Chapter 18: The Price of Forgiveness.
These five schools are the basis of all we know, and while not much is known about them, it is clear that there are secrets out there that must be investigated, and discovered soon. Our eternal enemies have always been the Titans, it was the Titans against the Olympians who ushered the third Age, and it will be the Titans against the Olympians who will begin the fourth.
Poseidon's Notes, Page 22
Percy followed Hades into a large balcony that overlooked Underworld. From his place, he could see the eternal fields of pale grass extending in every direction, as well as the shadow of the great tower covering the city. He saw a huge mountain range on one end, and what appeared to be a foggy ocean on the other. From what Percy could see, they were in some sort of valley between mountains.
"It has been many years since the heir of the House of Seas has visited Underworld." Hades said, "I don't believe you understand the importance of this moment."
"Did my father visit?" Percy asked, not taking his eyes away from the sight.
"Yes. Poseidon was a common sight in Underworld for many years, as was Zeus. The three of us were quite close back then, I remember myself walking through the streets of Atlantis, or riding through the stone districts of New Rome. It has been many years since I've visited New Rome, I believe I am no longer a welcome sight, and Atlantis has been closed off ever since Poseidon…"
Percy kept quiet, trying to think of how to ask the next question.
"You'd like to know about your father, I suppose?" Hades asked, his voice soft.
"I don't know what to ask." Percy admitted, "For many years I didn't know who my father was. You know, my mother…she was kind, treated me well, and even as she had to suffer at the hands of…Gabe…she never let that stop her from saying how much she cared. No…I didn't know Poseidon; all I knew was that he was the man who abandoned my mother to those monsters, and not even killing them all was enough to fill the hole she left. Poseidon, for me, is the man who took the only thing I cared about, because it was him who allowed my mother to die."
Hades kept quiet, looking at Percy with sad eyes.
"That is the one part of the mystery that I'm failing to understand." Hades sighed, "Poseidon…he was strong, very strong. We were young when we met, you know? I came to Olympus late, after Zeus and Poseidon arrived. My father was a hard man, traditional in many aspects, so he immediately pushed me to introduce myself to the Heir of the House of Seas and the House of Skies. I tried, but I was a shy boy back then. I believe our first interaction involved lots of laughing, as I tripped over my words. Either way, Poseidon didn't care, all he did was chuckle, grab me by the shoulder, and introduced me to his little group. I met Zeus there too.
"Long story short, Zeus, Poseidon and I became inseparable after that. We trained together, lived together, fought together, ate together, and went on missions together. Zeus, Poseidon and I…well…there's a reason they called us the Big Three."
Hades seemed to gain a smile on his face, and Percy looked at him with curiosity.
"Your father was unlike any other Hunter I've known. Powerful, loyal, and cunning, very cunning. Have you ever heard of the incident with Leto and Helios?"
Percy shook his head.
"I thought not, its not a story that is often told." Hades sighed, "Leto and Helios were lovers, two incredibly powerful hunters that came from a generation prior to mine. While they wished to be together, they belonged to two houses that hated each other, the House of the Sun, known for their natural flirt and easy-going attitude, and the House of the Moon, known as a safe haven for those who have suffered at the hands of men. When Helios assumed as the Lord of the House of the Sun, and Leto did so in the House of the Moon, many thought that their romance would be impossible, that two houses at odds could never form that sort of love.
"Helios tried dating a few times, once with a young woman named Calliope and another with a young Hera, the current leader of the House of Traditions, while Leto swore off men indefinitely, as it is custom for the Lady of the House of the Moon. Their love was stronger though, and soon Leto and Helios found each other in their arms once more, expressing to the world their love and deciding to marry against all odds. That lasted until Typhoon came."
A chill ran down Percy's spine as he heard the name, although not understanding why.
"Typhoon…few monsters are as vile as he is. Trained by the fallen Lady Chimera, once a prominent Huntress of Olympus, he coveted the love Leto held for Helios, wanted it for himself ever since he set eyes on her. Many times, Typhoon tried to make her fall in love with him, and every time, Leto would turn away and return to Helios. Soon, that feeling of want became need, then desire, then…jealousy, greed, envy…until it became Rage. Pure rage, rage against Helios for stealing the one Typhoon loved, and rage against Leto, for refusing him.
"When their first child was born, Leto took a break from the House of the Moon, while Helios did something similar so they could take care of their children together. Typhoon chose this moment to strike. With his overwhelming skills and power, he tracked down Leto and Helios and attempted to murder them and their child. Helios fought him, buying enough time for Leto to call for aid, but the man did not last long. Typhoon disposed of Helios like a man swatting a fly, and then advanced on Leto."
Hades seemed to look down in anger, as well as sadness.
"The man was really a monster." Hades said in anger, "Raped the poor woman, defiled her to the point where she no longer could hold her life together, then he simply smashed her skull with his bare fists, cleaning the blood on the blankets that held her child."
Percy felt sick. Imagining what happened, knowing that he had seen things just as bad…
"The firsts to arrive were Hermes and Athena, both good friends of Leto and Helios, followed by a young Artemis, who was serving as Lady of the House of the Moon in the absence of Lady Leto, and her brother Apollo, who viewed Helios as a second father. Then came the rest of the current pantheon, including a few others. They all arrived too late. They found Typhoon standing over the dead bodies of Leto and Helios, and a babe between his arms that he swore he was about to slaughter once he was done with the Olympians. That is when the battle began.
"They fought, the Hunters that had arrived, and Typhoon won. Outnumbered one to ten, he won." Hades looked into Underworld. "Zeus, Poseidon and I arrived just in time to save the life of Ares, who was the only one who was holding the Monster off while the rest of the Hunters tried to escape. Zeus jumped in immediately, delivering a punch so powerful and charged with lightning, that the night became day in just an instant." Hades seemed to gain a slight smile on his face, "Then I jumped in, doing everything I could to hold of the Monster from harming anyone else. Yet the moment the battle changed was when Poseidon joined the duel."
Hades looked at Percy.
"There are three moments that I remember when Poseidon truly let go completely of his barriers. Once was in our fight, and the fight against Typhoon was another. Every hit, every step…was charged with so much power, so much anger and hatred for the monster, that the very ground cracked under its pressure. I vividly recall Hermes running at inhuman speeds moving projectiles that seemed to come out of nowhere from the other Hunters, who simply watched in awe as every hit that the man gave the monster released bullets of stone that could kill any of them. Poseidon delivered a blow so devastating to the man, that the very ground seemed to reshape under him, forming a small crater that later became a lake. He called upon the powers of Water, and seized control of the water around us. He wielded it like a knife, debilitating Typhoon enough for Zeus and I to capture him. The three of us working together were barely powerful enough to contain him, but Poseidon didn't care. For a moment, a single moment, the man seemed to glow in his own power, and his trident flashed so bright that until this moment I wonder if I had seen a God."
There was a silence, which Percy used to think over what Hades was saying. His father was powerful, very powerful. But then…why did he leave?
"What happened next?"
Hades sighed.
"Typhoon was chained by chains made by Hephaestus himself, bonded and imprisoned within Tartarus. Leto and Helios were buried in a small island located in the centre of that very lake that Poseidon created. Today that is a small shrine, a place to remember them by, as well as a place to remember that no matter how many differences we have, nothing can stop us if we're willing to fight for what we want. Helios loved Leto, and he fought until his last to protect that love. That is why we fight, Percy, that is what it means to be a Hunter of Olympus. That is what it means to be an Heir."
"And their son?" Percy asked, and Hades smiled.
"Young Zagreus has grown into a remarkable man. I took him in after the events occurred, taught him everything I could. He really is both his mother and his father. I miss them so much sometimes."
Silence reigned between the two for a few moments, before Percy broke it.
"Why are you telling me this?" Percy asked.
"Because, while you may hate your father for what he's done or failed to do, he also is a man who fights for what he believes is right. I would like to understand why he left, as much as you. His love for Sally was in many ways similar to that of Leto and Helios, which is why it strikes me as odd that he would leave her, especially in such a company. However, if I know Poseidon, he left for a very particular reason, which most likely involved protecting you and your mother. He is a man, however powerful he is, so while I understand you may hate him…I believe that it would be a good choice to give him a chance to explain."
"I can't accept that, Lord Hades." Percy said, not meeting his eyes. "He left, my mother died. Nothing he can do or say can explain that. She was raped, Hades…my mother…she was raped over and over again by those bastards!" Tears began to fall from Percy's eyes, "Why? If he was so powerful, why did he leave? Why did he allow those monsters to hurt my mother? And me? I was beaten constantly, treated as a slave, and the only reason why I wasn't abused further was because I was too young to even understand what abuse was! No Hades…I can't simply give him a chance as you say. Perhaps he left for a reason, but that reason died with my mother. Everything he did after…that is on him, and when I see him…"
Percy's hands clenched, and anger began to fuel him. How dare Hades tell him to forgive him? How dare he try to say that it was all part of something bigger? He had lost his mother, he had lived in the streets, he had—
Hades placed a hand on Percy's shoulder, causing him to look at the man in anger.
"Hatred is a tool of evil, Perseus." Hades said, his voice changing. His eyes were darker, his figure stronger, and Percy now saw that he now embodied who he really was, the Lord of the House of the Dead, one of the Great Houses. "Typhoon, while Powerful, made one fatal mistake. He let his hatred consume him. Balance is everything to a Hunter, especially a Hunter of Olympus. That feeling of want you have within you, wanting to get answers and get your revenge…it will fester. It will become need, and when something becomes need we will not care what it takes to achieve it. Then it will become desire, then jealousy and greed, until all is left is the rage. A rage that will only grow the more you feed it. Balance your emotions, let go of your anger and hatred, only then you will achieve the necessary strength to confront your past, your father and yourself. Without that strength…you will never achieve victory. Remember that. Balance, Strength, Victory. I'm not saying forgive Poseidon, all I am saying is give him a chance, give him a chance without that hatred coursing through you."
Percy stared at Hades, wanting to be angry, wanting to tell him to leave him alone, yet he couldn't find the energy to do so. He couldn't, not with a man who was speaking truth. Every time he thought about his father, about Poseidon, it made him angry, it made him want to hurt him. It was exhausting.
"I will try." Percy said.
"Don't try. Do, or don't." Hades said. "Now, I didn't bring you here to only talk about your father. I know the Pantheon is after you, Zeus has let his desires fester within him, and now he grows envious of all those who would threaten his power. His paranoia and his rage for Poseidon consume his moves, and I have no doubt that at this very moment he is planning on ways to get his hands on you."
"Zeus' Masterbolt was stolen. We suspect that his first choice would be Poseidon, and therefore he would try to send me on a quest and then capture me to get his Symbol of Power back."
"Bah, Symbols of Power…an attempt to mimic relics of an era long past. He is a fool if he believes that Poseidon would ever steal his spear, as foolish as it is to try and get to Poseidon through you." Hades said, "I suppose that you came to Underworld seeking some sort of refuge? Smart. Zeus can't get you here, neither can most of his lackeys. Underworld is in a state of alert, so anyone trying to come in through the wide door will draw quite a lot of attention to themselves, and only a fool would try to sneak into Underworld with Thanatos already on edge. I'm impressed, your plan is fail proof."
"Thank you."
"However, you've also come in a moment of distress. A few nights back, Tartarus was broken into, and Typhoon, the monster I told you about, was set free with two high level prisoners."
A chill ran down through Percy's spine.
"My Horsemen have informed me that more and more monsters gather at the entrances of Underworld. Soon, they will breach the first lines of defence, and we will have battle in our city. I'm asking for your help. When the moment comes, I want you to fight alongside the House of the Dead to protect Underworld. There are things hidden here that must never fall into the wrong hands." Hades said.
"I promised Bianca that I would fight." Percy said, "I won't break that promise."
"I hope for your sake your intentions with my daughter are of good nature. I have given you leniency since you're the son of my old friend, and Bianca is old enough to make her own choices, but don't think for a moment that I won't be looking at you and her." Hades said seriously, making Percy blanche. "Outside of that, I am thankful for your help. Achilles is a brilliant tactical duellist, and Zagreus is one of the best fighters I know. Train with them, learn new skills, and even Orpheus and Thanatos may have a few tricks they can teach you. If you're going to be staying in Underworld, you're going to need them."
Hades moved away from the balcony.
"Now come, I want you to tell me about yourself. Your life, your experiences. It may help me understand the mystery behind your father's disappearance, and if not…it will help me judge how worthy you are of my daughter." Hades winked, making Percy even more confused about the man he was either supposed to fear or like.
Hola! I'm back. Yup, went for a little holiday but now I'm back and ready to rumble.
These chapters I had them written from before I went on holiday, buuuut for some reason I forgot to post upload them to my Fanfic and therefore couldn't post them. Woops. Anyway, here they are! Chapters 17 and 18. I'm seriously debating if I should Release chapter 19 sometime this week as an apology for the two week delay...I guess I will see how these two chapters are recieved :).
I've been hard at work plotting and outlining part III, which is now in an early stage. Interlude's IV to VI are done and sealed, and now I'm looking into Part III which is going to be the first bite into the meat and potatoes of the story.
In chapter 17, there's a little of Annabeth interacting with herself, Luke, and her mission. And Chapter 18 is the interaction from Hades and Perseus, mostly focused on the story of Typhoon, Helios and Leto. I want you to keep that story in your head as you read forward, as while it is quite a horrible story, it does present themes that will be heavily explored by some characters. Oh, and Typhoon is free. Wonder where that is going.
Things that I'm planning...lets see, lets see...well, this story is, like I've already said, a sort of First/Second draft where you guys give me feedback on things that you like. Since this story is also growing as I am writing, there are several things that may seem like plotholes or retcons, such as names of things or some characteristics or descriptions. This is normal, as things start to pop up in my head as I write and while I do try my best to incorporate them in a way that it makes sense with the information that you have available, I am human and I will most likely fuck up sometime. So if you see something like this, please do tell. Once this story is finished, I will go over it once more in my own time and add these pieces of information where they should be so that there is no plot holes or retcons, and I will do the same once the trilogy is complete.
Overall I think that's all I wanted to say for this week. Chapters are not very heavy, its mostly exposition and character interaction more than anything. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Please, please, please leave a review, as they motivate me to keep writing when I know that people are (or are not) enjoying the story.
Have a good new start of the academic year those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, and as always take care of each other.
Happy Reading.
~CML