Love Against All Odds

Percy - Dreams of Hades and Kronos

In his dreams, Percy found himself back in Hades's garden. The lord of the dead paced restlessly, his hands covering his ears as Nico trailed behind him, gesturing emphatically.

"You must," Nico insisted. "Oskar needs us!"

Demeter and Persephone sat at the breakfast table, appearing disinterested. Demeter poured cereal into oversized bowls while Persephone idly altered the flower arrangements, transforming petals from one colour to another.

"I am not obligated to do anything!" Hades' eyes blazed with defiance. "I am a god!"

"Father," Nico interjected, "if Olympus falls, your realm's safety will be compromised. You'll diminish as well."

"I am not among the Olympians!" Hades growled. "My kin have made that abundantly clear."

"You are," Nico persisted, "whether you acknowledge it or not."

"You witnessed what Zeus did to your mother," Hades reminded him. "Zeus took her life. And you want me to aid them? They deserve their fate!"

Persephone sighed, toying with the silverware on the table, transmuting them into delicate roses.

"Could we refrain from discussing that woman?" she requested.

"You know what might benefit our son?" Demeter pondered aloud. "Farming."

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Mother—"

"Working the fields for six months would build character," Demeter suggested.

Nico positioned himself before his father, compelling Hades to confront him. "My mother understood the importance of family. That's why she resisted leaving us. You can't simply abandon your kin because of their transgressions. You've committed your own share of wrongs."

"Maria perished!" Hades retorted.

"You can't isolate yourself from the rest of the gods!" Nico pressed on.

"I've managed quite well for millennia."

"And has it brought you any solace?" Nico challenged. "Has the curse on the Oracle brought you peace? Holding onto grudges is a fatal flaw. Bianca warned me about that, and she was correct."

"For demigods, perhaps! But I am immortal, omnipotent! I wouldn't aid the other gods even if they begged me, not even if Percy Jackson himself pleaded—"

"You're just as much of an outcast as I am!" Nico's voice reverberated with frustration. "Stop harbouring resentment and actually do something constructive for once. That's the only way they'll ever show you any respect!"

Hades's hand crackled with black flames.

"Go on," Nico dared, undaunted. "Incinerate me. That's exactly what the other gods would expect from you. Just prove them right."

"Yes, please," Demeter interjected irritably. "Put an end to his incessant shouting."

Persephone let out a weary sigh. "Honestly, I'd rather be fighting in the war than enduring another tedious breakfast. This is insufferable."

Hades unleashed a fireball that collided with a silver tree near Nico in a burst of fury, reducing it to a molten pool.

And Percy's dream shifted.

He found himself outside the United Nations, roughly a mile northeast of the Empire State Building. The Titan army had established their camp surrounding the UN complex. Trophy-adorned flagpoles bore witness to their victories, displaying helmets and pieces of armour stripped from defeated demigods. Giants honed their weapons along First Avenue, while Telkhines worked at makeshift forges, repairing damaged armour.

Atop the plaza, Kronos paced menacingly, his scythe swishing through the air to keep his dracaenae bodyguards at bay. Ethan Nakamura and Prometheus lingered nearby, the former fidgeting with his shield straps while the latter remained composed in his tuxedo.

"I detest this place," Kronos snarled. "The United Nations. As if humanity could ever truly unite. I'll make sure to demolish this building once Olympus falls."

"Of course, my lord," Prometheus responded with a smirk that hinted at hidden amusement. "Shall we also dismantle the stables in Central Park? I understand how bothersome horses can be."

"Do not jest, Prometheus! Those accursed centaurs will regret crossing me. I'll feed them to the hellhounds, starting with my own son—that pathetic Chiron."

Kronos directed his piercing golden gaze toward the other Titan. "Do you dare imply weakness in me?"

"No, my lord. I merely—" Prometheus started to explain.

"Are your allegiances faltering?" Kronos interrupted. "Do you long for your former companions, the gods? Would you prefer to stand with them?"

Prometheus blanched. "Forgive my misstep, my lord. Your commands will be executed." With resolve, he turned to address the armies. "PREPARE FOR BATTLE!"

The soldiers stirred, readying themselves for the impending conflict.

From somewhere beyond the confines of the UN compound, a furious roar reverberated through the city—the unmistakable sound of a drakon awakening. The terrifying noise jolted Percy awake, its echo still audible from a mile away.

Beside him, Grover appeared visibly anxious. "What was that?"

"They're on their way," Percy grimly informed him. "And we're in deep trouble."