I don't know why I always do this. I deleted chapter 18.

I have deleted FOUR chapters in the history of this stupid story. And every time I always drop my laptop and quit for a month or two. Fun fact: the very second story I was supposed to publish in this fandom was this sci-fi, end of the world, ghost attacking story that I canceled because I deleted three chapters. It's true. I have the beginning of the fourth chapter somewhere

Another thing is I suck at writing, like more than you think. There're two versions of chapter 17, this is the second. The first version sucked so bad. That's what's happening with chapter 18 before I deleted my remake. In chapter 18 I forgot Bianca was still in my story.

Considering I rewrote the majority of this story you might notice a shift in rhythm in from the first and second half. Percy got smacked with the OP stick. I like myself some unrealistic, unrelatable, and just confusing characters.

Rambling aside, enjoy.

Through Black Eyes

Do not close your eyes or plug your ears, for the coming of the End will not resound with cries of the perished and despaired. It will be greeted with utter silence, those of which ooze the dark, palpable.

The scattering of people flowed around the street in chaotic harmony. The shrill air sharpened into edges of cold and freezing that clogged the bones. High clouds converged overhead, toppling like giant walls that caged the city in an ashen abyss.

The few civilians that dotted the streets fled in panic, never seizing the true terror that lurched around them. Then one dropped, scrambling on the ground in a helpless frenzy, before going still.

Another fell. Then another. They dropped onto the cold ground, barely curling in realized effigies.

No, no. This is all happening too fast! This isn't supposed to happen, not yet!

"Percy!" Annabeth's anguish cries tugged into his mind. She had taken hold of his arm, pulled hard. "Oh, gods." She pressed her free hand to her mouth as her eyes swam over the limp bodies littering the streets.

Percy jerked his head from side to side. He knelt down besides the body of a fallen and touched the man's chest.

"They're only unconscious." He said as he got up, stumbling a bit.

"Oh gods, oh gods." Annabeth breathed out in shutters. "What do we do? What's going on?" She held her hand close to her chest, turning and finding that everyone else had fallen asleep.

Percy gripped the chest of his coat. This feeling. It feels so familiar.

"We have to find shelter, move into a less crowded area before the second strike."

"Second strike?" Annabeth felt her hand yanked as Percy broke into a run. "What second strike?"

"They specifically took out the Empire State Building, the beacon of the city, cut off connections from the gods." Percy shouted over his shoulders. "Naturalized all the bystanders. Now, they would move in their main attack force and obliterate any resistance left standing."

"Who is this 'they?'"

"How should I know?" Suddenly turned a sharp left into a narrow alley.

"Shouldn't't we make for the Empire State Building? Surely someone's there now." Annabeth huffed out, her head snapped back to the entrance of the alley. "Gods knows Zeus' always there."

"No one's on Olympus." Percy dug out his phone and began to frantically tap on the screen.

"There's always someone on Olympus!"

"Not this time around." Percy muttered distractedly. He pressed the device to his ears and held his breath, the dials rung like bells in the now completely silenced city. The eerie hum of nothingness began to trickle like droplets of water.

The dials silenced. The automated message played.

"Damn it!" Percy furiously tapped the red disconnect button before dialing another number. The rings resumed. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Four rings.

"Hello, Percy?" Luke's wry voice crackled on the other end of the phone.

"Good, your phone's on." Percy sighed, relaxing his tense body. His hand loosened around Annabeth's.

"What the hell's going on over there?" Luke's voice seemed more agitated, but hushed. "Are you okay? Is Annabeth there?"

"Hi, Luke." Annabeth called meekly.

"We're not hurt." Percy said. "First thing's first, what's happening out there?"

"How should I know?" Luke barked. "NYC just went silent. The whole world's stampeding over the spook."

"That's not what I meant." Percy hissed, letting his frustration show. "What're the gods doing? Have you heard from them?"

"Uh, yeah." There was shuffling on the other end. "Dionysus' back, trousers ruffled and all. He's been yapping away the cabin leaders for a bit now. Haven't said much. Just skirting around the questions."

"Did he mention anything about the other gods?"

"No," Luke paused. "He said something about rallying a defense line, but nothing specific. Says we need to 'calm down.' That fool." There was that edge in Luke's voice again.

"Listen to me. There is a magical barrier surrounding the city. I don't know who the enemy is but they've taken out the Empire State Building— "

"Whoa, whoa what?" Like exclaimed.

"Luke, listen!" Percy nearly shouted.

"Okay." Luke said in a lower tone.

"Without their foothold, the gods can't enter the city. But there's an entrance to the underworld here in the city. If we can open it, we can push enough energy from the outside to fracture the barrier." Percy said with quick command. "Be sure you're there within two hours.

"Alright, I'll get there." Luke said without even the slightest hesitation.

"Alright." Percy disconnected the phone without another world. He stared onto the black screen of his phone for a moment.

"That was a bit rude." Annabeth quipped.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Percy buried his phone. "We need to move." He made to move.

"But, where are we going?" Annabeth jerked his hands. He growled lowly. "We can't just go running around without a plan. We need to decide where we need to go, find a place to hide and wait for a rescue team."

Percy glared into the concrete wall. Annabeth gave a gentle squeeze into his hand.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." He looked up and she gave her A-game smile.

Percy jumped forward, wrapping his arms around Annabeth's waist. She gave out a small yelp.

They jolted into the air, everything blurred. Annabeth felt cold air brushing her face.

The alley ignited in yellow fire. The grey walls crumbled into ash, spluttering into the street.

They landed, falling into place on barred iron. Annabeth gasped, her back against the emergency escape floor three stories up, overlooking the remnants of the burning alleyway.

Percy crouched above her, a hand placed on her shoulder.

"Annabeth, I need you to break into the apartment and distance yourself from the window." Percy ordered without looking down at her.

"But, I can help." She groaned as she got up.

"I'll distract them. Wait until I'm in the main street before breaking the window." He stood up, a hand traveling into a deep pocket in his coat.

"Wait." Annabeth pleaded. She gripped his arm. "I can't just let you go."

"We don't have much time," Percy turned to her and gave a weak smile. "Don't worry, I'm always rushing into things head-first anyways."

"Is that supposed to comfort me?" She snapped.

"You can worry about me all you want," Percy shook her off. "As long as I'm not worrying about you."

Percy disappeared; his body shimmered with a rush of transparent red. Then he was high in the air twisting between the two buildings. His form shimmered again and disappeared, reforming onto the center of the street.

Right as he feet touched the ground, Percy broke into a sprint to the opposite side of the street.

A blur launched into the ground behind him, gauging a deep fallow, then bloomed into a bead of fire.

Percy kicked the wall of the incoming store and flipped into the air, arching over a second blurred bullet that rammed into the bricked storefront.

Percy landed in a crouch. His head snapped up and took in his opponent, only one enemy. A black creature with swirling skin of obsidian, two blank white holes where the eyes should have been.

It's you!

The head tilted to the side, a steam cloud hissed from where the mouth would have been. The hunched figure cocked back his left hand. His fist ribbon-ed apart and into a small, separated sphere. It swung its arm and hurled the small, black bullet at Percy.

Percy twisted his body, and kicked off the ground, his legs swung over his body. His body shuttered into the air, the bullet passed through nothingness.

His body flickered into existence three yards away, landing from his flip.

He spun on one heel, pulling out his black foot-long ebony scabbard, and swung mid spin. The sheath collided with an incoming bullet; sparks flew, like splashes of water. Two more whizz past his head, the whiplash ruffling his bangs.

The black figure bent over, its body squirmed as if in pain. A crackling groan spewed from the nonexistent mouth. Three horns pierced its back on both shoulder blades and one in between. The creature snapped up, a distorted cry, like a deeper voice laced on top of a higher pitched one, shook the walls of the street. Windows shattered all at once, sprinkling onto the mingled road.

One horn spat out, like a missile. The black horn wheezed through the air.

Percy sidestepped the projectile. It landed in a flash, the street lit up in flame. Fire licked Percy's back; he could smell his hair singe.

Another horn shot out. Percy broke the sheath off, the sword screaming into the open air, extending to its true length.

The black blade, Lucifer, split the black horn in two, detonating them in a horizontal cone behind the blade.

The third horn shot out, Percy spun, whirling his sword in one hand and slashed diagonally. The horn shattered onto the ground, consuming the ground in yellow flames.

Percy reeled back to the beast. But in it's place an indent of two footprints.

Percy's head snapped up, the creature had jumped into the air and now it dropped onto him. He dived away into a roll as the monster landed behind Percy. Rocks and pavement skipped into the air.

Percy swiveled around, bringing his sword to meet the monster's claws. They clashed with a high-pitched shriek of metal. For a moment, they stared into one another's eyes through their locked blades.

The black creature hissed, its breath like pressurized gas escaping from its nonexistent mouth. Percy huffed out, a sweat drop rolled down the side of his face.

The monster's strength outreached Percy's, and with a swing, Percy was sent tumbling across the road.

Percy quickly regained his balance, pushing himself off the ground and landing on his feet. He readied his sword, holding it defensively. Lucifer vibrated with excitement or perhaps Percy was mistaking his own fear.

The black blade throbbed in his grip, a thirst clawed at Percy, a thirst demanding more than the physical. His heartbeat resonated with the sword's, it was breathing as Percy panted.

There was that feeling, that feeling of thrill. This feeling of desolation and fear, it's so familiar. He could hear the rush of blood in his ears, the thrum of his heart in his eyes.

This thirst. This hunger.

Black claws swiped at Percy, lugging him from his inner strums. He pulled back, the claws passed before him. The creature launched, another swing. Percy bought his sword and diverged the impact away from his body.

Percy pulled back and swung and nicked the monster's shoulder, but it did not respond.

The monster backhanded, to which Percy blocked. Percy was blown back, skidding to a stop, but the monster was already on top of him, arm drawn back.

A bronze arrow embedded into the monster's right chest. It stuttered to a stop, staring at the wound with its aimless eyes.

Percy hopped back, and launched forward. Sword in both hands, he pierced the thick black armor of the monster. The obscene fiend took a step back. Lucifer buried deep into the monster's chest. Then they toppled, falling backwards, Percy knelt, legs on either side.

The monster whined. Finally, a thin white line etched across the surface of the face, then split open like a wound. A hallow cry cut into the air.

The body fluttered like cloth in the wind. Then the body converged on itself, bulging inwards and collapsing.

From the cracked mouth, spirals of ash erupted into the icy air. The ash smoldered onto Percy's form, forcing him to stumble backwards, coughing. His caught became hacks and chokes.

He clawed at his throat, a burning pain spread from his lungs into his chest and through his body. The fire rode along his veins and into the tips of his fingers, which grew numb.

His vision clouded into blackness and his body spazzed against his control. His muscles tore at itself.

Then, as if a sudden spree of itchy throat, it vanished. His vision brightened. Air returned in deep gasps.

For a moment he rested on the ground, his forehead presses against the road, small drips of drool dotted under him. Then he got up, pushing his body to straighten. A tingle ran down his back.

He looked up along the lines of the building.

Clatter indicated Annabeth's approach. She sprinted to him, dropping a bronze and wooden bow on the ground before kneeling. She touched his back with one hand and patted his body with the other.

"Are you okay?" She sounded concern. "Are you wounded?"

Percy managed a weak shake.

"I'm fine." He breathed out. She helped him up, pulling one arm over her shoulder.

There was a shuffling in the distance. Howling.

"We need to go." She noted, glancing from the direction of the howls and away.

They had somehow made it. Stashed behind the counter of a small shady-looking candy story, far too under maintenances to be sanitary, and far to closed off to be kids friendly.

Percy slumped down besides Annabeth, under the cash register. He gave out a whining sigh.

"How's the back exit, now?" Annabeth asked, teasingly.

"Un-barricaded." Percy replied, with defeat.

"Why do you sound so down? Percy?" She grinned.

"For a candy store, I have no idea why they were storing blocks of lead in their boxes." He began to shuffle in his pocket.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Right, and whose idea was it to block our backdoor escape route?"

"Shut up." Percy pulled out a handful of wrapped candy.

"You're so kind." Annabeth snatched one.

The store fell into silence, filled with the faint chewing of sweetened drabs. Below those sounds were even fainter sounds; low thrums from the outside the thick brick walls.

In the quiet, that was so unnatural, Percy could almost see the outside world now, littered with the unconscious, maybe even the dead. The streets were plowed out, the buildings carved with scars that marks the past and future end.

"It's been ages since I ate candy." Annabeth's nonchalant voice gives hints to Percy that he didn't really appreciate.

"Same." Percy unwrapped another. "Years."

"I'm surprised." Percy turned and met Annabeth's eyes. "I'd thought you to breath sweets. From how Grover described you."

"Oh, that's what he thinks, what about what you think?"

"Judging from your rigorous secret morning practices and your glutton eating style?"

"You… know about the—" Percy shook his head. "Of course you'd know."

"Yeah, I know." She seems to be rubbing it in. "What's carious is why you don't just practice during the day? You usually just skip around activities and laze around the whole day, anyways."

Percy unwrapped another, seemingly subconsciously. "I don't want to give away all my tricks. How else am I supposed to be mysterious?"

"You're as much of a mystery as how this shop hasn't sunk with this pedo-lair theme going on."

"What about you?" Percy gave a sideways glance. "You little Moriarty?"

"You flatter me." She gave a sly smile. "But, I'd rather be Irene."

"By chance, would I be Sherlock?" Percy added as an afterthought. "And this being the movie, not the books?"

Annabeth blushed lightly. "Movies ruin everything." She fiddled with a wrapper; the crackling was sharp against the eerie quiet. "There's really nothing plentiful about this book. Just a story of a girl who cried a river and drowned the whole world."

"Oh god, I didn't ask for this." Percy feigned exasperation.

She gave a halfhearted backhand slap. "Shut up."

"I didn't say to stop." Percy smirked. "You have a beautiful voice."

Annabeth turned away, her cheeks hot. "What do you want to know?"

"How about your stay with your parents? Tell me about your dad?"

"My father was a doctor." Annabeth said quickly, her voice almost stuttering, if it could stutter that is. "He met my mother during college—"

"Figures."

"—and they kinda just hit it off." She trailed off. "Um, I mean, worked together!"

"Right." Percy gave a teasing grin, which earned him another slap.

"My mom tutored my dad through college."

Percy nodded when she glanced up.

"And then I happened." Her voice trailed off. In all her years she had never found herself rushing carelessly into such a… sensitive subject. "But, that wasn't exactly a part of the plan. My dad, he pleaded for my mom to take me back, he said that he didn't… want…"

She let out a shaky breath. Her eyes gazed down on the candy wrapper in her hands.

Percy squeezed his eyes shut. There was a thump in the back of his throat, a fire in his eyes. Rushes of emotions suddenly rocked his foundation.

He had forgotten, didn't I? There was a time, a long, long time ago that he felt that exact same feeling. In an age that he thought he had long repressed, back when he couldn't count all his friends on one hand, or have to bury them after he lose another one.

There was a time when he cared… for her.

"But, it's better, now." Annabeth continued brightly. "I mean, it's still kinda awkward, but, we talk."

Percy turned away, a hand pressed against his face. He took in a slow breath. I thought I was ready for this.

"I… I hope that we can maybe be a little better—" She turned to Percy. "Percy? Are you okay?"

"Shut up." Percy mumbled trough his hand. He palmed his face, and opened his eyes with a sigh. He turned to meet her eyes and gave a small smile. "I'm so glad for you."

Annabeth nearly gasped. There was something strange in his eyes, something like sincerity? She can't remember ever seeing anything but a smug arrogance, or that knowing perception. But, this was different, maybe the rarity of that honestly enriched the occasions, however it felt like he was apologizing rather than congratulating.

"Are you crying?" Annabeth blurted out.

Percy blinked. He jerked his head away and rubbed his eyes with his sleeves.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

The store walls crashed into the serving front. The dust blew into the air. A sprawling creature scrambled onto the tile floor, reorienting itself.

Percy pulled Annabeth down to the ground, his arms wrapped around her head.

The dust settled. A wild shuffling racked into the tables and chairs, clawing on the floor in sharp squeals.

"Make for the door." Percy whispered, even in his low tone, his authority was unyielding. "Go!"

Annabeth pushed herself up and sprinted into the back of the store. The scribbling hastened in pursuit.

The multi-armed creature scrambled over the counter and made for the store back, when the sleek metal of Lucifer clashed into its mid body, casting it into the clutter of store goods.

Percy was in the air a heartbeat later, the obsidian sword buried itself into the struggling monster. The elongated limbs stiffened, erecting in the now stale air, then dissolved into black plumes of smoke.

Annabeth scrambled into the alley. She stumbled up a small set of stairs, and pushed open a rusty fence open into the open street. Another sprawled creature leaped from above, landing behind her, its body moving in an erratic rotation to propel movement.

The monster somehow jolted into the air, it's arms bloomed into a menacing extension like webs. Annabeth pulled her dagger and whirled around, slipping pass the monster's descend and slicing through two of its arms with the dagger's blade.

The creature screeched, spinning madly in agony. Heavy thuds announce the appearance of charging beast, then another, then another. Horned monsters with likeness to oxen with broadened shoulders and shortened legs.

More octopus, spider mutants sped from the hollow windows of the buildings from either side. Figures shifted on the high rooftops overhead.

The first of the oxen neared, rising to its hind legs and swung its thick arms into the air.

A red flicker.

The two massive arms slipped and dropped onto the road with dull thumps. The monster stumbled backwards and wailed, its head raised to the grey sky.

The red flash blurred from Annabeth's left. Her head twisted to follow its movement.

The red slammed into the building side to her right, crushing a spider monster beneath his feet. His form was visible for a blink of the eye with his scarf flaring around him before vanishing into a flicker of red.

Streaks of red, like after images, sliced through an adjacent spider, splitting it in half, then whipped through the ranks of the descending monsters on the buildings. The form swiveled through the monsters, disembodying them one by one, leaving a brief image every time he struck.

Percy's form jittered into existence several floors up, one hand hooking on a window frame, the other gripped his blackened sword. In a swift motion, he released his blade, shooting through the air.

The blade whisked past Annabeth's head, embedding itself into the giant form of another bull-like monster. Annabeth whirled backwards and fell on her butt.

In a shimmering red, like glass, Percy appeared before the beast, slamming his heels into the monster's head and toppling the large beast.

Percy gripped the sword from the swollen chest of the monster and released the blade with a dark coat of ink like blood.

The monster dissolved beneath his feet. For a moment, Percy stared into the black blade, his breath came in short huffs.

A roar more like a "moo" and the third monster was upon Percy. He barely pulled his sword up to defend from the metal, hoof like fingers. Percy was pushed skidding back across the road before Annabeth.

The sword, Lucifer brandished beside him, Percy growled low in his throat. A burning fire overtook his body. Like a fever, the warmth ran from his chest through his veins and into his numb limbs. His mind began to go scream from pain or hunger, he couldn't tell anymore.

All he knew was that he was in pain, and it was because of it! No. Rather he was in pain, because he needed to kill it, he had to!

If Annabeth had a better view, she could have saw Percy's eyes darken from a deep green to an ashen black. The black crept into the whites of his eyes like veins, pulsating was the beat of his heart, and the beat of his head.

Percy launched forwards, oblivious to Annabeth's cry of disapproval. His blade clashed into the bull monster's hoof-claws, shattering them and splitting its leathery black skin. The force dragged them against the road, tumbling into a crowd of stranger monster that had corralled.

Their trailed ended in a thick snap as they crashed into a building at the far end of the road. The once idle vehicles were pulled by their struggle, pinned against one another and clogging the road.

Annabeth jogged up to the clog of cars. She climbed over the car hoods, hopping from roof to roof. She slipped onto the ground where Percy's form was hunched over. He heaved in thick pain, his limbs felt like rocks and electricity coursed through his veins.

"Percy!" Annabeth hopped down next to Percy, she grabbed his arms and hefted him upwards. Percy rolled to his side, his breathing growing more erratic. Annabeth grasped.

Where the white of Percy's eyes were black, dark veins crawled from his eyes into his head and his temple. Annabeth's eyes darted across his skin, a growing panic beginning to surface.

Suddenly Percy's body jerked, his chest pushed upwards and froze, all of his small spasms and quakes paused. His body was rigid in Annabeth's arms. His breath pushed out in a low grunt then went limp falling in her arms. His eyes closed and his breath began a moment after, in small, short sighs.

Annabeth was afraid to move for a moment, her hands brushed up Percy's shoulder, and with shaking fingers, touched his cheeks, drenched in sweat but already cooling in the cold December air. There was a small voice inside her head that pondered, who are you.

It was a question that had grind against her mind like a stone rubbing down her bones. Over time, the question mended, not answered. It dulled into a small whisper to make room for more immediate more impending questions, more cunning ploys. She was never satisfied, but maybe she felt safe knowing that Percy was Percy, someone who could hold secret and would not pose a threat. But she didn't know why she would put so much trust into a practical stranger.

Now, with this practical stranger, unconscious and near dead, resting in Annabeth's arms did the nagging question begin into pull at her conscious once again. Even with the creeping suspicion she can't deny that supernatural comfort, maybe even attraction that she felt for him, like a gravitation that lured her and Luke and even the other kids in camp towards Percy. Party from his mystery, party from his utter determination for some cause or another that escapes Annabeth.

"What're you looking at?" Annabeth nearly jumped, jolting Percy onto the ground. Percy groaned out shuffling on his back. She yelped and grabbed Percy back onto her laps.

"Percy!" Annabeth cried out. Percy squinted and lifted his arm and pressed his index finger in between her eyes and pushed back. Her head fell back a little and her eyes follows his finger.

"You're too loud." Percy grumbled.

Annabeth pulled her fist back and pounded on his chest making him cough.

"You're an idiot, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth glared away, too flustered to meet his eyes. For a moment she stared into the grey churning sky. The unease slipping from her tense muscles for that breath of a moment. She lowered her gaze to Percy's who stared back at her. There was a strangeness in his eyes. Green and silky.

"We should get going." Percy averted his eyes. The gentleness in them hardened like frozen ice into a sinister knife blue. He pushed himself up, growling with effort. Annabeth supported him back up, holding tightly on his bicep.

"Are you sure you can walk?" Annabeth asked, a nervousness in her voice. Her eyes darted through the buildings, suddenly noticing the silence around them.

"I don't have a choice." Percy breathed out. He hooked his hands around Annabeth's neck. The gesture surprised Annabeth. It wasn't like she didn't expect to hold an injured comrade, rather she never expected to hold Percy. She always thought he was too headstrong to ask for help.

Percy gave Amnabeth a wide grin. He squeezed his arm around her a little pulling her closer to his chest. Her nose pressed against his chest, he smelled like sweat and some kind of deodorant (it smelled good), she felt her stomach twist.

"Don't look so worried." Percy said in a loud, encouraging voice like a big brother Annabeth never had. "I've never died before, so why would I now?"

Annabeth frowned into Percy's chest. Just because he barely survived didn't mean she didn't worry about him every time he pulled a move. Idiot.

Percy loosened his hold on Annabeth and directed towards one of the buildings.

"We'll move to the residential area. We'll move through the buildings to avoid being noticed." Percy instructed in a more serious, cold voice.

Annabeth nodded and began to walk across the street in the arms this boy. This wasn't the hangout she was asking for. But then again maybe a little.

Percy can't quite recall the last time he skipped through the empty just of an apartment littered with junk of the valuable variety. Clothes, and napkins, and half-finished processed foods scattered in a chaotic mess or a complex riddling pattern.

This was a scene between his future and the past. A clash of panicked and battle-heavy urban terrain and yet so clean and untouched. The sight sent chills through Percy. A hard wired part of his rebellion mind scanned and tagged crucial supplies laying here and there. He had to refrain himself from looting the cubic apartments. He didn't want to come off like a thief in front of Annabeth.

The pain that course through Percy's body had slowly been subsiding into small pulses and now nothing more than nagging thuds. But he felt his arms and legs sore are numb around the edges. And he was thoroughly sure he was closing in on exhaustion.

"Where're we going?" Annabeth asked, for the twentieth time that day.

"Uh, I'm changing routes." Percy admitted after a moment of hesitations

"Then here are we going now?" Annabeth pressed, leaning against the wall at the entrance of the laundry room.

"I don't know- I didn't really think too much about this." Percy said distractedly. He unlocked the small square window and pull upwards, introducing the chilly wind into the home.

"Percy!" Annabeth exclaimed. She stood her ground, no longer leaning on the entrance frame even as Percy moved to fit through the window. He paused and turned over his shoulder.

"Fine. We're going to my apartment." Percy sighed giving Annabeth an annoyed glare covering his stifling unease. "Now let's get going."

Percy ducked his head out of the window and slipped the rest of his body out a minute later. Annabeth gave a grunt before marching out of the window as well. He took her hand to steady her stumble from the small exit.

They made their way up the emergency exit and onto the roof overcast in the shadow of a larger building. Percy lead Annabeth towards the larger building.

"Do you do this often?" Annabeth asked after Percy. He didn't answer. Rather he found a wooden panel laying on the floor of the roof, covered in a drowned white sheet. He pulled the sheet off and carried the very heavy looking plank to the edge of the roof. He leveled the panel on the railing of the roof and wedged one end under the curve of an air vent.

Percy hopped on the waist high brick railing almost like he wasn't four stories from his potential death. Annabeth crept closer to the edge and let out a shaking breath. He turned back to her.

"Do you want me to throw you?" Percy raised an eyebrow. Annabeth Brussels and shook her head quickly.

Percy stepped in the panel and dashed off the end and leaped landing harshly on the ledge of the building an alleyway away from the one Annabeth stood on.

Percy grabbed the column next to the window for support. He knelt down, pulling out Annabeth's dagger from its sheath strapped around his waist and jammed it into the lock of the window. With a yank the lock was popped and then he pulled the window up. It had a larger opening than the window they had climbed out of so he stood halfway inside before turning around and waving for Annabeth.

Annabeth gulped, edging towards the railing. No matter how many times Percy had forced her to jump across buildings today, this was not something she was going to get used to. Ever.

But if she didn't she knew Percy was actually going to make full on his offer of throwing her across like he did the first time they leapt buildings.

She climbed onto the railing, wavering at the sight of the ground way, way below her. Then stood up, getting on the rickety plank and looking across. She swallowed her fear along with the logical part of her brain and sprinted across, then jumped.

Before her mind even registered and forced a scream up her throat, she was embraced in Percy's sturdy arms. She was breathing hard simply from fear and for a moment he just held her, still as the building around them, and she latched on. No matter how many times they hopped rooftops he would always give these little moments of reprieve.

Once Annabeth was calmed down, she pushed back and looked up and have a nod. Percy helped her inside to a luxury bedroom cover with rose red curtains and the bedsheets. Clothes ravaged over the bed and the floor. The floor was dashed with a puffy carpet that was probably more comfortable than Percy's own bed.

"Let's take five." Percy said after helping Annabeth from the window frame. She strode to the queen size bed and slumped on one of the edges.

"How about take 60." Annabeth whined. She drowned back and spread her arms out around her, feeling he fold velvety blanket.

"In your dreams." Percy leaned back on the window frame and glanced out into the busy New York street. Busy with prostrated bodies and lurking black beasts.

They weaved through the streets like wraiths. Irregular jerks and rapid turns of their heads. Clad in black fur or skin or armor like robes that trailed in the dead wind. They should be fine for now. As far as Percy was aware they didn't operate well with sight. They hunched over and searched closely the unconscious bodies' faces with an eerie intelligence.

"You're right, an hours too short. How about two?" Annabeth gripped from the bed.

Percy moved across the room and out of the door into a hallway that lead to the kitchen across. He pulled out his phone. It was already on with a couple dozen new messages from a nameless contact. It piled on and on with questions that grew more delirious than the last one. At least she stopped calling.

Maybe it was a mistake calling her.

Percy dialed the another number and waiting with bated breath as the tone hummed in his ears like drums rocking the building.

One ring. Two ring. Three ring. Click. "Sir." The voice was light, but steely focused.

"How soon will it take the brigade to assemble under New York." Percy spoke with a deep undertone and knife like confidence.

"Two hours." The voice responded without even the briefest pause.

"Station the Brigade in the Labyrinth. B1 and 2 in the east exit. B3 in the west exit. Station the Avalon carrier outside the city. The Harbor Blvd can hold the vehicle. Wait for further orders."

"Yes, sir."

Percy shut the phone close and continued down the hall.

Percy returned with water bottles and snacks. Power bars were a commodity, one that he will never pass up. It was hard as it is with disgusting rations on rainy days or even worse the packs given to him on missions were terrible. In the beginning he refused to eat the food. It caused a huge fuss with the others to the point where they would force it down his throat before he left.

"I know its technically stealing, but can't something with more calories? I mean I didn't eat all the plane ride so we can have breakfast together." Annabeth groaned, but opened the bar anyway.

"We shouldn't eat too much. We still have jumping to do." Percy said through a full mouth.

"Not necessarily the date I was hoping for." Annabeth said under her breath.

"What?"

"What-? Nothing! I said, not necessarily the hangout I was hoping for." Annabeth answered in a higher pitch and took a hardy bite of her power bar.

Percy stared at Annabeth for a moment with icy examination. He took her in, her language below the vocals and in a second he knew her. He turned away and let out a low sigh.

"Let's go. I have a plan."

After a few close encounters with heart attacks later, Annabeth found herself guided to the second floor of a business building. The offices were cluttered with mortals. The air vent hummed and a steady beep of an alarm somewhere in the distance.

The lobby was a strange mix of calm occupied, with low buzz of computers, yet it lacked the crucial necessity of humanity. There were no coughs, or scribbles, or typing.

"Care to share your grand plan?" Annabeth spoke, absently yearning for Percy's voice in this silence. She refused to let her discomfort show.

"Luke should be at the entrance to Hades about now." Percy answered, looking through the blinds of one of the windows. A middle-aged man lay slack on the wooden table by his hip. His presence or lack thereof made Annabeth's skin crawl. How was Percy so calm in all of this? "The Door of Orpheus is in the north side of the pond in Central. Directly across that building." He pointed to a tan building several blocks away.

"We'll move to that building. Then we rush into the park." Percy turned away from the window, retracting his fingers that splayed open the blinds causing it to snap shut. He turned to Annabeth and stared her straight in the eyes with a steely control that sent chills up her spine. "You have to run as fast as you can. I'll take care of any threats that comes your way."

Annabeth swallowed. The seriousness of the situation seemed highlighted by Percy's demanding tone. She suddenly realized that maybe jumping from rooftop to rooftop was not going to be her greatest endeavor today.

"And what if Luke isn't there?" Annabeth's voice was small.

Percy glanced away, out of the window but to a different direction.

"Then we escape through the entrance." Percy finally said after a breath of a moment.

"But, what about the mortals?" Annabeth asked.

"We'll have to leave them." Percy answered, his gaze never leaving the distance.

His voice was so unanimated. Combined with his actions today, it made Annabeth's stomach twist thinking Percy could somehow be so cruel even to strangers.

Something new caught Annabeth's ears. It broke through the monotone of the city and shattered the air like glass. A shrill cry that blurred through the office walls like a chime in a hollow room. If not for the utter speechlessness of the city she wouldn't have even heard the faded voice.

Percy snapped into action. He pulled the blinds up and opened the window, poking his head out to survey. His eyes locked onto the target to the right, away from the aforementioned tan building. A frown tugged on his lips and his eyes turned a frightening dark green.

Annabeth's curiosity overtook her hesitation. She pushed herself out of the window and scanned the street below. Her eyes found the source of the scream almost instantly.

In the midst of the crawling black creature the only other moving form flared out a bold crimson hair. She was stuck in a car pulled over into to the curb. All around her the shadowy figures loomed onto the car like a mound of ants.

Annabeth turned back to Percy words already rising in her throat.

"We have—"

"Let's go." Percy hook his arm under Annabeth's and around her back.

Annabeth's vision brightened and the world around her shimmered and in a flash of red she wasn't standing anymore. There was the rushing of wind and the prickle of air on her skin then her vision returned. She dropped down two feet onto the pavement still in Percy's arm.

"I'm going to serve as decoy." Percy said with a rigid command. He released Annabeth and she wobbled form the fast travel. She pressed her hand on the car they had landed behind for support. "Go get that girl and take her through the entrance."

Annabeth glanced back to Percy. No. What about you? She opened her mouth to reject the plan.

Percy vanished in a shudder. His form arched far over her head for a breath of a moment before flickering away.

A red missile blurred from the sky, slamming into the ground near the car. The pavement erupted in dust and cries as the black creatures were sent flying through the air, some in pieces. The remaining creatures withdrew, rearing their ugly heads to the sky just as Percy soared through and landed, stomping, onto the face of a particularly large monster.

On Percy right, a canine beast swung its arm, its claws were nearly the size of its abdomen. The claws slammed into Percy's chest, blowing him off his feet and backwards. The dagger like claws tore through his coat and into his skin.

Then Percy wasn't there anymore. He was crouched under the swing of the canine beast. He pulled his black sword down and severed the outstretched arm. It fell somewhere between them and Annabeth.

Percy broke off into a sprint. He passed the immediate group of monsters and straight pass the stationary car and down the street with an insane speed. He weaved through the crowds of black monsters like a dancer, twisting and spinning.

The decoy did his job. The throng of monsters turned their lifeless heads and began to prance down the street. They flood out through the cluttered street, hopping from car to car. Soon even the remaining dribble of monsters were lured away.

Annabeth gathered her courage and pushed off the car. She ran across the street and down towards the black car that held the red haired girl. She reached the car, but the driver's door slammed open, hitting a car adjacent her.

The first thing Annabeth saw was a pink comb. The girl rose from behind the door her comb held in both hands like a weapon. She had freckled cheeks, emerald green eyes wide with terror, and frizzy red hair pulled down behind her.

The girl directed her weapon to Annabeth.

"Who're you?" The red haired girl demanded, but the shaking in her voice gave away her fear.

"My name is Annabeth Chase. I'm the one of the good guys." Annabeth raised her hands despite the utter lack of logic of fearing a comb weapon.

"That's what all the evil guys say." The red hair girl responded in a low tone. "Not the first part. The second part. I believe your name is Annabeth."

"We don't have time for this!" Moved forward and snatched one of the girl's wrist. "Do I even look like a one of those monsters? We have to get to the park. There's way out of this city."

Annabeth pulled the girl along. She didn't resist much, resigning herself into filling Annabeth.

"Rachel Elisabeth Dare!" The girl called up. "My name—"

"Nice to meet you Rachel." Annabeth shouted back over her shoulder as she led them through the obstacle of stationary, functioning vehicles. She could see the green of the trees not so far off.

"Where're we going?" Rachel said, her voice in between panting and anxiety.

"There's an exit in Central park, we have to get there."

"What about those monsters?" Rachel threw her head back over her shoulder towards where the car had been.

"Percy will take care of them." Annabeth said under her breath. It was more to reassure herself than Rachel. He'll be alright. Won't he?

Building after building rushed passed like endless blurs of a tunnel with the distant tree line in their sight much like the light at the very end. The surrounding monsters began to converge. From in front the monsters growled and darted from the roof of the cars like skipping stones.

The black pack closed from the distance, merely a block away.

Rachel yanked back against Annabeth's pull.

"Wait! Why're you heading towards them?" Rachel cried out.

"Trust me!" Annabeth shouted back before pulling harder. Rachel resisted but continued to move. Their speed slowed down from the struggle and the monsters were only picking up speed.

The cars in front of them crashed, ripping into small metal debris. The sound cut through them a second later as metal and machine was crushed with a thick hammer of weight. In front of them a beast, twice the size of both of them combined crouched, beady eyes trained with lifeless vengeance.

Annabeth and Rachel pulled back, stumbling to a halt. The beast roared an unnatural gurgle that sounded broken and distorted. The whiplash from the sound pushed them back.

The bull creature raised its arms, two hammer fists, and bought it down onto Annabeth and Rachel.

A black blur spear through the air and caught the bull in its chest and blew it off the car and sent it crashing into the piles of unmanned cars. The bull's impact shoveled a group of cars into the sidewalk. The black spear was a thin blade that protruded from its caved in chest.

In a flicker of red the sword disappeared. A clap startled Annabeth as fire erupted from her right, somewhere in the distance. She tried to follow the action, but before she could even assess the fire, another explosion broke out across the street further away.

All Annabeth could catch was a spark of red as Percy blinked from one side of the street to the other. His sword sliced through the waves of monsters with the crushing power of the ocean as he swept the monsters and cars with a single swing, blowing the creatures off their feet and into the surrounding buildings two or three or six at a time.

Percy landed on the street somewhere in the distance and swung the sword with both hands. The tip of the obsidian blade glanced off a monsters hide and immediately it was sent spiraling through the street catching four of its brethren with it. The force of the swing was so powerful the air sent cars in front of the swing grinding away. He turned his head to his right and jumped off so fast it almost seemed like he flew.

Percy landed on the ground right under a humanoid monster, and launched off again, gripping the monster by the throat with his free hand and sending them both burrowing into the second floor of a building.

More monsters poured from outside of the block. The grey sky darkened. Wisps of black creatures descended like rain from the deep clouds.

"We need to go." Annabeth collected herself enough to continue down the street. This time Rachel didn't need hand holding.

They pass the dissolving bodies of the downed monsters and the wrecked mess of cars trying to ignore the still unconscious passengers in the vehicles. A fire had starting and began to burn brighter and brighter latching onto the storefront on their right.

"We'll come back." Annabeth sounded frantic, definitely terrified. "We'll save them. I promise."

Glass burst over Annabeth's head as another explosion wrecked her senses. High in the darkening sky, fire poured from the buildings of a skyscraper. The building's windows were already shattered from the original impact earlier that day. Percy was falling from the exploding building wrestling with a black mass as he plummeted.

Percy untangled himself from the monster and sent it down with a stomp. He plunged his sword into the brick of the building he fell from to stop his fall. For a breath of a moment he rested there, crouched sideways on the sixth floor of a skyscraper.

Percy scanned from the crowded air and spotted an approaching flying wraith. He yanked his sword from the building before jumping off the side of the building, disappearing into a streak of crimson and slammed against the incoming wraith and crashing into the building on the other side of the street.

"Go!" Annabeth cried behind her and picked up her speed. They were nearly there. Merely a short distance until they reached the park. Hope was so close. And in that brief moment she didn't notice the falling debris of a chunk of a building hurtling down on her.

Rachel jumped forward and grabbed onto Annabeth's shirt and pulled with all her might to stop Annabeth. Annabeth barely had time to look upwards as Percy appeared and the building side was cleaved in half a dozen feet above her.

The two halves of the debris slammed onto the street on either side of them, picking up dust. Percy landed on the roof of a truck his back turned towards them. He stared into the sky filled with wraiths with a serine calm. There, gawking up at Percy Annabeth finally had finally relented into the conclusion that Percy was different. He was not one of them. She could no longer ignore that. He vanished into the air, again.

Annabeth made it to the other side of the street and finally into the comfort of the tree-lines. She turned back as Rachel passed her and glanced one last time as the blurred form of Percy zoomed behind her.

"Percy…" please survive. Annabeth turned away and met Rachel who was also staring back at the buildings. "We have to find the Doors of Orpheus."

Rachel tore her eyes away from the buildings and back to Annabeth. "You mean the guy with the harp?"

"The lyre. And yes." Annabeth began to lead the way.

"Okay. Where is it?" Rachel fell into steps with Annabeth.

"I have no idea."

Thump.

A very like a drum rung through the city block shaking the very ground he stood on. His eyes focused despite his bodily fatigue. He narrows in on his target, a rush blur.

Thump.

He shot forward with impeccable speed. There was a strain in his thighs as he pushed off the building side and prickles on his skin as he sailed through the cold air. His arms pushed forward and into downwards arc. Slamming into the approaching creature.

Thump.

His sword cleaved through therapies sword of the creature. He pushed the sword downwards and sideways. His free left hand shot out and grasped the creatures collar, then ripped his sword back upwards, slicing the creature in two.

Thump.

He landed, smashing into the sides of an office building. He broke through the window and rolled to a stop on the tiled floors. Blood speared from his sleeves as he dragged to a stop.

Percy breathed out, slow and steady. Then he took a breath in. The colors brightened and the world became more sharp. His ears ring louder and transformed into the wash of the city, with wind brushing every corner and a blearing siren somewhere down the street.

The thumping of Percy's heart slowed down as he took a blink of a break. He pushed himself from the floor and onto his feet, still sore and wobbly. He maneuvered to the window that he crashed into, although his entrance had already pushed aside most of the office chairs and desk that had stood in his way.

The clouds churned overhead, blotting out nearly all of the light from the afternoon sun. It would have almost looked like dusk if not for the blood red shine that was casted over the city. Somewhere in the fissure of the clouds, a crimson light had leaked through like blood luring over the city. Every building, and every road, and every car seemed covered in blood.

The sight was familiar.

You are holding on by a string. Mnemosyne's voice echoed in his ear. He felt the comforting coldness of her presence in the back of his mind. She managed the remaining supplies of mana within his body, carefully directing them to his limbs in a matter so that his body would be able to function even if they have been broken.

Percy knew her warnings were severe but at the same time he always knew his body would be able to push beyond its limits when he needed it to. In a way he knew his body better than the management system installed in his body, one that was supposed to know him better than anyone else.

Most of the time Percy found his consolidate mind wandering off and his instinct took over the controls. Where his colleagues would hesitate before jumping off a building and confirm again and again with their management systems that they would handle the landing or manage the timing, Percy just jumped. There was no need to confirm with Mnemosyne. Why would there be when she's kept him alive for four long years?

Percy was different than the others in another way. He didn't rely too much on Mnemosyne as others had with their own management systems, rather he simply knew how to control his body. He knew when the he was going to hit the ground and how long his body needed to prepare so that his knees didn't push up into his skull. Falling. It was simple. He's done it countless times.

"How much longer?" Percy asked in a way as if he had expected the answer, however it wasn't demanding. It was expecting.

I project they would reach the target destination in 15 minutes 25 seconds. With error of 14 seconds. Mnemosyne responded quickly.

"Then our job isn't done, yet." Percy reached to his belt to pull out his climbing hook, only to grab at empty air. He glanced down expecting that he had forgotten his utility belt. But he didn't. He hadn't made one yet.

Reminiscing? Mnemosyne joked kindheartedly.

"Anticipating, technically." Percy took a step out of the window and fell down from the third floor, piercing Lucifer into the unsuspecting head of a large beast. The beast crumbled from the impact, it's internal organs leaked through its mouth in a dissipating dust.

Your mana expenditure is childishly unwise. Mnemosyne scolded even as she pushed more energy to support Percy's skeletal integrity.

"Wait a minute." Percy dislodged his sword from the beast's skull and hopped backwards off the body and away from an incoming swipe of another monster. He sidestepped pass the monster's arm and plunged his sword into its exposed belly. "Do you think that's why I'm always assigned as the decoy?"

Operations are highly confidential. Mnemosyne said in purposeful monotone.

"I am apart of the operations!" Percy exclaimed while he slid the sword from the monster's belly. "If I had known that was Prometheus' methods I wouldn't've messed around so much!"

That is unlikely. Mnemosyne sounded doubtful.

"Thanks for the support. And here I thought you were looking out for my safety." Percy grumbled. He swung his sword in his hand, brandishing it in an elegant twirl before settling it in front of him, facing the throng of incoming wraiths. "Try not to betray me this time."

Why, I would never think to. Mnemosyne teased.

The first of the wraith lashed out with its knife like hands. Percy smacked the side of its hands aside, throwing its balance off as it tumbled pass him. Percy slashed the thighs of the next monster, sliding to the left to avoid it as it fell rolling on the ground. He swung his sword upwards and severed the next monster's attacking arm, then pulled his sword back and thrusted into the next monster's chest.

Percy swung around the monster and delivered a stomp into another wraith's chest, sending the deformed monster back and crashing into two more monsters. He pulled his sword from the previous monster's chest and beheaded another monster.

Percy pulled back, drawing distance between him and he approaching wraith's.

Behind you. Downwards swing overhead. Mnemosyne warned. An image already forming in Percy's head. He raised his sword over his head and blocked the heavy claws of a monster inches over his head.

Percy pulled his sword to the side, cutting off the monster's claws and twirled around, slicing through the monster's chest.

More wraith's rushed him, from in front and behind. Mnemosyne's calm and quick voice detailed their approach. Not that in Percy's state now he's any good at deflecting this much incoming pressure.

To the right. Fourth floor wall is structurally sound. Mnemosyne declared. Immediately Percy crouched low, channeling mana into the ball of his feet. He pushed off the ground. His body vanished in a flash of red. His vision morphed from red to white to the grey of the world around them.

Percy caught the window frame with his free hand and pressed his feet against the side of the building. He turned back to the street below him where a mound of monsters began to form piling on one another. Percy pointed Lucifer in their direction and forced energy from his chest to his shoulders and into his palm, letting it travel through the metal of the blade.

"Mast von Blitz!" A flash of sigils ran through Percy's mind as Mnemosyne read out the correct incantations. The current of energy transformed into electricity and coarser through the blade and soaring into the street igniting the mound of wraiths.

In a blink the mound exploded in blue fire incinerating all flesh that came into contact searing the organs into ash and the bones into dust. The street was clear except for clumps of ash and soot.

Percy's blade hissed with electricity. A line of smoke travelled off the point of the blade. Percy released his hold on the window frame and landed on the cleared street. But his victory was short lived as more wraiths approached from the distance.

Incoming.

Percy turned to face the center of the city, where the Empire State Building would have stood had it still been standing. The eye of the storm seemed to reside there. The torrent of black clouds spiraled above where the wrecked building would have been. A threatening glow shown down onto the city from there like a godly eye watching the mortals below.

Thunder rumbled through the clouds, revealing dark shadows beyond the clouds. The ray of red light grew deeper in shade and clouds moved in a faster vortex.\

"Find the fastest route to the Empire State Building." Percy took off, flickering into the air and bounding up the window sill of a nearby apartment building.

Confirm. Avoiding Central Park, move right along the city. Approximately five minutes. Mnemosyne answered. Percy followed the path shown in his mind.

Annabeth found herself utterly lost in the unfamiliar woods of central park. Not so much that she didn't know where she was rather she didn't know what her destination was. Every tree looked the same and every blade of grass and every leaf was painted by the ugly dark crimson red bleeding into a mash of black and brown. The color itself began to unnerve Annsbeth.

Annabeth began to doubt hey every step. Her ears picked up on the loud crashing echoes behind her and she was compelled to turn around and drag Percy with her but she knew she couldn't. Somewhere along the line she had gotten attached to that idiot even despite her logic be reasoning screaming at her to distance herself.

Perhaps it's because of his mystery something about him that captures her attention and demands her curiosity. I mean, can you blame me? It's not every day that someone comes along who can shoot beams of light from his hands!

It was irrational and unnatural and yet she feels this faint familiarity with him. Something along the lines of an old forgotten friend. She feels like she can trust him, and she does against her better judgement. How many times does a person have to be saved before I get a weird attachment with the savior?

"Gah!" Annabeth stomps her feet and scratches her head in frustration, ruffling up her blond curls. Rachel gave a reassuring pat on her shoulder, an action a little too friendly. Maybe Rachel was in the same boat as she was except attached to Annabeth where Annabeth felt attached to Percy.

"What's the matter?" Rachel tilted her head. She seemed to be taking the apocalypse pretty well.

"'What's the matter?' This! I have no idea what's going on! The world's ending and I have no idea where Orpheus' Door is! All Percy's told me is to walk straight from this one building but I honestly don't even know where the building is anymore." Annabeth lashed out, feeling her face grow hot. She couldn't take the pressure anymore, it felt like she was shaking from the weight of death all around her. The moment she ended her tirade she regretted it. She wasn't supposed to act like this. Calm and calculating. She had to clear her mind or else she would never find the door.

Rachel retracted her and scrambled for some reassuring words. She opened her mouth but nothing came to mind. She turned away and searched through the neatly placed trees then back to the way they had come from.

"Well, we can't go back so why don't we keep moving and see if we can find this door!" Rachel began to march ahead of Annabeth who glared at the back of Rachel's head. "Looking for a door in Central Park, how hard can it be! I've found a needle in a haystack before. Although, it took me and a group of five three days."

Annabeth begrudgingly followed after Rachel. This is some gods damn stroll!

"I've always seen these crazy things but then suddenly— boom! Everything into some kind of Diablo deal." Rachel chimed. It appeared to Annabeth as if Rachel really didn't understand the danger they were in. How— stupid. "But, you seem to know what you're doing. Is this, like, every day for you?" Rachel's voice lowered, and despite walking ahead of Annabeth, she could see a frown on Rachel's lips.

"No this never happens." Annabeth answered in a solemn tone. "Well, never since about a few months ago."

Rachel didn't speak up again. She crossed her arm under her chest and gripped tightly on each bicep.

"You know, there are gods out there." Annabeth started in a tired sigh. "And monsters and heroes and all that. The Greek myths, they're all real. And the craziest part is that that isn't even the crazy part. I have no idea what those creatures out there was. I have no knowledge at all what they are or where they come from. This is something different. A new threat."

Rachel stayed silent, using all her might to contain her questions. Instead, she continued forward, aimlessly following the shimmer of light in the dull, Crimson afternoon.

"It's crazy to think that living in the world of geek mythology can be considered normal. But, this is very much making me miss those days when everything was the same— predictable. I wasn't ready for this. I don't think anyone was." Annabeth mumbled almost to herself.

"See, I knew it!" Rachel exclaimed, pulling Annabeth's attention from the ground. "I knew that there were strange creatures and monsters out there! I've seen them before, sometimes in the distance, sometimes wondering along normal people. But, everybody just thinks I'm crazy. My parents even hired a therapist for me."

"You've seen?" Annabeth sounded doubtful. Rachel didn't look like a demigod. She seemed more of a wannabe demigod.

"Yeah, so I've been keeping a lid on my suspicions for a while now— no more people to tell, I guess." Rachel continued without acknowledging Annabeth's tone. "But then someone called me—"

"Rachel!" Annabeth shouted, scaring Rachel into jumping. The redhead turned back startled.

"Yes?" Rachel asked in a small voice.

"Where are you going." Annabeth demanded.

"I don't know. I was just going towards that lamp." Rachel jabbed her thumb in the direction over her shoulder. Annabeth squinted past Rachel.

"What're you talking about? I don't see it." Annabeth passed Rachel and glared at the mass of trees.

"Are you kidding me?" Rachel pointed into the distance. "That light there. It's a little faint, but it's right there!"

"There's nothing there, Rachel." Annabeth deadpanned.

"Now, you're sounding like the therapist." Rachel groaned.

"Rachel, it's four o'clock. The lamps don't turn on until seven." Annabeth glared back at Rachel who was now staring intently into the distance.

"You have to be kidding me. No, I swear it's there!" Rachel said with more force. She famed her hand over her eyes to block out the nonexistent glare of light. "Wait a minute. It looks like smoke, like there's a fire."

Annabeth grabbed Rachel's shoulder and moved in front of her and stared straight in her eye. The stern grey eyes didn't belong on a thirteen-year-old. It made Rachel's skin crawl.

"Rachel. If you're telling the truth about being able to see monsters, then you can see through the mist. If that is true, then you will be able to find the Doors of Orpheus." Annabeth narrowed her eyes like daggers, piercing through Rachel. Rachel felt naked in her presence. "But, if you're lying you will get us killed— I will die— you will die."

Rachel felt a shiver travel up her spine. It wasn't a threat, but yet it felt like a threat. Whoever this Annabeth character was, she was not someone to mess around with. Slowly Rachel nodded.

"Okay, then lead the way." Annabeth released her hold on Rachel and stepped aside.

Rachel glanced towards Annabeth, who returned with a firm but reassuring gaze, then back towards the pulsating light. Then she took a step, testing her confidence.

No. Rachel didn't feel any different— not lighter or stronger, it just felt normal. So she continued, with less bounce in her feet but the same confidence she had when she aimlessly strode towards forward.

Annabeth followed closely behind Rachel, occasionally glancing past Rachel and towards their invisible destination. They were walking further from the streets, and the little light from the sky was dimming, drowning the whole world in red. It was unnerving.

Annabeth didn't like not know what she was doing. It was frustrating. But there was no other choice but to trust Rachel and if she had to then she would. Percy didn't sacrifice his life to just save anyone, whoever she was she better be authentic.

"Uh-oh." Rachel stopped short in her tracks. Annabeth stepped to the side to look ahead.

"That doesn't sound good." Annabeth said her voice mixed with frustration and dread.

"The light, it's— uh, coming from that pile of rocks." Rachel pointed to the generous slabs of rocks placed on top of each other. "It's coming from underneath."

"Then, that's our door." Annabeth moved towards the rocks not daring to have hope, not yet.

"So what. Do we dig up the rocks?" Rachel followed Annabeth, sounding more relief that she didn't manage to walk them into their deaths.

"From the story of Orpheus, we have to provide it was music in order to open it." Annabeth crossed her arm.

"So," Rachel pulled out her phone. "Do you think it likes alternative."

"Real music, not a recording." Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"It's picky for a pile of rocks." Rachel returned.

"Okay, I think I remember a song I knew when I was little." Annabeth snapped her fingers and uncross her arms. She rolled her shoulders and took a breath. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. Then she turned to Rachel. "Can you look away?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure." Rachel turned away.

"And cover your ears."

"Annabeth." Rachel deadpanned.

"Sorry. I just haven't tried my hands at singing in a while." Annabeth brushed off imaginary dust from her shirt and took a deep breath.

Annabeth sang. Although her mind was everywhere but in her voice. She tried to distract her busy mind, because as outgoing as she was, singing would never be something she could be comfortable with. It left her feeling naked.

The lullaby was short. It was soft and it didn't strain her throat. She remembered that was partly the reason she even learned it when she was a kid. And honestly she would have completely forgotten about it had she not visited her father, again.

The rocks trembled as if rocked by an earthquake, then they separated. A blinding ray of light washed through the opening, piercing in its whiteness. It flew outwards and upwards bleeding color back into the bleak world. The light arched upwards and reached high into the clouds.

The burn grey clouds rippled from the touch of white light. The bloody red hue washed away like melting ice. The grey spread wider and wider, stopping as a third of the sky was finally back to its original color. The light faded leaving Annabeth on her butt.

"Annabeth!" Luke, rushed out of the opening and slid down to her side. He lifted her up by her shoulders and pulled her close to his chest. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." Annabeth breathed out in relief for the first time since this morning.

"Oh, thank the gods." Luke buried her face in his chest and hugged her tightly.

Annabeth patted his shoulder until he let her go. She got back up with his help them turned to find Rachel getting up herself.

"This is Rachel. She can see through the mist. She was the one who found the door." Annabeth introduced Rachel, who gave a weak but wide grin.

"I'm Luke Castellan. Nice to meet you." Luke offered a smile as well. His smile faded a moment after. "Where's Percy?"

Annabeth felt her mouth dry, her heart sank into her stomach. She turned and shared a look with Rachel.

"Percy, drew away the monsters so we could make it here." Annabeth said. Her dread returned as if she had just realized what she just said.

Luke's face was an unreadable mask. His eyes were dark in thought.

"Alright kids, we can catch up some other time." Annabeth turned to find Dionysus standing by the entrance of the door, clad in robe and armor. Surely, he was the one who broke the barrier.

"Rachel, we have to go. But, we'll come back." Annabeth turned and took Rachel's hand.

"But—"

"I promise to you we will come back to save everyone." Luke reassured.

Rachel nodded then followed Annabeth through the rock doors and into a stairway. Beckendorf stood waiting there wearing an orange camp shirt. She went first taking a few steps down. She stopped and looked back to see Annabeth still standing on the other side of the door.

"Aren't you coming?" Rachel asked.

"No, I have to stay." Annabeth said lowly. "I have to make sure Percy's going to be alright."

The doors began to close in on them. Rachel tried to climb back out of the path but Beckendorf caught her elbow.

"Hey, hey. Don't worry. They'll be fine!" Beckendorf called out. "Luke is the best swordsman in camp and Annabeth— well she's Annabeth."

Rachel watched as the door close.

"I'll take you to Chiron. We'll keep you safe until we can get the city back." Beckendorf let go of Rachel's elbow. "You can trust us. We're the good guys. My names Beckendorf."

Annabeth turned to Luke who was watching the churning sky above.

"What happens now?"

"Now, I join the other Olympians." Dionysus answered. He unsheathed his blade. "Do try not to get killed in the cross-fire." He raised his sword. A bolt of lightning coursed down and struck his blade and in a flash he was gone.

"The demigods are moving in towards Manhattan." Luke turned to Annabeth. "We'll rendezvous with them at the Harlem Hospital."

The Empire State Building lay in fire. Crumbled stone piled higher than most skyscrapers. Half its length was destroyed, gouged diagonally, leaving the remaining structure like a corpse strung up. The metal bones stuck out of the ruble, trying desperately to hold up its own weight.

The flesh and organs of the once mighty beast was showered over the surrounding streets, crashing through the cars and pavement like the waves of an ocean, leaving behind burning fire and debris. The buildings closer to the epicenter had cracked and shattered from the impact. They, too, were nothing more than ash and bones.

A darkness fell over Percy. A deep, sinister cold, so black it burned his chest like a red poker. He felt electricity course through his blood, and thunder ringing in his ears.

But Percy would not cry.

Percy learned years ago his voice would never change the world. His pleas would always fall on deaf ears. No. Only his hands can change this world.

He rolled his fingers into balls and squeezed firmly.

With these hands I will destroy you.

Percy's black eyes zeroed in on the speck floating down from the sky. It lowered, calmly onto the ruined Empire State Building. A figure, lean and elegant. Green dress blotched in black and red blood.

The figure stared down with its angular face. Her eyes were sharp with muted horror. Like watching a hurricane through windows. Her feet touched the remaining stone flesh of the building, her eyes never breaking from Percy's

She strode to the edge of the building, every step even and quiet as if she had glided over the stone.

"Demeter." Percy spoke. A breeze passed between the edges of their two buildings.

"Perseus." The figure answered in a shaking crisp voice. It's mouth black as the blood flowing through her dress.

"You opened the rift on Limestone Island." Percy said firmly, accusing more than asking.

"On the contrary." Demeter purred. Slender like a snake, her index finger touched her bottom lips. "You were the one who opened the rift with your thrashing about."

"You won't have the time utilize the corruption." Percy growled. "I'll end this before it grows any larger."

"And what makes you think you can do that?" Demeter chuckled like the edge of a knife. "After all, you failed the first time around."

Ice coursed through Percy's body. A sweat rolled down the side of his temples. His throat was desert dry. His fingers were shaking.

"Oh yes, don't think you can run away from your fate." Demeter's graceful smile stretched into a morbid grin. "We have followed you here. We will follow you to the ends of this earth and beyond. So run. At the very least you will serve a more thrilling hunt."

"Let's end this!" Percy pushed energy through his body, along his bones, and into the ground shattering the skyscraper's rooftop as he propelled high into the sky. Through the distance between them. Percy released his black blade. Lucifer sang sharply in the rushing air.

Demeter glided back across the surface of the Empire State Building as Percy struck.

The rubble of the building exploded high into the red sky as Lucifer met the cement and metal. Before the dust even settled, Percy launched forward whirling the sword horizontally, slicing at Demeter's side. She blocked the blade cold in its track with her slender arm.

Vines, black like snakes, burst from the cement aimed like arrows. Percy jumped back— two vines ran through Percy's mana armor, shirt, skin, and flesh of his torso. He cut his sword upwards and severed the vines before they could cause more damage. Pain blossomed in his abdomen.

Percy ripped the vines out, both in a single pull, then blinked onto the higher end of the building, 20 feet over Demeter. He lifted his free hand.

"Fatal Strike!" Tendrils of gold rushed from Percy's body crashing into the lower half of the building, as it moved it incinerated deep crevices into the building. The wave of light was divided in half and in a flicker a blade—like a scythe of bone and flesh—cut the building in half.

Percy only had a blink of a moment to move out of the way, rolling on his back. And in the second blink Demeter was falling onto Percy with the scythe hanging on a vine like a whip. Percy glance upwards and flickered away a moment after. He stumbled to his feet on the edge of the Empire State Building.

Percy was already feeling the sudden drain in his mana. He felt light-headed, his limbs were lead and his lungs simply wasn't providing enough air. He forced his body to focus with pure will and anger. Demeter rose from her crouch and turned elegantly to face Percy. Her whip scythe retracted so it was barely off the ground, swinging mildly.

"Still running?"

Percy vaulted into the air his sword pointed skywards. The black blade shimmer with golden light.

"Ex Cede-don Sayf!" Shards of light manifested around Percy, all vertically poised, three feet in length. Percy leveled his sword down onto Demeter, all a hundred swords of light followed his trajectory. Then all at once, the swords rain down onto the building in a hail of light.

The swords bounced off Demeter like Styrofoam, shattering a moment after. She swung her scythe and took out half of the swords in a single swing.

Percy was already on the ground, several yards to her side. He raised his free hand.

"Heavenly Chains." The golden chains spiraled around, swimming in the air before speeding outwards, wrapping around the outstretched scythe, pulling it to the ground, with nails pinning the chain to the building. Percy raised his sword. "Curse befall unto me, through this perilous night—"

Demeter swung her arm.

The golden chains tore to pieces.

The force of the wind slammed into Percy throwing him off the Empire State Building. He twisted and directed his fall, slamming onto the roof of a lower building. He forced himself onto his hands and knees, hacking out blood. One breath. Two breath. Get up!

Percy pushed himself up onto his feet, swayed, then balanced.

"—Ravage within me for my flesh will become my fire—"

Suddenly, Percy stopped breathing. He felt a fire ignited his throat, crawling upwards like sickness, and pouring into his mouth like lava. He was bought to his knees, his forehead slamming against the floor. He scratched at his chest, trying to move his lungs, trying to feel anything in his chest. It felt like a thousand razors grinding against his ribcage.

Black smoke spewed from his mouth, covering the floor like a deep fog. More came. More and more. He felt his body shriveling, as if his organs had turned to dust then smoke. He slammed his fist on the floor, tears in his burning eyes. He saw blackness or maybe that was the smoke.

Then it left him completely, like pulling his flesh from inside his skin. He lay there, eyes traveling to the smoke that had converged on the floor.

The black fog mounded on itself, crawling taller and taller. Its form was shifting, crude like clay, it formed, harder and more solid. It had arms and legs. It had a face, a human face. It was him. His face.

Percy stared back. His face was like wax, completely dead. It was tall, taller than Percy was. Its jaw, his jaws were more defined, his hair longer. His shoulder was broad. His chest bigger. It was him. It was him when he was older.

The man had grey skin, black hair. The smoke lingered around him like a hue. He turned to face Percy—black eyes. He was wearing (Percy realized in fury) the black, sleeveless under shirt and ragged pants he wore the night he travelled back in time.

Percy pushed himself off the ground, his ears were ringing. He leaned on his sword, sliding almost off balance again.

The other Percy looked to Percy's sword the into its own hand, left hand, mirroring Percy. His hand melted into fog and formed into a long rod, then sharpened into a sword, Percy's sword.

"Percy."

Once more!

Percy felt his pain numb. His pain—his cuts and his bruises, and his fractures muted—and he found strength to lift his sword again. He pointed the tip at his double.

The other Percy did the same. It sparked an intense anger inside him. That was his body, his looks. Whatever this was, it stole his true self from him. He glared pass his double and at Demeter standing on the edge of the Empire State Building, watching with gleeful indifference.

Percy charged the other, his sword slide through the air clashing into an identical sword. Percy realized immediately he was outmatched. The raw strength that pushed back against his blade was so immense it almost felt like pushing against a stone wall.

Percy drew back and slashed his sword rapidly. Lucifer blurred into a whirlwind of blades. Every slash was met with the other's block, sending sparks showering around them.

His doppelgänger's sword slid forward and locked onto Percy's blade. Before the two blades even shifted Percy felt a sinking dread in his chest. The other rotated their sword counter clockwise, hooking his blade under the guard of Percy's and, with a flick, Percy's sword was sent flying. It landed skidding across the roof.

Percy flickered back to the ends of the roof and landed in a crouch. But the other Percy was already gone. Percy felt the shift in the air and bought his arm up just in time to block a crushing blow to the side of his head. He rolled across the floor. His hands and feet pushed off the ground and landed shakily on his knees.

Percy threw his head up to see the slow approach of his doppelgänger. He pulled both arms up and forced what little remaining energy into his palms.

A geyser of liquid light rushed from his palms crashing into his doppelgängers form. The water flooded the roof and spewed over the edge of the building, covering the surface in luminescent paint. The doppelgänger slowed, but the currents of light was nothing more than a nuisance.

The doppelgänger lifted his sword upward with such speed the force of air divided the jet of light in half. It swung horizontally. The blade leaked out a crimson black arch of light, flying faster than the eye could follow.

Percy fell back just as the scythe of black energy wreck his body, grazing his arcane protected arms before sliding past him. The force knocked Percy off of the building. He fell off the side. Percy looked on as the black energy cleaved the adjacent sky scrapper clean in half. The top half of the building began to slide off the lower half before its supports gave away and it crumbled into itself. The colossal building bent over and crashed into the next building, broke off into a million pieces. Dust sprung into the air, covering the sky in debris.

"Percy. You cannot defeat the opposition in your current state. I recommend a strategic retreat."

Percy turned back to the top of the building where he fell. The doppelgänger was up there with Demeter. He couldn't reach them. They were too high to reach.

Percy turned back to the fast approaching ground. Wind coursed through his hair. The air smelled like blood and ash. He was familiar with this smell. He would remember this sight along with every other instance of death and destruction. He will remember everything so that one day he will avenge the pain and hurt they had caused onto everyone.

I know.

Percy rolled his body so that his stomach faced downwards. He fanned out his arms and legs to slow his fall, then directed his body closer to the building he fell from. The moment he came close, he rolled again, tapping his feet on the surface of the building and he was gone in a flicker.

Percy flashed through the city from building to building, moving faster than his current body had ever moved. The dust from the falling building covered his tracks until he was well away from the Empire State Building.

Percy stopped, crash landing style, on the roof of a local apartment complex narrowly missing a pole of drying clothes. He laid there catching his breath. It was then a flash of light pierced the clouds above him. A pillar of white that bought life back into the red and black in the sky.

Dionysus. Mnemosyne whispered the energy signature into Percy's mind.

"Luke made it." Percy acknowledged. He panted out a sigh, covering his eyes with his arm. "He's always too capable."

"And that's a bad thing?" Mnemosyne's voice was carefully playful.

"At least someone succeeded." Percy ignored Mnemosyne's comment.

"Your mission was to protect Annabeth Chase. You accomplished your mission." Mnemosyne said without missing a beat. "And Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Bonus for another essential player."

"I could have saved everyone." Percy mumbled.

"Get up, Percy." Mnemosyne instructed. "The battalion is waiting."

This bought Percy from his brooding reprieve. He swung into a sitting position and pushed himself to his feet. He patted his pants and pulled out his phone, which wasn't broken despite the whole day of monster wrestling. He dialed an unknown number and waited.

The phone rung once then was picked up.

"Sir." The voice, same as before, answered.

"The barrier is broken. Send B1 and B2 into the city and evacuate the citizens. Send them to the Avalon. Protect the citizens at all cost. Not a single one of them can get hurt. That is an order." Percy moved to the edge of the roof and gazed down onto the city. The first of the civilians are beginning the stir. "Have the reinforcements on the Avalon set up a defensive line on

"Yes, sir."

"Send B3 to the radio station and transmit an emergency broadcast." Percy continued. "Declare our unit and our evacuation plan. Give them your name. We need a face."

"Yes, sir."

"Let's introduce ourselves." Percy pressed the end icon before either of them could have said a goodbye.

The phone was lowered, the call already dropped. Percy stuffed his phone into his inner pants pocket and took a breath of the tinge air that smelled of iron. He closed his eyes and allowed the smell to travel through his skin and into his blood. And in the moment with his eyes closed he could have sworn he was back at the end of the world.

But he wasn't there anymore. Percy opened his eyes and took in the breeze that swept through the hollow city, cry furiously.

This is my destiny. The sound of my soul roaring through the air and over the sea of people like words within every page of my fate. And this very wind will turn those pages with sounds of marching footsteps.

I hope I kind of put Percy's strength into scale with the antagonist. I don't want this to be a cake walk for Percy and gang. I want strong enemies that would shake up the story completely and an arch-enemy rather than just 13 random monsters. So I gave the corrupted Olympians a kind of hive mind.

NYC is dead. It's out of the story for the time being. Sadly, I haven't really worked out the details of the story but it'll pretty much be the end of the world and stuff.

Dark Percy is cliché, but whatever.