Children of the Harvest (rewritten)

by Angel Cauldwell

It had been over a year and a half since the battle of Manhattan of when the avengers were formed. Of when it was revealed that Lieutenant USA and Captain America still live.

27. Chapter 27

Bucky's pov

Somehow in someway that Jason fell asleep on the job, Bucky wasn't sure of how that was possible, add with the fact that Jason was fighting some wild storm spirits when he fell asleep. During the fighting with the wild storm spirits that Bucky managed to gain control of a couple of the storm spirits. Thanks to the fact of who his father was, those couple of storm spirits helped defend the ship whenever there was an attack on the ship. That was earlier in the day when he gained control of those storm spirits and those storm spirits stay close to the ship or close enough that they would defend the ship when it was attacked. When Jason fell over the side of ship that Bucky ran over to where Jason fell when he killed the last storm spirit, from the last attack from the wild storm spirits. Jason was falling down rather fast, it might be the winds for all Bucky knows that was making him go faster, Piper and Leo came over when they realized what happened. Piper yelled down at Jason using her charmspeak.

"WAKE UP!" Jason's eyes snapped open, Jason barely managed to summon the winds in time before he would have crashed into the Adriatic. Bucky was glad of Piper's quick thinking and charmspeak, at times he wondered if he could charmspeak but he doubt it. But he was sure if he learned that he was a demigod sooner that he would assume that he would be the son of any God but Notus. From how he understood from Emily that it has been some time since there has been a son of Notus for a long time, even longer than Demeter. Bucky wondered of how his mother got his father's attention, but he pushed that aside as Jason came up towards the ship. Once Jason was back on board that he pulled Leo aside and suggested a course correction, Bucky couldn't help wonder why Jason wanted the course change when Jason asked Leo for that change. Bucky didn't say anything for he hoped Jason would explain of why he asked Leo to change course, Leo just grinned when Jason's suggested the course change.

"Weird vacation spot. But, hey, you're the boss!" After a while they went to the mess hall, Bucky was sitting between Phil and Lauren. He was surprised to see Arabella there as well, he figured that Nico managed to get her out of the cabin since he was sitting next to her. As they ate that Jason told him about hai midair vision of where the small groups of Romans were ready to attack camp Halfblood once they were sure of where the camp was. Apparently Annabeth and Emily managed to got a note out of Tartarus, Emily had made sure that the small group of Romans swear on the river Styx not to attack till Reyna gets back with the statue. It seems that Reyna was there trying to get the small group of Romans to stop the war that they started. Bucky wasn't sure why the Romans wanted this war, but it sounded like they blamed the HYDRA soldiers attack on the Greeks. Apparently Reyna was on her way and on the plus side that Emily was still alive, it help ease him knowing that she was at least alive. It seem to made Arabella a little better knowing Emily was still alive down there, but he wasn't sure of how happy Arabella really was or if she was just as worried as Bucky was. Piper shook her head in amazement.

"A note from Annabeth and Emily. I don't see how that's possible, but if it is –"

"They're alive, Thank the gods and pass the hot sauce." Franks frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means pass the hot sauce, Zhang. I'm still hungry."

"I can't believe Reyna would try to find us. It's taboo, coming to the ancient lands. She'll be stripped of her praetorship."

"If she lives. It was hard enough for us to make it this far with seven demigods and a warship."

"And me. Don't forget, cupcake, you got the satyr advantage." Bucky smiled slightly when Gleeson said that, Bucky was still unsure of what to make of Gleeson expect for the fact that Gleeson makes him laugh and that he could be pretty ridiculous. At first Bucky was not sure of how Emily and Lauren could stand Gleeson but after getting to know Gleeson that Bucky was starting understand of why that was. Bucky looked at Lauren of who was also smiling, it was most likely the first smile he seen on her face since Emily and Steve fell into Tartarus. He looked at Phil and Aubrey, both of them were smiling as well, but he did notice that they were holding hands. That made him wish that Emily was here, his spirits as he thought of what Jason just said about his vision. He wasn't sure about Steve still, but Bucky figured that Steve was alive, but Emily was at least alive. That gave hope that he would see her again and he was still hoping that Steve was alive and with her. Than Bucky heard Leo talking.

"Jason? Argo II to Jason. Come in." Bucky looked at Jason when Jason came back down to earth from whatever he was thinking about.

"Yeah, sorry. Crossing the Atlantic is a hard journey, no doubt. But I'd never bet against Reyna. If anyone can make it, she will." Piper was circling her spoon through her soup, when they were there at New Rome that it was clear that Reyna wasn't happy with the fact that Jason has a girlfriend and it wasn't her.

"Well, I'd love to see Reyna again. But how is she supposed to find us?" Frank raised his hand,

"Can't you just send her an Iris-message?"

"They're not working very well, Horrible reception. Every night, I swear, I could kick that rainbow goddess …" Gleeson faltered and his face turned bright red, Bucky looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Was it possible that there was someone that Gleeson likes. Leo was grinning.

"Coach? Who have you been calling every night, you old goat?"

"No one! Nothing! I just meant –" Hazel intervened.

"He means we've already tried. Some magic is interfering … maybe Gaia. Contacting the Romans is even harder. I think they're shielding themselves." Bucky looked between Hazel and Gleeson, whatever was going hat Hazel knew something of it at least, even if it was just a little bit. If Emily was here that she might know of what is up or have an idea at least, but that also depends on the family connections that Emily might pick up from him. Provided that she would pick up family connection from Gleeson and if that was bothering him that he was worried about his family. It was hard to think of Gleeson being a family man. Frank was drumming his fingers on the table.

"I don't suppose Reyna has a cell phone …? Nah. Never mind. She'd probably have bad reception on a pegasus flying over the Atlantic."

"She'll find us. She mentioned something in the dream – she's expecting me to go to a certain place on our way to the House of Hades. I – I'd forgotten about it, actually, but she's right. It's a place I need to visit." Piper leaned towards Jason before she spoke.

"And where is this place?"

"A … uh, a town called Split."

"Split."

"Um, yeah." Bucky was wondering if she was having some sort of effect on Jason, he wasn't sure on that though, he doesn't know for sure of what kind of powers that children of Aphrodite have. Besides making heir outfit look beautiful or radiate beauty or charmspeak. "In fact, we should be getting close. Leo?" Leo punched the intercom button.

"How's it going up there, buddy?" Festus creaked and steam.

"He says maybe ten minutes to the harbour. Though I still don't get why you want to go to Croatia, especially a town called Split. I mean, you name your city Split, you gotta figure it's a warning to, you know, split. Kind of like naming your city Get Out!"

"Wait. Why are we going to Croatia?" Bucky was about the only one who meet Hazel in the eye, ever since her trick with Sciron that everyone felt nervous around her. Not everyone, Bucky, Nico and Arabella about the only ones were not nervous around her. He was sure Nico was used to people being nervous around him, but if he was nervous that he didn't show it. Arabella could use magic, though he wasn't sure of the magic Arabella could do or even if Arabella could use the mist.

"Well, technically we've been in Croatian territory for the past day or so. All that coastline we've been sailing past is it, but I guess back in the Roman times it was called … what'd you say, Jason? Bodacious?"

"Dalmatia." Bucky was the only one that didn't jump when Nico spoke up, Nico and Arabella stepped out of the shadows, Bucky figured he noticed them before because he got use to the darkness that comes when the lights in Emily's cabin went out. Plus his senses seem to be tuned up after becoming the winter soldier, however he figured it came from being the winter solider as oppose to the darkness around Emily's cabin at nighttime. For Bucky use to disappear and appear quite suddenly as the winter soldier just like Nico, not just like Nico but the idea was similar. Bucky was sure that he would be able to do that if he tried it again, but he didn't want to, for he feared that HYDRA might notice or something and try to get him back. That was the last thing he needed or wanted at the moment, when HYDRA came to Nee Rome that he was scared that they may try to take him back and make him the winter soldier again. Nico was was looking at Jason when he stepped forward, looking at Nico and Arabella that he knows that if Emily was here that she would make sure that they sleep and eat more than what they have been doing.

"Croatia used to be Dalmatia, a major Roman province. You want to visit Diocletian's Palace, don't you?"

"Whose palace? And is Dalmatia where those Dalmatian dogs come from? That 101 Dalmatians movie – I still have nightmares." Bucky looked at Gleeson in slight surprised,sure if it was Cruella, than he would get it. But there was nothing else that scary from that movie, besides it too place in England not Greece. Frank was scratching his head.

"Why would you have nightmares about that?" Gleeson looked like he was going to launch into a speech about the evils of cartoon Dalmatians, but it seems Jason didn't want to know of which Bucky was glad of.

"Nico is right, I need to go to Diocletian's Palace. It's where Reyna will go first, because she knows I would go there."

"And why would Reyna think that? Because you've always had a mad fascination with Croatian culture?" Jason was staring at his unbeaten sandwich, Bucky hadn't touched his stew either, there was too much for him to think to even consider eating

"Reyna and I used to talk about Diocletian. We both kind of idolized the guy as a leader. We talked about how we'd like to visit Diocletian's Palace. Of course we knew that was impossible. No one could travel to the ancient lands. But still we made this pact that if we ever did that's where we'd go." Leo seem to consider the name, Bucky has no clue of this guy was, not a big surprise since he was still a lot of information and not just Greek information. Leo shook his head as if he couldn't figure it out of who the guy was either.

"Diocletian … I got nothing. Why was he so important?" Frank looked offended when Leo said that.

"He was the last great pagan emperor!" Leo rolled his eyes.

"Why am I not surprised you know that, Zhang?"

"Why wouldn't I? He was the last one who worshipped the Olympian gods, before Constantine came along and adopted Christianity." Hazel nodded when Frank said that.

"I remember something about that. The nuns at St Agnes taught us that Diocletian was a huge villain, right along with Nero and Caligula." Hazel looked askance at Jason. "Why would you idolize him?"

"He wasn't a total villain. Yeah, he persecuted Christians, but otherwise he was a good ruler. He worked his way up from nothing by joining the legion. His parents were former slaves … or at least his mom was. Demigods know he was a son of Jupiter – the last demigod to rule Rome. He was also the first emperor ever to retire, like, peacefully, and give up his power. He was from Dalmatia, so he moved back there and built a retirement palace. The town of Split grew up around …" Jason faltered when he looked at Leo, Bucky looked over at Leo and he slapped his hand to his face. Leo was mimicking taking notes in the air with an air pencil, usually he didn't mind Leo don't something like this, but he wasn't in the proper mood for jokes at the moment.

"Go on, Professor Grace! I wanna get an A on the test."

"Shut up, Leo." Bucky slid his hand down as Piper sipped another spoonful of soup.

"So why is Diocletian's Palace so special?" Nico leaned over before he plunked a couple of grapes and gave one to Arabella.

"It's said to be haunted by the ghost of Diocletian."

"Who was a son of Jupiter, like me. His tomb was destroyed centuries ago, but Reyna and I used to wonder if we could find Diocletian's ghost and ask where he was buried … well, according to the legends, his sceptre was buried with him." Nico gave Jason a thin creepy smile of which creeped Bucky out.

"Ah … that legend."

"What legend?" Nico turned to Hazel.

"Supposedly Diocletian's sceptre could summon the ghosts of the Roman legions, any of them who worshipped the old gods." Leo whistled.

"Okay, now I'm interested. Be nice to have a booty-kicking army of pagan zombies on our side when we enter the House of Hades."

"Not sure I would've put it that way, but yeah."

"We don't have much time, it's already July ninth. We have to get to Epirus, close the Doors of Death –"

"Which are guarded by a smoky giant and a sorceress who wants …" Hazel hesitated. "Well, I'm not sure. But according to Pluto, she plans to 'rebuild her domain'. Whatever that means, it's bad enough that my dad felt like warning me personally."

"And, if we survive all that, we still have to find out where the giants are waking Gaia and get there before the first of August. Besides, the longer Steve, Emily, Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus –"

"I know. We won't take long in Split. But looking for the sceptre is worth a try. While we're at the palace, I can leave a message for Reyna, letting her know the route we're taking for Epirus." Nico nodded.

"The sceptre of Diocletian could make a huge difference. You'll need my help." Jason seem be uncomfortable of thought of going along by Nico.

"Hey, sounds fun. I'll go, too." Nico shook his head.

"You can't, Piper. It should only be Jason, Arabella, and me. Diocletian's ghost might appear for a son of Jupiter, but any other demigods would most likely … ah, spook him. And Arabella and myself are the only ones who can talk to his spirit. Even Hazel won't be able to do that." Nico's eyes held. Gleam of challenge, suddenly there a summer breeze but the odd thing it was mixed in with smells of summer and spring. That was not the only odd thing but he could hear the wind, it seem to be telling him that he needs to go as well. Something that was important, but of what that was Bucky wasn't sure. Nico looked over at Bucky as soon as the breeze died, Bucky this spoke up.

"I am not sure why but I have to go as well." It was clear that the other understood that the winds seem to tell him that he has to go with them. Even if it wasn't for the winds he would have gone anyway, since he wanted to look out for Arabella and Nico. Jennifer and Hazel would be fine here. The bell sounded, Festus creaked and whirred over the loudspeaker.

"We've arrived. Time to Split."

"Can we leave Valdez in Croatia?" Jasonstood up.

"Frank, you're in charge of defending the ship. Leo, you've got repairs to do. You can have Jennifer help you or anyone else that can help you." Jennifer looked happy that as well as Leo. "The rest of you, help out wherever you can. Nico, Arabella, Bucky and I …" Jason faced the children of Hades. "We have a ghost to find."

The Argo II anchored in the bay along with six or seven cruise ships, as usual, the mortals paid no heed to the trireme. Just to be on he safe side that Jason, Nico, Bucky and Arabella hopped on a skiff from one of the cruise ships so that they looked like they were part of the crowd when they went on shore. As soon as they reached the shore that he felt a pair of hands gasping his arm, he looked over and saw it was Arabella of which surprised him. Actually if he other tow did the same thing that he would be even more surprised than before. Bucky looked away and looked at Split, curving around the Barbour was a long esplanade lined with palm trees. At the sidewalk cafés were European teenagers that were hanging out, speaking a dozen different languages as well as to enjoy the sunny afternoon. The air smelled of grilled meat and fresh cut flowers, whence smelled the flowers he felt like he was going to break down. For the smell reminded Bucky too much to Emily, for she smelled of nature whenever he buried his face in her hair as well as generally.

Beyond the main boulevard, the city was a hodgepodge of medieval castle towers, Roman walls, limestone town houses with red tiled roofs and modern office buildings all crammed together. In the distance there was grey green hills marched towards a mountain ridge, looking at the hills and the mountain ridge made Bucky nervous. Bucky hoped that the face of Gaea didn't appear in the mountain ridge, he seem her face as well as see her with her eyes open. Even with her eyes closed that he could feel the power coming from Gaea, he wished that he could just shot her and kill her. But that won't happen not with Gaea. Nico, Jason, Arabella and Bucky were wandering along the esplanade when Jason seem to spotted something. Bucky nearly ran into Jason when he stopped, Jason nudged Nico, Bucky and Arabella followed Jason's gaze. Bucky saw that it was a man with wings, Bucky didn't expect to see anyone with wings in Split.

"Are you seeing this?"

"Yeah. Maybe we should buy some ice cream." They made their way to the winged guy at the street cart. The guy was wearing a red tank top, Bermuda shorts and huaraches sandals, of which seems out of place for this kind of city. His wings were a combination of russet colors, like a bantam rooster or a lazy sunset, he has a deep tan and black hair that was as curly as Leo's.

"He's not a returned spirit. Or a creature of the Underworld."

"No, I doubt they would eat chocolate-covered ice-cream bars." Arabella spoke up, of which surprised Bucky.

"Hey, I eat chocolate covered ice cream bars. I was raised in the underworld." Bucky was close of laughing when Jason's looked back at Arabella in surprise, Bucky has to admit that made worth the trip so far. Nico spoke before Jason could say anything more.

"So what is he?" When they got within thirty feet that the winged guy looked directly at them. He smiled at them before he gestured over his shoulder with his ice cream bar, this he dissolved into the air. Bucky couldn't see the guy any more but he could see that there was a warm wisp of red and gold zipping across the street. It spiraled down the sidewalk and was blowing postcards from the carousels in front of tourist shops. The wind was heading towards the end of the promenade of where a big fortress like stricture loomed. Bucky looked at the fortress structure wondering if they was the place Jason spoke of.

"I'm betting that's the palace. Come on." Bucky has to sat that Diocletian's palace was still impressive, even after two millennia of standing there. The outer wall was only a pink granite shell with crumbling columns and arched windows open to the sky. But it seems mostly intact, a quarter mike long and a good seventy or eight feet tall, dwarfing the modern shops and houses that huddled beneath it. Bucky wondered what this place must have looked like she it was newly built all those years ago. The wind guy was whisking in and out of the pink granite windows before disappearing in the other side. Bucky was scanning he palace's facade for an way in I her than the one with the bunch of tourists around it.

"We've got to catch him. Hold on."

"But –" Jason grabbed Nico and lifted them both into the air, Bucky grabbed hold of Arabella's hand and did the same thing as Jason did with Nico. Arabella seem to close to scream, Bucky knows that she didn't like being the air for it was the area of Zeus. But Bucky was sure Zeus wouldn't harm them, one because of who his sister in law was and because Zeus was having a personality disorder at the moment. Bucky could hear Nico making muffled sound of protest as they soared over the walls and into the courtyard. Bucky held into Arabella trying to get her to worry less about being in the sir but he was no Emily. When they landed in the courtyard that Arabella seem glad that she was back on the ground. Bucky noticed that a little kid did a double take when they landed, than his eyes glazed over and he shook his head, no one else paid them any need. On the left side of the courtyard stood a line of columns holding up weathered grey arches, on the right side there was a white marble building with rows of to so windows,

"The peristyle. This was the entrance to Diocletian's private residence." Nico scowled at Jason. "And, please, I don't like being touched. Don't ever grab me again." Arabella was still gasping his arm, she looked more concern about going up in the air than not being touched. But Bucky noticed the undertone of a threat in Nico's voice, Bucky wondered if it was another thing that was common among children of Hades. But Emily and Arabella seem to prove that fact wrong.

"Uh, okay. Sorry. How do you know what this place is called?" Nico scanned the atrium, he was focusing on some steps in the fee corner leading down. His eyes were as dark as his blade.

"I've been here before. With my mother and Bianca. A weekend trip from Venice. I was maybe … six?"

"That was when … the 1930s?"

"'Thirty-eight or so. Why do you care? Do you see that winged guy anywhere?"

"No …" if Bucky was born in this time, he would be trying to wrap his mind around Nico's last but he didn't need to for he was alive during that time and the war hadn't started but it was getting close to it or barely started at that point in time. However Bucky knows it wasn't easy to figure out Nico, for Nico wasn't easy to figure out.

"I just … I can't imagine how weird that must be, coming from another time."

"No, you can't." Nico was staring at the stone floor before Nico took a deep breath. "Look … I don't like talking about it. Honestly, I think Hazel has it worse. She remembers more about when she was young. She had to come back from the dead and adjust to the modern world. Me … me and Bianca, we were stuck at the Lotus Hotel. Time passed so quickly. In a weird way, that made the transition easier."

"Percy told me about that place. Seventy years, but it only felt like a month?" Nico clenched his fist until his fingers till they turned white.

"Yeah. I'm sure Percy told you all about me." Bucky noticed that Nico's voice was heavy with bitterness, Bucky looked at Nico remembering shortly after he saw Emily again that commonly children of Hades or Pluto didn't have very good lives. Nico seem like an example of that fact, Bucky had a hard time thinking of that fact an sip till now he thought Emily overstated that fact. But with the things he heard and the bitterness that Nico spoke that he realized of how wrong he was was. It seems of what Emily said was an understatement. He heard that Nico blamed Percy for the death of his one sister but they supposedly got past that part. Bucky also heard a rumor that Nico has or use to have a crush on Annabeth, however Bucky finds that hard to believe though. But Nico seem to push people away as oppose to his sisters that didn't push people away. Even Arabella wasn't pushing anyone away, if she was that she wouldn't have gasp his arm when the entered the city. Nico's eyes swept the windows above them

"Roman dead are everywhere here … Lares. Lemures. They're watching. They're angry."

"At us?" Jason's hand went to his sword, Arabella spoke.

"At everything." Nico pointed to a small stone building on the west end of her courtyard, than he spoke.

"That used to be a temple to Jupiter. The Christians changed it to a baptistery. The Roman ghosts don't like that." Bucky looked at the dark doorway, he wondered if his father has any temples in ancient times. He shook his head and dragged his elf out of his thoughts.

"And over there …" Bucky looked away as Nico pointed east to a hexagonal building ringed with freestanding columns. "That was the mausoleum of the emperor."

"But his tomb isn't there any more."

"Not for centuries. When the empire collapsed, the building was turned into a Christian cathedral." Bucky swallowed, he has a feeling if Diocletain's ghost was still around that he wouldn't happy, it seems Jason was thinking the same thing.

"So if Diocletian's ghost is still around here –"

"He's probably not happy." He wind rustled, pushing leaves and food wrappers across the peristyle, Bucky caught a glimpse of movement and it was a blue of red and gold. When Bucky turned to look that there was a single rust colored feather settling on the steps that led down. Jason pointed towards the feather.

"That way. The winged guy. Where do you think those stairs lead?" Nico drew his sword, his smile was more unsettling than his scowl, not only that but Arabella let to and drew out her bow and arrows. Her smile was much less unsettling than Nico's, at the moment she seems more like the fifteen year old girl he met at the Captain America and Lieutenant USA exhibit than when they entered Split.

"Underground. My favourite place." Arabella smiled and nodded in argeement when Nico said that Bucky wasn't surprised by that. Underground was not Bucky's favorite place. After what happened when he went with Leo, Frank and Hazel that he had nightmares of being trapped in a room with no way out. It scared him, he felt so lost, alone and helpless, he always tried to use his hands to move away the dirt and stone. He wasn't sure if that was because he was a child of a wind god or not, but he didn't like being underground and knowing that Emily was down further than he ever been made it worse for Bucky. Having Nico and Arabella there was not reassuring, Nico's sword makes the shadows more gloomier as though it was drawing the light and hear out of the air. Arabella's bow and arrows were having the same effect, Bucky wouldn't say that he doesn't get cold for he felt it before he fell off the train. But after his powers came to light that he never got cold, though he wondered of he could be frozen when he was a fire user.

He remembers what happened at the wolf house, for his fire melt away the ice and snow. But he remember feeling that something made his powers go dim before he was frozen and that there was a coldness at his neck almost like if it was calling the fire away from him so he could be frozen till he was needed. Before that battle at the war house that he meet Khione and when she spoke that he felt a coldness on the back of his neck. He realized that must have been her doing, sure he cousin use fire when he was the winter solider but he has a feeling that she was able to override that power since it was weak at that time. As Khione spoke that the coldness fell form the back of his neck and seem to disappear just before the attack came. He remembered something was trying to make hi froze as he fought and he knew it was Khione, it was like she was trying to bring out the winter soldier in him. But his fire overwriting her snow powers.

Since than he never felt cold and he would not be able to be frozen ever again, not till now as they went down below into the underground. For Bucky felt like he was Bucksicle, well it might be a Wintsickle instead, Bucky shook his head dragging himself out of those thoughts. The crept thought a vast cellar with thick support columns holding up a vaulted ceiling. The limestone blocks were so old that they fused together from centuries of moisture, so that the place looked almost like a naturally formed cave. None of the tourists ventured down here, he was sure that the tourists were smarter than they were. Bucky and Jason drew their swords as they made their way under the low archways, their steps were echoing on he stone floor. Barred windows lined the top of one walls facing the street level, but it made it seem the cellar more claustrophobic. The shafts of sunlight looked like a slanted prison bars, swirling with ancient dust, it reminded Bucky of when he saw Rachel become the new oracle of Delphi.

When they passed a support beam that Jason stopped, Bucky looked at Jason and noticed to Jason's left was a marble bust of some dude from long ago. Bucky took a guess that this was Diocletian, it seems that his limestone face was glowering with disapproval. It seem that weird things happen every day in a demigod's life and he thought his life as a howling commando married to a demigod or his life as the winter solider was weird enough. Be it seems his life just keeps getting weirder and more dangerous by the day, he was surprised that Emily lived this long. Looking at Jason that he noticed that Jason was steadied his breathing, Jason slipped the note between the bust and it's pedestal and stepped back. Suddenly a voice spoke and Bucky thought it came from the bust.

"Hello!" Jason sliced off the emperor's head and the bust toppled off, than the bust shattered against the floor. "That wasn't very nice." It was than that Bucky realized the voice came from behind them, so he turned around. The winged man from the ice cream stand was leaning against a nearby column, casually tossing a small bronze hoop in the air and at his feet sat a wicker picnic basket full of fruit. "I mean, what did Diocletian ever do to you?" The air swirled around Jason's feet, the shares of marble gathered into a miniature tornado. The shards spiraled back to the pedestal and reassembled into a complete bust and the note was still tucked underneath. Jason and Bucky lowered their swords.

"Uh – It was an accident. You startled me." The winged man chuckled.

"Jason Grace, the West Wind has been called many things … warm, gentle, life-giving and devilishly handsome. But I have never been called startling. I leave that crass behaviour to my gusty brethren in the north." She the winged guy said that, that Bucky realized of who this winged guy was, apparently so did Nico for he inches backwards.

"The West Wind? You mean you're –"

"Favonius, God of the West Wind." Bucky looked at Jason she he said that before looking back at his uncle, his uncle smiled and bowed.

"You can call me by my Roman name, certainly, or Zephyros, if you're Greek. I'm not hung up about it." Nico seem pretty hunt about it.

"Why aren't your Greek and Roman sides in conflict, like the other gods?" Zephyr is shrugged.

"Oh, I have the occasional headache. Some mornings I'll wake up in a Greek chiton when I'm sure I went to sleep in my SPQR pyjamas. But mostly the war doesn't bother me. I'm a minor god, you know – never really been much in the limelight. The to-and-fro battles among you demigods don't affect me as greatly." Neither Bucky or Jason were sure sure of whether to sheathe his sword, but than Zephyros looked over at Bucky. "At least, I finally get meet to my nephew, James Barnes, again I remembered when you were born, I went eight your father to see you shortly after your birth." Bucky lowered his sword, it was odd to hear his first name when someone spoke to him.

"I don't remember that. Usually I go by Bucky." His uncle chuckled when Bucky said at.

"Of course not, you were barely a week old the last time I saw you in person. But I watched you your whole life till that seventy year gap, the same thing with your father. I am pleased to see that you have returned and that your father allowed you to use your powers." Bucky wasn't sure of what to say to that but Jason decided to change the subject.

"So … What are you doing here?"

"Several things! Hanging out with my basket of fruit. I always carry a basket of fruit. Would you like a pear?"

"I'm good. Thanks."

"Let's see … earlier I was eating ice cream. Right now I'm tossing this quoit ring." His uncle spun the bronze hoop on his index finger, Bucky didn't say anything as Jason spoke up.

"'I mean why did you appear to us? Why did you lead us to this cellar?" His uncle nodded.

"Oh! The sarcophagus of Diocletian. Yes. This was its final resting place. The Christians moved it out of the mausoleum. Then some barbarians destroyed the coffin. I just wanted to show you –" Bucky's uncle spread his hands sadly. "– that what you're looking for isn't here. My master has taken it." Bucky was confused slightly but than he remembered the main wind god, Aeolus and that was the one who controls the other winds.

"Your master? Please tell me your master isn't Aeolus." His uncle snorted when Jason said that.

"That airhead? No, of course not." Nico's voice turned edgy.

"He means Eros. Cupid, in Latin." Arabella nearly dropped her bow and she moved in behind Bucky, Bucky looked at Arabella puzzled. Bucky's uncle smiled, this time his uncle was addressing Nico this time.

"Very good, Nico di Angelo. I'm glad to see you again, by the way. It's been a long time." Nico knitted his eyebrows together.

"I've never met you."

"You've never seen me. But I've been watching you. When you came here as a small boy, and several times since. I knew eventually you would return to look upon my master's face." Than his uncle turned and looked at Arabella of who was half hidden behind Bucky. "Arabella Evans, I am glad to see you again. Just like Nico, I have been watching you and I knew you to would come here to look upon my master's face." Both Nico and Arabella turned paler than usual, Bucky didn't understood of why they were so scared. It was Eros for crying out, a child of Aphrodite, how can he be so scary to children of Hades of who naturally radiate fear and death. Their eyes were darting around the room as though they felt they were trapped.

"Nico? Arabella? What's he talking about?"

"I don't know. Nothing." Arabella took his of his shirt and shook her head as though she was unable to say anything. His uncle cried.

"Nothing? The one you care for most … plunged into Tartarus, and still you will not allow the truth?" This his uncle looked at Arabella. "Yet, after so many years of knowing the one you care that you haven't allowed the truth to come out." Bucky has no idea of who his uncle was talking about with Arabella but he has a feeling of who it was that his uncle was talking about with Nico. Bucky remembers hearing that rumor about Nico having a crush on Annabeht but inseams that his feelings went deeper than that. Nico seem to want to change the subject.

"We've only come for Diocletian's sceptre. Where is it?" His uncle nodded sadly.

"Ah … You thought it would be as easy as facing Diocletian's ghost? I'm afraid not, Nico. Your trials will be much more difficult. You know, long before this was Diocletian's Palace, it was the gateway to my master's court. I've dwelt here for aeons, bringing those who sought love into the presence of Cupid." His uncle looked over at Bucky before he went on. "I feared one day you would face my master, thankfully you have to face him like Nico or Arabella will have to." Bucky was confused but his uncle nodded to his wedding ban, Bucky started to understood what his uncle was getting out. That Nico and Arabella would have to confess their love for Annabeth and whoever Arabella likes. It was Jason who spoke up.

"Like Psyche, Cupid's wife. You carried her to his palace." Bucky's uncles were twinkling when Jason said that.

"Very good, Jason Grace. From this exact spot, I carried Psyche on the winds and brought her to the chambers of my master. In fact, that is why Diocletian built his palace here. This place has always been graced by the gentle West Wind." His uncle spread his arms out. "It is a spot of tranquillity and love in a turbulent world. When Diocletian's Palace was ransacked –"

,You took the sceptre."

"For safekeeping. It is one of Cupid's many treasures, a reminder of better times. If you want it …" Bucky's uncle turned to Nico before he turned to Arabella. "You two must face the god of love." Nico and Arabella stared at the sunlight coming through the windows as though they were wishing that they could escape through those narrow openings. Bucky wasn't sure of why this seem so bad for them to confess of who they liked, Bucky thought back on Emily mad their first kiss. He would admit that he started to fall for her after she helped save him but than again he always loved but he didn't know it when he first meet her. At first he wasn't sure of what to say or do around her or even if he should tell her that he loves her. But he admitted it, it seem hard to admit it to her, once they were married that he never planned on leaving her and if he did that he would go back to her.

"Arabella, Nico, you two can do this. It might be embarrassing, but it's for the sceptre." Neither Arabella or Nico looked convinced, in fact Nico looked like he was going to be sick while Arabella was shaking. Arabella managed to stop shaking and nodded without saying a word, Nico squared his shoulders and nodded.

"You're right. I – I'm not afraid of a love god." His uncle beamed.

"Excellent! Would you like a snack before you go?" His uncle plucked a green apple from his basket before he frowned at it. "Oh, bluster. I keep forgetting my symbol is a basket of unripe fruit. Why doesn't the spring wind get more credit? Summer has all the fun." His uncle looked at Bucky before going on. "No offense."

"None taken. I can't make food but my wife can." His uncle chuckled and smiled.

"I have to say it was amusing when you toe got married all those years ago. The son of the crop destroyer marring a daughter of the harvest." Nico spoke up before his uncle said any more,p.

"That's okay. Just take us to Cupid." His uncle spun the hoop on his finger, suddenly Bucky's body dissolved into air. Bucky ridden on many winds before but being the wind was a different thing all together and something he didn't expect. He felt out of control, his thoughts were scattered, and that there was no boundaries between his body and the rest of the world. Bucky wondered if this what the wind felt like to his father and his two other uncles, Bucky could sense the other four's presences nearby. Together, they raced over the hills, past the roman aqueducts, highways and vineyards. As they approached the mountains that Bucky saw the ruins of a roman town spread out in a valley below, crumbling walls, square foundations and cracked roads. All of the town ruins were overgrown with grass, so that it looked like a giant mossy game board. His uncle set them down in the middle of the ruins, next to a broke. Column the size of a redwood, this Bucky's body reformed and it felt worse than being the wind. For he felt like he was being wrapped in a lead overcoat, when he was reformed that he decided he is not going to comment of how uncomfortable shadow travel was. That was Emily's main way of going anywhere she needs to go to other that walking.

"Yes, mortal bodies are terribly bulky." The wind god settled on a nearby wall with his basket of fruit and spread his russet wings in the sun. "Honestly, I don't know how you stand it, day in and day out." Bucky scanned their surroundings, the town must have been hugged at one point before it become the ruins that it is now. He could make out shells of temples, bathhouses, a half buried amphitheater, and empty pedestals must have held statues at one of columns marched off to nowhere, the old city walls weaved in and out of the hillside like stone thread through a green cloth. It seems that some areas looked like they been excavated but it seems that most of the city seems abandoned. As if it been left to the elements for the last two thousand years to see what will happen to the town in that time frame.

"Welcome to Salona, Capital of Dalmatia! Birthplace of Diocletian! But before that, long before that, it was the home of Cupid." The name echoed as if there voices whispering the name through the ruins, all the sudden Bucky was scared. He understood now of where Arabella and Nico seem so scared now or part of it, this place seem crepe more that basement in Split. Bucky remembered the image of Cupid in valentine's day, somehow Bucky felt that image was not the correct image for Cupid. He remembers when he was on that glacier with Emily, Percy, Hazel and Nico, he remembers what was said after the cloak was dropped from Thanatos.

"Oh, he's not like that." Jains flinched.

"You can read my mind?" His uncle tossed his bronze hoop in the air.

"I don't need to. Everyone has the wrong impression of Cupid … until they meet him." His uncle looked at Bucky and spoke. "Consider when you saw Thanatos that you should have a better idea of what Cupid looks like." Arabella was still hanging onto him while Nico was bracing himself against a column, his legs was trembling visibly. Arabella was shaking even more than down in the basement. Jason stepped towards Nico but Bucky wasn't sure if he should move to Arabella or not.

"Hey, man …" Nico waved off Jason when he stepped closer to him. At Nico's feet the grass turned brown and wilted, the dead patch spread out wards as if a poison were seeping from the soles of his shoes. Bucky looked down as he notice a dead patch coming from behind him and he realized it was Arabella. Bucky looked up as his uncle nodded sympathetically sat Arabella and Nico.

"Ah … I don't blame you two for being nervous, Arabella Evans and Nico di Angelo. Do you know how I ended up serving Cupid?"

"I don't serve anyone. Especially not Cupid." His uncle went on as though he didn't hear Nico.

"I fell in love with a mortal named Hyacinthus. He was quite extraordinary."

"He …? Oh …" Bucky was surprised that his uncle fell in love with a man, however compared to the love life of the god's he heard about that wasn't a big surprise that his uncle fell in love with a man. His uncle raised an eyebrow at Jason.

'Yes, Jason Grace. I fell in love with a dude. Does that shock you?'

"I guess not. So … Cupid struck you with his arrow, and you fell in love." His uncle snorted.

"You make it sound so simple. Alas, love is never simple. You see, the god Apollo also liked Hyacinthus. He claimed they were just friends. I don't know. But one day I came across them together, playing a game of quoits –"

"Quoits?" Bucky was wondering what that word was as well for Emily never brought up such a word before. But it was Nico who explained and his voice was brittle.

"A game with those hoops. Like horseshoes."

"Sort of. At any rate, I was jealous. Instead of confronting them and finding out the truth, I shifted the wind and sent a heavy metal ring right at Hyacinthus's head and … well." The wind god sighed. "As Hyacinthus died, Apollo turned him into a flower, the hyacinth. I'm sure Apollo would've taken horrible vengeance on me, but Cupid offered me his protection. I'd done a terrible thing, but I'd been driven mad by love, so he spared me, on the condition that I work for him forever."

CUPID.

The name echoed through the ruins again. His uncle stood up.

"That would be my cue. Think long and hard about how you proceed, Arabella Evans and Nico di Angelo. You cannot lie to Cupid. If you two let your anger rule you … well, your fates will be even sadder than mine." Bucky was having a hard time thinking at the moment and fully understand of what his uncle was saying. His uncle nodded to Bucky. "You still have a long journey ahead of you, nephew. When you need me, just call me. For I know Cupid won't mind when a nephew of mine ask for my help and I give it. More so when the said nephew is the first child born of one of the gods since ancient times." Bucky opened his mouth to question his uncle but it was than that his uncle disappeared in a swirl of red and gold, suddenly he for the summer wind of which felt oppressive, though he was sure it would been worse if Bucky wasn't standing there. The ground. Shook, Bucky, Jason, and Nico Drew their swords while Arabella took out her bow and arrow. Than he heard a voice.

'So.' He voice rushed past his ear like a bullet, Jains turned but no one was there, Arabella looked like she was going to fall over. 'You come to claim the sceptre.' Nico stood at Jason's back while Arabella stood at Bucky's back, even with how creepy he finds Nico and Arabella as well as with being unsure of what to make of Jason host he was glad that he has their backs. Bucky spoke up.

"We have come to claim the sceptre." The voice chuckled when Bucky said that and the voice spoke up.

'So brave and been through so much, Bucky Barnes, I can see why your wife loves you.' At that Bucky felt shivers as the voice spoke. Jason called out to Cupid.

"Cupid, where are you?" The voice laughed, it didn't sound like a baby angel. It sounded more like a grown man, deep rich but also threatening like a tremor before a major earthquake.

'Where you least expect me. As Love always is.' Something slammed into Jason, whatever hit him sent him hurled across the street. Jason toppled down a set of steps and sprawled on the floor of an excavated roman basement. 'I would think you'd know better, Jason Grace. You've found true love, after all. Or do you still doubt yourself?' Bucky went down to Jason with Nico and Arabella behind him, Bucky held out his hand to Jason of accepted it and got to his feet.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just sucker punched." Cupid laughed. Bucky looked around, he has a bad feeling about this.

"Oh, did you expect me to play fair? I am the god of love. I am never fair." Bucky's senses were on high alert as well as Jason's, he felt the air rippled as two arrows materialized reaching. Towards either Arabella's or Nico's chest. Jason and Bucky intercepted the two arrows, Bucky deflected the arrow heading for Arabella while Jason did the same with the other arrow. The two arrows exploded the nearest wall, it peppered them with limestone shrapnel. They ran up the steps, Bucky pulled Arabella to one side as a gust of wind. Toppled a column that would have crashed Arabella and Nico I Bucky and Jason hadn't pulled them to one side.

"Is this guy Love or Death?"

'Ask your friends, Emily, Bucky, Frank, Hazel and Percy met my counterpart, Thanatos. We are not so different. Except Death is sometimes kinder.' The other three looked at Bucky, Bucky spoke.

"It's true, Emily knows that fact all too well by now. I meet Thanatos, I seriously thought he was Cupid when I first saw him." Nico shouted.

"We just want the sceptre! We're trying to stop Gaea. Are you on the gods' side or not?" Two more arrows hit the ground between Nico's and Arsbella's feet, the arrows were glowed white hot. They strum led back as the arrow burst into a geyser of flame.

'Love is on every side. And no one's side. Don't ask what Love can do for you.'

"Great. Now he's spouting greeting card messages." There was movement behind him, before he could react that Jason spun around, his sword was slicing through the air. Jason hit something solid for Bucky heard a thud and a grunt, Jason swung again but the god was gone. Bucky saw a trail of golden ichor shimmering on the paving stones, of which means that Jason hit Cupid.

'Very good, Jason. At least you can sense my presence. Even a glancing hit at true love is more than most heroes manage.' Bucky blinked and he saw the air shimmer for a few moments and he could see the figure of a man, but before he could take a good look that it was gone. He felt eyes on him and Cupid spoke. 'I see you can see further than Jason did, Bucky. Very true that Jason found true love but you formed that true love bond with your wife.' Jason than spoke.

"So now I get the sceptre?" Cupid laughed.

'Unfortunately, you could not wield it. Only a child of the Underworld can summon the dead legions. And only an officer of Rome can lead them.'

"But …" Jason wavered, Bucky looked at Jason. He remembers that Jason offered his position to Percy a few weeks ago before they started their journey. Jason managed to go on? "Just leave that to us, Nico can summon –" Two more arrows zipped by Bucky's and Jason's shoulders, this time they couldn't stop it in time. Arabella and Nico gasp as the arrows sank into their arms. "Nico!"

"Arabella!" Arabella and Nico stumbled, than the arrows dissolved leaving no blood and no visible wound. Arabella's face was full of rage and pain as well as Nico's face, but it was Nico who spoke.

"Enough games! Show yourself!"

"It is a costly thing looking on the true face of Love." Another column toppled, Jason and Bucky scrambled out of it's way. For once he was glad that Emily wasn't here, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what was going on here and he has a feeling that Cupid would have more fun if Emily was here.

'My wife Psyche learned that lesson. She was brought here aeons ago, when this was the site of my palace. We met only in the dark. She was warned never to look upon me, and yet she could not stand the mystery. She feared I was a monster. One night, she lit a candle, and beheld my face as I slept.'

"Were you that ugly?" Bucky looked around, this he saw shimmering air near the amphitheater, Bucky looked at it knowing it was Cupid. The god laughed however.

'I was too handsome, I'm afraid. A mortal cannot gaze upon the true appearance of a god without suffering consequences. My mother, Aphrodite, cursed Psyche for her distrust. My poor lover was tormented, forced into exile, given horrible tasks to prove her worth. She was even sent to the Underworld on a quest to show her dedication. She earned her way back to my side, but she suffered greatly.' It seem that Jason got Cupid, for he thrust his sword in the sky and thunder shook the valley. Bucky was about ready to tell him stop when lightning blasted a crater where the voice came from, but the sir shimmer stepped aside as the lightning hit of where Cupid was. Bucky watched as the air shimmer moved forward and it hit Jason, knocking him to the ground, his sword skittered across the road. 'A good try. But Love cannot be pinned down so easily.' Cupid walked away before he spoke and he was over at a wall, the wall collapsed, Jason barely rolled aside away from the wall. Nico yelled.

"Stop it! It's me you want. Leave him alone!" Arabella followed suit.

"As well as me, so leave him alone." Bucky went over Jason and helped him up to his feet, Bucky knew that Nico and Arabella were the main targets and Cupid was testing them, or at least that is what he figures. It seems that Cupid agreed the fact that Arabella and Nico were the main targets not Bucky and Jason. When the god spoke that the god's voice was tinged with disappointment.

'Poor Nico di Angelo. Poor Arabella. Do you two know what you want, much less what I want? My beloved Psyche risked everything in the name of Love. It was the only way to atone for her lack of faith. And you – what have you two risked in my name?'

"I've been to Tartarus and back. You don't scare me." Nico and Arabella were looking around, Bucky was looking at them, wondering what will happen.

"I also been to Tartarus and back."

'I scare you very, very much. Face me. Be honest.' All around Nico and Arabella the ground shifted. The grass withered, the stones cracked as if there was something was moving in the earth beneath, trying to push it's way through.

"Give us Diocletian's sceptre, We don't have time for games." The air in front of Nico and Arabella were shimmering, suddenly Nico and Arabella were slapped sideways into a granite pedestal or pavement.

'Games? Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work – a quest that never ends. It demands everything from you – especially the truth. Only then does it yield rewards. ' Jason retrieved his sword, Bucky would admit that he wasn't sure of what to make of Aphrodite's love but Bucky prefers Aphrodite's love than Cupid's love. For Aphrodite's love was considerate kind and beautiful, everything that the love he shares with Emily was like. He could understand Aphrodite now, but Cupid seem like a thug or an enforcer.

"Nico, Arabella, what does this guy want from you?"

'Tell him, Nico di Angelo. Tell him you are a coward, afraid of yourself and your feelings. Tell him the real reason you ran from Camp Half-Blood, and why you are always alone. Tell him, Arabella of what you been refusing to deny for all this years since you were eleven and what you refuse to say for all this time. Of where it was mostly physical but you haven't opened or revealed your feelings.' Arabella was shaking with fear, however Nico let loose a guttural scream and the ground at his feet split open. Skeletons crawled forth, dead Romans with missing hands and caved in skulls, cracked ribs and jaws unhinged. Some were dressed in the remnants of togas while others have glinting pieces of armor hanging off their chest.

Bucky wish that Emily was here, he could see of what she would be like at the moment, she would be one of two things. She would be standing in front of Cupid or at least in front of Nico and Arabella trying to face Cupid. She would have radiate hope with her sword in her hands ready to defend her siblings from Cupid. She would not show any fear and out in a brave face, but he was sure that Emily would be worried and maybe scared. Or she would be radiated death, fear and respect, the same aura of when she face the Romans in certain matters but she would respect at least in front of the Romans. For Emily always held herself up like a warrior, something that the Romans respected greatly more in the times of war than any other time. Than Cupid started to taunted them.

'Will you hide among the dead, as you always do?' Waves of darkness rolled of the children off of the children of Hades. When they hit Bucky that he almost lost consciousness, for he was overwhelmed by hatred, fear and shame. He saw images through his mind, he saw Nico and Bianca, or he assume it was Bianca, on a snowy cliff in Maine. Percy was protecting them from a manticore, later Percy took Nico by the arm and promise to keep his sister safe. Than Percy return to tell Nico of what happen and that Bianca was dead. Than he saw other images, a baby crawling towards a woman of who stopped and started to cry, this a girl no more than eleven at the too of the stairs as a blond hair boy gets throw back by darkness and shadows. There were other images eh saw of Arabella's and Nico's life, every the first time they meet. When the I ages left that Bucky was stun and unable to move or speak. Nico's Romans skeletons surged forward and grappled with the air shimmer, the god struggled and fling the dead aside. He was breaking odd ribs and skulls, the skeletons kept coming though, pinning the god's arms down or trying to at any rate.

'Interesting! Do you have the strength, after all?'

"I left Camp Half-Blood because of love, Annabeth … she –" Cupid smashed another skeleton.

'Still hiding, You do not have the strength.'

"Nico, Arabella, it's okay. I get it." Bucky knew that Jason didn't get it all, Bucky knew that Nico did leave camp because of love, but that love wasn't for Annabeth, it was for Percy. Not only that but from the images that he saw with Arabella that she loves the one red hair twin. Nico and Arabella looked over at them, there was pain and misery washing over their faces, Arabella only has misery in her face. But Nico's pain and misery were much worse than Arabella's misery.

"No, you don't. There's no way you can understand."

'And so you run away again. From your friends, from yourself.'

"I don't have friends! I left Camp Half-Blood because I don't belong! I'll never belong!" The skeletons have Cupid pinned now but the air shimmer was laughing so cruelly that Bucky wanted to break every bone in his body.

"Leave him alone, Cupid, This isn't …" Bucky looked over at Jason she his voice failed, Bucky figured that Jason realized that this was Cupid's business. But Jason also seem to realize of who Nico was really in love. When Nico spoke that it was like broken glass.

"I – I wasn't in love with Annabeth."

"You were jealous of her. That's why you didn't want to be around her. Especially why you didn't want to be around … him. It makes total sense." All the fight and denial seem to go out of Nico at once, the darkness subsided and the roman dead collapsed into bones before crumpled to dust.

"I hated myself, I hated Percy Jackson." Finally Cupid became visible, a lean muscular young man about his own age with snowy white wings, straight black hair, a simple white frock and jeans. The bow and and quiver slung over his shoulders were not the toys that one thinks that Cupid has but weapons of war. His eyes eyes were as red as blood, as if every valentine in the world was squeezed dry and distiller into one poisonous mixture. His face was handsome but also harsh, it was difficult to look like a spotlight. Cupid was watching Nico with satisfaction as if he identified the exact spot for his next arrow to make a clean kill. Nico spat at Cupid and he was glaring at Cupid

"I had a crush on Percy. That's the truth. That's the big secret. Happy now?" It was than that Arabella spoke up, her voice sounded like shattered glass.

"I had a crush on Fred since I meet him on the train to Hogwarts." Honestly, Bucky felt that this was worse for Nico than it was for Arabella, there was not many who would be able to do what Nico and Arabella. It seems like for the first time that Cupid's gaze seem sympathetic, not only that but his voice sounded smaller and more human.

"Oh, I wouldn't say Love always makes you happy. Sometimes it makes you incredibly sad. But at least you've faced it now. That's the only way to conquer me." Cupid than turned and looked at Bucky. "There is something you should keep in mind, Bucky Barnes, that there is still one thing ahead of you and it would be one of your biggest challenges yet." Than Cupid dissolved into the wind, on the ground of where he had stood lay an ivory staff three feet long, topped with a dark globe of polished marble about the size of a baseball nestled on the back of three roman eagles, the sceptre of Diocletian. Bucky was confused of what Cupid meant of what he meant, but he decided to toss it aside for now. Arabella got up as Nico knelt and picked it up before he regarded Jason and Bucky, it was almost like he was waiting for an attack.

"If the others found out –"

"If the others found out, you'd have that many more people to back you up and to unleash the fury of the gods on anybody who gives you trouble." Nico scowled, Bucky could still feel the resentment and anger rippling off of Nico. "But it's your call. Your decision to share or not. I can only tell you –"

"I don't feel that way any more, I mean … I gave up on Percy. I was young and impressionable, and I – I don't …" Nico's voice cracked, Arabella seem to be unable to speak or she decided not to say anything because of what happen to Nico. Bucky could understood all too well of how Nico must of felt, more so back in the 1940s.

"Nico, I've seen a lot of brave things. But what you just did? That was maybe the bravest." Nico looked at Jason uncertainly. Bucky went over Arabella and helped her up before she hugged him, Bucky hugged Arabella back.

"We should get back to the ship."

"Yeah. I can fly us –"

"No, This time we're shadow-travelling. I've had enough of the winds for a while." Arabella just nodded before she grasp hold of Bucky's hand before all four of them shadow travel back to the ship.

Emily's pov

Bob slung Percy over his shoulder like a bag of sports equipment while small Bob and Sarah curled up on Percy's back and purred. Bob lumbered along at a fast pace even for a Titan, it was difficult to keep up with Bob, more so with the fact that Tartarus was killing them slowly. Or that is what it seems like to Emily, Emily's lung rattled and her skin started to blister again, so that she may need another drink from he river Phlegethon but they left the river behind long ago. She wasn't sure if her healing abilities would be much good down here or not, she didn't want to try the healing abilities out. Otherwise Bob may have to carry Emily as well, that was the last thing that was needed at the moment for anyone, Emily's body was sore and battered that she was forgetting what it was like not to be in pain. Annabeth spoke up.

"How much longer?"

"Almost too long. But maybe not." The landscape changed again, they were still going downhill of which should made traveling easier. But the ground sloped at the wrong angle, for it was to steep to jog and too treacherous to let her guard down even for a moment. The surface was either loose gravel or at times patches of slime, at one point Annabeth stepped around random bristles sharp enough to I pale her foot and clusters of not rocks exactly. There were more like warts or something the size of watermelons. It was like they were following Bob down the length of Tartartus's large intestine. The air got thicker and there was a stank of sewage, the darkness wasn't quite as intense as before. Emily looked at Percy of who was flopping around causing both kittens to readjust their nest in the small of his back, at times Percy would groan. Suddenly Bob stopped.

"Look." Ahead in the glom, the terrain leveled out into a black swamp, sulphur yellow mist hung in the air. Even without sunlight that there actual plants, real and true plants for Emily could feel the the life of the plants reaching to her. She felt new energy enter her, she looked at Steve of who also looked renewed as well, Emily looked back at the plants. There was clumps of reeds, scrawny leafless trees, and a few sickly looking flowers blooming in the muck. There was mossy trails wound between bubbling tar pits, directly in front of Emily, sinking into the bog were footprints that were the size of trash can lids with long pointed toes. Emily knew what made those footsteps, however Annabeth best her to the punch.

"Drakon?" Bob grinned at them

"Yes. That is good!"

"Uh … why?"

"Because we are close." Bob marched into the swamp, Emily looked at Steve, he shrugged, showing her that this was her call. Than she looked at Annabeth of who looked like that she wanted to scream, Emily touched Annabeth's shoulder and gestured to follow Bob. Emily could only think of what must be going through Annabeth's mind at the moment. Emily knows she can trust Bob after knowing him as Bob for about a year and half and that he was still proving himself to be trusted while they were down there. Emily followed Bob quickly as well as Steve and Annabeth. The terrain forced Bob to go more slowly than he has been so they caught up easily enough. Percy was still muttering deliriously and Emily could feel his body hear from here and it was rather hot. Several times he mumbled Annabeth, the two kittens just purred and snuggled up more.

Finally the yellow mist parted, revealing a muddy clearing like an island in the muck, the ground was dotted with stunted trees and wart. Ounces. In the center of the island looked a large do ed hut that was covered with curtains of scaly reptile skin. Flanking the entrance were two torches made from colossal femur bones burned bright yellow. Emily couldn't believe that there was fire down here in Tartarus and once more it was real fire like the plants were real. For she could feel the flames from here, she reach out with her powers to control the fire. However noticed the drakon skull about fifty yards into the clearing about halfway to the hut. A massive oak tree jutted from the ground at a forty five degree angle, the jaws of a drakon skull was encircling the trunk as if the tree was the tongue of the dead monster.

"Yes, This is very good." Emily was about ready to say something when Sarah and Small Bob arched their backs and hissed, behind them came a mighty roar that echoed through the swamp. A sound that Emily heard in the battle of Manhattan, one that she didn't want to hear after that battle. Emily turned and saw the drakon charging towards them. It's hide was dappled green and yellow, like it the sunlight through a forest canopy, it's eyes were the same shade as Percy's green eyes. The drakon was easily as long as a subway train, it's massive talons dug into the mud as it pulled itself forward. The drakon hissed, spitting jets of green poison that smokey on the mossy ground before setting tar pits on fire. As a result that smells were the filling the air, scents of fresh pine and ginger, the drakon was wingless as usual.

"Bob, what are we facing here?"

"Maeonian drakon. From Maeonia."

"Any way we can kill it?"

"Us? No." The drakon roared as if the make the point that they couldn't defeat it, it filled the air with more pine ginger poison.

"Get Percy to safety, I'll distract it." Emily was about ready to tell her that was a bad idea for his was not her fight to face. She may never been here before but she knew who this hut belongs to and knew that only one person was to defeat for all time.

"You don't have to, Any minute –"

"ROOOOOAAAR!" Emily turned as the giant emerged from his hut. He was about twenty feet tall, normal giant height, with a humanoid upper body and scaly reptilian legs. The giant has no weapons at all, instead of armor, he wore only a shirt stitched together from sheep hides and green spotted leather. His skin was cheery red, his beard and hair was the color of iron rust, braided with tufts of grass, leaves and swamp flowers. The giant shouted in challenge, but he wasn't looking at them but at the drakon. Emily moved out of the way as the go at stormed towards the drakon. They clashed like some weird Christmas combat scene, mostly because of the color of the giant and drakon. The drakon spewed poison and the giant lunged to one side before he grabbed the oak tree and pulled it from the ground, roots and all. The old skull crumbled to dust as the giant hefted the tree like a baseball bat. The drakon's trail lashed around the giant's waist, dragging the giant closer to it's gnashing teeth. As soon as the tints was in range that he shoved the tree straight down the throat of the monster.

Emily wanted t throw up but couldn't since there wasn't much to grow up in the first place. The tree pierced the drakon's gullet and implied it on the ground, the roots began to move on their own accord. Steve was looking at Emily, Emily shook her head showing that she wasn't doing anything with the tree. The roots were digging deeper as they touched the earth, anchoring the oak until it looked like it stood on that spot for centuries. The drakon shook and thrashed, but it was pinned fast, the giant brought his fist down on the drakon's neck. With a crack the monster went limp, Emily put her face to Steve's arm and tried to not to throw up, being pregnant didn't help very much since it felt like the throwing up was increased.

"Good one." The two kittens purred in agreement when Bob said that, Emily wanted to ask if Bob was notes. Emily looked up as the giant kicked at the drakon's remains after examining them.

"No good bones, I wanted a new walking stick. Hmpf. Some good skin for the outhouse, though." The giant ripped some soft hide from the drakon's frills before the giant tucked it in his belt.

"Uh … Bob, do you want to introduce us?" Bob nodded to the three of them in turn.

"Steve ... Rachel ... Annabeth … " Than Bob patted Percy's legs. "This is Percy." Emily figured that Bob thought she meant introducing the giant to the four of them not introducing them to the giant.

"I meant the giant. You promised he could help." The giant glanced over from his work, his eyes narrows under his busy red brows.

"Promise? A big thing, a promise. Why would Bob promise my help?" Bon shifted his weight, as Emily looked between Bob and the giant that she realized that Bob looked like a runt and much less scary than if Bob was by himself.

"Damasen is a good giant. He is peaceful. He can cure poisons." Emily watched Da ashen as he was ripping chunks of bloody meat from the drakon carcass with his bare hands. Emily pitted the giant, she knows who he was and why he was down here, Damasen was the anti Ares. He looked big and scary, as well doesn't look very peaceful at the moment, but she knows he was gentle and peaceful.

"Peaceful. Yes, I can see that." Damasen stood up straight and studied Annabeth.

"Good meat for dinner. Come inside. We will have stew. Then we will see about this promise." They followed the tints inside the hut, the hut was as bit as a planetarium and constructed of bones, mud and drakon skin. In the center blazed a bonfire made of pitch and bone, but her the smoke was white and odorless, rising through the hole in the middle of the ceiling. The floor was covered with dry marsh grass and grey wool rugs. At one end lay a massive bed of sheepskins and drakon leather, at the other end were freestanding racks were hung with drying plants, cures leather and what looked like strips of drakon jerky. The whole place smelled of stew, smoke, basil and thyme, the smell reminded her of the camp kitchen or whenever she cooks in the kitchen. Emily did notice the flock of sheep huddled in a pen at the back of the hut, Emily wondered of how sheep could live down here. Bob placed Percy in the it at's bed of where he nearly disappeared in the wool and leather. Small Bob and Sarah hopped off of Percy before kneading the blankets, they were purring so strongly that the bed rattled like a thousand finger massage. Emily followed Damasen over to the bonfire and watched as he tossed the mean into the hanging pot that seem to be made from an old monster skull. Emily was about ready to say something but Annabeth best her to it.

"My friend is dying. Can you cure him or not?" As she spoke that Annabeth and Steve marched up to Damasene of where the giant was standing. Damasen looked down at Annabeth, glowering under his bushy red eyebrows. Damasen was unsettling Emily in a way with the what was coming from him. For he was radiated sorrow and bitterness, as if he was wrapped up in his own misery, emiltmwas sure that his life down here was not easy.

"I don't hear words like those in Tartarus, Friend. Promise." Annabeth crossed her arms.

"How about gorgon's blood? Can you cure that, or did Bob overstate your talents?" Emily looked at Annabeth as if she was crazy, however they are in Tartarus and there have been crazier things since they entered the pit. Damasen was scowling at Annabeth.

"You question my talents? A half-dead mortal straggles into my swamp and questions my talents?"

"Yep."

"Hmph." Damasen handed Bob the ladle. "Stir." As Bob tended the stew that Damasen was carefully taking things from his dying racks. He was plucking various leaves and roots, he popped a fistful of plant material into his mouth before chewing it up than spat it into a clump of wool. "Cup of broth." Bob ladled some stew juice into a hollow gourd before handed it to Damasen of who dunked the chewed up gunk ball and stirred it with his finger. "Gorgon's blood. Hardly a challenge for my talents." He lumbered to the bedside and propped Percy up with one hand. Small Bob and Sarah sniffed the broth and hissed, they scratched the sheets with their paws like they wanted bury it.

"You're going to feed him that?" Damasen glared at Annabeth.

"Who is the healer here? You?" Emily shook her head as Annabeth closed her mouth, Emily watched as the giant made Percy sip the broth. Damasen was handled period with surprising gentleness murmuring words of encouragement that Emily couldn't hear. With each sip that Percy's color improved, he drained the cup and his eyes fluttered open. He looked around with a dazed expression before he spotted Annabeth and gave her a drunken grin.

"Feel great." His eyes rolled up in his head before he fell back in the bed and started to snore.

"A few hours of sleep. He'll be good as new." Annabeth sobbed with relief.m

"Thank you." Damasen stars at her mournfully.

"Oh, don't thank me. You're still doomed. And I require payment for my services."

"Uh … what sort of payment?" His eyes glittered.

"A story. It gets boring in Tartarus. You can tell me your story while we eat, eh? Before you tell me your story that I have a repayment to pay back. For there were a couple of men that came here not to long ago and have been staying here after they told me their story. When they finished the story that I sense that there was a couple of people that they hoped to see again were close by but I also senses the drakon as well." Damasen lowered his head to below the bed and spoke. "You two can come out now." Two men crawled out from under the huge bed, Emily took a sharp intake of breath when she saw the two men and she could hear Steve do the same thing. There was no mistake of who this two men were, it was Colonel Phillips and Dr. Erskine. Emily and Steve were glad to see both of them, while Annabeth was glad to see Colonel Phillips. After the greetings that they told Damasen of their lives as well as of what happen to Bob. Annabeth started first and she just reached to the part about Bob,

"Percy was trying to do something good. He didn't know Hades would be such a creep."

"Annabeth, my father was a creep at first when Bob case there, but I helped him realized that Bob wasn't Iapetus anymore that he become nicer and he started to treat Bob better. I watched Hasdes change his ways during that time but it was a slowl thing. Right Bob?"

"Hades become nicer during while Bob was there. Bob's life improved but Bob jumped in to help Rachel for Rachel helped Bob." When Bon said that, that Dr, Erskine looked confused.

"Who is Rachel?"

"That would be me. After the war in Europe ended that Hadees adopted me and when that happened I gained a second appearance. So Hades and myself faked my death and after that I used a second name for there things I needed to do when I was above and it was things that I didn't need people getting attracted to me for the time, so I used a second name, Rachel Blackthrone. When Bob was there that he saw me with both appearance and knew that it was me." Bob washed his bowl with his squirt bottle and rag whirl Damasen made a rolling gesture with his spoon.

"Continue your story, Annabeth Chase." Annabeth explained their quest on the Argo II, she got to the part about Gaea that she faltered.

"She's, um … she's your mom, right?" Damasen scraped his bowl, Emily looked at Damasen.

"Yes. And Tartarus is my father." He gestured around the hut. "As you can see, I was a disappointment to my parents. They expected … more from me." It was hard to think of what it must be like for Damasen to be down here of where he can't get away from his father.

"So … You don't mind us fighting your mom?" Damasen snorted like a bull.

"Best of luck. At present, it's my father you should worry about. With him opposing you, you have no chance to survive." Emily was glad that she finished her stew already, Annabeth put her bowl on he floor, Small Bob and Sarah came over to check it out.

"Opposing us how?" Damasen crackled a drakon bone and used a splinted as a toothpick,

"All of this. All that you see is the body of Tartarus, or at least one manifestation of it. He knows you are here. He tries to thwart your progress at every step. My brethren hunt you. It is remarkable you have lived this long, even with the help of Iapetus." Bob scowled when he heard his old name.

"The defeated ones hunt us, yes. They will be close behind now." Damasen spat out his toothpick.

"I can obscure your path for a while, long enough for you to rest. I have power in this swamp. But eventually they will catch you."

"My friends must reach the Doors of Death. That is the way out."

"Impossible. The Doors are too well guarded." Annabeth sat forward, Emily put her hand over her stomach, wondering if she ever get out of this place along with her child.

"But you know where they are?"

"Of course. All of Tartarus flows down to one place: his heart. The Doors of Death are there. But you cannot make it there alive with only Iapetus."

"Then come with us. Help us."

"HA!" Emily jumped, she looked at Percy of who was muttered deliriously in his sleep. "Ha, ha, ha." Emily out her he as in her hands before she spoke.

"That nearly freaked me out." Colonel Phillips chuckled when Emily said that.

"No kidding, too bad Bucky isn't here. You would not heard the end of that."

"I will make a note of not to tell him that." When Emily said that, that colonel Phillips spat out some of the stew and it hit the table, he looked at Emily surprised. Emily was close of bursting into laughter so was Steve for a smile was on Steve's face as well as Emily's.

"Bucky's alive?"

"Well, yeah."

"Was he reborn?" Emily laughed when Colonel Phillips said that.

"He never died in the first place."

"What happened to him?"

"You don't want to know, Bucky hates thinking about that and I can't blame him." Colonel Phillips was about ready say something but Damasen spoke.

"Child of Athena, I am not your friend. I helped mortals once, and you see where it got me."

"You helped mortals? I – I don't understand."

"Bad story. Good giants have bad stories. Damasen was created to oppose Ares." Emily knew the story since she spoke with the human shepherd that was killed by the Maeonian drakon. The human shepherd felt sorry for his giant friend and hoped to talk to him someday.

"Yes. Like all my brethren, I was born to answer a certain god. My foe was Ares. But Ares was the god of war. And so when I was born –"

"You were his opposite, You were peaceful."

"Peaceful for a giant, at least. I wandered the fields of Maeonia, in the land you now call Turkey. I tended my sheep and collected my herbs. It was a good life. But I would not fight the gods. My mother and father cursed me for that. The final insult: one day the Maeonian drakon killed a human shepherd, a friend of mine, so I hunted the creature down and slew it, thrusting a tree straight through its mouth. I used the power of the earth to regrow the tree's roots, planting the drakon firmly in the ground. I made sure it would terrorize mortals no more. That was a deed Gaia could not forgive."

"Because you helped someone?" Damasen looked ashamed.

"Yes. Gaea opened the earth, and I was consumed, exiled here in the belly of my father Tartarus, where all the useless flotsam collects – all the bits of creation he does not care for." The giant plucked a flower out of his hair and regarded it absently. "They let me live, tending my sheep, collecting my herbs, so I might know the uselessness of the life I chose. Every day – or what passes for day in this lightless place – the Maeonian drakon re-forms and attacks me. Killing it is my endless task." Emily got up and went over to Damasen and put an hand over his much bigger one and he looked down at her.

"Damasen, I spoke with that human shepherd and he is in fine and is happy in Elysium. He was glad of what you did, but he did being up a he wished he could see and talk to you again." Damasen smiled lightly.

"That is good news at least. If you managed to get out of here, tell I am glad that he is happy now." Annabeth was gazing around the hut, Emily looked around, wondering of how many years that Damasen been here. Exiled here to slay the same drakon day in and day out, thar he would collect it's bone, hide and meat. Knowing that it will attack the next day, Emily couldn't imagine of how Damasen must feel, for this was utterly cruel, no it was beyond cruel. Than Annabeth blurted out.

"Break the curse. Come with us." Damasen chuckled sourly.

"As simple as that. Don't you think I have tried to leave this place? It is impossible. No matter which direction I travel, I end up here again. The swamp is the only thing I know – the only destination I can imagine. No, little demigod. My curse has overtaken me. I have no hope left."

"No hope." Emily looked at Bob when he echoed Damasen.

"There must be a way." The expression on Damsen was sad, it reminded her a bit of when Bucky looked at her after she learned of what happen to him. His expression was mixed with some many emotions that it was hard to see which emotions was which. That he seem so lost and utterly helpless at the moment, trying to figure himself out and what he was.

"Bob has a plan to reach the Doors of Death. He said we could hide in some sort of Death Mist." Emily jerked slightly when Annabeth said that.

"Death Mist?" Damasen scowled at Bob. "You would take them to Akhlys?"

"It is the only way."

"You will die, Painfully. In darkness. Akhlys trusts no one and helps no one." Bob looked like he wanted to argue but he pressed his lips together and remained silent.

"Is there another way?"

"No. The Death Mist … that is the best plan. Unfortunately, it is a terrible plan." Emily knew that they were running on luck ever since they got in Tartarus just like Colonel Phillips and Dr. Erskine have been.

"But isn't it worth trying? You could return to the mortal world. You could see the sun again." Looking at Damasen's eyes made Emily feel awful, she forced herself to look away. His eyes were like the sockets of the drakon's skull, dark, hollow, devoid of hope. Emily could feel the hopeless coming from Damasen. Damasen rose to his full height, a massive red warrior in sheepskin and drakon leather with dried flowers and herbs in his hair. It was not difficult to see how he was the anti ares, for ares was the worst god, blustery and violent. Damasen was the best giant, kind and helpful, something that he was cursed for to an eternal torment, it was so unfair.

"Get some sleep, I will prepare supplies for your journey. I am sorry, but I cannot do more." Annabeth wanted to argue, but Emily knows of how tired Annabeth must feel at the moment for Emily felt just as tired. Emily knows that they needed some rest after not being able to rest since the shrine before that darkness.

"Maybe a little sleep." Bob scooped up Steve and Annabeth first and set them down next to Percy as Bon did that, that Damasen looked down at her and spoke.

"I am surprised that you made it this in your state. But I can see why after seeing you. I know I lost so much hope over the years I been down here. But you gave me back some hope but it is still far too little to even have the hope to leave this place. But I am sure of one thing, I know that my mother wants everyone to feel hopeless, but you are the only one you can stop her on that end."

"Damasen, I am not Elpis. I am the champion of Hestia. I can use hope and hand out hope. But I am not as strong with it as Elpis." Damasen smiled lightly as if he knew something that she didn't, but it was not something evil. It was almost like he could see something that she couldn't.

"Daughter of Demeter and Hades, you have a long path, that is clear and your hardships are far from over. But there is more to you this you realize. But it will become clear on the day of Hope of what that is." Suddenly, Bob scooped Emily, Dr. Erskine and Colonel Phillips and place them on their bed. Emily went next to Steve and feel asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.

Emily woke up, for a change, she didn't have a dream of was odd but nice since she had no nightmares. Emily could feel Sarah on her stomach as she lay there looking at the ceiling that was above her. Dr. Erskine and Colonel Phillips were sleeping nearby as well as Steve and Percy, but Annabeth was awake for she has her eyes open, she point her finger to her lips and nodded to the voices.

"You haven't told them."

"No, they are already scared." The giant grumbled.

"They should be. And if you cannot guide them past Night?" Emily felt panicked, she figured that she would face Night at some point but knowing that she has to go through night in order to get to the doors was scary.

"I have to."

"Why? What have the demigods given you? They have erased your old self, everything you were. Titans and giants … we are meant to be the foes of the gods and their children. Are we not?"

"Then why did you heal the boy?" Damasen exhaled.

"I have been wondering that myself. Perhaps because the girl goaded me, or perhaps … I find these two demigods intriguing. They are resilient to have made it so far. That is admirable. Still, how can we help them any further? It is not our fate." When Bob spoke next that she could tell that he was uncomfortable.

"Perhaps. But … do you like our fate?"

"What a question. Does anyone like his fate?"

"I liked being Bob. Before I started to remember …"

"Huh." There was some sort of shuffling sound, as if Damasen was stuffing a leather bag.

"Damasen, do you remember the sun?" The shuffling stopped, Emily heard the giant exhale through his nostrils. Emily never thought much about the sun till she came down here, not seeing the sun, stars, the moon or Bucky scared her greatly. Just to be in endless darkness and underground was scary, she thought at first living in the underworld part time was scary but Tartarus was so much worse.

"Yes. It was yellow. When it touched the horizon, it turned the sky beautiful colours."

"I miss the sun. The stars, too. I would like to say hello to the stars again."

"Stars …" Damasen said the word in such a way that it broke her heart, it was like if he forget what the stars were. "Yes. They made silver patterns in the night sky." Damasen threw something to the floor with a thump. "Bah. This is useless talk. We cannot –" in the distance the Maeonian drakon roared. Percy and the others sat bolt upright.

"What? What – where – what?"

"It's okay." Annabeth took Percy's arm. Emily watched Percy as he started to register that they were in a giant's bed with two skeleton cats. Percy looked more confused than ever.

"That noise … where are we?"

"How much do you remember?" Percy was frowning, he seem alert. All of his wounds vanished, expect for his tattered clothes and a few layers of dirt and grime. Besides that, it looked like he never fell down here in the first place, all six of them looked like they came down here in the first place. Though it was still a mystery of how Dr, Erskine and Colonel Phillips came down here in the first place.

"I – the demon grandmothers – and then … not much." Damasen was looking over the bed.

"There is no time, little mortals. The drakon is returning. I fear its roar will draw the others – my brethren, hunting you. They will be here within minutes."

"What will you tell them when they get here?" Damasen's mouth twitched.

"What is there to tell? Nothing of significance, as long as you are gone." Damasen tossed them six drakon leather satchels. "Clothes, food, drink." Bob was wearing a similar but larger pack, Bon was leaning on his broom gazing at Annabeth and Emily. As Emily looked back at Bob that a thought hit her and slapped her in her face, to seem to hit Annabeth as well.

"The Prophecy of Eight." The others were climbing out of the bed and were shouldering their packs onto their shoulders. Percy frowned at Annabeth as Emily got off the bed and out her pack on.

"What about it?" Annabeth grabbed Damasen's hand of which startled the giant, his brows furrowed.

"You have to come with us. The prophecy says foes bear arms to the Doors of Death. I thought it meant Romans and Greeks, but that's not it. The line means us – demigods, a Titan, a giant. We need you to close the Doors!" The drakon roared but it was closer this time, Damasen pulled his hand away.

"No, child. My curse is here. I cannot escape it."

"Yes, you can. Don't fight the drakon. Figure out a way to break the cycle! Find another fate." Damasen shook his head.

"Even if I could, I cannot leave this swamp. It is the only destination I can picture." Emily spoke.

"No, Damasen it is not the only destination. You said that I gave you hope even though it was a small amount. Use that hope and get out of your curse." Damasen was about ready to say something but Steve spoke.

"Listen to her, it's our choices that decide our fate, not our parents and whatever they decide." Annabeth than spoke up before Damasen cousin say another."

"There is another destination. Look at me! Remember my face. When you're ready, come find me. We'll take you to the mortal world with us. You can see the sunlight and stars." The ground. Shook, the drakon was close now, stomping through hr marsh blasting trees and moss with it's poison spray. Further away that she could hear the giant Polbotes, urging his followers forward.

"THE SEA GOD'S SON! HE IS CLOSE!"

"Annabeth, that's our cue to leave." Damasen took a couple of things from his belt one he gave to Emily of which was a bottle of clear liquid. He handed the other thing to Annabeth of which was a sword, a blade of dragon none honed to a deadly edge with a simple grip of leather.

'One last gift for the child of Athena and the child of Demeter. Drink it soon, daughter of Demeter, for it will protect your child for as long as it is in you as long as you get out here. I cannot have you walking to your death unarmed. Now, go! Before it is too late." Emily wanted to sob, but she couldn't not now. Emily took the bottle and drank it, when she drank it that she felt something wrap itself around the child in her protecting it from the efforts and Tartarus or anything that will try to kill Emily and the child. Emily knew that Damasen was meant to come with them, just like Annabeth and Steve knew. She knew Steve caught on when Annabeth told Damasen to come with them but Damasen turned away from them. Sarah climbed onto her shoulders while Small Bob climbed onto Bob's shoulders, Emily noticed that Colonel Phillips picked up another bag as Damasen turned away from them.

"We must leave."

"He's right, Annabeth." They ran for the entrance, Emily didn't look back as she followed Bob and the others. She could hear Damasen behind them shouting his battle cry at the advancing drakon. His voice was cracking with despair as he faced his old enemy yet again, it broke Emily as she heard Damasen cry his battle cry. She felt like it was that battle in the Helicarrier when she tried to stop the fighting between Steve and Bucky.

Bucky's pov

Bucky didn't know the weather over the Mediterranean as well as other parts but he was sure that it wasn't suppose to be freezing in July. He cold didn't bother him to much but to seem to bother the rest of the crew, that was mainly because he was a fire user, though it seem to bother Leo. Bucky guessed that might be because of the fact he wasn't a child of Notus, like Bucky was. It been two days since split, there were grey clouds that swallowed the sky and the waves were choppy, cold drizzle sprayed across the deck of which formed ice on the rails and the ropes. Since than Arabella case out a little more often and only spoke to Bucky a little of which was an improvement since Emily feel into Tartarus. It seems that Bucky and Arabella were starting to get closer to each other, he was glad of that at least. At the moment, Bucky was standing close to Nico, Piper, Leo and Jason. Nico was hefting the ancient staff.

"It's the sceptre, it has to be." Bucky was a bit nervous around Nico but he was more calm around Nico after what happened two days ago but Jason, Bucky, Arabella or Nico spoke of what happened in split to anyone. Not unless if Arabella and Nico were willing to talk about what happened there and he wasn't going to make them. It was possible that the sceptre might have cause the weather change for the black orb on top seem to leach the color right out of the air. The golden eagles seem to glinted coldly, the sceptre supposedly control the dead and it did give off bad vines that was for sure. Gleeson took one look at the thing before he turned pale and announced he was going to his room to console himself with chuck Norris videos. Though Bucky felt he was doing something entirely than what he said he was going to do. But somehow Bucky felt she to was something else that was causing the ice storm, something much more worse.

"We can't talk up here. Let's postpone the meeting." They gathered on the quarterdeck to discuss strategy as they got closer to Epirus, Bucky wasn't sure of it was a good place to be, wind swept frost across the deck and the sea was churning beneath them. Bucky didn't mind the waves all that much but he could feel something was going to happen and soon. Hazel gagged and pointed down below.

"Need to –"

"Yeah, go." Nico kissed Hazel's cheek, of which was surprising when it comes to Nico for Nico hates physical contact or at least from what Bucky could figure out. Nico hardly made gestures of affection, even to any of his sisters, including Emily but to seem that Nico doesn't mind it with Emily as much he does with anyone else. Though when Nico kissed Hazel that he seem like he was saying goodbye to Hazel in a sense.

"I'll walk you down." Frank put his arm around Hazel's waist before helped her to the stairs. Bucky hoped that Hazel would be okay, Bucky knew that Aubrey, Lauren, Piper, Jennifer, and Hazel been having good talks with each other. He was sure that they shared stories and complained about the gross things guys do, whatever that was. He knows that Emily and Lauren done that since before Emily and Bucky were marred and he was sure they still do that now. But he was unsure of what the two of them talk about when they task about Bucky and Steve, there was a chance that they could talk about their time at camp and what they did there. Nico brushed some ice from his hair before frowning at the sceptre.

"I should put this thing away. If it's really causing the weather, maybe taking it below deck will help …"

"Sure." Nico glanced at Piper and Leo as if he was worried of what they may say when he was gone. Bucky was worried as Nico went down below, he wanted to comfort Nico but he wasn't sure of how to comfort Nico. He was sure that Emily would know was way to comfort Nico, he was still unsure of how to comfort Arabella but just talking with her seem to make her feel more comfortable at least. It was pretty much Bucky, Leo, Jason and Piper that were still there, everyone else was down below. Leo pulled a screwdriver from his belt.

"So much for the big team meeting. Looks like it's just us again." Bucky looked at the three of them, he remembers when he first meet them in their quest to save Hers about six or seven months ago. Piper changed, she seem more confident in what she does, Leo didn't change much expect he was more comfortable in his role as a child of Hephaestus and knows how to use his nervous now since he was always tinkering with things on the ship. Jason changed the most, he was thinner, taller and more careworn, his hair grew longer and shaggier. Jason seem to be more Greek than a Roman now, for when Bucky first meet him just before the battle of Manhattan that Jason seem too roman but there seem to be hints to a Greek in him. Now it seems that Jason was gone and he was more like a Greek version of himself instead of being the normal roman.

Bucky heard what mostly everyone said about Jason, that he was too perfect, too straitlaced. But that was no longer true now, Bucky knows that for a fact, yes at once point that Jason seem too perfect end too straitlaced and too serious. Sure Steve seem too serious as times and was everything a leader should be. But Steve was able to have fun when he wanted to and Emily helps Steve to relax when they were not on missions during the war. Bucky knew that Steve was not perfect, no one ever comment that Steve was too perfect or straitlaced for Steve made comments about not knowing certain things that he should know by now or he would allow his sense to humor to show. Besides Steve seem to let it go by the way he acts and talks that he knows he was not a perfect man or the perfect soldier but a good man and a leader who tries to do the right thing but knew that at times he would to have to do something that he didn't want to do in order to make sure the freedom was still there. Bucky looked into the cold rain, he would give anything to go Emily's chain or World War II to be with Emily and Steve again. Jason squeezed Piper's shoulder.

"Hey, it'll be fine. We're close to Epirus now. Another day or so, if Nico's directions are right." Leo was tinkering with his sphere, tapping and nudging one of the jewels on it's surface, he still didn't like that thing.

"Yep. By tomorrow morning, we'll reach the western coast of Greece. Then another hour inland, and bang – House of Hades! I'ma get me the T-shirt!"

"Yay." Bucky was sure Piper wasn't thrilled about going to the house of Hades, neither was he. But he wanted to see Emily again as well as Steve, he knows Emily was still alive down there or last he knew at any rate. It would take one more day, one more day till he reaches there and Emily would back in his arms where she belongs.

"Guys, I've been thinking about the Prophecy of eight." Leo managed to look away from he was doing, Bucky looked at Piper when she brought up the prophecy.

"What about it? Like … good stuff, I hope?" Piper readjusted the cornucopia's shoulder strap, Emily gave it to Piper just before the ship fired at the parking lot of which caused four members to go to Tartarus.

"In Katoptris, I keep seeing that giant Clytius – the guy who's wrapped in shadows. I know his weakness is fire, but in my visions he snuffs out flames wherever he goes. Any kind of light just gets sucked into his cloud of darkness."

"Sounds like Nico. You think they're related?" Bucky was about ready to respond but Jason scowled and best Bucky to the punch.

"Hey, man, cut Nico some slack. So, Piper, what about this giant? What are you thinking?" Bucky looked at Piper and Leo as they exchanged quizzical looks, of they only knew half of it. Bucky knew it was unfair with the rumors that spread around about Nico and Arabella but it seems even more unfair now than ever.

"I keep thinking about fire. How we expect Leo to beat this giant because he's …"

"Hot?" It was funny in a way that they expect Leo to deal with the giant more than Bucky, when Leo spoke that he has a grin on his face.

"Um, let's go with flammable. Anyway, that line from the prophecy bothers me: To storm or fire the world must fall."

"Yeah, we know all about it. You're gonna say I'm fire. And Jason here is storm." Piper nodded reluctantly, of course there was one other person that it could be, Percy, unless if they add Bucky, Emily, Lauren and Steve to it. Emily could be storm or fire since she has some control over the seasons and can add to the storms. Bucky wasn't sure if Steve could do the seasons yet or if there were only a few children of Demeter of who could do that. Lauren was a daughter of Zeus and Bucky has control over fire because he was a son of Notus. The ship pitched to starboard, Bucky grabbed the ice railing.

Piper nodded reluctantly. She knew that none of them liked talking about this, but they all must have felt it was the truth.

"So you're worried one of us will endanger the quest, maybe accidentally destroy the world?"

"No, I think we've been reading that line the wrong way. The world … the earth. In Greek, the word for that would be …" Piper hesitated, Bucky could see where she was getting at with this, Bucky knows that there was double meanings for the prophecies.

"Gaea. You mean, to storm or fire Gaea must fall?" Leo grinned even wider than before.

"Oh … You know, I like your version a lot better. 'Cause if Gaea falls to me, Mr Fire, that is absolutely copacetic." Jason kissed Piper, Bucky wanted to say something but he was unsure of what to say at the moment.

"Or to me … storm. Piper, that's brilliant! If you're right, this is great news. We just have to figure out which of us destroys Gaea."

"Maybe. But, see, it's storm or fire …" Piper unsheathed Katoptris before setting it on the console, the blade flickered showing the dark shape of the giant Clytius moving through a corridor snuffing out torches.

"I'm worried about Leo and this fight with Clytius. That line in the prophecy makes it sound like only one of you can succeed. And if the storm or fire part is connected to the third line, an oath to keep with a final breath …" Piper didn't need to finish of what he was saying however that doesn't mean that the storm and fire part was connected to the third line.

"Piper." The here of them looked at Bucky when he spoke. "It is possible of what you say about the fire and storm part, but that doesn't mean that the third line is connected to the fire and storm line. Prophecies have double meaning." The three understood where Bucky was coming from but the news as a whole wasn't very old. The others look back at the dagger.

"Okay … so I don't like your idea as much as I thought. You think one of us defeats Gaea and the other one dies? Or maybe one of us dies while defeating her? Or –"

"Guys, we'll drive ourselves crazy overthinking it. You know how prophecies are. Heroes always get into trouble trying to thwart them."

"Yeah. We'd hate to get into trouble. We've got it so good right now."

"You know what I mean. Like Bucky said, the final breath line might not be connected to the storm and fire part. For all we know, the two of us aren't even storm and fire. Percy can raise hurricanes."

"And I could always set Coach Hedge on fire. Then he can be fire." Bucky shook his head when Leo said that, it was a funny thought of a blazing satyr screaming die as he attacked Gaea.

"I hope I'm wrong. But the whole quest started with us finding Hera and waking that giant king Porphyrion. I have a feeling the war will end with us too. For better or worse."

"Hey, personally, I like us."

"Agreed. Us is my favourite people." Bucky figures that Gaea may try to stop them or get rid of Leo, Jason or even Percy. Bucky knew enough from Emily to know that if one tries to focus too much on a prophecy or even a line that it may backfire on them. Bucky noticed that Piper suddenly to tense up, he was about ready to ask what was wrong but Piper spoke up.

"Leo, sound the alarm." Leo dropped his screwdriver at once before he punched the alarm but tom. He frowned when nothing happened, Bucky remembered that it was disconnected.

'Uh, it's is shut down. Gimme a minute to get the system back online.'

'We don't have a minute! Fires – we need vials of Greek fire. Jason, call the winds. Warm, southerly winds.' Bucky and Jason were looking at Piper in confusion.

"Wait, what? Piper, what's wrong?" Piper snatched her dagger up.

"It's her! She's back! We have to –" Bucky understood what Piper meet now, the weather change made sense now. Before she could finish that the boat listed to port and the temperature dropped so fast that the sails crackled with ice. The bronze shields along with the rails popped like over pressurized soda cans. Bucky and Jason drew their swords but it was too late for Jason. A wave of ice particles swept over him costing him like a glazed doughnut, freezing Jason in place, under the layer of ice that his eyes were wide with amazement. "Leo! Bucky! Flames! Now!" Bucky lit his flesh up, while Leo's right hand blazed, however the wind swirled around them and doused the fires. Bucky was clutching his sword while Leo was clutch his Archimedes sphere as a funnel cloud do sleet lifted them off their feet. Bucky struggled against the sleet and hit it with his sword but it did no good what so ever since he hit nothing but sleet.

"Hey! Hey! Let me go!" Bucky kept hitting the sleet as he spoke.

"You better let us go." Piper ran over to the, but a female's voice in the storm spoke.

"Oh, yes, Leo Valdez and James Barnes. I will let you two go permanently." Suddenly Leo and Bucky shot skywards like they been launched from a catapult. Bucky managed to use his wind powers and managed to change the course of their flight, but barely though. He wasn't sure where the ship was now, he wasn't sure if there was a way to get back to the ship. Not only that but he wasn't sure of where they were, suddenly a storm spirit ran over to them. It was a horse, Bucky knows this horse, it was one of the ones he tamed during one of the attacks from the storm spirits. Bucky flew over to the horse along with Leo, Bucky got in first before he helped Leo into the back of the horse. The horse shook it's mane, Bucky looked around, wondering what to do now, it seems Leo was thinking the same lines.

"What now?"

"I don't know. We need to find a place to go to though." Bucky leaned forward and spoke to the horse. "Take us somewhere where we won't be found by Khione." The horse neighed and ran across the clouds, after a few minutes that the clouds parted and Bucky saw a Helicarrier. Bucky sighed in relief when he saw it, when the horse landed on the Helicarrier that Bucky got off of the horse as well as Leo. Just as they barely got off that the horse ran off, not only that but the other avengers came through the door, Tony, Natasha, Clint, Thor and Bruce ran over to them. It was Thor that reached him first and clapped him on the back.

"Son of Notus, I am surprised you found us so quickly."

"Well in this case we were not trying to find you even if you were told to bring help." Tony was looking around before looking at Bucky.

"Where is Lightning Girl, Vine Plant and Capsicle? Not only that but who is this?" Tony pointed at Leo of who was looking at the Helicarrier in wonder.

"We need to go inside and I will explain everything." They went inside, Bucky pulled Leo inside as Leo started talking of the things he could do with the Helicarrier. The last thing Bucky wanted was for aloe to start messing with the Helicarrier.