The Rising Dawn

by Demititan28

Percy didn't just survive after his sacrifice, he thrived. Locked in ice for over 20 years the world he comes back to is not the one he left behind. But he doesn't have time to mourn his missed years, a threat is rising in the east and the survival of humanity is on the line. If Olympus has any hope of survival, it rests on his shoulders. Eventual Pertemis

15. My Family Gets Murdered

Chapter 15: My Family Gets Murdered

He had been looking for the goddess of the hearth since he had arrived, but he hadn't expected her to look at him the way she did now. He had been desperate to ask the eldest Olympian about the Annunaki, but based on her expression he now had a couple more questions to ask her. He waited for the concert to end, and for the camp to file out. Thalia asked him why he was staying but he told her that it was personal and she seemed to accept it as an answer, following the rest of the Hunters towards the cabins.

Jett stepped past him and their eyes met again. This time there was no facial expression to go long with it though, and he just kept walking. Axel didn't acknowledge him but Alice waved at him. He didn't know what to do other than wave back, and that seemed to make her smile. He thought it was just him left in the stands when footsteps beside him caused him to almost jump out of his skin.

"Someones tightly wound. Seems like we are having our meeting early," Artemis noted, stalking past him and making her way towards Hestia at the hearth. Apollo had also stayed, and seeing his sister heading towards the hearth opted to join her.

"Great," Percy muttered, "Now I have an audience."

He began heading down the steps, and in the empty amphitheatre his footsteps echoed. The three gods now sat amongst the fire, all of their eyes on him. His legs felt like lead under the weight of their gaze, but he soon joined them and took a seat across the fire from them. The campfire roared and he met Hestia's eyes through the flicker of the flames.

"Hello my lady,"

"You've been marked," Hestia said, the look of terror still present on her face, "You've been touched by one of the Annunaki."

Artemis whirled her head towards the goddess of the hearth, "I thought the Annunaki were a story."

"Stories always have an element of truth, my dear. Unfortunately so does this one," Hestia continued, turning her attention back to Percy, "If you have been marked, it is only a matter of time. You are the omen of our annihilation."

"Gee thanks," Percy replied, "Glad you're happy to have me back."

Hestia shook her head, "This is more than just your homecoming Percy. I can feel it on you, their old magic. I have sensed that kind of power only one time before, in the stomach of my father, when he visited one of the tombs of the Annunaki."

"So Kronos knew about them?" Percy asked.

"All the old Titans knew, and now my siblings carry the burden of their imprisonment."

"My father is preparing," Percy began excitedly, "If Zeus knows he can rally Olympus and prepare to fight. We can make a stand. We can-"

Hestia raised her hand, in a show of power and authority that seemed strange coming from an 8 year old girl but carried that authority nonetheless. "My brother has forbidden speaking of the Annunaki. They are imprisoned for all he cares, and that is the end of the story. Their reign came to an end long ago."

"They are coming back," Percy pressed, "You can feel it, I can feel it. The wild can feel it. War is coming."

"Be that as it may," Hestia countered, "Zeus is king, and his word is final."

"Zeus is a moron," Percy exclaimed, and a rumble of thunder in the distance signified the sky gods unhappiness with being called a moron, "If the Annunaki come and Olympus is unprepared we will lose."

Hestia laughed, but her typically mirthful laugh was gone, now it was cold and cynical. "You don't understand. In spite of your dreams you do not see it. If the Annunaki return, and they bring Enlil back, it does not matter how prepared Olympus is. We will be annihilated all the same."

"He's not that powerful, we can beat him together."

Hestia cocked her head, "Do you honestly believe that Percy? You've seen his power, you've seen how primordials bent their knees to the Annunaki. And you believe the might of Olympus can withstand that?"

"You tend the hearth," Percy growled, getting frustrated and the attitude of the goddess, "Hope survives best at the hearth. How are we to have hope if even you have given up on it?"
Hestia's eyes glowed, and the fire intensified. He wondered if Hestia was going to set him on fire, but instead she sighed and cast her eyes down into the flames. "I've heard the stories, Percy. Firsthand accounts. There were originally twenty Primordials. After Enlil…there were less."

Percy frowned, "He can kill Primordials?"

Hestia's eyes met his, and he saw the fear etched into his face, "They called it blue lightning. They didn't know what it was, but he could see into their souls and rip their immortality from them. He even used it against other Annunaki, ones that stepped out of line."

Percy didn't know what to say. He had known that Enlil was scary, but this blue lightning concept only added to his fear factor. Artemis and Apollo, who had remained more or less silent during the conversation, gazed into the fire, fear mirrored on each of the twins' faces.

Percy wondered what that must be like, to face the prospect of death after spending the entirety of your existence believing yourself to be unkillable. He remembered Chiron warning him about Kronos all those years ago, that despite being cut up into thousands of pieces he still lived, in some form or another. The power to take that away, to render an immortal mortal, seemed like the kind of power that could corrupt.

He thought back to his vision in the lake, of the man ordering Enlil who had called himself Marduk. It was the same man who said in an earlier dream how much he loved humanity.

"Who is Marduk?" he asked Hestia.

She frowned, "How do you know who that is?"

"He was in my vision. He called himself King of the Annunaki."

Hestia shook her head, "None of the Primordials mentioned him being king. They just called him a hero. He was the reason that the Annunaki were locked away and Enlil was banished from Earth. He supposedly led the rebellion."

"So what happened to him?"

Hestia sighed, "What happens to everyone who crosses Enlil: his immortality was stripped and then he was murdered. I don't know how he managed to banish Enlil, but whatever it was cost him his life."

Percy thought back to the image of Marduk introducing the Annunaki to the Primordials. Saving them as they were on the verge of death. He thought about the way he had described his interactions with mortals to Ninlil, and how protective he seemed of them. Marduk had been their hero more than once, but apparently he had died to simply buy time. He was still confused though, he had said he was king, so why was everyone talking about Enlil being king.

Percy shook his head, "You're not telling me everything."

"I'm telling you everything I know, Percy," Hestia asserted, "I never claimed to know everything."

Percy sighed in frustration, "Where can I find out more?"

"Zeus banned any trace of the Annunaki from the records. He forbade us to speak of it. If he were to acknowledge Enlil's existence then he would have to acknowledge that he is a usurper."

"Zeus is a usurper anyway. He overthrew his own father," Percy cried, and when thunder once more rumbled he turned his attention to the sky and yelled, "You know I'm right."

"Perseus," Artemis said gently, "Please do not anger my father anymore than necessary."

"Artemis is right," Hestia agreed, "I had to get permission from Lord Zeus to come and speak to you about this. Please do not push your luck."

"My father is preparing his realm for war," Percy pushed, "I'm sure Zeus is already aware."

"What my brother does in his domain is his business," Hestia replied, "What happens here, on land, is under the rule of Zeus."

"The Annunaki are coming," Percy began, standing up, "You can sit here and sulk, resigning yourselves to your fate, or you can fight with me for your family. I don't care which one you choose."

And with that, he turned on his heel and marched out of the amphitheatre, leaving the three gods merely watching him as he made his exit. He didn't like the thought that he had disrespected them, well maybe not Apollo but definitely Artemis and Hestia. But it didn't matter whether he disrespected them or not if they weren't willing to fight. Hestia had given him the strength to fight Kronos, and now she was siding with Chronos and condemning them to defeat before the fight had even begun. The threat of Enlil and the other Annunaki was grave, but where was their courage? Had centuries of immortality and almost unchallenged power really warped their hearts into those of cowards. If this was the Olympus that Enlil came to challenge, they would put up little more than a whimper.

He marched straight to his cabin and slammed the door behind him. He collapsed on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, his fists clenched and unanswered questions whirling around his mind, making sleep impossible. Realising he wasn't going to get any sleep like this he pulled himself up and headed off towards the beach, hoping the sea breeze would help clear his mind.

In the darkness, the beach became a place of serenity and tranquillity. The moon, radiant as always, cast its gentle glow upon the sand, illuminating the landscape in a silver hue. The rhythmic sound of crashing waves served as a soothing symphony, creating a mesmerising ambiance that carried through the air. The air was cooler than it had been during his training session with Triton, carrying a gentle breeze that brushed against Percy's skin, quickly causing the anger and frustration that had been building up to dissipate. The scent of saltwater permeated the atmosphere, mingling with the subtle fragrance of seaweed and the earthy aroma of the nearby forest.

He wasn't alone at the beach though, as a small figure was seated not far from where his father had been on his first day returning to camp. They were huddled in a blanket, watching the horizon. As he approached the figure turned, and he recognised them as Scarlett, the ten-year old daughter of Hades. Her long black hair covered one side of her face, but on the side that was visible, her dark eyes met his own.

"You're out late. Better be careful of the harpies." She said as he came within speaking distance of her.

"I could say the same to you," he replied.

The daughter of Hades looked comfortable, wrapped in a thick blanket, but her face betrayed a sense of distress. She looked back out at the ocean a moment before replying, "Everything was too loud. The ocean is so nice…so peaceful," she glanced back at him, "You probably like it cuz of your dad though huh?"

Percy smiled, before taking a seat next to her. He had been told that Scarlett was notoriously shy, but she didn't seem fazed by how close he was to her. "The oceans have always been a safe place for me," he said, "I come here when I don't know what to do."

Scarlett laughed softly, "Sounds like the gods have got your head in a spin."

Percy whirled his head towards her, "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm the daughter of Hades, I like to be a little nosy."

"You listened to me at the campfire?" Percy asked incredulously.

Scarlett blushed, the colour of her face matching her name, "No one ever notices me in the shadows. So who are the Annunaki?"

Percy sighed, "You're a little young to be learning about the end of the world."

"I'm also a little young to talk to dead people and demons, but I do that all the time."

Percy frowned at her but didn't really have a good argument to counter it, after all she was a daughter of Hades, "Touche."

"So how are you going to save the world?" she asked, looking up at him expectantly.

Percy gazed out across the sea, the vast expanse stretching out before him with its dark waters shimmering under the moon's reflective gaze. The waves rolled in gracefully, breaking against the shore with a soft, lulling sound.

"I don't know if I can."

"You're Percy Jackson," Scarlett said, rolling her eyes, "You always save the world."

"You know who I am?"

"Everyone knows who you are. Especially the voices."

Percy frowned, "The voices?"

Scarlett nodded, "They talk to me, tell me things other people try to hide from me. They say you're strong."

Percy froze, "What voices are you hearing?"

"The dead," she stated matter of factly, "They like me because I talk back to them. The ones that escape don't know where to go, so they come to me. They like to spy for me, or teach me things. They treat me like a princess."

"They escaped from the Underworld?"

She nodded, "Those are just the dead though. My favourite are the demons, but they are usually the loudest. They're always asking me to do stuff, so I come to the beach when they get too loud."

"What kind of stuff do they ask you to do?" Percy asked, suddenly concerned that the little girl next to him was on the verge of being possessed by demons.

"Kill the campers," she replied, casting her eyes downwards and her voice growing quiet, "They ask me to give them sacrifices, but I keep them restrained. They are always begging me to let them free."

Percy tried not to freak out, but he was pretty sure he had just entered the latest instalment in the Exorcist franchise. "How do you keep them restrained?"

She glanced at him, fear creeping into her face, but she hesitantly began to unwrap the blanket and showed him her arms. They were covered in black tape. "My dad gave these to me after I prayed to him about it. They help me control them and keep them in check." She peeled one part of the tape away to reveal tattoos crisscrossing up her arms. The part of her arm that she showed depicted a hauntingly beautiful demonic figure, standing tall and commanding attention. The demon's muscular form was adorned with intricate patterns of swirling smoke, giving the impression of ethereal flames dancing across its skin. Its eyes, glowing with an unholy radiance, were deep pools of darkness, captivating and unsettling. The demon's face was a striking combination of beauty and terror. Sharp, elongated horns curl upward from its forehead, and its facial features were exquisitely detailed, with a pointed, slightly upturned nose and a predatory grin revealing razor-sharp fangs. It looked as though it had jumped straight out of the biblical version of hell.

"This is the kind of demon that talks to you?" Percy asked, wondering how a ten year old girl was remaining so calm if this was the kind of creature that was whispering in her ear to kill the other campers.

"That's Belial, he likes to think he's mean but he's kind of stupid," she said, giggling as she did. She paused for a second, and seemed to be listening to something, "He says he's not stupid and that he's going to burn this camp in hellfire. Sorry, he can be a little dramatic."

Demon from hell. Burn the camp in hellfire. Whispering evil thoughts into a little girl's ear. His day just got better and better. One thing did confuse him though. He had known three children of the god of the Underworld, and none of them had ever mentioned demons or having to keep demons at bay. Nico had had a problem with ghosts, but never demons. "Why are the demons attracted to you?"

Scarlett sighed, and buried her head in her hands, "My mom was a nun, and super super religious. Not religious enough to resist my dad though. When I was born my mom threw me into the ocean along with some religious artefacts, and cursed God for making me. She said I was a hellspawn, and that I was a monster. My dad saved me though, but the demons in the artefacts broke free and latched onto me. They refused to leave, so my dad used these binds to keep them under my control."

Percy looked at the daughter of Hades, and could see tears running down the side of her cheeks. He tried to imagine what that would be like, to be thrown away and hated by your birth mother. He was reminded once again how lucky he was to have the mum that he did.

"You've got a family here," he said, "We'll protect you."

"I get the feeling camp wouldn't want me if they knew how evil some of these demons are," she countered, looking up and meeting his eyes, "You don't speak for the camp."

Percy thought about that and realised she was right. This wasn't the camp that he had led twenty years ago. It was full of new people and had new leaders with their own experiences. "Then I don't speak for the camp. I speak for myself. You're my cousin, you're my family."

A smile broke out across the girl's face, and suddenly the stress of what he was dealing with fell away. She hugged him suddenly, and buried her head in his chest. He was reminded that despite being a daughter of Hades and dealing with demons on a regular basis, she was still a little girl and needed comforting. He returned the hug, and the two of them sat on the beach, listening to the water rhythmically wash against the shore until Percy, temporarily forgetting that the weight of the world was on his shoulders, slipped into the realm of Morpheus.

What felt like seconds later he was being woken up. The sun had just broken across the horizon, signalling the start of a new day, but his view of the rising dawn was being blocked by a rather angry looking harpy. The upper part of a harpy's body resembled that of a human woman, with a beautiful face and long hair, but with sharp claws instead of hands. They possessed large wings, feathered like those of a bird of prey. The lower half of the harpy was that of a bird, maybe an eagle, with bird-like feet.

"Campers stay in cabins," it screeched, licking its lips menacingly as it took a step towards him, "We punish those who disobey."

Percy had a feeling the harpy didn't know who he was. Since if it did know who he was, it probably wasn't going to try and wake him up. He also realised as he picked himself up off the sand that Scarlett was long gone, likely smart enough to get out before the harpy found them. He felt a familiar tug in his gut, and suddenly a dark shadow blocked out the sun and fell over them.

The harpy, who had been in the middle of hissing at him, turned to look at what had happened to the sun. They found a twenty wave towering over them. It let out a startled screech and flapped its wings rapidly, away from both Percy and the wave. It let out a string of insults as it left, threatening retribution. Percy relaxed and the wave crashed back down into the ocean. Summoning the wave had been like flexing a muscle, and while once upon a time it might have required some concentration, now it felt second nature. He felt so much more comfortable controlling his fathers element, it only made him more excited for the Capture the Flag game the following day.

He stretched and realised that he had overslept and missed his morning jog. So instead he headed straight to the stables, where he knew a sassy pegasus would be waiting for his morning flight. What he didn't expect upon entering the stables, was Artemis waiting for him, leaning against Blackjack's stable door and looking up as he approached.

"My lady," he said, bowing his head.

"Is your cabin not comfortable enough, Perseus? Or are all children of Poseidon predisposed to sleeping on the beach?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she did so.

Percy smiled, "Spying on me, my lady?"

Artemis rolled her eyes, "Don't be so full of yourself. It's not everyday I see a daughter of Hades and son of Posiedon scheming."

"Scheming?" Percy asked, frowning, "What makes you think we were scheming?"

"Less than an hour after being told my father would have no talk of the Annunaki, I see you on the beach with the daughter of Hades speaking of the Annunaki. What else would you be doing other than scheming?"

"You listened," Percy said incredulously, "That's the only way you would know that we were talking about the Annunaki. And if you were listening you would have heard the rest of what was said and know that we weren't scheming."

Artemis blushed, "I only listened for a moment while attending my duties as goddess of the moon. I apologise if I jumped to conclusions. I am simply on edge after all of this talk about the Annunaki. My apologies, Perseus." And with that she hurried out of the stables.

Percy frowned, staring at the spot where the goddess had disappeared. That certainly cracked the top ten weirdest interaction he had ever had with an Olympian. She accused him of scheming, admitted she had eavesdropped on him, claimed she was just scared and on edge and then vanished. The more time he spent around Olympians the more he realised what a bunch of weirdos they all were.

"What's up Boss? Where'd the moon lady go?" Blackjack called out, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Did she say anything to you?" Percy asked.

Blackjack shrugged, as much as a pegasus could shrug, "She kept asking if you had recruited me to a secret quest."

"What did you say?"

"I told her that she could find my pile of manure outside, since that's where all snitches end up."

Percy grinned, "There's no way you said that to an Olympian."

Blackjack flared his nostrils in defiance, "You weren't there, so how you gonna know?"

"Because you're a pussy."

Blackjack stomped his hooves and reared up, "Okay Boss, lets see who the pussy is after this flight."

As it turned out, Percy was the pussy, which Blackjack had him admit on numerous occasions before he finally dropped him off at the beach in time for his training session with Triton. As he took off back into the sky, the pegasus sprayed sand all over Percy, serving to remind Percy not to call his steed a pussy ever again.

A burst of sea spray alerted Percy to Triton's presence, and Percy turned to see that there was something new about the sea god. Normally Triton wore simple Atlantean clothes, but today he seemed geared up for war, decked out in a full set of armour. At his side hung a short sword and across his back was a trident, while an ornate conch hung from his belt.

"Sorry for my lateness," Triton apologised, "I just returned from a scouting mission with father and did not have time to change."

"Scouting mission?" Percy asked.

"Looking for one of the tombs of the Annunaki. We think we found one, so we wanted to make sure we established defences beforehand, should someone try to break them out."

"Any idea which one it is?"

Triton shook his head, "I am not well versed in Annunaki lore. There were multiple engravings praising one called Enlil, but there were also carvings to one called Nammu. I am not sure which one resides in the tomb."

"Nammu," Percy said, looking out across the ocean, "Enlil is their king. He isn't imprisoned in the same way as the rest of them."

Triton nodded, "Then we have found the tomb of Nammu. It was…a frightening experience. Father has said little since we entered it."

"Did your heads explode?" Percy asked, remembering his experience with Hadad. "Like was there intense pressure as you entered?" he continued after seeing the confusion on Triton's face.

The sea god shook his head, "No, but there was a massive dead zone around it, and a Kraken was living nearby. It seemed to be protecting the tomb."

"The Kraken?" Percy asked, remembering the monster that he had fought on his voyage with the vikings to Boston. "It came back?"

Triton frowned, "There are many Krakens. Father said you fought one after you came out of the ice. This was a different one. It had killed all the life around the tomb, and seemed to be preventing people from getting close to the tomb."

"It was protecting the tomb?" Percy asked, his voice trailing off as he subconsciously rubbed the image of the Kraken tattooed onto his ankle. He remembered how dead the ocean had been before he had stumbled upon the tomb of Hadad. The Kraken was protecting the tomb? From something that was trying to get in? Or to keep the Annunaki from getting out?

He thought about how he had killed the Kraken that had been around the tomb of Hadad. Had he left the tomb undefended? Had he left a massive gap in the defences? What if one of the servants of the Annunaki, like the one that attacked him, were able to get into the tomb and free Hadad?

"You need to go to the tomb of Hadad, where I was locked in the ice." Percy pleaded, grabbing Triton by the arm.

"I have no idea where that is." Triton responded, pulling his arm free.

"I killed the Kraken defending the tomb. It's exposed, someone might try to break in."

Triton paused, thinking over the issue, "Do you remember where you were when you killed the Kraken? Or where you were locked in ice?"

"Near Greenland," Percy answered, "But I don't know where."

Triton sighed, "I will go and tell father. We will send a scouting party to look for the tomb. It means our training sessions will need to be postponed, potentially for a few days."

"This is more important!" Percy pressed.

Triton didn't respond, he simply disappeared back into the ocean, leaving Percy both panicked and alone. He crashed onto the sand, holding his head in his hands. Why had he fought the Kraken if that was what was keeping the tomb protected? Who had told him he needed to kill the Kraken?

Chronos!

Percy felt a rush of anger as he thought about the Primordial of time. He hadn't told him everything, but now Percy was starting to feel like he hadn't told him anything. He punched the sand in frustration. Chronos had been MIA since the boat, which meant all the questions Percy had been dying to have answered would remain unanswered. He kept punching the sand in frustration, each blow stronger than the last. Soon a fairly large crater emerged from where Percy had been hitting, but the strange thing about it was the ring of frost in the centre. Percy looked at his knuckles, but there was no ice on them. Weird.

Deciding that he had spent enough time worrying about the fate of the world, and realising he had some free time now that he wasn't going to be training, he stood and made his way back towards the camp, specifically towards the strawberry fields. Olive saw him as he neared, and waved him over.

"So, finally decide I'm worth your time?" She asked.

"Uhh…Its not like that…I didn't mean to-"

"Relax," she said laughing, "I was just kidding. You're so stressed. You could do with a stress reliever."

"Any good ideas for stress relief?" Percy asked, blushing.

Olive smiled, but her eyes twinkled mischievously, "For you? Plenty. To start with…" she handed him a shovel that had been lying in the dirt, "...manual labour works wonders."

Percy pouted, "Here I was getting all excited."

"Hanging out with me doesn't get you excited?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

For Percy it felt like every direction this conversation could head in was a minefield, "I…uhh…sorry I just-."

She grinned, "Aww you're adorable when you're embarrassed. Come on, I'm just giving you a hard time. We can chat once you know what you're doing."

He followed the daughter of Demeter down one of the fields, and she soon set him to work digging out the bottom of some of the plants. As they worked he found his eyes drawn to Olive as she worked. She wore a lightweight, khaki-coloured hat adorned with a whimsical floral pattern that matched the colour of the strawberries. The hat's wide brim cast a gentle shadow over her face, accentuating her delicate features and shielding her from the sun's rays. Her dark locks cascaded from beneath the hat, loosely braided and adorned with tiny blossoms that match the pattern of her hat.

She was wearing a comfortable and fitted, green jumpsuit, made from a durable yet breathable fabric. The jumpsuit hugged her figure, allowing freedom of movement but also not doing anything to disguise the prominence of some of her more feminine attributes. Practical pockets on her chest and thighs held a variety of gardening tools, and Percy remembered Annabeth always complaining about never having enough pockets on her clothes. He quickly slapped the thought away. Annabeth was gone, and the less he thought about her the better.

He turned his focus back to Olive as she tended to the plants, her slender fingers deftly manoeuvring through the soil with confidence. The occasional smudge of dirt on her cheeks and hands only enhanced her allure, and when she smiled at him Percy couldn't take his eyes off of her bright green ones.

"So hero, aren't you usually at the beach around this time?" she asked, glancing up at him from under the brim of her hat.

"I could hang out with a fish man or I could hang out with my favourite gardener, easy choice."

Olive rolled her eyes, "You're adorable, but did you leave your flirting skills in the ice? You flirt like a twelve year old."

"Hey, I was great at flirting when I was twelve." Percy responded, blushing profusely.

"Haha, if you say so hero."

Percy frowned. Had he always been bad at flirting? He remembered that he used to flirt with Annabeth and even Rachel, but he had never really gotten the hang of it. Here was a girl that was obviously interested in him, and yet it seemed as though he had no way of just carrying his side of the conversation like a normal human being. Maybe he was overthinking it, but the back of his subconscious whispered insecurities that he would never be able to escape his relationship with Annabeth. It had served as a major defining part of his life since he was twelve. To come back and no longer have her as a part of his life still ate at him more than he was willing to admit to himself.

He looked at Olive, sitting only a few feet from him, but felt as though she was a million miles away. She was from a new era, a new age. He had been battling Kronos and falling in love with Annabeth before she was even thought of or conceived. The thought sent a shiver down his spine and made him feel a little nauseous. Technically he was only 18, but he had been living his life before she was born. Staring at her as she worked in the field he had a glimpse of the life that he could have had, with a sweet and kind girl who loved him. But that glimpse was what could have been, not what was. He was a celebrity to her, a hero she had heard stories around the campfire about. She couldn't understand who he was or what he had been through.

There was a sense of peace that settled over him as he stared at her. He could never fall in love with her, not like he did with Annabeth. Despite the feeling of betrayal he couldn't escape the daughter of Athena. She still had a lock on his heart despite his efforts at moving on. She had been such a major part of his life, and filling that hole wasn't something just anyone could do. It would take time, and probably someone really special to fix that.

Working in the hot sun took its toll, and soon Olive decided to wrap up their gardening endeavour. They chatted as they headed back to the cabins, and Percy could see how she became the head of the Demeter cabin. She was extroverted and funny and loved to poke fun at him in a way that made him feel included like it was their inside joke. She was pretty and smart, and hung on every word he said. But she wasn't Annabeth, and unfortunately that was what mattered most to his broken heart.

Dinner passed quickly, with Percy returning to his own table instead of the Artemis one. The sound of everyone laughing and joking with their siblings only increased the sense of loneliness. He glanced up and his eyes met Jetts. An understanding passed between them, a mutuality of loneliness that only a child of the Big Three could understand. The craziness seemed dulled in Jetts eyes today, but based on how exhausted he looked Percy guessed he had been training all day. He was going to get his first chance to fight alongside the son of Zeus in the Capture the Flag game the following day, and it was probably the thing he was most excited for about the game. Well that and kicking Thalia's ass. Scarlett was present at dinner, but the loneliness did not seem as present at her table. She waved at him, and Percy noticed the tape ran from her wrist up her arm and disappeared up her sleeve. She was never alone, he realised, she always had the company of demons. What a comforting thought.

He slipped away to his cabin before the sing along at the amphitheatre. Annabeth had been tormenting his mind all day and that, coupled with the lack of sleep he had gotten the night before after passing out on the beach, meant he was ready for an early sleep. He stared at the ceiling for a long time before he fell asleep, his heart aching as he thought about grey eyes and blonde hair.

He didn't realise he had begun dreaming until he saw himself. He was older, maybe mid thirties, and was dressed in a suit setting the dining table, fixing the white tablecloth and lighting the candles to bathe the room in a warm glow. He wasn't alone, as Annabeth soon entered, looking just as she had when he had seen her a week or so ago. Following her were two girls, both with his black hair but the grey eyes of Annabeth. They gathered around the table, their faces and smiles illuminated by the candlelight.

The older Percy pulled out a chair for Annabeth with a gentle gesture. She graciously took her seat, her grey eyes sparkling with appreciation. As he took his place beside her, their hands subtly intertwined. The children seemed lively and energetic, excitedly taking their seats. Plates were passed around, each filled with delectable dishes and the savoury aroma of a roasted chicken filled the room. The table overflowed with a colourful array of sides, fresh salads, and warm bread, a testament to culinary skills of either Percy, Annabeth, or both.

They laughed and chatted, exchanging stories, and the dreaming Percy felt a clawing at his chest. This was what he had missed, this was the life he had been denied by being lost in the ice. They were so happy, and Percy couldn't decide what to focus on more, his older version's mirthful expression or the children that he would have had with Annabeth. They were adorable, with the eldest being twelve or so and the younger one looking a couple years younger. This was the happiness that was stolen from him.

The family's conversation was paused by a roar of thunder that rocked the house. Older Percy and Annabeth shared a look before Percy stood and headed towards the front door. He opened it to reveal a figure that dream Percy recognised. They were older than the last time he had seen them, in the vision at the lake, but he would recognise Enlil anywhere.

The king of the Annunaki burst through the open door, grabbing the older Percy by the throat and lifting him into the air. A purple lighting bolt crashed through the roof of the house, and exposed the room to the stormy elements outside.

"Son of Posiedon," Enlil bellowed, red lightning flickering around his hands as rain began to lash down from above, "You cannot escape me!"

Dream Percy tried to move, tried to run at Enlil, but his feet were locked in the ground, and he could do nothing but watch as the picture perfect scene was torn apart.

"RUN!" Older Percy screamed at his family, reaching into his pocket and uncapping Riptide. He drove the sword into the side of Enlil, but when the blow connected green lightning sparked and left no damage. Annabeth grabbed their daughters and sprinted out of the backdoor, running into the thunderstorm outside.

"You thought you could hide from my rule," Enlil taunted, "You thought you would be safe. But all those who support Zeus will meet the same fate."

The pipes by the sink exploded and older Percy summoned a water fist to punch Enlil in the jaw. Enlil responded by tightening his grip around Percy's throat.

"You are strong, for a demigod. But you're no longer the hero they sang stories about." Enlil grinned as Percy's face went red, desperately trying to breathe, "I am destiny…I am fate…I am the reckoning you ran from."

Percy began punching Enlil repeatedly, but each blow was weaker than the last, and soon the last gasp of energy left him and he slumped, fading out of consciousness.

"And now you die like a dog, just as your father did." Enlil gave his throat one last squeeze before tossing the limp body to the side, "Now…for the daughter of Athena."

He marched out of the back door, and as lightning flashed in the distance it illuminated the retreating figures of Annabeth and the children. Dream Percy looked at his older form, crumpled against the wall, and let out a scream. But there was no noise, and all he could do was turn and watch the figure of Enlil get ever closer to his family. They vanished from view, but when lightning flashed again the silhouette of Enlil holding Annabeth by the throat emerged, and that was the last thing Percy saw before he shot upright in bed.

He was caked in sweat and was gasping for breath. His dream had shown him exactly what he longed for, but it had turned into a nightmare almost as soon as it began. Was that his life if he hadn't got locked in the ice? Was he destined to face Enlil, regardless of what choices he made in his life? He eased back down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. There was a world where he didn't get trapped in the ice, but in it Enlil killed Posiedon, Percy, and then Annabeth and he assumed their children. He remembered what Chronos had said about giving them a fighting chance…if he hadn't gotten trapped in the ice Enlil was destined to win. Hell maybe he was detained to win anyway, and all Percy had lost was a chance of happiness. But the more he thought about it the less he believed it. He had been brought back for a reason, he was going to be the difference maker against Enlil, even if the Olympians themselves didn't believe it.

He got out of bed and grabbed a change of clothes, before opening the cabin door to find the camp busting with action. Clearly he had been asleep for longer than he had thought. Chloe, the leader of the Athena cabin, came up to him.

"Good afternoon sleepy head, I was worried you were avoiding the Capture the Flag game."

Percy smiled sheepishly, "I wouldn't miss it for the world, just had to get my beauty sleep."

Chloe rolled her eyes, and Percy almost did a double take at how similar to Annabeth she looked, "Yeah well come on, we've been waiting for you so we can prepare. We super outnumber the hunters so we're only allowed to select 30 campers, and you're one of the ones we want."

Percy raised an eyebrow at that, but figured it was fair. There were only about twenty hunters, and so if the entire camp fought them it would come down to a numbers advantage. Chloe beckoned him to follow him towards the Athena Cabin, and Percy felt a sense of nausea come over him as he walked into his ex-girlfriends old cabin.

Author's Note: So I am a liar. I said I would start the Capture the Flag game in this chapter, but as I was writing I realised I needed more stuff set up before I got to it. This chapter took a while to write both because I was travelling and it's not the most action packed chapter. Luckily that won't be a problem next chapter, since it will be all action.

I want to continue to thank you guys for the support. Every review you guys leave pushes me to write more, so more reviews means a faster next chapter. My summer has freed up a lot more, and so hopefully I will be able to dedicate more time to writing, but I need those reviews as fuel to write so please review!