Join My discord, Y2J3Gttmc6

As Percy ended the Iris Message to Nico, his fingers were trembling. The metallic sheen of the misty rainbow dissipated, leaving Percy alone in the dimly lit house. The weight of what he had just done settled upon him like a heavy cloak. The room seemed to close in around him, suffocating him with the gravity of his actions.

The silence had enveloped him as he sank into his chair, which was the only witness to the internal struggle playing out on his face. His breaths came out as shallow bursts, the distant sound of the jubilant camp and New Rome outside his house served as a stark contrast to the turmoil within him. The pictures on his walls, adorned with the memories he had of all his adventures, from both camps. They felt like silent spectators who were judging the unprecedented turn that Hero of Olympus' life had taken.

The glow from the dim lit, light fixture had cast a long shadow across his face, which emphasized the lines that had been etched by years of battles and the burdens he had bore as a demigod son of Poseidon. The shadow of the demigod who he had just crucified had become a haunting symphony, a reminder of the world outside that had just witnessed an act of violence from a hero known for his restraint.

Percy's gaze had lingered on his hands, the very same hands that once held Riptide, with a sense of duty and purpose. They now had felt tainted by the very essence of a demigod's demise. Riptide was on his house's floor, covered in the demigods blood.

As he sat in that solitary hour, the images of the brutal encounter replayed in his mind like a relentless nightmare. The desperate pleas of his opponent, and the final, irreversible strike, all etched into his memory with painful clarity. It was a departure from his usual method of handling threats, leaving him questioning the boundaries between self-defense and ruthless aggression.

His mind became a battlefield, torn between the rationalizations of war and the morality that had guided him until now. Percy Jackson, the hero who had faced gods and monsters alike, now found himself grappling with the harsh reality of demigod existence where survival often came at the cost of one's own principles.

The silence of the house was broken only by Percy's heavy sighs and the distant echoes of footsteps outside. Time seemed suspended, and as the quiet contemplation stretched into the depths of that lonely hour, Percy couldn't escape the profound transformation he had undergone. The demigod who had once believed in mercy and second chances now bore the weight of a choice that echoed through the fabric of his identity.

The demigod rose from the chair and went to shower, after which he went to the beach, the sun had started to set, Percy watched the sunset and saw the moon starting to rise. The demigod let out a small sigh and watched the waves crash against the beach.

A figure approached the demigod, the aura of the figure gave of hope. "Lady Hestia." Percy greeted. "How are you feeling Percy?" The goddess asked, Percy looked at her "I'm fine" He lied, he wasn't, his mind was a battlefield due to what he had done, Hestia looked at him "Don't lie to me."

Percy let out a simple sigh, Hestia sat next to him. "I just tortured and killed another demigod and it weighs on my mind, I'm not like that, I don't just kill for the thrill, what I did was wrong." The goddess looked at him and pulled him into a hug "Percy you're a kind hearted man, you were wrong and you did what you felt was right at the time, but know you feel like you were wrong and I will not lecture you on it as the gods have done the same for millennia."

Percy sighed, he stood up and looked at her "Aunt Hestia follow me." he spoke, he lead the goddess to where he had put the demigod up on the cross, with the help of Hestia, he took the demigod down and took him back towards the sea, where Hestia and Percy sent the demigod out into the sea and gave him a proper death send off, hopefully his mind would now be level. Percy spoke "I didn't know you very well, but you killing Reyna, the daughter of Bellona doesn't justify what I did, so for that I am sorry and I hope the judges judge you on all of your life just not that small thing you did, rest in piece, Eli son of Ares." Hestia gave a small nod to Percy, "Shall we get you home so you can get some rest or you can come to Olympus and sit with me at the hearth."

Percy gave the goddess a small smile and took her up on the offer to Olympus, Hestia grabbed his shoulder and they travelled by flame to just outside the Hearth, they sat there all in the warmth. Percy and Hestia talked for awhile, all about Percy growing up and when he told her how Gabe treated him and his mother, you could see her eyes light up in anger, he then told her about them turning him into stone, which the goddess laughed at, Percy opened up to Hestia about all of his time at both Camps. The highs and the lows. Gaining friends and losing friends. As they spoke, a bond grew between the pair, they became as close as best friends would. Hestia went to ask Percy a question, however he was now asleep peaceful around the Hearth so she summoned a pillow for him as well as a blanket, she put the pillow under his head and the blanket over him, she decided to lay next to him and she fell asleep as well.

"When the two awoke the next morning, Percy turned to Hestia and gratefully told her 'Thank you. Thank you for listening to me and helping ease my worries.' Hestia gave him a smile that was reminiscent of Sally herself. 'Don't worry about it young hero. You have done much for my family and think of this as me repaying you.' The two shared a smile and sat up.