Act I:

Percy Jackson and the Ghost of Halloween

Prologue: The Start of All Things

Words: 3,466

Recap: ...this is the prologue. No recap here!

The dream started with a whisper.

Intangible whispers, voices so familiar yet... so far. Like the background noises of gossiper thinking they couldn't hear you when in fact, they could.

Never really liked those times.

What was once but utter abyss then turned into scenes...places I was not familiar with.

A stone archway with a ghostly white veil.

A great castle beyond a black lake.

The quiet street along the tens of shops across each other.

A black prison that had echoed screams of sheer fear, along with dark ghostly figure floating around.

A playing field with three hoops that seemed to act like soccer goals.

A dark forest that had wolves howling within.

Finally, the scene got dark once more, and a small hourglass appeared with circular gold orbits turning around and around as sand trickled down the narrow lane. It suddenly stopped, both orbits and sand. Then slowly it moved backward before gaining speed until the glass cracked and explode. Sand and shards of glasses spread in slow motion, and pieces of it reflected random scenes.

There was one of two men that shot out green and white light, pushing one another with raw power. Another piece showed of a phoenix gouging a giant snake's eye out. Then one showed a scene of a stick pointing at a baby, and despite not knowing what it meant, I had this feeling whoever it was going to kill him, and the green light shot out only to bounce back. It then showed a boy screaming in agony with a dead body and a book next to him. Last was a gleeful smile of someone familiar, someone I know, she's-

Before I could make up who she was, I felt myself blown away and then fall further down into the abyss. It reminded me too much of falling down to Tartarus, and I panicked, flailing my body around for anything to hold on. Before fear could get a grasp on me, I found myself floating and my tensed muscle relaxed soon enough.

I looked around, and I wasn't inside an abyss anymore, rather... I was in a dim lit corridor from blue-white torches. The place had black-tiled walls and bare no windows nor doors, apart from a plain black one at the end of the hallway, the place kind of reminded me of dungeons game when going to the next level. Obviously, I went walking-floating over and saw the door was slightly ajar. I slipped inside and found myself in a circular chamber that had doorways around me.

My attention was then pulled to a particular door that was wide open, yet unsure what's inside because of the people running back and forth. Two were particularly loud as if they were begging me to eavesdrop them.

"...it's an outrage I tell you! That she-devil had taken It of all things?" Said a lean scrawny man, his face looked malnourished and had a lack of sleep, making him look like one of Nico's skeleton soldier.

His plumped friend coward from his voice, looking unsure how to approach him, "But, is it really her? I know she's real, but that was millennia ago Howard."

"You know as well as I do there are numerous ways to prolonged one's lifespan, Chris. Rather, I thought she had spent her time somewhere on a remote island and turning men into pigs if the myths are to be believed."

"What's done is done, we need to inform Minister Shacklebolt right away."

"I KNOW THAT!" He shouted, but then he caught himself and heaved in a trembling breath before regaining his composure, "I know that! Right now we're assessing how much damage she made, but the problem now is how we're going to fix it once she already used it. We can detect any fluctuations of the time stream from that room but coming up a solution won't be easy."

"Is there even a solution for Time-travel?"

A hasty sound of footsteps alerted the men and found themselves facing a tall, broad-shouldered man, he was black and wore golden hoops on his ear and somehow worked it out despite being a buffed man. He looked like he was horrified and concerned, looking at the aftermath somehow confirmed his fear when his eyes widen before quickly schooling his expression.

"What's the damage report?"

The two men were clearly hesitant in telling him the bad news and getting the brunt of his anger. Luckily some other poor soul volunteered to do just that after exiting the room, "Minister Shacklebolt, we found that four Unspeakable were killed and one barely survived during the altercation, a shelf of time turners were damaged...again, few broken Watch Clock, and... one item was stolen."

The Minister was on the brink of blowing out, but he kept a calm face as he asked his next question, "And who is responsible for all this?"

"Well, according to the survivor the one who attacked them was-"

"Me."

The sudden forei-no, familiar voice surprised me, and I turned, only to be met by a blinding green light that woke me up.

"Styx!"

I jolted awake and almost fell off from my bed, sweat sheening from my forehead. Don't get me wrong, I'm used to demigods foreboding dream by now, but what confused me more was that it was more cryptic than usual. I tried hard to make sense all of it, but it became harder to remember, and I ultimately pushed it aside. Looking out the window, seeing the sun barely rising and the flower from Ogygia dimly lighted my balcony and found myself whispering.

"Hopefully nothing happens today."

I should have known by then that it's never good to tempt the Fates.

. . .

A thundering boom shook the floor of Olympus. For the mortals outside they would have flinched and look up at the sky as thunder rattled the night stormy sky, thinking it was another natural occurrence The Mist might have even misled their mind seeing there were barely clouds and windy days for weeks. For the dryads, muses, and few minor gods living among the Olympian could only sigh, wondering what angered the Lord of the Skies this time.

However, at the back of their mind, they knew something was wrong, something that would involve the impending danger of both mortals and gods.

For one, some of the spirits noticed that all of the Olympians had gathered, and when they meant all, they meant Hades as well, seeing as the Ghost King opinion had barely mattered much to put him in meetings. The second thing the residents took notice that there was a minor god among them, Not just one, but TWO! Most had deduced they had carried the news of what angered the Thunder God but was it necessary to bring them into the meeting itself? Most of the time, they decided it among themselves, using their Olympian Status to their benefit and ignoring the minor gods' opinion. What unnerved the Olympus Residence most was that they didn't know who the lesser gods are, that are currently inside the palace.

If you're wondering as well, the answer would be Hecate, the goddess of Magic and Caerus, the God of Opportunity.

Just how horrible was the news they have could bring?

"So you're telling me," Zeus confirmed, barely restraining himself or else his anger may affect upon the weather, giving yet another thundering shake to the sky, "That you've confirmed Circe has just invoked a forbidden magic and succeeded!"

Hecate did not show the slightest hint of nervousness despite gulping down her saliva, "Yes Lord Zeus, I've always known Circe was a clever and bright woman, but never in all my life had I imagine she would go that far... I... I have always regretted not teaching her more than just magic, but now... I regret ever teaching her."

"Hecate, as much as I sympathize with you, I don't think this is the right time for you to feel self-loath." Athena gently berated, "while we have no doubt the truth in your words, we must immediately form a plan to counter Circe's attempt to defy the Fates."

"Calm! Athena, while I'm glad you're taking this approach in your usual manner, but this isn't just one of those times where we could solve the problem with wits and logic! Her attempts, if left for too long, would fractures reality, and you're telling us to CALM DOWN?!" Hera shrieked with one breath enough to make her huffed in the end.

"And out of all times she's doing it, it has to be when my Idiot Brother is actually fixing up his mess with the Oracles so we can't be sure how much damage she made to the Fates," Artemis grumbled while shaking her head, her young features made her demeanor cute despite the godly silver aura surrounding her .

"But I can." The Olympian Gods turned their eyes to the small minor god, Caerus.

"I am the god of opportunity, not as powerful as the Titan Kronos, but a Time God nonetheless and to us, time is but a swirling mass of strings with many futures awaiting and one past complete. People can try to look at their future, to walk in their past, to change their destiny, but I am forever unchanged, unwavering, even if the fabric of reality is altered and history modified, I will be as I remain to be. So you have my word that Circe hasn't done anything significant...yet"

"And yet you know she has twisted time...but how?" Dionysus asked skeptically, sipping his diet coke.

Caerus looked at him straight in the eye, and even though the Olympian Gods were bigger compared to the minor god, that didn't mean his eyes didn't unnerve them. They are aware that, despite being the youngest child of Zeus, his wisdom was comparable to the Fates and could have risen as an Olympian if he wanted to, and yet he had made it clear that his place is where he was and would forever remain unchanged.

"Just as I said, she hasn't changed anything significant, but that doesn't mean they aren't any changes."

They were murmurs and whisper among the gods, but it was Hermes who decided to ask, "Can you tell us those few changes?"

He nodded, "It's not enough to make it a concern, but I will tell you, there had been a large clothing sale last weekend at Soho only that it never happened now. A tragedy for those who bought a $200 jeans for $20, an opportunity gone wasted indeed." Some of the gods sweatdropped, seeing as it is an insignificant change. "There's also having Trump as president, other than that..."

"What?! She caused that Buffoon to turn president? How is that not significant?!" Athena bellowed out in the most frustrated tone the gods rarely heard her with.

"Well… Obama was a fair president that is for sure, but his effort cause many oppositions from the republican, sowing distrust and fear toward him since the start of his term."

"Trump was fated to be president because of that, only this in timeline, he's four years earlier. You would have realized this sooner if you had put in mind, one of the Simpson's writers was Apollo's son and foretold in his show." Caerus stated simply, albeit with a bit tone of nervousness from facing the primal rage beneath the Goddesses of Wisdom's gaze.

"He's a fool; That's what he is! Of all the mortal fools trying to become president, they choose a bumbling, racist, xenophobic CEO who was bankrupt three times that kept spouting nonsense of racism, sexism, and queerphobia with no knowledge of politic whatsoever! You would think people would want America to not go into debts!" Athena then started rambling more about the qualities of a leader and how one of her favorite children, George Washington, would have done differently, but most of the gods had already tuned her out.

"Then Caerus, do you have an idea where... or when Circe has gone off to?" Zeus inquired.

"It was difficult to pinpoint the exact time, but with Hecate's help, it was possible to know not only when, but her aim as well."

"And what would that be?" The God of War asked impatiently with a huffed, he was not pleased that this problem is far from his domain to help. He may be a War God, but this kind of problem is way out of his head, and he knew when to fold from a problem he can't handle. Or battle that is not his own to fight.

Caerus and Hecate exchanged a worried look, even briefly glancing at one particular god. After tensed silence conversation between the two, Hecate decided to answer their question.

"We believe that Circe had gone back to aid her grandson...Tom Marvolo Riddle"

BANG!

The temperature plummeted faster than a furious Thunder Roll with a new drum set, and a pressure wave accompanied the changing atmosphere. The Olympians' faces were as if carved from marble, but Hecate and Caerus had only flinched and massaged their ears.

The gods turned toward Hades who had banged the armrest of his skeleton chair, resulting cracks and pieces of bones falling off. The ghosts sewed on his robe wailed in depressed moaning, and the aura of death was now filling the already chilled room that gave many of the gods goosebumps, even Zeus kept silent from his sudden outburst.

"Are you telling me Circe is going to aid that wretched, foul, hair-gripping mortal?!"
Every one, though still uncomfortable from his aura, was washed over with curiosity. An angry Hades might not be unusual, but an angry Hades toward a mortal was rare, and from his reaction, he wasn't just mad, he has pure hatred for the man.

"Do you mind telling us who this Tom Riddle is?" Demeter voiced out everyone's mind.

Hades was still mumbling to himself how much trouble that man had caused for him, and Hecate cleared her throat so she could explain instead. "First, before explaining him, I'm sure you all are aware of the wizarding world that I personally govern."

Everyone nodded, "Of course, they are a society of your patron's descendant and the few mortals you had blessed with magic called Wizard and Witches, does this Tom Riddle came from that world?" Zeus interjected.

"Yes, he is a powerful dark wizard that had to bring many terrors in the past that wizard and witches around refuse to speak his name...in fact in the 1970s, Tom Riddle, with the pseudonym Voldemort," a chuckle escaped that can by no means be mistaken as humorous. "Had waged war for years against the wizarding world in Great Britain, only to be stopped by a toddler from receiving a death curse that rebounded on him instead, because of a Love Charm that was invoked by his mother beforehand."

"Oh, he didn't die then! No..." drawled Hades, suddenly interrupting with a tasteless grin.

"Of all the crazy things a mortal could do, he split his soul to make himself immortal. The paperwork for that one man kept increasing to the point I like to burn all of it and just drag his ass to Tartarus myself." Hades ranted, but he wasn't finished.

"You know what the worst part is? Even after he is finally dead, his soul is split to many times, he's now left in a limbo, and I can't punish him personally when I've long awaited his demise!"

The temperature plummeted again, and the fire in the hearth flickered dangerously. Hestia gave him a warning glance, and that meant his smores are on probation.

The tensed silence was left among them until Poseidon broke it for them, "Are you done yet, Brother?"

"...Yeah, I'm done."

The gods turned their attention once more to the two, and Caerus decided to continue Hecate's speech: "It is to my knowledge that many opportunities have been shifting around at that particular year where Tom Riddle has waged war. We fear that Circe intends to help him by making sure the one man that could defeat him was never born."

The words began to sink in, and the gods and goddesses began to murmur in unease. For nothing could destroy, or defy, the Fates more than to controlling of what might have been and what will be.

"But then why would she do that? If it were me, I'd probably go back to the point when Greece was thriving and make herself known enough to be an Olympian Goddess," Hermes pointed out his thoughts, scratching his head in confusion. His docile snakes began to slither slightly off his Caduceus.

'Yeah, or go back to eat more rats!' George eagerly exclaimed within the gods' minds.

'Shush, George! You're making us look stupid!' Scolded Martha, 'At least say we get to laugh at that bratty snake, Steve at his dying breath for ditching us!'

'Oh, right, haha... I've always hated that guy.'

Hermes kneaded the bridge of his nose and sigh, "Why haven't I got rid of these two again?" He questioned himself irritatingly beneath his breath, pushing their heads down to quiet them.

Ignoring them, Caerus cleared his breath and continued to answer them, "While it's true she could now travel through time, the Ancient Law still holds when one's past came in contact with their future self, it would erase their existence."

Hecate seethed her teeth at her own theory and ended up voicing out in the end, the knuckles of her hand turned white from gripping her torch too tightly. "There's also the possibility, that after knowing her grandson's potential, Circe decided to use him as a mean to destroy the world that I have watched over for so long, and she would do anything just to spite me."

"Then do you happened to have any idea what might help to defeat her plans?" Ares asked, channeling the whole council.

Hecate bit her lip for a moment, knowing the only way to go against Circe's time meddling plan would not please her fellow gods, but they only have one chance to do it, she needed to say it here and now. Sensing her reluctance to tell, Caerus helped by giving them the solution on her behalf.

"There's only one way we could intercept Circe's meddling and thwart her plans, and that is to send a hero to the past as well."

There were numerous gasps, and just before there was an outbreak before it escalated into yelling, Zeus stood from his throne and with a booming voice said his piece, "You're telling us, that while one sorcerer in the past is already bad enough, we're going to send another?!"

Hera soothingly held onto his shoulder, leading him to his seat once more. "Are you sure that it is wise to put more ripples to the past?" She asked in concern a disapproving frown on her face.

Caerus nodded solemnly. "There is no other way to put her plan to a stop and find the source of her time traveling ability, without influencing the Fates too much of course, but it is a necessary sacrifice; A change in the past if we want to save the future."

Zeus grumbled under his breath, but Hera smacked his arm and send him a reprimanding look.

"Alright fine! We'll send a hero to the past, let's just ignore our millennia-old Ancient Laws, shall we? However, I will only permit one hero, and only one! So...who shall we send?"

"May I warn you first that we only have one shot in sending a hero to the past. Since we could never know how he'll fare, it'd be best if you choose someone loyal, possess the ability to adapt and passing any adversaries, and a strength like no other," Hecate advised them with a tint of a hopeful tone, thinking of a particular demigod who's up for the job.

The gods exchanged glances, and from the glint of their eyes told them that they have a unanimous agreement. Poseidon mainly made a resigned sigh.

"Those in favor of Percy Jackson!"

All hands shot up, with Poseidon's following slowly, face downcast and hidden from view.