Chapter Five

Percy kind of just stood there staring at the Olympians, waiting for any of them to say something and/or give him a reason to kill them. The Olympians just sat there staring at Percy having so much to say and ask, but nothing coming out of their mouths.

Surprisingly, the first inquiry came from Athena who simply asked, "Are you okay Percy?"

At that, everyone looked expectantly at Percy to react as angrily to her as he did to everyone else in the room when they addressed him about anything that wasn't the war. They didn't know that before Percy died, he and Athena found a connection and bonded in a way no one would expect after his split from her daughter.

Flashback

*Knock Knock*

"Hello, Perseus... what are you doing at my palace? Artemis' palace is across from Apollo's and there's no way you could miss his..."

Percy shifted uncomfortably, not exactly wanting to tell her why he was not with the hunters, but trying to find something to say anyway. Athena squinted her eyes at him before looking around to see if anyone was nearby before walking to her living area but leaving the door open. Percy walked into her palace and observed the stark contrast between her and Artemis'. The main difference is that Athena's was so modern and looked more like the common wealthy person's mansion almost immediately putting him at ease.

Percy looked around the "palace" as Athena sat down on her king-size sofa. Athena waited for Percy to finish observing her place of residence, and as she did, she watched his body language and movements, trying to assess the issue and his purpose for being there without him outright saying it. Suddenly it clicked for her and she knew that he was confused and didn't know where to go. Now he's in her palace trying to come up with a reason to stay for a little bit.

Athena had many reservations about the son of Poseidon since he first walked on Olympus at the age of twelve and they only increased as he grew in power and prestige. A young man of his caliber shouldn't be controlled by his emotions and certainly not have them entwined with one of her favorite children. The wisdom goddess was sure that his undying loyalty would raze her home rather than preserve it but was pleasantly proven incorrect.

The remaining reservations she held pertained to his relationship with her daughter, and were promptly dissipated when she found out that he jumped into the pit with Annabeth, for Annabeth. Even Athena was disappointed to find out that they were no longer together, knowing that a man of Percy's heart and caliber would be hard to find again.

The hero of Olympus certainly grew up from the boy stumbling into the throne room every other year for one reason or another. His vibrant sea-green eyes and messy black hair never changed but his body held muscle and tone. There was genuine confidence in his stance and the way he walked even when surrounded by beings far more powerful than him. Therefore, Athena was confused to see Percy awkwardly standing in her palace seeming sad and almost fearful.

He walked back to her with the lame excuse that he had just come up with, but Percy stopped and stared at the wisdom goddess, who turned herself twenty-five to his twenty years of age, wearing comfortable house clothes and not being her usual intimidating self. The son of Poseidon froze a few feet away from her and kind of stared for a few seconds. She gave him a sad and sympathetic smile before opening her arms for a hug and he rushed into them, not crying but feeling like he was about to at any second.

Athena ran her fingers through his hair and just held him. She wanted to laugh because she thought about how five years prior she would have smitten him for being within 10 yards of her property. Now she's soothing him as he takes time to escape from his tormentors.

"I'll talk to my sister and her hunters if you want?" Athena somehow felt bad that the hero who had put his life on the line to save them and the world was forced to hunt down powerful foes with Artemis and her hunters against his will.

"Please don't! Just leave it for now and if it isn't too much of a burden... letting me come here every once in a while..." Percy trailed off hopefully.

Athena considered his words and really wanted to talk to Artemis after that reaction but accepted his terms. She understood how her sister felt about males but after being saved by the young man, she could at least treat him with respect. "Okay Perseus, but if you need me to say anything..."

"Well, one thing you could say is Percy instead of Perseus. When I hear the second, I feel like I'm in trouble with the person talking to me."

"Well, you could also use better vernacular than that. Instead of 'hear the second' say the latter. Instead of 'talking to me' say addressing me."

"So I gotta speak smarter to get you to call me Percy?"

"Yes, you have to 'speak smarter,' nothing in life is free Percy." The wisdom rolled her eyes but was happy to see Percy's signature crooked grin on his face.

Present Day

In memoriam, Athena left the bedroom adjacent to hers full of his clothes and personal possessions that she bought him. They maintained eye contact and for half a second, Percy unfroze his eyes to answer her question, and the wisdom goddess wanted nothing more than to hold him again, but he almost instantly refroze and said two words.

"I'm fine."

This raised the palpable wall of awkwardness between him and everyone else. Hera attempted at a question, inquiring upon his apparent revival by Chaos. The goddess of family grew fond of the hero during the giant war and was proud to see her gamble pay off. His death was sudden and unexpected, and her domain of family took a powerful hit once the news spread. Percy had left an impression on many who hadn't shown him how much they cared until after his death.

"After my body finished disintegrating, Artemis' attempt to use the ashes to still put a constellation in the sky, as you all know, did not work. My soul never reached the realm of Ouranos and was instead taken by Lady Chaos. She revived me to become a lieutenant in her army and I declined at first, but enough persuasion led me to join on the condition that I started as a soldier like everyone else. Once she feels that I have served long enough, she will allow me to rest. I have been in the army for three thousand years, but on this planet, only a year and eight months passed, correct? Time moves differently throughout the universe in every system of every galaxy of every cluster." The gods realized the man in front of them was far older and vastly different from the demigod they once knew.

"I quickly ascended the ranks until I became commander after only 500 years of service. Since then I have been commander of the army and have achieved universal peace about 73 times, the longest lasting three years. It may not seem like a lot but trust me, that shit feels like a vacation once it reaches that point."

The Olympians processed the information, learning more about the universe than they ever thought they would. As Hermes proceeded to ask about defenses for Camp Jupiter as they were not mentioned, Zeus was trying to figure out how to regain confidence in his power as King. Did he have any jurisdiction over this child who has been alive for nearly as long as the gods have? Could he really pull the king card on someone who serves a being much higher than he? How powerful is Percy now and would there be any chance of crossing him and living through it?

"- so basically it will have enough room to house them all. Camp Jupiter will be placed in a Chaotic box and after the war, we can talk about improving it before placing it back there. In its place, a fake Camp with fake legionnaires will be placed there. The same will take place at Camp Half-Blood because it was not only improved but moved to a new state and location. You can't expect to not be marched upon when you remain in the same place for years upon years. Once I'm done here and I handle a little business, I will transport them myself. Now, Zeus, I know you're lacking in the intelligence area, but you have been thinking up a storm over, I can smell the stink of your brain so what's going on?" Percy seemed almost in a rush to leave.

Zeus reigned in his anger, to his belief, but Percy knew better than that and knew to keep pestering the man until the truth behind his words was revealed. And revealed they were as Zeus asks, "With all of your new experience and growth in power, is there anyone besides Chaos that can limit you or control you?"

Some Olympians looked ready to leave, the demigods facepalmed and Percy simply shook his head. The commander simply snapped his fingers and Zeus froze, not literally ice frozen, but he stopped moving and stayed fixated on the part of the room he was looking at when Percy snapped.

"Well, I can no longer stand being here. Any further inquiries will not be addressed until I feel like they should be. Goodbye Olympians. Also, Hermes now would be a good time to address the campers, by the time I get there I want to be able to say my few words before getting to work."

Poseidon spoke out before he lost the opportunity to speak to his son who hasn't acknowledged his presence even once since arriving. "Percy, my son, I have missed you dearly and I'm sure that your mother has as well. Is there a chance we can..." The sea god trailed off as his son's face held a pained look before anger overtook it and was directed straight at him.

"My mother is aware of my status. Thank you for your concern Poseidon but it is unnecessary." And with that, his body froze into a sculpture of himself before dissolving into a sea mist.

The Olympians and minor gods departed to their respective places while Zeus remained frozen in the throne room and Poseidon sat in disbelief at the apparent disdain his favorite son had for him. The demigods began to simply depart the throne room until a large black portal appeared before them, leading them back to camp.

Line Break

While Percy was escaping Olympus, Zoë, and the others went back to their ship to prepare it for its new occupants. Void began analyzing the background profile of every girl coming to his ship. He wanted to know their strengths, weaknesses, greatest fears, and best qualities to properly train them.

As he reached McKayla's page, Percy signaled that they needed to announce their presence to the campers before moving them and bringing the campers from Camp Jupiter. Void compiled the information to his arm so he could view it while Percy did the talking. He needed to fully analyze before speaking to them.

As the assassin exited the white portal that Bianca erected, he saw Percy coming in at the same time. He sensed more emotion coming from the commander than ever but surprisingly it wasn't just anger. He would check in on that later but for now, they needed to sort out the campers.

"-they don't really seem to be happy to be here so please do what you can to not stress them out. I can sense their arrival so please do listen to them. They will be the main reason for your survival in this war." Hermes finished explaining to the children and turned, expecting the Chaotic Warriors to walk up the steps to the stage in the Amphitheatre.

He instead saw Percy right behind him and jumped out of the way like a scared cat as Percy said, "Don't you mean the only reason for their survival?" The campers gasped as they saw Percy.

To Percy, it's been thousands of years. For them, it's been almost two years so unfortunately for him, all the people he knew were still there, with a few additions. It's not like they wronged him and he's mad, it's just that they never took the time to support him when he needed them most.

Flashback

"Damn bro, over Olympus?"

"It's not just that, it's more the extreme lack of time. Now that my plate is clear, hers isn't and she feels that I could find someone else instead of waiting forever." This is what Percy was telling Will Solace when inquiries about his and Annabeth's relationship arose. That is merely a pacified version of what happened.

In reality, after Annabeth suggested that he find another person, Percy looked at her suspiciously and wanted to know why she only said he should find someone else. Percy may not have been as smart as he is in the present day but he knew that her wording meant two things. Either she already found someone to move on to or she expects a son of the big three to fall into his father's steps and need a woman at all times. Whether it was lucky or not, Annabeth was not cheating on him but instead allowed a few of the goddesses whose palaces she was working on, to get into her head.

They were telling her stories of demigods like Percy and how easily they became like their fathers. How easily they left the love of their lives to get more women and power. How easily they became corrupt, with or without godhood being granted. Annabeth would've made time for Percy but was scared that he would turn into what the women were talking about. She knew Percy and that it would take a lot for that to happen so that was helping his case.

But she also knew that she and Percy had recently become sexually active and that he loved it just as much as her, if not more. That and while she developed early, the rest of the girls at camp started blossoming in the past year. Demigoddesses naturally looked better than mortal females so most of the girls older than sixteen were already bombshells. Put a sexually active boy in a camp full of girls who admire him and would do almost anything for him? It's a bomb waiting to go off every day he goes without seeing her.

The job of an architect is not a job that Annabeth could come home from every night, not when gods and goddesses are your customers. All this went through Annabeth's head before she stopped Percy on his way to visit her. She didn't want to meet him in her office, knowing that the special moments they shared there would impede her thought process. As they sat in the park, Annabeth didn't know, she started the process of Percy breaking.

It made sense to the daughter of Athena and it followed sound logic with relationships in the Greek world. Unfortunately, Percy didn't see it that way. What he felt was happening was that it was too good, too quiet, and stagnant for Percy. After wars and battles all the time, peace and he couldn't go well for once. And now here the fates were to ruin his good fortune once again.

And as Annabeth gave her reasoning, anger, and suspicion immediately died, leaving room for despair and disappointment to kick in. Is his loyalty not strong enough for her to hold on to as a reason for them to stay together? After years of flirting and putting off a relationship then finally getting together and being the best thing since sliced bread. After years of the fates doing everything they could to separate them and them fighting and standing over everything in their path. She simply lets the fates win without even putting up a fight. They can overcome physical challenges, but when a psychological fight comes up she lets them win.

It was at that moment Percy realized that it had been a long time since they spoke about anything that wasn't about Annabeth's job, his missions from the gods, or their adventures. When did they actually take time to talk about each other, their hobbies, their hopes for the future, and their plans that they will make together?

When she finished telling him, her heart broke at his eyes and the amount of sadness that left them dimmer than usual. Annabeth didn't start crying until he got up and walked away without a word. Percy typically visited a few of his favorites on Olympus, but he went straight to the elevator. She didn't want to let him go at that moment, because something told her that she just ruined his life. If she stopped and thought slowly rather than at a million thoughts per second, maybe she wouldn't have broken up with him. She rushed to Hera's garden and to the fountain in the back to send a few Iris Messages. She told Sally, Paul, Tyson, and Thalia what happened and why. She knew that he would confide in one of them and asked them to send him to her to give her another chance to talk to him. Hopefully, she could rectify her moment of weakness and still salvage their relationship.

Everyone gave her a stern or annoyed look but was ready to give her another chance. Well, everyone except Thalia. And unfortunately for the child of Athena, that's exactly who he went to confide in. Thalia got pissed at Annabeth for several reasons. She always called Thalia to complain about something Percy did, or to gush over something Percy did, to the point where Artemis had to make her tent soundproof so the other girls wouldn't suffer. Now she went and broke the heart of someone close to Thalia and someone that Thalia knew that she loved more than anything.

After Jason's death, Percy consoled her and she made him promise to stay safe and live for her. Thalia had seen the son of Poseidon as a brother since they defeated Kronos but he became her only brother that day and one of the most important parts of her family. She didn't want Percy to give Annabeth a chance. Everything tough in Percy's life stemmed from Annabeth's presence, from Thalia's perspective at least.

As a result, he never got directed back to the demigoddess and she got swamped by Athena with additional work on Olympus. Percy sat moping around camp and for once, he had no one to truly confide in. Even after Will asked him about Annabeth just now, the son of Apollo got up to go find his boyfriend, Nico D'Angelo, instead which Percy did find understandable.

However, he also felt that when he needed support from his friends at camp the most... they vanished. It was as if they knew that he was single and that he wasn't worth talking to anymore as most conversations pertained to his relationship with Annabeth. Percy couldn't get mad at them, he was just sad that he was always there for them, but now they couldn't be there for him. His close friends were always busy like Annabeth and his mom Sally Jackson was dealing with his baby sister Estelle Blofis so he was practically alone.

When the gods assigned him a new mission, he wasn't coming back to New York. That's how the hunters found him on Prater Mountain in Utah...

Present Day

Looking at the campers now, Percy vowed to save them and train them to the point where he shouldn't have to come to save their asses again. It's not worth it to get mad at them. He's been harboring too much anger and he won't add to it, especially not while on a planet as fragile as A-1.

"Campers! My colleagues and I are here not only to save you but to also train you to save yourselves! We won't win the war for you, we will win it with you so you have until 5 a.m. on Wednesday to chill and do anything that you like to because, for the next three months, you will hate us, that I promise. I will now be bringing the Roman campers here. They already briefed and will be training with you all as well. As we speak, this camp is being transferred to a new location unknown to Tartarus. For the duration of our stay, this is no longer Camp Half-Blood, this is Camp Chaos."

And with that, Percy waved his hand, and a portal opened to the Twelfth Legion who were standing ready in armor and had bags with them, signaling that they were there to stay. Apollo was in his Roman form directing them toward the portal and mentally preparing them to go through while Mars was in the back with a longsword forcing people like Octavian to agree to the terms. The Hunters of Artemis arrived with their mistress and Percy found his eyes lingering in their direction for longer than he wanted.

Once everyone came through, the cabin leaders, centurions, and praetors arrived to join the crowd at the front. Percy began to finally address them as a whole.

"I am not the Percy Jackson you all knew. I'm not here to motivate or inspire you. I do not care about you as people, I merely care about your fighting ability and being able to protect yourself and others around you. I will not tolerate anyone impeding this process and will harshly deal with them. This is your only warning. You may have known me to be a laid-back person before a war and a little bit before that but this is not Percy before you. This is Frost, Commander of the Chaotic Army, and if anyone has an issue with that, step forward now."

As Percy said that last statement, his eyes glowed a bright frosty greenish blue, adding fear within the campers. Nonetheless, Octavian and two of his closest allies came to the front. Percy looked at them, then through them, and made his decision. He wouldn't get his hands dirty with them. His eyes stopped glowing. At this, the three of them smirked. It was as they thought, Percy Jackson was still a softie and would not stop them.

Well, it was actually that Percy didn't have to do anything to them. He had an assassin for that. He motioned for Isaiah to handle them and the assassin looked up from his arm where he was still reading the profiles. He saw the three in the front and heard Percy in his head, I don't have time for anyone who will detract from my goal.

And with that, Void closed the screen on his arm and jumped off the stage right in front of them. He pulled out one of his guns, which some observed went back to its golden color, and shot each of them in the head. Each Deagle shot splattering the front of their faces. The bullets went straight through but an invisible wall stopped the bullet and flesh from hitting the campers right behind it.

The campers gasped and stepped back, some fainted on the spot and others looked ready to throw up. The assassin simply opened a portal under their bodies and then snapped to get rid of the rest of the mess. He jumped back onto the stage, pulled the screen onto his arm, and resumed analyzing it as if he hadn't just murdered three people.

"Any other objections? I made myself clear about the warning, right? Keep trying me and you'll end up with them. Now that that's over, we need to address where you guys will be. There are no more cabins for now and no more cohorts, it's now barracks ordered by age and skill. When my captains arrive they will sort you. The main thing I would like to get done is taking specific campers that will be trained as specialists," Percy droned on about what they told the Olympians about their children.

"The people that will be coming with me are -" he was cut off by a longbow being fired and a pistol from Zoë and Bianca respectively. Apparently, two Romans saw it fit to try to attack the assassin who killed their brother while everyone was paying attention to Percy and their target was focused on his arm. They didn't take into account that the girls were protective of him and just as dangerous. Well, they know now cause one is sticking to the wall with an arrow big as a harpoon through his chest and his brother with his flesh spread across the floor. All the while Void remained on his arm, reading the last profile.

Just as he finished he looked up to see horror-stricken campers staring at two dead bodies. The hunters were less concerned with the idiot males who got themselves killed but were focused on the two women who killed them. Void realized what happened, snapped his fingers to clean up, and gestured for Percy to continue.

"As I was saying, I will be taking eight people. They are Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque, Will Solace, Katie Gardner, Derrick True, Amy Ruth, Kevin Lopez, and Annabeth Chase. Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, you have been selected as a prospect to become a captain, and as such you will be joining me as well. Go to your respective barracks, gather your things, and join me in the Chaotic center in the middle of the camp." And with that Percy stood back to contact his captains.

Isaiah stepped forward and being the only person that the campers didn't know, besides Reyna and some legionnaires who squinted at him remembering the pictures of past praetors, everyone only knew him to kill and his two assassins to do the same.

"My name is Isaiah. I am also known as Void, Leader of the Chaotic Assassins. I will personally be training the hunters with the addition of Alíra Valentina. She and Thalia Grace are receiving specialist training. All of you gather your personal materials and meet me directly under where my ship is hovering, including the goddess." After finishing that statement, he and the two former hunters dissolved from sight.

The temporary pause allowed people to gather their bearings and come to terms with the recent events. Percy comes back after almost two years, gets five people killed, is going to train them for war, and is now helping them while at the same time scaring them. The campers selected to receive special training were surprised to be chosen, especially Annabeth who knew that Percy hated her.

Their thoughts were interrupted by four portals opening to reveal four people, two of whom the campers recognized. Whether they wanted to or not, they were reintroduced to Luke Castellan and Charles Beckendorf. The other two were girls they'd never seen before.

"Luke Castellan, First Captain of the Chaotic Army, Son of Hermes, and originated from Planet Earth!"

"Esmeralda Diaz, Second Captian of the Chaotic Army, Daughter of Gysp, and originated from Planet Elcrat!"

"Acura Evel, Third Captian of the Chaotic Army, Daughter of Veene, and originated from Planet Elcrat!"

"Charles Beckendorf, Tech Specialist of the Chaotic Army, Son of Hephaestus and originated from Planet Earth!"

"And with that, I leave you all in their hands. I will be at the command center, awaiting the people that I named. Have a good day, and if you want to burn shrouds for the five people killed, you have until five a.m. Wednesday to do so." After finishing that, with a relieved sigh, Percy's body froze until it shattered, leaving nothing but frozen shards evaporating as they hit the ground behind.

He reappeared in his private room and sat down on his bed. Private room as in, he was back on Chaotica and due to the time difference, he can stay for a long time before the campers show up. Percy finally had time to truly reflect. He had to save his soldiers due to the incompetence of a lieutenant, had to come back to Earth and see the very beings he could've gone millennia without seeing. He had to see the campers that he could've gone millennia without seeing. He faltered at the sight of Athena, someone whose friendship he truly missed to this very day. He felt far more relief at seeing all the hunters alive and safe as he couldn't bring himself to check on them after his death.

Percy felt nervous about the last two points and had to decide whether or not he would allow this to continue or if he should frost up and stick to the mission. The commander knew that the mission would be easier if his soldiers liked him, the soldiers being the campers. It could also work with fear, but wouldn't stick as well as the words of a charismatic leader would. He would have to get personal with the people he is working with one-on-one. Percy checked their profiles and he knew most of them already so it wouldn't be too difficult to get them to open up.

Percy then contemplated if he was up to the job of defeating Tartarus. Against Kronos, he had Annabeth and Grover at his side, two people whose help was invaluable during the final battle. Against Gaia, he had the rest of the seven and wasn't even needed to put her back to sleep. This foe will be the most powerful but he also had some of the best help he could find throughout the universe in Isaiah who was basically his brother, Zoë whose actions left him conflicted but trusted her with his life, Bianca who began to fulfill the sisterly role that he lost when he was no longer near Thalia, and his amazing captains who keep him sane.

As he reflected he was in a state of sleeping while being wide awake, a useful trick he learned from the assassin side of the Chaotic Warriors, allowing him to have the energy to brief his specialists and start training Hazel immediately after.

Back on Earth, only half a minute passed since he left and the captains were strategically splitting the campers into six barracks based on age and skill, not about parentage but that factors into skills kind of. The hunters were packing up as Artemis overlooked them. She couldn't believe that Percy had those guys killed. Males or not, the Percy she knew would never let something like that happen. The stark contrast between him now and him before he died truly scared and made her feel guilty.

The situation with Zoë also confused her feelings about the assassin and the charisma that surrounds him. It's something that she knows she needs to protect herself from because it clearly has won Zoë and Bianca over. She and her hunters were going on his ship and she didn't want to be indoctrinated like her former hunters.

Thalia wasn't afraid of the new Percy. In fact, she embraced this side of him and was glad that he finally stopped being the nice guy. No one showed him the respect that he needed unless they were on a battlefield and needed him to save them. Now, they respect him because he's dangerous and has no problem killing those who don't fall in line. Zoë and Bianca coming back surprised her and she heard from Artemis that they were willing to kill her to protect Isaiah, the same guy that will personally be training her.

She honestly couldn't wait to meet this "Void" or Isaiah or whatever. This guy must be as good as Percy, just in different ways. No one can be better than Percy but there's someone on his level? This has to be good!

Alíra Valentina looked at Piper nervously. The girl had not been in the best of moods since Jason's death and to hear that she isn't the top daughter of Aphrodite may tip her off. Alíra knew it the whole time though, every time she found a new power, she felt like there was a well and she barely broke the surface of the water.

Add that to her natural beauty, she was easily the most beautiful girl in camp and apparently one of the most powerful. Why is the assassin teaching her though? Why not the commander? Will she be doing things similar to those two girls that stood next to him? To see the quick reactions to the two Romans coming to attack, Alíra wanted to learn how to do that, while also retaining her morals about killing.

Her mother told her that she wanted to speak to her once she went to sleep aboard the assassin's ship. Piper says she wants to speak to her before she goes to the ship. The rest of her sisters seem apprehensive to let her go on the ship with hunters who hate the children of Aphrodite, and with an assassin who really doesn't care for human life. Drew was the only one jumping up and down, happy for her. Alíra suspected that the Asian demigoddess was happy to see competition leave the cabin but accepted the enthusiasm nonetheless.

The daughter of Aphrodite wanted to make her mom proud and her sisters proud as well. Her cabin shouldn't be known as a place where the floozies live and where a guy can go to get his nut off. If she becomes a dangerous force like the assassins, she can teach her sisters to do the same and the cabin's reputation will change. She wasn't doing this for herself, she was doing this for her family and for her mother.

As Annabeth packed her clothes, she couldn't help but think back to all the good times she and Percy had the fight that they had, and all the time she had to fix her mistake. She thought back to her reaction when she saw him and Artemis seemingly flirting at the pavilion during a visit from the hunters. Even if it weren't romantic, which she hoped, it showed that they had a friendly connection and she couldn't even have that with him.

No matter the training, no matter how hard he works her, the daughter of Athena will do everything she can to be the best and get close enough to him to just apologize for what happened. Even if she can't salvage what they had, she wants to be forgiven and given a chance to be friends with him. This is her motivation.

Hazel was floored by the events of the day. She was given the chance to kill the very monster she created and allowed to destroy her life. She watched five Romans, two of whom she knew, two of whom she didn't, and one that she loathed, die in front of her and she couldn't do anything to stop it. The worst part about that is she knew they partially deserved it, so what could she do anyway? She was selected by Percy himself to receive specialist training and praetor or not, she didn't even feel special enough to do it.

Sure she's a heroine. Sure she helped save the world from Gaia. Sure she was a part of the Prophecy of Seven. She also had to be brought to life and got to stay alive. Take that away and what does that make her? She's a young girl in a society that only respects her because of rank, not because of her as a Roman.

But Percy said her name. Not Piper, not Frank, not Nico, but her. Her old friend she spent the last year and eight months mourning said Hazel Levesque. This is her chance to get out of the shadows of her friends. This is her chance to not just be known as the magical death girl who got praetorship handed to her on a silver platter. Seeing her sister Bianca looking angelic and dangerous at the same time gave her hope that maybe she could achieve a similar state of being.

Hazel will do this training to the best of her ability and will make a new name for herself. She felt like she disappointed Percy in some sort of way and this could be her chance to make it up to him. She could make up for Annabeth's mistake too and show him that he should care for the campers as people and not just soldiers.

Leo's idol comes back and is nothing like the person that he admired before. His idolization changed from wanting to be the cool, powerful guy that everyone loved to wanting, to fearfully worship the cold, powerful guy to save his own life. The second that Percy mentioned specialists, he prayed to all the gods and goddesses he knew to put him on that list... then he watched two more people get added to the death toll. He couldn't care less because they were Romans but being a man who thought about his mother all the time, he couldn't help but think about the parents who would never get their kids back.

He got that train of thought from Percy himself, who helped him reign in his abilities when his emotions come into play. Percy told him to think of all the mothers that he is hurting when he accidentally hurts another person. Think of Calypso, who wants nothing more than to do good in the world for the rest of her life. He would be hurting more than just people in the wrong place at the wrong time, he would hurt those who care about them too. To see the same man signal for people to die and not bat an eye astonished him.

The fire user immediately blamed Annabeth, who started Percy's downfall. If she didn't break up with him, he wouldn't have been with the hunters. Gaia wouldn't have used the last of her strength to send her lackeys to attack the hunters to get to him. Percy wouldn't have been alone in that fight and he wouldn't have died. As a machinist, Leo focuses on the root of the problem and what started the issue. He found the root and it was Annabeth.

No. It is Annabeth, and he has to stop her from getting back into Percy's life. Cold-blooded or not, Percy is still that older brother who taught him how to be a man and he won't allow that girl to get another shot at destroying his life. That's another motivation for being the best damn specialist he can be.

Will Solace had fewer memories with Percy than some of the other specialists but the memories that he did have showed Percy being a good guy. A great leader, a great person in general, and the most important thing to him, a good brother to his boyfriend. Nico was ready to freak out when Annabeth broke Percy's heart. He got worse when Percy was with the hunters and found out that Zeus ordered it to happen. Then Percy died to top it off and Nico rarely smiled if he wasn't with Will.

If anyone has that much impact on Nico's life, Will needs to take this opportunity to get close enough to Percy and create some sort of bond that could bring him and Nico together. Being that he doesn't know Percy all that well and being that he honestly did not know why he of all people was chosen to be Apollo's specialist. All he knew was that he would make the best of it and not waste any time that could be spent learning more about Nico through his brotherly figure.

Katie Gardner got close to Percy before he died. So close that she left camp to join the hunters and put her powers over cultivation to a helpful cause. Under the guidance of her mom and Artemis and the support of Percy, she became a powerful foe against monsters attacking the hunt. Surrounded by the jungle at all times, her natural powers and her hunter's blessing helped tremendously.

After her closest friend died, she didn't want to go back to camp to even visit. She buried herself in work with the hunters and laughed way less. Now he was here, alive and taking her from the hunters and she almost couldn't care less about them. She was curious what they would learn from the assassins but she wanted to be reunited with Percy as fast as possible and he was coming to her.

They may have never shared anything romantic, or even a familial kind of relationship, but Katie knew that if she needed someone behind her, she wanted it to be him. Meg McCaffrey could've been a good candidate but Katie hoped that her personal connection with Percy made him choose her instead. The daughter of Demeter knew one thing and was to make her mom, cabin, and Percy proud.

Derrick True didn't understand why Percy would agree to train a son of Ares given their past history. When he said he would be training the Olympians' strongest children, the Ares cabin deflated, remembering how Hermes said Ares was treated during the council meeting. Derrick was named and they were surprised he would train them and surprised that it wasn't Clarisse.

The cabin assumed it was because she used to bully him and that it wasn't forgiven by Percy yet, but she knew the truth. Clarisse peaked out in the Battle of Manhattan but Derrick was a ball of potential and if formed correctly, he would easily exceed her. As he finishes packing up, Clarisse tells him in a stern voice to not disappoint Percy and to make up for their father's mistakes. She certainly hurts others and bullies her siblings almost as bad as any other camper, but she knew as the oldest that she needed to take care of them until they had someone else to do it.

Derrick looked up to her naturally and he knew that he had to work hard to make her happy, to impress Percy and give him a reason not to kill them for their lineage, and he had to give his dad a reason to respect Percy. If the man himself is taking time to train a child of the gods that wronged him on several occasions, he deserves respect. Derrick will do all of those things and better. He won't let the heroes of the past pass him up because he wasn't a big part of the Giant War. He will be the strongest there is and surpass even his father.

Amy Ruth was truly confused. Hecate wasn't an Olympian Goddess. She is a major goddess, yes, but he said Olympian gods only have these children destined to be specialists. Is this an omen that she will join the council? Is she just that powerful? Or is there another card being played right now? Amy never felt as powerful as her siblings. Ever since Alabaster, they had a bar to meet and she thought that it was so lofty that she could only dream of reaching that point.

To hear her name was surprising for all of those reasons and also that she was thinking while he was talking and couldn't help but focus on how good he looked. She was young when Percy left the camp and when he died, she had just turned 16 and her hormones going to full fruition. Now that he returned, she concentrated on his body build, muscle mass, and eyes. Then he says her name and makes eye contact with her, startling her.

She asked her mom for guidance, but the lack of response told her that her mom was still processing along with everyone else. As she packed her best-looking clothes, and form-fitting outfits, for no reason, of course, she knew it wasn't a fluke. She is supposed to go to that command center and show Percy why he chose a child Hecate, proving to her family that she can meet the bar and exceed it too.

Kevin Lopez was embarrassed at how scared his dad looked when he told them about the Chaotic Warriors' arrival. Then Percy calmly walked behind the god and Hermes nearly jumped off the stage in fright. While they didn't witness everything that the god of thievery had, his children turned red at his behavior and knew it wouldn't help their image. Then Kevin's name is called and everyone looked at them in a new light.

All of his brothers and sisters knew why he was selected. Kevin was clearly the fastest person in camp and undeniably the sneakiest as well. The only thing that made people question him was his dislike for pranks. Now, what can they really say to him? He's about to go into the Chaotic center and get trained by the commander himself, maybe it's because he's more serious than them.

Regardless of personal thoughts and hopes, the one thought everyone shared was that once again, Percy Jackson was there to save their lives and lead them into a hopefully victorious war.