A/N: I'm back!

A big thank you to everyone who reviewed. Enjoy the chapter! :)

PERCY

Mrs. O'Leary shadow traveled us right to the base of Mount Tam. I quickly slid down from her back. I could see that she was very tired and told her to go back to the underworld and rest. She gave me another watery lick before jumping into the nearest shadow.

I sighed and turned towards Mount Tam. I wasn't even sure if I would find Artemis here but considering that the Titan stronghold is supposed to be at the top of Mount Tam and this was where Artemis was held the last time she was captured, it seemed like a pretty good place to start.

Also, I wanted to check on Atlas. It wouldn't do for him to escape again.

I looked up to the top of Mount Tam. I remembered that the only time I would be able to enter the Garden of the Hesperides was at sunset because it needed to be twilight.

I was slightly disheartened because it was barely sunrise and I would have to wait till sunset. But then I remembered something Annabeth had told me.

After we had returned to camp after rescuing her and Artemis from Atlas, she had told me about a theory she had. She thought that theoretically we should be able to enter the Garden at sunrise too because the sense of twilight was basically the same.

At that time, I just nodded along and didn't pay much attention to it, but now I wondered if it was really true. Well, only one way to find out.

So, not wanting to waste anymore time because it was almost sunrise, I made my way to the top of the mountain while trying to look through the thick mist in the air, both magical and normal.

I knew I would have to get past Ladon to get to the top. That's what worried me.

The last time I was here, Zoe had distracted Ladon so we could slip past. This time I had no idea how I would get past him.

I wasn't one for planning ahead so I decided to worry about it when I get there.

Soon the mist started clearing and I saw the Garden of Hesperides in all its glory. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. There in the center stood the five-story tall tree with the golden apples of immortality glittering in the golden morning light.

I heaved a sigh. Annabeth really was a genius.

I scanned the Garden. Ladon was curled around the base of the tree but he was awake. I should have known. With my luck, he would attack me as soon as he saw me.

I looked to the top of the mountain and saw that it was much closer now. I could see the storm clouds and feel the raw energy from where the sky came down trying to touch the earth.

Only one path led up to the top and it was on the other side of the Garden. As I stepped out if the mist, three figures shimmered out of the shadows right in front of me.

The Hesperides were as beautiful as ever. Seeing them reminded me of Zoe. They looked so similar. Then one of them spoke, "Perseus Jackson, why have thee returned here. Do thee not care for thy life? Turn back now and do not return."

I glared at them and said, "I am not here for the golden apples. I need to get to the top of the mountain. I mean you no harm. Let me pass."

One of them snorted, which I found weird, and said, "It does not matter. Ladon will not let thee pass. Turn back or thee will die painfully."

I just shook my head, "I can't do that. I need to get to the top. I have to save Artemis."

They just gave me a weird look and then one said, "On thy head be it." Then all three of them vanished.

I walked on and got to the edge of the Garden. Ladon was still wrapped around the base of the tree. Half of his heads seemed to be napping while the other half were keeping watch. A few of them were looking straight at me.

I took a deep breath and stepped onto the lush green grass. Immediately, Ladon uncurled from the tree and stood up. Now all his heads were looking at me.

I tried to skirt around the edge of the Garden but I underestimated the length of Ladon's necks. I wasn't even halfway across when a few of his heads darted forward and tried to take a bite out of me. I backed up quickly.

I tried many different ways to somehow get across but Ladon was just too big. I huffed. This was getting me nowhere.

I took out Riptide and uncapped it. Ladon hissed as the gleaming bronze blade elongated. I had no intention of fighting Ladon but I don't think I have any other choice.

I had already tried to stop time around him but he was just too strong. It was all I could do to slow him down just enough to avoid getting a bite taken out of me.

I tried to skirt around the edge again but this time with Riptide at the ready. As soon as I was in range, three heads came towards me, I kicked one away, ducked another and cut the third one clean off. I was afraid it might grow back but nothing happened.

Ladon roared when I cut off one head. I nearly passed out from the smell. But I kept skirting around. I managed to keep the various heads at bay by kicking, ducking and dodging. I only used Riptide when there was no other choice.

I was thankful that Ladon never left the tree. There was no way I could have made it if he actually attacked me with all his heads at once.

Anyways, I made it to the other end with minor bruises but no bites. Finally some luck.

I had only cut off seven or eight of Ladon's heads. I checked to make sure that he wasn't going to attack me from behind before capping Riptide and taking a swig of Nectar.

Then I continued up the path and within a few minutes I arrived at the ruins of Mount Othrys. The last time I was here, the palace had been rising. This time, there was just rubble and a few walls still standing.

I couldn't see anyone around. I crept towards the place where Atlas holds the sky. When I finally got there, what I saw made my heart clench.

Atlas was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a small beautiful girl in tattered silver clothes was struggling to hold up the sky. It was Artemis.

Without thinking I ran forward intending to take the weight of the sky from Artemis. When I got close enough, I knew that something was wrong.

Artemis' form was flickering. I still kept running. When I was just ten feet away, the ground beneath my feet turned to liquid and I fell through. It hardened again when only my head and my shoulders were sticking out of the ground.

I looked up confused. My confusion only increased when I saw Artemis smiling. That's when her form shifted and I saw Atlas in her place instead.

I heard laughter from behind me and tried to turn around to see who it was. I heard footsteps and a large man in Greek armor came into view. He was the same height as the other titans I had met so I knew he was a titan but I had no idea who he was exactly.

He was smirking at me. I glared at him and asked, "Who are you?"

His smirk grew, "I am the Titan of Intellect and the North. I am Koios."

I gave him my best glare, "Tell me where Artemis is. I just saw her. Where did she go?"

He just chuckled and said, "She was never here. What you saw was just an illusion to make you think that Atlas here was actually Artemis. We had assumed that one of the Olympians would come to rescue her but instead we get the great Perseus Jackson. I think we will keep you as a gift for mother when she awakens again."

I tried to move but I was completely stuck. Noticing my struggling, Koios spoke up again, "This trap was built for a God boy. You cannot break it."

Just then there was a flash of light and standing before me was none other than Iapetus himself. He looked really happy for some reason.

He looked towards Koios and said, "The preparations are almost complete, you are required in the underworld."

Koios just nodded and vanished in a flash of light. Then Iapetus turned around and saw me and his smile turned into a scowl.

He glared at me and I smirked back, "So how are you Bob?"

His scowl deepened as he stepped towards me. "I will make you pay for that you foolish demigod. I could have helped my brother in the war if not for you. I could have helped my mother in the war if not for you. You have thwarted our plans enough times Perseus Jackson, now you will pay."

With that he took out his sword and advanced. I tried to move and somehow get Riptide in my hand but it was no use. I watched helplessly as he stepped in front of me and swung his sword, leaving a gash on my shoulder. I gritted my teeth, trying not to scream.

Golden ichor spilled from my wound. The sight of my blood stopped Iapetus short. He stared at my wound before finding his tongue again. "So the Olympians made you immortal."

He stopped suddenly as if thinking about something and then grinned evilly. He looked at me and said, "Well this trap was for a God and since you have been caught in it, might as well use it properly."

He then pulled out a brown pearl from his pocket and smashed it right in front of me. Mist rose from the broken pieces and swirled around me or atleast the part of me that was out of the ground.

Iapetus started chanting in a strange language that I had never heard before. As he was chanting, I started feeling weaker and weaker.

I started panicking when I saw my blood start to darken. My blood changed from golden to red in front of my eyes.

Iapetus stopped chanting and the mist dissipated. I stared at my wound which was now leaking mortal blood. I looked up at Iapetus.

He grinned, "I had saved that pearl for one of the Gods but this is worth it. You are now a mortal again, Jackson. How does it feel?"

I was reeling. As far as I knew, it wasn't possible to take away someone's immortality but here I was, living proof that it was indeed possible.

I was starting to feel dizzy from the amount of blood I was loosing from my shoulder. I still managed to speak up, "What have you done with Artemis? Where is she?"

He shook his head, "Don't worry about her. You can't help her now. She is in the underworld and will soon be sacrificed to Tartarus as the price to awaken Gaea again. You should be worrying about what mother will do to you once she is awake."

He then snapped his fingers and two Laestrygonian giants appeared with celestial bronze chains. He told them pull me out and bind me in chains and keep watch on me until he got back.

He was then about to leave when Atlas spoke up, "Stop!"

I was startled. I had completely forgotten that he was still there. Iapetus looked irritated and snapped, "What?"

Atlas looked up and said, "Free me from this burden. I can help you. Make Jackson take the sky."

Iapetus just shook his head. "He cannot be forced into taking the burden and I don't think he will take it willingly. Besides, you have had your chance Atlas and you failed. Now stop wasting my time." With that he disappeared in a flash.

After he was gone, Atlas was still yelling out curses but there was no one to listen. The Laestrygonians then proceeded to pull me out easily enough and were about to chain me up.

I had to think fast. As soon as I was free of the ground, I froze time around the two giants and slipped from their grasp. As soon as I was free, I uncapped Riptide and decapitated both of them.

Then I searched for my backpack which had been flung away from me. When I found it, I quickly stuffed two squares of Ambrosia into my mouth and took a sip of Nectar. I sighed as the pain from my shoulder receded and the wound healed.

I thought about what I knew. Artemis was in the underworld and was going to be sacrificed to Tartarus. That was all I needed to make up my mind. Immortal or not, I needed to get to the underworld fast.

I didn't want to try going past Ladon again. I sighed as another solution appeared in my mind. I made my way towards the cliff from which Luke had fallen all those years ago.

I found a spot that suited my needs and took a deep breath. I backed up a few steps, took a running start and jumped off the cliff.

Well how was it? I know there wasn't much action but this was an important chapter for the story. Sorry for the cliffhanger though...

Oh and I still need some more ideas for the name of the light sword as well as monsters. R&R!