reach the uppermost floor. Percy grumbled the whole time about how Hades had an elevator, why couldn't Kronos install one in his tower? Before long, the mixed quartet came upon another set of double doors; taller than that of the entrance and twice as grand. The doors were made of blood ore - a near indestructible stone, found only in Tartarus, that is mainly black in color with veins of red running throughout - with carvings of sickles, scythes, snakes and wheat, all inlaid in gold.

"Before we enter, there is something I must ask of you, Perseus," Iapetus stated, halting the group. At Percy's cocked brow, the Titan continued. "I understand your anger towards my brother, and the wrongs he has committed. But I ask that you remain civil - as will he - and to set aside that anger and listen to what he has to say."

Percy kept a stoic expression and took a moment to think over the Titan's request. The warrior in him wanted to burst through those doors and put a permanent end to the bastard that had killed so many. To finally rid the world of the Titan Lord who had threatened his home and nearly killed his girlfriend… but his logical side, his rational side, reminded him of Iapetus' explanation of Gaea's poisoning of Kronos' mind. He would be civil and listen to what the Titan had to say… but one wrong move and Kronos would experience the true power of a Son of Chaos.

"Very well," Percy stated simply. Iapetus nodded gratefully and raised his hands to the door, slowly and gently pushing them open.

The throne room, while much more glamorous than the tower itself, was surprisingly not as ostentatious as Percy and Thalia assumed it would be. Black marble pillars stretched floor to ceiling in a uniform pattern throughout the room and were trimmed in gold. The floors, walls and ceiling were black marble, and also trimmed in gold, occasionally forming various symbols and pictures that in some way represented the Titan Lord. Said lord was seated in a throne of pure, uniformly-cut obsidian, that seemed to glow from within.

Percy and Thalia were shocked to discover Kronos had inhabited the shell of an automaton. The machine was made of a mixture of Imperial Gold and Celestial Bronze. The structure was humanoid and surprisingly life-like, despite the gold coloring. The mouth and facial features were a complicated menagerie of gears and servos, all moving in tandem to imitate facial expressions. Said expression was conveyed as a tired smile, with gold eyes regarding them sadly.

"Perseus Jackson. Thalia Grace," the automaton Kronos greeted cordially. He raised his arms wide, a golden scythe held in one hand, and gestured to the room. "Welcome to the Tower of Titans."

~End Chapter~

I'd like to take a moment and humbly pat myself on the back. I really liked writing this chapter, and I hope you all liked reading it!

Also, I screwed up on the Greek name for Percy's spear, The Piercer. In chapter 3 I said the Greek translation was 'O Peiratís', when in fact it is 'O Damalídis', meaning 'to pierce'. Not real important, but just thought I should mention that.

Don't forget to R&R, please! Your reviews matter!

Thank you, my beautiful readers!