Percy Jackson: The Firstborn

Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Inevitability’s Warning

”Hahaha, boy, do you really think Kronos would be capable of keeping me there forever?” Uranus said with amusement in his voice.

Damon simply shrugged before replying.

”No, let’s see how I say this... if you are the very representation of the sky and you were sealed, there should be consequences from that. Hell, they sealed Oceanus and the sea itself almost started conflicting with the earth. I knew you could get out whenever you wanted; I just didn’t think you would come out so soon to meet me again.”

The fact that Damon spoke so casually with a primordial surprised the Shinto gods somewhat, except for Amaterasu, who knew very well how Damon was. You simply didn’t earn his respect just by holding a title.

”By the way, I did what you asked. Your daughter should be safe with Rhea... I suppose,” Damon added while looking at the other primordials. ”One primordial showing up is fine... but four? What’s going on?”

”We are here to warn you,” one of the primordials said.

”Warn me?” Damon asked, confused.

”You cannot return to Mount Olympus with your brothers. Not right now,” the same primordial replied.

”What do you mean I can’t return? Of course I can. In fact, I’ll do it the moment I finish meeting the remaining Shinto gods,” Damon replied, somewhat annoyed.

”Wait Damon, I think you don’t understand the situation,” Amaterasu said, trying to calm him down. ”She is Ananke, the primordial of the inevitable, of compulsion and necessity. If she says something will happen, it’s because it truly will if you go there,” she finished.

”Well, if that’s the case, since she is the primordial of the inevitable, she should know that it’s inevitable for me to return and be with my family again. And now she tells me not to go? That’s ridiculous,” Damon replied without caring if his words offended anyone.

”You don’t understand, boy. If you return right now, everything will end badly... very badly,” Uranus said, since he trusted Damon more than the others did.

”What could possibly happen? Stop speaking in riddles. I don’t like these things. Be clear,” Damon said, now truly irritated by this strange conversation.

”Another war will erupt,” said the primordial who had remained silent until now.

”What?! That can’t be,” Damon said, now more worried.

”As you said before, it is inevitable that you will meet your family again. But it is also inevitable that if you return to them now, another war will begin, and this one will last longer... and you will not be able to do anything to stop it,” Ananke said without breaking her gaze from Damon.

”But why? The Titans have fallen. Who would start another war?”

”Zeus,” the four said in unison.

That declaration left Damon in shock. His younger brother would start another war? He couldn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe those words.

”Zeus is more like Kronos than you think, Damon. He inherited his paranoia. He wants the throne at any cost, and he sees you as a danger who might try to take it from him,” Uranus said, trying to be as clear as possible for Damon.

”But... what? I don’t want the damn throne. He can keep it if he wants it that badly. Hell, if I explain it to him, I’m sure he’ll understand and there won’t be any damn war because of this stupidity.”

”You will have a time of peace for doing that, but any action you take will raise Zeus’s suspicions to the maximum. Even the smallest thing will make him declare war and force your own brothers to fight against you. I’m sure that is not what you want,” Ananke said calmly.

”I would rather disappear from history before having to fight against them,” Damon said with certainty in his voice. ”All my life I have been training so I could protect them. Are you telling me I would have to use what I learned for them to hurt them? That will never happen.”

”Then do it for them if that is what you want. I am only warning you about what will happen. Yes, you are stronger than Zeus. Even if you appeared there right now to defeat him, he would escape with the help of his lightning. And I assure you he would release the Titans to fight you. He would even free Kronos if necessary to avoid being defeated,” Ananke said as clearly as possible so that there would be no doubt.

”This is stupid. Starting a war over something I don’t even want is stupid. Zeus is an idiot,” Damon said in defeat. He didn’t know what to do or say. His mind was in chaos.

”That’s not the only issue. If you choose to fight, I cannot truly say whether you would win. But what I am certain of is this: the war you just ended has already drawn the attention of many, and you know it. I am sure you have seen it yourself through the omniscience granted by the Sky Domain. If another war begins, nothing guarantees that outside forces will not act against the Greek Pantheon, especially now, when it has only just emerged from one conflict...” one of the primordials said.

Damon did not want to admit it, but he knew they were right. The imbalance caused by the war within his pantheon had already been bad enough... yet with each passing day, he could see more external forces entering his territory. If another war were to break out, nothing would guarantee their safety against outside powers. Without a doubt, they would see it as an opportunity to absorb his pantheon.

”And what do you expect me to do? I can’t stay here. Where am I supposed to go? I can’t do anything to stop this madness...” he murmured, though everyone present heard him.

”You are aware that there are different pantheons. Each one of them was present during the battle. You have attracted the attention of many. They will ask something in return for allowing you to enter their pantheons. You have our permission to travel among them as you please; you will only need the permission of each pantheon to enter,” said the primordial who had remained silent until now.

Damon lifted his head when he heard those words and exchanged a glance with Amaterasu before being drawn to the words of Uranus, who approached him.

”Damon, grow as a person. You are still very young. Learn from other deities and become stronger, so that when you return you can stop whatever stands in your way by yourself, without involving those you care about,” Uranus said while placing a hand on his shoulder.

”I gave you my domain because I trust that you will become someone important not only in this realm but in all the ones you will visit. You will not abuse that power to hurt the weak. I trust you... many people trust you,” Uranus added while looking directly into Damon’s eyes.

”DAMN IT!” Damon cursed loudly, releasing some of his frustration. ”I can’t even say goodbye?” he asked while looking at Ananke, since she was the primordial best suited to answer that question.

”You cannot go there. They are distributing domains randomly. Zeus has arranged things so that he keeps the throne and gives you nothing, so you won’t become even stronger. Poseidon will not like that, and Hades even less. You would not start the war, but they would. Would you let them kill each other without doing anything? I don’t think so, and you know it,” Ananke replied as she approached Damon and placed both hands on his cheeks so he would lift his gaze.

”Just like Uranus, I also trust you,” she finished, trying to calm him.

An uncomfortable silence filled the area. Damon was lost in his thoughts. If this continued, he might even go mad. Of all the things he expected to happen, this was not one of them. Would his mere presence truly bring another war? Who in their right mind would believe that? And a war over something he didn’t even want—a damned throne that had shaped his life. Domains?? He already has his domain.... but even then. First, his father devoured him because of that throne, and now that same throne would lead to another war in his name. To him, it was ridiculous.

”What do I have to do to enter your pantheon?” Damon asked Amaterasu, who had already expected that question.

”I told you about my realms and how we are pacifists. While the humans of our world constantly start wars, we have a law that prevents us from directly interfering with them. We cannot do much to stop those wars.

”But that law says nothing about you, and honestly I firmly believe that with your help we might finally see peace,” Amaterasu said while looking directly at Damon. ”The only thing I ask is that you achieve real peace, or at least a very lasting one, with the condition that you do not return here until you succeed.”

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Note: if you don’t like the next arc, skip it.

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