Chapter 20

The day had finally arrived. Today, Percy was going to face Atlas in the arena of the Titans. Said god was nervous as hell. Even though he knew that he had years of training with the primordials, Atlas still would have a slight advantage due to his domain of endurance. This assured that he would be damaged far less slowly, also he was a lot stronger in muscle power than Percy. So, Percy had every right to be nervous and anxious.

Diverting his mind from that topic for a moment, he thought about the past week. A slight smirk appeared on his face as he remembered the reactions of the five gods and titaness when he and Hera had informed them that they were now a couple.

Everyone was surprised, except for Hestia. Being the elder sister, she already knew about their feelings towards each other.

As he was in his internal musings, a knock was heard from his door. He opened it to find a worried Hera. He smiled softly and moved aside, thus letting her in. Closing the door, he approached the bed and sat on it, just beside the worried goddess of marriage.

He placed a hand on her right hand, all the while smiling at her. She couldn't help but smile back at him, even though she felt like her blood pressure would go out of control, due to her worries. Could a god's blood pressure fluctuate? Ughhhhh. Percy was already rubbing off on her. Dam his ADHD.

" I know that I have already said this about ten times today, but please take care. Try not to die on me. I wouldn't want the first guy I date to die within a week.". She tried to joke.

This brought a smile to his face and he just pecked her on the lips in response. She seemed to melt into his touch. He was utterly surprised that he had this effect on her. Thinking of it now, this was the same reaction he used to get when he touched or hugged Annabeth or Rachel for that matter. Maybe it was his obliviousness that confused him from the clear signs the girls gave him. What the fuck ? He thought. Can't he get rid of his ADHD for at least ten minutes?

As they pulled back, she pressed her head into his chest and sat their not moving, just listening to his steady heartbeat, savouring the moment . Who knows? This may be the last moment they have together . Pushing those negative thoughts aside, she got up slowly and said, " It is time . Oceanus sent a message that the fight will begin in fifteen minutes. If we are late, they will not hesitate in killing mother."

Percy nodded and stood up. He pulled hee in a small hug. After letting her go, he took her hand and walked out of the room with her. As they approached the living room, they were met with six grim faces. Metis was the first to approach them . She gave Percy a small hug and spoke," I trust you to defeat my rapist of a cousin and free my aunt ,Percy. Do not let me down." He smiled at her and nodded. The other gods gave him hugs or in Hades's case, a simple Pat on the back. Hestia, seeing his nervousness, used the hearth's power to give him hope.

When they were done, they nodded to each other and the seven immortals flashed themselves to the Titan arena on Mount Othyrs, to meet either a great success, or inevitable death. Which of these they would get, was for time to decide.

Oh! And how can we forget the three old hags with clubs and spinning threads. They were the ones who caused this to happen. Sigh. The poor author had to write a full story because of those three hags who just wanted entertainment. Welp. On with the story before they cut my life string.

Kronos POV

Today is the day I will finally win this war. No. This was not a war. This was revenge. Today , that annoying bastard grandson of mine will perish. I have made sure that Atlas's javelin is infused with the material of my scythe, which can make an immortal fade. Muhahahah.

Anyways, I was sitting on my throne in the stands of the arena . Beside me sat a shivering and weeping Rhea. Well , she was weeping because I had just had my way with her. She tried to fight back, but being the Lord of time has its perks.

Eight flashes of light drew my attention to the arena floor. Standing there, were my six children, along with my traitorous niece and annoying grandson. While the others had panicked expressions, Perseus just calmly gazed around the crowd. When his eyes landed on me, he just gave me a lopsided grin.

"Hello children and Perseus ." I greeted . " Finally come to accept your deaths?"

To my annoyance, the upstart just scoffed and flipped me off. The others just remained silent.

" Perseus, today you will be fighting Atlas, son of Iapetus and Klymene, the Titan of strength and endurance, and the general of the Titan armies. I give you a last chance at redemption. Surrender, and your life will be spared. All you have to do is pledge your loyalty to me and be my loyal slave. Do you accept?"

Again, the upstart just raised both his hands and showed his middle fingers. All the pity I had for him, (which wasn't much by the way),was finished in that moment. I was going to make sure that he faded.

I gestured for Atlas to enter the arena. The seven gods flashed themselves to an empty corner of the stands. With a malicious grin on my face, I shouted, " Let the duel begin."

Third POV

As soon as the words escaped from Kronos's mouth, Percy and Atlas unsheathed their weapons. Atlas brandished his javelin and looked at Percy like he was an animal that Atlas was going to enjoy hunting. Percy just summoned riptide. He tried to look intimidating, but it was hard to do, when he was facing a ten foot tall titan of strength. Atlas was dressed in pure golden armour. The chest plate and helmet had engravings of battles and of Atlas killing his enemies.

Percy, on the other hand wore his pitch black armour, a gift from Nyx . He had developed the closest sibling bond with her. Funny seeing that Nyx was the eldest child of Chaos and Percy was the youngest. Ten armour looked as if it was made from night itself ( which it was, but the others didn't know this.) It fit Percy's chest perfectly, showing his swimmers build, lean but muscular.

The two combatants circled each other, trying to find a fault in the others stance. Finding the other's stance flawless, both of them suddenly lunged at each other. Soon, both were exchanging blows at inhuman speeds. Even to the Titans sitting in the stands, they were just blurs .

They had been fighting for fifteen minutes and neither of them had even suffered a scratch. Percy was the one who made the first mistake. He saw Atlas retreating after a strike and kicked his legs from under him. Atlas fell to the floor with a loud thud. His javelin was five feet away from him. Before he could grab it, Percy stomped his foot on Atlas's hand, making the latter wince in pain. What Percy didn't notice was that Atlas had picked up sand in his left hand. Quick as lightning, Atlas threw the sand into Percy's eyes, effectively blinding him for a moment. He kicked Percy hard in the chest, sending him flying across the arena. Percy was thrown into a wall. He was sure that Atlas's kick had broken some ribs.

Percy POV

Grimacing in pain, I managed to stand slowly. A trickle of silver ichor ran down my mouth. I quickly wiped it off, making sure that no one noticed it. It was a secret advantage which I did not want the Titans to find out. Atlas, on the other hand was standing with a smug smile. He lecherously looked at Hera in the stands and shouted ,

" Once I kill this puny god, I have been promised the three daughters of Kronos, by the king himself. Oh! How I will enjoy making you mine." He let out a booming laugh. I felt uncontrollable fury rising in me.

How dare this bastard say this.

Now he will pay for this. Thinking this, I clasped riptide tightly and ran towards him. He feinted a strike towards my left . I had seen this coming, so I just waited for him to send his main strike. As he sent an uppercut with his left hand, I stepped aside and swung riptide as fast as I could. His left hand was severed from the elbow onwards. Taking advantage of his shocked state, I kicked him as hard as I could. He was thrown back about twenty feet. It was then that he realized that his left hand was entirely gone. He screamed in pain and rage.

I looked in the stands to see Iapetus glaring at me in hate, holding a shocked Klymene, who was bawling her eyes out, looking at her son. Looking at her, I just couldn't bring myself to torture Atlas . As much as I hated him, torturing someone in front of their parents was against my principles. I couldn't even bear the thought of my mom seeing me get tortured before getting killed. It would break her completely.

Atlas had slowly stood up . He was glaring at me with hatred . He charged at me in full speed. I dodged his strikes and jumped away from him. He then threw his javelin at me with full force. I tried to move , but was a second late. The javelin pierced through my right thigh and went through it. I was now stuck to the ground. I tried to pull the weapon out, but it didn't even budge.

" Hahahaha. Like the enchanted weapon? Only the owner can lift it ,idiot." He stalked towards me like a lion nearing his prey. I knew that now I was at his mercy. He reached me. Instead of pulling out his weapon and killing me, he started to punch me hard. He stopped after ten punches. He would have gone on, but stopped when he saw the silver ichor flow through my nose and mouth. The other Titans also gasped .

Atlas laughed loudly. " Wow. The Fates seem to be in my favour . Now I shall be known as Atlas, the slayer of primordials." If I would not be in a life and death situation, I would have laughed at his cockiness and stupidity.

" Hmm. Nope. I won't kill you yet. I have heard that you and Kronos's youngest daughter love each other. Maybe I will make you watch as I make her mine. Then I will kill her in front of your eyes. "

Something snapped inside my mind. His words filled me with unimaginable fury. Firstly he talked about raping Hera. Over my dead body would he even touch the love of my life. Secondly, he said that he would kill her in front of my eyes. I remembered how Kronos had killed Annabeth in front of my eyes. NO. I had seen her die and was unable to do anything. Not this time. I was so angry, that I suddenly calmed down. I stopped all my struggles. Letting my rage fuel me, I calmly placed my arms on the javelin. Atlas was still too busy laughing to

notice me. I grabbed the javelin and slowly pulled it out from my leg. Wincing in pain, I threw the javelin in the air. Swiftly, I slashed my sword at it. The javelin was cut clean into two pieces. All the laughing in the stands stopped. Atlas was now looking at me with a terrified expression on his face.

I walked slowly towards him. He tried to punch me and kick me in my leg simultaneously. I just moved aside and stabbed my sword in his right shoulder. I then twisted it. He screamed in pain. I kicked his knees. As he fell to the ground, I spoke in a cold voice, " You are right. I love her very much. But trust me when I say this, I will not let you even touch her, you fucking bastard. You do not deserve to even look at her."

I then looked at Kronos, smirked at his furious face and plunged my sword into Atlas's heart. He tried to speak something. But then his eyes turned glassy and he slumped forward. I removed my sword and beheaded him with a swift slash. His body faded into grey dust, signifying that he had faded. The arena went silent for a moment. It was broken by a loud "NOOOO." from Klymene. She was now all out crying.

This actually saddened my heart. Even though I know that I had done the right thing, I had killed a son in front of his own parents. Not just killed, but literally faded him from existence. But the other part of me countered that if I wouldn't have killed him, how many sons would he have killed and how many daughters would he have raped. I decided to stop thinking about this. So , I gathered the dust and summoned a small pot. I put the dust in the pot and threw it at Iapetus. He nodded at me gratefully, even though the hatred in his eyes was evident.

I just nodded back sadly. I looked at Kronos. The bastard who was the cause of all this. With every bit of hatred I could muster, I spat at him," Are you happy now? Seeing your nephew die? If you wouldn't have returned from the future , he would still be alive. Punished ,yes . But still he would at least be alive. Now return lady Rhea, you bastard."

He glared at me murderously. He grudgingly nodded to Rhea , who immediately flashed to me . The seven gods in the stands also flashed to me. I glared at Kronos again and flashed away to Mount Olympus, with my allies.

As we reached Mount Olympus, Rhea was immediately tackled by the six gods, while Metis stood aside. I just flopped down on a chair and conjured up some ambrosia. I ate the whole plate. The pain in my wound lessened and it stared to heal. My broken ribs mended slowly. I knew that I needed at least two weeks to recover completely, but we had a whole month of peace now, so I wasn't really worried.

By the time I was done healing myself , the gods had separated from Rhea. I noticed that the male gods were fuming and the females we're sobbing. When I asked the reason, they said that Kronos had raped Rhea the day before the fight. To say I was mad would be an understatement. I swore that I would make Kronos pay for this. The gods and the elder titaness thanked me for rescuing her. She even gave Hera and me her blessings to stay in a relationship. It was getting late, so I decided to take rest while the others spoke in the living room.

When I returned from the washroom, I was surprised to see Hera sitting on my bed with a nervous expression. I also noticed that the door had been locked . When I asked her what was the matter, she pecked my lips and said," I heard what you said to Atlas during the fight. I love you too Percy. " She again clashed her lips to mine and pushed me back on the bed.

" Show me that you meant when you said that you love me ,Percy"