Another short story I thought I would publish tonight. Here you are, my lovely readers. I hope you enjoy it thoroughly.

Point of View: Third Person

Kronos is stood at the border of Camp Half-Blood, grinning evilly down at the camp and its gathered residents. But he searches for one demigod in particular.

Percy Jackson.

"Perseus Jackson, grandson, show yourself!" Kronos calls.

Percy walks through the parting crowd of demigods. He stops halfway up the hill. "What do you want, Kronos?"

"It's your turn." Kronos smiles warmly.

"My turn to what?" Percy rolls his eyes.

"I have an army to crush you, I have my brothers to enslave you, I even have my mother to give her revenge. But I still need a host. My body isn't self-sustaining too well. It's your turn to be my host." Kronos holds out his hand in an offer, smirking.

Percy is stoic and the demigods look at him nervously. "And why should I do that?" Percy asks in a monotone.

Kronos chuckles. "Because you'll lose if you fight against me. Tartarus wants to shatter the gods. And he wants to break you after I'm done with you. I'll ensure you'll live once I'm done with your body. You're powerful and more than enough to suffice for my power build up. Better than that Hermes boy."

"Don't listen to him, Percy. Please." Annabeth begs Percy and runs up to him.

Percy turns to her and calculates Kronos from the corners of his eyes. Then he looks at Annabeth. He leans next to her ear and whispers something only she can hear. Then he kisses her passionately before shoving her to the ground. He walks up the hill and the demigods scream betrayal at him.

Percy keeps his face passive. He comes straight to Kronos and lays his hand in his grandfather's. Kronos wraps his hand around Percy's and looks at his grandson. "Good choice, child." Kronos smiles and they flash away. Kronos flashes them inside of the palace of Mt. Othrys. "This is where it will happen. You can't swim in the River Styx again, but Tartarus knows how to prime your body for me." Kronos smiles.

Tartarus appears in the middle of the corridor up to the thrones and grins evilly. "Come, child." He speaks softly.

"Go to him." Kronos nudges Percy and releases his hand.

Percy doesn't hesitate and goes to Tartarus, who wraps an arm around his shoulders. "Good, good. I won't have to break you then. Not until after Kronos is done with you, when I can have fun without harming the vessel."

Percy remains silent and stares ahead.

"Ah, obedient, listens, and stoic. You'll do well." Tartarus says and then they sink into the ground. They reappear in Tartarus. "Now, to fully prime you for a faster healing process, we won't just use the River Styx and you won't die from it either if we do it right. And we will. You're the only suitable host for Kronos. My Giant sons are reforming as we speak."

"Yes, Lord Tartarus." Percy answers.

Tartarus beams. He takes Percy to all the Rivers and has him carefully take water from each of them. But he makes him take more of the Phlegethon. Then he takes him back to where Kronos waits, sitting in his throne.

"Back already, wonderful." Kronos rises and comes down to the altar that has been set up. A table beside it. The items a dagger of Celestial Bronze, an Imperial Gold pitcher, a metal cup, and the hilt of a sword.

Tartarus takes the small jars filled with the water of the Rivers and pours them all into the pitcher. Then he turns to Percy. "Come here." He says and Percy walks up. "I'll explain this to you. You are to drink the mixed waters of the five Rivers of the Underworld that flow into me. Then you'll drink my blood and spill yours. You'll be laid on the altar with the hilt in your hand and Kronos will take over your body. Then the ritual is complete. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lord Tartarus." Percy replies.

"Then do it." Tartarus tells him.

Percy picks up the pitcher and reaches for the cup when Tartarus stops him and shakes his head. "Drink it. All of it. The cup is for another liquid."

Percy looks at the pitcher and finally has a moment of indecision. 'Just do it. You know what you have to do.' Percy raises the pitcher and pours the combined waters of the Rivers down his throat. He doesn't stop until it is all gone. Then he drops to his hands and knees, shaking terribly.

"Keep going." Tartarus encourages.

Percy forces himself to stand as his body convulses. He takes the dagger and the cup and cuts Tartarus's wrist, spilling blood into the cup. Before he can think about going back, he raises the cup to his lips and stops himself from gagging as he downs Tartarus's blood. Then he takes the dagger and cuts his own wrist, spilling his blood on the floor of the throne room. And he picks up the hilt.

Then he falls to the cold floor, unable to stop from screaming as his body is overloaded. He uses the Lethe water in his system to erase the one memory Kronos can never see. Kronos picks Percy up as he screams in agony and lays him on the altar. Percy's back arches and Kronos holds him down until Percy passes out, his head falling to the side.

"Now, Kronos." Tartarus tells him.

Kronos nods and turns into golden light, entering through Percy's mouth. When Percy sits up, he blinks.

Gold eyes.

Then Kronos's voice cackles from Percy's mouth and he gets up. "The ritual was perfect. I have no problems with fitting inside the body like I did with Luke Castellan. The blood of my grandson is unpolluted and less diluted. The boy just sits inside his own head, not even putting up a fight. He just watches and listens. He's the best host I could ask for. Though he is missing the memory of just before he came and accepted me. Perhaps it was erased by the Lethe."

Tartarus waves it off. "A minor mistake. It is better than getting yours erased. How do you feel?"

"Strong. This boy has more power than he let anybody know. The girl knows though and she won't say anything. She can't. Not until he tells them himself. An oath on the Styx." Kronos flexes his fingers. "His strength is amazing. His frame deceives everyone. His body is perfect."

Tartarus grins. "Delightful. Would you do the honors?"

Kronos smirks and nods. He holds out his hand and the Giants rise in the throne room, golden light wrapping around them, and then they awaken. He drops his hand as the Giants look around them.

Then Polybotes spots Kronos, thinking it is Percy. He charges at Kronos with his trident. "I'll kill you sea scum."

Kronos freezes time around Polybotes. "No, actually. You won't. Perseus is my host." Kronos tells him and then let's Polybotes go as the Giant raises an eyebrow.

"How did you get him to do it?" Polybotes asks.

"The boy has his reasons. He is angry with the gods. They haven't fulfilled their oaths from either wars for his services. And they still don't care about their children all that much. Won't answer any of them either." Kronos shrugs.

"Interesting." Porphyrion smirks. "Can I speak with the boy?"

"He can hear you and I can tell you what he says." Kronos replies.

"If he's so mad, why'd he fight the second war?" Porphyrion asks.

It's silent for a little bit and then Kronos speaks. "He says it's because Hera took his memory and then his loyalty got attached again. Something he couldn't argue with and then mother said something to him about being a pawn. Too similar to what people tell him that's what the gods think of him. Juno promised him a better life when he didn't have his memories if he won the war for her."

"And what about this better life? What happened to the loyalty?" Porphyrion asks.

Again it is quiet until Percy tells Kronos what he wants him to tell the Giant King. "He says the anger he feels overpowers the loyalty. That the better life never happened because of the gods ignoring everybody and the deaths caused them all to grieve and they still aren't over it after a year. He's sick of everything."

"What about that girl?" Porphyrion smirks.

"I guess I'm sparing her for letting me use his body." Kronos sighs. "It is fine with me. As long as she doesn't fight against coming with us. Should I go get her?" It's quiet as Kronos gets the details. "Fine. I will wait."

"He isn't a chatterbox?" Gaea rises from the ground and giggles as she comes over. She lightly caresses Kronos's face.

"No, he's silent for the most part. He's just bored enough to go through my memories peacefully. He says it's the ADHD." Kronos chuckles. "He's grumbling about you though. Something about a man named Gabe."

Gaea laughs. "Oh, yes. At the end of the war, all his memories were restored. And I do mean all of them. He remembers me visiting him as a child after his first stepfather abused him. I kept him from killing the man to make him tougher. He's most likely mad because I never told him I visited him. Honestly, I thought he remembered."

"He's ignoring you all now." Kronos laughs. "He says he wants to be alone for now."

"When do we besiege the city in the sky?" Alcyoneus asks.

"When I'm at full power." Kronos answers.

"Why not the roots?" Polybotes frowns.

Kronos seems to be listening to something else. "Perseus protected them and only he can destroy them now. Something about his soul. He says the Fates are stupid old hags who screw with his life and make it the worst one possible."

Everybody laughs and then Kronos stops abruptly. "Hmm." Kronos is considering what Percy is telling him. "I like this idea."

"What idea?" Gaea asks curiously.

"He wants me to save my energy to destroy Olympus and see it falling to the ground. He doesn't care how much of his energy I have to use as long as it is done and that he'll remain my body until I'm recharged. Waiting until you make a clear path for me." Kronos answers.

"The more fighting for me, the happier I am." Polybotes shrugs.

"It sounds as if he really does hate the gods." Tartarus muses. "Boy, would you like to serve me after you are done? I can spare the girl you love and have her treated well."

"He says he has to think about it. He's too preoccupied. He found a way to speed up my restoration." Kronos grins.

"Willingly?" Enceladus asks.

"He says you should shut up or you'll regret it when I'm out of his body." Kronos chuckles.

"What's it like being a host?" Porphyrion asks, intrigued.

Kronos rolls his eyes at Porphyrion and waits for the explanation from Perseus. "He says he is surrounded by both his memories and mine in his own head, walking around inside them while time passes outside of his own little world. Like a box that is endless."

Two Days Later

Kronos is in his armor and Percy is watching closely everywhere Kronos can see. The others and the army are marching through Manhattan, a deserted Manhattan. The gods have vacated the mortals out of the area.

After about four hours, the demigods are pushed back but none have died. They are being saved to work under slavery. Most have been captured and put in cages that sit there while war wages around them. After another hour, Kronos smirks and rides up the elevator. The gods are dealing with Typhon again.

Kronos bellows with laughter when he sees who waits for him in the throne room. Annabeth, Nico, Jason, and Reyna. "Four lowly demigods. How sad. He wants you spared, Athenian child."

Annabeth's eyes widen. "Percy, please! Fight him! You have to be under a spell or something!"

"Give it up, Annabeth. He can't hear you and he's a traitor." Reyna says, but it's hard for her.

"Out of my way." Kronos says and knocks them all off to the side, but moves Annabeth out of the way easily.

She grabs onto Kronos's hand and jerks him back, then takes his other hand. "Loyalty and love, Percy. You promised, you swore." Annabeth says and thunder claps.

"What are you doing?!" Kronos shouts and Percy's sea green flickers in and out with the gold. "You clever little sea spawn, I'll kill you for deceiving me!"

Annabeth kisses Kronos, knowing Percy and Kronos can both feel it. This makes Percy respond and he forces Kronos down. Percy pulls away from her. "Annabeth, say them."

"I, Annabeth Chase, lend Perseus Jackson power to cast out Kronos." Annabeth glows with her startling gray aura as Nico, Jason, and Reyna stare.

The gods flash in as Percy speaks. They look exhausted and devastated. Especially Athena. "I, Perseus-" He flinches as Kronos fights against him relentlessly. "Jackson, give everything to destroy Kronos, Titan Lord of Time, and all who follow him, for eternity, and pray to the Fates that I be spared for accepting him." He glows a blend of sea green and gold. He drops Annabeth's hands and turns to Nico. "Get them out, now! Get away from me!" Then he turns to his father. "Protect Olympus."

Poseidon's eyes widen and then he nods in understanding. "Thank you, son." Poseidon covers Olympus in ocean blue light.

Nico grabs Annabeth and drags her over to Jason and Reyna, then shadow travels them all behind the gods where they can be protected. "What did Percy do?" Nico asks.

Annabeth is crying but she tells them and the gods hear. "When he whispered to me, I lied about what he told me. He said he was going to end it. End it all. He said he knew he could do it and exactly what was going to happen to him. He told me all he needed to hear were four words. Loyalty, love, promise, and swear. Said I had to do it. Then he could overpower Kronos. He did it to save Olympus."

Zeus looks at Poseidon who looks more tired by the minute and adds his own protection, light sky blue. "If he survives, I'll thank him." Zeus grumbles. Poseidon smiles.

Percy drops to his hands and knees. "Get out!" He screams at Kronos and the gods flinch. His sea green aura devours the gold and he coughs up blood just before he explodes with golden light.

Poseidon and Zeus have a hard time, but they manage to protect everything and contain the blast, forcing the explosion to cause no harm to anything or anyone but Percy.

The Primordials, the evil Titans, and the Giants all explode with light, fading forever along with Kronos. The monsters disperse into red dust, killing them off for eternity as well. Only the few monsters that didn't fight survived.

Then the cages are unlocked since those who cast the magic are dead and gone. The demigods rush up onto Olympus and Poseidon and Zeus keep the light from hurting anything, still trying to outlast it. Hades places his hand on the barrier and black creeps around it, strengthening it. Though tired he is.

The demigods make it into the throne room as the light clears and Percy is barely breathing as his chest rises and falls quickly. Annabeth rushes to him immediately when the Big Three drop the shield. She holds him in her arms and cries. "Kronos? Where is he?" Annabeth sniffles and everybody looks confused but those who heard her explanation.

"Faded like the rest of them." Percy coughs out and gasps for air.

"Where does it hurt?" She places a hand on one of his.

"I can't feel anything, Annabeth and I'm losing the sky. I'm losing you." Percy manages to tell her as he drags in breath.

Apollo flits to Percy's side and lays hands on his chest. His hands glow and he watches Percy as he heals the terrible damage. "How did you survive?" He asks.

"At the last second, when I forced Kronos to take back control and shove him out, I used him as a shield. It burned away just a few minutes before the light cleared." Percy replies a little easier.

"Why are you healing him?!" Clarisse shouts.

Athena explains what Annabeth told them all and all the demigods look at Percy gratefully. "How'd you become the host?" Annabeth asks as she feels Percy's hand tighten around hers.

"Never drink the mixed waters of the Underworld and Tartarus's blood. It tastes awful." He smiles weakly for her benefit. Annabeth sobs and holds him closer. "You're making it hard to breathe...you know." He coughs and she just holds him tighter.

After a few more minutes, Apollo has to stop, out of most of his energy. "That's all I can do for now. I'm too low on power to help you anymore."

Poseidon comes forward and places a hand on his son's forehead. His hand glows ocean blue and then Percy's back arches as he glows sea green. Once Poseidon takes his hand away, Percy relaxes. "Feel better?"

Percy breathes deeply and nods, his head rolling to the side as exhaustion forces him into darkness. Annabeth holds him closer and Athena comes over. She sits in front of her daughter, on Percy's other side. "He really does make an impression, doesn't he?" She smiles warmly at her daughter.

Annabeth nods and laughs a little. "Yeah, he certainly does. He's smarter than you think, mom. He just doesn't like admitting it."

"I see that now. I suppose if he's going to treat you right, then I'll approve of your relationship." Athena sighs.

Annabeth grins. "Thanks, mom."

"I could get over an Athenian and my son being together." Poseidon looks at Percy.

"Let's see if we can't wake him up and keep him up until celebrations are over." Athena smiles slyly and places a hand on his forehead. Her hand glows gray and Percy's eyes flutter open. He looks extremely tired. "Perseus, can you please stay awake until tonight?" Athena inquires.

Percy nods and with Annabeth's help, sits up, but he doesn't need support. Poseidon helps his son up and hugs him. Percy slowly returns the hug in his fatigued state. His weary father crushing him. "I'm so proud of you, my boy."

"Love you, too, dad." Percy says and Poseidon smiles.

Poseidon lets go of Percy and the gods head to their thrones. Annabeth comes over and hugs Percy from the side. He puts an arm around her and smiles at her before watching the gods. The other demigods crowd around him.

"Perseus, why did you go in the first place? You were so sure, but why?" Hera asks.

"Three years ago, Luke Castellan sacrificed himself to kill Kronos when I gave him the dagger. It was when he stabbed himself that time froze and the Fates appeared unto me." Percy speaks and everybody stares at him. "They told me that this wasn't the only time Kronos would rise during my life. Said that soon after another conflict, he would rise again. They told me what I had to do in order to defeat him again. They kept Hera or Juno, whichever because that's still foggy, from seeing my memory of that time and kept it safe from Kronos when he took over my body. I wasn't surprised when Kronos showed up, but I was worried about failing. The only way Olympus could survive...I had to be his host and destroy him from the inside out. I had to trust one person, and one person only to help me and then use the powers of the Lethe to erase the memory of the person I trusted. That person was Annabeth." Percy says.

"So you never wanted to betray us?" Jason asks.

"Gods no. I would never. My fatal flaw would strike me dead if I even thought about it. I went with him to save you, not to destroy you." Percy tells him.

As the rewards are handed out, Percy is made into a god, along with Annabeth. God of Loyalty, Sacrifice, and Hardship. Goddess of Architecture, Craftsmanship, and Faith. They get married and live happily ever after.

The End

That's all folks! Hope you loved it, my lovely readers!