AN: ...I don't know how this will turn out to be. Seriously.

Time: A week later

"Iris, show me Lord Zeus." Percy had just finished styling the base for his new recruits. There was just one problem- there were no recruits. At least not yet.

Now, he was gonna call Zeus, not for permission, since this was a direct decree of the Fates, but to let him know of the same. Percy smiled. One of the perks of being a god, an Olympian at that, was that he did not need to create a mist for an Iris Message.

The image shimmered into existence, showing Zeus' frowning face. However, the frown cleared away as soon as the King saw that the one messaging him was the newest addition to his Council.

"What do you want Perseus?" Percy flinched at Zeus using his full name.

"First, it's Percy." The god was cut off by Zeus.

"You missed your debriefing. Apollo told me that the Fates had already told you about your godly duties. How is it going?"

"Umm...it's going alright. I guess there is nothing I need to do anymore, except..." Percy rubes his head sheepishly, "They told me that I need to create a group of boys, similar to the Hunters. I just called to let you know that I am now setting out for potential recruits."

"All the best, Perse...Percy." Zeus corrected himself at the last moment.

"Thank you, my King. Oh, and a warning- Something's wrong, I feel it. (Let's rap.) "Percy sang, before he swiped through the IM, not giving Zeus a chance to reply. The King, Percy scoffed, was starting to get on his nerves.

The new God flashed away, in search of the first members of his version of the Hunters of Artemis.

Percy arrived at a large apartment complex. Despite its size, it did not speak of the tenant's wealth. The paint was peeling off the walls, and on close inspection, one could find several cracks on the wall. Grime collected on the dirty peephole. On the once beautiful and impressive oak door, someone had scribbled- 'Harding'- in a red pencil.

Not wasting much time, Percy turned the doorknob, finding it locked. No problem. He snapped his fingers, and turned the knob again. This time, the door gave way, slowly creaking open.

Percy had to stoop to get through the low doorway. The room he stepped into definitely did not show any sign of wealth. Although it was spacious, with large French windows, the windows being closed, and extremely dirty, did not let any light in. It would have been pitch black inside had it not been for the dim bulb hanging in the centre of the room, and the few days of Apollo's light filtering in through the windows. The couch Percy sat on was extremely old and dusty, and creaked under his weight. It faced an old TV, which seemed prehistoric to the new god.

A kid in his late sixteen stepped in, through the second low door, which Percy assumed must lead to the bedroom. As soon as he saw Percy sitting on the couch, he shouted, and held the book in his hands, in a defensive position. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Sit there, Harding." Percy gestured to a chair in the corner of the room. He had an air of authority, and the teen could do nothing but follow his instructions.

"What do you want?"

"Listen, kid, do you live here alone?"

"Yes." Harding could not help, but obediently answer his questions.

"Listen, I am...an important person. And I am recruiting people for a team...sorta like a special ops or strike force, if you will."

"And I was selected? There are so many people outside, people much better than me." Percy could almost smell the doubt, the kid was radiating.

"I chose you, because we are similar to each other. I was abused in my childhood. Didn't get parents' love, cause my mother was hardly there for me. After your mum died, you were orphaned, and now, are struggling to make ends meet."

Harding's grip on the book tightened. "How do you know all this?"

Ignoring his question, Percy steamrollered on- "I also chose you, because you are...special. A natural leader. Different from others out there."

"What do you mean, different, special?"

"Ever heard of the Roman myths, Harding?" (Got you there. Thought he was going to be Greek?)

Harding did not say anything, he just tilted the book he was holding, showing Percy the cover- 'Roman Mythology- The Expert's Concise Guide'. Percy raised his eyebrow, "Expert, huh?" He chuckled.

"What has it got to do with anything?" The teen growled.

"You, are a demigod. As in, the son of a god and a mortal human."

"What? I think I heard you wrong."

"You got me correct. You are a demigod. Like Remus and Romulus. And yes, the gods, too are real. So, is everything you read in that book. I have met them in person."

"You must be barmy." He twirled a finger beside his head, telling Percy that he was crazy. The god only chuckled.

"No, I am not crazy. Watch." Harding was captivated as he watched sparks roll across Percy's fingertips.

"Then, if what you say is true, who is my godly Father? And, who are you? Why did my Father not come to see me?"

"You see, your Father is a god. He has many duties, and there are rules preventing him from coming to meet you. As for your other question, your Father is King." Harding's eye's widened. "Yes, he is Jupiter."

"And you are..."

"Your cousin. A son of Neptune. Name's Percy."

"You are a demigod, too?"

"I was. I am a god now." Harding was having trouble picking his jaw up from the floor. "Come, I have other things to do. Maybe, later, you can chat with your other siblings, and Dad."

Percy put a hand on his shoulder and steered him to the door. The teen's eyes widened comically, and he immediately fell to Percy's feet. "Lord.."

"Don't. I am your equal, Harding. Come, we have much to do." The teen numbly followed the god, until they were standing in front of his door. Percy grasped the teen's hand, and without warning, flashed away.

When they reached their destination, Harding retched, having a tough time keeping down his lunch. After a few minutes of fighting the nausea, he gasped for breath, and stood up.

His breath caught in his throat when he saw where they were.

The building was low, and not something extraordinary, and it blended perfectly with the other houses of the shaggy neighbourhood. It was easy to miss, had it not been for the bright red neon sign, which was still on, despite it being broad daylight outside. He only recognised it from the news report a few months back- there were rumours that some gangs were organising fights, using children as gladiators, and ill-treating them. The police had raided this spot, but to no avail. They had found nothing. Was this man...

Harding was jolted out of his thoughts as Percy said, "The next kids we are going to rescue are here. Don't worry, you will not be harmed, as long as you stick by my side. Now, come on."

The duo made their way inside the restaurant. Nobody gave them a second glance as they made their way to the kitchen. Even when Percy plucked a grilled checked wing off a plate the waiter was carrying out, nobody batted an eye.

Harding could only watch and wonder what else this self-proclaimed god could do.

"Through here, kid." He noticed Percy standing next to a garbage chute.

"Wh..."

"Trust me, go through here." Percy gestured towards the dark tunnel that led to God knows where.

Harding did not hesitate a second time. This man, whom he hardly knew, had an aura about him, that could make him do things he would have never dreamt of in his wildest dreams.

Down went Harding, as though the dark tunnel were a ride at an amusement park. Behind him, he could faintly hear Percy's clothes as they rustled as he followed the teen.

Their fall was cushioned by a soft bed, which creaked as they fell onto it. As he regained his bearings, Harding took note of his surroundings. They were in a small, but well-lit room. At one corner, there was a stand, where a grumpy looking fat man was sitting. He was emitting occasional grunts and huffs for no apparent reason, which was reverberated by the walls of the room. Grotesque tattoos adorned his arms and bald head, while a slight stubble on his frowning face, greyed his fat chin.

Percy paid no attention to the man, instead, he was examining two images that were pinned to another wall. Harding closed in to see that the two images were those of the combatants going to participate in the upcoming fight, though he could not make out anything clearly, owing to the bad quality of the images.

As soon as Percy noticed the teen standing next to him, he ushered his to the next room through a low door, following right next.

The two hurried through the low, dark hallway, which smelled of stale beer and cheesy feet, till they came to a stop in front of two metal doors.

That's what they were- the doors. Unadorned by anything, they were just two hunting slabs of cold grey steel, attached to hinges. They could hardly be called doors. There were no handles, or doorknobs, either. Over the doors were two more neon signs, though they were dimmer as compared to the one outside. Harding could just make out what they said- the right door led to the 'arena', while the left door led to the 'combatants' room.

Percy put his fingertip to the left door, and it just swung open. He entered, followed by Harding, who seemed to be at a loss for words to describe... anything he saw there?

The room they entered was badly lit, and the teen could just make out what was inside. The air was stale, and there was no mode of ventilation save the door they passed through. Even that was shut most of the time with several inches of steel. Cages lined the walls, and inside the cages, boys, of varying ages thrashed about. Some in pain, from the horrible injuries scarring their bodies, while some were just trying to escape from their chains. All sound and movement stopped as Percy passed them, on his way to the central cage. This particular prison was larger than the rest, and housed a boy a few years older than Harding. Said teen shivered as he looked over the various injuries that scarred the boy's body.

"Megan," Percy called.

The boy looked up, and came to stand in front of the door to his prison.

"I had a demigod dream last night. Dad said that you would be coming, Percy." Megan's voice was harsh, and cold.

Percy raised his eyebrow. "So you know everything then. Do you know who your dad is?"

"Yes. Hades." Megan's answer was short, as if he was desperately trying to escape from the place as soon as possible.

Percy smiled. He then snapped his fingers, making a bunch of keys materialise out of hin air. "Here." He offered the keys to Megan.

Harding was not sure, if Megan could open the door alone, and stepped forward to help. But before he could utter a word, the door was open and Megan was kneeling in front of Percy. Harding wondered if he should do the same.

"Rise, Megan, Son of Hades, and free your brothers; free my brothers." Without a word, the now free warrior went about freeing his other brothers, scurrying from cage to cage, not staying at one for longer than two seconds. Soon all the warriors were free, and the injured were healed to the best of Percy's capabilities.

"We are all brothers; in blood and blade. We are the... meh, I can't think of a name right now, maybe later." Several of the gathered boys facepalmed at their new leader's idiocy, while Percy smiled sheepishly.

They joined hands, and Percy flashed them away to their new home, their new base. The base he made.

And Harding prepared himself for some more minutes of 'flashing- sickness'.

AN: The new chapter is done! Sorry for the late update, though. My...my dog died. We were at the hospital, I was sitting on the floor beside his bed after a sleepless night. At seven in the morning, he just vomited blood, and flatlined. The doctors said his liver burst. He was suffering from liver failure.I took him to six vets and four different hospitals. He could not be saved.May God rest his soul. May he achieve the fields of Elysium. May he achieve the halls of Valhalla. May he achieve the Field of Reeds. May he achieve Brahman.RIP COCO BANERJEE, BROTHER OF @THESONOFTARTARUS, 2013- 2020, AGED 7LAST WORDS- 'WOOF!'Keep calm and CR7!! Keep calm and LM10!! (Messi)