Work Text
Apollo for all intensive purposes had been having a pretty normal morning, he had groomed his horses, composed some new songs and had helped to set up a new hospital. Everything was going good till Artemis’ voice yelled in his head.‘Apollo get your ass over here; I need a favour.’Hallelujah! Christmas had come early (was he meant to be celebrating Christmas as a Greek god in the first place? No, but come on it's an excuse to get presents and it's fun), his day was just getting better, his sister almost never asked for his help so when she did, he could hold this over her head for ages!‘I need you to take my hunters and some other demigods to camp half-blood.’Ok, now that was odd for a range of reasons. One: Artemis never trusted her hunters to anyone unless the situation was dire, like the giant war dire. Two: She was hanging out with other demigods, who weren’t her hunters. She usually let the women who didn’t want to join her go easily, men ended up as jackalopes for being in her vicinity, so why was she presumably helping them, by getting him to take them to camp? Three: Why did she want them to go to camp Half-blood? He got the other demigods he wasn't stupid (despite what some might claim) but while her hunters were allowed there, they normally stayed away because of quote ‘insufferable male harlots, who don’t understand no.’‘Is everything alright?’ He asked, already just seconds away from where his sister’s group stood.‘Yes, just a hunt I don’t want to take my hunters on is all.’ she replied. That’s a lie. He didn’t even need to be the god of truth to work that out. Artemis was much too nervous (she almost sounded scared) for that to be the case. But, he had arrived, and he was not going to embarrass himself by looking all emo and angsty (that was Thanatos and Hades jobs for Chaos’ sake!) by asking his sister why that would be.He greeted the hunters the usual way (only a little bit of flirting) before turning to face the remaining demigods two boys and a girl (there was a male satyr but they barely counted) which confirmed his suspicions. There was a threat, two male demigods so close, basically in the hunter's camp was something not allowed ever, this meant something was really wrong. But Artemis hadn't called a council meeting... That meant it was properly something they (Zeus) would have disagreed with, like the titans that were definitely not rising (Because apparently visions from the oracles didn't matter anymore and apparently neither did Ares straight up admitting to chatting with Kronos).As the sun chariot took off into the sky headed towards camp with his little half-sister shaking behind the wheel. He did the obvious thing, he split his essence and went to talk to Artemis because she was not acting anywhere close to normal. But she was gone when he reappeared. So, he called out to her.‘Where did you go?'No response.'You were lying before, what are you hunting?’He got no reply again.He was really nervous now, his twin sister Artemis always answered him or explained that she wouldn’t answer for a bit. Never had she left him completely alone. Was he getting ghosted by his own sister?!?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
‘I no longer need you as my host.’Eight words barely a sentence and Luke’s life was fucked. He had spent two almost three years working with the titan always with the same goal become the host of Kronos and use that power to overthrow the gods. Heck, that had been one of the things he liked about Kronos that he was so up front about what his goals for Luke had been.‘Why, have I done something wrong?’ Luke knew his voice was shaking slightly.‘No not at all, I have just found a more suitable host, one of the second-generation Olympians or whatever they call themselves.’ Kronos’ voice echoed around the cave he was resting in. ‘You will head towards Mt Tam, where the palace is being built as soon as possible.’Luke felt Kronos’ presence slip away, as he slumped onto the ship’s wall ignoring the uneven bolts and panels digging into his back. He was being fucked over just like he felt when Hermes gave him that Chaos forsaken quest to get that bloody golden apple. Exactly the same.He didn’t even bother stopping the tears that welled up in his eyes. He had betrayed his camp to try and give them a better life but now if he wasn’t going to be Kronos’ host would he still be important? Could he still bring Camp Half-Blood to glory? Could he still free Annabeth, Thalia, Grover, Chris, Clarisse, Percy and all the other campers from the God’s control?Breathing deeply, he decided he would just need to do more to get Kronos’ attention after all his goal hadn’t changed. He was going to get his revenge and liberate Camp Half-blood from the Gods rule.Picking himself up, he walked along the ship's hull onto the deck then down the gangway. He headed towards the thin patch of forest that separated the dock from the road. Moving down the street he watched for a street dark and quiet enough to easily be able to take a car without anyone noticing. He went down the street for about twenty minutes before finding a lane way with a dodgy silver Toyota and absolutely zero cameras. It was almost begging to be stolen and as much as he hated his father and everything, he stood for he didn’t mind the thievery.He reached into his pocket and pulled out a map he had taken from Princess Andromeda. He drove silently for forty minutes before making it to the base of the mountain. He looked down and saw his hands shaking her supposed they would be heading to what was his first quest’s final destination. Heading towards the place that fucked him up more than anything else. The place that made him despise his father and the rest of the gods.He would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted to turn around and run away to Alaska or Brazil or something instead of driving up the mountain. But he also knew this is the type of thing that he needs to get over if he wants Kronos to see him as important. So, he forced himself up the mountain passed the dragon and the fruit tree careful not to look at them he didn’t want to be reminded of that. He already thought about it enough, considering he saw the effects of the quest every time he saw his own reflection.Fog closed in on him as he drove higher up the mountain. He sped up, the fog felt like it was trying to suffocate him, to drown him above the sea by filling his lungs and choking him slowly so close to his goal. He sped up more even when the fog started clear as he drove onto the flat ground at the apex of the mountain.It was no small sigh of relief he felt when he stepped out of the car and onto the pavement. He ran his fingers through his hair and looked around. It was dark, pitch black in some places towards the edges of the clearing, and he couldn’t see a dam person anywhere. But the black crumbled palace of the titans stood in the far right.He was about to make his way towards the palace when he heard a wheeze echo around the clearing. Looking up what he saw made his heart bet ten times faster, there behind where his car was parked, a man kneeled, shrivelled and old with long scraggly white hair scrapping the floor gasped out another breath. Admittedly it took Luke longer than he would have liked to realise that it was Atlas the former general of the titan army, holding up the sky (he looked so defeated and sad, surely not someone even some Olympians feared, was the god's wrath really that dangerous?) . Luke knew it wasn’t a smart move, but curiosity got the best of him, and he moved towards the titan.‘Hello,’ he called towards the titan he now stood only a few metres from. Atlas stayed silent, only a few laboured breaths could be heard. Luke stupidly took a couple steps closer to the titan waving a hand in front of his face to get his attention, again he received no reply. He started to lean back opting to go back to the withered titan palace when suddenly Atlas lurched forward towards Luke tipping the sky onto him. Panic seized him and he threw his hands up to protect himself and to catch the sky. He was on his knees in a second, his legs collapsing as soon as the sky's weight was fully on him.Somewhere above him a collection of joints popping and clicking was followed by a gravelly voice.‘I guess my uncle was right, the kid really would come.’Large heavy steps then sounded, and he could just see the titan’s feet walking away. Leaving him because Kronos set him up so he would be made to carry the sky while Atlas the original general would lead the titan armies into war against the gods.Holding the sky was not something a mortal should ever have to do, and he could already feel the sweat collecting by his brow and then the realization hit that if he had to hold the sky for much longer he was going to die.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sitting on the silver roof of cabin 8, Zoe felt more lost than ever. She had known Lady Artemis for thousands of years and they had become close after she joined the hunt.
She doubted she would have survived this long had it not been for Artemis. Afterall, it had been Artemis who found her and saved her. Her body felt like it was made of stone ugly, heavy and undesirable, why else would Heracles a man she had worked so hard to help a man she had betrayed her own flesh and blood for leave?
She remembered the emotional whiplash she felt during that time anger so hot and ferocious that Helios' sun couldn't compete and an overwhelming sadness she couldn't shake no matter where in the world she was, no matter who she met or what she saw. Neither, tragedy nor joy could save her from the feelings that choked her, threatening to never allow her peace.
She had been walking through a forest just east of Dodona, her feet blistered an her hair had mostly fallen from it's braid. A crunch of a leaf was all the warning she got before a hellhound leaped towards her, she had jumped to the side but had lost her footing as she landed. Tumbling over and landing hard on the ground, she thought of what her father would think, how she'd be the laughing stock of the entire immortal world, the titaness taken down by a lowly hell hound. Yet, as she braced for a killing blow that would never come. Instead, the sound of an arrow hitting it's mark and a thud could be heard. Opening her eyes she was greeted with a young women with silver hair reaching out to her.
Artemis, had helped her heal, become a better fighter, regain her dignity and had given her the honour of being the lieutenant of the hunt and being Lady Artemis' friend. Yet never in the over four thousand years of their friendship had Artemis ever gone on a hunt like this. If she didn’t explain what she was hunting it was because it was a mission from Zeus but even, then she would have told her that. At least.Zoe thought back to the cliff where Artemis ordered her and the rest of the hunters into Apollo’s chariot to be taken to Camp Half-Blood. Artemis’ voice shook ever so slightly when she gave that order something so minor that most would miss it. But she hadn’t and it worried her because it meant Artemis was scared and whenever a god like her lady was then it meant something big was coming (Zoe had an idea of what it was, and she hoped for everyone's sake that it wasn’t him).Gazing up at the stars that shown proudly unaware their mistress could was most likely in peril. Closing her eyes she prayed to one moon goddess she knew better than she knew herself and a sun god she had never cared to pray to before. She asked them both for the same thing, that she was wrong.-time skip the next morning-Cool air blew in through the windows of cabin 8 as Zoe carefully braided the new girl Bianca's hair into a neat plait. She thought of how she could help Artemis, she had only come up with one feasible option lead a quest to find and help Artemis defeat the beast. However, she knew she had to at least get throw capture the flag against the campers before she could arrange to speak with the oracle.Walking out the door and towards the dining pavilion she felt the sun hit her face making the chilly morning more bearable (don’t ever tell Apollo she said that though). She ignored the stares for campers, clearly curious to what the infamous hunters of Artemis were really like. One boy had already tried to ask one of the hunters out resulting in a lovely arrow in the arm and the end of Zoe’s sanity.Sitting at the cabin 8 table alongside the other hunters she listened to Chiron explain the rules. No killing, no maiming as if she and the hunters would need to resort to that to win. After he finished talking it was the end of breakfast and Zoe got up to talk to Chiron about speaking to the Oracle, but he was already gone.-Another sexy time skip to the end of capture the flag-Zoe stood still not one hundred percent sure at what she saw the oracle of Delphi cursed and mummified (she knew all about this as Apollo had come to Artemis after Hades cursed the oracle crying) limping slowly towards the group, stopping directly in front of her.‘Come forth and ask your question,’ Chiron announced looking at Zoe clearly either not sharing her shock or doing a much better job at hiding it.‘How may I help Artemis?’ she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.The oracle's mouth snapped open, and emerald smoke poured out.‘Five shall go west to the goddess in chains, one shall be lost in the land without rain, the bane of Olympus shows the trail, Campers and Hunters combined prevail, the Titan's curse must one withstand, and one shall perish by a parent's hand.’The Oracle collapsed onto the ground and Zoe felt like she might do the same. She watched as the Poseidon boy and the satyr from yesterday carry the oracle back to the attic as Chiron herded her, the head councillors and senior hunters into the big house. She understood three things in that moment. One: she had her quest to help Artemis, all she needed now was a team to help her. Two: she was right, it was him, her father Atlas. Three: it would probably be best if she got used to the ravens and snakes that seemed to be following her and the others because they would not leave till the quest was done.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As Annabeth fell through the air clutching her dagger that was stuck in the manticore’s back she realised that this might not have been her best idea. Each second, she fell the water got dangerously closer to her. Gazing down she could even see her own frightened expression staring back reflected perfectly on the dark water. She was going to die, die because she was stupid and immature, and made a major error in judgement.Annabeth wondered what Athena thought of her, if she was disappointed or if she even cared enough to be. Bracing herself, she prepared for the water, for the bruises and bone crunch, except she never felt the water, instead she felt herself fall into something soft and dark.The world came back slowly, at first, she could only feel the pain caused by the bruises and cuts that now covered her body. Annabeth’s mind felt foggy as she tried to work out where she was, her eyes not working as they should.What felt like hours passed as she lay on unfamiliar ground before she was strong enough to open her eyes and look around. A large clearing lay to the left of her with a silver four-wheel drive abandoned in the middle.She slotted her dagger back into its holder and pushed herself up ignoring the gold dust that coated her hands. Looking around the clearing she couldn’t help but gasp as she finally registered the deteriorated black palace that stood in the center. It must have been beautiful back when it was first built, she could tell from the few columns that remained, from the gentle archways and towers and vantage points not yet lost to time. It reminded her of a darker version of Olympus (she ignored the fact that the columns were a design from a time before the gods ruled and the implications that held).Tearing her eyes away from the ruins she saw a sign a little to the right of the car. Mount Tamalpais, that was good she knew where she was, Mt tam, was under an hour away from her dad’s house. She marched towards the car, she could properly hot wire it or something, being on the run with Thalia and ... him, had taught her a lot of useful tricks.Annabeth’s gaze flicked up to just above the car. She stopped and stood frozen; the only movement was her eyes widening as she took in the sight in front of her. Luke.She sprinted towards him, unsure of why though.‘Luke!’ she called out to him ‘what’s going on?’He didn’t respond, she doubted he could even hear her. The closer she got the stranger and more distressing the situation became. She saw Luke with sweat practically dripping off him, veins clearly defined on shaky limbs and red rimmed eyes. His hands were stuck in the same position permanently holding something up, mist circled around his hands.‘Annabeth...?’ she heard him mumble, ‘is that you?’Gods he sounded so weak and so tired.‘Yes, it’s me, what’s happening, are you ok?’ she rambled, her words jumbling together as she tried to piece together what had happened to her older brother Luke.‘Help me,’ he rasped slowly gesturing his head towards the mist and sky? that surrounded his hands.She gently put her hands above her head reaching towards the mist and bracing her body to help Luke hold the weight. Suddenly Luke jerks down leaving the full wait of the mist to fall onto Annabeth, and it is unlike anything she had ever felt before. Her left knee gives out and she falls onto one knee. Lifting her head up she sees Luke start to limp away, before almost immediately dropping it again. Everything takes too much effort, it hurts, pain messing with her ability even to think, yet she still manages to get one coherent thought through.Luke had betrayed her again and this time he was leaving her for dead.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Artemis stood for a moment watching her brother’s golden chariot disappear into the morning sky, before turning heel and bolting. She watched disconnectedly as the trees and shrubs of her wild morphed into roads and towns of man, but she didn’t stop running. She ran and didn’t stop running till she was far away from the cliff and only several miles south of the border with Canada. Her legs ached as much as they could for an immortal as she sat and sharpened her arrows and knives preparing for the hunt.Artemis is a lot of things, a huntress, protector, goddess and an Olympian but she is a big sister first and foremost (Despite what Apollo may claim she is older than him, as she quite literally helped their mum give birth to him). So, reasonably she knew it would be smarter to bring Apollo along to hunt with her, he is after all one off the strongest hunters ever and an Olympian god but if it was truly Atlas she won't allow Apollo anywhere near this hunt. She will not and will never allow him to get seriously hurt because of her ever again. Python had been enough, in fact that day was carved so deep into her brain that even after over four thousand years she can remember it better than properly even Mnemosyne.She remembered waking up and not seeing or feeling Apollo’s presence, hearing her mother weeping in her father's arms in the room next to hers. It had been the first time she was truly apart from Apollo; sure, they weren’t always together but they were always on Delos together a couple hundred metres apart at most.This time, however, as she made her way through the doorway calling for her mum, asking where Apollo was. The only response she got was her mum crying harder and a look from her father (not that he stayed long, left not even an hour later).She remembered calling desperately to her little brother, begging him to answer her, come home, to not be gone. Sitting on the grass outside with her back against the wall watching the sea waiting for Apollo to come home. She didn’t move from that spot for seven days, not drinking, eating or sleeping just watching, waiting and praying (to whom she didn’t know) that he would be alright.She remembers the delight, the unbridled joy she felt as Apollo appeared just down the hill from where she stood as she sprinted to hug him. She also remembers the fear that consumed her after Apollo collapsed onto the floor before Artemis was even halfway close to him bleeding and poisoned and how he didn’t wake for seven days.Artemis remembered looking down at his bandaged unconscious body and not knowing what would have possessed him to do something so reckless and dumb.She remembered Apollo never telling her and she remembers only knowing because she overheard her brother and father discussing what had happened in the fight against Python when they thought she was asleep.Artemis remembers creeping down the hall towards the voices, she remembers her ichor run cold when she heard her brother explain his fight with Python.‘I just couldn’t let that vile snake live when he had tortured and harassed my mother for months while you sat around and did nothing!’ she recalled her brother screaming at their father. The boom and the static of lightning followed by the thud she heard in response.She remembers her father shooing her away from the room and Apollo flinching at the sound of thunder. Something they had once found comfort in as a reminder of who their father was and that he could always help them. That sound now forever tainted with bad memories.Artemis sighed as she remembered that time, but for now she made her way away from the border and called on her hounds as the hunt was on.She knew she was far enough from the cliff that Apollo couldn’t track her to Mt Tam, so she teleported to about one hundred metres away from the base of the mountain. She began to climb the mountain noticing an increase in the number of monsters, the closer to the top she got the larger the monsters were in numbers and strength.She stayed out of sight as she made it to the top, even though she could easily kill each of these monsters taking on all of them and maybe a titan was not a good idea. Speaking of titans, there he was Atlas the titan general all shrivelled and old scrunched up by a fire eating some sort of stew.Glancing across the clearing she saw the sky and just who held it, it was that demigod girl Annabeth something. Artemis felt her heart break a little bit as she watched the girl sweat and gasp under the weight of the sky. She hated seeing young maidens like this, especially one as promising and smart as Annabeth.Slowly, she began to sneak around the edge of the clearing, she made it halfway before Atlas turned around.‘You can come out y’know,’ Atlas spoke gazing straight at where Artemis was standing. Artemis felt her heart drop.‘Help the girl she’ll collapse soon, been holding it four almost twenty hours way more than any mortal should be able to.’A part of Artemis screamed at her to go and help Annabeth while another part of her told her to y’know fight the titan and tell the other Olympians that oh yeah dear old grandad is rising. But Artemis has things sacred to her, one of them being protecting young maidens and girls so she runs towards the sky and away from Atlas.Dropping down beside Artemis immediately takes some of the weight from the girl in front of her before leaning forwards affectively pushing Annabeth out of the way and onto the ground. She grunts as the full weight of the sky is set upon her and it's impossibly heavy, too heavy for words to properly convey. She wonders how a mortal could hold it at all let alone for hours and how even an immortal titan like Atlas could hold it for thousands of years.‘Wow, you gods really got weak after the war,’ she heard Atlas chuckle to himself, ‘though I do suppose that if you would do that for a random mortal girl then we can expect to see that brother of yours soon.’Artemis felt her head snap up, she tried to open her mouth to ask what he meant by that, but her mouth felt glued shut. Desperately she called across her link with Apollo that he mustn’t come to her, that it’s too dangerous, that Atlas is out.She knows that Apollo doesn’t hear her somethings blocking the messages. Atlas is right, Apollo will come and try and save her because he’s Apollo, too sweet and caring for a god. Artemis breathes in slightly, despite knowing it’s futile she attempts to reach out to Apollo again. She misses the demigod being dragged away by someone else.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
‘One shall be lost in the land without rain’Thalia felt her hands blister as she dug through the rubble; they had been at this for hours, yet there was no sign of life, no sign of Bianca. The sun was setting casting cool shadows across the desert waste land, as they finally stopped searching. She knew there was never a chance of finding Bianca alive; the prophecy stated that at least two people would die on this quest and Bianca was the first.Still, she had hoped that against all odds they would have found her, her heart broke when she thought of Nico back at camp Half-Blood. Waiting for his sister to come back so he could talk her ear off about whatever that game was myth and magic or something. Bianca would never come back because of some stupid quest belonging to a world Bianca had only just joined.Camped around a fire they were quiet that night, grief thick in the air. As she lay awake Thalia let her thoughts shift to her own lost siblings, Jason, her little brother gone forever because of their sorry excuse of mother. Annabeth, gone somewhere in the world in trouble and Thalia couldn’t help her; and Luke dead to her for all he did.-epic time skip-Thalia had never wanted to strangle the kelp face more than she did right now. Flying away on statues hundreds of metres above the ground was not something she wanted to be doing and yes Thalia was shaking because it was cold (definitely not because she was scared; it was her father's domain after all why would she be scared).Naturally, it was Jackson’s idea that she should pray to her dad to animate some winged statues forcing her up into the sky a place he knows she hates, cause he’s a little shit like that. Which, ok she knows she’s not being completely fair to him but come on surly they could have used a car or something instead of giant fucking statues.When the statues landed, Thalia all but leapt off them onto the ground. She honestly kinda felt like kissing it, like people did in movies but she decided she didn’t need Jackson or Zoe seeing that.Now, thalia despite everything the kelp head might say about her is not dumb, meaning she can admit she is a rather angry individual. So, as they headed up the driveway of Dr. Chase’s, she bit her tongue and stuck to the back of the group.Thalia knows it was stupid, but she couldn’t help but feel proud when Dr. Chase scrunched in on himself when she caught his eye. She seriously hated that man, first letting Annabeth’s step mum treat her like shit, not believing her about ‘magic spiders’ when Annabeth was literally dropped at his door in a bundle of gold and a name tag. Oh, and then when she ran away after that he didn’t think to, I don’t know call the police about his missing SEVEN-year-old!Entering his fancy house she almost felt like growling at the stepmother when she offered them sandwiches. Sitting on the couch with Zoe, Grover and the stepmother she knew she was glaring at her too and again she didn’t care.‘Dr. Chase is letting us borrow his car,’ she heard Jackson announce leaving the office.Thalia couldn’t help but smile as she noticed that no one said goodbye to the Chases, not even Grover, it was insane. Speaking of insanity, why did she just witness Dionysus pull up make a few people go crazy, turn a few others in to vines and then dip. What black mail did Jackson have on him and where could she get it.Saying goodbye to Grover and Bessie was hard, she could tell Grover didn't want to leave, he wanted to go and help them save Annabeth. However, because she messed up and almost killed Bessie and almost betrayed the gods, Grover was taking Bessie away. Because she was a fucking liability.Trudging up Mt. Tam was a whole ordeal, it was hard, rocky and an overall pain in the ass, but at the same time she was so close to finding and saving Annabeth and helping to free Lady Artemis that it almost didn’t matter.It wasn’t just a pain when it came to how far they had to walk, no, the whole mountain just had to be infested with hundreds of monsters. Making it to the top, Thalia felt her eyes snap to a woman holding what she assumed was the sky, it took a while for her to realise that this girl was Lady Artemis. Her once silver hunting jacket was now grey and dull, her hair was dark, dull and greasy when it once been vibrant and healthy.Beside her she heard a gasp and watched in horror as Zoe ran towards her mistress alerting the enemy to their presence. The heads of what seemed like hundreds of monsters snapped towards them, their eyes staring at them like they were juicy steak which in some cases they were.Her eyes flittered among the enemy desperately searching until they focused on Annabeth who was next to Luke?!? What the actual fuck was he doing near her. Had he not ruined Annabeth’s life enough.She looked over at the others and noticed that Jackson and Zoe had already started to fight Atlas, so she decided they could handle that for now as she raced towards Luke and Annabeth. Racing over there as fast as she could, she failed to notice Luke opening his mouth to speak as she decked him, before planting herself between him and Annabeth.She raised her spear and launched it down at Luke who rolled out the way. He lifted backbiter and ran at her; her spear met him halfway and they continued to almost dance around each other before Thalia managed to knock him over. As he fell, she unleashed another kick to his abdomen sending him into some rocks and down a drop.She didn’t bother to check on him, she wasn’t sure how she’d react if she had just killed him, so she turned back to the fight. Turning back towards the main fight, it seemed the rest of the fight wasn’t going so well, somehow Jackson and Artemis had managed to switch places and Annabeth now fought alongside the other women.Thalia felt hope blossom in her chest, it seemed like they had a chance to win this. Obviously, that’s when everything started to go wrong.As Artemis was distracted by some smaller monsters Atlas managed to hit Zoe, sending her sailing across the clearing and landing with a sickening crunch. Artemis turned around with a look of horror plastered to her face as she watched her most fateful hunter wail in pain.Atlas, however, didn’t seem to care about the now dying Zoe, taking the opportunity to attempt to stab Artemis in the heart. He would have been successful too if it weren’t for a flash of gold and a punch that sent him tumbling to the floor.‘Stay away from my sister!’Apollo had arrived.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
‘You shall not interfere with this matter, Artemis must get herself out of this mess!’ his father ordered from atop his thrown, ‘do you understand?’‘Yes, father,’ Apollo’s response felt weak in his own ears.Turning away from the other Olympians, he did not miss the pitying looks coming from them. They looked as though they couldn’t have voted alongside him to help save Artemis, the topic had been had barely been debated, having Athena the literal goddess of wisdom should have convinced some people that leaving Artemis to the wrath of Atlas and the weight of the sky was a bad idea, but aparently not. Though Apollo also would have thought that helping Artemis and reimprisoning Atlas under the sky wouldn’t even need a vote because Artemis had known everyone on the council for thousands of years, fought and argued together and Atlas was like I don’t know an evil titan.Oh, and the fact that Zeus was Artemis’ dad and that should be enough for him to march down there and kick Atlas’ butt but nooooo we can’t risk starting a war with the titans even though Atlas tricking Artemis into holding the sky should be enough reason to start a war.But nooooooooo.Marching out of the council chambers and into the street he notices that the minor gods who preside on Mt. Olympus practically sprint out of his path. It’s not surprising he supposes back in the good old days in Ancient Greece (wow, that makes him feel old) he may or may not have flayed a few satyrs and cursed a few mortals and minor gods here and there for pissing him off or annoying him.Apollo reached his hand towards his head as pain flashed through his head; he fell to the floor before hearing the voice of Delphi.‘Five shall go west to the goddess in chains, one shall be lost in the land without rain, the bane of Olympus shows the trail, Campers and Hunters combined prevail, the Titan's curse must one withstand, and one shall perish by a parent's hand.’What. The. Fuck.Delphi just dropped a prophecy and gave him no warning like she normally does, which he should properly be more pressed about but A GODDESS IN CHAINS!!!!! While Artemis is trapped under sky unable to move or save herself way too much of a coincidence, oh and the fact that Artemis’s lieutenant who the prophecy had been given to, was the daughter of Atlas and one of the lines was literally ‘one shall perish by a parent's hand’.This quest was about Artemis, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure it was successful. Taking the form of raven, he flew to Camp Hald-Blood listening in the quests plan.-----------------------------Apollo had a plan.1. Talk to Aphrodite and convince her to help Percy get on that quest (as in his humble opinion he was properly the strongest and most experienced person for this quest) use Percabeth or whatever it was called as reasoning.2. Send out his scared animals to help the kids on the quest.3.Find any way to help them without Zeus noticing (Ancient laws and yadda yadda that meant he wasn’t allowed to help the kids, which he found dumb, but Zeus would cause a big stink if they weren’t followed so whatever).Aphrodite’s temple was beautiful and one of his favourite places on Mt. Olympus, it was slow and calm, the perfect place to relax after stressful council meetings or even just to gossip. He had done that many times and had learnt so much information about people that he had never met that he could properly quote people's hookups and flings back to them.‘Apollo!’ He turned just in time to catch Aphrodite as she barreled towards him, reeking of cherry blossom and lavender perfume, ‘How are you!!!!’‘Alright, I guess not the best considering what’s happening to Artemis, but that's not-’‘Shhhh, you're the god of truth and by extension a terrible liar, so you're not ok, is there anything you need me to do?’This was one of the reasons he loved dite, she got him.‘Yeah, so y’know the Poseidon kid right I want him on the quest, to help them he’s stronger than Thalia and the others already going on the quest.’‘Too easy, besides I would have done that anyways because I’m thinking Percy and Annabeth Athena’s daughter would be super cute.’‘Yeah, they would be, but Athena would commit several felonies if they did get together.’‘100%, now come instead, I can tell you’re stressed.’----The scene on Mt. Tam was stressing him out, throughout the quest he had done his best to help the demigods. The sun had mysteriously blinded a few monsters, a couple unrelated plagues had broken out in monster camps, ravens had oddly started divebombing some of the skeletons. Really odd coincidences if you asked him.However, unfortunately for him none of those tricks were gonna come in handy on Mt Tam, it was too cloudy, too high up and the enemies were too strong. So, he just had to watch, and it was killing him.He knew Artemis was an amazing fighter (one of the best if you asked him, not that he’d say that to her face) and that she could handle the fight without distractions. However, that was a luxury she didn’t have as her lieutenant and confidant fell on the ground with a yell causing Artemis to turn her back on Atlas. He saw Atlas take aim at Artemis’s back and...Fuck it.He felt his fist connect with Atlas’s stomach as the titan was launched across the clearing.‘Stay away from my sister!’Zeus was going to be so mad.----The fight had been going well for about 5 minutes before Artemis leapt back towards into the black palace's hallway so she could get a clear shot on her bow. It was the deciding shot; Atlas was pushed back under the sky allowing the Poseidon kid to get out of the way and into safety.All was good until a scream sounded from across the clearing, Artemis. Golden powder had wrapped itself around her arms and was creeping towards her face.‘She’s going to be my host, if you don’t do something about it,’ a raspy voice spoke into his head. ‘Or she’ll fade trying to stop that from happening.’Kronos.Looking back towards Artemis struggling, her eyes were flashing gold like when he was in this true form. More alarmingly her hands started to flash in and out of view or he guessed reality. That told him what he needed to do.‘I’ll become your host just let her go.’‘Good choice’.’The gold launched towards him unceremoniously dumping his sister onto the ground gasping for air and hands shaking.The gold touching him and fusing to him was worse than any punishment from Tartarus. It felt like bugs crawling under his skin into his head and heart eating away at him, their legs tickling at his skin while they bite and bruise it at the same time. His heart and head became heavier and shouts from someone he thinks it was Artemis grow steadily quite he can fell his body move on its own.Never in his long 4000+ life did he ever expect this. Kronos, his evil grandpa had taken over his body and was going to use said body to murder his sister and these random demigods who went on a quest to save her.Slowly, he felt himself lose more and more control over his body, godly powers and domains. His vision slowly going gold around the corners, he could make out Artemis running towards him, how had he gotten to the ground?Wait, Artemis coming towards him as he lost control over his body to a homicidal maniac. This is bad. He fought against Kronos’s control to bring his hand up, to try and get her to stop but she didn’t. He couldn’t speak, his tongue was too heavy, he could warn her to stay away.Shere panic and desperation where two things were didn’t think he’d feel after the giant war and his fight with Python, yet here his was. His amazing sister running towards him trying to help him, while only really putting herself in danger.Apollo called upon the last little bits of strength and sent Artemis and the demigods away. He doesn't even know for sure where, just somewhere safe, somewhere far away from Mt Tam. His vision faded to gold completely, the pain in his body causing him to go limp and he was gone.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Percy did not like the gods, well most of them anyway.He didn’t like Zeus for attempting to kill him and just overall being an ass. He didn’t like Poseidon for knocking up his mum and then leaving her alone to navigate the difficulties of parenthood and the mythological world alone. He didn’t like hades for kidnapping his mum and he didn’t like Athena for being a deadbeat and not caring about Annabeth her kids. He could go on and on.However, he might be starting to change his opinions on a few of them. For example, he thought Apollo was just another deadbeat hippie who didn’t care about anyone but himself. Yet, he had gone out of his way to help them on this quest to save his sister and risked punishment from Zeus.Sure, he wouldn't have helped them had Artemis not been in trouble, but he can count on one hand the number of Olympians or even gods in general that would have gotten as involved as Apollo did.As much as Annabeth (and apparently Thalia too now) liked to call Percy a seaweed brain or a dummy he hadn’t missed the fact that the sun mysteriously blinded monsters when fights were starting to look bad. Nor had he missed that he and the others on the quest healed faster and that some ravens, snakes and on a memorable occasion a cicada had followed them and helped whenever possible.So, standing watching Apollo screaming in pain as he gets possessed by their evil grandpa, Percy didn’t know what to do. On one hand he thought he should go help Apollo after all the god was one of few that hadn’t actively tried to kill or harm him, but at the same time what could he do against the power of the titan king?The battle had long since stopped. Everyone was just watching as Apollo collapsed to the floor clawing at his own skin and ripping out chunks of it. Ichor flowed freely down Apollo’s own body and onto the ground, it was a weird sight to see. A god, an Olympian no less reduced to a screaming and blubbering mess.Percy felt his eyes flick towards Artemis as she caught her breath, she looked horrible to put it lightly, she was deathly pale, ichor running out of her nose, ears and eyes, her head turned up and panting.Percy watched as she crawled forward onto her hands and knees, making eye contact with Apollo. She launched herself forward screaming for him.A blinding bright light flashed across his vision, and he felt himself thrown against the ground except instead of the dust and compacted dirt of Mt. Tams clearing he felt soft grass.He promptly passed out.--Waking up he noticed that he was the last one awake. They were on a hill that led down to pristine blue ocean and two temples, and a villa stood proudly over them. He was about to ask where they were when he felt a poke in his ribs. Spinning around to look at who poked him, he saw Annabeth finger pressed against her lips as she pointed to her right.Turning his head Percy felt his heart break a bit, there sat together Artemis and another woman, her mother the goddess Leto sobbing. Leto’s hands were clutched around a necklace that had what he thought to be the sun on it as she mumbled please no over and over again.Percy couldn’t watch, the moment felt too interment, too personal to watch as an outsider. So, he turned towards Annabeth and the others and waited for one of the two to maybe explain where they were and when they could go back to camp.Part of him wondered if his mother acted similarly to that when he was on quests, when he was in many cases as good as dead like Apollo was right now. He didn’t want to know.The sun sunk beneath the sea (who drove the sun across the sky now Apollo was out of order? He didn’t know) and the constellation of the huntress appeared in the sky. It was Zoe according to Thalia, whilst Annabeth and I had been passed out Zoe had passed away in the arms of Artemis and Thalia. Something else had happened he could tell but what he wasn’t sure. However, the silver circlet that now sat upon Thalia’s head gave him some idea.‘Come we must go to Olympus now’Spinning around at the sound of her voice Percy took in Artemis’s state, she looked worn and grim but had determination emanating from her. Artemis was on a mission, and he had a feeling he knew what it was to convince the Olympic council that the titans were rising and make sure Apollo’s sacrifice wasn’t for nothing.---Olympus was just as beautiful as he remembered with large colourful gardens and sleek buildings the only thing that uglied it up were the gods that live there (don’t tell them he said that, especially Aphrodite). Walking through the golden doors of the council chambers, the tension became palpable.Now, normally Percy was perfectly ok with stating his own opinion and getting his points across (even if it was a little insulting at times) but even he felt the need to keep his mouth shut. Artemis walked to the centre of the floor and stated.‘The titans are rising they have forced Apollo to host Kronos, what can we do to prepare for a war against them?’Percy watched as the room erupted into chaos. Hermes, Dionysus and Aphrodite were yelling about getting Apollo back first then preparing for war, while Ares and Athena had somehow managed to get into a fight about battle strategies for a war that hadn’t even been started yet. His dad and Hephaestus turned to each other, and he was pretty sure he heard them say something about cyclops and weapons. The other Olympians sat quietly in what he assumed to be shock.‘Quiet!’ Zeus yelled rising from his throne, ‘what do you mean the titans are a threat.’Percy felt offended for Apollo, as Zeus had completely ignored that Apollo was in trouble and quite literally having his body taken over by one of the worst beings to ever exist.‘I mean Atlas was temporarily freed, there were traces of titan power and the fact that Apollo got possessed by Kronos!’ Artemis fired back.‘Oh, prepare for war, increase security on Mt. Olympus and trainings at Camp Half-Blood. Hermes go check what minor gods are on our side this time.’ Zeus sat back down in his thrown rubbing his temples.‘What about Apollo?’ Percy’s head turned towards Mr D, ‘how will we help him?’‘We won’t, he is beyond saving,’ Zeus ordered, flicking his wrist dismissably. ‘However, I noticed that Thalia joined your hunt Artemis, is she aware she won’t be the hero of the prophecy?’Looks of rage and horror were plastered to the faces of the assembled gods and Hestia’s hearth flickered. Annabeth spun on her heel to look at Thalia who was looking down at her feet, not making eye contact. He watched as Artemis took a few breaths before meeting her father's gaze again.‘She is aware.’‘Then this meeting is dismissed.’ Zeus said almost cheerfully as if one of his sons wasn’t in what was probably immense pain as he got possessed by the lord of time. Artemis shook her hand at them, and they landed back in Camp Half-Blood.He felt his armed be grabbed and turned to face Will Solace, a son of Apollo who began to fuss over any wounds he might have. He thought for a moment about telling him what had happened to his dad but decided against it. Even if Apollo wasn’t the most involved parent ever you don’t really want to find out that they had been forced to host your evil grandpa's spirit.Making his way down the grassy hill and entering the big house he walked towards the back room and settled in around the ping pong/war table. He barely noticed the door open till a high-pitched voice said.‘Where’s my sister?’Percy could only think of how he was meant to explain why Bianca wasn’t there to the kid, that he didn’t realise what Thalia joining the hunters meant.He was going to be the Hero of the Prophecy.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nico had never really understood the phrase ‘their vision turned red’ until now. Yet as Percy stood there looking down at him telling him he’d failed the one thing Nico asked of him, he understood.He felt his whole body shake in rage at Percy and fear at what life would be like without Bianca, his amazing older sister. He thought he could hear Percy try and come up with some excuse, but his mind felt fuzzy. The air around him cooled and a small vibration was the only warning before the marble floor cracked open and skeletons burst from the ground towards Percy.Nico watched stunned as Percy drew Riptide and dropped into a fighting stance, while one of the skeletons grabbed him and started moving him away. He vaguely noticed that one of them had a camp necklace on, he tried not to think about that.The world around him grew fuzzy and he felt his eyes start to close as boney hands wrapped around his waist dragging himself somewhere unknown.-----It took Nico a while to realise that he had woken up, it was so dark. Reaching back, he felt his head throb, he must have hit it when he passed out. As he stumbled forth upon his knees as he felt around the floor, bumps and ridges felt dirty and reminded him of... home? Honestly, he can’t really remember much since the lawyer took him out of the Lotus Casino. Not his mum, not his friends, not his sister.Sister... Something had happened to Bianca, but what?He guessed he was in a tunnel; Nico reared back shooting to his feet. How had he got in here! Stumbling backwards he heard something snap under his foot. On the ground crumbling and decayed was a human skeleton.Oh...That’s what happened...Sinking to his knee's reality hit him. Bianca was dead, and he was a freak who could raise the dead. His sister was gone because he trusted Percy Jackson.It felt like a knife to the chest as tears bubbled up and ran down his face. The tunnel began to feel hot, and Nico felt his hands begin to shake and breathing speeding up. A humming noise grew in his ears becoming deafening.Nico normally felt safe in the dark, especially when he was underground. He never knew why but he remembers Bianca saying that it was odd and telling him to stop building pillow forts in his bed whenever they had slept at the Lotus Hotel. But now it felt suffocating, like he was drowning all alone, like he was venerable, like something could hurt him easily.Standing on shaky legs Nico ran through the dark hand on the wall. It was the only thing keeping him upright. Sprinting down the corridor a shrill scream of machinery gave Nico just enough time to jump before a sawblade screeched forward attacking the pavement where he had been standing.Nico Wobbled on the spot for a moment before the mechanical scream sounded again. This time he lunged backwards into the wall. His body hit the wall behind him, and he felt one of the tiles press back.An old rope ladder dropped from the ceiling and a cover was dragged back revealing a perfect blue sky. Nico scrambled up the ladder as fast as he could. The ladder swayed as his hand reached the top and he pulled himself up onto ground level.Laying on his back he felt his chest grow looser and breathing stabilize, the loud buzzing faded and was now almost completely gone. Nico didn’t know what happened to him in that tunnel, but he did know that he never wanted it to happen again.He slowly rose to a sitting position and looked around. It was a lovely park with two small lakes with islands covered in birds and a playground that snakes along the edge of the lake furthest from him.It took him a while to get up off the floor as his arms and legs felt numb and sore. He spotted a park bench beneath a shaded tree and began to walk towards it. The old bench creaked under his weight as he dropped down onto it. He was tired and feeling pretty miserable.Slowly he felt his eyes grow heavier and he slumped sideways on the bench falling into unconsciousness.----Starlted Nico looked around at where he was. It wasn’t the park where he had lay only seconds ago but instead a large clearing with a large black palace sitting in the middle. Nico knew it was dumb, but curiosity got the better of him as he advanced towards the Palace.Peeking around the door Nico saw that the room was empty except for a man sitting on a throne, reading.‘Come inside Nico, I don't bite,’ the man on the throne said with a melodic voice almost like he was singing.Nico shot backwards, what the hell how did that guy know he was there?!‘Worry not kid, I just want to talk,’ The man replied still reading.Slowly making his way towards the man he took in the man's stunning golden curls that fell to just below his shoulders and lean yet muscular physique similar to that of a runner. How his face was both undeniably masculine but also soft and feminine. Nico thought he was rather attractive. Well, he would have been if he were a girl at least.That was until the man looked up and Nico saw that his eyes were completely golden and creepy.‘Who are you?’ Nico could hear his voice shaking.‘Me? Why my name is Kronos.’‘What do you want?’‘Why I want to get revenge on the gods and demigods for all the evil they have done, for taking my freedom and your sister. In fact, if you help me and we win, I could maybe find a way for your sister to join you again on the mortal plane.’Nico’s head shot up. ‘How?’‘When I become king after we defeat the gods with some help from the other titans, I will have full control over the doors of death and who comes and go’s you can have them both back your mother and your sister.’Hope bubbled up in his chest.‘Who are those other titans?’‘There are lots of others but most notable my general Atlas and Hyperion, Krois, Koios and Iapetus.’Nico felt the hope in his chest die. Atlas had been the one that kidnapped lady Artemis had she not done that he would still have his sister he was as much to blame as Jackson. He was not going to ally with the people who murdered his sister.Turning on his heal and sprinting out of the palace he could hear the clack of his shoes on the marble floor and loud, angry yells coming from the man in the throne. He stumbled down the stairs and then collapsed.------Waking up with a start Nico felt something cold press against his hand, and he looked down and saw a black blade laying on the bench next to him. Grabbing the blade and looking around he noticed the entrance to the tunnel he had come from and decided that with his new sword he would re-enter the tunnels and look for somewhere better than this random park.He didn’t account for a certain ghost coming to him after two weeks stumbling around with a glorious attitude and a deal too good to say no to. Said his name was Minos or something.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
HermesAccording to the mortal world the reason for the delays in deliveries was because postal workers had gone on strike for better pay. In reality it was the fact that Hermes couldn’t be bothered to do anything but despair.Apollo, his amazing, kind, sometimes cocky older brother who despite a rocky start became one of his best friends and mentor. He had helped him settle and learn how to be an Olympian, what was expected of him. Taught him what he was allowed and not allowed to do.Truely he would have been lost without Apollo and now Apollo was in danger. A danger Hermes could do nothing to prevent. Kronos, the Lord of Time, former ruler of the titans and their grandfather had taken over his brother's body.And frankly, despite what the myths may say and how his mortal personas may act he is not dumb. He knows the chances of getting his elder brother back are slim to none and even if they do save him, would he even still be the same Apollo? Hermes doesn’t think so.So, for now he grieved.He grieved for his brother, the memories they had made and should have the chance to make. For the comfort and safety of Apollo, the hugs and comfort after long days of dealing with their father and the pressure, of knowing that nothing could hurt him if he was in the arms of brother and closest friend.For the fact that their father had abandoned Apollo in his most dire hour and sealed his fate. That despite Apollo being one of the strongest gods, one of the most crucial gods, one of the gods who kept balance in the world, he was left to suffer by their father as to not risk harm to himself.So, Hermes sits as the world stalls and watches the disaster he’s caused. He finds he does not care.Afterall he is a god. Why should he care about mortals?-----DionysusWhen he came to Olympus for the winter solstice and noticed Artemis and Apollo’s absence, he was rather concerned. He assumed the quest would be over by now with maybe a few casualties (honestly, he hoped that pinecone face and the Jackson boy had kicked the bucket, he really wasn’t in the mood for great prophecies right now). Artemis would have been freed, and she and Apollo would have been sitting across from him on their stupid matching thrones.Instead, after having to delay the meetings start multiple times, Artemis appeared alongside some of the bloodied demigods from the quest.She had announced many things including the titan's return, her new lieutenant (the pinecone girl) and how because of that the prophecy had been delayed.Truthfully, he didn’t care for that, sure he was a little worried at the mention of titans considering the stories he’s heard and how terrifying even the titans who sided with the gods can be and the fact they almost ate him as a kid (but that was mostly Hera’s fault to be honest). He was more concerned over the lack of Apollo and how for the first time in his life he noticed Artemis’s eyes were red and puffy instead of clear and calm.When Dionysus had first ascended to godhood, he wasn’t really a fan of any of the other gods. They all seemed like pompous, arrogant jerks, so when a grand feast was held for Demeter on Olympus with many hundreds of minor gods all gathered in one area with no music, no wine and no fun. It wasn’t soon before he began to plan his escape. Slipping outside to a far-off courtyard garden. He noticed a man had already claimed the spot as his own. Dionysus noted he looked familiar properly one of the numerus gods he was meant to remember.The man looked up and smiled warmly, gently patting the space next to him. He remembers the man’s warmth as he introduced himself as his older brother and lack of judgement when Dionysus couldn’t remember his name. How he had covered for Dionysus and let him leave that gods awful insult to him, feast.So, when Artemis had announced to the whole council through strangled breaths that Apollo had been taken over by Kronos, he felt numb and disjointed. He barely registered what happened the rest of the meeting, only catching that no rescue mission would be attempted as he sat fridged on too cold a throne.The winter solstice meeting drew to a close and he felt the presence of the other gods leave the chamber. Normally a festival would be held, with lively music, wonderful booze and gorgeous dancing, but now the streets were quiet not a soul about. The news had clearly spread.Since his punishment from Zeus and the forced soberness from it he’s missed the taste and effects of alcohol many times but never as much as he did now. Stumbling towards his temple, for once not because he was drunk but instead a result of his confusion and sadness.Chaos, he wished he could drink.----AthenaUpon hearing the news of Apollo’s possession, it was safe to say she was a little shocked. Her grandfather the wicked Kronos had somehow found a way to control her half-brother’s and make his body his puppet. She knew that despite what Zeus may have tried to claim this event marked the start of the second titan war and she had to prepare.Which is how she found herself sitting in her library surrounded by books, paintings and statues depicting the titans and their characteristics. Knurled faces, crooked teeth and bloody claws were all the books had to offer about what were once long defeated enemies.It was infuriating! Seriously, she felt like pulling her hair out. It was all wrong, she had seen other titans like Leto, Rhea and even Atlas once when she was flying overhead. She knew they didn’t look like that; she knew that they were more than just vicious killing machines they were smart and calculating, sophisticated and skilled, yet all these books mentioned were how they were so much less perfect and amazing as the gods.As the goddess of wisdom and war she knows that you can’t defeat an enemy by knowing that they may be ugly you need weaknesses and strategies both of which were never mentioned once in these chaos forsaken books.Standing up from the velvet chair she had been sitting in and walking to the balcony overlooking the rest of Olympus. She noticed the quiet, what was once a bustling and lively place was now solemn and depressing as a city mourned one of its most popular figure heads.Her eyes caught on one of the gardens; Apollo’s Garden of lost lovers, one of Apollo’s most special places on Olympus. She noticed two women standing together tending to plants, Persephone and Demeter. She watched them water and watch the plants, carefully guided them into neat rows and finally sat and she assumed cry.It felt like a private moment, one she shouldn’t be seeing turning her head away instead focusing on the detailed collum's surrounding the meeting hall. She began to think, while Athena was no expert at magical titan mind control, she knew Apollo would most likely be unsavable or his mind would break under the stress of hosting Kronos. Either way she doubted she would ever see her half-brother himself again.Turning on her heel and marching across the cold tiles she made her way back inside and sat down picking up another book she knew would properly be useless, but she had to try. She could not give up, with the survival of Poseidon's spawn and the start of the titan war one thing was clear the great prophecy something that had hung over their heads for the last seventy years was about start.So, she must do what she does best and prepare for war----AresWatching from his throne Ares was confused. How had a god like Apollo be beaten by scum like the titans? It didn't make sense to him.Confusion led him to the gym; he needed something routine to settle himself. Questions still whirled in his mind; why had Kronos chosen Apollo to be his host? Why has Zeus let this happen? How had Kronos even risen?!Changing into his gym clothes with a snap of his fingers, Ares walked into the training arena. Walking to the far edge of the arena he didn’t miss the troves of gods leaving or practically running to the other side of the arena. So, what if he had dismembered a few minor gods when they sparred? It was one time!Alas as he decided between a mace or a sword (mace was funnier but a sword was more convenient) turning to face one of Hephaestus’s new training dummies they fought back and dodged. Made of gold and bronze with swords and shields attached by metal tenacles (like the ones that once tied Hera to her throne). They were sick.But he was the god of war someone hard to beat almost impossible unless you were an Olympian. The dummy broke after less than ten minutes. So, he marched around grabbing the first few minor gods he could spar. They were also beaten quite fast, so he found himself back at the beginning.Of all the gods he could enjoy a fight with Apollo was properly at the top of that list they had both beaten each other multiple times. A fight could have gone either way.Honestly it makes him wonder if he could have escaped Kronos. For once it had him doubting his strength. For once it made him doubt whether war was the best option.----HeraIf you wanted her to answer honestly, about what she thought of the whole Kronos possessing Apollo situation she’d tell you, you were focusing on the wrong point. The titans were rising once again, cunning and ruthless monsters she and her, siblings and allies had fought long and hard to defeat back in the first war.And now they were back, and her husband had decided to ignore that fact entirely in favour of living in delusion. She tended to disagree with her ‘stepchildren’ on almost everything, whether that be if they should smite the demigods or change a part of a holiday or feast. It always felt wrong to side with something that represented her own failures as a wife. Her failure in her own domain.But as she watched Artemis campaign to get the chance of a second titan war taken seriously, she couldn’t help but agree. She had fought these monsters the first time she knew how horrid they could be. The best thing to do would be to nip any chance of a titan rebellion in the bud.‘There will be no rescue mission.’Hera felt her neck snap towards where her husband sat beside her. It didn’t make sense surely there would have to have been at least a vote on something as major as that. But no, Zeus had just told everyone to let his own son live and properly die in misery. Frankly, Hera found it rather embarrassing to just give your own child up to save your own skin. She could add it to her list of reasons why she could sometimes hate her husband.Looking down at a crestfallen Artemis eyes blood shot from crying she felt herself feel sympathy for the poor thing. Something inside her broke, she wondered what would have happened if it had happened to one of her siblings, she hoped she would be this heartbroken.For the first time ever, she prayed her husband’s bastard Apollo would come back to Olympus safe.-----Demeter felt the air blow colder as a warm body collided with her, slender but firm arms wrapping around her.‘Mum, please tell me it’s not true,’ the solemn a usually cheerful voice asked.It took all of Demeter’s power not to burst into tears at that moment. She knew from looking down that the deep curly red hair and long floral dress that the girl hugging her was her daughter Persephone.She knew Persephone would be asking about Apollo, one of her most treasured siblings and friends. One who had been ripped away from them and plunged into some form of hell by Kronos and the other monstrous titans.Demeter felt her throat turn dry as she mumbled a shaky, ‘I’m sorry.’Bringing herself and her daughter to sit on the floor, she was greeted with anguished sobbing. She ran her hands through Persephone’s hair, as she shushed her quietly. Truthy she wasn’t sure how to handle this situation, an immortal god, one of the 12 Olympians and arguably the strongest second-generation god had been taken and possessed by Kronos. The closest thing she could think of was when Persephone herself had been taken and even then, she had been the one getting comforted not the other way around.As much as losing her favourite nephew was hard, she had to be strong for her daughter. A distraction was properly the best idea. It couldn’t be something completely random, it had to involve helping Apollo in some way, but she was sure as Tartarus wasn’t going to let her baby girl near the titans.‘How about we go and prune Apollo’s Garden?’ she asked her distraught daughter, ‘make sure it’s nice for him when he gets back.’Persephone’s head popped up from where it was nuzzled in her chest. Her warm chestnut eyes shining with hope.‘Do you really think he will come back?’No, she really didn’t. Kronos was one of the most powerful creatures to ever exist and despite how strong Apollo was she doubted he would be able to come back to them. But she couldn’t do that to her daughter.‘Yes, now come on.’Taking them to the gardens, she held her arm around Persephone for the first bit of gardening before she decided that she was calm enough. Slowly and with great care they worked on the garden. Encouraging plants to grow tall and fast while ordering other plants to grow in other directions to ensure they don’t need to be pruned.Eventually as the sniffles beside her became less and less she let her mind wonder to Leto she knew she would be going through Tartarus most likely by herself or having to pretend to be strong for Artemis’s sake. She decided she would visit her later.Demeter thought to how Zeus Apollo’s own father had dismissed him as if he were worthless. How he had down nothing, she doubted he saw it as anything other than an inconvenience.Demeter supposed she shouldn’t be so surprised considering what he did to Persephone but still she held out hope he had become someone better. Still, she had hoped her gut was wrong and that he would change.----HephaestusLoud clangs and bangs sounded throughout the room as he brought his hammer down onto the scolding hot celestial bronze. He was making arrow heads which he thought was ironic considering what he had just found out about Apollo.But considering that Artemis had ordered them specially, he had no doubt that they would be used to hunt down the titans. Afterall Artemis was known for being a wrathful goddess.But if he was being honest Zeus’s reaction surprised him whilst it was common knowledge that Apollo was no longer Zeus’s favourite child as he was back in the days of the Ancient Greece. The honor of favourite son had belonged to Ares for quite some time now Hephaestus still found it odd how little Zeus had cared and how fast he had shut down any idea of a rescue attempt.Whilst he and Apollo talked rather regularly regarding statues and other arts that they often both felt a little bit of claim to because of their domains. The topic of their father was obviously a sore spot for Apollo, so he had never broached the subject. Now he kind of wished he had because outright stating that one of the most beloved gods who carried strong alliances with majority of the council seemed like a very bad idea. Especially considering that God was your son.A small flutter of wings and a gentle hooting sound snapped him out of his thoughts. Turning quickly towards the noise he noticed Athena’s owl perched on one of the steel beams that hung around his workshop.‘What do you have for me?’ he asked approaching the owl (he had never been able to work out if the thing was properly sentient or not) ‘What has your mistress asked of me?’The beautiful owl swooped forward dropping a letter into his hands before turning and flying back out of the skylight presumably back to Athena. Opening the letter he easily recogised Athena’s swirling calligraphy it stated:Dear Hephaestus,I’m sure that, like myself, you are disturbed by today’s meeting. I believe that despite what father has tried to state today a war is coming and it is better to be prepared. Do not tell father about this but I would like for back up weapons to be made for more major gods.RegardsAthena,Not surprising. Athena always was well prepared for anything. Surprisingly he didn’t find it rude how she had basically demanded new weapons. perhaps because this time his weapons could determine whether the gods survived war with the titans.As for not telling their father he wouldn’t dream of it, he knew firsthand of that man's wrath.-----PoseidonLosing an Olympian now was properly one of the worst things that could happen before going up against the titans and it had just happened to them because of course it did.Poseidon shook his head as he swum through his palace towards his throne room. He couldn’t afford to think about the titan war much, considering that his kingdom was under threat from another titan and his armies.Entering the throne room, his presence caused the mermen and women in the room to look towards him. They had a war meeting to get to.‘Oceanus and his armies have started to gain ground in the north and east but have lost ground towards the south, with the west staying pretty much the same since last time,’ announced one of his advisors.‘Good keep the effort going in the south but try and send a battalion to the main battle grounds of the north and east, as well as sending out another call for civilian volunteers.’A nod was all he got in reply before the man turned and swum out of the room to inform the others of the decision.‘Alright then Mirtle, Jax how are discussions with the deeper sea animals going?’‘It’s not that simple’ replied Jax.‘It depends on the creatures.’ answered Mirtle.‘But overall, will they side with us?’ he asked (these two were the best in the business when it comes to negotiating with sea creatures, but they were a pain to deal with).‘Most are neutural, but those remaining will most likely join you as you have mostly been good to them.’‘Then you are dismissed.’Sighing with relief he sunk down onto his throne. He really didn’t need to deal with angry sea creatures on top of angry evil sea creatures and titans. Picking up the battle reports he began to read, analyzing why what had happened and how to turn losses into victories.Eventually a maid came to fetch him for supper. Floating into the room he locked eyes on his wife talking with their son Triton and was struck really for the first time by how gross Zeus’s decision to not try and rescue Apollo was.Catching his son’s puzzled look because of his now soured expression, he guessed it was just one more thing that separated him from his brother.-----AphroditeSitting down at a table at her favourite restaurant, Aphrodite felt lost. Normally she would be having tea with Apollo right now as they gossiped about the other gods not caring if they could hear. But now she just sat all alone while one of her best friends was properly in terrible pain at the hands of Kronos.Slowly she stirred her sugar into her pink jasmine tea. A half-eaten jam and cream scone sat miserably next to it. While she and Apollo hadn’t really gotten along great at the start due to a certain son of hers. They had slowly formed a strong and pure friendship.For Aphrodite it was someone who wasn't just there because he thought she was hot but because he cared for her and for the first time Apollo saw her true form instead of what he thought the prettiest. She knew Apollo originally liked to talk to her about his romantic exploits because who was he meant to talk too other than her, his mum?! Or maybe his aro ace sister.In the end they both could acknowledge how much their friendship had grown from just boys and clothes into talking about council issues and the politics of Olympus. They could both talk without getting judged for being more stereotypically dumb gods.Which is why Aphrodite had just spent the last hour and a half sobbing before deciding she had to do something about this. She would not just let her best friend die or lose his body permanently to a sick parasite.Calling her doves and sacred animals, she sent them to dive bomb and distract the titan armies and spy on them. It may not be the bloodiest and most effective way to deal with them, but it was the best she had. And at this point any help was better than none.An idea came to her, why just stop at sacred animals? She called a few gods who owed her favours or she knew would help her out and not tattle on her to Zeus. She assembled them all in her living room and asked.‘Apollo has been captured by the titans, yes, those titans, now I must ask you will you help me distract the titan armies and help me attempt to save Apollo?’The yes was immediate. After all she may look pretty in pink, but she was still Aphrodite Areia at heart.-----ZeusHe was furious at Apollo, first the damn fool starts to lose control of his own damn oracle as if that was not his fucking job! And now the damn fool has woken Kronos from his slumber! What a bloody idiot, and the others expected him to go on a rescue mission! Why should he let the bastard save himself.Zeus couldn’t understand why Apollo had let himself go as much as he had. Hanging out with air headed goddesses like Aphrodite, playing stupid melodies on his instruments instead of training and finally the final straw, letting his oracle deliver a prophecy fore telling the death of Olympus.Seriously, after he had valiantly vanquished the Titans in a superior show of strength all those years ago, he had done nothing but the best for his family. Sending Apollo to go and kill Python when he was young to ensure the kid would grow strong, or letting Leto be chased by Python to ensure she was resourceful and smart enough to raise his kids.What had he gotten in return? Betrayal again and again and again. First and attempted rebellion alongside Hera and Poseidon and now waking an ancient enemy who he had no experience with.He wasn’t blind, he knew his choice wasn’t the most popular one he saw the looks he got but that didn’t matter he was the king for a reason, and he wasn’t going to let those below him change his mind. So what if Demeter and Aphrodite disagreed? What were they gonna do throw a shoe at him? Or Ares the fool can’t think for himself he’ll just go with what ever Zeus says.However despite the fury he felt towards Apollo, the fear of his father far outweighed it. They had bearly managed to defeat the titans last time and that was with the help of many now faded allies.Could they do it again? Truthfully Zeus didn’t know.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sliding into an uncomfortable wooden McDonalds seat, placing his two happy meals gently onto the table in front of him. He brushed his ratty hair out of his face as he gazed out of the window. It had been close to six months since he’d ran away from Camp Half-Blood and fled deep into the safety(?) of the Labyrinth and summer had set in.Over the time he had been away so much had happened he received a freaking stigran iron sword from his dad, he meet a really helpful ghost king, and he has learnt about shadow traveling and how to better control his other powers. Sweltering heats and ever watchful Gods had meant Nico hadn’t really been out of the Labyrinth and it was taking its toll.He could vaguely see his reflection of the scratched and dirty Macca’s window. His eyes looked sunken and dead (he regularly talked with ghosts, so he knew what he was talking about) while his greasy, unkept black hair had grown to sit just above his eyes. His paper white skin wrapped itself so tight around his bones so tight that at first glance he looked like one of the skeletons he was able to summon. All his clothes were stained and ripped from stumbling away from monsters and the Labyrinths death traps.Slowly he ate the happy meal, the salty slightly soggy fries, warm crispy nuggets and borderline acidic apple juice filling his painfully empty stomach. Dumping the rubbish into the bin and grabbing the remaining happy meals, Nico made his way to the front of the McDonalds.A cold gust of wind came from his left making the hair on the back of his neck stand up and a shiver ran through his body. Minos.‘Hello, di Angelo’ called the ghost a small smirk played across his face, ‘Hurry up now, we must make it to the cemetery soon.’Nico nodded as they continued along the path. Today, Minos was going to teach him how to properly talk the spirits of the dead, so he could finally speak to his sister again. Minos had met him in the Labyrinth, explaining that Hades had sent him to help Nico and teach him about his powers and the realities of the mythological world.They walked for about three blocks before Nico spotted the cemetery gates that stood proudly in the middle of an otherwise normal street. Standing below the arch he gazed at the graves that lined the hill in neat rows broken up only by large evergreen trees.‘There, try that one,’ Minos instructed whilst pointing to a crumbling grave alone under a rotting tree.Nico crouched down by the grave and spread the happy meal out across the ground like how Minos had told him to do earlier.‘Go on tell them who you are.’‘I am Nico Di Angelo, Son of Hades, come to me spirit,’ Nico’s voice rang out across the cemetery.In front of him a soft blue light appeared slowly transforming into the ghost of a man. It had worked! Minos was telling the truth! He could find a way to talk to his sister again!The clack of hooves brought him back to reality. A large silver stag stood staring directly at him and Minos.‘Come on Di Angelo, we must go!’ Minos’s panicked voice sounded, slowly Nico turned following the shaky ghost out of the graveyard, down an ally and back into the Labyrinth.----Turns out he actually couldn’t talk to his sister again because she didn’t want to talk to him. Nico had tried at least a hundred times to talk to his sister over the last couple days but he had, had no reply.Did Bianca not want to speak to him? Did she not care for him anymore? Why? What did he do?Fresh tears fell down his face as he sank down onto the floor of the dusty labyrinth. Hopelessness and dread swirled around in his stomach. A feeling he was growing all too familiar with. He just didn’t understand.‘Yeah, that is like really weird’What. The. Fuck. He knew that voice it was Percy fucking Jackson. Why was he there?!Nico bolted around the corner slipping into the familiar shadows and didn’t dare make a sound.‘I know right, and that’s not even the strangest thing!’ That was Annabeth.‘Doves started swooping the hellhound that was chasing a new Demeter kid and get this, boars and deer chased away empousi that were chasing these two other unclaimed kids.’Doves, Boars, Deer...? Weren’t they Aphrodite’s, Ares’s and Artemis’s sacred animals? What were they doing helping demigods? What had happened?‘Well, I mean the gods are of course the gods but overall, the aren’t stupid, despite what Zeus said.’ Grover, he thinks, pauses, ‘Apollo who is a freaking Olympian god got kidnapped and possessed by Kronos! They know the titans are declaring war and they need as many solders as possible of course they are going to start protecting the demigods.’‘I liked seeing the birdies!’ A deeper voice he didn’t recognise sounded, as the footsteps (and hoofsteps?) continued down the corridor.Apollo had been defeated by titans?! That wasn’t possible, he had been in his sun chariot and felt how powerful the god was! Just what type of enemy were they dealing with?Distantly he heard Minos muster him along as his body moved on auto pilot. If they were up against beings capable of defeating gods, was he really safe in the Labyrinth? Would he be joining Bicana sooner than he thought? Frankly, Nico didn’t know, he also didn’t know how he felt about that either.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Gentle waves crashed against the shores of Camp Half Blood. They seemed out of place; it just didn't make sense considering the war raging down below. And the massacre that just went on in the cruise ship above the seas. After all, Beckendorf was dead now. And it was all his fault. Percy should have known that Apollo (Kronos?) would know, He should have been able to guess that there would have been a spy at camp. After all, the whole war started with unhappy demigods. Why would it stop at Luke and the demigods who had already left camp?His calloused hands cradled his face as he cried, all he could think about was Selina sitting there shocked and silent as if her whole world was falling apart around her, Beckendorf’s last moments alive begging him to run away and to save himself, to jump into the sea and flee to give camp half-blood a fighting chance in the war.What use would he be in a war if he couldn't even save one life?‘Percy!’ Annabeth called from somewhere behind him, ‘Come on, you have to get up to the big house now. Chiron and the rest of the cabin counselors need to discuss the prophecy.’Despite the events of today, I felt myself smiling a little bit at the sight of Annabeth. She always had a way to make things just a little bit better... but, as for the prophecy, that didn't make me feel better at all, in fact that made me feel so worse. For the last four years of my life, my whole identity at camp had been built around a prophecy I hadn't even been able to read, I was seen as stronger, always the one who needed to go on quests, someone more important than everyone else, and I didn't even know what I was destined for, even when it felt like everyone else did.The soft grass crunched under my feet as we climbed the hill towards the big house, Annabeth beside me.‘What are we actually going to do?’ I asked her.‘Well, Seaweed Brain, you're going to learn the prophecy and just some game plans for tomorrow night when well you know you actually turn16 and the whole prophecies triggered’ she stated though strangely she didn’t meet my gaze.walking into the big house and entering the games room i noticed all the cabin councillors huddled around a ping pong table, Clarise sending Michael a death glare from across the room and the stroll brothers arguing about something.Chiron looked over me at his gaze softening, ‘welcome young Perseus now I believe you have prophecy to read,’ he said, gesturing towards a piece of paper in the middle of the table.Now, Percy knew better than to judge a book by its cover, but that piece of paper didn't look anything impressive. It didn't look old or powerful, or like some grand prophecy that dictated basically everything in his life was written on it, it looked... well normal.He looked back up, his gaze meaning Chiron’s. Chiron gestured for him to pick up the paper, so he did, sighing as he unfolded it and began to read.‘A half-blood of the eldest godsShall reach sixteen against all oddsAnd see the world in endless sleepThe hero's soul, cursed blade shall reapA single choice shall end his daysOlympus to preserve or raze’Oh.Percy was gonna die. It was literally written in a prophecy, later that night, he was going to die, his soul reaped by some cursed blade. And honestly.... He wasn't upset, as upset as he thought he was going to be. I mean, death is natural and there's not much I can do about it, but there are people I can save. And I need to save them to make up for all the people I've hurt.‘Shame,’ Percy huffed. ‘Anyways, what are our tactics for later tonight, I mean surely, we can't just run in there without a plan now can we? We also need to find out who the spy is. We can't keep leaking valuable information if we want to win this war.’Everyone was taken aback for a moment. Clearly his response wasn't expected, but Clarise ever the argumentative one immediately suggested. ‘Well, I reckon Michael's the traitor. I mean, maybe it's his whole cabin, considering how willing they were to take away our war prize, I mean, seriously, come on. He's just showing how much he doesn’t care about the rest of us.’‘Excuse me!’ Screeched Michael. ‘it was my war prize and you know it and seriously how does me not wanting to give up something me and my cabin rightfully won make me some kind of trader it's almost like you're deflecting Clarise, I bet it's you!’Arguments started erupting all throughout the table of possible traders. The only thing that brought everyone down from their rage-filled rants was the sound of Selina crying again. It seemed everyone forgot how much she was just affected by said traitor losing her beloved boyfriend, only to then see her best friend be accused of helping in his death.‘All right,’ Chiron says, ‘everyone needs to calm down we're not getting anywhere, everyone go outside we must prepare for tonight and whatever it may bring.’Percy walked outside, back up to his cabin. He could feel Annabeth behind him, and for the first time that day, he let himself cry about the prophecy. I mean yes, he knew everyone dies but he just assumed that he had some time. He had assumed the prophecy meant something bad would happen to him, but he didn't think that bad thing was death. Percy couldn’t help but wondered if his death was prophecy avenging her master Apollo, as he now hosted the enemy, the one Percy was meant to defeat.He felt Annabeth place an arm around his shoulder as the tears fell harder, but with them came a newfound determination. He was going to fight whatever battle was coming and he was going to win it, and Percy knew the only way to do that would be to take Nico up on his offer.------Watching the trucks pull into The street outside of the Empire State Building, sleeping mortals all around, Percy couldn't help but think of how much his life had changed in only 24 hours. He had to go see his mom, get her permission to get the curse of Achilles, and ohh yeah learn that he was gonna die because of some prophecy. It was truly a nightmare.With Annabeth by his side, he organized the cabins into strategic positions. Each cabin had a specific bridge or tunnel they were best suited to.‘Uhm Percy, one of the bridges is still unguarded, no one was assigned to it,’ Annabeth chimed in.‘Not to worry Annie, me and the hunters will take care of it,’ A booming voice sounded. Percy turned to see Thalia, the daughter of Zeus and now lieutenant of the hunters of Artemis, standing tall and proud.‘Thalia, trust me when I say I've never been happier to see anyone in my whole life. But I really have to go. Annabeth and I have to go awake these statue things. I don't know. It’s Annabeth's idea, I'm sure it'll work out.’‘OK, you do that I guess,’ replied a slightly confused looking Thalia.------Percy felt like he needed to flop on the ground and die. In the span of just a few hours, he had helped Grover's trap a Titan inside of a Maple tree, awaken so many bloody statues with Annabeth's help, convinced two feuding river gods to help him by giving them a sea coin to clean their rivers, Collapse a bridge, watch numerous friends die and witness Annabeth almost dying to save him and then proceeded to show her his weak spot.Really, he was having a great 16th birthday so far.‘Percy! The Titan Army are calling for us to send out a delegate. They're waving a white flag. Who should we send?’ Came the voice of Conner Stroll a bloody bandage covering his left leg.‘I’ll go we should bring Thalia as head of the hunters as well as Grover to represent the nature spirits,’ Percy replied.Conner nodded in response and soon they headed out into the streets of Manhattan, walking into a park Percy had already forgotten the name of. Looking up from where he sat on a park bench. After hearing the lumping of a giant's footsteps. He heard Thalia and Grover gasp in time with him as they both saw what was in front of him.It was Prometheus but that wasn't what was scary. It was the two things he was holding. It was Pandora's box and a spear with the severed head of Luke Castellan on top blood still oozing down the shaft.