They worked their way back west, taking multiple small jumps. For the most part, other than the expected monsters that he quickly disposed of, and one, humiliating experience in Albania consisting of a bitter wraith and a cult of Hecate- well, the three questers had sworn off any future mentions of Albania. Their quest was going almost too well. At least, if you ignored the steady deterioration of Hazel's heath. And the feeling that they were being hunted.

"Are you sure you're fine?" he asked, taking into account the paleness of her normally dark skin, following their latest jump. "We can-"

"I'm fine," Hazel retorted. "I've had practice, I'll be fine I just need to rest once we're done with this. But…" she yawned. "I need to rest before our next jump at sunset."

They had taken to jumping at dusk and dawn, when the shadows were the longest, to minimize the strain on Hazel.

Percy looked around them, at the rising sun, and breathed in the fresh ocean air. They were on a cruise ship somewhere in the middle of the ocean. He was at his strongest here.

"We're in my domain. We should be safe here," he reassured her. "Hedge and I can keep watch over you."

He looked over at the satyr to get an agreement from him, to find him distracted, looking out, towards the ocean.

"Hedge?" he called out, in an attempt to get his attention.

"There's a Nereid in the ocean," the satyr responded. "It seems to want your attention."

"A Nereid?" Percy questioned, arching an eyebrow. "I'll go take a look. You keep watch of Hazel," he decided, glancing at his peacefully sleeping friend.

Hedge nodded, and sat down beside Hazel, while Percy made his way to the edge of the ship and looked down. Below, there indeed was an ocean nymph. She beckoned him toward her, and dove under the water.

"I'm going down," he called out to Hedge, hearing a shouted acknowledgment before jumping. Opening his eyes underwater, he saw the Nereid swimming down and away, towards the ocean depths. He followed her.

After a few minutes of swimming, she disappeared. He summoned his sword, readying himself for a trap.

"At ease, my son," he heard a deep voice rumble behind him.

He turned in the water, eyes wide. "Father," he responded, immediately sheathing his sword.

"Perseus," Neptune greeted. The god of the oceans floated before him, trident in hand. "You've… grown."

Percy looked down in respect. That's all he had to say? Five years after he had taken him away from his mother. After he had become praetor, had brought glory to Rome, all in the hope of some acknowledgment from his father.

"You know that Jupiter banned all contact with our children," Neptune sighed. It was then he realized that he had spoken his words aloud.

"I meant no disrespect, sir," he spoke, hands clenched.

"Look at me," his father spoke. Percy looked up to really study his father and saw… an older version of himself. They looked shockingly alike.

His father smiled at him. "The sea does not like to be restrained," he said, with what seemed to be an amused look on his face. "You are my child. No doubt you fully meant those words."

"I…"

Percy wasn't often at a loss for words. Reyna would say that his mouth thought faster than his head.

"No matter. I suppose I can't really say that it's without blame."

"I'm sure you did what you thought was right," Percy bit out. "You still gave me enough time with Mom to learn kindness. Spending that year with Lupa made me strong. The legion built on that strength and made me who I am today. I suppose I have you to thank for that."

"I gave you and Sally all the time I could. Even with that pig around you, masking your scent, well," Neptune sighed again. "My children often are powerful. You, even more so. That came with a cost. I knew that if I left you with Sally, it would only get worse for both of you. Better to make you strong, so you could withstand the monsters."

"But that wasn't the only reason, was it?" Percy questioned. "There was someone else. Someone you wanted me to be kept away from."

"Yes. Your Greek best friend. Minerva's girl," Neptune nodded. "You had different futures to grow into. Separate futures. I allowed you all the time I could give you. Yet I could not give you both more time to realize what you each were. The Greeks and Romans had to have stayed separate to have kept the peace."

"And looked how well that worked!" he laughed bitterly. "The two sides are at each other's throats, and Rome wants blood that I cannot, in good conscience, grant. I am here, on this suicide quest to stop the war that happened anyways."

Neptune's gaze was unreadable.

"You are my son. That is how I know this quest will be successful. Those…" his face twisted in disgust, and his form flickered between his current form and that of another god, this one wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt, and khaki Bermuda shorts. "Graeci," his form flickered back into place, "are a necessary evil in the war against Terra. You are doing what has to be done."

"Who else would be able to do it if not me?" Percy responded.

Neptune smiled gently at him.

"My children often have hard lives. Their lives are fraught with challenges, challenges that they sometimes don't make out of alive."

Neptune drifted forward, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I had no chance to tell you prior to our meeting, but I am proud of you, my son. You are a true child of the sea."

Proud. His father was proud of him. Percy… didn't really know how to feel about that.

Thunder rumbled above, its sound muffled by the ocean depths.

Neptune looked up. "Jupiter let me have this time due to the boon that you are granting Rome. He too wants this quest to succeed. But I am pushing my time."

"I see. Father-"

"I assume that you have noticed that you are being hunted?" Neptune interrupted.

Percy nodded.

"You should be safe on this ship for the time being, but the hunter is catching up. His name is Orion."

"Was he not once a friend of Diana?" Percy asked.

"He was the giant born to oppose the twin hunters, Diana and Apollo. He wished to oppose his fate and live among humans, and was blinded by a mortal king. Vulcan then took pity on him and made him mechanical eyes. He then found Diana's hunt, but things went wrong between them. All I know is that Orion was slain, and he has returned, following the bidding of his mother."

"So then how do we fight him?"

"You can't, not without the help of a god. Perhaps one of the twins could have, but they are currently… indisposed."

"So you're saying we're screwed," Percy deduced.

"You may only keep running from him," his father agreed. "Outrun him and complete your quest. That is the only option."

"I see," Percy sighed. "This will be our last point of rest, won't it."

"Yes," Neptune agreed. "The hunter now has your scent, and his pack is was almost upon you on your last jump. You need to hurry."

Thunder rumbled again, this time, seemingly closer, despite them being hundreds of feet below.

"I must go now," Neptune sighed. "I know that you will not disappoint me, my son."

"Goodbye, father," Percy responded as he gathered the ocean currents around him to shoot back up to the surface.