DA : Chapter 19: Gathering the Fallen IV

Atlas looked at him silently for some time, keeping his thoughts rather well hidden with a poker face and blank eyes. After nearly 5 minutes passed Atlas sighed as he nodded.

"Very well … I swear on the river Styx to—"

"Ah-ah," Percy interrupted with a raised hand. "Swear on the Styx … and your immortality …"

...

Atlas' eyes nearly shot past the crown of his own head as he looked at Percy incredulously. Percy just shrugged before saying, "Got to make sure you don't go back on your word in any way."

Atlas grit his teeth while looking at him before he nodded tersely. "One order, that's it?"

"Yep, one order from me," Percy replied easily.

"Fine, I swear to your terms," Atlas said and a thunder crack sealed his oath.

"Then I swear on the Styx to return and free you from your burden when the time is right," Percy replied with another thunder crack. "Whelp! Better get going, lots of people to visit after all."

He didn't wait for Atlas to answer before he dissolved into shadows again. He appeared in a dense forest near the borders of Canada on the state side in North Dakota.

He sensed around him for the presence he hunted down several days ago but was surprised to find two this time … and conveniently both were people he was looking for. 'Now this night is just getting better and better,' he thought as he walked towards them.

It didn't take him long to arrive at a clearing, just outside the light of a campfire to see two very particular women.

One wore a shawl to cover her hair and large sunglasses even in the middle of the night to hide her eyes, dressed in white dress that just reached her knees. Her frame was petite small, her form slouched over as she stared at the flames while speaking in hushed whispers with her companion.

The other woman … or more like monstrous woman, had the lower body of a large, black scales serpent just below her hips. She had raven hair spilling over her shoulders and from Percy's view, he could see her bright blue eyes looking at the fire sadly as well. Her upper body was dressed in a tank top with a small jacket over it, a small bow and quiver strapped to her back.

'Just who I was looking for … Medusa and Lamia,' he thought as he stepped close enough for both to notice him. With speed faster than most mortals could hope to move or react, both were up, their backs to the fire and Lamia had an arrow trained at him.

"Who are you?" Lamia hissed as she looked him up and down while Medusa kept one hand to her shades, ready to take them off in a moment's notice.

"A friend," he answered while wondering if Medusa would remember him and how he took her head last time. Maybe apologizing about that could help? Or maybe he could offer her a child of Athena to torture? Hell, he could probably get her the Athena if he played his cards right.

"A friend you say," Medusa muttered as she watched him intently. "What are you? You smell like a demigod … only … different."

"True," Lamia agreed with narrowing eyes, "I can't place the scent either."

"I assure you I mean you no harm and you can trust me," he tried as he raised his hands to show he was unarmed … at the moment."

"Then show us your face," Medusa said.

"You first," he shot back making them both start in surprise.

"Y-you do realize who I am, don't you?" Medusa asked while pointing a finger at herself.

"Yes," he answered as if it wasn't a big deal.

Medusa and Lamia glanced at each other before Lamia shrugged while muttering, "Your funeral."

Medusa then removed her shawl and shades to reveal a face that Percy honestly found beautiful. Her coppery skin gleamed with the campfire behind her, her emerald green eyes glowed while her narrowed pupils gave her a semi feral air.

As Percy stared into her eyes he felt the curse trying to affect him and it honestly hurt. Sure, her curse was powerful but not absolute, otherwise all she had to do was chance a glance with an Olympian and she would be their end.

Athena wasn't stupid enough to give her that sort of power and in truth, any curse given by an immortal can only be as powerful as something below the immortal in question.

In other words, if Athena had given Medusa's curse the strongest potential, at best Medusa would have been a threat to anything of minor god power or lower, monsters included. Thanks to already having enough power to outdo several Olympians or Titans, the curse was only a painful annoyance at best.

He felt like he'd been exercising for days without stopping while his muscles strained and at the same time he was moving through molasses. 'Damn now this is a curse. Got to give lady 'wisdom' credit where credit is due,' he thought as he kept a grimace from his face.

Medusa and Lamia were looking at him in shock, having expected for him to turn to stone but obviously wasn't. Lamia had to also awkwardly keep her right shoulder up to avoid accidentally looking at Medusa. Seeing that Percy decided it was best to get her shades back on and get talking to the two.

He willed a tendril of shadow to gently pick up the shades (which Medusa dropped in her shock) and brought it to her face. She looked at it dumbly before taking them and putting them on.

"Now can we talk?" he asked before glancing at the fire behind them.

"S-sure," Lamia said as she slowly lowered her bow and put the arrow away.

"One quick thing," he said and formed a wave of darkness that overlapped and snuffed out the fire without so much as a hiss much to the two lady's surprise. Only some moon light illuminated them now, much to Percy's distaste. "Now then, I have an offer for the both of you."

"And what would that be?" Medusa asked as she glanced at Lamia beside her, as if looking for reassurance considering her usual ace in the hole wasn't going to help her here.

"Freedom from your curses," Percy started as the two gasped at the thought, "and revenge for your suffering."

"That's an empty promise," Lamia said bitterly. "Not even the titans offered that during their little war. What makes you any different?"

"Well, for one I keep my promises," he retorted while crossing his arms. "And I'm not in any hurry. I can afford to use the energy necessary to free you both and even offer you a chance to get your revenge for the injustice of the gods."

Lamia and Medusa remained silent as they looked down while biting their lips. Percy knew that they were on the fence with this. They could say no and remain cursed forever, left as monsters that would be hunted by demigods or they could side with him in the hopes of being free. Knowing that they were close to agreeing, Percy gave them that final push.

"Medusa … you were once one of wisdom's most dedicated followers and a beauty beyond most mortals. That beauty lead to the ever lecherous sea god to forcing himself on you, after you rejected him, in your mistress' temple.

What did your devotion get you? You were cast aside and cursed for something you didn't do and in her pride, she hasn't removed her curse or apologized for unjust punishment. Do you truly want to remain like this forever?"

At his words he could see some tears running down Medusa's cheeks as she hugged herself, probably recalling that very event. How he cursed the god he once called father as he looked at this. So many of the monsters demigods feared now were created by the Olympians and both made to suffer while the gods watched on. He then turned his attention to Lamia.

"And you Lamia, once a lover of the drama queen. You bore him children and his wife, in her jealousy, slaughtered them herself before cursing you while your lover remained silent about it.

She knew you were a caring mother that adorned children so what better way to get to you than making you a child-eating monster? Isn't it time that she paid for this? That is what I offer both of you. Revenge but most importantly, freedom from your curses and the power to choose how you'll live the rest of your lives."

By now both were openly crying as they looked at him. He didn't need to see Medusa's eyes to know what was in them. The hurt and pain of betrayal, abandonment, and feeling powerless. Turned into the very abominations they once hated and all for the petty jealousy and grudges of the gods. He sighed as he slowly approached them before resting a comforting hand on each of their heads, much to their surprise.

"I think you've both suffered enough," he said softly. "So please, give yourselves a chance," he said as they continued to cry harder. In the heat of the moment Percy pulled them both into a light hug, both going ridged for a moment before relaxing in his embrace.

'Andy was right,' he thought as he looked at the two as they continued to cry. His sister had visited the mortal world occasionally with Rhea and with her domains, had been able to find those whose hearts were in the most pain.

She pointed both of these two out after a chance glimpse of them when they were running from being hunted by a band of demigods a year or so back. In the momentary close vicinity, she'd almost fallen over at the overwhelming pain held within them. She'd then come straight to him and Nyx and asked if there was any way to help them much to Percy's surprise.

In the end he'd told her he'd give it a try. And now here he was with both, comforting them for the first time after millennia of suffering alone with the occasional support from each other due to the similarity of their pains. He waited as both stopped crying before pulling back and looking at them intently.

"So, does this mean that you'll join me?" he asked softly.

Both nodded and Percy smiled before removing his hood so they could see his face. It took a moment before Medusa gasped as she recognized him but Percy placed a finger to her lips to silence her.

"I know, I have a lot to explain but for now, I'll send you somewhere safe," he said as he stepped back and started to gather shadows around them. "Mind you this will feel odd the first time but don't worry, Nyx will explain a few things."

Both had their mouths open in shock at the name of the night goddess but he didn't give them time to respond as the shadows enveloped them, sending them straight to the House of Night.

He sighed once they were gone, his body still feeling heavy from the remains of Medusa's curse. He wanted to take a nap but still had a visit or two left.

"Oh well … Gibraltar, here I come!"

And with that, he dissolved into shadows as well...

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