"NO!" Percy Jackson's cry of anguish cut through the barren wasteland and he raced forwards, towards the wreckage. The Cambion tore through the scrap celestial bronze, searching for a body.

Dead or alive - he would find Bianca.

He had already allowed this to happen. He was most likely next to die. Knowing who ever the Hell the General is, Astaroth and it are most likely relaying information constantly.

His heart stopped.

A bloodied hand was resting in his hands, limp.

A few inches of bone were jutting out of the amputated wrist, fresh blood leaking out of the limb.

Percy felt sick, stood up, and turned.

"She's dead..." He managed, stifling a sob. "All because I was too much of a coward..."

All paled at the limp, mangled hand.

Grover had to turn and trotted away, throwing up. Percy placed the hand on the ground and walked away, seething.

Luke was going to die the most slow and most painful death. He makes his own punishments seem like an eternity on the Isle of the Blest.

Kronos would burn with them, as the rest of Hell.

But still, he would do something really stupid - drag the demigoddess out of Hell with his dying breath if he had to.

"They're all going to die... Luke and Kronos being the first..." Percy snarled, a few tears dripping down from his chin.

"I'll try again with the truck." Phoebe suggested, walking back over to the vehicle at the edge of the junkyard.

The son of Astaroth tensed up, and punched a slab of the godly metal.

It was his entire fault that this had happened. He not only hated himself for not being able to stop her, but because he was so pathetic. No wonder he was an outcast.

He punched it again, creating a small dent in the Greek demigod metal. His knuckles were bloodied, his head hanging low as he calmed down from his paroxysm.

Zoë had sat down and wept silently while Thalia yelled in rage, impaling the giant's face with her spear.

The sound of an engine roaring to life cut through the silence, and all climbed aboard - Thalia and Phoebe sitting in the front, the daughter of Zeus driving. Grover lay down, trying to catch some sleep due to Percy's insistence, leaving him and Zoë to lean against the tow winch.

The air around them was dry and cool, seeming like an insult to the Cambion after the recent tragic loss of Bianca di Angelo.

Percy's hand closed around the little figurine given to him by Bianca. It was probably for her younger brother...

All emotion left as he thought of the boy. He was going to be distraught after this. He had small amounts of hope that she was out there somewhere, alive. But something was biting at him to say that she was gone for good.

"It should have been me..." Percy growled to himself, the Lieutenant heard and turned on him, anger in her eyes.

"Don't you start that! It's bad enough with Bianca! I may not like thy much, but thou aren't going to die." Zoë snapped, slapping his cheek. A bright red handprint was left on the left side of his face.

"I bet you want to shove an arrow into my black heart now." He sneered, his skin glowing slightly with an evil light.

"I did want to." She answered, her obsidian eyes gleaming with annoyance.

"Then do it!" Percy was desperate. He was hurting too much. Grief had begun to swallow him up again, and it was driving him insane.

"I can't!" She cried, the tension between them high. Their noses were practically touching.

Percy could feel her hot breath on his lips, as Zoë could feel his. Heavy breathing left their lips, eyes full of anger.

"Why? I thought you hated me and my kind." Percy growled through gritted teeth.

"You're different from the rest." She answered, and Percy looked down and away from the Hunter. It was coming back for him. That strange feeling... He didn't like it a lot.

It felt like something was flying around his stomach, and his heart was ready to leap out of his throat.

"Thanks... I guess..." He muttered under his breath.

The tow truck ran out of fuel. They were at the edge of a river canyon. That was just as well, because the road dead-ended.

The daughter of Zeus got out and slammed the door. Almost immediately, one of the tyres blew. "Great. What now?"

Percy scanned the horizon. There was only desert in all directions, with the occasional clumps of barren mountains plopped here and there. The canyon was the only thing his ADHD found somewhat interesting. Probably because he felt like cannonballing into the river below. Just a small temptation that was steadily growing. It was mainly full of green water with a few rapids, only being a small fifty metres across. But, it still managed to leave a massive scar across the desert. The rock cliffs dropped away below them.

"There's a path." Grover had spoken up, "We could get to the river."

The son of Astaroth tried to see what he was talking about. He soon noticed a tiny ledge winding down the cliff face. "That's a goat path." He said, not wanting to take that way down.

"So?" Was the satyr's answer.

"You're the only goat here."

"We can make it - I think."

So reassuring.

Percy thought about it. He had done cliffs before, but he still hated them. He snuck a glance at Thalia, and saw how pale she'd got. With her problem with heights, she would never survive the climb down.

"No." Percy said, "We should head further upstream."

"But-"

"Come on." The dark-blood insisted, "A little walk won't hurt us.

He glanced at Thalia, her eyes saying a quick Thank you.

The five followed the river for about a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season.

"We need to go upstream." Zoë said. It was the first time Thalia and Phoebe had heard her speak since the junkyard incident. Percy was worried about her - she sounded as if she has the flu.

"The rapids are too swift though!" Phoebe objected.

"Leave that to me. Legacy of Poseidon here." Percy waved his hands in the air like a maniac.

They put two canoes in the water - one for three, the other for two.

Thalia pulled her friend aside when they went to get the oars.

"Thanks for back there." She told Percy.

"Don't mention it."

"Can you really..." She nodded her head towards the rapids. "You know."

"My mother was the daughter of Oceanus and Poseidon. I should be good with water."

"I owe you one."

"Yeah... That's gonna be cashed in later on."

She smiled at Percy's lack of humour. For a second, Percy remembered that he actually like her when she wasn't yelling... At him. She turned at helped Grover get their canoe into the water.

Percy was about to hop in the canoe with Grover and Thalia, but a rough hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"What?" He asked, turning to Phoebe.

"Go with Zoë. She thinks it's better to have an archer on each boat in case of an ambush." She snapped, and Percy nodded, seeing the same logic in it.

But, why him? She could easily share a canoe with Thalia or Grover, or still share with Phoebe and take the chance of them dying.

Percy just hopped in the canoe, bemused. Zoë remained silent, and Percy passed an oar to the Lieutenant.

As it turned out though, he didn't need to test his water powers to control the river currents. As soon as they got into the river, he had glanced over the edge to see a couple of naiads staring at him.

They looked like normal teenage girl, the kind you saw in any mall or high street, just that they were underwater.

Let's try speaking to them! A small within him suggested unintelligibly.

Hey. The son of Astaroth tried speaking to them.

They made a bubbling sound, which may have been a giggle. He wasn't sure. He would obviously have a hard time understanding naiads in the future.

We're heading upstream, He told them. Do you think you could -?

Before the Cambion could finish, the naiads chose a canoe before pushing them up the river. They started so fast that Grover fell into the canoe, hooves sticking up in the air.

"I hate naiads." Zoë grumbled. A stream of water squirted up from the rear of the boat and hit Zoë directly in the face.

"She-devils!" The Hunter of Artemis went for her bow.

"Whoa," Percy said, not wanting and pissed naiads cursing them. "They're just playing!"

"Cursed water spirits. They've never forgiven me." She grumbled.

"Forgiven you for what?"

She slung her bow back over her shoulder. "Never mind. It was a long time ago."

They sped up the river, the cliffs looming over them from either side.

"Bianca's passing wasn't your fault." Percy told Zoë calmly, "It was my fault for letting her go." He knew it was hurting her - her blaming herself for the death of the young Hunter of Artemis. He figured that it would give her a reason to start yelling at him - but it would hopefully shake her out of feeling depressed as well.

Instead of using violence, her shoulders slumped. "No, Percy. I pushed her into going on this quest. I was too anxious. She was a powerful half-blood with a kind heart. I... I thought that she would be a great replacement for my role as lieutenant."

"But you're the lieutenant. You're not going to die any time soon."

The Hunter gripped the strap of her quiver. She had bags under her eyes, making her look more tired than Percy had ever seen her. "Nothing lasts forever, Perseus. I have led the Hunt for more than two thousand years. My wisdom from all those years ago has not improved a bit. Now, even Artemis is in danger."

"Look, Zoë. I did that. I put Artemis in chains. I'm a demon, so blame me - not you.

"But I should have insisted on -"

"I would have killed you! He would have killed you! He doesn't care for anyone, bent on freeing his long-lost first love from the pits of Hell! Artemis will be lucky if he didn't kill her! So stop blaming yourself!"

Zoë opened her mouth for a few seconds, but didn't answer.

The cliffs that ran parallel to each other, on either side of the five, began to grow taller. Long shadows fell across the water. The air around them got a lot more nippy, despite the fact that the day was bright.

Subconsciously, Percy took Riptide out of his pocket. Zoë looked at the pen, a Paine expression on her face.

"You made this, didn't you?" He asked, uncapping the pen. It enlarged into a three foot long celestial bronze sword, which glowed faintly in the dim light around them.

"Who told thee?"

"A dream I had."

The Lieutenant studied him. Percy thought she was going to call him something along the lines of crazy and idiotic, but she just sighed, like a bad memory...

Well... It kind of was.

"It was a gift. And a mistake."

"Who's the douche bag you want to castrate?" Percy asked.

Zoë shook her head in refusal. "Do not make me say his name. I swore never to speak it again."

"Should know him? You act as if I should."

"I am sure you do, hero. Don't all you boys want to be like him?"

Her voice was bitter, like her hate for him was still a fresh wound. The Cambion decided against pushing her any further. No male wanted an arrow in the jewels. The son of Astaroth looked down at the blade, and for the first time, wondered if it was cursed.

"Hold up - your mother was a water goddess?" He asked.

"Yes, Pleoine. She had five daughters - my sisters and I. The Hesperides."

Something clicked in the legacy's mind, the gears creaking after not being used for a while.

"Those were the girls who lived in a garden at the edge of the West. With the golden apple tree, that dragon guarding it."

"Yes," She said wistfully, "Ladon."

Percy's eyes suddenly went a ghostly white, and his head snapped back with a sickening crack.

White smoke began to leak out of his open mouth and nostrils.

A series of images rushed through Percy's mind, and he began to seize, causing the boat to rock from side to side, the nymphs underneath unable to control the movements.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Demon's Wrath ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Percy's point of view:

~~~~~~~~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~~~~~~~~

I gasped for air as the demon's hand was pried from my neck, and the shadow formed a cloaked figure.

"Stop this, Alastair! We shall allow my son to speak!" Astaroth snarled from under his hood, the air growing heavy around the three.

"He's my toy, Astaroth... He will die!" Alastair snarled, and a ten metre whip of blue flames formed in his right hand.

"No, brother. He may be a Cambion, but he is very much the survival of the Demon race." Astaroth's taloned hands burst into black flames, and his black eyes grew more sinister.

"Allow me to prove it, Prince..." Alastair snarled and cracked his whip in Astaroth's direction, but he dodged it.

He fired a blast of black flames at the torturer, and a fiery whip coiled around the Prince of Hell's arm.

"Well, let's end this... Shall we?" The Torturer of Hell wore one of the most sadistic smirks the prince had ever seen in his duration of Hell.

Scratch that - his ten millennia long life.

"Yes, we shall - for now." Astaroth waved his hand; a bolt of black lightning sent the Torturer of Hell over the edge of the chasm into the Ninth Circle.

"You're nothing to me anymore."

~~~~~~~~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~~~~~~~~

"She's safe, Perseus Jackson. She's holding the sky up for the General. Now, hurry your ass up already!" The beast barked, and I jumped up to my feet, uncapping Riptide.

"I'm going you son of a bitch." I snapped, following the manticore over to a scheduled section of the museum.

On a set of doors, was a sentence. All I could make out were the words: 'Closed for Pirate Event'.

It didn't make any sense until I switched a few letters around so it read 'Closed for Private Event'.

Thorn slammed the doors wide open, to reveal a room made out of polished marble.

There were two Scythian dracaenae and at least a dozen mortal soldiers around the room.

On a balcony, was a figure masked by the shadows: The General.

I could only make out his knuckles and legs, but he was obviously ripped by the size of him.

The doors closed behind him, and all eyes were focused on me. Nervousness began to overwhelm me, but I didn't break.

"Is this the Cambion Azazel spoke of?" The General asked, and Thorn nodded.

"Great. How do you feel about hunting a hunter for starters?" The General asked, and I just shrugged.

"Depends on who it is. But, may I ask, who are you really?" I questioned, and the General nodded.

"Well, Your task is to hunt Artemis. And as for my name? It is... -"

~~~~~~~~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~~~~~~~~

"Is that all?" Percy asked. He wouldn't dare risk getting on this Titan's bad side.

"For now. Artemis is currently hunting for a monster that can change the tide of the war. She won't be hard to find." Atlas added, and the crossbreed nodded.

"I'll take my leave then. Where is she currently?"

"Not far from here. When you capture, make sure to take her Mount Tamalpais. I shall meet you there."

The doors opened and Percy left.

~~~~~~~~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~~~~~~~~

I appeared in between an auburn haired girl and the cliff.

Artemis

SNAP! CRUNCH!

The goddess of the hunt fell down to the ground, her ankle twisted at an awkward angle.

I waved my hands, and golden thread sprung out from nowhere and strapped Artemis to the ground, resulting in her to cry out in pain as her damaged ankle was moved.

I walked over to her, and rammed a needle into my arm and draining some of my blood into a syringe.

"Nighty - night, Phoebe Artemis." I stabbed her in the neck, injecting the dark blood into her body.

Artemis' eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body began to shake, obviously having a seizure.

White foam crawled out of her mouth before she suddenly stopped all movement, as if she was dead.

"Good riddance. Go feed on some people." Hellhounds that were around me then ran off, trails of dark blue smoke lingering in the air briefly.

I reached down and heaved the goddess up onto my shoulder before running into a nearby shadow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Demon's Wrath ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I groggily opened my eyes.

I was on a river bank, a dam the size of a football stadium ahead of us.

"Percy!" Zoë cried as I groaned in pain, my neck killing me.

"I know where Artemis is..." I croaked out weakly. "Mount Tamalpais... And... Artemis will die soon..."

The four grew pale at those four words.

"... Why?" Zoë managed to ask.

"My blood is in her veins... Need to drain it... Or... She will go... Part demon..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Demon's Wrath ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And I HAD to end it there! Or... Well... I would continue again...

And I'm SORRY! I'M THE WORST WITH UPDATING! Well, other than school drowning me in homework... And getting ill (again), life problems, my B-day plans AND for tomorrow to go see Three Days Grace live in London (WOO-HOO!)!

Well, with that out of the way, one more chapter will come out this week (Sunday hopefully), so yeah...

Let's just get on with the reviews!

Akuma-Heika, I'll PM you your replies (too long at the moment).

Guest: I am confused; why did Lucifer beat his witch for following his orders?

I am in agreement for PercyArteZoe

It's the devil for a reason!

Ugh... Too hard to pull off!

Guest: how much wood can a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood.

Btw great story!

-_- No - just no.

Thanks!

The Anti-Flame: One time I was reading a fic( I don't remember who it was by sorry if the author of that story reads this and I don't take credit for this) He added "All flames go to Hephestus' forge" at the end of his story. Just thought it was cool so it would match up with you :p

I've heard that too... I can't remember where though... Argh...

Zgirl101: Mercenaries? Really? Where'd you come up with that one?

Anyways, nice job adding original stuff to the junk yard scene! And the short part that was in Zoe's pov was cool.

Try not to get burned anymore!

Mercenaries? Since the start of The Titan's Curse. And my imagination. Had to do a murder fest.

Thanks!

Can't promise!

AncientTide: SCHOOL STARTED TODAY! I HAVE ADHD OR A MESSED UP IMAGINATION TO! LOVED IT! YOU ARE THE SHE!

Unlucky (like me)! I'm messed up... Nearly anyone is labelled with ADHD... Thanks! Wait... I'm a boy though! See the name? PRINCE! ARGH!

Fallen Angel of Olympus: 1) I got a title for your sequel, I think maybe

The Blood of Demons

Demonic Hell

The Murderer of the Dark

The Demon, the King, and the Huntress

2) Oh I got another one, how about um The Demon's Embrace or The Hell's Embrace or something with Embrace with it? Like Embrace of Hell or The King of Hell's Embrace or this stupid name: Perseus Jackson: Half Demon, Half Hero? IDK

Cool. Again, cool.

Theon Azul: Well good chapter except for *sniff sniff* why! Anyways, don't kill Zoë... Plz, even though I know it will most likely happen. Oh yeah, I started my own story, and I would live it if you could check it out. Thx for this sad, but sad, did I mention sad? But awesomely sad, still awesome chapter. You're still an awesome author though.

Still crying, just kidding, I've read so many stories were awesome characters die, but still... Whatever. Cya,

Theon Azul

I know, I know... Kill me... Ugh... I won't... Promise! I checked it... I think... It was quite good I think... Have to look again. Thanks!

Guardian'sDragonOfDeath: This is great

Thanks!

The Invisible Pretender: Nice chapter. It's always sad, Bianca dying. And I have goose bumps thinking about you doing a romance one shot. They aren't from being excited about; it's the horror of the thought. No offense.

I'm leaning more towards your odd imagination. Maybe with some slight paranoia, but I don't know how paranoid you might be.

Thanks! I know *sniff* so sad. Wow... Someone has faith in me! It's not hard! The challenge is no violence... Wait - horror? What, do you think it will be like 'Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared' or something? And I take offence! :(

Good. Paranoia... Quite a bit...

Anyway, I've been having thoughts: Should I speed this story up some more by skipping a few sections?

Also, the polls still going, so vote!

Leave a review (ten seconds guys!)

Bye!

~ The Prince of Souls (Soul Rebirth)