Guess what guys? This wonderful chapter is called the 'interlude' because it's in Nico's POV, giving a better reason (kinda...) for him and Annabeth to run off. Now that everyone's split up, I thought that I'd do that once in a while to give everyone an idea about what's happening with them. It was also a LOT of fun to write :)

There is also a big surprise in this chapter! I just know that you guys will love it :) Or, well, you'd better, because I wasn't sure whether to write it or not hahaha.

Anyway. I'm also sad to say that...I made a REALLY bad mistake in the prophecy! I was so annoyed with my own stupidity. Basically, I was reading over it again to double check plot details...and I read the line 'Only one can save you from the traitor and the Titan's revenge' and then thought "Uh...since when are the Titans part of this story? Didn't Percy destroy...CRAP!"

So yeah. I messed up. but it happens to all of us sooner or later.

If you go back and look for it now you'll see that I fixed it. Just know that it's really 'Giant's revenge' and not 'Titan's revenge'. Sorry guys!

Alright, I'm done rambling. Onto the chapter! And I hope that you like my little surprise ;) There'll be an AN at the bottom explaining my decision about writing it.


The Son of Neptune

Interlude

Nico

"You sure we should be doing this?" Nico asked cynically, knuckles white from gripping the mane of his Pegasus so hard. He was a son of Hades, and last time he checked, his father was lord of the underworld, and not anything above that. And yet, here he was, riding a Pegasus in Zeus's domain, practically asking to be blown out of the sky.

"Nico, for the hundredth time, I'm sure," Annabeth said, her grey eyes directed straight ahead at the open sky before her. They had almost reached Percy's place.

"Alright, fine, I won't ask anymore, ok? But…" Nico swallowed hard and looked nervously up at the sky. Was it just him, or could he feel small sparks of electricity pulsing through the air? "…but can we fly a little lower? I don't want to get fried!"

Annabeth shot him a look over her shoulder, but her face softened as she nodded, descending a little bit.

"So you clear on the plan?"

"Yeah, yeah," Nico muttered. Sure, he may have questioned countless times whether they should go through with the plan, but that didn't mean he didn't know the stupid thing off by heart. "Fill Sally and Paul in on the new news, don't stay for more than an hour – maybe two if necessary – and then head towards the bay area stopping only at our designated stops. Now please enjoy the rest of the flight," he added with a smirk and Annabeth frowned.

"Nico! This is serious!"

"I was being serious," he said, holding back laughter, leaning forward a bit to try to make himself more comfortable. "And what happens again when we get there?"

Annabeth's jaw tightened into a line, her expression full of determination. "We use what Jason's told me about the camp to our advantage and sneak in the way that we planned."

"Gotcha," Nico said, nodding in response. "And I suppose that the main part of that plan is not dying?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Nico, pretty much all of our plans involve that strategy one way or another."

"But this one's different," he muttered under his breath as Percy's apartment building came into view. "This one involves trying to save someone who probably doesn't even remember who we are."


The Son of Neptune

Interlude

Percy

Percy could feel his heart hammering in his chest from excursion and his breathing becoming rapid as he circled Bobby, one of the campers from the Mars cabin. He closed his eyes for a second, tuning out the roar of the crowd and trying to focus on the advice that Dakota had given him before he was practically forced into the amphitheatre.

"Bobby is the strongest guy here by far," Dakota had said, gripping Percy's shoulders with both hands. "But don't let that fool you. When it comes to speed, he may as well be trying to move through water that's pulling him in the opposite direction. That means that you've got to be fast. Oh, and don't-"

"Don't show weakness. Got it," Percy had interrupted while rolling his eyes. That was practically the camp's motto.

"Tired, Percy?" Bobby teased, bringing Percy back to reality. He took a deep breath and his green eyes shot open to meet Bobby's brown ones.

"No, I'm just getting started," he said calmly, feeling his muscles tense and his whole body ache in anticipation. But something stopped him lunging into the battle. His eyes darted to Bobby's spear and he felt his face twist into a frown. It was so familiar…but his mind couldn't place it.

"ARGH!" Bobby suddenly cried, losing patience and lunging towards Percy, his spear aimed right at his heart.

But…why didn't Percy feel threatened?

Thinking quickly, he jumped out of the way and Bobby continued to charge forward like an angry bull, missing Percy by miles. The crowed howled and Percy stared blankly as the huge camper skidded angrily to a halt and turned to face him, his eyes blazing. Bobby charged again and Percy braced himself, darting out of the way a second time and slashing at Bobby with his sword as he did so. The son of Mars grunted in pain from the hit but managed to stay on his feet, swaying slightly.

Something doesn't feel right about this, Percy thought, frowning at the shield that was pulling his arm down. Relying on instinct, Percy ripped it from his arm threw it away like a giant Frisbee, deciding that it was a dead weight that prevented the use of his left arm.

"Not liking the shield, huh?" Bobby asked as he approached again, slowly this time.

"It doesn't feel right," Percy said with a nod, placing his other hand on the hilt of his sword and twisting it comfortably in his hands. That was much better.

"Alright, so we'll make this a fair fight then?" Bobby said with a smirk, his own shield clattering to the ground. "I can beat you without the extra help anyway."

Wasting no time, Bobby then jabbed at Percy with his spear and he blocked it easily with his sword. He then took this opportunity to swiftly slash his sword sideways and Bobby cried out as it made contact with his arm. He gritted his teeth as blood started leaking down his skin like a broken tap and the started to chant Percy's name, finally happy that the battle was going somewhere.

Bobby, obviously feeling angered by this, grasped his spear and thrust it forward, just in time to hit thin air. Frustrated by Percy's fast movements, he propelled forward it again and again, until it finally it hit it's mark and Percy fell back on the floor with a jolt, sending dust swirling through the air.

Percy could feel static racing through his body and his head was spinning from the power of Bobby's thrust…but he didn't feel pain. In fact, aside from feeling slightly dizzy, he felt fine. But why-

Percy suddenly cried out, clutching his head in his hands and shutting his eyes tight.

"It will make you powerful," a voice said, seeming to shatter his skull. Percy's nails dug into his head to prevent it from falling apart. "But it will also make you weak. Your prowess in combat will be beyond any mortal, but your weaknesses, your failings, will increase as well." The voice quickly faded away, but that was replaced with pure agony. Every muscle in his body was screaming and he felt as if he were drowning. He struggled against it, his mind desperately trying to find a hold on reality, but there was none.

The cord, someone suddenly said, interrupting the pain. Don't forget your lifeline, dummy!

And then he remembered what was happening. The Styx. He was in the Styx.

Suddenly, there was a tug at the small of his back and the pain ebbed away.

"Hold on, Seaweed Brain," the same soothing voice said, and his muscles relaxed. "You're not getting away from me that easily." She was so familiar, but he couldn't remember who she was, and this seemed to bring a different kind of pain. It was like…someone had pulled out his heart as well as taken memories.

"You're such an idiot sometimes," she continued, but her voice was fading fast.

"No," he whispered, feeling tears stain his cheeks. "Don't go…"

"Come on. Take my hand…"

He reached out blindly, but there was nothing. He was alone.

Slowly, he felt his eyes creak open and he could see Bobby towering over him with his spear. The crowd was silent, but he knew that they were still there, watching to see how it would play out. No one would help him. That wasn't the way it worked here.

"You were screaming," Bobby said stupidly, not moving his spear out of Percy's focus. "I didn't think that my spear caused that much pain."

Percy shook his head and sat up, completely ignoring the spear that was now buzzing with electricity. "It wasn't the spear," he muttered and Bobby just stared at him, confused.

Percy slowly rose to his feet and the crowd cheered, expecting the fight to continue. Percy turned in a circle, looking at every one of the campers. The same thoughts kept racing through his head, over and over. I don't belong here…this is all wrong…why am I here…?

He shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts. Focus, Percy. Focus. He turned back to Bobby. "You can't beat me," he told him simply, and this seemed to get Bobby mad all over again, and he pointed his crackling spear at Percy's neck.

"Yes I can!"

"No…" he said quietly, his sword hanging at his side now. "You can't. I've bathed in the river Styx."

Bobby's jaw dropped open slowly and his eyes widened, his glance darting between his spear and Percy. But then he closed his mouth quickly and shook his head vigorously.

"You're pulling my leg, Son of Neptune. You're trying to get me to back down!"

"No!" Percy said, his voice pleading. "I'm not kidding-"

"I'm done fooling around!" he suddenly shouted, running forward and Percy sighed, deciding to end it already.

He blocked the first and four blows with ease, letting Bobby tire himself out a bit and by the fifth block, Percy held his sword steady and then used all his strength to push Bobby's arm back, leaving him open. Using this opportunity, he then stabbed at his armour, making him stumble and then used the hilt of his sword to hit Bobby in the face. Bobby staggered and cried out, his nose dripping blood, but he didn't fall. Instead, much to the pleasure of the crowd around them, he came at Percy again, his spear sending sparks flying everywhere. Percy blocked his strike again and then, with a flick of his wrist, sent Bobby's spear soaring across the arena, leaving him defenceless. Bobby took a few steps back so that there were two inches between himself and Percy's sword and clenched his fists.

Percy couldn't believe it – he still hadn't given up.

"It's time to end this," Percy said, breathing hard. He let his sword fall to his side once more as he felt a familiar tug at his gut.

"What the-" Bobby exclaimed as water started seeping through the ground around their feet.

Percy's breathing slowed and he relaxed as the water got higher, putting him completely in his element. He could feel the power coursing through his body, filling every fibre of his being with new found strength. He then directed the water towards Bobby and it started wrapping slowly around him like a snake, twisting itself until only Bobby's head was visible. He struggled hard against the water but it was somehow holding him in place just above the ground. Percy thought that he kind of looked like a caterpillar that was almost finished making a cocoon.

"Now what?" Percy asked over the sudden roar of the crowd, looking around for Dakota or Gwendolyn – the only two people that had bothered to make contact with him.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Dakota suddenly exclaimed, rushing out of one of the many doors onto the arena and raising Percy's hand in the air like they do on the wrestling shows. He cleared his throat, getting ready to shout to the crowd. "It looks like Percy has earned his title as praetor of the third legion!"

Percy sighed, looking around once more at the unfamiliar faces around him, most of which were cheering him on. But why? He had no idea what he was doing, or why he was there and he felt so confused and lost.

And then there were the dreams. The most common ones were about a girl with blonde hair, grey eyes, and a name that he just couldn't seem to place. But at least he knew what she sounded like now. She was the one who kept him anchored to his life while he was in the Styx after all. She was important. He was sure of it.


So in case we have any slow people out there, yes, the surprise was that most of this chapter is in Percy's POV :D After much thinking, I decided that I wanted to write a chapter in his POV so my friend and I talked it over and thought that it was possible. So every now and then there will be an 'interlude' and I'll update what's happening to Percy :)

Also, I know that 'praetor of the third legion' may sound confusing now, but all will be explained over time ;)

I hope that you liked the little surprise :)

R&R?

-Bell