Chapter 52 – Restrained

Aquila's sudden appearance was enough distraction for the hellhound so Percy could lunge for Riptide. He spun and slashed through the hellhound's side, causing it to burst into dust. Aquila let out a startled shriek as he tumbled to the floor, rustling his wings to shake off the golden dust as he gave Percy a baleful glare.

Percy swallowed as he stared at the giant bird which had tried to carry him off to eat him. Aquila squawked and beat his wings to take off. Percy watched him go and settle back onto the top of the Acropolis before Percy returned his attention to the battle around him.

Rhea's motley group of immortals seemed to be fairing reasonably well against the giants, but they were out-numbered by far and it was clear that their attack was losing its momentum. Iapetus had his face set into a snarl as he launched a furious assault on Porphyrion, but the giant was holding his own against the Titan.

It wasn't enough.

Percy's stomach churned. He felt sick. The demigods couldn't help much either, but without them the immortals didn't have a chance at killing the giants. They needed to destroy the Moly too, that was too dangerous to leave. And before that, Saturn's Stupid Statue had to be destroyed.

And then hopefully backup would arrive in the form of the gods, but Percy wasn't holding out much hope.

"Where are they?" He hissed angrily to Jason as the two stood against half a dozen monsters which swarmed them at once.

Jason his shook his head, looking entirely hopeless. "I don't know," he said as he speared a hellhound through with Achilles' Spear.

"What do you know about Saturn's statue?" Percy demanded.

Jason paused briefly. "Ah – is that important right now?" He dodged a hellhound's pounce and skewered it through the heart.

Percy raised his voice. "Yes! The statue! It's blocking us from burning the Moly – what do you know about it? It's Roman, right?" Percy asked.

"Yes," Jason said. "Saturnalia, the Roman festival. The statue's feet are bound with wool, and it's unbound on Saturnalia for the festival, then bound again after," Jason said.

Percy eyed Jason, wondering if he was joking. He took a moment out of the chaos to spin and face the statue, lowering his eyes from that sharp gaze towards the statue's feet. There was a pile of wool which seemed attached to the statue's ankles, but wasn't binding the feet. Percy narrowed his eyes, remembered what Porphyrion had boasted to him before – 'So long as the statue stands free', he'd said.

"Oh my gods," Percy muttered under his breath. And he knew then, how he could stop that stupid statue. "We need to tie the feet up," Percy said as he gripped Jason's shoulder.

Jason looked between the statue's feet and Percy, looking like Percy were insane before he realised what Percy was getting at. "It seems like a long shot," Jason said sceptically.

"Long shots are all we have," Percy pointed out. "Come on!" He slapped a hellhound away with the flat of Riptide, turned a bolted. The hellhound let out a sharp yelp before snarling wildly and Percy heard it crash after them, crushing a piece of marble scattered on the ground. Percy glanced back, watching it's sharp claws dig large furrows into the ground as it charged after them. Percy turned and slashed at it across the muzzle before he kept running to the statue.

It just made sense. Percy recalled when he'd first mated with Kronos, those first few weeks when the Titan had been chained still at the insistence of the gods. His extreme dislike at the situation, his energy draining and the lack of freedom he'd had simply degrading the Titan. How Kronos had explained it to Percy, that an immortal being whom was chained or tied down had their power blocked and drastically weakened. And how Kronos had pushed on about it while Percy had been his captive, the way the Titan had made sure to hammer it into Percy's skull that tying an immortal down in any way was a terrible idea. At the time it had seemed that Kronos was raging about what the gods had done to him, but now Percy thought that maybe Kronos had been trying to give him a hint then, though why he wasn't entirely sure.

Jason made it to the statue first and grabbed at the wool, beginning to tie the statue's feet together. Percy skidded to a halt and dropped to his knees, ignoring them scraping along the marble as he helped his cousin. "It makes sense," Percy insisted as he scrambled to tie the statue's feet. He could've sworn he felt a chill down his spine as he picked up the wool, sharp and violent eyes on him. Percy glanced up, and was horrified to find that the statue was now staring down at him. "Immortals being tied up, it restricts them and their powers."

"But this is a statue," Jason said. "Not an immortal."

"A statue of an immortal," Percy reminded him. He paused briefly as they reached the ends of the wool. Jason grabbed the end Percy was holding and firmly tied the two ends together.

The presence watching him, the chill down Percy's spine, vanished in an instant. Percy paused, and then spun towards the vegetable patch with the Moly rooted within. But Percy knew Moly killed any mortal whom dug it up.

Percy spun around. "Leo!" He yelled, hoping Leo could hear him. "Moly! Now!"

Jason swore and stabbed a hellhound which made a sudden, desperate lunge at him. Percy saw Leo look up and realise what Percy wanted in the same instant. There was scepticism in his expression, until there was a sudden roar beside Percy and the demigod swore fiercely as fire burst to like amongst the vegetable patch of blooming Moly.

Porphyrion's furious bellow shook the Acropolis, and Percy quickly stumbled back as the giant lurched towards him. Aquila's talons flashed across Porphyrion's eyes in a blur of moment and a loud shriek before the bird was gone again and the giant reeling back with one hand clutching at one eye. Percy bolted beside Jason, the two escaping into the chaos that had hardly paused.

The fire was steadily burning in the vegetable patch now, flames climbing ever higher. Percy watched briefly as one of the Moly plants was burnt away in the flaming bed. Percy grinned.

They might not be able to defeat the giants, but at least someone else would be able to do so later now that the giants couldn't become unkillable. Percy raised Riptide, readying himself to fight again when thunder and lightning roared to life overhead.

He let out a relieved groan when lightning struck the Plateau. The gods had finally come to help. Percy didn't miss Iapetus shooting a quick glance towards Percy before he was stepping back into his own shadow and disappearing. Evidently, while that Titan was willing to help, he didn't want to be anywhere near Zeus. Usually, Percy would be of similar mind, but not in that moment.

Shortly after Zeus' arrival, it seemed the rest of the Olympians joined them. Poseidon materialised next to Percy, butt of his trident resting on the ground. Percy frowned slightly. "Took you guys long enough," he grumbled.

Poseidon inclined his head slightly. "I will explain later," he said, eyes settling on Polybotes with unerring accuracy. "For now, we must kill the giants."

"What did you think we'd been trying to do?" Percy demanded. "While you've all been sitting and watching-"

"Later," Poseidon said.

Percy grit his teeth. "Fine," he said in annoyance as he raised Riptide. "Polybotes?" The giant had already spotted Poseidon and was advancing towards them.

"Of course," Poseidon said.

Percy nodded and charged, leaving Poseidon staring after him in clear disbelief that his demigod son could be so reckless. Polybotes laughed and swung at Percy with his own trident. It would've hit Percy if it wasn't met by another that swung over Percy from behind, leaving Percy free to stab Riptide into the giant's toe.

Even with the help of the Olympians, it still wasn't over quickly. Polybotes was a fierce enemy and his net he fought with didn't help either. Percy had to be careful to keep his eyes on both the trident and the net at once to stop himself from being entangled.

Eventually, Percy found himself watching as Polybotes dissolved into golden dust before him. He kept his sword raised, but the giants were gone. Iapetus had disappeared at some point, and so had most of the other male Titans present along with a few of the women. It left only a few of them standing with the Olympians and Rhea. Percy guessed those whom had left were more loyal to their King and not wanting to be caught by the Olympians.

The sight made Percy sigh. Kronos was still out there and causing problems. A brilliant flash to the side made Percy jerk and twist, and he noted when the light faded that the Statue of Saturn had disappeared. The Moly were all on fire and Zeus watched with a heavy scowl, hand clenched around his Master Bolt. Zeus' gaze drifted towards Percy and his frown deepened before turning to Artemis. "I want him tracked down and his head brought to me."

Artemis hesitated, eyes flicking towards Apollo, whom was standing meekly to the side, face pale. Percy started forward with a protest, which died in his throat when Poseidon squeezed his shoulder. "It's over, Percy. You know that the Titan Lord has to be hunted down and killed."

Percy bit his tongue. He didn't actually. He was sure that Kronos had been involved in taking out the giants somehow. It couldn't be a coincidence that he'd repeatedly hinted to Percy how he could disable the Statue. But Percy just nodded his head. "Okay," he agreed.

Zeus and all of the Olympians seemed surprised with Percy's agreement, but swiftly took it in stride as Zeus turned on Apollo.


Zeus banishing Apollo had been a development that none of the demigods had expected. But far more surprising was the lack of Gaea. The demigods had bled. The Primordial should have materialised, and yet there was no sign of her emergence anywhere.

Even back at Camp Half-Blood where her army failed spectacularly before the combined might of the Romans and Greeks - and yet, still no sign of the Primordial goddess anywhere.

Percy knew the gods were on edge, and so was he. He constantly expected to be swallowed by the earth - but nothing happened.

A week passed, then two, and Percy lay awake in his bed at Camp Half-Blood as he stared up at the ceiling. There had been nothing from Kronos either, and the gods had been concerned to hear that the Titans were walking the earth… and nothing had been seen from them since the battle at the Acropolis.

A thump on the roof of Percy's cabin made him jerk up, heart hammering. He grabbed Riptide and crept from the cabin, startled to find a large golden eagle peering down at him. Aquila's talons gouged furrows into the roof of the cabin. He tilted his head to the side, gaze locking with Percy's, who hoped the immortal eagle wasn't going to try to fly him away again and eat his intestines.

But the bird merely ruffled his wings and opened his beak to let the frayed end of a length of chain drop onto Percy's head. Percy snatched it off, realising as he did so that it was off the chains which had bound Kronos the year before. His gaze snapped back to Aquila, but the bird had already taken off and was disappearing into the darkened sky above.

Percy clenched his fist around the short length. Had that stupid bird been working for Kronos instead of the giants? Percy wouldn't be surprised if he was. He sighed and returned into his cabin, staring at the unappreciated gift in his hands. Percy frowned down at it. Why in Hades would Kronos give him this? Percy certainly didn't want it. Disturbed, he tucked it into the back of the wardrobe, but he knew this would just keep him awake even more.

Percy was already worried about the Olympians wanting to speak to the Seven on Olympus the next day and 'reward' them for their service to the gods, he didn't need that too.


Apollo was missing, and so was Artemis. Percy figured that Artemis was trying to hunt down Kronos, and Apollo - well, he didn't know where Apollo was. No one seemed to know. Still, Zeus paid their absences no attention when he called for silence with a fierce rumble of thunder overhead.

Percy blanked out much of the conversation. He was still thinking about the chains that Kronos had sent him. Clearly a message, but what? Percy opened his mouth. "Any sign of Kronos?"

Zeus scowled, clearly irritated to be cut off by a demigod. "That is not your concern anymore."

"I thought he was my responsibility," Percy tried. "Wasn't that the deal?"

"That was until he joined with the giants and attempted a second uprising," Zeus snapped furiously.

Percy kind of figured that Zeus should've known that Kronos would have done so at first opportunity. The Titan just did whatever he wanted, there was no controlling him in the slightest. Percy knew that now - Kronos would do whatever he wanted, however he wanted and whenever he wanted. It hit Percy like a strike from Zeus' lightning.

"Are you really surprised?" Percy returned to Zeus.

Zeus ignored his question. "You should have known that you have no decision over what happens here, nephew," Zeus warned. "If you know where he is, then I advise you to speak up now and cease lying to me before I strike you off Olympus," he threatened.

"Zeus!" Poseidon rumbled furiously, fingers clenching around his trident. "You will not threaten to kill my son. We all know that Kronos does what he wants and Percy has no control over him. Of course he does not know where he is."

Percy merely watched, his mind racing. But it was Zeus' next words that sealed everything in its place for him. "Perseus Jackson is a demigod serving Olympus, he would not dare," the King of the gods said sharply.

Percy calmed, his heart settling. You turned down immortality, Kronos had accused Percy. Maybe turning down immortality when you have an immortal omega wasn't the best idea. Kronos' message was clear, and Percy knew it wasn't even a message - it was Kronos mocking him. Kronos was free and somewhere likely safe from the gods, and from Artemis… and here Percy was, bowing to their every whim. As bound as Kronos had been as a prisoner, so Kronos had mockingly gifted him part of the chains he'd likely kept. Percy could almost laugh. He was understanding more and more why Luke had betrayed the gods as Percy got older. "If the offer is still there," Percy said as he stared across at Zeus, the King of the gods high above him as Percy's demigod friends stared at him in disbelief, "I'd like to request my reward."


very long time and no see, hey everyone! I have to admit that i really struggled with this. just wasn't feeling the fight scenes so just ended up skipping them, sorry. but hey. onto the next arc now!

Guest: now them playing monopoly would be brilliant lol. yeah percy and kronos are helpless haha

Guest: HA Iapetus would never help Rhea XD.

Alwaris: thanks! sorry this one has taken so long though!

BooksMeanFreedom: maybe Aquila never changed his mind and always meant to do this? XD. And yes, Percy and Kronos happy together is too much to ask lol.