Chapter 4: A New Journey

They went at the son of Poseidon in groups trying to take him down only to fail. They had tried this many times before and succeeded, but he was getting better.

"Jackson!" Achilles yelled getting the hero's attention back. "Pay attention! And stop taunting us and procrastinating the fight. Fight like it's to the death."

Since Poseidon and Athena left him in the underworld to train with the Hero's of Old that's all he'd been doing. For the past 4 years.

The son of Poseidon loved training but it got old really fast. It's like if you were to listen to your favorite song so many times it gets annoying and you stop listening to it. 

Poseidon had come down to see his son multiple times telling him about the demigod camps, Atlantis, and his new relationship with Athena. Poseidon and Athena had become a couple and bonded over what had happened. Poseidon was the happiest anyone had ever seen him.

The heroes the young hero had been training with consisted of Achilles, Hercules, Theseus, Jason, and Perseus. The son of Poseidon had become so close to them it was like he'd known them his whole life. They were and had been his family for the past 4 years. Without them only the Fates would know where he'd be.

During these years the twisted sisters had come down to over see his training to see if he was "ready". He don't know what that meant but according to Achilles this fight was his only obstacle standing in the way of his patrons plan.

The young hero side stepped when Jason tried and failed to strike him with his sword making him fall into the groups' trap. He was going to have to fight all of them at once. They had corned the son of Poseidon, which might have been bad at one point had he not prepare for something like this.

But the sea cannot be restrained.

From his experience, he knew they wouldn't attack first so he did. With his new sword, Μοίρα or Fate along with the shield Tyson had given him all those years ago, he attacked the five greatest heroes in the history of Greek/Roman history.

As he charged, Theseus approached the fastest almost striking him, but Jason gave him a mean uppercut with his shield. He was instantly knocked to the ground. Next was Jason and Hercules. They both attacked together one just a split second after the other--a great strategy--but that didn't trick the young hero. He used Fate to block Jason's sword before kicking back into Hercules. Hercules stubbled before attacking with his sword aiming towards his heart. Jackson easily blocked him before using the maneuver Luke had taught him during his first sword lesson. Hercules quickly went back to Perseus trying to reset.

Jackson didn't let that happen.

He knew what they were doing, but before they could react, he was sprinting towards the two jumping in the air and taking out Perseus by throwing his new sword through him sending back to where the fates were currently watching. Hercules tried to avenge his friend but was stopped when he missed his target. As he stumbled Jackson picked up Perseus' weapon throwing it through Zeus' favorite son.

As the Fate's hero watched Hercules disappear, Jason showed up only for him to receive an uppercut making him fly into Theseus's spear, taking both Jason and Theseus out of the fight. Now all that stood was his mentor.

Achilles.

He and Jackson circled each other for a while before Achilles attacked first. His attack was rushed, trying to get the fight over quick,  but was stopped when the young hero, again, sidestepped the attack making him land face first on the ground. The young hero tried to end the fight fast but was met with a kick to the gut and the butt of the sword to his temple.

Most would probably pass out or give up, but the young hero couldn't.

He wouldn't.

Achilles and Jackson battled it out for another few more minutes before he saw an opening and stabbed him where his heart would be, before ripping Fate out of his chest.

The hero took a deep breath before his new family started clapping and came towards him to congratulate him. Although Jackson had won many battles before, but this one was different than the others.

"Percy-" he winced at his old nickname, "-you have passed all of the test that we have given you and have proven to be a true hero of Olympus."

"You have proven to not only fight as a hero, but have the heart of one also." Jackson looked at both Theseus and Jason before looking to their left towards Hercules.

"Many believe that I am the greatest hero to ever live, which might have been true at one time..." all of the males groaned at Hercules. He definitely was a son of Zeus. "That isn't true. You are the greatest hero to ever walk the Earth."

"I am honored to share my name with you little cousin," Perseus smiled at the young hero before looking at Achilles.

"Congratulations, you are the only being to ever defeat us all and earn our respect. Now it's time for you to start your new journey."

"Where am I going?"

"For starters you need to go to Camp Half-Blood," Clotho stated coming towards her Champaign with her sisters.

"Why?"

"All will be answered in due time Percy." He again cringed at his name.

"I have a condition..." he stated taking a deep breath.

"And that would be?" The sisters all looked at their champion with an unreadable look.

"My mother named me Perseus Achilles because she hoped I would be a hero that had a happy ending like them." The son of Poseidon looked towards the two who were smiling but looked confused. "The boy who went by that name had so much heartbreak, death, and loneliness around him. I'm not him anymore "

"What are you talking about?" Jason asked looking concerned.

"The family I once had... that was taken away called me Percy. My enemy's call me Perseus. The girl I once loved called me..." He looked at the heroes and the Fates before putting on his emotionless mask. "Perseus Achilles Jackson is dead. He has been for four years now. Call me... call me Jackson."

Hercules breath in a deeply before he looked at the hero with wide eyes then to the three sisters. The immortals all nodded before turning back to Jackson.

"Before your real mission begins you must face your demons," Lachesis stated as Atropos continued.

"Then you must prepare for what is coming."

The son of Poseidon looked at the sisters in confusion.

"What's coming?"

"The end." Atropos stated simple. "You are the only hope."

"Are you ready Jackson?" Lachesis asked.

The hero looked at the ancient heroes one last time before he walked closer to the sisters.

"I'm ready."

The sister looked at each other before raising their hands emitting a glow around him. The hero shut his eyes and before he knew it, was where he had been 4 years before. Jackson steeled up and headed towards the Mess Hall where he knew everyone would be.

As he walked past the Volleyball Courts and Arts and Crafts, Jackson started to hear the whispers of the Satyrs, Nymphs, and Dryads.

"It's him."

"It's the hero of Olympus!"

"Where has he been?"

"Someone needs to tell Chiron."

The hero smiled as he heard his old teachers name and thought of his reaction of him coming back. 

As Jackson passed the cabins he could no longer hear the whispers but could hear campers talking at lunch. They talked like there was nothing to worry about in the world and they all have amazing lives.

Lucky.

As Jackson stepped foot into the Dinning Pavilion everyone became completely silent. All of the campers were looking at him, some in awe and some in confusion. His old friends were all looking at him with smiles on their faces just like Chiron. There was one being that looked at him with hatred.

"Percy!" The hero stopped in his tracks turned towards her and glared. She seemed taken back just like everyone around her before she came towards him.

"Chase," he spat with as much hate as he could muster. If he'd had done this four years ago, there would have been no way he or anyone else could have controlled him.

But that was then.

"What's wrong?" The daughter of Athena asked with her calculating grey eyes that the hero once loved.

He glared at her one last time before approaching the god that destroyed Perseus.

"What are you doing here?" He asked standing up with his eyes glowing with hate.

"Thought I'd come by and see how the place was with you running it," the help looked around one last time. "I see there isn't anyone dead."

"Percy what are you talking about?" Chiron asked with concerned eyes.

"You don't know?" Jackson asked before chuckling darkly. "Ares... you didn't tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Clarisse added coming to her dads defense. The hero smiled at the daughter of Ares before coming towards her and touching her head. She glowed for a second before it went away. "What did you do?"

The son of Poseidon turned towards Athena's once favorite daughter ignoring Clarisse.

"So how is Athena's favorite daughter?" He asked. "Or should I say least favorite."

Annabeth burst into tears and her siblings all glared at the hero along with his old friends.

"What the Hades Percy!" Piper ran to Annabeth's side to cheer her up.

"Bro, what's wrong?" Jason asked. Always the one to play peace keeper.

"Did Ares ever tell you all why he and his children are all cursed?" That got everyone's attention.

"How do you know? You haven't been seen in 4 years." Clarisse looked at him with hope and confusion. Too bad her father had already screwed all of them. "Do you know how we can break it?"

Jackson looked at her for a second before he started to laugh. Now everyone was looking at him in confusion.

"And why would anyone want to break the curse? Anyone who has it deserves it."

"What did he and his kids do that was so awful?" Annabeth screamed with her now bloodshot eyes.

Jackson knew that once he said it everything would change and their would be no going back, but he didn't care anymore. She slept with the god that murdered Perseus and his mortal parents.

"You should stop before something is revealed that you don't want to be."

"I have nothing to hide!" She screamed

"Is that why you spread your legs for someone who wasn't your boyfriend."

Everyone was wide eyed looking at the both of them. Piper looked at Annabeth before backing away in shock. Annabeth looked horrified and scared.

"Annabeth?" She looked at Piper with tears in her eyes before she covered her face.

"I-I'm sorry..." Chiron looked at the girl he considered his daughter in shame before he turned back to the son of Poseidon.

"Percy-"

"I heard you had a daughter," Jackson stated looking at the girl who he thought he loved. "Congratulations."

"Percy, I-"

"Perseus Achilles Jackson died the day he found the girl he loved naked with..." He glared at Annabeth before looking away. "I was sent here to get over the past so I'll just say it. Annabeth I will never forgive you. I know my dad forbid you and your daughter from coming near any type of river, but I will warn you that not everything is as perfect as it seems. Annabeth I can't forgive not only because I saw you with him, but because of what I found out after."

"What are you talking about?" Annabeth asked with tears leaking from her eyes.

There was a bright flash in the room that made everyone look away and close their eyes.

"Jackson."

The man called looked behind him and saw his soon to be step mother and smiled a half-hearted smile.

"Hey Athena."

"Mom?" Annabeth looked at her mother longing for her only for Athena to glare at her then turn to Ares.

"The council told you to tell your children what you had done so they wouldn't make the same mistake and yet you didn't. More than half of your children have their curse activated."

"Athena-" Ares said warningly.

"Ares and his children were cursed after the council found out he murdered an innocent mortal family."

Annabeth looked at Ares with wide eyes backing away.

"You-you..." Ares turned towards her with wide eyes.

"No its not-"

"Who?" Clarisse asked glaring at her father along with the rest of her siblings. "Who were they?"

Athena opened her mouth to answer but stopped when Jackson grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"He needs to tell them. It's not your responsibility."

The son of Poseidon looked to Chiron before bowing to him rendered him speechless.

"Thank you for being like a father to me Chiron." Jackson smiled at him before looking at Athena one last time. "Take me to Olympus."

Jackson's old friends started to yell his old nickname but he blocked them out and grabbed Athena's hand and flashed to the Throne Room on Olympus.

"Athena... Can you call a meeting? I need to talk with you all before I leave."

Athena looked at her soon to be son-in-law before she sent a beam to the sky calling the rest of the Olympians. Within seconds everyone was in their thrones.

"Jackson what-?" Poseidon looked at his son confused before the Fates appeared and cut him off.

"He's here to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Artemis looked at the man with something he couldn't identify before breaking eye contact.

"He is needed somewhere else." Lachesis stated matter-of-factly.

"Sometime else." Clotho said.

"There is something coming that only our champion can stop." The Fates said together. "He must go back to the time when the gods did not exist. When the enemy first emerged."

"How far are back am I going?"

"You will go back to the time of Egypt."

"That's 3,000 years." Athena stated in disbelief.

The Olympians looked at the Fates and Jackson with wide eyes.

"I have to relive the past 3,000 years." Jackson stated emotionless.

"No." His father shook his head rapidly. "No my son-"

"If he does not, everyone will die." Atropos stated cutting a piece of yarn.

Everyone was silent before the hero looked at all the Olympians who had tears in their eyes. To them he wouldn't be gone long, but to him...

As he looked towards the face that brought him out of the Styx... his tie to the mortal world, he muttered, "I'll do it."

"Percy-" Poseidon started only for his son to cut him off.

"I can't let innocents die if I can save them." The favorite son of the sea looked towards Hera who looked at him with wide eyes. "Tell her about me."

"I will." She let the tears run down her face freely not stopping them.

"And don't ever call me that-that name ever again." I demanded. "My name... my name is Jackson."

As the hero looked back at his sister who was sleeping on Zeus's lap he made a silent promise to meet her again. As he started to walk towards his patrons, he once again looked back at the Olympians looking at the silver eyed goddess one last time.

"Good luck... Jackson." The Fates said all at once. Before he knew it all Jackson could see was black.

~ ~ ~

As the son of Poseidon opened his eyes, he saw a girl about 15 years old looking back at him with chocolate brown eyes. Her hair was dark brown and was put back in a bun.

Jackson blinked once before blinking again. She smiled down at him slightly laughing at his confused face.

"Hi," she said smiling at me. "I'm Zaya."

"I'm... I'm Jackson." The hero looked around the two only to see sand and was now feeling the heat of the blazing sun. "Where am I?"

Zaya looked at him confused before looking around.

"We're in Egypt. The land of the Gods."