Chapter 5 - Hermes
Percy Jackson had been a whirlwind ever since the moment she was discovered.
Zeus had become aware of Percy's existence while she played on the shores of Montauk with her godly sister, Kymopoleia. He had witnessed the relationship and seen the stunning resemblance the young mortal had to Poseidon, and known instantly that he had broken the oath.
Zeus had sought to smite the girl but this had been circumvented. 50 foot waves had battered the dunes like artillery fire as Triton sought to warn his sisters. Kym had whipped up a violent sea storm, seizing control of the winds from Zeus (he'd always hated that she could do
that, hence why Zeus had banished and imprisoned her) as she blurred their views of the girl.
Helios' sun chariot raced across the sky as the Sun Horses hooves pounded the air. Driving the chariot was Rhodos, who collected her sisters and diverted from Montauk. Rhodos raced across the sky, the Sun Horses blazing as they tried to keep ahead of Ares, Artemis and Athena, who Zeus had sent to apprehend the mortal girl.
As Athena drew closer, a writhing mass of tentacles erupted from the sea depths, as the Kraken, the colossal beast that guarded Poseidon's palace, with Beni on its head, directed its wrath at the chariots following the Sea Family. With a thunderous roar, the Kraken struck
Athena's chariot from the sky, dragging her away before she could be brought onto another chariot.
As Ares took advantage of the situation, Kym directed the storm to batter his chariot. It had always been a sore point to Ares that he'd inherited none of Zeus' domains despite being his only legitimate son. He was soon knocked out of the sky too, leaving only Artemis in pursuit.
"I always knew that you had no loyalty to your brother!" Kym boomed from the chariot.
"I am not here on Apollo's behalf." Artemis retorted.
"You couldn't be. Apollo would never allow you to seek to kill his beloved Hyacinthus!" Rhodos taunted as she steered the chariot sharply left.
Hermes was uneasy as he watched his elder brother, watched the words sink in, "Hyacinthus?" Apollo murmured.
His eyes moved, zooming in on the mortal girl. Seeing the
similarities. The wild black curls, the sun-kissed bronze skin (that had quite literally been sun-kissed in the past), the deep, stunning purple iris in her left eye.
Apollo surged to his feet, furious, "Don't you dare touch her, Artemis!"
Hermes watched in horror as Artemis collided with Helios' sun chariot, knocking it from the sky. As it fell apart, the mortal girl and her deity sisters were flung from the wreckage, "Percy!"
Zeus reared back, master bolt in hand and released. The greatest lightning bolt shot through the sky towards the mortal girl, "No!" Apollo screamed.
Mere nanoseconds before the bolt struck the mortal girl, a blinding flash of golden light obscured her from view. Once it faded, Hermes could see that it was Asclepius. He was Apollo's son, a god of healing, and the son born by hyacinthus, in the last moments of his life - his last gift to Apollo. It was the boy that Apollo protected fiercely, kept hidden away as much as possible. Both Apollo and Hyacinthus hadn't known that he was pregnant when the discus had been redirected by Zephyrus.
Asclepius had caught and protected his mortal father’s reincarnation. He hovered in the air above the sea, several wind spirits (that he was known to have befriended as a child) gathered around him to keep them afloat. In his arms rested his mother. She was young, not even 16
years old and clung to his shoulders as he held her close.
"You look like Apollo." She whispered.
Still shaking somewhat, Asclepius held his mother closer, "I'm his son, Asclepius." The wind spirits began their gentle descent to where the sea gods were waiting for their sister, anxiously.
"I'm so glad....he's been happy these years? There aren't many stories after I died, I'm glad he had the family he's always wanted." She sighed.
Asclepius shook his head, "I was born of the union between Hyacinthus and Apollo. When you died, you both had no idea that you were pregnant. Apollo saved me and has kept me well protected all this time. Our family has been waiting for you." he murmured to the girl.
Hermes watched the young mortal sadly. It was clear that she was struggling to comprehend this. He had told Apollo that Hyacinthus hadn't believed in an eternity for them. It was about time he saw that.
As Poseidon took hold of Zeus and began retribution for his attempt on his daughter's life, Hermes followed Apollo out of the throne room.
"Are you sure you should be doing this now?"
Apollo shook his head, "Maybe not. But I almost lost her again, before I even knew that she was my Hyacinthus. I'm not going to risk it."
"Just be careful. I think how she reacted just is proof I was right, Apollo. Hyacinthus never really understood how much he meant to you."
"Then I'll spend the rest of eternity showing her. I'm not going to lose her again."
Hermes and Apollo approached the group of gods surrounding the little mortal, who was leaning into her big sister, Rhodos', side.
Apollo's hand gently cradled her cheek, so big when compared to such a slender form. "I'm so glad you are safe."
"Apollo...." Percy looked up at him, gazing moving reverently across his tanned face and golden hair.
He gathered her close, an arm enclosing around her waist as the other cradled the back of her head, "I've missed you so much."
"Even though it's been three thousand years?" She queried.
Hermes saw Apollo shake his head, lips gently brushing her temple, "I'd wait an eternity for you. You're here now, and I won't allow anyone to harm you again."
Percy merely smiled into his throat, "I believe you."