Author's Note: Ah! Another chapter up and the action underway. Loving the reviews from all of you so keep them coming! The plot thickens and finally things heat up ... and they will continue to do so ;)
PS. The Percy/Andromeda question has been decided. Please, no more reviews on that regard, thanks.
Disclaimer: Only plot is mine.
Enjoy!
Two Weeks Later (Mortal Time)
Thwack!
"And that's a knockout!" screamed an announcer over a cheap speaker system to the roar of the crowd. "… But don't count on seeing him back folks, he might not make it anyways!"
A man watched from his private box, beer in hand, his arm around an escort for the evening. He was dressed in a torn jeans and bicker jacket without a shirt. His broad and scarred chest proudly displayed to match the scars adorning his cheeks and dark shades hiding his blood red eyes. He smirked in amusement as he watched the throngs of people underneath cheer and rage at the caged boxing ring, two men hauling a bloody and broken third by his ankles leaving a trail of blood. The other man, a large blonde with green eyes, raised his arms with a proud bellow. His eyebrow was busted along with his nose and blood dripped down his chest but the crowd loved it.
The man relished in the atmosphere of violence and bloodlust, feeling the energy swell within him. He absolutely loved whatever human it was that thought to make underground fighting rings, the man's own personal playground. Blood and casual death, greedy bastards gambling away thousands, and woman of all sorts to pick up. Now if only he could get something like this back on Olympus … maybe with his goody-goody aunt out of the picture he could try for it? His father would certainly appreciate it. Still, thoughts for later whereas now, it was time for him to have some fun.
"Would our next pair come on down!" the announcer, dressed on a professional tux with his hair greased down and overdone mustache.
He grinned as he smacked the ass of the woman he'd had hanging on his arm, appreciating the healthy jiggle of feminine flesh clearly displayed through the tight green dress that barely even reached passed her ass. The brunette gave him a coy wink as she looked at the crowd below more, a glass of wine in hand, while he left his lofty box. He passed a bouncer that nodded to him before moving aside as he walked down a small flight of stairs to the arena floor. He soon arrived and started to walk through the crowd, the rowdy humans parting before their better making his smirk grow. He reveled in how he towered over most, his clearly visible muscles scaring off any bastard thinking themselves worthy of facing him.
Still, he mused on which poor sap was facing him now. He was feeling like making a drawn out fight, planning on breaking the bastard slowly until he begged for mercy … and then he would kill him. Ah, now that was a grand idea. He stopped with his musing though as he stepped up into the opened gates, the crowd roaring again at his appearance. He raised an arm before shrugging off his jacket but keeping his shades, his wrists wrapped up in white bandages to let him know how bloody he could get.
"You know him, you love him," the announcer started, his free arm gesturing to the man as he rolled his shoulders. "… The undefeated, the bloody … ARES!"
The crowd roared again as Ares gave his most bloodthirsty grin, flexing his arms in preparation for his plaything. He then watched as another gate on the opposite side of the ring open and in stepped his challenge. Ares scuffed at the sight even as the announcer proclaimed the challenger.
"Form parts unknown, even his face being a mystery, the new kid on the block … Shadow!" he shouted to a chorus of boos making Ares grin.
The challenger looked like a young kid, probably not older than his early twenties though decently tall. He wore black cargo shorts reaching his knees, black bandages wrapped around his ankles and wrists with an unzipped hoodie without a shirt. Ares noted a few light scars and lean, steely muscle … not that he was worried or anything. This Shadow's hoodie was missing the sleeves to display his arms and the hood was up, obscuring the kid's face from the cheeks up in darkness. Interestingly enough, Ares could make out pitch black hair with some icy blue highlights but otherwise couldn't tell much more about his opponent.
The boy also seemed to be sizing him up but then gave an oddly familiar snort making Ares grit his teeth. 'Oh … now the pain is going to double,' he thought before glancing behind the kid to see a woman that had come with him. 'And you brought me a little gift, how sweet,' he thought while licking his lips, eyeing the gorgeous ravenette with intense blue eyes in a little black dress with generous amounts of cleavage showing.
"See something you like?" asked Shadow with a small smirk, much to Ares' annoyance.
"Maybe," he said while shrugging and raising his arms in a basic boxing stance, getting ready for the beginning bell. "… Just thinking about how I'll be taking that woman off your hands after this."
"She'd break you in two," Shadow replied while sticking his hands in his pockets.
Before anything else could be said the ring of the bell started, letting both know the fight was underway. Ares smirked as he rushed forward at high human speed, expecting the kid to last no longer than a minute at best, not that Ares would let him go afterwards or show mercy anyways. He closed the distance fairly quickly and lashed out with a right hook, his fist screaming for blood. However, his smirk dropped as Shadow casually sidestepped the fist, his own smirk still present.
Ares readjusted himself, watching the kid intently with both fists primed. 'Must have been a lucky dodge,' he thought before rushing him again. This time he launched a combo; hook, left jab, right swing, left upper but Shadow weaved through it easily. Ares started to grit his teeth in frustration as he tried another but only got the same results.
"Hold still!" he shouted as he tried for a grapple but the fuck just swerved to the side, just an inch out of reach, his smirk growing into a grin.
"So what's with the trashy title name?" he asked.
"What?" Ares paused as he took a step back to plan another attack.
"The title name. Ares, really? Who'd want to be named after that disgrace of a god?" Shadow continued as Ares felt a vein pop.
"What did you say?" he growled as his eyes started to glow behind his shades.
"I said that Ares was a disgrace," Shadow continued while finally taking his hands out of his pockets only to cross his arms. "So called God of War yet always in the shadows of his siblings. Makes me wonder why didn't the Greeks just drop him from their myths. Hell, that drunk of a god is better."
Ares felt his temper break as he charged with an angry roar, now using higher tier demigod strength. Enough to guarantee bones breaking but still keep the trash alive. His fists flew to the point of looking like blurs to regular mortals, his thirst for blood rising and yet Shadow maneuvered in and out of every blow, at times even just escaping by a hair's breath away.
"Ooh, I see," Shadow drawled as he ducked backwards, Ares' haymaker passing harmlessly overhead. "You want his name because you suck at fighting just as bad as him. Great job!"
"Shut up!" Ares shouted, his breathe misting over before him, as he went for a forward kick but Shadow sidestepped it. However, instead of moving away, Shadow suddenly got closer as launched a jab to Ares' gut.
The god smirked at the foolish mortal but his face quickly turned to shock as the blow actually knocked the air out of him and made him stumble back. By now the previous roar of the crowd had turned to stunned silence, seeing the great Ares take a hit and apparent damage for the first time.
"A little flabby there," Shadow commented while taking an odd stance with his palms semi-open and at level with where a boxer would hold his fists.
'What was that?' Ares asked himself, looking at the mortal in confusion.
"Getting cold feet?" Shadow asked with a teasing grin. "Want me to call your mama for you?"
"Your dead!" Ares shouted, his earlier confusion forgotten.
"You're," Shadow quipped as he deflected Ares' fists leisurely, with every second making the god angrier.
Suddenly Shadow stepped into Ares' guard, their faces close enough for Ares to see an icy blue glow within the hood. Before Ares could react Shadow grabbed his arms and kneed Ares in the gut making him spit out. Without hesitation Shadow followed up with a jab into Ares' throat, causing the god to choke up in shock and then a right hook across his cheek sending the god spiraling on the ground.
"Come on Ares," Shadow taunted as he started to slowly circle the recovering god. "There has to be more than this."
Ares grit his teeth as he got up, his body starting to emit a red aura as bloodlust saturated the air. 'Screw it to Hades! I'm not holding back!' Ares thought as he charged like a rabid animal, all semblance of control lost. He charged with reckless fury, his fist glowing a bloody red as it flew at Shadow who had the gall to still smirk at him. Then, with an explosion of pressure, Ares' fist met Shadow's cheek as the war god grinned.
"Ha!" he declared in victory … only to shiver in sudden worry as Shadow started to chuckle of all things even with Ares' fist still planted against his cheek.
"Is that it?" Shadow asked, his eyes glowing with cold hatred in contrast to the dry tone in his voice. "Disappointing."
"Wha-"
Ares didn't get to finish his word as Shadow's fist lashed out and hit Ares straight in the jaws. The god felt his jawbone crack as his entire body was thrown by the hit, his shades spiraling off. He hit the floor twice like a skipped stone before stopping at the link cage around them, his head spinning.
"Come on Ares," Shadow said as he slowly walked forward. "I thought a major god would be able to put up a fight."
That got Ares to look at him in surprise, his blotted crimson eyes widening.
"Oh, don't give me that look," Shadow said while shrugging. "You were so obvious and I made my own title just as cliché but you didn't even catch it."
"Who are you?" Ares asked dangerously as he slowly got to his feet, ichor dripping out of his mouth.
"Shadow … though I prefer the Latin translation," Shadow said with a grin, letting Ares see his fangs for the first time.
It took Ares a moment but then he paled as he whispered, "… Umbra …"
"Bingo!" the now named Umbra chirped with open arms. "Now are we really going to fight? I'm pretty sure the audience won't mind … well, I don't think they'll be minding anything at the moment or ever again."
"What?" Ares asked unsurely as he looked around before he paled further as his eyes widened in disbelief.
Only now did he notice the temperature had dropped drastically during their fight and as for the crowd. He didn't know how it happened but in the time they'd been fighting, every single person had frozen over with black ice covering them. Some were wide eyed while still looking at the fighting ring, others looking at their feet in confusion, but all turned to morbid statues. Then Ares noticed the woman that had been with Shadow before, her hand lazily caressing one man as the ice thickened at her touch, her gaze on Ares with a sinister smirk.
"Lovely isn't it," Umbra commented as he observed as well. "Now I get why Medusa had a thing for her statues other than quick kills." He then turned to look at Ares with a dangerous grin. "Well, one cesspool of human scum cleaned up … you Olympians really left a lot for us to handle."
"W-what are you?" Ares asked, cursing himself for stuttering. "You're no mere demon if you can do this but gods can't interfere with mortals using their power."
"Ho? Look at that, Ares of all people citing the Ancient Laws, how novel," Umbra said with a grin. "True, gods may only attack a mortal personally if; assaulted first or challenged, in opposing sides of a declared war … or they use a natural disaster as an excuse like your daddy using freak lightning strikes at his convenience. Funny thing is my dear Lamia," Umbra said while gesturing to the ravenette. "Though immortal herself, does not rule a domain and therefore is not strictly speaking, a god. She, being my vassal, can freely interact with mortals for me. I merely cooled the atmosphere. The new décor is all her."
Shadow then looked directly at Ares, his fanged grin glinting as his eyes glowed even brighter from underneath his hood.
"Now then … I do believe we have a fight to get underway."
With that Umbra rushed forward and Ares barely had any time to raise his arms in defense. He felt a fist hammer into his arms, his bones cracking and screaming in protest at the assault as Ares grit his teeth. There wasn't a second's delay before another fist wove under his guard into Ares' body, right over the kidneys. Ares gasped in pain as another fist followed up on the same spot, this time hard enough to indent the god's flesh, leaving a fist impression and partially lift him off the ring floor. Ares staggered back, coughing up ichor as his side burned while he looked at Umbra with hatred but his glare was matched by those icy blue eyes wreathed in shadows.
"Come on war god," Umbra taunted as he resumed his assault. "At least entertain me!"
Ares roared in outrage while throwing a wild cross but Umbra moved with it, his head tilted to the side just enough for his fist to miss the hood. Without delay Umbra closed in and hit Ares' chin with a rising elbow, the sound of teeth grinding and fracturing ringing clearly in their ears. Suddenly Ares felt a vice like grip around his throat before he was lifted off the ground. The next thing he feels is his head being slammed down into the ring floor hard enough to make the steel supports underneath groan in protest. Then he was tossed across the ring, impacting the cage that added a whole new sensation of burning pain.
Ares cried out as he fell to the floor, his back still stinging making him look back at the cage in confusion only to have a new sense of fear wash over him. The entire cage looked like it had been frozen over with that strange black ice. He looked further over his shoulder and could see that impression of the links in streaks of black and light blues.
"Instant Frostbite, curtesy of Voidice," Umbra commented as he slowly walked closer. "… and a little cold isn't your only worry either … little war god, after all …"
Whatever else Umbra was about to say Ares ignored as a sudden sense of panic took him. He tried to flash away, a little part of him realizing that he was outgunned alone and he needed back up, even though he would never admit it. His body flashed golden several times but still he remained, his panic growing as cold realization set in. Umbra's dark chuckle brought got his attention again as the demon grinned at him.
"You're not going anywhere Ares. You're just a caged animal now just like dear old mommy was when Jason saved her ass," he said as he suddenly rushed forward and in the blink of an eye had his hand around Ares' throat, causally lifting him up to eye level. For the first time Ares could clearly see Umbra's eyes, still shrouded in shadows to hid his face, the twin orbs of swirling black flames and icy pupils boring into the god. "… and this time, no one is coming to rescue you."
Ares didn't get to utter a word as Umbra slugged him in the face, breaking the god's nose. Then another and another. Umbra didn't make a sound, his eyes unblinking, as his left fist pummeled into Ares' face, ichor splattering around them. Ares tried to protest, to escape, to do something, but he couldn't. Umbra's grip was unbreakable, his wild kicks and punches that managed to land against Umbra's body were shrugged off as minor annoyances, at most getting an irritated grunt out of the demon. And all the while , with every hit Ares felt as if a deep and unending cold was setting in, chilling the ichor in his veins and clenching at his heart.
However, it only got worse when Umbra dropped him at his feet and then pulled Ares' arm back. Before Ares could even utter a sound, Umbra violently jerked it, a sickening pop and the god's scream of pain signaling the now dislocated arm.
"Decent warm up," Umbra muttered before he continue, unbothered by every whimper of pain and plea for mercy between the howls of agony as Umbra systematically broke Ares' bones down to the fingers in his right side.
Then, apparently dissatisfied, Umbra tossed him aside again, the war god falling limp with his entire chest and face coated in ichor, his arms broken beyond use and several of his ribs crushed. Ares gave a week groan of pain but it turned into a scream when he felt a foot slam down on the back of his knee, crushing the bone into fine powder. Once the foot left Ares heard Umbra sigh in disappointment. Ares managed to lift his head enough to look up as Umbra moved to stand before him, looking down at him condescendingly.
"This is lacking," Umbra commented as he crouched down to look at Ares better. "I could break every bone in your body, skin you alive, castrate you and so much more … but in the end it just isn't enough. I've spoken with many ghosts and heard the horror stories of some of the things you've done. No amount of simple physical pain will ever make that up … but I don't want you to fade just yet either."
Umbra then paused as he tapped his chin before a grin that froze Ares' blood appeared on the demon's face. The frozen gaze of his eyes, the ruthless expression, and the cruel fangs glinting all made this Umbra the manifestation of the god's fears … and he couldn't so much as lift a finger to stop him even as Umbra continued to speak.
"But then again I'd already planned what to do with you," Umbra said as he grabbed Ares' chin and jerked his head a little higher. "The body can heal, especially in the case of gods, but your mind is another matter."
"Are we leaving, master?" Lamia asked as she suddenly walked up beside Umbra.
"Is everything ready?" Umbra asked as he stood up, grabbing Ares' neck again and causally dragging him up.
"Yes, Lady Rhea already contacted me. She will crush this entire structure once we are gone," Lamia replied.
"Very well," Umbra said before shadows suddenly surrounded them and whisked them away…
They suddenly appeared within a dark, stone room with only a few torches with Greek fire illuminating them. Ares' head was spinning in mixes of pain and the sudden disorientation from the shadow travel but he noticed enough to realize he'd been chained to the floor by his ankles and wrists. However the chains were long enough to allow him to move around somewhat … if he could bare the pain. He weakly sat up as he looked at his chains, noting they were Stygian Iron.
"Well Ares," Umbra said as Ares turned his attention to him. "This is where I leave you, I'll be back in about a month, top side anyways so for you, nearly half a year. But don't worry, you'll see my lovely face again, however, for now you are in the care of this fine gentleman," he said as he gestured to a behemoth of a man wearing a dark cloak, hood and all, with two glowing crimson eyes within the darkness.
"Who are you?" Ares asked weakly, unable to suppress a shiver of fear while being in the man's presence.
"Tartarus," was the straight reply but that was already enough to send Ares into a panic attack.
"Be seeing yah," Umbra said before turning, and with Lamia, dissolving onto shadows again.
There was a silence as Ares the turned his attention to Tartarus, the eldest primordial looking at him curiously. Then, he silently moved to a far wall of the room where a large chair and small table appeared, a wine bottle and glass waiting for the primordial as well. Once Tartarus was situated, having poured himself a glass and leisurely stirring his drink, he spoke.
"I must say Ares, you truly drew the short end. The council and several others discussed consistently on who they wanted to use as the instigator for their war. Others wanted it to be Apollo but then again, his death won't be quick by any means once the others get their hands on him. Still …" Tartarus paused as he looked directly at the war god. "… Your fate truly does validate the statement, 'there are worse things than death'. Let's test just how much worse they can be."
With that Tartarus snapped his fingers and five new people appear. Once clearly had the aura of a god, with mocha skin and an aristocratic face dressed in a pitch black suite, shades, and pitch black hair tied into a low ponytail reaching past the shoulders. The god was looking at a portfolio in his hands, casually thumbing through the pages with occasional grunts and hums. Behind him were four … things. They looked like men, each standing at over eight feet, with black and grey skin, lacerations bleeding some black substance, their eyes being solidly black, crooked fangs showing through their chapped lips, and only dressed in loincloths.
"Ares, God of War, son of Zeus and Hera," the other god droned on in a bored manner. "Chronic murderer, rapist, liar, and arsonist ever since the Great Fire of London, 1666. Too many crimes for me to bother counting and naming."
"I may have to read that file, it sounds interesting," Tartarus commented getting a shrug from the other god. Tartarus then returned his attention to Ares. "For introductions, this is Ikelos, son of Nyx and Erebus, God of Nightmares."
As Tartarus said that Ikelos walked forward with a vial of pink liquid in his hands. Before Ares could say anything, Ikelos uncorked it and forced the liquid into Ares' mouth and held his mouth shut until he swallowed it.
"That's part of the punishment," Ikelos stated casually as Ares felt his entire body burn and itch.
He convulsed as he felt his bones break and rearrange, his mass decreasing and becoming slimmer as his hair grew. Ares then felt a swelling on his chest so he looked down only to gawk as his chest grew until he had breasts. He-she, then noted the distinct absence of an organ between her legs.
"Well, it seems that Hecate's potions really are all that," Ikelos commented while analyzing Ares' transformation. "Now then, to business," he continued as he went and sat in a new chair besides Tartarus, still leafing through the portfolio in his hands.
"You there," Tartarus said as he pointed at the biggest of the monsters they'd brought. "You begin," he commanded getting a sick grin sending a spark of revulsion and horror through Ares.
"You can't do this!" she cried to them, tears of rage and panic dripping down her cheeks.
"I wonder how many of your victims have cried the same thing. Oh well, you should have seen what we did to Stalin," Ikelos muttered as he flipped another page before he looked to Ares. "But this is your first punishment. I will take every memory of rape you cherish and turn it into a nightmare … where you will live it through the eyes of your victim. Oh! And your transformation will only last about a month … though the same can't be said about the punishment." He then adjusted his shades and looked to the monsters. "… Gents, if you please."
Ares then turned her head back to the monster as it approached, gazing at her hungrily in the same way she had some many times in the past to her targets.
"No …" she muttered in terror. "No … please …"
The thing kept approaching.
"NOOOOOOO!"
With Percy
Percy formed out of shadows in the throne room of Mount Cartier, named as such to acknowledge their Canadian residence. He sighed as he rolled his shoulders, his hoodie falling back as his hair spilled free while Lamia looked at him curiously.
"Something on your mind?" Percy asked her as he glanced around the otherwise empty room.
"I was just wondering why you went so light on Ares is all?" she asked with a hand on her hip.
Percy shrugged as he looked away for a moment before answering, "I don't know. I've been thinking about all sorts of things I'd do to him but in the end … I guess I sort of pity the useless fool." Seeing as Lamia was still looking at him intently he explained further. "Of all the gods, Ares was the closest to an animal. He just did what he desired which was either killing or fucking, he didn't have anything else so what could I do? I busted his ego when I was 12 and he mostly stayed out of my way after that. He was tolerable as Mars but then again, to hurt him in that form would be going after the Romans – something we don't want to do. And hurting his body could only go so far. I guess in the end I just felt he really wasn't worth my time."
"And Tartarus was oh so gracious to handle his torture instead," Lamia said with a small but dark smirk.
"Makes me wonder what he had planned," Percy muttered but then thought better of it. Tartarus had eons of practicing the fine art of torture and breaking one's mind, and undoubtedly Percy was better off not knowing.
Lamia gave a hum of curiosity too but didn't press further as she looked at a small watch she hand on her wrist and gasped, "Oh, I'm going to be late!"
"Orphanage?" Percy called after her as she rushed off … forgetting she could just shadow travel there.
"Yes!" was the echoed reply before she was gone while Percy had a small smile.
In the three weeks that their city had been unveiled, a whole host of new life had been brought to it. Many of the released titans, nature spirits, and minor gods had taken residence, bringing with them their skills and newly instated domains. For each arrival, divine or otherwise, an oath of citizenship was given to Styx on their domains and immortality rather than an oath of loyalty, to safeguard their new home as decreed. With their oaths, each deity then went to Phoebe and, in her presence, rejected their ties to the 'West' only to be given new domains by Phoebe, ones not dependent on ancient territories like the Olympians.
However, unlike Olympus or Mount Othrys for the titans before, their city was not limited to only mythical beings, as proved by Leto's Orphanage. Being a goddess of Motherhood and seeing the rampant need of children, both regular and demigod, Leto had asked the council to help her form an orphanage where she works as the head matron. They gladly approved and within the week one was built close to the now flourishing market of the second district. In another week over 30+ children had been brought through the assistance of some minor gods and the protogenoi themselves, some of them even young and forgotten demigods of the Olympians. He chuckled at the thought of Chiron freaking out when the number of demigods making it to the camp started to fall.
"What's so funny?" He broke out of his musings to look at his sister having just arrived in puff of lavender smoke, her eyebrow raised in question.
"Nothing," he said easily with a teasing smile as Andy huffed before she gave him a concerned look.
"So … did you catch Ares?" she asked softly as she approached him.
Percy gave her an understanding smile, knowing what was worrying her. Even after all was said and done, Andromeda didn't want him to be part of the torturing. Being so connected to emotions, she was one of the few that knew to what extant his hatred for the Olympians went … and how dangerous it would be to let those emotions control him.
"Yes but don't worry …" he said softly as he stepped a little closer until they were inches apart, his hand tenderly cupping her cheek. "… I gave him his due but I'm not doing the torturing."
"Good," she said softly while leaning into his touch contently. They remained like that for a little bit, simply enjoying the rare moments that they had to themselves.
However he knew there was more to do so he let his hand drop and gave her an apologizing look before he turned towards his throne. As he started walking towards it and grew to his godly height while his clothes shifted to his usual black jeans, shirt, leather boots, and coat of darkness with his wings springing out of his back. Andromeda followed his example, her previous business attire changing to her skirt, long-sleeved shirt, thigh-high boots, and corset combo. Once seated Percy felt the feedback of his domain along with a surge of energy as usual, his mind quickly sorting through all the information.
Most of it was simply on what was happening anywhere currently in night time or winter, with bits about the world's wolves. 'Hmm … wolf packs in northern parts of Norway seem to be thinning out. Might have to check into that,' he thought before focusing back on the throne room as he felt a familiar presence approaching. He looked to the entrance to the throne room as a wolf trotted in through the large archway. She was a beautiful specimen with pitch black fur much like his own but instead of icy blue streaks, she had deep crimson streaks running down the length of her back and at her sides. Her yellow-silver eyes glinted with intelligence as power on par with an Olympian rolled off her.
As she trotted over and once out from under the archway, the she-wolf grew with every step. Soon her shoulders were almost at three stories in height, her sleek and toned body moving with grace even at the casual nature of her walk. The she-wolf then stopped before him, dipped her head in respect, and then sat beside his legs to his left. Her ears were trained up, form set, and on guard even as he gave a slight chuckle.
"Lupa, I've told you before. You don't need to act like my guard all the time."
Lupa turned her canine head back at him, a mock glare in place before she said, "I'm one of your three Shadows now and as such, one of us should always be close."
'Like you three can't instantly jump to wherever I am,' he mused before saying, "Still, you don't need to be on guard and you are also a goddess. You have a seat in these chambers just like any other god in attendance," he said, gesturing to the rows of seats layered up before them. They'd re-arranged the thrones from being in a U to a half circle while facing the new seats for easier meetings.
Really, her demeanor had Percy quite curious. He offered her freedom and she took it after some reservation, even going as far as willingly becoming one of his Shadows after he made the offer a few days later. The odd part was that she wasn't initially this uptight about being around him … though he did note that she had a private conversation with Medusa and Lamia beforehand … wonder what that was about?
"Lupa, relax," he sighed noting the conflicted look in her eyes as she glanced at the seats further down. He then chuckled slightly and leaned forward to scratch behind on of Lupa's ears.
The goddess gave him a warning growl but he knew there was next to no heat to it. If anything, she only growled since Andromeda was there, otherwise Lupa would have happily obliged to a good scratching. He would know considering he loves getting scratched in his wolf form as well. His sister in fact was giggling slightly while watching on, having probably finished sorting through her domain already.
Percy kept scratching Lupa for a few more minutes before she finally gave up being all tense and allowed herself the enjoyment of his ministrations before she slumped down and laid at his feet, one of her eyes still open to keep a watch. Percy grinned at that but didn't try to tease her further as he felt the other protogenoi approaching. Each appeared in their preferred methods of teleportation, some a little showy. Once everyone was seated and finished their initial domain checks, he cleared his throat to get attention.
"Alright everyone," he started firmly. "Who would like to begin with their reports?"
Styx raised her hand first so Percy nodded, giving her the floor. "I've finished with the revision of all oaths within my office. Any oath taken before my ascension has been updated and strengthened."
That got a grim smile out of the council, all knowing now what that meant. Before, Styx's oaths were rather straightforward and once broken, voided. She also hadn't been able to drag gods to her river since she'd lacked the power and didn't have a link to the mortal world but now it was different with her lava lake within the mountain. Now she could review any oath, the terms for which it would be void, and give the punishment she deemed fitting rather than destroyed souls for mortals and physical pain or loss of power for gods.
"So any particular oath you've redeemed?" Nico asked getting a dark grin from Styx.
"The Oath of the Big Three concerning heroes," she answered getting curious looks from the rest. "They swore to never have an affair with a mortal woman again. With the use of never, it would mean that it can happen repeatedly and therefore the oath remains in place even after each of you," she said gesturing to the once demigods present, "So, I decided to focus on the intent; no more demigods from them. Originally I considered having any current demigods on the way have their souls attacked by my waters and be still-born." She raised her hands to the shocked gasps she got from several of them. "Relax, I won't since that's punishing the mortal mothers too so, instead, from now on, any time they try to bed a mortal, their genitals will feel like they're being dipped in my waters."
That got a wince of ghost pain from Percy and a hiss of fear from Jason and Nico as both crossed their legs while Styx grinned at them maliciously before continuing, "So, no more happy times behind their wives' backs … with mortals at least."
"And you're going to preside over marriages in the city from now on?" Thalia asked with clear amusement in her eyes.
"Yep, I even have the legal certificate to do it!" Styx chirped happily, her clothes suddenly shifting into that of a minister.
"I think you just ended the possibility of affairs for those couples," Phoebe chuckled along with the others.
Some more chuckling insured for a minute or two before Percy cleared his throat again to get everyone settled.
"Next?"
"Oh!" Andromeda squeaked while raising her hand like a giant child.
Percy grinned before nodding to her. She squealed a bit as she snapped her fingers and suddenly everyone had some sort of clothing with Canadian flag on it.
"We're officially Canadian!" she cheered happily as an oversized flag suddenly appeared over the entrance to the throne room much to their amusement.
"Frank will cry when he hears this," Jason commented while looking at his new shirt.
"Okay, on that note," Nico said, desperately trying to keep a grin off his face even while wearing a white shirt with a red happy face on it. "How did it go?"
Andromeda reigned herself in with a slightly embarrassed blush before answering, "We are officially recognized by the Canadian government. Both the Prime Minster and Governor General along with the Senate have already taken oaths on Styx to secrecy until we tell them otherwise and the first protocols to begin the re-introduction of the mortal and mythical world is underway."
"What of the Queen?" Rhea asked next.
"Meeting her in two weeks," Andromeda answered easily.
"Excellent," Percy added getting a radiant smile from Andy before calling next which was Thalia.
"Boreas is firmly with us but I haven't gotten ahold of Aelous or the other cardinal winds yet … little bastards move around too much," she muttered a bit at the end to a round of snickers in her expense. "Anyway, he should be visiting in a few days to swear to us and all that."
Percy nodded to that and looked to Jason next, who caught it and began, "Well, you all know we already have Eos and Theia here but Selene and Helios are proving tricky to find. But I've got a trail on Selene leading to Italy."
"Think you might need help tracking her down?" Percy asked. "She'll naturally have a stronger aura at night and I have wolves to spare."
Jason tapped his chin for a moment before looking back at Percy.
"That would probably do. Just one to track the scent will do and I only need to get her location, afterwards I can approach her myself."
"Okay," Percy said as he looked around for silence, knowing that those were the current 'missions' underway. So, he went and explained his capture of Ares, getting some very amused grins from his fellow protogenoi. Rhea then picked up on her part of the disposal.
"The underground facility has already been swallowed and the space replaced with solid stone and dirt native to the area. As for everything in that facility, it will be decomposed and redistributed," she explained, referencing one of her new creations.
Being gods, they could use their will and power to create life much like Poseidon forming horses from sea-foam. However, being primordial gods, the level of power and complexity for creation was several magnitudes more. Rhea had taken her time to form little Earth elves (that's what Percy called them anyways) made of sentient minerals with a special power allowing them to break down any material and restore it to the earth. Metals, plastic, fossil fuels, organic substances, any at all they could break down given time. Rhea had created them shortly after taking her seat when she'd felt the state of the Earth.
To Percy she'd described it as nails piercing her skull for every oil rig with the oil like hemlock slowly being spilled into her veins. And that had only been in the case of oil rigs, he didn't even want to know what other mining, especially through the use of explosives, felt like along with the current state of nature. Damn miracle that Rhea wasn't intent on destroying mortal civilization like her mother before but instead focused on getting cleaned up.
As a matter of fact, several protogenoi were in the midst of creating new life for this very purpose to safeguard their domains. Percy already had his Wraith Wolves thanks to assimilating Lupa's pack and having them swear to him. He'd added more local wolves and through his blessing, had formed a pack of some fifty or so wolves, each the size of rhinos with partial immortality, shifting, natural shadow traveling, and 'The Freezing Bite' as he named it thanks to the addition of Cold to his domains. The same way venom needed to be cleansed from the blood to save a life, if bitten by his wolves you'd better fine a source of warmth or be ready to self-amputate.
Afterwards he'd separated the pack to groups of threes and fives to monitor any major area of wilderness high with wolf activity. Now he was actually in the works thinking of a way to create a new wolf capable of protecting the Artic and Antarctic yet kept running into the problem of what they would eat. 'The little penguins won't make it otherwise,' he mused before realizing everyone was waiting for him while he went off a serious tangent.
Having the decency to blush slightly he cough a bit before continuing on, "Alright, so in a month's time we'll send our official declaration of war against the Olympians."
"Are we sending it to Olympus or one of the camps?" Styx asked.
"I don't think sending it to the camps will grant us any favors," Hestia commented, getting everyone's attention, the glow of the hearth reflecting in the scarlet of her eyes. "It might be a good intimidation factor and seriously shake the moral of their heroes but in the end it will make us out to be the monsters. They won't think we would be genuine about offers of sanctuary and neutrality if they think we'll do to them what's being done to Ares."
"What is being done to him anyways?" Thalia asked before everyone turned their attention to Nico.
"You don't want to know," he said in a dark voice, driving the message home.
"Oookay," Hestia continued on, "So no, not to the camps. However, getting Ares to die before their council will shake them up more and we could have it 'leaked' to the camps that Ares died. That will sow seeds of doubt and fear which can then be used to drive the demigods away from fighting, especially if they hear rumors of a safe place. Once here they could hear us out and then decide for themselves."
"How manipulative … I like it," Rhea commented with a wink.
"Well I do believe we all can agree with our Queen," Jason said with a smirk at Hestia's shy blush due to her title. "So while waiting anything specific we want to get done aside from tracking down more gods willing to leave the 'West'?"
"I have something in mind," a new voice said surprising the council.
They looked to the center near the hearth as a blinding flash followed. Once it died down it revealed a teenager being as large as them. He had choppy brown hair combed back slightly, a loose white polo with an open grey sports blazer over it, dark grey slacks and black dress shoes. On his wrist was a solid gold Rolex and his fingers had numerous rings with different time dials. His equally gold eyes looked at them all with a mix of mischief and amusement.
"Uncle Cronus," Percy welcomed while standing and giving a polite bow to the elder primordial, the others not far behind him. "What can we do for you?"
"For me? Oh you're too kind but no, today is not about me," Cronus said with a dismissive wave before smirking at them. "I'm here for all of you."
"And what would that be, my lord?" asked Jason with Nico currently standing on his shoulder.
"Why, to show you all your very own House of Primordials!"
Author's Rant: Oh yes, Ares got what was coming! More to follow but in time. Hope everyone enjoyed and let me hear your thoughts!
A pleasure, Jbubu
