As he watched the impatient eyes of Hector, daring him to answer his question, Perseus' mind went completely blank for the first time in his life. He felt like he was in no control of his thoughts or body whatsoever like he was just a spirit that happened to exist. He couldn't think about what his response should be, he couldn't even think about opening his mouth. The god of time could only see the eyes of his son looking at him furiously, with a hidden disappointment shinning from them.

"You can't even admit it right after I confronted you about it. After I read you the letter YOU wrote, you still can't say it" Hector's eyes began to water, full thick tears falling from his cheeks.

Perseus couldn't respond. He wanted to hug his son and tell him everything. His regret filled his heart and mind every single day, and he wanted nothing more than to become a good dad. However, the opportunity to do that was passing right before his eyes, and his stupid body would not respond to his pleads.

"I can't believe it. All this time you knew I was searching for my parent, I even asked you about it, and you chose not to say anything. You knew how important it was for me, yet you went on like you didn't know anything." Hector was full on crying, "I hate you"

Those were the last words Hector said to Perseus in their journey. Soon after those words were said, the teenager opened the door of the van and got off. He then ran off to the frozen woods, the silhouette of the once happy child vanishing from the view.

All Perseus could do was stare. His heart pounding loudly. Dundun, dundun. The sound of his pumps filled his ears. It was all too surreal. There was no way this had happened.

"It was your decision" a voice told from behind.

Standing in their mighty selves, the three fates stared intensely into the god's eyes.

"What was my decision?" Perseus asked

"Everything" the three fates said in unison.

"May you stop being creepy as hell and just tell me?" The god of time yelled at the fates, not caring if they smited him for the disrespect.

The fates didn't respond. Instead, Clotho, who was standing in the middle, walked towards Perseus. She stood really close to him, barely a few inches away. The fate examined the face of the god, who was looking at her with his face showing how scared he really was.

Right as he was about to ask what she was doing, Clotho put her index finger on Perseus forehead. Upon contact, the god of tides eyes rolled backwards, his body plummeted, and his mind lost control.

A vision of a black haired boy with green eyes came into the mind of Perseus. The boy looked very similar to the god, almost identical even. It was like looking into a less attractive, younger and mortal version of himself.

The boy was on top of a big dam, probably Hoover dam. Usually, kids would be either bored or excited being at such a big and interesting place...but the boy showed neither of those feelings. Stress was all Perseus could see in his eyes, the eyes of a person who fears for his life.

Soon the image started to swirl, switching into the image of a known Aphrodite camper. Silena Beauregard, who he had brought to Camp
Half-Blood just a couple of years prior, sat on her bed. She too seemed concerned for something or someone. Her hands were pressed together and her eyes were shut. Silena murmured unintelligible words, being said so quick and in such a low volume that only she knew what was being said. Suddenly, the teenager opened her eyes, showing the red evidence of recent tears.

The world began to change once again, this time showing a very beautiful woman. She was somewhat tall and wore a peacock feather scarf, or some clothing accessory of resemblance. Her eyebrows showed distress, and her sweaty forehead just confirmed the fact. From the look of her surroundings, it was obvious that the woman had money and a position of power. The woman was facing a crystal ball, a ball that showed images on the inside.

Looking closely, he began to see a boy running in the snow in a full sprint.

"Be safe Argos, you're our only hope" she murmured.

Before Perseus could see who it was that the woman was talking to, the image once again began to change. The closed environment he was seeing turned into the top of a mountain. He could sense that there were many being surrounding it, but none were as important as the person who was struggling below the clouds. It was the first person he had seen in his life, the person who made him believe in love, and the only one who he had kissed.

"Artemis!" He tried to yell, but found no use in words. His vocal chords did not vibrate, and his physical self was not even there. It was like seeing an image in a TV, wanting to help whoever is in there but being 100% unable to. He couldn't even come closer to his beloved, just be a passing being that saw what was happening.

The goddess of the hunt looked hurt both emotionally and physically. Her hair was messed up and her face slightly bruised. Perseus could see the tears stains on her cheeks, and her red puffed eyes that showed distress. It was easy to see that her mind was not letting her concentrate on her task.

Ever since their big fight around two years ago, Artemis face had never returned to her natural state again. Not many people noticed, but Perseus did. He knew that she had changed because of him, yet he didn't change. Sure, he started writing letters of regret, but not once did his actions truly change. It was his fault that she was in this place, and his fault that she was in such pain. As hard as he tried to be a good husband, he only ended up hurting his wife.

While thinking about his past few years, the figure of a big man appeared in front of Artemis.

"My informants tell me that the quest is very weak and tired. Soon they will arrive, and I will make you watch as I kill that bitch of a hunter Zoë Nightshade" the man said

"You wouldn't dare kill your own flesh and blood" Artemis replied

The man touched Artemis cheek, feeling the smooth surface of it. "She is a traitor, no longer my daughter. Since the day she betrayed me, she has been the enemy of my family. You must learn, sometimes the children we learn to love are the ones who will end up hurting us."

"That only happens when you are a horrible parent" Artemis sneered

"You must be very afraid then. After all, you left your child alone when he was merely a few days old"

"How do you-" Artemis eyes widened

"Know that? I have my sources" the man smiled "I treated my little girl as the best father in the world would yet she still betrayed me in the end. You must learn Artemis, children are selfish and only see the world their own way. They do not care for the reason we do things, they only care about the effects it has on them. Your child does not care that you left him to protect him, he will only care that you left him"

"You're wrong Atlas. My child is smart, he will understand what we did and why. I've always been looking after him, I've always been with him. He must know that deep inside" Artemis eyes began to water up.

Atlas turned around, not wanting to keep the conversation.

"Son of a bitch" Artemis cried, not letting the grip on the sky suffer.

The god of time felt horrible watching how defenseless his wife was at the moment, and the fact that he could do nothing wasn't helping.

Once again, the image of his wife began to swirl, turning into a different scene. This time, a teenager I a motorcycle appeared. The trademark auburn hair of his son flowed with the wind as he headed west on the motorcycle.

He looked the same as he did a few minutes before, but it was strange how Hector had managed to travel such a distance in such a short amount of time. He seemed to be in Nevada or California, as deserts were surrounding the roads traveled. His face was determined, the same expression Artemis had during her hunts. Once someone knew who his parents are, it was almost undeniably evident that they were who they were. The similarities between father, mother, and son were just too many to be ignored. From the color of his hair to the way he talked, he was a carbon copy of his two parents.

After around two minutes of watching his son travel on a motorcycle, the image once again began to swirl. This time, however, instead of another image being conjured, the god of tides woke up to the fates standing in front of him.

Perseus rubbed his right eye and grabbed his left side of the head, acting as support to him waking up.

"Did you see them?"

Perseus stopped rubbing his eye and looked up, only to see the fates glaring at him with their creepy eyes.

"What was that?" He asked the fates, his voice rasped as if he had not spoken in days.

"You have just seen images of the people you have and will affect during their lives. As of now, you have affected negatively a number of their lives. It is up to you and your decisions these next few days that will affect their lives. But keep this in mind, their happiness will come at a cost" the fates all said at the same time.

"Why? Why me? Why can't I live a happy life with my family" Perseus tears began to fall

The fates looked at each other, then at the god.

"You were born out of wedlock, into the lives of two gods that weren't supposed to have you. Your whole existence is a mistake, and because of it you will cause pain to those you wish to help and love" Clotho stepped forward

"No matter what, people around you will be unhappy for one reason or another. It is your choice if you want to make them the happiest they can be or more miserable than they are now." Lachesis stepped to be beside her sister

"So choose now, brave Perseus. Only a few hours are left before the Winter Solstice begins, which means that very little time is left before you can save the goddess of the moon. You need to hurry if you can to arrive in time to save your beloved" Atropos said

Perseus shook his head, "that doesn't make sense. I still have one day to arrive at California"

"That would've been true if you had not fallen unconscious. The dream and unconscious world move at different paces, much different than the conscious world. A minute unconscious maybe a few hours in the real world, and hours in the dream world may be only a couple of seconds in the real world" Lachesis looked straight into the eyes of the god

"But that doesn't make any sense...I'm the god of time. Doesn't time move relative to my perception? Why hasn't time slowed down?" Perseus yelled

"That only worked when you were in your island prison. This is the real world, with real consequences. You, Perseus, the god of time, shall learn that life is not what it seems to be" Clotho told the god of tides

"Why tell me now? Why do you interfere just when I need to save my wife! Right in the moment where my life seems to be falling apart! You chose to be here when I'm miserable" Perseus yelled with anger

Atropos looked at her sisters and then at Perseus, smiling creepily.

"You needed to learn this lesson before you discover your last domain"

"What are you-?" Perseus squinted his eyes

"In order to save Olympus, you are supposed to be aware of all of your domains. When we first met, we made you aware of all of your domains but one. Do you remember?" Clotho asked

"...yes. But why now? Why can't I know about it after the quest?"

"Some things are better left unanswered," Lachesis said.

What was once the figure of three old women was now nothing. Perseus could no longer see the fates talking to him, giving him the discomfort he hadn't asked for.

As he looked at the sun, he knew internally. He had only two hours before the winter solstice would start. How he had managed to stay unconscious for more than a day was a great question, one in which he would not dwell.

It was impossible to arrive at his destination in just an hour. Crossing three states was much difficult than it seemed, especially in the west coast. It would take him more than a day with conventional methods, either by car or super-high-speed train.

"It can't be..." Perseus fell to his knees

"Use your powers," a male voice said in his mind. The god of tides looked around, only to find himself in solitude in the vast nature scene that surrounded him.

"Who is it?"

"Your brother-in-law, genius. Now listen up, cause there isn't much time left. The only way you can arrive in time to save Artemis is if you use your powers. Either flashing to the destination or slowing downtime, it is your choice how you want to get there, but it has to be using one of your powers." Apollo said in a serious tone for once.

"But if I use my powers..."

"It will surely alert Zeus and you will no longer have the life you have had these past decades. You will be on the run, trying to evade Zeus' army. But if you don't, Artemis will not be safe."

"What about the quest? Aren't they going to be of help?"

"Do you really think a couple of fourteen-year-olds will be able to defeat the Titan of Strength? Or that they will be able to hold the sky long enough for a tired Artemis to defeat him? You need to be there. It is the only way. Now it is your choice, will you sacrifice yourself for Artemis?" Apollo disconnected himself from Perseus's mind, leaving the god of tides alone with his thoughts.

There wasn't much time to think about his decision. It was fairly simple really: saving his lover or keeping living like he were. Perseus knew what the choice had to be, and the consequences it may have lead to, but he didn't care.

He closed his eyes, savoring his last moments of solitude, before going on to his decision.