(Uploaded: January 19, 2020)
Chapter 20 Part 1: The Savior of Olympus
(Author's Note)
Hey everyone! Welcome to the second to last regular chapter of Champion of Olympus! Omg I'm not ready! There will be an epilogue that will be used to wrap some things and typical epilogue stuff after chapter 21. Don't know when it'll be out but I'll try to wrap COO up within another week or two. FYI the Epilogue may come out as much as a few weeks after chapter 21, so don't freak when you don't see it immediately. I gotta start getting ready for my next story to come out.
Thanks again for all the new followers on Twitter!(You guys have been KILLING it lately!) I'm slowly revealing characters for both my upcoming SERIES(The Half-Blood Wars & one that'll be announced SOON) on Twitter, along with some artwork I did myself, some I got commissioned thanks to Pat-reon or artwork I found online. You can find short bios for each of them on Pat-reon for any tier. So why not consider becoming a $5 Patron to see sneak peeks of characters before anyone else AND get your name credited in every upload of the month? But seriously, any and all support you guys can give means the world to me, money or not. Can we hit 45 Twitter followers after this chapter? I believe in you guys!
A TON of stuff happened last chapter, so if you somehow didn't read it, or if you just want a refill of the sheer amount of total awesomeness and sadness that I gave you all last time, then go back and read ch19. It also really helps with views and helps you guys remember everything that happened without me devoting several paragraphs to the recap.
Lastly, I have roughly 700-750 people check out my stories whenever I post a new chapter of this story that day, so even if a fraction of you follow me on Twitter, retweet my posts and chapter links, follow me on Wattpad or even support me, then my number of new readers would blow up and expand several times over. So, all I ask is that all few hundred of you reading this(and that is SO HARD to fathom for me, like I can't fully grasp my mind around it!) retweet my chapter links, follow, favorite and share my work with PJO and FanFic fans you know, I'm not asking you all support me on Pat-reon, just asking that you help my readership and following grow, it'll honestly help more in the long run than you know. Plus it's free!
Everything you guys do, helps in more ways than you know! I have been so blessed this last year, you guys are better than I could have ever hoped for! Thank you all and a VERY late happy holidays! Here's to another strong year on FanFiction!
Hephaestus
Thank you to my wonderful supporter on Patr-eon!
W.R Winters
Chapter 20 Part 1: The Savior of Olympus
"Some men do not want to be remembered,
They only want the things they fight for to live longer than they themselves did.
True legends are born from selfless actions,
To fight against any and all odds,
Even if they know they will not succeed..."
Rex Cristallo
[Recap: Shit happened, a LOT of it. So just go back and reread chapter 19, ok? Thanks :) ]
(June 22, 2011 - On a crumbling Mount Olympus)
~A few minutes later~
Percy was still gazing into the awakening heavens above him, the images of Leonidas lying dead in his arms and Eos bursting into flashes of light as she Faded into Chaos, destined to be forgotten by the world, burned into his mind like a white-hot wire when the gods regained their power and hurried over to him.
The Goddess Artemis hesitated when she found him sat quietly at the edge of Olympus, his feet hanging over the endless nothingness of the Void below him. After a head nod from her brother, Apollo, Artemis softly placed a comforting hand on the demigod's shoulder, with the intention to stir him from his thoughts.
He seemed… broken, to Artemis as she asked him if he was alright as Apollo healed his injuries. She did not miss the worried look her brother sent her way as Percy remained silently looking over the Void, his eyes transfixed on it, his mind vacant.
She and Apollo carefully lifted him to his feet as the rest of the gods approached, even if he were in immense pain, his duty was to protect Olympus from anything, to be their last hope and line of defense, and putting on a brave face and hiding his pain was a part of the job as much as Artemis wanted him to rest. Percy would understand, she told herself. He would insist on it if he could.
Poseidon rushed to his son, engulfing his boy in his arms, holding him close. He kept saying he was proud of him over and over as he wept over the thought of losing another son today, as he had lost Triton, his eldest son and heir, before the Titans attacked. But Artemis knew in her heart that Percy's mind was somewhere else as he kept his eyes trained on the unmoving, broken form of Leonidas who lay dead on the ground, a massive bloody hole in his chest. He looked almost peaceful with the two Golden Drachma over his eyes, despite the terrible state he was in, his blackened, thinning skin was graffitied with bloody scars and his armor, which was always kept in perfect condition, was in shambles as it hung off of his lifeless body where Artemis could tell that Percy tried in vain to his injuries despite it being far too little too late.
It didn't take the rest of the gods long to reach them, each one of them avoiding Leonidas' dead body like the plague and instead rushing over to Percy, offering him gratitude for saving them and killing Leonidas. Artemis and Apollo noticed that Percy's eyes, who still watched Leonidas, widened slightly at hearing his name but returned to their normal, hazed state a second later. He still didn't say anything, and that worried the godly twins.
"Come, we must not overwhelm the young man," Queen Hera said as she approached, her eyes scanning the scene before falling upon the lifeless form of her husband, Lord Zeus. "...What happened?" Her voice was soft, just above a whisper as she took small steps to Zeus. "...Husband… Perseus, what has happened?"
"...They're all dead." Percy sudden, soft, almost broken voice caught the attention of the entire group. All of the gods moved closer to him as Apollo healed the Son of the Seas. "Ares, Zeus, Eos and… Leonidas are dead." His eyes remain unmoving as he looked upon the dead form of his brother.
Lady Hebe broke into tears as she looked over her fallen father. Her husband, the recently reformed Heracles, gripped her delicate shoulder in a comforting manner, bringing her into his side as she wailed. He too couldn't keep his eyes from the lifeless body of his son, the only one besides Percy, Athena or Hera that seemed bothered he was dead, to Artemis at least.
She could hear him muttering under his breath, "I failed you, Sarah… I could not protect him…"
All of the countless gods, major and minor, of Olympus gathered in a circle around the fallen King of the Gods, bowing their heads slowly as they sent flashes of light into the sky in remembrance for their lost King. The wakening sky shone with the shining holographic symbols of hundreds of gods and goddesses. All of the gods, bar Artemis and Apollo, who watched the minor gods, or his father Heracles, avoided and ignored Leonidas' discarded body like it was ruble, showing him no attention or mind as they didn't even know that Leonidas fought for them this day, not against them as Zeus had told them.
Lady Hera stepped up to Percy, lowering herself to meet his eye. Her intelligent, multi-colored gaze like shimmering peacock feathers watching him as if she were testing him. "What happened to my husband? What happened to Zeus?" She asked in a whisper so low that only Apollo and Artemis heard because they were so close. "H-how did he die?"
Percy's mouth opened and a few seconds later came his mumbled, hollow reply. "It was his Fate… nothing could have been done…"
"...Are you sure?" Hera asked in a whisper, her eyes focusing on him more, as if she were avoiding talking about something only they knew in front of Artemis and Apollo. She moved forward a fraction of an inch as she inspected him, her eyes studying Percy for a few seconds before noticing Artemis' confused questioning look and moved back promptly, offering Artemis a noticeably fake comforting smile. She still spoke in a barely audible whisper. "...If that is what you say, Perseus… then that is what happened."
Without preamble she rose to her feet and turned on the spot, addressing the countless gathering of gods like the Queen she was. "Hear me! Gods and Goddesses of Olympus!" She moved forwards as she addressed the crowd, her voice strong and firm, unlike Artemis expected right after she learned that her husband had been murdered in cold blood by her own grandson.
"I bring to you all unbearable news… Lord Zeus, King of the Gods, my husband, has fallen in defense of Olympus during the Titan's attack. His murderer… was the vile mortal son of Heracles that allied with the Titans to destroy us. Leonidas killed Zeus, but was killed by Perseus who was unfortunately unable to stop Leonidas in time."
Artemis stiffened as she held Percy while Apollo healed him. THAT WASN'T WHAT HAPPENED! She screamed to herself, her fury so clear on her face that Apollo halted his healing for a second to look at her, his own fist clenched tightly in rage. Hera knew that Leonidas had allied with the gods and hadn't allied with the Titans! It was her idea to grant him power to aid him in the fight! So why was she lying?!
Artemis almost rose to her feet in her rage but stopped short when Apollo tightly gripped her wrist, his usually care-free eyes hard and boring right into her. He spoke in a whisper, his voice so low that she could barely even hear it. "Only Hera, Hebe, Heracles, Athena, you and I know of Leonidas' true honor, Artemis." He forced out quickly, his eyes scanning the crowd that listened to Lady Hera to make sure they didn't overhear him. "Only we know that he allied with us, father lied to Olympus that Leonidas was fighting with the Titans. The other gods CAN'T know that father was willing to sacrifice ALL of Olympus to kill him." He shook his head slightly, his comforting eyes settling on his sister. "We do not know what happened to father, Artemis, we don't know if Leonidas killed him or not. But it's most likely that he did."
"Olympus will fall into chaos if they learn the truth… so even if it tarnishes his name…" He let out a held breath as his eyes moved to Percy who was silently watching Hera speak lies to the gods and goddesses about Leonidas. "The world CANNOT learn the truth. Leonidas MUST bear the blame for destroying Olympus. He KILLED father, Artemis, that is what everyone must think, even if it isn't true. No one but Percy was there, Artemis, so ONLY HE knows the truth. It could have been a Titan, or it could have been Leonidas… but either way, he MUST be blamed."
Lady Hera continued speaking to the crowd, her voice hard and emotionless. "It is only because of the brave actions of this honorable demigod that we are all here this morning. If it were not for Perseus, then Olympus, as well as the entire world, would have fallen to the Titans and Leonidas. So, thank you, Perseus." Hera paused slightly to gesture her arm at Percy, giving him a discreet apologetic look. This was the only way, the gods couldn't know the truth as she did. Only she saw the true outcome of this day… and only she could be blamed for the fate of her husband… but the gods and the world couldn't know that. So even if it pained her to do it, she lied through her teeth about how great her husband was and how he defended Olympus with his life despite her secret hatred for him and the fact that he had only joined the battle to kill Leonidas and Percy, NOT defend Olympus and the world.
If she were to reveal to the gods what really happened… then they would no doubt turn on her and Olympus would fall into ruin without anyone ruling it. So for the time being, until someone new sat on the throne and Olympus stabilized, she would pretend to be the ever-loyal, doting, heartbroken wife of the fallen King of the Gods to ensure that the foundations of change planted today by Leonidas would sprout and bear fruit of love and peace like he wanted.
She removed her eyes from Percy, who had been staring into hers, and continued to address the crowd. "My husband shall be forever remembered as the kind, caring, wondrous man he was for all of time." Hera felt sick saying those lies, her husband was not a good man, husband or King, and she was only loyal to him as his wife out of duty as the Goddess of Marriage. The man forced her to marry him after raping her all those millennia ago, but the gods and goddesses couldn't know that, they must remember him as the idealized man they thought him as, or else Olympus would crumble. "Come, let us tend to our wounded and begin rebuilding Olympus. Council members," she looked behind her to where the Olympian Council still stood around Percy. "Gather your most loyal children, mortal and Immortal, and meet me in the Throne Room. There is much we must discuss." Then without notice she flashed away, leaving them behind.
~ Just a Page Break reminding you to Follow me on Twitter~
It would have been humorous seeing Poseidon carrying his powerful and almost mythical son to the Throne Room if it had not been for the circumstances.
It was a few minutes after the crowd of gods and goddesses left when the Olympian Council began heading to the Throne Room as they summoned their godly and demigod children to them. Artemis gave one last look to Leonidas' dead and broken body that had just been left and discarded on the war-torn ground as Zeus' had been delicately collected by his soldiers and taken for a proper burial.
Only Hades seemed to linger over his body for a minute, but Artemis assumed that was just because of his role as God of the Dead, as he did not know that Leonidas had been aligned with Olympus in the final battle like Artemis, Apollo, Hera, Athena, Hebe and Heracles did. He still believed what Zeus had told the rest of Olympus; that Leonidas had tricked Percy into befriending him, killed two campers, was blamed for killing several minor gods and goddesses that happened to Fade the last few weeks because of the Promised Day and attacked Olympus alongside the Titans and Monsters. Soon, even the Lord of Death left the lifeless body without so much as a nod of his head to respect the mortal that helped save Olympus and the world.
"We can't just leave him, Apollo." Artemis spoke to her brother after Poseidon carefully took his son from their hands and began carrying him with the group as they left. "Leonidas saved Olympus. He gave his life to defend us and the world from the Titans and Monsters… it would be the highest disrespect to treat him like the enemy! Every demigod deserves to be given a burial fit for a hero."
Apollo put a hand on her shoulder, looking to the fallen Savior of Olympus. "*sigh* I know how you feel, sis, but what would you have us do? Tell all of Olympus and the demigods that father was lying about Leonidas? How he was Hades-bent on sacrificing and destroying Olympus and the world just to kill Leonidas and Percy? That for the last year and a half that he had been lying to every god and demigod? Olympus would fall into a civil war if that were to happen. We would have to tell them the truth about everything, and that would bring Olympus to its knees. Olympus had already been split down the middle, siding with either father or us about Percy. We were at risk of a civil war, and that was before uncle Poseidon even knew of father's plans. Imagine what would happen if he knew that father had tried several times to kill Percy. It would mean war." He shook his head as he gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "I'm sorry, but it's the only-"
"It doesn't have to be the only way." She cut him off sharply, her gaze transfixed on Leonidas' fallen body. "You saw as well as I that the Fate Sisters granted him Immortality, they chose him to protect us! Now we're just supposed to forget about his sacrifice and spit on his memory like Hera wants?"
"Hera doesn't want that," he corrected, his shoulders slumped. "And I could tell that Percy understands that too, but in order to keep Olympus united without a King, we need an enemy to blame… and with all the Titans dead and Monsters gone… Leonidas shall be that enemy. Even in the grave."
A low growl escaped her lips. "But he saved us!" She protested. "He might not have always been loyal to us, but he was a great hero, a great man, one I would gladly put alongside Percy-"
"Then if he was such a great man and hero…" Apollo cut her off before pausing slightly. "Then Leonidas would be willing to let his name be destroyed if it kept Olympus from falling into civil war. He, like Percy and all the greatest heroes of the world, would have rather never have been remembered for what they accomplished than let what they were fighting for never be in the first place."
Apollo was just a pissed as her, Artemis knew that, but it didn't help the hole in her heart that grew in pain as she thought about the injustices they were giving him. Percy may have been their Champion, but Leonidas was their Savior.
Letting out one last breath, Apollo began to lead Artemis away from the edge of Olympus, letting her stop to watch as a group of Zeus' warriors- who had been noticeably absent in the attack on the city- push Leonidas' broken body over the edge of Olympus unceremoniously with their spears. Discarding him like a dead animal, a piece of trash… a Monster, instead of the Savior of Olympus. As his broken, bloody and beaten, lifeless body fell into the Void of nothingness from all which once came and all will one day go, Artemis feared that the world would soon forget Leonidas the Man and instead remember him as Leonidas the Monster.
~Just a Page Break asking you to support me on Pat-reon if you can~
Poseidon put his son down beside Annabeth's medical bed. With Asclepius and Apollo back to full health, the two medical gods would have no trouble fully healing the daughter of Athena and bringing her out of her healing coma.
"That's it, son, easy does it." Poseidon helped Percy find his shaky feet before leaving him alone with the girl who was quickly waking up once he knew his son was going to be fine on his own.
Percy's head was still spinning when he heard her voice, his heart, the sights and sounds around him, the very earth stopped spinning. "...We're staying together…" Something took his hand and he felt the strength he had been missing since she was taken from him return all at once. "You're not getting away from me… Never again…"
Tears burst from his shaky eyes as he engulfed her body. "As long as we're together…" He buried his head in her hair, letting his emotions loose for the first time in weeks, maybe even months since Chiron left and everything was put on his shoulders. So he cried like a baby, and she held him, because she knew he'd be there when she woke up. Because they loved one another.
"Wisegirl…" He mumbled from her hair after a few minutes. "Never do that to me again. I can't lose you."
She smiled as she squeezed him tighter, not wanting to let him go. "I couldn't help it…" She mumbled in reply as a smile crept on her face. "It was instinct… I'm too used to saving your butt because you won't look behind you."
Percy let out a few soft chuckles, relishing in feeling the warmth of her skin again. The sensation he had missed the last few weeks as he lay in bed alone, unable to sleep because she wasn't next to him. Now he knew how she felt whenever he left on a Quest or mission from the gods without her, no wonder she got so emotional whenever he broke his promises to stop working for the gods.
"I know, I'm so lucky to have you, Beth." He then slowly pulled back so that he could sit on the edge of the bed, looking into her eyes as he grabbed her hand.
"Annabeth… I'm finishing the promise I made to you." He mumbled softly, brushing the ruffled hair from her stormy grey eyes. "The one you wouldn't let me finish before I left with the Hunters…" He let out a calming breath, his shoulders relaxing from their tensed position for the first time in countless months. "That was my last fight… I'm done." He stopped his movement and looked deep into her eyes, seeing the realization in them. He tore the necklace that held his Trident and Camp Half-Blood beads from his neck, tossing it on the bed next to him. "I'm ready… to move past of all this… To leave the Greek world, forever… with you."
Her breath hitched, her brilliant mind stopping as she looked him over, not detecting any lies in his eyes. Tears formed in her eyes as she hugged him, mumbling in his ear. "You're willing to give it all up? Everything you've accomplished?"
"Anything for you, Annabeth. The greatest thing I've ever accomplished was getting someone as beautiful and smart and perfect to love someone as messed up and stupid as me." He whispered back, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I've had the feeling that this was going to be my last fight for awhile… and now I'm ready for the fighting to be over… I can't see anything like this again, I can't take it."
Annabeth sensed the change of tone in his voice. She pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. "...What happened?" She asked as she noticed that she was in the Olympian Throne Room. "Last thing I remember was Leonidas fighting us in the Big House… what happened after that?"
So Percy told her everything that happened, letting her know how Leonidas accidentally injured her, how he fled from camp and how Percy and the Hunters had tracked him to Maine to talk. How Leonidas was secretly the son of Heracles, along with with mother, Sarah, being a daughter of Athena and how she had attended Camp back in the day. Annabeth said it made sense, with Leonidas being so secretly clever and talented in battle, being a Legacy of Athena would do that.
He told her how he and Leonidas talked and how Leonidas believed that he was chosen by the Fates and Chaos herself to change the Fate of the world and kill Zeus and Ares. And how Percy honestly believed him, the world would be better off in his opinion.
How Leonidas had sworn off his revenge and mission to kill all of Olympus, instead choosing to protect it against the Titans and Monsters on the Promised Day. With his selfless sacrifice saving not only Manhattan and the demigods and gods that defended it, but the very world as well. If it were not for Leonidas defending the walls of Olympus when Percy was in the Throne Room, he believed that all of Olympus would have fallen.
How Leonidas had been married to the Titaness Eos, sister of Helios, the Titan of the Sun and Selene, the Titaness of the Moon, daughter of Hyperion, the Titan of the East. Annabeth wondered if Eos had hated Percy for killing her father in the Battle of Manhattan, but Percy told her that Eos was instead aligned with the gods.
He also told her that Leonidas and Eos had a child of their own, Astraea, and how Leonidas asked him to take her in now that he and Eos were dead.
"Then, as he was dying…" Percy continued telling her the events of the last two weeks, ending on Leonidas' Fate. "He asked me to travel back to Maine to their cabin and find Astraea. He asked us to take her in as our own, alongside our child." He gently placed his hand on her stomach, giving it a loving tap.
Annabeth seemed shocked for a moment, mostly because she didn't know Percy knew she was pregnant, but also because of the idea of taking in a child. But after knowing what she knew now, as well as getting to know Leonidas at camp, she couldn't turn his child away when she had no one else. "...You know I'm…"
"Pregnant?" He asked. She nodded, slightly worried that he would be upset. "Lady Hera and Lady Eileithyia told me… they assumed I knew."
She took his hand. "I'm so sorry, Percy." She apologized as she squeezed his hand. "I swear that I was going to tell you, but the doctor told me that miscarriage risks would be high for another few weeks or so, and I didn't want to risk-"
"It's okay, Beth." He cut her off softly. "I understand, I do. I know you wouldn't keep it from me… Thalia told me you were going to tell me but Leonidas happened and well, you know."
She hesitated a second. "...So you're not mad?"
He scoffed, hugging her close. "Of course not. All I need to be happy is you, Beth."
She gave an involuntary giggle when he kissed her cheek in a goofy way. "Then I guess that means the two of us just became a family of four, huh?"
Percy's eyes widened, letting out a groan. "Ah man, I am so not ready for that."
She smiled. "Don't worry, babe, you'll be the best dad in the world."
Percy opened his mouth to talk but stopped himself when Athena stepped forward silently, not wanting to interrupt the young couple but unable to stay away from her daughter any longer. Annabeth's eyes lit up when she saw her. "Mom!"
"Annabeth!" The Goddess of Wisdom ran over to her daughter, engulfing her in her arms. "It is so good to see you! How are you? Apollo assured me that you were alright but I wanted to make certain that-"
"I'm fine, mom. Don't worry." She reassured her mother, letting go and pulling back to lay back down against the large number of pillows. "...So… do you know?" She tested the waters with her mom, not knowing if she knew the news yet. It was her mother that she was the most worried about.
The goddess stiffened for a moment, looking to Percy and Annabeth instantly knew she knew. Crap. The goddess studied him for a second before looking back to her daughter. "You know that I do not condone children of mine having children of their own out of wedlock, Annabeth. It goes against the will of Hera as the Goddess of Marriage to do so… And I will not allow such an accomplished daughter of mine to birth a child outside of marriage, such a thing was a disgraceful thing in Ancient Greece. So there's only one thing to do…" She paused to look at Percy before a small smile crept on her once-stern face.
"...To finally give Percy my blessing to have your hand in marriage." Her face broke out into a full smile as Annabeth cried out in happiness, pulling her mother in for a tight hug.
"Are you serious, mom?" Annabeth cried as she brought Percy into the hug as well. The son of Poseidon finding it weird to be in a group hug with Athena of all people. "Thank you thank you thank you!"
"I am sorry I took this long to give my blessing, both of you." She stood back up and looked to the pair of them. "But I was too blinded by my hatred for Poseidon to see the love you have for my daughter, Percy. As well as how good of a man you are and how good of a husband you will be for my daughter."
"Thank you, Athena." He offered her his hand after rising to his feet as well. "I promise that I'll take care of her."
"That is all I can ask." Athena returned the handshake before gesturing to the gods and recently flashed in demigods gathered in the center of the Throne Room. "But we can discuss the logistics later, first Hera wishes to speak with us and she requests that both of you be in attendance."
[To be continued on Part 2]
Thank you to my wonderful supporter on Patr-eon!
W.R Winters
(Author's Note)
Well, it was short and VERY late, but I hope you guys liked Part 1 of Ch20, I just wanted to get something out after not uploading anything for over a month. I'll continue working on Ch20 Part 2 right after I post this and as much as I can tomorrow. It's LONG overdue.
Show your support by leaving Reviews, Following/Favorting on FF and Following me on Twitter to make me more motivated to work faster! Can we hit 45 Followers on Twitter after this gets posted? I believe in you guys!
Fun Fact: Leonidas has never used a computer or phone. Or the internet! He doesn't like modern technology all that much, with the most recent piece of it he has is an old record player Eos owns. As you guys will see soon… hint hint, wink wink…
Question of the day: 'What's your favorite Monster or Creature in the Percy Jackson universe?'
Next Time: Ch 20 Part 2: Apotheosis
