Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Percy Jackson and other series which are used.
Chapter 3 - The Lost Star
Prayers were a weird ideology.
An action that was created, in order for individuals to pour their hearts out.
Human prays to gods. But who do gods pray to? Was there something that would bring them a sense of hope and safety?
It was more than rare for the gods to pray, it was vulnerable even as some would admit. In this very moment, they are praying, to any form of a higher power that would listen.
The Fates? The Primordials? Chaos? Order?
"How could this have happened?" Zeus the god of the sky and thunder, king of gods boomed, as the whole throne room shooked. "Athena, have we found any information on the intruder?
"No father, we haven't but multiple search party has been released as we talk," Athena replied while looking around the room nervously for the reactions of the other gods. Her eyes then landed on him, that one specific god. At this moment who is comforted by his siblings. She got up, eyes full of determination as she walked towards him, reaching for his hand and holding it softly.
"Posiden, I know I am probably the last person you want to hear from. But as long as I have known you we have never met eye to eye until one little boy of yours decided to barge into your life then into ours," her eyes soften as she heard some tear-filled chuckles, she continued, "Perseus Jackson is many things, but to us the gods, he has always done the impossible even though we are the one who should be creating miracles. He can do this Posiden, he's fighting right now for his life and HE will come up on top. Because after all, he is strongest" she spoked, those words cut through the tension of the room like butter.
"Believe in Apollo Posiden, my idiotic brother is many things. But when it comes to family and those he loves is willing to do it all. Believe in him and his skills, believe in Percy uncle" Artemis spoke with so much trust in Apollo that made some gods nod along.
"Thank you, thank you Artemis" Poseidon the god of the sea, earthquakes, horses replied. He reach forward and held Athena's hand even tighter, "Thank you, Athena it truly means a lot "
"My, my look at you Athena, you are just a little caring bear on the inside aren't you?" A voice teased softly from Poseidon's side. "Oh shush Hera, like your the one to talk Queen" Athena huffed in response, "Well he truly has the skills to warm into someone's heart, even the coldest, stubbornest, arrogant of people" Hera the Queen of Gods, goddess of women, marriage, childbirth smiled softly. She knows this, she knows this better than anyone, he melted her ice queen facade with his warm and sunny smiles.
The throne room came back into a dreading silence as they waited for some form of updates from Apollo. Hours later, a yellow flash has entered the throne room with an exhausting Apollo appearing. With the sudden appearance of Apollo, most god has stood up from their throne and have asked question after question about the current condition of the fallen hero.
"Everyone sit back down, let Apollo take a breath," Zeus said with authority, but then changed into a gentler tone "I know every since one of you is worried about Perseus, myself included. Son, please say you have good news"
Apollo clear his throat "The good news is that I have closed up the nasty sword wound from the chest and stopped the bleeding completely" with that leaving Apollo's mouth most good looked relieved, some even cheered.
"But?" Aphrodite asked deadly seriously while looking Apollo dead in the eye. Aphrodite is not famously known to be the smartest one in the room, but she is the furthest thing away from stupid and with that often her enemies underestimate her. She can read people like a book. And at this very moment with a glance at Apollo, he looks exhausting, looking like he can collapse any moment and there was just something has masked quickly before he came in which most people have missed but not her, it was fear.
"I have entered my divine form to speed up the healing and make it more effective. The wound which Percy has received is laced with poison, which is slowly taking his life force away from him" with that being dropped from Apollo's mouth, the throne room has to turn into chaos before it could get any worse Apollo added on "With all the years in my immortal life I have never seen any poison like this. Whatever it is, it's destroying Percy's body faster than I can heal him. As of right now, I have hooked in a line that would insert energy into his body, it's not enough to heal him from any means but it put him into a somewhat weak stable form"
The throne room was too stunned to speak, all hell broke loose from Poseidon as he cried for his dying son. It was as if it was a domino effect, one by one the gods broke down as the throne room enter into chaos.
Apollo looked around the room, spoked firmly with determinations "There are too many unknown factors, we can't take any more risk for his fragile body. It's a race against time. The poison looks and feels it came from a time before us. There were being before us, we need to ask around. We need to ask the titans or even the Primordials"
Athena's mind was running a mile per second, understanding what Apollo is suggesting. A name came right up "Let's summon grandmother father, grandmother Rhea might know something if not she could give us some form of suggestions"
Zeus looks like he was along the same line as his daughter, looking towards his son "Hermes, please go summon mother Rhea" Hermes the messenger god give a firm nod towards his father and disappeared in a flash.
Suddenly a message ding echo through the throne room, one that was sent towards Hephaestus. Hephaestus was the god of forge and fire. This message was sent from the security team on Olympus, one which he has created with Athena over many many centuries ago. Glancing through the message, he felt his heart sink in. This wasn't good news for both Olympus.
"Everyone I have just received the identity of the person who put Percy in this state" He spoke gently, as he looked worriedly towards his favorite uncle. Then he waved his hand gently as a big-screen lowed in the center of the throne room, as the security footage has started to play, it was the sole main focus of every immortal being inside of the throne room.
(Flashback) Inside of the Security Footage:
"Damm, New York has never been this cold in such a long time. Don't you agree with me wise girl?" a voice as deep and smooth like the ocean spoked. It was Percy Jackson.
He turned towards his right to see the companion of the night. The first thing you would have noticed was the feisty blonde hair that was blowing against the gentle cold winter wind, she was just ahead shorter than Percy. Something Percy continuously teases her about, until she sends him a death-threatening glare.
Sharp grey eyes that hold endless knowledge and wisdom just like her dear mother. After all like daughter, like a mother. This was Annabeth Chase, the daughter of the goddess of wisdom Athena. Annabeth Chase was the most trusted friend of Percy Jackson, some said there were soulmates from another life. Many thought they were a couple, due to their physical affections towards one another during the time of war, and the ways where they could just understand each other. But they were wrong. Simply friends, best of friends on the highest degree.
"Seaweed brain, come on. Hera's garden is right there. After you could go visit the ice queen herself to make you a hot chocolate since it's been some time since your last visit. I'm sure she would since she somehow became so fond of you" Annabeth tease with a small tiny smirk, a habit she tends to have picked up from Percy.
A sudden gentle shove almost made her trip and land on the snowy floor. That dam Seaweed Brain. "Oh shush you, like you are the one to talk. You could come to visit if you want, but then again you might be busy with you know who. My my don't you have your hand full with that one" Percy laughed while holding his sides. It was a hearty laugh, so much warmth, so much comfort compared to the chill winter evening. "Ohhh, the great daughter of Wisdom is blushing, oh my how cute"
"You have been spending too much time with Persephone and Aphrodite" the wisdom pouted towards Percy while sending him a soft glare.
The walk towards the garden was filled with comfortable silence. The two heroes sat down on the marble benches. Percy has turned his full attention towards Annabeth. "A penny for your thoughts wise girl?"
"Do you remember what I told you about Achilles? His opinions on the fates of Heroes?" she whispered. At the moment Percy knew exactly what she was referring towards.
"Name one hero that was happy, the fates would never let you be successful and happy right?" Percy responded gently.
In a swift motion, Annabeth stood up and started pacing around the garden on the verge of a nervous breakdown "what if I am not supposed to be a hero? Does that mean I could be happy finally? I am barely 21 and yet I have fought in two wars, how much am I gonna lose in order for me to get my happy ending?"
"Slow down wise girl and breath, tell me what made you think like thi-" Percy started but was interrupted by the wisdom daughter "what if he was right? Luke I mean, in order to create anew we need to destroy. Start from the beginning. And Percy you are always the hero in the stories, you have always done the impossible, but what about me?"
"ANNABETH, stop that right now" Percy spoke firmly. His eyes were full of determination and looked into those grey eyes. The same one that stood by him as his equal through his toughest time, one of the strongest he knows is falling apart. Just like a broken puzzle.
He rushed forwards, and pull her into his warm embrace. He felt her body gently relax into his. "Hey, I don't really know where this came from but remember that promise I made you after we save Thals? It's us against the world, right? No matter what happens, we would take care of each other, even if one of us are being stupid" he spoked gently as he rubbed her back. He held her, as she wept silently onto his chest.
After a while a muffled voice spoked "I am alright now seaweed brain, you could let me go" Annabeth said gently while looking into sea-green orbs, and showed her gratefulness for his support.
"Hum, let's see. Should we go visit Hestia for a cookie? She sure makes the best of cookies on Olympus. Clearly could give Rhea a run for her money" the greek hero ponder out loud while turning around, heading for the exit of the garden.
"Percy" he hummed and turned around. Before he knew all he felt was pain and blood.
It happened all in an instant, Annabeth has summoned a small dagger out of thin air. And attacked Percy right towards his chest. The greek hero couldn't do anything, as he stood in shock and was overwhelmed with pain which made him land on his both knees. Apparently, the wisdom daughter wasn't done, she dragged the dagger even lower before pulling it out.
"A-n-abe-th" Percy gasped weakly, as he landed weakly with his back on the snowy floor of Hera's garden. Soon the pale white snow became crimson.
"I am sor-r-y Per-cy, I want my happy ending. And I stand by my ideology. I know you would try to stop me, so I had to get rid of you right now. When I can, when I have that power" she whispered as she walked away from the dying hero. With a gentle snap of a finger, a dark portal appeared before the wisdom daughter.
"It's just me against the world now"
(Flashback Over) Security Footage Over
As the video finished playing itself, the gods themselves sat in silence not knowing what to respond to. Until a muffled cry broke out of Athena, and all hell broke loose in the throne room.
The moon continues to rise towards the skies, the beeping of the machine connected towards the fragile fallen hero. Once stood tall and proud, which he crumbles with the gentlest of wind.
Suddenly, with a gasp of air, the fallen hero has woken. So much darkness. So much pain. With a silent cry, he slowly lifts up his body onto the bed to look around his surrounding. He was alone in Apollo's palace, the lights were turned off for the hero to rest at his fullest. He gently reaches into his jean pocket and pulls a piece of black paper.
Upon close inspection, one could see a symbol. A dancing joker. He brought that paper up towards his lips, ripping it in half with his teeth and hand. With a gentle breeze of 3 words, Percy Jackson was consumed by the shadows that loomed in the throne room.
"Mansion of Night"
Nothing was left but a mess of a bed, with a fallen note that appear out of thin air, landing softly onto the mattress.
And here's the new chapter! Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, and feedbacks are always appreciated :) Happy new year to all. Sorry for the long-awaited chapter been busy with work.
One question that has been asked repeatedly was had I decided on the pairing for the characters. And the answer is yes! So please look forward to them. Hoped you guys enjoyed yourself, See you guys at the next chapter.