"STOP IT, ARES!"
Percy, despite being held in a chokehold, managed to turn his head ever so slightly. His eyes caught a glimpse of a teary-eyed Haley on her feet, face contorted with anger. His heart pounded as he realised it was she who had shouted.
Ares didn't loosen his grip. "Why should I?" he taunted, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "It's time I got my revenge from all these years ago."
"Let. Him. Go," Haley commanded, her voice low and compelling. Surprisingly, Ares' sneer faltered for a moment, and then, reluctantly, he released Percy, who collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
Percy struggled to his feet, his eyes darting between Ares and Haley. "I-I don't get it. The first night, at the bar-"
Ares scoffed. "Well, how else was I supposed to respond? I had to follow your lead to avoid suspicion, we all did."
"We?" Percy questioned, still in shock.
Haley's face was pale, but she stood her ground. "Percy, there's something you need to know."
Ares crossed his arms, leaning against the wall with a smug expression. "Go on, Haley. Tell him the truth."
Haley pointed a murderous glare to Ares, before sighing. "Look Percy, we haven't been completely honest with you. The major gods, along with Hades and Hestia are all disguised in this town as villagers. It was the only way we could get close to you without you, you know, running away."
Suddenly, everything made sense. The friendly nature Leah radiated that made Percy feel at home; that was Hestia. Percy having to stay at the wizard tower wasn't due to it being convenient for space, it was to avoid his injuries being seen from the mortals including Dr. Harvey. It explained why Sam-Apollo, had never questioned the divine properties within his blood. And Haley; her divine beauty, her relationship with Ares, her charmspeak. It meant she had to be Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The one who played with hearts.
He felt sick.
"Is this some kind of joke to you?" Percy spat, his eyes locked onto Haley. "Did you enjoy playing with my emotions?"
"No, Percy, it's not like that," Haley—Aphrodite pleaded, stepping closer. "I care about you so much. Everything we shared–it was real to me."
"Real?" Percy laughed bitterly. "You're the goddess of love. Your entire existence is about manipulation."
Aphrodite's eyes filled with tears. "I-I never wanted to hurt you. I just wanted-"
"You just wanted to see if you could toy with my emotions, wrap me around your finger even after what happened with Annabeth?" Percy shook his head. He felt the weight of betrayal beating him harder than Ares' physical one had. "At least Ares and the other gods had the decency to not manipulate me when I was clearly in a vulnerable state. You're–You're the worst of them all."
Without another word, Percy turned to leave despite the pain. Ares tried to stop him, but with a scream, a blast of energy erupted from Percy's outstretched hand, sending Ares flying backwards. Percy didn't understand how he managed to do that but at the moment he didn't care. He ignored Aphrodite's pleas for him to stop, his mind red with rage. He needed to get away, to clear his head. He ran straight to the beach, recalling the events that triggered his arrival to Stardew Valley in the first place.
"Please Annabeth, you don't have to do this."
Annabeth sighed, before sitting up from the bed she and Percy were laying in. "I know, but you and I both know we need as many people as we can get, and I'm the best strategist out of all the demigods. I have to be there."
"But Annabeth, the baby! I know you sure as hell can still handle yourself, but surely even you know that you're not as fast as you used to be. If you get hurt-"
"Percy, I'll be fine. Besides, I won't be fighting in the front lines like you guys, I'll just be guarding the tree at the back of camp and no one is getting there unless, well, everyone dies." Annabeth said, with a slight waver in her voice near the end.
"Well, that's reassuring." Percy replied sarcastically, to which Annabeth just smiled and kissed his forehead.
"Hey, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right where I always am—right beside you, even if it's from a distance this time." She gently took his hand, placing it on her stomach. "Our little one needs to know that their mom is a fighter, and so is their dad."
Percy nodded, his worries easing slightly with her words. "Okay. But promise me, Annabeth, if things get too dangerous…" Percy pulled back slightly, reaching into his pocket and taking out a shimmering pearl. "Here," he said, pressing it into her hand. "It's my last one. If things get bad, smash this, and it'll take you straight to the beach, safe from the battle. Promise me you'll use it if you need to."
Annabeth looked at the pearl, then back at Percy. "I promise," she said, her voice soft but determined.
With that, they lay back down, Annabeth's head nestled against Percy's chest, her hand resting protectively over her belly, fingers intertwined with Percy's. His other arm wrapped around her back, holding her securely. Percy's chin rested gently on top of Annabeth's head, feeling the softness of her hair.
Percy was going to keep Annabeth safe, whether or not that meant him dying.
Camp Half-Blood had never been more crowded in its history. Its border had been increased massively with the assistance of the gods, along with multiple facilities being built in order to accommodate the additional thousands of demigods within the premise. Demigods from all cultures in every part of the world trained tirelessly, determination and anxiety for the upcoming battle palpable in the air.
Inside the Big House, the atmosphere was just as intense. The main representatives of each major pantheon (due to them having the most power) was limited to the Greeks, Romans, Norse and Egyptians, and were all gathered around the war table, their expressions grim and resolute. Maps and scrolls covered the surface, detailing the layout of the camp, enemy positions, and potential strategies.
Hazel and Frank sat down as the roman representatives. Unlike Percy and Annabeth, who'd taken a break from all training for two years due to college, Hazel and Frank had continued leading their camp as Praetors, continuing to improve their combat skills. Magnus and Alex represented the Norse demigods, their training for doomsday finally nearing. From the Egyptian pantheon, Carter and Sadie Kane, their amulets glowing faintly, were likely two of the stronger fighters in camp due to being hosts to gods directly. Lastly, Percy and Annabeth sat together, hand in hand, their own rapport speaking for themselves.
As the leaders got settled down, Chiron cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "We have one day before Khaos and her army arrive. We must finalise our strategy and ensure every demigod knows their role. This battle will require all of our combined strength and unity. Annabeth, can you give us a rundown on the abilities of Khaos and her army?"
Annabeth nodded, her expression steely. "The army is likely to consist of a creature called the Wendigos according to our scouts, a deer-hybrid with razor sharp antlers and arms. They can withstand extreme amounts of pain, so multiple hits will have to be dealt to fully kill them. There will likely consist of a total of five thousand wendigos, their large numbers being due to Khaos channelling all monster spirits around the world into them. With ten thousand demigods to our name, we likely won't be able to defeat them alone despite us outnumbering them two to one as some demigods belong to weaker pantheons than others. However, with every pantheons' gods assistance, we should likely be able to defeat the wendigos easily."
"The main problem will be Khaos herself though. Her sword fades people out of existance. For every immortal being she fades, her power increases. For better or worse, she has managed to defeat every single immortal that is not on our side, meaning we won't have interference from other immortals but she herself will be a lot stronger. Her powers include telepathy, teleportation through bending the laws of physics, and energy manipulation. However, with the gods' assistance, we should be able to wipe most of the Wendigos fast, before we have multiple gods going against her at the same time. Since Percy bears the curse of the River Styx once again, he'll be the only one allowed out of us demigods to attack her due to him being less prone to getting killed." Annabeth said, before discussing formations and positions for the battle tomorrow.
As the meeting adjourned, the representatives dispersed, each carrying the heavy burden of leadership back to their respective groups. They had one day to prepare for the greatest battle of their lives, and failure was not an option.
"Where the fuck are the gods?!" Percy shouted angrily to no one in particular. This was starting to get ridiculous; He could see from the distance that Khaos' army was approaching, and yet none of the gods had come to their aid yet. If they didn't come immediately, they were going to be absolutely demolished.
Once the army approached within a kilometre of campgrounds, Percy realised they were not coming to their aid. Chiron had left an hour ago, promising to be back within ten minutes with the gods but clearly something had intervened meaning they'd just have to deal with the army all by themselves, and Percy was not liking his odds at all.
"Percy, we can't wait any longer. They're already approaching the border." Annabeth shouted to Percy over the commotion caused by surrounding demigods. She was right. He was going to have to start the charge. Percy stood up on the commander platform before turning his attention to the demigods.
"EVERYONE, LISTEN UP, THE GODS HAVE DECIDED TO LEAVE US BUT WE DON'T NEED THEM TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THESE DEER MONSTERS. WE'RE STRONG ENOUGH UNITED, AND WE'RE DOING THIS NOT FOR THE GODS, NOT FOR OUR PRIDE BUT FOR OUR LOVED ONES. TODAY WE MUST FIGHT FOR VICTORY, MUST FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL AND WE WILL COME OUT VICTORIOUS. CHARGE!" Percy yelled, and with his final command a large battle cry rung throughout the waves of demigods before they charged
Once all the demigods had passed Percy's position, he jumped off the stand and walked towards Annabeth and embracing her.
"I love you so much, seaweed brain."
"I love you too, wise girl."
With those final words, Annabeth ran towards Thalia's tree, near the general post and Percy charged into battle.
For a moment, everything seemed to be going great. Percy led the charge with unmatched ferocity, his sword, Riptide, flashing through the air as he cut down wendigos left and right. The demigods rallied behind him, their morale bolstered by his presence. Frank, in his massive animal forms, tore through the ranks of wendigos, while Hazel summoned precious metals from the ground, turning them into lethal projectiles.
Magnus and Alex fought side by side, the formers sword cleaving through the wendigos while the latters shapeshifting abilities kept the enemy off balance. Carter dominated enemies in Horus' form, cleaving through the ranks of enemies while Sadie opened the Du'uat below multiple wendigos at once, causing them to disappear into oblivion.
Annabeth directed the demigods with precise commands from behind, her strategic mind help guiding the attack. She stood near Thalia's tree, her eyes constantly scanning the battlefield, ensuring no flank was left unprotected. The demigods, despite their varied backgrounds and abilities, fought as one, their their collectiveness keeping them alive.
The wendigos, for all their ferocity, fell in droves. The demigods' coordinated attacks and superior training began to show and the ground was littered with the remains of the monstrous creatures. The air was thick with the sounds of battle—clashing weapons, war cries, and the roars of wounded beasts.
Percy's heart pounded with a mixture of adrenaline and hope. For the first time, it seemed they might actually have a chance. The demigods were holding their own, and the wendigos' numbers were dwindling. Every swing of Riptide brought down another foe, and with each fallen wendigo, the demigods' confidence grew.
As Percy fought, he glanced towards Annabeth, their eyes meeting briefly. In that moment, he saw the same determination and love that had always driven them forward. She gave him a small, resolute nod, and he returned it, feeling a surge of strength.
But just as victory seemed within reach, the ground beneath them began to tremble. A low, ominous rumble filled the air, and the remaining Wendigos paused, almost as if they sensed something. Percy's blood ran cold as he realised what was happening.
Khaos had arrived.
The battlefield fell silent as a dark, swirling vortex appeared in the distance. From it emerged a figure shrouded in darkness, her presence radiating a terrifying, overwhelming power, causing the weaker demigods to cower automatically, giving the wendigos an easy kill. Khaos, the primordial of creation and destruction, obsidian hair and eyes, had come to finish what her army had started.
Percy tightened his grip on Riptide, his knuckles white. This was the true test.
"Well well well, it seems that the gods haven't come to help their own children, how sad." Khaos sneered. She twirled her void blade, pulling matter into it as she spun it around. "WHO'S THE LEADER HERE?!"
Percy knew he was the only one capable of even attempting to duel with Khaos due to his invulnerability, and so he ruthlessly slashed his way through the waves of Wendigos until he reached Khaos.
"I, PERCY JACKSON, SON OF POSEIDON AM AND YOU WON'T PASS UNTIL I DIE!" Percy shouted as fiercely as possible.
Khaos simply laughed. "I admit, demigod, you're probably even harder to kill than most gods because of the curse you bear. However, I guess you're just going to be stabbed in every part of your body until I find your weak spot!"
With a sudden burst of movement, Khaos lunged forward, her movements fluid and precise. Percy barely managed to sidestep the attack, his reflexes kicking in just in time. Immediately, Percy knew he was completely outmatched. Khaos's strikes were faster than anything he had ever faced, each blow carrying the weight of cosmic fury.
Percy danced around Khaos, his own sword a blur as he tried to find an opening but Khaos anticipated his every move, effortlessly parrying Percy's strikes with a grace that did her chaotic essence justice. With each clash of their weapons, Percy felt the impact reverberate through his arms testing his mentality.
"You fight well, demigod," Khaos taunted, her voice a melodic echo amidst the chaos. "But you cannot deny the inevitable."
Percy gritted his teeth, refusing to yield. He ducked under a sweeping arc of Khaos's blade, narrowly avoiding being skewered. The force of her attack sent shockwaves through the ground, cracking the earth beneath their feet.
Desperation fueled Percy's next assault. He lunged forward, aiming for Khaos's exposed flank, but Khaos spun effortlessly, her cloak of darkness billowing around her like a tempest. She countered with a lightning-fast jab that Percy barely managed to deflect, the impact sending sparks flying.
As the battle wore on, Percy's movements grew sluggish, causing Khaos to land multiple slashes and stabs to him which thankfully just bounced off his skin. He internally thanked the curse because without it he'd been chopped into a million pieces by now. If Annabeth hadn't been his anchor, he surely would've disintegrated in the river by his second attempt.
Just as he finished that thought, Khaos started to grin. "Thank you for making it easier for me to kill you," She snickered, before teleporting away. Percy was puzzled, wondering where she had gone. It was then he realised he had made a fatal mistake. Using her telepathical abilities, Khaos had read Percy's thoughts about Annabeth being his anchor and now was going after her to destroy the foundation. This way, Percy would be easier to kill. Swearing under his breath, Percy sprinted back to the camp grounds, heart pounding with fear as the image of Annabeth, pregnant and wounded, fueled his every step. As he rounded the familiar bend near Thalia's tree, his worst fears materialised before him.
There she was, his anchor, sprawled on the ground. Annabeth's once vibrant eyes were clouded with pain, her blonde hair matted with sweat and dirt. She had suffered a stab through her leg, and was crawling weakly, trying to gain distance between her and Khaos who was right behind her. In her trembling fingers clutched the pearl Percy had given her.
But before Annabeth could use it, a chilling laughter cut through the air. Khaos, with a malevolent grin, brought her sword over her head before stabbing Annabeth straight through the heart, reaping her soul.
Percy's eyes widened in horror and screamed in despair. Time seemed to freeze as his world shattered into a million pieces. He looked at her lifeless form, disbelief and grief crashing over him in relentless waves. She was gone forever.
But there was no time for Percy to mourn her death, as Chaos quickly approached him. This time, Percy managed to be on the attacking side, his strikes fuelled with rage. But despite his best efforts, Khaos simply raised her hand before blasting a beam of energy at him. Dazed, he didn't even have time to react before a sharp pain seared through Percy's side, Khaos having landed a swift stab which pierced through his stomach, causing him to collapse.
Gasping for breath, Percy knew he couldn't win this fight especially without his invulnerability. His vision blurred, the world spinning around him. In a last desperate act, he snatched Annabeth's fallen pearl right next to him, and before Khaos could react he smashed the pearl to the ground.
In an instant, the world dissolved around him, replaced by the disorienting sensation of teleportation. Percy felt the familiar pull of the sea as he vanished from the battlefield, leaving behind the cries of battle and the scream of frustration from Khaos. He knew he had escaped death, but at a cost that weighed heavier than his own mortality.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Annabeth." Percy's mumbled before he passed out.
Percy woke with a start, the taste of saltwater and sand in his mouth. His eyes fluttered open to the sight of the familiar beach at Camp Half-Blood. Groaning, he pushed himself up, wincing as pain shot through his stomach where Khaos had stabbed him. The wound was deep, but he couldn't care less right now.
Struggling to his feet, Percy stumbled towards camp, his heart heavy with dread. As he approached the familiar border, his nightmares were realised. Camp Half-Blood lay in ruins. Buildings were reduced to rubble, and the air was thick with the smell of death.
Percy's steps faltered as he surveyed the situation. There side had been completely annihilated. Bodies of fallen demigods littered the ground, their faces frozen in expressions of pain. He recognized most of the faces—friends and allies who had fought beside him.
He shouted out for survivors, but only silence responded to him. Finally, Percy's legs gave out beneath him, and he sank to his knees in agony. Tears welled up in his eyes as he realised the amount of people he had lost: Frank, Hazel, Thalia, Annabeth, the list went on.
He clenched his fists, fighting back waves of grief and guilt. If only he had been stronger, faster—if only he had found a way to save them all. But in the end, he wasn't good enough. Without the assistance of the gods, he was never going to defeat Khaos.
Not wanting to be surrounded with the guilt of his fallen comrades and loved ones anymore, he ran out of camp, into the streets of New York. The battle had included every single demigod in the world, yet they still couldn't beat Khaos' army. With them all dead, Percy knew he could never return to camp ever again,
Because there was no more camp to return to.
AN: So that's what happened in Camp Half-Blood. They all died except Percy, and the gods who had promised to meet with them didn't in fear of fading themselves for each enemy they killed because once you break the ancient laws, anything that kills you will make you fade.
Chiron survived because he was in Olympus with the gods, who ordered him to stay. In the background, Percy swears to never help the gods ever again, and Chiron sends him to Stardew Valley. Mortal helpers like Rachel were also not part of the fight.