Moar updates. :)
It's not Sunday Morning, but it's pouring. Also, my ctrl button is broke. If you caught the song reference in the previous sentence, kudos to you. Tell me, I want to know.
In addition, I've put my other stories on hiatus, so that I can focus on this one. I just want it out of the way.
Percy snarled.
"Stop." Poseidon's voice rung out again, echoing through the hall. He stepped out of the fountain, and I scrambled backwards along the floor, away from Percy and his father.
Percy stepped backwards, drawing Riptide, the pen cap flashing in the moonlight. Immediately, the bronze sword grew out, and Percy adopted an attack stance.
"Perceus stop," Poseidon said. "This is not what you want."
"Stay away from me, old man." The words gusted from between clenched teeth. "Or I'll rent you in two."
"Perceus," his voice was cold. "Continue to bait me and pay with your life."
"Try it," Percy answered back, equally as coldly.
The roof exploded. No, not just exploded, it disintegrated, the dust flying into the wind that was suddenly roused over the building. The ground began to shake, and cracks appeared in the walls. The various contents of the room rattling like marbles in a barrel. The fountain cracked in two, water spraying out in different directions.
Percy sprung. Like a cat, he rested on the balls of his feet, and pushed off the ground, jumping at his father and one of the most powerful beings in the universe.
Riptide swung down as Percy leaped, and Poseidon bellowed in anger, before sweeping his son away with a swing of his right arm. Percy was thrown against the wall, even more cracks appearing in it, and fell forward, the wall collapsing onto him. Nothing moved from underneath.
Poseidon flashed with intense light, once, before seeming to regain control of himself. He touched the spot on the back of his neck. His fingers came away golden, stained with Ichor, the blood of the gods.
"Come, Annabeth," he said, looking at me. "You must be present at Olympus, immediately."
"But, what about… Percy?" I said, looking at the pile of rubble that the former hero of Olympus had disappeared into.
"He will be dealt with later," Poseidon said, firmly. "Now come, child."
I nodded, not wanting to disobey a god, and suddenly, we were in the throne room of the gods, with all in attendance. Most looked bored, as though this meeting was an unnecessary waste of time. There were others though, like Athena, Apollo and Hermes, who were leaning attentively forward, though Hermes was chatting on his phone.
"My family," Zeus said, looking around the room. "I have called this meeting to determine the fate of Percy Jackson, a demi-god who has fallen under the control of Kronos."
"We know who Peter is," Dionysus muttered, twisting a grapevine around his fingers. "Whether we like him is another matter."
Zeus ignored him. "In light of his recent achievements, I don't believe he should be incinerated. It seems that he was forced into the control of Kronos—"
"How do you know that?" Dionysus said, cutting off Zeus. "Do you have any evidence?"
Ares nodded in agreement beside him, and Athena looked at her father.
"Indeed," she said. "We spared his life once before. Why should we do so a second time? Especially since he has made several threats against my daughter's life, and has joined Kronos. We also don't know if he is really forced into service. And, even if he was, then he may wish to be released. I vote for incineration."
Poseidon spoke, in a tired voice. "Athena, I've told you before. You're not incinerating my son. Your daughter will love who she loves. You cannot change that by barbecuing the unlucky boy. Annabeth will grow to hate you, and that was what started Kronos' rise in the first place. And he very nearly won. It was only Percy who stopped him, in case you have forgotten. In addition, I very highly doubt that my son would willingly join Kronos, and I don't believe he should be killed for his misfortune."
Athena glared at Poseidon. Poseidon stared balefully back. Athena spoke through gritted teeth.
"This has nothing to do with the affection the boy shows for my daughter," she hissed. "This has to do with a half-mortal who nearly changed civilization last time. Who's to say that he won't do the same this time, and pick the wrong choice? If we kill him, Kronos is crippled, and we can set out to destroy him again, this time once and for all."
"I agree with Poseidon," said Hades, earning surprised looks from most in the circle of thrones. His throne was stuck awkwardly on the end of the male side. It was made of black twisted metal, with a single skull set into the top. "The boy has been nothing but useful in the past, and would not pick the wrong path deliberately. We must not let our personal feelings"—he looked at Athena—"get in the way of the truth. The fact is, if we kill him, we become no better than Kronos."
"But even if we are no better than Kronos," Dionysus said silkily, "We will still have removed a great weapon of his. Kronos is willing to kill and maim to achieve what he wants, why shouldn't we?"
Zeus raised his hand as a dozen different voices erupted all over the room. "Enough," he repeated. "Both of you have put forward reasonable arguments. As such, I will put it to a vote. All those who vote we don't kill the boy?"
A number of hands went up, and Zeus raised his own hand. He counted silently, already knowing what was going to happen, and then said, "And all of those who vote that we do kill the boy?"
Another number of hands went up, and Zeus counted silently. Finally, he fell silent. I had my face turned away, unable to bear if they voted to kill him.
"We have voted and made a decision," his voice rung out over the throne room, and my worst fears were fufilled. "The vote is seven-six. The boy will be killed."
Betcha weren't expecting that. More soon. :D