"Damn!" I said as I rammed my sword against a tree, "Where are all the monsters?" I struck it again, "I need something to destroy." My sword caught on fire, along with the tree I was striking. "Crap!" I said running around my camp.

"You wanted something to destroy." I said to myself as I doused the burning tree, the effort of doing so diminishing my pent-up anger.

I sat down on a snow pile and looked up at the stars. I looked at all the constellations I knew. Going through the stories behind each one. Revisiting old and happy memories. I could see my dad smiling as we came inside the throne room, Artemis taking the lead. I could see Annabeth and me dancing sometime after a quest. I could almost feel Annabeth's lips on me as I remembered the first kiss we shared at the bottom of the lake. A kiss shared between Annabeth and Mar-

"No!" I cried out as a flurry of images went through my mind. The image of Marcus holding her close as they snuggled on the beach. The evil smirk on Malcolm's face as he told me where Annabeth was. The smile on Annabeth's face as she stared into Marcus' eyes. The look of malice on everyone's face after I-

"It's okay, Percy." I heard a voice say, small and gentle arms hugging me, "It's alright. You did nothing wrong." I felt a hand on my head as the owner of the voice consoled me. We sat there for a few minutes, not moving but sitting in our embrace. I knew who it was for the voice had always stayed with me. I knew only one person who could talk like that.

"Thank you, Hestia." I said, hugging her back and resting my chin on her shoulder, "I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go. I don't have anyone"

"Don't say those things, Percy," She said, moving her head back so she could look me in the eye, "You have me. You have that old man you met on the train. You have all those people you saved. You've done so many things. So many deeds."

"Look where that got me," I retorted, my eyes welling up, "All those deeds and I'm out here in the coldness of Alaska, without friends or aim."

"Actually," She said, a hint of humor in her voice, "We're not in Alaska, you passed the border a minute ago. And you do have friends. Everyone you saved looks to you as a friend."

"Then where are they?" I said, thankful that she was teasing me by correcting me, "I see no one except for you."

"You have to call them, silly." She said, shaking her head, "Some of them are too busy to visit you whenever they please, but I think calling them would help. And others might be a little unwell at the moment."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, not getting used to the constant riddles I've had to face all my life, "Just tell me please, no riddles for once."

"Call in a favor," She said, standing up, "That's all I can tell you."

"To whom?" I asked

"The very same person who takes what you hate being taken," She says cryptically, "Oh, and before I go, I would like to tell you that burning grass would suffice as a way of calling me, not an entire tree."

"Sorry," I said to her shimmering body, staring at it until it disappeared from sight.

I thought back on whom I could ask and what I could ask from them. I racked my brains as I went through the list of people I had rescued. I could see brief flashes of their faces, followed by where and how I had rescued them. I wondered about what I hated being taken. I already knew it was the life of a friend, but the problem was that basically everyone who hated me could d-

Thanatos

His name popped up in my head as I went through the names. I could remember a speech about how life was unfair, and that death was the same. I knew that he was the person to ask, but what would I ask? There was nothing he had that I wanted. All I want are some friends. Just some people to talk to. Someone to ca-

"Of course!" I yelled, smacking myself on the forehead for not realizing it sooner. I knew what to ask from the lord of death, but I didn't know whether he would help me. He himself stated that he never does favors for anyone.

But I, being the most compulsive idiot there ever was, decided to summon some food and burn it, calling out 'Thanathos' like the old 'Bloody Mary' chant. Except this one was more terrifying and real. I could feel a small chill coming up from my legs, as the light from the fire dimmed. I could feel the shadows around me try to surround me.

"Why have you summoned me?" A deep voice said from behind me, startling me. I jumped and turned around, coming face to face with the personification of the Grim Reaper. His large, darker-than-night wings coupled with his scythe frightened me.

"I…I…" I stuttered, still reeling from the shock of his entrance.

"I don't do stuttering boy," He said, glaring at me, "I've got better things to do than listen to you." He finished, flapping hi swings as he prepared to soar into the night sky.

"I wanted to ask a favor." I asked squeakily, latching on to his arm so he wouldn't fly.

"And why should I grant you one?" He asked, his eyes narrowed to slits as he looked at me, "I've no need to grant favors to mere demigods."

"But I helped you." I said

"And I have done so for you," He said calmly, "I have helped you by not letting those foul monsters you killed from getting here. Had I decided not to do such, you would've died a long time ago."

"But that's what you're supposed to do. It's your job." I argued, "You have to control them."

"And isn't that enough for you?" He asked me, his voice void of any emotion, "Isn't it enough that I prevented them from escaping? Prevented them from killing you?"

"Please help me," I asked, "I need your help only this once."

"You still haven't given me a valid reason for me to help you." He answered back, flapping his wings lazily.

"I got the Olympians to respect you more," I said, clutching onto straws, "I got a cabin for your children at camp. I rescued you."

"And for that I've done everything in my po-"

A burst of flame from the camp fire interrupted his retort. I could see Thanatos cocking his head to one side, as if listening to someone. I waited for a few moments, looking at Thanatos as he closed his eyes in concentration. I stared until he opened his eyes and looked at me with a steely look in his eyes.

"I see your reasons and for that I will help you," He said, still looking at me, "Just for once."

He opened a side of his cloak and took a golden clock-faced watch with leather straps. He looked at it with annoyance and muttered into, a black smoke coming out his mouth and encircling the watch as he did so. The watch dimmed in color before reverting to its original.

"This is a mere copy of the original," He said, throwing the watch at me to catch, "But it should still possess the same qualities. Just turn the dials on the side and you shall be transported to whichever part of the underworld you wish to visit."

"Thanks…" I said, drifting off as I stared at the watch, wondering if it really could do all that. I looked up and saw Thanatos already soaring over me, his wings silent as he flapped them.

"Only this once, Perseus," He said, "My debt to you has been paid and with that, I'll be on my way."

"Thanks Lord Thanatos." I said, using the 'Lord' title out of respect for him, "I really needed it."

"The Doors of Death are a wonderful gift," He said, ignoring my reply, "Lest they be misused. I hope you don't wish to do so for I will have to stop you."

I gulped and nodded, knowing that Thanatos was one god I should not mess with. I watched as he spun around, the shadows rushing upwards to cover him. I watched as his body darkened till it was similar to that of the night sky. I felt a cold wind rush over me as he completely disappeared.

That was the last thing I saw before falling to ground in a heap, my head spinning as my eyes closed shut.