Chapter Warning: Violence and blood & gore ahead.
Aut vincere aut mori…
Aut vincere aut mori…
Percy repeated the phrase over and over in his mind, like a broken record. The weight of an Imperial Gold dagger rested heavily on his palm as he carefully traced the engravings carved onto the blade. Aut vincere aut mori. To conquer or to die. It never crossed his mind that he would have an opportunity to wield it, but he had to honor the request of its owner.
The daughter of Lady Bellona stood in his path just as he was about to board the ship for Agápi, holding out a familiar Imperial Gold dagger in its sheath - Diplasiázo.
"I want you to use it," Reyna said when the son of Poseidon simply stared at the blade. "I'm not taking no for an answer."
They wordlessly stared at each other for a few seconds, holding a silent conversation with their eyes, before Percy relented, reaching for the blade.
"Aut vincere aut mori. With this blade, let your enemies feel our shared vengeance," she claimed before stepping away.
The sea at night was beautiful yet eerie, and Percy appreciated it for all of its exquisite beauty and fragile silence - a silence that Percy had come to appreciate over the weeks. It allowed him to weigh on his thoughts - on his life and his decisions - solely on his own.
The day before they departed for Ílios felt like a lifetime ago. He thought his memories of that night would be enough to tide him over, but reminiscing on it only brought forth a complicated mix of all sorts of emotion. There was a time when it was his happiest memory. There was a time when he could remember it fondly for what it was. But now, it was clouded; distorted. Just as well as the happy memories he created with the son of Hades over the past few months. The only vivid memory he had of Nico now was the memory of that day when Percy made him suffer so that he could live.
Thanatos claimed that hope would drive them forward, but that was not the case for Percy anymore. The memory of that day was driving him forward now. Vengeance drove him forward now. Vengeance was his - as was for Reyna, as was for many of them. It was that shared vengeance that was driving them forward. It was that shared vengeance that acted as their sustenance.
There is a price for everything. For his vengeance, he forsook his district and bore the colors of another - a price he willingly paid. Duty held most of them back, but not Percy. For that - in him - they entrusted their vengeance.
Bring back Zeus and Ares' heads - Apollo had him swear.
Let your enemies feel our shared vengeance - Reyna had him swear.
I'll open a path for you - he swore to Thanatos.
How many promises would he make, all in the name of (love) vengeance?
"What are you doing here, Tzákson?" A voice called out to him, snapping him out of his rapidly descending thoughts.
Disregarding the newcomer, he carefully sheathed Diplasiázo, tucking the blade away as the other emerged from below the deck, approaching him with a casual gait.
"Here. I slipped away some food for you." A carefully assorted plate of fruits, bread, and some meat was placed in front of him, making the son of Poseidon slightly queasy. Despite having not eaten, he could not feel the grips of hunger - rather the opposite, as if his body was rejecting it. That had been the case for a while now - he could barely feel anything these days.
"I'm not really hungry, Luke," Percy sighed, casting a sidelong glance at the son of Hermes.
"Frankly, I don't care," Luke grumbled as he took a seat beside the son of Poseidon on the floor, his back leaning against the mast. "Just so you know, I'm telling the kid on you if you don't take care of yourself," was his thinly veiled threat.
Percy frowned in response, irked at his peace being disturbed. But the threat of Luke telling on him to Nico… he could not ignore it, regardless if the son of Hermes was lying or not. He didn't want to risk disappointing the son of Hades.
"Nico asked me to take care of you. I'm just doing him a favor," Luke explained as Percy reached for a piece of a fruit and slipped it into his mouth reluctantly. The latter frowned at the comment before he turned to face the other.
"When was that?" Nico had been unconscious the entire time before they departed for Agápi. There was no way his lover could have talked to the first heir at that time frame. As if reading his thoughts, Luke shook his head before tilting his head up, looking at the clear sky above.
"A few nights before the war," Luke admitted. "When he asked to stay back by the campfire, he discreetly signaled for me to meet him later on that night."
"Do you think he knew what was going to happen?" There was a certain coldness in Percy's voice that was difficult to ignore. Under normal circumstances, Luke would have laughed at the implication of Nico purposely harming himself over a prediction. But he took pity on the son of Poseidon. All of them had their fair share of suffering over the past few days, but Percy was one of the few that was suffering far worse.
"I think he just had a foreboding. Look, Percy, I might not know di Angelo as much as you do but if he knew then what would happen, he would have prevented Lee and Michael's deaths," Luke pointed out. Only when the other eased up did Luke relax as well. He didn't want to act as if he was tiptoeing on glass with the son of Poseidon, but Luke had no plans to be on the receiving end of his wrath.
Damn you, di Angelo. You owe me a lot when we get back, he mentally cursed the son of Hades in his head.
"Do you think they already buried Lee and Michael?" Percy asked in a low voice after a while.
"Probably. And I hope Nico was awake for that," Luke added. "He would have hated himself if he missed out on sending them off."
"I wish we could have done that too." Luke wished that all of them could have done that. But war was cruelly partial - it would not wait for them to properly pay their respects and say their goodbyes.
"I wish that they could have been there, for when you and the kid get married," Luke said with a small smile, in an attempt to lighten the mood. It seemed like a lifetime ago. He wished he could have known them better. They thought they had a lot of time to get to know one another better. He thought he had a lot of time.
"They'll be there. We'll keep two seats reserved especially for them." The son of Poseidon said with a certainty that almost had Luke believing that such a thing was possible. But, as it stood, not even a witch could bring back the dead.
No, Luke mentally corrected himself. Perhaps a witch could do it, but what could be the equivalent to a life other than another life? A life for a life. He didn't even want to consider that possibility.
"What do you want to achieve by being here, Percy?" Luke eventually decided to ask when silence settled between them. Percy had nothing to gain from going with them to the North. He would have been safer had he gone to the House of Hephaestus. Yet, Percy chose to essentially abandon his district. For Nico, as he claimed.
"I just want to end everything, Luke," the younger male admitted. "I want to see an end to all of this with my own hands."
"I don't want to see him cry anymore," was added in a whisper. "... what would you have done if it had been Annabeth?"
"You won't like my answer to that," Luke heaved a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "When the healers said that they have done their best for Nico, I resigned myself to the idea that he might not make it. If it had been Annabeth, I would have reacted in the same way. I wouldn't have tried to search for alternatives to keep her alive."
"Before I was her partner, I was the future suzerain of Anemoi. I cannot put my own needs in front of my people at this crucial time."
It was the truth. Their love was objective in that he wouldn't sacrifice his people over her, and she wouldn't sacrifice hers over him. It was in that understanding that they could stand beside each other as equals. Yet at the same time, it was more akin to companionship than what Percy and Nico possessed.
"I don't know if you will understand or if you will believe this but…" Percy took a deep breath before continuing. "Before I was anything - a son, an heir, a captain - I was his. And I could tell that he was mine. Maybe that's why it's difficult for anyone to understand. Before everything else, he comes first. Everything for me begins and ends with him. I would like to believe that that is Fate's only mercy on us, or perhaps, what is happening to us is the price for bringing us together and now Fate is collecting its payment. "
"You said that your people's needs will come first for you…" Luke stared into those sea-green eyes and saw only complete certainty. "... but I would sacrifice everyone for him. I can't imagine living in a world without him."
"... That's not healthy." The son of Hermes could not imagine an emotion so strong that he would forsake everything else. He believed what the younger male said though - the fact that he had abandoned his district to head North for Nico spoke volumes.
"I never said that it was. But it is what it is," Percy offered a humorless laugh before redirecting his eyes once more to the night sky.
There was a trace of resignation in that laugh as well, but Luke could tell that the son of Poseidon paid little to no mind to the depth of his emotions. He could not bring himself to envy Percy in that regard - the idea of having his reason challenged by mere emotions did not sit well with him.
Following the son of Poseidon's gaze, cobalt-blue eyes looked up to the cloudless night sky as well, taking in the magnificent canopy of twinkling lights. The longer he gazed, the more stars came into view, until the sky appeared as a vast ocean of celestial bodies, stretching out forever. Some shone with a warm, golden hue, while others appeared blue or white, casting a cold, ethereal light in contrast.
"The stars," Luke started, pointing at several constellations that were visible in the night sky. "When I came up, you were staring at them. Are you familiar with them?"
"Not really," Percy admitted, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "But Nico loves the stars. When we were children, we would stay up late into the night beside this willow tree, just looking up at the sky. He would tell me all the names of the constellations and explain each one of them. I never did listen to his explanation: I just loved hearing his voice and seeing that spark in his eyes when he gets carried away..."
The son of Hermes would be lying if he said that he couldn't imagine that. He could visualize a younger version of Niccolò di Angelo gesticulating as he gave all these random facts. He would be annoyed with the son of Poseidon - Luke's lips curled at that - when he realized that Percy was not listening to what he was saying. But in truth, Percy was. Just not in the way that Nico imagined.
Luke listened quietly as Percy started to recount stories about the son of Hades, those lackluster eyes gaining some life in them over time. While Luke would never want what Percy and Nico have, he could definitely appreciate it for its positives as a ghost of a smile curled Percy's lips as he continued speaking with a gentle and tender warmth in his sea-green eyes.
Vaguely, he remembered Nico telling him then that Percy was the only one who could ever truly make him happy. Seeing Percy in this state, he could say that it was the same for the son of Poseidon. He was aware that this state would only be temporary until they met Nico once more. Until then, Luke would ensure that Percy would survive this ordeal. He would try his hardest to bring back the son of Poseidon alive, even if he had to drag his body back to Nico.
Their arrival in the outskirts of Agápi was met without resistance. In fact, it was met with a silence that everyone unanimously agreed that it was most unsettling. It was not as if they were expecting a welcoming party, but at the very least, they expected something, anything. No doubt, there was something wrong.
Everything was proceeding smoothly. Too smoothly, Thanatos thought in the middle of his meeting with the suzerains and the other heirs. From docking, to setting up camp, to making their preparations, it was all proceeding too smoothly for his liking. Unpredictability was mostly unwelcomed to him, he thought, sparing a glance at the son of Poseidon who quietly stood by his side, paying partial attention to the conversation unless he was addressed directly. He would prefer to have the two of them - The Bloodbringer and the Charybdis - in his board, but in losing Nico, he gained a very unexpected versatile piece. Unlike the other individuals who were merely fulfilling their designated roles on the board, Thanatos could tell that - in the face of Perseus Tzákson's sadness and wrath - the son of Poseidon would not play by the rules and move as he pleased. The eldest son of Hades had little to no care for the means, as long as the job was done. It was with that thought that he kept Percy by his side, acknowledging a potential that had yet to be tested. But he knew - they knew - that it would yield results soon.
"Commander," one of Luke's hounds, Ethan, interrupted. He casually entered Thanatos' tent, offering a small bow at the last second out of respect. "There's someone here who requests to have a word with you immediately."
Thanatos failed to suppress a frown, as did the others. Another unpredictability? Thanatos wondered.
"Who is it?" The suzerain questioned.
"... I think it would be best to just show you," was all Ethan said before he pushed a flap of the tent away. Gesturing with his head, he beckoned to whoever it was outside the tent, his lips pressed firmly into a thin line as he braced himself for everyone's reactions.
Thanatos could count on one hand the number of times he met this person. His face was easily forgettable, but perhaps it was because he had little to no change over the years that Thanatos recognized him at first glance. Then again, there were only three individuals whom he knew that had those electric-blue eyes; two of those being not foolish enough to enter an enemy's camp on their own unless they had a death wish. Which brought him to think: Did this person have a death wish?
"Jason Liam Grace." Thanatos said in greeting, one of his brows arched as he stared warily at the second heir of Ouranós, as did the others. Only Percy barely reacted, his head raising up just slightly in recognition. "Have you come to die?"
The second son of Zeus was in a state of unease at the scrutiny. It was to be expected - seeing as they were on opposing sides. Only a fool would do what he did, but he would rather die a fool at this point. He glanced around the tent in search of two familiar figures, stopping once he saw the son of Poseidon, but his eyes widened in surprise as he noticed the latter adorning a Stygian Iron armor. He waited for a few seconds for his old friend to acknowledge him, but was met with disappointment when he received ignorance in return.
"... I've come to warn you: You need to go back," Jason finally answered in a firm voice, not backing down from meeting the suzerain's gaze. "Father and Lord Ares were counting on you crossing through Agápi; Pólemos forces were deployed here."
That explained the situation at the moment, or the lack thereof. If they were aware, then that could only mean that their enemies were waiting in the capital, and - unfortunately - were prepared for their attack. That much Thanatos expected, as well as the others. It would be ridiculous if the two suzerains didn't anticipate their attack on Agápi - it was the most logical plan of attack. Thanatos and Hades had been preparing this for months, analyzing the situation before it even occurred. Though there were certainly variables that they did not take into account, Thanatos could say that they were still in control of the situation.
"How many are we talking about?" Thanatos decided to indulge the younger male.
"... enough to overwhelm your forces," the son of Zeus said, albeit hesitantly. Ethan nodded in confirmation when the suzerain of Skotádi turned to him. "Lord Ares is in the palace…" Jason trailed off, glancing at the son of Poseidon who had yet to look at him before he continued. "... and Lord Triton too. It's how they knew that you won in Ílios."
Triton too, Thanatos thought, a conflicted expression in his face. That was another variable he did not take into account. The name had the son of Poseidon looking up. On the outside, he looked utterly composed, but that in itself was unsettling.
"Well, this isn't the first time we have to deal with this disadvantage," the son of Hermes stated as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "If they are aware of what we did, there is a strong chance that they don't know what we used, but are aware of the conditions."
"They'll probably target the archers," Daedalus speculated, earning nods from the son of Hermes and his own sister. "We need to prepare for that possibility."
But Thanatos' attention was not even in their conversation. Honey gold eyes were trained on Perseus Tzákson, a calculative look in them.
"You said you would clear a path for me. Will you keep your word?" The suzerain asked the son of Poseidon, silencing the other conversation as the rest listened in.
"Of course. I won't fail you," Percy said in a voice that was so monotonous it disturbed Jason.
"Don't do this, Percy. This is suicide," Jason insisted. Percy finally acknowledged his presence, but he did so with a heated glare. He was once the recipient of an immense anger from the son of Poseidon, but Percy's anger then was nothing in comparison to the anger in his eyes now.
"Your people started this war. They should be prepared to deal with the consequences," Percy answered in a cold voice.
It was difficult for Jason to understand them. He could not understand them. He had come to warn them that what awaited them was death if they were to proceed, but his warning was just brushed aside callously. No, instead of reacting in the way he expected, all of them looked so calm and composed, especially Percy. Percy's calmness unnerved him - It was like the calm before a storm.
Looking around the room once more, he looked for that voice of reason - the only person who could reason with the son of Poseidon to stop with his nonsense. But as Jason surveyed the room, he finally noticed the missing presence.
"... Where's Nico…?" The son of Zeus asked.
The reaction he received from his question was immediate. It was evident that he had asked the wrong question, as the tension in the tent became too suffocating. They pinned him down with their hardened gazes, but none were as terrifying as Percy's and Lord Hades'.
"As Tzákson said, your people started this war." It was Lord Hades who answered, looking as if he wanted to skin the son of Zeus alive as soon as the opportunity presented itself. "You have nine districts demanding blood. We're here to collect your debts."
For everything they have lost… fathers, brothers, sons, comrades… Not even burning these three districts to the ground would alleviate the damage done.
"The question here is why are you here, son of Zeus? What makes you think that we will trust your words? What is stopping us from either taking you as hostage or sending you back piece-by-piece to your father?" the former suzerain questioned, looking down on the younger man.
"I have no worth to my father." It was easy to admit. He did not feel any hurt in the truth he admitted. His father was only after one thing after all, and it was to claim the entirety of Pangaea as his. Everything else to him was irrelevant, inclusive of his wife and children.
"Are you here to prove your worth to him then?"
"No. I want no part of the future he thinks he's creating," the son of Zeus answered with a shake of his head. "Percy and Nico were more of a family to me than my family ever was to me. I don't want to see them die in their hands."
Even if they don't think of me as family anymore, Jason thought, glancing at the son of Poseidon who did not even react to his words, as if the sight of the son of Zeus was unwelcomed to him.
"If that's the case, you should be more than prepared to lose your blood family then," Thanatos stated, withholding nothing of his intentions. "Nothing changes. We will proceed," he said to the rest of the people in the room before looking pointedly at the son of Hermes. "Lucas, take the son of Zeus out. We'll keep him with us for now, but I don't want him involved in our discussions."
"As you wish," Luke obliged, suppressing a sigh. Why am I stuck with babysitting these kids? Gesturing with his head, he silently asked Jason to follow him out, but the latter hesitated, still looking at Percy who didn't even spare another glance at him, his attention on the suzerain of Skotádi as they resumed their meeting.
"Don't bother with Tzákson. He's been like that even since the war started," Luke explained as he dragged the son of Zeus out by the arm, lacking the patience to wait for the younger male to start moving. "He's not going to listen to anything else but Thanatos' orders."
Jason wanted to ask the reason for his friend's - if Percy still considered him as - sudden change, but there was a question lingering on the back of his head that still remained unanswered.
"Where's Nico?" He asked once more, his concern shining through.
Luke simply arched one of his brows in return, an exhausted sigh parting his lips as he gestured with a finger for the son of Zeus to continue following him while he temporarily settled him to their base.
Perhaps it was because of what happened to the son of Hades that Percy reacted coldly to the son of Zeus. Perhaps it was because of the latter's direct association to the opposing side that Percy could not bear to look at Jason. Or perhaps - looking at those familiar love sick eyes - it was for an entirely different reason altogether, or a cumulative of all reasons. Whatever it was…
"You kids are so troublesome," Luke mumbled under his breath.
The morning that greeted them as they marched towards the capital was cast with gray skies and dark clouds, as if a forewarning of what was to come. To which side, no one could tell. Whether they were stepping to their death or delivering it to their opponents, there was no stopping at that point as they were led by Fates' hands. They tried to avoid the inevitable, but in turn ultimately resulted in the demise of many more. There was only a singular thought driving them forward - to end this war once and for all. None of them would come back until that was done. There was no coming back, either way. To kill or to be killed - those were the only options they were presented with.
"The scouts you asked me to deploy confirmed what Grace said. Not as bad as in Ílios, but we are still at a clear advantage if we're basing it on the numbers," Luke gave the report to Thanatos. He was walking beside the suzerain while Thanatos rode on his horse like a proper commander. Percy flanked his other side, eyes facing forward.
"If we base it on our other resources?" Thanatos asked.
"If Annabeth's plan works-"
"It will," the daughter of Athena interjected from beside the son of Hermes, taking offense that her partner was doubting her.
"-then we are looking at a situation almost similar to Ílios," Luke concluded. They might not have the advantage in terms of territory, but the knowledge they possess was an advantage in itself.
"I trust you, daughter of Athena," the suzerain of Skotádi stated, to which Annabeth only lowered her head in acknowledgement.
It played into their expectations, as they entered a clearing, that Pólemos would be waiting for their arrival. The number of soldiers waiting for them was ominious, but it did not faze Thanatos - he would have been disappointed if they underestimated their forces twice. From his perspective, it was like there was an endless sea of soldiers on the other side, identical cruel and emotionless expressions etched on their faces. They moved in unison - clearly well-trained; the sole purpose of destruction engraved into their souls.
The odds were not in their favor, as the second son of Zeus had said. But it was not the first. It certainly would not be the last either.
In the middle, a great distance away from the front line, were a few generals and, surprisingly, the first son of Zeus, holding an Imperial Gold spear in his hands. Thanatos clearly did not expect his presence here - he assumed he would have to face his counterpart in Ouranós. It made no difference though, Thanatos thought as he signaled for his forces to stop. Whether it was here or there, he would have to eliminate Heracles either way.
"Lucas. Perseus." Thanatos beckoned them to follow him as he maneuvered his horse to move forward in a slow gait. Wordlessly, the two of them moved, flanking either side of the suzerain of Skotádi as they approached the middle of the clearing. In that moment, Thanatos looked like the absolute ruler, Luke thought, sparing a sidelong glance at the son of Hades' impassive face. Amongst all of them - Heracles included - Thanatos stood out as if he were truly born for his role.
"Thanatos, my old friend. Who would have thought we would be on opposing sides?" Heracles drawled once they were within hearing distance, their party stopping a few several meters from them for good measure. Electric-blue eyes stared into honey-gold ones, slightly irked that he had to look up at the other male as he addressed him despite their equal standing.
"I did. For more than a decade, I have known," Thanatos admitted in a leveled voice. "I expected it from you, but not from Triton."
Thanatos could feel the son of Poseidon glance at him for a quick second upon mentioning his half-brother, yet aside from that, Percy remained silent.
"You can blame our fathers for that," Heracles answered. "I don't even need to convince Triton to our side: he was more than willing to kill any of his father's bastard children. He was that desperate to secure his position."
"The question that should be asked-" The son of Zeus noticed his counterpart's lips pressing thinly. "-is why you didn't side with us? Were you so self-assured that that thing you call a brother wasn't going to challenge your birthright?"
"I trust my brother with my life," Thanatos said with certainty.
Heracles snorted at that.
"Your funeral," he said with a shake of his head before turning to look at his own brother from a distance, a condescending smirk on his face.
"I knew you were a traitor," Heracles claimed in a loud voice, his eyes fixed on Jason. The second son of Zeus offered no reaction, knowing that doing so would mean playing into Heracles' hands. "This is fine with me. I've always wanted to kill you but could never justify why."
"When are you planning to step aside? You're in our way." Surprisingly, it was the son of Poseidon who responded tersely with a look of disinterest. Electric-blue eyes that were annoyingly similar to Jason's, as in Percy's head, looked down on him with recognition.
"Oh? Bastard son of Poseidon, you are here," Heracles casually remarked, as if the younger male was not there to begin with, before taking a cursory look around them, that condescending smirk still plastered on his face. "Speaking of bastards, where is that other parasitic son always hanging around you and my brother? Is he already six feet deep into the ground?"
If the tension was palpable in the air moments ago, it certainly shifted and became murderous in a second. Thanatos, Lord Hades, Luke and Jason all had identical looks that promised a world of pain for the first heir of Ouranós at his insult towards Nico. The only indication of a reaction from the son of Poseidon was the tight clenching of his fists by his side.
"No, but you have dug your own and I'm here to bury you in it," Percy countered, earning a hysterical laugh in return.
"You?" Heracles questioned, a look of disbelief in his eyes. "This should be entertaining." Turning to the generals that came with him, he flicked his wrists to send them off. "Go back to the frontline. Let it be known that young Perseus Tzákson has informally challenged me to a duel, and I accept it."
"My lord..!" One of them tried to protest, and was rewarded with a spear to the face, killing the man immediately. Thanatos barely flinched at the display - a sense of morbid familiarity in Heracles' tendencies - whereas the sons of Hermes and Poseidon only narrowed their eyes in distaste of Heracles' barbaric nature.
"I just found something entertaining, and you dare to stop me? Who do you think you're talking to?" Heracles demanded cracking his fists as he glared at the rest. "None of you interfere. I can deal with this easily on my own. Get his body out of here," the first heir of Ouranós declared, pulling out the spear from the dead personnel before it was whisked off.
"Are you sure you can handle him, Perseus?" Thanatos asked the son of Poseidon as the latter stepped towards Heracles.
The son of Poseidon nodded confidently, but the second son of Zeus did not share in his confidence.
"Percy, think about Nico..!" Jason tried to discourage him, but Luke silenced him with a pointed look. Percy glanced at the second son of Zeus as well from his peripheral vision, a cold look in those eyes as if conveying that Jason did not deserve to call out the son of Hades' name.
"It's because I am thinking of him that I'm here," Percy whispered to no one as he unsheathed Anaklusmos from its scabbard, his hands flexing on the leather-wrapped grip as he took a defensive stance.
"Stay out of it, Grace. Percy can't hear you," Luke warned in a low voice, once he and Thanatos rejoined the rest, a great distance from the two heirs. "The Percy before you… we don't know him. You don't know him."
The son of Poseidon before them was eerily calm - a contrast to the Perseus Tzákson who was like an open book to them. Luke was willing to bet that even Nico himself had not known this version of Percy before them - this Percy that exuded great danger.
"I'll take your head back as a gift to Triton. It would look magnificent on a wall," Heracles taunted as he took his stance as well.
"I'll tell you exactly what will happen," Percy declared while keeping his eyes on the son of Zeus. "In a few minutes, I'll have you impaled on that spear of yours. I will have your mouth slit open and your tongue cut off as payment for what you said about Niccolò di Angelo. I changed my mind - you don't deserve the respect of being buried. I'll let your corpse rot out here in the open."
Where the others who knew the son of Poseidon acknowledged the honesty in that threat, causing shivers to race down their spines, Heracles had the audacity to laugh, his hands outstretched - the tip of the spear pointing towards Percy's head.
"I would like to see you try," Heracles provoked, taking his stance once more.
"Anytime now," Percy taunted, one of his brows arching, goading the son of Zeus to strike first.
There was a huge difference in their build, with Heracles being comparatively bulkier than the son of Poseidon. It was a clearly noticeable difference as whenever Percy blocked each attack made by Heracles, his arms shook at the heavy impact. It must hurt, Jason could not help thinking, having sparred enough in the past with his half-brother to know the extent of the latter's strength. But Percy's expression did not change the slightest, sea-green eyes remaining focused as Heracles stepped back after a while. He twirled the spear in front of him to establish distance between them, waiting for the right moment to attack as he circled his opponent.
"Why is he remaining on defense?" Luke noticed, his body tense while watching the son of Poseidon. The entire time, Percy did not make a move to retaliate, his eyes immensely fixated on Heracles' movements as he blocked or parried each attack. Either side was yielding no result, and the son of Zeus seemed to have noticed that as his expression was slowly contorting to frustration and annoyance.
"Just wait," Thanatos spoke from beside the son of Hermes, his eyes trained on the combatants. No one else noticed it, but Percy was reading Heracles' movements, memorizing the pattern of his attacks. He dodged with ease each thrust of the spear, and those that he could not dodge, he blocked with ease. Eventually, his arms stopped shaking from the relentless impact, but perhaps that could also be due to signs of fatigue from the son of Zeus who - with every deflected attack - was trying to apply as much force as he could onto successive ones in hopes that Percy's defense would crumble.
"He's toying with the son of Zeus," Daedalus breathed, verbalizing Thanatos' observations. As Heracles grew more and more exhausted, the more Percy actively countered. Swinging Anaklusmos towards Heracles' head, the latter barely managed to sidestep, using the shaft of his spear to block the heavy blow. All the while, it had been the son of Zeus pushing forward, but now the son of Poseidon was retaliating.
They battled back and forth, their weapons clashing in a shower of sparks, both of them panting as beads of sweat trickled down their faces. Heracles had the advantage of reach, but Percy was quicker and more agile. The former was also getting more frazzled by the second as Percy began increasing the speed of his attacks, their weapons clashing at an almost inhuman speed that the son of Zeus - as well as their spectators - could barely keep up with.
It started with small cuts, Anaklusmos simply nicking skin, until the cuts grew bigger, deeper. Within minutes, there were cuts all over the son of Zeus' arms and any exposed skin that Percy could find within his reach. Heracles was breathing heavier at this point, a myriad of negative emotions festering in him as he blocked a heavy blow, jolts of pain running down his arm. The heavy blows continued in successions, leaving him stuck on the defense as the son of Poseidon switched to offense with lightning-fast reflexes.
In desperation, Heracles gritted his teeth and spun his weapon around, aiming for one of Percy's legs. But the son of Poseidon jumped back just in time, the tip of the spear narrowly missing his shins before he deflected the spearhead, the force of the impact sending them staggering back. Warily, they circled each other, weapons at the ready.
They didn't know the son of Poseidon before them, was the general thought. This Percy moved with a purpose that was vindictive. This Percy held no value of his opponents' life, mercilessly toying with it as he saw fit. In the Stygian Iron armor, he looked like Death personified. This Percy was the one that earned him his infamous title: The Charybdis.
This Percy was the Charybdis.
"I said, 'You're in our way'."
From the beginning, the son of Zeus stood no chance. Swinging his blade in a wide arc, that was the opening Percy needed as the son of Zeus clumsily stumbled backwards in an attempt to dodge. With no hesitation, Percy swung Anaklusmos hard, slicing off Heracles' hand clean as he took possession of the spear, twisting it expertly in his hand before he flung it towards its owner with all his might. There was a sickening crunch as the spear penetrated the first heir on the chest, impaling him firmly to the ground before Heracles could even process having one of his limbs severed. The son of Zeus howled in agony, but the sound itself was gargled as blood started pooling in his mouth.
"I'll take your payment," Percy mumbled as he walked towards the son of Zeus with purpose. He pulled out Diplasiázo, pressing the blade with no hesitation against Heracles mouth before cutting it forcibly open to get to the tongue. It was a sickening sight as the first heir could only watch in horror as that same blade cut off his tongue, the muscle landing pathetically on the ground.
Percy did not even bat an eye as he stomped on it as if it were a mere bug before turning those empty eyes to Thanatos.
"What would you have me do?" The son of Poseidon asked, awaiting orders. Heracles was looking at Thanatos as best as he could in his position, electric blue eyes silently pleading for mercy despite his gruesome condition. But Thanatos held no such compassion for this person who was once a friend. Thanatos held no mercy for him. In his condition, he was already as good as dead - there was no point in prolonging the inevitable.
"Cut off his head," was Thanatos' simple instruction. As if Percy was anticipating that answer, he brought down his sword before the suzerain could even finish, Heracles' head rolling a few feet on the ground towards their direction.
There was a deafening silence that lasted only for a few seconds before the winning side broke out into loud battle cries, while the generals from the other side started shouting orders for the inevitable clash that was about to come.
"... Don't come after us if you can't pull your own weight," Luke said, casting a sidelong glance at the stunned son of Zeus as he walked past him, the latter watching in horror as his friend nonchalantly dumped his brother's head inside a bag hanging from the side of Thanatos' horse. The soldiers resumed their march forward - the victory of one of their generals igniting a burning desire for them - not only to win this war - but to exact the same vengeance at the people on the opposing side. "I don't need to be babysitting two kids, and frankly, you are not my priority. Di Angelo would have my head if we don't bring his lover back in one piece."
The Bloodbringer and the Charybdis were dangerous in their own ways that Luke was not certain which one he would rather face. No, that was not correct. If he could avoid it, he would rather not face either of them in their most violent state - both neither showing morality nor humanity. On one hand, there was The Bloodbringer, who mercilessly killed his opponents before they could even digest having stared into the eyes of Death. On another hand, there was The Charybdis, who mercilessly toyed with his prey and made it known as he slowly edged them towards their inevitable death.
No matter how bad Luke thought of himself or others, Niccolò di Angelo and Perseus Tzákson were far worse.
Monsters. Both of them were monsters.
Notes: I still stand by wanting to see Percy in Stygian Iron armor lol. Percy is dark here, man. Totally intentional. Can't completely get over how he went through Tartarus and he's like welp nothing there damaged me mentally lol. It's not like I saw literal hell lololol. I also don't like how in the books he gets over people's deaths and it doesn't damage him. I always see the "he's forgiven himself for (name of dead person)" and then he's almost completely moved on. I know they are side characters but damn. Anyway—
Officially, Syncretism is done. All 31 chapters typed up. I am now working on the 2 extra stories which, as I mentioned in one of the previous chapters, will be up by April 27 and 28. I am thrilled for how Syncretism ended, and I hope that anyone still reading this would love it as well when chapter 31 comes out.