Chapter Text
“In Miami, I had my chance to kill Luke, but Chiron stopped me and took me back to Camp, saying he couldn’t watch Annabeth lose her brother. The next opportunity was at Mt. Othrys when they trapped Atlas. I kicked Luke off the mountain, expecting an inescapable death, but Thalia, driven by love for her ex-boyfriend, whether she meant to or not, used the wind to gently lower him instead. The third encounter happened after I exited the Labyrinth and found Luke in the tomb on Mt.Othrys. I tried to stab him, but Riptide bounced off Luke as if his skin were armor. Then Ethan Nakamura pledged allegiance to Kronos, which forced my friends and me to make an escape. On the Princess Andromeda, Beckendorf and I attempted another strike, but Luke survived both the attack and the boat's destruction. Now, here I am once more facing the Titan/Demigod again, feeling the two were faking a fight between themselves, though I couldn't be certain.”
Running out of ideas, Percy realized his current situation: atop Mt. Olympus, the time was 11:59 p.m. “Percy, give him the sword.” Annabeth’s weak, pleading voice echoed across the room, catching Percy off guard as he stood over Luke/Kronos. Conflicted, he wanted to strike but trusted Annabeth’s judgment, so he tossed Backbiter to Luke. "Thank you, Percy. Thank you for being a fucking idiot,” Luke sneered, sounding like his old self. As he threw the sword, Percy lunged for Riptide and tried to intercept, but was too late. Percy managed to strike Luke/Kronos in the armpit, but Backbiter sailed through the air and embedded in Annabeth’s left shoulder. Percy instantly rushed to Annabeth, pulling out the sword, his fear growing as he remembered how even a scratch could harm the soul. As he tended to her, lightning struck Luke/Kronos, followed by a thunderclap. The threat ended with the Titan king and his loyal minions’ final words for Percy: "HAHAHA, if I can't have my revenge, then you can't have your love, you Sea-sperm." With that, Luke’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed.
Distraught, Percy clung to Annabeth as the gods burst in. Without pause, Percy shouted to Apollo for help. Apollo appeared immediately, assessed Annabeth’s wound, and told Percy, "Sorry, Percy. The only way to save her is if I tore someone’s soul and attached it to her. To do that, I have to…" But Percy didn’t let him finish. He stabbed Apollo in the shoulder just as the god began healing himself, flashing into his true form to do so. He then forced Apollo’s hand onto Annabeth’s wound, holding tight to the other. The gods were stunned as a dark blue ghost floated from Percy, half his soul ripped away. The newly freed soul split—one part drifted back to Percy, while the other descended to Annabeth, hugging her before dissolving into her wound and closing it with a quarter-sized scar. With the ordeal over, Percy dropped hard to the ground. The gods surrounded the two demigods and Apollo. Hermes helped Apollo up, then the gods anxiously awaited his diagnosis. Gasping, Apollo declared, "They will make it. They need to rest, as do we all," before collapsing into Hermes’ arms.
The room collectively exhaled, relief settling in as Zeus demanded a recounting from Grover. Grover described everything: Nakamorra’s betrayal, Luke/Kronos’s final ploy, and Annabeth’s injury. The gods then looked at Percy and Annabeth with gratitude and respect. A month later, Percy awoke. He felt weak, his vision blurry as he attempted to sit up. A glowing figure pushed him back down. “Glad to see you're up, buttercup. I was worried I wouldn’t get a chance to pay you back for stabbing me.” The blurry figure started to appear clear, then Percy saw him Lord Apollo. The boy quickly took in his surroundings, the gods where all on there thrones, give wish to Grover, Thaila, Nico, and Annabeth. With a sigh of relief, he quickly looked back at the god, realizing what he had done, but before he could say anything, Apollo lifted his hand to silence the demigod. “It’s okay, I forgive you. If anything, I should have seen that coming. We’re all aware of your feelings for the girl. I hope it works out.”
The sun god gave him a nudge and a smirk and quickly reappeared on his seat. Percy got up when Zeus called for the boy to stand in front of them. Percy, look at the gods. His dad was wearing a white shirt with a black letter that said, “My son killed the King of the Titans. What has your kid done?” He almost wished die after seeing that shirt. The gods quickly filled the boy in on what happened. The camp was rebuilt, his mother was informed he was getting treated, and all the wishes his friends received were fulfilled. “So now that you're caught up. I would like to offer you something that we haven’t granted in centuries. Perseus Achilles Jackson Zeus, king of the gods, Lord of the Sky’s and Justice offer you not just immortality but a seat on the council as the Protector of Demi-gods, Loyalty, and Ruler of all body’s of water you and your dad would be Rule the Sea together but you would have command of all other body’s of water to yourself.” Percy was shaken to his core. He looked at each God, looking for anyone to object, but they all gave a nod of approval. “Percy, you have done a lot not for us but for all our kids you kept Lord dialysis kids alive, saved my own daughter, gave lord Hermes kid a final chance of redemption, Avenged hephesies son, gave Aphrodite’s kid a chance of redemption, and that lead to Ares kid taking down a Drakon, needless to say you have done more for our kids than we have in while.” To Percy's surprise, it was Lady Athena who spoke up and reaffirmed what the gods all already knew.
Percy looked to his friends, and they all gave him a smile, thumbs up, claps, and some cheers. Except that Annabeth couldn’t meet his eyes, he could tell she was holding back tears. He knew her feeling, he felt the same when she thought about joking the huntresses with that he turned to the god and politely declined and asked that they makeup for there wrongs by claiming all there kids and give a cabin to everyone, and give Hestat and Lord Hades a seat at the council. Though the gods and goddess pride hurt at his turning down the offer of god hood, they also understood his reason, even Zeus god of overdramatics, had witnessed first, had the love the young demigod had for Annabeth, so without protest granted Percy his wishes, and a party happend right away. While Olympus was popping off, Percy found Hermes and boosted his spirits, was confronted by a protective mother Athena, and was almost crushed by his dad telling him he’s a better Hero than Hercules, which then started a light hearted bickering between the sea and sky. Percy slipped away as he tried to find Annabeth at camp. He spotted her in the dining area, staring over the Camp. Percy took a deep breath as he steeled his nerves. He was ready to confess his love for her. As he approached, Annabeth stiffened at the sight of him.
Percy, confused but not shaken, kept walking. He took a seat next to her, and she scooted away. Percy, before he had the chance to say anything, was met while a slap to the face. Percy slowly turned his attention hope that it would be followed up with a kiss, but instead it was a look of contempt and depression. “How could you kill him? Why didn’t you just let him take down Olympus? If not, then why couldn’t you let me die with him, Percy! I loved him, he was the closest thing to a family I had and now I’m empty. I have no one, I thought you were my bestfriends. I thought you would understand me, but NO! You celebrate and are all high and mighty, rejecting Godhood!” Percy was stunned. Words couldn’t form; he felt as if Medusa turned him to stone. Annabeth got up as she stormed off. She turned around and delivered the final blow. “I HATE YOU, PERSUEUSE JACKSON, AND I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! With those final words, she ran off to her cabin. Percy was frozen for what felt like eternity. Then a hand fell onto his shoulder it Clarisse? With Chris Rodriguez beside her, her free hand was clenched in a fist, her knuckles white. “Sorry for eavesdropping, we didn’t see it turning out like that, we thought it would… go a bit differently,” Chris said with an apologetic look. He then turned and waved off the rest of the... well,what was proably the entire camp as they walked by; they each gave him a sympathetic smile or pat on the back. Only the Aphrodite cabin looked happy to see their prey not snatched. But didn’t show it to Percy. Once everyone was gone, Clarisse slammed a charm in the shape of a dagger on the table. “Selene gave me this before I fought my hardest battle as she nodded at her boyfriend. “Take it, you're gonna need it because you are facing more than a battle, you're facing a war that not even my father could win.” With that, she let go of his shoulder and left with Chris. Percy was now alone, and tears ran down the boy's face. He sat there slumped, hand on his face, feeling the worst pain he felt to this point in his life. Meanwhile in the shadows, a figure lurked, watching over the heartbroken demigod. “Do not worry, little pup, soon you will not remember any of this and just for a little while be at peace.”