DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN PJatO OR HoO! ANY CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE/PLOTS YOU RECOGNIZE BELONG TO RICK RIORDAN. I AM A FOURTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL PLAYING WITH FANFICTION.

A/N: Hey guys! I had some free time and quickly pounded this out. I'm sorry to say that there may be excessive book quoting in this one. I wanted to make it longer, but there wasn't much to add.

Also, thanks for the great reviews guys! Y'all are awesome!

Leo frantically stumbled after his friends, anxious to run away from the evil in the tunnel. The group had been running for what seemed like hours. Finally, when Leo knew he couldn't take it anymore, they stopped.

"Can't... run," Rachel choked out, clutching her sides.

Leo collapsed on the ground, breathing hard. He had ran for his life before, but even the monster in the sewers was nothing compared to the evil roar of Luke.

His voice had seemed colder, heavier, somehow. Before, Luke was just a bad guy to him... now, he seemed different, something older than humanity.

Annabeth collapsed, her head between her knees. She had tears streaming down her face and heaved out loud, heartbroken sobs.

Percy and Nico sat down next to each other, their swords strewn on the ground. Percy was staring sadly at Annabeth, as if he didn't want to hurt her more, but knew he had to.

"That sucked," Nico muttered. Leo wholeheartedly agreed.

"You saved our lives," Percy said, staring at Nico with a pensive expression.

"Blame them for dragging me along," Nico gestured at the girls. "That's the only thing they could agree on. We needed to help you or you'd mess thins up."

"Nice that they trust me so much," Percy muttered as he flicked on his flashlight and shone it around.

Leo noticed stalactites hanging from the ceiling and absently wondered where they were.

"Nico," Percy began. "You kinda gave yourself away."

"What do you mean?"

"That wall of black stone? That was pretty impressive. If Kronos didn't know who you were before, he does now – a child of the Underworld."

"Big deal," Nice frowned as he spoke. But Leo could see the fear in his eyes.

Kronos, Leo thought. He tried to remember the myths. Kronos was a Titan, the main Titan.

Leo blinked.

I toppled the black throne of Kronos, and destroyed the Titan Krios with my own hands! A familiar voice spoke in his head.

Leo rubbed his eyes. The lack of sleep was really getting to him.

"What... what was wrong with Luke? What did they do to him?" Annabeth asked, her voice hoarse.

Percy looked up, his expression grim.

"I'm so sorry Annabeth," he muttered. "I... I couldn't -"

"Percy. What did they do to him?"

Percy closed his eyes and shivered. "I snuck into the fortress. Some kid was there – he had an eyepatch. His name was Nakamura, or something? He was joining up with the Titans."

Annabeth looked at Percy, confused. "And?"

"They were unwrapping a scythe. Kronos' scythe. With the kid's pledge, they were saying that they would have enough loyalty to make Kronos rise, or something."

Percy took a deep breath and looked Annabeth in the eye. "His sarcophagus was there. Kronos's sarcophagus. I... I opened it."

Percy's voice sent shivers down Leo's spine. Leo had a feeling bad news was coming.

"What happened, Percy?" Annabeth asked, her voice cold, but quiet.

"The body in the coffin was Luke's."

Annabeth blinked. "I... I don't understand."

Percy closed his eyes and continued. "The kid gave his pledge to Kronos. They used his pledge to summon up the last piece of Kronos's spirit. I – I saw it enter the sarcophagus. And then Luke stood up.

"But it wasn't Luke," Percy said quietly. "It was Kronos."

The group stared at Percy in shock, barely comprehending his words.

"No," Annabeth said. "That can't be true. He couldn't -"

"He gave himself over to Kronos," Percy said. "I'm sorry Annabeth. But Luke is gone."

"No!" Annabeth was shouting now. "You saw when Rachel hit him!"

Percy nodded. "You hit the Lord of the Titans in the eye with a blue plastic hairbrush."

Rachel blushed. "It was the only thing I had."

"But you saw," Annabeth insisted. "When it hit him, just for a second, he was dazed. He came back to his senses."

"So maybe Kronos wasn't completely settled in the body, or whatever," Percy said forcefully. "It doesn't mean Luke was in control."

"You want him to be evil, is that it?" Annabeth screamed. "You didn't know him before, Percy. I did!"

"What is it with you?" Percy snapped. "Why do you keep defending him?"

"Whoa, you two," Rachel intervened. "Knock it off!"

Annabeth whipped her head around and glared at her. "Stay out of it, mortal girl! If it wasn't for you..."

Annabeth's voice broke. She hugged her knees closer to her and sobbed. Percy was staring emotionlessly at a pebble in front of him.

The group went silent for a bit.

"We'll have to keep moving," Nico spoke up. "He'll send monsters after us."

Leo was still burned out from their sprint, but he got to his feet. Percy helped Rachel up, and Leo hesitantly walked over to Annabeth.

"Hey," Leo said.

Annabeth glanced up, her eyes red. Her fingers were rubbing a bead on her necklace – a faded clay bead with the image of a pine tree.

"I'm sorry, Leo," Annabeth muttered. "I'm sorry you're stuck in this mess."

Leo didn't know what to say, so he just stood there awkwardly.

Percy knelt next to Annabeth. "Hey, I'm sorry. But we need to move."

"I know," Annabeth whispered. "I'm... I'm all right."

She clearly wasn't, but she got to her feet.

Once again, they would be on the move.

"Back to New York," Percy said. "Rachel, can you -" his voice died.

Leo followed his eyes. A few feet ahead, illuminated by Percy's flashlight was a hat – a Rasta cap. He vaguely remembered a conversation from earlier:

"What about Tyson and Grover, then?"

"That's harder. They're not humans or half-bloods. They don't have mortal souls."

Percy's hands shook as he grabbed the mud-covered hat. He looked like he was about to lose it.

Percy looked around and shone his flashlight to the left. Leo could see fresh footprints – huge feet, and the footsteps of a hoofed animal.

"We have to follow them," Percy said. "They went that way. It must have been recently."

"What about Camp?" Nico reminded them. "There's no time."

"We have to find them. They're our friends." Annabeth spoke up. She grabbed the smashed hat and marched off, Percy at her heels.

Rachel, after hesitating, stumbled after them. Nico and Leo exchanged a glance, then followed.

The cave was treacherous. Everything was damp and moist, making it easy to slide along the rocks. The floor sloped at weird angles. Leo almost impaled himself on a stalagmite a few times.

Finally, they reached a large cave supported by the rock columns. Ahead was an underground river. Beside the banks were two figures – a large, bulky mass cradling a smaller figure in his laps.

Leo did a double take. The smaller figure was unconscious, but his legs...

"Tyson!" Percy yelled.

"Percy!" The big figure shouted. Leo was surprised at how young the voice sounded. "Come quick!"

The group ran over, and Leo followed. He stared wide-eyed at the creature before him. His face was normal – an acne-covered face with a fuzzy goatee – but –

"Why is he a donkey?" Leo choked out.

"Goat," Annabeth supplied. "He's a satyr."

The big guy's face looked up, and Leo nearly screamed. Instead of two eyes, there was one big one – right in the middle of his head.

"Cyclops," Nico murmured, and all Leo could do was nod.

"What happened?" Percy asked worriedly.

"So many things," the Cyclops said. "Large snake. Large dogs. Men with swords. But then... we got close to here. Grover was excited. He ran. Then we reached this room, and he fell. Like this."

"Did he say anything?"

"He said, 'We're close.' Then he hit his head on rocks.

Percy knelt, his face worried but also excited. He shined his flashlight around the cavern.

Leo sucked in a breath. He didn't notice it before, but at the far end was an entrance to another cave, framed by giant columns made of what seemed like solid diamonds.

"Grover, wake up."

"Uhhhhhhhh..." the unconscious figure moaned.

Annabeth scooped up some water and splashed it onto his face.

The satyr spluttered and sat up. "Percy? Annabeth? Where..."

"It's okay," Percy said. "You passed out. The presence was too much for you."

"I – I remember. Pan."

"Yeah," Percy said, and they all glanced to the entrance ahead. "Something powerful is beyond that doorway."

There were some rushed introductions, as they introduced Leo and Rachel to Tyson and Grover. Once Leo got over his shock, he said a polite greeting to the satyr and the cyclops. Annabeth seemed like she was going to explode when Tyson called Rachel 'pretty'.

Leo thought it was pretty funny.

Once the introduction was over, Percy and Annabeth helped Grover to his feet and they began to cross the river.

The water was cold. Leo shivered – he was not a fan of water or the cold. They made it to the other side safely. He absently noted that Percy and Tyson were the only ones completely dry.

"I think we're in Carlsbad Caverns," Annabeth said through her chattering teeth. "Maybe an unexplored section."

"How do you know?"

"Carlsbad is in New Mexico. That would explain last winter."

Leo didn't know what they were talking about, but he still didn't know how they ran from California to New Mexico in less than two hours. He decided to stop thinking about it.

They walked ahead, towards the crystals. As they drew closer, Leo could feel his weariness rubbing away. There was a new spring in his step, a liveliness that he hadn't felt in all the years in foster homes and orphanages.

Grover whimpered. Leo glanced over and saw his eyes shining brightly. He was excited.

Nobody spoke. Even Nico was quiet. Finally, they stepped into the cave, and Rachel said, "Oh, wow."

'Oh wow' was right. A warm glow illuminated the room. The cave was loaded with crystals – large, radiant gems in every color. Soft green moss covered the floor, and giant flowers and vines crept among the crystals. The ceiling was up high and sparkled like a clear night sky.

In the center of the cave was an old-style bed – gilded wood and intricate designs. Surrounding the bed were a strange collection of animals – a wooly mammoth, what seemed to be a giant guinea pig, a wolf-tiger hybrid, and a dodo bird Leo could've sworn was humming.

On the was an old man – or satyr, Leo supposed. He had large glossy horns and a frosty white beard – even his goat fur was tinged with gray. A collection of pipes hung around his neck.

Grover stumbled forwards and fell to his knees. "Lord Pan!"

Leo, Nico, Rachel, Annabeth, and Tyson followed his example.

The satyr smiled, though his eyes were sad. "Grover, my dear, brave satyr. I have waited a very long time for you."

"I... got lost," Grover stammered out.

Pan laughed. His laugh was wonderful – a calming sound that echoed throughout the cavern, filling the demigods with hope.

The dodo bird affectionately nipped the god's hooves. The wolf-tiger rested his head on Pan's knee.

Percy seemed to shake off his awe and kneeled down. "You have a humming dodo bird."

Pan's eyes twinkled. "Yes, that's Dede. My little actress."

Dede the dodo tilted her head a hummed what sounded like a funeral song.

"This is the most beautiful place," Annabeth breathed out. "Better than any building ever designed!"

"I'm glad you like it, my dear," Pan said. "It is one of the last wild places. My realm above is gone, I'm afraid. Only pockets remain. Tiny pieces of life. This one shall stay undisturbed... for a little longer."

"My lord," Grover said, "please, you must come back with me! The Elders will never believe it! They'll be overjoyed! You can save the Wild!"

Pan ruffled Grover's hair. "You are so young, Grover. So good and true. I think I chose well."

"Chose?" Grover asked, echoing Leo's confusion. "I – I don't understand."

Pan's image flickered, like a hologram. The giant guinea pig squealed fearfully, and the wooly mammoth grunted. Dede hid her head under her wing.

"I have slept many eons," The god said. "My dreams have been dark. I wake fitfully, and each time my waking is shorter. Now we are near the end."

"What? But no! You're right here!"

"My dear satyr," Pan continued. "I tried to tell the world, two thousand years ago. I announced it to Lysas, a satyr very much like you. He lived in Ephesos, and tried to spread the word."

Annabeth's eyes widened. "The old story. A sailor passing by the coast of Ephesos heard a voice crying from the shore, 'Tell them that the great god Pan is dead.'"

"But it wasn't true!"

"Your kind never believed it," Pan said. "You sweet, stubborn satyrs refused to accept my passing. And I love you for that, but you only delayed the inevitable. You only prolonged my long, painful passing, my dark twilight sleep. It must end."

"No," Grover said, his voice trembling.

"Dear Grover," Pan said. "You must accept the truth. Your companion, Nico, he understands."

Nico nodded. "He's dying. He should have died long ago. This... this is more like a memory."

"But gods can't die!" Grover insisted, tears leaking out of his eyes.

"They can fade," Pan said sadly. "When everything they stood for is gone. When they cease to have power, and their sacred places disappear. The wild, my dear Grover, is so small now, so shattered, that no god can save it. My realm is gone. That is why I need you to carry a message. You must go back to the council. You must tell the satyrs, and the dryads, and the other spirits of nature, that the great god Pan is dead. Tell them of my passing. Because they must stop waiting for me to save them. I cannot. The only salvation you must make is yourself. Each of you must -"

Pan glanced at the dodo bird, who was humming.

"Dede, what are you doing? Are you singing Kumbaya again?"

Dede blinked.

Pan sighed. "Everybody's a cynic. But as I was saying, my dear Grover, each of you must take up my calling."

Grover whimpered. "But... no!"

"Be strong," Pan spoke. "You have found me, and now you must release me. You must carry on my spirit. It can no longer be carried by a god. It must be taken up by all of you."

Pan looked at the demigods and the mortal, and Leo realized that it wasn't just Grover or the satyrs. He meant half-bloods, humans... everyone.

"Percy Jackson. I know what you have seen today. I know your doubts, But I give you this news: when the time comes, you will not be ruled by fear."

He turned to Annabeth. "Daughter of Athena, your time is coming. You will play a great role, though it may not be the role you imagined."

Then Pan looked at Tyson. "Master Cyclops, do not despair. Heroes rarely live up to our expectations. But you, Tyson – your name shall live among the Cyclopes for generations. And Miss Rachel Dare..."

Rachel flinched. She looked at the ground guiltily, but Pan smiled warmly. "I know you believe you cannot make amends, but you are just as important as your father."

"I..." Rachel muttered, a tear tracing her teeth.

"I know you don't believe this now, but look for opportunities. They will come."

Then Pan turned to Leo. Leo hesitantly met his gaze, and he felt all his nervousness wash away.

Pan tilted his head. "This was unforseen," he began. "But you too, have a role. You will be confused, feel insecure... but remember, son of Hephaestus, that your friends care for you. You are no third wheel. I hope you choose wisely when your time comes."

Leo blinked. What did that even mean? He could see the others' faces out of the corners of his eyes, and they seemed confused too.

Finally, Pan turned to Grover. "My dear satyr," he said kindly, "will you carry my message?"

"I – I can't," Grover whispered, shaking.

"You can. You are the strongest and bravest. Your heart is true. You have believed in me more than anyone ever has, which is why you must be the first to release me."

"I don't want to," Grover sniffled.

"I know," the god said. "But my name, Pan... originally it meant rustic. Did you know that? But over the years, it has come to mean all. The spirit of the wild must pass to all of you now. You must tell each one you meet: if you would find Pan, take up Pan's spirit. Remake the Wild, a little at a time, each in your own corner of the world. You cannot wait for anyone else, even a god, to do that for you."

Grover wiped his eyes. Then he shakily got to his feet. "I've spent my whole life looking for you. Now... I release you."

Pan gave a bittersweet smile. "Thank you, my dear satyr. My final blessing." He closed his eyes. The god looked so peaceful, as if he were only asleep. He dissolved slowly, fading into a white mist. The mist expanded and filled the room, and divided into wisps of energy. A curl of smoke went into Leo's mouth and everyone else's.

Leo closed his eyes, the smoke filling him with clean energy, as if he had a good night's rest and a healthy meal.

When Leo opened his eyes, the cavern was a little dimmer. The animals looked sadly at him, before crumbling into dust. The vines withered away, and then the light faded completely. Soon, they were alone in a dark cave with an empty bed.

Leo pulled his flashlight out of his pocket and switched it on.

Grover seemed shaky – but stronger, somehow. His eyes were still red from crying, but his expression was a calm sort of sadness.

"Are... are you okay?" Percy asked quietly.

Grover was silent. He reached for the hat from Annabeth and put it onto his head.

"We should go now." He said, his eyes lingering on the bed where Pan once lay. "And... and tell them. Tell them that the great god Pan is dead."

A/N: Fun fact: I actually kinda wanted to put Piper into the Labyrinth, maybe not being able to take it anymore and running from her dad and ending up in the story a few books early. However, the storyline wasn't very logical and I couldn't see much coming out of it in between books because at some point in this plot her dad has to get kidnapped. Her rapid introduction to being a demigod, especially at such a stressful time in her life at the beginning of The Lost Hero was what made her such an interesting character to me. I didn't want to take that away.

Leo was my first choice for this story. In The Lost Hero, it showed Leo's fears and confusion quite well. But he'd been carrying his baggage since he was seven. I figured those emotions would be present, no matter what age he was introduced to present-day Greek Mythology.

Anyways, thanks for the great reviews guys! I didn't like this chapter that much, so any constructive criticism and suggestions will be especially appreciated!

A lot of you guys like the storyline of this fic! If you ever feel like writing a story based on this plot or something, let me know! I'd love to see how you execute it and you guys may have some ideas that I didn't come up with. I won't be mad, I promise.

As always, reviews are appreciated. Sorry for the long author's note, guys.

-Lazuli Quetzal