LAST TIME

"Artemis," Percy said before I could. "Do you regret kissing me?"

"No," I breathed. "No, I do not."

His grip on my hands tightened. His eyes shone brighter as a small smile appeared on his face.

My gaze dropped down to his lips and I curled my fingers around his.

"I regret not doing it sooner," I whispered softly.

Percy's eyes lit up and he stepped closer, leaning forward.

The surroundings seemed to melt away. The only thing I could see were his eyes that shone brilliantly. All I could hear was my own heart thumping against my chest.

My eyes dropped close, as I felt his breath on my lips.

His lips met mine, his arm curling around my back, pulling me closer.

I melted into his embrace, my fingers curling into his hair.

Time seemed to stand still, as we held onto each other. Whatever was going to come would come. But we were in it together now.

Ch.45 Roses and Thorns

PERCY POV

#DUDE! YOU KISSED ARTEMIS!# Alexander's loud shout rang in my head, startling me awake.

"What the hell?" I flinched upright. 'Alexander?'

Stars twinkled in the sky outside my cabin's window. The sound of my ragged breathing and the crash of the saltwater in the fountain echoed through the room.

#Yes, yes, it is me.# Alexander said dryly. #And the first thing I saw when I came back was that you kissed Artemis! And not once. TWICE!#

'Slowly,' I chided as his shout rang in my head. 'You woke me up from sleep. Also, when did you return?'

#About ten minutes ago# Alexander said impatiently. #You were asleep so I decided to see if anything important had happened. And it did! I went away for a couple of weeks and you already have a girlfriend! Heck, you had your first kiss minutes after I left.#

'It just happened,' I told him. 'Well, the first one did anyway. Where were you, by the way? You just disappeared after saying you might have a way to end Kronos.'

#You're changing the subject.# Alexander tutted. #But yes, I did go away. I needed to confirm a few things and get some more information.#

'So, what have you got?' I felt a thrum of excitement rise in my chest. 'A way to remove Luke's invincibility?'

#Not exactly.# Alexander coughed. #Kronos is invincible as long as he is in Luke's body. Unless you find his mortal spot— his Achilles heel, you cannot kill him.#

'That is… unhelpful,' I frowned. 'We already knew that. You even said drowning him wouldn't work as he would just blast the water away. And blunt force too is useless against the blessing.'

#That is true# Alexander said. #But that's not why I had gone away. It turns out that the blessing of Styx isn't just invulnerability. It gives additional speed, strength, and even agility to the bearer. One of the reasons Achilles could face off against armies by himself. But, it comes with its downsides too.#

'Yes, yes,' I threw off my blanket and slipped out of bed. 'Losing yourself in bloodlust, becoming a merciless killing machine, extreme bouts of irrational hatred, getting tired faster and what not.' I listed off. 'I already know all of that.'

The chill of the floor seeped through my socks as I walked to the window.

#Precisely.# Alexander said. #But these things have a… well, kill switch, let us call it. It is not just the physical spot that ties the bearer to the mortal plane. There is something more… Something on a deeper, emotional level.#

Outside my window, moonlight streamed through dark clouds, casting a silvery glow around the pavilion. The hearth burned softly, Hestia nowhere to be seen.

'Like love?' I asked.

#It could be anything.# Alexander said. #It is the thing most important to the person. For Achilles, it was his mother who kept him tethered through his life. As long as the person remembers it, they can be in control.#

'And your point is?'

#That Luke is still somewhere in there. His soul cannot be destroyed as long as his body exists.# Alexander replied. #If we find the thing that keeps him tethered, we can bring Luke back in control.#

'And then what?' I frowned. 'Convince him to kill himself?'

#Only Luke knows his own mortal spot.# Alexander said. #Only he can tell you where it is.#

'With all due respect, that is the worst plan I've ever heard.' I scoffed. 'You think Luke of all people would just agree and change sides? Not to mention, kill himself to kill Kronos?'

#No, it is a very slim chance, I admit.# Alexander said. #But this is… well, the safer plan.#

'I am open to every option, Alexander.' I kept my gaze on the hearth burning in the distance. 'As long as I can protect them all.'

#Well, Kronos is inhabiting Luke's body. A mortal body, hosting the full essence of the most powerful Titan.# Alexander said. #Even with the Curse of Achilles, the body is too fragile. Sooner or later, it will burn down and disintegrate.#

'That's what my dad said.' I remembered Poseidon's words on my birthday. 'He said that and you left.'

#Yes, I did.# Alexander agreed. #Luke's body will burn. But if the Titan Lord is in control when it happens, it is possible that everything mortal around him, including you, will be turned to ashes. But, if Luke's in control when that happens, there is a high chance that it will interrupt Kronos.#

'Killing him instantly?' I felt hope burn through my chest and spread like the warmth of the hearth.

#I wish it were that simple,# Alexander snorted. #No, if Luke is in control, his body will begin to burn but he will still be alive.#

'What are you saying?' I asked. 'If his body burns, he'll die.'

#Not immediately,# Alexander said. #It'll take a few seconds for his body to disintegrate completely. At that time, he will be mortal and most importantly, vulnerable to something powerful enough to land a fatal blow on him.#

'Thus killing Luke,' I realized. 'And, in turn, Kronos.'

#It will be a very short window and a one-time opportunity.# Alexander added. #This will happen even if Kronos is in control. But I am afraid that the resulting explosion of power will blow you to ashes.#

'And kill me,' I said.

#Only if Kronos is in control.# Alexander repeated. #And it is a possibility. There's a chance I might be able to protect you enough to save your life. If you remember, Tethys went nuclear on you and I saved you. But I'd rather not risk it with Kronos.#

I hummed, glancing at the moon shining in the sky.

'Will the Thyella Kavalris be powerful enough to kill Luke?' I asked after a moment.

#Yes,# Alexander said. #I will open every bind on it in the next few months. By the time your sixteenth birthday rolls around, it will definitely be powerful enough.#

'That's good,' I said, watching my reflection stare back at me from the window. 'Now—'

#Uh-huh.# Alexander said. #Artemis and you. Let's talk about that.#

PERCY POV

Sunlight streamed through between the leaves of trees, casting spots of sunlight on the ground underneath. I trudged through the undergrowth, leaves and pebbles crunching beneath my boots.

"Do you think anyone knows about us?" My voice cut through the silence of the forest, ringing through the trees.

"Maybe," Artemis leaped over a fallen log. "I am pretty sure my brother foresaw it. He did keep asking an awful lot of questions about you a few months ago."

"He did?" I felt a sharp sting, like a knife twisting beneath my ribs. "Should I be worried?"

Artemis turned around, a grin tugging on her lips. "Don't tell me you're scared of my brother, Percy."

"He is overprotective of you," I stepped over the log. "And I don't want to fight your brother. Apollo's cool and a nice guy— even though a little too talkative. And he keeps asking me to take archery lessons with him. Shoot at Target boards from the Sun chariot."

Artemis laughed. "That would be a—"

"Aww! I just want to teach you to shoot an arrow!" A cheerful voice rang through the forest. Sunlight shone brighter and Apollo appeared, floating next to a tree. "I feel like a haiku—"

A silver arrow flicked past me, embedding into the trunk of the tree.

"No haikus," Artemis' silver bow disappeared. "If I hear any more of those awful—"

"Hey!"

"—poems, I will lose it." Artemis' silver eyes bore into Apollo. "And if you ever give me a haiku singing arrow again, you will find it shoved up your ass."

Apollo flinched. "Yeah, it wasn't my best gift. But you did once give me a bow that cussed like a sailor."

'What?' I looked between the twins. 'Singing arrows? Cussing bows?'

The corner of Artemis' lips twitched. "Apollo, what are you doing here?"

"I heard my name," Apollo appeared next to me and slung an arm over my shoulder. "This one called me cool. So, naturally, I had to appear." He gave Artemis a broad grin. "Also, believe me, you cannot go wrong firing arrows at Target stores from the sky. I have blessed those signs myself!"

"He cannot fire an arrow at point blank range, much less from miles away." Artemis rolled her eyes. "And that's not an insult. Believe me, we've tried."

"We have," I confirmed. "I stood three feet away from the target. The arrow still went backwards."

"It is a curse," Artemis' voice took a sharp edge. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you, Apollo?"

Apollo frowned, putting a finger to his lips. His eyes turned to me before he looked back at Artemis.

"I don't remember cursing him or anyone in the past few years." Apollo said. "I don't just go around cursing people."

"Then who did?" Artemis frowned. "His shooting is unnatural. Even if we tried, we wouldn't shoot a shot like he does. His arrows fly in the opposite direction, defying all sense and laws."

"You should probably consult with a sorcerer then." Apollo grimaced. "I can heal a lot of things but magic is not something I deal with often." His gaze turned to me. "I would've recommended Hecate but seeing her might not be the best option right now."

"She has sided with the titans." I sighed. "As most non-Olympian gods have. So, probably the worst option right now."

"We have a few on our side," Apollo muttered. "Zeus got all the wind gods to protect Olympus. And Nike is with us. So is Tyche."

"Victory and Fortune." I smiled. "That's the best news I have heard all week."

Apollo raised an eyebrow.

"Is it though?" His eyes flicked between Artemis and me, his eyebrows waggling.

"Regarding the war," I felt my heart drum against my chest. "About the other thing—" I glanced at Artemis who gave me a nod. "I have something to tell you, even if you might already know. Artemis and I are… dating."

Apollo nodded. "I know. I have always known."

"So, we are cool?" I asked.

Apollo drew himself up, his eyes brightening. Sunlight prickled my skin. Around us, fallen leaves curled, darkening.

"Let me warn you, kid. If you hurt—" Apollo paused, shaking his head in frustration. The heat faded away, and his eyes dimmed back to normal. "What am I doing? You're Hestia's champion and your fatal flaw is loyalty. You're not going to hurt her. I should've planned this."

"Probably," Artemis winked at me. "Despite being the god of prophecies, you aren't good at planning things out."

Thunder rumbled in the sky.

"I keep telling you one day I will plan the greatest wedding of all time for Hermes," Apollo looked up. "It is in our pact of friendship." His blue eyes darkened. "I have got to run. See you two lovebirds later."

The sunlight brightened, and leaves around us smoldered as Apollo dissolved into the light.

I curled my fingers, snuffing the sparks out.

"Something must have come up," Artemis muttered. "I can't believe you got out of a shovel talk from my brother because you're Hestia's champion."

"Well, I will never hurt you," I walked closer, putting my arms around her neck. "I promise."

"I know," Artemis smiled and pecked me on the lips.

Thunder rumbled in the sky and we jumped apart.

"That's a council meeting being called," Artemis shot me an apologetic look. "You should get back to the camp."

"Alright," I waved. "I do have some work myself. Have fun."

Artemis gave me a smile, her body glowing silver. I closed my eyes as she flashed away, leaving me in the clearing.

#You should get going with your plan now.# Alexander said. #You should get Annabeth and Beckendorf. Manhattan is a big place. If you want to—#

Alexander stopped as I felt a presence in front of me. Light rippled in a rainbow of colors and Chiron's face appeared.

"Percy," he said. "Where are you?"

"Danby State Forest," I frowned. "Why?"

"I need you to get back to the camp," He said. "There is a metal dragon loose in the woods somewhere."

"A… metal dragon?" I repeated slowly.

"Blame the Hephaestus cabin," Chiron muttered. "Another one of their inventions gone rogue. It flew off into the woods a few minutes ago and it can breathe fire. The Satyrs are going crazy here and so are the nature spirits. We need someone immune to fire."

I winced. "That would be bad. I'm on my way. Keep them in control till then, won't you?"

PERCY POV

A clear blue river gushed down the hill, reflecting the light of my Thyella Kavalris. I stood at the edge of the water, spinning the sword in my hand, drawing circles in the silt.

#Remember, Percy. You're the son of Poseidon.# Alexander said. #You're the son of their patron god and protector. You just have to find a brave and loyal enough nymph to lead your spy network.#

'Are you sure I should do this?' I touched the tip of my sword to the water. 'I have Artemis and Pan. Artemis has her own network established for years.'

#Yet she has no control over the water.# Alexander pointed out. #Yes, they do listen to her and help her out at times because she has always been kind to them. But you will have more authority than her over any water spirit and not to mention, pose a bigger threat. Water spirits can flee from Artemis but they can't run from you.#

'Artemis would win if she wanted to,' I told him. 'She is the huntress. And she can evaporate lakes with a single arrow if she wants.'

#That is true but it is still an 'if'. If Artemis uses her divine arrows. If she chooses to take the hunt seriously.# Alexander said. #Against Artemis they have a chance to flee. A hope. Against you, they don't have that luxury. Hope is a powerful thing, Percy. It is one of the most powerful weapons.#

'It was the only thing left in Pandora's box,' I remembered the myth. 'Elpis. Hope. The thing that remained with humanity. Its weapon against all evils.'

#Indeed.# Alexander said. #Now call the river spirit out. Test them with the power of the hearth. Nature spirits are usually purer than mortals so if she has turned, you did know.#

I tightened my grasp on the hilt of the sword, calling to the sea. I felt a tug in my gut as my sword glew faintly at the edges.

The river churned under my power as the water for miles around came under my control. I felt everything in and around the river. The water rose in little waves like the sea.

I felt a slight ripple in the water and I smiled.

A spout of water blew up in the air and a pale blue nymph rose from the water, her eyes wide.

I dropped my power over the river, and the water gushed back downhill.

"My Lord," her voice wavered, her eyes drifting to my sword. "Is– Is there a problem?"

"No," I willed the Storm-rider back into its bracelet form. "I just need some help from you. What's your name?"

The nymph's eyes widened and she bowed. "I am Despina, my lord."

I remembered the flames of the hearth, allowing its power to wash all around me. The nymph relaxed and smiled widely as the air around me warmed, smelling like chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven.

"Call me Percy," I said after a second. "I have a request for you, if you're willing to aid me."

"Anything you command, my lord." Despina kept her head bowed.

"You can feel free to refuse." I told her. "First, I need to know how are your relations with water spirits in and around New York?"

She blinked. "Other water spirits, my lord?"

"Yes," I said. "If one of you spots a monster army, or something dangerous, will it be possible for you to inform me?"

Despina gulped, nodding. "Will you come to protect us, my lord?"

"If I get the message in time, either me or one of my friends will come." I said. "Does something trouble you?"

The nymph shuddered.

"My Lord," She glanced around fearfully. "There are whispers among the water. The old lords of the sea return."

"I know," I grimaced. "I faced Oceanus and Tethys a while back. Even killed off a few old gods. I was there when Oceanus and Tethys declared their return and intentions for a war."

"We have heard, my lord." She bobbed her head. "How you have faced off armies of darkness. How you made the old gods tremble."

"Tell me more about these whispers," I coughed. "About the old gods."

"They ask us to turn our backs on your father, my lord." She shook like a leaf. "To join them or die. They send envoys. Old monsters who forged their weapons come to us and threaten us. If some nymph doesn't appear, they pollute her waters with filth. Make them sick!"

The water around her swirled, the edges of her chiton melting into the waves

"That's bad," I flinched. "Tell them that I will protect them. If the monsters come, contact me. I will arrive as fast as I can. If I am too late and they pollute the water, I will purify it. Spread the message to the other nymphs and water spirits."

"You will, my lord?" The nymph's eyes glimmered. "How— how do we call you?"

"Pray to the rainbow goddess Iris." I said. "Tell her you want to talk to me. I will pay for the Iris message on my side."

"You're too kind, my lord," she beamed.

"But you have to tell me if you spot monsters on land too." I reminded her. "You needn't do it if you spot one or two. But if there are several, I would like to be informed immediately."

"I will spread the word, my lord," she disappeared into a spout of clear water.

The water splashed back, creating ripples through the water.

'That's one thing done,' I stepped away from the water, summoning my trident back to my hand. 'Alexander, you wanna unlock a bind here?'

#We unlocked one last week.# Alexander said. #We should wait till next month to do another.#

'You have two more binds on this thing,' I told him. 'And next time I kill a titan, it is just going to grow stronger.'

#We still have eleven months, Percy.# Alexander told me. #Let's at least wait for a couple of weeks more. I want you to practice more and control the flow of power. The Thyella Kavalris will amplify your power so you must work on control. The bigger leaps we take, the harder it will be to relearn finesse.#

'Alright, I will practice,' I sighed. 'I should probably go somewhere safer, especially if I am practicing with fire. Artemis won't be happy if I burn a forest down.'

#You could put it out too but let's stick with a safer spot.# Alexander snorted. #Don't want to make your girlfriend angry, do we?#

'Shut up.'

PERCY POV

"Your strategy isn't bad," Athena's eyes ran over the miniature battlefield in front of us. "If the enemy doesn't adapt quickly, they will be slaughtered. But your left flank might suffer losses."

"Not if they play defensive. They just need to keep their attention long enough for this—" I moved several figurines across the field. "To do this."

"This is boring," Ares declared, propping his feet on my currently empty chair. "War doesn't have ideal situations. Sure, formations help but it comes down to the warriors and their teamwork. Any formation can be broken and no strategy is fail-proof."

Athena pursed her lips. "Strategy can help prevent losses. Minimize the deaths."

"If they fail, it turns into a slaughter," Ares said. "The punk can sit here and learn strategies all day. What he needs to do is actually practice with troops. His troops."

"He isn't wrong," Athena snapped her fingers, rearranging the battlefield. "You need to run drills."

"No, he needs to face off against actual enemies," Ares scowled. "Drills won't prepare you for the real thing. Nothing works if you freeze on the battlefield."

"I doubt any demigod will just freeze," I commented. "In-born battle reflexes, remember?"

"They won't move as a troop if they act on reflex," Athena said. "The whole point of troops is to act as a unit rather than an individual. Gr— Demigods are much more suited to acting individually than as an army. They can manage within a small group, but not with scores of people."

"What choice do I have?" I frowned. "We will be divided into multiple small units, manning each and every entrance to Manhattan. Every group will have fifteen to twenty demigods. If they fight freely, they'll be slaughtered."

"What you need is an able commander," Ares said. "Or commanders. And you cannot be one of them. Neither can the Thalia girl."

"What do you mean?" I frowned.

"You'd make a good commander," Ares said. "But you're not meant for it."

"What Ares is trying to say is that you will fight better alone." Athena glanced at the god of war. "With your powers, you're an army-killer. You can rip through the enemy if you don't have to care for those around you. It will take the load off the other fighters."

"Flashy, destructive fighting," Ares gave me a blood-thirsty grin. "And you have to handle the titans who might be leading the army." Ares sobered up. "And of course, the Crooked One himself."

"Wonderful." I muttered. "The more I think about the war, the worse it gets."

"I have faith in you." Athena said. "I didn't train you for nothing. Remember, it all will come down to you. It must."

"The Great Prophecy," I said. "My great burden."

Athena's eyes darkened. "It is fate, Percy. You can still make a different choice though. There is always a choice."

"Yeah, and the other choice sucks." I pointed out. "I am not becoming immortal and abandoning Olympus and my friends. The war is mine and I will be dealing with it when the time comes."

Athena's eyes took a sharp glint and a smirk tugged at her lips. "Exactly."

I ran a hand through my hair. "It still bothers me." I told her. "It keeps me up at night, you know? How many of my friends will die? Are our numbers going to be enough?"

"We don't know," Athena smiled sadly. "Hopefully, it will all turn out to be good in the end. We all know that it is going to come down to this. The Titan Lord will come for our thrones and the only thing stopping him will be you demigods. Try as you may, it is inevitable."

"Can't we just cover the elevator or something?" I asked. "If it is the only way to Olympus and you cannot cut down the elevator, just… block it with something."

"You could," Athena said. "But eventually, everything will fail. At best, it will keep the Crooked One busy for a few minutes."

"What if someone stays up here and keeps the elevator doors from closing?" I asked. "If the doors don't close—"

"They will," Athena declared. "It is a magical elevator."

"But what if a person stands in between, stopping the doors?" I prodded.

"Doesn't matter. As long as someone can access them, they can use them." Athena rolled her eyes. "Get away from the elevator option, Percy."

"Right," I muttered. "Anyhow—"

Thunder rumbled loudly in the sky, cutting me off. Athena frowned and walked to the door, pulling it open.

"Father," Athena stood straighter and Ares got to his feet as Zeus walked into the room.

"Ares, Athena, I need to talk to Perseus." Zeus' electric blue eyes latched into mine immediately. "Give us some privacy."

Athena looked between us, before walking out of the door, Ares following behind her.

As soon as Ares stepped outside the doors, they banged shut with a gust of wind from Zeus' hand.

#Bow to him.# Alexander said.

"Lord Zeus," I bowed. "To what—"

"I need you to do something for me," Zeus cut me off. "With the return of the Titan Lord, the other Titans have surfaced." Small arcs of lightning curled around Zeus' fingers. "And to add to it, many minor gods have turned their backs on us."

Thunder cracked in the sky.

"I know," I muttered. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to make an example out of those who have turned." Zeus clasped his hands behind his back. "Take anyone you want and get a quest."

"Very well," I nodded. "I'll take Athena and Artemis. We will—"

"No. Demigods only." A tendril of lightning flitted across his beard. "If I wished to send Athena or Artemis I would've just ordered them. I am ordering a quest. A quest for heroes."

I froze.

"You want me to lead a bunch of demigods on a quest to hunt down gods and titans?" I asked slowly. "That too, without any godly support?"

"You cannot take a god with you," Zeus gave me a pointed look. "You are allowed to pray for divine help like you do on any other quest. We will answer as long as it is not us appearing in person."

"Why?" I frowned. "No offense, but it seems… like a bad decision to not send your best fighters— the goddess of war and goddess of the hunt out to do this. Between us three, it will be a slaughter."

Thunder shook the room.

"I do not answer to you," Zeus growled. "This is my order, son of Poseidon. I do not have to explain my decisions to you."

"You want me to get Hestia and then explain?" I raised an eyebrow, staring into Zeus' eyes. "Because I am not leading my friends on a quest to hunt gods unless I know exactly why."

Zeus' jaw tightened. The smell of ozone stung my nose as thunder cracked outside the room.

"Because Olympus has to send a message." Zeus drew himself up, the tendrils of lightning around his fingers dying. "A message to every god that turned their backs on us. To all our enemies."

"That doesn't answer my question." I reiterated. "Why not Athena and Artemis? Why do you want me to lead demigods?"

Zeus's glare bore into me. "You're more insolent than your father."

"I will not back down, Lord Zeus." I told him. "I mean no offense. But I refuse to lead my very mortal friends on a quest to kill gods without an excellent reason. Not when I can choose two of the greatest fighters in the world to do this. And I know that if Athena, Artemis and I go, we will have our enemy trembling."

Zeus stared at me for a moment and I stared back.

A moment later, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Because the Titans and their allies are banking on Typhon's freedom," He spoke. "They know that if we don't contain Typhon, he will rip apart everything in his way. With Poseidon busy in his own war and Hades being… away, we will need every Olympian to contain the monster. So, when the titans attack Olympus, all that will stand between them will be demigods."

"So?" I tilted my head. "We've known that for ages."

"What you do not know is that it is the reason many turned." Zeus opened his eyes and thunder rumbled in the sky. "Demigods are not considered to be in the league of threat that Olympus is. You might've fought and killed a few titans. But to them, you're one single demigod."

"So if I lead a quest with demigods to hunt down these gods—"

"It will prove otherwise," Zeus said. "It might make many reconsider their stance. Even if they don't support Olympus, there is a chance that they'll not support the titans either. Either way, they will know that even without the Olympians, Olympus is a force to be reckoned with."

I felt myself nod at that.

It made sense. Most minor gods had turned their backs on Olympus and joined the titans. All Olympus had were the Olympians and a handful of loyal gods like Iris, Nike, Pan, Tyche and the wind gods. That being said, not even all of the Olympians were available.

My own father was busy with his own war under the ocean.

#If you do this, it means you will have lesser enemies to face when the war breaks out.# Alexander said. #Either you pick them apart or scare them off. The result turns in your favor.#

"Is this reason good enough for you, son of Poseidon?" Thunder rumbled in the sky.

"It is," I told him. "If nothing, I will have a few less enemies to face."

Zeus's eyes softened. "It is for the best if you face my father when he is alone. Even in his weakened state, he will be an enemy to be reckoned with— even for us gods. His control over time makes him a near impossible enemy to beat."

I nodded in agreement. I had seen the fight of the Titanomachy through Alexander's eyes. Kronos had stood his own against all the elder Olympians even with Alexander actively negating Kronos's hold over time.

#Accept it formally.# Alexander said. #Tell him you would lead the quest.#

"I will lead the quest then, Lord Zeus." I declared.

"Good," Zeus said. "We gods will guide you whenever and wherever we can. Choose your group— either of three or of seven members and prepare. You'll get a quest from the oracle by the Equinox. May the fates be with you, Perseus Jackson."

AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter!

So… twists and turns as the war heats up. It is going to be fun!

In canon, it always bugged me that there was nothing between BoL and Last Olympian. It was a straight up year's leap if not more. There was no build up of war. I am going to remedy that. The arc won't be too long, of course but I will build the excitement up. And of course, there'll be romance.

Some of you might be wondering why Zeus behaved differently than he did the last time he met Percy. The answer is simple. During their last conversation, Zeus was Thalia's father. In this one, he was the King of Olympus.

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Colewoodbury: You might wanna reread mate. I have written a whole lot of words for the titans curse. Atlas vs Percy amongst other things were a part of it.

Watermelon guy: I truly have no idea what these are. First time I heard of these… is it by chance an anime?

Patrickmgrimm: In a way, yes, you could compare it to the Egyptian gods… I don't have much of an idea about them tbh, but yes, it would be something similar to Moon Knight of Marvel.

Guest: Mate, Percy absorbs power when he kills gods through his sword. I don't know how you missed it.

GokuBlackSSJR14: In canon, Rick just took a one year leap so, yes.

Hmisphres: I honestly loved that line. And I love his movies.

Arata7kasuga: I am not showing every moment in the main story. But I have plans which will be revealed in the due course of time.

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Thank you for all your reviews!

A huge thank you to Anax for betaing the chapter.

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Please try out my other stories. They're all on my profile and I hope you all will enjoy those too.

I have also created a discord server with the help of my two very good friends. I really hope to see you all there and have fun with you all. There, you can communicate with me, ask me questions regarding my fics, look at the character images, get sneak peeks, give your own theories! Come over and check it all out yourself!

Discord Server Invite Link: discord . gg / 4qfP3fxdQ4 [Remove the spaces please]

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