Of Water and Salt

ane decided that this was probably the best, if not, the most awkward and tiring day of her life.

Her entire world was flipped on its head.

Gods. Actual living and breathing gods existing that had the power to destroy humanity as she knew it on a whim.

And their children, with powers and skill unimaginable, that made Avenger and Mutant alike seem tame in comparison.

But the question remained in her head. Where were they all this time? If they had been among them since the Dawn of Humanity as she suspected, why would they let all this suffering happen when they could prevent it all?

She had been told by Thor, when they were on Asgard, that the Immortals of Olympus could not interfere much in the mortal world.

But what about their children?

The way that Percy acted and the attendant from the lobby, she assumed that they simply lived relatively normal human lives.

If they were even as half as powerful as Percy said they were then why haven't they done anything to help the world that they live in?

Her thoughts ran much of the same line as she watched Thor, spin Mjolnir and take off, flying towards Avenger Tower. It was still a little after midnight. Her abrupt welcome into Olympus had not taken long at all, even if it felt like it did take forever.

All Jane could think of during that time were Percy's words of warning. 'Do not kneel. Do not make eye contact.'

Easier said than done.

It had taken near every once of her focus and concentration that she had resorted to counting multiples of two and reciting equations that she had learned in order to ignore the feeling of the roiling and writhing pressure that was being exerted upon her.

Only Thor and Sif had been able to keep her upright, unused to the feeling as she was, having placed hands on each of her shoulders to keep her upright.

And while they didn't look to be struggling in the presence of these…beings, they were certainly uncomfortable from the slight grimaces that were on their faces.

As if simply being in their presence demanded that she submit.

Jane was grateful when they had finally left Olympus as much as she enjoyed and marveled at the sight. It was a daunting and eerie place that seemed to cast a heavy shadow and weight on whoever walked its streets.

She pulled herself from those thoughts as Percy did a sharp whistle and waved down the nearest cab that pulled up alongside them, and after a short and rapid conversation, waved them over and open the seat for them. The girl, Allison Edwards, narrowing her eyes at the demigod who stared right back, unfazed by the grey stormy glare leveled at him.

Sif nodded her head in thanks as did she as the two entered the cab while Percy took the passenger seat beside the driver.

Seeing the demigod flip like a switch into a friendly and slightly accented New York drawl was still quite the shock.

He had been ready to simply leave her to die to the Aether and when that wasn't the case, a burden.

She had seen and experienced him treat her as one would a friend.

She had seen him tear apart Malekith with such a primal rage that she had near thrown up at the sight.

The demigod flipping his personality in near instants and without warning was disorientating for her. Jane determined that she would have to ask if that was normal behavior for him. She did not want to be on the receiving end if he was pissed off for some reason if it wasn't.

The driver began driving as he was suddenly hit with a bolt of grey mist emanating from a flick of the teenage girl's hands. It looked similar to to Percy's white mist but only a different color.

"I wan-"

Percy cut off the girl, not even deigning to look back at them. "If you're going to bitch at me save it. I'm not in the mood." Jane figured that Sif felt as uncomfortable as she did. The driver apparently blissfully unaware of whatever was going on as he simply stared forward and continued to drive.

Allison glared at Percy and as she turned to them. "As I was saying, I wanted to properly introduce myself. I am Allison Edwards." She inclined her head to both her and Sif who nodded but like her, flicked her eyes over to the demigod in the front seat before returning to the demigoddess that was sat beside her. "I am a demigoddess of Athena and one of her priestesses." She flashed a smile at them.

Jane just had to ask. "And a teenager is going to teach us the history of your world?" Jane could remember her own high school days. Everyone in her class, even her, a more academically inclined person, thought the subject to be a burner class and had only taken it because it was a required subject.

Now though, considering her new heritage and who she was mixed up with. Jane was regretting that she had not paid more attention during the classes. She was scarily uneducated in Greek Mythology and the extent of what she knew was scant bits of the Odyssey and a few of the gods and goddesses.

If that.

Jane couldn't accept that a teenager would be teaching them.

Percy answered from the front before the girl could speak, not even looking back at them as he kept his eyes glued to the roads in front of them "As much as I hate to admit it, a child of the Wisdom Goddess is second to none except to their mother in teaching anything."

Seemingly ignoring the comment by Percy, Allison continued, though didn't look that insulted by Jane's remark, instead she looked to brighten as a smile stretched across her pale face. Her English accent seemingly getting weaker by the moment turning into that subtle New York drawl that Percy seemed to also have. "I'm actually over two hundred years old. 258 to be precise, my birthday was two months ago."

At that, the three did look to her. Jane, with a gaping mouth while Sif looked on curiously while Percy cocked his head in confusion. "This like the Hunters?" Allison nodded, though a glare melted onto her face as she looked to Percy, who turned, again unperturbed by the hostility displayed while muttering to himself. "Huh, I guess you do learn something new everyday."

"Wait, wait hold on! You can't be more than fourteen!" Jane exclaimed as she looked the young girl up and down from her seated position. She couldn't be older than the United States. Jane refused to accept that. "And Hunters?"

Sif was the one that answered. "The Hunters of the Goddess of the Hunt, correct?" Looking to Allison who smiled brightly as she gestured for the Asgardian native to continue. "I have heard stories. Maidens of the Eternal Hunt, blessed with youth and immortality. To only die by rite of combat?"

Allison bobbed her head, smiling as she did so. "Right in one! Same deal here but instead of serving the Lady Artemis, I serve my mother in the Olympian Archives. We preserve the combined knowledge of the Immortal and Mortal Realms instead of fighting. Don't get me wrong! I can still fight, but my talent is in being a librarian rather than a warrior."

Jane was still reeling from the revelation and at the smile of the girl, she remembered the words of Percy from the day before when they were on Nidavellir as she thought to herself. Her mouth still slightly ajar as she collected herself again.

She shouldn't be as surprised as she was. She had just met actual gods and goddesses not half an hour ago, it shouldn't be a stretch to believe that they could make others immortal.

After that, it was generally a quiet affair to wherever they were going. Probably Long Island as that was where Percy's home was. She wasn't that familiar with the Big Apple in general having only visited a couple times when she was still a college student at Culver.

She asked a couple more questions to Allison. Mostly in regards to how life was like in the 18th century and how it compared to life now. Simply put, 18th century life didn't compare at all. It wasn't often she had a window into the past. The only person she could think of was probably Steve Rogers but he was from the 40's back when they had decent living standards and cars, instead of poverty and horse-drawn carriages.

Allison had grown up on a farm and she admitted her life wasn't that interesting until she had discovered her heritage. It was summed up in three words, sleep, work, eat, rinse and repeat for sixteen years. After killing her first monster, she had made to the demigod camp that was near the Heights of Dover at the time before she received her offer of immortality to assist in preserving and archiving knowledge.

Apparently, with tensions with the Colonies heating up, she needed more archivists to assist in the movement of information. She didn't necessarily explain what that entailed but didn't push forward as they began nearing their destination, having moved passed JFK International and headed further towards the eastern coast, where she knew the Hamptons were located.

Figured the guy was loaded. Was Jane's thought as they began passing larger and larger estates before they finally stopped at the side of a road, Percy easily paying the man as the three eased themselves from the interior of the vehicle. It was still dark out and from her watch she was able to tell that it was just after two in the morning.

Percy led the way, explaining that due to a ward mortals would be influenced to turn back. She hoped it wasn't that far of a walk as she felt her feet starting to hurt. She wasn't used to walking this much in thick and heavy boots.

Jane felt Percy's home before she saw it.

A wash of warm energy seemingly cascading about herself. Everything seemed…livelier, for lack of a better term. Before, there was hardly a breeze and what felt like a haunted forest around them as she stuck closer to the group.

Now, a gentle but noticeable sea wind washed about them. Not enough to cause her to stumble but enough to cause her hair to slightly wave about her before dying down to an almost unnoticeable but oddly comforting breeze. The previously eerie woodland seemed to turn greener and more vibrant. She could hear the chirps and scattering of birds and critters in them.

"What was that?" Sif was the one to ask the question before she could. She had her head cocked to the side as she seemed to look in the air around her.

"Magic." Was Percy's answer as they continued to trudge along. "To be specific nature magic. There's a decent number of nature spirits that decided to make their home here. Though the highest concentration live across the Sound."

"Nature spirits?" Jane prodded.

Allison, who was beside her, responded with a shrug of her shoulders. "Water, wind and forest nymphs. Nature spirits is a very generalizing term but then again so is nymphs."

"So like elemental spirits?"

"I guess so. I haven't met any fire spirits but I doubt that they don't exist. You'd probably find them near volcanoes and such. Hmm. I'll have to make a note to send someone to investigate that later." She muttered that last bit to herself.

"They exist." Percy said from in front of them. "Mount Saint Helens has a bunch of them in the magma chambers underneath it. I visit there every now and again to check on the prison for," He hesitated, looking concerned at whatever they were talking about. "you know who."

Jane saw Allison's face develop a glare before morphing into one of terrified understanding at his last words.

"Who's that?" Jane questioned.

"The Father of All Monsters." Allison shuddered, momentarily reverting to her English accent. "I would not dare speak his name."

There was a slight silence as they continued forward.

Jane determined that being the Father of All Monsters who was giving someone like Percy visible concern was not someone she ever wanted to meet.

She did not think on that very long however as they caught first sight of the place she would be staying at for who knows how long. She thought maybe it would be a quant little condo on the beach, given the location.

This was anything but quaint.

If she had to describe the place in a word, it would be exquisite.

She knew little of architecture but she would have to be blind to not recognize the Roman and English influences on the structure. She had watched Downtown Abbey after all and the prominent Roman columns that lined some of the structure gave away some of the influence they had.

The first thing that she noticed however, was the line of thick bulbous hedgerow that ran the length of the road and further into an open and expansive, healthy green field. Growing sapling trees were smattered across the field and placed decoratively along the winding road they walked. Groves of all manner of blue and violet flowers were in between the trees themselves creating another natural barrier that sat in front of the hedgerow.

Small lights, dim ones, also trailed the edges. Not enough to take away or pollute the scene but just enough to seemingly accent the natural feel that was being portrayed.

"How is this all taken care of?" Jane breathed. The water costs alone must be astronomical, much less the landscaping.

Percy didn't answer as Allison did.

"The nymphs probably do all the work. Not like they care though, they probably enjoy it. Plus if they need water, he can just summon some rain." Allison muttered as she gazed about. Jane bit her lip. She should've realized that water probably wasn't even a concern when it came to Percy. "I do have to ask, Jackson, who built this?"

"Your siblings did. Well one of them was the architect. The manual labor was done by cyclops and automatons and the entire project was headed by the Forge God." He clarified as they continued to walk down the road.

Jane elected to continue taking in the scene and she spied Sif doing the same, gazing about at the flowers that lined the pathway as she did so.

A tall and stout gatehouse stood before them and she could see further down that the path curved into the road again and back towards them and into the coal colored but perfect and smooth asphalt road. The gatehouse was made of layered brown and tanned bricks but also had pale romanticized columns flanking the entrance and the corners of the small structure.

There was also a small running stream with dotted lily pads flanking the left side of the gatehouse that seemed to run underneath the path and over onto the other side as well, like some type of moat. She assumed it ran the entire perimeter of the property given that it seemed to stretch as far as she could see in the dim light against the hedgerow and curve around the gatehouse.

Which wasn't even really a gatehouse since it had no gate nor anything that could bar entrance to someone that would want to get onto the main piece of property. It was simply open aired with a quartet of that same dim sconce lights in the top of each corner. The interior of the two flanking walls did have carved depictions of crashing waves on them but that was about the extent of the decoration.

Something eerily similar to the golden waves that adorned the front of Percy's armor.

There was a slight incline upwards as they walked onto the property properly, the asphalt transition from the black material naturally turning into a grey and worn cobble and paved stones before doing so again into a light tan cobble flooring. It was so subtle that she didn't realize that she was standing on the new color and bricks until they were already through the entryway.

The group soon found themselves in a cobbled and paved courtyard, where there was a line of wide garages though there weren't that many vehicles within them. She could see a simple white sedan as well as a grey minivan. On the other end was a sleeker black BMW alongside a dark navy blue sports bike. Other than that, the garage was scarily empty, though she could see couple of totes and other things on metal shelving against the walls.

"Do you want to go inside and tour later or do you want to just get it over with?" Percy suddenly asked.

Jane, having entirely forgotten about her protesting feet, voted for the tour, oddly excited at exploring the rather mundane but exotic place. Already, she could see that the house was massive, in contrast to the outside, which she assumed wasn't all that large. Sif nodded her assent as well as she looked about the house the same as she did.

Allison shrugged, apparently not at all caring what decision was made.

Jane took the lapsing moment to gaze about. There was another driveway. For exiting she assumed as it curved off and into a path that looked to connect with the road that they had just walked down towards. Interspersed among the walls, were more sconces dimly lit. The house being made from the same brick material as the gatehouse.

Skirting the edges of the house was vibrant green shrubbery as well as more blue and violet bushels of flowers and vines seemed to crawl up and against the house giving it a sort of earthly and naturistic feel to the structure. It was probably intended rather than something that needed to be cleaned up as Jane doubted they would take care of all the other plants and such and then neglect the vines that were invading the house.

Percy began moving to the side of his home with her and Sif in tow, Allison following loosely behind. "The grounds aren't that expansive." He spoke aloud as he escorted them to a small almost miniature courtyard that had a central fountain and a garden of…glowing flowers? It was surrounded by a hip-high stone wall. "It stretches a little over a hundred acres though I'm thinking of buying up all the land from here to the road and an additional hundred acres to the north and south. Just to ensure privacy. Other than the main grounds, the rest is all forest."

At least she was right about the size even if it was big. But her thoughts were on the thick glowing flower bed about them. "Moonlace." Allison breathed and Percy nodded. "But that means…"

He nodded. "She's either asleep right now or over there," He gestured with her hand down a pathway, that had a wooden and open aired canopy over it, to the north. Roman columns seemed to be erected to support it, "in the more exotic and magical garden that she has going but I doubt it. That for now is off-limits to the both of you until she has a chance to walk you through it herself. I don't want you touching something that'll kill you."

"Who is she?" Sif ventured, looking in the direction of where they apparently kept dangerous plants of all things.

"Calypso." Allision bubbled, apparently excited at the prospect of meeting the woman, whoever she was. Wait Calypso?

"Wait, like from the Odyssey?"

"The story that the mortals know is wrong." Percy muttered and frowned slightly and it was the first time that Allison seemed to agree even though she seemed to suck on a lemon at the action. "She'll tell you herself what really happened. She was beyond angry at Homer when she found out what he wrote about her. Taught me a couple new curse words in the process." He chuckled at the thought.

They moved on, taking the canopied pathway that was lined with more rolling groves of flowers between the column that held the structure. They followed the demigod as he stepped off the path and onto the field that they had previously been walking alongside. The courtyard was way bigger than the last with a green field of grass and two rows of four grown trees flanking a rectangular pool of crystal water that had three bubbling and gurgling fountains within it. It was about the size of half a football field if she had to guess, maybe a little bigger.

Surrounding them was another wall, but taller than the last one by far as she was very aware when they neared it. It was taller than her even with her impromptu growth spurt to an Asgardian and seemed to be about Sif's height.

There was a set of stone stairs off to the side leading to an open aired stone gazebo. They were led up it and she saw toys strewn about the floor. "Don't tell me that you have a kid, Jackson." Allison growled out with narrowed eyes as she turned to face the demigod. "You really move on that fast?"

Against all other instances between the two, that particular action had raised a rather noticeable reaction from Percy and she was pulled backwards by Sif as she had been between the two.

"You better get your information straight before you start assuming." His sea green eyes flaring violently at the accusation. "They're my sister's." He waved his hand and several tendrils of water erupted from the stream that lined the house. Jane had thought they would attack the demigoddess who had flinched and stumbled at the gesture.

Instead, they weaved and coiled between them all to scoop up the assortment of items and placed them easily within a large cushioned and woven crate before retreating back into the stream just as quickly as they had appeared.

That explains why there's a stream. Jane realized. It wasn't just decorative nor was it for keeping the plants that were all around the property properly hydrated like anyone else would assume. It was functional as well, to be called upon by him whenever he needed.

She turned her gaze to the rectangular decorative pool that was sat in the middle of the expansive courtyard. After that realization, that pool was not just for show and tell either.

He was ready to defend his home at a moment's notice.

He gestured again and Allison flinched. Not that he seemed to care though, Jane did offer a sympathetic smile to the girl even if she had done it to herself. The demigoddess seemed to be more aware of Percy's capabilities and was just provoking him at every step.

Percy had said that he would protect her with his life and if there was one thing she was absolutely sure on given what she had seen so far, it was that he didn't seem like the type of guy to break a promise like that.

The demigod seemed to collect himself with a deep breath and pointed to another pathway on the east side of the house. "That leads to the beach. Its not that far but since its night and a new moon, we can't really see the ocean from here. You'll probably see nymphs wandering about the place since she," He waved dismissively to Allison who huffed and upturned her nose at him, turning on her heel and making her way off the gazebo. "was right. They take care of the grounds and the surrounding area. They can get pretty territorial and mischievous so try not to piss them off. This has turned into a sort of sanctuary for them. Not that I mind."

"You have a nice piece of land, Perseus." Sif seemed to like the place well enough as she looked about the expanse. "Do you have a place to train?" Jane scowled as she remembered the talk she had with Thor and his father. They wanted her to learn how to fight like a Valkyrie, well Odin did. Thor was hesitant. The Prince of Asgard did not want her close to any fighting despite her actions on Asgard.

He nodded. "We'll be making use of the beach for now. I want you to get used to fighting in storms considering I do so near exclusively or maybe we can work out some sort of enchantment to at least protect you from the winds. For you, Jane, we'll practice in the training yard and then move to the beach when I think you're ready for it."

That would be a while until they got to that point, Jane guessed. The way she had seen Sif fight was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

"You know when I became an Asgardian I thought fighting would come naturally. I mean it does, but like its definitely not like the movies where I'm suddenly the best there is." Jane said with a slight frown. The Battle for the Aether was testament to that. Even with Mjolnir, getting into a fight with several Dark Elf pilots was not all that enjoyable when they knew exactly what they were doing.

It was not like she didn't want to fight.

If she was being honest with herself, she was more scared than anything.

It was turning all too real for her and now she could actually make a difference in the world other than looking at the night sky and working on equations and theories all day. She loved her work and all but…Jane determined that she wouldn't waste this opportunity given to her when, by all accounts, she should've died on Asgard.

"I have trained for centuries, Lady Jane." Sif said with her own upturned nose at her. Jane glared in return at the mocking tone in her voice. "I may have been born with the instincts of a warrior as all Asgardians are but I would not have been made the Sword of Asgard had I been neglectful. One does not simply become the best there is."

Percy nodded agreeing with the Asgardian native. "Natural skill and instinct can only do so much. We have a leg up in that regard. We just need to hone and perfect them with constant drill and training. You won't be the best considering you are decades and centuries behind us in experience but you'll be capable of holding your own in a fight when I'm through with you, at least that's the idea."

There was a momentary pause as Jane digested the information. If Percy was going to take this seriously then she would as well.

He gestured for them to follow. "Come on, we still have to tour the house and your rooms. Though there's not much other than the layout of it."

They did so with Allison trailing behind, having been waiting for them and twiddling with the flower bushes whilst doing so. She had a frown on her face though other than that, there was nothing that gave way to what she may be thinking.

He led them into the Eastern Wing of the villa. It was…homely to put simply as Percy switched on the light. Pale, smooth plaster walls horizontally bisected by a polished mahogany design that had rolling waves going to and fro. On the bottom half of the walls was additional mahogany wood paneling that echoed the paleness of the plaster from the bottom up as it slowly molded into the mahogany of the bisection.

The flooring was made of more polished wooden paneling.

To be honest, she was expecting a little something more…grander after seeing Olympus.

"This wing is intended for traveling demigods since this place is still technically a safe haven. But with Camp right across the Sound, it's been empty and more for insurance than anything. Kitchen in the far end with a bathroom over by where we just walked in." He said as he led them down the wide hall, throwing a thumb behind him as he did so. Along the walls were frameless pictures of all sorts of scenes. Mostly scenes of nature like oceans and mountains and such that she would expect of Bob Ross but there were a couple depicting what she assumed to be clashes of heroes against monsters.

She would have thought them to be ancient depictions of battles, if not for a common figure among most of them. The Golden Warrior, or who she now knew to be Percy. There were other common figures there as well. One was a woman in matte grey armor and princess curled blonde hair along with someone who looked to be a satyr in wooden and stone armor, though the latter began slowly disappearing from more and more of the scenes.

"It goes up another floor but its just rooms up there. Minus the communal area here." He gestured off-handedly as they passed by it and Jane glanced in but saw only the outline of furniture about since it was dark inside.

"Also the indoor pool for the house is at the end of the hall." Percy commentated as he continued into the hall before stopping when he realized that she and Sif had paused to admire some of the artwork that traced the wall. Allison was examining a different picture than they were.

"Are these works showing your victories, Perseus?" Sif asked as she had stopped at a particular one, where it showed Percy, in his golden armor and another woman with blonde hair in matte grey armor combating a towering creature with a fiery whip in one hand and a scimitar in the other with snakes for hair and distinctly reptilian skin, draconic bat-like wings flaring on her back and a scorpion tail.

Even looking at the monster in the painting made her shudder in fear.

"Victories of Half Bloods in general." Percy commentated. "That one is showing the Battle of the Labyrinth. Though we only received our armor after, in the most recent war. Well I did. They made theirs while I was out…doing other things. So most of these are not exactly accurate."

The Asgardian native hummed in response as they continued down the hallway, looking about as did Jane and Allison.

As they traveled down the long hallway, stopping every now and again to look at some of the various pictures, the scenes trailed into characters that looked more…Roman, if their armor was any indication.

Most of them had ten distinct figures in them but given the size of the pictures it was hard to make out exactly who was who until they were brought before one last one that had all ten arranged formally in a row.

None were smiling but were standing stoically beside each other, their weapons either in their hands or sheathed at their sides and each in distinct armor. The massive depiction was apparently named The Dekatheon, emblazed upon the bottom of the golden frame.

Percy was prominent, probably being among the tallest of them in his golden armor and standing in the center. His arms were around his back and his helmet clipped at his side. He had no smile and had those two scars on his face, the one that cut into his brow slightly and one that ran slightly across his cheek. His most distinct feature being his sea green eyes but also gaunt features.

Jane could now make out that same woman with the princess curled hair that was standing to the left of him. Her hair was slightly straighter and the matte grey cuirass that had a prominent hawkish owl's head emblazoned on the chest where Percy had a trident. Spaulders clung a little past her shoulders and she had a sheathed knife at her hip. She stood close to Percy in the scene and was leaning slightly into him. A blue worn Yankees hat sticking from her pocket.

To the immediate right of Percy was a Latina woman with imperial. A tightly hugging golden cuirass was along her body and spaulders with leathery frills covered her shoulders that came from them as well as a leather skirt that started from the bottom of the edge of the armor. She carried herself slightly haughtily as she imagined in a similar manner to Sif, with a tight raven braid draped over her shoulder. A vibrant purple cloak trailed behind her as her hands rested on the pommel of a spatha, the tip digging into the ground in front of her. In the center of her chest was a stalwart and vertical sword emblazoned on.

There was a tall, ruggedly handsome blonde boy, next to her as well with electric blue eyes and other imperial features with a distinct scar on his lip. His hair was closely cropped and he wore armor reminiscent of Roman centurions. It almost reminded her of Steve Rogers but where the Captain had a thorough Good Guy feel, this man was hardened and grim. He was leaning on a long spear and otherwise stood stoically with a large red painted oval shield gripped in his other hand, though off to the side. On his Centurion chestplate was a bolt of lightning.

There was a girl probably about Allison's age in it, but with dark skin and curling and coiled cinnamon brown hair, resting a sword on her shoulder that had much the same style as Percy's new one. However, hers was slightly curved at the top instead of straight. She had adorned what looked to Roman legionnaire armor, though slimmed to fit her more childlike figure. She was holding her helmet at her side and had a weak smile playing on her face. Her chestplate had a what was a diamond emblazoned upon it.

A burly boy, probably in his late teens was beside her, also decked out in Legionnaire armor, but had a bow and a quiver of arrows on his back. He had dark hair and had round Asian features but still a pale complexion. But the most distinct feature of his was that he looked to be in the middle of shapeshifting as his arm was turning into a bear's claw. His chestplate had a stalwart, vertical spear on it.

Beside him, and the last one on the right side of Percy was another teenager, adorned in tight silver armor. She had shortly cut pixie raven hair and a hard, electric and stormy expression on her face with slight studs in her ears with skulls on the face of them. Unlike the others who had helmets of some sort, she wore a vibrant silver circlet that wrapped around the front of her forehead. In her hand right hand, was a spear and an eerily familiar shield in the other. Her silver armor had a circular moon on it.

To the immediate left of the blond haired woman that was beside Percy was a Hispanic boy with wild and tousled curly hair and a patchwork beard, that looked to be singed on the ends as if he had been playing with fire. Which was fitting because his hands were depicted as being literally on fire. He was the only one among the ten to not be in some form of metal armor and instead wore a leather breastplate with all sorts of pouches across the chest, along with a belt that held an assortment of tools. Many of which she didn't recognize though there was a hammer hanging lazily on his thigh, which coincidentally was also stitched onto his own chest.

After him, there was a beautiful girl. And when she meant beautiful. She meant it. She didn't think much about her looks, but even in the inanimate scene, the girl made her self-conscious of her own looks. She had Indigenous features, Cherokee if she was correct, with choppy and unevenly cut chocolate hair with thin braids running down her face and kaleidoscope eyes. Even in her metal armor, she undoubtly had the softest physique among them all. Like the blonde woman, she also had a dagger but instead of it being sheathed at her hip, it was set at her thigh. Her apparent symbol was a fluttering dove on her chest.

The last one on the left was what she thought to be a goth kid, and the most depressing of all of them. Looking to be death incarnate, the kid had pale white skin with dark eyes that seemed to suck in the light around him. Unlike the others, where their armor was sheen metals, like gold or silver, his was a smoky black and had a sword sheathed at his thigh, hanging lazily around his leg, similar to how knights would wear their weapon. His hand resting comfortably on the skull pommel of the sword which mimicked the symbol on his chest.

"Who are they?" She asked as she continued to examine the picture.

They were stood on a short hill, and behind them she could see the shapes of tents and figures moving about raising them.

Percy didn't answer.

Allison answered in his place.

"The Dekatheon." She breathed with a slight tinge of reverence as she also looked to scene. "The Ten of the Gods. The greatest generation of demigods and demigoddesses that have ever and will ever walk this Earth." She sounded as if she were reading something from a book or something that she was told was fact.

The scary part was that Jane seemed to think that Allison believed whole-heartedly the words she had just said, in spite of the hatred she apparently had for the centermost figure in the depiction. Jane exchanged a glance with Sif who had turned away slightly. Probably as uncomfortable as she was with the revelation.

"There are and will be others." Percy said in response though he continued to stare at the scene before them. Allison did not respond to his words.

"What happened to them?" Jane immediately regretted asking the question as Percy turned to face her.

"They died." He spoke instantly and simply before turning back to the picture. "Only I and one other are left. This, I think, was the last time we were all together."

This was probably why he didn't spend much time in this wing of his house.

But if these were the most powerful demigods and demigoddesses ever, what had the strength to stand against all ten? And not only that but apparently whole armies of them? The thought unsettled her.

There was another respectful silence before Percy stepped away from the picture but not before brushing away some gathering dust from the edge of the frame.

They followed the demigod who led them down an adjacent corridor and into the main building of the manor. He turned towards them while also turning off the light to this wing of the house and gestured for them to be quiet. "My mom and sister are probably sleeping. And Calypso will kill me if I wake her up."

Jane had an amused smile on her face and she spied Sif having one as well. Following the demigod as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and the dim light that was running through and cascading around them. "This place has mostly natural lighting. So don't bother looking for a switch if you find yourself here." He quietly spoke. He then gestured in front of him down a corridor that was ahead of them. "That way to the main kitchen and dining area. The living room is also past that."

There was a grand staircase in the center of it leading up into the flanks of the house. She couldn't make out much in the way of detail considering the dim light but it was a still a sight to behold.

The stairs ran over an archway that led to double doors and where she assumed to open to the opposite end of the house. "Past that way," Percy pointed to the doors. "Training yard."

"Come on, I'll show you to your rooms." He began making his way up the stairs and into the eastern side of the main building but not into the Eastern Wing. He stopped in front of a door, they all looked the same, with only a bronze number superimposed on the doors differentiating them. More rich and polished mahogany with intricate designs about them. "My room is right over there if you need anything. Down the hall and first door on the left, with a trident on it."

He gestured towards a hallway where they looked but they couldn't see the door he was talking about given that it was still sort of dark out and the fact that it ran down a hallway regardless. He opened the door and they all followed him inside.

It was a quaint and spacious room with a queen sized bed in the center up against the southern wall with neutral color bedding. Instead of the dual wall paneling that was prevalent throughout the Eastern Wing of the house, It was all a plaster white, free of any decoration minus a couple of placeholder pictures about the room as well as a two bedside tables on either side of the head of the bed.

"I guess all the rooms are the same." Percy commented as he flicked on the lights. Jane blinked. This was the size of a high end master bedroom. Her thoughts contorted as she thought about the house further. There had to be magic involved somehow. If all the rooms were this size, then there was no way there would be enough space for all of the doors she was able to see just in this hallway alone.

"Walk in closet, bathroom there. They connect on the inside." He gestured to his immediate left door and the one adjacent to that respectively. "The controls for water are pretty self explanatory. Red for hot and blue for cold."

He paused turning to them. "Who wants this room?"

Allison raised her hand and Percy nodded. "Breakfast is in the morning. We will plan the day from there because these two still have to get a new wardrobe and I have a couple errands to run that I want to get out of the way."

Jane and Sif followed Percy out of the room.

Simply to come face to face with a woman standing across the hall from them. She looked shorter than Jane and in her early forties if she had to guess, with warm brown hair and equally warm but tired eyes as she stood there, in a tightly wrapped robe and her arms across her chest, in an interrogative and demanding manner.

"Mom." Percy voice squeaked and cracked in surprise.

"Percy." Her eyes washed about them and Percy took a hesitant step back, seemingly hiding behind her and Sif who were standing beside him beforehand. "Who are these young women?"

"I was going to introduce you and explain in the morning. I didn't want to wake you." He explained quickly.

Sif took that opportunity to step forward, bringing a fist to her chest in a slight bow. "I am Lady Sif of Asgard. I am pleased to meet you. I owe your son my life."

"He tends to do things like that." The woman shifted her interrogative features from her son and smiled warmly at them. "And please no bowing. Any friend of my son is a friend of mine, my name is Sally." She turned to her, eyes glinting in curiosity but still in slight suspicion as Sally glanced to her son. "And how about yourself?"

"Jane Foster." She greeted but still shifted uncomfortably in her spot. "I guess, in a roundabout way, Percy also saved my life." It was the truth but she was still pissed that in the beginning he was going to leave her to die.

Her thoughts darkened. How was this warm and kind woman even related to someone that was capable of that? Jane shook herself of the thought. She didn't really see anything that resembled the other. Maybe the nose but that was about it.

But then again, it was still slightly dark as no distinct lights were on with only a dull glow from ensconced lanterns that dotted the outside walls. So she probably wouldn't know until the morning or if a light turned on.

"And why are they here?" She directed the question to her son who was still stood slightly behind the two women. He sighed.

"To make a long story short, there is now a treaty between Olympus and Asgard." He said. "Lady Sif is an envoy and…" he hesitated as he thought of the correct words as Sif turned to him and shrugged in response. "was placed under my protection while she stays on Earth I guess? Something along those lines."

"And Jane?"

They were speaking as if they weren't even here but to be fair to them, it entirely seemed like a mother scolding her son. She saw Sif lightly smiling at the confrontation and Jane couldn't help but do so as well, especially at the simplicity in which Percy said his words. It was still more than a little awkward all things considered but it was lessened by the fact that Sally didn't seem all that perturbed at their presence.

"Her situation is a little more complicated." Percy ran a hand through his hair. "She was human just like you but ah…she was turned into an Asgardian during the whole…altercation on their world. Their King asked that she be placed under my protection as she lives here on Earth. I'm working on fixing the animosity between the the two powers so she can live on her own."

"I see. Is this similar to what you told me of the Roman and Greek divide?"

"Something like that I am assuming. I need to go see if Chiron knows anything that could help. Maybe even grab a quest from Rachel."

Sally nodded to them as she paused awkwardly. "Well, I was just going to go get some water before sleeping. Welcome to our home!" She said earnestly before sending a particular look to her son once again. "We will continue this conversation later."

Jane didn't need to look to see the nod from the demigod.

Sally moved passed them flashing a smile to them and then giving a hug to Percy before stepping away and down the stairs.

Percy then let out a breath of relief. "That went better than expected."

"What were you expecting, Perseus?" Sif prodded, her eyes dancing in mirth at the clearly relieved demigod. Jane did have to admit it was an odd sight seeing the powerful man cowed by his mom. I guess everyone is afraid of their moms.

Thor was no different.

"I don't know but definitely not that." Percy mumbled as he led the way again, down the opposite corridor of where Percy's room was but still next to where Allison was. Jane assumed the girl was still awake given that the light to her room was on and she could hear, very quietly that is and she had to focus slightly, the running of the shower.

He led them to a pair of doors where Sif took the next one, thanking Percy once again for allowing her to stay in his home before declaring she was going to shower and then head to sleep for the next day's events.

Jane was much the same way and she showered but still had to wear a provided set of clothes to bed much to her dismay given that she still had no other clothes that fit her.

It was not long before she fell asleep, the day having worn her down and the jet lag catching up to her.

Sif yawned and stretched herself awake. Looking out her room's window she could easily tell that it was still night and at the clock beside her head, it was only just starting to become morning.

Being Asgardian meant that she really didn't need to sleep a full night, unless she had a particularly exhausting day. The couple nights beforehand having been some of the few that happened so far this year for her. But it was a given since it was a fight for the Aether.

Her mind numbed at the thought of the Reality Stone as she shook her mind away from the pillar of creation.

As she dressed in another more clean set of her usual outfit, out of her sleepwear, her thoughts turned towards their Olympian encounter.

It was not was what she had anticipated.

Well, for the most part. The Olympians themselves had reminded her of the Allfather, the six sired of Kronos that is. The others reminded her of Thor when he was particularly angry.

The energy and pride they exuded by simply being in their presence had washed over her and it was her experience with Odin that had sort of numbed her to the sensation of overwhelming power. Even if the King of Asgard kept it largely in check.

She had anticipated more arguments, glares and threats of violence against Asgard and upon her life.

Instead, the Asgardians were largely ignored, in favor of Perseus. While she understood to an extant as to why that was due to the silver bracelets, it still struck her as odd and a little bit frustrating as to how it occurred.

For the most part they just stood there as Perseus spoke of his time on Asgard. The Olympians had sensed the Convergence but were wholly unaware of its effects even if they had suffered through it throughout the many eons that they have lived.

Regardless, to be relegated to spectator had allowed her to keep Jane upright. The human-turned-Asgardian had been unprepared and unused to the wash of pressure that being in the presence of divine beings had often entailed.

That would have been quite the detriment to their standing had she kneeled.

Pulling herself from those thoughts, she wondered what she should do now. It was still dark out and she was not fond of the idea of lounging in her room when she could be doing something productive.

Perhaps, Perseus is awake? Sif guessed his own heritage had afforded him a similar characteristic in sleep. During his time upon Asgard, he had only slept in handfuls of hours rather than through the nights.

It wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibility that he was awake as well.

She also had to finish the task given to her by the Allfather and she figured now would be the best time to do it since, she was assuming, that everyone else was still asleep or were preparing for the day. But that was doubtful, even she could smell the slight tinge of food from here.

She just hoped she didn't run into the demigod's mother again. Not without the son. It was a slightly awkward experience as it was simply meeting her, doing so alone would probably just heighten her own anxiety. After all, it felt as if she was simply dropped on them without warning.

Granted that was Perseus' own fault. He could have just warned her when he had spoken to her previously.

Steeling her resolve, she made her way out of her room after grabbing her satchel and could see, with the dim and eerie glow of the outside lights, that Perseus' room was slightly ajar. A warmer glow emanated from the where she was told the kitchen was.

She checked first if the demigod was awake, lightly knocking on his door and then prodding it awake to see a room much like her own but instead of the bland and neutral colors, his was much more colored.

That wasn't saying much either since it felt, unlike the rest of the house, empty. Just glancing in, she could see that it was sparsely decorated and spartan in nature. There were a few panels for shelving with photos adorning them but that was about the extant of the minute touches he seemed to give his room. Though it was colored a deep navy blue on its walls and his bedding mimicked the color though with darker colors mixed in with grey.

It was clear, however, that he was not here and she easily deduced that he was probably the one in the kitchen.

She deftly and quietly made her way to the location.

Her stomach grumbled at the wafting smell that hit her as she neared it.

She watched for only a moment and took the scene in. It was odd and made her feel a little more than unsettled at the master control of his powers that he presented.

Tendrils of water seemingly assisted him with cooking utensils in their grasp in cooking as he poured the batter onto a griddle that seemed to harden into discs of brown, flipping them expertly while several more tendrils whisked bowls of that same batter alongside him.

"You hungry?" She slightly jumped in her skin at the question, given that his back was to her. "I'm not the best cook, but I can make a mean pancake."

"If you're offering food, it would be rude of me to say no." He turned around at that and smiled slightly at the words.

"What are they? These pancakes?" She tested the word. Was it a dessert? A tendril of water wielding a spatula had flipped several onto another that held a plate and stretched to set it at a seat in front of her at the counter. Another tendril sliced off something she recognized as butter and placed it upon the food where a pitcher poured something that was like a syrup atop it all.

All while Percy continued to oversee it all and mix more batter.

The previously thick aroma hit her full force again as she set herself upon the seat. Her mouth salivating the scent. It was sweet and warm. Like thick and honeyed maple. She tried it, digging into the cake with the utensils provided.

Sif could not help herself at the next action and moaned at the taste of the food, these…pancakes. She dug in eagerly after that first bite, with Perseus chuckling to himself at the action. These were absolutely delicious! She didn't know how she had lived her life up until that point without these! The Asgardian native could now understand why Thor loved to visit Earth now.

It may be about his battles with his mortal friends, but Sif knew the Prince was really after the food.

"You can add more butter or syrup if you'd like. I'll be making some with blueberries, if you want some of those."

"Yes, please." She said, perhaps a little too quickly as she scooped up a couple more of the cakes onto her plate and adding a little more syrup this time but didn't bother much with the butter.

She continued to help herself to pancakes and even taking some of the blueberry ones that were made and she thanked Yggdrasil for her increased appetite. Sif did not think a mortal would be able to stomach the amount of the cakes she had eaten.

The Asgardian native was not wholly invested in the discs of delight as much as she wanted to be. Being able to watch Perseus' work was something she found oddly soothing even if the use of his powers unsettled her. The tendrils seemed to have a mind of their own and yet she knew the demigod had control them even if his entire attention was on the task in front of him.

"How do you focus on of all that?" She finally asked, gesturing to all the tasks that the tendrils were doing. Some were watching the griddle of pancakes. Others were whisking more batter whilst others added ingredients to empty bowls that had previously been divested of its mixture before sliding them off to the ones mixing.

"Hmm?" He looked up from his task of pouring the pancake batter onto the griddle. Sif gestured to the tendrils of water who paused slightly at what they were doing before returning. "Oh that? Its hard to explain really. Mostly, its to practice my awareness and to keep my mind busy. I can't really stand still for too long and this helps a ton."

She hummed as she thought about her task as Perseus took a seat at the corner of the table to eat his own fill, the tendrils of water, cleaning up some of the mess as he did so. She noted that he ate with a little more butter than she did.

After a few moments, she took a deep breath and made a deliberate measure to make a show of reaching into her satchel to grasp the item that the Allfather had told her to give the demigod.

He paused as he looked to her, a questioning eyebrow raised as she performed the action but continued to eat the pancakes set in front of him.

As she pulled her hand from the satchel and placed the object onto the table, Sif watched as his eyes contort from a curious raised brow to the size of the pancakes that were on his plate.

It was a reaction wholly expected as she relinquished her hand from the object and looked towards it.

A sheen and mirror metal case of Uru sat in front of her.

"That's the…" He whispered as he looked at her. "What…what is it doing here?"

She nodded slightly. "The Allfather determined that the Aether would be best served under your explicit protection. Why? I do not know. It was originally intended for a rather…eccentric individual to care for. However, we could not guarantee his motives given his personality. Only myself, the Allfather, and now you know of its real location."

And perhaps Heimdall as well.

She pushed the case slightly forward towards the demigod who did not immediately take it. Which was good and caused her to internally sigh in relief.

Sif did not know what she would do if she had handed a pillar of creation to someone who was capable of easily wielding It and someone who would have been ecstatic at being in possession of one of six Infinity Stones.

Perseus seemed to want absolutely nothing to do with the object.

After that, the demigod continued to eat, though he did so much more hesitantly than before as he continued to glance between her and the case.

Sif helped herself to a couple more pancakes, awkwardly that is. A pillar of creation that had the potential and capability to destroying the universe was sitting between them innocently on a mosaic kitchen counter.

It wasn't long as she finished and simply waited for him to do the same. She glanced at the clock. Just after five o'clock in the morning.

He stood suddenly. "Come on. I can't have…that sitting here in the open."

"What are you going to do with it?" Sif asked. Thoughts of handing it over to the Olympians pervaded her mind. That was probably the last thing she wanted him to do but given his words back in the Archives of Asgard, it was doubtful he would do so.

So she followed, grabbing the Uru case as she did do so. If the worst were to come to pass and he didn't take the Reality Stone, she could always return to Asgard.

He didn't answer and instead led her to the grand staircase, out of view and underneath of which was a solitary door that opened to reveal a staircase descending into the ground. Percy led her downwards and down a lone corridor that reminded her oddly of the entrance to the Asgardian Dungeons beneath the Palace of Asgard.

The walls here were devoid of any ornamentation or decoration save for small ensconced lanterns that lit up the hallway eerily.

Sif soon found herself beside the demigod and in front of a massive golden vault door that did not seem to have any way of opening it. It had engraved symbology on it, that looked similar to what was depicted on his cuirass with large clashing tidal waves that shot upwards against each other. There was a trident on the center of it all.

The Asgardian native watched as the demigod reached his hand out towards it and closed his eyes to focus.

She could hear the distinct sound of rushing water and a series of clicks and locks being opened as the trident on the center glowed a vibrant sea green before dimming.

The wall shuddered for a moment before being slowly cranked open, sliding upwards to do so. A rushing thick waterfall greeted her and spray of water made her blink and step backwards in surprise. He chuckled but it was devoid of mirth.

She narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything. Sif did not think he would kill her. If he was going to then he would have done so already and not have bothered with the journey. She liked to think that Perseus was practical like that.

Instead, he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture as the falls parted down the center to reveal a tunnel of stone that he began moving through with Sif closely following behind. Though she was not able to see past the tall demigod as the tunnel was only wide enough one person to travel down at a time, she could crane her neck slightly and peek past his shoulder to see a light though that quickly turned out to be simple lanterns embedded within the stone walls.

It was a couple of minutes of walking down the eerie tunnel, none of them conversing electing to travel in silence. Though she knew they were close when after a couple of turns she could a shimmering gold instead of just light. Even if she knew it to probably be Perseus', the scent of the sea became ever more prevalent.

Her breath hitched as they entered what she assumed to be his own personal vault. Water cascading like falls lined the majority of the stone walling.

Polished wooden panel flooring but edged along where the falls were grates and then a layer of cobbled and paved stone. On the wood paneling were rugs and carpets of blue gilded in gold filigree and etched with ancient Greek and Latin script covered the otherwise hard floors. The chamber was easily as long as Odin's Artefact Vault if not longer. Though where Odin's vault was made of a silver medal that mirrored Uru, Perseus was made, homely if not for the slight gold filigree that lined the edges of each display and shelving.

However, that was not the what had caught her eye. What had caught her eye were the sets of armor and arms that were set upon, polished and immaculately kept, metal racks.

She recognized the armor bar two. How could she not? She had just saw a painting that had them all displayed.

There were thirteen sets, each one embedded into a small alcove in the wall similar to Odin's artefact vault as if they were enshrined. The duo continued to walk, Sif casting her gaze about at all the objects that Perseus seemed to have, set upon shelving, racks or encased in glass displays.

All manner of weaponry from small daggers to large warhammers and battleaxes. Not only that but claws or scales from all manner of beasts and monster. There were horns and even the skull of what looked to be a dragon mounted above the centermost piece of armor, that coincidentally was the Son of Poseidon's.

"Technically speaking, spoils of war." He explained as he also gazed about, a nostalgic tinge in his voice and eyes. "It had taken me nearly two years to hunt them all down. With the exception of that one." He gestured to the one golden armor that had a purple cloak around it. "That was gifted to me after her induction into the Hunt."

Her thoughts went towards the roman woman in the picture she had seen. She was the one that lived then. Sif thought off-handedly before returning her attention to the rest of the artefacts.

"There's a lot in here, Perseus." Sif admitted. Granted, the Allfather's own vaults were filled also but it was only Odin's vaults that she was able to compare this collection to. Not even Thor had as many prizes won over the course of his lifetime of battles. He hummed in response as they both continued forward.

There was only two armors she didn't recognize. There was one that seemed to be made out of tree bark and molded stone and a helmet that looked to be reminiscent of an acorn. The other was similar to the ancient Greek Hoplite but molded to fit a female. It was colored a dark silver metal with red and gold pteruges along the spaulders and at the bottom of the cuirass. A helmet like Perseus, but instead of a sharpened seashell frill, this one was made a vertical plume of red horse hair.

He went to a nearby glass stand and gestured for Sif to place the case within. "Don't open it." He spoke as she was about to thinking that he may want to display the artefact. She had already inched it open and a maroon glow emanated from the crack before she shut it abruptly. "If the Olympians haven't noticed its presence, then I'd rather not risk it further."

She nodded understanding his thinking but even if the Uru casing helped absorb some of the energy it was the Asgardian magics and enchantments that kept the energy of the gem exuded at bay.

Or at least that was what her King had explained to her but she doubted he would lie to her.

Sill, it was as he said and given it was now under his care, it was not for her to decide any longer. She daintily and carefully placed the Uru case within the display case, upon the navy colored pillow and the demigod shut and locked it without further preamble.

"Come on." He spoke suddenly. "Everyone is probably up and about now and Estelle will be pissed that we ate pancakes without her." He chuckled to himself at the words.

Her mouth watered slightly at the thought of that heavenly food, though she still cast her gaze about trying to take in as much as she could of the vault. Given the security measure in order to even open the entrance, she doubted she would get to look on the artefacts in a more leisure setting much less inspect them like she desired.

They left soon after, following the same tunnel and entrance way, the journey feeling much shorter than before much to Sif's relief. She didn't think she could stomach another silent journey through the small corridor.

He closed the golden vault door and after a series of clicks and locks being engaged, they left the underground chamber and headed back to the upper level of the manor.

"Percy!" A brown haired missile launched into the demigod's midsection the moment they maneuvered into the foyer of the manor.

He didn't budge or even stagger at the sudden attack as he hefted her and carried her at his waist. "How's the little Juice doing?" She assumed this was the sister he had spoken of the night before.

Sif watched the exchange with a cocked head. Solemn and depressed one moment and a jovial brother the next. There was so many layers to the demigod that it made her head spin.

He played the domineering and bloodthirsty commander who would execute defenseless prisoners in the blink of eye. The skilled and stalwart warrior that had saved her life and that of Asgard's without a second thought. The honeyed and collected diplomat that had established a treaty between two great powers and pantheons. An angry and righteous demigod that had went to great lengths to securing priceless artefacts and mementos of his fallen friends. The happy and excited brother and son that carried a little sister as if nothing else mattered in the world.

It didn't sit well with her that she didn't know who Perseus Jackson truly was.

"You want pancakes?" He asked in a soft voice with a trail of a smile on his face as he carried a giggling Estelle in his arm, Sif following closely behind towards the kitchen.

"Pancakes!" She shouted. The Asgardian native determined, despite her own early morning, that the young girl was much too energetic. Mischievous brown eyes locked onto her sapphire blue ones. "Who's that?"

"This is Sif." He turned and maneuvered to enter the kitchen where she could hear the sound of cooking being done. "She is a friend that is staying with us for a little bit and is going to help me with my work."

Estelle perked up at the word friend and she smiled brightly at her and Sif could not help herself but smile brightly back at the girl. Her energy may be too much for the sun rise but it was indeed infectious.

"I hope you don't have too much work to do." A voice from within the kitchen sounded. It was melodious and silky to her ears. "You still have training with me remember?"

And reminded her all too much of Lorelei's as Sif's smile devolved into a neutral expression and she heard an intake of breath from Percy as she entered the kitchen behind him.

"Actually quite a bit of work." He muttered under his breath as he set Estelle down on a nearby seat. The girl immediately began twirling and spinning in the chair. The demigod immediately stopped it by placing an iron hand atop her head and spun her to face the appropriate direction.

Estelle pouted and crossed her small arms at the action.

A dozen tendril arms sprung up from various locations and the girl giggled and clapped at the sight as they began to go to work to make the pancakes once again.

The woman that had spoken was most definitively someone that made her wary. She couldn't help but compare her to the woman who was quite possibly her arch-nemesis. Instead of a buxom and curvy woman like Lorelei was, the woman was petite, lithe and a head shorter than herself. Where Lorelei had fiery red hair, this one had soft auburn locks that was done up in a bun that was circled in an intricate braid.

"Calypso, this is Lady Sif of Asgard. She will be staying with us for foreseeable future." He gestured between the two. "Lady Sif, this is Calypso, another ward of mine."

This must be the enchantress that he spoke of while he was on Asgard.

She bowed her head and brought her arm to her chest in a customary formal Asgardian greeting. Though she did not let her eyes leave the woman.

Sif did not trust those who had a mastery of magic at all, with the notable exceptions of a few Vanir witches, the King and the Queen and well Perseus now. Her experiences tainted near-beyond-repair from Loki's and Lorelei's machinations.

The enchantress looked her up and down before turning an upturned nose at her and returning to whatever she was doing before they had arrived.

"Fu-Freaking immortals." Perseus muttered under his breath standing behind Estelle, though Sif doubted either of the two were supposed to hear it. She did level a slight glare at the demigod as did Calypso but he looked entirely unfazed as he continued to mess with his younger sister's hair or poking her face much to the girl's anger.

Sif only directing one because technically she was not immortal. Just extremely long lived and still, relatively speaking, about the age of a young adult compared to humans.

The tendrils began to make the heavenly discs of wheat and her mouth began to further water as the aroma hit her in full force.

It was not long till they were joined by the Athenian priestess who had introduced herself excitedly to the enchantress who despite offering a smile, looked to be entirely disinterested with the girl.

The whipping tendrils unsettled the immortal daughter of the Wisdom Goddess who sat well away from them.

Jane stumbled in, wearing an entirely different set of clothes from the maroon dress that Sif leant her. It looked like sleepwear but she recognized the jacket that belonged to Perseus. All of it was navy blue. Her hair was frazzled and she was blinking the sleep away.

"Do I smell pancakes?"

"Perseus, why is she wearing your clothes?"

"You are definitely not a morning person, are you?"

Sif narrowed her eyes at the implication.

Jane, Calypso and Allison spoke respectively and simultaneously.

An exchange of glances were had between all those present, until Perseus spoke running a hand through his hair as he did so. "Yes to the pancakes. She only has a change of my clothes because she doesn't really have anything else. Something we will be fixing today." He then gestured between Jane and the enchantress. "Calypso, Jane. Jane, Calypso."

After the shock induced moment, despite Jane's attempt at a polite greeting, Calypso did the same to her as she did to Sif and directed an upturned nose and a huff to the mortal-turned-Asgardian as she went back to eating daintily the pancakes in front of her.

It was at that did Sif's thoughts mirror Perseus' own, scoffing lightly as she did so. 'Immortals.'

Calypso was decidedly not a friend of hers.

They soon ate. Sif eating a second course but decidedly holding back. She loved the food but it would not do to get gluttonous like Volstagg.

It did not take long for everyone to finish, with the exception of Jane and a playful Estelle. Sif figured Jane was still getting used to fact that Asgardians had a much larger appetite than humans.

"So the plan for today." Percy gestured dismissively as the whips of water began gathering dishes and washing them in the sink. A slight shiver ran down her spine at the effortless control. He did such mundane things with his divine gifts that it nearly escaped her that any one of those tendrils could probably strangle her and everyone in the room just as easily.

Luckily, she would be training with the demigod and could hopefully develop a counter to them. It would be hard, she knew, as there there were at least a dozen of them here in the kitchen and she doubted that was the extent of his conjuring capabilities.

She shook herself of the thoughts as he continued to speak. "You two need new wardrobes. Sorry to say Sif but your dresses makes you stand out." The Asgardian native felt a flush creeping up her neck at the words. He may have not meant it in that way, in fact she was absolutely sure that he did not, but she took it as a compliment nonetheless. He continued unimpeded. "Edwards will take the both of you to the city to get clothes. Estelle, can you do me a favor, pretty please?"

The little girl nodded excitedly and leapt off her chair. "Can you go get me the dolphin keys, please?"

She sped away out of the kitchen and tendrils of water immediately struck at her mess of a plate the moment she was out of sight.

"Why can't I go?" Calypso said suddenly interrupting his next words.

"Like you said, we have training to do. Because I know for a fact that you haven't been doing so while I was gone."

"There is no way you can prove that." The enchantress crossed her arms and upturned her nose at him.

"Really? That moonlace garden planted itself?" Was his retort and the woman cringed and sulked. "Anyways, I have my own errands to run while you guys do your thing." He fished out a small leather…pouch of some kind and looked to her. "Do you know how currency works here?"

Sif shook her head. The last time she was on Earth other than the time spent retrieving Thor from his exile was a thousand years ago when humans still used metal coins which she doubted they did now.

He sighed as he looked between Jane and Allison and then tossed the square piece of leather to Jane who fumbled with it for a moment.

"What? You don't trust me, Jackson?" She spoke up.

"No I don't. I figured the first chance you get would be to try and find a way to drain the treasury of Atlantis. As much as a few of the Olympians might get a kick out of that, that is something I don't want to deal with." He twisted his head to Jane. "Use the black card. Ill text you the PIN. Feel free to spend what you like." He waved off-handedly.

Jane nodded and the small girl soon returned with a set of keys that had an attached blue dolphin figure on it, handing them to her older brother who tossed them to Jane as well much to the scowl of Allison. "When was the last time you left Olympus?"

Allison flushed. "Its been…a couple years." She mumbled before quickly saying, "But I know how to drive!" Sif determined that Allison may be a couple hundred years old but still retained a semblance of childishness that she portrayed.

"Uh-huh." Perseus was entirely unconvinced. "BMW out front. I'd lend you the minivan but I don't know if my mom needs it for today, I think this one started or is starting school soon. I'm not entirely sure." He gestured to the girl that was playing with the tendrils of water. "And don't forget to Mist the license plate. Jane here is on a government watchlist for some reason and if I find SHIELD here, I might have to strangle someone." It was joke considering the mirth in his voice but his hardened eyes betrayed any amusement that it might have had.

Jane did flush slightly at the words though.

A comfortable silence descended upon them before Sif found herself inside the BMW as Jane and Perseus had called it. Jane was driving and after a brief altercation between Jane and Allison, Sif was seated in the 'Shotgun' seat. Whatever they had meant by that.

It was a awkward silence before Jane broke it. "Allison, I have a couple questions."

"I may have a couple answers." Was her snarky reply. "I'm your tutor, technically so any questions you have about the Immortal Realm, I'm obliged to answer."

"The first one is why you say the names of the…" Jane hesitated in her next words probably uncomfortable with saying them. "gods. I was told they have power."

Allison spoke immediately. "Normally, you'd be right and normally you'd be wrong. It works kind of weirdly. A regular everyday mortal can say the name of the gods without a care in the world and wouldn't get bolted, otherwise everyone would be dead or dying. I'm sure you've heard the words 'Knowledge is Power.', in some form or another. When people with the knowledge or actually know what they're doing subconsciously or not, they start to draw the attention of those beings. In regards to myself, my close link to them as a Priestess of Athena and my inherent immortality and residence on Olympus, I have more than a little freedom in this. Jackson is probably the same too considering his near constant dealing with them but he stays on the safe side of things and only references them."

"You can also think about them safely. Unless you actually intend to speak with them, in which case you'll draw their attention. I guess you could say its intent-based."

Jane hummed slightly before she spoke again.

"This next one isn't really about…your world." There was a slight pause. "I was wondering if you know why Percy mood shifts all the time? Does he have a disorder?"

"I also have the same question." Sif pitched in.

The girl in the backseat scoffed but answered nonetheless. "This actually does pertain to my world believe it or not. Okay, first you have to realize something about the Olympians and deities in general. They are essentially nature, concept and idea made manifest. Take my mom for example. Athena. She is the Goddess of Intellect, Wisdom, Strategy, Warfare, Crafts and Arts among the more prominent of her domains. Anyone short of Lord Ares or Lady Bellona will pale in grand battle strategy."

"But strategy can encompass all sorts of things." Jane said with a perplexed expression. "Law strategy, civil strategy."

She could see in the mirror that the girl tapped her nose at the words. "Exactly. Strategy is a generalizing term. Anything that typically requires extreme and I am talking extreme planning and coordination is her domain. So I can strategize my day but that technically isn't strategy just planning. That's why Immortals take on highly specific domains while more powerful ones are more encompassing. In regards to her domain of strategy, anything on the defensive is her domain be it civil or law or military. Lord Ares is offensive strategy but aligns more with militaristic affairs being the God of War. Lady Bellona encompasses all of it into one."

She took a breath. "In regards to Jackson. His dad is Lord Poseidon."

Sif spoke. "The Lord of the Oceans and Seas. The Stormbringer."

"So what do we know about the sea?" It was a rhetorical question as she answered herself. "Its made of water. It has vast ecosystems of aquatic life. You mortals have barely even scratched the surface of delving into its depths." She said slightly. "There's forms of life down there that date back hundreds of thousands of years. But we'll get back to that eventually. Jane, what do you think of first when you look to the ocean on a clear and warm summer day?"

"Uh, vacation." Jane stated. "Volleyball and relaxation."

"Now, Lady Sif." Allison was between the two of them leaning forward as Sif looked to her side to her. "What do you think of when the winds are rushing and waves are crashing against the shore?"

Sif immediately pictured a grey and dreary day against Asgard's beaches. Waves and tides raising high and crashing violently against the shore and the wind howling only broken by cracks of lightning. "Destruction. Violence. Anger."

"Okay. Now say, you and Jane are relaxing on a beach getting your tans on against the sun. Its warm. Sunny. You could say its serene and calm right?" She said and the two of them nodded, even if Sif didn't know what 'getting your tan on' meant, being unfamiliar with the expression. "And then, Wham!" She clapped her hands together suddenly causing Jane and her to jump in their seats. "A microburst is there. It starts raining violently, waves are booming and lightning is streaking across the sky in an instant."

"How does this apply to Percy?"

"Think about it. He is the Son of the Ocean made manifest. Now put all your interactions together of him. Notice anything?"

Sif thought about it. Her first interaction on Asgard and his skills as a diplomat and then acting nice to her on a sudden shift quipping and joking slightly as if she were an old friend. Then suddenly he turns into a domineering general that massacred the prisoners in the dungeons and then played the spy when he had caught Heimdall and her. Then all those interactions in the past two days. "He is the Ocean." Sif breathed.

"Right in one." Allison quipped. "Demigods in general mimic their immortal parents. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is always up for debate as is whether they want to or not. In my case, I can easily say I'm a prideful person but that's because I've had a quarter of a millennia to think about it. That's why we act in certain ways with certain people. For example, let's take a child of Hephaestus and a child of Athena. Lets say both are building the same exact building. You critique the child of Hephaestus and they welcome it and take the criticism easily because they embody improvement and innovation. Give that same criticism to the child of Athena however and they'll still believe themselves to be better because its in our nature to be prideful and will probably leave it as is just to spite you."

She cleared her throat and momentarily reverted into her previous accent. "Anyways, in regards to Jackson. He is his father's son in that regard. He flips easily because its in his nature to do so. One moment he was the calm and nice brother that we saw in there, the next he was directing and essentially issuing us orders. He shifts just like the ocean, even if he doesn't realize it."

"That's why the children of the gods are so varied and unique. We inherently adopt aspects and personalities of our immortal parents. And it can be a multitude of things, for myself, I had adopted the personality of intellect from my mom. For children of Poseidon and Demeter for example, their powers and near their entire personality are linked closely to their emotions because that is what nature is. Emotion incarnate. The more riled up they get, the more powerful and dangerous they are. It's also why they get along with nature spirits so well because to each other they might as well be family." She paused slightly. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. He has a good lid on them unlike his late half-brothers."

There was a slight silence. "What about his powers over liquid?" Sif pressed after another moment. "He demonstrated control over blood in a mortal woman and when he killed prisoners on Asgard." She wasn't about to mention the Aether as much as she wanted to.

"He did what?" Allison looked bewildered at her with wide eyes. "He killed prisoners on Asgard?"

Sif scrunched her eyes at the memory. "We were at a time of war." She admitted. "Perseus was instated as essentially a custodian of the Throne of Asgard by the King in defense of the realm. His first act was…as he put it, the 'repositioning of manpower'."

Allison's eyes narrowed at her words. "Let me guess he said something along the lines of, By the Will of Olympus or Olympus is watching. In your case it would have been Asgard."

Sif blinked at the girl. How would she know? "Yes. He said those words. How do you know?"

"Because he said the same things in the war against the Earth Mother." Allison scowled and a frown marred her face as she adopted a faraway look. "Given my rather…incapability of helping fight directly. I was assigned to be a camp aide and messenger. About ten days into the fighting, I'm working in one of the hospitals. He comes in, takes a look around, doesn't say anything though. He calls over all the medical personnel and orders us to not waste anymore resources on attempting to save the mortally wounded. He said it was by the Will of Olympus that this be carried out. We protested of course, yelled at him even because we had the equipment and supplies to at the very least try. But he wasn't even fazed. He just looked at us with those eyes of poison and told us that Olympus is Watching and then left." She spat out with venom. "We began triaging that day. I held the hands of so many wounded as they bled out."

Sif made to interrupt but Allison continued. "And then he and Reyna had that stupid plan to begin sending unsupported patrols into the fields. Handfuls of legacies at first, to scout out and probe the defenses of the Gigantes' armies. Not many returned. Then they started sending out demigod raiding parties. Also unsupported. Every now and then, they would return but more often then not they didn't. The bastard had the nerve to collapse a mountain on over a hundred of his own kin and even his cousin and his best friend because he couldn't have been bothered to send more of us in to flush them out of the caves."

"I doubt he remembers because he didn't even recognize me, but I called him out on it right then and there. And you know what he did?" It was a rhetorical question, Sif and Jane knew as neither dared to try and speak as enraptured and more than slightly horrified at the words of the girl. "He just stared at me. Said it was by the Will of Olympus and then walked away like it never even happened."

Sif could see slight tears welling in the girl's eyes as she recounted the memory. She sniffed. "There's so much that I don't know that happened in that war because it was by the Will of Olympus that it remain secret. Supported even by the Olympians themselves."

She sniffed again and wiped away the gathering tears that were at her eyes. Neither Jane nor Sif knew what to say and they journeyed quite a ways in an unsettling silence.

Sif herself had more than a dozen thoughts running through her mind. Was this what Heimdall was speaking of when he said Perseus would see Asgard burn if it meant victory? It was a horrifying thought. She had thought that he may have been overreacting and that the demigod was simply a better strategist and tactician than her.

Faced with the lengths that he was willing to go through to ensure victory made her stomach knot and twist in distaste.

Because Sif knew that Perseus would not go to such lengths unless it was absolutely needed. Her own experience gave her some semblance of comfort in that regard.

But it was still heart wrenching to see a young girl, regardless of her age, be so broken at the thought of losing so much. She wanted to offer words of consolation but she knew they would fall on deaf ears. The girl was looking for someone to blame and it didn't look like Perseus cared all that much that he shouldered it.

She would be having words with Jane however. It would not do well for their stay if she was scared or wary of the demigod. Perseus only did what needed to be done. Nothing more, nothing less. The fact that he saved her mortal world while doing so should only help her case as should his own actions in defeating Malekith.

"I'm sorry." Allison said and a hollow chuckle escaped her lips. She composed herself with a couple deep breaths. "Back to your question." She took another deep breath. "Sometimes, particularly powerful demigods will form their own powers outside of the typical realm of their parent but with links to it. Many of the Dekatheon fall in this category. One of them was a shapeshifter and could shift into all manner of beasts in a blink of an eye. I saw him do it once and he turned into a dragon mid-fight. His cousin, even if his father isn't the Stormbringer, can summon powerful storms just like Perseus can. Another of his cousins had an unnatural connection to raising the dead being able to raise literal undead armies to fight by his side. My sister…Annabeth was particularly good at gathering information and remaining unseen. Something about how all strategy and war revolves around intelligence. It makes sense in a way I guess. I wouldn't know." She shrugged her shoulders

"Jackson, probably, evolved his hydrokinesis into liquids in general, and I know for a fact that he is near immune to lightning given his storms and can summon bolts like a child of Zeus can much to his uncle's eternal displeasure. Jackson's power lies more in line with his innate abilities rather than his skill with a sword." She explained tiredly, the previous rant having drained her a decent amount. "Don't get me wrong, he is one of the best fighters to have ever lived, but combine that with his powers? It easily makes him one of the most powerful demigods to have ever lived."

They devolved into a silence for near the rest of the trip only exchanging polite conversation as they shopped for new clothes. Sif also learned some more about the Olympians as she and Jane made it a point to avoid the topic that was one Perseus Jackson.

Allison found herself contemplating as Jane drove them back to Jackson's estate.

It was a common enough occurrence for her. Working in the quiet position of an archivist in the legendary repositories of knowledge had afforded her to do a lot of self-reflecting and thinking to herself. Her immortality notwithstanding.

When her mother first approached her with this…task. She had been hesitant, given who it was for. She had seen Perseus Jackson fight and kill with her own eyes.

She had seen the demigod order things that made her stomach curl and hurl its contents on many occasion.

She didn't know how he slept at night or even if he did.

It wouldn't surprise her if he avoided it as much as he could. Her own dreams were fueled by nightmares of the war and she had only been exposed to scant bits of it.

She was getting better though even after two years.

The nightmares weren't as common as they once were but every now and then she would find herself standing in a musty field hospital, her white apron stained in blood and stood before a Sword of Olympus, either Percy or Reyna though usually the former, and be given the order to stop treating her current patient and to spend her time on those that were guaranteed to be saved.

Every now and then, she would hear the whispers edge her mind that a fractured Olympian patrol had been snuffed out, wholly unprepared to deal with whatever had been sent after them.

Reliving all those moments in the car of the person that caused it all, made her want to curl into a ball and cry all over again.

That was why she took the assignment. To get some closure for what happened to the best of the Children of Athena.

She determined that she stood a better chance against others in attempting the feat. She had her mother on her side. Perseus had all but submitted himself to Athena should she come to any harm though admittedly an oath on the Styx would have been better. She knew that the demigod was not so naïve to do something like that.

If she was destined for the Underworld by his hand then so be it, even if she highly doubted that it would come to that.

The two, more…mature women made her regret being forever in a teenage state. They worried after her even if one was a little over a thousand years old as she had been told, and the other was just barely past twenty six. She was over ten times the age of Jane and yet it still felt like she was just a child.

They returned promptly to the manor. It was a drive done in silence and it was evening with the sun setting in the west underneath a thick cloud cover. There was a slight chill to the air but overall it was nice weather to have been out and about in given it was barely August.

Pulling into the driveway of the open garage, the trio stepped out easily and entered the home. With Jane's new wardrobe in Allison's enchanted briefcase and Sif's in her own enchanted traveling satchel, they didn't have to worry about clutter and all the bags that came with the shopping spree.

She steeled her resolve for her next step. "Hey Jane, do you mind if I return Jackson's wallet? I need to ask him a couple things in regards to your tutoring and that seems as good excuse as any to talk to him."

A bold faced lie but she had experience in lying to her older half-brothers and sisters on Olympus on the few times she wanted to skive off on her duties. Luckily, Jane wasn't familiar with her tells nor was she even facing the demigoddess turned immortal.

"Sure." She said simply and tossed the worn leather wallet to her. "I have to get these cleaned and put away anyways. Thanks for letting me use the briefcase."

"No problem." It was a genuine response but Allison was in a heightened ADHD mode given her self-imposed task. She leapt away and into the house attempting to track down the demigod in question.

It took her a moment and she had to walk to the Eastern Wing in order to find him, he was in the communal room of the place. It was decorated much like the hallway was but where most of the artwork in the hallway depicted grand events, the ones in this room depicted more leisurely activities that she knew to be of both Camp Half-Blood and New Rome.

Scenes of campers and nymphs picking berries or lounging along the shore of the Sound. Others playing volleyball and some were running drills in the training area or climbing the lava wall.

It was just as she remembered from all those years ago when she first arrived.

Allison had never been to New Rome but she could still appreciate the scenes portrayed. The Roman city in its full glory looking over a nearby mount while in the distance she could see the Legion practicing maneuvers or their war games.

Her attention turned towards the demigod. He was lounging on a couch watching a news channel.

"American airwaves high-jacked for the third time in two months!" A news reporter exclaimed. "the infamous terrorist organization known as the Mandarin has claimed responsibility for the attack on-"

The channel changed abruptly to National Geographic and continued a documentary about cuttlefish. It sent shivers down her spine at the octopus…fish…creature. He would be watching something like that. Was her internal monologue.

"You'd think the mortals would do something other talk about the attacks huh?" He called out. To her most likely but how he knew she was there was beyond her. "That's the ninth one in what? Four months?"

"I wouldn't know. I live on Olympus remember?" Allison replied as she stepped fully into the room.

He hummed in response. "How'd it go?"

"It went well." She decided to be cordial before she began to prod him for information. Or more what was likely to happen. Set him off. The hardest part of the whole trip was probably having to find stuff in their size. "It was odd getting Lady Sif to try human clothing. I figured she would go for dresses because she was wearing one but instead went for more practical clothing. She really likes the leather jackets it seems." Sif had gotten herself a decent number of them.

The real experience was getting her to try the more human clothing.

That had been…something else.

He nodded but luckily for her, he seemed more interested in the cuttlefish that was vibrating different colors than to notice the burning at her ears at what had happened. She tossed his wallet lightly at him where it landed on the seat beside him. "I just hope you didn't break the account. I didn't get any alerts which was good."

"I did get some clothing of my own if that is alright." Allison admitted, she couldn't exactly help herself. He had handed them what was essentially a blank check in regards to their expenses. Plus, she wasn't about to spend her own money when it could be better served buying more books. "There's a couple shops on Olympus but they sell mostly chitons and other outdated wear." The other shops were run by Aphrodite and that was clothing that Allison didn't think she would ever find herself wearing, given her vow of priesthood.

He shrugged, not caring in the slightest it seemed and returned to watching the documentary.

She wrung her hands together. He was not making this easy to divert the conversation.

"You just going to stand there?" He spoke as the demigod glanced sideways at her.

She elected to just rip the band aid off. "Why did you let my sister die?" Her voice nearly broke as she finished the sentence.

In hindsight, it was probably not the best idea to come right out of the gate with it. Thunder boomed violently overhead but she didn't know if that was from Perseus subconsciously generating a storm or if she had inadvertently stepped on a subject that even the Olympians wanted to keep secret.

She got her answer when dangerously narrowed eyes slowly turned towards her, lightly glowing from a pleasant sea green to a poisonous venom. "Edwards, if I were you, I would choose my next words very carefully."

Allison steeled her resolve, it was no use backing down now. "Or what? You won't kill me." He stood from his seat at that and she took a couple steps back at the sudden action.

His eyes glowered down at her. "Did your mom put you up to this?" He growled. She cocked her head slightly.

"Why would she-" She came to a hard realization and the tears that had been forming at her eyes began to stream down. "The Olympians don't know either?"

He breathed slightly but his voice held a sharp and threatening edge to it, tinged in metal and venom. "You forget your place, Edwards. You should know better than anyone that if something important isn't being spoken about then its probably for a very good reason."

"You don't get to decide that!" She shouted at him. "You made us stop treating the wounded! You collapsed a mountain on your own cousin and friend! Why shouldn't we be able to talk about that?!"

His eyes lit up vibrantly. "It was war, Edwards! Things happen and you just have to accept them!"

"And why should I?! Why were you of all people chosen to lead us?! Why do you get to just pretend it never happened?!" She continued, not caring at the deathly look that the demigod was leveling at her. "So that it doesn't get out that you just didn't care?!"

"We did what we did because we were losing!" He barked in Greek and thunder boomed outside as if it were a rumble of cannons being fired in quick succession.

Her eyes widened as did Percy's a moment after he spoke the words.

Thunder continued to boom outside.

All the life seemed to drain from his features as he mumbled the words again, stumbling slightly and having to find the support of the edge of the couch. "We were losing."

She didn't say anything, too shocked at the revelation as tears continued to stream down her face.

He spoke after moment. His voice a low murmur and his eyes taking a faraway look. "We were running out of time." He said and then after a lengthy pause. He sighed as if he was resigning himself to his fate. "The Olympians were falling apart."

Thunder rumbled and she could hear the slight patter of rain even in here. She expected a divine bolt of lightning to strike down and kill him and her for his declaration.

But it never came.

"Wha-" Allison breathed and hiccupped as her emotions began to get the better of her. "What do you mean?"

He glanced at her, almost as if he was noticing her presence for the first time and then looked away again at the wall. He sighed again. "I am telling you right now that this cannot get out. I need your oath on the Styx."

Allison paused. Did she really want to jump down this rabbit hole? It took him just three words to stop her in her tracks. If all it took was three words to do that… She took a deep breath and nodded. "I, Allison Edwards, swear upon the River Styx to not repeat what is revealed to me in this…conversation by Perseus Jackson, unless given leave to do so."

The rumbling thunder outdoors grew louder just for a moment before it returned to its normal rolling noise and then ceasing entirely as the demigod calmed himself.

There was a silence. "Do you know what happened to the Hunt?"

She nodded. They were sent out to investigate a sighting of a Gigantes and had managed to subdue it but without the help of an actual immortal, it couldn't be defeated and when Gaea's reinforcements arrived they were near killed to the last for refusing to back down. She said as much.

And then he told her what really happened.

There was a silence as she digested the information. The fact that the Goddess of the Hunt had all but disappeared from the armies of Olympus had been something that wasn't noticed, she realized. Being driven mad with grief the Immortal Huntress had all but drawn in on herself.

And just like that in the span of the second night of the war, the Olympians were already down one of their more skilled fighters and a cadre of master warriors.

"And that's why you both were chosen to lead us? Because you covered up a massacre?"

He swallowed. "It was a sudden thing. The Queen insisted that I be elevated to Sword of Olympus alongside Reyna. We all thought Jason would be the one. It doesn't matter. Not anymore. You wanted to know why we don't talk about it? This is why. Over the course of the next ten days, the Dekatheon minus myself, Annabeth and Reyna would be systematically killed by Gaea and in two cases struck down by the Olympians themselves."

Her breath hitched. The Olympians killed two of the Seven?

Jackson continued entirely unaware of her thoughts. "The Olympians were secluding themselves, distraught over the best of us dying so easily. But without them we wouldn't have stood a chance against the Gigantes. We were running out of time. Triaging…and neglecting the mortally wounded was just one of many measures undertaken that day to do so, Edwards. It was a double bladed sword with no hilt." A hollow chuckle escaped his lips, slightly. "Our hands were going to get bloody no matter how we went about it."

"We needed to draw out the Gigantes. We started sending out patrols and raiding parties to do so. We needed to make it seem like it was just off-hand attacks so that the Giants would get over-confident and zealous, so all of them were unsupported. That's when we struck. In the course of the next five days, of the Eleven Gigantes, we slew Eight of them at the cost of hundreds of demigod and legacy lives. We wouldn't be able to justify the cost with the rest of the army. So those of us in command that still remained determined that I would take the blame and write them off as strategic and tactical mistakes if anyone asked."

Allison wanted nothing more in that moment to punch the Son of Poseidon.

Because she knew he was right. He would never be able to go to Camp again if word got out.

By Hades, his entire credibility would be shattered than that which was already lost.

A Giant didn't cost a hundred lives to take down. The First Gigantomachy taught them as much. Dionysus, the greatest demigod of his time and generation had defeated four alongside the Olympians. The First Gigantomachy was only notable because of the amount of destruction it caused the world, not in the loss of life.

Here it was the opposite.

A thousand for eight? When all they needed was one demigod and one immortal?

The math did not work out.

And the only reason no one connected the dots is because of how Reyna played them. Reyna's specialty was grand strategy, long-term planning, leading and inspiring. If she wanted an army or anyone to do or think in a certain way, it was done. Not only because of her natural charisma but because that was what Children of Bellona did. With Reyna being as strong as she was, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that she had manipulated them all with her own divine authority.

Perseus was painted as the bad guy because Reyna would never be able to make mistakes in sending out unsupported parties of demigods and legacies. She was lauded as a hero where Percy was the unemotional commander when in reality, they were both the ones responsible for all the death.

But it was better to have one monster rather than two. Especially if those monsters were their leaders. That was just asking for another war.

Then it all connected for her. She had heard that Reyna had been in line to receive a commission. Praetoria ad vitam. Praetor for life. A position that had been made just for her and one that someone like her would've loved and dreamed of but then it was revealed that she had joined the Hunters.

It looked like she was turning her back on the city and Legion that she had built and led in the greatest conflicts since the times of Ancient Rome. Spitting in the faces of all those that she had been friends with as she did so.

They had almost purged her from all of New Rome's records for the insult dealt. Romans were a prideful and fickle people like that.

But it wasn't an insult or for seeking immortality…she just couldn't face them nor lie to them for the rest of her life.

So she escaped the first chance she got.

Then she realized why Percy was hardly at Camp anymore as well and it was much the same reason. From what she had heard, he had completely devoted himself to the service of the Olympian Council, leaving to treat with the freed Titans. To deal with errant demigods and immortals that had sided with Gaea. To extinguish the remnants of her armies and to flush out monster bands and strongholds across the world over.

He drowned himself in his work almost entirely alone in the aftermath of the war.

Probably in hopes of some semblance of vengeance now that she knew the full picture.

"What…"She licked her lips as she prepared to ask her question again. "What happened to Annabeth?"

His eyes narrowed. "That is something that is none of your concern."

The demigoddess of Athena felt like crying at the biting words. She should've known that he wouldn't tell her everything. To him, she probably looked like just another little girl despite her age.

She cursed taking on immortality at sixteen now more than ever.

"Go to sleep. Allison. Maybe we'll talk some more but for now…I have a lot on mind."

She probably dredged up a ton of memories that he had been trying to push away and get over.

Allison Edwards nodded to the demigod, looking at him in under that same spiteful light. She may see why he did what he did but that did not mean that she would accept it. There could have been better ways to go about what they were trying to accomplish.

There had to be better ways. She reasoned with herself.

She didn't think she would be getting much sleep that night.

Percy watched the Priestess of Athena walk away solemnly with a tear-stricken face.

Flashes of the war pervaded his mind and he did his best to blink them away, closing his eyes as he did so.

"I did not think that was a wise idea, Perseus." A rich male voice resounded. One he recognized as Apollo's.

He opened his eyes to see the Sun God leaning casually on the doorframe that Allison had just exited. He was dressed simply for someone like him. A bright red t-shirt and khaki shorts with sunglasses propped up onto his head. His eyes were narrowed in a questioning and concerning manner as he looked to him.

He shrugged minutely, a simple prop of his shoulders. "What else could I have done?" She had baited him whether she realized it or not into revealing quite possibly one of the biggest secrets in the war with Gaea.

That Olympus was on the verge of defeat because the damn Gigantes were being smart for once and not showing themselves in the field of battle.

Prophoryion was playing for time. Time that Olympus could not afford to lose.

The armies of Olympus could kill monsters all the live long day but it didn't matter so long as the Gigantes still stood and with Gaea on the verge of awakening, the Swords of Olympus very much had their hands forced and to take drastic measures to pull them from their war camps and into the open.

He shook his head. He already had to live through the memories once today. He would not do so again.

Percy had to begrudgingly admit however, it was oddly refreshing to speak to someone that wasn't Reyna about the war.

Apollo hummed from his position. "Athena had thought you might kill the girl."

"I'm not that stupid nor am I willing to go that far." To think that even the Olympians would assume he would go straight to killing was something else. Cold-blooded murder was something that he would steer clear of as much as he could. Even in regards to mortals but he was much less concerned about killing them if he had to. With his kin though? That was a boundary he tried his best to avoid.

It unsettled him to a point that it made his stomach knot.

"Anyways that is not why I am here." Apollo stood straighter. Percy could easily guess as to why he was. "I am curious as to why I was unable to discern whether you were telling the truth or not."

Percy had been preparing for this conversation all day. His answer was easy, only speaking after a couple moments so that he wasn't so quick to answer. "I can't say that I know. I was honestly hoping you would just keep your mouth shut when I said those things." A humorless chuckle escaped the Sun God as he pushed from his position and paced the room in front of Percy. "Plus, I was told by Hecate that I was blinded from divine senses."

"I do not think that would matter, in this case at least." Apollo mused aloud. "Truth can be easily distinguished with or without my power. Regardless, I said something that was technically speaking a lie."

"I don't have a clear answer for you if that's what you're looking for. After I landed in London, and the meeting with Hestia, Artemis and Hecate, I didn't notice anything different." He ventured the small lie just to test. If this was true than he had a definitive answer that this entity was probably behind the change, even though it was almost guaranteed already.

Plus, it wouldn't hurt to know for sure if he could actually lie to the God of Truth. Who knows? It might come in handy one day.

"The only reason I know you're telling the truth is because my sister and aunt said the same thing." Apollo admitted.

"If its any consolation, Hecate said the Fates might be involved somehow. Other than that I have no idea what could be the cause." He didn't think the Fates would let it get out that someone was no longer under their purview. Especially someone like him.

"I may have to have a conversation with them then." He mused. "This…distortion. I assumed it might be Hecate at first since she is capable of this. But after today, it could be the Fates or something much older. Primordial even."

Percy didn't say anything. Mostly because he had nothing to offer unless he wanted to out himself at this point.

And he wasn't about to say that he had been visited by an esoteric being that seemed to have the capability to dull the senses of the Olympians on a whim.

"If you have or come across anymore information in regards to this, Perseus, contact me directly. I will be investigating this thoroughly."

The Son of Poseidon nodded his assent even though he wouldn't be doing that at all. Apollo flashed away without further preamble.

And Percy breathed a sigh of relief as he collapsed back onto the couch. His day was busy and these two latest events had drained him mentally.

Chiron was out doing something as he wasn't at Camp. He was told by Iris that he was on official Olympian business and that he was not to be disturbed but she would leave a message with him.

Hopefully, he called back as soon as possible.

Rachel, or rather the Oracle, was of no help either. There was no quest to be undertaken by him. Though he figured that was a longshot regardless. If he wasn't determined by Fate any longer than a quest was next to worthless. So no easy leads to figuring out the Asgardian and Olympian animosity.

All he could do now was wait until Hecate found something.

And he hated that most of all.

Waiting.

The real estate agent was incredibly helpful. So at least one thing went smoothly this day. Instead of boarding Jane's co-workers in his place, he instead set them up in another. After the run in with SHIELD he was not going to take any chances with any attempted run-ins with them.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly and yawned. Today was something else. Tomorrow would be just the beginning of a whole new set of things he needed to deal with.

Jane needed to be trained, Calypso also.

And Allison was a whole other can of worms he didn't want to deal with. Hopefully, she would just be satisfied with what he had told her but he doubted it. He would need to make it clear that some things about the war are best left to secrets.

He yawned again and felt his eyes grow heavy as he laid down on the couch.

He soon drifted off to sleep away the days events.

If only it were so easy.

Percy found himself swimming in a deep ocean. The water filtering easily in his lungs and seemingly rejuvenating him.

Unlike many of his other dreams however, he was not in control. Not this time.

Try as he might, he could not move his arms nor legs nor even his eyes.

In fact it felt like he was simply playing spectator.

But given it was a dream it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. It wasn't something that happened normally but it was definitely not uncommon.

He swam and swam in the clear waters of the ocean. He couldn't tell if he was on Earth or Asgard. The waters looked and felt much the same after he released the Undine from their imprisonment. He also couldn't tell if he was swimming in a certain cardinal direction nor if he was swimming up, down, left or right.

He was in his armor though. Fully this time. His golden spaulders having returned to their places upon his shoulders. He regained some ability to move his eyes and he gazed over his own form as he continued to swim.

It was much the same but it hadn't reverted back to the steel stygian grey trident that was still a muted but slightly glowing blood red.

And so he continued to swim.

And swim.

And swim.

In what felt like hours, days and weeks he continued to swim.

Until he found himself over a cliff's edge as he took a moment. Dark craggily rocks stacked like a mountain and coated in a thick layer of pale sand that made a normal seabed.

His head looked over the ravine and into the abyss below. Given his heritage he was able to see much clearly. The normal human would probably only be seeing pitch darkness and a murkiness.

He didn't. It was as if he were standing ashore and looking down the length of a beach that stretched for miles and miles on end.

Percy didn't notice anything particular other than a couple of schools of fish and a squid way off in the distance that was getting smaller and smaller with each passing moment.

He could see some other larger aquatic creatures given their size at this distance but again they much to far away for him to really care about what they were doing.

He felt his body maneuver once again. This time leaping from the cliff and jetting downwards in a dive, he felt the current also pull him along, to ease his journey.

At least, now he knew he was going down.

At least he thought he was.

It continued like this for some time. Simply diving downwards, the sparse aquatic life that was down here ignoring him for the most part. They would hang around lazily and nip playfully at the clothes he wore underneath his armor but it seemed they could tell he was on a mission and simply left him alone after some time.

He found himself getting closer to the jagged cliff face, before finding some sort of nook, that he eased himself in.

Percy began swimming down a tunnel. It was not smoothly bored and instead haphazard and seemingly naturally formed as every now and then a craggily rock would scrape or scratch against his armor. It was a miracle he could even fit inside the passageway.

He continued for sometime before he surfaced, the water cascading about his form as he exited the underwater passage. It was a dark and pitch black tunnel but luckily there was a ton of moisture in the air already and it caked the rocky environment around him.

He was able to maneuver easily in that regard.

But there was no set path to follow and he felt himself on more than one occasion having to climb across sharp walls and summon a bridge of water across a chasm of sharp rocks.

He seemed to find his destination though. Dark metal-like stone with deep engravings that he couldn't recognize or place, encased in the rocks of the cave he was in. He felt his body tense as he put a hand to it. A vibrant red wave emanating from where his hand connected with the unnatural wall.

He pulled back as the wall shuddered one moment before it began to slowly slide upwards. Pillars of dust falling as it did so.

Percy maneuvered into the revealed chamber with a seeming purpose, the metal wall shutting behind him as soon as he crossed the threshold. It was dark, near pitch-black at this point. The interior was deathly dry as if it had been sealed and had not outside contact with the outside in an extremely long time.

But the chamber was small and had six pillar-like structures arrayed in a vault-like manner. Each structure was similar with a fluted pillar jutting from the floor and then stopping at about his chest, where there was about two feet of empty space before another fluted pillar started from the ceiling of the chamber and continued downwards to that empty space.

It looked as if something was supposed to be displayed upon these structures.

He felt his arm raise and tense as if he were going to grasp at something in the empty air between the two pillars.

He felt his mind recoil as a vibrant, glowing and blood red fluid-like substance began to emanate from his hand and into the open air as it coalesced into that lozenge cut red gem once again.

A translucent and waving field shot forth from the top and bottom pillars, catching and encasing the floating gem serenely in the middle of the air between the two encasing fields.

Percy's eyes shot open as he stood straight.

He took in his surroundings immediately before willing himself to appear in his vault.

It was just like he left it.

The cascade of falls providing a comforting hum to the otherwise quiet interior as the Son of Poseidon maneuvered as fast as he could to where he had Sif place the Reality Stone.

He clicked the display open and reached in to open the Uru metal case. He didn't care if it would alert the Olympians. Not now. His breathing vapid as his hands shook to open the metal case.

There was no lozenge cut Reality Stone within the Uru case.

He felt the metal fall from his hands and dug through his mind in search for where that cave might be,

But try as he might, he could not even fathom where that place might be. It could be anywhere. On Asgard or Earth and it would take him lifetimes to comb the entirety of either ocean, much more for both of them.

He calmed himself though.

At this point there was absolutely nothing he could do. If the universe ended in the next couple of days there was nothing that could be done at that point.

So if it didn't then he was safe with the knowledge that if he didn't know where the Reality Stone was, then no one did.

'I mean, no one is completely evil...Dragons are complicated. Some are kinder than others, or braver than others, and some of them do really cruel things. But everyone has both good thoughts and bad thoughts and reasons for what they do, reasons they believe are important.'

-Moonwatcher, Wings of Fire

Hello! A lot of stuff goes on in this chapter but I am extremely happy with how it turned out. I did warn that this would be a lengthy chapter when we hit this chapter of worldbuilding and exposition.

I did consider splitting the chapter into two because of it but decided against it. There's just a lot things that needed to be done and if I held off on it longer then there might have been riots.

That being said, again a lot of things happened in this chapter. Three main things happen in this chapter. We have some of Jane's perspective on the Immortal Realm. Next we have Sif's own interaction with Percy and then quite a bit of exposition and worldbuilding. After that, we see some of what the war cost Percy and the effects it had on the demigods as a whole. And then we have…that last scene…

So much to look forward too!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on it! There's quite a lot of things in Percy's home that I tucked in there. Much of it alludes to many things and will continue to be built upon. Some of it is more apparent than other things but its there.

In regards, to the world building for what happened in the war. A lot of it is still unknown but we got some of what happened. We will continue to explore that avenue in the future. For what we do know there's still a lot more to do with it other than simple baiting. Percy merely made something really complicated and simplified it significantly, mostly because he had no inclination to do otherwise. I would also like to say that I am by no means a strategic genius nor armchair general but I am pulling from historical precedence and real world battles in history. In this case, its raiding to draw out a high value target from a fixed position.

I want to make it expressly clear that there is some vague hints in the previous two chapters that Sif had the Aether with her but they were there. I didn't just give her the Aether on a whim to give to Percy to...yeah. Whenever the Aether was mentioned aloud in the presence of Sif in the past two chapters, I made sure to make her discomfort visible. It was like one sentence in each chapter as it wasn't something that I wanted immediately figured out.

For the worldbuilding in general, the concepts I have introduced have been hinted at and built upon for some time already as far back as the first chapter actually. But this is simply to give us a general overview of the things that I have changed in regards to the Olympians in general. They are not just vessels of their domains. For demigods, weaker ones only embody one or two domains of their parent, like Allison. Those are usually able to do as they please for a good portion of their lives without worrying about a significant monster attack. We will continue to explore this as the worldbuilding for this work is not at all over.

If you have any questions at all feel free to leave a review! You can also find me on Discord, the Emerald Library! I am on there near daily talking about real time progress of my chapters as well as interacting with the community in regards to them! There's some dust in there for you. You know who you are when I say that.

You can find the link to that on my profile! But I'll also drop it here! Be sure to come say hello!

discord . gg/BE7vKcfzKd - Remember to remove the spaces!

There may also be an escalation in rating. I haven't decided yet. Since I am writing a more realistic world, (as can be in a world of magic and gods), it is likely that this will happen.

Next chapter we will be seeing some development of Jane's character and the dynamic between her and Percy. We will also be doing a little more world-building. Right now, he's impatient with her for a reason as it has been hinted at since their departure of Asgard. Afterwards, we will be moving to the next major arc.

One last thing! In regards to pairings, tis still undecided. This work is still barely in its infancy. Twenty chapters is just merely a stepping stone for this work! I have so much in the works and planned for this!