After getting home in time to give out candy to some of the trick-or-treaters with Persephone, who was dressed up as Olive Oyl—and yes, she made me dress up as Popeye—I excused myself from her place for a bit and decided I'd come back to camp.

I had a few things I wanted to look into. Besides, I wanted to start training harder, so even if I was taking a break from the mission side of the Greek world, I still needed to use some of the camp's facilities.

I discreetly teleported back into my room at camp using one of the markers I'd placed for [Death Drop] a summer ago.

First thoughts?

Well, given that so much had happened since I was last in here, it felt weird being back in my room.

Well, cabin I guess. Though to be entirely fair, this isn't really my cabin either. It's just no one else's. I guess that'll change if any more children of Poseidon come out of the woodwork, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I guess it's good and bad. Kind of makes for a lonely experience, though.

Unlike those other cabins like the Hermes cabin, which are packed to the brim with kids, the good ol' Poseidon cabin has just a few residents: me, the dust bunnies on the windowsill, and the half-naked statue of my dad in the middle of the room.

I try not to look back there. No one should have to see their dad like that. The gentle sound of water trickling down his bronze abs is unavoidable, though.

It just stays on. All the time. I don't even know where the water comes from!

I sighed as I sat down at my desk, ignoring the creaking noise my chair made as I leaned back in it. I was supposed to get a new chair after getting the lightning bolt, but then I went to Atlantis, and I didn't come back.

Even when I did come back, there was that whole fiasco with Thalia's tree. And Atlantis again. And then, well…

My fingers glossed over an old photo booth strip that MJ and I had created when we went to the Coney Island fair a few months ago. The film was smooth to the touch. A phantom pain tingled over my nails as I remembered the horrific feeling of them melting in my fight with Monaxiá.

Brushing the discomfort aside, I glanced at the strip.

There I was, smiling wide and holding a gigantic stuffed giraffe. MJ had my jacket on—she didn't bring one even though I told her she'd be cold—and her lips were pressed against my cheek.

A smile slowly formed on my face. A perfect moment, suspended in time. Before I hurt her, and she hurt me. Before we started trying to get back at each other like couples on a Disney sitcom. Before she and all my other mortal friends got killed because someone wanted to get to me.

The General…

The smile died as I looked back at MJ's reflection. My thumb brushed over her face. I imagined her in Elysium, still waiting on the dance floor, swaying by herself, gazing at the door and waiting for me to come back from the bathroom, all because I promised her I'd come back no matter what.

And, in our year-and-a-half of dating, I'd never broken a promise to her. Never. Not even a small one. Definitely not a big one.

Red-hot anger flashed through my veins. I may have broken that promise, but I wouldn't break the next one. I'd fulfill it, or die trying. "He's going to pay. They all will."

I placed the photobooth strip back and looked around the desk some more. Everything was different.

There were crumpled papers and binders everywhere. Pens and markers were scattered across the desk. Glitter and eraser marks floated around the room.

Someone had been here. And, judging by the half-empty soda can, they'd been here recently. I probably should've been more concerned that someone was snooping around my stuff, but I was more annoyed than anything.

I mean, these are limited-edition Coke raspberry cans. They weren't easy to come by. I'm pretty sure I had to fight a hobo for these.

And, I was confident I'd hidden them well enough from anyone who'd come looking for them—not that I thought anyone would, but I don't know. I'm paranoid.

But who?

I gently lifted one of the binders. A stack of papers fluttered out, landing on the desk. I grabbed one. "Who even…"

Malcolm Franks was written at the top, followed by math homework. Unsurprisingly, he'd gotten a perfect score.

A reddish outline flared to life behind me. The Game pinged. Using what I'd learned from fighting Monaxiá, I took a deep breath and let my senses trail behind me, focusing into a feeler and filling the stale air of my cabin with intent.

My senses were engulfed in tentative warmth. Not too warm, like a sauna, but a slow, growing warmth. Kind of like holding a cup of steaming hot tea on a cold morning. A friend, then.

"Kid was in here earlier," Luke's voice floated from behind me. Something about it made everything feel so…nostalgic. "Along with your Cherokee friend. They're in here a lot, actually. I was surprised your dad didn't smite them, but I found out they burn some food on the dock each night. I guess he knows they're your friends."

"Luke," I greeted, wheeling the chair around. Luke looked the same as always, with his glaring scar and blonde hair. "Long time no see."

Well, he didn't look exactly the same. His hair had grown a bit since last time—had it really been that long since we'd met? Whenever I saw him last, it had been cropped to almost skin level, but now, it reached his eyebrows in waves. A mustache sat atop his lip, surrounded by stubble.

"You're a hard guy to get a hold of," Luke was wearing a faded pair of jeans and a leather jacket. He shuffled across the room and jumped onto one of the bunks. He let out a satisfied groan and snuggled into the bunk more. "Damn, your bunks are way better than ours ever were. I could fall asleep right now."

"Less kids in here, so we get better stuff," I reasoned. "And the coral sheets are way better than your brown ones. You want to take a quick power nap, cousin?"

"A power nap? I want to go into hibernation," Luke said, laying back and crossing his arms behind his head. His eyes hinged on the half-naked statue of my dad. A chuckle escaped his lips, "Oh, and you want to know the scary thing about the sheets in that cabin? I'm pretty sure those sheets were white when I got here. Like, hospital white."

"With the way half you guys smuggled stuff under those mattresses, I'm not surprised," I grinned. "My first summer here, Conor and Travis got busted for having a chocolate stash. Mr. D made them eat it all in one sitting and threatened to throw out everything they didn't eat."

"I would've given anything to see that," Luke said wistfully. "I always told them they were too fast and loose with it. The first thing every smuggler learns is you don't go too far too fast. You need to build up incrementally. Hopefully, those two knuckleheads learned their lesson. How have they been since I left?"

I didn't miss the way his voice caught at the end. I imagined a young Luke trying to navigate being a double agent, juggling making memories, and answering the calls of gods and Titans. He'd lost as much of his childhood—if not more—than I had. "I wish I could tell you. I'm gone most of the time on assignments."

"The life of a hero," Luke mused with a hint of venom, sitting back up. All of the tiredness he'd been showing before had blipped out, wiped away like dry-erase markers on a whiteboard. "Our spies saw an unidentified man mucking up some of our operations in Cali. Would you know anything about that?"

Mucking up was an understatement, but I tapped my chin and said, "Maybe. I met your friend Lamontas. He's a real stand-up guy."

"He's a dick," Luke wrinkled his nose. "He just likes wearing suits and stuff. Also, I'm surprised you're back already if you were out there with an Olympian. Artemis of them all, too. So, what's the deal? You're not rolling with her anymore?"

"The terms of my contract were up," I returned evasively. I trusted Luke, but for some reason, I didn't want him to know the specifics. It still felt like a fresh wound, and I wasn't too sure if I was ready to rip off the bandaid just yet. "Why do you ask?"

Luke looked surprised. He shifted on the bed. "She's still going solo at it. The General is getting pretty pissed off. He might step in."

"The General," I repeated. Monaxía's warning from before flashed in my head like one of those neon signs you'd see on the side of the highway. It mixed in with the feeling of anger I felt before, melding into this weird concoction of hatred and loathing. I wasn't sure I'd ever hated anyone like I hated him. "Everyone's talking about this guy. Is he really that strong?"

"He is," Luke's easy tone fizzled, dripping with nervousness. "I keep telling Z, he's a legitimate problem. You and I would probably still lose, even with our…power-ups."

"Probably?" I repeated. "He's that strong?"

"I'd give us a 40% chance…maybe. If we're really lucky," Luke said, dead serious. "His power isn't something we can handle. I haven't seen much of it, but based on what I have seen, he's probably on par with one of the Olympians."

One of the Olympians? "That can't be right."

"He gave up everything he was," Luke reminded me. His face was illuminated by a column of moonlight. "Millennia of memories wiped away just like that for the sake of power. It was a steep price to pay. Again, I haven't seen much of it. Demigods aren't allowed near him."

I went to reply when the door to my cabin rattled. Luke shot me a wayward glance. His eyes briefly flashed red. "Expecting company?"

"Not this late," I narrowed my eyes at the door. I activated [Mana Detection] and the color drained out of the world.

I flipped out of my chair and drew Riptide, right as Luke slid off the bunk bed and drew Backbiter.

"Show-off," Luke muttered good-naturedly as I landed. He peered at the door. "Do you know who it is?"

"I've got some ideas," I said as a blob of dark pink manifested slowly. It rippled and spread outward into the outline of a human, its fingers splayed and reaching for the doorknob again.

"Do I need to leave?"

I thought about it for a second. "Nah."

"Are you sure?" Luke asked, waving his sword and pointing the tip at his face. The corners of his mouth tugged upward. "I've got one of those faces."

"Ugly?" I grinned. Luke rolled his eyes. "It's cool. She is to me what I was to you…before you left."

Understanding dawned on Luke's face. "Ah. A protege you train because you feel guilty you're going to put them through hell, only to find you two share a surprisingly strong bond, all to leave them behind anyway?"

My hand paused on the doorknob. "You know, that's actually more on point than I expected."

The door rattled a bit more, before slamming open.

Piper's multicolored eyes met mine. She stood on the threshold of the door, drowning in an oversized hoodie I recognized as one of the ones I left here. A mix of anger, sadness, and happiness—every emotion ever, really—flashed through her eyes.

"Surprise?" I said weakly as Piper stepped through the doorway, stuffing my spare key in her pocket. "I just got back."

THWACK.

Even though it looked like her hand was moving in jello, I let her slap me. I figured she'd earned it. "Piper—"

"You're such a fucking asshole!" Piper cried out, punching me in the shoulder. Pinpricks of discomfort exploded on my shoulder. Tears pooled in her eyes as she cocked another fist, this time punching me in the stomach. "Why didn't you call once?"

"I—" My voice died out as Piper shot forward and wrapped me in a hug. "You're not mad?"

"I'm more mad than you could ever possibly know," Piper muttered, burying her head in my shoulder. The faint, pleasant smell of strawberries traveled up to my nose. A swell of emotion cut off my reply. "But it can wait. I just wanted…I'm just glad you're alive."

I sank into the embrace and pulled her closer. I placed my chin on her head and squeezed, "I missed you, Pipes. A lot."

"I don't think you did," Piper shot back, shoving away from me. Hurt crawled up into her face like a vine, lacing through her mouth and eyes. "Because the last time you came back, I told you how much it hurt when you pushed us all away, we talked about it, you promised you wouldn't ever do it again and then you just did it again! Over and over! And then there was that whole thing at the dance, and—"

"You guys have a lot to talk about," Luke interrupted, his face grave. The hardened look in his eyes softened as he said, "But I don't have much time left before someone notices I'm gone. I need to talk to you, Percy."

"Right," I said, pulling Piper into my side. She looked at Luke, realization blazing to life in her eyes. I felt her stare burning into the side of my face as I asked, "So, what's up?"

"More demigods are flocking to his cause," Luke murmured. He spun Backbiter and it disappeared. "I really don't like where this is going. He's closer and closer to getting a body, and if he were to absorb the power of all those demigods…"

"There's no way we can convince them otherwise?"

"Percy, they've made up their minds," Luke reminded me. It looked like it physically pained him to say that. For a guy who was all about saving as many demigods as possible, something like this was probably a lot to handle. "They would die for the cause. Most of them, anyway."

"Yeah, that's what I figured," I said. Suddenly, a memory surfaced in my mind, breaking the top of the pile like a tree growing past dirt. Annabeth's gray eyes flashed in my mind. "Speaking of demigods, when were you going to tell me Annabeth is a spy?"

"What?" Luke's voice came out in a strained whisper. A red aura flickered to life on his skin for a second, before petering out. After a few deep breaths, he asked, "She is?"

"I think so," I answered. His reaction was worrisome, to say the least. He didn't know? How could he not know? "I need to find her soon. I'll be able to know for sure if I talk to her."

And by talk, I mean let the Game figure things out for me. A part of me really wants to be wrong, but if she really is a spy, and she's the reason all my friends are dead…well…

"Annabeth's gone," Piper spoke up. She looked back and forth between the two of us. "No one's seen here since the fall chariot race. She said something about reconnecting with her dad and left the next day."

Luke and I shared a look. We both knew that was a pretty flimsy excuse. Anyone who knew Annabeth, like, really knew her also knew she hated her dad, and the chances of them ever reconciling were slim, to say the least.

"The last spy I knew about at camp was Silena—" Piper inhaled sharply. Oops. She didn't know that. "—before you convinced her otherwise. I mean, I guess there could be more, but I would've known. I should've known. Unless…"

Silence reigned supreme for a moment. I stared at Luke, trying to decipher the look on his face and work out the true reason behind his hesitation. Something gnawed at me. Why wouldn't he know?

"Unless they don't trust you anymore," I realized, and Luke nodded. A rush of fear, like cold water splashed down my shoulders, before evaporating. The ever-present heat of anger drummed in my chest. "Is it possible there's more? Could they be working without knowledge of each other?"

"In the field, demigods are usually saddled with monsters in case they lose their resolve. Maybe the Titans think that letting demigods group here will make them more liable to leave," Luke said, sucking air in behind his teeth and rubbing his forehead. "But the wards here are strong. No one could be here if they wanted to hurt you guys."

Piper set her jaw, "What if that isn't how they see it?"

"I'll…I'll try to find out," Luke said, pressing his palms to his temples. His watch beeped. "But for now, I need to head back. You guys should try to work some stuff out here. And Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't go looking for The General," Luke said seriously. He turned his attention to Piper. "Piper. A pleasure meeting you. And a word of advice? Take it from me. It isn't easy for Percy, either."

"What isn't?"

"Leaving," Luke said, slashing a portal open on my bunk bed. He gave me a grin. "Until next time, cousin. Try not to die out there."

"I'll explain everything," I said as Piper turned to face me, her nostrils flaring. "But first, can we go outside?"

The dock was just like I remembered it.

The autumn night draped over the port like a velvet cloak, suffusing the air with a crisp, earthy scent that mingled with the distant aroma of woodsmoke. Probably the result of some campers roasting marshmallows and telling scary stories.

Above, the stars winked like scattered jewels strewn across an endless tapestry, their distant light flickering in the vast expanse of the heavens. A lone owl hooted in the distance, its haunting call carried upon the wings of the night, while the distant scream of a foghorn echoed across the stillness of the bay. Ripples skittered across the water.

Piper and I sat down at the edge of the dock. By now, I was so tall, the soles of my shoes brushed against the cresting waves. Her sandals brushed against my shin.

"I'm trying not to jump to conclusions," Piper muttered, her eyes reflecting off the moonlight. She looked tired. "Really, I am. But that was Luke Castellan, right? The same one that betrayed camp?"

"It's—"

"Complicated," Piper filled in, sparks of anger dancing off her tone like fireflies in the night. Her knuckles tightened on the wood of the dock. "When aren't things complicated with you? You always do this, and I hate it. You leave for so long, make us worry, and just come back like everything's fine. Why…why do you even do this to us, Percy? I know you care, I've seen it, but you just…"

Visions of my counterparts flooded my brain. I thought back to my Roman doppelganger, who had lost Jason, or even Monaxiá, who'd somehow lost everything. This whole time, I'd somehow thought that going about things alone would make it easier for everyone, but I knew I couldn't bank on that anymore. I'd seen the possibilities of broken futures in front of me.

"Do you remember when we first met?" I asked quietly. "And we sat on the banks of the Hudson. Do you remember what you asked me?"

It had been a night just like this. Well, maybe warmer. And Piper had been so small, so little. Delicate—like a flower. A far cry from the Piper I knew now.

This Piper had been molded by loss, anger, and ambition. She'd grown her thorns. And, she was all the prettier for it.

"I asked you how you were so okay with all of this," Piper remembered. She cocked her head to the side, and her brain fell over her shoulder. Her eyes searched my face. "You said it was to keep your mom safe."

"That's what it was," I returned. "Now…it's to keep you safe."

A flash of annoyance flitted through her expression. The familiar heat of indignation spilled into her words like ink on a canvas. I smiled to myself—she was still the same Piper. The chip on her shoulder was still there, and it probably would always be, no matter how much she tried to hide it. She'd always be the same little girl, afraid of being left behind in the hotel room. "Percy, I can handle myself. Maybe not to the level you can—"

"Not like that," I quickly interrupted. "From, well, emotional pain. It's just, well, I…don't have long."

"What?" Piper's voice dropped to a whisper. I gave her a sad smile. Piper was smart. I knew she'd understood what I'd said, but I also knew her brain would lurch and struggle to accept it. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Now or never, Percy. "You've heard that the reason children of the Big 3 are big deals is because of that vow they made, right? We're all the results of a broken oath. Anomalies. We shouldn't exist."

"Yeah…"

"Well, that's only half of the story. The real reason we're so dangerous is because of a prophecy. It goes like this: a half-blood of the eldest gods shall reach sixteen against all odds, and see the world in endless sleep. The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap. A single choice shall end his days—Olympus to preserve or raze," A swirl of emotions moved through my chest like a whirlpool. "If I'm being honest, the reason I do what I do is, well, I want to protect you guys. Not just from the monsters and stuff—you already know my deal with the gods. Luke made the same one. But because there's a timer on my life. I have two years left to live, maybe. And when the time comes, I don't want you to be hurt. You think I ignore you guys? I don't think I ignore you enough. I come back because I'm selfish. If I really cared, I wouldn't have ever come back."

Piper sat in silence, her face unchanging. Slowly, her eyes glittered with tears. Her lower lip trembled. "Percy, prophecies aren't set in stone—"

"This one will be," I vowed, moving my hand over hers. I didn't use [Serenity Inducement] but Piper still relaxed, even if it was only a little bit. "If it isn't me, it'll be someone else we care about. Thalia. Jason. Bianca, Nico. And you and I both know they're not on my level. No demigod alive is. It has to be me. And I'm sorry for putting you through this. It's the worst. I know. I shouldn't be like this. I just want to make sure you're happy—"

"So, what, you're just setting all of your affairs in order?" Piper screamed as the tears spilled over onto her cheeks. She pulled her hand back, physically recoiling like she was pulling her hand out of a bear trap. "You're just accepting your death and, what, making the decision for the rest of us?"

"I'm not accepting anything, but I am being realistic. Outside of the gods, I'm Kronos' biggest thorn. Even if I wasn't the subject of some weird prophecy, my life would still be forfeit," I argued. "Don't you see, I just don't want you to be hurt! Look, when I went to Hades after the dance to see our friends, I saw MJ in Elysium!"

"You saw MJ," Piper whispered. She moved closer to me again.

As a gentle breeze danced across the water, the sea spray lifted from the waves, carried by the wind towards the dock where we sat. The fine mist glistened in the moonlight, shimmering like a veil of diamonds as it wafted through the air.

Each tiny bead of moisture sparkled in the faint light, clinging briefly to Piper's lashes before cascading down her cheeks and coalescing together with her tears.

"And before I saw her there, I saw her body at the dance! It was so broken and battered, if it wasn't for her hair, I wouldn't know it was her. Liz died in my arms, Piper. My arms! Right there! And it did something to me!" I cried out. MJ's smiling face swam into my mind, and [Gamer's Mind MK2] quickly squashed the ugly feeling of sadness. I gently grabbed Piper's face. "And that's me. I can…I can handle a lot more than most people. That kind of thing would ruin you! I want you to remember me as the guy who went rock climbing with you, the one who went to the Fall Ball with you. I don't want your last memory of me to be a shroud, or my skeleton hurtling off Olympus. When the war ends, I don't want the PTSD and horror to keep you stuck in a room, strapped down to a chair. I want you to live."

"It's not your choice, Percy," Piper yelled, pushing my wrist away and wrapping me in a hug. Her wet cheek pressed against mine. "You don't get to make that choice for everyone! You certainly don't for me! I've been there with you since the start!"

"I can't let anyone get hurt for me," I said in a moment of vulnerability. I'd first breached the subject with Sephy a while ago, and it had made talking about it a lot easier. A part of it stemmed from the overwhelming guilt of my mom marrying Smelly Gabe for all those years just for me. My desire to protect everyone was there, but it was stronger for Piper. Ever since the beach with Ares, I just...couldn't. "I…love you guys. I don't want you to get hurt physically, and I don't want to make things hard for you once I'm gone."

"Percy," Piper mumbled, not looking up. Her lips moved on my shoulder, and her words came out smothered, "Why do you think we'll be hurt? How are you so sure? We're strong, aren't we?"

"You're strong, but...it's not that. It's The General," The sounds of life around us seemed to quiet down as the name was spoken. "He set up the attack to get to me. I'm getting powerful, and the only way they can hurt me is through you guys. So, as long as you're safe, I can fight to my full power without being worried."

"Percy…"

"I leave a trail of broken promises and bonds wherever I go," I said slowly. "I can't lose you guys. When this ends, however it ends, I want you to be here to live after. Because if I can't make this world safe enough for you guys to live out your lives, I might as well not be doing anything at all."

"I don't care," Piper mumbled stubbornly. "You're our friend. And…you're sacrificing so much for us. I don't care if you think ignoring us will make things easier later."

"Piper—"

"No, Percy! You don't get to make that choice! Do you think I didn't feel the pain when everyone at Midtown died? I had friends there too! Do you think I just got over it?" Piper asked, clutching her necklace. "I'm still not over it, and you know what, I don't care if I never get over it! Because that means I cared! And I'd much rather have more memories of you, even if it means it'll hurt more later. Besides, your logic is stupid, anyway! Did you really think it would hurt any more or less if you stopped being here? You saved my life! You were my first friend! And who are you to tell me to sit here, like some princess that needs to be protected? You want to protect me? That's fine! I want to protect you too!"

"You can't protect me," I muttered into her hair. I gently trailed my fingers through it. We hadn't been this intimate with each other since that very first quest. "You know that. Monsters don't do anything to me anymore. When they want to hurt me, when they want to try, they send immortals. Beings that have been here since the dawn of time. You can't fight those. No matter how much you train."

"Then I'll get stronger!"

"You can't," I shook my head. "Not fast enough to make a difference. There's a reason I'm out on assignments with gods from now on."

"Why does it have to be you?" Piper cried. "Have you not done enough?"

"Piper, if I can't guarantee I'll be okay at the end of this, I at least want to make sure you will be," I muttered, my voice coming out strained. Guilt crackled in my sternum. "I'm so sorry I hurt you. When we fought…I hurt you. All I've ever wanted to do was protect you. But at that moment…I just…"

"I don't care anymore," Piper sobbed, grabbing onto my sweatshirt like I was going to disappear if she let go. "I just don't want you to leave. Please don't leave."

Another wave of salty sea breeze crashed against us. "It's not my choice."

"It could be!"

"It's okay," I soothed, patting her head. "I'll stay for a while, okay? I'm not done yet. I need to train. When I saw MJ last, I promised her I'd come back. I'm not going to be able to keep that promise. But, I can make her and everyone else another one."

"What is it?"

"The General. He orchestrated this," I reminded her. "He's going to die by my hand."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

"It doesn't matter. But he will die," I growled out. "I swear it on the Styx."

The thunder rumbled across the sky like a lion's roar, its deep, resonant voice echoing through the heavens.

We talked on the dock for a few hours after that. Mainly, I was just catching Piper up on everything that had happened since the dance. Well, not everything—I was going to keep my multiversal shenanigans to myself, for now.

Eventually, she got tired and decided to go to bed, but I stayed out on the dock.

I had a lot on my mind.

First, I knew I had to train. My encounters with Monaxia had shown me there was another level to reach, and I was more determined than ever to reach it. He'd been helpful in guiding me to where I needed to be, but I knew I had more work to do before I was there.

I'd have to up my regiment. Train in higher gravity, push my body further than I'd ever done it before.

And, of course, I had to make some time for my friends. Until I'd talked to Piper earlier, I'd been pretty convinced I was doing the right thing.

I mean, it makes sense, right? Kind of?

I guess I'd also felt guiltier about the fight than I'd let on. It really did make me feel like a failure. This whole time, I'd been trying to protect my friends from the big bads out there, the unknown, when in reality, I ended up hurting them more than anyone else.

I sighed.

"Do you mind if I join you?" A familiar voice asked from behind me.

"Please do," I said, turning slightly. Nephthys' royal blue eyes stared back at me. She was dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a periwinkle sweater that was the color of her hair. "Long time no see."

"Long time no see, indeed," Nephthys breathed, settling into the seat Piper had been in earlier. The water curled around her feet like it was wary of her. "You've been busy."

"I tend to be. You've been keeping tabs on me?"

Nephthys sighed, placing one of her hands on my shoulder. "So paranoid. Though, I suppose you've earned the right. Keeping tabs sounds ugly. Unbecoming. Like something a stalker would do."

"Yet, here you are, in the middle of the night, cornering me on a dock," I commented, shooting Nepththys a smirk. "Are you sure you're not a stalker?"

A quiet laugh rustled through the night like grains of sand tumbling into a bowl. The sweet scent of chrysanthemums drifted to my nose. "I suppose I see your point. Well, then. Allow me to apologize…for stalking you."

"No harm done," The foghorn from before echoed across the water. "What brings you here?"

A chill fell over the dock. I shot a glance at the goddess beside me as a smile stretched across her face slowly. "I couldn't resist the temptation."

My heart fluttered for a second as Nepththys hummed a song to herself. "The temptation of what, exactly?"

"The temptation to know. Tell me, my brave one, did it hurt to leave her?" Her hand drifted from my shoulder up to cup my cheek. I could see the flecks of blue and green on her fingernails. "Does it still hurt?"

I swallowed back my anger when I realized she wasn't trying to taunt me. "How did you know?"

"I deal in lamentation and suffering," Nephthys whispered, her voice barely carrying over the waves. Her eyes were half-lidded. "You were gone for some time. A long time. But when you came back, so many months ago, I could feel the suffering in you. At first, it was just a small seedling. The start of something, nestled deep in layers and layers of hope and care. But now, it's become strong. Deep. It placed its roots within you. Now, it hangs around you like a ghost. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, it's still there. Only heartache can cause that kind of suffering."

Ice prickled in my chest. "I don't want to talk about this right now."

"I will not push you," Nephthys gently rubbed a circle into my cheek. Her words slurred together. "A word of advice?"

"Why not?"

"To move forward, you have to move back," Nephthys muttered. She schooched closer to me and placed her chin on my shoulder. Her fingers trailed down my sweatshirt and rested on my heart. "Lamentations comfort only by lacerating the heart more. The kind of grief and pain you carry, it's not normal. It's deeper, more powerful. Ancient. I know the kind. It does not desire consolation. It feeds on the sense of its hopelessness. Lamentations like this spring only from the constant craving to re-open the wound."

We were in a weirdly intimate position. Her fingers felt like they were passing through the fabric of my shirt, my skin, and resting around my heart. "Are you trying to tell me I like the pain?"

"I think so," She muttered. "Your suffering is strong. If I listen every so slightly…I can taste it on my tongue. Being in your presence is invigorating. I can feel the numbing cold seep into my bones with each passing moment. You carry so much."

"You're out of your mind!"

"I know," Nephthys said, her voice dropping. As her fingers lifted off my chest, waves of sadness crashed into [Gamer's Mind MK2].

"You like it," I realized, grabbing her hand and pulling it away from my chest. [Serenity Inducement] bubbled to life, sending swathes of heat through my fingertips and into her hand. Her smile only grew wider. "That's why you're here. To push the knife in deeper."

"No, I had a reason...but this...this is better," Nephthys giggled, and another wave of cold settled over my heart. The water below us was frosting over, churning and freezing. She pressed her lips to my cheek, and then to my ear, whispering, "When we first met, you told me you thought you were better than me."

"I…I was cocky," I admitted. "I thought, well, that you weren't strong. That's all I cared about back then."

"Mourning, lamentation, sleep—humans will never evolve past these concepts," Nephthys intoned, pressing her chin to my shoulder again, and inhaling slowly. Her eyes glowed with power. "Perhaps alone, I may not be strong. But in your heart, deep in your loneliest loneliness, and right when you're the most vulnerable, that's where I'm the strongest. When you're all alone, I'll reach for you. And you'll feel the hurt more than any sword or dagger could ever give you." Her fingertips tightened on my shoulder, and I felt Oceanus' power react. Was she somehow drawing it out? "I always knew you were capable of it, but you were just too sweet when I met you before. Too unbridled. Now, though? You're focused. Rich. Almost like a fine wine, you have so many different notes of pain. Your suffering is so powerful, Percy. Do you know how beautiful it is? There are so many layers, like an onion. I peel them back one by one and just listen."

"Don't peel back anything," I warned her, power roaring in my veins. "I was cocky before, but I'm sure. I think I've entertained this long enough."

"Perhaps," Nephthys sighed heavily, standing up and dropping off the dock. She floated above the frozen water, her hair fluttering behind her like a swarm of butterflies. Her lips curved. "Do you ever wonder how long she waited? If she ever truly got over you? In a paradise, a land where everyone's happy all the time…she's heartbroken. Because of you."

A tendril of mana shot up my arm, and my fingers closed around a poisonous fireball. Licks of green flame bubbled in my palm. "I think it's time to return to the Duat."

"Why of course," Nephthys bowed her head. Her eyes glowed again. "My purpose to visit has been fulfilled. You've given me such a rush, my brave one. Please, suffer more for me."

She disappeared in a spray of sea mist that settled on my lips.

AN: The first chapter of TTC part 2 is here! I know it's quite a bit smaller than the previous 2, but I'm not letting you guys get spoiled because of Prop, plot-chapters have always been in the 6k-8k range, and that's how it's going to continue! Nothing too groundbreaking here, but after the last 50k words have been all action, we do need to come back down before continuing.

Piper and Percy reunite. Luke has bad news. The Egyptians are coming back- that's all I'll say for now. Excited yet?

The first chapter has been updated to reflect the interlude. I know I had fun writing it, but if you want to skip it on rereads, I'll make it easy for you to remember where it was.

Shoutout DarknessEnthroned! His Aphrodite is a lovely character with some personality quirks I want to integrate into Nephthys moving forward. If you haven't read his story, A Spire to The Stars I would definitely recommend that you do so. Easily my favorite PJO fic, maybe ever. And, while you're there, tell him to update. Thanks!

Lastly, as I mentioned before, I'm going to begin plugging this link at the end of every chapter. FFN, again, has lost control of their email bot, so all I'm going to say is if you never want to miss an update again, follow this link to the Discord and more.

Furthermore, I'm going to be doing live writing tallies there. Confused or curious about where the next TFOAC chapter is? You'll be able to see how much of it is written in REAL TIME. Also, I love talking to y'all about the story and getting your takes and whatnot. Plus, I run polls in there, let you guys decide how certain parts of the story unfold, show early chapter previews, and much more!

We just hit 300, and I'd love to get to 500! It's easier than ever, too, just take the spaces out of this:

Linktr . ee /maroooon

That's all for now! See you soon!

And boy, is it good to be back!

- Maroon