Summary: God AU. Pertemis. She finds him when they are just godlings, he is in the form of a wolf so that he might not be found by the Olympian council, and injured. What Artemis doesn't know about her new companion is that he is really the god of power and virtue, Perseus, son of Poseidon and Hestia. Together they live through the ages as Olympians, spun in the web of the politics and antics of the Greek Gods.

Through the Ages Chapter 13 Complete Chapter, Medusa

NOTE: Perseus is Danae's son, Percy is...Percy Jackson.

IMPORTANT!

I posted the first third of the chapter before and now here's the rest. I will be deleting the former "chapter 13" and replacing it with this new one. For those of you who have already read part one, I will indicate where the rest of the chapter starts.

Since the very beginning, Perseus could swear the gods had taken a little too much of a liking to watching him. He felt like there were eyes on his back practically all the time.

And of course there was that time in the woods that he remembered like it was yesterday.

When Perseus was eight, he left the small house his mother, adopted father Dictys, and he lived in to wander through the woodlands nearby. He knew that his mother would be angry with him, but at the time, he just wanted to explore. Perseus always had an adventurous spirit, and he hated to deny himself the simple pleasure of going on a walk through the woods. He promised himself to be home before sundown in order to avoid his mother's wrath.

As soon as he reached the forest green treeline, he felt his muscles and limbs relax. Perseus heard the birds chirping and the soft waves from the ocean nearby. The treetops hit the sky, and Perseus felt the sudden urge to climb one. He dusted off his tunic, grasped the lowest limb, and started climbing.

He reached halfway up the great pine before stopping to look down at the ground. He must've been at least one hundred feet above ground. He felt a thrill rush through him; up through his toes to his spine and a tingle in his neck, but the feeling was still inadequate.

Not high enough.

It was the sky. He desperately wanted to reach that great blue sky. There was something about it that called him like an irresistible siren to a starved sailor. He found himself scrambling up the tree five minutes later as he lost his foothold on a large branch. He was dangerously close to falling. There was no way he would survive the fall from his branch to the earth below.

Perseus whimpered as he felt his hand slip a little farther off the branch, but didn't have the abdominal strength to readjust his grip or swing his other arm onto the slanted branch. He prayed to the gods, most of all to Zeus, to save him.

Please, merciful gods of Olympus, save me.

He prayed under his breath as his fingers dislodged themselves from the branch, and he went free falling. There was a burning sensation in his gut and he felt the wind roaring in his ears furiously, almost as if chastising him for doing something so foolish.

WHAP!

Perseus remained still for a few moments before opening his eyes. He felt dizzy and like he was about to vomit, but he also felt alive. He looked around him and saw black fur surrounding his vision. Perseus scrambled to sit upright, and saw himself looking into the forest green eyes of a huge Eurasian wolf. Peculiarly, the wolf had charcoal black fur which diverged from the normal pale grey coat color most Eurasian wolves had.

Perseus yelped and rolled off the wolf, watching him, terrified. The wolf got up from its position on its back and looked the boy in the eye. The wolf's eyes looked human; they were round, wide, and friendly. They lacked the sharp angle and menacing glare a wild wolf would usually possess if so close to a human. He barked and pressed his snout into the boy's upper arm. Perseus was so shocked towards the wolf's unexpected friendliness that he didn't notice the small scrape near his shoulder.

Perseus bent down and ripped a small piece of cloth from the bottom of his tunic and wrapped it around his arm in an attempt to quell the bleeding. The black wolf watched him protectively the entire time.

"Why are you still here?" Perseus asked curiously, and took a foolish step forward. He could practically hear his mother's cries of anger ringing in his ears. The wolf padded toward him, pressing his cold nose into the boy's hand. The boy looked into the wolf's eyes and saw himself blinking back, unafraid. The wolf whined and licked his hand, nuzzling into his side. "Do I...know you?"

There was a familiarity to him, like how after a long day his mother's hugs would comfort him, and the wolf was familiar in the same way that the beach washed over his toes on a hot summer afternoon. He was like family, like warmth, like pure comfort.

"Are you the one who's been following me? I feel like I've had eyes on my back since the day I was born." The wolf huffed, almost as if it were answering him, but didn't say a thing. It turned and sniffed the air, its ears pricked in high alert.

And then Perseus saw it. In the distance, there was a flash of silver, until a large white stag revealed itself from behind a pine tree. It sniffed the air as well and stopped, standing stock still and staring at the black wolf. Perseus's heart quickened. "No! Wolf, don't—!"

But it was too late. The wolf snarled and bounded after the stag, and the stag bolted in response. And the wolf came closer and closer until—

The wolf barked excitedly and rolled over onto its back, and the stag chuffed happily, bounding in circles around the wolf. The black wolf hopped up and barked again, its tongue lolling to the side of its mouth. The stag leaned down and nuzzled the wolf's neck before turning to the boy.

As if finally remembering Perseus's existence, the wolf looked to him and barked again, before trotting off with the stag into the green abyss.

It had been two years since that strange occurrence, and Perseus returned to the forest every day in hopes of catching a single glance of the wolf or stag. But Perseus could still feel their watchful presence every time he climbed a tree or waded into the ocean, even if he couldn't see them.

Once Perseus turned thirteen, his mother sat him down in the kitchen, with a stern expression on her face she didn't often bear. He knew immediately that whatever she wanted to tell him would be serious. "Perseus, you are thirteen. You are nearly a man now," Danae ruffled his jet black hair affectionately. Every time she gazed at her son, she was reminded of...them. She saw Zeus in the electrifying blue of Perseus's eyes, in his broadening shoulders, and his ceaseless ambition. But-

Perseus gave his mother a huge grin and leaned forward to embrace her. This.

She saw him. She saw Percy in the tanned color of his skin, in the bright quality of his smile, and in the love he held for her.

Yes, when she thought of love, she thought of Percy.

"Did I ever tell you the story of how I named you?" She looked up at him. In the past year, Perseus had grown almost an entire foot. Danae decided it was the demigod in him that had allowed him to grow so quickly.

Perseus' mouth quirked to the side in puzzlement. "I never really thought about it. But now that you mention it, why did you name me Perseus?"

Danae thought back on the days when she would meet him on the ocean shores, collecting shells and sometimes they even swam together. Those days were her happiest. "When I was younger, I met a...man at the markets. He was the most magnificent person I had ever seen."

Perseus's ears perked. His mother never spoke about his father, and every time he had ever brought him up, she would only glare off into space venomously. He wondered if he bore the same name as his father.

Danae continued, "We became friends. Best of friends, actually. I was living under your grandfather's oppressive rule but when I was with him, I felt free." She had the most gentle, wistful look in her eye. Perseus didn't even recognize her. Danae looked about ten years younger at that moment. "I fell in love with him," she sighed. "Yes. I did. But his heart belonged completely to another."

Perseus was starting to think that this story wasn't about his father, but who else could it have been about?

"And then, your grandfather caught me during one of my...excursions, and imprisoned me. And then I met your father."

Perseus's heart skipped a beat. For all intents and purposes, Dictys was his adopted father. He taught him how to fish, he taught Perseus his morals, and how to be a man. But his chest felt like it was going to burst at the mere mention of his real father. "What was he like?"

"Conniving," Danae hissed. "You do not bear his name, thank Artemis."

That was another thing about Danae that Perseus was finally beginning to notice. Everyone on the island always said "praise Zeus," or "great Zeus" to express relief or exasperation, but Danae never said these things. She only ever referred to Artemis.

"No, I did not ask for you to sit with me to speak about him. No. But Perseus…" Her face melted into sadness. "He came to visit me sometimes. He sent me a...midwife before you were delivered. And when we were tossed out into the sea, he kept us safe and landed us here in Seriphus. I haven't seen him in many, many years. I miss him."

Perseus felt anger welling up in his chest. He didn't care about this random "Perseus" person he wasn't related to! He wanted to know about his father! "What's your point here, Mother?" he snapped almost impatiently.

"I named you after him. Perseus. The god of power, patron of demigods. Your life is in the honor of him."

Ugh. That's it. She has completely lost it. And I mean, completely. "As in, the god Perseus visited you at the beach? Why did you say he was a man earlier?"

"I have decided you are old enough to know. I named you for him, and I want you to know the truth."

"You want me to know the truth? Then tell me who my real father is, not your random teenage crush!" Perseus pressed, punctuating his point with a fist on the table.

Danae pursed her lips tightly. "Your father is Zeus, the king of the gods."

At first, Perseus was shocked that he wasn't shocked. But the yearning for the sky and his comfort with the lightning his peers didn't have came to the forefront of his mind, and he knew then that his mother had to have been telling the truth. "That would make me a-"

"Yes, Perseus. You are a demigod. Every day I pray to Perseus the great Olympian for your safety and prosperity. He is your patron."

Do these so-called "patrons" have return policies?

"Will I ever see my father?" Perseus asked, a desperate edge to his voice. He grasped his mother's pale hand, leaning down so he could look her in the eyes.

"Perhaps," Danae sighed. She knew this day would come, but she had tried her best to delay it, "But his wife Hera despises all of his children with other mistresses. One must do something great in order to be recognized in Olympus."

"Something great?" Perseus said in awe.

"Well, for example, Percy defeated a cyclops when he was only a few days old," Danae replied. "Great feats of any kind. Art, music, literature...and...warfare." He could tell by the look in her eye that the last one was not preferable.

But it was too late. By that time, Perseus decided that he needed to meet his real father, and would do anything to get there.

"Have you thought about what I asked?"

Artemis curled into Percy's chest, hearing the soft thumps of his beating heart. These moments were always her favorite. It was the quiet moments of intimacy between them when she felt the most loved. He wrapped a warm arm around her middle, cocooning her closer to his warm body. He was silent for a moment too long. "I have."

"And?" Artemis propped herself up with an elbow and pinned her bright silver eyes on him.

"I want to wait," Percy said pointedly, raising his dark brows. "We discussed this before, Artemis. I want to approach Hestia after I have guided Perseus through his trials."

"I know you, Percy. Perseus will complete his tasks and then there will be another demigod you want to focus all of your attention on. Don't let this become a habit," Artemis said sternly. When she saw the shocked look on his face, she cupped his jaw, "You're just… so difficult Percy."

Percy snorted. "Gee, thanks. Every boyfriend wants his girlfriend to call him that."

Artemis laughed good naturedly. "You're just so busy with the world outside Olympus. And I know it's because you genuinely care about the mortals but I think you're quick to forget that there's a family waiting for you here." She placed a hand on his heart, "A family just waiting for you to see it."

Percy had an aching feeling that Artemis wasn't just talking about Hestia anymore.

Five Years Later SECOND PART BEGINS HERE

Perseus sat by the water, feeling the gentle and familiar sound of the waves wash over him. He packed up his fishing gear and placed them into the corner of his boat. Then, he dove into the ocean.

Perseus didn't belong on the land. The ocean and sky were his home. He learned quickly through his teenage years that the seas practically parted for him and welcomed him with open arms. He remembered as a fully grown Mediterranean shark passed him by without a moment's notice and knew then there was something special about him.

It wasn't unheard of for a mortal to be blessed by either Zeus or Poseidon. But what was unheard of was to be blessed by both. If one thrived in the seas, they were irrevocably petrified by the sky and vice versa. There was a reason sailors feared thunderstorms.

But it never stormed around Perseus. Or if it did, he and his boat were always unscathed. Dictys caught this advantage quickly and often sent him out on fishing trips. Eighteen-year-old Perseus always saw it as Dictys working him to the bone unnecessarily, but he had to admit it alleviated the small family's long standing poverty.

He swam to the ocean floor, fascinated by the beautiful color of the coral reefs and shining fish. Feeling his lungs burn, he swam back up to the surface and climbed back into his boat. Then, he headed home.

"What'd you get, Perseus?" Danae greeted him as Perseus unloaded the basket from his shoulder.

"Mostly sea bass," Perseus muttered. Danae smiled up at him, marveling at how tall he'd gotten. Much to her chagrin, Perseus had only grown to look even more like Zeus with age. There was so much pride in his face; he had a handsome jaw, a strong and serious brow, and his eyes were as stormy as the rain. The more he lost his innocence, the less and less he reminded Danae of Percy, his namesake.

"Dictys has informed me we've been invited to Polydectes's engagement party," Danae said softly.

"Gods, not that asshole," Perseus growled. Polydectes was Seriphus' ruler, and Danae's insistent stalker. He'd "fallen in love" with her when Dictys had invited him for a family visit and Perseus had despised his adoptive uncle ever since. He may have called him a few choice words and chased him off the property when Polydectes had moved to kiss Danae without her consent.

Despite her age, Danae was blessed by Hebe and remained youthful in appearance. Other than the subtle lines that framed her lips and a wrinkle by her brow, she had aged gracefully. "Language," she shot back harshly, glaring at Perseus' back. "It would do you well to go into town and get an outfit for the party. We can't reject the invitation, it's against etiquette."

"Well it's against etiquette to sexually harass you!" Perseus shot back.

"Don't talk back to me," Danae shouted firmly, "and do what I told you."

"No," Perseus hissed, "I don't give a damn about 'appearances,' Mom. In case you haven't noticed, we live in a shack and you're not a princess anymore. It's time to get over these fake notions of propriety you've been harboring for years."

Danae's mouth twitched. "If you think this place is such a shack, then leave. And do what I told you."

Perseus turned and stormed off into town.

Danae sighed and fell into her chair. Perseus wasn't a bad kid, but raising a kid by yourself could be hard. And life on Seriphos wasn't always smooth sailing. "Oh Percy," she exhaled breathily, "please keep that boy safe. He's always looking for trouble."

At the end of the week, the family prepared for the party and headed to the city center where the celebration would be taking place. "Thank you all for attending," Polydectes announced grandly, "as you know, I have requested that all heads of household present their gifts for me and my bride." A young woman was seated next to him, with a veil covering her face.

Once it was Perseus' turn, he approached the throne and dipped into what barely passed as a bow. "Unfortunately, I am too poor to bring a gift for you and your bride, great ruler Polydectes."

Polydectes was silent for a moment before smirking, having prepared for this situation. He knew Perseus and Danae would be too poor to afford a gift befitting for a king.

"Hmm," Polydectes pretended to deliberate. "Very well. For a gift, I want you to bring me the head of Medusa, the horrible Gorgon."

The crowd gasped in shock. Danae lurched forward and grasped his arm. "Perseus-no-"

"I accept," Perseus stated bravely, squaring his jaw.

Dictys shook his head, somberly muttering to himself, "What have you done, brother?"

In the meantime, Hermes and Athena turned to one another, each knowing what the other was thinking. "It's beginning," Hermes said, giving Athena a toothy grin.

Athena gave him a stern and petty glare. "You are a fool if you think I'll talk to you again after this. Don't get too cozy."

Hermes placed a hand over his heart. "Athena. I'm truly wounded."

"Silence, Hermes. I'm thinking," she placed her fingers on her temples tenderly, "something you wouldn't understand."

Hermes leaned close and whispered in her ear, "What are we thinking about?"

Athena slapped him away, "Shoo, you basic under evolved neanderthal! Were you dropped on the head as an infant?!"

"Well," Hermes said slyly, "Pretty close."

Athena rolled her eyes dramatically and slapped him again. "Figures."

Hermes narrowed his sharp blue eyes. "What's with the unnecessary cruelty Athena? It's hurting my feelings."

Athena sighed. "First Apollo, now you."

Hermès rushed to her side. "Now what could you possibly mean by that?"

"Nothing," Athena said as she felt her mind wandering to where Apollo might be.

Hermès rubbed his forehead, sensing a headache coming. "This is going to be a long few years."

Wanting a silent and solitary place to think, Perseus had escaped into the forest. He felt so frustrated and confused. Why had he rushed to accept? He didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't even know where Medusa lived, much less how to defeat her. Gods, what a fool he was! "Great Zeus," he moaned, "What am I going to do?"

Then, in a great burst of white hot light, a great woman appeared in front of him. She was startlingly beautiful, in a fierce and awe-inspiring way. When she placed her eyes on him Perseus was reminded of a sharp-minded archer locking in on their target. She wore a long and cascading white dress, with a spear she clenched tight in her fists. Her lips were turned in slight disapproval, though Perseus didn't think he should take it personally. He had a feeling she looked at most people that way. "Demigod Perseus, son of Zeus and protege to Perseus, god of Power, I am Athena, goddess of war, strategy, and crafts."

Perseus bowed. "Great Athena, I-"

She raised a palm to silence him. "I bring you a gift. A bronze shield, so that you may slay the monstrous Medusa. You must use this as a mirror so in that way you will only gaze at her reflection and will not be turned into stone."

Perseus took the dazzling and heavy shield gently, as if grabbing a newborn child. "This is an amazing gift, but… I still do not know where to find her."

And in another flash of light, the great messenger god Hermes appeared. He stood tall and gave him a sly, mischievous grin. "I believe I can help." Holding out his palm, he produced a curved sword that shined and hummed with a steady, ancient power. "A sword, blessed by the God of Power himself." Perseus took it gingerly, and stared with amazement.

"The god of...power?" Perseus frowned. He knew who that was…

"Yes," Athena said grandly, a smile twisting her lips slightly upward. Perseus was surprised she was even capable of smiling or showing any kind of expression of joy. "Perseus, your patron god and protector of the demigods. This blade has been forged with celestial bronze, and is for only you."

Perseus had the extremely immature urge to pout. He didn't want to owe anymore to this God he never planned to meet or know. "If it's 'blessed by Perseus himself,' why hasn't he come to give me this personally?"

Hermes resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "He is the god of power, child.
You will meet him eventually, I assure you. No need to rush. Now. For my next gift, I present to you my winged sandals."

The winged sandals seemed to have a mind of their own and flapped profusely before Perseus took them.

"My final gift. A replica of the helmet of Hades. It allows its wearer to become invisible. Use this power well, and justly." He produced a metal helmet the color of ebony and elegantly decorated. Perseus placed it on his head and watched in wonder as he realized he couldn't even see his own hands. "Woah."

"Tha-That's not a gift from Perseus by the way," Hermes said, getting off script. Athena shot him a venomous glare. "I went through a lot of trouble getting that thing and it's on a loan, so please don't lose it-"

"Anyway," Athena interrupted, giving Hermes a pointed look. "That monster defiled my temple with that-that pig, Poseidon. You must defend my honor and exact justice. My former 'priestess' has only ever gotten...stonier with age."

There was a pregnant pause. Hermes narrowed his eyes. "That was a terrible pun."

"As if you could come up with something better?!"

"Um, excuse me?" Perseus interrupted them before they really had a chance to bicker. "I still don't know where to find Medusa."

"Oh, um yes," Hermes cleared his throat. "I shall guide you to the starting point of your great task. You must speak to the Gray Women, who are sisters to Medusa, and only they will be able to tell you of the Gorgons' location."

"Best of luck," Athena almost grumbled. "Hermes is the type of company you keep in moderation."

Hermes rolled his eyes then and beckoned for Perseus to follow him.

And thus, Perseus' journey began.

They had reached the Gray Land.

Perseus could tell because the land had become infertile and could not sustain any greenery. Dark clouds hung overhead and gray mountains stood on either side of the dusty valley. It felt like they had been travelling for years before Hermes stopped abruptly and bowed. "This is as far as I am able to take you. May Perseus bless you."

I need to meet this 'Perseus,' he thought to himself. Everyone seems so obsessed with him. Why does no one ever talk about my father?

He was so absorbed in his thoughts he didn't even notice when Hermes disappeared in a flash. He felt a wave of uncertainty go through him before eventually deciding that he just had to keep moving. Perseus had walked for a little more than an hour before he heard voices.

"No no no, give it here!"

The voice was hushed and gravelly, and sounded like the village elder's. "Sister, you've hogged the eye-"

"I distinctly remember two turns ago you kept it for twenty seconds too long! Therefore-"

"Absolutely not."

"Now sisters, you have it all wrong. It is most certainly my turn at this present time…"

Perseus moved toward the voices and made sure he stayed hidden. He hid behind a rock before seeing the source of the voices.

The Gray Women were tucked into the corner of a large clearing, bickering animatedly. They flapped their swanlike wings furiously while desperately trying to take the eye from one another. Perseus tried not to grimace at the sight of their faces. Their skin was sallow and an ashen shade of sickly gray. An empty socket was in place of an eye and their lips sunk into a cavernous mouth with a few sparse teeth.

Eventually the arguments died down and the clearing remained silent as they peacefully passed the eye among each other. Then, Perseus had an idea.

He had to do this fast or he would spook them. He rushed forward and snatched the eye as one of the Gray Women was passing it to the other. The Gray Woman that was being passed to clawed the air blindly. "Sister," she almost growled. "Where is the eye?"

"In your socket, stupid," the sister bit back.

"You didn't give me the eye!" the sister screeched murderously.

"I have it," Perseus said, holding the eye up in his palm. "I will give it back to you if you give me some information."

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Anything! Anything for the eye!"

Two days later, Perseus found himself in front of the cave the Gray Women claimed the horrible Gorgons lived. His heart was beating faster and faster, but he knew that his mission was blessed by the gods. "I will succeed," he said.

Perseus, a man's voice sounded in his head, follow your destiny and you will be invited to the great Olympus to be honored by the gods themselves.

I'm going to guess that was Perseus, he thought to himself before steeling his nerves. Then, after placing Hades' helmet onto his head, he began his trek into the cave.

He struggled to keep his shiver of fear back after gazing into the twisted faces of Medusa's wretched victims. This creature truly was a monster. He caught the sight of a few women and children, most likely lured by magic, and felt the urge to vomit. Would these people ever be free of this cruel and unjust imprisonment? Can they see him like he can see them? Or is there just...nothing for them?

He clenched his jaw and kept moving forward. Even if he failed, he was comforted by knowing that his statue would lessen her victims' solitude.

Perseus shook his head. He couldn't be thinking that way. He was the son of the king of the gods, protege to the god of power. As long as he kept his wits about him he would be fine.

He raised Athena's shield and saw the reflection of three bodies. Their backs were facing him, so he couldn't tell which one was Medusa. He had one chance, and he had to get it right for Medusa's sisters were immortal and could not be killed by his celestial bronze blade. If he struck the wrong one, it would alert the other two sisters, and he would have been promptly turned into stone.

The voice spoke again. In the middle. Strike Medusa now, while she is asleep.

Perseus flew to her and diligently kept his eyes on the reflective shield. He raised his shining blade and struck off the Gorgon's head in a decisive blow. He placed her head into a bag and flew away. His heart began racing as he heard the other two sisters stir, but by the time they had noticed Medusa's body thrashing about on the ground, he was gone.

Perseus had flown far away before deciding to set up camp by the beach. He never felt completely safe on land, but the ocean waves calmed him. His eyes were getting heavy when he saw a man's silhouette emerge from the sea foam.

And then, Percy revealed himself.

He had shrunk himself down to Perseus' height, and was wearing a casual tunic. He had messy black hair, and bright, green eyes. Perseus found himself gazing into his reflection in Percy's eyes, mesmerized by the vision. Percy gave him an impish smile. "Hey," he said casually. "I thought it was about time that we actually met. My name's Perseus. But," he dragged the word along, "you can call me Percy. Less confusing that way."

Perseus scrambled to his feet, and promptly bowed. "Lord Perseus, god of power, what brings you into my humble presence?"

Percy frowned and leaned his weight on one foot. "You know, man, I dress all casual so we can, you know, talk as equals. You don't gotta do-" he gestured to Perseus's bowing form, "This stuff. This is more Artemis's thing."

He placed a thumb under his chin and rubbed. "Well, more like Zeus's," he said lowly. He jerked his chin, signaling for Perseus to stand up. "That's enough of that. I hate this bowing stuff. Makes me feel...old and stuffy."

Perseus stood. In this form, Percy was exactly his height. That had to have been a purposeful choice. "You did really good, Perseus," Percy smiled at him, and clapped his shoulder. "Honestly. Don't even know if I could do it myself."

"Really?" Perseus said, awestruck and impressed with himself.

Percy shrugged. "Well, no. I could definitely do it myself. But," he raised his index finger, "that is no easy feat for a mortal. I'm impressed. Really."

Perseus bowed his head. "Thank you."

Percy gave him an easy smile. "Yeah, of course. Gotta give credit where it's due. Now," he placed a hand on Perseus's shoulder, "Tell Danae hello for me, okay?"

"What do you mean? What exactly were you to my mother? She keeps talking about you, for Zeus's sake, she named me after you, but you haven't come to visit her once-"

"See Perseus, I'm the wrong person to direct this anger toward. I understand how you feel, trust me. After my mother gave birth to me, my father didn't give her a second glance. I am not your father. I would have loved to visit Danae, but I am loyal to my goddess, and I don't think Artemis would think too kindly of me visiting her too often," Perseus shook his head. "I know how painful it is, not knowing who your dad is growing up. You will have a chance to meet him. But there's a destiny for you to fulfill. And then, Olympus awaits."

Perseus scoffed, "You said-"

"Follow your destiny, yes," Percy nodded, stretching his arms behind his head. It was strange. He was just so laid back in contrast to, say, Athena. "You will get there Perseus. You will need to trust me." He turned to leave.

"You can keep your spoils, of course." He took one step forward before wheeling around. "Except for, um," he cleared his throat, "the helmet. Hermes tells me that's on loan."

Perseus had gotten quite used to his flying sandals and flew home. On his way, he had slayed Poseidon's sea monster using Medusa's head and saved Andromeda. He was so bewitched by her beauty he had begged her to come home with him, which she agreed to. As soon as they had landed on Seriphus's sandy shores, Perseus hurried to King Polydectes's palace to show him his success.

But Polydectes had only accused Perseus of lying, and it was then Perseus realized Polydectes had sent him on a wild goose chase to be rid of him. So, he pulled out the head and turned the horrible ruler into stone.

Dictys became the ruler of Seriphus and ruled fairly and justly. Danae, Perseus, and Andromeda sailed to Argos, as Danae was growing older and wished to reconcile with her father Acrisius. But Perseus had heard of great tournament in the island nearby and wished to compete. It was there he completed his destiny when his stray discus struck Acrisius dead.

When Perseus was summoned to Mount Olympus to finally meet his father, Percy was the first to greet him.

A/N: Sighhhh no more Percy-ception from here XD

Hestia sat by the hearth in her bedroom in the palace. Despite the grand furnishings and beautiful decorations in the other rooms of her palace, Hestia felt most at home by the fireplace.

Although festivities were being held outside in Perseus's honor, Hestia had laid low since Percy's birth. Every time she went out she felt like the nymphs and minor gods were whispering about her and Poseidon's unusual infidelity. She also despised seeing Amphitrite parade around Mount Olympus as though it somehow belonged to her despite her minor role in the hierarchy. She had made a promise many years ago never to have cruel thoughts or act on them so she stayed as far away from Amphitrite as possible.

She wrapped her arms around herself as she felt a draft come in from the window. When had she left that open?

She just felt so lonely. Hestia desperately wished to speak to Perseus but she was just so afraid. What if he hated her? What if he thought of her as a jealous, bitter mistress? She couldn't bear it if he never wanted to speak to her.

Hestia stiffened when she heard footsteps.

"Hello, Hestia."

She turned towards the noise, and there she saw her only son standing before her.

IMPORTANT NOTE!

Here's where I ask your guys' opinion. There's a few options for the next chapter.

1. A chapter that focuses on Apollo and Artemis + meeting of Percy and Hestia in the beginning of chapter (this would focus on Atalanta and Niobe and how Artemis/Apollo/Percy interact with them, less Percy tho)

2. OR continue onto the next hero while resuming other side character stories.

Please let me know your opinions in the reviews/PMs! Thank you all for reading and please have a lovely weekend. Stay safe :)

Signing out,

Lucky