The Rising Dawn

by Demititan28

Percy didn't just survive after his sacrifice, he thrived. Locked in ice for over 20 years the world he comes back to is not the one he left behind. But he doesn't have time to mourn his missed years, a threat is rising in the east and the survival of humanity is on the line. If Olympus has any hope of survival, it rests on his shoulders. Eventual Pertemis

30. I Assault My Ex Mother-in-Law

Chapter 30: I Assault My Ex-Mother-in-Law

"They'll be ready," Clarisse assured him, "They just need whipping into shape."

"There's no one I trust more to do that," Percy told her, enjoying the feeling of the breeze on his face as they stood on the porch of the Big House.

The attendees of the meeting were more or less scattered, going to gather the other campers or to collect things from their cabins for their upcoming quests. Percy, Clarisse, and Grover had stayed on the porch, watching as the camp they had all called home for so many years bustled with life before them. The summer sun beat down from above, and so the sea breeze that drifted throughout the camp was a welcome reprieve.

"Where did Triton go?" Grover asked, leaning against the porch railings.

"Back to the ocean," Percy sighed, "He said he had some things he had to take care of and would be back a little after sunset."

"Sounds like a free day to me, how do you plan on spending it?" the satyr inquired.

Percy took a deep breath and stared out at the camp for a moment, taking in the sights and sounds of the one place he had felt like he truly belonged. "I have this feeling in my gut that it's going to be a while until I see this place like this again. I want to enjoy it while I can."

Clarisse put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry Prissy, we'll keep it safe until you get back."

Percy smiled, "You sure you old farts will be able to handle that?"

"It's not just the old farts handling it," A voice interrupted, and they turned to see Olive walking up towards the Big House, "Will you guys be upset if I steal Percy for a bit?"

"Well actually-" Grover started but Clarisse elbowed him in the ribs.

"Not at all," Clarisse told her, "His stinky ass is all yours."

Grover shot her a confused look but turned his attention back to Percy as the son of Poseidon enveloped his oldest friend in a hug. "If you find yourself with some time to kill," Grover told him, "Head down to the clearing, I'll be there just hanging out."

"That sounds great. I'll see you in a bit," Percy promised. He released the satyr and turned to the daughter of Ares who had once been his biggest bully.

"When all this is over," Clarisse warned him, "You and I are going to have a rematch."

"And I'll kick your ass then, just like I always do," he retorted with a grin, hugging her before stepping down off the porch and approaching the waiting daughter of Demeter.

They both waved to Clarisse and Grover as they began walking in the direction of the strawberry fields. There was a comfortable silence between them, and the strawberry fields were a beautiful setting in the summer sun. Olive's hair was no longer in a ponytail, and now her brown hair flew freely in the wind. Despite just wearing a simple orange Camp Half-Blood shirt and shorts, Percy couldn't help but notice how pretty she was. Her brown eyes held the same warmth as her mother's, and as she turned her attention to him he felt his heart skip a beat.

"You're leaving," she said, a mix of a question and statement.

"My brother is in trouble."

She nodded in understanding, but there was sadness in her eyes, "You just got back, and you're already running off to save people."

"He needs me."

She smiled, turning to look off into the distance, "I used to think they were exaggerating when they spoke about you," she murmured, "But the stories were true, you'll do anything to save the people you care about."

Percy sighed, "I wish I could stay,"

She raised an eyebrow, "And why is that?"

Percy blushed, and now it was his turn to look off into the distance as he felt her eyes searching his face, "I've been gone for such a long time…it would be nice to just be a camper for a while. Do things that you're supposed to do at a summer camp."

"Things like?" Olive pressed.

Now Percy knew his face was beet red, "I don't know…maybe go canoeing in the lake. Paddle out and just relax in the sun."

"Alone?"

"Umm…well…I mean the canoe can fit two so I guess-"

Olive closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, pressing her lips against his. Her lips were warm, and she smelled of fresh flowers. She was significantly shorter than him, and she had to step on her tiptoes in order to reach his lips, but when he wrapped his arms around her she sunk into his embrace.

After what could have been either a couple seconds or an hour she broke off the kiss. "When you're back," she whispered, "I'd love to go out on the lake with you."

He wished he had a flirty retort, but he just nodded dumbly. She gave him a peck on the cheek before turning on her heel and heading back towards the centre of camp, leaving him standing in the strawberry fields blushing like a fool.

He couldn't help but be reminded of the first time Annabeth had kissed him, right before he had blown up Mount St. Helens. Then he was reminded of Amara, and how she had kissed him right before he had to watch her die. The butterflies in his stomach disappeared almost as soon as they had arrived, and the weight of the task in front of him was heavy on his shoulders once more. Any dates with anyone hinged on beating Enlil…and he wasn't foolish enough yet to look beyond that unenviable task.

His footsteps were heavy as he left the strawberry field, his gaze cast downward. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone was standing in front of him until he walked straight into them. The other Percy staggered backwards but caught himself quickly, and Percy stammered out an apology.

The other Percy raised his hands, indicating it was all good, "I had a question," he said tentatively. Percy gestured for him to continue and so he did, "There were half a dozen other good candidates in the room for this job, but you chose me. Why?"

Percy shrugged, "You're related to Magnus, I know he'll look after his family."

The other Percy frowned, "But…I thought you hated me?"

Now it was Percy's turn to frown, "Why would I hate you?"

"I know about you and my mom. I know that you guys grew up together and that you were her first love. I thought you'd hate me and want me out of the picture so you could get back with her."

Percy laughed, "Listen…Percy, I loved your mom. And for me, that love was a lot more recent than it was for her, but I was gone a long time and she moved on. I'm processing that and working through it but that definitely doesn't mean that I hate you."

The other Percy blushed, "Oh…oh…I guess that means I should probably apologise to you for being a dick when we first met?"

"You were a dick, but you were trying to protect your dad, and I respect that. You could explain why your girlfriend seemed to hate me too though."

The other Percy shrugged, "After my mom Iris Messaged me about you returning I had been worrying about what would happen between her and my dad. Then you come back and kick Clarisse's ass, looking every inch of the legend that people said you would be. I was named after you…I was scared you were going to shatter the mental picture I had of you."

"So you figured be as cold as possible and you'd never have to find out? That wasn't the smartest plan."

"It appears I didn't get all of my grandmother's wisdom."

Percy smiled, "It's okay, your mom sucked at making friends when we first met. I had to basically force her to be my friend."

The other Percy laughed, "Yeah she can be a little cold sometimes. I guess I inherited that from her."

"She was also one of the most trustworthy people I knew, and the person I would have trusted more than anyone else to have my back."

The other Percy straightened up, and his stormy grey eyes met Percy's ice-blue ones, "I know I didn't make the best first impression, but you stood up for me in there and gave me a chance. Because of that…I'll always have your back."

Percy offered out his hand, and his namesake shook it firmly, "We are going to have to figure out this whole name thing though. I don't want to have to keep referring to you as 'Other Percy'".

The other Percy chuckled, "That's easy, call me by my middle name. Sophia already does."

"And your middle name is?"

"Castellan, but I go by Castle."

Percy did his best not to baulk. The next time he saw Annabeth he was going to slap her round the back of the head for her kid's names. He'd never pictured her as the 'Harry Potter naming his kid Albus Severus' kind of parent. But Castle…he could work with Castle.

"Okay…Castle it is."

Castle smiled, releasing Percy's hand and nodding to him as he walked towards the cabins. Percy could see Sophia leaning against the Aphrodite Cabin, watching them from a distance. Almost as soon as the other Percy was out of earshot he felt a presence beside him and gazed across to see a familiar daughter of Hecate.

"You think they're ready?" she asked.

"Were you?" he fired back.

"Touche."

Percy turned to face her, and in the summer sun, he realised for the first time that her eyes shone a brilliant purple. Her black hair was done in a French braid down her back, and Percy was reminded how beautiful Alice was. What stood out to him most though were the dark rings under her eyes.

"How are you holding up?"

Alice closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I can't decide who I'm angrier at. My boyfriend who stabbed me in the back…or at myself for letting it happen."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Could they have summoned that Annunaki without me doing all the chanting?" she inquired, shooting him a look, "I didn't think so."

"It was your first quest…everyone makes mistakes on their first quest. You made it back, and the Annunaki didn't get out."

"Only because of you," she retorted, "You're my hero but…it's still embarrassing having to be saved by you."

"Don't worry, it won't be the last time," Percy said with a smirk, and he was pleased to see a smile tugging at the corner of Alice's lips.

"So…" she started cautiously, "You and Olive?"

Percy blushed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Well I watched you two making out in the strawberry fields and then I watched you make your peace with Annabeth's son so…almost seems to me like you're ready to move on."

Percy sighed, "Hanging out with her feels like an escape…like for a minute the weight of the world isn't on my shoulders."

"I'm happy for you," Alice mused, "But don't you think you're a little old for her?"

Percy raised an eyebrow, "And what makes you think that? Hoping to take a bite out of me yourself?"

Alice scoffed, "Oh no, I think I'm done with love for a while. You are twenty years her senior though…you sure you can bridge that age gap?"

"I still feel 18."

Alice nodded, "You look 18 too, but you're not a regular hunky-dory camper that's rolled up and will waltz off into the strawberry fields hand-in-hand with Olive. There's a weight you carry that she can't possibly understand."

"And you can?" Percy asked pointedly.

"No," Alice admitted, "I don't think anyone could ever understand the weight of your destiny. But I know a little bit about what it feels like to have pressure because of your birthright."

"Being a daughter of Hecate isn't all hunky-dory?"

Alice snicked, "You sound so stupid saying that,"

"You said it first!"

"I don't even know what hunky-dory means,"

Percy pouted, "So being the most powerful witch of your generation isn't all it's cracked up to be?"

Alice sighed and looked out into the distance, her purple eyes clouded by memories, "You probably don't understand this, being a son of Poseidon and all, but sometimes godly parents can really suck."

"You think I don't understand shitty parenting?" Percy asked with a raised eyebrow, "The first time my dad even acknowledged my existence was so I could do something for him."

"Preventing World War III is a pretty big deal though,"

Percy shook his head, "It doesn't matter…he wasn't there for me. He's tried to make up for it in the years since but…if it wasn't for my mom I wouldn't be here today. I owe everything to her."

Alice sighed, her eyes turning glassy as tears began to gather in the corner of her eyes, "My dad was like that. He was always so sweet…always thinking of me. When he died a piece of me died with him…and sometimes I worry it was the best piece of me."

Percy stared at Alice, trying to think of the words to comfort her, but nothing came to him. What could someone say to him that would fill the void in his heart if he lost his mother? He put his hand on her arm and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I'm sorry about your dad," he told her, "But your mom isn't your only family now. You're my family, and I protect my family…no matter what."

Alice smiled, "My dad would have really liked you. He was the one who read us the Peter Johnson stories when my sister and I were kids. He said you were a good role model because you stayed true to the people that loved you. He said the most noble thing one can do is to make people smile. You have this way of bringing joy to people just by being around them…that's your real gift."

"I don't just bring joy," Percy muttered darkly, "I also seem to bring death to people who get too close."

"Save the self-pity," Alice warned him, "You'll have plenty of time for that when all of this is over."

"Touche," Percy said, the laugh that snuck out surprising even him, "Are you going to be okay on this quest?"

She nodded, "I've got a lot of pent-up anger, better to unleash it on these Annunaki bastards than some poor camper."

"True, but if you need help, don't be too proud not to reach out."

"If there's one thing I've learnt from my ex-boyfriend," she growled, "It's not to let pride get the better of me. Don't worry about that."

"Good…then I'll see you on the other side."

"Good luck hero, go rescue Tyson. He was always one of my favourite characters."

And with that she headed off in the direction of the cabins, retracing the steps the other Percy had made before her.

"He's one of my favourites too," Percy muttered under his breath, turning on his heel and heading towards the beach. He made it all of ten feet before he was stopped once again, this time by the large frame of Mason that all but towered over him. Percy was tall, a little over 6 feet maybe, but Mason cleared him by almost half a foot.

"Percy Jackson," the son of Hephaestus said, smiling down as he did so, "It's not every day I get to watch a camper tell Mr D to go fuck himself."

"He was pissing me off," Percy replied.

Mason nodded, rubbing his thick black stubble as he did so, reminding Percy of Hephaestus, "He does have a tendency to piss people off."

"No offence Mason, but I'm guessing you didn't just stop me for a friendly chat?"

"As much as I wish that were the case, I was hoping you could fix a problem for me."

"What's the problem?"

"The weapon Leo and I were developing," Mason admitted, "We're having some issues."

"Don't worry," Percy told him, realising that part of Leos's work was to help power the weapon, "I think Leos cracked nuclear fusion."

"Oh I'm counting on it," Mason laughed, "My problem isn't the power generation, it's keeping the temperature under control."

"And how can I help with that?"

Mason reached into his pocket and fished out a watch, "I was hoping you would wear this."

Percy inspected it as he took it from Mason, and found that it appeared to be a Spongebob fitness watch, tracking a variety of body statistics. "Can't knock the design, but why do you need me to wear this?"

"Leo is the fire guy, you're the ice guy. If I can figure out how your body reacts when it lowers the temperature around you I can try to mimic that in a controlled environment. But in order to do that I need access to the raw data."

Percy clipped it onto his wrist, "I don't know how tracking my heart rate is going to help you figure out how to generate ice, but you seem to know what you're talking about."

Mason smiled, "People are complex, demigods especially so, but that's not to say they can't be understood."

Percy nodded, "So, you ready for your quest?"

"I'm armed to the teeth and about to break into Area 51…I can barely contain my excitement."

"If I don't get there in time, make sure you keep Piper and Scarlett safe."

Mason rubbed the back of his head, "No offence Percy, but I don't think either of them will listen to me if I try to keep them out of danger."

"Just do your best," Percy relented, "Any other gifts you got for me before you leave?"

"Who do I look like, Black Santa?"

Percy grinned, "Figured it couldn't hurt to ask."

"Good luck getting your brother back, Percy," Mason told him, offering his hand.

Percy took it firmly, "Good luck getting your brother back, Mason."

"And from here on out, we will always be able to flex that we're the superior siblings!" Mason shot him a grin before striding towards the forest, maybe back to Bunker 9 to collect something that he had forgotten.

Percy continued on his path to the beach, enjoying the distant sounds of campers going about their day. Pegasus neighs echoed out from the stables and the class of steel rang out from the coliseum. Percy couldn't help but be a little envious. He thought back fondly to the summers he had spent training here, honing his craft while spending time with friends. Almost without realising it he turned on his heel and found himself at the old arena in the shadow of the new coliseum.

He fished Riptide out of his pocket and uncapped the familiar leaf-shaped blade. As he stepped onto the sandy floor of the arena he let his reflexes take over, starting slowly, but quickly picking up the pace, carving an arc of destruction as he ripped through dummy after dummy. He didn't need to think in the arena, his body did all the thinking for him. By the time he paused to catch his breath sweat was rolling down his body, and his shirt, now a much darker shade of orange, clung hungrily to his skin. Straw and broken steel lay scattered on the floor, an indicator of the damage Percy's practice session had wrought on the dummies.

"Now what did those dummies ever do to you?" a soft voice carried across the building.

Percy glanced over and saw a familiar face, but not one that he had expected to meet anytime soon. He did his best to hide his scowl and dropped to his knee, bending his head in respect as the goddess of wisdom made her way across the sandy floor towards him.

"You may rise, I can tell it's painful for you. Respect and restraint do not come naturally to Poseidon and his kin."

Percy slowly rose back to his feet and found himself at eye level with the stormy grey eyes of his ex-girlfriend's mother, "The sea does not like to be restrained."

"A lack of self-control is not the flex you think it is Mr Jackson."

Percy's eyes flashed, casually lifting Riptide and resting it on his shoulder, "Careful my lady, I've already pissed off one Olympian today, I won't be fazed by making it two."

Percy could just about make out the goddess raising an eyebrow underneath her black bangs. The goddess's hair was pulled back into a ponytail, with bangs that fell to just above her eyes. She was dressed in what looked like a university lab coat, which seemed unusual considering that most of the time he had seen her she had been dressed up for solstices or for battle.

Athena pursed her lips, but it soon broke into a smile, "You haven't changed at all have you? Still reckless, still not thinking a step ahead."

"My current step is taking up most of my time."

"Ah," Athena sighed, "Your obsession with the Annunaki."

Percy frowned, "If you're here as a mouthpiece for your father, tell him I don't work for him, and he can't tell me to stop."

"I'm not here on the orders of my father," Athena laughed dismissively, "I'm here to give you some advice you need to hear."

"You gonna tell me how to kill Enlil?" Percy scoffed, turning back to the dummies as he did so, "Because if not, I'm sure how badly I need your advice."

"Don't be insolent boy!" Athena growled.

"Don't call me boy," Percy snarled, whipping his head back around towards the goddess and taking a few steps to close the distance between them, "I let you disrespect and demean me when I was a kid because I was in love with your daughter. I wanted your approval then, begged for your permission to marry Annabeth, and you gave it half-heartedly, complete with all your doubts. I wanted something from you then, but I don't need anything from you now, so don't presume that just because you sit on some golden throne and have been kicking around for a few millennia you're entitled to my respect. My respect is earnt, not given."

Athena's face hardened, I don't understand what my sisters see in you," she hissed, "They swear off all men but then both have a soft spot for you."

"Yeah well, your sisters also aren't bitches so maybe take a look in the mirror."

Percy's shoulders rose and fell heavily, his lack of breath from training now coupled with his anger seething in his chest. Athena's face was a mask, cold and unflinching. A voice tried to speak up in the back of his mind, reason telling him that picking a fight with the goddess of wisdom was probably not his smartest move. But he was tired. He had seen the very worst of the Olympians before he went into the ice, their squabbles and petty arguments being what sowed the seeds for their potential downfall. They were as arrogant as they were oftentimes stupid, and now, when he was coming back to save them from yet another world-ending catastrophe, they were still willing to speak to him like dirt. Maybe Enlil had a point?

"I sometimes wondered if I made the wrong decision," Athen began slowly, "Telling my daughter to study at Stanford. It appears my decision has been justified by time."

Percy felt his heart clench, and suddenly he couldn't get enough oxygen in his lungs. A dull pounding began in the back of his head."What?" he choked out.

"I told my daughter to stop mourning you and to get on with her life. I got her admission to Stanford and I made sure her TA was a young, handsome man obsessed with Greek and Roman literature. I set the stage for her to have a future without you."

Percy's ears were ringing. At this point, he couldn't even comprehend what Athena was saying, it was just fuel being thrown on the fire that had been lit deep inside him. Anger ran hot through his veins as though it had replaced his blood. At his feet, frost began to crisscross along the sand like spiderwebs. Every last shred of reason he had possessed was consumed by anger.

"You've never liked me, Athena," he growled, "But that's okay…because I fucking hate you!"

He closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, the sun glancing off Riptide as he brought it down with enough force to cleave the goddess in two. His blade was matched by Athena's own, and the sound of steel ringing echoed out across the arena. The force of the impact sent the sand flying into the air, giving a hazy tint to the environment.

"You're too impulsive!" Athena snarled, lifting her foot and kicking him square in the chest, sending him hurtling into the stands. The force of the kick left a Percy-sized crater where he landed, but he was no longer registering pain.

He kicked out of the stands and into the air, the force of the jump allowing him to hover momentarily in the air before he began his descent towards the goddess. This time he didn't swing Riptide, he threw it. Launching it like a dagger towards the goddess and forcing her to leap to the side in order to avoid being impaled.

"I once said your fatal flaw was loyalty, but again and again you show me that your biggest flaw is your stupidity."

Percy landed with force, leaving a crack in the ground. He darted towards Athena and cocked his hand back, prepared to remove her head from her body through sheer force alone. Athena was fast though, and danced to the side, bringing her sword down as she did so.

"You're too reckless and stupid to be worthy of fighting me. I always saw it, I just needed to save my daughter from you," the goddess warned as she drove her sword into his side. Cockiness soon turned to confusion though as the sword harmlessly bounced off his skin.

"You were right Athena," Percy hissed, twisting back towards her, "I am insolent!"

In a heartbeat, Percy's fist closed the distance and caught Athena with a punch square to the jaw. The force of the blow seemed to shake the air and then caused the sand to explode away from them as Athena was sent hurtling across the arena.

There was a moment of calm, as the disturbed sand began to slowly drift back to the arena floor. The goddess of wisdom staggered to her feet, golden blood running from the corner of her mouth and dripping onto the floor. She hacked something up and then spat out some more blood.

"You could have chosen to be happy for my daughter," Athena panted, "Instead you chose to be angry and selfish."

"You could have chosen to let Annabeth make her own decisions," Percy replied coldly, "Instead you chose to be a meddling bitch."

"I'm not Ares," the goddess warned, "I won't be goaded into fighting you anymore. I'll just give you the advice I came to give and take my leave.

"The sooner the better."

Athena's eyes flashed, "You can't beat the Annaunaki by raw strength alone. Nor by sheer numbers. If you're going to beat them…you need a plan."

"I don't want your plan."

"I'm not here to give you one. Just that if you're going to be a leader you need to start acting like one."

"What are you talking about?"

"For some reason, people keep following you. You need to figure out where you're leading them."

"To survival. Which is more than your father is doing."

Athena shook her head, "You still don't understand. You're still just thinking one step at a time."

Suddenly Athena began to glow brightly and Perrcy managed to avert his gaze quick enough to avoid being turned to ash by the goddess' divine form. After a moment the light faded, and Percy was alone again.

Immediately Percy's shoulders sagged. He didn't know what had come over him. The heat in his chest was the kind of rage that was becoming all the more familiar since he had gotten out of the ice. Losing control wasn't something he was a fan of, but something about Athena really pushed his buttons, but then again she probably knew that. He glanced down at his knuckles and couldn't help the twinge of satisfaction at the memory of wiping that smug look off of her face. Plus, it was a confirmation that he was growing stronger. Sure it might have been a lucky hit, catching the goddess off guard, but still, he had managed to catch the goddess of wisdom off guard. The air of superiority she possessed, part and parcel of being a goddess and an Olympian, was only exacerbated by her know-it-all attitude. On Annabeth it had been tolerable and sometimes cute, on Athena it was nothing short of infuriating.

"They have allowed evil and corruption to fester…world-shattering events brought about because of a weakness at the very top." Enlil's words rang in his ears.

First Dionysus, and now Athena. The more he interacted with the Olympians the more that Enlil's plan seemed enticing. If the King of King's intent had been to sow seeds of doubt in his mind…it was beginning to work.

With a huff of frustration, Percy trudged towards the showers, hoping that the rhythm of the water on his back would ease his mind. The sun was still beginning its slow descent towards the horizon, suggesting that he only had a few hours left to kill before Triton would be waiting for him at the beach.

He pushed open the door to the shower block, the familiar scent of soap and damp stone greeting him. As he walked down the row of shower stalls, he couldn't help but smirk at a particular one. It was the stall that he had gone to after the Capture the Flag game, the same one Artemis had come into. The memory of that day brought a half-grimace, half-smile to his face. His frustration and anger had consumed him then as well, but the thought of the goddess of the moon eased the harsh memory.

He reached the stall and pushed the door aside. The hole had been patched up, but the repair job was obvious - a slightly different shade of tile, a little uneven compared to the smooth, worn walls around it. Percy ran his fingers over the patch, the texture rough under his touch. It was a small reminder of his sometimes uncontrollable strength. Shaking his head with a sigh, Percy turned the shower on with a twist of the knob, causing the water to cascade down in a warm, soothing stream. He closed his eyes, letting the water wash over him, rinsing away the sweat and sand, and hopefully some of the stress that he knew would cling to him regardless of how many showers he took.

The shower was longer than he had expected it to be, and maybe part of that was the little part of him that wanted Artemis to knock on the door. He couldn't put his finger on him, but being around her was reassuring. The thought of the huntress also helped quash any notion of taking Enlil up on his offer. Artemis would be on the chopping block right next to his father, and Percy wasn't willing to let either of them die if he could help it.

His mind drifted back to what Athena had said. Now that some time had passed and he had cooled off, he began to contemplate what she had told him. He wasn't thinking a step ahead, yet he was leading Camp Half-Blood into potentially the bloodiest battle it had experienced so far. He owed it to the campers to figure out what in Hades' name they were going to do if the Norse, Egyptians, and Romans didn't come to their aid.

As much as Athena thought he should be one step ahead, at this point he needed to take things one step at a time, so he dried himself off, changed clothes, and headed down to the forest to meet up with Grover.

He retraced the path that Grover had led him down the first time, using the light filtering down through the canopy as his guide, and before long he came upon the clearing. He knew at once he was in the right place because the air had changed, suddenly filled with magic and the sounds of enchanting melodies. He spotted Grover in his familiar old rocking chair and headed over to join him.

"Busy day?" The satyr asked as Percy took a seat in the spare chair next to him.

"You have no idea," he sighed.

"That daughter of Demeter must have run you ragged," Grover snickered.

Percy blushed and playfully punched the old goat in the arm, "Actually Athena is the one that exhausted me."

Grover's eyes widened, "Percy I know she looks like Annabeth," he warned, "But getting involved with an Olympian is dangerous!"

Percy face palmed, "We didn't have sex Grover, I actually ended up punching her in the face."

Grover paled, "I don't know what's worse!"

"I just couldn't stop myself. She said she was the reason that Annabeth went to Stanford and met her husband."

"That is a pretty shady thing to do," Grover noted, "But from her perspective, she brought happiness to her daughter."

As much as Percy wanted to validate Grover's point he couldn't. He knew he should be happy for Annabeth, but as much as he tried he just couldn't. He felt abandoned.

"Do you think the gods are good?"

Grover raised an eyebrow and paused for a moment, contemplating the question for a moment before finally answering, "I think that we cannot begin to fathom what it is like to be a god. To judge them without understanding is incredibly naive. We may view some of their actions as evil, but we likely do not see the full picture."

"You've been a protector, Grover, you've seen what gods siring children does to those children. Isn't that evil?"

Grover chuckled, "You're not a father Percy, how could you know? How do you think Posieodn feels when he thinks of you?"

"The first time I met him he told me I was a mistake."

"You were Percy," Grover sighed, "You were never meant to be born. You've been through truly awful things, but I think if you asked your father, he wouldn't regret you for even a moment. At your word he is readying his armies to fight for you, that doesn't seem to me like he is trying to right some wrong…it sounds to me like he's putting his trust in his son."

"I'm not ready," Percy muttered, putting his head in his hands, "I can't keep myself from lashing out at Athena, how am I supposed to lead?"

"You don't need to be perfect," Grover assured him, "You just need to inspire people, to give them a cause to fight for."

"And what if I don't believe in the cause?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if the world would be better off without the Olympians?"

Grover's face hardened, "You sound an awful lot like Luke."

"If I save the world it stays the same. Same selfish gods, and the same terrified demigods. If the world is broken…and I can't fix it, is it worth fighting for? Or is the right thing to do to let change happen?"

The weight of his questions hung in the air, saturating the atmosphere with an emotional weight that hadn't been there moments before. "I can't answer your questions," Grover whispered, "But if you don't believe in the cause you're fighting for…how could you ever possibly win?"

Percy lowered his head in defeat. A heavy silence settled between them, broken only by the gurgling of the brook through the clearing and the distant singing of nymphs and naiads alike.

"Worry about the cause later," Grover told him firmly, "The answers to your questions will come in time. For now…focus on what's important and get Tyson back."

Percy took a deep breath and did his best to expel his worries. Grover was right. As much as Athena wanted him to be thinking one step ahead, right now he needed to be focusing one step at a time, and that was getting his brother back.

As the sun began its graceful descent towards the horizon, the clearing transformed under the enchanting light of twilight. Shafts of the fading sunlight pierced through the dense canopy, casting a golden glow over the forest floor. The leaves of ancient oaks and whispering willows turned into vibrant shades of amber and emerald, creating a mosaic of warm colours.

As the change occurred the woodland slowly awakened to its nocturnal life. The gentle rustling of leaves was accompanied by the soft, melodic chirping of crickets. Fireflies and fairies alike emerged like tiny lanterns, their glowing bodies weaving through the air. A cool, gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and earth, a refreshing contrast to the warmth of the fading day. As night finally claimed the sky, a canopy of stars appeared, each one a twinkling gem against the dark velvet of the night. The moon, in its silvery splendour, cast a serene light over the enchanted woodland.

Seeing the moon rising high above him brought a sense of calm to his tumultuous heart, and instilled in him a sense of confidence he was desperately going to need for what came next.

He said his goodbyes to Grover, and the old satyr pulled him into a tight hug. Whatever doubts might be plaguing his mind, he had to keep his eye on the ball and do everything he could to keep his friends safe.

Under the watchful eye of the moon, he made his way towards the beach, towards Triton, and towards his brother who needed him.

Author's Note: Hello all, I warned that this chapter wouldn't come for a while, and you can 100% blame that on school. I honestly didn't plan on writing anything until after finals, but Greenarrow679 left a review that inspired me to write more. I had been getting quite a few critical (and quite harsh if we're being honest) reviews and so that didn't do a lot to encourage me to write. But the other day Greenarrow679 wrote a lengthy review where they pointed out the flaws in the story and suggested really helpful critiques. When I ask for critical reviews, that's the kind of review I'm asking for, not someone just telling me I'm a bad writer or not funny. One particularly kind reviewer told me they kept reading because they "got nothing better to read anyway." Like…would you say that shit to me in person?

Anyway special shoutout to Greenarrow679, they're the reason this chapter came out as soon as it did so I hope you enjoy it. I hope this proves that even critical reviews can have a positive outcome as long as they're constructive and not rude.

Hope you're all doing well and if you do have advice, critiques, thoughts, or just want to say something about the story you enjoy, please let me know. I love reviews, and while they aren't the reason I write, they are a huge motivator to write quickly.

See you next time