Hey guys. It's a new week! So, as you can see, I'm trying to get into a sort of schedule for this story, but even then I still procrastinate. Seriously, I push off this story for the whole week and finally start writing it either Sunday night or all Monday...But, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it and like what happens in this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson!

Song I'm listening to right now: 'The Hard-knock Life' from Annie(original soundtrack)

Chapter 17

Thalia's P.O.V.

I grumbled as I plopped down in a chair in the main area of Artemis' cabin. I absolutely hated being at camp; especially now that we are stuck here for who knows how long. Nothing interesting has happened- I've pretty much just been staying in our cabin, listening to music. Occasionally I go to the Archery range and take my anger out on the targets. Campers knew to stay clear of the range the second I appear, for fear of getting an arrow shot at them.

Now I can barely handle to Archery range because of the rest of the hunters. Ever since Zoë came to camp and revealed that she was so close to Zayden, the rest of the hunters had completely embraced them. Even the most boy hating hunters were asking the occasional question and growing more at ease around him by the minute. But not me, I didn't trust him. He keeps that hood up all day long, not showing anyone who he is.

For all we know, he could've been an enemy of ours during the Second Titan and Giant Wars. According to something I heard, he came to a meeting and defended Ethan Nakamura, someone we fought in the Second Titan War! He even almost killed Percy multiple times! Why else would he defend him other than the possibility that he was on Kronos' side too?

I sighed to myself, knowing I was getting carried away...For all I know, I'm completely wrong(not that I would admit to it), but I just feel cautious around someone who refuses to tell us anything important about themselves. I mean, he did reveal that first night at our camp that he was from earth five hundred years ago and was a demi-god. Did I know him? Why won't he reveal himself? I kept sifting through my mind, remembering all the male demi-gods from around that time. Yet, when trying to compare Zayden to any of them, it didn't fit...Why couldn't he have just said who his Godly parent was? It would make this a whole lot easier to narrow down, I wondered to myself, even though that was the exact reason he didn't tell us- he didn't want us to know.

Growling, I ripped my headphones out of my ears, pausing it mid-song. I leaned back on the chair, closing my eyes and trying to relax. My temper often had an effect on my powers; like right now electrical currents were surging along my arms, running through my veins. But, as I focused on my breathing, I felt the electricity stop racing. Maybe I'm looking too much into this, maybe he just likes his privacy and doesn't want his past to come up. I started as I heard an explosion coming from outside. Jumping up and grabbing my bow and quiver next to me, I was glad I had already geared up earlier just in case anything was happening, other than the Hermes cabin planning a prank that was just started.

Racing outside, I was faced with all the hunters, soldiers, and campers racing towards Half-Blood Hill with weapons and armor, serious faces. Slinging my quiver over my shoulder, I raced along with them, searching for my fellow hunters. As I reached the top of Half-Blood Hill, I gasped at the sight below. Thousands of Monsters lined the area below, carrying weapons ranging from clubs to full on battle axes.

"Thalia!" Looking over, I saw all the hunters were huddled around Lady Artemis and Zayden. Hurrying over, I listened in on their battle plans. According to them, the campers were planning to take all the dracaenae, Laestrygonians, and hellhounds. We were to take on all the other monsters we've ran into. Chaos' soldiers were to take all the aliens that we had never seen before, but that they knew all about and could go against. Zayden planned to jump between helping Chaos' soldiers and helping us, as were both his responsibility.

Remembering how he fought before and still managed to save Jessica, I knew he could do it. Once the quick discussion was done, we charged to roaring and angry army. The Apollo Campers and a few of the hunters stayed back on the hilltop, choosing to shoot arrows into the fray. Even some Chaos soldiers stayed with them, pulling out their own bows. I raced towards a Cyclops who was lumbering towards a demi-god busy fighting a hellhound. Sliding through multiple battles, I pulled out an arrow, placed it on my bow, and shot it straight into the Cyclops eye.

"Ahhh! He roared, blinded now. Ripping it out, causing another roar of pain from him, he glanced around furiously, though his eyesight was completely gone.

"Who did that? I will eat you!" He yelled. Slinging my bow over my shoulder, I grabbed my spear and jumped, slamming it into his throat as hard as I could. He seemed to freeze in shock before his legs collapsed. Right before they hit the ground, they started to dissolve into sand. A few seconds later, I was standing with my spear pinned in a pile of sand.

Pulling it out, watching for a second as the wind carried the ashes away, I turned and headed to my next monster. I rarely paused for a moment during the fight, taking out as many monsters as I could. In this fight, all my grudges and anger were gone; I didn't care if I fought alongside a camper, or met the eyes of one of the camp counselors- I just nodded quickly before attacking another monster. Stab, shoot, hack, skewer, punch, etc. Every move blended together as each monster disappeared, heading back down to Tartarus. Grasping my spear, I threw it into the back of a hellhound who was trying to sneak up on Colette. She smiled gratefully at me, before continuing to fight the two monsters in front of her.

The monsters seemed to be getting desperate, as we seemed to be winning right now. As I looked back at half-blood hill, I saw that for once the Apollo campers were not racing around grabbing injured campers. There were a few, but most weren't serious. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at that, but shook my head and got back into the fight: I would think back on that later. An hour later, the few monsters left started to retreat. A lot of the campers, soldiers, and hunters relaxed, grinning in victory. But, adrenaline raced through my veins, as I stayed on guard. It was a good thing I did too, because just as the monsters were retreating- one turned back. Eye narrowing, he looked from each person on my side before stopping on one. Racing his spear, he threw it straight towards their heart.

Acting on impulse, not wanting him to die no matter how much of a mystery he was, I pulled up my bow, an arrow, and intercepted the spear, making it turn off course. Zayden whipped around at the sound, turning to look at me and then the monster who just tried to kill him. The monsters eyes were wide in terror as his goal was unsuccessful, and he tensed to run. But, before he could Zayden pulled a knife from his belt and threw it straight into the monster's forehead, making him turn into dust. No one else seemed to notice this though, all clustered together and congratulating others on the awesome fights they had caught between battles. I tensed as Zayden made his way over to me, grinning.

"What?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes at him. Imagine my surprise at what happened next. His grin became mischievous for a second before turning to a soft smile. Reaching over, he pulled me into a hug. I froze, shocked beyond belief, "What are you-" I cut myself off though, too shocked at the familiarity of the hug to continue.

"I am honoring a friend." Zayden's usual serious tone was dropped to a more laid back voice, with natural lilts and changes in tone. My mind flashed back to five hundred years ago, in the Olympian Throne Room right after I became the lieutenant of Artemis' Hunt. I had spoken those same words and hugged someone else too- someone I haven't seen in five hundred years.

Five Hundred years...I thought to myself as everything finally connected as I stood there, frozen in a hug similar only to the one from that night. He pulled back from me, grinning a painfully familiar lopsided smile with a sense of mischief in it- like he knew exactly what I was realizing right now. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing seemed to come out. Instead I just stared at that once mysterious figure in front of me, mouthing one word: 'Percy.' He read my lips and just smiled down at me.

"Zayden!" One of the campers suddenly yelled. Looking over, my face grew even more shocked as I saw Ayla Jackson running towards us. Looking between the two people, I watched as Zayden's smile softened. If Zayden really was who I thought he was, then that meant Ayla knew who he was too- there was no way Percy would ever keep his identity a secret if he found out he had a little sister…

Before I gathered the composure to finally speak, she quickly dragged Zayden away, to bring him to cabin three to talk. As the campers made their way back to camp, I absentmindedly followed them, too lost in my speeding thoughts to pay attention to my surroundings. As I reached the pavilion for dinner, I slowly ate ignoring my fellow hunters conversing around me, oblivious to the crazy realization that had just changed my life.

If what I figured out was true, that would mean that Zayden is Percy. Percy didn't die and go to the underworld: he went and joined Chaos' Army as Chaos' First Guardian. And, thinking about it, it made absolute sense. It was just like Percy to do this: he could never be truly happy living in the bliss of Elysium. He would be restless and unsettled. But, to live forever in Chaos' Army and save so many people and planets, that would be a great life, a dream really, for Percy.

That's why Zayden has kept his identity a secret; if everyone found out that Zayden was Percy, who knows how they would all react. He would rather people focus on the war, than the fact that Percy Jackson had returned to Earth and was not actually dead. Remembering what I heard about Zayden protecting Ethan, I shook my head fondly. Only Percy would run into someone who was once an enemy, and had tried to kill him multiple times and still forgive him and defend him to other people. He trusted Luke in the end so of course he could forgive Ethan in the end too. I couldn't imagine how hard it was for him, being here again after what had happened to send him to Chaos' Army.

Being in camp must bring up a lot more memories than there are for me here: it's one of the main reason I hate coming to camp. I look around and see my tree, see the woods where I played Capture the Flag with Percy, the river where we fought. Seeing his cabin, seeing Annabeth and the other campers that used to be my friends, but now I only ever glared at when they came into view, while they hurried away to wherever they were going.

But, he didn't seem any different, just the same Percy as always, albeit more serious. But I have a feeling that is more of a mask than what he really is like.

"Thalia? Are you coming?" I looked up to see Katie was the one who had spoken. Looking around, I saw the other hunters had finished eating and were huddled in the middle of the pavilion along with the Cabin Counselors and Chaos soldiers.

"Oh, right...The Daily Olympian Meeting." I muttered, standing up and walking towards Artemis. Looking around, I saw no sign or Zayden or Ayla, and I hadn't all through dinner: I was sure though that they would appear at the meeting, probably late as was usually like them. Chuckling lightly, I stood patiently as Lady Artemis teleported us to the Olympian Throne room. Kneeling down at the foot of her throne, I looked around at everyone in the room. Some were animatedly talking with one another while others were just sitting there silently, waiting for the meeting to start. Relaxing back, I watched the Guardian's of Chaos converse, occasionally pulling their soldiers into the mix, Zoë becoming a main part of their conversation. A moment later, Ayla appeared and a few seconds later, Zayden appeared as well. I watched with a bittersweet smile as their faces lit up at his arrival; they truly cared about Zayden, and definitely knew his past as Percy…

"Hello again everyone." Father started, smiling slightly, "Now, I heard from Artemis, that Camp Half-Blood was attacked a few hours ago?" All the people who were there nodded in agreement, "And I was happy to hear that you won that battle! It seems that luck has been on our side lately!" He exclaimed, happy. A niggling little thought in the back of my head kept appearing at that. Taking a deep breath, I spoke.

"If I may Father." Zeus turned at that, grinning fondly at me. We have become a lot closer over the past five hundred years, since Father truly changed his character. He was now an amazing father to every single child of his, and a lot more faithful wife to Lady Hera, "I have a thought about that. In every fight we have fought so far in this war, we have won and with very few deaths. Even injuries are mostly mild, with the occasional serious ones. To me, this all seems too...easy." Everyone frowned at my words, pondering what I was saying.

"I was thinking along the same lines as well, Thalia." Athena conceded, "It is very usual that such a powerful force has lost so many battles; it's foreboding really. That there is a lot more to this war than simply winning battles."

"I think I have a theory on that." Zayden started as everyone turned to face him, "I mean, we are all looking at this as another Titan or Giant War, but this is a new enemy that we have never faced before. I think that we have to realize that, despite starting this war to rule the universe, Order and Chaos helped create everything that ever was, has been, or will be together. We are as much Order's creations as we are Chaos' creation." Everyone reacted differently to that: some with disbelief, and others with shocked realization.

"Order and Chaos once lived in harmony together, and cared for each other as two brothers do. I actually had a conversation with Corina, Zoë, and Andrew yesterday." He stated, gesturing to each at their name. Corina and Zoë just nodded, used to being addressed in a meeting, while Andrew looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"That, despite everything, Chaos and Order are brothers who care for each other, Order just lost control of the chaos he had kept contained inside him since the beginning of everything. Right now he is guided by jealousy, envy, hate, and greed. But, underneath that, he still loves everything he and Chaos created together and doesn't want to destroy any of it. He's probably given orders to his army to resist killing demi-gods." Zayden theorized.

"But, what is his plan? How does he plan to win this war and take control of the Entire Existence if his soldiers keep losing every battle?" Queen Hylla wondered.

"Maybe…" Corina started, furrowing her eyebrows, "Maybe the battles are the small things. In reality, they do not matter." She smiled apologetically at the affronted looks at that, "In the end, everything comes down to Chaos and Order. No matter what the battles say, if Order wins against Chaos than Order wins the war and takes control."

"It's great to realize just how insignificant our places are in a battle between two Creators…" Chris Rodriguez muttered. Most people nodded in agreement, others lost in thought.

"Well, despite that, I still want everyone to be careful. Just because Order's soldiers are restricted from killing, doesn't mean it's not a possibility." Father warned, "Now, is there any more news to report?" We continued on through the meeting at that, talking about the raised security and teams sent out to protect unclaimed campers. Finally, there was nothing else to report, "Well, now that everything has been discussed, the meeting is dismissed." With that, the gods appeared away. Shooting up, I knew that now was my chance. Walking down the steps, ignoring my pounding heart, I made my way towards Chaos' Guardians. Looking up, Zayden grinned that familiar lopsided smile at me.

"Hello Thalia." He greeted.

"Hi Zayden. I was wondering if we could talk for a moment?" I hesitantly questioned. He nodded at that, standing.

"Sure. I was about to head back to camp. Would you like to accompany me?" He inquired. I have to admit it was weird to here Percy speaking in such a formal way.

"Ok." With that, a black portal of sorts appeared in front of us. Zayden gestured for me to step through first. Trusting him, I did. It was a lot like shadow traveling, just not a dizzying. Looking around, I was surprised at where we were.

"Is Zeus' fist good? I figured the conversation we were about to have needed to be more private." He figured.

"It's great." I added.

"So, I'm guessing this is about what happened after the fight?" He figured, crouching down and leaning against Zeus' Fist. I followed his lead, nodding as I did, "I'm assuming you figured out what I was trying to reveal?" He wondered. I took in a sharp breath at that, before leading it out ruggedly.

"So, it's true." My voice was but a whisper, to caught up in the gravity of what I had realized. Zayden laughed a sharp laugh at that, "You really are…" I swallowed not able to get the words out.

"Yes, I am. Shocking isn't it?" He figured. I nodded distractedly at that.

"Just a bit." We sat in silence for a while, lost in our thoughts, before I spoke, "Can I..?" I started, gesturing to his hood. He smiled and nodded. Turning to face him, he reciprocating that, I reached up and pulled his hood down, revealing a face I hadn't seen in so long and had missed dearly, despite all the fights we used to get into, "Percy?" My voice quivered as I finally spoke his name. He just smiled bittersweetly at me.

"Hey Thals." He whispered. Recovering after a minute, I reached over and gave him an electrified punch to the shoulder, "Oww!" He exclaimed, startled. He glared at me as he rubbed his shoulder.

"That's what you get for disappearing for so long and making me think you were dead!" I exclaimed, glaring angrily at him. His eyes lost the incredulous look to them, and he sighed.

"I'm sorry Thals. I wanted to contact you, but soldiers of Chaos are not allowed contact with Earth as, before now, you had no clue of our existence." He apologized. I understood his words, but still huffed. We were silent for a while, as I tried to figure out what to say next.

"So, I'm guessing you love Chaos' Army? It sounds a lot more like you than Elysium Fields does." I teased. He laughed at that.

"Oh it is. I absolutely love seeing all the different planets and lifestyles out there. I've helped so many people and have made so many new friends in the army." His expression was soft here, filled with a quiet love. I smiled at the peace I saw on his face.

"I can see that…" I muttered. A thought about the afterlife came to my mind and I paused, hesitant to ask. As if sensing my thoughts, Percy raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yes?" He wondered. I was quiet, biting my lip, wondering if I should ask.

"I heard that Ethan Nakamura was in Chaos' Army." Percy's face grew still here, probably knowing where I was going with this, "Is Luke..?" I trailed off, not wanting to voice the whole questioned. Percy understood though and sighed.

"No, he isn't. I asked Chaos once why he never pulled Luke into the Army, so he could get a second chance and have a better life than he did, like Ethan. Chaos told me that he had approached Luke shortly after his death," I was shocked at that, "But, as Chaos expected, Luke turned him down. He had come to terms with the bad decisions of his life and was happy and peaceful in Elysium. And so he stayed in the Underworld, with his healed mother." I felt my eyes water and swallowed thickly.

"Good; he deserves to be at peace after everything." I cleared I throat, blinking furiously, "How are you holding up?" I carefully wondered. At his look of confusion, I continued, "You know, with being back at camp. Around everyone from your past?" I questioned. He just sighed.

"It's been quite an adjustment. What about you?" He suddenly asked, turning the subject around, "I heard you haven't been to happy with the Campers or the Camp either?" He grinned at me.

"They betrayed you." I simply stated, shrugging, "In that moment, I no longer trusted them or was friends with them anymore." Percy smiled at that.

"Thanks Thals, for sticking by me through everything. I don't know what I would've done if I didn't have your support; if you had turned on me too." His voice had a brokenness to it, as he reflected back on the loss and betrayal he had suffered. Reaching over, I grasped his hand.

"We're cousins; we have to stick together, Kelp Head." I teased. He just smiled softly at me.

"That we do..." He murmured. From there, we spend the rest of the night talking, as Percy explained in detail about everything he had seen in the first one hundred years as a soldier of Chaos. And, as I went to bed that night, I was happy to finally be at peace with the loss of Percy and to finally have him back; something I never thought would ever happen, being an immortal hunter, unlikely to reach Elysium until my death came about. That night, I had one of the most peaceful sleeps I have ever had as a demi-god...

Song I'm listening to right now: 'Lying' by Lindsey Stirling(listening to a Lindsey Stirling Soundtrack right now)

Hey guys! I'm sorry about the late night update: I'm a terrible procrastinator and kept pushing it off. But here it is! I hope you enjoyed Thalia finding out about Percy; I couldn't help but pull in that scene from 'Titan's Curse'- it was too perfect to change. I hope you enjoyed that look into Order's thoughts as well. I know, Luke is not in the army, but I figured I would go a different route with him than in Athlon- now he is in Elysium, happily living with his mother...Well, good luck in life on any tests or life problems until my next update, which will hopefully be next monday!