"Oh..."
Styx rolled her eyes as she got up from her seat and walked over to me.
"That's a lot to take in I know. You don't need to worry about it for right now though. You have a war to fight." I nodded my head as I began to put on my new armor. I couldn't help the tingle that went down my spine as I felt the sheer raw power flow through me. I almost smiled in glee.
"What do I do about the monsters above?" I pointed above the water. Styx smirked at me.
"Do what you do best. Kill." Percy looked at the newly modified Riptide and twirled it absently.
"Thank you my Lady. For helping me and not dissolving me." He said with a smile. Styx smiled back one last time before disappearing. Percy took one last look at Pallas who was all but gone now before shooting up through the water.
"My Lord!" A monster shouted to Hyperion as he looked at the water which was beginning to bubble rapidly. Hyperion turned to the water but quickly hid behind a rock as the water shot into the air. The screams of the monsters around the Titan filled his ears as they were being dissolved from the harsh water. Hyperion watched the scene unfold as the monsters clawed their face desperately trying to get the pain to stop. Once the screams had stopped Hyperion shakily came out from his hiding spot but immediately wished he had stayed put because of what he saw. A lone armored figure stood at the edge of the bank staring directly into the Titan's soul. In the figure's hand was one of Hyperion's guards who was being choked to death. He could hear the desperation in the monster's voice for air before the loud crunching sound of his neck being broken filled the air. The figure effortlessly dropped the monster into the river where it promptly dissolved on the spot. Hyperion gasped as he realized what armor the man was wearing as he continued to stare directly at him.
"It is." Percy answered, confirming the Titans suspicion. Hyperion's hand began to shake as he pulled out his sword. Even the voice sounded frighting he thought to himself. It sounded like a demonic entity with power laced into it.
"What did you do to Pallas, Perseus?" Hyperion mustered enough courage to ask.
"Nothing short of what you did to me." Percy's demonic voice answered back swiftly before charging at the Titan with Riptide in hand. Hyperion barely had enough time to block the strike before delivering one of his own. Percy effortlessly avoided the strike before kicking the Titan in the stomach sending him back a couple feet. Hyperion coughed up blood as he rubbed his ribs which the God had broken. The strength that Perseus held was amazing he thought to himself. His power was worthy of Kronos himself.
"How does it feel, little Titan." Percy mockingly said as he circled Hyperion. "How does it feel to fight in a losing battle you know you can't win."
"I could ask you the same thing Perseus! You cannot win against Moros." Hyperion let out before he was sent flying back landing on his back. He tried to get up but couldn't as he watched the Godling with his hand shot up walking towards him. Sensing the Titan's confusion Percy answered his unspoken question.
"Blood bending. A useful trick which I used on Pallas before running my sword through him." Percy manically grinned before kneeling at Hyperion's side. Hyperion grunted with effort as he tried to get up but it was like his body would not heed his demand. Percy let Riptide slowly ride against Hyperion's face drawing a droplet of blood. "But I will not give you the satisfaction of a quick death Titan. I will make you feel what you made me feel when you tortured me for Gods know how long."
Percy didn't know how long he tortured the Titan of the west. He didn't remember much of what he did. He only remembered the screams of the Titan and the feeling of blood splattering against his body. Once Percy finally stopped Hyperion wasn't even recognizable. He finally gave mercy and swiftly stabbed the Titan in the head causing him to let out one final groan before going limp. Percy smiled under the mask, happy that he finally made the two Titans feel what they put himself through in that cage. After pulling out his bloodied sword from the Titans head, Percy made a startling but pleasant realization.
"I can go home." He said aloud. He could finally leave this place, leave behind all the misery that embraced him here. He laughed in shock as he felt hope for the first time in what seemed like forever. Without a moment to spare Percy began to run towards the doors of death. They were not too far from the Styx, only a mile or so. He wasn't worried about other monsters chasing him anymore. With his new armor and sword he could surely take them on. A Titan might be a little challenging but he could fight them. And he would make damn sure to kill them all. And so with that final thought the God of Warfare pushed on towards the doors of death for the second time.
-X-
"Get him up!"
"Fuck! She's bleeding out!"
"The whole place is up in flames Chiron!"
Those were the things Thalia heard as she stirred from unconsciousness. Frantic footsteps around her filled the air as she felt two pairs of hands lift her up and drag her off to who knows where. She opened her eyes to see that it was still nighttime but the whole camp was slit by the burning of almost all the buildings. The little girl that her and Atlanta tried to save was still laying on the ground, staring directly at Thalia but with empty eyes.
"Wai- Thalia tried to speak but dirt and blood sealed her lips shut and she was still too weak to muster enough strength.
"Thalia! Thalia!" A familiar voice screamed out. "Let her go, I got her!" The pairs of hands let off her and was instead braced by another pair. She looked up to see Phoebe staring down at her with concerned eyes.
"Phoebe?" Thalia muttered out. The old hunter picked up the daughter of Zeus and began to carry her over to the other wounded.
"Yes sister it's me." Phoebe answered.
"Where...Where's Atlanta?" Thalia asked.
"She's with the other wounded. She's fine."
That brought reassurance to Thalia. At least none of the hunters had died, at least she hopes none of them did.
"What happened?" Thalia groaned out as she grasped her head. It seemed she might have a concussion.
"A surprise bombing attack by the looks of it. Almost all the buildings blew up simultaneously." Phoebe said as they arrived at the makeshift infirmary. Thalia looked around to see some campers passed out around her. Some were covered in blood, some had missing limbs and some weren't moving at all. A medic, a daughter of Apollo, came over and checked her out. She flashed a light in Thalia's eyes causing her to grimace. The daughter of Apollo sighed as she spoke.
"She has a concussion. Not a major one but a concussion nonetheless." The medic said and immediately ran off to help the other wounded campers. Phoebe sat down next to her and offered some water.
"Did any hunters die?" She asked after taking a swig. Phoebe shook her which eased Thalia.
"We weren't near any buildings. We were in the woods when it happened, thank the Gods." The two were silent as they looked on at the Chaos that was ensuing around them. Some campers were trying to put out the fires, some were calling out for their missing siblings or friends. A couple were crying aloud as they kneeled at the charred remains of their friends. The sight caused Thalia to let out a couple tears as she remembered the little girl that died next to her. Phoebe slung her arm around her sister not saying anything, just offering some kind of love.
"Do you think she was the cause of this attack?" Thalia said after calming down. Phoebe sighed as she looked out.
"Probably." She admitted. "No one knows their way around camp as much as Annabeth. She could easily get in and out of camp in an instant." That didn't bring much joy to Thalia. She was done trying to find some way Annabeth, her sister in all but blood wasn't the cause of this.
"She killed her own family. She killed her little sister." Thalia darkly muttered as she looked towards the now destroyed infirmary.
"When one has power they tend not to care for such matters." Phoebe said as she stood up. "You get some rest ok. I'm going to check up on the others." Not a moment after Phoebe left Thalia passed out in the land of Morpheus.
-X-
Percy almost laughed in joy as he stumbled upon the glorious sight. Well...as glorious as it could be because it's still hell. The doors of death were only a couple meters away from him downhill. And best of all, no monsters waiting to enter. The field was clear and he could just simply walk up to the doors and get out of this shithole. It might be a trap a little voice said in the back of his mind. But he didn't care if it was. The doors were his only way out of Tartarus. With that final thought Percy resolved his will and pushed forward towards his only route of escape.
As he stumbled down the rocky cliff he finally realized just how fatigued and tired he was. What his mental and physical being had been through down here. He supposed the reason he was finally feeling this type of way was because of how close he was to returning home.
"Almost there man. Just keep on pushing." He mumbled to himself as he caught his footing from tripping over a rock. "Just think of everyone back home." He thought as if that would give him the extra strength and courage to continue on. He thought of his friends who he dearly missed. Connor, Travis, Nico, Hazel, Piper, Jason, Leo, Clarisse. He missed their antics and just simply hanging out with them. He missed his mom and Paul and his little sister who he didn't know. He even missed his fellow council members but mostly just Artemis. He missed her annoyed facial expressions and her timid temperance for males. He missed the way she smiled, the way her eyes lit up every time she stared up in the night sky. He couldn't imagine not seeing her one last time.
By the time Percy's thoughts about Artemis ran its course through his mind he had finally arrived at the doors. A breath of relief escaped his mouth as he began to open the door. But as the doors began to open an arrow notched itself right beside his head.
"Where do you think you're going Perseus?" A sinister voice said from behind him. Percy quickly turned around with Riptide in hand ready to take on anyone who stood in his way. But that type of mindset he had faltered for a moment as he took in the sight that laid before him. Moros in all his glory standing in front of his army of thousands of monsters. Percy had never seen so many monsters gathered in the same place. Kronos's army was child's play compared to this. Moros sensing the God's shock smirked. "I see you've noticed my little army behind me." The spirit of doom said as he gestured behind himself. "This is only a fraction of my control over these monsters. Soon I'll have enough to take over both camps and Olympus!"
Percy didn't say anything. What could he say!? Put on a brave face and yell no. That Olympus could take on this army. Well in his opinion there was absolutely no fucking chance of the demigods winning against Moros's army.
"Cat got your tongue Godling?" Moros laughed. Percy sneered at the goonies that laughed alongside the ancient spirit.
"What do you want Moros?" Percy finally spoke. Moros rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Have you not been listening this entire time! I want Olympus and your two little camps."
"Sorry not for sale." Percy shrugged nonchalantly. Moros stopped dead in his tracks at Percy's remark. The spirit chucked to himself before gesturing for one of his goonies to come to his side.
"I want you to learn something Perseus." Moros said aloud as he grabbed the shoulder of a monster. He whispered to the monsters' ear before it promptly pulled out its sword and stabbed itself in the stomach. Percy watched as the monster suffered on the rough dirt before turning into dust. Moros turned back to Percy with a sick gleam in his eye. "You see that! I tell them to do something for me even kill their own self and they do it! I get whatever I want and if I want your fucking camps I'll have your fucking camps! Do you understand me!"
Once again Percy shrugged. "And like I told you not for sale. Now can I go? I have a meeting on Olympus to attend." Percy said nonchalantly. But truthfully he was scared shitless in the situation he was in at the moment. Moros could easily take him on and win because of how tired he was. Sure the armor of Tartarus might help him out a little bit but he didn't want Moros to know he had it. Moros instead of attacking like Percy expected began to laugh once again in the God's face.
"I like your attitude, Godling. I can now understand why almost every enemy of Olympus sneers when they hear your name." Moros said. "But yes I will let you go."
"Huh?" Percy said, confused. Surely Moros was playing a trick on him to let his guard down.
"You may go to the mortal world Godling. See this as my gift to you before we go to war with one another." Percy although skeptical backed slowly into the doors while keeping his eyes on Moros who was only smiling in a creepy way. "Someone hold the button for young Perseus here!" Moros barked out. The spirit sensed the unease in the young Gods eyes. "Rest assured Godling. I will not let them release that button until you are in the mortal world. I swear it on the River Styx."
"Why? Why are you letting me go?" Percy asked as the doors began to close.
"Because." Moros began as the doors were almost shut. "War against you and Olympus is the only thing I desire."