Hello there. Just as promised, I have not given up on this story. I know its been over a year since the last new chapter, but sometimes things happen that screw up our plans. But I've said it before and I say it again, I have not given up on this story.

So this chapter is a bit smaller than I would have wanted, but I'm still in hospital with only my tablet and I hate writing on the thing. I'll be out in a week, then I will be able to write something longer. So please excuse the short chapter and the possible mistakes for now.

And lastly, to address the concern of some people who have reviewed and written Messages about certain characters. Please keep in mind that characters like Kayla are very different from their counterparts in the actual books. Why? Because by the time I have started these stories those characters had been nothing more than names mentioned in passing. Kayla, for example, has only been fleshed out in the more recent books. The whole having two dads and the red and green hair things are quite nice, though I'm not so sure about her being Canadian. Oh well, for the sake of continuity I will not change the character in my stories, so please accept that she and some other characters are not the same as in the books.

Okay, I have wasted enough of your time, for now, so let's get to the story...

The sea was silent and calm, no movement visible bar the gentle waves that crashed against the beach in ever the same monotonous rhythm. It was an utterly tranquil scene, bar one disturbance. A woman was there, playing with two little girls. They seemed happy. Undisturbed by the turmoil of the world beyond the borders of their little island, they could enjoy their lives… until one would come to shatter the tranquility of this place.

Triton, son of Poseidon, watched the scene in silence, as he allowed the waves to carry him back and forth. It wasn't the first time he had come. It wouldn't be the last time either. While he greatly disliked the woman who now cares for the children, it was the little girls that were dear to him. His sister and his daughter. Children again, after they had suffered the worst of fates. To safeguard their new lives was his most important duty now. Never would he allow them to become pawns of the gods ever again.

"Pa, Pa!"

It would seem his daughter had seen him, even when he was hiding amongst the waves. Little Scylla was running towards the water, laughing happily.

Triton knew that it would be foolish to reconnect with his child. Others would find out about her and try to harm her again. There were only very few he could trust with their lives. His brother Percy being the first among them. The brother he had scorned at first, but who had proven to be a boon to the family where his mother had only seen a stain on her honor. But even his mother, the proud Nereid Amphitrite, would soon see that Percy was more than the bastard son of her unfaithful husband. Triton would see to that. After getting his daughter and sister back, this was the least he could do for the brother he had learned to cherish.

"Scylla, don't get to close to the water. You don't want to ruin pretty hair again, do you?"

Triton's eyes found his sister's caretaker. Calypso smiled gently at the small girl, as she followed Scylla and picked her up, just before she would have been able to reach the sea. But it wasn't the girl's hair or rather the crown of flowers Calypso had woven into Scylla's dark curls, but rather the fear of what would happen should the girl touch the sea. This island, Ogygia, was cut off from the rest of the world, but that did not mean that it was entirely hidden from the gods either. It had taken all of Tethys' power to hide Percy on the island, but now there was no such protection. And Calypso, just like Triton himself, feared that either Poseidon or Oceanus might find the girls and take them away, should either Scylla or Charybdis touch the sea and reconnect with the realm of their family.

The sea god sighed sadly. He would have loved to leave the water and spend some time with his child. But he couldn't. He shouldn't. Instead, Triton turned away and sank beneath the surface. He had already lingered too long.

Unlike Scylla, Calypso had not seen Triton. But she knew that someone had been there. Someone had been watching them. But she wasn't afraid. Her invisible servants would have surely alerted her, had there been a malevolent presence near her island. No, whoever this had been, he or she had been only here to watch.

"Pa!" Scylla said again, as she pointed towards the sea.

Calypso looked at the small girl in surprise. Had the girl really recognized the visitor? That would imply that the visitor had actually been…

"Triton!"

Calypso nearly jumped in surprise, when someone spoke behind her. She knew that voice, of course. But that didn't mean that she appreciated this woman's twisted sense of humor and her enjoyment of scaring her half to death.

"Mother," Calypso growled half-heartedly. "You have come back. Why?"

"Is it so wrong for a mother to visit her child? Even that constipated youngling Triton comes to see his daughter and you don't mind him," Tethys replied, still smirking, highly amused by her daughter.

"That is not what I..."

"Of course," Tethys interrupted her. "But let's not dwell on unimportant details. So tell me, daughter, how are you holding up on your island?"

Calypso hesitated at first. She had to admit, that she hadn't spent much thought on her own situation. Scylla and Charybdis had been a blessing, as their kept her mind occupied. A necessary distraction, otherwise she would have felt the ache of longing and loneliness that kept her suffering for millennia.

"I'm fine," she replied, even though her words sounded oddly hollow.

Scylla, whom she still held in her arms, looked at Tethys with wide eyes. There was no fear, but only the unending curiosity of a child. Charybdis was there as well, but unlike Scylla, she had already demanded the attention of the Titaness and was now sitting comfortably on Tethys arms.

"Oh my child, you should know that you can't lie to your own mother. No one can. One day soon you will know what I mean, when you can enjoy motherhood on your own," Tethys sighed wistfully, as she looked at her daughter. "You have done well with these two. You will be an excellent mother. And how could you not be, you are my daughter after all."

Calypso looked away from her mother. Her gaze wandered towards the endless sea, as she tried to quell the sadness in her. "If there is one thing I will never be, then it is a mother. Not as long as I am here on this island."

"Don't bemoan your own fate, child," Tethys replied gruffly. She seemed angered all of a sudden. "I have seen your fate. This prison will not be your end. Rhea's champion has made a vow to you and after seeing his struggles so far, I feel quite confident that he will be the one to release you."

Percy… she couldn't even tell anymore how long it had been since he had left the island. Weeks? Months? Years? Did he even remember her? She doubted that any of the others ever had. Not even the crafty and honorable Odysseus, who had promised her freedom just like Percy had. They come, they steal her heart and leave, never to be seen again. The idea that Percy might return seemed… preposterous.

"How is he?" she asked, careful not to sound too interested.

"He's still alive, despite that man-child on Olympus threatening to murder him and his friends about five times a day. He is on a quest to save that lunatic Artemis from your father."

She was glad to hear that he was alright, but hearing about her father was worrying. Percy wouldn't stand a chance against a Titan, especially Atlas. Her father would tear him apart.

"Don't look like that. Rhea is watching over his every step. She never does anything without a good reason, so there has to be something very special about him. He might even surprise us and defeat Atlas. I would do wonders for your father's character to be humbled by a demigod. Even after millennia of imprisonment under the sky, he is still as arrogant as always."

"You've talked to him?"

"I have," Tethys confirmed. "For the oddest reason he still thinks that I am to be his," she laughed cruelly as she thought about it further, "That idiot. Maybe the sky has dropped on his head a few times. Or maybe not. He only ever thought with his loins even when we Titans ruled this world. You are the only good thing that has come out of my curiosity whether or not he can back up his claims. The rest… just frustration and unfulfillment."

"Mother!" Calypso exclaimed, a scandalized look on her face, as she looked at the small girl in her arms. Scylla had thankfully not understood any of it and was watching the sea again. Maybe to see her father once more.

"Don't worry, Calypso. All is going according to plan. Soon you will be free and these children can live without having to fear Olympus and its treachery. Soon we will restore the natural order of things," Tethys promised. "But now I have to leave. There is another fool with a far too big ego I have to humor." she sighed deeply and shook her head, "Oceanus has truly become a troublesome man. Such a waste..."

Tethys placed Charybdis down on the ground, right next to Calypso, before she walked into the water. Her daughter only watched in silence, as the Titaness disappeared in the waves and left Ogygia behind.

It was a strange visit. But she was still happy that her mother had come. The news about Percy had been both welcome and worrying at the same time. But it did keep the flame of hope alive. It was flickering, but it was alive.

Percy watched in silence, as the two makeshift pyres burned. It was a somber moment for all of them, as the bodies of the two huntresses burned in the pale light of the full moon. Zoe's companions had died to protect their lieutenant, to safe their goddess. An honorable death, albeit a meaningless one. This had only been a small skirmish. One of many. Percy was sure that Atlas' servants would be back.

Zoe was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Talia, but Percy actually preferred it that way. Zeus' daughter was… annoying him. They had survived a dangerous ambush, lost two of their group and all the proud daughter of the king of gods could think about was to vent her anger on the next best person. Surprisingly that person had not been him, for once. It had been Bianca.

Hades' daughter had remained with them, even after the right. Percy didn't know why, but her presence worried him somewhat. During their last encounter, she had fought against them and Zoe had actually killed the girl. But being the daughter of Hades and the champion of the god of death apparently came with the perk of being unkillable. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about that, to be honest. But now Bianca was here, promising her help in freeing Artemis. It could be a trick, but in this situation, there wasn't much of a choice. Any help was welcome, even if that meant that he now had to watch his back even more than before.

He looked around. The others around him watched the pyres, some with sadness, others with indifference. Kayla was singing a sad song about life and death. Clarisse and her brother sat on the ground, not far away from the others, checking their weapons and talking in hushed voices. Bianca was doing something in the shadows and he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to know what. Somehow he hoped that she was busy strangling Malcolm. He couldn't see the son of Athena, but he knew that the coward had survived the attack.

But Zoe… he wondered where she was. He was worried about her. So he turned away from the pyres and went to search for the missing huntress. He hurt someone yelling nearby. An angry and aggravating voice. The voice of Zoe, much to his surprise. He wondered what had gotten her this angry.

He hurried to reach the girl, but by the time he arrived near the hill where she stood, it was already too late. Thalia was on the ground, holding her nose, which was bleeding profusely. Zoe stood over her, her fists clenched tightly, ready to strike again, as she looked at Thalia with a fury that Percy had never seen before. Not even when she was super pissed at him, had she looked this angry.

She was about to hit Thalia again when Percy reached her and grabbed her arm. He knew that she was stronger than him and could easily shake him off, but his sudden presence seemingly surprised her enough to halt her rage-fueled attack on Zeus' daughter.

"Enough, Zoe. The last thing we need is a fight within our group. Calm down, please," he pleaded with her.

She looked at him, her dark eyes burning with fury. For a moment he was sure she would hit him next, but she didn't. She freed her arm from his grasp and ran away into the dark night.

"Your friend is insane," Thalia complained. "I knew that the Hunters are all bat-shit crazy. I knew from the first moment I met them and now everyone will see it, too."

Percy groaned as he helped the girl stand up. "What has happened?"

"All I did was ask how many more of her sisters are with our enemies now. We need to know what threat we are facing. But she went completely bonkers and attacked me instead. She has lost it, seriously," Thalia growled before she pushed past Percy and back towards the rest of their group.

Percy watched her leave for another moment before he followed Zoe.

It wasn't hard to find her this time. She hadn't gone far, just to the other side of the small hill, where she leaned against a tree. She was watching the moon, a melancholic look on her face and her body slightly shaking because of her barely contained fury.

He knew that an angry Zoe usually was the first step to a hurting Percy, but he approached her regardless. It wouldn't be good to leave her alone in this state.

"I want to be alone, Percy," she told him, as she realized his presence.

"You say that, but you don't look like it. Care to tell me why Thalia will need a nose job now?" he forced out a fake chuckle, in the hopes that it would lighten the mood. But Zoe remained stony-faced.

"She questioned my lady's authority," Zoe replied calmly, "That is a crime alone punishable by death."

"Zoe, we have to get along. The threats we face..."

"She questioned my loyalty. She questioned my sisters' loyalty. She questioned my lady. She called this entire quest a trap. She implied that Lady Artemis is working with the enemy, that she is luring us in to kill us!" Zoe shouted. Like a bursting dam, her feelings broke through and her despair showed its true face. "She asked all these questions, made all these accusations. And I… all I could do was punch her. I had no answers. I have no idea what is happening and why everything is happening. All I know is that we will find Lady Artemis at the end of this journey… but..."

The confession burst out of her as if a dam had burst. It was the very first time Percy had ever heard her talk about her innermost troubles. She had done a good job hiding her worries and fears from everyone else. Millenia as the second in command of the Hunters must have taught her how to be strong for others. But now… now the mask has been shattered by the blunt words of Thalia Grace.

"We will find out the truth, Zoe. Trust me, we will. And we will survive this."

"I doubt that… Maybe you will. The Titan queen will guide you and protect you. But the rest of us..."

Maybe it wasn't the best idea to tell Zoe about his grandmother's meddling. He couldn't deny that there was a certain truth to her words, but that didn't make it any better. He had never asked for any of this...

"I will not allow that any more of you get hurt," Percy assured her. "You know me by now. I will fight for my friends to the bitter end."

"You cannot protect everyone. And the worst has already come to pass," Zoe answered.

"What?" He frowned deeply. What was this about? Yes, two of her hunters have died in the last battle, but that doesn't mean that all is lost. Or was there something she had kept a secret?

"The Hunt has fallen, Percy. Not just my sisters who burn on those pyres, but the entire Hunt. Only weeks ago I could feel them, I could feel their power, the power they had been given by Lady Artemis. One by one they have disappeared. The bond that kept the Hunt together has broken and now… now I'm all alone again."

Not long ago he would have paid dearly for even attempting this, but he was sure that his relationship with Zoe had changed enough. He closed the distance between him and the distraught girl and embraced her. A comforting hug, to calm her down and reassure her that she wasn't alone. For a moment he feared that she would punch him as well. Wouldn't that have been a glorious sight? The son of Poseidon and the daughter of Zeus, both sitting around a campfire with broken noses. But Zoe didn't attack, she didn't push him away either. She just went rigid.

"Everything will be alright," he assured her.

"No. Nothing will ever be the same again. My sisters are gone. They are either dead or they have broken their vows to our lady… Deianira isn't the only one, there are so many more. Even those we left behind with your friends. They have fallen… Without guidance, we cannot survive."

"Then be the one to lead them in your lady's stead. Be the example they need you to be."

She shook her head before she leaned into his embrace. "I cannot. It isn't a matter of leadership, it is the power of our goddess that keeps us together. Out solemn vow to Lady Artemis, our loyalty to her teachings, and her blessing. All of it is fading away, our bond with our lady is shattered. We destroyed it. I can't be restored."

"Then we will free your lady and she can take new vows from all of you."

"It's not that easy, Percy," Zoe replied sadly.

"We will find a way to do it."

Their eyes met and she stared at him unflinchingly as she considered his words for a long time. "Maybe you are right… but which way is the right one? Lady Artemis' teachings have fallen apart so quickly, all of the others have fallen so easily. Why? I don't understand… I wonder..."

He wasn't sure what was going through her head at that moment, so he just continued to hold her in the hopes that it would provide her with the comfort she needed. Or maybe he was doing something wrong? Most of the things he had been taught to do in such a situation would end with a quick death here. Stupid Apollo and stupid Hermes with their depraved minds…

But as he tried to think about anything other than what Apollo would have advised him to do with a pretty girl in his arms, Zoe did the unthinkable. She actually leaned in, as if she was trying to kiss him. He reacted on instinct, as panic rose in him, and gently pushed her back.

"Zoe… this surely isn't what you want," he said, "You are not thinking clearly right now."

She chuckled weakly, as she looked at him. "Of all the men I've met in my life, you are only the second I ever considered worthy of my affection," she muttered, "Figures that you are also the only one who would deny me. You truly are the most honorable man I've ever met."

She pushed himself further away from him and slowly walked away.

"Will you be alright?" he asked her.

She nodded slowly, "Yes. I just need some time to think about this. About everything."

"I'm here if you need me."

"I know," she gave him a sad smile in return, "Thank you, Percy. For being the man I need you to be… and for stopping me from making a mistake..." Then she wandered off and disappeared into the night.

She would be back soon, Percy was sure of that. But he could only hope that she would find the answers she was looking for. But he was also worried about what she had said. If the Hunt had truly fallen, what had happened? He doubted that all the girls they had left behind in Florida had suddenly felt the urge to hook up with some random guys. But that would mean that they have died… and that would mean that the other Apollo kids in Florida have also died… No, he just couldn't believe that this has happened. Will and the others are surely alive and well. Still, something had happened to the Hunters and he knew that there would be hell to pay, once Lady Artemis is free once more…

But as he walked back towards the rest of his group, he failed to see the other figure nearby. The woman who had watched their exchange from the shadows. Had he looked, he would have understood so much more, just by seeing the displeased frown that marred her beautiful face.

Will wasn't sure whether he was supposed to feel amused or horrified by the apparent outcome of Phoebe's duel. On the one hand, he greatly enjoyed seeing the aggravating girl humbled in such a way, but on the other hand, her loss also meant that they wouldn't get their answers from Ares. In the end, he settled for an amused smirk. He just wished he had brought a camera.

Phoebe was face down on the ground, struggling to get back up, as her mother sat on her back, twisting the girl's right arm to keep her from attacking.

"Get off my back, you damn hag," Phoebe shouted. Her voice was slightly muffled when Enyo used her other hand to push her daughters head onto the dirty floor of the bar.

"That's no way to talk to your mother," Enyo chided, "Looks like I need to be a sterner mother."

"You're no mother, you are a monster."

"Thank you, at least one in the family acknowledges that I'm quite ferocious when I want to be," Enyo chuckled.

A glass came flying from the bar and barely missed Enyo's head. "Don't give her any ideas!" Ares shouted, "She will never stop once she gets going."

Will could only shake his head, as he watched the family interaction. He was so happy that his dad is Apollo and not Ares. The family of the war god was completely bonkers. At least he now understood why Clarisse was as thick as two short planks.

He decided to get away from the fastly escalating mother-daughter spat. Should Phoebe get free, there would be hell to pay for the first poor guy who crosses her path and Will was adamant that he wouldn't be her punching bag.

As he looked towards the bar, he was surprised to see that Ares was no longer alone with his beer. The other goddess, Eris, was sitting close to him and between them sat a very drunk hunter. Naomi was obviously too far gone to realize what was going on around her, or else she would have tried to get free from Eris' grasp. But the huntress was in no condition to fight, something that lead to her ending up as a life-sized doll in Eris' arms

"How the hell did she get drunk this fast?" he wondered.

Then he saw something else. The sword Ares had asked for. It was on the counter, right in front of the war god. Had Naomi retrieved it? Well, he wouldn't get any answers from her anytime soon, so he had to get answers from Ares. Or at least he hoped that he would get answers this time.

"What is it now?" Ares growled as he saw Will sit down on the stool next to him.

"You have your sword back," Will stated.

"No shit. Heard that Eris, sunny boy here is a fucking genius. He has eyes and can see things," Ares grumbled. Eris laughed lightly.

"Don't be a dick, Ares. Isn't that right my dear Naomi, Ares is a huge dick right now," Eris said, as she prodded the limp huntress. "Hm, guess my new friend is out for the count. A pity. I need to train her a little more, the girl can't hold her liquor. Oh well, at least I hope she is house-trained or else Artemis and I will be having words."

"Is that even allowed?" Will asked.

"What? To train your little pets? Of course, it is, silly boy," Eris replied with a sweet smile.

"Not that. The whole stealing the followers of another goddess thing. Surely there is some obscure ancient law about this somewhere?"

Eris laughed loudly and even Ares chuckled. "You sure you are Apollo's kid? You ask questions like one of Athena's little abominations." Ares asked.

"You haven't really looked at me, have you?"

"What are you talking about, kid?" Ares asked before he looked at Will. "Of course, you look like a clone of that clown," he muttered some more dark curses before took a greedy gulp from his beer. "So spit it out, kid, what do you want?"

"We are looking for the Titan Eos," Will said.

"Eos?" Ares mumbled, "Haven't seen the bitch in centuries. She had been a nice lay, great to annoy Aphrodite. And let me tell you, that love goddess is a beast between the sheets when she is angry." He chuckled lecherously, surely remembering some of his more depraved encounters with the goddess.

"Any idea where she is now?" Will pressed on, not interested in getting the sex talk from Ares of all people.

Chiron and Mr. D had done that already after one Apollo camper had accidentally knocked up two of Aphrodite's daughters within the span of less than half a year… Bad memories… he still shudders every time he remembers Chiron's very graphic explanations…

"Are you deaf, haven't seen her in years. All she ever does is moan and bitch about her dead siblings. Wouldn't be surprised if she has built some creepy shrine for her brother somewhere. She is insane, has been like that ever since Helios has faded."

"I… see," Will replied, clearly disappointed by this answer. The entire trip had been a total waste of time. All he could hope for now is that some of the other groups had more luck.

"Why are you even looking for that lunatic? I know she has a nice face and body, but I wouldn't exactly say that you are her type," Ares asked.

"She has kidnapped one of my sisters. Now we will go and take her back," Will replied, a defiant look on his face.

Ares laughed and nearly knocked over his beer, as he looked at Will as if the boy had suddenly turned into Cerberus himself. Will wasn't sure whether he was supposed to feel insulted or intimidated when the laughter ended and Ares stared at him intently. He could even see the fiery pits that are the god's eyes behind his shades.

"Good luck, kid. She may be a lunatic, but she knows how to fight. She will make you suffer before you die," the war god said before he laughed again. "Have a beer then. Drinks are on me."

"Uhm… thanks?"

Will wasn't sure if this was good or bad. He really had no intention of ending up in a similar predicament as Naomi, so he was wary of the alcohol. Damn, he wasn't even legal to drink. He had done it before, but he would be in so much trouble should his mother find out about this. And they really should leave soon… well as soon as he can find a way to free Naomi from Eris and Phoebe from Enyo…

"What a troublesome day," he muttered before he took the offered beer. "Thanks for the drink." Maybe getting a little drunk wouldn't hurt. Some liquid courage before he has to face the goddesses. So he took a large swig of the cool beverage, much to Ares' amusement.

"Now we are talking," the war god exclaimed happily. "We will drink this place dry tonight!" His words were met with enthusiastic cries from all the other people in the bar. And Will… he could only wonder what horror he had gotten into. And all of it had been for naught. He wasn't one step closer to finding Ariadne… but at least the fuzzy feeling in his head kept the worry away. Little blessings...

A/N: And that's all for now.

There isn't much to say about this chapter. It's more an attempt to continue the story where I have stopped a year ago, but there isn't too much new stuff happening.

There is one thing I wish to mention here. Zoe's actions in this chapter are no indication for the final pairing. Her arbitrary actions and the fall of the Hunt are caused by outside influence. That doesn't mean that Zoe would never consider Percy as a partner, but this isn't one of those suddenly madly in love type of situations.

Right, enough for today. I can't promise a fixed date for an update, but I can promise that it will not take another year. Hopefully. Cya...