Sorry that I have not responded to your question, Matt. The answer is thus, I was not consciously aware of it at the time, since many stories have that kind of thing imprinted in their story line, so I guess I did in a way take it from him, but in another way, I didn't. Sorry if that doesn't make sense.

Roses are red, violets are blue, I do not own PJO and unless you are Rick Riordan, neither do you! I do own Theseus, Robert and Mark though.

P.S. this is not a Piper/Leo.

Last Time:

I was in Tartarus, the most evil place in the entire universe. The prison of the gods. It was where monster went to reform and Titans and Giants dwelled, biding their time, for revenge against the gods. I was a god. I would be hunted and if I was caught, I would be tortured for all eternity.

I was in the most secure prison in the universe, without an escape route and I was bleeding heavily. There would be nothing I could do, to stop the overwhelming hordes of monsters and their leaders, especially in my state. I needed a place to rest and regain my power, before the monsters started to hound me. And if I couldn't rest before that happened, I was screwed.

But first, it was time to survive a very painful fall.

Now:

Leo's POV

Falling down a waterfall is not fun. Imagine millions of gallons of water, hitting you in the back and pushing you down, towards your untimely demise. I was dying, as I fell. Water was filling my lungs, making me choke and splutter, as I fell from nature's most deadly attractions. It was terrifying.

As I free fell through the sky, I began to think of a plan to survive the drastic fall before me. I needed a rope; something I could stop my decent with or I could take my chances with the pool of water, underneath the massive waterfall.

Decisions, decisions. Well… I don't have a rope, so I might as well prepare for a grizzly death, all because I couldn't swim fast enough, to avoid a colossal, deafening waterfall. I could imagine it on my gravestone: Leo Valdez, we wish he could have swum faster. My own joke almost made me laugh, had I not been choking on liquid.

I squeezed my legs together and shut my eyes, preparing for the icy hand of death or the frigid temperature of freezing water.

The cold water hit me, like a slap to the face. I could feel myself sinking into the depths, since the water grew colder and colder, the longer I descended. I kicked upwards with all of my might, I think it was upwards, trying to reach the surface, before I lost consciousness.

I could feel my mind going blurry, as my vision started to fade to black and my head vibrated like a gong, which had been hit by a gorilla. I swam for what felt like an eternity, an eternity of pain and terror, which consumed all couscous thought and left you in a world of overwhelming agony and misery. It was torture.

When my head finally broke through the surface of the water, I drew a massive ragged gulp of air, into my burning lungs. I felt relief flood throughout my body, giving me a reason to live, showing that life was not always pain. I felt complete and utter bliss flood throughout my body, until my body started to shake, from exhaustion and cold.

I swam horizontal to the current, so that I was no longer going down stream and into another waterfall or something of equal danger. After a couple of long minutes, I reached the other side of the shore and collapsed on the cold sand, while breathing heavily, as the crisp midnight air filled my burning lungs.

I climbed to my shaky feet and stumbled into the depths of the inky blackness of the forest, hoping to find shelter and somewhere warm.

Piper's POV

I slowly followed the massive path of destruction, which my idiotic friend and his pet had created, in their struggle for dominance. One part of my brain was saying, I have to go faster! Leo could be hurt! Orion is coming! The other part was saying, your ankle is sprained or broken; you can't go faster, without injuring yourself further.

So I continued my stumbling stroll, through the Colorado woods, hoping to find my pyro kinesis friend, without any serious injuries. After walking for a couple of minutes, I heard the sound of footsteps, in the darkness of the frigid forest.

I crouched down and snuck towards the sound, hoping to jump it, before it jumped me. As the creature got closer, I saw it was a small silhouette of a human; probably a teenager or a could be a monster in disguise. I snagged a rock from the ground and hefted it above my head, waiting to strike the creature, in case it attacked me.

I was about to charge forward; when I saw a spark of fire momentarily flicker across the figure's palm, illuminating a curly haired son of Hephaestus. "Leo!" I whispered. He looked in my direction, before he paused, probably deciphering who I was, before he started to sneak towards me.

I went to hug him, but he pushed me backwards, while hissing, "I am soaking wet, don't touch me or else your will freeze, just like me." I nodded at him, to tell him I understood, but I doubt he saw. "Let's try to make a fire or at least warm you up, so that you can make one." I suggested.

Leo led the way deeper into the forest, so that we could find shelter and maybe even dry tinder. As we journeyed deeper into the woods, I was again startled by the lack of noise in the usually noisy environment.

After Leo and I found a circular clearing in the forest, lacking enough vegetation, so that we wouldn't burn the rest of the forest to the ground, I started to gather dry sticks and other ingredients to make a fire, long enough for us to stay warm and devise a plan to destroy Orion.

Leo and I sat around our "fire", waiting for it to spark to life. Leo was using his hand to try to start the fire, but it was not working, because he was just too cold. Leo let out a sigh of frustration, before running a hand through his hair and glaring at the fire.

"I know this might be a little weird, but we are friends and its life or death." I snuggled into Leo, hoping to warm him up and in the end, warm myself up. While Leo and I sat right next to each other, I began to start thinking what life would be like, without the constant madness of the mythological world. "Do you ever think we will get a break? I asked Leo.

I couldn't see Leo's expression in the dark, but I would guess that he was smiling. "A break? Who would want a break from us? Everybody loves us!" Leo joked.

"I mean seriously, do you ever think we will get a break? We labored through The Giant War and then right after that, we were thrown into another war, we might not have it as bad as Percy and Annabeth, but we are getting there."

"I don't know, Piper. Demigods never have easy lives; I don't think we will be an exception."

"Thanks for the pep talk. It really boosted me up."

"Always glad to help." Leo replied.

"I was joking!"

Leo and I talked about other unimportant things, as we basked in each other's warmth, until a sound echoed throughout the forest.

Leo's POV

I had just warmed up enough, to use fire, when a sound echoed throughout the quietness of the woods. I scrambled to my feet, with Piper right next to me.

"We need a plan. Orion only would make noise, because he wants to be found." Piper hissed.

"Who said it was Orion? We had better get out of here."

Piper and I turned around and bolted away from the sound, as fast as we could. Arrows whizzed by our heads, verifying that it was indeed, Orion, before they pounded into trees and rocks, before one imbedded itself into my shirt. I found myself stapled to a tree, while Piper sprinted past me, before backpedaling, when she realized what had happened.

I wrenched the arrow from my sleeve and stumbled through the forest, dodged arrows, like an action hero. I could hear Orion's whoops of joy, as he trailed us, becoming the psychotic ghost hunter cliché flawlessly. After weaving around multiple objects, I grabbed Piper and shoved her behind a tree, before diving into cover as well, out of the line of fire, from the son of Poseidon.

As I caught my breath, I looked around at my terrain, trying to find any part of the environment that would help me in the upcoming battle. There was a stump, multiple trees, rocks and the sound of a creek gurgling in front of me.

I leaned out of my cover, to see where Orion was, but quickly hid again, as an arrow impaled itself right where my head use to be. I positioned my hand right outside of my cover, before quickly blind firing a massive barrage of fire, trying to lessen Orion's accuracy and sight. I heard a few curses, so I sprinted out of my cover and launched several fire balls, at the cursing hunter in front of me.

Orion vaulted over a fire ball, before ducking and weaving over the rest. He launched multiple arrows in rapid fire, each with pin point accuracy, had I not burned them to a crisp. I could feel exhaustion creep its way into my body, as I conjured wave after wave of fire balls, so that I could annihilate any incoming projectiles and incinerate my enemy.

I stopped my relentless assault and inspected my handiwork. I had caught many trees on fire, but I didn't feel too bad, as there were no life in the forest, beside the trees, but even those looked dead, as if all of the life had been sucked out of them. Orion had disappeared into the woods, no doubt tending to his injuries and wishing he had not underestimated us.

I sprinted towards the slowly gurgling water, hoping to find a river nymph or creek nymph, since all of the trees seemed to be lacking their usual bubbly spirits. I raced to the creek, I spoke towards its quiet waters, trying to convey my message, "Please, if there is any nymph inside this creek, come out and help us, so that we can restore life to this desolate forest."

After a few seconds, I decided to sit down, as nymphs were not known for their understanding of time. Piper had sat next to me and after she had realized what I was doing, she began to persuade the nymph to come forth, using her charmspeake, but it didn't seem to have any visible effect.

There wasn't much I could do, so I began to gather rocks, so that Piper would not be completely defenseless, when we faced Orion again. Upon gathering some stones from the creek, I plopped them on the ground, next to Piper, as he quietly murmured, attempting to beckon all nymphs in the area to answer her plead.

"It's not going to work." I stated frustratingly. "Why can't a nymph help someone for once in their life?"

"Um… Leo… Don't anger her or else she will be against helping us and try to murder us."

I huffed in annoyance, before sitting on the ground and twiddling my thumbs, waiting for a stupid spirit to respond to a rather desperate call. As the night grew longer, I began to become nervous; I was always jumpy and ready to leap into action, at the slightest provocation.

Orion would be coming at any minute and I would have to be ready to meet his force with my own. I was bouncing my leg, not liking being kept waiting, for what would be the fight for my life. Suddenly, the inevitable happened.

An arrow slammed into my arm, enticing a scream of agony from me, as the sharp flint dug into my flesh. I dragged Piper behind a tree, before gritting my teeth and breaking the shaft off, so that I could have more maneuverability, but still not bleed to death.

I shot a bolt of white hot flame, in the direction of the hunter, but didn't get any reaction, as my attack missed its intended target. I was about to leap from my cover and burn Orion to a crisp, but I heard a yelp of pain echo, from within the forest, startling me.

I looked over and saw Piper grinning in the dim light of my flame, before she quickly retrieved another rock. I leapt from my leafy cover and saw a bloody Orion glaring at me, with a crimson colored rock on the ground near his feet.

I conjured a fire ball, which I deftly threw at my enemy, who dodged it with ease. Orion launched an arrow at my head, causing me to yelp and duck underneath the fast approaching projectile. I shot another fire ball at my psychotic enemy, hoping to hit him in the face, before lobbing a second sphere at his chest.

Orion dove to the right, before an explosion of fire lit up behind him, as the fire greedily consumed all in its path. Luckily, Orion's bow had been dropped on the ground and had been quickly devoured by the growing fire.

Orion's face twisted into an evil smile, before he drew to long, sharp hunting knives and bounded forward, with a killing intent in his gleaming eyes. I launched wave after wave of fire, at the oncoming hunter, but he dodged or deflected them all, causing my frustration and uneasiness to grow, as he became closer and closer to Piper and I.

By the time he was almost upon us, I was ready to collapse. I was completely and utterly spent. Piper was throwing as many rocks as she could find, as quickly as she could. She managed to injure Orion greatly, making him bellow in anger, before continuing his rage filled charge, he was no longer playing with us; he was trying to kill us.

By this time, Piper had long since abandoned her hopeless persuasion of the river nymphs, coming to the same conclusion as I, that it was a pointless endeavor. I stopped my relentless barrage and darted deeper into the forest, away from the crazed hunter, who only wanted to kill, so that he could gloat about his amazing skill.

I could hear the laborious breathing of our pursuer, as he dashed with all of his might, intent on catching us, so that he could skin us, like animals, which e saw us as. Piper and I broke into a clearing, which revealed a river blocking our way, giving us no option, but to cross it's icy waters or make our final stand, at the edge of its waters.

As I was debating what to do, Orion burst through the trees, surveying the area, until his eyes fell upon us. Another creepy smile adorned his face, as he saw us pressed against the deep, frigid river.

"Where are the gods now? Why do they not save their saviors? Have they abandoned you? This is what they do to all of their children. They leave them to die. They kill them. They killed me!" Orion shouted, before he lunged forward, intent on killing us, so that he can get back at the gods, for what they did to him.

So this is the end, I thought. There was nothing we could do. I was spent; I had no energy to conjure another wave of fire and Piper was clutching two rocks, like they were her lifelines. I readied my fists and crouched into a defensive position, determined not to go down without a fight.

Piper flung her two stones at Orion, but he simply dodged the incoming projectiles, before he began to slow down, a few feet in front of us. Horror was etched on his face, as he seemed to struggle to lift his legs, it was as if the sand was pulling him down. Finally, he came to a lumbering stop a few feet in front of us, breathing heavily, as he started to sink into the sand. I stared in shock, as our enemy slowly started to sink, in the sand, which we had just crossed.

A melodious voice spoke from behind me, "I have heard your call, why have you called upon me? Do not turn around or I will destroy you."

"We wanted your help to destroy this fiend, which you have trapped in the sand. We cannot do it alone; we need your help." I replied.

"My help? Since when does a demigod need my help? None of your kind cares for us; none of you treat us with respect! Why should I do as you wish, when you could very well be the evil people? Tell me why I should help you." The voice spat.

"When this monster is destroyed, life will be able to return to the forest. The trees will have nymphs again; the animals will once again be in the woods. Fish will be in your water and all of the other animals, which use to inhabit your water, will return once more! We will tell the gods that you helped us, which might very well help you be blessed by them, allowing you to always be clean and full of life."

"That is a valid reason, but I am still not convinced. Let me here this hunter's side of the argument."

Orion looked up and stuttered, "T-things will stay as they a-are. There will not be pesky neighbors to bore you with their gossip and you can live your life in peace and quiet."

"I absolutely adore neighbors! Why would I dislike them? I have not heard decent gossip in the last hundred years! Just a little bit ago, the forest started to go silent. All of my neighbors were afraid, of a hunter, who was destroying all in his path. Pray tell, are you that hunter?

"No milady, I am but a mortal man, trying to find a home."

"Then why are you chasing these demigods?"

"They have stolen from me! They killed my family!"

"Swear by the River Styx and I will believe you."

"Very well. I swear by the River Styx, that everything I said was true."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, as a new oath was made. After nothing happened to Orion, the river nymph stated, "You tell the truth, I will destroy these demigods, because they have done so many wrong things, throughout their lives."

Water enveloped Piper and I, before it tightened around us, squeezing the air out of our chests and suffocating us. My eyesight was soon speckled with black dots, as the water tightened around me, making me lose vital air, which all humans need to survive. My lungs were burning and I could feel fear of suffocation take over my body, making me kick and scream, which caused me to die faster, as the water entered my lungs, forcing me to splutter and drown.

I was beginning to lose consciousness, when the water dissipated and I fell to the ground, where I vomited and gasped for breath, as I slowly recovered on the sopping wet sand.

I lifted my head and reeled backwards at what I saw. Orion was being burnt alive, as black fire coated his body and destroyed his soul. By making a false oath on the Styx, Orion had sealed his doom. After the last of Orion's screams faded, I lifted my head and only saw dust.

Will Piper and Leo be able to rescue their friends? Will they make it to Camp Jupiter in time to balance out the battle? Possibly find out next chapter… maybe.

I will attempt to post soon, but it's difficult, since I write at night and I haven't been getting enough sleep, because of it. So… I will update as soon as I can.

Yours in demigodishness, MakaidosTheFirst