Chapter 1

Percy died during the battle of Manhattan, and his final wish was to guard Tartarus for the rest of eternity and make sure that Kronos never escape again. The gods granted him this wish as a favor for saving Olympus.

In Percy's mind

Why did this have to happen to me? I could get anything I wanted. Except fun. I couldn't have fun for the rest of my life. All I had to do was look down at this stupid hole waiting for something to happen. And Kronos? He was nothing but a big bully. An extremely powerful bully. What could I do about it? Nothing. "It was your wish," as Hades puts it. From time to time, Hermes, a good friend by now, gives me news of the Survivors. That was the name for those who were still alive. About 300 years ago, the Heroes of Olympus were granted immortality by the gods for their bravery even thoughsing in my head, "Percy!" they had lost the war. It was barely fair, but who was I to argue about fair? I had everything I ever wanted. And then the bad news arrived.

The white light took me out of my self-pitying. I heard hissing in my head, "Percy!"

I'm sure my face lit up because I was practically dying for someone to be around.

I tried to stay calm when I said, "Hermes!"

"Percy, nice to see you again old friend," Hermes said, his winged shoes shone blue and turned into an object that looked suspiciously like a cattle prod.

"What're you here for?" I asked.

"Whoa, I thought you wanted people to come here. You should try to make some friends Percy," Hermes sounded hurt.

"I know you never come here unless you're on business from Zeus, or when you want something from me," I waved his statement aside.

"OK fine, you got me there, happy? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as a messenger to the mortals, I had to come here to tell you, but what I'm going to ask of you is your own decision. The Rebellion is getting stronger Percy. The Survivors are barely able to handle it. Some of them are even talking about joining the Rebellion." Hermes replied, with a grave expression.

"You can ask Hades for rebirth, at the same age you were when you died, as the son of Poseidon," he continued, "or you can just wait out the war-to-be here," he said with solid confidence.

He was playing on my fatal flaw, I realized. I didn't want to take part in another war, seeing as I had died in one, but I couldn't stop my mouth from moving. It was in action before I had even realized it.

"Yes," I blurted out.

"Well, that's good, because I have already told Hades about Zeus's plan, and he has already agreed to it. It took me a while, but Hermes never fails!" Hermes chuckled.

"Oh umm, that's good..." Percy looked slightly baffled.

And here I am, in Hades' palace with Hermes at my side and Hades glowering down at us in his godly form. Hades said, "Well Jackson? Hermes has told you why you are here. This will be lots of paperwork on my part, but Daedalus will get through."

The sane part of my brain told me that what I was about to do would be crazy, but I couldn't help but say,

"Yes sir. I am to be reborn so that I can stop the Rebellion from getting out of hand."

"Now son of Poseidon, it is not so simple as you put it. Technically, by all legality, you are alive. So you are to, in actuality, with my permission of course, go to earth and subdue the Rebellion."

"But my Lord Hades, will I remain immortal even after leaving the underworld?" I asked, confused about the whole immortality thing.

"Isn't it obvious? Of course you will be. Do you think my nephew Hermes is going to lose his immortality just because he has walked into my domain? Now leave me be. I must finish this stupid paperwork before the meeting to discuss the new expansions." Hades snapped.

"Thank you Lord Hades. You have shown much kindness to us." said Hermes. It was probably good that he spoke because I would've snapped right back at Hades and his deathly behind.

"Stay in here for another minute and you'll see how much kindness I can show you!" Hades raged.

And that was where Hermes decided to step in and teleport us to Manhattan. The only thing I could wonder was how could the rebellion have gotten this large so easily? Where were the Survivors and what were they doing? Is this just part of another big thing?