Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.

Story: Champion of Olympus: Child of the First One

Chapter 15: Family Squabbles

Third Person POV

California

Zeus held Percy in his arms. Hera and Hades sat on the other side of Percy. Athena kneeled beside her father. Poseidon and the other gods stood around the group on the ground. They looked around protectively just in case the enemy returned or mortals came to investigate.

Athena took her brother's wrist in her hand. She felt Percy's pulse. "His pulse is strengthening; almost like he's returning from some far away destination," Athena said.

Suddenly, Percy gasped for air. The gods jumped in surprise. Zeus helped his son sit up.

"Percy, are you okay?" Zeus asked worriedly.

Percy looked around at his family. His gaze rested on Hera, just for a moment. A flood of memories crossed his mind. He smiled at first before shaking the feeling off. He looked at his father. "I'm fine," Percy began. His father looked at him curiously. "I spoke to Lord Chaos."

The gods all yelled at once. They began to argue among themselves. "Enough," Zeus yelled. The other gods all ceased their arguments. "What did the creator of all want?"

Percy stared at his father grimly. "He warned me that Loki has unleashed the Draugr curse in New York. We need to help the half-bloods. They will be overrun soon," Percy said.

The gods were all silent. All the color drained from Athena's face. "Annabeth," she said worriedly.

Zeus eyed his daughter sadly. "What else did he tell you?" he asked.

"Loki will use them as a distraction. It will allow him to attack the throne room," Percy informed.

Hera eyed her estranged adopted son. She could tell he was hiding something. "What are you hiding?" she asked.

Percy glared at Hera. He frowned at how well she could read him. "He warned me to not let my mortality get in the way of victory," Percy conceded. The gods all looked at him curiously.

"What does that mean?" Poseidon asked as he looked at Athena.

Athena analyzed her former rival. Her cheeks turned pink. She was happy that he believed in her judgment so much. "Your mortality can weaken your powers," Athena said as she looked at Percy for confirmation.

Percy nodded. "Can I beat him?" Percy asked his sister.

Athena frowned at the lack of confidence in her brother's voice. "Of course you can," she reassured.

Percy forced a smile. He slowly pulled away from his father, and then stood up carefully. Zeus, Hera, Hades and Athena stood up as well.

"I must face Loki alone," Percy said. Zeus was about to protest, but Percy raised his hand. "All of you must help your children fight the Draugr. They are too powerful for the demigods to beat on their own."

"It's against the ancient laws to interfere," Zeus said.

Percy stepped toward his father. He couldn't believe that he would bring up the ancient laws at this time. Zeus stepped back in shock at the anger coming from his son. "To Tartarus with the ancient laws; your children are in danger. You can't leave them."

"I am the King of the gods and your father; you will not speak to me that way," Zeus said harshly.

Percy didn't flinch. He loved his father, but he hated it when his dad stuck to the ancient laws so strictly. "They are fighting creatures outside of this realm. Why can't you put aside the ancient laws for once," Percy yelled. The other gods all stepped back Percy's eyes were flashing with multiple colors.

Zeus looked at his son in shock. "Calm down son before you do something you'll regret," Zeus warned.

Percy chuckled. He whispered under his breath; his body began to glow as his sea green armor covered his body. He stepped closer to his father. He stretched out his hand and Mjolnir appeared. "I won't let you use the ancient laws to keep our family apart," Percy declared.

Zeus sighed. "What would you have me do, defy the ancient laws that have been in existence for thousands of years?" he asked.

Percy glared at his father. "That's exactly what I'm asking. You've interfered before. This time you will be fighting a force outside of this realm. Please father; do what feels right, even if it means going against the laws," Percy pleaded.

Zeus looked into his sons eyes. He could feel the boy's power, but he could also see his son; the child that he loved. He looked at the other Olympians. Athena nodded. The other gods followed her lead. Zeus's gaze rested on Hera. She gave him an encouraging smile. He felt a warm feeling in his chest and butterflies in his stomach; something he hadn't felt in a long time. He returned her smiled and turned toward his son.

"We will help," Zeus declared. Percy smiled at his father. He was proud that Zeus had finally chosen his family over the ancient laws. He could see a gleam in Zeus's eyes; a look that he'd never seen before. "We must return to Olympus. Our children need our help."

"What about Aphrodite?" Ares asked. Hephaestus glared at his brother.

"Don't forget Artemis," Apollo added.

"Apollo, go help your sister, and then I want all of you to return to Olympus. We will make our last stand there. Loki will not destroy our home," Zeus ordered. Apollo nodded before disappearing into a golden light.

"Percy, what are you going to do?" Athena asked.

Percy looked at his sister thoughtfully. "I will accompany you, but I must stay on Olympus to face Loki. I can't let him get to the throne room first," he said determinedly.

Zeus stood in the center as the other gods surrounded him, minus Aphrodite, Apollo and Artemis. Percy stood between Zeus and Athena. Zeus raised his hand and they all dissolved into a golden light. Only a few seconds later they appeared in the center of the throne room.

Hestia looked up from the hearth and smiled at her family. "Thanks to Chaos that you're back," she said.

Zeus rushed to his older sister's side. "What's happened?" he asked worriedly.

"Loki has unleashed the Draugr. The children are preparing a defense. Annabeth planned to destroy the elevator, if they made it passed them," Hestia warned.

Zeus stared at his sister in disbelief. "Destroy the connection between Olympus and the mortal world," Zeus yelled. Hestia flinched under his angry glare.

Athena stepped between them. "Father, it is a plan of last resort. We would rather have the connection destroyed versus the world's destruction," Athena reassured.

Percy placed his hand on his father's shoulder. "Father, we're here now. We can make the difference," Percy said.

Zeus stared into the grey eyes of his daughter before looking into Percy's eyes. The sea green was there, but Zeus could still remember those white eyes when Percy had fought the King of the ice giants. Zeus sighed. "I'm sorry sister, I overreacted," he apologized. Hestia smiled as her eyes smoldered with the flames of the hearth.

"I was disturbed by the plan as well, but now the plan can be discarded," Hestia said.

Athena shook her head. "No, it is a plan of last resort; we must preserve it," Athena explained.

The other gods and Percy all looked at her like she was insane. "It's too dangerous," Percy said.

"It is, but the world is more important than Olympus," Athena defended. Zeus glared at his daughter, but he had to admit it; she was right.

"We must keep the plan. As much as it pains me to say it, the plan would save the world," Zeus acknowledged.

Percy placed his hand on Zeus's shoulder. "I won't let it come to that. I'll stop Loki; I swear on the Styx," Percy promised. Zeus stared at his son in shock. Percy gave his father a reassuring smile.

"Percy, you will stay here with Hestia, while we help our children fight the Draugr," Zeus ordered.

Percy wanted to argue with his father, but he understood that he had to stay in reserve. Loki was counting on him to rush to his friends and forget his duty to protect Olympus and the throne room. He watched as the gods flashed out of Olympus; he felt envious of them. They were going to fight side by side with his friends, while he was stuck up on Olympus waiting for a sign of Loki's presence. He walked over to the hearth. Hestia smiled at the boy she loved as a son.

"It's not fair that I have to stay here while they fight down below," Percy said. He sounded like a small child pouting over not being picked to play a game.

Hestia laughed softly. Percy just glared at his aunt. "I'm sorry my boy, but you sound like a pouting child," Hestia said.

Percy frowned at the comparison. "I don't like to wait," Percy said simply.

Hestia put her arm around the boy. "Always so impatient, even when you were little," Hestia explained.

"My friends and family are down there fighting and… dying; how can I stay up here waiting?" Percy asked sadly.

"They have their duty and you have yours." The flames in the goddess's eyes grew brighter as she spoke.

Percy looked into her fiery eyes. His eyes began to burn as well, until his eyes matched those of the goddess. He turned and looked into the hearth. The flames grew higher as he looked into them. "I know my duty and my destiny. I have to fight him, don't I?"

The fire in Hestia's eyes dimmed until they smoldered like a fire that was about to go out. "I'm so sorry my boy, but yes, you must face him."

Percy nodded. A steely look of determination passed across the Champion of Olympus's face. "I will not fail. Too many people have died because of that mad man."

First floor of the Empire State Building

Annabeth paced near the main entrance to the building. Strange sounds echoed through the man-made canyons of the city; the sounds of death, the sounds of the Draugr.

Jason and Reyna ran through the front door. They were sweaty and their skin was pale. Connor and Travis closed the door behind them after they entered.

"All we saw were shadows," Jason said. "The noises are getting louder; they must be close."

"Seal this door. No one else can leave the building, is that understood?" Annabeth asked.

Jason and the others nodded. Thalia walked up to her best friend. "That's it; we're trapped in here now, just waiting for them to arrive," Thalia said.

Annabeth gave her friend a grim look. "Not a very good plan, huh?" Annabeth conceded. She was mad at herself. Why couldn't she think of a better plan?

Suddenly, lights flashed throughout the lobby of the building. When the lights faded the Olympians, minus Artemis, Apollo and Aphrodite stood before the demigods.

Annabeth was the first to react. She ran to her mother and hugged her tightly. Athena smiled down at her daughter. They separated as Annabeth smiled at her mother in relief. "I'm so glad you're back," she said.

Athena smiled at her daughter, but it didn't last long. "We know about the Draugr," Athena said.

Annabeth sighed. She was glad her mother knew. "You know about my plans?" Annabeth asked worriedly.

"I know about all of them," Athena explained. Annabeth cringed. She waited for the criticism, but it never came. "Don't worry my dear. I agree with your plans, but we are here now to make sure that the final contingency will never have to be implemented."

Annabeth sighed in relief. "Thank you; we thought we would have to fight alone," Annabeth admitted. She looked around curiously. "Where's Percy?"

Athena gave her daughter a sympathetic look. "He is on Olympus," she explained.

"Why is he up there?" Thalia said as she stepped up to the goddess and her daughter.

Athena looked at her sister and frowned. "He awaits Loki's attack," Athena said.

Thalia frowned back at the goddess. "I think the Draugr can be considered an attack," Thalia said. She stepped toward the elevator. "I'm going up there and get his butt down here."

"Thalia," Zeus said. She turned and stared at her father. "He must stay up there. His duty is to fight Loki, not the Draugr,"

Thalia huffed. "His duty is to fight beside his family," she said angrily.

"Do you question my orders?" Zeus asked with barely controlled anger.

Jason walked to his sister's side. "Thalia, you're not helping," Jason pleaded.

"We need Percy. I can't believe he agreed to stay up there while we fight down here," she argued.

Zeus stalked toward his daughter. He clenched his fist as lightning flashed across his blue eyes. He may have mellowed since he helped raise Percy, but he would never stand by and let someone question his orders in such a way. "Thalia, mind your place," Zeus yelled.

"Father," Thalia spat. Zeus raised his hand.

"Percy didn't choose to stay there; I ordered him to," Zeus explained.

Thalia glared at her father. Everyone in the room stepped out of the way. Thalia was a lot like her father; everyone knew that. Nico looked between the King of the gods and his girlfriend. Someone had to stop them. He stepped forward, but stopped when he saw Hera walk up between the two.

Zeus's eye widened as he looked at his wife. Hera gave him a slight smile. She turned toward her estranged adoptive daughter.

"Thalia, it was hard enough on Percy. He doesn't need you to make it tougher," Her pleaded.

Thalia stared at the woman she once loved like a mother. A woman that she found out had betrayed her and Jason in the past. "Stay out of my way," she warned.

Hera flinched at Thalia's tone. However, she took a step closer to her daughter. "We have enough problems; a family squabble isn't needed now," Hera said.

Thalia's eyes flashed as her anger grew.

"Thalia, stop it," Annabeth said. Her grey eyes grew darker. "Percy has his own destiny, besides, the gods are here to help us."

Thalia stared at her best friend. If Annabeth could fight without the boy she loved, then why couldn't she fight without him? She sighed loudly. "I give up. But we better win this fight, father," Thalia said as she stepped away from Zeus and walked toward Nico and the rest of her friends.

Hera let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. She wrapped her arm around Zeus's waist and his anger melted away. He looked into her dark brown eyes. "Thank you for trying," he said.

"I still love her and I couldn't let her talk to you that way. I know it's hard for both you and Percy. He wants to fight beside us, but we all know that he can't," Hera said.

A loud noise from outside of the building drew everyone's attention. The gods and demigods looked out the windows. Shadows seemed to move through the streets of the city towards the building.

"Shadows," Hermes said.

"What's making them?" Ares asked.

Athena looked closely. Her grey eyes sparked in realization. "Those aren't shadows," she said.

Zeus looked at his daughter curiously. "What are they?" Zeus asked.

Athena looked at the shadow figures as they moved toward the building. Everyone looked at her in anticipation. "Draugr," she said. Almost in answer to their name, the Draugr assembled into formation in front of the building. Their red eyes glowed in the darkness of the streets. They opened their mouths as their white jagged teeth glowed in the moonlight. A blood curdling scream echoed through the city before they surged forward. The Battle of Manhattan had begun and nothing would ever be the same.

AN: I know another cliff hanger, so stay tuned.