(Uploaded: Dec 15, 2019)

Chapter 19: Among The Stars Forever

(Author's Note)

Hey everyone! Sorry again for the delay in getting this chapter out, but I have a few things to say first:

First, thank you to all the new followers on Twitter I've gotten over the past two months, I really appreciate it! Follow me on there for updates, polls and perhaps some sneak peeks, hint hint, wink wink. I've been slowly introducing new characters for my next series that will be coming out after this story (hopefully)finishes around Christmas. I even drew some concept art for them, so check my Twitter if you want to check them out! Can we break 35 followers by Christmas? We're at 27 now, I believe in you guys!

Second, should I get an Instagram dedicated to my stories? That way I can easily share OC artwork commissions I get? I don't take pictures myself, so it would pretty much be exclusively for my stories. Managing another platform will take a little time, but I'm willing to do it if you guys would follow me on there.

Third, as I said in the Update, I've gotten a Pat-reon. I have four tiers, $5, $10, $25 and $50USD. You can find info on the perks for each reward on Twitter and Pat-reon. While some posts are visible to non-patrons, most that give sneak peeks and info can only be seen by patrons, sorry. I'd appreciate any and all support from you guys. Even if you can't financially support me, something as simple as following me on Twitter, Wattpad, Instagram(when I get it) or just retweeting my posts and chapter links helps more than you know. Everything you guys do helps me and my stories, so thank you all!


Thank you to my wonderful supporter on Pat-reon!

W.R. Winters

It's because of Pat-reon that I was able to commission an artist to draw the Cover Art for this story. Check it out if you haven't, it's Rachel's vision she painted in her cave.


Chapter 19: Among The Stars Forever

"Give me a Hero and I'll write you a Tragedy"

F. Scott Fitzgerald

[Recap: "Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon, demigod of Storms and Earthquakes, step forward … In return for your selfless dedication to us and the world, the Council has decided to offer you this to aid in your defense of us and this world. For so as long as breath fills our lungs, you shall possess the power to fight … We will briefly conjoin our combined powers into your bodies, an act that could very well destroy your very soul if you are not strong enough to endure the pain." Lady Hera then paused and Percy could see a tear forming in her eyes, making him even more worried about what was going on. "For if you two cannot bear the pain, you shall die. And if that were to happen, the world shall fall." The glow began to quickly engulf him and he could for some reason sense Leonidas back at the Gates as he felt power surge into him. "We offer you this, our Champions…" The glow became blinding and he felt as if he was being ripped apart atom by atom. "The Blessing of Olympus."]

(June 21, 2011 - Mount Olympus)

~A few minutes earlier~

"S-stay back, you m-monster! Get any c-closer and I'll h-have to k-kill you!"

Percy had only left a few minutes before when Leonidas went to search for Hera's hidden garden where the Tree of Golden Apples she received as a wedding gift from Zeus was. But unfortunately for him, the key word was 'hidden', meaning that he did not know where it was. So he tore down the cracking golden streets of Olympus in search of his Fate.

But what he found instead was a somewhat large group of minor gods worriedly standing in a circle around a goddess who was lying on the cracking ground, writhing with intense pain. And when he went to move closer to see if she was alright and to offer aid, he was met with a barrage of screams, shrieks and cries. As well as having a large shepherd's staff thrust in his face like the tip of a sword.

The minor god who blocked his progress was rather short and thin, dressed in the typical garb of an ancient Greek farmer and had a large magical sheep standing behind him who eyed Leonidas with a fearful gaze. He was also shaking in his sandals out of fear, so much so that Leonidas feared his heart might go out at any second.

"I-I said s-stay b-back!" The minor god yelped as he hid behind his staff, pointing it at Leonidas' shoulder instead of his neck, chest or any vital point. His stance was also horrid, his knees were bent at awkward angles, and his grip was uneven, his hands far too close to his body, making him capable of being knocked over by the smallest gust of wind.

The giant man raised his thinning brow, confused by the minor god's fear. "What are you doing?" He asked, his low voice slow with curiosity.

The minor god bravely moved his staff a fraction of a centimeter closer to Leonidas' meaty shoulder. His high voice squeaked when he replied. "I'm g-going to run y-you through i-if y-you don't s-stop where you are!"

"With what? This piece of curved wood?" Leonidas slowly raised his unarmed misshapen hand to poke the end of the hooked wooden staff with a single finger, he was sure that he barely put any power behind it, but the minor god was pushed back a few steps regardless. His gruff voice was very confused. "You aim to stab me with the curved end of a wooden shepherd's staff? How does that work?"

The minor god pressed forward through his fear, taking a miniscule step towards Leonidas, still brandishing his hooked staff as a spear. "I-I said s-stay b-back!"

Leonidas nodded towards the crying goddess on the ground. "Stand down, I mean you no harm," He slowly held up his hands, his open palms towards the god as a sign of non-aggression. "I just want to check on-"

"Stay away from her!" Another minor god bravely stepped forwards, stepping up next to the first god with his bare hands gripped tightly in fear. "We won't let you kill her! Or any more of us for that matter!"

"...Any more of you?" Leonidas questioned with a raised brow. "I haven't harmed any of you-"

"You can't lie to us, you Titan-loving monster!" The second god jebbed his finger towards Leonidas in an accusatory manner. "Lord Zeus told us w-what you did! How you've been going around killing dozens of dying minor gods!" He shook his bearded head like a madman before picking up a chunk of the broken golden road and pointing it at Leonidas like a weapon. "No! We w-won't let you kill any more of us!"

Leonidas blinked in confusion. "...What? But I haven't killed any minor god-"

But he was cut off when a goddess, seemingly empowered upon seeing her fellow gods standing up, stepped forwards. She summoned some water that surrounded her clenched fists like gauntlets. "Lord Zeus told us everything!" She glared at him with her watery features like dull eyes of a deep sea fish. "You're working with the Titans to kill us and destroy Olympus! And you've been the one responsible for the deaths of many minor gods!"

At this another god, this one round in shape, stepped in between her and Leonidas. Holding his arm in front of her protectively. "Stay back from him, Leucothea. You heard what Lord Zeus said, this cursed mortal wishes to make all the goddesses his slaves and wives." He warned as his eyes moved from hers to glare at Leonidas. "He already defiled Iynx after killing her in cold blood."

Leonidas was speechless, unable to utter a word as he looked at the small but quickly building opposition of minor gods and goddesses that aimed to defend their fellow goddess from him. He could tell that none of them were warriors, or even armed for that matter, but that didn't stop them from picking up chunks of road or wielding staffs, books or wine goblets as weapons and preparing to face off against him.

The first minor god of shepherds took a step forward, this time pointing his curved staff closer to the center of Leonidas' chest. "You won't kill any more of us, you Titan-loving bastard." He bravely stated, this time free of stutters. He took a half step forward. "If you try to kill any more of us, you'll have to fight all of us to do it."

Leonidas broke free from his speechlessness, keeping his hands held up in a calm surrender. "I don't know what you're talking about," He started slowly, keeping him tone calm. "I don't mean you any harm. I denounced my plans to destroy all of Olympus and kill all the gods on it when the Fates revealed to me my true path. They wish for me save-"

'CrrrBOOOOM!'

But he was cut off when an explosion like the moon striking earth sounded behind him. It didn't take his sharp mind any time to realize that the outer wall of Olympus had fallen. And that only meant one thing

...The Titans and Monsters were here.

The Son of Sparta didn't waste any time summoning his gauntlets that could level forests with one full-powered punch and his mighty warhammer that could crumble mountains with a single swing before immediately jumping towards the approaching horde of Tartarus as he began to psyche himself up with animalistic yells.

He called forward his father's ability to overload his body with adrenaline and endorphins, the secret to his insane reflexes in battle and extreme tolerance to pain, causing his heart to pulse rapidly and his pupils to dilate into a large fire-like amber blaze. As well as overcharge his healing abilities and muscles, numb himself to pain, supercharge his senses and overload his heart to the point of fluctuations.

"Hrah. Hrah! Hrah! Hraaah! HRAAAH!" He screamed as he psyched himself up before letting out a thundering animalistic bellow that shook the very cracking streets below his quaking steps and the very swirling mass of the heavens above him.

"BrrroooAAAWWWRRR!"

The small group of minor gods and goddesses watched in horror, their eyes transfixed to the display of sheer destruction and savagery the son of Heracles exhibited as he launched himself at the approaching Titan, his mighty warhammer above his head. Avoiding the wave of energy sent his way before dropping the Titan to his knees, crippling him as the femur in his right leg was reduced to mere dust by his mighty hammer.

The towering Titan let out a cry of pain but continued his assault, firing waves of white-hot energy at Leonidas' broken skin, determined to kill the mortal who had killed so many of his kind over the past few years.

Leonidas dashed through the attack behind his Nemean Lion cloak of legend as he bellowed with bestial rage. "RAAAWWWRRR!"

Rolling under another wave of radiating crimson energy, Leonidas grabbed the snout of a hellhound before it could clamp its foaming jaws around his leg with both hands and tore the chthonic beast of Hades apart with so much force that the frothing hound was split apart down the middle. The Son of Sparta then threw one half of the mutilated corpse at an incoming Cyclops, knocking it to the war-torn ground before slamming the other dripping slab of flesh, bone and meat down upon another Monster.

Leonidas surveyed the improvised battlefield as he jumped from foe to foe with vicious savagery. Writhing, cracking and rotting corpses of the chthonic deep, ghosts, skeleton warriors and great flesh-eating serpents alike swarmed like ants from the earth as they clawed, chewed and forced themselves out of the cracking ground.

Waves of black, ancient seas that man had not seen in millennia crashed over the crumbling walls of Olympus as great beasts of the bygone depths and sea-serpents of immense size and almost primordial times burst like breaching dolphins from the ever-encompassing and ever-long river of the Primordial Oceanus that encircled the world and Olympus itself.

The very sky above him thundered as cracks appeared in the veil of heaven above, giving glimpses of the endless, unattainable and unfathomably black reality of the Void, the realm of nothingness that all things, even Chaos, once came and will go once the Ta[estry of Fate deems it so.

Beasts of the earth, birds of the sky and leviathans of the deep encircled the crumbling walls of Olympus like shadows dancing around a candle, waiting for their opportunity to breach the city and slay all those that called it home before traveling down to the mortal world where they would destroy all of humanity, and soon, the world.

But Leonidas would not let that happen, for he was...

Leonidas jumped at a monstrous beast that was an amalgamation of shark, octopus and crab when a giant serpentine head snaked around his torso before pulling him back and launched him through the air and landing on the crumbling golden roads like a meteor thrown by Ouranos himself.

Leonidas, due to his grossly weakening body, slowly struggled to his feet to find, to his utter horror, a giant writhing form of a beautiful pregnant woman with the lower body of a snake at the edges of the once shimmering fallen walls of Olympus. She had glancing eyes like those that stalked unattended children from the shadows at night, speckled skin like that of a shimmering serpent of the desert and one hundred snapping snake heads sprouting from her torso like the very embodiments of Tantalus' insatiable desire to quench his unquenchable hunger and thirst. Her hideous, ever-changing lower body was a grotesque, sacreligious amalgamation of beasts of the field, birds of the air and monsters of the deep.

She grew to a height above even the Hecatoncheires, some of the largest giants on earth, past the stormy grey thunderclouds, blocking out the very stars from the blackened and swirling heavens. She opened her one hundred dripping, snapping and frothing gaping maws and unleashed a terrible cry like the very earth had been split apart by Tartarus himself as he cried from the deepest depths of the earth where not even Hades dared to venture. The ear-splitting titanic cry shook his cracking bones before the behemoth spewed a torrent of multi colored flames like the exhaust plumes of a rocket into the endless starry blackness of the heavens above them.

'CrrrrrAAAAAHHHHH!'

From inside her bulging, twisting and ready to burst stomach, Leonidas could see a swarming mass of forms like thousands of writhing maggots, climbing over one another and clawing to escape and fighting within her. The titanic female beast gave one last terrible bellow like a crashing continent before ten unique and recognizable Monsters burst from her oversized womb and splattered to the cracking golden road beneath her shaking form.

The first beast to reach its feet was a gigantic serpentine water Monster with poisonous breath and blood and nine massive snake heads all ravenous with insatiable hunger. The famous beast of legend; the Lernaean Hydra.

The second and third beasts were massive hounds of the chthonic depths with two and three heads, respectively. Which Leonidas easily identified as the protector of Geryon's cattle, Orthrus and the unrelenting guardian of Hades itself, Cerberus.

The fourth was a grotesque combination of a gigantic roaring lion with a goat's head coming out of its back and a venomous snake for a tail; the Chimera.

The fifth was the immortal enemy of Leonidas and his father, Heracles. The beast had an impenetrable hide stronger than hardened steel, black onyx claws that could slice through man, horse or armor and glowing crimson eyes like rubies from the very pits of Hades; the Nemean Lion.

The sixth Monster immediately took to the air, flying high above the Son of Sparta where he could never hope to reach it. The very bird that tortured and tormented the imprisoned Prometheus; the Caucasian Eagle.

The seventh titanic beast was a mass of impenetrable shaggy brown fur and tusks hard enough to spear through the strongest blockade or toughest armor or shield; the Crommyonian Sow.

The eighth and ninth Monsters were beasts of the unsailed ocean depths. The first was a gigantic serpent with a massive crest and three flickering tongues, the original protector of the Golden Fleece; the Colchian Dragon. The ninth was a frightful sea Monster with four eyes and six long serpentine necks equipped with grisly heads, each of which contained three rows of razor-sharp serrated shark's teeth. Her body consisted of 12 tentacle-like legs and a cat's tail, while six snapping and growling dog heads ringed her waist like a belt. The Fabled beast of the depths; Scylla.

But the tenth Monster, the tenth scared Leonidas the most. For it was a true behemoth of a beast. A serpentine dragon large enough to coil around a mountain a hundred snapping and crying python heads, shimmering scales like indestructible copper and was several times larger in width than an air carrier. As the gigantic beast rose from the crumbling earth beneath its truly titanic weight, Leonidas couldn't help but take a step back and lower his indestructible warhammer in fear for the first time in his life. Because before him, before him stood the single most powerful living Monster in the world, second only to his monstrous father. A beast so wholly and truly powerful that it had never been defeated in all of history, be it by god or mortal. Not even, by the most powerful hero and god to ever walk the earth; Leonidas' father, Heracles. Even the Lord of Strength, with fists so mighty he could crumble Mount Etna, and a club so powerful he could create a canyon so deep it reached Hades with only one strike to the earth, dared not fight this legendary beast on his Labor. The terrifying, mighty, immortal, unkillable and unbeatable beast, the dragonic guardian of the Tree of Golden Apples and the most powerful child of Typhon himself;

Ladon.

As the ten Monsters rose from the reeking fluid and film that covered them in their mother's womb, Leonidas' breath caught as he recognized the beast before him. Her ten monstrous children and horrifying appearance gave her away easily;

As the Mother of all Monsters, Echidna.

But the knowledge of the identities of his foes did not bring the Prince of Power fear or trepidation, but reinvigorated his flaming spirit, filling his mind and soul with an incorruptible courage and fueled the burning fire of his desire to win at any and all costs in his fluctuating heart. Because in his mind, the Fates wished him to succeed this day, so if they put these obstacles on his path to save the world from Zeus and his ways, then he could no doubt overcome them as he had any hardship, challenge or Labor in his miserable life. He was destined to kill Zeus and Ares, defend Olympus and Camp Half-Blood from the Titans and change the gods and the very course of the Tapestry of Fate for the better! There was no thought, no fear, no chance of defeat in his mind! For he was the chosen mortal guardian of the world, the man destined by the Fates and Chaos herself to save the world this day.

The unbeatable, unkillable, unwavering and unyielding Leonidas, the mortal who was hidden as a boy and trained to destroy, kill and conquer, though he wished to save, protect and love, he who had fought past the creeping, crushing grip of Fate to obtain his destiny. The father and husband who fought not for himself, but in order to protect and save those he had never met from the self-destroying imbecilic gods on high. Chosen protector of the world, son of Heracles, Legacy of Zeus and Athena and mortal lover of the Titaness Eos and father of the demi-titan Astraea, was the last hope for humanity and the world. The last soldier, the wayward son, the man too stubborn to let himself fail the world.

He was Leonidas… and he could not lose, for he, was…

"For my mother!" He cried to the thundering heavens as he raised his cracking warhammer in his shaking gauntlet covered and thunder tearing apart the sky as he shouted. "For my father! FOR SPARTA! FOR ALL OF HUMANITY! FOR AS LONG AS I BREATHE. I. SHALL. NEVER. YIELD!" He thrust his mighty warhammer in the sky, calling upon his father's power that he was not sure he could summon, and the heavens above him tore in two like Ouranos himself split them apart, a trembling beam of raw, unbridled, white-hot energy like the power of a hundred imploding suns bore down like a laser beam in front of Leonidas and tore apart the crumbled golden road in front of him.

"FOR I AM THE CHAMPION OF MANKIND LIKE MY FATHER BEFORE ME! MORTAL DEFENDER OF THE WEAK, PROTECTOR OF HUMANITY, THE SAVIOR! OF! OLYMPUS! THE VERY DEFENDER OF THE EARTH!" He lowered his vibrating and splintering warhammer to point at his foes, the beam of radiating energy rushing to them like a shooting star. "IF YOU WISH TO DESTROY THE WORLD THIS DAY, THEN YOU! MUST! SLAY! ME! FIRST!"

The very foundations of Olympus shattered under his armored boots that melted from the sheer heat of the energy around him as it impacted the army of legendary Monsters like an out of control planet. "FOR I AM LEONIDAS DIONE REED! AND I! WILL! NEVER! YIELD!"

With that thundering cry, he alone tore down the liquidizing golden streets to face off ten on the strongest Monsters in all the Greek world. He focused his energy to further supercharge his body's adrenaline and endorphin output to the absolute maximum, fully knowing of the dangers he was posing to his already severely weakened heart. But he was destined to achieve his Fate this day, so he continued to move forwards as he did every day of his trialing life. As a Spartan always marched forward, never back. And he could not afford to step back in fear, the world could not afford it. So he ran as fast as his shaking legs could take him to his Fate.

The mortal of Might let out a mighty bellow as he leapt into the fray. "BrrroooAAAWWWRRR!"

As he tore open the stomach of the Lernaean Hydra with the spiked end of his warhammer and simultaneously kicked Orthrus several dozen feet back, caving in the dogs' snout in the process, Leonidas felt a presence enter his mind, an unknown presence. Unlike Eos or the auditory hallucinations of his mother and father's words he heard in his mind as he fought the horde. One he had never felt before but felt familiar… almost like a long lost relative.

As the giant man bravely fought off the coming horde of Immortal beasts, he saw rippling flashes of multicolored light like shimmering peacock feathers gather around the corners of his blurry vision. And then, as he thrust his bloodied blade through Cerberus' chest he saw the Queen of Olympus in his mind. She spoke to him from inside his very soul as he protected the small group of minor gods and goddesses from a ravenous Scylla.

"Leonidas Dione Reed, in honor of and appreciation for you risking your own life to protect Olympus and the world, I am here to offer you aid." He could see her frown from inside his mind, like she was apprehensive about what she was about to do. "Unfortunately, the Council does not know of your true honor as I do, so you will not be able to receive the same aid as Perseus. Only Artemis, Apollo, Athena and I agreed to offer you our aid, and I am afraid that the rest of the Council, especially my husband, will never align with you, even to protect Olympus."

The image of her in his mind focused on her tear-ridden face, her bottom lip quivering uncontrollably. "Leonidas, my grandson, I am truly sorry that I, the Goddess of Family, could not be there for you when you lost yours at such a young age." Her face tensed and her eyes began to shine with fresh tears. "But I promise you that I will help you protect your new family. No matter the cost." As she spoke, he could start to feel the all too familiar pain in his body start to numb before quickly fleeting entirely. He had to stop momentarily after killing Cerberus and Orthrus to take a deep breath and revel in the sensation of not being in crippling pain for the first time in as long as he could remember.

The Son of Strength gripped his gauntlet covered fist, testing his newfound strength. Noticing that the damage he had already sustained from fighting the ten Monsters before him fully healed, leaving no scars or bruises on his glowing, ethereal skin.

"Though it is far too late and small of an apology for failing you like I failed your father," Hera continued in his mind as he felt strength, strength he had never felt before, flow through his adrenaline-filled veins. "I, Hera, Queen of Olympus, Goddess of Heroes, Kings, Marriage and Protector of Family, welcome you, Leonidas Dione Reed, at last, to the Immortal family of Olympus." She reached out her hand inside his mind, the delicate hand glowing with shimmering lights like peacock feathers as it made contact with him. "You are a demigod of Olympus now, so we shall protect you as you do us."

Leonidas' softly glowing skin began to suddenly radiate an ethereal, bright amber glow like a great fire was burning deep inside of him. He felt his shoulders lighten under the weight of his armor and cloak, the burning pain in his body completely gone, the numbness in his hands no more, his blurry and slurred vision perfect. He had to suck a quick breath as his heart began to beat faster and faster as his body became overcharged with power. Around him, the Monsters halted at the sight of beacons of light like shimmering stars burst into the heavens above his head. The shimmering symbols of Hera, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Heracles and Hebe crackled into being like forming supernovas in the endless abyss above his shimmering body.

The Mortal of Might looked up to the burning holograms of energy above him with shimmering bright amber eyes like a crackling fire in the snowy winter night. It might not have been all of Olympus, but these six Olympians knew of his honor enough to use the remainder of their limited power to aid him in his pursuit to save them, protect the world and obtain his Fate. A sacrifice he was not willing to let be done in vain. In return for their approval and appreciation, he would protect Olympus and the world, with his life if need be.

Three powerful and old as time presences appeared inside his mind. Their three hoarse with age voices began to speak to him in perfect sync, as if they were one being with one mind. Their ancient voices fading out as the power inside him increased a hundred-fold, the very golden streets below him melting from the very power radiating from his glowing Olympian skin.

"This is our gift to you, our Champion… For until it is your time to ascend into the heavens among the stars…" Their three unison voices became softer than a whisper as they faded into the wind. "...You shall be…"

The building and swirling energy around Leonidas erupted like a collapsing neutron star and exploded in all directions as he thundered towards the invading army, his mighty warhammer held high in his gauntlet covered fists. "...Immortal."

~Just a Page Break reminding you to follow me on Twitter~

~With Percy in the Throne Room~

"We offer you this, our Champions…" The glow became blinding and he felt as if he was being ripped apart atom by atom. "The Blessing of Olympus."

Percy's entire body was radiating with power, so much so that he could not even fully register the gods pouring their power into him.

Artemis nodded her head to him in acknowledgement and respect. "Thank you for always standing up for us, Percy. Now, let us do what we can to help you." She raised her head as Apollo stepped up next to her. "I, Artemis, goddess of the Hunt,Maidens and Archery offer to you the Agility and Accuracy of a Hunter. Let your aim be true, be it with a bow or sword or trident."

Next, her brother Apollo joined in. "Percy, for always helping me and the gods without promise of reward, and even saving my little sis all those years ago, I, Apollo of Delphi, god of Healing, Music and Archery give you the power to heal yourself from any non-lethal injury."

Poseidon stepped up next to his son, bringing with him the smell of a salty breeze. "My son, you have no idea how proud I am of you. I offer to you the unbridled power of the seas, use it to command the very seas and earth."

Hermes spoke up next. "I grant you enhanced speed, use it to take out your enemies before they can even see you coming."

Demeter joined next, a grain of dying wheat clutched in her hand tightly. "Young Perseus, I give to you Rejuvenation, let it aid you as you fight in our stead."

"Peter Johnson, I bestow to you Alertness and a Calm Mind." Dionysus said with a hint of a smile on his face as he eyed Percy. "Use it to keep your head in this fight so that we can keep our lives."

The god of the Underworld floated up next, raising his pale hand over Percy's head. "For everything you have done to help my children, nephew, though regretfully, I offer you a one-time protection from dying. Use it well, you shall not receive this again." He warned.

Aphrodite, with tears on her perfect face, placed an immaculately manicured hand over him. "I offer you the greatest gift of all, Percy, the ability to protect your loved ones, no matter the cost."

"I give you Strength and a Calculating Mind." Hephaestus the Lord of the Forge said after his wife.

A young girl of about eight stepped up to Percy next. She was in a brown earthen dress and worn a pained face as the eldest god. "Percy, to repay you for everything you have done for us and this world, though it is nowhere near enough, I give to you the power to Protect your Home. Let Olympus empower you in order to defend it."

The Queen of the Gods spoke up next, her voice slightly trembling as she watched Percy shake in pain as the power of thirteen of the fifteen Olympian gods poured into him. "I, Hera, Queen of the Gods, offer you the ability to know what to do when the time is right."

After what felt like an eternity, Percy slowly rose to his feet, aided by Apollo and Artemis. Percy looked to the Queen of the Gods and almost asked about the vision of Leonidas fighting Echidna and her children when Hera gave him the slightest shake of her head. Wordlessly telling him not to bring up Leonidas around Zeus and Ares who still sat on their thrones, not offering Percy any aid. Hera then briefly spoke to Percy in his mind telling him that both he and Leonidas are needed on the frontlines to defend Olympus, so he should hurry over there. Percy decided to not answer in his mind, but out loud.

"...Annabeth…" He wheezed, out of breath. "I need… to see her."

As Percy quickly caught his breath, Apollo summoned Asclepius to bring Annabeth to the Throne Room. Athena argued that it was the safest place on Olympus and would most likely be the last line of defense should everything else fall. So when she appeared motionless and asleep on a bed of silk next to the God of Doctors, Percy and Athena ran to check up on her.

Percy let Athena get to her daughter first, fighting against all his urges to rush to Annabeth. He could hear Athena whisper to Annabeth in her sleep, but he chose not to listen to them to protect her privacy. After a half minute Athena stood, and with a sharp nod to Artemis and Apollo, the Goddess summoned her spear and shield in preparation to defend Olympus with the others, even in their powerless state.

The walk up to his wise girl felt like an eternity, like it would never end. But the brief time he spent next to her, even if it lasted a lifetime, would never be enough. Percy, gently as he could, placed a shaking hand under the bottom of her shirt to feel her stomach. He could see Eileithyia the Goddess of Childbirth who had been looking after their child watch him with a hopeful expression. She stepped forward slightly, took his hand and repositioned it over a tiny, so small you could miss it, bump. Percy felt as if time stopped in that second, the baby was so small, too small and young to feel move, barely even the size of a strawberry inside of her, but this was the first time he has met his… child.

Even the word felt foreign on his tongue, like he couldn't believe it. But he smiled nonetheless, hoping more than anything that he could meet the small person growing inside of her one day. With a shaky, barely audible voice, just above a whisper, he spoke as his other hand rested on Annabeth's cold cheek; "Hello, little one, this is your daddy. I promise you, whoever you are, that I will protect you… with everything I have." He told the child via a whisper even though it could not hear him. "I'm your dad, and that means I'd move Olympus or Hades for you. So you just wait with mommy, okay? I have to go save the world."

Artemis silently put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "You'll be a wonderful father, Percy. I can tell." Her voice dropped its comforting tone. "But it's time to go, the Walls of Olympus have fallen."

Silently, Percy stroked Annabeth's golden hair before placing a light kiss on her forehead. Turning to Artemis, he let out a breath before summoning his Trident to his hand. "Protect them," He begged with his eyes. "Just in case-"

"You have my word, Percy. I will protect them as I would my own." The auburn haired goddess then leaned in close to his ear as Apollo stepped forwards, blocking the action from the other gods bar Hera and Eileithyia. "Only Hera, Apollo, Athena and I know you brought Leonidas here. Join him at the outer wall and keep him away from the Throne Room, Zeus and Ares cannot know he is here."

Percy gave her a miniscule nod in reply, moving past Annabeth's sleeping form to the exit and out of the golden building, his Trident in one hand as Riptide sat comfortably in the other. Once he was outside he saw dozens of minor gods lined up on either side of the road, all looking to him like their savior. It made his heart sink a little, he didn't ever ask to be a hero, but if his family and the world needed one, then he would be one.

Just this one last time. Because next time…

...it was someone else's turn…

...And he thought: Gods help them…

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"BrrroooAAAWWWRRR!"

And there Leonidas was. Percy knew he wouldn't be hard to find. All you have to do is look for the golden building falling and being thrown like baseballs and listen for the bellows.

But to say that Percy was surprised of the condition he found Leonidas in was putting it mildly. The Son of the Seas had to pause when he turned a corner around a burning golden building and found the man he thought of like a brother holding back Ladon of all Monsters with a single beefy hand as the other was held protectively behind him where a group of roughly a dozen or so minor gods and goddesses were shrieking in fear. Some were even throwing wine goblets and leather bound books at the Monster to no avail.

With altered speed granted to him by Hermes, Percy rushed forward, his Trident above his head before slamming the the three prongs down on the ground below him. The gold covered earth erupted into the air, bringing with it the remaining few Monsters, bar Ladon who was far too large and heavy to move that easily.

"Brother!" Leonidas shouted in greeting as Percy approached, the minor gods around him calming as he neared. "We need to get these gods out of here! They're in danger!"

"Right," Percy nodded as he faced off with Leonidas against Ladon who had yet to move, it didn't seem like he was so keen on fighting because Echidna, his mother, asked him to. Which was probably the only reason why Olympus still stood. He looked to the group of minor gods. "All of you get out of here! We'll hold the Monsters back long enough for you to reach the Throne Room. The Council is there and will protect you! Go!"

Two gods scooped up a goddess who had been lying motionless on the ground and the group ran off towards the Throne Room. All except on minor god Percy didn't recognize. He looked like a farmer and held a long shepherd's staff. "Thank you, Leonidas." He said to the giant man, a smile on his bearded face. "We will repay you for saving us one day, you have our word." With that, the minor god left and Leonidas and Percy were left alone at the edge of Olympus, standing opposite an endless horde of Monsters as large as Oceanus was long. The army stood still like phantoms, waiting for an unknown signal to swarm like ants over Olympus.

The Son of Sparta popped his neck and let his warhammer rest of his shoulder, Percy only now noticing the shimmering, ethereal glowing aura around the giant man. "Y-you're Immortal!" he exclaimed, happy for his friend. "How did you find the Garden of the Tree of Golden Apples of Immortality? Did one of the minor gods know where it was?"

The titanic man shook his head, the shimmering mane of the Nemean Lion Skin cloak swaying from the motion. "No, they did not know where it was. But they did tell me that Zeus had ordered all of his soldiers to guard it from me." A low growl like echoing thunder escaped his lips. "You and I wondered where all the guards were and why they weren't defending Olympus when we arrived, brother. Now we know that Zeus would rather prevent me from gaining Immortality than protect his people and city."

Percy let a breath out of his nose, he feared Zeus would do something like this. Prioritize stopping Leonidas out of spite rather than work with them. "But how did you become Immortal then?" He asked, nodding to Leonidas' glowing skin.

Leonidas smirked as he readjusted the fit of his harness that held his cloak. "It would seem that I was right all along, brother…" He faced Percy before looking up to the cracking heavens above them. "The Fate Sisters chose me as their Champion, to protect Olympus and change the world for the better. And in return, they granted me Immortality until I achieve my Fate. Then, with the battle over and the Monsters and Titans vanquished, I shall steal a Golden apple for Eos and Astraea, my daughter, so that they can both become Immortal. And then, we shall travel into Eos' realm in the sky past the edges of Oceanus among the stars forever. Living out the rest of eternity out in peaceful harmony, I shall no longer have to fight, Eos will no longer have to fear her father, Hyperion, coming back to power, and Astraea will get to grow up in a world free of sin, hate and war." A calm, truly happy smile washed over his chiseled face." It will be… paradise. I cannot wait to see it. I will finally be able to rest."

After a few seconds, Percy smiled to his friend before hitting him on the shoulder. "And I can't wait for you to be able to have that either, Leonidas. Fates know you deserve it after everything they've put you through."

The giant man nodded. "Yes, but until then we have a battle to fight. Let us show this horde of Tartarus the power of the two strongest demigods in history." He then raised his oversized hammer above his head, the sky crackling with energy as he swung it. "FOR OLYMPUS!" The giant man bellowed as he barreled like an out of control freight train at the opposing army.

"FOR OLYMPUS!" Percy parroted him, running alongside his brother as the army of Monsters broke into a wave of flesh, bone and teeth as they started to run as well.

With steps that shook the very foundations of Olympus and the earth, Leonidas leaped into the air like a missile and launched himself down upon the breaking ground with an impact that felt that Atlas had dropped the sky.

Percy, feeling an immense pull in his gut, calling upon the endless river of Oceanus that surrounded Olympus and created a wave that towered over Mount Etna before launching the literal seas' worth of water at the countless army of Monsters, washing away hundreds of Hellhounds and Cyclops.

But the waves of Monsters never stopped coming, for every dozne Hellhounds Leonidas slew, a Hydra appeared and took far more effort to kill than the beasts of the Underworld. "We need a torch so we can cauterize the heads!" Leonidas yelled as he used his immense strength to strangle one of the Hydra's heads. Percy was about to ask where they'd get a fire when a flaming arrow shot past his head and struck just next to Leonidas in the Hydra's neck. Turning on the spot, Percy found, to his surprise, Artemis and Apollo both aiming arrows at the Hydra as Hephaestus lit the cotton covered heads on fire with small flames that danced in his palms.

"Artemis!" Percy yelled, honestly happy to see his friend. He and Leonidas were doing fine for now, but they were quickly being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of Monsters invading the city. Not to mention the few Monsters and beasts that Percy could tell we not Greek or Roman in origin but did not recognize.

"We have come to offer our aid, Percy!" She yelled back as she drew her arrow. "Now get down!" She and her brother released their flaming arrows in unison and Percy was surprised to see when the twin arrows burst into countless dozens. Forming a cloud of arrows so think they blocked out the starry heavens above them.

The endless hordes shrieked and cried in pain as thousands of arrows rained down and embedded themselves in every available inch of flesh they could find. A good chunk of the army had fallen, but still Percy could not see the end of it.

Suddenly, from the corner of his eye he saw a have of energy fire at him, but before he had the time to react a blur shot in front of the attack and deflected it. The blur stopped to reveal Hermes with Athena held in his arms, her indestructible shield Aegis strapped to her arm as she deflected another wave of energy cast by a Titan and turned said Titan to stone with the image of Medusa' face on her shield. Hermes gently put Athena on her feet before running to Percy so fast that he could have been mistaken for teleporting.

"Olympus stands as one," The Messenger God spoke as he nodded to where Dionysus, Demeter and Hades were standing, calling upon tree roots and shadows to entangle, ensnare and suffocate their foes. From next to the Lord of the Dead, Percy could see a beautiful Goddess with flowers in her hair controlling plants alongside Demeter, it wasn't hard to recognize her as Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld. "If you are willing to fight off this army alone, then we will fight alongside you."

Percy marveled when Hephaestus called forward a small army of armored automatons that ran into battle, he had to pause when minor gods left and right Flashed in and began sending waves of energy, throwing books and wine goblets and even a small statue of Zeus at the endless army. "But- but you're all at risk!" Percy yelled, fearing for the safety of the gods and goddesses. They were all on the brink of death, if even one of the Titans or powerful Monsters landed a hit on them, they would die.

"Well we can't very well disagree with her, can we?" Hermes then nodded behind him and Percy followed his eyes to where a literal mountainrange worth of fire was being formed around the inner walls of the city. Percy could make out Hephaestus, Hades and who he assumed were a few of their Immortal children helping generate the fire. But a tiny, child-size figure stood a hundred feet up it the size a top a pillar of fire. Her earthen brown dress smoking as she shot torrents of flame at the Monsters attempting to invade her city and kill her family.

It was Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth and the First and Last Olympian. With a swirl of her tiny, flame-coated hands, she sent a tornado of flame at the Colchian Dragon and trapped it in a swirling vortex of fire.

From over the barking heads of Hellhounds jumped what Percy at first glance assumed to be Centaurs, but as they got closer Percy was able to see that the Monsters had horse bodies with human torsos sprouting out of their backs. The human torsos wielded burning spears as they charged towards the city. But what surprised Percy the most about them was that they had no skin or hair or fur whatsoever. The Monsters were just exposed flesh and muscle.

"Those are Nuckelavee," Leonidas shouted as he dropped next to Percy and Hermes from the lifeless body of the decapitated Hydra. "This isn't good."

"Why's that?" Percy asked. "I've never seen them before."

"That's because they're Scottish beasts, part of the Norse world. Their breath can cause plants to wilt and animals to get sick." Leonidas explained quickly, watching as a dozen more Nuckelavee burst out of the water at the edges of the city. "They're water demons, so they will not be harmed by your waves, no matter how strong they are."

"Guess it's gotta be the hard way, then."

"Wait," Hermes cut in, looking to Leonidas with a confused and somewhat fearful expression. "I thought that you were fighting with the Titans and Monsters?"

"Where did you hear that?" Percy asked as he stomped, causing earth skikes to skewer a few Nuckelavee. "Leonidas agreed to fight with us to protect Olympus and the world weeks ago."

Hermes blinked, apparently confused. He scratched his head as he dodged a Monster with his lightning fast speed that Leonidas crushed under a hand, embedding the unknown Monster into the ground. "...But Lord Zeus told us that he had been siding with the Titans all along." He told Percy slowly, watching as Leonidas defended them with his Nemean Lion Cloak when a blast of energy shot their way. "He said that Leonidas tricked you into befriending him and that he'd betray you and hand Olympus over to the Titans."

Percy blinked once, then twice, then again. "...Yeah that's a load of bull." He said as he stabbed a Nuckelavee with the prongs of his trident. He twisted the weapon before pulling it from the beast that burst into a cloud of black shadows. "Zeus is-"

But before he could tell Hermes that Zeus was lying all along, Ladon, who had seemingly decided that attacking them was a better option then being eaten by his mother, Echidna who was being peppered by flaming arrows from Apollo and Artemis, launched himself at the demigods.

'RAAAAAGHHH!' The Monster bellowed as it shot itself forwards. Percy was about to raise up a giant wll of earth and water to block the attack when Leonidas burst forward like a berserker, his gauntlet covered fist pulling back in preparation for a punch.

"Have at thee, beast!" The Mortal of Might screamed as they neared. Then, at the last second he launched his beefy fist at the titanic serpent with the force of the falling heavens and launched the great beast back onto the army. After the dust settled Percy ran up to leonidas, worried about the backlash of his immense power but he was happily surprised to find that Leonidas was perfectly fine, not even a single hair on top of his head was out of place.

Leonidas looked down to his hand, a smile slowly forming on his face. "My body… no longer bends to the will of my strength…" He tested his fingers and was surprised when they moved the second they asked him to. "...I… have no drawbacks to my strength… I can fight at my true power…"

Percy smiled as well, walking up the man and brandishing his Trident, ready for a good fight. "Then let's go see what you can do, Leonidas." He paused to grip his hand and tightly shook it. "It's time for the Champions of Olympus to show these Titans and Monsters what they can do."

~Thanks to W.R Winters for suggesting Nuckelavee on Twitter!~

Everything was going fine until Zeus heard that Leonidas was on Olympus by some minor gods and joined the fight with the intention of killing Leonidas himself.

Leonidas only survived the strike by Zeus' Master Bolt thanks to his temporary Immortality, if not for that he would have died on the spot. Not even he or Percy could survive an attack by the Master Bolt. Crouching under his Nemean Lion Skin cloak and summoning his enchanted bow, Leonidas jumped to the side the second Zeus stopped his attack and shot an arrow at the god just for him to dodge at the last second. But Leonidas' arrow managed to cut off a good inch of the god's neatly trimmed beard.

"YOU!" Zeus' voice was like bristling venom as he charged up for another attack. "I'll kill you!"

Leonidas jumped to the side to avoid another lightning bolt, he wasn't sure if his body could take a hit from the Master Bolt without taking massive damage, and he wasn't about to find out. "What did I ever do to you, anyway?!" Leonidas yelled back as he shot another arrow that embedded itself in the god's left shoulder.

Zeus bellowed with rage and pain as his electricity-covered fist gripped the arrow and pulled it free of his flesh. "You DARE to usurp me, you vile Titan-loving bastard!"

Leonidas spun on the spot to avoid another blot. "Take it up with the Fate Sisters!" He yelled back, trying his best to keep Zeus angry, that way he'd make more mistakes. "They're the ones who think you should die!"

"ARGH!" Zeus yelled as lightning and air danced off of him, destroying several buildings around the two. Luckily Leonidas had been able to draw Zeus away from the main group of minor gods, he didn't want them getting caught up in a bolt of lightning by mistake, and he didn't have many doubt that Zeus didn't care about collateral damage.

Zeus looked like he was about to scream something else when Leonidas launched himself forward with inhuman speed, summoned his sword and with a flick of his wrist severed the hand that had been holding the Master Bolt.

Zeus let out a scream that shook the very foundations of the earth as his left hand clutched the bloody stump where his hand used to be. He didn't get to catch his breath because Leonidas immediately followed up with his next attack only for Zeus to swat his sword away with an electric-covered backhand.

Not wasting a second because a single second could change the course of battle and the world, Leonidas rushed at the King of the Gods, performing a series of high speed punches and kicks. Leonidas relished in the feeling of snapping ribs as he punched the god with his massive fist. He felt an immense sense of pride when he grabbed the god by his hair and brought his face down to meet his armor-covered knee. He felt that he was giving the god what he deserved when he felt his jaw dislocate as teeth and blood spewed from his face. The god fell to the ground, covered in his own blood.

"That's for Thalia," Leonidas mumbled just loud enough for him to hear. "You're by far the worst father in existence." When the god groaned as he tried to lift himself off the ground, Leonidas sent a savage kick to his nether regions, causing all the wind in his lungs to flee as he crumbled to the ground, holding himself.

"And that's for Hera, you unfaithful bastard." Leonidas grunted as he rolled the god over with his foot. "Old me would have cut wandering dick off and forcefully fed it to you…" He warned darkly, ignoring Zeus' groans as he struggled to get up. "Luckily for you I have sworn off all unnecessary violence. I'll let the Fate Sisters decide if that was unnecessary or not." He knelt down to the god and opened his mouth to speak but was blasted by a sudden bolt of lightning and sent flying back through the doors to the Olympian Throne Room. Zeus tried to force himself up with one hand, but couldn't, falling to the crumbling ground in pain.

Leonidas rose to his feet to find himself face to face with Aphrodite and Ares who stood in front of her protectively. "Well well well…" The God of War mumbled as he drew his flaming sword from his sheath, pushing Aphrodite back towards the thrones. "The bastard son of Fish-Face said you're the strongest fighter on earth…" A vicious sneer sprouted on his face as flames engulfed his body. "Let's see if you live up to the hype, you hotshot."

"Ares!" The hatred in Leonidas' voice was enough to kill. He would have summoned his sword but his weapons did not return to him, so he instead clenched his gauntlet-covered fists in preparation for a fight. "I see the Fates favor me this day, giving me the second god I need to kill right after the first." He dropped to a perfect boxing stance. "And let's see if some farm kid from Kansas can kill the God of War. Shouldn't be too hard," he insulted, causing Ares to snort in rage. "I even considered taking your throne as a child to prove my might before I realized that killing you wouldn't be that impressive."

"GraaaAAAGGGHHH!" Ares roared as he swung his msiive, fiery sword at the demigod. Leonidas easily dodged the predictable attack and countered by punching Ares in the back and throwing him back a dozen feet. The god fought like a crazed animal, all rage, no strategy, like he did when he lost himself to his Curse. Leonidas smirked, this would be easier than he thought.

"I heard you blame me for causing the deaths of, hm, what were their names again?" The god raised his finger to his chin in mock thought as he dodged Leonidas' punch. "Ah, that's right, the Johnsons."

Leonidas let out a low growl like an airplane engine starting up. "You keep their name out of your filthy mouth!" He sent a wild punch at the god's face but it was countered when Ares stabbed him with a hidden enchanted godly dagger, tearing a red streak down Leonidas' large bicep.

"Come at me, bastard." Ares mumbled under his breath as he readied another hidden blade. Then he yelled, "How about I kick your ass and head on down to the Underworld and pay that girl of yours a visit?" He let out a dark chuckle as Leonidas growled again. "Her name was Mary, right-"

'BAAAM!'

Leonidas sent the god back into the wall with a powerful punch. When he tried to get up he threw the god back against the wall and drove his mighty fist into Ares' cracking ribs. "RAAAHHH!" Leonidas bellowed in rage as he sent another combo of powerful kicks and punches at the god, driving him into the marble walls. "Speak her name again and I will kill your godly children after I kill you!" Leonidas threatened darkly in his rage. "The world would be better off without them as well!"

"No!" A feminine voice cut him off from behind. Leonidas turned on the spot to find Aphrodite who was quivering next to her throne, a small dagger made by Hephaestus in her hands. "I can't let you do that, Leonidas! Some of his children are my children too! I won't let you harm my children!"

Leonidas didn't have time to respond before Ares summoned an enchanted dagger and stabbed it at Leonidas' neck. But eh Mortal of Might caught his arm at the last second, snapped it behind his back with all his considerable strength, pried the blade from his grip and running it through his heart within a second. Leonidas twisted and then snapped the blade in the god's chest before roughly throwing him to the ground, causing Aphrodite to shriek.

Leonidas stepped around the fallen god with his hands raised in a sign of non aggression. "I will not kill your children, Aphrodite. Do not worry." He told her calmly. "I will not harm the son for the sins of his father."

The very next second a burly figure hobbled into the room and stood protectively in front of the goddess. Hephaestus the God of the Forge brandished an immaculate sword as he balanced on his bum leg. "You will get no further, you monster! I won't let you lay a finger on my wife!"

But the goddess, after placing a calming hand on her husband's shoulder and giving it a light pat, stepped around her deformed husband and took a step towards the demigod. "Do not worry, husband, he means me no harm." He looked from Hephaestus to the giant mortal. "Do you, Leonidas?"

Leonidas slowly shook his head, the lion mane ruffling from the motion. "...No, I do not." He let his gauntlets transform back into his many tattoos before taking a slow step forward.

The beautiful goddess looked to him with a saddened expression, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know why you wish me dead, Leonidas. And you have every reason to. I am sorry for cursing Eos, I truly am and I am more than willing to lift the curse."

Leonidas didn't say anything, or even react, so she continued. "But you should know that I was not to blame and had nothing to do with the Empousa in Las Vegas and the sex trafficking ring in Texas." The stunning goddess took a slight step forward, biting her lower lip. "That, what those men were doing to those girls, was not love. What they did, twisted and distorted what I try to fight for." She slightly shook her head, her hair swaying from the motion. "I for one think they got what they deserved when you killed them."

"Death should never be the answer," Leonidas spoke up for the first time in a short while. "It should only be done when there is no other choice. I could have captured them, freed the girls and turned them in instead of slaughtering them."

The goddess nodded but raised a perfect eyebrow. "But would you have been able to face those girls?"

The giant man hesitated for a few seconds before finally answering. "...No, I couldn't have. Even if I weren't lost in rage, I think I still would have killed them for their horrid deeds."

"But you still want me dead because of what Love has done to the world, don't you?"

Leonidas took a full minute to answer, thinking back on his life and the women who shaped it. "No, I don't." He finally answered before narrowing his eyes sharply. "I will let you live, but only under one condition."

"Name it!" Was her quick reply.

He nodded his head to her husband who stood sword in hand as he watched with a confused expression. "Stay faithful to your husband, bed no other man or woman, nymph or giant. Be loyal to the so-called love you serve." He relaxed his expression and took a step forward. "Be a shining example of the Love that exists in the world, the very love I have seen these past few months that have opened my eyes to the pure, unadulterated love shown by Hebe, Persephone and your daughter, Piper. All beautiful women who have been through terrible experiences but have remained faithful to their partners out of their love for them."

He took another step forward, his hands up in surrender to Hephaestus who still held his sword. "Be the Love that they, and countless others over the centuries, have fought for, do that, and I shall never visit you again."

The beautiful goddess hesitated for a second before grabbing her husband's hand and giving it a squeeze as she gave him a nod. She then looked at Leonidas who towered over her. "I agree, Leonidas. I shall do my best to change the Love in this world for the better."

Leonidas let a small smile grace the corner of his lips. "That is all I ask. Now," He turned from them and began walking out of the Throne Room. "I have a Fate to achieve."

"I wish you a long, loving life with Eos, Leonidas." She muttered as he got out of earshot, tears forming in her eyes. "For all of eternity."

~Remember to Follow, Favorite and Review~

Percy had no idea where Leonidas ran off to a while ago, but he's sure glad he came back just in time to catch the frozen fist of a giant made purely out of ice.

Percy uncovered his head to find Leonidas had caught the massive fist in his own. The large man gave the giant a smirk before launching it back and shattering it into a million pieces with his mighty warhammer.

"Where were you?" Percy yelled over as he dodged the last Titan's strike. The Titan was about to pivot on the spot to attack Percy again but he was suddenly gripped from behind by Leonidas' massive hand and had his head squeezed until it burst like a boated grape. Percy wiped the Titan blood and guts from his face with the back of his hand. "Gross."

"I fought Zeus and Ares." Leonidas said simply, dodging Ladon's colossal tail as he swung it at the demigods. He was, unsurprising, the last Monster standing. Most of the Monsters had fled when the majority of the Titans had been killed, the rest were killed by the small army of gods and goddesses that were at the edge of the city. Ladon had pushed Percy further into the city into a deserted, destroyed section. Percy for one was glad to have Leonidas back with him, Ladon wasn't going to be easy to kill. He honestly wasn't even sure if it was possible because he was one of the only Monsters in the Greek world that had never been beaten or slain.

Percy's eyes widened as he too dodged the massive tail. He sent a wave of stone and water at the giant serpentine dragon but it had no effect. "Did you kill them both?"

Leonidas shook his head as he fired a dozen arrows at the Monster only for them to harmless bounce off. "I killed Ares with my bare hands, but Zeus blasted me away before I could. I'll find him later." He muttered ominously.

Again Leonidas blocked a swipe of the massive tail with his considerable strength and Nemean Lion Skin cloak from hitting Percy as the latter demigod summoned all of the broken pieces of stone, earth and brick into the air. As they rose, they began to swirl like the cosmos as he added a literal sea worth of ancient, black water to the mix. As Leonidas blocked another attack from hitting him, Percy thrust his Trident in the air and the heavens around them rumbled as if Atlas had dropped the sky.

"Give me a minute, brother!" Leonidas shouted over the cacophonous roars of the dragon. "Let me gave energy so that I can hit this beast with an attack right after you!"

"Sounds like a plan!"

The colossal man dodged and weaved as he sent dozens of haymakers at the dragons' torso, but this only seemed to mildly annoy the mighty beast, because it swatted Leonidas away as if he were a gnat.

Percy collected more and more stone and water into the swirling heavens as he too dodged the dragon. Even from his spot on the other side of the clearing, Percy could sense the sheer amount of power Leonidas was storing up for his final attack. Percy only hoped that he put his all into it, or Ladon wouldn't go down. But he stopped himself from thinking further, this was Leonidas he was talking about, that man always put his all into everything he did.

Letting out a bellow from the other side of the clearing, closest to the Throne Room, Leonidas wordless told Percy he was ready as he shot more arrows at the dragon to distract it. So with the largest pull in his gut that he had ever felt, Percy let down the ocean worth of water and mountain range worth of stone down upon the mighty dragon with a shout, slamming his Trident into the ground.

"HAAAHHH!"

Ladon let out a terrifying scream as it was impacted with enough weight to flatten a mountain. But Leonidas didn't give the beast a second to react before launching down another, this time much more powerful, laser of energy down upon the dragon as he let loose an animalistic bellow.

"BrrroooAAAWWWRRR!"

As the dust was settling, Percy caught his breath before going to go look for Leonidas, but before he could move a giant serpentine dragon head burst from the dust and debris and injected it's venomous fangs into the Golden Fleece that was wrapped around Leonidas' chest.

The dragon shook Leonidas around like a chew toy before throwing him a good hundred yards further away from Percy, with Leonidas landing line a meteor on the war-torn ground.

"Leonidas!" Percy yelled as the dragon struck Leonidas again, this time trying to swallow him whole. But the Mortal of Might managed to catch the dragon's massive jaws and keep them open with nothing more than his pure, unchained strength.

"You shall not kill me, beast!" Leonidas yelled at the legendary dragon. "For I am destined to achieve my Fate by the Fates themselves!" With one last display of power, Leonidas snapped the jaw of the dragon before aiming his coiled-rebar arm down its massive throat and firing one last blast of energy inside of it.

The dragon of legend screamed as it burned from the inside out, it tried to break free of Leonidas' grip but it was finally silenced when the Son of Strength drove his enchanted sword in between its massive eyes and cleaved a hole large enough for a horse to fit through in its head.

The legendary dragon fell to the ground a second later, dead.

Coughing and in pain, Leonidas rose from his knees and quickly threw off the Golden Fleece like it had burned him. He looked down to his broad chest to find that the venom that had injected into the Fleece had soaked into his skin as well. And as if to demonstrate the power of the venom, he dropped to a knee, clutching his chest in pain.

"Leonidas!" Percy yelled as he ran as fast as his legs could take him. "Leonidas! Are you okay?" He asked as he got with earshot.

"Do not worry, brother…" His speech was slow and pained as if every word sapped his fleeting power. "After tonight… I… will not need the Golden Fleece…" He dropped to both knees as he caught his breath, trying to open a bottle of Nectar but found his fingers refusing to respond as he wished. "For I shall be… Immortal."

He gave up trying to open the vial and tossed it to the side. He held up a hand asking for help up as Percy got to him. "Come, the final battle is over, brother. Let us sneak into Hera's secret garden and steal the Golden Apples." With a little difficulty due to his extremely worn out state, Percy managed to bring Leonidas to one knee. He couldn't help but share the elated look and smile on his brother's face. "With them I can finally achieve my Fate and rise into the sky among the stars forever with Eos and Astraea-"

'CrrraaaBBBOOOMMM!'

But Leonidas was cut off when an explosion of electric-blue lightning burst through the center of his chest from behind. Percy watched in horror as blood and innards shot from the fist-sized hole in Leonidas chest a second before Leonidas fell face first into the dirt.

"I told you… I'd… kill you, you Titan-loving… bastard!" A voice sounded from behind them and Percy turned, Riptide in hand, to come face to face with the King of the Gods, Zeus.

"Hahaha!" The god let out a pained, dark laugh as he tried to summon another bolt of lightning in his only present hand. But at the last second a shimmering wave of multi-colored light appeared out of the darkness and hit Zeus, sending his lightning bolt safely flying in another direction.

But Zeus was undeterred, he tried to summon another bolt as he taunted Leonidas. "I told you I'd… kill you! By betraying me, you betray Olympus!"

As his dulled green eyes looked over the dripping, gaping hole in Leonidas' chest, Percy lost it.

He charged the King of the Gods with a savage brutality as he shrugged off the weak lightning bolts the god sent his way to stop him from getting any closer. Before he knew how he got there, Percy found himself beating the god into the ground with his fists, mindlessly swinging his unbreakable fists at the god with enough power to shatter boulders.

Zeus tried to beg for Percy to stop, offering him whatever he wished for, but it was no use. He then tried to force Percy away from him, but with only one hand and considering how weak he was due to the Promised Day and the beating he previously had thanks to Leonidas, he didn't have the strength to stop Percy as he began to cave his face in with his bare fists.

Suddenly a hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him from punching the motionless god. "Stop it, Perseus! Do not give in to your rage!" Percy turned to find the Titaness Eos as his mind cleared. His chest pounded so hard and his hands hurt so much from punching Zeus. The Titaness gave him the briefest look before looking over to Leonidas who was still unmoving. "Do not become a slave to it like Leonidas. You can kill Zeus, but give him a quick death, do not drag it out longer than it needs to be."

"...Okay…" Percy nodded before pulling Riptide from his pocket and uncapping the pen. He held the leafed blade over the ing of the Gods as he begged for his life.

"S-stop… I-I'll give you anything you want, fame, money, power, women-" But before he could finish Percy drove the blade into his heart until he hit the stone underneath. Then for good measure he twisted the blade as much as he could before snapping it inside of the god in one quick move.

Percy looked down to the broken blade in his hand for a second before throwing it to the side. This was his last fight, after this he was done, so he didn't need it anymore. And best not let it fall in the wrong hands.

Percy then limped over to Leonidas where Eos was holding his head in her hands, whispering to him, and with his enhanced hearing he could hear the slightest breath coming from the large man, letting him know that he was still alive. Percy burst into a run and reached the giant man as fast as he could, sitting on the opposite side of Eos. He was about to ask her how he was when she suddenly looked up to the heavens above them with a worried look, stated that, "He is coming, I'll hold him off for as long as I can, you get Leonidas out of here!" before jumping into the sky and out of sight.

"Leonidas! Leonidas are you okay? How are you still alive?"

The giant man let out a hollow groan, the sound mostly coming from the hole in the center of his chest. "...I-I thought the Fates *cough* wished… for me *wheeze* to achieve my… Fate." His voice was broken, and not just from physical pain, but from the realization hitting him that he was going to die for real this time. In other words, without achieving what he thought the Fates had wanted him to do. "I… I must… *cough* not have… been my destiny… *wheeze* to achieve my Fate." A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips as he let out a breathy chuckle that sounded like it really hurt.

"Hehehe… My… my entire life was for naught… I cannot live with Eos and Astraea in the stars… *cough* forever…" He closed his eyes for a second to smile fully. "But at least I was able to find a little light among the darkness." He slowly opened his eyes and trained their blurry vision on Percy before moving them to the endless horizon that was slowly breaking into dawn.

"I have always wished to see the sunrise from Olympus…" He mused, a soft smile on his face. "Eos always told me they were beautiful…"

Percy tried to use the one-time ability to avoid death on Leonidas that Hades gave him, but found that it did not work on another person. Or perhaps Leonidas was right, that the Fate Sisters didn't wish for him to achieve his Fate and rise in the stars with Eos forever. Perhaps they had deceived him to make him more willing to serve them, it didn't really make sense with what Percy knew about them, but his mind was unable to think at the moment. Leonidas got his attention and broke him out of his thoughts.

"Brother, I… I have something I must ask you to do…" His voice was fading, even more than it already was. Percy could even sense it, he was dying.

"Anything,"Percy quickly replied. "What do you need?"

"Back where *cough* you, the Hunters and I met *wheeze* in Maine," he started, his words slowing and starting to slur. "Go there." He ordered. "Go there, fund my and Eos' cabin. Know *cough* in your heart what you *seek* and… you will obtain it." Suddenly Leonidas gripped Percy's wrist and squeezed with all his might, an alarmingly low amount of strength. "My daughter, Astraea, is there, she is young and… was born weak, but the Golden Fleece has brought her back… *cough* from the brink of death. G-go to her, you and Annabeth… and take her in as your own."

His head started to tilt as he was losing consciousness, but he kept his stare into Percy's eyes. "Raise her alongside your child as your *cough* own. Astraea doesn't deserve to be… punished for my sins, so promise me… you'll protect her. Promise me."

Percy had to bite his lip to hold back his emotions. Finally he was able to force out a, "I'll protect her like I would Annabeth or our child, I swear it on the Styx."

Leonidas' pained, focussed looked fled his face, replaced by one of calmness and peace as he watched the sky above them. "Thank you, brother." He gave a smile as he watched golden-red flashes of light energy blasts in the sky. The colors seemed to be chasing one made out of pure darkness, a black of dark it could only be seen by blocking the stars behind it. Leonidas let out a breath. "It's Eos...:" He mumbled as he felt himself fade. "She's fighting off Thanatos…"

With widened eyes, Percy looked into the heavens to find he was right. He could see Eos using the very last of her power to keep Thanatos,the God of Death, from getting to Leonidas. Despite knowing that stopping Thanatos would solve nothing, as well as the fact that she would soon die after Leonidas.

Leonidas spoke, his broken, hollow voice just above a whisper as his untrasking eyes stared into the starry heavens above him. "Tell her…" He mumbled, his eyes stopping. "Tell her you will… protect… Astraea…"

After that final word Leonidas stopped moving and Percy could no longer hear his struggled breaths or sense the power that once filled his body. "...I will." Percy mumbled before slowly and as gently as he could, close Leonidas' eyes.

Eos appeared next to them a few seconds later, looking to Leonidas with a relieved look after chasing off Thanatos before realizing she had arrived too late. "No no no! Leonidas! My Leonidas!" The Titaness let out a cry as she tried to stir him awake, but found it was no use. She held back a sob as she cupped his face before placing a light kiss on his lips. "You can rest now, my love… you can rest now. You deserve your rest…"

With a flutter of massive wings as dark as night, Thanatos, the reaper of souls, landed next to Percy and Eos, but didn't say anything, letting Eos have her moment. Percy looked to the God of Death with tears in his eyes. "Thanatos, please! Grant Leonidas Elysium!" He was worried that Leonidas would be sent to the Fields of Punishment for his actions despite his honorable intentions. Percy rose to his feet and stepped right up to Thanatos. "Come on! You owe me for saving you in Alaska! Grant him Elysium! Hades, give him my spot! I don't care what happened to me, just grant him Elysium!"

The God of Death, who had remained unmoving the whole time, suddenly looked up to the heavens above them before nodding and looking back to Percy. "My Sisters have spoken…" He finally spoke as he waved his hand over Leonidas' body. "Because of his love for humanity and because of his selfless acts, he shall be granted Elysium." He then looked to Eos who was crying uncontrollably.

"I am truly sorry, Eos, I apologize on my Sister's behalf, they did not wish for the Tapestry of Fate to be weaved in such a way, but not even they, the Fates, can change what is meant to be." He let out a breath as he looked over Leonidas' body. "I am sorry, Eos, but you should say farewell, as you will not be able to be with him as you Fade into the Void. This will be your last day on earth." He then flew off into the dawn, leaving Percy and Eos alone at the edge of Olympus.

The Titaness bit her lip and fought back her tears, drying her face with her hands. As she did so, Percy told her what he promised Leonidas. "Leonidas asked me to find your cabin in Maine… I'll find her, I promise." The Titaness instantly realized what he was saying and broke down into more tears as she hugged him in thanks.

"You are truly an honorable man, Perseus Jackson." She pulled away and looked back to Leonidas. After another minute she looked to the brightening heavens in front of them as the dawn broke over the horizon. "It must be my time, the sun has never rose without me or Leonidas opening the Gates of Heaven…" She looked into the sky again, this time at the night sky that was still visible.

"Let us see if there is enough darkness…" Without another word she slowly rose to her shaky feet and began to swirl her hands in front of her, a mass of shining light appearing in her hands. Wordlessly she threw the lights into the remains for the night sky and the lights formed into new stars above them. Percy felt his breath escape his lips as he made out the outline of the new constellation. "Even if we cannot see one another again, we shall forever be together, my love. I give the heavens the constellation of The Lovers."

The constellation showed two figures, one large and the other small, embracing the over as the larger figures' arm draped over the smaller one. Percy could see the image clear in his mind. It was Leonidas and Eos in a loving embrace. Leonidas was right after all, though not in the way he thought. In the end he and Eos would live in the sky among the stars forever… but they would never be able to see one another in death.

The Titaness began to glow an ethereal golden-red color, she would have been beautiful if Percy didn't know what it meant. "Thank you, Perseus Jackson, for giving my husband's life so much joy these past few months…" A wave of serenity washed over her face as she began to ascend into the sky, the light around her growing brighter and brighter. "And thank you for promising to protect Astraea… tell her how good of a man her father was. Don't let the gods lie about him."

Percy nodded, unable to utter a single word. She smiled as she rose high into the sky before bursting into a shimmering red and gold flash of light.

She had Faded into the Void, returning to Chaos, forgotten by the world.

~If you submitted an OC for THBW you'll get a copy of their artwork if you support me on Pat-reon!~


(Author's Note)

Well shit, now you guys see why this chapter was so hard to write. I've been sat here for around about 12 hours in a single writing session, making sure I get this done for you guys. Hopefully it was well worth the wait and a fitting send off for Leonidas.

I honestly feel… empty right now, with Leonidas gone. I was fine up to the death scene, as I was having a lot of fun writing, but once I got to it I just feel… empty. I've been crafting Leonidas' story and tale of misery for well over a year and now with him gone, and this story almost over, it feels so weird, honestly. I know some people didn't like when I stated this in the beginning in some replies to reviews, but Leonidas was always the main character, not Percy. We may see a good portion of the story from Percy's perspective and even root for him, but this was Leonidas' story since the very beginning.

Well, it's 4:32am right now and I'm too emotionally stunted to sleep, so I think I'll get some unhealthy amounts of caffeine and stay up so I can go to Barnes and Noble in the morning and get started on ch20. I'll try to get that out with a week or two. We have two chapters left, not including an epilogue. I WANT this story to be over by Christmas, let's see if I can or not. Your support with reviews and on Twitter are a HUGE motivation for me, more than you know, so if you want the next chapter sooner then leave a Review and Follow me on Twitter. Also consider supporting me on Pat-reon, I want to get more artwork for characters done, as well as Cover Art done, but I need support to do that, art commissions can get expensive.

Anyway, that's it for now. I'll post updates on Pat-reon and Twitter, follow me on there. Also let me know if I should get an Instagram account for my writing.


Thank you to my wonderful supporter on Pat-reon!

W.R. Winters


Fun Fact: 'Don't know if this qualifies as a fun fact, but I just announced the title, MC and short synopsis of my next SERIES(yes, series) on Pat-reon and it's available to see on any tier! Hint hint, wink wink.' And if you wanna check out the artwork for her, I put both up on Twitter for you guys to vote on your favorite. The winner will be used as the Cover Art for Daughters of Olympus, the series that will be coming out after COO sometime in January. And give me a follow while you're over there! It helps build up my audience and gives me more opportunities to talk to you guys.

Question of the day: Just give me all of your thoughts, feelings and emotions right now and about this story as a whole, I don't care if it's a novels worth or a haikus worth, I'd LOVE to read it. I'll read through and respond to every review or PM I get, so don't worry about it just being lost to the void. I know some authors don't read their reviews(which surprises me, honestly), but I decided years ago to respond to every PM, tweet and review I get.

Next Time: Ch20: Apotheosis