"Valen!" Percy called for me as I walked away, the meeting had disbanded, and I wanted nothing more than to lay down and pass out, my tricks during the game had drained me more than I wanted to admit.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping me back there."

I smiled, "Of course, you're my first friend in years, that's the least I could do."

"Oh, thanks again I guess?"

There it was again, that look of pity. I fought the urge to scowl.

"So," Percy trailed off awkwardly, "How's being claimed treating you?"

I shrugged, "Not too bad, the togas more comfortable than it looks."

"You're comfortable in that?" Percy looked at me incredulously.

I snorted lightly, "Probably because it was literally made for me."

"Fair enough." He said, still sounding doubtful.

As we reached the dining pavilion, dinner had already begun by now, I chose to speak about the seating arrangements.

"Doesn't it ever get lonely?"

"What?"

I stared pointedly at his table, "Sitting alone at your table."

"Sometimes," Percy agreed, "But Tyson comes every once in a while and it gets less lonely."

"Tyson?" I wasn't aware Posiedon had more children.

"He's my half-brother, and a cyclops."

"You have a cyclops as a half brother?!"

Percy winced at the volume, "Yeah, he's nice."

From my experience in dealing with cyclops, they were most definitely not nice, But I'd trust Percy's word.

I bid him goodbye as I headed towards the Hermes table, Bianca and Nico having saved a seat for me.

"You got an outfit after being claimed, cool! I wonder if I'll get one too." Nico was instantly in fanboy mode.

I tensed, "I don't know Nico, not every god gives you a makeover when they claim you."

Nico's eyes widened, realizing his blunder, "I hope my Olympian parent does."

I mentally breathed a sigh, crisis averted. Dinner went normally after that/

That night, I had a nightmare.

I was back to being twelve, back to the day my mother died. I stood rooted to the ground as I watched my mother facing a horde of monsters on her own, her golden spear held in a battle pose.

I wanted to move, to pull her back, to do anything to save her, but I couldn't. Thunder crackled in the distance, and the fight began.

"Run!" My mother yelled, her spear shish-kebabing a draceanae.

My prayers finally answered, my body finally moved. But not in the direction I wanted it to. No, no, no, no. Not that way, I need to save mom! Move dammit!

I ran, my mother drowning in the near endless sea of monsters.

You shall betray them all, leave them to die.

The voice made the very earth tremble, a sinister voice, as old as time itself.

But you cannot be blamed, it is in your blood to do so.

The very same pity I loathed was dripping off his voice.

Even your new 'friends', if they can be called that, will face betrayal at your hands.

"They will not!"

The fates may hold you loosely, yet your destiny shall be the same.

What?

Watch godling, watch as everything you love burns by your hands.

My ears ringed, the way they did when someone died aorund me. I choked back a sob, my mother had left the realm of the living.

I shot up gasping, cold sweat lining my forehead. My heavy breathing thankfully didn't wake anyone up.

Running a hand down my face, I sighed deeply. I was no stranger to nightmares, but usually they didn't have sinister voices in the background. It also meant I wouldn't be going to sleep anytime soon.

I sighed once more, might as well get up.

Yet, when I got up, I noticed how my clothes had changed. My toga had been switched to a more casual outfit, I now wore a black hoodie, a dull golden shirt, and black jeans. The laurel wreath was the only thing that remained.

It was getting annoying how I switched outfits without my knowledge or consent. Oh well, it's better than the toga, I stand out a lot less.

.

.

.

I had completely obliterated one of the dummies and was moving on to the second one by the time Bianca found me.

I smiled good naturedly at her, "Morni-"

"Nico's missing."

My smile melted off instantly, "What?"

"He wasn't there when I woke up, and no one else in the camp has seen him! I don't know what to do! Please, help me! Please!" Bianca was frantic, tears threatening to spill free from her eyes.

"Bianca, calm down. You're hyperventilating." I grabbed her shoulders, stabilizing her forcibly.

She snapped, "How can I be calm when Nico is missing!"

"Calm down, I assure you, I will find him, even if it's the last thing I do."

She nodded weakly, her breath shuddering. Glancing behind her, I saw the Apollo counsellor staring at us, confusion visible on his face.

"Lee, right?"

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Could you look after her? I need to talk to Chiron."

"Of course, I'll handle things here." He assured me, gently pushing Bianca to the stands. I wasted no time in bolting at the big house.

"Chiron!" I barged in, "Nico is-"

"I know." He said solemnly, staring pointedly at the misty screen in the room. The quest members stood on the other side, Nico included. Percy waved at me awkwardly.

I let out a breath of relief, he wasn't in any danger.

I noticed they had only four members, bar Nico, the other Hunter candidate missing. Huh, so they did fall for the Stoll brothers' prank then I didn't want to know what sort of vengeance they'd deliver.

"Percy was just telling me how they found a stowaway in the truck." Chiron sounded pretty displeased, not really angry but quite disappointed.

"Where are you?" I asked, "Depending on how far, I could probably shadow travel in and get Nico back."

"We're in Manhattan, near the Chrysler Building." Percy answered, making me pale slightly. They were pretty far away, almost too far away. But I was confident I could make the trip back.

"It's fine if you cannot come," Percy said, probably noticing my expression, "I could bring him back-"

"We cannot afford to waste more time." Zoe said irritatibly.

I sighed, "I'll make the trip."

"Child-"

"I'll be fine Chiron, exhausted but fine." I reassured him, and he nodded.

I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes in deep concentration. I can do it, it's only a bit over a hundred miles.

And then, I entered the shadow realm. The familiar chill and eerie whispers welcomed me, as I crossed the distance in mere moments.

I felt like I hadn't slept in days when I got out on the other side. Grabbing the nearest object, I tried to stabilize myself. I had never travelled such a large distance before, not in one leap.

"There he is!" I heard someone faintly in the distance. Sucking in a deep breath, I stood up straight.

"He really did it." I heard Thalia mutter.

I grinned, "You bet I did."

I noticed Nico looking at his shoes dejectedly, kneeling down at his level, I placed an arm on his shoulder, "I'm not going to yell at you Nico, if you agree never to do this again, at least not until you're sufficiently trained."

He nodded weakly.

Patting his shoulder, I stood up, blinking as my vision spun. Shadow travelling so far had drained me a lot, I didn't know if I could make the trip back safely, and few things were worse than being stranded in the shadow realm.

I offered him my hand. Hesitating a little, he returned the gesture, his eyes widening in slight panic when he suddenly fell into his own shadow. I had sent him on his way, using Bianca's presence at camp as a homing beacon.

Well, now that that's done, time to get my own ass back.

I stood up, immediately regretting it as my vision doubled and my balance disoriented.

"Uh, Valen?"

Were there always two Percys?

"Yeah?"

"What is happening to you?"

I furrowed my brows, looking down at my still outstretched hand. I could see straight through it.

"Oh."

When did the ground come to close?

.

.

.

I woke up in the backseat of a car going extremely fast.

Stifling a groan, I pushed myself up to a sitting position.

From the looks of it, I was alone in the Vehicle. I glanced outside, we were parked at the National Air and Space Museum. I had never been there, but I had wanted to at one time. But there was no time for sightseeing now.

It was clear whose car I was in. The last thing I remembered was sending Nico back to camp and falling unconscious.

As I waited for them to return, I pondered whether I should stay with them. We were too far for me to shadow travel back without killing myself.

Don't get me wrong, I could get back just fine without shadow travelling all the way, it would just be a hassle.

'You shall betray them all, leave them to die.'

I gulped, two members were fated to die on this quest. If I stayed back, I could be spared that fate, but if I stayed….

I shook my head, it didn't matter now, I had to find them.

Suddenly, I tensed up, I could sense the underworld, death and soulless bodies nearby.

I had regained enough strength to fight, not fully replenished, but good enough. Quietly slipping outside, making sure I wasn't seen, I eyed the black sedan warily.

A man with gray hair and a military buzz cut got out. He was wearing dark shades and a black overcoat.

I would have written it off as a normal mortal, had his left hand not been in a sling. I could see how his hand dangled abnormally, and the lack of mass around his shoulder blade.

I scowled, Manticore.

Thorn crossed the street and climbed the steps of the Museum of Natural History. There was a big sign on the door. At first I thought it said CLOSED FOR PIRATE EVENT. Then I realized PIRATE must be PRIVATE.

Putting on my hood, I willed the shadows to cover me as I followed him inside.

I was in a huge round room with a balcony ringing the second level. At least a dozen mortal guards stood on the balcony, plus two monsters—reptilian women with double-snake trunks instead of legs. I had dealt with them before, Scythian Dracaenae.

Standing between the monsters, a lone demigod stood. Pale skin, blond-almost grey, hair and a scar down the side of his face. Luke, if the descriptions I had been given were anything to go by.

But that wasn't the worst part, no. Next to him. A man sat, covered my shadows. Yet that did nothing to conceal him from me.

He looked like a statue, with dark slicked back hair and eyes as grey as stone. Muscles rippled under his skin, he could probably snap me in half with one hand. I gulped, his soul was practically blinding. Immortal.

"Well?" He asked, his voice eerily similar to the one in my dream, but not the same.

Dr. Thorn took off his shades. His two-colored eyes, brown and blue, glittered with excitement. He made a stiff bow, then spoke in his weird French accent: "They are here, General."

"I know that, you fool," boomed the man. "But where?"

"In the rocket museum."

"The Air and Space Museum," Luke corrected irritably.

Dr. Thorn glared at Luke. "As you say, sir"

I got the feeling Thorn would just as soon impale Luke with one of his spikes as call him sir.

"How many?" Luke asked.

Thorn pretended not to hear.

"How many?" the General demanded.

"Four, General," Thorn said. "The satyr, Grover Underwood. The son of Posiedon. And the girl with the spiky black hair and the—how do you say—punk clothes and the horrible shield."

"Thalia," Luke said.

"And a hunter, this ine wears a circlet."

"That one I know," the General growled. Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably.

"Let me take them," Luke said to the General. "We have more than enough—"

"Patience," the General said. "They'll have their hands full already. I've sent a little playmate to keep them occupied."

"But—"

"We cannot risk you, my boy."

"Yes, boy," Dr. Thorn said with a cruel smile. "You are much too fragile to risk. Let me finish them off."

"No." The General rose from his chair, and I stepped back on instinct.

"You have already failed me, Thorn," he said.

"But, General—"

"No excuses!" Thorn flinched.

"I should throw you into the pits of Tartarus for your incompetence," the General said. "I send you to capture a child of the three elder gods, and you bring me a scrawny daughter of Athena."

"But you promised me revenge.'" Thorn protested. "A command of my own!"

"I am Lord Kronos's senior commander," the General said. "And I will choose lieutenants who get me results! It was only thanks to Luke that we salvaged our plan at all. Now get out of my sight, Thorn, until I find some other menial task for you."

Thorn's face turned purple with rage. I thought he was going to start frothing at the mouth or shooting spines, but he just bowed awkwardly and left the room.

"Now, my boy." The General turned to Luke. "The first thing we must do is isolate the half-blood Thalia. The monster we seek will then come to her."

"The Hunters will be difficult to dispose of," Luke said. "Zoe Nightshade—"

"Do not speak the traitors name!" His voice boomed, filled with rage and anguish.

"Enjoying the show, son of Hades?" He snapped his neck towards me, staring at me as if I wasn't covered heavily by darkness.

I gulped but played along, "I've seen better."

"What is your purpose here? You do not hold any love for the Olympians, why help them?"

I shrugged, "I'm not, I'm simply here to make sure my friends return alive."

"An admirable goal, but sacrifices are necessary in a war."

I nodded in understanding, "I can agree with that, but I'd rather those sacrifices not be people I care about."

"You cannot change what is already written."

I smiled coyly, "I've been told the fates dont hold me very tightly."

He tilted his head to the side slightly, "I will make you an offer Valen Steensen, make sure Zoe Nightshade pays for her crimes, and I shall make it so the son of Posiedon and Daughter of Zeus return alive."

"And the satyr."

He sighed, "And the satyr."

I remained silent after that, I could guarantee their survival if I did this, but I didn't think they'd like the fact that I basically traded their lives.

"Take time to think about it if you need to." The titan waved me away.

Wordlessly, I shadow travelled away, still considering his offer.

The main part of the museum was one huge room with rockets and airplanes hanging from the ceiling. Three levels of balconies curled around, so you could look at the exhibits from all different heights. The place wasn't crowded, just a few families and a couple of tour groups of kids, probably doing one of those holiday school trips.

I almost ran into Thalia, swerving at the last possible moment. Grover yelped in surprise and I heard an arrow being notched.

"Whoa, friendly here, don't shoot." Just in case, I made sure I could shadow travel away if needed.

"Valen!" Both my cousins cried out.

"In the flesh," I said with a small smile, "err, solid flesh that is."

"What happened to you back there?" Grover asked, "I have never seen something reeking that much of death."

I shrugged, "Probably the consequence of using my power too much. I suspect it's gonna send me straight to my father if I strain myself too far."

"No," Zoe spoke for the first time since I had arrived, "When a child of Hades overuses their powers, their very soul is obliterated. You will not be going to the underworld, boy."

"Ah, I see." That was troubling news, I wonder if I can strain the limit though.

I shook my head, "Anyways, we need to move. Like, right now."

"What? Why?"

"The general, who's a titan by the way, is here. He knows you're here, I have no doubts he's planning to send something after us."

"The General is here?" Zoe looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie."

"I literally talked with him." I deadpanned, "And I sensed his soul in the room so it wasn't an illusion."

"What did he say to thee?"

"Unimportant, look we can stay here and have a nice little chat or we can leave now and not deal with a titan."

"You are not part of this quest." She said, finally lowering her bow.

"I'll be out of your hair the moment we loose them alright? We're wasting time arguin-"

Everyone froze, a growl so loud it sounded more like a rocket engine came from behind us.

Below us, a few adults screamed. A little kid's voice screeched with delight: "Kitty!"

Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur. I grimaced, the Nemean Lion.

"The Nemean Lion," Thalia said, voicing my thoughts. "Don't move."

The lion roared so loud it parted my hair. Its fangs gleaming like stainless steel.

"Separate on my mark," Zoe said. "Try to keep it distracted."

"Until when?" Grover asked.

"Until I think of a way to kill it. Go!"

"I don't think it can be killed, the conventional way that is." I muttered under my breath, spinning stormguards ring and warping to the side.

Arrows shattered against its skin, grovers tune had no effect. The only thing that made it react was Thalias shield.

"Physical attacks won't work against it!" I yelled, "Percy, Thalia, we're the only ones who have a chance at damaging it."

"How?" Percy asked, dodging the lion by jumping on the wing of an airplane.

"Try to drown it, a ball of water around its head. Thalia, you and I are the heavy hitters, let's roast this thing."

I felt the humidity in the air decrease rapidly, focusing on one point, the smell of ozone became apparent. I grinned, my hand wreathed in hellfire.

It all happened so fast. Almost too fast.

First, a ball of water enclosed around the lion's mouth, swiftly cutting off its oxygen supply, heracles did beat him by suffocating him.

The next moment, the sky fell. Blue tendrils of lightning assaulted the beast repeatedly. Energy isn't easily stopped by matter. Its vital organs should be failing as of now.

I knelt down, sticking my hand into my shadow, and pumped almost all my remaining magic reserves to the fire.

It was magnificent, the black flames rising at least ten feet in the air, the smell of burnt meat filled the air. Not even the golden dust remained when the fire receded, merely part of its pelt.

Percy picked up the pelt, revealing a glittering golden jacket. He handed it to me, "Take it."

I pointed to my hoodie, "I have my own, thanks."

"It is a spoil of war," Zoe told me. "It is rightly thine."

"The three of us combined killed it." I eyed her curiously, why had the titan wanted her dead?

"Yeah, but you dealt the final blow." Thalia pointed out, looking a bit drained.

I shrugged, "I'm not exchanging my jacket for that, you guys can have it."

"Where did you get those clothes anyway? Weren't you wearing a toga?"

"I don't know, perhaps the toga transformed to casual clothes while I was asleep, or perhaps my pops came up, changed me without managing to wake me up, and left without a sign."

Thalia scrunched her nose, "Thank's for that image."

"Glad to help."

In the end, we decided to let Percy have it.

"Not exactly my style," he murmured.

"We have to get out of here," Grover said. "The security guards won't stay confused for long."

I noticed for the first time how strange it was that the guards hadn't rushed forward to arrest us. They were scrambling in all directions except ours, like they were madly searching for something. A few were running into the walls or each other.

"You did that?" Percy asked Grover.

I whistled in appreciation, useful trick against mortals.

He nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "A minor confusion song. I played some Barry Manilow. It works every time. But it'll only last a few seconds."

"The security guards are not our biggest worry," Zoe said. "Look."

Through the glass walls of the museum, I could see a group of men walking across the lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits. They were too far away for us to see their eyes, but I could feel their gaze aimed straight at me.

"Spartoi." I cursed under my breath.

"You know what those things are?" Percy asked and I nodded.

"Yes, undead soldiers, nigh impossible to kill. As far as I'm aware only someone with power over death could put them down for good." I explained, "I would do that, but…"

I tried summoning hellfire, but I was met with a single sparking ember. "I'm all out of juice."

I sighed, "I could try baiting them away and finishing them off when I regain some strength, that's ought to get them off your backs."

"No," Zoe said. "We go together."

I raised an eyebrow, "Why the change of heart?"

"You are part of this quest now," Zoe said grudgingly. "I do not like it, but there is no changing fate. You are the fifth quest member. And we are not leaving anyone behind."

.

.

.

We were crossing the Potomac when we spotted the helicopter. It was a sleek, black military model just like the one we'd seen at Westover Hall. And it was coming straight toward us.

"They know the van," Percy said. "We have to ditch it."

"Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully.

"The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," he said. "How can the General use mortals, anyway?"

"Mercenaries," Zoe said bitterly. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid."

"But don't these mortals see who they're working for?" he asked. "Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

I spoke up, "Frankly, they do not care who they work for as long as they're getting paid. These ones will go straight to the fields of punishment."

"Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters." Zoe agreed.

I could send up my sword, knock them out of the sky, but I don't know if I could get it back, and I didn't want to risk one of the last things my mother gave me.

Thalia closed her eyes and prayed hard.

"Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice about now. Please?"

But the sky stayed gray and snowy. No sign of a helpful thunderstorm.

I closed my eyes, concentrating on the earth around me. Combined with my Shadow Sense, I could sense almost everything in the nearby vicinity.

"That parking lot!" I pointed, "There's an underground structure inside, possibly a subway."

Zoe looked at me warily, and I rolled my eyes, "Son of the Earthshatterer here?"

She sighed, shooting across two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south bank of the river. Getting out of the car, I led them downstairs.

"Yep, it's a subway alright." I said, before turning to Grover. "Where to now, still south?"

Grover nodded, "I think so."

We bought tickets and got through the turnstiles, looking behind us for any signs of pursuit. A few minutes later we were safely aboard a southbound train, riding away from D.C. As our train came above ground, we could see the helicopter circling the parking lot, but it didn't come after us.

"Nice thinking back there." Grover said.

"We're not out of it yet," I warned, "The helicopter could come after us again, mortals can be cunning."

As if on cue, we could hear the faint sound of helicopter blades in the background.

"We need to change trains," Percy said. "Next station."

Over the next half hour, all we thought about was getting away safely. We changed trains twice. I had no idea where we were going, but after a while we lost the helicopter.

Unfortunately, when we finally got off the train we found ourselves at the end of the line, in an industrial area with nothing but warehouses and railway tracks. And snow. Lots of snow. It seemed much colder here. I had zipped up my hoodie, but it did little to keep the cold out.

We wandered through the railway yard, thinking there might be another passenger train somewhere, but there were just rows and rows of freight cars, most of which were covered in snow, like they hadn't moved in years.

A homeless guy was standing at a trash-can fire. We must've looked pretty pathetic, because he gave us a toothless grin and said, "Y'all need to get warmed up? Come on over!'

I narrowed my eyes, the world around us darkening just a bit, and I saw his soul. I wish I hadn't. It almost blinded me. Only one god would have a soul that bright.

I tilted my head ever so slightly, Lord Apollo

Apollo put a finger to his lips, Shh, I'm incognito. Call me Fred.

I almost snorted, Behold, the mighty god Fred!

Apollo cracked a smile. We huddled around his fire, Thalia's teeth were chattering. She said, "Well this is g-g-ggreat."

"My hooves are frozen," Grover complained.

"Feet," Percy corrected.

"You know," the homeless man said, "you're never completely without friends."

His face was grimy and his beard tangled, but his expression seemed kindly. "You kids need a train going west?"

"Yes, sir," I said. "You know of any?"

Buddy, he is the ride west.

He pointed one greasy hand. I followed his finger to a freight train, gleaming and free of snow. It was one of those automobile-carrier trains, with steel mesh curtains and a triple-deck of cars inside. The side of the freight train said SUN WEST LINE.

"Very original." I muttered.

"That's… convenient," Thalia said. "Thanks, uh…"

She turned to the homeless guy, but he was gone. The trash can in front of us was cold and empty, as if he'd taken the flames with him, which he probably did.

An hour later we were rumbling west. There was no problem about who would drive now, because we all got our own luxury car.

Zoe and was crashed out in a Lexus on the top deck. Grover was playing race car driver behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. Percy and Thalia had hot-wired the radio in a black Mercedes SLK so she could pick up the alt-rock stations from D.C. And finally, I had found myself in a Rolls Royce.

I sighed wistfully inside, sinking in the leather. My eyes drooped, struggling to stay open.

"Oh, don't be afraid of dreams."

I almost jumped out of my seat, glaring at Apollo irritatedly, "I was just about to sleep, Fred."

"Oh…" he said sheepishly.

I sighed, might as well have a conversation. "Couldn't have come up with a better name than Sun West Line?"

He shrugged, "We cannot interfere in human quests, even when something really major is wrong."

I raised an eyebrow, "Fred, I'm pretty sure Big Zs gonna figure out you're helping us."

He smiled, "Ah, but you see, father wants us to help in quests, but even he is bound by the ancient rules. But as long as we remain discreet, he'll turn a blind eye."

I raised an eyebrow, "This the same guy who tried to kill a twelve year old because he thought the kid stole his lightning bolt?"

Apollo grimaced, "He can be rash sometimes."

I coughed, "Like his countless children weren't proof enough."

Apollo chuckled, "Well, I gotta go. Sweet dreams!"

And then he left, leaving me alone, allowing me to finally fall asleep.

That night, I dreamt of wolves and ravens. And a voice, not as sinister as last time but something different, something I couldn't put my finger on.

You reside on enemy grounds.

Well yeah, I am on a quest.

You do not belong, can you not see!

Geez dude, it's only been a few days, give me time to adjust will you?

Return to your roots, Scion of Thunder or they shall return to you.

Definitely not sinister at all.