Chapter 1: Betrayal
~Location: Tartarus. Year: Unknown~
3rd Person POV
The maniacal laughter echoed throughout the Pit of the damned. Not the laughter of a monster; at least, not of the traditional kind. No, this monster was an outcast within the nightmarish terrain of the Pit. A parasite that found its way there and adapted to its horrors to suckle at the teet of hell itself. Monsters prayed that they never came across it's path. If the embodiment of the Pit, Tartarus himself could spit it out, he would've long ago. But he remained. For 300 years, he didn't just survive; he thrived in the hellscape of the prison.
"Heeerrreee doggy doggy," he called out gingerly as he raced after a stray hellhound. The hound hadn't run that fast in all of its immortal life. Claws like daggers digging into the broken glass ground as it propelled itself deeper into the caves, trying desperately to get away from the beast in pursuit. In a blur of motion, he closed the distance and leapt on the hound's back, the added weight driving it into the hard floor.
He raised a sword. Bronze and glowing in the faint light of the blood-red clouds. "Anaklusmos" was hardly visible on the blade, 'Riptide' as it translated from Ancient Greek to English. The sword once belonged to a great hero. Arguably the best, but even the mighty must fall. Even if it is not them who bring themselves down. The sword vanished as it headed toward its mark; the back of the beast's neck, but instead of the piercing give of flesh, it met cold, hard marble.
The man blinked once, twice, thrice. His eyes desperately trying to adjust to the white light surrounding him. He rose up from the ground and looked around to see 14 beings, each 15 feet tall and assembled in thrones that laid out an Omega symbol.
"Oh dear. I'm not in Tartarus anymore, am I," he spoke in a raspy voice similar to a mental patient who received shock therapy far too many times.
"P-Perseus?"
~Flashback. Location: CHB. Year: Week after the Second Giant War~
Percy POV
A week after the Second Giant War had ended and the victory was ours. Not without sacrifice as all wars go. Demigods of both Greek and Roman camps perished in the battle. Too many to count. Too many that I couldn't save. The only one I can safely say that didn't hurt - at least not that badly - was the scumbag Octavian. The conniving little shit had been a thorn in my side from day one and while I never wished death upon him, I can't say I wasn't relieved to have him out of mine and everyone else's hair.
Rewards were given. The Seven plus Nico and Reyna were offered godhood. All of them received the domain of Heroes on top of Lightning and Winds, Natural Beauty and Compassion, Warfare and Transformations, Wealth and Riches, Fire and Machinery, Prince of the Underworld and King of Ghosts, and Immortal Praetor of New Rome/Camp Jupiter, respectively. You can guess who received what.
Annabeth, my Wise Girl, received Athena's full blessing and free reign to design New Athens, a city like that of New Rome, but for Camp Half-Blood. She was hesitant to take it at first, because she thought that she too would attain godhood, but I reassured her as this is what she'd always want. I didn't know immediately at the time that it came with immortality.
I was again offered Godhood and a seat on the Council for slaying Gaea, but I knew that I would turn it down again immediately. Instead, I wished for Hestia and Hades to once again hold seats on the Council and for the peaceful titans to be released from their prisons. Zeus didn't do me the pleasure of upholding that agreement the first time.
The celebration ensued and Athena addressed me, giving me a list of tasks to prove to her that I was indeed worthy of her daughter's hand in marriage. Apparently, saving her's, her daughter's, and her entire family's asses in not one, but two global crises wasn't worthy enough. So I set out a week at a time to perform the 12 Labors of Heracles. Why that piece of shit ever became a god is beyond me.
During the second week of the task, I was walking with Annabeth along the beach when a scream pierced the late afternoon air. We both ran to the camp borders to see a kid with black hair and sea-green eyes much like my own. 'A brother,' I thought rather excitedly at the time. Little did I know he would ruin my life.
Regardless, I saved his life and Annabeth dragged him through the barrier. "What's your name?" she asked as I ran up to join them and the gaggle of campers that filed in. "Brandon Aquino," he said and I smiled and shook his hand. "Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon. I think I'm your brother," I said and he looked at me like I sprouted a second head.
On cue, Dad claimed him then and there and everyone but me knelt. "All hail Brandon Aquino. Son of Poseidon, God of the Seas, Earthquakes, and Horses," Chiron said, but the kid just looked at me. I could already tell he was arrogant by the disgusted look on his face. 'He dares not kneel to me?' was the question on his mind of that I'm sure.
He settled into camp and immediately began dismantling the relationships I had formed with everyone there. Being away for a week at a time had left me powerless against him. The newer campers all flocked to him like he was the coolest thing since sliced bread. He quickly racked up fame among them with his "Heroic" deeds of a few minor quests. He wasn't terrible by any means, but he couldn't hold a candle to Luke, let alone me or Jason and he knew it.
So he hatched the plan to get my friends to turn on me. Katie Gardener accused me of flooding her garden and Brandon was crafty. All evidence pointed to me so when she said "I never want to see you again!" and slapped me. The blow struck my soul and one bond of loyalty was severed. It didn't stop there.
The Stolls, the entire Apollo Cabin, all of the minor gods' kids; every last one of them turned on me and my loyalty was severed like Kronos' scythe. Then he went from the worst to horrific. I had finished my Labors for Athena and received the ring. Sterling silver band with two diamonds; one sea-green and the other a striking gray. In the center of it all was a jeweled owl with a trident clutched in its talons.
I should have seen it coming. The more I was gone, the more distant Annabeth was getting. I was naive. A naive, lovesick puppy. So after three months and I had returned to propose, I went to find her at the beach. Coincidentally, though I imagine the sick bastard had it planned the entire time. He had forced himself onto Piper after knocking her unconscious mere hours before. She was battered and bruised and her clothes ripped. Someone found him before he could rape her and he fled. He fled and framed me.
Back to the beach, I went to propose and I found Annabeth, naked and grinding herself into Brandon. Ecstasy clear as day on her face as they rode each other into the night and spoke the words that shattered my heart and any loyalty I held to the place I once called home. "I love you, Brandon. Forever and always, my Seaweed Brain."
Numb. I couldn't fathom anything else. Angry beyond belief, but so heartbroken that I couldn't bring myself to do anything about it. So I started to leave. Emotionally shattered quickly turned physical as Jason's electrified fist collided with my temple, knocking me out. I was beat on unrelenting by him to the point that I was unrecognizable and all of my "friends" sat back gladly and watched it happen.
In my unconscious state, I was visited by a being older than the Gods. "Perseus Jackson," the void around me called out and I searched frantically. "Who are you?" I asked. I would've yelled but I was too tired to care. "A tough hand you have been dealt, hero. I'm afraid it's only going to get harder," the voice said and something finally clicked in my head. "Lady Chaos?" I asked.
"My my. Most people don't remember me, let alone that I am female," Lady Chaos said. "Our time is short, Perseus. The betrayal doesn't end here. You will find out tomorrow, but I have come with a gift," she said and a pitch black ball of power with swirling galaxies collided with me. "This will give you the power to claim domains from those you slay. You are to be their retribution," she said and I drifted back to the realm of consciousness.
I awoke in chains in the Throne Room. All 14 Olympians present, along with the minor gods and immortal trainers. All of them looked at me in rage, save Hestia and Hades. They looked terribly sad. My own father wasn't looking at me at all.
"Perseus Jackson, you have been found guilty of treason against the gods in the Second Giant War. How do you plead?" Zeus thundered. I looked around in disbelief. "Are you fucking stupid? Or just that paranoid?" I asked. Not my best move, but all things considered, I didn't care. "YOU DARE BOY?!" he yelled and I grit my teeth. "Yes I dare! I fought alongside all of you to defeat Gaea, why would I betray you? My fatal flaw is loyalty!" I yelled but it fell on deaf ears. 'They've already made up their minds,' I thought.
"What evidence do you have?" I spat. Zeus motioned for Iris and the screen shimmered. "I'll 'slay' you, but we will wait for the Gods to relax in peace, and then we will strike," me, but not-me said. "I swear on the Styx that never happened!" I yelled, but no one was having it.
"The Council of the Gods hereby sentences you to Tartarus for an eternity of punishment," Zeus spoke and the tears spilled from my eyes. All of my friends looked at me with contempt. Hestia cried. Artemis looked remotely sad. Hades frowned. I turned to my father with pleading eyes, only to have my gaze met with a look of sorrow, anger, and grief. He didn't say a word and just looked away.
I grunted as I got to my feet and looked at them with a look void of any emotion. 'I won't give the bastards the satisfaction,' ran through my head. "You've made a mistake Olympians. I am innocent. There will come a time where you need me. You will need me and I will not come." I said in a cold and even tone. I turned to Hestia and Hades one last time and said in my head, 'I'm sorry Hestia. Hades. When I return, my only loyalty is with you two but only that can bend so far before it breaks.'
Then Zeus struck me with his Master Bolt and my world dissolved into a blinding white light.
Flashback End
~Location: Throne Room. Year: 3 Earth Years after banishment.~
3rd Person POV
"P-Perseus?" Poseidon asked.
"EHH," the young man imitated a buzzer and rose to his full height. He stood at an intimidating 6'3" and his raven black hair more wild and unkempt. His body was thin like that of a labor prisoner and his skin had paled drastically. He had an ever present hunch to his shoulders that resembled a wild animal and tattered jeans. The sight that shocked and horrified everyone was the poisonous green eyes that darted around the room wildly, and the scars that littered his body.
His entire torso and arms were covered in them, only leaving a few centimeters of space between them, save the ones that overlapped. He looked like someone had used his body to test how sharp their blades were. Then they saw those tattoos. Ones on his shoulders and the remaining trailing down his arms, save a couple others. Each contained in a circle and shaded, but the power present in them was just hardly visible.
An hourglass at his left shoulder, a sun below that, a typhoon, and an Omega symbol that finished the trail on his elbow. A depiction of the Huntress constellation on his right shoulder, followed by a glacier and a volcano finishing on his tricep just above his elbow. Nearly symmetrical. On his chest over his heart, a cracked boulder with a humanoid underneath it and on the inside of his left bicep a scroll with an arrow through it.
"Perseus," Athena said this time.
"Incorrect! Would you like to phone a friend?" the demigod said with sadistic glee.
"You're not Perseus Jackson?" Hera asked and the figure pondered.
He strode to the middle of the Throne Room and grew to a height of 13 feet, shocking the gods. He summoned up a reclining chair and plopped into it.
"Well, you wouldn't necessarily be incorrect in that statement, but that's not exactly right either," he said.
"I don't understand," Athena said and the temperature in the room dropped drastically. "No. You wouldn't understand Wisdom bitch. 300 years in the belly of the beast will do that to you," he said coldly. Everyone gasped. "300 years? We banished you only three years ago," Apollo said and gulped.
"Time is a fickle thing, Sunshine. It flows differently there. By about 100 years apparently."
"B-But," Athena began by a knife found its way next to her head and a cut on her cheek.
"Why have you called me back? I made it very clear, that I would not come to your aid for your fuck-ups any longer," he said.
"R-Right well. We have found that you were innocent after all and-" Zeus began but was cut off by maniacal laughter. "Oh that is just fucking rich, Zeus." He began laughing harder.
"You DARE, boy?!" Zeus yelled and the demigod disappeared from sight. Riptide was impaled into Zeus' shoulder before anyone could realize and he hovered next to Zeus' ear. "Yes. I dare. You all left us to rot in hell for three centuries and now. NOW you realize your mistake." not-Percy roared.
"Us?" Hestia asked this time and the man's gaze softened. "Aunt Hestia. Percy tells me to let you know you gave him hope all those years. He is forever grateful to you and he missed you," he said and Hestia smiled.
"What do you mean that Percy said those things?" Athena asked and leaned forward. The demigod plopped back into his chair.
"Well, to put it simply I'm not Percy. Three centuries in Tartarus is what we'll call 'spiritually taxing'. So he took a break to sleep, which is boring if you ask me, and I was created. A coping mechanism of sorts to deal with it all. I don't know why he hated it there. Lots of fun. So many things to kill," he said with a wistful, but sadistic smile.
"What do we call you then?" Hades asked and the man's gaze softened again. "You, Uncle, can still call me nephew. As can Hestia here. The rest of you pathetic excuses for gods, can call me… What was it? What did I name myself?..." the gods watched on in curiosity at the demigod before them, but also anger for the blatant disrespect.
"Retribution! That's what it was!" Retribution yelled in excitement.
"W-What?" Hermes asked, trying to stifle a laugh. "Re-tri-bu-tion," Retribution spelled out for him like a five-year-old.
"What are we going to do with him?" Hera asked and Retribution snorted. "You can't do anything to me, you old cunt. I've outgrown you Olympians."
"YOU DARE SPEAK TO MY MOTHER LIKE THAT?!" Ares yelled. "Ah, Ares. Ever the mentally… challenged meathead," Retribution chuckled dryly. Ares roared and charged, but Retribution appeared in front of him, and in a blur of motion struck him more times than the Olympians could count. Ares flew back into his throne and smacked his head, unconscious.
The gods were silent in shock at the display of power. "What?... Do I have to?... I don't care if their kids are innocent, they're a bunch of… Alright, fine!" Retribution said and the gods were further confused. "Be right back," Retribution said and vanished in a puff of black smoke.
"What the Hades?!" Apollo yelled. Before they could wrap their heads around it, he reappeared with another person.
"My Lady?" the voice called and Artemis leapt from her throne to wrap her into a hug. Before she could, Zoe Nightshade slapped her in the face. "How could you?!" she yelled at the 12-year-old goddess. "Easy Zoe. She didn't know." Retribution said.
"Isn't that right Zeusy-poo?" Retribution said. Zeus grew red with anger but was cut off by Artemis. "Know what, Father?" she asked with a dangerous tone. "I WILL NOT HAVE THE SPAWN OF A TITAN IN MY DOMAIN!" he bellowed and Retribution howled with laughter. "Hey Dumbass! Who the fuck are your parents?" Zeus could only growl in anger.
"Go back to the Hunt, Zoe. Percy says I'm a bad influence on you," Retribution said and Zoe nodded and recited the oath, finally getting a hug from Artemis. "Where will you go?" Hestia asked. "Ehh, Percy said even though most of you gods are an absolute waste of consciousness, he said I should help guide their kids to camp. They're not guilty of their parents many many MANY, shortcomings." he said.
"Perseus told you to do that?" Athena asked intrigued. "Yeah I don't agree with it, but he's the boss. I'll be around. We have revenge to enact and domains to claim after all," he said in a sinister tone.
"Claim domains?" Athena and the rest gasped. "Yup," Retribution said, popping the "p". "Is that how you got so powerful?" Athena asked. "Technically that's your fault. You threw me down there with all the superpowered people. Not a very wise move for a Wisdom deity," Retribution asked with a shrug.
"You must swear an oath that you won't claim our domains!" Zeus bellowed, gripping his Master Bolt. Retribution scoffed. "My loyalty is to Hestia and Hades alone. If I had things my way, you'd all be dead already. Percy on the other hand knows how catastrophic that would be for the world, so he doesn't. But be wary Olympians. Even Percy's patience only goes so far," Retribution finished coldly.
"Welp! Hope to see you all again never. Auntie Hestia, message me anytime. Same with you Uncle H!" and he disappeared in the puff of black smoke again.
"Well that was… interesting," Apollo said.
AN: New story. Inspired HEAVILY on BloodRedDemon's Purgatory story. I liked the idea too much to not run with it myself, but I'll throw in some changes here and there. Lemme know what you think!