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While Zagreus was being flogged in the underworld, forming his river of repentance, Perseus felt far away from himself. He dreamed, seeing many things, including some of what the demigods were up to. Apparently, Apollo had been made mortal and was on quests. Heroes were Perseus’s domain, so Percy watched the events with interest, though most of it was hazy for him.
Sometimes he dreamed of what his friend Grover was doing. Their empathy link had weakened with his amnesia and snapped as he went through Tartarus and lost his mortality, so they were not bound as they had been before, but sometimes their dreams still clung to eachother. He watched as Apollo’s quest intersected with Grover’s life.
He watched as their quest brought them to a ship. He watched the situation deteriorate as Jason was struck by many arrows. He yelled for his companions to flee and their enemy stabbed Jason through the shoulder, causing him to fall to the floor. Then the enemy stabs him through the back, right through the spine, a killing blow.
Perseus heard a prayer clearly in his mind, a voice he recognized, Piper. Oh gods, someone, anyone, please save Jason, don’t let him die. Whereas before Percy had felt frozen and unable to intervene, with the prayer he now had permission to interfere. Jason ended up in the water as he started to bleed out.
Perseus astral projected a visage of himself such that he felt like he was there. He encased Jason’s head in a bubble of air so he could breathe as he got to work under the waves. As god of battle medicine, it was within his abilities to heal such a wound; he used the water, healing the many wounds as he removed the arrows and pushed water to Jason’s shoulder and abdomen to heal the killing blows.
He felt fate fighting against him, that on some level Jason was meant to die there, that the gods would frown upon him healing Jason. But Jason was Percy’s friend, they had fought alongside eachother to save the world, he did not wish to let him die. Percy realized that healing came with a cost for mortals.
I can heal you, but healing comes at a cost, Perseus thought to him telepathically, I can save your life, but I cannot repair the damage to your spine, you will be paralyzed. And thusly Jason the hero, Jason the soldier, will perish, but Jason the person, Jason my friend, you will live. You can live a life of peace, Pontifex Maximus.
Please, I want to live, Jason prayed to him in return. Percy also felt a sense of relief from him that he would no longer have to be Rome’s perfect soldier.
And thusly, Perseus continued healing him, healing the deadly wounds while leaving the spinal injury fixed in place, it would not be possible to heal that wound. Percy wove him back into the tapestry of fate where his thread had been meant to end, but now his impact on the world around him would be less, so as to not interfere too much with Fate’s plans.
Perseus delivered Jason safely back to the shore, where Piper and Apollo were, with Piper weeping in her worry that Jason was dead. Jason was unconscious but as he came to shore, Piper embraced him and checked his pulse, finding him to be alive and that he was no longer bleeding. Apollo locked eyes with where the astral projection of Perseus was positioned out at sea, he still had enough of his godly vision to see Perseus there. Apollo nodded at him, feeling relief and gratitude.
Perseus returned beneath the waves. Part of him felt angry that his fellow heroes were still risking their lives on quests and was angry at those who would hurt them. He knew enough of Apollo’s quests to know these emperors were evil. He felt the fleet of ships and the many monsters upon them and in his anger he craved vengeance for them nearly killing his friend. Hurricanes were his domain and the other gods clearly didn’t care if he caused a bit of a storm that killed people, might as well kill some monsters this time.
And so, Perseus whipped up a storm, careful to keep the impacts from affecting the shore. He created a devastating storm centered on the fleet of enemy ships and he sunk them with extreme prejudice. There were many weapons upon the ships he destroyed and he used those weapons to kill the monsters on board until the faded to dust. He was sure to target Caligula, who had stabbed Jason, ensuring he specifically died. Perseus did not tolerate these false-gods who would dare harm his heroes.
The fleet was destroyed and Perseus faded away from the scene, returning to a deeper sleep as Zagreus continued enduring their punishment in his repentance.
Piper saw Jason be stabbed, he yelled for them to flee. As they fled, Piper prayed, Oh gods, someone, anyone, please save Jason, don’t let him die.
They made their way to shore. Piper clung to desperate hope that Jason would somehow escape and rejoin them. The longer they waited, the more her hope faded and she sunk to her knees and began to weep.
Then her prayers were answered and Jason floated gently to join them on shore. He was unconscious and Piper desperately checked his pulse, finding him alive. His clothes were covered in blood but Piper felt his stomach and found he was no longer bleeding, he had been healed. Had her prayers been answered afterall? But what god would answer such a prayer? Normally, they didn’t really care to save demigods.
Apollo was gazing in the distance, “Perseus,” he mumbled aloud, having identified which god saved Jason. That made sense. It was strange to think that Percy was now a god, but it made sense that he would come to rescue them in such a way. Piper noticed the waves becoming more volatile.
“We should seek higher ground, help me carry him,” Piper said. Apollo helped her carry Jason further up the shore so they were out of reach of the waves crashing violently on the beach.
Meg reached higher ground first and was gazing out into the sea. “Look, the fleet, it’s being destroyed,” Meg commented.
She was right, Piper realized upon looking for herself. They watched as the fleet was destroyed by a powerful storm. That, too, was clearly the work of Perseus, god of hurricanes.
They sought shelter and got Jason into a bed. Piper monitored his pulse, ensuring he was still alive. The next morning, he woke.
“Jason! How do you feel, are you okay?” Piper said.
“I’m….I’ll live. I’m paralyzed below the waist, but I will live, and that is good, I’m happy to be alive, I think I was supposed to die,” Jason said.
“Is there anything we can do to heal you?” Piper asked.
“Healing such a wound comes with a cost,” Apollo commented from where he stood in the doorway.
“Yes, that is what he said, being paralyzed is the cost, I’m already healed and it won’t heal further. I accept that. I am no longer a fighter, but I can still be helpful in other ways, and most importantly, I get to live,” Jason said, his voice filled with solemn acceptance.
“I’m glad you’re alive,” Piper said, pulling him into a hug.
Leo arrived. “J-man, you’re alive, I was so worried when I got the message, I’m glad to see you awake,” Leo exclaimed.
“Good to see you, Leo. I’m glad to be alive. I’m paralyzed now though, but I bet you can help make me a tricked out wheelchair, yeah?” Jason said casually.
“Oh, man, definitely, we can make it fly, and I can add flamethrowers!” Leo said excitedly, taking the news Jason was paralyzed in stride.
“Maybe a pass on the flamethrowers, but being able to fly with it would be beneficial for getting over stairs and such,” Jason agreed.
“Well, we’d better head out to complete our quest. Stay safe, Jason, the Fates may not be happy with your Fate being averted,” Apollo said, a solemn wisdom in his voice.
“Understood. Good luck with the rest of your quest,” Jason bid them farewell.
Leo and Piper stayed by Jason’s bedside, making plans for the future. It was nice to be together, the three of them, all together and alive.