PERCY POV

The sun set slowly as Jason and I trek through the woods, sweat pouring down our faces.

"Percy - do you even know where we are?" he pants.

"Dude, I know exactly where we are." I answer, only lying a bit. "But let's stop for a minute, okay?"

I drop my pile of twigs and branches and Jason drops his. He wipes the sweat off his brow while I take in our

surroundings. I close my eyes for a second then pinpoint the nearest location of water.

"Okay, the ocean is that way." I inform him, pointing at an angle nearer to my left. We continue downhill towards the shore.

"Jason, can't you just fly us there?" I ask. Jason looks at me irritably.

"Why didn't you think of that before?! Now can't carry the both of us 'cause I'm too tired to use my powers." he snorts. I shrug.

"Sorry man. Let's just keep going."

After about ten more minutes of hiking, I feel the the ocean, it's tides churning, and smell the salt.

As we get even closer, I hear Grover on his bagpipes and Piper rocking out on her guitar along with him. We recently learned that she is amazing at guitar, a hobby that was never brought up with the whole war-thing.

Annabeth is chatting animatedly with Hazel, Frank's girlfriend. Thalia and Nico are both sitting with their arms crossed, occasionally commenting on random things. Not really making conversation at all.

Thalia spots us and lets out a load whoop. I grin as Jason and I plod down the hill and place our sticks in the middle of our log-triangle. I stretch my back and throw off my shirt.

"I'm going for a swim. Anyone?" I offer. Annabeth raises her hand.

"Ooh, yes." She slips off her shirt, revealing a bikini top. She bends down and piles her thick, blonde curls into a ponytail then straitens up.

"Anyone else?" she asks. Jason sighs.

"Alright then, I'm coming. It's hot out here." he gives in.

"That's probably just me." Leo tells him, on his knees at the fire. He snaps his fingers and a small flame appears in his hand.

"Watch out, Leo." Franks says nervously. He takes a step away from the fire, and watches Leo's every move.
"C'mon, Zhang? Don't you trust me after I've given you that completely fireproof purse?" he jokes.

Frank rolls his eyes and sits back down next to Hazel. Hazel pecks him on the cheek and laughs. Leo lights the fire, brushes his hands on his oily jeans and says,

"alright, I'm coming too. I need to cool down, if you know what I mean." Piper rolls her eyes but slips off her shirt, revealing her own bikini top.

"Count me in, Sparky." she grabs Jason's hand, and he looks at her strangely. "Sparky?"

"Anyone else?" I call out one last time.

"I would, but I forgot my freaking suit in the truck." Thalia whines. "I'm too lazy to go get it." Everyone grins.

"Frank and I'll stay here." Hazel tells me, and Frank agrees.

"Alright ladies, you might wanna shield your eyes for a sec…" Leo warns playfully, then he whips off his shirt. Hazel blushes, Thalia snorts, and Piper rolls her eyes once more.

"Okay then. Good luck on those abs, Leo." I say, then splash into the water. I push Annabeth into the water with a laugh, and she screams. I splash in after her and create a bubble so she can breathe.

"Oh, I HATE you, Seaweed Brain." Suddenly our bubble is popped. We kick to the surface.

Swimming beside us is Nico, fuming so much that I can imagine the water boiling.

"What's your problem, Thalia?!" he shrieks. A drunk-with-laughter Thalia is screaming with joy on the edge of the water.
"You looked like you need a bit of fun, Death Breath!" She shouts.

He grumbles, but smiles once he sees her jump into the water herself. Jason, Leo and Piper swim over to us, talking loudly about whether sea dragons or water centipedes would be found on this side of the ocean.

"Let's not worry about that now." I tell them, breaking the conversation. They nod solemnly. It's been five months since the epic final battle with Gaea. We won, fortunately. But at a huge cost. Many lives were lost, including Grover's girlfriend, Juniper. He still isn't over it.

Every monster was expelled to Tartarus, but, as always, not permanently. They are constantly fighting and weakening the Doors of Death, and will soon break through. But for a year or two, every demigod is able to live freely.