Percy Jackson didn't know at what exact point they lost to Gaea.
He didn't know when it all went wrong.
But right now all he could focus on was how he was on his knees in front of the few survivors and the Seven. He was about to be executed to set an example of what would happen if the rest went against Gaea's rule.
He could see Annabeth crying in front of him and thrashing in the arms of one of Gaea's followers, trying to reach him.
He knew that he could not survive this.
He knew that he was going to die.
Percy looked the Seven in their eyes, telling them that it was going to be okay, even though he knew that it was not.
He looked towards Annabeth and looked into her eyes.
He mouthed words towards her, telling her that he loved her.
And then he died.
But, unlike everyone else who were to go to the underworld, he was met with three figures he never wanted to see again.
The Morai.
Perseus Jackson. They spoke in his mind in complete unison. We see that you are here already.
He knew he should not be surprised, yet he was.
And then he was raging.
How dare they.
How dare they make them lose the war. How dare they kill so many people. How dare they bring so much pain to his mother and Annabeth. How dare they bring him here and not let him have his peace.
Had he and his friends not done enough for them and the gods.
Had they not been exhausted of playing with his friends.
With him.
We understand that you are angry with us. But we have a proposal for you.
A proposal?
What more could they want?
He wanted to refuse.
Yet he knew, if he let himself decline this, he would keep wondering what they wanted to offer to him.
Channelling his inner Poseidon and covering his rage with a blank mask, he turned his face towards the Morai. His eyes churned with power that showed exactly why the seas were feared.
"I'm listening." His voice was ice cold, suggesting that they should choose their next words carefully as he wouldn't show any mercy if they didn't. Deity or not.
Gaea was not supposed to win.
And his rage was replaced by confusion.
What did they mean that Gaea was not supposed to win. Didn't they write everyone's fate ?
His mind flooded with questions.
"Explain."
We might be known as the fates, yet we don't influence every decision of everyone. We decide the birth and we give you choices. The choices you make influence your fate and, ultimately, your death.
Percy paid them his undivided attention, absorbing everything they were saying.
Now, as Gaea was not supposed to win, yet she has. This world is dying.
This world?
What was that supposed to mean?
Were the Morai actually suggesting that alternate universes, dimensions and timelines existed?
A part of him mused about how Annabeth would kill for the information that the Morai were providing him with, before he forced himself to focus again (go to Tartarus ADHD).
"And what do you want ME to do about that?"
We give you a choice.
"A choice?" scepticism was clearly evident in his voice despite his mask still being in place.
Yes, a choice. You can either go to Elysium and watch as the world gets destroyed and everyone and everything you love gets destroyed.
Percy immediately knew that he would most probably choose the next option.
Or we can transfer you to another universe where you replace that version of you and save that world. But beware, everything that you know might not be the same, as it is a different universe.
And he was right when he said he would choose the other option.
"I choose the latter."
If he didn't know better, then he would have thought he saw the Morai take a collective breath of relief.
