Filius chaos

4 - Banished to Tartarus

Percy

I didn't even flinch when they spoke to me like that.

After everything that had happened, after everything I had done for Camp Half-Blood, I had learned not to react when people wanted me to.

Still, the anger in Coach Hedge's voice caught me off guard.

"Percy," he snapped. "They asked you a question."

I turned toward him.

That was my mistake.

Before I could say anything, the world around me shifted.

One moment I was standing outside my cabin.

The next, everything went black.

When my vision returned, I was on Olympus.

Chains wrapped tightly around my wrists and ankles. I pulled against them instinctively, but they didn't budge.

I looked around.

The entire Council was there.

Zeus.

Hera.

Athena.

Ares.

Apollo.

Artemis.

Demeter.

Aphrodite.

Hephaestus.

Hermes.

And Poseidon.

My father.

Every single one of them was staring at me with anger.

Except for two empty seats.

Hades.

Hestia.

Neither was there.

My stomach twisted.

Something was terribly wrong.

Then Zeus rose from his throne.

His expression was cold.

"Today," he announced, his voice echoing throughout the throne room, "this court is assembled to hear the crimes committed by Percy Jackson during the war."

I stared at him.

Crimes?

"What crimes?"

Zeus ignored me.

"Percy Jackson has been accused of betraying Olympus and siding with Gaea."

For several seconds, I couldn't process what I'd just heard.

Then I laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because it was impossible.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Nobody laughed.

I looked at my father.

"Dad?"

Poseidon wouldn't meet my eyes.

That hurt more than Zeus's accusation.

I had fought for Olympus.

I had fought Kronos.

I had fought Gaea.

I'd nearly died more times than I could count.

I'd watched friends get hurt.

I'd watched people I cared about die.