Bottom. *smiling sheepishly*

Chapter 11

Crap. Why now?

He thought miserably as he used his superhuman speed to run towards the direction of the lake as fast as his legs could take him. His superior was now meters away from the surface. Nobody tried to save him, yet no one was attacking either. There was still hope.

Once he reached the border, he jumped, catching the falling man by the arms. He dragged him with him as he fell, and twisted slightly so he was on top, and his superior's back facing the ground. They landed roughly, the unconscious man skidding to a stop while he jumped off as soon as they landed and hurried to the man's side.

His superior had not too much injuries- only some small scratches in the back that he received from the fall. There were leaves and small twigs stuck in his hair, and his face was slightly dirty. His wings were retracted, thank the gods.

Light thumping of footsteps told him of incoming company. Kaemon quickly shadow traveled them away to some random place before they could reach them.

Still holding on to Omega, he emerged in an abandoned warehouse in Queens that happened to be one of the monster camps that he had spread. The monsters that were just chilling there immediately converged around them. Kaemon put them on orders to the infirmary for healing and rest while he'll go back to camp to calm the issues; then come back for answers once the little campers settled down.

He shadow traveled back to the forest where they landed, but this time a few ways away from where they originally landed. He ran back to the spot to see a tiny bunch of campers around the area looking around confused. When one of them caught sight of him, the camper told the others, and soon Kaemon was mobbed by questions.

"Kaemon! Where is he?" was the most common question he'd heard. This time he had to think fast, provided that they shouldn't see him hesitating. He cursed himself silently for being a blockhead and not thinking what to say before running back here. He just hoped they wouldn't get too suspicious.

"He disappeared."

This answer seemed not to satisfy them, and only added more questions into the block. He mentally face-palmed for not again thinking what he was about to say. Thankfully he thought of something.

"When we landed, he got up and ran, and I chased after him. I managed to corner him into a cliff and he..," he paused, picking the right word to say. He knit his eyebrows while thinking. "He jumped."

The campers murmured at this, unsure of what to do. A son of Athena stepped forward inquisitively. "What did he look like?"

Kaemon raised an eyebrow in mock curiosity. "Why do you want to know? I bet it isn't important, anyway."

The son of Athena frowned. "It's important. What if he was one of the enemies? We could track him down or know just so we'd be assured he's one."

Kaemon's face turned impassive. "I don't know," he told him emotionlessly. "His face was covered." Before any of them could utter another word, the conch horn sounded for dinner. The son of Bia quickly hustled out of the woods and straight to the dining pavilion and onto their table, where he found Dianne who had a small, gleeful smile- it was hardly noticeable.

She saw him and outright grinned at him. He waved and sat beside her. He waited as the centaur announced the quest and its members. They didn't say the prophecy, which left him curious. Once Chiron left them to dig in, he turned to his companion.

Dianne was stabbing her steak animatedly before devouring a part of it in her mouth. The meat lover and her eating habits, Kaemon thought shaking his head before speaking up.

"What's with you?" he asked. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and winked, before getting a pen and paper (he doesn't know where she got that) and scribbling something on it. She shoved it in his hands before going back to her food. Kaemon raised an eyebrow and looked down at the text.

He could read it easily, as the dyslexia everyone has will be reduced once you join the army- a part of the Masters' blessing. He also realized that the writing was in Latin, and written that way as to not have any other peers who could understand their threatening conversation in the pavilion.

Reading it, he then knew of the prophecy that was not mentioned earlier. She also had asked him of what had happened while she was at the Big House. Sighing, he wrote what had happened. She had a worried look upon reading it and looked towards Kaemon in a silent agreement.

He nodded and both had a malicious glint in their eyes.

-*Tartarus*-

"I didn't expect it to be this easy."

Jason noticed as he followed his quest mates through the tunnels and caverns of the dark pit. The only lights were, strangely enough, faint red light that came off from no other source than the walls. Alyssa told them that it wasn't like this when she was here.

But things change in five hundred years, right? Or maybe, just maybe, someone was making it easy for them. Still, he had a bad feeling that this quest would lead to someone's death. What were the lights for, anyway?

According to Alyssa, when she was here, the only light that they had was the light emanating from the son of Poseidon's bronze sword. When they had fallen in firsthand, it was so dark that even her hands were out of sight in front of her face.

And also from what she had experienced, she told them that the abyss was like the labyrinth. The paths were everlasting, ever-changing. Extending. Nico told them the same thing back when he led them to a safe entrance. The thought really didn't make Jason feel any better when he already knew that he had to go through his Uncle's domain.

But with Hazel, he felt a little reassured. She was a daughter of Pluto, and an expert at tunnels, then maybe with her it would assure him that they would survive this quest. At first her father in his Greek form did not want to give permission, but Nico somehow convinced him that it would be alright, and told him he would send help. Hades had asked what kind of help, and Nico just answered, 'Another quest.' Jason never knew what that meant, but it gave them permission to enter the chaotic abyss.

But then again, he did not expect it to be this easy.

"Don't jinx it, Jason," Alyssa chided. She mumbled some incoherent words that the son of Jupiter didn't catch, but Hazel did.

"What was that, Annabeth?" she asked her. The girl snapped out of her reverie.

"Call me Alyssa," she told the daughter of Pluto who mumbled an apology, yet waited for the answer to her question. Alyssa sighed. "I was thinking-"

"You always do," Jason cut in smiling and faltered when Alyssa glared at him. "Sorry."

"As I was saying, shouldn't we have a prophecy when we have a quest?" she wondered aloud. Her companions thought about it. "I mean, this is issued by the gods, so wouldn't that need a prophecy?"

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that need my father's consent?" he asked as Hazel nodded in agreement.

She shrugged. "Apollo is still there, so prophecies should still be going…" Hazel turned to look at her quest mates behind her. "Let's not worry about that now," she advised, "Besides, in most quests demigods go into, they're walking blind. I did too."

They left it at that. The occasional monsters would still show up on them, but nothing they can't handle. They still received some minor injuries, but once again, nothing they and a little ambrosia can't handle. Although, they were trying to minimize the use of their godly food, as they were sure that they would need it much further especially when they rescue the gods.

They've been walking for what has been like forever when they heard a voice. It was not what they wanted to hear, unfortunately.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" mused an amused voice.

This was like one of those cliché mortal action movies, where the hero would get ambushed by some strong goon of the villain to at least make them weak before they went to save someone. That was an obvious reference- they were near.

The voice gave them a booming laugh, which sent shivers along their backs. But they refused to show their fear. They took out their weapons and assumed a defensive stance, watching out for anything warily. A sweat bead made its way down Alyssa's face.

The voice stopped laughing to ask, "Scared, are we?" before chuckling at them, as if it was cute for them to be scared.

Alyssa cleared her throat. "Who are you?!"

It sighed. "Fine. I'm too rude." A figure stepped out of the shadows and made itself visible to the quest. It was a tall man, towering about seven feet. He was well-built- literally. He had a muscular physique, but he was made out of rocks that had cracks and dark magma between them. His eyes were a hot, glowing red, which gazed at them with amusement. His mouth somewhat resembled a volcano's mouth, and opened to say, "Come out here. They look good for statues."

Alyssa stiffened at this. Was he calling who she thought it was? Oh no, this would be a tough battle. But instead of the dreaded gorgon, she saw a woman unrecognized by her step out and beside the lava guy. She saw Jason stiffen at the corner of her eye.

The woman gave her a sense of familiarity, though she doesn't recognize her. She had unnaturally pale skin, lush black hair, and cold brown eyes. She was in a black silk dress, with a little silver that glittered on the outfit. Her equally pale, pinkish lips were curled up in a small amused but delicate smile.

She knew her. This was… Oh no. She wouldn't. He wouldn't dare!

Alyssa felt a surge of anger. How dare he replace her with this cold-hearted goddess? And to think that he probably put her in here, in front of her just to spite her…

"What," she whispered, deadly calm. "Have you… done… with P-Percy?"

It still hurt for her to say his name, but she needs to know what had made him this evil, that even he sent his lover to deal with his ex-lover. But judging from her expression, she didn't seem to be bothered by this; she looked pleased, even.

"Oh, you mean Omega?" she replied with her own question, while the daughter of Athena winced at the name. It was the name that brought her nightmares. But Percy… even more nightmares.

Khione's smile widened when she saw her wince. Finally, a revenge on this nosy know-it-all for all she has done to her boyfriend will surely make her day complete. She knew that Percy only sent Perses, yet she couldn't help but join and watch. She can even help, but that was against his orders. Sure, she was her girlfriend and all, but he was still the commander.

"I've done nothing to him, daughter of Athena," she continued, sneering at her. "Such a loving boyfriend he is. Although I have to thank you for letting go of such a handsome and heroic guy. That means you are safe for now, Jason Grace." She directed the last part at the son of Jupiter, who relaxed a tad but was still in defensive mode.

"Good enough he had gotten away from you. He was very depressed and angry when he came to me," Khione continued sweetly as Alyssa's eyes widened. "He told me you were not good enough for him. And the fact that your mother was telling the opposite." She sniffed disdainfully.

Alyssa's quest mates just watched as she narrowed her eyes at the goddess of snow. They haven't moved an inch, but they were still on alert. Khione continued, "I comforted him. He told me he hated you. I assured him that. We became friends ever since, and now, look." The goddess smiled smugly.

The daughter of Athena was shaking in anger. Blinded by her own emotions, she charged the goddess with her dagger lifted. Her friends followed suit, brandishing their weapons, determined to protect the daughter of Athena. They froze when a black blade intercepted her dagger.

Their eyes followed the length of the blade, going from the light-sucking black molten rock to a hilt which was infused with a dark, silvery substance that made it glitter red inside the dimly lit cavern. It was held by a rocky hand who had flowing lava in his veins. Khione just smiled wryly.

"Thank you, Perses." The titan just grunted. "I shall take my leave now. A shame that I cannot bring harm to you. Although our time today tormenting you was good enough. Farewell for now, Annabeth Chase."

She disappeared in a dark chilly mist. Perses smiled wickedly. "Now that my restrictions are out, I may squash you now all I want."

Okay, sorry for just walking out on you like that, but I've had school. School is back. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

It's crazy. First week and I already got work. I guess being a sophomore really does that to you. (i'm from the PHP) Anyway, yeah, so school has been out on me and I really shouldn't be doing this. I have some homework to do (AND I JUST LOVE MY MATH TEACHER CAUSE SHE DIDN'T GIVE US ONE! ONLY OUR CLASS! WE'RE HER FAVORITES) and I should be doing that, but I love you guys. I admit, I already have the chapter planned out and I only wrote all this today, but I've currently committed myself to my studies unlike last time (I just hate that year, honestly) so perhaps I'll write when I have time. I probably won't be updating on weekdays but who knows?

Oh, and before I forget, watch out for another story to come out; I'm working on a story with MY FAVORITE PAIRING! Kudos to who guesses it. Hint: has some chaos ;) Review! And shout-out to Best B for being a faithful reader! I love you all!