Disclaimer: I do not own PJO

I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I know it is kind of short, I will make the chapters to come 2,000-6,000 words long. It may take me a few chapters to get up to the 2,000-6,000, it also may depend on where I think the chapter should end. It was just to get me started. Also please review and tell me how I did. Love it? Hate it? Reviews = Faster updates. No reviews = no updates. So please review. J

Thank you to all of those who did read my story and I hope you stick around to read the rest.

In The Darkest Of Times

Chapter 2

I woke up and the sun was no longer beating on my face, it was dark and the moon was shining bright. I could smell the fresh blooming plants that were strewn all over the island. The island was very beautiful at night with tons of plants, and the smell of the ocean which seemed to regenerate me after so long of being inept. I had quickly come to realize that the pain was less that I could actually stand it. I was feeling better, maybe not a million bucks but better than earlier.

"You've waken?" Calypso said in a questioning tone.

I slowly sat up as the pain started to creep back into my body. Okay maybe I wasn't feeling that much better but it was a start. I did feel better than earlier.

"I think so." I said. A small smile appeared on her face. That was something I haven't seen since I've been awake. She looked happier, happier than I had ever seen her. The last time it was here wasn't under good circumstances but I guess the circumstances this time weren't so great either. The last time I left, I left both of are hearts hurting and I am afraid I will have to do the same thing. I needed to find my family. I needed Annabeth, Grover, mom, Paul, and Poseidon. And I needed to get to them as fast as I could.

"How are you feeling." She asked with concern.

"A bit better, I guess."

"You should go sit in the water for a little while. It will help with the healing." She finished.

And with that said I slowly but surely, got up onto my feet for the first time in two years. You would think that I would be out of shape but I wasn't. Maybe it was the whole thing that while on Ogygia you are never changing but I don't know. It felt good to get up and stretch a little. I was shaky I knew that for sure. I took my time and walked out of the small cottage and made my way to the beach.

Once I got there I sat down rolled my pants up and slipped my feet into the water. As I did, I felt a surge of power and energy flow into me. For once I felt strong. I stayed at the beach for a few hours in the dark watching the water make its way onto the beach. Smelling the fresh salt water all around me. I felt at home. The stars were shining brightly above my head. Off in the distance I saw a hunter in the sky, it was Zoë. Who had died a few years back, Artemis made her into a constellation after she pretty much saved our butts.

I couldn't wait to go on the outside. See the world, get off of this island. Yeah, the island is amazing but, my family and friends need me, I can't just leave them hanging. I was kind of depressed, I wanted to leave not. But I wouldn't be much help, I needed to heal.

"Everything will be okay Percy, I can promise you that." She said as she walked up behind me and sat at my side.

"How do you know?" I snapped at her. After I said it, I knew I was being harsh with her. I just wasn't in the mood for this, my family and friends could be gone and I had to save the gods. This wasn't a very good start to waking up.

"The Fates are cruel Percy. But they aren't that cruel. They want the gods to regain power just as much as you do Percy, it's just that their job comes before everything else."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that. All I can do is hope that your right." I said. She rapped her arm around me trying to comfort me. It wasn't working, but I let her stay that way for awhile.

"It is okay young hero. I know you want to get off this island, but you'll have to wait awhile longer. You are not strong enough yet. You will have dangerous things to accomplish in the outside world. Things you haven't even heard of, this is a time of great despair for all races and it won't be and easy win Percy. Do you understand." She finished. As she did she leaned in slightly and out lips touched ever so slightly. I didn't object, but I think we both knew that this would never happen. And so our lips separated and we both turned and looked forward at the night sky. She slowly got up and walked away from me with no sound at all. Now I was alone on the beach with the stars smiling down at me. How could the stars shine so bright in such a bad time.

Awhile later the sun slowly rose. I was still sitting on the beach watching the sun. I couldn't bring myself to rise and go inside after so long. But I gathered enough strength and got up. Slowly and at my own pace I walked over to the little cottage at the edge of the beach. On my way in I saw Calypso tending her gardens, birds singing, and the wonderful and blooming plants that seemed to be invading everything. I entered the small stone cottage and walked into the kitchen. Waiting for me on the counter was a tray with a stack of pancakes, bacon, and orange juice. I sat down and I swear I ate everything in five minutes flat. I was that hungry which I hadn't realized before now.

When I was done I decided to go help Calypso with her garden. I walked back outside and the smell of see salt rushed into my lungs.

"Can I help you?" I asked her.

"If you want you can start by watering and getting rid of those planters there." She said as she pointed just to the left of her. She looked sullen as she tended to her plants.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"To be honest no I'm not. It's just that this reminds me of the last time you left. I was a wreck for weeks, even though I knew what was coming. And I know that it will happen again. Like before I promised myself I would not mention this, but every time I never end up keeping it." She replied with a shaky laugh. "You know you will be able to leave in a few days. You are getting better. You can walk, your looking better, as long as you spend time a lot of time in the water I'm sure you will be fine." She finished.

"Truth is, I don't know what I am going to do once I get out there. Where am I going to go? Where are the gods being imprisoned? I am lost."

"I do know where one god, I told you this early. I know I am not really supposed to help hero's on their quest's but this is different." She said.

"Who is it? Where are they? Please tell me?" I said in a pleading voice. I knew she wouldn't be able to resist me and I also knew that I shouldn't take advantage of her but I really needed a little head start.

"Artemis. Artemis is being help in Phoenix, Arizona." She said in a grave and worried voice. She was afraid for me I could sense it.

" I will leave the day after tomorrow." I stated. "It will give me time to rest and to get ready assuming you have a magic raft?" I questioned.

"Yes, that should be enough time for you to heal fully." She said to herself. "The raft is on the shore over there." She said pointing to a small wooden raft that looked like it would sink when I got into it. I knew better, I had been on one like that before and it was perfectly fine. It would get me to where I wanted to go, Phoenix. The raft would take me into the Salt River which ran through Phoenix.

Two days later (the day Percy leaves)

The last days went by fast. I hung out in the water, ate, helped tend to gardens. And then it was time to say goodbye yet again. It was awful she was crying, I was about to cry.

"Goodbye Percy." She said. "I will always remember you my young hero." She finished in between her sobs.

"Bye" I said. I walked over to her and gave her a hug. When Calypso and I were done saying our goodbyes I boarded the small raft and though of the place I wanted to go.

I watched the Ogygia and Calypso disappear in the distance and I was off going into the world which from what I had heard had changed so much since I have been gone. I didn't know what I would encounter at this point I was just hoping for the best. I reached into my back pocket to make sure riptide was still there after so long. And just like old times riptide was in my pocket like nothing had happened. I pulled it out and uncapped it and placed the sword in my lap, just incase.

A few hours later I saw was in the salt river watching the Arizona desert pass by me. It didn't look very different, that was until I saw the city. Phoenix, Arizona looked like it had been hit with a nuclear bomb. The buildings were reduced to rubble, the streets were filled with sand, I could see monsters roaming the streets like this was normal. This was insane what had Kronos done to this poor city. I couldn't help but think about all of the innocent people that were probably killed. I was getting madder and madder my the second, now I was determined as ever to stop Kronos and his followers and to give the world back to the gods.

I was at the bank of the river now. With my backpack Calypso given me filled with clothes, toiletries, nectar and ambrosia, mortal money, dracaenas, and a few other miscellaneous things she had given me, over my shoulder. My sword in hand. I was ready as I would ever be to begin this quest.

I walked through the streets looking for anything that could resemble or show any sign of the moon goddess. I occasionally came across a monster and had to kill it. Then all of a sudden a giant Hellhound came bounding down the street. It lunged at me and I stabbed and the monster turned into a dust. When I looked down at the dust pile written in the monster dust was an arrow pointing to the end of the street which just happened to be a dead end. I walked cautiously to the end of the street. This couldn't have been this easy. There had to be some kind of defense to guard the goddess herself. But they probably didn't think anyone would find her let alone manage to get all the gods together. I was hoping for the best.

I reached the end of the dead end and lent against the wall to fix my shoe when a rumbling noise came from behind me on the wall behind me. Artemis's symbol appeared on the wall. I walked over to investigate and traced the symbol. As I did the ground started to crumble beneath me, revealing steps that led to what seemed to be and endless black tunnel. So I decided to go down. I grabbed the flashlight out of the pack and started heading down into the dark unknown.

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I just made my goal with 2,131 words! Sorry guys I'll harder make it longer in the next chapter.