Chapter 53: DA : Chapter 53: Protogenoi Rise I
They gathered together back at the courtyard Percy and Nyx formed together, a sober atmosphere as everyone kept level faces. Beneath the great white oak were eight thrones, each made of pitch black obsidian surrounded in ethereal auras.
It would be there temporary thrones, being symbolic more than anything until they erected their true throne room on the surface. Percy stood in the middle of a line with his team and friends at his sides. Rhea, Andromeda, Jason, Thalia, Phoebe, Styx, and Nico, each looking on at the thrones or the protogenoi that had trained them.
To the side were their allies like Hercules, Medusa, Lamia, Leto, Mnemosyne, Damasen, Hades, Persephone, Hecate, Hestia, many of Nyx and Erebus children such as Moros, Hypnos, and even Thantos. Not all their allies could attend but it was a good showing regardless.
Taking a breath Nyx started off as she looked around, "It's been quite some time in the making and now the time for a new era is dawning and with it, us primordial gods must move on." She then looked intently at Percy with clear love in her eyes as she spoke in a tender tone.
"Percy, I just want you to know that I cherished the years I had you with me.
Getting to see you grow beyond all expectations and having a semi-mortal and somewhat normal son has made me the happiest I've ever been in millennia ever since Erebus passed on." Her breath hitched for a moment as she rubbed away a stray tear.
"I've never been prouder to name you my heir and having the honor of calling you my son."
He smiled back at her as he stepped up to her and gave her one last hug which she eagerly returned. They held it for a minute. Once he let go Nyx stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on the forehead before stepping back slightly and nodding to him.
He took a shaky breath before he nodded as well, flaring his power before speaking in a commanding voice.
"My name is Perseus Theseus Jackson, heir of Nyx, Primordial of Night, and Erebus, Primordial of Darkness and Shadows. Does anyone dispute my right?" There was absolute silence so he continued.
"Henceforward I claim my place as Primordial of Night, Darkness, and Shadows!"
Once he finished there was another flare of power before Nyx shuddered slightly as a glowing orb of power as black as a starless night phased out of her along with a second formed of churning darkness.
The 'cores' or full essence of Nyx and Erebus, their links to their domains and true power, came to Percy and phased into his body.
He suddenly grunted as a searing pain flooded his system, the air around him literally steaming as the darkness of the Pit writhed and coiled at the presence of their new master.
Soon it all condensed before he gave a shout as he felt the power within him explode in a black light, making those around him have to squint and guard their faces while stepping back.
When the thrum of power died down Percy panted as he got up from his knees, feeling the power of Nyx and Erebus fully merge and synchronize with him. He looked at his own hand in wonder, awed at how his power grew nearly tenfold. He was no mere mortal or lowly god now.
He is a primordial, a god linked to a facet of creation, a being capable of creating, reshaping, and destroying worlds and his power would only grow once his full domains got instated by Phoebe. 'The Olympians truly were lucky.
They have no idea how powerful Gaea would have been if she had been able to access her full power right off the bat.
But now, a power greater than hers is mine,' he thought as he clenched his fist. He then caught some gasps and looked behind him to see his friends all staring at him with open jaws.
"What?" he asked but all they did was point at his back.
He glanced back and nearly shouted in surprise at the sight. Being a complete primordial had given him the last feature to mark him, a set of feathered, pitch black wings.
Each feather looked as soft as velvet and seemed to absorb even the tiniest hints of light as they ruffled slightly in a breeze as a cool mist drifted off them.
He experimentally twitched them and they responded naturally before he expanded them completely. Each wing was nearly three meters in length and looked similar to those of ravens.
"Beautiful," he heard Hestia murmur from her place off to the side and he could tell she wasn't the only one admiring his new additions.
He would have experimented furthered but a tired sigh caught his attention making him look to see Nyx but now she looked different.
Her hair had lost its luster and her skin looked far too pale as her eyes seemed to dim. She started to fall but he rushed to her in a moment and caught her in his arms with a bridal carry as she looked at him.
"You make a very handsome primordial, did you know that?" she asked softly as she weakly reached with one hand and trailed it through one of his wings over his shoulder.
"My-my, Rhea and Hestia will love these, I'm almost jealous," she said with a small giggle before focusing back on his face. "Good luck Percy. I know you'll succeed in the end so carry on. Remember, I'll always be watching on from the Realm of the Faded."
"Yeah … I know you will," he replied softly as a lone tear trailed down his cheek which Nyx rubbed away with her thumb.
She smiled weakly at him before he planted a soft kiss on her forehead making her smile more. But then slowly her eyes closed as her body started to glow.
A breeze seemed to pick up and trail over her as her body started to turn to a familiar dust but instead of looking like ash it turned into a bright, almost glowing white powder that was carried away into the wind. He watched as his second mother's body turned to dust in his arms, moving on as he remained silent.
Then, he quietly walked towards one of the middle thrones and took his seat, his power rolling off him in waves as he looked back at everyone else.
Looks of awe and admiration were directed at him making him smile warmly. Sure, he just lost his second mother but he knew she was in a better place and finally reunited with her husband.
Being sad wouldn't help him so instead he embraced her passing and promised himself to make her proud. He then looked on to the other protogenoi and nodded, asking for them to continue.
Rhea responded as she stepped forward. Unlike most she only needed to state her claim, no emotional toil whatsoever considering her mother was killed by Percy some time ago. Rhea took a deep breath before repeating the process Percy did.
"I am Rhea, former Titaness of Motherhood, Mountain Wilds, and Fertility, heiress of Gaea, Primordial of Earth. Does anyone dispute my right?" Again silence met her so she continued. "Henceforward I claim my place as Primordial of Earth!"
As she said it like Percy she glowed in tones of green power, Gaea's 'core' having been in her for some time, as the ground and entire Pit shook. From the look on some of the gods' faces he guessed that even the surface world was feeling earthquakes as the new master of the planet took her place.
When the glow died down it reveal Rhea on one knee and like Percy, with a new addition of wings reminiscent of large eagle wings.
The feathers were mainly dark brown but some of the feather edges were emerald green and with their fluttering there was a near gravely sound coming off them.
Rhea took in her new additions in stride as she smiled at them before walked up and taking a seat to Percy's left, both now occupying the two center thrones which would soon be their place as king and queen of the new council.
Jason came up next, looking at Aether and Hemera who gave him encouraging smiles to which he nodded back in appreciation. He took a lose stance and tried to relax his shoulder before muttering, 'Now or never' to himself even though Percy could more or less read his lips.
"I am Jason Grace, heir of Aether, Primordial of Upper Atmosphere and Light, and Hemera, Primordial of Day. Does anyone dispute my right? Then I claim my place as Primordial of Light, Day, and Upper Atmosphere!"
Once he finished the same that happened to Nyx happened to Aether and Hemera as their 'cores' of power, two miniature stars, drifted into Jason making him glow in a blinding light as he also gave a shout of pain.
Once the light died down Jason was reveal panting and not surprisingly, with pure white wings making him look like a true angel.
His feathers though looked almost phantasmal, radiating light as small, near imperceptible crackles of electricity trailed between the feathers. He got over self inspecting though as Aether fell to a knee with Hemera leaning on him, both having lost their glow as Jason rushed to them.
Aether chuckled before muttering, "Damn I feel like I had too much of granny Chaos' special brew and an ass-kicking to match."
Hemera giggled weakly as Jason gave a tired sigh even as he smiled at the pair before brining both into a hug.
"I'm going to miss you both, it truly was an honor," he said but Aether shook his head.
"No, the honor was ours," the once primordial said before Hemera added, "And we don't regret a moment of it but Jason," she said as her face got a little more serious as she placed a hand over his heart.
"Don't be scared of this okay? Take it as a last request from me and try to find love again. You've recovered a lot but you still need to be willing to open up again, otherwise you'll be lonely for a long time and I don't want that for you."
Jason looked a little uncomfortable with the subject but he nodded none the less making Hemera smile at him. She then gave him a last kiss on the cheek as Aether clapped the new primordial on the back and then the couple stood back as they started to turn to white dust as well with a gentle breeeze.
Once they were gone silence reigned as Jason sniffed slightly before standing tall and making his way to a throne a seat away to Percy's right leaving an empty throne between them.
Andromeda came next as she looked at Eros and Phanes, both protogenoi looking at the brunette with clear pride in their eyes as they nodded to her. "Go on young one. You've already made us proud so hold your head high.
The world awaits," Eros said to Phanes approving look making Andromeda smile shyly before she took a breath and repeated the process.
"My name is Andromeda Xena Jackson, heiress of Eros, Primordial of Love and Attraction, and Phanes, Primordial of Procreation and Desire. Does anyone dispute my right? Then I claim my place as Primordial of Love, Attraction, Desire, and Procreation!"
As she finished she gave a soft glow of pink and purple energy even as Percy and the others felt the power coming off her being nothing to scoff at. Once the glow fell Andromeda appeared with wings similar to those of Eros and Phanes though they had a mix of purple and pink feathers.
Giving a quick once over she made her way to Eros and Phanes as both groaned while supporting each other, their skin getting remarkably pale.
"Damn, Aether wasn't kidding," Phanes grumbled as Eros chuckled.
"What were you expecting? Sudden weightlessness and a little tingling before moving on?" Eros asked making Phanes scowl at him.
"Even at your deathbeds you both argue," Andy sighed before hugging the twins. "I'll miss you both and your antics."
"But of course you will, we're awesome," Phanes replied as they returned the embrace.
"You're going to make a wonderful goddess of love," Eros added. "So make sure to keep an eye out for your brother and co, okay?" he asked as Andy nodded.
With that the pair stepped back and also began to fade as Andy wiped away her tears while giving them a sad smile. Once they were fully gone she went and took a seat to Jason's right, leaving the throne to Percy's right still empty but it was reserved for a special case.
Next their eyes turned to Thalia, the ex-hunter stepping forward before Ouranus while nervously opening and closing her hands.
"Go on Thalia," the king of the skies said gently making his heiress calm slightly as she nodded before speaking.
"My name is Thalia Grace, heiress of Ouranus, Primordial of the Heavens. Does anyone dispute my right? Then I claim my place as Primordial of the Heavens!"
With her declaration near hurricane level winds surged around her with thunder booming around them making their hair whip around wildly.
Percy ignored it though as he focused on Thalia's form as the winds slowly died out to reveal her with grey and blue wings crackling with electricity.
Thalia glanced back at them for only a moment before she moved to Ouranus and caught him before he could fall. Ouranus gave and old and tired chuckled as he leaned on Thalia while looking at her.
"You know, if I have any regrets, it is that I couldn't spend as much time with you as my some of my siblings had with their heirs," he said as Thalia gave him a small smile.
"Well, if it is any consolation, I think you were more awesome in those few years," she said even if Percy could see the hint of sadness in her eyes.
Even if it had been a few years (actually over a decade since Ouranus had applied the same time distortion to his palace that Tartarus had to gain enough time to properly train her), Ouranus had been more of a father than Zeus had ever been for Thalia.
But now her foster father was leaving her but she still had Percy himself and all the others, her family, to stand with her from now on.
Ouranus chuckled a little more at Thalia's statement before sighing as his body also started to turn to white dust but not before he straightened up and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
With that he finally dispersed as Thalia wiped away a tear or two and stood straight before walking to her throne to Rhea's left, leaving two remaining to Thalia's left, one between Jason and Percy, and the last to Andromeda's right.
Next came Phoebe as she stepped up dressed in a white and grey chiton, her hair flowing free as her amber eyes seemed to look up beyond the sky. She took a breath before stating her claim.
"I am Adras Phoebe, Titaness of Bright Intellect and Prophecy, heiress of Anake, Primordial of Inevitability, Compulsion, and Necessity. Does anyone dispute my right? Then I claim my place as Primordial of Inevitability, Compulsion, and Necessity!"
As she finished a pure wave of power exploded off her as time and space seemed to distort around her for a second, nearly causing their audience to fall to their knees save Tartarus while the new protogenoi smirked slightly.
Phoebe wasn't as experienced at containing the power of a primordial much to the struggles of those watching while the new protogenoi shrugged it off.
Phoebe also gained a set of wings but these seemed to be more ethereal with ghostly colors of green and very light blue. Once done inspecting Phoebe walked to the throne next to Thalia but instead of sitting she remained standing.
The other new protogenoi stood as well and looked at each other before proceeding to the next step.
"Phoebe," Percy said in a powerful voice that seemed to demand respect as the darkness of the Pit responded to his beck and call. "Continue."
She nodded before beginning to speak as her eyes glowed a light green, a similar glow surrounding Percy first.
"Hail! Perseus Theseus Jackson, Primordial of Night, Darkness, Shadows, and Cold! King of the Protogenoi Council! Lord of Wolves!" Phoebe finished as another wave of power erupted off Percy while his eyes widened as the new domains took their place with him.
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