Chapter 22

Greetings readers! I hope that all of you enjoyed the previous chapter!

Firstly, in response to MysteryTrident14's review, I am back to normal and my family's good to go as well! Thanks for your concern! I am giving a lot of villains different stories and makeovers but Kronos, is still the same scumbag in this story too. I just cannot find any redeeming qualities in him so he's the big baddie. Yes, even though he's not been seen in quite a while, Luke is still going to play an integral role in this story. Will Percy meet the Fates? Yeah, he most probably will. But he's not just going to barge in there just yet. Fortunately, I did manage to get this chapter out in just a week but you're definitely right - quality is my main concern! Thank you for your continued support!

In response to Kronosbluehairbrush's review, yes, the Hesperides have a lot of potential and are more often than not overlooked but I wanted to try something novel. And I am glad that you liked that novel approach! It would be very twisted if Atlas ended up killing Zoe by mistake, since in this timeline, he's a great father who is extremely worried about his children. I do have a few plans for Zoe but I am wrestling with the ramifications of it. And yes, those in the shop were vapourized. I just wanted to show the callousness of the gods in that scene.

Calypso has a good relationship with her other sisters, at least in this story. That's primarily because Atlas himself has a great relationship with his daughters and highly values his daughters. Eurybia will have her part once I do some more research on her but I plan to include her in at least some major fight. Yeah, I meant to say Krios but it must have been autocorrected to Koios. Thanks for bringing it to my notice! I've fixed that mistake now! Kronos did something pretty bad to Selene when she was young, it's purely only in this AU but I plan to elaborate on it a bit further in future chapters. When you said you were rooting for Atlas a little bit, I just got the idea for the title of this chapter and I wanted to thank you for that as well as for your continued support!

In response to B2B's review, exactly, when I said Duality of Beings, I was focusing on that same fact. The gods and Atlas act in a diametrically opposite way when it comes to their family and those who aren't a part of it. It's not as extreme in the gods yet this distinction exists and that's why I am trying to point out that no side really can claim to be completely fair. Thank you for your continued support!

In response to SonGoku76's review, Atlas is not a conventional villain. In fact, I don't even know whether he can be called a villain in this arc. But that's what makes it so exciting to write! It's the moral ambiguity. And Calypso's emotional flip-flopping is just as intense to write as it is to read. Thank you for your continued support!

I would like to thank the emoticon using guest reviewer for your continued support! Yes, we are all doing much better! Your concern is very much appreciated!

I would like to thank Nice for your continued support! We are doing much better! Thank you for your continued support!

In response to the guest reviewer (the one who reviews frequently), I am glad that the warnings are helpful! Atlas and the Olympians both had a back-up plan because they don't trust each other. And that's the primary reason why Percy and Calypso could never be together. Yeah, the skirmish between Artemis and Arethusa was to show just how powerful the younger Olympians actually are. Atlas is a great father in this story. He's not perfect and did banish Zoe but there's a deeper story behind that too which I will reveal soon enough.

Old King Cannibal had me laughing heartily and thanks for giving me the permission to use it. I definitely have used it in this chapter, probably more than I should have :) Luke is still going to play an important role in this story but it's going to be more in the final two arcs than this one. That scene with Selene was to just show the corruption of having unlimited power. So Selene serves as the mature and wise voice of reason to the angry DSS agents, who aren't very dissimilar to a younger Percy. If you liked the confrontation between Atlas and Krios, you'll like the one between Atlas and Kronos even more! Thank you for your continued support and thank you for your concern! My family members and I are all back to normal!

I would like to thank jonbatula for your support! I am thrilled to hear that you are enjoying this series!

In response to Windshear15's review, I would not exactly say that Calypso is betraying Percy, it's more like she is conflicted about her feelings towards him and doesn't know what to do anymore. Atlas though absolutely loathes Percy and is only holding back because Calypso's unsure about her feelings towards him. I am glad that Calypso's reintroduction feels seamless because it's been more than a year since her arc concluded so I am glad that the readers don't feel any disconnect. And Kronos entering is definitely not good for the gods. Thank you for your support!

In response to SonOfPoseidon05's review, unfortunately, I think that the Golden Age of Percy Jackson fanfics is truly over and I am late to the party. I remember about seven years, just after Blood Of Olympus had come out, we had a flood of awesome fanfictions and I am sad that that's not the scenario anymore. But I am glad that my stories could remind of that truly awesome time! I am happy to hear that you like the emotional weight of this story and am even more thrilled to know that you liked Calypso's reintroduction! Thank you for your continued support!

Responding to Ryan Fowler's review, well you know me, I can't live without dropping at least one unexpected bomb or the other in my stories :) I can't give away much on what will happen with Percy and Calypso but I can say that it's not all gloomy. The dynamic between Atlas and Percy though, is an entirely different matter. Thank you for your continued support!

I would like to thank HellRaiderS for your continued support! I hope I can maintain this update schedule of weekly updates! Hope you like this chapter!

In response to MegaRayquaza8121's review, I guess there was something wrong with the fanfiction website when you tried to review the previous chapter but I am glad to have you back! Calypso calling Atlas papa was sort of modelled on the dynamic in my own family where my sister calls my father papa whenever she wants something from him or is trying to convince him and more often than not, it works. It is really sweet to watch so I decided to reuse that here. Thank you for your continued support!

In response to skotos07's review, I am delighted to hear that you rate my work so highly! Yes, ambiguity is exactly what I am trying to achieve in this arc. I am just presenting both sides of the argument in an unbiased way and letting the readers draw their own conclusions. And I am glad to hear that you like this approach! Thank you for your continued support!

Responding to Jubby1905's review, looking at the other reviews, it seems that most people had a problem reviewing the previous chapter. But I'm glad to have you back on board! That's the way I am trying to posture Atlas. He's basically a more ruthless, amoral, twisted mirror of Percy. He doesn't have any other morals other than being a great father but the reason for him being so ruthless is something you'll find out soon enough. Yeah, the part where Percy and Calypso meet and each faction just blames the other is to show how deep the distrust runs. Yes, the Olympians reminiscing about Percy is something I intend to include. This chapter and the footnote elaborate more on that. Thank you for your continued support!

Finally, I would like to thank Arden2709 for your continued support! I am glad that you enjoyed the previous chapter and hope you like this one as well!

All credit for the characters goes exclusively to Rick Riordan.


Hades was genuinely worried about Perseus. It had been a few days since they had started their search for him and they had found no information except for the one small titbit which the demigods had wrangled out of a loose-mouthed Cyclopes. And it was a mixed bag.

The Cyclopes had revealed that the Titans were panicking like headless chicken because apparently, what Calypso had carried was not a pre-planned kidnapping. She had done it instinctively They had all breathed a sigh of relief at that. Because it could have been a disaster of unheard proportions if his father, Old King Cannibal, tried to possess his nephew.

However, it was also very worrying because Calypso was a master of sorcery and magic. She wasn't called the Enchantress for no reason. While she was more than capable of nursing Perseus back to health, she was also capable of taking advantage of his weakness to distort his mind with fake memories. He was brought out of his silent pondering when the rest of his siblings, bar Poseidon, materialised in the Olympian Throne Room.

"You are all late." Hades coolly stated.

"Smart of you figure that out, brother." Zeus shot back with an annoyed glare as he took his seat which Hades chose to ignore.

"Where are Poseidon and Amphitrite? And where are the younger Olympians?" Hades questioned. He had come here because a Council meeting had been scheduled and was surprised to see so many Olympians absent.

"Poseidon and Amphitrite are scouring the seas in search of Percy. Granted that there's an astronomically low possibility of Calypso hiding him underwater, they still don't want to leave any stone unturned." Demeter informed.

"And my children as well as Aphrodite aren't willing to abandon their hunt to attend the meeting. Hephaestus is trying to track Perseus down using a new radar that he's created, one that's capable of tracking down people down on the basis of their energy signature. So, that leaves only the five of us to discuss our next step. But at least Old King Cannibal hasn't gotten his nasty hands on Percy." Zeus answered with a relieved sigh.

"I hope all of you realise the danger that Percy really is in. A lot of you seemed relieved that the Titans weren't aware of his whereabouts. But I don't think we can take too much comfort in the fact that the daughter of Atlas is the one nursing him back to health. By Artemis' accounts, he had been blindsided by three injuries that would have destroyed the physical form of anyone else. Calypso is a capable healer. But she is also an excellent seductress. She can easily take advantage of Percy when he is vulnerable." Hera warned with a disgusted sneer distorting her beautiful features.

"My dear, have some trust in our nephew. He has no romantic feelings for Calypso anymore. Aphrodite herself confirmed that. Whatever trickery Calypso tries is bound to fail because of Percy's fatal flaw of personal loyalty. He will kill himself but he will not cheat on Athena." Zeus vouched for his nephew.

"Husband, I know our nephew well enough to know that he won't indulge in any affairs. Unlike Poseidon, his fatal flaw manifests in a very grounded way. I believe that since he was born a mortal and for two years, also lived as one, underneath all that invulnerability and great power, buried within his immortal essence, there still is a sliver of a mortal's vulnerability that gives him humility. That humility which makes him impossible to dislike." Hera stated with a small smile on her face as she remembered how that one aspect of his had never changed. Not since he was a toddler.

"Poseidon may have the same fatal flaw but he doesn't have that humility. Instead, his arrogance which stems from his divine status morphs the manifestation of his fatal flaw into a more violent form. Percy shows flashes of that occasionally but it manifests in him in a more emotional way due to his inherent humility. It's both a blessing as well as a curse. He always expects the best from the people he trusts. That is a wonderful quality that draws people in but it's also a flaw that can be exploited." Hestia stated with a deep sigh.

"What are you getting at?" Zeus asked, unable to understand what they were trying to imply.

"The daughter of Atlas can rival Hecate in terms of sorcery. If she kidnapped Percy out of her own volition, without informing even the Titans, that can only mean that she's planning to pursue a romantic relationship with him. And she can easily manipulate his memories, emotions and actions to make him forget Athena and fall in love with her." Demeter ominously revealed and Zeus' eyes immediately widened.

"She wouldn't. She couldn't. Percy has immense mental fortitude. And I have seen how much he loves Athena. Everything he does is dictated by an intent to protect her and make sure she is unharmed. How much ever that Titaness tries, she will not be able to erase that part of him. He is a kind man with a strong moral compass. That is the only reason he fought to have her acquitted. But that's it. She cannot make him fall in love with her." Zeus shook his head in denial.

"Are you seriously that naïve, you airhead? We are talking about a person who rivals Hecate in sorcery. Do you think she is not capable of manipulating his emotions and his memories? Especially given the fact that he almost blindly trusts her." Hades exasperatedly questioned.

"She can do so much damage. She can magnify the smallest of disagreements he has had with us into an intense dislike. She can completely distort his love for Athena by embedding fake memories and can make him scorn her. She can overload his senses by amplifying the effect of all the fond memories he has of her. If she just wants to live with him peacefully, she can do all this and hide him away from us for a very, very long period of time. If she wants vengeance, she can use him against us. Do you understand the gravity of the situation, Zeus?" Hera intensely questioned as she stared into her husband's electric blue eyes, which immediately started to sizzle in anger.

"That will destroy Athena. I can't let that happen. I need to get involved in this search and destroy Calypso with my own Master Bolt before she breaks Athena's spirit. And I need to inform Athena about this." Zeus roared in anger as he stood up but Hera yanked him down.

"Sit down, Zeus. I know you are worried about your daughter. But do you really want to torture the poor girl even more with this information as well? She is already worried sick." Hera chastised and her words caused Zeus to calm down a bit.

"If that wretched daughter of Atlas succeeds, Athena is going to break, Hera. She was already devastated permanently in many ways when Perseus sacrificed himself. There is no way her already fragile psyche will be able to handle such a blow." Zeus rumbled with worry in his voice as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Give your daughter some more credit, brother. In terms of mental fortitude, Athena is the strongest person I have ever known. When we lost Percy for three thousand years, we were all devastated but Athena, she was a train wreck. She lost the single most important person in her life. Yet, she persevered for three millennia. And then, even when Percy was revived, he was not the same man anymore. He was a man deeply affected by his own trauma. For the past two years, she has been his emotional rock, giving him strength and comfort while pushing aside her own trauma. She will be devastated if Calypso manipulates Percy. But she will recover and take back what rightfully belongs to her." Hestia revealed, giving Zeus confidence.

"And she won't be alone." Demeter promised in a quiet voice.

"She most certainly will not be alone. We will never give up on Percy. Even if he's brainwashed, we will take him back. Whatever the Titans try, they are bound to lose. Because we don't fight for selfish reasons. We fight because we are family." Hera stated with determination as the Elder Olympians made an unspoken pact. Silence enveloped them for some time before Hades finally spoke up.

"That brat has been giving us grey hair ever since he was a pipsqueak. Always rambling about the importance of family and morals getting into trouble of that." Hades grumbled but there was a ghost of a smile on his face as he remembered Percy jumping into his arms when he was a toddler.

"He was adorable. Barely came up above my knees when I first saw him. Didn't even know how to speak properly or who I was. But he knew that I was family. And that was enough for him to sit on my lap and carelessly blabber a bunch of gibberish with me." Demeter reminisced with a fond smile.

"I can never forget the Council meeting where we all vouched for him being brought up in Atlantis. I even brought in mother for that purpose. And she was immediately floored by his cuteness. All those incidents, it feels like they happened a lifetime ago." Hestia narrated with a nostalgic expression on her face.

"To think that I actually opposed him growing up with us. I didn't even like him. But that little kelp head wormed his way into all our hearts and all his morals and loyalty rubbed off on us as well. He's a lot of trouble. But he's worth it." Zeus concluded in a deep voice as he stared into the mural on the roof of the Olympian Throne Room which depicted their fight against Tartarus.

That was the closest he would ever come to admitting how much he actually cared for his nephew. Of course, that feeling had risen exponentially once Percy had gotten involved with one of his two favourite daughters but the feeling that Percy was one of them had surfaced long before that. He had never given up on them and Zeus had always respected that. So it was only natural for him to reciprocate that intent.


Percy was hit by an intense feeling of déjà vu as he woke up to a salty sea breeze as well as the rays of the risen sun and found himself in a bed and room that he didn't recognise. He noticed that he was wrapped in golden bandages that were similar to but not the same as the ones Apollo used and for a moment, he was confused as to how he had gotten here in the first place. But almost immediately, he recollected his most recent memories.

He remembered his talk with Calypso which had been going well until they had reached the topic of her accepting amnesty. After that, all he remembered was being shot by an explosive arrow that had chipped his clavicle and grabbing Calypso to protect her from Artemis' beam. And in her surprise, Calypso had tried to stab him with her hidden dagger.

At the thought of those attacks, he suddenly felt a throbbing soreness in his shoulder as well as his back while feeling a shooting pain burst through his chest as he tried sitting up, causing him to grunt in annoyance. Yesterday had not been all that great for him. His invulnerability had definitely saved his life because he had been totally blindsided by three attacks that would have destroyed the physical form of any other immortal. He was brought out of his thoughts by Calypso.

"Percy, you're finally awake, how are you feeling?" Calypso practically barged into the room and asked him with concern written all over her face.

"Calypso?! What are you doing here? Actually, just where am I? I remember being thrown around like a rag doll but forgot what happened after that." Percy questioned with surprise evident on his face as he attempted to stand up but almost immediately, he felt a shooting pain in his back, causing him to become groggy and lose his balance. Before anything could happen though, Calypso rushed to steady him and carefully placed him on the edge of the bed.

"You did some very reckless things in quick succession, Percy. That resulted in you suffering from some serious injuries since you were defenceless when you took on such powerful attacks. And because I partly contributed to that, I brought you here to heal you." Calypso revealed, with a twinge of nervousness, as she answered.

In all honesty, she didn't know what had prompted her to do this. It was partly because of her guilt as she had attempted to stab him when he was only trying to help her. It was partly due to anger at her father, as well as the gods, that she had taken him away to a place that only the two of them had access to. And it was partly due to another emotion which Calypso refused to admit.

"Thank you for this, Calypso. Judging by your expression, I assume that you weren't aware of Arethusa tailing you?" Percy asked with a knowing look in his eyes.

"No, this was done behind my back. It looks like both of our families don't trust us to be around each other." Calypso stated with a wry, self-depreciating smile.

"Oh, they trust us. But my family doesn't trust you and your family doesn't trust me, which is what brings us to this situation." Percy admitted with a deep sigh.

"But how did you know that Artemis would be attacking me as soon as you were injured?" Calypso questioned, with an undertone of suspicion.

"I have something I like to call an inbuilt danger sensor. It's developed probably as a result of me constantly fighting my entire life and also as a result of me developing an immortal essence. That's what allowed me to know that danger was heading in your direction." Percy partially lied to her, allaying her suspicions. He didn't like lying to Calypso but telling the truth would do nothing but cause problems.

"Then why didn't you dodge when I tried to stab you." Calypso asked in a subdued voice.

"Because I didn't want to." Percy answered without a shred of hesitation.

"What do mean you didn't want to? I was trying to stab you! Any sane person would try to avoid that." Calypso angrily admonished.

"I had to protect you, Calypso. I didn't want you getting grievously injured for no fault of your own. Especially not by my own sister. I love my family but they have dearly wronged you. And I refused to let them wrong you anymore. It's as simple as that. No matter how bitter you are against me, no matter how angry you are at me, I will always be there for you. It's the only thing I can do to atone for my actions after all the pain I have given you. And I don't expect you to forgive me for this." Percy calmly replied, shocking Calypso to no small end.

"Besides, I knew that those attacks wouldn't kill me. If a protogenoi failed to kill me, I am pretty sure that no one else can kill me. I'll admit that it did cause a few injuries but I will be back to fighting condition in a week." Percy casually dismissed his injuries with a lop-sided smile on his face that was full of pride.

"Ahh, there's the overzealous Olympian pride." Calypso stated with a shake of her head but she couldn't help but smile.

Only Perseus Diaboles would risk himself for the sake of protecting someone who tried to stab him. His reason for doing such a thing had no merit. Yet, that didn't stop him from doing it. She was starting to realise why she had even fallen in love with him in the first place. It was impossible not to. She was brought out of her thoughts by Percy standing up, this time, without losing balance.

"Calypso, as grateful as I am that you have treated my wounds, I must return to my family. They will be worried sick about me and I cannot keep them in the dark." Percy firmly stated as he tried to walk out of the room. But he found Calypso holding onto his arm with all her might.

"Absolutely not. You are not going anywhere until you are completely healed. Your injuries are serious enough that you slept for two full days. And this uninhabited island in the middle of the Aegean has been covered by multiple force fields and incantations that make us invisible to the outside world. Only I can lift the barrier and I am not letting you go anywhere until I've healed you to perfect health." Calypso declared with unflinching stubbornness.

"Calypso, I told you before that you do not need to feel guilty in any way for stabbing me. So if you are trying to do this because you think that you need to make up for that, don't. You did whatever you had to do in self-defense." Percy tried to convince her to listen to him but it was to no avail.

"Say whatever you want, Percy. But I am not letting you go until you are healed. You got these injuries either directly because of me or because of protecting me. And I don't want to feel obligated to you. If I let you leave like this, I will always feel guilty and I do not want to live with that guilt. Even after this, if you feel like leaving, you will have to do it after defeating me." Calypso fiercely stated as she refused to let go of Percy's arm.

If she was being entirely honest, her intentions for wanting him to stay were rather inexplicable. She did genuinely feel a responsibility towards healing him but that was only a part of the reason she wanted him to stay. There was another part of her, one whose existence she refused to acknowledge, that wanted him to stay because it felt like this was their chance to get a glimpse of the life that was taken away from them.

"Calypso, you know I can't do that. Your father is trying his best to wreck havoc on my family and I cannot be weighed down by trivial injuries." Percy apologetically stated before he vanished in a blue mist, alarming Calypso to no small end.

She ran out of the room and found him at the edge of the beach as he gathered a dome of sea green energy around himself. She knew that while her barrier made them undetectable, it was not invincible. Especially not from inside. If Percy tried hard enough, he could smash through her barrier and go away. So, she immediately came with another plan.

"Percy, wait. If you stay here until you are completely healed, I will seriously consider the terms of the amnesty you have offered." Calypso loudly stated and almost instantly, the dome of energy dissipated and in the blink of an eye, Percy was in front of her.

"Really?! Will you really consider it?" Percy asked with a glint of desperate hope in his eyes. In all his anxiety about worrying his family too much, he had totally forgotten about the fact that he had offered Calypso amnesty if she accepted the conditions that came with it.

Calypso on the other hand was a bit distracted by the fact that he was standing shirtless in front of her. When he had dissipated into a blue mist, he had left the bandages behind and that left Calypso to gaze at his incredibly well-sculpted torso.

Three thousand years ago, when he had landed on Ogygia, he had been attractive in a lithe, conventional and young way. Now, he was handsome in a more muscular and mature way. He was always very well built, but now, his shoulders had gotten much broader and his waist had gotten even thinner, giving his upper body a defined V shape. He was also completely covered in rippled muscles that looked like they could destroy an industrial drill.

"Calypso?" Percy waved his hand in front of her face, bringing her out of her dazed state.

"Yes. I am willing to seriously consider taking neutrality, if you stay until you're completely healed. But only after I listen to all the conditions and after some demands of my own are fulfilled." Calypso answered in a strict tone.

"That's fantastic news! Well, I guess you have company for a week. Maybe, we can catch up on modern affairs, like a pair of old friends. Now, I don't claim to be an expert of any sort on the nonsense propagated by these mortals but I'm sure we can complain about how our time was better." Percy stated with an excited smile.

"That sounds good." Calypso replied with a genuine smile, one that gave Percy hope that she would take up the gods' offer of neutrality.


Elsewhere, back in his base, Atlas turned his neck and found that Kronos was possessing the body of some demigod as he calmly watched on. He wasn't even close to his full power but those solid gold eyes were still enough to terrify Krios. However, Atlas was unfazed.

"Kronos." Atlas impassively acknowledged as he lifted his foot off Krios' chest who took in deep gulps of air in relief.

"Atlas." Kronos, who had possessed the body of a twenty five year old son of Morpheus, greeted with his lips pressed into a thin line.

"You are far more defiant than I remember. Of course, you always had that annoying stubbornness and just refused to submit yourself to me. But you also unquestioningly vanquished my enemies when required. And I was rather magnanimous in granting both you as well as your daughters full freedom, which was a privilege that I had not granted to anyone else. I thought our deal would continue. Besides, it also allowed you to sate your natural cruelty so it looked like a win-win situation to me." Kronos neutrally stated as he intensely stared at Atlas with his solid gold eyes.

"Our deal still hasn't changed, Kronos. I am willing to and have already directed a sizeable effort at restoring you to the Black Throne. But you are the one going back on your part of the deal by trying to interfere in my daughter's life. And I will not tolerate that." Atlas announced with calm yet deadly clarity.

"This is no time to be playing games, Atlas. Your daughter has access to a vulnerable Diaboles. This is our golden opportunity to defeat the gods once and for all. Let me possess the son of Poseidon. After that, we will crush the gods together and once we have won, I will come up with my own physical form and your daughter can do whatever she wants with him." Kronos smoothly offered even though he had no intent of keeping up his promise.

"Kronos, I know you well enough to know that you'll never voluntarily weaken yourself. Frankly, I have no idea where Calypso is right now. But even if I did, I would not tell you. Because as much as I hate the notion, my daughter still has residual feelings for Diaboles. And if she decides that staying with him is what is going to make her happy, then I will fully support her decision. Of course, I will still destroy the gods. But Perseus Diaboles belongs exclusively to my daughter." Atlas retorted in a voice that left no room for argument.

"You dare defy me? Don't get cocky, Atlas. No matter how powerful you think you are, I am more powerful. You will put up a good fight but will ultimately fail. And after destroying you, I will take your daughters as trophies. This façade of independence has gone on long enough. It's time you learn your place." Kronos ordered in an authoritative voice as his eyes dangerously narrowed.

"Listen to me very carefully Kronos, if you even look at my daughters the wrong way, I will sink all your dreams of reclaiming the Black Throne. You have not reformed yet. And the rest of the Titan Lords are still weak. I however, will be at full power in a little under two months. Once I have reached my peak, the gods won't be the only threat you'll have to worry about." Atlas threatened with his expression morphing into one of barely restrained fury as he balled his hands into fists. And Kronos grew silent at this bold claim. He knew very well that Atlas was not one to make empty threats.

"Four millennia later and you still are the only one who has the spine to stand up to me. I am impressed, Atlas. We will do things your way and I will uphold my end of the deal. But in return, I expect you to totally obliterate the gods. I want you to wipe them off the face of the Earth. Do we have a deal?" Kronos offered as he extended his hand. He was fuming internally but decided that he would deal with Atlas once this war was over.

"Swear on the River Styx that you won't touch my daughters, that you won't harm them in any way, mental, emotional, physical, direct or indirect, and that you will grant us unconditional and unrestricted freedom, if we win against the gods." Atlas pressured. He knew exactly what was going through Kronos' mind and this was his counter to that.

"I will do no such thing. I am a man of my word and-" Kronos started but he was cut off by when Atlas snorted at him.

"Don't try to fool me, Kronos. I know how much of a lying, manipulative and conniving bastard you really are. Take the oath if you want me to remain as your ally." Atlas firmly stated.

"Stop deluding yourself, Atlas. The Titans are your only hope of keeping your daughters safe. We are the only ones who can protect them from those wretched Olympians and it is only if I am in power, that you and your daughters can enjoy unrestricted freedom. You see, this has always been the balance that has prevented us from going after each other. You were far, far too valuable to me to dispose of and in return for your services, I ensured that your daughters remained untroubled. We were both wary of the consequences of breaking the deal and that's what held us in bay then. There's no reason the same logic would not hold good now." Kronos craftily rebuffed.

"Times change and so do people, Kronos. I have no trust in you or your capabilities after your arrogance cost us the First Titanomachy. And you excel at backstabbing. So take the oath, or get ready to fight me. It's your choice." Atlas concluded with an air of finality.

"Tell me, my dear nephew, how else will you be able to keep your daughters safe from the clutches of the gods? The same gods who beat Aegle and then Arethusa within an inch of death. The same gods who have started a witch hunt for Calypso. The same gods who turned Zoe against you. Where else will you find sanctuary? The Gigantes? They're rotting in Tartarus and rightfully so. Those draconian buffoons are blubbering idiots with no aptitude. The Earth Mother? She's slumbering so deeply that I don't believe she'll ever wake up again. Tartarus? The gods and Diaboles reunited him with Ouranos three millennia ago. You have no choice other than siding with us, Atlas." Kronos ranted in a condescending tone.

"You forgot about Night and Darkness. They might not get involved directly against the gods due to their oath but they are perfectly capable of giving sanctuary to my family. Perhaps, if it's only sanctuary for my daughters, even Day and Light may be willing to keep them safe. You're not the only one who I did favours for, Kronos. And the protogenoi never forget. Once my daughters are safe, I am fully capable of unleashing my wrath upon you and stifle your dreams permanently." Atlas warned with a dangerous tone in his voice.

"They can only provide you sanctuary. You'll never be able to take revenge against the gods and watch them suffer for what they have done." Kronos argued. Even though he was surprised that Atlas had such powerful allies, he didn't show it.

"I would do anything for my daughters. My own needs are immaterial compared to theirs." Atlas unhesitatingly stated and that sealed the deal.

Kronos knew that he had lost this negotiation. He was furious but calmed himself down. He had always prepared for the possibility of Atlas rearing his defiance. Accepting this meant that he would not be able to put Atlas or his daughters in their place once he had ascended but that was a small price to pay for victory.

However, he also knew that Atlas could play a very integral part in this war against the gods. After all, Atlas was someone who even he would prefer to have as an ally rather than as a foe. So, he took the oath. Word to word the same one as Atlas had asked. And thunder boomed in the distance as confirmation.

"If you had started with this, there wouldn't have been any need for all this confrontation." Atlas stated in the same condescending tone that Kronos had used on him earlier.

Once again, Kronos had to resist the urge to lash out against Atlas, as he bit his tongue. He tersely nodded at Atlas before he gestured at the terrified Krios to follow him as he wordlessly left Atlas' base. He had lost a battle today. But he had done so purely in his own interest as he wanted to win the war.


Calypso was having a fantastic time. In fact, she could safely say that the past week was one of the best experiences of her life. The only time that eclipsed this one was when Percy had stayed with her in Ogygia for two years. But then, she had still been chained to that accursed island.

The past week had truly been wonderful. She and Percy had gradually redeveloped a good friendship as she grew less bitter about his past actions and focused more on the present and future. And he had been ecstatic to see that change.

They had shared countless stories every day, exchanging their experiences since their separation and discussing their perceptions as well as opinions of the world that they had fallen into from an entirely different era. And gradually, Calypso's old feelings had started to resurface.

However, the same could not be said for Percy. Calypso noted, with no small amount of annoyance, that he was absolutely devoted to Athena. She shouldn't have been surprised. After all, his fatal flaw was personal loyalty. But she felt robbed. She felt robbed because once upon a time, Percy's eyes had held such passionate love for her and for her alone.

While he had been a fantastic friend, he had consciously avoided any unnecessary physical contact with her and had always remained at a respectful distance. He had also been cautious about sharing his own emotional vulnerabilities with her and that hurt her for a reason she didn't want to openly admit. She was falling for Percy. Again.

"Hey Calypso, since I am fully healed now, I will be leaving soon. But before that, did you think about the conditions for your acquittal?" Percy calmly asked as he sat down in front of her, bringing her out of her thoughts.

She had refused to even entertain this conversation until he was fully healed. He thought it was because she was taking time to think about it and he was content with that. But now that he was healed and was about to head back, he felt that it was imperative that they had this conversation.

"I did. But before I hear those Olympians' conditions, I have a few of my own that I refuse to budge on." Calypso stated with determination shining in her eyes as she stared back into Percy's captivating sea green eyes.

"I want the same acquittal to extend for my sisters as well." Calypso listed her first condition.

She had overheard her father worrying about finding a way to get her younger to be neutral in this war because of Aegle's brutal beating at the hands of Zephyrus. Of course, he had only wanted them to remain neutral because he didn't want them to be injured. Not because he didn't think the Titans couldn't win.

"Done. As long as they swear not to go against Olympus or the gods, ever again, it will be pretty simple to convince the Council to acquit them and give them freedom." Percy casually replied, almost instantly.

"That's a powerful statement. Do you really think you can follow up on that? The Olympians are not ones to change their decisions easily." Calypso cautioned as she questioned Percy.

"They are pretty rigid, I will admit. But they are not above reason. And if I could convince them to come up with a conditional acquittal for you, getting one for your sisters is no big deal. Besides, I'm sure Zoe will like that as well." Percy waved off her concern as he leaned back into his seat and Calypso was pleasantly surprised.

"Alright then, my other condition, which I find even more important, is that in the offshoot scenario that the gods win, I want a lighter sentence for my father. A sentence that will not see him thrown back into Tartarus or going back to holding the weight of the sky." Calypso firmly declared.

"Calypso, that is impossible. First of all, the Council will never acquit Atlas. He is not called the Terror of Olympus for no reason. Secondly, I personally dislike the man with an intense passion due to his brutal disposition and I do not want to help a butcher." Percy shot back in a similar voice.

"You speak as if the gods are all paragons of virtue. Before you transformed them, they were butchers as well. My father on the other hand, whatever he did, he did for our safety. He was Kronos' right-hand man for the sole reason that he didn't want Kronos to have control over us." Calypso angrily revealed as she stood up.

"So, he killed tens of thousands of people for that? In the astronomically low chance that his intentions may have been right, his actions most certainly were not. I admit that the gods aren't perfect. Not by a long shot. But they are leagues above the Titans in terms of morality." Percy rebuked in a calm yet steely voice.

"You insult my father but you forget that once upon a time, you yourself engaged in a fair bit of brutality. Tell me General Perseus, how many innocent people have you punished just on the suspicion that they could be a threat to the gods?" Calypso harshly questioned.

"Many. But I remember all their faces. And I feel deep regret about my actions. But the difference between me and your father is that I gave up my brutal ways long ago. He didn't. And the difference in body counts is in tens of thousands." Percy calmly yet firmly responded with a distant look in his eyes.

"Then we have no deal. You'll just have to fight me as well." Calypso declared as she intensely glared at him. He met her gaze with a determined one of his own and the two of them stayed in that position for a few minutes before Percy finally relented.

"I cannot promise you anything concrete, Calypso. Not even if I wanted to. But, I can and I will ask the gods to consider a lighter sentence, only if Atlas accepts that he will never go against them again. If he doesn't accept that offer, it's curtains for him." Percy stated, albeit with a healthy amount of hesitation in his voice and Calypso found herself pleasantly surprised for the second time in a span of few minutes.

"You would really do all that, just for me?" Calypso asked in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

"Of course I would, Calypso. I have already made a big mistake by deserting you all those years ago. I want to do everything possible to make up for that mistake." Percy responded with complete sincerity. And Calypso almost melted at that statement.

"Alright, if that's the case, I am willing to take a solemn oath to never go against Olympus ever again, in return for an acquittal, as well as for my neutrality in this war." Calypso accepted with a small nod. If Percy was willing to go to such lengths for her, she had to reciprocate.

"That's fantastic! If you can now just collapse this metaphysical barrier and come with me, we can go to Olympus for your acquittal." Percy ecstatically stated as he beamed at Calypso, causing the Titaness to blush a little.

"Walking into Olympus seems a little scary, Percy. I am after all still an enemy. What if they ambush me?" Calypso asked with a twinge of worry.

"As long as you are with me, you have nothing to worry about, Calypso. If they try to harm you, they will have to get through me first." Percy reassured her with fiery determination blazing in his eyes.

"Okay, I am trusting you on this one, General Perseus. Don't disappoint me. Or else it will come back to haunt you." Calypso replied with a smirk on her face.

"Wouldn't even dream of doing something like that." Percy replied with a similar smirk on his face.

"Before we go though, there is also another condition. It's nothing serious. It's just Uncle Zeus' over-protectiveness and shouldn't be a problem. Along with swearing that you'll never go against Olympus, he also wants you to take an oath that you won't interfere in mine and Athena's life, which is really a non-issue since you have better things to do." Percy stated in a nonplussed manner. It was a small matter for him but for Calypso, it was a big and unpleasant revelation.

"What does he mean when he says I can't interfere in your and Athena's life?" Calypso asked with an undertone of fury in her voice, one that Percy didn't catch.

"I assume he means that he doesn't want you to interfere in mine and Athena's relationship. He is probably afraid that you will try to take me from Athena, which is an absurd notion. Why would you want me of all people back? You could do so much better. Well, even Athena can but let's not go down that route." Percy joked as he failed to understand the gravity of the situation.

"The deal is off then." Calypso abruptly pulled out of negotiation, shocking Percy to no small end.

"What?! Why? I thought we had eliminated all the friction points. Your conditions were acceptable to me and the Olympians' ones were acceptable to you. What happened all of a sudden?" Percy asked with shock written all over his face.

"The last condition is simply unacceptable to me, Percy. I cannot and will not just let you go, unless I want to. And to be completely honest, I don't want to let you go." Calypso finally articulated her emotions. She was tired of letting her past and other people dictate her future. She was happy with Percy. And she intended to stay that way.

"I don't care about anything else, Percy. This past week and the two years we spent on Ogygia were simply wonderful. I am finally happy and I want to stay that way. I have gone through enough suffering for an eternity. And you, Perseus Diaboles, are the magic drug that makes me happy. So I want us to restart our passionate romance. And I won't let that airhead of a god get in my way." Calypso fiercely declared and left Percy completely speechless. This was a development which he could have never accounted for.


Hey guys! So, after missing my target all these weeks, I am back with a new chapter in just seven days! And boy did I enjoy writing this chapter. Even though it doesn't have any action, it's full of tension and is one that leaves you at the edge of your seat so that makes it faster to write!

As suggested by Jubby1905, I started off this chapter based on his excellent suggestion of having the Elder Olympians reminisce about toddler Percy. So a shout-out to Jubby1905 for the great idea! Also, a shout-out to the guest reviewer for coming up with and letting me use the name Old King Cannibal!

Building off of the previous chapter, in this chapter, I am trying to position Atlas more as a caring father. Of course, that doesn't mean he's a hero. But when compared with a scumbag like a Kronos, Atlas is leagues better. In more ways than one, he's an amoral, more ruthless version of Percy rather than your traditional antagonist.

It may also seem like I am completely flip-flopping on what to do with Calypso but I assure you that I am not. I am just trying to portray that Calypso has seen so much pain that now, her only way of being happy is when she's with Percy. I'm trying to show how she has developed a sort of toxic dependence on him. And I am going to explore this more in future chapters.

Read and review, I hope that all of you enjoyed reading this chapter! Have a fantastic day!