Percy POV

I was running through the abandoned streets, trying not to look at the rotting corpses laying everywhere. Some were mauled by the beasts of Tartarus, others, the poor victims of human nature during a crisis. But before I continue, I should probably tell you how this all began…

Flashback

The war against Gaia just ended, but the price, the price was far too high. Nico had faded into the darkness after using is shadow powers too much getting the Parthenos to camp. Jason was shot from the sky by dozens of Dracaena just after defeating Porphyrion with his father Zeus. Piper got crushed by a lastrigonian giant while she was distracted over Jason. Thalia took an arrow to the heart to save her mistress from Gration, who was defeated only seconds later. Then there was what happened to Hazel and Frank. Hazel was knocked off of Arion and was getting cut apart, Frank turned into a dragon and clawed his way over to her but he was too late. While he was distracted by Hazel's mutilated corpse he was chained down by a large group of lastrigonian giants and was, quite literally, ripped apart as they worked together to pull on the chains holding his limbs.

In the end, for the demigods, the main powerhouses left were just me, Annabeth, and Leo. That didn't last long though because shortly after the last of the gigantes was killed, Gaia herself rose. As she clawed her way out of her slumber, The gods themselves ordered the main demigod forces to retreat, knowing that it would mean nothing but their deaths if they stayed. But the three of us chose to stay, to ensure that the demigods could escape while we finished the last few monsters.

After we killed off the last few monsters, we looked over to see how the gods were doing. From what we could see it wasn't going well at all. Athena lay pinned to the ground by a spear of dirt. Hephaestus is speared to the wall with what's left of Athena's spear. Dionysus is unconscious and in his own personal crater. Apollo is riddled with tiny spikes of rock and Artemis is slowly sinking into the earth and Aphrodite is just laying on the ground, out cold… for no reason. Demeter is pinned to the ground with a prison of rock. Ares has an earthen axe in his chest and Hermes is laying on the ground screaming in pain, likely due to the fact that his legs are broken in multiple places.

Then there was the big three. They were working together but we could tell it was a loosing battle. Just as I thought that, Zeus went down with a vicious backslash from Gaia. Annabeth and Leo looked at me. "what the hell should we do" Leo said in a mild panic. Annabeth took the opportunity to swat the little elf upside the head and say "we help them, obviously."

At this point both Hades and Poseidon were knocked back. I looked over at Annabeth and Leo "we have to buy them a minute, Leo, you and me are going to distract Gaia, Annabeth, you need to go around and help the gods so that they can keep fighting." I explained to them. I could tell that Annabeth agreed to the plan but wanted to be the one to come with me instead, but I didn't give her a chance to argue. I grabbed Leo by the hand, tossed Annabeth all of our nectar and ambrosia, and then ran off towards Gaia with Leo. From there, it was a hard fight. Every strike Gaia made was powerful, and soon, as I was blocking, she threw a left hook and knocked me at least 20 feet away, I struggled to get up, and as I looked over, I saw Leo start coating her in fire and I thought we were succeeding. But then an earthen hand flew out of the torrents of flame and grabbed Leo by his face. Before I could even scream his name, she had crushed his skull in one hand.

Then there was the yelp. The only comfort that I had to look back on was that it happened quick. As I looked over to the gods I saw where the sound came from. There was Annabeth, Impaled and in the air by a spike of stone. And in that moment, something inside of me snapped. I only saw red, and the only thing that I knew was the need to kill and the need to protect. A Feral growl emanated from my throat as I stalked over to the laughing form of Gaia. Her Laughs were cut short as a spike of ice impaled itself in her side. I drew Anaklusmos from where it lay in the earth. Gaia had a victorious grin on her face as she turned to look at me, as if the spike in her side meant nothing, but I would teach her, show her the pain that she put me through, put Annabeth through, and every single other demigod that died today.

"well look at what we have here," she sneered at me, "A useless demigod who couldn't even save the ones he loved, not his friends, not the love of his life, Not even his poor, poor parents." After she said that I screamed in rage, I felt that familiar tug in my gut, but this time it felt different, like it had with Akhlys in Tartarus. The smile soon left Gaia's face as she realized that she couldn't move, then her expression turned to a look of horror as she realized that it was me controlling her. "this has gone on long enough," I said, my voice deadly calm, like the calm before the storm. "this is where it ends, where you end. I'm gonna make you feel just as much pain, just as much desperation as me, and only when you beg for death, am I going to give it to you. Because you have taken everything from me. Now, you're gonna learn the price of that pain."

Just as I finished saying that, I started to heat and cool the Ichor in her blood, as her screams filled the air, a hurricane formed around us lifting us into the air. Soon Gaia is begging for me to end it, I form a spike of ice on the ground and then use the air currents to force her down onto it, killing her just like Annabeth. As I lowered towards the ground, Gaia began to crumble into a white dust instead of the usual gold. She was fading. The gods took this as a sign to celebrate even more because it meant that they never had to face her again. But soon, we all learned that this was the worst possible outcome, that losing the war would have been better than her fading. After only two weeks of peace, the world began to crumble in a very literal sense. Due to the fact that the earth was the natural buffer between Tartarus and the mortal world, everything fell apart. Earthquakes began to riddle the world, and from the cracks created, the demons of hell began to pour through. The Mist soon failed as the attacks became too much for it to handle. Mortals began a global panic, riots ensued. The demigods were the first to die off. As the mortals blamed them for everything, that's how Reyna and the others died. As they had set up a defensive line around a relief camp, the mortals turned on them and, in their rage, gunned down their only line of defence mercilessly. The world was ending, It's taken a couple years, buts it's ending all the same.

Flashback End

And that's how I ended up here, running through the remnants of Manhattan. The Olympians have made a final summons, calling me from the small camp that is slowly getting smaller. The only reason that I had been able to go on so long on this hell on earth faded only last year, Hestia, the one who gave me hope and believed that I could make it because I had given her hope so long ago in the titan war. She was so, so shy, and yet it never stopped her from being kind and caring. That's what I loved so much about her. But now she is gone, and I'm alone once more.

As I come up to the empire state building, I see that there is no one guarding the gateway to Olympus. I wasn't expecting the usual doorman, but I thought that there would be at least someone here to make sure that the monsters and stuff didn't get in. I reach behind the desk and find the key hidden in the false bottom of the middle drawer. I insert the key into the slot on the elevator and begin my ascent to Olympus. I notice that the music on the elevator has changed since I was last here. "Seriously Apollo, is this some kind of fucking joke to you." I say to myself as I remember the song and hear its lyrics. (A/N, it's how far we've come by matchbox 20)

As the song ends, the elevator stops and the doors open for me to see Olympus for what oddly feels like the last time. I begin to walk towards the throne room and as I look around, I begin to feel even more depressed. I begin to brood on the fact that this probably could have all been avoided if I hadn't lost my temper – NO! I can't keep thinking like that, it isn't what Hestia or Annabeth would have wanted. I snap myself out of my train of thought as I come upon the doors to the throne room. I steeled my nerves, took a deep breath, and pushed open the doors and walked into the room.

A/N: I just want to say that this is my first time posting a fanfic or story... ever. as the name implies I don't think that I am entirely the best at writing so any tips are also helpful. I want to say that any and all criticism is appreciated and entirely welcome. I also want to say that the concept for this opening chapter isn't entirely my own. I read something similar to what I wrote in another percy jackson crossover fanfiction. I would be giving the author credit for the chapter idea however it seems to have slipped my mind as to what the story or author is named. I do remember that it was a percy jackson and lord of the rings crossover. anyways, thank you for taking the time to read my story.