Chapter Text
Percy's Pov
I was running away. Away from my former friends, away from my now ex-girlfriend, away from everyone who I thought cared about me. I guess I'll lay low for a while, maybe someone will be able to get my former friends and the gods that now hate me to realize that I was innocent of everything they accused me of. Before I disappear though I am going to stop and see my mom and Paul. I will tell them that I'm leaving and that they can't stop me.
I suppose you are probably wondering what happened to me why everyone suddenly hates me. Well, it started about a month ago when that son of Aphrodite came to camp. He started by turning the younger campers against me, when that didn't affect me he convinced my friends that I did things that I didn't.
He convinced Juniper and Grover that I set fire to part of the forest, killing several dryads in the process. He made the Stolls believe that I alerted Chiron to a prank they were planning. At this point I only have a few friends left, those include Thalia, Nico, Piper, Frank and Hazel. So now most of my friends hate me, and the gods, even my father wants me dead.
I headed to my mom's apartment building and found smoke pouring out of the windows, Mom and Paul's apartment looked to be the worst hit of them all, I knew that unless they got out early, or weren't there when the fire started, there was no way that they could have made it. I walked closer and soon found out that my fears were true, my mom and stepdad were gone.
I ran away from the apartment, as fast as my legs would carry me until I broke down, fell to the ground and cried. I had lost almost everyone I cared about my friends had left me for a stupid son of Aphrodite, all the gods hate me, and I had just lost my mom and stepdad. I can't see any of my friends who still believe me because the gods would find me if I went to them, so I basically have no one. After I got myself under control, I forced myself to keep moving. I couldn't stay in one place for very long, or whoever the gods had looking for me would find me and take me to Olympus to be punished for crimes I didn't commit. You would think that they would know better than to believe those lies, my fatal flaw is loyalty, I could never betray anyone yet I had gone from Hero to criminal faster than you can say Styx.
Eventually though, I had to stop, I grabbed some food out of the bag I had packed when I decided to leave, I didn't have much but it was better than nothing, I had taken some food, clothing, the minotaur horn, and a few pictures, some were of me and Mom and Paul, while others were of me and the few friends that hadn't betrayed me for Collin.
Yes, that's his name, the little creep arrived at camp about a month ago. I saved him from the monsters that were chasing him as he made his way to camp but afterward he had taken the credit when my friends were skeptical he forced them to believe him with charmspeak. After I ate I laid down on the ground and fell asleep, the only real comfort I had was that my sleep was dreamless instead of my usual dreams and nightmares.
That was a relief since my dreams had gotten worse after my experiences in Tartarus, so the peaceful sleep was a pleasant surprise since I almost always have nightmares. I thought that I had been doing pretty well at avoiding the gods so far, and I had tried my hardest to avoid Mortal authorities, but I soon found out that I hadn't been doing as well as I thought.
The next morning I was getting ready to keep moving when I saw a flash of light that could only mean one thing, the gods had found me. When I stood though I was surprised by the goddess who had come to find me I hadn't expected Zeus to send her. I stood and bowed to her, afterward I asked "Have you come to take me to Olympus Lady Hestia?"
She said, "No Perseus, I know you are innocent and I have come because I want you to be my champion." I was honestly shocked, for a moment I didn't respond but I finally said: "Of course Lady Hestia, I accept." She made me her champion and gave me a general idea of the powers I now have. I thought to myself, well at least now I won't have to worry about food. I thought she was finished and was about to leave, but instead, she said "Perseus, there is something else you need to know as well."
"What's that?" I asked her. She answered "for some time now a mortal security organization has been tracking you so they can determine if you are a threat or a possible ally to them. You will encounter them soon it is up to you to decide whether to trust them or not, but if you do decide to trust them you can tell them about us, however, they must swear on the Styx to keep that information to themselves. We cannot risk the mortals learning that we exist it would cause chaos in the mortal world."
I nodded understanding and then she said "I will try and convince the others of your innocence, especially your father. When she said that a fierce scowl appeared on her face. that was one expression I wasn't used to seeing on the normally peaceful goddess. I said, "Thank you, Lady Hestia." She replied, "You're welcome Perseus." And then she left.
Moments after she left there was another flash of light signaling the arrival of another god or goddess. I was slightly worried when I saw who it was because Zeus may have sent her to find me. In order to delay my death I bowed and asked "Lady Athena, did Zeus send you to find me?" She answered, "No Perseus, I know you are innocent." I said "But I thought..." I trailed off at the end but she knew what I meant to say she said "You thought I hated you, and that I would not stop them from killing you.
The truth is that you have proven to me that you are not your father and that you are a great hero, I used to fear that your fatal flaw would be our downfall, but instead you have saved us twice. So Perseus I do not wish for your death." "I believe Hestia has already told you that we are going to try and make the others see sense, however it may take some time.
I have come to give you my blessing, and I also bring a gift, Hermes also believes you are innocent, and he had Hephaestus make these for you." She handed me two daggers, they appeared to be made out of silver. "Why silver?" I asked she answered "Silver is one of the only metals that we use on monsters, that will also harm mortals. If you accept the mortals that are going to find you as allies, you will have to harm mortals. Also Silver is the only metal that will kill werewolves, and now that you are out on your own there is a chance you may encounter them. If you face a werewolf without silver, the best-case scenario is that you are bitten and survive it. The more likely scenario is that they would kill you."
While I examined the daggers I asked "So does Hephaestus believe I am innocent too? You said he made these." Athena answered, "No Hermes lied and told Hephaestus that they were for one of his sons, so he doesn't know that they were actually for you." I nodded understanding and after this Athena blessed me and said that her blessing would make it easier to form battle plans as well as increase my knowledge and intelligence. Afterward, I thanked her and she left.
Once she was gone I used my new powers from Hestia to summon breakfast, and then considered everything the two goddesses had said. According to Hestia, there was a mortal organization looking for me for some reason. I didn't really know why they would be looking for me unless it had something to do with the damage I had caused to my schools and other places in the last few years, but I thought the mist made everyone clear my name for those. Regardless, I'll find out when I meet them.
I couldn't help but wonder which Olympians are on my side, or if Hestia, Athena and Hermes are the only ones. After I finished my breakfast I sheathed the daggers and put them where I could easily reach them if I needed them. I could still use Riptide for most things, but they would be there if I needed them. I was honestly surprised that Athena was on my side, but then again she is the goddess of wisdom and it's just not logical to believe I would do all the things they accused me of when my fatal flaw is loyalty.
For one Collin convinced Annabeth that he had seen me cheating on her with another girl, once she believed him he eventually got her to date him, so she ended up being the one cheating on me.
As I travelled I mulled over everything the two goddesses said, I know that even if Hestia and Athena can convince the others that I'm innocent it will take some time for me to forgive them. Charmspeak or not they still fell for Collin's lies so they aren't completely innocent or at least not in my mind.