I expected the Phlegethon water to be a bit spicier after that… or hotter somehow—more painful. Hadn't he just talked to me about not reveling in my power and kills? And then I'd gone and done that to Hyperion…

Torn him apart with his own blood. Or Ichor. Or whatever.

But I didn't—couldn't—regret it. Not after what he'd done. I felt no remorse.

Honestly, that scared me more than anything.

If the water was more painful, though, it wasn't by much. I couldn't be sure what he thought of everything that had just happened but… any increase in pain it felt more like a reminder than anything. Or maybe I just couldn't feel it. The numbness hadn't gone away.

In a sort of detached way, I wondered what everyone would think of what I'd just done. I'd be willing to bet the gods would probably panic and try to kill me. Again. Was it bad that I felt more amused by that than anything? The picture of them running around like peacocks with their heads cut off as they tried to figure out the best way to 'eliminate my threat'.

But then I thought of Annabeth. I remembered the look on her face as she begged me to stop torturing Akhlys. What would she say now that I'd literally killed a Titan? Albeit not permanently, but…

And what would the other kids think? A lot of them were scared of me already… and I couldn't blame them. This would just make it worse.

Frank would be worse than the campers, though. He and Hazel both. I could just see the looks of disappointment on their faces as they shook their heads at me. At least they wouldn't be scared… right?

Right?

Nico wouldn't be scared. Nothing could really scare him… but I could see him wanting to protect other people from me. I could picture his eyes as he watched me warily, waiting for me to make the wrong move. It would be like going back in time to when we first met, just after Bianca… Heck, I could easily imagine Will standing behind him, his bow out and raised as he also watched me warily. Or would he be scared? Probably.

Piper would probably just roll her eyes, shake her head, and walk away, not wanting to be involved in the drama—not having the capacity to after Jason… or had she moved on by now? It had been almost a decade… maybe longer. She probably had. I didn't know what I wanted for her, to move on or keep remembering our friend. Not that it was my choice… and I couldn't seem to feel much about that either. Or… I knew I would, but I just… couldn't right then. Was I broken? Even more than I used to be?

Leo and Calypso… Leo wouldn't bother to hide his fear and Calypso would probably just wonder how she could have ever remotely fallen for a monster like me.

Because that's what I was, wasn't I? I didn't feel any different but… it had finally happened, hadn't it.

That thought was the one to break through my numbness. Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. I'd just swallowed a mouthful of Phlegethon water. It had healed me and I still couldn't breathe. (I knew this had nothing to do with Tartarus' air though.)

My knees felt weak and that quickly, I found myself on the ground—on all fours, throwing up the contents of my stomach. No Phlegethon water again… but I almost wished I had thrown that up too. I didn't deserve it's healing. Because…

What had I done?

What had I just done?!

Torn a being apart from the inside? Just because I was angry?

No, I'd been beyond angry. I'd been… lividterrifieddevastatedhopeless… I still was. Things hadn't been great since my exile, but they'd been getting better. And now…

Tartarus, the realm, was enormous, but it suddenly felt so tiny. I wanted out. It wasn't big enough… it was closing in, choking me beyond just the poisonous air… I needed to get OUT.

Was that also a monster thing?

I kinda couldn't blame them now… Not for that. For killing and eating humans, though…

Di Immortales… would I want to eat people now? I… I didn't think I did… Then again, Medusa didn't seem to eat people. She just turned them to stone. That thought didn't help. Actually, the thought of her at that moment just made me even more sick.

I don't know how long I sat there, staring ahead without seeing anything around me as my thoughts and emotions ran wild. As soon as I realized I was spiralling, I began the method of breathing I'd tried with Oizys. It helped, but not as much as I needed. I just felt so… lost. Unsure. I hated it. Almost as much as I hated Hyperion for what he'd done. And to get a grip back, I knew I needed to acknowledge that… no matter how awful it made me feel because that was the first step to–

"Are you broken?" A voice managed to break through my thoughts. Surprised, and more than a little wary (habit)I looked up and saw a figure dressed in armor. Where Hyperion had gold, this one shone black, but not the sucking, all-encompassing black of Tartarus' armor. I didn't know black could shine like that, and I could also see stars glittering in it—stars that matched the constellations. I found Zoe's constellation almost immediately and had to look away. I could feel her disapproval too. The figure in the armor looked down on me thoughtfully, and the only thing I could see of him were his ice-blue eyes.

I knew him though. Krios. The Titan Jason had defeated on Mount Orthys during the second Titanomachy. I was too paranoid to look away for long, and eventually met that cold gaze again. For several seconds, we just stared at each other as I wondered if he'd come to kill me too.

"Hmm. Apparently not. Even after you defeated Hyperion."

I didn't say anything. I wasn't sure I could without wincing or throwing up again. And, now that I thought about it, very, very tired. My gut hurt. (Not badly enough though.)

He must have taken my silence as affirmation because he went on. "I'll admit, I didn't expect that from you… the half-breed brat my brother betrayed us for."

Bob… or Iapetus. That's who he was talking about. In any other instance, I would have defended my friend, but at that moment, I could barely even comprehend what was going on.

"How many Titans have you single-handedly defeated now? Two? Three? Four? No one seems to know what happened between you and Kronos after all."

That brought back more unpleasant memories of Luke and his golden eyes. It was getting hard to breathe again.

After several more seconds of me not responding, Krios went on. "You're the reason we were released, you know—from Uncle's armor. He wanted us to test you, but all of those who have not met you thought a fight from you well below their station. Only those of us who have met you knew."

"You've 'met' me once," I managed to say. My voice sounded small, but it felt like an enormous step forward, just speaking at all. I couldn't tell if it was a good step or not. "You didn't even know who I was, then…"

It was Krios' turn to be quiet. "You are stronger than the one who defeated me."

Jason.

I wasn't stronger than Jason… was I?

And what right did this Titan even have to mention him?!

"Don't speak of him," I warned.

Krios raised an eyebrow… or so I assumed with how his eye shape changed.

"Or you will tear me apart as you did my brother?"

I felt myself stiffen and had to count my breaths again.

Calm down, I told myself. Not in front of the enemy. Breathe in… hold… breathe out… repeat.

"Hyperion is likely the weakest of Ouranus' children," Krios said, as if stating a fact, "and he knows it, no matter what he says otherwise. But he is still a Titan. You didn't just defeat him, you destroyed him. And the others wonder why you were chosen to lead us against the gods."

"I wasn't chosen," I managed to spit out through gritted teeth.

"The prophecy says otherwise."

And I supposed I should just take his word for it. (And every other monster and god out there… but that didn't really do much to change my mind.)

"It seems Iapetus was the most intelligent of us," he went on. I swore my heart stopped again when he spoke my friend's original name like that. "We really should have listened to him after all."

I swallowed and my mouth opened before I could stop it. "Where is he?"

Krios seemed confused by my question. "Iapetus? Dead. Much like Hyperion. It will take him a while to return."

I'd known, but hearing it… and having it compared to what I'd done…

"He was always the soft one—the weak one mentally," Krios muttered, half to himself. "That was why we didn't listen to him, I suppose."

"Bob was not weak." No. After everything he'd done, weak was not a word I could use to describe him.

Another pause. "Why do you call him that ridiculous name?"

I sighed. "It was the first name I could come up with after I erased his memory."

"Something you seem to like to do," the Titan said thoughtfully. I was getting tired of his talking. It hurt to listen to. Wasn't he supposed to be all brawn and no brain or something? No, that was a stupid assumption to make. The Titans weren't stupid, just… immortal—unchanging. And wasn't that the problem with immortals? "Kampe will eventually regain her memories, you know. As will Echidna."

Yeah. I knew.

When I didn't speak yet again, he shrugged and stood straight.

"I will report this to Uncle, although I am positive he already knows. Prepare yourself, Percy Jackson."

Prepare for what, exactly? I wasn't sure I wanted to think about it. Before I could make up my mind, he vanished in a shower of stars.

I stared after him for… far too long before I rose to my feet. Monster or not, I had someplace to be for when my girlfriend came for me. I didn't want to see the look on her face when she realized… but I wouldn't make her search through all of Tartarus for me. Never again.

I still felt trapped (of course I did) and on the verge of panicking but I could put that aside for now. Compartmentalize. I just had to keep my goal in mind. Stay alive for Annabeth.

No matter how painful our reunion would be.

And maybe I should stop thinking things like that too.

(I tried, but...)

Annabeth. Mom. Paul. My siblings. My friends at camp.

I had reasons to live. I had reasons to be here. I couldn't lose sight of that.

So, what did I have to do now? What next? Get back to base. How? Theoretically I could just walk away from the Lethe, that should get me going in the right direction, and I could still sense it in the distance, or I could take the long route, follow the Lethe down to the Delta of Despair and then over to the Phlegethon. It would be longer, but it would also have the added benefit of letting me get more water from each river. It was also more sure. I had no idea what was between me and the Phlegethon just then. So following the river sounded a little safer.

Comparatively.

Yeah, that sounded like the best idea.

Nodding I reached out with my senses and then began my all-too-slow trek across Tartarus… again.

xXx

I hadn't actually hiked anywhere in Tartarus for… well, years. That was what got me remembering that I still had my seashell necklace. The fact that that was what got me remembering made me feel pathetic. Or maybe just tired. Whatever.

Pulling water out of my seashell didn't do much more than remind me that I'd already used my powers a lot. I could still go for a little while, though, if I pushed it. I reached the Lethe on my ice-bike fairly quickly. I wondered why the landscape was so rocky, but mainly because I had to avoid some places that looked far too dark for my good. The mountains seemed like rows and rows of jagged teeth…

After that thought occurred to me, I decided that I couldn't go fast enough.

Once I hit the Lethe I spent several hours traveling down the river, not paying attention to the landscape around the water any more than I had to to make sure no one wanted to attack me. Thankfully, if any monsters did, I either flew by them too quickly or they knew better.

By the time I got to the Delta, I'd just about had enough power-wise. And, for the first time in a long time, I'd have to go to bed hungry. Well, hungrier. I still had the granola bars, though many of them had been crushed in my fight with Hyperion.

Just my luck.

I wondered how often I'd have to do that from here on out. I did not like the idea of going back to eating monster meat.

Unsuccessfully, I tried not to think about it.

I had night terrors as I slept, waking up yelling or screaming, but unable to remember the actual dream. I kept trying to go back to sleep. It didn't work too well. Eventually, I just got up, gathered my Lethe water, traveled carefully to the Delta, gathered water there, and then followed that around as I took water from every other river.

Seeing the Phlegethon again almost had me crying. It was such a relief and familiar sight, not to mention the god of the river didn't hate me or want to force me into something I really didn't want to do…

What did it say about Tartarus that the Phlegethon was the nice river? Depending on how you defined 'nice'.

Within two (ish) hours, I was heading back up the banks of the glowing river, trying not to really think about anything as I went. My poor sleep kept catching up with me and I found myself nodding off several times, or the ice-bike dipping too far when I closed my eyes for just a moment. It was… dangerous, but I wanted to get somewhere safe before I stopped again.

Eventually, I found what was left of my ice-pegasus. It had been destroyed, but I could see the stumps of wings and legs. They'd tried to get what was inside and only succeeded in piercing a very large spear through the body. I didn't even know who 'they' were at this point. Could have been Titans, giants, or monsters. I was a little proud my ice had lasted that long.

My sleeping-bag was ruined, though. That dropped me back into the numbness again. It had been such a comfort and now event that was gone. Just one more thing.

Mechanically, I still gathered what I had left and continued on my way.

I only vaguely remember the yank in my gut as I forced the ice-walls of my bunker down and up again. Then I more or less abandoned the bike, stumbled through the bunker (after putting all the water in appropriate containers) and managed to make it to my pool room. I more or less belly-flopped and just went right to wrapping myself up in pelts and finally, finally falling asleep.

xXx

I saw Camp Half-Blood, the porch of the Big House, and I just… kind of collapsed. I was so tired. Of everything, despite being asleep—and knowing it. I was tired of Tartarus. Of gods and Titans and giants. Of monsters and transformations. Of working and trying so hard, just to be betrayed and ruined and thrown away.

I'd come to the realization that this would be the rest of my life one way or another. Even if I got out of Tartarus… then what? Then things just went back to how they used to be? Somehow, I couldn't imagine it. Or maybe I could, too well. Could imagine gods showing up all the time asking for favors; putting me and my friends' lives in danger for their whims. How long would it take before they turned on me again?

I wanted to be done with them. I wanted to never see any of them ever again (except maybe Hestia and my dad). I wanted a normal life. I could barely remember the normal parts of my life anymore. Those were the parts I missed the most too, the little things. Like the smell of fresh air that didn't stink of sulfur and ash on the best days. The soft breeze on my cheeks. The welcoming of the sea.

And, of course, my friends and family, but while I considered that big, the gods and giants and Titans and Primordials… didn't. Couldn't. I couldn't even muster up any hatred or anger at that thought. Just… pity. Sure, they were powerful… but so what? What had they given up in exchange for that power? Trust. Brilliance. Change. The most powerful beings in the universe and I couldn't bring myself to feel more than sadness when I thought of their lives. I remembered a line I'd heard somewhere asking if a thunderstorm could appreciate a sunset.

Had I become the thunderstorm?

Then Annabeth was there and I realized I hadn't seen her in so long. She looked stunning in her Greek chiton (though it had some Roman decorations on it, I noted), complete with the hairdo and sandals. Eyes going wide, I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around her. For once, I could have sworn I could feel her… or was it just my imagination? Probably that… I didn't care. It was her and she was there.

I backed out of my hug, which she'd happily returned, to take a closer look at her. That was when I noticed her smile.

"What has you in such a good mood?" I asked, thinking about how I could use some good news just then.

Her grin gained an edge I hadn't seen on her before, triumphant and secretive and dangerous and… really hot. I could definitely get used to it.

"Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Someone in camp got a prophecy. I volunteered to go on the accompanying quest as a 'mentor'. It cemented the final phase of my plan."

My heart leaped in my chest, but I didn't dare ask for details. Clovis said he helped protect my dreams, but could he always?

That made me frown. "Be careful, Wise Girl. Please. Remember your fatal flaw." I let my eyes dart around pointedly. Her smile dimmed as she looked at me—really looked at me.

"Okay," she said softly. "I'll be careful. I'll try not to get cocky."

"Can you say anything about your plan?" I asked.

She sighed. "I don't think it's wise to. Just know I'm coming for you. I will save you. I promise."

"I know," I replied. "I just hope it's soon enough."

Then she chuckled mirthlessly and looked away. "It will be soon. I'll make sure of it." She paused and seemed to think for a moment, then cleared her throat. "Either that, or I'll join you, I suppose."

That scared me, so much so that I jumped a little. "No! Please don't—" I started hurriedly.

She shushed me with a finger to my lips (that I wasn't sure if I could really feel and it was driving me mad—I thought the lack of touch in these dreams was bad enough. That had been driving me crazy for… far too long. This didn't help).

"I have to put everything on the line for this gamble. I know the consequences. I am fine with either outcome… although I'd prefer the one where I save you."

She took her finger away and I slumped a little. "Me too." I wanted to believe in that happy ending so much I couldn't express it just then.

We remained silent for a while after that, reveling in each other's company as the world around us shifted to various places from our memories.

"Percy, I will be there, one way or another. But that's all I can offer."

"I know," I said. "But remember, do it right."

She smiled slyly at me. "You do remember who you're talking to, right?"

I grinned. "Of course I do.

I kissed her then, almost able to feel her lips on mine, before she began to fade away, likely waking up slowly. I wasn't sure if this ability to almost feel her was worse or better than not being able to at all.

xXx

When I woke up, I realized I hadn't told Annabeth about the altar… or Hyperion. That last one may be a good thing as I was barely able to think about it, let alone talk about it. Even in a dream. The next Titan or giant I ran across would get a face-full of Lethe water, though if I had anything to say about it. The more I could get away from controlling things like that (ichor, seriously?!) the better. Annabeth was right. I had to keep my humanity, even if I wasn't human anymore.

With that in mind, I began to train with the different river waters—Cocytus and Acheron mainly as the Styx was literal death water I didn't want to touch, the Lethe was too valuable and dangerous as was the Delta water. I didn't exactly want to torture anyone unless I had to, so training with the grief and misery water it was. I needed ways to get the water to any enemy without them realizing. The best way to do that was to disperse the river water into a mist and then have it coalesce when and where I needed it to, ideally near their face.

It was exhausting training, but eventually I was able to bring the water into and out of the mist state without losing much of its potency. It would never be back 100 percent as powerful as it had been before (and maybe I shouldn't have tested that on myself, the cries of 'monster' and 'failure' had hurt more than they probably should have), but then I didn't need it to be.

Once I got that down (after several weeks-ish of training) I felt prepared enough for the monsters that would come my way. Which was why I decided to check out Hermes shrine. There was a chance Hyperion had been lying, and I'd feel particularly dumb if I didn't at least check it out and it had been fine the whole time but… I didn't hold high hopes.

Apparently word had gotten around that I wasn't someone to mess with (good, took 'em long enough) because I hadn't fought many monsters since my meeting with the two Titans. This was both good (I liked the respite) and bad (I needed food), and I also didn't like the implication that maybe I didn't smell so good anymore… wasn't a demigod anymore.

I didn't let myself dwell on that for long, though. Ever.

So, once I got better at turning the river waters into mist and condensing them again without it nearly wiping me out, I finally made myself take the familiar journey.

The entire way there across the monster-zit covered land, my mouth felt dry and I could barely smell the awful air around me. I ignored monsters and the monsters ignored me, thankfully, because I wasn't sure I could handle any large fights just then.

I took the bike right up the mountain once I saw it, heading across the large field in front of it without so much as pausing. I knew it was the right mountain, and I didn't bother to hide any trails because I had to see—had to confirm it with my own eyes. Just before the crest of the hill, though, I stopped and braced myself. Either Hyperion had been lying, or he'd completely destroyed the shrine. My money was on the latter but I knew that wouldn't make it hurt any less.

After several long breaths, I told myself to man up and nudged my bike over the top. And I did.

For a moment, I didn't catch much of anything, and then my eyes fell on the pile of rubble that had once been Hermes' shrine. So, he hadn't been lying. I felt my heart and stomach drop to my ankles and I could only sit there and stare for… well, I don't know how long, really. Could have been days, months, years…

I felt like if I just blinked often enough or rubbed my eyes hard enough it would go back to normal. Unsurprisingly, though, it didn't.

Eventually, I just turned and left it all behind me, unable to look at it anymore. It felt wrong to just leave it, but… what else could I do? Rebuild it? With ice to put all the stones back together? Because I wasn't sure what else I could use. Though there was a subchapter on making mortar in Nico's book so… maybe? But how long would it take me to find the ingredients I needed? And I was not good at building. Did I have the patience to sort through all of that and try to put it all back together? And if I used ice, how long would that last? Would it even work again? Wasn't destroying it like this defiling it or something? How were shrines made anyway? Some sort of dedication or prayer? Or was that a more modern thing? I just didn't know.

And I couldn't concentrate on it—couldn't let my hopes get up that just rebuilding it would restore everything. I wasn't sure I could handle it if it didn't work. So I went back to base. It took almost six(ish) hours this time.

It didn't help that when I got close, I saw two figures standing in the clearing outside my old cave, obviously waiting for me. The blue-and-white hair (well, gray and orange in the glow of the river) gave away the first one. Koios.

I'd never seen the second one in my life. He stood with a sort of confidence that bordered on manic, obvious energy contained just below his skin. He wore more weapons than anyone I'd ever seen before, up to and including Ares, and his silver eyes focused on me with an intense need.

I didn't like him at all, but something about him seemed… familiar. It took me several seconds to realize why.

Bob. He looked like Bob. Or… Iapetus, I supposed. With Bob's simple way of speaking and child-like necessity to cling to simple concepts, it was difficult to remember that he was an ages-old Titan, who had had a consort and children.

Like, apparently, this one.

Did that make this guy a god like the Olympians? Or a Titan? Weren't there multiple generations of Titans sometimes?

My family was so screwed up.

I didn't land or approach them, but I would have to if I wanted to get to my bunker. Of course. They were standing almost directly between me and the cave, though. Did they think I still lived there?

"Hello, there, Percy Jackson!" Koios called out, waving. He had a huge, Apollo-bright smile on his face, but that just made it look more deceptive—kind of disgusting, really. Like one of those demented clowns, but without the makeup.

"I thought you said his name was 'Perseus'," the second guy said. His red hair kind of glowed, and I wasn't sure if that was the light of the river or his own power showing through.

"It is, it is, Nephew," the (apparently) older Titan said placatingly.

The red-haired guy turned and looked me up and down again with that manic expression. I wondered what else he thought he could see. I was still sitting on my ice-bike, above the river well away from him. "He doesn't look like much."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're sure he's the one who defeated Kampe and Hyperion?"

I froze and hoped my wince hadn't been too obvious.

"Yes, Nephew," Koios said. I began to uncap my river water bottles.

"You're sure this'll be worth my time?"

"I don't know, Menoetius," Koios said. "But he's supposed to be the child of the prophecy, who will overthrow the gods."

The new guy, Menoetius apparently, scratched his neck, as if thinking about it for a moment, before shrugging. "Then sure. I'll fight him for you."

"Tartarus said only one of you can fight me at a time," I said, then realized how screwed up that comment was. I didn't want to fight these guys at all. "And what if I don't want to fight?"

Menoetius grinned (it was a little creepy how that looked like Iapetus, back before he'd become Bob) and took out a sword and dagger pairing. I swallowed.

"Well, if you don't fight me, I'll destroy your little home back there… and this entire stretch of the riverbank. I wonder if Phlegethon would like a little pool all his own?"

I paled at that. It would destroy both my bunker and my cave. I couldn't let that happen. I needed that safety.

"Fine!" I said, nudging my ice-bike forward.

The Titan (I assumed he was a Titan) raised his weapons above his head anyway, looking me directly in the eye. I could feel the energy he was gathering there and pushed my bike faster.

"Too late!" he yelled with a sadistic grin.

I took out Riptide and threw myself in the way of his strike down, meeting his weapons with a very loud clang. It pinned me against the ground and I sensed a shock-wave fly out from us, but it didn't ruin the landscape. I did feel myself cough blood, though, and my chest hurt. A lot.

Not good.

And then the anger hit.

Ares had a similar aura. He wanted people to start things—to fight, but this… this felt like it was on a whole other level. In the Pit, so with an extra boost to whatever his original powers were.

"Let's see what you really got," was all I remembered the Titan above me whispering menacingly before everything faded into a red haze. Afterwards, I didn't remember the fight, only that angerhateragepainagony that fueled me to keep swinging my sword and using my divine powers. I vaguely remembered flashes of him laughing as he pulled out weapon after weapon and continued to goad me.

I don't remember saying anything.

What was there to say?

I just wanted him dead.

I only came back to myself when I stood on a water disk in front of the headless form of the guy, golden ichor spilling out of the stump where his head should be. My arm and sword stuck straight out to the side, a follow through from an attack. Blinking, I looked over to find the red-haired Titan's head on the ground, swollen and cut and laughing. Then he began to disintegrate.

I backed up, confused and a little horrified.

"Good fight!" the guy said. "Thanks Unc—" he cut off as his head and the rest of his body became golden ash.

What?

I looked over at Koios who seemed contemplative as he studied me. "Interesting."

No, terrifying.

"Who… was that?" I asked, then coughed. My chest hurt. To a point where I thought I could feel ribs trying to poke through skin. I covered my mouth and brought it away. Dark blood covered my hand. (Though was it just me, or did it have a sort of sparkling sheen to it that it hadn't had before? Both lighter and darker than blood should be… No. No, not going there. Just. No.)

"You may want to have your drink of the river now," Koios said with that Apollo grin. I really wished he'd stop doing that. Grinning, I meant.

"Who was that?!" I asked again.

He just looked amused. "Iapetus' son, Menoetius; the Titan of anger and rash decisions."

Oh. That… explained a lot.

"You have a lot of anger, don't you… Perseus? More than you let on."

"Percy," I snapped, then coughed again. Ouch.

He just raised an eyebrow at me and glanced at the river pointedly. Huffing I raised my hand and drew a couple of swallows of the river water to me without taking my eyes off of the Titan. He snorted, amused, and watched as I drank the water.

"I'm surprised Phlegethon lets you drink his waters, let alone control them. It causes the rest of us more pain than it heals. I wonder why that is?"

"Maybe because I'm not supposed to be down here?" I said between sips.

Koios just laughed. "Says the demigod who just defeated a Titan, without using his little ichor-control trick."

I stiffened. They knew about that? Then I closed my eyes and took a calming breath, this time for the panic. Of course they knew about that. I didn't answer. I also didn't look at him.

Finally, he seemed to get tired of waiting for me to say something. "How long are you going to deny it, Perseus Jackson?"

"Percy," I snapped again.

"You just fought a Titan to death, literally."

I didn't even remember most of that.

"And you brought your nephew to me knowing I could kill him," I spat back. "And you all wonder why every other pantheon thinks ours is dysfunctional."

At that, he threw his head back and laughed. "You say that like we don't know it!"

"And yet you do nothing to fix it."

"There's only so much you can do," Koios said with a shrug.

I huffed in frustration and decided to move on now that my chest had stopped hurting… well, outside of the Phlegethon burning. I got into a fighting stance, waiting for him to attack.

He raised another eyebrow. "You want to fight this time? Now that you know you may have a chance at winning?"

I blinked. "Um… no." I didn't know how far I could press my luck. "I just assumed…"

He grinned at me, sharply. "I am many things, Perseus Jackson, but stupid and suicidal aren't any of them. I don't know how you got this power, and I don't care, but it is unique to our pantheon. Maybe unique to any pantheon out there. I now see why you were chosen."

I bit my lip and looked away. "I'm only doing what I have to to survive."

Koios laughed again. Another sound I decided I really didn't like. "Then keep surviving, Perseus."

"Percy."

He snorted in amusement and turned to walk away. "Whatever you say… Destroyer."

I watched him go until I couldn't see him any longer. Then I slumped tiredly. I really was reaching my limit. In more ways than one.

Picking up my bike along the way, I walked back over to my bunker, rubbing my chest where I still felt the phantom pains of where my ribs had been broken. And I'd been so angry I hadn't even felt it until the fight ended.

You have a lot of anger, don't you… Perseus? More than you let on.

I tried to ignore Koios' words running through my head, but couldn't seem to until I finally dove into my pool room and curled up under the bed again.

I wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

I'd wanted to wake up from this nightmare for almost a decade now.

"Wise Girl," I whispered.

But nothing happened.

Eventually, I managed to drift off to a restless sleep full of awful dreams.

xXx

AN: Percy's imaginings of everyone's reactions are highly, HIGHLY exaggerated. No, I don't think they'd act like that. Consider that whole part an unreliable narrator.

After reading some comments, I'd just like to say that I don't think Percy is strong enough to take on Olympus by himself right now. Some reasons why will come up in later chapters, and that's even if he wants to try, which he very much doesn't. He can kill a god right now, sure… if he gets the drop on them and they don't teleport him out or don't teleport themselves out, so he'd have to have help. He doesn't want to team up with those he has access to who are willing to help him. Also, I don't think Tartarus will let him leave via the normal means monsters, Titans and giants usually take. Are there other ways into and out of Tartarus? Yes. Does Percy know them/know about them? No. And even if he did, he's only recently become strong enough to actually take most of them. But I headcanon that most monsters and any demigods that do fall into Tartarus can get out because Tartarus isn't solely focused on them. You may disagree, but those are my thoughts and that's why we won't see Percy making a break for it any time soon.

That being said, I've gotten some VERY amusing comments. :3 Please, keep them coming. I love them.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to beta-read my original story. I decided to change things in it a bit, so I'll be getting back to you once I finish those changes. :) I really appreciate it and am so happy so many of you are willing to help a new author out. :)

Lastly, thank you to my beta readers! Berix, Ajax, Asterius Daemon, Starlight3 and Quathis!

Thank you for reading!

Next Chapter: Tartarus' Impatience

Discord: discord. gg/xDDz3gqWfy (no spaces)