Ch. 18: Misleading Judgements
NARRATOR'S POV:
Annabeth was just about to say something when an even more confusing thing happened. Percy picked a knife from somewhere around him and raised it in a throwing gesture. Instead of throwing it on the enemy, he spoke an oath
"Before Annabeth says anything, I swear on the Styx, if you don't release my mother I will kill myself and Annabeth."
Needless to say, everyone was staring at Percy in shock. This oath made no sense. Everyone felt like he was making things easier for Tartarus.
"Percy! What have you done! Now he will kill your mother and make` you kill yourself and Annabeth or let you die by the oath on the Styx!" Poseidon shouted at his son.
"Too many wars got to that thick skull of yours, Jackson! You actually made my task easier! Now get lost, do whatever, I'm not only going to NOT release your mother, I'm going to kill her painfully - just for the fun of it!" Meanwhile, Sally was out cold and everyone was staring at Percy with bewilderment and curiosity, questioning Percy's sanity just like Tartarus was.
But as if so much confusion wasn't enough, Percy smirked.
"Go on and kill her Tartarus. Then we'll talk." He said and stood straight, waiting for Tartarus to make the next move.
Usually, Tartarus would just kill Sally and watch the show. But he had heard about Percy from his children and wife, he had personally spent some time with him. One thing was certain, either Percy stopped caring about his mother or he had gone insane. Tartarus instantly ruled out insanity, Percy was a war veteran and his experiences weren't enough to deter him or make his mind weak or corrupted. And a man like Percy could never stop caring. That was a part of his essence, something that made Percy Jackson the person he had matured into. Three wars that have to determine the fate of the world aren't exactly easy to witness or be the main part of.
So he decided Percy was playing at something bigger here.
"What are you planning, Jackson? I refuse to believe you'd kill your girlfriend or let your mother die."
Percy smirked. "Spoken like a partner Tartarus! Good to know working together made you actually think! But honestly, there's no hidden loophole or clause here. Just do whatever." He shrugged.
Tartarus narrowed his eyes. He knew there was more to the situation than what met the eye. He patiently waited a few seconds, staring intently at Percy. In reply to that, the smirk never left Percy's face. He then finally said "You can kill her, then I'll honestly kill myself and Annabeth. I just didn't say how. What I'm gonna do is use a very special sword for that. A sword made of Chaotic Platinum that I believe has the power to kill you..."
Tartarus was visibly shaken by Percy's words. That sword lay well hidden in the depths of him in the ground... So could Percy be bluffing? But he swore on the Styx! If he was indeed speaking the truth, if Percy Jackson had somehow unearthed the deadliest weapons of all...
Tartarus gulped at that thought. Nobody knew the secret of the sword. They just knew what was common knowledge - the Sword could permanently kill even the most powerful being known. So obviously Tartarus had no chance. One hit and he'd be history. But there was something else. A legend. A well-guarded secret that only his wife Gaea and himself knew about. If that proved true, his destruction by that sword would not only mean his end but the end of all of his children. The earth would be rid of monsters for eons to come until the reign of the Gods ended. He had to obtain the sword at all costs.
"Show me that sword then, I don't believe it to be in your possession. I refuse to believe you so much as even laid a finger on it." Tartarus challenged Percy.
Percy wasn't remotely bluffing. The sword in question was the very one he'd handed to Thalia.
"I don't care what you believe. There's no way I'm taking out the sword. It's safe where it's supposed to be. Once I kill myself and Annabeth I'll hand it over to the Gods. They'll finish you off."
Once again, Percy, had everyone confused. According to common logic, Percy could still hand over the sword to the Gods, and if he went through with his oath they'd have two fewer warriors in their own army. His words made no sense as a threat. Tartarus had a similar confusion. He knew that Gods killing him with that sword would mean the legend to come true, but there is no way Percy could've known that. So his threat made no sense.
"You can do so either way. And a sword is a sword, whether you use it or the Gods, so what difference does it make?"
Percy smiled knowingly
"But it makes all the difference, who uses it, doesn't it, Tartarus? Or have you no faith in those legends?" He let that sink in.
This time it wasn't Tartarus who spoke, though. "What legends Jackson? I swear if you don't start making sense I shall annihilate you for being so confusing and annoying!" Zeus said irritated.
"I can't as of now. That is the only bargaining chip I have. Just look at his face and you'll see for yourself." Percy said pointing to Tartarus' face.
Tartarus' face resembled a statue. A statue that was carved as an extremely stunned being that had no words to describe the situation, no voice to opine his thoughts. The onlookers stared at the powerful primordial being in disbelief as he appeared to have been gobsmacked by a mere demigod.
Finally, Tartarus found his voice
"How...How did you know?"
"How?" Percy laughed openly now. But before he could say anything, a voice spoke from behind him
"Tartarus, honestly. Concealing some secret facts about an object in a note right beside that object isn't the best of ways to guard the secret!" Iapetus grinned, returning from his trip to the forges. Grover had meanwhile rallied the wild again and everyone had by now come out of the shock and depressing feelings and had readied their weapons.
"Iapetus, you traitor! I will make sure to kill you in a way painful enough to make an example out of you!"
Before the titan could respond back, Percy interrupted "If I were you I'd be more worried about death than torturing one of my children to death in your depths, Tartarus. Decide fast. You so much as lay a finger on my mother, I'll not only hand over the sword to Zeus I'll first kill myself and Annabeth. You know we are two of the most skilled, powerful and strong demigods around right now. There are of course others as well, but I think the two of us should be enough."
"You will not do that Jackson!" Tartarus widened his eyes upon realizing the situation was suddenly not in his favor despite having a huge army and the hero's mother to use as he saw fit.
"What do you want, Perseus? Maybe we could negotiate? Just hand over the sword to me and I'll let your mother go, I swear on the Styx." He said as thunder boomed. It was a surprise, the Primordial being had willingly, openly sworn on the Styx without any goading whatsoever from the enemy.
"Fat chance. You think I'm a fool? The moment you have that sword we'll have lost the battle. It is the only known way of killing you."
Tartarus was now losing patience, "Then what is it that you want? Spit it fast."
"I'll swear on the Styx that the Gods will not know about the secret of the sword and that I'll keep it in my possession till one of us is dead; in exchange I want you to swear to release my mother and also that you will not drag any mortals - be it our families or strangers into the war and that no harm shall befall them."
Tartarus' nostrils flared "That is preposterous. You can still do what you threatened once the oath is made."
"Then I'll also swear that I won't kill myself or Annabeth, that I won't use this sword to kill anyone of my friends."
"There are so many loopholes, you have the advantage here." Tartarus stared at Percy with anger and frustration at his helplessness.
"I do have the advantage, but I also have the sword. And I'm not involving demigods or others in the oath all though I could. You realize I'm giving up on an advantage to try to keep it as fair as possible?"
Tartarus just stayed quiet, staring at Percy. He couldn't decide what to do. In truth he wasn't giving up much - he could live with harming no mortals during the course of the war. The problem was having captured the great loyal Perseus Jackson's mother was supposed to be a great advantage, but now it counted for naught. And that pissed Tartarus off.
"We do not have all day. This is a one time offer Tartarus, take it or leave it. Decide fast."
Demigods, the wild and Gods alike were in awe as Percy negotiated the release of his mother so smartly, not believing that the hero that was often known for his crazy suicidal plans and emotions could be so calm and collected talking to the being that tortured him and his one true love for months. The more shocking fact was that Tartarus was actually listening to Percy. Some people half expected Tartarus to suddenly start laughing at Percy and the kill his mother and everyone else. All eyes were on the Primordial.
After still thinking a bit, Tartarus sighed and hesitantly nodded.
"You have a deal. Swear the oath, and I'll let your mother go and harm no mortals."
The onlookers were once again taken aback at the submissiveness of the powerful deity. They didn't know what secret Iapetus and Percy were referring to but obviously, it had to be something significantly huge.
Percy nodded in return and oaths were made.
"I Perseus Jackson swear by the river Styx to not speak of the secret of the sword during the course of this war as long as Tartarus abides by the arrangement and makes his oath in the spirit of the war as I see fit. I also swear not to willingly use the sword to kill or harm in any way one of my friends." Percy finished and looked questioningly at Tartarus.
"Alright what do I have to say?" He wanted to verify with Percy since he was about to make an unbreakable oath.
"Say that you will not harm any kind of mortals in any way in any situation under any pretense. Say that you'll release my mother just as she is, without dealing further damage. Say that you'll never capture or use a mortal against us wrongfully. Say that you do this is the spirit of the war as per my oath. Say these very words or as I spoke in my oath, the deal won't be valid." Percy instructed. For the nth time tonight there was shock and some grudging admiration at the way Percy was going about challenging Tartarus. Percy was that kind of a guy who spoke later, acted first. He usually would not think his plans through and act instinctively. Planning and strategies were Annabeth's task in the whole group and to some extent Frank's. However, this time the two-time savior of Olympus was again leading from the front - not just with courage and ideas but also plans. Tartarus made the oath just as Percy had described. Word for word the same, not even the slightest of modification was made.
The deal was done - Percy could not speak of the sword's secret and Sally was released. She suddenly appeared in front of Percy, still unconscious. Percy called a few Apollo campers who carried Sally to the throne room to heal her.
"I will still kill you Perseus. I will kill all of you!" Tartarus screamed, confident that he'd decimate all the demigods single-handedly. That was actually true, he could do it. Seeing his power, it was going to take a miracle for the demigods to last against the Primordial. Even the Gods realized this. It was their job to keep Tartarus engaged in battle with them as even one attack from Tartarus could kill half a dozen demigods and wild creatures. Meanwhile, the demigods would have to worry about not coming in Tartarus' way while battling an army about three times their size. Easy as pie right? No this wasn't actually sarcasm. Percy apparently actually believed it - he was chuckling.
Now not only Tartarus but everyone widened their eyes at Percy's attitude.
"Umm...Percy, why are you laughing? Annabeth asked confusedly.
"Wise girl, I'm surprised you of all people didn't realize what just happened."
"He" Percy continued pointing his finger towards Tartarus "can't touch any demigod now."
More confusion followed. But before someone could strangle him for twisting the story so damn much, he explained
"The oath that Tartarus spoke of prohibits him from harming, as the exact words were - any kind of mortals in any way in any situation under any pretense."
"You are not mortals Jackson, you're demigods. Have you forgotten your origins?" Zeus argued.
"Actually my origins are exactly what I'm remembering. We demigods are called half-bloods. Meaning half gods...and half?" He let the question trail as silence followed.
"...half-mortals. We are half gods and half-mortals! Of course! He just swore to not harm any kind of mortals!" Annabeth was all smiles as she kissed her boyfriend for his display of cleverness.
Demigods had huge smiles on their faces while Tartarus had his mouth agape, his face horrorstruck.
"But...but I thought you were referring to the kinds of mortals, like their gender and race and everything! The Styx upholds the oaths made in the spirit of the oath maker's mind. I did it under the spirit of only full mortals! Hence what you say is invalid." Now Tartarus had regained some of his composure and confidence.
This time Percy was at a loss, but Annabeth helped him out.
"Hmm...not really. Percy swore to abide by the terms as he sees fit, you, in turn, swore that you would abide by the terms of the oath as Percy would. Technically that made the spirit that you speak of the same for both of you. And since you were following Percy's oath, to Styx it must have seemed that you both were in agreement of the facts as Percy saw them fit." While the explanation was too complicated for some to understand, Tartarus and Percy both understood.
Once again Tartarus had a horrified expression on his face.
"Hey, I just realized something. The prophecy! It was about Tartarus and not us!" Thalia said
"What?" Came a few responses. Meanwhile, Annabeth had already pieced it together. She was about to speak when her mother beat her to it
"The earth shall break and part way for hell, you will realize the lie in which you dwell. Hell was Tartarus, the earth literally broke. Look at the ground. Then the prophecy talks about realizing the lie in which you dwell. Here it seems as if the prophecy is referring to Tartarus as 'you'. He captured Percy's mother and expected Annabeth to choose. Instead, he was caught unawares about the sword being in Percy's possession and realized he was living in a lie so far as Percy said he also knew about some secret that sword. We already established the meaning of the next two lines." She said looking at Leo with pity, then carried on
"Indubitable, the sides may sound, Misleading judgment shall lead to losses propound. Here the first line obviously refers to how Percy played double agent and fooled Tartarus. Tartarus trusted Percy in his domain and he did it now while speaking that oath. It led to a huge loss for him as he can not harm demigods including the stronger ones like Jason or Percy in the war." She finished explaining, and Tartarus' face was hilariously priceless at how easily a mere demigod, one who up until now wasn't even known for his smartness or brains had fooled him. Should he just be thankful the likes of Frank Zhang or Annabeth Chase hadn't even begun any planning?
(A/N: LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE PLOT SO FAR. THE BOOK HAS ONLY A FEW CHAPTERS BEFORE IT ENDS. DO REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU FEEL.)