Chapter 1

Hestia POV

Hestia was tending the flames of the hearth as usual. Just because she was peace-loving, most often forgot that she was the eldest of the elder six, the eldest and most powerful daughter of Kronos and Rhea. She had watched on through the hearth as life progressed in homes. She had noticed a particular child; a sweet, beautiful boy, with a caring mother. She sensed that the boy was a demigod, one of her brother's kids. The dark hair and the dark eyes all suggested to one god. She knew the boy would lead a harsh life; the prophecy had made sure of that, but she would help him as much as she could. She saw what the mother did for him. She married a disgusting man, that is if he could be called a man (what with the piggish eyes and whale-like body), just to protect him. She admired her bravery and sacrifice. One day however, disaster struck, the man used to beat the boy everyday when his mother went for work, but today, during this daily ritual, the mother walked in. Seeing the state of her son, she threatened to call the cops. The man would have none of that. He took hold of her and smacked her hard across her face. She cried out. Taking his chances, the child picked up a kitchen knife and charged across the room shouting out a battle cry. His step father noticed this and easily plucked the knife out of his hands. "You don't know how to use this kid, and neither could you. But thanks anymay, Ineeded it", saying this, he plunged the knife into the mother's heart. Looking at this, the boy gave out a guttural scream full of anguish. The earth quaked, as if it could feel his pain. He looked as his step father with pure hatred and then saw shadows gathering around him. Going with his gut instincts, he thrust his hands at his stepfather and watched with wonder as the shadows collected around his mother's murderer. He begged for mercy, but he would not get any. Hestia looked on at the boy with wonder and awe. The child's eyes were as dark as hellfire. Then, she saw the shadows dissipate, leaving nothing behind.

With the adrenaline rush past, the boy's eyes dimmed but remained a hurricane of emotions with pain, sadness and confusion being most prominent. Then, the first tear arose, and the child broke down. The boy ran away from the scene. With an intention to help the boy, she flashed herself over to the house. Once she regained her bearings, she realized her senses were overcome with the residual power left in the area. At once she knew that this demigod was exceptionally powerful and that he needed her help. But first things first, she moved over towards the gruesome sight of the boy's mother, and closed her hazel eyes. She put a drachma on each one and muttered an ancient blessing, giving her the final burial rights. The mother's body shimmered and then vanished. Satisfied, she looked around for the boy. Feeling uneasy, she sensed a monster in the area. She immediately knew the boy was in danger. With the sheer determination to save the boy fuelling her and pumping through her godly veins, she stepped out of the house and into the dark, cloudy night. She would have teleported herself had she did known the precise location of the boy. Suddenly, she sensed a power flux in the area. It had to be him. She teleported herself to the location.

Hestia found herself in a dark alley. It was quiet, almost too quiet. She assessed the situation. To her shock, there was no monster there, but the tired child and her godly senses were enough to tell her that it had not just left, no.. The boy had killed it. He had killed his first monster at seven, without any training or weapon, but with sheer power. Again she was amazed by his powers. If she did not know earlier, she definitely knew now. The boy was very powerful.. maybe even the most powerful child her brother had ever had. She knew that the boy would have to be protected and kept a secret, at the very least, till he could fend for himself properly. If her dear brother Zeus learned of his existence or of his power, he would throw a fit and would try to blast him with his lightning bolt. Not that she or even the boys' father would allow him to, but still.

She willed her eight year old frame to grow to her twenty year old form. She also changed her fiery but warm ember eyes to mortal brown ones. She would hold this form till she explained everything to the boy. A form the boy was familiar with and would feel more comfortable with. She then approached the boy. "What is your name, child?" she asked him as she knelt down to his height. As his eyes fluttered shut, he said, "Percy, Percy Jackson."

Hestia caught the Percy's frail frame just before it touched the ground and picked him up tenderly. She had to do something. She decided that it was time to have a chat with her brother. With that thought, after requesting permission to enter into his domain, Hestia teleported Percy and herself to the Underworld.

~Line Break~

Hades POV

Hades, Lord of the Underworld, was sitting in his throne brooding. Not that that was unusual.. After all, millenia in the Underworld would make anybody pensive. His onyx eyes were staring into empty space as he thought about recent years and the upcoming ones to come. He knew that they were going to be tough for he had had a demigod and had broken his oath. Sally, Sally Jackson was a wonderful mortal and he truly had loved her. She had managed to crack past his cold frame and had loved him. He wished he could do more for her. He cursed the Ancient Laws silently as he thought of his son. He knew that he would be in constant and grave danger from his youngest brother Zeus. Poseidon would not harm him. He was always the more laid back of the three and did not blame their children for their mistakes. Hades was going to do all that was in his power to train his son and make sure that he would be able to survive the cursed prophecy. Percy was going to be different, he mused.. he would be more powerful than any of his previous demigod children considering the circumstances of his birth..

Hades broke out of his reverie as he felt a slight tingle at the back of his mind. It was the sign gods had, that told them when another god requested permission for entrance into their domain. He was surprised. It was very rare for him to have an immortal visitor, or rather any visitor. He checked the god's aura to know who it was and recognizing the aura as that of his eldest sister, he quickly granted her entrance.

Hestia appeared in his throne room and he allowed a ghost of a smile to slip onto his face as he greeted his favourite sister. It quickly disappeared when he noticed that she was not in her usual 8 year old form but in an older one. She only did that when she had to talk about some serious matter (People rarely took an 8 year old seriously). Even this changed into a frown when he noticed the sleeping form of a child draped across her chest.

"Sister, it has been too long," he said "But I sense that this is not a regular meeting. Who is the child you hold in your hands?" "Hello Brother," greeted Hestia, nodding her head in greeting, " As for the child... why don't you see for yourself?" With that she lifted Percy up so that Hades could see him.

Hades' face first morphed into one of confusion. Then, his eyes sparkled in recognition and his expression changed to that of shock. Quickly catching himself, he turned his face into an emotionless mask. Steeling himself, Hades repeated his question," Who is the child?" Hestia's eyes twinkled in amusement as she saw her brother's failed attempt at appearing to not recognize the child. She simply said that she knew who he was. Hades' shoulders slumped in defeat as he realized that Hestia knew about his son.

Dropping all pretences and masks, "But how…? Does anyone else know?" he asked. Hestia shook her head and Hades sighed in relief. He knew that Hestia would never do anything to harm his son. "How did you find him?" he asked. "I am the Goddess of Home and the Hearth," she replied," I found him as I gazed through the hearth." She then remained silent for a while as both gazed at Percy as he slept through.

Hestia then told him the entire tale of how this situation came to be. On hearing about his beloved Sally's death, his face contorted into one of pain, sorrow and rage. He immediately summoned Alecto and told her to arrange a VIP pass to the Fields of Punishment for Percy's stepfather 'Gabe'. As Hestia continued with her tale, his eyes shone with worried pride as he heard the way with which Percy handled the hellhound and had avenged Sally's death.

"We will have to train him," continued Hestia as Hades nodded in affirmation. "He has a great destiny lying ahead of him…" said Hades, continuing Hestia's thoughts. He decided then and there that he would find a way to train Percy. He might not be allowed to interfere with his life, but he could definitely teach him one or two had lots mor leeway with the Ancient Laws since he was not an Olympian. He had lots of loopholes that he could exploit. He would teach him to summon the dead at will. Percy would then be able to call the souls of olden heroes to train him. Yes, that was a good plan.

Hestia, sensing that her brother had already decided on a plan of action bid him farewell. For a second, her hand and Percy's forehead glowed orange as she blessed him. Then handing him over to Hades, she left.

"These next few years are going to be very interesting…" Hades said to himself, gazing at the spot Hestia had just teleported from, as he also left to make arrangements for his son…