The ride was terrible. The daughter of Zeus turned out to be an awful sun driver, and crashed the bus into the Camp Half-Blood Lake. Fun. Percy stood up, only to be shoved roughly from behind. He turned to see a Hunter, Elizabeth, smirking triumphantly while two others, Diana and Macy, snickered. Percy just rolled his eyes and turned around, effectively containing his anger and annoyance.

Once out of the bus, Apollo flashed away after a sly wink to Percy. The daughter of Athena roughly rammed her shoulder into Zoë, causing Annabeth to "accidently" drop the shield she was holding.

"Oops," Annabeth said in a sickly sweet tone, "Can you get that for me, demititan?"

Zoë's face turned red and Percy could tell the Titan comments were emotionally wounding her. Phoebe unsheathed a knife.

"Pick it up yourself," Phoebe ordered.

Chiron was trotting over, but to far away to hear the argument. Annabeth smiled smugly.

"No, I want her to pick it up," Annabeth explained, "because she's the one who caused me to drop it."

"Stop being a bitch, Annabeth," Thalia scolded, "just pick it up already and let's go."

The daughter of Athena scowled and picked up the shield. Giving Zoë the finger, Annabeth strode away dramatically. Percy scoffed.
"Daughter of Athena, my ass," he muttered.

Elizabeth growled angrily, twirling a throwing knife between her fingers, probably itching to lodge it between Annabeth's eyes.

"Come on, Hunters, to Artemis's cabin," Zoë ordered.

Giving one last confused and thoughtful look at Percy, she led the Hunters over to the Artemis cabin. Chiron reached Percy just as they left.

"Who are you?" Chiron asked, frowning.

Percy chuckled. "Shouldn't you recognize your old friend, Chiron?"

"That voice . . . Perseus!" Chiron exclaimed cheerfully before pulling him into a tight hug.

"Ssh!" Percy warned, "I'm undercover for Lord Hades. I rescued two of his children today, Nico and Bianca. I need to take them to see their father. I trust you won't tell anyone about this?"

Chiron smiled. "You have my word, my boy."

Percy nodded to him before hustling to Nico and Bianca, who were standing awkwardly by the pavilion. When he tapped them, they both jumped, startled.

"Uh, yeah?" Bianca asked nervously, trying to look up his hood, but finding that she could only see darkness.

"Would you like to meet your father? He wants to see you. That's the only reason I'm in this infernal camp anyway," Percy said.

Bianca's eyes got huge and Nico's jaw dropped.

"We get to meet our Dad? Sweet!" Nico exclaimed happily.

Bianca let out a small smile that warmed Percy's heart. He could already see her as the little sister he never had. Percy put a hand on each of their shoulders.

"This is going to feel really weird your first time, so don't throw up on me, okay?"

Bianca and Nico looked frightened, but nodded. Percy closed his eyes and felt himself melt away in the shadows of a nearby pillar. He felt like he was in a freezing cold wind tunnel, and then it just stopped. Percy opened his eyes and found himself in the Underworld throne room. Hades was sitting on the throne, staring wide-eyed at his children.

Nico was doubled over, trying to not to throw up. Bianca looked okay, and tugged Percy's arm.

"Is that our dad?" Bianca asked nervously, gesturing towards the black-eyed man on the throne.

Percy smiled and nodded. Hades got off of his throne and walked up to the children slowly, as if he didn't believe they were real. Then, he engulfed them both in a tight hug. The children laughed and hugged their normally non-emotional father (well, they didn't know that, but Percy did) happily.

Percy turned to leave, but Bianca called out. "Percy?"

He turned back to the trio. "Yes?"

"Are you leaving?" Nico asked sadly.

Percy nodded and turned again, but this time the god of the Underworld called him.

"Nephew," he said.

Percy turned once more. Hades offered him a rare smile. "Stay. You have earned my permanent favor, Perseus. You have a free pass through the underworld at all times. I'll alert Alecto soon. Stay here, you deserve to celebrate as well."

Percy smiled. "Alright."

"Your name is Perseus? I thought it was Arcus?" Nico asked.

Percy's blood froze and his heart leapt into his throat. He looked at Hades, who had a similar expression.

"Do you think it is okay to reveal myself to the camp now, Uncle?" Percy asked Hades, ignoring Nico partially.

Hades shook his head. "No. Iris owed me a favor and told me that Artemis Iris messaged Zeus, telling him that a boy named Arcus saved the children. Should he find out that Arcus is you, he'll start asking questions to why you did it."

"Then he'll trace it back to you," Percy continued, "and once he figures out that I helped you by saving them, he'll realize they are your children . . . and then he will kill them."

An ominous silence overtook the four. Finally, Bianca spoke up.

"Um, Dad? Can you explain what's happening?"

Hades nodded and looked at his feet, biting his nail. "We took a very big risk by saving you two, Bianca. Arcus isn't really his name; it's Perseus, a son of Poseidon. Zeus, Poseidon, and I took an oath after WWII, promising we would never have any more children. Poseidon hasn't broken it, but Zeus and I have. You two should not have been born, but don't get me wrong; I do not regret it. Anyway, Zeus killed your mother when you were little and thought to have killed you both, but I managed to protect you. But Maria . . . poor, Maria didn't make it. I sent Perseus to rescue you two because I knew Zeus would eventually figure out you were my children, and he would kill you if he found out, in fear of your future power. If Zeus finds out that Perseus saved you, he'll ask Perseus why he would save two, seemingly random kids, and . . ." Hades trailed off.

"And he would trace it back to Hades, and then kill you after that," Percy finished, a grim look on his face.

Bianca looked horrified, and Nico had a sudden interest in the floor.

"So you mean we're going to die?" Bianca asked, silent tears beginning to fall.

"No! I swear on the River Styx I won't let you two die," Percy swore.

Thunder boomed, heard even in the underworld. Nico frowned.

"What was that?"

Hades answered with a grateful look. "Percy just swore to protect both of you . . . it is an unbreakable vow. If he fails, he will die too."

Bianca's jaw dropped and she practically tackled him in a hug. Percy laughed as Nico hugged him from the side. Hades smiled fondly at his children and favorite demigod.

Nico looked up at Percy. "So can we see what you look like?"

Percy nodded and pulled his hood off, revealing his sparkling green eyes, tanned face, and unruly raven hair. Bianca gasped and Nico poked a small scar on his cheek.

"Awesome," he muttered.

"So who are you exactly?" Bianca asked.

Percy chuckled. "It's a long and complicated story. You sure you want to hear it?"

Both children of Hades nodded. Percy sighed.

"Alright. Let's take a seat somewhere.

Percy, Nico, and Bianca all walked back into the camp at nighttime. The children had a teary goodbye with their father before shadow travelling back with Percy. Nico had fallen asleep during Percy's story of his past, so only Bianca knew about his relationship with Zoë.

Percy had pulled his hood back over his head, so no one could see his face anymore. Bianca walked at his side while Nico trailed farther behind. Bianca looked thoughtful, so Percy asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing, I was just wondering when you would tell Zoë who you really are," She said.

"Tell Zoë what?" A new, familiar, female voice asked.

Percy turned to see that Zoë herself had walked into the conversation, heading towards the Big House.

"I, um—" Percy started.

"To tell you that I don't want to join the Hunters," Bianca said, saving Percy from an extremely awkward answer.

Percy breathed a silent sigh of relief, and he smiled, knowing that Bianca wasn't going to join the Hunters. That meant she was staying with Nico and him. Zoë scowled at Percy.

"You probably had something to do with this, Arcus," Zoë guessed, giving him a hostile glare.

Percy pinched the bridge of his nose as Zoë went off on a tangent about irresponsible and unreliable males. Once they reached the Big House, Percy finally snapped.

"So you've never met a single male in the world that wasn't like the rest?" Percy asked, trying not to sound bitter, "Not a single one?"

Zoë faltered. She stopped mid-sentence, and her hardened, pissed expression seemed to melt away for a moment. Then her face became cold again.

"I haven't met one in a long, long time. So don't get your hopes up," Zoë said, before knocking on the Big House door.

Percy couldn't help but smile. She was talking about him; he was sure of it. Zoë thought he was different than the rest? Percy couldn't help but feel warmer . . . and now he wanted nothing more than to reveal himself to the huntress, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't risk the safety of Bianca and Nico just so he could be reunited with the girl he loved.

Argus was the one to open the door. His one hundred eyes all turned to Zoë.

"I need to see Chiron," Zoë explained. Percy frowned, wondering why Zoë would need to see the immortal centaur.

Argus shook his head no and blocked the door from Zoë. Zoë clenched her fist.

"Let me in, Argus," she demanded.

Argus refused to budge. Zoë growled in anger. "Get out of my way, you boil-brained lout!"

"Oh yeah? Well you're a man-hating—" Argus began.

"Argus," I interrupted.

He paused mid-sentence, turning his gaze to Percy. He frowned, probably not recognizing Percy in his armor and hood.

"1949, Lydian Drakon, Manhattan, New York. You remember?" Percy asked.

Percy had saved Argus from a drakon after he dropped off some campers on a quest nearly sixty years before. Percy hoped Argus would remember, and maybe then he could get Zoë inside without a verbal abuse contest. Suddenly, Argus's eyes grew wider in recognition.

"Let her in, and it repays your debt," Percy continued.

Argus looked at Zoë, and then back again at Percy before nodding reluctantly and stepping aside. Zoë threw him one of her usual skeptical and surprisingly grateful looks before proceeding into the Big House. Chiron cantered out into the living room with . . . hair curlers in his tail?

"Yes, dear? I assume you have something important to tell me if you're willing wake me up at two a.m.?" Chiron asked sleepily.

Zoë nodded in assertion. "I need permission to leave camp immediately with the Hunters."

Chiron frowned. "Absolutely not. I have strict orders from your mistress that I'm not to allow you to leave unless she orders you specifically to leave."

Zoë's expression turned pained. "How are we supposed to get permission from Artemis if Artemis is lost?"

Meanwhile in an Unknown Location

A man with curly blond hair and sharp, electric-blue eyes stood quietly in a run-down room that was once part of a grand castle. He nervously fidgeted with his toga, making sure it was pristine. He suddenly heard a deep man's laughter.

"Worried about your looks, pretty boy?" It taunted.

The blond man turned to see that a taller, more regal-looking man had entered the throne room. He had dark, coal-black hair with eyes to match them. His grin matched one of a sadist: pure evil. His eyes held a malicious glint, like he was imagining himself cutting the blond man into pieces. He wore a clean, modern, ruby suit that looked stylish as well as professional, but the blond man knew not to be fooled by the man's harmless look. He was lethal.

The blond man's face turned red. "Says the man in a ruby-colored suit."

The taller man scoffed. "My suit is fabulous. Luke says so."

The blond man rolled his eyes. "Luke will tell you anything if it wins him your favor. Flattery is overrated."

"Although it works," the taller man said, brushing past the shorter, blond man, "and it usually gets Luke what he wants. And he would have had it this time if that stupid manticore didn't fail his duty."

The blond man puffed up his chest. "Deploy me, General, I will get you your job done, as long as I get my reward."

The taller man laughed. "Yes, boy, you can have my daughter and do whatever you want to her once we are done."

The taller man inwardly smiled, knowing his daughter would be dead at the end of this soon-to-be quest anyway. The blond man was jus a means to an end, and wouldn't live longer than the war itself.

The blond man smiled sadistically. "Once I have your daughter, I will—"

The blond man was cut off by a groan from the taller man. "I don't need to hear your fantasies. Anyway, you are my wild card, and I won't show you until I have to. You don't need to go yet. Not yet."

"Whatever," the blond man muttered, "call me when you are ready for me to go in."

With that, the blond man left the dilapidated room.

Camp Half-Blood

The following morning, Percy was unsettled, restless. He couldn't sit still and his mind was constantly running through scenarios in which the goddess of the hunt could have been captured. It made no sense. Could a god or goddess truly be captured? He thought back to the time that Hephaestus trapped Aphrodite and Ares, and the time that Poseidon caught Zeus and forced him to be a better king, but those were nearly impossible to imagine for the goddess of the hunt. Artemis was graceful and agile, unlike the slow and heavy (due to his body type and muscles) Ares, senseless Aphrodite, and . . . well, Zeus wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed either. He was too busy being paranoid to become wiser.

Percy was brought out of his thoughts as someone poked him in the back. Percy put his cup back down on the Poseidon table and turned to see Zane, the son of Zeus. Percy had noticed how everyone had been staring at him uncomfortably since he sat down at the Poseidon table, but no one was brave enough to venture over and confront the hooded and, in all modesty, intimidating warrior that was deep in thought.

"Yes?" Percy asked exasperatedly.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zane asked him loudly, with a condescending look on his face.

His outburst drew the eyes of nearly everyone in the pavilion, including the Hunters, Mr. D (who could care less), and Chiron.

"Drinking some blue Coke. Is there a problem?" Percy asked expectantly.

Zane leaned down in Percy's face. "You see, Arcus, we have a rule here at Camp Half-Blood," he said, sounding like he was talking to a two-year-old, "where you sit at your godly parent's table. So you need to get out of Poseidon's table and go sit at the unclaimed table. Okay? Okay."

Percy stared at him for a moment in slight amusement of the copious amounts of idiocy present in the son of Zeus, and the turned back around to face the table. He picked up his cup, but someone knocked it out of his hand. Three guesses for who it was.

Zane walked to the side of Percy's table, and shoved all of Percy's plates and silverware onto the ground, breathing heavily, obviously pissed that someone wasn't listening to him. Percy glanced down at the ground with a bored expression.

"Well that was rather rude, don't you think?" Percy asked.

Percy heard several snickers from all over the pavilion, but the atmosphere was still tense. Zane opened his mouth, but Percy continued to speak.

"Now can you leave me alone and mind your own business?" Percy asked him.

Zane growled with anger. "Just get out of the table! It's bad enough he have that," he turned and pointed accusingly at the Hunters table, "dirty demititan in our camp, and I don't want some hooded ninja freak here either, so why don't—"

A fist to the stomach cut Zane off. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Half the crowd cheered and yelled, half looked angry, the Hunters stood up, drawing weapons to defend Zoë, like Percy was, and Percy's right knee connected with Zane's jaw. His head snapped backwards, blood spurting from his nose. A blunt-tipped arrow from Phoebe struck Zane in the eyeball, causing him to let out a girly scream and stumble back. Percy swept Zane's legs out from under him, and knelt on his chest, pinning him down.

"Get your hands off my boyfriend!" Someone screeched.

Without looking, Percy drew a hunting knife and swiftly moved his arm backwards until the knife touched skin. He almost smiled, remembering that was how Percy greeted Annabeth the time he met her: a blade to the throat. Then, everyone gasped. However, it wasn't because Percy had just beat the shit out of the son of Zeus in under ten seconds. It was because of the floating, green trident above his head, the glowing, orange son beneath it, and the dark swirling tornado of shadows beneath the sun.

The campers and Hunters (although reluctantly) bowed as Chiron trotted forward.

"All hail Arcus, son of Poseidon, god of the sea, stormbringer, earthshaker, champion of Hades, and champion of the sun!"