Mask Of Sorrows

Chapter One

Percy's POV

      I bowed before the gods in front of me. I was called to Olympus... Alone. "May I ask why I'm here, my lords?" I asked, rising from my bow. I was shocked, to say the least, when I was meet with faces of anger, glee, and pure sympathy.

     "Perseus Jackson." Zeus spat, scowling at me. I took in involuntary step back. Why were they acting like this? Even my dad looked angry.

      "Yes, my lord?" I asked. My voice was nervous, the voice of a five year old meeting someone new. I silently cussed myself. I have to be strong so I can protect those I love. I cant, wont fail again.

     "You have been proved to powerful." Zeus sneered. "That's why you have to die." I felt my eyes widen in horror and disbelief.

     "W-Why do you want me dead if I-I'm powerful?" I stammered out. I may have been through Tartarus, but facing thirteen angry major gods is not something you want to do. Hestia seemed to be the only one on my side, a look of enough sadness for an entire immortal lifetime.

     "Like other heroes, you power may go to your head. You might try to overthrow us, or join the enemy side. We can't have that again, now can we?" Ares asked, an evil glint in his eyes.

      "My fatal flaw is loyalty. I couldn't betray you if I tried, no disrespect, but do you really think it's a good idea to kill me? You wouldn't have won the last two wars without me and you know it." I told them, keeping my voice deadly calm.

Have to keep strong.... Be strong...

    "Of course, we aren't going to let anyone KNOW we killed you. Lets just say you.. Oh, I don't know. Went missing again? Never to be found?" Athena asked, smirking with a raised eyebrow. What the hell was wrong with the gods?!

      "And we aren't going to give you a painless death either." Poseidon mused. "Maybe some partial immortality and a few years in a torture cell. That should stop you from saying anything, should you escape."

       "Why? Why are you doing this?" I whispered. I felt tears fall down my face, but I didn't care. I was being strong by arguing against thirteen gods. This was for those five..

Luke... Bianca... Selina... Charles... Zoe... I'll avenge you. I... I just need to get out alive...

     "Why... Why would you kill your own son? The one who saved you lives? The one who went on missions for you? Went out of his way to please you?" My voice stared out as a small, scared whisper. "I may have been a simple pawn that you didn't care about, but I cared about you." I snapped at them. I don't care about the repercussions at my tone might have, I just knew I was mad.  "What about the campers? What will they do if they find out that my family's going to kill me? Torture me to death?"

     "They wont find out. Simple as that." Artemis snapped. "Now lets go. To your... holding." She smiled an evil smile, one that didn't belong. They spread all across the other gods faces. I realized Hestia had left, leaving me to my doom. Just because she didn't support it doesn't mean she's going to help me.

     Artemis and Apollo grabbed my arms roughly, and a familiar feeling took over me.

Weakness