Chapter 11: Family Old and New
Unknown Location
A dozen hulking figures shivered inside of a pitch black dome. They huddled with their backs pressed against the encompassing cavern wall, each clutching their cloaks tightly in hopes to wring out some semblance of warmth from the fabric. An occupied throne sat at the center of the space. In the field of pitch black, nothing should have been visible, but the central figure exuded such darkness that it painted a blacker silhouette that demanded to be seen, even in the absence of light. It spoke.
"Mnemosyne. For months, we have had no new memories to act on. Why?"
The jagged cave walls threatened to crumble under the weight of the voice. Its depth was ancient, and it sent shudders through the occupants of the room. One of the cloaked figures looked up towards the throne. She had soft, kind eyes, but the rest of her face was marred by a scowl. Mnemosyne did not want to be there a moment longer, but she knew to watch her tone to avoid being smited.
"I am unsure, my lord," she began as convincingly as she could, "There are certain magics and potions that deny the creation of dreams for lengths of time. They may explain why he has not dreamt of his father and been drawn into your realm for me."
Clever boy. If we both live past this prophecy, I hope to meet you properly, Percy Jackson, she thought, certain he'd heeded her message those months ago.
"That is most disappointing, niece, for I as well as for you. If the boy does not dream soon, you will become of no use to me, and you will die. If I discover you have played a hand in this obstruction, you will meet a fate far worse."
The cavern shook violently before it returned to stony silence. Mnemosyne's expression contorted to defiant hatred, but her fear betrayed her; she knew the primordial didn't speak in empty threats. The dome's occupants shifted in the stillness before a new voice spoke.
"My lord, you have very graciously raised many Titans to serve you, but not yet all of us. When will you be returning Lord Kronos?"
The voice was Krios, Titan of the South, who winced beneath the weight of the reply.
"I would revive your brother only to kill him. That arrogant child would never kneel, and killing him may turn his brothers against me, leading to your deaths as well. He will not return."
Krios had expected nothing else, but he'd needed to ask. He silently adjusted his ram helmet, not getting a chance to respond.
"There are not only Titans in this room. But among those who are, Krios…
The titan shifted again.
"Perses…
A massive figure grunted through gritted teeth, hulking muscles expanding and contracting as he glared into the darkness.
"Hyperion…
The Lord of the East glowered at the being in the center of the room. The titan wore his golden armor beneath his cloak but didn't dare allow it to shine, certain that the light would be snuffed out by the otherworldly monster in front of him.
"And Oceanus; was my judgment flawed to only require you."
The deity didn't pose it as a question as he stood from his throne, rising to a height of nearly forty feet. He verbally beckoned for Oceanus to join him, and the muscular merman shifted his bottom half to humanoid legs.
The titan followed a dozen feet behind the towering primordial. Even trailing through absolute darkness, Oceanus had no difficulty perceiving the lofty silhouette that violated natural law. The two moved out of the expanse, traversing a cavernous corridor that eventually opened into a smaller, but just as dark, cave. It had only one occupant: a human shape chained to the wall.
The pair approached the coughing form that slumped against a jagged rock, his arms bound behind his head. The man weakly raised his gaze, and Oceanus lit a match against the prisoner's face. Though quickly snuffed out, the flame had briefly illuminated the aged, tired eyes of the God of the Seas.
"It has been much time since word from your son, Poseidon. I worry for his safety," the hulking silhouette mocked.
The Olympian snapped out of his delirious state.
"Erebus." Poseidon spat the name like poison. "It is only a matter of time before he fulfills the prophecy and defeats you."
The Primordial of Darkness growled before he struck the weakened sea god, instantly rendering him unconscious. Oceanus' lip curled towards his rival. Over the brief encounters the titan had been allowed to have with the prisoner, he'd seen Poseidon age decades, yet the god hadn't broken.
Persevering hope at a time like this… Naivety runs in their bloodline, the eldest titan thought as he followed Erebus out of the room.
Camp Olympus West (formerly Camp Jupiter)
New Rome stood exactly as it always had. White marble buildings and their tile rooftops decorated the streets, assorted shops sat on every corner, the Forum paid homage to the originals of Rome, and the Coliseum replica hosted the residents' own bread and circuses. But the city's population had continuously declined as able-bodied veterans pooled to rejoin the Legion's ranks against the oncoming threat. Maybe city life wasn't exactly the same, less lively and vibrant, but something unfailingly identical was the daily scene inside Cafe Juno.
The coffee shop's interior was modeled like a diner; a long, oaken counter held a line of single-seaters, cushy booths shaped the shop in a semicircle, and detached tables filled the open middle space. At the table in the exact center of the shop sat two patrons who were there every morning, no matter the circumstance.
Looking into the cafe, you'd only be able to see one of them. His burly shoulders adorned with a purple cape and spear obstructed his companion from view. She sat across from him, her cinnamon brown hair offset by blackened-gold eyes that signaled her as heiress to the Underworld. A map of the Roman camp lay between them.
"What do you think about new barracks?" Frank asked.
"Frank, we've already built more barracks than we'll need for years. We have more catapults, greek fire projectiles, and war machines than we know what to do with. If anything, we need more weapons silos, and even that's overkill," Hazel said, exasperated.
The cafe staff knew their routine all too well. Frank constantly wanted to build more, worried about the incoming threat and fixated on his duty as Praetor to protect everyone at camp. Hazel understood, but she had to act as a voice of reason to ensure Camp Jupiter's square footage didn't double each day with new construction. The couple sipped their coffees while bickering over Frank's compulsive ideas when a breathless legionnaire tore through the coffee shop door.
"Praetor!" the boy saluted, panting, "We've just received news that Percy Jackson is back at the other camp."
Frank and Hazel shared a quick glance before they nearly flew through the exit. The moment they were outside, Frank closed his eyes and his body began to morph. Hazel didn't miss a beat, wrapping an arm around his neck from behind and flinging a leg over him as if she'd practiced the maneuver countless times, which she had. By the time she landed on his back, she was zipping out of New Rome towards the Fields of Mars atop a horse identical to Arion.
The two moved at world-bending speeds towards the ruins of a siege fortress that'd become home to the west exit of the awakened Labyrinth. They ducked into the opening in the ground, entering the artificially lit maze that'd been decorated with directions towards the other camp. Both demigods had already memorized the route, and Frank blazed through room after room as excitement burgeoned in the pair.
Camp Olympus East
Outside of the Pavilion, Annabeth and Percy stood in deafening silence. Annabeth's eyes were rimmed red, and it was all Percy could do to keep his own composure. The daughter of Athena closed a fist around the ring.
"H-how have you been, Percy?" she asked softly, unsure of how else to begin.
"I-um, I've been alright. It was really, really hard after, well you know, but I'm doing a lot better," he answered, doing his best to keep his voice level.
"I don't expect you to forgive me, but I still need to tell you that I'm sorry. Every decision I made was my own fault, regardless of any other involvement, and I regret those choices every day. And when I heard about Sally–"
Annabeth cut herself off. Since his disappearance, she'd rehearsed a dozen ways their reunion could've gone, and her being a mess had never been one of the possibilities. Percy tensed when she reached forward to hug him like she had a thousand times before. He unconsciously took a step back, not meeting the hurt in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Annabeth. Really, thank you, but I think I still need some time. It was good to see you," Percy said before he took another step back into the Pavilion.
"It was good to see you, too. I'm glad you're safe," Annabeth rescinded as she left for her cabin.
The two moved in opposite directions, sharing the heavy pit in their stomachs. Annabeth knew she still loved him and that he likely didn't anymore. Percy felt guilty rejecting her how he did, but he hoped it was the right decision. The demigod promised himself that he'd try to get back on friendlier terms with Annabeth, but immediately just wasn't the time.
Percy returned to the dining hall to find that nearly all of the campers had cleared out, leaving only the ones he'd noticed among the crowd. His old friends from Camp Half Blood stood together, speaking in hushed tones. Seeing Percy walk in, they approached him as a collective with Clarisse apparently chosen as the spokesperson.
"Pri- Percy. We all want to tell you that we're sorry for–"
"Guys, thank you, but we don't need to do this. We were all manipulated by Cameron with the help of a literal primordial deity. There's no hard feelings anymore; if you're good, I'm good," Percy cut in, eliciting multiple sighs of relief.
"Been back for half an hour and you're already pissing me off, Prissy?" Clarisse jutted back, though her shoulders visibly relaxed.
Percy laughed. He felt that a grudge against friends wasn't something worth still holding onto. Shortly, the campers said goodbye, each leaving to tend to their own responsibilities. Besides the hunters, that left just former crewmates of the Argo II chattering amongst each other at one of the tables. As Percy moved to join them, a thundering blur charged into the Pavilion.
A caramel horse bounded over a dozen tables, pedaling to a stop next to the central brazier. Hazel dismounted as the equine shifted to human form, and the duo snatched the shocked son of the sea into a tight embrace. The table laughed at Percy's expression after he'd seen Arion transform into Frank. Rising from their seats and turning it into another group hug, they again ended up in a dogpile. The demigods eventually untangled themselves from the mess on the floor.
"Man, I can't believe you're actually back," Leo said, exaggeratedly feeling Percy's face to make sure he was actually there.
"It's so good to see you guys again. I'm sorry I was gone for so long," he said sadly as the group sat back down.
"Hey, all that matters is that you're here now, and you better be back for good," Piper warned.
"Dude, Percy. You disappear for more than two years, and you come back as part of the Hunt? How the Hades did that happen?" Jason asked, inconspicuously pointing to the group of girls.
Percy laughed. "It's a bit of a long story."
The hunters sat at the table closest to the front of the Pavilion, listening to Artemis' daily briefing. While speaking, the goddess also tuned in from afar to Percy's retelling of his last few years. Remaining stoic had proven slightly more difficult than she'd expected while watching how well-received Percy had been by his friends and former home. Beyond that reception, his forgiveness of the friends that'd abandoned him and his lasting concern for the woman that'd betrayed him had only furthered her perception of the demigod. Artemis finished her briefing at the same time that Percy ended his recap, from which he'd made sure to omit certain interactions.
The hunters filed out of the Pavilion to start the tasks they'd been delegated. Formally, Artemis then approached the demigods' table and let Percy know she'd return to camp in the evening. He quickly bowed in front of his friends, and the goddess vanished in a spark of silver.
"Gods, she's so scary and beautiful," Hazel said, and heads nodded in unison.
Percy looked down, hiding the irrepressible smile on his face.
"Man, Percy. That stuff about the universe's creator is pretty heavy," Frank said, fiddling with Ultor.
"Yeah, but let's be grateful that She's going to be on our side," Piper replied.
"Technically not, right? She's already done what She can without completely wiping the universe," Nico observed, and Percy nodded.
A short silence followed before Leo couldn't hold in his excitement any longer.
"SHOW ME THE POWERS!" he shouted, fists balled, leading to a round of laughs.
"Not yet; they're a surprise for when the fight inevitably comes to us," Percy teased, "Anyways, guys, tell me about everything I missed!"
"Well…" Piper started, raising her left hand over her face and elbowing Jason. "WE'RE ENGAGED!"
"Oh my gods! That's incredible! When?!" Percy exclaimed, wide-eyed at the ring Piper was flaunting.
"Three months ago. We went on a cabin getaway to Georgia, and I proposed to her at the top of a trail we hiked. Most nerve-wracking moment of my life," Jason explained, face tinted red.
"That's so dope man. I'm really happy for you guys!"
"Thank you, future groomsman," Jason said, earning a smile from Percy while Piper blushed at the mention of her proximal wedding.
"What has everyone else been up to?"
Nico and Will Solace had started dating following Cameron's upheaval from camp, the couple bonding over their respective relationships with Percy. The son of Hades still spent most of his time in the Underworld, and he'd become much closer with his father. Frank had slowly adjusted to leading a legion, and he'd become immensely proficient with his legendary spear, Ultor, as well as his transformations, unlocking access to even some sentient creatures like Arion. Hazel traveled often between the Underworld and Camp Jupiter, her attention split between keeping Frank's construction frenzy under control and working closely with her father. Leo had become even more Leo. He was still madly in love with Calypso, who was on Olympus at their shared forge, and he'd apparently further honed the art of deranged inventions, promising Percy that he'd be mind-blown by them when the battles came.
It was well past midday when the group finished catching up on each others' lives and dispersed from the Pavilion. Staying behind, Percy sat alone in the empty hall. He let it remain in a comfortable silence as he thought about how grateful he was that his return to camp had gone how it had. No bitter resentment lingered within anybody, him included, and he knew a large part of his own peace came from the fact that he had a new home with the hunters. Suddenly, the demigod felt a new presence in the Pavilion, and his head snapped towards the central fireplace.
A cloaked figure tended to the coals, and Percy immediately felt warmth rush into his body. He made his way to the open flame and took a seat next to the familiar face.
"Lady Hestia, wh–"
The goddess cut Percy off with an embrace that he melted into. The demigod felt guilty for how long it'd been since he'd checked in with her, especially considering his recent brush with death. Hestia pulled away before she looked at him crossly.
"You need to be more careful, young man," she berated before her tone softened, "but I am glad you have recovered, and I am so proud of what you did to save that young huntress."
The weight in his shoulders eased as a glowing hand pressed against the covered wound on his back; of course she'd gone and seen him on Olympus.
"Thank you, Lady Hestia. I'm sorry that we haven't spent enough time together recently. This is still an excuse, but I've been really occupied with Artemis and the Hunt," he said sadly.
Hestia smirked and nudged his shoulder with hers.
"Occupied with Artemis, you say?" she asked playfully.
Percy buried his face in his hands and groaned. "Gods, how did you know?"
"A mother just does," Hestia said without thinking.
A moment of awkward silence rose between the two. It was a subject that they'd generally tried to steer away from, because it was Sally's death that had played an integral part in the two growing so close. Undoubtedly, they cared for each other in the way a mother and son did, but that'd been mostly an unspoken idea between the pair. Since Hestia had already let it slip, she continued.
"Percy, I have been meaning to speak to you. I would have liked it to be under better circumstances, but when Apollo came to me with the news that you may die, I felt so horrible that I had not asked you yet. I wanted to know how you would feel about becoming my adopted son. I know it could never replace Sally, and I would never try to, but–"
This time it was Percy that cut her off with an embrace, the demigod burying his blurred eyes into her shoulder.
"I'd really like that," he said through a quivering voice, "My mom would have loved you so much, and I know there's nobody she would rather have been there for me than you. I'd love to be your son."
Hestia shed tears alongside the only child she'd ever wish to have. Minutes passed in each others' embrace before the pair slowly leaned apart. The goddess cupped Percy's cheeks in her hands and pulled him in so their foreheads touched. They closed their eyes as Hestia's hands emanated a soft orange color. When the aura faded, Percy shivered as a foreign feeling swept through his body.
He opened his eyes to find Hestia smiling warmly at him. The demigod's irises momentarily glowed with a ring of orange before returning to their normal hue. Half-smiling at Hestia, he joked,
"Can I throw fireballs now?"
The Goddess of the Hearth scrunched her nose at the idea and flicked Percy's shoulder, only vaguely addressing the question.
"You may certainly do everything you have seen me do. Some abilities are more complex than others, but I know you will learn quickly."
Hestia hugged her newly adopted son goodbye before she disappeared into the hearth. Percy sat beside the fire for a while longer, wondering how he'd gotten so lucky on a day he'd so badly dreaded.
(Line Break)
The sun set over camp, and Percy found himself laying on his old bunk in his "new" cabin. The refurbished building wasn't anything revolutionary; it had the same design, just with stairs leading to a second floor. The cabin still sat empty, as Poseidon was in no position to be having other kids. But every cabin had been renovated regardless simply to ensure architectural symmetry, which had definitely been Annabeth's idea. Percy was staring at the ceiling, wandering among his thoughts, when he heard a knock.
"Come in," he said, not expecting a visitor.
The door opened to reveal the Goddess of the Hunt, who stepped inside and softly closed the door behind her. By the time Percy hopped up from his bed, Artemis had already spanned the distance between them and she kissed him.
"What was that for?" he asked afterwards, stunned.
"To make up for the times I wanted to do that during the day," she replied coolly.
Percy froze, remembering it was a goddess that he was dealing with. The pair sat down on his bed together, recounting their days' activities to each other. Artemis was surprised, but very pleased, at the news of Hestia adopting Percy. She'd just come from her own cabin after ensuring the girls hadn't killed any campers during training, and the goddess was ready to turn in for the night.
"It was nice to see you so happy reuniting with your friends today; you seemed to be much lighter," Artemis said.
"Yeah, it was so great to see all of them. I guess I missed them a lot more than I realized," he replied.
"And the daughter of Athena?" Artemis asked emotionlessly, still giving away how she felt.
Percy cocked his head before realization struck, and he chuckled softly. The demigod put his hand over hers.
"I'm only laughing because I know that you know you have nothing to be worried about. But still, the Artemis is feeling jealous?" he teased.
The goddess looked away, smiling at how easily he'd erased her worries, but it wasn't in her nature to let him win so easily. She stood as she turned back to him.
"A goddess does not feel jealousy, especially over something that is already hers," she said smugly, feigning anger as she pushed Percy flat onto his bed.
When Artemis straddled him, the demigod wasn't stupid enough to protest, and he instead pulled her down until their lips met. The goddess' hands tangled themselves in Percy's hair while his arms wrapped around her lower back. Though it wouldn't lead to anything further, a prying pair of eyes had already seen more than they could bear. An invisible daughter of Athena tore herself from the scene, leaving the small window she'd stood outside as she ran in the direction of Artemis' cabin.
(Line Break)
The pair eventually drifted to sleep on Percy's bed. The demigod had expected another uneventful night, completely empty of dreams. But for the first time since the meeting on Olympus, he found himself in a Blackout. Percy started to panic, surrounded by the silent void that he'd learned was Erebus' realm.
Please allow me entrance, a familiar voice spoke.
Percy recognized it as the same one from the edited dream of his father fighting Oceanus. He nodded.
Hello, Perseus.
"Uh, hi. Is this Mnemosyne?" he asked.
Yes. How did you evade this domain for as long as you did?
Percy felt skeptical revealing any information he had in relevance to the coming war, and the Goddess of Memory noticed.
I would like to assist you, demigod; I do not wish for Erebus to win this war. I again swear it on the Styx.
Percy relaxed.
"Medea gave me a potion that blocks you from having dreams. I just drank it without telling anyone, but I guess it wore off since we're back here again."
Ah, that was about what I had expected. But, now that you are here, allow me to be a source of information to guide your movements.
Percy raised an eyebrow as she continued.
I will tell Erebus that you have returned to your Greek camp, and it will lead to an attack on the Roman one. That has been his plan all along to begin the war. I believe the invasion will occur tomorrow at sunset, but I will not know enemy numbers or selected fighters. Please make plans accordingly. I wish you luck.
Percy felt the titan's presence vanish from his mind. He fell into the deep sleep that always accompanied his Blackouts, the silence banishing his racing thoughts to the next morning.
A/N: No hard cliffhangers because I'm feeling good now that I'm home for Thanksgiving Break. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and please feel free to let me know what you think whether it's criticism or praise.
SSG1102: BRUH. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. PLEASE NO. I READ THIS STORY FOR PERTEMIS NOT FOR IT TO BECOME PERCABETH
Just want to make this clear once again. ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE Percabeth happens in this story. I was talking about my next story, which will be completely unrelated and not a continuation of this one.
bdcrisco98: You know, Anna spends a lot of time on Percy's shoulders. Is she the fate of the world? (Re: this story's description)
This made me laugh, thank you. Maybe you've been the real writer all along and I just didn't see the symbolism until now. I wonder if she has a part to play.
TheFiction101: Hey just wanted to say I think your doing pretty well so far. I think the charecters are a little ooc but that's ok. Hope you continue to write
I'm glad you like the story so far, and I completely agree about them being ooc. In my opinion, there is absolutely zero chance in a true-to-canon story that Pertemis is possible, so every story requires some extent of ooc and some just do it much more than others. I hope I haven't strayed TOO far from it being realistic, but I've been trying to find the balance while modernizing some of the characters. I also altered some of the other gods' personalities a bit just because I like them more this way.
Darth Kyuubi Kurama: Great chapter. Have you ever thought of doing a evil pertemis story.
Yes, actually. I don't want to reveal too much but I want my next story to be a more dark story with a maybe not so morally good protagonist. If you want to leave a review or DM me privately about any ideas you had in mind, I'd love to discuss them with you regarding the story. But regardless, yes that's something that I'm currently considering.