A/N First I would like to say thank you all so much for the insane amount of support after i hadn't updated in 2 months. It was crazy really and i'm flattered by the 805 hits, 11 followers, 10 favorites all in one day. My other nearest number of hits in one day was like 350 so thank you so so much. I was grinning this entire day and it made me really want to reward you guys with a longer chapter. It's not 100% perfect, but I could spend years changing it and I would never get it the way I want (that's how all my chapters go LOL), so here it is Chapter 8!
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or the Heroes of Olympus, however, I do own Sofia since she's my OC.
Chapter 8: Revelations
Hubbard Glacier around Noon
Frank shakily pulled out his life stick, not noticing Thanatos eyeing him closely as his left hand grasped the first chain.
"Interesting isn't it?" Thanatos asked, causing Frank to look up, the sounds of Sofia fighting behind him being the only noise in the vicinity.
Frank said nothing as the second he thought of his stick lighting up it blazed to life as his entire body felt warm at this sensation.
"Interesting that you hold your entire life in the palm of your hand. It's remarkable really." Thanatos jested.
"Shut up." Frank said watching as the first chain broke.
His life literally flashed before his eyes, seeing memory after memory sink past as he immediately began working on the second chain trying to ignore the sudden rush of information.
"Ohoho, somebody has a temper. You are making good progress though." Thanatos stated.
"For a God of Death you sure have a sense of humor." Frank muttered trying to shake the memories out of his head.
"I may be the God of Death, but that doesn't mean I need to be dull like Pluto."
Frank held the tip of his stick to the second chain and watched just like the one before as the chain immediately began disintegrating right in front of him. It was like a knife cutting through butter.
"Do you hate me Frank Zhang?" Thanatos asked slowly.
"Hate you?" Frank asked furrowing his eyes trying to keep his concentration as his voice cracked.
"Most demigods do in fact hate me. They blame the loss of their loved ones on me because I am the grim reaper." Thanatos said.
"Don't you just collect souls though? The means by which they die you have no influence on." Frank responded, observing as the second chain snapped, freeing Thanatos' right arm.
"Indeed, but others seem to think otherwise. They see the grim reaper as the symbol of all death even the cause of it."
Frank suddenly heard a loud shriek behind him causing him to turn around and fear the worst for his partner. It wasn't as bad as he thought. All forty of the shades were still alive, but Sofia had a large gash through her jacket indicating she had been slashed on her back.
Sofia breathed heavily tasting iron in her mouth as she gritted her teeth. She had been doing well at first keeping back the shades using frontal slashes with her gladius, and using her shield to push them back. Every shade she killed reformed, albeit without its weapons since they were unable to pick them up from the ground. It was a good strategy to kill the remaining shades with weapons so all she would have to do was keep back the unarmed ones.
However, there was forty of them and only one of her. She retreated slightly and gazed at the shades in front of her who began to form a tight semicircle around her, with her back being against the bottom of the principia stairs where Frank was freeing Thanatos.
She held up her makeshift shield cautiously not wanting to make another misstep.
"Sofia are you alright?" Frank asked worriedly from where he was crouching on the ground as the third chain was almost gone.
"I'm fine! Don't worry it's not that deep. I managed to disarm most of the shades and they don't seem to be able to pick up their weapons. How many chains do you have left?" Sofia asked aloud, cutting down a few shades that were now advancing on Frank and Thanatos.
As the third chain snapped, Frank gazed in horror as there was now only 1/4th of his stick left.
"One chain left…" Frank said trailing off as a loud neighing sound was heard from the center of the shade group. Frank was about to turn toward it before being snapped at by Sofia.
"Stop wasting time, let me deal with the shades alright? Now is not the time to lose focus."
"Are you sure? There's a lot of them Sofia."
"Trust me. Freeing Thanatos is your job, keeping them back is mine." Sofia reassured.
And to answer their good progress stepped out another figure from the center of the group of shades, but this time it wasn't Alycones.
On a chariot led by ghost-like horses, the figure stepped out of his chariot withdrawing his gladius from his sheath. Unlike the others, he had legs and seemed much more human, except for the fact that he was almost transparent to the point that he could have blended in with the sun.
Sofia observed intently as all the shades stopped attacking, seemingly standing still as the ghost-like figure stepped forward and pointed his gladius at Sofia threateningly.
Sofia eyed the figure and her eyes lit up in realization of who it was.
"Michael Varus."
With Hazel
Hazel knew that this would be the fight of her life. An opponent who was unkillable in his domain, and was the complete counter to her father? She was most likely just a fly on his radar.
"Arion! Swing behind him in circles we'll use our speed to beat him." Hazel yelled out as she peered at Alycones who had finally caught up to them.
Arion neighed in agreement, and without a word more he took off in a burst of speed leaving a small crack in the glacier they were on as they charged Alycones.
Hazel cocked back her spatha appearing in front of the giant and slashed at his left leg in an extended arc. Her sword connected and in a blink, the duo were gone only a line of Alycones' blood, oil, leaving a resemblance of them being there.
"Ow! That really hurt." Alycones said sarcastically as he whipped his head around looking for them.
Another line of oil appeared on the back of the same leg and then the opposite, and then on his back. Arion and Hazel were a blur, slowly speeding up until they were nothing more than a streak racing across the glacier, around the giant.
"ARGH!" Alycones yelled as he spun his staff in front of him, almost hitting Arion and Hazel as they braked suddenly in front of the giant.
"You know it's really unfair that you can go that fast and leave me no chance to hit back."
"Unfair?" Hazel yelled at the giant angrily. "You're invulnerable here, and you're saying that we are unfair?"
Alycones smiled menacingly at her words. "True. It doesn't prolong your friend's deaths from being anymore imminent, Hazel. You cannot win."
Hazel gritted her teeth, gripping her spatha tightly. "Arion, run!" Hazel screamed.
Not even a second later their battle continued, with Arion blurring out of existence. But, this time the battle was much different than before. The anti-Hades was much more reactive than earlier, every time from then on that Hazel went in for a cut or slash it was met by his staff being in the right position, forcing Hazel to tell Arion to dodge to avoid getting hit by a counterattack.
"Arion! Can you jump near his head?" Hazel asked.
Arion's response was to circle around giving himself room to run as he did just that.
Hazel extended her left hand trying to keep Alycones' arm in place by controlling the jewels on his body. It seemed to work for a moment as Alycones' paused in his movement for a few seconds, but as Hazel extended her spatha aiming for the giant's eye, he managed to smash his staff onto Arion knocking him and Hazel out of the air.
Hazel yelled in pain as although they weren't that high it still hurt as she impacted the hardened ice of the glacier. She was dazed for a few seconds, using her spatha to bring herself up as she surveyed her surroundings.
"You know Terra can't be stopped, Hazel." Alycones said as he brought his staff down inches from Hazel's face.
Hazel sucked in her breath shivering slightly, as she saw her reflection in the frost of Alycones' staff. She could see that she was scared, by the way, her face looked. Her eyes staring back as she watched herself taking deep breaths after almost being crushed by the giant's staff that was inches from hitting her.
"Why fight for a side that will lose in the end? I can give you anything you want as the new God of Death. I can even revive your mother and even Sammy." Alycones presented lifting his staff up.
Hazel's breath hitched in her throat at Sammy's name. She looked at the giant and considered his offer for a minute before clenching her fists tightly.
"Sammy is gone… The dead deserve to rest in peace, Alycones. And you will never be the God of Death." Hazel stated.
"Oh really? And why is that?" Alycones asked amused by her response.
"Because Terra and all your brothers and sister will be defeated." And with that last statement, Hazel sank into the shadows appearing behind the giant and slashing at his legs.
And to Hazel's surprise, since all of this happened in a few seconds, Alycones blocked her slash with his staff looking down at the daughter of Pluto.
"Did you think that shadow traveling would catch me off guard? I am the anti-Hades if you don't remember. Your father would never make that mistake." Alycones stated, sneering at her attempt at an attack.
Hazel readjusted herself glancing at the giant whose shadow loomed over her.
With Frank and Sofia
Sofia tightened her grip on her gladius as she eyed the old praetor approaching with slow steps. Varus was still a shade like the rest of them, but she could tell the difference that he was the strongest from his legion. He had the old praetor cape that Reyna always wore and while his skin was almost see-through and shade like, the symbol for his fallen legion, a lightning bolt, was easily seen on his armor and shield. His figure was much more solid than the rest of the ghosts she was fighting, and that is what worried her the most.
Varus held his hand back signaling his legion that he was going to fight her himself.
"Roman pride is it?" Sofia asked aloud, testing to see if the fallen praetor understood her.
His response was to pound his sword against his shield once as he swiftly advanced.
Sofia immediately knew that she was at a disadvantage against the old praetor. Although he was a ghost, he still fought like a human and to make matters worse was that he was fully armored and was a much better fighter than the ghosts that Sofia was dispatching earlier.
It was a battle of rhythm first, Sofia meeting his first slash with her shield and counter attacking with her own slash, testing to see if the praetor still fought like one. And indeed he did, he blocked her strike and in less than a second had his sword thrusting into her chest which she batted away and repeated her previous actions with another attack.
Attack. Block. Dodge. Attack. This cycle continued for a few more minutes until one particular hard slash managed to shatter the old shield that Sofia was using. Remaining calm Sofia used the remnants of the shield to step back, spinning and throwing the broken piece of metal at the praetor.
"Frank! Status on Thanatos?" Sofia yelled watching as Varus staggered back for a second.
"Halfway done! Should be about 2 more minutes until he's free." Frank yelled back.
"Shit… I can really feel it now…" Sofia thought spitting out blood as she felt the blood from the wound crawl down her back making her shiver unconsciously.
Almost soundlessly she moved forward taking the offense and stabbed at Varus' midsection. He easily blocked it with his shield, but what he wasn't prepared for was Sofia to immediately attack again on his left forcing him to move his shield. Without her shield to restrict her movement, her attacks became faster slashing and stabbing at his shield her goal to break it like he did hers.
With a sickening crack, Sofia finally got what she wanted as she saw his shield shatter like hers, due to the fact that it was covered in frost beforehand. She stepped back angling her sword with the blade covering her face expecting the praetor to throw his shield at her like she did before. Varus stepped back like she anticipated, but instead of throwing it at her he aimed the jagged edge toward Frank whose back was turned.
"Frank move!" Sofia yelled turning her head slightly toward him. Slash, the pain was all Sofia felt in her left leg as the fallen praetor took advantage of her left side being exposed when she turned her head.
"Gah!" Sofia gritted out as she kneeled on her right knee, grabbing her left leg in pain.
"Sofia! Thanatos is free they can be killed now!"
Sofia gazed at Varus who stood over her his gladius pointed at her head, and his left hand raised in an open fist before closing it signaling his shades to advance.
However, this was all the time Sofia needed, as she exploded extending her right leg and cutting off Varus' extended arm. He flinched backwards, but then turned his eyes back to Sofia as he slashed downward.
Sofia who was completely exposed let out a breath she was holding as instead of feeling the cold blade hit her neck she watched as Frank who was now in polar bear form come running by and backhand Varus into his group of shades.
"Thank you Frank… The hand signal it means to attack in the legion, we need to kill all the shades now then we can go help Hazel."
And on queue the shades began rushing at the two demigods who readied themselves, a new confidence within them knowing that the dead will stay dead.
Frank did most of the heavy lifting in his polar bear form, slashing at shades left and right with his claws, dissipating them at a quick rate.
Sofia was much slower than before, having to rely more on footwork and finesse, than unconventional moves and speed. With Varus gone, it was only a matter of time as the two demigods quickly decimated the shades leaving a handful of them left who still advanced despite Alycones and Varus being gone.
"Frank, I can take care of the rest go help Hazel she needs it right now." Sofia ordered, parrying a strike and beheading the next shade in line.
"Are you sure? You're injured I can't just leave you alone!" Frank called out worriedly.
Sofia's response was to kick back a shade with her right leg and give Frank a stare which he didn't like.
"Frank I like you as a comrade and as a friend I really do. But don't ever think I need to be babysitted like a damsel in distress. I think I've proven that I can take care of myself. Go now!" Sofia replied back as Frank nodded his head taking off toward Hazel's direction.
With Hazel and Arion
"It's futile to resist. No mortal can defeat a giant on their own." Alycones taunted, jabbing his staff into the ground in front of Hazel knocking her off her feet.
Hazel who hastily climbed to her feet readied her spatha eyeing the giant in front of her closely. She knew without Arion she was at a severe disadvantage, and she wasn't even sure Arion was okay after that hit they took in the air.
"I should've known he was immune to my powers." Hazel thought, recalling when she tried to immobilize Alycones by the gems on his arm.
"I won't make that mistake again."
Hazel attacked once again, this time running zigzags over the icy glacier floor to confuse the giant with her movements.
"This again?" Alycones said aloud laughing. "I am invincible Hazel!"
Alycones brought his staff down in an overhead swing smashing and cracking the ice it landed on. He quickly turned using his staff to parry Hazel's slice at his leg after she shadow traveled behind him.
"I know every single one of your powers abilities, Hazel. Why do you try to fight when you will lose?" Alycones asked, marveling at her tenacity.
"You're the cause of so much pain and suffering and it's all my fault… I will kill you even if I die from it." Hazel yelled raising her spatha toward the sky.
"ARION TO ME!" And in seconds Arion appeared, looking slightly worse for wear, but whinnied angrily at the giant who watched them cocking an eyebrow up, if anything it made him look uglier.
"Try the same tricks, the result will be the same." Alycones stated.
"Hazel!" a voice echoed from the frozen legion.
Hazel turned around and widened her eyes as she saw Frank sprinting toward them. She locked eyes with him, and smiled as she could tell that they managed to free Thanatos. He smiled back at her as she turned around prepared to face the giant for the final time.
In one second Hazel and Arion were gone again zooming around the giant at supersonic speeds.
Frank knew that this was his time to help Hazel. Gathering himself, he transformed into an eagle, his intent clear. If Alycones was really immortal, then he'll live forever with his eyes gouged out.
He rose to a height envied by even Zeus and dove searching for the dust Arion and Hazel kicked up. In, a few seconds Frank reached eye level with Alycones who was unaware of the son of Mars as he was distracted by a certain daughter of Pluto. He descended quickly and used his sharp claws to rake both his eyes, his enhanced senses hearing the giant scream in pain.
Frank landed, returning to his normal form in time to see as Arion rammed into the giant's chest forcing the giant to use his staff as support and onto one knee.
The giant screamed in agony weaving his staff around carelessly as he yelled curses at the demigods. Hazel who rode up to Frank was glad they were both alive.
"Thank you Frank, for coming…" Hazel said her eyes shining as she looked at Frank. "Where's Sofia is she alright?"
"Yeah, after we freed Thanatos we were able to kill all the shades… she got injured, but she says it's fine I'm not sure how bad it is."
"What was the injury? Can she walk?" Hazel asked glancing to see that Alycones was still lumbering around looking for them.
"Yeah, she got slashed on the back and took a cut to her left leg, but she can still walk."
"Okay… let's finish this." Hazel stated.
"ARGH I MIGHT BE BLIND, BUT I CAN STILL HEAR YOU." Alycones yelled out angrily as he smashed his staff suddenly where Frank and Hazel were standing knocking both of them off their feet and creating a large crack in the ice.
"HAZEL!" Frank yelled worriedly as he stood up quickly drawing his sword.
"Frank! Get Sofia and move to the front of the camp, I'll meet you there." Hazel replied as she gathered herself next to Frank remounting Arion.
Frank glanced at the giant who was frantically smashing his staff onto the ice closeby trying to pinpoint where the demigods were. He looked back at Hazel and nodded his head.
"Okay, we'll be there in 10 minutes." Frank said as he transformed back into an eagle and went to go look for Sofia.
"Arion run onto him and keep running circles I have an idea." Hazel ordered to her horse.
Arion whinnied in response and reused the same strategy against the giant, but this time it was much more effective. The giant who had to rely on all his other senses caused crack after crack to appear on the surface of the glacier.
"DAMN YOU HAZEL. YOU CAN'T KILL ME HERE." the giant yelled once more.
"No I can't, but I'll bury you here." Hazel muttered as the cracks finally elongated along the entirety of the glacier.
"Arion to the front of the camp!" Hazel yelled as they began heading toward the front. She turned her head observing the biggest crack on the floor split the ice they were standing on in half, as Alycones fell through to the cold water below.
With Sofia
"You should get your wounds looked at, daughter of Minerva. I wouldn't want to visit you too early before your time." Thanatos mused watching the daughter of Minerva lean on her right leg, using her gladius as a crutch as she caught her breath with the last shade being defeated.
She nodded briefly at his words. "So will the tides of the war turn with you being freed?"
"Indeed, I can now freely roam over battles. Those who die will now stay dead. I can guarantee that much." Thanatos responded.
"Do you know anything about Percy? Is he dead by any chance?" Sofia asked anxiously, wondering about the state of their last quest member.
"Hmmm…" Thanatos muttered closing his eyes. "He's not dead I'll tell you that. Lord Pluto has informed me that the majority of the Gods are looking for him as well."
"I see."
"A word of advice before you go." Thanatos said garnering her attention once more.
"Hazel and Frank, I'm sure you knew from the start that they are members of the prophesied seven along with Perseus."
Sofia tensed up at this sagging her shoulders a bit and nodded her head.
"Don't let your feelings against your mother blind you from your role as well. You're just as important as Perseus."
"Why are you telling me this?" Sofia asked narrowing her eyes at how Thanatos knew so much.
"I have seen all heroes at their worst moments, daughter of Minerva. Right before death, everybody reveals who they truly are no matter how great or how strong, your true nature gets revealed." Thanatos said sagely.
"It is wrong of me to offer such advice?"
"No, it's just… You don't understand how I feel about my mother. Nobody understands." Sofia said taking a breath sharply.
"I'm sure I don't, but we are all on the same side are we not?" Thanatos asked rhetorically, as Frank landed and transformed back into his original form.
"It seems it is time to depart, good luck demigods." Thanatos said bowing in thanks, extending his wings and taking flight into the air.
"Sofia! Are you alright?" Frank asked examining the open wound on her leg which was dried, but for the most part did not look too bad.
"I'm fine on my leg. The slash on my back…" Sofia trailed off twisting her body showing Frank, her drenched jacket.
"Shit. We need to get it looked at, did you take ambrosia already?"
"I did, it stopped the bleeding, but it wasn't enough to fully close the wound." Sofia replied, tensing as the glacier shook once again and she watched as ice dust began erupting from the area Hazel headed as the glacier began shaking violently.
"Cmon we need to meet Hazel at the front of the camp to get out of here. Can you still run?"
"Yeah let's go."
The two demigods after sheathing their weapons immediately began running toward the front of the frozen legion, with Sofia trailing behind Frank as they finally reached the entrance.
Right on time, Hazel appeared with Arion and after quickly giving him a few gold bars she conjured from the ground the three demigods mounted Arion and took off away from the collapsing glacier.
"Any idea where to head too next?" Hazel asked.
"Head back to where we got the boat, I have an idea." Sofia stated, already thinking of a plan involving a certain God of the sea.
"I need to tell Reyna, about the upcoming invasion. I hope it's not too late." Sofia thought as the wind whipped past her as Arion began speeding up.
Line Break
Camp Half-Blood
"But why does Lady Artemis need all the hunters? Can I not just head there with the demigods chosen aboard the Argo II?" Thalia asked to Chiron.
"From what Lord Dionysus said, he doesn't know the specifics only the general idea of what Lady Artemis was deciding. Maybe ask her about it later, you are her Lieutenant after all Thalia." Chiron responded.
Thalia nodded her head. "Thank you Chiron, did repair boy give you a status report on the Argo II recently?"
"He did, he said there were some delays so it would be still around a week's time for it to be ready."
"Delays?" Thalia asked furrowing her eyebrows.
Chiron smiled softly before answering. "He said something along the lines of, "it would be finished sooner, but since Thalia is afraid of heights I just want to make sure we aren't falling from the sky." "
Thalia narrowed her eyes at Chiron and nodded her head slowly. "I see I'll have a talk later with Leo, thank you Chiron."
As Thalia exited the big house she decided to head to the arena and was not surprised with what she saw.
It was late in the afternoon but Annabeth was still there after having entered the arena from the morning. Her entire form which consisted of a tank top and sweatpants were drenched with sweat as she continued practicing her sword swings against a dummy.
"Annie! You're still here?" Thalia asked surprised that she was still at the arena.
Annabeth stopped her actions looking over her shoulder at Thalia.
"Mhmm yeah, why?"
"Sigh… Look Annie I'm really glad that you're taking this training thing seriously, but don't you think you're taking it a little too far?"
"A little too far?" Annabeth asked wondering what Thalia meant.
"All I see you do is train and train, and while it's great I just don't think it's for the right reasons. Is your motivation for doing this really all for Percy?"
"Is there something wrong with that?" Annabeth responded, sticking her sword into the ground which was now celestial bronze instead of a wooden stick like before.
"There isn't… but do you not care about the outcome of the war? The fact that we eventually have to face not just the titans but a primordial as well?" Thalia asked emotionally her voice rising.
"I do care does it look like I don't? Me training every day suddenly means that I don't care about the war?" Annabeth yelled.
Thalia was silent for a moment as she stared at Annabeth crossing her arms and slowly began circling her.
"Would you be mad Annabeth?" Thalia asked locking her electric blue eyes with Annabeth's gray ones.
"Mad about what?" Annabeth asked noticing Thalia's use of her full name.
"What would you say if I didn't like all the effort you're putting in for Percy… because I want him for myself?"
The silence was all that rang throughout the arena as Annabeth snapped her neck to Thalia's face analyzing her expression for any hint of a lie.
"You can't! You're a hunter Thalia!" Annabeth said accusingly knowing that Thalia was lying.
"So? Do you think Artemis wouldn't let me? I am her lieutenant after all."
"Yeah, you think this is the kind of behavior she expects from her lieutenant? Joking about being in love with a boy? When one of the requirements to join is to swear off boys for all eternity?" Annabeth responded, her voice rising with every question at Thalia's ridiculousness.
"You think I have to listen to you lecture me about this? Your hubris really has no bounds, thinking that you're strong enough for Percy after training for a few weeks when you really should have been training since you got to camp. And then having the gall to lecture me about what I can and can't do?" Thalia responded stepping closer to Annabeth so that she was about a foot away.
"You've got to be kidding me right?" Annabeth yelled stepping closer her face now within a few inches of Thalia's face.
"Kidding about what? That you're just a prideful girl who thinks she can change the world?" Thalia asked grinning at Annabeth's reaction.
"...Prideful girl?" Annabeth mouthed slowly, drawing her sword and pointing it at Thalia's face who quickly back stepped a few feet.
"Can you even hear how much arrogance was laced in your voice? Not even including the bullshit about liking Percy. I can't believe you are so BLIND to see it. Your Zeus's daughter for God's sakes and you can't even realize how arrogant you are?"
Thalia who was calm after watching Annabeth backstep was now angry at her words.
"Are you going to try and talk me out of this Annie?" Thalia taunted as she began circling Annabeth.
Annabeth who looked genuinely confused for once, began walking the other way without saying a word.
"Do you really think that I didn't hear about what happened when you faced Kronos? That in the face of our greatest enemy you faltered because you thought you could save Luke?"
"Shut up." Annabeth spoke up as she glared at Thalia not liking where she was going.
"History will repeat itself with you. Just because you have been training doesn't mean you're willing to do whatever it takes to win."
"SHUT UP." Annabeth yelled rushing at Thalia with her sword extended outwards.
And with that phrase Thalia charged, aiming a thrust at her longtime friend.
As Thalia expected Annabeth was smart enough to not just dodge a strike from a spear which has far superior range to a sword but was able to deflect it forcing her blade to lock with Thalia's spear with both girls pushing against each other trying to overpower the other.
"You will just falter when we need you the most. We don't have Percy this time, you can think you can do it yourself?" Thalia continued earning a growl of anger from Annabeth.
"Do you really want to do this Annabeth? Just because you've been training every day doesn't mean you have the skill to beat me." Thalia warned.
"And just because you're a better fighter doesn't mean you have to flaunt that arrogance of yours." Annabeth responded angrily.
Annabeth then proceeded to place her foot in between both of Thalia's and in that same instant gave a quick burst of strength trying to trip her and give her an opening. However, Thalia was able to react fast enough rolling backwards quickly after she fell and swiped in an arc with her spear to give her space to get back up.
"I'll show you arrogance." Thalia stated, pissed off at Annabeth's words. She charged forward once again and once Annabeth raised her guard to defend against her thrust she feinted and instead flipped her spear swiping at her feet.
But Annabeth was smart, predicting such a move and dodged it by jumping over her spear swipe and gave an overhead slash knowing that the only move Thalia could make was to evade or block with the length of her spear.
The moment Annabeth's sword connected with her spear she aimed a vicious kick at Annabeth's right knee which was extended forward because of her dominant hand causing her to shriek slightly in pain as she was forced back a step.
Thalia knew that she had the advantage now, with Annabeth not being able to move as quickly as before. She pressed her attack making her dodge constantly with that knee.
"It's over Annabeth." Thalia said, aiming a quick thrust at her torso. Thalia tensed her arms as she watched Annabeth collapse both her legs causing her thrust to over her carrying her forward a step. The daughter of Athena swiped at Thalia's right hand cutting it from her kneeling down position, she dropped her spear in pain, and was then quickly tackled to the ground by Annabeth.
"Get off me!" Thalia yelled as the first thing she felt was a punch to her stomach, reacting by pulling Annabeth's hair causing her to shriek in pain.
"What the hell is going on here?" a voice yelled from the entrance to the arena.
The two girls ignored whoever spoke and continued to wrestle on the ground before being pulled apart. Clarisse who had pulled Thalia away and Piper who had held onto Annabeth as she squirmed in her grasp.
"Let me go! I'm not done." Annabeth yelled.
"I don't care if you're not done. This is ridiculous." Jason spoke as he now stood between the two girls.
"Jason this isn't any of your business. It's between me and Annabeth." Thalia warned to her half-brother as she stood on her feet after asking Clarisse to let her go.
"So you're telling me after seeing both of you on the ground, clawing at each other, that I was just going to stand there and let you guys fight it out." Jason asked raising his eyebrow.
Jason tore his gaze away from Thalia and turned his attention toward the daughter of Athena on his right.
"Annabeth why don't you tell me your side of the story."
Annabeth who stood up angrily pushed away Piper's hands which were holding her and was about to open her mouth to speak before being interrupted.
"Wait wait, I can explain myself." Thalia confessed.
"You better have a good explanation you guys didn't really look like you were having a friendly match right there." Clarisse said crossing her arms from behind Annabeth.
"It's because we weren't. If you heard the things that she was saying to me earlier you would have reacted the same way I did." Annabeth said.
Thalia sighed. "At first I didn't mean it to get that serious. I just wanted a fight where she wasn't holding back. And that is exactly what happened, but I guess…"
"You guess what?" Annabeth finished for her.
"I guess I let my emotions get the better of me."
Annabeth raised her eyebrow at her words still not believing her. "So you said all those things because you wanted me to fight you seriously?"
Thalia nodded.
"Even when you said you liked Percy?"
"Yeah, of course, you knew it was a lie before I even confirmed it. It was just a ruse to get you angry."
"Why didn't you just ask me then?" Annabeth asked walking closer to Thalia.
"Ask you what?"
"Hello, Thals? Ask me to fight you seriously, of course, then we didn't need to get into such an argument." Annabeth responded.
"Because it wouldn't have been the same." Thalia said briefly.
"There's a difference between me telling you to fight all out and yourself actually fighting all out for a reason. Did you really want to beat me right there?"
Annabeth looked away for a second glancing at Clarisse who was behind Thalia, and like Jason and Piper were silent, letting them talk it out.
"I did. I was really tired of what you were saying. The way you acted. I wanted to beat you into the ground because of what you said…" Annabeth confessed surprising the other three demigods.
"What?" Annabeth asked giving Clarisse and Jason look.
"Pretty sadistic thoughts for the usual Annabeth Chase." Clarisse commented.
Annabeth turned her head a sheepish grin on her face as she was embraced by Thalia moments later.
"I'm sorry for what I said, Annie. You've definitely grown strong enough to hold your own. I just wanted to know for sure, and I'm sorry if I had to say such hurtful words."
Annabeth who had a few tears leaking from her eyes hugged Thalia back and smiled as the three other demigods smiled at the duo.
"It's fine Thals. And for the record, you were trapped under that statue while me and Percy had to face Kronos."
Thalia pulled back her face red as she glared at Annabeth. "There was nothing I could do about that okay? I blame Hera."
Annabeth laughed along with Jason, Piper, and Clarisse. "The great Thalia Grace defeated by a mere marble statue."
Line Break
With Percy on Mount Othrys
The black palace glinted dangerously, with its blazers being the only source of light within the entire area.
"Son of Poseidon?" Percy repeated staring as Prometheus instantly chuckled which made Percy narrow his eyes at the titan.
"You really don't remember do you?" Prometheus asked stepping closer so that his shadow was completely encompassing the son of the sea from his position on the floor.
"You were lied to by the Gods."
"Lied too?" Percy wondered staring at Prometheus, remembering Oceanus saying the same thing in their fight on the ocean.
"Oceanus wasn't wrong about what he said." Prometheus said suddenly as if reading Percy's thoughts.
"What?" Percy asked confused.
"The Olympians lied to you about being Neptune's son. You were never Roman to began with boy. You were and always will be a Greek. Poseidon's son, that bastard of a sea god." Prometheus revealed.
"LIAR!" Percy bellowed out as he squirmed in his bindings.
Prometheus laughed watching as his demigod captive tried to escape to no avail. He leaned down locking his eyes, a thunderous gray, to Percy's sea green.
"You can yell all you want, but I only speak the truth." Prometheus said staying silent for a few minutes to let his words sink in.
"How is this even possible?" Percy thought frustrated at who to believe. "He has to be lying, why would a titan ever tell the truth to me."
"Do you want to know why I tell the truth Perseus?" Prometheus asked.
"Don't call me that." Percy growled out looking up at the towering titan in front of him, thinking for a moment that the titan could somehow read his mind.
"It is your name though is it not?"
"A monster like you shouldn't talk to others like they are equals."
"Ah, you are referencing the deeds of my siblings." Prometheus recalled sighing in disdain. "Believe me when I say a lot of our tasks could be completed without all this violence."
"Violence? You titans are a threat to the entire world. Terra wants nothing more than to reap the entire world as her own personal playground." Percy spat out.
Prometheus who seemingly ignored Percy's jest to anger him continued with his question from earlier. "Why should I lie to somebody who has no chance of escaping? No chance of returning to those wretched beings you worship as Gods?"
Percy locked eyes with the titan of forethought calming down a little. "Fine then, what do you mean they lied to me, what would be the point of it?"
Prometheus backed off, walking around a bit as Percy's eyes were locked on his form before he decided to speak.
"Before you arrived at the Roman camp, you were a Greek demigod at the Greeks own camp. This was over five years ago when you first arrived there."
"Five years?" Percy thought in wonder. "Five years and I don't remember any of it?"
"You were strong when you were there, and also the child of the fabled "Great Prophecy" as it was called. And at the end of last year, you defeated Kronos and saved the fate of not only Olympus, but the entire world." Prometheus revealed watching as a million thoughts raced through Percy's head.
"Why…?" Percy asked his voice laced with emotion.
"Hmm?"
"WHY DID MINERVA DO THIS?" Percy suddenly yelled out. "I saved the world for them and this is what I get? For my memories to be wiped?"
Prometheus merely nodded his head, not at all surprised by his outburst.
"Why?" Percy asked again. "ANSWER ME!"
Percy who was sitting on the ground still bound received a loud slap on his face courtesy of the titan of forethought.
"It's humorous how you think I am inclined to answer any of your questions." Prometheus said darkly nudging Percy with his foot as he stood over him once again.
"I don't know why Gaia thinks you should be the one to replace Atlas, holding up the sky. But, I'm not going to complain as long as I don't have to do it."
Percy narrowed his eyes as everything finally made sense to him. The dodgy wording the Gods used when referencing his heritage, the reason he already knew how to fight when he felt like this was the first time he arrived at the legion, and finally why it always felt like Minerva and Hera were hiding something when he talked to them.
"So you finally get it now?" Prometheus asked, observing as Percy's expression changed to one of realization.
"Yes…" Percy gritted out, angry that even though he was fighting for the Gods they still lied to him.
"Mortals like you will never understand." Prometheus began, garnering Percy's attention once again.
"You think you are entitled to everything the Gods plan behind your back? This is how they are. No matter how good they seem, they will use mortals, demigods, even you, their greatest hero to achieve their goals."
"Your talking like you titans are no different." Percy replied without even thinking.
"That's what you were told, were you not?" Prometheus lectured. "That the Gods are good and that we are evil, us who love only violence and destruction?"
Percy said nothing gazing at Prometheus who leaned down his face directly in front of Percy's.
"Believe me if we wanted to destroy the world, we would have done so already." Prometheus spoke with conviction.
It was that line that scared Percy. His facial expression didn't change as Prometheus walked away letting that line sink in. Subconsciously, he knew that they had this kind of power, but hearing him say it with no doubt was an alarming thought.
"Clearly you don't understand what we want." Prometheus began again as he walked back toward Percy.
"We don't want the destruction of the world. We just want to be in power like we were before Kronos' children came into power."
He paused and then looked at the newly revealed Son of Poseidon once again.
"And you of all people should know that the Gods wouldn't hand over their domains so peacefully."
Percy who was still angry at being lied to, and frustrated and not being able to remember anything closed his eyes and clenched his fists. The truth of Prometheus' words and his overall emotions were starting to get to him.
"Funny isn't it? That I have been the most truthful to you all along. And I'm supposed to be your enemy." Prometheus said chuckling.
"Gaia's plan was to keep you under the sky, so Atlas could assist us in overthrowing the Olympians, but she did say that there's always room in our army for another."
Percy who was lost in his own thoughts for a second snapped his head up at Prometheus' offer.
"You think I would join you?" Percy asked surprised by the titan's gall.
Prometheus shrugged. "You know our goals and our motives. Unlike the Olympians' they aren't built on a mountain of lies. Either you fight for us or hold the sky for the rest of eternity."
"The nerve of him to think I would join the Titans… But he is right about these damn Gods." Percy thought imagining Athena and Hera's faces, as he gritted his teeth negative emotions running throughout his head.
"Enough talking." Prometheus said hauling Percy to his feet and leading him to a section of the palace where a large set of double doors was blocking anything from being seen past it.
Prometheus opened the doors with a wave of his hand shoving Percy in as he was barely able to stand with the bindings on his legs. The room was large, empty except for the fact that this is where the sky met the earth, held by Atlas in the middle of the room.
"It's about time. I thought I was going to be here for another hundred years." Atlas voiced out, his voice impatient as he heard the doors open.
Unlike his brother, Atlas was a muscular man, literally looking like a statue. His arms flexed as he adjusted his position under the sky and he was barely clothed, wearing a loincloth that showed off his impressive physique. His face looked like that of a king, regal but cold and unforgiving.
"So you've brought back the legendary Percy Jackson to replace me? How ironic." Atlas cackled out as he eyed the demigod before him.
"Shut up brother. You may be the strongest, but you are also the most annoying." Prometheus said sighing as he materialized a sword and held it to Percy's neck from behind him.
Percy inhaled his breath sharply, tilting his eyes down as he looked at the blade. He saw his face which to put in bluntly, looked like absolute shit, but his thoughts were cut short as Prometheus spoke once again.
"Make any sudden movements and holding the sky is going to be a lot more painful with a broken leg." Prometheus warned.
"Break them anyway, he deserves it from what happened the last time he was here." Atlas said sadistically.
With a quick downward slash, Prometheus freed Percy of his bindings and watched him closely.
"Forward boy." the titan of forethought ordered.
Percy said nothing as the blade was still to his neck, and began walking forward slowly.
"I need to think of something. Once I'm forced under the sky, it's over." Percy thought.
"We don't have all day boy, hurry up!" Atlas yelled.
And then it happened. The entire room that the three of them were in began shaking, starting off slow and quickly escalated becoming the size of an earthquake as Percy and Prometheus were knocked off their feet.
"What is this madness?" Prometheus yelled as he quickly got to his feet and moved to restrain Percy once more.
He ran forward and just as he was about to reach Percy, he was suddenly blasted backward as if an invisible force field was keeping him from reaching him.
"This is your chance Son of Poseidon." a voice echoed in Percy's head, which he took as a good sign.
"Okay, hearing voices in my head, wasn't what I was looking for, but I'll take anything at this point." Percy muttered as he twisted the ring on his hand and readied himself to fight the titan in front of him.
"You idiot Prometheus! The boy is free now! Break his legs or I will never let you hear the end of it!" Atlas yelled at his brother only able to spectate as Percy readied himself.
"I don't know what magic you used as a distraction. But to think that you can fend me off to escape is a fool's errand." Prometheus warned as he spun his sword threateningly at Percy.
"It looks like I get to be the jester this time then." Percy replied back as he charged at Prometheus, the only thing running through his mind was to escape.
He knew that he would be at a severe disadvantage, even if Prometheus wasn't a war titan. He was much taller than Perseus, not titan height because of the room they were in, but almost ten feet tall. He would have much more power in his strikes, so defense would be a battle of stamina that he knew he wouldn't last long against. That of course left offense.
Percy bent his knees slashing at Prometheus' head, watching as sparks emitted from their two blades connecting. Prometheus cocked back both his arms shoving Percy back sending him skidding across the floor. He raised his hand and sent a blast of energy directly at the demigod.
"If you think this is going to be a fair fight, you thought wrong." Prometheus said.
But to his surprise, Percy deflected the blast, much like how light reflects off a mirror and he was sent back a few feet from the impact of his own attack striking him square in the chest.
Percy observed his opponent, seeing he was dazed for a few seconds and decided to rush him once again and swung his gladius toward his chest, testing if he was any slower after taking that hit.
Not surprised, Prometheus glared at the demigod snarling angrily in his face as their blades locked again, becoming a battle of strength his speed not being diminished in the slightest.
"I see you have a few tricks in that sword of yours." Prometheus said as he used gravity to slide his blade down Percy's in a nanosecond, locking hilts. He used his free hand to swing at Percy's head, but Percy was expecting this as he dodged but was forced to let go of his sword which was held in Prometheus' monster left grip. He vaulted off the Titan's front and watched as his sword disappeared in Prometheus' hands, reappearing on his finger which he twisted once again.
Prometheus growled angrily at this, and this time charged Percy, raising his sword above his head.
Percy raised his sword, catching his strike, and looked directly into Prometheus' eyes. They were vicious, looking like they wanted nothing more than to see Percy's head on his sword.
No more conversation was to be held, as Percy sidestepped to the right and slashed at Prometheus' left side which he blocked. This type of close quarters combat continued for a few more minutes, with Percy eventually able to catch the titan's blade on his sword which he hooked to disarm him, sending his sword rattling away into the corner of the room.
Prometheus gave a war cry, angling both his hands at Percy's feet blasting the floor beneath him, sending him back a few feet with Percy landing on his back.
"Few more minutes, just hold him off for a few more minutes." The same voice echoed in Percy's mind.
He heard it and readied his gladius as Prometheus came at him once again.
"Do not tell me you are about to bested by a demigod, brother. I will never forgive you if you let him escape." Atlas warned as he continued to watch the two fight.
"Shut your damn mouth." Prometheus said viciously as Percy blocked another one of his strikes.
Percy who retreated a step finally got a feel for how Prometheus was fighting. He wasn't a war titan so he knew that he would not be immensely strong or fast. He merely could read Percy's moves a few steps ahead which is what made it so hard for Percy to land a hit on him. However, Percy knew that Prometheus' lack of fighting prowess and intelligence would be his weakness.
Percy deflected another strike and feinted left, seeing if he would bite. He did as he saw Prometheus moving his sword slightly to his right. Prometheus slashed at his head which Percy ducked under, giving him time to cut him on his left which caused the Titan to yell in pain.
"Now. Retreat."
The moment Percy heard this, his instincts took over as he jumped back a few feet, in which Prometheus rushed forward to close the gap, but in an instant Percy was gone, having been teleported right before the two titans' eyes.
"Impossible!" Prometheus yelled out in shock, not believing his eyes.
"What happened? How was he able to be teleported out of Mount Othrys?" Atlas yelled out shocked, but overall angry that he had to keep holding the sky.
"Gaia will not be happy about this." Prometheus stated as he looked away from the spot Percy was in and began to exit the room, irate at the demigod actually escaping.
"You're just going to leave me here?!" Atlas bellowed at his brother. "I was supposed to be freed today!"
Linebreak
The Legion Mid-Afternoon
"Lady Lupa." Reyna bowed obediently to the wolf goddess as she entered the Principia.
"Reyna, something wrong? You don't usually ask to see me in the afternoon unless it is urgent." Lupa responded glancing at her praetor who shifted her cape a before speaking.
"It involves the quest, Sofia sent me a message. Apparently, they have encountered quite a few obstacles."
"What are the specifics? And why did you not inform me of this earlier?" Lupa barked out eyeing her praetor to cut to the chase.
"I received the message a few minutes ago, it wasn't something I received last night." Reyna informed as Lupa nodded her head for her to go on.
"She didn't say much because she sounded like she was in a hurry, but she said they managed to free Thanatos."
"Excellent. Were there any complications?" Lupa asked.
"Yes, she said it was vital that this part stays away from the camp, but she said that Percy was captured by Terra." Reyna revealed her face concerned.
"What?" Lupa growled out her voice rising as she stood up.
"That was all she said about the matter, but more importantly she said to prepare."
"Prepare?"
"Prepare for an invasion of our camp. The Titans know where we are." Reyna spoke her eyes dark.
Linebreak
Unknown Location With Percy
Percy opened his eyes, dazed for a few seconds trying to process what happened in the last few minutes.
"Whoever saved me there. The timing couldn't have been better." Percy thought as he observed his surroundings covering his eyes from the bright light right in front of him.
"Indeed, the timing was perfect." a voice said from behind Percy.
Percy turned around, but before he could even look at who it was, his eyes widened at the floor beneath him. Not because of the floor, but because he was literally standing on nothing looking at the Earth which was a small sphere hundreds of thousands of miles away. All around him was the stars, the planets, the universe as if he was literally standing in the sky.
"You must be wondering who I am, Perseus." the man said as Percy finally got a good look at him.
The man was tall and muscular, but differing from the Titans he encountered earlier, he exuded a different kind of aura. It wasn't calm or menacing, but wise and powerful. It felt as if the entire plane they stood on originated from, which it did. He was wearing a simple robe, but the robe was ever-changing with the background behind him, with imprinted stars that glowed and sparkled in the night sky.
Percy walked back in fear of him, as he twisted his ring and his gladius did not appear in his hands.
"Who… who are you?" Percy asked cautiously, not liking the idea of being unarmed against a stranger.
"There is nothing to be afraid of. I was the one who saved you after all." the man said. "My name is Ouranos, the primordial of the sky."
"Ouranos?" Percy whispered eyeing the deity of the sky with a look of astonishment.
"Indeed."
"But how are you here? Didn't Kronos scatter your essence so you could never be reformed?" Percy asked.
"He did, all that history is true." Ouranos said chuckling. "My body and consciousness might be gone, but the sky has always been my domain and it seems that if it weren't for me there would be one less demigod right now."
"So we are truly in the sky right now?" Percy asked as he looked around him, still awed by what his eyes were showing him.
Ouranos nodded. "Most beings I met when I was still up and about usually groveled at my feet. Are you not shocked that it was me who saved you?"
"I was surprised initially, but after what I had dealt with on Mount Othrys… I guess crazy primordials and Titans are just a standard nowadays with me." Percy revealed scratching the back of his head.
Ouranos laughed heartily at Percy's response. "Your an amusing one, Perseus Jackson."
"How are you here?" Percy questioned once again.
"It is only my ethereal form your seeing, strong enough only for me to save you and pass on a message."
"My wife is strong Perseus." Ouranos said getting serious. "You will not be able to stop her through normal means."
"But a primordial can be killed right? Your proof of that." Percy replied.
"That is true, but Gaia is smart. She won't fall for the same tricks that I did. She will have plans within plans to make sure it won't happen." Ouranos revealed.
Percy slumped, Ouranos' words basically saying there was no hope.
"But." Ouranos started, gathering Percy's attention.
"History does repeat itself, if you can separate Gaia from the Earth, from her domain then she can be defeated. It won't be easy."
Percy's eyes widened at this revelation and nodded his head in thanks to the primordial.
"I won't be able to assist you any more than I have already. I used most of my power to save you from that predicament, but I'm sure you won't get yourself into that much of a pickle again."
"But why help me? Help the Gods? I thought the sky longed to be with the Earth." Percy asked remembering the stories of the past.
"You are not wrong about that one…" the primordial of the sky said as he looked away toward the Earth longingly.
"As a primordial, Gaia refuses to acknowledge the torch has been passed on in the world. That the Titans' and Protogenei's reigns now belong to the Olympians. I hate to admit it but, us being in power would do far more harm than good in the world right now."
"You must stop my wife at all costs, Percy."
Percy nodded his head understanding exactly what Ouranos was saying. Suddenly, Percy's gladius extended from the ring on his hand, Ouranos waving his hand over it before Percy could say a word.
"A small gift before you go, I've imbued your gladius with some of my power. You'll find there won't be anything it can't cut, and if you're lucky, it has a few more things it can do, but that's for you to find out on your own."
"Thank you." Percy said gratefully, twisting his hand to sheath his sword. "You've really done too much for me."
"Don't thank me yet. Thank me when the war is over."
"So do you still control the constellations and stuff?" Percy asked causing Ouranos to stare at him blankly.
"And stuff?" the primordial repeated.
"Yeah okay? I didn't know what else to say." Percy said sheepishly.
"Some things are best-kept secret… time is up, son of the sea."
"Good luck, Perseus Jackson, may we meet again one day." were the last words Ouranos said, as Percy's eyes slowly closed.
Linebreak
Base of Mount Othrys, Early Afternoon
Percy awoke leaning against one of the trees at the base of the mountain's forest. He felt like it was a vivid dream, as he stood up brushing off his clothes and stretching.
He twisted his ring examining his gladius fully noticing the changes that were made to it. He turned it slowly and admired the iridescent blade, it seemingly changing colors as the light hit it. Percy took a few practice slashes not feeling any noticeable difference with the blade, only that it hummed slightly as if the sword was alive.
"I'll worry about it later, I need to get back to the others." Percy thought, looking back at the tree he was leaning against to retrieve his backpack but was surprised when he felt a blade at his neck.
He looked down and was surprised to see the blade was silver and the wielder was a girl with dark brown eyes, and black hair staring at him intently. Her face reminded him heavily of Atlas, it was regal like a princess.
The moment he turned to look at her through her blade lowered and she gasped in surprise at his face.
"Perseus?"
A/N Phew it was a bit shoddy, might have hella mistakes, but a 10k chapter just for you guys. I know I said it at the beginning, but I really do appreciate the amount of support you've given me. Unfortunately, with finals coming in the next two weeks I will literally have to drop everything to study -.-. I wish everybody with finals good luck as well because I will need it too :(. Hey look Zoe finally appeared! Woo! Sorry if you guys were expecting more but boom there she is, next chapter is when she will make her real debut. Tell me what you guys think. Did you like a certain scene? Was a certain scene complete trash? Did I fuck up a certain character? Do you want more fighting/less fighting? More drama? I hope you guys have a good final two weeks!