Jason POV

The six of us were sitting around a bench on the streets of Olympus. Even though the sun was high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the area, the air was thick with tension and uncertainty. I took another look around, the desolation of Olympus further putting me at unease. Normally, this area would have been bustling with activity, with vendors selling all sorts of exotic goods and treats, and the smell of fresh bread and pastries wafting through the air, but since the war had started, the streets had been mostly deserted, with only the occasional person venturing outside to stock up on supplies or run errands.

We were all deeply engrossed in our cards. It had been Leo's idea to play blackjack. Ever since our reveal, it had only been war, training and arguments. With Percy gone, and training on hold until midday, we had decided to take a break from the chaos of war, and spend some rare time together. What better way than by playing cards and trying to forget about the danger which was practically knocking on the doorstep. Leo was next to me, his curly hair sticking up at odd angles which made me want to think last night he had been up to no good. Frank, with his broad shoulders and easy grin, sat on the other side of the bench, his sleeves rolled up to reveal his muscular arms. Hazel sat beside him, her dark hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders, her eyes darting back and forth as she kept track of who had how many cards. The others were scattered around us, their faces creased in concentration as they tried to outsmart each other, or outsmart luck. Currently, the score was me and Frank, neck and neck, with Leo and Calypso in joint second, and Hazel last, although she was mainly rooting for her boyfriend. It was a tense game, and as the game progressed, the tension only increased, with each passing moment feeling like an eternity. We all played with a fierce determination, pulling every trick in the book, including cheating from Leo. Despite our best efforts to keep a poker face, the occasional murmurs of approval or disappointment slipped through our lips, betraying our emotions. We were all getting a little too invested in the game, but it was a much-needed distraction. It was near the end, when the anticipation peaked and the dealer revealed their cards where Frank let out a victorious yell, revealing his cards, a broad grin stretching his face.

"Blackjack!" he exclaimed, practically chucking his cards down. Everyone groaned good-naturedly, and Hazel leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, blushing slightly as she did so. Frank beamed with pride, pleased with himself for now taking the lead.

"This is rigged," Leo grumbled, handing Calypso his cards. With skillful fingers, the Titaness collected all the cards, shuffling them expertly. For an immortal who had never played with cards, she sure knew how to do a professional riffle shuffle.

"Any news from Percy, Nico, and Piper?" Hazel asked, her voice tinged with worry. Calypso's fingers faltered slightly as she dealt out the cards, and I could almost feel how anxious she was.

"Not yet," she replied quietly, "but I'm sure they'll be alright."
"I hope so," I said, my own heart racing. "We need to launch a counter attack to stop Gone. There's no point just sitting around, waiting for impending doom." The others nodded in agreement, but we couldn't do anything until they came back, preferably with the moon goddess. We might be playing cards, but without Percy, the stakes would be even higher than before.

"Another game?" I asked as Calypso handed me two cards. Absent-mindedly, she nodded, and I took a peak at what I had. I sighed in relief. Two face cards wasn't a blackjack, but it was enough to make me almost certain I was winning this game.

"Has Percy told any of you the game plan for when he comes back?" Frank asked, taking another card from the deck and grumbling. I felt better knowing he was probably bust.

"Not really," Leo said. "I mean originally the plan was to give Gone Olympus, and then launch an attack so vicious, Moros will be wide eyed in fear, but then…" He didn't need to finish the sentence. Artemis being captured had thrown the entire operation off.

"Given the current circumstance," I said slowly, "I am of the utmost conviction that our undivided attention and concerted efforts should be directed towards the safe, swift and expeditious return of the trio comprised of Percy, Nico, and Piper, accompanied by Artemis, without incurring any harm or adversity whatsoever. Indeed, it is imperative that we prioritise this endeavour with utmost urgency and meticulousness, for the successful outcome of this venture holds significant implications for the overall welfare and security of our community." Leo snorted.

"Since when have you started using such big words?" he asked. "I mean 'expeditious' really? Even Annabeth wouldn't know what that means, had she still been here." Calypso let out a light chuckle. I on the other hand chose to ignore him, my eyes still on Piper and Hazel who were engrossed in the game.

"Okay, I have eighteen cards, so you know what that means," Calypso said, showing us. We nodded, placing our cards down first. As I guessed, Frank had bust, with a total score of twenty two. Piper had eighteen and Hazel had nineteen. Leo proudly showed us his score of fifty three (don't even ask me how you get fifty three points in a game where you're aiming for twenty one.)

"Jason?" Leo asked, pointing at my cards. I stretched, before showing off my score.

"Twenty," I smirked at Frank, swinging my legs off the bench. "It was a fun game, but I think we should start getting ready for the next training session. It's 9AM, and the gods are expecting us at 10." Grudgingly, everyone nodded, getting up and stretching like he had.

"Are we meeting at the Coliseum?" Hazel asked. I gave her a quick nod, more interested in getting a bite of breakfast before another brutal training session. The gods were improving, and it was much harder to defeat them, especially with Piper and Nico gone.

"Hey, can anyone else hear that?" Frank frowned.

"What?" Calypso asked. "I'm pretty sure that's just Jason's stomach grumbling," she teased, earning a small smirk from me.

"No, I'm being serious, it sounds like-" He couldn't say another word. The next thing we knew, an ear shattering explosion came out of nowhere, throwing us to the ground I coughed, the dust blinding me.

"Everyone okay?" I groaned, looking around to check on my friends. Frank was already on his feet, looking dazed but unharmed. Piper was rubbing her eyes and coughing, but she seemed to be alright. Hazel had landed in a pile of rubble, but she was also up and dusting herself off.

"I'm stuck," Calypso muttered, and I immediately rushed to her side. Together, Frank and I helped her to her feet, checking her for injuries. However, just then, a voice broke out, one scarier than Death itself.

"I have come to claim what is mine! Olympus will be my property, and you all my prisoners! Now bow down before your new Lord, Gone!"

Nico POV

Stealth. After an hour of meticulous planning, the god of time chose stealth as his tactic. Grumbling, I edged along the path. Of course we had to take the indirect path, to keep out of the guard's vision. Unfortunately this meant climbing through trees, crawling through mud, and generally having a very bad time.

I hated to say it, but Gone's lair was actually fairly impressive. The base was massive, looming high over the surrounding forest. It was made of dark, jagged stones, the structure looked ancient, as if it had been here since the beginning of time. The walls were at least twenty feet high, and I could see guards patrolling the perimeter, their shadows flickering in the dim light of the dawn. From our hiding place, I could see that the entrance was a massive metal gate, with intricate patterns etched into it. Beyond the gate, there was a courtyard with several buildings surrounding it, all made of the same dark stone as the walls. Even from a distance, I could feel the weight of the base bearing down on me, filling me with a sense of hopelessness and despair. Percy called it an 'irrational fear,' whereas I called it knowing the definition of a suicidal mission.

As we got closer, the guards became more visible, dressed in black uniforms and armed with swords. I was surprised that the guards weren't any of Gone's special monsters, but just… regular people, probably demititans, or demigods, or something don't ask me. They walked back and forth along the perimeter, their eyes constantly scanning the surrounding area for any signs of intrusion. I could feel their eyes boring on us, even though they were too far away to see us clearly. They were vigilant, determined to keep us out at all costs.

Percy, as usual, seemed to be unfazed by their presence. His eyes were fixed on the fortress, his mind likely already working on a plan to infiltrate the fortress. I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for his confidence and determination, even as my own nerves threatened to consume me. Unfortunately, he was still acting nervous, and that didn't reassure me.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I grumbled. Percy seemed to ignore me again. I'm telling you, whatever Eris said had frightened him, and that meant it was frightening me and Piper.

"Percy," Piper said gently. "Nico asked you a question."
"I know he did," Percy snapped. "I just thought it was a stupid question. If I didn't know what I was doing, would I have led you all here?"
"Probably," I muttered under my breath, but Piper nudged me angrily. I sighed, rubbing my rubs.

"He's stressed and shaken up from our encounter with Lady Eris," she hissed into my ear. "Cut him some slack will you, I'm sure in the next few days he'll improve." I hoped that was the case. Humorous, joking Percy was the best kind. Anxious and frightened Percy didn't have the same appeal…

"Well I suppose you have an ingenious plan to get us in as well?" I asked with a tint of sarcasm. Piper frowned, but Percy just gave a wry smile.

"It's simple," he said flatly. "We're gonna get Piper to go in first, because she's the least notorious out of the three of us."
"Thanks," she grumbled.

"Next," Percy continued, "you and I are going to sneak in from the sides, using the Mist to aid us. We get behind the guards, knock them over the heads, slip into their uniform, and boom, we're in."
"That is… not a bad plan actually," I thought ruefully. "I'll keep my faith in you. When do we initiate it?"
"Now," he said., alarming the daughter of Love. The Lord of Time gave her a curt nod, one that said no wasn't an option.

Piper hesitated for a moment, glancing at us uncertainly before nodding and heading towards the fortress. As we watched from the bushes, she moved with a confidence that was both impressive and unsettling. I couldn't help but wonder if she was putting too much faith in her charmspeak, but I knew better than to voice my concerns. She walked straight up to the main gate, smiling and waving to the guards. The two men eyed her suspiciously, but they didn't make any attempt to stop her.

"Hello there," she said, smiling brightly. "I was hoping to speak with Lord Gone. I have some important information for him." The guards exchanged a quick glance, before one of them stepped forward.

"And who might you be, miss?"

"I'm a friend," Piper said quickly. "I've been sent to deliver a message." The guards looked her up and down, clearly skeptical. Then, suddenly, one of them reached out and grabbed her wrist. Immediately, my heart raced as I watched the scene unfold, praying to whoever could that our plan wasn't about to fall apart.

"Hold on a second," the guard said, his grip tightening. "I know you. You're one of the demigods that's been causing trouble around here. You're not getting in here." Piper tried to pull away, but the guard's grip was too strong.

"Let go of me!" she yelled, but the guard didn't budge. Panic was evident on her face as she glanced back at us. Piper's heart raced as she struggled against the guard's grip, her mind most likely racing for a way out of the situation. We had hoped that her charm-speaking powers would be enough to get her past the guards, but it seemed like they were on high alert. It was clear that her charmspeak wasn't going to work on this guard, and we needed to come up with a new plan quickly.

With a sudden burst of strength, Piper managed to wrench her wrist out of the guard's grasp and stumbled backwards, almost losing her footing. The other guard stepped forward, his hand resting on his sword hilt.

"You're not going anywhere," he growled. "You can tell your boss that we're onto him and his little tricks." I watched as Piper tried to think of something, anything to get herself out of the situation, before turning to the leader of the Revenant. Percy might've been taking his time to realise, but this plan was failing… and it was failing fast.

"You do know they're not going to let her off the hook easily right?" I hissed. "Especially when they realise she's one of us." Per let out a long pause, before groaning loudly, so loud I was shocked the guards couldn't hear us.

"I suppose you're right," he muttered, before forming his staff and brandishing it in a way that made my own face pale. I could feel the tension in the air as Percy prepared to make a bold move. However, instead of a stealthy approach, Percy began preparing to burst out of the bushes with a reckless determination. I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as I watched Percy's gaze harden.

"So much for stealth," Percy grumbled, before erupting out of the bushes like a demon, sent from the depths of Tartarus to wreak havoc on the mansion of Gone.

I'm really sorry this chapter seems a bit low effort and short, but my arm has been paining all day, and I really wanted to deliver on a Friday as I have been recently. Hope y'all enjoy it, and I hope it doesn't seem too rushed!