Ch. 1

A young boy ran through the woods of Central Park in New York City. An overly large hound was hot on his trail as the boy weaved his way through the trees, desperately trying to escape. The boy had been on the run for almost two full days now. No matter how many times he managed to lose one, a new monster seemed to find him within a few hours. It had been three days since he had last eaten and the malnutrition was beginning to take its toll on the ten-year old. His body was weak and beginning to fail him; the only thing that kept him moving was sheer willpower and determination.

He could feel the beast slowly gaining on him as he was already at his peak when it came to his endurance while he prayed for a way to escape the terrifying creature. Just as he was losing hope, he saw two people standing next to a small fire in a clearing just a few yards away. He didn't have the energy to yell for help, so he just put his head down and used the last of his strength to jump across the fire, hoping the two strangers would help him.

When the boy landed on the other side of the fire, he tumbled roughly to the ground. He turned around to see a sight he never thought he would see in his life. The man stood in front of the monster which seemed to be bowing to him, before he snapped his fingers and a crack appeared in the ground and swallowed the monstrous dog into the earth.

The boy immediately started to panic, assuming he had just found someone far worse than the giant hound. As he tried to scramble to his feet, he was quickly engulfed in warm comforting arms. The panicked boy turned to meet warm glowing red eyes.

The eyes were glowing like the embers of a fire and despite the shock of what he had just seen, the boy immediately calmed at the woman's touch. As he stared into her eyes, he felt relaxing warmth spread throughout his whole body. After a minute in the woman's arms the young boy finally spoke.

"W.. Who a..are you?" He stuttered out, still trying to catch his breath.

The woman gave him a gentle smile, "My name is Hestia. You don't have to worry anymore; my brother got rid of the monster for you." She told him kindly.

The boy's head snapped around, only now remembering the other man. When he looked at the man, he saw black eyes and an expression that, while it wasn't friendly, it wasn't unfriendly either. It was more a look of curiosity on the man's face.

"Thank you for saving me." He quietly told the man, still unsure if the man might want to hurt him.

The man gave the boy a small smile as he looked into the child's eyes. After a few seconds, the man got a look of realization on his face and then anger. He turned to the woman with a scowl on his face.

"He is a son of Poseidon. I can see it in his eyes and the smell of the sea on him. Of course neither of my brothers could stay true to the oath they forced me into." He snapped at the woman.

Hestia looked at her brother with a disapproving expression on her face. "Yes, our brothers may have wronged you but it is not the boy's fault. He is not to blame and I will tell you right now Hades, you will not seek revenge on Poseidon through this boy, he is innocent." Hestia said with a glare at her brother.

Hades looked as if he were about to argue with his sister before looking at the boy one more time. When he did, his face softened just the slightest and he nodded, "Very well sister, I will let the boy be... for now."

The boy who was still in Hestia's warm arms was watching the conversation with fear and curiosity. He never knew his father but apparently these were his father's siblings. When the boy turned back to Hestia, she smiled warmly at him and asked, "What is your name child? And why are you all alone in the woods in the middle of the night?"

"My name is Percy." He said quietly before he looked down as his expression changed from quiet and shy to one of anger and rage.

"I am here because my mother is dead. My stepfather killed her a couple of days ago." Percy spat as his sea green eyes glowed with power and rage.

Hades' eyes widened at the sight, the boy's power rolled off him in waves. Never before had he seen such power from such a young child.

Hades looked the boy, he was skinny and clearly malnourished but that was only the beginning of his problems. A scar marred the boy's face beginning on his forehead and running down his face, over his left eye all the way down to his chin. The boy's arms were covered in cuts and scratches as well as scars around his wrists from what could only be caused from being restrained.

Hades decided to take a look into his memories. The more he saw the angrier he became. Even the Lord of the Dead had limits to things he could take and what he saw made him rip someone's head off, starting with his brother for leaving his own child to such a life.

Hades pulled back from the boy's mind and looked at his sister; it was clear she had read the boy's memories as well. As the two siblings looked at each other, an understanding seemed to pass between them.

Hades stepped closer to the boy who immediately tensed as if readying himself for a fight.

"Sleep." Hades said in a stern but soothing voice as a shadow passed over the boy's face.

Percy's eyelids drooped but he did his best to hold on, something that impressed Hades immensely. Hades waved his hand over the boy's face again as Percy finally lost his battle as he fell into a deep sleep still wrapped in Hestia's arms.

"The boy is powerful. More powerful than any demigod I have ever seen at such a young age." Hades said in an impressed voice.

Hestia nodded, "What can we do for him? I will not let this boy go suffer another minute in the mortal world; he's seen more horrors than any person should see in a lifetime, let alone a child."

Hades nodded his agreement as he looked to his sister for what she was thinking.

"I would take him with me to Olympus but you know Zeus would kill him first time he sees him. I would tell Poseidon but I think he has done enough already and I doubt the boy will want anything to do with the man who left him to such a fate." Hestia explained carefully as she looked at her brother with hopeful eyes.

Hades' eyes widened when he realized what she was hinting at, "You can't expect me to raise a son of Poseidon."

Hestia raised an eyebrow, "Brother I know how much you miss your children. Percy could be a way for you to get them out of that cursed casino one day."

Hades shook his head, "Persephone would never allow it and would tell her father the first chance she gets."

Hestia smiled, "I think she actually might like the idea of raising a son who isn't one of your demigods. It would give her more incentive to stay in the Underworld on a more regular basis."

Hades looked thoughtful for a minute before he frowned, "The child is most likely the one of the prophecy."

Hestia smiled again, "And who better to face our father than a boy raised by one of the big three. We both know that father is trying to rise whether Zeus is willing to admit it or not. I will be the boy's patron and we can ensure that the choice he makes is the correct one."

Hades looked unsure for a minute before slowly nodding, "Perhaps you are correct. He could be a way to earn the house of Hades the respect it has been denied for millennia. I will raise the boy but I leave convincing Persephone of your plan to you. There are only three months until she returns to the Underworld, so you may want to start working on that soon."

Hestia smiled warmly at Hades, "I will brother."

Hades nodded, "And what do I tell the boy when he wakes up?"

"I will come with you as it may take a while to explain everything." Hestia replied.

Hades nodded and was engulfed by a shadow while Hestia smiled widely as she and Percy vanished into a flash of flames.

Line Break

Hestia stood in the throne room of her brother Hades. Said brother was sitting in his throne as both thought about the events of the past few days. They had explained everything they could to Percy who had taken the information surprisingly well. He seemed relieved to finally know why it was he could breathe underwater and why sea creatures and horses seemed to speak to him in his mind.

One fact was obvious about the boy, he had no love for the father who left him and his mother alone to face the horrors his stepfather had put them both through. Despite Hestia trying to explain the ancient laws forbidding Poseidon from interfering, Percy would hear none of it. He simply wished to never think of Poseidon as his father.

At hearing those words, a wicked grin had appeared on Hades' face. What better way to hurt the brother that had wronged him so many times in the past than by adopting his demigod son as his own. When asked if he was okay with the idea, Percy jumped at the offer, wishing for nothing more than a place to live other than the streets.

The minute Hades made the adoption official by claiming Perseus Jackson as his demigod son, the boy's eyes had shifted from a vibrant sea green to a pitch black with only a ring of sea green around the irises. The boy looked very much the part of a son of Hades, his deep scar running the length of his face only adding to menacing look the ten-year old carried as he looked around his new home in the Underworld.

"Brother, please tell me you are doing this for the boy and not simply to get back at Poseidon." Hestia said worriedly, finally breaking the silence that had enveloped the siblings.

Hades shook his head, "I will not lie to you by saying that hurting Poseidon does not make this even better but I do wish to help the boy. You were correct when you said I missed my children. If you can convince my wife to accept the boy then he will have a far better upbringing than he would have on his own in the mortal world."

Hestia nodded seemingly satisfied with the answer, "You do know that Poseidon will fight you for the boy when he finds out."

Hades scowled, "He can do what he pleases; he certainly did Perseus no favors leaving him on his own with his stepfather."

"You know the ancient laws forbid him from interfering." Hestia argued.

"No! I am sick and tired of those Olympians blaming their neglect on the ancient laws. He did not have to bring the boy to Atlantis to raise him but it is more than within his power to check on his child occasionally. The boy is now my son and Poseidon will have to deal with the consequences of his neglect." Hades spat.

Hestia's eyes widened at her brother's outburst until she smiled a bit, now convinced that Hades would do right by Percy as she had hoped. Now it was her job to convince Persephone to accept the child as it would not do for Percy to grow up without a motherly figure in his life. He was her first ever champion and she would make sure Percy lived the life he deserved after what his life had been leading up to that point.

Hestia nodded to her brother, "Thank you brother. I have a conversation with your wife to have but I will return to visit the boy as long as it is okay with you."

Hades nodded, "Of course Hestia. Of all our siblings, you are the only one to ever treat me like a brother and not an outcast. You have an open invitation into my realm."

Hestia smiled before she vanished in a column of flames back to Olympus.

Hades waved his hand making a shadow appear as the Fury Alecto appeared in front of her master.

"What is it you need my lord?" Alecto rasped.

"I now have a son, Perseus Jackson. He is a demigod son of Poseidon who I have adopted. I have many great plans for my son and I will need you to prepare him for these." Hades explained.

Alecto looked shocked but nodded, "Of course my lord; what are your wishes?"

"Nothing yet for I will train the boy myself for a while but I will need many teachers for my son's training and you will need to set it up with the chosen heroes to train the boy. For now, simply spread the word that a new Prince of the Underworld has been crowned and he shall be treated as if he were my own flesh and blood within my realm." Hades explained.

"As you wish my lord." Alecto bowed before vanishing from the throne room of Hades.

Hades sat back in his throne, a satisfied smile on his face. The time for his children being shunned would soon end. Perseus Jackson would make some changes on Olympus, he was sure of it. When the time came, the son of Hades would become the greatest demigod warrior the world had ever seen; Hades would make sure of it.