Percy:

You can't imagine how I felt when I saw Annabeth kissing some random stranger. How could she betray me like this?

I couldn't fathom it. I just couldn't.

"I'm sorry, man." Leo said sadly. "We are here for you."

Calypso, Thalia and Nico nodded.

The rest of my friends, even Grover started ignoring me. They forgot me. They left me in the dust, and started hanging out with Ezekiel, the new guy, a son of Morpheus. The guy Annabeh cheated on me with.

"I don't like him, he is too cocky...he is an egoistical jerk, and I don't see how they can stand him. He isn't so great-he's the reason Artemis hates most boys." Thalia said when I asked her why.

"Yeah...but why? Why is he targeting me?"

"I don't know, Kelpie. I just don't know."

Nico shook his head. "The guy isn't even worth your time. Forget about him. We are still here for you. We are your true friends. That's what counts."

"You are right," I smiled at them. "Thanks for having my back."

"We will always have your back." Calypso smiled. "I have a way to get your mind off everything."

"Yeah?" I challenged.

"How is the moonlace growing?"

"Great," I said. "It is at my mom and Paul's place."

"Then, how about we go to your parent's place, and visit your mom.  I don't know about you, but I am craving those blue cookies." Nico sighed.

I licked my lips.  I loved blue cookies.  Now if anything would take my mind off my broken heart, it was those blue jewels.

"Good idea." Thalia said, licking her lips wistfully.

...

"What?" My mom said looking shocked.  "She...no...she wouldn't..."

"She did." I said blandly. 

"Oh, Percy, I am so sorry."

"Yeah.  Well, I'm not."

Leo, Calypso, Thalia, Nico, and my mother looked at me strangely.

"This heartbreak was a wake-up call.  I am wasting my life.  Camp life...that isn't that important to me anymore.  After two wars, I can't just go back to peace.  I need action.  I need to help people."

"What are you saying?" Nico asked.

"I am going to be a loner.  Find demigods, save them from monsters and explain everything to them, and then I will bring them to either one of the camps, or the hunters.  I can't just train, or climb lava walls anymore.  I can't go back to the way I was before.   I am restless, my ADHD is worse than ever, and I am itching for a fight.  Annabeth...she chose her way.  Now I am choosing mine."

"Is that...safe?" My mom asked.

"No.  But I don't want to be safe.  I want to be reckless."

"But why?"

"I can't take it.  I need to feel that familiar sense of having your life on the line.  That is where I feel the most alive.  You guys can go back to camp.  But I'm not going back."

They were silent for a while.

"I am coming with you." Thalia said.  "Cousins stick together."

"I am a cousin." Nico raised his hand.

"I am not a cousin, but no way am I going to leave you guys...I am the one with all of the fire power."  Then he laughed.  "Gettit?  Fire power?" He wiped a tear from his eye.  "I crack myself up."

"You think I am leaving you guys alone with that idiot?" Calypso pointed at Leo.  "No way."

I grinned at them.  "Thank you, guys."

"Friends stick together." Nico answered simply.  "We aren't leaving you."

...

For a few months, we travel all over, saving half-bloods from monsters, transporting them safely to one of the camps, or to the Hunters of Artemis.  It was fun.  It was right.  I was right.  I couldn't stay still...I couldn't rest in peace, or whatever.  I couldn't settle down.  They turned me into a fighter.  A fighter who can't live without the fight.

I trained myself, learned to use my powers in ways I never could have imagined. I learned to how harness my aura of power, to use water in all forms, and much more.

Nico mastered his powers as well. As did Thalia and Leo. Calypso didn't fight, she perfected her healing abilities, though.

We were doing all right.

Then Chaos found us.

...

"Hello, young demigods."

We turned to see a tall man, maybe 7 feet, a pale completion, with stars as eyes.  Hidden in his thick black curls was a golden crown with one spike and black gems. He had broad shoulders and a wide frame. He had a huge aura of power-one that almost had me begging for mercy.

"Who are you?" I said, taking out Riptide. Thalia, Nico, Leo, and Calypso followed my lead, all of them taking out their weapon of choice. "What do you want?"

"Why do you assume I want something?"

"Why else would you come here?"  I asked.  "Who and what are you?  God, Titan, monster?  Or something worse that wants to kill us?"

"But I don't want to kill you.  In fact, I'm a good guy."

"Really?" I challenged.  "And who are you?"

"I am Chaos."

Chaos...Chaos...Chaos...

Nope.  Never heard of him.

"I cause chaos all the time, but I don't know who you are." I said with a raised brow.

Nico and Thalia snickered.  Leo face-palmed, and Calypso sighed with a smile, shaking her head.

He laughed.  "Oh course you don't.  I am the Creator, the first being.  Everything came from Chaos, my boy."

"Uh...sure.  Okay.  I've heard just about everything...so I guess I believe you.  Demon math teacher?  Cyclops half brother?  Son of a Greek god?  This really isn't a stretch."

He laughed again.  "And as for why I am here...like I said, I am a good guy.  But I am still bound by some of my own laws.  I can't be everywhere, and I can't help everyone." He looked sad. "My creations are beyond my direct help. War, greed, envy... these things have ruined my poor planets. Which is why I started my Army. An Army for warriors, the best of the best. They are the ones to stop wars, to win them, and to save people."

"What does this have to do with us?" I asked, although I did have a vague idea...perhaps...

"I want you five to join my Army. Let's face it, this is no life to be living. You could have a much better life in my Army, fighting evil and helping to keep Order and Chaos in harmony."

I looked at my friends, and a silent conversation took place within our gazes.

"Tell me more."

"Well, there is my Commander, Samuel. My Second in Command. Her name is Leslie. Then there are twenty four sectors, and each sea for has a General. The Generals answer to the Commander and Second in Command. And they report to me. Then there are the rest of the soldiers. You, if you are to join, would start off in the bottom. Soldiers of the Omega Sector. I understand you are perfectly capable, fine warriors, but I want you all to grow, your power and experience. And then move up in rank. I have no doubt you all will be some of my most powerful soldiers, but you will have to work to get there. Also, all of my soldiers get full Immortality, but as I am the one who Created the Ancient Laws, I found a loop-hole for when I grant Immortality for my Soldiers. So Ancient Laws cannot bind you."

I looked at my friends again. Again, a silent conversation passed between us. We had come to a decision.

"Well, Mr. Chaos, I think we all will get along splendidly. We could use a little bit of chaos here and there-" Chaos laughed. "So, we are in. We will join you. On one condition."

"A condition?" He raised a brow. "Out with it, then. Let's hear it."

"A new life...we want new names. Our pasts won't hold us back. I don't want to be known as Perseus Jackson any longer. I want to be known as Nero, a Soldier of Chaos."

"No longer am I Nico di Angelo.  I am Nekros now."

"I shall be called Astrapi." Thalia declared.

"Floga, 'cause I'm the Bad Boy Supreme!"

"I would like to be called Pax." Calypso said.

"I think that could be arranged.  Now, come with me.  It is time to see your new home.  And meet the General."

"Let's do this." I smirked.