LAST TIME:
#Yes, now please go and DESTROY THAT SCYTHE!# Alexander yelled in my head, making me flinch.
'Cool, cool. I am going.' I replied, walking toward the blade.
I felt uneasiness well up in me as I came near to the scythe. It had a similar feel to the Labyrinth, just amplified exponentially.
I could see why Alexander wanted it destroyed.
I gripped my sword tighter, eyeing the blade.
Suddenly, a huge surge of energy flowed into me from my sword, making my cells scream in protest. My eyes burned as tears clouded my vision.
#I have unlocked the binds on the sword. Call on the sea. Call your power.#
I called to the sea. I reached inside myself and remembered the waves and the currents, the endless power of the ocean.
My sword trembled. My body burned as the divine powers overwhelmed me.
With a shout to the heavens, I raised my glowing sword and brought it down on the crescent blade.
Afterward, I could never describe what exactly happened at that moment. An explosion, a tidal wave, and a whirlwind of power simultaneously caught me up as eldritch golden cracks appeared on the scythe of Kronos.
A moment later, everything exploded.
After that, I only remembered glimpses, most of which seemed unreal.
The last thing I remember before losing consciousness was flying. Flying so high that Zeus would never have forgiven me, then began to fall, smoke, fire, and water streaming from me. I was a comet hurtling toward the earth.
Ch.36 An Impromptu Vacation
ARTEMIS POV
I stumbled back toward the entrance of the Labyrinth, my heart beating like a drum in my chest as what I had just been about to do crashed on me like a tsunami.
I had almost kissed Percy.
The prospect made my stomach somersault within.
What if I had?
'Whoa, Artemis. You are the goddess of Maidens.' A small voice in my head spoke up. 'Eternal man-hater and all.'
No, I was not. I didn't hate men. I just hated the vile ones. I had no problem with the good ones, like Percy, for example.
Did I just like Percy, though?
I stopped short, my breaths echoing through the stone walls of the Labyrinth as I stood at its entrance.
I knew I was closer to him than any other man in the world, bar my brother. I trusted him with every fiber of my being. I trusted him to watch my back in battle like I did with no other. I trusted him to protect my girls and me.
I closed my eyes, and flashes of Percy's battle on Mount Othrys flashed through my mind. He had fought two Titans, including the General, and defeated them for me. He had fought his way across the country to come and rescue me even though I had little relation to him at that time.
And, he was loyal to a fault. I knew that he would never betray me, even at the point of death. He was my most precious friend whose friendship I would cherish for my lifetime.
But did I just see him as a friend?
Yes, I liked Percy. I liked him as a friend… and more.
But, what would he do? Would he ever reciprocate my feelings? Would he love me back? Did he even see me that way? Would Percy—
My thoughts were cut short as the Labyrinth shook violently, throwing me off balance onto my back. I turned and saw smoke and lava shoot out of Mount Saint Helens in the distance as thunder rumbled loudly in the sky, drowning the sound of the volcano.
My heart clenched as I realized what had happened.
"PERCY!"
PERCY POV
I woke up feeling like I was still on fire. My skin stung. My throat felt as dry as sand.
I saw a blue sky and trees above me. I heard a fountain gurgling, and smelled juniper and cedar and a bunch of other sweet-scented plants. I heard waves, too, gently lapping on a rocky shore. I wondered if I was dead, but I knew better. I'd been to the Land of the Dead, and there was no blue sky.
I tried to sit up. My muscles felt like they were melting.
"Stay still," a woman's voice said. "You're too weak to rise."
She laid a cool cloth across my forehead. A bronze spoon hovered over me and liquid dribbled into my mouth. The drink soothed my throat and left a warm chocolaty aftertaste. Nectar of the gods.
The woman's face appeared over me, making my heart soar.
"Ar-Artemis," I wheezed.
She seemed to smile. "That's my daughter, young one. You are too weak to wake. Sleep."
My eyes closed.
The next time I woke, I was in a cave of sorts. The ceiling glittered with different-color crystal formations— white and purple and green like I was inside one of those cut geodes you see in souvenir shops. I was lying comfortably in a huge bathtub filled to the brim with some sort of warm, magical water.
It wasn't fresh water, nor was it seawater. It was something else entirely.
How did I know that? I just did.
The interesting thing was that the water was healing me far faster than seawater did, which shouldn't have been possible.
I looked around the cave, which seemed to be filled with several varieties of plants. Against one wall stood a large loom and a harp. Against the other wall were shelves neatly stacked with jars of fruit preserves. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling: rosemary, thyme, and a bunch of other stuff.
There was a fireplace built into the cave wall and a pot bubbling over the flames. It smelled great, like beef stew. I sat up, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my head. I looked at my arms, sure that they would be hideously scarred, but they seemed fine. A little pinker than usual, but not bad. I was wearing a white cotton shirt and cotton drawstring pants that weren't mine. My feet were bare.
In a moment of panic, I wondered where my weapons were, but I felt my ring, which was the Tempest Dormitor.
My Armor, shield, and most importantly, the Thyella Kavalris were missing. What had happened to it?
I lifted my hand, which was feeling as if it was made of lead, and called the weapon to me. I felt it respond, but it didn't come to me as if it was being restrained.
Had it fallen into the volcano in Typhon's clutches? Had someone kidnapped me? No, that wasn't a possibility. They wouldn't leave me in healing water if they kidnapped me and neither would they have left the Tempest Domitor on me.
And Artemis… no, Artemis's mom. She had been healing me.
Leto. The goddess of Motherhood and Demurity. Protector of the young. Mother of Artemis and Apollo. Oh, and the daughter of Phoebe and Coeus, whom I had happened to kill.
I took a deep breath, calming myself, before calling out to Alexander in my head.
The god didn't respond. I tried again, but Alexander's voice didn't answer back.
"What do you think you are doing, young man?" An authoritative female voice suddenly boomed from the entrance of the cave, making me jump in the pool.
My eyes snapped up, only to find myself staring at a Queen. Her gown swirled with red, black, and gold floral designs, and her long dark hair was crowned with a tiara that looked like a curved miniature ladder - two gold rails lined with rungs of silver. A radiance of authority and royalty clung to her as if it was a second skin.
Even Hera, the Queen of the Heavens, didn't look as royal as the Lady who stood at the entrance to the cave, glaring at me with her green, almost sea-green eyes, which seemed to be flashing golden.
"What do you think you are doing, child?" She repeated, making me flinch at the tone. "Do you wish to burn every cell in your body by holding the sword?"
That startled me.
"Excuse me?" I asked, affronted.
Rhea gave me a dry look as if deciding if I was just being clueless or if I was actually unaware.
"You are in no condition to lift a glass of water, much less hold the power of the divine in your hands, child. Godly weapons are not meant to be wielded by demigods. And certainly not in your current state!"
"The sword is mine. A gift from my father. I have used it since I was twelve." I said indignantly.
Just who the hell was this Lady?
The lady stopped short, eyeing me with curiosity. There was almost an undercurrent of something which I failed to pinpoint.
"It seems introductions are in order. I am Rhea. The Queen of Titans. And, if I am not mistaken, your grandmother."
I felt my eyes widen as Rhea smiled softly, and a warm, comforting breeze blew into the cave.
"Lady Rhea, it is an honor to meet you," I said, trying to bow the best I could.
No need to offend the Queen of Titans, after all.
A part of me wondered if I should be fighting her but discarded it almost immediately. One, the lady was right in saying that I was in no condition to fight. Two, she was the Queen of titans and not an enemy to take lightly. Three, she was on the side of the gods if her actions in the Titanomachy were anything to go by.
She gave me a regal nod before sitting on a throne of lush green vines which sprouted from the ground in front of my eyes. "I am Perseus Jackson. Son of—"
"Poseidon. I know. I can feel the overwhelming presence of the sea in you… along with a hint of fire."
"I am Hestia's champion, Lady Rhea," I said simply, answering her unasked question.
She looked at me sharply, her eyes flickering through various colors, like the flowers in a garden. I felt goosebumps on my skin as she stared unwaveringly at me as if reading my soul. A moment later, the feeling vanished as Rhea smiled serenely.
"So, tell me, how did you end up here?" She asked amiably.
"Err— I do not know, Lady Rhea. I just woke up with Arte— no, Lady Leto, feeding me nectar."
My eyes darted around the cave, trying to search for the said goddess, but I couldn't find her. My senses were refusing to comply, and I couldn't feel what was around me like I used to. Even Alexander seemed to be out of it.
Was Leto just my imagination?
"She's outside, tending to her moonlace garden," Rhea said, as if reading my mind. "But that doesn't answer my question. Let me rephrase it for you. What were you doing before you landed here at Delos?"
"We are at Delos?" I asked incredulously. "That is nowhere near Mount Saint Helens."
Rhea's eyes glimmered as if she was putting together a puzzle. "Mount Saint Helens, you say. So you caused the earthquake and volcanic eruption. What were you doing?"
"Destroying the Scythe of Kronos, which was being reforged," I replied as I mulled over what Rhea had just said.
I had caused an earthquake and volcanic eruption at Mount Saint Helens in the process of destroying the scythe. Much aking to how the Elder Olympians had blown off most of Mount Othrys while doing the same thing the first time around.
The room darkened for a moment before Rhea stood up, her eyes glowing with power, making the foreboding feeling recoil. She gave me a disappointed look. "You should not say names lightly, Perseus Jackson. Especially here of all places. Names have terrible powers, child. Especially his name."
"Of course, Lady Rhea," I replied hastily.
"Indeed. As for your questions, Delos, after the flame shifted from Greece, became a Phantom island. It exists by itself, anywhere and nowhere."
"Oh. So, how do I get back?"
Rhea gave a tinkling laugh, making it feel like the start of spring. Flowers bloomed on her throne as a warm, refreshingly soothing breeze blew in the cave.
"You are not powerful enough to stand on your feet, much less leave Delos, Perseus. You need to heal first. Your body needs to heal. You need to regain your power. You cannot lift a drop of water right now under your powers, much less do what you wish to."
"So, I am stuck here," I grumbled.
"Till you heal, yes. There isn't much Leto or I could do until you heal. Even Leto's son, at this point, won't be able to do much. Your body needs to heal on its own. No godly medicine would help, more than it has anyway."
"But, how did I come here?" I questioned. "As in, why here, of all places?"
"Really? I have no clue." Rhea shrugged. "You just landed right in the lake outside, giving poor Leto a fright of a lifetime. The water cushioned your fall, but still, your condition was horrendous back then. Your armor was melted in places, your clothes were burnt, your bones had broken, you were bleeding and whatnot."
"How long have I been out?"
"Almost two weeks, in Delos time. Probably a lot less in the mortal world, though."
"What?"
Rhea smiled. "Time is a mysterious thing in Delos. Unpredictable, but yielding to the wants of fate or other divine beings as and when needed. If I had to guess, it would only be a few days back in the mortal world since you caused the… since you did what you did. My domain still screams the high damage and instability of the volcano. So, it has been a lot less, if I say so myself"
"Wait, you know about the earthquake I caused? So, you must be in contact with the mortal world!" I exclaimed, a flame of hope burning in me. I could get a message to the camp that I was, in fact, alive. They were probably thinking I had died.
After all, how many could survive being in the middle of a volcanic eruption and then falling from the sky?
I had promised Artemis that I would return alive. I couldn't turn back on my word.
My hopes were dashed as Rhea shook her head.
"Not really. What you did sent a wave through the divine world as nature itself shuddered from what you caused. Every deity in the universe with a connection to wildlife, forest, and earth, alongside some relatable aspect, probably felt it. I certainly did."
My face dropped.
"Wonderful," I said sullenly.
"Stay here. I will bring you something to eat. Do not summon your sword, though." Rhea warned as she got to her feet, her throne of vines sinking back into the ground.
"No offense, Lady Rhea, but Thyella Kavalris is mine in every sense of the word. It won't harm me." I said as we came back to the topic of my sword.
"It certainly won't. But the power influx that you will get by touching it will burn every cell in your body. Your body is extremely frail and would be unable to handle the stress of handling divine powers. Especially after we gave whatever little nectar and ambrosia we could to ensure you didn't die. If you touch your weapon right now, it will feed you power to strengthen you. But your body won't be capable of taking it, making you spontaneously combust. I would like that you don't do it, lest my efforts of making you stay alive go waste."
"Of course, ma'am," I replied hastily.
Not even Hestia could make one feel so irrevocably guilty, even if they hadn't done anything. But Rhea was her mother.
"Good. Now, I will bring you some soup, and you will eat it all like a good boy. Am I understood?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Rhea nodded and left the room, making me breathe a sigh of relief, feeling like I had just weaved my way out of a stern tongue-lashing.
After a couple of days, or what I hoped to be a couple of days, I had finally healed enough to stand on my own feet outside the water of the tub. I still didn't know what the water in the tub was, but it was doing wonders. My powers still refused to comply, though, even if my senses seemed to have returned.
I could feel Rhea and Leto, who were only a few feet to my left, just outside the cave. I could feel the things in the room.
As I walked a few steps, I immediately stumbled before balancing myself by grabbing the wall of the cave.
With a deep breath, I willed the Tempest Dormitor to turn into its stick form. The ring on my hand morphed into a stick with a dragon head that had rubies for its eyes. Using it as a support, I slowly walked a few steps forward, going toward the dressing table in the room.
I instinctively flinched at my appearance.
#Holy Chaos. You look terrible.# Alexander said as he, too, took in my appearance.
I looked as if I'd lost twenty pounds I couldn't afford to lose. My hair was a rat's nest. It was singed at the edges like Hephaestus's beard. If I saw that face on somebody walking down a highway intersection asking for money, I would've locked the car doors.
I shook my head before picking up the silver watch, my watch, which had been placed on the table. Oddly enough, there was not a scratch on that thing. I ignored it and wore it on my wrist. My armor necklace was nowhere to be seen.
#Rhea probably has it. The armor isn't important, Percy. You have its most important part. My warrior's helm. The armor is replaceable.#
'You'd say that,' I retorted as I rang my fingers through my hair, trying to make it presentable.
#There is a comb on the table.# Alexander said dryly.
'It's probably Rhea's or Leto's. I am not using those. I am imposing as it is.'
#Rhea will probably have your hide if she heard you say that.#
"She would," I muttered before slowly walking outside.
The cave opened onto a green meadow. On the left was a grove of cedar trees, and on the right, a huge flower garden. Four fountains gurgled in the meadow, each shooting water from the pipes of stone satyrs. Straight ahead, the grass sloped down to a rocky beach. The waves of a lake lapped against the stones. I could tell it was a lake because… well, I just could. Freshwater. Not salt. The sun sparkled on the water, and the sky was pure blue. It seemed like a paradise.
I took a deep breath, and my heart soared in the fresh air. It seemed… heavenly.
"—his beloved sword properly, at least a third of its power must be sealed. Even at full health, his body will be burnt to ashes if he directly touches his sword." Rhea's voice drifted through the wind.
"What concerns me the most is how he acquired such a powerful weapon. And if you didn't notice, the shield on his arm was Coeus's shield, Rhea."
#Someone is behind the times.# Alexander commented.
"I indeed noticed that. Either he defeated Coeus, or it is an excellent replica gifted to him by the gods. Hephaestus would be capable of creating such a shield, after all. And for the sword… it is not a gift, but it was created by the boy himself. The weapon thrums with the boy's energy and resonates with it. Much like a god's own symbol of power would resonate to the god."
"That should not be possible," Leto said. "He's a demigod, Rhea. A powerful demigod but still, a demigod. For him to have his own symbol of power… That, too, such a powerful one, is— I refuse to believe it. And a demigod defeating Coeus is impossible."
There seemed to be a pregnant pause in their conversation before Rhea spoke again.
"It might have something to do with him destroying the scythe. It was, after all, one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. But for the boy to destroy it… even as it was being forged, speaks of greater powers than we are assuming the boy to have. For, all we have seen him is at his weakest."
"I do not want to know the boy's strongest if that is his weakest. His aura is enough, even now, to probably have alerted every monster in an area the size of Delos. Had it not been for Artemis's and Apollo's protections over this island, we would've been swarmed with monsters."
"I do not know why you're worried, though," Rhea said. "The boy is Hestia's champion. My daughter, all of them, are excellent judges of character, especially Hestia. And if I am not mistaken, your— ah! That's why. I understand your feelings, Leto."
"The boy addresses Artemis with a familiarity that I've only seen Apollo do. And I can tell that she is close to the boy, Rhea."
I blushed.
Artemis and I were just friends.
A scene of Artemis leaning in closer to me brushed my mind. I could feel her warm breath on my lips. Our bodies were almost touching. Her vanilla-cinnamon scent dominated my olfactory senses before I shook it off, grumbling at Alexander, who was snickering.
#She almost kissed you, dude. Come on. You have wooed the goddess of maidens. The Eternal man-hater!#
'She is not a man-hater!' I defended vehemently. 'It is just a stupid title she got for defending girls in an age when they were considered inferior.'
#Aww, Percy. So protective.#
I refused to comment on it, as I opted to walk further toward the lake I could see in the distance. Gravel crunched under my slippers as I carefully walked toward the lake before propping myself on a sizable rock at its shore. I closed my eyes as the tip of my toes touched the water, sending a jolt of energy through me.
Not as good as seawater, but still, something.
A few minutes later, I felt the two Titanesses walking closer to me, making me open my eyes.
"So, you are awake?" Leto called, as she came to a stop behind me.
"Yes," I replied as my cane leaped from the ground, back into my hand before I used it as a support to stand on my feet to face the two ladies.
Leto seemed to be eyeing the cane in my hand, while Rhea was calmly looking around.
"Where did you get the cane," Leto spoke with an edge in her voice.
It still startled me how uncanny her resemblance to Artemis was. I had never seen such a striking resemblance among any gods. If I saw Leto and Artemis in their adult form, standing together from a distance away, I would be incapable of telling who was who.
"This, my Lady, is the Tempest Dormitor," I said amiably.
"The storm tamer. You said it was a weapon." Leto said briskly, still keeping an eye on the stick in my hand.
'She is even more cautious than her daughter. To think of it, Artemis had just checked my weapons once or twice before deciding she would be able to beat me with ease if it came to it. Leto, on the other hand…'
#Leto isn't a warrior like Artemis. And you're a complete unknown to her. And to add to it, she thinks something is up between you and her daughter. Which is completely true. Her maternal instincts are rightfully acting up.#
I refused to respond to that comment as I lifted my stick and willed it to morph into a war hammer.
The weapon responded accordingly, as its weight and size grew until I held a war hammer, half my height, in my hand. My arm nearly buckled from the weight before I grabbed it with both hands and slowly rested its head on the ground.
I frowned internally. I could lift ten times this weight effortlessly. Why was I having a problem with lifting a war hammer? That, too, my war hammer?
"Silly boy, your body is recovering. You barely have the strength to walk, much less swing this hammer around." Rhea seemingly answered my query as she chastised me.
"So, it has the ring, the stick, and the hammer form," Leto concluded, ignoring me being chastised by Rhea. "The stick form seems rather unnecessary to me if you ask."
I felt my lips curl into a smile as I willed the sword to turn into a scythe, making the Titaness jump. A moment later, it morphed into a sword, followed by a trident, and a beautiful bow, before turning back into its stick form.
I looked at Leto's gaping face and suppressed a laugh from breaking out. It won't do to laugh at a Titaness's face, who just happened to be Artemis's mother, that too in my current condition.
"Where did you get that?" Leto demanded.
"It was a gift from my father for killing Coeus and battling Atlas before freeing Artemis from the sky."
Leto opened her mouth before closing it with an audible snap as she digested the last bit of information.
"My daughter was kidnapped!?" She demanded. "Who dares!"
"Atlas and Coeus," I replied dryly. "One of whom fell to my blade, and another, who fell back under the sky, thanks to Artemis's help."
"Why do I feel that is only a few of your feats?" Rhea said, her eyes glimmering once more. "Both the deeds you speak of are no mere feat. Beings, a lot more powerful than you have run at the sight of the General of Titans. And you claim to have battled him that, too, having killed Coeus."
"I did. I goaded Coeus into a one-on-one fight and killed him. I even punched Atlas off Mount Othrys. I have Coeus's shield as a spoil. Atlas, on the other hand, didn't go down. But before he returned, I took the sky from Artemis so she could fight him." I replied, half-affronted.
Why did they think I was lying to them?
#Puh-lease, Percy. They aren't accustomed to the 'I am Percy Jackson, and I perform impossible feats for breakfast' thingy. Give them time.#
Rhea pursed her lips.
"You can ask any of your kids if you want. Even Zeus."
Rhea smiled sadly. "From the past some time, Delos seems to have been cut off from the outer world. Iris messages no longer work, and neither can I send messages telepathically. From what I can guess, it is even being shielded from the sight of gods."
"Since how long?" I questioned.
"Time, as I said, is a difficult thing in Delos. For all I know, it has only been a few months out in the mortal world, while it has been more than a couple of years in Delos. It all started after I came here. And now, we cannot teleport out. Or leave the island, it seems."
"It is definitely less than one year in the mortal world since Delos was cut off," Leto mused. "Artemis and Apollo make it a point to visit me at least once a year, mortal time. If they couldn't come here… they would've taken steps, I am sure."
"How are you both so calm about this? You both are trapped on this island and cannot leave!" I exclaimed.
Rhea gave a tinkling laugh at that. "Child, it is best for us both to stay here, especially with my husband awakening from his slumber. He might not appreciate my presence now, would he?"
I just shrugged.
"And, believe me, a couple of years for you might be a long time, but for us titans, it is nothing. Just a few grains in an hourglass." Rhea added, patting my shoulder. "Whom I am getting worried about is you. You are Poseidon's son, and thus, if I am not mistaken, the child of the Great Prophecy."
"Yes, I am," I replied carelessly. It was a part of my life and I had long accepted it. I was destined to be the child of the prophecy from the very minute I was born. Probably from the minute I was conceived. There was a reason that Alexander was sent to me, wasn't there?
"And you are what? Fifteen?" Leto questioned.
"Almost. I will be in a month… mortal time."
#Don't worry. These temporal differences won't change your age. Your birthday remains the same.#
'That makes no sense. I will age a month here, even if it is a couple of days in the mortal world.'
#It is something to prevent divine beings from messing with time to mess with prophecies and such. What is destined will always be destined. Some points in destiny are irrevocable and unchangeable regardless of human or divine action. Much like you going to Mount Saint Helens. They are absolute points of destiny. One absolute point is birth, and one is death or immortality. And then, there are some in between. They act like a framework between which fate is weaved by human and divine action.#
'Interesting.'
"So the Great Prophecy will come to pass in a year or so from now," Rhea said, breaking me from my conversation with Alexander. "Tell us, Perseus, what has been happening in the divine world? The only thing I received in months was the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. I do not know much."
"Yes, tell me more about you rescuing my daughter. And whatever has come to pass since then."
"Well, it all started like this..."
ARTEMIS POV
Thunder rumbled as storm clouds covered the eternal city of Olympus under the rage of the sea god. Wild winds blew through the streets, making the Nymphs and Satyrs run back to their houses. Shopkeepers downed their shutters while the street hawkers barricaded their makeshift businesses as they glanced fearfully up the mountain.
I walked through the streets, my hair blowing wildly in the wind as I barely paid attention to those around me.
Thunder rumbled again in the sky before drops of rain began to fall from above.
I flinched as the cold drops hit my face and arms, drenching me.
But they hid my tears.
Only if Percy had been here—
I continued through the streets, uncaring of the howling winds and rain. In the distance, my palace stood, barely visible through the sheen of rain. As I walked forward, my feet sank into the mucky ground, water running down my body.
Pushing the door open to my Palace, I trudged in, sloping wet before closing the door and collapsing on the floor with tears streaming down my cheeks as wrecked sobs broke through.
No god could sense Percy. Not even Hestia or Poseidon. Even Zeus couldn't sense him, nor could my brother. We didn't even know if he was alive or—
'No, he's not dead. He's Percy. He promised me he'll come back to me. He isn't dead.' I told myself, breaking the line of thought as hot tears burned down my cheek, in sheer contrast to my wet, damp clothes. 'Percy will not be killed by something like a volcanic eruption. He was immune to fire. He had survived fighting Titans. He had journeyed through the underworld and the sea of monsters and returned. A volcano won't kill him.'
The fire in the Hearth of the palace flared a bit, drawing my attention to it. The fire was dim and low, only visible because it was the only light in the dark.
The hope of Olympus at its lowest.
'But not gone. Percy is alive. Just missing. He will return. He has to. He promised.' I thought resolutely, repeating it to myself.
It was a mantra. A prayer to a higher power. A power higher than the gods.
Suddenly, the palace lit up as sunlight brightly streamed through the windows. The Hearth flared in height, from embers to a semblance of a fire.
Did— did they have news about Percy? Had he returned?
A fire burned through my veins, as I stood up, my attire changing back into its pristine form as I closed my eyes and teleported back into the throne room.
Poseidon stood in the middle of the room, gripping Hades by his shoulder.
"— Sure Percy isn't dead?"
"No, brother. I assure you that your son isn't dead or anywhere near the underworld," Hades replied.
"Then where is he?"
"That, I do not know. But I assure you, Perseus is still in the realm of the living. Had he died from the explosion at the forge, I would've known by now. His name isn't in the list of the deceased as compiled by Thanatos."
My heart soared. Percy was alive.
Now, where was he?
PERCY POV
An hour later, I found myself in a comfortable bed, my limbs aching as my muscles groaned in protest. My body was incredibly frail. Whatever I had done seemed to have a negative impact on my body. I couldn't even lift things properly, let alone fight.
#Your body is incredibly weak right now, which is concerning. It is rebuilding itself under my direction, but it will take time, and not to mention, practice, to get back into shape. It is a rather annoying setback, that mortal body of yours.#
'Excuse me?' I asked, affronted.
#Gods don't have such problems. We heal rather fast and our mortal forms can handle divine strain, unlike yours. You would have to retrain your muscles. Had it not been for me, it would take months for you to return in the shape you were, that too under very strict dietary and exercise requirements.#
'How long will it take now? To return into shape.'
#With my interference, a month. Give or take. Thankfully, we are in Delos, where time flows much faster than in the mortal world. How fast, I cannot precisely tell, though.#
'What is the estimate?' I asked, knowing that Alexander could take a guess at that if he couldn't predict it precisely.
#Five to nine times faster. So… at the very least, one day in the mortal world will be five days in here. So… if I had to guess, it has been around three days in the mortal world since you destroyed the scythe at the forge. Give or take.# Alexander replied, making me sigh in relief.
If I stayed here for a week(mortal time), I would recover enough to be back in form.
#Percy, that water you were in, the magical one, might help you recover phenomenally faster, though. It heals you like nothing I have seen before. Much like Nectar and Ambrosia, but without its negative effects. #
'So, find that source of water?' I asked.
#Not now, though. Regain a bit of your strength and powers. As your body heals, the powers are becoming more and more accessible. Your bone structure is back to its previous integrity. Your muscles, on the other hand, need some aid in being rebuilt. A lot of them were burnt off by the divine power you channeled. I am working on them, but they have to be built by exercise and stuff.#
I ran my fingers through my hair before sighing.
There was little I could do with my body in such a state. I suspected that had it not been for Alexander, it would've taken something about a year to get back into shape. Had I been mortal, it would've taken even longer.
#Indeed. Though, it is not your fault. If anything, I was the one who told you to destroy the scythe. And, it was something important. Trust me, that scythe in the hands of my father would be nothing less than a recipe for disaster. That scythe amplifies his power exponentially, which you certainly want to avoid. And it can swat blows from the master bolt like one swat flies… okay, that was a little exaggeration. But you get the point.#
'Yes— Yes, I do. But, what of my storm-rider?' I asked.
#Not a worry. I will reconfigure the binds it had, bringing it back to how it was. We opened the binds on it, Percy. I had intended to do it slowly and steadily as you age. This was something I was forced to do. Also, a third of a bind would be proper, as Rhea said. Maybe a forty percent bind would also do for the time being once you recover and reduce it to thirty-three when you get completely healed.#
'Training starts tomorrow morning?' I questioned.
#We will take it slowly, but yes. Don't worry, Percy. You will be back in shape in no time. Your memory and skills are intact. You just need to retrain your muscles… when they come back. The divine backlash literally burned through them. But, as I said, you will be back to being Percy Jackson, the Titan-slayer, within a month or so.#
I gave him a nod and closed my eyes. The road to recovery might take a little time. But it was still better than nothing.
AND… DONE!
Merry Christmas to everyone and here's your Christmas gift! I sincerely hope you all enjoyed it!
A huge thanks to Mezox, Ultimate Gamer and Nanu for betaing this chapter!
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So… Artemis has finally realized her feelings for Percy, who is currently stuck in Delos with his grandmother and future mother-in-law and is on the road to recovery.
And before you all start pestering me, I will make a few details clear.
1. Percy's condition: The divine energy he channeled, along with the backlash of the destruction of the scythe, burned his cells and destroyed a considerable amount of Percy's physique. He was basically overloaded with godly energy, a little short of what was needed for spontaneous combustion.
2. The time in Delos: It flows much faster as compared to time in the mortal world. A similar thing happens in other divine places like the Sea of Monsters, Underworld, the Labyrinth, Ogygia etc. in canon. So… Well, same for Delos.
3. Rhea and Leto: They just stay in Delos and are not imprisoned there by the gods. But, currently, they are unable to leave since the events of the Titan's curse to be precise as per my story. The two have been there for more than 2 years Delos time and for about 5 months, mortal time. The gods are unable to see them. More about it later in my story ;).
4. Thyella Kavalris(Storm-Rider): It is now like Percy's own symbol of godly power. Currently, as it has all its binds open, it is too powerful for Percy to hold. If he holds it, the effect will be akin to a demigod consuming a lot of nectar. He will burn up due to the excess energy the weapon gives him. Currently at full power, it is as powerful as a younger Olympian's weapon, but out of the league of the Big-Three weapons. Still a long way to go for that.
5. Rhea's power: She is the most powerful amongst the female Titans in mythology… so, the same here.
6. What's next: hums spoilers spoilers spoilers.
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Walter: Yes, the blade Percy destroyed was the scythe of Kronos… which was once in the form of the back-biter. Now, here(and even in the canon, I suspect), the back biter was an incomplete scythe which the Telekhines were completing for Kronos. And… I do not understand the loyalty part of the question but loyalty to Kronos had nothing to do with the destruction of the scythe.
Lukejmontier1: Not really. Mermen and mermaids are all a type of monster who would reform in Tartarus unlike humans and demigods. So, all Percy slayed were sea monsters. Slaying a mermen is the same as slaying a cyclops with a fish tail in my opinion.
The Last Kenpachi: Well, Percy is already aware of the fact that he has a crush on the moon goddess. ;)
.Prophet.123: I hope I explained the fate thing well in the chapter. And… no. This has a reason that you will understand in the next couple of chapters. Percy has to end up in Delos. Also, I do not see how this story is going the same as canon tbh especially with so many changes including Percy not going to the quest for the Labyrinth.
Regtech: Percy was not questioning Alexander needlessly. You do realize that there was Typhon, the father of monsters trapped under that mountain and an explosion of the magnitude Percy was asked to do would wake Typhon up from his centuries long slumber?
PokemonAndPJOFanboy: It is not really a slowburn… it is medium-slow or mediumburn, I would say. And, I do not want to rush into the romance part like most authors do. It is frankly disconcerting how fast some stories rush into the Pertemis romance.
Aaaaaoh: That is a while away, I am afraid.
Sankarea396: Okay, lemme make this clear here. Artemis is the goddess of maidens and not a maiden goddess. Hestia and Athena are Maiden Goddesses. Artemis in my story, is the goddess of maidens. It is a domain, not a vow. She just hasn't preferred to break it. Even in mythology, she took an oath from Zeus that he would never have her marry forcefully like the Aphrodite-Hephaestus wedding.
Ladis11: Leto is not really strong in terms of power. She is much like Phoebe, I would say. Rhea is a bigger deal.
KryptonWrites: So, umm… Thank you, but no offense, I am totally going to ignore the Apollo-thingy you suggested as I am not into TOA neither is the idea appealing to me. For me, Percy Jackson ended at The Blood of Olympus. And as for the recap… just come to my discord server, we will figure something out. Because, I WILL release a recap, but at the end of the TLO arc.
And… This story is already in the Top 50 favorites list in PJO fandom. And in top 25 as per follows. Thank you for making me realize that 3
ReallyReading: Hestia doesn't know anything about Alexander. Only the Fates do… and Liekos, but he doesn't count.
Moose3333: I do not like extreme slowburns, I am sorry. This pace, I feel, is perfect. Percy and Artemis will be in an dating-only stage till TLO though. They will get serious afterward… not hinting at smut or anything here though or even a suggestive scene. They will be serious in their feelings.(Much akin to Percabeth in canon) This is a strictly T-rated fic.
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That's all! Thank you for your reviews! We will be meeting again next year, in 2023!
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Also, join my server, House of HPfanfictioner66, to interact with me directly, and also, I will be posting pictures of the characters there, so you all can get an idea of how they look.
Link: discord . gg / 4qfP3fxdQ4 [Remove the spaces please]
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As of this moment, I have five main stories. They are:
1. The Rise of the Last Potter: My Novel length Harry Potter fic which is already 300k+ words long and it is a work in progress. Updated Regularly.
2. The Legend of the Son of Poseidon: A Novel Length Percy Jackson fic which is already 250k+ words long and it is a work in progress. Updated Regularly
3. Loved Ones Skipping Stones and Ice-cream: A fluffy Haphne one-shot. It is completed obviously.
4. SECRETS: Another romantic one-shot I published recently. Complete as well.
5. Agent Potter: The Wizard of W.A.N.D. - My new spy!Harry fanfic which I implore you all to read!
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Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep Smiling! Keep Reading!
HPfanfictioner66