25+ Advance chapters on [email protected]/Saintbarbido.
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(Loth's P.O.V.)
The moment we stepped into Hades' throne room, I felt the weight of his gaze settle on me like an iron brand.
He wasn't alone, a beautiful goddess with an immaculate golden lyre on her forehead, tanned skin and hair the color of wheat sat silent on a second throne beside his.
Persephone the Goddess of Spring. She regarded us calmly, almost coldly, giving the impression of unfriendliness.
"Your divine majesties, forgive our intrusion into your realm. We are here on a quest and seek audience." I respectfully stated, the three of us bowing at the King and Queen of the Underworld.
The silence stretched uncomfortably.
Annabeth and Percy tensed beside me, their hands hovering near their weapons, but I didn't reach for mine. It wouldn't make a difference.
Hades knew everything.
He hadn't spoken yet, but I could tell. His expression was unreadable, yet his eyes burned with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.
Finally, he leaned forward.
"Thief."
The word rang out like a hammer striking stone.
I barely had a second to process it before the air around us grew heavier, the shadows in the room darkening, shaping up into a massive, grey, 3 headed dog that growled at us from the foot of the thrones.
It's open mouths were filled with large canines and a green fire burned in it's eyes.
"What's happening? D- do we fight?"
Percy shifted uncomfortably, stiff at the Cerberus apparent animosity. Annabeth's eyes darted between me and Hades in confusion.
I ignored her and met the God's gaze unflinchingly while letting out a slow breath. "You're gonna have to be more specific."
Hades' expression didn't change, but the emerald-green pit behind his throne—the entrance to Tartarus—flared violently. The entire chamber seemed to groan, the temperature dropping.
"You carry what is mine and dare act ignorant? In my PRESENCE?!" The God of the Underworld's voice reverberated across the chamber.
'Shit. He really does know. I was hoping to reveal it as leverage but...'
The dangerous anticipation in the Cerberus's burning gaze, sent a cold sensation crawling up my spine and I instinctively reached for the enchanted pouch at my waist.
The one I took off Ares' corpse.
The one filled with drachmas and...more.
I slowly loosened the drawstring and reached in. My fingers brushed against something… cold. Heavy.
I pulled it out, slowly. "It was not my intention to offend, I was simply overcautious due to the significance of this..."
The moment the bronze, polished metal of the 'Helm of Darkness' was exposed to the throne room, Annabeth and Percy gasped.
"Loth! In Athena's name, why do you have that?!" Annabeth shrieked, instantly recognizing the Divine Weapon belonging to our host.
The shadows around Cerberus and the chamber 'moved', stretching toward the helm as if drawn to it. Hades' fingers twitched against the armrest of his throne.
Persephone merely raised a brow, as if all this was beneath her care.
"Before you turn me into a toad or feed us to your terrifying pet, your Majesty, I have one more thing to show you." I muttered.
Reaching into the pouch again, I felt something else, a glass jar— and within it another Divine Weapon- jagged and humming with bright destructive power.
My heart pounded as I pulled out the 'Master Bolt'.
Lightning crackled violently around it, the very air splitting apart in protest.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Annabeth and Percy stared at me, their jaws practically on the floor. Hades was motionless, eyes locked onto the two divine artifacts in my hands.
Finally, Percy found his voice.
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FU—"
"Hold that thought." I raised a finger, then turned back to Hades. "Mind killing me after I explain?"
The god's eyes narrowed dangerously. For a brief moment, I feared my friends would suffer a horrible and cruel fate because of me.
"Let him dear, I'm interested to see how this boy will avoid your wrath." Persephone spoke up, palm brushing against Hades hand.
Hades frowned eased somewhat. The Cerberus dissolved into shadows and the divine pressure exerted on our mortal souls vanished without a trace. The throne room returned to normal. "Thank my wife for your continued existence."
After weeks of keeping quiet about my Meta-knowledge, it was time to reveal everything and hope the loose plan I had worked out didn't fail on me now. The entire world relied on it.
I sighed. "Alright, let's break it down. This whole mess? The stolen Bolt, your missing Helm? It was never about you, Poseidon or Zeus, Hades. You were all played. The real enemy has been pulling the strings from the start."
"Wait, wait...the Helm of Darkness was missing the entire time? How come you knew and didn't tell us?" Annabeth questioned.
"I didn't know until I fought Ares and found both divine weapons in his pouch. I couldn't tell you because someone was constantly spying on us. If word had gotten out we had the bolt and didn't immediately return it to Zeus? What do you think would have happened?"
"He would have killed us and asked questions later." Percy answered.
"Poseidon would be furious, maybe my mom too, but with everyone thinking we stole the bolt, there would be nothing they could do. We would have stopped the War from happening but at the cost of our lives." Annabeth sighed.
"Which is why I had to figure out a way to complete our quest while staying alive at the end." I nodded.
"What makes you children think Death is not in your future? All I see is a trio of thieves, prattling baseless accusations whilst possessing my most precious treasure."
The emerald glow behind Hades pulsed, as he waved a hand and the Helm left my hands for his. "For this daring act of thievery, I shall throw you into the deepest-"
"With all due respect Lord Hades, we both know what your most precious treasure is and it is not the Helm in your hands." I pointed. "So if you don't mind, cut the evil act, I know you're not as bad as you pretend to be." I interrupted.
Annabeth and Percy were staring at me like I'd grown a second head, but I ignored them. "In fact, out of every God in history, I'd say you're the most misunderstood."
Surprised at my boldness, Hades leaned on his throne and regarded me curiously, while rubbing the helm. "Go on."
"This whole scheme was orchestrated by Ares and Luke." I stated, watching Hades carefully. "The idea was simple—steal the Master Bolt and frame Me, steal the Helm and frame Poseidon through Percy, let the gods tear each other apart while the real enemy, Kronos regains his strength in Tartarus."
At his father's name, Hades' gaze darkened. Behind him, the pit flared again, almost like 'something down there approved of my words.
Annabeth's face was pale. "Kronos?"
I nodded grimly. "Yes. He's been the one whispering in our nightmares. The King of the Titans. That's who Ares and Luke have been working for."
Percy clenched his fists. "No way. Luke wouldn't go that far. Even if he betrayed us and hates the Gods he—"
"He would." I cut in, my voice sharper than I intended. "I know it's hard to accept, but think about it, Percy. Who else hates the Gods as much as Luke? The list is probably long with the names of beings like Medusa, Arachne, Heracles...but most are weaker than the weakest minor God. So Luke chose the strongest allies he could think of, The Titans. "
Annabeth's hands trembled. "No…"
I looked at her. "You know it's true, Wise Girl. You just don't want to believe it."
She swallowed hard, her eyes burning with emotions I couldn't name.
I turned back to Hades. "Ares was supposed to kill me after the Hellhound's curse had turned me into a monster, before planting the Bolt on my corpse. That way, a creature from the Underworld would be found with Zeus' Divine weapon, boom—the gods go to war."
Hades studied me for a long moment, eyes piercing through mine and deep into my soul. Then, to my surprise, he chuckled.
"But you tamed it instead." Persephone chuckled. "Clever boy, don't you agree dear Husband?"
Hades snorted begrudgingly, "It seems my nephew's arrogance was his undoing."
He stood, stepping down from his throne. As he did, the shadows coiled around his form like living things.
"But that still leaves one question," he said. "Why did you keep the Bolt a secret? You could've simply returned it to Zeus."
I smirked. "Because we needed to come here."
Hades' eyes flashed. "Explain."
Annabeth crossed her arms. "Yes, Loth, do explain why we had to risk our lives for something we could've fixed a day ago."
I rolled my shoulders. "Simple. This was the only way to get all three strongest divine weapons in one place."
The room fell silent again.
Hades' expression turned unreadable. "Continue."
I gestured at the Helm of Darkness in his hand. "That's one. The Master Bolt is two. And the last?" I turned to Percy. "That's where you come in, Seaweed Brain."
Percy blinked. "...What?"
"You're going to borrow Poseidon's Trident."
Percy nearly choked. "I'm WHAT?!"
Annabeth gave me a look. "Hold on. What do you need the 3 most powerful weapons in the Greek Pantheon for?"
Everyone's gaze fell to me.
"To reinforce the Titan's prison and prevent Kronos' escape of course." I shrugged.
In Greek Myth, the three Elder Gods, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades had used their Divine weapons to defeat Kronos by slicing him apart and casting his consciousness deep into Tartarus.
Given the fact Kronos' body parts were hidden across the world, reinforcing the prison would only be a delaying tactic. But even it it only bought us 10 or 100 years, all the better. I'd have figured out a way back home or off this universe by then.
"Is that even possible?" Annabeth looked towards Hades, who had gone silent, staring at the mouth of Tartarus with his back to us.
"Back then, we were younger, stronger and had the Fates on our side. Improbable maybe. But not...impossible." He grunted.
I sighed in relief, clenching my fist in determination. I was not wrong, this could work. We could end the whole Titan war before it even started. Fuck the prophecies, the Fates and their destiny crap. I was making my own.
"Not saying I believe this insanity, Loth. But you want Percy to just 'ask' Poseidon for his Trident? Especially now?" Annabeth skeptically asked.
"Why not?" I turned to them. "Percy's his kid. If anyone can convince him, it's him. It will only be for a short time. The plan will only work if all 3 Divine weapons are present."
Percy groaned. "I hate how much sense that makes."
Annabeth grabbed one of the water pearls from Percy's pocket—the ones he got from a Naiad back in Denver. "It's worth a shot."
With a deep breath, Percy crushed the pearl in his palm. The water swirled into a glowing blue mist.
"Dad? I need a favor."
A few minutes of explaining the situation to his father later, Percy was gripping a miniature version of Poseidon's Trident in his hands.
The god had sounded skeptical and granted it reluctantly, but the fact that he had at all was a miracle and showed just how much he trusted Percy.
Despite the Trident's small size, the turbulent torrent of power contained within the silver glowing metal sent my aura sense into overdrive. All 3 divine weapons together was too much and I deactivated it.
Hades eyed the Trident in Percy's grip, the Master Bolt in mine, then his Helm.
"Fine," he said at last. "I will assist in reinforcing Tartarus' prison."
Then his gaze locked onto me. "But afterward… you will leave the HellWolf sharing your mind behind."
I tensed. "Excuse me?"
Hades' voice was calm, but absolute. "That creature is of darkness. It belongs here."
Blitz growled from within my mind-space, golden eyes burning. Not even the Cerberus' challenging gaze had riled him up, but this? Yeah fuck him being a God, I'd fight Hades if need be.
My fists were clenched as I stepped forward. "Correction, he's only part darkness. And more importantly, Blitz is mine. He's not just some beast you can claim."
The air between us crackled. The darkness in the room 'twitched.'
Hades' gaze bore into mine. "You would defy me over a pet?"
I didn't hesitate. "Win or lose, Blitz stays with me."
For a long moment, it felt like the entire Underworld held its breath.
Then, before Hades could reply, another voice cut in.
"Enough."
Persephone.
She had been silent for a while now, watching and listening from her throne. Now she rose, and walked down gracefully to stand between her husband and I.
"This argument is pointless," she said. "Let us reinforce the prison first."
Hades exhaled sharply but didn't argue.
With a final glance at me, he turned toward the pit of Tartarus.
"Let us go."
I rolled my shoulders, feeling the weight of what was coming settle onto me.
Annabeth placed a hand on my arm. "Are you sure this will work?"
I met her gaze, smirking despite myself. "Hell no. But we can try."
Percy sighed. "Let's get this over with and get my mom back."
Together, we stepped forward—toward the awning abyss, toward the mouth of Tartarus.
Towards whatever awaited us down there.