Chapter 38: DA : Chapter 38: Heirs Complete II
He knew dodging would not help him in the end so he maned up and took it.
It stung like a bitch but he didn't say anything as several more fists followed until Thalia was panting while looking at him, the skin of her knuckles torn with possibly fractured or outright broken bones but she seemed to be ignoring it for now.
He could taste the coppery tinge of blood in his mouth from having a split lip but he still smiled before speaking.
"Hey Thals," he said warmly, Much to the incredulous looks or in the case of the protogenoi present, amusement.
...
Thalia didn't reply, instead just sniffing as her eyes got watery before she tackled him in a hug, her face buried in his chest. He kept his smile as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as his head rested on her head.
He simply held onto her as she sobbed for a few minutes, letting her emotions after several years of burying them finally out. While she did that he did a quick headcount of who was present at the moment.
So far it was Nyx, Tartarus, Eros, Phanes, Hemera, Aether, Rhea, Andromeda, Leto, Phoebe, Jason, Nico, Mnemosyne, Damasen, Medusa, Lamia, and Styx.
Some gods were missing like Hecate so he guessed that the Olympians had already called a council meeting to discuss the disappearance of two children of Zeus. 'Good headcount all things considered and besides, I'm pretty sure we have a few more to add later on,' he thought before pulling back from Thalia which required a little coaxing from him to get her to loosen her hold.
"Thals, come on," he whispered gently, too low for anyone else to hear.
All he got was a muffled response as she shook her head so he brought down his head lower to hear her better.
"What?"
"Do … ve me … ian …" she whispered in a soft voice.
He sighed a bit as he got a finger under her chin and softly tilted her up to look at her face, using his thumb to clear away her tears.
"Tell me again," he said softly looking into her electric blues eyes.
"Don't … don't leave me again … please," she said as she pulled closer again to hug him to her.
He smiled as she said that and returned the embrace.
"Of course," he said while rubbing her back before adding, "It was already hard enough to leave so many of my precious people behind so I'm not letting you go any time soon."
He felt her nod a little before she took a shaky breath and finally released him, her face clearing up as a small smile grace her face.
"Feeling better," he asked cheekily to which she lightly smacked his shoulder.
"Yeah," she replied while looking around for a moment before muttering, "Still hard to believe you have this many people behind you on this." She then looked at her godly half-brother. "Umm, hi."
"Hello," Hercules greeted after blinking a few times. "I'm Hercules and you?"
"Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus," she replied though at the mention of Zeus it came out bitter.
"Oh, a sister, I see," Hercules said with an understanding nod before looking at Percy.
"Don't look at me, I don't run the show here," he said while pointing to Nyx.
She giggled in response before gesturing to the available seats, "Then why don't you get seated so we can get on with this meeting?"
The three nodded before moving towards the tables but stopped as Eros cleared his throat as he stood up with everyone's attention.
"I do believe some seating needs to change though, just to get them used to it."
"Seating?" Percy asked with a tilt of the head.
"Why, the seats of the new protogenoi council," Nyx cheered before waving her hand.
At that several thrones, seven in fact appeared. Two were directly beside Nyx, one between Eros and Phanes, Hemera and Aether, one beside Tartarus, and then the rest at the ends of the U, all plain.
"If you would," Aether said with a gesture to the thrones.
Percy smiled as he nodded and took one of the thrones beside Nyx, Rhea taking the other next to him. Andy was between Eros and Phanes while Jason mirrored her with Aether and Hemera. Styx and Phoebe took two of the remaining thrones much to the shock of some.
"Ah, what about the seventh?" Percy asked curiously but was then surprised to see Nico take it. "Wait, what!?" he asked in surprise since he hadn't been aware at all the Nico was to be an heir as well.
It was then that he noted Nico looked different, with swirls of red in his normally pitch black eyes, a slightly larger build, and a slightly darker than usual aura around him. It didn't take Percy long to guess who's blessings he had as he looked at Tartarus in a silent question.
Tartarus caught his look before simply saying, "We had a good talk earlier and he seemed up to the challenge."
"Well damn," Percy muttered as he settled in his seat before looking at the tables. "So … how are we starting this?" Before anyone could reply there was a flash in the center of the room making most have to look away.
When the glow died down everyone looked back to see a man, around 6 foot'2 with a very light build bordering on skinny but not quite.
He had white hair with a grayish tone and small goatee, dressed in grey suite with small constellations on it. His gray-blue eyes were brimming with intelligence and wisdom thanks to millennia of experience, his aura commanding respect like only a primordial could.
"A, Ouranus, what a pleasant surprise," Nyx greeted as her younger brother smiled while nodding at her.
"A pleasure sister, though I do believe business comes first," he replied.
"Indeed," she agreed before Ouranus turned and looked straight at Thalia, making her squirm slightly under his gaze. "Ah, Thalia Grace, just the girl I was waiting for."
"M-me?" Thalia asked nervously while pointing at herself, her hands freshly healed by Leto when Thalia had sat down a moment ago.
"But of course, I need an heiress don't I?" he retorted to many surprised gasps while Thalia gapped like a fish. "Don't worry dear, we'll talk in detail later but for now, would you do me the honor allowing me to bless you?" he asked before adding.
"And don't worry, unlike your brother you don't need to disown your father since his domains already align with my own so there is no risk of you spontaneously combusting from power overload."
"What about the blessing of Artemis?" Jason asked in concern. "Could that with her natural power already be a little much?"
"No since the blessing only gives skills and partial immortality, nothing in the terms of powers," Ouranus replied as Thalia numbly walked up to him before looking him in the face.
"Are you sure it should be me?" she asked as she searched his eyes but Ouranus simply returned a smile.
"You're far stronger than you think Thalia Grace and I know you'll make me proud as an heiress," he said, "Now, hold still."
Ouranus quickly tapped her on the shoulder, making her glow with her blessing for a moment before it died down.
Not much changed aside from Thalia suddenly looking in her mid-twenties, her natural age, which meant that she filled out to it leaving her hunter apparel a little too tight.
Nyx fixed that though with a snap of her eyes while removing the silver coloration. Percy appreciated the view for a few seconds before noting her eyes.
They had deepened to a darker blue with a very light, almost grayish-blue tendrils of electricity passing within her irises and equally glowing pupils.
With her changes finished Ouranus nodded before waving his hand as two new thrones appeared so that he and Thalia could sit. Once everyone was settled Nyx cleared her throat to have the spotlight.
"Okay, now that we have eight seats set, I do believe we can progress with the plan," Nyx said as she turned to Percy. "You remember what I said before about the new council right?"
Percy nodded before facing the others and explaining. "Well, to begin with, most of you already know how the protogenoi have decided to move on and so find heirs to take over their places and form a new council.
Nyx originally wanted me to wait until I had at least five seats ready for claiming so that the actual council could form before anything like war is declared. Now that we have eight, it is all a matter of having five claim their domains along with creating a center point to our rule."
"So what are the seats filled exactly?" Lamia asked while raising her hand adorably.
Nyx chuckled before answering, "Percy, heir of Night, Darkness, and Shadow. Andromeda, heiress of Love, Attraction, Desire, and Procreation. Rhea, heiress of Earth. Jason, heir of Light, Day, and Upper Atmosphere.
Nico, heir of the Pit. Styx, a new primordial seat of Oaths and Hatred which will be instated with the formation of the council and make sure that even protogenoi will be held to any oath on her name or suffer the consequences.
Phoebe, once a titan of Prophecy and now heiress of Anake and the domains of Inevitability, Compulsion, and Necessity. And now Thalia, heiress of Ouranus, the domain of Heavens or All Sky."
Nyx paused for a moment before continuing, "Mind you, these domains might not necessarily be the only ones.
Until Phoebe makes her claim and takes her seat in the council, the full control of the domains and the extent of domains to each primordial won't be known. She will be the equivalent of the Fates to the new council."
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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.
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