The trip continued with light conversation, but the air of tension that had hung thick in the air the entire quest was finally gone.
Percy sat silently while Annabeth and Zoë spoke, his mind filled with thoughts.
It had just been a week since he woke up in that forest, and so much had happened he barely had time to process it.
Currently he was thinking about his family, and the situation he had himself stuck in.
His father's words about his quest-mates echoed through his mind.
Why did he save two girls he barely knew, at the cost of killing his siblings?
It was a spur of the moment decision and he didn't have much time to think about it at the time, but now part of him wondered if he made the wrong choice.
Percy looked up at the huntress in the front seat, smiling broadly and laughing slightly at something Annabeth had said.
When their quest first started he wasn't completely sure Zoë would let him come out of it alive, hell he had had similar feelings about her himself.
Now... now there was a mutual respect between the two. Zoë had given him the benefit of the doubt twice now when his... other side was taking over, and so far he had shown control both times.
He understood his hatred for mutants, but he hoped she was starting to see that he held similar feelings for his supposed family.
He wanted Annabeth and Zoë both to know that he was nothing like them, that he was good.
Perhaps that's why he was so quick to save them and turn against the other mutants.
All his time at camp nearly everyone feared him, and even hated him... and it hurt. In his mind he was no different than them, just another fucked up half-mortal thrust into the world of the gods trying to survive, but all they saw was his other side.
This was a chance to prove them all wrong.
His siblings and father, on the other hand, represented the side of himself he currently despised.
They wanted nothing more than for him to let go of his humanity and become a monstrous force to be reckoned with.
He shook the thoughts from his head as he noticed the truck coming to a stop.
"Just in time," Zoë said after they shut off the truck and hopped out, "the Garden of the Hesperides can only be entered for an hour at sunset by outsiders." Percy glanced over at the setting sun and felt a wave of nervousness crash into him.
This was it.
His 'last chance' to obey his father was here.
Lady Artemis was here.
The end of the quest was here.
Percy and Annabeth followed Zoë's lead towards the mountain, nearly crashing into her when she stopped abruptly before an empty clearing.
No... not empty Percy soon realized.
In the middle was a giant tree, impossible to miss. It's limbs thicker than any tree in the surrounding area and filled with golden apples, but that's not what he was staring at.
Wrapped around the trunk of the tree was the biggest monster Percy had ever laid eyes on. It was a dragon, with more heads than he could hope to count, and scales larger than something he could use as a shield.
Steam blew out of every nostril with each breath it took, and after just a glance the sleeping monster had Percy ready to say fuck it and turn around.
He knew who it was, it was Ladon, the protector of the Apples of Immortality.
"Sisters," Zoë's voice broke him from his stupor and made him realize two girls had appeared before them, "please allow us to enter. I've had visions in dreams that father has forced Lady Artemis under the sky, let me free her I beg you!" It was odd seeing Zoë so vulnerable, but the girls stared at her with cold eyes.
"Sisters? We see no sister of ours here just a huntress and a demigod traveling with filth." They sneered at Percy, who simply rolled his eyes and responded in a similar tone.
"Well fuck you too," they reeled in shock at his remark and glared at him with hatred, "now look I already killed my own sister so I really have no problem killing Zoë's as well." All his claws were out on full display now, and he crossed them menacingly in front of himself.
"Now let us pass before I have to act on my threat." The two girls backed up quickly and began to fade away, but not before one let out a hoarse scream that made all the members of the quest freeze.
"LADON! AWAKE!"
The dragon began to stir. Instantly a head noticed them and soon all one hundred were locked on them.
Percy knew the tales well enough to know the monsters job was to protect the apples, not to attack intruders. This should mean as long as they stay far enough away, they would be safe.
Zoë seemed to have the same thoughts, and motioned for them to follow her as they tried to creep by as far as possible.
Steam billowed out of Ladon's nostrils as he watched them slowly pass by. His eyes were narrowed and he was shifting anxiously while they moved.
Just when they made it by; Annabeth made the mistake of trying to rush away.
Ladon jumped at the sudden movement. With Annabeth out of range he set his sights on the two remaining.
Percy's eyes widened in shock as he quickly shoved Zoë away and attempted to follow her.
A mouth clamped on his leg and began to draw him back. He quickly sliced it off with a quick flick of his wrist and hurriedly drug himself away, feeling Zoë and Annabeth both grabbing him and helping.
"Holy hades," Annabeth exclaimed, "You feel like you're made of lead!" Percy chuckled and opened his mouth to explain, but a searing pain in his leg shut him up.
He attempted to stand up, but noticed with a gut wrenching glance that his leg was a sickly green color.
The poison was slowing his healing. He could feel it pulsing through him making it hard to stand on his own. Annabeth supported him while Zoë looked at him with what almost appeared to be a twinge of sadness.
"I don't know the extent of your healing abilities, but nobody can survive a bite from Ladon." As if on cue Percy stumbled forward and nearly brought Annabeth down with him.
"Look, I'll be fine it'll just take a while to heal." He motioned with his head down to the bite, which had stopped spreading it's disturbing green color, but certainly hadn't started to go away.
Percy shrugged Annabeth off and began to walk, or rather stumble, on his own.
Zoë and Annabeth followed behind him glancing nervously at each other as he limped his way up the mountain.
Before they noticed it they were already nearing the top.
Percy stopped and glanced around in awe. Obsidian black pillars and towers were all around him, as if they were in the process of being built but no building material was around.
"Oh no," Zoë breathed from beside him, "Othrys... it should be completely destroyed." Percy was about to question what she meant when she took off from between Percy and Annabeth, heading towards an odd column in the middle of the mountain peak.
"Milady!" She screamed as she ran. Percy realized with a chill it wasn't a column, but rather a pillar of wind reaching up into the sky, and chained under it was a rough looking Goddess.
"Finally! The entertainment arrived!" Percy turned to see who spoke, and decided he officially hated whatever deity fated him to go on this trip.
The man could most easily be described as a giant. He was easily seven feet tall, and looked like he ate Percy's body weight in protein for every meal.
Muscles bulged out from underneath his thick silver armor, and Percy was nearly positive the mans forearms were as thick as Percy's legs.
There was no doubt in his mind, this was surely the titan of strength... Atlas.
Zoë was busy attempting to free Artemis, which left just Percy and Annabeth to stop the titan.
Before they could even attempt, a familiar figure stepped up beside Atlas. Percy wasn't sure what to feel at the sight that greeted him.
"Luke," Annabeth choked out beside him.
Luke glanced at Annabeth with pain in his eyes, but seemingly steeled his nerves and stepped towards them.
"Perseus, my master told me he spoke to you. Join us... join us and lead a great army beside me." Percy could tell Luke was being genuine, he really wanted Percy to help him, to fight with him.
"There's more like you, more like Jack and Ellie. They're all on our side, all waiting for your return so we can bring down the treacherous gods." Luke stepped towards him with an outstretched hand. "Don't abandon your family Percy, you'll regret it."
"Family..." Percy muttered quietly.
Luke's face darkened and a frown formed on it.
"Listen, Percy. The gods have been watching your quest... they've been watching you. Zeus will be scared at the power you possess, and at what your presence might mean for Olympus. Even if you succeed here today, you won't live to see tomorrow." Luke's voice held sadness, like he was honestly scared for Percy and his life.
Percy looked over at Annabeth, hoping to see something that would help him decide what to do.
He could see her sorrow, the obvious pain Luke had caused. But above that he saw anger, and it didn't take a genius to realize she wouldn't even consider Luke's offer.
"My family," Percy began angrily, "Are monsters, and they want me to be the same. We may share blood but I'm nothing like them."
Luke sighed and shook his head. He turned to Atlas and shrugged his shoulders in defeat.
"Well you were right, I guess we'll just have to kill them and let our master start over on a new project."
Annabeth tried to say something, but before she could Luke lunged at her. Her dagger was out in an instant parrying his initial strike and jumping back to gather distance between them.
Percy moved to help when Annabeth stopped him, "I can handle Luke Percy, go get Atlas!"
Percy turned from them towards the mountain of a man standing before him.
Atlas watched curiously as Percy began to approach him... however, approach wasn't the right word.
No, Percy stalked towards him. Like a hunter going after it's prey. It was a truly menacing sight and Atlas began to feel immense joy at the fight that was about to take place.
Atlas opened his mouth to start with some pre-fight banter to get the mutant riled up, but Percy lunged at him in a blur of movement.
The titan, despite his immense size, moved with remarkable speed. Percy barely managed to graze the beasts arm when he had gone for the throat.
"Impressive, little one." Percy ignored the titan and lunged again with a feral growl.
The titan parried every one of Percy's strikes with nothing but his fists. Even the small hits Percy managed to get in did nothing besides anger the monster of a man.
"My my you certainly have your father's wild side. Let's see if you're as crazy as him as well." With a glint in his eyes Atlas stepped into Percy, giving him a head-spinning blow to the head with his elbow.
The disoriented Percy could barely make out Atlas swinging his arm, launching a rock off to the side.
Times seemed to slow as Percy traced the rock's path.
It soared straight and true, hitting the daughter of Athena in the side and launching her back into a pillar.
She wasn't moving, and Percy was confident she hadn't survived this time.
Luke, for his part, looked as shock as Percy was. Glancing back and forth between the two several times before disappearing in a strange green flash.
Kill...
Kill... him...
Kill him now
KILL HIM
Percy turned to Atlas, who was observing him like this was nothing more than an experiment.
"Hmmm," Atlas hummed deep in thought, "perhaps you aren't as much like him as I tho-"
He couldn't finish his statement. Percy didn't let him.
He dove at the titan like a bullet one hand fully extended at him while the other was reared back ready to strike.
Atlas' eyes widened as he jumped back to avoid the deranged mutant, but the moment Percy's foot touched the ground he jumped even harder and faster towards Atlas with an inhumanly roar.
Atlas, now done toying with him narrowed his eyes and attempted to block his strike.
Percy allowed his right arm to be deflected and slashed the titan's arm as hard as he could manage with his other hand.
Golden ichor sprayed across the duo, and with a pained grunt Atlas kicked Percy and sent him flying backwards.
Blood...
Spill... more
The voice was consuming Percy's head, and he was allowing it to. He could taste the ichor in his mouth, and an insane looking smile spread across his face as he licked the golden blood from his lips.
Atlas watched the boy with a newfound respect of what he was dealing with.
Percy stalked towards him again, but this time was... different. He was walking slowly, slightly hunched over with his arms dangling in front of him. Even the Titan of strength would admit it was an eerier sight.
The rage was filling Percy, he could feel his mind battling with itself for control.
He sprung at Atlas again with a flurry of attacks.
The titan took every blow like a tank, giving hardly any response despite the severity of some of his blows.
This time the titan was striking back as well. It was unsurprising the titan's fists acted as remarkable weapons with the brute force he could put behind them.
While Percy was landing some solid strikes, it was nothing like the ones Atlas was dishing back at him and soon he was a bloody mangled mess.
Finally, in a last effort; Percy swung wildly, slashing at the Titan's face and obscuring his vision while thrusting into his stomach with all his might.
His blades slid through the armor easily and golden ichor sprayed from the wound as he ripped his claws up and created a deep gash running up the titan's stomach.
"ENOUGH!" The titan grabbed Percy and threw him to the ground several feet from Artemis and Zoë.
"You surely are your father's child little runt." He spat ichor on the ground and wiped his hands clean on his armor.
"The fates, bless the old hags, really thought they had made it impossible for him to have offspring, and right now I'm wishing they had succeeded." Atlas let out a booming laugh and gestured to Percy's struggling form, barely able to stand after the harsh series of harsh blows and the venom flooding his veins.
"Your kind are mighty soldiers, but you... you're something else entirely. It haunts me to think about what your father could accomplish with more as powerful as yourself." Atlas was on Percy in an instant, his fist coming down quickly and pinning the dazed mutant to the ground.
"You wouldn't believe how easy it is to kill you, once you know how." Percy struggled and thrashed around, unable to hear the titan in his crazed state, but it was obvious the titan had him severely overpowered. "You see, you can regenerate anything, even a whole arm." Percy's eyes widened as Atlas' other hand swooped down and pulled against his arm harshly.
Percy let out an ear-shattering roar as his arm twisted and popped off with a sickening crunch.
The world spun while Percy stared in utter shock at his detached arm.
Then... pain... all he could feel was pain.
Atlas momentarily examined the detached appendage before tossing it to the side.
"See now if I let you live long enough, it would eventually grow back. Hell I can see the tiny fibers starting to move already." Percy groggily glanced over and noted it was indeed growing back, faster than his wounds were healing earlier. The adrenaline from the fight must have cleared up most of the venom from the system.
"But you know what makes all of that tick?" Percy glanced back up at the titan tiredly. The pain had snapped him out of his angered state. He couldn't think about Annabeth, or Zoë, or even Artemes; all he could focus on was the titan tormenting him. "Your heart, of course! It can heal, but it can't grow back. No heart, you die... simple as that."
Percy felt fear rise within him as the titans giant fingers approached his chest and push into him. He felt his ribs shattering and thrashed around wildly, but barely had the titan began before a silver arrow sprouted from his eye.
He yelled out in pain and stumbled back in shock while pulling the arrow from his eye.
"Why you little bitch."
Percy couldn't focus on what was happening, he just crawled to his feet. Trying his best to ignore the searing pain his body was in.
He pushed the pain to the back of his mind and rushed the titan, who was close to catching up to the elusive huntress.
Just as Atlas reached his daughter and went to strike, Percy lunged at his back.
His one remaining set of claws buried into the titan's back bringing out nothing but a pained grunt from the man.
He attempted to reach back and remove the mutant clinging to his back, however, much to Percy's amusement, the monster of a man lacked the flexibility to reach him.
His humor was short lived as the titan jumped up and rotated backwards.
Percy barely had time to register what was happening before being crushed between the ground and Atlas' giant form.
The titan rolled off of him and stood up, ignoring the arrows bouncing off his armor from Zoë.
"You put up a good fight, little one. A shame you won't just join us." Atlas hand shot down like a bullet towards Percy's chest, but again he was saved at the last minute.
Both of them watched in shock as the titan's hand limply fell to the ground in a spray of blood.
Nobody was there, and Percy hadn't moved... how had he...
Percy's eyes widened in realization.
Annabeth... she was alive...
Percy remembered quickly the coat she was wearing from the Nemean Lion and sighed in relief.
He watched as the titan was forced on defense, trying desperately to defend himself from his invisible attacker and ignore Zoë's arrows finding the chinks in his armor.
Percy's eyes made their way to Artemis, who was watching the fight with worry.
When all hope seems lost you will find a way
This was it, Percy knew it was. He groaned while pushing himself onto his feet and stumbled towards the goddess as quickly as his tormented body would let him.
What he was about to do was hard for him, but he knew they didn't stand a chance against Atlas, even with his missing hand.
"Artemis, you have to give me the sky." The goddess looked at the one-armed and battered boy before laughing.
"Look at you boy, you can barely hold yourself up right now." She was right, he looked pitiful, but he couldn't think about that right now.
"Listen your lieutenant is about to die, Annabeth is about to die, hell all of us are gonna fucking die and there's nothing I can do besides this." On his final word he forced Artemis out from under the sky.
It crushed down on him, and instantly all thoughts of his lost arm disappeared.
This pain was unimaginable. It was as if every single one of his muscles were being massaged with lava. It nearly caused him to faint, and every part of his body was screaming at him to get out of there.
He wasn't sure how long passed, it could have been 3 seconds or 3 hours buy eventually he heard a voice in his head.
"Prepare yourself child."
Percy managed to look up just in time to see Atlas hurtling towards him. He loosened his grip and rolled away just as Atlas landed in his position. The titan struggled momentarily to adjust himself before realizing what happened.
"No... NO... NOOOO!" His voice shook the mountain, and if Percy wasn't so completely exhausted he would have laughed.
He simply laid there, unmoving, attempting to recover. There were voices around him, and he could feel himself fading in and out of consciousness.
Artemis was free, his job was complete.
"You look like shit," a voice said above him. He opened his eyes briefly and noticed a smirking huntress staring down at him.
"Yea well if someone had acted just a little quicker I could at least have both my arms." He retorted with a matching smirk.
The huntress kicked his healing limb, causing him to grunt in pain.
"I think you should be saying, 'Thank you so much Zoë, if it weren't for your quick shooting I'd be dead.'" Percy laughed, which turned into a cough that spewed blood onto himself.
He glanced down at his caved in chest and realized it was getting pretty difficult to breathe.
"Perseus?" She questioned, but he could barely hear her voice, he saw Annabeth run up beside the huntress. Her mouth moving in words he couldn't hear.
Finally... he thought happily as the world began to fade around him... rest...
A/N: Tried to answer some questions and give you a better insight into Percy's thought process.
The first few chapters were rushed, and even now I've been rushing the plot focusing more on what's going to happen than what is happening. After this the story is going to slow way down and focus more on character development all around.