"You may have to fight a battle

more than once to win it."

- Margaret Thatcher

CHAPTER 7: THE UPCOMING..

The dream shimmered and Percy saw a harpy piggyback riding a cyclops.

They were running for their lives.

The monsters were gaining, dozens of earthborns on their heels. They were in New York City, Percy knew because it was where he grew up. Who wouldn't recognize his own home?

"Tyson will protect Ella." He promised as he raised his club and used himself to shield the harpy. "Almost home to camp."

But they were surrounded. Percy knew there's no hope in escaping and he reached for his pen. He uncapped it and stabbed the monster nearest to him but the blade couldn't have been more dangerous than mist to the earthborns. He was only dreaming. He wasn't actually there. He was going to watch his brother die.

A woman laughed. Do you see, Percy Jackson? I could easily hurt the people you love. Give up, hero. You are no match against the earth.

"Leave them alone! They've got nothing to do with this!" he yelled as Ella screamed when an earthborn pulled on her wing and she clawed at its face.

Foolish demigod. Of course they have something to do with this. Your brother loves you very much, does he not? The voice laughed. And so do you..

The earthborns have overwhelmed Tyson and Ella and they were both cornered against a wall, trapped. That's when a blinding light appeared and suddenly, they were at the foot of Half-Blood Hill. Tyson was bewildered in a moment and whooping for joy the next.

He hugged Ella tightly, chanting, "We're home! We're home!"

Ella was just as elated that they were safe and that Tyson was hugging her.

"War is upon us again, Percy. Get ready."

The girl from the mysterious island was back. He smelled cinnamon and sea breeze as she stood closer. He still couldn't look her no matter how hard he tried but she had just saved his brother's life. If she wanted some privacy, the least he could do was stop trying to take a peek and just be grateful.

"Thank you. For saving them." He said as he watched Tyson and Ella went into camp, safe and alive.

"True pain is yet to come, my hero. What are you willing to sacrifice for the world?"

Percy opened his eyes and he sat up, a migraine beginning to grow in his head. A wave of relief washed over him knowing that his brother was safe.

"TYSON!" he suddenly realized that he'd completely forgotten about his brother. How could he forget about Tyson? How could he fail to notice when he suddenly disappeared one morning without a trace? Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong with him. He got dressed and went to find the others.

They were having breakfast. It had been a few days ago when they invaded his room to find him in the covers just after a nightmare he couldn't remember. They stayed respectfully away after that, pegging it down to trauma when the Queen of the Heavens had so rudely wiped away his memories. Percy didn't mind. He never had a single dream afterward anyway. Well, except for now.

Toast and mash potatoes never smelled so good and he could feel his empty stomach complain about sustenance. But he had priorities. He barged in and declared, "Something's wrong with me!"

That's when something crash landed up on the main deck.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This chapter is REALLY short. As you've probably noticed. This is actually just a continuation chapter from the last one because I've totally forgotten to put it in and to fire up the upcoming ones. It's our Semester Break. YAY! So, I've read HOUSE OF HADES and took days to recover from my corner (in a fetal position bawling my eyes out because of feels). Which also gave me the extra boosters on this fic. So, I've decided to put as much of House of Hades in this fic as I could. But sadly, it doesn't include Nico being gay (SPOILER ALERT!). I don't have anything against Perico (I cried blood for them, for fuck's sake) but as the fic progressed, I've realized my version of Nico is not really heading in that direction. So, I'll make it up in other areas or ships. I hope. Anyway. I'll be back. With more chapters. Maybe. Comment and stuff.