Spartanboy: Your words of advice about the River of Fire threats are not unwarranted. I had completely forgotten that I had used that threat in the previous chapter! Don't worry, I will not be using that threat again.
Victorsan12345: I don't quite understand what you mean by the Fates being used to "keep a part of canon intact". The Fates aren't one of Rick Riordan's self-made characters...nor were they used to keep canon intact. Like I had said before, the Fates are the ultimate beings, the determiners of everything in the universe. There is no outsmarting them, there is no beating them, and, unlike Thanos, they are inevitable.
Screwthefates1806: I am extremely sorry for the wait! Enjoy this chapter! :)
Welcome007: Thank you so much! I hope I can continue to entertain you!
Dude-san: You may think he is arrogant right now, and I can see why, but that scene is the furthest level of arrogance you will ever see, and probably the only one.
MaxSlayer: You flatter me so much with your review!
NVJ: I really want to answer your review, but dear god I really want to keep this a secret too lol. I will say one thing for sure: Whatever you think is going to happen between Artemis and Percy, you are probably 100% wrong. I have something very interesting planned :D
Samster7241: Smashy Smash does sound very nice doesn't it?
Thunderofdeath97: I answered you in DMs, but I wanted to just thank you for your support and constant reviews :)
Percy had seen many terrifying things in his life. Witnessing his friends and family perish against monsters, fighting a cannibalistic grandfather, and facing down the embodiment of Earth were relatively high on that list.
He had also experienced terrible, horrific pain. Number one on that list being when he bathed in the River Styx. Now that was a double edged sword if he had ever seen one.
Nigh-invincibility, but you basically had to experience the combined pains of a scooter hitting your ankle, placing your hand on a burning hot stove top, stubbing your toe on a corner cabinet, running straight into a glass pane, and every other painful childhood experience times a thousand.
If that wasn't terrifying enough, there was the risk of non-existence (and having your soul be kept as a personal plaything by the Lady Styx if she wanted to) to seal that deal.
None of them gave Percy the same feeling that seeing Tony Stark carry a nuke into a wormhole did. Despite knowing the man would survive, he couldn't stop his heart from freezing over as he saw the red and gold suit disappear through the portal. The breath left his body as he witnessed what was the core of the Avengers go through the portal.
"Come on, Tony." Percy muttered, staring intently at the wormhole.
"Close it." Steve said morosely. Natasha began to level the stick at the Cube, but a hand stopped her. She glanced at the god that was staring intently into the sky as he held up a finger.
"Wait. He is coming back." He stated with such certainty that she relented. Despite disliking Tony Stark, she had to give credit where it was due. He was a genius, through and through, though he was also prone to childish antics. He was a good hero as well, fighting anything from terrorists to the random criminals on the street.
So she couldn't help but exhale in relief as she saw the red and gold suit leave the portal. She quickly stabbed the scepter into the Cube, watching in awe as the portal closed and the remaining aliens around them died.
Before she could turn around to talk to the god behind her, a hand held her in place for a few seconds, and an extreme sense of vertigo hit her. When she finally gained control of her senses, she immediately vomited all over the cement before her. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Natasha glared at the person behind her, ignoring the fact that it was a god who had done this. Steve helped her to her feet, having just arrived with the Hulk and Thor, the former carrying Tony Stark in his arms.
"Sorry. You get used to it." He said calmly, ignoring the glare as his gaze rested on the broken form of the Stark's Tower. Natasha stood up once her systems finally calmed down and gazed at the rubble and debris around them.
"You think he's going to charge us for damage repairs?" Percy asked dryly, drawing a few exhausted chuckles from the group.
"I think the bigger worry is the people of New York," Steve said quietly as he also began to stare at the ruined city around him.
"Jarvis, casualty report?" Clint asked the AI, uncertain whether or not the machine was even online.
"Eighty-seven dead." Percy answered in the AI's stead, drawing on his newfound powers to assess the aftermath of Loki's attack. "Three thousand injured, four hundred and six of which are critically injured. Estimated property damage is five hundred million, give or take a few hundred thousand." The Avengers were silent as the numbers sunk in, searing themselves into their memories.
The silence of the city was unnerving to some of the heroes. Mere minutes ago, there were hundreds of alien battlecries, the sounds of dozens of charge rifles going off, and the distinct sounds of the Avengers fighting back.
And then there was silence, as if someone placed a blanket over the entire city, smothering the sounds of sirens and civilians.
It was a welcoming silence, however, for the more war-hardened heroes like Steve, Percy, and Thor. Some had grown up around warriors, before they themselves took up the mantle of being a warrior. Some had been pushed into the role of a soldier, forcing them to strap in and step up to the plate.
Thor had always relished in the thrill of a fight. He thoroughly enjoyed the rush of adrenaline that rushed through his body as he fought against a worthy opponent. No matter how many times he fought, the thrill of battle would never become dull to the Son of Odin. Thor cherished these times of silence, as they were meant to mourn those who perished and celebrate their victory over their foes.
Unlike Thor, Captain America only fought because he felt the need to. This feeling of need stemmed from the countless fights he had with bullies growing up. When the United States entered World War II, Bucky Barnes helped train Steve for two weeks at a local boxing gym, Goldie's. Despite his numerous health problems, Steve wouldn't give up in his goal to join the army. He would do anything to stop a bully.
Steve was used to seeing leveled buildings, as many of the cities the US occupied in the 40's had been severely bombed or shot up by both sides of the war. He had spent many nights in barely standing inns, trying and failing to get drunk. The silence of war was both a blessing and a curse for soldiers. While it allowed for them to rest and relax, it also gave way to the wandering thoughts that ensued. The doubts and regrets of the soldiers crashed down upon them with the force of a tsunami.
Percy hated the silence after a fight. It was a nuisance to the Son of Poseidon, especially when there were friendly casualties. No matter how hard he tries to keep his fatal flaw in check, or how far he distanced himself from others, the quiet that accompanied the aftermath mocked him. The guilt of being unable to save the civilians or demigods that perished used to hit him very hard, especially during the Second Titan War. The image of Ethan being kicked over the edge of Mount Olympus by Kronos still disrupted his sleep at night.
Over the years, however, he had gotten used to the aspects of both war and peace. He came to understand that not everyone could be saved. He learned that he couldn't do everything for everyone, that he had to rely and trust that his friends and family would do their parts. When the Fate's approached him after the Second Giant War, he knew then that he would have to change tremendously, in both mind and soul.
The year he spent away from everyone's presence had been dedicated solely to understanding his newfound powers. With his ascension to Godhood, he had been cured of his dyslexia and ADHD, allowing him to finally study without issues. Months of reading, hypothesizing, and testing had given him a complete understanding of his domains. Although his domains were specific and narrowed, the power that came from them was enormous.
It had taken him a few weeks to fully grasp that he had become a god. While he didn't regret his decision, the implication of "what if" permanently lingered in the air.
When Percy had discovered what his domains were, he couldn't stop the self-deprecating chuckles that left him. Only the Fate's could pull something like this. It almost felt like a horribly dark inside joke between him and the Sisters of Fate.
Why else would they proclaim him the God of Heroes, Heroic Deaths, and Tragedy?
They also said he had a minor domain in "Obnoxiousness" and "Verbal Sparring", but he was unsure of whether or not those were true. The mere thought of the Fates ever saying anything comedic was more terrifying than Tartarus itself.
Oddly enough, when Percy had ascended, he instantly gained the knowledge of all known deities from both the Greco-Roman pantheon and other pantheons around the world.
He found it odd that he was named the God of Tragedy considering there was already a Muse of Tragedy. He had met her before, after all. Melpomene was the most interesting Muse to talk to out of all nine.
Still didn't stop him from feeling uncomfortable when she donned her Mask of Tragedy.
Shaking his head to clear his wandering mind, Percy stared up at the blue sky, watching the smoke rise above the buildings of New York. He didn't acknowledge when Tony came to, panicking over whether or not someone had kissed him while he was unconscious.
"Anyone else hungry?" Percy asked suddenly, mentally reaching out to where his palace sat on Olympus and envisioning him and the Avengers within it. "Close your eyes and prepare yourselves."
The Avengers glanced at each other in confusion for a few seconds, hesitation written across their faces as they thought about what Natasha felt. It took almost half a minute for them to finally close their eyes.
One could say that no one could foresee what was to come in the next couple days, and it would be a completely valid statement. At least, it would be if there wasn't a new God of Tragedy involved.