A/N I'm back! Thank you SO MUCH for all the follows, favourites and reviews. Honestly, thank you all so much. 80 odd follows and around 50 favourites?! That is amazing for me, I wasn't even expecting 5! Everyone gets a virtual cookie/food of choice, because I'm an awkward person and I don't like hugs, and for being the best readers I could hope for :) I hope you enjoy this chapter. I've certainly made you wait for it! *cue evil laugh*

It's like nothing's changed, but everything has.

I'm back where I should be happiest. And yet… And yet I feel completely and utterly alone. There is nothing even resembling the feeling of home I used to have.

The camp's borders are exactly the same, of course. The pine tree is there, the Golden Fleece draped over it, healthy and growing. And there's the Big House; there's the porch I collapsed onto almost… five years ago, was it? I see all the cabins, with the addition of the ones I requested to be added in. There's the campfire, too. Everything is just so ordinary.

For some reason, it feels like there should be some sort of indication of my absence – anything to show that I was gone. But why should there be? Why do I feel like there should?

What do I do? Do I just walk in? How will everyone react? I can see everyone inside: training, sword fighting – but I don't spot anyone I know. Not even her. Or him. I am asking so many questions my mind is starting to buzz with unwanted, unnecessary fear.

What am I scared of - rejection? But I've already experienced that. So what is it that's making me feel so terrible?

I take a few steps forward and find that my foot just won't pick up off the floor. It's stuck, as if I'm stood in quicksand and no matter how hard I struggle to move, I just sink further and further down. I can't go in there. I can't. How am I going to face them all, unable to tell them my true identity, unable to tell them anything? What am I going to do?

I feel like a fool in these clothes; I feel like a stranger in a place where I should be at home. I want to turn and run, never come back, leave all my problems behind; not step back into the inevitable disaster and heartbreak on this path that I am setting out for myself.

I clench my fists against my sides, feeling my fingernails digging in painfully. The pain seems to ground me, and I feel all the suppressed anger I was trying to hide start to bubble up inside me instead – anger at myself, anger at Chaos; anger at everyone.

No. I will not give up. I will not.

Although I cannot show them who I am, I will not be weak. I will do whatever I have to – I will risk everything to save the ones I love. I have to do it.

And nobody can stop me.


Nobody can see me yet – I'm sure of that. Concealed in the shadows of the trees above me, the black of my armour making me even more invisible, I almost become a dark shadow myself.

I can hear the clashing of metal on metal; shouting coming from the arena – even the bubbling, crackling noise of the lava on the climbing walls. I can also smell the scent of freshly cooked steak wafting towards me on the cool air. My mouth waters and I realise how hungry I am.

I want this over with. There is no other way – I have to reveal myself at some point. I'm no use stood here in the darkness, like I'm scared of seeing everyone. Although I am.

But I have 'returned from the dead', haven't I? And if I'm to return… who says it can't be with a little bang?

I close my eyes, feeling everything within me shut down and then come alive, more powerful than ever before after lying dormant for so long. I summon up everything I can; my fingertips tingle with the promise of a nearby source of water itching to be released from its bounds. A large nearby source of water, taking its shape in the form of a large lake not far from here. It's going to take a lot to just summon it – but I need to do this. Even though I won't be recognised, I need to make an entrance. I need to show them that no one can mess with me. I'm in no mood for being messed with.

"STOP!"

It is louder than I expected – does this armour have some sort of voice amplifier I don't know about? The sound of my voice reverberates around the whole area, resounding in my own ears rather painfully. It comes out deep and powerful – almost carrying with it a sense of authority... and threat.

But it also has the effect I desired. Everyone stops, dead. Swords clatter to the ground, falling from the hands of what can only be the newest members of camp, and shocked faces look around for the source of the voice.

Everything is silent. Exactly how I wanted it to be.

I finally step out of the shadows – out into the light at last.


Whispers break out, like the wind blowing through the trees. I suppose I do look rather intimidating – the all black clothing/armour with its unidentifiable material, along with the mask which covers my whole face, would have that sort of effect. Not to mention the fact that these clothes make me look very powerful and muscular.

I keep my head low enough that nobody can see my eyes, but also high enough to be able to see. I don't want any… unseen encounters.

I see someone coming towards me – a black haired, pale skinned, sorrowful looking someone.

Nico Di Angelo.

Instantly, I feel myself break down inside. I'm thankful that my face is covered; I'm sure it contracts in pain when I see him. I did not realise how much I missed my friends – what if it's like this for everyone?

"Who are you?" he says, his voice deeper than the last time I saw him, only wavering near the end. He asks me this question… but he's looking at me as if he can't quite believe his eyes; quizzically and full of wonder.

He's older, I think disbelievingly. How can he be so much older? By the looks of things, he's about sixteen. But that would mean… That would mean he's two years older.

It can't have been two years.

"Who are you?" he repeats, almost shouting it in the effort to appear strong. But there's still that look. What does it mean?

I still don't answer – what if he recognises my voice?

Out of the corner of my eye, I see more people emerge at the sound of my voice and now Nico's, and it's even worse than I imagined.

Jason and Piper, come out of the Zeus cabin looking confused and apprehensive, followed by Frank and Hazel.

"Nico? What's going –?"

They see me and fall silent, fear and anger growing on their faces. Jason starts forward; his hand reaches for his scabbard, but Piper grabs his arm.

"No," she whispers. She's looking at me cautiously.

Jason looks at her incredulously, but she gives him a look. And just like that, he steps back.

Just the same as always, Jason and Piper. I almost shake my head – and then I catch myself.

Frank is stood there with Hazel, staring at me. Hazel is holding his hand, and they're both just looking at me, not moving, not saying a word.

Then comes Leo, covered in oil and grease, with smudges all over his clothes and cheek. His shirt appears to be smoking slightly, and half his trouser leg has been completely burned off; from what I can see, his left eyebrow is almost singed off, too. I have to keep myself from snorting at his appearance even though this is no situation to be laughing in – he's probably fixing Festus again or making some new contraption, and he is certainly unaware of how he looks.

He bounds out of the Hephaestus cabin looking around at everyone confusedly, before his eyes come to a rest on me. First, his face registers complete astonishment, and his half-there eyebrows raise in confusion before his face breaks into a smile. He stands there happily for a moment, then goes to stand by Jason and Piper, without saying a thing.

What is going on? Leo didn't say anything?

And then… and then I see them. They come out of the infirmary (A/N I can't remember what the hospital bit is called) and come to a stop.

Time stops. We stare at each other. He looks at me, challenging and irritated, passing me off as some dumb stranger, no doubt. She, on the other hand, looks terrified. I see that she is hurt – she's limping, and there's a cut on her head, which looks deep and painful.

No. I can't be distracted.

They stand there – and then he runs forward.

"No!" she cries, reaching for his arm. She swipes uselessly at the air, however, missing him, and she stares after him, desperately trying to make him come back.

It slices through me like a knife, cutting my heart freshly in two, as if it was nothing more than a slice of bread. She still loves him.

He approaches me, and I eye him warily back. He is holding a sword in his hand: celestial bronze and gold.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" he says. His voice rings with authority, sounding mature and responsible. But I see him for what he really is.

Liar.

The power gathering in my fingertips is roaring and begging to be released.

"I said, who are you?" his voice rising.

I finally speak.

"I am the one that will unmask the truth, Nick Sading. No one can hide from me."

My voice is yet again, all deep and powerful. What is it with this thing? I sound like a riddle master.

"How did you know my name?"

"Oh, Nick." I smile dangerously behind my mask – he won't know what hit him. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to mess with strangers?"

And with that, I release everything within me, seeing only an explosion of blue waves and white foam.

A/N Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it, I was so excited about writing this chapter. I hope you guys thought I did 'the return' at least some justice! Please remember to review, follow and favourite if you have the time! I really appreciate it! :)

QOTD: (Not Percy Jackson related, but I'd still like to know your answers!) What is your favourite TV show?

AOTD: Okay... I certainly have more than one: Teen Wolf is AMAZING, The Vampire Diaries (which I only recently started watching), and Sherlock.

ONLY 4 DAYS UNTIL BoO! WHO'S EXCITED?!