Chapter 25: Reading Forcing Abilities
As Apollo finally woke up from his Nap of Divine, as he liked to call it after saying a prophecy, and the other gods knew it had to be a real one, because no one could fake it, but being the mischievous god he was, he had Hermes help him set up the prank masterfully. Everyone was talking over each other, except a few handfuls.
"Hermes, you have been calm what is your input on the Prophecy?" The god in question looked at his brother and they burst out laughing, trying to speak through manly giggles, but they managed to make out that it was all a "prank."
Striking the two idiots with lightening, Kronos picked up the book and gave it to Demeter, who gave it to Hades, who scowled but began to read.
"Direct interference," Kronos hissed as he paced in front of his throne. "That blasted sea god will pay for his actions."
"I wonder what I did to make Kronos say that?" Poseidon pondered as Hades, who had been given the book to read by Demeter, who flatly refused to read the book, she wanted to listen but not read.
Glowering at the sea god Hades resumed reading in a monotone voice that grated on some immortal and demigods' nerves. But not everyone had the nerve to speak up to the god of the Underworld,
The Titans were staying clear of their King's reach as he swung his scythe, almost cutting his own throne in half as he eyed Iapetus', obviously debating whether it was worth destroying it. He scowled and spun on his heel, pacing back the other way. Even Iapetus was staying silent and out of Kronos' reach. "We could launch an attack against Atlantis," Oceanus suggested. "Teach him a lesson on why he shouldn't interfere."
"Teaching us Father?" Poseidon asked and raised an eyebrow, the word father rolled off his tongue was foreign, it left a bad aftertaste in his mouth.
"The Ancient Laws," Kronos seethed, completely ignoring Oceanus. "No interference."
"Rules were meant to be broken, and I am pretty sure what I did helped save anyone you were trying to kill," Poseidon interrupted and grinning as his older brother hit him on the head.
"My Lord, Keto could help us," Koios said cautiously. "She has many sea monsters she could call on."
Kronos momentarily paused in his pacing. "Perhaps," he mused, "the other gods that stood by us before should be… informed of our actions. And given the option to join us once more."
"Mercy?" Athena raised an eyebrow at the Titan king, who just stared at her as if challenging his authority was deadly, and in most cases it was. After all he was a king and a king got what he wanted whenever he wanted it; and if he didn't get it the nice way, the hard way it would be. And he had Chaos' favour, and Percy was all he needed. Everything else was secondary, even Rhea the Traitor.
"They'll need some insurance that we'll win this war," Koios murmured.
Kronos raised an eyebrow and glanced up at Percy, briefly meeting his eyes before Percy averted his to the side. "I think we have all the insurance we need," he smirked.
No one on Olympus really wanted to think that, but they knew it was true, Percy was the bridge between the Romans and Greeks, the bridge for Olympus and now if they ever considered it, he could be the bridge between the Titans, he once was a demigod, surly he hadn't forgotten what it was to be one?
Everyone looked at the Titan who sat proud and regal on his throne, his clothing style hinted modern and ancient, he had also held himself differently, more… Kingly? It was something other though.
Percy shut his eyes, a small tear trickling down the side of his face. It had been two days since Kronos had released the Kraken, and during that time the sea monster had been settling down just offshore of the beach at Camp Half-Blood. Then Poseidon had decided he would screw the Ancient Laws and kill the thing before anymore campers were killed. Which had led to Kronos' current tantrum.
"Temper tantrum?" Hades said amused, looked at Poseidon, "I think I know someone who also acts like a child," they both looked at Zeus.
Zeus was starring hard at Hades and was looking everywhere except the demigod's way, he was not embarrassed, when he wanted something, he got it. Consequences be dammed.
"For fucks sake, just read!" he sneered hatefully.
"Can't you just revive the Kraken immediately?" Hyperion asked.
Kronos scowled. "The Kraken takes several millennia to reform. It will be a waste of energy which can be put to better use reviving some other creature. One which will not fail me this time." He spun to face Hyperion. "Send out a message to Keto. Tell her that if she can supply us with a sea monster that that damned Sea God won't be able to incinerate outright then I will allow her to have a temple built in her name."
"Bribery? Is that what the mighty Kronos is reduced to?" Percy asked and smiled at the King. "That is what I wanted to say to you that day, I just wasn't sure I wanted to see the outcome if I had asked.
Hyperion bowed his head and retreated from the room, pleased to have an excuse to leave the furious King's presence. Kronos glanced up at his grandson, deliberating whether he should take his anger out on him before he killed someone more important, and then he sighed and turned away. "I do not care which sea monster is sent to terrorise that Camp's beach. Only that it is blessed, and that blasted sea god cannot easily defeat it. If it survives any less than three days, then I will punish each, and every one of you. Am I understood?" He turned his gleaming eyes onto his four remaining brothers, and all of them nodded. "And Jackson is to be left alone," he said sharply.
"Because I am yours, and you are mine," Percy said.
Sure, he was glad that the other side of his family knew about them, and yes, they weren't pleased and yes Percy didn't give a flying Tartarus, they were his family and weren't, they were from an alternate reality. Undeniably, Annabeth had teamed up with Ares to kill him, and yes Aphrodite knew, how could she not? She was the goddess of love and lust. Ares had done it with some poison, and some luck, Annabeth was the one who had tried to take his head off and send him to Tartarus, Kronos had been so close to killing them, and Percy had almost let him…
She now sat in a cage, Ares bound at the wrists and ankles with godly powers taken away, Kronos had been terrifyingly beautiful when he had taken the gods powers, reducing him nothing more then a demigod, snarled some words to the god and flashed away to heal Percy's injuries.
Percy who hadn't been expecting the poison, had been unguarded, he had really wanted to know what they were going to do ever since his dreams, and he was quite pleased that it wasn't a brawl yet.
"Yes, My King," Koios bowed.
"I have important business with Mae'r Cysgodol," Kronos said evenly over his shoulder as he swept out of the room.
Iapetus' eyes widened. "Mae'r Cysgodol?" He exclaimed. "Are you insane? He'll kill you!"
Kronos ignored him as the doors slammed shut, the sound echoing around the throne room. Oceanus scowled at the shut doors. "Of course," he growled, "leave the work to us."
"Aren't you even a little worried about our brother?" Koios frowned as he settled down into his throne.
Krios snorted. "Why should we?" He demanded, his eyes narrowing. "He wouldn't spare the same consideration for us. Leave him for the Crow I say."
"Nice to know what you guys think of me," Kronos said scornfully and motioned for his son to read the damned book.
Koios scowled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "What is your problem?" He demanded furiously. "You've done nothing but subtly attempt to undermine our brother's authority since this all started."
Krios glared at his brother. "I suggested that he release the demigod and he tries to kill me," he snarled angrily. "I barely escaped with my life!"
"Something I am sure you deserved, sometimes personal life mustn't interfere with war, Kronos knows that, yet half the time he doesn't care," Atlas said in defence of Kronos only to blush golden as the king gave him an ugly look.
"But still, it wasn't fare, a king should listen to all ideas of the council before he makes the verdict!" Krios said hotly and went quiet.
A lot of the immortals were nodding or agreeing in their heads, because indeed, they might be immortal enemies, but they knew that wisdom was acknowledged even if they didn't want it to be honest. One day they would remember this when it was it the right time to bring up an argument.
"You honestly loathe him, brother, don't you?" Koios mused as he studied Krios. "Interesting."
Krios' eyes narrowed. "No more than we should after what he's done to us all."
"He does the best he can," Oceanus interrupted. "Its not easy doing what he is and trying to find a way to restore Othrys to its former glory."
"He can try a different way," Iapetus growled out. "He hasn't even thought of another way."
"Because there is none," Oceanus snapped. "The Olympians will never consider a truce."
"Zeus is an idiot! Of course he wouldn't accept the Titan's honest truce, he would think that we were trying to take over, he wouldn't see reason, he is afraid to give up power, and that is what makes an unwise King, because there must be a time to know when to make bargains and there is a time that you must uphold your rights and say no to tyranny." Athena said and winced as her father glared at her, sometimes she needed a filter on her mouth, she saw Kronos cock his head thoughtfully and stare at her.
"Obviously!" Iapetus exclaimed. "He kidnapped their hero!"
Oceanus snorted. "Heroes die in time anyway. Jackson's will be no different."
Iapetus clenched his fists at his side as he struggled to control his anger. "He is an immortal, and should-"
"Because of Kronos," Oceanus smirked. "He should be grateful his mortal cage has been burnt away."
"At the time I wasn't, and I knew it was shameful, because I should've been a god, or blessed by Chaos. Yes, Titans have the power to make me immortal, but at the time all I saw was that they were my enemy. It made me upset." Percy confessed, and drank a bit of nectar that a sea nymph gave him.
"I knew that, your thoughts could be pretty loud," Kronos said.
Iapetus sent a blast of energy slamming into Oceanus, sending him flying back to slam his head against his own throne. Oceanus groaned as he struggled to his feet, rubbing the back of his head as he glared at his younger brother, his other hand flitting to the hilt of his sword and starting to unsheathe it. "You dare," he rumbled, his eyes narrowing and flickering with the wrath of the oceans around the world as tsunamis rose around the globe.
"Enough!" A voice roared, and the Titans spun to see Hyperion standing just inside the now open doors, a certain sea goddess at his side.
"Is this what always happens here?" Keto asked smoothly.
"Not at all," Koios said. "Iapetus and Krios are merely having some disagreements with us." He shot Iapetus a meaningful glance, and Iapetus swallowed, forcing down his anger.
"If you'll excuse me," he muttered before marching from the room, slamming Hyperion's presence from his mind as he heard a whispered, "Kronos will hear of this. He trusted us to behave in his absence."
"Fuck you," Iapetus hissed to Hyperion as he passed.
Hyperion snorted. "I appreciate the offer, but no thank you. Find someone else who's happy to get laid."
A lot of them burst out laughing at the wits the brothers usually only showed each other, and they got to see what the Titans did, how they planned and what they now knew they could use to the gods advantage.
Iapetus clenched his jaw but decided not to answer as he shoved past his brother. Once he was outside the throne room, Iapetus unsuccessfully tried to control his anger and shoved his hands into his pockets, clenching his fist so hard he almost drew ichor, hating the fact that his brothers had so much control over him. He knew that Hyperion had been referencing the one time that they'd gotten closer than family should – according to mortals – and Iapetus loathed it, even as he silently begged Chaos to prevent any of the Titans from setting their sights on the son of Poseidon with that mind set. Though he knew that with the recent obvious possessiveness that Kronos feeling for his grandson any of their brethren would be dissuaded from trying, it was still only a matter of time.
"Did you guys ever make jokes about your domains?" Katie asked, bowing her head to reframe looking at the deities in the eyes, she had been curious about it since she saw Percy joke about his, Thalia and Nico too.
"Not all the time, we have been alive for so long it becomes a bit difficult to get new jokes for them," Iapetus answered truthfully.
He frowned as he felt a coin in his pocket and took it out, seeing the green fire from the Greek fire torches reflect off the golden drachma, and an idea formed in his mind. If Kronos found out he'd be furious, but it meant that there would be far less collateral damage.
"is he doing what I think he is?" Nico asked excitedly, Iapetus/ Bob was his favourite titans, but he was upset a bit about the last chapter still.
Iapetus straightened, pushing away from the wall he'd been leaning against before quickly making his way towards the doors of Othrys, but they opened before he reached them, and Kronos strode in. Iapetus' younger brother raised an eyebrow. "You seem rather determined," he mused.
"You seem happy," Iapetus shot back. "Did you have fun torturing innocents?"
Kronos snorted, a crooked smirk forming on his face. "Unfortunately, no. The Crow decided he would assist us in our war."
"Did he want anything in return?" Iapetus asked, his eyes narrowing. "He always does. It's the way of Primordial."
Kronos scowled at him, his smirk quickly disappearing. "I am aware of that," he replied irritably. "You need not remind me."
Iapetus briefly scanned his brother, noting the darker gold patch of his shirt. "He attacked you," he stated.
"Point out the obvious Iapetus," Percy joked and was shoved playfully by the Titan who treated him like a son, like a brother, like an equal.
Kronos crossed his arms over his chest, wincing slightly as he did. "Of course, he did," Kronos bit out. "He hates those who interrupt without previously mentioning they're coming to visit."
"And you forgot, didn't you?" Iapetus grinned.
Kronos sniffed. "I never forget," he growled, his eyes narrowing.
Iapetus laughed. "Yes, you did."
"It doesn't matter what happened," Kronos hissed. "What does matter is that The Crow agreed to help." He took a step towards Iapetus, his eyes flickering down to where the coin was clenched in Iapetus' hand. "I gave you a chance," he snapped. "And now you're going to go and spy on us for them?"
Iapetus' hand tightened. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Kronos' eyes darkened. "Don't think that you can play games with me, brother," he hissed. "I know exactly what you're planning to do. Turn around, and go back to the throne room, and I will forget this lapse in your judgement." Iapetus clenched his jaw, but knew he had no choice. He turned and strode back to the throne room, aware of his younger brother right behind him the whole way.
"What was that about?" Ares asked sitting forwards ignoring Hades angry glower at the millionth interruption of the chapter, sure he didn't mind when he interrupted others, but he just wanted to get the fucking chapter done and over with! He needed to go and guard the Dead and the Pit, Charon could only do so much, especially since Thanatos decided to take a vacation.
They walked in silence for a minute before Kronos spoke, having sped up slightly so he was beside Iapetus. "I do actually need you to do something for me, brother," he said, his voice a lot less angry than it had been previously.
Iapetus tensed, warily glancing at Kronos. "And what exactly would that involve?"
Kronos smiled. "A short visit to the Underworld, my brother. That's all."
"A Switch of point of views," Hades said and flipped the page.
Iapetus winced as Perseus let out another yelp as he was knocked to the ground. Kronos sighed. "Up," he ordered. "Again."
"Kronos taught you to fight as well?" Luke asked shocked, though be knew he shouldn't be, after all they were together, and Kronos had tortured to other one and then they fell in love, talk about a complicated love life! Then this was Greek gods he was talking about; they did everything abnormal. Or complicated.
Percy clenched his jaw as he lay panting in the dust at Kronos' feet, Tsunami on the ground several yards away from him. The immortal demigod stretched out towards his sword, trying to reach it. A slight smile grew on Kronos' face as he watched, and the Titan kicked the silver blade further out of Percy's reach. Percy's hand fisted, scratching at the ground in a vain attempt to reach his sword, and Kronos sighed before purposefully stepping on his left hand to keep him where he was so he couldn't reach it. "Do it, Perseus," he ordered.
Percy swallowed, his eyes flickering up to meet Iapetus', but the Titan turned away, unable to meet his eyes. The demigod shut his eyes, stretching out for the sword with his right hand, and beside Iapetus Atlas leaned forward slightly, eagerly watching and waiting for what Kronos was wanting Percy to do. Tsunami shifted slightly where it rested on the ground before shooting into Percy's grasp and Kronos moved to allow him to stand.
"Teaching him how to use powers that he shouldn't be able to use, but since he is immortal, but he had no title, and since he was learning from a Titan… that would make his powers slide more to the Titans." Poseidon had gasped softly and looked away from his son, he had wanted to know how he had become a Titan and now he was wishing he never knew how.
Percy scrambled to his feet, the blade of his sword following Kronos' movements, before Kronos attacked. Percy parried the strike to the side and hacked at the Titan's chest, but Kronos easily moved out of the way before slashing down at Percy's leg, moving quickly using his abilities over time. Percy cried out in pain as he fell to the ground, and Kronos slammed the hilt of Backbiter into the side of Percy's head. The demigod was sent sprawling in the dirt, blinking the stars out of his vision, and Kronos rested Backbiter against Percy's collar bone.
The Titans snickered as they watched, Percy too tired and defeated to even muster up a glare at Kronos, but Iapetus was frowning, his eyes on Kronos. It was the perfect picture of Kronos dominating Percy, but it was too perfect, Iapetus noted. Especially since he'd seen Kronos turn the blade of Backbiter slightly before it connected with Percy, so he was hit by the flat of the blade. And the smirk that Kronos was giving Percy wasn't his usual one, it almost seemed forced.
"Forced!" Aphrodite squealed and began to bounce in her chair, her children were also eager for the love story to unfold and it was, magnificent. The squeal made a lot of people cringe or rub their ears to get rid of the ringing.
As if Kronos could hear what Iapetus was thinking, his head jerked up and his eyes narrowed at his brother. Iapetus studied him, seeing the miniscule clenching of Kronos' hand around the grip of Backbiter before Kronos turned back to look at Percy. Iapetus followed his gaze, and out of curiosity he concentrated on the mortality of Percy. He knew that the reason Kronos had forced him to call Tsunami to him was because it was a Titan technique, and it would increase the percentage of Perseus' Titan ichor. What Iapetus saw didn't exactly shock him. The immortal demigod – if he could be called that anymore – was already back to the condition he'd been before he was rescued, and the trick that Kronos had forced him to do had increased it. Perseus was ten percent god, and ninety percent Titan. He didn't have a single drop of mortal blood left in his body. By the look on Percy's face, he could feel the difference.
"Oh no," Zeus moaned, he did not want to accept that Percy was now not one of them, but it was all proof he needed was in this book.
A/N: Hey demigods, Titans, gods, and immortals! I just wanted to do a quick update because I am in a good writing spree! I am writing chapters for quite a lot of my stories! Tell me who you want to read next or focus this story on. Hope ye like.
Please, please give me feedback! it really inspires me to write :)
JIO