Across The Ages (On Hold)

XV

Perseus moved swiftly to Bianca and Nico. "Let's go. We will be required at the winter solstice. As will Zoë and the rest of the group. I would have my friends at my side," he said, nodding at Phoebe.

Artemis was stunned. He knew two of her eldest huntress'? How was that even possible? She knew of Zoë as he had brought her, but Phoebe as well? "How do you know Phoebe?"

Perseus looked at Artemis. "I took her in before you did. She left for a couple years and in that time I had brought Zoë to you. At my behest, she went to you to keep watch over Zoë"

Artemis was fuming. 'How dare a lowly demigod do such things?!' "Don't go getting the wrong idea, Artemis. It was never to spy on you or the Hunt. It was to keep Zoë safe. She is my wife, and the mother of my kids. Phoebe is their godmother, so naturally she would do whatever it took to protect them, or her best friend."

Artemis still looked furious, but she nodded and replied with, "Fine. Get to the meeting. I'll be waiting."

Perseus rolled his eyes as she flashed away. "I swear, like father like daughter with those ones." Phoebe laughed at that. "Alright everyone, gather around. We are getting to Olympus rather quickly. I have a feeling we are going to be a main event for it." After taking their hands, they dissipated into mist.

Reforming just outside the throne room, Perseus' demeanor changed. It was like he was getting ready to fight a Titan again, and it was down right scary. Zoë reached out and grabbed his hand, "It'll be alright. I remember most of everything now. Only the last few years around the time we had the twins are blurry. We can handle this."

Perseus' faced eased out a little bit, but he still looked tense. Nodding and sighing, he pushed open the doors to the throne room. Inside sat the twelve Olympians, sitting at their full height.

"I see you've finally decided to join us. We were just discussing the situation with my daughter's capture," Zeus said.

Perseus stepped forward. "I owe Lady Artemis a great debt. While I may despise her for something she did to me in the past, she took the sky from my daughter, and for that, I must thank her."

Zeus stared at Perseus. "Who are you, demigod? You are well beyond the age of most of our children."

"Oh...I'm nobody. Just a long forgotten hero. My name is Perseus, son of Poseidon, and I clawed my way out of the pit to fight fate once again. You gods have no idea whats about to happen, and if you don't prepare, Western Civilization will fall."

"Perseus?! You were banished to the pit by the fates millennia ago!"

Perseus rolled his eyes. "Yes, I was. I was banished for tampering with fate and instead of letting my family take equal blame, I took the entirety. You have no idea the things that go on down there, and I would not have my wife or kids in that place."

"Wife? Kids? Bring them here so I may judge them!" Zeus shouted, knowing any kids of Perseus' would be unbelievably powerful.

"Judge them? You are going to judge my kids? For what? If I were your son, you wouldn't question it, so no Zeus, I won't."

Artemis spoke with venom in her voice, "They are right there father!"

Zeus fumed and snatched his bolt up, preparing to throw it. Another form condensed in the room and Achilles stood next to Perseus. "Zeus, you even try to strike down my wife or kids, then we will pull out of this war, and take which ever gods remained loyal to us, and watch as you attempt to fight your father alone."

Zeus hesitated. "He is in little pieces in the pit, we have no fear from him."

Perseus shook his head. "Remember, I'm gifted with just a little bit of foresight. And, I've called that pit home for more than a millennia. I know for a fact he is rising, and I know how. And I think you'll find yourself at a disadvantage when you see which gods back me."

Zeus glared at Perseus. "None of the Olympians, save your father would back you," he replied confidently.

Apollo stood up, followed by Hermes, Hephaestus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, and Demeter. All came and stood in their human height near Perseus. "I told you Zeus, you will be at a disadvantage. You see, I couldn't claim my own kids as I knew you would try to kill them immediately. So I put them in stasis and pulled a favor from Lord Hades. He adopted them, cared for them, and hell, even Persephone and Demeter took to them quite well. You'd be trying to kill your daughter's god children.

"Then, we have Apollo. The whole thing with him killing Achilles and he and I not getting along. Great conspiracy to keep you off our tracks. We've been preparing a long time for this war. Hermes here just became a regular back in the old times. Hera became a surrogate grandmother when Thetis took me in. And Hephaestus asked me for help clearing out a forge and has been a good friend friend ever since."

Zeus looked pissed, but he didn't know what else he could do. If this war was in fact going to happen, there was no way he could afford to fight without this many Olympians. Not to mention, the two strongest demigods in history pulling out of the war would cause great concern too.

"Zeus, my children are loyal to me, and I to the Council. You know my fatal flaw is loyalty. As you can see, these people here are my friends and family. I would never turn on them. Joining the Titans would not ensure their survival. Nor do I do well being forced to answer to anyone. At least with the gods in charge, I have my own autonomy and don't have to worry about being stabbed in the back.

"Plus, I just killed Perses and Artemis forced Atlas back under the sky. If that's not a declaration of war from me, then I don't know what is. I am fully prepared to lead the defense of Olympus, but I refuse to do it if you try to kill my family."

Zeus for the first time actually stopped and realized he was very wrong. He knew he couldn't win a war without these gods, nor would the demigods be useful without Achilles and Perseus.

-/-

Percy grabbed his families hands and the disappeared. Apollo looked at the spot they just vacated. "You did the right thing, father."

"Right thing?! He stole my lieutenant!"

Apollo just shook his head at his sister. "He didn't steal her. She was never yours. You took her in to spite him because once realized he broke you ideals of a horrible man. You fell for him and couldn't accept that and couldn't accept the fact when you rejected him, he moved on. He is a good man and the fact you hold a grudge on him for something you did, it makes me sick." He flashed out, unable to look at his sister any more.

Hermes also shook his head at her and followed suit, more than likely to go take care of deliveries. Athena stared at Artemis. "You actually fell in love with a good man and pushed him away. Wasn't that around the time you were letting Orion stay in your Hunt? You have poor taste sister. Perseus was always a far better man than Orion. I could tell that just from looking at the two of them."

Soon, Artemis was left alone and she flashed back to her temple and actually cried over her loss.