AN: This is my first story in the world of Percy Jackson though it is not my first story, my first story was AU of Harry Potter which I enjoyed writing very much I am working on a sequel to that story as well as this new story.
As always with these things I do not own the characters you recognize nor the world they are set in. I own only that which I created myself, the storyline, and possibly some of the more minor details that Rick does not generally cover in the books.
Chapter 1: The End?
Percy was kneeling on what had been a battlefield until moments before. Riptide lay shattered into innumerable pieces in front of him, the hilt still hung in his numb fingers.
The Athena Parthenos stood atop Half-Blood Hill and Gaea was defeated, but all Percy felt was echoing emptiness. For him it was a hollow victory, he alone of the Seven had survived the battle against the giants. His whole world had come crumbling down around his ears as each pained yell, and every cry of fear echoed in his ears. He had watched his friends fall one after the other until it was just him and Annabeth fighting beside the gods.
Even as Poseidon and Percy dealt a killing blow to Polybotes he heard it, and the sound made his blood run cold. Annabeth's scream of pain and then nothing more save the sounds of battle. His vision turned red, and he joined the fight against the remaining giants with a ferocity that would have sent a shiver of fear down the spine of any mortal foe. Until the final giant fell Percy never stopped moving and even then he stood ready, expecting another blow. Was it not for his father's trident, Apollo may have had to regrow his hand. The god had dropped his hand onto Percy's shoulder not realizing the state the young man was in.
Unfortunately, the fighting was not over, he alone would return to Camp Half-Blood. He alone would face Gaea, and if all went well then maybe he too would take his last breath this day. It was not to be.
...To storm or fire, the world must fall...
...an oath to keep with a final breath...
As the Argo II plummeted towards the sea, Percy clinging to the mast, Percy remembered the lines of the prophecy. To the world, he spoke what he hoped would be his final words.
"I will defeat Gaea. I swear it on the Styx."
Thunder boomed although Percy could not hear it. The Argo hit the water a mile from shore and Percy leaped onto the surface of the ocean. A hurricane grew as he ran towards the shore, already the monsters and demigods nearest the shore were being buffeted by the wind, but the monsters took the brunt. By the time Percy reached the shore, there was not a combatant that could not feel the hurricane. Gaea rose to his challenge, but like so many others Hubris would be her downfall. Percy had dragged the ocean with him, when he met Gaea in combat it was in the center of a swirling hurricane. Only then did Gaea realize her mistake.
Percy and Gaea fought, elemental powers wreaking havoc on the landscape around them, but they took no notice. Monsters turned to dust and demigods were tossed sprawling to the earth as they fought. Gaea managed to land the first significant blow when a boulder smashed Percy to the ground. Spitting blood Percy leaped to his feet the water already beginning to mend his ribs, though they still made it more challenging to breathe and fight. Blow after blow, injury after injury Percy kept fighting. Eventually, Gaea hesitated, her powers weakened from the water that kept her separated from her element.
Percy seized the opportunity, and using the winds swirling around him, he vaulted towards Gaea. Riptide grasped in both hands as he brought the sword down with one final mighty stroke. The sword cleaved Gaea's chest and embedded itself to the hilt in her body. Percy concentrated on the power he had used the least. He was the son of the earthshaker, he had always been much better at controlling water so he had never developed this power, but he called upon it now. Using his sword as both anchor and focus, Percy began to shake Gaea's earthen body to pieces.
The pain grew In Percy's gut as he began to reach his limits. Loosing a bellow of rage Percy pushed all that remained of his strength into one final burst of power. The final blow shattered his faithful weapon as well as the earth goddess's physical form. As she dissolved so too did the hurricane that Percy was creating. In a handful of seconds the water stopped swirling and the wind died, the world grew silent as a grave, the surviving demigods in awe and grief.
They all knew Percy would not have returned alone if the others had survived. Only Nico was brave enough to approach the hunched figure that knelt in the center of the devastation.
"Percy?"
Nico's voice was low and exhausted, and he thought that Percy looked about as bad as he felt. Then Percy turned his head, his sea green meeting Nico's dark brown. Before Tartarus Nico may have recoiled from what he saw, but he understood the desolation and soul-shattering pain Percy's eyes seemed to scream.
"They are already in Elysium. I can feel it."
The words seemed to strike Percy like a sudden chill, and tears began to gather in the sea-green eyes. All those who remained began to feel a slight tremor through their feet, and the earthquake began to grow. The world around them began to shake more and more violently until many could no longer keep their feet. A flash of golden light nearly blinded the onlookers and the shaking stopped. Poseidon and Apollo stood in full battle regalia, and even as the survivors watched, they shrank until they were human-sized and rushed to Percy's side. Poseidon lifted his son from the ground and Apollo gathered the remains of Riptide, seeing the onlookers the two gods stopped, and Poseidon began to speak.
"Heroes... a great victory has been won, but much has been lost. See to your fallen, tend the wounded, and celebrate your victory. I will see you all rewarded for your valor, Olympus is in your debt once again." He paused in his speech much of his energy seemed to leave him, "Of the Seven...only Perseus remains. The others fell in battle defeating the giants alongside the gods, ensure their stories are remembered. I leave that to you, nephew." His final works were directed at Nico alone. Nico bowed and then paused he hoped he wasn't overstepping but he spoke.
"Lord Poseidon, I will tell all I know, but I do not know everything."
Poseidon looked at Apollo who nodded his head in response.
"You will come with us to Olympus, and return in the evening. By then you will know all there is to know."
With these words, Poseidon dissolved into ocean spray along with Percy's unconscious body. Apollo stepped forward and offered his hand to Nico, but before he could take it Will appeared panting. He began berating Nico for his recklessness before he realized who stood only feet away, as he did he trailed off face growing red. Apollo only smiled and smiled at his son before taking Nico's shoulder and dissolving into sunlight along with the surprised child of the underworld.
Percy was outside the throne room of Olympus despite the grief that tore at his heart, and the exhaustion that still made his bones feel as though they were made of concrete, weighing him down. The doors swung open revealing the throne room and the Olympians sitting on their thrones, but they were silent. Hades sat on the simple throne that was his during the solstice meetings and was looking into the embers of the hearth not. As Percy stepped over the threshold the doors swung shut behind him, closing without a sound despite their massive size. Percy stood before the council, not even bowing, he could not find it within himself to do even that, he had lost too much in too short of a time. Percy was already bordering on disrespect at the best of times and Zeus was tempted to punish his insolence. However, as Percy watched his father tapped his Trident on the ground, the clack of metal on stone echoing painfully in the massive room.
"As I said after the last war, would any argue that my son is deserving?"
Not even Ares or Athena dared to voice a complaint against the hero before them, Athena too mourned the loss of Annabeth, and Ares simply hoped that Poseidon would never realize that he had cursed his son when he was twelve years old. Turning now to face Percy, Poseidon began to speak again.
"Perseus, you have surpassed every hero of the Gods." Zeus looked like he was going to protest but he was silenced by a glare from Poseidon. "We offer you a reward. Ask us as you did once before and we shall see it fulfilled if it is within our power."
Percy focused on these words, it seemed his father knew what he would ask for as a reward.
"I think that Hades and Hestia should be on the council, they are both children of Kronos and have as much if not more right to it than others who sit on the council." Percy could not stop his eyes from flicking to Dionysis at these words, as well as Ares. "Also I ask that you help the demigods to honor all the gods. Major, minor, all of them. Jason is not alive to keep his promise, so I will do it for him."
The council began to debate his requests, some fairly heatedly but Percy was not listening to them. Either they would do as he asked or they would not, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was only brought out of his reverie by the sound of Zeus' master bolt striking the arm of his throne.
"Though it pains me to admit it. We would not be sitting here without you and your companions. On behalf of the Council, I swear on the River Styx that we will work with the demigods to see that all gods are honored as my son promised." Zeus once again struck the arm of his throne and the room began to shift, growing slightly longer and a space opening amid the line of thrones on either side. From the stones of the floor rose two new thrones.
"Join us brother, join us sister. We are now numbered fourteen."
To say he was surprised would be an understatement, Percy was all but floored that they had agreed to his requests with such little resistance. The only thing that confused Percy was that the unadorned throne that Hades had for so long occupied remained in its place. Poseiden once more spoke to the room at large.
"As expected my son asks not for himself, only for the benefit of others. I told you that it would be so." Now speaking directly to Percy, Poseiden continued. "The council has agreed that you are worthy of one final reward, aside from those you have already asked of us. You have now almost singlehandedly saved Olympus from destruction more times than any hero before, and because of this, we believe only one reward will suffice. Perseus Jackson, will you become a god, and become the tie-breaking vote for the Olympian council?"
Percy gaped at his father, then looked around the council to see the reactions of all the other gods. Zeus and Hera wore impassive and superior expressions, though Percy was sure that there had been resistance to this idea from them. His father seemed to be glowing with pride, Hades was nodding with approval, and Hestia was smiling as well. Apollo, Hermes, and surprisingly Artemis looked as though they supported the idea, and Percy remembered that Artemis had once referred to him as a worthy man. Demeter seemed to be ambivalent, Athena calculating, Hephaestus serious, and Aphrodite looked sadder than he had ever seen her though he knew she would not have opposed this idea. Ares wore a wolfish grin, and Percy remembered what he had said the last time he had been offered godhood. Then Percy was dragged into the past to that moment, reliving the meeting that had followed Luke's sacrifice to defeat Kronos. He remembered all the reasons he had chosen to remain mortal, all his ties to life as a human. His friends, Annabeth, his family, a life he wanted to live and so much more. Then he realized the only thing left on that list that had not been torn from him was his life, as that realization hit so too did another wave of grief from all he had lost.
At that moment Percy made his decision, "I Accept." Percy knew that there would be much pain, sorrow, and thousands more losses, but if he could save even one hero from the grief he now felt, then it was his responsibility to try. Poseidon nodded and smiled sadly as though he could read Percy's thoughts, or perhaps his father knew him better than he had realized.
"Very well let it be so. Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos!" Zeus' voice boomed through the massive throne room like thunder, and the hair on Percy's neck rose as he felt something he had not felt since he watched the yarn being snipped all those years ago across the highway. The three fates, who had fought alongside them at the Acropolis, stepped into the center of the room now. They carried with them a yarn, this yarn was the same sea green as Percy's eyes, and he knew without a doubt that he looked at the yarn of his fate. The three of them began to chant in a language older than Greek, older than the gods, older than the sea and sky, and as they did so the yarn began to wind itself into a ball between them. When their chanting came to a climax the ball dropped into the hearth in the center of the hall, and Percy felt as though his veins were filling with fire, his body seemed to be swelling and he felt as though he would tear it apart from the inside. Just when he was about to lose consciousness the light died, and he collapsed to the stones of the hall. When he regained his composure he realized something was different, even as he pushed himself into a sitting position he realized he was now tall enough to sit on the throne that sat opposite the rest of the council.
"Hail Perseus Jackson! God of Loyalty! God of Weaponry! God of the Tide! And Patron of Heroes!" The fates listed his domains even as he struggled to breathe, the only thing that truly stood out to him was the final words, Patron of Heroes. He hoped that meant he would be allowed to aid the demigods that lived now, and would still be. He thought of the words Chiron had once spoken when asked if being an immortal teacher of heroes was boring, 'Terribly depressing at times, but never boring...'
"Easy Perseus. It will take your soul some time to grow used to the changes you have undergone."
Poseidon was kneeling next to him and helped him rise to his feet, but as he stood Percy blacked out completely and knew no more.
Nico reappeared in camp at noon the day after the battle to defeat Gaea, and to say the scene he found was somber would be an understatement. Bodies covered by shrouds were more numerous than was possible to accept with just a moment's notice. Though he was a child of the underworld, even Nico found the scale of death difficult to accept, though he knew their souls would find Elysium, save the cursed few who he knew had driven the Legion into such a frenzy. Nico made his way from Half-Blood Hill down to the Big House, where the children of Apollo normally cared for the injured, but there was now a large tent outside that he guessed would hold a field hospital. The Roman design of the tent made sense, the Romans were far more accomplished with this kind of construction, and Nico had never fully appreciated that fact until now. The hospital would have to wait, he needed to find Chiron, because he deserved to be first to hear the story, and first to know the news.
It took Nico most of the rest of the day to relate everything to the immortal centaur. When it was nearly the time the campfire was normally held Nico related the final piece of his story, the ascension of Percy to godhood. Chiron smiled sadly at the news, but there was a light of pride in his eyes that not even the grief he felt could fully put out, because in his opinion there had not been a more deserving hero since ancient times.
"Shall we gather the survivors and inform them of this news?" Chiron asked, surprising Nico that he was being asked at all.
"I think they need something to celebrate, besides we need time before the funerals can begin." What Nico did not say, but he knew all would understand, was that Percy would want to be there for the memorials of all his fallen friends and comrades. Chiron bent his head in recognition and lead the way to the dining pavilion, where he took his place at the head table and slammed his right front hoof into the stones three times. The sound seemed to roll over the hills, Nico knew that all the survivors would have heard the sound, and understood its meaning. Even so, it took almost twenty minutes for the demigods of Camp Half-Blood as well as the Legion to assemble before the dining pavilion, when Chiron felt all those who could come had done so he slammed his hoof again three times drawing silence from the crowd.
"HEROES! We have lost many, many friends and comrades, but all is not lost! As Lord Poseidon said you have won a great victory!"
At this, a roar rose from the crowd and Chiron waited patiently for the sound to die again before continuing.
"There is more news as well. No longer are the Olympians numbered twelve. There are now fifteen who sit on the Council! Hades and Hestia have joined their brothers and sisters in their rightful place on the council, and Perseus Jackson has accepted godhood and now sits as the fifteenth member of the Olympian Council!"
It was as if the whole crowd was stunned silent for a long moment before a lone voice began to chant from somewhere amongst the Legion.
"PER-CY! PER-CY!"
Soon all the demigods had joined in the chant, the valley, and forest echoing with the chant of their greatest hero's name. Little did they know that the adoration they gave their hero would allow him to finally awake from his slumber on Mount Olympus.
For some reason, he could hear someone calling his name, no it was more than one person. As Percy began to become conscious of his surroundings once more he realized he couldn't hear anyone calling his name, it was like a part of him was being pulled somewhat and from that part, he got the feeling his name was being called. Shaking his head to try to clear it the feeling kept growing until he felt as though an anchor was trying to drag him off of Olympus. Then he realized it was coming from Camp Half-Blood and the feeling grew stronger, now he focused on it and he found himself standing before a crowd of campers and legionaries. Chiron was to his left and seemed as surprised as the rest of the silent crowd, as one they bowed to him even as Chiron proclaimed,
"Welcome, Lord Perseus!"
Percy blushed and waved his hands frantically at his teacher as well as the assembled crowd.
"Don't call me Lord anything and don't call me Perseus. I'm still just Percy."
Even as he said it he realized that it wasn't true anymore, no matter what he did or said he was now a god. Not only that he was the Patron of Heroes, but he was also their protector, advocate, and teacher.
"Chiron. Just to let you know I'm the Patron of Heroes but I don't exactly know what that means. Do you have any advice?"
Unfortunately having forgotten his rather larger-than-average new stature, most of the assembled demigods had heard him. A figure stepped forward calling his name and asking him a question.
"Percy? What are your domains?" It was Nico Diangelo which all things considered, made sense. Willing himself to accept that this was all happening and not a hallucination Percy turned and replied.
"I am the God of Loyalty, Weapons, and the Tide. I am the Patron of Heroes, Perseus also known as Heros." At this Percy's form seemed to flicker slightly his hair appeared shorter, his eyes harder, and his posture more rigid, his Roman form. "Whoa! Where'd that come from?"
"If I had to guess, the fates gifted you knowledge of your name and domains Perseus."
Chiron responded immediately as though discussing the weather even as his roughly fifteen-foot-tall student. Looking over the crowd of demigods, Percy realized at that moment, that while it was now his job to ensure these heroes were as prepared as possible to meet their fate, he would outlive them all. He concentrated on shrinking to his normal size and after a few moments he succeeded in halving his size, but for some reason, his body refused to shrink further.
"Thank you, Chiron. For everything."
The old centaur bowed his head respectfully.
"Thank you, Percy." Turning to face the gathered crowd Chiron raised his voice so they would all hear them, his face once more growing somber. "It is time."
No one in the crowd questioned his meaning, and as one they made their way to the battlefield where the shrouded fallen lay on their funeral pyres. When all the survivors had gathered, and torches lit, the eulogies began. Greek demigods were remembered by friends and siblings, Romans by centurions, and fellows of their cohorts. It was nearly dawn when the final embers of the pyres began to burn down, all the demigods save the very youngest had stood vigil by their slain brothers, sisters, and friends. All the while Percy stood on the spot he had finally defeated Gaea, six pyres burned before him, each having borne the body of one of the fallen seven. He had lit them himself and let the pain of their loss wash him. Though many demigods had given the fallen heroes their goodbyes and thanks, they left Percy to his vigil.
Percy barely noticed the passing hours, the only thing that changed for him was the height of the flames that had consumed his companions, scattering them to the wind. As the sun began to rise Chiron approached Percy slowly, his horse half skittish and jumpy.
"Lord Per... Percy?"
Percy looked up and met Chiron's sad eyes and saw so many things there, but the sympathy was most prominent. For once Percy simply appreciated that someone else truly did understand what he was feeling. While Chiron had not survived Tartarus he had lived for thousands of years, watching those he trained and care for, die. Just as he too would remain a part of the world, doing his best to arm the demigods against their doom. He sighed heavily and bent gathering a fistful of ash from each pyre. He placed it in a small pouch that he would carry until the end of time, or he faded, whichever came first.
"Does it ever get any easier?"
Chiron stepped forward and looked Percy in the eyes, he knew Percy was not asking if the loss of one's friends got easier, but if over the centuries did it ever get easier to watch those around you die.
"No. It never gets easier. I have seen thousands of heroes fall Percy, and I mourn them all, but I will never stop doing what I do. Because if nothing else, they need me, there will always be a new hero to train, souls to heal, and someone seeking a home."
Percy turned to face the sun rising over the Atlantic Ocean, letting the warmth wash over him and burn away at least a small portion of his melancholy.
"I just wish my Mom and Paul were still alive. I wish that so many people were still alive. I swear to you Chiron, I will do all I can."
The centaur bowed his head as he took his place at Percy's side, his white flanks beginning to gleam in the sunlight.
Tap. Tap. Clang. Tap. Tap. Clang.
The pattern of hammer blows repeated, again and again, echoing from the forge of Hephaestus under Mt. St. Helens. He had rebuilt it after the incident Perseus had caused and so he thought it fitting that here he would reforge the shards of Riptide into a weapon befitting the God of Weaponry. Even with his prodigious skill, it took him nearly a day to complete the sword to his satisfaction. Before him lay a bronze ring on his anvil, tiny greek letters read 'A Riptide is most dangerous at Dusk.'
Hephaestus had sensed immediately the connection to the sea that had been wrought into the blade, and from what he had learned by speaking with Poseidon, it had once belonged to the Hesperide, Zoë Nightshade. He thought that the inscription suitably honored its origin, and he refused to change the name or anything about the original design as this was not a pet project. Picking up the ring he spun it around his finger and the sword leaped into being just as it would have before. The bronze blade gleamed with a new brilliance as during the reforging process he had added some Moon Steel, with Artemis' permission of course. Another way to pay homage to the weapon's original creator.
Would he have designed the sword exactly as it was? Likely not, but this sword had felled some of the most legendary monsters in history. Giants, Titans, Gods, and even Gaea herself, no this sword was perfect the way it was and he hoped Perseus would agree. Snapping his fingers Hephaestus reappeared on Olympus, he found Poseidon in the throne room watching Percy through an Iris Message.
Forgoing simple pleasantries as was his way, Hephaestus held out the ring to Poseidon. Then he too turned to look at the image hanging in the air before them. Percy and Chiron stood looking out at the sunrise, yet even as the two Olympians watched the pair, the centaur and new god turned back towards camp.
"He has done well."
Hephaestus' words seemed to take a long time to reach Poseidon, who was still watching his son. After another moment Poseidon waved a hand through the image cutting off the connection, only then did he turn to Hephaestus.
"Thank you. I'm surprised to hear you say that after he destroyed your forge."
Hephaestus waved a hand dismissively.
"I like a challenge. Rebuilding my forge gave me one. More importantly, however, I have a feeling about him, maybe it's just his domain of weaponry, or maybe it's something else. I think he is going to be good for us. Be sure you get him that ring, he should be quite pleased with it."
Poseidon inspected the ring more closely, he had felt a faint connection to the sea from it, but now he realized it must be Riptide. He spun it around in his hand and he found himself holding the reforged sword.
"I'm glad to have been helpful to you. What have you changed?"
Poseidon held the sword before himself feeling the balance and the way the sword moved through the air. It felt like an extension of his arm, and he knew Percy would be pleased to have his sword back.
"It is now made of an alloy of the original Celestial Bronze and Moon Steel. Other than that I did my best to change as little as possible, the best weapon is one you are familiar with and can wield instinctively. Besides, from what you told me the sword's original creator deserves to be remembered. For a nymph, she created a beautiful weapon."
Poseidon raised an eyebrow at these words looking slightly surprised and reexamined the sword.
"Moon Steel? I assume you talked with Artemis? Has she ever permitted a man to carry a weapon made out of it before?"
Hephaestus shook his head but then seemed to reconsider for a moment.
"Her brother may have at one time or another carried one, but other than Apollo I cannot think of another."
"Well, Perseus has always enjoyed defying expectations. Thank you, Hephaestus I am in your debt for aiding my house once again."
Percy tensed, he couldn't explain it but there was suddenly a sensation like pressure or a faint vibration. Moments later a flash of light filled Poseidon's cabin, and when it faded it revealed Poseidon himself.
"Hello, Father."
Percy bowed his head slightly but Poseidon noted the tone of loss in his voice. Stepping forward Poseidon embraced him.
"When you are ready there is much to be done and things to be decided. Until then, however, Hephaestus sends his regards and a gift."
Looking up at his father he felt a slight twinge of unease flit through him. Hephaestus' creations had a way of getting into trouble of all sorts. To his surprise, however, the ring his father held out appeared entirely innocuous.
"Place it on whichever finger you wish. That is a new and improved Riptide, I believe you will find it more than satisfactory."
Percy slid the ring onto his right-hand index finger after reading the inscription. The words seemed to echo within him for a long moment as he was once again reminded of his failure to save Zoë. He spun the ring and found a very familiar sword in his hand, he swung it experimentally a few times marveling at how similar it felt to the original. The only difference he could detect was the slighter grayer hue of the metal.
"I will have to thank him for this. Why is it kinda...gray now though?"
"Hephaestus alloyed the remains of the original sword with Moon Steel. A rare honor as Artemis has never allowed any male, save her brother possibly, to wield a weapon made of that material."
Percy looked at his father surprised.
"What is Moon Steel, and why would she...?"
"That you will have to ask her yourself. Remember despite the age difference you are a god now and a member of the Olympian Council. You have no reason to fear her. Well, not no reason but no more reason than any other god. Besides, it seems like she respects you more than most men. Take it as a compliment."
Percy spun the sword in his hand willing it to shrink and it transformed back into the ring that reappeared on his finger. Percy was unsure how to react though he supposed having a goddess well-known for hating most men on his side definitely couldn't hurt. Unfortunately for Percy, that thought brought reality crashing back down. Zoë, Silena, Beckendorf, Lee, Luke, Frank, Hazel, Leo, Piper, Jason, Annabeth. He had failed to save so many people why did he get to live? Not just live he was a god now and he couldn't save his friends, if he had been destined for godhood why had he not been stronger why hadn't he been able to save them?
"Percy. Not even we can change the past. Look forward and do the best you can for all the heroes who still live. Just maybe you can change things for the better. Now let us return to Olympus, you have things you need to do sooner than later."
Percy stood and stepped toward his father who grabbed his shoulder, Percy found himself standing on a balcony overlooking the City of Olympus. The view was incredible, though it was marred by the heaviness that overtook his heart. Annabeth had designed so much of the city that looking out over it sent pangs of grief through his heart. A strong arm guided him into the building and Percy found himself in Poseidon's palace on Mt. Olympus.
"So what do I have to do exactly?"
"You will have many tasks but for now let us focus on the simplest. Choosing your godly symbols and such things. For example, mine is my trident."
Percy didn't even have to consider it.
"My sword. Riptide."
Poseidon nodded unsurprised at the speed of his answer.
"Very well. Take the sword in your hands. Wet the blade with your Ichor and concentrate on imbuing the sword with your very essence, linking it with your power."
Percy did as his father instructed hissing in pain slightly as he cut his forearm. As he began to concentrate on the sword he felt as though the sword was drinking his energy, absorbing it, until there was a flare of sea green light.
"Very good. You're a natural at controlling your powers. Now for your sacred animal do have anything in mind?"
Again Percy's reaction was nearly instantaneous.
"Blackjack. My pegasus."
Percy whistled as loudly as he could and after only a minute or two, there was the sound of wings, followed shortly by hooves striking stone floors. Percy threw open the doors to the balcony revealing Blackjack.
"Whoooaaa. Good to see ya boss. You smell different. Do you have donuts?"
Despite himself, Percy laughed and hugged the pegasus.
"It's good to see you too Blackjack. I don't have any donuts but I do have some news. I uhh... Well, I became a god and I want you to be my sacred animal."
Blackjack sniffed him then snorted as horses tend to do.
"Knew you smelled different. Course I'll be your sacred animal. Wait what does that involve Boss?"
"No idea. Let's ask my father."
It seemed Blackjack only now noticed Poseidon standing a few feet away. Percy laughed as Blackjack looked around nervously.
"Yo...Bossman. Why didn't you warn me the Ocean dude was here?"
It seemed like Blackjack was mentally whispering which Percy found highly entertaining. Even more so when his father spoke.
"Well met Blackjack. I've gotta say I don't remember being called the Ocean dude before. Being a sacred animal is quite simple. Percy will bless you and link you to his power. You will then be an immortal, just as he is, to be by his side until the end."
"Immortal? Dope. But does it involve donuts? I want some donuts boss."
Both Percy and Poseidon laughed at that, the latter snapping his fingers, a box of donuts appearing in his outstretched hand. Blackjack looked at the box, then at Percy, then back to the box.
"Hey, Boss! What in the world could that be?"
Blackjack all but galloped at Poseidon eagerly enjoying the donuts. Percy and Poseidon just kept laughing, and it was a real laugh they shared. All too soon memories of recent events crept in and the smile slowly fell from Percy's face as he remembered those who could no longer laugh alongside him. Percy and Blackjack, with Poseidon's help, sealed their bond, and in the blink of an eye he grew hands higher at the shoulder and his wings were now edged with a deep blue-green color on the tips of his feathers. So subtle it was only visible in direct sunlight it made his wings almost ethereal in appearance.
"Wow Boss. Snazzy new feathers huh? I'm gonna go find some ladies...I mean go try out my new wings."
With that Blackjack took to the sky and with only three powerful flaps of his wings, he was gone from sight. Percy turned to his father who stood with his back to the open doors but slightly to the side.
"Symbol is set and my sacred animal was chosen. Is that all or is there more we need to do?"
Percy was curious but he was also tired, though tired wasn't the right word for what he was feeling. Drained would be a much better way to describe how he was feeling Percy thought, drained.
"Well, that depends. First I would like to discuss your sword."
"My sword?"
"Yes. I want you to understand the significance of Moon Steel. It is an alloy of mortal steel and silver that has been consecrated in a sacred stream that only Artemis and her hunters know the location of. It is even more important now than ever that you remember your powers and weapons are not to be used lightly. That sword will now harm mortals, and immortals alike, but more than that the fact that Artemis gave Hephaestus Moon Steel to alloy with your sword means she felt you were worthy. Not something many many men, mortal or immortal, can claim."
Percy felt his cheeks grow slightly warm at the praise.
"I'm not that special. I just did what anyone would do."
A new voice sounded behind him, the speaker moved behind him with alarming stealth.
"That is where you are wrong Perseus."
Percy whipped around in surprise and took a half step back.
"Hello, Lady Artemis. Thank you, though I'm not sure if I agree."
Artemis waved a hand dismissively walking past Percy towards the balcony overlooking the city. Only then did Percy notice his father had disappeared which seemed odd to Percy.
"Look at the stars Perseus. What do you see?"
"I see the stars, My Lady. Amongst them are constellations and the moon. Though why can we see the stars? Isn't it midmorning?"
Artemis shot him a glance that seemed equal parts annoyed and impressed.
"You truly are a unique person, Perseus Jackson, we are gods. Why would we not see that which we desire to see?"
Artemis stared at him for a moment, examining his reaction before continuing to speak.
"I see constellations as well. However, I speak of one in particular—the Huntress. You watched me place her among the stars, and she created the sword whose successor you now wield. Will you give it to me?"
Without hesitation, Percy spun the ring and laid the sword flat on his palms offering it hilt first to the goddess. Artemis however did not move to take it, instead, she examined it closely before returning her gaze to the sky.
"I am impressed you were so willing to relinquish your symbol of power. Do guard it better in the future as losing it now would mean a loss of much power, just as losing his trident would be a heavy loss for your father. It is a magnificent weapon, and I believe Zoë would approve of the changes wrought by the Smith."
Percy bowed his head slightly in response, returning the sword to ring form at the same time. Now Percy too examined the stars, his eyes tracing the Huntress again and again. Once again Bob's words echoed to him from his memories and a single tear escaped his eye, slowly running down his face. He told the stars hello again for Bob, his lost friend.
"Perseus...You did what I could not in thousands of years. You healed her heart, for so long she labored under the wounds dealt by her father, sisters, and the swine. You earned her trust and her respect and I cannot thank you enough for that."
Artemis turned and saw the singular tear tracing down his cheek and cocked her head slightly.
"Why do you cry?"
Percy dashed the tear from his face before replying, blinking several times to clear his eyes.
"For those, I have lost. This one..." He gestured to his face, "Was for a friend named Bob. He asked me to tell the stars hello for him. Right before we escaped Tartarus. We only got out because he and Damasen sacrificed themselves for us."
Artemis looked at him her eyes remained entirely unreadable to him. The silver of her irises seemed to shimmer strangely.
"Sometimes it can become easy for us to grow apart from the humans. Somehow I do not believe this is something you will have to deal with. There are times when I lose a hunter... Times when I lose a hunter and it is like losing a part of myself, but I don't think I can truly understand what you have been through. Though I am sorry for your losses."
Percy looked away from the goddess as she spoke, once more gazing upon the Huntress. He took a long while to organize his thoughts even after Artemis had finished speaking.
"Thank you, My Lady. Thank you for everything."
She acknowledged his thanks and with barely a sound she turned and disappeared to only she knew where leaving Percy on the balcony looking at the now clear blue sky. Though not for long it seemed as if there were two flashes of light, one on either side of Percy. Apollo and Hermes stood on either side of him looking out at the city as well.
"So how is it so far?"
Apollo asked in a very uncharacteristically serious voice, it surprised Percy who had only known the god to be energetic and positive, even when his sister was missing.
"Being a god? I don't know yet. It's kind of hard to say."
Both Hermes and Apollo were nodding as though they had expected that answer. This time Hermes spoke and Percy turned to face him.
"Well we are going to help you get acquainted with your new life, your new powers, and just maybe help you with more than that."
Percy looked at him slightly confused not understanding what he meant. The look of confusion was easy to read for Hermes, he smiled sadly.
"Percy, Apollo is the God of Medicine and Healing, I still owe you for everything you did for Luke. I'm not saying we can take your pain away but having someone to talk to is very helpful. If you don't want to talk to us we understand but talk to someone."
Percy was seeing an entirely new side of both gods, though now that he thought about it, they were both thousands of years old. They had likely lost more than he could even imagine in his worst nightmares.
"Thank you... I think I could do that. But for now, can we focus on something else? I want to... No, I need to do something useful."
The other two gods nodded seemingly unsurprised by this request.
"There's only one condition for our help."
Hermes appeared deadly serious as he said this and Percy grew slightly nervous. Apollo finished for him.
"Don't go blabbing about this to anyone. Wouldn't want everyone to realize we aren't just upbeat all the time."
Percy smiled sadly and nodded in agreement. Time began to fly by for Percy as Apollo and Hermes began to teach him everything he needed to know about being a god. They also helped him explore his powers, which proved to be an interesting task as they told him he would likely develop more powers as his connection to his domains began to develop and grow. As of now the only power he had figured out was linked to the domain of Weaponry, he was able to summon weapons into being on command, though only weapons he had seen before or was otherwise familiar with.
Hermes theorized that this was because his mind needed a structure or focus for his power. It seemed a logical explanation to Percy so he just practiced his abilities. His connection to the Ocean was greater as well, his hydrokinetic abilities had been increased, and he felt as though he could feel the shifting currents and tides easier than before.
Almost a month had passed since Percy had finally chosen to become a god, and in that time much had happened to him. He had learned how to use most of his generic godly powers, teleportation, and shape-changing to name his favorites. Percy loved being able to change his appearance, it meant he was able to walk amongst the demigods, both roman and greek, without drawing the normal attention he would have he maintained his natural appearance.
He did what he could for the two groups of demigods while trying to maintain his anonymity. It didn't always work, especially if he saved demigods from monster attacks. His fighting style and his ability to stand against any monster without breaking a sweat set him apart immediately. Percy had also figured out how to split himself into multiple streams of consciousness. He maintained a presence at the borders of both camps, serving as a final unseen line of defense, though his mastery left something to be desired. He could only maintain singular points of focus meaning that essentially there were just three of him in the world. Two patrolling invisibly along the borders of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter, while his main consciousness was elsewhere.
Percy had kept himself moving and busy for as many hours of the day as he possibly could, refusing to face the demons hiding in the recesses of his mind. Apollo and Hermes did their best to try to get him to open up but he rebuffed their attempts. That is until Athena let him know his palace was complete, and that he should give it a look.
"Palace? What palace?"
Whipping around he glared at Apollo and Hermes.
"What did you do?"
Both gods simply smiled at him complete innocence on their faces. He knew he would get nothing out of them and so resigned himself to his fate. He followed Athena through the city to a low building that was set apart from most of the other palaces. For a long while, Percy simply gaped. Built half on and half of a small lake the building was easily twice the size of the Poseidon cabin, but compared to the other palaces it was tiny.
(I know the movie was terrible but the Poseidon 'cabin' in the movie is serving as the inspiration for the aesthetics of this.)
The wooden beams that sank into the ground to support the cabin looked as though they were made of some sort of incredibly dark, heavy wood. The same material made up the frame of the building, but the walls were different, the wood was much lighter looking and was painted a beautiful blue-green color. Percy stepped forward and opened the front door revealing a sizable main room with four doors and two sets of steep stairs up to a second level that was open to this main room in the center. He opened one of the rear doors and stepped out onto a back porch that sat above the water.
"You can change the view to any coastline in the world if you wish."
Percy almost jumped in surprise at hearing Athena's voice. Having a better idea of his powers now he willed the location to change and the world blurred. He was looking out at the view from the cabin his mom had taken him to at Montauk. Percy willed the view to return to Olympus and it did.
"Thank you, Lady Athena. This is amazing."
Athena met his eyes and examined him for a long moment.
"My daughter's passing still weighs heavily upon you, as do your other friends? Or am I mistaken?"
Percy clenched his jaw and turned to look out over the water trying to reign in his emotions. A hand gripped his shoulder turning him to face Athena.
"I did not appreciate or approve of you courting my daughter. At least I didn't at first. After watching you struggle to regain the memories Hera stole from you I could not in good conscience maintain my disapproval. Did you know Hera tried to take your memories of my daughter as well? Your mind refused to let them go. That is why you were not given false memories of a new life like Jason. Such devotion to my daughter could not be ignored. I do not blame you for her death, you should not blame yourself."
Percy felt the tears running down his face dry somewhat as Athena erupted in a column of flame, just as she had done to him once before. Fresh tears replaced them and Percy sank to the floor beneath him, legs dangling off the edge of the porch. It was not long before Apollo and Hermes came looking for him. Both of them sank to the edge of the porch as he had, they didn't say anything which Percy appreciated. After what felt like hours Percy finally found words.
"I lost everything. When we escaped Tartarus I thought just maybe there was a chance we could get through everything. They didn't even allow me that victory. I had to watch my mom and stepdad be murdered again and again in my dreams. Then the final battle came and... and only I survived."
Apollo and Hermes were both silent and still, listening to his words, and not interrupting. A flash of light lit the sky and both gods groaned in annoyance. Percy looked at them both in turn.
"Dad's calling an emergency meeting," Apollo stated dryly. "But before we go. I am sorry about your mom and stepdad. I didn't know you had lost them as well."
The light flashed again, and both Hermes and Apollo paled slightly.
"We better go fast. The last time he signaled more than once was when Typhon escaped his prison."
Percy gaped at Apollo's words following the advice and flashing to his throne immediately, Apollo had been right.
AN: Well it's a start. I haven't figured out if I want Percy to have a romantic interest in this story yet. Almost none of the common choices feel right, and to be perfectly honest I have never been a huge fan of Percabeth, also obviously shes not exactly an option. I plan on this being a decent-length story so I suppose as the story evolves I will have to see if any relationships seem to make sense. Also, I plan on this being updated roughly once a month as I am currently working on two stories at the same time, and I want to be better about readability and all that jazz.