(A/N) Hello guys. Thanks for all the reviews from last chapter. It inspired me to write and finish the chapter as soon as possible.
Finally, Arc 1 of the story is at an end. Enjoy!
LINE BREAK
After the war, everyone was gathered into the throne room of Mount Olympus.
The throne room of Olympus was expanded to accommodate all of the gods, both minor and major, of all pantheon. It looked more like a conference room now. Everyone will have a say of every issue that may arise. The minor gods were delighted at learning this. Even Chiron has received a seat on Olympus, much to his shock.
The three main leaders of the Pantheon held a more distinguished throne than the rest while the three titans and Damasen had a modified throne to distinguish them from gods but that was where the differences ended.
They were having the post-war meeting and every god agreed that the demigods be included in the meeting, not that Zeus was going to refuse. There'd be no reason to withhold information from their children, after all. The king of Olympus knew first-hand how withholding information resulted in bitterness and contempt.
The demigods were in doubtful states when they learned that not a single one of them died. They didn't know if the gods were doing a cruel trick on them.
"But I remember he died." Luke reaffirmed, though hopeful. He looked at his most idolized being in the world, Percy.
'Not that I'd admit that to him.' He smirked internally.
"Come on." The high primordial who refused to take a throne in new Olympus and preferred standing with the demigods he dotes on answered.
"Do you guys really think I would let anyone of you die?" Percy raised a brow at Luke, who blushed in embarrassment for doubting his hero.
Percy laughed, pulling Luke under his arm and messing the blonde's hair up, while the gods watched the interaction with amusement. Only Hermes was visibly fuming in jealousy, though it was obviously a joke.
"They're all just in Apollo's infirmary, getting the treatment they deserve." Percy added to reassure the demigods. "So, don't be sad, okay? Your friends are all alive and well. You don't look as good when you cry, you know."
"But…" Luke reddened again at being the center of attention in the throne room but he had to ask, "The demigod died in front of me…an arm of his was missing."
"Apollo can regenerate missing limbs, no problem." Artemis said plainly.
"So, Percy, how did the meeting with Tartarus go? Why'd you spare the primordial?" Ra asked. At this, the room went silent as they too, were wondering why Percy did what he did.
At this, Percy grinned brightly, "Well, I spared Tartarus because if I killed the primordial, who'd watch over the domain of monsters? We can't just leave it as it is, can we?"
Then from out of nowhere, a small circular portal appeared beside Percy. He inserted his arm inside the portal and took out a thick black book with a red circle on the cover. The book flew from Percy's hand to his father's. After skimming through the book with magic and memorizing everything instantaneously, Ra gasped in amazement.
"Is this for real?" Ra asked in excitement.
"What is?" Zeus asked, curious with what was in the book to get the Egyptian god king to be this excited.
Ra casted a spell that projected a magic screen in front of the council of New Olympus and the demigods that showed whatever he wanted to show in his minds. He showed the important details of the contract. After reading, everyone turned to Percy in wonder.
Percy looked at the demigods warmly, "Demigods, their fates and monsters are always intertwined. There will always be danger because their very souls are searching to fight these monsters and vice versa. But I thought, why not give both sides a choice? I made a deal with Tartarus."
"This dungeon?" Athena asked, scanning the terms rapidly, with her stormy gray eyes.
"Yes." Percy nodded, "I told Tartarus to command all monsters to leave the mortal realm and return to him. Then with the primordial's help, I designed a tower with two hundred floors. One floor is three hundred thousand kilometers wide. The monsters in Tartarus will be spread throughout the floors, with the monsters getting harder the deeper the tower goes."
"With this dungeon system, the monsters will no longer be able to attack demigods that cannot defend themselves. Demigods that are barely able to hold a sword gets hunted down by monsters, with their mortal parents also in danger. With the dungeon, the monsters are trapped there. The demigods also gain a choice. They can live normal lives with this system. They can fight monsters."
The demigods were overjoyed at this.
"Though I would hope that the bond they have with each other is enough that they would not completely leave this world." Percy looked at the demigods then the to the council again, "You can develop the system your own way, you can add guilds. Competitions. Whatever you want."
"My main goal in this was to give the demigods a choice of how to live their life." Percy ended with a small chuckle.
"Percy, thank you." Reyna, from the roman demigods, thanked their past camp counselor. Soon enough, the other demigods voiced their thanks. Percy felt his heart soar at this, but decided to act cool and just nod, to the amusement of everyone as it was very obvious by how Percy was trying not to cry that he was affected.
"On behalf of everyone in the council, we thank you for this, Perseus." Zeus smiled at the primordial.
"No problem, King Zeus."
"If you don't mind me asking," Frigga, the queen of the Norse, began, "I have gathered much from how you destroyed Gaea, that you are something above a primordial. What are you, my lord?"
Percy raised his hands, "Lady Frigga, just Perseus will do, please. I feel uncomfortable to be called a lord."
"But you are one, Perseus." Poseidon laughed.
"Uncle, I'm too young to have such titles. And it sounds awfully dreadful really, Lord Poseidon."
Poseidon's brow just twitched in annoyance as the audience laughed at the exchange.
"Very well, then." Frigga said after managing to calm herself, "Perseus, I have gathered much from the way you disposed of the great Gaea, that you are a being that exceeds even primordial. Who and what are you?"
Percy looked at Ra with question. Ra just smiled at his son, "It's your choice, my son."
Percy contemplated for a while before he made up his mind, "Very well. You all know me as Perseus Horus Jackson, which is what my adoptive father, Ra, has decided to name me. But my real name is Perseus Balance Origina. I am a high primordial and my real father is the deceased creator of the Universe, Origin."
Everyone stayed silent as they digested this information.
"I have figured much." Kronos said from his throne, "That there are many more beings out there, as our Universe is large. What is a high primordial?"
"A high primordial is the next step above a primordial. There used to be only four high primordial domains. It seems with my birth, I created a new one." Percy answered.
"So, what is your domain, my boy?" Odin asked curiously.
"Domains." Ra smirked, shocking the room and annoying Percy.
"There was trouble with Origin's kingdom when I was born so he sent me here to Earth, so that I'd be safe. My supposed domains were high primordial of wisdom and life. And primordial of creation and destruction. But my uncle, for some unknown reasons, took my father's domain and his own. Then he put it for me. So now, I am also a high primordial of creation and destruction." Percy informed before he sighed.
"And there is the last domain, the original primordial of void."
"Woah, and what's an original primordial?" Athena asked with gusto.
"There are many primordial. For example, Gaea is the primordial of earth for this planet. But for a different planet, they have a different primordial of earth there. There is only one high primordial for one domain."
"But as I said before, because of the meddling of my uncle, he managed to make it so that I am now a also a high primordial of creation and destruction. These two are domains that are supposed solely owned my sisters."
Percy cleared his throat, before he continued, "An original primordial domain is the strongest there is. There are only two original domains, the void and existence. Void is my domain.
"Unfortunately, for my safety, my domains were removed from me as to not attract attention. As of now, I have the domain of wisdom with me."
"How strong are high primordial and original primordial from a regular primordial?" Hades asked, curious to learn of the world beyond theirs.
"Hm, high primordial domains are judged by comparing it to primordial domain." Percy clapped his hands, "Let me put it this way."
"A primordial is equal to a hundred god kings, right?" Percy asked, when the gods nodded, he continued. "Now that is the only thing that is fixed. High primordial domains are varied. The wisdom domain is equal to twenty primordial. The life domain is equal to twenty primordial. Both destruction and creation are worth fifty primordial each." Everyone gulped at how ridiculously above high primordial were to primordial.
"That doesn't mean that wisdom domain or life domain is weaker than the two others. The scales were used with how destructive the domains were. They're all really equal if used in combat. Despite being only worth twenty primordial, imagine the ability to control life. You're unkillable. And if you wish to do so, you can take life away from your enemies."
"After that, original primordial domains are worth a hundred and fifty primordial."
"Damn." Apollo muttered. "That's kind of scary to think about. Gaea could have wiped us out herself. Imagine a being stronger than a hundred fifty Gaea."
"So that's why you have the ability to read minds." Freya concluded, "You are the high primordial of wisdom."
"And it's completely overpowered, I'm telling you." Apollo complained. "Percy's mind is buffed up like crazy. He can master skills with a look and a try. It's absolutely unfair. He can adapt to any situation, and darn it, I just hate that he is better at me in all my domains. I'm supposed to be the skilled archer, doctor, and musician."
Percy just laughed as Apollo sulked.
"Not only that, but he can read minds!" Hermes joined with the complaining. Percy just sweatdropped.
"It's not his fault he was born to be this overpowered." Loki defended Percy, giving the young primordial a sardonic smile. "Though it is pretty unfair, working to understand magic to get to where I am and Percy comprehending it in an instant."
"How could you hold that against me!" Percy pouted, "It's not like I can choose not to understand something, it just clicks you know!"
"I just showed you one spell. A fire ball spell. From that single fire ball, you comprehended the entirety of this planet's magic system. Even space-time magic, the most intricate of our magics, and they just 'click'. I hate you." Loki said with playful spite while the other gods sniggered.
Percy ran to the demigods and hugged his stepbrother, Bellus, with tears in his eyes. "Bellus, look. The gods are bullying your poor older brother."
At this, the young boy, who did not understand what was being talked about and remained silent until now, bristled. "Hey, don't bully Percy!"
Everyone could not take it anymore and laughed.
"It is good that he is not corrupted by his great power." Hestia looked at Ra, "You have raised him well."
"That he did." Percy agreed, smiling at the Egyptian god.
Ra started bawling like a baby after this. "That's my son. I raised that boy."
"Enough of this. We have talked enough. Can't we party now?" Dionysus complained.
The three god kings all grinned at each other, "I suppose." Zeus grinned.
"I've been told that Ra was going to hold a party at his vessel." Iapetus spoke for the first time in the council. He was surprised to find that none even looked at him with contempt and instead perked up at his idea.
"Really?" Odin turned to Ra. "You've never invited anyone to that vessel of yours, ever."
"Well, I figured, since everything's changing, why not change that also?" Ra shrugged, "Besides, I'm closing that pocket universe of mine and I'm anchoring my vessel to Mt. Olympus anyway."
"Then it's settled." Zeus said, looking at his son, "Dionysus, bring with you your very best wine. We shall celebrate the union of the pantheons and the change that is happening to our world."
LINE BREAK
"Woah." Hephaestus couldn't help but say as everyone in the conference room from before now stood just outside in the gardens, watching as the famed vessel of Ra came out of a gigantic portal in the skies.
The demigods cheered as well as some gods as the vessel of Ra came out, as majestic as the legends say. From the vessel's deck, everyone can see the waving high primordial prince who decided to come with his father in getting the ship out of the pocket universe Ra has created after the treaty of separation.
"What a sight for sore eyes." Hestia hummed warmly.
"Indeed." Demeter nodded in agreement.
"This makes it official, then." Odin howled, "The once separated pantheons are now united in the main universe, once again!"
Everyone cheered.
The vessel hovered down next to the floating island of Mt. Olympus, an anchor chaining itself to the island just like the Norse's.
Everyone approached the large vessel from the island, eager. Now that Apollo's power has equaled his father, his prowess in healing has increased greatly. The previously gravely injured demigods were able to join the large group, all grievances gone. The sun god responsible for their recovery stood next to Hermes, his golden hair tied to a messy ponytail and still wearing a doctor's coat. The only being missing was the comatose war god, Ares.
"You alright?" Hermes asked his brother with a clap on the back.
"Yeah, just slightly tired." Apollo answered, stretching.
A bridge, completely made of gold, magically extended from the deck of the suspended vessel to the edge of the island. From the other side, Ra and Percy appeared with large smiles on their faces.
"Come on, get on and let's get the party started!" Percy shouted eagerly.
At the back of the excited group was Dionysus and his children who he called out from the group for their help. Beside them were large barrels of newly processed wine. Normally, wine would have to be aged for a long time for its taste to be worthy of the gods, but with help from Loki, Hecate, and his great-grandfather Kronos, the wine was aged instantly.
Dionysus and his children waited for the others to get aboard before they pushed the barrels of wine to the vessel.
Unsurprisingly, the already large vessel was even larger in the inside. A magic array for expansion magic was engraved throughout the rails of the ship, allowing the actual deck to be even larger than what one would expect from the outside. Loki immediately walked along the railings, tracing the arrays with admiration. Atlanta walked along her lover, asking questions and giving the god few kisses that made Loki smile goofily before going back to observing.
There were many round tables on the deck, with blue water lily which Ra loved, on the center of the tables. The tables were arranged in a round way, leaving an empty space in the middle, no doubt for dancing. A wooden stage was at the very tip of the deck.
At seeing the instruments arranged on top of the stage, Apollo perked up, the white coat on top of him disappearing.
"Goodbye, Apollo of medicine. Hello, Apollo of music." He rubbed his palms excitedly, hopping on the stage and thinking of what instrument to play while everything is just getting ready.
To Percy's delight, the demigods seated themselves randomly. He did know that battle has washed away any bitterness amongst the two factions, but he did expect the demigods to seat with familiar faces rather than strangers. Wondering what caused the tremendous progress in his goal of uniting the two factions, he spotted two particular favorites of his.
Luke and Reyna sat at the table near the edge of the deck. They talked and occasionally flirted, unaware of Percy's funny grin at seeing them. The demigods saw their leaders seating with each other and figured that there was no harm in getting to know their siblings to the other side of their parents.
"You know, when you started on your journey, I never expected that you'd bring great change when you return." Ra suddenly said from behind, interrupting Percy's observing.
"Really?" Percy asked as the father son duo watched Dionysus and his children set up the party and for the other beings to choose the tables they will seat on. On the stage, Apollo begun playing a beautiful piece with the violin while Chiron and Hermes chose what instruments they would play.
"This was your first adventure. I expected you to return within two years with a little bit of experience of the world." Ra laughed, "Never in my wildest thoughts have I imagined you falling straight to Tartarus and returning only after many years, a grown man already. I did expect you to return as the strongest being in this planet though."
"Thank you." Percy looked at the sun god. "Thank you for raising me as your own son and for loving me. I am glad this is where my pod fell unto."
Ra breathed deeply, looking at the young man that he raised, "Thank you also, Percy. You have made my lonely life and became the sun of that dark life."
"Enough of this, dad." Percy hugged Ra and laughed, "Let's join the others. Go find Uncle Poseidon and Lord Odin."
"Let's go." Ra agreed, as they walked towards the now seated group. Music was being provided by Apollo, Hermes, and Nanna, the Norse goddess of joy and peace.
Ra spotted Zeus waving at him, the other elder gods seated on the table.
"See you later, son." Ra patted Percy on the shoulder before he walked towards the table of the Elder gods.
Before Percy can think of which table he would seat on, Apollo mentally called him on stage.
'Perce, come here.' Apollo said to him, not stopping in playing the violin as he did so.
'What now?' Percy rolled his eyes as he answered with a transmitted message. From the corner of his eyes, he can see the nymphs started serving the dishes, starting from the elder gods.
'With that cheating domain of yours, I believe you can become second only to me in playing music.'
Percy snorted, 'Do you really want to become second in your own domain?'
Seeing the sun god briefly flip him the bird before returning to playing the violin, Percy shook his head and walked towards the stage. Looking at the instruments, a string instrument caught his interest. It looked like a guitar, with a neck and body, but its neck was wider and shorter than a guitar's. Its body was also a rounder.
At spotting Percy pick up the lute, the audience clapped and cheered. Percy was wide-eyed.
"Wait, I'm not going to play." Percy nervously spoke.
"Come now, Perseus." Odin raised his wine glass and holding it like a beer mug, much to Frigga's exhaustion, "Play for us."
"Dear, you don't hold a wine glass like that."
"It doesn't matter how I hold it, honey, really." Odin tiredly replied.
Percy sighed, plucking the lute randomly. Suddenly, information flowed in his brain quickly. Calculations and realizations quickly formed and were solved, figuring out the instrument within a second.
"Oh." Percy worded, looking at the lute in amazement. "Okay."
Percy listened at what the others were playing. Apollo was playing the harp. Hermes accompanied Apollo with a flute while Nanna sang with her enchanting voice. The gears in his mind figured out how to play along the current ensemble with the lute. Percy let his instincts do the playing and to the surprise of everyone including his own, it sounded great.
"Atta boy." Apollo opened his eyes and winked at Percy.
The four beings played until the dinner was ended when Apollo signaled a stop. The three gods approached and kissed Nanna's knuckles separately, before Percy escorted her to her table with the Norse gods.
"Enough of the tranquil music." Apollo licked his lips, "Since we're all done with eating, then comes the partying! Get up and move those feet."
Hermes sat down the drum set. Percy analyzed the keyboard. Aphrodite went to the stage and surprised everyone when she took the bass guitar, while Apollo picked the electric guitar up and stood in front of the mic. The divine garbs they were wearing shifted into more flamboyant clothing, with Apollo putting on star shaped glasses.
The demigods jumped up their chairs and dragged each other to the dance floor. Freya pulled Thor out of his chair and the couple joined the unruly demigods in jumping and dancing to the music.
"Shall we?" Loki leaned in and whispered to Atlanta.
The huntress blushed red and a wild smile formed on her face, "We shall."
Loki and Atlanta soon joined the fray, along with more of the demigods.
"Come on, let's not let these youngsters beat us." Kronos stood up and picked up Rhea bridal-style, who shrieked in surprise. "Here we go." He said as he pushed and twirled Rhea up.
Soon, the gods all joined in and everyone was dancing and having fun. Dionysus was passed out drunk on one table while Iapetus and Damasen were challenging each other with who can devour a turkey faster. Zeus and Hera danced slowly with each other even when the beat of the song Percy and the others were playing was upbeat.
"I hope the rest of the millennia we have will always be like this." Hera leaned on her husband's chest and smiled contentedly.
"It will be." Zeus kissed the top of her head and smiled.
"We'll maintain this peace that young man has achieved for us." Odin, having overhead the couple's conversation, joined in with Frigga.
"I never would have thought you had it in you to raise a fine young man such as Percy." Frigga teased the nearby Ra who laughed.
"Don't worry, I never thought I could either." The sun god took a sip of his wine before continuing, "But he turned out just fine."
Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, and Persephone were talking amicably about destroying the restrictions placed on Persephone and letting the goddess go to her mother and back to her husband at will. Poseidon hanged around just in case he was needed, since he knew how testy Demeter and Hades were when it was about Persephone but to his surprise, the conversation was running smoothly.
The night progressed and everyone drank and danced as they celebrated their victory against the tyrant that is mother Earth.
The gods eventually let the demigods make the music and made their merry way to the dance floor.
After stuffing his belly full of Hestia's cooking, Percy saw Ra on the other side of the deck and made his way towards his father when suddenly, a flash of bright red light blinded everyone.
But even though they were blinded, the senses of everyone went haywire when presence even greater than Gaea's filled the entire deck. The light subsided but the almost all the demigods were passed out, some were able to remain awake, using the nearby chairs or railing as a crutch.
The gods were looking at the source of the presence, their hearing still ringing from the sudden pressure that pushed down them. The only one standing was Percy, and he was not amused.
A young man and woman were floating side by side near the vessel, both exuding a presence that was visible to the naked eye. The man released a crimson red presence while the woman released a violet black one.
The man had golden bronze skin. His hair was the color of blood and spiky. His irises glowed the color of his hair and a cruel sneer was in his chiseled face. He wore a tight sleeveless shirt that did looked like it was about to tear from his beefy body. A large broadsword was hanging on his back. His large arms were crossed as he scanned the incapacitated persons on the deck with a nasty leer.
Unlike the man's violent expression, the woman maintained a composed one. Still, the sadistic satisfaction she was getting was obvious from the burning in her eyes. Her hair was violet, about the length of her shoulders and uneven. She wore an elegant cloak that was somehow familiar to Ra and Percy though the former was to disoriented to remember anything yet.
'Master.' A familiar voice spoke to Percy.
'Afiso?' Percy asked inside his head.
'Master, I have awakened when I sensed danger near you. I will explain to you later, but for now, please flee the area.'
Percy did not need Afiso to tell him how strong the two mysterious beings were in front of him. He knew precisely that the two of them combined exceeded him in power. Separately, they were worth fifteen primordial beings. But that wasn't possible.
'Aren't my sisters and I the only high primordial beings in existence?' Percy asked Afiso.
'To the last of my knowledge, yes.' Afiso answered plainly.
'Then why are there two high primordial beings in front of me?'
'I do not know, master. But I have recognized the touch of your grandfather in their cores.'
Percy stiffened at this, 'But how? I thought…judging from these two, the escape of my grandfather from the prison he was sent to is earlier than the expected date.'
'You have made the correct assumption, master.'
"No doubt about it, you are the lost prince." The young woman spoke, breaking Percy out of his thoughts.
"Who are you two, and what do you want from me?"
"Our master has sent us out to find you." The man replied with a yawn, "You know, your grandfather and the rightful ruler of the Universe before he was betrayed by your father and uncle."
Percy cursed internally. That confirmed his assumption. "He is back?"
"Unfortunately, not yet. Though his consciousness is half-awake now. He is able to command us, his loyal servants, now." The woman answered him.
"I suppose you're not here to join the party, no?" Percy asked, unable to remove the tinge of bitterness in his tone.
The man laughed at this, looking at Percy murderously, "Of course not. Our master plans on cutting down the tree capable of stopping him while the tree is still young. The tree is you, by the way."
"No shit." Percy rolled his eyes. He looked around him sadly. He never released his full presence to them ever because he knew that if they did, this will be the effect. Even Kronos and his siblings were missing half their total power just to remain standing.
"Our master has begun his invasion. The political atmosphere at the core of the Universe is very dangerous. Your sisters are good in politics, but they are far outclassed by my master." The woman informed, gauging him for his reactions.
Percy steeled his expression, though hearing that made his heart beat faster, "What do you mean?"
"I suppose there is no harm telling a dead person information." The man shrugged when the woman looked at him questioningly. Nodding, the woman returned her gaze to Percy.
"The core of the universe is where our master and his two sons used to rule. This is where his two sons ruled after they usurped him. And this is now where the two kingdoms, Origina and Vinta, now stand with your sisters struggling to keep the peace that is in the Universe for millennia." She laughed a hollow laugh, "What a joke. They think they can still keep the peace even when master is returning."
Percy could feel the intense anger coursing through his veins but he knew he had to stay rational if he wanted to turn the situation around. It helped that Afiso also told him to keep his cool.
"Yours is a sad story." The man drawled, "You have potential. You can match our master one day, it was he who said this so who are we to deny it. But as of now, you are helpless. You will die, never meeting your sisters. And they will die, never knowing that their brother actually survived End's rebellion."
"You mean…" Percy's eyes widened, "they don't know that I'm alive?"
"Yes. At the core of the Universe, it is general knowledge that the only son of Origin has died when his brother rebelled, along with his father and uncle. Only the two daughters of Origin, now queens of the Universe, survived." His eyes gleamed with manic bliss, "I will court one of them, without them knowing that I killed their brother."
"And I will court the other." The woman added.
'Calm down, master. Please.' Afiso begged.
'How dare these-?!' Percy fumed.
"Angry, eh?" The man asked, sensing the façade the missing prince was wearing.
It took a moment for Percy to regain his composure.
"Who are you two?" Percy asked with a small smile.
The tone unnerved the two, not that they would admit it.
"I am Sigma Vinta, one of the ten elite guards of Lord Existence and the ninth in line for the throne of Vinta." The man introduced himself.
"I am Omega Vinta, one of the ten elite guards of Lord Existence and the tenth in line for the throne of Vinta." The woman followed.
"We were but normal citizens from the kingdom Origina, when our eldest brother and now king of Vinta stumbled upon Lord Existence. Lord Existence has blessed us with his power and helped us raise another kingdom, equal to the kingdom of Origina in power." The man further explained.
'So that's why they said the political state of the core of the universe was messy. Before, it was a monarchy. Now, there are two equally powerful kingdoms.' Percy surmised.
'It seems so, master.' Afiso agreed.
"Are you satisfied with the knowledge you will bring with you to your death?" The woman, Omega, asked.
"Grant me this last question before you kill me." Percy requested.
"Fine." Sigma nodded. "What do you wish to learn, Prince Perseus?"
"You are high primordial beings like me, that much is obvious. But what is your domain?"
"We are high primordial of Existence."
"We? You share the domain." Percy realized. "It seems grandfather is not all talk."
"Of course. Your fathers only defeated him by joining together and catching him off guard. And even then, they struggled. Imagine how strong our master is, now that he has gained the original domain of Existence on top of his old domains." Omega boasted with a feverish look of worship on her otherwise, aloof face.
"Right, that's enough." Sigma grabbed the hands of his great sword and swung it out of the sheath. "Are you ready, prince?"
Percy nodded grimly, weaving Eterna into a white spear, his long hair falling down his back.
"Here we go!" Sigma winked at Percy.
Quickly scanning their mind, he read that Sigma was going for a frontal assault while Omega will attack from his blind side.
But to Percy's shock, they weren't going for him. They went for someone in the middle of the gods. Fear gripped his heart.
Percy moved towards the group but sensed a presence coming towards his back quickly. Reshaping Eterna into a dagger, Percy twisted out of the weapon that was about to stab him through the back. It was a rapier, wielded by Omega whose eyes remained the only expressive feature on her face. He grabbed Omega's neck with his arms and flipped her towards a nearby table before stabbing Eterna straight through her shoulders.
Lying on the ground with Percy on top of her, Omega did not do so much as flinch when the dagger stabbed her. Instead, she slowly turned her head to look to the side.
Percy followed his gaze. And then everything stopped.
As he took in the sight of his adoptive father's chest skewered by a great sword.
"Dad!" Percy screamed. He dashed towards Ra. Sigma smirked at seeing the incoming prince and waved his great sword towards the prince, effectively removing the stabbed god from his weapon and sending the god towards Percy.
"But how? I read your thoughts. You were clearly going for me." Percy asked hysterically as he surveyed the damage.
It was horrendous. The entirety of Ra's torso was split open by the sword. Ichor was pooling around the floor. Percy was casting the most complex healing magic he can think of and it was having no effect.
"Poor prince. You are still young indeed. So, what if you can read our minds? I'm sure you know how easy it is to hide your real thoughts. This is the result of growing up in the environment of the weak. So gullible." Sigma scornfully droned, stabbing his great sword through the deck of the vessel and leaning on it.
"Damn it." Thor cried as they can only watch the events happen, having no power to resist the presence of such beings.
"Ra…" Odin breathed emptily. Frigga had tears of her own as she looked at her husband's glassy eyes, knowing how much the two god kings cared for each other.
"Oh, you're injured." Sigma acknowledged his sister who approached with a bleeding shoulder.
"He may not know how to beings close to his power, but that is a yet." Omega looked at the shivering prince, silently impressed at the amount of energy being released by the prince. Still, she knew it was useless.
"That trash couldn't even move an inch. Pathetic." Sigma guffawed as he drank in the face of the prince. Gone was the calm expression. Instead, it was a face of desperation. The fact that he made the prince of the Universe despair sent tingles down Sigma's spine, "I even gave him a chance to move. Pathetic guy tried but couldn't. Instead, he dared glaring at me."
"Dad, stay with me, please." Percy looked at Ra's eyes. They couldn't even focus back at him.
"Percy." Ra closed his eyes and blindly grabbed in front, his spinning vision failing him. When he grabbed his adopted son's hand, he squeezed with as much strength as he could.
"Promise me, that you will take care of yourself, okay?" Ra smiled with bloodied teeth, "Grow strong and save this universe. Whenever you find your destiny too daunting, you punch yourself for me. Don't let losses discourage you, they're part of your journey in getting strong."
"What are you saying, old man?" Percy said with a shaky voice, "I don't need to take care of myself. You'll do that for me, right?"
Percy felt Ra's grip tighten even more. Percy heard the loud laughter of that bastard Sigma. Percy sensed the weakening of Ra's presence.
Then the grip of his adoptive father slackened.
'He's dead, master.'
"He couldn't be." Percy laughed crazily. "Hey, dad. Come on. Stop playing with me."
'Master, you know he's dead.'
"Afiso, Ra isn't dead. Stop joking around."
'Master, please. Don't do anything rash.'
All the while, Sigma watched with non-stop laughter.
"Man, this is the most amusing thing I've seen for a while! I mean, looking at your sisters is a very great thing to do, believe me. But watching this pathetic show for a prince crying for some weakling. Fuck!" Sigma wheezed, "Thank you for making me go to this mission, Lord Existence."
"You're annoying."
Sigma stopped laughing as Percy stood up and spoke.
"Brother?" Omega asked nervously. "Maybe we should go now? We're done here after all. We've killed the bird god."
"What are you so afraid of?" Sigma pushed his sister off, "This pathetic excuse for a prince has only one of his rightful domains with him. He's no match for us. Let's kill him already."
"But master said to leave as soon as possible after killing his adoptive father, right?"
Sigma scoffed at this, "I'm sure master will reward me for taking initiative. Imagine taking the head of the prince with me. That'd be a delight."
Omega did not know why she was getting agitated but her instincts were screaming at her to run.
It was at this moment when the pouch on Ra's belt flew up the sky and opened to what the immobilized gods recognized as Ra's pocket universe. At first, it was just an empty black space.
Sigma and Omega squinted at the opened universe. When the owner of a pocket universe dies, it will of course, open and take out everything in it that was not created by the owner.
"What is that?" Sigma's eyes widened.
From the black void, two glowing orbs of light appeared. It was a while before the gods realized that those were eyes.
'And that is Apophis…' Zeus realized as he remembered how Ra always spoke of having to beat back a great evil from destroying the main universe.
'Master! Stop!' Afiso screamed. 'You mustn't! Your body cannot take in that domain of yours just yet'
Percy remained frozen.
"WHEN…" A booming voice came from the opened pocket universe. "THE DESIRE TO DESTROY SOMETHING…THE INTENSE WANT…FOR A TYRANNICAL SHOW OF POWER…TO SUBDUE THE UNIVERSE BY FORCE…"
"I SHALL ANSWER YOU CALL MASTER!"
'It's too late.' Afiso muttered.
"H-How could that be hiding in a pocket universe!?" Sigma asked in a high voice. "We have to go!" He grabbed his sister and tried to jump out of the vessel but he found out that he couldn't move.
'That could only mean that…' Sigma's eyes were filled with terror as the only reason why he couldn't move is that the prince has far exceeded their powers and they were now under his mercy.
Apophis roared, deafening the sky more than a thousand bolts of thunder from Zeus can ever do. The dragon flew slowly out the dissolving pocket universe and towards Percy. On the ground beside Percy and soaked with Ra's ichor, Eterna rematerialized into a white orb and flew towards the gods.
"Run now, my master is going berserk." The voice said. Thor, Loki, Apollo, and Hermes recognized the voice as Afiso's. Ignoring the urge to go to Percy, they grabbed the nearest demigods and ran off the vessel.
"Damn it." Apollo wiped the tears in his eyes as he stared at the frozen Percy and the dead boy of his teacher. "Let's go."
Poseidon guided the unresponsive Odin along with Frigga off the ship.
The unconscious demigods were quickly unloaded by Hermes off the ship and safely unto the island. Apollo scanned the demigods and found that their senses were simply overloaded and they will soon awaken now that the pressure exerted on them by the two party crashers are gone.
The gods, titans, and the Vinta royalty can only watch as the great dragon's body fully exited the now destroyed pocket universe of the dead sun god. It now floated above them, encompassing the whole heavens with its size. It was a sinister looking dragon, with bright golden eyes and shadows that floated like smoke all over its body.
The gods knew that if they so much as make contact with the shadowy air released by the beast, they will get destroyed. Apophis's mouth was large enough that it could swallow the entirety of Asgard and Olympus in one bite.
The white orb that was Afiso floated alongside the gods.
"My master, he is not thinking straight. The loss of his father has broken his mind at the moment."
"I couldn't blame him." Poseidon spoke softly, trying to hold back the tears at the death of one of his closest friend and rival in love, "I feel like I'm about to lose mine too. Odin's gone blank."
"It should have been that my master recovers his domain of Life before his domain of Destruction. The domain of Destruction is inherited from his uncle. It is not originally his so it would have some backlash. Without the domain of Life to counteract the damage, worst case scenario..."
"Why was he without his domain, in the first place?" Demeter asked.
"It was necessary. The prince had to hidden from Lord Existence, his grandfather." Afiso answered, "With his domain scattered, it should have given him time to grow strong enough to defend himself before he is discovered. Alas, the time was too short. He was found out too soon and I do not know why. The rise of Existence is going much faster than expected. "
"But wait," Loki furrowed his brows, "what will happen to Percy, now that he has summoned his domain of Destruction before Life?"
Afiso remained silent for a long while. And when he answered, Loki gulped.
"He would have to find his domain of Life as soon as possible or he will die."
Apophis roared loudly, soaring slightly upwards before flying down towards his waiting master. When the dragon was near enough, it started dissolving into a pulsing black energy that entered the frozen prince, strong gusts of wind burst forth from Percy as he regained his most destructive domain.
"I told you!" Omega shouted at her brother with anger, "We should have left as soon as possible!"
Sigma could not refute his sister, knowing that he blundered really badly this time. They can observe as the last of the large beast dissolved into pure energy and enter the prince in front of them.
"He is now as strong as seventy primordial beings." Afiso declared to audience with him.
The gods trembled at hearing this. A single primordial being could destroy them. Knowing that the humble, kind, and happy-go-lucky to be as strong as seventy primordial beings shocked them to their very core.
Sigma and Omega can also sense this, dread filling their entirety as the fact that they're not even half as strong as the prince even when together sunk into them.
"Move." The prince spoke. His voice so cold and dead it made even the Vinta royalty flinch.
The two fell down the ground when they were released from the freeze hold of Percy. Not taking any moment's hesitation, the two took off from the vessel hastily.
"Omega, you run." Sigma said, "I should have listened to you. I don't want you to pay for your older brother's mistake. I will buy you with as much time as I can get. Which is not that much against the prince in his current state." He added bitterly, all the smugness from earlier drained at the feeling of death gnawing behind them.
Omega turned around to reply when agonizing pain surged throughout her entire body. Her reply was a gurgle of blood, a bloodied hand coming out at the middle of her chest.
Sigma tried to scream but was too devastated as his worst fear happened. He can only watch as the light in his sister's eyes dimmed. Just like how the sun god's eyes did.
"Why?" Sigma demanded as the tears started pouring out his eyes, "She did nothing but fight you! I was the one who killed your father!"
"Why?" A cold voice answered. "Her eyes were so arrogant earlier. How irritating. You lowly beings…you dare try to act all high and mighty against me? I wanted to gouge her eyes so badly at that time."
He laughed darkly.
"But then, you take my second father from me."
Sigma froze. His dead sister stared at him hauntingly as her body was dissolved by the destructive energy the primordial prince emitted.
"You fucking bastard!" Sigma attacked dashed towards Percy, clouded with rage and guilt.
Before anyone can even blink, Percy was suddenly in front of Sigma. He grabbed Sigma's face then threw him back to the vessel. Sigma came shooting towards the middle of the vessel, splitting the vessel in half from the force of the throw, and to Olympus and the watching gods.
When Sigma's body was just about to hit the gods, Percy appeared and grabbed his leg, before tossing him upwards. Percy then, appeared to above to where Sigma's tossed body was going and punched it away to the sky, creating a wave of force that blew all the clouds from the sky away.
Again, Percy appeared where Sigma's body was spinning to and punched, hitting the Vinta royalty in the stomach. It created another visible wave of force. Sigma choked out blood, his eyes wide and his senses spinning from the brutal combo he received.
Sigma looked at the admittedly captivating irises of the prince, one golden while the other ebony black. But unlike before when it shined with life, it only shined with oppressive and cold eyes. And it scared him more than his eldest brother ever did. Then Percy threw him to the sky again, appearing to the direction he was flying to and hitting him towards another direction.
The brutality made even the angered and grieving gods to turn away. The once arrogant Vinta prince was tossed and punched repeatedly, the strength of the punches so great that they can see the power from the shockwaves it created. It was a ruthless tennis match with the sky as the court, Percy as the two players, and Sigma as the very bloodied ball.
"Please…mercy…" Sigma managed to croak out. Gone were the good looks he exuded. Instead, his body was broken and smashed in many parts. Some limbs were missing. His essence that used to be worth ten primordial beings was now a mere god. He was about to die.
"J-Just kill me, already." He begged as Percy held him suspended by his hair.
Percy threw the defeated being up the sky and held his hands up like a gun, index finger as the barrel. At the tip of his index finger, a small orb of black energy gathered. The orb sucked everything besides Percy around it.
Sigma saw the light from afar and was relieved. He regretted deeply that he did not go home immediately after killing the prince's adoptive father. If only he did, the only girl and youngest of the ten of the Vinta siblings would still be alive. The beating that the prince gave him was cruel, but what really hurt him was the images in his head.
Of his sister dying in front of him, a blood-stained hand sticking out of her chest. How her pained expression turned blank.
They created a monster. They turned the savior prince into a broken and detached persecutor. It was unfortunate they were the first victims.
"…than-"
Before he can finish the statement, the ball of energy shot forward into a beam that engulfed the entirety of his falling body. Not even dust was left as everything of Sigma was destroyed.
The two Vinta royalty were erased.
LINEBREAK
"You'd have to do better than that to defeat me, my boy."
"Percy? Hm, I wonder where that boy is hiding…There you are! Hey, come back here! This isn't a tag, you little devil. You're it already! Don't cheat you dad!"
"You may not be my real son, Percy, but I love you like my own."
"Percy, wake up."
"Percy~, open your eyes."
"Percy, you promised we'll play!"
Percy shot up, blinking the sleep off his eyes. The bright sun blinded him for a bit, recognizing that he was at the Fireworks beach at Camp Half-blood, from the hot sand below him and the sound of waves filling the place.
"Are you okay, Percy?" In front of him, Bellus asked worriedly. He was holding two wooden swords behind his back. He wanted to play but if Percy was feeling under the weather, he didn't want his brother to force himself.
Percy smiled at his step-brother's careful thoughts and ruffled the kid's hair, chuckling at the weak protests against his actions.
"I'm fine, Bellus."
"That's good." Bellus jumped and hugged him.
Percy listened to the serene sound of the waves as he thought about recent events. Bellus got off him and ran away, leaving one of the two wooden swords he was carrying on Percy's lap. Shaking the sleep of his face, Percy grabbed the sword and went after Bellus who immediately struck with his own sword.
It has been four months since the disastrous victory party and the death of his father. He recalled how he made the two Vinta royalty suffer and though everyone thought it was deserved, Percy regretted what he had done.
Unlike what everyone believed, he was well aware of what he was doing. It was just, at that moment, his anger was greater than any of his inhibitions. It was cold fury. He knew it was wrong but at he did not care, at that time. He wanted to make the Vinta royalty suffer for what they have done. But when the last of Sigma's body disintegrated from his blast, no satisfaction came upon him. Only sorrow for Ra and regret for giving such an ugly end to some beings.
Bellus willed the nearby wave of water to douse Percy. But the prince heard Bellus's thoughts and raised a barrier that dissolved the incoming water to nothing.
"You'd have to do better than that." Percy smiled sadly, noting how what he said was something Ra always used to tell him when they were training.
Bellus resumed trying to get under his guard as the brothers clashed swords.
Percy drifted off to his thoughts again, though he made sure he did not counter any of Bellus's strikes.
Again, he dreamed of his childhood with Ra. These dreams, though they were of sweet and precious moments, only left him bitter when he wakes. Because Ra was gone in reality. All his power and he failed to protect a loved one.
'I'm sorry, dad.' Percy thought, being careful to keep his playful mask in front of his step-brother.
Bellus was also devastated to learn that Ra was gone when the demigods awakened and they came upon the vessel of Ra, broken in half from Percy's rampage. It was Bellus that warmed Percy's icy heart in an instant. Percy engulfed the crying son of Poseidon in a hug, staying strong for his brother who he sensed was truly saddened.
Still, the wounds that were opened from the death of another father of his is still fresh as they were to Percy.
"Hey, Perce! Bellus!" A voice shouted from a far.
Bellus and Percy stopped and turned around to see Luke Castellan, son of Hermes, approaching them together with Reyna Ramirez-Arrelano. Two favorites of Percy.
Though they did not admit it yet, Percy knew what the two had was no mere friendship.
"Hey, Luke. Reyna." Percy nodded his head in greeting, tapping the wooden sword to his shoulder.
"Hey Luke! Reyna…" Bellus greeted Luke enthusiastically before greeting the roman demigoddess shyly.
Percy chuckled at how obvious Bellus was with his crush on the cute daughter of Bellona.
'Sorry, Bellus. Luke's already got you beaten.'
'Indeed.' Afiso agreed with Percy's thoughts.
'You really didn't have to confirm that.' Percy sighed and laughed.
Apparently, the slumbering Afiso inhabited his weapon, Eterna. He slept because he did not feel like Percy needed him. But when Sigma and Omega arrived, Afiso deemed it necessary to provide information and help his master. Even when the two were defeated, Afiso did not went back to sleep.
Percy had a nagging feeling Afiso was worried about him and he was glad that Afiso did not go back to sleep. Afiso was amusing and helped lessened the loneliness he felt.
"Hey, Luke." Percy called.
"What is it, Perce?" Luke asked, his attention shifting from Bellus to Afiso.
Reyna talked with the red-faced Bellus, flattered with the reaction of the boy towards her.
"Here." Percy tossed the wooden sword Bellus laid on his lap to Luke. "You play and Reyna play with Bellus, for a while. I'll just go do something."
Luke caught the handle of the sword and nodded his head, "Sure. Leave Bellus to me."
Percy gave his thanks before he started walking.
"Sleep in your cabin, Perce." Luke turned back and said to the leaving Percy. "Judging from the sand on your hair and back, you slept here again."
Percy turned around, grinning, "What can I say? The sound of the waves is relaxing. Really helpful for sleeping."
"Your cabin is just a short sprint from here." Luke rolled his eyes.
Percy waved his hand, walking towards the said cabin.
Luke stared at the man's back concernedly.
They were told of what happened after every demigod passed out. It shocked them to learn that the last god of the Egyptian pantheon has perished.
It was so sudden. He was just dancing with a beautiful roman demigoddess and then the next moment, he was waking up to a crying Bellus being comforted by Percy, the vessel where they were dancing on earlier floating suspended in the air and broken in half.
A lot of things changed after that night.
There were lighter, happier and minor changes.
One of the changes was Percy's hair. It is now just a little past his shoulder, unlike before where it reached the back of his knees. It made him look fresh and casual, unlike the straight long hair that screamed he was royalty and made people think he was uptight. He kept his hair free, no longer tied. Eterna was in the form of bracelet.
Luke snorted, 'Percy was anything but uptight.'
As usual, many are enchanted by the looks of the high primordial. But after absorbing the domain of Destruction, these looks only became even better, much to Luke's annoyance.
He loved Percy, really. But having the girl he likes having so much admiration for Percy instead of him made him jealous. Though he can't fault Reyna, Percy really looked good.
The glow of his eyes was more calm, unlike in the past when it glowed eerily with power. It glowed, but not as much as before. And everyone agreed the lesser glow was better. It made him look gentle.
His features became even more sophisticated and Luke bet Percy's famous smile was even more dangerous now.
Luke exhaled sadly. That is, if Percy smiled for real again.
'His smiles, they're so fake it hurts to look at.' Luke thought. Though Percy fooled many into thinking he has recovered, Luke was not. He knew how sad the primordial really was. And he did not know what he could do to help Percy.
LINE BREAK
Percy entered the cabin the cute and thoughtful demigods built for him after they noticed him not staying in the camp for four months now. It really warmed his heart that they did, even when he was content with sleeping on the beach.
The demigods truly knew him well. They built the cabin to look like a regular one. Simple and homely.
The reason he preferred Camp Half-blood to Camp Jupiter was that he liked the more relaxed atmosphere in the Greek camp.
The inside of his cabin was a comfortable looking bed with a red blanket and two fluffy white pillows stacked to each other. A round orange carpet was at the center of the wooden floor. A small round table for one was at the center, with a wooden chair. A fire place was inside the room, forever burning with a magic rune from the children of Hecate.
His eyes soon landed on the bag on top of the table. It was the bag that Ra gave to him when the sun god was sending him off to an adventure in Central Park. A dry smile began on his face as he traced the Egyptian ankh symbol engraved.
With his father died the Egyptian pantheon. There are now only two pantheons in this planet, the Greek and the Norse.
Percy opened the book and took out the book his father, Origin, sent together with him and sat down the chair.
'Master.'
'Yo, Afiso. What is it?'
'You must refrain from using your powers from now on.'
Percy was at seventy primordial beings as of now. With the wisdom domain worth twenty and the destruction domain worth fifty, he was already more powerful than his sisters who according to Afiso, had power levels of fifty each.
'What do you mean?' Percy asked.
'Use only your wisdom domain, master. Using the domain of destruction will slowly kill you.'
Percy's brows knitted at this, 'But why? Why will I die in using my own domain?'
'This is because your domains of Destruction and Creation are inherited from your uncle and father, respectively. Your sisters will have no trouble wielding these domains because the domains were theirs in the first place.'
'I see.' Percy looked at the ceiling of his cabin as he thought about this, 'Then what possessed my uncle and father to give the domains if it was going to kill me every time I use it?'
'Your domain of life counteracts the backlash you receive from these domains. That's why you can inherit their high primordial domains. But since you took the inherited destruction domain before your rightful domain of life, the backlash is capable of killing you.'
"Afiso." Percy complained as Afiso shouted the explanation sternly in his mind. "Keep it down."
'When I keep it down, you do not listen to me, master.' Afiso answered in what Percy, much to his amusement, recognized as a bitter tone to the normally clinical tone of voice Afiso uses.
'I'm sorry.' Percy rolled his eyes, 'So basically, I can use the wisdom domain because it is mine in the first place. In contrast, I cannot use the destruction domain as freely yet because it is inherited from my uncle and not mine?'
'Yes.'
'So, let's find that domain of life of mine as soon as possible.' Percy said mentally to his guide. 'By the way, Zeus mentioned to me that you can use Eterna to project your voice physically?'
"Indeed." Afiso said, the voice coming out from Eterna, which was in the form of a bracelet on his left wrist.
"When it's just the two of us, use Eterna to speak." Percy told Afiso, "It feels weird for my facial expression to change without speaking."
"Understood."
"Right, do you know where the domain of life is?" Percy asked Afiso.
"I was not given the information of where the domain of life is exactly. Only that the book you are holding is a portal that will take us to the core of the Universe where your sisters are and where your father used to live. And that your domain of life is there."
Percy sighed at this. It seems that he really had to leave Earth. "I know that much. I can sense that if I willed it to do so, I'll be transported home."
"It is also a one way trip, master." Afiso added.
Percy leaned against the table, "I know."
The prince and his guide stayed silent.
"Master, I suggest you do not leave without saying goodbye."
Percy cupped his chin and groaned, "Wouldn't it be better like that? I'd hurt them and leave just like that so they get angry with me. That way, they won't miss me as much."
"Master, I think you are pretty stupid."
Percy glared, "Hey, I am the high primordial of wisdom. I'm not stupid."
"But you are." Afiso replied, to the ire and exasperation of Percy. "It would be unfair to Bellus if you do."
"Damn it." Percy cursed.
LINE BREAK
Later that night, Percy snuck in the Poseidon Cabin and spotted his little brother on the bed, snoring cutely. He seemed to kick off his blanket which was on the floor, his legs spread across the bed.
"I'll miss you, Bellus." Percy whispered, leaving a letter on the boy's tabletop. He just hoped he put enough assurance that he will return in the letter to give Bellus some closure. This was the best he could do with since Percy knew he couldn't talk to Bellus and still leave for the core of the Universe.
He also left Ra's magic tomes on top of the letter, being careful to place it without making much sound. Hopefully, patience will be one of the things Bellus gets when he grows up. The tomes were thick and were hard to understand, from Percy's personal experience of them.
Lastly, Percy took out the personal sword of his father, which transforms to an Ankh tattoo when not in use. The tattoo appeared on the back of Bellus's left hand. He included in the letter an explanation on how the sword works. With this sword, Percy was sure Bellus would be safe.
"It's too bad I don't have my inherited domain of creation yet. I could've used some of my lifespan to make Bellus a weapon." Percy said, teasing Afiso who was no doubt listening from inside Eterna.
"Hmph." Afiso replied.
Chuckling, Percy silently exited the cabin. He shouldn't stay long with Bellus. He might lose his self-control, will power, and might settle with staying because of the boy.
Humming lightly, Percy walked around the empty camp. He finished leaving personal letters for the demigods. He really adored the kids. They were so sweet. Especially when they built that cabin for him. They knew how much he would dislike it if he was given a cabin that stood out from the rest.
"How regrettable I won't get to use it, eh?" He asked Afiso who stayed silent.
Percy made his way to his favorite sleeping spot in the camp, which was the fireworks beach. It was a different feel the beach made in the night time. In the day time, it looked fun with the demigods scattered and doing different things. In the night time when it was empty, it looked so peaceful. It was why Percy liked sleeping there. The moon just made the view even better.
"So you leave letter for the demigods but not for us?" Hermes suddenly appeared in front of him, seated on the sands of the beach, his feet submerged by the waves.
Percy froze.
"I really want to punch you and cry, right now." Percy recognize as Thor said.
Percy turned around and saw Loki, Apollo, and Thor.
Apollo looked furious, marching straight for him. But when they were face to face, the Greek god of the sun deflated, laying both his hands on top of Percy's shoulders.
"Perce." Apollo spoke, his voice cracking.
"I left you letters." Percy smiled. "I put them inside my cabin, on the bed."
"That's not as good as saying goodbye." Loki stated calmly, but Percy could tell he was pissed.
"I'm sorry, okay?" Percy sighed, "I didn't want to make things harder for all of us. I feel like if Bellus woke up at that moment I was leaving gifts for him, I'd lose my will to leave."
"That is no excuse." Thor shook his head before sighing. "I do understand you."
"We're not here to stop you, Perce. I doubt we can even if we try." Hermes spoke, keeping his gaze at the seas.
"Father is still devastated with Ra's death." Loki mentioned, "You are like Ra to us, Perce. You going away, it's like your dying."
Percy dropped down next to Hermes, "I have to, you know. I can't stay here and endanger you all. And you heard the Vinta royalties. My sisters are in trouble. I know I don't know them, and they don't even know I'm still alive. But they're family."
Loki, Apollo, and Thor soon sat down next to Hermes and Percy. The five watched the waves of the sea, remaining silent as they put their thoughts together.
"I didn't tell you this, but when we were at Tartarus, I think I dreamt of my sisters." Percy broke the silence, "It was an odd dream. Nothing really happened except that I felt that they were also slightly aware inside that dream."
"I bet they looked good." Apollo tried to sound bright but failed.
"I didn't see them clearly. It was a blur."
"If they're your sisters, that's already a given." Hermes chimed in. "Perce, I'm coming with you."
"What?" Percy and the others suddenly asked in surprise.
"Don't be silly. You guys have responsibilities here." Percy laughed sadly, "Thor's the prince of Asgard and future king of the Norse. Loki, you're one of the two godly beings of magic in this world. Hermes and Apollo, you two are vital for this world to work."
Then with a glare, he added, "And I worked my ass off so that you can be better fathers to your children. Now, you're going to run off to the center of the universe and leave them."
"So, this really is goodbye, huh?" Thor sulked.
"In the offhand chance I succeed in defeating my grandfather, I will return here." Percy said.
"Don't be like that." Loki grimaced, "It shouldn't be an offhand chance." He stood up and crossed his arms, "I get it. There's no other choice but for you to leave. But you're not going to leave here with that cynical attitude."
"You should go there to kick your bastard grandfather in the balls and show him who the real master of the Universe is." Loki demanded sternly.
To the four's surprise, Percy started shaking.
"You guys…I'll really miss you." Percy looked up with a smile and tears, a real smile unlike the once Hermes saw every time he spied on Percy to see how he was doing.
"Let's make a promise." Apollo stood up. "When all of this is over, and Percy has returned, we'll go out and drink just like before."
"I agree." Thor stood up and nodded earnestly.
Hermes stood up next, "Don't take too long, Perce." He said as he held his hand to pull Percy up.
"Yeah, I'll be quick." Percy wiped his tears away, before taking Hermes's hand.
"Come on, son of Ra. Be strong. I'm sure Ra didn't raise you to be weak of heart." Thor clapped Percy in the back hard.
"If you stay the Percy we know, you'll win this primordial battle in no time." Apollo managed to grin genuinely this time.
"We'll be waiting, Perseus." Loki nodded. The four gods walked away from their primordial friend, forcing their bodies to move and let go.
Percy looked at his four brothers in everything but blood.
"See you when I see you."
Percy opened his book. And just like that, he was gone.
"Goodluck, Perce." Hermes bid.
The four gods went back to the shore and sat down as they all thought about their friend who is now far, far away from them.
LINE BREAK
Afiso's explanations
Just in case you did not understand:
1. There are three classes of primordial domains: primordial, high primordial, and original primordial domain.
2. Percy is the high primordial of life (worth 20 primordial domains), wisdom (20), and the original primordial of the Void (100).
3. Because of Origin and End, he inherited their domains. So now, he is also high primordial of destruction(50) and creation(50).
4. His sisters did not inherit their domain, it is just their domain already. So they can use it freely like how Percy uses wisdom freely.
5. Percy can use the inherited domains freely, but he first needs to get his Life domain. Inherited domains will resist him because he is not their rightful master, that is why he needs life. So even with the backlash, he won't die.
6. But because of his intense desire to destroy, his destruction domain resonated and went to him instead.
7. Percy should avoid using the destruction domain as much as possible because without his life domain, he would be unable to counteract the negative effects of a inherited domain.
LINE BREAK
(A/N) Leave a review and let me know what you think. Also included a segment of Afiso's explanations. Ask away so I can answer your questions in the next chapter.
Sorry about the technicality, I'm obsessed with explaining things. That's why I like Afiso so much.
Again, review. Hope you enjoyed. See you in the next chapter, the first chapter of Arc 2.
Who knows, I might finally introduce Percy's sisters next chapter hehe.