Chapter 190: Reporting to Olympus

[Third Person's PoV] 

Percy stood frozen in awe as the elevator doors slid open to reveal Olympus in all its glory. The radiant golden city sprawled before them, its shimmering towers piercing the azure sky. The streets and plazas appeared to float on a bed of clouds that glowed softly with an otherworldly light. The air hummed faintly with divine energy, carrying the faint scent of ambrosia and wildflowers.

"So this is Olympus…" Percy muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, as he stepped onto the ethereal cloud-path.

The three began walking down a long, gleaming trail that wove through the dazzling cityscape. Percy hesitated, glancing nervously at the clouds beneath his feet. His brow furrowed as he leaned slightly to peer into the misty abyss below.

"Uh, we won't, like… fall through this, right?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry.

Lucian smirked and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, absolutely. You should be very careful. Wouldn't want to end up like Jeremy," he said solemnly, shooting a sly wink at Thalia.

"Jeremy?" Percy asked, his face growing pale. "Who's Jeremy…?"

Thalia rolled her eyes and shook her head dramatically. "Exactly," she said, her tone heavy with mock regret.

"He was a good kid," Lucian added, his expression taking on an almost theatrical look of sorrow. 

"Such a shame, really. He didn't know where Olympus ended and the actual clouds began." Thalia chimed in, her voice laden with feigned grief. "One wrong step, and poof. Gone forever."

Percy's face contorted into a mix of horror and disbelief. He gulped loudly, his hands twitching at his sides as he glanced nervously at his feet. Then he noticed it: the corners of Thalia and Lucian's mouths twitching, their expressions faltering.

"You're messing with me, aren't you?" Percy asked flatly, narrowing his eyes.

That was all it took. Both Thalia and Lucian burst into laughter, unable to contain themselves any longer. Thalia doubled over, clutching her stomach, while Lucian leaned back, wiping tears from his eyes as his laughter echoed through the air.

"You guys are the worst," Percy grumbled, his face flushing with embarrassment. "I actually believed you!!"

Lucian clapped Percy on the back, still chuckling. "A valuable lesson, my friend—never be so gullible."

Percy groaned and turned his attention to their surroundings, ignoring the whispers and giggles of passing nymphs who were now pointing and glancing at their little group. Lucian, ever the showman, strutted confidently ahead, hands clasped behind his head, flashing a playful wink at the onlookers. A few nymphs giggled and blushed, whispering to each other behind dainty hands.

Thalia, unimpressed, smacked Lucian on the back of his head.

"Ow!" Lucian yelped, rubbing the spot. "What was that for?"

"Stop flirting with other girls," Thalia said, giving him a pointed look. "In case you forgot, I'm your girlfriend."

Instead of looking contrite, Lucian grinned smugly and began walking with an even more exaggerated swagger.

Thalia rolled her eyes, she knew him too well to take him seriously and knew exactly what he was thinking and decided to drop the matter. 

The trail soon led them to the grand entrance of the Olympian Throne Room, a massive set of doors carved from celestial bronze and inlaid with intricate golden patterns that seemed to shimmer and shift like living light. Percy hesitated, his heart pounding. The enormity of the moment hit him—he was about to meet the gods, and more importantly, his father.

Lucian, however, had no patience for dramatic pauses. He pushed the doors open with a dramatic flourish, striding in boldly. "Sup, fam!" he bellowed, throwing up devil horns with his fingers and puckering his lips in an exaggerated kiss. "Y'all know what time it is! Family reunion!"

Thalia groaned and facepalmed. 

Percy whispered urgently behind him, "Lucian! I wasn't ready for this! Mentally or emotionally!"

Inside the throne room, the scale of the gods was staggering. Two massive thrones loomed high above them, each carved from materials so radiant they defied mortal comprehension. On one sat Zeus, the God of the Skies, his piercing gaze as sharp as lightning and his presence crackling with authority. A few thrones away sat Poseidon, the God of the Seas, exuding a calm yet commanding aura, his eyes the color of the deepest oceans.

Both gods turned their immense gazes toward the newcomers. Percy felt a lump form in his throat as he struggled to keep his composure. Lucian, undeterred, grinned widely and held his pose.

"If it ain't my favorite Uncle!!" Lucian exclaimed as he pointed two fingers to Zeus while leaning back. 

As lightning cracked ominously in the distance, Zeus gripped the armrests of his throne so tightly that the veins on his hands bulged. His eyes shimmered with divine fury, sparks of electricity dancing dangerously.

"It seems you wish to meet your father early, boy!" Zeus boomed, his voice a rolling thunder that shook the very clouds beneath them.

Lucian sighed dramatically, letting his shoulders slump as he crossed his arms. "Uncle, we've talked about this. You need to relax. Take a deep breath, count to ten. Before anything else, we're family. Can't we just act like it for once?" He raised his fist in a half-hearted shake, his expression a mix of exasperation and playful defiance.

Zeus's face darkened further, and a bolt of lightning crackled from his fingers, splitting the air beside him. "RETURN MY BOLT, YOU INSOLENT CHILD, BEFORE I DISINTEGRATE YOU! YOUR CRIMES WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED!"

Lucian matched Zeus's intensity with his own unyielding resolve, jabbing a finger in the god's direction. "I DIDN'T TAKE YOUR STUPID BOLT, OLD MAN! MAYBE YOU SHOULD LOOK CLOSER TO HOME BEFORE ACCUSING ME. I DESERVE AN APOLOGY!"

As the two bickered, Percy turned his gaze to Poseidon, who had remained calm amid the storm of accusations. The sea god sat tall and unbothered, his teal eyes watching Percy with an unreadable expression. Despite his collected demeanor, something in his gaze stirred an unexplainable swirl of emotions in Percy: a mix of longing, sorrow, and a deep, unspoken connection.

Taking a steadying breath, Percy stepped forward, his legs feeling like lead. He knelt before Poseidon, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. "Father…"

Zeus, momentarily distracted from Lucian, sneered down at Percy. "Should you not address the master of this house first, boy?"

"Peace, brother," Poseidon interjected softly, his voice carrying the calming power of ocean waves. Percy felt a strange comfort, like hearing a long-lost lullaby. Poseidon's gaze softened. "The boy defers to his father, as he should."

Thalia moved forward next, kneeling before Zeus without a hint of emotion in her face. "Father," she said flatly.

Zeus's sneer deepened. "It seems you still choose to claim this child you sired against our sacred oath, have you?"

Thalia rose to her feet, her head held high. Poseidon's expression hardened as he looked between Thalia, Percy, and Lucian. "It seems, brother, you've conveniently forgotten that you too sired children despite our sacred oath."

Zeus's eyes narrowed, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his throne. "Do not shift blame from yourself, Poseidon. The matter of my daughter has long since been addressed, along with Hades Bastard. The matter of that boy—" he pointed at Percy "—has not. Do not attempt to justify your sins with mine."

Poseidon's calm remained unbroken. "I have already admitted my wrongs, brother. I am not here to debate. I am here to listen."

Zeus glanced back at the trio of demigods, his gaze lingering on Lucian. His eyes flickered, noticing something unusual. There was a divine mark—a faint glow of power that radiated from Lucian. The faint blessing of Heracles. Zeus's lips tightened as the realization hit him. 'He doesn't just give his blessing to just anyone, especially that kind of blessing…. In fact he hasn't giving that blessing to anyone yet'

"Very well," Zeus said, leaning back into his throne, his hand stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Speak, then. But be warned: if I don't like what I hear, the consequences will be severe."

Lucian, ever the provocateur, grinned cheekily. "Uncle, have you done something different with your beard? It's looking especially majestic today. Honestly, I don't think my father could pull it off as well as you."

Poseidon, Percy, and Thalia all knew what Lucian was trying to do and looked down to avoid smiling or laughing.

Zeus snorted but rubbed his beard absently, his divine pride swelling despite himself. "Do not think flattery will save you, boy. Speak."

Percy looked between Lucian and Thalia and began his tale of his quest, from leaving the camp, to fighting the snake dragon monsters, Percy and Lucian glared towards Poseidon when they got to meeting Medusa, then fighting the giants, stopping by the Arch to train, meeting Ares at the diner and having Clarisse help him retrieve his shield. The Lotus Casino, he explained Ares' plan of giving him the bag which contained the bolt knowing they were going to the Underworld and his plan to have them killed. Their meeting with Hades and leaving to fight both Heracles and Ares before coming here. 

Both Thalia and Lucian were surprised that Percy took some things out from his explanation… Like them knowing that Luke was truly the lightning thief.

When Percy finished, a tense silence hung in the air. Zeus stroked his chin, his brow furrowing. "I sense the boy speaks the truth. But for Ares to orchestrate such treachery… it is uncharacteristic."

"That's because Ares wasn't himself," Lucian interjected, stepping forward.

Zeus's eyes snapped to him, narrowing. "Explain."

"Ares spoke of strange dreams," Percy added, his voice firm. "Dreams that seemed to guide his actions. I've been having similar dreams, too." Percy said as he began to explain his dreams. 

Thalia's face grew uneasy, her voice tinged with wariness. "He's trying to rise again, Father… from Tartarus."

The tension in the room became palpable. Zeus and Poseidon exchanged grim looks, their faces shadowed with the weight of ancient knowledge. Together, they muttered the same words in ancient Greek, their voices heavy with dread.

"Our father."

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