"Stop fidgeting," Hades said, his tone sharp but weary, like this wasn't the first—or even the hundredth—time he'd told me. He leaned against the elevator wall, fixing me with a stare. "Swear to my dear old pops, kid, I've felt your foot tapping since we stepped in here."
I immediately stopped, pulling my foot away from the carpet like it had betrayed me. "Sorry, Uncle."
"Relax," he said, "Four of the gods in that room are already on your side." His eyes flicked back to me, and his voice softened. "You did good, nephew. It'll be fine. Trust me."
I nodded back at him.
[Gamer's Mind] kept me from feeling most of the brunt of my nervousness, but a bit of it still slipped through.
It wasn't the worst thing in the world, surprisingly. For all the fear, anxiety, and dread someone in my position probably should've been feeling, the only sign of my nerves was some light foot-tapping.
I shook my head, marveling at the sheer absurdity of my life. Just an hour ago, I'd been facing certain death on the sandy shores of Santa Monica Beach. Now, I was standing in an elevator with my uncle, who had casually informed me that this thing allegedly went all the way up to Olympus.
Meanwhile, Piper was downstairs, out cold in the lobby. Hades swore she was fine, but she hadn't woken up after the whole helm incident. He'd just scooped her up, dropped her onto a chair next to the security desk, and ushered me into the elevator like we were running late for a meeting.
My uncle said something about less mortal eyes seeing Olympus, but I was willing to bet he just didn't want to deal with the headache of her having a full-on meltdown in front of all of the twelve Olympians.
Understandable. Sort of. A part of me still thought she deserved something for the trauma she'd been through in the last week, so I convinced my uncle to get her a a Dunkin's gift card and a shirt from the lobby that read: I visited the Empire State Building and all I got was this stupid shirt!
The doors slid open. I stepped out and almost had a heart attack. I take back the allegedly I'd tacked on before—the elevator really did lead to Olympus.
I was standing on a narrow stone walkway in the middle of the air. Below me was Manhattan, from the height of an airplane. In front of me, white marble steps wound up the spine of a cloud, into the sky.
My eyes followed the stairway to its end, where my brain just couldn't accept what I saw.
From the top of the clouds rose the decapitated peak of a mountain, its summit covered with snow.
Clinging to the mountainside were dozens of multileveled palaces—a city of mansions—all with white-columned porticos, gilded terraces, and bronze braziers glowing with a thousand fires. Roads wound crazily up to the peak, where the largest palace gleamed against the snow.
Precariously perched gardens bloomed with olive trees and rose bushes. I could make out an open-air market filled with colorful tents, a stone amphitheater built on one side of the mountain, a hippodrome, and a coliseum on the other. It was an Ancient Greek city, except it wasn't in ruins. It was new and clean, and colorful, the way Athens must've looked twenty-five hundred years ago.
"First time's always the best," Hades said as he stepped out behind me, his gaze fixed wistfully on Olympus. His expression was unreadable, a mix of nostalgia and something darker. The warm brown color in his eyes distilled, giving way to a pitch black.
"I don't even know what to say."
"Don't say anything, kid. Just take out all in and enjoy it while you can," He placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but not unkind. "Once you know everyone's dirty laundry, though…the place starts to look a whole lot different." He gave a small, humorless chuckle, his eyes glinting. "Let's just say, the prettiest places usually have the most to hide."
My first trip through Olympus went by in a daze.
We passed some giggling wood nymphs who threw olives at me from their garden. Hawkers in the market offered to sell me ambrosia-on-a-stick, a new shield, and a genuine glitter-weave replica of the Golden Fleece, as seen on Hephaestus-TV.
The nine muses were tuning their instruments for a concert in the park while a small crowd gathered—there were satyrs, naiads, and a bunch of good-looking teenagers who might've been minor gods and goddesses.
A few pointed at Ares and laughed. Several of them turned to watch me pass and whispered to themselves.
Steps led up to a central courtyard. Past that was what Hades told me was the throne room.
Room really wasn't the right word. The place made Grand Central Station look like a broom closet.
Massive columns rose to a domed ceiling, which was gilded with moving constellations. Twelve thrones, built for beings the size of the statue of liberty, were arranged in an inverted U, just like the cabins at Camp Half-Blood.
An enormous fire crackled in the central hearth pit, where I saw Hestia sitting. She waved at me when I walked in.
The thrones were almost all filled. Ignoring the immense pressure of the room—it felt like I was walking into a wall of pure mana—I took a deep breath.
I didn't have to be told what to do. I came toward the throne all the way in the center and knelt.
Zeus, the Lord of the Gods, wore a dark blue pinstriped suit. He sat on a simple throne of solid platinum. He had a well-trimmed beard, marbled gray and black like a storm cloud. His face was proud and handsome and grim, his eyes rainy gray.
I wondered how I looked in comparison. A little ant, covered in blood and sweat.
A few tense moments passed. I debated saying something, but I figured I probably shouldn't speak unless spoken to.
I held out the lightning bolt, pointing the metallic cylinder toward the Lord of the Skies.
Zeus opened his palm. The lightning bolt flew into it. As he closed his fist, the metallic points flared with electricity, until he was holding what looked more like the classic thunderbolt, a twenty-foot javelin of arcing, hissing energy that made the hairs on my scalp rise.
Hades kicked Ares to the ground in front of Zeus. "Little brother."
Zeus looked at Hades. "Brother, what have you done to my son?"
"Your son," Hades spat, kicking Ares in the stomach. A small groan escaped the War God's lips, alongside a spittle of blood and what looked like a tooth. "Stole your bolt and my helm with the help of a demigod named Luke Castellan. As for what happened to him, I can't take the credit for that."
"You can't?" Zeus echoed, leaning forward on his throne. His gray eyes flashed blue for a moment, and the bolt crackled loudly, almost as if it was getting excited to be fired. "Then who can?"
"Percy can," Hades said confidently, nodding toward me. "Your son is in the state he is in because of him."
Silence. Pure silence.
Look, I'll be the first to tell you my uncle is a clever guy. A smart one, even. He manufactured a deal to get everyone what they want. He played Ares like a fiddle, engineering a plan that would allow him to beat down on him with the wrath of the Underworld. Hell, he even convinced the guy at the front desk to let us in—that guy's had it out for me ever since I stole a pen from here during a school field trip.
Exposing me like that in front of everyone, though? If we weren't in the presence of other gods at the moment, I would've blurted out a quick what the fuck and bolted.
"Lord Hades," A voice spoke up from the left side of the room. My eye rested on a woman sitting rigidly on a straight-backed throne that was built to look like a simple wooden chair.
Hah, as if. I could see the rivulets of mana swirling in and out of the ornately carved designs. It flowed all around the base of the throne and around the armrests, concentrating into the side, where there was a bronze shield lying face down.
Annabeth's gray eyes regarded me coldly. I wasn't used to seeing that much vitriol in them—they were usually sharp and calculating, sure, but this was different. This was raw, unfiltered anger. She was looking at me like I'd done something unforgivable. Like my very existence was offensive. "You mean to tell us that this…boy caught Ares and incapacitated him?"
"My dear niece," Hades swept his hand, and black wisps of smoke unfurled from his fingertips, twisting and curling like living shadows. The tendrils coiled together, merging into a dense, ominous cloud that drifted to the center of the room. It hovered above the hearth, pulsing faintly with an eerie, unnatural glow, as though it were alive. For a heartbeat, nothing happened, and then, slowly, an image began to take shape within the dark mist. The blurred outlines sharpened, revealing the scene of my fight with Ares. "I can prove it."
A few minutes passed as the Olympians watched my fight with Ares.
See, I wouldn't say I like seeing videos of myself even when I'm alone. I can't stand it. My voice, my face, it all just makes me feel all kinds of weird. Having a video of myself shown in front of the most powerful beings on the planet?
Yeah, this was not shaping up to be a fun night so far.
"Yo, you rocked his shit!" A bright voice said, next to Athena. I craned my neck a little bit and saw an extremely handsome god.
I'll be the first to tell you I'm straight, but I'd have to be blind to not see this dude's attractiveness.
He was tall and muscular—bronzed, even, like a Baywatch lifeguard, with long golden hair tied back in a man bun and eyes that shone like the sun. "It's about time, too. He's been a straight bitch to be around for the last century."
"Apollo," Zeus warned.
"Yeah, yeah. Sorry, dad," Apollo said, discreetly winking at me.
Gee. For some reason, I felt like he wasn't that sorry at all.
"That fire," Athena said, tapping her chin in thought. She turned her gaze back to me. "It belongs to Lady Hestia, does it not? Where did you come to acquire it?"
"Perseus is my champion," Hestia replied, still tending to the hearth. She was in her adult form now, and her eyes were peacefully orange, but I knew better.
I could see her hand, still smoldering inside the hearth. I knew the second someone tried to hurt me, she'd whip her hand out and toast them into the next century.
I relaxed a little.
Honestly, I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but half of the throne room gasped loudly.
"Sister," Zeus leaned forward on his throne. His face was slightly sour, twisting and contorting as if he'd just licked a lemon. "Do you mean to tell me—to tell us—that you gave this Sea Spawn power over your domain? You knowingly allowed him the power of two of the Elder Gods?"
"I did," Hestia answered calmly. I wasn't sure if she was using [Serenity Inducement] or not, but I was starting to feel warm, comfortable, even. "His loyalty to his loved ones is unyielding. He didn't embark on this quest for glory or reward—he did it to save his mother. To risk everything for someone you love, without hesitation? That is a strength far greater than any skill with a sword or mastery of magic. I see no other demigod as deserving of this power. Not one who could wield it with the same heart, determination, and sense of purpose. His flaws only make him human, and yet, his courage makes him extraordinary."
My cheeks were burning. It felt like I was at a family reunion with a bunch of people I'd never met and my aunt and uncle were hyping me up after too much wine or something.
Now, all Hades had to do was scream and get into a fistfight with my other uncle and it would be like that one time I was forced to go to a Christmas party with Smelly Gabe.
I shuddered.
"His mother?" Echoed the woman sitting next to Zeus. She had long, licorice-black hair and large, soft brown eyes that made me feel right at home for some reason. Her face, though, was slightly cold and unfeeling. Regal and pretty, sure, but sort of in an unapproachable type of way, like an ancient statue with a bunch of velvet turnstiles around it. "Why was his mother involved in this situation at all? Is she a demigod as well?"
"No, sister, she's a simple mortal. Your darling son saw reason in threatening the boy's family and friends," Hades piped up, glaring balefully at Ares, who was still curled into a ball on the ground, twitching occasionally. Hades really did a number on him. "You let him run around unchecked for centuries! Letting him take what he wanted, allowing his ego to inflate, and inflate, and inflate! A twelve-year-old demigod had to have his mother snatched from him for anything to be done about it!"
"I am critical of this fact as well. The council failed with respect to curbing Ares' ego," The goddess Athena cleared her throat and sat forward.
She had a look on her face that I understood all too well. It was that critical look all teachers got before telling your parents exactly how much of a troublemaker you were. That looked that promised a stern-talking-to the second you got home.
I was all too accustomed to that look.
Athena dropped the bomb, "Be that as it may, it is undeniable that there is a security risk here with the boy."
"Sister!" Apollo said indignantly. "How can you—"
Athena cut him off with a calm but firm look. "It is unfortunate that my father, Zeus, and my uncle, Poseidon, chose to break their oath not to have more children. As we know from the war, children of the three Elder Gods are incredibly dangerous. While the daughter of Zeus is no longer eligible to be the one of prophecy, this boy has shown he's much more powerful than the average demigod."
"She's got a point," Zeus grumbled, looking down at me. The bolt crackled again. "A fresh demigod should not be able to duel Ares to a standstill."
It was sort of weird, to be honest. I felt like I was at an interview or something, and Zeus was the guy in charge who just found out I was lying about my experience.
Except, instead of telling me to go somewhere else for a job, he was thinking about killing me for it.
"Well, my lord," Another woman interjected. Auburn hair, a silver parka?
Artemis shifted in her seat. Her fingers fiddled with the string of a silver bow that was currently resting on her lap. "The boy did not duel Ares to a standstill. A more appropriate assessment of the situation would be that the boy withstood Ares' onslaught long enough for Lord Hades to arrive. Rather than penalize the boy for his potential, I would rather commend him for achieving such a feat in battle at such a young age. If we continue to discourage strength, the caliber of heroes available to us will quickly trend downward."
"Which is only natural," Hera added, nodding at me. Her cold façade cracked. She gave me a small smile. "I can feel the boy's love for his mother without actively trying to. I get the feeling that the boy would fight all of us at once for her safety, even at the certainty of his own ruin. I will not allow such loyalty to be punished."
Maybe it was a good thing Piper didn't come up with us.
I was expecting, like, a pat on the back and maybe a high five from my dad. I could deal with that, and I think Piper could, too.
I wasn't expecting the council to try to kill me.
"I'm with Arty," Apollo said, smiling for a moment. "Little cuz is too interesting to kill off right now! Perce, if you're ever tryna get some archery—"
"Apollo," Zeus warned again. I got the vibe that this was a common occurrence during council meetings. "Speak with the boy on your own time. Since it appears we've reached an impasse, I'll leave it up to the council. All those for the boy to live?"
I exhaled slowly as a bunch of hands shot straight up. I did a quick scan around the room.
Hera, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, my dad, Hestia, Hades, and even Demeter voted for me. I understood most of those, but Demeter? She just got on my good side for that one.
"Those against?"
No one raised their hand.
I felt like smacking my forehead. I knew Zeus couldn't vote because he was the king or whatever, but really, Athena?
What was the point of spouting off about how I was a 'security risk' if she wasn't going to do anything about it? Was she just playing devil's advocate, or was she just trying to get me killed?
And hey, I got my eyes on you, too, Hephaestus. I'll keep your ugly mug in mind in case you ever want my help.
Mr. D, eh, that was expected. It'd be one less demigod for him to worry about.
"It's settled, then. The boy lives," Zeus boomed. I was starting to think this guy just liked to show off. He rose and looked at me. His expression softened just a fraction of a degree. "You have done me a service, boy. Few heroes could have accomplished as much."
"Of course, Lord Zeus," I replied, still kneeling somehow.
Have you ever tried kneeling after fighting a god? I felt like my legs were going to snap off!
"For your deeds to me, I will grant you one gift," Zeus said, stunning the room. He stretched his right arm towards me. "Speak."
One gift? From the king of all gods? Man, there was so much I wanted, if I'm being honest. I could get Gabe taken care of, maybe get a million bucks or a lifetime supply of blue food.
Did I really want that? Could I even accept such a gift?
Well, I could. I'm not going to lie, I'd accept any one of those gifts in a heartbeat. Honestly, though, I knew there was only one thing I wanted to do.
"I would like for Hestia and Hades to get thrones on the council," I said seriously, my body tensing. I was expecting Zeus to hurl the bolt at me and disintegrate my body into a million tiny pieces. "They're both Elder Gods and without them, I would have never been able to stick up to Ares and retrieve your bolt. They deserve to be here."
Now, I know what you're probably wondering. Why didn't I take the million dollars?
I'll tell you firsthand, it wasn't out of some noble cause or some feel-good Hallmark moment. I just remembered that I could make money off of one of the quest rewards I got a few hours ago.
That, and, I really couldn't have achieved any of this without my aunt and uncle. If it weren't for them, my mom would've died. They gave me the greatest gift in the whole world by keeping her safe. No amount of money could've ever brought her back from the dead.
To my surprise, Zeus just nodded, sighing. "You are correct. Brother, sister, talk to the lump and give him your throne ideas. Now, then. I must go personally to purify this thunderbolt in the waters of Lemnos, to remove the human taint from its metal."
Thunder shook the palace. With a blinding flash of lightning, Zeus was gone.
One by one, the Olympians left. Athena gave me one last unreadable look before transforming into an owl and flying out of the palace.
Demeter waved and disappeared inside a gigantic plant that sprung up from underneath her, just as Apollo and Artemis flashed away, Apollo giving me one last thumbs up before he disappeared.
Pretty soon, it was just me, my uncle, Hestia, Poseidon, and Hera.
Hera stepped off of her throne and shrunk down to human form. She walked over to me, tapping her lotus staff on the ground every once in a while.
I stayed on the ground, but she tapped my shoulder gently with her staff. A soft, purplish glow surrounded my body, and an invisible force picked me back up to my feet.
"Lady Hera," I said respectfully. I knew from Annabeth that Hera was notorious for her hatred of demigods, so I wasn't really sure how to play this one.
"There's no need to bow to me, Perseus," Hera said softly, an unreadable expression forming in her eyes. "You took this quest to save your mother, am I correct?"
"Yes," I replied instantly. I didn't know what I was sure of anymore, but I'd always be sure of that. "I just recently realized how much she sacrificed to keep me safe as a child. I plan on repaying her for the rest of my days."
Hera smiled at me again. "Such loyalty. You truly are special. May I ask why you used your wish to give thrones to my brother and sister? Surely, you must've wanted to ask for something more similar to money or power?"
"Well, not really," I said honestly. I knew she was testing me, but for once, I didn't have to lie or exaggerate. The truth was good enough for me, and I hoped it would be for her, too. "Without the help of Lady Hestia and Lord Hades, I would've had no way of succeeding in my quest. The very least I could do for them was the return of what's rightfully theirs, anyway."
"As far as demigods are concerned, I generally disapprove," Hera admitted, turning away from me and walking back towards her throne. As she reached the steps in front of it, she turned and looked back at me. "You, Perseus, might just be the exception."
She was gone in a flash of purple light.
— - —
[Blessing of Hera] acquired!
— - —
I blinked at the notification.
Huh…I guess I really did impress her.
"Well, kiddo, there's nothing left to say but thanks," Hades said, throwing an arm around my shoulder. "I wasn't expecting him to offer you a reward, and I wasn't expecting you to take that as a reward, but I appreciate it. Seriously. Like, a lot. I owe you one. And, outside of all that, you're always welcome in the Underworld."
"It's nothing, uncle," I replied, honestly. "It's the least I could do."
"Your friend Piper is already at camp. I had my wife move her into her cabin while she came back to drop off your mom," Hades gave me another sincere smile and ruffled my hair. "I gotta head back to the palace. Your mom will be back at your place, waiting for you. You did good, nephew. You did real good."
The ground next to Hades opened up, and he jumped in with little more than a wave. The mess that was Ares also disappeared into the hole—it looked like my uncle wasn't completely done with him yet.
My dad and Hestia walked over to me next. Hestia wrapped me up in a warm hug and kissed my cheek gently. "Thank you, my champion."
"Of course, Lady Hestia," I said, smiling like a little kid. My entire body felt super warm like I was just wrapped up in a blanket. "It was nothing. It was nothing at all."
Poseidon clapped my shoulder. "That's my boy."
"Thanks, Dad," My smile could've split my face in half. Two weeks ago, I was just an academically underachieving kid who never knew his dad.
Now, though? I knew my dad. I knew my aunt, my uncle. I had real friends—a real home.
"What are your plans this summer?" Poseidon asked me, the corners of his eyes crinkling with smile lines.
"Uh, wow, I didn't think about that," It was mid-June.
I'd forgotten it was mid-June.
Well, in my defense, I was under the impression that I would be dead before mid-June, but anyway, "Yeah, wow, I have no idea. I'll probably just spend some time with my mom and stay at camp for some time, too."
"Well," Poseidon said, reaching into his pocket. "Maybe I can help you out with that."
My eyebrows shot towards my hairline as he placed two keys in my hand. "What's this?"
"If you'd like to, I want you to come to Atlantis this summer," Poseidon said, a little nervously. His much bigger hand closed my hand around the keys. "I know you and your mother have had a tough life, and that I haven't been there as much as I wanted to be. I—look, I don't have any excuses. I don't. I left you and your mother to a horrible life. Even now, the Ancient Laws do dictate that I can't be there for you, but…"
"They say nothing about me," Hestia finished, a small smile stretching across her face. "If you'd like, I can take you to Atlantis and help you get settled in."
I was floored. Atlantis?
"I—wow. You want me to come with you to Atlantis?" I somehow stumbled out.
"I do," Poseidon confirmed. "On the ground, our progress would be limited. Underwater, however, I could teach you a great many things about battle strategy and help you branch off your hydrokinesis. You could live with me and serve in my court, for starters. We'd get in a lot of training."
"That sounds good," I said, visions of Atlantis floating around in my head.
I imagined shimmering underwater cities with towers of coral and pearl, glowing softly in the ocean's depths. Swimming alongside dolphins that clicked and chattered like old friends. Training every day with my dad, learning to wield the sea itself like it was an extension of my body. For a moment, it felt so real I could almost taste the salt in the water and hear the gentle hum of an ancient city alive with magic.
And then, like a wave crashing over a sandcastle, the vision shattered. Reality surged back in, cold and sharp. Gabe's ugly mug blurred the coral reefs. "But…my mom. I'm not leaving her alone with Gabe."
Hestia's nose crinkled at the mention of my stepfather. "I've been observing that…man for a few days. I believe he is the lowest that humanity has to offer."
"I agree. I think you should show him your new eye," Poseidon said venomously. He took a moment to compose himself. "That leads to what I just gave you. Look closer."
I dangled the keys in front of my eyes. There was a small strip of leather with a surfboard design on it. Carved along the side, right along the waves, was a message: Hither Hills.
"Hither Hills?" I read aloud, running my finger over the beautiful design. "What is that?"
"That, my champion, is the new house your father and I purchased for you and your mother," Hestia smiled at me brightly. "Hither Hills—right in Montauk. It's a seven-minute walk to the beach."
The keys in my hand suddenly felt like pure gold. "Oh no. No, no, no. There's no way I can accept this."
"You can," Poseidon said firmly. "Money is of no concern to us, Percy. Getting you and your mother in a safe space is what matters. Plus, you could visit her all the time if she was there."
"Won't she get lonely?" I asked. I mean, sure, it was sort of a feeble attempt at finding an excuse, but my dad just grinned at me.
"Are you forgetting the fact that you have two goddesses on your side?" My dad laughed loudly.
"Relax, my champion," Hestia soothed, gently cupping my face. "I will keep your mother company. And Aphrodite, on occasion."
"Well, then, I accept," I beamed. My dad grinned right back at me and pulled me in for a quick one-armed hug.
"Excellent," Poseidon said happily. "Take a while, get your mom settled into the house, stay at camp for a while, and I'll let you know when I'm ready for you."
"Sounds good to me," I said, and he waved at me before disappearing into a sea breeze.
"I will also take my leave, now," Hestia said, kissing my forehead. "Bye, Percy. I will see you at camp."
"Goodbye, Lady Hestia," I said, and she smiled at me, leaving in a column of red-hot fire that charred the front of my t-shirt.
I was alone in the throne room, now.
I took a deep breath. Everything had changed so much in the past few weeks. All I wanted right now was to see my mom and take her to the new house Hestia and my dad got us.
First, though, I was hungry. Really hungry.
I pocketed the keys and whistled a happy tune as I started to walk back toward Olympus. The plan was simple: I was going going to take the elevator back down, catch a cab to my neighborhood, eat a big boy pizza, and kick Gabe's ass.
I gently opened the doors. My shoes crunched against the Olympus stairs as I began to make my way down.
"You did it," A voice called from the top of the staircase. I turned around and saw that Aphrodite was looking back down at me, looking the same as she had a few days ago.
"I sure did."
"Well, now I feel bad for telling you I didn't believe in you," Aphrodite licked her lips and giggled.
I joined in. It felt good to laugh. "Not the most motivating thing to hear from a goddess, no."
"Well, a hero deserves a reward," Aphrodite said, combing her way down the stairs. Her eyes glinted, and I ignored the fact that I could feel my heartbeat in my throat. "You must be quite hungry. I know this wonderful restaurant off Broadway."
"Broadway," I repeated. I looked down. I was covered in so much dirt and blood that it almost looked like I was wearing camouflage. "I look like I'd be begging on the streets near Broadway, not engaging in fine dining."
Aphrodite's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile, "So, is that a no?"
I didn't even realize I'd stopped breathing until she was standing directly in front of me, so close that her perfume—a mix of roses, something sweet, and something undeniably her—filled my senses. Her fingers lightly brushed the fabric of my sleeve, a touch so faint it might've been accidental.
Her smile deepened as her gaze flickered up to meet mine, her eyes gleaming with an amused challenge. Her fingers slid under the fabric and she squeezed my arm.
"You're not going to let a little dirt keep you from a meal with me, are you?" She tilted her head, her hair catching the light like spun gold. "Or are you afraid you won't be able to keep up?"
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Afraid? Me? No, not a chance."
"No?"
"No. How about a compromise?" I grinned, trying to keep my tone light. "Lady Aphrodite—allow me to humbly beseech you. Would you maybe like to grab some pizza with me?"
Aphrodite raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into that maddeningly perfect smile of hers. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, drawing the moment out just long enough to make me feel like I'd just stepped into some sort of verbal trap. "Hmm… let me think. First of all, excellent vocabulary."
"Thanks," I said, not missing a beat.
"But," she continued, her voice dipping into something smoother, silkier, "Do you actually know what beseech means?"
I blinked. "I don't."
Her laughter was soft and musical, "Fair enough. Pizza it is. But don't think this counts as proper fine dining, hero. You'll owe me a real date eventually."
My grin widened, and for the first time all day, I actually felt like I could breathe again. "Deal."
"Good," Aphrodite said, her smile still playful as she turned toward the door, her hair catching the light like it was glowing.
"Sure," I said, following her out. "And that date—just remember I'm a broke teen. You wouldn't choose one of those weird places with gold leaf on the crust or something, would you?"
"Oh, Percy," she said over her shoulder. "You have no idea what you've signed up for. Let's worry about that later."
[Original Author's Note]
Mostly a fluffy chapter. This chapter and the next one or two will most likely be fluffy- and then we get into some good ol' training sequences. I hope you guys liked the little Atlantis storyline mention- it'll be coming up pretty soon! Let me know what you thought of this chapter!
Also- guys. We hit 20k views. 20k.
This story is really starting to take off, and I couldn't be happier. Thank you all for the continued support, and rest assured- these updates are gonna keep coming in hot.
Now, then. Onto my favorite part!
Araqiel: I feel that- Hera/Percy would've been my second choice if I didn't become so enamored with the Aphrodite/Percy pairing. Maybe someday in the future, I'll write a Hera/Percy story. Thanks for the support, though!
Ranger Wheatley: Thanks! Straight from my noggin! As for the Aphrodite thing, I'm sticking with it- sorry 'bout that. I feel like you rarely see this sort of romantic entanglement in a Gamer!Percy story so…time to break the mold!
Tiwa Vol: That's fair- I'll think about doing that. Thank you!
Marsolino: Okay, funny story. When I was writing that chapter, for some reason, I swear I thought Clairvoyance was a spell in Skyrim that showed you where gold was, but it was actually a spell in Skyrim that showed you where your quest objective was…so…yeah. I changed it up.
Huntingkiddo13: Hah, me too, man, me too. I have some really fun stuff planned for the inevitable mess that's going to come from Piper and Aphrodite. Well, and all the other girls who will have a crush on Percy. Buckle up…
ElDaniWar: I'm sorry that you lost all interest in the fic after a little kid was intimidated by literal gods. He must've been such a pussy for not being able to stand up against four Olympians at the age of twelve with a week's worth of training. *facepalm*
Yesirsski: Oh man, I love reading your reviews. They're always incredibly eloquent and detailed- thank you so much for taking the time to write them out like that! Writing the barrage of insults was fun on my end, too, rest assured. The slow burn is needed, I feel like. A lot of the Gamer!Percy stories I have read just have him hop into a relationship, but I'm trying to go for a more realistic angle, so to speak.
Evyplayz121: Thanks for the review! Limit Break is an emotional reaction, but the thing is, it's completely randomized. It's not, like, a crutch for him, because he can't always activate it when he wants to.
Blackbelt219: Thank you! You're one of the few people to like that I did that. Updates will most definitely continue to come!
XenonDark: Hahaha! Your review actually made me snort. I'm very glad my chapter was that good! This one wasn't as action-packed but believe me- I have plenty of those chapters planned.
Baumbarth: Yeah, no, I definitely feel that. I won't be letting it get out of hand, trust me. Percy will most definitely get his ass served to him on a silver platter quite a few times before the story ends. The other Gamer!Fics, in my opinion, make him godlike much too fast.
kyuubi7: Thanks, man! You've been a real one since the first chapter of this story!
Just a fan of fics: Thank you! I won't be letting Percy get too OP too fast, no worries. I plan on developing his character a lot before he truly enters his prime. I agree! Death Drop was his only real option there, unfortunately.
OgFrosty: This isn't and will never be a harem fic. I just don't mess with that. Percy is too loyal to 'cheat' on Aphrodite, even if he never consented to be in a relationship with her. I just mean that he will go through some romantically uncomfortable situations with other women.
Zoom99: He wasn't wasting his time by talking, he was using Ares' past to his advantage. Even with Limit Break, Percy didn't stand a chance at beating him outright, so he had to get crafty.
See you soon.
-Maroon
[Patch Notes]
[4/20/21]: Spelling, and small dialogue changes.
[11/14/22]: Grammar!
[01/13/25]: Mostly grammar and flow. I changed Hera's blessing to be more useful, too. It boosts his mana manipulation skill and lets him make constructs of mana—a plot hole in the earlier versions that was never fully explained.