Percy looked to the sky, refusing to let tears come into his eyes. He had to look somewhere else, but there was no point. To his left, Nico's form was unmoving on the ground, arm twisted in a direction it should not have gone. To his right Thalia stood over the bodies of the hunters once under her command, never to draw back a bow again.
Jason and Piper were together. At least that was one consultation, Jason grabbed hold of her hand for the last time, neither would ever draw in breath again. Leo with Festus, the two of them on their last voyage through the skies. As the sounds of explosions filled the air many began to celebrate, Gaea was gone, they had won. But it didn't matter, Percy couldn't bring himself to smile, he wanted to celebrate, he wanted to smile, but there was no reason anymore. Because when he finally took his eyes off the sky, he had to look down. Look down at her.
Annabeth, her form unmoving in his arms.
He wanted to cry out, he wanted to do something.
But he couldn't. He couldn't do a single thing. He looked up again at Athena's face, her face stricken with grief at the sight of the daughter who had made her whole once again, dead in the arms of the boy who was supposed to protect her.
She vanished in a flash of light, a single tear running down her cheek, forcing Percy to look away. As he did so, he saw two of the only other survivors, Frank and Hazel, hands held, neither looking up from the other's shoulder. It was too much.
It was all too much.
He may have heard them speaking as he faded out of consciousness, he may not have. He slipped out of awareness into the realm of Morpheus as he cradled Annabeth in his arms, refusing to let go.
…
The mood in Olympus was somber at best, although some Gods were celebrating their victory, most sat on their thrones, refusing to look at anything but their own hands, held tight on their laps.
Percy was one of the few attempting to put on a brave face. He hugged Thalia, one of his last anchors, both refusing to say anything, if they even tried, the two of them were doing all they could to not break down completely.
When it came time for the gods to reward their solemn saviors, Percy listened, but nothing registered. Why should it? He was here to wait for his turn, and once that was over, he would be finished with it all, no more quests, no more loss, he could be free of that at the very least.
When Poseidon called his son's name Percy looked up, carefully keeping his face blank and trying not to let his eyes look the same. He couldn't break, he refused to do that.
If he broke, what was the point of anything he'd done? The surviving demigods needed someone to look up to, someone to keep leading. And if that had to be him, then so be it.
Poseidon began to speak, hoping to reward his only son with something, only to be interrupted by Zeus, "Before any formalities take place, or rewards are given, we must judge him for his crimes against Olympus."
The reactions from around the room were varied. Outrage from those Percy fought beside, or at least those that remained. There was shock on the faces of many others. Percy saw his father's shoulder's sag almost imperceptibly. The entire atmosphere of the room changed, and Percy didn't know what to expect.
But if someone were looking at Percy's face, they would barely see a twitch, he kept his face blank, there may have been a brief flash in his eyes. But that was all, grave acceptance at what was about to occur.
Zeus continued speaking immediately after shouters were silenced and sent out of the room with a snap of his fingers. Leaving the throne room far emptier than it was previously. "He is far too powerful to be left alive, and with his refusal to be made a God, there are no laws binding him as we are. We must cast him down to Tartarus before he grows too powerful to be contained or kept in his place."
His face betrayed very little emotion other than rage as he finished speaking. "It is for the good of Olympus."
Thalia broke the shocked silence of this statement first, "You can't do this! He lost everything to save your lives while you did nothing!" Percy turned to Thalia and attempted to wave her off, but she pushed his arm down and continued, "He lost more in a second than any of you has lost in all of entire existence!"
Percy put a hand over her mouth, shaking his head, Zeus was on his feet, outrage clear on his own face, but he seemingly made a decision and sat down again with a scowl.
Not taking his glare off of his daughter, he resumed, "I feel no more needs to be said. All in favor?" As hands were raised Hestia attempted to placate her brothers and sisters, but none listened.
"All opposed?"
Percy was grateful to see any hands raised at all. His father, Hermes and Apollo lifted their hands in defense of Percy. Artemis looked to her arm, making a decision, until she let it rise, "I will not let my debt to you go unpaid Jackson. Our losses should not be on your hands."
Dionysus looked down to his own hands, face a mix of shame and fear. After an argument inside his head he abstained, refusing to vote for either side.
As Zeus' hands rose to cast him out, Percy looked to his oldest remaining friend. Thalia was in tears, although she was silenced by Zeus, Percy hugged her and gave her the biggest smile he could muster.
"Tell their story." He paused for a moment, something was missing. He let a small grin cross his mouth, "Pinecone Face."
And at that, Perseus Jackson, Son of Poseidon, Bane of Titans and Giants, Hero of Olympus, Savior of the Gods, was cast down to hell, a place where the worst of the worst were sent to suffer for all eternity.
Tartarus
The first two chapters(probably) will be Percy in Tartarus, his struggle to survive and change of character. I'm doing what I can to not just make this into another "OC character or other random fandom character is now on the Team and gives extra lines in the adventure" story.
Hopefully I succeed. I'll be writing a lot more before I begin to publish extra chapters, this is just going to be a precursor.
This is actually the second time I've written this story, hopefully I can pick it back up again.