Percy Jackson and the Incarnate-5: The Mahayudha

CHAPTER 18 POV: Hariharan Sivakumar

All was going according to plan. Indrajith had attacked me with the Vasavi Shakti even though his life was not in danger. The others are now safe. I felt my consciousness drift in space, until I reached a familiar place. The snow cloud mountain of Kailash.

"Mahadev!", I said and bowed to him.

"Hariharan. You need not bow to me now. Tomorrow will happen as you planned.", he said and blessed me.

"Mahadev. I want your blessings to do it.", I said. He smiled like an innocent child and said, "I can't bless myself. Can I?"

"Mahadev! I am getting tired. Anything else you want to remind me about?", I asked.

"Just remember my Vrishabha Avatar.", he said. I nodded as I felt my body dissolve into the darkness. I felt floating in space before I reached another chamber.. This looked more Greek. I realized where I was when I saw the three old women sitting and knitting sweater. The Moirai.

"Greetings Hariharan Sivakumar. Son of Hestia!", one of the three fates said.

"Greetings to the fates. How can I help you?", I asked.

"The time is coming.", the third fate said.

"Yes. And I expect you hold your end of your bargain!", I said firmly.

"But their type is always destined to face hardships.", the second fate said.

"I hold up to your word! You swore on Chaos. Besides, they faced more hardships than they should. Hold your end of the bargain.", I said and they nodded.

"We can give a few exceptions.", the second said and held out a bunch of threads of different colors. Some were glowing while two looked normal. They put a spell on the threads and it glowed for a minute before it turned normal.

"Thank you. You can do it after the end of the war.", I said.

"One of them is destined for Kingship of Olympus until Zeus arrives.", the second fate said.

"And it is your responsibility that when Zeus returns after his trials, you weave their threads in such a way which would avoid conflict. I hold you to your oath.", I said and they nodded.

"We agree. May you succeed, Hariharan Sivakumar!", the three said and I felt my body float again in darkness. I started to feel the pain from the weapon. It was hell. I felt my every sinew burn. I felt pain I never experienced before. But it was required. It was required for what I have to do tomorrow. If I can't tolerate this pain, I cannot tolerate the pain I would experience tomorrow.

I felt myself come to the plane of reality as I coughed. I coughed violently before I opened my eyes. I saw all of my friends, Both Hindu and Greek looking at me with anger, relief, sadness and other emotions.

"What time is this?", I asked. I was really tired from tolerating all the pain.

"At last, he survived. You gave us a huge scare.", Hanuman said. I smiled a little.

"Don't do that again!", Percy said and slapped me in my cheeks. It stung but I laughed.

"Look who is talking.", I said. Percy just stared at me before he laughed.

"Now I understand how Annabeth felt when I do something I would do.", he said. I nodded.

"What happened?", I asked and Percy explained what happened, from Thalia killing Mahishasura to Amma Hestia killing Indrajith.

"Hariharan. I am sorry. You were right. It was Orion and Mahishasura. They doubled up on me. I killed both of them. I used the Trident of Shakti to kill Mahishasura. I am sorry for harassing you for so long.", she said with tears streaming down.

"It is okay Thalia. What you did was justified. I have no qualms. I had to prove my innocence sooner, so it was incompetence on my part.", I said. She looked at me weirdly before leaving the tent.

"What did I say?", I asked in confusion.

"No. It is just that Artemis and her Hunters never expect males to be good. So, when you forgave her, she was shocked at you for not taking revenge.", Percy explained.

"That makes sense.", I said.

"Say, Hari. How could Hestia defeat Indrajith. Half of her powers would go to Indrajith.", Annabeth asked. I smiled.

"The type of power matters Annabeth. Hestia's powers are passive and peaceful powers. They are not for war. They are for peace. These powers are not useful in war. It is not Amma Hestia's weakness, but inherent nature. Even the Olympians agree that Hestia is the most powerful of the gods. She is like the elephant. Strong yet calm. Docile. But when elephants are rampant, even Tigers and Lions have to bow to it.", I started as they listened to me intently.

"As a result, Indrajith got her passivity. He lost his cruel edge. At the same time, on seeing my condition, Amma Hestia became angry. The anger of a mother is very powerful. Her anger made her do things against her nature. Hence Indrajith did not expect his defeat. The second I saw that pendant; I knew that only Amma Hestia can defeat him. All fell in place and whatever happened next is history.", I explained. All looked at me with admiration.

"Thank You, Hari. Now we only Have Gaea and the Giants to take care of.", Annabeth said.

"Tomorrow, I want all the gods and Goddesses. The final showdown. Kill off the remaining giants. After the Giants are killed, I want every single one of you, except for Percy to gather at one place. I want every god, major or minor to use their powers and create a huge shield so that every person is inside it. Including the Hindus. I want no one else! No one else outside that shield. Even after some time, Percy will enter. But when tomorrow the final showdown happens, when I face Kali, I should be the only one! I should be the only one who would face him, bear the brunt of the attacks. No ifs and buts!", I explained seriously.

"Percy. I need you. You know what to do right?", I asked and he nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"Good. Tomorrow, the war will end. We will win. Please plan accordingly. I want only Percy to be here now.", I said. All agreed and went out, with Percy behind.

"Ready for tomorrow?", I asked.

"Isn't there no other way?", he asked more pleaded.

"There is another way. But it is ineffective. What I planned will take Kali more than five thousand years to materialize again. But the other ways give us only a few years. Again, you will face him.", I said.

"But you will die!", Percy shouted.

"Won't it be selfish on my behalf if I do something for my own good rather than the greater good?", I asked him. He sealed his mouth shut.

"Yes, Percy! I know what you are thinking. But everything will end. And do you really think death frightens me?", I asked. He gave a dry laugh.

"No. But I will miss you.", he said.

"If you miss me, then take my Shaaligraam. Pranjal has two of them. You have the remaining two. I also reside inside it, for I am an avatar of Lord Vishnu. This will be a token of reminder of me.", I said. He agreed. I conjured the two Shaaligraam and gave it to him, which he accepted.

"If you need any help, pray to this. I shall help in all ways possible.", I said and hugged him.

"You really did a good job breaking my fatal Flaw, else I would have raised a tantrum trying to stop you from doing what you plan to do tomorrow.", Percy said. I chuckled.

"See you tomorrow, Bro.", I said. He laughed.

"I see you used the American Lingo. See you soon, bro.", he said and left the tent, leaving me alone with my thoughts about tomorrow's war.