Note: New summary, again. I promise it will be the last since I'm quite fond of this one.

June 21st, 2011

"Do you have to go?" Percy asked, more like a whine really. "I thought we had a date tonight."

Annabeth gave him a look of sympathy. "Yes, unfortunately," she sighed. "My mother appointed me as chief architect for the construction of the new city on Mount Olympus now that the designs are complete. Even if I wanted to pass this up, which I don't, I can't."

It was one of many projects her mother had started insisting that she participate in over the past year. Athena had been acting strange, oddly protective, since the end of the war. Annabeth had welcomed the sudden bout of motherly affection, even if she knew deep down that something was wrong.

Percy looked down. "She can't wait a little?" he asked hopefully. "It's not like you have to be there immediately right?"

Annabeth bored him. "Are you being serious right now?" She asked, not believing that he cared this much about a single date. "You want me to refuse an Olympian goddess—one that has given me the opportunity of a lifetime. Not to mention that she's also my mother!" she hissed.

"Okay, It sounds worse when you put it like that," Percy winced.

"That's the reality right now," Annabeth bit back in retort. "I wish things were different, I do, but I have no choice. I won't blow this chance over a date that can always be rescheduled."

Percy grumbled silently in resignation.

Annabeth sighed, moving to stand in front of him. She cupped his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "It's only for the summer," she reassured softly. "Athena says that the work will continue while I'm gone and all I have to do is lay the foundation. Once I'm done, I'll be free to come back here." She smiled. "There's also no way I'd miss our get-togethers with the others."

Percy mirrored her smile. He looked relieved, if only a little. Annabeth leaned forward and kissed him, something soft and sweet, before bidding him farewell.

As she walked the streets of Manhattan, Annabeth thought about calling Nico to ask if he would shadow-travel her to the Empire State Building. Hm, she frowned. On second thought, maybe not. Her friend might have still been resting after their last trip to New Rome and back. She was quite surprised that he'd even been able to travel that far in one go at all in the first place. He'd come a long way from the scrawny, mythomagic-obsessed kid who clung to his sister.

When she stepped out of the elevator on the six-hundredth floor, her mother was waiting for her. "Ah, daughter, you've arrived," Athena said expectantly. She gestured with her hands. "Come now. We have much to do."

Her mother turned on her heel, striding towards Mount Olympus. As they walked, Annabeth took the time to admire the beatific city around them. The open-air market which was giving off a plethora of unique smells, too many for her to count them all, the various homes on the mountain that looked more fantasy than real, and public facilities that were used by Gods, Nymphs, and Satyrs alike. And she was going to be designing something like this? The responsibility was almost too much when she thought about it.

Athena came to a stop just before a building that she could only assume was the workplace of Olympus' engineers. "Take today to acquaint yourself with the staff and settle in," she ordered. "You'll have residence in one of the rooms in my palace here on Olympus. When tomorrow comes, we begin preliminary building plans."

Annabeth smiled. She had a feeling that leaving this place would be the last thing on her mind in the coming weeks.

Percy leaned back in his chair, watching what few clouds there were drift by in an otherwise empty sky. He sighed. Right about now he should've been drilling some of the younger campers on their sword forms or trying his luck at archery practice. Gods knew he needed it. And yet, despite all of the boredom and monotony that now came with everyday life, Percy couldn't bring himself to do any of the things that were once commonplace in his daily routine. He found that with each passing day, Riptide would grow just a little heavier in his hands. With Gaea and Kronos scattered to the wind and no one else strong enough to lead their forces, there was simply no need to fight anymore. No need to hone his skills to the fine edge that had been necessary during times of conflict. The world was safe and his friends were off living their lives, the gods hadn't been giving out any particularly dangerous quests lately, and he had Annabeth. There was nothing else he could ask for.

So why did it feel like something was missing?

Could he actually...miss the fighting? Miss the simplicity that came with putting his life on the line every summer, and in the latter stages of the war, every day?

No, he thought, it was more than that. It was the sense of belonging he missed. A purpose. The reason he got out of bed in the morning and the reason why he survived Tartarus for so long when any sane person would've broken under the same weight. It gave him the strength to continue on, to believe and hope even when everything seemed hopeless. To prevail against all odds. Yes, a purpose was what it was.

Percy frowned, watching cheerful demigod children run around with joyous smiles on their faces, living without a care in the world. Some of the Hephaestus kids were off in the distance, unveiling their latest and greatest inventions to an uninterested crowd. Nymphs and satyrs alike gushed over nature in their own, small corner of the camp and even the Ares cabin, with Clarisse among them, stood overlooking demigod hopefuls. Everything seemed peaceful.

He sighed, closing his eyes in thought. There was a sense of restlessness as well, but it was less so. Muted, in a way. He felt like he should be doing something with his life. Anything other than sitting around wasting away or preparing to spend the majority of his adult life behind a desk. Doubt began to creep in his mind at the thought of life after college. Was that all he would amount to? Percy Jackson, son of the mighty Poseidon, being reduced to some office drone. He would spend the rest of his days working forty or more hours a week, every week, until he died or became sick. He would never be anything more than just some kid who helped save Olympus.

Something cold and unsettling washed over him. Now that Gaea was gone and there was no need to push himself any longer, Percy had realized something.

He wasn't needed anymore.

It was a crushing realization, but truth all the same. There was no need to protect the people closest to him if they were already safe. And there was no need to defend against danger if it didn't exist. When Gaea waged her war, she had taken more than just demigod lives. More than just their piece of mind.

She had taken his very reason for being.

And wasn't that terrifying?

A shadow passed over his face, blocking what little light that had made it past his eyelids. An obnoxious, childish voice filled his ears.

"Is he dead?" one pondered aloud. Something poked him in the ribs.

"I don't know," another quiet, almost silent, voice answered. Another poke. "He isn't moving."

Percy opened his eyes, wincing at the sudden influx of sunlight, and was met with two, young faces staring back at him. He blinked dazedly before smiling warmly at them. "Kayde, Michael," he greeted. "What's up? Aren't you two supposed to be at sword practice right now?" His tone grew stern. "Are you skipping out again?"

Kayde was a thin and small boy, only about ten or eleven from his estimates, although Percy had never asked. The palest of blond hair—nearly white—hung from his head loosely and fell just over his eyes and if he didn't know any better, Percy would've mistaken him for one of those delinquent, attention-seeking kids who liked to rebel against their parents. That had been an interesting conversation.

Kayde scoffed, crossing his arms. "We would've stayed if someone bothered to show up," he said annoyedly. "Those other chumps don't cut it. I won't accept anything other than the best!"

Percy smiled inwardly at the compliment. It was flattering to know that he was still considered the best swordsman at Camp Half-Blood despite his extended vacation.

He glanced at Michael, a tall, gangly boy whose arms were too long for his body. His skin and eyes were lightly tanned, a stark contrast from his brother. Both of them were sons of Eurus, the god of Autumn and the East Wind, though that was where the similarities ended.

Where Kayde was small, fierce, and outspoken, Michael was tall and reserved. Shy, almost. He rarely spoke and despite being the younger of the two, Kayde did everything for the both of them.

"Alright then," Percy grunted as he stood up from his chair. "Let's get to it."

"Wait," Kayde stopped him with a hand. "Can we skip training today? I want to see you do those cool things with water again." At Percy's hesitant look, Kayde's eyes grew moist. "Please?" he begged.

Percy struggled valiantly for a few moments before sighing in defeat. "Fine," he accepted. "Just this once."

Kayde dropped his act instantly. "Thanks, Percy! You're the best!" he cheered, tugging him along towards the forest with Michael following silently behind.

Percy allowed himself to be led deeper into the forest until they stopped at a lake in the middle of the clearing. Kayde called out to their surroundings. "Guys, we bought him!" he yelled to the surrounding trees, beckoning forward the tense and hesitant children Percy had seen hiding. He smiled at them reassuringly, silently letting them know that he wouldn't tell anyone they had skipped out on practice. Slowly the wariness faded from their eyes and they moved to join in.

Percy knelt near the lake as the kids gathered around and began concentrating. It was a little difficult, he noted, to take control of the water than it had been months ago. He frowned. That could've been a sign of impurities or something else. He would keep it in mind, considering that nature sprits and satyrs alike around camp drank from the lake.

Percy pressed his palm to the water's surface and channeled his power. With a thought, water began to drift skyward, coalescing into a large bubble that hung in the air. From the bubble, spawned various animals of all kinds around them. Snakes, hippos, dragons—even a small T-Rex began dancing around in circles along the ground.

He exhaled and wiped the sweat from his brow as the young campers rushed to occupy themselves with his watery creations. Shaping water to form objects, let alone making them move independently from each other, sure was draining. Like a muscle that had grown weak from disuse. Percy figured he could only keep up the entertainment for another few minutes, maybe five tops.

Percy laughed lightly at their expense as some of them tried, and failed, to touch the "animals". Something he couldn't describe, but felt pleasant nonetheless, washed over him at seeing the happiness among children. The carefree laughter and amazement that all aimed at him. He was the one who had put those smiles on their faces, had made them happy. There was no greater feeling in the world.

It made the pain of not being needed sting just a little bit less.

Percy felt his muscles begin to burn and his energy dip below levels he was comfortable with. With a sigh, he returning the water he had borrowed back to the lake. There were cries of protest and displeasure and that had almost made him reconsider. Almost. No matter how much he wanted to continue, it wouldn't be good to pass out in the middle of camp because he decided to push himself too far entertaining a bunch of brats. The Apollo kids would never let him hear the end of it if that happened.

He stood on heavy legs, waving Kayde and the rest of the children goodbye from seeing his little show before moving to head back to the main area of camp. Lunch should've been just about ready.

"Nice water tricks, brat," A rough, arrogant voice grunted from behind him. Percy whirled around, wondering how he didn't sense anyone behind him. As he saw who they were, he realized why.

Ares and who he could only assume to be Aphrodite stood by the lake. It had to be her, for no one else could look that good. He felt confident enough about his relationship with Annabeth that he could admit that fact.

Both gods wore fancy and luxurious clothes, a long, flowing dress in Aphrodite's case and because of that, Percy could tell this wasn't a social call. They were here on business.

"Ares—err, Lord Ares," he corrected, remembering the last time he had forgotten to address a god with respect. "And Lady Aphrodite. What brings you here?"

Ares stepped forward, a black cloud of smoke trailing after him as he huffed the bloated cigar in his mouth. His face was twisted into that ugly scowl his children were known for and he looked wholly uninterested in being there at the moment.

Percy grimaced in disgust a cloud of ash hit him square in the face. He took a few, hasty steps backward out of the range of the suffocating cloud of poison. Ares was smirking at him. Bastard, he thought with a growl, resisting the urge to wipe the smug look off the god's face. Right now was one of the only times he actually felt like fighting.

The god of war took a long drag. "I'll keep this short," he said tersely in between puffs. "The old goat wants you to become an immortal. Sent me and the lady here to convince you by 'any means necessary.' "I ain't got a clue in hell what that's supposed to mean so I'll just ask directly." Ares got in his face, so close that he could smell the god's rancid breath. "Do you want to live forever?" he asked, barely above a whisper. "Whaddaya say? This works for me as well. I get Zeus off my back and a punching bag that keeps getting up for more. It's great."

"Yeah…" Percy said with false cheer. "Look, and I mean no disrespect when I say this, but I can't accept the offer. I just can't. I hope you all understand."

Why couldn't they just leave him alone? Apollo had been as persistent as ever throughout the school year, showing up at least once a month, if not more to try and convince him. Each "visit" was just an excuse to whine and beg incessantly until the god himself grew bored or had other matters to attend to. He was getting tired of being asked the same questions and repeating the same answers time and time again. It was about time he paid a visit to Olympus and asked Zeus himself what was the big deal.

The other Olympians hadn't been and exceptions either. Hermes and Dionysus, when the latter was actually doing his job as camp director, had both tried to win him over. And like the rest, they had failed. What Percy had initially thought were friendly and harmless conversations quickly devolved into the topic of his annoyance once they'd gotten past the greetings.

Percy bit down the feeling of longing at the thought of the other gods, or more specifically, his father. Poseidon hadn't contacted him once since he started attending school. No talks, acknowledged prayers, or signs that he was even there. It had been complete radio science for the better part of a year now. Who knew, maybe he would've reconsidered his answer if his Zeus had sent someone he cared about instead of complete strangers.

Percy chanced a look at Ares, fully expecting the god to throw a childish tantrum like the others had when he rejected them. Surprisingly though, the god of war did the opposite. Ares threw his arms up in defeat. "Fine," he shrugged with indifference. "I don't give a shit anyways. This was only supposed to be a one-time thing so it's your loss."

The god of war glanced down at his wrist. "Shit, we're gonna be late," he swore, turning to the picturesque beauty at his side. "Babe, you comin'?"

Aphrodite sighed softly under her breath, something airy and light. It sounded like music to his ears. "No, darling," she said somewhat pointedly, turning to face him. "Lord Zeus says we have to convince him. Remember what he promised should we succeed? I'm nearly salivating at the thought of owning shares in his aircraft manufacturing business. He never sells those."

Ares rolled his eyes. "I don't give a damn about any aircraft unless they've got weapons mounted on em'. Besides, what would you, the goddess of love, care for aircraft manufacturing?" He asked.

Aphrodite bristled slightly. "You'd be surprised at how unrelated fields can prove to be the opposite with careful handling and manipulation, she said smoothly. "Though, I don't expect a warmonger to ever understand the intricacies of civilization."

"What?" Ares growled.

Aphrodite smiled demurely, mirth dancing in her eyes. "You heard me," she said. "Oh, and now that you mention it, it seems I am suddenly bereft of an appetite. This quarreling has left me unable to muster up the desire to eat anything. I suppose you'll have to attend dinner without me."

Ares paled, body going absolutely still. "W-wait!" he protested weakly, raising a hand. "The reservation cost me a fortune! It's the best restaurant in the world, babe! Canceling on such short notice would mean we'd have to wait another six months at least!"

Aphrodite folded her arms and pouted.

"Babe!" Ares griped.

Still, the goddess remained silent.

"Please!"

Aphrodite sighed and unfolded her arms, humming in thought. "Maybe I'll consider it," she said after a time. "But only if when we arrive home, you sink to your knees and—."

Percy sweatdropped as he watched two super-powered beings quarrel like, quite literally, a married couple. He began to slowly inch back as their bickering continued. If he could get away while they were distracted…

A twig snapped loudly under his foot. Both god and goddess' eyes snapped to him in an instant. Damn.

Aphrodite waved her hand dismissively. "We'll continue this another time," she said. "I can see that the boy is growing restless."

Ares' eyes lit up. "Does this mean..." he said in askance, a bit of hope tinging his voice.

Aphrodite sighed heavily, as if she was allowing a spoiled child to pick something from the store. "...yes," she said eventually. "Provided that you keep your promise."

And in that moment, Percy had the sudden pleasure of seeing a grown man dance. He inwardly punched himself, wishing he had brought his phone so he could record such a historic event.

After finishing his celebration, Ares disappeared in a flash, mumbling excitedly about dates and romantic getaways. Aphrodite then turned to her focus on him. This close, and without distractions, Percy was reminded of the full weight of her beauty. How alluring she was. All gods were, to an extent, good looking and the goddess of love was no exception. Her skin seemed to glow, almost, with an inner light. Like the sun had decided to reflect off of its surface just right. Each breath she took only seemed to enhance that fact and he noted that unlike their last meeting in person, she wore no makeup. Everything about her was completely natural. From her full, perky lips, all the way down to her long, long legs that stretch on forever. Despite himself, something in his chest fluttered. She really was beautiful.

With a jolt, Percy realized he'd been staring. "Uh," he stammered out, sounding every bit like the flustered teenager he was. "Hi."

Aphrodite laughed, something lyrical and sweet, and smiled brightly. "We meet again, son of Poseidon," she greeted pleasantly. "We have much to discuss, you and I."

Percy frowned at that. What more did they have to talk about? He had made it pretty clear that he didn't want what they were selling.

He voiced these exact thoughts aloud. "I don't think we do," Percy said tersely.

The goddess of love's smile fell. "Percy," she addressed him seriously. "I have helped you in more ways than you can think of. When your love life was struggling, I was there to keep it from collapsing completely. When you needed to be reminded of who you were fighting for back in that pit, I did just that. Who do you think made sure every one of your various dates went as smoothly as they did? All of this I have done and more, so I would appreciate it if you listened to me first before jumping to conclusions."

Percy stared at her disbelievingly. "What?" he asked. "So you're saying that every good thing that has happened between Annabeth and I was because of you?"

Aphrodite beamed. "Most of it, yes," she agreed. "Although I do enjoy a good heartbreak, the excitement of it pales in comparison to true, unadulterated love. The kind that makes you mortals do anything to keep each other happy. That is what I see in you, Percy. Love like that is rare, practically non-existent amongst immortals, and is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!" she swooned.

"Unbelievable," Percy sighed.

"Oh, believe it," Aphrodite retorted. "But that isn't why I'm here" She caught his eyes. "I think you know the reason."

He froze as Aphrodite sauntered up to him, in a way that was obviously suggestive. "I want to know," she began breathily, coming to a stop uncomfortably close to his face. "Why someone like yourself would refuse a once-in-a-lifetime offer like the one you have been given? Pride? Loyalty? The unwillingness to leave that girl behind? Tell me please, I must know."

Percy swallowed the lump that had built in his throat. His thoughts were warm and muzzled and it was getting hard to form a cohort sentence. Aphrodite's voice had suddenly become light and saccharine, like honey. More so than before. Every bone in his body wanted to do exactly as she said, forever, with no objections. It was Charmspeak, he deduced with wide eyes as he fought against the enthrallment. Piper's version of it seemed harmless compared to the real thing.

Percy looked away, in a vain effort to try and lessen the goddess of love's hold on him. "I… told you all already," he struggled to get out the words. "I'm going to—"

"To live out your mortal life to the fullest, yes, yes, I know," Aphrodite said dismissively. "But what is the real reason? With an immortal life, you could have fun with that brain-child you're so fond of.." she leaned in close, the heat of her breath tickling his ear. "...forever."

Now that he thought about it, he supposed that didn't sound so bad. His friends would be safe. Far safer with him with watching over them from Olympus than not. He would do what the gods up there on their comfortable thrones wouldn't or couldn't. No, he would be even better than them, Percy swore. If he had been in charge in the first place, Gaea and Kronos would've never risen. He wouldn't have ignored the painfully obvious signs like Zeus had done. If Percy was in charge, he wouldn't have let a single demigod like Selena and Lee die under his watch. Luke would've gotten the care and attention he needed from his father and never would've grown to hate the gods so much.

His thoughts turned to Annabeth, or the possibility of spending eternity with her, never worrying about anything ever again. It would be just the two of them. There would be no books to study or pointless lectures to sit through. No spending the rest of his future as a corporate slave. She would have her architecture studies and he would have his...his…

Percy frowned, mind drawing a blank as he tried to picture more positives of having an immortal life. When he couldn't, clarity began to grace his thoughts once more. That's right, he thought, coming to his senses. He had chosen to stay mortal in order to find his calling; his reason for living. He wouldn't take the easy way out.

And what of after his normal lifespan ended? After everyone he cared about was dead and buried. What then? Could he continue on living if there was no one to care about?

Spell broken, Percy smiled victoriously and looked down at Aphrodite. "No," he said firmly, conviction unwavering as he held his ground.

Aphrodite gasped in surprise as her hold on him was broken and she retreated out of his personal space. She stared at him warily, eyes searching for a moment before she spoke. "You know," she started. "I didn't think much of you, even considering your exploits. But now, I can see why Zeus remains wary."

The goddess of love straightened her dress and turned to leave, muttering about failed promises and missed opportunities. Then, he was left alone with his thoughts.

Somehow, this time felt different from the others, though he supposed it was the first time Zeus had sent such important gods, well, more important than Apollo and Hermes, to try and convince him. Deep down, Percy wanted to believe nothing would change after this. That he could keep on living a normal life and eventually, Zeus would give up on his efforts. Only he knew, felt it in his bones, that that wasn't the case.

He just hoped he made the right choice.

July 15th, 2011

Zeus stood in the central chamber of the throne room of Mount Olympus, overlooking a window as he awaited his brother's arrival. The sky outside was dark and dreary, heavy with grey storm clouds, and the wind howled with such ferocity that it made the rain come down sideways. Every minute or so, the air was torn asunder by his lightning bolts, each one heralded with a clap of thunder. Fine weather in his eyes.

Zeus stared dispassionately into the fire of his sister's hearth as he pondered his current predicament. Trusting Athena to keep her daughter away from the truth and under control had been a foolish blunder on his part. He had gravely underestimated the human penchant for curiosity and should have known that a child of wisdom, especially one as stubborn as that girl, wouldn't be cowed into submission, even under the threat of retribution. If he wanted something done right, he would do it himself.

In his official capacity and given the girl's exploits and popularity amongst both of the camps, he had ruled out simply removing the knowledge by force via dipping the meddlesome child into the Lethe. Its powers had proven vast and wild enough to wipe the mind of a titan and he hadn't a clue of how it would affect a mortal, a lesser being in every sense of the word.

Nevermind how Athena would take offense to a slight of such proportions against her daughter. The goddess of wisdom had betrayed him once before, for far more trivial reasons than this one. Zeus would not allow her the means to do it again. Given time and the motivation to do so, Athena could bring everything he had spent a lifetime building crashing down on his head. As such, these two truths made her unpredictable; dangerous.

As the fire crackled on monotonously, his thoughts turned to the other subject of his ire. Anger simmered in his chest at the thought of Poseidon's brat and the possibility that the father was using his son to betray him. His brother had played no small part in the first rebellion instigated by Hera some thousands of years ago. Zeus had punished him greatly then, stripping both him and Appollo their status as Olympians and sending them to serve King Laomedon of Troy for a year. After that, his brother had personally given his word that he wouldn't attempt to revolt a second time.

He knew Poseidon would honor the promise especially considering that he'd had more than enough chances by now to betray him. His brother had been dutiful over the years, following orders obediently and nipping threats in the bud before they could grow into something more. By all means, Zeus wanted to believe that this instance was mere coincidence. There wasn't a single reason to suspect that Poseidon was molding his son against Olympus—against him.

Still, it didn't hurt to take precautions. It was unfortunate that discussing the matter with the boy directly was out of the question. He could not risk the spread of information, even under the oath of the Styx and if that kind of knowledge escaped his grasp and fell into malevolent hands, it would spell doom for the world.

Zeus sighed wearily, wondering how it had come to this. The power and means to challenge the gods possessed by a mere mortal, one who would sacrifice the world to save those closest to him. Zeus couldn't—wouldn't let someone like that govern his fate. His only option now, since his nephew had still been keen on remaining stubborn, was to eliminate the threat permanently. Luckily, after several bouts of consideration on the matter, he had just the thing in mind.

Zeus inclined his head as the chamber doors opened, letting in with them the furious downpour from outside. His eyes found his brother's as the god of the sea stepped through the threshold, completely dry and unbothered as if he'd never been in the rain in the first place.

Poseidon moved to stand with him by the fire. "You have my thanks for joining me on such short notice," Zeus said as his brother changed out of his formal wear and into something more casual.

Poseidon grunted in response.

"I've requested your presence here to discuss a particular concerning matter regarding your son," Zeus began. "Reports from Apollo have indicated that he has become increasingly irritable and choleric as of late. The presence he exudes grows more powerful by the day and frankly, his continued refusal of immortality disturbs me greatly."

Poseidon sneered, taking offense to the implication "What exactly, pray tell, has Perseus done to earn your ire, brother?" he questioned. "You have spent the better part of a year interrogating and forbidding me from seeing him. Loyalty is something my son knows very well and is a defining trait of his, to say nothing of the many deeds he has done in our service. You needn't worry. I will not tolerate any who say otherwise."

"True," Zeus admitted. But you are forgetting that the loyalty Perseus holds is directed at his comrades. "Not to me, you, or any other with a drop of immortal blood in his veins. You know of his particular flaw. Given the choice, he would save those closest to him while damming the rest of us to oblivion. A rather unfortunate trait that you passed down to him."

Poseidon remained entirely unconvinced. Zeus sighed. "Don't tell you have forgotten Oprhonys—"

The air suddenly grew cold and still as a surge of raw power flooded the chamber. His brother stood with a vicious scowl marring his face. "You dare mention that name in my presence?" Poseidon growled menacingly, exuding his presence like a sieve. "What is this folly, Zeus? Have you called me here merely to torture me with memories of the past? If so, then we can conclude this meeting here and now."

Thunder boomed, and lightning crackled overhead as Zeus recalled his master bolt. With a thought, he loosened the reins that kept his power in check and rose to match his brother. The two of them stood, mirror images of each other as their power continued to increase in a contest of strength. Each time Zeus had thought Poseidon would submit, his power grew, reaching heights that he seldom reserved for war. Zeus frowned. His brother had always held the most affection for mortals—more than he should have considering his position.

Their power rose, and rose, and rose, and rose until finally, Poseidon seemed to reach his limitations. Zeus smiled as his brother tried and failed to increase his power beyond what he was capable of. The two of them ceased their struggle and reigned in their energies as the clear victor was decided. Zeus frowned at the destruction their quarrel had brought as he looked around them. The ornate marble floors underneath their feet had been cracked and badly burned under the weight of their combined might. Clear signs of an earthquake and several lightning strikes dotted the walls and ceiling, though he did note with some relief, that the thrones had remained intact.

"Now, what I ask is simple," Zeus said after the dust had settled and the two of them had eased enough to continue the conversation. "I would prefer your assistance in the elimination of this grave threat before it has a chance to—"

"Absolutely not!" Poseidon declared, eyes alight as his fury was reignited with vengeance. "Far too many of my children have perished, either by my own hand, yours, or some other, outside force. Merely over the possibility that they grew too powerful and might rise to challenge you. No more. I will not tolerate the murder of my only son to sate your paranoia."

"You can always have another," Zeus shrugged easily. "We are immortal, time is of no consequence to us." Honestly, he didn't see the point in valuing one child over the safety of Olympus—his safety. Virtuous deeds notwithstanding.

"That is beside the point!" Poseidon roared thunderously, slamming his fist into a nearby column. Said pillar collapsed into a heap of rubble under the force of the strike. His brother took a shaky breath. "You're asking me to kill my son, Zeus. My boy. My only boy and you want me to kill him?" he rasped disbelievingly. "I won't stand for it, I refuse."

Zeus narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Not even under the threat of traitorous charges?" he inquired, smiling thinly at Poseidon's horrified look. "The entirety of Olympus would be against you, to say nothing of the countless minor divinities who would froth at the bit over an opportunity to claim a seat on the council."

It was an empty, obvious threat that held no weight, but one he needed to play every hand he had if they were to prevail. He refused to let that ever happen again.

Poseidon grit his teeth tightly in defiance as he pondered the limited amount of options that lay before him. "My offer is simple," Zeus presented, folding his arms across the small of his back. "Strike down your son for planning to conspire against me, save Olympus, and I will reward you greatly. Do not, and watch as he dies all the same. His welfare for yours. I imagine it is quite an easy decision."

His brother dipped his head, avoiding his gaze. "So it has come to this," he said in a small, quiet voice full of pain and sadness. It had no place in the strong and fierce warrior that his brother was. Zeus felt something odd claw its way into his heart upon hearing it.

Still, something had to be done. "It has," Zeus nodded. "In light of Apollo's recent string of failures, I have decided this is the only way to ensure the safety of Olympus. Unless, of course, you have something in mind? I am open to suggestions"

Poseidon stared at him with wide, unseeing eyes. "Do you…" he trailed off. "How could you be so callous as to sacrifice a hero and your own nephew? One that has done us a slew of favors over the years?" Poseidon reached forward and gripped his shoulders tightly. "Brother," he spoke, looking him directly n the eyes. "Where has your heart gone? These are children we speak of. Not pawns on a chessboard board or expendable tools of war. Children. If this is how we are going to act, then by what ideals did we take the throne and overthrow our father?"

He could practically hear his brother's heartbreak through his tone. Zeus's gaze softened. "I do not want this," he said sincerely, fully meaning it. "Truly, I do not. As dreadful as it is, there is simply no other way. You've heard the prophecy. 'Through insidious means, a paragon once thought infallible succumbs to darkness.' "The 'insidious means' spoken of here are quite obviously the same flesh-consuming practice we encouraged amongst our sons millennia ago. Sweep your emotions aside and think for a moment, brother. This is larger than us all."

Poseidon's brows were knit tightly, and he clenched and unclenched his fists with such force that Zeus thought his brother would strike him. As the seconds began to yawn on and Poseidon still had not given an answer, Zeus felt doubt overcome his being and the possibility that he would have to strike another one of his family members down arose in his mind. That would be a tragedy. It had been difficult enough to provoke his brother like so in the first place. He didn't know if he had the will to carry through with such a ghastly act, to say nothing of the colossal blow it would deal to Olympus' might.

His brother held a look of anger for a few moments before his features smoothened out in grim acceptance. Poseidon looked up, determination gleaming in his eyes.

"It will be done," he intoned.

Zeus smiled.

July 20th, 2011

Finding his son was simple enough. Perseus had not yet discovered the art of concealing his presence and there wasn't a drop of water in North America that could hide from his sight. The stench of Tartarus so fowl that it made his eyes water, clung to his form like smoke. Zeus had been right when he said its presence had grown stronger.

He dreaded what would come next.

Poseidon materialized behind his son, making not a sound as he crossed the hundreds of miles that separated his palace from New York. Perseus stood forlornly on a bank overlooking the Hudson River. At seeing his boy in the flesh, Poseidon felt a colossal guilt weigh in on his conscience for one of the few times in his long, immortal life. Not since the defeat of Gaea had he visited his son once. He had been remiss throughout Perseus' life, using Zeus' decree and his own responsibilities as justification to avoid his duties as a father. He should have tried harder, fought against the order or devised a way around it to visit his son in secret. To let him know that his father cared for him.

Now it was too late.

His son was saying something. Poseidon quirked his ears to listen, still concealing his presence as he steeled himself in preparation.

"Hey, dad," his son called, making Poseidon jump slightly. He was about to respond until he noticed that Perseus hadn't yet discovered him. Ah, he thought in realization. A prayer.

"I don't know if you can hear me right now," Perseus spoke to the sea. His son exhaled forcibly in frustration. "I'm starting college in a few weeks and I just feel so..lost and out of place. School isn't meant for me. I barely scraped by before Annabeth and without her, I never would've passed the first semester."

Perseus threw a rock across the water's surface, watching it skip along for a few seconds before sinking into the depths.

"I just don't know how I'm expected to choose what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life," he admitted. "It's such a huge amount of time and there a strong possibility that I'll be sitting behind a desk all day. Or repeating the same thing day in and day out. I didn't turn down immortality just for that. Perseus took a breath. "And I haven't even seen Annabeth in a month either," he continued. if I didn't know any better, I'd say she broke up with me."

His son laughed, hollow and empty. "Athena doesn't like me. She never did. I bet that's what this is. She's using her hatred of you to keep me away from my girlfriend. Even after we saved her ass twice," he spat out.

Perseus sighed. "Sorry dad," he apologized. "I didn't want to burden you with my troubles. I just….wish you were here right now."

Poseidon couldn't take it any longer. He stepped forward as his son turned to leave. This time, he made no effort to conceal himself. Perseus froze, still as stone, before slowly turning around to face him. His eyes widened.

"Dad?" his son asked, seemingly not believing his eyes. He swallowed. "What—what are you doing here?"

Poseidon surged forward, ignoring the question, and swooped his Perseus into a fierce embrace. "It's alright, my boy," Poseidon whispered, blinking away his emotions. "I'm here."

Thankfully, Perseus allowed the contact. He tensed at first, then slumped in his arms, relaxing into them. His son hung his head, keeping his eyes averted, and spoke in a low voice. "Did you hear all that?" he asked. Poseidon nodded. He had the distinct pleasure of seeing the embarrassment on his son's face. It filled him with a comforting warmth that he didn't know he needed, but was glad to have after centuries of going without.

"Dad?" his son looked up. "Can I ask you a question?"

Poseidon's gaze softened. "Anything," he answered.

Perseus was slow to form the words. "Why do you...why do gods have children with mortals?"

Poseidon's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected question.

"It's just," his son clarified. "I know that you all need us, even if you won't admit it. But there has to be another reason right? Why get with humans if you have wives that can give you immortal—and stronger—children?"

Ah, Poseidon thought. The question that every demigod had at some point and few received the chance to ask. He had answered it on a whim throughout the years, never giving it any thought. This time, he supposed, would be different.

"Son," he said, pulling Perseus up to look him in the eyes. "Let me tell you a tale."

Poseidon took a mighty breath. This was it, he thought. The entirety of his greatest sin laid bare. He had to bury it in the deep recesses of his mind, ignore it, and wished it would vanish in thin air. Now that he found himself facing a similar situation as he did then, he desired closure.

"I will tell you the story of a foolish god of the sea who caused the death of his son." Poseidon began gravely.

"I will tell you the tale of Ophronys."

A/N:

A fairly large time skip this chapter. I think I've been a bit liberal with them so far. Expect the gaps between sections to shorten in the future.

The "power levels" here will be a bit more grounded than what you're probably used to. What I mean by this is that certain characters will be much closer in strength and prowess than they were in the story. I find it quite boring, both to write and read, stories where the main character outshines everyone else, so much so that they are essentially reduced to fodder and plot devices.

A good bit of content was revealed in this chapter. Fear is a powerful, yet dangerous tool. Succumb to it, and you begin acting in irrational and unpredictable ways. Overcome it, and you've just conquered one of the biggest things that hold you back; yourself. With that being said, the next chapter is the conclusion of this arc and should contain most of the answers many of you were hoping for.

Also (and I want to clear this up in case there was any confusion about certain sections of the last chapter) Percy was able to grow over the years because he was constantly being forced by some looming threat to push past his limits time and time again. However, in the last chapter and even this one, we see what happens when a person is suddenly devoid of such motivations. Contentedness breeds stagnation. Percy sees training as a necessity; something he has to do to protect his friends and home. Not as a hobby to be enjoyed. Former combat veterans usually don't go out and practice the battle tactics and strategy they used in the military do they? Because there's no need to. The same applies here.