(Y/N)'s POV
"Why did I have to open my big mouth?" He thought as he got out of the lake, shivering. Hand in hand with Annabeth, grinning widely in a moment that he would have been happy to stay in forever.
The others rushed towards him, and the moment passed, Chiron cantered up to them tentatively, like he had seen a ghost, because he had. "Morning Chiron, when's breakfast?" (Y/N) asked.
Chiron approached with his arms crossed over his chest, a frown on his face, "You, are by far the most troublesome demigod I have had under my tutelage in many hundreds of years son of Thanatos." He said.
(Y/N) raised an eyebrow, "In all the time I've known you, I don't think you've ever called me that Chiron. Am I in trouble?" Chiron glanced between Annabeth and (Y/N), finally cracking a smile at their two beaming faces.
"No, I think you have had enough trouble for now." Then (Y/N) reached up and hugged the centaur. "Well, you did say, if anyone was going to come back and complain about their death. It would be me."
"That I did my boy." Chiron chuckled, a catch in his voice as his arms wrapped around (Y/N), the two hugged for a moment, and (Y/N) heard his trainer sniffle. To avoid breaking down he coughed. Then he smiled at Annabeth.
"I see your journey to find what was missing was fruitful in another sense Annabeth." She nodded, "Yeah, but I'm debating asking the fates for a refund. I asked for a hero. This one is defective, they've brought me an idiot."
"The fates?" Chiron asked, "Long story." Zoe interjected as she cut in between the hug and nearly squeezed (Y/N) so hard that Annabeth almost did get her refund. "My friend!" She said happily, tears already falling down her face.
"How wonderful it is to see you well!" She said, releasing him as he held his back to check for damage and said "I see someone's upset that someone else could be smart enough to come back from the dead. No need to be jealous Zoe."
For a moment, her smile faltered, Annabeth frowned, and (Y/N) realized he had just put his foot in his mouth, he patted Zoe on the shoulder, "Hey, chin up. We're going to find him, together." She nodded.
"I mean, I missed so much. I had been trying to get you two together for years. And of course I miss the moment of truth." He sighed dramatically as she groaned at him, "I'm taking full credit for it, and when he gets back. I need details."
"You're still a fool." She said, "-I'm serious, that's the real reason I came back. I need the details-" Then (Y/N) was punched in the head by Annabeth, again. He was pretty sure that was going to happen a lot today.
He went through several more hellos after that, Rachel was smirking at him once he returned, and he said, "I swear to the gods if you say you knew this would happen, you're getting chucked in the lake too."
She shrugged, "Maybe an inkling." He was bombarded by the Aphrodite cabin as well as Piper and Jason, who both looked happy for him, but Piper too had a smug look about her. "Don't you even start." He warned.
It was only when Clovis, the only person kind enough to provide a towel, came over that (Y/N) finally got to ask a question of his own. "You recognized me, and helped me." The sleepy boy just nodded.
"How did you know it was me Clovis?" He asked, the half asleep demigod just smiled as the two embraced, "I'd know that insufferable smirk anywhere." As they pulled apart, (Y/N) had to ask, "Why did you help me get to Leo?"
Clovis frowned, rubbing his eyes, "Leo? Who the hell is Leo, I thought you were here to speak with my dad, he's been asking me about you for days. Something about your dad, and what we have to do about him?"
"I'm Leo." the flame user announced as he parted the crowd and glared at (Y/N), smoking from his ears in anger...oh no wait, that was his hair. Leo looked like he was about to let (Y/N) try out an impromptu fire stunt. Then clocked him on the cheek.
(Y/N) rubbed his cheek as Leo glowered at him, "Ow. What was that for?" "You made me give up my secret!" Leo said under his breath, like it was still a secret at all. (Y/N) was confused, "Wait...they didn't know you can control fire?"
"You can what?" Some people around the background said, "Dude, if I were you. I'd tell everyone. 'Don't mess with me or I'll flambé you!' Do you know how badass that is?" He mimed chucking a fireball.
Clovis coughed, then (Y/N) realized, "OH NO! I totally forgot!" (Y/N) grabbed hold of Leo, "Valdez I need your help, it's super important, I need you to come with me right now and melt some ice! Oh, dads gonna kill me..."
"That's why I came here, I need the flames of life, they're the only thing that can help my dad." "Your dad? The ghost man? What's he got to do with me? This better not be a human sacrifice-" Leo asked. "Later, just come with me. I'll explain when we get there."
(Y/N) began to shadow travel, but felt like he was caught out of the air. An invisible fishing net, he was only two feet away from where he started when he opened his eyes, Leo was staring at him like he was a maniac.
"It won't work." Said a voice, and (Y/N) immediately knew he was in for an earful, Lou Ellen walked up to him, covered in dirt. Her tone was a sort of awkward one as she explained her expertise in the area.
"We...uh...well...when we were trying to resurrect...Kronos..." She said quietly. "We looked into empowering him with the flames of life, if they are what you're looking for, look somewhere else. Leo's flames are magical, but they are a gift from his father Hephaestus. A tool needed in the coming quests."
"They aren't the same as the flames of life. Best person to ask for those are Prometheus or Lady Hestia. They are the only two I know that can actually find or produce it." "Who are both presumably locked up on Olympus." (Y/N) sighed. Not realizing why Lou Ellen's tone was getting angrier.
"Yeah, so you know what that means?" She asked softly. "...no." He responded, already bracing himself, "YOU ALMOST BURIED ME ALIVE FOR NOTHING!" She shrieked. He muttered an "Oops..." Holding up his hands, "I'm gonna be honest with you Lou. I forgot you were there. My ba-"
Then he was pulled into a hug, laughter filling his ears. "You are the worst." She chuckled. After their short hug, (Y/N) promised proper greetings after he got dried and Leo promised the camp, specifically his cabin and the counsellors, that he had a surprise for them, but (Y/N) missed the grand opening.
Waiting for him at the entrance of the bunker, (Y/N) saw Juno, He turned to Annabeth as they all made their way inside, "Give me a few minutes." He said, she frowned at him, but after looking over at the direction of the goddess, she glared, but nodded.
He shouted "What the hell do you want?" At Juno, as she stood there in her stupid shawl, "To congratulate you for finding your way home, as I knew you would.-" "-Why does everyone keep taking credit for that?" (Y/N) grumbled.
"-You have done well. I was skeptical about you returning to this place, fearing that it may lead to anger towards the other side, but I am glad you have chosen to return. It will give your leaders time to heal before the next stage."
"I imagine your husband has taken the news well." (Y/N) smiled, thinking of Zeus's reaction to his return, honestly sad he didn't get to see it in real time. Juno laughed, "Jove is coping well, we have convinced him not to...how did you put it? 'Smite you.' for the time being."
"As long as you follow the path set for you." She explained, he scoffed, "The path set for me? When have I ever followed the path set for me?" She nodded, "True, you may divert your attention for now..." She gestured to inside the bunker.
"But soon, you must lead them. You must find the man who shall carry me across the river. To bridge the gap between the enemies. There is much to do, returning hero. Much to do before you can have your true rest. But for now. Your peace is well earned."
She disappeared without another word. "You're welcome." He muttered under his breath as he trudged back into the bunker to hear the plans Leo had for...whatever that crayon drawing told him to do...man, demigods are weird.
(Y/N) then got distracted by the thought that the old crayon drawing might have a secret message on it, like the back of the declaration of independence. That led him down quite a large rabbit hole, and before he knew it, he was stood with Annabeth again.
Leo's POV
Leo hadn't felt this jumpy since he offered tofu burgers to the werewolves. When he got to the limestone cliff in the forest, he turned to the group and smiled nervously. "Here we go." He willed his hand to catch fire, and set it against the door.
His cabinmates gasped. Jake Mason, who was out of his body cast but still on crutches, and hadn't been in the forges all day, said, "Holy Hephaestus. That means—it's so rare that—" The massive stone door swung open, and everyone's mouth dropped.
Leo's flaming hand seemed insignificant now. Even Piper and Jason looked stunned, and they'd seen enough amazing things lately. Only Chiron didn't look surprised. The centaur knit his bushy eyebrows and stroked his beard, as if the group was about to walk through a minefield.
That made Leo even more nervous, but he couldn't change his mind now. His instincts told him he was meant to share this place—at least with the Hephaestus cabin—and he couldn't hide it from Chiron or his two best friends.
"Welcome to Bunker Nine," he said, as confidently as he could. "C'mon in." The group was silent as they toured the facility. Everything was just as Leo had left it—giant machines, worktables, old maps and schematics.
Only one thing had changed. Festus's head was sitting on the central table, still battered and scorched from his final crash in Omaha. Leo went over to it, a bitter taste in his mouth, and stroked the dragon's forehead.
"I'm sorry, Festus. But I won't forget you." Jason put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Hephaestus brought it here for you?" Leo nodded. "But you can't repair him," Jason guessed. "No way," Leo said. "But the head is going to be reused. Festus will be going with us."
Piper came over and frowned. "What do you mean?" Before Leo could answer, Nyssa cried out, "Guys, look at this!" She was standing at one of the worktables, flipping through a sketchbook—diagrams for hundreds of different machines and weapons.
"I've never seen anything like these," Nyssa said. "There are more amazing ideas here than in Daedalus's workshop. It would take a century just to prototype them all." "Who built this place?" Jake Mason said. "And why?"
Chiron stayed silent, but Leo focused on the wall map he'd seen during his first visit. It showed Camp Half-Blood with a line of triremes in the Sound, catapults mounted in the hills around the valley, and spots marked for traps, trenches, and ambush sites.
"It's a wartime command center," he said. "The camp was attacked once, wasn't it?" "In the Titan War?" Piper asked. Nyssa shook her head. "No. Besides, that map looks really old. The date ... does that say 1864?"
They all turned to Chiron. The centaur's tail swished fretfully. "This camp has been attacked many times," he admitted. "That map is from the last Civil War." Apparently, Leo wasn't the only one confused. The other Hephaestus campers looked at each other and frowned.
"Civil War ..." Piper said. "You mean the American Civil War, like a hundred and fifty years ago?" "Yes and no," Chiron said. "The two conflicts—mortal and demigod—mirrored each other, as they usually do in Western history."
"Look at any civil war or revolution from the fall of Rome onward, and it marks a time when demigods also fought one another. But that Civil War was particularly horrible. For American mortals, it is still their bloodiest conflict of all time—worse than their casualties in the two World Wars."
"For demigods, it was equally devastating. Even back then, this valley was Camp Half-Blood. There was a horrible battle in these woods lasting for days, with terrible losses on both sides."
"Both sides," Leo said. "You mean the camp split apart?" "Not exactly." (Y/N) said as he caught up to the others. Staring at both Chiron and Zoe, as if to ask them, 'are you going to say something, or am I?' But it wasn't them that spoke.
"No," Jason spoke up. "He means two different groups. Camp Half-Blood was one side in the war." Leo wasn't sure he wanted an answer, but he asked, "Who was the other?" Chiron glanced up at the tattered bunker 9 banner, as if remembering the day it was raised.
"The answer is dangerous," he warned. "It is something I swore upon the River Styx never to speak of. After the American Civil War, the gods were so horrified by the toll it took on their children, that they swore it would never happen again."
"The two groups were separated. The gods bent all their will, wove the Mist as tightly as they could, to make sure the enemies never remembered each other, never met on their quests, so that bloodshed could be avoided."
"This map is from the final dark days of 1864, the last time the two groups fought. We've had several close calls since then. The nineteen sixties were particularly dicey. But we've managed to avoid another civil war—at least so far."
"Just as Leo guessed, this bunker was a command center for the Hephaestus cabin. In the last century, it has been reopened a few times, usually as a hiding place in times of great unrest. But coming here is dangerous."
"It stirs old memories, awakens the old feuds. Even when the Titans threatened last year, I did not think it worth the risk to use this place." "Chiron, you worry too much, no time like the present right, and besides this isn't the first times the gods have gone back on their oaths."
He gestured to Jason, "Twice. So why can't we?" Chiron frowned, Zoe spoke up, "I agree with Chiron...you did not see the devastation left behind during those battles, we huntresses tried to steer clear of conflict when we could, but even we suffered heavy casualties just from the crossfire."
"Well, nobody asked the two fossils." (Y/N) argued and before Chiron cut in, Leo spoke, his sense of triumph turned to guilt. "Hey, look, this place found me. It was meant to happen. It's a good thing."
"I hope you're right," Chiron said. "I am!" Leo pulled the old drawing out of his pocket and spread it on the table for everyone to see. "There," he said proudly. "Aeolus returned that to me. I drew it when I was five. That's my destiny."
Nyssa frowned. "Leo, it's a crayon drawing of a boat." "Look." He pointed at the largest schematic on the bulletin board—the blueprint showing a Greek trireme. Slowly, his cabinmates' eyes widened as they compared the two designs.
The number of masts and oars, even the decorations on the shields and sails were exactly the same as on Leo's drawing. "Trippy." (Y/N) said. "That's impossible," Nyssa said. "That blueprint has to be a century old at least."
"'Prophecy—Unclear—Flight,'" Jake Mason read from the notes on the blueprint. "It's a diagram for a flying ship. Look, that's the landing gear. And weaponry—Holy Hephaestus: rotating ballista, mounted crossbows, Celestial bronze plating."
"That thing would be one spankin' hot war machine. Was it ever made?" "Not yet," Leo said. "Look at the masthead." There was no doubt—the figure at the front of the ship was the head of a dragon. A very particular dragon.
"Festus," Piper said. Everyone turned and looked at the dragon's head sitting on the table. "He's meant to be our masthead," Leo said. "Our good luck charm, our eyes at sea. I'm supposed to build this ship.
"Did you say flying ship?" (Y/N) asked, he had been comparing the drawings this whole time and had zoned out. Annabeth sighed into her hand like she was regretting taking him back. Leo nodded in response.
"Di immortales..." Annabeth muttered as (Y/N) perked up. "Like a flying pirate ship!" Jake Mason said, "Well, trireme were actually more used for- "A FLYING PIRATE SHIP!" (Y/N) said, his excitement palpable.
"I'm in! Sky pirate trumps sea pirate any day." He said, Leo chuckled at his enthusiasm. Explaining his plans "I'm gonna call it the Argo II. And guys, I'll need your help." "The Argo II." Piper smiled. "After Jason's ship."
Jason looked a little uncomfortable, but he nodded. "Leo's right. That ship is just what we need for our journey." "What journey?" Nyssa said. "You just got back!"
Piper ran her fingers over the old crayon drawing. "We've got to confront Porphyrion, the giant king. He said he would destroy the gods at their roots." "Indeed," Chiron said.
"Much of Rachel's Great Prophecy is still a mystery to me, but one thing is clear. You three—Jason, Piper, and Leo—are among the seven demigods who must take on that quest." "Wait." Zoe said. explaining some added complications too.
"On our travels, Annabeth and I encountered a prophecy, spoken in two languages, by two oracles. Already written in the Sibylline Books" Annabeth looked at Zoe like that last part was news to her too.
"Written in the what?" She asked, Zoe just looked at her sadly, but Chiron spoke over the two of them, "That cannot be true! The majority of that text was lost" He said, but Annabeth nodded in confirmation, and they repeated the prophecy they had heard.
"From ancient magics born of pain, the dead shall rise to fight again."
"Champion of one blessed by rain, fights for a name he must attain."
"Oath breaker freed of the ties that bind, hunts the child of shattered mind."
"It falls to luck that the lost must find, for they only prevail with strength combined."
"To abandon years of the deepest hate, a final hero must close the gate."
"If death is freed from the chains of fate, a child assures seven shall become eight."
As a collective, the entire tour group looked at (Y/N) only to find him fiddling with a broken M1861 Rifle-Musket, looking down the barrel. Sensing their gaze, he dropped it and turned to Chiron, putting his hands behind his back, "Sorry..." He said, and a few voices muttered out, "We're doomed.
"Seven becoming eight, dead rising. So that means (Y/N) is the missing part of the puzzle." Piper said, Chiron nodded in agreement "Together you must confront the giants in their homeland, where they are strongest."
"You must stop them before they can wake Gaea fully, before they destroy Mount Olympus." "Um ..." Nyssa shifted. "You don't mean Manhattan, do you?" "No," Leo said. "The original Mount Olympus. We have to sail to Greece."
It took a few minutes for that to settle in. Then the other Hephaestus campers started asking questions all at once. Who were the other four demigods? How long would it take to build the boat? Why didn't everyone get to go to Greece? "Heroes!" Chiron struck his hoof on the floor.
"All the details are not clear yet, but Leo is correct. He will need your help to build the Argo II. It is perhaps the greatest project Cabin Nine has even undertaken, even greater than the bronze dragon." "It'll take a year at least," Nyssa guessed. "Do we have that much time?"
"You have six months at most," Chiron said. "You should sail by summer solstice, when the gods' power is strongest. Besides, we evidently cannot trust the wind gods, and the summer winds are the least powerful and easiest to navigate."
"You dare not sail any later, or you may be too late to stop the giants. You must avoid ground travel, using only air and sea, so this vehicle is perfect. Jason being the son of the sky god ..."
His voice trailed off, but Leo figured Chiron was thinking about his missing student, Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon. He would've been good on this voyage, too. Jake Mason turned to Leo.
"Well, one thing's for sure. You are now senior counselor. This is the biggest honor the cabin has ever had. Anyone object?" Nobody did. All his cabinmates smiled at him, and Leo could almost feel their cabin's curse breaking, their sense of hopelessness melting away.
"It's official, then," Jake said. "You're the man." For once, Leo was speechless. Ever since his mom died, he'd spent his life on the run. Now he'd found a home and a family. He'd found a job to do. And as scary as it was, Leo wasn't tempted to run—not even a little.
"Well," he said at last, "if you guys elect me leader, you must be even crazier than I am. So let's build a spankin' hot war machine!"
(Y/N)'s POV
That was a lot easier to say then to do, though (Y/N) was not allowed to help as much as he would have liked, despite being the only actual pirate at their meeting. He was told to leave the Hephaestus campers to their work, and instead focused on himself.
Clovis insisted he go to the Hypnos cabin and rest, to speak with the god and determine what to do next now that (Y/N) knew Leo's powers were a bust. But (Y/N) was much to busy for that...or as some would say, distracted.
He would say, procrastinating. He would get around to doing that, and to helping his father, and all the other impossible tasks that were expected of him as one of the new eight demigods, but right now, he was more concerned with other things.
The first point of his to do list was one of the most satisfying. Walking into his own Cabin, smiling to himself as the room lit up, and walking up to his wall of photos, ripping off the farewell tour sticker, and moving on, to the other side of the wall, where they hung, waiting for him.
"As beautiful as ever." He mused, pulling them from the wall and attaching them to his belt, sighing with relief as the familiar weight making him finally feel comfortable with himself, finally balanced as he pulled Gleam and Glimmer from their sheathes. And said, "Glimmer, Gleam, SHINE!"
Annabeth's POV
"OW Fu-AAAHHH " She heard a clatter of shelves from inside as she saw a bright white light extend past the doorframe. "Why did I do that!" (Y/N) said as he stumbled out of his cabin, holding his eyes in pain, squinting at her.
She could only laugh. "Just as bright as ever ghost boy." He laughed back at her, "Who said that? Whoever it is, that's ghost man to you" He waved his arms around in mock blindness. Eventually wrapping an arm around her lovingly.
"C'mon, we're going to be late, and Rachel will kill us." She urged, "Yeah, sure. He nodded, "But first, lead me to the Aphrodite cabin would you. I need to talk to someone." Once they did, (Y/N) walked up to someone Annabeth didn't expect.
Drew stammered out apologies and held her hands up shakily in defense as he approached her, and looked all the more horrified when he pointed to a nearby forest path and said, "You and I need to talk. Now."
The beginning of their conversation was all that Annabeth heard before the rustling of bushes drowned out their words, and the last thing Annabeth saw was Drew look back at her pleadingly, "You know I don't like bullies Drew-"
She expected to see Drew emerge from the path with a horrified look in her eyes and perhaps a bloody nose, but was more shocked to see the two of them come out together, laughing, both with tears in their eyes.
"-Your mom would want that for you. You remember that, okay?" He said, as Drew smiled, waving at Annabeth happily and going to join her siblings again. Annabeth walked up to (Y/N) as he wiped some tears from his eyes and smiled.
"By the gods. What did you threaten her with?" Annabeth said. "Threaten her with? I didn't threaten her with anything. Drew is a good egg, when she tries. She just needed reminding that the responsibility of the whole cabin wasn't just hers. She knows where she messed up now." He explained.
Annabeth was at an utter loss for words. He held her hand and said, "We better hurry. Or Rachel's going to throw something at me, and I heard she has very deadly aim." The two of them sprinted through the camp.
Jason's POV
Jason waited alone in cabin one. Annabeth and Rachel were due any minute for the head counselors' meeting, and Jason needed time to think. His dreams the night before had been worse than he'd wanted to share—even with Piper.
His memory was still foggy, but bits and pieces were coming back. The night Lupa had tested him at the Wolf House, to decide if he would be a pup or food. Then the long trip south to ... he couldn't remember, but he had flashes of his old life.
The day he'd gotten his tattoo. The day he'd been raised on a shield and proclaimed a praetor. His friends' faces: Dakota, Gwendolyn, Hazel, Bobby. And Reyna. Definitely there'd been a girl named Reyna.
He wasn't sure what she'd meant to him, but the memory made him question what he felt about Piper—and wonder if he was doing something wrong. The problem was, he liked Piper a lot.
Jason moved his stuff to the corner alcove where his sister had once slept. He put Thalia's photograph back on the wall so he didn't feel alone. He stared up at the frowning statue of Zeus, mighty and proud, but the statue didn't scare him anymore. It just made him feel sad.
"I know you can hear me," Jason said to the statue. The statue said nothing. Its painted eyes seemed to stare at him. "I wish I could talk with you in person," Jason continued, "but I understand you can't do that. The Roman gods don't like to interact with mortals so much, and—well, you're the king. You've got to set an example."
More silence. Jason had hoped for something—a bigger than usual rumble of thunder, a bright light, a smile. No, never mind. A smile would've been creepy. "I remember some things," he said. The more he talked, the less self-conscious he felt.
"I remember that it's hard being a son of Jupiter. Everyone is always looking at me to be a leader, but I always feel alone. I guess you feel the same way up on Olympus. The other gods challenge your decisions."
"Sometimes you've got to make hard choices, and the others criticize you. And you can't come to my aid like other gods might. You've got to keep me at a distance so it doesn't look like you're playing favorites. I guess I just wanted to say ..."
Jason took a deep breath. "I understand all that. It's okay. I'm going to try to do my best. I'll try to make you proud. But I could really use some guidance, Dad. If there's anything you can do—help me so I can help my friends. I'm afraid I'll get them killed. I don't know how to protect them."
The back of his neck tingled. He realized someone was standing behind him. He turned and found a woman in a black hooded robe, with a goatskin cloak over her shoulders and a sheathed Roman sword—a gladius—in her hands.
"Hera," he said. She pushed back her hood. "To you, I have always been Juno. And your father has already sent you guidance, Jason. He sent you Piper and Leo. They're not just your responsibility. They are also your friends. Listen to them, and you will do well."
"Did Jupiter send you here to tell me that?" "No one sends me anywhere, hero," she said. "I am not a messenger." "But you got me into this. Why did you send me to this camp?" "I think you know," Juno said.
"An exchange of leaders was necessary. It was the only way to bridge to gap." "I didn't agree to it." "No. But Zeus gave your life to me, and I am helping you fulfill your destiny." Jason tried to control his anger.
He looked down at his orange camp shirt and the tattoos on his arm, and he knew these things should not go together. He had become a contradiction—a mixture as dangerous as anything Medea could cook up.
"You're not giving me all my memories," he said. "Even though you promised." "Most will return in time," Juno said. "But you must find your own way back. You need these next months with your new friends, your new home."
"You're gaining their trust. By the time you sail in your ship, you will be a leader at this camp. And you will be ready to be a peacemaker between two great powers." "What if you're not telling the truth?" he asked. "What if you're doing this to cause another civil war?"
Juno's expression was impossible to read—amusement? Disdain? Affection? Possibly all three.As much as she appeared human, Jason knew she was not. He could still see that blinding light—the true form of the goddess that had seared itself into his brain.
She was Juno and Hera. She existed in many places at once. Her reasons for doing something were never simple. "I am the goddess of family," she said. "My family has been divided for too long." "They divided us so we don't kill each other," Jason said. "That seems like a pretty good reason."
"The prophecy demands that we change. The giants will rise. Each can only be killed by a god and demigod working together. Those demigods must be the seven greatest of the age. As it stands, they are divided between two places. If we remain divided, we cannot win."
"Gaea is counting on this. That is why she has tried to corrupt those that would have guide you. A child of our former enemy, a symbol of new alliance, the unity that came after the Tian war." "(Y/N)? Why did you bring him with us. I don't understand."
"Nor does he, for now, in time, all shall become clear. This is a plan that was put in place before he was eeven born, by someone who loved him. To protect him, only now, We can use it to our advantage also."
"Regardless of his tasks in this prophecy, you have your own to worry about, son of Jupiter. You must unite the heroes of Olympus and sail together to meet the giants on the ancient battlegrounds of Greece."
"Only then will the gods be convinced to join you. It will be the most dangerous quest, the most important voyage, ever attempted by the children of the gods." Jason looked up again at the glowering statue of his father.
"It's not fair," Jason said. "I could ruin everything." "You could," Juno agreed. "But gods need heroes. We always have." "Even you? I thought you hated heroes." The goddess gave him a dry smile.
"I have that reputation. But if you want the truth, Jason, I often envy other gods their mortal children. You demigods can span both worlds. I think this helps your godly parents—even Jupiter, curse him—to understand the mortal world better than I."
Juno sighed so unhappily that despite his anger, Jason almost felt sorry for her. "I am the goddess of marriage," she said. "It is not in my nature to be faithless. I have only two godly children—Ares and Hephaestus—both of whom are disappointments."
"I have no mortal heroes to do my bidding, which is why I am so often bitter toward demigods—Heracles, Aeneas, all of them. But it is also why I favored the first Jason, a pure mortal, who had no godly parent to guide him."
"And why I am glad Zeus gave you to me. You will be my champion, Jason. You will be the greatest of heroes, and bring unity to the demigods, and thus to Olympus." Her words settled over him, as heavy as sandbags.
Two days ago, he'd been terrified by the idea of leading demigods into a Great Prophecy, sailing off to battle the giants and save the world. He was still terrified, but something had changed. He no longer felt alone. He had friends now, and a home to fight for.
He even had a patron goddess looking out for him, which had to count for something, even if she seemed a little untrustworthy. Jason had to stand up and accept his destiny, just as he had done when he faced Porphyrion with his bare hands.
Sure, it seemed impossible. He might die. But his friends were counting on him. "And if I fail?" he asked. "Great victory requires great risk," she admitted. "Fail, and there will be bloodshed like we have never seen. Demigods will destroy one another."
"The giants will overrun Olympus. Gaea will wake, and the earth will shake off everything we have built over five millennia. It will be the end of us all." "Great. Just great." Someone pounded on the cabin doors.
Juno pulled her hood back over her face. Then she handed Jason the sheathed gladius. "Take this for the weapon you lost. We will speak again. Like it or not, Jason, I am your sponsor, and your link to Olympus. We need each other."
The goddess vanished as the doors creaked open, and Piper walked in. "Annabeth and Rachel are here," she said. "Chiron has summoned the council."
The council was nothing like Jason imagined. For one thing, it was in the Big House rec room, around a Ping-Pong table, and one of the satyrs was serving nachos and sodas. Somebody had brought Seymour the leopard head in from the living room and hung him on the wall.
Every once in a while, a counselor would toss him a Snausage. Jason looked around the room and tried to remember everyone's name. Thankfully, Leo and Piper were sitting next to him—it was their first meeting as senior counselors.
Clarisse, leader of the Ares cabin, had been trying to kill someone when he walked in. Jason didn't really need to look to know who, they were very loud, though nobody else seemed to even really hear the ruckus.
"Get back here you scrawny little leech!" Clarisse shouted. "NEVER!" (Y/N) said in return, laughing like a madman as she dove for him and he hopped the pool table. "You deserve this!" She demanded. "What? To die?" He asked.
"Oh, don't worry pretty boy, I'm not gonna kill ya. But you'll wish I HAD!" She shouted, diving again and barely missing as he clambered onto Seymour. Kicking down at her with one leg until the leopard began licking his lips.
As (Y/N) jumped down to avoid being mistaken for a Snausage, he shouted "Chris! HELP!" "Chris isn't here to save you this time punk! Thanks to the broken nose you gave him!" She seethed. "Uhhh...Annabeth Help!" (Y/N) pleaded.
Annabeth laughed and as (Y/N) tried to hide behind her, and then dart out of the way, she stuck out her foot, making him trip. "There. Problem solved" She said as Clarisse landed on top of (Y/N) and grinned evilly.
It was clear to Jason that Annabeth was still very upset with (Y/N), and the reason behind his return of Camp Half Blood, still, the things that Clarisse did to him, Jason wished he could forget, and his screams were haunting.
"Got you now runt." Clarisse said, Jason averted his eyes, but the snaps and cracks from (Y/N)'s body paired with Clarisse's laughter at every yelp of pain would haunt Jason forever, he made a mental note never to wrestle anyone from the Ares cabin, least of all Clarisse.
Once she finished, she pulled out a bowie knife and began admiring herself in it with her boots on the table, but nobody seemed to care. Clovis from Hypnos cabin was snoring in the corner while Butch from Iris cabin was seeing how many pencils he could fit in Clovis's nostrils. He was apparently going for a new record.
Travis Stoll from Hermes was holding a lighter under a Ping-Pong ball to see if it would burn, and Will Solace from Apollo was absently wrapping and unwrapping an Ace bandage around his wrist.
The counselor from Hecate cabin, Lou Ellen something-or-other, was playing "got-your-nose" with Miranda Gardiner from Demeter, except that Lou Ellen really had magically disconnected Miranda's nose, and Miranda was trying to get it back.
Jason had hoped Thalia would show. She'd promised, after all—but she was nowhere to be seen. Chiron had told him not to worry about it. Thalia often got sidetracked fighting monsters or running quests for Artemis, and she would probably arrive soon. But still, Jason worried.
Rachel Dare, the oracle, sat next to Chiron at the head of the table. She was wearing her Clarion Academy school uniform dress, which seemed a bit odd, but she smiled at Jason.
Annabeth was smiling again, Jason noticed, and was very glad to see it. But as she looked around the room, a sadness still remained in her eyes, that look of sadness was also shared by Zoe. Who was slumped over in her chair. Waiting for the meeting to start.
As soon as Jason walked in, she fixed him with an expectant look, as if she were trying to extract information out of him by sheer willpower. Jason wasn't sure what Zoe was expecting to find from the gaze, but it wasn't friendly.
"Let's come to order," Chiron said. "Clarisse, please make sure (Y/N) is still breathing, we do still need him here, and awake, Lou Ellen, please give Miranda her nose back. Travis, if you'd kindly extinguish the flaming Ping-Pong ball, and Butch, I think twenty pencils is really too many for any human nostril. Thank you."
Clarisse got up and rolled up her sleeves before Rachel said "Wait. I'll do it." walking up to (Y/N), who was sort of folded into a pile of limbs, and reeling her foot back, kicking him as hard as she could in the shin, she then smiled and returned to her seat happily. After a few more screams of pain, Chiron had order.
"Now, as you can see, Jason, Piper, and Leo have returned successfully... more or less. Some of you have heard parts of their story, but I will let them fill you in." Everyone looked at Jason. He cleared his throat and began the story.
Piper and Leo chimed in from time to time, filling in the details he forgot. It only took a few minutes, but it seemed like longer with everyone watching him. The silence was heavy, and for so many ADHD demigods to sit still listening for that long, Jason knew the story must have sounded pretty wild.
He ended with Hera's visit right before the meeting. "So Hera was here," Annabeth said. "Talking to you two." She pointed between him and (Y/N), who had explained every dream he had, every interaction with a god, and what led him to find them on their quest too.
After he had explained Hera meeting him outside the bunker, Jason nodded. "Look, I'm not saying I trust her—" "That's smart," Annabeth said. "—but she isn't making this up about another group of demigods. That's where I came from."
"Romans." Clarisse tossed Seymour a Snausage. "You expect us to believe there's another camp with demigods, but they follow the Roman forms of the gods. And we've never even heard of them."
Piper sat forward. "The gods have kept the two groups apart, because every time they see each other, they try to kill each other." "I can respect that," Clarisse said. "Still, why haven't we ever run across each other on quests?"
"You have." (Y/N) said, "Oh, yes," Chiron said sadly. "You have, many times. It's always a tragedy, and always the gods do their best to wipe clean the memories of those involved." "And usually, they'd then get me to clean up the mess that was left over." (Y/N) said
Chiron sighed, "The rivalry goes all the way back to the Trojan War, Clarisse. The Greeks invaded Troy and burned it to the ground. The Trojan hero Aeneas escaped, and eventually made his way to Italy, where he founded the race that would someday become Rome."
"The Romans grew more and more powerful, worshipping the same gods but under different names, and with slightly different personalities." "More warlike," Jason said. "More united. More about expansion, conquest, and discipline."
"More vile, more cruel, more likely to subject pre teens to different forms of torture after ruining their lives." (Y/N) said bitterly, and Jason couldn't help but glare at him, "Is it a lie?" He challenged, Jason just remained silent.
"Yuck," Travis put in. Several of the others looked equally uncomfortable, though Clarisse shrugged like it sounded okay to her. Annabeth twirled her knife on the table. "And the Romans hated the Greeks. They took revenge when they conquered the Greek isles, and made them part of the Roman Empire."
"Well. Looks like they missed a spot." (Y/N) piped up again, until Annabeth shot him a glance across the table. "Not exactly hated them," Jason said. "The Romans admired Greek culture, and were a little jealous."
"In return, the Greeks thought the Romans were barbarians, but they respected their military power. So during Roman times, demigods started to divide—either Greek or Roman." "And it's been that way ever since," Annabeth guessed.
"But this is crazy. Chiron, where were the Romans during the Titan War? Didn't they want to help?" "I asked the same thing. But I get the feeling they were a little preoccupied." (Y/N) said, staring directly at Jason.
Chiron tugged at his beard. "They did help, Annabeth. While you and Percy were leading the battle to save Manhattan, who do think conquered Mount Othrys, the Titans' base in California?" "Hold on," Travis said. "You said Mount Othrys just crumbled when we beat Kronos."
"No," Jason said. He remembered flashes of the battle—a giant in starry armor and a helm mounted with ram's horns. He remembered his army of demigods scaling Mount Tam, fighting through hordes of snake monsters.
"It didn't just fall. We destroyed their palace. I defeated the Titan Krios myself." Annabeth's eyes were as stormy as a ventus. Jason could almost see her thoughts moving, putting the pieces together.
"The Bay Area. We demigods were always told to stay away from it because Mount Othrys was there. But that wasn't the only reason, was it? The Roman camp—it's got to be somewhere near San Francisco."
Zoe finally spoke up, almost rising from her chair as she leaned across the table to stare daggers at Jason. Like she was looking for a lie. "I bet it was put there to keep watch on the Titans' territory. Where is it?"
Chiron shifted in his wheelchair. "I cannot say, and neither can he Zoe. Honestly, even I have never been trusted with that information. My counterpart, Lupa, is not exactly the sharing type. Jason's memory, too, has been burned away."
"AS HAS MINE! But the moment we crossed the threshold of this camp's borders." She said angrily, "The camp's heavily veiled with magic," Jason said. "And heavily guarded. We could search for years and never find it." Rachel Dare laced her fingers. Of all the people in the room, only she didn't seem nervous about the conversation.
"But you'll try, won't you? You'll build Leo's boat, the Argo II. And before you make for Greece, you'll sail for the Roman camp. You'll need their help to confront the giants." "Bad plan," Clarisse warned. "If those Romans see a warship coming, they'll assume we're attacking."
"You're probably right," Jason agreed. "But we have to try. I was sent here to learn about Camp Half-Blood, to try to convince you the two camps don't have to be enemies .A peace offering." "Hmm," Rachel said.
"Because Hera is convinced we need both camps to win the war with the giants. Seven heroes of Olympus—some Greek, some Roman." Annabeth nodded. "Your Great Prophecy—what's the last line?"
"And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death." "Gaea has opened the Doors of Death," Annabeth said. "She's letting out the worst villains of the Underworld to fight us. Medea, Midas—there'll be more, I'm sure."
"Maybe the line means that the Roman and Greek demigods will unite, and find the doors, and close them." "Or it could mean they fight each other at the doors of death," Clarisse pointed out. "It doesn't say we'll cooperate." There was silence as the campers let that happy thought sink in.
"That's not my biggest concern." (Y/N) said, his anger still clear in his voice. "Gaea has done far worse than that. My father, Thanatos, she's chained him up somewhere. She's using him to hold the gates open."
"Remember Circe?" He asked Annabeth, who nodded, "Gaea has chosen her as a champion, as Jason told you in his story, and she stole something from me." Annabeth frowned as he said "A sort of...power."
"At first I thought she was using it to steal my father's power, and control it better, but now I'm worried she's doing something worse. I think she might be trying to recreate it, trying to give it to the giants."
"Or, look...I don't know. What I do know is. I have to stop her, Hera practically told me, and after all this talk about the two camps." He looked at Annabeth. "I'm worried, I won't be doing it here. I think Hera wants me to go to the other side too."
Zoe spoke. "Then you may find what was traded and bring it back?" She said hopefully, he shrugged, "I don't know, honestly, but if I can, yes. I don't know how long she's letting me stay here, but I intend to use it wisely."
"Lou Ellen. I need you to train me in magic, I need to know how to fight it better, and stop Circe if I can." Lou Ellen frowned, "Circe, as in my big sis Circe, touted as one of the strongest sorceresses of her time?"
"Yep, that's the one, only now she's powered by shadows and death, as well as the power of a primordial goddess." (Y/N) said. The Hecate camper sighed, "Me training you to fight Circe...so my ability to teach magic against her ability to use it? That...sounds like fun." She grinned evilly.
"I'm going," Annabeth said. "Jason, when you get this ship built, let me go with you." "I was hoping you'd offer," Jason said. "You of all people —we'll need you." "Wait." Leo frowned. "I mean that's cool with me and all. But why Annabeth of all people?"
"Because she's the smartest person in this whole room." (Y/N) said in her defense. Jason nodded, "She has experience we don't." (Y/N) nodded, and then added, "But more importantly, Zoe's going too."
"I thought that would not even need to be addressed, of course I am going." She and Jason studied one another, and Jason knew she had put it together. She saw the dangerous truth. "Hera said my coming here was an exchange of leaders," Jason said.
"A way for the two camps to learn of each other's existence." "Yeah?" Leo said. "So?" "An exchange goes two ways," Jason said. "When I got here, my memory was wiped. I didn't know who I was or where I belonged."
"Fortunately, you guys took me in and I found a new home. I know you're not my enemy. The Roman camp—they're not so friendly. You prove your worth quickly, or you don't survive. They may not be so nice to him, and if they learn where he comes from, he's going to be in serious trouble."
"Him?" Leo said. "Who are you talking about?" "My boyfriend," Zoe said grimly. "He disappeared around the same time Jason appeared. If Jason came to Camp Half-Blood—" "Exactly," Jason agreed. "Percy Jackson is at the other camp, and he probably doesn't even remember who he is."
(Y/N)'s POV
Sleeping that night should have been difficult, the revelations at the meeting should have kept him awake, but his body did not agree with his mind, and he was asleep shortly after saying good night. Regardless, he didn't get any rest from his waking problems, even as he slept.
He found himself in the cave he knew, he could hear the quiet passing of the river Lethe behind him, and for once, saw the bed in the middle of the room empty, he looked around the cave and found him there, waiting in the dark.
The man before him was so similar to the god he knew, that (Y/N) wouldn't have questioned it had it not been for one fact that threw him off, the piercing gold eyes that lit up the dark of the cave, eyes he rarely ever saw opened.
"I suppose I shall just have to come to you then, won't I?" He said impatiently, "Why do I even try anymore to get any of you demigods to do anything that we gods ask? Even your dreams are ignored most days."
"You're not Hypnos. Are you?" (Y/N) said, to be met with a slow, rhythmic clapping, "Smart boy. But I am, and I am not. So, half marks on this test." (Y/N) just frowned, "Somnus, I presume?" The face in the shadow nodded.
"I understand you do not bow. But I'm glad you show me proper respect by calling me my name." "Why am I talking to you, and not Hypnos? Clovis was the one who called me here" (Y/N) asked, the god laughed, "Because it is not Hypnos's bidding you will be doing. No other reason."
"I'm not doing anyone's bidding!" (Y/N) snapped, sick of this conversation, the god laughed once more, "Oh no? How is Lady Hera these days?" (Y/N) grit his teeth, but remained quiet. "We must help your father, that task falls to you."
"Why can't you do it!" (Y/N) said, not wanting to risk the life that he had just found, even for his father, and knowing that his father could not be contained forever so it was a moot point. The god sighed.
"My power as Hypnos is vast, but the temperament of the Greeks is not fitting for the anger I feel now. For how can one as powerful as I rest, when insulted like I have been? No, the arrogance of our enemies means the idle displeasure of Hypnos is not what shall befall them, rather the fury of Somnus"
"The witch must understand (Y/N), she must learn, that nobody messes with my family, our family! She hides from his rage, chains it, corrupts it with her magic. But what she has failed to understand most is, it is not his rage she should fear, but mine!"
"Nobody messes with my brother without dealing with ME!" His eyes flared, "I WILL HAUNT THEIR DREAMS CHILD, BUT YOU, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO MUST INACT MY WRATH!" "You want me to help you put Gaea to sleep?" (Y/N) asked.
"Maybe in the future, but not yet, no. The sleeping earth will suffer in her slumber, be assured of that fact. I shall not wake her, but she will dream of things that even she shall tremble to behold. And you, shall destroy her champion in the waking world, where I cannot."
"How, she's stronger than ever, and she's only going to get more control. Gaea's just going to get stronger, and I can't pull the same trick twice. My name is mine now, but the others will still hunt me."
Somnus frowned. " I sense your fear. The shadow she has stolen from you, it is the one you dream of yes? The one you fear above all else?" He said it more like an answer than a question, but (Y/N) nodded, "I am sorry such a burden latched onto a child, but worry not."
"The vastness of the pit of despair may save her for a time. But all the creatures of her ilk, the ones that consider themselves smart, know to fear the dark. When the time comes. You will teach her that fear again. But we must hurry-"
(Y/N) shook his head, "-No, screw that. I'm done for now. Please, I just got back, give me the six months, give me time, just some time." "Time, is I worry, all you have left (Y/N), and that time is running out, as my brother's power dwindles, so shall yours." "
(Y/N) sighed, "Of course it will, because when do I not have something handicapping me?" Somnus just remained silent for a second before saying, "You misunderstand me child. Your strength will not dwindle. You will."
"Your connection to this world is weak at the best of times, with the witch tampering with the magic of your father, the tethers that bind you to this world are unstable. They will remain so, until he is freed."
"Still sounds like a handicap. So how do I free him then? Because I'm not dying again, no matter what happens or how unstable my 'tethers' are." (Y/N) said fiercely. Somnus smiled at his willingness and explained, "Soon. The witch's servant shall call to you, like it or not, you must answer. As you promised."
"What promise? I didn't make any promise!" (Y/N) asked, racking his brain and the god shook his head, his eyes closing for a second as he smirked, "Always so...forgetful (Y/N), you...should not go throwing around...promises so lightly, they may come back to...bite you in the end..."
Hypnos yawned, stretching his hands up over his head and looking so comfortable that (Y/N) couldn't help a yawn of his own and almost fell asleep again, even if this was a dream, but once his mouth closed, Somnus was glaring down at (Y/N) again.
"Juno's stolen one, he's going to wake up soon. And the wolf queen will train him, as you were trained. Once he crosses the boundary, you have to be there (Y/N), to guide him towards his goal. That is why the responsibility falls to you."
"You are one of the few who can find it (Y/N). No matter where the witch shall take it. You must lead them to completing their task, you must bear witness to the flame of life burning out. Only you can mark his passing."
"And prevent forest fires." (Y/N) muttered as the god continued, "-You must become a leader that he will follow. As Juno wanted you to, you must journey with the cursed, the fleeting, and the broken, to find what keeps you here. Iris's power cannot sustain you forever. That is my warning to you."
"After everything I've just done, after everything I've just been through, what I nearly lost. You're expecting me to do it all again!" (Y/N) said, almost reaching for his weapons out of frustration. Somnus sighed regretfully, "Yes. I am afraid I have no other choice."
"I understand your connection to this home of yours child. Truly, I do, but death does not pick sides (Y/N), it does not play favorites, and neither can you. When the time comes, the choice you make will affect the outcome of this war against the giants, and then the fate of world."
"I suggest, this time, you do not make it alone. Maybe then, it will be easier on you both. Only if you can bear the pain a little longer, can our future be secured. If you cannot, do not fret, we will weather the consequences, but keep it in mind, that this is our best shot at victory."
"Victory? Over what!" (Y/N) shouted as the world around him began to wobble like a mirage and the form of Hypnos became blurry and...Hypnos. Not Somnus. Regardless of the fact he was waking up, he did get his answer. "Annihilation."
Annabeth's POV
She was shaken awake, a sudden movement beside her making her stir. As she woke, her heart almost hurt again, the same fear she always had, that her happiness had just been a dream, almost gripping her. Until she felt his hand in hers.
He squeezed it gently at feeling her wake, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw him, laying beside her, once he saw that she had woken, he smiled, and brushed some hair from her face "Sorry blondie. did I wake you?"
"What is it?" She asked, even in the dark, she saw the trepidation in his eyes, she was just about to scold him for keeping secrets when he made the decision himself, and confided in her the dream he had, where Hypnos had called him to action.
She went to get up, keen to let Chiron know what he had been warned of, and that (Y/N) still had something he had to do before they could go to Greece, but (Y/N) was surprisingly reluctant to do so.
"And have him put me on cleaning duty for six months after catching you in my cabin again, no thanks." "But it's important, and since you were away, he's become more lenient with that sort of thing, as long as-"
"Annabeth, I'm well aware that Chiron knows I don't intend to catch a case today, but I'm also sure that the rules were put back into place the moment I came back. So we'll tell him later." "It's morning though, he'll be up-"
"I don't care, you won't be. No, not yet." He said. Pulling her back into the warmth of the bed, "I'm sure he will forgive us for sleeping in for another few hours. And so will my dad, after all, I did come back to life just to rescue him." He said as he pulled her into a hug.
She frowned, "That's twice now, you said you came back to camp to get Leo, now you say you come back to life to save your dad? Where am I on this list?" She teased, he chuckled groggily, aiming to kiss her cheek, but landing on her ear. "Just below going to sleep"
(Y/N)'s POV
If he had known the dreams that would chase after him days later, and the stakes they entailed, if he had known the length's Circe would go to in order to hurt him, or the bodies of friends she would leave in her wake, he never would have wanted to close his eyes.
However the pull of his home was too strong to resist, the comfort he felt at being back was too much. So at the time, finally home, with Annabeth beside him, it was the most peaceful sleep that had found him in his life.
Because how could he have known that the curse he unleashed upon the world was only the beginning? How could he have predicted that his father's suffering would have been as bad as he came to understand.
How would he have known that his brief reprieve, would be his last true chance to rest before going into full out war, and that the coming days and weeks he would spend with Annabeth and his friends were going to be cut short.
Hera had tried to warn him where fate would take him next, where it almost had taken him, before Circe had knocked him off course. But that night, and the days to come, he didn't care. Because he was finally home.
These were the nights and days he would remember, even through his struggles to come, and these would be the memories that pushed him towards the destiny that the two oracles were expecting.
He realized as he fell asleep next to the person he loved, listening to her breath, that it didn't matter what was coming next, civil war, evil monster. Bring it on. Because he was with his family, in his home, that was all he needed.
Over the course of the last few weeks, (Y/N) had been a lot of different things, mixed together, Greek, Roman, Dead, Alive, at one point he was pretty sure he became part cloud, but now all those (Y/N)'s they were old news.
They were in the past, now he was the (Y/N) he was always supposed to be on this day, sleeping like he had never heard of the concept of waking up, he had never felt more whole, and never more happy.
We all change as we grow, becoming multiple different things jumbled into one person, and maybe along the way we might lose parts of ourselves, but that didn't matter as long as you were happy with what you were in the moment you were living in. And if he was one thing, it was happy.