Until I Bleed Out

Percy stood, overlooking a french countryside, with the windows open, and a breeze blowing towards him. He felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist, and he smiled.

"I was wondering when you'd wake up." He said, not turning.

"I was wondering when you'd come back to bed." Annabeth whispered in his ear. He shivered.

"Do you remember?"

"All of it, Perseus. All of it." Annabeth said, coming to his side. He looped his fingers through hers.

"There's something different about this life, something promising." He said, and he turned to her.

"I can't lose you again, Annabeth." he looked down, at his feet.

"And you won't. This time, it'll be forever. I swear."

"What's next?" Annabeth asked, as Percy wrapped his arms around her, and they faced the countryside.

"Whatever the world brings us. If a war drops into our lap, we'll fight it, and if the gods need us, we will help them." He looked down, and kissed her head. She smiled up at him.

"Forever, my love." he said, and she dragged him back to bed.

It had been six months. The two were now in London, walking through the halls of Buckingham Palace, as Percy admired his girlfriend, and Annabeth admired the workings of the interior.

"It's all so amazing, Percy." She beamed up at him.

"One day we'll live together in a palace more grand than this, in our own world, where no one could touch us."

It had been eight months. The two were now in South Korea, and Percy could not understand how the food worked.

"It all tastes so good… better than anything I've ever had." He grumbled, mid-bite of Bulgogi. His girlfriend laughed. Annabeth could not get over his antics. Percy smiled at her. He could not get enough of her in general. He loved her with all his heart, and could not pick anybody else to be his one true queen.

It had been a year. The two were now in Egypt, inside the Abu Simbel Temples.
"Why are we here again, Percy? Not that I'm complaining." Annabeth asked.
"Do you remember where we first met on Earth?" Percy asked, turning to face Annabeth.

"Here." was all she said.

"Annabeth… We've been destined to spend eternity intertwined, our lives, our destinies are one in one, and inseparable. I've asked it numerous times before, but this time I want to finish it. Will you marry me, Annabeth Chase?" Her hands went to her mouth, tears dropping from her face. He'd proposed, numerous times before, but… she'd died before they'd been able to seal the vows. This ring looked amazing, diamond tracing every outline, it looked so expensive, but money never mattered to either of them, Percy had learned to generate mortal currency from thin air.

"Yes. Always, my warrior, yes." She said, and he stood, smiling wider than ever before, and put the ring on her finger. His arms wrapped around her waist and hers around his neck. They kissed, and they both smiled in the kiss.

Aphrodite bounced into the throne room. Zeus had called a meeting.

"You're awfully happy today, Aphrodite. Care to give any explanation?" Zeus asked.

"The definition of true love has sealed their relationship today! They're to be forever bound, for eternity! Oh my GOODNESS! It's such an amazing day! Uncontested by any others!" She squealed.

Artemis looked confused. "Who are you talking about, Aphrodite?" Aphrodite scoffed.
"Why, Perseus and Annabeth of course!"

Aether and Hemera watched from an unknown location. They frowned.

"His greatest weapon, but his ultimate weakness, that girl is." Aether said.

"I'll slaughter her myself if she stops our brother from returning our family to true glory." a voice said from behind the two, as Tartarus himself walked into the room.

"She will not. She'll only make his hatred for them grow tenfold. It only benefits us." Aether chuckled.

"Does it really benefit us if he is just going to slaughter us in the end?" Hemera asked.

"A brave question, one I do not have the answer to. Mother might, however." The three deities looked upwards, to the night sky.

"Aether and Hemera have confirmed it, brother. Perseus has sealed the marriage." A cloaked figure said, standing in front of a vision orb.

"That throws a wrench in our plans. If he consummates the marriage with her-" another said.

"He'll ascend to true power. His destiny." a third said, almost depressed.

"We cannot allow him to do that." a tall, blonde man said in the corner of the room.

"But he is too powerful for us, even now! Even with the blessings of our lords and ladies, we cannot fight him." a younger one said.

"That will be solved in time, child. Erebus and Nyx has foreseen this, and predicted the marriage between the two. There is still a chance." scolded a black-haired girl sitting in one of the thirteen chairs.

"Perseus Jackson must die. And soon. If he ascends to true power, we'll all be doomed." the cloaked person said.

"Is that the only way he can achieve his final form? Through the consummation?" said the girl.

"To our knowledge, yes. That was the limit that the curse placed on him, and now that it is removed, it is believed that once he lays with his wife, he will become truly unbeatable."

How wrong they were.

X

Percy sat on a bench in New York, outside of a local coffee shop that Annabeth was in. It had been two years since they'd contacted anyone from their world, spending the entirety of that making new friends, and spending it together.

Percy felt the presence of Erebus before he saw him, and felt it close.

Erebus walked calmly, before sitting on the bench, next to Percy.

"Did you know, Erebus, that the mortals have a theory, that for every action, there's an opposite reaction?" Percy said, without turning to the protogenoi.

"No, brother. I did not."

"I know why you are here." Percy said, looking downwards.

"I didn't wish for it to come to this." Erebus said, sadly.
"I don't blame you. There are two sides to every story, and two sides to every war. Gaea only proved it. The deal I struck with my father cannot be taken back, even if it means I am to achieve my destiny, and become what he wants me to become."

"I do not wish to directly fight you, Perseus." Erebus said, not meeting the eyes of his brother.

"Nor do I, however, if it comes to it, I'd rather fight you than force death upon thousands just to settle our grudges." Percy said, turning back to the street.

"Touché, brother."

"Make me one promise, Erebus."

"Within my power." Percy smirked.

"Leave her out of it."

"Done. Your wife will not be touched by anyone beneath me or allied with me."

"Swear it on my name." Erebus choked on his coffee.

"Oaths as such are- dangerous, Perseus."

"And they'll be so much more great when I've ascended into full power, Erebus." Erebus turned to meet Perseus' eyes, only to be met with a devilish grin that made Erebus want to surrender right then and there.

"I swear it on Perseus' name that his lover, Annabeth Nebula Chase will not be touched in this war, by me, anyone serving me, or anyone allied with me."

"I wish you luck, brother." Perseus said, turning back to the street.

"As do I to you, brother. May mother's hand be in your favor."

"May father's be in yours." Erebus flashed out.

X

The monster attacks had increased greatly since the disappearance of the two alleged great heroes and heroines of Olympus, Annabeth Chase and Perseus Jackson. The monsters had banded together, attacking the camps in groups, and the campers were starting to wear out.

No god from Olympus had communicated with a single child in over half a year, as Zeus was forcing the gods to remain silent, inactive, in fear of a new threat on the horizon.
"But we've just defeated Gaea! How can there be a new war?" Artemis questioned.

"There are more powerful beings in the universe than just Gaea, Lady Artemis." Hestia said from the hearth.

"Wheres' Perseus when you need him?"

"Perseus is preoccupied with his own problems, Lady Artemis." A voice said, and a figure appeared in the center of the throne room. Artemis recognized him immediately, the one who told her vividly of her final death, Aether.

"Yes, It is I, the one true great, Aether!" He clapped for himself. None of the Olympians laughed.

"Fine. You don't take jokes, so I won't. Straight to the point." Aether cleared his throat.
"There is a war coming. You have predicted correct Zeus. Within ten years time, there will be a great war upon this land, one that will shake the future of the universe. And it is all centered around Perseus Jackson." The gods gasped. Poseidon rose.

"Where is my son?" Poseidon asked.

"He is not your child, sea god, for he is my brother, the one true son of Order, the most powerful being in existence, and the one true heir to that power." There were audible gasps. Athena rose as well,

"What about Chaos?"

"My mother's power is weak, spread thinly across the universe, unlike her brothers', whose power is tightly compacted in the void. You see, when Chaos and Order have children, the power given to each children is divided separately. Chaos was once powerful as well, never as powerful as Order is, and was, but she birthed five children, the original Protogenoi. From there, the Protogenoi had children, who had children, and down the tree, all leading and spreading out power, with the most recent inheritors and spreaders being you gods. Every power you have, came from your father, which came from Chaos. Every single being in existence is a descendant of Chaos, except for Perseus and Order." Poseidon sat down.

"You think you're powerful? Once Perseus inherits his true power, the full potential of his being, he will be all of you combined, thousandfold. Even us, the Protogenoi, will be but minor insects in his plans of dominance. We believe he will double the power of Chaos in her prime, nearly five millennia ago." Zeus stood, "So why are you here today, Lord Aether?"

"To warn you of the war coming, I suggest you militarize both camps, and make sure that you're prepared. Even now, Perseus grows powerful, so powerful, he has matched that of a Protogenoi, and is now one of us, truly. I have raised an army and champions of my own, and intend on allying with you, and some of my siblings. Erebus, Nyx and Tartarus plan to do the same, and raise their own army."

"Why is this happening, Lord Aether?" Ares asked.

"Gaea has accepted the fate that Perseus has given her, near eternal sleep, but we have not. Our pride runs strong, our egos too large to let our brother uproot us because of his father."

"So who fights who?" Ares continued.
"I have tried reasoning with Erebus. He wishes to remain enemies of the light, as we will remain enemies of the dark. The main goal is to take down our brother, and remain in our positions. I wish not to uproot you, Olympians, only use you as a heavy ally in defeating Perseus."

Zeus looked at Poseidon, who was dumbfounded at the news that his son wasn't his son. Then, to Hades, who shrugged.

"We shall discuss your offer, Lord Aether." Aether nodded, and flashed out.

X

Percy anticipated Erebus' resistance to what is now signed as fate, but he didn't expect the 'Forces of Light,' as they called themselves, interrupting his dinner with his fiancee.

Percy looked into Annabeth's' eyes, and never looked away. He loved her more than anything in the world. Percy was pulled from his thoughts by a tap on the shoulder. Percy looked over, and a twenty year old man in a tuxedo was behind him.

"Perseus Quasar Jackson." Percy's blood ran cold. Anytime anyone brought out his true name, they're most likely trying to kill him.

"How may I help you today?"

"In the name of the light, you're under arrest for treason against Chaos and becoming too powerful." Percy realized there was two of them. They weren't very strong, he could feel the weakness radiating off them. Percy stood up, only to get grabbed aggressively by one of them, and by the other, and dragged outside, and into the alley.

If Percy was being honest, he let them do that. He didn't want to destroy some demigods in front of Annabeth.

As soon as they were clearly in the alley, Percy shook them off him, and stood, his six-four frame towering over the two people.

"How old are both of you?" he asked.

"You have no right to ask questions, traitor!" one spat, and the other looked scared. Percy threw the disrespectful fool into a concrete wall, before looking at the other.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen." the teenager answered, nearly quaking in his boots.

"Who sent you?"
"Uhm- I can't- Uh- Aether." the kid stuttered. Percy sighed. He did not expect two different sides to this. He knew Aether's relationships with much near every one of their siblings was rough, therefore he assumed that he allied with the Olympians.

Percy turned away from the teenager, before going to the other one, who was still spewing nonsense about Aether's rule, and how the light will take over, once again.

"You've been fooled, child." Percy spat, with nothing but malice in his words.

"And you're a traitor. Trying to overthrow Chaos like that."

"You've been fed wrong information, but I do not blame you. You're a mere demigod, a fool." Percy punched the kid in the face, splattering his blood across the pavement. Percy rose, and waved his hand above the unconscious body of the demigod.

"To Tartarus you go, for your shameless insults to my name." and the body sunk, and a clean patch of asphalt took its place, as if there was nothing there before. Percy turned to the other kid.

"Scram."

The kid bolted away as if the devil was chasing him.

Percy walked back, and took his seat opposite Annabeth.

"Everything has just gotten a lot more complicated, my love. But fear not, I have a plan already." Percy smirked.

yes, i plan to continue to update this. i'm having fun. yes, percy is dumb strong, and it's all in good time. :))))