Percy groaned in agony as he slowly came to. His whole body was on fire, his shoulder throbbing from the Keres attack. He heard Thalia say to him as he tried to move. Her voice sounded like he was underwater. He cracked his eyes open and his vision was blurred. He could roughly make out Thalia kneeling over him, redressing his shoulder as he groaned. He felt so weak, he could barely move.

Black spots began dancing across his vision once more as Percy's world began spinning once more. He could barely make out Bianca chanting something as everything faded away to white noise. All Percy could feel was him getting picked up by a set of clawed feet and air rushing by him as if he was flying something. That white figure had probably intervened once more.

Not.

Percy could feel his body hit the ground with a thud, knocking him back into consciousness briefly.

"Father, please!" Bianca cried out, as the three Furies dropped off the trio at Hades' Palace.

Bianca had practically begged her father to send the Furies to collect them and bring them before the God of the Underworld. At least her wish was granted.

Hades looked furious, and was glaring daggers at Persephone.

"You dared to create a new Symbol of Power without my knowledge?" Hades growled, his voice dangerously low.

"You mean you didn't have the sword made?" Thalia asked from Percy's side as she knelt by his body.

Hades shook his head. "I am many things, and I may disagree with my brother's ruling of Olympus, but I am not planning to overthrow my brother. Especially not when there is the threat of our father looming upon us, that my brother had tried to ignorantly ignore."

Bianca looked down at the sword in her hands, as it glowed darkly.

"Speak of this to nobody, daughter." Hades spoke to Bianca, and one of the Furies took the sword from Bianca. "Return it to the forge for completion." And with that, the Fury flew off.

Hades stood as if to leave, and waved his hand.

"You are all dismissed."

"No." Bianca stood her ground.

"I beg your pardon?" Hades turned to his daughter, his eyes sharp.

"Help him," Bianca pointed at the weak Percy. He had begun to shiver, the poison almost killing him. "He defeated Iapetus and helped us retrieve your sword for you! I beg you, Father, help out my friend!"

Hades looked at his daughter, and then down at Percy. Closing his eyes, he reached out his hand towards Percy and waved, as if he was throwing the venom from Percy's body. "The boy will be fine. Those Keres will be dealt with." He nodded at his daughter.

Bianca smiled, "Thank you."

Hades nodded, and looked at Bianca, almost as if he approved. "Demigods," And with that, he left his throne room.

Bianca turned back to the semi-conscious Percy and concerned Thalia. The pair could see some colour returning to Percy as if the infection from the Keres had seeped away from him.

Bianca smiled a little. At least her father cared; somewhat.

Persephone walked over, and held her hand out to Bianca.

She dropped three roses into Bianca's hand.

"This is a token home for each of you." She said, looking at Percy stirring. She did not want the Legacy of Poseidon in Hades for much longer. He was a force to be reckoned with.

Bianca nodded and Persephone left in a cloud of daisies before Thalia could open her mouth.

"Let's get out of here." Bianca said and handed Thalia one of the roses and pressed another into Percy's hand. After crushing the roses, all three vanished in a burst of rose petals.

The Demon Rites

The trio appeared in a shower of petals on a sandy beach. Bianca had to sit down, her head spinning from the sudden teleportation.

Percy, however, could not stomach the sudden teleportation. He turned on his side in the sand and hurled black bile, entering a coughing fit as the last of the poison left his body.

"I'm not doing that again." Percy sighed once he had emptied his guts out, turning around so he was lying on his back once more - thankfully, not in the vomit.

Thalia chuckled lightly as she too sat down in the sand. "So, what now?" She mused.

"You guys tell me what I missed. That Lethe water did a number on me." Percy sighed, the exhaustion settling in. He had not had a moment like this in a long time. Where he could just relax.

The cool sea breeze and the gentle crashing of the waves a few metres away was soothing. Percy admittedly felt like he was in the midst of waging war against an entire pantheon. It really was peculiar.

"You didn't miss much." Bianca spoke up. "Hades was mad at Persephone for getting the sword forged, healed you, and we ended up here."

Short and sweet explanation. That was all Percy had the energy and patience for.

The three just rested in the sand, enjoying the peace and tranquility surrounding them. But it would not last forever. It could not. There was still the war brewing, and Nico bang in the middle of it. He had to be saved.

But there was not anything else they could do today. And Percy was a bit hungry after puking his guts out thanks to the Keres' poison.

He sits himself up and shifts his butt so he could reach into his back pocket and pull out a manky wallet he had found a few weeks back. He opened it and found a few twenty dollar bills and a 10.

"Any good food places around?" Percy asked, surprised the notes were not soaked from the Lethe water, let alone wet.

Thalia chuckled a little. "And who did you steal that from?" She asked, shaking her head.

Percy shrugged. "Does it matter? It's not like this…" He trailed off as he checked the I.D in the wallet, "Donald Blake needs this. He's a doctor - he's probably loaded." Percy chuckled.

"Dinner on Donald then." Thalia laughed a little, standing up.

Percy scratched his head and Thalia offered him a hand, helping him up onto his feet. "You coming?" Percy asked Bianca as she too got onto her feet.

"Depends on where." Bianca chuckled.

Percy picked up his backpack where the Sword of Enoch was stowed away and slung it over his shoulder. "I'm feeling burgers." Percy suggested, and the others agreed, and the three walked off to get their burgers after a difficult quest.

The Demon Rites

Four months had passed since the quest into the Underworld. It was a few months until Percy was due to turn 16, and all sorts of demonic omens were brewing across the planet. This meant that the endgame was near, and Percy did not like that one bit.

The Legacy of Poseidon was sitting in a coffee shop, nursing a mug of hot chocolate. His long hair had been cut short on the back and sides, but remained somewhat long on the top. It was messy, but manageable. And suited Percy. It was a massive improvement from the hair style he had been wearing for a long time.

A bell jingled from the front door, and in stepped a rather tall African-American man with scruffy black hair and warm brown eyes which contrasted his face, which seemed to be in a permanent scowl. They scanned the shop with caution before they finally settled on Percy. The man walked over and sat down in the booth, opposite Percy.

"Thank you for coming, Charles Beckendorf." Percy nodded, taking a sip from his hot chocolate.

"So what is this all about then?" Beckendorf asked, not very keen on small talk.

Percy nodded, but stopped himself from speaking when a waitress came over.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked, smiling. She was petite and young, with red frizzy hair and piercing green eyes.

"Just water, please." Beckendorf smiled, and the waitress walked off before returning with a small glass of water for him.

"The war is going to be kicking off soon, and I need your help to sabotage the army." Percy said bluntly, adding some sugar to his hot chocolate.

"So, what do you want me for? You have no problem killing." Beckendorf asked.

Percy pushed his mug aside and lent forward. "I need help from the best Son of Hephaestus that I know to help me blow the Princess Andromeda sky high. We need to buy ourselves time and cause as much disruption as possible." He knew Beckendorf was very kind hearted, he just hoped that he would help.

"I'll help on one condition:" Beckendorf replied.

"Name it." Percy was dreading this.

"We do not kill any demigods. They may have betrayed us, but they are still my family." Beckendorf pleaded.

Percy nodded. "That is fine." He looked outside of the window. "I do not enjoy the killing. So there will be no unnecessary deaths in this mission."

Percy turned back to Beckendorf. "Can you help me?"

Beckendorf smiled and nodded. "Just tell me when."

Percy winced at this. He had not exactly thought that part through. "You will know when it's time."

Percy stood up, and pulled out a twenty dollar bill and put it on the table. Beckendorf grabbed Percy's arm.

"Thank you for helping Camp. And not siding with those… things." He said kindly.

Percy nodded. "They will get what's coming to them." He pulled his arm from Beckendorf. "Try their hot chocolate, it's good and on me."

Percy left without saying another word, and walked down the New York high street.

A small tingle could be felt at the back of his neck as he passed an alleyway. He was being watched. Before he could react, he is grabbed by the scruff of his neck and dragged into the alleyway. Percy is thrown up the wall by a hooded figure, a silver knife at his throat.

"Nice to see you too, Zoë." Percy chuckled, and the hooded figure pulled back their hood to reveal a dark haired and eyed woman who glared at Percy, her eyes burning like hot coals.

"And where have thou been?" She demanded, pressing the knife against his throat a little more.

"Hunting demons, you?" Percy managed, trying to not let the silver cut his throat.

Zoë dropped him and put away her silver knife. "We have looked everywhere for you. Ever since you vanished after dinner with Thalia and Bianca."

"Yeah I kinda needed to get off the grid. I had things to do, demons to kill." Percy shrugged. He knew this was not going to go anywhere particularly.

"Thee bastard." Zoë grumbled. Percy laughed a little.

"Missed you too." He chuckled, before turning serious. "Hell is making moves along with the Titan Army. I think something big is going down soon."

Zoë rolled her eyes. "Nothing has changed then."

Percy shook his head, looking down. "There is a prophecy about me, isn't there?" He asked. He keeps hearing chatter about it, but has never heard the exact prophecy himself.

Zoë nodded. "There was one given many years ago. And now Milady believes it is coming to pass."

"I'm gonna die." Percy laughed. His morbid sense of humour never failed to amaze himself.

Zoë kicked him in the shin. "Not necessarily. Nobody good had ever come from Hell before thee." She tried to reassure him and Percy groaned.

"As long as I take Hell out, I can die." Percy shrugged. Zoë did not like that. He was too comfortable about his own death.

"I need to go. I need to spy on a demon meeting soon." Percy turned to leave, before turning to Zoë. "Can you do me a favour actually?"

Zoë looked at Percy quizzically. "And this would be?"

The Demon Rites

Artemis was sitting in the booth of a small diner. She was confused as to why Zoë had asked to meet her here.

All of a sudden. Percy slides in opposite Artemis.

"Hi," He smiles sheepishly, "Long time, no see."

The Demon Rites

So it has been another year. Christ. Time flew by.

So I have grown up a lot since I wrote the last chapter. I'm 21, got a new girlfriend, and am going into my final year of my law degree at university! So fun times. Unless you count the fact that I was paying £9K a year for Netflix as fun… so yeah.

I'm sorry I keep taking these breaks. I was hoping to be finished by now, I am not going to lie. I will admit I have gotten very complacent with writing this story, often forgetting about it. But I'm going to try and dedicate some time when I have it to finishing this story.

Fun fact: This was two chapters in one! I planned for this to be 2 separate chapters, but I didn't want to drag out each scene dramatically so I thought I would just throw these two together so it is somewhat plausible to publish after another year off writing. (I would insert an emoji here as I am so used to using them but FanFiction doesn't support those soooo here we are.

I hope everyone is well now that this Coronavirus pandemic is finally starting to blow over (well it is in England anyway). And back to reality. :(

Anywho, I'm signing off and will hopefully publish the next chapter soon! Love you guys who read the story!

Until Next time

~The Prince of Souls