Chapter 34: A Time of Vengeance

So here's the other half of last chapter that I decided to make two different chapters cause you guys deserved an update.

Chapter 34: A Time of Vengeance

Into the cold room Artemis stepped, her bare feet touching the smooth stone floor and sending a sharp freezing feeling up her spine. She always hated the throne room, it may have been a place of power for Percy but to her it only served as a cruel reminder that her husband had changed. He wasn't as easy-going and fun as he once was, this stupid war he started had changed him. Now when he wasn't with his family he was cold and calculating, having taught himself a lot over the years and lost a lot of the cute idiocy he once possessed.

The god sat on his dark throne, high on raised steps. She had entered from the back entrance, so he was facing away from her. She walked forward, coming around to the side of the throne. "Percy?" She whispered, her voice carrying throughout the large chamber.

Her husband turned his head to her, still resting on his left fist. His eyes softened when he saw her, and he sat up straight. "Arty." He greeted quietly, she barely heard him through the sound of the torches on the wall crackling. The goddess made her way around the throne and up the steps, coming to stand one step below him and staring up at her husband.

He smiled down at her. "Twenty years ago, you would not have dreamed of marrying me, now look where we are." He said sadly, staring at the ground by her feet. Artemis frowned and approached him, coming to straddle her husband on top of his throne. She kissed him softly for a few seconds, receiving a deep and meaningful one not long after in return. "I love you, you know that right?" She asked.

Percy smiled and nodded, kissing her quickly on the nose. The goddess couldn't suppress her smile. "Where's Calix and Achilles?" She inquired, which made Percy's mood drop. "They're getting him ready. I think they wanted some time alone with him." He told her. Artemis looked down in grief and let loose a few tears. She did not sob, she did not wail, she had done that already, now she could only cry.

Percy looked up at her and wiped the tears away. "It's okay, Moonbeam. It's okay, you can cry." He whispered, pulling the goddess in for a hug. Artemis buried her head into Percy's shoulder.

"Why? Why did he have to die?" She sobbed. "My youngest son, I only knew he existed for a few weeks, I- I can't b-believe he's gone..." The goddess cried. Percy closed his eyes and rubbed her back softly. He shed a few tears of his own, still in slight shock and disbelief from losing his youngest son, the boy he raised from infancy for fifteen years. How those fifteen years had flown by.

They held the funeral an hour later. Achilles and Calix had built a nice pyre for their younger brother using sticks from the gardens. Sure, it was a shoddy-looking pyre, but the gardens had always been Urion's favorite place in the fortress, so they felt he would like it.

The Jackson family watched as the body of their second-youngest member burned in front of them, a golden drachma in his hand. He was a godling, so he hadn't achieved immortality and thus was headed for the Underworld.

Percy held Artemis and Selena as they cried, trying to hold himself together as the patriarch of their small family. Larissa sat on a rock, unable to walk due to her injured legs, cradling a heartbroken Sapphire in her arms as Calix stood next to her looking solemnly on the flames. Eris had her arm wrapped around her boyfriend's neck as Achilles leaned his head to rest on top of hers.

All of them had their time before the burning to say one last goodbye and be with the body. Percy was the last to go, and he simply brushed a strand of hair out of his son's eyes and said goodbye.

The nine of them walked back inside after it was done in silence, unable to find words appropriate to say. Percy turned around as Nyx shut the doors behind Eris and Achilles but he simply stood in silence, his mouth open as if he was going to say something. Fenrir obediently sat to the side of Larissa, who was on her knees beside Calix.

He sighed as he realised he couldn't find the words to say anything. Percy walked over to his wife and held out his hand. Inside a clenched fist was a golden necklace with an emerald in the middle. He clipped it around Artemis' neck and kissed her deeply. "I love you, Moonbeam." He told his love, and she smiled as she looked down at the gem, then back up at him. "I love you too, Seaweed Brain."

Percy flashed out, leaving them all in silence.

Arianna scratched Achilles' neck absentmindedly as their SUV drove down the highway towards New Rome, or at least the entranceway to the New Rome Region. Not Achilles the son of Perseus, Achilles the former pet dog of Perses, who the god in question named his second son after. Leo had found him at a gas station near Oakland, and from his telling of events the reunion was quite funny.

They had stopped in a gas station off the highway in north Cali when Leo decided he needed to take a piss. He walked inside and headed straight for the men's room, but the clerk saw and stopped him. "Hey, man. Toilet's busted, sorry." He apologized, making Leo sigh as he realised he'd have to take his business elsewhere.

So of course that meant he was pissing in a bush on the other side of the gas station from the SUVs. So he's maybe five seconds into his business when he hears this rustling noise from his left. He turned his head and saw a dog peeking its head out from the bush. He jumped back in fright a bit, but quickly realised that it was a normal dog.

"Leo!" He heard Annabeth call from behind him, making him turn. In doing so, his stream redirected onto the poor dog, who yelped and jumped out of the bush. A few of the demigods heard the yelp and ran to investigate. As soon as they spotted the dog, both Estelle and Ari recognized it and ran to greet the much-loved pet of Selena, who inherited the dog from her father.

Of course they brought Achilles with them and were now on the road back to New Rome. Few words had been spoken since they left the state of Washington, still reeling from the sudden and unexpected death of Aaron. Ari was not particularly close to the son of Ares, but his death hit her like a brick. It was bad enough losing Chiron, and all the demigods she hardly knew at Camp, but to lose an actual friend?

And Selena stood to the side, unflinching as Urion sent the arrow through their friend's neck. She likely thought it justice, and Ari wondered if the older sister Larissa had succumbed to her wounds. Perhaps that was why the children of Perseus were so bloodthirsty, it was an eye-for-an-eye.

After many hours of travelling, she heard Jason sigh from the driver's seat as the convoy turned onto the road leading to the entrance of New Rome, or rather the forest that was a couple miles from New Rome but either way they would soon be safe. Seeing that they could not take the rides further into the trees, he parked the head car on the side of the road and placed his head on the wheel in frustration. "Alright, let's go. It won't be too far." He said, taking tight hold of his coin and getting out of the car. Ari and Piper helped Michael out while Estelle brought up the rear with her bow at the ready.

They met the group from the other van and told them the go, and together the entire group set off into the trees, Jason in front and Achilles lingering behind sniffing grass patches as he went. It took them five minutes to reach the famous tunnel, one which was all too familiar to most of the Seven.

"Hold it right there." A voice sounded from behind them, and the entire group whirled around. The Seven protectively stood in front of the demigods as they saw none other than Percy standing there, holding his sword threateningly.

As Achilles walked past, Percy raised an eyebrow and loosened his stance momentarily. "Achilles?" He asked in confusion, and the dog turned and barked at him happily. He expected the dog to jump up at him, but instead the full-grown hound ran to Ari and Estelle and sat between them.

Percy's face had softened when he saw his old friend, but upon seeing his other old friends once more, those who had assisted in the murder and mutilation of his children, he glared. "You are not going anywhere." He held up his blade threateningly.

Hazel turned and nudged Ari with her elbow gently. "Go." She said. The demigods turned to look at her. "What?!" She asked, and Annabeth turned back to her. "She's right, you all need to go. It won't be too far to Camp. You're wounded, you need to get back, especially Michael." She said, looking at the son of Jason.

The heavily wounded blonde was outraged. "What?! We're not gonna leave you! Not now! Not at the front doorstep of New Rome!" She said, gesturing to the tunnel. Piper took another look at Percy and turned to her son. "Go, Michael, you need to go. I love you." She said, hugging him tight.

Michael winced at the pain, but didn't complain. "Mom-" He was cut off by his father, who was still staring his old friend intently in the eyes. "Do as she says, Michael. Go! Go and don't look back!" He said, turning his head to look at his son.

Michael had tears in his eyes, but he had no choice as both Crassus and Alex began pulling him back towards the tunnel entrance. He yelled and flailed despite the pain in his body, but it was no use. The demigods entered the tunnel and looked back for the last time as the entrance was sealed up by rock. The gods outside saw the earth shift over the hole and looked back at Percy. He was holding his hand up like he was showing them the back of his hand, smiling. "You know, I don't think I use this power enough. Poor Gaea died in vain." He said, before bringing his hand back down swiftly.

The ground under them shook and shifted, with a loud crack it rose underneath them causing all six of the seven to go flying in the air a short distance. They flew in different directions, and Percy moved his hand again. Earthen tendrils not unlike the ones present at Olympus rose from the ground and latched onto their arms and held them to the ground.

Percy walked forward, blade in hand. "You took my son from me, you all did. Your son struck him down, Grace. Have no doubt that I or mine will do the same to him." He hissed, kicking Jason in the gut. He walked over to Piper. "You scarred my daughter, stole her beauty, left her hardly breathing. I will deliver the same punishment upon your son. He will die in pain, just as you have left me and my family in such grief." He promised.

Piper thrashed around amongst the rock. "DON'T YOU TOUCH A HAIR ON HIS HEAD, JACKSON. I SWEAR TO ZEUS I'LL-" The daughter of Aphrodite was cut off by Percy placing his boot on his mouth. "I'm going to kill him, Piper. If not me then my sons and daughters. He will die." The Dark Lord vowed to her.

Seething with rage, Jason began thrashing too, trying to escape. The rest of the Seven all looked at each other wondering what to do, and Annabeth looked at Frank. She nodded at him, gesturing that it was up to the Son of Mars to do something. He remembered his major power that often got them out of tough situations and decided to utilize it, changing form silently.

The blue serpent was easily released by the earthen tendrils and it slithered over to Percy. The god didn't hear the small hissing from behind him as he looked down upon the furious Jason and Piper, but he sure as Hades felt the sting in his leg. Frank had intentionally picked the most venomous spider he knew, so Percy definitely felt that.

He cursed as he lifted up his leg, seeing the small snake on the ground, and tried stomping it. The serpent transformed back into a human and grabbed his foot, making Percy's eyes widened. Frank's eyes narrowed him as he pushed up, sending Percy tumbling back. He landed flat on his ass, and the sudden shock caused the earth wrapped around the other gods to crumble.

They all shot into action, grabbing their weapons and standing to meet him. Percy pulled himself to his feet and stepped back, searching for ways of escape. His eyes set on every one of them looking for a plan. Jason, Piper, Frank, Leo, Hazel, and Annabeth. Annabeth, perfect. "You would all stand with a traitor?" He asked in astonishment.

The Seven all looked at each other in confusion while one of them in particular paled. "What the Hades are you talking about?" Frank asked, looking him dead in the eye. Percy smirked as he realised she had never told them. "You don't know? Oh, even worse. She lied to you for years!" He laughed.

His face suddenly hardened. "I'm surprised it was never brought up after the war, did my death distract you all that much? You never thought to question who the spy was that Erebus was known to be in contact with?" He raised the question.

The faces of the Seven fell as they realised what he was talking about. "Y-you mean one of us was the spy?" Piper asked, and Percy smirked. He raised his sword, pointing it at someone in particular. "Why don't you ask old Annie, here?"

The gods gasped and turned to their friend, who stood on shaky knees with tears in her eyes. As she looked at her friends she tried her best to not break down. "Annabeth, is that true?" Hazel asked in shock. The daughter of Athena's bottom lip quivered and she stuttered. "I-I...."

"Oh yeah, Nyx told me all about it. How you were mad about my becoming an Olympian after you cheated on me, and in a fit of rage and jealousy you prayed to him and struck a deal. I applaud you for managing to hide it for so long." He grinned, clapping his hands.

As Annabeth looked around for support, she found that the rest of the Seven were either staring at the ground or looking at each other. For once Leo didn't have anything to say, and he avoided eye contact with her completely. Percy stood there waiting for a reaction, for them to crucify her, and so what happened next shocked him completely.

"What does it matter?" Jason said, looking up. "She made a mistake years ago, and she sides with us now. As far as I'm concerned, she's forgiven. Especially in comparison to you, who destroyed your own home and killed your own friends, nearly killing my son in the process." He declared.

"AND YOU KILLED MINE!" Percy suddenly shouted, startling the Seven. He panted heavily. "You and your godling killed my son, and be sure I'll make him suffer for it. You're right, I've killed many former friends. What's six more to the list?"

Piper, Leo and Hazel stood protectively next to Annabeth while Jason and Frank got ready for a fight. "Then six more it'll be." The son of Jupiter told his old friend, before charging at him with his blade in hand.

Percy deflected Jason's blade with ease, but cursed as he saw the other five all charge at once. He was forced to use his powers over time to be able to repel all of their attacks, chaining it and using his earth powers to cause a shockwave with the final block that sent them flying back.

Leo was first to get back on his feet and he combusted his hands. The son of Hephaestus charged Percy down, striking with both arms and aiming at the man's head. Percy had to back up with every strike, not able to get any hits or really even deflect it. He saw that Leo was in a boxing position, fists on the same level as his shoulders, which left the rest of his body open. He slowed down time and delivered a swift kick to the stomach that stunned Leo.

Annabeth was the next to challenge him, and swiped at his chest with her dagger. The blade merely left the mark, and as Percy saw that they could indeed damage him with their numbers, he decided to cull the herd. She slashed at his face this time, but Percy caught her arm. With a swift squeeze he heard a bone in her hand crack, and she dropped the knife. With his power over time, he let go of her hand and caught the knife, before plunging it into her gut.

When he resumed time, he backed up and let Annabeth fall to the ground, making the Seven gasp. Piper ran over and slid to her knees next to her, frantically looking over her wound. Blood trickled out of the corner of Annabeth's mouth as Piper cried. "Annie, no..."

The rest of the Seven came to her side as she looked at them all. "I.... I'm sorry...." She choked out, and not even five seconds later she stopped shaking, stopped moving entirely.

Out of rage, Frank picked up his weapon and ran at Percy, but he hadn't even the time to regret his decision as Percy's sword morphed into a hammer and he swung it at the Canadian, hitting him in the side of the neck and sending him flying into a tree.

Jason grabbed Hazel by the arm to try and stop her from retaliating, but it was no use. The daughter of Pluto broke free and took a swing at Percy, who parried it and took hold of her neck. "NO!" Leo yelled, going to save her before being slammed in the side of the head by Percy's hammer. With his other hand he applied a great amount of pressure to Hazel's neck, snapping it. To prevent her from reforming he took his cursed blade and cut her throat.

Piper and Jason were left on the ground, too weak and too tired to even bother fighting anymore. The latter still held his blade tight in his hand, shaking profusely. Percy trudged over slowly, wiping Hazel's blood off his mouth. "Just look at it this way, Grace. I hear the Void is a paradise free of all evil. A perfect place for you two to spend eternity. Too bad your son is a godling, he'll be stuck in the boring old Underworld with mine." He mocked.

When the god was close enough, Jason swung up with his blade, leaving a cut on Percy's left cheek. He hissed, feeling the ichor slowly drip, before turning back to the weakened son of Jupiter. WIth seemingly no effort he kicked the gladius out of Jason's hand, and it transformed back into a coin on the dirt.

Piper could only sit there and cry as Percy impaled Jason with his sword, watching as the cursed blade sunk into the heart of her husband, all the while she looked him in the eyes. "P~Piper..." He whispered shakily, before falling to the ground.

As Percy walked over to finish her off, the daughter of Aphrodite had only one thought in her mind. "Please, Fates. Please, protect my son. Don't let this world lose him..."

That's a wrap, I'm really not proud of the fight with the Seven, especially how quick it was, but I could not write a full battle scene involving Seven hoes, I can not do that right now. Next chapter's gonna be a short one, and I feel like y'all are really gonna like it. Since it's so short I'll write that next instead of updating No Choice, but it shouldn't take too long. Now, I am off to play Man of Medan with the hoes and our lil bro since we never got round to playing it. Goodbye.

Word Count: 3511