The Gods care for their children. Every Demigod knows this. Somewhere deep within them, each God and Goddess cares for every child they have sired.

But do they love them? That is a question every demigod asks themselves. At one point, may it be in the middle of the night, while laughing with friends or about to be struck down by that final fatal blow, the tiny voice in their heads asks them if their parent truly loves them. For there is no way for them to know, as their parent can show no feelings other than detached pride or disappointment in their actions.

The Gods are distant, uncaring, untouchable and detached.

But it was not always that way.

Barely a centaury earlier, things were very different, and it all started with one boy.

The Son of the Sea God.

His mother died when he was merely a few months old and his father found him, left abandoned on the cold New York streets by his callous step-father. He took the child to Olympus, where he begged on his knees in front of his brothers to let him care for the child. After much arguing, the elder gods relented and the child was raised on Olympus.

The gods tried to keep their distance, but soon found themselves being drawn to the child, filled with parental instinct.

The Goddess of Marriage mothered him; the God of the Sky spoiled him. The Goddess of Love fawned over him; the God of War trained him. The Goddess of the Moon was a sister; the God of the Sun was a brother. The Goddess of Wisdom taught him; the God of Madness played with him. The Goddess of Harvest fed him; the God of Machinery created for him. The God of the Sea fathered him; the God of Trickery corrupted him. The God of Death protected him; The Goddess of the Hearth warmed him.

And so, as the Olympians watched the young boy grow, they grew bolder, visited their children regularly and let themselves be parents. And when the boy was a year, another child was brought to Olympus. The Daughter of the Sky found a mother in her father's wife and a best friend in her uncle's son. Finally, when the boy was five, two final children were brought to the heavenly mountain. The newborn son and two-year-old daughter of Death. For the first time in eons, the Olympians were united, the four powerful children tying them together. Demigods both loved and were loved in return by their parents, and for five years, all was well.

But, as Goddess of balance knows, all bad must come with the good.

When the Son of the Sea was ten, the Daughter of the Sky was nine-and-eleven-months and the Children of Death were seven and five respectively, a prophesy was spoken about the four and the Olympians wasted no time. They were taken and trained to be the best of the best, every asset was pulled to try and make sure the four children of The Three had an equal chance of surviving. When the Son of the Sea was twelve, he stood in front of the council and was bestowed one gift from each god, as well as named the Protector of the Hearth. The same was done for the Daughter of the Sky when she came of age, as well as being named the Champion of her Step-Mother.

Together, the four quickly banded together, The Son of the Sea their protector and brother, the Daughter of the Sky their carer and sister, the Princess of Death their healer and sister, and the Prince of Death their tactician and brother. Together they returned the bolt of lightning to their father and uncle, battled against the rapidly forming titan army with their cousins and completed quest after quest. They were untouchable, unbeatable.

But, as Goddess of balance knows, all bad must come with the good.

The Olympians had broken the Ancient Laws, and torment was going to swathe the 'Four of Three'.

Nine months before the Son of the Sea's sixteenth birthday, the Titan of Time was reforming and his army had trapped the Four of Three in Las Vegas, while their family could only watch in horror. They were backed up against the doors of a flashy casino, the Children of Death at the back with the Son of the Sea and Daughter of the Sky in front.

The Son of the Sea turned to her, knowing there was only one way out. He pressed his lips against hers in one last kiss, and then pushed the three through the doors, deaf to their refusals. And stood there, waiting for the army to attack. When the Titan of Time came close enough, the boy closed his eyes, pointed his sword downwards and struck the earth with an echoing scream.

The gifts bestowed on him exploded outwards. The monsters turned to dust, the still weak Titan of Time burst into a shower of sparks with a howl and when the dust cleared, all that remained of the hero was a small piece of stationary.

The Olympians cried, turning on eachother in their grief. When they tried to find the hero in the Land of Death, there was no trace. It was as if he had never died. Fingers were pointed, fights broke out and alliances were made and broken. It was only after when they had realised just what they had done to the mortal world.

And so, a deal was struck.

In an attempt to stall the dreaded prophesy, The Three agreed to never again sire a child and to leave their beloved children in the casino where time stands still. The gods pulled away from their children and Olympus went silent.

Time passed. Demigod's lived and died. The Daughter of the Sky escaped the casino and, in an act of blind fury, the God of Death almost stole her, only to be stopped in the last second. Much later, the God of the Sea would bring his hidden child into the view of the other Olympians. The boy would grow cocky in his status as 'Chosen One', but would still have a kind heart hidden beneath. The Daughter of the Sky would be returned by the Fleece of Gold. The Children of Death would appear once more, the Princess being lost as her older brother and protector was decades ago, the Prince disappearing from his family's sight as his world crumbled around him. The Daughter of the Sky stayed with her cousins, worrying for her little brother and mourning the loss of her little sister and her soul mate.

However, hidden deep in the depths of Tartarus, a being shifted. His head cocked to the side as a soft noise echoed in his ear. And suddenly, she was there. A moment's pause, then she threw herself at him with a chocked sob. The dagger he had given her sliced his bonds and he fell to the ground in an ungraceful heap. He sat up slowly and wrapped his arms around her, letting her rid herself of all her built up emotions. Finally they stood and slowly made their way over to the door, which opened on its own account. And so they climbed, up the twisting staircase that seemed to go on forever, until they were out. Then they walked. And walked. They didn't stop, didn't look back, just kept walking. Finally, daylight warmed their faces. They raided a charity bin and caught a bus that took them right across the country, both of them marvelling at the changes that had took place.

At long last, they arrived at the mouth of a familiar dirt path. They strode up it confidently, until they slipped past the border and into the middle of the camp. The campers pointed and nudged eachother, some whispering that a god was visiting, for he radiated power like one. The boy raised one hand and with a soft whizz, a pen flew through the air. Seconds later, a gleaming bronze sword lay in its place.

There was a clatter of hooves and the sound of running feet from behind them. The Teacher questioned them; the God of Madness demanded their names. The two turned. The Teacher's bow dropped to the ground, the God of Madness bleached white.

Long dark hair, deep dark eyes and olive-toned skin, the slender thirteen year old bowed her head. "Bianca Marie di Angelo, daughter of Hades, Princess of the Underworld, at your service."

"You're dead." The God whispered, his heart clenching at the sight of his little cousin.

"Who are you? How dare you remove that sword" Recovering from his shock, the Teacher asked the one standing beside her.

The boy was tall, lean and clad in a dark blue cloak that shadowed his face. Hands littered with scars lifted up and pulled down the hood. The Teacher stumbled back; the God shook his head, his eyes wide.

The boy had messy black hair that reached just past his chin and a golden tan. Scars imprinted on his face, most faded to thin white lines. Sparkling sea-green eyes looked back at them.

"Perseus Orion Jackson, son of Poseidon, ready to serve."

Hey! This is my first PJatO Fanfic, so give some feedback to whatcha think! This idea has been nagging at me for months, so I finally sat down and started it!

Hope you enjoyed!

Byeee!

Star X