ZOË

The very moment that Percy corrected her form, all those feelings of bitterness towards his gender came rushing back like a freight train.

Who did he think he was, trying to teach her how to hold a bow and arrow? The very tool that she had mastered two thousand years ago! She had been around long enough to critique Hercules on his posture! She could hit a bull's eye with her hands tied behind her back for Artemis' sake! And here he was telling her that her hand was half an inch too high up?!

Albeit he may have said it as a joke, she certainly did not receive it that way.

"Well, I am older." Was his only response followed by a smirk.

She didn't remember the insults she spat back at him, all she knew is that everybody in the department store had stopped what they were doing and gasped in shock at the colorful language that she had picked up over her two thousand years of life.

"I thought your form was alright." Bianca muttered as she followed closely behind as Zoë stomped angrily through the labyrinth of a store without an ounce of remorse to any innocent shopper that got in her way.

"Alright?!" Zoë gasped and spun around only to find that Bianca nosedived behind a rack of clothes with her eyes slightly peeking above the buy thirty get one free sign.

"Perfect!" Bianca chuckled nervously. "I meant to say perfect of course!"

Zoë muttered angrily to herself and ventured on through the store, not even looking for anything in particular. She just needed to clear her storming mind for a minute. For a moment there, Zoë had convinced herself that maybe, just maybe, she liked Percy Jackson. He seemed different from the last time they saw each other, his attitude, his looks, his personality, it all had become a morphed godly version of the hero he used to be. He had matured a lot and for some very strange reason she felt attracted to him, something fluttered in her chest when they interacted. Not in a romantic way of course, instead she felt somewhat pulled towards him like a tide to the moon. She was clearly very mistaken and out of her mind. The resurrection must have fried her brain like a bag of popcorn in a microwave.

Percy jumped out from behind a clothes shelf and stopped right in her warpath with a huge apologetic grin planted on his face. "Come on, I'm sorry, Zoë! I really didn't mean to insult you! I apologize, honest to the gods."

When she saw him, she felt the need to forgive him and ask for a hug like the one he gave her when they first discovered they had both returned from the dead.

No! She told herself. He insulted thee! Beat him to death with the bow and show him how a proper archer handles her weapon! Make Lady Artemis proud! Hugs afterwards.

Her mind was awfully conflicted. Zoë tried to find a response to his words but all that escaped her mouth was an unintelligible growl. She unslung the fancy new bow that she had been eyeballing earlier and tossed it to Percy. "Pay for it."

Percy chuckled as she stalked towards the exit. "Aren't you going to find some new clothes? Or do you like walking around with no shoes?"

Damn it. She thought to herself, that was the reason they had stopped at this godforsaken store in the middle of nowhere. She spun around and her baggy quadruple XL clothes twirled with her like a dress. She stomped off to find herself some clothes and shoes. Bianca was there by her side the entire time, trying to hide a sly grin. "You're really short fused aren't you?"

She didn't answer her, instead she plucked her friend on the nose. When they finally left the store, Zoë left wearing a silver button down blouse, black jeans, and gray combat boots with an all silver bow slung over her back. All paid for courtesy of Percy Jackson and the wads of cash he stole unintentionally from a group of unsuspecting campers. Bianca had picked out the exact same wardrobe, when Zoë asked her why, she replied that it was just a coincidence but the huge smile and big brown eyes always studying her every move said otherwise. Standing at approximately four inches shorter than Zoë, Bianca looked like her mini-me, she even wore the same high tied ponytail. The only difference between the two were their choice in weapons, Bianca had bought a six inch dagger rather than a bow.

Zoë figured that her companion had grown increasingly attached to her over the past couple of days but she couldn't figure out why. When they got to their gray pick-up, Zoë caught a glimpse of herself in the window reflection and for the first time since she had accepted a role in the Hunters of Artemis, she had grown up. Her face looked like she aged four years in just the span of one day, it was almost as if her body was suddenly adjusting to the fact that she could age again. Earlier that morning they had fallen asleep at a rest area just along the side of a highway, when Percy woke up he nearly freaked out when he saw her. Apparently he noticed that she had aged sporadically as well. She looked like a grown woman, he said. Zoë didn't know whether to drop kick him in the face or thank him when he looked at her like that.

"We still have a couple hours before we reach San Francisco." Percy informed them as they drove down the straight road in this barren desert somewhere in California. The trees had disappeared leaving only the constraining view of sand and mountain ridges in the distance.

"Only a couple hours?" Zoë muttered, he was sitting directly next to her with their shoulders touching, it had been exactly twenty three minutes. The longest amount of time that she had been in contact with a male for as long as she could remember. "We'd arrive much faster if I was driving."

Bianca had insisted that she wanted the window seat, thus leaving Zoë the all too small middle seat scrunched up in between her two companions with barely any space for her to move. Funny enough, Bianca had so much space on her side to scoot over but she kept insisting that she was already too squished.

Zoë was starting to suspect that Bianca was pushing her closer to Percy by the second leaving Zoë red in embarrassment, meanwhile her friend just stared out the passenger window smiling mischievously.

"I tried letting you drive already, Zoë." Percy responded. "But I'd honestly prefer to not die for a second time and I'm pretty sure Bianca feels the same way."

Does she now? Zoë slowly turned towards her friend for a look of confirmation, but she was shaking her head in response to his comment.

"Stop scaring her." Percy shoved Zoë softly.

"I am not." Zoë replied with a smile and shoved Bianca closer to the window, giving her a little more wiggle room. "Sorry. Speed bump."

"Liar." Bianca rubbed her shoulder.

"You guys have your seatbelts on?" Percy asked as he looked into the rear view mirror. "Someone's coming up real fast now. Look at this psycho driving like another Zoë ."

Zoë nearly grabbed a hold of Bianca's dagger and cut out Percy's tongue but the sound of a huge black Cadillac with dark tinted windows roared right past their smaller pickup and sped down the road like it had just broken the sound barrier. The SUV made it just a couple hundred feet down the road and skidded to a halt and positioned itself in the center of the narrow street blocking off both lanes.

"That doesn't look good." Bianca gulped. "Should we ram it?"

"In this piece of junk?" Zoë asked as she began screwing on the steel arrow tips to their shafts, if there was going to be a tussle, she needed to be ready for it. It had been a while since she had a real challenge. "We would barely budge them and I doubt we would get anywhere in a high speed pursuit. No, we have to stop."

"Let's hope they're friendly. Cause we are fresh out of celestial bronze." Percy muttered. "How comfortable are you with your powers, Bianca?"

She sank in her seat. "I've seen what Nico was capable a couple years back…I never even had the chance to learn what he knew, considering I was…you know. Dead."

"Well, nothing beats learning on the job." He came to a soft stop a couple yards away from the suspicious SUV.

"I don't like this, maybe we should just go into reverse?" Bianca suggested.

Too late. Percy and Zoë's curiosity got the best of them. The drivers door opened and the reckless driver came into view.

"No freaking way." Percy hopped out of the vehicle in excitement.

Zoë caught a glimpse of the black haired female just as she exited the vehicle. She was a little shorter than Zoë and dressed in a black leather jacket that dangled with silver chains and on her short cropped hair she wore a…a silver tiara. Zoë 's tiara. A symbol of Artemis' immortal lieutenant.

"Thalia?" Zoë murmured. "That can't possibly be her."

It was her without a doubt, Zoë could recognize that piercing stare from a mile away. Although her eyes weren't their signature electric blue, instead they were replaced by a pair of silver irises. Those eyes went from a permanent state of angry to what the hell is going on real quick as Percy engulfed Thalia in a bear hug and shook her like he was trying to shake the lightning out of her.

"He sure likes to hug people." Bianca noted. "That's his hundredth one in the past twenty-four hours."

It only took a second to realize that Thalia did not feel the same way. The girl wrapped her arms around Percy's, locking him close in place, and headbutted him so hard the impact could be heard from inside their truck. The son of Poseidon was so taken back by the turn of events that he was actually taken off guard and did a little twirl before he crumbled to the ground. Maybe he was expecting his cousin to be a little more excited to see her newly resurrected family again. Thalia couldn't have looked anymore pleased by the sight of him on the floor.

"It seems like she's finally joined the right side." Zoë laughed. "But we should probably go make sure he's okay."

Bianca hopped out of the car and ran to Percy's side. She cradled his head in her laps and slapped him softly in the face. He muttered something about pretty birdies but other than that he seemed alright.

"You hit him harder than necessary, Thalia." Zoë commented as she stood over him with her hand covering her large smile.

Thalia nearly broke out into a run at the sight of her. An unusual comforting smile crossed the daughter of Zeus' face. "Zoë Nightshade?"

"Don't tell me thy is going to hug me too, I've seen what happens." Zoë smirked at the thought of the idea.

"It is true," Thalia whispered. "When I looked into the skies and saw your constellation missing…I did not know what to think."

Zoë furrowed her eyebrows, those were familiar eyes. They looked out of place on Thalia. They seemed like they had seen it all. "Lady Artemis?"

The goddess inhabiting Thalia's body smiled. "I heard your prayers and had to be sure. I thought you would only be subjected to be a memory in my mind every moment after you passed."

Zoë fell to one knee and bowed at Thalia's black leather punk boots. "Lady Artemis, I'm honored you have come. We have been lost for gods know how long."

Artemis grabbed Zoë by her hands, pulled her up to her feet and hugged her. "The world hasn't changed so much, my huntress. I'm sure you would have found your way even if I hadn't came along."

"I had the company of friends." Zoë broke away and nodded to her two companions.

"Lady Artemis." Bianca looked just as surprised as she dropped Percy on the asphalt and knelt.

"Bianca di Angelo. Forgive me, I wish that I had been there for you in your time of need." Artemis pulled her to her feet as well while clasping her hands.

"Elysium wasn't too bad. It's alright, I'm here now. So I guess it kinda worked out in the end, my lady." Bianca blushed.

"My lady?" Percy Jackson groaned as he rolled over on the concrete. "Artemis? Is that you? By the gods this is weird…"

"Percy Jackson." Thalia's face scrunched together in amusement. "I guess I was wrong to assume that a hero such as yourself could have been held down by death. You have out done yourself once more. You are a very interesting man."

"Well leaving behind my girlfriend didn't sit too well with me." Percy muttered as he rose to his feet and held his head. "On another kinda important note, is Thalia still alive in there or…?"

Artemis' eyes flashed blue and her body flickered with sparks of electricity. "Thalia is alive and well. I asked for permission to take her body for a spin. With the ongoing conflict I needed a means of travel through the mortal world that wouldn't catch too much attention from my godly peers."

Percy rubbed his head. "Conflict? What happened?"

Artemis frowned and tossed Percy Jackson the keys to her Cadillac. "We have a lot to discuss. In the meantime you're driving."

Zoë was hurt that she didn't get to sit the front seat with the punk dressed goddess but she didn't dare let her emotions show.

"Are you pouting?" Bianca asked her.

Zoë furrowed her eyebrows, dammit her steel bearings had weakened. "No. I don't pout..."

"So Artemis, this isn't incredibly strange-but ahem what was going on, you said something about a conflict?" Percy asked, his eyes switching between the road ahead and Thalia next to him. He was probably still weirded out as Zoë was. She wondered what Thalia was doing inside that head.

"Because of you, your father has declared war against my father."

Percy nearly swerved into a ditch. "Wait—whoa, whoa, what?! What do you mean because of me? I was dead, do you know what it's like to be dead? Well neither do I because I can't remember, but the point is I don't have control of things when I'm dead! What do I have to do with some war between those two overly powered knuckleheads?!"

Bianca peaked her head forward in between the two seats and grabbed their attention with a false cough. "Um can you keep your eyes on the road, Percy. I don't want to die again, please and thank you."

Artemis turned back to Percy. "Poseidon is under the impression that my father is the reason you were killed. There was a confrontation in the throne room that leveled a better part of Olympus and if what happened in there has any validity to it, my father released the beasts that took you attacked you and your friend two months ago."

Zoë watched a grim expression cross his face. "Well in that case it's not much of mystery is it? If my dad believed that Zeu-"

Artemis' palm shot forward and covered his mouth. "Don't say his name. I am incognito for the time being, if he were to notice my presence here on Earth he would yank me right back to Olympus and probably blast the three of you to kingdom come. We will use codenames, you-know-who shall henceforth be known as…codename daddy."

Bianca burst into laughter that she tried to contain with very little success. Zoë scolded her and plucked her in the face.

Percy looked at Artemis like she was crazy. "First of all, I am not going to call him that! Second of all, if Thunder For Brains is really the one sent those creeps after me and after Reyna!…Then maybe my father should be the one to drag him off that high throne of his."

Percy looked deadly serious, Zoë had never seen such a look in his eyes. "Percy, thy father is the Earthshaker. His wrath has been unleashed upon mortals before and it hasn't ever end pretty. If he were to unleash his full power in a fight against Zeus, there is no measuring how much damage will be caused by his hands."

Percy scoffed and slammed his right palm on the steering wheel. "Poseidon wouldn't do all this without knowing that…he did this. Reyna almost died that night!"

"And now she sits safely in the comfort of Camp Jupiter." Artemis countered. "Her wounds have healed and she is in the company of her friends and family. No danger will come to her in the city."

"I need to see her again." Percy sighed.

"She is safe, Percy. But Poseidon on the other hand has stopped listening in on the mortal realm, he doesn't even know that you're alive. If you were to go to him now it is very possible that you can end this war before it begins."

"It's not that simple, Artemis. The three of us have to get to San Francisco to deal with other matters."

"You'd leave the world at the mercy of our fathers and their war?" Artemis asked. "When you had been accused of stealing the master bolt all those years ago, it nearly ignited a costly war. This is the same situation, except you are your father's master bolt. Your life was taken from Poseidon and it was never given back. He feels that he has been greatly disrespected."

Percy stammered over his words but remained quiet.

"My lady, Kronos has returned." Zoë was wary to say the name, she half expected that the Titan would come crawling from the shadows and attack them. "He is the reason we have traveled this far. The titan launched an attack against Camp Jupiter just yesterday."

Artemis sighed. "I am well aware of my grandfathers return. The Olympians have taken note as well, but my father's bitterness with Poseidon has blinded him to the point of carelessness. This matter has to be dealt with immediately, Kronos will have to wait for tomorrow."

"It's not only him." Bianca said quietly as she fumbled with a tiny animals skull. Where it came from, Zoë had no idea. "Ouranos has returned with him, just like we did."

Artemis twisted in her seat to face Bianca. "What did you say?"

"The primordial god of the heavens…Ouranos is back." Bianca replied.

She turned to Zoë for confirmation. "Is this true?"

Zoë nodded.

"I saw him myself." Bianca said. "He said that the reason he is here was to retake his control over the heavens. But first he needed a host, he needed someone that could allow him to rebuild until he was strong enough to assume his true form, that someone was Percy."

Artemis turned to Percy and studied him with cautious eyes. "The implications of his return are grave, why aren't you under his control right now?"

"Bianca banished his spirit." Zoë said. "It's only a matter of time before he comes back to claim Percy's body."

"You had the strength to banish the spirit of Ouranos?" Artemis nodded in approval. "I will call an emergency counsel to inform the other Olympians, in the meantime, the three of you must travel to Atlantis."

She turned back to Percy. "You must convince your father to end this bitter rivalry today, but be wary of Ouranos, we may not know when he may come back and try to regain control. Pull over here."

"Um, Lady Artemis, I've been to Atlantis before…this is not it." Percy commented as the four of them stood on the edge of a motel pool that was filled with green murky water that barely reached the two feet mark.

"You think I didn't notice that?" She shot back and for a moment, Zoë forgot that Artemis was inhabiting Thalia's body. "I will open a passage between here and your father's domain but you will need to hurry. Once codename Daddy, senses my magic here on Earth he will probably assume that I have taken Poseidon's side in this war. I will be forced back to Olympus and you three will be marked as traitors. More than likely you may be subjected to his wrath if you are still to remain here."

"Sounds fun." Bianca grumbled.

"Once all is settled." Artemis said it as if she was sure. "I will want to know whether the two of you choose to rejoin the hunt. You do not need to if you choose against it. Your pledge died with you years ago, but I would gladly welcome you with open arms."

Her eyes studied Zoë and Percy closely. Artemis pointed the palm of her left hand to the pool and the waters churned with golden rays of godly power. The depth began to rise and the liquid changed colors, suddenly the water was deep blue and Zoë got a whiff of a subtle sea breeze.

"I can't swim." Bianca muttered.

Thunder and lightning rocked the skies as storm clouds brewed heavily. Zeus had taken notice of their presence.

"It's time to go, you have to jump!" Artemis told them.

Percy held out his hand to Bianca. "Come on, I won't let you drown."

Bianca took his hand and the two hopped into the pool disappearing completely.

Zoë turned to Artemis. "Will you be alright, my lady?"

She smiled. "You know more than most that I can take a scolding from my father. He's alway had a soft spot for me. But before I go, I do have to say, you seem different, older for sure. I'd understand if you chose to remain a mortal and seek…a different lifestyle, if that's what you truly want. I will be waiting for your answer when you get back. Take care, Zoë ."

Zoë was going to respond, she didn't know what stopped her. Was it that she didn't know the answer herself or was it the bolt of lightning shot from the sky and struck Thalia's body from behind?

The explosion knocked Zoë off her feet, but she caught a brief glimpse of the same bolt of lightning retracting back into the heavens pulling back a ghost like image of an auburn haired twelve year old girl. Zoë figured Thalia would be alright considering the fact that she was Zeus' daughter but she couldn't help feel sorry for her mistress. Zeus' wrath could means all sorts of things. If he was truly in a bad mood, Artemis would probably be appointed the new Director at Camp Half-Blood.

As Zoë sank into the surprisingly deep pool she thought back to Artemis' words. A different lifestyle. She must have known that Zoë was having troubles with the way she felt. But then it dawned on her, here she was sinking in what she assumed was the ocean…and she was running out of oxygen.

Zoë tried paddling back to the surface but something was forcing her down. She thrashed violently as the waters got darker the lower she got. Was this really how she was going to die for the second time?

"Don't worry I'm here for you, Zoë ." Someone whispered beside her.

A soft hand grabbed her fingertips and suddenly she was engulfed in a giant air bubble with the other person, soaking wet she fell forward and hugged Percy firmly as she struggled to stand.

"Hey, it's alright." Percy said as he held on to her tightly, his grasp didn't fail her. "I wasn't going to let you drown."

Zoë looked up and she saw his smile, for a moment as she stood there slipping on the greasy bubbles surface, she didn't feel like letting go.

"Are you good?" Percy tapped on her back and looked down into her eyes.

Zoë muttered something that she couldn't remember but she was pretty sure it was something weird along the lines of, "Like a hot pocket."

Percy laughed wholeheartedly. "What?"

Zoë suddenly cleared her mind and pushed away. "Erm Nothing. Where's Bianca?"

She leaned against the bubbles surface with her hands and tried to look into the dark deep waters. There was nothing but dark green as far as her mortal eyes could see.

"She's right there." Percy said pointing somewhere in the darkness. Zoë scowled, he was point at nothing.

"I don't have thy eyes underneath these waters." Zoë responded. "I can't see anything."

Percy said, oh, and poked his hand outside of the bubble and yanked a soaking wet Bianca into their large hamster ball.

"Holy Hades!" Bianca screamed as she struggled to her feet but slipped back on her butt. "That was cold!"

"Sorry." Percy grinned and held up his hands.

The water from their clothes and body suddenly crawled upwards and floated into the air and snaked around the tips of his index fingers until they were completely dry. He whipped his hands outwards and the water shot outside of the bubble.

"Artemis really worked some magic." Percy said in awe. "We're almost there. I can see Atlantis from here."

"I can't see anything." Zoë remarked.

"Hold on, let me try something that I was working on a long time ago." Percy held out his fingertips and placed them on the girls foreheads. "It's a little complicated to explain but here it goes."

He closed his eyes in concentration and she felt like someone had splashed water into her eyes. Suddenly the entire bubble glowed with beautiful rays of multicolored lights. Zoë 's vision suddenly began to make out shapes in the distance, her eyes were adjusting to the depths of the ocean. Whatever Percy was doing worked.

She gasped as she took in her surroundings. The bubble was most definitely sinking to the ocean floor. She could see Atlantis just as Percy did. It was beautiful.

She had never visited Olympus but she always pictured this like it, except this was the Little Mermaid version. It was a large underwater city with wide courtyards, gardens, and columned pavilions. The gardens were sculpted with coral colonies and glowing sea plants. Twenty or thirty buildings were made of abalone, white but gleaming with rainbow colors. Groups of colorful fish and whales swam by directly in front of them without so much as a sideway glance.

"This looks unbelievable." Bianca gasped and leaned against the bubble like she was a kid visiting an aquarium. "I wish my dad was Poseidon."

She suddenly groaned and took a step back. "Oh! My dad's really going to send me to the Fields of Punishment for saying that!"

Percy smiled comfortingly and wrapped his arms around Bianca's shoulders. "Not while you're here, he's not."

Zoë admired Percy's protectiveness. She had witnessed all types of mortal men in her life, then it dawned on her that we wasn't like anybody that she had ever met. He wasn't just an ordinary hero. His heart wasn't pure, he was just as troubled as any other human being but he made the best out of the situation he was given.

Bianca smiled in awe as she pointed out all the different beasts that lurked in the ocean depths. Krakens larger then any building man could possibly create lulled in the distance. Percy told her the story of how Poseidon had been at war with the ancient titans of the deep and how this place had been under construction ever since. He told her how his father and his brother fought against the giant monster king, Typhon, and chained him somewhere here in the ocean. Bianca smiled and marveled at the tales like these were the greatest stories ever told, but it was his words that made them seem like heroic feats.

"That's my father's throne room." Percy pointed to a circular building that sat on a glowing rock in the dead center of all the other buildings. "I've been here a couple times and he's almost always there. He has a second throne there, it's where a big portion of his powers originate from. Not as much as his throne on Olympus but still it's pretty awesome. You'll get to meet him, he's not like the other gods, he's something else really."

Percy's eyes saddened. Zoë noticed but she thought it best not to press on why.

"Percy, I don't think we're supposed to be here." Zoë pointed out.

He willed the bubble to shoot forward to the palace in the distance. Mermen and floating women on the seafloor below them looked up and pointed to them from the distance. Zoë began to question what would happen when they got to Poseidon's palace. Bianca and Zoë were intruders in this kingdom, would they be killed on sight? If Poseidon was as moody as the stories made him out to be, she was mentally preparing herself to be turned into a goldfish.

"No, I'm sure we'll be alright." He said nonchalantly.

Bianca's eyes got wide as she saw what Zoë saw. Squads of armed mermen began to flank them as they reached the large open deck palace. They did not seem happy. A total of fifteen of the fish-tailed blue men surrounded them and they lowered their spears with a loud CHINK!

One of the armored soldiers broke through the ranks and bared his large shark like teeth. "Halt! You have illegally trespassed into the Kingdom of Atlantis. Show us your international sea approved passports!"

Percy patted down his pockets and feigned a look of confusion. "You know what? I think I left it in my desk just over there, hold on let me get it for you guys."

He jumped out of the bubble and propelled himself forward like he was an underwater Superman. Two mermen suddenly whipped their bronze spears around and pointed it at Percy's throat, stopping him in his tracks.

"This is no game, mortal!" The officer roared. "We are preparing for war and if you do not state your business, the three of you will be executed in the name of Lord Neptune, God of the Seven Seas and King of Atlantis!"

Percy held up his hands. "Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt, we don't mean to cause any trouble. My name is Percy Jackson and these are my friends, I'm here to speak to my father."

The mermen shifted uncomfortably but the leader didn't look convinced. "Percy Jackson? Impossible, the demigod boy is dead!"

"Bring us to Poseidon. He'll prove it." He replied back. "Take us prisoners if it'll make you feel safe, like I said we don't mean any trouble."

The officer grunted and barked orders at the other mermen. He escorted Percy and them into the building with spears at the ready. Zoë figured if those sharp points popped their bubble, the pressure this far down would crush their bodies like they were aluminum cans.

As they entered the palace, the squad of mermen broke off in two and filed around the circular room. The lead merman halted at the entrance and stopped the three from going any further. It seemed that they were interrupting some sort of judicial sentencing.

In the center of the room a scrawny old man floating with his head held down in shame. Directly ahead on the other side of the room, a seven foot tall bulky man around thirty years of age sat on a purple coral textured throne. His golden trident glowed with power. By his side, a beautiful black haired woman floated with a beautiful purple flowing dress.

Poseidon looked different than any version of the god she had pictured in her head, he and Percy shared very little in the characteristics department. For one this man had wavy brown hair that was closely shaved along the sides and a bushy beard with dark green eyes.

"You have done me a great service by bringing me this intel, I understand that you have had your doubts about switching allegiances but I assure you…this war will be very one sided." He spoke.

He slammed the butt of his trident on the marble flooring and dismissed the old man. This white haired frail man seemed oddly familiar as he scurried out of the room but Zoë just could not place her finger on who it was.

"Dad?" Percy asked as he pushed past the lead merman.

The man sitting on the throne wore armor unlike anything greek or Roman, it seemed almost like it was made of the scales of some golden reptilian beast.

"Percy Jackson?" The god spoke as he stood in shock.

"Impossible, he is dead. This is obviously an imposter! Kill him for me, my love." The woman beside him said in disdain, even if she knew that this was Percy, Zoë got the feeling she'd say about the same thing.

"You're not Poseidon." Percy muttered, ignoring the gods wife altogether. "You're Neptune."

The god of the sea grunted in approval as if he seemed content with being recognized. Suddenly his form flickered and he morphed into an entirely different person. The man that walked out of the golden light, was tan skinned with black hair and bright green eyes. His armor was less fish skinned and made of celestial bronze, the only thing that remained was his golden trident humming with power.

"Son." Poseidon rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Percy, he boomed in proud laughter. "At last! My greatest pride has returned from the grasp of death! I should have disregarded Hades, when he announced your demise!"

"Yeah, turns out I don't do well being dead." Percy smiled but his eyes remained sad.

"This is a cause for celebration!" Poseidon boomed as he turned to his wife. "Amphitrite, my dear, give Dionysus a call! Tell him to bring all the spirits he has to offer! Arrange that we have everything set up in the main courtyard. Tonight we party!"

His wife scoffed in disgust and swam away.

Percy looked a tad uncomfortable. "Dad, I appreciate the celebration, but I don't think we'll have time to party any time soon."

"Nonsense." Poseidon said with a smile. "If there was any perfect time, it is now! Who are these two?"

Zoë and Bianca had finally fallen under the gaze of the excited sea god.

"These are my friends, Zoë Nightshade and Bianca di Angelo." Percy introduced them.

"Any friends of my son are welcome here." Poseidon waved his hand and their bubble popped.

Zoë assumed that the second the protective layer bursted she would either implode under the weight of the sea or drown to death. Surprisingly enough neither of those things happened, when ever she took a breath it was as if she were breathing regularly even Bianca seemed surprised.

"It's an honor to meet you, Lord Poseidon." Zoë bowed and Bianca followed her lead.

Poseidon nodded and turned back to Percy. He set one hand on his shoulder. "Now! Who else shall we invite to the party of the century!"

"Is it true? Are you going to war because of me?" Percy said suddenly, Poseidon's expression shifted.

"So you've heard." He said. "Unfortunately it is true."

"Why would you do this? No good ever comes out of war. It's only death and collateral." Percy suddenly shifted to a slightly angered tone. Zoë wasn't an expert on their father-son relationship but she was sure if anybody started arguing with a god or goddess they would be blasted off the face of the Earth, no matter their family history.

Poseidon didn't seem at all bothered by his son's tone. "My brother has disrespected me for the last time, son. Zeus has greedily extended the reach of his power too far. He is the god who orchestrated the events that led to your demise two months ago."

"He sent those demons after me, that guy with the skull mask." Percy looked down he seemed to recall the moment of his death.

Poseidon nodded. "Zeus heard news of a prophecy that foretold the rising of our grandfather-"

"Ouranos."

"He had acted impulsively and made the choice to take matters into his own hands without a ruling from the council." Repeating it only made Poseidon angrier.

"It didn't make a difference! Ouranos is alive and has come back fighting." Percy said. "He's the reason, I'm alive. He's the one that brought me back to life. You have to stop this war right now, dad. The Olympians need to be united on this forefront otherwise Kronos and Ouranos are going to tear everything down! They cannot do this without you, they need the great god of the sea on their side!"

Poseidon seemed touched by his son's words but his stance did not change. "I cannot. This started with your death son, it was an unforgivable deed. I'm glad to have you back and I will avenge your honor. But now this is about respect. Respect I will have. I am going to dethrone Zeus and have him punished accordingly. Maybe I'll make him mortal once he secedes from the war. I'll have him be Kim Kardashian's personal butler until I feel like he has learned his lesson, then we will take on the threat of whoever tries to harm us."

"As much as I want you to be king, you'd be far better at it in my opinion, I can't help but think that this isn't you. You should not go to war."

Poseidon smiled. "This is me son! This can be the both of us! I can do whatever now that I am free of the Zeus laws!

"Wait what do you mean?" Percy looked confused.

"Those bound to Olympus and its fate were always bound to the ancient laws. But now that I have separated myself from them…I can do whatever I want now that I am free of the council. I could even make you a god at this very moment. Just think about it! You could live out eternity right here by my side! You would be my lieutenant, free of all the pain of a mortal life. You won't have to die again! Just say the word, Perseus!"

Being a standerby hurt. There was a tugging in Zoë's heart, something inside was making her feel empty. Would Percy accept his father's offer?

She had never seen a smile so big on his face, he looked so happy. Zoë imagined that he had waited his entire life for this moment, the moment where his father would ask him to be a permanent part in his eternal life. This was an extremely rare event, the look on Percy's face must have been the same exact way Annabeth felt when her mother offered her the same gift. Even Zoë understood the feeling, she felt so accepted when Artemis made her a part of the hunt. This offer was irresistible.

Percy turned to meet his friends eyes, this entire time Zoë thought that he forget they even existed, but she was wrong. Zoë knew what he was thinking. He made the decision that any sane mortal would make. Percy Jackson was going to accept godhood.

"Dad," Percy looked like he was going to burst. "You don't know how you saying all this makes me feel. Honest to the gods, I couldn't be any happier…but I can't accept your offer."

BOOM!

Cue the fireworks in Zoë 's chest! She was absolutely shell shocked by Percy's words. Had he gotten knocked around so much over the years that his brain could no longer understand a tasty offer when it was presented?

Poseidon roared. Not in anger but in laughter. "Aha! There it is! You are perhaps the most indistinguishable being that I have ever met! I can't say that I'm surprised, son."

He hugged Percy and patted him on the back.

"I don't want you think I'm being rude or anything its just that—"

"It's about her isn't it? Reyna. And your friends. you don't have to explain a thing, son. There is great honor in the things that you do, the burdens you take upon yourself. No other would be able to bear the achievements that you wear."

"Thanks, dad." Percy looked genuinely happy but the sadness in his eyes remained.

"If you won't accept immortality, let me give you a gift, son." In Poseidon's palm laid a simple green hermits shell. "It is a gift like no other in this world, I can swear upon the River Styx for that. I will not reveal what it is, but the day that you feel like you are ready to accept it, break the shell and it shall be revealed. When you feel the pain is too much, when you can no longer keep going, or if you are looking for a reason to keep going, when death is calling your name once more. The choice to accept is yours, my son. It also makes a good looking necklace."

The shell grew small in his hand, until it was the size of a quarter attached to a small golden chain. He gave it to Percy and he simply stare at the mysterious gift in his hand.

He hooked the necklace around his neck and fiddled with the shell. "I really appreciate it, thank you. But about this whole war thing…"

Poseidon placed his hand on his son's shoulders. "How about we discuss this tomorrow? Unfortunately as king here in Atlantis I must be pulled away for other political matters. You and your allies can spend the night here, enjoy all that Atlantis has to offer. Then tomorrow you and I can talk over the details, that I promise son."

"Sure, Dad." Percy smiled.

Much to Bianca's disappointment, Percy didn't feel like seeing Atlantis today. The Atlanteans had set them each up with their own private quarters in Poseidon's personal castle at his orders. They were small one bedroom spaces that were empty other than the green torches on the walls and the diamond chandeliers hanging over their mattresses. Zoë wondered if they believed in television down here in the ocean, if not they were sorely missing out. As much as Bianca begged Percy to take them for a tour through the city, he wasn't feeling up to it. He had a sad look on his face as he shut the door to his room behind him.

Zoë couldn't stand to be alone so she roomed up with Bianca and sat on her bed wondering about what bothered Percy.

"One of the mermen said they don't serve sushi here." Bianca closed the door shut behind her and jumped on her bed. "That sucks, I was kinda in the mood for some."

"What do you thinks wrong with Percy?" Zoë asked changing the subject from cannibalism to her new male friend.

"I think he's upset with himself." Bianca laid out like a starfish on her bed but she couldn't seem to stop floating to the ceiling. "He could have been a god. Can you imagine that? Perseus Jackson, the greek god of good looking heroes."

"Good looking heroes?" Zoë nearly burst into laughter but she settled for an amused grin.

"I've seen the way look at him." Bianca paddled her way through one window and back in through the other. "Is it possible that Zoë Nightshade has developed feelings for a man? Gasp! Could it be true?"

Zoë turned bright red. "Of course not! Why would you thin—shut up!"

Bianca sighed and did twirls through the ocean waters like a flying ballet dancer, she seemed to be enjoying Poseidon's blessings upon them. "I may not be a child of Aphrodite, but anybody can spot a girl with a crush when they see one. Especially when that person is so sloppy at hiding it."

"I don't have a crush!" Zoë grumbled. "Children have crushes. I am a teenager...or an adult, I cannot say for sure ever since my growth spurt."

"If you say so." Bianca said in an unconvinced tone. "But if someone did have a crush on Percy, they'd might want to consider finding someone else to fall so hard for…"

For once, Bianca seemed to peak her interest. "Why do you say that?"

"I know you've heard that he has a girlfriend. This Reyna chick." Bianca sunk to her mattress and sat right across from Zoë . "He talks about her a lot and I think you know this. She seems to be the only one that he has his eyes set on…"

"So I've heard." Zoë bit her lip. "Luckily she's the only one with her eyes set on him."

"Zoë, you don't have to lie to me." Bianca sighed, her eyes looked strangely wiser than her childish demeanor let on. "When it comes to a person's feelings, I don't judge. You can trust me, I have more experience with love than most children of Hades do."

"I don't know how I feel." Zoë muttered the truth. "I'm still me. I still feel the way I always have."

Bianca set her hand on Zoë 's hands, she was awfully good at comforting people with her presence. Was she really a child of Hades? Was it possible that someone had switched two babies after her birth? "Well here's a piece of advice, there's a reason wedding rings aren't triangles. Love triangles just don't work out."

"I'm not worried about love." Zoë stood up and unslung her bow and notched an arrow, she practiced her form even though it was perfect. "I am a Hunter of Artemis. I have been for centuries…and I always will be."

She released the arrow and it pierced right in between the eyes of a crab statue that sat on a counter across the room. Zoë sighed in frustration, she meant to shoot one of its pincers but she seemed to be off. Maybe she was half an inch too high.

"So you are going to accept Lady Artemis' offer? Are you going to rejoin the hunt?" Bianca asked.

That question should have been so easy to answer. Yet why was she struggling so hard to find the words. "I—I don't know. Are you?"

Bianca fidgeted with something in her palms. "It's different with me, there's personal stuff that I need to take care of first. I have to find my brother and then-"

Bianca suddenly perked up, she tilted her head and swam over to the windowsill.

"What's wrong?" Zoë asked.

"Do you hear that?" Bianca replied in such a quiet voice.

"Hear what?"

Zoë 's heart began to race as Bianca's eyes closed shut and she placed her hands over her ears. "You don't hear them? The voices! They're everywhere, it's too loud!"

Bianca sunk to the ground and let put a shrill scream of pain as she tucked her knees into her chest.

"Bianca!" Zoë ran to her and grabbed her by her forearms softly trying to comfort her with her voice. Whatever it was, only the daughter of Hades could hear.

If they weren't under the ocean, Zoë figured Bianca would have been sobbing. "Percy! We need to get him!" She finally screamed.

Zoë didn't want to leave her friend crying on the floor but she trusted that Bianca would be alright as she ventured down the hall to Percy's room. Just outside of his purple door she could hear two voices, one was his and the other was unfamiliar. She opened his door slowly.

Percy stood in the darkness of his room, the torches had gone out and he was basking in the green light that poured in from his windows. There was something off about his presence.

"Percy?" Zoë asked as she approached him from behind, the water seemed to be as black as when she had first arrived to Atlantis. "Are you alright?"

His head snapped towards her and the usual green eyes had morphed into an icy blue color. He held up his fist and large beam of energy came crashing through the ceiling dissolving the marble ceiling in chandelier like it was a sand castle. The son of Poseidon didn't say a word as he propelled through the roof and off into the streets of Atlantis.

Zoë wasn't going to be able to chase him down, this was his domain and he was faster here than she could ever hope to be. "Bianca?!"

She swam back into the other room and came face to face with Bianca, her eyes were bloodshot red. "It's too late they're here! It was a trap, we led him straight to Poseidon's domain!"

"Led who?!" Zoë asked as she grabbed her friend by the shoulders more hostile than she meant to. "Who-"

SCREECH!

A giant roar echoed through the castle followed by the sounds of crashing and explosions.

Suddenly the skeleton of twenty foot long shark came crashing through the halls, seemingly out of nowhere. The little flesh that was still attached its frame tore right off against the path which was was too narrow to fit but it was inches away before Zoë tackled Bianca into her room.

"By the gods!" Zoë gasped as the shark began snapping its giant teeth at her through the doorway. "What the Hades is that!"

Bianca let out a short shrill scream. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I think it's here because of me!"

The entire wall threatened to collapse as the shark began forcing itself into the room. Zoë figured she had three seconds before it ate her alive. "Tell it to leave!"

Bianca nodded but stammered over her words. "Leave us!"

The shark went limp and its lifeless eyes turned into smoldering clumps of charcoal and the entire skeleton burst into flames underneath the ocean.

"That's new to me." Bianca struggled to breathe as explosions rippled outside of the palace and explosions shined through the windows outside. The battle seemed to be ongoing. "Kronos! The man in the mask, they're all here we need to leave!"

She didn't need to say anymore. Zoë grabbed Bianca's wrist and dragged her out of the room. They swam downstairs and made it outside to a giant courtyard that was almost entirely consumed by greek fire and rubble. The entire ocean seemed to be on fire as thousands of monstrous creatures attacked the city from the surface of the ocean so far up. Mermen and citizens of Atlantis screamed in panic as they fought off these invaders. Zoë bypassed all this and shot up towards the surface dragging Bianca along with her, they needed to get out of here. There was little that they could to fight this threat. The armies of Poseidon were going to need to handle this theirselves.

The surface seemed so far away, but to actually get there they would need to get past the waves of vicious monsters first. It seemed almost impossible.

Zoë caught a brief glimpse of Percy propelling through the water like a rocket and crashing directly into Poseidon's throne room not too far away.

"There he is!" Zoë cried and she dragged Bianca in that direction.

Beams of golden light shot out from between the columns and windows, the ocean churned wildly around the structure. Zoë had to shield her eyes from the immense rays of power coming from the palace.

When they made it to the open deck, Zoë 's heart dropped. Percy stood over his father with a golden trident under the gods chin.

"Perseus. Dont do this." Poseidon groaned as his true form flickered violently ready to explode. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Percy!" Zoë screamed in terror.

"He's not here, little one." A deep voice rumbled from his body and an evil smile crossed his face like something out of her worst nightmares. "There is only me."

"Ouranos." Bianca gasped.

Percy sunk the trident into Poseidon's throat and the god erupted into a golden light that consumed the ocean. Zoë tackled Bianca behind a pillar of stone just in time to avoid the waves of the gods true essence.

When the light died, Zoë peered from behind the column to see Percy's lone figure standing in the center of the room with Poseidon's trident in his grasp. He stalked over to his father's throne and stabbed the trident into the seat of power. The trident hummed with power and the throne glowed brightly like a bomb ready to detonate. With little warning the throne combusted into pure energy. When the waters finally cleared, everything seemed black and white, all noise in the ocean disappeared. It was void of all energy and life.

"Percy?" Zoë called out, refusing to believe that this was no longer him. "Percy do you know what you've just done?"

"Only what had to be done." He called back in the ancient voice. "But you shouldn't be here."

Percy flicked his wrist and Zoë and Bianca went soaring through the sea as if someone were yanking them with a fishing line to the top. As they were nearing the surface Zoë suddenly began to lose the ability to breathe underwater. She accidently tried to inhale through her nostrils but it felt as if someone had poked her brain with a hot poker. Bianca must have felt the same way, she thrashed wildly as they finally broke through the surface and went flying ten feet into the air before they came crashing down.

Bianca doggy paddled closer to Zoë and grabbed her hand as she sobbed quietly. "That wasn't Percy…He wouldn't have done that!"

The way Percy looked at Zoë haunted her, it wasn't him of course. That didn't change the way she felt when his cold eyes disregarded her like she was nothing more than some idiot in the way.

"No, it was not...We're fucked." Zoë muttered as she floated on her back and stared up at the night sky. She wasn't one to curse but the situation warranted it.

Zoë thought that she had seen it all in her lifetime, then came her second go around. She now had a friend who is also a boy, she had visited Atlantis, and saw an Olympian god be destroyed right before her eyes.

Zeus had won his war by a landslide. Yet she doubted that he noticed another more dangerous war brewing on the horizon.

As Zoë held on to Bianca for dear life, tears rolled down her cheeks and sank into the ocean depths. Somewhere in the depths, Atlantis was fighting an unwinnable battle and they wouldn't even get the chance to mourn their fallen king and god.

A Olympian couldn't be killed, but when Percy struck down his father's throne, all hope of a speedy revival of his father's form went down the drain with his merciless action. Would it be days, weeks, months, or years before the Sea God returned?

Zoë was utterly lost. What could possibly come next?