Author's note: Hey guys! Sorry to disappoint all of you on New Year's Eve but I, along with my entire family have fallen sick. So I have not been able to put out a chapter this week. We hope that it's not Omicron that has caused this but we don't know. I shall see you next week.
Happy New Year! Have fun but don't forget COVID protocols.
Regards,
Blitz2134_
Chapter 19
Greetings readers! I hope that all of you enjoyed the previous chapter!
In response to SonGoku76's reviews, firstly, welcome back! I am just as hyped as you are for this arc and even though this is the third chapter, I feel like I have barely sunk my teeth into it! Well, it wouldn't be a cliff-hanger if it wasn't brutal for the readers :) Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to Ooh's review, yes that part where Atlas showed his fatherly side was included for the sole purpose of humanizing him. Yeah, in canon he's the typical baddie but I wanted to avoid that here and try something. And I'm glad that that's working! Thank you for your continued support!
In response to John's review, exactly, that's what I wanted from the interaction between Atlas and the Hesperides. I wanted the readers to know what Atlas' motivations were and I wanted them to be relatable so that the readers are confused as to who is right and who is wrong. Thank you for your continued support!
In response to the guest reviewer, oh trust me, I have barely got started with Calypso's involvement in this arc :) Thank you for your continued support!
I would like to thank Nice for your continued support!
I would like to thank the emoticon using guest reviewer for your continued support!
In response to Shadowhunter2077's review, yes, Calypso's re-entry into this story has definitely added a new angle to this story. And it's not a happy one for Percy. Yes, Percy is a bit too confident and a tad bit presumptuous right now but as you'll see, his confidence is not that misplaced either. Thank you for your continued support!
In response to pontus first god of the sea's review, I am very glad that you liked this series. Well, Percy may or may not get his swords back. But he'll definitely get a few rounds with Atlas. However, as you will see, Atlas is actually not a bad father. Thank you for your continued support!
I would like to thank Walter Ha for your continued support! I wouldn't be so sure about Percy getting his swords back :)
In response to the guest reviewer (the one who reviews frequently), yes, I added that little part of Percy wanting to propose to Athena to showcase just his much they've lost due to Tartarus. Atlas is very much a counterpart to Percy. But whether he is truly evil, is something that will be up for debate. Is fighting to protect his daughters an evil thing? Or even if the intent is not evil, if the means are evil, does that make him evil? That's what this arc is going to explore.
I'm going to push both narratives and it is entirely up to you guys to decide who's right and who's wrong. That is what makes this such an awesome chapter for me to write. Percy needed to get some therapy and getting back into shape was really important for this arc. And a little uncle-nephew moment was an icebreaker. You'll see how Calypso got free very soon! Thank you for your continued support! P.S. Ares coming up with a good plan was due to a typo. It was supposed to be Artemis but I could craft a titbit of humour with Ares being the one with plan. Glad you liked it!
In response to Ryan Fowler's review, I am very happy to hear that you enjoyed the previous chapter! Whose side is Calypso on? I guess you already know the answer to that. But let's just say it won't be the easiest of times for Percy. Thank you for your continued support!
In response to Jubby1905's review, yeah, Calypso's return was something of an open secret. Trust me, you'll like the 'chat' in this chapter :) I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the uncle-nephew bonding moment between Percy and Poseidon and then him and Zeus. I felt that Percy needed some interaction with those characters. Yeah, I do have a part with Hades lined up for him, just to complete that trio.
Okay, your idea is pretty darn amazing but unfortunately, I cannot say how or what part of it I'll use or stuff like that for the sake of not spoiling the surprise but I will definitely use some parts of it! Thank you for your continued support!
Responding to MysteryTrident14's review, welcome back! I am thrilled that you liked Atlas' introduction into this arc and I hope you'll enjoy the rest of this arc as well! Hades and Percy will get some uncle-nephew bonding time of their own but understandably so, their dynamic is different from that of Percy's and Zeus'. But it is going to be fun dynamic to write.
Of course, there is also the part where the Big Three can and do impart wisdom and some very important advice when it comes to fighting the Titans. Because actually, only the Elder Olympians know what it is like to fight the Titans. I am glad you like the nuanced approach I take to dialogue and narration. I primarily use narration because it makes it easier to enhance and highlight the emotions of all characters on one matter, which is something writing from a single character's point of view does not allow. Thank you for your continued support!
I would like to thank HellRaiderS for your continued support! I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the cliffhanger!
In response to Arden2709's review, trust me, Calypso's role in this story has just started :) Thank you for your continued support!
Finally coming to MegaRayquaza8121's review, well if you want to briefly jog up your memory, I would suggest that you read Chapters 19-22 in the first story. That should give enough context! Thank you for your continued support!
Author's suggestion(?):
If you want to give it a try, try to read the first part of this chapter(the one after the first line break which is at the end of this AN) while listening to the 1st movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. That was my inspiration for writing it and it feels pretty darn amazing to read the first part with that playing in the background! Enjoy!
All credit for the characters goes exclusively to Rick Riordan.
Percy was completely speechless. He didn't know what to say or do. In fact, he didn't even know whether he could believe what he was seeing. Sitting right in front of him was Calypso, the same daughter of Atlas and Tethys who Percy had once loved. And suffice to say, she was just as beautiful today as she had been three thousand years ago.
She had the same cinnamon-smelling caramel hair that was braided over one shoulder, dark almond-shaped eyes, and a face that still was as timeless now as it had been then. And she had a radiant aura, one of soft moonlight around her. She had however swapped out her traditional Greek chiton for a white blouse with some golden accents and some form fitting black jeans.
"Calypso! How did you leave Ogygia? Did the gods release you from your punishment? Why didn't you contact me for two years? Forget all that, I am so happy that you are free!" Percy stated with a unbridled elation in his voice as he moved forward to scoop her into a hug. But to his shock, she leaned back and pushed his hands away.
"I will not fall for your devilish charms again, Perseus. I have learnt my lesson. This is not a social call." Calypso responded in a cool voice as she intensely stared at him.
"Calypso, what are you saying?" Percy quizzed with a lost expression on his face. He was not understanding a single thing that was happening. This was definitely not how he had envisioned their reunion.
"Don't try to pretend that you don't know anything. It's not going to work. You deserted me back in Ogygia to rot there for the rest of eternity and you have the audacity to ask me why I didn't contact you after I was free." Calypso vengefully stated with an angry scowl. And Percy's face instantly took on a guilty, sorrowful expression.
"I am so, so sorry about doing that to you, Calypso. Believe me, I never wanted to hurt you. But I had no other choice. I could not let my family fight the Gigantes and the Earth Mother on their own. And I refused to start a civil war for my selfish emotions. The fate of the world and that of my family depended on it. But that decision haunts me to this day and it remains as one of the greatest failures of my life." Percy apologized with a deep sigh.
"Answer me, Perseus Diaboles. Is that what you tell yourself when you take part in amorous activities with Athena every night? Is that what you tell yourself to justify your own cowardice and escapist attitude? Is that what you tell yourself in attempt to believe that you are not a cold-hearted monster?" Calypso emotionally questioned Percy with fury in her eyes.
"Calypso, I-" Percy started but he was rudely cut off by Calypso.
"Don't even try to say that you had no other choice. Because that will be the lie of the millennium. What happened was that you were afraid of what your Olympian family would think about you for getting into an intimate relationship with a Titaness, that too a daughter of Atlas. You had gotten their respect and adoration and for the sake of retaining your status as their golden boy, you cast me aside." Calypso accused in a deeply distressed voice.
"I did what I had to do for winning the war and protecting my family. You meant the world to me, Calypso. But my family was more important for me." Percy accepted with a hint of steel in his voice.
"Yes, that is evident. Percy, my heart was dealt with deadly blow when you deserted me. But it was completely shattered when I realised that you would not come back for me, ever. When I gained cognizance of your new relationship with Athena, mere decades after the intimate one you had with me, I didn't even want to continue living. Because at that moment, I realised that my Percy had betrayed me. I tried to destroy my own physical form but the very same gods who you call family, had ensured that I couldn't harm myself when they imprisoned me on Ogygia." Calypso admitted in a broken voice as her eyes became watery.
"Before you courted me, I had been hurt by heroes being unable to stay. But you, you promised me the world. You promised me that you would never leave my side. You promised me that you would not break my heart like those before you. And I so naively and soft-heartedly trusted you. I poured myself into our relationship. But you rewarded that by ripping my heart out and scarring me forever." Calypso's voice cracked as she laughed bitterly.
"Calypso, I have committed so many wrongs that I don't know how I can possibly apologize to you. But what option did I have other than moving on. After all isn't that what you wanted? Isn't that what you told me when the raft arrived? You told me to move on because you told me you would do the same." Percy questioned in a soft voice but he immediately regretted his choice of words when Calypso glared at him murderously.
"I don't know if you are saying this out of honesty or whether this another one of your conniving heart-breaking schemes but, are you actually telling me that you took the words of your shattered lover, who was still hopelessly in love with you and only wanted the best for you, seriously? Especially when you we were just about to be separated? Did you really think I meant what I said?" Calypso furiously questioned.
"How was I supposed to know that you were still wishful of having a romantic relationship with me? In fact, wasn't it you who prevented me from taking an oath and from trying to come back for you? You told me to not take a promise I couldn't fulfil and told me you would move on. I am not a mind reader. How was I supposed to know that you wanted the exact opposite of what you said? I thought you were truly done with me and wanted to move on." Percy shot back in a similar tone.
"Your statements just show that I was nothing more than a stress reliever for you. If you were truly in love with me as you claim, me asking you to move on would not have stopped you from coming back to me or fighting for my release. No, it become an excuse of convenience for you. You swept this under the rug and garnered sympathy, making yourself look like the victim. You used this to justify your own unwillingness to have a romantic relationship with me." Calypso accused in a hollow voice.
"This is nonsense. Even without the oath, as soon as the Gigantomachy was over, I continuously worked behind the scenes to lobby for your release. But I made progress at a snail's pace due to how hostile the political environment in Olympus against Titans or other perceived enemies of the gods. I couldn't openly fight for your release without causing strife on Olympus. But that didn't stop me from doing it covertly." Percy rebuffed with his head held high. He was speaking the truth. He had never stopped lobbying for Calypso's release.
"Lying to me has become your second nature, hasn't it? How can you even have it in your heart to lie to the face of the woman whose future you ruined? If you were really working behind the scenes to find a way to free me, why didn't you send a message to me through someone? You could have sent it through anyone and I would have unquestioningly waited for decades or even centuries for you. But you completely forgot about me and went on with your next romantic conquest involving Athena." Calypso stated in a voice that was thick with emotion as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Percy's heart broke at the sight and he reached to try and wipe her tears but she harshly slapped his hands away.
"Don't touch me! Stay away from me, you monster." Calypso screeched in a hoarse voice causing Percy to freeze and lower his head in guilt.
"I thought you hated me, Calypso. After the immense heartbreak I had given you, I felt like I had no right to ever get romantically involved with you again. I felt like I did not deserve you. But that didn't stop me from trying to free you. And believe me, I only fell in love with Athena after years of mentally torturing myself. Trust me, had I known that you were still waiting for me, I would have waited as long as required to be reunited with you again. You truly did mean the world to me. I just made so many misassumptions." Percy pleadingly made his case as he reached out and held Calypso's hands between his but she freed her hands and angrily slapped him across the face.
"Don't try to victimize yourself and make it seem like you were a knight in shining armour who didn't do anything wrong and were only a victim of circumstances. This holier-than-thou narrative may have worked with your family but it won't work with me. Because you didn't do anything right. Your so called sacrifice for which you have been immortalized as the selfless hero is not a sacrifice at all. What did you sacrifice when you deserted me? Nothing. No, I was the one who lost everything. I was the one who sacrificed everything. You are not a hero. No, you are a cold-hearted monster who seduced me, extracted pleasure from me and then cast me aside when you had taken everything from me." Calypso attacked Percy without pulling back any punches, leaving him shell-shocked and silent.
"What is the matter, General Perseus? Is the truth too difficult for you to digest?" Calypso venomously questioned as her gaze bore into him.
"What am I supposed to say, Calypso? What do you want me to say? And will anything I say even make a difference? No. You have made up your mind and see me as the villain of your story. And I cannot blame you for doing that. After all the pain, suffering and heartbreak that you have gone through because of me, you have every right to hate me." Percy mournfully apologized with a sigh of pained resignation.
"You are awfully good at this, aren't you? How hard is it to accept your mistake when there are no consequences? You cut a sorry figure, look traumatized and people will coddle you with sympathy. Perseus Diaboles, you are one hell of a manipulative bastard." Calypso insulted through gritted teeth.
"When our view of life is distorted, the entire world and everyone else in it seem like the wrong ones. Looking at it through rose-tinted glasses paints a utopian picture of life and looking at it through a jaundiced eye gives it a dystopian shadow. But the truth is that it is a combination of both. However, rather than being in the centre, it oscillates between crests of euphoria and troughs of dysphoria. People are not as pure as you think they are and similarly, neither are they as impure as you think they are. We all just amalgamations of positive and negative traits. Your view of a person only depends on what aspect of another person's personality you want to look at." Percy answered with pained maturity shining in his dull emerald green eyes.
"Do not try to preach me about right and wrong, Perseus. I am not interested in any twisted philosophical explanations that you use as justification for your heinous actions." Calypso retaliated with a scowl of disgust, causing Percy to sigh in deep sorrow.
"It pains me to see that the woman who I once loved with all my heart, the same woman who also loved me with all her heart, harbour so much hate against me. I admit that I am not faultless and I did desert you. But I also did do my level best have you freed. Trust me, I tried until I fell into a coma. Yes, I never had the spine to do it openly because I didn't want to cause conflict in my family, especially not after the Gigantomachy because they had just fought a long and arduous divine war against the Earth Mother and her draconian offspring. That meant I had to do it in a more peaceful way and that inevitably meant it was a slower process. And I would have succeeded if it hadn't been for me falling into a lifeless state." Percy explained for what felt like the hundredth time but it was a futile effort.
"And in this time period, you just happened to fall in love with Athena, who was the perfect match for you in your family's eyes, didn't you? Do you see the fallacy in your logic? You claim you secretly tried to fight for my freedom during this time, but you also fell in love with Athena during the same time. Shows how committed you must have been to my freedom." Calypso sardonically jabbed with venomous sarcasm in her voice.
"What was I supposed to infer? You could have talked to Aunt Selene. You could have asked her to convey the message to me that you were waiting for me. I gave up on us because you told me that was what you wanted. You asked me to promise you that I would move on and not let the end of our relationship affect the rest of my life. And I was suffering from so much emotional trauma due to deserting you. Do you think I did not torture myself enough when I realised I was falling in love with a woman that was not you? My fatal flaw is personal loyalty. It took me more than a decade to move on. I was a broken man, Calypso. I would have lost myself to my own abyss of guilt and depression if it weren't for Athena. I needed her support, warmth and love to pull me out of that downward spiral." Percy replied, rather heatedly, in a voice that was full of pain and emotional distress.
Calypso was about to rebuff his statement. She wanted to attack him ferociously with the fact that she had gone through the same thing. The only difference was that there had been no one to piece her back together. But a part of her that had once cared for him and loved him, was temporarily affected by the pain in his gaze and voice. But she quickly snapped out of that. His mistakes were inexcusable.
"You had the luxury of having an entire support system to help you move on. I didn't. At least there was someone whose shoulder you could lean on. I didn't have anyone. For three thousand years, I was limited to only occasional visits from Aunt Selene and Uncle Helios." Calypso rasped out in a devastated voice. And that was when Percy realised something.
"The gods did not free you?!" Percy asked with disbelief evident on his face. And Calypso could only bitterly laugh in response.
"Did you really think that the gods who didn't free me when you were supposedly fighting for my freedom would free me when you were not around? When you sacrificed yourself to defeat Tartarus, the world mourned your sacrifice. But there were no one to mourn mine. I was left to rot in my own misery until my father freed me a few months ago." Calypso revealed with seething rage in her tone.
"You should not have taken Atlas' help, Calypso. Now, the gods will think that you are on his side again and once the Titans inevitably lose this war, an even harsher punishment will befall you. Please surrender and come with me to Olympus now. I promise you that I will not let anyone harm you. I will stand up for you this time. Please, just listen to me." Percy pleaded with Calypso but his words fell on deaf ears.
However, before Calypso could rebuff his offer, the right side of Percy's face was hit with a large fist which had enough strength behind it to send Percy flying through the wall of the bar and through a few more buildings before finally crashing into an open field. And a moment later, Atlas materialised a few dozen feet in front of him, and he was quickly followed by Calypso.
"Listen to you and then what? Have her heart broken again? No. Diaboles, you broke her heart once. I will not let you harm my little girl ever again." Atlas growled with unrestrained ferocity as he pointed the tip of his spear at Percy's head. The time for chit-chat was over.
As she sat in her seat, awaiting orders from the immortals on ground, Reyna couldn't help but feel that something was off. While she was very confident in their offensive capabilities, she felt like it had been a bit too easy to find Atlas' base.
They had been searching for the bases of the other Titans for an even longer period of time but hadn't even caught a whiff as to where the other Titans had set up shop. The Titan Lords were roaming around the world freely for the past two or three years without being caught but yet somehow, they had managed to locate Atlas, that too when he was nearing the peak of his power.
Reyna was worried that this was a trap. She was worried that Atlas was baiting them and while she knew they had the element of surprise in the form of a flash offensive, she had a feeling that Atlas had an ace up his sleeve. And she had a feeling that it was something related to Percy. However, her train of thought was briefly interrupted when Jason talked to her.
"Rey, are you okay? You seem tensed." Jason asked with a concerned expression on his face as he reached out and held Reyna's hand.
The two of them had become very close over the past year. They had even gone on a few dates and it was clear that their relationship was starting to turn into a romantic one. But they hadn't progressed past a hug or holding hands occasionally. Hell, they hadn't even declared that they were in a relationship. They were just going with the flow.
On many occasions, Jason felt like he wanted to bring up the discussion. But somehow, he was more content with their relationship just progressing the natural way, rather than through some corny declaration. That felt more wholesome to him. And Reyna's thoughts mirrored his on this subject.
"Something feels off, Jase. I have been reading up on Atlas from mostly unbiased sources, thanks to mother's help, and it is clear that he is not just some brawny muscular fool. Yes, he is a ruthless general who doesn't hesitate to fight opponents head on or brutally suppress any threats. But he also is a very shrewd and accomplished tactician. Unlike mother or Koios, who are good at predicting the enemy's moves or Percy who can immediately come up with extremely effective blitzkrieg strategies, Atlas has the sinister ability to find and attack his enemy's weak points, which is the same approach he employs in combat as well." Reyna revealed with a worried expression.
"Reyna is right. I read this too. This just seems too convenient. It feels almost as if Atlas is baiting Percy. Even if we do have the element of surprise, how do we know that Atlas doesn't have his own trump card? Yes, according to Boreas' estimates, at the worst, he should still be two months away from reaching his full power. But what if he's already stronger than Percy and hence doesn't feel the need to wait any longer?" Annabeth chipped in with her own input, joining their conversation through their mental link.
"Although it's justified this time, you need to stop popping into our conversations. And how in the name of Chaos did you hear this conversation? I switched off my mental link." Jason stated with an annoyed huff.
"Calm down lover boy. Reyna intentionally didn't switch us off so that we could listen to what she said. And she definitely raised a few valid points." Nico calmly pointed out.
"Yeah, you can get all lovey-dovey later on, cuz. We won't peek then." Leo egged Jason on with a mischievous smile on his face.
"Leo, I am going to turn you into smoked salmon." Jason stated with an irritated growl.
"Boys." Atlanta, who was sitting behind Jason, stated with a condescending sigh.
"Hunters." Leo shot back with a similar, infuriating sigh.
"Boy, do not test my patience." Atlanta warned with a growl.
She and for that matter, the rest of the Hunt, found the demigod son of Poseidon to be an extremely annoying specimen. Jason's and Thalia's thirst of combat and superiority complex made them irritating in some ways but Leo was annoying in every single way.
He was loud, too sassy for his own good, an eternal optimist and also had no respect for any authority apart from Percy, Athena and to a certain extent, Ares and Artemis. He was basically a nerfed, rebellious teenage version of Percy.
"Girl, do not test my patience." Leo parroted her statement, causing her to grow even more annoyed.
"Leo, stop pissing everybody off." Annabeth strictly chastised, causing Leo to quiet down.
"I am not doubting the plan but this seems like a bit of a risk. And when you consider the fact that Atlas has sworn revenge against Percy and has also declared that he will kidnap Zoe, I feel like this is his plan to kill two birds with one stone." Thalia shared her own opinion on this matter.
Before anyone else could reply, they suddenly got a message, which had a sense of urgency in it, from Percy –
"Demigods and hunters, turn away and go back to Olympus right now."
Percy materialised a small cube of Ambrosia and consumed it to heal the hairline crack in his cheekbone. It was the first time a bone of his had been broken with a single hit by an enemy that was not a primordial god.
"I should have known that you were the one who poisoned her mind. You imprinted your hate on her and have now condemned her to eternal damnation." Percy growled with a furious edge to his voice as his spear and shield materialised in his hand while his armour enveloped him. But Calypso immediately jumped to her father's defence.
"How dare you talk to my father like that?" Calypso took a step forward and threatened Percy with a death glare.
"Calypso, how can you defend this man? Do you know how many people he has killed during the First Titanomachy? Do you know how many opponents of the Titans he has ruthlessly destroyed before the Age of the Titans ended? Do you have any idea of the sort of brutality he has inflicted?" Percy questioned Calypso in a raised voice.
"I don't care about any of that. He is the man who raised me, even though I was nothing but the product of an affair. Your great-grandmother and my mother -Tethys, refused to even accept that I existed. My grandparents didn't want me to even step into Othrys. But my father, he fought against all accusations to raise me with love and affection. He asked me to sit out this war, just like he asked me to sit out the First Titanomachy. But on both occasions, it has been my choice to stand beside him." Calypso proudly proclaimed before walking and standing next to Atlas.
"There is no doubt at all that I have done of the things you claimed I have done. But so have you, Diaboles. The profession of a general requires ruthlessness. It's a part of the gig. Are you telling me you didn't engage in brutality when you fought those draconian dimwits? Are you telling me you didn't crush opposition to the gods swiftly during what you dub as the Great Peace? How exactly did you maintain that peace, Diaboles? Did you go around preaching ethics and distributing flowers? No. You mercilessly destroyed all those who were or could be a threat to the gods." Atlas coldly replied, his own spear materialised in his hands.
A moment later, his shining brown, Celestial Bronze Spartan armour enveloped him along with an intimidating horseplume helmet which had an alternating pattern of volcanic onyx black and blood red, representing the current colour of his eyes as well as the killing intent in them.
"I never went to the levels you went to, Atlas. I did deal with my enemies swiftly but any brutality from my side was only situational and due to negative emotions. Unlike you, I am not bloodthirsty." Percy coolly rebuffed with composed maturity.
"You are not the paragon of morality that you think you are, Diaboles. You are just a glorified lapdog of the gods who seduced and broke my daughter's heart. And for that, I will rip yours apart." Atlas declared with a growl as he slammed his spear into the ground.
"The man who grovels at Kronos' feet calls me a lapdog, do you not see the hypocrisy of that statement? As for ripping your daughter's heart out, I deeply regret what I did to Calypso but I had no other choice." Percy responded with a steely tenacity in his tone. And it was during this time that Percy sent an emergency signal to the demigods.
"You are the reason I joined this war, Diaboles. I am not fighting for Kronos due to some deeply entrenched loyalty. He lost all of my loyalty and respect when he refused to take my advice and lost the First Titanomachy. While I want the Titans to rule the world and take back our birth right which the gods stole from us, seeing you suffer for what you did to my eldest daughter and freeing my youngest daughter from your clutches are far more important to me." Atlas announced with a cruel glint in his eyes, while unleashing his power.
This shocked Percy. He could gather immediately that while Atlas was still not at full power, like Boreas had predicted, he was much closer to his power ceiling than what Percy had anticipated, leaving him unsure of whether he could take on Atlas on his own, which is why he contacted Ares, Athena and Artemis. But their response that they couldn't locate him thoroughly puzzled him.
"Confused? You are not the only one with a master sorcerer on your side. My daughter has been a master at the skills of healing as well as that of magic, long before Hecate was even born. She is the one who is accelerating my recovery and is also the one who is hiding our energy signatures from the rest of the gods. After all, I cannot let them crash this golden opportunity to settle a score with you, mano-a-mano." Atlas praised his daughter's skills with a smug smile on his face.
"I have been waiting for this opportunity ever since the day you destroyed Boreas' and his sons' physical forms." Percy stated with silent rage shining in his eyes. Atlas' statement had reignited the steely confidence within him as he unleashed the full scale of his power, which emanated from him in waves.
Without exchanging any other words, Atlas and Percy rushed towards each other at breakneck speed with their spears held out and they clashed in the middle in a thunderous fashion, releasing a shockwave that levelled the buildings around them and caused Calypso to protect herself in a force field.
Atlas and Percy were locked in a stalemate for a brief moment before Atlas overwhelmed Percy with brute physical force and slammed his shoulder into Percy's torso with the force of a freight train, sending Percy flying through a number of buildings and trees.
"What's the matter Diaboles? Where's all that confidence?" Atlas taunted as he rushed towards Percy but rather than responding, Percy released a potent linear shockwave at Atlas, blowing Atlas away.
"You are strong. But you are not undefeatable." Percy loudly proclaimed as he sent a volley of sea green spheres of energy at Atlas.
Atlas defended himself by slamming his spear into the ground and releasing a wall of force that detonated the spheres mid air. He was then forced to block a thrust from Percy's spear with his own spear while stopping Percy's shield with his pommel.
Then, Atlas head-butted Percy with enough force to bruise Percy's forehead and cause the Hero of Olympus to flinch, which was also a first. But Atlas himself suffered the slightest bit of painful recoil, something he had not expected.
However, he did recover faster than Percy and for the second time that day, he swiftly punched Percy in the face, causing the Hero of Olympus to suffer another hairline crack, this time in his nasal bone.
To his credit, Percy recovered fast enough to return the favour immediately with a seismokinetically enhanced fist that he buried into Atlas' face which caused a similar crack in the left side of Atlas' face.
Atlas retaliated with a thrust from his spear which Percy blocked with his shield and parried with a thrust of his own. This gave Calypso some time to observe the two men who were fighting viciously in front of her.
At the outset, it seemed that even though her father had not reached the limit of his power, he was more powerful than Percy, albeit only marginally. He was clearly superior in terms of physical strength and slightly superior in terms of speed but surprisingly, Percy seemed to hold the slightest edge in terms of endurance as his reaction time after a clash seemed better.
She would be lying if she said she had expected Percy to be this powerful, and that too consistently. Their entire plan was based off the fact that he would be suffering from power derations and that even at full power, he would not be a match for her father's current power ceiling.
Atlas had clearly not expected to be outshone by Percy in terms of endurance, at least at his current power ceiling, and the damn Hero of Olympus was faster and far, far more proficient with the spear than Atlas had thought he was. Of course, Atlas was clearly the better spearman but Percy was not leagues way. It was evident that the man in front of him was stronger, more consistent and more confident than the one who had fought against Mnemosyne and Astraeus.
However, Atlas' underestimation of Percy's weaponry had proven to be very damaging. When he slammed Percy's shield away with his spear, Percy closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye and thrust his spear at Atlas. Atlas deflected it in the nick of time. However, he failed to see that Percy's shield had ricocheted off a tree and it slammed into his side and released all its stored energy in a shockwave that blew Atlas away.
He was given no respite as Percy sent a barrage of radial and linear shockwaves at him, forcing him to counter those with beams of stone grey energy. But one slipped through and hit Atlas in the chest and sent him skidding backwards.
Before Atlas could respond though, a blood red beam of energy hit him, propelling him towards Calypso and a moment later, Ares descended from the sky like a meteor. Simultaneously, Percy was surrounded in a shining dome of water as he propelled himself towards Atlas at breakneck speed.
Realising that the smart thing to do was retreat, Atlas countered by taking his divine form and used it teleport away with Calypso. But his divine form unleashed a powerful wave of energy that managed to neutralize Percy's and Ares' attacks and brought them to a standstill. A moment later, Athena and Artemis materialised next to them but were disappointed to see that Atlas and Calypso had already escaped.
When they all returned to Olympus, Percy would have stormed into the Olympian Throne Room if it weren't for Athena keeping him confined in their palace. A few seconds later, Amphitrite, Aphrodite and Selene materialised in the hall. Percy then mentally shared his entire conversation with Calypso with them before levelling a gaze full of rage at them.
"My dying wish was that I wanted Calypso to be liberated from her prison. I trusted all of you to finish what I started and give that woman a chance to actually live her life. That's the only thing I ever expected from any of you. But you completely forgot about her and let her rot in Ogygia for three more millennia. Given that fact, it's not at all a surprise that she hates all of us, especially me, with an intense passion. And she completely deserves to. I ditched her on Ogygia and went on with my life while we all forgot about her and her sacrifice." Percy roared with a furious expression on his face as he smashed his fist into a nearby wall and tore it down in an instant.
"Percy, I know that this has been a very difficult experience for you, but you need to calm down." Athena placated him and tried to calm him down but her efforts went in vain.
"I will not calm down. Because today, I have just realised how heinous my actions have been. I always told myself that there was nothing I could do to save my relationship with Calypso. But that is not true. She was right. I could have fought for her. I could have fought for her freedom. I could have fought for us and our relationship. I could have opposed Olympus and could have still managed to free her. But I didn't. Not because I couldn't. But because I didn't want to. I deluded myself by thinking that I was making the ultimate sacrifice. But I was so foolish that I didn't realise that I had turned Calypso into the sacrifice." Percy bellowed with anguish in his voice as he dropped to his knees, Athena tried to engulf him in a hug but he moved away.
"Son, not wanting to destroy the harmony that you had created in our family was not a wrong thing. You were selfless in your act because you put our interest above your own. And you suffered so much for that decision. We all saw you turn into a broken shell of a man. That was and is your fatal flaw. You can never prioritize your own happiness and well-being over that of those who are close to you. You sacrificed just as much as her." Amphitrite defended with motherly concern in her voice.
"No mother. I did not. I did not sacrifice as much as she did. I went on to live prosperously and happily for decades with Athena, the woman of my dreams. But Calypso, she waited and waited and waited, prompted by some woefully misguided hope that I would come back for her. She suffered alone. And she suffered alone for three thousand years. All because of a decision that she didn't even make." Percy rasped out in a broken voice as he buried his face in between his hands.
"Brother, you and Calypso loved each other in a perfect world. Your love was cultivated in an ideal world that had no external interferences. It was just the two of you in your own world. And you had diametrically opposite personalities. Our family meant everything to you. But she disliked us. You were a warrior. She was a pacifist. Your relationship would not have survived in the real world. And that's the bitter truth. Besides, didn't she take a promise from you and ask you to move on? How can she torture you emotionally when she herself asked you to let go?" Aphrodite firmly argued.
She had never been a fan of Calypso. The Titaness held too much bitterness against the gods for Aphrodite to be comfortable with her. But Aphrodite and for that matter, the rest of Percy's Olympian family, intensely disliked Calypso because of the traumatic effect she had had on Percy's psyche.
"That was not an inevitability. No one knows whether things would have worked out between us. But I owed it to her to at least put a sincere effort into freeing her. Because I promised her, Aphrodite. When she initially tried to distance herself from me, I broke her walls down with a promise that I would never leave her side. But I broke that promise." Percy lugubriously whispered with his head held down as shining tears fell on the ground in front of him.
"Nephew, while you cannot be absolved of all blame, it is not right to blame everything on you. There was nothing wrong in your attempt to free her in a peaceful and non-confrontational way. And despite what she says, in your heartbroken and guilt-ridden state, it was impossible for you to infer otherwise when she asked you to move on. Because for all intents and purposes, that was a goodbye. Maybe, if you weren't going through such emotional trauma, you could have realised what she truly wanted. But you were in so much pain. And that pain blinded your rationality." Selene sombrely stated.
"No Aunt Selene. I truly am the destroyer who brings damnation. I bring damnation not only to all my enemies, but I also bring it to all those who love me." Percy stated with a loud, bitter laugh that was full of self-condescension.
"Percy, that's not true. You have only made our lives better. You united us when we were divided. You turned us into a loving family. You showed me a part of life as well as a part of myself whose existence I didn't believe in and being with you has been nothing but bliss." Athena softly stated as she kneeled down and tenderly held Percy's face.
"No, Athena. I cannot keep you or anyone happy. I only bring devastation and sorrow wherever I go. I sacrificed Calypso and caused her intense pain for three millennia. I banished Achilles and caused his death. I then blew myself up and made you and everyone else suffer for three thousand years." Percy broken-heartedly replied in a hoarse voice as he slowly removed Athena's hands from his face before abruptly standing up.
"I don't deserve to live. Let go of me, Athena. I cannot give you a life of happiness. But I will ensure that I take those blasted Titans with me. I will wipe myself and those wretched Titans out once and for all and create a perfect world for you." Percy declared with a crazed look in his eyes which had darkened to a dark emerald green.
However, before he could disappear in a blue mist, Athena materialised a dagger and in the blink of an eye, she hit him in the side of his head with its hilt with enough force to knock him out. His body went limp and his head would have collided with the ground but Athena caught him before that could happen. She then sat down and cradled his head near her chest as she soothingly ran her hands through his silky hair.
Her own eyes turned watery as she saw the anguished expression on Percy's face. It devastated her to see Percy so heartbroken and experience so much grief. At that moment, Athena really couldn't help but hate the Fates. It was like Percy was destined to never have peace of mind or maintain emotional sanity. Fate just kept throwing pain at him at an endless rate.
The other three immortals in the room wordlessly huddled around her and Selene placed a palm on her shoulder to comfort her. But there was no way for them to hide the pain in their own expressions. To see the man who had given up everything for them in such grief was a sorrowful sight. And they owed him an explanation when he woke up.
Hey guys! So after missing my mark twice in a row, I managed to wrap up this chapter in just a week. And I have to say, this has to be hands down, my personal favourite. That's reflected in the fact that content wise, it's the longest chapter I have ever written so I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Like I had said, in this arc, there are no heroes or villains. At least according to me, everyone's biggest faults as well as their most appreciable strengths shine through in this arc so that makes it impossible to classify one person as right it wrong.
Did Calypso not make her demands clear enough and is hence make it impossible for Percy to come back to her? Yes. But Percy also never really did the best he could. Was he wrong for fighting for her release only passively rather than actively and falling in love with Athena in that time? Yes.
So, I leave it to you guys to infer who has the moral high ground here and what makes it so exciting is that there is no right answer. I am also planning to develop each of the demigod pairings in a unique and novel way. I've started with Jason and Reyna since they have had the most history but I will move on to the others very soon.
Finally, Atlas still isn't at full power but Percy is. So even at this level, Atlas is marginally more powerful than Percy. In fact, if it weren't for him underestimating Percy, he would have won that battle. But that's just the trailer of an epic showdown that is getting closer and closer.
Read and review, I hope that all of you enjoyed this chapter! Have a fantastic day!
