Summary: The Gods of Olympus were defeated long before Percy was born and since then the planet has been under the evil and terrifying rule of Kronos. While Percy lives on the streets with his Mother and Grover there is a secret, underground force called HBO. He is fine until he learns about the existence of his father and about a secret underground rebellion called HBO and worse yet, the Minotaur kidnaps his mother. He then sets forth on a journey to reunite with her…but along the way he meets other…unexpected people.

PAIRINGS: PercyxAnnabeth, JasonxPiper, SilenaxCharlie PoseidonxSally and other pairings…deciding whom little Leo should be with.

Enjoy! R&R!

DISCLAIMER: Hmm…if I were to own Percy Jackson what would I do? No point thinking about it…. I DO NOT OWN!

Chapter 10: Things get better

Recap

A figure, wearing nothing but a dark black shirt and pants with tattered sneakers, trudged through the snow with a determine look on his face. He coughed and looked around the frozen wasteland, not to be confused with a winter wonderland, with a miserable expression upon his young face. He blinked his light colored orbs that felt like they were going to turn into icicles.

"Man, it's like really cold out here."

End Recap

I lay awake on my bed, staring up at the ceiling or rather the top bunk of this bed. I still couldn't believe what had just happened over the past two days. First, I find out my entire life has almost entire been a lie with finding out the knowledge that I was the son of some god, my best friend was a satyr, and apparently I was really important to the safety of the Olympians of Old. Also, a "tux dude" and a big hairy beast called the Minotaur kidnapped my mother.

Then, I make an enemy out of the daughter of the God Ares and dream of the jerks who stared this entire Hades life Titan Lord Kronos and Luke Castellan. Then I become involved with a sort of love hate relationship with a wise and beautiful blonde haired girl, forget I said it, which hates my newest friend Adora a teenage nymph.

Next, I get the entire camp to hate me with my new and strange swords fighting skills that I apparently had learned in my dreams, literally, technically, and logically, (A/n one of my favorite sayings, "Yes, literally, technically, and logically I am right!") and subconsciously meet my father who I still had no idea was.

The only semi normal thing that I had was that I, for the first time in a few days now, dreamed of nothing. No dreams of my father giving me guidance or encouraging words of comfort. No dreams of Artemis and what the "Twelve" were or where she was. I didn't know whenever to me unnerved and worried about Artemis or relieved because I wasn't receiving those frightening dreams anymore.

The moment I thought that I felt like slapping myself, how could I be so selfish? Artemis was out there somewhere unreachable by me and was getting tortured! In a very hot, very sunny, very miserable place. Wait…hot and sunny… Where did I know was like that? It could be a good clue for trying to find Artemis, and see if she could explain what the Hades was going on?

Hades, I still had a hard time believing I was a demigod!

I wish that I could find out who my father was. Perhaps then I could get more guidance from him and he could help me out. I sighed and finally sat up in my bed and looked around, no one had bothered to wake me up did they? Not that it mattered, who would want their enemies-

I shook my head hard, so hard that I felt it I went any harder I would shake my brain out of my head; but I needed it. They weren't my enemies! Why did I keep thinking such dark thoughts? It really wasn't like me!

I stood up and stretched, I felt surprisingly good despite the unwanted dark thoughts lingering in the back of my mind. I began to move toward the door but suddenly felt myself trip over something.

I yelped in immense surprise and fell to the floor face first. Ow…

I sat up and rubbed my nose and cheek, the places I had landed so uncomfortably on the hard wooden floor of the Hermes Cabin. Ow… What had that been? I looked behind me and saw that I had tripped over a bucket; the moment I tripped over the bucket water spilled out of it and surrounded me.

But I didn't get wet…

I touched the water cautiously, wondering if this was some type of trick by the Hermes Cabin to unnerve me or something. I felt the coolness of it underneath my finger's touch but when I brought the finger to my dry cheek, I felt nothing. No wetness or dampness. It didn't get wet at all.

I looked at my pants where the water from the old blue colored bucket, it looked similar from the ones at the lake that the younger ones played with, and saw that they hadn't gotten wet either. I stood up and examined my feet; there was a faint ring around my feet separating it from the water from the spilled bucket. The ring around me was dry… what?

Before I could wonder anymore about it I was interrupted from my thoughts with the sound of someone calling me in a sweet, gentle, and caring way.

"PERCY! Are you awake yet doofus!" Yelled a voice from outside.

You really didn't think I was being serious with the sweet, gentle, and caring thing were you? If you were… suckers!

I sighed heavily, though not because I had just woken up. (I was actually feeling great as I said before)

I walked outside the cabin, watching my step a bit more cautiously than before, and was both surprised and not surprised to see Annabeth standing there with an angry, waiting type look. I was surprised because she was there, calling me a doofus. And I wasn't surprised because she was there calling me a doofus!

"Morning Wise Girl." I said a bit brightly, too bright for a morning. I was never a morning person so why was I acting like one now? Who knows, maybe it was because of that bucket in front of my bed today.

But like I said... Who knows?

She gave me a suspicious look. "Why are you so happy?"

I merely shrugged, not knowing the answer to the question myself. She sighed and shook her head, as if dealing with a little naïve child. I had a strange feeling that she was thinking that to.

"Doofus." She said finally making me scowl. I really needed a new nickname! I sincerely hoped "Doofus" wouldn't stick or anything.

"So…" I began a bit awkwardly. "What are we doing today? Why're you here? To wake me?" I guessed, but if that was true why didn't Travis or Connor want to wake me?

Because they want nothing to do with a freak like you. A cold prickle came to my neck and I began to feel that angry feeling. My eyes narrowed and I clenched my fist, trying to get rid of that thought. Where did my awesome feeling go?

"-And that's why." Annabeth finished.

I looked up at her confused. Had she just been talking? I decided to just nod to prevent looking stupid.

Instead of believing my gesture, she just narrowed her eyes at me. "Were you listening to a thing I just said Percy?"

I shook my head sheepishly, and blushed a bit. It was strange, the dark feeling was suddenly going away a bit, so much that I could ignore it now. It was still there, but it was more like an annoying prickle.

She sighed angrily and muttered to herself, before looking at him with a hint of a small smile. She was amused by him wasn't she! I didn't know whenever to be embarrassed or feely giddy like I did. Strange world they lived in…

She just ushered him along and they began walking toward the camp's library. Why were they going there?

"Why are we going to the library?" I asked her.

She rolled here eyes. "As I said before, I was sent by Chiron this morning to wake you-"

"Why didn't Travis or Connor wake me up?" I asked, a bit of anger underneath my tone.

She gave me a confused look. "They did, they yelled at you to wake up, they slapped you in your sleep, and even poured water on your head. But the entire time, you wouldn't wake and dried surprisingly fast."

I suddenly felt a bit better. They hadn't just forgotten me, they had tried to wake me up! I apparently just was a very heavy sleeper!

"And the reason I got to wake you because Chiron thought I could think of a way to wake you, I am the leader of the Athena cabin I'm supposed to help you learn Greek and-"

"Wait wait wait." I said. "I already know how to read Greek."

She spun around, her bright blonde hair spinning in the sunlight, and gave me another suspicious look. I wondered if I wasn't supposed to say anything on the subject and just go along with her wishes.

"How?" She asked me. "All demigods need to learn, no matter how fast they do it, Greek and it takes everyone more than a few seconds. How would you know already?"

"Uh…because my mom taught me." I answered. It was true, she had taught me when I was younger. She had said then that I would need it to read the signs that the army of Kronos put out, to find out what places to stay out, avoid, and on occasion, try to obliterate. I had learned fast but I had just concluded when I was older that it was because I was little, and little children learn quickly. Now I know better, I had been so good because my father was the God of…something.

"Really?" She asked me. I nodded, why would I lie?

She smiled. "Well, Grover didn't tell us about that but I suppose he could have forgotten or something like that."

That would make sense, Grover did forget things like that a lot. We continued to the library.

"So…why are we going to the library if you don't need to teach me Greek anymore?"

"Well," She began. "We still need to find out whose destructive parent you are son of, and the library has a lot of information to help out that research."

"Who's left?"

She pondered this only for a second. "I'm rather sure that you're not the son of Dionysus since you have no skill with plants at all, you're definitely not a son of Apollo or Hephesteaus do to the fact that you're horrible at archery and metal working-"

I blush, not my fault. Okay, maybe a little bit but definitely not entirely my fault!

"Also, you don't sleep like those in the Hypnos camp and…" She gave me a strange look.

"Why in Hades were you tested for the Demeter and Hecate cabins? They're women and you are trying to find your father, a god, not a goddess."

I blush once again. From the names I had momentarily thought that they were gods, I felt pretty stupid after I had found out I had gone through the tests for those cabin for nothing.

She rolled her eyes, obviously knowing what I was thinking. "You Doofus, other than that there's…well…the Big Three."

I felt thunder rumble outside the camp and I briefly wondered if it was going to snow, I mean storm, or rain something. Not like it would matter, it's not like it could get into the camp right?

"Who's the Big Three?"

Her eyes darkened. "The top three Gods, the three brothers, the three lords of the world."

It dawned on me. "Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades right? Zeus got the sky, Poseidon got the sea, and Hades got the underworld."

Annbeth nodded. "Yes, they drew lots to see what each one would get what. Zeus obvious got the best, and then Poseidon, and Hades got the worse of the three. They're the big three, the lords of world."

"Not anymore." I said under my breath. It was a bit harsh, but there was no point denying it.

She gave me an annoyed look, but I could tell that she also knew it to be true. Nothing had been the way it should for the last fifteen or so years. Not since the Titan Lord Kronos became ruler.

"What's with the empty cabins?" I asked her, there were a few empty ones and in the Hermes Cabin it was overflowing, surely they wouldn't mind spreading out the room wouldn't they?

"You're probably talking about Hera and Artemis. They're virgin goddess, Hera is the goddess of marriage so she won't go cheat on Zeus, despite how much he does it willingly, and Artemis swore to forever remain a maiden, so no kids there either."

I nodded. That was probably why Artemis appeared to me in my dreams as a little girl. I looked over to the borders of the camp.

"Who guards the camp?" Surely someone had to. Had to protect the secret of the camp and everything I mean.

She stiffened a bit. "…her." She said quietly.

I looked at her confused. "Who's 'her'?"

Annabeth gave me a sad look. "A very brave girl, in fact a daughter of the Big Three so she was really powerful, but she was actually the head lieutenant of Artemis."

My eyes widened. That was what Kronos was talking about before in my dream! Something about Artemis head lieutenant getting turned into a…

I subconsciously looked at the large oak tree at the top of Half Blood Hill and it all clicked together like an elaborate puzzle.

"She's a tree now isn't she? That tree up there right?"

She gave me a surprised and somewhat accusing look. "How do you know that?"

I wasn't so sure about revealing my secret dreams about Artemis and Kronos so I shrugged. "Someone told me about it, inside the camp." Not a lie either, nice. And my body was inside the camp when I heard about it.

She still gave me a suspicious look but nodded and sighed, suddenly looking very sad.

"Yeah, she gave her life for the camp, giving up her own goal. Her father turned her into a tree out of her wish to protect the camp and hope that the one day that her brother was found, he would have a safe place to live."

"Wait a minute," I said. "She has a brother?"

Annabeth nodded. "Yeah, she had been looking for him, but… that happened before she could find him."

She clenched her fist. "I promised her that I would find him."

I decided to drop the touchy subject, it obviously meant a lot to Annabeth for some reason. We continued our way to the library in silence, otherwise, not talking to each other. I meanwhile just looked around the camp, still trying to familiarize myself with the place. I still didn't know how long I would be here. While walking beside Annabeth I decided the next time I dreamed of Artemis I would try to find out better where she was.

I began to question where Grover was, I hadn't seen him in a few days. Maybe he had something he had to do? He hadn't been to the camp in a long time so he probably had a lot of catching up and reminiscing of his own to do. I wondered for the first if Grover had a girlfriend.

"We're here." Annabeth's voice pulled me out of my, now thinking about it a bit more, very strange and random thoughts.

I gaped as I looked up at the library. It had marvelous marble structure with four white columns with the marble connecting each of them. The roof had delicate sketching of different Greek symbols or phrases like 'Knowledge' or 'Wisdom through the Ages' and other smart sounding things like that. But none-the-less, I was impressed.

"Wow," I breathed out. "Who made this?"

I looked over to Annabeth and saw that she had a pride filled look. I suddenly knew who built it without even asking a second time.

"I did." She said with an air of pride. "It's not the best, but because of the war I did the best that I could. Chiron commissioned me to build it years ago."

I nodded, and followed Annabeth inside the library. If I had thought it was great on the outside then it was absolutely magnificent on the inside! There were rows and rows of books, not that I was at all interested in the books(no offence), but because of the immense detailed murals everywhere. It was brilliant, Annabeth really did an awesome job.

"Are you coming Doofus?"

I scowled and went over to her waiting form at one of the tables. Other kids, most who I guessed was siblings of Annabeth, were sitting at the tables studying or looking at books. It was almost an eerie silence because how quiet it was. I felt a bit self-conscious about making any noise. Like if did, I would be hit through the center with a spear. I noted the presence of my sword, Riptide in my pocket; you know, just in case. This was a camp for battling monsters.

I went over to the table and sat down. She, somehow, had already prepared a stack of books of each god. And in case you didn't know, there's a WHOLE lot of gods! From Nemesis to Eros to a lot of other gods with names that were familiar from my mom's tales but still a bit distant.

I gave her a quizzical look with an arched eyebrow. I had thought that we were only going to study about the Big Three or something.

She didn't ignore my confused look and answered me. "The reason why we have a lot of the other minor gods, ones who didn't die in the war, because it's very unlikely, about one percent, that you are a child of one the Big Three."

I rose the other eyebrow in surprise. Only one percent? But didn't they have like a bazillion kids in the past? Especially Zeus, less on Poseidon and Hades. I voiced this to Annabeth. She nodded.

"You're right, but let me finish what I was saying. "I'm sure that Kronos makes sure when Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades has a child to watch over it like a hawk. If they had any kids those children become his top generals or warriors because of their extreme power. It's a really lucky thing that they don't have that many kids, if any. I'm not sure what happened, but I think they made a deal with each other not to have anymore kids so not to benefit their father Kronos in anyway possible. It's good that they don't, because like I said, their kids usually have unstoppable power."

I nodded, it made sense now. I sat down beside her and we got to work.

For the rest of the day, we were just reading through books and talking to each other. For the first part of it, it had been pretty tense until I got a bit bored and started cracking some jokes. At first, she had just gave me looks that said "you're a Doofus" but a bit later she was laughing at the jokes with me. Then we started straying way off the topic of who my father was and just began to converse with each other. What we talked about was way off the topic and subject at hand, but it didn't matter, I was having a great time. And I was pretty sure that Annabeth was too.

It was hours later before one of Annabeth's brothers, Malcom; who I had seen before in the camp and talking to Annabeth, came up to us and told it was time to eat dinner. As if on cue, both our stomachs rumbled when he said that. We looked at each other, blushed, and abruptly got up to go to eat.

We exited the cabin and went to go to eat. I of course went to the Hermes table and Annabeth went to her Athena table. I was surprised when they all greeted me with warm smiles from the girls and a punch on the arm from the guys.

Travis and Connor had apparently told everyone to be nice to me or else they would prank them all into submission and I had a feeling that wasn't a pleasant thing by the smirks on their faces. But I was glad none-the-less, it seemed like they hadn't been that hateful toward me anyhow because they were accepting me like a long lost brother of some sort. It was nice.

Dinner was the same as the last one. We all stood up and dumped a piece of horrible food into the fire, while being careful not to toss anything valuable or delectable. Then went back to our seats to dig in on the feast. The whole time I was laughing and talking with new friends who weren't afraid or wary or even suspicious of me anymore. I even saw Adora once, when I was coming back from the fire, I had tried to say hi but she had been gone before I could making me think I was just seeing illusions or something.

When I went to bed that night I was happy and satisfied. I even fell to sleep easily and without worries. I didn't have any dreams but I wasn't worried.

For the next week or so that followed my arrival to the camp I fell into sort of a schedule. First, until noon, I would study with Annabeth on the myths and trying to find out who my father was. Then I would rotate from activity to activity to see if I could find out who my godly parent was that way. Then go eat dinner, and fall asleep a bit more content than the day before.

I may have had no luck with finding out the identity of my father but I sure was having the time of my life.

It was such a pleasentry not to have to fight with hand and foot for table scraps, and it was so nice to have people to lean onto for help. I knew that I should be a lot more worried about everything, like finding out my father, saving my mother, and rescuing Artemis but I was having such a fun time that I think I almost forgot.

That was until a week later I was reminded.

A week later… I had another dream of Artemis. And it wasn't good.

SLAP! CRACK!

I opened my eyes in the dream like world and was horrified to see a large man, I realized it to be a Cyclops from it's one eye, whipping (A/n I know a bit gruesome but it has to be at least a bit extreme, gomen/sorry) Artemis back with a golden whip. Everytime he hit her back their was a gruesome and sickening clench and I watched in horror as everytime the whip went back into the air, it dripped golden blood; Artemis's precious blood.

Kronos stood in front of her with a glare of hatred written all over his face as the Cyclops behind her continued to torture the goddess of the Moon.

Rage engulfed me, how dare he treat his own flesh and blood like that! I didn't care if I got caught or whatever and ran at him. Suddenly, as if forcibly, I looked at Artemis and into her moon colored eyes. I saw a certain pleading in them, and I remembered what she had said to me.

I stopped abruptly and clenched my fist. She gave me a greatful look in her eyes and continued to endure the punishment of the Titan Lord Kronos. I had to look away, not to watch the sickening process of wrong.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, the Cyclops stopped whipping the back of her goddess and just stood there like a statue as Kronos looked down at her with a look of disgust on his face.

"Pitiful." He said in a sneering way.

I had to bit my tongue as hard as I could to refrain myself from going up there and swinging my sword, punches went out of the realm of physical possibility a long time ago, at him with all my strength. I hated this guy so much! And to think, I'm related to him somehow.

"So," he continued. "Are you ready to tell me where the boy is?"

My eyes widened. This was what this was all about? Some boy? Why would Artemis go through all this pain and suffering over some boy?

She spat out some golden blood onto the cement floor and shivered despite the heat of this place. She breathed heavily, obviously in pain.

Finally, she spoke. But what she spoke wouldn't help her situation at all. "You are such a horrible thing to be doing this! But know this, I will never betray a fellow hunter!"

Kronos eyes flashed again and he nodded at the Cyclops. I looked away and tried to ignore the sounds of torture for the next ten minutes. Again, it finally stopped and Artemis gasped in pain when it stopped.

"Always so honorable and loyal Artemis."

He bent down to her level and gave a warm smile, but I saw it for what it really was. It was a manipulating smirk of evil.

"You know my dear, it can all end when you want. Just tell me about the boy."

Artemis glared at him. "We both know that while I may look like it; I am no little girl so there is no point for you to treat me like one."

He sighed, his personality completely different than the cruel man he had just been into a parent dealing with a child who wouldn't listen.

Kronos looked at the Cyclops and was about to signal him to start the torture on her again when a mist suddenly formed in the room beside Artemis. I narrowed my eyes as I saw who it was, the cause of all this suffering.

It was, of course, Luke Castellan.

"Lord Kronos," He said with total respect. "I hope you're doing well. Is it hot there my Lord?"

"Yes, it is very hot here in…"

I held my breath, would I finally find out? Please!

"Here in this undelightful former state called Arizona and in this pathetic town used to be known as 'Phoenix'."

My eyes widened. I had finally found it! The place where Artemis was being held! It was in Phoenis Arizona! And that was only like a week or so a way by car, at least that was what I thought it would be the last time I had looked at the map of the former U.S.

I realized that Kronos was still talking. "I will be returning now. Prepare form my arrival."

The traitor of the Gods and of all Half-Bloods nodded, and bowed to his evil master. "Of course My Lord."

With that, Kronos suddenly disappeared with the sneering Cyclops and the moment they disappeared I ran up to Artemis, only hesitating for a moment wondering if I could touch anything here in this dream, and debated trying to help her or if I could.

Artemis looked up at me and gave me a sad look. "Hello Percy, I'm sorry that you had to see that but I can't exactly choose when I want you to appear here."

I looked at her confused. "What? I thought you're the one who is bringing me here in the first place."

She began to nod her head, but then shook it, and then lowered her head feeling the immense pain from the previous torture.

"Yes," She breathed, pain in her features. "And no."

She breathed out the two words with force. Artemis breathed in again, and began talking. I felt guilty to be making her talk to me.

"It's because of you're fathers power that I can bring you here, others won't work as well since very few have you're fathers power. I've limited you're father and his power down to… four men."

I grimanced. Even Artemis didn't know who he was. I wasn't going to even ask about the fathers power and why I'm the only one it would work with to save her some breath.

"Who…" I didn't know if I should ask her or not.

She, however, seemed to know what I was thinking and wanting to ask.

"I will be fine young hero." She spoke with conviction causing me to believe her, but I also believed she was in a lot more pain than she was letting on. "The four that I have limited you down to his my father Zeus, my uncle Poseidon, my uncle Hades, and my twin brother Apollo."

"I don't think I'm your nephew." I told her. "I was tested and… it didn't end to well. Don't ever trust me with a bow." I tried to say the last thing with humor in an attempt to make her laugh. She didn't laugh as she did before when I said something stupid but smiled.

"It is kind of you to try to bring cheer to me, I thank you for that."

I noticed something, beside her brother she had said that I was the son of one of the big three. Me? One of the Big Three? Very unlikely.

"I don't think I'm one of the Big Three's son either."

She gave me an amused look. "Why do you think that Percy?"

I gave her a disbelieving look. "You may be calling me a hero but I really am nothing special! I have no great power and no one expects anything from me! The only thing remotely great about me is that I'm good with a sword and I can paddle a canoe!"

She gave me an interested look. "Those two things can help lead to who you are. Just keep an open mind, I wish I could help you…but I cannot."

I gave her a bit of a pleading look. "Why? Why can't you help me? I could use a Goddess help!"

"This Goddess is not what she used to be, but that is not the reason, and also you must figure it out yourself."

I sighed, bothersomely. Why did everyone keep telling me that?

We stayed quiet for a moment.

"Why'd you call me this time?" I asked her. There must be a reason she had me appear in her dream. "Was it just so I could find out where you were?"

She shook her head. "That was just luck, a piece of luck that we need, but the reason I called you this time after so long was so I ask you for yet another favor young hero."

I nodded, find out who my father was, rescue my father, and save Artemis. Adding another thing wouldn't be too bad.

I was being sarcastic of course, but I really could handle it.

"I… need you to find my sisters."

Again with the sisters thing. "Who are you're sisters? Are they like Zeus's daughters or something making them half sisters of yours? Like the Nine Muses?"

She shook her head. "No. Have you ever heard of the Hunters of Artemis?"

I shook my head. "No, I haven't. But if I can take a guess I would say it's a bunch of people who are your hunters and followers?"

She nodded. "Yes, except the 'people' you talk about are all young maidens who serve me. Back before the war started and ended, there were many of us and we were rarely apart from each other. Then when the war started…everything fell apart and many of my sisters died fighting for me. Tbey would of all died if my head lieutenant hadn't sacrificed herself for them on Half Blood hill where they were fighting… I'm sure that Kronos would of massacured them all. Her sacrifice is why most of them live today. "

"Who…" I gulped. "Who was your head lieutenant? The one who is now a tree and guards the borders of the camp and who Kronos said was daughter of you're father Zeus…?"

Artemis gave me a sad smile. "A very brave girl she was…great friends with one of my first lieutenants Zoe Nightinshade, but no matter…her name was…"

I leaned in and listened, curious.

"-Her name was Bianca Di Angelo, daughter of Hades."

End Chapter 10

NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH NKKH

MUHAHAHAHAHA! I BET YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING NOW DID YA? MUHAHAHAH!

Okay, I am tossing that little cliffhanger in there because I love it! Expect more things like this!

R&R

Oh yeah! Special thanks to Anonymous who begged on hand and knee in French! (How did you know asking me in a different language always makes me update! It's my weakness…)