Chapter 8

Bearing the weight of the sky wasn't as bad as it had been when Percy was a mere demi-god, but Gods was it still heavy. Percy grunted as he held the weight on his shoulders, his eyes narrowing in annoyance as he watched Atlas boast about the deal he had struck with the Primordials. They offered him and his brethren freedom from their prisoners, from the rule of the Olympians if they could manage to capture Percy.

Percy hadn't even realized he had been captured until he had awoken with the weight of the sky on his shoulders. He cursed the fact that he had let his guard down enough to be captured by a few Cyclops' and Atlas of all people. Before Percy had taken the weight of the sky, it had been a half-blood from Camp Jupiter. A child of Mars, if his aura had been correct. He was killed almost instantly after Percy had taken the sky, and Percy felt his death in his very being. He swore Atlas would die for what he did to the boy, who couldn't have been any older than 14.

"You know, Perseus, it is not too late to join my masters," Atlas stated as he neared Percy, a sly smirk taking over his features, "I'm sure they would happily replace your place under the sky with someone else. Maybe with one of the more unneeded Olympians. Perhaps that beautiful Aphrodite," Atlas laughed darkly, "I'd love to see her on her knees under the sky. Perhaps with her being restrained, we could have a bit of fun with her."

Percy growled as his eyes flashed angrily, "Never speak of her in such a way again," Percy hissed, "Next time I hear words like that from you speaking of Aphrodite or any of the other Goddesses, I will personally cut your tongue from your mouth."

Atlas laughed as he looked at Percy, "You say this as if I should be afraid of you, boy," Atlas snorted, "You don't scare me. You never have, and you never will. And with you under the sky, you will never be able to touch me."

"Want a bet?" Percy's eyes narrowed silently, "I'd hold your tongue around me, Atlas. You were defeated once before, and you'll be defeated again. That's a promise."

"Not this time," Atlas spoke evenly, "I have been blessed by the Primordials, my power surpasses that of even my old King. My defeat will not be easy, should it ever come. And when my Masters take over the Earth, when they rule over Olympus, I will have my fill of glory and power. I think the first toy I'll play with will be the dear Aphrodite. I do hear she's a rather satisfying lover."

"You've been warned, Atlas," Percy growled.

Atlas waved his hand dismissively, "Consider me warned, spawn of Poseidon. I do sincerely hope you enjoy spending eternity under the sky," Atlas turned to slip through the doors of Mount Othrys, and Percy watched him go silently.

Percy sighed as his head dropped in exhaustion. He shifted the weight of the sky from his shoulders to above his head, his shoulders growing heavy. Percy closed his eyes silently. This wasn't how it was supposed to end. The War wasn't over. Not yet. He refused to believe that this was his end. Doomed to never see his friends again, to never see his father, his mother, his family, Aphrodite. This wasn't meant to be his end. The Fates had a plan for him, he was sure of it. And this wasn't it. He just needed to bear the weight of the sky a while longer. Heroes would come. Heroes would come for him, and then he'd take satisfaction in pushing Atlas back under the sky where he belonged.

"Percy!"

Percy's head snapped up at the sound of his name, and a vibrant grin took over his features at the sight of Piper, Jason, Leo, Calypso, and Annabeth charging towards him, "Well well, took you guys long enough."

"Are you alright?" Piper questioned quickly as she and the others neared Percy.

"Never been better. Ya know despite the whole end of the world as we know it coming along," Percy smiled tiredly, "Listen, Atlas went into the Mountain. You guys have to draw him out, okay? Then you guys will have to work together to get him back under the sky."

"Got it, I'll go and draw him out," Jason offered as he straightened up.

"No need, Spawn of Jupiter, I am already here," Atlas emerged from the doors of the Mountain, "And I've brought friends," his arms opened as monsters emerged from the doors.

"Okay, so this won't be as cut and dry as I made it seem," Percy chuckled nervously, "Don't worry, guys, you got this!" Percy attempted to assure his friends.

"Okay, guys, this is just another battle in yet another war," Jason stated as he armed himself with his gladius.

"We can do this," Piper nodded her head, "Jason, Leo, you two take care of Atlas. Annabeth, Calypso, and I will deal with the monsters."

"Got it," Leo and Jason nodded their heads once, while Annabeth and Calypso prepared themselves for a fight.

Atlas watched the young heroes, and he held his arms out, "Get them," Atlas ordered the monsters. The monsters snarled and growled before charging at the heroes.

Percy watched helplessly from under the sky as his friends charged into battle without him at their sides. Annabeth, Calypso, and Piper seemed to be faring well against the monsters. Which had been no surprise to Percy. Annabeth and Piper were two of the most powerful demi-gods Percy had ever met, and were both rather skilled in combat, especially after the Giant War. Calypso was a powerful enemy in her own right, swift, skilled in combat, and a Titaness. She was easily able to handle herself.

Percy's worry had truly lied with Jason and Leo, who were fighting against Atlas. Jason and Leo were fast, they were strong, and they were powerful. However, Atlas seemed to be faster and stronger than them both. He could tell both of his friends were growing tired and weary in their fight against Atlas, and Percy's worries doubled as Atlas seemed to have noticed as well. As he had switched from the defensive to the offensive.

"Percy!" Percy glanced down to see Annabeth standing before him, "Give me the sky," Annabeth urged, "I can hold it long enough for you to take care of Atlas. Jason and Leo aren't a match for him."

Percy nodded his head once, and Annabeth quickly climbed up to stand beside Percy. Annabeth lifted her hands, and Percy carefully slipped out from beneath the sky, allowing the weight of the sky to slip from his shoulders and onto Annabeth's. Percy hadn't even hesitated, not even for a second. His friends needed his help, and he knew that Annabeth would be strong enough to handle the sky for at least a few minutes. Percy reached into his pocket for Riptide, uncapping it quickly "Atlas!"

Atlas, who had his sword at Jason's throat with Leo who had been lying in a heap on the ground near them, spun his head around to see Percy standing mere feet away from him, sword in hand. Atlas's eyes widened, "H-how-."

"Remember that promise?" Percy's eyes flashed a bright green color, as his lip curled upwards into a snarl, "Now's the time to cash it in."

"Damn what the Masters say, I'll kill you myself, Jackson!" Atlas growled as he tossed Jason to the ground before charging towards Percy, who quickly sidestepped Atlas's strike. Atlas growled as he spun around, lifting his sword to strike again, and Percy lifted Riptide to block the attack, their swords clashing against one another.

"Jason! Leo!" Piper and Calypso raced towards their respective boyfriends to help them into sitting positions.

"Are you okay?" Calypso questioned as she checked Leo over for any major injuries.

Leo groaned as he rubbed the back of his head, "That Titan packs quite a punch," Leo admitted, "My head hurts."

"Percy seems to have no problems taking care of him," Jason commented as his eyes drifted towards the fight between their friend and the Titan, who were matching each other's movements, swords clashing and bodies moving at an alarming speed.

"Percy's a God, that doesn't count," Leo argued, but he too had been drawn into the fight between God and Titan. It appeared that neither of them seemed to be gaining the upper hand, both swiveling around one another, and dodging one another's attacks. However, as the demi-gods had been trained for battle, they noticed a slight difference between the two. While Percy seemed to have been fighting with a renewed energy, Atlas appeared to have been growing tired. His movements were getting sloppy, and one misstep would mean the end of this battle.

Percy knew it as well, which was why he allowed Atlas to continue attacking him. Percy blocked and dodged every attack, and with every movement on his end had been leading Atlas back towards the sky.

'Prepare yourself, Annabeth,' Percy whispered into Annabeth's mind, his focus on Atlas's movements. Percy raised Riptide just in time to block the strike that had been coming towards his chest, and he parried quickly causing Atlas to stumble. Percy took advantage of this, and he stepped to Atlas's right side to send a powerful kick into Atlas's side. Which had sent Atlas hurtling under the sky. Annabeth slipped out quickly, causing the sky to fall at an alarming speed towards Atlas, who had just shifted onto his hands and knees.

The weight of the sky fell onto Atlas's back before he could stop it, and he cried out, "Not again!" He growled as he shifted the sky from his back to his shoulders, "Curse you, Percy Jackson," Atlas snarled as he glared at Percy, "You think this is the end, but more will come. Olympus will fall by my Masters hands, and you will return to this place again. No one is safe."

"I remember another promise I made to you, Atlas," Percy stated as he stepped towards Atlas, and Atlas's eyes widened.

"No, please, no," Atlas pleaded, but Percy ignored his pleading. Percy reached forward to force Atlas's tongue out of his mouth.

"This is your punishment for speaking ill against Aphrodite. Enjoy eternal silence, you bastard" Percy growled as he brought Riptide down rapidly, cutting off the Titan's tongue.

Collective gasps sounded from the Heroes of Olympus as they watched their friend brutally cut the tongue from the Titan General's mouth. Percy dropped Atlas' tongue to the ground before he straightened up slowly, capping Riptide. He turned to gaze upon his friends, and a small, nervous smile appeared on his features, "Sorry about that, guys. But if you heard what he was saying about Aphrodite and the other Goddesses, you would have done the same," Percy stated before he neared his friends, "Are you alright? Jason, Leo?"

"We're fine," Jason nodded his head, "Thanks for saving us back there, Perce."

"Bro! If I thought you were awesome before! You are even awesomer now!" Leo cheered as he stared at Percy in awe, "You are my hero, Percy."

Percy chuckled awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Uh, thanks? But I'm not the hero today. You guys are. I'm sure you'll be rewarded well for rescuing me, but I want to thank you all anyway."

"As if we wouldn't come for you, Percy," Piper rolled her eyes, "God or not, you're still our friend and our kelp head."

Percy grinned at Piper, "I love you too, Pipes," he snorted before he turned to Calypso, "You good?"

Calypso nodded her head, "Atlas hasn't been a father to me since before the First Titan War. I feel nothing for what had to be done today."

"Good," Percy smiled softly before he turned his attention to Annabeth, "You took the weight of the sky for me…"

"You jumped into Tartarus for me," Annabeth waved her hand dismissively, "Call us even, yeah?"

Percy nodded his head once, "Thank you, Annabeth. I know things have been rocky between us, but thank you for coming for me."

"You were my best friend before you were my boyfriend, Percy. I just hope one day we can be the friends we used to be again," Annabeth smiled softly, and Percy hummed before he nodded his head once.

"I think I'd like that," Percy grinned a bit, and Annabeth's smile widened ever so slightly. Percy turned to look at the others once again, "A war is coming, you guys. You'll need to prepare. Train harder than you've ever trained before. I don't know how it will end, or what it will be like, but I do know that if we stick together, we can handle anything."

"We'll be ready, Percy," Jason promised with a nod of his head, and Percy smiled.

"I know you will be," Percy nodded once before he clapped his hands, "Now, I should be getting you guys back to camp then heading up to Olympus. I'm sure they're all worried sick about me up there. Gotta tell them I'm not dead," Percy chuckled.

"Uh, well, ya see, we'd get back by the van, but the Ladon blew that up," Jason rubbed the back of his neck, and Percy snorted in amusement.

"Don't worry about it, I got you," Percy turned to wave his hand, a shadow forming in the center of the room, "That will lead you guys right to Half-Blood Hill. Tell Chiron I said hello, and that I may stop by for a visit soon."

"Sure thing, Percy," Jason nodded as he stepped towards Percy to take Percy's outstretched hand, "Don't be a stranger," he said before he stepped through the shadow.

"Can you teach me to do that?" Leo pointed at the shadow as he stepped towards Percy, and Percy chuckled.

"Maybe someday, get control of that fire first then we'll talk," Percy laughed as he pulled Leo into a bro hug.

"Wicked! I'll do just that, Perce!" Leo grinned before he ran into the shadows.

Calypso stepped towards Percy, and she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, "Did you mean that? That boy doesn't need anymore powers he can't control."

"What's one more ability?" Percy grinned cheekily, and Calypso rolled her eyes.

"If he does something stupid, I'm blaming you," Calypso threatened, though her eyes shined in amusement before she stepped into the shadows.

Annabeth stepped forward next, and she hesitated awkwardly in front of Percy. Percy smiled before he opened his arms, and Annabeth grinned before she stepped into his hold, "Thank you again for taking the sky for me, Wise Girl," Percy whispered to Annabeth, "Take it easy for a few days, alright? I know from experience that holding up the sky while mortal is no joke."

"I will," Annabeth nodded her head as she pulled away, "I'll see you around?"

"Most likely," Percy grinned, "I usually am around."

Annabeth rolled her eyes as she punched Percy in the arm, "See ya, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said before she stepped into the shadows.

Piper stopped before Percy, and Percy looked down at her, "So, are you going to tell my mom you like her too?"

"What makes you think that?" Percy lifted an eyebrow.

"You just cut off a Titan's throat for badmouthing her," Piper pointed to the still whimpering Atlas under the sky, and Percy snorted.

"You've always been way too observant for your own good," Percy rolled his eyes, and Piper shrugged.

"It's a gift. So you gonna tell her?"

"Yeah...I think I will," Percy nodded his head, and Piper squealed as she threw her arms around Percy.

"Good! You both deserve to be happy," Piper grinned before she pulled away, "Let me know how it goes, okay?"

"Sure thing, Pipes," Percy nodded his head, "Now go on before the others grow impatient and jump back through the portal."

Piper snorted, "They would, wouldn't they? I'll see you later, Perce," Piper waved before she ran through the shadows. Percy waved his hand to allow the portal to close.

Percy let out a sigh before he closed his eyes, "I think I need a drink," he huffed before he disappeared into his own portal of shadows.