Chapter 2, A Demonic Power


2 weeks after Percy's Fall, Control Room, Starboard deck of the Argo II, World Above ~


Jason still blamed himself for Percy falling in Tartarus, he wasn't there to use the winds to fly Percy out of the Pit. When Nico and Annabeth returned with the news of just what had happened in Arachne's cavern, Jason had to excuse himself from the meeting and return to his room. That's where Piper found him, knuckles bloodied and staring almost lifelessly at a large number of cracks running through his wall. Piper gasped at the sight of both the blood dripping off of Jason's knuckles and the clearly dislocated knuckle on his right hand.

"Jason! What did you do to that poor wall? And your hands?" Piper practically demanded of him. Jason looked down at his hands and finally realized why his hands felt wet.

"Sorry Pipes, it's just that I could have saved him if I was there. We may have our differences but Percy is a friend that we always counted on and I let him down by not being there when he truly needed my help." Jason let out how he was truly feeling. Piper didn't know what to say after hearing Jason talk about how highly he thought of Percy. Now that Piper thought about it, she did notice that sometimes at night Jason would sneak off to train and/or just speak with Percy. She definitely didn't notice how close her boyfriend was getting to the savior of the Greeks.

"I'm sorry Jason, I didn't know you and Percy were that close. We all wish we did more to save him, Jason, but it's on all of us as a whole that he fell. We all wish we did more to save him Sparky." Piper told her boyfriend. Although she did believe that everyone aboard the Argo II tried their hardest to save Percy, Annabeth did not. Piper has no proof of this of course, but during the meeting where the rest of the Seven were told what had transpired Piper sensed less sadness from Annabeth and more hidden glee and she didn't know why…


Same Time, Somewhere in Tartarus, The Pit ~


Percy was pleasantly surprised to find out Orpheus had something special in his aura that drives away most monsters. As the two beings, both powerful in their own right, walked through the barren wasteland of the first level of Hell, Orpheus explained that Tartarus is broken up into 9 levels, with each one getting much more dangerous as they descend towards the heart of the Pit. Percy finally asked what Orpheus' burden was, and the answer he got was not what he expected.

"My burden, eh? Well my burden is that I am a Demon, not of Greco-Roman origin, but of no true origin, I have been around since the beginning. That is why I said that name is Orpheus, for that is what your people know me as. My true name has been lost for a long time, I do not remember it." As Orpheus explained his origin to the young but powerful Demigod he kept an eye on the young man's face, reading his emotions and waiting for a response. One that would not come at this moment however. There was a loud crashing boom that shook the cavern walls.

The ground started to shake as a large figure impacted the ground in between the Demon and Demigod flinging both beings away from the impact point. As the dust settled and the appearance of the figure became apparent Percy's blood ran cold. This was Hyperion, the titan that he battled in central park. Orpheus on the other hand, still somewhat crippled by his previous imprisonment, had trouble standing and decided to call on his powers to create a cane of shadow. Upon standing, both the Demigod and the Demon drew their respective weapons, for Percy it was Riptide, and for Orpheus it was a European rapier made out of shadow. As they prepared themselves for the coming fight, a voice rang out around them.

" Ah, good work Hyperion. You found Perseus, now kill him before he finds a way out of this Pit. One less pawn for the Olympians to use will make this war all the easier for us." The voice of the Earth rang out, Gaia was watching this fight and Percy knew it. Percy knew that this would not be an easy fight, for this time he had no source of water he could pull from to create a hurricane. Hyperion must have also come to this conclusion as he smirked, and it was ugly to see.

Orpheus grew tired of waiting and as Hyperion went to hopen his big mouth he launched himself forward landing a deep stab into Hyperion's knee. Percy also tried to capitalize on Hyperion attempting to taunt them and went for a jumping overhead strike but Hyperion back handed him out of the air…..


Same Time, Throne Room, Olympus ~


Hestia felt the flame of hope in Perseus Jackson flicker and gasped out in fear at what could possibly affect him this deeply. Her family actually stopped arguing and noticed her sudden look of fear. Poseidon was the first to approach her, yet was interrupted by the echoing voice of the very one they are at war with.

"I see the goddess of hope already feels the hope of your strongest pawn dying, I am simply here to show you how." Gaia's voice faded out as a large Iris Message appeared in the center of the room showing Percy Jackson getting backhanded out of the air by Hyperion. The gods of course were confused at where Percy was at first, then they realized exactly where he was and they all felt fear for the first time in years.

"My son! What have you done Gaia?! I will make you fade for this, mark my fucking words!" Poseidon yelled out in anger, and all of the Olympians knew he would keep that threat. And a few of them like Apollo, Athena, and Hestia shouted out their agreements with Poseidon. Poseidon fumed in anger as he was forced to watch his son, his pride and joy, battle on few beings that could actually kill his son. As the rest of the Olympians watched the fight between titan and Demigod, Ares in a rare moment of compassion, and for a reason he refuses to admit to anyone including himself, whispered under his breath and in doing so blessed Percy with the strength of the War God. Only Hestia noticed this however and she hid a smile realizing that Ares finally decided to mature and remove his curse on Perseus then instantly frowned as Percy was thrown again by Hyperion.

The Gods watched Hyperion went to land the killing blow on Percy before two things happen, first Percy somehow gained a burst of energy and stood up going into a defensive stance and secondly a heavily scarred man with a rapier in one hand a can in the other appeared next to Percy and assisted Percy's guard with his own blade. The two combined their strength and managed to throw Hyperion away as they readied themselves for their next assault on the downed titan….


Same Time, Some dark hellscape, The Pit ~


Orpheus grinned with a bloodthirsty expression on his face as Percy helped him throw Hyperion back. The Demon and Demigod exchanged a look of pure understanding, then launched themselves at the downed titan, landing two deep slashes across the large chest of the titan. They both quickly backed away from Hyperion as he stood up. Hyperion let out a shout as he coalesced his power and lit his massive greatsword on fire as well as his body starting to glow. The Demon and Demigod exchanged looks before they started trading blows with the flaming titan. Percy parried Hyperion's greatsword as Orpheus followed up with a deep stab through the titan's shoulder, Hyperion responded by letting out a shockwave of pure light energy sending Percy flying so that he could fight Orpheus alone for at least a second.

In response to this show of power Percy got a great idea that he wasn't sure would work.

Percy glanced over at the River Cocytus and attempted to assert control over its tides. Percy felt a pain in his gut much like when he first tried to control a massive amount of water. Nothing he kept trying. Meanwhile Orpheus had engaged Hyperion in combat and was managing to keep up with the enhanced form of Hyperion's flaming anger. The pain in Percy's gut got worse and worse, then he felt something snap deep within him. The hopeless water of the Cocytus raged around him as he heard a femine voice echo in his skull.

"So you're the demigod mother speaks so highly of? Very well, you may use the water of my river Demigod." The voice said in a sad tone, yet it seemed to fill Percy with a feeling of almost love? Whatever it was, he couldn't think about it now.

"Orpheus, move!" Percy shouted at the Demon as he released a massive wave of cursed water at the glowing figure of Hyperion. Orpheus jumped to the side as quickly as he could. The water of hopelessness flowed forth like a tsunami and crashed around both Percy and Hyperion, locking them both in a flowing cage of cursed water. They both heard the voices of the helpless calling out to them, they both felt an intense feeling of hopelessness from the water. Percy, however, started feeling that same feeling from earlier when the voice spoke to him. And now Percy could tell, that was definitely a feeling of love the question was why?

Percy watched as Hyperion thrashed in the cursed water before noticed Orpheus draw back his arm and throw his rapier like a large throwing knife. It speared through Hyperion's chest and both the Demon and the Demigod watched as the titan's light slowly died out. After making sure the titan of light was dead Percy released his command of the Cocytus' water….


Same Time, Somewhere ~


She didn't know where she was, or why her body was made out of smoke. She did however recognize the young man currently fighting what looked like a giant made out of light. It was Percy! She didn't know the man fighting with Percy but she could tell they were losing. At least they were losing until Percy forced one of the cursed rivers of Hell to bend to his whim and use it to trap this glowing giant in a watery prison and the other man speared it through the heart with what looked like a thin blade of shadow.

She was happy Percy is still alive, but also confused on how she could see this fight. And then she heard a dark laughter. This dark laughter sent a chill through her currently formless body, it scared her to her very core….. Then she woke up covered in sweat…..


Ye-Olde-Erebus, signing off.