Heya everyone!

I hope you've all been enjoying the new chapters. I just wanted to humbly request you guys that please, PLEASE write your reviews, whether good or bad. It feels nice to see that there are hundreds of people out there reading my fic, but I'd really love it if you people wrote what you feel, everyone of you… It might just take you two minutes to express your thoughts or feelings about the fic, but believe me, it makes my whole day. And as I said, whether good or bad, I really like it when you guys tell me something about how you felt like reading the story. And moreover, it's a great encouragement to keep writing...and it really helps in getting more focused on writing so that I can write the chapters quickly. I know, and I'm sorry that I was gone for a while and there was a long gap between the chapters, but believe me, things haven't been the same for the last six months. So please, please review the fic, keep PMing me with your suggestions, fic recs(Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Star Wars, Maze Runner), literally anything you want, even a little, "Hey! How's it going?" Because it really, really makes my day. Hope you enjoy this chappie!

Chapter 25

Percy's P.O.V.

Percy didn't know what to make of Ben. All of a sudden, he appears, and then he attacks them, and then he blames him for stuff. Well, he didn't exactly strike him as very nice in their first meeting. But he had to cut the guy some slack. After all, years in Tartarus could change anybody. And that's why some part of him still didn't trust Ben. How can he trust someone that dangerous? Someone who had been allied with Gaea since the beginning. What if the guy was faking all of that, and his main mission was something else?

But more importantly, he felt worried for Natalie. She was too emotionally attached to Ben to think that he could be wrong. It was more or less like Annabeth always sticking up for Luke, but since he had redeemed himself at last, Percy didn't think of him as anyone bad anymore. Luke had been a hero. But Ben? He walked across Tartarus like it was his own place. And that's what compelled Percy to start a conversation.

"Look man, not that I don't appreciate it, but how are you – alive?"

"I mean, " he quickly added. "Natalie herself pushed – I mean, saw you fall. So how did you survive that?"

Ben's expression darkened. Annabeth and Natalie, who were walking ahead, talking with Bob, slowed down their speed to listen to him.

"I don't know. When I was falling, all that I was thinking was that I'm gonna die. But I heard water. I just don't know how, but I managed to survive the fall using my powers. I stumbled across for a few steps, and then I think I must have passed out or something, because I just don't remember what happened after that. It's like, completely blank. Not a single memory."

"And then I woke up in a completely different place. I first thought that I'd died and I was in Elysium," he chuckled slightly at the thought. For once, Percy saw him as Ben. Not some assassin like a dangerous person. But the person he must have been. Smiling, happy, brave, joyful. And without the scar. "I was, like, in a mountain cave or something. And the nature spirits helped me. Gaea spoke to me. She had saved me. And then she told me about all that had happened. How the Gods had just let everything happen to us. I don't know how, but she did some magic on me. I could breathe in here pretty fine. Guess that was Tartatus himself supporting her. And I just believed her. I know it feels stupid now, but I did. She helped me train, hone my powers. And she told me about her plan. I didn't take part in the Titan War. Gaea said that she had other plans for me. But now, I guess all that she had for me was to use me like a puppet."

Percy didn't know what to say. What do you say to a person with a story like that? I'm sorry, or Yeah, welcome to the I Hate Gaea club?

He felt hungry, numb. Occasionally drinking from Phlegathon did keep them alive, but it kept them thirsty as well. Finally, near a blackstone altar, Bob stopped.

"Polybotes is far, " he said. "We can rest. The food will be here in some time."

"Food?" Annabeth asked.

"Food," Bob nodded.

Natalie touched the wall of the altar. "What is this place?"

She closed her eyes. "It's...powerful, but not in a dark way."

"Yeah," Annabeth nodded. "I can feel it's aura too. It's very strong. Even in a place like Tartarus.

Percy looked at Bob. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Yeah," Ben said. "This is Hermes' shrine. The only place you can call 'safe' in Tartarus. Fell from somewhere ages ago. But I don't know about food."

He looked confusedly at Bob. Bob sighed. "When Bob was sent to Tartarus sometimes, he came here. Food comes here after some time. In that fireplace."

He pointed towards the inside of the temple. Percy and the group went inside. It was a bit warmer than outside, but still cold. At least it had an intact roof. The space inside the shrine was not much, but since it was covered like a room, it made Percy feel safe.

"Okay, Annabeth and Natalie, you sleep," he said. "We'll stay up on watch."

"But how will you two get rest, then?" Annabeth asked.

"Don't worry. We'll stop somewhere else. But you two rest first."

"The floor's ice cold. There's no way you'll be able to sleep on it," Ben bent down and touched the floor. Bob had lighted up a fire, which provided some warmth.

"I can help with that," Natalie said, and closed her eyes. Three large sized sleeping bags appeared in front of them.

"Whoa!" Percy said. "How d'you do that? Since when did you start summoning things?"

"They're not things," Natalie shrugged. "They're my weapons."

"Since when did you fight with extra large sleeping bags?" Ben smirked.

"Don't you remember?" Natalie asked Percy, conveniently giving a sibling-ish smug look to Ben. "My weapons were designed by Vulcan. I can pretty much keep them with me however I want."

"So can't you turn it into water or food?"

Natalie thought about it for a moment. "Maybe, yeah. But if you eat or drink it, then it'd be inside your stomach. And I don't wanna summon them from there."

"Best hope you don't digest it," Percy smirked as Natalie and Annabeth got in one bag. Bob took one for himself plopped down on it in a corner, studying his mop.

"That's gross!" Annabeth exclaimed.

Percy laughing sat on one of the bags beside Ben.

"Hey Natalie?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah?"

"These are your weapons right?"

"Yep."

"Please make sure you don't accidentally will them as weapons while you're asleep. I don't wanna wake up with arrows on my back."

"Sure."

Two minutes later, silence filled the room. Bob was curled up in a corner, his mop clutched protectively. Natalie and Annabeth were fast asleep. Percy just took out his sword and stared at it, unsure what to do.

"I'm sorry about, uh, earlier today," Ben said slowly. "About the killing business, I mean."

"No, it's alright. I'd probably have done the same in your place."

"And thank you," he said. "For being with Natalie, when I couldn't."

He said the last part with guilt, and, a hint of anger, aimed at Gaea.

"You don't need to thank me. She's my sister too. Besides, we met last month, but she's already saved my skin countless times. I realized I had a sister last month only, before that, I didn't even know that I had two other half-siblings. Mostly, it's been Jason who's been with her."

"Jason," Ben smiled. "How's he? And others? Reyna, Gwen, Dakota?"

"Physically? Fine the last time I saw them. But mentally, we've all been troubled since the last month. Ever since Gaea started rising. Actually, it was last month for me. It's been more than six months for them."

"I know about the tension between Greeks and Romans. And I really can't believe I actually supported it, that Gaea betrayed me."

"You trusted Gaea so well?" Percy asked.

Ben's face darkened. "Natalie always used to tell me not to bottle up my anger. I guess I'll give it a shot. Look, Percy, I am gonna confess one thing. Ever since mum died, I was never the same."

Percy let that sink in. He stared at Ben's face, his scar flashing in the fire's light. It hit him that Ben was his age, and he'd lost his mom. He'd never met his dad. He had been pushed into the depths of Tartarus, caught between the threads of the Gods wishes. He was the same as they were.

"Natalie was more of a, let's say, comforting person. She eventually accepted the reality. That mum was gone. But I couldn't, even though I used to pretend otherwise, I couldn't. Natalie saw it, of course. But she thought it better to let me handle my feelings. And when Neptune didn't even come to at least see her one last time, well I was definitely angry. And after the Tartarus incident, I mostly trained here, with the monsters. And this place just influences negativity. I guess that's what just happened to me. My anger for Neptune grew. After Gaea showed me Natalie's visions and falsely told me the gods were torturing her, it just peaked so high that for some time I didn't even know who I was. I know I sound super stupid and whiny, but I just don't wanna keep it bottled up and be in agony anymore."

Percy gave him a small, but encouraging smile. "No, in fact you sound like a better person. Confessing is never easy."

"Thanks. I wasn't hoping you'd actually say that after I told you I don't like Neptune. But still, I am stable in my point of view that the gods could do a bit better maybe. I saw the Titan War. I saw those demigods. Neglected, betrayed, cast aside. It wouldn't have happened if the gods would have given their kids the attention they deserve."

Luke's face swam in front of Percy's eyes. He'd been among those demigods. He'd been their leader. Percy had tried to forget him, to convince himself that Luke was happy in Elysium, but he couldn't help but feel...guilty.

"Yeah," he nodded. "There are a lot of things that wouldn't have happened if the gods had paid attention. Lots of people who'd have been alive. I lost a few of my closest friends to the war."

Ben nodded. Percy could admit he'd gotten a lot more comfortable around him now.

"What was it like?" Percy asked.

"What?" he looked at him.

"Being stuck down here?"

Ben scratched the scar on his face. "In some words, maddening. Like I said, there was a time when even I wasn't sure who I was. After I fell, I've spent most of my life here. I have been to the surface just two times. Once, to help Porphyrion after he escaped the Wolf House, and once to check on Thanatos in Alaska. Around three months ago, maybe. After that, all the time. Gaea showed me the Titan war from here. She helped me train. She convinced Tartarus to help keep me alive here. She comforted me, told me about how the world would be different when we win against the gods. She was my only support here. After being separated from everyone, I started seeing a mother-figure in her. I know it sounds stupid, I - I just know everything sounds stupid. But believe me, I was so lost I didn't know who to trust."

Percy kept a hand on his shoulder. "Well, now you know that."

Ben smiled. "Yeah. And again, thanks for being with her while I couldn't. I know she can be a bit hard to understand. Sometimes, she's the one who's calm and wise, and sometimes she's just so angry and reckless. Especially when things are not fair. She used to be a lot angry when I used to cheat in chess."

He laughed, a nostalgic look on his face. Life had changed so much for him. Everything he had liked, loved, was now behind him. Percy felt so much pity for him. No one deserved that.

"Can you promise me something?" Ben asked a while later.

"What?"

"Will you look after her after all this is over, in case I –,"

"Don't say it."

"Please, can you promise it?"

Percy shook his head. "First thing, you don't need me to promise for that. And second, don't think that way."

"I am not. I just want to be assured that in case something happens… there would be someone for her. After getting out of here, do you believe the gods are gonna simply let me live peacefully? In fact, I'd be surprised out of my wits if they don't blame the whole thing on me."

"But we won't let that happen."

"Please."

"Fine. I promise."

Percy didn't know why he did that. He didn't even know whether he would get out of here alive, much less make a promise about someone else's life. But something compelled him too. He didn't remember how much time passed while he and Ben talked. They discussed their lives, gods, and wars. Ben didn't seem so much different now. He seemed exactly what he was. His brother.