Third Person POV

Thrones and Roses

It was cold, very far from usually in the dawn of morning in the kingdom of Atlantic, which was to be expected as nightmares were coming true. The sky was a cloudy pale shade of grey, fog roamed the dark forest covering the lifeless trees. By itself the Dark forest is intimidating, but with a throne wall blocking the entrance to the other side of the kingdom the Dark forest was alive.

Peruses Jackson was always told that he would be a great leader to his people. However as he stood in front of the throne wall with Riptide in his hand he didn't feel so great. His face red with anger, Percy slashed through the throne branches with all his strength, but none of it did him any good. As the branches broke, more grew twice as strong as before.

Your Kingdom or the Princess

Percy groaned frustrated with himself, with Hecate, with the Fates.

"Fate is what gives a man's life purpose", His mom would say "And with no purpose one does not see why they have come to this world. They walk only seeing dirt, completely ignoring the stem growing from within." Sally Jackson paused for a moment talking her time caring for her flowers before turning back to her son, "Many of the littlest things are the most marvelous gifts from the Gods, and if we don't care for them than Fate will have us all".

Even in his darkest point, he hears his mother's wisdom. It gave a little ease, but gave no ideas from passing through the Throne wall. Percy called for Blackjack until his voice cracked, he tried to channel the ocean within himself, but not an ounce of water sprouted from the palms of his hand. There was no getting past the Throne wall.

Your Kingdom of the Princess

Even more frustrated than before, Percy covered his face in his hands and fell to the cold ground. "Shut up", he said to no one or so he thought.

"That's a bit rude don't you thing, considering I had half the mind to help you" a voice somewhere in front of Percy said.

Instincts took over as Percy swung his sword, the tip of the blade barley touching the chest of a small creature.

"Or maybe I won't help you" the voice a bit softer than before said.

He looked up and saw a beautiful girl with an elf like appearance, her skin grass green. Brown branches flowed down her shoulders like hair and covering her green skin were large leaves like a dress. Slowly, Percy lowered his sword away from the dryad's chest, but he never lost his grip on his blade.

"Who are you?" he said bring himself off the floor, towering the short dryad.

"Word of a hero being on the wrong side of the forest spread like a wildfire. Who wouldn't stop by to see if the rumors are true?" she looked Percy up and down. "Nowadays heroes just aren't like they used to be".

"What's that supposed to mean!" Percy said offended.

She gave Percy a dry smile "Heroes don't fall when things go bad, Perseus".

She gestured to the throne wall "They find another way to fight there monsters".

Percy sighed, but didn't answer; he didn't know what to say. He felt even more depressed being told what to do by a tree, but he didn't have to. The dryad broke the silence first.

"Hercules was hot headed, but even he was wise enough to think about how to kill the hydra. Theseus made it through the labyrinth with his wits and smarts and being the son of the sea god too. I expect to see the same in you".

"Those are just myths. Stories mothers told children before bed" Percy said looking back at the throne wall. "How can that help me against Hecate".

"It's not supposed to help you. It's supposed to guide you to the right bath. Soon Percy Jackson, this war will just be another story for mothers to tell their children. It's your job to see if this story has a happy ending."

Percy looked up at the gray sky a bit hopeless "Heroes don't get happy endings".

The dryad had the nerve to smile, "No, they don't"

Percy smiled back; he extended his hand to the dryad, "Percy".

Still smiling the dryad shook his hand, "Tula".

"Alright Tula what am I supposed to do to defeat Hecate" Percy said.

Tula laughed a mocking kind of laugh that made Percy checks to red. He scratched the back of his neck a bit embarrassed. He was going to say something until Tula said, "Slow down hero, first we need to figure out a way to get you out of this side of the forest before more monster notice the Prince of Atlantic is stuck in the Dark Forest".

"Alright then, you got a plan" Percy replied.

Tula nodded her head and whistled to the trees behind her, "We well help divided the thorns branches with as much powers as we can channel. When you see an opening ride out of here, we won't be able to hold the thorns for much long".

Slowly, like peeling off dead skin, dryads walked out of their trees, walking towards Percy and Tula.

Percy frowned, "What about you guys, what will happen to all you guys if you stay in the dark forest". Tens of dryads stood behind Tula, Percy was in awe about how much they were all willing to do for him.

Tula chuckled a bit sadly, "We can't be more than 25 feet away from our tree. No, we're not going anywhere".

"But won't you die if you guys stay here"

Tula smiled sadly, placing her hand on Percy shoulder. She had to tiptoe to reach his shoulder, but none of them comment on it. "Soon are trees will die with no sun, and so will we. If you defeat Hecate tonight then we will live."

"Okay, Okay you won't die today I promise you that" Percy replied confidently.

Tula shook her head still smiling "We shall see".

Percy was about to reply when, another dryad stood beside Tula, "Boreas has sent a message to your Pegasus. He should be here at any—"her words were buried under the harsh sounds of the north winds breeze. The trees danced around the cold wind, Tula and the other dryads eyes were closed as they enjoyed the forest chilling the summer day. Percy watched as Blackjack flew above the throne wall and landed right next to Percy, his neck pointing to the ground, bowing at his prince.

Hero was all the Pegasus said.

Percy didn't need Blackjack to say anything else; he jumped onto his back riptide tucked into his pockets. He was ready to fly, but he turned to meet Tula's glaze. Tula smiled at Percy, her green skin darkening in the cheeks "Well go on, I my tree needs some sun".

Percy smiled "Of course". Blackjack didn't wait for Percy to responded, catching the remaining north winds and flying off the ground.

No one expects for every problem to be solved so easily. With a jealous witch out for his death Percy should not have thought it would be easy to leave the dark forest. As they flew above the throne wall, throne branches extended from the wall swing towards Blackjack at excursive speed.

"Blackjack!" but the horse didn't need to be warned he quickly flew past the swing branches. Just as he dogged the first branch another one came from behind, Blackjack had amazing speed, but not even the horse can hold on for much longer. Percy grabbed riptide from his pocket and sliced down any throne branch that came their way.

Hurriedly, they flew past the throne branches. Percy kept the branches short as Blackjack kept them away from the sharp thrones. It wasn't long until they were past the thrones flying through what little was left of the green forest. Percy didn't know what he saw, the forest was dying slowing and painfully. All the animals he has saw running around in the patches of flowers, the trolls who had sat on Annabeth's lap listing to her sing and Juniper hiding away in her tree.

"Faster, boy"

In the past few days, Percy has been attacked by monsters, witches, and had meet dryads. He had thought that nothing else can surprise him, but as he flew past the fallen soldiers closer towards the castle grounds he couldn't believe his eyes.

Nico was in the front lines, wearing his father's crest, ordering the soldiers around with one hand and his Stygian iron blade in the other. The Dark Knights rose from the shadows, one was just about to attack Nico in the black. Percy's heart clenched in his chest, as he flew down towards Nico, but his cousin didn't need his help. With speed Percy didn't know Nico had, his cousin turn and swung his blade into the Dark Nights chest. For a brief moment no one moved, it wasn't until the Dark Knight went still that Nico pulled his blade back. The monster fell to the ground; it didn't turn into smoke or get back up it stayed on the ground dead.

The warrior cheered all with their own Stygian iron in hand and they too slashed their swords through the Dark Knights. Things were looking up for Atlantic; Percy had hoped that they were going to win.

Boss, what do I do? Blackjack voice said in his head.

Percy smiled, a small one, but regardless a smile "Come on boy". The two flew down not yet landing, but hovering over the ground. With Riptide at hand Percy cut through all the Dark Knights in his path with easy motion. Just like the Stygian Iron, the steel iron blade seemed to be as deadly.

"It's the Prince!" a guard yelled as Percy flew by.

"Perseus lives!" another yelled.

Cheers roared around the battle field, everyone screaming his name. Percy chest tightened at the sound, but his movements didn't slow he flew past the warriors, past the fallen he didn't stop until Nico and the others were in his eye of sight.

Nico sliced through Dark Nights, Grover summed trees to create cover over warriors, and Thalia's own Stygian iron blade had blue electric light sparkling from the blade. It was like the dream Percy had the night before Annabeth's arrived, but this time he wasn't going to let anyone die. Percy jumped off Blackjack's back and ran to his friends' aid. A Dark Knight stood behind Nico his sword ready to strike, but Percy was there before the Knight can move his blade.

Nico, Thaila, and Grover stopped moving and looked at Percy their eyes widen in shock, but relieve as well. As the Dark Knight fell, Percy looked at his friends and smiled.

"Hey guys".

"Percy, you're okay" Grover said, smiling while running towards his best friend crushing him in a hug. "Oh, Perce we were so worried."

Percy smiled, "Did you ever doubt me."

"What are you doing here" Thaila said standing right next to Grover.

Percy gave her a confused look, but he didn't have time to responded "You need to go to Annabeth".

That was what he was going to do, but he couldn't just leave his friends to fight on his own, not when the battle has become so intense.

Nico chuckled, but didn't turn away from the battle. Percy was shocked; he never has seen Nico acting this way, taking the lead in something. He was a little proud.

"Don't worry about us. We can hold up the fort until you come back with Annabeth with you", Nico's was stern and held no emotion in his words, it worried Percy, but he didn't have time to think about there was still a war going on.

"Hurry, before the Dark Knight's know who you are" he hadn't looked away from the fight, his grip on his blade tightened.

Something wasn't right, "Nico—"

"Just go!" Nico yelled finally meeting Percy eyes, he wished he hadn't. There was no longer the light in his cousin's eyes; it was only a dull brown. "This isn't your fight" he paused for only a moment "Not yet". Nico drove his sword into the ground with a yell. The floor shook under their feet as cracks opened sending Dark Knights into the dark hole, but as one monster went down another come crawling up. Warrior made of bone stood among the other warriors only saying two words, "Ghost King".

"Go Percy" Nico said and that was all Percy needed to call out Blackjack's name. Quickly he jumped back on the horses and flew away from his friends: Stay safe. He didn't look back.

"Perseus" Sally said as she saw her son fly into the castle on a black Pegasus. The pegasus landed right in front of her and Tyson, Athena standing beside the two starring at the prince as he jumped off the horse to face the people in the room. Everyone was silent until Tyson shouted, "Percy!"

The prince smiled at his brother, but didn't move from where he stood next to the pegasus, his sword was in his hand and he smiled at his mother and younger brother.

"I need to get to Annabeth."

Athena's eyes widen, "Leo, Piper, Hazel!" she yelled. Just as she closed her mouth again, the fairies were besides Athena in a second. They didn't need to be told why they were called as they saw Perseus standing in front of them.

"Follow us" Hazel said and turned in the direction they came from, Leo and Piper followed behind. Perseus was about to, when Athena stopped him.

Perseus turned, but didn't say anything, Athena smiled "Please, wake her."

Perseus smiled, nodding his head before running after the fairies.

Athena smiled, tears streaming down her cheeks in relief, "Thank you" she whispered.

Piper, Leo and Hazel stayed at the bottom of the staircase as Percy went up.

He took two steps at a time, not wanting to waist anymore time, but as he saw the door in front of him he stop.

Slowly he opened the door and as he saw Annabeth, his heart stopped.

She laid on her bed with a rose in her hand, she looked so peaceful, Percy almost didn't want to wake her until the fight is over, but he needed to do this now.

In sleep, we're weak, and vulnerable to the dark.

Percy kneed to the ground beside Annabeth's sleeping form; brushing her hair away from her face.

"Come back to me Anna" Percy whispered and slowly pressed his lips to meet hers.

Percy pulled away, slowly as the wind flew into the small room, but unlike the north winds refreshing breeze, this was ice cold.

Until true loves first kiss….

All he saw next was bright gray eyes looking back at him, her smile lighting up the gray world, "Hero".

Three more chapters left.

Don't worry all three chapters have been written all they need is a little editing done before I upload them to the world.

If you're still reading this I just want to say thank you so much. This has been my very first story I have ever written. I was thirteen when I started writing this story and may I just say my writing has gotten so much better since then.

This time it won't be months before you hear from me again, I promise you that.

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-wiseone13