A chorus of battle screams resounded across the entire woods of Long Island. Teenagers between the ages of 12 to 18, dressed in Greek and Roman armor and weapons, determinedly advanced in formation toward their enemy. They had formed ranks among each other while following the leaders of each camp against Gaea's forces.
Percy, Zoe, Leo, Jason, and Piper were the only ones who weren't in formation. The son of Poseidon was making a straight line for the primordial of the Earth while the daughter of Atlas stood behind to cover his back from long range. The last three were making their way toward the bronze dragon that had somehow survived the explosion of the Argo II.
"Make sure to follow the plan," Percy told Zoe before charging at the sea of monsters.
Zoe gave him a nod before pulling on the string of her bow with an arrow already in place and shooting down an earthborn. Percy quickly rolled between the monsters' ranks while slashing and stabbing anything that got into his reach zone. He would slash a monster's kneecaps before twisting his body or rolling to avoid an attack from a monster and engaging another.
While the daughter of Atlas kept her distance from the monsters while shooting arrows, she still kept an eye out for the trio of demigods that had gone for the bronze dragon. She knew that she couldn't kill them, but she needed to stop them at all costs if they want their plant to work without letting anybody die.
Zoe kept shooting arrows at any monster that was trying to attack Percy's blind side or from his back until she saw the trio flying on a celestial bronze dragon. She mentally cursed as she knew that she had to bring the dragon down or its riders. Just before Zoe could do anything, a giant boulder came flying from the nearby hill with direction toward the dragon, making the robot glide down and drop to the floor to avoid more flying boulders.
The daughter of Atlas was quick to advance toward them as the Latino boy cursed in Spanish about not being able to get the open opportunity while his other two companions were in silence. Zoe quickly hopped on the dragon's back before pinching Piper's neck making her pass out. Jason felt the sudden weight of his girlfriend's body on his back but before he could do anything he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head before his vision turned black.
"Wha-what?" Leo said as he noticed his companions pass out and the former lieutenant of Artemis being responsible for them.
"I can't let you interfere with Percy's plans," Zoe stated before hitting Leo on his throat with her fist and hitting the back of his head with the butt of her dagger. "Hope you understand that he did it for you all, even for that blonde bimbo," She muttered before having to jump off from the dragon as it was trying to attack her for attacking his master and friends.
Percy for his part was still working on automatic as he killed every monster that came within his reach. He would slash with his dagger before beheading them with riptide or block with riptide and stab them with his dagger. He would also use his powers over water to soak himself in vapor to re-energize himself and continue battling.
"You still think you can defeat me scum?" Gaea taunted as she threw a boulder at Percy.
The son of Poseidon had to roll over to the side to avoid being crushed by the boulder. He quickly shot up to his feet in time to parry a spear from an empousa before slashing her throat open with his dagger.
"Even if the challenge re-energizes me, I can't do this forever, I am still tired of the battle in Athens," Percy thought to himself as he stab a cyclops through the knee while twisting to body to avoid the pounce from a hellhound. "Not to say that I still need to perform the ceremony right after the battle if I want to keep the power away from the gods,"
Percy was brought out of his thoughts when his sixth sense went off making him duck under a swipe from a trident before stabbing the telekhine with his dagger. He was quick to parry the strike from a battle axe from a cyclops with riptide while severing the hand with his dagger. The cyclops roared in pain for a second before a black arrow to the head made him completely stop before turning into dust.
The son of Poseidon looked over the direction from where the arrow had come from and saw Zoe on top of a tree with her bow drawn out and a pissed off, bronze dragon curled protectively over Jason, Piper, and Leo. Percy understood that Zoe was successful in stopping Leo and his plan giving him the green light for his own plan.
Zoe gave a nod to the son of Poseidon before she quickened her firing rate to create a clear path for Percy. The son of Poseidon nodded back before following Zoe's path directly toward Gaea.
The moment Percy finally made it to the primordial goddess of the Earth, the ground trembled making the monsters and demigods stop to a halt. They looked over to the primordial and demigod standing at the very top of a hill. The son of Poseidon had riptide drawn out along with his new dagger that nobody knew where he had gotten it from. The primordial was cockily smirking at the situation in front of her thinking that it was going to be easy, but she couldn't have been more wrong.
"Came here to die or swore your loyalty to me? Huh?" Gaea arrogantly stated as the earth around her feet changed into the shape of a throne made out of smooth stone and jewels. "Not even your stupid gods combined can rival me, what hope do you have against me?" She manically laughed, sending shivers up the spines of the demigods.
Giving credit where credit is due, Percy wasn't faced by Gaea's taunts or incredible power. He knew that if he wanted to defeat Mother Eart he would need to get under her skin and make her commit mistakes.
"You surely are cruel for being Mother Earth," Percy's statement caught her and everybody by surprise. "Ever since I can remember, I was taught that Mother Earth was a caregiver and sweet being," Gaea's smirk and smug look dropped and for a moment she looked pained by his words. "But all I see is a sour and crazy woman trying to have revenge on the gods for the fact of ending Kronos and his reign of chaos,"
Gaea didn't like Percy's words and her aura flared up tremendously making everybody drop to their knees. Percy may not be on his knees but was having a difficult time not letting his knees succumb under Gaea's tremendous aura.
"You think you know about anything, Jackson?!" Gaea shouted as the Earth trembled in response to her anger. "My children were killed and imprisoned by their children and even their own brethren! You expect me to not do anything when it comes to those shitty Olympians hurting my family?!"
Percy struggled to keep his breathing equal but was able to respond. "No, I won't understand the pain that you had to go through at losing your children," He said through gritted teeth before taking a deep breath and straightening his posture. "But you should have seen that they were in the wrong,"
Gaea scuffed at Percy's words as her aura slightly diminished. "You seriously think that my children's reign was as bad as your pesky gods have told you? You know nothing of those times," Percy and every demigod were confused by Gaea's words. "Why do you think it was called "The Golden Age"? For vanity? No! It was because we lived in harmony with one another until my son Kronos had his children and they wanted freedom,"
Percy and the demigods were seriously confused and shocked by the primordial's words. Was everything they were told by the gods lies? Was The Golden Age seriously that, a golden age for them until Kronos just swallowed up his children because of his father's curse?
"My son Kronos was the best leader that there was, so much more than fucking Zeus," She spat Zeus' name as if it was poison. "He was a great leader by treating everyone equally until his paranoia about his children dethroning him made him go mad. He ate his children to prevent that from happening but it directly led to his children wanting revenge for that not thinking about the consequences of their actions. They convinced Titans to join them by giving them false promises that were mainly fed by Zeus."
Gaea's anger had turned up as she continued to tell Percy the truth. "Zeus made promises he couldn't keep and that is why he incarcerated all of the Titans at the end of the war. To prevent them from influencing humanity and telling the truth about the war. Your king influenced everyone with lies and threats. How do you think he got the throne? By being a considerate and great leader? For fucks sake no! He got it with blackmails and threats, nothing more!" The sky rumbled and lightning came down directly at Gaea but a wall of rocks surrounded her and Percy to prevent the furious god of lightning from hitting them. "You see? He doesn't want the truth to go out. He poisoned the minds of everyone and made the world worst with his reign... that is why I had my children, the giants, to dethrone him but I was eventually defeated by not being prepared,"
By that point, Percy didn't know how to properly react to Gaea's words. He could tell that she wasn't lying by the fact of Zeus' behavior of trying to shut the primordial and the way Gaea was talking too aggressively against Zeus.
"Why do you think the Titans wanted to go against the gods once again? It wasn't just because of their betrayal, but because they know what the golden age truly was before Kronos went mad because of my ex-husband's curse on him... But now, now I can bring back this world to what it truly was," Gaea said with a smirk as the walls around them collapse and things settled down for once, leaving the entire woods in silence.
Nobody talked nor move, not even the monsters did. It was really mindblowing what they just heard come from the primordial goddess of the Earth. It wasn't like they could call her out that she was lying because none of them knew if it was actually true or not. They only knew what the gods and Chiron told them during their years growing up.
"So... you are saying that Zeus did this? He ruined the world?" Gaea nodded as if it was obvious. "But then why do you want us mortals gone? Or use us as slaves?"
Gaea scowled at his worlds as if they were venom. "Why not? Mortals may have been the creation of Prometheus but they are the source of the gods' incredible power. However, any being upper of a god, we don't need them to exist, our domains keep us alive and you just keep harming the Earth and everything on it," She sneered and Percy couldn't help but agree at her words.
"Even if your words are true about the Golden Age and Zeus ruining the world," Percy said as he cracked his neck and took a deep breath. "I can't let you kill and torture innocent people because of him,"
The primordial of the Earth just smiled cruelly as a sword made out of a reddish-black metal appeared in her hand. "You sure you don't want to rethink your choice, Perseus?" The earth around them started to move to only create a small path for Percy. "I'll give you one final offer. One that will be to your liking,"
Percy didn't respond to her words and just adjusted his grip on his blades.
"I'll let you live alongside those you cherish the most. Your mother, step-father, unborn sister, and even that annoying huntress that escape Tartarus alongside you," Gaea offered but Percy could tell that it was an empty promise. "All you have to do is fight for me and kill these annoying, insolent, and punny demigods. You have the power to kill most Olympians if not all of them after you stole Hyperion's powers,"
Percy's body tensed at the mention of gaining Hyperion's powers. It should have been impossible for Gaea to know that he gained her son's powers unless he somehow let them out and she noticed them.
"W-what?"
"Oh, Perseus, you don't have to act like you don't know about it," Gaea said with a cruel chuckle. "You somehow gained Hyperion's powers and are almost fully immortal but still need permission." The sky rumbled even more as lightning struck the ground evaporating monsters. "I'll let you keep my son's domains and become the new Titan of heavenly light and heat. You will rule the East just as my son did. You just got to do what I asked from you,"
The lightning strikes kept going for a couple of seconds more before they settled down. Percy was curious about Zeus' reaction when he heard about him being in charge of Hyperion's domains but the primordial in front of him was a bit more important.
"Never!" Percy shouted back once the lightning died down. "I'll never kill any innocent demigods or mortals. Gods and monsters can reform but not mortals," Percy said while bringing up his weapons with riptide pointing forward completely horizontally with his dagger underneath supporting it making a cross. "I'll never let you take over the world. Just as I said earlier, the gods are the lesser evil of the two,"
Gaea snarled at his remark. "Very well, however you wish," then with the flick of her hand, a boulder the size of a small car flew at him.
The son of Poseidon rolled underneath the boulder while concentrating on the water in the air. Percy needed to get close to Gaea but the primordial kept sending boulders at him or shifting the earth underneath him to make him trip. The demigods were too shocked at learning that Percy had the Titan of the East's domains for some reason and were confused about everything that they were talking about. They couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of Percy's abilities, powers, and how impactful he was that Gaea made him an offer, a false offer, but still an offer when she just wanted to kill the rest of them.
"You seriously think that you are a match for me?" Gaea incredulously laughed. "As I said before, not even their entire council combined can go up against me in this weak state, what chances do you have?" Gaea laughed as she send another boulder at Percy.
The fight between Gaea and Percy sprang the rest of the demigods into action and resumed their fight against the monsters. Jason, Piper, and Leo were still passed out but the other three of the seven were leading the demigods. Zoe was on the trees sending arrows to help the demigods until she saw the opportunity to distract Gaea so Percy to get close to her.
Just as Percy was about 30 meters away from the primordial, a black arrow pierced Gaea's left hand, drawing silver ichor from the wound. The distraction was enough for Gaea's powers to stop and for Percy to close the distance between the two of them.
The primordial grunted as she took out the arrow from her forearm, still oblivious to Percy's closing figure. "Ugh, fucking huntress, I'll kill her when I get my hands on her," She cursed and was about to say another stuff but had to bring up her blade to avoid being slashed in half by Percy's sword.
The collision from their blades made the earth shake and sparks fly from both of their swords. Both had to use their powers in their blades to neutralize each other. Percy had to use as much power from Hyperion's domains and part of his earthshaker powers as Gaea used her domain.
The collision's effects were so strong that it caused the entire battle between the demigods and monsters to stop once again. Their eyes turned to where the power had come from to only see the primordial of the Earth and the son of Poseidon locking blades. They radiated their own aura of power. Gaea's was an earth, forest-gree color while Percy's was golden combined with sea green.
It was at that moment that they finally understood in which level of power Percy was. The new knowledge of Percy having a Titan's domain made things clearer. The hero of Olympus had achieved a level of power that no one else had achieved. He had reached so far beyond all of them that he had forced the primordial of the Earth to engage him in close combat.
"Got to give you credit, Jackson, you almost caught me off guard," Gaea snickered before pushing back on him, making Percy twirl around and slash across her mid-section with his dagger but Gaea had already retreated back.
"Got to use every advantage I have," Percy shrugged his shoulders before ducking underneath a horizontal slash from Gaea.
"As much as I would love to fight with you," Then a pair of hands made from dirt grabbed Percy's feet. "I need you alive so I can make you see how I torture and kill everyone you love," The hands on his feet tightened before another set grabbed his arms stopping all of his movements. "I'll make you pay for killing my children and thinking you are worthy enough to fight me," She laughed before turning her head to the demigods.
The entire battle between the two leaders of both fronts had been so captivating that they were all watching.
"What are you all doing?!" Gaea shouted and the monsters tensed at hearing their leader furious. "Kill them! Kill them all!"
That shook the monsters out of their shock and fear before pouncing on the demigods once again.
Percy knew at that moment that he didn't have any other option than to go with Nyx and Erebus' plan. He knew that if he took Gaea's domain it will mean certain death, well, it wasn't like having Hyperion's domain didn't entail that either. But he knew that the domain must be safe from the Olympians' hands, at least Zeus' hands.
That's when the second option of his plan came into mind and whispered into the air low enough just for him to hear it. "I call upon the 'Law of the Conqueror' against Gaea for her titles, domains, and immortality," His words ranged through the air and a heavy presence settled upon them just like the first time in Tartarus. "Shall I win, her domains will go to Zoe Nightshade," He added the last part as the last part of his plan with Zoe. He remembers Zoe arguing with him that he should keep them, but he couldn't have two domains from two different deities unless appointed to him by Ananke or Chaos.
Gaea felt the familiar heavy presence around them and knew that something was happening. She turned toward the son of Poseidon and heard his last words of Zoe receiving the domains of someone. She was puzzled about the entire situation until it finally dawned on her.
The familiar presence, his words about domains, and the feeling of her body losing power all signaled one thing. She was being challenged for her domains by Percy. But it should have been impossible since she and her siblings hid the book of laws about that and many more universal laws from the younger primordial and any beings unless deemed worthy.
"Wha-what did you do?!" Gaea screamed at Percy as the area around them stopped and the ground turned into dirt and the air turned fresher.
"I'm doing what is necessary to end this war," Percy responded while standing back up and feeling his body being energized and his powers becoming null.
Their entire surroundings were still frozen in place, reassuring Percy that it was finally happening and he only had one shot at it if he wanted to finish it all. Gaea for her part was breathing rapidly for the first time in her life feeling something she had never felt... fear.
After billions of years, Gaea was known for her powers and not her skills with weapons. Yes, she knew how to fight with weapons, but just like the rest of the primordial, they didn't need weapons to fight since their powers were so powerful that they could literally break reality if they went full out.
"Well, great-grandma, how are feeling?" Percy spoke as he twirled the blades on his hands.
Gaea hadn't felt it at first until Percy pointed it out to her, but she was feeling how her body was becoming weaker and completely separated from her domain of the Earth. She could still feel the earth up to some point, but nowhere near as much as before. Just reassuring her that it was enough to keep her in a human-like body like a regular mortal would have.
"Who told you about that law?" Gaea demanded as she brought up her weapon.
Percy shrugged his shoulders as he circled Gaea. "Doesn't matter who told me about it, it matters that I am using it to finally stop you," Percy coldly responded as he finally stopped and took his stance.
The primordial wouldn't admit it, but she was fearful of Percy at that moment. She had witnessed how incredibly skilled he was with a blade as well as how ferocious and determined he is against his enemies, and right now, she was his enemy.
In one last attempt to save herself, Gaea gave Percy one last offer. "What do you think Zeus will do if you gain my powers?" Gaea pointed out and Percy nodded for her to continue even though he already knew about it. "He is going to kill you or find a way to make you his pawn, just like right now. I'll give you one last offer Perseus," Gaea stated, her confidence growing as she saw this as a worthy offer. "Call this challenge off and I'll swear an oath on Chaos to never hurt you, or anyone of your loved ones. You don't have to fight for me, just step aside and let me do the work. Without you, the gods don't stand a chance,"
The offer was tempting if anything, but Percy had already made his choice and had to keep his promise. "Sorry, Gaea, but I can't. You will just kill them along with the mortals and I can't do that. I've already made my choice,"
Gaea was so surprised by his rejection that barely had any time to block Percy's diagonal strike to her shoulder. The force behind his strike was so much that it forced the primordial of the Earth to take a few steps back to avoid having her own blade pierce her shoulder.
"You want more?!" Gaea screamed at him, not believing his audacity. "You seriously want me to let the mortals leave when all they've done is poison and destroy my domain?!"
In her rage, she attacked Percy without thinking of her movements, causing her to be sloppy and imprecise. All she had was brute force but no direction nor skill, making Percy almost wince at the clear difference in skill between them.
The son of Poseidon brought his dagger up to parry one of her strikes to his left arm while slashing her left side torso with riptide, drawing a scream of pain and silver ichor from the primordial of the Earth.
"Damn you, Jackson!"She hissed as she regain her stance. "You have been the biggest and most annoying thorn since this started!" She screamed at him as she launched another strike that Percy easily parried and slash the inside of her left thigh with his dagger drawing more ichor and another scream. "I had everything under control. Your friends would be easily disposed by my children and monsters while you would have been dead in Tartarus, but no! You refused to die and just came back to save them and those fucking Olympians!"
Percy knew that it was good that Gaea was raging. If her previous show of skills was anything to tell, it just meant that she would be even worst at fighting him.
"Just as I said the first time, they are the lesser of the two evils," Percy responded as he parried her sword with riptide before locking it with his dagger and yanking it from her hands.
The red and black sword clattered on the dirt as Percy kicked Gaea back. He put enough force to leave her breathless, making her crouch while holding her stomach trying to regain her breath. If she were at her full power she would need aether, not air to breathe but she was almost a full mortal if it weren't for the ichor in her veins.
"And just as I promised before, I won't let you hurt them," Percy spoke in a cold emotionless tone as he grabbed her neck and brought her to her feet. "You were to cause of Hera giving me amnesia, you were the cause of being sent across the country with no memories while trying to understand everything that was going on," As his rant kept going, the anger in his voice increased. "You were the cause of having to go across the world to stop your children. You were the cause of me losing the love of my life because she cheat on me, but thinking about it I should thank you for letting me know that she wasn't the one," He stated with a hurtful chuckle. "You were the one who caused all of the demigods to fight one another. You were the cause of this war even happening!"
Gaea's throat was being crushed enough for her to get air to keep her conscious, but not enough to break out of his grip. His words were echoing in her head as she thought about all of the things that Percy was telling her. She had caused so much misery and pain and was going to pay for it at the hands of Percy. She was going to pay the ultimate price for it: Fading.
"Unless you give me a miracle to not kill you right here, right now, then you will see your mother for judgment shortly," Percy threatened as she dropped her on the ground.
The primordial of the Earth was gasping for air on her hands and knees while Percy walked in front of her. She didn't even try to come up with a reason for Percy to let her live. She had finally made her peace with knowing that she was fading and lost her life in a war that she had originally thought was more than fair. But when she thought about Percy's perspective, it wasn't reasonable.
Even if the mortals were ruining the Earth, they still had feelings and family, just like herself. She was ruining families by killing their children and making them suffer just like she had suffered when Kronos and her other children died at the hands of the Olympians. She knew that the mortals were insignificant, but Percy had just shown her that he was capable of defeating her, what could humanity accomplish with people like Percy? They could lead to a new world or to its end. But if the people were like the teenager standing in front of her, they would lead it to a new era of peace, just like her son.
It was at that moment that she finally understood why her son Kronos was so afraid of Percy. It wasn't because he was the son of Poseidon and his raw power. But it was because of what his personality and determination could do. The son of Poseidon had beaten the odds over and over again through the years. Kronos must have seen it early on in Percy's life as he recognized his own traits in his grandson. Meaning that Percy could lead humanity into a better era than the golden age.
"There isn't," Gaea quietly responded as she looked up into Percy's golden and sea-green eyes.
Percy was slightly surprised by her response. He had expected her to beg him to not kill her and even promise more things, even change and leave humanity alone. The last thing he expected was for her to not argue about it.
"I can see the mistakes I've made through the millennia," Gaea stated as her eyes glinted with tears. "I have realized the pain and suffering I've brought on the Earth by this and the previous war, but I was so consumed by my rage and thirst for revenge that it blinded me, not seeing that I was causing pain to mothers just like the gods had once caused me," The tears finally spilled from her eyes and her voice broke.
Percy was slightly surprised at seeing the primordial goddess of the Earth break down in front of him after being so vicious and determined. He couldn't bring himself to do or say anything other than wait in silence as Gaea spilled her tears.
After about a minute, Gaea finally seemed to gain her bearings and took a deep breath to calm herself. "But after so many years, I can finally say that there is something, or better say someone, that can finally fix this world," Gaea said while looking intently into Percy's eyes while giving him a small smile. "You,"
The son of Poseidon didn't know how to react to Gaea's words. He felt somewhat like when Erebus and Nyx told him that they wanted him and Zoe to be the new leaders of the world because of who they were and thought that it was just something arranged between them to make him do it. But to hear it from another primordial, and Gaea for that matter, it just made him think that maybe they weren't lying.
"I see in you the determination and power to change this world into a better place," Gaea said while standing up and taking hold of his hand holding the dagger. At first, Percy thought that all of it was an act, but he felt no sense of hostility from her but pure honesty. "You can change the world into the place I can only hope to change, but you... you Perseus, you have the power to do it," Gaea spoke in a sweet and motherly voice that somehow reminded him of Hestia until he remembered that Hestia was her granddaughter. "I'm sorry for all of the things I have done and I know that I must pay for them. But what will probably be my biggest regret is to not be here for when you change the Earth to a better place and getting to know you properly as a great-grandmother should,"
Percy was really confused as to how quickly her attitude had changed from being in a complete blind rage to a sweet and regretful one. He could understand how much being in the face of death can change you and it was probably the same for Gaea now knowing that she was fading, never to come back.
"I now know the reason why one of my siblings told you about the law," Gaea then cupped his cheek while keeping eye contact the entire time. "They deemed you worthy of it to change us immortals and I also deemed you more than worthy of it, Perseus," Percy was starting to doubt if he really should kill Gaea now that she had a change of heart. "If there is anyone who I want to have my power and change the world, it would be you, Perseus, or whoever you deem worthy because I know that you will choose correctly," She gave him a sincere smile before stepping back from him.
Percy couldn't speak nor move from his spot. Gaea had just shown him genuine care for him showing her true colors of being the Mother of the Earth. Now, she was standing in front of him ready for her judgment in the void from her mother Chaos.
"I-I... I can't," Percy whispered as a stray tear spilled from his eye.
Gaea knew that she had really affected Percy with her little speech, but knew that her living will only cause trouble and it was time for a new generation. "I know, dear," Gaea spoke as she took a step toward Percy and cupped his cheeks in her hands. "But it the right thing to do, Perseus. I must pay for what I did and it's time for something new. I'll just be a reminder of the horrendous things that I did," She gave him a pained smile as one of her hands took hold of his hand with his dagger. "It's alright, Perseus, I forgive you,"
With those last words, she surged forward and Percy's reflexes made him stab her with his dagger that she had directed to heart. He was momentarily shocked at what had just happened until he felt her warm, silver ichor flowing down his hand.
He quickly held her up while slowly and carefully laying her on the ground. Gaea tried to maintain a steady breathing pace but ichor spurred from her mouth.
When Gaea was about to close her eyes, she noticed the look of regret in Percy's eyes and placed a shaky and bloody hand on his cheek. "It's fine, dear. My time is up, but yours is barely starting," She coughed out some blood until her breathing became really shallow and her eyelids slightly closed. "Don't hold yourself responsible for my death, dear. But change this world into a better place than my son Kronos and that fucking king of the gods could ever have," Percy started to tear up as he heard Gaea's last words to him. "I forgive you, Percy,"
With one final smile, Gaea closed her eyes as her body turned into pale-white ash from her feet to the head. Percy held her body until she was anything but ash that was spread by non-existing air.
The son of Poseidon knelt there, motionless as he process everything that had just happened. It was a little too much for him to process in so little time. Gaea had gone from a blinding rage to being a caring great-grandma. He shook his head at the last thought.
"Shit, what happened?" He rubbed his face and pass a hand through his messy raven-black hair as he thought about it.
Gaea had forgiven him for ending her life? Why? He shook his head at the stupid question. He knew why she did it. It was so that he would not feel guilty all the time for killing her after seeing her regret her choices and talking to him like her true self. Then he thought about how she told him that she was glad that it was him who was gaining her powers but he had already given them to Zoe, who he trusted the most out of everybody.
Once he was reminded about Gaea's power, he looked down and noticed a ball of pure power composed of swirls of different shades of green. He could feel the tremendous amount of power emitting from it before picking it up.
Unbeknownst to Percy, Zoe had watched the entire fight and conversation between him and Gaea. She hadn't been frozen in time like the rest of the world since she was part of the challenge as the one receiving Gaea's powers and immortality if he won.
The daughter of Atlas was also shocked and confused after hearing Gaea's words. It was clear that the primordial regretted her actions, but accepting her fate and dying while making sure Percy didn't feel guilty for her death was just too much to process. She took a deep breath before finally showing herself to Percy.
Zoe's footsteps on the grass made Percy aware of her presence. He looked up to only see that apologetic smile on her face as well as a look of sympathy on her face.
"How are you moving?" It was the first thing Percy spoke.
Zoe didn't know if to laugh or facepalm at his first choice of words in their situation. She decided on neither and just went along with it. "I don't know. One moment they were all moving and the next you were fighting Gaea,"
Percy thought about it for a second before answering. "It probably had to do with mentioning you as the successor of Gaea's powers and immortality if I won," he then stood up with the ball of energy in his hand.
The daughter of Atlas looked at the ball of energy and knew right then that if she accepted it, there was no going back on their plan.
"Are you sure about this?" Zoe asked one more time as she looked into Percy's broken and blood-shot eyes.
Percy thought about it for a minute before offering Zoe the ball in his hand. "Yes, if I wanted anyone to have it, it would be you, Zoe. Nobody deserves it more than you," He sincerely responded while giving her a reassuring and proud smile.
Zoe nodded before taking the ball of green swirls in her hands and looking into it.
"You know what comes next?"
"Yes,"
"Alright, take your time,"
Zoe took a couple of deep breaths to steady herself for what was about to come. "I, Zoe Nightshade, proclaim Gaea's status of immortality, titles, and domains. I shall earn complete control of her domains and immortality until Chaos or Lady Ananke deem me worthy," She stated in a stern and strong voice.
The moment her last words left her mouth, Zoe felt the rush of power and energy through her body. She felt a momentarily insufferable amount of pain surge through her veins to only stop as soon as it came. Just like Percy, she knew that her blood had more ichor in it than mortal blood. Zoe could feel the earth underneath them and every living thing on it, ranging from trees to animals, and insects to humans and divine beings. She then felt how her slightly tan skin turned to her original copper tone and her hair changed from brown to almost caramel as Calypso's.
As Percy saw the physical changes in her, he could also feel the power emitting from her. It was clear that she was more powerful than him energy wise but he didn't care. All he cared for was for Gaea's domain to be Zoe's and for her finally gain something in her life. However, what took him by surprise were her eyes. When he looked into them he saw her original brown eyes being replaced by an earth-green combined with swirls of brown. Her body also got more define and her assets grew.
Percy had to mentally slap himself and tear his eyes from her more noticeable front and the curves that led to a really round bubble butt and a pair of long and model-like legs. Fortunately for him, Zoe was too focused on feeling the changes on her body to notice Percy's ogling eyes on her body.
"Shit, this feels amazing," Zoe commented as she finally opened her eyes and finally felt the new changes on her body. "What? Did they grow?"
Percy had to turn his eyes from her and onto the direction of the battle to hide his blushing face. Zoe looked at him and noticed his blush. She felt her womanly pride at knowing that her body could cause Percy to blush knowing full well that he never looked at a woman that way unless he was interested. She filed that information for later since they have pressing matters to attend to.
"Ready?" Percy's voice broke her out of her thoughts and she gave a nod back. "Good, you got to hide as we dictated on our plan,"
Zoe scowled at being reminded of their plan. "It wasn't my idea, it was yours and I was completely against it!" She argued but Percy didn't indulge in it.
"Alright, you better get going before time resumes," Percy stated in more of an order than a suggestion.
Zoe knew that it was impossible to change Percy's opinion and reluctantly nodded before making her way out of the area through the forest leading to their rendezvous point.
Percy took a deep breath as he finally felt time resume and everybody was looking at him. They saw him covered in silver ichor along with his dagger and no primordial around. The demigods shouted in cheers as the monsters tried to retreat but most of them were killed by demigods while some barely escaped.
The demigods went up in cheers as they finally ended the war against Mother Earth. Percy forced a smile on his face as many of his friends went up to congratulate him on defeating Gaea, even though all of them were confused as to how he did it when it happened in the span of the blink of an eye. Percy just darted those questions off by saying he would explain at a later time when things settle down.
His quest mates had finally gone up to him with Leo, Jason, and Leo completely furious about Zoe's act.
"What the hell was that, Jackson?!" Jason shouted at Percy as he shoved him back while unconsciously sending electricity through his hands at Percy.
Percy recoiled from the lightning but fiercely looked back at them. "It was so that none of you would die!" He shouted back, already tired of people demanding him answers. "I knew your plan days ago back in Delos about Leo sacrificing himself in an explosion and using the physician's cure to revive him, but it was still too dangerous to pull off, so Zoe and I came up with a plan,"
Leo shrunk at the moment Percy mentioned him dying on purpose, which was still a secret to everybody else. Piper and Jason turned to Leo with a demanding gazes.
"Leo! What the fuck?!" They both shouted simultaneously.
The Latino boy brought his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "Okay, okay, I'm guilty, but it was the prophecy!"
They all seemed to think about Leo's words but Percy spoke a bit later. "Yeah, you are not the only one to uphold an oath with a final breath, Leo. I got to make sure my oath is also accomplished,"
Many were confused as to what oath Percy was talking about and were about to question him about it, but Leo interrupted them.
"What do you mean?!" Leo demanded furiously. Percy's previous comment sparked fury in him and encased his body in fire. "It was my only opportunity to go back to Calypso and break her free since you didn't care about her at all!"
Percy took Leo's comment seriously and got angry with him so much and too quickly that his sea-green and golden aura appeared once again. "What did you just say to me, Leonidas Valdez?" His voice was cold and hard sending shivers up the spines of everyone including Leo.
However, not even Percy's threatening aura was enough to put him down. "What you heard you piece of shit!" Percy was so itching to teach Leo a lesson but stood still, wanting to hear Leo's words and how much he really knew about his situation with Calypso. "You left her there alone after she fell in love with you just like everybody else! You left her for a cheater and I'm pretty sure you regret it!"
Leo was breathing hard as he finally let out his thoughts on Percy. Said demigod was still silent and waiting for Leo to continue but noticed that he was done.
"Are you done already?" Percy asked with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah? Good, now it's my turn," He took a menacing step forward while causing a small tremor to make his point clear to Leo who was the alpha there. "You seriously think I didn't fall for Calypso as well? You don't think that it broke my heart to leave her alone on that island while I had to come and save the world?" Percy's anger grew with each word that he said causing Leo to shrink underneath his power and ferocious eyes.
"I left a life of immortality, peace, and love with her to save your ungrateful ass along with the gods who don't deserve it. But I mostly did it for my family, the demigods, and all those innocent lives that would have suffered had I not left her," Percy's eyes watered at being reminded of one of his biggest mistakes and what-ifs in his life. "I regret leaving that island every single day as well as not making sure the Olympians kept their word in freeing her after the war with the Titans," That last part of Percy's comment was unknown to Leo.
"W-what do you mean?"
Percy disbelieving laughed at that. "What do you think it means? As one of my requests for the Olympians at the end of the war was freeing the peaceful Titans from their prison and I purposely mentioned Calypso to be freed, but they never did," By the end, his tone was cold and harsh, but it was clear that it was towards the Olympians.
"But make no mistake, Leonidas," Percy spoke directly at him in a menacing and cold tone. "I regret the moment I decided to date a cheater just as much as I regret ever leaving Calypso alone with hopes of freeing her one day. However, your little promise to her wouldn't have been accomplished as the gods would never let her free without having leverage over them, which you don't have but I do," Leo and the rest of the demigods were confused as to what he was talking but Percy didn't care explaining. "For the next time, you want to insult me and jump to conclusions on me, make sure to know the full details, because next time I won't be too compassionate," He threatened before a thunder of lightning thundered through the sky.
The next moment, a series of flashes happened around them causing them to close their eyes and look away until the lights died down. Once they were all able to see once again, they noticed the Olympians standing around them with Poseidon standing next to Percy protectively while Zeus was in front of him with his master bolt ready.
"Move aside Poseidon!" Zeus demanded as electricity radiated from his body, causing everyone to rush away from the king of gods, leaving the two brothers and the son of Poseidon alone in the middle.
"Never! You dare do something to my son after everything he did for us and I will draw all contact and allegiance to Olympus!" Poseidon threatened his brother, eliciting gasps from the demigods and the rest of the Olympians around them.
It was very well known that Percy was Poseidon's favorite child, but to go to such far lengths for his well-being was mindblowing. It definitely made most of the demigods jealous that Percy had such a caring and loving father when their parents would barely claim them and send them a gift for their birthday every now and then.
Zeus was taken aback by Poseidon's threat, but the threat Percy possessed after learning that he had taken over Hyperion's domains and defeated Gaea was too much to risk, in his opinion.
"Your son is a threat! He can dethrone us and is clear that he has a disliking for us, so I won't risk it!" Zeus snapped his fingers and Apollo along with Hepheasteus and Ares jumped on the god of the seas.
"What?!" Father and son of the seas both exclaimed as they saw the bronze chains on Poseidon's arms and Ares trying to wrestle the god to let go of his trident since he couldn't take it, but he could disarm him.
Percy was quick to attack Ares but the sudden golden arrow directed at him made him duck underneath it and changed his attention to Apollo, which was the biggest surprise out of everyone.
"A-Apollo? B-but why?!" Percy stuttered, not believing that three gods were already against him.
The rest of the demigods watching were too stunned and afraid to intervene so they watched silently. The goddesses didn't dare intervene because of their own reasons.
Aphrodite and Demeter were threatened by Zeus to not intervene or they would suffer by their children. Athena had always been loyal to her father so she couldn't exactly go against it. Artemis had grown a hatred for Percy for derailing her best friend and keeping her away from the hunt and herself. Hera was always following Zeus' wants even if she didn't like them, even if it involved killing the only demigod deemed worthy of living and even becoming a god.
"Sorry bro, but it is what it is," Apollo said without a hint of remorse before sending another arrow at him.
Percy twisted his body to avoid the arrow from piercing his shoulder before parrying a sword from the god of the forge. The force behind his attack has so much power that it left Percy's arms tingling from the numbness he got. But before he could put too much thought into it, he kicked the god's stomach before hitting the god on the back of the head with the butt of his sword while applying his father's earthshaker domain for extra force.
The moment his hit landed on the god's head, the god dropped to the ground like a bag of potatoes, giving Percy the moment he needed to slash another of Apollo's arrows out of the air. However, a sudden flow of pain went through his body as he felt the stinging sensation coming from his right shoulder making him drop his sword.
"Ugh!" He grunted before he saw the silver head of the arrow that had gone through his shoulder. "A-Artemis?" He stuttered at seeing another friendly deity going against him.
Artemis didn't acknowledge him and just shot another arrow at his left shoulder, making him drop his dagger. He grunted once again before he felt something hard hit the back of his neck before everything went black and felt his body limp.
While all of this happened, Poseidon was shouting at the gods and goddesses to do something and how unjust it was, but everyone ignored him while Demeter and Aphrodite flashed out of there not being capable of witnessing it happen.
"I swear to you Zeus that I will make you suffer for this! You have made an enemy of the seas!" His statement didn't go unnoticed by the gods as they knew that Poseidon's threats were the truest out of everybody.
However, Zeus acted like he didn't care and flashed himself and the son of Poseidon back to Olympus while the rest of the gods and goddesses flashed back by themselves with Ares flashing Poseidon as well.
When the lights died down, the demigods were still standing there speechless at what they just witnessed. They had just witnessed their leader being attacked by 3 gods in Zeus' orders while the king himself was radiating hatred.
"What. The. Fuck. Happened?" The demigods all thought.
Line Break
The next thing Percy saw after he regained consciousness was the white marble floor of the throne room in Olympus, making him aware of his situation. He also felt his hands being restrained by what he would believe are celestial bronze chains since he felt his powers very weak.
"Ugh, what is going on?" He groaned out as he sat on the cold marble floor. Percy then noticed that his father's throne was missing along with his father nowhere to be seen. "Where is my dad?"
"Perseus Jackson!" The voice of the king of the gods thundered through the throne room so loud that it almost popped Percy's ear drums. "You are too powerful to be left alone and clearly have a hatred towards us. But before we kill you, we demand to know how you gained Hyperion's domains as well as defeated Gaea," His voice was cold and demanding, something that Percy was getting rapidly annoyed about.
Percy decided to play it cool and snorted at that. "Like if I would tell you," He mockingly amused before laughing. "The only reason why you haven't killed me is because you want to know how I did it but I won't tell you, not even if you torture me until my voice dies,"
The son of Poseidon finally noticed his favorite goddess. She was sitting by the dying ember of the hearth while keeping her head down with tears flowing down her small face. It broke him seeing Hestia in such a state but knew that she couldn't do anything since she officially wasn't an Olympian, even if she is the first and oldest of the gods.
Zeus grinned at Percy's statement, which made him uneasy about it. "Very well, that's exactly what I wanted to hear," His head then turned towards Artemis. "Go ahead daughter,"
Artemis for her part seemed hesitant about what her father was asking her, which Percy still didn't know about.
"W-what is going on?"
Artemis eventually nodded before flashing out of the throne room for a couple of moments before reappearing back with two people alongside her. The moment Percy recognized who they were, his blood run cold and time momentarily stopped at it.
"N-no, don't you dare!" Percy screamed at Artemis and Zeus
"P-Percy, what is going on?" The sweet and confused voice of his mother sounded through the throne room. "Oh, milord!" She quickly bowed to the king of the gods before slapping her husband's wrist to follow her lead since he was still too shocked to react.
The gods and goddesses slightly flinched at seeing the woman show respect without knowing of her impending doom. Percy for his part was tugging with all of his strength against his chains trying to get free and save his mother and stepfather.
"Don't you dare Zeus! Don't you dare lay a hand on them!" Percy's scream finally let Sally and Paul about the situation.
They abruptly stood up with widened eyes, slightly shaking as they took a few steps back from the king of the gods.
"Oh, I won't be the one doing anything to them," Zeus stated with a wicked grin before looking at Artemis. "She will be doing it since she has the most leeway with ancient laws,"
Percy's eyes immediately turned towards the 12-year-old in the room silently pleading with his eyes to not do anything. "Please, milady, you can't do this! They haven't done anything wrong!" He pleaded as a few tears escape from his eyes.
Sally and Paul had stopped a few meters in front of Percy as their bodies were suddenly chained after Hephaestus snapped his fingers.
Artemis seemed to be in an internal battle of her own, but the moment she remembered why she was going it, she steeled herself before drawing on her bow and pointing it at Paul first. "First chance, Perseus. Tell us how you got Hyperion's domains and defeated Gaea or the first to suffer the consequences of your actions is going to be this male," She spat at the last word.
Percy wanted so desperately to break at her demand but knew that the moment he spoke, they were going to be killed either way... unless he had assurance.
"Okay! Okay! I'll talk!" He shouted as he saw Artemis' fingers slightly uncoiled around the string. "But you need to swear you won't inflict any type of harm on them, not even by your domains or asking any other being in existence to hurt them in any way,"
"We swear on the Styx" Zeus boastfully responded back without a second thought.
"No, not on the Styx, you can break that promise any time," Percy pointed out, infuriating the king of the gods at Percy seeing straight through his plan. "I need you to swear on the creator, Chaos,"
"Ridiculous! You are in no spot to make demands insolent demigod!" Zeus roared as he stood from his throne with his master bolt in hand.
"Swear it, and I will talk!" Percy fiercely responded back as he go to his feet, definitely looking back at the king of the gods.
Zeus was so mad that he gave a nod to Artemis, that she had to take a second to properly process and let go of the string.
Percy felt the world slow down the moment he saw Artemis' fingers let go of the string and the arrow flying directly at Paul's heart. He helplessly saw how the arrow flew through the air until it pierced Paul's heart, making him drop on his back while trying to properly breathe.
"NO! PAUL!" His mother and Percy screamed at seeing what the goddess of the hunt had done.
Percy went into a state of shock as he helplessly saw his mother cry over Paul's dying body until his soul finally left his body. Sally kept muttering "no" and "this can't be possible" as she hugged her dead husband's body to her chest.
"Second and final chance, Perseus," Artemis spoke, grabbing his attention once again with an arrow now pointing at his mother. "Tell us what we want to know or she is next," She threatened.
"Don't, she's pregnant!" Percy spluttered out, making Artemis lower her bow before closing her eyes and concentrating on her domain of childbirth.
After a couple of heavy and silent seconds, Artemis opened her eyes. "Perseus is telling the truth, she is pregnant. I can't do it," She vanished her bow but Zeus was having none of it.
"Do it, Artemis, or you shall suffer the consequences!" Zeus threatened as he sent a bolt of lightning at the selling of the throne room.
"You can't! She is pregnant!" Percy tried to argue but a bolt of lightning slammed into him, sending him flying across the throne room.
"Percy!" He heard his mother scream but he still felt his entire body tingling from the bolt of lightning. "How could you?!" Sally screamed at the gods and goddesses as tears streamed down her cheeks. "He is just a kid!"
"A kid with the power to overthrow us and end humanity!" Zeus shouted back as the entire throne room shook from his power.
All of the gods didn't want to admit it, but they were having second thoughts about their decision to not interfere with Zeus' actions on the son of Poseidon. Seeing his mother so distraught and on the border of a mental breakdown because of her son and now murdered husband was almost too much for them, but they still wouldn't go up against Zeus for it.
"He would never! He-" Sally tried to argue but the king of the gods didn't let her.
"What he is, is a threat with no love for the gods!" Zeus stated before looking back at Percy. "last chance, sea scum, or your mother dies!" Zeus threatened while sending a threatening glare at the goddess of the moon, making her summon back her bow and pointed it at the weeping mother on the floor.
"Please... don't," Percy pleaded from the ground as he looked into Artemis' eyes and saw hesitance. He then turned his eyes to his mother and saw nothing but pain and desperation for his life. "I'll tell you," Percy finally gave in as he couldn't live with his mother's death.
"Speak, now!" Zeus demanded.
"It all started after I landed in Tartarus," Percy started after taking a deep breath. His mother gasped at hearing that her son was in Tartarus. "I met a couple that gave me the ability to take a god, titan, and even a primordial's domains, titles, and immortality when challenged in a certain way,"
The council members gasped at hearing Percy's words. To think that a mortal could gain a divine being's domains and immortality by a specific challenge was horrifying.
"What the challenge does, is that it makes the fight fair between the mortal and the immortal. It is a fight of pure skill and determination," The gods felt unease at hearing that a mortal could beat them if they were skilled and knew the right way to give out the challenge. "However, it only works if the mortal deem themselves worthy of doing a better job than the immortal they are challenging. That is how I defeated Hyperion and Gaea,"
"So you have their domains? That explains your different features," Athena commented and many nodded.
Percy wanted to spice them up by saying he didn't have Gaea's domains, but the less they knew, the better. Also, he didn't want to give Zoe any unnecessary attention.
"I don't have full control of the domains I gained until either Lady Ananke or Lady Chaos deems me worthy of them, not the fates like for you,"
After Percy's last words, everyone was quiet. They were all trying to process the new information Percy had told them while Zeus was just settling his last thoughts on how to keep Percy quiet forever, but there was still the matter of fact of two powerful domains going missing if Percy is killed. Also, to keep his own power from being in jeopardy by someone like Jackson believing they would do a better job than him.
"You are going to surrender those domains to me and we will let your mother live," Zeus broke the silence.
Everyone was surprised at hearing Zeus' words. It wasn't much of a shock that he demanded that, but more of a surprise that he actually did it. It was well known among all of them that Zeus has always looked for ways to get more power, and now that Percy had Hyperion and Gaea's, it would just make Zeus unstoppable.
"I-I-I... I don't know how to do that," Percy confessed. He would do anything for his mother, but he didn't know how to do that.
"What do you mean you don't know?!" Zeus demanded, irritated that his achievement of more power was being stopped.
"I'm telling you that I don't know! I just learned this a couple of days ago! How am I supposed to know such a thing?!" Percy pointed out but Zeus wasn't listening to reason.
The king of gods turned to her daughter with a fierce look. "Do it, do it now!"
Artemis was taken aback by her father's demand when it didn't make sense. "But father, he doesn't-"
"I said, do it!" He screamed as arcs of electricity came off his body.
"Don't! Please! I swear on the Styx I don't know!" Percy tried to plea but it was too late.
Artemis had let go of the string in an accident as one of the arcs of electricity hit her, causing her to jump back and let go of the string when her bicep contracted, drawing more on the string before it left her fingers and let the arrow fly in Sally's direction.
Percy felt time slow down once again as he saw the arrow fly toward his mother. He tried to scream, stand up and shove her to the side, hell, even summoned water from the air to stop the arrow, but nothing happened. He watched helplessly as the arrow pierced his mother's back and through the front, drawing bright blood, meaning the arrows performed an artery or the heart, maybe even both.
"MOM!" Percy shouted as he got up from his position and ran up to his mother's body. "MOM! Please, hold on!" He helplessly pleaded as he tried to put pressure on the wound with his handcuffed hands.
"Help! Please! Somebody help!" He looked t the gods and goddesses around him but all avoided eye contact with him, making it clear that they wouldn't and couldn't do anything.
"No, mom! Please, don't leave!" Percy pleaded as his mom covered one of his cheeks.
"I never could have been more proud of you, Percy," She softly spoke as blood flow out of the corner of her mouth. "I never could have asked for a better child. I love you, Percy," She whispered to him as her eyes finally closed and her body went limp in his arms.
"Mom? Mom?! MOM!" Percy cried as he held his mother's body in his arms as tears fell. "Please, don't leave me," He whispered, but everyone in the throne room could hear him.
The throne room was quiet and nobody dared to make a move or a sound. They were all too shocked and fearful of doing so and invoking Percy's wrath on them if he were to escape his chains.
"I swear I'll kill you," Percy softly stated with his head down watching his mother's face after a few minutes of silence. Everyone was shocked at hearing Percy's words. "I'll kill you Zeus, and everyone else who helped you and stood by," His voice grew louder and everyone could perfectly hear him. "I didn't want to accept their offer. I wanted to believe that you gods and goddesses could change and see that I wasn't a threat, but you just made me accept it,"
Percy stood up while the council was still trying to process his words and figure out what he was talking about. Their heads were running with ideas of whose proposal did Percy didn't want to accept until now that they had pushed him to it.
"Lord Erebus and Lady Nyx, I accept your offer," At the mention of their names, a wave of shivers went up and down the gods' spines as the temperature in the room dropped.
The shadows in the room grew larger until two columns in the middle of the throne room grew up to 40 feet high before it formed into two bodies. The familiar faces of Erebus and Nyx finally appeared and every god and goddess was looking at them with the exception of Percy.
The primordial couple was looking around until their eyes settled on Percy and the bodies by them. They instantly recognized them as the bodies of his mother and stepfather. Nyx was quick to shrink down to her human height and engulfed Percy in a motherly hug while Erebus looked at the gods.
"You dare-" Zeus' tried to threaten but chains of darkness wrapped around his body before pulling him down to his throne while doing the same with the rest of the gods in the room.
"Shh, it's alright Percy, let it all out," Nyx soothe the broken son of Poseidon. "We are going to get you out of here and give your parents their rites," Nyx snapped her fingers and the chains around his feet and wrists snapped open before Percy engulfed the embodiment of the night in a hug.
"You disappointed us even more than you already had Zeus," Erebus spoke in a disappointed tone. "Your rule was never yours but you still took it. You shaped the world into a place of corruption, death, pain, agony, torture, etc... You have killed this world," Erebus then looked back at Percy with an apologetic look. "But we have plans to change that with Perseus over here. He will change this world for the better just after he ends your reign," Erebus promised as he walked over to his wife and the crying son of Poseidon.
"You pushed your only hope for redemption away. Don't blame nobody but yourself for your impending doom," Erebus stated in a dark and cold voice that send shivers up their spines.
The shadows around the room soon wrapped themselves around the primordial couple of the son of Poseidon before they disappeared from the room. As soon as they left, the chains of darkness around the gods and goddesses bodies disappeared and the room went into chaos.