You guys thought that was a cliffhanger? Ah…okay, you'll definitely not like the ending of this one. Hehehe… ; )

Btw, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WONDERFUL REVIEWS! THANK YOU! = D

Ink…

Chapter Thirty-Six: Who Am I?

I used my new knowledge to manipulate the wind. I flew to the gods and gradually settled back onto the ground. I could feel the power thrumming beneath my skin. It was addicting, comforting, and enticing. But a part of me knew that they would have to take it away when they removed part of their spirits from me.

They stared at me with a mixture of emotions. Distrust, relief, sadness, wariness, and anger all crossed their faces.

I looked around. "Tartarus, where is he? Has he escaped?"

Hades frowned in thought. "Unconscious still. Valdez has tied him up securely. Most of the monsters have been destroyed too. They all died from that peculiar snow that Valdez spread around." I breathed a sigh in relief.

Zeus approached me warily. "Jackson, we the gods, used you as a conduit for our power. No demigod has been able to survive; they have been burnt out too quickly. However, you did not. I still wonder as to how.

"Nevertheless, because all the gods gave you power, the connection was overloaded. We no longer can withdraw the power we gave you. The power you feel beneath your skin right now is trapped inside you. We didn't want this to happen."

Hera snorted. "Damn right we didn't." Poseidon gave her an annoyed look.

I froze. I didn't know what to think about that. It was both good and very, very bad. "What?"

Hestia moved to stand beside me. "We have to dissolve our connections to you, but the power we gave will stay inside you. Like Zeus said, we didn't want this to happen. Because our power is still inside you, our memories are too, our essence. All the knowledge that all the gods have, is in your brain." She looked at me sadly.

I stared at them all in shock. "Wait…Kronos called me a Universal? What's that?"

Apollo sighed and disconnected from me. I gasped and doubled over. He winced in sympathy and leaned against a tree. "That is what you are now, because we can't remove the power from you. If we could remove the power, then you would have stayed regular, old, lovable Percy. Anyway, a Universal has all the power we have. Ouranos and Nyx were Universals, because they made up everything in the universe. When they left, we took over their duties, but each of us have only one or two of theirs. A Universal has it all."

Athena nodded and continued for Apollo. "The tradition is that only Ouranos and Nyx can choose another person to be like them, and the gods cannot choose for themselves. The candidate has to have their blessings. However, since Ouranos has faded, and Nyx is imprisoned, I suppose that tradition was just a rumor, and the Fates are the ones that choose." She took a breath, but Hermes picked up where she left off. Athena gave him a look.

"Universals can control all the elements, all the forces of nature too. That is what you are; however, you're still young. Your body is not quite attuned to your new power. Your mind is in shock right now. It would be best for you to learn how to harness your power and still keep your humaneness. Many demigods and gods have gone completely mad because of too much power. I don't want that to happen to you."

The demigods arrived. They were exhausted. I noticed that quite of few weren't with the group. A feeling of sick despair coursed through me. No war was ever won without casualties. The feeling doubled when I thought about how most of those kids were just that, kids. High school students. I shivered.

Jason spoke up. "Tartarus is still unconscious, after Thalia, Percy, and I blew him up."

Leo shook his head. "We couldn't stop all the monsters. New York is overrun with them. There were thousands that escaped us."

I sighed but cried out as Hades withdrew from me. They were doing it one and two at a time. They didn't want to short circuit me or something. Annabeth tried to run to me, but Athena stopped her. Triton looked like he was in pain for me. Amphitrite was crying slightly. They had only just arrived, but because they were gods, they must have realized what happened.

Annabeth's mother held her back from me. "His power is unstable. Do not touch him." Athena left me too. I felt a tear fall down my cheek. Hera, Demeter, Persephone, and Ares followed. I fell to my knees with a groan.

Soon all the gods except Hestia and Dad had left me. Poseidon hugged me as he pulled away from me. At least I still had his physical contact, that made it easier.

Hestia shook her head sadly. I stared at her, not Hestia too.

Her warmth left my soul. My body was wracked with shivers. My trident clattered to the ground. I fell onto my hands. The grief of loss was unbearable. Like my soul being ripped away bit by bit. I gasped. My skin glowed. I couldn't…

"I can't! I can't control it! I need you to control it!" The ground trembled. I screamed. The power was too much. Too much. Not even bathing in the Styx could have prepared me for this. The gods winced as my skin glowed brighter.

Zeus shouted at the demigods. "Get away you fools!"

I heard Annabeth scream, "What's happening to him?!"

Hera's voice sounded distant to me. "He is changing. He is one step away from becoming a Universal. This was not what we had wanted! This wasn't according to plan!"

I heard others talking, but I couldn't listen. I couldn't understand them anymore.

I faded into a world of black and white stars. I heard laughter. I turned to see Night.

"Hello little heir! I knew you could do it!" Her eyes glittered. "Imagine the darkness you could help me bring over the world, especially with the magic I've been teaching you!" She gave me a sharp look. "But first remember the lesson I show you. Face your fears. Remember what you saw in the mirror."

Ouranos appeared quickly. "Enough sister, he must do that himself. Go back to our palace. You've caused enough damage!" He glared at her.

She shrugged her satin, black shoulders and vanished. Ouranos nodded to me. "Forgive my sister. I wasn't aware of her plan to fight with Kronos until I saw her when you did. She cannot help her nature of causing destruction." He grunted slightly.

"Anyway, we have blessed you. The gods have given you your power. It was I who overloaded the connection. I wanted you to keep the power. I wanted you to be the next Universal. We need an heir, and you are the perfect candidate."

He smiled grimly. "Do with the power as you will. That much power could seal the entrance of Tartarus in that park you call Central. It could also force the Fates to be your slaves. You could bind Tartarus to the Pit, so he can never escape again. Or you could bind the gods along with Tartarus and become the only god left. The power is yours now. Do with it as you see fit. Free the world or steal it from the gods." He watched me closely as he vanished.

The world around me changed and I was once again surrounded by the three Fates.

"You thread is stronger, but you can die." Clotho spoke as if it was the best news in the world.

Atropos moved closer to me. "It will not be your time to die, until you are old, far too old to wield a sword. There is a way for you to avoid this future, however."

Lachesis turned to me. "Find your identity. Do not lose yourself. The gods still need you, Perseus Jackson."

Everything faded back into colors. I was in Central Park again. The power hummed in my veins. I frowned slightly as I tried to remember the name that Lachesis called me. I frowned more. I couldn't remember. The power was too loud. The new knowledge blocked out everything that I used to be. Everything was muffled in comparison to it.

I took a deep cleansing breath. I took another deep breath. The gods were watching me carefully. One god was gripping a bronze cylinder as if it could stand a chance against my new power. I laughed.

Standing unsteadily, I lifted my head to the sky and laughed. My voice sounded deranged even to my own ears. A monster roared in the distance. I turned to look at it and lifted my hand. I smiled and changed it into a tree. I chuckled and shook my head. It was too easy. I turned to look at Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. I cocked my head.

"That was the big secret of the gods?" I chuckled again. My chuckle turned into a full blown laugh. My voice was detached and cold. The demigods skittered backwards. I smiled at them. I used to know them. Not anymore, but I used to. Something about them made me sad; I couldn't remember. I didn't like being sad. Perhaps killing them would help take the sadness away?

I stared at them. "I like this. I really do…" I raised my right hand at Ares. "How much can I make a god scream? I wonder…"

Ares cried out and tried to avoid the flames of pure, undiluted darkness that surrounded him. He started screaming in agony. That was another gift from the blessing of Night, not that the gods needed to know.

A girl with blonde hair ran to me and slapped me across the face. I cut off the flames and stared at her in shock. An emotion bubbled up inside me. I frowned as I studied this emotion. It wasn't the indifference that I had earlier. It wasn't sadness. It was…anger?

I looked at the girl. "No…you shouldn't do that." Her eyes widened, and I raised my hand to hit her back, to smack her into a rock until she couldn't move. I stopped. Her blonde hair had a gray streak in it, almost grown out, but still there, barely there. I frowned again, my glare dissolving.

"I know that…" My fingers touched the strands of hair. Another part of me didn't care if I knew this girl or not. She was just a mortal. I shrugged. "You're not worth it." I turned away and focused back onto the mass of whimpering god.

"Perseus Jackson! Don't you dare tell me that I'm not worth it!" The blonde girl screamed at me. "Come on Seaweed Brain! Snap out of it!"

I ignored her and upped the intensity of the fire that surrounded Ares. His screams pleased me for some reason. I didn't know why. I smiled. I could get used to this power.

I didn't need to know who I was.

This was who I was now.

I was satisfied.

I liked my new power.

I smiled darkly. The world was mine for the taking. Who deserved it more than I?

Who could possibly stand in my way? The gods? I began laughing while the gods stood powerless to stop me.

I've always wanted to write dark Percy. ; )

'He shall free the world, or steal it…'

Ink…