Percy Jackson - Bane of Tartarus

Chapter 2

Lester's/Apollo's POV

Titan war was bad but after that war my awesome existence has been falling into ruins. First I get literally a head splitting headache for months, then I had to actually fight those nasty giants and after defeating all those giants, well atleast one of them, I get punished to a mortal life and quest in this meat sack for a body with none of my awesome godly powers. If that wasn't enough of a punishment, I discover acne on my face, ACNE! Never in more than 2 millennia of life have I ever had acne. What have they done to the most handsome God of Olympus? Then I get stuck serving that bossy daughter of Demeter, although she is a powerful demigod if I have seen one. How can the fates let this happen to the personification of awesome, wait a minute that is a cool title, I will add it as soon as I become a God again. The fates must be getting senile at this age, they are quite old. 

Yet everything was bearable, even death as a mortal would have been a walk in Persephone's park as long as the people I cared about were safe. Now, someone was in danger, someone I couldn't imagine my life without and I was forbidden to help or interfere until I complete my quests which I wasn't even sure I would survive. I was feeling angry and helpless so I did what we Gods have done for the last two millennia, I turned to demigods. No one dared to defy the order of Zeus which resulted in all of them turning me down. Well, not all of them. There were still two demigods left, one of which might not be too happy to see me which I honestly don't understand considering what a privilege it is to meet me. But right now I don't have the luxury to think about myself, so here I was about to knock on the door of the last hope of saving my family and I don't have to be a God of prophecy to predict the outcome of the conversation to follow. Tears escaped my eye on that thought and I cried outside the door until I was sure that I won't cry on being shot down again. I clenched my fist to gather all the courage I can muster and I knocked.

A few minutes later, the door opened and there he was, Perseus Jackson or Percy as he liked to be called, son of Poseidon, the twice hero of Olympus and the only fool to refuse immortality. As he saw me, his expression quickly changed from cautious to annoyed and angry. "What do you want Apollo or should I say Lester?" Percy asked reminding me again of my confinement. I could clearly sense the annoyance and disregard for my concerns in his voice. His tone reminded me of the various times we Gods have talked to the mortals the same way, it's no surprise that Olympus has so many enemies. Tears started welling up in my eyes as I desperately tried to control them. Percy must have sensed something as his expression changed to a kinder one and invited me in.

Annabeth's POV

Leaving camp, moving in with Percy and going to college together has been so great that it almost feels like living in a dream, especially the Sunday mornings when we get to sleep late, except today. It was 7:43am when someone knocked on our door. I was surprised as we haven't had many visitors since we moved in even though we were in new Rome. Jason and Piper visited a couple times, Frank and Hazel have also visited a couple of times and once we had an unexpected visit from Nico but never this early.

After what felt like 20 minutes but was actually 5 minutes, Percy yelled from the living room to join them. I got out of the bed slightly annoyed, then changed from my jammies to an orange T-shirt with a picture of Eiffel tower on it and a black trouser. I fixed my hair and went into the living room.

Percy's POV

Never have I ever seen a God cry so much that tear marks were left behind. Well, technically I didn't see him cry and he isn't a God right now but even in mortal form I remember Apollo being Pompous as ever. What could have possibly made Apollo cry, I thought. I invited him inside and directed him towards the couch. He sat there silent as though carefully picking the words to phrase his request.

I sat beside him in silencebut I don't do well in uncomfortable silences so I gave a shout to Annabeth whojoined us a couple minutes later. She looked at Apollo puzzled, she didn't knowwho he was and I'm pretty sure she knows all my friends. So, break the silenceI introduced Apollo, "Annabeth meet Lester Papadopoulos, although you might bemore familiar with his other name, Lord Apollo". Annabeth was genuinelysurprised and I loved that I could still surprise her as mortal life with abrain like Annabeth's can get a little boring and predictable at times.Although I tried from time to time to surprise her with dates and presents, ithas been a while since I saw this expression on her face. She pulled a chairclose to Apollo and sat down still staring at him in awe while Apollo wastrying to push out a painful smile, his eyes still bloodshot.