Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson
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Emerald Library: It is so big you can google it
Writer's Block: wttJDs62Dy
LAST TIME:
"What kind of test is it?" Percy questioned as Oceanus picked up the swordfish before tossing it before Percy as he looked down at it confused.
"It is a test to see if you qualify for the protection placed on you." He spoke firmly. Percy looked up at him in confusion as Artemis joined him. Seeing their expressions, Oceanus made a curious face.
"Could neither of you tell?" He asked them as they just stared at him as the titan blinked several times.
"It is about my adoptive daughter's blessing, Hera, queen of the gods. It is cleverly buried deep inside your aura but I can sense her protection placed upon you. One so great that even I have only seen it placed on one other being. That being was Hebe, Hera's beloved daughter, which begs the question… who are you to her?" He spoke in a firm and somehow knowing tone as both their eyes widened.
"Now, pick up the fish and accept my challenge. I wish to see what kind of man you are, Perseus Jackson, inheritor of the primordial domains of the sea."
NOW:
LOCATION: New York, Hera's main office
THIRD PERSON POV:
"Stare…."
"Saying 'stare' won't make me work faster, sweetie," Hera spoke softly as she peeked up from her paperwork to see an 18-year-old Hebe resting her head on Hera's desk while looking very bored. Hebe even put on sad puppy dog eyes as she seemed to beg her mother to pay attention to her. To say the least, Hebe had been doing this for the past few hours. Hera couldn't help but softly laugh at her daughter's antics; after putting down her paperwork and stretching her back a bit, she finally focused on Hebe.
"Come now, what is it, sweetie? You don't normally drop in like this." Hera said with a raised eyebrow as Hebe just stared at her mother for a bit before lifting her head as she began to play with her fingers.
"Well… can't I just come by and see you?" Hebe asked in a shy voice as her body began to de-age until she was about 16 years old. Seeing such a sight made Hera smile. Whenever Hebe did this, there was always something she wanted to talk about, not that Hera minded.
"Come and sit. Let's catch up." Hera said while standing up and walking to the couch in her office. Without a word, Hebe stood up and joined her on the luxurious and soft couch. The moment Hebe sat on the couch, she laid down and quickly claimed her mother's thighs as her pillow. Hera, on the other hand, instinctively reached down and began to stroke Hebe's hair. Like this, the two simply enjoyed each other's company and warmth as they relaxed.
"Mom… has something been happening with you lately?" Hebe finally broke the silence with a worried tone as Hera paused her petting for a moment before continuing as she put on a curious face, yet internally Hera was freaking out a bit at Hebe's words. She thought she had managed to keep everything a secret, but her daughter had already picked up on the tiniest hints.
"I'm not sure what you mean Hebe." Hera said calmly as Hebe scrunched up her eyebrows a bit as she tried to figure out how to say what was on her mind.
"I… I've just noticed a change with you. You seem much happier and brighter than usual… as terrible as it sounds." Hebe said in a shy and apologetic tone. Hera couldn't help but laugh at her words a bit as Hebe's cheeks puffed up a bit in embarrassment.
"Hahaha, I guess you're right, my little princess. I have indeed been much happier lately. I have had some things happen in my personal life lately that have indeed changed my outlook on things." Hera said, in all honesty, as she followed her words up with a small sigh as Hebe gave a slight nod.
"Is it about Zeus?" Hebe suddenly asked and found Hera shaking her head with a somewhat sour look on her face at the mention of him.
"No, it isn't. He and I haven't spoken to one another privately in a long time, and I don't care to start again ever again." Hera said with a vicious tone that could melt stone as Hebe put on a knowing face; she was already very aware of her parents'… situation.
Her relationship with him was not the greatest either. The looks he had given her before she married were enough to change how she thought of him. Then came the night Zeus forced himself onto Hera. After that, she never saw him as her father again. Right then, she and Hera excluded themselves from Zeus' life outside council meetings. All gods say you must put up with your immortal families forever, yet some things can never be forgiven, even if they are family.
"Sorry…" Hebe mumbled an apology as Hera couldn't help but let her anger go as she focused on her precious daughter in her lap.
"Don't worry. I know you didn't mean any harm, sweetie." Hera said in a soft tone as Hebe closed her eyes for a moment and gathered her thoughts for a bit longer until she opened her eyes yet again.
"Mom… did you create another child?" Hebe's sudden words reverberated in the room like an explosion as Hera's body froze and her heartbeat began to race. Panic swept through her mind as she couldn't help but look down at Hebe's swirling brown eyes that stared up at her. In a single instant, she could tell Hebe knew something. Taking a moment, she gathered herself and then sighed as her gaze hardened.
"No, I haven't," Hera said as Hebe's expression turned into one that said she didn't believe what she just said, but then Hera continued as her gaze softened. "At least not yet… it is very complicated to explain."
"Complicated how?" Hebe asked in a confused tone as she finally sat up and faced her mother. Yet Hera's expression was full of complicated emotions as the goddess didn't know what to say. Hebe simply couldn't figure out what her mother was thinking when Hera's gaze hardened before Hebe could move. With a flick of her wrist, Hebe felt the space around them cut off from the outside world before Hera's intense aura filled the room.
"Hebe… you must swear on your essence to never tell anyone what I am about to tell you unless the truth is revealed by myself or others. If you cannot do that, I need you to swear never to speak of this again until I say so." Hera spoke in a calm and cold tone that made Hebe's back shiver a bit before a cold sweat covered her body as the aura pressed down on her. She had forgotten how powerful her mother was.
Hebe stared into her mother's eyes, even with her oppressive aura covering her, and saw more than her serious demeanor. She saw her mother begging her to take this oath so nothing would happen to her. Yet she could also see the seriousness inside those eyes. If she tried to avoid the oath, Hera would pursue her and find a way to make her take the oath one way or another. Hebe couldn't help but take a shaky breath as the aura around her readied itself for what was next.
"I- I, Hebe, daughter of Hera, swear on my essence to never speak to anyone about what Hera, queen of Olympus, is about to tell me. I will only speak of it with others who know or whenever Hera permits me to speak. If I break this oath, may my essence scatter and be sent to reform." Hebe's words were shaky for a moment until she seemed to find her resolve and carefully spoke as she fulfilled the oath. Her body radiated a colorful glow as she felt her essence bind to the oath.
The feeling of an invisible blade hanging above her neck made her shiver a bit as she took a deep breath and nodded. Before she could move, two arms pulled her into a big hug and planted her face in her mother's bosom. Hera's erratic heartbeat pounded in her ear before she took several deep breaths to relax forcefully. At that moment Hebe realized just how stressed Hera had become in that moment, her love for her child never once disappearing even as she threatened her.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Hera apologized as Hebe shook her head a little as she reached around and pulled Hera into a hug as well. The mother-daughter pair continued to hug with tears in their eyes for a while. Both had overcome a significant hurdle in their relationship, even if it did not seem like much. Yet their trust in one another showed through, and everything was correctly settled.
"I didn't realize how serious this topic would be. I should have known better than to bring it up." Hebe apologized as well as Hera shook her head and pulled away from her daughter.
"You couldn't have known, and I am a terrible liar around you, haha. I am curious though, how did you know?" Hera asked as Hebe glanced up at her mother.
"I will turn into a 6-year-old on the full moon once a month. My domain of youth was the cause of this, but I simply couldn't find a reason for it until it finally struck me last week. My youth, in essence, is tied to the day I was born, which coincides with you. I have a nasty habit of being the youngest in the room. I also… have a preference of being the youngest in my direct family. After some detective work, I found the domain was pointing at you." Hebe explained as Hera finally understood how her daughter had found out.
"I will fully explain all this during the next full moon. It is best to show what is happening and then explain it slowly. The situation is extremely complicated and hard to explain otherwise. But you are right… I do have a child or will, at least. Until then, I hope you can settle for waiting a bit more." Hera said with a sigh as Hebe pursed her lips together but nodded in the end, she had already taken the oath, so she wasn't worried.
"Still to figure all this out on your own, it seems you truly inherited my wisdom and knowledge," Hera said in a slightly boastful tone at the end as Hebe slowly pursed her lips, much to Hera's confusion.
"Maybe in your later years, of course. But your early ones… last week over brunch, Uncle Oceanus said you were a spitfire and hardheaded in your youth. He also said your smartest move was to observe his marriage in the old days." Hebe said as Hera's face filled with a grimace as she remembered her cringe-worthy memories. Those horrible memories of her selfish behavior and rash actions would never leave her alone. Thankfully, the last millennia straightened her out a bit.
"Fine, you made your point. Also, when did the two of you start having brunches? Doesn't he know there is a war happening right now?" Hera said in a harsh tone as Hebe shrugged a little, seeming unconcerned as well.
"He said he just wanted to chat and was double-checking the blessing you placed on me. When he left, he said he wanted to check something out. Also, he didn't care about the war. His words were, and I quote, 'I don't care about that little shit in the pit. He can fight his own battles.' at least that is the simplified version," Hebe said with a snort as Hera paused upon hearing her words.
"Checking your blessing out? What does that mean… oh no." Hera's eyes widened immensely as she seemed to piece together several puzzle pieces, yet Hebe grew confused at her expression. Hera then grabbed Hebe by the arms as panic took over her face.
"Did he mention where he was going?" Hera asked in a hurried tone as Hebe blinked in surprise at her mother's actions.
"Ummm… he mentioned something about the sea of monsters always having tasty fish and that he would pick us up something nice to eat. He also mentioned having you and me over for dinner like the old times." Hebe said as Hera's expression fell as her body seemed to lose all its energy.
"Mom?" Hebe asked in a worried tone as Hera's face slowly regained its emotions until only annoyance and anger were left as her aura fluctuated several times.
"That MEDDLING OLD MAN!"
LINEBREAK:
LOCATION: Polyphemus' island
PERCY POV:
"Achoo!" Oceanus suddenly sneezed right after he spoke, and I couldn't help but glance at the Titan before me. Rubbing his nose a little, he glared across the sea as if trying to find something. In return, I did the same but found nothing as Oceanus cleared his throat, causing me to turn my attention back to him.
"Do you accept, Perseus?" He asked as I stared at him momentarily before I leaned down and picked up the swordfish by my feet. The fish struggled in my arms, but I didn't care and held it tight as Oceanus revealed a small grin on his otherwise stoic face.
"I accept your challenge, Oceanus," I said as Oceanus' grin spread into a smile. With that, the sea serpent on his arm hissed in delight before it began to morph and quickly took the form of an ancient bronze trident. He then slammed the trident into the ground, causing the whole island to shake slightly. I couldn't help but smirk a bit at his display of power. This was going to be a fun fight.
"Excellent! I suspect nothing less of Pontus' inheritor! Artemis, if you will." Oceanus said in a voice that sounded like a roaring that shook the air. Before I knew it, Artemis stood before me with her hands extended with a slightly pissed-off look on her face. I then suddenly realized I had made a rash decision without the counsel of soulmates chipping in… Oops.
"I promise I won't go overboard," I said apologetically. Artemis narrowed her eyes before angrily snatching the swordfish from my arms. The fish struggled in her arms, and the next moment, Artemis' hands moved swiftly around it.
SNAP
"I know you won't," Artemis said in a calm tone laced with mild anger as the now-dead fish lay limp in her arms. I couldn't help but gulp at the scene as she rolled her eyes and spoke again. "Besides, this challenge isn't life-threatening. Believe it or not, we immortals have rules around our challenges."
"She is correct," Oceanus spoke as I turned my eyes to him. "In this challenge, we shall not kill. We shall fight until we cannot stand or Artemis finishes cooking the swordfish."
"What?" I couldn't help but ask in confusion as I looked at Artemis, who had already pulled a few large leaves from the trees around us.
"It's so the challengers can eat and talk after the fight. If you were to ask me, I think it is a dumb rule. Yet you males always seem to enjoy that part the most, always so buddy-buddy after you kick the shit out of each other. The fish symbolizes the meal you will share after the challenge, so picking it up equals accepting his challenge. Also, you men are idiots! Who thinks up such stupid things!" Artemis explained, facing us with her back as she finally got enough leaves to lay the fish on the ground.
"It helps build strong bonds of friendship!" Oceanus proudly said while flexing his arms. I stared at him, a bit flabbergasted. Somehow, all the tension of his arrival had dissipated at this point. I wasn't sure I wanted to fight anymore, so I tossed those thoughts aside and focused on the Titan before me for the moment.
"I understand… how do you want to do this, big fella?" I asked as Oceanus let out a soft chuckle before his expression returned to its normal stoic state. He lifted his spear and gave it a quick twirl before aiming it at me as I readied myself. Crimson Sky and Eternal Bonds transformed and joined my side as I held my kopis and shield ready.
THIRD PERSON POV:
WHOOSH!
DING!
BANG!
SHING!!
DONG!
Artemis watched keenly as Percy and Oceanus fought one another at high speeds. Percy's kopis and Oceanus' trident created a world full of sparks and sharp lights as their movements tore apart the sandy beach. Artemis summoned a small protective dome around her and the cooking area because of all the sand thrown into the air to not dirty the food. Yet her eyes couldn't seem to leave the fight before her as she saw Percy twist and move like she had never seen before.
"HAHAH! You move like a slippery eel, little one!" Oceanus bellowed loudly as his trident stabbed forward with lightning speed, and Percy used his shield to dodge the blow. In doing so, his whole body slid backward from the force, yet he managed to stay standing and even seemed excited that he was able to stay standing.
"Says that one who moves just like a wingfish!" Percy shouted back as he struck forward with all his might toward another incoming strike.
DOOONG!
His blade met the ancient trident in a burst of air, cutting across the beach and making ripples on Artemis' barrier. The goddess narrowed her eyes at the scene and continued to filet the swordfish perfectly. Oceanus and Percy continued to push against one another, and their weapons seemed to hiss, as the sparks showered between them. Percy gritted his teeth and pushed harder as his muscles bludged, and a new unfound strength surged inside him. In that instance, he found the strength to push the 8-foot-tall Titan before him back a single step, leaving Oceanus with gleaming eyes of extreme interest.
Though he wasn't giving it his 100 percent, he used his current form's total body strength with no extra powers. His simple muscle strength at its finest should have easily overpowered Percy, yet the boy pushed him back! He shouldn't have been this strong even if he was a demigod of the highest standing. Only a young godling could show such strength as this, yet he didn't feel any aura from the boy. Oceanus' excitement grew as Percy forced him back another step. Percy seemed to glare at him.
"You are a strong boy! Are you truly a son of Poseidon?" Oceanus asked Percy as he pushed against him, forcing the two to fly away from one another and slide a dozen feet back. Both took a moment to gather themselves as Oceanus spun his trident while Percy transformed Crimson Sky into its spear form.
"I am indeed, as much as that fact displeases me," Percy said, raising his spear while his body grew tense. His eyes continued to lock onto Oceanus, as the titan didn't seem ready to use any powers just yet.
"Hmmm… it seems so. Now, again!" Oceanus bellowed like crashing waves as Percy sprung forward so fiercely that the sand beneath his feet flew back like a tidal wave. Like this, another dance of metal and men began as the two fought one another. Each moved like the wind, and with such skill, it was beyond anything human by a long shot. Oceanus had over a few thousand years to polish his skills, while Percy had less than 20.
Yet, during those years, multiple Primordials and gods personally taught Percy to hone his skills day in and day out. How many times had he trained so hard that his hands lost all their skin? How many times had he passed out from exhaustion while training? How many times had he pushed past his limits in training and fights? Even after Percy lost his family against Abyss, his training did not stop but intensified. Even if he could not move his body, his mind was constantly image training in his mind.
Percy's limitless talent and tremendous effort versus Oceanus' countless years of practice: One relied on their already-known skills and rarely practiced, while the other still put in massive amounts of effort daily.
"64 flaming petals!" Percy yelled as he kicked off the ground and rapidly thrust his spear at Oceanus, causing the titan's eyes to widen immensely. Without an ounce of aura embedded in the strikes, some moved so fast that they even seemed illusionary as they flew toward him. At the same time, others came at scary angles that forced him to block or dodge, narrowly avoiding injury. He had focused entirely on the strikes coming towards him for the first time in millennia as his steady heart beat with excitement.
Oceanus even stepped back several times as the storm of strikes approached him, each strike growing faster as Percy's movements grew more fluid. The pressure on him grew as Oceanus narrowed his eyes, and his stoic face slowly turned into a grin. Yet a moment later, he was forced to duck down as the tip of a spear came dangerously close to his face, nearly cutting his nose. Letting out a laugh of enjoyment, he suddenly raised his leg and stomped down as hard as he could.
The sand erupted from the ground beneath him like a tidal wave, and Percy quickly lost sight of Oceanus behind the wave. His instincts flared as he raised his shield just in time for a trident to crash into it. Yet the force was too much, smashing his arm into his chest and knocking the air out of his lungs before flinging him back a dozen feet. Percy flew through the air before quickly stabbing his spear down into the sand to slow himself down.
As he came to a stop, Percy felt his back lightly hit something. He quickly turned to see the barrier Artemis had put up right behind him. Artemis was just on the other side of the barrier, starting a fire. Her actions paused momentarily as her slightly worried silver eyes locked onto Percy. As Percy met her gaze, he couldn't help but give her an excited smile and a slight nod that only caused her to roll her eyes and puff up her cheeks before continuing to start the fire.
"That spear technique is unlike anything I had ever seen, Perseus. In terms of techniques, it is one of the most profound I have seen. Even the spear skills of Titans and gods pale compared to it." Oceanus spoke as Percy turned to the titan, who was dusting himself off a little. Yet the slight grin on his face was still present as Percy's eyes narrowed.
"Yet each strike lacks something, no matter how wicked, devious, fast, proud, or angry. It is almost like your body does not listen to your fine control over it." Oceanus pointed out as Percy grimaced a bit. The Titan had hit it right on the nose. His body had grown a lot since the tribulation in all aspects, but he had yet to grow accustomed to it fully. Being stronger was great, but it didn't matter much if he couldn't control it.
"The technique's name is Day's End. My family taught me this a long time ago. I am sorry, but that is all I can tell you." Oceanus nodded a few times in response. He was interested but not one to pry about such things. "You already noticed, huh? This makes things more difficult," Percy said mockingly at the end, causing Oceanus to glance at him.
"A beautiful name for a deadly technique many would be jealous of. Also, do not worry. I shall help you adjust to your newfound strength properly." Oceanus said as he leveled his trident and aimed it at Percy. This caused the demi-creator and the goddess behind him to blink in surprise.
"Help me? This is a challenge, isn't it? Why would you help me?" Percy asked in disbelief. Even Artemis nodded in response as if asking the same question.
"What? I can't fight you at your best if you can't control your body. What kind of challenge would that be? Simply keep attacking, and I shall adjust accordingly," Oceanus said in a simple tone, and Percy's eyebrow twitched in response. This titan was beginning to get on his nerves. Yet Oceanus didn't wait for Percy to speak as he moved and lunged forward with incredible might. So fast that Percy barely had time to move before the trident was upon him.
"Oceans Swell," Oceanus spoke in a deep rumble as Percy barely dodged his trident. With a single step, Oceanus' 8-foot-tall body was right on top of Percy, and a fist was launched right at Percy's face. Percy barely had time to raise his shield, but the blow never came as Percy realized he had been fluked. His gaze rapidly turned to the trident he had just dodged to find a blur before his eyes.
Percy's spine tingled as his danger sense flared. Instinctively, he pulled his head backward just in time. The end of Oceanus' trident grazed his chin as it spun upwards, and he narrowly dodged a critical chin strike. Percy's eyes widened as he forced himself to move again. Percy used his shield this time and struck Oceanus' trident while his spear transformed into his kopis. Using a single moment to attack the Titan's exposed gut.
"Slow!" Oceanus bellowed as his trident smashed down against Percy's shield with such force he was yet again flung to the side. Rolling once before launching himself at Oceanus, the two began trading a torrent of blows again. Yet this time, Oceanus was not the one being pushed back. The titan was now using 100% of his technique on top of his body's strength. Combining the two was too much for Percy to stand as he began to be thrown across the beach with each of Oceanus' incredible strikes.
DING!
BANG!
GONG!
The third clash of the two had persisted for several minutes as the beach was again laid to waste. Sand flew in every direction; rocks were crushed and destroyed without worry. Several times, Percy used part of the cliff face around them to propel himself like a missile at Oceanus, and his weapon switched from spear to kopis. He even occasionally began to switch his blade to a dagger for tricky strikes. Yet Oceanus met each of his strikes with perfectly timed blows as his battle prowess kept Percy at bay.
Time continued to flow as Oceanus began to realize his tactic was working. Percy was beginning to adapt to his strength at incredible speed, so fast it startled the titan a bit. All he could do was push the boy into a corner repeatedly as his technique changed and adjusted. In 30 minutes, he fully utilized his skill against the boy as he tried to take him down or wound him. It seems he was only partially successful.
Each time he attempted a knockout or major blow, Percy dodged or blocked it by the skin of his teeth. Oceanus could only pummel Percy across the beach until the two closed in on the water. They escaped one final clash of weapons and retreated from one another as they took a moment. Both of them gasped for air as their muscles burned; fighting without any use of aura or power was exhausting yet thrilling to each of them.
But at this moment, Percy had gathered a few dozen bruises and cuts over his body, which slowed him down. Though none of the cuts were deep, there were simply too many of them, making Percy grit his teeth. He wanted to continue fighting, but his screaming muscles begged him to stop. Even with his newfound stamina through tribulation, it was not enough to sustain him for about 45 minutes of intense fighting without aura.
Oceanus was also feeling the effects of the prolonged battle. It had been a millennia since he had fought like this, and the thrill was exhilarating. Glancing down at his body, he found his situation far better than Percy's. He had only suffered from a few small cuts, yet the startling part was that each was right next to or on top of a vital spot on his body. The titan couldn't help but take note of this.
"It seems you are finally attuned to your own body. Though I must say… are the killing strikes necessary?" Oceanus asked as Percy couldn't help but grin as he looked up at him.
"Of course, how else would I take down a titan?" Percy said with a chuckle as Oceanus couldn't help but nod. The boy did have a point.
"Hmm… it seems this part of the challenge is over. I have confirmed your skill with weapons. It is now time to test your abilities," Oceanus said as he stood tall before his profound blue aura gathered around him. In a moment, his wounds healed as Percy nodded. A moment later, his black aura gathered around him, causing his wounds to heal until he was left with smooth skin. Their auras soon began pouring out of the two of them like broken faucets, black and blue mixed as they readied themselves for battle.
"HEY!" Suddenly, a voice interrupted the two. Oceanus and Percy both turned to see Artemis holding up a knife in their direction. Right beside her was the swordfish slowly cooking on a metal grate she had acquired from somewhere. Seeing her pointing at them with a bloody knife made both men stop for a moment as they paid attention to the slightly angry goddess.
"Get away from the island! There is a quest still happening here! If either interrupts it, the fates will be far from lenient on you! Even if you are in the middle of a challenge!" Artemis snapped at them, even making small jabs toward them threateningly. Percy and Oceanus frowned at mentioning the three best naggers from the pantheon. Oceanus hid himself from the Fates' vision when coming here. If he were found out because he had disturbed a quest… he preferred not to think about it.
"You have 15 minutes left until I am done cooking, by the way," she added at the end, as Percy and Oceanus turned back towards one another and gave a swift nod. Without a word, both shot into the distance, using the water around them to carry them out to sea swiftly. In a few moments, they disappeared as Artemis let out a long sigh.
Artemis shook her head in worry and frustration as she sat back in front of the fish. She knew Percy would be safe but couldn't stop her heart racing as she recalled the battle she had just witnessed. She saw each move in incredible detail each time they clashed or injured one another, and it was almost hard to watch as the two of them went at it 100%. She felt her heart skip a beat each time Oceanus' trident nearly gouged or struck Percy. But each time, Percy managed to dodge or block barely, and her worry grew.
LINEBREAK:
"Another weak attack? When will you get serious?" Oceanus asked as he waved his hand, summoning a shield of water to cover him. Spears of water that Percy had summoned smashed into it with no effect. Percy didn't even retort as he waved his hand, causing the water around him to shake and stir. Vast amounts of water soon began to gather behind him like a mountain. Percy's once-black aura soon began to turn sea blue as the power started to radiate off of him.
"Is this serious enough for you?" Percy asked as even more power radiated off him until his wings burst from his back. Light blue feathers quickly covered his wings, and as they did, Oceanus could feel the domain of the sea falling under Percy's control. Feeling the water act in such a way so close, Oceanus had a reminiscent look appear on his face until a smile slowly grew on his lips.
"It seems Pontus has taught you well," Oceanus said as his power swelled. The water beneath him soon transformed into a massive whirlpool that slowly expanded outward. 100ft… 500ft… 1500ft, the massive whirlpool even had serpent-like torrents of water raging inside it. It was almost like the ocean's depths were trying to drag themselves out of the depths as the Titan's aura grew stronger. It soon overtook Percy's aura level in moments before surpassing it as Percy's eyes narrowed.
"We have 12 minutes left until Artemis is done, the perfect amount of time. Whispers say this is within your limit of using your powers to the fullest without receiving backlash. I want to fight you at your strongest without worry, Perseus. Everything else up to this point was to get an idea of who you are at your core and essence. From what I have seen, you are an outstanding man who will blaze a trail never seen before." Oceanus spoke as he watched the mountain of water behind Percy become a massive humanoid from the waist up. Yet, upon hearing his words, Percy couldn't help but think back to a quote Chaos once told him when she taught him swordplay.
Understanding through combat,
An ancient dance of flesh and will,
Bodies clash, intent revealed,
In the arena, truth distilled.
Each strike a question,
Each parry an answer,
The rhythm of battle,
A language unspoken.
Fear and courage entwined,
In the dance of blades,
To know oneself,
One must face the fray.
For in the crucible of combat,
We glimpse our essence,
The fire that burns within,
The primal force of existence.
So spar with honor,
Seek not just victory,
But the revelation,
Of what lies beneath the skin.
And when the dust settles,
When bruises fade,
You'll find understanding,
In the echoes of the blade.
Those words echoed inside Percy's mind as he stared down at Oceanus. The titan continued to sink into his whirlpool as he stared at him slowly. The giant spinning meat grinder closed in on his water giant as it grew larger and loomed over the ocean.
"I have learned a lot about you, Perseus. I have only seen a demigod as strong as you a few times. This alone is outstanding. Yet I still do not entirely understand why Hera has decided to bless you in such a protective way. So let us have one final bout so you can show me why. You have 11 minutes to make your case." Oceanus spoke in a voice that melded with the grinding of the whirlpool. His arms raised high as he aimed his trident at Percy's, causing the demi-creator's face to reveal a grin slowly.
"I only need 9 minutes to kick your ass!" Percy roared as the water giant shot forward. In a single moment, Percy was pulled into the chest of the nearly 200-foot-tall water giant. The instant Percy moved to the giant's heart, light blue veins grew inside it and pulsed with intense power. In the next, the giant seemed to solidify more as its muscles and limbs were perfectly shaped. Finally, it dove deep into the whirlpool where Oceanus lay, greeting him with a powerful punch.
BOOOOM!
A vast wall of water exploded outwards in a huge dome, destroying the massive whirlpool that had enveloped the ocean. Inside, the massive void caused by the blow was the water giant, and a falling Oceanus could be seen. Oceanus' fist was covered in golden blood, but he didn't seem phased as he continued to use the momentum of the blow to fall deeper into the dark depths. His glowing green eyes never left the giant, which pulsed with the power of the sea.
"Come," Oceanus whispered as the walls of water collapsed and came rushing back into the void. Yet even as the millions of gallons of water crashed onto the two, it was like nothing to them. Even the giant was not pushed or moved as it propelled itself deep with a kick and once again punched at Oceanus.
BOOOOM!!
Another deafening boom shook the sea as Percy pushed himself harder as more aura veins spread throughout the giant. In a moment, a completed blood vein system appeared in the now much more human-looking giant, giving it a ghost-like appearance. Oceanus couldn't help but grunt under the extreme weight of the punch as he spiraled downward even faster. His fist, which he defended, was bleeding even more this time before it rapidly healed.
"Don't think I don't know what you're doing!" Percy roared as the giant chased after Oceanus, continuing to land blows on the titan as they continued to sink into the darkness until both disappeared from the light and into the ocean's embrace.
Deep down on the seafloor, various creatures could be seen meandering about as they performed their daily activities. Yet the sea of monsters was not normal in the least. A crab, the size of a car, could be seen happily eating part of a sea serpent nearly five times its body length on the ocean floor. As it ate, it suddenly felt a shift of water pressure above it. It barely had time even to lift its head before a man smashed into it.
RUMBLE!
Oceanus smashed so hard into the seafloor that giant chunks of stone dislodged and cracks spread for thousands of feet. His body sunk deep into the broken ground as cracks began to spread while Percy slowly descended until finally his feet touched the ground. The eerie glow of his water giant illuminated the terrifying seafloor of the Sea of Monsters. Yet all the monsters were running for their lives as a terrifying aura began to escape the giant web of cracks Oceanus was buried in.
"You wanted to come here to unleash your full power without the fates knowing. Well… you have 8 minutes, Oceanus. It's time for you to show me why you are allowed to be a judge for Hera's decisions." Percy said in a calm but fierce tone as his glowing eyes peered into the mess of cracks. Bubbles soon burst from the cracks, followed by magma. The whole sea floor lit up momentarily with a dangerous red glow.
"Watch your words, boy!" A howl of anger suddenly shook the sea, and Percy couldn't help but reveal a grin. A giant fist burst from the ground, and a massive 200-foot-tall Oceanus burst forth from the molten rock and stone. The titan's face was full of anger now, which only made Percy grin a bit more. Oceanus then reared back a huge fist and punched Percy's giant, only for the blow to be blocked with an arm.
DDDOOONNNGGG!!!
"FUCK!" Percy cursed in amazement as his giant couldn't withstand the blow. Its left arm was completely blown off. Even the sea floor behind him suffered as a huge trench was created by the force behind the blow. Looking back at the trench, Percy couldn't help but begin to sweat a little. Maybe he shouldn't have pissed off the titan… he was sure he would be fine… maybe.
Regardless, it was too late now. He quickly reformed the hardened water and punched Oceanus' maw. But the titan took it like a champ, as his head was flung to the side, but his body didn't move a bit. A second later, Oceanus turned his head back to Percy as piercing green eyes faced him.
"Weak! Is this all you have, boy!? You don't deserve Hera!" Oceanus roared as he began to rush Percy and deliver devastating blows to his giant. Limbs were lost in one blow only to reform a moment later, yet Percy was losing ground fast. His aura barely kept up with his current output as Percy tried to fight back but was only beaten down again. While he was trying to defend the best he could while being overpowered, an elbow from Oceanus landed square on the spot where his actual body was.
The explosive force ejected Percy from his water giant, cradling him into the magma-covered ocean floor. Yet Percy got lucky, if you could call it that, and smashed into a stone outcropping that nearly shattered on impact. Percy couldn't help but let out a massive mouthful of blood as he lay embedded in the stone. The blood stained the water in front of him as Percy suddenly had a flashback of his fight with Poseidon. The two scenes were different yet similar. His eyes slowly looked up at the towering Titan, who looked angrily down at him.
"Is that all, boy? If so, then you are not worthy of her blessing. I demand you to go to her and have her disperse it. You may be strong, but to a real god, you are a thorn in our side." Oceanus' deep voice shook the ocean as Percy couldn't help but grit his teeth and grip his fist. Yet, as his anger boiled and thoughts of Hera raced through his mind, though he had not known her for long, Hera was still an important part of his life.
Sure, they may not have progressed in any real direction in their relationship, but he could see that Hera was truly happy with him and the group. Even Hestia said that this was the most she had seen her smile in the last millenia. So long as Hera was happy, he was as well. Seeing that Hera had blessed him in such an important way made him see that her emotions had grown for him. Such progress should not be ignored, and if Oceanus wanted to take that away…
"Is that all? Not even fucking close! I will make you swallow those words, you cow-headed bitch!" Percy yelled as he barely managed to keep his anger in check. Percy soon tore himself out of the stone while his aura swelled even more as Oceanus' eyes narrowed. He kept his eyes trained on Percy as he watched the boy generate even more power until the ocean around him began to saturate with it after a few moments. Sensing something wrong, Oceanus instinctively moved.
He swung his fist at Percy with all his might. The ocean swelled behind him and moved in sync with his punch. More than a million gallons of water moved like a meat grinder as it crashed into Percy. In a split second, the whole world seemed to freeze. Oceanus' eyes widened immensely as he realized what he had just done. Yet Percy remained focused even as he faced a full power strike from a major domain Titan.
ROOOAR!
The water made contact, and Percy's body disappeared in a flash. The water only continued on its way as it tore a mile-long trench through the ocean's floor. Everything in its path was torn to shreds, and in the end, Oceanus was left speechless. Worry tore through him as he realized his mistake, his instinct had taken over, and he had fucked up. He couldn't sense nor see the demigod anymore as he spread his senses throughout the ocean floor.
"Oh no-." Just as Oceanus began worrying, he suddenly found his senses hitting an invisible wall that surrounded him in all directions. He knew it wasn't the Sea of Monsters or another god blocking his senses; all he could feel was water around him. It simply didn't make sense at all. He couldn't even tell what the barrier was. All he knew… was that it was huge, reaching nearly halfway to the surface.
Badump
"Huh?" Oceanus suddenly felt something inside the barrier. It was slow, but it was like a heartbeat. He could feel the water inside the barrier grow… alive as he did. Every ounce of water around him began to rip itself from his control. Even as he tried to bring it back under his control, it didn't listen. Soon, he could barely control a thousand feet of water around him without revealing his true form.
Badump
"W-What the hell is this?" Oceanus cursed as he focused on controlling what little water he could.
"This is where you lose." A whisper sounded in Oceanus' ear as the titan's face slowly fell into shock—a massive face formed in the ocean before him, one he recognized as Percy's. The giant face was nearly double the size of Oceanus in his 200-foot-tall form, and for the first time in a millennia, Oceanus felt pure shock and a hint of fear in him.
"Domain body… " The titan whispered as he realized what he was seeing, yet he couldn't speak anymore as a giant fist 4 times his size appeared above him before smashing downward.
LINEBREAK:
"Hmmm, look what the tide dragged in. It's just in time for food as well," Artemis mocked the exhausted men before her with a 'you're both stupid' look on her face. Oceanus slowly dragged himself out of the ocean with Percy at his side, the two of them leaning on each other as they met the gaze of the mocking moon goddess. The titan looked rough, with the entire right side of his face swollen and missing a horn. On the other hand, Percy looked exhausted and a bit pale but otherwise uninjured.
Cough Cough
"Y- You proud of that joke? Because… it's a solid 7 out of 10, I'm impressed." Percy managed to say after coughing and flashing her a weak smile as Artemis stared at him with pursed lips.
'Haha! I told you he would like it, Artemis! You owe me 10 dramachas!'
'Hush Diana, now isn't the time… you will get your money later.'
"Great!" Oceanus said happily as he slapped Percy's back, causing the boy to stumble and nearly cause the two of them to trip. Percy gave the titan a grimace and a glare as he helped the old man to a spot where Artemis had set up some makeshift seats. The goddess in question simply stared at the two of them as if trying to decipher what had happened.
"This looks divine." Percy complimented Artemis' cooking, much to the goddess' appreciation, as he reached for a plate of swordfish. Only for the goddess to slap his hand with a spatula she got from somewhere.
"Ahh!" Percy cried, gripping his hand in fake pain. He looked at his wonderful girlfriend with teary eyes, only to find her glaring at him as her eyes demanded answers.
"I want some info before you two eat. Who won? What was decided?" She asked as she swatted Oceanus' sneaky hand away, causing the titan to grip his stinging hand just like Percy. Seeing that they had to fork over some info before she relented, both glanced at one another before Percy spoke.
"It was a draw; we were both too exhausted to continue, and food was done, so we came here," he said with a shrug as Oceanus scoffed at him.
"Please, the boy won at the end. He crushed me with one blow and sent me deep into the earth's crust. If it hadn't caused an eruption of magma that forced me out, I don't think I would have been able to make it in time for food." Oceanus boasted about Percy's achievements as the demi creator waved his hand at the titan to brush his words off.
"Please, that one punch cost me 50% of my energy reserves and drained me of everything I had left. I was a kite with no string cast into the ocean when the explosion happened. You even had to bring me back. I would have lost, plain and simple, if this were a real battle." Percy said as Oceanus shook his head.
"Maybe so, but your achievements are not as little as you think them to be. You stood toe-to-toe with the titan of the sea and even injured me pretty well. You were at a massive disadvantage, but you showed me something amazing. Sure, you may not have defeated me, but that does not matter in this case. This challenge was to prove your strength to me, and you have done just that." Oceanus said as he reached over and grabbed Percy's shoulder before he stared into the young man's eyes.
"You have met all my standards. I am confident that Hera made the right choice. I leave her in both your capable hands." Oceanus said with a lopsided grin before he winced in pain from his swollen face. He then reached for a plate of food and started eating. Percy stared at him briefly before smiling.
"Thank you. I promise I won't let you down," Percy said as he followed the titan's actions and started to eat as well. The meal's flavor entranced them, and they soon devoured the food before them in large chunks like hungry wolves. They even began to chat about the fight and laugh together as they ate. Yet, unknown to them, Artemis was still staring at Oceanus with a slightly confused look.
"Both our hands?" Artemis questioned as Oceanus gave a few nods and quickly chewed the fish in his mouth. Percy's ears perked up as he paid attention to the two.
"Indeed, both of you." He answered with a nod, and Artemis stared at the titan as he met her gaze. She was trying to figure out what he meant from the information he provided but wasn't precisely sure…
"Let's just say seeing her so happy again is good. Not too long ago, when she came down to talk with Tethys and me, we noticed a change in her. I wasn't sure, but Tethys said her intuition suggested it was about Hera's love life. It looks like she was right." His words were simple, yet as he glanced sidelong at Artemis and Percy, it made the goddess and demi creator freeze, and Oceanus smiled.
"As long as Hera is happy, then so am I. Besides, it was about time she got back out there. She has been alone for too long. Then again, she had been talking about the person she had admired secretly for quite a long time… who would have guessed it was the little moon goddess." Yet more simple words blew away any thoughts the two had as the titan of the sea so easily ousted them.
"I… We…" Percy tried to speak, but Oceanus waved to make him stop talking.
"Just think of this challenge we had as a way for me to test you as her adoptive father. I approve of you! Just so you know, Tethys is still unsure about this. Her precious baby girl's heart was broken once already, and she doesn't want it to happen again. But then Hera suddenly starts a relationship with not one but two people. It is a bit too much for Tethys to process. Not to mention the other relationships you two have with Atlas' girl. Whatever happened to being in love with one person? You darn immortals are always so promiscuous. It is frightening that-."
Oceanus continued rambling as Artemis and Percy decided to keep their mouths shut for the moment. Their minds raced, and even their inner voices were silent for once. They both could tell the titan had done his fair share of research and was able to figure out quite a bit. Percy was not very secretive about Zoe and the kids, but he was with Vesta and Hestia. If the Titan knew about them… he wasn't sure what to do then. He was sure Olympus would be in an uproar if news got out. The only person outside the harem who knew about Hestia was Hades, and thankfully, Hades had kept it a secret for now.
The way Oceanus spoke suggested he didn't know about Hestia, which was a bit of a relief to Percy. Him knowing that Artemis was part of it all was a bit worrying to him though. He even started to think about multiple ways to silence Oceanus. Yet, as the two of them continued to watch the ranting Titan, something about his words seemed to make Percy less afraid of him spreading rumors or leaking information. After a bit, Oceanus cleared his throat upon finding he was getting off track.
"But I am sure Hera already knows about all of that and has already agreed to be with you, so it is not for me to say or suggest anything. Regardless, Tethys still wants to meet you and everyone in this relationship and better understand it all. What can I say? The woman loves her baby girl, adopted or not." He said with a lengthy sigh as if complaining a little bit before he glanced at Percy and Artemis.
"All of you have been formally invited to a dinner with Tethys and me. The wife wants to sit down and talk about everything to understand what is going through Hera's head. After I return home, I will send a message with more information about a date and time." Oceanus finished, as Percy and Artemis were awestruck by the titan's words. The two were stunned after the titan casually revealed one of their biggest secrets and invited them to dinner in 10 minutes.
"I'll make sure to bring some good wine then," Percy said after several long minutes of silence after gathering some courage and organizing his thoughts. Reaching down and grabbing a large chunk of fish, he began to eat. Oceanus couldn't help but slowly reveal a small grin as Artemis glanced at Percy with worried eyes. Percy shot her small smile, which made some of her worries dissipate. Her plans of silencing Oceanus fell on the back burner for now. If there was one thing she could trust, it would be his dumb smile that promised everything would be okay.
"Haha, smart boy. You're trying to please the mother-in-law already, huh? I wouldn't do it any other way myself," Oceanus couldn't help but say as he joined Percy and started eating the remaining swordfish. The two couldn't help but glance at one another as they started to chuckle and grin. Artemis was once again left speechless as the two men before somehow talked about something so sensitive, then easily started enjoying each other's company again.
"So… you won't tell anybody?" Artemis couldn't help but nervously ask as Oceanus glanced at her and gave her several nods before his eyes grew deep in thought.
"Such a topic doesn't need to be shared with others. So long as none of you tell anybody, my lips are sealed. Besides, I don't think Zeus would take too kindly to such information if he found out. If he were to do anything to Hera… I wouldn't mind joining Kronos' side." Oceanus' words made the air tremble as the darkness in his eyes seemed to grow. Artemis furrowed her eyebrows at such a thought as her fists tightened their grip. If such a thing did happen… she wasn't sure what to do.
"Hmmm…" A sudden sound from Percy shook the two immortals out of their thoughts and turn to look at the boy nibbling on some fish. His eyes swirled like colorful galaxies as he stared at Oceanus while thinking about what to say next. After a moment, he looked into Oceanus' eyes, and his face took a serious look.
"If such a thing happens… how about you turn my way instead and join me in taking him down?" Percy asked, and Oceanus couldn't help but stare at Percy with an emotionless face. Artemis suddenly moved, slapping her hand over Percy's mouth; her eyes grew serious as she stopped Percy from speaking any further.
"Don't listen to him. He doesn't even know what he speaks of." Artemis said politely to Oceanus before she began to chastise Percy. Telling him to know when to speak and when not to, a soft chuckle from Oceanus quieted her down before she got too far in her rant. The titan's face was curious as he stared at the two. Had any average demigod or god asked him the same thing, they would not live to see the next day. Yet when Percy asked him… he couldn't help but consider it for a moment or two.
"You are an interesting person, Perseus Jackson. Very interesting indeed." Oceanus said with a small grin before slowly standing up as Percy and Artemis followed him with their gazes. In a few moments, Oceanus returned to the tree he had tied off his catch on and began to pull it back to shore.
"I cannot and will not give you an answer to your question at this moment. You will need to wait for the day you visit Tethys and me. I will have your answer by then." He spoke calmly and with a hint of mystery in his deep voice, causing Artemis and Percy's eyes to widen immensely. Both couldn't believe Oceanus was even considering Percy's proposal.
"Now, I must be going. The Fates will sense me if I continue to linger any longer. It was nice meeting you, Perseus. Let us continue our chat when we meet again. Until then, take care of Hera and the others. A man should be able to do that much at the very least." Oceanus continued as he finally pulled in his catch. Yet it had something clinging to it this time. A young unconscious cyclops that Percy was familiar with was somewhat tangled in the rope.
"Until next time! Also, I believe he is here for them." Oceanus said as he easily plucked the young Cyclops boy from the net and set him on the sand beach with ease. With a nod and wave goodbye, Oceanus soon disappeared into the ocean as Artemis and Percy were once again stunned for several long moments. After a bit, Percy finally spoke as he took Artemis' hand into his own.
"That was something else… Are you excited to meet your second mother-in-law?"
A/N: Hello everybody! I'm glad to be back, and I apologize for the delay. Just life being life and the struggle of writing catching up with me. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. It took me a bit to get those fight scenes down. I do apologize. But I hope you all leave a review about what you think. Also, who is betting that Percy get grounded when he gets home?
E/N: Oh man he even set up the E/N for me! Nuts knows me so well <3 Anyway with that being said, WE ARE BACK BABY. Well kinda, dunno how back we are yet but it's an update! Also review and join the discord and that stuff. You know the drill! - Sidus