Squidney01: SUCH A GOOD STORY! LUV THE PLOT AND EVERYTHING ELSE! / Why thank you :)
Feel Me Breast: Like this story. Seriously. It gives me chills in the breast. / The breast? Wow. Okay... and that username you've chosen...not exactly... uuuhhhh...
HaywireEagle: chapter 1: Of the PJO fic that I have read, the prophecy is one of the best. / Thanks. I don't really like prophecies which are really obvious. It scraps the point of having a cryptic prophecy in the first place. The questers are supposed to work it out as they go.
Guest: Pretty sure Matt is writing reviews b/c he has a bad life and he puts his anger out into reviews. I know a person who insulted stories-Ellz-Goddess-of-Fish (username). I think her account was suspended b/c of the reviews since she didn't publish any more stories. Maybe they're the same people (LOL). Anyway, Matt's reviews keeps me smiling b/c he sounds like a weird know-it-all, as if HE knows everything about Percy Jackson. Wonder why he keeps picking on stories, but reads them. Your story is so cool, and I know Matt must like it too, b/c he keeps reviewing. Job well done, I say. I think your the 1st person who Matt actually followed along to; with the rest he just ignored. Again, well done. BTW, there was this one story that Matt caused that made the author actually not write any more stories! (Matt) said it was crap, and the author said because he/she got so many bad reviews, he/she was going to discontinue the story. Thumbs-up for you to stand-up. / Matt's reviews make me smile too... it's sooo fun thinking of comebacks. And the only reason that I wouldn't write any more chapters for this story is if all of my reviewers turned around and said this is shit. But it'd still write, I just wouldn't update.
Alarm 101: You should consider putting this story on Wattpad. It's an amazing website, and you can find even more people to read your story! (Dunno why, but people read more on that website, but fanfiction is forever dominant) / Dunno how to work Wattpad... otherwise I would.
Guest: Love it when you argue with Matt. You make great points, and it's kind of funny to imagine what Matt would be doing if he read it. / Wanna hear a secret? I love it too. :P It's fun arguing.
Red Jackson: Amazing story. Wow / Thanks.
Matt: Great story! Just so you know, I am a big supporter of this story, and hope there will be more like this. / Pretty sure this isn't the Matt that has been previously reviewing... and thanks :p
Guest: Please don't make it PercyxNico... / Do you not like Perico? And don't worry... remember the hint in chapter 14 - Mansion of Night?
Matt: Wait, wasn't Nyx good earlier in the story? Also I'm voting for the canon ship or in other words Percy and Annie. / I'll answer your first part at the end of the chapter. The second part... I'm giving up in saying otherwise now.
Huzaifa: When will next chapter come / this one, or the one after?
Rosycat: Hahaha. I believe it's the gay idea... But I'm sorry about you're French :(. Good luck! Amazing chapter as always. Yay! You did the birdcage! Poor Percy... Although that IS one of the things I love about this fic... Him being hurt... And hahah GO IAPETUS! Punching him in the face... Hahaha. :) / You can believe what you want. ;). Eh... French is going better (my teacher's willing to spend lunchtimes with me to go over stuff). Thanks. And yeah, I think having Percy in a birdcage is pretty funny, and I don't know why, but I love hurting my favourite characters and bringing them back from the brink of death, or the brink of insanity (*hint*, because having Percy insane isn't really gonna do that much good... well, not later on in the story anyway. And at the moment its fun.) Iapetus, as you can probably tell in this chapter, isn't exactly willing to conform to Kronos' ideals.
monkeybaby: Great job on this chapter / Thanks.
60,000 views! Wahoooo! Thank you everyone!
Chapter 24 - The First Battle
"I can't sense or see them in Australia," Apollo said, and Athena nodded, marking a cross over Australia.
"Anyone else?" She asked as she looked around the council. "They're not in India or any other Asian country, and now we're sure they're not in Australia."
"I checked France," Aphrodite said helpfully. "They're not there either."
"Hephaestus can you, Apollo, and Hermes scour Africa for any sign of the Titans?" Zeus asked.
Hephaestus nodded. "Of course."
"What if they're blocking their presences?" Artemis asked. "We won't find them unless we're within metres of them if they are."
"They'll slip up eventually," Hera said confidently. "And we have eyes on Othrys in case the Titans decide to pay the place a visit. We'll be prepared for them coming."
"You've been saying that for the last few days, Hera," Poseidon snapped. "They're not going to hide somewhere we'll find them easily, and you know that."
"We will find them, Poseidon," Hestia promised. "Don't worry."
"Nine days," Poseidon said as he stared at the holographic map of earth which hung in the middle of the throne room. "It's been nine days. How is Kronos able to stay hidden for nine days? I'd have thought he'd have destroyed something by now that would've alerted us to him."
Hermes summoned his caduceus to his hand in mobile phone form, George and Martha curling around the antenna as he turned his attention to the screen. "Obviously he's trying to lay low," Artemis said calmly. "But we'll find him. The Titans aren't exactly inconspicuous."
"You're right," Hermes announced. "There's a category five hurricane over Miami, Poseidon. I thought you liked Miami?"
Poseidon narrowed his eyes. "I do. That's not me."
Hermes grinned and summoned a screen of mist in the middle of the council with a wave of his hand, showing them what he'd looked up on the internet. Along the west coast of Miami a hurricane was sweeping up houses and cars and causing general chaos. "According to the mortal news," Hermes said, "it just appeared out at sea only ten miles off the coast." He pulled up another screen. "And this. Wild fires in Thessaly. Near the original Olympus and Othrys."
"Are they near the Acropolis?" Zeus asked worriedly.
Hermes shook his head. "No. They've got pretty close, but they're skirting around it."
Zeus relaxed slightly. "That tells us the Titans don't want to destroy our roots," he mused.
Ares snorted. "They want to draw it out and get their hands dirty. The complete opposite to Gaea's tactic. They'll be letting us wear down our resources trying to seek them out and they're probably hiding out of our reach, or under our noses."
Athena stared at him for several seconds before smiling slightly. "I forgot you can sometimes be smart. You act so stupid all of the time."
Ares scowled at her. "This is to do with war. Of course I know what I'm talking about."
"It's merely a surprise," Athena said with a slight smirk. "And my domain is wisdom – I think I know more than-"
"Hold on," Hermes suddenly said, and Athena frowned at him. Hermes turned to Zeus, his eyes showing clear worry. "A large group of monsters have been spotted near the borders of Camp Half-Blood. The campers are preparing to defend. I just had a prayer from Annabeth."
Zeus nodded slightly, not looking too concerned at the thought of the force of monsters. "The campers will deal with it," he said dismissively. "We have to find the Titans before much more time passes."
Annabeth glanced at Thalia who was standing at her side. "Well, this is the moment when we test our training," she murmured as she watched the lines of monsters the other side of the barrier.
Thalia nodded. "We'll manage," she said confidently.
"Hey, Annabeth," Leo called as he stopped beside her. "The grenades are all ready. So are the Apollo campers and Hunters."
Annabeth smiled slightly. "Then we'd better get this started," she announced, and Leo grinned. "Campers!" She shouted as she turned to face the dozens of demigods. "Today marks the first battle in a new war! Those monsters are sent to destroy us and burn our home down to the ground! The Titans think they can push us around! They think this small force of monsters will kill us!"
"What do you think?" Jason roared from his position at the front of the demigods. "Will we die today?"
"NO!" The demigods shouted in response.
"Then fire!" Annabeth yelled, and a wave of fire arrows leapt up from the group of Hunters and the Apollo cabin at the back of the group.
Fires started along the lines of the monsters, instantly incinerating several of them. Leo shouted for the few grenades he had remaining from the trip down the Tartarus to be thrown, and nearly two dozen more monsters were sent to Tartarus as the campers charged towards the monsters.
Jason was the first to meet the monsters and immediately hacked an arm off a dracaenae as he sidestepped a stab and followed through, cutting the head off an empousa lunging at him. He ducked a sword swinging towards his head and stabbed the offending dracaenae in the gut. Behind him Clarisse stopped any monsters from attacking his back, her spear frying all the monsters it touched.
"Jason!" A voice shouted, and Jason glanced around to see Frank waving at him. "Look!" The son of Mars pointed down the road out of Camp, and Jason faltered. A giant snake slithered down the road towards him, its eyes a hypnotising green.
"What is that?" He heard Clarisse exclaim beside him.
Jason shook his head. "I don't know," he muttered as the snake hissed, the ground vibrating underneath their feet. Green liquid dropped from its razor-sharp teeth, each the size of Jason, and sizzled when it hit the ground. "Whatever it is… it's got to go," Jason said firmly. He started fighting his way through the monsters with Clarisse at his side, making sure he wasn't hit by a stray arrow or weapon.
Thalia appeared out of the mass of fighting beings several dozen yards to his left and ran to catch up with him, wielding her spear and shield with ease as she slid to a stop beside Jason. "Stop," she said. "Jason, you can't beat that," she said as she pointed towards the snake with the point of her spear.
"You know what it is?" Jason asked even as he continued towards the snake.
"It's Python," Thalia said, and Jason's eyes widened.
"You're joking," he breathed as he studied her before turning to look back at the monster that looked big enough to curl completely around a skyscraper from the bottom to the top.
Thalia shook her head. "We can't beat it," she said grimly. "The only being that ever managed to is Apollo. And he's not allowed to interfere now."
"Then we'll take it," Jason said firmly. "We're the kids of Zeus. We should be able to, right?"
Thalia sighed in resignation before raising her spear. "Then we'd better stop it from getting any closer to Camp."
"Don't you think sending in Python was overkill?" Hyperion snorted as he watched the battle at Camp Half-Blood.
Kronos ignored him as he studied the Arke-Message of the battle, and Koios turned to answer Hyperion. "We needed to see what they're capable of."
"But Python?" Hyperion protested. "Even that upstart sun god could barely take him on."
"They have immortal campers for a reason, Hyperion," Iapetus growled out. "And in case you've forgotten, they almost defeated Kronos."
Kronos tensed slightly at the reminder of his battle with the campers. "They did not almost win," he growled.
"They did," Iapetus nodded. "Because you weren't taking it seriously. You underestimated them and paid the price."
Kronos raised an eyebrow. "I am aware of my fault in that skirmish. And as you are likely aware after the events that occurred a week ago, I will never make that mistake again."
Iapetus grimaced and nodded slightly. "Yes," he sighed. "I know."
Kronos smirked as he turned to attention back to the Arke-Message, watching the two children of that stupid god that called himself a King. His smirk widened as he glanced up at the demigod above him. "What do you think, Jackson?" He called up.
He could practically hear Perseus trying to decide what to say, whether being sarcastic would be worth it, or if he should at least try to be respectful. "I… I can't…" he took a shaky breath as he stared stoically at the wall in front of him, "I don't think they can win," he finished with obvious nervousness and reluctance.
Kronos' mouth twitched up into a full-blown smug smile and he raised an eyebrow at Iapetus. "Strong-willed," he said, repeating what Iapetus had told him a day ago. "I think you're wrong, brother. He's already breaking for me. It won't be long now."
Iapetus sighed as he looked up at Percy who was still hanging in his cage. He could sense the fear and resignation leaking off the demigod, almost a tangible spectre spreading its icy touch over the throne room. Kronos hadn't been torturing him as much as he previously was in Tartarus, but Percy was breaking down rapidly, at a pace that Iapetus definitely hadn't expected after how long the son of Poseidon lasted in Tartarus.
Iapetus had been sneaking him food and water during the night, when Kronos dropped his vigil over the Camp's activities and his current challenge, and he'd been managing so far to keep Percy from giving in to the Titan Lord, but Iapetus knew it was just a matter of time until Percy would break down completely. And Time wasn't exactly on Perseus' side.
Though, Iapetus thought as he glanced at Hyperion, watching as the Titan of Light sneered up at the demigod, maybe there was something he could do. Indirectly, of course. He didn't want Kronos to find out about his involvement.
There was a loud roar from the Arke-Message as Python vaporised, spitting poison at the two children of Zeus as a last effort to kill at least one more being before it was sent back to the depths of Tartarus. Koios glanced at Kronos, tensing slightly as he did so, waiting for the infamous anger to erupt, and Kronos just tapped the hilt of Backbiter thoughtfully as he leant back in his throne and watched the demigods as the last monster fell.
"That was easy," Jason said as he landed beside Annabeth, his golden gladius shimmering in the sun as he sheathed it at his side and it faded away.
"Of course it was," Thalia said, softly whacking him on the back of the head.
"What do you mean?" Jason asked as he rubbed his head.
"They're testing us," Annabeth answered. "Seeing what we can do."
"Then what will happen next?" Jason asked warily.
Annabeth frowned down at Camp Half-Blood, raising her hand to cover her eyes from the sun's rays. "I don't know."
A small smile slowly grew on Kronos' face. "Oceanus," he said, turning to his eldest brother.
"Yes, My Lord?" Oceanus asked, his body tensing almost imperceptibly.
"Release the Kraken," Kronos ordered. "Perhaps their weakness may be from the sea."
Terrible chapter title, I know. (And sorry about all the line breaks guys.)
Alright, so Matt (you all should know which one, since I seemed to have somehow picked up another after the last chapter (not really sure how that happened, but whatever)), raised a pretty good question after that last chapter. Remember when Annabeth, Thalia and Jason were talking about which Primordials would join the titans and which wouldn't? And Nyx was mentioned? Yeah, that one. So, from Matt, 'Wasn't Nyx good earlier in the story?' Define 'good', and define 'evil' for me. Sure, Nyx and Tartarus helped, but that was because of Percy. And yes, Percy is currently captive of Kronos. But guess what? Nyx knows whats going to happen in the future. So did Tartarus. So do all of the other Primordials in this story (not sure how many exactly will be in this, not a lot though, don't worry). Remember Chapter 14 - Mansion of Night? When Nyx was talking about 'not stopping Percy from going with whoever it turns out I'm shipping him with'? (Admittedly I could have written that better, but who cares? It's done.) Well, she's got a 'thing' for Kronos, so she's not going to be fighting him, is she? And Percy... well...
So, remember, if you want I'll happily tell you (by PM) who Percy's going to be paired with, but if you post a spoiler as a review I'll block it as soon as I see it. That is an option for you, guys.
Random Fact: I researched for like 30 minutes trying to find a suitable monster for Kronos to tell Oceanus to release. It was a toss up between the Kraken, Cetus, and Levaithan.
So, define good and evil for me, guys. Seriously. I want to know what you think.
And do you all want we to skip these boring chapters and have another time skip to get to the more interesting parts? Or do you want to have to wait?
EDIT (already? Yeah.): Remembrance day all. Not really fitting to have a battle in this chapter is it?