Percy Jackson: A Redo (abandoned)

Chapter 15

Hades leaned forward on his throne, studying us. He didn't seem to be surprised to see us here with two of his children. "You are a bold person to be coming here and holding my two children hostage son of Poseidon," Hades stated.

"You can't speak Hades. Did you or did you not kidnap my own mother to hold hostage. Besides I'm not holding them hostage. They are free to do whatever they desire. If that is to stay with me then so be it," I retorted. "No, what I came here was for my mother. I intend to bargain your helm for the safe return of my mother."

Luke made a sound of protest, "We don't have the helm." I took off the backpack and reached into it. I pulled out the helmet I had stolen from Ares. "Maybe we didn't have it when we started this quest but we do now. You want your Helm, then return my mother. I swear on the river Styx that if Hades returns my mother safe and unharmed to the surface then I will hand over the helm." I could feel Annabeth's cold glare on my back as I said this. I questioned why she would be glaring at me. Hades stood up from his throne. Black energy filled his palm. I took off my ring and gave it to Nico. Seconds later, Nico's iconic stygian iron sword was in his hand. Hades threw the black energy at me. Nico swept his sword in front of me and a massive explosion of darkness was emitted. The boom rang throughout the throne room. I heard Luke scream out my name. Annabeth was silent. The black energy was cleared and Nico could be seen standing in front of me, sword pointed at his father. "I'd rather you didn't kill the one I loved," Nico stated. Everyone but me and Bianca stared at him in shock. "What will it be Hades? Your helm for my mother or death?" Hades sat back on his throne. He snapped his fingers and said, "There your mother is now on the surface safe and sound." I looked to Nico who nodded. I tossed him his helm. "Just so you know, Ares had the helm. Now!" I shouted. Luke and Annabeth crushed the pearls I had given them before entering the underworld. Bianca crushed hers and left me and Nico in front of Hades. "Just so you know, I have every intention of dating your son whether anyone approves of it or not." Nico blushed at my statement and whacked my arm. Hades gestured for us to be off. I could see the gleam of pride in his eyes as he did so. Nico faded into darkness. After giving on final look to Hades I dispersed into millions of water molecules and sped off.

I reappeared in the ocean in Santa Monica Bay. Nico and Bianca were standing back. Luke was attacking Ares. Luke had multiple gashes on him while Ares seemed to be unharmed. Annabeth was staring coldly at Luke. I then remembered Chronos' words. This was an entirely new universe. New things could happen. Luke may not be the traitor. He was obviously fighting Ares. Something he wouldn't do if he was the traitor. Annabeth on the other hand... I shook my head and refocused on the battle in time to see Luke get blasted back by Ares. I reached into my backpack and pulled out Zeus' master bolt. The air smelled of ozone. Lightning crackled around me. I pointed it at Ares. He halted. He was about to flash out. Reacting quickly I threw the lightning bolt at him. Ares flew backwards and slammed into a building. The lightning bolt returned to my hand. Just like I did to Riptide I infused my essence into it. This meant it would come when I called it. Bolts of lightning flew down around me. I felt the master bolt accept me as a master. It would always answer Zeus over me but I could use it at its full potential. Ares groaned and stood up. He was bleeding and bruises were forming all over him. He knew he wasn't going to win. I could see it in his eyes. He started glowing. I averted my eyes as Ares took his godly form and flashed out. He left without cursing me this time. Maybe I could beat Atlas and save Zoe this time around. Nico came over and hugged me. I returned the hug and saw Luke groaning as he stood up. I walked over to him and gave him a square of ambrosia. He smiled at me gratefully and ate it. Bianca came up behind us and Annabeth soon followed after. 

I looked at the sky and saw that it was darkening. The solstice was starting. I gestured to the sky and Nico got the message. The two of us grabbed the other three and Nico dropped us into a shadow. We emerged on Olympus, just outside the bronze doors that lead into the council chambers. Nico collapsed in a dead faint. I grabbed him and passed him to Bianca. She happily grabbed Nico and examined him worriedly. Luke and Annabeth looked nervous. Bianca had her head on tight. She didn't seem to be freaking out. For the most part, I was like Bianca. I pushed open the doors and immediately heard shouting. I gestured for the others to wait here. I strolled in and the doors slammed shut behind me. The gods continued shouting at each other. Zeus and Poseidon were shouting at each other. Dionysus was sleeping on his throne. Ares was sulking in his throne, bruises covering him. He was arguing with Hephaestus. Aphrodite was looking at a mirror and checking her makeup. Hermes was looking at his phone with George and Martha wrapped around it. Apollo and Artemis were having a shouting match. Hera was glaring at Zeus. Athena was looking at the blueprint, not even caring about her surroundings. Demeter was eating a bowl of cereal not concerned about her surroundings. Hestia was tending to the hearth with her stick. She was in her child form, her eyes blazing with a comforting fire. I sat beside her. I shouldered the backpack off and set it in front of me. We sat in companionable silence, listening to the gods shout at each other.

Eventually, Hestia got tired of this. "Enough! Are you not going to acknowledge this hero?" Hestia demanded. Silence echoed throughout the throne room. Heads all turned to face me. I stood and reached into the backpack. I brought out Zeus' lightning bolt. I threw it at the feet of Zeus. "Ares had the bolt. You might want to look into that," I stated, not bowing. Zeus bent over and picked up the bolt. He spoke, "Why do you not bow?"

"I feel like that no one, other than Hestia is deserving of my respect. So I won't bow until you give me a valid reason as to why I should bow," I stated. There were many sharp inhales at this. Zeus raised the thunderbolt at me, "We are gods! You should respect us for-" 

I cut him off, "For doing what exactly? You don't interfere with mortals. You only knock them up or get knocked up and abandon your children at their doorsteps. Many of us have terrible lives. ADHD and dyslexia don't make schooling easy. Add to the fact that we have monsters on our tails. Then you have a recipe for disaster. Some of us grow up in abusive households because you weren't there to protect us. Hermes' child, Luke Castellan, Annabeth Chase, Athena's child, Thalia Grace, your own child and me. We are all products of abusive households. And that's just on the topic of you having children. There are so many more problems. Artemis! You just turn men into animals because of the way that they were born. Something that they had no control over. Not all men are the same. Dionysus! You sleep at the council meetings and don't do your job at camp. These are just some of the examples. You ignore minor gods and goddesses. You all have ignored signs that Kronos is rising. You ignore your children. Many demigods are left unclaimed at camp. There aren't cabins for the many demigods left unclaimed. There aren't even cabins for the claimed children of the minor gods and goddesses. They are just crammed into the Hermes cabin. You keep innocent titans like Calypso locked up even though she didn't do much wrong. There are many problems with you gods. You are selfish, arrogant, brutal, idiotic, prideful and oblivious gods. You are not worthy of the titles that you hold." I turned on my heel and stalked out of the throne room.