Conquest Of Paradise *Slow Updates*

The Eternal knot

"He refused godhood," Hera stated in disbelief.

"That is unacceptable. Godhood is the most highest reward anyone can be gifted with, and yet he dares to say no to us," Athena frowned.

Poseidon growled, "He has done all he can for us. He doesn't wish for immortality? Then so be it! And don't forget he said no because of your daughter."

Athena was about to snap back, when surprisingly Aphrodite cut in.

"But do we have to say no?" a sly smile played across her lips. "Just because young Perseus said no to us does not mean we should accept his answer."

"You will not force my son into anything!" Poseidon roared, standing from his throne and angrily glaring at the rest.

"Why shouldn't we?" Surprisingly, Zeus was the one who cut in, speaking quietly with a solemn face.

Everyone stared at him in various degrees of surprise and apprehension, but Poseidon just looked shocked and largely in disbelief.

"Zeus, you cannot be serious…"

Zeus looked Poseidon straight in the eye and took a steady breath for his next words.

"Poseidon, it is decided and I have made up my mind. Perseus Jackson shall be made immortal and a god by midnight tonight. Now we must decide what he shall preside over."

The King of Gods moved on from his decision and straight to the aftermath like it was nothing, and Poseidon exhaled incredulously.

"Not a single one of you can honestly say you are willing to force a boy, the same boy who has almost single-handedly saved us and Olympus, and make him a god against his will," Poseidon stated firmly, gazing at the gathered Olympians. "None of you can swear that you're willing to go along with this simply because none of you will force anything on anyone, much less force the Hero of Olympus. If none here is agreeable to force, then they definitely should be against using force against Percy."

It was quiet in the throne room. But none of the others spoke, especially to side with Poseidon.

"Do you really believe that?" Hera unexpectedly sided decisively with her husband. "It is obvious the boy has been a great asset to us. Shouldn't we want to have him by our side? Eternally so?"

There were connotations to the word 'side' that Poseidon did not get. And that there was an ulterior motive behind making Percy a god other than rewarding and keeping a great asset, a motive all the other gods seem to be in on except for him.

Poseidon pushed once more, eyes hardening and scowling fiercely.

"Hermes, my boy trusts you. You would never betray that trust, would you? You would never agree to something that would hurt him, right?"

The messenger god bit his lip and looked away, avoiding Poseidon's beseeching eyes.

The one ally he had thought he could definitely count on to be on his side to help protect Percy was more willing to go along with this crazy scheme for some reason…

"Ares," he inwardly became desperate. "You hate Percy. Why would you agree to this?"

But the war god merely shrugged. "Like I said. I get to fight him for eternity and beat him up again and again," his voice was halfhearted at best.

Poseidon turned to the twins, hoping that at least one or hopefully both would side with him.

"Artemis, Apollo, the two of you owe Percy. He saved you, Artemis," he tensed, looking straight into her eyes and felt hopeful when she looked back at him.