The Return of the Hero

by JkAlex

After six years, Percy has returned from the dead... but he has not come back whole. Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth must begin to suspect that the Percy they once knew and loved is not the one who emerged from the tree that night. With war on the horizon, what role will the amnesiac son of Poseidon play?

9. Chapter 8: Unravel

N/A: Hi everyone, JkAlex is back, bitches! XD

I won't apologize for the delay in updating this story, you're probably tired of this by now. So, instead, I'm just bringing you this 16,000 word long chapter! I hope you will properly appreciate it with your comments.

The reason I was able to post this chapter was because I have a week, a freaking week, of vacation. It sucks, and I barely have time to sit down and write anything, but I'm glad I at least finished this chapter. I hope you guys like it.

And without further ado... Let's go!

---

Chapter 8

Dogs and Cats. Campers and Hunters 2.0

Percy Hawkeye.

Percy couldn't believe his ears. And judging by the shocked expressions on Andy and Grover's faces, neither could they. He couldn't blame them, he was as surprised as they were.

"Thalia... that's a very serious accusation," Chiron said, his eyebrows furrowing seriously.

"Do you think I don't know that, Chiron?!" she stuttered, clenching her fists. "I know what I saw last night."

"Are you sure that was his sword?" Grover asked, unsure. "I mean, it was dark, and you could have been confused."

She looked at him like he was an idiot.

"How many half-steel, half-celestial-bronze swords have you seen? I know what I saw, goat-boy."

"So am I," Annabeth said with a grim expression on her face. "A blade of steel and celestial bronze with a winged guard like the caduceus of Hermes. It was Luke's sword."

"Chiron," Thalia said, turning to the old centaur, "When did Luke arrive at the camp?"

Chiron frowned and pursed his lips in concern.

"Last night," he replied. "Around midnight."

"The same time Black Hood escaped through that portal," Andy pointed out.

"That portal..." Percy muttered. He turned to face Annabeth and Thalia. "Luke's sword can create portals?"

Annabeth shook her head.

"Luke's sword is special. It's like your knife, Percy. It can wound both mortals and immortals. But I've never seen him create portals."

"You said it yourself, we've never seen him," Thalia said cautiously.

"Thalia, do you really think he's Black Hood?" Grover asked.

"I hate to admit it, but there are too many coincidences," Annabeth said, frowning thoughtfully. "He didn't want to come on the mission. Black Hood used his sword and was a skilled swordsman. He disappeared last night at the same time Luke arrived at the camp. It all fits."

Thalia nodded.

"As if that weren't enough, he was wounded in the same hand where Percy stuck his knife through him!" She exclaimed, "How do you explain all that?"

Everyone was surprised by this, especially Percy. All the facts pointed to Luke possibly being Black Hood.

Percy didn't want to believe it. Luke had been someone who had welcomed him with open arms when he came out of the tree. Even though he had no memories, Luke had been by his side, supporting him like a friend.

"When Luke arrived last night, he said he was attacked by monsters on his way to the camp," Chiron said. "He had many wounds all over his body, nothing that couldn't be healed with a little ambrosia."

"And the wound on his hand?" Thalia asked.

"A hellhound."

Thalia frowned skeptically.

"How convenient. Percy's knife is made from the fang of a hellhound."

"Perhaps it's not much to prove his innocence, but Luke brought a half-breed here last night. A fifteen-year-old boy named Samuel. The boy was being chased by a pack of hellhounds, and Luke stepped in to save him. That was the cause of his injuries."

This caught the attention of those present, who looked curiously at the old centaur.

"The boy is fifteen years old?" Andy asked. "It's surprising he's survived this long on his own."

"Not surprising, we have our own case here," Thalia said, putting an arm around Percy's shoulder. "And he even made a name for himself as the Boogeyman of the monsters."

Percy felt his ears burning. He didn't know if it was because everyone was looking at him or because of the proximity of Thalia's body.

"Either way, we're not going to face Luke until we have stronger evidence of Black Hood's identity," Chiron interjected.

Thalia snorted in annoyance.

"That didn't stop you from setting me up when you thought I was the one who stole my old man's Master Bolt."

Andy turned to look at Annabeth, who turned her head away, her cheeks flushed.

"This time is different, Thalia," Chiron said. "Black Hood not only killed a hunter, he declared war on Artemis, which makes him an enemy of Olympus. You know how paranoid the gods can be. If they ever find out that Luke is a possible enemy, they will act accordingly without hesitation."

Thalia said nothing, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"But we'll keep an eye on Luke," Chiron continued. "Annabeth is right. There's too much overlap between Black Hood's appearance and Luke's actions."

"Are we really going to treat him as a... suspect?" Grover asked discouraged.

Chiron frowned sadly.

"Until we prove otherwise, I'm afraid so."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Thalia said.

"No," Annabeth interjected, "You've got your hands full keeping the hunters and campers from killing each other. I'll keep an eye on Luke."

Thalia grimaced, but didn't argue.

"Good," Chiron nodded. "I think it goes without saying, but not a word about this, especially not to the hunters. They are hurt by the loss of one of their sister. They will seek revenge at the first opportunity. Now go and rest. It has been a long night for you. You can skip the morning activities."

They all nodded in agreement and left the Big House. The sun was already beginning to light up the camp, illuminating the white snow that was accumulating on the roofs of the cabins.

Grover looked dejected, his shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast.

"I can't believe Luke..." he muttered.

Andy walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We don't know for sure yet, Grover."

"I don't want to believe it. We've known Luke for years! He's the one who taught me how to talk to the nymphs..."

"Andy's right," Annabeth agreed. "Luke is our friend. Until proven otherwise, he's still on our side."

"I don't want to believe it either, but we'll keep an eye on him anyway," Thalia said.

Annabeth turned to her and frowned in annoyance.

"Why do you insist on watching him? Do you distrust him so much? He's your friend too!"

"And it's because he's my friend that I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt," Thalia said, looking at her sternly. "If it were anyone else, I'd go and run him through with my spear to get some answers out of him. But this is Luke. I've known him since we were kids. He's one of the few people I can call family. I trust him..."

Annabeth pursed her lips into a thin line and looked away.

As they walked through the camp, they could see that the hunters had already settled into cabin eight. Some had stayed inside, while others had gone to the archery range and were shooting arrows with a precision that would have stunned the sons of Apollo as each arrow hit the bull's-eye.

"I guess they're settling in well," Andy commented, "I don't understand why you guys were so worried about the hunters being in camp."

One of Apollo's sons went over to talk to one of the hunters, but she responded rather rudely, shooting an arrow just inches from the camper's foot. That didn't seem to please his brothers and sisters, who approached and began arguing with the hunter, who was quickly joined by the others.

Annabeth turned to Andy.

"You had to open your mouth, didn't you?"

"Shut up," she snapped under her breath.

"I knew this wasn't a good idea," Grover said. "They've been in camp less than an hour, and they're already fighting."

"Was that what you expected?" Thalia replied.

"Shouldn't you stop them?" Andy asked her.

Thalia grimaced, looking reluctant.

Percy elbowed her, making her look at him in annoyance.

"Okay, fine. I'll do it," she grunted in exasperation. "Annabeth, go to the cabins and warn everyone about the Capture the Flag game."

"Okay," she nodded, "Will you be the captain?"

Thalia smiled smugly.

"Obviously. With me, Luke and Percy, it should be an interesting game."

"Do you think I can take on the hunters?" asked Percy. "They're quite skilled."

"You've faced worse. A bunch of perpetually adolescent and conceited girl scouts are no match for you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence... I guess."

"And Annabeth" Thalia turned to look at her. "Also, warn the campers that if they provoke the hunters, they'll have to deal with me."

"Okay," she nodded. She turned and looked at Andy, Grover and Percy. "Come with me."

"Huh? Why?" Andy complained. "I'm tired and sleepy. I'm going to sleep in my cabin until lunch."

"Me too," Percy said. "And considering that I'm also a... son of Poseidon, I think I should go and get settled in cabin three."

They all looked at him slightly surprised, causing Percy to look at them in confusion.

"What?"

"Nothing," Andy said, staring at him. "This is the first time you've agreed to sleep in cabin three."

"Well, I could go back to sleeping in the Big House. But I don't feel like having the Oracle as a roommate. I swear there have been times when I've seen that thing in the corner of my room, watching me."

Grover shivered slightly.

"Don't say that. Now I'll have nightmares."

"Besides..." Percy turned to look at cabin three, a low, gray building made of sea rock filled with shells and encrusted coral. "It doesn't look so bad now that I've had a good look at it."

Percy nudged her playfully and noticed that Andy was still looking at him.

"What?"

She shifted her foot from side to side, as if hesitating.

"It's just that... It'll be nice to have some company in cabin three for the first time."

Percy rubbed his neck, not quite sure how to respond. There was an awkward silence between them before Annabeth interjected.

"You can go to sleep later. Now, help me warn the campers."

"I delegate that task to Captain G-Man!" Andy exclaimed, patting Grover on the shoulder and starting to walk back to her cabin.

"We trust you with this important responsibility, my friend. Good luck," Percy said, patting Grover's shoulder as he followed Andy to cabin three.

"These two are alike in more ways than one," Annabeth commented, watching them go with an annoyed frown.

"They're Poseidon's children, what did you expect?" Thalia said.

Annabeth looked at her suspiciously.

"I suppose you would know very well. You have experience living with a son of Poseidon."

"Shut up, Annabeth. I saw you quite attached to a daughter of Poseidon during the ball."

Annabeth didn't answer, she just looked away and started walking towards the cabins, dragging Grover with her.

Thalia took that as a victory and went to the archery range, where the sons of Apollo and the hunters were about to practice aiming at each other.

---

Even though it had been dark for several hours, the lights were still on in the hospital corridors so that nurses and doctors could walk the halls during their night shifts to check on the many patients who had been admitted to the hospital. In the patients' rooms, however, the lights were turned off so that they could sleep as comfortably as possible.

In one of the many corridors, three nurses made their way to one of the rooms at the end of the corridor, the only sounds being the click of their heels on the floor and whispers between them.

"Are you sure he's here?" asked one of them, who looked younger than the others.

"Can't you smell him?" replied the second nurse. "His smell is all over the hospital, he's obviously here!"

"You know what I mean. Are you sure it's... him?"

There was a slight tremor in the nurse's voice, as if she were unsure and afraid.

"It doesn't matter," the third nurse explained. She smiled, revealing prominent, pointed fangs. "Even if it isn't him, he'll make a good snack."

Hunger shone in her eyes, as it did in the second nurse's, but the first, younger one only looked restless and anxious.

The three made their way to the end of the corridor, where they stopped in front of a locked room.

"217. This is it," the second nurse pointed.

"Is he alone?" asked the third.

"No. There's a girl with him. But it doesn't matter, she's just a mortal."

"And... If is he awake?" murmured the first nurse. "I've heard about him... about the things he's done and the monsters he's killed."

"Oh, please," the second nurse growled, turning to look at her. "Don't tell me you really believe all that? He's just a demigod."

"A demigod who hunts monsters. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Very few people were still alive when they met him, and they all agreed on one thing: If you see him, run."

She looked anxiously at the closed door, as if afraid of what was on the other side.

"These are just exaggerations," said the third nurse. "It's impossible for a single teenage demigod to have killed the monsters they say he killed."

"I'm not sure..."

Both nurses rolled their eyes at their colleague's fearful and indecisive attitude.

"Fine," grunted the second nurse. "Stay here. Maybe we'll let you have a foot or a hand when we're done with him."

The first nurse looked encouraged to hear that.

"Oh, can I have the tongue? It's really delicious."

"Okay," the third nurse agreed. "Just make sure no doctors or nurses come."

"Uh... we're nurses."

"It's just a cover! You know what I mean!"

Annoyed, the third nurse entered the room, accompanied by the second nurse.

Before the door closed, the first nurse could see into the room. The lights were off, but the window curtains were open, letting in the bright moonlight that slightly illuminated the room, where someone, a teenager, could be seen sleeping on one of the beds.

As the door closed, the first nurse approached and put her ear to the door, intending to listen to what was going on inside. There was silence for almost a full minute before the sound of furniture falling, the bed creaking across the floor, the sound of struggling, grunts of pain, and the shrill sound of the glass window shattering, along with the scream of terror that grew farther and farther away until it faded.

The first nurse retreated in alarm as something slammed against the door, and then the door flew open, shattering the handle. Two bodies crashed to the floor with screams of pain. The first nurse recognized her companion who had revealed her true form, that of an empusa.

She was struggling with the person on top of her, a teenager holding a knife inches from her neck. The empusa turned to find her partner watching in shock.

"Don't stand there and do nothing!" she shouted, panic in her voice, "Help me!"

Inches before the knife plunged into her neck, the teenager was pushed by the first nurse, who quickly climbed on top of him, wrapped her hands around his neck, and began to strangle him. The teenager was younger, smaller than she was, so her weight and size played to her advantage as she applied more force with the intention of suffocating the boy, who tried in vain to free himself as he struggled.

Now that she saw him beneath her, struggling to breathe, to survive, she realized that she didn't have to be afraid of him. He was just a demigod, and like so many before him, he would die at her hands.

The sense of triumph and pleasure she felt at seeing him so vulnerable as he tried to breathe was so intoxicating that she didn't notice when the demigod stopped trying to remove his hands from his neck and instead reached up to her face and grabbed her face with both hands.

The last thing she saw before everything went dark was the demigod's fierce, angry stare and his thumbs digging into her eyes.

The second nurse saw it all. She watched as the demigod drove his thumbs into the eye sockets of her companion, who screamed in pain and agony as blood began to drip and stain the demigod's hands and face.

The nurse was abruptly silenced as the demigod brutally twisted the nurse's head with a grunt of effort. The loud sound of something breaking was heard, and the nurse's body fell limply to the ground before it began to turn to golden dust.

The demigod slowly rose to his feet and picked up his knife, which had the appearance of a sharp fang attached to a wooden handle bound with strips of leather. He turned to look directly at the one remaining nurse, who was in shock at what she had witnessed.

It was then that she remembered the words of her late companion;

If you see him, run.

And so she did. Or at least she tried to.

She was pretty banged up from their earlier fight, so she started crawling towards the room they had left. She turned to look at the demigod and regretted it.

He was slowly approaching her, his hands and face stained with blood as he wielded his strange knife. With every step he took, her fear increased, as did the disbelief she felt at her current situation.

She was the monster. An empusa. She should be the one hunting and terrorizing this young demigod, not the other way around.

"No... No..." she said with tears in her eyes as she crawled away. "I don't want to die... I don't want to die... Get away... Get away from me!"

She stepped through the door and her eyes fell on the little girl hiding behind the bed.

This little girl... He was doing all this to protect her. If she could grab the little girl and use her as a hostage, she might be able to escape. She used all of her remaining strength to stand up and run straight towards the girl, who backed away in fear. As she was about to grab her, the empusa screamed in pain and fell face first to the ground. She looked down at her leg and saw that the demigod's strange knife had gone right through her knee.

She tried to get up, but the demigod grabbed her roughly by the back of her head and began to slam her down several times. The bones in her face broke and blood splattered on the ground. She was turned around and the demigod began to beat her so hard and brutally that he knocked her teeth out. When her face was completely bloodied and disfigured, making it impossible to fully open her eye, she felt the demigod wrap his hands around her neck and squeeze hard.

The empusa used her claws to claw at the demigod's hands in an attempt to free herself, but the demigod didn't flinch, only applying more force with a grunt of exertion. He was much stronger than he looked, and the strength of his grip was suffocating.

She looked straight into his eyes, terrified. Those sea-green eyes... they expressed a fury and rage so pure it was overwhelming and unrelenting. It was like looking straight into the eyes of a mad, unstoppable beast.

She stopped struggling and could only whisper one last word before she died.

"Monster..."

She let out a last gasp and her body went limp. Gradually, it began to turn into golden dust.

Kneeling, the demigod looked down at his blood-stained hands. His previously angry expression changed to one of sad understanding, as if he had realized what he had really done.

"Maybe I am..." he looked up, his sea-green eyes staring at whoever was watching him. "Maybe we are."

---

Percy awoke with his heart pounding in his chest, feeling suffocated.

He had dreamed about his past again. He knew this because he could see himself. It was he who had killed those empusas. All to protect a little girl. He recognized the girl; Sammy. That was her name. He had seen her face in the photo that Thalia kept in her wallet.

What had happened to that little girl? Where was she now? Why hadn't he seen her?

"Percy?" a sleepy voice called.

He turned to see Andy sleeping in the bunk next to him. Her hair was disheveled, more so than usual.

"Sorry. Did I wake you?" he asked.

He tried to get up, but felt something large and heavy stop him from moving. Looking down, he saw Mrs. O'Leary curled up on top of him. Her huge body almost smothered him and prevented him from moving.

'So that's why I couldn't breathe properly,' he thought.

"You were talking in your sleep," Andy said, rubbing her eyes as she sat up in her bed. "Nightmares?"

Percy struggled under the enormous weight of the hellhound. He released her grip and sat up on the edge of the bed.

"No... more like a memory, which I don't know if it's worse."

"That's... good, isn't it? You remembered something."

He thought of his dream. The way he not only killed those monsters, but slaughtered them without mercy or hesitation. To see that look of pure fear on a monster's face, fear of him, was something hard to digest.

'If you see him, run.'

'Monster.'

'Maybe we are.'

"I wish I hadn't" he muttered.

Andy didn't know what to say. And she didn't have to, because Percy came out of the cabin, stroking Mrs. O'Leary's head, ready to distract his mind with something else. And he had the perfect way to do it.

---

"Up! Right! Defense! Now offensive!"

Percy did his best to follow Luke's instructions as he dictated the pace of the fight. Their swords clashed constantly, keeping the two in balance between attack and defense, though Percy could tell for sure that Luke was holding back. It was obvious, after all, it was only training.

"Good, Percy, good!" Luke praised as he parried a mandoble aimed at his shoulder. "Keep your wrist steady and your feet light, but be sure to step hard for a stable base."

"Yeah, right," Percy grunted, trying hard to parry Luke's attacks, "I just have to hold my ground while fighting the best swordsman in the camp with an unbalanced sword."

Luke was a very good swordsman. He had a precision and strength that only came from years of training. Percy had heard that Luke was considered the best swordsman in the last 300 years. And in these last few months under his tutelage, he could see why they said that.

"Don't follow a pattern," Luke instructed during the fight. "Change the style of your attacks, or you'll be easy to predict."

Luke made a quick disarming move, and Percy's sword bounced several feet into the sand. The Backbiter's blade was inches from Percy's neck. He didn't look away from the half-steel, half-celestial bronze blade. Thalia was right. He hadn't noticed it before, but now he did. Luke's sword was the same one that Black Hood had used last night.

"If your opponent is the sea, you must be a mountain," Luke said. "And if your opponent is the mountain, then you must be the sea."

"I didn't know you were a poet," Percy scoffed. "Are you sure you're the son of Hermes and not Apollo?"

"It means you have to be versatile, adaptable to your opponent. It doesn't matter if it's a hellhound or a demigod, you have to adapt during a fight. Whether it's claws and fangs or swords and spears. That's the key to winning a battle. You have to keep in mind that your opponent might attack in a way you don't expect. And be prepared to act accordingly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Master Yoda. The word, I will take you."

Luke gave him a questioning look, and as he held his sword to Percy's neck, he made the mistake of trusting himself.

Acting quickly, Percy grabbed Luke's outstretched arm and pulled him towards him to deliver a hard knee to the stomach, causing him to stumble and Percy took the opportunity to throw him to the ground by sweeping his feet.

Before Luke could get up, Percy had his knee against his chest and his backbiter against his neck.

"Damn," Luke grunted with a groan of pain, "You have used your earthquake powers. You've been training."

Percy stood up and held out his arm to help him. All this without his triumphant smile leaving his face.

"Something like that," Percy said. "From the day I woke up, the sons of Ares challenged me to fight for two weeks until I left for New York with Thalia. Clarisse was the most insistent on fighting me."

"Maybe that's because she likes you," Luke said, standing up with Percy's help. "Girls who had a screw loose always liked you."

Luke walked over to a bench next to the dueling arena. He reached into a small portable cooler, pulled out a couple of bottles of water, and tossed one to Percy. He caught it in midair, opened it and took a deep sip, feeling instantly revitalized and ready for another round.

"You've improved these past few months, you definitely have talent with the sword," Luke said, taking a sip from his water bottle. "Now you can keep up with me in a fight."

"Yeah, but I still can't beat you in a sword duel," he picked up his sword that was lying on the ground. "Not to mention that any sword I choose seems unbalanced to me."

"Don't worry. I've spent years perfecting my moves, but you're progressing much faster than me. And you still have a lot of room for improvement. You have a talent for it, and I'll help you use it. And don't worry, we'll find you a suitable sword."

"Thanks, Luke."

They both sat down on the wooden bench to take a break from the intense training. On the other side of the arena, the sons of Apollo and the hunters of Artemis practiced archery under the watchful eye of Thalia, who made sure they didn't start fighting like they had earlier in the morning.

"The campers are a little tense with the arrival of the hunters," Percy commented.

"Yeah... It's always like that when they arrive."

Percy noticed the look of disgust on Luke's face as he watched the hunters. Everyone at the camp disliked hunters, they were like the annoying cousin you had to put up with at family gatherings. But in Luke's case, his dislike seemed more... personal. His scowl made his scar stand out even more, giving him a more darker look.

"I can see you don't like them," Percy said.

Luke let out a snort, crumpled up his water bottle and tossed it in the cooler.

"That's an understatement. I hate them," he spat in disgust. "They act superior to everyone, they despise men for the simple fact of being men, and anyone who does not share their ideals or those of their goddess. I don't want them in the camp, they only bring trouble and keep families apart."

Percy looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"Take a good look, Percy. Just as you see them, maidens with incredible skills in hunting and fighting, they are also a group of girls who have left their humanity behind to follow a goddess."

"Their humanity?"

Luke nodded darkly.

"The hunters have no ties to the mortal world, only to themselves and their goddess. They don't care about mortals, not even demigods. See the blond hunter with the bow?"

Percy looked at the hunter, who looked to be no more than fifteen years old. She looked almost the same as the others, braided hair, silver parka with camouflage pants and boots, along with the same hardened expression that all the hunters seemed to have.

"What about her?"

"Her name is Susan Philips, a daughter of Tique who came to camp three years ago with her brother Steve. A few weeks after they arrived, so did the hunters. She didn't hesitate to join them, leaving her brother behind. The boy was only thirteen and felt abandoned by everyone, his father, his mother, his own sister... I can't remember how many times I had to comfort him and tell him he was not alone."

Percy could imagine. If there was one thing that all campers and demigods had in common, it was that they all felt abandoned in some way, whether by their mortal or divine parents. He felt the same way. Since he left the tree four months ago, he didn't even know who his mother was, and his father, Poseidon, hadn't even shown up to talk to him, even though he had pointed out that he was his son.

"A few months after his sister joined the hunters, Steve was given a mission to prove himself; capture the boar of Erimanthus and bring it back to camp," Luke continued, a distant look on his face. "I told him not to accept. That he was too young and inexperienced to undertake such a mission. But he wouldn't listen, he was determined to prove himself to everyone, so angry at his sister for abandoning him that he accepted the mission," Luke looked down regretfully. "It's been three years and Steve hasn't come back. He's probably dead."

Percy turned to see Susan high-fiving another hunter as her arrow hit the bull's-eye for the fifth time in a row.

Luke clenched his fists in anger.

"And when I told Susan the next time the hunters came back to camp, all she said was; 'Good. The world's a better place with one less man in it.' She didn't mind leaving her brother to his fate, and she certainly didn't mind that he was probably dead. Her time with the hunters had corrupted her. It removed every trace of humanity from her, leaving nothing but an empty shell of what she once was, molded by the beliefs of the hunters and Artemis. That's why I don't want them here, their presence only brings trouble to all of us."

Percy turned to look at the hunters, who were having a good time practicing archery. He had to admit that Luke was right. The hunters did look different from the other campers, the slight silver sheen was a sign of that, along with an aloof and somewhat dismissive attitude towards all those who weren't part of their group.

"Hey, Percy!"

He turned to see Nico and a camper he didn't recognize. Nico approached them, almost running, while the camper looked around curiously.

"Hey, Nico, how's it going?" Percy greeted, "Has Luke shown you around the camp yet?"

Nico nodded, looking excited.

"Yeah, he showed me around the camp, and he even gave me this!" He reached into his coat and pulled out a Celestial Bronze knife. "Isn't that cool!?"

Percy turned to look at Luke.

"You gave a knife to a ten-year-old boy?" he asked him.

Luke just shrugged.

"The boy needs protection now that he is part of this world."

"He's right," the camper said, "I wish I'd had a knife to defend myself when I was his age."

Percy turned to look at him. The camper looked about fifteen years old. His hair was black and short, but somewhat disheveled. He had deep blue eyes and a scar that crossed his right eye at an angle, cutting off part of his eyebrow.

"Oh, he's the boy I met on my way to camp last night," Luke explained.

"You mean the boy whose ass you saved from a pack of hellhounds," the boy pointed out amused.

He walked over to Percy and held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Samuel Johnson. You can call me Sam."

Percy shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Sam. I'm Percy."

Luke put his hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Before he came here with me, Sam survived on his own," he explained. "It's impressive that he did. Not many people survive on their own on the streets."

Looking into his eyes, Percy felt a strange closeness. And that he still held his hand tightly and seemed to have no intention of letting go.

"Hey... Can I have my hand back?"

"Oh, sorry," Sam said, looking apologetic as he let go. "It's just... I've heard a lot about you. Especially the last few months."

Percy raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I thought you just arrived at camp last night."

"And I did. But I didn't hear about you from the other campers, but from the nature spirits. They're quite talkative, especially the nymphs."

"I see. And what did they say?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, well..." Sam gave him a doubtful look. "They said that a demigod has risen from the dead. Someone they call "The Monster Slayer". You have a pretty unique reputation. The nymphs I talked to said you were like the Boogeyman to the monsters. A lot of them are... a little uneasy that you're back. As far as I can tell, the monsters hate and terrorize you in equal measure."

"Wow..." Nico muttered, looking at Percy with wide eyes like he was looking at a celebrity.

Again, Percy felt a feeling of discomfort in his chest as he heard about his past. After the dream he had, he could understand why they saw him that way.

"Maybe it's all true," Luke interjected. "Percy may have a rather... unique reputation in the mythological world. But he's no different than you or me. We know what it's like to live on the streets and fight all the time."

"Yeah..." Sam admitted with a distant look on his face. "I know what it's like. Living in constant danger and fighting to survive from day to day."

Luke nodded sympathetically.

"But now you don't have to. We campers are pretty welcoming to newcomers. After all, we are a distant family, aren't we? We look out for each other."

A small smile formed on Sam's lips, and he was touched by Luke's words.

Percy glanced sideways at Luke, feeling conflicted, but was jolted out of his thoughts when Nico shyly tugged at his shirt.

"Hey, Percy..." he said, shifting uncomfortably as he looked down at his feet. "Now that I've got a knife just like you, do you think you could teach me?"

Percy was taken aback by his request. It was the first time Nico had ever acted shy and insecure about anything. He was usually more energetic and animated.

"Sure, buddy," he said. "Anytime."

Nico's attitude did a 180-degree turn when he heard him.

"Great! Then right now!"

He grinned from ear to ear and Percy felt the same pang of longing and nostalgia again. Only this time, an image of a person flashed in his mind. The picture of the girl from his dream.

'Sammy...'

Inevitably, he also thought of the way he had killed those monsters.

'If you see him, run.'

'Monster.'

'Maybe we are.'

Percy's brow furrowed in annoyance and frustration. Even now, he couldn't stop thinking about that dream. And with it, a growing, unreasonable fear settled in his chest. A fear that the little girl, Sammy, had seen him that way, as if he were a monster.

He shook his head, not wanting to think about it, and looked at Nico.

"Okay, let's get started..."

"Hey, Prissy!"

They all turned to see someone approaching the sand ring. It was a tall, stocky girl, her camp T-shirt with the sleeves torn off, showing off her stocky arms. Her brown hair was tied back behind a bandana, and her brown eyes stared at Percy with a heavy frown as she approached.

"Clarisse," Percy acknowledged.

"So, it's true," she said, looking him up and down as if judging him. "You're back. Good. I needed a new training dummy, the old one ended up in the infirmary."

Clarisse cracked her knuckles, ready to start a fight.

"Wow, wow. I'm not going to fight you, Clarisse," Percy said.

"Why, are you afraid?"

"I'm more afraid of Nico with a knife than I am of you. I just don't want to fight for nothing."

"Well, you don't have a choice," Clarisse came closer until she was face to face with Percy. "Don't think I've forgotten what you put me through this summer. I spent weeks in the infirmary because of you."

Percy's eyes hardened as he looked her straight in the eye.

"And you will be again if you don't back off."

She smiled at him in a defiant and somewhat unhinged manner.

"You'll have to make me, Prissy."

There was a duel of looks between the two, the air growing increasingly tense.

Just as the two were about to come to blows, they were interrupted by campers who began to rush past them and crowd around the range, whispering excitedly.

"Agh, now what?" Luke complained as he got up and headed towards the range.

Percy followed, expecting to see another fight between hunters and campers, but when he arrived and pushed the campers aside to get a better look, he definitely didn't expect to see what looked like some kind of competition.

The hunters and, as far as he could tell, the people of the Apollo's cabin had decided to have a competition to see who was better.

"All right, everybody shut the fuck up!" Thalia commanded, slamming the tip of her spear into the ground, causing a loud electric shock that silenced everyone in the room. "Better. Are you sure you want to do this, Michael?"

"You bet your ass I am!" claimed the son of Apollo, holding a bow in his hand.

Unlike most of Apollo's sons, Michael had black hair and brown eyes. He was also a very tall boy, standing well over six feet. There weren't many campers that Thalia looked up to talk to, as she was the tallest girl in the entire camp at 5'7".

"We, the sons of Apollo, are just as good archers, if not better, than the hunters," Michael said, looking at the hunters in annoyance. "I will not stand for them to come here and belittle our skills, and the best way to prove it is to beat them at what they claim to be better at than us!"

His words were met with shouts and exclamations of support from cabin seven.

Thalia turned to look at the hunters.

"What do you think?"

The hunters looked at each other, and in what seemed like an unspoken agreement, Zoë stepped forward.

"We accept the challenge. But once we claim victory, we will demand that the archery range be for the exclusive use of the hunters during our stay at the camp."

Michael turned to look at his brothers and sisters in cabin seven, who nodded in agreement.

"You have a deal, hunter," he said.

"Very well," Thalia sighed, looking resigned, "If you all want to show off your muscles to each other, I'll make sure this ends without incident."

Many campers began to approach, positioning themselves behind the two competitors. Even Chiron had come to watch.

"Chiron, are you sure this is okay?" Annabeth asked cautiously.

"Well, it's just healthy competition," he said, his tail wagging restlessly. "This is much better than watching the campers and hunters try to resolve their conflicts with more violent methods. We don't have enough money to repair another burned-out cabin."

"All right, are you ready?" Thalia asked, standing in the middle of the two competitors.

Michael Yew, son of Apollo and representative of cabin seven. And Zoë Nightshade, lieutenant of the hunters of Artemis.

Both nodded in agreement.

"Take a good look, Percy," Luke said quietly. "Everyone says I'm the best swordsman in the last 300 years. Well, it's the same with Michael when it comes to archery."

Percy didn't look away as Michael stepped forward first, holding his bow. He set the arrow and drew back the string. The target was 160 feet, a distance that would be impossible for many to reach with a simple bow. But demigods were not normal, let alone a son of Apollo, when it came to archery.

Michael released the string and the arrow flew at an almost imperceptible speed until it crashed into the center of the target. The campers gasped in amazement and applauded in awe, some even rubbing it in the faces of the hunters, who frowned in annoyance.

"I recognize that you have skill, boy," Zoë said, seemingly unfazed by Michael's display of marksmanship. "But such a feat can be performed by any skilled hunter of Artemis."

With the same ease as Michael, but with an elegance all her own, Zoë placed the arrow in her silver bow and pulled back the string. It took her no more than three seconds to aim and fire. The arrow flew and crashed into the target in line with Michael's, hitting the exact same spot.

The hunters did not applaud, just looked at the campers with haughty expressions.

"This isn't over yet, hunter," Michael growled, glancing defiantly at Zoë before placing another arrow.

"I am aware of that, boy" she replied, also placing an arrow. "This will end when you recognize the superiority of a hunter of Artemis."

Both continued to shoot arrows with superhuman precision. Each time Michael's arrow hit the center of the target, Zoë's did the same. The crowd's excitement grew as they saw that even though there was a few inches of difference between each arrow, none of them had missed the center circle of the target.

"Wow..." Percy exclaimed quietly as he saw Michael hit the center of the bull's-eye with his tenth arrow. "That's impressive."

Luke crossed his arms with a proud smile on his face.

"Isn't it? I'll bet you ten drachmas that Michael wins this one."

Zoë was unfazed by the accuracy of Michael's shot. She continued to concentrate as she placed another arrow, flying to shoot without a second's hesitation. Her tenth arrow landed in the center of the target.

Michael clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Last three" he suggested.

Zoë agreed with a nod.

They both shot the last three arrows, but there was no change in the score. Both were still hitting the inner circle of the target without hitting anything outside of it.

Frustration was written all over Michael's face. Even Zoë frowned in annoyance.

"All right, we're not going to get anywhere if we keep this up," Thalia interjected. "This is obviously a stalemate. The sons of Apollo and the hunters of Artemis are equally skilled at archery."

The campers, especially cabin seven, and the hunters began to protest.

"Then let them shoot arrows until one misses!" recommended one of the campers.

Thalia shook her head.

"No. They've already proven that they're just as talented with a bow. Then it's time for them to prove their accuracy with another weapon. I suggest spear throwing... And I volunteer myself!"

Thalia grabbed her spear and, without wasting a second, threw it with remarkable force. The spear flew through the air, leaving a trail of light due to the electricity embedded in it, and finally crashed into the target. Unlike the arrows that were embedded in the target, the spear completely pierced the target and shattered it into pieces.

With a snap of her fingers, Thalia's spear returned to her hands and she buried it in the ground with a triumphant, smug smile.

"Who stands against me?"

Zoë just glanced casually at the shattered target 160 feet away before giving Thalia a flat look.

"You do know that no hunter wields a spear, right?"

Thalia's smile faltered. Behind her, she heard a snort of amusement from Andy, who covered her mouth when Thalia turned to look at her with a scowl.

"If you don't use spears, there's only one option left," Thalia pointed at the hunter's holstered weapon. "Knife throwing."

Zoë blinked, slightly confused, and looked down at her knife sheathed in her leg.

"I wasn't aware that the campers were trained in knife throwing," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Thalia smiled defiantly.

"True, but I'm not talking about just any camper," Thalia turned and yelled, "Percy, get your ass over here!"

All the campers turned to look at Percy, who looked surprised.

"Me?" he asked, pointing at himself.

Thalia rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you. Is there another Percy in the camp?"

Surprisingly, a camper raised his hand.

Thalia looked at him incredulously.

"No shit... Is your name really Percy?"

"Percival, to be exact," he corrected with a nervous smile. "But some people just call me Percy."

"Oh, well... But I meant the son of Poseidon. Percy, come here."

Hesitantly, Percy approached her under the watchful eyes of all present.

"Thalia, are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Pretty sure," she nodded confidently. "I've never seen you fail at a single knife throw."

"That was before I lost my memory."

"Your body will know what to do. You've proven that these past few months, and I know you'll do it again now."

She slapped him on the back, but so hard that he staggered.

When Percy and Zoë's eyes met, she quickly looked away. Percy found it strange. Where all the hunters regarded him with caution, suspicion, and even contempt, Zoë did her best to avoid his gaze.

"If this has gone from an archery competition to a knife throwing contest, then I have the perfect hunter in mind," she turned and called. "Phoebe!"

A hunter stepped forward and approached. She had the build of a fighter, with red hair shaved at the sides. Percy recognized her as the same hunter who had helped him heal after his battle with Black Hood and his army of monsters.

"This is your best thrower?" she scoffed, giving him a contemptuous look. "I doubt he could hit an elephant from three feet away."

"Maybe if you were the elephant, I'd have a good incentive to hit it," he replied, narrowing his eyes at the hunter.

To his surprise, she tensed, her expression changing to one of caution, and her hand subtly went to the sheathed knife on her leg.

"Phoebe..." Zoë said in a warning tone, looking equally tense and wary.

Phoebe looked away and squeaked in annoyance.

"Okay, fine. Let's get this over with. Choose the distance, boy" she practically spat out the last word, as if the very act of saying it left a bad taste in her mouth.

Percy didn't know what to say. He had never participated in a knife throwing competition before. At least he couldn't remember. He said the first number that came to mind.

"Uh... 60 feet?"

The hunter looked at each other and whispered in disbelief. Phoebe, on the other hand, just smiled confidently.

"You've set yourself up for defeat, boy," she said.

She walked over to the targets, where a camper had replaced the one Thalia had destroyed.

"Did I say something wrong?" Percy asked, looking confused at Thalia and Zoë.

"No, you didn't say anything wrong, Perseus," Zoë replied. "But normally we hunters practice our knife throwing at a distance of 30 feet. 45 is the highest. The distance you suggested is unheard of for a novice.

The only thing Percy could say was:

"Oh..."

Percy and Phoebe positioned themselves in front of their respective targets. The campers and hunters formed a semicircle around them, watching expectantly.

"Let's keep this simple," Thalia said, acting as mediator and referee. "Three knives, three shots. Best of three wins."

Percy and Phoebe looked at each other defiantly and nodded in agreement.

Phoebe drew her hunting knife and held the tip of the blade between her fingers. Without hesitation, she threw the knife hard, and it landed in the center of the target.

The hunters applauded and Phoebe turned to Percy with a smug smile.

"Can you top that, boy?"

She high-fived one of her fellow hunters, acting as if she had already won the competition.

Percy looked down at his knife from hellhound. Since he had awakened from the tree, his knife and Thalia's voice were the only things that gave him a sense of familiarity. He embraced that feeling, let it comfort him, and looked at the target 60 feet away.

This was no time for his thoughts or sentimentality to intrude. So he turned off his brain and let his body act on its own. Before he knew it, he had already thrown his knife, which spun in the air and landed in the center of the target.

The campers gasped in amazement and applauded with excitement. The triumphant smiles of the hunters faded to disbelief, especially Phoebe's, who wore a sour expression as she approached the starting point.

"Beginner's luck, that's all," she declared.

"Is that so?" Percy asked, taking the knife a camper had brought him and twirling it between his fingers before holding it tightly. "Let's find out."

Phoebe narrowed her eyes and accepted the challenge. She pulled out a second knife and threw it, this time with more force, and it landed in the middle of the target again, halfway down the blade.

"Your turn, boy."

Percy didn't need to be told twice. He let his body do the work and threw. The knife landed in the center of the target, once again under the astonished eyes of the campers, who gasped in amazement.

"All right, last shot," Thalia declared.

Phoebe gave Percy a sidelong glance before throwing her knife, which landed right in the middle of the cross in the center of the target. The hunters cheered, and the campers grimaced at the sight, realizing that it was a very difficult shot, even for an experienced archer.

"You can retire now and save yourself the humiliation," Phoebe suggested, crossing her arms with a smug smile on her face. "You'll have to shoot better than that to win, which is impossible."

"Impossible?" Percy asked, staring at his own target. "We'll see about that."

He prepared to throw his knife, keeping a steady eye on his target. As he was about to throw, he changed his mind and lowered his knife. The hunters took that as a sign of surrender and celebrated, high-fiving each other and giving the campers victorious looks.

"Percy?" Thalia called, looking confused as Percy started to walk away.

"Hey, boy, where are you going?" Phoebe asked mockingly, "Are you admitting defeat?"

"It is impossible to get a better shot than that" he admitted, turning his back on them. "So, I guess I'll have to bet on something else."

"What are you talking about?"

"This."

Percy stopped when he was more than ten feet away, holding his knife with his fingertips, his back to the target, which was nearly a hundred feet away.

The campers and hunters looked at him, some in disbelief, others skeptically.

"Wait, don't tell me he's going to do this?" said one of the campers.

"There's no way he's going to make it," one of the hunters replied.

"Come on, Percy, you can do it!" Annabeth yelled.

"Yeah, show them who's boss, bro!" said Andy.

Thalia and Luke didn't say anything, but it was clear that they trusted him completely.

Surprisingly, that wasn't the only support he got.

"Go for it, Percy!" Nico shouted with joy.

"Show these hunters who's boss!" said Michael.

"Just do it, damn it!" Clarisse snarled.

Percy smiled confidently. He turned and threw his knife without hesitation. Everyone watched as the weapon spun in the air and, under everyone's astonished gaze, the blade embedded itself in the cross in the center of the target.

"The campers win," Thalia declared with a grin.

The campers erupted in cheers and applause, coming up to Percy and slapping him on the back. The hunters looked on in disbelief, especially Phoebe, who crossed her arms and looked away with an annoyed expression on her face.

---

As the sun began to set on the horizon, Percy returned to cabin three, ready to take a shower to wash off all the sweat and dirt from an afternoon of training.

After his competition with the hunters was over, and as he had promised Nico, Percy had taught him what he knew about how to use a knife. He didn't even know how to teach, but he'd at least managed to get the boy to know how to hold a knife and not accidentally poke his eye out with it. They had also gotten a knife sheath for both of them from the camp armory.

Luke had left them soon after, saying he had things to do as cabin captain and to prepare for the Capture the Flag game they would have with the hunters tomorrow night. Reluctantly, Clarisse had also left, telling Percy that she would be back for a rematch.

Surprisingly, Sam stayed with them in the arena. He seemed quite interested in sword training, so he asked Percy for some friendly sparring and a few tips. They agreed to meet again tomorrow at the same time to continue training. Nico invited himself, but neither of them could say no to the excited ten-year-old.

Coming out of the shower in stall three, wearing nothing but jeans and a towel to dry his hair, he was surprised to see Andy coming through the door. They both looked at each other wordlessly in an awkward silence. Andy's eyes dropped to rest on the scar Percy had on his chest.

Realizing that she had been staring at it for several seconds, Andy looked away in embarrassment.

"I'm... I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I forgot that you live here now too."

"It's okay," Percy said, pulling on an orange camp T-shirt. "I guess we'll have to set some rules if we're going to live in the same cabin. Like shower schedules or taking turns cleaning up."

"All right, it'll be nice to have a little help making this place more livable."

"Yeah, I can see that cleaning is not your forte," Percy pointed out, looking at the various articles of clothing scattered around the cabin.

He was grateful that at least Andy had the decency to put away her underwear, unlike Thalia, who clearly didn't care.

"What's that, anyway?" Percy pointed to a small 16-inch wooden whiteboard with an eraser attached to the wall by a string.

Several names were written on it with a black marker.

Ares

Ethan Nakamura

Mr. D

Prof. Jordan

"My shit list," Andy explained.

"You have a shit list?"

"Don't you?"

Percy looked at the whiteboard on the wall. He walked over and used the marker on the edge of the board to write on it.

"Now I have one."

On the board he could read.

Shit list of Andy:

-Ares

-Ethan Nakamura

-Mr. D

-Prof. Jordan

Shit list of Percy:

-Mr. D

Andy laughed at the sight of him, it was good that she had something else in common with Percy besides their kinship.

"Hey, what's that?" She asked, pointing to something at the back of the cabin.

Percy looked and recognized it as a pool made of sea rock with a spout carved into the center in the shape of a fish's head. From its mouth came a stream of salty water, and it must have been warm, for it served to heat the entire cabin, flooding it with an aroma of the sea that gave him a sense of calm.

"I don't know," he replied. "I thought it was always there."

"Well, it definitely wasn't in the summer."

Andy walked over and looked at it closely.

"It's a gift... from our father."

Percy looked at the small pool, not knowing what to make of it. A welcome gift perhaps? Was this god's way of saying "Welcome back from the dead" to their sons?

What if it wasn't even for him, but for Andy? After all, she had already seen Poseidon once, which was more than Percy could say.

Andy reached into the pool and pulled out a gold coin; a drachma.

Percy stared at the coin, understanding the significance of this pool.

"I suppose it's a gift for you," he said with a slight resentment in his voice.

Andy looked at the pool and then sadly at Percy.

"Percy, I..."

"You don't have to say anything, Andy," he interrupted. "That's okay. This way you can keep in touch with your mortal family. You haven't talked to your mom since we went to Maine, have you?"

Andy nodded, still looking apologetic.

"You should talk to her," Percy suggested. "She must be worried."

"I'll do it later," she said, putting the drachma in the pool. "It's dinner time now."

Just as she said it, a horn sounded in the distance. It was the signal for dinner.

"Well..." said Andy and went to the door. "Are you hungry? Because the smoked ham at the camp is really delicious."

Appreciating the change in the conversation, Percy was ready to join her.

"Hey, where's Mrs. O'Leary?" Andy looked around the cabin looking for her. "She was here a few hours ago."

"Maybe she went for a walk. She likes to do that. She'll be back when she gets hungry."

"Great. Then let's go. Line up at the end of the line."

Percy looked at the other empty cabin before looking at Andy, confused.

"It's just the two of us."

"Ah, ah, ah" she shook her finger and smiled condescendingly. "You're the newest camper, so you go to the back of the line. It doesn't matter that you're a twenty-something adult in a sixteen-year-old's body. You're the new guy, so follow your captain's orders, rookie."

"Captain?" Percy asked.

Andy put her hands on her hips, puffed out her chest and lifted her chin.

"That's right, I've been captain of cabin three for almost two years now. I'm the only one of us who's been on a quest, and I'm the oldest camper in this cabin. That makes me the captain."

"Andy, I've been at this camp for over six years," Percy reminded her.

"And how many of those years have you been a camper?" she replied with a grin. "Being a tree doesn't count."

Percy sighed in resignation.

"Then lead the way, captain."

Andy smiled triumphantly and walked out the door, still puffing out her chest and chin.

---

After waking from the tree that night more than four months ago, Percy never bothered to take a closer look at the camp. He hadn't noticed that the dining pavilion had a beautiful view of the lake. Maybe that was because he had never eaten there, since he always ate at the Big House when Thalia brought him something to eat.

Maybe it's the son of Poseidon in him, but the view of the lake opening into the sea was strangely soothing. He felt like he could stare at it for hours and never get tired.

He wished he had noticed it when he came out of the tree. At that time, he really felt overwhelmed by everything. Waking up in the middle of a bloody battle and not remembering anything, not even his name. It didn't help that the campers were making him feel really uncomfortable with their stares and whispers, like he was some kind of weirdo. Even without their stares, he already felt that way. Like he didn't fit in and didn't belong there.

Now, as he sat in the dining hall pavilion, the whispers continued, but the looks were different. Where many had expressed fear or suspicion of him in the past, it was now replaced with curiosity. At least that was the case with the campers.

"Don't mind them," Andy said, sitting next to him at the Poseidon table. "They always whisper when a child of the Big Three shows up. It happened with Thalia, then with me, and now with you."

"What about them?"

Percy cocked his head in the direction of table eight, Artemis' table. Although the hunters were busy at their own table, ignoring the other campers, they occasionally shot Percy suspicious glances, as if they were worried about something.

"Uh... You stole their prey and beat them in a competition?" Andy suggested, sounding uncertain. "From what I've been told, hunter know how to hold a grudge."

Percy shook his head and watched as his eyes met Phoebe's.. She narrowed her eyes and looked away.

"No... this is something else," he said, unsure. "It's like they're... looking for him to explode or something. I don't get it."

"Welcome to the life of a demigod. 30% of the time you don't know what's going on."

"And the other 70%?"

"Well, 20% is about feeling like an outcast in the mortal world. And the other 50% is monsters trying to kill you. Or, in your case, killing them. Isn't that right? Mr. Boogeyman."

Andy playfully elbowed Percy in the side, causing him to roll his eyes. He was starting to hate that nickname.

Chiron tapped his hooves on the marble floor, silencing all conversation. Then he raised his glass and exclaimed:

"To the gods!"

"To the gods!" the campers repeated, raising their own glasses.

"And on this occasion, we toast not only the gods," Chiron continued, gesturing to table eight. "We also toast the hunters of Artemis who have chosen to honor us with their presence. We welcome you, hunters."

"Welcome..." murmured the campers, not looking as enthusiastic as Chiron.

Zoë just nodded in Chiron's direction, ignoring the campers.

"It has been three years since the hunters last visited. And in their honor, tomorrow we will play the traditional game of capture the flag. Cabin captains, select those campers who wish to participate. Twelve hunters, twelve campers."

The Ares cabin, or the few remaining annual campers, were the first to erupt with excitement. And not only them, all the other campers shared their excitement. Even the hunters looked a little excited.

"And last but not least, we have three new campers among us. Campers, please welcome Nico and Bianca Di Angelo. Along with Samuel Johnson."

Unlike the hunters, Nico, Bianca and Sam received a warmer welcome, full of applause and pats on the back. They were seated at table eleven next to Luke, who explained the most basic aspects of the camp.

At that moment, the nymphs emerged from the forest trees and the naiads from the lake. The nature spirits approached the dining pavilion with trays of grapes, apples, cheese, bread and barbecue.

As a nymph and a naiad, who looked to be about ten years old, placed the trays of food on table three, they both stood at the side of the table, watching Percy closely and in awe as they surrounded him.

Then, to his surprise, the naiad pinched his cheek.

"Hey!" he spat, slapping her hand.

The naiad pulled away and pranced out of the dining room with the nymph, giggling, to join the other forest spirits.

"What the hell was that?" Percy asked, rubbing his cheek.

"Don't mind them," Andy said, sounding slightly annoyed. "They're just excited to see another son of Poseidon in the camp. When I was reclaimed, they wouldn't leave me alone. Once they filled cabin three with clams and seaweed! It took me a whole week to clean it up!"

As Percy was about to take a bite of the juiciest part of the barbecue, he saw all the campers get up and go to the brass brazier in the center of the pavilion.

"Oh, right, you never ate with us," Andy remarked. "Follow me."

Percy followed, and as he approached the brazier, he noticed that all the campers were throwing some of their food into the fire.

"It's an offering to the gods. We give the tastiest part of our plate. It's our way of showing respect," Andy explained before tossing a piece of smoked ham into the fire. "Poseidon."

Percy went next, and after a few seconds of uncertainty, threw down the portion of cheese he didn't want to eat.

But unlike Andy, he didn't say Poseidon's name.

Why would he make a sacrifice to the gods, let alone his father? Since he had awakened, he had not seen him once and had not met a single god who deserved his respect. Well, there was Bast, but she was no Greek goddess.

Before he left, Percy could have sworn that through the flames of the brazier, he could see a pair of blazing brown eyes staring back at him, making him momentarily confused.

'Percy...'

"... cy... Percy!"

He blinked, confused, and looked at Andy, who was watching him in confusion.

"Something wrong?"

Percy turned to look at the brazier, but the pair of eyes had disappeared and he only saw the fire burning.

"No... it's nothing."

He sat down at table three again, and fortunately no one interrupted him as he popped the juiciest piece of barbecue into his mouth.

Lunch passed in silence, mainly because Andy and Percy didn't have much to talk about, unlike the other tables who were chatting with their brothers and sisters. The only exception was Thalia, who ate alone at table one, being the only daughter of Zeus.

Sometime during lunch, Mrs. O'Leary arrived at the pavilion. Percy was surprised to see each table giving a small portion of their food to the hellhound, who had a pile of food in front of her as she ate on the side of table three.

"Hey, Andy," Percy said, breaking the silence.

"Hm?" She spoke, her mouth full of smoked ham.

"What's he like? I mean our... dad."

"Oh..." Andy moved the grapes on her plate with her fork, as if thinking about what to say. "Well... the first time I saw him, I called him selfish to his face."

Percy looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You called one of the three most powerful gods on Olympus selfish?"

"Yep," Andy admitted without a hint of embarrassment. "Those were the first words I ever said to him. And let me tell you, I had every reason to do it."

Percy chuckled.

"I guess disrespecting the gods runs in the family," he commented.

To his confusion, Andy looked at him in surprise and then looked away with a small smile on her face.

"Yeah... I guess so," she pulled herself together. "Anyway, Posei... our father, he's... someone complicated. I only talked to him once on Olympus after I returned the Master Bolt with Thalia and Annabeth. That time he admitted that he wasn't the best of fathers and that he made mistakes, mistakes that he would do anything to make right," Andy looked sideways at him. "I guess he meant you."

Percy thought about it. Poseidon... his father... Did he feel he'd made mistakes with him? How the hell was he supposed to take that? As a good thing, because he thought he should have been there for him, like a father. Or as a bad thing, because Percy had only been an embarrassment to him.

Thinking about it only made him feel more lost and confused about what to think of his father.

"When your tree was poisoned, he was really upset, you know?" Andy said. "He was ready to unleash his divine wrath on those he deemed guilty. And Mr. D was at the top of that list."

"I would have liked to have seen that," Percy commented, scowling at Mr. D, who was sitting at table twelve with Grover, a couple of satyrs, and some chubby blond boys.

"Yeah, me too. I admit I don't like Mr. D, but he's not the god at the top of my shit list."

She glanced at Ares, who was sitting at table five, watching his sons arm wrestle, with Clarisse winning them all.

Andy looked out at the lake, watching the waves lapping at the sand on the beach, washing away the shallow layer of snow that covered it.

"Our dad is quite temperamental, like the sea," she continued with a faraway look on her face. "Sometimes he's calm and soothing, but other times he's wild and unpredictable. I guess that's because he's the god of the sea."

"I see..."

Percy didn't ask about his father anymore. Just thinking about him caused a strange feeling in his heart that he couldn't quite decipher.

---

As soon as dinner was over, the campers made their way to the amphitheater to gather around a large bonfire. The hunters quickly made their way to their cabins, not wanting to mingle with any of the campers more than necessary.

Percy sat on one of the stone steps and listened as the campers from Apollo's cabin led the chorus. All the members of cabin seven seemed to have a natural talent for music, as they sang and played the panpipes, lyres, and drums like a large orchestra. He let himself be guided by the camp songs that spoke of the gods and heroes of old.

He was surprised when he saw Luke step forward and begin to sing about how things couldn't get any worse when your parents run the universe. He also began to sing about his father, Hermes, and how he was known as the messenger of the gods and his winged shoes.

"He always sings that stupid song."

Percy looked up to see Thalia holding a couple of steaming mugs. From the smell, it was hot chocolate.

She sat down next to him and offered him a cup, which he gladly accepted.

"He's doing pretty well," Percy commented, taking a sip of the chocolate.

"And that's the worst part. The bastard has a good voice."

"What about you? Do you sing?"

"Not when I'm sober. Give me a few packs of beer, and I'll sing to you, even in Japanese. But I only know anime songs."

Percy chuckled. They both watched the campers singing around the campfire while they drank their hot chocolate and some oreos Thalia had smuggled in.

"Something is bothering you," Thalia pointed out.

"Do you think so?" Percy asked.

"Yes. You always have this melancholy look on your face, but when you're worried, you frown. It makes you look cute."

"Oh..."

Percy didn't realize he was frowning.

"So, what's on your mind," she nudged him gently with her shoulder, "Or do I have to bribe you with a bag of potato chips to find out what's in that seaweed head of yours?"

"I will gladly take the chips. But if you really want to know... I had a dream today. A dream from my past."

He told her about it. About how he brutally and mercilessly slaughtered those monsters, and even about his concern for the girl of his dreams, Sammy.

At the mention of her name, Thalia frowned and looked down. The fire from the campfire danced in her eyes and shadowed her face.

"That was the day you two met," Thalia said, sounding somewhat hesitant. "Do you remember anything else?"

Percy shook his head, frustrated and worried.

"When I saw myself killing those monsters, I... woke up. And I'm glad I did."

Thalia looked at him, confused.

"Why?" she asked.

Percy looked at the flames of the campfire, sparks leaping up into the starry sky. The moon was high above, shining brightly.

'If you see him, run.'

'Monster'

'Maybe we are.'

"Because I'm afraid," he admitted. "I don't know why, but I'm afraid that little girl, Sammy, would have looked at me the way those monsters looked at me. With fear and terror. As if the monster was me."

Slowly, Thalia placed a hand over Percy's. Her hand was warm and soft.

"You're not a monster, Percy," she said with conviction. "Yes, you can be frightening sometimes. But you're not a monster. If you were, you wouldn't have saved Sammy that night at the hospital."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Sammy told me."

Percy looked at her, confused.

"What? When?"

Thalia drank from her mug of chocolate and huddled inside her leather jacket, feeling cold despite being so close to the campfire.

"That was when we first met Artemis' hunters," she explained. "Artemis offered Annabeth, Sammy, and me the chance to join her hunt. We all had our reasons for refusing. But Sammy's reason was different. She refused to join the hunters for you, Percy. She told us she would not abandon the person who saved her when she had lost all hope."

Percy looked thoughtfully at the fire, intruded on his thoughts.

"I suppose she was referring to the dream I had," he guessed. "The night the monsters attacked us."

Thalia shook her head.

"No, that's not what she meant. Sammy's life wasn't... easy. She lost her father and was left in the hands of her aunt, who abused and beat her. One day she ended up in the hospital because of her aunt. And that's when you two met. You... you were a little hard on her, but she told us it was just what she needed to move on. From then on, she traveled with you," Thalia squeezed his hand tightly and looked him straight in the eye. "Percy, that little girl worshipped you like a hero. I know for a fact that she never saw you as a monster. You were everything to her."

A smile formed on Percy's lips as a warm feeling rose in his heart. So he had saved someone. It was different with demigods, they were his own people. His family, in a way. It wouldn't be strange if you wanted to protect your family. But he had saved a mortal girl when he didn't have to. Thinking about that made him feel a little more optimistic about remembering his past.

"I see," he nodded. "I'd like to remember her. So far I only have a vague memory of her. Hey, Thalia, I know she's just a mortal and can't be here in the camp, but... Do you know where she is now?"

Through their clasped hands, Percy felt Thalia tense and saw her standing as still as a statue. Her face seemed carved in marble, for it betrayed no emotion. It was the first time Percy had ever seen her like this.

"Thalia?"

She let go of his hand and set the cup aside as she stood.

"Follow me," was all she said.

Percy watched as she left the amphitheater.

It didn't take him long to follow her.

---

They both stopped at the top of Half-Blood Hill. From there they could see the entire camp, which had fallen under the veil of night. The campfire burned brightly in the center of the amphitheater, a bright spot in the darkness of the camp, where the campers were still singing. Percy could still hear the distant echo of their voices.

But Thalia didn't stop to look around the camp, she approached the huge pine tree that stood at the top of the highest hill in the camp; Percy's Tree. And next to the tree, a small marble tombstone with a name on it.

'Sammy.'

As Percy read it, he felt a chill in his heart. As he walked over and knelt in front of the gravestone, he felt a lump form in his throat as he ran his fingers over the words carved into the marble.

"H-How...?" His voice came out choked and shortened. "What happened?"

"Monsters," was Thalia's immediate response.

Percy turned to her. Thalia's fists were clenched, and she stared down, avoiding his gaze.

"But... What about the barrier?" He asked, sounding desperate. "After I died, I was supposed to become this tree that would form a barrier to keep monsters out."

"The barrier didn't appear until the day after you died," Thalia explained, still not meeting his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Percy."

He remained silent as he continued to stare at the tombstone, feeling increasingly desperate. He was supposed to sacrifice himself so that the others could be saved, but even so, he couldn't save everyone.

As the days passed, the pieces of the puzzle that was his memory, his own life, began to form a grim and tragic picture. The good things he discovered about his past were few, and all of them were overshadowed by the bad. With each thing he discovered, his desire to have his memory back became less and less. And that made him feel guilty, because he knew how much Thalia and the others wanted his memory back. How much they wanted him to be the same as before.

But... Did he want to be his old self again? The version of himself he saw in his dreams, someone filled with unrelenting anger and rage that showed no mercy. Did he want to be that person again?

Now he wasn't so sure.

As he prepared to leave, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from the other side of the hill. Percy and Thalia tensed and put their hands on their weapons as they saw a figure emerge from the shadows, but relaxed when they saw who it was.

"Artemis," Thalia confirmed, watching as the goddess crossed the edge of the camp. "If you're here, I guess you couldn't convince the old man."

The goddess' features crinkled in annoyance.

Artemis still had the appearance of a twelve-year-old girl. Her auburn hair, this time braided over her shoulder, seemed to glow in the darkness of the night, illuminated by the winter moon. And her scowl, along with her silver-yellow eyes, gave her a beautiful yet intimidating appearance.

She gave them both a questioning look, lingering on Percy long enough to make him uncomfortable.

"Father refuses to acknowledge the threat that looms over us," Artemis said in frustration.

"Even with all that's happened?" asked Thalia, arching an eyebrow, "For the gods' sake, a titan has escaped from his prison! Isn't that enough to bring him to his senses?"

"Prometheus, though a Titan, is not a direct threat to Olympus. He is not a Titan known for his ability to wage war or cause chaos."

"And about Percy having a dream about him wanting to find the Fire of Olympus and ally himself with the Lord of Titans?"

"About that..." The goddess gave Percy a sideways glance. "Father is not entirely convinced of the... credibility of this fact."

"So he doesn't believe me," Percy said, frowning.

"Basically, yes. I'm sorry, Perseus."

"Great," Thalia growled, sounding annoyed. "Just when we need the old man to act paranoid, he doesn't."

"Father is someone... hard to convince."

"You mean big-headed," lightning flashed over their heads, but Thalia just rolled her eyes. "Sí, sí, a la chingada."

Percy looked at her and raised an eyebrow because he didn't understand what Thalia was saying.

"Spanish," she said. "I have a college friend who is Mexican, and she taught me a few insults in her native tongue. You'd be surprised how eloquent Spanish speakers are when it comes to telling someone to fuck off."

"Anyway," Artemis interjected. "Until I show Father hard evidence of the threat the Titans pose, he will continue to turn a deaf ear to my warnings."

"And how are you going to do that?" Percy asked, "Capture a Titan and bring it to Olympus?"

Artemis shook her head.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Perseus. For now, the best I can do is make sure the Titans are still imprisoned in their respective prisons. At least the prisons I have access to."

"Do you have any in mind?" Thalia asked.

"Prometheus' old prison on Mount Charleston, the highest point of the Spring Mountains in Nevada. That would be a good place to start. Maybe I'll find some evidence that will convince father. And maybe I'll find a clue that will lead me to the whereabouts of this demigod."

There was a flash of hatred in Artemis' eyes, and Thalia's features darkened. Of the three, Percy was the only one unaffected. Perhaps it was because deep down he had no real animosity towards Black Hood.

Although he was responsible for poisoning his tree, he was also indirectly responsible for being able to get out of it. Percy had been trapped in that tree for years; whether he died or came out, at least he could put an end to that endless darkness.

As for the murder of the hunter, Percy couldn't think much about it. Yes, he sympathized with her death and respected the grief the hunters felt for the loss of one of their sister. But after what he'd seen today, how the hunters were with the campers and what Luke had told him, he couldn't help but see things from a different perspective.

"I see. That makes sense," he finished, looking cautiously at the goddess. "Will you leave now?"

She shook her head.

"No. I need my hunters for this mission. So we'll leave in a few days. For now, we'll stay in the camp. Besides, I have an important matter to attend to with my hunters."

Percy understood what she meant.

"Evelyn Foster. That was her name, wasn't it?"

Artemis nodded.

"She deserves a proper burial. And I'll see that she gets it. Righteous with deserved justice for her cold-blooded murder, but... I will not let my thirst for vengeance cloud my judgment in the violation of my duties as goddess of maidens. Not again."

Saying that, Artemis gave Percy a slight sideways glance that he almost missed.

The sound of a conch shell was heard throughout the camp, signaling for the campers to return to their respective cabins.

"Well, it's time for bed," Thalia said, stifling a yawn. "Tomorrow will be another long day."

She started down the hill toward the cabins.

Percy prepared to accompany her, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Artemis was still looking at him as intently as when she arrived.

"Uh... is something wrong?" he asked doubtfully.

Artemis looked at him for a few more seconds, her eyes glazed over in the moonlight, and Percy felt a growing uneasiness until she finally spoke:

"It's has been six years since I last saw you. And you haven't aged a day. Poseidon's intervention has been a blessing for you. But... you're not the same."

Percy raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Thalia, intrigued by the conversation, paused.

"Even though you look the same as you did six years ago, I can tell you're not the man I once knew," Artemis said. "You look different. More confused, vulnerable, and... lost. When you died and then came back, you lost not only your memories, but a part of your soul. You lost what made you who you were."

Percy looked away. The moonlight reflected the slight distress on his face, but it turned to surprise when he heard the goddess' next words.

"And I'm glad. I am glad that you are no longer the man known as the 'Monster Slayer'. Someone who was considered a monster by the monsters themselves."

Once again, Percy felt those feelings swirl around him; anger, shame, and fear were predominant. And each of them felt like a cold stab in his chest.

Artemis approached him, and although Percy was much taller than the young goddess, who looked twelve years old, he felt much smaller.

"You will learn, Perseus, that forgetfulness is a blessing bestowed upon mortals. And though you may resist it, forgetting who you were is a far better fate than would have awaited you had your soul not been bound to this very tree."

Percy turned to look at the pine tree where he had been for over six years.

"Poseidon... my father... was responsible, wasn't he?" he asked.

She nodded, not looking away from him. And as strange as it seemed, those yellow-silver eyes made him feel a strange sense of nostalgia.

"Six years ago, he stopped your soul from going to the Underworld by turning you into a tree. Hades and my father, Zeus, were not very happy with that decision. Hades demanded that your soul be sent to the Underworld to be judged like any other soul, but Poseidon vehemently refused. So did Athena and Hermes. It's the first time in centuries that Poseidon and Athena have agreed on anything."

"What?" Percy gasped in surprise. "Then... How come I'm not in the Underworld?"

"The fate of your soul was decided by a vote of the Olympic Council," Artemis explained. "There were only two options. Either your soul would go to the Underworld and be judged, or you would stay in the tree. When it was discovered that it was your soul that formed the barrier protecting Camp Half-Blood, the vote to keep you in the tree was almost unanimous. The only one who voted against you was Hades, who claimed that every mortal soul must follow the natural order of things, no exceptions."

"I see..."

Percy was surprised and confused. His father and all the Olympian gods except Hades wanted him to stay in the tree. Was it because the camp had a barrier thanks to him? Because the children of the gods were safe? Or was it because of some debt, or thanks for something he had done for them in the past that he couldn't remember?

'So that's what Apollo meant when he said he had chosen me,' he deduced.

He turned to look at Thalia and judging by her expression, it was the first she had heard of it.

"Wait... If my soul was the one protecting the camp, how come the barrier still exists after I came out of the tree?"

Artemis walked over and placed her hand on the bark of the tree.

"This tree was created from your own essence, Perseus," she said. "An already powerful essence that was manipulated, molded, and forged with the divine power of one of the three most powerful gods. And because of the years you spent in it, a small part of your essence permeated the tree. And now, thanks to the power of the golden fleece, it no longer needs your soul to form the barrier that protects the camp. At least, that's what my brother Apollo has concluded."

"Uh... I see..." he mumbled, still a little confused, but getting the gist.

"So, Percy stayed in that tree for six years because you gods decided so," Thalia pointed out, looking accusingly at Artemis. "Couldn't you just let him rest in peace? He deserved... He deserves a place in the Elysian Fields after what he did! And you decided to deny him that?!"

"It is because of this decision of the gods that the camp has kept its barrier and the demigods enjoy the protection they have," Artemis replied, looking at her harshly. "You should be grateful."

"Bullshit, you make it sound like it was the gods who created the barrier," Thalia snorted mockingly. "Don't try to soften your words, sis. Or give yourself credit you don't deserve. Poseidon only turned his son into a tree, but the barrier exists because of Percy. And you have kept it that way, not out of the goodness of your immortal heart, but because it suits Olympus."

Percy looked at Thalia, surprised by her outburst. It was a strange but pleasant feeling to be defended by someone so passionately. And that Thalia was willing to stand up to a goddess, and not just any goddess, but an Olympian goddess, only added to the warmth in his heart.

They all heard a loud rumble of thunder above their heads, making Percy gasp slightly, while Thalia remained unperturbed, as if she had expected such a thing.

Artemis looked up at the starry sky, which was beginning to fill with clouds, before her gaze settled on Thalia.

"Be careful what you say, Thalia," she warned. "There are gods who would not be so forgiving of such perfumed disrespect."

Thalia frowned in annoyance.

"You gods and your foolish egos can shove it up your..."

"Hey, Thalia, take it easy," Percy interjected, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right. I don't care what they did."

"What? How can you say that?" she exclaimed, looking at him in disbelief. "They decided your fate, Percy! They denied you entry to the Elysian Fields because it suited them! Doesn't that bother you?!"

"I don't care," he repeated, giving her a comforting smile. "I am alive. And I'm here with you guys... with you. That's what matters, don't you think?"

Gradually, Thalia's anger faded from her face, and Percy felt her relax under his touch. Even the air itself seemed to have become lighter.

"Yeah... I suppose so," she admitted, though she still had a bitter look on her face.

Artemis watched them intently, her expression seemingly carved in marble as Percy turned to look at her.

"Thanks for, uh... voting for me," he said, sounding hesitant.

"Don't worry, Perseus. Though you may not know it, you've indirectly helped me and my hunters a lot in the past with your crusade against the monsters."

"I guess I did some good."

Artemis watched them go, her expression becoming indecipherable again.

"You have. And never doubt it."

Percy smiled back.

"Good to know."

Thalia watched them strangely, her eyes moving from Percy to Artemis, narrowing as she caught sight of the goddess.

"I think it's time to go, Percy," she interjected, draping an arm over his shoulder and pulling him close. "If we stay any longer, the harpies will come after us. And Chiron will be mad at me if I fry them with lightning again."

They both started down the hill, Thalia still with her arm around Percy's shoulders. Being the taller of the two had its advantages.

Artemis watched them go, her expression again becoming indecipherable.

She looked up at the sky where the moon, representing one of her many domains, was obscured by clouds, darkening the night and reflecting her growing insecurity and overwhelm. Feelings that had begun to well up in her heart the night before, from the moment she had exchanged glances with that pair of sea-green eyes. A pair of eyes that had tortured her mind with guilt and remorse for over six years.

---

When they arrived, they found that all the campers were already in their respective cabins. The campfire in the center of the cabins burned steadily, lightly illuminating the place. Percy could have sworn he saw someone sitting by the fire, fanning the flames with a stick. But when he looked closer, there was no one there.

"What a day, huh?" Thalia commented, puffing on the cigarette she was smoking.

"Tell me about it," said Percy, not caring about the smell of smoke. He had gotten used to it after months of living with Thalia.

He remembered everything that had happened since he had arrived at the camp less than a day before. Everything he had discovered. He had a lot to take in, and he doubted he could do it in just one night's sleep. That is, if he managed to sleep and not have any more dreams that woke him up abruptly.

Thalia paused in front of the door to cabin one, her hand on the doorknob as if she was thinking about something.

"Hey, Percy," she said, turning to face him, "I've got a pack of Cokes in my fridge and some bags of chips. Do you want to... Stay with me?"

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't it against the rules to stay in a cabin that isn't yours?"

"They don't have to find out."

Maybe it was the dim light of the campfire, but Percy could see a strange glow in Thalia's eyes. They seemed to glow brighter than usual.

"Sure. The food sounds good. And... the company better."

Thalia rolled her eyes, but as she entered her cabin, her lips curled into a smile.

As Percy walked past her, Thalia's eyes darted down his back until they slowly drifted to a specific spot. She shook her head in amusement at her fleeting thoughts before closing the door.

...

..

.

---

Special No. 2

Percy's reputation

"Nice to meet you, I'm Samuel Johnson. You can call me Sam."

Percy shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Sam. I'm Percy."

Luke put a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Before coming here with me, Sam was surviving on his own," he explained. "It's impressive that he did. Not many people survive on their own on the streets."

Looking into his eyes, Percy felt a strange closeness. And that he still held his hand firmly and seemed to have no intention of letting go.

"Uh... Can I have my hand back?"

"Oh, sorry," Sam said, looking apologetic as he let go. "It's just... I've heard a lot about you. Especially these last few months."

Percy raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I thought you just arrived at camp last night."

"And I did. But I haven't heard about you from the other campers, but from the nature spirits. They're pretty chatty, especially the nymphs."

"Oh, let me guess" Percy rolled his eyes. "They were all talking about how I was like a "Monster Slayer" or "The Boogeyman" to them."

"Well, yeah," Sam admitted. "But that's not why everyone in the mythological world knows you."

"Really?" Percy asked curiously. "Then how do they know me?"

"Because of your ass."

Percy was confused for a few moments, maybe a few minutes, he didn't know for sure. It took his brain a while to process what Sam had told him.

"Excuse me... What?"

"Your ass is quite famous among the nature spirits. They say it's like a sex symbol."

Percy turned to Luke, shocked and skeptical.

"He's not serious, is he?"

Luke shifted uncomfortably and avoided his gaze.

"Well... you see..."

"He's right!" someone shouted from behind Percy's back.

He turned to see Thalia approaching, accompanied by Annabeth and Andy.

"The new guy is right, Percy," Thalia said. "If there's one way to recognize you, it's by your perfect ass. You're just like Nightwing."

To his further shock, Thalia slapped him hard on the ass, making Percy jump.

"W-what the hell, Thalia?!" he exclaimed.

"Gods, I've wanted to do that since I was 14," she said, looking down at the hand that had slapped Percy's ass.

Out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth noticed that Andy had an annoyed look on her face as she crossed her arms.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"This is not fair," Andy grumbled, looking at Percy. More specifically, his ass. "We're both children of Poseidon, why can't I have a ass like his?"

Annabeth shook her head, but didn't answer her comment. After all, she was also jealous of Percy's ass.

...

..

.

---

And that's all for now, dear readers!

I hope you enjoyed it. It was quite a long chapter to write, but it touches on a lot of things, and I wanted to take my time to express them as best I could without causing confusion.

The suspicion that Luke is a traitor and why everyone thinks so.

Percy's dreams about his past as a "Monster Slayer" and his current position as a son of Poseidon, along with his relationship with Andy, his half-sister.

The fact that Thalia lied to Percy about Sammy's death.

And, most importantly, the way the hunters are watching Percy. Now that they know he is the "Monster Slayer", they are cautious and suspicious of him because they know more about the stories about him in the mythological world.

These are the main points of this chapter. In the next one, you will know the main threat our beloved heroes will have to face, so stay tuned.

And what's promised will be delivered. I've created the first Andy Jackson fanart. Now maybe you'll understand why you think she and Percy look so much alike. If you want to know what she looks like, go to my Pinterest account under the name JkAlex18. There are all the fanarts I've made from my fics.

Anyway, as always, I invite you to leave a comment on the chapter. I always read them.

And with nothing more to say... See you next time, handsome!