The Curse of Time (Chapter 6)

Quote "Immortality is not always a blessing."

Nightmares. I still remember the day the gods banished me. Not a day goes by when I dont think about them. I swear when I get my hands on Jack Forrester...

"Percy, Wake up!" Zoë yells from the kitchen. I jerk up, I am happy. Shortly after we killed Perses, me and Zoë are in a loving relationship. We have each other, thats all we need. I usually work in the farm, I cleared out a plot of land, built a wall around it, and used it to farm. We often grew wheat, barley, grains, different types of vegetables, and eventually, I got into Drakon hunting as well. Zoë usually cooks and hunts alongside me, and we both have fun doing it. It felt like paradise. Once in a while, a Titan, Monster, or creature encounters us, but I have fully mastered all my abilities. Well, I could still practice, but for now, my skills were enough to beat a Titan with some ease.

Over the years, I fought the Minotaur more times than I can count, that guy just never learns, Medusa again, Krios, Perses (again), countless hellhounds, Drakons, empusai, and etc. Kampes took us as a challenge, and tried to kill us multiple times, didnt work out well. For her, I mean. One time, Kelly the empusai tried to flirt, and Zoë shot her ankles. It was really funny.

However, overtime I noticed something. Zoë started aging. She grew older and older. I was immortal, I would simply outlive Zoë. I did not know what to do. She was my only light in this pit. We talked about this and we decided to not have children. We can't have a child grow up in this place, and I would outlive them as well. I always wanted children, but I understood. I can't sentence a child to this fate like the gods did to me.I was sad to learn that when Zoë died (From Atlas) her immortality from the hunters was gone. She was going to grow old, and I had to accept it.

I decided to savor the moments we had together, she was still 19, in her prime, so we made the best of it. It was probably the best moments of my life with her in the pit. It didn't matter that she outgrew me, I still loved her the same, it never wavered. But I knew this wouldn't last forever. The fates are cruel. One day, I would have to move on, be alone again in this world. What a fool I was to think I could get a good ending. *sigh*

70 years later aka 2 years on Earth

I was still 17, looking as young as ever. Zoë however, was a different story. She was an old, frail woman. She was about 99. And about to reach 100. I was told by a forespirit that she will die at a century. I held her hand as she was breathing slowly. You see, we fought endless amounts of monsters, more than Athena could count. As years turned into decades, she got weaker, I did all our jobs. She was happy, I was happy with her. We still loved each other deeply. I wasn't ready yet. When she reached her 80s, I started to use my healing powers to save her from strokes or heart attacks, but healing only goes on for so long.

"Percy" she said weakly sitting in an old wooden chair.

"Yes?" I answered with tears in my eyes.

"I know that this is the end for me. I want to thank you for the fun, the adventure, the kindness you have showed me. Without you, I would still be rotting in a cell." She smiled sadly.

"But I'm n...not ready yet" I stuttered, almost pleading.

Zoë chuckled weakly "Of course you are. I believe in you, always have. But Percy, promise me, do not hang on to my death forever. Move on, and don't you dare forget about me. Don't lose yourself."

"I know." I gave a depressing laugh.

Zoë lay down for the last time, and with her final breath she spoke "Goodbye Percy, I will always be here, with you." her eyes slowly decended.

I check for a pulse. Nothing. I cry, letting it all out. Damn the gods, why must I suffer more? I don't know what to do anymore. There is nothing left for me anymore. I would kill myself, but that's not what Zoë would want. Suddenly, her body glows in a bright light. I see a person appear infront of me.

"Interesting" she spoke.

"W-who are you?" I weep.

She places a hand on my back, "I mean no harm, but I am Chaos."

I look up, and her body is made out of space, stars and suns all around her. I am amazed, but too sad to say it.

"Um...Hi" I reply shocked.

Chaos lets out a small giggle "One with words I see. But Percy Jackson, I have watched you for a long time, seen your actions, betrayals, heartbreaks, everything. A hero does not deserve this, to outlive their wife forever. This is the first time I have seen a demi-titan and a demigod fall in love, with such a sad ending."

I sigh, "I know."

"I wanted you to have a gift. Stand still" commands Chaos.

I stand still, and I see Zoë body glow brighter, eventually her whole body turns into a ball of energy. Before I can react, the ball infuses with my chest, and I feel stronger and....happier.

"I have given you Zoë's soul. Her physical form is no longer, but she will always be wih you. She is now within you, she will watch everything you do, unless she doesnt want to, but know she is in paradise and can observe you anytime. Her energy given to you is the power of a Hesperide, Daughter of Atlas, and a true hunter." Explains Chaos.

I raise my sleeve and see a marking, a girl with a bow. I smile. " Thank you Chaos, I mean it. She meant so much to me."

Chaos smiles "I know she did. Farewell Perseus Jackson, I wish you luck, and I would have released you from Tartarus, but you will see why soon."

I was confused on that last part, but Chaos flashed out. I felt happier, knowing Zoë was in peace. I would rather me to suffer than to have her with me in this hell. I guess I still need to continue my endless adventure, without Zoë. I will honor her, I will.

I build a statue of her and enchanted it into a rock so I can carry it. It is a large statue, but like Riptide, transforms into a rock so I dont carry a 800 pound rock with me. I wander out of the swamps, heading far into the desert, maybe I will find a new adventure, who knows?

At Olympus

Apollo rushes inside the council room, calling a meeting. Olympus has changed a lot since Percy left 2 years ago. Posiden became despressed, but nobody really cared since he voted his own son away, Hades and Hestia started to isolate themselves from the rest of council, often residing in their domains. Apollo and Artemis have argued many times, Artemis does regret what she did, but she cannot take back what she did. She helped sentence a true hero to a horrible fate. The council became less united.

"Apollo, why have you summoned us?" Zeus asked

"Father, the Oracle has spoken a new Prophecy. " replied Apollo

The gods listened up.

"What is it say?" Zeus asked

Apollo recited

One demigod shall rise from hell, with great sadness,Who was betrayed will rise from darkness,May he forgive and olymus will learnMay he venge, and olympus will burn,When darkness will appear, he is the true saviorHe will find, among you, a devious traitor.

The gods were stunned. They knew the demigod was Percy, but who was the darkness or the traitor?

"This is interesting. We shall start at the beginning, Perseus. How will we find him?" Implied Zeus

Hestia, Hades, Apollo, Hermes, Hepheastus, and Aphrodite all rose. "This is ignorant. Even if we find him, he will not help us, not anymore. Remember his last words? This is what he meant, we need him, but he is not here." They all basically spoke the same.

Dionysus spoke up "How is the brat even alive? 2 years in tartarus?"

Hestia replied "Because he is strong and pure. He still sacrfices food to us, even from the pit." The 5 other gods nodded.

The gods looked stunned Poseiden asked "So my son is alive and well?"

All the 5 gods glared at him, Hades snapped "Poseiden, are you that foolish? You have the guts to disown your own son, replace him, send him to Tartarus, and after learning he has accomplished a great feat, you act as if you still own him?"

Posiden sighed and sat down.

Suddenly a video appeared in the air. A cloud with a video playing was inside. The gods watched it, and it was horrifying. It was the throne room, but it was completely destroyed, cracks on the walls, holes in the ceiling, all by the thrones desacrated.

The gods gasped as they saw themselves. In the video, each of the gods lay on the ground, dead. Ichor drenched the floors. Each god was dead, Apollo and Artemis lay together, it seems as if Apollo tried  save Artemis, Hera and Zeus were fallen as well, Zeus reaching for his master bolt. And this all happened to each god. Standing among the corpses, a man stood, a man of pure darkness, holding a staff, laughing at his triumph.  As the man flashed away, a teenager stood among the wreckage, whom had come out of hiding. He wore a cloak, and quickly rushed towards the bodies.

He stood emotionless over the bodies, he sighed. Sadness turned to anger, from the cloak, two flaming eyes appeared.  His cloak dissapeared as the gods gasped. It was Percy, but he was different. He had scars all over his worn face, as if he had never stopped fighting.

The video stopped, and the cloud left a note before leaving.

"If you do nothing, your fate is certainSeek out the hero, whom you have forgotten"

The gods realized that they needed Percy, but would he help them? Chaos erupted from the council.

"Enough! We shall search for a way to bring Perseus back." Zeus boomed, and the gods agreed. 2 years in Tartarus is a fate worse than death, little did they know it has been over a century for Perseus.