Chapter 2: The Burden of Aether

he halls of Olympus were silent as Percy Jackson ascended the marble steps, his presence casting long shadows in the ethereal light that now emanated from him. The gods stood waiting in the throne room, their expressions a mix of awe and apprehension. Percy's transformation into the god of Aether had sent ripples through the divine realm, altering the balance of power in ways that none of them could yet understand.

Zeus, seated on his imposing throne, was the first to speak. "Welcome, Percy Jackson, god of Aether. Your presence here is both a blessing and a necessity."Percy's gaze was cold as he looked at the king of the gods. "You mean a necessity because you couldn't handle this threat yourselves," he said, his voice devoid of warmth.Hera bristled, but Athena placed a calming hand on her arm. "Percy, we understand your anger," Athena said, her tone measured. "But the prophecy was clear. Only the power of Aether can counteract the rising darkness of Nyx.""Nyx," Percy repeated, the name tasting bitter on his tongue. "The primordial goddess of night. How did she escape Tartarus?"Poseidon stepped forward, his eyes filled with a mixture of pride and sorrow as he looked at his son. "It is not entirely clear, but we believe she was awakened by the disturbances caused by the wars with the Titans and Giants. Her power grows with each passing night, and soon, even the gods will be powerless to stop her."Percy clenched his fists, the light around him intensifying. "And so you made me your weapon. A tool to fix your mistakes.""It was not our intention to betray you," Hera interjected. "But the survival of the world depends on your new powers."Percy's eyes flashed. "Intention or not, you did betray me. All of you. And Annabeth..." His voice faltered, but he quickly regained his composure. "She was part of it."Annabeth, who had been standing silently to the side, stepped forward. "Percy, please understand. I did what I thought was necessary to save lives. To save you.""You saved me by taking away everything I cared about," Percy replied harshly. "I can never go back to who I was. I can never be with you or anyone else the way I was before."Tears welled up in Annabeth's eyes, but she held her ground. "I did it because I love you. Because I believe in you.""Believe in this," Percy said, turning away. "I'll stop Nyx. But I'll never forgive you."The room fell into a tense silence as Percy's words hung in the air. Zeus cleared his throat, trying to steer the conversation back to the imminent threat. "Nyx's power is growing. Each night, her darkness spreads further. We need you to confront her before she engulfs the world in eternal night."Percy nodded curtly. "I'll do what needs to be done. Not for you, but for the world I once called home."With that, he turned and strode out of the throne room, the light surrounding him casting eerie shadows on the walls. As he left, the gods exchanged worried glances. The transformation of Percy Jackson had created a god of immense power, but also one who harbored deep resentment and mistrust.#### **Back in the Mortal World**Percy found himself standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. The waves crashed below, a rhythmic reminder of his past life. He felt the pull of the ocean, but it was distant now, overshadowed by the overwhelming power of Aether.As he stood there, lost in thought, a voice broke the silence. "I didn't expect to find you here."Percy turned to see Nico di Angelo approaching. The son of Hades looked up at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "What do you want, Nico?" Percy asked, his tone more curt than he intended."I heard what happened," Nico said, stopping a few feet away. "I thought you might need a friend."Percy laughed bitterly. "A friend? What good are friends when you can't trust anyone?"Nico's expression hardened. "I know what it's like to feel betrayed. To feel like you're alone. But shutting everyone out won't help. You're still Percy, no matter what powers you have.""Am I?" Percy challenged. "I don't feel like Percy anymore. I feel... different. Colder.""Maybe," Nico admitted. "But I've seen you at your best and worst. You're stronger than you think. And if anyone can handle this, it's you."Percy sighed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "I'm not sure what to do next.""You fight," Nico said simply. "You fight for what's right, like you always have. And you don't have to do it alone."Percy looked at Nico, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. For the first time since his transformation, he felt a glimmer of hope. "Thanks, Nico."Nico nodded. "We'll figure this out. Together."As the sun set, casting a golden glow over the ocean, Percy felt a renewed sense of purpose. He might be a god now, but he was still Percy Jackson. And he was ready to face whatever came next, even if it meant confronting the darkness within himself.