I'm sorry! I've been really busy with college so don't expect regular updates for the next month but I'll try my best! Loved the reviews and all that and it looks like the anticipation has been building on people. A hefty chapter for you all, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I only own the plot.
Percy sighed as he watched the gods and guests alike mingle around the open courtyard behind the Temple of Primordials. It was lightly decorated with floating solid light lamps above their heads, a refreshment table and snack table running the length of the south end, and even a small band on a stage in front of the Sky Anchor or White Tree of the Council as it was known. The soft melodies feel into the conversations going around as gods convened, several having to make appearances for the first time.
All manner of minor gods had been turned throughout the years and were now finally in their true home, a few having even brought their own demigod children with them. Percy was sympathetic to the many nervous looks from said teens, most of them looking decidedly uncomfortable with so many beings famously known for throwing the worst temper tantrums for the smallest slights. Luckily there were many nymphs and satyrs milling about as well to make the atmosphere a little lighter.
As his gaze passed he noted his fellow council members. He chuckled as he noticed Styx, her ever teasing smile present, next to both Will and Nico as the pair blushed while sipping their martinis. Farther off Phoebe was speaking to some of her fellow gods born from her generation. Thalia was close by, surrounded by some of the present demigods as she answered questions about the past wars and such. Jason was farther down and speaking with Hercules, the strength god's face still beaming after seeing Hera so devastated.
It was rather morbid to note how so many of the gods present were brimming with glee at the display but then again, many of them had been present for the time of gladiators so taking joy out of an execution wasn't too far-fetched. He personally hadn't really relished in watching it or even doing it. To him it just felt like a job to do and there was no point to try to get anything more out of it. He'd already taken out his own revenge against the late god and all it had been was simply putting the poor bastard out of his misery.
He sighed again as he took a sip of his scotch, letting the burning liquid trail down his throat as he spotted the goddess who'd been plaguing his thoughts for many nights now. Andromeda stood off to a side, chatting with Medusa. The distance that had formed between the two had been … odd for him. Up until now he really hadn't realized how close she often was with him. Brushing shoulders, lingering touches, simply hugging her and pulling her close because he could. He missed it. He missed her.
And most of it was because of his own doubts.
Thank Chaos that he had two beautiful, strong, and understanding wives that helped him settle his thoughts … and finally come to a decision.
The last straw that pushed him to admitting his own feelings in that matter had been Hestia's all too innocent comment while he was sword training … thank goodness he usually trained in Tartarus.
'Think of it this way Perce. How do you feel about Andromeda being in another man's arms?'
His own anger at the thought had surprised him, driven home with how he actually cut down a mountain top in the process. He shook his head to rid himself of the memory and anger with it, barely stopping a growl from escaping his throat as he noticed how many eyes were roving over Andromeda's form from the guests. Luckily he'd had a break without anyone coming up to speak to him so he immediately set his path towards Andy. He guessed his face must have been intimidating at the moment since none approached but instead moved clearly out of the way.
As he moved Andy's eyes flicked up and met his, her own widening in slight surprise as Medusa glanced back to see him coming as well. Neither moved as he got closer, eyes only on him until he all but stood over them. He absentmindedly left his finished glass on a passing tray held by a wind spirit as he cleared his throat, feeling rather self-conscious in that moment.
"Andy, Medusa," he greeted lamely, already berating himself for not having thought of a better approach.
"Percy," they said together, Andy looking decidedly more nervous and he knew it was because of him.
Percy grunted a bit as he looked around before focusing on Medusa. "… Mind if I steal Andy away for a while?" he asked in a semi-whisper.
Medusa looked at him questioningly for a moment before glancing over his shoulder and suddenly breaking into a teasing grin that he'd come to associate with trouble for himself. He really didn't want to know what was it that made her give him that look.
"Of course, my lord," she replied with an added purr at his title as she gave Andy a quick wink and turning to walk away with a slight sway to her hips.
Once she'd seamlessly merged into the crowd Percy glanced back to Andy, noting her slight blush as she kept glancing down. 'Cute,' he thought as he gingerly took one of her hands in his and gently leading her away from the courtyard and towards one of the little more private paths leading to the extensive gardens around the temple's sides. She didn't resist him as they walked, the hum of the crowd slowly fading into the background until he stopped near a small pond reflecting the moonlight.
He turned to look at Andromeda as she still kept her face lowered, her nervousness rolling off her in waves. His lips thinned as he used his free hand to softly tilt her head up, her eyes glistening as she finally met his gaze. He just looked into them, those jewels of lavender that were so calming to him. They stood in silence for some time, neither sure how to begin until Andromeda finally broke the spell.
"So … they told you…"
It wasn't a question. Ever since Hestia and Rhea had been confronted by Andy and Medusa, Percy hadn't had a chance to really speak with Andy aside from council meetings. All other times one or the other had been avoiding each other, unsure of what to do with the situation until now.
"Yes," he said gently as he let his hand fall as her head lowered slightly. "I've been talking to Rhea and Hestia about it for some time."
"… And what did they say?" she asked as she shuffled slightly.
"Well they weren't very happy at first and I didn't even know why, just that they came to bed being somewhat upset at times," he replied honestly as her gaze fell. "… But after a week or so they mellowed out and finally told me what happened. Turns out that they might agree to this."
Andromeda's head snapped up so fast Percy was worried she'd get whiplash.
"R-really?" she asked in a trembling voice. "But what about your vows?"
He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair as he looked at her, wondering how to go about this.
"They've spoken to Styx and Lady Chaos on the matter," he answered before pausing as he bit his lip. "Depending on some wording, as long as all three of us agree to include the person in our relationship, it wouldn't go against our vows. But there is a bit of a catch," he added seeing how she was starting to get excited.
He still didn't know how she would feel about Hestia and Rhea's conditions. Andy frowned a bit at the catch part before nodding, "Okay, and what are they?"
And so he told her as best that he could. About his queens' concerns and their past experiences, what they thought about having more women joining their bed, and even how they would be distinguished. As he spoke Andy's expressions kept changing, ranging from surprise and an especially bright smile at the mention of her possibly marrying him to pensive on the thought of concubines. Once he wrapped up she scrunched her nose in that cute way that he knew meant she was in deep thought.
"So … if I agreed I could marry you," she said as she looked at him almost shyly. "But I'd also be married to Rhea and Hestia."
He nodded as she bit her lower lip slightly before she shrugged.
"I could definitely deal with that but …" she then paused as she looked at him intently. "… what do you feel Percy? I know you'd do this if you knew what it means for me but I don't want to force you into anything." She then looked down dejectedly. "I know you're really noble about these things and I love that about you but if this makes you unhappy in any—"
He cut her off with a finger to her lips as he eyes met his again.
"Then answer me this for a moment. Did you fall in love with me long before you became a goddess?"
She nodded slowly as his face broke into a smile.
"And being a Love goddess means you can't lie to yourself about your feelings right?"
She nodded again, this time looking surer of herself.
"Then I'll stop denying my own," he replied before he lowered his head to hers.
She gasped in surprise as their lips met for the first time in a gentle embrace. He relished in the soft feel as his arms slowly circled her waist and pulled her closer as she returned it in a moment with her hands rested against his chest. It lasted too short in his opinion though as they heard a throat clearing followed by a snicker as both broke the lip-lock and looked towards the noise.
There was Hestia and Rhea, both giving fanged grins as they looked between the two, at times eyeing how Percy's arms were still around Andy's waist. He glanced at her and noticed her silvery blush as she cuddled a little closer, partially turning her face away from the two goddesses that would obviously tease her on being caught.
"So I take it she agreed?" Rhea asked as Hestia giggled behind her hand.
"Yep," he replied, suddenly feeling as an immense weight had been removed from his shoulders, loving the feeling of having Andy in his arms again.
"Great," Hestia chirped as the two got closer. "Then that means we're all engaged!"
"Come here!" Rhea shouted in glee as she all but snatched Andy out of Percy's arms and pulled her in for a quick smooch.
Andy made a sound somewhere between a squeal and a squawk in surprise, too shocked to actually return it before Rhea broke off.
"Well someone needs to get more enthusiastic," she quipped before grinning shamelessly at Percy with quick glances at his lower regions. "Enjoyed the view?"
'Yes,' he thought while studiously looking to Hestia and denying Rhea her entertainment. At least Hestia was on his side as she cuddled up to him, his arms automatically wrapping around her waist as the pairs eyed each other.
"So … what now?" Hestia asked after some comfortable silence.
Percy had been about to suggest heading back to the party for a little longer before heading home until he noticed how Andy was biting her lip nervously. "Andy, something on your mind?"
His question got his wives to focus on the love goddess as well, making said goddess look even more nervous.
"Um … I think that before we go any further, I need to tell you all something."
"… Yes?" Rhea coaxed after Andy remained silent for over a minute, her eyes looking anywhere but them.
"I might have, sort of, let my domains get the best of me … in regards to Percy," she supplied as they got even more curious. "And it has to do with my guardian."
"Which ones?" Hestia asked with an innocent tilt of her head.
"Procreation," Andy squeaked as she glanced at Percy before blushing furiously, all the while as Rhea narrowed her eyes.
"Explain," was Rhea's order as Andy gulped while shooting Percy a look.
It was the same one he'd gotten numerous times whenever Andy had gotten in trouble and was scolded by Nyx, which usually lead to said trouble having some form of connection to him. And he thought his personal troubles had been solved for the evening. Oh well, out of the pan and into the fire…
Later in the Night, Nico
"Are you sure about this?" he asked, an unusual amount of sadness in his voice. "You said it would have taken possibly another year. What happened?"
"Ideally yes, it would have. By that time the council would have all but crushed most of the Olympians and stabilized most of the mystic world and only left to hunt down the cowards that managed to avoid death on the battlefields," replied a deeper, ancient voice. "However, between my assistance in reforming them, training you all, and your own exponential growth in power … it would be best to properly pass on the reigns sooner rather than later."
"… How many have awakened and escaped already?" he asked as he sighed, his hand running through his dark hair as he looked at his mentor.
"Koios, Krios, and Pallas have escaped to the surface already. Luckily the particularly messy titans such as Perses and Menoetius were hunted down and slain by Percy before they could realize I was weakening," Tartarus answered as he slumped into a large throne, looking down at Nico with dulling red eyes from within his ever-shadowing hood. "My days were always numbered since the days I created this prison and now that time is here."
Nico bit his lip as he digested his mentor's words. Tartarus, as well as the other primordials, had not always been wise or understanding. Once upon a time they were worse than anything the Olympians or Titans could have been combined. A time of endless creation and destruction on this planet until it nearly came to an end for all. When many of the elder primordials finally saw their own foully, it was almost too late. Unspeakable horrors roamed the world, the bones of ancient civilizations predating the modern man lying in ruin and forgotten to most, the skies raining fire and lightning while most of the seas churned with blood and acid. Day was scolding and night was freezing, the very air seeming to pulse with poison mist.
And worst of all, was the loss of their children within their own wars. The truth was that none of the known beings, from the Hundred-Handed Ones to the Titans were the first children of the protogenoi. There had been many before and almost all had met their end under the wrath of the primordials. Who these beings were or why the primordials had been so enraged to begin with, none of the elder gods would say.
That horror forced many of the elder protogenoi into self-imposed damnation. Erebus, suffering from a self-loathing of apocalyptic proportions, used most of his essence to cleanse some of the world before all but taking his own life. That lead to centuries of the world being blanketed in night as Nyx wept, even going as far as birthing Achlys, primordial goddess of Misery and Sadness. Aether, Hemera, and Chronos retreated into the heavens in isolation and shame. Gaea and Uranus went to sleep for a time, unable to cope with the destruction. And the eldest, Tartarus, being unable to eradicate all the creatures on his own at the time gave up his own true body to create a prison for the monstrosities they had released.
Only the strongest of beings could give up their body of birth and then recreate a new one but Tartarus didn't as another means of self-punishment. He remained mostly in a phantasmal state, watching over his prison meant to draw the essence of divine beings and monsters alike, keeping them apart where once they used to reform within days unless completely destroyed, and then hopefully keep them imprisoned within. Now with every day he spent with his temporary body created to train the new council and then blessing Nico, his time was running out. Having Nico claim his title as heir had been the final nail in the coffin.
"So … are you ready to claim your place by your brethren?" Tartarus asked, his voice truly carrying the weight of the eons on his shoulders. At Nico's hesitation, Tartarus continued. "You know you must. With the last of my strength I will keep the hordes of monsters still within Tartarus contained before you assume your reign but there will be a window where more could escape, especially the horrors within the bowels of this very castle."
As if to prove his point the entire castle shock with a muffled roar from the ground beneath them, the ancient Horrors, as they were known, having stirred upon feeling their shackles weakening. Dust rained down from the dark rafters of the massive hall as Tartarus slumped further into his throne. Nico grit his teeth but accepted that it was time and there was nothing he could do about it. He nodded before straightening himself and standing at attention to give his mentor his last respects.
"I, Nico Di Angelo, am heir of Tartarus, Primordial of the Pit. Does anyone dispute my right?"
Nothing the dust and faint screams of the damned answered him.
"Then henceforward I claim my place as Primordial of the Pit!" he shouted as the entirety of the castle began to shake.
His entire frame radiated dark red miasma and darkness, his veins glowing with hellfire coursing through them as pain assaulted him but he kept his eyes level with his mentor. He watched as an orb of churning purple and red phased out of Tartarus and slammed into his own chest, doubling the pain that he felt. It felt like he was burning for hours even if he knew it was only seconds as he felt an explosion of pressure through his back.
He finally dropped to a knee as he panted, the sweat literally steaming off his frame. As he hungrily gulped in the air he looked up to see his mentor's hood removed for the first time. Skin that had long since greyed and chalk white hair spilling to his cheeks, dull red eyes set within a sharp face looked at him. Tartarus, the most feared of the primordials, harbinger of damnation, never looked more human and frail even as a small smile adorned his face.
With a small nod and silence, a gentle breeze passed on the ancient throne of the eldest son of Chaos as he dissolved into white dust that almost looked as pure as billowing snow. His mentor and friend, gone for good. A quiet passing just like he would have wanted and all the while Nico couldn't stop the single tear that rolled down his cheek. Still, he pushed on as he stood, new power humming within him as the very Pit responded to his will … and he was angry.
He knew it would pass but not right now. Right now he missed his mentor, wished that he'd had more time to get to know and learn from Tartarus, to continue training under him and make him proud. To leave Tartarus with some true happiness after such a long time of misery. The others of the council had become the children the elder primordials had lost and each left with a smile for the brief time their family was whole. Tartarus was family to Nico, and if there was one thing that he could never deal with, it was the loss of family.
His fists clenched as he glanced over his shoulders to see his new wings. Black-charred bone, red torn membranes, and hellfire dripping off the fringes, how fitting. Without pause he turned from the throne as he summoned his blade, Damnation, to his hand as he willed the throne floor before him to open. It cracked and groaned as it did so, revealing a seemingly endless pit of darkness and decay but within Nico could see the glowing eyes. Shades of reds, yellows, and orange locked onto him, growls and the sound of claws scrapping along echoed as the Horrors bore witness to their new jailor.
They had been lucky. Without his true body Tartarus had been unable to face them on equal footing and slay them. The other children of Chaos had lacked the ability to kill these beings. Their prison had been meant to weaken all but the master of the Pit and none of Tartarus' siblings could wield Hellfire, one of the few creations able to destroy even divine essence in mass … until the creation of Percy's Voidfire. However, Nico did not suffer these shortcomings.
Nico's grip on his sword tightened as the length ignited in Hellfire as he glared down at them. He knew Percy had eradicated the Horrors locked in the deepest reaches of the House of Night days after ascending himself and now it was Nico's turn to put to rest the last of the Horrors. And if it helped work out his own frustrations, all the better.
Without another sound, he took a step and descended into the true Hell of this world…
With Athena
Athena dragged her feet as she walked back into the throne room, her eyes unusually dull as she looked around. The room was a mess, the previously spilled ichor still staining the floor as every torch was put out and the atmosphere was bitingly cold. Even now Athena could still hear Hera crying even from her palace lower on the mountain, and even now Demeter had joined her sister in terror for her daughter. Mere hours after the demon had appeared, Hades' throne along with Hestia's had cracked and fallen.
Two more Olympians gone as far as they knew and that had set off another chain of panic and hysterical gods. Demeter worried for Persephone but none dared venture to the Underworld in fear of a trap yet Demeter had almost gone. Only the swift reaction of Poseidon as he all but tackled his sister and knocked her unconscious before she could flash away had saved Demeter from meeting a possibly similar fate. Olympus was in upheaval as several more palaces and temples connected to numerous gods, many of which had disappeared, had crumbled as well.
Then she along with Apollo, Hermes, Dionysus, Hephaestus, and Artemis once she was healed enough, had traveled to the camps to get a better look at what had happened … and it wasn't good. In camp Half-blood, entire cabins for the missing or dead gods had been literally swallowed by the earth. Some of the campers who witnessed it said that it looked like the massive maw of a lion had come forth to destroy said cabins while the campers of those cabins also vanished. Some fading into shadows, others whisked away in explosions of fire and even some struck by both white and blue lightning. Dead, kidnapped, or traitors, it was all unknown. Even worse still, Peleus and his charge, the Golden Fleece, had also disappeared without a trace amongst the confusion.
New Rome and Camp Jupiter hadn't been much better with a good half of the military barracks incinerated or leveled with earthquakes. The new coliseum was beyond repair and the fields of Mars looked more like a war zone after a bombing. It was nothing short of a miracle that all the present campers had been unharmed but even then, nearly 150 campers from the camps had disappeared with the 'attacks'. Many of the younger demigods had been struck to the core and the veterans were trying to run damage control but it was an uphill battle, not to mention a significant portion of New Rome was screaming for blood to the extent of foaming at the mouths. Seeing one of their patron gods murdered before their eyes had set them off like nothing else since the times of the Old Roman Empire.
And now it felt like the cold, bitter quiet before the storm and what was worst of all was that Athena knew nothing to prepare for it. Nothing she'd found even hinted to what or who Umbra was and now, either by choice or accident, Umbra had let slip that he wasn't acting alone but part of a group. And from what could be found, one had extensive control of the earth if they were able to set of earthquakes that Poseidon couldn't quell. It just felt like everything was falling to shambles around them.
She glanced at the damned sword still impaled in the hearth, a thin layer of frost having formed along the cracks and slowly spreading as time went on. The atmosphere was becoming so cold that Athena could even see her own breath and kept having to flex her fingers or else her hands would go numb. She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed the arrival of her daughter.
"Mother," Annabeth greeted soberly as she walked up to stand beside the Olympian, both their grey gazes transfixed on the same blade.
They stood in silence for some time, both too embroiled in their raging thoughts to really speak much, at least until Annabeth asked a question.
"How are they?"
"Your siblings?" she returned without a glance and knew that Annabeth nodded. "Shaken but they should recover some by tomorrow."
"I heard that New Rome was already beginning to form up the war council and even called in all retired legionaries from across the country."
"They have but it won't do much good right now. Not without a lead at least," Athena supplied.
"They'll charge north then, it is the only clue any of us have," Annabeth continued as she crossed her arms under her bust. "But they could just as easily be heading into a trap. I think Leo and Calypso are going to try and convince them to be patient tomorrow."
Athena snorted at that. "Leo Valdez, practically the god of ADHD and excitement telling rabid romans to wait from going on the war path. I can already taste his success."
"Never thought I'd see the day you would be sarcastic," Annabeth muttered with a humorless smirk before her face got grim. "It isn't just the romans though. I've never seen Apollo that angry before and seeing his precious little sister hurt before being humiliated in front of all of Olympus and his children did not help his temper. I had to slap him across the face otherwise he was going to incinerate our whole temple if he didn't get some control."
"Ares' children are split up," Athena said as she stepped a little closer to Riptide to get a better look at it. "Most of the younger ones are in complete shock in both camps and the older ones were ready to march within the hour. Not to mention with the speculation about Hestia being dead too, a whole contingent of minor gods and several demigods that liked her want revenge too."
"It's all going to Hell," Annabeth sighed as she kicked a shield that had been dropped when all the demigods had armed themselves on Umbra's arrival.
Athena grimaced at the sharp clang of the metal but made no move to reprimand her daughter, a part of her also feeling like causing noise if only to distract her thoughts.
"The Amazons and Hunt are gathering as well," Annabeth commented idly as she watched the previously kicked shield sway along the curve of the guard.
"Yes, they'll group in New Rome and looks like Artemis is heading for aggressive recruitment from their ranks," Athena agreed as she heard some footsteps ascending the stairs to the throne room.
Both goddesses turned to see the angry face of Deimos, son of Ares and god of Terror, dressed in full war regalia. The breastplate, plated skirt, and helm all painted to resemble fresh split blood as the god's red eyes flashed with his barely contained rage, the grip on his spear leaving his knuckle bone white. He walked up to them before shooting a baleful glare at Riptide, as if blaming the sword for the fate of his late father, before looking to Athena.
"Lady Athena," he said curtly, barely managing to show some respect for his higher ups. "I've come to inform you that myself, as well as my brother, will be heading to New Rome to convene with Bellona for the war council."
Athena nodded in her acceptance. With her father tending to Hera and Poseidon back in Atlantis mustering his own forces, she was the de facto leader of Olympus and as first acting order had been to seal the mountain and erect a barrier to prevent flashing, thus hopefully cutting off any other gods possibly escaping as traitors. So far she had permitted only a handful of other gods to leave and even then she was keeping a wary eye.
"Very well but make sure that there are no actual movements until we can accurately plan an offensive. From what we know, our opponents are in the north but how far and their strengths are still unknown," she replied as she turned to look at the sword again.
However she heard Deimos clearing his throat and turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
"My lady," he ground out, looking decidedly unpleased with how he addressed her. "Could I make a suggestion?"
"Speak," was the curt answer.
"What of making fodder armies from gathers monsters and the like? If we do not want to risk our forces what better way that throw together a monsters and have them function as scouts to find our targets?"
"It's risky though," Annabeth cut in as she narrowed her eyes. "A monster army could just as easily be turned on us if this demon offers them something better."
"Not to mention that we don't know if there hasn't been an army gathered already," Athena added. "It's just too risky at the moment and besides, counting the Amazons, the Hunt, and both camps along with vets coming back, we have a force of nearly a thousand, the most there has been centuries. Manhattan was defended by a fraction of that and held against thousands of monsters at the call of the titans, and that's not counting the fact that now Poseidon's armies are available as well. No, we will keep to our current forces for the time being."
Deimos didn't look happy at his idea being rejected but kept silent on the matter with a begrudging nod. He then looked to the impaled sword and sneered, "Why hasn't that sword of the coward been removed?"
"Don't call him a coward," Annabeth retorted as she narrowed her eyes at the god. "He faced you and your brother didn't he?"
"Perhaps," Deimos growled as he set his spear aside and approached the sword. "But he isn't here now and this is now just an eye sore."
Athena was getting a bad feeling as she looked at the sword as a thin mist wafted off it but before she could tell Deimos to be careful, he'd already gripped the handle. He grimaced slightly, likely from the cold of the metal, before he started to tug at it. Nothing happened though, and even as Deimos threw his body weight behind his pull, the sword refused to budge.
"Blasted sword," he grit out as he tossed aside his shield from his other hand.
"Deimos just leave it," Annabeth said in frustration but her words fell on death ears.
"No," be snapped as he moved his free hand to grip the sword along the edge of the hilt.
His grasp slipped though and his hand went beyond it, slicing his palm open the blade edge itself as he cursed out from the sting.
"Deimos just—"
"Aaahhh!"
Whatever Annabeth or Athena was going to say on the matter was quickly cut off as Deimos suddenly let go of the sword and started screaming. They both looked in alarm as the skin around the cut started to pale and then dull into shades of light blue and streaks of black slowly spreading around his hand.
"Deimos!" they both shouted as they rushed forward, the god throwing himself back as his uninjured hand clutched at the forearm of his left.
"Make it stop! It's freezing!" he shouted as some sort of curse started to rapidly spread through his hand, making its way up his wrist.
"Stop thrashing," Annabeth shouted as both goddesses tried to hold him down, looking at his freezing limb in increasing alarm.
Athena summoned a torch to herself and immediately placed the fire right under Deimos' hand but it seemed to do nothing as the black-streaked frost continued to climb past the wrist. Deimos' screams had also alerted other gods and Athena could feel Apollo and Hermes inbound as she held onto Deimos' bicep while Annabeth held his other arm and the god in question kept screaming and begging for it to stop. In a bright flash her half-brothers were there, rapidly scanning around with their weapons primed before their eyes settled on Deimos.
"What happened!?" Apollo asked as he quickly kneeled and looked to Deimos' arm.
"Don't touch it!" Athena shouted, not knowing it whatever curse had struck Deimos could be spread through contact. "He cut his hand on Riptide and started freezing but the fire won't do anything."
By now the frost was almost to Deimos' elbow and the god was in so much pain he'd been reduced to babbling and begging, tears beginning to form in his eyes as he thrashed even harder. Apollo cursed under his breath as he raised his hands over the frozen appendage and began to radiate a mix of raw sunlight and his healing magic but it barely seemed to slow the spreading frost.
His grit his teeth as he increased the input and soon the frost seemed to slow to a near stop but at the same time the unharmed skin at the border started to hiss and redden, burning under the Sun god's power and making Deimos scream that much more.
"To Hades with it!" Apollo snapped as he pulled out a golden blade and looked Athena in the eyes with his own glowing irises, as if the fury of the sun was behind them. "Hold out his arm!"
"What!?" Hermes and Annabeth called at the same time but Athena did as was told, knowing that when Apollo had that look in his eyes, he was not one to be disobeyed.
She held out Deimos' arm just below the shoulder as the minor god started to pull like a wild and cornered animal but now Hermes had jumped in and was helping Annabeth to hold down the god. Apollo breathed before raising his blade, the edge glowing golden and steaming in the chilled room, before swiftly bringing it down.
With sickening ease Deimos' arm was severed just above the elbow, the god releasing a higher pitched scream that made Athena's blood curl as she looked at the cauterized stump. All the while Deimos' severed arm fell to the floor before shattering on impact into morbid pieces of clumped flesh and bone. Apollo for his part was trembling as he looked at the stump, his face contorted in fury as Hermes was forced to clock Deimos over the head to knock the poor bastard out.
Annabeth and Athena released their holds over Deimos as the god slumped down, the roar of more footsteps approaching while other gods that weren't too busy at the moment flashed in. There was a chorus of noise as the newly arrived gods and some remaining demigods moved around to see what had happened and set up a perimeter, quickly noticing the injured god. Athena glanced to her brother, seeing him still fuming before he muttered under his breath, "I couldn't even do anything."
Before she could try to say anything on the matter he waved his hand and disappeared with Deimos in a flash, hopefully taking him to the infirmary. Athena for her part sighed as she stood, feeling even more tired as this terrible day seemed to simply get worse and worse. All eyes were on her, making her grimace before she glanced at Riptide.
"Nobody touches that sword," she ordered with authority as all nodded. "Clear out."
They started to shuffle along as Annabeth stood by her side, watching the gods and few demigods move. Athena herself had been preparing to flash to her palace and hopefully get some rest but then the frantic panting and running drew her attention as another satyr that she couldn't name ran up to her looking panicked.
"My lady!" he started as he nearly fell to his knees. "I bring news!"
"What?" she asked, already getting a feeling of dread in her chest.
"The grand oak in the Central Park, it was destroyed," he answered, the hints of fear induced madness glinting in his eyes. "The titan Hyperion had escaped!"
Next Morning, Percy
Percy softly sighed as he wished he could be nursing a piping hot cup of coffee in his oversized hand, the dark liquid stirring within its bathtub size container, but sadly, he'd lost the appetite within moments of shadow traveling to their throne room. The night had been most … eventful. Sure, he was ecstatic that he finally got some closure with Andromeda and now they were making an attempt at a relationship, first starting only between themselves before involving Rhea and Hestia. However, the revelation of Andy's daughter which also meant his, was not something any of them had been expecting.
Andy had gotten the chewing out of a lifetime for that and Percy was sure neither Rhea nor Hestia were anywhere near close to collecting everything owed to them. But Andy had owned up to it and was willing to take any punishments either of her queens could concoct. However, that wasn't the pressing issue at the moment. No, rather it was the news delivered just this morning by some of their scouts and judging by the expressions of the present council members, it wasn't good.
Jason was tapping his foot, his gaze on his lap. Thalia was focusing on a loose tendril of electricity running between her fingers. Hestia was exchanging worried looks with Rhea across from him while Styx kept glancing nervously at Nico's empty throne. Phoebe also wasn't present, searching for the escapes through her sight but she'd already been gone for an hour so he wasn't expecting the best news. As for Andromeda …
'Speak of the devil,' he thought as he noticed his sis—fiancé he corrected—approach through the entrance hall, gently encouraging the young woman hiding slightly behind her as they approached. Dressed in a simple white chiton, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders all the way to her lower back. A figure echoing of her mother, tanned skin and eyes the color of freshly cared ice looking shyly in his direction. He sucked in a breath as he held her gaze, the gaze of his daughter, for the first time.
'She's … perfect,' he couldn't stop himself from thinking as she nervously approached, one hand gripping the back of Andromeda's shirt like a child as her icy eyes nervously scanned the primordials present. Each of them watched her in turn, their gazes mostly neutral but the traces of warmth shone through their eyes. Even Rhea and Hestia, the only two with any reason to dislike his daughter's mere presence, smiled softly at her. After all, she was innocent of all possible transgressions and so neither of his wives would blame her.
However his musing were cut short was Andy smiled up at him, still in her mortal size, before she slowly stepped aside leaving their daughter alone before him. She gave something akin to a whimper as she looked at Andy but her mother made no move to return to her side, instead offering an encouraging smile and nod. Their daughter swallowed thickly before facing him again, the nervous energy rolling off her in waves.
"Mi-My lord," she said timidly with a small curtsy, her gaze lowered like a subject.
He frowned at that, wondering where she got it in her head that she needed to approach him like that. Andy most certainly didn't tell their daughter to be so formal given the perplexed look on her face. He understood that as being essentially an untitled goddess herself and already fully developed, his daughter's mind was also formed and had enough knowledge to get by as an adult until taught more or connected to a domain, but that didn't mean she was necessarily ready to act on it. For all essential purposes, she was a child with the body and knowledge of an adult, and somewhere along that way, she'd thought it prudent to act like a simple subject before their rulers.
Well, after years of symbolically and literally flipping off pompous and highly temperamental beings as a pass time, he was having absolutely none of this formality. So with a slight grin, he reached down and placed his hand before her, startling her slightly as she jumped with a squeak. She glanced between him and his hand, as if asking for verbal permission, to which he nodded encouragingly. Getting a shy smile in return, she gingerly sat in his open palm and then he brought her up to his eye level.
They stared off for a few seconds before he gave his warmest smile and broke the silence.
"Hello there little one," he said softly.
"My king ..." she started only for him to delicately interrupt.
"Hey, none of that now. You're my daughter, you don't need to be so formal with me."
That got a slightly surprised look from her but then it turned into a bright smile as she gazed at him.
"Papa," she said, her voice as innocent and pure as she was, as she leaned forward in his hand, her hands reaching for him.
Understanding the gesture he brought her closer until she reached out and hugged what she could of his cheek, her bright smile glowing up at him with a tear or two of happiness. He shared the feeling as he used his free hand, or more specifically, free finger, to gingerly stroke away the tears, all the while mirroring, "The same smile as your mother."
She only seemed to get happier at the comparison and out of the corner of his eyes he saw Andy beaming from her throne as well, though she winced when moving about. The price to pay for suffering a thousand spanks from Rhea and Hestia … each. Not his concern at the moment as he focused his attention onto his daughter, pulling his hand back slightly to get a better look at her even though she pouted at the loss of contact making him chuckle.
"Now, can I get my daughter's name?" he asked her only to have her blush in embarrassment.
"I don't have one," she murmured before Percy shot Andy a questioning look.
"I thought it would be appropriate for you to name her," the Love goddess replied with a shrug, only to wince again with her movement much to the dark amusement of Rhea and Hestia.
"Well then, what to name a beauty like you?" he asked with his usual grin, causing his daughter to blush more while also smiling shyly.
However as she did so, he noticed that her arms were starting to change as black down and feathers started to form along them. He watched in fascination along with the rest of the present council, his daughter also looking at her arms in surprise as they continued to change. Soon her arms had completely changed to rather large, black feathered wings much like his own, with the thumb having turned into on flexile talon. She started at them, perplexed, before she gave one test flap and immediately launched herself with a startled gasp.
"Papa!" she cried in alarm as she lost balance within seconds and looked like she was about to fall.
Luckily he caught her without issue, even going as far as giving her an amused smile as she sat up in his hand and half-heartedly glared at her wings.
"So, a little bird much like your mother," he mused as she inspected herself.
'Yet her feathers had a similar dark aura to mine and her eyes are too icy to be like Andy's birds of Paradise. No, she is a predator like me, I can see it,' he thought as he noticed the slight fangs she had just barely peeking out through her parted lips. 'Her wings look like those of a raven … wait …' he paused as he looked at her intently for a moment. She noticed and looked at him while squirming slightly at the intensity in his eyes, until he spoke up.
"Raven … how does that sound?" he asked, wondering if she would approve of the name.
She looked at him for a few moments of silence before breaking out in a grin and nodding enthusiastically.
"So my little Raven it is then," he stated, his newly named daughter beaming at him as she shuffled her arms until the turned back into regular arms in a few seconds.
"I like it," she chirped happily and he was about to introduce her to Rhea and Hestia properly until he sense a familiar presence approaching.
He reacted in reflex and covered Raven as she turned to look at the spot most likely meant for the arrival but Percy wasn't willing to test if she could stand the sight of a primordial. In a few seconds a bright flash lit the room before fading to reveal a newly arrived Nico.
However, this was a newly formed and currently bloody Nico. His distinctly skeletal and Hellfire wings shuffling slightly, the now hundred foot god covered from head to toe in grim and black, sludge-like blood along with a few scrapes showcasing his own platinum ichor. His sword was held at his side and he looked remarkably tired, the atmosphere quickly sobering as everyone recalled the feeling they'd gotten late into the night.
It had been faint but even while sleeping, they'd felt Tartarus passing. Percy wasn't really surprised, knowing Tartarus and how he would prefer a quiet passing rather than the rather showy departure of Nyx and the others. Before Percy could ask Nico how he was holding up he caught the sound of clacking heels and all turned their gazes to the throne entrance as Phoebe ran in, growing by the step until she stood beside the newly arrived Primordial of the Pit. Without precursor her eyes glowed in an eerie green light as she spoke.
"Hail, Nico Di Angelo, Primordial God of the Pit, Judgement, and Evil!" she declared as a wave of power rolled of Nico.
Percy flared his own power to coat Raven and protect her from the aura of malevolence and fear coming off their newest and last member of the primordial council. Nico gave a nod to Phoebe and took his seat quietly, leaning his claymore against the side as his white marble throne turned into black bone and brimstone with licks of Hellfire coming off the backrest. Phoebe took her seat as well, beginning to session for the morning.
Percy glanced at Raven in his hand, deciding to complete introductions later and carefully tucked into a newly formed coat pocket right over his right peck. It seemed like a good spot rather than constantly worry about his movement and accidently making her fall off or something and he didn't want to send her out after just meeting her. She squeaked in surprise but her head quickly popped back out of the pocket as she sent him a questioning look. She didn't press the issue though as she turned to the far more entertaining meeting about to begin, even going as far as snuggling around until she was comfy within his coat of darkness.
With that settled her returned his attention to the floor and noticed that they were waiting on him. Clearing his throat he turned to Nico first, bringing him up to speed and leaving the matter of Tartarus alone. If Nico wanted to talk about it, he would bring it up, otherwise it was best left unsaid.
"Nico, I don't know if you were informed since you seemed … preoccupied, so just to let you know, several titans have gone off grid. Namely Hyperion is free again and Pallas had surfaced recently but he's out of sight too."
"And I couldn't find them either," Phoebe added as she bit her lip in worry. "I was hoping to find Koios too but he's hidden from my sight as well."
That did not bode well, not at all. It was once thing for a god or titan to hide their aura as much as possible and minimalize their presence or erecting a barrier to hide themselves but it was a completely different task to simply disappear from all their combined senses around the planet. The simple matter of the fact was it takes a primordial to run interference with another primordial, and that was something the new council had hoped to avoid at all costs.
"So … they are moving as well," Jason surmised as he looked around, noting the thin set lips and narrowed eyes of the council.
"I thought if we stayed out of his turf he would leave us alone for now," Thalia growled as her fingers crackled.
"Ideally but as Tartarus said last night," Nico cut in, his voice sounding far more tired than usual. "Things are moving faster than we could have anticipated. We know that he didn't approve of us the minute Gaea was defeated and that he would try to throw his weight around."
"Yeah but was it too much to ask for him to wait until we get rid of our pest problem first? Of course, he'll give us all the time in the world, I mean, it's not like we're all immortal and he hasn't interacted with the mortal or mystic world in millennia since naming Oceanus his favored nephew," Styx said sarcastically. "With our luck, anything that has a chance of going wrong will in some way."
"Someone's being oddly pessimistic," Hestia muttered before focusing on the whole council. "Regardless, it would seem that Pontus and Thalassa are becoming active participants in our war and from the looks of it, they're gathering their own support now."
"So a third party huh?" Rhea commented as she ran a hand through her deep brown locks. "Perfect. Like it wasn't tricky enough with fighting the Olympians while trying to spare as many demigods as we can and trying to reintroduce ourselves into the mortal world."
"If we are fighting and running socio-political marathons with the mortals at the same time, we're going to be as subtle as the Minotaur in a china shop," Thalia commented dryly. "So not much chance for all covert operations and slowly ripping apart the Olympians from the inside out."
"I wouldn't say that," Percy replied with a smirk as his eyes glowed with anticipation. "We'll just need to be more creative is all. As far as we know, right now Pontus might be collecting some of the hidden titans and other monsters that managed to escape the Pit in the last few months with Tartarus weakening but he will have to deal with possible interference from the Olympians as well." He then paused as he glanced down at Raven to see her watching all with rapt attention, before he turned to Phoebe. "Phoebe … release the barrier hiding our presence, I think it's time that they all know exactly where we are."
"They're going to be on our doorsteps soon enough," Phoebe sighed as she absently waved her hand and a wave of pressure rolled off the mountain, acting like a beacon to every divine being and monster alike saying the same thing. 'We are here, come and face us if you dare'.
Percy couldn't keep the predatory grin off his face as his anticipation grew. He then looked to the ever silent Lupa, the loyal goddess in her wolf form having laid at his side from the moment he arrived to the room.
"Lupa, gather the pack, we're heading out within three days," he ordered, watching as the goddess' ears perked up before she stood, bowed to him, and leapt away in a burst of shadows to gather his strongest wolves from across the globe. His personal pack, 25 strong and each on par with a minor god, with the strongest four and Lupa being near or on Olympian level respectively.
"So we can finally join in on the action huh?" Jason asked as his normally cool exterior started to thrum with pent up energy. "So … what's first?"
Phoebe's knowing grin quickly drew their attention as she smirked before answering, "Well, it looks like the huntress is getting ready to take her little band out to New Rome via her chariot. Wouldn't it be a shame if something happened along the way?"
The downright malicious smirks were her only answer …
Author's Rant: Ahh, that felt so good to write out. I've been trying to iron out some details for ages! Hope everyone enjoyed that. Let me hear your thoughts on the matter.
A pleasure, Jbubu
