Nothing mattered.

Not anymore.

Percy bent over the sink, hands clenching the sides, knuckles white. Percy stared at himself in the mirror, sneering at its image. His tears had dried up an hour prior, but his eyes were still dull, lifeless.

Why was he still here?

Why did he deserve to be here, still kicking around? What about Aika? What about Annabeth?

Didn't they deserve to be here instead?

Why was he spared from the cruel hand of fate?

The light in the bathroom seemed to flicker, a clinical light cast over the dirty room. There was a cobweb in the near corner, and Percy barely noticed the cracks at the edge of the mirror. All he could think of was the deaths of his closest companions in two lifetimes, both ripped from him seemingly within a day of each other.

It was agony.

Percy wiped at his eyes, clearing away the crust accumulated by the corner. He blinked rapidly, desperately trying to moisturize his dry eyes, empty of tears.

He spat accumulated mucus into the sink, clearing his throat.

He opened his eyes, and reeled back. The mucus was red, splattered all over the sink, staining the white with his life.

Blood.

Percy took a breath, closing his eyes, before looking back into the sink. It was just mucus, a gross humor in the drain of the sink. He exhaled in relief, turning on the sink, a weak stream of water tumbling downwards. The mucus disappeared into the drain completely.

Huffing a laugh in relief, Percy put his hands under the stream, resting his elbows on the sink's ledge. He splashed some of it on his face, sighing in relief at the cool feeling.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Percy felt the rising panic once more, the panic of loneliness and loss that had been so incredibly common since he woke up. The panic that he wasn't right in this world.

Fuck.

"Perseus…"

He jerked his head up at Zeus' voice. The King's image sneered back at him in the mirror, electricity sparking around his head. His eyes held malice, a fulgurous glare meeting Percy's eyes.

Percy's fist shot out instinctually, punching the God's face in the mirror. The mirror cracked, spiderwebs spreading all across the mirror. Some of the newly-formed pieces of glass fell into the sink, leaving empty spaces dotted across the looking glass.

Zeus wasn't there. It was just Percy's face reflecting back, now split into a multitude of pieces. Percy's punch had drilled into where his head was shown. A broken visage.

Percy stumbled back from the mirror, eyes wide, breathing labored. He made it to the bathroom exit, throwing open the door and rushing outside. He reached the grass, squatting down to touch the verdant earth.

In, out.

In, out.

Percy blinked once, hard, before opening his eyes. He had to recenter himself, to take in the world around him. Breathe.

He could've sworn he heard a faint laughter, rumbling beneath him.

Percy stood from his haunches, running his hands through his hair, casting an apprehensive gaze at the world around him, paranoia seeping in.

When Percy had woken up, just half an hour ago, he had been in a bed in the Bear Lodge, some hostel in Yakutat. It was a weird feeling after so many days without one - the closest he had come were the military cots back in New Rome, or the uncomfortable wooden bed back on the actual Mount Olympus. Frank and Hazel had both been asleep in chairs next to him, Frank snoring and Hazel sighing softly.

Their hands had been clasped together, even in sleep. Percy couldn't help but smile at that.

He had snuck out of bed, careful not to wake them. The bags under their eyes was all the proof he required to know that they needed the sleep. Who knows how long they had been awake.

As the world breathed in, Percy breathed out. He could feel the tension in the air, evident in every gust of wind and every lap of the waves against the gravel coast. The Earth was bracing for conflict, and the atmosphere was more than happy to lean into the eerie feeling. It made him shiver.

As Percy scanned the water's edge, deep blue sparkling in the sunlight, his vision shifted upwards, out towards the horizon. A glacier, presumably Hubbard Glacier, loomed over the surface of the water, ice cold and imposing. Percy could feel the negative energy radiating from the glacier from where he was, the weight of the darkness nearly overbearing.

Percy could swear he heard a laugh from below him.

He slumped against the tree next to him, taking stock. He had been… Hades, there was too much happening. In a week, he had lived two lives and remembered a third. Now, all three were coming together, and the sheer amount of threads was weighing him down. The Gods let him live after rebelling against them in anger. Annabeth was dead. His Mom was dead. The Gods threw Aika into Tartarus. Percy was blessed multiple times in the past, one frantically given and one forcibly taken. The stranger from Frank's house visited him on Olympus. He had new powers. Frank and Hazel were scared of him. What the hell happened to the Gods' Mycenaean aspects? Why should he listen to his sword?

And Gaea. Fuck. Gaea. Percy had nearly forgotten about that imminent, world-encompassing threat. The entire reason they were on this quest in the first place. Gaea was going to destroy Camp Jupiter and keep Death chained.

Fuck.

Was the world truly this cruel? Were the Fates this harsh?

No. Fuck the Fates.

Percy was damned sure he was going to keep fighting, no matter the pounding headache currently ongoing.

He groaned, rubbing his forehead once again. But this time, Percy pushed off the tree, clasping Anaklusmos once more from his pocket. He took a shaky step forward, foot digging into the gravel beach. And another.

It was time to fight.

"Percy!"

Hazel ran up, Frank hot on her heels. Percy looked back at them, a slight smile on his face. It still felt like he was in a dream. The influx of memories, the time spent in Greece… the modern world felt like it had taken a break.

His companions launched themselves at him, obvious relief evident throughout their bodies. Percy staggered slightly, but wrapped his arms around them, taking a breath and closing his eyes. The headache was still present, and the sudden motion only made his head pang.

"Hey."

Hazel and Frank both separated themselves from Percy, stepping back. But the relief had faded from their faces, substituted instead with anger. Hazel's may have been more expressive, but Frank's simmering anger was very, very noticeable. Like a red shining from beneath his skin.

The daughter of Pluto stepped forward once more, hand extended out… and punched him.

"Ow!"

Hazel held her knuckles, wincing from the impact with Percy's skin. "What…"

"Sorry," Percy said, "it's a… a long story."

"What?"

"Percy…" Frank began, looking at Hazel, busy shaking her hand up and down. "You've been out for three days. And in the middle of that, you woke up, and nearly gave yourself a brain injury to knock yourself out. We don't… we didn't know what was happening."

"Yeah," Percy said, a tinge of bitterness in his voice. "Sorry."

"What happened?" Hazel asked.

Percy shook his head. "I've got my memory back."

His companions took a second, looking at each other, eyebrows scrunched and eyes wide. "That's great, right?"

He snorted. "No."

His companions' expressions shifted to a serious mood.

"What happened?" Frank asked.

Percy let out a sigh, looking down the fjord towards Hubbard Glacier. If it had been three days since the incident with Styx, then they only had… about a day and a half to save Camp.

Cutting it close. Too close.

"Here, let's just get moving," Percy said, putting Anaklusmos back in his pocket. "I'll be fine."

"Percy… are you sure you're alright?" Hazel asked. "We're here if you need to talk."

"I'll be fine," Percy repeated. He took a step.

His leg shook. There was an unsteadiness he wasn't prepared for, a wobbliness previously unaccounted for. He faltered, but caught himself before he fell.

Frank and Hazel rushed forward, but Percy waved them off.

"I swear, I'm fine. Just… need to move."

"Percy, you're obviously not fine." Frank started.

"Please, talk to us, Percy. We're here for you." Hazel added.

Percy looked around, ignoring the comments.

"Do we have a boat?"


The trio commandeered a rowboat from the town, to the confusion of the poor local fishing off the lone dock. Percy doubted the man had ever rented a boat out. He gave the few crumpled bills from his jeans pocket to the man in exchange - he wasn't sure how valuable cash was in such an isolated town, but it was better than nothing.

Hazel and Frank clung to their seats as Percy acted like a motor, sticking his hand into the freezing Alaskan water and summoning a constant propelling jet of water. He kept the speed low, not wanting to announce their presence to a potential watcher. They clung to the coast, darting in and out of fjords and islands, careful to approach the glacier with caution.

Percy kept his eyes forward, motionless, staring off into the ether. He knew he was supposed to share with the class - he could practically feel Hazel and Frank giving him side eye, waiting for him to start talking.

He couldn't.

It was, just… he couldn't.

He couldn't get those gods-damned images out of his head.

Of blood.

Of pain.

Of death.

Of loneliness.

And, oh god, what about Zoë? He had promised her they'd be right back, right before they hiked up to Meteora…

Fucking Qerasia. It was her fault Zoë didn't climb with them. It was her fault.

Fate's fault.

Percy shook his head before he spiraled any further. He needed to be strong, to put up a soldier's countenance. He needed to kill Alcyoneus, free Death, save Camp…

Did he?

Yes.

Why? Fuck the Gods, right?

No… well yes, but not their kids.

But you're doing what Olympus wants.

Gaea is worse, right? One war at a time.

Are you sure?

Percy slapped himself with a tendril of water, summoned quickly from the surface to wake him up again from his internal argument.

Don't think about it. Just act. Just move.

Move.

Percy wiped at his brow, cooling himself off before looking around, trying so hard to see the beauty in the Alaskan wilderness. Objectively, he knew it was true - the trees stood a vibrant green, reflecting off the gorgeous water of the sound. The tall, snow-capped peaks lent a rugged spirit to the horizon. He could spy a grizzly bear near the shore, munching on some kind of fish. But he knew he couldn't truly appreciate it for its worth.

Meteora might have been more beautiful, anyways.

Fuck.

Percy slapped himself, this time with his own hand. The rowboat kept chugging along, but the sound of his slap alerted his shipmates.

"Everything ok?" Hazel asked.

"Yeah," Percy said, lips pursed.

Hazel and Frank locked eyes, but nodded in response. They turned back towards the bow of the rowboat, facing towards the increasingly imposing Hubbard Glacier, ice growing ever nearer. The ice, the cold… freezing…

Don't slip.

Don't slip up.

"What happened when I was out?" Percy asked, desperately seeking a refuge from his inner voices.

Hazel and Frank turned back, careful not to tip.

"Well, you passed out after the plane crash. When we were fighting the unicorn things," Frank said.

"Scythian Horned Donkeys," Hazel supplied.

"Right. And so whatever happened to you, we didn't know what was going on, and we…" Frank trailed off. "Well, we grabbed you and ran. I used my, my spear again - Gray, the spartoi, he helped kill them. And we ran with you. Found a motorboat near a town called Prince Rupert and eventually got up here."

"Frank met a god, that probably helped with the travel time," Hazel spouted.

"What?" Percy asked. "Who?"

Frank's cheeks were red. "He's not really a god… uh, right, anyways. I ran into Kewkwaxa'we, she's a raven spirit… Long story short, she explained the weird movements of the different creatures. The Boq, the Kushtaka - why they were all out of place on the Coast."

"Why were they?" Percy asked.

"They were displaced," Frank said. "All the monster activity and recruitment by the Giants displaced their homes. They're refugees from their own habitats. Just looking for somewhere to rest. Kewkwaxa'we simply asked for us to put a stop to it. I assured her…"

Frank's voice fell away as Percy thought back to their encounter with Phineas, and the Kushtaka there… they didn't turn to dust.

A small orb exited each of the fallen's mouths…

The bodies just… laid there. Like a human. Dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Percy hadn't killed monsters. He'd killed refugees.

He squeezed his eyelids shut, painfully tightly. He turned away from his friends, sniffling.

"Perce?" Frank asked. "Everything alright?"

Percy let out a soft noise of assent, albeit one which could only be assumed to be anything but.

"Oh, look. We're here."

Frank and Hazel turned, and then craned their necks upwards, copying Percy's movements. They sat at the foot of Hubbard Glacier, blue and dirty ice stretching far, far higher than Percy had expected. The ice seemed all-encompassing, like a moving wall that could surge forwards at any moment. The cold seemed to radiate from within it. There was an ominous cracking sound that rang out, but nearly as soon as it started it stopped, returning back to the creepy silence the ice captured. It was a lifeless place, stunning but dead.

The tense weight of the atmosphere suddenly felt even more real.

"He's… up there?" Frank asked tentatively.

"I'm afraid so," Percy said.

"How do we even get up there?" Hazel questioned. "I do not think it is possible to climb something that… that treacherous." She shivered.

Percy shivered too, but not because of the cold. It felt like they were being watched. He looked around, but couldn't find anything.

"I can get us up there. Trust me," Percy said, reaching out his hands for them to grasp on to. "Grab on."

Frank and Hazel each grabbed one of his hands tight, apprehension present on their face. Percy tried to shoot them a reassuring smile.

"Hold tight."

Percy thought back to his past - the times he himself flew. Feeling the flow of the wind, the feeling of the air… becoming one with his surroundings. He breathed, and felt his breath become part of the air around him. His inner soul had found its home again, one with the world around him. He could feel Lelantos' blessing working its magic.

And they began to float.

"Woah!" Hazel shouted.

The three rose into the air, buoyed by a rising column of air below them. Percy could've flown himself, but he preferred to raise them up at once - and to his preference the atmosphere obeyed. Frank could only watch in shock, while Hazel seemed desperate to land once more. But they both clutched tightly, rising up.

Up.

Soon enough, they reached the top of the glacier terminus, floating to reach a flat spot atop the wrinkled and craggy ice surface. Hazel stumbled as she landed, practically throwing herself down to kiss the ice.

"D-d-don't you ev-ver… d-do that ag-gain." Hazel stuttered. Percy wondered if the cold or the fear was more prevalent.

"Sorry. I'll warn you better next time." Percy said.

"How can you even do that?" Frank asked, a curious eyebrow raised. "Since when can you fly?"

"I, uh… I'd rather not talk about it."

Frank put his hands up defensively. "Sure, whatever you want man. I was just curious."

Percy shot him a tight smile, before turning away, looking across the chasms and icy obstacles the glacier presented. It was a barren zone, a wasteland of impossible proportions - blue ice and white snow seemed to cover its entirety, as if the world was always made of those two materials and nothing more. There was a distinct chill even colder than the rest of the Alaskan wilderness, emanating from the ancient freeze. And there was a lifeless, solemn feel to the place - a long, long stretch of nothing but cold.

An apt externalization of his emotions right now.

Suddenly, a chill ran down Percy's spine - not a chill from the cold emanating from the glacier, but a shiver, an unnatural feeling of something not being right.

Percy turned to his right.

It had to have been miles away, and yet Percy could take in the details as if it was nary ten feet from him. A tree, black and dead and skeletal, grew out of the ice. The thick roots, inky as the night sky during a new moon, seemed to dig into the ice itself, rooting itself in the soil hundreds of feet below.

It was a tree of malevolence and disturbance. A tree of unnaturality. And atop the tree, hanging upside-down yet seemingly titanic upon the horizon, hung a very familiar bird, razor-sharp beak, broken wing, and all.

The strix.

A quick glance at Frank and Hazel showed they couldn't see it this time, for whatever reason. Percy didn't know why the strix chose to only show itself to him, but frankly… he just didn't care. He turned his attention back to the bird, ensuring it stayed far away.

Somehow, even with the great distance between them, Percy could very clearly make out these details. Just as he could make out the opening of the strix's beak, announcing its very presence with the same call that had sent Percy into a whimpering mess before.

A cry of a toddler, separated from its parents, begging for someone to either save him or put him out of his misery. A cry of a lost friend, their last moments of life evaporating in front of their eyes. A cry of a parent receiving a terrible diagnosis. A cry of a victim, grabbing at their wounds. All these cries, intermingling, combining, until it was one pure sound of pain, terror, agony, and horror.

Percy didn't react. The cry fell on deaf ears.

It was with a grim countenance that Percy pointed across the behemoth structure, towards a frozen, ghostly, ominous Roman encampment, set up towards the center of the glacier. Percy could feel the malevolence from here, even if he couldn't spy any monsters from this distance. But it radiated darkness, disappointment, and death.

"There," Percy said.

He gave one last look to his companions, not showing any emotion, before taking his first step forward across the barren land.

"Let's go free Death."

The tension was palpable.

The gates were propped open, gusts of cold wind blowing like the breath of the camp. Icicles hung from the guard towers, while the cracked snow bricks seemed held by ice rather than mortar. No sentries guarded the entrance, no fires were lit, no footprints were evident. It was a ghost town. The malevolence in the air was nigh-overpowering, like Gaea had created the camp from her own being.

An uneasiness started to creep into Percy's stomach, fighting with his anger to create an incomparable agony of emotions. Percy couldn't tell whether he wanted to run away or destroy the entire camp out of rage.

It was ominous.

The three approached cautiously, passing the iced gates with no small amount of trepidation. Their footsteps were soft, cautious. Their weapons were out, held at arm's reach, prepared for anything. It was now Percy realized the other reason for the weird feeling he was experiencing - the camp was a replica of Camp Jupiter. Down to the buckets for arrows, all placed in the same spots. It was as if it had been stolen from California and brought north. He shivered slightly. Percy's eyes flitted over the familiar buildings, searching for any hints of a trap.

Nothing.

And then like magic, suddenly there was a black-robed figure, standing right in the middle of the road, past the barracks. He was bound in chains to a rock, icy black chains that completely immobilized the being. But even chained and a ways away, Percy could sense the power rolling off of him, the sheer aura being exuded. An aura of death.

"It's… it's him," Hazel said shakily.

She stumbled. Percy turned to help her, but Frank was already holding her up. She shot him a vaguely reassuring smile, but Percy had seen enough scared demigods to know how she truly felt.

"It has to be a trap," Frank whispered. "No way they just left him here."

"Of course it is," Percy murmured. "But do we have any choice other than to trigger it?"

Hazel stood up, stronger this time, even if it might have been slightly farcical. Percy could practically see herself talk her into it, a silent argument happening in her head. He could only wonder what flashbacks she was having, what her past had wrought upon her.

He felt her pain.

"I think we have to," Hazel said. "Be prepared."

They plodded over to the cloaked prisoner, trying desperately not to draw attention from whatever was watching them. The crunch of their footsteps seemed to bounce off the walls, however, and Percy cringed every time he took a step at the sound.

Hazel seemed to find her composure ever stronger, whether it was the strength to defeat an enemy or an attempt to rip off a band-aid, Percy wasn't sure. She knelt at Thanatos' feet, staring up into the dark cloak of a timeless being.

"Hello? Death?"

Thanatos shifted.

His wings flew out to his sides, hood and cloak falling away to reveal a dark tunic and a darker mane of hair. He had a regal face, honey eyes in concert with unblemished skin the color of maple. His abs were damn near visible through the tunic, too - his muscles seemed to almost ripple, and Percy could tell.

Death was handsome.

"Damn," Frank whistled.

Hazel had her mouth hung open, speechless for a moment, before nodding. "Are you sure you aren't Cupid?"

As his friends seemed to collect themselves, Percy also took note of the shackles holding Death's arms and feet down - they seemed to originate from iron hooks placed feet into the glacier, under the ice in a way that would be impossible to reach. If there was any chance of freeing the deity, they would have to find a way to break the chains above the surface.

Thanatos gave a deep, rich chuckle, sounding more like a man enjoying himself on a porch than a god chained to his knees. "You flatter me, Miss Levesque. But I can assure you, I am Death himself. Cupid is a dear friend, however."

Percy spun, taking in the surroundings once more. No sign of a threat.

"We're here to, well, we're here to free you," Hazel responded. "Where is Alcyoneus? The ambush?"

Thanatos leaned forward slightly, chains clanking as he moved. "Save me? Do you understand the… ramifications, my child, of doing so?"

Hazel swallowed, before nodding - it was a nod of reassurance, not confirmation. She readied her spatha to strike at the chain nearest her, drawing her arm back before looking to Percy for affirmation. At his slight nod, Hazel struck down.

The blade stuck. Frost slowly began to creep up the blade as Hazel shouted, spurring Frank into action. Together, the two of them were able to jerk the spatha away from the glue-like icy chain, breathing heavily as they did so, dejection already taking root within their visages.

Thanatos let out a hearty chuckle. "Do not fret. Even the razors of mine own wings could not make a dent." He pointedly glanced at Frank for a moment, a glance noticed only by Percy. "As for the Giant… he must not be far. I would prepare yourselves."

"So how do we free you?" Hazel asked, sounding more determined. "You are our quest, and we seek to finish it."

"My girl, Daughter of Pluto… you of all should not wish me free. You know what may happen."

Hazel nodded, her lips pursed.

"And are you aware of the souls you would condemn with my freedom? Fallen soldiers, given a second chance at life by Gaea, desperate to escape the Fields of Asphodel and the doldrums of existence there. And yet, they will face eternal torture instead, brought upon them by their defiance against Olympus. You would send those souls back, deeper than they have ever stepped foot. Is this your will, Miss Levesque?"

"That's not fair!" Frank exclaimed, but Hazel put her hand on his shoulder, calming him. She drew a rattled breath, but her eyes remained firm in her resolve. She nodded once more.

"Yes, my Lord Death."

Thanatos looked at the son of War, eyes unflinching. "It is not fair, Mr. Zhang. Fairness is not a doctrine I follow. Death is very rarely fair. It was not fair when your grandmother died." Frank flinched at his words. "And yet, when it is a soul's time, I come to collect. For it is my duty."

He looked back at Hazel. "If you free me, I will return to my duties. For it is only right. It is the natural order of the universe, an unavoidable truth. And indeed, I shan't avoid it."

"How do we break the chains?" Percy interjected, somewhat impatient.

"Ah, Perseus…"

Thanatos glanced at Percy, a slow blink somehow adding more weight to his action. Thanatos seemed to sigh, almost, the moisture in his breath visible. After a pause, the deity shook his head, casting away whatever thought had preoccupied his mind that moment.

"It is only with the Fire of Life that the Chains of Death can be broken," Thanatos stated.

"What - " Percy began, only to realize both Frank and Hazel had gone pale as a snowstorm. "Frank? Hazel? You know what that means?"

"There has to be another way," Hazel pleaded. "Please. It's not fair."

"Fairness…" Thanatos trailed off. "We never get it when we desire it. One of life's great disappointments."

Frank seemed to wrestle with his own brain, gazing out into the dipping sun in the far-off reaches of the horizon. But with increased resolve, he turned back to the group.

"Haze… I need that package I had you hold."

"Frank…" Hazel was on the verge of tears.

"Please, Haze… I know what I'm doing, I promise."

Hazel hesitated, but dug through her pockets, bringing out a small object, wrapped in multiple layers of cloth. Frank took it gingerly, almost with fear, but nodded.

"Sacrifices are the cost of righteousness," Thanatos supplied. "And it is the righteous who shall serve the world."

A booming voice laughed behind them. "Sacrifices to Mother, the duties of the righteous! Why indeed, that shall be the new status quo!"

The ground shook as Percy turned around, ice cracking beneath the feet of the massive foe that had laid waiting at their destination.

Alcyoneus.

The giant truly was giant - he stood likely triple Percy's height, if not even taller, an imposing figure in the cold Alaskan air. He had golden scaled skin, an ugly grin adorning the ugly visage of one of the Earth's mistaken creations. Silver platinum armor covered his chest and legs, while he held a similarly metalled staff that looked like a cast telephone pole. Percy could even make out the glint of multicolored stones, weaving in his dark braids.

He was surrounded by an army of shades, as well - ghastly legionnaires who had crawled out of the crevices of the frozen Roman encampment, ready to serve. They stood around the giant, holding dented shields and broken pila, frozen helmets and barely-complete sets of armor made of frost before metal. The ghosts seemed to be held together by an unnatural force of forced life, not allowing them to return to the underworld and live out their days. It was as if they were puppets.

Alcyoneus stepped forward, waving his staff in their direction, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"Welcome, Frank Zhang! A child, a mere child, one who barely knows himself. A pity you won't find out."

Frank seemed to shiver at the Giant's words.

"A warm welcome to Hazel Levesque! I remember all your… contributions to our cause, of course. It's good to see you again, child."

A quick glance told Percy that Hazel was terrified at this notion. But instead of a retort, Hazel let loose a long, shrieking whistle, one that seemed to vibrate along the ice.

"And… oh, the legendary Perseus Jackson. My, what a surprise it is to see you - not only here," Alcyoneus gestured to their surroundings, before pointing in Percy's direction, "but there. With Olympus itself."

Percy took a step forward. "Not a word."

Alcyoneus let loose a laugh that seemed to shake the mountains in the distance. "Gaea assumed the death of your two loved ones would… shake your faith. What were their names again?"

Percy reached into his pocket.

"Annabeth, and…"

He unsheathed Anaklusmos.

"Aika?"

Percy saw red. Blood red. He could feel the atmosphere get tenser, the wind pick up, the clouds begin to swirl. The ice beneath him began to shake, ever so slightly. He could hear Hazel and Frank speaking in the background, but he wasn't present enough to recognize the words they spoke.

Aika.

Annabeth.

They were dead.

All that mattered was killing Alcyoneus.

Unbeknownst to Percy, he had begun to float.

"Ah, the son of Poseidon wants to play, does he?" Alcyoneus cackled. "I am the new God of Death, child. I do not care what you've discov-"

Percy shot towards him with the speed of a ballistic missile, a shockwave emanating from where his feet had hovered. Like a dart, Percy punched through the frigid Alaskan air, made even colder from the presence of Pluto's bane, until he reached his target.

The Giant's head.

In not a second, Percy flew across the battlefield, colliding with Alcyoneus' chin, rocking him backwards. His momentum launched Alcyoneus off his feet, sending the Giant sliding backwards into a frozen pillar, ice shattering and breaking with the collision. Alcyoneus let loose a grunt at the force of the hit, stunned by the ferocity and suddenness of Percy's blow.

Alcyoneus stumbled to his feet, but Percy was already at his arm, slashing away with Anaklusmos. A slash appeared on the Giant's right bicep, another on his forearm, a further across his shoulder.

Percy hacked away, not letting Alcyoneus get up from his stumbled position. He darted around the fallen giant, moving in three dimensions. He just needed to kill him.

He needed to hurt him.

He needed to let loose.

Percy let out a primal yell as he pressed onwards, slicing at the straps of Alcyoneus' chestplate and vambraces, at his beard, at his cheeks, his forehead, his braids, his eyes, anything in range. This wasn't graceful swordplay, or brunt strength, or tactical slashing.

This was brutal, brutal hacking.

Black oil splashed up onto Percy's face, spurting from the brutality of Anaklusmos's slashes. He didn't notice.

Percy also didn't notice that he was yelling.

Alcyoneus groaned in pain, flailing with his arms, trying to knock Percy away, until suddenly, almost without warning, they stopped.

Percy didn't stop.

Percy couldn't.

It was necessary for him.

He couldn't stop.

God, he just… needed to.

He needed this.

Suddenly, his arm started getting tired. Heavy. Percy kept hacking, and his arm kept getting heavier.

And heavier.

Wait.

It wasn't his arm getting heavier.

It was the sword.

Percy finally slowed to a stop, oil dripping from his now pitch-black cheekbones, breathing heavy. Confused by the weight, he looked towards his trusted blade, now torn between a glowing bronze and the corrosive black oil.

The blade glinted at him, almost like it was glaring. But it was a sword. It was inanimate.

Right?

He turned back to Alcyoneus. The giant was flat on his back at this point - hundreds of inelegant slashes had cut through his scaly exterior, black oil streaming into the ice from every little mark. His chestplate was hanging on by only a couple threads, while his right vambrace had pure snapped off. Alcyoneus didn't even look conscious - Percy presumed he was passed out from the sheer loss of blood and the magnitude of Percy's blows.

As he prepared to slash once more, this time a determined fatal blow to the neck, Anaklusmos suddenly felt like an anvil in his hand. The weight was suddenly so heavy that Percy had to drop the blade.

It fell like a rock, the tip of the blade embedding itself in the ice below, shaking.

"What the fuck?" Percy muttered.

He bent down to grab the handle, wrenching it free from the ice. Once again, it felt perfect, like an extension of his arm. Looking up, he zeroed in once again on Alcyoneus' bleeding body, an unconscious groan emanating from his mouth.

Percy raised his hand, ready to step forward and continue the onslaught, when the sword suddenly weighed heavily once more. Percy stumbled, once again dropping Anaklusmos - this time, it fell straight onto his toe, bouncing off and laying flat on the ground. Percy sent a silent prayer to Styx, thanking her for preventing such an embarrassing injury.

He bent down and lifted Anaklusmos to his eyes, questioning.

"What is your problem?" Percy shouted, looking like a madman that would… Well, talk to a sword.

Anaklusmos seemed to shudder in response.

"Can you understand me?"

Another shudder. An affirmative one.

"What the fuck?"

The blade fell silent.

But as Percy's bloodlust elapsed, the sounds of the battle seeped back to his attention. Sounds of swords clanging and battle cries. He turned.

Hazel was astride Arion, spatha in hand, battling against the enemy lines. Behind her kneeled Frank, anxiously holding a burning piece of wood obtained from who knows where - maybe Hazel's package? - to Thanatos' chains. Two were broken.

They were struggling. That much was obvious, even from such a distance. Hazel was utilizing some of the best equestrian strategies Percy had ever seen, nigh untouchable by a single fighter. But she was being swarmed, constantly having to dart further back to give Arion some space, stuck in a game of charge and retreat. She couldn't leave Frank alone, and so she couldn't charge through the lines of shades.

She needed help.

Percy stood up, Anaklusmos finally operating with his own movements, ready to launch himself back to Hazel.

That didn't happen.

Alcyoneus' massive hand wrapped around Percy's body, a vice grip suddenly squeezing Percy completely. Anaklusmos was dislodged from his hand, although still against his body - the barrel-like fingers holding so tight that nothing could fall from his clutch.

Percy grunted as Alcyoneus brought his captive to eye level, the giant staggering upwards from the onslaught. There was a level of both grim satisfaction and fiery anger that rushed into Percy's brain upon his first glance of his opponent.

Alcyoneus was mad.

He was gushing blood, his face completely covered in black tar - it was dripping from his chin onto the ice, immediately evaporating. His red eyes glowered from their sockets, anger emanating from its inky skin, as if a demon glaring from the shadows. His armor, too, seemed dipped in oil, as if Alcyoneus had risen from the tar pits of Tartarus to stand in this exact spot. He was menacing.

Alcyoneus snorted in disgust, anger, fury. "You… dare… contest Death? Did you think I would go down easy, you spoiled brat?"

Percy spat at him, his enemy not deserving of words.

Alcyoneus scowled, before squeezing.

It was as if five separate boas had teamed up on a single meal. Percy tried to struggle, tried to shift his weight around, tried to shuffle his way out of Alcyoneus' grip, but he couldn't move. He couldn't find leeway.

"Die, sea scum!" Alcyoneus growled.

Sword, sword, sword, sword, where was it, where was it… where was she?

No. Not now.

Percy winced, eyes wired shut as he tried to ignore the walls closing in, the contraction threatening to break the Curse of Achilles by brute force, desperately trying to connect a finger to Anaklusmos. It had to be close, he was holding it when Alcyoneus sprung up on him…

There!

Percy's pinky made contact with the blade, just near the hilt. Millimeter by millimeter, Percy shifted his body weight, trying ever so slightly to get a finger on the hilt, get a second, get a grip, until finally, finally, he got his palm on the hilt of his forever blade. His fingers curled around it, all while trying to pretend the stars in his vision were the stars in the sky…

A last breath.

Percy summoned as much strength as he could, boosted by an upwards draft strong enough to impact the Doppler Radar, and brought his blade upwards, putting all of his weight into breaking the giant's grip, slicing through three fingers until his blade met air instead of flesh.

One big swing, and he was free.

Black oil spurted through the air, drenching Percy and the ice underneath them. Alcyoneus roared in pain, stumbling backwards once again as the demigod freed himself. Percy fell down to the ice, landing awkwardly as the ice cracked under his knee from the impact.

He took a deep breath, the cold Alaskan air instantly refreshing, before turning back towards the recovering giant. With a yell, Percy brought his right arm back behind his body, straining, before launching forward a blast of wind strong enough to rival a gale from a hurricane. Alcyoneus flew backwards, catching air time over the ice before crashing once more further north on the glacier.

Percy took another deep breath, absentmindedly spinning Anaklusmos once, before looking back down the glacier towards Hazel and Frank. Haze had fallen off her horse, a tight circle having formed around them without Arion's help to keep distance. The shades were temporarily occupied by Hazel's spatha, but they were getting closer by the second. Frank was on the final chain, but even from a distance Percy could tell he was greatly weakened - he seemed to have aged a decade in minutes.

He sighed, looking at Anaklusmos in a cautious light, but readied himself. After a moment, he shot forwards, ice shattering behind his feet as he darted through the air, water and air combining to hasten his flight. He slammed into the back rows of shades, Anaklusmos carving through a line as he broke through, landing right in front of Hazel.

"Percy!" She shouted, surprised.

Percy didn't respond.

Raising a hand, he let loose a wide, light blast of air, pushing the shades back just a few feet. It was all he needed. Kneeling, he dug Anaklusmos deep into the glacial ice, roaring as he did so. At first, it seemed like nothing had happened.

"What - Percy?"

Slowly, a low-pitched drone seemed to begin, far-off at first before becoming more and more aware. And before Hazel knew it, a wave had flowed up the glacier, water running over itself until it seemed like a massive tide was rolling in for the first time.

Percy didn't move. Hazel ducked in front of Thanatos and his rock, pulling Frank with her, just as soon as the final chain had snapped. The two held each other as the tsunami poured from behind Thanatos, surging past the Son of Poseidon into the army of shades. It was as if the ocean had appeared from nowhere.

The ghostly sounds of dying shades filled the air as they were tossed about in the gray water, Percy never losing focus as he drowned an army.

He simply stared blankly at the chaos in front of him.

Slowly, the screams of the dead trailed off, the trip back to Hades now once again a one-way ticket. Finally, when the only sound apart from the crashing waves was an eerie silence, Percy relaxed his grip on Anaklusmos and his focus on the water, allowing the sea to once more crash from his control, dissipating below the glacier's crevasses. He took a deep breath once again before getting to his feet, sword in his right hand, panting from the energy output he had used.

Hazel and Frank stared at him, stunned.

"Is… Alcyoneus gone?" Hazel asked.

Percy shook his head. "Not yet."

She took an apprehensive sigh, before grabbing Frank in a hug. He seemed to have put years and years of his life into whatever action he did to free Thanatos - Percy still didn't have the story, but he figured it took a good bit of courage on Frank's part.

Speaking of Thanatos…

The god stood up slowly, stretching his wings as if he had just gotten out of bed. He held a scroll, parchment that while not being very large held an aura of significance. "Thank you very much, Frank Zhang. I am free, and now those you kill shall stay dead."

Frank looked up at Death, staring him in the face, before nodding.

"Are we good?" He asked.

Death nodded. "Indeed, young one. Our business is finished."

Hazel looked up, fearful, clutching on to Frank still. "Finished?"

Thanatos sent a knowing look down to Hazel. "Yes, Miss Levesque. I only collect the souls of those on Pluto's list. You are not on that list."

She let out a deep sigh, collapsing back onto the ice in relief.

"What about the Doors of Death?" Frank asked. "Can you close them?

"I cannot," Thanatos sighed. "It is beyond even my own ability. I hope you can, for your own sake, but I do not know how you would. I have no knowledge of their location, although I suspect they are in the Ancient Lands. Rome. Head there on a quest, and maybe you get a clue. If I find anything, I will try and inform you - no one wants them closed more than I.

"I must leave now, demigods. You still have a fight to finish, and I have places to be. Perhaps I will see you at Camp Jupiter… Death is likely to come in abundance there. Soon."

Thanatos stowed away his scroll, turning to flash out. But before he did so, he glanced back at the trio. He seemed to ponder his words carefully, before locking eyes with Percy.

"You, Perseus… you have been confined to bear the burden of many souls in one lifetime. It is truly the most unbearable sentence I have seen passed down by the Fates in quite some time. I wish you luck, for you shall need as much as you can muster."

With that, the deity turned, flashing away in a ripple of darkness.

There was silence.

Inhale.

Shuddering exhale.

Percy finally looked back down, locking eyes with Hazel, Frank still in her arms. There was a disconnect, Percy could feel now. It was just barely present, but Percy knew it was there. Angry about his secrets, his power, his life. And suspicion would foment distrust. But it couldn't be helped right now.

As if to enunciate that point, Alcyoneus bellowed from a distance, finally coming to again. The roar seemed to shock Hazel and Frank back into battle mode from their spot on the glacier, both jumping to their feet and once more grabbing their weapons. Frank seemed to sway, though, still recovering from his Fire of Life sacrifice.

Hazel grabbed him, holding him steady. "Don't put yourself in danger, Frank. We got this."

"No," Frank said, once more gripping his bow. "I've got this. I can do this."

The glacier seemed to shake under Alcyoneus' pounding footsteps, charging back towards the frozen city. Icicles snapped off of the frozen towers, snow shook from rooftops, icy doors flew open and shut. It was as if an earthquake was charging them.

Percy readied himself once more.

"I'll contain him. You guys finish him off."

Frank stepped forward. "We can't kill him here. We have to take him across the border to Canada."

"Huh." Percy said. "Wait, really?"

"Yeah." Frank said.

Percy shook his head. Giants.

Alcyoneus charged into the city, anger alight in his eyes.

"JACKSON!"

Percy readied himself for another power surge, bending his knees before once more sinking Anaklusmos into the ice. The water he had drowned the shades in burst up from the crevasses, tendrils erupting from the glacial surface as if the glacier had come alive. As one, they surged forward, enveloping Alcyoneus and stopping his charge abruptly. Percy restrained each of the giant's limbs as much as he could, using all of his concentration to corral and control his opponent's arms and legs.

"GO!" Percy shouted.

Frank and Hazel heeded his command, springing forwards towards the giant. Arion had rejoined Hazel, and she rocketed towards the restrained bane of Pluto, darting in and out, slashing her spatha at any weak spots, joints, anything she could find. Small leaks of oil began dripping out, the cuts adding up in total.

Frank went another route. He turned into a grizzly bear.

He launched himself on to Alcyoneus' chest, knocking the giant down. He essentially sat on the giant's chest, swiping at his face and neck with razor sharp claws. Alcyoneus let out a bellow, but couldn't swipe him off - Percy had him restrained, for now.

But the water wouldn't hold forever, and the strain was already taking its toll on Percy.

"GUYS, QUICK!"

Frank got the message, roaring loudly before pummeling the Giant's face more. Hazel decided to take it a step further, choosing to slice away at the giant's genital region, an action that elicited the loudest scream Percy had ever heard.

Just in time, Alcyoneus' scream was cut off. Frank had body slammed his head into the glacier, finally knocking him unconscious.

Percy let go of Anaklusmos once more, this time notably more exhausted. He gasped for air, once again letting the water retreat into the crevasses. He sagged to the ground, deep breaths coming quickly. He needed rest, desperately.

"Percy, we can take him and finish him off!" Hazel yelled to him. "Arion will drag him to Canada for us!"

Percy weakly nodded, waving his assent. He needed to recuperate.

In a flash, Arion and Hazel took off, dragging along the first giant they had ever fought, Frank the bear sitting on its chest. And silence had returned to the glacier.

Percy didn't move for minutes. He sat there, looking down at the ice. The little cracks, both on the surface and beneath it, a reflection of a broken soul without an idea of where he was going. He knew that once he made it back to America, back to the Gods' realm, that things would get trickier. He knew what he had done, and what had been done to him. He was confident that the only reason he was still alive was Hera, having convinced the rest of Olympus he was needed in a prophecy he didn't want to participate in. Even then, they had wiped his memories.

Did she know he had his memories back? Did Olympus?

What would happen then?

He'd have a target on his back from the moment he began the prophecy. Hell, he'd probably be killed the moment Gaea was defeated.

Fuck.

Percy sighed, stabbing Anaklusmos into the ice one more time - this time, just to try and banish those thoughts. Think about it later. Think about it once Camp Jupiter was saved.

Once his new home was saved.

He was about to stand before a new memory flashed before his eyes.

With one last, heavy breath, Zoë drove the blade deep into her own stomach, the blade sinking as blood spurted upwards. A shudder ran through her body as she gasped at the pain, while her audience gasped in shock.

"Zoë!"

But as they all looked at Zoë in stunned disbelief, Percy noticed something.

A faint glow, pulsing from Anaklusmos, the celestial bronze glowing brighter and dimmer and brighter once more. Like it was absorbing Zoë's lifeforce.

But the most noticeable aspect was the inscription, the Ancient Greek lettering, just above the handle.

It was glowing blue.

Percy looked apprehensively back down at the sword. Celestial bronze blade, as sharp as any weapon in history, still vibrating from the impact in the ice. The inscription wasn't glowing, but it still proudly shared its name with the world, no amount of blood oil or grime hiding it.

Could it…

"But, Percy… I look forward to seeing thee again… the sword has a secret. Unlock it."

"Zoë?"

A tear slipped down Percy's cheek, unnoticed.

The sword seemed proud. Hopeful.

And Perseus Jackson weeped.

A/N: So, it's been nearly a year since I've updated last. I do apologize, especially considering I left you on a bit of a cliff hanger and with only a few chapters left in Book 1. A lot of things happened - I got more entrenched in collegiate life, I had less time to write, and well, frankly, I lost a bit of interest.

It is y'all that brought me back. All this time, I've had notifications on - for new followers, new subscribers, new comments. It would be a random Tuesday in class, and I would get a notification saying somebody really wanted to see the story continue, or was shocked not as many people had read it, or was just complimenting my writing… and it felt good. And that's why I'm back. I owe you guys.

I won't be able to commit to any kind of writing schedule. I figure I don't want to disappoint you. But I will try my best to update far more regularly than once a year. Thank you all for continuing to support my story, and I hope you all enjoy it as it continues.