Chapter Summary: Nico should have known that having Thalia around would make the war games this interesting.

Also, Thalia never likes calling people by their actual names.

Thalia Grace. Thalia freaking Grace was here. Thalia freaking daughter of Zeus, punk's not dead, I could kick anyone's ass Grace was at Camp Jupiter. And even worse, she recognized him. Kind of, anyway, which was just as bad as completely recognizing him. The Romans already didn't trust Nico, but the universe had to throw in Thalia Grace, too, because it apparently wanted both of them to start World War III.

Nico sighed, watching as the wind spirits—aurae—set a juicy cheeseburger in front of Thalia. He guessed, even without her memory, she was still the same ole Thalia. He began to slowly eat the food before him—manicotti, just like Bianca used to help their mother make. He smiled grimly to himself, somehow still disappointed that it tasted nowhere near what he was used to.

"So, Nicholas," Thalia's voice. He couldn't help but roll his eyes at his nickname. Thalia had a huge problem with giving everybody nicknames. He remembered what she had called Bianca—B, Beehive, Binks. "Wanna confess now?"

Hades, she was relentless. He didn't see why or how his sister had been so infatuated with her.

He sent her a look that would have shut a mortal up (and some demigods, too) easily, but she just narrowed her eyes right back at him, the electric blue slivers causing an effect like static—elevating the hairs of his arms. He looked away quickly, meeting Dakota's eyes over the table.

"We'll get to that in time," he offered. "But, I believe you should meet your centurion first."

Dakota burped. "Dakota, son of Bacchus. Welcome to the party, Thalia."

"Cool," she replied briskly, obviously not meaning it a single bit. She turned harsh eyes back to Nico, and he was suddenly very thankful that Hazel insisted on wedging between them. "We've met now. Where do I know you from?"

"I spent most of my time in the Underworld," it wasn't a lie. "So, unless you spend a lot of time there, I doubt we've met."

Dakota laughed. "Ambassador from Pluto, they call him. Reyna's never sure what to do with this guy when he visits. You should have seen her face when he showed up with Hazel, asking Reyna to take her in. Um, no offense."

"None taken."

Nico was so used to it by now, he was starting to appreciated how people perceived him. It was far easier to be feared than loved. He was also thankful for the change in subject. Maybe it would be enough to get Thalia off his back.

Thalia hummed sarcastically. "Well, maybe you should participate in the games tonight then. Since Reyna doesn't know what to do with you."

"I—I've never—"

Thalia was even crazier than Percy. Nico shook his head. He didn't need to think about the Son of Poseidon. Ever again, preferably.

"Me neither," Thalia remarked slyly. "It'd be fun."

Hazel cleared her throat, piercing him with those eyes that were so hard to say no to. "Nico, I think that might be a good idea. Help you assimilate a little bit."

Nico couldn't help his scowl. "I wasn't aware I needed to assimilate. I'm an ambassador, not a member of the legion."

Dakota nodded, his red-stained lips pulling into a slight frown. "Oh, yeah. If he isn't a legionnaire, I don't think he can participate anyway."

"Shame," Thalia commented, her eyes still mischievous. "Oh, well, you can still watch, right?"

He nodded slowly, watching a wolfish grin gradually stretch across her face.

"Not that it'll do any good," Frank muttered. "The Fifth always loses. Always."

Nico didn't want to add to that, he felt Thalia's pride was going to do that for him. He was so use to her boasting and intimidating, he hardly noticed it anymore. He was surprised when she didn't respond to it at all. He glanced up, watching the shift of her eyes, her hands gripping subtly at her skull, like she was trying to stop her brain from slamming against her forehead without alerting the others.

"Are you okay?" Hazel had set a hand on her shoulder, frowning when she was jolted off as Thalia flinched from the contact. "I'm sorry—it's just, you're making that same face you did when we were talking with Reyna."

"Memories keep coming back to me in flashes," Thalia explained reluctantly. "It's like before I can understand it, it flashes out."

Nico swallowed. "What did you remember?"

Thalia looked like she wasn't going to answer at first. She bit her lip like she was weighing the pros and cons of telling him. "I remember losing a game. Something about fighting a kid—feeling really angry, I think I used my powers—"

He knew what she was remembering. Her fight with Percy Jackson, after the campers had lost to the Hunters of Artemis. It was still the largest display of power he had ever seen. They had been so close to killing each other, all over a Capture the Flag game.

"Hmm," he said. "Did you win?"

Thalia shrugged. "I hope so. I don't remember it all."

That was such an odd memory to recall. But, what did it mean? Why had it come to her?

Nico cursed in his head. He should just be thankful she hadn't remembered him. He started to say something lame to change the subject, when he noticed Thalia's attention wasn't on him anymore. He followed her gaze, frowning when he saw how intensely she was staring at Reyna. He had never seen a look like that in her eyes before, and he wasn't sure what it meant. Was Thalia Grace scared? Was she nervous? He couldn't tell, because he had never seen her display either of those emotions. She was so easy to read whenever she was angry and hitting people and yelling exactly what she was thinking.

She caught him catching her staring, and she avoided his eyes, taking an impressive bite out of her cheeseburger.

Well, that was weird.

"Why does no one like you guys?"

Thalia's question didn't surprise anyone at the table.

"Campers were laughing when Hazel stood for me," Thalia continued, licking a drop of ketchup from her lip. "I think you guys are pretty cool."

"The Fifth..." Hazel trailed off. With the way she straightened her shoulders, Nico could tell she was flattered by Thalia's compliment. He rolled his eyes. Not another one of his sisters, fanning over Thalia Grace. "Well, we're considered the worst cohort. That actually started way before us." She pointed to the back wall, where the legion's standards stood out. "See the empty pole in the middle?"

Thalia nodded. "I noticed that when Reyna announced me. Your symbol...your eagle, it's lost?"

Hazel nodded, a little stunned.

She had yet to learn what Nico already knew. You don't underestimate Thalia. She was possibly more of a wolf than Lupa herself.

"The Fifth lost it for a second time," Hazel continued. "It had already been lost forever ago, when Rome fell. It was lost again some time in the 80's. We've been a disgrace ever since."

"Why is it such a big deal?" Thalia asked. "What does it mean?"

Frank glanced around nervously, like he was afraid the other cohorts would overhear and start throwing food at them. "It's the symbol of the whole camp—a big eagle made of gold. It's supposed to protect us in battle and scare our enemies. Each legion's eagle gave it all sorts of power, and ours came from Jupiter himself. Supposedly, Julius Caesar nicknamed our legion fulminata, armed with lightning, because of what the eagle could do."

"Sounds right up my alley," Thalia commented, not bothering to wipe the bread crumbs from her mouth.

Dakota snorted. "We can put you on the pole?"

Nico glared at him in warning. What was he thinking? Making a comment like that to the Lieutenant of the Hunters? Did he want to get punched?

Surprisingly, Thalia cracked a smirk. "Good luck with that one. I'm not sure it would have the same effect."

Who was she? Nico didn't like this. She was different. She didn't have that heavy weight of unexplained guilt and pain on her shoulders. Thalia had always been a mystery to him, lashing out in anger at the smallest actions, whenever it was obvious that anger wasn't the emotion she should've been feeling. She had a lot of dark shit in her past, he knew that much. He almost envied her, not being able to remember any of the bad. But then he forced himself to realize that she didn't remember any of the good, either. She didn't remember her best friend Annabeth, her fellow Hunters that she considered her newfound family. It hurt to think that she didn't even remember Bianca. At least Nico still had his memories of her.

Hazel let a shocked laugh free.

Frank shrugged, his cheeks red.

Please change the subject, Frank, Nico mentally begged.

"The second time we lost it—it was on some huge expedition to Alaska."

Thank you.

"The Prophecy of Seven," Hazel reminded Thalia. "The one you saw in the temple. Our senior praetor at the time was Michael Varus, from the Fifth. Back then, the Fifth was the best in camp. He thought it would bring glory to the legion if he could figure out the prophecy and make it come true—save the world from storm and fire and all that. He talked to the augur, and the augur said the answer was in Alaska. But he warned Michael it wasn't time yet. That the prophecy wasn't for him."

"And he went anyway," Thalia remarked, almost wistfully, like it reminded her of someone.

Nico didn't have to think very hard to guess who.

Frank nodded. "It's a long, gruesome story. Almost the entire Fifth was wiped out. Most of the legion's Imperial gold weapons were lost, along with the eagle. The survivors went crazy and refused to talk about what had attacked them."

Hazel's face flinched, and Nico subtly placed a hand on her arm. They both knew all too well what had attacked the legionnaires.

"Since the eagle was lost, the camp has been getting weaker. Quests are more dangerous. Monsters attack the borders more often. Morale is lower. The last month or so, things have been getting much worse, much faster," Frank finished in a hurry, like he was terrified he wouldn't get the words out before something bad happened.

"And the Fifth took the blame," Thalia summarized. "That's why everyone hates us."

Hazel sipped some of her shrimp gumbo from her spoon. It didn't look very appetizing. "We've been outcasts since Alaska. Our reputation became better when Jason became praetor—"

She cut herself off, seeing her brother's warning glare, watching Thalia's eyes widen a fraction.

"This Jason—" Thalia barely managed the name. She pushed her plate aside so that the wind spirits wouldn't refill it. "You knew him?"

Frank shook his head. "I never met the guy. I just got here a month ago. But I hear he was a good leader. He practically grew up in this cohort. He started to rebuild our reputation. Then he disappeared."

Thalia hummed, sipping from what looked like a glass of water. "Who was his godly parent?"

"Um—"

Frank began to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of a war horn.

"The games begin!" Reyna announced.

Campers cheered, grabbing for their equipment that rested against the wall, and Nico silently thanked Reyna for the distraction. Thalia still looked troubled, but the time for her questions was over. It was time for the war games. Part of him was terrified that it would end like Capture the Flag used to end, but another part of him was worried about how Thalia would fare.

He watched as Hazel led Thalia over to the wall, and the daughter of Zeus effortlessly donned her armor, tightening the straps like a professional. She had her armor ready quicker than even some of the members of the First. Nico sighed, shaking his head. The poor First and Second Cohorts had no idea what they signed up for.

Nico's jaw dropped, his hands falling slack around his binoculars as he watched Thalia climb over the mostly destroyed wall, the fortress still smoking from the several explosions she had caused. Reyna was nearly laughing in surprise, circling the grounds on Scipio, her flying mare. Thalia had just won the war games. The Fifth Cohort had just won something.

The campers were in a frenzy, and he understood why. A probatio—not even just a probatio, but a Greek—had led a successful assault on the First and Second Cohorts, the absolute best in Camp Jupiter. Even he knew that. He rushed down from the tower, shoving past Lares on long way to the bottom.

Reyna landed her pegasus, petting his mane in a surprising show of affection. "The game is won! Assemble for honors!"

Cheers arose, if only from the Fifth, and Thalia's proud expression, her eyes stormy and her face overcast, made Reyna visibly falter. Nico understood. Thalia's eyes always had that wild quality to them, but after a victory, pride coursing through her veins, sparks dancing across her skin, she almost looked like Zeus himself. It was almost as unsettling as being face-to-face with her shield, Aegis.

"That was awesome!" Frank clapped her on the back. "You fight like no one I've ever seen!"

Thalia's eyebrows furrowed. "Is that a compliment?"

Frank nodded wildly.

"Well, you're the brains behind the operation," she complimented back. "You came up with the plan. Turning the electric fence against them? Brilliant."

Hazel nodded, smiling wider as Frank blushed. "And, if I do remember, you were the first to get over the wall."

Frank's eyes widened. "I was," he remarked, like he was in a trance. "Oh, gods, I was!"

Hazel laughed. "We make a great team."

Thalia draped her arms over theirs and pulled them close, briefly, and Nico was afraid she was going to give them noogies.

Nico approached them. "Good job, Sis," he congratulated. "You were amazing out there."

"She was," Thalia agreed, releasing them both. "You should've seen what she did with the tunnels—oh, sorry, Hazel."

"It's okay," Hazel excused. "Nico already knows."

"Help!"

Nico felt it before he turned to see. Gwen was dying, her force slowly draining out of her and overtaking his senses. She had a pilum shoved through her body, and it was fairly clear that Gwen had been injured after the game had already been won. He remembered what he had heard children of Athena teach during their camp tutoring sessions: Greeks were tricky, but Romans were untrustworthy. Romulus had killed his own brother, Remus, and took the throne as Rome's first king.

"Away!" a medic shooed some of the distressed campers. "Give her some air!"

They packed her wound with powdered unicorn horn, compressing underneath her armor in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Nico knew it wasn't working. The head medic realized it, too, glancing up at Reyna and shaking his head.

Reyna's face darkened, her eyes like smoking coals. "There will be an investigation. Whoever did this, you cost the legion a good officer. Honorable death is one thing, but this..."

Nico saw what she meant. The spear was poking out, spearhead towards her front. She had been stabbed behind her back, not even in the heat of combat. The weapon had been from the First Legion. Nico's eyes scanned the legionnaires. He could wait until Gwen enters the Underworld, and then find out what she knew about her attacker, but that could take a while...

Ah. Octavian, spear-less, looked on with slight interest, his expression as calm as a millpond. Bastard. He hoped Reyna, as observant and intelligent as she was, would notice.

"Shit!"

The medic jumped back, and Nico sensed something wrong. Gwen...wasn't dead?

He furrowed his dark brows, watching as Gwen sat up, gasping for air. She glanced around in confusion at the terrified faces that surrounded her. "What is it?" she asked. "What's everyone staring at?"

Thalia made a noise of surprise. "You, Casper the Friendly Ghost. Where ya been?"

Nico sent her a look in an attempt to remind her that this was not the time to taunt a previously deceased person.

"There was a river, and a man asking for...a coin? I turned around and the exit door was open, so I...I just left."

Nico grumbled. Charon wouldn't be too happy about her rude exit. He would surely make her pay double when she actually died.

Thalia sighed like I can't believe these idiots are just standing and gawking, and she approached Gwen rather carelessly, totally aware of the skeptic eyes on her. "Just stay still, Gwennie the Pooh. Stop squirming."

Nico realized this probably wasn't the most crucial or gruesome injury she had dealt with. She led a whole army of young, fierce huntresses. Her nonchalance seemed to disturb the Romans, though, and a couple of medics tried to stop her before they were halted by her famous death stare.

Thalia gingerly grabbed the shaft of the pilum, directly beneath the tip, bracing one of her strong hands on Gwen's shoulder to hold her body steady, and grunted before she pulled it towards herself, slipping it clean out of Gwen's side. The girl didn't even wince. She blinked wildly, looking down as her wound healed over almost instantly.

"I feel fine," Gwen protested. "What's everyone worried about?"

Thalia hefted her to her wobbly feet. "You kind of died there for a minute."

"Somehow you came back," Reyna added, with narrowed eyes. Nico couldn't tell if she was admiring Thalia's initiative or dissecting her like a frog. "Is this some power of Pluto?"

"What?" Gwen moved her head wildly. "I—"

Nico shook his head, his lips in a grim line. "Pluto never lets people return from the dead."

"Maybe if you asked pretty please," Thalia quipped, scratching the back of her head and tangling the curls even worse. Nico reminded himself to get her more hair gel. If a Thalia without memory was a Thalia without her trademark spiky hair, the gods were really out to get her. Without styling, her hair was as crazy as his and Percy's.

Before he could respond, or roll his eyes, or point out that saying please to Hades would be like begging a hungry bear not to eat you (pointless, that is), a thunderous voice echoed over the hills. Death loses its hold. This is only the beginning.

Thalia's head perked up. "I know that voice."

Nico did, too, but he didn't announce it to a bunch of Romans.

The wind brought in a giant spiral of leaves, dust, dirt, and flowers, like a tornado had wrecked through the royal gardens. The wind slowly dissipated, revealing a rather small figure, with a bright auburn braid that ran down her parka. Her silver eyes glinted at the sight of her long lost lieutenant.

Artemis.

The legion fell to their knees to honor the arrival of the goddess, but Thalia edged bravely closer, finally falling to one knee when she was within arms reach.

Artemis smiled tightly, like she was pleased to see her sister but wished for it to be under different circumstances. He knew she wasn't pleased that Hera had ripped her away to be a pawn in this. She rested her hand on Thalia's head, running her fingers through her hair and resting them there, threaded between the curly black strands. It was like she was petting one of her loyal wolves and—with the way Thalia fought—Nico suspected that was how Artemis saw her.

"Do you remember me, Thalia?"

Thalia glanced up at the sound of her name, but smartly thought better of verbally responding. She nodded her head, slightly in awe, her eyes glazed over like she was trying to remember every little thing about Artemis' face. It almost looked like she was in love, but Nico knew better than that. They had a special kind of bond, and a shared loyalty that was as strong as the River Lethe. Thalia was devoted to her, but not in love with her.

"Rome." Artemis addressed the legion, finally looking up from Thalia's imploring eyes, releasing her hold on her lieutenant and crossing her arms over her chest. The motion caused her bow to shift slightly on her back, rising well above her head. "I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter was reluctant to have it delivered in person, but we can't have a miscommunication," she said, her silver eyes catching sight of Octavian before they moved on. "You may have taken notice of the fact that Gwen died and was resurrected mere seconds after the incident. The monsters you fight—the Gorgons, most recently—are no longer returning to Tartarus when they are slain."

Even though the rest of the Romans remained kneeling, Thalia stood, towering over her goddess, but not imposing.

"Thanatos has been chained," Artemis continued, unaffected by the disapproving looks sent her lieutenant's way. "The Doors of Death have been forced open, and Gaea is allowing our enemies to travel freely into the world of the living. Her sons, the giants, are forming armies against you—armies that you will not be able to kill. Death must be freed and returned to the Doors of Death, so that you will stand a chance against her forces."

Reyna looked like she wanted to desperately say something, and her prayers were answered. Artemis motioned her forward.

"Lady Diana," she began steadily, "we are honored."

"Beyond honored," Octavian cut in. "So far beyond honored."

"Stand down, boy," Artemis berated him. "Do not interrupt when a woman is speaking."

The augur looked too scared to debate it. He backed down, looking more than a little humiliated. Good thing, that.

Reyna straightened her back. "Thanatos, he is the God of Death, lieutenant to Pluto? And he has been captured by giants?"

Artemis nodded. "Because of his imprisonment, the barriers between life and death will begin to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Soon, monsters will be completely impossible to defeat. Some demigods will be able to find their way back to the living—much like your Centurion Gwen." She sighed. "Even mortals will eventually find it impossible to pass on. Could you imagine that? A world with no death?"

Octavian shifted his stance, awaiting her attention.

Artemis grumbled something offensive under her breath, but faced him. "You have a question, insolent boy?"

Octavian clenched his teeth. "If we can't die, isn't that a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely?"

Artemis pursed her lips, and Nico could sense that she was trying with great difficulty not to turn him into a woodland animal. He didn't know why she was refraining to. "Without death, boy, there would be no end to the Hunt. There would be endless carnage—war with no conclusion, no reason, no results. Even Mars, your patron, would have an issue with that."

Reyna cleared her throat politely. "With all due respect, Lady Diana, did you come here only to warn us?"

"I must issue a quest," she admitted. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the gods. You will free him and send him back to the Doors of Death. Beware Gaea, and beware her eldest son."

"The land beyond the gods?" Hazel echoed. It was almost a squeak. Nico grasped her forearms, squeezing it reassuringly.

"It is the land where the legion lost its honor," Artemis continued. "If the quest succeeds, and you return by the Feast of Fortuna, the honor of Rome will be restored. If you don't, however...there will be no Rome. You will be overrun, and your legacy will be forever lost."

Octavian tried clearing his throat like Reyna had, but the goddess did not pay him any attention.

Artemis returned her gaze to Thalia. "I have a prophecy for you, my sister. Normally, Apollo does the rhyming, so I'll make it short. Go to Alaska, and you will find and free Thanatos. You will encounter distractions along the way, but do not allow them to deter you. Put Rome first. Return by sundown, on June twenty-forth, or the legion will be destroyed."

"That's hardly a prophecy—" Octavian.

Thalia finally lost it before her goddess could respond.

"Do you want to be a jackalope?" she retorted hotly. "Shut up."

That was what Nico was counting on.

"One more thing," Artemis promised, looking very much like she was trying to refrain from laughing at her lieutenant's outburst. "Reyna, praetor of the Twelfth, step forward."

Reyna looked slightly nervous, which was out of character for her but the presence of Artemis could make anyone falter. She knelt obediently, but the goddess gestured her to stand again. Her fingers subtly fiddled with the bottom of her golden breastplate.

"Thalia is my lieutenant," she continued, ignoring the gasps of surprise. "She has made me proud. But I was also sent with a message from Mars. Frank Zhang, step forward with your praetor."

He slowly edged forward, looking more terrified than any ghost Nico had ever seen in the Fields of Punishment.

"Frank is the son of Mars Ultor, your patron," she said, receiving choked gasps and startled stuttering in response. "He was first over the wall. Ensure he gets the Mural Crown."

Frank didn't look very happy about the first part.

Reyna bowed. "Yes, Lady Diana."

Artemis met his gaze almost reluctantly. "You are a good shot."

"Th—thank you," Frank bowed low to the ground. "Lady Diana."

She slung a weapon—a large spear, with a shaft of imperial gold and a tip as white as bone. "A gift from your father. Unfortunately, he was unable to deliver the message himself. He said you get three charges out of it. Use it wisely."

Artemis' form flickered. She grumbled to herself. "Father is getting impatient. Thalia shall lead this quest, unless their are any objections."

No one said a word, but a lot of them looked like they wished to argue.

"Thalia, you may choose two companions," she said, but she gestured to Frank. "He needs to be one of them."

Artemis didn't look too happy about Thalia going on a quest with a boy, but she seemed a little resigned, like someone had already argued her to death.

Thalia nodded her understanding, but before she could say anything, Artemis flickered again and lightning raced across the sky. "I must go now," Artemis said. "Do not disappoint me, my lieutenant."

And she was gone.

Nico released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Thalia crossed her arms, almost smiling proudly, like a part of her had been returned.

Hazel looked like she was still trying to process the information, her face haunted.

Frank stared blankly at the spear that lay across his hands, the grass below staining the knees of his jeans.

Reyna raised her arm in a Roman salute, and the rest of the legion followed suit. "Ave, Frank Zhang, son of Mars."