Percy Jackson: Gods' Bane (DARK PERCY)

𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖎𝖘𝖓'𝖙 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖍 𝕯𝖞𝖎𝖓𝖌

Percy fixed it all with a snap.

As simple as that. In only a moment the catalyst of all of his suffering and hard work was erased, as if it had never happened at all. It a bitter mockery of his efforts it cost him nothing but a brief willing to change everything back to how it was.

He willed the gods and fates to return, and they did. In the olden myths such a a thing would cost more than it asked for originally. But what Percy had done had never happened before, and it wasn't restricted by the rules of the old mortal storytellers.

Fate intertwined itself into Percy's will without a doubt, without a question.

It did not beg for his soul, it did not wait for him to truly want it with his whole self. It heard his silent wish and obeyed. I wish I could say that it fought Percy's will as much as Percy fought his own, but that would be a falsity.

The power was never really his, and it knew that. So it returned quickly and quietly to its owners. Leaving Perseus Godsbane a mere mortal man.

Percy Jackson once again.

(PERCY'S POV)

I feel the power leave me in an instant. My legs give out and I fall to my knees. I had expected a bit of fight, at least. I had hoped that just maybe I could hold on to enough power to find Annabeth in her new life, to make sure she was safe and happy before I died. But I feel so weak now that I know I won't even be making it out of the underworld.

I groan in pain, hardly able to breath now. When the power left it didn't just take my divinity. It took most of my actual life.

"Percy..." begins Hades as he approaches, "you will survive this. Just as you have survived every other hardship that has been placed before you."

I look up to him, shocked and saddened that he could expect me to live much longer, let alone think I have the will to continue living even if I did have the strength.

"What if I can't?" I ask him. "What if I'm done? I'm just... I'm just so tired. I don't want to go on." I can't go on.

Hades places his hand on my shoulder. "You must have hope! It was always you who kept hope. You have always been the best of us in that sense. Don't give it up now."

"Hades... I gave up hope long ago. The word 'hope' became synonymous 'delaying the inevitable' to me. I hoped, sure. But at the end of the day I went home and I curled up on my empty bed with daggers in my heart. In too much pain to weep, so I would just lay there, writhing in pain till the morning light came.
That's not hope. Annabeth was hope, and the gods killed her with any ounce of real hope I ever had."

Hades looks heartbroken. "You truly feel this way," he slowly asks.

I nod.

"Then... then it has been a miracle you've stayed this long. That to say, there is another option. If you must take it." Hades somberly mutters.

I look Hades in the eyes as I use my last ounces of strength to begin to rise from my knees. "Yes. But you have to promise me."

"Promise you what, boy?"

"That I'll be with her again. If I couldn't have her in this life all I want is to be with her in the next."

"I..."

I stumble closer to Hades. "Please!" My voice cracks with emotion, "please, Hades! I'm begging you! Life isn't worth living and death isn't worth dying without her. Just give me this, please. It's all I ask."

Hades bows his head, "it.. it will be done. Rest now. You have suffered so much and gained so little. I can grant you this."

I close my eyes, which are filled with tears of joy now. For the first time since Annabeth died I feel... safe.

As I feel myself begin to fade I can hear a voice, it's completely unfamiliar yet comforting when it says,

"you will be warm again."

(End of chapter)