Next Deadline: November 16

Padfootette: Thank you! Here it is :)

Another-Fangirl-On-The-Premise: Aw, thanks! To answer your question, I will be continuing with the rest of the series. I'm hoping to even re-write the Heroes of Olympus series, but I don't know what I'll do with it, so we'll see :) Btw, I'm working on your prompt now!

If the Underworld was magnificent, although dark, Olympus was a kind of Heaven that he shouldn't be able to see.

Grover and Luke left him at the doorway to the palace of the gods, only the son of Poseidon pushing through. The whole structure rested on perfect paved streets beneath a starless sky, and inside, pillars made of the purest pearl and marble raised an absent ceiling to an array of constellations and planets above. There was a warm fire in the center of the huge room, large thrones displayed proudly in the grand hall, and Percy had to make an effort to tear his eyes away from the palace and look at the two gods sitting in them.

Zeus put Hades to shame in terms of appearance, trading in the gloomy demeanor for an air of confidence and command. Eyes the color of a storm sparked testily over a nicely trimmed beard, a suit and tie finishing off the look.

"You dare to fly through my domain? I should have blasted you from the sky for your incompetence." The king of the gods was not in a good mood, and Percy wasn't happy to be the reason for it.

"And risk destroying your precious bolt? Let us hear him out, brother." Percy didn't dare to glance at the god with the trident in his hands, looking down at his dirty sneakers and wishing his friends were here. He could use Grover's reassurance and Luke's smiles right about now.

Zeus contented, glaring at the demigod as he kneeled down and bowed his head. "I brought this, uncle, even though I am not the one who stole it," he said, and he pulled the master bolt from his backpack. It was in his hands and then it wasn't, growing to full size in Zeus' hold, and he forced himself to continue. "It was Ares, with help from someone inside Camp Half-Blood."

Zeus considered this, face seemingly enternally grumpy, and Percy kept silent. "I sense that you speak the truth," he gave, and he breathed out a sigh of relief. "But for Ares to do such a thing?" Zeus questioned. "It is most unlike him."

"He is proud and impulsive," the other god spoke up, and Percy's eyes narrowed at the floor. "It runs in the family."

"I don't think it was him," Percy admitted, and two pairs of eyes turned to his small form, crouched at their feet. "I mean, not exactly. Someone else- something else- was controlling him." He thought back, speaking out his fears. "After I beat him on the beach, there was this presence; some weird shadow. It reminded me of the dreams I've been having, about a voice coming from this pit. I think was the entrance to Tartarus," he said. "Something evil, powerful, is down there. Something older than the gods."

The two beings talked with one another in Greek, words bouncing and flitting off their tongues too quickly for Percy's ears to catch. He found snippets of words in the conversation, but it ended before he could make sense of it all.

"We will speak no more of this," Zeus ordered, and he went to stand. Percy didn't bother to try and follow the action, the god too tall to see. "I must go and purify this bolt in the waters of Lemnos, to remove the human taint from its metal."

"Brother-" the sea god started, just as quickly cut down.

"You have done me a service, boy," Zeus addressed the demigod, looking down at him with stormy grey irises. "To show my thanks, I shall spare your life. But I do not trust you, Perseus Jackson," he pressed on. "You are your father's wrongdoing, with those strange powers you wield, and I worry what your arrival bodes for the future."

He vanished in a show of lightning, leaving the scent of smoke behind, and Percy spluttered as rose from the floor.

When it was just the two of them left, Percy finally looked at his dad. Granted, he hadn't known completely that it was his father until a few hours ago, not having the honor to be claimed, but he supposed it was good enough. He should have known, anyway.

Poseidon looked like any other fisherman, with a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops- of course, with the exception that he was thirty feet tall. His skin was as tan as the evening sun, eyes a deep blue, hair ruffled and dark on his head.

"Ah," he spoke, because Percy didn't, because Percy wasn't sure if he wanted to or not. "My brother was always one for dramatic exits."

Percy shrugged, holding his backpack in his hands. He finally found the courage to speak, Poseidon waiting patiently atop his throne.

"Uh, fath- sir," he corrected, too insure of the words that came from his mouth. "It was Kronos, wasn't it? Down in the pit, from my dreams. It's Kronos, the king of Titans."

He could remember when Mr Brunner would tell then stories of the father who tried to eat all his children, fearing they would rise against him, and how Zeus stopped him in the end. Now Mr Brunner was Chiron and he was another legend, living a life that shouldn't be real.

"I fear that it may be, indeed," Poseidon admitted. "In the first war, Zeus cut our father into a thousand pieces and cast his remains into the darkest pit in Tartarus. And yet titans cannot die, no more than gods can. Whatever remains of Kronos is still alive in some hideous way, still conscious in his eternal pain. Still hungering for power."

"He's healing," Percy said, a shiver running down his spine. "Kronos is coming back."

"Kronos does stir from time to time," Poseidon told him. "To enter men's nightmares and breathe evil thoughts, to awaken restless monsters." He sighed. "Of course, Zeus has closed discussion on the matter. You have completed your quest, and that is all you need to do."

"But you can't-!" He stopped himself, clenching his fists. "I mean... if you say so, father."

The title was so strange as it came from his mouth, but Poseidon only chuckled. "Obedience does not come naturally to you," he observed. "I must take some blame for that, I suppose. The sea does not like to be restrained." Percy shrugged, listening as Poseidon continued. "You must go now. Zeus would not be pleased to find you still lingering here when he returns."

"Right," he said, unable to help himself. "Wouldn't want to remind him of your wrongdoing."

"Percy..." He had already started to turn away, not willing to deal with this right now, but he stopped at a hand on his shoulder. The demigod turned, seeing his father shrunk down, almost looking human sans the trident in his grasp.

"I am sorry you were born," he said. "I have brought you a hero's fate, and a hero's fate is never anything but tragic. Most of all, I am sorry that our laws forbid me from treating you as a father should his child." He looked Percy hard in the eyes, not taking away his gaze. "But you have done well today. Whatever else you do, know that you are mine. You are a true son of the sea god, and of that, I shall always be proud."

Percy nodded, eyes stinging, hitching his backpack on his shoulder. "Uh, dad?" He asked

"Yes?"

"Do you-" he hesitated. "About these powers, do you know why I have them?"

Poseidon let his hand fall. "That, my son," he replied. "Is an answer only the Fates can give."

The sun rose high above white puffs of clouds, shining against a bright blue sky. Heat beat down on the arena, Percy swinging his sword at the homemade training dummies, alone.

Sweat coated his skin, the demigod finally stopping to take a break. He grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler pushed up against the benches, taking a long swig from the drink and trying to regain some semblance of energy.

"Hey, Perce!" The shout made him jump, nearly choking, and the son of Poseidon turned. It was Luke, running over to him with a smile and a six-pack of sodas, clothes rugged on his body.

"Hey," he greeted, heart beating just a little bit faster. They hadn't really had the opportunity to talk about what had happened back in the Underworld, and now that the time was here, he couldn't help the nervousness. The demigod distracted himself by glancing down at the cokes, frowning slightly.

"Isn't it against the rules to have food from outside?" He asked, capping Riptide and tucking it away in his pocket. Luke smirked.

"It isn't if they don't catch you," he winked. "I got some of my cabin mates to snag these for me. Worth every drachma."

"What's the occasion?" He asked. Luke shrugged.

"Well," he said. "I figured we could walk out for a little bit. I know this area in the forest, and I just figured it would be nice and all. After all, since everything's cooled down over here, I doubt anyone would notice us gone." He glanced up at Percy, being met with the largest smile he could muster spread across his face.

"Of course," he said, taking the pack, and he followed Luke out of the arena.

Next chapter may or may not be longer, but it will be the last one. :)