Chapter 55 - The Gift
Percy quickly fell into a routine. From mid-November, when he'd met Kronos in New York, he found his weeks split between school in New York and weekends in Alaska. Every Friday evening after he ate, he'd find Kronos in his room offering him a hand.
His weekends were torn between studying his work, which with his ADHD was a nightmare with everything that went on at the Titans' Camp. Percy found himself quickly talking with Luke again, sharing experiences with the gods, and their adventures. Percy realised Kronos wasn't around all the time, but he clearly made an effort to drop in on the weekends while Percy was there.
Percy didn't miss the sharp warning glares from the other Titans whom stayed at the Camp, or passed through to speak to Kronos. In one such time, Percy found himself face-to-face with Hyperion when the Titan had barged into the room with a heavy scowl on his face. It wasn't exactly a meeting Percy wanted – he could put up with Kronos, but he didn't really want to spend loads of time around his brothers. All of them – Kronos included – were psychopaths. One psychopath was enough for Percy to deal with.
Still, Hyperion had barged in the week after Percy just arrived, already glowering even before he saw Percy sprawled across the bed – Kronos' bed, apparently, not that he needed one – with his schoolwork spread everywhere. Hyperion ignored it, muddy boots spraying flecks of mud over the mostly-pristine white paper. Percy groaned. "Careful," he grumbled, trying to hide his unease. Kronos had at least already warned him that his brothers were poking around and were likely to visit Percy. He'd also mentioned in passing that if Percy actually intended to stick around, then he'd have to get used to their company… and them with his.
Hyperion just glowered at him. Despite it being nearly winter and freezing in late November, the house was warmed with magic – as Kronos had explained in an elaborate explanation that went completely over Percy's head – and Hyperion's presence just made it uncomfortably warm. "It seems you just don't learn, Perseus," Hyperion said darkly.
Percy gathered his schoolwork into semi-neat piles, trying to protect them from the Titan as the immortal's nose crinkled when he caught sight of an elaborate diagram. "I am a slow learner," Percy agreed nonchalantly. "Seems you guys aren't though. Nice little Camp. Like the Alaska idea," he said.
Hyperion just looked irritated by his answer. "We do not like you, half-blood. Make no mistake, the moment Kronos decides he wants to throw you aside, then we will kill you. I'll place your burnt skull on a pike myself," he threatened.
Percy shrugged. "Something tells me that if Kronos wanted to do that, he'd kill me himself." He grinned at Hyperion. "Just seems like his style." And Percy knew he wouldn't see it coming. But it gave him a decent rush at the danger of trying to have a relationship with Kronos… however it may turn out. Percy was fully aware that at any moment Kronos might decide to kill him. "So there will probably be a line."
The Titan stared at him. "He can kill you," he agreed. "But I will incinerate your body so nothing remains but ash."
The mortal evenly met Hyperion's gaze. Kronos had suggested to Percy that he not act like a 'terrified little mortal' if his brothers threatened him… and had reminded Percy himself that if any one of them were going to kill Percy, it would be Kronos himself. It was at least somewhat relieving to know that none of the other Titans would kill him out of respect for Kronos. "Put it this way," Percy said, putting down Riptide, which he was using to doodle with as he glanced at Hyperion. "If I do get what I want eventually – immortality – then you can kill me as many times as you want."
That gave Hyperion paused. He accessed Percy again, narrowing his burning eyes at him. But Percy could see that the Titan liked that suggestion. "I would prefer for you to die a horrible, agonising death," he finally said.
Percy shrugged. "Yeah. I'm sure others would too," he agreed, conceding the point.
Hyperion gave one last warning look at Percy, before he started for the door.
"It's interesting, y'know," Percy finally said to Hyperion's back. "You guys seem a lot closer than the Big Three are. You can actually stand each other." Even the mockery between them all seemed almost light-hearted, he recalled between Iapetus and the sisters there'd been clear tension, but also partly for the entertainment value of mocking their siblings. Percy was an only child, he wasn't sure he'd ever understand the relationship between siblings.
He was surprised when Hyperion's shoulders shook with laugher. The Titan briefly turned to face Percy. "It was not always that way. In our youth, we took turns at war. There was little to do before we killed the Sky. So we would batter each other each time we met. Kronos rarely joined – he knew he was smaller and weaker than the rest of us back then, he would not stand a chance. Our father, he discouraged any familiarity forming between us… he feared our combined strengths, and for good reason," Hyperion said pridefully.
It was around two weeks after this routine began, now early December, that Percy noticed the ground shifting and churning just beyond the large house he'd been staying in. He was sat outside on the porch, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans as he tried to focus on his work – difficult when there were half-bloods laughing and training with each other in the distance. It should've been cold, but the temperature was kept reasonably warm in the winter months. Percy didn't know how, but he was sure Kronos had mentioned it to him at one point. Still, the sight of the minor earthquake in the ground alarmed Percy and he immediately uncapped Riptide, pointing the sword at the patch of dirt.
Percy winced when the earth rose up for formed a figure, one which he certainly didn't recognise. His eyes narrowed as the dirt solidified and changed, the muddy brown becoming bronze skin. Black hair formed from the head of the figure, flowing down to her midback. An emerald green peplos solidified over her skin, with a himation thrown over the top. Green eyes as bright as any rainforest opened, fixed unerringly on Percy.
Past the figure, Percy could see that the majority of the Camp had stopped. Half-bloods were pointing at them and whispering, and some of them scattered towards the cabins. Percy cleared his throat. "Gaea, right?" He asked. If the earth moving hadn't already given it away, her eyes would've too.
The Primordial's gaze was completely on Percy. The demigod felt like crawling into a hole and hiding… though on second thought, she'd probably crush him inside the hole. Percy shifted his feet slightly, not really sure what he should be doing. This was Kronos' mother, who also happened to have been on opposite sides of a war with Percy only a few months ago. Percy kept his sword between him and the Primordial.
Gaea seemed to be observing him very closely, and whatever she saw, she seemed to find lacking. The Primordial seemed disappointed with him. "Perseus Jackson," she said.
"Percy," Percy corrected.
Gaea narrowed her eyes at him. Percy snapped his mouth shut, and a flicker of a smile crossed her lips. "It occurs to me that my son and you seem to have come to an agreement," the Primordial mused.
"Less of an agreement and more of… an unspoken, mutual understanding not to kill each other?" Percy offered.
Gaea raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. That is more than he told me." The Primordial goddess' hands were clasped in front of her. For such a dangerous and ancient deity, she seemed quite calm. Very unnerving, yes, but calm. "There are some thing he does not like to tell me. This is one of them." She tilted her head to the side. "Imagine my surprise when Porphyrion informed me that the demigod Kronos had brought back to be sacrificed for me was in fact one whom was mated to him. Or not."
Percy's eyes furrowed. "Not?"
Gaea only smiled. "There is much you do not understand of a Titan, child. My children are great, and they are powerful, but even they are bound by Laws of the land which cannot be broken. There is one such Law regarding mating which must be upheld, lest the bond fail and splinter before long. From the whispers I have heard, this Law was not followed – which Kronos knows very well."
Riptide wavered in the air, dropping slightly. Percy frowned. "What Law?" He demanded.
The Primordial's smile grew. "Perhaps you should ask Kronos," she said. "He knows exactly what I am speaking of."
"He's away," Percy said.
Gaea's eyes momentarily turned the sickly green of the Oracle, briefly taking Percy aback. "Not for much longer," she said after they returned to the bright forest green. "Your bond with Kronos was never completed," Gaea stated to Percy. "Which is why it baffles me that he lingers."
Percy gaped. "That's – no, it was," he firmly said.
Her laugh made the ground tremble, and Percy recalled for a sharp moment exactly whom he was speaking to – the incarnation of the earth itself. And Kronos' mother. A chill tracked down his spine as she spoke, "It was not." She took a step towards Percy, turning Riptide to stone with a touch of a finger. Percy's eyes widened. "Why else do you think he lay with Porphyrion?" Gaea questioned. "Why else would he be so reluctant consistently to stay around you? He is Kronos, my son and the son of Ouranos, the King of Othrys and Lord of the Titans, with a power unmatched by any other deity – bar Primordials. And yet you don't think that if he had wished, he would have been capable of spending time with you instead of always flying off?"
"He's a King," Percy defended. "He's busy."
"Times past, Kronos would delegate to his brothers whenever he did not wish to carry out any duties," Gaea informed Percy. "And yet, he did not do so when he could have been spending time with you. Curious, is it not?"
Percy's mouth was dry as he stared at the Primordial, trying to figure out what she was telling him. But the Earth Mother seemed to be speaking in riddles to Percy. "What are you trying to say?" Percy asked.
Gaea's green eyes darkened, turning a muddy green instead of their light forest colour. A chill ran down Percy's spine. "My son had no desire to mate with a demigod, with a mortal," she hissed. "And he knew exactly how to make it seem as if he had, without actually doing so." The Primordial's presence had become truly terrifying, and for the first time ever Percy wished he could board a plane to get away from her. "Remember my words, Perseus Jackson," she said fiercely to Percy. In the distance, Percy spotted a golden-winged figure shooting towards them at insane speeds. Gaea's words sped up, as if eager to see her part said before Kronos arrived. "If you dare to mate with my son, then you will have made an enemy out of me."
Kronos landed in a flurry of snow, enveloping both Gaea and Percy. He took a few running steps before stopping next to the two of them, golden eyes uneasily flickering between them. "Do I need to separate you two?" There was a small pouch at his side.
Gaea's eyes were back to their bright green, the colour imitating that of the Oracle as she cast her eyes to Kronos. "Well?"
Kronos frowned, still looking suspiciously between them. He wordlessly reached out and lowered Riptide, giving them both a pointed look as the blade shimmered and the earth removed itself from the celestial bronze, turning to dust and floating to the ground. "Please do not hold a sword against my mother. It is terrible manners," he scolded Percy. He returned his gaze to Gaea, crossing his arms as Percy numbly put the cap to Riptide's blade and pocketed the pen, his mind racing. "I couldn't get close," he curtly said, looking disturbed. "Not without being noticed. But there's definitely something there causing problems. I'm surprised you can't feel it."
Gaea only hummed. "My oracular abilities are those which feed Delphi. I continue to feed her, but clearly there is a stranglehold over the pipeline towards lesser deities." Kronos twitched slightly, annoyance flashing across his face. Percy was completely lost as he listened. "I do not understand why you are suddenly so concerned over prophecies again, Kronos. Do not forget the consequences of becoming overfocused on the last one," Gaea warned.
"I remember." Kronos pressed his lips together. "Nothing," he muttered finally. "It's nothing." The Titan's eyes flicked towards Percy, gaze startlingly sombre.
Percy blinked. "I don't understand – what's this about?"
Gaea sighed. "Kronos has been complaining of late that he is losing his Sight."
Kronos scowled. "Something's wrong with your Oracle."
Annoyance flashed in Gaea's eyes and she looked rather offended. "My Oracle is perfectly fine," Gaea defended sharply. "Clearly, something is interfering." She poked Kronos in the chest. "And if you are so concerned, then perhaps you should intervene yourself."
"What do you think I'm trying to do?" Kronos grumbled. "I told you: I just went to Delphi, but couldn't get close enough to poke about without alerting others. Delphi is one of the most defended regions in your realm. Don't you think you should worry a little if something is wrong with your one Oracle?"
"No," Gaea dismissed. "It will sort itself out eventually. These things always do."
Percy's eyes flicked between the two, completely fascinated by the partly aggressive conversation between the two. Gaea was warding Percy away from Kronos, and yet at the same time, the two seemed not to like each other too much.
"Yes," Kronos said. "But whom is going to die this time before it does?"
Gaea's gaze blanked slightly as she stared at Kronos. Her gaze drifted down to the pouch at his side. Green eyes narrowed. "Have you committed a theft, child of mine?"
"No," Kronos said. He crossed his arms. "And if you are going to accuse me of something, I need to understand the charge before I am to attempt to discredit it. Otherwise, I know not what you refer to."
Gaea only raised an eyebrow. "It seems I must take my leave," she said as she stepped back. She offered Percy a thin smile and clearly angry, as if forgetting that she'd been threatening him before Kronos arrived. "Perseus." Gaea's smile that she turned towards Kronos was far more genuine. "Son."
Kronos just grunted in response, and Gaea dissolved into the earth. Percy stared down at the ground as it bubbled and rippled like the ocean before smoothing back over.
Kronos stared at the place Gaea had been too, but he spoke to Percy. "How bad was it before I arrived?"
Percy blinked, his gaze turning to Kronos. "Your bond with Kronos was never completed," Gaea had said. Percy studied the parts of Kronos' face that he could see, not knowing what that meant. "She turned Riptide to stone," he said to Kronos.
The Titan Lord's lips twitched. "Yes, she likes doing that. Did it to my scythe once for weeks until I agreed to listen to her. Gaea does not like to be ignored." Kronos finally turned his head to Percy. "But what did she say to you?" He asked, an odd look on his face.
"She threatened me over you," Percy said. "It's nothing. I'm fine," he said to Kronos. Kronos didn't look like he believed him, but Percy was surprised when he didn't push. Instead, the Titan Lord nodded. "So what's up with your Oracle powers?"
Kronos scowled. "I cannot See," he said. "Overnight it seems that someone has broken Delphi."
Percy raised an eyebrow. "Is that possible?" He asked.
"This is the first time it has happened," Kronos said. He seemed completely bewildered. "I See some, but not enough to know."
"To know what?" Percy asked.
Kronos stared at him, before returning his gaze to the Camp. "Do you wish to spar?"
Percy blinked. "What?" He asked, the change of subject surprising him.
"Spar," Kronos repeated. "Train."
"I know what it means," Percy defended. "I'm not that stupid." Kronos' smirk made Percy glare at him. "Just surprised. You've never asked that before."
Kronos tilted his head to the side slightly. "You can never have enough training." He wordlessly held the pouch out to Percy. "It's for you," he said. "Do not open it."
Percy stared before slowly taking it. His eyes furrowed. He could feel there was something inside the pouch, but not what. "What is it?"
The Titan's gaze was sombre as he studied Percy. "Something you may need down the road. If I could See, then I would know. But I thought perhaps it is better to be prepared." The Titan summoned Backbiter, the blade resting over his shoulder. "You can thank Luke for the theft. He's been told not to tell you what it is, however." Kronos' golden eyes burned into Percy's soul. "You must open the pouch only when you cannot think of another option," he said to Percy. "That is vital, Perseus. There is a time ward and many more besides over that pouch to shield it from fire, from water and from time… among others. If you open it, those wards will break. And you will not get another."
Percy was only confused. He slowly pocketed the pouch. "I… thank, I guess?" He said.
Kronos only started towards the arena. Percy sighed as he stared at his back, thinking over Gaea's comments to him before he slowly stepped after Kronos.
Percy didn't understand.
How had he never completed the mating with Kronos?
AND WELCOME TO TOA. Yes, Kronos is going to be involved here. I won't say how much or anything like that, but he's noticed something wrong with the Oracle already.
I want guesses about what Kronos' gift is to Percy! It's going to be very important later down the line haha.
isurilakmini48: CbD will not be continued anytime soon. But I hope I will eventually finish it.
spikesolid: CbD will not be continued anytime soon. But I hope I will eventually finish it.
Moonstone23: thanks!
Gremlin: yeah, twins just makes that so much worse, doesn't it? XD. Hyperion's kids haha, I figure they'd just like to sit around in fire pits. Kronos is always a petty bitch haha, it's what makes him so great. Hyperion will not be happy with the Helios situation, I am confirming that now! Percy and Kronos will both avoid and ignore their problems until they're shoved in their faces and forced to deal with them haha. I am saying nothing about the Percy-Kronos future situations, sorry XD. FUCK ZEUS.
