A/N: Feels weird writing again after a semester full of essays.


"Father!"

Zeus glanced behind him, to see Artemis standing with her arms crossed by the doorway.

"What was all that about?"

The god closed his eyes. For a moment, Artemis thought he'd switch to Jupiter, but nothing changed. After a few seconds, the god opened his eyes and sighed.

"Useless aspect," he muttered. "Disappearing once the damned bolt is back in my hands."

"You didn't answer me," she said crossly. "What was that about? Why would you punish the boy for what Poseidon did?"

"Why?"

Artemis's eyebrows furrowed. "Why? Why what? Are you asking me why I'm asking?"

"Why does he get to live but my daughter could not?"

Artemis's mouth closed.

Zeus looked at her directly. "What do my brothers have together that I do not? The boy enters Hades's domain and comes out unscathed, but my daughter must fend off his legions."

"Is it the link they share with P-"

"No," interjected the god. "That old fool can barely stay awake as is. My family is not weak enough to be manipulated by a dying god-king."

"And you?"

Zeus sighed. "I am me, and little else." Artemis tilted her head.

There was a lot she wanted to ask the god, but it was clear Zeus wasn't in the mood to answer much. She decided on one final question.

"What now?"

The god closed his eyes.

"I... apologize."


Camp brought a myriad of emotions.

There was some longing - that this was where he was supposed to be, surrounded by demigods like him. That he'd bond and make friends, that he'd learn how to fight like a Greek, maybe get a girlfriend.

Summer camp things.

There was envy - watching at the outskirts of the camp border at kids bustling about, having fun. And not being considered dead.

And there, floating through his mind -

Stalkers.

"Percy!"

The boy turned around to face the source of the voice. Luke came jogging down a hill towards him, flanked by Annabeth and Chiron.

"Where've you been, dude?" Luke asked, lightly panting. "Heard you met with Lord Hades. Wonder what-"

-was hatred.

Bitterness swelled in Percy's chest as the older demigod neared him. Before Luke finished his sentence, Percy threw a punch, connecting with Luke's temple just as the man's head poked out of the barrier, causing the man to stumble but not fall.

Maybe he should have put some of the Lethe's strength into the hit.

The three of them halted. Luke blinked, touching his cheek.

"Percy? What's all this about?" asked Chiron.

The boy stared at him before turning to Annabeth, who paled.

"You didn't tell them?"

The centaur frowned. "Tell us what?"

Percy didn't respond to that, leaning to the side to look behind them. "Where's Grover and Katie?"

"Don't worry about them," interjected Luke. "Percy, what the Hades was that for?"

"Shut up," snarled Percy, uncapping Anaklusmos. "It's all your fault."

Percy ran towards Luke-

-only to bounce against the camp borders.

He blinked, pushing against the border, but it remained firm against him. Gritting his teeth, he continued to press forward, before an arrow to the cheek caused him to trip.

The demigod looked up. Archers had taken up positions around the border now, observing him. The only one without a notched arrow was Lee.

The boy who took care of him when he'd been unconscious.

"Calm down, Percy," said Lee, though his hand was shaking slightly. "I don't wanna fire another one at you."

Whispers grew as more and more campers went to the border. Their voices all mixed together but amidst the commotion, one word kept popping up.

"Monster."

Percy glared at Annabeth. "Annabeth."

She hid behind Luke.

"Where. Are. They?"

Chiron's eyes darted from him to Annabeth. "Percy, please just-"

The boy snarled.

His last birthday party.

Gritting his teeth, he threw one more punch, ignoring the arrows whizzing around him, barrier glowing brighter and brighter as it pushed back against the power-infused fist before-

- "I give Percy Jackson permission to enter camp!"

The strain vanished and Percy surged forward, falling forward from the sudden movement. Without hesitation though, he picked himself up and ran towards Luke-

-only to be knocked aside by Annabeth.

"What are you doing?!" he snarled.

"Stop!" she pleaded. "Don't kill him!"

He used the last of the previous memory's strength to wrest her off him and dashed towards a now-fleeing Luke, ignoring arrows as they whizzed around him.

"Stop!" he heard Katie yell. "What are you idiots shooting arrows at him for?"

"He's trying to kill Luke!" insisted Annabeth. "We can't let-"

By then, Percy had ran too far ahead to hear what she had to say. There was nothing to say, though.

He had no words to spare on traitors.


"End of the line, Luke."

The man stood at the center of the arena, not facing Percy.

"Well," demanded the boy. "Tell me why! Why did you trick us?"

"No, how about you answer my question first?" asked Luke. Any pretense of fear had now disappeared from his tone. "Why are you still alive?"

"So you did want me dead! I trusted you!"

"You did," sighed Luke. He cracked his neck. "And I bet you already know the answers to your other questions too. Now will you answer me?"

Percy's jaw clenched.

"Tell the boy. Let him know what you have been through, what you suffered to-"

'Go away.'

Percy marched forward, stony-faced. "This is my answer."

Luke raised an eyebrow in response. "Percy, you've yet to beat me. You really think a little quest is enough to make up the difference?"

"Shut up, traitor!" The boy rushed forward, only for his blow to be blocked by Luke. With a stroke of his blade, Luke knocked Percy back.

It wasn't a perfect defense though. Percy could feel it. With Ares, it felt like he was swinging his sword against a brick wall, trying to knock over a house with a stick. An ant fighting against a god.

But Luke? Luke was a man. And if a god could be slain, then so too could he.

Percy slashed again, much more force behind his blade now. Luke was forced to use both hands this time - still cleanly blocking the hit, but now the man sported a frown.

Was Percy always this strong.

"You want to see how I survived? Like this!"

And with a vicious pull in his gut, a series of booms rattled camp as every toilet, sink, and even the lake exploded upwards into pillars of water.

He ran forward, the water lurching towards the pair to follow his movements. Luke's eyes widened momentarily before he hastily parried the blow. The more experienced swordsman managed to disarm Percy, but he was not expecting a wall of water to crash into him.

Spluttering, he tried to force his head out, only for more and more water to crash against him. Luke screamed before being cut short by Percy's punch to the throat.

"Screw you!" screamed Percy. "It's all your fault! Mom's dead because of you!" Anaklusmos returned to his pocket and he brought it down on Luke-

-and failed to kill him as the man managed to put his left arm up in time, gurgling in pain as the blade cut deeper and deeper with Percy's growing rage.

"Go to Hades," spat Percy, giving up another memory as he brute-forced his blade through the man's armor, before finally cutting off the arm.

Stalkers.

He didn't have long before the others arrived. Instincts screaming at him, he swirled the water around him, blocking off a wave of arrows.

"Percy, stop!" pleaded Chiron. "Look at what you've done to the camp!"

"I don't care," the boy growled. He didn't take his eyes off of Luke. "I want him gone."

He felt someone run up and try to pull him off, but he was still on the high of the previous memory and didn't budge. He lifted the sword one more time.

"NO!"

Percy stumbled as the whispering voice yelled, disorienting him. Taking advantage of this, Annabeth took her knife and struck the small of his back.

"Run, Luke!" she screamed. Luke looked at her and the rest of camp. He winced as he watched Percy wrench the knife out of his back and toss Annabeth off him. He cursed under his breath, before grabbing his sword with his right hand and cutting open a portal. Before anyone could question him, he slipped through the crack, and it sealed up.

Silence loomed over the camp as they looked at the empty spot where the man once stood.

"You knew," said Percy, breaking the silence. Although he towered over Annabeth, Anaklusmos was not yet back in his hand.

The girl was too terrified to reply.

"Why?" whispered Percy, his rage boiling again. "You knew."

"Percy, I did-"

"You were there," he growled. "When those stupid shoes almost got Grover killed. Shoes that would have killed me if I was wearing them. Shoes that he gave. You knew."

She swallowed her throat, backing up. "I did."

"Then why?"

"I didn't want Luke to die!"

"Why?!" Percy roared. He stalked forwards, fury clouding his thoughts as Anaklusmos returned to his pocket. He uncapped the pen. "Tell-"

Drip.

He felt something cold. Something wet.

Looking down, he saw a puddle of murky water underneath his feet, his shoes corroded by the Styx's filth. It's icy touch caused him to shiver, and his rage vanished.

Well, more like everything vanished. The pain of the Styx wiped his mind of all thoughts, clearing up his thoughts as his body gradually acclimated to the sting. When it died down, he blinked and looked around.

Camp was a mess. Cabins laid in ruins, campers were wading through the soggy ground, and the entire lake was still being suspended in the air.

And just a few steps away from his sword was Annabeth, staring at him with dread and...

Resignation.

Percy's shoulders slumped. Anaklusmos fell out of his hand as he felt himself sinking into the puddle, mind addled by the Lethe stealing his memories. Before the murky waters engulfed him, Annabeth heard him mutter.

"What was I thinking?"


"So you failed."

Percy had no words for the Titaness before him.

"Do you know why?"

He shook his head.

She waded out of her river, caressing his face with her hand. "You are young."

She whirled a finger around. Water began rising from the river and forming various shapes, eventually forming a crude version of him.

"Though a member of the House of Styx," she continued. "You do not understand hate. You let it control you."

Percy's eyes stayed fixed on the scene before him. The water double fought against another water person recklessly, ending with his double hacking off the opponent's arm.

"You turn your blade against allies, ignore your surroundings, and forget where you came from."

All Percy could do was nod.

"I would have it that you train," Styx said. "In mind, body, and spirit. It will not do for a champion of my House to falter behind Olympus."

She paused, turning back to him. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes."

Styx stared for a moment before nodding in return. "Excellent. Do as I say, and perhaps I shall provide you a fitting reward."

She opened up her right palm, and innumerable small orbs rose out of her river, lighting up the cavern into a star-filled night sky.

"I am the Oathkeeper," she explained, as two orbs flew onto her palm, one white and one blue. The rest slipped back into the river's water, bathing the duo in a familiar darkness. "Those that swear on my river and break their oaths owe me a boon."

She picked up the white orb, and examined it briefly before nodding.

"I call upon Storm Goddess Kymopoleia."

Nothing happened for a few seconds. Percy scratched his cheek awkwardly, but looking at Styx's stoic face, he saw she was serious. With a deep breath, he straightened up and continued waiting for their visitor.

Soon, the river began swelling. The wind began to pick up, first a whisper, and transformed into a howling typhoon, battering the Styx's waters against the cave's walls. Percy felt himself struggling against the winds, and closed his eyes against the howling currents. Before he could be blown away, a firm hand from the Titaness kept him in place.

When he opened his eyes again, in front of him was a colossal goddess with glowing white skin and hair like jellyfish tendrils. She was clad in a green dress and an abalone shell belt.

So this was the goddess of storms.

"I am here," she declared, bowing slightly to Styx. "May I know the occasion?"

"I offer you the chance to atone for your oath," explained the Titaness, showing her the orb.

Kymopoleia threw her head back, laughing. "So ye'll forgive me after all!" Styx said nothing, opting to wait for her response.

"I accept! What'll it be then?"

Percy felt Styx's hand leave him. "I want you to train this one."

Kymopoleia blinked, bending down to get a better look at Percy. He swore he could see her nostrils widen slightly as she sniffed him. "Father's blood, aye? So this youngling is our little Titan-slayer. 'e smells old. And strong."

"God," Percy blurted out. Kymopoleia raised an eyebrow.

"I killed a god," he explained.

"Mmm, the war god. A fine win." Her delicate face widened into a grin. "Yes, ye'll do nicely."

She extended her hand. Styx dropped the orb onto the palm, closing her eyes as Kymopoleia crushed the ball, faint wisps escaping between her fingers.

"It is done," declared Styx. "Your marriage to Braires has properly been voided."

Kymopoloeia opened her palm, staring reverently as the last of the wisps vanished into the air. Then, she burst out laughing, the RIver Styx becoming more violent as the waves roe and crash with her cackling.

"Free at last!" she shouted, grabbing Percy with one hand. "I can take 'im now, yes?"

Styx tilted her head to the side. "I expect results, Jackson."

Percy nodded, resisting the shiver down his spine as Styx said his name. "Yes, ma'am."

The Titaness of Hate watched emotionlessly as the goddess vanished with the demigod in tow. Once the waters calmed back down, she turned back to the blue orb. It hummed faintly, glowing with power.

"I know you have been watching us. I give you permission to enter."


"θύελλα!"

A swirling ball of water and wind shot past Percy's head, decapitating the training dummy behind him. Undeterred, Percy flicked his wrist, a tendril of water snaking towards Kymopoleia.

She sliced the tendril with her left hand, cleaving it in two, only to reveal Percy was already on the move. Anaklusmos in hand, he swung the blade with a roar-

-only to be battered aside by a miniature hurricane.

"Twenty seconds," nodded the goddess. She whipped up some winds that hoisted Percy back onto his feet. "Yer getting faster, little brother."

Seeing him nod, she continued. "Lemme see yer eyewall."

The eyewall. A ring of nearly impenetrable air and water, where the fury of a hurricane was most potent.

Percy took a deep breath and clenched his gut. He faintly heard the roar of the ocean in his head, images of crashing waves flitting through his mind. Power coursed through his veins, and he felt his body tense up. Faint wind began to swirl around him, picking up as the feeling in his gut tightened more and more.

"Steady now," instructed Kymopoleia, grabbing his head. "Ya need to control yer power. Don't let it usurp ye."

The demigod focused on her words, tightening up his posture. His muscles screamed as the storm he had been building up yearned to break free, to escape his physical body.

"Power must be tamed," continued Kymopoleia. "Rein it in, shackle it, make it yers! Establish yourself as its master, that ye are worthy of wielding it!"

Percy tried to move, but the weight on his body refused to let him. Anger began welling up as he fought harder and harder to combat the sensation.

Was he really this weak?

"Enough."

With a touch, Kymopoleia dispersed all the power accumulating in him. Percy collapsed, gasping and cursing.

"Easy," murmured the goddess, lightly drizzling water onto Percy. "Storms are fickle things. They wanna escape, to cause as much havoc as they please. Ye are but a little child. Yer body isn't strong enough to fight back against the rage of the seas yet

She stood up. "Nor do I expect ya to. Father's blood that ya are, yer but a halfblood youngling. The body of man with the power of a god. Ye channel more power than most do. what with that blasted primordial sea in yer veins. It's a damn miracle ya haven't torn yer body in two yet."

Body of man. Then...

"So hold on," said Percy. He pushed himself up. "You're saying it's because I'm frail? 'Cause I'm human?"

"Aye." Kymopoleia's response had no arrogance behind it, only honesty.

"Alright," decided Percy. He splashed some water on his face, clearing his mind. "Lemme try again."

He tightened up his gut again. The ocean roared in his head again, and a familiar feeling surged through his body. The fury of the storm wanted to be freed once more.

This time, though, Percy was more prepared. He took deep breaths, allowing the mist in the air to check the burning sensation in his lungs. Offering a memory to the Lethe, he forced his arm forward.

Power screamed inside him, desperate to tear itself out of Percy's body - but the Lethe-granted strength kept his muscles together, figurative shackles binding a nondescript force from breaking free.

Percy's confidence grew with each passing second, each precious moment where he held the internal storm at bay another infinitely-long second that his power did not take over, his defiance against the raw power he had yet to master.

And so, as the demigod closed his eyes, he found himself on a ravaged beach, a writhing tower of storms continuing to batter along the shore, but unable to cause damage. Ethereally white chains surrounded the tower, and as the chains glowed whiter, the storm squirmed more desperately, winds swirling faster and faster as it vainly attempted to escape.

And he was its master.

In spite of the terrifying winds, lightning, hail, and more, Percy stood in defiance, Kymopoleia's mist reminding him of who he was.

"Obey."


"No way," laughed Katie. Percy grumbled in response, tossing a leaf at her.

Weeks of training with Kymopoleia had convinced Styx that he was fit to be seen in public again, and while he was almost certainly still a prisoner (servant?) of the Titaness, she did permit him to visit Camp Half-Blood again.

Mostly to help rebuild it.

"Head!" roared a camper, causing the two to duck. A massive tree trunk narrowly swung above them. Holding it up was a small group of Hephaestus campers.

"Sorry!" grunted a dark-skinned man, Beckendorf. "Mind helping us with this, Perce?"

The boy stood up and took up a position next to Beckendorf. With a little effort, he managed to raise their side up a few inches. "This good?"

Beckendorf grinned and clapped Percy on the back with one hand. "You're sure as Hades stronger than you look. C'mon, we're bringing this over to the Hermes cabin."

A few minutes passed as Katie tended to the Demeter Cabin plants before Percy came back, a little winded.

"So how did your sister take the news after you lassoed a storm in your mind?" teased Katie.

"Pretty good, all things considered. She said it was the stupidest thing she had ever heard of, but was willing to believe me after I made my own little eyewall."

Katie shook her head. "Percy, how old are you again?"

"I turn 12 in a couple days. Why, what's up?"

"None of this fazes you?" she asked, incredulous. "You're younger than most people here, yet you can already make your own mini hurricane. Most people don't even have powers."

Percy blinked, before responding the only way he knew how.

"Oh."

He gave her a weak smile. He was worried for a second about how she'd handle his lack of words, but she broke out into laughter

"You're so weird!" she exclaimed.

"Hey..."

"I think that's a good thing," she amended. "You're strange. Different. You remind me of when we fought Ares together, or nearly peed our pants dealing with Hades, but you feel so... Percy-like. You're very strong but act normal. Unlike Annabeth, who's, you know, kinda just normal but really smart."

Percy chuckled. "Thanks for the compliment."

Slowly, their laughter trickled out and they were left in silence. An awkward tension hung in the air as they remembered where they were, and the elephant in the room.

He did just destroy the camp a couple of weeks ago.

Percy was the first to break the silence. "Sooo... how did she take the news?"

Katie shrugged. "I mean, she already knew. I bet she just didn't want to accept it. Luke didn't really help her case when he ran off with that freaky sword of his instead of defending himself. She stayed quiet the whole time I explained things."

Percy said nothing, staring at the nearly-rebuilt Athena cabin for a moment.

"You know, I could almost forgive her for that," he admitted. "If she had just told me why. It just... hurts, you know?"

Katie said nothing, rubbing his back.

"I mean, we went through the underworld together. We fought Ares together. Ares! We fought and beat the god of war! And she just... backstabbed me."

"She did do that literally," quipped Katie. Percy threw her a mock glare.

"Are you going to see her?" she asked.

Percy shook his head. "I need a little time. Lady Styx said I'm "presentable for the public" or whatever, but she never answered my question about if I could be trusted not to accidentally kill any of you by accident. And Annabeth... I don't want to kill her. I don't hate her."

He paused. "At least, I don't think so."

The two walked along camp towards the beach, mulling on his words. They watched as the sun began to set, slowly dipping into the horizon.

"You know," Katie began. "Maybe you could ask Grover? He knew Luke and Annabeth pretty well. I'm sure he could tell you something."

"Yeah. Maybe."

Katie sighed, standing up. "Come on, get up, Percy."

"Eh?"

She pulled him up, before pulling out a small box from her dress. "I wasn't sure when to give this to you, but since you won't be here for your birthday, I wanted to give this to you. Early birthday gift, you know?"

Percy took the box. It was almost characteristically a gift from a Demeter camper, made of wood and bound by vines. He slowly unwrapped it and found a green bracelet, created through an intricate array of woven leaves and vines.

"I thought that it was a little fitting, you know?" said Katie, though Percy didn't miss the light quiver in her voice. "Cause, you know, how you gave me the bracelet, and then it saved my life. I just felt it was a nice re-"

"Katie," interrupted Percy. He gave her a wide smile. "I love it."

She blinked before sighing. "Thank the gods." She turned to the sunset.

"You know, there's still some time before the end of the day. When does Lady Styx want you back by?"

Percy shrugged. "Whenever she wants, I guess." She flashed him a cheeky grin.

"Whaddya say we give you one last great memory at camp?" She took up his hands and cleared her throat.

"Percy Jackson," she said in a comically deep voice. "May I have this dance?"

Percy scrunched up his face. "I don't dance."

"You're gonna learn today," she laughed.

And so the two demigods danced away as the sun set on the camp. Eventually, Katie had to return, and the Styx had him go back.

But as the murky Stygian waters began to drag him down, he gave camp one final smile of the night.

Perhaps it wasn't so bad of a summer vacation after all.


Happy holidays, folks.