DA : Chapter 99: Angel's Warpath III

Mount Olympus and the camps? Jason and Thalia could blow it all to bits within hours from our house above the planet. Nico and Styx could unleash literal hell on the mortal world, Hestia could cause eruptions and infernos to scorch the land while stripping humanity of Hope itself.

Just one of us assuming our divine forms in the mortal plane would cause as much devastation, not to mention radiation, as the entire US's stockpile of nuclear weapons set off at once. We could have won already … but instead of taking it easy, we're trying to spare the world for the crimes of the few."

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She then paused as she moved her hand from his cheek and chest to cup his hands together. "And, even if it sounds arrogant and entitled, being gods we stand above man.

It is our right to control and protect our domains even if by those decrees some humans will always hate us. I want to protect the earth and nature which means regardless of what corporation or government starts to complain when we're revealed will have to suck it up if they don't like it.

I will protect my domains just like you protect your wolves or the innocent in the night and Andromeda has the right to do so as well… even if it means Raven can't be your innocent little princess like you want."

Percy dipped his head as she said that, barely managing from muttering that it wasn't fair. Of course it wasn't but then again life simply wasn't. Every demigod's live was a testament to that and sadly that included his daughter regardless of how much he wished against it.

Even his future children would have to see the ugly side of life and humanity because even without war horrible things existed and he couldn't hide them away from everything. After stewing for a few minutes, digesting Rhea's words he slowly nodded, understanding that she had a point and denying it would be useless.

He started a war and now he had to finish it, accepting the consequences and lives that may be lost because of it but he couldn't hesitate now. He was king, a leader, and his conviction to carry through with his decisions needed to be resolute.

However, at times doubting himself and analyzing his own thoughts had merit as well, to keep him grounded and balanced. His inner turmoil slowly started to clear as Rhea's words and their meaning truly registered and a faint smile as he looked at his wife.

"You really are too good for me. I really don't know what I would do without you and Hestia," he said as he gently wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer until their foreheads touched.

She smiled softly before giving him a tender kiss and then pulling back. "And we'll always be there to keep your head on straight and eyes forward. You're not only my king but my husband and I won't stand for anything but the best from you so chin up mister."

"Yes mam," he replied with a wolfish grin before the pair turned their gazes to see Raven approaching, covered in snow from the heap that the mammoth tossed on her.

She smiled at them as she got close and was about to say something but before she could Percy pulled her in between himself and Rhea to hug her close, Rhea quickly joining in to smother Raven in affection.

"Papa?" she asked as she wiggled enough to move her hands from her sides to his chest while looking at him curiously.

"Oh I just felt like hugging you …" he said innocently, simply enjoying the moment and knowing they would become rare in the near future as the war picked up.

Raven didn't offer any protest in the slightest, giving him a big smile before she snuggled closer, sighing contently within their arms as Rhea smiled down at her near-stepdaughter. He smiled as well, the war and Olympians slipping to the back of his mind for now…

...

Next Morning.

( Amphitrite POV )

Amphitrite panted as she tried to recover her breath, her throat soar and pain continuously feeding back through her body. Her arms were shackled to the stone ceiling above, biting into her skin as ichor slowly oozed from the broken skin. Her skin felt dry, her sweat having all evaporated some time ago.

Her knees shook with the weakness of lacking energy and dehydration. Her body was bare and exposed much to her indignation and humiliation, the mocking laughter echoing in her head after days of the repeated performances.

She flinched as the first rays of the morning sunlight passed through the celestial barred windows of her prison. She looked through those same windows, the sea beyond taunting her like her tormentors.

Like the one currently sitting across the small cell from her, lounging back in his seat with a glass of wine in his hand and dirty rag resting on a small table beside him. He was tall for mortal standards, reaching over eight foot with a muscular body.

His attire was an odd mix of the new and old. Jeans stretched to their limits with celestial bronze tipped boots, a glowing celestial bronze breast plate with a black leather jacket over it to cover his arms. She could see the edges of his bracers just past the cuff of the sleeves. His helmet was off to reveal his dirty blonde hair and glowing gold eyes.

Not wanting to see his smug face she glanced again at the rag. That rag, soaked in her ichor after he used it to clean his hands. She would have growled and cursed him if she had the energy but sadly she didn't. She looked down to see a massive handprint seared into her side just below her right breast, the skin cracking with small trails of ichor.

'Hyperion, you bastard,' she thought as she looked at her 'uncle' again. Her chief guard and tormentor, the titan of light had been more than adept at making her stay far from enjoyable. She could only count her lucky stars that her mother's intervention had kept her from being used as 'entertainment' … for now.

Who's to say Poseidon wouldn't keep her as a broken trophy later on just to spite her? Granted that's been her existence for the last couple thousand years anyways.

Still, thoughts of the future would do little for her considering her circumstances. Over a week, locked up on some tropical island under a barrier erected by Pontus. It was the perfect location for a small operations base and her torture.

Being a god she couldn't starve, beatings and rape was too simple apparently, and they didn't want her anywhere she could get help. So here she was, slowly being dried into a husk, cruelly close to the waters that could restore her but also impossibly far with her uncle practicing how to brand on her.

"Getting quiet are we?" she heard her uncle chuckle in amusement but she kept her head down. "Too tired to scream."

His chuckles didn't last as his taunts carried no effect but she heard him set his glass down and stand up, his steps getting closer before she felt him grab her head to force her head up. She saw his smirking face but it disappeared when she spit a glob of ichor in his face.

No sooner than a second passed before he backhanded her, knocking at least two teeth out and probably fracturing her jaw but she still didn't scream. It hurt but it didn't compare to being branded alive. Luckily he couldn't for now, no, the possibility of killing her stayed his hand.

He practiced his skills at night after giving her some water. Just enough to keep her stable enough and then make her nights miserable. The day she was merely taunted, put on display so that the human mercenaries and monster forces could leer at her.

Filth. If she could slaughter each and every soul on this damn island with a rusty knife she would lose no sleep over it. So, even through the pain she glared back at him defiantly as he wiped the divine blood of his face before scowling down at her.

He responded by grabbing her still injured shoulder, the puncture wounds from Poseidon's trident getting a sickly copper tone, and squeezed. She bit down on her own lips to stop from screaming even as tears trailed down her eyes.

"Ho? Still being tough are you? No matter, they all break eventually and then you'll practically beg me for mercy … at any price," Hyperion commented as he finally let go and strolled back to his seat.

"Makes me wonder why you still try that act. Your mother's last kindness aside, no kingdom, husband, or allies to come for you, and a bleak future. I've seen many men break down at such odds and prospects."

"Maybe because I know you'll get what's coming to you," she finally answered as she glowered at him with contempt. "Big bad Hyperion, bested by a demigod and satyrs in the last war and now that same demigod and others have grown too strong for you," she said, ignoring his near snarl as he stood up and continued regardless.

"War has already been declared, several gods dead or MIA and the remaining titans like you ran under the skirt of Pontus like the cowards you are."

"Mouthy little cunt," Hyperion snarled as her grabbed her jaw, his face only inches away. "Jackson and his little merry band will fall. Powerful they may be but at the same time they are weak. They think that nine and only a handful of warriors is enough when our armies grow by the thousands and even then we have our elite added with the blessings and training of Pontus himself."

"But not for you since you aren't worth it," she ground out, enjoying holding his failings over him.

She heard enough talk around along with a visit from her oh so dear husband. His presence along with Oceanus' had changed, pulsing with new and unexplored power but Hyperion wasn't like them. One of the eldest titans and powerful but a warrior like Poseidon and Oceanus he was not. He also didn't have an affinity for the sea so why give him power specific to it if he couldn't even use it properly.

His face literally burned with rage as she slapped her again, making her head spin as she heard him muttering about how he'll teach her a lesson.

She could see through the haze as he was unbuckling his pants but also the door to her cell opening. Her head cleared slightly as she heard Hyperion cry out in a mix of surprise and pain, her face breaking into a smile at the sight.

It was Triton, dressed in standard Atlantian armor of forged silver with a crystal sword, a similar dagger jabbed into Hyperion's lower back as the elder titan reached for it to pull it out. She was about to say something but her son shouted, "No time!" as he swung his sword, shattering the chains holding her up.

She fell almost limp into his arms before her grabbed onto her waist and half-dragged/carried her out of the cell but not before delivering a wild slash to the still recovering Hyperion, forcing the titan to backpedal as he was unarmed.

Triton ran with her through a network of tunnels as a siren suddenly went off and Amphitrite could feel the temperature beginning to rise as the light around the island intensified.

"I'm so sorry it took me this long," he said to her as they ducked down one passage and away from thundering footsteps.

"It's okay… you came," she replied as her feet weakly trudged along the dirty stone floor, a few weak lamps being their only source of light as they moved deep through whatever fortress they were in.

"No," he replied with a shake of his head as he tossed her over his shoulder before turning into a set of stone steps to the side, jumping two or three steps at a time. "I shouldn't have stood there like a fool while you were attacked. I shouldn't have even let them take you away."

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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.

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