Welcome back everyone to another chapter! But first, lots of little notes.

FIRST: I'm sorry about the cliffhanger from last chapter. That wasn't intentional and only happened because the chapter got too big and I had to cut it off. That being said, I know things will feel like cliffhangers because a lot is happening at the same time right now.

Second: For those saying I'm dragging it out too long. The war is the ENTIRE story and I knew I was writing for the long haul. Granted, if I hadn't been delayed so much this story would already be done so it feels longer than it is. So please, a little patience. Also, I know not every chapter is going to be big and exciting with plot twists and such but it is necessary so please just try and enjoy the ride.

Third: I seems people are still confused about in regards to power so lets clear that. The primordials have the most power meaning their energy doesn't really run out, that being said, they are limited by how strong their bodies are and the amount they can use at any one time. The big thing about Percy and Co is that they are stronger in their BASE forms meaning the gods need to go into Divine just to push them. But everyone majorly fighting is a god (minor, major, primal) and so their battles are literally capable of ripping apart the terrain around them. Heck, Artemis and Percy's battle covered enough space to devastate all of Alaska.

Percy and Co also don't want to destroy everything around them which is why they hold back so much and are careful about when and where they truly start to fight.

That's all I got for now, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.


Annabeth

The explosion of power and golden glow seemed to save her … if only barely. Pallas' aim was off as his sword bit into her left shoulder and stayed there as she bit her lips to suppress a scream. However she fought through it as she looked to her daughter again, almost gasping at the sight as several of the minor gods shook of their daze from being so close to her daughter including Deimos.

There stood not her daughter but a woman rising to nearly fifteen feet in a fully divine form. Billowing golden and red streaked hair with glowing red eyes surrounded by steely grey likes rubies trapped within iron and skin literally glowing with her divinity. Her clothes though hadn't changed since she lacked domains or divine forged armor leaving her pajamas to stretch to their absolute limits making it look more like skin tight short shorts and a tube top over a rather generous bust, something that it seemed the other gods had noticed judging by their looks.

"Cloelia?" she asked in a hushed whisper, however, what surprised and alarmed Annabeth the most was her daughter's right or more accurately, what she held.

In her right hand was Riptide of all things, the sword having grown with her and radiating a cold mist. But, looking to her hand Annabeth was alarmed to see the skin of Cloelia's right hand rapidly paling with streaks of black and blue slowly rising up passed the wrist like corrupted veins. 'The curse!' she thought but was still unable to do anything from her position as she watched her daughter before noticing the small bracelet still around her right wrist with a glowing, icy blue wolf pendant that seemed to pulse every few seconds.

"Get away from my mother!" was the snarl like shout as the goddess charged in Annabeth's direction but Deimos was still close as he suddenly rushed before her, his own sword at his side.

Cloelia saw it and glared with glowing eyes as she raised Riptide and struck down with it as Deimos made to the block it … the fool. Like Pallas he'd underestimated her. Like Pallas he had remained and looked on as she assumed a divine form and thinking her to be weak, didn't assume one as well. And now he stood in her way thinking he could take her but unlike Pallas, Deimos' decision was immediately apparent and lethal.

With a roar Riptide was brought down as Cloelia suddenly added her second hand to the grip and collided with Deimos' raised blade but the resistance didn't last long. Without both hands Deimos was already weighed down and an audible snap and scream from him was heard as his arm gave out from the goddess' savage blow as the sword continued on. They all watched as Riptide sliced down, pushing Deimos' sword as the blade itself met Deimos' helm and cut through before continuing on. They watched as the gleaming blade minced through the god from crown of the head to his gut, gushing ichor in a near frozen slurry as the god's scream died out with him.

Shocked silence lasted for all of a second as Deimos split in half moments before bursting into golden dust and Cloelia continued on without pause, her eyes set on Pallas even as the titan dwarfed her. However a roar of rage erupted behind her as Phobos, coming out of his own shock, assumed his divine form in a mad frenzy and charged the youngest goddess. Annabeth wasn't sure how but it seemed Cloelia already had the instincts for combat as she stopped and spun in time to block Phobos' spear jab before knocking the weapon aside and returning with a neck-high slash.

Phobos backpedaled out of reach, his own skill and experience shining through even in the frenzy he was in as suddenly Cloelia and Phobos became the center of combat. Both in divine form with Phobos measureing some seventeen feet or so showing he was stronger than Cloelia, one dressed in his armor while Cloelia was little better than naked and yet she wielded a legendary and now cursed blade as if she'd been born with it in her hands.

Annabeth watched in equal parts shock and awe as her daughter managed to hold her own. Every slash and stab was performed with almost practiced ease yet carried an underlying savagery more befitting of war deities as Cloelia pressured the enraged Phobos while the rest watched. A few minutes passed at the back and forth as Cloelia managed to score some cuts along Phobos' arm. However none were deep wounds and every time he would pull back and without hesitation, flare his power around the afflicted area until it literally burst, riding himself of the cursed flesh. Following this left him with several horrid open sores oozing ichor around his arms and legs but while painful, none were life threatening.

However Cloelia was looking progressively worse as she started to pant and tire out as her power fluctuated and her right arm up to the elbow was already an ashy grey with blue and black streaks which made Annabeth wonder how her daughter could even still use that arm. Cloelia herself didn't even seem to be aware of it as she continued on, weaving in and out of every stab by the skin of her teeth while Phobos attacked and attacked, almost foaming at the mouth as he screamed every profanity and curse he knew at her.

Annabeth saw all this and knew she had to act. Cloelia may have jumped to a divine state but it wouldn't last long and with so many other gods around, it was only a matter of time before they decided to attack together and completely overwhelm her. Looking back up at Pallas she could tell he was too interested in the other battle and confident that she was pinned by his sword … underestimating her yet again.

Gritting her teeth she let go of her dagger and then suddenly pulled her arm back, slipping it out from under Pallas' foot as the titan staggered slightly from the sudden loss of balance. As quickly as she could she arched her back and reached to the back of her armored skirt, her thumb and pointer finger wrapping around the currently tiny gun still left even after she'd assumed divine form. Never before had she been so thankful for a god's ability to distort the shape, size, and structure of the objects around them as with just a mental command, the gun grew to size in her hand as she aimed up into one stop that luckily, wasn't covered very well in Pallas' armor.

Pallas' crotch.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

She started unloading just as the titan had looked down only to scream in a mix of shrill agony and murderous outrage as round after round of Celestial bronze blasted into his groin, splattering bits of leather, ichor, and flesh all over her. Overwhelmed with pain, the titan doubled over as he used one hand to reach for his mutilated genitalia but she wasn't giving him any rest. She pulled into a crunch as her knees touched her chest and legs aimed up before kicking as hard as she could and impacting the covered head of the titan with a nice crunch coming from his face as he was sent falling back. She gave a short cry of pain as his sword was torn out of her left shoulder but she still kept moving as she rolled over and got into a crouch.

Pallas' scream had drawn attention to her again and two of the gods were already charging at her as they erupted in golden flashes mid-run, assuming divine form to better match her but she responded with raising the gun yet again on them. A part of her wondered why wasn't she out of rounds but then remembered infinite recharge cartridges that re-summoned used Celestial bronze rounds were actually rather simple to make and a standard addition for the guns Leo made for demigods so it wasn't unbelievable that Pallas his forces had similar. With that in mind she took aim just as the gods were almost on top of her.

Bang!

The first shot was true as one of the god's jerked back as his throat popped like a golden cherry and gurgled as he fell limp and already turning into ashen white dust while his ally kept coming, completely uncaring of his fallen comrade. Annabeth found such gods worse than trash as she glared at the god, rearing to her full height and towering over the other god by several feet. Still, he seemed confident that with her injured arm that she'd unable to fight and his shield was raised in front of his body, covering up to his neck.

What she did next surprised him though.

Turning onto her left side and adjusting her arm she slammed herself into him, giving a short cry as her left arm was violently popped back in. Shaking her head of the sudden sense of vertigo from the pain, she used her newly restored arm to grab the edge of his shield as she jumped, the sudden weight making the god falter forward. Mid-air she used her hold to turn herself over and drive her knee into the back of his head, the ring echoing as the god lost his foot and fell with her landing on his back before making the killing blow.

Without hesitation she placed the tip of the barrel at the back of his neck as he groaned and unloaded once again, each shot blasting apart the back of his neck as he thrashed under her before going still and beginning to dissolve into ashen white dust.

Another faded god.

Still, it wasn't time to slow down as she felt more of the gods assuming divine form so she jumped forward into a roll, recovering her dagger in her left hand as she spun around to see the last eight other minor gods all in divine form as Phobos and Cloelia continued to fight just behind them and off to the side. However none of the other gods where even as big as Phobos, the closest being some fifteen feet and just matching the power Cloelia was putting out right now. Seeing that they were in her way Annabeth growled as she rushed forward, unwilling to let the gods recover properly or form any plan of attack.

"Form up!" one ordered as they started to lock shields but Annabeth couldn't care for it.

Instead her eyes shifted to look at the other battle as her daughter cried out only to see Cloelia slam into a broken throne and Phobos advancing on her. Scowling she ran into the hastily formed phalanx before dropping into a slide, her heels slamming into the unprotected feet of one of the gods. He fell with the loss of footing as a break in the phalanx formed and Annabeth took full advantage of it. Kicking up onto her feet she aimed and fired into the sides of the closest gods, the bullets impacting both armor and vulnerable flesh alike as the gods reared back in reflex.

Feeling an attack coming she ducked down as a spear head passed over her before she turned in the direction of the attacker and slashed with her dagger. The god had been too close to dodge and screamed as the dagger cut into part of his helmet and eye, releasing his spear as he clutched at his bleeding face. Making use of the spear Annabeth tossed her dagger at one god and nailing him in the shoulder and grabbed the spear before spinning on a dime as she batted at the closest gods. The gong of spear meeting shields echoed as several gods were knocked over or pushed back.

Seeing the break she rushed passed them as she dropped the spear and ripped her dagger back out of the shoulder of the screaming god as she moved on, uncaring the mayhem left in her wake. Her eyes narrowed on Phobos as the god advanced toward Cloelia, the goddess struggling to get back on her feet after having been slammed into a crumbling throne yet again. Annabeth saw the god getting ready to make another stab forward and knew Cloelia was too shaken to properly block it so she aimed her gun and shot.

The first round hit Phobos' helmet with a resounding clap making the god flinch mid-thrust, missing Cloelia's head by inches. Her second shot hit his exposed shoulder making the god cry out as he turned in her direction but by that point, she was practically on top of him. Without pause she ducked under a sloppy bat of his spear before slamming her shouldered into his armored gut making the god cough up. Then she lashed out with her left and stabbed her knife into his gut, mentally smirking at his agonized scream as the blade plunged through his armor and into the tender flesh of his stomach.

To finish she twisted the weapon before rearing her right hand back, dropping the gun, and sucker punching Phobos right in the jaw. With a satisfying crack he went careening back, her strength sending the god into a short flight across the room and into where his father's throne once rested. Panting in exertion and with the pain throbbing through her injured side she turned and looked down to meet the sight of her daughter. Injured, sweaty, and weakening as the curse spread up to her bicep but alive.

And that was all she cared about.

Annabeth knew they were close to the gates. All she needed to do was grab her daughter and run as fast as possible to get out of the barrier limits. Once done just a moment of flashing was all they needed and they were home free. She could almost cry at the thought as she prepared to grab her daughter, reaching out as she locked eyes with her daughter … only to see her daughter's eyes to glance behind her and widen.

In that moment she realized she made the worst rookie mistake. She took her eyes off the biggest threat. Then, her domain told her everything. She sensed it the sudden attack, felt the hostile intent behind it … and the intended target. Her eyes met those of her daughters for a moment, knowing she was just out if reach to her daughter and trying to say everything she could in that one glance as Annabeth gave her a soft smile before she moved without hesitation.

Squelch!


Cloelia

She felt the divine blood splatter on her face as a scream died in her dry throat, her eyes widening in disbelief. In morbid synch both goddesses looked down, their gazes falling on the spearhead dripping ichor as it stuck out of her mother's gut.

"Mo … I …" she tried to say something, anything but she just couldn't get anything out as she looked back up to her mother's eyes.

She seen the attack coming by chance, looking just passed her mother's shoulder to see as Pallas, on shaky legs, had gotten up and summoned his own spear before hurling it … at her. Her because she was the one down, her because she was weaker and wouldn't have been able to block or dodge in time, her just because it would cause her mother the most pain. She'd seen that look in her mother's eyes, registered the apology and her matured mind had been horrified to realize why.

And then the torrent of emotions flooded as she blamed herself. If she'd defeated or matched Phobos her mother wouldn't have to come to her protection. If Pallas hadn't seen her in the first place than her mother wouldn't even be here to begin with, and if she wasn't born cursed then she would have already been an adult and able to help from the start. But she simply couldn't and that cost her.

Squelch!

She was broken out of her thoughts as her mother jerked forward as another spear, this one piercing her left shoulder, made itself known as her mother gasped and fell to one knee in front of Cloelia, coughing as ichor dripped out between her lips.

"Momma!" cried this time, as she managed to push herself on her knees and tried to crawl closer even while still gripping Riptide but the pain flaring in her right leg and side worked against her.

Her mother looked to her again to show she was silently crying as well, her working right arm dropping her dagger as she slowly reached forward. Cloelia sat back on her knees and reached with her left, her right going numb as it continued to hold the cursed blade that seemed to pulse within her grip. Cloelia looked at her mother, the sight burned into her memory as their hands clasped together. Her almost golden hair matted with ichor, her crystal like eyes glowing with an inner scarlet light that conveyed love and in no way blaming her framed by an almost pitch black moon behind her barely visible through the parted clouds and open ceiling.

"Good riddance Chase," she heard Pallas grunt as Cloelia looked passed her mother to see Pallas.

Another spear was hefted in his left hand while he used his right to grip his sword as he used the blade like a crutch, the remaining gods standing closer to him as they glared, covered in all manner of wounds delivered by her mother. Cloelia took it all in within seconds before looking to her mother.

Her mother didn't bother making any motion to respond to him, instead keeping her eyes locked with those of her daughter with the best smile she could. "Remember Cloelia, mama loves you," she said faintly.

Just hearing how frail her mother sounded even if her voice was laced with a familiar warmth broke the young goddess' heart as more tears stared to stream down her face. She shuffled closer on her knees until she was just before her mother, her own chest nearly being nicked by the spear currently jutting out of her mother's gut. She then leaned closer until their foreheads were touching, her mother having moved her hand from holding Cloelia's to cupping her cheek.

"…I love you too …" she said softly before she heard Pallas grunt before both closed their eyes, waiting for the spear to hit and knowing it would probably not only run through Annabeth but Cloelia herself as well.

Even then she didn't try to push away from her mother, instead sending another silent prayer to the wolf pendant still pulsing at her wrist. The same pendant that had glowing a near blinding light as she pulled at Riptide before she'd erupted into a divine form. She heard the air part as the spear drew close, felt her budding senses demanding her to move as her survival instincts flared … but she denied them knowing it would only delay it all.

She was alone, weak, and would be at her captor's mercy so why not go out with her mother? However instead of hearing or even feeling the spear hit home, all she felt was a sudden chill around her before she heard a soft shuffling followed immediately by the sharp clang of the spear colliding with something. She heard the shocked gasps that sounded muffled, almost like there was something between herself and the other gods.

Silence then took its hold for all of three seconds before she slowly dared to open one eye, feeling her mother softly stir as she looked as well. Cloelia blinked in confusion as the purest black feathers surrounded her and her mother before they stared moving. She followed them as slowly they pulled back enough to show the enormity of the obsidian wings surrounding them before she gazed along their length, her mouth parting in awe as her head slowly turned around.

Her eyes widened as she gasped along with her mother, both looking up as a figure of pure darkness slowly stood tall from crouching over them, dwarfing them at 30 feet as his wings silently folded at his sides. Eyes of writhing black flame and icy blue pupils looked down at her, betraying no emotion before the darkness pulled back. Like someone surfacing from a pool of ink he appeared, his tanned face revealing itself first before more of his body became apparent. The pure coat of living darkness condensing on his form as he stood tall with two blades tied at the opposite ends of his hips.

Still she recognized him. Even if he looked different to any of the old pictures she'd seen, she could feel the same signature resonating within him as her bracelet, a gift her mother told her he had made specifically for her. Her greatest idol and hero, the godfather she'd wanted to meet for so long had arrived.

Percy was here.

However her moment of awe and elation was cut short as her mother doubled over in a coughing fit, falling into Cloelia's arms as the young goddess looked on in horror. Her mother wasn't just coughing up ichor but there was a sickly green, sludge like substance mixed in.

"Poison," she heard the deep baritone voice speak above her and glance up only to see Percy's eyes looking back down passed her.

She followed his gaze and her eyes alighted on the spears, now noticing a thin liquid dripping off the tips. Horror dawned on her as she realized what was happening as she hastily placed her mother down on her side, gripping the spear shaft with her right hand while placing the other around her mother's wound. Her left started to radiate small bits of divine power as she focused, trying in the simplest way any god could heal others; by simply wishing it so and throwing power at it.

It was the barest minimums allowed by her lack of knowledge or experience but she didn't care as she desperately funneled her power around the wound as she prepared to pull the spear out but couldn't as her mother weakly draped her right hand over Cloelia's and slowly pushed her away. Cloelia looked at her mother in a mix of outrage and disbelief but was only met with a sad smile and a shaking head.

"It's too late sweetie," her mother said softly, already so weak that even her voice lost the echo of power.

Her mother's eyes then shifted to Cloelia's hand, the same had that was slowly turning black with the icy blue veins already running up to Cloelia's shoulder making the young goddess register that she could barely even feel anything from that hand and arm as is. But then her mother's eyes moved on and looked up making Cloelia do the same to meet Percy's gaze as the primordial stood above them.

"Percy …" her mother said softly, her weak voice almost pleading. "… please …"

Cloelia wasn't sure what was passing between them, lost to it as Percy seemed to nod slightly which in turn earned a small smile from her mother as she released a slow breathe.

She then looked to Cloelia again and gestured for her to come closer which she did only to receive a soft kiss on her forehead. Cloelia didn't make a sound as her mother then she closed her eyes as she leaned back, her head resting against the ground with a peaceful smile on her face. Cloelia watched as tears streamed down her cheeks in renewed force, her entire frame shaking as she watched her mother's chest rise one last time.

She watched as her body softly glowed a pure white before beginning to break down into tiny mots of white dust that blew away in a non-existent wind. Silence reigned as Cloelia watched the white dust disappeared before her arms dropped to her sides. Her limps started to tremble along with the shaking of her shoulders as her vision went blurry, her power fluctuating wildly before she felt a gentle touch to her side.

She moved numbly as she looked to see an huge hand as big as her entire upper body curl around her before looking up to see Percy's eyes again. This time his eyes held a sense of sadness … and understanding. Then his thumb moved slowly, gently pressing against her cheeks and wiping away the unending tears. But it seemed that the tender display was the straw that broke the camel's back as she let herself fall against his hand before letting loose…


Pallas

The titan stood still as he watched, unable to bring himself to move as the other gods stood around him in equal stupor. Did he care for watching a daughter cry over a fallen mother? He couldn't if he tried, having done much worse intentionally millennia ago. To punish, to make examples, to break others, and to even satisfy the sadism any war deity had to them. It didn't matter to him as he watched the goddess cry, wail, and scream into the hand of the primordial standing over her.

But it was the primordial that kept him still.

Pallas was sure the others felt it the moment the dark god had made his sudden and unexpected arrival. The sudden pressure that enveloped them yet seemed to be kept just a hair's breath away from actually coming down and crushing them. The sense of danger that gripped his heart like an icy claw making his every instinct to scream in retreat.

But he simply couldn't.

He knew that he was in the presence of the alpha predator and that any motion to even think of escape would bring him down on them so they remained rooted to the stop. Pallas couldn't even recall that last he took a breath as he watched, internally wincing at the agony still throbbing from his groin. How he hated that goddess and cursed her, knowing he'd been irreparably mutilated unless he planned on reforming but with a new master of the Pit, that would only delay a worse fate. Even worse still was even with silently diverting his raw power to the area, the healing was slow and shallow, and leaving him majorly impaired combat wise.

However he was broken out of his thoughts as he noticed the cries of the goddess had tapered off and watched in slight wonder as the now unconscious goddess slowly shrunk. Less than ten seconds passed before the goddess looked again like a simple godly save for her nearly black arm and torn clothing, easily fitting in the palm of the dark god's hand.

They watched as the hand gently curled up and the dark god slowly stood straight again with the godling safely held close to his chest. With his gaze still on the child and his hair hiding his eyes from them he wordlessly opened his hand at the cursed blade laying on the floor by his feet. Some flinched as the blade spun around and launched itself into his hand handle first, growing to perfectly fit as the blade started to emit a cold mist upon touch.

Silently he held it around and placed it on his back between his wings before letting go as the sword remained before he suddenly looked up. The pressure that had been waiting all but pounced on them as two of the gods immediately fell to their knees while gasping and even Pallas himself almost buckled as he met that gaze. His pupils had narrowed to icy slits as a frozen fury was leveled at them, the entire throne going darker and colder with every second.

Then Jackson flicked his wrist and Pallas felt a barrier pass over them and with it, he felt a new sense of dread take root in his chest. It didn't take long before some of the minor gods started panicking and flashing golden only to remain in the stop. Fear saturated the air as they looked at the dark god who in turn had his eyes directed on the mortal still present. Pallas followed his eyes to see that very mortal brought to his knees, quivering and stuttering as his eyes remained tightly shut but it did nothing for the pressure baring down on him.

Then, with what seemed like a blink, Jackson stood over the mortal with a foot raised. Pallas watched as the primordial brought his foot down and slammed on a small, shell-like barrier flashing to life just over the mortal.

It was useless.

Pallas watched as only five seconds passed before the barrier gave like broken glass, the mortal only managing to look up and open his eyes, forgetting that even looking at Pallas or any of the other minor gods would kill him instantly.

"Ple-Crunch!"

The mortal's plea was short as he was crushed underfoot without hesitation, forever left as a red smear on an abandoned floor. Seemingly grounding his foot for the simple fact that he could, the dark god turned his attention on them yet again but this time the desperation of the gods led them to attack.

Four hefted and threw their spears with force comparable to small tank shells, the deadly spears homing in on the primordial only for one of his wings to unfurl and knock all of them away. Jackson himself didn't even twitch as his eyes moved to the gods before he did something that terrified Pallas more.

He snarled.

The very mountain that stood upon rumbled with the primal sound as the darkness thickened at the bloodlust and fury in the dark god's eyes, his fangs growing as wisps of black fire sprang out. Then it started. Slow, deep growls echoed around them, carrying on without end. Then within the darkness something glowed and Pallas felt all his ichor freeze as he realized what it was. An eye, glowing an icy blue simple floating alone in the darkness. Then another and another until dozens of sets formed.

Next Pallas knew there was varying growling all around as he and the other gods looked only to see the eyes move in pairs before wolves bigger than hummers stalking out of the shadows, snarling as the atmosphere got even colder. The pressure that followed their every step, the trace of divinity radiating from marking each as immortal beasts that held no fear of god in their divine forms. And all eyeing them like fresh slabs of meat.

"My pups have been busy all night," spoke the primordial, the snarl in his voice echoing around them as they looked to him again. "And now you've labeled yourselves as their just rewards," he asked, his fangs growing as his eyes flashed before he raised his right hand … and snapped.

That snap was louder than a strike of the Master Bolt in Pallas' view as over a dozen wolves all pounced at once. Like black wraiths they descended as the minor gods around him panicked. Pallas raised his blade to guard himself, silently cursing as his legs wobbled beneath him but he managed to focus enough of his power into them, strengthening them. However none of the wolves approached him and even seemed to ignore him as they attacked.

He watched as the wolves got around any spear thrust or slash, working in pairs to get into the guard of any targeted god. He watched as one was knocked down but before he could get up two sets of jaws clamped down on his opposing shoulders. He listened to the screaming and pleading as both wolves viciously pulled in opposite direction, ichor splattering for over a minute of agony before with a final scream the god was pulled in two before bursting into ashen dust

He was a lucky one.

"Pallas!" one screamed as the titan looked, barely seeing the face of Phobos, the god on his back with three wolves ripping into his chest, breastplate and all without showing any signs of stopping.

He looked like he was going to say something more before another wolf appear, its jaws completely clamping over the god's face muffling a scream. Time crawled by as the god was eaten alive before there was a burst of ashen dust signaling the end of another of Ares' sons. Suddenly everything quieted down again and only then did Pallas realize that all the other gods had been killed, leaving him standing alone while surrounded by ichor, dust, and the wolves.

Pallas swiveled his head around, his grip on his sword shaky as he looked at the wolves and daring them to attack but none did. Instead the beasts walked backwards into the shadows and slowly disappearing, their gazes never leaving his until only he was left opposite the dark god. The titan's eyes moved to the dark god and almost flinched at the icy gaze. Seeing it along with the present situation pushed Pallas past any control as his image of calm warrior under any circumstances shattered.

"What Jackson, is that it!? You slaughter my men and now you think you've won!?" he bellowed in fury, psyching himself up even if he knew it was pointless. He was a dead man but wasn't about to go out without hurting or maybe even taking the bastard with him. He had a godling to protect after all and Pallas would make full use of it. "Come Jackson, let's see if you're truly as dangerous as they say!" he challenged, his entire frame and blade glowing with pent up power.

One strike. One strike to draw the dark god's blood would be good enough for him.

Jackson's eyes merely narrowed but he didn't say a word, carefully holding the godling in his left hand even as his right moved to gripping the hilt of his right blade, the katana. His knees bent slightly as his eyes remained locked on Pallas' form, the very air around him changing as the sense of danger double.

'Yes, come and fight! You can't protect the child and attack with your all at the same time,' he thought as he steeled himself, preparing for his last battle. And in doing so, falling back on an age old strategy that was still effective. Bait and anger the opponent.

"The bitch already got what she deserved and now you wi-"

All he did was blink. Before, Jackson had stood before him, child nestled in his left hand and right on the blade. For a moment nothing happened yet Pallas could have sworn that he saw an apparition, a phantom of pure darkness pass him with icy eyes, and then nothing once more.

Crack!

The sound of marble sliding and giving way drew his attention as he turned his head slowly, unable to move anything below his neck as shock took hold. There he saw Jackson's back, standing rigid with his right arm steadily held at his side, the katana pointed out horizontally. Beyond him Pallas watched in disbelief as the entire wall and thrones past him fell, cut in half. Pillars, the wall, thrones … everything was cut with a perfect slash just above Pallas' waist level.

Clang!

The sharp crack of metal striking stone drew Pallas' attention as he looked back at his own blade, his previous disbelief completely surpassed at the sight of his blade. His own sword, his symbol of power, had been cut in two. His mind failed to comprehend, refused to accept what he saw and held. A symbol of power, forged of the greatest metals and constantly strengthened with the power of the owning god were meant to be next to indestructible and yet, his had been broken.

"You were strong but Chase already crippled you," was the damn dark god's words as Pallas tried to turn, this time moving his upper body instead of just his head … until he felt it.

What had been numb before blasted into unrelenting pain that he screamed as ichor suddenly splattered from the middle of his gut. He looked down only for his eyes to widen in horror as his torso slid off his bottom half. Even his arms below mid-forearm fell off with meaty thuds, still gripping the hilt of his broken sword and all the while Jackson's words passed his agonized screams unimpeded.

"Had you been at full capacity this would have been harder but regardless, you were overall … lacking," he said, his tone mocking as Pallas fell over, his top half landing on his back and face turned in the direction of the dark god who in turn had moved around to facing Pallas and slowly walking his way, the katana leisurely held at his side.

For some reason, even through the agony assaulting his mind his eyes drifted to the obsidian weapon. Something about that sword carried a dark omen beyond simple death, rage, and malice but an unrelenting sense of danger and destruction. Even looking at it he could make out a faint, dark distortion along the edge, seemingly parting the very air around it without effort. However, his observation of only one second was ended as his eyes returned to the demon over him, looking into those eyes of writhing black flame.

"Your disappointing showing aside I'm tired of so much as looking at you so …" with that he sheathed the blade before aiming his pointer finger down at Pallas as the titan continued to bleed out, his own godly constitution acting more like a curse as it prolonged his suffering rather than letting it end already. "Goodbye Pallas, may Chaos' judgment and punishment be swift."

Without another word a torrent of pitch black fire and blue streaks within it blasted over Pallas, his screams of unparalleled agony rupturing his own vocal cords as the flames ate away at his very essence. His last thoughts through the pain being, 'Pontus, just what sort of monster have you provoked?'


Percy

The primordial watched the remains of the titan as it was destroyed by his fires, his gaze unflinching even as he kept his emotions tightly clasped just beneath the surface as he reigned in his anger. This night had only gotten worse and now he was almost at a loss of what to feel. Watching Chase's sacrifice for her daughter and then watching said daughter break under the grief had hit too close to home for him.

And then was the sense of failure.

Could he have arrived sooner? Could he have changed the outcome if he hadn't been so focused on Artemis and her death at his hands? Could he have saved her? His shook his head of those thoughts knowing it was useless to even think on it now, instead his gaze drifting to the child asleep in his hand, whimpering occasionally as her tiny signature of power wavered dangerously. His eyes narrowed on her arm afflicted by his curse. Even if already removed, the damage done was simply beyond his ability to heal without the risk of causing worse damage himself. He simply wasn't a doctor …but he knew someone that was.

With one last glance around himself he waved his had as a wave of his Voidfire pulsed out around him, destroying everything in its way. Nodding to himself he only imagined his home before he disappeared in a burst of shadow, leaving the abandoned mountain to burn. Then, in a manner of seconds he appeared in another burst of shadow before a familiar clinic belonging to Will. His presence was immediately noticed as he felt several varying signatures of consciousness pass over him to confirm he was back. He also felt the momentary surprise of several as they passed, each having noted his unexpected cargo now carried in his arms thanks to him arriving at moral size.

Without missing a beat he moved through the doors, the bustling attendants and nurses milling around in their duties all pausing at registering who had just walked in. He didn't pay them much attention though as he moved on passed the reception hall and towards the emergency rooms, already feeling one distinct signature all but racing towards him. He stopped just as he felt said presence turn out of an adjacent hall and appear before him, the god's deep blue eyes immediately falling on the godling in his arms.

She was sweating even as she shivered, her skin going pale and clammy as the afflicted arm twitched. No sooner had Will appeared and seen the child did Percy find Cloelia out of his arms and now in Will's as the god sped off to one of his emergency rooms. Percy knew Will would question him later on the godling and what happened but for now the child took precedent.

Percy watched them disappear down the hall and into another room, other nurses called in doubtlessly by Will entering as well before Percy turned away and disappearing in another shadow jump. This time he appeared floating in the night skies above the forest turned battle-field, his wings spread out and softly fluttering in the breeze as his arrival was registered by mortal and divine alike. Even if he couldn't directly see them he knew where each demigod was as they milled around and regrouped with the absence of his wolves.

Still, his visage became icy yet commanding as his fellow primordial each burst from the covers of the trees and flew up around him. Andromeda and Jason were sporting small cuts with Andy even having a busted lip but otherwise okay. Rhea on the other hand had far more prominent injuries including a lengthy cut running the length of her thigh and even an arrow sticking out of her shoulder while practically dripping mortal blood and golden ichor

Seeing his concerned look she shrugged while muttering, "The Amazons are more relentless than I thought."

Knowing she was overall fine allowed him to drop the subject as the entire forest below them began to tremble and shift before they watched as it shrunk. Steadily the trees lowered, seemingly turning to hide in the earth as the demigod army slowly came into view after having pulled together once the biggest distractions had withdrawn. In a manner of minutes the four primordial gods had an unimpeded view of the recovered but shaken army, dozens of minor gods and the remaining Olympians littered throughout looking haggard and grim.

Zeus stood close to Hera, both panting with Zeus' bolt crackling in his grip as he remained at a godly height. Hera was similar but was covered in cuts and bruises, cradling a clearly shattered left arm and bits of a broken shield while her right kept a bone-white grip on her sword while surrounded by her Amazons. Hephaestus was visible further to the back of the gathered army with ranks pulled close. Hermes' own were mixed with the Rangers of Apollo. However there was a noticeable lack of silver armored girls, the few present having lost the near glow symbolizing their allegiance and it was not missed by many. However most of those remnants of the now disbanded Hunt remained close to the Bellona and her Cohort, the goddess sporting numerous cuts after having fought Andromeda.

Percy's eyes kept scanning until they immediately locked onto a pair of deep blue ones separate from all the rest. Apollo sat on his knees, his shoulders rigid and jaw set tight as he remained separate from the army, likely where Jason left him as the sun god looked at him with barely contained fury. Percy didn't break eye contact as he waved his hand as a portal of darkness opened up in the skies just some meters in front of Apollo.

He heard the hundreds of rustles and felt the shift as the army prepared to move but instead went still as a massive silver bow fell out, plowing into the earth beneath it. It didn't take long for the gods and then the mortals to realize just whose bow it was and what its state meant. Without a connection to the god the bow was already showing signs of wear and tear. Numerous chips in the length from blocking Percy's blades were now sporting growing cracks. The silvery metal having lost the lustrous glow and the string was gone.

The final proof to all that Artemis was well and truly dead.

A hushed silence fell over the army as some dropped to their knees in shock, now having been reduced to some 800 or so from having been well over a thousand along with the loss of a third of their minor gods. Crippled moral, heavy losses, and without some of their most dangerous fighters … and now the final offer.

"Artemis has fallen, Olympians, and the rest of you will be following soon … unless you decided to surrender that is," he began, the growl and power of his voice echoing throughout the night as his eyes remained locked on the army before him. "I've said it once and I'll say it again, we are coming after you and only you. The demigods have no reason to fight us however …" he trailed off as his eyes scanned over the army as a snarl formed on his face, all the anger and agitation having bubbled up for a moment. "Next time there will be no holding back or mercy so think carefully demigods. Surrender or turn back, we don't care but this is your last chance, don't waste it."

With his part said he looked away and towards his fellow primordial gods, already knowing his words had shaken the already crumbling resolve of the army and he could only hope they finally turned back. There had already been enough losses tonight and he didn't want to continue so he turned and with a mighty flap of his wings, sped away as his fellow gods followed in silence. It would only take a minute to reach the mountain and they now had over a hundred scared demigods to attend to.

They flew close and in silence for all of ten seconds before Jason spoke up, his voice sounding much like Percy felt.

"I need to go," he said crisply making Percy look back to him and noticing the tight grip he had on his blade while the primordial of light continued. "Something or more accurately, someone, is attacking Frank and Hazel."

That got some alarmed looks from all the others including Percy himself. Only now did he berate himself for not having thought of other friends possibly being attacked. After all, he knew Cloelia had been on Ogygia with Calypso so who was to say others weren't in a similar situation. He paused in his flight as he was about to offer to join him but a raised hand from Jason cut him off.

"Don't worry I set my own protections and they are holding strong," he explained making the others visibly relax somewhat before they noticed the cracking of white lighting in Jason's wings as he continued, "However, that doesn't mean I'm just going to stand by and I've waited long enough as is. So it's time to deal with it personally," Jason all but snarled before he disappeared in a burst of light.

Percy could barely feel sorry for the fools about to suffer the god's wrath. Still, with a sigh and look at his wives he turned back towards the mountain, wanting nothing more than to rest and put this day behind him until he remembered a key detail.

How was he going to tell Athena about Cloelia and Annabeth?


And there we are. I know some will be disappointed but I always planned for Annabeth to die in this one. Sorry to those that hoped otherwise but forward we must go! Also, you'll notice I never mentioned what abilities Percy's swords have, any guesses?

Hope everyone enjoyed and let me hear your thoughts!