Fatal Flaw

Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. I say it will end in both.

It had been an ordinary day, Annabeth and I had just graduated high school a couple of days before and we were on our way out west to California, Camp Jupiter or New Rome to be specific, we were both going to be attending New Rome university in the Fall. Annabeth was going to study Architecture and being a son of Poseidon I was of course going to study Marine Biology. We were ecstatic at the opportunity to just relax for a few days before heading to Camp Half Blood for the summer.

A few days with Annabeth's family, maybe go to Disney World? We didn't have a plan, well I didn't. Knowing my wise girl, every second of the trip was planned out, she was especially nervous given that our families were going to be meeting for the first time. Mom, Paul and Estelle would spend the weekend with us in San Francisco before heading onto Los Angeles to kick off my mother's latest book tour. Only three months since giving birth, my mother was starting a summer long book tour across the US. Thankfully, Paul had most the summer off given he was a teacher. He would have to take Estelle back half way through August has he had just been promoted to Vice Principal so would need to be back in time to prepare for the start of the new school year.

My family and Annabeth were flying, easiest way to get cross country for her, planes were too fast for monsters to pick up on her demigod smell. I would have gone with them but, the last time I flew on a plane I was warned by Zeus to never enter his domain again. As if me flying in a plane would cause any harm to him, but no "No child of Poseidon will enter my domain". Egotistical jackass. Something which I made him aware of the last time we spoke. I was not happy with the way his incompetence had led to yet another war and I didn't really care how mad he got. He wasn't going to hurt me, not after I just saved the world again.

I was going to swim, or more accurately have Bessie collect me in Long Island sound and transport me to San Francisco Bay. It worked out perfectly anyway, I had Tyson forge a beautiful engagement ring for Annabeth, he was dropping it off in our cabin at camp so I had the chance to collect it without her wondering what I was trying to hide. I wanted to propose to her on the land I found out from Frank that the Roman Senate had set aside for our house to be built, another surprise for her. They offered to have it built for us before college started but I knew there was no way that any of them could design a better home than my wise girl.

They had left a couple of hours before I arrived at camp, I said hello to everyone that was there, very few were year rounders and Clarisse, Jason, and Piper were the only ones to have arrived for the summer. Once I had caught up with them and beat all three in sparring, Clarisse a few times, despite her blessing from Ares she never could beat me. In a proper fight I'd be slightly nervous but in a sparring match, her blessing seemed to not be in effect. Once I found the ring, I stood there mesmerised by its beauty, I just hoped Annabeth would like it. I picked it up and at the same time my blood went cold. I didn't know why, but I had enough experience as a demigod to know it couldn't be anything good.

I made my way outside, I wanted to speak to Chiron about my feeling, it turned out I wouldn't need to. I could see the campers, Chiron and Dionysus all facing the beach and bowing, I turned to see what was going on, I presumed it was my father, there were very few Gods Dionysus bowed too, my father being one of the select few. I bowed my head "Dad, why do I get the feeling you being here and my blood running cold a minute ago are connected?"

My father looked grave, I had never seen any God look like that, in fact he looked slightly fearful, more so than when we face Gaea. "Percy, I should have known you'd feel something, your powers are still growing, even more so than I ever thought. You truly are my most powerful son, of course you'd feel her too"

No, it couldn't be. "Feel who?" I asked, my voice somehow remaining steady not betraying the earth-shattering terror I felt in my gut. My Dad looked at me with so much pity but wasn't answering.

I asked again, anger seeping into my voice, I had my answer by the fact he didn't call me out for speaking to him like that, I needed him to say it though, I wouldn't believe it until he said it.

"I'm so sorry Percy, by the time I knew what he was doing there was nothing I could do, Lord Zeus knocked the plane carrying Annabeth, your mother, sister and step-father out of the sky, their plane landed in Lake Michigan a couple minutes ago there were no survivors.

I was subconsciously aware of the shouts of disbelief going on around me, I could feel Piper and Clarisse at my side, Jason standing in front of me. I didn't acknowledge them though, I couldn't. My heart had just been shattered, they couldn't be dead, SHE couldn't be dead. I refused to believe it. I ignored the tears flowing down my cheeks. There was one way to prove my father wrong though, Nico. Nico would feel if she had passed on.

"Nico" I choked out in a barely audible whisper. A part of me knew he wasn't yet at camp but I knew him. I knew he kept a constant watch on us, he wanted to know the second we passed on so he could accompany us across the Styx. If she was truly gone, he would be with her, with them and his next port of call would be camp to find me. As long as Nico didn't show up it would be okay.

My father tried to comfort me, Jason, Piper and Clarisse taking a few steps back to give him space. He put his hand on my shoulder. He was probably trying to talk to me, but I wasn't listening. My head was on a swivel looking for someone who I hoped beyond hope would not show. The campers who knew Annabeth were all in tears, the newbies looking solemn. Chiron was on his knees his head on the ground a guttural cry coming from him, he had known Annabeth the longest. We were all like children to Chiron and it always hurt him when one of us passed on. He freely admitted Annabeth was special though, even old Dionysus looked upset.

I didn't understand why, did none of them understand that my father was wrong? He had to be. Nico wasn't here so she couldn't be gone. She survived two great wars she survived Tartarus for fuck sake, my wise girl was going to die of old age after a long life as my wife, our children and grandchildren surrounding us. I was about to tell them as much when out of the shadows of a tree on the edge of the forest appeared a pale looking kid with tears in his eyes. When his eyes met mine, he fell to his knees, tears flowing.

"No, this is some sick joke, my wise girl, Anna…my mom, no, no absolutely not Estelle and Paul too?" I started laughing hysterically. "It's a very sick twisted joke but I'll admit you almost had me". My laughing turned to wailing as the earth began to shake, the waves in the sound becoming erratic. I was somewhat aware of my knees hitting the ground as I threw my head back let out a blood curdling roar of agony until my lungs ran out of air. At that point my screams were just silent. My family, all those I loved most, my sweet beautiful wise girl gone forever.

Or were they? I slowly stood, there was next to no damage to camp thanks to my father. Looking back, I wasn't aware at the time but he had been fighting against me to keep everyone safe and to stop me splitting camp in half or submerging it. "Nico, take me to DOA recording studios." Those who knew what I was referring to were shouting at me to think about what I was doing. I wasn't listening though. Nico looked horrified. "Percy, it's not possible, he won't let them come back there is nothing to do.

I shot a disgusted look at my cousin, if he wasn't going to help me get them back fine, I'd do it without him. I raised my fingers to my lips and whistled. It took a couple seconds but out of nowhere Mrs. O' Leary appeared. I hopped on her back, grabbed hold of her. My father called out to me before I could ask her to take me anywhere.

"Percy, I know it hurts, I loved your mother too and while myself and Amphitrite have an unusual relationship, I do love her more than anything, if I lost her, I would be heartbroken, but going to my brother won't do anything, he never has and never will bring a soul back from the dead. Come join me in Atlantis, spend time with your remaining family."

I knew what he said made sense, but he was wrong Hades had given up one soul before, Hazel was living proof of that and even if I was asking for four, I had to at least try. I leant down and scratched Mrs. O' Leary behind the ear "Take me to the river Styx, I want to be at my strongest when I meet Hades." With a pop I was gone leaving my father and everyone else at Camp.

"May the fates be on your side my son; I fear for the fate of the world if they are not."

Dionysus seemed surprised by Poseidon's words. "The fate of the world Lord Poseidon?"

Not caring that those around them would hear, the Lord of the Seas faced his nephew. "Yes, Dionysus, the fate of the world. My son may be a demigod, but he is a demigod with the strength and power of more than most Gods. I am ashamed to admit, it was a struggle to keep control of my own domain and stop him from destroying camp and he wasn't even conscious of he was doing.

When I appeared at the edge of the Styx there was a part of me that wanted to turn around and take up my father's offer. Afterall I'm fairly sure Annabeth wouldn't want me storming through the underworld on what she would no doubt call a suicide mission. She wasn't here though and if it did turn out to end in my death, at least I would be reunited with her.

So no, I didn't turn around, instead I said goodbye to Mrs. O' Leary and dove into the river, the burning sensation being near all I could think of, nearly. I focused on Annabeth though, as before she was my tether and as before my weak spot was my lower back, an invisible rope connected to it pulling on me from the surface dragging me back up.

I made my way through the underworld, not paying any attention to the ghosts or skeletons around me. Cerabus tried to stop me but, a three headed dog needs all three heads to live though, and unlike a hydra, when you cut off one two more don't take its place. Riptide cut through every member of Hades' undead army as I battled my way through to his palace. He must have been expecting me as the doors opened of their own accord.

I followed the familiar path to his throne room where he sat upon waiting for me. "Jackson, the answer is no, I'm sorry my brothers' egotistical ways have cost you your family but you know full well once a dead soul enters my domain it does not leave."

"Hazel did, and quite frankly I don't care whether she did or not, you will give them back or willingly or I will do what needs to be done."

Hades stood to his full height of twelve feet, and shouted down at me. "Who do you think you are Jackson? You think you save the world a couple times and you can just enter my domain and order me around? Leave now before I kill you myself and send you to Tartarus"

I couldn't help the deranged laugh that escaped my lips. "I survived that place as a mortal while holding back my powers, what makes you think that I'm afraid to go back knowing I have nothing left to live for? That's assuming you could even kill me; I'm done holding back Hades"

To prove my point, I waved my hand and caused the earth under his throne to rumble, splitting his seat in two. "When the time comes, I want you to look back on this moment and realise you could have done this the easy way, but no just like your brother, you're too much of an self-centred prick and because of that the world will burn."

I once more whistled for Mrs. O' Leary and she brought me back to camp, the beach to be precise. I wasn't surprised to see my friends waiting for me, no doubt expecting me to come out of the water. I ignored them as they called out to me, instead I kept walking into shallows before diving headfirst into the chilly waters. Of course, the chill didn't bother me, I could still tell it was there though, along with the fact that given I was no longer holding back my powers I knew how to transport myself to anywhere I wanted as long it was in a body of water. Reaching out with my senses I focused on my father's palace and in an instant, I was floating in front of him.

"Percy I'm so glad to see you I know…"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off as I reached out and focused on his Ichor. A Gods divinity, their power was in their blood and I now had control of his. With a thought I started to make it boil and watched as my father writhed in agony in front of me. All his power while at the centre of his domain and he could do nothing to stop me. I expected more of a fight to be honest, I was disappointed.

Crossing my arms like a knock off Wolverine I let the pressure of the Ichor build, when I pushed my hands out, I focused on making my fathers blood dispel from his body. Without any Ichor, his body dropped to the bottom of the seabed. I focused on taking his floating Ichor and having form multiple thin, razor-sharp blades and with a wave of my hand directed them at my father's body, the look of betrayal and pain still on his face. Once his body had been hacked to pieces, I swam over to his throne and picked up his trident.

As soon as I took hold if it, I could feel all the potential power stirring in my body settle, I now had complete control of my powers, his powers. I guess I was now the ruler of the seas, not that I cared. There wouldn't be any seas to rule by the end of the day. I pointed the trident at the pieces of Poseidon's body and a ball of energy was shot at them, enveloping them in a familiar orange glow. "Enjoy Tartarus Dad, I hear it's lovely this time of year." With one final thought I left Atlantis and reappeared in Long Island sound.

As soon as I got out of the water I was wrapped in a familiar embrace. From what I could see most of Camp had arrived since I left and those who weren't supposed to be there like Thalia, Frank and Hazel had also made an appearance. Dionysus must have collected them, no doubt at Chiron's behest, a futile attempt to comfort me.

As if I could be comforted, as if anything was going to make any of this okay. My mom was dead, Paul was dead, Estelle was dead, Annabeth, my dear sweet wise girl was dead. Fuck I had just killed my father, chopped him to pieces and sent those pieces to the pits of hell. Nothing was going to make that okay. I didn't wrap my hands around Thalia and return her hug, instead I pushed her away from me and ignored the hurt look on her face. What did she know of pain anyway?

Someone must have shouted out that I was back, not that I was paying attention. Little by little the beach filled with the entire camp, Chiron and Dionysus. Chiron was the first to speak "Percy I am so relieved to see…" he paused, his eyes drifting to the trident in my hand. "Percy why do you have Lord Poseidon's trident?"

I smacked the trident into the ground and focused on the blood and Ichor around me, with a golden pulse of energy everybody in camp stiffened as I took control of their blood. Fear and shock evident in every eye I looked into. "He won't be needing it anymore, by the end of the day there will be nobody left on earth to worship him so I doubt he will ever reform or make his way out of Tartarus so once I was finished with him, I decided to keep it, helps me maintain control of my powers. It wouldn't do for me to lose control before I can end the world on my terms."

Tears had started streaming down the faces of many campers, most of fear, some of heartbreak like those of my friends. "Now, I think it's time for a family reunion.". I picked up the trident again and smacked the butt of it into the soft ground once, twice and then a third time. "Olympians it is time to face your end why don't you come down and face it with your children". I was surprised I had gotten this far with nobody trying to stop me but I guess Luke was right all along they didn't care and as such didn't pay attention unless it suited their needs.

With a blinding flash the Olympian council appeared minus Apollo who if memory serves had been cast down as a mortal as punishment for the latest big prophecy, as well my father who was not fit to travel anywhere and of course Dionysus who was already at camp. Joining them was Hades, who looked less friendly than the last time I saw him. With another tap of the trident, followed by another wave of energy I had control of the arriving Gods.

"I'm sure many of you are wondering what the fuck is going on, well for those not in the know let me fill you in. Earlier today Zeus here decided to punish me for my disrespect after the war with Gaea. He did this by shooting lightning at a plane over Lake Michigan sending it crashing down to earth with no survivors. How was this punishment for me you ask? Well, my mother, step-father and three-month-old sister were on this plane, along with the love of my life and her death is what will spell your downfall. She was after all the only reason I didn't leave the influence of Tartarus take over."

It was easy to tell who knew what had happened as the look of shock was evident in the eyes of those who didn't. "Since Hades won't give them back to me, I have decided I have finally had enough so today is the day the Gods die, I've already sent my father to Tartarus and you will all be joining him but first you get to watch the world you have ruled for over three thousand years burn." With a casual wave of my hand Jason, Thalia, Hazel and Nico floated over to me, I had them face toward their fathers, ignoring the looks of terror, betrayal and anguish in their eyes. I placed them on their knees at my feet, facing away from me. I wanted their fathers to see the looks in their eyes. I thrust the trident into the ground and pulled out Riptide, one more use for old times sake.

"Zeus I wouldn't be surprised if you don't care one way or the other if your children die, you're probably more concerned with your power being taken away from you, but Hades, I know you love your children. Remember earlier when I told you a time would come you would wish you had taken the easy way? This is that moment."

I threw Riptide in the air watched it spin in a circle and caught it as it came back down slicing it through the air towards my friends, my cousins. I didn't care though; this is the punishment I deem necessary for the Gods. I barely noticed the resistance Riptide felt but I did hear the thud as four heads hit the ground. For a moment I felt disgusted and wanted to throw up, I pushed that down though. There would be time for regret and remorse later. Right now, Hades and Zeus needed to pay. The tears escaping Zeus' eyes proved me wrong, perhaps he did care about his children after all. Hades proved to be the stronger of the two fought against my control and nearly evaded it, a skeleton hand breaking through the sand as he tried calling upon his army of undead.

I refocused on keeping control and the skeleton hand shrunk back down into the ground. "Should any of you ever be able to reform I recommend remembering this moment and learning from the mistakes of Zeus. Then again without anybody here on earth to worship you, I doubt you will be reforming at all." I picked up the trident flipped and slammed the forked end deep into the earth. I focused all my power through it and I could see as the ocean levels rose flooding countries, the water boiling, every volcano on the planet erupting like a geyser at once. The earth shaking and cracking, hurricanes and tornados, tsunamis, every natural disaster the world had ever seen all happening at once all over the world.

After five minutes I pulled myself away from the sight of the now near empty world, the only people remaining were right here on a beach with me in Long Island. "I can feel your powers weakening, I guess seven billion people dying in the space of a couple minutes would take quite a few worshippers from you, especially given that everyone in New Rome and Camp Jupiter is also dead. The only people left on earth are those of your children behind you and now it is their turn to die. I held my arms out and slowly closed my hands into fists and as I did, I had to close my eyes, I readily admit I couldn't watch them all die like that, exploding from the force of their blood leaving every pore of their body. I felt sick and as soon as it was just me and the Gods, I realised the gravity of the situation. Would Annabeth even forgive me? Would my mother? I hoped beyond hope they would even if I knew I would never forgive myself.

"I don't know who I hate more Zeus, you or me. If you were a competent ruler I wouldn't be so fucked up, wouldn't be so dependent on Annabeth to keep me from going over the deep end. I wouldn't have PTSD from two fucking wars, I wouldn't be twisted from fighting my way through fucking Tartarus a place even you the mighty King of the Gods is too afraid to go and just maybe I would have been able to accept her death like a normal person and not go on a psychotic murderous rampage. I have literally killed billions of innocent people because you couldn't rule with even an ounce of compassion and common sense."

One last time I waved my hands out and with less force than I expected to need I pulled the Ichor from every God at camp, cutting their bodies to pieces and sending them to join my father in hell.

Athena once said to save those I love I would watch the world burn, and she was right, but I don't think it was my fatal flaw. I believe my fatal flaw is that to avenge those I loved, I wouldn't just watch it burn, I'd be the one to burn it down. Now that I had, with the last ounce of strength, I had I transported myself back to the river Styx only this time I had no intention of coming back up. This time I would let go so that I could be reunited with my beautiful wise girl and hope she could forgive me for breaking my promise.

A/N: I wanted to make this seem like it wasn't planned out at all and that Percy wasn't thinking about anything. Something I lightly touched on but is the main reason behind his behavior is that he is messed up from fighting two wars by seventeen and making his way through the deepest pits of hell. Nobody goes through all that he did in such a short time and come out the other end without issues. Throw in the death of his family and Annabeth who he freely admits is the reason he doesn't go dark and I think that he would completely lose it, all logical and rational thought leaving his head, leaving him acting on his darkest thoughts. Throw in slight moments of sanity because Percy at his core is a good person and wouldn't under normal circumstances even think of doing anything near what he did here, let alone actually do it.