Titans Wrath

Percy: Chapter 19

I fell with my arms crossed, waiting very impatiently. If I had a surface to be tapping my foot on with the sheer amount of impatience, I would be tapping up a storm. The first time I fell down this gods forsaken hole, Annabeth had mentioned an old poet who speculated it would take 3 days to fall all the way to Hell, and it almost felt like the truth. My hair flew around my face in a black halo, and the wind ripped at my clothes as I fell.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the air around me grew dank and hot, and a red glow tinged the air. I looked down as I fell, and saw the torturous plains of Tartarus rising towards me. The first time I'd been here, the air was so toxic to my demigod body that it had nearly killed me, and had caused near permanent damage to my lungs. Now however, it merely tingled. I also had to follow the river Phlegathon for constant sustenance, which I no longer needed to do. The river of fire would still heal me if I needed it to, but otherwise I was free to roam.

As the ground approached, I used what moisture was present in the air to slow my fall till my feet crunched softly on the broken grass gravel beach. My hands were in my pockets as I surveyed the land around me. I'd expected there to be monsters around me when I landed, but there were none as far as I could see. I was about to expand my senses to see if I could sense anything in my immediate vicinity, when a voice cleared their throat behind me.

"Well, well, well. The prodigal son returns." A deep voice boomed. I spun around, Riptide appearing in my sword hand mid turn. Standing there in all his fires glory, was Hyperion. He stood well over 7 feet tall and he hurt to look at. He glowed in a blinding, fiery light. I grinned at the Titan, and he sneered at me in return.

"Well if it isn't my favorite tree. How are you Hyperion?" I called mockingly. The Titan of light snarled at the mention of his time in central park. Up until this point, I hadn't noticed. Hyperion stood in front of me, with no armor. No weapons either. His normal blazing great sword was nowhere to be seen.

The Titan did the last thing I expected him to do, every, and flopped to the rough ground with a sigh. The ground shook as his weight fell against it. "Oh, what does it matter." He grumbled roughly. I stood paralyzed. On one hand, my instincts were screaming at me to take the chance to decapitate the Titan, but on the other, he was completely defenseless.

"Hyperion? Are you not going to like, try and kill me?" I asked hesitantly. The Titan laughed, full belly laughter that vibrated the air around us and caused my ears to ring, but was oddly contagious. It was the first time I'd ever heard a genuine laugh from a Titan.

"No, godling, I'm not going to try and kill you. As you can see," he muttered, his voice taking a hard edge, "I've been stripped of my symbols of power. Had you still been a demigod, I likely would still try, but you are an immortal." At my panicked look, he waved me off dismissively. "Word travels fast in Tartarus. Congratulations on not exploding by the way."

My brain was working overtime trying to get a grasp on the situation at hand. From all of that, I had gathered 3 things. One, Hyperion was being nice to me. Two, someone down here had the strength to strip a TITAN of their symbols of power, and three, they knew I was now an immortal.

"Thanks..." I started hesitantly. "When you say stripped, what do you mean?"

Hyperion raised his head to look me in the eyes. His seemed defeated, and sullen. "I mean in all but name, my claim to right as a Titan have been taken away from me. My name is all that stops me from fading now. When people forget my name, I will cease to exist." He stated eerily calmly.

"But who can do that to someone like you? You are of the eldest sons of Gaea, the most powerful beings to ever walk the earth." I asked incredulously. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You've not figured it out yet? The beings which you fight in this war?" He asked, and I shook my head.

"That's why I'm here, to figure out who I am fighting." The Titan nodded, humming to himself.

"It's a good plan, you've survived the trip before. I imagine you've secured an escape route?" He asked, and I nodded. At what point in my life did I make a decision that would lead me to be having leisurely co versatile with a Titan that hates my guts?

"A spell. It should automatically transport me back to Olympus after 3 days in the mortal world." The Titan nodded in understanding.

"A simple spell, but quite powerful." He agreed. He was quiet for a few moments before rising to his feet. "You're here to figure out who your enemies are?" He asked once more, and I nodded. "Very well. I shall tell you, out of respect for you as a warrior, and spite for my siblings for allowing this to happen to me."

He rose to his full height and spoke once more. "Kronos did this to me, Perseus. With the help of Tartarus. Your encounter with him the last time you escaped here angered him beyond imagination. He gathered all his strength to force Kronos to form once more, an incredible feat even for a Pirmordial. That's not all, however. He intends on rising out of Hell with Kronos at his side and laying waste to the mortal world. They were waiting for one thing first." The Titan stopped. My heart was racing, panic shooting through me.

"What, what are they waiting on?" I demanded.

He smiled at me, and it almost seemed sad, and apologetic. "You, Perseus. They were waiting for you. They intend on capturing you and making you watch your world burn."

I scrambled to my feet and pointed my sword at the Titan, letting my senses explode out of me in every direction, searching for enemies. I'd made a mistake coming here, by letting the Titan distract me.

All around me, enemies were present, hiding just out of sight. Titans, monsters, things I'd never even imagined existed all around me, closing in.

"They told me if I helped them capture you," Hyperion stated gently, "then I'd be allowed to return again. That I'd have my power returned to me."

"YOU BASTARD!" I yelled, spinning around as all the monsters came into sight. There were hundreds of them all around. I spotted Koios and Krios, along with Oceanus.

Hyperion looked around before looking back at me. Suddenly, his expression grew hard.

"Perseus, open your mind to me." He ordered. I didn't even know what he meant but I tried to resist. A mental force slammed against my mind. I stood no chance as he pried his way through my memories, my very existence. Every single thought or secret I've ever had. The exchange took not even a second, but it felt like an eternity. I gasped and stumbled back, looking at Hyperion wide eyed.

While he examined my brain, I had felt his thoughts and intentions.

"What are you..?" I started, but he held up a hand as he started to flicker out of existence.

"I do not wish to be toyed with any more. I'm done being a pawn. With this gift, I hope you may do what only you have ever done." He looked me in the eyes and smirked, his very essence wavering in front of me. "Kick my little brother and my father's asses."

He began to chant after that, his form flickering faster and faster.

"Brother, no!" I heard a Titan scream behind me, but it was too late. The Titan grew quiet as his form shifted to a bright red sand. He collapsed into a pile of the stuff. Before I had a chance to react, the sand vibrated, before shooting straight into my chest, and I blacked out.