Author's Note: Your reviews drive me! Another chapter up and the plot thickens by the sentence. I hope everyone is thoroughly enjoying and let me know what you think!
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"To find our heir …"
Everyone stood stock silent as they looked between Jason and the couple of protogenoi. Percy for his part was rather surprised at the turn of events. For one, he hadn't even been counting on ever adding Jason to their ranks but at least getting him to bow out of the fight. Now not only was he willingly joining but he'd been offered to become an heir for two protogenoi. He thought that was an odd case only for him and his sister. He, because of all the different curses and blessings he'd endured had strengthened his body to the point it could tolerate the combined power of Erebus and Nyx, twins and second children of Lady Chaos, while rejecting the blood of Poseidon and removing Gaea's power left the necessary space for it … otherwise he could have spontaneously combusted from power overload with just their blessings. His sister was in a similar boat with the minor blessing from Artemis and the combined domains of Eros and Phanes wasn't necessarily a domain of raw power like many of the other protogenoi.
But for Jason to have the potential to absorb the power of Day, Light, and Upper Atmosphere without the additional temperament of some curses or major blessings was impressive. That and it was funny that Ouranus didn't come running to claim him first or something. After a few minutes of silence Jason broke it with a stuttering, "w-what!?"
"You heard us," Aether said without missing a beat. "We want you to become our heir."
"So do you accept?" Hemera continued with a cute tilt of the head.
"I …" Jason looked a little overwhelmed to even think about it properly, luckily Nyx came to his rescue.
"Okay, hold on for a second. Give the boy a few minutes, he just got here," Nyx said while stepping beside Jason and putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just think on it for a while, maybe even sleep on it. There are already guest rooms prepared for you and Nico so no rush." She then turned to Percy, "While he digests the offer, let's get to Medusa and Lamia. Tartarus, will you help us with this one?"
"Might as well, otherwise you two might take forever," Tartarus muttered as he walked for the exit, completely ignoring the tongue Nyx was sticking out at him.
Percy chuckled as he soon followed after with the others filing along to watch. It took a few minutes but they soon were out in the same courtyard with the familiar white oak tree in the center. He heard their new guests gasp and awe at the sight making him puff out his chest proudly … only for Rhea to elbow him playfully. He grinned at her before stepping beside Tartarus and Nyx before turning to face Medusa and Lamia as the pair stopped in front of them.
Rhea and the others stood off to the side silently as they watched on. Percy then glanced at Nyx to see if she would start things off. She gave him a nod before doing just that while looking at the two monster woman. "Medusa, before we begin I need you to remove your shades and shawl." She raised her hand before Medusa could protest. "You should already know that your curse won't affect a primordial or even a demi-primordial fully."
Medusa sighed before nodding as she took off her shades first before slowly removing her shawl to reveal the nest of brown pit vipers that made up her hair. Percy felt the familiar pain course through him and now he realized why Nyx wanted Tartarus to help. It was so that he could still be a part of lifting the curse to ensure loyalty from both women while also to cover in case Percy loses concentration from the pain.
Nyx soon raised her hand, aiming her palm at the women and Percy mirrored her actions along with Tartarus. Nyx softly counted to three before they focused their power into their palms and then shot three mixed rays of dark power at Medusa and Lamia. They immediately crumpled to their knees and screamed in agony but Percy and the others didn't stop. He could actually feel the power of their curses fighting back against him, desperately trying to cling on to the essence of the monster women like parasites. They kept focused though, meticulously flushing out the traces of Olympian energy out of them while also not destroying them in the process.
For an hour they stood there, their audience enraptured into the spectacle as Medusa and Lamia's screams grew weaker and weaker. Then, finally the dark energy dissipated from the two previously monster women panting on the ground. Percy also buckled to one knee after having spent a far larger amount of power than he had expected. 'Those curses were dug in tight,' he grumbled as he panted, Rhea and Andromeda already at his side looking at him in concern. He sent them a small smile for reassurance as he forced himself to his feet and glanced at Nyx.
She had a light sweat but otherwise looked fine, Tartarus looking immaculate as well. He then looked at the women and blushed at the sight. He wasn't sure why or how but apparently removing curses includes destroying clothes leaving Medusa and Lamia as bare as the days they were born. He would be lying if he said he didn't appreciate the sight. Medusa's coppery skin with a generous bust, wide hips, and now her dark brown, nearly black hair with glowing green eyes.
Lamia as well with the addition of mile-long human legs complementing her naturally beautiful face and bright blue eyes. He would have kept staring but Rhea huffed beside him while slapping her hand over his eyes while muttering 'men'. Andromeda giggled to his other side while he just stayed silent. He then heard the ruffle of cloth before Rhea removed her hand, letting him see that both women were now covered in black cloaks provided by Nyx. He glanced to the side and saw Eros chuckling as Jason stared straight up while blushing and as for Nico … he looked kinda bored.
After everyone settled down Medusa and Lamia looked at themselves before beaming at Percy with tears in their eyes. They soon rushed forward to tackle him into a hug, all the while screaming 'Thank you!' over and over again. He chuckled at that before returning a brief hug. Once they got back Nyx cleared her throat before looking at Medusa and Lamia intently.
"Now ladies, just so you know we didn't remove the curses completely."
"What!?" Medusa said in surprise but Nyx raised a hand to keep her quiet before continuing.
"The curses have been there for so long that they are practically part of your very essence. We removed enough so that you can control them at will now. Medusa, you can focus on when you want to turn someone to stone and even reverse it if you do by accident … as long as you do it within about 3 minutes, otherwise their goners. As for Lamia, you won't hunger after children anymore and you can will your legs to change along with retaining all the senses you had before."
Medusa and Lamia took a moment to digest that before smiling while nodding.
"Now the choice is yours if you want to fight or live peacefully. As you are now the gods won't be able to find you or even recognize you," Percy added while looking between the pair.
Medusa and Lamia glanced at each other before nodding together while looking back at Percy and saying, "We'll fight by your side!"
"Great!" Nyx chirped as she looked at Medusa. "I've been needing someone to teach my fighting style to."
"What about me?" Lamia asked while pointing at herself.
"Mmmm …" Nyx hummed while looking her up and down. "I could help train you to be Medusa's partner. You're good with archery right?"
Lamia nodded to that and Nyx smiled back. "Then you'll be trained as a specialized scouting pair I'll train and when the time is right, Percy will give you minor blessings to let you shadow travel at will and blend in better with the darkness."
"Why me? You could bless them now," Percy questioned as he looked at Nyx.
"Because when I pass, so does my blessing," Nyx replied offhandedly.
"Oh."
"So … what now?" Andromeda asked while looking around.
"How about some rest?" Rhea asked eagerly. "It's been an eventful day and honestly I think everyone is physically or emotionally tired so sleep please."
Nyx looked like she wanted to argue that, ever the one to get things done quickly even if she wasn't feeling her best but apparently thought better of it as she nodded.
"Fine go rest …" everyone gave a relieved sigh at that but Nyx had more to say. "… But I expect everyone up early tomorrow! Percy, you have some more chatting to do along with Nico visiting Thalia and Jason, you can make a trip to Frank and Hazel after you talk with Hemera and Aether about their offer. As for Medusa and Lamia … well, pray to Lady Chaos because your training starts," she finished with an ominous giggle making the two women gulp nervously.
Percy felt for them, he really did, but at the moment he was too tired to offer support. So, he gave Rhea a lazy wink before he wrapped her in his arms and shadow traveled to their room, leaving a fussy sister behind since they 'forgot' her again. They just liked being a little more 'cuddly' before going to sleep and it was awkward if Andy was there for it. Sneaking in later when both were asleep already was fine though.
So with that, the pair arrived and Rhea snapped her fingers, instantly changing them into their preferred sleepwear which consisted of only baggy pants for Percy and a shirt and panties for Rhea. They quickly got into the sheets, his arms wrapped protectively around her as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck. She then leaned up to give him a quick kiss before murmuring, "Love you," and then shifting back down so that her head rested on his chest.
"Love you too," he returned before kissing the top of her head before slowly closing his eyes and letting the toils of the day lol him to sleep …
Next Morning
"So … what is your decision?" Aether asked as he sat across from Jason.
Percy watched the exchange closely while providing some moral support for his friend. They'd gotten up early like Nyx wanted and as punishment for sneaking off, Andromeda was forced to join Medusa and Lamia for the first day of training, the physical evaluations. Percy shuddered at the thought, knowing Nyx had less mercy than Tartarus when it came to training. As for Nico, he left to track down the Hunt for the day with Rhea going as support in case he gets found. Unlikely since Rhea was a master at using the shadow power granted to her from Nyx's charm to hide her presence and one or two others completely once night time fell.
As for Percy, Jason asked him to remain since everyone else was gone and he was pretty nervous about the whole thing. Percy agreed easily and after a slight chewing out from Nyx about procrastinating his search, she agreed as well. 'Moms, always so pushy,' he mused as he waited for Jason to answer Aether. For a few minutes no one spoke until Jason asked softly, "Why me?"
Aether's normally schooled expression softened as he glanced at his wife while she in turn gave him an understanding smile as she focused on Jason.
"It is because, like Percy, you are a hero that has conquered his flaw and fights for justice, not for his own goals or glory," she said softly.
"Conquering my flaw?" Jason parroted as he looked at her questioningly.
"Yes," she hummed before explaining, "Most children of Zeus suffer from either incredible arrogance or pride. You however have been tempering that pride for years through your own efforts. You grew up from practically nothing in the weakest cohort of the legion. You grew into a leader but always trusted and respected your friends, making them naturally loyal to you yet you never took advantage of that. You even conceded the lead of the quest to Percy during the Giant war. You didn't know him personally, you didn't have any reason to trust him with so much authority and yet, you did. You became brothers through hardship and saved this era. And last of all, you turned down godhood just to keep protecting the fellow demigods you care so much for."
Jason remained silent as Hemera spoke of his accomplishments with such respect and admiration, her eyes seemingly glowing brighter with every word.
"You're strong, courageous, loyal, and just while also controlling your own pride for the greater good, even going as far as to denying the glory you could so easily take. After all, for years you've said no to Zeus' constant offers of immortality and riches but you still remained firm with the choice you made on that day at the end of the war. You're everything Aether and I could hope for in an heir, Jason Grace."
"So …" Aether took up as he looked straight into Jason's eyes. "Will you become our heir and strive to the better future?"
All sets of eyes were on Jason now as he looked down at his own hands for a while. Percy wished he could see what he was thinking but he kept himself from asking as he silently watched. This was a big decision and Percy had several days, a war, and several betrayals on his mind when he made his choice but everything was still rather fresh for Jason, so how would he choose? Suddenly Jason balled his hands into fists as he got up, looking at Hemera and Aether with a fire burning in his eyes.
"I'll do it," he spoke firmly, earning a grin from Aether and bright smile from Hemera.
"Wonderful!" Hemera cheered as the two protogenoi got up and circled around to stand on Jason's sides.
"Are you ready?" Aether asked to which Jason nodded.
"This will feel funny," Hemera commented as both protogenoi put a hand on each of Jason's shoulders.
Jason was then encompassed in a bright glow making Percy squint for a moment before it died down and saw the results. Jason stood an inch taller, his muscles more defined yet still lean. His hair had grown slightly from the short military cut to slightly more casual length, also turning a bright, platinum blonde like Hemera with white tips to match Aether. His eyes though had gone from a pale blue to glowing sky blue with literal white electricity coursing through the irises and pure white pupils.
"Ooh," Hemera hummed as she looked at him approvingly. "Now the pair of you really are storm and fire."
Percy chuckled at Hemera's comparison while Jason inspected himself in a mirror Aether conjured up.
"Not bad," he commented earning an incredulous look from Hemera.
"What do you mean? You're going to be a heartbreaker with those looks," Hemera protested making Jason wince at the heartbreaker part. "Oh … sorry."
"It's okay," Jason sighed as he set the mirror down.
Aether then cleared his throat to get their attention.
"If that is all for now, I think it best you come with us to the Palace of the Sky for now to get familiar with the environment. After all, you need some more light and the Pit is a bit … lacking in such regards."
Percy snorted at that description before asking, "So you'll bring him back tomorrow or take him directly to Frank and Hazel's?"
"We could but didn't your sister want to come along?" Hemera returned casually.
"I suppose," Percy muttered but he still wasn't that comfortable with his sister being in the mortal world without him or Rhea around. She had a habit of finding trouble since she was his sister after all and with her current track record, he wouldn't be surprised if they kept getting unexpected arrivals with her every trip.
"Hey man, don't worry okay," Jason said reassuringly. "I'll keep a guard up and the gods don't really visit them that much from what I hear aside from Hades during the eve of the Winter Solstice. I'll keep her safe for yah."
"You do realize she can kick your butt wearing a blind fold right?" Hemera asked while trying and failing to stifle her giggles.
Jason blushed in slight embarrassment but Percy appreciated the gesture. He clapped Jason on the shoulder before giving him the thumbs up. "Sure, I'll let her know that you'll return tomorrow to pick her up but you'd better bring her back the same way she left."
"Dude, you sound like her dad," Jason muttered while looking at him curiously.
"Honestly I feel like it half the time too," Percy said with a shrug. "Can you blame me though? I was already 25 when I brought her here at 6 years old. Between me, Rhea, and Nyx we raised her so sometimes I can't help but call her my little girl."
"And the whole sneaking into yours and Rhea's room? I find that a little odd considering she's what, in her twenties now?" Jason asked.
"Power of hers," Percy replied while running a hand through his hair. "Like Aphrodite but instead of appearance she'll change to an age matching the kind of love she feels. In case when she sneaks into our room, she's usually in the form of a 5 year old so it's like our daughter sneaking in to sleep with her parents or a little sister with her older siblings. That one's my fault by the way, I kinda spoiled her when she first got here and letting her sleep in my bed was a big thing with her."
Jason chuckled at his explanation before smiling at him. "Just sounds like an overly dotting big brother to me. Nothing really wrong with that though so I won't judge or anything, I was just curious."
"So …" Aether muttered as he looked at a watch that Percy didn't recall seeing there before. "Are we going or what?"
"Fine," Percy replied with an eye roll while pushing Jason towards the waiting couple. "Get going. Some of us have work to do," he added with a smirk.
"Oh ha-ha," Jason muttered before Hemera grabbed his shoulder and the three flashed away while Percy looked away.
He could see the divine forms of gods safely now but until he becomes full primordial, he still needs to look away from any primordial flashing. Once they were gone Percy sighed as he looked at the empty dining room.
"Well … off to more business," he mumbled before dissolving into shadow …
With Nico
"So they're just over that ridge near the creek," Rhea said with a point.
Nico nodded beside her before looking up at the sky. It was still midday and they needed to wait several hours before it would be safe for Nico to shadow travel into the Hunt. For now though, Rhea had manipulated the mist to hide them from sight with a tiny barrier in case of a god searching their area. It was unlikely though since right now Apollo was somewhere in California looking for him and Jason or on Olympus and Artemis only gets on guard at night.
'My how things have changed in barely 24 hours,' he mused as they settled down in the shade of a sycamore tree and waited out the day. Never would he have thought that he'd be reunited with Percy, by his own missing sister even, and now officially turning his back on Olympus. Sure, he still had to try and convince his father to either side with them or remain neutral but that in itself could spell a lot of trouble. For one, if Persephone is involved, would she go straight to Olympus and warn her mother? That could be disastrous if the Olympians realized there was a threat too soon.
For that reason he'd told Nyx that he planned on waiting until after the last day of summer where Persephone would be trapped in the Underworld would be the day he tells his father to run the lowest risk. With that issue on the standby, now he had to focus on Thalia and how to go about telling her the truth. He knew things hadn't been easy for her throughout the years since Percy disappeared and then with the death of Phoebe and Andromeda's kidnapping, things in the Hunt have only gotten tenser.
Artemis is even crueler to men now, if it were possible, and even new maidens are looked at with suspicion to the point no new prospects have lasted longer than a week before saying that they didn't want to stay. That didn't do anything for the mood of the Hunt at all and even a pin dropping could get a violent response out of them. That could work as a double edge for him. It could be easier to convince Thalia, an already difficult feat for someone who is incredibly loyal, but at the same time if he is discovered there is only fighting and running away, no chance of talking things out.
'Still got to try and hope for the best,' he thought as he allowed his eyes to close as he relaxed. He knew Rhea wouldn't let her guard down when near the Hunt and would react if anything dangerous came by so he felt relatively at ease to get some rest. His last sight before he passed into the realm of Morpheus was Rhea sitting comfortably against another tree opposite him while weaving some blades of grass.
He didn't know how long he'd slept but when Rhea shook him awake he started slightly before looking around. It was well into the night and the stars were out, creating larger shadows all around as the atmosphere became nice and cool. He glanced at Rhea to see her looking at the ridge again before she said, "the goddess left for her chariot an hour ago. Use the opening to get to Thalia's tent. I'll cast a silencing spell over it so don't worry about getting loud."
"Okay," he replied softly before willing the shadows to envelop him.
In just a few seconds he materialized near a familiar presence … and a silver knife at his throat. He didn't move as his eyes rolled to the side, meeting a pair of electric blue eyes looking at him intently.
"Hi…?" he said weakly, still feeling the fine edge barely grazing his throat.
Thalia kept staring for a few seconds before she sighed while lowering the knife.
"What are you doing here Nico?" she asked as she plopped down on her bed. Nico would have done the same but knew Thalia was tense … and about to get more so, so he kept his distance for his own safety.
Also, only now did he notice the state of her dress or more like undress. Black panties and overly tight shirt displaying an impressive bosom for a 15 year old, but then again it was him and Thalia didn't usually care if she was seen like this. He waited for a few tense seconds before trying to break the ice.
"Thalia …" he said softly, making her look up at him. "I need to tell you something … something big."
"What?" Thalia asked curiously as she leaned forward.
"Just … don't freak out and let me finish before you say anything," he started before going on.
He told her everything, from the week Percy disappeared and how his father told him the gods' plans and what they did to Percy's family to finding Piper cheating on Jason with Apollo. Every detail he knew he covered, giving nothing but the whole truth. When he finally finished several hours had passed, letting himself sit down on the floor after releasing a tired sigh. He looked at Thalia who was stock still and extremely pale as she looked down at her own trembling hands. He could see the levels of pain and betrayal passing through her eyes with every revelation, especially the painful ones about Artemis. Sally had been like the mother none of them had when they visited with Percy and the news of her death had been especially hard for Thalia.
He knew she'd tried her best to turn a blind eye to the cruelty of the Hunt in their treatment of men. To try and fit in to a family that had changed from what it was when she originally joined … or maybe it always was that way and she didn't fully realize it. Like Jason, he knew Thalia wouldn't be able to make a decision right now so he slowly got up and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I know this is a lot to take in right now Thals so don't try to decide anything, just sleep on it," he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar black marble. He placed it in one of her hands before slowly closing it, his hands cupping hers together. "If you do decide you want to leave, crush the marble and it will take you to us," he instructed before taking a step back.
"Are … you leaving now?" she asked weakly as she looked at him with trembling eyes.
"You know I would love to stay but it's too dangerous for me or any male here," he returned while giving her a sad smile. "But you know I'm never that far and your family, your real family will always have your back even if you don't want to fight. It's merely up to you."
With those final words he dissolved into the shadows, leaving his cousin to settle her own thoughts. He knew if anyone could get through this, it would be her. She had the resilience for it and would always come back stronger but in the end, she needed to decide on her own for herself. Fight for the side of the Olympians full hypocrisy and deceit or turn traitor and fight with the family that has actually been there by her side.
A soft breeze passed through a large island, the trees swaying slightly with it as the night sky remained clear. On a sandy beach the shadows writhed and crawled to one point before condensing into one figure, soon dispersing to reveal Percy. He glanced around before sighting as he stretched his back, earning some satisfying cracks making him groan.
"Man, took forever to find this damn island," he grumbled as he looked up at the beach and towards a path leading into the island's forest. "Well, hopefully the little archers aren't monitoring the island right now even if the moon is up."
He was on Delos, one of the fabled lost islands of Greek mythology. Unlike Ogygia, which had a curse meant to only deter mortals from finding it and prevent heroes from ever visiting more than once, Delos could only be reached by a god who's set foot there before. Otherwise they have to search for it the old fashioned way … like Percy had for several hours, and the clincher, the damn island moved! He'd practically covered every inch of the Mare Nostrum while trying to feel out the strong magical presence of Delos. Turns out this time it was parked out near the Turkish peninsula.
Percy quickly went up to the forest and walked through the dirt path, letting him observe the lush forest filled with the sounds of insects and some game. It took him a few minutes until he arrived to a clearing in the island and looked across it. He spotted two figures sitting near a fire speaking to each other softly while sipping what looked like tea. He quietly walked to them, his hood pulled up to hide his features even though neither of these two knew him personally. Soon enough he was close enough that he stopped and cleared his throat to get their attention.
They both snapped their heads to look at him in surprise, jumping up while one of the woman drew a dagger from her waist while the other stepped back. He raised his hands while speaking softly, "Peace. I've only come to talk."
Neither looked particularly at ease with that but he shrugged it off as he lowered his arms while taking in their appearances. One was fair skinned with auburn hair and dark blue eyes, dressed in a Greek chiton that reached just past her knees. The other one with the knife had black hair and strikingly amber eyes, her nearly mocha skin adding even more contrast to her eyes. She was dressed slightly more modern, with a green, spaghetti strap dress and casual sandals. One was Leto, Titaness of Motherhood, and mother of the twins. The other with the dagger was the original Phoebe, Titaness of Bright Intellect and Prophecy.
"Who are you?" Phoebe asked suspiciously while aiming her dagger at him.
"One who comes with an offer … and a warning," Percy replied gravely while his eyes glowed brightly under his hood making both titans shuffle nervously. Percy let the silence hang around for a moment before speaking softly. "Phoebe, I come with an offer for you. I am in need of someone who has a link to foresight and not allied with the gods."
"You're against Olympus!?" Phoebe asked in surprise while Leto narrowed her eyes. "A mere demigod with an eye trick? Ha! You might as well either turn yourself in already or crawl back into whatever pit you came from."
'Oh the irony.'
"What makes you any different than my foolish siblings or the Giants? They've already failed again and probably won't get any more chances in the next millennia. Face it, the Olympians are here to stay," Phoebe finished bitterly.
"Oh I wouldn't be too sure of that," Percy replied with a slight chuckle. "They're losing heroes left and right by their own doings and it will only be a matter of time."
"Who are you?" Leto asked this time as she eyed him intensely.
"Hmm … if by chance you meet your daughter, tell her Umbra says hi," he replied but then noticed that Leto winced slightly.
"My children … don't really visit anymore," she murmured softly while tugging at her chiton.
"But aren't you free?" Percy asked with a frown. He was sure that he specified Leto during his request since he learned more about her when their quest stopped near the old temple of Delphi and he got more familiar with the history of the twins.
"I am," she replied softly. "But … Olympus has changed much and just because we were freed thanks to that Jackson boy didn't mean we were treated any better. Most of the few freed Titans and their children usually returned to the very places they were kept or moved somewhere away from Olympus. I returned here along with Phoebe."
"And your children?" Percy asked with a deepening frown.
"I guess they grew up too much to need their mother and her constant nagging," Leto said with a smile devoid of warmth.
"Nagging as in you've been telling them to be more faithful or simply stop whoring around for your son, especially given he's no longer single, and trying to be more lenient with men for your daughter," Percy stated, seeing Leto slouch slightly confirming it for him.
"Artemis actually snapped at me for the first time about three years after I was freed and now she's so angry," Leto said softly as tears gathered in her eyes. "Apollo stopped wanting to spend any time with me after the first few months until his visits stopped altogether just over a year ago," she said as she sniffed slightly. "They've changed so much from my two babies that I birthed and raised here. Now they're just … their father's children."
By now Leto was crying softly as Phoebe gave her a comforting hug. Percy watched the pair sadly, shaking his head softly in disappointment. He knew the Olympians had fallen far with their pride filled with 'their' victories and godly superiority being the anchors but this was just low. To shrug off their freshly released mother, who cared and nurtured them while risking the wrath of the queen of the gods, was sad. Hell, he was pretty sure that aside from Hestia and possibly Hades, the remainder of the elder Olympians hadn't thought about their own mother in centuries.
He sighed at the sight before him before clearing his throat to get their attention. Once he had it he spoke again.
"I can understand how you are feeling Leto but I must ask, would their treatment for you mean that you're willing to go against them?" he asked.
Leto looked unsurely at him but he could see the hesitance to fight her own children while Phoebe narrowed her eyes.
He nodded before continuing, "I expected as much. Then I offer you a chance at neutrality for the coming war and even refuge should the Olympians try to bring you into their forces. As for Phoebe, I have an offer that I would discuss somewhere more secure and know that, should you decide it, I will return you here and leave you alone. I swear it on the Styx."
Thunder boomed, signaling the sealing of the oath as both Titans glanced at each other. Then Phoebe spoke hesitantly.
"If I were to join you … what of my husband?" she asked wearily.
"Koios correct? Titan of Intellect and Axis of Heavenly Bodies," Percy said, getting a nod from Phoebe. "If I recall correctly he was neutral the first Titan War and then sided with Kronos in the second and was defeated in Mount Othrys with Krios by the romans. Well, should he chose in the coming war, I would offer him neutrality or even a place among my forces. His domain is powerful and he could be an indispensable tactician."
"But he's in Tartarus right now and won't reform for centuries at least," Phoebe shot back.
"I wouldn't count on that," Percy said in a low tone. "I said war is coming … but never that it was only two sides …"
Both Leto and Phoebe's eyes widened as they looked at him, their thoughts racing with the implications of his words.
"So," he started while raising an open hand for them to take. "Are you coming or what…?"
Author's Rant: I swear Percy is like the recruiting general. Nearly done with the big gathering chapters and soon the wheels will get turning. Not gonna lie, next chapter has feels like nobody's business!
A pleasure, Jbubu
