It was time to rest again after they had spent an hour reading, and since most everyone had ADHD, they needed to keep active, Nyx left to do her Immortal chores, such as bringing the darkness for the night, while Artemis brought the moon and stars. Apollo had left at six to set the sun, and Zeus along with Poseidon decided to make a storm. Taking their anger out and letting it go to earth.
Hephaestus and his children went to a minor volcano/ heat room so they could make things.
Iapetus decided he wanted to see the stars and went by himself.
Kronos lead Percy on a stroll through Olympus, making an allusion, so no one would see his face, or them holding hands.
Luke needed to eat so he decided to sit with his half brothers and sisters and explain why he was with the Titan lords, after all, they had raised him from the dead, Luke Castellan owed them a life debt. Also, he had pledged himself to Kronos and his cause, and only the Titan could release him, but he would never because he saw the right ways and believed in them anyway.
Athena decided to read and see about time travel, but got no luck, since it was not for her to know what was going on in other dimensions.
*2 hours later*
Daphne Blake, daughter of Aphrodite, with long blond hair, and blue eyes decided she wanted to read, so she put her hair into a perfect bun, sprayed her mouth, filed her nails and held her hand in the air when Athena asked who wanted to read next. Her siblings giggled as she was chosen. Like before there was a gust of wind and the book opened to the proper page, looking down Daphne began to read.
The enthusiasm of the twins was infectious, Percy thought. They ran down the stairs with rucksacks over their shoulders and Zoe had tripped and almost fallen, but Abiron has seemed to sense it was going to happen and grabbed her arm to steady her. He had then jumped over the railing of the stairs and landed with a thud that Percy could have sworn made the house shake. Victoria had quickly descended, scolding her son for almost breaking the floorboards, and warning them against getting into too much trouble. He had then preceded to ask when they were going to get to kill a monster, which had started Victoria off again.
"Boys all they care about how many monsters they have slain." Athena muttered.
"So? Girls so to, no one is perfect and all looking forward to challenges!" Percy disagreed.
"He's going to get along with the Ares kids," Nico had murmured into Percy's ear. Percy ignored him and had calmed down Victoria, claiming that they definitely wouldn't be fighting any monsters any time soon, or at least until they could wield a weapon properly. Abiron had then claimed that he already knew how to fight – apparently, Krios had taught him at points when Victoria was out – and he had taken out a dagger. It was at that point that Percy and his cousins decided to get them out of the house before Victoria started spitting fire.
Percy quickly vapour travelled them all to Half-Blood Hill, and Zoe had immediately taken a liking to Peleus, surprising the three demigods as the dragon allowed her to pet him. Abiron had moved to stay at Zoe's side and seemingly act as a bodyguard for his sister as the gods, Chiron, and the demigods had approached.
Zeus looked straight at Jason as he spoke, ignoring the twins. "Do they know?"
"Know what?" Katie asked and put the book down, they had switched readers again because Daphne had complained earlier her throat was dry, and since she was a daughter of Aphrodite they knew she just didn't want to read. She had gotten her thrill.
"Yes," Jason nodded, "they have for a long time."
Zeus frowned down at the demititans. "Do you know your father, mortals?"
"Zeus, you do know that they are not entirely mortals right?" Poseidon asked and stared at his son, who was still hiding under the hood.
Abiron tensed and Zoe shifted so that her brother was between her and the irritated god. "You're Zeus," Abiron stated his eyes narrowing slightly. "I have a message for you from my father."
Zeus raised an eyebrow. "And what would that message be?"
"Gosh, I never realized that everyone within the Greek could be so DRAMATIC!" Demeter screeched and put her head in her hands and sighed.
"Well, for one thing, you are being dramatic Mother!" Persephone said and sat on Hade's lap more comfortably.
"That you should cut off your balls and give them to Hera," Abiron said, grinning wolfishly. "And then tear your own intestines out and shove them up your earsling so far they'll come out of your throat. Earsling," he added.
Every e stared at Katie, who looked like she was going to die from the andry look Zeus was giving her, especially for say that aloud to him, even if it was just a book. No one dared to laugh, until Percy let out a snicker, than a full blown gales of laughter. He held his stomach and was dry heaving.
"YOU!" Zeus yelled, lightening cackling.
Percy just sat there a smile on his mouth, and eyes twinkling, "what? It was funny!" **
The scent of ozone quickly descended over the hill as Zeus furiously looked at the demititans. "YOU DARE TO CALL ME AN EARSLING?"
"What's an earsling?" Nico murmured to Percy who was grinning as he watched.
"An arseling, Nico. It basically means they've dropped from the arse of an animal. Usually a goat. They're equal to turd on the ground," Percy explained, never losing his grin.
"Abiron!" Zoe exclaimed, grabbing his arm and pulling him back. "Father was in a bad mood then! Have you forgotten he continued to say Kronos was the spawn of Tartarus and crawled up from the depths of the Void?" She turned to Zeus and respectfully bowed to him. "I'm sorry, Lord Zeus, but my brother doesn't have a filter connected to his mouth. Mother's tried to alter that, but he's very stubborn." She looked at him sweetly, her eyes wide. "Please don't smite him. He's my twin."
"To true, you shouldn't separate twins" Apollo agreed.
Zeus frowned. "He insulted me," he protested.
Percy rolled his eyes. "Suck it up, earsling. You've probably been insulted hundreds – if not thousands – of times before."
Abiron nodded, realizing what position he'd got himself into. "I didn't mean to say that. I think you're awesome because you chopped Uncle K up and threw him into Tartarus. And I don't like Uncle K, because he scares me."
Percy sighed as Zeus' eyes widened. "You've seen him?"
"I don't see what's so surprising bout it, I mean plenty of mortals must've seen traces of the Greek and Roman times in the new world. It's all over."
Abiron paused and grimaced. "I… uh, he visited once. But it was weird. He couldn't touch me, and he tried to skewer me with his black sword, and father and he almost fought in the living room, but mom ordered him to get out of the house. He tried to kill her, and papa attacked him. He scares me," the demititan said in a rush.
"How long ago was this?" Athena asked worriedly.
"We were three," Zoe replied. "So five years ago."
"He was terrifying," Abiron added.
"What did he want from you?" Hades scowled.
"Isn't it obvious?" Percy demanded. "He's been building a bloody army. Has been for about two hundred fifty years now. Tartarus has been divided between monsters that serve Lord Kronos and those that don't."
"Lord Kronos?" Artemis echoed. "Since when have you called him that?"
Percy fisted his hands. "I really don't think you want to know."
Zeus narrowed his eyes, his mind racing to the worst possibilities. "I really do want to know, Perseus."
Percy scowled. "Fine," he spat. "I'll show you why I started calling him that." He started lifting the bottom of his shirt up, and Nico cursed, grabbing Percy's hand to stop him.
"Years upon years of torture would sure change a person to the reaction of touch." Kronos said and looked over to Percy who sat on the edge of his chair.
"Percy, don't. You don't have to show everyone," Nico said hurriedly.
Percy snarled as he wrenched his hand away from the son of Hades, his other hand summoning Oceanus' sword and pointing it at Nico's neck. "Touch me again without my permission, and I'll eviscerate you."
"The younger campers-"
"Need to know what they're getting themselves into," Percy snapped.
"They're kids, Percy!" Jason exclaimed.
"That is always the black up words, that they are just kids, about when you leave them in the dark, it much worse, because they don't know what they are against! Gosh hasn't anyone seen, demigod lives are just like in the movies!"
"Yes, very cliche." Luke said and grinned.
"Kids that'll be killed as soon as they enter the battlefield," Percy growled, "and don't start saying otherwise. The Titans make no distinction between adult and child. Anyone who's in their way dies… or is otherwise indisposed." The immortal clenched his jaw, struggling to control his breathing. "You can all continue believing that he's not coming, just like you did last time. But the thing is… he is coming. And most of the monsters in the whole of Tartarus, all of the other Titans, and likely even some Primordials will be coming with them. So continue deluding yourselves. That's fine with me. Just don't expect me to come running like a dog when you need my help. Because I won't be giving it if you can't pull the sticks from your asses and stop talking bullshit." He took a deep breath. "Now, if you'll excuse me I'll be in my cabin. Anyone comes in unannounced they'll find themselves lacking important appendages." Percy stared challengingly at the beings in front of him before stalking over the hill and into camp. All of them parted in front of him, watching him stride past.
Oceanus' sword in dagger form buried itself point first into the ceiling. Percy twisted and groaned into his pillow, the scar on the side of his face seemed to burn, wracking his body with pain.
'Come on, Poseidon scum,' a voice sneered in his mind, 'you're the Hero of Olympus. Get up.'
"No," Percy growled, "I can't."
'You're beaten. Running for three years, and nowhere to hide.' Percy could smell the stink of the dracaena, hear the snake's tongue as it ran across spiked teeth, and since his old helplessness. Around him, the cabin dissolved and the familiar landscape of Tartarus built up around him.
"Son of Poseidon," the dracaena hissed. "You're hard to catch."
Percy clenched his jaw as he glared at the dracaena. "Leave me alone, and none of you will be harmed. You have my word."
The dracaena laughed. "You can barely stand you're so weak! You actually expect us to leave you alone. No. I shall be known as 'Slayer of Perseus Jackson'!"
"The Great Percy Jackson!" where is he?"
Unknown to them Percy desperately tried to withhold a moan, like with all Titans when a person invoked their name they got a bit of power, but since they were talking about him, his immortal powers were flickering. Power flowing through and swirling in the air. He was just lucky no one could feel his powers getting stronger, with all the other Titans in the room. They were distracting there powers, to hide his, otherwise everyone would, the gods, know it was him. Since Poseidon was his father. ***
Percy grimaced, looking around desperately for anything he could defend himself with. He hadn't had actual water in at least three years, and the only word he'd had was that Gaea had been defeated. He'd started eating whatever he could get his hands on, and as a result, had stomach aches most of the time and almost constantly felt sick – and the small group of monsters had caught him alone. He shut his eyes and focused his little remaining power towards the ground beneath him, sensing for any of the five rivers. The Acheron flowed sluggishly by several yards away, and Percy collapsed back, slumping against the rock behind him.
The dracaena held its spear above his heart. "Say goodbye," it hissed mockingly.
A ball of water from the river Acheron collided with its back and sent the monster flying further into the cave Percy had taken as his own. "Goodbye," Percy grinned tiredly. The other monsters launched themselves at him, and there was a blur of orange as a very familiar sabre-toothed cat appeared in front of Percy, hissing at the group before barrelling towards them and tearing limbs apart.
Percy watched as the edges of his vision faded into darkness, and he moved his mouth slightly to call Small Bob to him, feeling his lips crack even more than they were already. Small Bob quickly finished destroying the monsters and loped off, only to come back a few seconds later with a flask filled with fresh water clasped between his jaws. Percy's eyes widened and he suddenly darted to his feet, the prospect of actual water giving him a burst of adrenaline as he reached for the flask. He slowly drank the water, feeling his scorched throat quickly start to feel better, and when the flask was empty he looked for more. He sighed when Small Bob didn't bring him anymore.
Percy came back to consciousness as the door to the cabin opened, and he groaned into the pillow. "I said nobody comes in."
"This is my cabin," a nervous voice said.
Percy paused and turned over to inspect his apparent brother. "Really?" He asked with a frown, "I have a brother? What's your name?"
"Darren Clearwater," Darren said as he shut the door.
"Clearwater, I first thought of Twilight," Dionysus said and looked around to see a few people nodding as well.
"Clearwater?" Percy asked in amusement.
"Yeah," Darren grinned, "pretty interesting name for a kid of Poseidon, huh?"
Percy shook his head. "Never thought Poseidon would be the god that knocks up mortals because of their surnames."
Darren's grin fell slightly and he frowned. "That's not true," he protested.
Percy shrugged. "Believe what you want, but all gods are the same."
"What?" Darren asked, "And the Titans are better?"
Percy's jaw tightened and he sat up. "You don't know what you're talking about, kid. There is no better or worse, no good or evil. There's only what was, and what is. Only the rulers and the overthrown, and how they allow the others to be seen. At least Lord Kronos and the Titans don't try to cover up what they've done in the past."
"And embracing being a monster's better than not?" Darren asked dryly.
Percy scowled. "I don't want you to think I'm defending them – because I'm not, the Titans can rot where they are for all I care – but honestly? The gods and the Titans are practically the same. Look at Zeus – he ate Metis and Athena, which is as bad as what Lord Kronos did."
Darren shook his head. "What exactly are you saying?"
"The gods aren't good rulers," Percy said bluntly, and when Darren opened his voice to interrupt him he quickly continued. "Yeah, I know. The Titans aren't exactly good either. The gods may be better than them, but we don't actually know that or not. The only view you have of that is Zeus', and history is written by the victor."
"And you?" Darren asked quietly, not missing the way Percy had said 'you'.
Percy shrugged. "I've had the view of the Titans, and the world they described to me…" he trailed off, thinking about what he had been told. "Imagine a world with no pollution. No wars."
"Mortals being eaten for the sheer Hades of it," Darren added dryly.
Percy rolled his eyes. "Actually, no. That was one thing I asked Lord Kronos about. They never ate mortals."
Darren raised an eyebrow. "And you believed him?"
"I wasn't really in the position to be doing anything else," Percy grumbled. An awkward silence descended over the cabin before he continued. "So what happened after I left?"
Darren seemed relieved at the change in subject as he answered. "The Twins are settling into the Big House because Zeus didn't want the kids of any Titans in any of the existing cabins," he pointedly ignored Percy's muttered insult towards the King of the gods. "They should be settling in there now."
Percy nodded. "Good. They're only kids."
"Famous last line much?" Hermes spoke up for the first time in ages. He had been silent for most of the book because he wanted to just stare Luke, his son was back from the dead, and all he wanted to do was talk. But his son just ignored him, making him worry.
Darren grimaced at the thought of them fighting. "So, what you said out there… about the Titans returning… was it true?"
Percy sighed. "Honestly? I wish it wasn't, but it's the only thing that makes sense at the moment. My guess is that Lord Kronos will be up here in under two years. By then Zeus better have realized the danger we're all in."
Darren found himself agreeing with his older brother, and he grinned. "I've got to get you up to speed on what's happened. A lot of stuff's changed recently… or in the last three hundred years, and you don't know any of it."
Percy snorted. "Any wars?"
"Nope," Darren said, "but mankind progressed so much that they threatened Olympus, so Zeus ordered that the newest advancements were destroyed. All nuclear bombs and hydrogen bombs were destroyed, along with the blueprints and people who knew how to make them. They didn't destroy the more recent energy advancements, so we've still got Nuclear Fusion giving us unlimited energy."
Percy raised an eyebrow. "No more fossil fuels? That's good."
Darren nodded. "Yeah, and-"
"What happened in the world of Greek mythology since the Giant War?" Percy interrupted.
Darren shrugged. "Not much. A few quests here and there, a minor grouping of monsters in Atlanta. Nothing really significant."
"Wow, that is a surprise since the gods have to be in control for so long… but then they were the ones never for big changes!" Percy said, he had transformed his face so he wouldn't look like the Percy they knew, so he wouldn't have to wear the hood all the time. But he still had wanted to see his family again, even if he had to be hostile, so it would look like he wasn't a good sympathizer. After all, he was a Titan, and the gods could be very narrow-minded.
Percy frowned. "Absolutely nothing?" He asked, alarm bells ringing in his head.
"Yeah," Darren said, "why?"
"Nothing," Percy murmured distractedly, knowing that because of what had been happening in Tartarus a lot more things should have happened on the surface too.
Darren raised an eyebrow. "Percy? You're starting to worry me. Are you alright?"
"He most likely isn't alright, that would be a pointless question to ask," Abrion said and smiled as everyone turned to look at him. Having to forgot that he was there.
"Absolutely fine," Percy said calmly. "Don't worry about me. You should have your hands full with worrying about yourself and the future of Olympus because something big is coming. Something that forces monsters to choose an alliance to survive, and something that will tear the world apart."
"Shouldn't we tell someone?" Darren asked worriedly.
Percy snorted. "Who? Zeus? He'd not believe us. And I've already said I'm not lifting a finger to help, at least not until Zeus realizes this himself."
"We'll all die!" Darren exclaimed.
"In blood and anguish and fire," Percy agreed brightly. "Olympus will burn in the fires of the Titan King's wake, and mankind shall live in a new golden age." He sighed and flopped down on his bed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some sleep."
"Gosh, it sounds like Percy doesn't care about what happens anymore like his morals are gone!" Damon said and pushed his blond hair back.
Darren glared at Percy for several seconds before storming from the cabin, barely hearing Percy's passing remark of, "Tell the gods then, pawn! Let them know their fates!" Darren shut the door with a loud slam and ran towards the Big House to where he knew the gods were talking with the other cabin counsellors.
"Gods Percy sounds like an arrogant prick!" Annabeth snorted and sneered slightly. Only to frown, "did I say that aloud?" she gasped.
"Well, you would to if you were half brainwashed to insanity," Poseidon said with a snarl and the fight was on!
The Rivalry between Athena and her children against Poseidon and his children.
A/n: ok ** that means Percy will be known as Percy from now on, not the titan under the hood, he uses strong glamour so no one knows it's him besides: Poseidon, Kronos, Hyperion and Lee.
*** what I meant is that when a demigod or human invokes his name that he will get a bit more power, sorta when in the books when they spoke "Kronos" it got cold, sort of like that.
And finally, I have a full time position at work, I also moved up the ladder! I have a bit more responsibilities now and can't update as of them as I had hoped! But thanks for sticking it out with me!