Aight, story recommendation. This time, I would recommend the author SoloMafia, author of the fic "Unconquered Sun". Bloody fantastic read, I must say.

Also, little promo. A few of the boys over on discord thought it would be a nice idea to create a server for all Pertemis fans, since we know the struggle of finding a really good story. Come on over, I'll be posting the link on my profile.

Anyways, the talk y'all wanted. Hope it doesn't disappoint.

Note: I do NOT own PJO or HOO. Otherwise, I wouldn't be uploading this here.

Chapter XLI

Percy could feel the tension in the air as he flicked his hand, summoning a bunch of chairs for the others to sit. He himself had moved the imitation of his throne on Olympus to the centre so that it would be easier for them to talk.

Leo's eyes glanced around, noticing the hard looks all the other gods were giving them, before he softly asked, "Can we have this conversation somewhere more private?"

"You're in no position to make any demands," Poseidon growled, his grip almost crushing the handle of his trident.

Percy held his hand up, silently asking his father to calm down, before addressing the group, "I know you would prefer this in private, but the other Olympians insisted that it happen before them. After all, they are also involved in it, albeit indirectly. The outcome of this talk could very well decide the fate of the war."

He could see that they were uncomfortable with that, but they would have to deal with it. After all, he'd dealt with far worse over the past century. He knew it would probably be childish to try and make them feel a part of what he'd felt, but at that moment, he couldn't resist.

"Percy, look, we're sorry. There's nothing we can do to change what happened, but we are truly—" Annabeth began, but he cut her off.

"You think a simple apology will be able to fix this?!" he hissed, his eyes gaining a tiny of yellow once more. "You really think simply saying sorry will be able to erase everything that had happened in the past? Let me tell you exactly what will happen—"

"Percy, that's enough," Hestia said, a hint of steel in her voice. He stiffened for a moment, before he relaxed.

"You need to calm down. You can't solve anything if you allow your anger to overtake your reason," she continued, her eyes softening as she watched him slowly calm down.

"Sorry, mom. I just lost control for a second," he said. The demigods before him jerked back, shocked as his words. There was no humour in it, instead he said it completely seriously.

"Wait, what? You... her... huh?" Even in the situation, Connor couldn't help but look lost. The others weren't much better.

"You missed out on a lot that happened in the past century," he said. "Before I joined the hunt for the first time, Hestia had adopted me. You know, it's a mark of how much you hated me that you didn't even notice any change to me, even though the most obvious one was right in front of you, Thalia. My very eyes had changed, yet you didn't see anything, did you?"

The daughter of Zeus lowered her head, feeling the guilt crash into he once more. She couldn't deny his words either. She had never paid any attention to him outside the times she told him to not get in her way.

He looked around to the others, his breathing once again under control. His eyes had returned to normal once more, the red flames flickering around in the sea-green backdrop. He waited for a moment, knowing that he had to be careful with his words for the next part.

"What you all did is something I can never forget," he said, seeing them look towards the floor in shame. "No matter what happens in the future, I will always remember that you had chosen to believe all of that about me on your own without any outside influence. In the end, that will always hold me back from connecting with any of you to the level I once did.

"But…" he said, "I do forgive you."

They all looked up in an instant, a hint of hope in their eyes. "What did you say?" Annabeth asked, and he could hear the small hint of happiness in her voice.

He shook her head, knowing that he was going to crush it soon. "I'm not the type of person to hold grudges. I have accepted that it's in the past and have moved on since then. However," he added once again, seeing that they were about to speak, "I already said that I won't forget. I will not hold it against you in the future, but you will never be able to regain my trust."

He watched as they deflated before him, feeling a small twinge of guilt before he pushed it away. There was nothing else to do. It was bound to happen in the end.

"B-but then why did you become so angry when Dakota died? I would never have expected someone to become so enraged if someone they didn't care about died," Malcolm asked.

He sighed, having guessed that it would come up at some point. "It was different with Dakota. He had something that none of you did."

"And what was that?" asked Jason, but Percy could notice the slight shake in his voice as he spoke.

"He was the only one who was truly blameless."

"How? What did he do that none of us did?" Hazel asked heatedly, although he could hear a wetness in her words, telling him that she was barely holding back tears.

He sighed, before he began to explain. "He was the one person who never said anything about me in that time. In fact, he had tired to defend me a bit, but by then, he had already been under the influence of Dionysus' curse, and the Romans had dismissed his words as drunken ramblings.

"Then, the Vapour caught up with him, but it didn't affect him as much as you all. I don't know if it was because he had less doubts about me, or if the curse that was already acting on him reduced his effects, but all it did was not allow him to reflect on the thoughts of me being banished again, but neither did it make him think that I was evil. However, he was unable to do anything since he spent almost all of his time drunk." A small part of him reared up in anger at Dionysus, knowing that the bastard of a wine god was the reason Dakota had to suffer through all of that, but he pushed it down for the moment before continuing.

"Once we were on the quest, Apollo and I started working on breaking the curse. In the end, we finally managed to do it, although it wasn't long before he..." his words hitched in his throat before he forced himself to continue.

"I have a feeling that the Vapour had latched onto the curse that hung onto him, since it was the easiest way to hold onto him, especially since it was weakened. However, it meant that when the curse broke, it would result in the effects if the Vapour disappearing as well.

"It wasn't an instant effect. I think the time it finally hit him full force was when I was trapped under the ice," he said, glancing towards Apollo. The sun god nodded, acknowledging that he thought so too.

"I have a feeling that he saw my face when he reached Apollo to hand him the rope, and he connected the dots about how my betrayal was false. He was far more intelligent than any of you gave him credit for, but it's far too late to change that."

He breathed deeply, feeling emotions well up within him, but he had to get it out. It was the only way he would be able to move past Dakota's sacrifice.

"He gave himself up because he thought it was the only way he could repent," Percy choked out. "He believed that his inaction was bad enough for him to have to give up his very life to rectify. I wish so badly that I could have changed it, but he made his choice. I cannot do anything else but ensure that his sacrifice wasn't in vain."

The others didn't respond for a long while, the silence enveloping them once more. He didn't break it, knowing that they needed time to process everything he'd said.

Annabeth was the next to say anything. "When you say we'll never get your trust back, were you..."

"Yes, I was serious," he said, a cloud passing over his face. "You should be the last one to ask that question, Annabeth. I don't think I need to remind you about everything you did to me."

He could see her eyes watering, but he couldn't bring himself to care. What she'd done was simply far too much for him to ever forget.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I'm sorry. There's nothing else I can say." She was almost begging him, something he would never have expected her to do. He didn't think her hubris would have allowed it.

"Sorry doesn't cut it," he said, his voice not allowing any emotion to slip past. "Do you have any idea how I felt to know that you had been cheating on me even before the Vapour had been released? To know that you were leading a double life the entire time, without me knowing anything. I'd trusted you, and what did you do with that trust?"

Her face turned red as he aired all of it, letting the world know exactly what she'd done. The others were looking at her incredulously, but Percy didn't care about them. He wasn't going to count their opinions at that moment. They were no better.

Athena glared at him as he hurt her daughter's reputation, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. She knew that if she did anything, both Percy and Poseidon would be after her, and there was absolutely no chance of her surviving, let along winning that encounter.

He slowly got up from his chair, moving towards them. He stopped before them holding their gazes until they finally looked away, unable to match his intensity.

"I'll say it once more. I forgive, but I will never forget. The only reason we are having this talk is for me to honour Dakota's sacrifice and because of the war," he said, shooting a glance at Artemis to let her know he acknowledged what she did, but didn't want to make it public knowledge, before sweeping away. He headed towards the exit, not looking back at the huddled demigods and minor gods.

"We're done here," he said, exiting the tent. The others watched him leave, their eyes never leaving his back.

The second he left, Leo turned to his father, a hint of desperation in his eyes. "Dad, you have to talk to him. Please, tell him that we..."

"No, Leo," Hephaestus said, cutting him off. "I have no right to try and persuade him, and frankly, I'm not inclined to try. Percy is one of my closest friends, and what you did to him is completely unacceptable."

His son rocked backwards, shocked at his father's words. He made friends with my dad to such an extent? And I never even realized it?

The other demigods turned to their respective parents, but they didn't get the response they wanted. Apollo and Hermes held the same disappointed expression, tinged with a slight bit of anger. Their respective children drew back, feeling ashamed even though their respective fathers hadn't said a word.

Nico was looking even gloomier than usual, and Hazel was once again on the verge of tears. Hades gave them a slightly saddened look. However, he couldn't ignore everything Perseus had done for him without asking for any sort of repayment, and how he had always treated the Lord of the Dead with respect. His children had made a grievous error, one that wouldn't be fixed anytime soon.

Ares and Aphrodite didn't look like they cared, but they shot semi-sympathetic glances towards their children. Athena looked like she was about to say something in support of her kids, but a sharp glare from Poseidon cut off anything she was about to say.

Zeus looked at the desolate faces of his children and felt an urge to say something on their behalf. However, that would have meant pushing Perseus away, and causing Poseidon to become infuriated at him as well. He couldn't afford the dilemma in the middle of a war.

He was saved from having to resolve the internal debate by Hestia speaking up.

"I will not say anything to hurt any of you," she said, "but you hurt my son badly. I will leave the decision to forgive you in his hands, but I will tell you that it doesn't look good. Your mistake is far too grievous for him to easily overcome, if he ever does."

The demigods bowed their heads, realizing that none of their parents would lend them any support in the matter. They were well and truly on their own. As they slowly got up from their seats, one thought was present in each of their minds. What have we done?

He was lying in his bed, knowing that he needed rest that day. Yet, sleep was still evading him. All he could do was toss and turn, trying to find that elusive escape.

He felt someone enter his tent, causing him to roll up, ready to attack if it was an enemy. However, he saw that it was just him mom, her fiery red eyes warm as she looked over him.

He got up from his bed, drawing up a chair for her as he sat down on another one. She gave him a slightly exasperated look before she took her own seat.

"You know you don't have to do that, don't you," she asked, a light hint of teasing in her voice. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, drawing him closer to her.

He smiled lightly, but it was strained. The weight of everything that had happened in the day was finally weighing down on him. He could feel it pressing down once again, not allowing him a chance to breathe. He could almost feel the cracks in his psyche, ones that would need time to heal.

Hestia sensed what was happening, instantly wrapping him in another hug, allowing her calming influence to wash over him. She held him until she could hear his breathing even out, telling her that he had moved past him sudden panic.

"Percy, I know it's hard, but I think it's finally time to put it in the past," she said. "For all this time, in everything you did, I could tell that there was some influence from what happened, even if it was almost imperceptible to the others. You can't keep holding onto it anymore. I don't want to know what may happen if you do."

He sighed lightly, knowing that she was right. "I know, mom, but it's so difficult. I've talked to them, but it will take time for my soul to finally accept it. I promise that I'm finally moving on, it'll just take some time."

She smiled lightly, before she asked him something else. "And, about not forgetting, did you..."

"Yes, mom," he replied. "I know you are all about peace, and I respect that a great deal. But there's only so much that I can take. They broke my trust completely, even though they'd known me for years. In the end, they still turned on me."

She patted his arm reassuringly. "I didn't mean it like that, Percy. I know that you won't be able to simply forget everything that has happened. I just wanted to make sure that you're certain in your decision."

He nodded, feeling the certainty within him. "There is no other choice, mom. If I let them go so easily, everyone else will think that they can do whatever they want with me. I can't personally move past what has happened. I will not hold it against them, but I cannot look past it either."

His mother simply nodded, knowing that ye had a point. "I understand, Percy. It's your choice, and I will support whatever you choose. You are my son, and I will always look out for you, no matter what."

He smiled lightly, pulling her into another hug. Hestia was surprised, since she was usually the one to initiate a hug, but she let it be, hugging back with equal fervour.

She pulled back, planting a soft kiss on his forehead. "Go to sleep, Percy. You'll need it for tomorrow."

He went to lie in his bed, before a sudden thought struck him. "Mom, how's dad doing? I was expecting at least one earthquake or rainstorm after what happened in the tent."

She chuckled lightly, tapping his head. "Well, it was a close call. He had wanted to come barging in to check on you, but I convinced him that it wouldn't be the best approach. Thankfully, he agreed with me, which is why you weren't disturbed earlier."

He smiled at her words, before slowly drifting off. Hestia stood by him, her calming aura allowing him to slip into the realm of Morpheus without much difficulty.

He was once again trapped in the wall of flames, only this time he knew what to expect. He focused deep within himself, trying to pull the entirety of his control over flames to the forefront to control the inferno, but even that didn't seem to work.

"Give up, godling. There's nothing you can do." He whipped around on hearing that voice. His eyes fell upon the figure he had seem before, although the shadows were no longer present.

"Tartarus," he gasped out, his eyes never leaving the form of the primordial as he stalked forward.

"I must admire your tenacity," the lord of the pit said. "I was fully expecting your troops to break, but it seems like you're actually managing to rally them once more. Of course, we'll see exactly how effective it is when I come after you all in approximately thirty six hours," he said, acting as if he was looking at a clock behind them. Percy could have sworn that if Tartarus had a face, he would be grinning.

"I thought you said we had two days," he growled, trying his best to not be brought to his knees by the crushing force that the primordial was exuding. It was a struggle to even stay on his feet, but he refused to give in.

Tartarus looked at him as if he were contemplating something. "I did, didn't I," he asked rhetorically, the mockery in his voice getting to him far more easily than any of Brandon's taunts. "Well, I consider today as among that, and that means that I will be coming after you the day after tomorrow, or actually..." he paused again, as if he were waiting for something. "Ah, it's past midnight! That means I'll be attacking tomorrow itself."

"Why are you telling me all this," Percy asked, almost on the verge of collapsing. "Wouldn't it have been better if you took us by surprise?"

The primordial didn't answer for a moment, but it was long enough for his willpower to finally give out. He fell to his knees, holding himself up with his arms.

"Yes, it would, but it wouldn't give me the satisfaction," Tartarus smirked, his voice extremely close to Percy's ear. "I want to see the defeat in your eyes before I throw you down myself. There's no better way to do that that by a proper frontal assault. I want to see that spirit and drive that you possess in such large quantities finally crushed for what you did. You ruined my ritual to bring Gaea back, and I will not treat you kindly for that. Everything you love, I will rip away, one by one."

Percy could feel something open beneath him, causing him to tumble down. The last thing he heard was the chilling laughter of the primordial echo above him as the walls of darkness closed in around him.

He jerked awake, sweat soaking his bed. He glanced outside his tent, noticing that it was daytime once more. He released a long, deep gasp as he replayed exactly what had happened.

He should have known that Tartarus wasn't going to leave him alone, but at least he now had some sort of warning for what was to come. He wouldn't be surprised if quite a few of his forces thought that Tartarus would only attack the day after tomorrow, whether it be due to optimism or sheer stupidity.

He rolled us of bed, ready to face the day. The traces of the previous day's conversation still hung on him, but he elected to ignore it for the moment.

As he headed for the door, he felt his century old instinct kick in a he went to raise the hood of his cloak. He was already halfway to shading his face once again when he realized what he was doing, before slowly letting it drop. He was done hiding. From now on, he was not going to use the name Monaxiá anymore, nor would his Latin counterpart be called Solus. He would once again be Perseus Jackson, but to his friends, he would always remain as Percy.

They were once again gathered in the main tent. The Olympians were hunched over the plans once more, while the six and Nico were off to the side. The tension in the air was palpable. After all, it had been less than sixteen hours since Percy had talked to them.

"I don't think we will last more than one wave from this point on," Percy said, his eyes trained on the pieces arrayed on the chess board. "We lost another thirty demigods and twenty monsters in the previous wave. If we don't end it in the next one, we're doomed."

"But you remember what the prophecy said," Athena replied, her eyes turned away from him. She still hadn't forgiven him for airing her daughter's secrets in front of everyone, not that he cared. She could go shove it for all it mattered to him. However, he couldn't deny her value in a strategy meeting.

"Yes, I do, Athena," he said calmly. "But we cannot sit around waiting for this Demon King to show up. We have to take the battle to them and hope that he does the same when the time comes."

"That's a massive gamble, Perseus. There's no guarantee he will arrive while we're fighting the army."

"So is waiting for him in the hopes that he will lead us to victory. For all we know, he will only come after all our forces are wiped out and we've softened up Tartarus' army enough for him to clean up. Either way it's a risk, but I would prefer to choose the one which if it doesn't pay off, we'll still go down swinging." He wasn't budging on that point. There was no contest in his mind between the two.

Athena was conflicted for a moment, before she finally gave in. "Alright, you win. But how will our troops be arranged?"

He observed the map, before turning to Apollo. "You had a vision of the battle, right? What did it look like to you? Were any of our previous two encounters like it?"

Apollo shook his head. "No. Neither of them were anything like it. From what I remember, the battlefield was something more akin to the land we saw here," he said, pointing to a spot a mile to their west.

Percy observed the landscape intently, noting just how flat it was. There were a few small lakes within a five-hundred-yard radius, but he didn't know if it would be effective enough in battle when neither he not his father would be able to set aside much concentration.

"Does everyone agree with this?" he asked, his eyes flicking to the faces of every Olympian deity. He received consent from each of them, before finally turning to Zeus.

"Lord Zeus, do you accept this," he asked. He hated the formality, but since the sky god was king of Olympus, they still had to present their decisions to him before they could execute it.

He received a nod from the god, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief before he turned back to the map. "We all saw what splitting our forces got us," he said. "And I had agreed to honour Athena's request for a more defensive formation. So, I think I know what to do."

"Elaborate, Percy," Hermes said, while Hephaestus nudged his shoulder.

He grinned at their behaviour, knowing that the delay was probably killing them with anticipation. "Patience, my friends. All in due time." He slowly moved the pieces together, arranging each one meticulously. He knew he could do it with a simple wave of his hand, but he wanted to mess with the two of them for once. None of the other gods interrupted either; one, because they were too entertained by Hermes' and Hephaestus' expressions, but also because none of them knew exactly what his plan was.

When he finished, the others leaned in, even the minor gods wanting to have a closer look. They saw that he had arranged their entire army in the form of a crescent, like how the rear guard had been during the first wave of monster attacks. The main difference was that this crescent was much wider than the previous one, with only a minimal increase in length.

"They will try their best to take us by storm," he said. "We need to make sure to hold them off until they tire out a bit. Then we can attack."

He pushed the central part forward, causing the arrangement to shift into a more bow-like pattern. Instead of the edges funnelling the troops towards the centre after whittling them down, it would become the role of those in the centre to take care of as many monsters as possible, leaving only the most minimal amount for those at the edges to take care of.

"We have to do this, otherwise we will lose," he said. "Our numbers are already lessening after each successive wave, and I fear that we won't be able to do anything of this kind after the next one. This is our last chance. Let's not ruin it while we still have it."

The others nodded in agreement, prompting him to rise from his chair. He made his way towards the exit, feeling the eyes of the six on his back, Nico joining them soon after. He ignored them, continuing in his path forward. He had said everything he needed to, and he didn't plan on any more talks soon. He had an entire army to invigorate, and nothing would distract him from what he had to do.

He stood before the demigods once more, seeing the hesitation and reluctance on their faces. The reveal of his identity along with his innocence had taken a heavy toll on their morale. He had to restore it somehow, otherwise there was no way they would ever win the war.

He saw his monsters off to the side, paying attention to what he said yet still doing their own thing. Their confidence hadn't been affected in the slightest, and they didn't need the encouragement the other faction of the army so desperately required.

He turned back to the demigods, knowing that it wouldn't be easy to make them return to their previous mind set. But he had to. Tartarus wasn't going to wait for them to be ready, and he had to ensure that they would survive the upcoming encounter.

"I know you all feel like you've wronged me," he began. "You feel like you have committed a crime by believing all the tales that had been bandied about over the years. I will tell you all right now to snap out of it. It isn't your fault."

They all looked up as one, surprise evident on their faces. He nodded his head slightly, ignoring the looks of the ones who had been around in his time. They already knew what he thought about them, but the newer campers weren't to be blamed as much.

"All you had were biased accounts of what happened. None of you were able to witness it first-hand, not were you able to get all the details. The Vapour of Lethe is able to do so, but more than that, people who believe that someone is dark will definitely try to make other parts of his life fit that narrative."

The demigods shuffled around, their feet scuffling against the sand. "Why didn't any of you try to break it," one of them asked.

He shook his head slightly. "The Vapour can only be recalled by the person who cast it. It would have been useless to try."

He saw the warring emotions flash across their faces before he stood tall once more. "It doesn't matter now. What does matter is how we'll move on from this. Everything that has happened affected us, it is true, but we can move past it. We have a war to win, and we will not be held back."

The others moved around, and he could see their hesitation at returning to the war. He knew he had to change it, because if he didn't, they had already lost.

"None of you are responsible for what happened," he said. "You weren't even present at that time, and I cannot expect for any of you to have been able to see through it. I hold no ill will against any of you, and our future interactions will remain the same as what they had once been."

He could see them slowly come over, but he knew he had to push it through.

"If any of you want to discuss any more, I will be open to it, but only after this war. I want all of us to see it through, just as much as you do."

He turned, allowing them to mull over his words. He would never classify himself as a skilled orator, and what he had done was the best of his ability. He could only hope that they would accept his words and go ahead with it.

He was about to enter his tent when he sensed someone behind him. He turned around, ready to attack, but noticed that it was just Tanya. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she was probably here to talk.

"I thought I said it would only be after the war," he said, a small grin crossing his face.

She huffed, although he noticed the embarrassment in her expression. "I just wanted to ask you about something I noticed on the quest."

He reached forward, ruffling her hair. He heard her annoyed noise, but simply grinned in response. She was like the younger sister he never had, and he couldn't find it within himself to refuse her request.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning against the outside support of his tent.

She glanced around, before returning her eyes to him. "How were you always so courteous to the others during the quest? If I were in that position, I would never have been able to control myself."

He smiled once again, although this once was tinged with sadness. "Years of experience allow me to suppress my emotions when needed. It's come in useful in multiple occasions in my life."

She sensed the dip in his mood, before trying to rectify her unintended mistake. "Could you teach me? I may have need of it in the future."

He smiled lightly, knowing that she was trying to steer him away from where their conversation had been headed. He appreciated her effort and was glad that she wasn't shying away from him now that his identity had been revealed. "Of course. I promise."

He was sitting on his bed once more, staring at the opposite wall of canvas. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins at the moment, his heart pounding in the knowledge that the next day would be when they took their final stand against the forces of the pit.

Time seemed to both slow down to a crawl and simultaneously speed up to an almost feverish pitch. It was as if Kronos had grabbed the knob that controlled the flow of time and was fiddling with it as he pleased. There were times when he felt like he had crossed a span of hours when it was merely a minute, yet at other times and entire hour had slipped by without him noticing.

He felt more than heard the tent flap open, but he didn't react as he usually would. The soft footfalls and graceful movements could only belong to one individual.

"Artemis," he intoned, slowly turning to face the moon goddess.

She looked over him, noticing just how tense his body language was. "Perse-Percy. I see you're just as worried as the rest of us about what tomorrow may bring."

He shrugged, the movement far more subdued than what he usually did. "I just feel like there's something hovering in the background, waiting to wash over all of us. It feels almost as foreboding as Tartarus himself."

Artemis looked troubled at his statement but managed to move past it for the moment. "Either way, I just wanted to talk to you once more. If we are to lose tomorrow, I wanted to ensure that there is no bad blood between us anymore."

"Don't say that, Artemis. I promise we'll get through this, one way or another," he replied vehemently. He slowed down after the outburst, allowing the calm to was over them once more. "And we don't have any bad blood between us anymore. We put that behind us, didn't we?"

Artemis tilted her head, looking at him intently, "I just don't want either of us to go into this battle with anything still on our chests. It would be wrong, and it could weigh on our performance."

He knew she was right, but a part of him wanted to keep hiding. He leaned against the headrest of his bed, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Why did you destroy the ring?" he asked, his voice soft. It almost sounded vulnerable, but he still held enough confidence for it to not be considered so by the barest of margins.

He didn't need to specify which ring he was talking about. Artemis instantly understood what he was alluding to, a small amount of colour entering her cheeks. It was obvious since his hand still had the silver piece of jewellery, while hers was conspicuously bare.

"I-well… it was..." she stuttered, before centering herself. "I was angry that you would quit the hunt in such a fashion, and I was still blaming you for almost getting Lara hurt. I know it was wrong of me, but my pride was wounded. And I found myself angry that you would give up so easily, although I now know that we all pushed you far past anyone else's breaking point. It was astounding that you actually held on for so much time."

He nodded, but a part of him was still puzzled at the statement. Why would she be angry that I quit? Wasn't her entire goal back then? However, something told him not to dig into the matter, and for once, he chose to listen.

He stayed silent, waiting to see if she was going to continue with her thoughts. When she didn't, he chose to move over to another topic. He could tell that the current one was uncomfortable for the both of them.

"How do you think it'll be if we win the war? Will there be any change in your life?" he asked, not knowing what else to say.

She had a thoughtful face, before finally answering, "I don't know. I guess I'll be seeing you around more often, since I think you're one of the few men I can tolerate."

"Simply tolerate?" he questioned, a small smirk tugging at his lips. He knew it might be pushing it, but he needed to do it once.

Her lips squirmed for a moment. "Alright, I find your company oddly refreshing. I think it may be because of what I thought about you for so long, and now I know that you're different. But I guess you'll have a far greater change in your life, correct?"

He nodded, already considering just how much of a shift it would be. "I spent the past century hiding myself from the world, and I've grown used to it after all this time. Now, I find myself in a position where I don't have to do that anymore, but it feels weird. I guess I'll just have to get used to it."

She eyed him carefully. "So, you're not going to hide behind your mask of being Monaxiá after all this is over?"

He shook his head. "No. Even before, I always had a fear that my identity would be revealed to them, even if I didn't want to be. It took a century longer than I expected, but when it did, I guess I got the best possible deal for my own person. But in the context of the war, I guess literally anything else would have been preferable. However, I don't think I'll ever go back to my days of hiding. Those are over, and it's time for me to finally move on."

He snapped his fingers, allowing the cloak around him to shift into an outfit like what he had worn during the last phase of their quest in Alaska. The cargo pants were definitely lighter, and the hoodie was made of cotton instead of wool, with the green and red being much brighter in colouration.

He reached into his pocket, drawing out a small piece of paper that he had in his pocket. He saw the title once more. The Last Will and Testament of Dakota.

His hands trembled slightly, but he managed to open it up. His eyes skimmed over it, noting just how short it was. He focused on the words, reading through the document slowly.

Perseus, I know this will somehow find it's way it's your hands. Don't ask me how I do, or why I'm so certain I won't make it through, it's just a feeling I have.

I don't have anything worthwhile in my life to give away, nor do I have any close kin to bequeath any of my meagre possessions to. The only close relative I have is my father, but I do not hold any love for that man. He won't be receiving anything from me. Instead, this letter is for you.

I know that you partially blame yourself for what happened. I know you feel that something you did was the reason why all of us turned on you. It wasn't. Please, Percy, listen to my words. You were never at fault for our actions. They were ours and ours alone, and they will always remain our greatest folly.

I beg of you; move on. From what I know, you will still be beating yourself up over it. For my sake, please, stop it. It's time you let go of the past, and time you looked forward to the future.

My final request is that you make sure that there are no regrets in your life. At the time I'm writing this, you're recovering in the tent across from me after risking yourself to transport us all the way across Alaska and my biggest regret is not trying hard enough to change what happened to you. I have a feeling I will not survive, and I know I will pass on while that regret is still lodged deep within my soul. I do not want you to feel the same. For me, and more importantly, for you, don't hold back.

Your friend,

Dakota.

His hands trembled slightly before he reasserted control over his limbs. Even so, he felt a tear roll down his cheek, landing on the paper. Still, he smiled lightly. Thank you, my friend. Even after you left us, you still helped me move on.

He allowed the paper in his hands to catch fire, watching as it slowly rolled in on itself, blackening as it did. His eyes never left until the paper was completely burnt to ash, the dust blown away by his breath. As the particles swirled in the air, drifting away from him, he could feel a sense of relief wash over him. After all this time, he had finally done it. He had moved on from his past.

He glanced up, seeing the concerned look in Artemis' face. He realized what the second part of Dakota's letter to him meant. Wow, he managed to figure out how I feel about her, even though we never said anything in front of him.

A part of him desperately wanted to follow Dakota's final wish in that very moment, but he knew it wasn't an opportune time. All he would be doing was putting them both in an awkward situation. He pushed the instinct down, promising to act on it later.

"Are you okay, Percy?" she asked, her eyes never leaving his figure.

"Yes I am, Artemis. I just had to do something. I'm fine now, I promise." He kicked back, his feet on the bad as he slowly lay down, staring at the ceiling. "We should get some rest. Tomorrow will be the day that decides our future."

She got up, heading towards the tent flap. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Good night," she said.

"Good night," he replied, allowing himself to drift off once again. This time, his sleep was blissfully calm, with no dreams interrupting it for once. It was almost poetic, since the upcoming day was destined to be filled with the most carnage he had ever seen in his immortal life.

The next chapter is the first part of the climax. We are very close to the end now, folks!

Please review!

Okay, answering a few questions

Before anyone says anything, just note that in this timeline, Estelle was never born. Yeah, sorry about that, but I just couldn't kill off a fucking baby, mate. That's just... no.

To IShipPertemisOnly: Well, everything you see here was done on mobile, so I have no clue how this would work on a PC. The app has a simple button to click and voila, it's done.

Anyways, see you people next week!