Nico's POV:

It's been two weeks since Dahlia was claimed and I've barley seen her, she spends the majority of her time with Clarisse and her cronies, I don't understand how she got into that band of bullies but somehow, she did. And just to make matters worse, Clarisse has practically taken my sister under her wing, Dahlia goes everywhere with her, they seem closer than she and Silena were before the war. I was really worried about her, so in the cabin, just before lights about I questioned her about it.

"Dahlia?" I tried to get her attention.

"Yes Nico?" She sounded really bored, I just hoped that it was just that she was tired.

"Why have you been spending so much time with Clarisse and her cronies?" I think I hit a sore spot there because she suddenly snapped at me.

"Why shouldn't I?! And why do you care?! You're my brother not my useless-good-for-nothing father!"

"Dahlia he does ca-" She cut me off before I could say he cared.

"If he cared then he at least would have come and found me eleven years ago! I've been told about the promise your precious little Percy-"She sneered that part. "Made the gods make, so that just proves he couldn't give two hoots about me Nico! Clarisse cares! Ares cares! They're my family, not you and stupid Hades!" That stung, did she really think that little of me? A lone tear escaped my eye and she must have noticed. "Oh, Nico, I-I didn't mean that, it's just that I'm jealous of you. I mean, look you're best friends the camp's personal celebrity and you're accepted by everyone. The only ones that accept me are Ares' kids." Poor kid.

"Hey, Dahlia, I worked damn hard to get respect. In fact, at one point I hated Percy's guts. I blamed him for my full sister's death. Percy doesn't seem to be your favourite person? What've you got against him?" She mustn't have wanted to answer that as she said night, signalling the end of our conversation.

Dahlia's POV:

When my brother asked me about how I feel about Percy I decided it would be best not to answer that, so I bid him goodnight and turned in my bunk, awaiting the nightmares I knew would soon take over.

"The gods do not care for you young one. Help me rise child. You are just like me, a child of darkness. Help me and my husband control the Earth. We could even help you little friend Ares be more appreciated… Think on it young one, your father has no love for you." A chilly female voice bounded off the darkness, seemingly coming from everywhere. I wasn't scared though, the darkness was my element. She was right though, to my father I am but a pawn, someone to do all of his dirty work for him, and more respect for Ares? I still had my crush, and the Ares kids were great. They never got treated right. But… who was this strange woman?

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" I asked the darkness, in response I got a warming laugh.

"I am Nyx, primordial goddess of the night. And I wish for you to be my champion, dear Dahlia." Hm… tempting…

"My lady, may I think on it? It's just that it is a very large decision. To oppose the egotistical deity's that rule my life."

"No need for such formalities. And of course my dear, take as much time as you wish. Now, I must take my leave, you're brother has been trying to wake you for quite a while. Do not tell him of our conversation."

"I swear on the Styx." I told her as I woke up.

"Swear what on the Styx?" At the sound of Nico's voice I jumped about three feet. He was already dressed, which was weird for him, usually he slept through breakfast, so something must have been up. As per usual my brother looked dark and depressed, well if you didn't see the happy sparkle in his eyes; he wore a black t-shirt with skeletons on it, black skinny jeans and a pair of black converse with skulls on them. Just looking at him the decision on betraying the gods didn't look so easy. It would mean betraying my brother, my only family. I may have not acted it, but I cared for my older brother. I put on my best confused face and answered his question.

"I don't know what you're talking about… oh gods; I wasn't sleep talking again was I?" I yawned and stood up, the covers falling off me. "Hey Nico, why're you up so early? It's not like you to actually be awake. You're the sleeping zombie." He laughed at that.

"Lia, it's important, Ares is in the camp." I gave him a 'so what?' look. "And he wants to see you. Perce woke me up half an hour ago; I've been trying to get you up ever since. A few more minutes and I was gonna ask him to come in and get some Apollo campers to make sure you weren't ill." Wow… my brother really did care about me. I smiled at him.

"Well, can't keep him waiting can we?" I said as I walked out of the cabin, forgetting I was still wearing my pyjamas.

"Hey kid, like your sleepers." A voice sneered from behind me. I grinned, my favourite god.

"Ares." I proclaimed as I turned around, only when Clarisse started laughing did I realise I was blushing. Damn it to Hades. "So my lord what may I do for you today?" I could tell the two before me were trying not to laugh while the campers around us looked at me like I had a death wish.

"We should go somewhere more private." Suddenly a hand had hold of my arm and I had closed my eyes, as a sort of reflex to his touch "You may open your eyes." I did as told. We were in the secret cave me and Clarisse found a week ago. "I know someone visited you in your dreams last night, but I couldn't watch in like I usually can, who was it? What did they say?" I liked this softer side of Ares, according to Clarisse, it had only appeared after I had arrived at camp. I dusted it off as a coincidence, nothing more.

"My lord, I-it was Nyx, primordial goddess of the night. She-she wanted me-I mean us to join her cause. And she… she asked me to be her champion. I didn't accept of course, but I asked for time to think on it. She made some very good points, milord." I looked at my friend, who had took a seat on a bench we had put in there. "She promised to get you and your children the respect they deserve. You said it yourself, Clarisse, the Ares cabin gets no respect and is expected to just jump into battle at the slightest notice. You're all worthy of respect, yet you get none." As I went on my voice started to get quieter. "Nyx also reminded how little my father cares for me, how he has talked to me once, in my entire life. How it took a promise for him to even acknowledge my existence. How much of a hypocrite he is, trying to kill his brother's children for being alive, when he himself had a child. How the other gods have turned a blind eye to my existence. As if the fact I am more god than mortal, as if the fact I will be immortal in just a year is my wrong doing." I started crying. "She reminded me how much everyone here hates me, how much everyone at school hated me, how much your father and other Olympians hate me…" Clarisse walked over to me and put my arm round me.

"Dahlia, the Ares cabin will always accept you. And I'm pretty sure da will to." She looked at her father. "Should we join them? I mean, she's right dad. We aren't respected. You're the god of war, on her side we could show them what real war is. We could put Percy in his place for good." Ares thought on it for a while.

"I get where you're coming from, and by Zeus, I love the idea of war. But can we really go against my father? Hm… Wait! You said this goddess was a primordial, right?" I nodded and a sadistic grin appeared on his face. "Then, tell her we're in. But I want power, and lots of it. Girls, we need to get rid of Percy Jackson."