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“What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you because of the gods?” The casual question Annabeth threw out there made the rest of the seven gathered demigods goggle and try to search their brains for something that wasn’t the Argo II quest or any murdered parent. Well, all except Percy. He just chuckled darkly as he gazed upon his girlfriend, uncaring of how the rest of their friends physically recoiled from him.
Annabeth inclined her head, a dark smirk to match her boyfriend’s on her lips. “Percy, why don’t you go first.”
The meaningful look in her eyes told him exactly what she wanted, which was to shock their friends. His girlfriend could be as mischievous as a Hermes kid when she felt like it.
Percy laughed again, hollower this time. “Ah, where to begin. ‘Because of the gods’ is a really broad ask, Wise Girl. Do you want me to tell them about that time I met the Fates, my bath in the Styx and what happened after that, or when Zeus offered me immortality? Do you want me to explain how I basically speedran Greek Mythology before I was sixteen?”
Five collective gasps rang out across the room. The young couple waited with bated breath to see who would regain their voice first. Unsurprisingly, it was Jason.
“What?” he sputtered. “Can we back up about five hundred steps?”
“That’s some crazy lore, Aquaman,” Leo chimed in. “Elaborate.”
“First, don’t call me that,” Percy snapped reflexively, green eyes flashing. “And second, which part did you want me to explain?”
The five demigods shared a glance, coming to a single conclusion all at once. “The immortality thing.”
“Fine. Storytime, kiddos.” Percy flexed his fingers before settling into a cross legged position. “Actually, the Styx story is connected to this. There was a prophecy, about the defeat of Kronos. A half-blood of the eldest gods shall reach sixteen against all odds and see the world in endless sleep. The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap. A single choice shall end his days, Olympus to preserve or raze. We assumed the prophecy was about me, because Thalia took the Hunter oath when she was still fifteen and I would’ve died before I let that burden fall onto Nico’s shoulders. The endless sleep part referred to Morpheus, who put the whole of Manhattan in an enchanted sleep in preparation for the invasion. Thanks to the attack on Kronos’ ship I did with Beckendorf, I found out that the host of Kronos, Luke Castellan, bathed in the Styx. Nico and I agreed that I would have to do the same if I wanted even a chance at defeating him, even the playing field a little bit. The kid took me to the river, I talked with Achilles a bit, and then I went to Manhattan. I fought my way through most of Kronos’ army, gaining Ares’ blessing along the way, and then I was at the palace. Annabeth, the genius that she is, managed to figure out that the lines about the cursed blade and a single choice ending his days was not about me, but about Luke. She managed to bring Luke out for a moment and I chose to give him her knife. He stabbed himself in his Achilles spot, sacrificing himself to destroy Kronos. Zeus offered me, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson rewards for saving Olympus. Annabeth became the Architect of Olympus, Grover was made the Lord of the Wild, Tyson became the General of the Cyclops Army and got a new weapon, and the gods offered me immortality. I shot them down, obviously, and told them to make sure they claim their kids by the time they turn 13.”
“Oh!” Piper turned to Leo. “That’s why Drew asked why we weren’t claimed yet.”
Annabeth nodded. “Yes, yes it is. Questions for Percy?”
Everyone seemed too shocked to question him, and Percy smiled. “If that’s all, I’ll be in the ocean. If you need me, don’t.”