Chapter 6: My Sister's Keeper
~San Francisco~
Zoe POV
We landed right by the harbor in San Francisco the next morning and spooked a few homeless people in the process. Chuck and Hank waved goodbye and the four of us stretched out any kinks from the ride. "We need to find Nereus," I said and Thalia looked at me confused.
"He knows just about everything, if we catch him, we can ask him about the monster that Lady Artemis was tracking," I said and everyone nodded in agreement, but Percy started to venture off toward the water before we caught on. "Percy?" I asked and he pointed at an old man sitting on the pier.
He had a white beard that was yellowing severely and a blue sweat suit with a red beanie cap on his head. "He reeks of rotten fish and seaweed," Percy said, wrinkling his nose and I looked back and forth between the two. I turned toward Thalia and Grover and said, "Okay, now we just need to catch him."
Thalia just pointed back to the old spirit of the Sea and I saw Percy wrestling with him in his grasp. I sighed and we all rushed to join him. "Oh no! Not the water!" I heard Percy yell in mock horror and Nereus fell right for it. After several transformations into sea creatures and no such luck, the old man of the sea gave up
"Alright one question per capture, go ahead," Nereus grumbled. "How do we find the Bane of Olympus?" I asked and he snorted. "Easy," he said and pointed in the water and sure enough, there was Bessie. Before we could say anything more, Nereus vanished.
"I'm such an idiot," Grover said and we all looked at him. "That's the Ophiotaurus!" he exclaimed and my eyes widened, but Thalia and Percy were still in the dark. "The Fates proclaimed that if you were to kill it and sacrifice its entrails, you would be given the power to overthrow the Gods," I told them and I noticed the power crazy spark in Thalia's eyes.
Shaking my head, I turned to Percy. "Percy, you have to ask you know who to escort it to Olympus for safe keeping," I said and he scowled severely. "I really don't want to do that," he muttered but I snapped at him. "We don't really have a choice!" He flinched at my voice and I immediately regretted it. "Please," I said softly.
"I'll go with Bessie," Grover said finally. "Fighting isn't my forte anyways," he added and we all nodded. Percy knelt at the water's edge and petted Bessie. "Lord Poseidon, please allow Grover Underwood and the Ophiotaurus safe passage through your domain and protection in Olympus… and I'll consider not hating your entire existence," Percy said but muttered the last part under his breath.
The water glowed slightly and Percy gestured for Grover to get on. We bid each other luck, and it was time to go face my sisters.
We commandeered a car and quickly drove up to Mount Tamalpais as we could only enter the Garden at sunset. "What is this place?" Thalia asked as the fog settled in heavily. "This is the entrance to the Garden of the Hesperides," Percy said softly and Thalia nodded. "And why does Zoe look so pale?" she asked.
We came into the clearing of the tree that held the Golden Apples of Immortality with Ladon curled around the base. My four sisters shimmered into existence and all scowled at me. "Hello, Sisters," I said and Thalia went wide-eyed.
"We only see a traitor," one of my sisters said and a kunai flew past her ear and left a small cut on her cheek. I turned to look at Percy. "Be careful as to how you address my sister, otherwise Ladon's heads will not be the only ones that roll today," he said with ice in his voice. "Ladon, Wake!" my sisters called and I cursed.
"I'll distract Ladon while you make it up. I'll vapor travel right behind you don't worry," Percy said and took off to attack the 100-headed dragon. He was doing well to avoid any and all of the heads for a time, blocking and parrying with his blade when he needed to. He knew I held a soft spot in my heart for the dragon, so he didn't harm it any more than necessary.
His luck would run out, however as he got battered by one of the heads and another was on him before he could recover. "No!" I yelled as Thalia kept moving and I blocked the head with my knives, but a second head nicked my lower leg. Not enough to notice unless one truly looked, but his poison was already in my system. 'No use crying over it. It was always going to be like this,' I thought bitterly.
Percy wrapped his arms around me in a flash and vapor traveled us to Thalia. "Are you guys okay?" she asked and we both nodded and ate a quick piece of ambrosia before pressing forward to get Lady Artemis. 'Percy's never going to forgive me for this one,' I thought as we came upon Milady in chains.
3rd Person POV
"MOM!" Percy yelled, confusing Thalia and rushed forward to Artemis. "N-No! It's… a trap," she managed to get out only to have the sound of applause echo throughout the chamber as Atlas appeared. "A treacherous daughter, a bastard of Artemis, and the prophecy child. What a sight indeed," he said smugly and all three members growled.
Luke then appeared with Annabeth in chains and monsters in tow, making Thalia snarl. "You traitor!" she yelled and Luke just laughed. "Join us Thals. The gods don't care about you. Call the Ophiotaurus here, it will come to you," he said and Thalia summoned her spear and Aegis in response.
"Thalia, you take Luke. Percy, you free Annabeth and take the monsters. I'll hold my father off until you can join me," Zoe said in her lieutenant tone that left no room for argument. Percy unsheathed Kurouzu from his back and the trio launched into combat.
Percy vapor traveled to Annabeth and cut her chains. "Here, take these and help however you can but stay safe," he said as he handed her his hunting knives. He could tell she wanted to ask a million questions, but that wasn't the time. Percy then raced off manipulating the winds around him to exponentially increase his speed and deflect any airborne attacks that were headed for him.
Thalia was dueling Luke one on one and holding her own. Spear and shield against one-handed sword. Zoe was engaging her father, fighting against both him and the clock of Ladon's poison, though the others didn't know that latter part. Annabeth jumped in the monster hunting with Percy and was doing what she could, but Percy was handling most of it.
Percy POV
I was not in a good mood. Something about the entire situation and atmosphere just felt so incredibly wrong. But with no idea as to what it was, I held Kurouzu in my right hand and a kunai in an icepick grip in my left and decimated every monster I could. I was a blur of destruction as I weaved in and out of forces, too fast to be stopped.
'We need to do something about Atlas. We need mom,' I thought as I snuck a peak at Zoe.
Thalia POV
I was blocking Luke's strikes with Aegis as I cornered him closer and closer to the edge of the mountain. Luke was never easy to fight to begin with due to his immense skill with the blade. Then there was the fact that he used to be family, making me hesitate ever so slightly when I went to attack.
However, I steeled myself and pressed further. I ducked under a swing, dropping to a knee and bashed Aegis into one of his knees, making him crumble and leveled my spear at his throat. "Surrender, Luke. Just stand trial and we can fix this and be a family again," I said and my voice cracked a little. To my surprise, he laughed and thrust himself forward into my spear.
Before I could scream, I pulled my spear back enough for him to bat it away with his sword and he rose with only a small cut on his throat. "You can't beat me, Thalia. Join me. Join the Titan's and let's right the wrongs of the Gods," he said and I clenched my jaw and lowered my guard to bait him.
"You turned your back on our family, Luke," I said quietly and sent a charge of lightning into his chest that sent him over the edge of the mountain. I didn't dare look down. Instead, I turned to help Annabeth and Percy with the monsters.
Zoe POV
I was not having an easy time, while fighting my Father. He was taunting me relentlessly and his javelin strikes were heavy. Heavy and there were a lot of them. "Come, daughter. I will kill you by my own hand," he cooed at me and Ladon's poison seemed to remind me in that moment that there was no way to avoid that Fate.
But I'd have rather gone to Tartarus than give up then. So I steeled myself and grit my teeth before charging again with renewed fervor. 'For Milady. For Percy,' I yelled internally.
Percy POV
The monsters that were present were decimated enough and I left Annabeth and Thalia in charge of the remainders. I looked to Zoe and with wide eyes, vapor traveled to block a fatal blow for her. "Easy there, Sis," I said with a smirk and Atlas mirrored my facial expression.
"So the Bastard comes to play," he cooed and I snarled in anger and increased my speed with the winds. Zoe transitioned to Anaklusmos from her knives now that I was helping; we didn't need double speed. We worked in flawless tandem as we had done hundreds of times and it was likely a sight to be held.
Then I started to notice I was intercepting more strikes for Zoe than I should have. 'Why is she so tired?' I thought as I sprinted in to parry another javelin thrust and countered it with a kick to the chin, making Atlas stumbled back. I made the mistake of looking back to Zoe and got caught by the hulking fist of the Titan General.
My vision was hazy at best, but I noticed I landed near Mom. I shook the stars out of my eyes and did a quick back and forth between Zoe and Mom. I quickly slashed her chains and got underneath the sky with her. "What are you doing?!" she hissed at me.
"Prophecy. Go. Save Zoe," was all I got out as I was getting crushed from the weight. Then the weight mathematically doubled, but it felt like an exponential increase. I was sweating profusely after 30 seconds of holding it and my muscles felt like someone had poured molten ore into all of them.
'Hold. Just hold. A monster like you can hold this,' I told myself and looked up toward the battle and my world shattered. I looked up in time to see Mom on the ground with a javelin flying toward her. At the last second, Zoe dove in front of it and it pierced through her lower abdomen with a sickening squelch.
I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. If one looked through my eyes, they would have seen Mother attack with a renewed primal rage. Then I noticed the cut on Zoe's lower leg and the green tinge to it. 'Ladon's poison… why didn't you say anything,' I thought and my heart shattered again.
I couldn't hear anything. Deafening silence overtook me as the last line of the prophecy echoed in my head. 'One shall die by a parent's hand. One shall die by a parent's hand. One shall die by a parent's hand,' was a broken record in my mind. I didn't snap out of it until Atlas collided with me, taking his rightful place back under the sky.
I shakily stood up, numb from the weight of the sky sure, but emotionally numb from what had just unfolded. I collapsed on my knees by Zoe's side and she looked at me. "Why didn't you say anything?" I whispered. She grabbed my hand and said, "It was already written in fate. I knew the moment the prophecy was given," she croaked and the angry tears started to fall.
Anger at her. Anger at the Fates, but mostly; anger at myself. I was weak. So incredibly weak. "No… NO THAT LINE COULD BE ABOUT ME! MOM'S RIGHT HERE!" I yelled frantically and lifted my head to the skies as the tears continued to fall. "FATES! FULFILL THE PROPHECY WITH ME!" I yelled and turned to my mom, the tears only increasing. " MOTHER KILL ME! LET ZOE LIVE! I'M THE MONSTER, KILL ME AND SAVE HER!" came the hysteric cries that fell on deaf ears.
Zoe squeezed my hand again, but I could only look at the wound that I should have taken. "It should've been me… I-I'm the m-mistake. I-I'm the mon-ster. I-I w-wasn't m-meant to e-even be a-alive. I-It should've b-been me, Z-Zo!," I sobbed at her side, silently praying to every god out there to take me instead. I vaguely recognized the sniffles of Thalia and Annabeth around me.
Zoe squeezed my hand so tight in anger that she broke one of my fingers. "Don't ever say that. You gave me and Lady Artemis and the Hunt… so much to look forward to. So much life, hap-piness, and lo-love," she said and her voice was only a whisper as the tears didn't stop streaming down my face.
I didn't notice anyone else's tears or expressions, but I was told later that they weren't much better off than I was. Zoe let go of my hand and grabbed Anaklusmos in hairclip form and pressed it into my hand, causing another bout of tears and hysteric cries. "A b-blade… for o-one of t-the… g-greatest h-heroes and m-men I've ever m-met... F-for my b-best friend," she finished with me and turned toward Thalia.
"T-Take care of h-him... for me," she said and Thalia could only nod as her own tears fell. "H-Have I served w-well, Milady?" she asked and Mom broke into a watery smile and nodded, not trusting her words. Zoe nodded in response and stared up to the sky as a smile crept onto her face. "The stars… I-I get to s-see the stars… Milady," she whispered and her breathing grew fainter and fainter until it ceased. The smile that was relieved of all tension etched on her face and in my mind, permanently.
I let out a howl of sorrow and anger as the tears finally stopped falling from my face and my powers responded. After my vocal chords gave out, I watched Mother take part of Zoe's essence and put it in Anaklusmos, while the rest of it disappeared into the moonlight. I watched it ascend up and up until I noticed a new constellation in the sky. A beautiful figure with a bow, tracking her prey across the night sky.
"The Huntress," I whispered and Anaklusmos began to glow and change forms. A pen for Steven, a hair clip for Zoe, and now a necklace locket for me. A locket with wave patterns and a miniature Anaklusmos on the outside, and The Huntress constellation and a memory of us on the inside, grinning like idiots with our faces together cheek to cheek.
There were no hysterics this time. Silent tears fell down an emotionless mask as Mother finally spoke. "We need to get to Olympus. Gather hands," she said and we disappeared in a flash of silver light.
3rd Person POV
The figures appeared in the middle of the Throne Room of Olympus. Artemis grew to her Godly height and joined her fellow Olympians in her throne. Annabeth and Thalia gawked at the design of the Throne Room, though Annabeth more so than Thalia. The last figure just stood there with bloodshot eyes, grasping his new necklace tightly.
Artemis felt horrible for the loss of Zoe because of how it affected her, but she had never seen her son so distraught. "Daughter," Zeus began, "We're glad to have you back. Are these the demigods who led the quest?" Artemis nodded and Dionysus cut in, "Along with the satyr Grover Underwood who saw to the safe return of the Ophiotaurus, and the late Bianca Di Angelo who perished saving them in the Junkyard of the Gods."
Zeus nodded to his son and turned his attention back to the demigods present. "Introduce yourselves demigods," he said. Annabeth stepped up first and knelt at Zeus's throne then at her mother's. "I am Annabeth Chase, Lord Zeus. I was captured by the Titans and they freed me when they freed Lady Artemis," she said and Zeus nodded while Athena smiled at her daughter.
Thalia knelt at her father's throne. "Hello, Father." Zeus beamed at his child and turned his attention to the final demigod just standing there. Everyone's interest peaked on him. Artemis was worried for her son, Hestia could feel the grief rolling off of him in waves, Athena watched him with curiosity, and Poseidon looked at him like he should have known him.
Thalia elbowed him lightly to snap him out of it and he did. However, he knelt at his mother's throne first, before he knelt in front of Hestia, then he knelt at Athena's, and finally kneeling at Zeus' throne. This confused and annoyed many of the gods present.
"Why do you kneel at my throne last, boy?" Zeus asked and Artemis and Thalia were sweating where they were. "I simply knelt in order of those I respect, Lord Zeus." was his casual, uncaring reply. Annabeth went wide-eyed, Thalia face-palmed, and Artemis paled. "Who are you, demigod?" Zeus asked, more curious than offended.
"I am Perseus Jackson, Son of Artemis," he said and the Throne Room erupted into chaos. Zeus launched his Master Bolt into the sky and whirled on Artemis. "YOU BROKE YOUR OATH?!" he roared and Percy appeared in front of Artemis' throne with Kurouzu drawn. "Do not threaten my mother until you listen to her story, Grandfather." the boy spat with no fear of the repercussions.
Zeus narrowed his eyes and Ares leaned forward in anticipation. Poseidon sat dumbfounded by the news that his son was even alive. "I found him eight years ago in the woods outside of New York. He was about to be killed by a hellhound and I saved him and took him in. I have not broken my oath, Father," Artemis stated calmly and Zeus stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Very well, but who's child is he originally?" Zeus asked.
"Perseus," Poseidon whispered and the boy flinched and began shaking in anger. Zeus whirled around on Poseidon in a blink and Artemis shrunk from her throne to pull Percy into a hug and turn him away from the Sea God.
"You broke the oath. Twice?" Zeus spat through a clenched jaw and Poseidon looked down in shame before numbly nodding. A shouting match broke out again amongst them as Artemis calmed her son. He wiped stary tears from his eyes and she gave him a kiss on the forehead before he steeled himself and went back to the middle of the Throne Room.
With a large clap of his hands, thunder boomed throughout the Throne Room and everyone turned to Zeus except for Artemis who stared at Percy with wide eyes. Zeus looked around frantically. "T-that… wasn't me," he said and everyone turned their attention to the half-blood in question.
"H-How?" Poseidon asked and Percy turned to face him. Everyone in the room could tell that it was a look of unquenchable anger and hatred. "Because you are not my father. I know what you did Poseidon," Percy hissed viciously yet ominously and the Council was confused. Poseidon paled, Hera looked uneasy, and Artemis grimaced.
"What is he talking about, Brother?" Zeus asked and Poseidon paled further. "He wasn't the first God to take an interest in my birth mother and in his jealousy and lust, he replaced her memories of my true father with himself thanks to Hera, seeing how uncomfortable she is," Percy said coldly and it only grew colder.
"What neither of you knew, was I had already been conceived when you took her for your fucking twisted amusement," Percy spat and Poseidon growled. "I loved her boy!" he yelled, but Percy's voice was louder and projected through the air with his abilities. "NO, YOU LUSTED AFTER HER AND YOU LEFT! YOU LEFT HER ALONE WITH THAT DRUNK LARD OF SHIT AND SHE PUT UP WITH HIM YELLING AT HER FOR FOUR YEARS!" Lightning flashed around the room to the god's confusion.
"You took her when I was already in there and your essence blended with my true father's. You took her and me away from him," Percy was quieter but just as cold. "You… you took us from him and I couldn't control my powers… I… I killed her," he whispered and Hestia's, Artemis', and Aphrodite's hearts clenched.
Thalia's heart broke as Percy told his story out loud. 'After he just lost Bianca and Zoe… now he has to deal with this,' she thought sadly. "She's dead and I'm a monster because of you. I am no son of yours, pathetic Sea God," Percy's voice was harder than steel, twice as sharp, and thrice as cold. Artemis was off her throne again and hugging her son and Apollo was there immediately after doing the same, letting the boy cry. All of the goddesses and Annabeth looked at the boy with sorrow and the gods with pity. Many even glared at Poseidon.
"Who is your father then, boy?" Zeus inquired and Percy looked to his mother who nodded to him. He decided it was better just to show them, so he closed his eyes and concentrated on his aura, letting it expand so that the Olympians widened their eyes. He slowly levitated off the ground using the winds and everyone's eyes were the size of dinner plates.
He was 30 feet off the ground when his eyes snapped open. In the bright flash of lightning and clap of thunder, he disappeared and reappeared at the foot of Zeus' throne instantaneously with traces of electricity crackling off of him as he rose to his full height. He turned back to look at Thalia and Annabeth, who were gaping. "I am Perseus Jackson, Adopted Son of Artemis and True Son of Susano'o, Shinto God of the Seas and Storms."
AN: Chapter 6! I actually cried writing this. Hope you enjoyed it! Until next time!