I don't own PJO or HOO

Percy POV

Jason Grace has disappeared. He had breakfast at the Zeus table like any other day, but he wasn't seen for the rest of the day after that.

We searched his cabin, the forest, the arena, and everywhere else but he was no where to be found. No one knows if he ran away, was captured, or worst case scenario- dead. I didn't have much time to think about it though.

The rest of the day, I spent most of my time in my cabin sitting on my bunk, thinking. About the war, and what I could've done about it.

When I wasn't doing that, my mind was plagued with terrible flashbacks and memories. Tartarus. Gaea. Destruction... Death .

But later that day, during cabin inspections, a note was found in the Zeus cabin. Written in careful handwriting, it said:

I will return...

I'm bringing him with me. He will suffer underneath the surface by the hand of the bane of his father and I.

The note didn't say who it was from, but I had a sneaking suspicion that it was linked to Jason's disappearance. The mysterious letter was immediately shown to Chiron. Even the old centaur was confused by it. He had no answer to my questions. Either that, or he wasn't allowed to tell me. He only shared a small bit of information with me.

"The war is not yet over, Percy. In a way, it's just beginning."

Jason POV

The day I packed, I felt a small pang of guilt.

I knew that if my plan succeeded, I would be betraying all my former friends and family. If my plan succeeded, The greek and roman worlds would be destroyed.

I know this isn't what Piper or Leo would've wanted.  But once I conquer the gods, I'll be able to bring them back to fight alongside me. Then they're surely forgive me... Right? I push that thought aside. I have other things to worry about at the moment. Such as the pit in front of me. Tartarus. The place had terrified me when Annabeth and Percy fell in. But I knew I had to do this. And if Percy can survive it, why can't I?

I take a breath of fresh air, and hurl myself into the pit of eternal darkness.
•=•=•=•
The ground below me is becoming closer and closer.  I quickly summon the winds to catch my fall, and I slowly drift to the blood red ground.

The second my feet touch the floor, I feel a sense of dread overcome me.  Maybe this wasn't such a good idea... I shake the thought out of my head and start to walk.

About two hours later, I ran into an empousa, and got a long deep cut on my arm, weeping blood.  Dizzy and in pain, I begin to cough rapidly, the toxic air polluting my lungs.

I stand there for a minute, clutching my stomach with my hand on my uninjured arm, until eventually I gather myself and decide to do something about it.  I scan my surroundings, and see a dim red light emitting from a spot in the distance.  I cautiously advance on it, hoping for some good luck.  I reach the light to find a river, filled with a fire like substance.

"How did you guys heal yourselves in... That place?" I ask curiously, changing the topic.  Percy exchanges a grave look with Annabeth.  She gives him a tense nod, and Percy takes a shaky breath.

"There was this river..." He begins.  "T-the Phlagathon.  It... Annie, you continue.  I can't." I inwardly roll my eyes.  Wimp.

"The phlegathon is a river of fire.   It's mainly used to heal the dead in the fields of punishment so they can keep enduring the torture."  Annabeth explains, closing her eyes.  "We had to drink the fire it in order to survive."

"Tasted like gasoline." Percy says with a weak chuckle.

"The phlegathon." I whisper, recalling the memory.  It was on the argo 2. Only a few days after Percy and Annabeth had escaped Tartarus.  With my lungs getting weaker by the second, I plunge my hands in the river and cup some fire in my hands.  Before it can burn me, I pour it down my throat.  I immediately feel the effects.  Suddenly my thoat is burning.  It really does taste like gasoline.  I clutch at my neck weakly, and collapse on the ground, gasping.  I know it will eventually heal me, but that doesn't make it any better.

"Well, well, well..."  A cruel voice intrudes.  I force myself to a sitting position, and see a giant monstrous face pearing down at me.  "What are you doing here, Jason Grace?" I don't reply.  The giant in front of me was the whole reason I jumped in the first place.  "Never mind that for now." He muses, vipers falling out of his scalp as he shakes his head.  "Let me show you to my house, Grace.  The rest will be very happy to see you." Polybotes laughs, he raises his trident.  Suddenly, everything goes black.

I blink slowly as I come to, only to be greeted by a mossy stone wall.  My head is throbbing, but only dully.  Before I can do anything s figure stomps into the room.

"Jason Grace." Polybotes says, circling me slowly, hefting his trident from hand to hand.  "Who should I thank for sending you here, to me?"

"Me." I state simply, Polybotes' eyes widen.  "I jumped in here.  To see you actually." I ignore his shocked look, and keep talking.  "You see, it appears we have something in common."

"And what would that be, demigod scum?"

"The need for revenge.  Revenge on Percy Jackson."

P͠e͠r͠c͠y͠ P͠O͠V͠

I lay down on my bunk in the Poseidon cabin, staring at the ceiling.  It's pretty late, but I'm afraid to go to sleep.

Afraid of dreams.

The nightmares.

Revisiting the past.

I can't stay awake forever, unfortunately.  I've already tried that.  Even asked Hypnos and Morpheus to help me out with no luck, obviously.

I sigh, and close my eyes.  Trying to avoid it will only make the situation worse.
This thought is however shot down, when I hear a pop echo through the cabin.  I rub my eyes and stand up, reaching for riptide on my bedside table.  But before I can grab it, I hear a familiar voice in the dark room.  My hand stops in mid air.

"Percy?" Jason asks in a shaking voice.

"Jason?!" I exclaim.  heading towards the voice.  "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"What a coincidence." A new voice says coldly.  "Because we've been looking for you too, Jackson."

"We? What do you-" I stop dead in my tracks.  I knew that voice.  And according to me, he should be dead.  I feel a strong force push me to the ground, and The lights flicker on.  Jason is standing over me with a sword in hand.  I struggle against the giant... Hand keeping me down.  My suspicions are concerned.

"Polybotes!" I state.  "What did you do to Jason?"

"I didn't do anything to him, sea scum.  This was all his idea." The giant snarls.  I'm in shock.

"Jason?!  What did you do?  Why-" I don't get to finish though.  Because suddenly, everything goes black.

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Sorry it took so long to update!  I was focused on my other stories!

Stay cool demigods,

-Shark