CHAPTER IV
Perseus stared up at the form of the Creator. He couldn't think of anything else that he wanted besides what Chaos had already denied him. "I killed them all, took their essence and made them fade. They deserved to die for everything they'd done to humanity, to me. You say that the world will never be balanced without Immortals. But I say that because of Gods, because of Titans, the world was worse off." Perseus took a shaky breath. "As long as Divine beings made humanity its slave then there was never going to be true peace. I only ripped the power away from the ones who wanted to rule and lord over us, but I overestimated myself, I went too far..."
"I see," the Void replied "The Gods of this world… Ah I see now what has caused such devastation to a similar reality of the main one," he continued, staring at Perseus, who could feel his gaze searching through him. He could feel his presence in his mind, in all his minds as the Creator sifted through all the memories of the Gods he had taken at once. "A single choice, millenia ago. A single, simple choice to better protect their children, and it led to the destruction of this world. How ironic. How foolish." Chaos determined, exiting the godslayers mind slightly disgusted with the action of his great grandchildren in this world. "I know now what to grant you, Perseus Jackson. Your Gods were cruel and neglectful. Their own stubborn pride and fear drove them to their extinction, and sadly the world followed suit."
"My Gods…?" Perseus slowly asked, unsure if what he was thinking of was what Chaos was implying. "You're not saying-"
"I am," the Creator interjected. "This world, this earth, is not the only one to exist. When I created the cosmos, I molded the first earth and Gaea sprung forth. As eons passed, I grew bored of the monotonous state of the world. Ouranos had just cast yet another pair of children into the pit and I could see the pull of fate as it attempted to create another reality all on its own, one where Ouranos never did such an act. Seeing this independent pull, I finally noticed how the cosmos evolved from when I first breathed life into it, different planets had been born and died, some I had formed, and others simply came to be because of my creations. With this revelation I realized that I did not have to chaperone the universe, as a human would say. But instead all I had to do was nudge it and let it become something all on its own." Perseus sat entranced, feeling the final bones in his arm stitch themselves back together, he wondered if Chaos had ever told any other being besides a Primordial this. "And thus I created the universe a second time, layered on top of the first. I wound fate's string unto this new reality and commanded it to get to work. I watched fascinated as this second earth came to be in almost an identical manner but, as Ouranos received his children, the Cyclopes, he did not cast them into the pit! And watching the two worlds from that point on was interesting, to say the least. I decided to create an infinite number of worlds, each choice made by the beings on it would create an entirely new world molded on the choice, all being guided by the wild and untamed strings of fate. Until one day I felt the strings be restricted, controlled, and I watched as three little girls stepped forth out of the layers of the universes to greet me. The Moirai." Chaos finished his story, looking sadly at the slight dust that remained on the rooftop next to Perseus. "They may be dead in this world but they live on in others and at the centerfold of all creation."
"I cannot revive this world, its destiny was to fall. You were merely the catalyst, and earned your new title. But I can take you to another world, one where the Olympian Gods made a much better choice 3,000 years ago and made a simple mortal, immortal. And you can see how they can be good for society, how they have the capacity to not just lead, but to guide." the Creator now stared into Perseus' very soul "But passage into a new world and reality requires a sacrifice, are you willing to make one last one, no matter what?"
"Yes. If it means I'll see her again, and Annabeth and my mother. What do I have to do?" He stood tall, finally recovered from his final fight in this world.
"I will open a portal, all you have to do is step through and not fight the surge that will deplete your stolen domains. There is a reason even the Protogoni refuse to travel in between worlds, it requires them to use their domains and essence as a battery for the portal, which would leave them weak and vulnerable, and any lesser being would fade from the strain. Luckily Godslayer, you have an abundance of those to go around and use. I cannot say which ones will remain, if any, once you cross through though." Chaos concluded with a wave of his hand. Perseus could feel the fabric of reality bend and tear at the will of the Creator as a 12 foot tall archway of white marble was created by refracted light. The center was a swirling vortex that glowed a dark ominous blue, and he could feel the tug pulling at his being, at the immortal essences locked in his soul.
"So I Just step through, and ill appear on this other earth?" Perseus asked, he felt dread just being near the portal. Every fiber in his being, mortal and immortal, wanted to either get as far away from the vortex as possible or obliterate it. Chaos gave a nod, and Perseus steeled his nerves and turned directly towards the portal head on, but faltered when he suddenly thought of something "Wait, does this other earth have another me? Is there some like, back to the future rule where I can't touch myself or talk to myself or both Perseus' die or something?"
Chaos gave a small chuckle "There is no such rule, though there will be confusion. The Gods will seek you out once you're discovered." Perseus' eyes darkened and the thunder in the distance roared just a bit louder and the waves became choppy and erratic. "Do not attack them, and be respectful." Chaos added quickly, noticing the godlings soured mood at the mention of interacting with gods again. As his rage subsided, Chaos continued "Once they find you and demand to know who you are I will inform them that you are under my protection and that I whisked you away from a dying earth and brought you there to know peace. That is not your world Perseus, act as if you are a guest in another's abode, for you're a guest in an entirely different and new reality. Those are my only conditions. Am I clear?" The Creator's tone left no room for argument. Not like you could really argue with God themself, Perseus thought snarkly.
"I understand Lord Chaos, but once I'm there, where do I go? Will this world have the Half-blood safe houses in the same locations as mine?" Perseus replied, realizing now that if he was heading back to a world full of life, he'd have no clue where to go once he got there. He hadn't lived amongst civilization since its fall three years ago.
"Do not worry yourself with that Perseus, simply head to Long Island in New York. You will find that the dream you shared with your two friends has come to fruition on that world." Chaos smiled as he saw the boy's small smile of hope. Perseus' thoughts were racing at the prospect of the new world truly being better if it had what he had dreamed of with Annabeth and Thalia ever since he had to fight and kill Luke.
"Alright then Lord Chaos, I suppose this is goodbye until we meet again in the new world. Thank you.." Perseus finished quietly, slightly bowing; something he hadn't done for any immortal in years.
"Be well, Perseus Jackson. And do try not to live up to your most recent title, yes?" Chaos joked and laughed as Perseus turned as red as the dying sun in the sky in embarrassment.
"Ill try my best, until next time, Chaos." Perseus stretched out his hand for the Creator to shake. Chaos was slightly shocked but warmly smiled and took his hand with a firm shake.
"Even in all the worlds we have met, you never cease to surprise me." Chaos said, slowly fading as his voice fractured into its millions of languages and voices speaking all at once and disappeared. Perseus turned back again towards the portals glowing vortex and shook himself slightly to get rid of his growing nerves. Whats the worse that could happen he thought. Couldn't be worse than anything he'd already experienced.
"Im coming back mom, Thalia, Annabeth." He whispered and wiped the tears threatening to fall. Perseus Jackson, Godslayer and Worldbreaker, steeled himself and walked through the vortex.
A/N: Aaaaaand theres chapter 4 all brand spanking new and 1.5 k words just like i promised! Now i know this chapter is a bit exposition heavy but there was truly no way that i knew to get all that across besides that way. Hopefully some of you have noticed that some things in our Godslayers world were a bit different than the OG Percy's. And to clarify, the canon PJO and HoO is the main/first world that Chaos created. As always, please leave a review and feel free to ask any questions!
Take it easy folks :)