"Is this the part where you tell me what's going on?" Hades snarked the moment I appeared in his train car. He stood abruptly and began walking toward me, splurges of black mana jumping out of his body like splotches of wet ink. I was vaguely reminded of those old-timey cartoons for a second.

It was weird. He was still in his Clooney form, but it was quickly beginning to unravel, like a doll whose seams were coming undone. Tears of black began dripping out of his eyes. His skin was pale white, and his veins stood out against the pallor like angry arcs of sludge. The stylish, casual hairstyle he had before was flattening and losing its luster, like a smooth field of grass that was suddenly becoming dry and matted.

"I've been trying to get over here," I defended, standing my ground. I gestured to the hole in my sweater and the cuts along my face and body. I got a sense of deja vu; standing in front of him like this reminded me of our argument over dinner last summer. Though, admittedly, he seemed way angrier now. Well, so was I. "Aphrodite tried to stop me."

"Aphrodite?" Hades repeated, his blackened eyes lightening a bit as he raised his eyebrows. When he spoke, his voice took on the quality of sounding like five or six voices, all layered on top of one another. "What in the world does she have to do with any of this?"

"All of it," I snapped, shaking my head. I pushed down the well of anger that was still simmering in my stomach. Hades wasn't my enemy here. He was on my side, and I couldn't afford to let my emotions cloud my judgment around him. "I was grabbing some food in the city when I saw, on one of the television screens that Midtown was apparently the victim of a gas leak."

"That's where all the souls came from," Hades ruminated, groaning, and leaning back on his desk, sitting across the flat surface so we were face to face. Power was radiating off him, sizzling the air between us like a space heater. "And, I'm guessing it wasn't a gas leak?"

"It was a Hydra," I replied. A painful memory—MJ's bent and broken body—flashed through my mind. I swallowed and spoke again, even though my throat felt like it was covered in molasses. "It eviscerated the inside of the dance floor. Most of the kids there died on impact. Some tried to make a run for it. I don't think any of the mortals made it."

Hades' next words were spoken with barely contained anger. Fury brimmed on the pause between each word, filling the air with a sense of foreboding. "And Nico and Bianca?"

"Safe. Thalia got them out while Jason and Piper engaged the monster," I clipped off the edge of every word. I had to force myself to be as efficient about this as possible. "I arrived and dispatched the monster. I remembered our conversation about monsters, and I went to use the key to the Underworld you gave me to clear up the situation when it was yanked out of my hands by Aphrodite. She manipulated her bond with Jason and Piper to get them to fight me, which is why I was delayed."

"I appreciate you and Thalia still making sure my kids were okay," Hades said, his chin resting on a closed fist. The overflow of energy cut off abruptly, and I realized he probably thought his kids had been hurt. I went to give Thalia all the credit, but, as my lips moved to sound out the first word, Hades raised his hand and stopped me. "And I'd like to apologize for any trouble you went through to get here. You're absolutely certain it was Aphrodite?"

I answered, hoping none of the confusion I was feeling was seeping into my tone. I couldn't very well tell him that the Game told me it was Aphrodite, so I settled on, "A line of pink energy fished the card out of my hand, and she seemed to have a bond with Jason and Piper. She later identified herself...so...yeah. As certain as can be."

Hades nodded, but his heart wasn't in the reaction. He clucked his tongue, "Damn. I was hoping—never mind. And she was at the dance, of her own volition?"

"Yes. She's been seeing Jason for some time now, masquerading through the school in mortal form as a girl named Amy," I was getting annoyed at how many questions Hades was asking, but I forced myself to push past that irritation. "She attacked me first."

"That's not what I'm worried about. You'll get a pass for any sort of damage and fighting you did out there. Trust me, kid, you're the one objectively in the right, no matter the context. Gods aren't supposed to seek out and fight mortals, and what Aphrodite did falls under that umbrella; by pulling the card out of your hands, hell, even by just being there in that capacity, she's in violation of about a dozen laws. You only responded in kind," Hades said earnestly, patting my knee. His bright look faded a bit. "I'm just trying to work out how Aphrodite got there. It makes no sense."

"It doesn't make sense?" I repeated. My eyebrows scrunched together. "What about it doesn't make sense?"

"Do you remember what I told you, on the way back to your camp?"

"You said you'd keep monsters away from the dance as a thank you," I remembered. "What does that have to do with her?"

"Everything," Hades said simply. He held out his hand and a ball of black energy crackled on his fingertips like lightning. "Have you heard of Faraday's cage?"

I shook my head.

"It's essentially a container, or a shield, that blocks out electromagnetic radiation from across the electromagnetic spectrum, such as radio waves and microwaves. It works on a simple principle. When an electromagnetic field hits something that can conduct electricity, the charges remain on the exterior of the conductor rather than traveling inside." Hades paused and stretched the ball out in his hands. It turned cylindrical and long, stretching higher and higher. "In more practical terms, that means that a cage constructed of a material that can conduct electricity will prevent certain electromagnetic radiation from passing through. This applies to all kinds of electric fields."

"Okay..."

"So, to protect the dance as we discussed, I basically stretched some of my influence around the school, kind of like you see this ball doing. I made it my domain for the night," Hades gestured back to the cylinder. "Monsters, gods, titans…nobody should've been able to detect demigods inside of that radius. And, here's the peculiar thing, I'd be able to tell if any gods crossed through, too."

"But you didn't," I realized, biting the inside of my cheek. Gods took the act of crossing the domains of other gods very seriously. If my uncle had truly believed Aphrodite crossed him, she would've been left in a condition way worse than I'd left her. "Or else you would've shown up yourself."

"Exactly," Hades let out a slow exhale and inclined his head. He stared outside the window of the train for a moment. "I can't tell you what happened for sure, but there are two things I'm sure of. One—whatever Aphrodite was doing there, her presence was not what attracted the monster. The fact that I couldn't detect her in there means she was using some sort of cloaking magic, or some other clever trick to make herself mortal, if only for the purpose of being at the dance. Presumably, based on what you said, she was there to be with Jason. No monster in the world would've been able to detect her, especially if I couldn't. This is, of course, moot, since with my protections around the school, no monsters should've been around anyway."

My heart was pounding hard in my chest; it felt like it was about to burst out of my ribcage. My hands were clammy and shaking, and I couldn't seem to catch my breath.

The world around me seemed to blur and fade away as a wave of anxiety crashed over me. Suddenly, I heard a loud crashing noise in my head, like a thousand pots and pans being thrown down a flight of stairs. It was so deafening that I had to cover my ears with my hands, but even that didn't help. My mind raced with all the worst-case scenarios that I could think of, each one more terrifying than the last.

I forced myself to calm down. I activated [Serentiy Inducement] and clamped my glowing hand around my arm, infusing my body with enough peace for [Gamer's Mind] to kick in and let me get through the rest of my uncle's explanation.

"Which leads me to my second observation," After giving me a sad look, Hades took another deep breath. "That monster couldn't have possibly penetrated my barrier from any direction. Not from around it, not from above it, not from under it. It's impossible. It would've had to have been there beforehand, or worse, it would've had to be generated from the inside of the barrier."

"How is that possible?" I croaked out. My fingers burned against my arm. Even my peace felt angry and rageful. "Is there a way to check?"

"Yes, actually," Hades said, snapping his fingers. I saw a shapeless mass of darkness coalescing in the palm of his hands. As I watched, the shadows began to take on form and substance, twisting and turning into the shape of a book. The cover was made of a material that seemed to shift and change with the light, and the pages were made of a strange, ethereal substance that seemed to glow with an inner light.

It automatically opened to a page, and Hades began reading down the page, his frown growing deeper and deeper. "There are no records of any Hydras living in the Midtown area. The closest Hydra is at Hoboken, hovering around the new Monster Donut store. You're sure it was a Hydra?"

"Yes. I'd bet my life on it."

"Then that's even weirder," Hades told me seriously. "Because it wasn't one of mine, for sure."

"And if it was someone else's entering you would've felt it entering."

"Exactly," Hades closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Was there anything suspicious about this Hydra? Anything at all that seemed out of the ordinary?"

"I pulverized it too fast to tell," I admitted, groaning, and leaning back. An idea formed in my head. The kind of idea that made my stomach drop. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to know the answer to this, but there was building desperation inside of me that made me ask. "Can you check if the Minotaur has been out and about recently? Say, in like the last year or two?"

"Let me check," The book began opening and closing quickly as if it was searching for something. Hades' eyes never left the dusty, yellowing pages. "No. It hasn't reformed since you killed it two years ago."

I gripped the armrests of the chair. "Last year around this time, I went to a house party at MJ's house, and Aphrodite was there. Right after the party, I was attacked by the Minotaur—or, at least, I thought it was the Minotaur. When I killed it, though, it didn't explode into golden dust."

Hades' eyes widened for a second. "That's why you thought Aphrodite summoned the Hydra."

"Are we sure she still didn't?" I tossed out in a last-ditch effort, "Maybe she was jealous?"

"Kid, even if that excuse held up the first time, it wouldn't hold up this time," Hades pointed out. "She gains nothing from killing all those kids, especially if she just wanted to be there with Jason. Actually, well, even if she wanted to hurt those kids, she couldn't. Use your head for a second. Do you really think Aphrodite would do that?"

I answered his question with a question of my own. "If she created that first Minotaur, would you have known?"

"No, I suppose," Hades sighed. "But ask yourself this; why was Aphrodite there that night?"

I thought back to that night and I knew the answer instantly. "For me."

"For you," Hades repeated. "She wouldn't have tried to hurt you. I'm not going to go around giving away her secrets, but trust me, kid, she was still very much in love with you at that point. She couldn't have done it. I can swear on it if you'd like, but I just can't tell you the specifics."

"You don't have to do that," I said, taking a shaky breath. "But if what you're telling me is true—"

"—and it is—"

"—it couldn't have been her," I said miserably. "Not then, not now. I attacked her for no reason. Gods, I attacked Jason and Piper, I hurt them for no reason at all. Aphrodite tried to tell me it wasn't her fault, but I'd just seen Liz and MJ die! I couldn't just take her at her word for it."

"Anyone would've done what you did," My uncle tried to comfort me. He gave me a sad smile, "If it was me, I probably would've leveled the city. You didn't…kill her, did you?"

"No. I didn't leave lasting damage on anyone," I sighed. Pinpricks of guilt made my stomach do flip-flops. "How do you think the Hydra got in there, then?"

"I…don't know," Hades replied, deep in thought. "Your points about the Minotaur you fought are interesting though. Once again, I'm assuming you're absolutely certain of what you saw. I trust you, of course, but then the issue is, well, if the monster was real, no matter what, you would've seen golden dust exploding everywhere like a pinata. The fact that there was a tangible body left after you killed the Minotaur clone, well…it's not good, to say the least."

"Do you have any leads?"

"Four. It could've been Hephaestus. For a long time, word on Olympus has been that he's mastered and created automatons, or mechanical creatures, to help him in his work rather than hire outside help. By this point, they could easily be hyper-realistic enough to pass off as the real deal. I wouldn't put it past him. He's got enough of a motive, seeing as his wife is technically trying to woo a demigod. Last year, it would've been you. This year, Jason."

That made sense. I bit my lip, "And the rest of the leads?"

"Hecate," Hades answered instantly. "When she was younger, Hecate used to leverage her powers to bring small models of monsters to life for fun. I guess if she's starting to choose sides in the war, she could've been the one to do it. The third and fourth options are, well, either one of their children if sufficiently powerful, or we're dealing with something else entirely."

"But why?" I couldn't help but ask, "What do any of them gain by slaughtering a bunch of innocent kids?"

"You might not like the answer."

I felt the anger from before burning in my gut. "I need to know."

"You," Hades answered, and I looked up at him. He raised his hand again. "Hear me out. You've defied the Titans over and over again. You've shown that you're plenty strong and that even sending some of their strongest warriors after you won't be fruitful unless they're willing to risk their lives. Think like you're one of them for a second."

Hades was making sense, as much as I hated it.

"So, they get to thinking. They can't reach your mom, killing her would incur the wrath of three Olympians. They can't openly move against the demigods you're friendly with, either, they're protected behind the camp's borders, and again, they need to keep the gods out of this. Where else can they look? Who else can they target?" Hades said, pursing his lips. "It wouldn't be that hard to find out where you go to school. It would be even easier to plan this attack, with how advertised the Fall Ball was. So, they go after your mortal friends. They know that the gods won't care if some mortals die."

"But…why? They should know I'll go after them. That I'll find them, drag them out, and make them pay."

"Not without alienating some of your friends in the process," Hades pointed out. "Not without weakening a goddess that could play a part in the upcoming war. Not without suffering heavy loss. Forgive me for my bluntness, nephew, but the point of the attack wasn't to kill those mortals; no way. It was to make you crack. Maybe they thought if you suffered a tragedy like this, you'd snap. A broken hero, especially mentally, is a useless one. They know you'll survive physical attacks, so they're going for mental ones now. Psychological wounds can be hard to heal."

"That's great," My tongue felt like sandpaper in my mouth as I struggled to swallow. I tried to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse whisper. "So, what now? Can I…can we get them back? The souls, I mean."

The anger from before had started to ebb away. It was as if the heat that had been burning inside me was dissipating, replaced by a deep sense of weariness. My limbs felt heavy. The adrenaline that had fueled my rage was now draining away, leaving me feeling drained and spent.

"No," Hades said instantly. "It's been thirty minutes. By this point, they've all been put in their afterlife placements. Some will have already been reincarnated to try for the Isles of the Blest. Rounding up all of those souls, forcing them back into bodies...even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I'm sorry, Percy. Truly."

There was a weight in my chest that grew heavier with each passing moment. The weariness that had consumed me moments ago was now evolving into a deep sadness, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by it.

Every breath I took seemed labored like I was breathing in a dense fog, or stuck on the top of a mountain, or something. The world around me had lost its vibrancy, and everything appeared to be washed out as if viewed through a veil. It was as if a part of me had been taken away, leaving behind only an empty shell. I tried to shake off the feeling, but it clung to me like a second skin. It was like the more I tried to fight it, the stronger it became.

The realization that I had lost something as irreplaceable as my bond with MJ hit me like a punch to the gut, and tears welled up in my eyes. I tried to hold them back, to keep them from falling, but they spilled over, rolling down my cheeks in hot streams.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. I'd told her I'd always protect her, and now she was dead because of me. Not because of Aphrodite. Because of me.

It was a feeling that I couldn't quite describe, a sense of loss and emptiness that seemed to grow with each passing second. And as much as I tried to push it away, the sadness stayed with me, an unrelenting presence that refused to be ignored.

"I need to see her," I forced out. Hades went to open his mouth, and I snapped, slamming my fist through the chair. It shattered, and splinters embedded themselves through my arm. "Please, uncle. I need to see her. I can't…I just need to."

"You've suffered enough," Hades said firmly. He gave me a pleading look, "No mortal walks away from Elysium on purpose, nephew. It's addictive. If I let you in, you won't ever leave. Even if I pull you out, do you really think you'll be in the mental headspace to ever function again? Knowing she's in there? When you're out here? The world needs you Percy, plain and simple. I need you. If you walk in there, you won't walk out the same person, and I'm not sure if I can handle being a part of that."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," I whispered. I kept seeing images of her burnt and broken body in my head. "Please. If I don't see her…I don't know if I'll be able to continue anyway. Not after knowing it was my fault."

"Percy…"

"Please," I begged. "I'll do…anything."

"Percy," Hades said gently. "You've been through a lot. I don't want this to break you. This can't break you, do you understand me? You can't let it."

"Have I not played the part of hero perfectly?" I asked quietly. I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs, but I was just too tired. Too beat. "I've done everything everyone's asked. Especially you. I've gone above and beyond when you've needed me to, and you know that."

"It will break you."

"It won't."

"Percy. It will shatter you. I know you," Hades said seriously. "You loved her. This will crush you."

"I won't let it."

"Damn it, boy, what if it isn't in your hands?" Hades snapped, screaming so hard, spit flew out of his mouth. "What if you come out a shell? What if your mind breaks and snaps in half? Don't you understand? That'll be on me. I'll be the one who let that happen. I'll be the reason you can't function, why Olympus' favorite demigod is a former shell of himself. Why one of my favorite and only relatives is a fucking vegetable; I'd have to reconstruct your whole mental state! Do you think Olympus needs another reason to punish me, anyway, nephew? I don't know if I can handle losing you and then being blamed for it."

"I'll let you do all of the therapy and mental stuff you want after," I offered. "But if you don't let me in right now, I swear on the River Styx and every deity in the goddamn world, I'll try to break in. Every second of every day, I'll be right there—"

There was a rumble of thunder outside, and it shook the car. Hades slumped, putting his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry," I said, not feeling all that sorry at all. "But I—"

"Zip it," Hades snarled. He snapped his fingers, and the cylinder of energy on his desk lurched forward. The air grew cold as the shadows ripped out of the container and snaked around my limbs, binding me tight. The lasso of shadow seemed to have a life of its own, tightening and loosening in response to my struggles. It was like being in the grasp of a living creature, something that could think and feel. "I'll let you go with supervision. Five minutes. And when you get out, you'd better fucking believe I'm putting you through every fucking piece of therapy in the world."

I opened my mouth to thank him, but I must've annoyed him even more than I thought. He just snapped his fingers, and I felt my stomach lurch. The chair snapped backward, and I was sent melting through the train's floor.

The ground split open underneath me, revealing a fiery pit of molten lava that glowed like a thousand suns. I was consumed by the heat, the flames lapping hungrily at my skin, and I felt myself beginning to melt away.

But instead of pain and destruction, there was a strange sensation of weightlessness as my body dissolved into a shimmering liquid. I flowed down into the earth, like a stream of molten silver, gliding effortlessly through the tunnels and caverns that lie hidden beneath the surface.

Eventually, the walls around me began to glow with soft, warm light, and I felt myself slowing down.

And then, suddenly, I burst forth onto the ground. My body slowly rose out of the pool of silver, and my nose was instantly assaulted by my favorite smell in the whole world: fresh rain on the pavement.

There wasn't any rain in sight, though. If anything, it was a beautiful day outside. An almost indescribably beautiful day. Was I in Elysium?

I felt like I was in a state park. The trees were tall and majestic, their leaves shimmering in the sunlight like diamonds. The grass was vivid green- I'd never seen grass this green before. I didn't even know grass could get this shade of green.

Birds of every color and size flitted about in the branches above, their songs filling the air with a symphony of sound. And all around me, people were laughing and playing, their faces alive with joy and wonder.

Moms with babies. Elderly people. Teenagers milling about, from all times and places.

I tried not to stare as a couple walked by me.

The guy wore bell-bottom jeans and a red T-shirt with black piping, and his hair was permed and gelled like a New Jersey girl's on homecoming night. The girl, on the other hand, was covered head to toe in a black dress, with white stockings and a head-covering that reminded me of pictures I'd seen of the 1800s in my history books.

I stood there momentarily, taking it all in, feeling the sun's warmth on my face and the gentle breeze ruffling my hair. The temperature wasn't too hot, too cold. It was just perfect.

I need to find MJ.

As I walked deeper into the park, Elysium seemed to hear my thoughts. The sound of music began to fill my ears, a pulsing beat that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. The trees thinned, and I found myself standing before a sleek, modern building, its facade gleaming in the sunlight.

I stepped inside, and I was transported to a world of light and sound. The music was deafening, a pounding beat that seemed to shake the very walls of the building, and the air was thick with the scent of sweat, smoke, and alcohol. The walls were lined with screens, flashing images of dancers and performers, and the floor was a riot of color, swirling lights illuminating a sea of bodies in motion.

The crowd parted. In the middle of the dance floor, seemingly dancing all by herself, was MJ.

"MJ!" I called out, jogging through the crowd. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes. My heart felt like it was about to beat out of my chest. Despite the loud music, MJ heard me and turned. Her eyes widened, and she began running at me, too.

We met in the middle, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and twirled her around. Her perfume flooded my nostrils, and a little bit of the tension I felt before drained out of my shoulders.

"Percy!" MJ giggled in my ear. "Put me down, silly!"

"It's so good to see you," I breathed as I placed her down gently and cupped her face in my hands. "I was so worried…"

The nights in the light club began dimming.

"Worried about what?" MJ cocked her head against my hand. She turned her face and kissed the skin of my palm, before reaching out and pulling me closer to her. "Let's dance!"

She began swaying, and moving my arms to make her dance with her. I gave her a confused look. "Wait, you don't remember?"

"Remember what?" MJ asked me, her eyes glittering playfully. "That it took you forever to come to visit from Midtown? I know I got a scholarship somewhere else, but Gwen and Liz still come to visit me all the time. Don't worry though! I'll let it go if you let it go! Besides, I know something you can do to make it up to me."

MJ leaned forward and began peppering kisses along my jawline as we danced. Each kiss felt like a knife through the heart.

She didn't know.

The pounding bass in the background gave way to a haunting melody that echoed through the club like a mournful cry: Past lives couldn't ever hold me down. Lost love is sweeter when it's finally found.

"It is kind of weird here, though," MJ said in between kisses. For a moment, her visage cracked, and she looked horribly sad. "Don't get me wrong, it's great here, and the people are great, and everything is great, but…I don't know."

And for a brief, fleeting moment, I saw it. Everyone in Elysium I'd seen so far, including her, had this glazed look of happiness in their eyes. For her, it disappeared for a second, replaced by a flicker of confusion in her eyes that was gone as quickly as it came.

I closed my eyes and let her continue kissing me, the warmth of her body heat clashing against the emptiness radiating in my chest. Her clear sight let her see past the charade of Elysium a little bit, but just like most other mortals, she didn't even know she was dead.

She didn't know about the Hydra, or Liz's death, or anything. She just thought she moved away. The fact that my entire high school class died alongside her probably helped sell the illusion even more.

One of her kisses missed, and she kissed my chin and started giggling. I couldn't help the smile that formed on my face, and I hugged her tightly. I missed her.

For a few moments, I considered just making a run for it with MJ right now. We could probably get out of here before my five minutes was up, and from there, I'd cut a deal with Hades. With Olympus.

I'd make them let me keep her. I was the Child of Prophecy, after all. They'd have to listen to me, or I'd end up spelling doom for all of Olympus. I would end up spelling doom for all of Olympus.

A cold knife of ice twisted in my heart.

That isn't what she'd want, though. I buried my nose on the top of her head and kissed her forehead. The whole reason we broke up, the point of going our separate ways in Atlantis was that she wanted out.

MJ didn't want to live in a world of gods and monsters. She loved me but couldn't be with me because she wanted someone to share her world with, not be forced into a world she couldn't ever fully be a part of.

If I ran out with her soul and best case got to keep it, she'd have to live the rest of her life in the exact situation she wanted to leave. I'd be selfish, more selfish than I'd ever been if I made her leave with me.

It was better that she stayed here. Even with those moments of doubt, she could live her life in the happiest place in existence and never have to worry about anything ever again. She wouldn't have to deal with her parents or trauma from her past ever again, and no one could ever use her against me. No one could ever hurt her to get to me.

MJ could have a real life here. She'd spend her days living it up with her best friends from school, none the wiser.

Eventually, I asked, "Are you happy, MJ?"

"Of course, I'm happy! You're here," MJ replied instantly, closing her eyes, and resting her head on my chest. "I missed you so much. Liz and Gwen kept telling me you had some other stuff to handle, but I knew you'd come back."

I've got the strangest feeling…this isn't our first time around.

"Of course I came back," I desperately tried to commit everything about MJ to memory. This was the last dance I would ever have with her, and I wanted it to be perfect. I'd missed her so much, being in her presence was almost overwhelming. "That's what we said, right? Forever and more."

Her hand was warm in mine, and I could feel the softness of her skin, the delicate bones in her wrist. The room was hazy with smoke and the dim light of the club, but her face was clear as day, her eyes shining with happiness. I wanted to memorize every line, every curve of her face, to etch it into my memory so that I would never forget her.

"Forever and more," MJ agreed, a small smile forming on her face. "What took you so long, anyway? Were you embarrassed?"

"Embarrassed?"

"Yeah. After the Fall Ball, I didn't see you for a while," MJ said, her voice growing hoarse. She planted another kiss on my jaw, hard and forceful like she was afraid I was going to disappear. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I thought you were mad at me for going with Flash, or embarrassed, or something. When I left Midtown and moved to Elysium with Gwen and Liz, you never came to my going away party. I got the same drinks we had that one night. Halloween. I waited for hours."

We moved together in perfect harmony. Her hair was soft and fragrant, falling in gentle waves around her face, and I leaned in, inhaling the sweet scent of her perfume again. I knew this was the last time I'd smell it.

"I wasn't mad at you. I was…I guess I was embarrassed. I should've never done that to you, though. Not after everything you di—everything you've done for me."

"Oh please," MJ giggled. "All I did was tell you a few myths and help you decipher a book. You made me feel like a princess, Percy. You protected me all the time. Forget everything, you're my hero."

"I love you," I whispered brokenly, my fingers curling into MJ's dress. "I could never stay away from you. Even if I had to. Even if I wanted to."

"I love you too," MJ muttered, her eyes half-lidded as she leaned in for a kiss. The kiss was bittersweet, a mingling of joy and sorrow that left me feeling both elated and desolate.

Her lips were soft and warm against mine, but there was a sadness in the way she kissed me, a hint of regret that hung heavy in the air. I could taste the salt of her tears on my tongue. I went in for another kiss, just as the rope around my waist tugged.

I knew that this was it. The end of the road, the final goodbye. We clung to each other, our bodies pressed together in a desperate embrace, unwilling to let go. I felt the rope tug again.

"MJ," I choked out. "I need to use the bathroom, okay?"

"It's around the corner," MJ pointed out the neon sign. She kissed me softly again, "I missed doing that so much."

"I missed it too," I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my face. "I'll be right back."

"Promise?"

"I promise," I took a shaky breath and disentangled from her. "I love you…so much. And I'm so sorry. For everything."

By coming here, I'd all but guaranteed that I would hurt her one last time. Irrational thoughts began flooding my mind, even if there was no real heat behind them. Why did I have to feel these stupid feelings? Why did I have to fall in love? Why did I need to even be the Child of Prophecy?

"You don't need to be sorry," She gave me a beaming smile. "I'll be right here. When you get back, maybe we can go back to my apartment! I think you'll love it."

The rope began burning my exposed skin, but I pushed through it. "I'd love to see it."

"Oh, oh, and I can call the girls! They might not be as forgiving as me, though. And, I don't think they'll let you make it up to them the way I'll let you make it up to me. Not that I'd want you to, anyway," MJ laughed and gave me a wink. She frowned and wiped away some of my tears. "You don't have to feel bad anymore, baby. I'm just so happy you're here now."

"You'll be right here?"

"For you," MJ kissed my nose. "Always. Forever and more."

I leaned forward again, but Hades must've decided my time was up. The rope tugged again, and I was thrown backward, falling into the chair from before as if I'd never left.

The air was heavy with the weight of my emotions, a thick fog that seemed to envelop me, trapping me in its embrace. I could still taste her on my lips, the sweetness of her kiss mingling with the bitter taste of regret.

My heart was heavy in my chest, a leaden weight that seemed to drag me down. I wanted to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all, but the words were stuck in my throat, unable to find their way out.

The memories of our time together flashed through my mind like a film reel, each moment inscribed in vivid detail, each one more painful than the last. I could remember each kiss. Each I love you, each hug. I could see every inside joke in my head, and the way her eyes would sparkle when she was happy.

And now I'd left her all alone. Again. Zeus, the ache in my chest was overwhelming. I knew it was emotional pain, but it hurt so bad it almost felt like a physical pain that seemed to radiate through my entire body.

"What's your name?" Hades said neutrally from behind the desk. He watched me through narrowed eyes.

"What?"

"What. Is. Your. Name?"

"Percy Jackson?" I said thickly, shaking my head at him. My ear still felt off. It felt droopy and wet. "What kind of question is that?"

Hades' voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere around me at once, and I felt my leg start twitching. "Where are you right now?"

"In the train car?" I replied incredulously. A wave of vertigo hit me, and everything went numb. I lost the feeling of my tongue in my mouth. My body began shaking. I forced out, "I got here using the key you gave me?"

"I told you not to start without me," A feminine voice said from behind Hades. The shadows parted, and a woman walked through. She sighed loudly, "But am I surprised you didn't listen? No. No, I'm not."

She was dressed in a long, flowing dress. Her dark hair flowed down her back like a river of night, and her eyes sparkled like jewels, each one reflecting the light of a thousand stars. "Well? Did I, or did I not tell you to wait for me?"

Unlike Hades, who was pale and had a grunge vibe, even when he wasn't trying to, the woman seemed warm. In direct contrast to Hades' pale skin, her skin was coffee brown, and there was this dazzle in her eyes.

"Get off my back, will you?" Hades snarled, a very uncharacteristic sneer forming on his face. My arms went slack in the chair. "I just asked him a few questions—"

"That you had no right to ask!" The woman thundered, slamming her hand down on his desk. The sudden motion jolted my legs. "I want you to leave."

"Sephy—"

"No!" The woman said again, firmly. "You said you wanted me to take care of him. I will. But you can't be here for that."

"I know you're mad about the kids, but he's different," Hades' gaze flickered. "I care about him. I need—"

"What you need to do is trust me," The woman said in a tone that didn't leave much for discussion. "It's out of your hands now. Just…let me work, okay?"

"Fine." Hades snapped, giving me one more long look before dissolving into the shadows of the chair behind him.

"I'm so very sorry about that. My husband means well," The woman huffed and walked in front of me. She patted my knee, "My name is Persephone. You can call me Sephy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady," I whispered, my voice coming out all choked and hoarse.

"Don't strain yourself," Persephone soothed, her voice comforting and warm. She grabbed my face in her hands. "A trip in and out of Elysium is not something to be taken lightly. The fact that you're capable of speech, in and of itself, is a miracle. Most people can't move for days."

"I'm not broken. There's nothing wrong with me," I continued in the scratchy tone of voice from before. "I'm just tired. I just need to rest for a bit. Then I need to leave and find who did this."

"Oh, honey. It's cute that you think that. For now, just nod or shake your head. Can you do that for me?" I nodded. Beneath her beauty lurked a deep and abiding sadness, a melancholy that seemed to permeate her very being. "Good. Now, while you were in Elysium, my husband filled me in on your situation, and his concerns. I understand that you two made some sort of deal. So, for a bit, I'll be taking care of you. Understand?"

I nodded.

"Excellent. Now, I'm sure you have questions. I'll answer them at a later date, probably when your mental state isn't compromised from being in Elysium," Persephone said, smiling at me. "In the meantime, you try to relax, and I'll tell you a story."

A quest popped up somewhere in front of me, but my vision was so blurry, I couldn't even see it.

Persephone slowly pulled my head down onto her lap. I was too tired to fight it. She began to idly play with my hair, and even my tired state didn't make the situation feel any less weird. What was going on?

"Once upon a time, there was a poor peasant who had so many children that he did not have enough of either food or clothing to give them. Pretty children they all were, but the prettiest was the youngest daughter, who was so lovely there was no end to her loveliness," Persephone said softly. Her voice was melodic, but restrained; as if she was telling me a secret. "One day, the weather was wild and rough outside, and it was cruelly dark. The rain was falling and the wind blowing, until the walls of their cottage shook. They were all sitting around the fire busy with this thing and that. Then all at once something gave three taps on the window. The father went out to see what was the matter. Outside, what should he see but a great big white bear."

The walls of the train car began to melt away, replaced by a swirling galaxy of stars and planets. The hardwood floor became soft and plush, like a luxurious bedroom carpet, and the air was filled with a soft, warm glow that seemed to emanate from the very stars themselves.

"The bear offered the man a simple trade; if he parted with his youngest daughter, the bear would make the family as wealthy as they were poor," Persephone just continued with her story, "Well, the man would not be at all sorry to be so rich; but still he thought he must have a bit of a talk with his daughter first; so he went in and told them how there was a great white bear waiting outside, who had given his word to make them so rich if he could only have the youngest daughter. The girl said no outright. Nothing could get her to say anything else; so the man went out and settled it with the white bear, that he should come again the next Thursday evening and get an answer."

Even though my face was numb, the story was far too incredulous for me to just keep listening, "He was willing to sell his daughter off just to be rich?"

"I told you not to speak," Persephone said sternly and gently placed a finger on my lips. "As the bear left, he talked to his daughter, and kept on telling her of all the riches they would get, and how well off she herself would be. At last, she agreed to it, so she washed and mended her rags, and made herself as smart as she could. Soon she was ready for the trip, for she didn't have much to take along. The next Thursday evening came the white bear to fetch her. She got on his back with her bundle, and off they went."

I wanted to jump in again, but Persephone gave me a warning look. I let her continue. "They rode a long, long way until they came to a large steep cliff. The white bear knocked on it. A door opened, and they came into a castle, where there were many rooms all lit up; rooms gleaming with silver and gold. Further, there was a table set there, and it was all as grand as grand could be. Then the white bear gave her a silver bell; and when she wanted anything, she only had to ring it, and she would get it at once. After she had gone to bed, and put out the light, a man came and laid himself alongside her. It was the white bear, who cast off his pelt at night; but she never saw him, for he always came after she had put out the light. Before the day dawned he was up and off again. Things went on happily for a while, but at last, she became quiet and sad."

Persephone's voice hitched, and her eyes grew cloudy. "She was alone all day long, and she became very homesick to see her father and mother and brothers and sisters. So one day, when the white bear asked what was wrong with her, she said it was so lonely there, and how she longed to go home to see her father and mother and brothers and sisters."

The feeling was coming back into my face. My jaw didn't feel quite as numb anymore. I blinked a few times, and the ceiling above me was no longer the dull metal of a train car. Instead, it was a vast expanse of dark, velvety space, studded with shimmering constellations and glittering galaxies.

"The bear eventually let her return home, with one restriction; she was not to talk alone with her mother. He warned the girl that her mother would want to take her by the hand and lead her into a room to talk alone. The bear urged her not to do that, or else the girl would bring bad luck to both of them. So one Sunday, the white bear came and said they could now set off to see her father and mother. Off they went, she sitting on his back, and they went far and long. At last, they came to a grand house. Her brothers and sisters were outside running about and playing. Everything was so pretty, it was a joy to see."

My muscles started to loosen, releasing the tension that had accumulated throughout the day. The world around me slowed down and the sounds from the train car faded into the background. The gentle roar of the train tracks became a lullaby, soothing me into a sense of calm.

"As the bear said, the girl's mother wanted to talk with her alone in her bedroom. The girl eventually fought it, but somehow or other, her mother got to her at last, and she had to tell her the whole story. She told her, how every night, after she had gone to bed, a man came and lay down beside her as soon as she had put out the light, and how she never saw him, because he was always up and away before the morning dawned; and how she was terribly sad, for she wanted so much to see him, and how she was by herself all day long, and how dreary, and lonesome it was." Persephone ran a hand through my hair. I felt a wave of exhaustion crash into me, and my eyes drooped.

"And, as you'd expect, the girl's mother was instantly worried," Persephone's voice sounded far away. "The girl's mother gave her a candlestick and told her to hide it; she instructed the girl to just light it while the bear was asleep, but be careful not to drop any tallow on him."

My legs felt the pressure of something. I forced myself to sit up, and I noticed that the chair from before had transformed into a bed.

"So when she reached home and had gone to bed, it was the same as before. A man came and lay down beside her; but in the middle of the night, when she heard that he was fast asleep, she got up and lit the candle. She let the light shine on him and saw that he was the most handsome prince one ever set eyes on. She fell so deeply in love with him, that she thought she couldn't live if she didn't give him a kiss at once. And so she did, but as she kissed him she let three drops of hot tallow drip onto his shirt, and he woke up."

I couldn't open my eyes. I couldn't move anything.

"Sleep tight, brave hero," I felt Persephone's lips on my forehead. "I'll collect you in the morning."

[MAIN][STORY] Quest Alert!

{The Citadel of Strength}

|| You've suffered a traumatic loss, and taken a trip in and out of Elysium, where the wards are intentionally meant to trip you up and rewire both your mental and physical states. Hades is worried you may not be the same and has enlisted Persephone's help to ensure that you're okay. Prove to both of them that you're not going to let this crush you. Additionally, allow Persephone to show you parts of your psyche that you haven't considered, and allow yourself to be reborn through this tragedy. ||

{Duration:}

- [~] 10 days!

{Rewards:}

- [+] 15,000 REP with [Persephone]!

- [+] 4,000 REP with [Hades]!

- [+] 150,000 EXP!*

- [+][10] perk points!

- [+] [Gamer's Mind MK2]*

{Failure:}

- Death.

[YES/NO]

*Note that the [EXP] provided for this quest will be doubled upon completion, as per your title of the [Divine Consultant].

** [Gamer's Mind MK2] is an evolved form of your current [Gamer's Mind] perk. While the base version provides certain levels of peace, the [MK2] grants the user the ability to nullify all emotional states, providing complete emotional detachment from any situation. With this perk, the user can remain focused and level-headed even in the most emotionally charged scenarios. With practice, you can learn to nullify certain emotions.

Additionally, due to some of your other perks like [Serenity Inducement] and [Heavenly Trigger], the [MK2] allows you to project your emotional nullification onto others.

Furthermore, unlike the base version of the perk, [MK2] is capable of being leveled up. As you level up this perk, the range of the perk also increases, allowing you to project your emotional nullification onto larger groups of people. At the higher levels, you will gain the ability to can project your emotional nullification, and even false emotions, onto entire battlefields.

AN: That's a doozy! My first ever 3 part chapter, and I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Etko and I cooked up this one, and we have a lot of fun stuff planned, so this is just the start. In case you were curious, the story Persephone tells is from an old fairy tale called "East of the Sun and West of the Moon."

A couple of things I know people will comment on:

For starters, I want to reiterate that from the very first chapter of this story, I warned everyone involved that I'd be looking into the mental side of things for Percy, and this includes that. The man just lost everything in one fell swoop. People will undoubtedly find a way to get mad at his vulnerability in this chapter, so I just want to jump ahead of it and say that I think his feeling the way he does this chapter is more than justified. If any of us went through half of this, we'd be scarred for life, so before you write a review calling him a bitch or something, keep that in mind. Next up, Oceanus. Oceanus isn't controlling Percy, he's just a personification of his rage. Have you ever seen Inside Out? It's kind of like that; he only came out when Percy was mad. It wasn't, as a reviewer so eloquently put it, Percy being manipulated "like a sock puppet by some faded titan". Percy's in the driver's seat. And, before any of you get the idea that this is going to break him, take a look at Gamer's Mind MK2. Trust me when I say that this is going to lead to Percy becoming insanely powerful. I just needed to give him a trigger.

Second, what's next? Well, as you can surmise from this chapter, Persephone and Percy will be working together. And then, heh, you'll have to wait and see. Kidding, I'll give some structure. Percy's going to go on an adventure with a certain moon goddess. Percy is going to find The General, find power that, to my knowledge, has never been found in fanfiction, and things are going to go all kinds of places. I'm very excited.

Now, to answer your reviews. A lot of you left long, detailed reviews...and I'll eat that up every time. Please keep reviewing like that, it makes me want to write faster lol.

DarkArc221: Thank you! I hate when authors try that edgy route, so I'm very, very glad mine didn't read that way.

bosterflaming: You were correct. It didn't go very smoothly at all, lol.

meryfcuckery: Lmao, you always make my day with your reviews, dude. You were on the money about his attacking Aphrodite not being the biggest mistake ever, and I agree with you on the moral high ground thing. Aphro doesn't really have a leg to stand on when it comes to her interfering like that. And for your comment about who the voice is...you're certainly on the right track, and I love that you're familiar enough with me to make that call, lol. See ya!

Zarathos 11: Khione is the ultimate tsundere. Well...right now, anyway. The Sacrifice Tree will indeed do what you described, and it has to do with that insane power Percy is going to eventually achieve. No limit on titles, but I'll eventually have to start hiding them somehow, or they'll take up the whole page. Your desire for Gamer's Mind to get a buff is answered here, hope you like it. I suppose I have changed a lot, and I do plan on changing more, but it still is fanfiction. Also, for the fight scene. I'll top it. I almost guarantee that The General vs Percy is going to make that fight look like a water balloon fight. I just like the sound of Immolater, lol. Never apologize for writing long reviews. I love them.

ImHellaUgly: I'm surprised more people didn't comment on Jason. I feel like he's the one who suffers the most here. They were all his classmates, too, and now he loses Percy and his girlfriend. It's tough.

KazukiSenn: I agree. I suppose the reason not so many people have mentioned Percy taking away Jason's agency is that we see it from Percy's POV, so people are more likely to be on his side, but what he does is def fucked. Percy will, as he always does, endeavor to make things right, though.