XXXVIII
Percy trudged across the snowy field of his home. A slow and purposeful stride as he entered the courtyard of his home. It was quiet, save for the crunching of the soft snow. The fountain in the courtyard, absent of its running water. The lights were twinkling off and the normally healthy green shrubs and bushes that lined his home held a somber wilt.
Percy felt a small tug on his gut, an instinct to see his home liven. As he passed the fountain, its sparkling, pure water ran anew, cascading across the stone as he continued onwards.
The foliage and greenery around that had lost its spark of life, seemed to brighten as he made his way through. Even as momentary as it was, he would not allow that dark and dreary atmosphere corrupt his home.
His body still ached and burned, his spirit and mind weathered and worn but being home…being home eased him into a comfort that he long needed.
He continued his near silent walk into his home, entering through the East Wing door that separated itself and the courtyard. If Morgana was anywhere, it was going to be there.
And so he opened the door.
He wondered where Calypso was but didn't think much of it, if they believed him dead, she would either go to the Hunt, back to Camp or live with Tethys. Though that last one would be something of a last resort, the demititaness would exhaust all her options before living on an island once again, even if it wasn't a prison this time.
It creaked inwards. A draft of cold air clashing against his back as he entered further.
It was quiet.
The lamps were on but dimmed to provide a warm but not pervasive glow.
Percy continued onwards, towards the sitting room, his crutch creaking all the while with his weight.
The Son of Poseidon felt and heard the purposeful stride coming towards him and he stopped in his tracks. He attempted to summon his sword and his equipment bracelet but found that the usual weight of the blade and clatter of beads was lost. They would not respond.
He should've known that handing over possession of the artefacts to someone else gave them ultimate authority over the enchantments that were embedded into them. If it worked for him
He would have to personally get them back.
Which was not good. He would rather not have to deal with the dramatics of returning to life. It would have been better to simply move on from the ordeal as he wished.
But then again if that…entity, that woman in his head that…pale woman, was telling the truth, then he did actually die.
Morgana rounded the corner of the sitting room.
Her illusion peeling away from her as she turned into her natural form. That golden amulet resting on her chest on a thick golden chain.
The sorceress staring at him in suspicion but also in minute relief.
Percy's own impassiveness only broken by the smallest but fiercest of glares.
They stared at each other for the a second that seemed to last for an eternity.
And in that second, something in Percy snapped. A jarring sound in his mind that lit a fire in his chest.
Anger engulfed him, the warm glowing scones along the wall flickering. One even shattering from an unseen but keenly felt pressure.
Morgana did not recoil from his outburst and, despite the small relief, she didn't seem all that surprised or scared of him, which to be fair was expected. They had faced the horrors of the Gigantomachy, and Percy could only guess at what she had been fighting over these last two millennia.
Percy heard a roiling thunder outside and he stamped down on his errant anger. Anger was good if it was focused. But he was in his home and unless he was going to turn it into a pile of rubble, it wouldn't do to let loose.
That being said, his anger did not entirely dissipate. Morgana had sent him back in time. Those with an inclination towards magic had a tendency to act in a way that seemed reactionary when in reality it could be one entire ploy for their machinations to come to fruition.
He needed to find out if that was the case here. If the sorceress used the Time Stone as if it were a simple weapon or tool, then there would be consequences. Even if it wasn't the Time Stone, the fact that Time itself was involved had the eyes of Olympus turned to her. The fact that it was an Infinity Stone on exacerbated the issue.
The only reason she still lived was because it ultimately led to the continuation of Olympus.
But it all depended on the why.
Hera, and by extension the Olympian Council, had appointed him judge, jury and executioner of the Daughter of Trivia.
If he felt that her reasons were not sufficient, then he would have to act. Maybe not himself, given his current state, but, whether it be a demigod warband, a Hunt or a direct intervention of an Olympian or immortal, someone would do it.
And so he spoke, his voice low, a hint of anger but tinged with weariness. "Did you knowingly use the Time Stone?"
That eternal second seemed to have a twin as it reared its ugly head once again.
She nodded.
And he sucked in a sharp breath.
"Why?" He shook his head at the audacity. "You know the consequences."
"It was both intentional and not. I don't know where you went or what you did to end up like this." Morgana said, her voice clipped but held that usual eerie and seemingly prophetic tone as she nodded her head to his crutch. "If you want to know the full truth you must come with me to Kamar Taj."
Percy sighed. It wasn't one of reassurance or resignation but one that held his exhaustion. Magic users and their need to be annoyingly vague.
"My mom and sister?"
"They are under the impression that you are under assignment and have gone out for the day."
Internally, he was relieved and he felt his body relax. Sally believing his death one time was hard enough. Percy didn't want to put her through something like that again.
"Calypso?"
"She is asleep right now. We haven't told her or your family of your supposed death."
"Where's Sif and Jane?"
"The Asgardians are with the mortal, aiding him in his endeavors."
"That's stupid." Percy voiced immediately. They had no business involving themselves in a mortal affair. "You allowed them?"
"They needed to be doing something and I would not have them interfering in my business."
"My business." Percy corrected with a growl of his own. "Sif has my sword and I don't trust you enough to go anywhere with you alone and unarmed. Allowing them to go puts the treaty at risk if they're attacked by
"You won't be unarmed." She retorted with a small exasperated sigh of her own. "If you want, you could bury the monastery with a stomp of your feet or drown it with a wave of your hand."
"That's if you don't have protections against those things, and I'd be a fool to assume that there isn't."
"You won't be alone either." An easily recognizable voice said, one with a flicker of Spanish. The annoyance of Morgana was clearly visible as Reyna stepped into the hall and leaned on the wall behind the sorceress. Adorned in the usual Hunter's garb plus the Aegis cloak, the Lieutenant of the Hunt smiled brightly at him as she tucked an errant strand of her raven hair behind her ear. A silver bow and a quiver of arrows on her back and her spatha sheathed at her hip.
He couldn't help the small smile that prickled at his face seeing her round the corner. A small relief that he wasn't alone and someone he could rely on to work alongside.
"What are you doing here?" While Percy didn't mind her presence as she was actually one of the few that was welcomed with open arms to his home, he was still surprised that she was here and his voice conveyed that easily.
Her voice took an official tone if a bit mocking. A small drum of thunder accompanying her words. "By order of Lady Juno, Lady Diana dispatched me here. She only said the witch used an artefact that wasn't supposed to be used and that you're in charge of this one. Other than that nothing."
Morgana's gaze snapped to the woman but Reyna only shrugged.
"She should've said something."
"The Queen of Olympus should've said a lot of things." Reyna shrugged again, flicking something off her cloak as she did so.
Morgana interjected. "And as much as I would like it to only be us two, it appears Olympus does not trust me. Not the first time." She mumbled that last part to herself. Probably meant to go unheard but considering who she was, it was entirely possible she wanted herself to be heard.
Percy was beginning to hate magic, particularly their users. Hecate had a pass but her children… well they could do with a few lessons of being direct and to the point with their intentions. Some were better than others, but Morgana was the worse of them all.
This skirting of bushes was starting to really piss him off.
Another sigh escaped him, as he nodded his head albeit begrudgingly. There wasn't much to argue now. Reyna was effectively his escort and he did have to get a handle on the situation.
"Well," Percy gestured forwards. "No time like the present."
Morgana nodded but Reyna grimaced as she moved towards him and examined his injury, pushing his head to the side as she looked at the scar on his neck. "Messing with too much lightning?" He pushed her hand away. While there was no smile on her face, there was humor laced in her tone.
"Something like that." A small twitch of his lips.
She saddled up next to him on his uninjured side and fell into the role as his escort easily, setting a hand on her sword with a touch of her fingers ready to grasp her cloak to shield them both if needed.
It felt like it was the start of some bad joke. If someone were to ask a demigod to picture the Swords of Olympus, descriptors such as stalwart commanders, merciless killers and the best among them would be common words shared.
Yet at the moment, one was so far unable to physically fight while the other was nothing more than a bodyguard.
Not a picture many would ever envision.
Percy straightened as much as he could as Morgana twirled her wrist, the image of a monastery underneath a full moon appearing within the sparkling amber circle before them. "I would ask that you hide your weapons, Lieutenant."
Reyna sighed in exasperation as she flicked her wrist, her sword, bow and arrows disappearing in a shimmering moonlight. A twinkling silver bracelet adorning her dominant hand.
Morgana once again tossed on her illusion as one would a cloak before stepping through the portal.
Percy and Reyna shared a look of confusion at that but upon her shrugging they followed.
It was a dark, cloudless night and with the full moon out, the luminescent light cast across the stone courtyard, well not exactly a courtyard. It was a flat thing, and more of an elongated terrace. There wasn't much he could see due to a fog that lay over the city around them and he didn't have a desire to remove it. What he could see though was the sloping and curved edged roofs around tall square buildings.
"Right this way." She gestured for them to follow. Her voice returning to a more aristocratic English lilt.
"Where are we?" Reyna asked as they took in their surroundings.
"Nepal." Was the immediate answer.
A little slower than the pace of Morgana, the pair followed. Percy took the time to watch his step and he could see that Reyna was doing the same. The scribbles were small, near indecipherable and unnoticeable but etched into the paved and smooth stone, if Percy had to guess, were spells.
Some stones didn't have any at all but the majority of them that he could see did.
They continued to walk, moving across a large round sigil that was made of some sort of metal. It looked to be steel, with its grey coloration but considering the amount of material that a magic user would have access to, it could be anything from simple iron or lead to Uru or Adamantine.
Though he doubted it was the star metal or the enchanted silver.
"How much you want to bet that this is a trap?" Reyna muttered under her breath as she scanned the buildings. Morgana was a good couple meters away.
Percy's eyes also scanned their surroundings, looking for other abnormalities. "The sigil?"
"Defensive measure. Probably a cage for something or a shield for the monastery with how its positioned." Reyna explained and then clarified. "This whole meeting thing."
"If it's a trap it's a very poor one." Percy mumbled to her and she nodded slightly in agreement.
"A trap is still a trap, no matter how poor."
"If she wanted to kill us, she would've done it already." Given Percy's rather slowed and injured gait, it took them a moment longer before they stood alongside Morgana at the entrance to what appeared to be the main building. Percy looked at the sorceress who was staring at the two. He didn't stop his commentating nor did he quiet his voice. The Son of Poseidon wanted her to hear him. "Bringing us all the way out here would only delay her death if she did kill us."
Morgana scoffed but said nothing in response as she opened the door for them.
"It'd only buy her a month tops." Reyna said in agreement with a slight twitch of her lips. "Only because the gods would argue for who would have the satisfaction of killing her. My denarii would be on Lady Diana or Lord Neptune obtaining the honor."
Even Percy cracked a smile at that. It was too close to the truth for it to not be funny.
As the two entered, Morgana had her own retort to bite back with a small tone of derision but also speculation, her eyes boring into their own. "I am ready for when my time comes. Are you?" As if it were something that she knew they considered but would dread to actually face.
"My life has been nothing but service to Rome and Olympus." Reyna said in a bland tone that conveyed that she was used to saying this. "That always came with the risk of my life. Am I comfortable with it? No, but I'm not going to shy away from what's asked of me."
Considering she was the Lieutenant of the Hunt, it was entirely possible that she did say this a lot.
Percy didn't say anything and instead fixed her with a hard stare. Her words meant little to him before as she was merely another child of the Magic albeit an incredibly long-lived one, even on the plains of Greece. After what had happened, whatever respect he had for her was gone.
Morgana met his stare with her own impassive one before humming and walking away, leading deeper into the monastery.
"I don't like her." Reyna grumbled as they began following.
"If it was an option, we wouldn't even be here." Percy spoke after a moment.
The monastery wasn't much. Though if he had to compare it, it looked like a temple, if leaning more on side of museum rather than a place of worship with all the encased and displayed artefacts that were abound in the large hallways and rooms. He already figured some sort of spatial magic to be at play here. The atrium was too large to fit inside was a stout and comparatively short square building.
The fact that the atrium was round instead of square like the outside of the building would've suggested, only cemented that it was not a natural and mortal construction.
They continued, passing a few monks that wore a variety of color robes. All greeting Morgana with smiles and slight bows but also sending the two that followed her speculative and curious glances. Though none dared to stop them, it wasn't like they could if they wanted to. Morgana seemed to make it clear that she was busy and the bored, if a bit hostile looks that had set on Percy and Reyna's faces dissuaded any who would attempt to ask any question.
They entered a large room, open air with filtered wooden dividers, a few with large silken drapes over them. The first thing Percy noticed however was that they were not alone.
Two people, who Percy assumed to be attendants with how they were cleaning and organizing the room. While a flicker of his attention was held on them, there were others. Quite a few of them to be exact and they all regarded them with that same measure of curiosity that the other monks seemed to have.
One of them even appeared to be missing an arm, if the rather limp sleeve was any indication.
"Collecting more wayward souls, Master?" One, a slightly Danish accent highlighting his tone but also a hint of amusement as he gazed at them with suspicious if a bit weary eyes.
Percy and Reyna shared a confused look before directing their attention to Morgana.
"Master Drumm said you were…pre-occupied with something in New York and it would be a few days until you returned." Another man ventured, he was of darker complexion and held a voice that was both smooth yet held a tinge of passion as he looked to Morgana, who had morphed her features to impassiveness with the touch of a smile. Like she knew things they didn't, which in fairness, would be stupid to assume she didn't.
"Yes, I was cleaning up some messes." She admitted with a serene and knowing smile. "These two are guests of mine and not acolytes."
"I see." He responded as he studied them with a crossed arm and along with a hand on his chin. His eyes more than once flicking to the tiara on Reyna's head. "And do your guests have names?"
He was growing tired of this. Percy interjected in a tone that was bored and yet with one that was reserved for those asking about things that they had no business to. "None that concern you."
Morgana immediately raised her hand to stop whatever retort the others in the room may have had. Both of them with indignant looks on their faces. The others seemed to be simply looking between the them "While they do have names, they are a rather private people and are here on business. I would ask that we may have some privacy while I deal with these matters."
There was a small pause and Percy took the precaution of readying his abilities when he saw Reyna's hand retreat behind her cloak. He didn't think that they would attack, but if they needed to be…persuaded, well, neither of the Swords of Olympus would find them wanting.
"Please, forgive our suspicion. It's not our intention to pry." Another stepped forward from behind the initial two men. A man of Asian heritage. Not exactly heavy-set but of bulky and strong build. "The Ancient One does not often bring in visitors to Kamar Taj. Much less ones that seem to be already be aware of who we are, we meant no disrespect."
Percy and Reyna shared another look of confusion. Ancient One? For someone as old as Morgana, he supposed the title fit. He didn't think he'd want it to get out that it was her that inspired the Arthurian legends.
Reyna spoke probably sensing his agitation. "it's true, we know who you are. We're here on business. Business that concerns the head of your order. We're to here to hopefully resolve this quickly and peacefully. Beyond that, we're not allowed to speak more."
"She speaks true." Morgana spoke, that same smile resting on her face. "This is a matter of the Sorcerer Supreme. If I need aid, I'll call upon you all. Now I must ask that you excuse us."
"Of course, Ancient One." The dark skinned man said, after a moment and bowed at the waist. "I believe I speak for everyone here and say that we won't intrude any longer. We were merely curious." He smiled tightly at them that made it apparent to Percy that he wasn't entirely trusting of them and it was only a façade.
And with that, the room began to filter out. The initial man, who was well-spoken but suspicious clicked his tongue in displeasure at them with his arms folded across his chest as he left. Reyna fixed him with firm but bored stare, but Percy ignored him entirely.
"I took the liberty of preparing some tea for you, Master." The last one said as he gestured to the waiting table where a pot of steaming tea sat. He smiled warmly at them and nodded to them before leaving as well.
The moment the door closed, Morgana waved her hand and a sigil of amber sparks appeared as it encased the room before disappearing entirely.
"Is it often that your…colleagues interrogate you?" Percy asked as she finished.
"We're not an army, Son of Poseidon." She retorted with a tight frown. "I don't have the luxury of dismissing whoever questions me with a sword at their throat."
Percy blinked and a heavy lump formed in his own throat as he grit his teeth in annoyance.
The crutch snapped underneath the pressure of his clenching fist. He threw it at the feet of Morgana but he held his injured side.
Reyna frowned as she looked towards the broken walking aid and then back towards the witch. "We're not here to question your method of leadership."
He felt their presence before they spoke but even as he did, Percy felt his blood run cold. Reyna visibly seizing up and Morgana cringing and straining her neck in obvious discomfort. "You are here, because we ordered it." A scratchy and truly ancient voice was heard throughout the room.
They instinctually lined themselves up, alongside each other to stand before the Three Sisters, their black dresses, shawls and cloaks billowing behind them on an non-existent wind as the silken drapes remained still. Their spindly fingers and weathered hands, automatically working at the strings in their hands.
The three half-bloods kneeled and bowed their heads as one. Percy doing so a little slower due to his injury, but did so all the same. Reyna at the very least helping his descent.
Another voice resounded. "But it was to be a delicate matter."
And the last, "Our intention to bring you here was not without risk."
The first spoke once again. "Apollyon."
Percy's eye twitched.
The second, "We have a desire to speak with you."
You could have just called or asked.
"Remain kneeling."
Percy had no intention of disobeying them. There was simply too much to consider. Did they lie on Olympus? Was he still under their influence and manipulations?
"The Daughter of Bellona will leave."
"As will the Daughter of Trivia."
There was a slight hesitation on Reyna's part before she stood, following Morgana's near instant obedience.
They left without another word but there was a slight hesitance in their steps before they left the room entirely.
"Prepare yourself, Apollyon."
And in that moment, the three pairs of spindles and hooks for their never-ending task, clinked. A jarring sound, one that should not have been possible with such frail objects.
Percy's vision darkened and swirled.
He couldn't feel himself anymore, his body felt like nothing but he was aware if only in mind.
Like when he was in Chronos' office.
But, he felt his eyes opening.
And looked downwards, seeing his state of attire had not changed.
It was a simple place. Nothing as grand or ornate as the large office and realm of Chronos. It wasn't at all like Olympus, Asgard or Atlantis. In fact, Percy couldn't spot a hint of gold anywhere.
It was simply…simple.
A wooden abode, like how he would envision a cabin or a hut to be like, since there appeared to be no other rooms. A burning and warm hearth sat over a stone chimney, with a fine varnished wood paneling across the floor. Logs made up the walls thought there was no windows or door, while for furniture there wasn't any save for a three things.
A large, intricate and master-crafted yet ancient loom dominated the center of the space with a large tapestry filling its space, resting atop a simple rug of that same quality. Beside it was a simple table, filled with a variety of colored yarn and string and tools he was sure had to do with weaving and sewing.
Besides those things, Percy was alone.
A flicker of…something danced at the edge of his vision. And he whirled to face it.
Only to find nothing, just a plain log wall.
A clack from behind him and he turned to face that.
Before him now, was a woman. She was tall. Unusually so, about eight feet in height if Percy had to guess. She was also beautiful though, with a lithe figure. She was adorned much like the room. Simply and what was often expected of the more reclusive and traditional of the pantheon. A white chiton with a simple yarn and twine cord wrapped around her waist.
However, what stood out, was her face. While unblemished and perfect, her lips held a tint of paleness and was not the pink or red that he had often seen of the immortal women of Olympus. Silver hair, though not sheen and had a certain dullness to the usual sparkling etherealness that most immortals possessed. What did catch his eye, was that she was blindfolded.
There were cloth wrappings tightly around her head and eyes.
She was facing him and looking towards him as her hands idly ran through the tapestry before her.
"Apollyon." She greeted with a slight incline of her head as she seemed to find what she wanted on her project and began to work once again. "Forgive me, its been long since I have been fully…conscious." A small small graced her face. "To be awake again, is both welcoming and jarring."
There was only one being this could be. His previous…time travel. The Moirai and their interventions.
He composed himself. Taking deep, calming breathes before answering. He didn't kneel nor bow. "Lady Ananke." He guessed.
She smiled again. It was serene. One that was not warm nor evil but just a simple smile. As if she was…content.
"Come see." She laughed lightly at her own joke. "I wish to show you something."
What is it and immortals showing me things before they ask me to kill?
"Take a look and tell me what you see." She gestured to the tapestry.
He looked.
It wasn't much. Muted colors for the most part but he couldn't make anything of it. It looked like a mess to him but he didn't think it wise to tell that to a Primordial goddess.
"It's…something." He settled on.
"Do not lie, Apollyon." Her retort was sharp and whatever warmth or joviality the Protogenos of Fate had was gone in an instant.
"Uh…it's a…mess." He paused before adding. "To me at least." He clarified.
Her serene smile returned. "I guess to you it is." She began working, pulling a large wooden block upwards and downwards of the loom. "Tell me. What do you think Fate is?"
He thought for a moment and when he couldn't think of a better answer, he responded. "Something that is bound to happen."
"Simply and crudely put but not inaccurate." She hummed as she ran her fingers through the tapestry feeling every strand that made it. "Fate is…" She trailed off. "Fate is."
"Fate is?"
She nodded. "Fate is the culmination of all things. Some call it destiny. Karma. A chance. A circumstance. Divine will. Whatever suits them at that time." She waved her hand lazily. "You must know that Fate is uncaring. Like Time, Fate happens whether one wants it to or not."
He grit his teeth. "I'm intimately familiar."
"You are and you are not." She laughed again. "Fate is not so much as the journey as it is a destination. A mortal can do everything right, be a good person and perfect, and yet end up in the gutter. Your stepfather for example. He did everything right. Had a family, cared for you when he didn't have to. And yet, he was killed."
"Had I been there I could have prevented that."
"And yet you were not there." She retorted. "Why is that?"
He fell silent.
"Do you not think that had you not taken the hunt for the Asgardians, you would have prevented his untimely demise?"
"Yes." His answer was immediate.
She hummed and continued to work. "And yet a great many more would have died on the streets of your mortal city. Tens of thousands would have lost their lives. Families would have been torn apart, children without parents. Parents without children. I could go on and all the while, your little family would be together."
"So you're saying that it was done for the greater good. That it was either him or them."
"I did not say that. What I said was that Fate is the culmination of all things. You could have entirely chose to not go after the Asgardians. You could have even done something else, like lead a warband, killed the Asgardians or even side with either of them. You could have even prevented the use of the Infinity Stone or used it yourself. You could have saved both your stepfather and the mortals of the city, or let them both suffer in their innumerable deaths."
His mind flared as he thought of that. What if he did use the Infinity Stone? What if he had killed Loki then and there aboard the Helicarrier?
"They would have lived longer. Paul would have lived longer."
She smiled.
"And that is where you are right."
Percy blinked.
"You mistake Fate as something that is set and carved in stone when it isn't." She hummed in a momentary pause. "Your interaction with my daughters clued you in on it. And the conversation with my brother explained it in detail. Fate is fluid, ever changing and ever adapting and yet one core concept remains. Do you know what that concept is?"
He stared at her blankly.
She sighed. "Tell me, what do your think of your immortal brother and sisters?"
"I don't think of them often."
"Try."
Percy thought for a moment. With exception to the hunt for the Trojan Sea Monster and the brief interlude with Kymopoleia during the Gigantomachy, there wasn't any significant time he had spent with them.
"What exactly are you asking?"
"Tell me of their attributes. How you perceive them. How others would perceive them." She hummed.
He thought again before speaking. "Triton is noble. He knows how to lead and cares for the people of Atlantis. Not so much people on the surface of the world though but he would do more for them if he could." He paused as he thought of Rhodes.
"I think the most noticeable thing about Rhodes is that she is quiet and kind and willing to put others before herself. Selfless."
Ananke nodded and gestured for him to go on as she continued to work on her tapestry.
"Kymopoleia, I think is a lot like myself. We're soldiers meant to be directed at an enemy that's to be destroyed." There was a silence one that lasted long enough that made him uncomfortable. The self-awareness in his words as he considered them made him want to change the subject. "Why did you ask?"
She hummed again as she turned her face to him. It was a bit unsettling to have someone supposedly blind looking at him. Unlike Mnemosyne who had a set of glasses that, at the very least, made it seem like she could see normally.
"Each of Poseidon's children embodies an aspect of him and in turn the sea. This I'm sure you know." She started as he nodded and she turned back to her work. "Triton. The nobility of the ocean. Honorable. Just. All traits of the majesty of the ocean and in turn would make him a fine king of the ocean. But being honorbound has its faults. An honorable general or warrior is someone who is remembered."
"That's good." Percy remarked. "To be remembered, that is."
"And yet its to be remembered. Not to be living. A warrior and general that is told tales of is a warrior and general that is dead. And for an immortal that is not a state one desires to be in."
Percy bit his tongue. It seemed more than a little cynical.
"Rhodes. Compassionate. Kind. Merciful and respectful. Sailors pay homage to her for a reason. When the ocean churns it is Rhodes who is their lighthouse to guide them and be their beacon of hope at sea. However, someone such as she is easily taken advantage of because while experienced, she sees good where there is none. You wouldn't want someone like her ruling or leading an army, because while she will be an inspiring figure, ultimately those traits will be her downfall."
"Kymopoleia, the Wrathful Storm. The rage and vengeance of the sea made incarnate. She is without a doubt the destroyer of the ocean. Storms meant to lay cities low and reshape the very land. You are correct in that a being such as she is to be directed, as her leading anything would be a detriment in the long run." She continued. "Of course, every child is their own being at the end of the day. No one is dominated just by a single mindset or their preconceived aspect. It's only exacerbated by immortals. Triton can be just as savage as Kymopoleia and Kymopoleia can be just as noble as Triton." She paused. "Have you ever wondered what aspect you are?"
He shook his head as he spoke, a bit of sarcasm leaking into his tone. "I haven't given it much thought to be honest."
Her lips set into a thin line that told him that she was not amused by his words. "Watch your tone, Apollyon." Were the simple voiced words, and yet the manner in which they were said, made him stand just a little straighter.
Percy had been lulled into a false sense of amicable conversation in this pseudo philosophical lecture and had very briefly forgotten he was speaking to a Primordial and not a simple teacher.
"My apologies."
She returned to her work. "We return to our original question and in turn answer the question what aspect you seem to embody." She looked to him again very briefly as she spoke the word. "Inevitability."
He felt a heavy air settle on them as she continued to work on her tapestry and spoke once again. "What is Fate if not inevitable. That is why it is feared. That is why you are feared."
"That…doesn't make sense."
"How so?"
"The ocean isn't inevitable. It just…exists." He trailed off, the gears clicking in his mind as he spoke. A smile grew on the face of Ananke.
"No matter what form it may take, the ocean is." She emphasized. "You embody its inevitability. No matter what, you always push through, good or bad, right or wrong. Where Kymopoleia is arrogant and wrathful, you are certain. Rigid but flexible. You delve into your actions, your duty and quests with such surety and resilience that no matter what happens, you win, evenat the cost of your own health, life and happiness." Ananke looked to his injured arm and he instinctively rubbed the scar of the Master Bolt. A flash of the Battle of Greece in his mind's eye and all the draconian decisions made.
"Very little else is so sure of itself. Like the ocean, your word is Its currents and tides that will obey and continue whether we want them to or not. Your actions, the waves and the storms that spawn and destroy whether we want them to or not. For what you represent even if subconsciously, you are feared. Inevitability." She ran her fingers through her work once again. "You are the inevitability of the sea made manifest; an erosion of what was, is and will be. Immortal and mortal alike are fearful of that. Such an unstoppable and impossible force of nature and to be so utterly incapable and unprepared in the face of such a being sparks the primal fear that lies in everyone."
Percy didn't respond to that, knowing exactly what she was referring to.
"You made it very apparent that immortals can die and you are wise to say you are ignorant to what happened."
"It was just a fluke." Percy's voice, a near silent whisper. "We did what we thought would work. We didn't think it would actually work."
She shrugged and made her off-hand remark. "What you think and what happened are two different things."
There was a silence for a while as the demigod digested the information. He already figured going around and killing immortals would be a bad idea. The rather large target on his back would become unbearable if he did it without cause.
Again though, it was only a fluke. The circumstances of Gaea's death was luck and only luck.
Ananke all the while working on her tapestry. "Why am I here?"
Her response as usual, was immediate. "For several reasons. The first and foremost was so we could discuss what exactly happened to you just one year prior and during your little foray into the past. We mostly covered that." Percy blinked and she turned her head to him to see his confused expression. Her hands continuing to work on her tapestry. "While you had many choices in pursuing the Asgardians, you did not have much choice in what you did in the past, unless my brother Chronos allowed it. He is rather…obsessive in the maintenance of his realm. You now can do as you desire."
"So the Moirai weren't…lying? Were they?"
"I have yet to witness my daughters do such a thing. They merely misinterpreted my words." She laughed. "No one is above their fate. Ultimately, choice governs your destiny not the other way around. They simply cannot see where your path leads, and, dare I say it, panicked. I believe it best that they remain ignorant. Take what you learn here and do what you will." She waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "If you have any questions, this will be your opportunity to ask."
He thought for a moment. His mind prickling as a thought occurred to him. "Why did Morgana attack me?"
"Attack you?" Ananke laughed. "You attacked her."
"She provoked me which is an attack in and of itself. Provocation is justification." Percy corrected with a slight narrowing of his eyes, being mindful that he was still talking to a Primordial. "How was I supposed to be aware of her intentions?"
"The Daughter of Trivia, while I haven't spoken to her, was under instruction to bring you here for a dialogue with my daughters. My daughters gave her specific instructions on how to do so. What you made of it was of your own volition. Of course, she could have decided to tell you what exactly was going on but didn't for her own reasons." She paused. "Take what you learned here and what you already know and apply it to the situation."
For some odd reason, a sense of overwhelming déjà vu hit him, a headache forming slightly as he shook his head. He thought on it for a bit before coming to a rather, in his opinion, poor but discernable conclusion. "Her actions are her own." Ananke hummed, though not in agreement or disagreement. "You chose someone that is easily provoked. A demigod would approach me with caution already and someone of Morgana's caliber would assure and prepare for any possibility. Everything that happened is of her own decisions."
Ananke's bandaged face looked to him, and the first time since their meeting, her smile had a distinctive predatory curl to it. "Someone that is told to expect trouble and resistance and is looking for it will see it where there is none."
Not a lie but not a truth, merely influence. Morgana was told to expect resistance. That did not necessarily mean that resistance was guaranteed yet to merely prepare for it. Preparing as she did, easily provoked Percy into action. A simple self-fulfillment of decision.
Percy knew it too. He had, on occasion, jumped at his own shadows. More often than not, his instinct and intuition was right, the case of Asgard and the war with the Dark Elves, and the Tesseract in the past. Other times, he should have trusted his instincts and intuition more. The Battle of New York coming to mind. Had he pressed Loki, perhaps the battle would have never happened.
And rarely, those shadows were of his own making.
A flash of a blood stricken field on Greece coming to mind. Two great beasts warring against each other. One of gleaming golden metal and another possessing a grotesque and hideous visage.
He blinked and grunted his affirmation and relented.
Though not entirely.
"Is the witch your agent?"
"An agent of convenience." She waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "She is no longer a concern of mine. The Olympians, or should I say, you may render judgement as you see fit."
He arched a brow. "You don't care what may happen to her?"
"You forget. The laws that govern the Protogenoi are different than those that govern Olympus. And she is beholden to Olympus. She made her decision to use an Infinity Stone and she must live or die with the consequences. Though I will impart you a word of wisdom, retaliation is good, opportunity is better."
There was a silence for a while as she worked and he thought on how to deal with Morgana and the words of the Lady of Fate.
From what little he knew of the Morgana, she commanded an order of magic users. Ones that could prove problematic if he outright killed her. The last thing he needed was to get killed in his sleep because of a vengeful sorcerer.
And he detested the idea of having to outright exterminate them because of that paranoia.
He supposed he should ask for advice while he could and see how far he could take that particular line of thought.
"May I ask for some advice?"
She glanced sideways at him, her head tilting in his direction as if she still could see past her bandages. "Whatever for?" If she could raise a confused eyebrow she would.
"My new assignment. For the Mortal Realm."
She hummed. "That is certainly a complicated situation you have found yourself in." Ananke remarked. "It's not one that the Olympians have decided lightly. Even now there are discussions and debates if this is a wise course of action. You, after all, know the effects the Immortal Realm can have on the Mortal one."
Percy was all too familiar. The last time half-bloods were allowed to do as they pleased in the world, it turned into petty grudges that saw the world torn in half by war and resulted in the splitting of the aspects of the Olympians.
"Take what you learned here today and apply yourself to this assignment." She waved her hand once again in a dismissive manner. "The mortals are ultimately of no concern of mine."
It was worth a shot at the very least.
There was a lull in conversation as Percy simply stood there and Lady Ananke worked on her tapestry. The minutes wore on as Percy finally spoke again.
"Is that all?" It wasn't said with any sort of impatience or malice, only confusion. Percy figured if she had anything else to say, she would've done so. Standing around with nothing to do ill suited the Son of Poseidon.
Her response, as always, was immediate. "Mostly. I want you to take one last look at this and have your opinion. It is not…often that I get an outsider's opinion on my work. Hopefully it is not a mess any longer. Tell me what it looks like. " She gestured to her tapestry. In this entire time, he didn't exactly know how long they had been talking, she had made substantial progress on it and as he stepped forward to examine it, this time…this time it was truly beautiful. It reminded him of the night sky in its many hues and colors and twinkling stars.
"It looks like the stars, Lady Ananke." He spoke softly. It was a mesmerizing piece of work.
She hummed, clearly pleased with herself. "Hmm. I see. I believe this will be my best work yet." She said with a smile.
He furrowed brow as he considered her words and her actions throughout this entire meeting.
"You can't see what you make?"
"Goodbye, Apollyon."
And his mind went blank.
'Anybody can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not within everybody's power and is not easy.'
-Aristotle
Figured I'd put up one more chapter before I go on my break.
Not much to say here. I will be going on break for the rest of the year as I deal with IRL stuff. Don't expect any updates until next year. Other than that you can find me on the Emerald Library Discord. If you do join, please follow the rules.
The link to that is on my profile.