The Forgotten Legacy

by AceofRavens

Percy Jackson AU. Perseus was born in 1875, conceived during a drunken one-night stand, his mother dies during birth, and so he is dumped into an orphanage, which several years later he runs away so as to escape the abuse. Living on his own for a some time, he eventually runs into a couple of Primordial Gods who choose to adopt and raise him... BOOK I (Will be slow updates)

6. Chapter 5: Rescuing a Goddess

The Forgotten Legacy

Disclaimer: I don't own Assassin's Creed or PJatO or HoO. I wish I did, but if wishes were horses' even beggars would ride.

'Thoughts – Mind Speech'

"Normal Speech"

Chapter 5: Rescuing a Goddess…

December 15, 2009

Maintaining a neutral visage had never been an issue for Perseus, and it wasn't even all that sorely tested against Phoebe and Zoe, not that he would ever tell them otherwise. Turning so that everyone was in view, he took a step back before nodding as a way of greeting them.

Keeping up her disdainful attitude as was normal around a male, Zoe quickly looked over the three of them as she walked into the room. Despite the fact that the male had saved her, she quickly disregarded him and turned her attention to the girls and assessed them. Smirking internally, she wondered just what kind of coup it would be if she could win away the two warriors from their group.

Mentally sighing, she cleared her throat and spoke. "We will be leaving in half an hour, be ready or be left behind." Seeing that the male simply nodded, she smiled briefly at the two women and then turned on her heel and walked out the door. It was a good thing that she did, for the looks on the two Optio's faces was one of disgust at the hypocrisy displayed.

Turning to their would-be fiancé, the two ladies grimaced at the stoic façade that he had adopted and shook their heads. Piper, being the more forward of the two, quickly spoke her mind. "Why didn't you speak up? She knows that it was you that saved her back in Maine, and yet even now she snubs you; not only by being ungrateful, but by thinking she can sway us into swearing off men and joining the Hunt!"

Before he could even attempt a rebuttal, Bianca chimed in. "It's true and you know it as well as we do, as we all could see the gleam in her eye."

Sighing as he momentarily allowed his visage to reflect his inner turmoil, he grimaced before speaking. "Yes I am aware of that, just as I am aware that you two have sworn that you will be at my side always." Pausing here for a moment, he smirked internally at the twin blushes that momentarily darkened their cheeks.

"There is a reason for everything, and my reason for biting my tongue and not reacting is that it would do nothing but make this quest far more unpleasant than need be. I have dealt with far more than a girl who never grew up and her sharp tongue and I am certain that I will deal with far worse in the future. It's all a matter of perspective, and in my mind, why should I allow her barbs and quips to get under my skin, when they have no substance or meaning to me?" With that said he observed the thoughtful looks on their faces for a second before waving his hands and removing the three of them from the room through the shadows.

Appearing just outside the borders of camp, he reached into a pocket and pulled out a set of keys and squeezed them once. To his front there was a circle of shadows that formed, and out of it appeared a black and silver 2010 Hummer H3T. Another squeeze of a button and the engine rumbled to life, and Perseus turned to see the gobsmacked faces on his companion's faces. "What, you two don't think I'm all work and no play, now do you?"

After shaking his head in humor at the looks on their faces, he prepped the vehicle for leaving, checking the fluids, not out of necessity, but because the ritual habit of doing so was soothing to him. Once he was done, he wiped his hands on a rag, before checking the stash of food and drink, as well as the emergency kit which had everything from roadside flares to enough nectar and ambrosia to take care of his entire group twice over in a life and death situation.

Once that was all taken care of, he got into the driver's seat before motioning to the girls to hop in. Shaking his head, he couldn't help but wonder just how stressful this trip really was going to be…

The Next Day

While not quite up there in his top ten worst days, yesterday had been quite a doozy for the male demigod. First was the demands of the two Hunters to get out and let someone intelligent drive, which got them nowhere fast; then came the constant complaining all the way to Washington D.C.; and finally there was the whole encounter with the General, where he ended up having to kill the Nemean Lion, destroy a half dozen Spartoi, and have to send his vehicle back to his parents to have it repaired due to the carelessness of the Hunters.

Later on that night, while on the Sun West train line, he finally had some peace and time to himself, during which he took the time to start a small fire. Kneeling carefully in front of the fire and bowing his head, he prayed for guidance from his parents, before carefully sacrificing the pelt from the lion and the spoils from the Spartoi to the fire and speaking aloud, "To the Immortal Huntress, Lady Artemis."

Without turning his head, or rising from his knees, he spoke softly, yet clearly. "You can come out now, as I know that you both have been watching me for a while now."

Zoe and Phoebe turned to each other stunned that a male of all people had found them out, before scowling and approaching the fire. Sitting on the opposite side of the fire from him, they both waited until he opened his eyes to begin speaking. "What hold do you have over the two women who are with us, so that they won't even hear us out and treat us with disdain?"

Before he could even speak, another female voice sounded forth from the darkness, and it was dripping with never before heard venom. "He has no hold on them, as he has had similar experiences with women as you have had with men. Once more I look after my niece's Huntresses, only to find myself disgusted by your hypocrisy, and misguided anger towards a man who holds women in the utmost respect, even though he has been horribly used by them in the past."

Both the Huntresses were stunned by what was said in such a familiar voice, but were even more astonished to see the Legate turn and kneel prostrate in front of the woman. "My Lady, I beg of you not to continue down this path, as I know that they are ignorant of me and all that has happened to me. Please leave the past where it belongs, dead and in the dust…"

Smiling gently, the Mistress of the Hearth approached so that she was visible to all three of them, both Piper and Bianca being asleep, and knelt before her champion and raised his chin so that she could look him in the eyes. Completely ignoring the two girls who were now scrambling to pay her the proper respect, she spoke to the man before her. "Of course Perseus, but you need to be aware that I look at you as a son, more than a nephew or cousin, that any woman would be proud to claim as hers, much as your mother Nyx is I'm sure."

Turning her gaze towards the Huntresses, she scowled ever so slightly as she considered what she had seen so far. Snorting gently at them, she bade them rise. "You two are very close to my niece and have been with her for a long time, and as such you have become much like daughters to her. What angers me the most is that you view my Champion through the same jaded lenses that you see all men, when he has treated you with nothing but respect, even going so far as to sacrifice much prized spoils, some of which have not been gained by a demigod in millennia, to your mother figure and you don't even take that into consideration and offer him the gratitude that any other demigod would in your place! I understand your vows and can empathize with you that a lot of humanity has a tendency to be vile and turn to more evil pursuits, but there are those out there who many would consider to be paragons, both male and female alike."

Pausing to see if what she was saying was getting through, she sighed as she took in the crestfallen looks on the girls faces. "All I ask is that you think next time before automatically viewing every male as the vile and evil beings you have seen them as in the past."

Getting nods from them, Hestia turned back to Percy. "I hope that you will think on your lessons that you have learned, Perseus, as that will lead you in the right direction as to what the true danger is." Backing away into the shadows, she left the same way she had come, leaving everyone there in a thoughtful silence.

The hours passed, and everyone eventually fell asleep, awaking refreshed the next morning. As the train came to a stop, they all got off the train and got their bearings before attempting to figure out where they needed to go from here. They hadn't gotten very far when there were a couple of stomachs that growled, leading them to finding someplace to eat.

They hadn't gotten very far into the small town, when they all felt a godly presence, and it was Perseus that spotted who and where it was. Bowing as they came up to Hephaestus, who was standing next to a limo, he smiled as he spoke to the God of the Forge. "Lord Hephaestus, what brings you out here?"

Smiling gently at the demigod who had inadvertently done so much for him, he nodded in greeting. "Greetings Legate, there were two things that have brought me this way, and the first is that your car has been repaired and upgraded, and will be sitting waiting on you on the far side of the Junkyard." His smile dimmed a little as he continued, "Also, my wife wishes to speak with you, and you alone. She doesn't demand it, she simply requests five minutes of your time…please."

Barely able to bite back the curse and the growl that threatened to pass his lips, Percy thought about it for a moment, and then tersely nodded once. "If it were anyone else requesting this I would more than likely have turned them down, but since you have done so much for my family and me, I will acquiesce to your request."

Sighing in relief, the deity nodded before opening the door and motioning him forward with a brief smile full of gratitude for his gesture.

Piper's POV

Not five seconds after she had watched Perseus step into the limo, she was shocked to find a warm hand on her shoulder, to which she found herself looking at her mother's husband. "I would like a moment of your time as well, if I may speak to you privately?"

Nodding in stunned acceptance, she waited for the others to head towards a diner, before turning back to Vulcan. "Yes, Lord Vulcan?"

Taking a moment or two to gather his thoughts, the God pulled his hand back and ran it through his short-cropped beard. "I have much to thank you for, in regards to my marital situation with your mother. For many millennia I have had to watch as my wife flirted and had flings with many mortals and gods alike, until a little while ago, when she went to visit you. I have no idea what was said, on either your side or hers, but I do know that for the first time ever she willingly and remorsefully approached me in my forge, and we talked about many things."

Here he gave her a wry grin and shook his head. "Well, it was mostly her talking and me listening, but you get the idea. I don't know what was said, and I don't want to know, all I know is that for the first time ever I have the opportunity to make things work, and I wanted to thank you for that."

Perseus' POV

Steeling his nerves, Perseus stepped into the vehicle and sat down across from the Goddess of Lust, Love and Beauty. Taking a moment to observe her before he listened, he noticed a couple of things right off the bat. First was the distinct lack of makeup or obnoxiously vibrant perfumes. Next was the fact that while her clothing complimented her, she wasn't dressed to the nines as was usual for her. And finally, she didn't automatically assume a shape and form that he was attracted to, and she had a more simplistic, down to earth type of beauty. The only reaction that he had to this externally was a raised eyebrow, while internally he was almost in shock.

Smiling sadly, Aphrodite cleared her throat gently before speaking. "May I call you Perseus? Good, thank you for that. I know that I am on a short list of gods whom you don't really care for, and what's worse, for me at least, is that it's no-one's fault but my own. It was pointed out to me quite some time ago, shortly after you were revealed to Olympus, that I have been quite remiss in my duties in my Domains. That I was screwing up by focusing on them separately and not together, as I should have." Holding up one of her dainty hands to forestall his retort, she continued.

"I know that that doesn't excuse me or my behavior, all I am doing right now is not for me or to get back into your good graces, it is for one of my daughters. I know it may not seem like it, but I love all my children very dearly, and to learn that I had screwed up one of their love lives to the point of them not being able to connect emotionally with their destined one, was enough for me to reconsider almost everything that I had ever done." She paused here for a moment, indecision in her eyes that was reflected on her face.

With one swift action, everything that Perseus had come to believe of the Gods was turned on its head in an instant, as in the next moment, he watched as she threw herself to the floor with her head bowed to the floor of the limo. "I never wanted to be in this position, but I beg you Perseus, please do not view my daughter Piper in the same light as you have me. I may not ever be worthy of being considered a mother-in-law to you, but all I desire at this point is that you would treat her right, in spite of who her mother is…"

Surprising even himself at this point, after a minute or two of letting his brain reboot, Percy stood and knelt before her and laid his hand on her shoulder in a purely platonic and comforting fashion. Not showing even the smallest part of how startling it was for this to happen, let alone seeing Aphrodite look up at him in tears, genuine agony shown in her eyes and expression, he softly cleared his throat. "Lady Aphrodite, while it may take me some time to come to terms with all that I have heard, I can promise you that I will do as you ask. I am broken inside when it comes to relationships outside of parental, sibling or other familial bonds of that sort, and while it may be that a portion of the blame for that can be laid at your feet, I firmly believe that their choices were their own and you cannot be held at fault for that. I am not saying that I can or will forgive you anytime soon, but it is a possibility, especially since I am an immortal and will be around for a long while." Stopping here for a moment to take a deep breath and gather his thoughts, he smiled sadly at her as he continued.

"All I ask is that you not actively interfere with our relationship, and by that I mean if either Bianca or Piper asks you for help, that you talk with them and give them advice. No meddling, no spells, no potions or anything of that sort. I know now that all you want is her happiness, and in turn mine and Bianca's happiness are desired as a result, but I have been hurt so deeply that I need time to build the relationships properly. I will admit that there has been some progress made, but trust is truly needed here, especially for my sake. Will you do this for me, no, for us?" Holding his breath for a moment, Perseus exhaled as the Goddess' face lit up with a genuine smile as she nodded.

Standing and holding out a hand, Percy assisted her to her feet and bowed his head to her before turning and exiting the limo. Bowing once more to her husband, he motioned to Piper before heading out.

For the next day or so, Perseus didn't speak much to any of the other's as they continued heading west, which just felt like the proper direction for them to go. They stopped early the next morning at Hoover Dam, where they stretched and grabbed some food, and also where the next part of the quest came into play.

As they were walking back to the vehicle, he looked to the sky as he heard a familiar bird of prey cry out. The girls were all stunned to see his face light up with such a genuine look of happiness that they were caught off guard when a Caucasian Eagle landed on a nearby railing and he raced over and greeted her in a familiar fashion. "Thýella, its good to see you, how did your hunt go?"

Gently placing his hand on her head, which she leaned into, he carefully inspected her wings as he listened to her respond over there link. 'It went well, except for the fact that the only male who would have been acceptable was a bit too young. I have missed much it seems, and I am glad that I caught up to you.'

Chuckling light-heartedly at her response, he offered her one of his arms which she moved to, and then turned towards the other members of his party. "Ladies, I would to introduce you to my partner and familiar Thýella, who has been with me even longer than any of the demigods in the Gladiis Nocte. Ella, these are my companions on this quest, Zoe Nightshade and Phoebe; the Lieutenant and a member of Lady Artemis' Hunt. The other two are Bianca D'Angelo and Piper McLean, two of the newest members of the Gladiis Nocte, and my Optio."

The girls all stood there in shock for a few moments, allowing the eagle time to get a good look at each of them and to nod in acceptance of each of them. By the time that they had all gotten themselves together, Percy's companion was taking off again, and Perseus himself was watching her fly away and having a conversation with her, unknown to the girls. Bianca took it upon herself to approach their leader and talk to him, so she walked up to him and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

Giving her a small smile, he nodded. "Yes, she has been with me for most of my life, and was a gift from my Uncle Aether, for my thirteenth birthday well over a hundred years ago." Shaking off the moment of reverie, he sighed mentally before turning to the others.

"Ella has relayed a message that we need to seek out the Old Man of the Sea, Nereus, and that he is currently near the Santa Monica Piers." Here he paused for a moment, and you could see that he was struggling with something, before he turned to Zoe and Phoebe. "Ladies, the most pressing issue, besides rescuing Lady Artemis, is the beast that she was sent to hunt. The only beast that can be used against Olympus: the Ophiotaurus. All I ask is that you aide us in coming up with a way to hunt it down and capture it so that we can deliver it up to the Council, thus allowing them to determine the best way to take care of the problem."

From the way that their eyes widened, they knew about the problems that the beast could cause, and hesitantly nodded in agreement. Returning their nods with a bow of his own head, he turned and continued on his way back to the vehicle, followed in short order by the women in his group. Slowly but surely they were getting along, coming to terms with the fact that maybe not everyone was a fit for the mold that they had initially made them out to be.

Evening, December 18, 2009

They had arrived at the pier, and Perseus was ready for his upcoming interrogation of Nereus. Relying on his abilities with the shadows, he was fairly certain that he could bind him, and all without having to rely on his own physical prowess. It took him about a half an hour, but he had managed to track him down, and struck.

The angry god spat and cursed but couldn't find a way out of his bindings, and it was once he'd stopped struggling that Perseus stepped forth out of the shadows and approached him. "My sincere apologies Lord Nereus, but the bindings were necessary as you are well known for not answering a demigod unless you have been captured. My question for you is where we will find the Lady Artemis?"

Grumbling under his breath about the unfairness of demigods these days, he sighed and turned to the demigod before answering him. "You should talk to the members of the Hunt that you have with you, young man, as you will be going up against one of their fathers after all, and he was the one who held up the sky atop Mount Tamalpais." With that said he wriggled free and dove into the ocean, leaving behind the demigods who all turned towards the nearby mountain.

Before they could even take a step towards their eventual destination they all heard the lowing of a cow, which drew their attention back towards the water. Once they laid eyes on the creature they stood there for a moment, and then turned back towards the water. Perseus turned towards the Hunters and nodded, as they had planned for this on the way here from the dam.

FLASHBACK

While Bianca and Piper had fallen asleep, both Zoe and Phoebe were deep in thought about many things. The fact that another of the Maiden Goddesses had defended a man, then there was the fact that he'd spoken with the utmost respect in his voice when offering up the spoils as a sacrifice to their own mother figure, and the last thing was the respectful way he'd requested their assistance in drawing up a plan to end the threat to Olympus.

Having a conversation just using their facial expressions and hand signs that they had used for millennia, Zoe nodded to Phoebe and sighed, before clearing her throat to get their driver's attention. "Perseus, might I inquire as to what you did that earned you the favor of so many of the Gods?"

The only thing that let them know that he had heard what they said was the slight slump to his shoulders. Working his jaw back and forth a couple of times as he thought about what to tell them, he then exhaled and nodded. "For the most part I believe that it's mostly due to the fact that I have saved many of their children and brought them to the Camps or to the Hunt. As far as I am concerned, there has never been a need for any reward other than their heartfelt thanks, and that's why I have never once claimed the credit for saving any of them."

For about five minutes or so, they pondered on this as they watched him struggling with some sort of decision. They were astonished to hear him tell them the story of his earliest years, from discovering his abilities to his rescue and adoption by Nyx and Erebus. Of his trials and tests, he shared with them a few, and then went silent for a short while to let them absorb it all.

Clearing his throat, he got all of their attention before speaking. "Ladies, and don't think that I couldn't tell that you, Bianca and Piper, were awake the whole time, I may have come up with an idea to capture the Ophiotaurus. The only drawback to the plan is the length of time it will take as well as something to sacrifice to the three Gods we will need to pray to for their assistance."

Bianca, despite her blush at being caught out like she had been, was the first to voice her questions. "Who would you involve and why Percy?" The other three girls nodded their heads in concurrence with her inquiries.

"First would be Lord Poseidon, my birth father, to aid us by taking the beast via the water to Olympus. Next would be Lord Hephaestus to bespeak him to make a cage for the beast, and finally my Olympian Patron, Lady Hestia for a place to keep the beast until a decision can be made." Here he paused for a moment to observe their reactions, which were surprisingly enough, all positive.

Nodding her head in agreement, Bianca spoke once more. "That would work, but why not have say Piper pray to Lord Hephaestus now, and then one of us pray to Lady Hestia with you praying to Lord Poseidon once we actually have eyes on it?"

Mulling over the idea, Percy looked at each person individually, to get an idea of whether they were in favor of this twist on his initial plan. Starting with Piper, and from there to Zoe and then to Phoebe. Each nodded in agreement, so he turned towards Bianca and gave the girl a small grin. "Excellent idea, Bianca, and it will be the one that we will go forward with." The only one who noticed the blush that graced her cheeks was Piper, who winked at the girl as she smiled at her.

END FLASHBACK

They all stood in a loose semi-circle as both Bianca and Perseus knelt to pray, Perseus setting two pieces of jewelry in between them; one was a necklace with Mexican Fire opals set into a white gold necklace that was fashioned to look like flames, and the other was a necklace that had Lightning Ridge opals set in between various sea animals that were made of platinum.

Bianca finished her prayer first and opened her eyes to see the necklace that had been lying in front of her disappear in a flash of light followed shortly after by the necklace that had been in front of Percy. Looking to each other and nodding they both stood and turned to the others who had been keeping the sea beast occupied, and watched as a pair of dolphins approached them all, bowed to Perseus, and then escorted the Ophiotaurus away.

They then headed off to the vehicle and left for the mountain that they needed to climb. The ride there was tense and silent, as everyone's thoughts were on the upcoming battle. Twenty minutes later they had gone as far as they could in the truck, so they all got out and finished their final preparations as the Legate stowed his vehicle.

Turning around and nodding to the girls, he allowed them to lead the way as they traveled along the path to the peak. It wasn't long before they all came to a halt, having reached Hera's Garden. Zoe stepped forward and hailed her sisters, only to receive their scorn, which no matter how she tried to hide it, Perseus saw it and scowled. Calmly walking forward, he cleared his throat and started to speak. "You know, I would have given anything to have had siblings when I was young, but looking at you bitches makes me think that Zoe got the better deal when she joined Lady Artemis, as she not only gained a mother figure that loves her, but a whole new family of sisters who look after each other, have each other's back no matter what, and are willing to kill and die if necessary for each other. Seems like to me that she has everything, while you have nothing…"

Turning to Zoe, he nodded to her and extended his arm in a warrior's handshake. "Also, if she and any other Hunter desire it, they will have a brother as well." Stunning everyone there, she looked down at his hand, and from there to Phoebe. Getting a slow nod from her sister, she slowly gripped his forearm as he gave her a small smile.

Looking to Bianca and Piper in an inquisitive manner, he got nods from both of them, before turning back to the Hesperides. "Now then, I do believe we have a meeting with your daddy dearest and we shan't be late to it." Letting go of her arm he wrapped his body in the shadows and disappeared further up the trail, far enough to be out of reach of Ladon. Ten seconds later the other four girls walked out of the shadows just ahead of him and the resumed their way up to where they knew Artemis to be.

Upon reaching the top of the mount, they saw Lady Artemis, groaning beneath the weight of the sky, and made to approach her when they saw multiple figures approach them from around the side of the palace that was being rebuilt. Perseus scowled as he saw two demigods standing with the monsters, as well as Atlas, but he quickly lost his scowl and turned slightly pale before regaining his bearings and holding up a hand to halt his little group. Swiping a hand across his clasp, he donned his Greek armor and activated his shield while grabbing his glaive.

Unseen, but not unknown to him, the other two members of his little band followed his lead while moving to guard their archers, the Hunters Zoe and Phoebe. Atlas was the first one to break the silence. "So I am guessing that from your actions, you aren't here to join your father, but to attempt to rescue the Huntress, yes Zoe Nightshade, Daughter?"

With the most loathing she could inject into her voice, Zoe snarled her reply to the Titan who had knocked up her mother. "You are no father of mine, as the only parent I claim is my Patron and savior, the Lady Artemis!"

Chuckling aloud, the General shook his head and sighed. "Well if that is indeed the case, I believe that your 'Mother' will get to stand there, helpless while she watches two of her daughters die." Turning to the horde of monsters, he motioned them forward to attack.

The five of them stood there waiting for Perseus to make the call as they monsters got closer, and right before they were about to jump the gun and start attacking the approaching tide of monsters, they were astonished to see him raise his glaive as the head of the weapon caught fire. It wasn't normal fire whatsoever, as the flames flared back and forth between a shadowy black the same shade as the Depths of Tartarus and a bright green that shimmered like an emerald.

Letting a fierce war cry slip past his lips, the Legate Audax put every ounce of anger, hatred and bloodlust into his voice as he flipped the glaive in his hand and smoothly thrust it into the ground. Knowing that he would pay for this at the end of the battle, since he so rarely channeled so many of his powers at the same time, he focused primarily on the abilities of his birth father, his adopted uncle and father, and his Olympian Patron.

The massive output of energy from his attack was absorbed into the earth only for a moment, as a multitude of cracks appeared beneath the mass of monsters, and spear-shaped flames formed upwards out of the cracks and vaporized any monsters that even touched them. Dropping to a knee, as he struggled to catch his breath, Percy slipped a hand into his bag and grabbed a small vial which he quickly put to his lips and swallowed the contents.

Everyone else sat there stunned for a few moments but those few precious seconds were all Perseus needed to recover, and he stood once more and took a hold of his glaive and yanking it back from the earth. Glaring at the five remaining figures, he turned his eyes to meet those of Atlas, and took a single step forward before halting at the touch of a hand on his shoulder. Turning his head he looked into the eyes of Zoe Nightshade, who grinned at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Atlas is mine, nothing against you, Little Brother, but this is personal."

Giving her a slight nod of his head, he held out a pen to her, and ignored the gasp that came from over near the Goddess that they were here to rescue. "Sister, take this and wield what was once yours and is now yours again. Chiron couldn't find any hero worthy of wielding it, and told me I would know what to do with it when the time came." Looking into her stunned gaze, he nodded and spoke just once more. "Now is the time."

Taking a hold of the pen, which changed forms once it touched her palm, Zoe gazed at the blade which she had given to that bastard Hercules, and smiled as she felt the remembered weight once more in her hand. The next moment chaos ensued as they charged their enemies and the battle began.

While Zoe went after Atlas, Perseus went after the demigod who he had deemed the most dangerous, because of the power he'd felt coming from the young man. Phoebe, Piper and Bianca took on the remaining three demigods and moved their battles away from where the Legate and Huntress were fighting.

Collapsing his shield and putting away his glaive, Perseus drew his two swords and circled his opponent. "You stink of possession, demigod. Just who did you sell your soul to because you were too weak to accomplish anything on your own?"

Getting a snarl as his only response, the immortal demigod smirked internally as he sized up his foe. "Hmmm, let's see here, we have the piss yellow eyes, then there's your sword, which looks like mortal steel and Celestial Bronze, right?"

As Luke attacked the elder demigod, he was stunned to find that his blow was deflected and his opponent slid under the blades and turned as he passed. The smirk returned to his face as he felt the jarring sensation of a blade shattering against his skin and turned to gloat, only to scowl when he realized that his opponent's sword didn't even have a scratch in it.

With a look of disgust, Percy couldn't help but get angry at this young half-blood who was besmirching the name of one of the greatest demigods to have ever lived. As he walked forward and spoke to Luke, he planned the distraction to get him out of play. "You disgust me, daring to follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest demigods ever to live; only to dishonor him by not even being half the warrior or swordsman he was. That man was Achilles, and was one of the heroes that I was named for."

Every word he spoke struck its' mark, every disgust filled sentence served their purpose, and as he approached the younger man, he waited and then disarmed the boy as he attacked the Legate, following up with a boot to the chest which sent him over the edge of the cliff that he'd maneuvered him to in the first place. Approaching the edge just to check, Percy halted and turned when he heard a scream, only to stop and rush back the other way.

While Perseus had taken a slow route to win his battle, Zoe had no such plan as she was focused on one thing and one thing only: putting this Titan back in his place and getting her Mistress back. The only fault was that she was overly focused on the end result and not focused enough on her opponent, which allowed him to toy with her.

So toy with her he did…

He let her have a little hope that she was gaining the advantage and then step up his pace, cutting off her attacks and connecting with his own. Taunting her with her shortcomings, with the mental images of what he and the other Titans would do to her sisters, to her Mistress. Then he would repeat the process over again, mixing it up almost constantly, until finally she made a mistake and over-reached on a strike.

Deftly avoiding the swing and striking at the back of her knee threw her off balance and twisted her around, sending her sprawling. Taking his time to line up the final blow, he thrust with his spear only to see a blur of motion and felt the shivering of the haft of his spear as his arm stopped moving. Shocked at the fact that something other than what he'd expected to happen had occurred, he focused on what was before him only to see the male demigod standing over Zoe, having trapped the head of his spear between his glaive and shield.

Knowing that he wouldn't have much, if any, time to spare, Perseus knew that he would have to time this just right as he released his grip on his blades, allowing them to return to their normal place. Activating his shield and bringing out his glaive once more, he maneuvered himself into position and knew that somehow this was going to hurt.

Misjudging the speed of the Titan's thrust, Perseus mentally bit down on the scream of pain that wanted to erupt from his throat as he felt the tip of the spear drive deep into his intestinal area, having been deflected by the edge of his armor. Calling on his powers over water, he managed to keep from losing any blood, forcing it to keep flowing inside his body through sheer willpower.

Coughing wetly, he turned his helmeted face towards the Titan as he forced the tip of the spear slowly backwards, and once he had removed the object from his body, let out a vicious roar as he forced his shield and the blade of his glaive to act like a pair of shears and severed the head of his spear from the shaft. Acting in the seconds of surprise that his actions had bought him, the injured man brought his shield and weapon into position and feinted with a strike to his face, before slamming his shield into the shin guard, and catching him in the knee with his blade, forcing the older male off balance and flat onto his back.

Taking a moment to survey the field of battle and realizing that Atlas was the last of their enemies, he swiftly made his way to Artemis. "My Lady, we need your skills and speed to put this evil back where he belongs, please allow me to take your place, or otherwise we will all die here."

Starting to shake her head, thinking that there was no way that he could hold it up for any length of time, Artemis noticed the wound that he bore, and realized that there was far more to this demigod than meets the eye, since almost anyone else would have collapsed and been unable to move. "Are you certain Perseus?"

Closing his eyes for a moment, they snapped open again a few seconds later, lit up with a fierce determination to do whatever it took to ensure that everyone made it out of here alive. Nodding firmly, he took a moment to adjust his wound before taking up a place at her side, bracing himself before looking to her and giving her a small smile. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be My Lady, please hurry…"

Letting out a pain-filled groan as she got out from under the burden and it fell on his shoulders, unknowingly Perseus lost some of his focus and his firm handle over his powers slipped, allowing a trickle of blood escape his wound. As the seconds flew, turning into minutes, Percy maintained his position through sheer force of will, while watching the battle progress. The difference in their abilities was greatly highlighted by the speed at which she struck at the titan, and that was heightened by a sense of urgency and anger.

While it might have seemed longer, a few minutes later he heard her voice in his mind. "Perseus, ready yourself…" Giving her a numb nod, he watched and waited and once Atlas was tripped, the demigod allowed the weight to drop from his shoulders and back where it belonged.

As soon as he was released he stumbled as the adrenaline left his body, leaving him nearly blind with the agony his body had been put through. Forcing the darkness of oblivion back, he forced himself upright and walked slowly over to where Artemis was looking over the women. Holding nothing against her for that, since her attitude towards men was well-known and wouldn't change overnight, he made his way over to where they were.

After her Lady had checked over her wounds, Zoe was lying there, lost in her thoughts until she heard unsteady footsteps, and focused on the person making them. Her eyes widening, she quickly drew their attention to the young man, as she had at first thought that he was just exhausted, until she saw the trail of blood that was clearly visible behind him. "Bianca, Piper! Help Perseus before he collapses!"

Guilt struck Artemis as she spun around to see just how bad of shape the young hero truly was in. She was stunned into immobility long enough for his two companions to get to him and sling his arms over their shoulders, and once they had him, he went limp with exhaustion and blood loss. As she assisted them in laying him down, Zoe approached him and sat down heavily at his side, and stared at him for a moment. "Why?"

Struggling to focus his eyes, Perseus managed to look at her and hoarsely respond. "Why what, Zo…"

"Why did you save me, when I have been downright evil to you for the majority of our quest? Why did you take the burden of the sky upon yourself even as gravely wounded as you were?"

Taking his time to swallow and gather his thoughts, Percy closed his eyes and sighed. "To be honest with you, I spoke the truth earlier when I called you sister. I have seen how so many older sisters act with their brothers, and even though you could have been a little less harsh at times, there were moments where I found myself wondering if I'd had any older sisters whether they would have been just like you."

Coughing for a moment, he took a deep breath before continuing. "As far as the second part of your questions, as I was running towards you, the last two lines of the prophecy clicked in my head and I was looking at and evaluating each of you. At that point in time I was easily the least exhausted, as well as the fact that I have lived my life by one or two principles and the one that comes to mind is that you never order anyone to do something that you aren't willing to do yourself."

Motioning for some water, he took a couple of gentle sips before turning his attention to the Goddess. "Lady Artemis, though I spoke true earlier, I ask for your forgiveness for my forward behavior towards one of your huntresses."

Nodding her head, Artemis simply stood before waving her hand in front of her. "All is forgiven, Perseus. However we are needed on Olympus, so I will be summoning my chariot. Once we get there I will have my brother fix you right up, so hang in there."

Whispering his thanks, he finally allowed his pain to overwhelm him and he passed out. When the chariot arrived, they quickly got everyone aboard and laid Perseus down with his head in Bianca's lap and Piper applying pressure to the wound in his abdomen. Then they were in the air and moving, heading towards Olympus and the Solstice meeting.

Late that night they arrived at Olympus, Artemis flashing ahead with Perseus to the Throne Room where she knew everyone would be. As soon as she arrived, she quickly walked over to Hestia and Apollo and spoke to them, not noticing the hush that fell over the room. "Apollo, Hestia I need your help in healing Perseus." More quickly than she could follow, Apollo took the demigod from her and flashed out to his temple, followed by Hestia, leaving Artemis to slowly walk over to her throne while gathering her thoughts. Once she had been seated, it was only a minute or two before the four women who had been with her to arrive and bow before the Gods, then turning and approaching Artemis' throne.

No one even noticed the pale look that came over Hades' face, or that he'd disappeared, but when he came back, it was with company that made their presence known shortly after their arrival. Looking in the same direction that everyone else was, they saw the Moon Goddess sitting in her throne, covered in blood. Clearing her throat, Nyx was the first one to breach the silence. "While I am pleased to see you free once again Artemis, would you mind telling me why you are covered in my son's blood?"

Startled out of her thoughts by the unfamiliar voice, she looked around confused until her father spoke. "Daughter, please answer Lady Nyx's question about why you're currently covered in young Perseus' blood?"

Nodding absently, she elaborated and told everyone present just what had happened from the time that they had arrived atop Mount Tamalpais to when she had arrived here at Olympus. The faces of the Gods were stunned for the most part, but there were a few faces that had looks of pride on them, especially hearing that Perseus had done so well against Atlas and even holding up the sky while severely wounded. Nyx sighed in relief that her son was alright, and looking at her husband, relayed a message and then left for Apollo's temple.

APOLLO'S TEMPLE

After arriving and laying the Champion of Olympus on a bed, he immediately moved to get Perseus into a healing bath. Hestia stayed at his side and just kept him company, as the warmth of the Hearth can provide hope and healing energy to those in need. She paled greatly though as she heard the words that her Champion seemed to struggle to get out. "…blonde…scar…left eye…Ach…Achilles' heel…Host…golden eyes…Cronus…."

As he got the name of her father out, he finally succumbed and passed out fully. Wiping his brow, she looked up to see both Apollo and Nyx enter, Apollo coming from the back, with a stretcher in tow, and Nyx from the front looking for her son. Rising to her feet, Hestia greeted Nyx warmly, and told her that she would be the best person for her son at this point. When the other two deities looked at her oddly, she shook her head and told them that Perseus had been partially conscious this whole time, and had relayed some very vital information.

In the length of time it took Apollo to pale, she had flashed back and left the two there to care for Perseus. Collapsing into her throne, she rubbed her face with the heels of her palms, before getting everyone's attention. "I'm truly sorry for the news that I bring, but it is most dire. Perseus was not completely unconscious, until just a few minutes ago, as I believe that he needed to relay a message. Hermes I am truly sorry, but this news is concerning your son, Luke Castellan. Apparently the lone demigod that Artemis couldn't clearly see was your son, and he has taken a dip in the Styx."

Gasps came from the other members of the Council, and pained cries came from the God of Messengers as he wept. Then Poseidon spoke up. "This is not all he had to say is it sister?"

Shaking her head, she couldn't help but sigh as she waited to speak. "There were two other things that I heard, and verified by looking into his memories. Golden eyes and a mortal steel and Celestial Bronze sword; that and he mentioned Luke being the host to our father, Cronus." Cutting her youngest brother off before he could deny what she had just said, "Before you go and get angry brother, you should know that having viewed his memory, I agree with him, that Cronus is close to returning, and it will more than likely be soon. We must prepare, and we cannot afford to just blow this off."

As she finished talking she was showing far more anger than any of the other Olympians had ever seen from her in millennia, and it made them all sit up and take notice. Athena was the one who spoke up in response to her aunt's statement. "I am in agreement with Aunt Hestia, Father. It would be best to prepare, either way. If we prepare and it isn't him, then all is for the better; but if we aren't prepared, and it is him, we could very well have given him the victory."

Grumbling, Zeus sighed and nodded. "Very well, it is agreed then, we shall prepare. Now, Hestia, is there any good news about young Perseus?"

Noting just who leaned forward in interest, Hestia smiled gently; grateful for a reason to smile today. "Apollo feels that he will make a full recovery, it was a close call, though. Entirely too close, as the spear was an inch at best from severing his spine, as well as the damage that was done by the jagged edges as Perseus forced it out. That's not taking into account that it was Perseus' sheer willpower and the fact that he had surprise on his side that the damage wasn't worse. It should be about a week before Apollo will let him become conscious again and two weeks before he will be able to be up and about."

Shocked to the point of shaking, Zoe bowed her head. Perseus had gone and shattered all her preconceptions of males, saving her life and nearly losing his own in the process. If he could be humble enough to do all those things and still call her sister, then the least she could do is swallow her own pride and apologize for her lack of attention during the fight. Turning her head and getting her Lady's attention, she approached her and began whispering in her ear. It was Artemis' violent reaction that got everyone else's attention; her tears, shaking of her head and anguished face were enough to catch the eye of most of the Council.

Before anyone could ask her what the matter was, Zoe stood and approached Lady Nyx, who had just entered the room. Slumping in her throne, Artemis sat there and watched, convinced that she was about to lose her Lieutenant.

Gulping as she looked at the Primordial Goddess of the Night, Zoe fell to her knees and bowed her head before clearing her throat and speaking. "Lady Nyx, even though My Lady Artemis tried to talk me out of this, I cannot in good conscience continue on without acknowledging that I was at fault for Perseus' injury. If it hadn't been for my…foolish pride…and arrogance, thinking that I could take on my former father by myself, he would more than likely not have been so grievously injured." Steeling her nerves, she then looked up at the Goddess and finished what she had started. "I am submitting to whatever punishment you see fit for causing your son to come to such harm."

Taking her time to consult with her husband, Nyx examined the huntress before her, and then turned her head to the Goddess of the Hunt and made a request of her mentally. "Zoe Nightshade, by your own confession you are guilty. I would ask that you allow me to see the events from your point of view by allowing me to see your memories. Is this acceptable?"

Swallowing, Zoe nodded and then stood, looking her in the eyes so that she could do so. The reaction she got when the Goddess was done was NOT what she had been expecting. "So my son is your Little Brother now, hmmm? I can understand why he would treat you as a sister, seeing as he has always had a great love of his family and in his eyes all demigods are his family. Just as you view the others of the Hunt as your sisters and family, so too does Perseus view his merry little band."

Reaching her hand down and tilting the demititan's face upward Nyx looked her in the eyes. "My youngest son, whether by blood or not, has made me proud of him always, because he always puts the lives of other people first. In the sixty or so years that he has had his manipulus, he has never lost one of them, mostly because he taught them to fight together as one unit, much like the Spartans of old, as well as the Romans, and even the way that the armies of today are trained. It's also because he will always have their back, for the simple reason that to do otherwise is wholly unacceptable to him."

Here she walked towards her husband and sat beside him. "As far as I'm concerned, there is no punishment necessary, as all I see was a fearless and humble brother making sure that his family made it through the fight alive." Smirking at the gobsmacked look on Zoe's face, she turned to Artemis, and raised an eyebrow as she saw the same look on her face as well.

That led to chuckles all around the throne room as the tense atmosphere dissolved, and led to the meeting coming to a close for now. Everyone's thoughts though were with a certain demigod lying in the infirmary in Apollo's temple…

AN: READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!