Hey guys. I haven't done an intro or anything in a while so I just wanted to say hi. Also I don't know if I need to say this every time, but all rights go to Rick Riordan. Also, I've already had some favorites on this story which is crazy because I just uploaded it today, so thank you guys so so much! It's so awesome to know that people have actually read my story. Anyway, here's the next chapter, hope you guys like it! :)

Percy

With a new bag packed full of as much drakon soup he could stuff, Percy and Claire headed away from the oasis of the hut. He glanced back and frowned slightly. He'd never see it again. That he was positive. Claire walked along side him, kicking rocks and shards of glass eyes cast to the ground. He figured he needed to keep his eyes forward in case of any attackers, but after a while, the nightmarish wasteland became boring to look at. He then turned his gaze to the ground, picking up Claire's hobby of kicking rocks. It was oddly fun. No wonder little kids enjoy doing it so much.

After a while, Claire started humming under her breath. For a situation where Percy was sure he was heading towards certain death, it was very monotonous. He'd forgotten how boring Tartarus was. Well, it wasn't with Annabeth. With Annabeth nothing is boring. He decided to try his luck talking to Claire.

"So, Claire, tell me. What's waiting at the castle." He kicked a rock almost ten feet in front of him. New record.

"Bad stuff." Percy had forgotten she was still a little kid.

"Like...?" He prompted.

"An army." She looked like she was done talking about that. He nodded and kept kicking rocks.

"I spy with my little eye, something red." She started. He glanced at her in surprise.

"You guys have the same games down here as we do in the mortal world."

"Pretty much all of us have been up there. I haven't, but a lot have."

"Cool. Is it the sky?"

"No." She laughed, clearly entertained. Percy grinned. Claire was no Annabeth, but she did like to pass the time.

"Is it those leave on that tree?" Percy kicked a rock more than ten feet.

"No we just passed it." She looked over her shoulder.

"Wait what was it?" He tried to follow her gaze.

"That cool rock."

"That actually is a really cool rock." They went back to get the rock. Percy and Claire played a ton more "I Spy" on their long journey, briefly pausing to eat the drakon soup. While Percy knew he should be freaking out and scanning the perimeter constantly for any signs of danger, he figured if he was going to die, he wants it to be while playing dumb games with a little kid. Also, he had to keep up his winning streak.

"What's that?" Claire asked in the middle of a round. Percy whipped around but saw nothing.

"Not what I spy." He chuckled, though he was on high alert now.

"I-I think that's a person."

"Oh good. A monster. Because I always need more excitement in my life." He sighed pulling out Riptide. He was straining to keep his voice casual. He didn't want to freak out Claire. In his mind one sentence was bouncing around maddeningly. Was this it? Was this the guy who was going to kill him? Would this be his final battle?

"Hello Percy Jackson." The man stepped closer and he grinned a wicked rotten toothed grin. His eyes glinted with maniac energy.

"Oh great you know my name. That get's my introduction out of the way. Saves a lot of time. So hello sir. Who might you be?" He grinned an easy grin. Claire looked up at him with big eyes. Percy was suddenly reminded painfully of Nico and how he first looked at Westover Hall. So young and innocent. Percy almost expected Claire to pull out mythomagic cards.

"I'm Servant. I like that there necklace." Servant licked his lips with his long tongue.

"Well that's a problem because I like it too and I kinda wanna keep it. Why do you even want it?" Percy spun Riptide around in his hand.

"The Collector likes his things."

"What like shiny jewelry?"

"Exactly."

"He sounds like the crab from Moana." Percy elbowed Claire. She laughed a nervous laugh.

"I'd like to have that now." Servant said.

"Not gonna happen." Percy raised his sword feeling a fight coming on. Servant lunged forward, long fingers gripping at his neck. Percy swung Riptide ready to cut him in a thousand pieces, but Servant was quick. He pulled out his own sword and they started a full fight. They had a couple exchanges but it seemed all Servant was interested in was his necklace.

"I don't have to take your life, but I will." He snarled. Claire had back away from the two.

"Sorry man but my life is kind of a collector's item. I think I'm gonna keep it." He lunged back at Percy. Suddenly his speed increased and Percy was overwhelmed. Servant was on top of him his necklace in his hand. Percy had gone from an equally matched fight to defeated in seconds. It scared him how quickly that happened.

"Stay down and we wont have any troubles. Oooo Percy Jackson's necklace. The Collector will love this yes yes." He jumped off and ran towards a building foggy in the distance. Percy stood uneasily to his feet feeling humiliated.

"We have to get that necklace back." He said forcefully. Claire had hidden behind a rock a couple feet away. Percy felt a quick flash of anger for being left undefended in the fight, but it subsided. She was a little kid.

"But Percy what about escaping?"

"That is important! I need it!"

"Is it more important than escaping?" For the first time Claire was sounding urgent. But Percy was persistent. He felt an indescribable wave of panic rising in him. He tried to find the words, but they were struggling to come through the right way. Like if he was an old television set and someone was fiddling with the antennas.

"That necklace... it's my life. I mean- it's the life I need to get back to. Camp Half-Blood, but friends, family, that's what I'm going towards. And that's the necklace." He didn't have time to explain how important that necklace was to him. It didn't hit him until that moment. He had worn that necklace nonstop for years. It represented all the best times in his life. The Percy who wears that necklace was confident, cool under pressure, funny. That was the Percy of the mortal world. Percy didn't know why he felt the desire to get it back, but suddenly he couldn't leave without it.

"It'll be quick, I promise." He looked towards the building looming in the fog.

"I feel like you're lying." Claire crossed her arms. She looked back towards the direction they were headed before, towards the castle. Finally she looked back at him.

"But there's no changing your mind, is there?" She sighed.

"Come on. Quicker we're in, quicker we're out." And he headed towards his old life.