This chapter was edited by Gladiusx.
The Final Day.
Percy and Reyna arrived at the beautiful bronze-leafed tree to find the rest of their friends waiting patiently. Calypso stood in the center of a circle, holding the shining blue crystal he gifted her, and surrounded by the others. She smiled once she saw them approach.
"Percy, Reyna. Good, you are here. Stand in the circles I assigned for you."
They hurried to do as she said, noticing strange geometrical symbols carved into the ground. Percy stood between Rachel and his brother, and to Tyson's left was Hylla, with Reyna joined on her left, next to Rachel. All five surrounded Calypso, yet they were very close, barely an arm's length away from the sorceress. The moment the positions were filled, the symbols below them shone dully.
Percy shifted awkwardly as the silence stretched uncomfortably. His ADHD kicked in, and he had to fight the urge to move or do something. Instead, he spoke. "So, what's the plan?"
"Now we just wait until I finish charging the ritual." Calypso giggled; her melodic laugh made his heart skip a beat. "The circles will protect you from any backlash from the ritual, but it is also a last resort should I require you to lend me your strength."
"Is that likely?"
"Possibly." Hylla was the one who answered. "Calypso should have enough power to see us through the ritual, but we are not sure about any outside interference. At that point, we are living conduits for the spell."
"Indeed, but do not fear, I have placed failsafes that will cut the power once you are drained enough that it would affect your health. For now, we wait. You're welcome to chat if you like, so long as you stay inside the circles."
"Oh, ok, uh." Percy tried to think of something to say, ignoring Rachel's knowing grin; she surely knew he had not understood even half of the explanation. "I know you and the girls have been busy doing magic stuff, and Tyson joined you for something. What's that about?"
"Indeed, I had taught them how to channel their magic to help me with the ritual. Even if one of them skived off to play with the horses," Calypso chuckled with amusement at the abashed Reyna. "Nevertheless, Tyson provided crucial help calculating the position of the stars and the planets for me and then carving these circles, as I am not the best at precision work. It has been a long time since I watched the outside skies, and–"
From there, his lover went on a long-winded explanation about the intricacies and esoteric nature of magic and its connection with astrology. It all flew over Percy's head, as magic turned out to be much more than waving a wand and saying a funny phrase. He wasn't the only one, as he stared at the girls. Reyna was the first to give up pretending to know what was going on as her eyes glazed over, followed by Rachel, who shifted awkwardly on her feet. Even Hylla was soon grimacing as Calypso's smile grew brighter, and she continued her lecture. Surprisingly, Tyson was the only one who listened attentively.
Finally, Hylla coughed to grab the immortal sorceress' attention, and Calypso seemed to realize she had completely lost them.
"My apologies. Magic is one of my passions."
"It's alright. I understood all that you said. It's just I know I will never be able to use magic." Tyson said, his head lowered sadly. "Monsters don't get to use magic."
Calypso smiled, but it wasn't as bright as before, while Rachel and Reyna patted the large boy's arms in comfort. "It's okay, Tyson. You make up for it with your incredible strength and crafting skills."
That seemed to lift Tyson's spirits, but Percy scratched his head in confusion. "Hang on, what do you mean you can't use magic? Aren't you, you know, immune to fire and wicked with anything you create?"
"This isn't the time, my love, but then again, we have nothing better to do but wait." Calypso shook her head fondly yet gently coughed before returning to lecture mode. "Listen closely, for this might prove important. There are three main powers in the world. Magic, Mist, and Divine. All three have sub-categories, but there is no time for an in-depth lecture. Let's start with the Divine; an important aspect of divine powers is inherent abilities."
"Ah, like Tyson's Cyclops strength and affinity to crafting." Reyna piped in, earning herself a smile.
"Correct, all monsters are made from divine essence, and they are also immortal. This may sound blasphemous, but the Gods can be categorized as monsters."
"Considering some of their habits and actions, I wouldn't be too surprised." Percy shrugged, even as Hylla and Rachel looked on with wide eyes. "But I get the feeling you meant they were similar in a more physical sense."
"Indeed, there are many similarities that they share; each one has an inherited trait that gives them access to abilities connected to it, and when killed, they reform."
"Uhm, does that mean that you, uh…" Reyna looked embarrassed to ask what was on their minds, and Percy hated even thinking of such a possibility.
"That I would reform if I'm ever killed?" Calypso had such a sad smile that he couldn't stop himself from placing his hand on her shoulder in comfort. "Thank you, Percy. I don't know what would happen to me if I'm killed. I'm not exactly like other immortals, for my body is as mortal as it is immortal. I bleed ichor, yet I flush red. I have moon blood, yet I can control them like any divine."
Percy shifted awkwardly, and the witch giggled as she gently pushed him back to his position. It was then that Percy noticed the crystal in Calypso's hand humming with energy, and subtle lines were spreading all over the island from under his lover's feet. He still did not understand the magic, but he didn't care as they were freaking blue.
"I've never been worshiped nor have temples built in my name. I do not have access to any powers granted through a domain. I do not have a true form, which I believe is connected to the last two points. I am bound to this island, and my divine powers are intertwined so deeply with it that it has become a part of me as much as I am a part of it. Maybe I would reform here, maybe I would fade, and Ogygia would sink." The very idea caused Percy to clench his teeth. "Regardless, you need not worry about me, my dears. I am very difficult to kill, and so long as Ogygia stands, I shall exist forever."
Percy felt weak then. But it was fine, for he could grow stronger. And he would.
"Does that explain why Tyson can't use magic? Divine beings and monsters can only rely on their powers or domains?" Rachel chimed in. "But I've seen monsters and gods use magic before."
"Are you sure it was magic? Or was it the Mist?" The immortal sorceress asked patiently.
"There's a difference?"
"Of course there is," Hylla replied to his question, causing everyone to look at her. The older girl coughed in embarrassment before continuing. "The Mist exists everywhere, and any being that can perceive it can learn to manipulate it."
Not him, apparently, for Percy's attempts to manipulate the Mist usually ended in mortals staring at him like a lunatic.
"This brings us to the final power, Magic. I tried explaining it before, but seeing that you had difficulty understanding it, I'll keep it simple. Magic is the ability to manipulate the essence in us, whether it's divine or… from other sources, to create phenomena that affect reality."
"What other sources?"
"Gods may rule over domains, yet their rule is never absolute. A talented witch or sorcerer can bend the concept of a phenomenon to alter reality, so long as they have the power to support it." Calypso explained to Rachel's whispered question. "For instance, I am currently invoking an exceedingly complicated ritual that utilizes the concept of Space and Time, which are the domains of the Primordial of Time. Naturally, such a demanding ritual would need a large energy source, hence the crystal."
Nope, it still kinda flew over his head, but speaking of, "I never figured out what that crystal was. Hephaestus said it had as much power as a strike from Zeus' Master Bolt."
"It's a celestial bronze core repurposed to be a battery. I am confident this used to belong to Hera's husband at some point, for I could feel the shadow of his power lingering in it, but it's quite tame now."
That's good to hear; he did not want anything of Zeus near him, in case the ornery god felt like smiting him. As for magic, he still felt lost, but at least the girls seemed to understand it better. "So, who can use magic?"
"Gods who take the time to learn magic, and anyone with a drop of divine blood in their veins." Calypso shrugged as she inspected the crystal, and Percy realized it was much duller than earlier. "I have not met many humans before you, but I could tell that humanity has incredible potential for greatness. The only things stopping them from reaching their full potential are the lack of divine blood and their incredibly short lifespans. The humans I met before my imprisonment were the same, but something changed."
"And so, demigods enter the equation." Hylla finished, and Calypso nodded sagely.
"Demigods completely flipped the power structure. You can manipulate Mist and have access to the traits of your godly parents, which shall remain with you even if you lose favor with them. Most importantly, you could learn to use magic. Hylla tells me that some demigods have a natural disposition to use magic compared to others, mostly children of what is known as goddesses of magic."
Hylla nodded, "Circe had once theorized that the more powerful a demigod was, the less talent they would have in magic. Goddesses of magic are more lacking in raw power compared to other gods, but they compensate for that with skill. Magic requires excellent control, which powerful demigods sacrifice in return for ridiculous power." The Latina girl stared at Percy just as he yawned. "That does not mean you could not try to learn."
Percy shrugged as he winked at Rachel beside him, causing her to giggle. A sudden thought struck him, and he rubbed his chin. "Now that you mention it, any idea why I can't use all the powers I inherited from my father? I can control water just fine, but I have no power over earthquakes."
"The Fates are known to limit the full potential of demigods," Calypso murmured. "They have a tapestry of the future for the world to follow; both gods and mortals bow to their plots. If they give more power than necessary to demigods, it will jeopardize their plans, for demigods are the wildcard in the balance of power."
Percy wasn't sure how to feel about this. If not for the Fates, he could have saved a lot of people if he had more power. Zoe came to mind; Calypso's sister should not have died as she did. If only he was stronger… Yet he hated blaming others for his weakness.
He shook his head, eager to change the subject. "I suppose you will be learning magic, Rachel?"
"I suppose I will." Rachel looked strangely at him as if she wanted to tell him something before changing her mind.
"That's a good attitude, but I think the time for chatting is over." Calypso's face turned serious as she gazed at him resolutely. "Do not move outside the circle, no matter what."
Percy did not know why, but he had a bad feeling about this. Nevertheless, he nodded, and Calypso grunted slightly as the crystal's light died and its energy depleted. The ground beneath them shined a brilliant blue thanks to all the lines running deeper into the island. Percy could even spy the sea glowing as well; no doubt those lines stretched to the sea floor.
Calypso muttered something in a primal language that sounded far older than Ancient Greek, and the afternoon sky suddenly darkened as if something blotted out the sun. A deep rumble reverberated on the island. Trees groaned, birds shrieked in fear, and Percy could even hear the distant neighing of horses and the hippocampi in the sea. Before he could worry about the ship and the animals of the island, his lover dropped the inert crystal and stared at him with a wistful smile before intoning a single word.
"Time."
Everything stopped. The birds, horses, animals, they all stopped. The rumbling stopped, and total silence took hold. The rustling of the wind on the leaves was no more, and even the waves froze. Percy looked around him and found Rachel and the others looking around in worry.
"W-What's going on?" Reyna stuttered out as she looked around her fearfully. "Was this planned?"
"Yes." Came the sudden reply from Calypso, and they all stared at her. The sorceress seemed to be gazing at something in the dark sky. "So far, everything is as I planned, and yet… "
"What is it, Calypso?"
"It is as I have feared, my love." His lover sounded resigned, "The Fates are interfering."
The moment the words left her mouth, Percy suddenly noticed ethereal threads flowing out of everyone, seemingly trying to escape the dark skies, only to appear confused and return to them.
"Why would those old nags do that? What is it they have against you?"
"I do not know, yet that does not matter." Calypso shook her head sadly as she smiled at Hylla. "We planned for this. Yet I must know if you are ready for the consequences."
"What consequences are we talking about?" Rachel's voice was timid for the first time, "please tell me it's not the world-ending type. Or one that would lead to me fighting a Titan lord solo."
"Nothing of the sort, my dear." Calypso giggled, the worry in her eyes lessening but not completely gone. "I have used two words of power, or spells if you would, in my ritual. Void, to cut open the pocket dimension that confined Ogygia. The second spell melded Space and Time to keep the island, and everything in it, suspended in stasis and prevent us from falling."
"Falling?" Percy looked around him in confusion and slight worry. He hated falling from heights.
"To Khaos." His lover replied grimly and, with a wave of her hand, caused the dark tapestry covering the skies to open, showing them a terrifying sight that had everyone gulping. They were suspended midair over a massive chasm where a churning yet shapeless void resided. Everywhere Percy looked, he could see nothing but that terrifying void, which was strange as Ogygia would surely block half the horizon. Apparently, Khaos didn't get the memo, and the Gap stared at them curiously.
"Void was a simple enough spell, but it took us to the literal void, as you can see. I had aimed to land on the sea somewhere, but the spell was interrupted midway by them, trapping us here." Calypso continued undaunted, even as the girls looked close to panicking, and Percy didn't blame them because he would be screaming for his life a few years before. "Time must be maintained, and with it comes Space. Now comes the final spell - Destiny."
As she spoke the word, the island trembled again. No, it wasn't the island, but the ocean of Khaos itself. Rachel, especially, was a lot more affected than any of them, as she could see horrors beyond their comprehension in the Abyss. "This spell would free us then? Then, what are you waiting for?!"
"Destiny is the most powerful force in existence." Calypso waved her hand in strange patterns, as if she had threads in her hands. "Tampering with it could invite disaster unlike any other. The Fates may use that force to weave the threads of our fates. What I will be doing is a lot more dangerous."
"And that is?"
"If the Fates stand in the way of my freedom, then I shall sever my connection to Destiny." Hylla's eyes widened, yet Percy felt lost. "However, it would not be fair to go along with my selfish desire for freedom without giving you any choice."
"W-Why do I get the feeling that what you're gonna do will have world-shattering repercussions." Rachel's smile was uneasy as her voice shook, yet her eyes were fixed on something in the distance. "I get the feeling those three really won't like what you are planning."
They turned their heads to where she was looking, finding nothing. Calypso frowned before, with a burst of power, a wave was sent towards the darkness of Tartarus, and three figures appeared as if hidden behind a veil. The last time Percy saw the three Fates, they looked like ugly old crones. Now, they couldn't be any different.
The Sisters looked young and beautiful, wearing what he recognized as a Minoan dress that bared out their breasts. He merely acknowledged their state of undress, for his Calypso was far more beautiful than they could ever hope to be. Noticing their faces, he chuckled; if looks could kill, then the entire island of Ogygia would have been vaporized.
"They look different from when I last saw them."
"That is their divine form. You must have seen their mortal disguise."
"Wait, doesn't the divine form turn mortals to cinders?!" Hylla quickly averted her gaze, doing the same to her sister.
"That's the first I've heard of that. Perhaps to pure mortals, but demigods have enough divinity to withstand the pressure." Calypso shrugged, "Although, it could be the island's protections at work."
"None of that matters. Calypso, I need you to be blunt with me." Rachel waved her hand and glared at the immortal sorceress. "What consequences should we expect from going along with your plan?"
"Aside from messing up anyone's fate and the protections that come with it?" Calypso grinned, but Percy noticed his lover's smile was tired and held none of its usual joy. "If the spell succeeds, then at best, the combination of using the spells Space, Time, and Destiny would land the island someplace on Earth, but perhaps in a few days. At worst, we could end up miles in the sky, hundreds of years in the future."
"And if it fails?"
"We plummet to Khaos and shall learn firsthand how fast it takes for us to disintegrate and join the Creator in eternal bliss." Calypso looked at them sadly. "There is still time to cancel this, for I can feel the anchor back to my prison. If you wish, we can return, and I can send you away from my island."
"I'm with you," Percy declared without hesitation. Much of what she explained had flown over his head, but so what? His fate was to die in a year anyway, and he'd rather be with Calypso. He even had his mother's blessing! Calypso reached out, a smile that melted his heart on her lips, and ran her dainty fingers through his wild hair.
"If Percy is going, then so am I." Tyson slapped his chest. "Good brothers stand together!"
The proclamation warmed the demigod's heart. It was ludicrous to think he had been ashamed of having a Cyclops as his brother. All the shame had long been replaced with pride now.
"I am staying," Hylla muttered. "I hold no love for the mortal world. We have nowhere to go. Our mother never bothered to visit us, claim us, or even talk to us. Our father is dead, and we have not seen the outside world in years. In one day, you have shown me and my sister more kindness and compassion than we had experienced in a lifetime. Reyna?"
"You guys are all I have," Reyna shrugged, nodding at her sister and then Calypso. "I have no memory of the outside world, so it really doesn't matter to me when and where we go. As long as I'm with you guys, I'm in."
The Titaness looked like she was about to cry, but somehow managed to hold it in. Percy almost stepped outside the circle to hug her but remembered he should not move at the last moment. Though, they all looked at Rachel, for she had things to lose, unlike them all.
The red-haired girl didn't look too unbothered by their stares and glanced at the void of Khaos as if looking at something only she could see.
"You all are mad," Rachel chuckled, shaking her head in exasperation. "But I guess so am I. I'm not skipping on an adventure with true friends by my side."
"Aw, Rachel, you're making me blush." Percy teased his formerly mortal friend, who gave him a mock glare.
"I was speaking more about Tyson." Percy held his chest in mock hurt, even as his brother chuckled with their group. "This last week has easily been the best in my life. I've had the most fun sailing treacherous waters, fighting monsters, saving, and making new friends. You easily accepted my weird hobbies, even joining me on those movie nights."
"What about your kin?" Calypso asked sadly. "You have a father, mother, and a mortal life to bind you."
"In five minutes, Hera was more of a parent than any of them," Rachel muttered sorrowfully. "You… all are already more of a family than my own, far more than I ever wished for. Even Calypso with her trolling."
The Titaness pouted, but Percy could see she was touched deep inside. So was he.
"You are crazy," Hylla couldn't help but chuckle.
"Makes me fit right in, doesn't it?" The red-haired girl snorted.
"All of you are sure?" Calypso asked one last time, and they all nodded with grim smiles. "T-That was the kindest thing I've ever heard. I love you all so much!"
The immortal sorceress was not at all acting like the ancient being that she was. Fat tears fell down her cheeks as she bit her lips and sniffled, before bawling her eyes out. The sight would have been comical if the island didn't rumble and his lover seemed to be losing control of the spell.
"Uh, Caly? Maybe keep the tears of joy until we are out of this mess?"
She sniffed one last time before all signs of melancholy vanished, replaced by solemn determination. "Well, then, prepare to cast off! I'm going to need all the power I can get, so sorry in advance, but try not to block me from using your powers. You won't die, but you will feel a tad bit tired."
"Wait, wha–"
The world rumbled, and the three Fates seemed to scream something, but nothing could be heard. Percy could, however, see them waving their arms, clearly doing something. His heart nearly dropped when they brought a shear and a few balls of yarn from somewhere. Before the bitches could figure out which thread was theirs and snip it, Calypso's voice echoed deep in his soul.
"Destiny!"
The world turned bright, then dark, then bright again, and Percy shut his eyes. He could feel something being sucked from him, and either a moment or an eternity later, he was not sure; a yelp sounded out before a thud as someone fell to the ground. He remembered Calypso's explanation of the last resort of her plan; they were to be batteries for her spell while she handled the complicated parts. The demigod could only hear the terrible rumbling in the void of Tartarus and primal voices roaring at each other. He wasn't sure how long it took before he heard Rachel groaning tiredly and another thud on the ground. Not willing to remain blind, Percy forced his eyes to open and found himself staring at a terrifying scene.
The Fates seemed to be trying to weave a new tapestry at blinding speeds, but just before they could complete it, it would fall apart, causing them to shriek in fury. Calypso had her arms in the air as she seemed to hold the strings of fate connected to them like a marionette. Many of them were connected to him, and even as he watched, they got bundled up into random messes before burning away. Deep in his gut, in that place that always clenched whenever he used his powers, something seemed to snap, and like a floodgate, it was as if his connection to his Father's powers deepened. The air felt lighter on his skin, and Percy could even feel the vibrations on the ground for some reason, yet he couldn't focus on any of that as the amount of power getting sucked from him doubled.
Similar strings were connected to the rest of his friends, and he found Reyna and Rachel collapsed on the ground, with Hylla staring at her sister in worry before glancing at Calypso, who nodded reassuringly. His lover turned to him, and through the loud rumblings, he could barely make out her lips mouthing, 'Don't worry, trust me' as she glanced at Rachel.
Percy nodded, even as Hylla grimaced heavily and fell to one knee. The son of Poseidon turned to her, finding her smiling apologetically, even as her eyes closed in exhaustion and she lay down on the ground.
A grunt from his brother had him turn to him. Tyson puffed as if he had run a marathon as he sat cross-legged, his single eye shut in concentration and his teeth clenched. His dark brown hair was matted with sweat as it stuck to his head and neck, and Percy knew he wouldn't last much longer.
A pressure suddenly formed overhead, and Percy turned to the three bitches, finding them doing some sort of dance? Before he could think more, Calypso cursed under her breath, and more power was siphoned into her spell. Tyson collapsed, and now it was only Percy left standing.
"We are nearly there, my love." Calypso's melodic voice was exhausted, reminding him that she was still the main power source of the ritual while they were just the support. "The confinement is already broken. All we need is a heading to land Ogygia. They are certainly not making it easy for me."
"Why are they dancing like that?" The pressure reminded him of when he was face to face with Hades or Zeus, a primal feeling in his soul that screamed at him to run!
"Calling for their mother, she's the mistress of that mansion behind them." Even as she mentioned it, Percy noticed a figure in black exit a building he hadn't noticed earlier. The figure stretched lazily and gazed at them; when her purple eyes met his, Percy felt he could no longer breathe. "She's here, but not even Nyx can stop this, and she shouldn't have a reason to."
His bones creaked, and his muscles tensed as the pressure mounted together with the drain. But Percy suffered worse before. It was suffocating, true, but it was nothing compared to carrying the sky upon his shoulders. Percy gritted his teeth and focused - he did not falter then, and he would not falter now.
This was not where he would break.
The figure teleported to the three sisters, towering behind them by at least thirty feet, and Percy could finally breathe again, yet he could not take his eyes off her. She was as beautiful as she was terrifying, with alabaster skin and hair as dark as the midnight sky with stars swimming in it. A pair of ethereal dark wings could barely be seen behind her back, yet she did not need them to fly, for they did not flap, yet she hovered midair. The Primordial of Night wore a dark dress with purple lace that had shooting stars and constellations lazily flying on it. Her face looked like it was made from marble as she listened to her daughters with an annoyed frown.
"The Fates are incredibly prideful." Calypso's voice was both mirthful yet full of disdain. "To think they would be so desperate to keep me imprisoned that they would run to their mother."
"You never mentioned why they hate you so much."
"… I do not know. I've never interacted with them, but Hera told me they pressured Zeus into agreeing to my confinement."
"Well, considering how awesome your magic show has been, I'm pretty sure I know why." Percy grinned as the immortal sorceress raised her eyebrow, and he stood undaunted by the climbing pressure from the primordial. "You are simply too amazing, and If I had to guess, they didn't want any competition to steal their jobs as the weaver of Fate."
Calypso gawked at him; even the Fates seemed to hear him and glared so evilly he couldn't help but sneer at them, feeling something in his soul screaming against bowing to their whims. Suddenly, his lover chortled, but all he could focus on was the beads of sweat that ran down her beautiful brow. "That is certainly a good guess, but I would never want such a job anyway."
The world suddenly darkened, and they both looked up finding Nyx had seemingly heard enough and pointed her hand at them, causing the pressure on him to double, yet he refused to bow. The island shook, yet Calypso's spell held, and not even a wave was created in the sea surrounding Ogygia.
"Didn't you say she won't do anything?" Percy grunted as he could feel more of his power drained to fuel Calypso's spell; he was feeling exhausted. Still could not compare to holding the Sky.
"I said she shouldn't. Nyx never meddled before." The witch glared at the primordial. "Why?"
Her simple question had Lady Night raise an eyebrow, and an eerie voice reverberated in his mind, even though her purple lips did not move. "I could not care less about my daughters throwing a tantrum. They will get their due punishment soon enough." The Sisters of Fate shivered as their mother glared at them before turning her lazy gaze at them. "You, however, have disturbed my sleep with your racket. Now, begone."
Calypso's face paled, and Percy wanted to cuss like a sailor; disturbed her beauty sleep? Regardless, it didn't matter as the pressure on them tripled, and he finally lost control and hit the ground heavily. He still believed the pressure was bearable, but his power had run out. Damn it, why was he so weak?!
"Time for my backup plan."
"You had a backup plan?" Percy groaned out as he felt his vision darken, yet the image of his beautiful lover smiling at him as she dropped to her knees kept his hopes high.
"More like, I'm going to do my best to mess things up so badly that we still come out of this alive…hopefully."
"You call this a plan!"
"Don't worry, love. I have the power of Destiny in my hands. A little luck will come a long way, but just in case, I love you so much, Percy. You've been the best thing that has ever happened to me." Calypso gave him such a smoldering gaze that made his heart flutter, exhaustion forgotten, and a tired grin spread across his face.
"I love you too."
The immortal sorceress smiled one last time before the threads of destiny in her hands coalesced into a tight ball before letting it all loose. The last thing Percy saw before losing his conscience was Calypso collapsing and the rapidly approaching abyss of Khaos and the rift in space that formed.
P*O*D
Above Khaos,
The dark-clad figure frowned as the island she pushed into Khaos disappeared through the rift in space. The rift had formed from Khaos, which was incredibly strange as Khaos consumed all. Not even she would survive the churning pit that was her parent.
Nyx should be annoyed they escaped her grasp, yet she was too sleepy to care overly much. They were gone, whoever they were, and that's what mattered. That godling who smelled of Pontus had potential, but that sorceress… to so expertly manipulate Destiny when it took her three daughters to do the same job. Destiny could never affect her, as she was a primordial, but the children of Gaia were forever intertwined with Fate.
Perhaps the seaspawn had merit in his words.
"… Mother?"
When had her children grown so incompetent? But Nyx shook her head and turned to face in the distance.
"It has been a long time since I've been visited by royalty." The primordial mockingly mouthed at the distant figure that had arrived just as she pushed the island, her sleepy eyes growing lively as she enjoyed the look of sheer rage on the woman's face. "The last time you were here, your husband had you suspended over this very pit. To bravely stand over the place of your potential demise. Impressive… little Hera."
"Daughter of Rhea," Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos spoke in unison. "Here to try and save your worthless friend?"
If looks could kill, her daughters would have already perished twice over. So angry was the queen of the gods that she ignored Nyx's presence. "You will regret what you have done." The words were uttered with such loathing, such malevolence, that even the primordial almost felt a sliver of fear. Almost.
"You dare threaten us? When you are alone and against us and Mother?"
"Not alone."
Nyx was about to slap her daughters for their impudence when a booming voice thundered over the chasm, and several figures arrived, all in their true form and radiating massive amounts of power.
Her eyes opened wide awake as she found Zeus beside his wife, his hair white as snow, the Master Bolt humming ominously. To their right, Poseidon, wicked trident in hand that made the air vibrate, and his wife also armed for war, with Oceanus by their side. To the godling king's left was Hades, the Stygian helm covered his face, with his lieutenants, looking at her strangely. None of them seemed wary of Tartarus, let alone herself, and they all glared at her daughters with murderous intentions.
The rest of the Olympians teleported one after the other, all clad for battle, one of them even wearing a massive suit of armor made from Celestial Bronze and wielding a flaming war hammer. The god of war looked like a rabid dog ready to pounce, and even the love-struck girl was carrying a barbed whip that glowed pink. There was even a little child with mousy brown hair and brown robes, but her eyes were filled with flames so hot that it gave even the primordial pause.
Not even Nyx could face all of them on her lonesome - her daughters didn't count; they were not much use in a fight. Especially not in Tartarus where there was no fear of collateral damage. Zeus alone would be a tough fight, but with his siblings and Oceanus? Still, that did not mean she would meekly retreat to her House, for she did not lack an army of her own.
"My, my, so many of you had come just for me?"
"We have no issue with you, Lady Nyx," Poseidon spoke, his voice a tempestuous roar, and she now realized he was the father of that sea godling. "Your daughters have caused us grief and went against the laws that they force us to follow. This cannot stand."
"Indeed, they have caused us to lose a powerful family member, a future God of Olympus. Perseus Jackson was the child of prophecy. With him gone, there are no demigods that could face my father and prevail." Zeus thundered his displeasure as he stood beside his wife. Arcs of lightning ran down his white hair. "They have always pressured Olympus to continue the confinement of Calypso with no explanation. Seeing what the witch had achieved with so few resources, I now understand their wariness."
"Yet, that does not mean acceptance," Hera added before her daughters could retort. "I seek justice and retribution. For too long, we had suffered under the whims of those three. No longer."
"You dare? We are the only reason your precious Flame still burns, even as you jump from one civilization to another, like parasites!" Her daughter, Clotho, stepped forward angrily. "So what if we imprisoned our potential rival? Did Zeus not do the same and worse with his daughter over there and her mother?"
Athena stoically glared as insults and oaths were thrown, and Nyx was tired from this farce. She yearned to return to her sleep with her dear Erebus, yet she was responsible for sending that island through the void. Strangely, she almost felt something familiar on that island, as if a spawn of hers lived on it, but she shook her head as the heated words evolved into threats.
"That's enough." She commanded her daughters, causing them to be silent. "I have no wish to fight, yet I shall protect my daughters."
"Ah, but I wish to do battle, for there are consequences for provoking us." Poseidon brandished his trident and released a large pressure that even had Khaos surge below them. "This is the Sea of Khaos. I have always wondered if I would be able to control it."
Things were getting out of hand, and Nyx prepared to subtly call for her chariot and her children to aid their mother. She could feel them moving into her ethereal wings, thousands of hellhounds and other monstrosities, ready to be unleashed instantly. Thanatos, Charon, Moros, and the rest would surely want to help her, yet…
"Perhaps a compromise could be reached. None of us want to risk fighting here, and we would rather not tempt Tartarus into joining." Hades played mediator, and Nyx could barely hide the sigh of relief. She had always maintained a good relationship with The God of the Underworld, especially as most of her children worked for him. They stood behind him as his lieutenants, yet they looked at her imploringly to support their boss.
"A sound idea. Perhaps I can begin by assuring you that the island did not truly fall into Khaos."
"Then where is it? Why can't I sense any of them?" Hera looked halfway between worry and fury as Hades closed his eyes for a second.
"They are not in the Underworld, that I can tell you." Hera did not look satisfied but nodded curtly as Hades spread his arms, releasing his pressure and authority. "Now, compromise. We can tell that the threads of Fate have been severed and returned to Destiny. I think we can say the ancient laws have been promptly shattered, and now we can deal with our father on a more permanent basis?"
Her daughters looked rebellious, especially as that was but the beginning of the Olympians' demands, yet Nyx nodded. Her daughters had divinely fucked up and ought to face the consequences, ones that she, as their mother, would have to shoulder. After offering more compromises and promises, and severely limiting the powers of the Fates, war had been averted, and the Olympians left to deal with their Titan problem. Meanwhile, the Dark Lady turned to her daughters with a sadistic gleam in her eyes that had them cowering like kittens before a hellhound.
"As for you three… "
Exposition on how the powers that be work according to my interpretation. I care not for how Riordan structured them. This is how they work in this story and any other PJO story I will write.
I was hesitant to write the last segment, preferring to leave the fate of Olympus open to interpretation. Nevertheless, I decided against it. Nyx is based heavily on her portrayal from the Hades game (Excellent hack n' slash dungeon crawler with an intriguing story that I highly recommend.) I hated how much of a caricature she was written in the books, so I hope I did her justice here.
The Fates and Calypso: we have no idea why the Fates imprisoned Calypso for supporting the Titans. They should not have any stake in the matter, especially as they are the ones who wrote the tapestry that way. This is my explanation of why they hate Caly so much. Suffice it to say they have lost a lot of power and prestige, but I will leave their fate to your interpretation. Full power Zeus is no joke, combined with the full might of Olympus, plus Oceanus and Nyx knew when she was outmatched and decided to negotiate.
Finally, the crew is on the way to One Piece! Here's a hint for the next chapter: All that playing around with Destiny will have serious repercussions for the world of One Piece. Not that Calypso and the others care, nor will they ever realize it.
If you would like to support me, or read four chapters ahead, join me on my Pat(eo)n under the same penname.