Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto nor Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I am just a lowly writer with too much time in my hands.

Warning: This is a sequel story. Read the following first before you read this story.

Child of the Moon: The Lightning Thief

Child of the Moon: The Sea of Monsters

Child of the Moon: The Titan's Curse

Chapter 17

As soon as they delved into the darkness, the dirt walls turned to stone. The Labyrinth twisted and turned, split off, and basically tried to confuse them, but Rachel was on-point. With their destination in mind, she led the way. Even when the tunnels offered a choice, she barely even paused to think.

She was quiet the entire time. Surprisingly, Annabeth was able to strike up a conversation. It started with her background, but as when Percy asked, she was evasive. So, the conversation shifted to architecture, and it turns out that studying art gave her a basic knowledge of the subject.

That left the three boys alone to talk in their own world.

"Hey, sorry you had to surrender yourself to Kelli and her minions," Naruto apologized.

"It's no big deal," Nico shrugged it off. "It was my choice. Honestly, I'm kinda thankful that they brought me to the workshop."

"Is this about the soul for a soul-thing?" Percy asked. "Bianca mentioned you were after some kind of soul. I thought it was either me or Naruto."

Nico shook his head. "Minos was not after either of you. He was particularly after one soul. He is right of course."

"So, how were you all this time," Naruto asked, getting the chance to.

"I regret it. It was hard having only the dead for company. As a son of Hades, all I could count on were the dead. Just as my brothers before me, the living do not respect me." Nico said.

Percy stared at the young boy. He had changed a lot since the former king of Crete started manipulating him. He had gotten almost...scary. He had his father's eyes—that intense, manic fire that made you suspect he was either a genius or a madman. In any case, he knew that Nico could be trusted, those prejudices against the spawn of Hades be damned.

"We're sorry to hear that," the son of Poseidon apologized. "When we get to camp, you'll be able to be with Bianca again and make friends. If we hold off the attack…"

"Don't be so negative," Naruto chided. "Of course, we'll be able to hold them off."

"What makes you so positive?" Nico asked.

Naruto shrugged. "I wasn't always like this, ya know. I used to hate everyone in the Leaf. I could have easily turned into Luke. It wasn't till I met this little kid that got me into mischief that I broke out of my hateful phase. I try to remember it, but even that part of me is hazy."

"By the way, how is Bianca?" Nico changed the subject.

"Oh, she's doing alright," Percy answered. "She's training hard. She is starting to hold her own in fights. But the thing is, no one knows how to teach her about her powers."

Nico's eyes lit up, "I'll teach her what I know! Finally, I get the leg up on her!"

Naruto and Percy chuckled at Nico's antics. His old personality comes out once in a while. Don't get me wrong though, the boy loves her sister. She just hates that she could be bossy sometimes.

"—oof,"

In the moment of the conversation, Percy failed to notice that the girls stopped, allowing him to run into Rachel who was staring at one direction.

They had stopped at a crossroads. The tunnel continued straight ahead, but a side tunnel T'd off to the right, a circular shaft made of volcanic ash. She was staring into the side tunnel, puzzling our demigod friends.

"That's the way?" Percy asked.

Rachel shook her head. "Not at all."

"Then why are we stopping?" Annabeth clarified.

"Listen," it was Nico who answered.

It was then where Percy stiffened. The breeze blew through the tummel. And it was the aroma that scared him. The scent brought out bad memories.

"Eucalyptus…" he muttered.

The redolent odor made Annabeth slowly slip her hand into Naruto's. She almost lost something important that day. What surprised her too was Naruto's hand; it was cold and clammy, like it scared him too. At the touch of the blonde girl's hand, the boy calmed down a bit.

"No doubt about it…" Naruto finally spoke. "Mount Othrys."

"I feel something evil down there…something powerful…" Rachel said.

"Maybe just Atlas." Naruto guessed.

"And the smell of death," Nico added.

"Maybe not…" Percy shot down Naruto's idea.

"I'll check it out…" he then volunteered.

"Are you crazy?" Naruto questioned.

"Look, Luke could be there," the son of Poseidon argued. "Or Kronos. I have to find out what's going on?"

Annabeth hesitated. "Then we'll all go."

"No, what if they got Nico or Rachel. He could use them," Percy asserted.

"I'll go," Naruto offered. "We'll be quick."

Annabeth took out her Yankees cap. "At least take this."

Percy put on the cap. Naruto activated his camouflage technique. Soon, they were both on the way.

Even before they left the tunnel, the growls and barks could be heard, The sea-demons, the telekhines.

"We have salvaged the blade," one said. "The master will still reward us."

"Yes, yes," a second shrieked. "Rewards beyond measure!"

"Um, yeah. That's great," a human voice said. "Now if you're done with me—"

"No, half-blood!" A telekhine stopped him. "You will help us present the blade. It is a great honor."

"Gee thanks," the half-blood said.

"Wait, that voice…" Naruto recognized. "He was from the Hermes Cabin."

Percy racked his brain trying to remember, listening to the voice. "The undetermined kid? The guy with an eye patch?"

Naruto nodded.

With that, the pair crept to the end of the tunnel. A blast of cold air hit them as they emerged. Again, they stood atop the new base of operations of the Titans. Around 6 meters down, a pair of Telekhines were placing something long and thin on a piece of rock.

"Careful, fool," the Telekhine scolded. "One touch and the blade will sever your soul."

The now identified Ethan swallowed. "Maybe I'll let you unwrap it."

As the two boys watched the events proceed, the sky swirled into a huge funnel cloud, the symbol of the sky trying to embrace the earth. Atlas was nowhere to be seen, but his groans could be heard in the distance as he labored under his burden.

"There!" a telekhine said.

Reverently, he lifted the blade. The sight of the weapon was enough to turn even Naruto's blood to ice. It was a scythe, a six foot long curved blade with a wooden handle wrapped in leather. The blade glinted in two colors, steel and bronze; It reminded Naruto of an old enemy's weapon of choice. There was no mistaking it. It was the same blade responsible for slicing the God of the Sky to pieces. Now the weapon was reforged.

"It must be sanctified in blood," the fish child stated. "And you, half-blood, will present it the our Lord when he awakens."

Without thinking, Percy ran towards the fortress. Dashing through the dark foyer, he passed through black marble statues depicting the Titans who ruled before the gods. At the end of the room, between two bronze braziers lay a golden sarcophagus, its lid more intricately designed than the body and in the middle, inscribed in a language older than even Ancient Greek, was the name of the commander of the enemy forces.

He drew his trusty blade, giving but a sliver of comfort to his pounding pulses.

He approached the dais, slowly, determined to stop the war before it even began. As soon as his fingers touched the coffin, they turned blue. Frost gathered on his fingertips. To make matters worse, the voices of the Telekhines could be heard approaching.

It was now or never.

He pushed back the lid with a whom. The voice halted followed by two quiet thuds, giving him more confidence, but what he saw made his mind go haywire. Instead of the Time Lord in the coffin, there lay a mortal, dressed ordinarily: gray pants and a white T-shirt. One piece of his chest was missing, a clean black hole the size of a bullet where his heart should have been. His skin was pale. His hair was blonde, and there was a scar….a scar that ran along the left side of his face.

It was Luke.

Percy froze. Despite all the shit that Luke had done to the camp, he couldn't bring himself to bring his blade down on the man he once idolized. He was in so much shock that his body couldn't move.

The footsteps stopped on the doorway to the room.

"Where the hell did they go…" The familiar voice of the half-blood muttered.

"Oh no!" He rushed to the sarcophagus in a panic.

He studied his master and found that, other than the bullet hole, there was nothing wrong with his body. That gave him a sigh of relief.

But it got him thinking. "What did they mean when they said that he still requires me…Does he mean to kill me…or…"

He knelt in front of the coffin, "Lord Kronos, I am your newest recruit. I–"

"Wait!"

The man with the eyepatch looked around, surprised that there was anyone else in the area.

"Intruder!" The boy shouted to any allies around.

"No, wait. I'm a friend," Percy tried to reason. "We were bunkmates, remember?"

The boy's eyes narrowed, trying to remember who the hell this intruder was. Then, he finally remembered. "You…Mr. Big Shot. So what do you want with a lowly 'underdetermined' like me?"

"It's not like that!" Percy pleaded. "Kronos is going to destroy us all once he revives. Help me destroy him."

"NO! Easy for you to speak when the gods provided you with everything! What have the gods ever done for us, huh Percy? Do you even know why I wear this eyepatch?"

"I…I…" Percy couldn't speak.

"See? You have nothing to say! Kronos was right!"

Turning to the sarcophagus, he bowed reverently. "Lord Kronos, I, Ethan Nakamura, pledge my allegiance to you. I renounce the gods and everything they stand for."

With his declaration, the building rumbled. A wisp of blue light rose from the floor at Ethan's feet. It drifted towards the coffin and began to shimmer, like a cloud of pure energy. Then, it descended upon the sarcophagus and completed the final piece needed for the Titan Lord's resurrection.

Shortly, Luke bolted upright. It was Luke's face alright, but his eyes glowed pure golden light. His eyes fell upon Ethan with the curiosity of a newborn baby. His eyes then scanned the room until they met with Percy's own. A smile of recognition crept into Luke's face.

"We meet at last Percy Jackson," He spoke with Luke's voice, sharp like a razor blade. Although, there was another voice underneath, something horrible, something ancient and cold. "Do you like my new form?"

Percy was still speechless. He couldn't move either.

The Titan Lord threw his head back, laughing. The scar on his face rippled.

"Luke feared you, boy," The Crooked One said. "His jealousy and hatred had been powerful tools. It kept him obedient. For that, I thank you."

Finally finding the nerve to fight, he lunged and plunged his blade straight to the thing's chest. To his shock and horror, the skin deflected his sword like it was made of pure steel. He looked at Percy with amusement. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he flew across the room.

Outside, Naruto heard everything. He was shocked by Kronos's revival in his old mentor's body. He was saddened that one of his old bunkmates was the final piece needed by the Titan Lord. But he needed to push all that aside, he needed to gather nature energy for the upcoming fight.

Just as he heard Percy blade clang against Kronos' rock hard skin, he was ready. Seeing the Titan Lord flick Percy into the wall with unknown magic, he blitzed towards the battlefield before anyone could react.

To his shock and horror, he felt himself move at a snail's pace. Literally, everything around the Titan Lord was moving very very slowly.

The Titan Lord smirked as he effortlessly moved out of the way of the blow aimed for his head. He, then, raised his hand and gave Naruto a punch that would send him flying into a wall.

"Damn, even with sage mode, I felt that one," Naruto muttered under his breath despite the pain spreading throughout his whole body.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Kronos regarded his attacker. "You could have been a good host if your blood wasn't tainted by them."

Percy and Naruto rose to their feet. Their feet trembled, as if they were weak on their knees. Naruto spat. This titan was sounding a lot like Orochimaru.

Naruto raised his hands and entered a fighting stance. "I-I could do this all day."

"I'm sure you would," Kronos smiled condescendingly.

Kronos held out his hand. A scroll flew out of Naruto's pouch and flew into his hand. "Don't think for a second that you could steal from me."

"You Uzumaki and your sealing techniques," the Time Lord clicked his tongue.

The scroll floated in front of him and showed an unfamiliar pattern. He forced his essence into the sealing formula. His face contorted a bit from the encountered resistance, but it was futile in the end.

Pretty soon, he was wielding his scythe, swinging it around as if enjoying the feel of having it in his hands again. He, then, slowly approached the two boys with a menacing glare.

He was dangerously close when someone yelled, "STOP!"

Something whizzed through the hair followed by a growl of pain.

"OW!" It was Luke's voice. The deep voice underneath was gone. More importantly, the two boys could feel that they could move normally again.

"Let's scram!," Naruto called to his friend.

Percy nodded and the two of them made a break for the doorway. There they ran into the three that they left at the entrance to the Labyrinth.

"Luke…" Annabeth stood frozen. "Wha–"

There was no time. The voice of Kronos had once again resurfaced. "AFTER THEM!"

"NO!" Nico yelled with resistance. Clapping his hands together, a jagged spire of rock erupted from the ground. The tremor it caused was so powerful the columns crumbled and the building came crashing down.

Annabeth was frozen. Seeing Luke here of all places gave her a shock. There was no time to convince her to follow. In the heat of the moment, Naruto carried her bridal style.

With that, they plunged into the Labyrinth and kept running without looking back. They kept running until they couldn't no more. They only stopped when they were in a tunnel of white rock. There were no pursuers behind them, but they still did not feel safe. Percy and Naruto couldn't help but shiver at the memory of Luke and his deep, sinister voice.

"I can't go any farther," Rachel gasped, hugging her chest.

Naruto set Annabeth down onto the cold floor. She had been crying into the blonde boy's chest. The boy set her down gently onto the cavern floor. She, then, curled up into a ball and hugged her feet. Her sobs echoed in the tunnel.

"That sucked," Nico said as he, himself, plopped down on his bottom.

"Nah man, that was awesome," Naruto praised. "You saved our lives."

"You were taking too long," The boy rubbed his cheeks. Even if he did change, a little of his old personality was still there. "The girls believed you would mess things up somehow."

"Hey!" Percy protested. "In our defense, that's not our fault."

"Wh-what happened…t-to Luke…" Annabeth finally spoke in between her sobs.

"It's Kronos," Percy said. He explained everything he saw. He relayed the events of Ethan Nakamura and wisp of light that entered the body of their old friend.

"That can't be true!" Annabeth widened her eyes.

"I'm sorry Annabeth," Percy apologized. "But he's gone."

"He's not!" Annabeth said in denial of the events that happened. "When the hairbrush hit him, for a second, Luke was there."

"I'm going to have to agree," Naruto sided with Annabeth.

He turned to Annabeth, "I didn't know Luke before meeting him, but you do. So, I'm going to trust you. If there's even a sliver of hope that he's in there, then there's a chance that we could save him."

"But–" Percy tried to argue, but Naruto shook his head.

Annabeth stared at him in awe. Naruto always had a way with words, words that could touch the heart of many. She lunged at him and wrapped him in a hug. "Naruto!"

She sobbed into Naruto's face. Naruto caressed his friend's hair.

Percy smiled. "Hey…Annabeth…I'm sorry" He spoke up.

Annabeth looked up from Naruto's chest. "It's okay…Sorry I snapped at you."

"This is good and all, but we need to move," Nico interjected.

They all rose to their feet.

"So, where to?" Rachel asked. "Back to New York?"

Naruto nodded. In the next direction they took, Naruto and Percy froze. Near them, the beam of light fixed onto a clump of red fabric. It was a Rasta cap, a very familiar Rasta cap.

Percy's hand trembled as he picked up the fabric. It seemed trampled by a muddy boot. After all they've gone through, they couldn't bear the thought of what happened to Grover.

"We're following them," Percy decided.

"But the camp…" Nico pointed out. "There's no time."

"Those who abandon their friends are even worse than scum…" Naruto muttered under his breath, a lesson that was etched into his very being. "Let's follow them."

They forged on ahead, bracing for the worst. The tunnel was treacherous. It sloped at weird angles and was slimy with moisture. Half the time they were slipping more than they were walking.

Finally, at the end of the slope, they found themselves in a large cave with huge stalagmite columns. Through the center of the room ran an underground river, and Tyson was sitting on the banks.

"Tyson!" Percy called out. He was relieved to see his brother and friend.

"Percy!" Tyson's eyes widened as he saw the rest of the party. Then his eyes widened when they fell to Nico. "Nico! You're okay!"

"I'm sorry for worrying you," Nico said. "Anyway, what's going on? Why did you stop here?"

"Right, right," Tyson got back to the matter at hand. "Come quick!"

The group rushed over Tyson who showed them to Grover who was lying limp on the ground. Thankfully, he was just unconscious, revealed by the groan about enchiladas. Percy and Naruto sighed in relief.

"What happened?" Percy asked.

"So many things! Snake woman, giants, large snake, large dog. Nico…" Tyson listed off. "Then Grover got excited. He ran. Then we reached this room and he fell like this."

"Did he say anything?" Naruto followed up the question.

"He said: we're close. Then he hit his head on the rocks." Tyson pointed out.

Naruto stifled a laugh, but he knelt next to Naruto. He gathered chakra to his palm, which hurt like hell, and he placed it on the satyr's head. The goat-man groans turned to moans of relief from the pain and injuries disappearing.

His face was relaxed now, but he was still unconscious. Knowing Grover's old habits, Annabeth scooped up some icy cold water. His eyes fluttered awake.

He looked around at the worried faces looking at him, some familiar, others new.

"Percy, Annabeth…" His eyes fell to the Son of Hades. "Nico!"

He scrambled to his feet and hugged the boy. "You're okay!"

"I was lucky they took me to them," Nico explained.

Grover's eyes opened. His eyes fell on Naruto who's features had changed. Grover quickly let go of Nico and grabbed Naruto.

"You–" Grover fangirled over Naruto. "That's the energy I felt! I can sense it coming from you!"

"But I didn't do anything," the said boy protested. "More importantly, where is he?"

After some quick introductions, they followed the direction Grover was referring to. They waded through waist deep water despite the freezing cold temperature. Lucky for Percy, he could will himself to stay dry, but the others weren't so lucky. To help a little bit, Naruto exuded an aura which reminded the people of a hearth or a warm fireplace in the winter. It was an ability that he discovered not too long ago when he was experimenting with Hestia's Blessing.

"I think we're in Carlsbad Caverns, an unexplored section," Annabeth pointed out as she tried to get as close to Naruto as possible.

"Isn't that in New Mexico?" Naruto asked. "That would explain Grover's episode last winter."

Soon they were out of the water. Crystal pillars loomed overhead. Naruto's head started to hurt. The nature energy was more potent here, even the mortals and non-nature-attuned demigods could feel it now. They can even smell the scent of forests, flowers, and a warm summer day,

They entered a cave. The walls were studded with crystals – red, green, and blue. In the strange light, beautiful plants grew – giant orchids, star-shaped flowers, vines bursting with orange and purple berries that crept among the crystals. The cave floor was covered with green moss. Overhead, the ceiling was higher than a cathedral, sparkling like a galaxy of stars. In the center of the cave stood a Roman-style bed, gilded wood shaped like a curly U, with velvet cushions. Animals lounged around it—but they were animals that shouldn't have been alive. There was a dodo bird, something that looked like a cross between a wolf and a tiger, a huge rodent like the mother of all guinea pigs, and roaming behind the bed, picking berries with its trunk, was a wooly mammoth.

The group approached the bed. There lay an old satyr. His sky blue eyes watched them as they neared. The hair around his body was white.. His horns were enormous—glossy brown and curved. Around his neck hung a set of reed pipes.

"Lord Pan!" Grover fell to a knee on the foot of the bed.

"Grover, my dear brave satyr. I have waited a long time for you," The god smiled kindly.

"I…got lost, sir," Grover apologized.

Pan laughed. It was like the breeze of the springtime, a truly wonderful sound. The animals around him stirred. The tiger-wolf sighed and rested his head on the god's knee. The dodo bird pecked affectionately at the god's hooves, making a strange sound in the back of its bill, almost like it was humming.

After the brief chuckle, the weariness returned to his face. He looked tired. His form shimmered as if he was made of mist.

"Your dodo bird…It's singing…" Percy said stupidly.

The god's eyes twinkled. "Ah yes, that's Dede, my little actress…"

"You have the most beautiful place!" Annabeth praised. "It's better than any building ever built!"

"I'm glad you like it dear," Pan said. "It is one of the last pockets of wild places left on Earth. My realm is gone. Only pockets remain; Tiny pieces of life. This one shall lay undisturbed…for a little longer…"

"Pan-sama, your power…" Naruto said. "I thank you for your aid."

"Ah, Naruto Uzumaki. It is rare for humans to become sages," Pan regarded the sage who was brimming with his own power. "No, I thank you for still having an interest in Nature. It was the least I can do for you, young sage."

"Lord Pan!" Grover interjected. "You must come back with me! The elders will never believe it! They will be overjoyed! You can save the wild!"

Pan ruffled the young satyr's head. "You are so young, Grover. So good and true…I think I chose well…"

"Chose?" Grover said. "I-I don't understand."

Pan's image flickered. The giant guinea pig scuttled under the bed with a terrified squeal. The wooly mammoth grunted nervously. Dede stuck her head under her wing. Then Pan re-formed, like he was keeping himself from disappearing with sheer willpower alone.

"I have slept for many eons," The god said forlornly. "My dreams have been dark. I wake fitfully, and each time, the waking is shorter. Now, my end is near."

"What!" Grover cried. "But you're here!"

"My dear satyr," Pan said. "Two thousand years ago, I tried to tell the world. Lysas, a satyr very much like you, announced it to the world, to spread the word. He lived in Ephesos, you know."

"The old story," Annabeth's eyes widened. "A sailor passing by the coast of Ephesos heard a voice crying from the shore, 'Tell them the great god Pan is dead'."

"But that wasn't true!" Grover said.

"Your kind never believed it," Pan smiled. "You sweet, stubborn satyrs refused to accept my passing. And I love you for that, but you only delayed the inevitable. You only prolonged my long, painful passing, my dark twilight sleep. It must end."

"No!" Grover's voice trembled.

"Dear Grover," Pan said. "You must accept the truth. Your companion, Nico, he understands."

Nico nodded slowly. "He's dying. He should have died long ago. This…this is more like a memory."

"But gods can't die," Grover said.

"Unfortunately, my dear satyr, immortals can fade," Pan said, "When everything they stood for is gone. When they cease to have power, and their sacred places disappear. The wild, my dear Grover, is so small now, so shattered, that no god can save it. My realm is gone."

"Pan-sama, if I may," Naruto interrupted him. "You may just very well recover. The Elemental Nations are brimming with life. You can…You will live on for another day and perhaps…"

"Dear sage, thank you for thinking thus far…" Pan smiled. "But what you are suggesting, it is impossible. I would be encroaching on the territory of another god…It would risk war."

Naruto was puzzled. There was no written record of any war as far back as the myths would go.

"But…"

"I must go," Pan affirmed. "And as my dying wish, I need you to carry a message. You must go back to the council. You must tell the satyrs, and the dryads, and the other spirits of nature, that the great god Pan is dead. Tell them of my passing. Because they must stop waiting for me to save them. I cannot. The only salvation you must make yourself. Each of you must take up my calling."

His eyes scanned the humans in the room. The group watched in mourning at the exchange. It was then Naruto realized that he was not only telling this to Grover but to all of them, both half-bloods and humans alike.

"Percy Jackson," the god said. "I know what you have seen today. I know your doubts. But I give you this news: when the time comes, you will not be ruled by fear."

He turned to Annabeth. "Daughter of Athena, your time is coming. You will play a great role, though it may not be the role you imagined."

Then he looked at Tyson. "Master Cyclops, do not despair. Heroes rarely live up to our expectations. But you, Tyson—your name shall live among the Cyclopes for generations."

It was Naruto's turn. "I sense great power within you. Do not fear it. This power is not evil, only misunderstood. Soon, you will know what I mean. As you come to terms with your own power, receive my blessing, as my great aunt Hestia had done."

"And Miss Rachel Dare…" Rachel flinched when he said her name. She backed up like she was guilty of something, but Pan only smiled. He raised his hand in a blessing.

"I know you believe you cannot make amends," he said. "But you are just as important as your father. You are destined for great things. I know it might not seem like it now, but the opportunities will present themselves. Do not falter. "

"I—" Rachel faltered. A tear traced her cheek.

Finally he turned back toward Grover. "My dear satyr," Pan said kindly, "will you carry my message?"

"I—I can't."

"You can," Pan said. "You are the strongest and the bravest. Your heart is true. You have believed in me more than anyone ever has, which is why you must bring the message, and why you must be the first to release me."

"I don't want to."

"I know," the god said. "But did you know my name, Pan…originally it meant rustic. But over the years it has come to mean all. The spirit of the wild must pass to all of you now. You must tell each one you meet: if you would find Pan, take up Pan's spirit. Remake the wild, a little at a time, each in your own corner of the world. You cannot wait for anyone else, even a god, to do that for you."

Grover wiped his eyes. Then slowly he stood. "I've spent my whole life looking for you. Now…I release you."

Pan smiled. "Thank you, dear satyr. My final blessing."

He closed his eyes, and the god dissolved. White mist divided into wisps of energy. It filled the room. A curl of smoke went straight into everyone's mouths. The animals gave our heroes a sad look. Dede the dodo sighed. Then they all turned gray and crumbled to dust. The vines withered. And pretty soon, they were alone in a dark cave, with an empty bed.

Percy switched on his flashlight.

Grover took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Naruto placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

He looked older and sadder. He took his cap from Annabeth, brushed off the mud, and stuck it firmly on his curly head.

"We should go now," he said, "and tell them. The great god Pan is dead."