Nyx paused for a moment before continuing, "Mind you, these domains might not necessarily be the only ones.
Until Phoebe makes her claim and takes her seat in the council, the full control of the domains and the extent of domains to each primordial won't be known. She will be the equivalent of the Fates to the new council."
...
They sat in silence for a moment as everyone digested the information before Nyx looked to Percy again. He nodded in understanding before clearing his throat and beginning to speak.
"So, though the seats are filled for now, it doesn't mean we are ready to move on.
At the moment, aside from myself, Andromeda, Rhea, and Phoebe, the rest haven't even claimed their rights to being heirs yet and are certainly not ready to take over the domains. So until at least one more is ready to become a full primordial, we are going to bid out time and train."
"Jason, Nico, Thalia," Tartarus said in a deep and gravelly voice. "I know this is sudden for you three considering it has only been a few days but you need to prepare for the worst training of your lives. I will oversee it personally."
At his words the three mentioned shuddered, already having premonitions of what Tartarus' training would bring them.
"You'll be in my prayers," Percy said to them while wiping away a tear of sympathy.
All three flipped him the bird in response to many amused chuckles.
"Why are you all laughing?" Nyx suddenly asked before smirking deviously at them. "You've thrown your lot in with us and that means training for you too."
Percy was sure he caught several pathetic whimpers coming from the table as many looked at Nyx in horror.
"But I'm not even fighting," Leto protested.
"True but that doesn't mean I can't prepare you in case you need to defend yourself. The war won't be fought from here but on the surface so you need to be ready. You know the Olympians won't take kindly to you trying to stay neutral," Nyx replied seriously making many sober up.
"So," Damasen started as he leaned down slightly due to his immense size. "What is the plan moving forward?"
"Mostly to train but I will continue on the surface and try to see if there are any other gods that could be convinced to remain neutral.
Monsters too now that I think about it … but I really don't like Echidna so that might not work out," Percy answered while rubbing his chin.
"I've already got Atlas with us too so the plan for removing the Pillar of the Skies is already prepared."
"How'd you get Atlas!?" Hercules asked incredulously while others just stared at Percy.
He smirked before replying, "I made him a deal. Part of it is me taking the skies from him and then him doing one request for me."
"And after?" Leto asked curiously.
Percy glanced at Rhea who smiled back before he replied, "I'm still angered about how he caused his own daughter's death so there will be a price to pay.
It won't be sending him to the Pit or anything but Rhea plans on having him make up for his errors while also taking him off the battlefields … unless he willingly joins on our side. Otherwise, he'll be in a form of house arrest without the actual punishment."
"So how do you plan on making him pay back for his crimes?" Phoebe asked this time.
"Don't worry sister, it will be a productive use of his many skills and talents," Rhea answered this time with a small smile.
"Okay, and how long do you think we have before the Olympians realize something is going on?" Medusa asked.
Before she could be answered another flash illuminated the middle of the room. With it appeared Hecate, dressed in a green chiton and shawl while her brilliantly green eyes glowed with annoyance as she huffed while glaring at Percy.
"What?" he asked after a few seconds of staring.
"You just had to make a show of freeing Hercules?" she asked while tapping her foot.
"It wasn't that bad, all I did was wreck the beach a bit," Percy replied sheepishly.
"Not that bad!?" Hercules chimed in as he looked at Percy as if he'd grown a second head. "You didn't just tear up the beach flaring your power, you made the whole damn island shake and created a storm."
"Whoops?" he said after a few seconds with a shrug.
"Whoops he says!" Hecate shouted while raising her arms in exasperation before looking at some of the others. "The lot of you have basically driven Olympus insane in just a few days."
"Do tell," Nyx said eagerly as she leaned forward.
"Let's recap," Hecate said as she snapped a chair into existence before sitting. "Olympus was already tense with Percy's disappearance and even the Hunt failing to find him.
Then, three years ago, Artemis's adopted daughter which was actually a kidnapped Andromeda after Artemis murdered her mortal mother, was taken back by Rhea and Percy in his wolf form under the name 'Umbra'.
Don't even forget how he killed her eldest huntress, Phoebe, which made Artemis even worse than before."
"She was her lover," Thalia said making everyone look at her in confusion. "Phoebe … turns out she was Artemis' lover so the death really hit her. The Hunt hasn't had any new members since and Artemis is mostly a shell of herself now."
"Huh, who knew?" Nyx muttered before looking at Hecate to continue.
"So, all of a sudden in the span of three days guess what? Jason finds out his girlfriend is cheating on him with Apollo and catches them in the act …"
"Damn Apollo," Percy and Jason growled at the same time before looking at each other.
"Whoever gets ahold of him first gets to end him," Jason suggested.
"Fair enough," Percy agreed before looking to an increasingly annoyed Hecate as she glared at him. "Ah sorry … please continue …"
Hecate huffed before doing just that. "So that led to a fight which ended with Jason beating Apollo up a little and then Andromeda intervening and actually knocking Apollo out with Mnemosyne clearing his memories along with Jason's ex.
So that leads to a confused god thinking he got bested by a demigod that shouldn't be that powerful which, as you all know, Olympus does not like the thought of a demigod strong enough to fight on par with gods running around unsupervised.
But, surprise, Jason and Nico disappeared leading to higher tension. Then, the unthinkable happens and Thalia quits the Hunt while telling Artemis off … by the way, very clever to throw out Artemis' relation with her deceased hunter out in open.
Zeus caught that since he was listening in because you were badmouthing him and now he's grilling Artemis about it."
Hecate then paused before adding a glare to her look directed at Thalia, "However, saying, 'Umbra says hi' before you left not only sent Artemis into hysterics but also tipped the Olympians off that 'Umbra' is something to watch out for and now they have Lupa's pack on a search for this mystery wolf.
Granted what they're most worried about now was the unfamiliar godly power they felt when Hercules was released and trust me when I say, that island was not the only thing shaking… Oh! And Camp Jupiter is going nuts without their Pontifus Maximus and there is even more drama with the actual Olympians themselves."
"Such as?" Hemera asked curiously while chewing on popcorn … since when did she have that?
"Well, with Apollo's recent affair and the fact that he doesn't seem to realize he is married now, Annabeth went off on his ass which meant that Athena was trying to skin Apollo as well.
Then there was Zeus going between trying to hold Athena back while glaring at Artemis for finding a loophole in her maiden oath.
Then there was Aphrodite crying her eyes out ever since she had a falling out with her daughter a day after the cheating incident which meant Ares was annoyed to Hades and back while trying to pick a fight with anybody.
I swear, at this point just keep doing what you're doing and Olympus will implode before you can even think of declaring war," Hecate finished while slumping in her chair after getting everything off her chest.
Everyone sat in stunned silence after listening to all that, trying to simply imagine the havoc on Olympus at the moment. Percy would have laughed at some of the faces if he wasn't concerned for a particular goddess.
He glanced at Rhea beside him and he saw that she was thinking along the same lines as him so he turned back to Hecate and asked, "What of Hestia?"
He got some odd looks but he ignored them as Hecate sat straighter before answering, "The same as she's been ever since your disappearance.
Quiet, doesn't really even bother trying to stop arguments anymore. I hear she sometimes talks with Hades when he bothers to show up for meetings but otherwise she's just … there."
Percy frowned as he looked down at his lap. He felt Rhea take his hand and squeeze it for comfort but he still couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to see Hestia.
If there was anyone who deserved to know what was going on and be taken away from Olympus and their misery, it was Hestia.
He wanted to contact her so badly but then again, most of the hearths she goes to are in the camps or the main hearth and her palace. He could get to her easily but not unnoticed which would mean letting the Olympians officially know that a threat is rising.
He glanced at Rhea again, meeting her gaze as they had a silent conversation on the span of seconds before nodding. Perhaps they could openly declare war yet but it didn't mean they were going to wait that long to get Hestia with them.
"So, moving on …" Nyx continued after some silence, discussing in detail some of the movements and plans made for the future and who's roles would be where.
Percy tuned it out though, already knowing most of them as his thoughts strayed to warm, orange eyes and a smile capable of melting anyone's heart. 'I'm coming Hestia … just remember my promise …'
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AN: Oh, nearly done with the building chapters and close to the true beginning of the story! BTW, everyone's clear that there will be lemons right? Good but I'll put warnings otherwise.
...
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