Alaster POV

I was surrounded in darkness, I was just standing there. Am I dead? Like for real?

"Fraud"

I turned around to the origin of the voice, only to be met with more darkness. I went for my highlighter but...it wasn't in my pocket. I went to use my ring...but it wasn't on my finger.

"Alaster"

My head swiped to the right. I thought it would just be more darkness but no...there was somebody there. It was a woman, she had blonde hair and blue eyes.

"No,"I said. "No...no, you're dead. It can't be, you're dead"

"But I'm here, aren't I? It's me, I'm your mother, Alaster"

"No you're not! It's impossible! You're dead!"I yelled

"How are you so sure you're not dead as well?"

I covered my ears and closed my eyes tightly. "No! No! Shut up! No!"

"Stop fighting Alaster, you know you're not strong enough"

"You're not strong enough. After all, you couldn't help me"

My eyes widened and turned around...my brain stopped working for a second.

"Th-Thalia?"My voice shook.

I ran towards her, I reached out but when I got close, she grabbed me by my wrist and kicked me down. I fell into my back.

"You're a fraud, Al"Thalia said

"What? What do you mean?"I said

"You pretend that you're strong, but you're not. You're still that weak kid I had to protect"

"No..."I shook my head. "I...I wanted to be strong. Like you...like Luke. I...am strong"

"You're not though. What have you done on this quest besides let others save you? Face it, you're not strong like you say you are. You might be a son of Zeus, but that means nothing. You try to hide it, you act like a complete douche to others to make yourself look better in comparison"

"No! That's not true!"I yelled

"Really? What about the way you treated Percy? Or Annabeth? Or Grover? You didn't talk to Luke for years? You're selfish, weak, and a fool"

"I'm not! I'm not!"I yelled

"You know it's true"Mom said

"You talk big,"Percy suddenly appeared. "But deep down you're just scared and pathetic"

"No,"I said, falling to my knees.

"You say you want revenge on Hades,"Grover appeared. "But who's to say you won't just ball up and cry like the baby you are"

"Please, stop"My voice broke.

"You're not strong or brave"Annabeth appeared. "You're weak and you're a coward"

"What son of Zeus can't even kill Medusa?"Luke appeared. "Just face it, you're useless, there's no room for you in this world. The world wouldn't change at all if you were dead, nobody would be suffering, because nobody would care. You shouldn't exist anyway"

"STOP IT!!"

"Just give up, Al"Thalia said. "Accept it"

"Fraud"

"Fraud"

"Fraud"

"Fraud"

"Fraud"

"Fraud"

They repeated this over and over. Tears dropped from my eyes like waterfalls and I covered my ears, but they just got louder and louder.

I started remembering, every single time my mother yelled at me, every time she hit me. Every single time Luke and Thalia got hurt while protecting me because I wasn't strong enough.

They were right...I am a coward...I am weak.

But then...everything went silent.

"Rise, Alaster"

I removed my hands from my ears and looked up. My eyes widened. Everyone else was gone, it was no longer pitch black.

Instead I was surrounded by a white mist, it looked like I was inside of a cloud. But the person I was looking at...I couldn't believe my eyes.

It was a man. He was tall and very muscular. He had shoulder length black hair and a gray-and-black neatly trimmed beard. His face was serious and proud, but also handsome. He wore a blue pinstriped suit. And his eyes...they were a brilliant electric blue. Just like mines.

"F-Father?"I said

"Yes, my son. Rise, I have much to show you"Zeus said

I stood and wiped my eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm a sorry excuse for a son. They were right, I'm a weak coward"

"No,"Zeus said. "You are not. No child of mines is weak nor a coward. That is why I shall show you your past"

He swiped his hand through the air and wind whirled like a tornado until suddenly everything began shifting and the white mist transformed into a forest setting.

"What are we doing here?"I asked

"Watch"Zeus said

"Aaaaaaahhh!"

A seven year old version of me fell onto the ground. Seven year old me sprung up with Hero in his-my-their hand?

Confession time, I didn't actually get my dagger on my first quest. I was gifted it by Zeus at this mansion place, I don't remember a lot of the details though.

Seven year old me scrambled to stand and ran a a couple feet before turning back. Someone dropped and landed right where I had.

It was a girl. She wore a white shirt under a silver jacket, silvery camo pants and black combat boots. She had copper-colored skin and had the look of a Persian Princess.

"Wait a minute. I remember this. This is when I fought Zoë Nightshade"I said

"Yes, this is"

"I lost though"I said

"What matters is that you tried. Fighting against a Hunter of Artemis concerning your age is most impressive and bold. No matter the outcome"Zeus said

"Well I had to. She insulted Luke. I was just trying to defend my friend"I said. "Still doesn't change the fact that I needed help along the way. I would've died if it weren't for Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Silena, and Beckendorf.

"Are you sure?"Zeus asked

"Yeah, I'm sure"I said

"Although that may be true. Your courage and will to fight makes you a hero, no matter your achievement. Although your achievements are a very grand contribution"

"That doesn't change anything about how I feel. I'm scared. Scared of the monsters in the Underworld, scared of Tartarus, scared of...Hades. I try to act all brave but in reality I was scared. I kept thinking in the back of my head if he would kill me on the spot. It shakes me to my core knowing that I might have to see him"

"Fear. A concept that most possess"Zeus said

"You've never been afraid before?"I asked

Zeus huffed. "Of course not. What do I have to be afraid of? I am the King of Gods"

My head hung low.

"But keep this in mind. Focus on what you care for. There is more than one definition of strong. Find yours, and fight for it"Zeus said

Suddenly his image began hazy.

As everything began to dissolve I looked at myself getting kicked around by Zoë Nightshade before everything disappeared.

Everything became black again, but then my vision began to come back, noise was no longer blocked out. My eyes blinked.

I was being carried, sort of. My arm was over someone's shoulder and I was kind of being dragged along.

It took a little bit for my vision to clear up before I realize that it was Percy who was helping me.

I shook my head. I removed my arm from behind Percy's shoulder. He looked at me.

"Thanks, again"I said

"No problem, again"Percy said

I looked around...so this must be the Fields of Asphodel. There was a lot of people. I heard whispers all around. I followed Annabeth, Grover, and Percy.

We passed by a lot of people. A man with a Mohawk and a rainbow shirt that said: PEACE ON EARTH. There was a girl who looked about my age, maybe older. Her hair was curly and shoulder length, she was pretty and had dark skin.

We crept along, following the line of new arrivals that snaked from the main gates toward a black-tented pavilion with a banner that read:

JUDGEMENTS FOR ELYSIUM AND ETERNAL DAMNATION

Welcome, Newly Deceased!

Out the back of the tent came two much smaller lines. To the left, spirits flanked by security ghouls were marched down a rocky path toward the Fields of Punishment, which glowed and smoked in the distance, a vast, cracked wasteland with rivers of lava and minefields and miles of barbed wire separating the different torture areas.

From far away I could see people. Ring chased by hellhounds, burned at the stake, forced to run naked through cactus patches or listen to opera music. There were also much worse tortures, I didn't see my mother anywhere though.

Beyond the security gate were neighborhoods of beautiful houses from every time period in history. Roman villas and medieval castles and Victorian mansions. Silver and gold flowers bloomed in the lawns. The grass rippled in rainbow colors. I smelt barbecue cooking and heard laughter.

This must've been Elysium.

In the middle of that valley was a glittering blue lake, with three small islands like a vacation resort. The Isles of the Blest, for people who had chosen to be reborn three times, and three times achieved Elysium.

"That's what it's all about,"Annabeth said. "That's the place for heroes"

We left the judgment pavilion and moved deeper into the Asphodel Fields. It got darker. The colors faded from our clothes. The crowds of chattering spirits began to thin.

After a few miles of walking, we began to hear a familiar screech in the distance. Looming on the horizon was a palace of glittering black obsidian. Above the parapets swirled three dark bat-like creatures: The Kindly Ones.

"I suppose it's too late to turn back,"Grover said wistfully.

"We'll be okay."Percy said

"I wouldn't so sure, at least you three will probably be okay"I said

"Maybe we should search some of the other places first,"Grover suggested. "Like, Elysium, for instance..."

"Come on, goat boy."Annabeth grabbed his arm.

Grover yelped. His shoes sprouted wings and his legs shit forward, pulling him away from Annabeth. He landed flat on his back in the grass.

"Grover,"Annabeth chided. "Stop messing around."

"But I didn't—"

He yelped again. His shows were flapping like crazy. They levitated off the ground and started dragging him away from us.

"Maia! Maia, already! Nine-one-one! Help!"

I made a break for it and tried to grab onto Grover's hand along with Percy but we both missed. Grover was picking up speed quickly.

We ran after him. Annabeth shouted, "Untie the shoes!"

It was a smart idea, but it's not so easy when you're being pulled at full speed. Grover tried to sit up but he couldn't get close to the laces.

We kept running after him, trying to keep him in sight as he zipped between the legs of spirits who chattered at him in annoyance.

I was sure Grover was going to barrel straight through the gates of Hades' palace, but his shoes veered sharply to the right and dragged him in the opposite direction.

The slope got steeler. Grover gained speed. Percy, Annabeth, and I had to sprint to keep up. The cavern walls narrowed on either side and I realized that we had entered a side tunnel of sorts.

There was just rock underfoot, and the dim light of the stalactites above.

"Grover!"Percy yelled, his voice echoing. "Hold on to something!"

"What?"he yelled back.

Grover was grabbing at gravel, but there was nothing big enough that could slow him down.

The tunnel got darker and colder. It smelt evil down here. It made me think of things I didn't even want to think of. The blood of my relatives spilt on an ancient stone altar, and the scent of fresh blood.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw what was in front of me. The tunnel had widened into a huge dark cavern, and in the middle was a chasm the size of a city block.

This...this must be...it has to be...Tartarus.

Grover was sliding towards the edge.

"Come on!"Annabeth yelled, tugging on me and Percy's wrists.

"But that's—"

"I know!"she shouted. "The place you described in your dream! But Grover's going to fall if we don't catch him"

Grover was yelling, clawing at the ground, but the winged shoes kept dragging him toward the pit, and it didn't look like we we could possible get to him in time.

What saved him get to him in time.

The flying sneakers had always been a loose fit on him, and finally Grover hit a big rock and the left shoe came flying off. It sped into the darkness, down into the chasm. The right shoe kept tugging him along, but not as fast.

Grover slowed himself down by grabbing on to the big rock. He was very close when we caught him and hauled him back onto the slope. The other winged shoe tugged itself off, and circled around us like some sort of angry bird and kicked our heads before flying off into the chasm.

We all collapsed on the obsidian grave. Grover was scratched up pretty badly. His hands were bleeding and his eyes had gone slit-pupils.

"I don't know how..."he panted. "I didn't..."

"Wait,"Percy said. "Listen."

I heard a deep whisper in the darkness coming from the pit.

Yeah...definitely Tartarus.

"Percy, this place—"

"Shh."

The sound began to get louder, an evil voice was muttering from far below us.

"Wh-what's that noise?"Grover sat up.

"Tartarus."I said. "The entrance to Tartarus"

Percy uncapped his sword. The bronze sword expanded and gleamed in the darkness, the evil voice faltered a bit before resuming its chant.

I could make out the words more clearer...this was ancient, even more than Greek...this isn't good. I felt as though a pair of eyes was glaring at me through the pit, like I made it angry.

"Magic,"Percy said

"I don't think we should stay here. I've got a bad feeling"I said

"We have to get out of here,"Annabeth said

Annabeth and Percy dragged Grover to his hooves and we started back up the tunnel. The voice got louder and angrier behind us and we started booking it towards the top of the tunnel.

A cold blast of wind pulled at our backs. I turned around and blew a massive wind out of my mouth, sending all of us flying all the way to the top of the tunnel, where the cavern widened out into the Fields of Asphodel. The wind died. A wail of outrage echoed from deep in the tunnel. If whatever was in that pit was what I thought it was, then it was not happy we escaped.

"What was that?"Grover panted, when we'd collapsed on the relative safety of a black poplar grove. "One of Hades' pets?"

Annabeth, Percy, and I looked at each other.

"Well, if that was who I thought it was...it was good thing we got out of there"I said

Percy capped his sword and looked at Grover. "Let's keep going. Can you walk?"

Grover swallowed. "Yeah, sure. I never liked those shoes, anyway"

He tried to sound brave about it, but he was trembling as badly as Annabeth, Percy and I were.

The Kindly Ones circled the parapets, high in gloom. The outer walls of the fortress glittered black, and the two-story-tall bronze gates stood wide open.

Up close, I saw that the engravings on the gates were scenes of death, most of them too graphic for me to explain.

Inside the courtyard was the strangest garden I'd ever seen. There were multicolored mushrooms, poisoned shrubs, and weird luminous plants grew without sunlight. Previous jewels made up for the lack of flowers, piles of rubies were as big as my fists, and there were clumps of raw diamonds. Standing here and there were people from Medusa's garden statues—petrified children, satyrs, and centaurs—all smiling grotesquely.

In the middle of the garden was an orchard of pomegranate trees, their orange blooms neon bright in the dark.

"The garden of Persephone,"Annabeth said. "Keep walking"

Percy pulled Grover away from the pomegranate tree. Smart move, if one of us ate one of those that person would have to be left behind.

We walked up the steps of the palace. With each step my heart beat quickened and my palms got sweaty. We walked between black columns, through a black marble portico, and into the House of Hades.

"Hey,"Percy said and handed me my two-sided highlighter. I took it. "You dropped that"

"Thanks. You think I should take my spear out?"I asked

"Well since we're about to meet the god of Death...you holding up a spear doesn't seem like the most helpful way to get us out of here alive"Percy said

I nodded.

The entry hall had a polished bronze floor, which boiled in the reflected torchlight. There was no ceiling, just the cavern roof, far above.

Every side doorway was guarded by a skeleton in military gear. Some wore Greek armor, with some British redcoat uniforms, some camouflage with tattered American flags in the shoulders.

They carried spears or muskets or M-16s. None of them bothered us, but their hollow eye sockets followed us as we walked.

Two U.S. Marine skeletons guarded the doors. They grinned down at us.

"You know,"Grover mumbled, "I bet Hades doesn't have trouble with door-to-door salesmen."

"Well, guys,"Percy said. "I suppose we should...knock?"

A hot wind blew down the corridor, and the doors swung open. The guards stepped aside.

"I guess that means entre~vous,"Annabeth said

And then...I saw Hades for the very first time. He was the sixth god I've ever seen before. And his presence was much more terrifying than any other god I've come in contact with.

My legs shook and he glared right at me. I'm sure if he really wanted to he could kill me right here right now.

He was ten feet tall, he was dressed in black silk robes and a crown of braided gold. His skin was albino white, his hair shoulder-length and jet black. He wasn't bulked up, but he radiated power of course, being one of the Three strongest gods.

He was on his throne of fused human bones. I felt like I should turn around and run. But I knew I wouldn't get far, he would turn me into some sort of bug and step on me before that happens.

"You are brave to come here, Son of Poseidon,"he said in an oily voice. Although he didn't acknowledge me right then, I knew he was thinking of what he should do with me if he had the chance. "After what you have done to me, very brave indeed. Or perhaps you are simply very foolish."

Percy stepped forward. "Lord and Uncle, I come with two requests."

Hades raised bud eyebrow and sat forward in his throne. "Only two requests? Arrogant child. As if you have not already taken enough. Speak, then. It amuses me not to strike you dead yet."

Annabeth cleared her throat and her finger prodded Percy in the back.

"Lord Hades,"Percy said. "Look, sir, there can't be a war among the gods. It would be...bad"

"Really bad,"Grover added

"Yeah,"I said. "So if you could return my father's master bolt to Percy. He could carry it to Olympus"

He eyes narrowed at me I shrunk back. His gaze shifted towards Percy. "You dare keep up this pretense, after what you have done?"

Percy glanced at us. I was confused. What did he think Percy did?

"Um...Uncle,"Percy said. "You keep saying 'after what you've done.' What exactly have I done?"

The throne room shook with a tremor. Debris fell from the cavern ceiling. Doors burst open all along the walls, and skeletal warriors marched in, hundreds of them. They lined the perimeter of the room, blocking the exits.

I pressed down on my ring and Aegis appeared. I uncapped the yellow side of my highlighter and a basket-hilted sword appeared.

"Do you think I want war, godling?"

"You are the Lord of the Dead,"Percy said carefully. "A war would expand your kingdom, right?"

"A typical thing for my brothers to say! Do you think I need more subjects? Did you not see the sprawl of the Asphodel Fields?"

"Well..."

"Have you any idea how much my kingdom has swollen in this past century alone, how many subdivisions I've had to open?"Hades said. "More security ghouls, traffic problems at the judgement pavilion. Double overtime for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson. I control all the precious metals under the earth. But my expenses!"

"Charon wants a pay raise"Percy said foolishly.

"Don't get me started on Charon!"Hades yelled. "He's been impossible ever since he discovered Italian suits! Problems everywhere, and I've got to handle all of them personally. The commute time alone from the palace to the gates is enough to drive me insane! And the dead just keep arriving. No, godling. I need no help getting subjects! I did not ask for this war."

"But you took Zeus's master bolt."

More rumbling. "LIES! Your father may fool Zeus, boy, but I am not so stupid. I see his plan."

"His plan?"

"You were the thief on the winter solstice. Your father thought to keep you his little secret. He directed you into the throne room on Olympus. You took the master bolt and my helm. Had I not sent my Fury to discover you at Yancy Academy, Poseidon might have succeeded in hiding his scheme to start a war. But now you have been forced into the open. You will be exposed as Poseidon's thief, and I will have my helm back!"

"But..."Annabeth spoke. "Lord Hades, your helm of darkness is missing, too?"

"Do not play innocent with me, girl. You and the satyr have been helping this hero—coming here to threaten me in Poseidon's name, no doubt—to bring me an ultimatum. Does Poseidon think I can be blackmailed into supporting him?"

No!"Percy said. "Poseidon didn't—I didn't—"

"I have said nothing of the helm's disappearance," Hades snarled, "because I had no illusions that anyone on Olympus would offer me the slightest justice, the slightest help. I can ill afford for word to get out that my most powerful weapon of fear is missing. So I searched for you myself, and when it was clear you were coming to me to deliver your threat, I did not try to stop you."

"You didn't try to stop us? But—"

Return my helm now, or I will stop death," Hades threatened. "That is my counterproposal. I will open the earth and have the dead pour back into the world. I will make your lands a nightmare. And you, Percy Jackson—your skeleton will lead my army out of Hades."

The skeletal soldiers all took one step forward, making their weapons ready.

"You're as bad as Zeus,"Percy said. "You think I stole from you? That's why you sent the Furies after me?"

"Of course," Hades said.

"And the other monsters?"

Hades curled his lip. "I had nothing to do with them. I wanted no quick death for you—I wanted you brought before me alive so you might face every torture in the Fields of Punishment. Why do you think I let you enter my king-dom so easily?"

"Easily?"

"Return my property!"

"But I don't have your helm. I came for the master bolt."

"Which you already possess!" Hades shouted. "You came here with it, little fool, thinking you could you threaten me!"

"But I didn't!"

"Open your pack, then."

Percy slung the pack off his shoulder and unzipped it. Inside of it was a two-foot-long metal cylinder, spiked on both ends, humming with energy.

My eyes widened. "Percy...you...you stole—"

"No!"Percy said. "I—I don't know how. I don't understand"

You heroes are always the same," Hades said. "Your pride makes you foolish, thinking you could bring such a weapon before me. I did not ask for Zeus's master bolt, but since it is here, you will yield it to me. I am sure it will make an excellent bargaining tool. And now... my helm. Where is it?"

"Lord Hades, wait,"Percy said. "This is all a mistake."

"A mistake?"Hades roared

The skeletons aimed their weapons and I held up Aegis. The Three Furies swooped down to perch on the back of their master's throne. The one that I had killed on the bus barred her teeth at me and flicked her whip.

"There is no mistake,"Hades said. "I know why you have come—I know the real reason you brought the bolt. You came to bargain for her"

Hades loosed a ball of gold fire from his palm and it exploded on the steps in front of Percy.

Yes," Hades said with satisfaction. "I took her. I knew, Percy Jackson, that you would come to bargain with me eventually. Return my helm, and perhaps I will let her go. She is not dead, you know. Not yet. But if you displease me, that will change."

A moment of silence.

"Ah, the pearls,"Hades said. "Yes, my brother and his little tricks. Bring them forth, Percy Jackson."

Percy took out the four pearls.

"Four pearls. What a shame. You can take your mother, Percy Jackson. But one of you will have to stay"Hades said, he was staring at me like he was hoping that I'd be the one to stay so that he could torture me as much as he wanted.

Percy looked at us. "We were tricked. Set up"

"Yes, but why? And the voice in the pit—"

"I don't know yet,"Percy said. "But I intend to ask."

"Decide, boy!"Hades yelled

"Percy,"I said. "You can't give him the bolt"

"I know that"Percy said

Grover out his hand on Percy's shoulder. "Leave me here. Use the fourth Pearl on your mom"

"No!"

"I'm a satyr,"Grover said. "We don't have souls like humans do. He can torture me until I die, but he won't get me forever. I'll just be reincarnated as a flower or something. It's the best way."

"No."Annabeth drew her bronze knife. "You two go on. Grover, you have to protect Percy. You have to get your searcher's license and start your quest for Pan. Beg his mom out of here. I'll cover you. I plan to go down fighting."

"No,"I said. "I'll do it. Ever since Thalia died I've been scared of this moment. The moment where I'd meet Hades. I'm scared out of my mind but I'd much rather me be tortured forever. Unlike you guys I don't really have anything to look forward to or anything to fight for. Percy has his mom, Grover needs to find Pan, Annabeth wants to become this great architect. But really I'm not fighting for anything. Almost everyone in my family is gone, and my only goal was to become a pilot. At least here I'm making myself useful. He really wants me, he wants to torture me. I was the child of Zeus he never got to make suffer. So I'll stay"

"No way,"Grover said. "I'm staying behind"

"Think again, goat boy, you too Lightning Mouth"Annabeth said

"Stop it, the three of you!"Percy said. "I know what to do. Take these"

Percy handed us each a pearl.

"But, Percy"Annabeth said

Percy turned and faced his mother and said. "Im sorry. I'll be back. I'll find a way"

The smug look on Hades' face faded. "Godling...?"

"I'll find your helm, Uncle. I'll return it. Remember about Charon's pay raise"

"Do not defy me—"

"And it wouldn't hurt to play with Cerberus once in a while. He likes red rubber balls."

"Percy Jackson, you will not—"

Percy shouted, "Now, guys!"

We smashed the pearls at our feet. For a moment, nothing happened.

Hades yelled, "Destroy them!"

The army of skeletons rushed forward, swords out, guns clicking to full automatic. The Furies lunged, their whips bursting into flame.

Just as the skeletons opened fire, the pearl fragments at my feet exploded with a burst of green light and a gust of fresh sea wind. I was encased in a milky white sphere, which was starting to float off the ground.

Me, Annabeth, and Grover were right behind Percy. Spears and bullets sparked harmlessly off the pearl bubbles as we floated up. Hades yelled with such rage, the entire fortress shook.

"Look up!"Grover yelled. "We're going to crash!"

I looked and saw that we were racing upwards towards the stalactites.

"How do you control these things?"Annabeth shouted

"I don't think you do!"Percy shouted back.

We screamed as the bubbles slammed into the ceiling.

For a few moments I couldn't see anything out of the milky sphere but then Percy, Annabeth, and Grover came into sight. Then my Pearl broke through on the ocean floor. The three other milky spheres that held Percy, Annabeth, and Grover all kept up with one another as we scored through the water. And then—ker-blam!

We exploded on the surface, in the middle of the Santa Monica Bay, knocking a surfer off his board with an indig-nant, "Dude!"

Percy grabbed me and hauled me over to a life buoy along with Annabeth and Grover.

A shark was circling us, a great white about eleven feet long.

Percy said, "Beat it."

The shark turned and raced away. The surfer screamed something about bad mushrooms and paddled away from us.

In the distance, Los Angeles was on fire, plumes of smoke rising from neighborhoods all over the city. There had been an earthquake, it must've been caused by Hades.

A coast guard boat picked us up, but they were too busy to keep us for long, or to wonder how four kids in street clothes had gotten out into the middle of the bay. Their radios were jammed with distress calls.

They dropped us off at the Santa Monica Pier with towels around our shoulders and water bottles that said I'M A JUNIOR COAST GUARD! and sped off to save more people.

Our clothes were sopping wet, even Percy's.

After reaching dry land, we stumbled down the beach, watching the city burst against a sunrise. I felt as though I came back from the dead...which I technically had.

"I don't believe it,"Annabeth said. "We went all that way—"

It was a trick,"Percy said. "A strategy worthy of Athena."

"Hey,"Annabeth warned

"You get it, don't you?"

Annabeth dropped her eyes, her anger fading. "Yeah. I beg it."

"Well I don't!"Grover complained. "Would somebody—"

"Percy...I'm sorry about your mother. I'm so sorry..."Annabeth's said

"The prophecy was right,"Percy said

You shall go west and face the god who has turned.' But it wasn't Hades. Hades didn't want war among the Big Three. Someone else pulled off the theft. Someone stole Zeus's master bolt, and Hades's helm, and framed me because I'm Poseidon's kid. Poseidon will get blamed by both sides. By sundown today, there will be a three-way war. And I'll have caused it"

Grover shook his head, mystified. "But who would be that sneaky? Who would want war that bad?"

Just then, I figured it out...I can't believe it. I can't believe I didn't figure it out earlier.

There he was, waiting for us, in his black leather duster and his sunglasses, an aluminum baseball bat propped on his shoulder. His motorcycle rumbled beside him, its headlight turning the sand reds

"Hey, kid."Ares said, genuinely sound pleased to see us. "You were supposed to die."