Author's notes at the bottom. I hope you all enjoy!

Percy:

Being led to your execution is a funny feeling. Taking a step, knowing it's one closer to being your last, breathing, knowing that each breath is limited. It's weird. This was not my first time on Olympus, it wasn't even the first time I thought I'd die here. But knowing I was going to die was an entirely different feeling, and it doesn't exactly feel great. I'd made my peace with the fact I had to die, but I wasn't exactly looking forward to the process ahead I'd need to go through to get that way.

As I followed Artemis and Athena towards the door to the throne room, I felt my heart begin to race. Athena, sensing this, gave me a reassuring smile.

"Percy," she asked. "Would you like a minute?"

"No," I shook my head. "Let's just get this over with."

Athena nodded, allowing me to take the lead as we walked towards the doors. As we neared, they swung open. The throne room was a far cry from the bustling streets and laughter outside beyond the doors, in here you could hear a pin drop. It was as if all the life had been sucked out of the place.

The ceiling, typically a vibrant tapestry of shimmering constellations set against a bright azure backdrop, now loomed dark and foreboding. Its hue had deepened to an almost impenetrable void, swallowing the room in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere. The stars that once danced across it had been snuffed out, leaving only shadows in their wake.

The air, thick with tension, felt thin and hard to breathe. I forced myself to take a deep, steady breath as I made my way towards the hearth at the centre of the room. It burned low, its usual warmth absent, Hestia was nowhere to be seen. Her absence leaving the fire lifeless, and the room eerily hollow.

I spotted my father sitting on his throne, nervously rapping his fingers along his trident. He looked different, older, but I would recognise him anywhere. We locked eyes and he gave me a reassuring nod. I could sense the ocean emanating off him, bringing with it a peaceful sea breeze. His presence calmed me and my panicked heartbeats slowed.

I considered moving towards my father, but Zeus, almost as if he could read my mind, shook his head and gestured with his master bolt for me to step in front of his throne. The casual way he wielded the weapon made several of the Olympians flinch; the master bolt was not just a symbol of his power, it was a weapon even gods feared.

I stepped forward and stood before the king of the gods. Zeus, seeming to relish in my discomfort, took his time before finally speaking.

"Thank you, daughters, for bringing the boy here." Zeus said, nodding in thanks to Artemis and Athena. "Now, we may begin proceedings."

"Good," Ares muttered. "I've been waiting to put this little runt in his place for six years now."

"Unfortunately," Athena began. "You'll be waiting quite a while for that day, Ares. Percy is innocent."

"Hmph." Ares said, disbelieving. Visibly annoyed that operation blast Percy wasn't going how he'd hoped.

"Daughter, if you have a theory, by all means, the floor is yours," Zeus said, his voice weighty with authority, motioning for Athena to speak.

"It is more than a theory. I spoke with Chiron, he allowed me to examine some of the dead. Each and every one of them had a symbol carved onto their flesh, right behind their ear. It is something of a brand, a mark of possession. Powerful, ancient magic. There's no mistaking it."

Zeus looked uncomfortable, like a thief caught red handed, scratching the back of his head, drawing a raised eyebrow from Athena, though she said nothing of it.

"Athena?" Apollo asked warily. What was the mark, what did it say?"

"Ahem," Athena said, clearing her throat. She spoke in a harsh, sharp tongue. The words sounded ancient, a remnant of a bygone era, a time perhaps older than the gods themselves. Even my Ancient Greek tuned brain couldn't understand. The noises scarcely sounded like words at all.

The council shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Whatever Athena had said, clearly had them worried. All of them that was, except for one.

"Nonsense," Zeus said dismissively. "What Athena suggests is impossible. Tartarus cannot walk the earth, powerful though he may be, he is confined to the pit."

"It is the only explanation," Athena said simply. "I was at the camp, father. I know what I sensed, the call of the void is undeniable. We've all spent time in his domain at some point in our lives, I know many of you can sense his presence too." Several members of the Olympian council shuddered. Zeus remained motionless, simply observing his daughter, stone faced.

"Are you certain?" Poseidon asked. "I obviously do not believe for one moment this was Percy. But this is… unheard of.."

Athena looked at her long time rival stoically. "As certain as I am that you are sitting right in front of me, Poseidon."

"I felt it too," Artemis added. "As soon as I passed the boundary to camp, I felt his presence, it was so strong even a mortal would sense it."

Zeus let out a low, irritated sigh, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. "That… may be so. But it does not exonerate the boy. If what you say is true, then dark forces are indeed at play, and as we all know, demigods make fine instruments for violence. Why, we have used the boy to that end ourselves many times."

A murmur of agreement rippled from the Olympians.

"Father!" Athena exclaimed. "Why are you so determined to deem Percy guilty of these crimes? As you have just admitted. He has served our cause countless times."

In a display not seen in millennia, Poseidon, speaking for the first time, agreed with the wisdom goddess. "Brother. I'm inclined to agree with Athena. I see no evidence of his guilt. After all Percy has done, this is not right."

Zeus scowled. "I do not dismiss the service he has rendered to us in the past. For which, let us not forget, this council rewarded him generously. However, he is one of only three mortals - two of whom still live - who have survived the pit. How are we to know what happened down there, the sole other witness is dead.

"He's got a point," Ares drawled. "Mortal minds are fragile, pit boy and that Annie kid could have easily lost their noggins in the hole."

"Annabeth," Dionysus muttered, regarding his half brother with loathing. "Her name was Annabeth."

"Whatever," Ares said. "I still say we destroy him."

Athena eyed the god of war down. "We are not destroying the boy."

"I lost three of my kids because of the little punk!"

"And if you touch my son, you will lose the rest of them." Poseidon said coldly, staring down Ares, daring him to challenge him. Ares refused to meet his gaze.

"Enough!" Zeus roared. "Poseidon, Ares, Athena… enough! I have a simple solution here then, young demigod. Swear on the River Styx that you are innocent. Swear it, and I will let you go immediately."

The Olympians all looked at me expectedly, but my eyes were locked on Zeus in horror. His form flickered, cold demeanour vanished for a moment, instead being replaced by a look of pained confusion. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the same unfeeling expression. Something was wrong with him, he was being possessed.

My blood went cold as I realised who I was looking at. The devil on my shoulder, the insidious voice that had haunted my thoughts, whispering ideas of reunion with Annabeth. It had been him all along. Tartarus.

I didn't want to be here, I didn't want to die. I just wanted to be at home, to see my mom.

I looked around at the council desperately, silently pleading with them to notice what was standing right in front of them. But it was hopeless. Tartarus' presence loomed over them all like a storm cloud, preying on their baser selves. Aphrodite became enamoured by her own reflection in a spotless mirror she held in her hand, while Hephaestus, ever the longing husband, pined after his wife with a look of silent despair. Apollo and Artemis were locked in a heated sibling squabble, their voices rising as they traded barbs. Across the room, Hermes, true to his nature, was fiddling with the clasp on Ares' Rolex, the war god too engrossed in a loud argument with Dionysus to even notice.

The only gods seemingly untouched were the elder Olympians and Athena. The latter of which sat silently observing, her wide eyes darting from one Olympian to the next as all around her, the council descended into chaos.

I turned to my father, behind his eyes, a tidal wave of emotions. Tartarus had a way of weaving his lies into your thoughts in such a way that seemed like your deepest truths, for who doesn't trust the sound of their inner consciousness? From the way my dad was looking at me, I could tell Tartarus was whispering to him right now, twisting his thoughts, planting the seeds of doubt. It was no wonder he'd been so uncharacteristically silent through the proceeding, he'd been having an entire conversation in his mind.

A shiver ran down my spine as I realised just how powerful Tartarus truly was. Here he was, not even in his true form, and he had Olympians eating out of his hands. I felt so vulnerable, I'd never felt so alone, so hopeless.

Slowly, he raised an open palm and silence followed. Gods. The level of control he has over them. It was more than mere power, it was domination, a power that bent even the strongest of wills to his whims.

"Well, boy? Prove your innocence." Zeus- no, Tartarus said mockingly, a ghost of a smirk dancing on his lips.

I tried to reply, to say anything in response, but my voice betrayed me. It was like my throat was being clamped shut by an invisible force. I was powerless.

"Why so quiet? Cat got your tongue?"

I felt a stabbing pain in my skull, as a voice, my own voice, spoke to me silently. "Just confess. Confess, and I will grant you peace. The alternative is far messier, you have lost enough loved ones. Confess, and you will be the last death."

I felt the invisible coils around my throat loosen, their grip on my voice finally gone. "I want to confess." My words came out hoarse, barely more than a whisper. "I did it, I killed Annabeth and the rest of the campers."

An array of reactions rippled through the gods' faces. Aphrodite and Dionysus looked heartbroken, Ares and Apollo exchanged surprised glances, Hermes looked furious, I didn't blame him, he thought I'd taken more sons from him. Hera and Demeter, ever composed as elder Olympians, remained stoic. Artemis looked like she wanted to shoot me. Athena's sharp eyes bore into me, disbelief written across her face, as if she couldn't reconcile what she'd just heard. Poseidon just sank into his throne, hurt painted all across his face at me blankly, my heart sank to depths not even he could reach.

Zeus' features twisted into a grotesque smile, Tartarus' glee spilling through like a puppet master yanking the strings. "The truth will out. There we go then! Now, I think we're all in agreement about what to do next, no need to waste time with a vote."

"No!" Poseidon bellowed. "If my son is truly guilty of these crimes, then I agree, he deserves punishment. But I ask you brother. No, beg of you. I am his father, allow me to question him myself, he may still know something that would be of use to this council."

I could see the conflict in his eyes, he was still hurt, but doubt lingered within him. A part of him still believed me, or at least desperately wanted to.

I heard Tartarus whisper in the back of my mind once again. "Convince your father, else this will get messy. I have already claimed Zeus, Poseidon will be no obstacle."

Panic wracked my body. Zeus seemed so empty now, nothing more than a shell, an echo of who he once was. I couldn't let my father end up like that. "Dad," I stammered, the words catching in my throat. "I'm sorry… but I did this."

"Swear on the Styx," Tartarus whispered in my head. "The river goddess will not move against me. She will overlook this one broken oath."

I processed his words. Even if he was deceiving me, it made no difference. I was going to die here, it was just a matter of who else would have to join me. I couldn't let that happen to anyone else I cared about. I looked at my dad, desperately wishing I could tell him the truth. But for his sake, I couldn't. He needed to believe the lie.

"I, Percy Jackson, swear on the River Styx that I… killed Annabeth Chase and the rest of the campers."

I could see Poseidon's heart break, the flicker of hope that danced in his eyes, snuffed out in an instant. "Son… why?" He said weakly, his eyes watering.

Tartarus watched as Poseidon's head fell into his hands, his face remained stern, but I could see the subtle shift in his posture. He was smiling internally, having finally convinced my father of my guilt. I watched as Tartarus rose to his feet unsteadily, his movements jerky and unnatural, like a marionette pulled by unseen strings. His face flashed with a feeling a being like him was not accustomed to. Pain. Zeus was still in there somewhere, defiant as always, fighting hard for control. But then, just as quickly, he was gone. Tartarus had regained control. He stood tall, his composure eerie in its elegance. With unsettling calm, he leveled the bolt at me. He tilted his head slightly, smiling. He was enjoying this.

Athena remained still, clenching her jaw, her piercing gaze fixed on her father. I could see the wheels turning in her mind as she began to put together a theory. Poseidon stayed where he was, head in hands, silently weeping.

The smell of ozone filled the air as the master bolt crackled to life, making my hair stand up on end. I could hear the bolt whispering to me, promising me a thousand deaths, aching with trepidation to erase me. It was more than just a tool in his hands. It was the storm incarnate, a sentient tempest, alive, aware and hungry.

A bright light engulfed my vision, I felt a burning heat fill the room, my body went numb. Athena let out a silent scream, rising from her throne, summoning a spear and rushing towards Tartarus. And then… nothing.

Apologies if this felt a little rushed, unfortunately the original version of this chapter is on a google account I don't have the password to, on an iPhone from 2013 that won't charge anymore so I had to scrounge this together over a few hours. I'm happy enough with it, but I'll be editing it over the next few weeks. I hope you guys all enjoyed it anyway though.

I'll respond to some feedback here as I've gotten a lot of it recently. (Thank you all by the way, reviews help motivate me so much, love all of you) I've also had a message and a couple of comments talking about my mention of Pontos in chapter five, one of them rightfully being a tad concerned. All I will say is this. My story is never going to become some generic endless primordial villain fest and in later chapters, I will prove that. As for Pontos' role in the story, we're a ways away from him actually showing up so you'll have to wait to see what I do there. But my aim with this story is to tread new ground, so I will be working with that theme moving forward. Tartarus will be a regular theme in the story, especially in the next few chapters. But beyond that he will be the main villain in the way that Kronos was in the Percy Jackson series. He will not be a day to day character, I have other, none primordial villains in mind for that.

I'd like to give a shoutout to Razma2468 for the lovely feedback. As well as being a longtime supporter, he was a regular reviewer of the original version of this story. Razma, very glad you prefer the updated version, I do too. In hindsight the original version of my story was… rough to say the least. In regards to your feedback about not liking Percy rushing to join Annabeth in death. I agree, the idea he would abandon his friends, his mom, his dad and Tyson is hard to stomach and just very out of character. Him rushing to the decision was a deliberate story choice that hopefully has been made a bit clearer in this chapter. I'll be expanding on it further in later chapters too.

Also, to the guy who asked about Percy becoming the champion of an Athena in my story, the honest answer is I don't know, but I'm leaning more towards no. I find that the more foreign powers Percy is bestowed in a fic, the less he seems like Percy. I also feel like if he became Athena's champion, those powers would serve as a cheap stand in for Annabeth. I want her absence to be felt, both in the story and by Percy as a character. I'm not saying never, but if I were to do it, there would need to be clear limits to his power and it would have to work in line with his established character in canon, as well as in this story. I'm much more interested in exploring the powers he already has to be honest. I don't know though, you guys let me know what you think.

Also, if you guys have any thoughts or suggestions in general for where you'd like this story to go, I'd love to hear them. Most major story beats are planned and many chapters are already written, but I am always open to incorporating new ideas if I think they're good. Thank you all for the support, I'll have chapter 7 out on Friday!