(A/N Ugh, I really just wanna write all the tropey goop that is going to be a part of this arc, but I suppose I oughta have a touch of plot and address Akhlys too...)

Percy

Styx hugged him when he made it to her shore. It was...strange, and he couldn't help his confused expression and wrinkled nose. She laughed at his reaction.

"I know the trials you went through as well as the next immortal. It is most cruel that you are returning to those expectations. Especially when you have a whole new set of responsibilities."

"So, does everyone know about the quest?"

"No. The throne room is not so easy for the average immortal to eavesdrop into."

"You are not average."

"No," she laughed, "I am not." She sighed and sobered, looking Percy in the eye. "Do not assume this task will be easier just because you are no longer mortal."

"Well, she's kinda the one who killed me while I was mortal, and even Tartarus himself had had issues with that. So yeah, not underestimating her."

She smiled at him. "I am not used to having company. I've grown fond of you, Perseus. Be safe. I know Themis has been thankful for your pulling her from her solitude as well."

Percy felt himself blush a little. The two had been invaluable help in his transition into godhood, and if his company offered them a little piece of comfort he would gladly spend an eternity of weekly game nights with them. Man, that was a good idea. He should see if the two wanted to meet up for cards or a board game when Akhlys was taken care of.

.

Artemis

First the cave Estelle was held in. The trail was a year cold, but her poison was seeped into the dead land. Next, all the found exits of Tartarus. They'd each been sealed as they were found, and she could not find any breaks in the seals as she looked now. For a fleeting moment, she considered going into Tartarus to find traces of the 'home' she'd had down there, but the thought was discarded. No matter how formidable she was, such a place was not for her to visit.

She often wondered how Nico Di Angelo had survived it alone. Survived and escaped. Bianca was afraid of death. She was still strong, but Artemis was baffled at the strength of her little brother. Perhaps when Akhlys was found and dealt with Artemis could track down Bianca's reincarnation. She could rejoin the hunt if she were a girl. Or she could be shown an easier path to camp. If she was a demigod she would be nearing the age of claiming.

Sighing, Artemis shook the thoughts from her head and spread her incorporeal awareness. There were an absurd number of girls seeking help and guidance through sickness in a very localized area. Focusing in on them she listened to their woes.

Sickness, death, thirst.

Thirst that never relented. Sickness that followed thirst. Death that followed water.

Poisoned water.

Suppressing a growl, Artemis considered Percy coming with her as she investigated the dying town. She would need to hide her true form, dimming her aura to the point she blended with the regular mortals. Percy was excellent at training through anything he set his mind to (aside from archery) but he had yet to try this. Really, very few immortals ever tried this.

Sighing again, she made her way to camp to update Thalia and leave the hunt in her and Reyna's care.

.

Piper

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet the goddess of love?"

"Uh, yeah? You told me a long time ago that you're my mom first, and frankly that's pretty cool when I need it." Piper dropped her bag and flopped onto her chair across from her mother draped dramatically on the couch.

"True," she answered, checking her nails. Piper shifted to kick her feet over the arm of the chair.

"So, what's up?"

"Do you still see the strings?"

Don't mention the strings.

The phrase had been ingrained in her mind and the haunting words still echoed in her actions these years later.

"I… Yes, I do. But sometimes they change. One will appear that wasn't there before, or another will disappear. Why?"

"I have a predicament with two of these fated souls."

Piper blinked at that and sat up a little.

"What do you do when a mortal and an immortal are tied?" she blurted out. Granted, Percy was immortal now too. He'd even made a point to make sure she wasn't alone on the anniversary of Jason's death.

"Ah, so you could see Perseus' string?"

Piper ducked her head, but nodded.

"There is so much of their story to tell," she sighed. "I promised Artemis that he would find happiness, and now he is going to watch everyone he's ever loved die. Well, every mortal. I broke my promise."

"And eventually you'll have to answer to him for that broken oath?"

Aphrodite sighed again and cradled her head in her hands.

"The Fates mock me. I cannot count how many times I've watched them dance past each other, or how many opportunities I laid at that boy's feet so he could find happiness apart from his soulmate. And this isn't even the first time."

Piper waited a moment while her mother pulled herself back together.

"But, he is happy, isn't he? He's training kids, helping them. He still has his family and us friends, even if… well," she shrugged. "He's happy. And when we're all gone, he'll still have the friends he's made who are already immortal. And he'll still be training. He's talked to me about understanding watching us die. Watching those he'll train die. He's not okay with it, but he understands and accepts it."

"So, he's content. Not happy," Aphrodite argued.

Piper groaned.

"You said they have a whole big story behind them, what is it?"

Aphrodite brightened, sat up, and leaned in to tell her story.

"You see, it all began about twelve hundred years ago during Percy's first life."

.

Percy

"It took you long enough," Artemis scoffed from the ground. She was laying on her back, her hair sprawled in a wreath around her, watching the constellations.

"You just now asked me to come. I told you I would wait until you were ready," he tried to keep the bite from his voice, really. Artemis was pretty cool and he'd hate to start a grudge match between them, but he finally had a way to get back at the abomination that gave his baby sister nightmares. He'd expected her to be waiting on him. He thought she'd be ready before he left Hades' throne room. But that wasn't the case. No, it'd taken hours for her to call him and he was less than patient as he continued to wait for her to get off the ground.

"I think I know the area she's in," she said, decidedly not taking the bait to his previous comment. "But we can't investigate as we are."

"What do you mean?" he asked, crouching down with her, barely breathing for fear he'd miss a clue to lead to Estelle's kidnapper.

"She'd sense a couple of gods traipsing around in her claimed land. We need to find specifically where she is and what her weak point is. To do that we must go undetected."

"Okay. How do we do that?"

"Remember how you found me in Greece?"

"With Egyptians?"

She shivered and shook her head.

"Are you still friends with Walt?"

"I haven't seen any of them since I died."

She smirked at his word choice and shook her head again.

"I'd cut myself off from the majority of my domain."

Understanding flooded Percy. She'd practically been mortal then. No monsters had come to eat her because they barely realized she was there.

"Alright," he shook out his shoulders, ready for training, "how do I do it?"

Her smile was sad, but she finally rose from the ground to teach him.