Chapter 30
Greetings readers! I hope that all of you enjoyed the previous chapter!
In response to Walter Ha's review, I am glad that you liked the story and the power levels of the characters. Thanks for cookies :) Yes, a sequel is in the works. Is Percy dead? You'll know for sure only when you read this chapter. Thank you for your continued support! P.S – Everyone likes OP Percy :)
I would like to thank Megalodon for your continued support!
In response to Q's review, yes, the last chapter was almost ten thousand words and I was exhausted after finishing it but judging by the amazing response, it definitely was worth it! I am very happy that you liked the way in which the previous chapter was written! Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to SonGoku76's reviews, a basket of choco-chip cookies doesn't sound bad. But I'm glad that you liked the way the previous chapter was written! Thank you for your continued support!
In response to Disco's reviews, I don't know why I am so obsessed with cliffhangers, maybe too much of MCU influence but I always love being hit with cliffhangers. So, you will be experiencing that as long as I write stories :) Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to John's review, I am glad that each chapter is more enjoyable than the previous one. That's what I want! Thank you for your continued support!
I would like to thank Nice for your continued support! I see what you did there :)
I would like to thank the emoticon using guest reviewer for your continued support!
I would like to thank bring the money for your continued support!
I would like to thank the guest reviewer for your continued support! I am glad you like the complexity!
In response to DeoTank'a review, rebirth is a nice option but it's not the only one :) Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to the guest reviewer (the one who reviews frequently), to be entirely honest, this was something I had planned since the beginning of this trilogy but I am glad you liked it! Yes, I did my best to portray Tartarus as an anti-thesis to Percy. And I didn't want to portray Tartarus as a classic vanilla villain.
He does not care about who rules the world and he's not interested in ruling either. All he cares about is destruction, chaos and bloodshed which makes him a very dangerous foe because he is willing to do anything, without an ounce of morality if it means that he can sow chaos. That makes him the perfect villain to Percy's hero. True, Rick does acknowledge that but honestly, I felt that was an attempt at retconning it. Is Percy really dead? You'll see :) Thank you for your continued support!
In response to IceFire99's review, that's true, this opens so many doors in terms of character development and plot lines that I have been writing this chapter and two of the one-shots that follow this chapter in parallel to make sure I can keep up with my own continuity. I've just been writing non-stop for the past two weeks and I have loved it because it lets me explore so many things in so many ways.
Glad you thought the fight was believable! Yes, Tartarus was never going to be the "main" villain because he was never interested in ruling the world. All he cared about was killing Percy. And did he succeed in that endeavour? Maybe. Maybe not. This chapter should clear up somethings. Thank you for your continued support!
In response to StrFri's review, nah, I am not held by plot armour. If killing a character is worth it, I'll do it, even if that character is the protagonist ;) Well this review made me smile too! I mean sure, I have written all these chapters putting in a lot of time and passion but I have had great support along the way :) It's unfair to discount the support of those who have been a part of this journey! Thank you for your continued support!
En respuesta a la reseña de Blackale, ¡estoy muy contento de que te haya gustado esta historia y la anterior! ¡Estoy muy feliz de que hayas disfrutado atracones! ¡Espero que también os guste el resto de esta trilogía! ¡Pronto descubrirás lo que le sucede a Percy! ¡Gracias por tu apoyo!
In response to HellRaiderS' review, glad you liked the chapter! I have no plans to stop anytime soon! Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to Natural Disaster 6's review, I cannot reveal too much but I can tell this much that I am not a fan of clichés :) Whatever it is, I hope you like the way this trilogy goes! Thank you for your continued support!
In response to Ryan Fowler's review, again, great taste. In fact, I got so influenced by your references for a soundtrack that I have something I want to share with this chapter! Glad you like this series! Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to Raizor's review, I had dropped a few easter eggs in this story and the previous one so I am not entirely surprised but congrats for figuring it out! Thank you for your continued support!
In response to Callum Runchman's review, that's a fun theory and yes, since it is a three part series, it doesn't make sense to kill the protagonist off. Or does it? :) What if there's a replacement in store? This chapter should clear up a few things. Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to fugy's review, yeah, I just threw the Percy death curveball. I've been wanting to throw this for a long time and I finally got my chance. I have already started to tinker around and make some flash notes for the crossover and I would honestly love to start it right away but, I don't think I can pull of writing two long stories at once, unless the updates are horribly slow and that sort of juggling will just reduce the quality of both stories which I don't want. So realistically, this is a few months down the line, after I am done with the third installment of this trilogy. But it'll definitely be out and will be completed for sure! Thank you for your continued support!
I would like to thank Nihar OP for your continued support!
In response to hawkeyestratos1996's review,, making him a god, that could be a possibility. Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to 98's review, glad you liked the chapter! But what if it is the divine side that died out? Only one way to find out :) Thank you for your continued support!
I would like to thank zUsagi for your support !
In response to MegaRayquaza8121's review, you know me, I like cliffhangers :) A column of destruction is basically Percy's strongest beam of energy, his strongest linear shockwave and a vertical hurricane (if that makes sense) combined into one attack. Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to DeadDredd's review, I may be cruel but I am not that cruel to leave you hanging in such a cliffhanger. Coma? Well he could just be dead. Thank you for your continued support!
In response to Shadowhunter2077's review, yes, Typhon's strength and sheer endurance is just unbelievable. Even if he does not have other energy manipulation abilities, his enormous size and monstrous durability not than make up for it. But even that wouldn't have been enough to take on thirty or so gods and an OP Percy so the fusion had to come and I am glad that the fights were believable and evenly matched!
Yes, for the lack of a better word, I think the power of the Olympians is underrated. Those guys are crazy powerful but it's not explored too much in PJO canon. And in HoO they're just absent for the most part so we don't truly see their strength. I get what you say about OP Percy stories, making him primordial or Chaos level just forces you to come up with insanely powerful villains which then forces you to make the Olympians seem like pre-schoolers. So I tried to avoid that here.
Well, in canon it's never stated who's more powerful and to be fair, the Greek gods book is full of things that are contradictory to canon and as such claims in Greek gods don't have that much legitimacy. True, Zeus does have those powers with air but we haven't seen him healing from the sky while we know for a fact that Poseidon can heal from the sea. And while lightning is destructive, Poseidon can wreck havoc with earthquakes, which are even more destructive. As for storms, yes, Zeus can create huge storms but Poseidon is called the Stormbringer for a reason. So all that would make him stronger. But I respect your opinion! Thank you for your continued support!
Finally coming to Gabe1234's review, aww man, I get what you're saying, that must have sucked but don't worry! Even if you spoilt this for yourself accidently, I have plenty of cliffhangers left for you :) I look forward to more of your story! Well you're right, I won't need to change too much of Jason's and Thalia's backstories. And I have complete creative freedom with OC Jackson. Nico and Bianca on the other hand, can't have their mother killed by Zeus.
Even though things won't be that peachy in the third story, Zeus killing Hades' lover will never happen because it'll screw up everything. Well, you'll be seeing another Titan sooner than later :) And the first of the one-shots is almost ready so it'll be out in four or so days. I plan to release them faster than the normal chapters because they will be much shorter.
Exactly! I felt like the progression of Percy's power was perfect in PJO but it was full of inconsistencies in HoO. You're definitely right, Percy was just glossed over in the Mark of Athena and Blood of Olympus and the part where Jason frees him undersea is ridiculous. I don't see how he can go from beating Akhlys in Tartarus to losing to Polybotes undersea. That was bad.
I totally agree with you on the TOA portrayal of Percy. It just sucked to be honest. Honestly, you would be surprised it's the same guy who went through Tartarus. And I don't even want to get started on the crossover with Kane Chronicles. At times, he was really powerful and at times, really weak and dumb. I just feel so bad because PJO was the first novel series I had ever read and that was almost ten years ago. I had just finished PJO and then the Lost Hero and was so thumped for Son of Neptune which wasn't bad per se but it definitely wasn't as great as the PJO books.
It only went downhill from there. I mean House of Hades was good but I still think TTC, BOTL and TLO are much, much better. Well glad you talked about this because I'm just as opinionated on this topic as you are. Ughh, I hate the PJO movies. The Lightning Thief movie was pretty bad but the Sea of Monsters one was horrendous. I would say it's the worst ever adaptation of a book into a movie. They just butchered the story left, right and centre.
Glad you liked this version of Typhon! Oh my god, Rhea was just so bad in TOA. I mean hippie? I don't have anything against hippies but looking at her domains, I don't think Rhea is the hippie type. And the trolls were pure plot convenience. Glad you liked the fight scenes! Ahh, the Greek gods was a nice book until I realised it contradicted a zillion things in canon. Well this will be my longest response yet but thank you so much for doing this! This really means a lot!
I am glad that the way Typhon was defeated emphasized that he was brought down due to team work and of course, it was also a convenient way to set up an epic show down between Tartarus and the remaining, more combat-oriented gods. Loved the pun! :) The introduction to Percy's ability to induce hope, that's definitely not just a passing remark :) Yes, I wanted to show that even though Tartarus was near unbeatable, through excellent coordination and proper teamwork, the gods managed to put themselves into contention for victory. To be honest, even I had forgotten that Percy could redirect lightning but this was a callback!
The Big Three scene was partly inspired by the way Cap, Iron Man and Thor had a showdown with Thanos in Endgame. And it definitely felt badass. Along with that, the Big Three being the Big Three, I figured that they would find a way to banter even in this case. I am glad you liked the power level of Tartarus! Thank god the Aphrodite thing was believable. Honestly, it was a really good idea to charm speak a primordial into sleep and then blow them up when they are away from their domain. But Piper and Leo definitely were not at the level of power required to do that. For all the reasons you mentioned, she was the weakest of the seven demigods so I totally wasn't impressed when she charm spoke Gaia into sleep. No problem! Your rants are actually very insightful :)
Did I really kill Percy? Maybe, maybe not. Of course, the third story is still going to be there so that means I cannot just kill off Percy. Or can I? He could be used in other ways. I can however tell you one thing, Ananke and Chronos being mentioned was definitely not a coincidence.
Did he injure his soul and preserve his essence or is it the other way round? Unfortunately, as amazing as your Tartarus idea was, I couldn't go through with it for a number of plot related reasons. But I was inspired by that idea of yours which led to Tartarus being the hidden antagonist of this story. I had still planned to do this to Percy when I started writing this story but I included and made Tartarus responsible for it based solely on your idea. So thank you for that!
I am glad you enjoyed the previous chapter so much! I know it must have taken you a lot of time and effort to put in such a great, supportive, insightful and overall amazing review and I really, really appreciate it! You really don't need to apologize for the delay! I am thrilled that you reviewed and I have no problem if you want to shift to smaller reviews, if that's more convenient for you! But even if you want to stick with big reviews, I have no problem! I'm just happy to have your insight into things! It definitely didn't hold up my release schedule and thank you once again for the raving review! This is my longest response as well and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for your continued support!
After hearing some cracking soundtrack recommendations by Ryan Fowler for the past few chapters, I was influenced to include this part where I set a soundtrack for the chapter. This won't be there for every chapter but for this chapter, listen to the final soundtrack in Avengers Infinity War, the one where Thanos wins and sits on the porch after the snap.
This chapter is the final chapter of this thirty chapter series. I initially thought it's going to be a twenty chapter series with 100K words but look where we are today. A shout-out to all of you out there who have either been with me since the start or have joined along the journey. I hope to successfully engage all of you to this, or hopefully, to an even greater extent in my next stories.
With love and gratitude, Blitz2134
All credit for the characters goes exclusively to Rick Riordan.
Athena did not know what was happening. She knew she had seen Tartarus emerging out of the combined onslaught of her father's and uncles' divine forms with enough energy to defeat them. And Percy being the loyal, stubborn man he was, had tried to take on Tartarus on his own.
She had questioned him and the moment he kissed her, she knew what he had in mind. That kiss had been a farewell and before she could stop him from doing something stupid, he had used a technique she had taught him to knock her out painlessly. And she woke up to the sound of someone wailing.
As soon as she regained consciousness, she looked around and saw Aphrodite. And next to Aphrodite, she saw Percy's pale, unmoving body. Her heart sank when she failed to hear a heartbeat.
"NOOOO!" Athena screamed, instantly materialising next to Percy. Her cry alerted the Big Three to what was happening and a moment later, all three of them realised what had happened.
A few feet away from them, Athena instantly placed Percy's cold, sweaty head on her lap and checked for a pulse but she found none. And an anguished sob erupted from her throat. The Big Three materialised next to her a second later.
"Percy! No! What happened?!" Poseidon frantically questioned a sobbing Aphrodite. Even Zeus and Hades stood still, overcome by shock and unable to process what had happened.
"I….I charm spoke Tartarus into sleep. And Percy….he….he sacrificed himself to defeat Tartarus." Aphrodite revealed in between sobs.
"No, this can't be happening. Percy, you promised me that you would never leave me. You took a solemn oath!" Athena cried with tears streaking down her face.
She kissed him, as if she was trying to bring him back to life but she choked out even more sobs of grief when all she felt was his cold, dead lips. They were completely devoid of their characteristic soothing warmth. Zeus placed a comforting hand on her shoulder but his own eyes were watery.
"Son, why did you have to do this?" Poseidon hopelessly questioned with tears freely flowing down his face.
Hades placed a shoulder on his brother's shoulder, trying to calm him. He had a solemn expression on his face but the broken look in his eyes conveyed his own grief. Suddenly, they heard a muffled but tyrannical laugh.
"The Hero is dead. The great General Perseus Diaboles is dead and all the demons smell his spilt Ichor. I may have failed to defeat you but the impregnable wall that shields the gods is no more." Tartarus rasped.
Poseidon roared in unbridled fury before charging at Tartarus and impaling him through the heart with his trident, lifting him up. Zeus and Hades materialised a moment later, vapourizing his arms. But rather than scream in pain, Tartarus gave a painful but arrogant smile.
"You may kill me but this is just the beginning of your end. The Hero is dead Olympians. And all the villains, the enemies lurking in the shadows, the enemies who were too terrified of the Hero will now venture out. The Hero is dead. Someone or the other is going to pick up where I left off and destroy all of you." Tartarus stated with a maniacal laugh.
"And one more thing, you should have gone for the head." Tartarus stated with a bloody but sinister smile.
This was another victory for him. Now his words would haunt the pesky sea god for all eternity. It was as good as victory. Before he could say something else, what was left of his physical form was obliterated by a blast from Poseidon's trident.
As Tartarus was obliterated, he saw the red sunset and felt a content smile break out on his face. He had been defeated and he knew that his essence would be scattered so thin that he would never even be able to have conscious thoughts again. But it was all worth it.
The death of Diaboles meant that he had won. And so, he died with a satisfied smile on his face. It had cost him everything. But he had won. The Hero was dead.
Poseidon then fell to his knees, too grief-stricken to even talk. They had triumphed over Tartarus. But it didn't feel like a victory. They had just lost the greatest hero to ever walk the Earth. But more importantly, they lost the man who had united them when they had been divided.
They had lost the man who was whole-heartedly loved by everyone. They had lost the most, virtuous, loyal man they had ever seen. And winning the battle meant nothing because they had just lost Perseus Diaboles.
All the Olympians, the members of the Atlantean Royal Family along with Rhea and Styx were waiting outside the medical room in Atlantis where Mavrus was taking a look at Percy. Most of them knew it was futile but they clung on to a sliver of hope.
All of them were still injured and extremely exhausted but at the moment, everyone's attention was elsewhere. His death had devastated all of them. And everyone present there felt intense sorrow.
Aphrodite had been sobbing ever since she had seen Percy's lifeless body. Ares had pulled her into a comforting embrace but he himself was experiencing immense grief. Hephaestus stood completely still near them. The master blacksmith was so devastated that he did not even tinker with anything.
Artemis had been grief-stricken and Apollo had tried to console her but his own eyes were full of tears. And to their surprise, Hera had pulled both of them into a gentle embrace but tear streaks were as visible as day on her face.
A few feet away from them, Hermes had his head held in between his hands. Demeter was sitting next to him, rubbing his back but her own eyes were red, signs that she had been mourning.
Rhode and Pallas had cried themselves into sleep on Hestia's shoulders. And Hestia's kind brown eyes which were usually full of hope and optimism were now a dull, sombre brown, devoid of hope.
Triton was sitting lifelessly on one of the marble benches, clenching and unclenching his fists subconsciously. Styx was sitting next to him and had placed a palm on his shoulder. She had first lost her daughter and now her beloved grandson. And it took all of Styx' self control to not break down.
On the bench next to them, near the door, Amphitrite was sobbing her heart out on Poseidon's chest. Poseidon's eyes were red and puffy, after a certain point, the tears just refused to come out.
Rhea was sitting next to him, rubbing circles on his back but her eyes were closed in grief. Zeus and Hades flanked them protectively and both of them had solemn expressions on their face. But the one most affected was Athena.
Athena had been inconsolable. Even after Selene had scooped her into a deep embrace, the goddess of wisdom had been bawling her eyes out on her aunt's shoulder and her heartbreaking sobs caused Selene's heart to constrict painfully.
Selene was unbearably devastated but for the sake of her niece, she held her grief in. Right now, Athena needed her more than anybody else and Selene was determined to give her niece all the warmth she could muster. But her watery eyes betrayed her façade. Helios stood next to her, staring ahead blankly. That was when Mavrus stepped out of the room. And all eyes immediately fell on him.
"Please tell me you have some good news Mavrus." Poseidon desperately pleaded.
"I have some information sire. How much of it is good, how much bad, I do not know." Mavrus honestly stated.
"What is it?" Rhea asked with some hope in her eyes.
"The explosion has scattered his immortal essence so thin that I doubt it can coalesce enough for him to regain consciousness ever again. However, his immortal essence had permanently anchored the small bit of his mortal soul that was left to his body. And his body, it is incapable of decay. So he is not technically dead. But his heart has stopped beating, so you cannot say he's alive either." Mavrus revealed in a subdued voice. And that was when Hades realised that part of his nephew's soul that had not been converted into an immortal essence still remained in his body.
Maybe it was because of the crushing exhaustion he felt after the titanic battle. Or maybe it was the intense grief that prevented him from realising this sooner. But if Perseus' soul was permanently anchored to a lifeless body, it was not good news.
"This is bad. He cannot be reincarnated. Neither can he achieve Elysium. His soul is effectively trapped inside his body, unless, there is a way to give him a shroud." Hades stated.
"Even if we do find a way to give him a shroud, if he is not actually dead, it will amount to murder." Aphrodite fiercely stated.
"What if we give him the physician's cure?" Artemis suddenly questioned and this gathered everyone's attention. And even Hades seemed to be on board with this idea.
"It won't work. It has to be given right after someone's mortal soul leaves their body. Not only have we missed the time window, his soul has still not left his body." Apollo stated with a morose expression on his face.
"Will his soul leave his body if his invulnerability is removed, at least temporarily?" Amphitrite questioned in a small voice. And everyone except Poseidon, Triton, Athena, Rhea and Styx seemed to be surprised by this.
"That can be done?" Ares asked with bewilderment.
"Other than him, I am the only one who can do it. But I swore on my own river that I would only do it if his life depended on it." Styx hesitantly revealed.
"No, I am afraid that won't work. Once he gained an immortal essence, in an effort to make him less mortal, it not only consumed his mortal soul bit by bit, it also permanently anchored whatever would remain at the end to his body. And his soul will only leave his body if his body is destroyed. And if you destroy his body, you could free his soul but since his body is destroyed, you cannot administer the physician's cure." Hades stated with a sorrowful sigh.
"But if we free his soul, there's at least a way to reincarnate him right? Brother, is there a way for you to influence this?" Zeus questioned.
"I am afraid not. Reincarnation falls into the domain of the Fates, I have no control over it." Hades regretfully stated.
"We could request them to suitably reincarnate his soul. If Uncle Poseidon sired another demigod, we could request the Fates to reincarnate his soul into this demigod. He could then be bestowed upon with all the blessings required to make him the way he was once again." Hermes proposed.
"If the Fates agree and Poseidon is willing to do it, I have no problem. I am willing to tolerate anything if it means that I will get back my son." Amphitrite determinedly stated.
"Like Amphitrite said, if it means we can get our son, I am willing to do anything." Poseidon stated. And that was when Athena spoke up.
"The Fates will never agree to this. They are heartless, emotionless, cruel deities who created Percy only to protect the world and discarded him after he fulfilled his duty." Athena harshly stated in a hoarse voice.
"Besides what Athena said, there is another danger in the fact that only a part of Perseus' mortal soul is left. If it leaves his body, I am not even sure about whether or not there is enough of it to be reincarnated. I can now sense that now, only a fifth of what should have been an entire mortal soul is left in him. The rest of his life force came from his immortal essence. Maybe there was a reason why his immortal essence anchored his soul to his body. The consequences of freeing it could potentially be disastrous. This is uncharted territory for all of us." Hades stated and everyone's hopes were dashed.
"What if we try turning him into a god?" Ares asked.
"That will not work Ares. When you grant immortality to a mortal, what you do is convert their mortal soul into an immortal essence. If Percy still had his immortal essence, converting him into a full immortal would have been very easy. Now, he lacks his immortal essence and only a part of his mortal soul is left. In whichever way you grant him full immortality, it will not be enough to bring him back." Hades stated.
He loathed being the one to dash everyone's hopes and even he was willing to violate any rule to bring his nephew back to life. But they had to be very careful with this. Perseus' condition was very fragile and while he understood their desperation in trying to bring Perseus back, he had to make sure that they didn't condemn Perseus to something even worse.
"Uncle Hades is right. If his heart is not beating, it means that his injuries have not healed, at least not for the foreseeable future. The only reason why his body has not succumbed to those injuries is because he is invulnerable. If we turn him into an immortal, he will lose his invulnerability and may lose his physical form, thus scattering even the remains of his converted immortal essence." Apollo expounded.
"We cannot just let Percy stay in this state of limbo." Triton stated.
"His immortal essence is scattered. His mortal soul is not big enough to be reincarnated and he cannot be revived because he is not actually dead. What other choice do we have? Inflict an even worse fate on him by doing some experiment we don't even understand." Amphitrite hopelessly questioned.
"My lady, if I may interrupt, unlike Ouranos or Tartarus who had concentrated all their immortal essence into one body and then had that scattered across the world so thin that they could never even regain conscious thoughts, Prince Perseus' situation is different." Mavrus revealed.
"Didn't you just say that his immortal essence has been scattered so much that it can never meaningfully coalesce again?" Zeus irately asked.
"Yes my lord but what we are forgetting is that Prince Perseus' immortal essence was not granted to him by anybody or by anything, he gained it due to the deification he received from other mortals. And for the past few decades, it started to grow explosively. As long as his body stays this way and his soul is anchored to his body, he could grow another immortal essence if this level of deification continues. But again, this is only a prediction." Mavrus stated.
"It won't continue. Percy was the living proof that we existed and due to him, a vast majority of mortals worshipped us and erected great temples and monuments in our name. With him gone, we cannot be as visible to the mortal world anymore and even if he continues to be deified to this extent, eventually, it will dip." Athena croaked out.
"So what do we do now?" Aphrodite questioned.
"We wait." Selene somberly stated.
"That's it? We have to do something." Artemis stated.
"All we can do is ensure that Percy is remembered as the greatest hero in history and hope that he regains an immortal essence. We have no other choice." Selene revealed in a morose voice and that was when all of them realised one thing. They would have to live in a world without Percy. At least for the foreseeable future.
The Olympians, the Atlantean Royal Family, Thetis, Peleus, the Hunters of Artemis, Rhea, Styx, Selene, Helios, Persephone, Chiron, Bythos and Aphros had all gathered in the Atlantean throne room. It was because Ares had revealed an important bit of information to them.
Decades ago, when Percy had received a vision from Chronos, Ananke and Moros, he had approached Ares and requested him to invert his famous green and gold horse plume helmet, place it on the ground of the Atlantean throne room and show it the rest of their family and his mentors if he ever died.
Ares had initially felt very uneasy about the request but had accepted it for Percy's sake. And he had hoped that he would never have to do this. Yet, here he was, placing Percy's inverted helmet on the ground and with the rest of their family and Chiron, Bythos and Aphros behind them. Instantly, a semi-transparent illusion of Percy was projected from the helmet, eliciting gasps from everyone.
"If all of you are watching this, I assume that I am either dead or in a state similar to that and Ares must be showing this to you. You see, a few days ago, I was bombarded with visions by three protogenoi and that highlighted my own mortality to me. And while Athena did quell most of my fears, a small part of my mind constantly prodded uncomfortable thoughts so I thought that I should record and store this message for all of you, in the case of an untimely death." Percy stated with a poignant smile and the rest of them gave watery smiles. Leave it to Percy to think about them even in such a state.
"Dionysus' tragedies usually see the hero dying with a last emotional monologue. Realistically, that's not possible as I assume I would have been more occupied with defeating the threat, so, I think it's time for the sappy monologue. I know, I'm supposed to be riddled with injuries and be an inch from death for the emotional factor but let's just omit that for now. If it counts, I just finished sparring with Ares and I'll tell you, the guy can pack some punches." Percy heated, prompting a few throaty chuckles from the rest of his family.
"You may be wondering what this is. This is actually some new technology which Athena and I invented together. It harnesses some of our metaphysical energy to give out a pre-recorded message through a semi-transparent illusion of our bodies. I don't know how long into the future you are seeing this but what I do know is that you are mourning my death and I hope I can alleviate at least some of your pain." Percy morosely stated.
"Death and the pain of separation are no strangers to me. I have seen too many people die during the Gigantomachy and have lost the woman who I once loved a long time ago. And those who know what I am talking about, please do me a favour. Convey my regrets about failing to keep up my promise to her. But I have also learnt to cope up with the pain after multiple tribulations. And while all those who are watching this may be devastated by my death, I hope that this message can provide all of you with some closure and allow you to move on with your lives." Percy stated with a small, reassuring smile, and for a moment, all of them lost themselves in that smile. And except Selene, Athena, Aphrodite and the sea gods, no one else understand out what he had asked off them.
"I was born to a simple yet kind mortal fisherwoman and while she was the first demigod daughter of my grandmother, the goddess Styx, the person who gave birth to me lived her life oblivious to the workings of the Divine world. And from what little memory I have, that is how I lived the first two years of my life." Percy paused before continuing.
"Then, I lost her to a hellhound, which was probably attacking us due to my potent scent but I was saved by my father, who I then learnt was the great Poseidon, the benevolent god of the sea and the King of Atlantis." Percy stated with a distant look but his face shifted to a include a smile at the mention of his father.
"I owe my life and a lot more to my father. His immense desire to protect me has led to me being where I am today. He was willing to take on the entire world to protect me and I am forever grateful to him for that. He was, and still is, my hero and I considered him as my role model decades before I was dubbed a hero. He was the one who taught me the importance of family, he was the one who taught me to master my elemental abilities and use my strength to protect our family. Thank you for everything father." Percy stated, his voice thick with emotion.
"Son, raising you was my greatest gift. Thank you for being a part of my life. The joy you have given me is incomparable." Poseidon stated in a hoarse voice, forgetting that he was talking to an illusion.
"I also owe a lot to my mother Amphitrite. I was an illegitimate child of my father. I was a simple mortal, I had no right to be in Atlantis, to be living with the Royal Family. But this kind, gentle-hearted goddess, in an unforgettable bout of benevolence ignored that aspect, took pity on this motherless toddler and raised him as her own son. She has showered me with all the love and affection she could muster and taught me the importance of being a good man. And even if she is not the one who gave birth to me, she is the only one I will ever call mother." Percy stated with glistening eyes, taking a moment to collect himself.
"Oh Percy, adopting and raising you was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. Even if I was not the one to give birth to you, you will always be my son." Amphitrite softly stated with tears streaking down her face. Poseidon engulfed her in a deep embrace as both of them mourned for their son.
"My brother Triton, while initially disapproving of my presence, became the best elder brother I could ever ask for. He taught me to fight and protected me long before I became the general I am now. My sister Rhode and my niece Pallas filled my life with joy and gave me a purpose in one of my darker times. And my nephew Achilles is someone I see more as a son and less as a nephew and I know that he is destined for greatness. And Thetis and Peleus have always been welcome constants in my life." Percy leaned back and stated with a small smile.
Triton, Pallas and Rhode smiled sadly at the hologram. He was the best brother or uncle they could have ever asked for. And everyone's face fell when he mentioned Achilles. Thetis was absorbed by her grief. Not only had she lost Achilles, she had now also lost Percy. Peleus stood solemnly next to her, rubbing her back soothingly.
"I also am deeply grateful to my Olympian family for accepting and trusting me. Apollo and Hermes have always been the fun-loving and mischievous brothers. The numerous pranks, the night-outs and the bond which I share with them is incredible. Ares is the grumpy but well-meaning brother who has a rough exterior but is a big softie on the inside. And he's an excellent sparring partner." Percy stated with a cheerful smile, causing Apollo, Hermes and Ares to fall deep into sad reminiscence of the great experiences they had shared with the man all of them considered a brother.
"Hephaestus has always been a great friend and an excellent blacksmith. He is someone who makes mine and Athena's plans materialise and we would be lost without him. Artemis is the mildly snarky but fiercely protective younger sister who is never said afraid to fight for one of her own. And Aphrodite is my emotionally brilliant elder sister who has played the part of a patient therapist. She is majorly responsible for helping me get over my trauma." Percy stated with a content smile.
Even the usually stony Hephaestus couldn't help but smile back. Percy had been the first one to look past his physical appearance and sincerely befriend him. Sitting with her hunters, Artemis shot a watery smile at the illusion, only Percy would think of annoying her in such a situation.
Next to her, Aphrodite burst into tears, before curling into Ares' side. She felt so useless. She had watched him willingly sacrifice himself because she had not understood his stubborn intentions. And she felt so, so guilty. Ares gently stroked her hair, calming her down a bit.
"Aunt Hera is someone who is the glue that holds our family together. Her dedication to our family is what motivates me and she has been nothing but kind to me. Aunt Demeter's love for all sentient beings and her large-heartedness and acceptance are what makes this world a better place and her gentle support has always been with me whenever I needed it. And my cousin Persephone is one of the most gentle and kind-hearted goddesses out there. Aunt Hestia is someone who is partly responsible for me being accepted into the Olympian fold and she has always inspired me to be a better person." Percy gratefully stated.
"You were the glue Perseus, not me." Hera softly stated and everyone couldn't help but agree with her.
Demeter and Hestia wiped a few tears away, still unable to believe that he wasn't with them anymore. And Persephone held her head in between her hands, mourning for Percy in her own way. She owed so much to him. He had been one of the few people who had steadfastly supported her marriage and now he was gone.
"If I was alive, I may have gotten into trouble for saying this but I believe Uncle Hades has a great sense of humour. Of course, it's very wry, witty and sarcastic and he tries to hide it but his one-liners never fail to crack me up. And even though he puts up a stony exterior, he is a very good man underneath. Uncle Zeus is someone who will always have my respect. It is never easy being the head of such a powerful family and it puts immense restrictions on a person, but despite all that, Uncle Zeus always strives to be a role model for the rest of us. Even at the cost of his own happiness at times." Percy stated with a respectful smile.
"You were a good man Perseus. Perhaps the best there ever will be." Zeus solemnly and respectfully stated. And Hades turned away from the illusion to prevent others from seeing the sorrowful expression on his face. Perseus had retaught the importance of family to them.
"Then we have the Hunters of Artemis. A rambunctious bunch of demigoddesses who are a force to reckon with. These girls have suffered so much yet they shield others from monsters. I am very proud of you girls." Percy fondly stated. And a number of hunters including Zoe and Phoebe choked out sobs.
"I owe my fighting prowess and most of my skills to my mentors Chiron, Bythos and Aphros. Aphros is responsible for teaching me other non-combat related skills to give some more depth to my life. Bythos taught me to hone my physical attributes to their maximum extent and taught me to fight in a myriad of environments. Chiron has seen and taught me ever since I was two years old. And there is so much I have to thank him for that I will run out of words. My only regret is that he had always warned me about the danger of succumbing to my fatal flaw and if this message is being viewed, it means that I let him down." Percy stated with a sigh.
Aphros and Bythos had stony expressions on their faces but their eyes showed their grief. On the other hand, Chiron's grief was on full display as his posture was slouched and his eyes were watery. Percy would always be his greatest pupil.
"My grandmothers have played a great part in my life too. Grandmother Styx was the one who revealed the truth about my heritage to me and I truly admire her unwavering commitment towards her duty of enforcing oaths. Grandmother Rhea on the other hand is the sweetest, most affectionate person I know. And our entire family is built on her ideals. Her pure-hearted ideals are my fuel." Percy stated with a wide smile. Rhea and Styx couldn't help but sadly smile at his message. He was still the simple, pure-hearted soul he had always been.
"How can I forget Aunt Selene, my wise mentor and the one who has always given me and the rest of family answers when required. Her advise has played a huge role in making me who I am today and I will always be grateful to her, for all her love, affection and gentle guidance. She will forever be my beacon of hope. And Uncle Helios is a great person who taught me to live in the present, someone who showed the importance of living every moment of your life to its fullest potential." Percy gratefully stated and a few tears ran down Selene's face. He was always the humble one. Meanwhile, Helios had a morose expression on his face. Percy had been a great hero but above all, he had been a good man.
"Finally, I want to talk about Athena, the love of my life and the woman of my dreams who has given me so much happiness that my only regret is the pain my death must have caused her. Athena, if you are seeing this, please forgive me for doing this to you. I know that I had promised that I would never leave you but for whatsoever reason I died, I know it was to protect all of you. And I am so, so sorry for shattering all our shared dreams." Percy stated and his voice cracked at the end, forcing him to take a moment to gather his emotions.
"Athena, you are the one who filled meaning into my life, you are the one who made me look forward to living each day because I knew I would live it with you. You gave me so much love, so much hope, had so much trust in me that I cannot tell you how much you mean to me. You are my single biggest reason for living. And you have made me the happiest man in the world. I know that I am not in any position to make requests but please, just grant me this one thing." Percy asked with his eyes closed, his fists balled up. And Athena eagerly nodded her head, forgetting that she was speaking to a hologram.
"I know that you are devastated by my death and that you are mourning but you have an eternity ahead of you. Move on. Remember me but turn me into a passing whisper, a distant memory. Live your life. I know you may feel like you should have protected me but it would have been my decision to sacrifice myself so please don't blame yourself. I failed to keep my promise Athena, I promised the world to you but gave you only pain. But don't let that affect your life permanently. All I want is for you to be safe and happy." Percy softly stated, his eyes glistening. Instantly, Athena buried herself into Selene's embrace and let out heartbreaking sobs. And all those who were present shot her looks of sympathy.
"If someone found this by mistake, well, this is an awkward situation. Maybe, I should have put this warning before the sappy stuff. Whoever is seeing this, if you are not Athena, don't her about this. If you are Athena, well, then I am about to be skewered." Percy joked with a twinkle in his eyes.
They could make out that he knew no one would find it by mistake and this was only an attempt to lighten the mood but nonetheless, Athena gave him a tearful smile. Even in death, he had found a way to make all of them smile.
"All I want to say is, this life has been a gift. I have gotten everything I wanted and more. I have gone through good and bad experiences which have shaped me to be a better person. And whatever I am, it is because of all of you. If you are seeing this, I hope that whatever threat we were facing has been dealt with and I hope that the world is safe once again. I have never considered myself to be a hero but if my actions have kept all of you safe then I can die with a smile on my face. And after all, what is death? I don't believe that a person dies when his or her heart stops beating. No, a person dies when they have not done anything worthwhile remembering. As long as I am in all of your hearts, I will always be alive. That is what true immortality is. Goodbye." Percy stated with his signature lop-sided smile and the illusion disappeared.
All of them stood up for a minute in a sign of respect. And as they sat down, Apollo's lyre materialised in his hands and he played a sad, eternal threnody as they mourned the death of the man who had changed their lives and the lives of countless others in many, positive ways.
This song of soulful lamentation was heard across the world and it signified the end of an era. The end of the greatest and most prosperous era in divine and mortal history. And that era had ended with the death of Perseus Diaboles.
Hundreds of leagues away, on the windy and freezing summit of Mount Othrys, a tall, intimidatingly muscular man with long black hair slicked back and tied into a ponytail stood with his knees slightly bent. The man had stony, volcanic grey eyes and looked like a living statue. This man was Atlas, formerly the General of the Othryian Forces and the Titan of Strength and Endurance.
However, the detail that caught any observer's attention was that he seemed to carry the star-studded night sky on his shoulders. And upon sensing the death of Perseus Diaboles, he let out a diabolical laugh
"The great Perseus Diaboles is no more. Olympus and those wretched Olympians are next. Prepare for your doom Olympians. The Titan King will rise again along with the Titan Lords and they will usher in a new age. The age of the Titans." Atlas roared into the sky. A storm was brewing. A storm that would reach Olympus.
Hey guys! So this is it! It's been an amazing journey and I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this story but like all things, even this story has come to an end. It's taken longer than I would have liked but nonetheless, it's been a great experience and I hope all of you have enjoyed it.
This story is going to be followed by a series of one-shots, I don't have an exact number but I want to give some emotional depth and do some world-building before we jump into the third and final installment which will start from canon. The next one-shot is almost ready and will be out in a few days.
In this chapter, I have actually given Tartarus a sort of a happy ending, even though he definitely does not deserve it. That is because we are so used to the heroes always winning that we believe that they will never lose.
In this case, Tartarus lost everything, but he won. The bad guy won and a testament to that is that he died with a smile on his face, seeing the sunset while Percy was sprawled lifeless. It feels like the ending for the Hero and the Villain have been swapped but it's a way of adding some more emotion to this.
About the recorded message, I believe heroes should have one last emotional monologue after a noble sacrifice but it's so vanilla to have it when they are inches from death. And I already did that with Achilles so I took this route to make his sacrifice feel more impactful.
You would have noticed that the arc navigation does not include the final three chapters. I have done that on purpose so that there's at least some suspense for any new readers.
Read and review, I hope that all of you liked this chapter and this story! Have a fantastic day!