This is just something I pick up from time to time. It's not much but it helps me start writing again. It's going to be a long multichapter but it enjoys fighting back. I have three chapters finished now but updates will be irregular. Tell me what you think.

The Fates once said that the universe is full of infinite possibilities. Every second, countless universes die and countless more are born. Some days, I wish my universe would end. I could finally be at peace and back with the one being who means the most to me. I wouldn't have to slaughter the beings in my path and I wouldn't feel the twinge of guilt every time I catch my reflection in my shield.

I wouldn't have to see my helmet, my mask, my burden. It can't be removed until my task is complete. And my task, my horrid task, is the destruction of all I once held dear. I can still smell the baking strawberries, still feel the breeze off the beach, and still hear the sounds of satyrs playing their pipes and campers laughing. My final quest is the annihilation of Camp Half Blood.

Of course, at this rate, I won't have to worry about completing my goal anytime soon. I'm bound hand and foot in the brig of the Argo II and the one they call Clarisse La Rue appears to be chomping at the bit to end my existence for me. I see my reflection again in her shield. Black cargo pants, combat boots, a dark hunter green t-shirt with the constellation of Orion on the chest and canuis major and canius minor on the shoulders. My tattoos of a trident and a moon are just visible under the end of my sleeves. They took my armor but it always returns to my boar pendent anyway. I think that might be part of what has the daughter of Ares so annoyed. One of the enemy with her father's favor. And there it is, just above the pendent. The gods-cursed helmet! It looks ancient enough to have been used by Orion. A black gladiator's helmet with a deep purple, nearly black, plume. But where the openings for the eyes and mouth are, there's nothing. Just a black void. It's…unsettling.

"What are you looking at Punk?"

Ah, and the silent yet fuming sentinel speaks. I'm impressed. I thought she would lose her temper thirty minutes ago when the daughter of Athena left in furious tears. She begged me for answers I couldn't give even if I had them. Another part of this helmet's curse. They used to say silence is golden but this is ridiculous!

"Answer me Worm!"

I would love to La Rue. Can't. Sometimes I really hate the Gods. If this helmet was Athena's idea of a practical joke, I'm not laughing!

"Where do you get off acting all high and mighty?! I asked you a question and you ignore me. Annabeth should have killed you when she had the chance. If her mother hadn't intervened, you'd have her knife in your back, my spear in your privates, and one of Thalia's arrows in your helmet. Right between the eyes. She doesn't play nice with the one who killed her favorite cousin. Prissy might have been a goody-two-shoes but he has a lot of friends waiting for revenges."

Impressive. She's actually a little intimidating. Percy Jackson appears to have been very popular among the Greeks. I might be a little worried if I didn't know that my rescue team would be here in three…two…and there's one of Nicki's explosive entrances. Right on time.

Clarisse looks towards where the explosion came from on the bow. Big mistake. Claire transports just behind her and knocks her out with one hit. You learn fast not to get on her bad side. Claire unlocked the door and untied me muttering on about useless mutes the whole time. Okay maybe this helmet isn't all bad. I'm pretty sure she'd try to deck me if she could see my expression under it.

"Wipe that smirk off your face Mako!"

Oops.

"Just because one of your plans worked doesn't make you a big shot. There was a ton of things that could have gone wrong here."

But it didn't.

"I don't care if it worked this time! Next time we're using a plan that isn't likely to get us all killed!"

Ah, the joys of having to work with the only two people who can hear what I'm saying in this contraption.

Can you yell at me for being a thoughtless idiot later? Nicki is waiting up on the main deck and probably having trouble holding off a crew full of ticked off demigods.

"Nicki? Needing help? Exactly how hard did you hit your head when they 'captured' you? She not like you. She's probably just fine."

I didn't know it was possible to sound sarcastic, smug, and affectionate at the same time. Either way, we start running up the stairs towards the main deck. The corridors are clear while everyone scrambles to try and deal with Nicki. Good luck with that. We're almost to the deck when I spot the captain's cabin. Inside are designs, a laptop, and a bag of blue licorice. Claire sees me slow down and where I'm looking.

"Oh, fine. If you have to. Just hurry up. Nicki is good but our time frame for getting off this thing is closing fast."

I don't bother with a snappy come back. I just go inside and drop off two things on a small empty space beside a picture of the daughter of Athena and a dark-haired boy with smiling green eyes. It wasn't much. Just a Camp Half-blood necklace with four beads and a note with a hastily scrawled Mt Saint Helens on it. Both used to belong to Percy Jackson. It seems only fitting his girlfriend should have them.

Claire is watching me impatiently from the door. I can feel her nervous energy and nod. Time to go. We finish racing up the stairs and see Nicki looking bored behind a protective wall of wind. The demigods circle it, looking annoyed when nothing can penetrate it. I press my pendent and my armor appears on me, ready for battle. Claire just shrugs beside me and vanishes only to reappear a split second later inside the protective barrier next to Nicki. It's always sort of funny watching the reaction of people when they first see her do that.

I wait a moment too long enjoying the show. La Rue is back up and comes roaring out of the hold. The other demigods turn towards her to see what all the fuss is about and see me leaning against the railing.

Well, I do believe we've worn out our welcome. Claire, if you'd be so kind?

"Of course, Mako. That's all folks!"

She and Nicki disappear only to reappear a moment late on a tiny floating island in the water a short distance away from the boat. The shock and anger on the demigod's faces, especially Annabeth's, gives me a twinge of regret before I remember why I'm doing this. I give a sarcastic salute and jump over the side onto the surface of the water and begin running across the top. Outraged cries follow me as they try to shoot me but miss time after time. When I reach the island, I turn around and survey the ship. Anger, pain, and grief radiate from its occupants. My unseen eyes connect one last time with the daughters of Ares, Zeus, and Athena. I can see it. I will not survive the next encounter. Not if they have any say. The mist gathers around us and we are transported back to our base in the Sea of Monsters.

My name is Mako. The heir of Orion and Artemis. My paths are laid out in front of me. What happens next decides the course of this universe. The Fates have given this responsibility to me.

Anybody got a road map?

ere...