CHAPTER 2
Suddenly I felt the cold tip of a dagger on my neck.
I turned around to see something that truly broke my heart.
It was…. Annabeth. A transparent barrier of some sort had appeared around me, annabeth, thalia and the 2 giants holding her.
"how dare you kill my mistress?"
I could feel the sadness in my heart but I somehow managed the strength to say,
" you mistress? Annabeth, what are you doing?"
"oh Percy, you are so naïve and foolish, it is just too easy to trick you. I was working with gaia and tartarus since the starting of this war."
I was shocked but I asked," why Annabeth, why? And does this mean that you were helping kronos as well?"
She laughed. But this time, it was not one of her beautiful laughs, instead it was an ice cold laugh that for some reason made my blood boil.
" no seaweed brain," I growled at the name " I was not with kronos. But I am with gaia now because i understand how the gods have mistreated us and used us for their entertainment and made us fight their enemies. Or have you forgotten, how Bianca died because Aphrodite was angry at you? Or how Zoë died while saving artemis from atlas? Or silena and bekhendorf? They died in the war between kronos and the gods which we had to fight. Percy, the gods will just betray us one day. The wa they did to the titans."
" what are you saying Annabeth? You know that's not true." I looked around to find someone who would back me up. But all I saw was that the demigods were away treating the wounded and mourning for their lost ones or freeing the ones that were taken hostage. And the gods were all looking down guiltily. I looked at thalia and saw that she had tears running down her eyes.
Annabeth noticed me looking around as well. She smirked.
" do you see percy? These are the people you serve. The people who cant even back you up."
I suddenly felt very angry. I looked at my dad and noticed that he was just standing there with his head down.
" what do you want me to do?"
She smiled sweetly, which so didn't seem sweet now.
" I want you to join us. Alas you have already killed gaia but no worries. Tartarus has other plans for you. He wants to use you as a bargain chip to the gods and to see if they let you get tortured or retrieve you."
" and if I say no?"
" then sadly you'll have to see your cousin die."
I turned to see thalia bound and held by a large Cyclops. She was struggling but the Cyclops kept on hitting her. She saw me through her tear and pain filled eyes.
I looked at Annabeth and then at thalia. And at the other gods as well. By then I had made up my mind.
" I will come with you if you leave thalia right now. "
She smiled, which made me think about my decision again.
" I knew you would say that. And don't worry we wont beat you up that bad. Just a few hundred burning whips or the screams of your loved ones, or something."
Suddenly I saw a shadow behind Annabeth. nico was hiding in them.
He caught my eye for a second and i had an idea about what nico was about to do. As if reading my mind, nico nodded.
He quetly came towards Annabeth and put his sword on her neck. She froze.
"remove the blade form his neck. Now." Nico said.
"I...I won't"
He pushed the blade further in her neck.
She gulped. I could feel the blade slowly being removed from my neck.
I stepped away from her. Nico still had his blade at her neck.
"good. Now release thalia."
" never" she growled.
Nico pressed his blade. " do it." He said.
Annabeth ordered the gaurds to release thalia.
Thalia walked over to us.
Nico still had his sword at annabeths neck.
" good." He saud. " now go away from here and take your whole army with you."
" you will never forget this day. All of you. Because i will have my revenge. And whenever i do, no one will be there to protect you from me and my master. No one. I swear on the river styx."
And then she suddenly disappeared in black mist and all the monsters left dissolved too.
All the demigods and gods came to us as the barrier had vanished the minute the monsters had left.
Thalia came to me and nico and we hugged each other. I had silent tears running down my face.
Thalia was crying openly. even nico had tears in his eyes. I looked at him and said,
" thank you nico. If not for you, then i would have surely said yes to her conditions to save thalia. I owe you my life."
" i agree with percy. Thanks for saving us nico." Thalia said.
The gods came to us. They had already transported all other demigods to Olympus. Hermes and dad stepped foreward and transported us too.
On Olympus:
We appeared in the throne room.
All the gods and goddesses sat on their thrones. The other members of the prophecy of seven came to us. It looked like they knew what all had happened.
Jason went to his sister and hugged her, trying to comfort her.
Zeus kept on saying things about the gods victory, the war, etc. But i hardly paid any attention and kept on an expressionless face.
Finally it was time for the rewards. Zeus called all the remaining heroes from the prophecy of seven along with thalia and nico.
We all stepped foreword.
"you demigods here have done so much for us. Nobody here will deny it. So we offer you a chance to become immortal. To come and live forever. And i hope this time none of you would decline it." He said the last part looking pointedly at me.
Me, thlia, and nico looked at each other. Our decision was final.
Jason and piper accepted it. Frank and hazel and leo did too. Though hazel a little reluctantly. When it was my turn i looked at zeus eye to eye. This was a little hard since he was about a thousand feet tall.
" i think you already know my choice. I don't accept immortality. Instead, i want 1 wish from the gods, just like last time."
Zeus smirked. " that was pretty obvious. Alright perseus Jackson. I believe you would need our word on the river styx?"
A brief smirk appeared on percy's face as well.
"yes. I would."
" very well. In the name of the council we swear by the river styx to grant your request."
" first i want you to return hades and Hestia their thrones back on olympus, as they are one of the most powerful gods, as well as the eldest children of kronos. And thats it. Thats my wish." I said
My dad smiled, and surprisingly, zeus chuckled. " child, we were going to make hades and Hestia Olympians even before you said it. And we were hoping that you would finally accept immortality. But alas you didn't. So we agree to your wish."
The gods all chanted in ancient greek and suddenly 2 new thrones rose up from the floor.
Hades looked shocked. But nodded at me and surprisingly, gave me a small, very small smile.
Hestia came over and gave me a hug.
As i was just about to turn around when my dad called me again and said,
" wait perseus, we are not quite done yet. We believe that seeing the expressions of your cousins, they are going to decline immortality too. So we will offer the three of you partial immortality, And this time, you can't say no."
So we agreed. And after a few minutes, all of us cousins were partially immortal.
Then hermes appollo areas and Dionysus got up and said," well now that all the rewards and discussions are over, i believe, its time for a party!"
And they all flashed out. Slowly even the other people left until it was just me, nico, thalia, and hera and Hestia.
Us three were just sitting together when i noticed that hera and Hestia were coming towards us.
I wonder what hera had to say to us. Though i did owe her an apology...
So did you like it? How was it? Please review!
