Chapter Five: Blessings
As Percy pulled the catamaran into port, he couldn't help but look up at Mount Tamalpais with excitement. Through the swirling clouds of the Mist, he could see the structure of Mount Othrys looming over it. The black castle was still in ruins, but it didn't feel as empty as it had when Percy first arrived so many years ago. The dust and the cobwebs had been cleared, and the walls no longer felt as empty as they looked. When Percy asked Prometheus why he didn't just fix the place with his powers, he had explained that Othrys wasn't as much a physical building as it was sovereignty. Othrys was the physical manifestation of Kronos and the Titan's divine authority, and when Zeus had toppled it, he didn't just destroy a castle, he also destroyed the Titan's authority over the world. And that so long as Kronos was in Tartarus, Othrys could never be restored to its former glory. The good news was that the more followers Kronos had, the more people that swore themselves to the Titans and renounced the gods, the more Othrys would be rebuilt. And while it was good to have Titans on his side, he needed mortal followers to truly rebuild Othrys and raise him from the Pit.
Percy wondered why he was thinking about that as the boat bumped to port. With a thought, a rope tied itself around the dock and secured them. Alabaster jumped off the boat, stumbling as he tried to walk off his sea legs. Luke wasn't far behind, clutching the red backpack that held Zeus's Master Bolt and Hades's Helm of Darkness. He also wobbled a bit as he tried to get used to walking on land. Percy just chuckled to himself as he watched the two of them, stepping onto dry land without any difficulty.
Without much else to do on a 40 foot boat, over the month long journey the three of them got to know each other pretty well. Luke told them stories about Camp Half-Blood. Percy and Alabaster were enraptured by the idea of so many demigods living together. They loved hearing Luke's stories about Capture the Flag, a climbing wall with lava that just sounded awesome, all the cabins, Luke's friends and the nature spirits around Camp. They even heard about Chiron, the famous trainer of heroes.
But for all the cool things Luke told them about Camp, he also told them the bad things. He told them how overcrowded the Hermes cabin was, where all the disregarded and unrepresented children of the gods go. He told them about how they don't get any attention or recognition from the gods, usually something life threatening. He told them about how half the time, when a camper left for the summer they wouldn't be back the next year. Luke was the oldest demigod at camp by a wide margin, and that was mostly due to the fact that he stayed at Camp full time. The death rate for demigods was astonishing. Luke told them that less than 20% of demigods made it to adulthood. That was sobering. That was terrifying. They were children, and they were dying because the gods refused to do anything about it.
The three of them trekked to the bottom of Mount Othrys. It was a pretty short walk, and they were all eager to finish their mission, so they didn't talk much. As they walked through the Garden of Hesperides, Luke slowed as he looked at the tree with the Golden Apples of Immortality. Then Ladon started hissing and they all quickly went up the mountain.
They reached the top of Mount Othrys pretty quickly. As they passed through the courtyard, Atlas gave Percy a vicious grin, which Percy returned. As they entered the throne room of Othrys, Percy paused when he saw the amount of people there. Some of them he was familiar with, such as Prometheus, Hecate, Oceanus, Tethys, Styx, Pallas, Bia, Kratos, Zeleus and Nike. But others he only knew by reputation. There was Hyperion, Lord of the East and Titan of Light. Krios, Lord of the South and Heavenly Constellations. Iapetus, Lord of the West, Titan of Mortality and Pain. Koios, Lord of the North and Titan of Intellect. Perses, Titan of Destruction. Lelantos, Titan of Air, Hunt, Unseen Movement and the Hunter's Skill of Stalking Prey. Arce, Messenger of the Titans, Titaness of the Second Rainbow. And finally, Aura, Titaness of Breezes.
Luke approached Hyperion, Iapetus and Krios, who stood in the middle of the room, just before Kronos's throne. He knelt, and presented the red backpack to them. "I have retrieved the Master Bolt and the Helm of Darkness, as requested of me by Lord Kronos."
"You have done well, boy, to bring these to us," Iapetus remarked, picking up the backpack. "It is no easy feat to steal a god's symbol of power, much less right out from under their noses in the middle of Olympus."
"Indeed. An impressive deed," Hyperion nodded. "And one that would change the tide of war."
"Aye. It would be a shame to sit on them, twiddling our thumbs. I say we use them," Perses declared, eyeing the backpack hungrily.
"Peace, brother," Koios said. "There is no need to hurry. The Olympians have a doomsday, whether they know it or not. There is no need to rush."
"Agreed. The Olympians are already at each other's throats. Why reveal ourselves and risk them unifying when instead we could watch as they destroy each other?" Iapetus said.
"We have the advantage, we should strike now! Destroy them before they even know they're under siege," Perses argued.
"Do not let your nature get the best of you," Prometheus warned. "We stand more to gain by waiting for Kronos to rise than we do acting prematurely. The more powerful Kronos is, the more powerful we are, and the weaker the Olympians become. There are other minor gods still we have yet to approach. By waiting, we will only grow stronger, and the Olympians weaker."
"And do not forget, if we were to reveal ourselves, it would be Zeus who would appear first," Pallas warned. "Trying to use a god's symbol of power against them is beyond foolhardy."
Hyperion nodded. "It is in agreement. We stay the course. These items will remain here, under the watchful eye of Hecate and Krios. The rest of us will continue as we have been, gathering allies, sowing discord, staying hidden and out of sight. Our time is coming soon, brothers and sisters. When Kronos rises, our time will come again! We will raze Olympus to the ground and destroy the faithless gods! We will retake our rightful place as Masters of the World!"
The Titans cheered. Just likely that, the halls of Othrys got a little bit brighter.
"Now, is there any here that would deny that these heroes deserve a reward?" Iapetus asked. "They have done us a great service. It is only right that they take what is owed to them."
"Luke Castellan! Step forward," Krios declared. Luke rose and looked at him. "Luke, for your acts of courage in retrieving the Master Bolt and the Helm of Darkness, as well as your work in Camp Half-Blood priming the demigods to turn to Kronos, and acquiring a spy to keep us informed of the happenings of the camp. You have been a faithful and loyal follower of Kronos, and your faith will be rewarded. You will be the commander of Kronos's armies, demigod and monster alike. You will lead his forces against the powers of Olympus. If there is anything we can get you to aid you in your service of the greater good, then you need only ask."
"If I may, Lord Hyperion, while I feel confident in my skills as a swordsman, I feel as though my blade is not adequate to properly combat the forces of Olympus," Luke said, head still bowed.
"A weapon. This we can provide. We will craft you the finest weapon, Luke Castellan, and you will show the Olympians the true nature of fear," Hyperion declared. Luke bowed, and stepped back.
"Alabaster Torrington! My son! Step forward," Hecate declared. Alabaster did, trembling slightly in front of all the massive Titans. "My son, you have shown dedication and bravery in your tasks. You have trained diligently, it shows. But you also displayed a passion for helping your fellow demigod. This is why I have decreed that you will be in charge of the recruitment of demigods. There are many demigods out there who are unaware of their parenthood, and at the mercy of rogue monsters. I am tasking you to take my empousa and seek them out, and guide them to Othrys so that they may be given a safe haven from monsters and vengeful gods alike."
"Yes Mother. I will not fail you," Alabaster said, bowing rapidly.
"Percy Jackson!" Prometheus cried. Alabaster stepped back, and Percy stepped forward. "You have shown unwavering loyalty like no other to the rise of Kronos. Your strength of body and spirit are unmatched in dedication to return our King to us. You have bested Kratos in a contest of strength, and overcame the God of War. You are given the most important task of all. As Kronos gains his strength, you are tasked to house his spirit. You are asked to be Kronos's link to the physical world as he regains his strength. Will you accept this honor and burden?"
Percy could feel the room, and perhaps the world, holding its breath as they waited for his answer. But how could Percy answer any differently?
"I accept," Percy said. The room exploded into cheers. Prometheus smiled broadly at him, and Percy felt his heart grow warm.
"Thank you Percy. Your bravery is exemplary for your kind," Prometheus said. "But now, we have just accomplished something incredible! This calls for celebration!"
At his words, the doors burst open and empousa holding food stormed out. The Hesperides, daughters of Atlas, came up from their garden to play music and sing. The empousa quickly set up tables with food and drink, and went around, serving drinks. The Titans all shrunk to more normal sizes. There was laughing and merriment all around. It was kind of stressful having an immortal being walk up to you and start chatting, but after the fourth or fifth time, you sorta got used to it. Or at least he did. Luke looked like he was going to have a heart attack every single time. Even the empousa weren't as threatening today. Kelli only gave him a fanged smile that promised pain before she sauntered up to Luke. Percy smiled. For a moment, all was right in the world.
Percy inhaled deeply, trying to calm his nerves. It was fine. Everything was fine! We were cool. This was ok. Breathe in…breathe out.
Nope he still wasn't ready. Gah, why was this so hard! Before he could even think about it, Percy rapped on the door three times then quickly pulled his hand away. Oh gods, oh damn what had he done!? Stupid stupid stupid! He needed to go now!
The party had lasted all day and well into the night. But when Percy had woken up, everyone was gone, except Prometheus, Hecate, Krios, Luke and Alabaster. But then Styx had returned.
As part of the process to become Kronos's vessel, he needed to fortify his body. He would be holding the full power of the Titan Lord, and that was more than any mortal could handle. And to do that, he needed to get the Curse of Achilles. And for that, he needed to talk to his mom.
Before he had the chance to bolt, Percy heard the bolt click and the door creak open. Percy was frozen to the spot as his mother's face appeared in the crack of the door. Percy heard a gasp and the door slammed shut.
"M-mom?" Percy choked. Then he heard the sliding of a chain lock and the door was flung open. For a moment, mother and son stared at each other. Then Percy flung himself into his mother's arms. They sunk to the floor, sobbing. Percy hadn't realized how much he missed his mom until that moment. Right then, he didn't care if Kronos himself showed up. Nothing was more important than his mom.
"Oh my baby, my sweet child," his mom sobbed into his hair. "I thought you were gone. I thought they took you from me. I've missed you every day for the past five years."
"I'm sorry mom, I'm so sorry," Percy sobbed.
"Sh, sh, it's ok, you're here now," his mom said, pulling him into her. "All that matters is that we're together."
Percy sobbed harder, burying his face in his mom's shirt. After a few minutes, they got up and moved inside, his mother never letting go of him even for a second. They just needed some privacy, and sitting out in the hallway of an apartment building was not it. She stroked his hair as he clung to her. "Tell me everything Percy. Where have you been? Are you alright? Have you been eating enough? Do you have any friends?"
Percy laughed. "I'm fine mom, I've been eating plenty. And well…about the rest, it's a long story."
Percy told her the basics of what happened. Prometheus warned him not to be 100% honest with her. But his mom was a smart woman. Even when he left some things out, she could read between the lines. He saw it in her eyes whenever she picked up on something that Percy never really said. In that way, Percy knew he was being completely honest with her.
When he was finished, his mom pursed her lips. "Percy…are you sure this is the best way to go?"
"I am, mom," Percy replied.
"But Percy, these are the Titans. I mean, they're practically synonymous with evil in greek myth," she said.
"Maybe so, but the Titans I've met and interacted with aren't like the ones I hear about in myth. Prometheus has taught me so much. I know he genuinely cares about me. He's like the father I never have. And Atlas is like a gruff uncle, who's really bad at showing he cares about you, but you know he does. And Tethys…she…she reminds me a lot like you. She is kind and gentle and she cares for me. And no one could ever replace you, but she's been there for me," Percy said.
"Oh, Percy, I know. They sound like wonderful people, and I would love to meet them, but you're talking about fighting the gods. Your own father," she pleaded.
"What good has he ever done for me? He left us alone with Smelly Gabe, and I know now why you put up with him, and I'm so sorry for making you live through that," Percy said, barreling on before his mother could try and tell him it was ok because it wasn't and she was the most wonderful person in the world and shouldn't have had to deal with that "He wasn't there when we needed him, he wasn't even there when I was born! He left you with no instructions, no help, no anything! And I know you want to defend him and say he couldn't, but that's his fault too! Maybe the King of the Gods is the only problem, but then all of Olympus is faulted for following him blindly! Mom, people are suffering, people like me. Luke's lived through camp, and he knows it. Less than 20% of demigods live to reach 18. They're dying, and they've been dying because the gods don't care enough to try and help them! They need help, and they need to be treated better."
"Percy, you don't know any of them," his mom said.
"I don't need to know them to know they're suffering," Percy said. "And if I can help, I can't just let them die."
His mom sighed and rubbed his hair. "Look at you. My little hero. I always knew you were. You're a good man, and I couldn't be prouder as a mother. Just answer me this. Do you believe in this with your whole heart?"
"Yes," Percy said. "I do."
"Ok. Then I give you my blessing," his mom said. The instant those words left her mouth, the Lady Styx appeared. His mom jumped a little, but Percy didn't react.
"It is time," Styx said.
"Ok, yeah, just gimme a second," Percy said. He looked back to his mom. "Thanks mom. I love you. With all my heart."
"I love you too Percy. You are my everything," his mom said, hugging him tight. Percy squeezed her back.
"One day, every month. From now on, I will visit once a month, and it will be just me and you. I swear it on the Styx," Percy said. Thunder rolled overhead. They both looked up at the sky. Percy turned to the Lady Styx. "You think you could help me with that?"
Styx smiled, and for once Percy saw no trace of hate in her eyes. "I think this is one oath I will be glad to uphold."
"Thank you," Percy said. He turned back to his mother. "I have to go now. But I'll see you soon, ok?"
Percy's mom hugged him tightly before letting go. "Ok. Thank you for coming back to me. I love you Percy."
"Love you too, mom," he said, before letting her go. Taking a deep breath, Percy took Lady Styx's hand, and they disappeared.
They reappeared in a dark and gloomy cavern, in front of a black river. The river was filled with all sorts of junk. Percy spied a torn up college diploma, some love letters with names crossed out and deflated footballs.
"This is my river. This is where all mortal dreams go to die," Styx said. "Before you take the plunge, I must tell you what you are doing. My river marks the passage between life and death. On one side is the mortal world, and the other, the realm of the dead. By passing over it, you give up your tethers to a mortal life and accept your place among the realm of the dead. But for a mortal to dip in my waters? It is not the crossing from life to death, but rather from mortality to immortality. The acids of my river strip tear at your very soul. Yes, the waters of my river will make you invulnerable, but more importantly, they will eat away what makes you human. If you have any hope of surviving this ordeal, you will need to keep sight of what keeps you human. Can you do that? Can you keep sight of what makes you mortal when immortality is knocking at your gates?"
Percy looked out into the black river. A thousand different dreams squashed, discarded. Just below the surface, Percy imagined there were oaths there too. Oaths too protect, to help, to be there when called. All ignored and tossed away. Percy wouldn't give up on his oath. He would usher in a new world for demigod and Titan alike. One where they did not to fear monsters and gods. One where kids did not die before they were adults. One where Alabaster could be safe enough to show his face and not have to hide. One where Luke didn't have to look at his scar in the mirror in shame. One where gods weren't rewarded for their selfishness, but punished. One where Titans wouldn't be tortured for trying to help those beneath them. One where demigods weren't playthings for the gods.
Percy nodded. "I can."
Styx sighed. "For your sake, I hope you can. This is the first time I willingly give out the gift of immortality. You will have no mortal point, but you will still need to tether yourself to your humanity. But it will be harder. Because you will have no physical link to the mortal world, you must have a mental one. Remember your oath to your mother. I think that might be your best chance at survival."
Percy nodded. Styx gestured forward, and stepped back out of eyesight. Percy breathed. Ok. He could do this. Percy stepped into the River Styx.
He blinked. Percy didn't know what he expected, but it wasn't nothing. Percy waded in a bit deeper, up to his thighs. Still nothing. Huh. He turned back to where Styx was standing, but she wasn't there anymore. Percy went in farther, up to his chest. Still nothing. With a shrug, Percy dipped his head underwater.
Like with most rivers, Percy was able to breathe just fine. He walked along the riverbed, waiting for something to happen. He thought about his mom, and all the demigods who needed him. But for a while, nothing.
And then here was something.
It was a weird feeling, at first. Percy couldn't describe it. It was almost like the river was passing through him. Percy shivered. Was he becoming a ghost?
At first it wasn't really there. But the longer he stayed, the more intense it got. And the more painful. Soon, it felt like the water was grains of sands, whipping by and peeling at him skin, but was also inside him. It tore at him, at his body and his soul. Percy grit his teeth and tried to resist the pain. He thought about his mom, and Kronos, and all the people relying on him. He thought about Luke's stories, and all his friends that died because of selfish gods. But the pain was too great. The water seemed to speed up. It was pushing him back. He could sense it at the end of the river. Tartarus. Percy shuddered. If he didn't mortality himself, it wasn't just his soul that he'd lose. He'd be cast into Tartarus.
Percy screamed into the river! No! He would not die here! There were people that needed him! Kronos was counting on him! The demigods, who all would die if he failed!
"Once a month. Just you and me."
His own words to his mother echoed in his ears. He smiled. His mom reached out to him.
Come on, my sweet child.
Percy took his mom's hand.
And he exploded from the river.
Styx was standing there as he panted on his knees. His skin was red and raw.
"Fascinating," she murmured. "I figured that it'd have something to do with it but…"
"Lady Styx?" Percy murmured.
"Come boy," Styx said gently, taking his arm. "Get up. It worked. We have much to discuss."
And that's all I have for now. I promise I'll be updating soon, I've got the first part of the next chapter written already. I'm moving into the quest for the bolt sequence, and I'm trynna work out what the prophecy actually is, who the questers are going to be and Percy's role in the quest and how he interacts with the questers. If you have any suggestions for me I'd love to hear it. But uh yeah, hope you enjoyed the first few chapters of this lil story of mine, a lot of it was setup for things to come but I still hope you liked it. Anyways
