Eventide
part one: civil

ch. twelve: daughters will be sung


"The king disappeared in a brilliant flash of light, but even when he was gone, Percy had a feeling that the fight wasn't quite over yet."

The infamous Hercules was glowing with anger. Literally. Percy didn't know if this was a side effect of being a constellation or the whole immortality thing, but this guy was not happy. Like, at all.

"Everyone back towards the door," Luke said, deathly calm. He could just barely hear the anger and the fear in his voice. To his surprise, he followed the order easily, moving back and watching the so-called hero in front of them.

The plan didn't really work. The hulk of a man charged, and even though it was four to one, it wasn't easy. As much as he hated to admit it, Hercules was a great fighter, deadly and accurate. He lunged towards them, and Percy stepped forward, uncapping his sword and raising it on pure instinct.

Metal met metal with a harsh clang. He hadn't noticed, but Jerkules was carrying a weapon of his own - the same one he himself was wielding. Anaklusmos. Their swords met again, and his arm raised and blocked blow after blow before he could think about it.

"Percy!" someone yelled. Zoe. He recognized her voice and kept fighting, keeping his eyes in battle but his ears open.

There wasn't much to hear in the fight. Footsteps. Soft grunts. Metal. He kept fighting and strained his ears, trying to listen for the sound that he knew was there.

A crinkle of fabric. The soft whoosh of air passing. One single step. A released breath. A hand being drawn back.

Percy ducked, flattening himself to the cold floor, his heart beating loudly as he pressed his face to the ground. There were two thuds as silver arrows pierced Hercules' chest. He lifted himself to his knees, already moving away.

Risking a glance behind him, his suspicions were proved correct. The two Hunters stood together - sisters, the two sisters - having just released an arrow each from a silver, engraved bow. Luke stood in the back, his hand on the door. Unlocking it, he guessed.

Move! The hairs on the back of his neck stood up straight. He rolled to the side, avoiding the savage blade that had slammed into the place where he'd been just seconds ago. Hopping back up, he kept his sword in his hand, still backing up on Luke's orders.

Bianca and Zoe kept shooting. Arrows flew through the air, some hitting their mark, some not. This didn't seem to faze the former hero, however. He ripped the arrows out of his chest like they were nothing to him, throwing them to the ground and charging towards them with sword in hand.

Crap.

Before he could react, Hercules tackled him. There was a second in which time seemed to slow down - he could see every rise and fall of Hercules' chest and the way the two swords glinted, identical, and everything in between.

And then he hit the ground. His head slammed against tile painfully, and there was a small cracking sound as his neck was forced back. Dark spots danced across his vision, like someone was blotting out the picture with ink. He struggled to stay awake, wanting to stay on the ground forever.

Percy remembered a time when his mom had taken him to Montauk, and they'd been out in the sun at noon, when it was blazing hot. Sweat had poured down his back in buckets, and the sand was burning. He'd ignored this - being eleven and completely stupid - and had continued to play.

Then, out of nowhere, his vision had seemed to dim a little. He'd rubbed at his eyes, thinking nothing was wrong. Darkness started creeping at the corners of the sea and the sand, and he squinted, trying to figure out what was wrong. And for a shocking second, he could barely see anything but the sand in front of him.

He'd cried out, fear enveloping him, and stumbled forwards, arms out and unable to see. There was nothing but those dark spots and fear. He'd yelled for his mom, tears slipping out of his eyes.

Later, standing in the ocean with his sight returning, and guzzling a ton of water, his mom had explained he'd almost had a heat stroke. It was too hot outside, she'd explained. And it had been like he was overheating and dehydrating. If that was a word.

That had been terrifying to him at the age of eleven.

This was still terrifying now.

He could barely see. Darkness crawled across his eyesight, and he gasped when the pain came. The aching fire licked at his ribs, and he suddenly couldn't breathe. His foot felt like it wasn't angled right, twisted against the floor and hurting.

He was lifted into the air, and Percy struggled, kicking and pummeling with his feet, arms scrabbling at two beefy hands wrapped around his neck. The world faded to grey.

One coherent thought: Air.

Air.

Air.

Air.

Desperate and trying to breathe, he pulled his knees together with effort, and making a soundless groan, pushed them forwards into a tough stomach.

The trick worked though, and Hercules was distracted by the sudden loss of air - that was what being kneed in the stomach did to you. He let go, and the son of Poseidon braced himself for impact with the floor.

He landed on his hands and knees, gagging and retching, trying to breathe.

Someone wrapped arms under his armpit and dragged him up into a standing position. He moved, trying to escape, but then he recognized the person. Bianca held him up, and he rasped out a "Thanks." to her.

It took a few seconds - a few seconds too long - for him to recover. Just as Bianca let go, and he picked up his abandoned sword from the ground, a thousand things happened at once.

"Got it!" Luke cried. The door opened with a loud bang.

Hercules roared, throwing Zoe back, who flew through the air, hitting the far wall but recovering faster than anyone he'd ever known. She flew back at him, anger etched deeply in her face. A knife flashed in her hand, and she landed and struck out, too fast for anyone to follow. The silver weapon lodged itself into his chest, and the supposedly great hero stumbled back.

"Come on," he whispered to Bianca. His strength returning - though he still struggled to breathe - he managed to make his way towards the door, sending glances back at Zoe, who was following them.

Hercules, by all means, wasn't dead. He was, however, knocked out. That would prove well for escape. Especially as winded as they were.

Luke was up ahead, ushering them out the grand doors. Zoe sprang up next to them, falling in line behind Bianca and in front of him. He noticed a strange symbol - overlapped stars, it looked like - tattooed on the back of her neck. Percy said nothing, though, holding the door for Luke to step in front of him before he himself shut the doors.

Before he did, though, he took a last glance at the monster on the throne room floor. The door closed. I hope I never see you again, he thought to himself. Never again.

"Let's get outta here," Luke said, leading the way. He silently agreed. Percy did not want to come back this place ever, ever again.

There were a few murmurs of agreement. As they pushed their way through the crowds, he couldn't stop himself from looking back at the castle every now and then. Who was to say that Hercules wouldn't come running through the streets after them? And what about Ouranos?

After all, the bearded Santa guy had seemed pretty crazy.

In a matter of minutes, the group reached the place where they'd started. The edge of the giant floating cloud, outside the city/kingdom gates. Which then led to another problem; how would they get back to Olympus?

"Um," he started. "Did our wonderful tour guide mention a way to get back?" A snort from Bianca.

"Tour guide?" Zoe asked.

"Her Most Annoying Majesty, Queen Hera. Or Juno. Whichever you prefer," Luke offered as a way of explanation. (Her Most Annoying Majesty was a pretty good title, considering what Hera was like.) "-showed us how to get here."

"She didn't say anything about us getting back," Bianca confirmed. He cursed in Greek, looking at their surroundings. There wasn't anything around them, really. Below them, real clouds floated around, so thick that he couldn't see past them. There was a horizon-ish; he felt like they were somewhere in Earth's atmosphere or something. Above them, the night sky glittered - though he guessed it was space more than it was anything else.

"That's because you won't be going back, little godlings." He whirled around to see Ouranos, the old man stalking towards them with a surprising amount of grace. "No one visits the kingdom of Ouranos and lives to tell of it." The king gave them a feral smile.

Normally, at this point in time, Percy would start thinking about ways to BS through their situation. But the fact remained that they were on a giant cloud, about to be killed or something by a crazy old guy, and their only way of escape was very possibly suicidal.

"Uh, guys," he started. He was cut off by the ground disappearing underneath his feet. "What the- agh!"

He was hit suddenly by the thought that holy Hera we're falling. For a second, he wondered if they were going to fall to their deaths. The hopelessness of this intensified as he was reminded of falling into Tartarus, arms wrapped around Annabeth and scared that they wouldn't live to see another day. That he'd never see his family ever again.

Percy hit the ground with a yell. What little air he had was knocked out of his lungs.

"Are you simply going to lie there? I didn't save you all for this reason. Get up," came an order. Speak of the woman herself. "Holy Hera" had come to the rescue, whether they liked it or not. He picked himself off of the ground, glaring at her.

"Hera? What are you doing here?" Apparently, Zoe hated Hera just as much as Thalia did. The sight was rather amusing; Zoe, glaring defiantly at Hera, who was scowling as if the Hunter was a piece of gum on the bottom of her favorite pair of shoes.

The goddess sniffed disdainfully. "Obviously, you've lost any sense you might have had before. I brought you back here, to Olympus."

"Olympus?" The Hunter looked around, eyes widening at the sight. "I have not been here since I was but a child."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Luke groaned. "Can we leave now?" Hera frowned.

"Very well, then. I will take my leave, and you can run off to wherever you little brats came from." Before anyone could retaliate, she disappeared in a poof of smoke. Zoe crossed her arms.

"I've never liked her, that stupid, good-for-nothing goddess." A peal of thunder. Percy chuckled.

"You sound like Thalia. No one likes Hera, anyway." At the reminder of the daughter of Zeus, Luke flinched. Bianca cocked her head, interested.

"How is she?" Zoe ventured, shooting looks at her companions.

"Still as kickbutt as ever, thanks for asking," he told them, laughing slightly at the thought. "But anyway," he said, a sudden thought forming in his mind. "How are we getting back?"

"Um," Luke said.

"Oh," Bianca said.

"Yeah," he told them.

"Remind me where we are going again." Zoe.

What a great group of friends he had here. Just wonderful.

Ten minutes of kind of Iris-Messaging, lengthy discussions (ugh), and a truckload of all-around confusion later, the now-familiar sound of ripping sky sounded next to them. The space next to them tore open, and Chaos stepped out, smiling.

This time, Chaos was an older woman, with dark hair, eyes that seemed to change every time he looked at them, and a rather severe expression on her face. Uh oh. He looked at her warily, hoping that she wouldn't explode or something. They'd just escaped danger, after all, and he had no wish to see it again.

"Zoe Nightshade," she spoke finally, tone cold. "The forgotten Hesperide." At this, said girl bristled, glaring.

"And what would it be to you?" she asked in what could almost be disgust. The creator didn't seem at all offended. Instead, she laughed, high and clear.

"As you have requested, Perseus," she said suddenly, turning to him. Chaos gestured at Zoe. "The last of them." He nodded and the strange epiphany struck; was it possible for Chaos to be bipolar? He shook away the thought as soon as it came.

He nodded. "Can we go now?"

She swept her eyes over them in a long look before confirming that yes, they could step through the portal. Their footsteps were loud as they stepped through onto the grass of Thrae. They were on the edge of the large meadow, so to speak, near the beach. He could hear the waves crashing behind him, and he could feel it, too, the presence of water.

"Look who finally turned up," a familiar voice said, a hint of laughter in her tone. He turned to grin at Annabeth, who, he noted, was dressed in workout clothes and sweaty.

Behind her, Silena waved, daughter of Aphrodite looking perfect as always (it was an Aphrodite thing, he guessed; though he had to say Annabeth looked better, which she always did). Beckendorf and Ethan came from the house to greet them.

"Zoe Nightshade, everyone," Luke announced dramatically, though he was grinning.

"Afternoon, Zoe," Annabeth said.

"Yo, Zo." Everyone rolled their eyes at Ethan, who mumbled something about trying to be slightly more optimistic.

Silena waved again, and Beckendorf offered her a smile, the son of Hephaestus preferring to stay quiet. Chaos stopped the greetings and looked at Zoe curiously. She flashed them all a feral grin, jerking her head in the direction of the temple and looking straight at him.

Come, she murmured in his mind, and looking around, Percy realized he was the only one who'd heard her speak besides Zoe. He ran a hand through his hair, watching as the demigods dispersed.

"Um, I'm just gonna head over, guys," he told them, already turning to follow. There were a few okay's and whatevers in farewell, which he took as a good thing. Walking past Annabeth, he had the chance to sneak a kiss on her cheek, and she rolled her eyes good-naturedly before walking off.

The three of them - what an odd bunch they made, he mused - walked in silence. Zoe was the first to break it, turning to him and raising an eyebrow.

"So this is..."

"Thrae," he explained, gesturing around them. "Strange-looking, I know.. you'll get used to it."

She frowned and asked sharply. "And where are we going?"

He ignored the tone and continued the tour, pointing out different places."This is the city; there's actually quite a lot of people here. But, ah, as to where we are going?" They stopped in front of the temple, dark stone gleaming and changing colors in the light.

"Temple of Chaos," he said quietly, noting the awestruck look on her face. He wondered if he had looked that way when he'd first seen it; the temple was a sight to behold. "Come on."

Chaos herself had actually disappeared in front of them, the mortal form no longer needed. He put a hand on Zoe's back, guiding her forwards, but realizing what he was doing, stopped. He gestured at the steps, letting her step in below him as they descended.

Percy grabbed her elbow when they reached the bottom, stopping her. "Before we go in, you're going to have to know what you're getting into. Chaos is building what might be called an army; we call it the Fellowship. When - if - you join, you'll pledge yourself to Chaos for eternity.. there's no going back."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her dark eyes meeting his. "I understand," she said finally, and he nodded curtly.

"Then repeat after me. I pledge myself to Chaos. I fight for the balance of the universe. I turn my back on believing in one world to believe in many more. I will do my best to help those in need. I give my service to you, and I give my life to those who cannot fight for themselves. I choose to devote myself to balance and the prospect of good."

She took the oath solemnly, and when they were finished, he put a hand on the door and whispered a last warning before opening it.

The second he stepped in, the world stopped.

The shifting of black soil underneath his feet. High, cold laughter.

Holding his friends' hands in reassurance.

Lightning cleaving through the air; Hazel on Arion, sword drawn and her armour a bright, gleaming gold.

Blood. An earth-shattering scream.

Anaklusmos, cutting through monsters like they were nothing. Arrows, fired from both sides, raining down as bringers of death.

Promises. "NO!"

Lying on his back, staring at the cloud-filled sky, then laughing as the first droplets of rain fell. Seven of them, the ever-immortal Seven, the magical number, they who had brought victory and triumph and the end to a war. Each of them smiling in what could only be described as relief, and hope, and love, and for the beginning of something.

Darkness. Light. The rays of sun creeping over the silhouette of the mountains.

The rattle of a chain. Fire; a spark of warmth. A start of a song, voices cracked and hoarse, but the music filled a hole in his heart, seeping through him and carrying him home.

Home. And the world around him shattered like glass, pieces falling out of place-

Percy blinked. And blinked some more, trying desperately to calm his frantic heart. He rolled over so he was lying on his stomach and then pushed himself up, his body feeling heavy. He rubbed at his temples, wondering about what he'd just seen.

This time had seemed different; flashes of memories and moments, a fleeting sense of emotion. There hadn't been a definite focus. On the ground, Zoe was awakening, blinking at the strange surroundings.

Welcome to the Void. Zoe Nightshade, daughter of the stars. Make your choice.

He knew her answer before she spoke it; and silvery light appeared, encasing the girl. The aura erupted around her for a second, as it had them all, before dying down. She smiled, eyes brighter than he had ever seen them.

The Void didn't take long; she was assigned the position of lieutenant, and as the two of them turned to leave, Chaos stopped him.

Stay, Perseus. Zoe, you may go. She nodded once and left, journeying to her new home by herself. He turned slowly.

"Am I in trouble?"

Do you think you are? He considered this.

"Yeah, probably."

No.. I am showing you something you must swear to never speak of. Should anyone ever know of this.. bad tidings are coming, child, and I need your help.

A pause. He swallowed hard. "And what would you have me do?"

There was no answer. In the corner of his eye, something moved. He watched numbly as white mist poured across the 'ground', coming to curl around his feet, higher and higher. He stepped forwards, seeing something tall and dark in the distance.

There was something awfully familiar about the mist, though, he noted. He reached out and trailed his hand through it; it was not cold, nor was it wet. Colors flickered through it, and he swore that he could see his friends, standing together, smiling and laughing.

The Mist.

He kept walking forwards, drawn by a desire that was not his own. Then, finally, a form appeared out of the Mist; it was a dark figure laying on the ground, a set of shackles around his arms and legs.

Percy's heart began to beat faster and faster. With careful and deliberate movement, he knelt, reaching out and tracing a finger on the shackles. As he did, his surroundings began to form and take shape.

A tall gate appeared behind him, the doors to it open, which he presumed he had just walked through, for it was open. He was kneeling in some sort of confinement, a shield around them, not unlike the barrier at Camp Half-Blood. He could see the surface of it, a pale white, and once again, strange symbols were etched into the shield itself.

There were more of these shields, and in each of them was a figure, a person. What in the name of Chaos-

Something rustled. The sound of chains, clanking against each other. He turned his eyes back towards the person in front of him, who he could now see clearly. The boy was about his age - or at least, he looked like it - with fair hair and pale skin. He was dressed in pale-colored armor, and there was a strange tattoo on his neck.

Aithêr, a voice whispered.

A pair of glowing eyes snapped open. The ground beneath them shook.

I am awake.


Yeah, you're probably asking me what the fuck.Unfortunately, that last part isn't coming into play until later, though I've left some clues. Anyone want to take a guess as to where Percy was?

Yes, I know I haven't updated since May, but hi. Eventide is back.

So where was Percy (or any speculations about the above part), and who are your top two authors?

(Also, time skip in the next chapter, heads up.)

achieving elysium