The Demigod Revolution

by IIAPOLLYII

He's done being their pawn. He's tired of fighting their wars, doing their quest, and seeing his friends die all for nothing. He's sick of being the Gods's plaything. Enough is enough. It's time to leave, escape from their reign and live a life that's worth living. He'll be labeled a traitor and hunted for the remainder of his days but that's ok. REMAINDER OF SUMMARY INSIDE

12. Chapter 12 : Healing

"The more you love, the more you suffer"

"We'll stop here. We've walked long enough to avoid any monsters trailing behind." Artemis spoke up as the group of hunters and demigods behind her almost collapsed out of exhaustion. She herself was almost at the brink but they needed to do this lest they wanted even more people dead.

"Set up your tents, girls. I'll get your tents for you guys once we're all set up." Thalia said to Percy's group while beginning to help out the younger hunters with their stuff. Percy could only nod his head as he walked over to a fallen tree. His wobbly, tired legs immediately collapsed, finally free from hours of continuous walking. However, he was nowhere near feeling relaxed now that they could rest. Just because his body could rest doesn't mean his mind could.

Flashes of Hazel's terrified face kept appearing in his head. Her screams occasionally echoing in ears and even seeing her disfigured body looking at him in the corner of his eye. Yeah…he definitely wasn't able to relax. Glancing over at his friends who were either leaning against a tree or sitting on the ground he could tell that they were no better off, especially Frank. The poor guy hadn't said a word the entire duration of their walking nor drink or eat anything even after the hunters had offered him some. He couldn't blame Frank for how he was acting though. To have the love of your life killed in such a gruesome way right in front of you must be affecting him much more than the rest of them. Percy couldn't imagine how he would feel if Annabeth had been killed the same way right in front of him.

"My charmspeak won't even get him to eat." Piper whispered to his left, sitting down next to him. She had tried to get Frank to eat a little bit or even talk but the poor guy was so out of it that his mind couldn't even register Piper's powerful voice. Percy tore his eyes away from the son of Mars as he rubbed his hands together.

"Just let him be. It takes time to get out of that state." He replied, knowing better than anyone else what was currently going through Frank's head. Piper worriedly looked at the man but reluctantly agreed with Percy. She couldn't make Frank do anything he didn't want to after all. The two demigods sat in silence as they watched hunters set up their temporary camp. He could tell that Piper didn't come sit by him just because she wanted to. Her sideways glances and jittery hands gave it away.

"Just ask your question, Piper." Percy suddenly said, startling her as her eyes widened. She regained her composure as she took a deep breath.

"And how are you feeling?" She hesitantly asked, noticing the light in his eyes dimming.

"About as good as you can feel in this situation." He evenly replied, bringing riptide out of his pocket and twirling it in between his fingers. Piper could only nod her head. That was about the same for the rest of them. The situation they currently found themselves in is certainly something they've thought of. They just didn't think it would happen so soon. To lose Hazel, a sweet girl and a good friend, like that hit them hard.

"That's not all you want to ask me though, is it?" Percy interrupted her thoughts. She looked over at him, not noticing that his eyes were already on her. She openly stared into his unflinching sea green eyes, noticing that they seemed to contain untold amounts of emotion. Emotions like rage, anger, sadness, and regret, were on full display. Since when did Percy's gaze age by years in such a short time she wondered. And when did he become so insightful to know that she still had unanswered questions?

"When do you gain…. those powers?" She asked him, bracing herself for him to explode. But the son of Poseidon didn't, only sighing deeply as he put his pen back in his pocket. He really didn't want to talk about his powers or even think about them at the moment. But Piper deserved an explanation though. To see him act like that and do all those things to Ares must've really shocked and scared her. That was the last thing he wanted. Maybe telling her would help ease her worry, it seemed to work for the others when he told them about his powers earlier.

"I told the others about them already besides you, Katie and…. Hazel." He began, stumbling over his recently late friend. "But anyway, I first discovered it in Tartarus when Annabeth and I were attacked by a Goddess. I-I basically tortured her with her own power until Annabeth told me to stop."

"And why did-"

"Your faces reminded me of Annabeth." He interrupted, remembering how he felt when he saw the fear and terrified eyes staring at him as if he was a monster. "Your faces are what caused me to come back to reality and not kill Ares."

Piper couldn't say a word as she looked at Percy's eyes filled with raw emotion. It seemed the man had a lot internally going on and she didn't know what to say to help him. She didn't know if there was anything to say! What could you say to a man that hated the power he wielded? What could you say to someone that could end a life with a twist of their hand?

"I'm not scared of you." She settled on those words, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Percy looked up to her with almost eager eyes. It seemed he had been waiting a long time for someone to say that. "We're not scared of you, Percy."

"But-"

"No buts. Without you we would've died a long time ago. So don't be ashamed of your power. Use your power and continue to protect us."

Percy could only nod his head, too afraid to speak up as his throat felt clenched. What Piper had just said to him was something not even his father or Annabeth had told him before. Even they were afraid of his powers. But what the daughter of Aphrodite had said really relieved him and almost motivated him in a sense. She and the rest of the gang weren't scared of him, nor his power so why not try to use it to the best of his ability to protect them?

"But I have to train harder, be better, if I want to protect them." He thought to himself as he remembered that Hazel's blood was on his hands. He had failed to protect her because of his lack of ability to fight Ares and the cyclops earlier. He needed to be stronger, smarter, and better if he wanted no one else to die.

"Thanks, Pipes. I-I really needed that." He replied, giving her a side hug.

"Of course, Perce."

The two demigods continued to converse a while longer until Thalia walked over to them and announced that their tent was now finished. Percy stood up and walked over to what he presumed was their tent, a large, silver one that looked to be able fit all of the gang. Opening the flap and walking inside, he noticed that inside was more of an apartment rather than a tent. There was a couch, beds, and even a shower for all of them.

"Woah!" The group of demigods exclaimed as they walked inside the room. The son of Poseidon shared their wonder and was about to follow but was held back by a pale hand with black colored nails. Turning around, he found himself staring into Thalia's blue eyes filled with anger and lightning.

"We need to talk. Now." She seethingly whispered to him. Percy could feel the anger pulse around her as she began to walk outside without another word. He wordlessly complied as he followed the daughter of Zeus outside. He expected this to happen if he ever got to see her again. Leaving camp, leaving Annabeth, leaving her. There was a lot to be mad about and he deserved whatever was coming to him. Stopping at a dimly lit campfire, Thalia silently stared at the burning embers as Percy stood at her side. He didn't know what to do. Should he quietly wait for her to speak or be the first? What would he even say to her? He supposed he could start off with an apology but even then, what good would that do to quench her anger?

"Thalia-"

That was the only word he could get out before being punched so hard in the jaw his vision went black for a moment. Still standing but dazed he spat out some blood as Thalia began to seethe at him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" She spat, lightning flashing in her eyes. "How could you just leave like that? How could you leave Annabeth like that!? Do you have any idea of the pain you brought not only to her but to me and the hunters as well?"

"Thalia, I know-"

"No, you don't know." She interrupted, jabbing a shaky finger into his chest. "You don't know the pain you've caused. I lost five hunters trying to look for you! Five. Their deaths are on your hands, Percy."

The son of Poseidon's heart clenched as he listened. He hated to hear just how many hunters died because of him. It wasn't fair to them. Looking at Thalia, he could tell she had been holding in her emotions for her hunters and now she was unleashing it all on him and rightfully so.

"I lost a friend today too, Thalia. I do know what you're going through."

"Then why!?" She exclaimed, wiping a tear from her eye as he kicked ashes up from the now dead campfire. "Why are you doing all this? Leaving camp and renouncing the Gods. What exactly are you trying to do!?"

Percy sighed as he tiredly rubbed his eyes. How many times has he asked those questions himself? He didn't know but he would give the same answers as he did to everyone else. It was the least she deserved.

"I'm trying to make a better life for demigods, Thalia. I want to make a camp for demigods to come to and live peacefully. Away from the Gods and all the shit and games they put us through." He answered, which caused her to look at him as if he had grown a second head.

"Are you insane? No really, are you? Do you know what taking away the demigods from Olympus would cause?"

"A better life for them." He answered truthfully.

"No, Percy. War. It would cause a war so big that not even the older ones would compare. Zeus has already sent out Ares to capture you all. Do you know what he would do if you took all the demigods with you? He would stop at nothing until he gets them back."

"Why though?" He asked her. Why was Zeus doing all this just to bring them back to Olympus? It wasn't like he hadn't left Olympus before so why was the king of the Gods acting this way now? He has done nothing that could invoke him except just simply leaving with the others. Thalia shook her head in response. Even she didn't know the answer to that. Artemis was the one to tell her that it would cause a war but that was it.

"You're going to have to ask Artemis about that." She replied, taking a seat close to the fire. She was still pissed off at Percy, but she was just too tired from the day's events to throw any more haymakers at him. Sitting down next to her, Percy slung his arm around her shoulder as they stared up at the stars.

"I'm sorry." He sincerely said. "For leaving, leaving Annabeth, getting your friends killed. Everything."

"If you're sorry then make it up to us and come back. I haven't seen Annabeth yet, but I know she's probably in a terrible state. She needs you, Perce."

"You know I can't do that. Not after what I did to Ares." He replied, shaking his head. If he went back to Olympus now, then he and the others would most definitely be executed. No, he has to finish out this mission and bring peace for the demigods. He owed it not only to Hazel but to the countless others that have died because of the Gods.

"You're probably right." She admitted. "How are you even going to make a camp?"

"I got help from a Goddess and I have the gang to help also." He replied, pointing over to the large tent that held the rest of the demigods. He couldn't do this alone which was why he brought them along. Each one of them had a specific skill set that was needed in order to bring his dream to reality. He needed them just as much as they needed him. Losing Hazel definitely impacted the potential of the camp, but he believed they could still get it done. They had to or else this entire journey was for nothing.

"I just hope you know what you're doing, Percy. I don't agree with it but you're already too deep in the shit to change your mind now." Thalia exclaimed.

"Believe me, I know. Not a day goes by where I ask myself if I'm doing the right thing. Should I have done this, bringing my friends along on a journey that they might not see the end of? Should I have stayed at camp with Annabeth and continue to be loyal to the Gods?" He asked himself, remembering the sleepless nights he's had these past few weeks.

"And why didn't you? You were a hero of Olympus. Your name would've been told for years to come. You were a legend, yet you threw it all away."

"I was." He admitted, running a hand through his hair. He was all those things and more. He could've had whatever he wanted but he was never that type of person. His loyalty would always remain to his friends and their well-being first, not the Gods.

"But I realized that even though I had all the fame and glory in the world, I still felt like I was meant for something more rather than being a simple pawn of the Gods. I just didn't know what that true purpose was until I saw the Gods drinking and partying a day after the war. A day after many of their children had died fighting in their name. They drank their wine and sat on their thrones happily while their children didn't even receive any recognition for their efforts. The dead not even getting a proper burial."

Thalia knew what her cousin was feeling. She had seen what Percy was describing but never discussed it with anyone. She was the daughter of Zeus, the king of the Gods! What right did she have to talk about how unfair the Gods were while she received special treatment? Getting another chance at life, avoiding the Great Prophecy and putting it on another demigod's shoulders, becoming the lieutenant of Artemis without much experience, she received so much for doing so little all because she was the daughter of the king.

And then here's Percy, arguably the most powerful demigod of all time, who accomplished so much in such a short amount of time yet what did he have to show for it besides a customary title of "hero of Olympus"?

"So that's why you want to make a new camp? To give demigods a life worth living. To not let them die without anyone ever knowing their names." She asked. Her cousin nodded his head as he looked up at the night sky. That was his goal, his mission, now. And he would do everything in his power to accomplish it. Without another word Thalia patted him on the back before getting up from her seat. The day's events finally caught up to her as her eyelids began to become heavy.

"Well, that's one hell of a quest, Jackson but I'll be cheering for you even though it's suicide.

"Why? Weren't you just mad at me for doing this?" He asked, looking up at her as she began to walk off towards her tent.

"Even though what you're doing could cause a civil war, your intentions are of good heart and for the wellbeing of us demigods. And it's you that's leading the journey, so I'll know you'll get it done." She replied without breaking stride, waving at him goodnight before entering her tent to get some well needed sleep. Percy sighed at his cousin's bipolar attitude but was glad to know she was still on his side even after pulling all this shit. He needed all the support he could get in order to do this.

Looking up at the stars in silence, the son of Poseidon faintly felt a presence watching him from the dark forest. Using his powers, he felt where exactly the person was through the moisture in the air before sending a blast of water towards them. A shout of anger was the only response he heard before a water-soaked Artemis came walking out of the darkness, her face masked with annoyance.

"I'll give you five seconds to dry me off." She warned, which made the demigod instantly follow her instructions. He did not travel this far just to get turned into an animal.

"Sorry." He replied. "I felt your presence and I kinda just reacted on instinct."

"I should slap you for that."

"Please don't. Your lieutenant has already accomplished that. I'm sure you saw it when you watched our whole conversation from the trees." He said, noticing how the Goddess flinched at being caught red handed. He raised his hand before she could reply. He wasn't angry or anything. He knew Artemis was keeping a close eye on him while she was here. After all, wasn't she supposed to bring him back to Olympus to stand trial for his "crimes" against the Gods?

"I understand, Lady Artemis. You're just protecting your hunters from a no-good criminal who wants the end of Olympus."

"Don't say that before I really slap you." She replied, sitting next to him. "After seeing you and your group today I've come to the realization that you aren't waging a war against Olympus."

"Where'd that even come from?" Percy asked, turning to her. Everyone thinks he's waging a war but really that's the last thing he wants. He actually wanted to avoid that, believe it or not! Artemis could only shake her head in exasperation as she looked up at the night sky.

"You know how my father is. Paranoid and eager to kill anything and anyone that threatens his throne." She replied, thinking about the countless numbers of unfortunate souls that met a swift end from Zeus's lightning. "And he's always had it out for you, Perseus."

"Because I'm a son of Poseidon?

"At first it was that reason." The Goddess agreed but went on to further detail. "But once you returned his master bolt and began to accomplish all those quests, he had no choice but to let you live lest he wanted to deal with many Olympians hounding him for killing you."

"So if Zeus-"

"Let me finish." Artemis said, interrupting before Percy could begin his sentence. "As you completed more quests, Zeus would try to find subtle ways of killing you like sending monsters after you and ordering rogue minor Gods to secretly kill you."

"But that never worked." The demigod answered, finally realizing the lengths Zeus had gone through to ease his paranoia. It made sense though. If the king couldn't personally kill his enemies, then why not have his pawns do it for him? Artemis nodded her head as she continued.

"You defeated every single thing Zeus threw at you and now, after all these years, this is where we are. A very powerful and experienced son of the big three no longer loyal to Olympus. That's how Zeus sees it and it's why he wants you dead."

The demigod pondered over her words. It made sense what she was saying. He knew Zeus never liked him no matter all the things he did in the name of Olympus. But one thing still didn't make sense.

"But that doesn't explain what Thalia told me." He said, snapping his fingers. "Why are my actions of wanting to simply live in peace with my friends and away from the Gods a bad thing? Why could it cause a civil war between Olympus?"

He noticed Artemis's posture straightened after he had asked that question. It seemed he had hit a nerve. He was about to tell her that he didn't need to know that but before he could, the Goddess of the moon sighed before relenting.

"This stays between me and you. Got that?" Nodding his head in confirmation she continued. "The Gods rely on demigods in more ways than you think. Giving them quests, killing their enemies, sacrificing food and stuff like that is great for the Gods but it's not how they retain their power." Percy tilted his head in confusion. It's not how they retain their power? He was always taught that those things along with their thrones is what made the Gods what they were. Extremely powerful beings. For Artemis to tell him that wasn't exactly true made his head spin. Was he the only demigod to know of this? Surely not. Annabeth would have to have an inkling of what made the Gods truly powerful, right?

"Then what makes a God…a God?" He asked, leaning in closer. Artemis licked her chapped lips as she mentally double guessed herself. Should she be telling him, a demigod no less, this very secretive information that no one besides immortals know about? What could be the consequences in doing so? She didn't know but she hoped by telling Perseus this that maybe a war could be avoided. It was a long shot, but it was all she got.

"Prayers." Artemis finally answered. The two looked at one another in silence as Percy pondered over her answer.

"Prayers?" He asked in a tone of disbelief. The Goddess's response was a simple nod of her head. How did that even work he wondered to himself. He knew that demigods played an important part in every immortal's life but for them to be the very essence of their power. It was mind boggling to say the least.

"Ho-How does that even work?" Percy asked.

"It's a long story but I'll basically dumb it down to the most important parts." Artemis sighed before continuing. "Back in the ancient days, the Olympians were at the peak of their power thanks to demigods and mortals alike believing and praying to them. Those two things were the driving force in how we retained and gained more power. But as time went by, less and less mortals prayed or believed in us. In consequence, we began to lose our power. Now, it is only the demigods that still do that."

After finishing, it all finally made sense to the son of Poseidon. He now knew the reason why Zeus was sending everything he had in order to catch him and his friends.

"And with me taking away demigods from Olympus and turning our backs on the Gods, you lose more power. Am I correct?"

"Exactly. When Zeus found out that you wanted to take away demigods, he blew up. He wants you dead, Perseus, before you can do any more damage."

Percy was silent as he stared at the stars and contemplated over Artemis's words. While he had many Gods that hated him which was mutual, there were also some that he had no problems with. Taking away their power and having them at risk of fading was something he did not intend when he first started this journey. Nor did he want them to fade. But still, the demigod's safety and prosperity came first no matter what. They have been suffering long enough from the Olympian's reign and it is now time for them to finally get the peace they deserve. If some Gods fade because of that, so be it.

"Thank you for telling me this, Lady Artemis." He finally said to her, standing up from his spot on the ground. Looking down at her however, he could feel the resolve and determination seep back into his bones. "But I'm still going to keep on doing this. I'm still going to try to make a better life for the demigods no matter the consequences."

"Then I hope you're ready. Zeus is just going to keep trying and trying until eventually he'll succeed in killing you." Artemis replied. The two were silent before Percy wished her goodnight before making his way towards the tent where the other demigods were at. He had a lot to contemplate, and he wished to simply have some time to himself in order to do so. Artemis watched him disappear inside of the tent before turning back around towards the night sky. Looking up at her late friend's constellation she softly smiled to herself.

"He has certainly grown more powerful hasn't he, Zoe?" She whispered. The only response she received was the twinkle of the stars. Standing up, she too went towards her tent, hoping to at least receive some sort of relaxation before they were on the road once more. It was going to be a couple long upcoming days trekking through the Alaskan wilderness, and she needed all the energy and power she could get.

Back at the demigod's tent all seemed fine as Percy walked in. His friends were all steadfast asleep which was to be expected. Exhaustion had plagued them all after the events from earlier tonight. Silently walking around their beds, the son of Poseidon made his way towards the bathroom where a shower awaited him. He was almost giddy at the chance of taking an actual shower instead of bathing in a lake or river. Turning on the water and stripping off his clothes, he made his way inside and let the warm water soothe his aching muscles. Dirt, grime and blood pooled towards the drain as he furiously scrubbed every inch of his body.

The sight of the red liquid mixed with the water pooling around his feet giving him images of what happened to Hazel. Her wide, pleading eyes, her ear-splitting screams, the sounds of her bones being crushed, the warmth of her blood raining down on him.

"Stop." Percy mentally scolded himself as he gripped his hair. He couldn't be thinking about that right now. He didn't want to think about that. Slapping himself across the face to escape his thoughts, he made his way out of the shower and immediately willed himself dry. The steam was heavy in the room as he stood in front of a mirror. Wiping it, he took a good look at the image staring back at him. Bloodshot, sunken eyes and a tired, grim face was the only thing that he saw looking back. Never in his life did he think he would look like this in the prime years of his life. A young man with a smile and hopeful eyes for the future should be staring back at him, not someone who looked to be on the verge of a mental collapse and carrying a thousand-yard stare.

Dipping his hands into the sink, he cupped some cold water before splashing his face, hoping it could somewhat liven up his features.

"Just need some sleep." Percy said to himself as he looked back up at the mirror. This time however, it wasn't just him in the reflection. In the corner of the bathroom stood a silhouette of a small girl…or what was left of one. Her body was battered and bloodied, one arm was missing, and her entire head was cut clean off the neck. Percy tried not to flinch as he looked lower and saw that the head of the person was being carried in their only arm.

He almost did a double take when he recognized the severed head that was staring back at him with an empty, bloodshot gaze. Tears formed in his eyes as he desperately tried to close his eyes, hoping that the ghost would go away. But as he opened and closed them, the ghost continued to stand behind him in that corner, staring through his soul.

"Hazel." Percy finally spoke up, his voice almost choking over itself. The apparition of his late friend didn't reply. Instead, blood began to slowly seep out of her mouth and eyes. Percy found himself glued to the floor, unable to escape the nightmare he was currently experiencing. His heart raced and he could hear his blood rushing in his ears as he watched Hazel's body begin to contort in unhuman ways. The son of Poseidon desperately tried to do something to get away. Hitting his legs, pinching his arm, he tried everything he could think of, but nothing was working! It seemed he was being forced to stay put! As this went on, he could begin to hear the whispers. It sounded like there were multiple people around him as they whispered something he couldn't understand in his ear. But as it continued, they began to get louder and louder until they were practically screaming at him.

"Your fault!"

"Your fault!"

"Your fault!"

"Your fault!"

"YOUR FAULT!" Hazel screamed at him, rushing towards him like something straight out of a horror movie. Percy shielded himself away from the ghost as he tried to block out the horrific sight. But it seemed this time his actions worked. The screams had stopped, and the ghost of Hazel had disappeared. Now it was only Percy in the room who looked to be on the verge of a panic attack. Quickly gathering himself, the son of Poseidon rushed out the bathroom into the living room where everyone was still sleeping in their beds soundly. Quietly walking towards his own bed, he plopped down into the safety of the soft mattress as he tried to quell his racing heart. A million thoughts shot through his mind, keeping him from shutting his eyes. Gripping his blanket tightly in his hand, the demigod reminded himself that he was ok. The ghost couldn't hurt him no matter how hard they tried to.

"Can't sleep?" A voice said from the darkest corner of the room. Percy squinted his eyes as he tried to make out the dark figure sitting in the corner. Thankfully, a ray of moonlight entering from outside illuminated the face of, or rather half his face as the other side was bandaged, the son of Hades.

"No. I see you can't either." Percy replied, sitting up on his bed.

"The pain makes sure of that." Nico responded, rubbing a bandage that was beginning to fall off his face, revealing a hideous purple and black bruise. There was no telling how many bones had been broken thanks to the strength of Ares. Percy cursed their luck of running out of ambrosia as he walked over to Nico, bringing over a water bottle he had found on a nightstand. Sitting down next to his cousin, Percy opened the water bottle before using some of his powers to make it soak into the bandages.

"What are you doing?" Nico asked worriedly but quickly relaxed as he felt a foreign power enter his body and began to soothe his aching wounds. The son of Poseidon grimaced as he felt his power quickly drain from his body, his feeling in his gut becoming more and more painful. But he needed to do this for Nico. It was the least he could do.

"Back when I was down in hell, there was a river that we had to drink from to make us stay alive. The air was toxic, and the ground was littered in black glass so at almost every point of time Annabeth and I were on the verge of death. It was only thanks to that fucking river of fire that we were able to stay alive for that long." Percy began as he continued to work his magic. Nico could only silently listen as he felt the water slowly cascade around his face.

"After returning back to the mortal world I was inspired by that river of fire. I wanted to try to find out if I could use water to heal. Obviously, I knew it could heal me, but I didn't know if I could heal others. So, I tested it out, trying different methods and going to my absolute limit to accomplish it." By now Percy had sweat forming on his brow as his hands began to shake from the strain of exerting so much power. But he pushed on, using more water from the bottle to mold around Nico's face. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Percy leaned back with an exhausted but satisfied look on his face.

"And it seems my efforts weren't in vain." He said, slowly taking off Nico's bandages to reveal a still bruised but much healthier face. Nico softly touched his skin, realizing that the bones were now aligned. It was still painful to the touch because of the bruises but it was much better than before. At least now he was recognizable and had a chance to recover back to normal.

"You just keep revealing new powers, huh." Nico said after finishing analyzing his face. "But thanks, Percy. I really appreciate it." Percy nodded in reply, rubbing the back of his neck as he continued with their conversation.

"It's the least I can do after all that's happened today." He said, not knowing what Nico would say next. The kid had already lost one sister thanks to him, now he had just lost another. He wouldn't be surprised if Nico hated him again now for causing the death of another loved one. But to his surprise, instead of Nico blowing up on him, he slung an arm around his shoulder.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't think it's your fault and don't think that I or anyone else hates you for it. We all knew what we were getting ourselves into the moment we walked out of Camp Half-Blood." Nico said, thinking back to all those years ago when he hated Percy for not protecting Bianca like he promised to. He knew he couldn't do that again not only to himself but also to Percy and Hazel. That didn't mean he didn't have hate in his heart though. He had plenty of it and it was all directed towards the God of war. If he ever had the chance to meet Ares again, he'll fucking kill him just as painfully as he had killed his sister.

"I know…I know." Percy softly replied with a downcasted look. Sensing that Nico wanted to be left alone now, the son of Poseidon stood up before making his way back to his bed now that his work was done.

"Hey, Percy." Nico said, stopping him. Turning around he could see Nico begin to slowly close his eyes as he could finally get some sleep thanks to the lessening of the pain in his face. Before he could fully succumb to the power of Morpheus, Nico let out one last sentence of advice.

"We all have our ghosts that haunt us. Just be sure not to let yours control you." And with that it was lights out for Nico. Percy could only stand in the middle of the room in a stunned silence as he watched the slow rise and fall of Nico's chest. Had he heard the commotion in the bathroom? Or was it written all over his face? Maybe Nico was experiencing the same type of hallucinations he was? He truly didn't know but the only thing he did know was that he wouldn't be able to get any type of sleep at all tonight no matter how hard he tried.