Percy Jackson: Shadows Rise

by SkyRunn3r

An ancient betrayal brought to light, plots amongst the Gods and a new prophecy could herald the end for the Era of the Gods, and Olympus as a whole. Annabeth and the remainder of the seven struggle to save their friends and family without Percy, he died in Tartarus. Or did he? How far will Percy go to save his family? Welcome to a darker PJO world, Enjoy!

23. Chapter 23: An Age of Fire

Chapter Twenty Three: The Age of Fire

Comment Responses:

Squidey: Yea that's the idea, I want to write what feels best for the story, and i'm still not entirely sure what that is myself. But I promise whatever I write will be good :)

I hope he finds his sister soon as well, but it might not be the prettiest reunion ever. Enjoy the chapter!

Meryfcuckery: I think most people want to see that fight at some point in their PJO reading career. Hopefully I can deliver on it haha. Enjoy the chapter!

Guest: Both of those sound interesting but we will have to wait and see. As always I promise the romance part of Shadows will be good ;). Enjoy the chapter!

Be Lekker: And the Curb stomping shall happen, I assure you ;) Enjoy the chapter!

Elexiacharlie: Ahhh it's okay, you can be honest, Cal is a manipulative dick. But I love that about his character. Definitely, Percy getting to learn how to use his powers more effectively is something I'm very excited to write. Enjoy the chapter!

HellRaiderS: Ty for the review! I'm doing my best to keep up the update schedule and im so glad this arc is coming to an end haha. I've been waiting to write this climax for weeks now. Enjoy the chapter!

Guest: Yea im not entirely sure what i'm going to do myself yet. Part of me still wants to leave it as one book until it's finished. But it will be massive as this arc is only ⅓ of the total book and probably the shorter arc if i'm being honest.

You'll get your fill of Percy next chapter, promise ;). Enjoy!

Prietar: I just started watching One Piece this year, and I just finished the alabasta Arc last night. Shit made me cry like a little girl. Oda is a goddamn genius and I honestly look forward to watching it every day lol.

Didn't know that was Whitebeard's power but that's a cool coincidence! Enjoy the story!

As always I'd like to throw a shout out to my Beta readers and those who are in discord. I really appreciate all your guys help with the editing and if you want to be a part of that process or see the teasers before chapters release join the discord server:

h938mt5jRM

Enjoy the chapter folks!

Artemis 4 Days and 45 Minutes After Eripus

The throne room of Olympus was quiet, save for the image of the ruined battlefield around Camp-Halfblood and the Roman camp.

Already the majority of the monstrous army had been slaughtered, in no small part due to that crazed Ardwyrian, Who had vanished from their sight shortly after he dispatched the three Titans.

However, that didn't make Artemis feel any better, the storm wasn't gone. Which likely meant he wasn't either.

Which added a whole new host of problems, because the Titans army had been shattered. Thousands of monsters died in less than half an hour and mostly at the hands of this crazed Ardwyrian.

"Is he dead?" Apollo asked from his throne as Artemis glanced around the room.

Zeus had flashed away moments after the Ardwyr had vanished. Athena and the others had no idea as to where he had gone, which usually meant he was off sleeping with another mortal sadly. Meanwhile Poseidon, Hestia and Hades had left a short while after, chatting in hushed voices about something.

The older Olympians had continued to leave, the next pair had been when Hera and Demeter stood and locked eyes for a moment before they too simply left the throne room.. Flashing from the chamber in an instant.

For the last five to ten minutes no one had spoken a word, at least until Apollo had shattered the silence suddenly with a dumb question.

"If he was dead…. The storm would be gone, you idiot…" Artemis snapped at her brother, never once taking her eyes off the scene of destruction before her.

"Jeez Arty… no need to bite my head oo- CHAOS! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!" Apollo screamed out as he leapt from his throne. Barely avoiding the arrow Artemis fired in his direction as she leveled a steely glare at him.

"Maybe if you had taken the time to let us know YOUR VISIONS WERENT WORKING! WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS BEFOREHAND!" Artemis screamed at him. "YOU DON'T GET TO JOKE AROUND, AND YOU DON'T GET TO CALL ME ARTY." She finished as she walked right up to him.

Grabbing the front of his chiton with one hand as she dragged him close, "If my hunters die tonight, I blame you and father…. And I will never forgive either of you…" Artemis growled out as she let her brother go.

She was also completely unsurprised when he vanished in a flash of golden light.

"Artemis that wasn't very tactful…" Athena said dryly.

"Fuck off Athena… I'm not in the mood to put up with him" Artemis said as she grit her teeth in frustration.

"... not like you ever are.. He's a man after all" Aphrodite added casually as she was filing her nails on her throne. "If you two were sisters I imagine you would get along swimmingly…" Aphrodite added.

"He's a filthy sexual deviant, and sleeps with anything that walks on two legs… I could never get along with someone like that" Artemis said with a sneer as she looked at Aphrodite. "Male or female…." she finished, a slight smirk on her face.

"Well dear, perhaps when you realize that your own choices are equally as disgusting to some of us, you might actually understand your brother's position. But I think that's a bit much for you, after all. You're Artemis, bane of men, protector of women." Aphrodite said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well except the one you turned into a bear after she was raped by your father no less, and the girls you've cast out of your hunt for just thinking about breaking their oath. By all logic, I'd rather be a woman your brother knows than one you do… At least with Apollo he lets those he cares about make their own decisions, and doesn't turn them into animals for kicks. With you it's your way, or something far more unpleasant." Aphrodite said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Artemis stared at her in wide eyed rage as she reached for her bow once more.

"It's a wonder he puts up with you, not the other way around. But, I could hardly expect someone as cold hearted as you to understand that" Aphrodite said with a giggle as she disappeared in a puff of pink smoke, narrowly avoiding the arrow that slammed into her throne within milliseconds of her disappearance.

"Anyone else feel like making a stupid comment? …" Artemis said darkly as she looked at Hephaestus who for a moment had raised his hand and opened his mouth. Then he winced, shook his head and vanished in a burst of flames.

A quick glare at Hermes wiped the smile from his face as he vanished without a word.

Which had left exactly four Gods in the throne room. Athena, Dionysus, Ares and Herself.

"Cowards, all of them…." Artemis growled out as she looked back at the camp in despair. She could feel her huntresses fighting, she could feel their fear and hear their pleas for her help.

For a few moments the throne room was quiet, filled with just the crackle of the hearth, and sounds of battle coming from the iris message. Then Ares spoke, standing from his throne as he did so.

"On that we agree sister…" Ares said, surprising Artemis slightly as he gestured to the images of the camp with his sword. "Our father wants us to hide from this Ardwyr" he said spitting the word out with loathing. "He thinks it will beat me in battle… I AM THE GOD OF WAR!" Ares roared as the flames on his throne crackled and the faces melded into his armor screamed and wailed in agony.

"We let this Ardwyrian make fools of us, destroying the Titans while we sit here and watch! All the while our children fight for us… against an enemy made and bred by our father and his siblings!" Ares growled in frustration.

"I agree with you brother, they cite the ancient rules as if it means something. Yet the demigods…. Our children would not be facing this danger if not for their actions…" Athena said in an equally frustrated tone as she looked at Ares.

"So what are you two suggesting then?" Dionysus said from his throne as he looked at them, his eyes swirling with a multicolored purple glow.

"We go kill the little shit…" Ares growled out.

Artemis practically leapt to her feet as she drew her bow. "Enough talk then Ares, between you and I he's going to die, painfully. You saw what happened to the Romans when he smashed into their camp! Nearly a dozen dead, even more with burns and broken bones…. And he walked out of there without a scratch or a care in the world."

"The Greeks fared better, but between the storm and the destructive battle he fought with the Titans I suspect the Roman legions cannot claim the same…" Athena said with a shake of her head.

"He better not have laid a finger on my huntresses" Artemis snarled as her body started to glow with a pale silver aura. "Not if he wants to be breathing when I drag him here in chains that is"

"What you suggest is bordering insubordination if not outright treason." Dionysus added casually with a smirk as he looked at Ares. "Come brother dont tell me you actually agree with this idea. He just fought six titans single handedly?"

"They lost to Olympus once before, and we have beaten the Giants, stronger foes than the Titans ever were! I think our father grows old in his dotage and his fear of these Ardwyrians is misplaced." Ares said with a derisive snort.

"Yes, but we fought as one! With the ot-" Dionysus started to say before Artemis turned and leveled a fierce glare in his direction, stopping him mid-sentence as he immediately found himself far more interested in closing his mouth than talking.

"Tell me where the other gods are?" Athena snorted in disgust as she gestured to the empty throne room. "Gone, and they left the mess for our children to clean up. Trials and challenges are one thing, but this is a God Killer. What hope do children have?" she growled in frustration as she slammed the butt of her spear off the marble floor.

"So what, we break the ancient laws? Fight the Ardwyr against the advice of our father and uncles? Then what?" Dionysus added quickly.

"Then we celebrate, once he's dead…" Ares said darkly, as he hefted his sword and set it on his shoulder, walking over to stand beside Artemis.

"For once, we can agree on something Ares…" Athena added as she walked over to stand beside Artemis, her armor glowing faintly with a golden aura as her helm appeared on her head in an instant.

"This is madness….." Dionysus said quietly as he looked at the images of destruction that played across the Iris message in the middle of the room.

"We are Gods, Olympians at that Dionysus" Artemis said in thinly disguised rage as she watched the small-scale battle occurring on the borders of camp half blood. A group of a few hundred monsters remained, and they had, for whatever reason, begun a fight with the campers.

She could see the occasional silver garbed figure dashing about the fray, while several more stood on the hill nearby and rained arrows down into the thick of the battle. What was worse was feeling the fear some of her younger huntresses felt, the panic. And worst of all, she had been ignoring the cries for help for the last thirty minutes.

Her hand was clenched into a fist so tightly, that her nails had sliced open her palm, sending a steady trickle of ichor down her hand, dripping to the floor.

It was like someone was tearing her heart out, her father, her brother. Even Hestia, the one person she cared for more than almost anyone else, save Athena. All of them had betrayed her, all of them had made her sit and watch while her hunters. While her adopted daughters fought a battle for them against a foe her own family was too scared to fight.

"None of us deserve our seats or our titles if we can't stop one man… He may be powerful, but according to Hades he is indeed mortal." Athena added from beside Ares as the two were inspecting their weapons.

"There has to be a way to kill him, he clearly has some sort of rapid healing, be it magic or innate. Otherwise he would have died from blood loss, not even including his wounds." Dionysus said as he rose from his throne, an uneasy expression on his face.

"Oh, decided to join us now have we?" Ares asked with a smirk.

"Oh it had nothing to do with your decisions, simply what father will do if the three of you lose or Chaos forbid one of our sisters is faded…" Dionysus said in an exhausted tone of voice as he was surrounded with a flash of golden light.

Which faded to reveal him standing, having donned an old set of armor, which appeared to have been made of bronze and trimmed in some sort of Iron. In addition to this he wore an almost comically large purple cloak and carried his Thyrsus staff loosely in one hand.

"If it was discovered I sat here while the three of you went to fight, Well I might as well give up my throne here and now…. You two are his favorites" Dionysus said with a sigh as he gestured towards Artemis and Athena. "

"So.. what you're saying is…. That you're saving your own skin on the off chance we don't win?" Athena said as she glared at Dionysus.

"Consider it a token gesture, this plan is madness… but that's something I can get behind" Dionysus said with a wild grin as he walked forwards and stood in front of Artemis.

"Whatever, can we go… every second we waste here is another second that one of my hunters could be hurt or dying. Enough posturing and politics, we need to go." Artemis said in anger as she started to gather her power.

However, she was stopped when Athena laid her hand on her shoulder and gestured towards the Iris message in concern, as suddenly the storm seemed to freeze for a moment. Every droplet of water in the air froze motionless, to hang like tiny jewels suspended high above the ground. It was beautiful, Athena had to admit, like a painting that would hang within a museum, but it remained that way only for a moment.

Then a sound, not unlike glass shattering, rang out from the iris message as the Ares and Dionysus turned their attention back to the image in confusion. The water frozen in the air crashing back down to the ground in an instant.

At first the sounds were faint, growing louder and louder with each passing moment as eventually a strange mist began to creep out of the forest. Followed slowly by an ever expanding sheet of ice.

"What in ….." Athena started to say.

However whatever she said next was drowned out by the sound of a thousand glass plates shattering as the edge of the forest exploded. Shards of ice and wood flying in every direction, and from the wreckage, came the Ardywr.

He was battered, his armor dented and damaged. But he still looked every bit as deadly as he had when he first arrived. He had killed six titans in less than an hour, and now he was making a direct line, straight towards the camp, The camp her huntresses were currently defending

Artemis thought in a panic.

He held a strange sword in one hand, with Riptide in the other, its tip casually dragging along the ground as he marched towards the rear of the monstrous army.

He slowly picked up the speed he was moving at, until he was moving at a slow jog towards the monsters, some of whom turned to see his approach and actually began to panic. A wail of terror rising from their ranks as they turned towards him, drawing weapons and preparing to fight.

But it wasn't a fight, it was a massacre.

He reached out with one hand and suddenly dozens of monsters in the front ranks facing him exploded for lack of a better word. Blood gushed from their mouths, noses and eyes as they collapsed like dominos.

Without even a pause Ardwyr launched himself into the army, fountains of blood and monster dust marking his trail as he left a literal scar of blood and death across the ground behind him.

"By chaos…." Dionysus said in a shaky voice as he watched a large trio of giants charge towards the warrior.

"Why are we still here!" Artemis shouted out in panic as she saw her huntresses turn their bows in the direction of the Ardwyr, losing several volleys of arrows that he either didn't notice or ignored as he rapidly turned the giants into piles of golden dust.

However, before anyone could even respond to her question a crazed chuckle broke out across the throne room as it was bathed in red light. Drawing Artemis's gaze towards Ares whose eyes were wide in excitement, a huge grin spread across his face as his hand gripped his sword tightly. "This is what I've wanted for a long time…." Ares said darkly.

"A combatant worthy of the God of War" Ares added, as Athena cast a worried gaze towards Artemis before speaking. "Ares this isn't a battlefield, we are going down there to save the campers not finish the job" She added as she locked eyes with her brother.

"Oh don't worry sister…. I haven't had an opponent like this in an age, I won't lose focus…" He added with a grin as he dropped his large sword to the ground. "But this blade won't do, go give our Ardwyr friend a warm welcome. I need to fetch something first…" He added with a wild grin as the red flames licking his armor intensified.

The wails and screams emitting from his armor became a deafening roar as he vanished in a burst of golden light.

"... well you've done it now…." Dionysus added in frustration.

"He wouldn't… would he?" Athena asked as she eyed the sword lying on the floor in horror.

"If he's going to break one of fathers rules, why not break them all? And if we are being honest, I'd rather he use his actual Symbol of Power all things considered." Dionysus added quickly as he looked back towards the Iris message.

"Well sisters… it appears as if it's time for us to make a decision" He said as he gestured towards the Iris message once more.

It showed the remnants of the monster army having scattered, leaving the panting Ardwyr warrior standing alone on the field as the demigods leveled bows and weapons in his direction.

All at once the throne room filled with power as three gods began channeling their powers.

"Very well sisters, they might be demigods… but they are OUR demigods." Dionysus added angrily as his eyes swirled with power and he vanished in a flash of golden light.

Athena and Artemis nodded at each other before the throne room filled with golden light once more, before it vanished in an instant.

Leaving nothing behind but an empty throne room.

Or so it seemed, as suddenly the shadows in the corners warped and with a strange pop three old women dressed in hooded black robes blinked into existence. Their gaze directed at the Iris message as they muttered nervously to themselves.

"So another cycle has begun…." Clotho said quietly as she watched the Gods appear on the hill before the Ardwyr, weapons drawn as they prepared to fight.

"It would seem so sister…." Lachesis added solemnly.

"We could intervene, his fate is not bound to us… as irritating as that is…" Atropos added. "But perhaps we could save him the pain he is about to endure….."

"You know as well as I do the possible consequences of interfering in this…. His fate was never kind to him, and even now beyond our control as he is. His destiny calls to him…" Clotho added.

"But we could turn his course! We could show him the truth!" Atropos insisted fervently, "We cannot allow him to be manipulated like this!"

"You know we cannot do that, if he was meant to know then Chaos herself would have gifted him with the knowledge…" Clotho responded angrily.

"He is only a child…. This is too much for fate to ask of anyone…" Atropos said sadly.

"Have you considered the possibility that it is destined? We cannot see his journey in its full extent only bits and pieces where it touches and binds others ..." Lachesis said in an exhausted tone. "And even those visions are mutable… how are we to know what is essential to his success and what isn't needed"

"... you suggest that what we have seen is needed? We wouldn't put our worst enemies through this, but our greatest Hero has to endure it?!" Atropos added angrily.

"He has triumphed time and time again, even in face of the fates directed at him. We simply need to trust that if the Cycle has begun again, truly. That our grandmother has chosen well, because all of our fates rest on his shoulders." Clotho said simply as she watched the iris message.

The gods and the Ardywr appeared to have finished their short conversation and in an instant the Ardywr had launched them all away from him. A massive surge of water blasting the gods from their feet before the demigods were launched away from the impending battle.

All three of them could feel the pressure building in the air, the Ardwyr's blades lifted from the ground and he stared at the gods.

Then as Artemis launched herself at him, her blades clashing against his, the three fates felt it.

A peal like that of a bell ringing roared out around them, their domain of the fates reverberated with its power as all three of them dropped to their knees in pain.

They could feel the ripples, like a stone dropped into a pond across their domain of fates, dozens of paths once set twisting and turning on themselves as the destiny of millions was rewritten.

To the sound of a sword clashing against a dagger, Silver against Bronze, Ardwyr against Olympian.

With a groan Clotho forced herself to her feet as she looked at the iris message sadly. "It has begun sisters…..The age of The Sword and Horse is upon us once more….."

Hestia 4 Days and 45 Minutes after Eripus

It had been a long time since Hestia had set foot in Anatolia, it was not a place for which she held fond memories. Unfortunately for her however, her duties to the demigods and to her family, as arrogant and pig-headed as some of them could be, outweighed her own personal comfort.

At the very least she wasn't alone, Her brothers Poseidon and Hades had elected to join her, perhaps after seeing the wisdom in her plan, or perhaps simply to spite Zeus. She wasn't sure but regardless she was glad for the company.

The task ahead of her would require more than just raw power, it would require her to tap into the Will of Fire for the first time since the war against the Ardwyr. As effective a weapon as it was, the costs were far too grave. Which is why after it had devastated Anatolia and the land of the Ardwyr, Hestia had vowed never to use it again.

Even now Hestia wished that they had never discovered it, because as far as she was concerned every problem they now faced could be traced back to the discovery of that strange power, one they had come to know as: The Will of Fire.

In her youth, Hestia and Tharros had discovered a power, one they shared that had been unknown to the other gods of the time. It had drawn them together unlike anything else, almost as if they had been compelled to walk the same path.

Of course they had found others, but they were gone or beyond her reach now. Just like Tharros, and regardless of her brothers beside her. This path was hers to walk alone, and it had led her to one place.

Here, Hestia thought to herself with despair, the path had led to plains before Mount Erciyes.

Just looking at that mountain brought visions of blood and death to mind as she closed her eyes and looked away.

If only for a moment she could taste the ash in the air, and the screams of the dying as they burned alive in their homes filled her ears.

Hestia hadn't noticed the flames licking at the edges of her Chiton, or how the grass around her had begun to blacken and curl as waves of heat rolled off of her. However, when a firm hand was laid on her shoulder she was snapped from her recollections.

Turning to see Poseidon looking at her with an apologetic expression on his face, "To think what it could have been, what they could have been…" He said softly as he looked at the mountain.

"If only brother….." Hestia replied with a sigh as she cast her gaze across the landscape. The rugged hills were dotted with scraggly trees and hardy shrubs. A lone highway, courtesy of the mortals cut across the otherwise untouched wilderness between their towns and cities.

"Are you sure about this Hestia… it took so much for us to stop you last time and if you let her loose again…" Hades started to say, his voice filled with concern as he looked at Hestia. "I have never been able to use the power, and Poseidon, as strong as he is. Lacks your ability in this area." Hades said tactfully as he glanced at Poseidon who glared in his direction.

"I dealt with her alone last time, if I need to I shall do so again." Hestia replied curtly, slightly annoyed that Hades of all people was expressing his doubts, and partly fearful he was right.

"You asked me to do this Hades, you said it was for the good of the demigods and your children, to have someone who could fight for them. You had to understand the risks we face letting her loose… But you can be safe in the knowledge that she likely despises Zeus and myself far more than the rest of you…" Hestia said in a dull voice.

"She will forgive you, I'm sure of it… Give her time.." Poseidon said with a wince.

"She has had plenty of time, brother, several thousand years of it… Alone. I doubt anything I can say will convince her to forgive me for my part in this mess." Hestia replied, wiping a tear from her eye quickly as she did so. "However, I won't let this stand any longer… the mistakes of our past are coming back to haunt us… beyond Anatolia this was my greatest mistake, and I intend to right it…"

"Even so Hestia, to unleash Kolasi again… can you control her, if it comes to it?" Poseidon inquired casually, however the white knuckled grip he had on his trident revealed his true emotions.

"I doubt I could completely control her alone, but I could certainly slow her down. Even so, Kolasi wasn't the same after what they did to Tharros… and I can't imagine she's fared well after what we did to her, I have no idea what she will act like truthfully" Hestia said quietly as she hugged her arms against her chest as if to ward off a chill wind.

"None of us were the same after Tharros faded, how could we be? To fade one of the strongest among us so easily…." Poseidon spoke softly as he stroked the short beard he had thoughtfully. "But I do not think we acted rashly Hestia, she could have burned the world to cinders with a thought."

"So can I" Hestia replied, her eyes sparking with flames as she looked at Poseidon angrily, watching as he immediately backed away from her. "But I never have, my mistakes in Anatolia were those mistakes… Grave ones for which I can never atone, but Kolasi was a child and we never gave her the chance to show she could… instead we locked her away in a prison for all eternity." Hestia snarled as she looked away from the sea god.

"We did what we had to Hestia!: Poseidon said in frustration

"It doesnt excuse genocide brother, we started the war and chose to end it by killing women and children.. I was a fool to think that a war like that wouldn't affect Kolasi, she was a child Poseidon… and once I realized what she had become it was too late. The hateful rhetoric our brother spewed corrupted her beyond anything I could remedy." Hestia said calmly as she and her brothers began to walk towards the mountain. "Now that we need her again, We not only lack the means to control her, but i fear she may hate us as much as she hated the Ardwyrians"

"Then perhaps this is not the right course of action Hestia… if she harbors ill will against us and you cant stop her than it would be suicide to let her out now." Poseidon implored as he walked up beside Hestia quickly.

"What choice do we have, Poseidon?… if the Tartarii and their champions have risen again our only choice is to fight. We may have been the ones to wrong them, but they won't discriminate between those who are guilty and the innocent." Hades added solemnly as the three Olympians stood atop a small hill overlooking the open plains that lead to the base of the mountain.

"But even you can't deny she was too dangerous to simply let her roam free… it was regrettable but unavoidable i fear." Poseidon said in a quiet voice. While both Hestia and Hades turned to glare at him. "I was against this from the start, do not act as if it was our only choice" Hades spat out in anger.

"Perhaps when you lock your own child away you can talk to me about 'regret' and it having been 'unavoidable'... It was our fault, we should never have let her anywhere near them. And I should have been stronger… I should have stopped her, not joined her. Hestia growled at Poseidon before all the anger seemed to seep from her body once more. Only to be replaced by hesitation and silence, one which continued until they reached the mountain side.

They quickly reached the edge of a small valley that led towards a cliff face that had to be nearly one hundred feet tall. The surrounding landscape was strangely devoid of trees or large plant life of any kind.

Hestia walked towards the cliff, her heart hammering in her chest, the implications of what she was doing were massive she thought to herself hesitantly. Yet she refused to hesitate, waving her hand in front of her gently as a small burst of flames slammed into the cliff face. Instantly swirling outwards in lines as it traced what was clearly a massive door hidden by the mists.

One which was carved directly into the side of the mountain itself. Slowly as the lines of fire spread outwards the shape of a door nearly twenty feet tall began to take shape. Covered in greek runes and carvings depicting a massive dragon made of fire.

"Hestia, Perhaps Zeus was right… if we let her out there is no guarantee that we can put her back, not to mention if she's as strong as she was then… I'd doubt the three of us could stop her as we are now…." Poseidon said as he gestured to Hades. "You're the only one who has the power to fight her on even footing… a power you swore not to use again.."

"Poseidon has a point Hestia, and have you truly considered what will happen if we release the seals and break the runestone binding her…. It's one of the thirteen, and with the Tartarii already weakening their bonds, can we truly risk shattering the wards that have kept us safe for millennia?" Hades asked dejectedly.

"She is the only being alive who has a mastery over the Will of Fire to match my own… regardless of the danger we face she is our only hope against Gaea and the Tartarii. Unless you suggest we fight the Ardwyr and Tartarii as we are now?" Hestia replied as she turned a fierce glare on her brothers.

Hestia watched as both Poseidon and Hades went incredibly pale.

"I thought not, Kolasi doesn't seem so bad in comparison does she?" Hestia snapped at her two brothers.

Walking away from the door towards them as she did so, her aura exploding into existence around her. A pulsing aura of heat and fire swirled around her endlessly as she came to a stop in front of her brothers, looking up at them as she held her arms out to the side, letting fire flow like water from her hands to pool on the ground.

"Either you came here to help me, or you can leave….." Hestia growled at her brothers, her eyes bursting into flame as she looked at them, acting like cowardly children. "Kolasi is the only one who can fight them on even ground, the wards drain too much of our energy. But Kolasi is not part of the pact." Hestia added.

"She wasn't a part of the pact because she's not a God Hestia… I understand the love you have for her I do, but she is hardly your child…." Poseidon replied in a frustrated voice. "Not that it would have mattered either way, Ze-" he started to say before he went flying across the plateau before the mountain.

"SAY THAT AGAIN BROTHER!" Hestia growled out as a massive cyclone of flames exploded into existence around her.

Poseidon skipped across the ground twice before slamming into a small corpse of trees like a bomb, setting of a blast of fire which was almost immediately put out by a swirling vortex of water. Revealing the god of the sea looking half angry and half scared as he held his trident at the ready.

Hestia for her part probably looked ready to kill him, the flames dying out slightly but not before they did their job. Cladding Hestia in a gleaming breastplate and matching greaves and bracers.

Her head was unprotected but not that it really would have made a difference. The aura of fire around her would have melted most weapons to slag long before they touched her. Her hands dripped with liquid fire which splattered across the ground as billows of black smoke and clouds of steam wafted away from her.

"Hestia…. Calm sister he was in the wrong to say such a thing… but we cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves right now… You yourself said that" Hades said as he slowly walked to stand in front of her, blocking her path towards Poseidon

Hestia glared at him for a moment, her eyes were literal orbs of fire and the hair atop her head was completely aflame, dancing in the wind as she finally took a breath and released her hold on her domain. Willing the fire away as her armor vanished in a flash of golden light.

"If he speaks of Kolasi like that again, oath or no oath. I will kill him long before we let her out…." Hestia said in a growl as she looked at Poseidon, steam billowing from her mouth as she tried to rein in her temper. And more importantly, keep the Will of Fire in check.

The Will of Fire had a mind of its own, that much was made clear by the creation or birth of Kolasi, Lady of Dragons. The being they now sought to unleash from her prison after thousands of years, a prison which she and the other Gods had put her in.

And unfortunately for her, Kolasi also happened to be more than just a stray goddess. In almost every way that mattered she was Hestia's daughter. A living link to the love of her life, Tharros.

But at the same time, Kolasi was a constant reminder of what the mother and daughter had done together. The carnage they had unleashed upon an entire civilization as they watched it burn, and smiled as ash rained from the skies.

It had only been once the carnage was over, once she had finally burned the last city and village to the ground, did she and her daughter realize what they had done. What Hestia had allowed her daughter to do.

Hestia couldn't place the blame on Kolasi, but the hatred she felt towards Ardwyr, the mortals, even the Tartarii. Was her own fault, Hestia's own unique and terrible failure as a mother. Something she would never forgive herself for and the number one reason she had sworn of violence and the use of the will of fire.

She couldn't be trusted with power like that, it was clear as day. She had allowed a child of no more than twelve summers to slaughter an entire civilization. And Hestia had helped her.

What's worse, when it was all said and done. Her daughter had been imprisoned and she had been spared. The reasoning?

Kolasi wasn't a god, she didn't have Ichor and had been created through the Will of Fire. Which was not a process Hestia or Tharros had ever understood. Yet they had grown to love her like a child all their own, having kept her away from the Titan war and all other conflicts.

For a time they had been a family, but in one day that had all changed. Tharros faded, Hestia lost in grief. And who had been there to guide her daughter? None other than Zeus, his honeyed words had convinced her daughter that the time for talking was over.

That in order to rescue her mother, Zeus and the other gods had needed her power. Kolasi had shown them power, real power, and it had terrified them.

Hestia had felt her daughters rage through the will of fire, and it had consumed her. She had been unprepared for it, as caught up in her grief and misery as she had been. Not that it should have mattered, Kolasi had been a literal child at the time. Hestia had been several hundred years old, she should have controlled herself.

Maybe if she had, they wouldn't be in the situation they were in now. Maybe if she had shown any semblance of self control she wouldn't have to bear the fate of her lover, her daughter and an entire culture on her shoulders.

"Perhaps I misspoke Hestia… You know I wasn't questioning your feelings for her.. Just that in truth you yourself don't know what she is …" Poseidon said haltingly as he ever so slowly stopped talking under the fierce glare Hestia was directing his way.

"She's family, Poseidon…." Hades said in irritation as he walked towards the doors, directly past Hestia. Raising his hand as he did so and allowing a wave of shadows to wash over the doorway. His own power added to Hestia's as the door started to glow slightly. "While Hestia grieved, the rest of you acted like fools, and locked away your own niece, you helped raise her for chaos sake Poseidon…" Hades snapped out angrily.

"For too long our family has shunned the different or the powerful, Kolasi, The Titans, The other Gods…. We have splintered and fractured ourselves and our domains for fear of losing them. And even now we face as great a risk as we did then…." Hestia added quietly as she looked away from her brothers, up at the stars.

Hades looked at her for a moment before chuckling and laying a hand on Hestia's shoulder. "What would you have us do Hestia?"

"Fix it, all of it. It's well within our power, even now…." Hestia replied quickly. "It was a mistake and you both know it… don't deny that.."

Hades stopped laughing almost immediately as Poseidon's jaw dropped open.

"S-sister… Hestia you can't be serious!" Poseidon shouted as he recollected his wits. "Freeing Kolasi is one thing, but to break the pact! It would unravel everything!" he added in a furious tone.

"No, we would undo our greatest mistake…. If the wards were to be undone, if the magic could be reversed… There are others we could call on." Hestia added as she looked at both her brothers.

"What if they have faded? How can you even be sure they are still there…." Poseidon asked in a mocking tone.

"Brother don't be an idiot…. The wards are still in place, the Lands beyond our reach are still 'beyond our reach'... they can't have faded or we would know." Hades replied with a sigh, his cold eyes sparkling with interest as he thought over Hestia's words.

"Even if it were possible, if we break the wards then Gaea will have just as many allies to call on, the enemies of the Norse gods alone would overwhelm us…." Poseidon muttered darkly as he stroked his beard.

"It is true and our relations with them are worse than they have ever been, we haven't spoken words since the days following Anatolia…" Hades added as he inspected his sword.

"And who do we blame for that?" Hestia asked with a sigh as she walked back towards the door. "Tens of thousands of lives, both Godly and Mortal, thrown away in a war, which ended inconclusively because the three of you were too scared to finish what you started!?" Hestia growled out.

"Zeus suggested it…." Poseidon replied with a groan as he looked at Hestia.

"He's not the only one at fault, I distinctly remember the three of you as well as three norse gods and three egyptian ones deciding that the pact was our best hope for survival…" Hestia said, frowning at her younger brother.

"If we release Kolasi, given that the Tartarii have already partially escaped; the wards will weaken and over time would eventually degrade anyway. But in the meantime we would still be sapped of our strength. As are the Norse and Egyptian Gods, but if we were to break the seals and undo the wards…" Hestia said as she left the thought hanging.

"We would be far stronger within days… It would be like when we fought the Titans the first time…" Hades said with a grin as he looked at Hestia.

"Sister this is beyond disobeying Zeus's orders, this is a rebellion against the very laws we set down…." Poseidon said as he looked between Hades and Hestia. "And even if we did, how are we supposed to take down the wards in the lands beyond the Gods. We designed the pact so that we couldn't dismantle it… for this exact reason!"

"The minute one of us steps beyond the borders we drew out during its foundation we would be powerless to do anything. If you want to rebel against Zeus, then we can take his throne.. But this isn't the way sister." Poseidon added calmly

"It's not rebellion, it's a prophecy…." Hestia replied in a stern voice as she started to speak once more:

An ancient pact shall be unwoven, the fate of shadows shall be broken, her herald found at long last, his sacrifice shall be his past."

"Nine Demigods shall march in the face of Doom, the answer lies in wisdom's tomb. A foe from times long past, risen from the shadows cast"

"An ancient pact shall be unwoven." Hades said as he nodded in Hestia's direction.

"The answer lies in wisdom's tomb…" Hestia replied as they both looked at Poseidon.

"... You can't be serious, you think the demigods are supposed to remove the outer wards!?" Poseidon said as he looked between the two of them.

"Deadly serious little brother, Thoth bound the pact did he not? From within his own temple, which we buried in order to prevent its discovery by anyone… If any being could undo the pact, and in turn the wards then Thoth would be capable." Hestia replied.

"They would have to travel beyond our reach.. FAR beyond our reach…." Poseidon said slowly as he looked at the two of them in shock. "Beyond Zeus' reach to stop them…."

"Would I lead you astray brother?" Hestia asked calmly as she looked at Poseidon, who paused and looked at her for a moment before he sighed and shook his head.

"No, no you wouldn't… " Poseidon said as he looked at the door hesitantly before he walked up and laid his hand on it. Letting another surge of power blast outwards. Then the door glowed golden brightly before it died down and Poseidon pushed the massive doors open.

"So when we reach her, What's the plan to prevent her from incinerating us on the spot?" Poseidon asked hesitantly as the doors swung inwards and revealed a massive tunnel lined with pillars that led to a large staircase descending into the bowels of the earth. In addition to the strange tunnel, the air that came out of it may as well have been pumped directly from Hephaestus's forge itself.

Hestia didn't have an answer for that, and simply walked past her brothers down the hallway towards the stairs, not even flinching at the intense heat wafting up from the dark tunnel that descended into the depths of the mountain.

All three of them were hesitant at the task before them, it no doubt brought forth terrible memories for both Poseidon and Hades. But for Hestia, the thought of walking down those stairs, to face her daughter after all this time.

It was a nightmare come to life.

Yet, she couldn't falter now. She wouldn't falter now, even if Kolasi refused to accept what Hestia had to say. She would at least say it before she died, she would look at her daughter one final time and tell her how much she loved her, and how sorry she was for failing her.

Just the thought drew her mind down paths of her memory, to a time long ago, when she had been young, naïve and in love.

*Flashback*

Hestia, Anatolia, Year: Unknown

Hestia stood in the center of a ring of armed and armored warriors. Shields raised and spears pointed in her direction as she was clad in nothing more than a simple chiton, no shield, only a stolen bronze sword which she held in one hand. Her ankles and wrists were bound with broken chains and her body was covered in dried ichor and blood, but her wounds had healed already.

She was completely at ease as she waited for a moment, then burst into motion.

Lunging forwards and batting aside a spear like it were nothing more than a toy she grabbed the rim of the first shield she could reach, yanking backwards and ripping the shield free of the warrior's grasp, sending them stumbling forwards.

Directly into Hestia's raised knee as red blood splattered across her bare leg. The impact shattered the mortal's nose and crushed his face before they crumpled to the ground dead. Without a moment's Hesitation Hestia threw herself backwards using the shield to block a spear thrust that would have impaled her while she leapt over another.

Landing with a stumble, her breath caught in her throat as the exhaustion in her body threatened to send her crashing to the ground. However, almost without thinking Hestia spun to face two of the warriors and In a fluid motion she threw the shield underhanded at their legs forcing them to leap into the air to avoid losing their limbs at the ankles.

Her eyes crackled with power as she raised her free hand and blasted them with a torrent of flames. The force of fire actually launched both warriors backwards as they frantically raised their shields in front of themselves.

With practiced ease Hestia bent over backwards at the waist, easily avoiding the hasty spear thrust she reached up and grabbed the spear haft.

Yanking it clean out of its wielders hand as she spun on the spot. Launching the armored warrior into his two companions who were already sailing through the air. Sending all three of them crashing to the ground in a heap.

Willing the spear in her hand to burst into flames Hestia threw it at the pile of bodies, watching in grim satisfaction as it impaled the first two before it exploded like a small bomb. Sending charred body parts and blood splattering across the field.

The final two warriors looked at each other hesitantly before they dropped their spears and unsheathed swords. Rushing towards her as they shouted angrily in a strange language, swinging their xiphos swords back and forth in a blur as Hestia grinned like a madwoman and rushed forwards to meet them.

Leaping at the last second she deflected a sword strike with her own blade and kicked the lead warrior in the chest with enough force to cave in his cuirass and send blood spewing out of his mouth as he flew away from her, crashing into a boulder as his body broke under the impact. Dropping him lifeless to the ground.

Then with lightning quick reflexes Hestia landed and ducked under the final warriors wild swing, before sending her blade flying upwards, a harsh clang rang out as the warrior's sword flew out of his grasp, spinning through the air before landing blade down in the dirt of the bloody battlefield Anatolia had become.

Her sword swiped downwards almost lazily as she cleanly cut the Ardwyarian in half, letting his body flop to the ground before she turned and walked away from the slaughter. She was looking for one in particular and when she found him she was going to boil the blood from his veins before she finally killed him she thought in a rage.

A group of Ardwyrians ran out from behind a small fortification, raising their hands as they called upon the powers they commanded.

Hestia just wanted them to burn.

It was instant, no magic, no use of her powers. She just wanted it to happen, and it did. A wave of intense heat roared out from her as it melted stone to slag, blasting the Ardwyr wards aside with ease as they screamed in panic before the air burned them from the inside out.

However her victories meant little here she thought angrily as she looked out over the battlefield, staring in horror at the piles of dead that littered the ground in every direction.

The Ardwyr had given ground bitterly, and made sure the Gods paid for it in ichor, sweat and the bodies fallen. Already the offensive launched by the All-father and his children had stalled out, dozens of Gods fading in rapid succession as the strongest of the royal family fended off the assault.

However it appeared as if for the moment the Norse Gods had taken a momentary advantage as several bolts of thunder dropped from the sky. Only to be cast aside, as if they had hit some shield, high in the air.

The Ardywr responded by unleashing a massive wall of fire, which roared out from the large cluster of Ardwyrians on the far bank.

Only to be countered by a blast of wind and the deep brassy bellow of a hunting horn which resumed the offensive as the strange war cries of the northern gods could be heard even from the hill she stood atop.

They had held that side of the river for days against the Gods already, but that wasn't going to last much longer. Something had awoken within the Will of Fire, a white hot anger. And it was directed at the Ardwyr; Hestia was merely happy to be an instrument of its destructive wrath.

For each one she killed she envisioned Calabann, cutting her, stabbing her. Torturing her for weeks with his magic. To within an inch of her life, then he would nurse her back to health. Prevent her from fading just so he could do it all over again. She had thought she would die in that cell, and begged for him to kill her, to let her die there alone in the dark. But now that she was free?

Now they were going to burn.

With each step she took she could feel the power growing more and more insistent. A whisper slowly became a scream within her as she grieved over Tharros. She had felt him fade, felt his connection to the will of fire disappear not even an hour ago.

She knew what that meant, and she knew who had done it.

Calabann had been kind enough to tell her she was going to kill him before he did it.

So Hestia knew exactly who to punish, who to destroy for this.

He had stolen her family from her, the love of her life. He had tortured her for weeks, So in return she was going to burn everything, every last one of them. Until they couldn't hurt her or her family ever again.

With barely a thought she moved forwards, wielding the will of fire with a thought as she incinerated everything within her path. Blasting fire and waves of heat off as if she were trying to imitate the surface of the sun.

Her skin glowed golden and pulsed with light, as white hot flames covered her entire body. A strange golden glow surrounded her and the fire, ashes almost like golden flakes floating into the sky around her.

She pushed forwards, the wave of heat and fire around her driving friend and foe alike running screaming for the hills. Anything and anyone that got in her way burned, and she watched it with a smile on her face.

Now they would know what it felt like to be afraid, what it felt like to scream and beg for mercy and for their attacker to show none.

Dozens of projectiles and blasts of magic flew at her as the Ardwyr defenders tried everything to stop her advance. It was no use.

With ease she swept aside the low wall the had built, screaming out in rage as she tossed a small fireball into the gap she had created.

Only for an explosion like a volcanic eruption to sound out all around her as the air itself caught fire, the wave of heat and destruction blasting god and mortal alike from their feet as hestia continued to walk, barefoot across the smoldering ground towards the river.

Several Ardwyrian survivors stumbled across her amidst the smoke and ash in the air, those she dealt with quickly, her sword steaming as the blood on it boiled away after each kill. She hacked the Ardwyr apart, screaming with rage as tears flowed down her face, boiling away to steam as they touched her cheeks.

"Where is HE!" She screamed in rage as another Ardywr tried to surrender, dropping his weapon as he looked at her in horror. He babbled something but nothing she understood, which meant she didn't need him.

With a thought Hestia watched as her flames strpped the skin from his bones, and charred them to ash before her. And still she wasn't satisfied, she wanted them to hurt, to be afraid. And when she was done they would NEVER hurt her again.

The army parted like water in front of her, they ran or they died, sometimes both. But it didn't matter, he was gone and it was her fault. He came to save her! Hestia thought in despair as the flames around her roared higher and higher.

Already the Ardwyr were in full retreat, streaming away from her as the river boiled away to nothingness the second she came within twenty feet of it. The air grew thick with steam and soot as the fields of Anatolia, once ripe with grain and pasture fields burned before Hestia.

She lifted her hand, calling on the will of fire as an explosion of flames roared out, blasting into the ranks of the Retreating ardwyr when suddenly she watched the flames die out. Revealing nearly two dozen of the Ardwyr royal guard. Clad in their black armor, spotting the blue and black crest of the Artorian Wolf.

The two in the front were channeling some sort of spell in her direction as she prepared to destroy them.

That's when she heard the scream of rage, nearly ripping the skies asunder. A sound like a hurricane coming in above her head as she felt another presence within the WIll of FIre. She whipped around turning her head to the sky to see a dragon, its entire body alight with fire as it crashed into the ground in the midst of the Ardwyrian host.

With an inhumane roar it proceeded to tear into them, as they responded with blade and sword. Hacking away at the monster even as it tore them to shreds, blasts of fire roared from its mouth. Charring entire groups of ardwyr in their place, save for those strong enough to ward against it. Which were few.

Hesta was frozen in place. Watching as Kolasi, her daughter was being attacked and wounded by the Ardwyr.

Her last link to Tharros, was screaming in anger. She could feel it within the Will of Fire itself. Feel the Hatred that boiled in her daughter's heart and the rage that fueled her wild strikes as Hestia struggled to maintain some semblance of control.

She could have stopped this madness then and there, she should have. But something snapped, in an instant all thought of peace vanished from Hestia's mind as she watched her child fight for her life against the monsters who had tortured her for weeks.

The same monsters whose king, less than an hour ago had killed her lover and Kolasi's father…

She wasn't going to lose her daughter as well. Not to them.

With a scream of rage Hestia vanished in a whirling vortex of fire, only to reappear beside her daughter, grabbing one of the Ardywr's wrists mid strike with one hand. Before she grabbed his helmet with the other.

Then she superheated her hand, watching with satisfaction as the metal melted nearly instantly, and the Ardwyr's screams were drowned out by a hideous gurgling popping sound as he drowned in liquid metal.

"All of you are dead for laying a finger on her" Hestia growled out as the Ardwyrian royal guards noticed her presence, and the dead steaming corpse of their companion almost all at once.

The first two that charged her used conventional methods, one lunging at her with a spear as the other notched a bow.

With a quick spin and a single swipe Hestia deflected the spear and closed the gap to the Ardwyrian, running him through at the hip joint in his armor. The blade pierced up from his stomach and out his back as Hestia grunted and hefted him clear off the ground.

Using the dead warrior like a human shield as she raced past several stunned warriors towards the archer.

Two Ardywr tried to jump her from behind, but their shouts of victory turned to screams of pain as Hestia willed their eyes to explode into fire, boiling them in their skulls. It only took seconds before both collapsed dead, steam billowing from their noses and mouths.

A surge of fire roared out from beside her as Kolasi let out a scream of rage, the strength of it reverberating across the Will of Fire as she ripped the Ardwyr apart, their swords and axes tearing into her body as Hestia tried to keep them away from her daughter.

She appeared beside one of them and thrust her hand through their chest, the armor melting away as she made contact. Leaving her to watch with grim satisfaction as flames exploded out of his mouth before he crumbled to dust.

Already she could feel the Ardwyr trying to stop her, trying to hold her magic at bay. But the will of fire answered only to those it acknowledged, it wouldn't bend to these Ardwyr, just like she wouldn't. "That won't do you any good…." Hestia growled out darkly as several of them tried to ward against her before she simply burned them to ash where they stood.

Within a minute the grim business was done as Hestia stood, golden ichor dripping from a dozen wounds. Yet her attention was on Kolasi, her eyes filled with rage as the dragon slowly shifted and morphed. Her skin fading from its red color to a tanned tone, Her flaming wings pulled back to form arms. All the while Kolasi screamed in rage and pain.

The sound of it tore at Hestia's heart as she watched her daughter suffer.

Yet within ten or fifteen seconds the process was done, leaving a sobbing girl in place of the dragon. Her entire body wreathed in a flaming vortex of red and yellow. "M-Mother… He's gone!" She wailed as she looked at Hestia, tears streaming down her cheeks as the two stood in the middle of the burning field.

Hestia just stared at her daughter in horror as the look on Kolasi's face morphed from one of grief and loss to one of unimaginable anger. "They need to pay, mother…. Uncle said they took him from us!" She roared as she lifted a hand and directed it towards the city.

Hestia felt her calling on the will, and she knew what Kolasi was doing, the will of fire was like a horse, waiting for the chance to break free and run.

But without a word of complaint Hestia turned alongside her daughter, raising her hands and calling on the will of fire.

Slowly the power built until finally the first signs of devastation streaked across the sky, as flaming orbs of fire rained from the sky. Smashing into the city of the Ardwyr like bombs as the screams of the cities inhabitants carried on the wind.

The flames leaping high into the air, illuminating the mother and daughter against a battlefield filled with the bodies of the dead. Their arms raised above them as they called down a scourge of fire to cleanse the land of the Ardwyr, once and for all.

*Flashback End*

Hestia 4 Days and 50 Minutes after Eripus

Hestia was snapped from her recollection as her brothers came to a halt at the bottom of the seemingly endless stairs. Standing still before a large set of iron doors, not a spot of rust on them.

Yet even in the darkness Hestia could feel the heat radiating off the doors, likely hot enough to melt the skin from the bones of any mortal, and perhaps some immortals she thought hesitantly as she pushed past her brothers and threw the doors wide open.

Not even noticing the heat.

She barely noticed the massive lava falls that poured from dozens of cracks and holes in the roof and walls of this massive chamber. Which was dominated by a large central platform, the entire thing had been ringed with large statues and carvings of various roaring, fire breathing dragons.

But the beauty of the artwork was lost on her.

Hestia only noticed one thing in the room, Her daughter, Kolasi.

The young woman appeared to be in her late teens or early twenties. She stood perhaps five foot seven and was of a medium build. A far cry from the child she had once been, the child Hestia remembered.

But still, the flaming red hair, golden eyes and delicate features belonged to her daughter. As did the large pair of horns that curled from her temples, sharp spear-like points coming to an end nearly sixteen inches above the crown of her head.

However the rest of her body and attire were normal, a simple white chiton held in place with a red cord around the waist. No jewelry or trinkets adorned her body, and she was barefoot.

For a moment no one moved, or made a sound. All that could be heard was the gurgling of lava and the gentle hiss or sizzle as it landed on the various ledges and platforms scattered about the massive room.

Then Kolasi turned towards them, her eyes wild, almost manic looking as she grinned, her hands thrown out wide as if in an embrace.

"Why hello mother" Kolasi said with a giggle as flames sprung to life around her, taking the shape of various beasts as she leaned over and scratched underneath the chin of a rather large flaming dragon.

The creature, if it could even be called that, seemed to hiss and rattle in pleasure as several others looked at Hestia's brothers almost hungrily.

"It's been so long… I honestly wondered if you had forgotten I even existed." Kolasi said with a pout. Turning her gaze back towards her mother, a gaze filled with hatred and anger. Exactly as it had been in Anatolia all those years ago.

"I never forgot about you Kolasi…. I-... I can't ask you to forgive me, and I know I of all people have no right to ask this. But….. I- We need your help daughter." Hestia said pathetically as she gestured towards Poseidon and Hades.

Both of whom looked terrified as they clutched their weapons and cast nervous glances at the flaming constructs Kolasi had created.

Kolasi for her part looked at them in shock, before she slowly descended into a fit of giggles, actually having to wipe a tear from her eye as she stood up and walked over to the three gods smiling.

Hestia heard her brother sigh in relief and mentally faced palmed as Kolasi reached the edge of the platform and stopped. Before her smile vanished in an instant and she screamed in anger, Slamming her fist against an invisible barrier as waves of blue energy rolled out around her.

"As if I would ever help any of you… EVER AGAIN!" Kolasi screamed as the flaming constructs she had summoned raced towards the barrier and slammed into it. Sending a wave of fire roaring out around the room as her daughter raged against the world from inside her cell.

Hestia could already feel the anger swelling in her chest, her emotions almost playing off her daughters as she grit her teeth in frustration. "Kolasi! Stop!... Please!" Hestia grunted out as she tried to stop from bursting into flames.

"Oh mother, that was just a taste of the anger I've kept bottled up for the last few thousand years… but if you insist" Kolasi responded with a smirk as the intense pressure the Will of Fire was exerting vanished in an instant.

"So why, why after all these years are you finally here mother?" Kolasi said with a sigh as she glared at Poseidon and Hades standing by the entrance.

"They wronged you daughter, I wronged you…" Hestia said sadly as she looked at Kolasi, gesturing to her brothers behind her. "This punishment was wrong to begin with, and it's worse that I did not serve it alongside you…"

Then Hestia got on her knees before her daughter, bowing her head. "I can't ask you to forgive me, but there are innocents caught up in this Kolasi… too many for me to ignore the weight of our actions any longer." Hestia added her voice thick with grief.

"... you'll have to refresh my memory mother, it's been oh so long since we did anything together…" Kolasi replied in a girlish voice as she grinned cruelly at Hestia, turning to walk away from the barrier as she summoned one of her flaming pets. "And I honestly see no reason to change that now…"

"The Ardwyr have returned, and the Tartarii are breaking their bonds…. Gaea our grandmother is rising, A war is coming. One that will spell the fate of this entire world, I know the connection you share with the Will of Fire. You may hate me, and the other Gods, but this realm is as much a part of you as you are of it." Hestia added sadly as she watched her daughter stiffen and stop walking.

The fires all around the room roared even higher as Kolasi turned around and looked at Hestia in anger.

"They're back, Kolasi…. And I can't fight them alone." Hestia added softly, "I failed you last time daughter, it won't happen again" Hestia added as she walked towards the barrier, laying her hand on it as she ignored the painful stinging that accompanied the touch.

Kolasi walked back across the platform to stand directly opposite her, and Hestia stood face to face with her daughter, for the first time in millenia. Only to see a shadow of the child she knew, her face twisted in hate.

"How…?" Kolasi growled out between clenched teeth.

"We are unsure Niece… but I can assure you the threat is very real…" Hades added darkly from behind her.

Kolasi tilted her head to one side as she grinned slightly, "So, now that the big bad Ardwyr are back, you need me?" she laughed out as she looked between the three of them, her eyes shining with mirth. "I would say it was too bad we didn't get them all last time mother, but if it gets me out of here I don't care…"

Poseidon and Hades looked around the room uncomfortably as Hestia remained kneeling, her head bowed at Kolasi's feet.

However Kolsai simply grinned and responded by sitting down in front of her mother, her legs outstretched, her toes trailing across the blue barrier separating the two, and her weight supported on her arms as she stared up at the ceiling. Drawing Hestia's gaze upwards.

The ceiling directly above the platform, within the reaches of the barrier was carved, blasted and burned away into a series of mural-like pieces of artwork. She saw, herself, Tharros, scenes from Kolasi's childhood all carved into the rock with intricate detail.

But one scene stood strong above them all, and it left a feeling of dread in her stomach unlike any other.

It depicted Hestia and Kolasi, standing side by side wreathed in flames on the plains of Anatolia. A massive looming shape ahead of them, several sets of eyes glaring down balefully on them, as the world burned around them.

"I spent Millenia here mother, and it gave me time to think. Think about remembering every little detail about that day, and nothing else, for eternity." She added with a crazed giggle. "I'm sure there's plenty i've forgotten…" her eyes appeared as little more than swirling pools of fire as she grinned.

Then her entire body ignited with fire, forming almost a second skin over her entire body as Kolasi breathed out a sigh of relief and stood up slowly. "There's one thing I've never forgotten" She said as her eyes took on a fierce glint. "They're going to burn for what he did to Tharros."

The room was silent after that remark as Posideon and Hades watched the Lady of Dragons warily. Meanwhile Hestia herself was torn, between the love she felt for her child from so long ago, who looked so similar to the woman before her. And the fear she felt, the fear at what this woman would do once they let her loose.

Hestia knew that Kolasi hated Ardwyrian's more than anything else, but the question remained.

When the Ardwyr were gone, where next would her daughter turn her rage. And it was a question Hestia feared to answer.

Leo 4 Days & 50 minutes after Eripus

Leo slammed his hammer between the eyes of a particularly ugly Telkhine, a scowl of rage painted across his face as he ripped the hammer out of its head, and launched a ball of fire at another one, sending it tumbling to the ground wailing in pain as it burned to cinder.

Beside him Thalia, Clarisse and nearly forty Greek demigods slaughtered everything that came within reach, their bronze armor coated in blood and monster dust as they hacked away at the monsters in desperation.

They had run into Nico and Reyna protecting a small group of stragglers who had been fleeing what had honestly resembled a giant tornado. Except for the fact that it was crackling with lighting and its winds carried razor sharp hail as it had slammed into the ground with the force of a bomb.

It had touched down in the middle of the field, directly in the center of the battle, and while it hadn't slammed into the fortress in any way, dozens of Legionnaires in the field had been killed by the blast, be it directly or indirectly.

The impact alone had knocked almost everyone in the vicinity off their feet and had left dozens of demigods dead or wounded all across the frontline. Even now, Frank and a dozen of the stronger Legionaries were busy dragging limp bodies behind the cover of the shield wall.

Their battle was taking place near the shores of the lake, they had gotten caught up in combat with a smaller contingent of the monsters, who seemed hell bent on stopping them from getting back to their own lines. Now luckily Frank had led the entire fifth out in support and now, between the three groups. Reyna and her Praetorians, the Greeks and Frank's 5th cohort, the battle was turning their way. They had started pushing the monsters back, and were gaining ground with every minute.

Eventually they pushed the monsters back over the rise at the end of the beach. Which, once done, offered them a perfect view of the fight on all sides.

The camp to their left, still surrounded by a writhing sea of monsters as the defenders valiantly held the tops of the wall and the gate house against all odds. Meanwhile on their left, a single warrior clad in black armor was absolutely destroying the Titans.

However, Leo thought as he grit his teeth, whoever it was had zero concern for the lives of the demigods fighting around him. Already the wreckage from the titanic battle had turned several of the demigods in their group into bloody smears on the ground.

And now things had gotten worse, Perses had launched some strange black orbs at the warrior, some of which he had deflected. Others hit him square in the chest, and for a moment Leo thought it was just about the lamest attack he had ever seen.

Then it sounded like someone was ripping the world in half as a thunderous cracking sound roared out and the Orbs exploded.

A wave of destruction tore through the battlefield as the warrior was launched backwards, smashing into one of the fort's towers. Sending the whole structure crumbling down to the ground before a massive explosion screamed out.

The explosive ammunition went off in the collapse, sending superheated metal, chunks of stone and bits of iron and wood ripping into the demigods around the wall.

The air was quiet for a moment before the screams of the wounded and dying filled the night air, the sound was worse than anything Leo had ever heard before. And of course it had been accompanied by a weary cheer from the monsters. One which had boiled the blood in Leo's veins in an instant. Sending him into a fury as he attacked the monsters around him with renewed vigor.

However unfortunately for the monstrous horde, the Demigods still standing were pissed, and the monsters were feeling the full extent of it. Like a well oiled machine the Legion moved forwards, the timed step of the legion followed by the crash of blades on shields filled the air as the surviving monsters began to break and run back towards the main host.

That's when the Greeks really took center stage, their chaotic and haphazard fighting style far more suited to a route than the romans formations.

Dozens of Greek demigods rushed past the romans, striking down monsters as the wailed in terror and fled.

Leo was in the middle of it, his entire body ablaze as he felt more energized than he had in a long time. His hammer slammed into the knee of a cyclops, a small explosion like a hand grenade going off as the force of the blow combined with the flames wreathing his weapon shattered its knee.

Sending the monster tumbling to the ground mid stride as Leo kept moving. It was down for the count, and the Romans were not far behind him. It wasn't going to live long anyway, and there were other Monsters that needed to be dealt with.

Ahead of him two Demigods, one wreathed in lighting, and the other an angry red glow, cut a path of death and destruction through the fleeing monsters.

Their spears worked in almost perfect harmony as Thalia and Clarisse cut down everything in their path.

Blasts of lighting cut down monsters, turning them to dust before a scream could even leave their lungs as Clarisse simply basked in the glory of war. Every thrust of her spear took a life, and there wasn't a blade or club that could land a blow on her.

All around him Demigods used their powers to deadly effect as children of Demeter caused the already soggy swamp to explode with thorny vines and plant life, slowing down the already routing monsters.

Arrows screamed over his head, dropping monsters all around him as Children of Apollo began to let their bows sing. Launching arrows at incredible speeds into the thick of battle.

Leo grinned as he watched the entire army begin to shiver, almost like one entity as a roar of anger and fear rose out.

They had attracted attention with their wild push, so much so that more monsters from the main host had been forced to pull away from the siege of the camp and rush towards them, frantically trying to stop the enraged group of demigods from crushing them against the defenders and the fortifications.

Like some giant hammer against an anvil, the force of Greeks, and Romans surged forwards driving deeper and deeper into the host of monsters as they broke and ran rather than face the children of the gods.

"ONWARDS!" Came a scream of rage from Reyna as she rushed forwards with a group of her remaining Praetorians. Their armor was dented and battered but all of them seemed filled with vigor as they crashed into a group of Telkhines like a wrecking ball.

"FOR OLYMPUS!" Came the rallying cry from somewhere amidst the group of Demigods as almost as one, nearly a hundred demigods thrust their weapons into the air or beat them off their shields as they roared out the response.

"FOR OLYMPUS!" roared out across the battlefield, as their voices joined as one. Sending a ripple of fear through the monster as dozens of demigods rushed forwards once more. Pushing the monsters back as dozens of their fallen comrades were revealed amidst the monster's ranks.

Be it from the storm, or the monsters it didn't matter, the sight of so many dead drove the demigods into an even greater frenzy.

Leo raised his hand and a gout of fire spewed forth, almost without him doing anything, as he directed it across the fleeing ranks of monsters. Watching in sick fascination as the fire flowed like water, sticking to the monster's skin and armor. Slowly burning them away as they wailed in agony.

A sudden wave of intense nausea washed over him as his head was filled with a strange ringing. Then he stopped for a second, trying to understand why he couldn't focus, he was so angry.

He dropped to his knees as he burst into flames, a scream of fury tearing itself free of his lips as a blast of fire roared out around him. Incinerating every monster in his path as the screams of his allies and the monsters melded into one and were drowned out by the roar of the fire.

Then like someone had turned off a tap the feeling of rage vanished and Leo collapsed face first down into the mid, groaning in pain as the hazy steam filled air made it difficult to even breathe.

All around him the sounds of battle raged as he struggled to get back to his feet, slipping and stumbling in the muddy terrain as he looked around in confusion.

All around him were the charred corpses of dozens of monsters, already crumbling into golden dust.

However behind him the screams of several demigods rang out as he turned around to see two roman legionnaires thrashing about on the ground in pain, clutching at skin that was seared and bubbled. Already the skin was peeling back and Leo had no doubt the pain accompanying those wounds was intense.

He stumbled towards the two demigods in a daze, desperate to help them as they wailed in pain and terror.

The instant he reached them Leo snuffed any remaining fire out, looking down at the two in horror as he saw the extent of the burns on their skin. "WE NEED A HEALER!" Leo screamed out into the thick of battle, looking around frantically as he tried to spot a child of Apollo.

A Thunderous explosion shook the ground as some of the siege weaponry in the camp fired onto the massed monsters ahead of them. Explosive ammunition tearing bloody holes through the army as flames and gunpowder sent metal shrapnel ripping through monsters, cutting them down like a scythe through wheat.

Another roar echoed out beside him as he was half blinded by lightning arcing down from the sky to slam into the front line of monsters, dropping a dozen cyclops into a heap of smoking charred flesh as he saw Thalia and Clarisse sprint into the opening it had created.

Their spears slicing and stabbing anything within reach as finally, like a monster in its dying throes the entire army shook like a leaf, a wail of fear rising from the monsters as the Demigods finally pushed far enough ahead to be in sight of the walls.

As the Legion Banner was raised by the Praetorians a thunderous roar of praise echoed across the field as the romans behind the walls saw the banner of Rome rise in the midst of the host assaulting the walls.

Spurring the defenders to fight on at even greater heights as the roman war cries filled the air.

Leo was quickly being left behind by the front line, and he had to act fast. It was clear that no healers had heard his call and if these two died here it was his fault.

So gritting his teeth in concentration Leo summoned two orbs of fire, one in each hand. Remembering Hestia's words. "Remember the hearth has the power to both harm and heal".

"Please work…." Leo half whispered as he desperately pictured the flames in his hands somehow healing the wounds on the two demigods lying on the ground beside him.

Then he pressed his hands into their chests, watching through squinted eyes as the flames gently licked across the demigods bodies, ever so slowly surrounding them in a gentle orange flame as he watched the terrible burns on their arms slowly fade, from an angry blistered red, to a faint pink. Before disappearing altogether.

A wave of exhaustion washed over him as he collapsed down onto his ass. Watching in dazed interest as both demigods stirred suddenly before sitting bolt upright and gasping almost in unison as they looked over their wounds.

Which were now gone.

"Come on, We got to keep moving" Leo grunted out as he stumbled to his feet, holding out a free hand to one of the demigods who looked at him warily before grabbing his hand and allowing him to haul him to his feet.

"Sorry about that by the way…" Leo said bashfully as he gestured to the scorched earth, "I don't even know what happened…" he finished quietly.

"Well I'm not dead and you killed a few dozen monsters with whatever that was, so let's just call it even… what did you do to make the burns go away so fast?" The demigod asked in confusion as he looked at Leo.

Leo ignited his hand and looked at him before he replied calmly, "I sorta lit you on fire again, but with good fire you know?" Leo said as he tried to think of how the fire he had used was different.

However, based on the pale look on the demigod's face Leo stopped short of continuing his explanation. "Look, details don't really matter, I fixed the burns but we really got to go now!" Leo said impatiently as he glanced back towards the battle.

"Alright lead the way buddy, just keep the fire to a minimum… if you can…" The demigod added with a little bit of sarcasm before he helped the other one up off the ground and then fell in behind Leo as he rushed across the battlefield back towards the front lines.

A series of explosions rang out across the battlefield as Leo slowed to a halt and watched the scene unfolding in front of him in awe.

The warrior was fighting Oceanus and Perses, the latter missing one of his arms as he swung his sword about in a frenzy. Launching more of those explosive black orbs at the warrior.

However, he simply deflected them away with a wave of his hand, sending them scattering across the battlefield like toys. Unfortunately those toys exploded with the force of missiles as they tore great chunks of the ground apart and ripped monsters and demigods alike to shreds if they were unlucky enough to get caught in the blast.

A nearly unending metal screech rang out from the battle, as the warrior fought against Oceans and Perses at the same time, wielding a large silver sword in one hand, and Riptide in the other.

The mere sight of his friend's blade in the hands of that crazed maniac made him angry beyond measure, but he also wasn't dumb enough to think he could get it back from him. He was fighting two titans for Hades sake, and he had already killed a third.

Yet even as he watched the battle take a turn for the worse for the Titans, the figure seemed to slip like a ghost between their strikes, before a single punch dropped Perses to his knees, and a kick launched him onto his back, his helmet soaring off into the darkness.

Almost in the same motion the figure blurred with the speed it swung its swords upwards, blocking a large trident and taking Oceanus's hand off at the wrist in the same motion.

However Perses wasn't one to be put down lightly as he surged back to his feet, thrusting his sword ahead in an attempt to impale the warrior.

He simply spun past the blow and laid a furious series of blows on Perses back, sending the titan stumbling forwards before he turned and threw riptide end over end through the air. Until it slammed into Oceanus' throat, leaving the titan standing still in shock for a moment before he crashed to his knees.

Staying still as the Warrior walked up and savagely ripped the blade free, nearly taking the Titans head from his shoulders in the process.

Perses screamed out in rage as he rushed back towards the lone figure, and Leo for his part was captivated, watching in horrid fascination as Perses suddenly stopped moving, his body jerking and contorting strangely as the warrior looked at him strangely, arcane energy crackling off his body as a series of spine chilling crunches and cracks echoed out, accompanied by the agonized screams of the Titan.

Then it was done, the limp and lifeless body of the titan dropped to the ground as the warrior let out an animalistic scream that echoed across the night.

The effect on the army was instant, as they froze, almost as one. Looking at the crest of the hill where a lone figure stood, screaming in defiant rage against the night.

For a moment the night was silent as demigods and monsters watched the figure, awestruck.

Then like a spell breaking, the monsters started to flee, their wails of terror accompanied by the thunderous sound of their feet pounding across the ground as they fled from the assault by the demigods.

Leo was jostled about by the rush of demigods surging after the monsters and he lost sight of the warrior, if only for a moment. But when he looked back the figure was gone, and he had no idea as to where they had gone.

However that thought was quickly swept from his mind as he looked back at the roman encampment.

A cry of victory rose from the children of Olympus as they raced out from the fort, linking up with the forces led by Thalia and Reyna. All in there were nearly three hundred demigods strong on the field as they rushed after the fleeing monsters. The only thought on their minds being vengeance for the fallen demigods.

Hundreds of monsters fell in minutes, as the demigods vented the frustrations of the last few hours on their opponents. Leo wasn't sure how long he kept chasing, his hammer smashing into monsters and killing them one after another until the exhaustion of battle overtook him.

His legs felt like Jell-O, and he barely had the strength to lift his arms when he finally stumbled and collapsed to his knees in the middle of the field. The sounds of battle were long gone, only the screams of the wounded and the sobs of the survivors remained as Leo looked around him in horror.

It was done, they had won. All that remained of the battle was a field covered in blood and golden dust. The bodies of the fallen littered about as the unending rain continued to pour from the sky.

Any surviving monsters were being put to sword by grim-faced demigods stalking the field, and every few seconds cries for healers or wails of those who had found dead friends rang out across the field between the camps.

The monsters had broken, running from the field in terror as the demigods cut them down ruthlessly and now there were none left for the demigods to kill. Nothing left to distract them from the horrors of war, sure they had won the battle today.

But at what cost, Leo thought to himself as he knelt on the ground. He knew when the bodies were counted in the morning the losses would be catastrophic.

But they had won….. right?

Piper 4 Days & 1 Hour after Eripus

Piper exploded back to her feet, her chest heaving as every sense in her body screamed 'danger!'. She stumbled back away from the wall on the porch, shaking her head like a dog, almost as if she could shake the exhaustion of sleep from her bones.

She had fallen asleep on the porch. "Fuck!" She half whispered to herself as she stumbled to her feet, ignoring the numbness in her legs as she looked out towards the beach, straining her eyes to pick up anything in the darkness.

It was like someone had turned the stars out, the sky was pitch black and Piper could barely even make out her hand in front of her face, let alone what was out there in the dark.

But she knew something was out there.

It was so quiet, the animals, the wind, even the waves that had been crashing against the shore earlier that evening had gone still. It wasn't natural, and it definitely wasn't normal.

Piper wasn't sure what, but she could feel it, like a cloying darkness pressing in all around her as she struggled not to panic. The silence had a weight to it, and as her breath hitched in her throat she made a mad dash back towards the door.

Practically throwing it off its hinges as she burst inside, slamming the flimsy door shut behind her as her heart hammered in her chest.

Since when had she been afraid of the dark? She thought to herself in confusion.

Piper had never been scared of the dark before, hell she had fought monsters in the dark with the seven multiple times during their quest. But something had changed, or something outside had changed that.

Piper recognized the feeling after a moment, just like when she had been in the room with Sally's father. That feeling of being trapped with a wild animal.

She swallowed dryly as she glanced around the room, the embers from the fire illuminating enough of the room for Piper to make her way over and grab a few pieces of wood they had prepared.

Tossing them on the fire as she quickly fanned it with her hands, blowing on the embers for a few moments until slowly a steady crackling filled the room. And the light from the fire illuminated everything.

She saw Annabeth, unconscious on the cot beside Estelle, her arms wrapped around the child protective as she twitched and moaned in her sleep. Sweat beading on her face and a look of genuine fear written across it.

Jason was still out cold on the couch, one arm hanging off the side as he snored gently, which made Piper grin. Almost. Until she remembered that most of their medical supplies had gone to Jason. Just to get him back to this point and they still had a journey ahead of them.

She walked over to stand above Jason, crouching down to pull the blanket up around his shoulders and re-adjust his pillow before she stood up and took a deep breath.

She was acting crazy for no reason, she thought to herself with a grin, the others would never let it down if they found out she had gotten so terrified over a little darkness.

Then Piper turned around and caught a glimpse of the rocking chair, then she screamed.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Piper screamed as she grabbed the closest thing she could reach, which just so happened to be a wooden box off the table beside the couch, which Piper threw overhand at the figure across the room.

The figure waved their hand as the box shattered into pieces and scattered about the room. "Tsk, tsk, Piper darling… Not how I expected you to say hello…." Aphrodite said with a pout as she looked at Piper.

At the same time Annabeth exploded out of the bed, drawing a dagger in one hand as she launched her other one at Aphrodite's head from the bed. In an instant her mother disappeared in a puff of pink smoke, reappearing on the other side of the room as Annabeth's knife sunk into the wall almost to the hilt. Inches from where Aphrodite had been sitting.

In the same motion Annabeth practically leapt to her feet from the bed, another knife already held in her hand. Piper could clearly see that Annabeth wasn't fully awake yet. And was honestly amazed that she had the awareness to throw a knife accurately and quickly.

Meanwhile Jason let out a shout of confusion as he rolled from the couch to the floor, but in an instant his training took over and Jason was standing beside her. His fists clenched as he assumed the Pugilatus form, his hands held out wide in front of him.

Piper remembered Jason explaining to her that in the Legion officers were expected to take additional lessons on Roman combat techniques. Which included armed and unarmed combat. Pugilatus was just a Roman form of boxing, although Piper had to admit from what Jason had told her of it, it was far more brutal than traditional boxing.

"All of you need to calm down, you're acting like I'm the enemy instead of Piper's mother….." Aphrodite said with a pout as she looked at the three terrified demigods before she let out a sigh.

"Though I suppose if he had beaten me here that reaction might have bought you a few seconds…" Aphrodite said with a shudder as she pointed at the fireplace, igniting the fire properly as the room was instantly bathed in a golden light.

"I came here with a warning, one that concerns all of you…." the goddess said casually as she walked towards the fire. Holding her hands out as if to warm them.

"Alright Aphrodite spill, why the hell are you here" Annabeth growled out angrily.

Aphrodite just laughed, a sound like tinkling bells, which caused Piper to grit her teeth.

"If you knew the position you were in you might be more polite, Annabeth my dear." Aphrodite replied as she casually waved her hand, summoning an Iris message in the middle of the room.

One which displayed camp half-blood.

Or rather, what was left of it.

The strawberry fields just didn't exist anymore, instead a muddy battlefield covered in golden dust and discarded weapons had taken its place. The trees around the camp had been flattened and knocked over, as if by some giant explosion.

What was worse were the sounds of battle emanating from Thalia's tree. Dozens of demigods were running away from some scene deeper in the camp, where explosions and the sounds of battle were intense.

Already several plumes of smoke were emenanting from the camp. The night sky was illuminated by the singular burning cabin.

Cabin 3.

However Piper couldn't make out much more beyond that, at least. Not until someone came flying out of the camp with a roaring boom like a thunderclap. The figure skipped across the ground before slamming into the hill which Thalia's tree sat on.

For a few moments there was nothing and then the figure stood, the cloud of dust and debris blasting away from her as Artemis screamed in rage, summoning her bow in one hand as she launched a barrage of arrows into the camp.

Piper winced as explosions rang out all around the iris message, trees exploding into natural shrapnel as Artemis continued the heavy barrage of arrows.

Unfortunately, It seemed like the Gods were not winning. Which was confusing until Piper saw what it was they were fighting.

A black armored warrior, carrying a large silver blade in the other. His entire body was surrounded in an intense green light. But it was dark, evil looking, and even through the iris message the figure radiated malice.

"...fuck…." She whispered as she looked at the figure. He was clearly hurt, red blood dripping from a dozen wounds and the skin across his chest blackened and burned, still smoking from whatever the Gods had just done to him.

The Gods didn't look to be faring much better, Ares was battered and worn looking, his armor torn open in several places as his eyes glowed a fiery red. However, he had a huge smile plastered across his face as ichor dripped from between his clenched teeth.

Athena was unconscious, her spear shattered and laying off to one side, and Aegis. The legendary shield was blackened and charred, embedded halfway into Thalia's pine tree. Her armor and robes were covered in scorch marks and she looked like something had hit her with a dump truck by the way her breastplate was caved in.

Artemis the least injured of the three, with only a few shallow grazes and cuts on her arms to show for her battle against the warrior however her face was contorted into a look of feral rage, as her face was flushed with gold.

However there was a portion of the image that was confusing, off to one side was a body impaled to a tree with some sort of spear through its head.

It took her a minute, she had never seen him clad in armor after all, but she still gagged when she realized who and what it was.

Dionysus, impaled through the face with his own Thyrsus and pinned to a tree.

Piper felt like she had been thrust underwater, she couldn't breathe and she faintly heard Jason gagging in the background. Annabeth had not moved or made a sound, and was just watching the screen in abject horror.

A scream was all the warning they got as the goddess launched herself at the warrior, her knives were a blur as they sped through the air, each blow carried the force to shatter rocks, and crush bones to powder. Yet the warrior didn't even move, simply standing still as Artemis rushed towards him.

A freal cry of victory sprung from Artemis as she sunk one blade into the warrior's stomach, however surprisingly. The clang of steel on steel rang out loudly as the strange silver blade swung up with blinding speed. Sending Artemis's other knife spinning across the clearing.

Annabeth let out a little gasp as she covered her mouth with one hand. However, that didn't last long as the warrior's free hand snapped up and latched onto Artemis' other wrist, preventing her from pulling the knife out.

Then his entire body snapped forwards as he smashed his helmet against Artemis head with enough force to send out a small shockwave as the ground around them cracked. Artemis went limp for a second, as she stumbled backwards.

Unfortunately for her the warrior dropped his sword, and like a snake his other hand lunged forwards to grab the lip of her breastplate before he dragged her back towards him and headbutted her again. This time it wasnt a dull thud or a small shockwave.

Artemis was blasted backwards into the ground like a cannonball, shattering it in every direction, as she let out a groan as she attempted to lift her head off the ground before she passed out. Without a word the Ardwyr lifted his hand, his silver sword instantly soaring back to his hand. Then ever so slowly the warrior turned around to look at Ares, golden ichor smeared across the faceplate of his helmet.

A sword which once she got a better look at, Piper recognized and one Annabeth no doubt did as well.

The sword Sally had told them to give to Percy, the one that she said belonged to his great grandfather. The one that had been lost in the scuffle to get out of the apartment when they had fled the fight between Percy's Grandfather and Sally.

Which meant one of two things.

Either Percy's grandfather had magically aged in reverse and swapped the Armani three piece for armor, and that was him swinging the sword around.

Or that was Percy fighting the gods, and from the looks of it winning. But how he had gotten the sword she had no idea.

"... how is this even possible?..." Jason coughed out as he wiped the bile from his mouth, "They're gods, he's one Ardwyrian and there's four of them!" Jason all but screamed as he looked at the image in fear.

"Oh did I forget to mention he just finished killing Perses, Pallas, Oceanus, Lelantos, Krios and Koios….." Aphrodite added casually as she counted off fingers to match each name. "And as you are no doubt aware daughter, I can sense the desires of almost anyone…. Not just their sexual desires dear…" She added with a sigh as Piper blushed red.

Ares lifted his sword in one hand, shouting something to Percy which Piper couldn't make out over the crackle of the flames and the sound of the storm raging over the camp. Then almost as one the two warriors started walking towards each other.

However before the two could clash, the iris message faded away, as Aphrodite gave a casual wave of her hand, and as the message faded away Piper saw Annabeth stiffen and go white as she turned to look away from all of them.

"Okay so you know what he desires, great. How do we stop him!?" Jason shouted angrily.

"I don't believe we can, Hestia and Zeus made it quite clear that they were beyond our abilities. However, as you no doubt saw, some of the Olympians did not believe that claim." Aphrodite added with a shrug.

"Okay great, so.. So now what!?" Jason shouted out as he began to pace back and forth in the room. Piper could tell he was spiraling, panicking, which was understandable. The last ardwyr he had run into had beaten him half to death no more than eight hours pervious. It was a wonder he was even standing.

"Now we talk about something dear" Aphrodite said with a wave of her hand as Jason looked at her strangely before crumpling to the ground asleep. Then she turned to cast her gaze across Annabeth and piper.

Piper dashed over to check on Jason who was snoring gently where he had crumpled to the floor before she turned to look back at Annabeth and her mother. "What was that for!" Piper shouted as she glared at her mother.

"Jason has a bit of a big mouth when it comes to breaking the rules, it's probably better if he's asleep for this… don't need him running to daddy" Aphrodite added with a grin as she moved forwards, only for Annabeth to appear in front of her, a fierce glare on her face.

The Demigod and God were locked in a standoff, Annabeth with a knife in one hand as she stood in between her mother and the bed. All the while her mothers gaze was locked onto the small bundle on the bed behind Annabeth. "Not a chance….." Annabeth all but growled out as Piper stared at her in shock.

Aphrodite smiled sadly as she held her hands out to the side, "Don't mistake me Annabeth, I have no intention of hurting the child… I only come with a warning. You love him, I know you do… but something has changed, there is a shadow of doubt cast, I could feel it in my domain."

Annabeth stuttered for a moment, her face going pale as a realization of what Piper's mother was hinting at sunk in.

"Y-you can't tell them… they'll kill her… p-please…." Annabeth stuttered out as the knife fell from her hands, and her eyes filled with tears.

Aphrodite smiled softly, "I didn't spend all those years watching you two grow up together for nothing…" she finished with a sigh as she looked at Annabeth almost dreamily.

"It's so pure, you know that…..It's what i wanted for you honestly dear" Aphrodite said as she looked at Piper.

"W-what?" Piper said in confusion.

"Their love for each other, it's like something from one of those mortal fairytales." Aphrodite added with a small smile before her face became serious again.

"But as I said there is a shadow of doubt cast, it could serve as an ember to reignite the fire, or it could dim it forever…. He desires you and that girl more than anything I've ever felt, but he's angry, more angry and confused than he has ever been.." Aphrodite said quietly.

"Then…" Annabeth started to say in a small voice before Aphrodite cut her off.

"Yes he's coming for her…." she replied.

"B-but how did you know!?" Piper added in panic as she realized if her mother knew, how many other gods would know soon enough… Estelle wouldn't be safe anywhere if the Gods put two and two together before they could hide her. "And why aren't you going to tell the gods….?" she added almost as an afterthought.

"Piper dear, their love is something unlike any other, no amount of wards or concealments could hide that from me. I may not have been able to tell who it was, but standing her watching her face? Feeling her reactions and the love she feels for him? It all but confirmed my suspicions…" Aphrodite added with a slight giggle.

"Perhaps the best weapon against him isn't going to be a godly one…." Aphrodite added a small glimmer of excitement in her eye. "If anyone can reach him, it's you my dear…" She said as she looked at Annabeth.

"And I have no intention of telling the other Olympians for the exact reason you don't want me to tell them. What good will it serve for them to turn on him now? I only discovered his identity a short while ago, when I felt my entire domain shake with the intensity of his emotions." She finished quietly as she looked at Piper and Annabeth. "The Gods clearly cant stop him, and the death of his sister is … undesirable at best, suicidal at worst."

"Okay so you came to warn us that Percy's on a God killing fucking rampage and that he's angry!?" Piper shouted at the goddess in frustration. "Tell us something that isn't fucking obvious!"

Suddenly a bone chilling howl broke the silence outside, long and deep it echoed through the night. Leaving a bone chilling silence in its wake.

Until in the distance several more howls broke out, from almost every direction.

"Our time together grows short, If I'm here when he finds you…." the goddess visibly shuddered before she looked at Piper and Annabeth in concern.

"Great so you're running away, leaving us to clean up this mess!" Piper growled out at her mother in rage. "I'm sick of this shit! You never tell us anything important and then expect us to figure out these god damned riddles! Just tell us what we need to do!"

Aphrodite sighed in irritation as she looked at Piper, "As much as you seem to think we are in control of these events, we aren't…. There is something else at work here Piper, Annabeth has already figured that much out. So I think the real question isn't what you are going to do now. The real question is 'Why?" Aphrodite replied quickly.

"... what are you talking about? Enough with the vague God crap!" Piper replied before Annabeth cut her off.

"Piper shut up…. She doesn't mean it literally..…" Annabeth said in horror as she looked at Piper. "If that's Percy taking down Olympians we don't stand a chance fighting him, and he's angry enough to actually have killed Dionysus.. Why?" Annabeth finished as she looked at Aphrodite, "That's what you mean isn't it..?"

Piper looked at her mother in shock as Aphrodite nodded quickly,

"There are other forces at work here clearly, and for it to taint something so pure….." Aphrodite all but growled out in anger as she looked at Annabeth. "You may hate me my dear, and it would be well within your rights. I certainly did make your love life interesting….." She added with a sad smile.

Annabeth for her part was staring at Aphrodite with a mixture of grief and anger as her eyes brimmed with tears.

"But I never wished for this, after years of watching I realized how genuine and pure the love you two held for each other, I was against sending Perseus to Rome. Hera's plan would tear you two apart, it was too cruel….." Aphrodite shook her head angrily. "And now even after all you sacrificed you are as far apart as you were then…" The goddess said as golden tears appeared in her eyes.

Annabeth choked out a sob as she almost curled in on herself, holding her arms across her stomach as she fought to hold back tears.

"...I-I'm sorry my dear… I wish I could fix this, but I cannot." As Aphrodite walked forwards an enveloped Annabeth in a hug while Piper watched in shock.

After a brief moment Aphrodite gently but firmly pushed Annabeth back to an arms length as she looked at her seriously. "Have faith my dear, he loves you, even if he doesn't realize it now. But he needs you Annabeth, don't abandon him…" Aphrodite added before more howls split the night air.

Except these were closer, much closer piper noted with a shiver. It sounded like the monsters were right outside the door.

And in that instant the presence of her mother vanished accompanied by a blinding flash of golden light. Almost at the same moment, Jason groaned and rolled over on the floor, opening one eye to look at Piper in confusion.

"W-what.. Where's Aphrodite?" He all but groaned out as Piper hurriedly rushed over and grabbed Katoptris into his hands. "Get Up… we're about to have company…" Piper said as her voice was laden with charm speak.

Annabeth looked at Piper and they both shared the same fearful look, written clear as day across their features. Piper for her part felt physically ill at what her mother had just revealed. An angry and confused Percy Jackson was coming after them with a vengeance. One that had ended with him killing Dionysus.

Piper had known something was wrong the minute she woke up, and now she desperately wished she could wake up again. That this was some sleep deprived stress induced nightmare.

But deep down she knew that this was real, and that scared her most of all.

Authors Notes:

Okay so quick thing to note, I was super confused myself. Rick says early on that the fates are children of Zeus and his second wife Themis. (This is from Percy Jackson's Greek Gods Book). But in House of Hades Nyx says that they are children of her and Erebus, which fits my story better so just to clarify this is not me ignoring Rick's lore, he just gave the same characters two separate backstories and I'm picking the one I like more.

(Which is why the fates control the fates of the gods. Because they are children of the primordials not the titans.)

Wow obviously lots happened in this chapter, Artemis and the younger Olympians going down to fight Percy!

I wanted to write the:

"This is madness!" - "Madness? No, this is Sparta!"

Line between Dionysus and Ares but I couldn't make it work with the mood of the story, which made me very sad. Thought i'd share that lol

But on that note, are they insane!? They just watched Percy take down a half dozen titans, and he might look like he's in rough shape but do the gods stand a chance against him?

Hestia's backstory is just kind of heartbreaking In my opinion, but I guess I'll wait to see what you all have to say about it. Hestia, mother to Kolasi the Lady of Dragons. A being born from the mysterious "Will of Fire" that she and tharros possessed.

She burned the Ardywr alongside her daughter, but did Kolasi deserve the punishment she received? After having been manipulated by her uncle Zeus whom she thought she could trust? I'll leave that up to you to decide.

The Leo and Piper PoV's were something else to write, I found it very difficult to portray the emotions they would be feeling at that moment. So I hope it comes out well, but they learned a lot this chapter.

Leo learning a little bit more about how to use his powers was fun to write, although I don't envy him going through what he is going through now. Unlike Percy and the older demigods, Leo hasn't been in a war before. Or seeing what's left once the fighting is done, He wanted to head out here to prevent death and now he's standing in the middle of a field full of dead demigods.

Likewise Piper and Annabeth both get their desire, Percy Alive. Unfortunately the fates are never kind and while he is alive, he's also killing gods and on some sort of rampage. According to Aphrodite, one which is directed at finding Annabeth and his sister.

Now Piper and Annabeth need to find a way to calm him down, to get him to listen to them long enough for them to figure out why he's so angry. The only question is will they be able to make him hear them? Was Aphrodite right when she said Annabeth was the only one who could get through to him?

I guess all these questions and more can only be answered if you stay tuned for the next chapter! I want to thank everyone who takes the time to Read, Review or Like/Follow. It means a lot and I read each and every comment.

So as always, until next time folks!