Hi everyone. It's been a long time. I know you expected me to update much faster but studies came in the way. Now, I am free till August so I'm praying to God to write more than 3 chapters during this and not make a writer's block during this time. After this, I would be very busy write the story.

Now, onto the story-


3

(Previously)

Thalia, who was surprised at Percy's transformation and admission, stared at Artemis. She was surprised to find her blushing.

Artemis chastised herself- After all these centuries, I still cannot forget him.


Artemis quickly composed herself and glared at Perseus.

"There's no need to conceal yourself by acting like two you have an attraction to me or not, it doesn't concern me, General. I do not reciprocate your feelings. I had respect for the man you once were. Not love or anything like that."

"Keep telling yourself that, goddess. It's the same with him. Anyway, do not tell Andy that I was here. She will break a nerve if she knows I saved her life, again."

"I will not tell her. I do not want a war between immortals on account of her maybe killing you. Though she deserves her revenge, especially since you killed her mother."

Perseus bowed. "Very considerate. My respects to you, Lady Artemis."

He turned and moved away to the sea. Artemis heard him mutter to himself, "...I don't know why he insist on bowing to that lady with love. Last time, he made me bow before like that was before Aurelia. Don't tell me you have already replaced Aurelia with that lady."

"Never. You know that despite what you claim, I do not love Lady Artemis. She was one of my best friends and I respect her. That's why I made you bow to her. I do not want to hear about me loving her again. Do you understand?"

"Of course. Sometimes I wonder who among us is God and who is human. I…" Artemis couldn't hear anymore as he left the area out of earshot.

Why was he talking to himself? Gone insane? What happened to him?

"Caring for him, Artemis? That's not what you said just a few minutes ago." Of course, Diana her Roman counterpart had to poke her nose where it does not belong.

"You know what I meant. Many had claimed him to have gone insane during ruling Arcadia. Especially after the massacre of New Athens. Talking to himself in third person is definitely not a good thing."

"You are talking to yourself now."

"I am a Goddess and you're my other aspect. He doesn't have any aspect as far as I know. I...worry about him, sometimes."

"What would Apollo give to see his man-hating sister worrying about a man, hm?"

"Shut up."

"You were the one who shut me up when I tried to talk to him after the last Council, saying you don't love him. Now what changed?"

"I don't know. Whomever I love, I cannot hate them ever, whatever they do. You know what Apollo did, yet I could not forgive him neither could I hate him. That is my curse, to not know what to feel about those who hurt me."

"But how is it that I do not have these things? I know that I love Apollo, love Father and Mother, my sons and daughters...Percy, despite everything he has done. How-"

"I will explain later."

As Artemis cut off Diana, she came back to the world.

Thalia asked, "Diana?"

"Hmm. Where did Perseus go?"

"He went to that cabin." She pointed towards a cabin that looked like it had undergone the tides of time-weary, partially destroyed, yet more or less intact. "Why did you ask? What was that about Percy loving you?"

"Nothing. Let's wake the others."

"But what about Percy? Please, let me talk to him now when he is at his favourite place in the world. I can still bring my cousin back to me."

"You don't have to ask my permission, Thalia. I am not your mistress from the moment you became a goddess. Better you go there before Andy wakes up. We can cover up his help if he leaves soon enough. If she wakes up and see this, she will try to kill him and I don't know who will die. Both are highly skilled in swordsmanship and I don't want either of them to die. If Perseus died because of Andy, Princess of the Sea, the peace which the immortals have now would be destroyed. I do not want that, even though Andy deserves revenge."

"And because you could not allow Percy to die because of our love." Diana remarked but Artemis ignored her.

"You know that I would never disobey you, My Lady, whether I'm a goddess or not. You gave me a family when I had none. I will go talk to him and make him leave before Andy wakes up."

Thalia bowed and left for the cabin. Artemis turned to waking up her hunters.

Thalia slowly neared the cabin. It was made of wood but now it was rotting. Thalia could sense Kronos' spell working against the ravages of time the cabin had to endure.

So, that's what Percy used his favour for.

As she stood in front of the cabin, three graves greeted her.

Sally Blofis

Best mother, good wife and a good friend

Rest in peace

Paul Blofis

Best father and friend

Rest in peace

Andromeda Blofis

Loving sister to an undeserving brother

Rest in peace

Thalia clearly remembers when these graves were put with their contents.


Flashback(2017)

Thalia sat with Nico, shedding tears. The woman and her family who had taken them into their family were dead and currently a priest was presiding over their burial. They were at their cabin in Montauk beach which Sally had brought for Percy and Annabeth.

"...And may the souls departed be granted entry into the Lord's home and may they pray for us from their new, heavenly home." He closed the book he was reading from and laid a cross over each of the three bodies.

Jason, Nico and Frank rose up to help Percy carry the bodies but Percy, who had been sitting silently, stopped them.

"No. I killed them and I should be the one to bury them."

"But Percy-"

Percy ignored them.

Alone, he buried them all, sobbing. There was nothing she could do to console her cousin other than giving a shoulder to cry on.


Thalia was brought out of her past by the sound of someone sobbing from the cabin. She rushed inside. Percy.

"...-You know that I killed you because you asked, Mom. Why did you say that? I COULD HAVE SAVED YOU! I miss you, Mom, Paul, Andy. I miss you the most, my dear sister. Why did you all leave me alone in this world? The only family I have now, won't even look at me with trying to kill me. WHY DID YOU MADE ME KILL YOU, SARAH? Your daughter hates me now enough to kill me, her own brother. You all were my family and you abandoned me, just like my friends did. I hate you all for leaving me.I-"

"Percy?"

He quickly stopped sobbing. He didn't turn around to greet her, but she had already assumed he didn't want her to see him like this. He always showed a strong and indifferent side to those who were once his friends and allies.

"What do you want, Goddess?" Thalia noted happily that he was at least talking to her, especially after what she had said and done.

"Don't blame yourselves for Tartarus' fault, Percy. You never killed Sally. You had been saying this for millenia, Percy. You never would have killed Andy. It was a delusion."

"I killed them, Thalia. I know it as I was the one who released their last breaths with my sword." His voice wasn't cold like Perseus' voice, as he claimed the other persona as. That itself brought a smile to Thalia's face. He sat on a chair sobbing. "Mom, Paul, Andy, Sarah. All my family, I killed them."

Thalia was surprised. Sarah was family? But she didn't show his surprise. Her cousin needed her. She sat down with him and hug him.

"You're just feeling guilty, Percy. You didn't kill them just as you didn't betray Olympus, like you were accused of. Like I accused you." Her own tears started flowing. "I accused you, just with some proof. I didn't trust you when you said you didn't. I trusted the proofs against you. I'm sorry, Percy. I'm truly sorry."

Percy didn't show any response but he held her in an embrace.

"I have missed this, Thalia. Being with friends. I forgive you. I had already forgiven you since I know how you, Poseidon and others were duped."

"How?"

"What does it matter now? The plan worked very well for them. I was isolated."

"You meant to say someone wanted you cut off from our family?"

"He did the plans correctly. What else could he do when he have the wisest being in his realm making plans for him?"

"Realm? Who is he? What are you talking about, Percy?"

He seemed to have zoned off, muttering, "He used every one of us as pawns-Aurelia, Dad, Polybotes, Annabeth, everyone. He…." Thalia couldn't make head or tail out of it.

After a few minutes of muttering, he released her. He seemed to be looking at her eyes for something. Whatever he saw disappointed him and he stood up. He seemed cold, indifferent to her. Thalia realised quickly that whatever he saw in her eyes awakened his other personality. Perseus.

"Forgive me for using your sympathy, goddess. You can ask for a favour anytime from me for depending on you. That's the way of us-immortals."

"Percy, don't be ridiculous. You don't have to pay any favour for me being a friend."

"The one thing I have learned from my life is that everything has price, especially for us immortals.

"I don't want anything from you except our old sibling bond, Percy."

"I cannot give you what I ask for, and I, We were done. You sewered that bond and we cannot re-kindle old flames. We're too different now. I'm the murderer of New Athens and you're the goddess of Hunt, Princess of Sky and Underworld. A sibling bond between us would bring great shame to you, just as I brought shame to Andy. I have enough curses on my head to last my entire life. I don't need another one from your husband."

"Don't be ridiculous, Percy. I don't care if someone gossips. Nico was your friend too. He will want us to be friends, Percy."

Percy didn't reply but turned around to exit the cabin. Thalia stood up and stopped him.

"Percy, please. Forgive me."

Percy didn't reply. He moved forward to leave.

"Percy, I want that favour. Why did you rape Annabeth?"

"I didn't."

"Then, she lied? In front of Apollo, the God of Truth? That's impossible."

"No, she didn't. But neither did I."

"Then how…"

"That's not my tale to tell."

"Then whose?"

Percy didn't reply. He left the cabin. Thalia had a suspicion, she knew who to ask for the truth.


Artemis watched as Thalia moved towards the cabin. She hoped for her sister's sake that he would forgive her.

Suddenly, the howls of wolves could be heard. Artemis smiled for the first time since the attack happened. The wolves here meant that the hunter group headed by Phoebe, daughter of Mars was arriving. They were sent to kill the monsters that were attacking mortals in the East.

The head of the wolf pack, the alpha, Sophie saw Artemis and rushed towards her, tackling her and licking her. Sophie was an ancient wolf, almost the same age as Artemis. She was once mortally wounded when Artemis was a young goddess and Artemis had saved her. She became her loyal, immortal partner in her hunts.

Sophie was a dark colored wolf. There were silver stripes across the black fur. She was a little bit longer than normal wolves. Otherwise she could be mistaken as a normal wolf. She was not ordinary, at all. In fact, she was one of the ancient ones of the wolves. She was the last descendant of the wolves who were called 'the speakers' among other wolves. Hence, she also knew of the language of the speakers.

Sophie cuddled herself into Artemis and it was only after a long series of prodding from Artemis that she gave up on cuddling and stood up. It was only then that she noticed the particular smell which she could recognize anywhere. Her eyes widened in surprise.

She growled. "Werewolf. I smell him. Werewolf king."

Artemis' eyebrows shot up in surprise. That's new. I only knew him to be a rogue werewolf. I should discuss this with Thalia.

Soon, the rustlings of leaves were heard and a group of fifteen girls and about forty-five boys of ages near 20 appeared in the clearing. Artemis smiled when she saw Phoebe leading the group. She had been away from Artemis for almost five years. She still looked the same. She wore her hunter's outfit with silver stripes as she had thousands of years ago. Her black hair went up to her shoulder and the lieutenant's silver circlet adorned her hair. Her red eyes gleamed with the lust for war the children of Mars were known for. At her side was her husband, Jason Stephen. He had a jolly face and was quite handsome for someone of his age(40). His blue eyes sparkled with mirth. He was a mortal but an excellent swordsman. He could also identify the elements in an individual by just looking at him/her. Phoebe rushed forward and embraced Artemis while Jason merely bowed.

"Lady Artemis, what happened here? It looks like a battle field." Phoebe asked.

"Drakon attack and poison."

"Which one?"

"Maeonian drakon."

"Holy Hades! What the hell happened? Please explain, milady."

So, Artemis explained everything from how Andy mistook drakons helping some humans and attacked them, how she killed them and how the drakon followed them to the beach where she paralysed Andy and met her death by Perseus' hand. Phoebe nodded at each point of the story. She didn't show surprise at Perseus' arrival.

"Why aren't you surprised?"

"I already know that if there is someone Perseus loves, it's Andy. People gossips about how the murderer of New Athens is after his sister. I don't know if it's true or not. No one can blame him if he does, considering our own heritage. We who knew him from past knows that he would go to any lengths to protect his loved ones. Once, we were his loved ones, until we betrayed him by accusing him of treason. Every time Andy is in danger and we're unable to help her, he always arrives. Same happened here. No surprise."

"Anyway, don't tell her that Perseus helped us. He's nearby and she will kill him." Phoebe nodded and they both went to the hunters. Artemis summoned a vial of water and began sprinkling water on hunters. Soon, they began to become conscious. Groaning, they woke up and looked around frantically, searching for Andy and drakon. They were surprised to find that the drakon was nowhere to be seen. They looked around for Andy and saw her, lying unconscious on the sand. They turned to both the goddesses for an explanation.

"My Lady, how did we survive? Did you two defeat her?"

"We, too, were poisoned; Lord Perseus helped us. But don't tell Andy. I don't want another conflict between demigods and monsters. Understood?"

Everyone nodded. They all knew Andy's motive for revenge for killing her mother. While they respected that, they didn't want to walk into a war. It was the sensible decision. Also, there was more of a chance for Perseus to kill Andy in a full-fledged duel.

By this time, Andy has also become conscious and looked around to know whether she was in the underworld. She looked around and found Artemis and her sisters.

"My Lady, I am sorry for almost leading to my sisters' death. I will accept any punishment you or the Council give me. I made a mistake and deserve death for letting my prejudice get the better off me to lead everyone to a war. Why didn't she kill me?"

"We were able to convince her to withhold her justice. There won't be any war. I made sure of it."

"Did you? She wouldn't agree. I know it. I killed her family. She wouldn't rest until I'm killed. I know this from experience."

"She really did agree, Andy. She-"

"You're a terrible liar, Lady Artemis. Why didn't she kill me? The facts don't add up."

Every bit of the rebel her stubborn brother had been.

"I don't know why you're not believing me, Andy."

Andy doesn't seem to be listening. She was muttering, "-facts don't add up. Lady Athena always says that facts should add up. She won't rest until I'm dead. And I am not dead, meaning she is dead. Only someone of the sea and not a God can kill her. I was out, Mickey cannot hold a sword properly. A God is definitely out of question. And it really smells like someone of the sea or water was here. Dad? No, he wouldn't have. Triton? No, he cannot however he may wish otherwise. That leaves only…" As she was contemplating this, a man came out of a cabin nearby and went towards the sea.

"Perseus." Suddenly, Artemis' attempt to lie made sense. She was always trying to avoid fights between them. Maybe she thinks I would die before my time at his hands. I need to fight smarter and harder than usual.

"My Lady, don't try to stop me. I have someone to kill." She took up her sword and shield and calmly moved towards him. One way or the other, I am going to stop this feud today. Either he dies or I die.


Thalia came out of the cabin to see the tall figure who was just staring at the sea. Motionless, with his back towards her. Dawn has arrived. The sky was becoming red, with the first rays of sun approaching them. The moon was also in the sky. In the rare moment of dawn, both the sun and the moon appear together, symbolizing the unity of the twins of Leto.

She saw Andy moving forward towards Perseus who was beginning to show the first sign of motion.

"Percy, you have to go. Andy is coming."

"I don't have to do anything I don't want to, goddess. I'm a free man. I want to kill that girl who is causing Percy nothing but grief."

"Please, Perseus leave. Don't kill her. She is your sister. Percy wouldn't want that."

Percy said nothing but raised his arms and made a swirling motion. At first, nothing happened. But within seconds, a watery screen was forming, like in an Iris message. What is he doing? He made notions and muttered in an unknown language until the screen became an opaque one. He seemed to mutter something and soon a face appeared in the screen.

The face was one of a young man, mostly at late-twenties. He had a normal body like humans and could be mistaken for a mortal if not for the environment in which he stood and his eyes. The eyes were black as night and had a deep depth to them, as if a whole world was within them. Well, it is technically true. His surrounding was the worst of any environment she had ever seen. The ground was red-hot and molten like in the center of a volcano. A river of fire could be seen in the background. This was a place he was famous for. From the expression on others with him, they were having problems breathing. He was having his back to Perseus and he was ordering something to others. Even from this much distance, Thalia could feel the power flowing from him and the black aura surrounding him. She could feel the fear coursing through her.

Perseus however did not waver from his monotone. "Lord Tartarus. I need a favour."

"Ah! Perseus. Don't scare me like that. Can't you give me a notice first? Iris does that. You and your water portals! Anyway, before we talked about the favour, I must tell you something. I am getting... what do mortals call that? Wedding jitters, right? Yes, I am getting wedding jitters."

Wedding jitters? What the hell? Thalia wondered. Is it his wedding? Isn't he supposed to be terrifying? Not like this. He is acting like mortals before their marriage. When Thalia continued to watch, she could see that Perseus was saying something to calm the primordial.

"- All are taken care of, Lord Tartarus. Everything is in order and your bride's parents will come for the wedding. They don't know about your immortality. Only she knows that. So, do not frighten them with your irises. Use the Mist. Also, try not to bring your bride to the 'happy places' in Tartarus after the wedding. Wouldn't want to frighten her now, do you?"

"Me, frighten her? Never. I love her. And who said anything about going there? Only one like you would wander there and bring your love there. That's if you had any. Why do I sent my love to that-"

"Yeah, yeah. You love her-yada yada. Now, onto that favour I asked."

"What favour?"

"I want the revival of three drakons, fast. Killed in this week."

"Drakons? Maeonian ones? Gosh, Perseus. Keep a lock on your anger and bloodlust or you are going to get killed one of these times. Well, give me three minutes and it will be done."

"Farewell, Lord Tartarus. I'll see you at the wedding." Perseus made a notion with his hand and the opaque screen of water disappeared. He then began to walk towards the forest, completely ignoring the group watching him who had accompanied Andy as she came to him.

"Murderer! Face me." He stopped, but didn't turn around. Andy, angry at this, controlled the blood in his body and made an 'up' gesture with her hand. Though the body offered much resistance more than she had anticipated and this was draining her, she was determined to do this. She had to do this for her mother. She made him turn around. She immediately let go of her control and let loose an arrow made of water. She watched with glee as the arrow pierced his chest and he dropped to the ground, spilling blood making the sand near him a reddish colour.

"That was for my mother." She said to him or his dead body, more precisely as he is either dead or soon to be dead.

But when she was about to turn around, she saw a frightening scene. He just stood up, with the arrow still in his chest, most probably protruding from the other end.

"That's not enough to kill me." He said in his monotone as if getting arrows to the body were a daily thing to him. He touched the arrow and plucked the arrow right out of his chest without any visible sign of pain. Andy began to prepare herself for a battle. She summoned her sword and shield. She was surprised when he just simply walked away.

Atlanta, daughter of Apollo, was her best friend. She said to her, "Let's provoke him. Then we could arrange a duel where you can kill him and avenge your mother."

"It is a good idea, Atlanta. You go first; you are the best at provoking someone that you could annoy even a stone."

Atlanta just laughed, "Ha-ha! It's skill in situations like this. Watch and learn, Andy."

Atlanta moved forward, ignoring her brothers and sisters looks of concern. What could go wrong? It is just to provoke him and he would not dare hurt her with her family with her.

She started, "Murderer! Get back here."

"Rapist!"

Andy, becoming excited at a challenge, took after Atlanta, "Murderer of a whole city!"

"Coward. Get back here."

Still, he didn't slow down. Atlanta knew that she would have to insult him further to provoke him. So, she decided to further it up by a notch.

"Are you even hearing, what we're saying, stupid moron? Mother killer!"

That slowed him down, Atlanta thought gleefully.

Andy picked up the pace. "Face us, coward. Oh! What did I expect from the son of a slut? Of course, he would be a coward. Must have took after your mother, huh? She wasn't contend with sleeping with one god. She had to seduce two gods at the same time to produce an asshole like you."

Perseus suddenly stopped, his fists clenching. Artemis and Thalia gasped. It was a dirt trick to say that about his mother. Everyone knew that he loved his mother very much.

This is not gonna end good, Artemis and Thalia thought.

Perseus was the son of both Poseidon and Neptune. Poseidon's love for his mother so strong that when he met her, she saw him as complete. Neither Greek nor Roman only, but both. It was also one of the reasons why he was one of the strongest sons of the sea god.

Andy and Atlanta, successful at their attempts fist-pumped each other. He still hasn't turned to face them but they could see that the words had the intended reaction from him. When they started to speak some more provocative words, he interrupted them.

"What did you say?"

Andy replied for Atlanta, "Don't you have ears? Do I need to repeat? She called your mother a slut as it was who she was. She-"

Andy was interrupted with a loud "ENOUGH" from Perseus.

He quickly turned around. He let loose a wave of power and the tides responded by rushing towards him.

So, he is the God of tides. No matter. Andy thought gleefully at the prospect of the opportunity to fight her hated brother.

"YOU WANT A DUEL, SEA SPAWN? YOU GOT IT!"

"Bring it on, asshole."


Review your response to this please and PM me if you have any ideas.

Hoping to get the next chapter up in a week, bye.