"Just tell us everything already," one of the founders said, turning to Percy. Then there was silence. They were not used to confronting each other about secrets. Most of the time, they didn't have any. But they knew Percy, the lieutenants and the leader have some. Whenever a new member joins in, everybody gets a rundown of everybody else's memories in order to bare themselves to each other. During those times, they always seemed to see something dark in Percy, Nico, Thalia and L. The one time someone did ask about it. They got nothing out of it.

"Just what are you hiding from us?"

"Nothing, nothing that we aren't hiding from ourselves."

It was then that they understood. The four of them were running away from something. In their actions. From their words. Around their thoughts. Up to their subconscious. Only the other founders have the skill to notice, but those four founders have so many barriers it's a miracle they could still walk, let alone fight. Their memories have barriers. Their thoughts have confusers. Their energies have locks. At some point, some of the younger of the founders-they thought they even sold their souls to keep them safe. So they too, protected those four founders. Obeyed what they said, in order to keep them safe from whatever they are running away.

Hestia broke the founders' thoughts. "To be honest, everything is falling apart, right now." She says. "Mars and I have decided to tell you the whole truth."

Everyone straightened their backs. And then. They all fell asleep except for Percy and Nico.

Soon, Artemis appeared too. And then lost sub consciousness.

"What is she doing here," Percy asked having no complete idea why Artemis needed to be here.

"Oh, little champion, have you really no idea what role she will have? Her hunters? After the pack, the hunters are, after all, the closest to the Cullings," Hestia said a little too chilly for her usual warmth.

"She's been doing her own research, hasn't she?" Nico said frowning. "Well, technically, she is one of our Allies now." Percy replied.

"Yes, I suppose we haven't really given her a proper orientation to what all of this is about." Nico said.

Percy scrunched his eyebrows. "What I don't understand is why. Why did she agree to be Allies. She knows nothing. She's barely involved."

Hestia decided to interrupt. "Well, I wouldn't say barely involved."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked.

Hestia laughed fondly. "Don't be too single-minded, my champion. Artemis is almost as curious as her sister really. And she's a cold-hearted goddess. She did a lot of sneaking around behind your back. She knows more than you think she does. And I reckon, Mars had given up a bit to Diana."

This troubled them. "How much does she know?"

"Speculations here and there. All of them beautiful—you should be scared," Hestia smiled.

Nico decided to ask the question. "So what's making her keep all this to herself? She's an Olympian. Surely she would've shared whatever she knew to Athena, if not the entire council. She's loyal."

Percy nodded. "Yes. What exactly does the moon goddess want from us?"

Nico added, "Surely, this isn't just to sate her curiosity. She knows something. She wants something. I'm sure of it." Percy smirked. "I did the right thing either way. Now that we're Allies, she'll be bound to us. One way or another, we'll figure it out. It's better that we have her close." Nico nodded. "Yes. Although, really Percy, did we really have to? I mean. It's bad enough keeping tabs with Hypyy and Morph. I mean, all of us now that our Allies and we want very different things."

Percy closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. It was time to stop avoiding this. He felt so heavy. His heart was chained. After seven hundred years, the time finally came. He let out the breath he was holding slowly. He looked at Hestia dead in the eye.

"It is inevitable," he says. There was an edge to Percy's tone. He looked pained. But. He didn't say it as a question. Nico looks at him curiously—more so, defeated.

Hestia smiled sadly. Her voice was soft and loving, "You know how much I wish for this not to be true, Percy."

Nico let out a sarcastic laugh. "It's finally time to come clean to all of them." Hestia smiled and nodded. Her heart was heavy too. The end was near. But it was Percy's beginning.

Percy looked at Hestia pleadingly this time. "What am I fighting against?" He felt a bit helpless. Nico moved closer to him as an instinct of protection. There was tension in the air. Hestia, feeling pain from seeing them like this, was pained too of everything she knew that was to happen. With that, she wanted to try deviating, avoiding for once. "Yourself," she answered knowningly and sadly.

Percy gulped and Nico tensed. "And after I've given up that fight—what's to come for me?"

Hestia answered ruely, "Exactly what you fear, my champion"

Percy paced. Nico was speechless. It's so different when, after talking about it so carefully and indirectly, you have it slapped in your face.

"Where is Lord Mars?" Nico asked. "He's busy with the Concurrence and helping the Pack. He's keeping your Allies at bay," Hestia admitted.

"What? Why do we need our Allies 'at bay' exactly?" Percy said surprised.

"They demand to meet and plan. They believe it's time to take over."

Percy grumbled in frustration. "We do need to come clean," he agreed to Nico. He can't really focus. Honestly, all he could think of is rescuing Thalia.

"Yes, we do. The Pack must know."

"Our Founders first." Percy says. The gears were turning in his head.

Nico was getting frustrated. "I think it's time for you to decide, Percy." Percy shuffled. He felt suffocated. He could hear Nico's thoughts. So could Hestia. The more you hesitate, the more lives will be lost. We can't stay out of this anymore. Our indecisiveness will cost us our world—any more of this is plain selfishness, Percy. Cowardice.

Percy ignored this. "Our Founders first, and then our Allies. And then we get Thalia out of there."

"And after that, Percy?" Nico challenged. Again, Percy ignored this. He took a deep breath and then said

"Nico, I'm leaving. Y—"

"WHAT?"

"I need to leave"

"Oh," Nico said, really provoked. Percy wasn't the only one who was really worried about Thalia. "You're a coward, Pecy Jackson"

Percy groaned. "Nico—"

"Jesus Christ—forgive me for borrowing a religion—you're gonna leave just because you don't want to admit to yourself that shit is happening and that you're gonna have to choose your—"

Hestia interrupted them. "Let him, Nico. He needs it."

"Fuck this. I can read your mind, Percy. I saw what you were thinking right before you decided to—"

"Nico, that's not what I'm planning to do, okay? But you need to stay here and get a grip of all of the Pack. Even them. It's time they knew—"

"What could be more important that planning all this together and finding Thalia like a famil—" Nico was screaming.

"I'M NOT RUNNING AWAY" Percy screamed at the top of his lungs. He breathed heavily. This time, Percy barely found his voice when he whispered. "Okay? Never again."

Nico calmed himself, "What are you going to do then?"

Hestia put a hand on Nico's shoulder soothing him. Truth be told, Hestia's essence were in a lot of different places right now. Hestia was preparing everything she could because when war strikes, she will have to withdraw herself. She was a peaceful goddess, and she only had a limited time to help her family. All the three of them knew that. But Hestia knew that her sons needed her right now.

Percy said, "Never mind that. I need you, Nico. Help our family get a grip. I don't know how long I'll be gone. But hiding is over. It's time to tell them what's really been happening for the past seven hundred years."

AN: Hey guys. Thank you for the reviews :D I read all of them, and I apreciate :)

I'm sorry for any inconvenience in the updating and also for not getting to reply to any of your messages.

So to finally answer, I'll be updating more now, don't worry guys. It was a hiatus but it's not abandoned.

I hope you all continue to read. Seriously, I mean. I've kept you all in the dark for so long now (both in updating and in the story itself). In the following chapters, well. It's time to know what really happened to Percy XD

Thanks for staying with the story for so long. Thank you so much for all your support. :))