He was like a shadow. Always there. No matter where you go it always follows you, your shadow. He was like that. You wouldn't know he's there, or you would but you wouldn't care, because it's just a shadow. But he was different. He was always there, wether you wanted him to be watching or not, he always knows, he's always one step ahead of you, actually let me rephrase that. He's always a thousand steps ahead of you. Always was, always will be. 

He was a shadow in the forest, you could see his shadow on the trees, thanks to the bright light from the full moon. One minute you think he's there, then he's not-gone in a flash. It would be impossible to follow him, to track him down. But no one bothered to do it, actually no one dared. They feared him, he was fear himself. And the only thing to fear is fear. It's him. 

He ran through the thick trees, slicing down every tree branch in his way. He wasn't running from someone, he was running to someone. Someone he couldn't wait to see, someone he so badly wanted to see bleeding and pleading for mercy. But he wouldn't show it. He came to an opening between the trees, a huge dark cave lay before him. His well known smiled played on his lips as he entered the cave. 

He kept venturing in, till he found her. Thanks to the source of light coming form the fire that burned in the middle. Her hands were chained up on the cave wall, she was on her knees, her head was down. Her blonde hair was a mess, some of it smeared with blood, her shirt was sticky and wet, blood again. Her pants were half ripped, revealing bloody bruises, even her hands had cuts. Blood. All blood. He loved the sight of it. He didn't understand those people who felt dizzy when they looked at it, how could you feel faint at the sight of blood? How could you not feel a rush of excitement when you see you opponent on the ground bleeding? It didn't make sense to him. 

"My lord?" A young lady appeared from the shadows, she had a whip in her hand, of course she did, he had asked her to torture the victim. 

"You did as you were told, Octavia?" It wasn't a question, more like a reminder for himself. 

"Of course I did," she smiled, "her screams are music to my ears." She laughed, evilly. He found her beautiful, she was tall, slim and strong. He liked strong girls. She had beautiful long wavy brown hair and decisive brown eyes, that make you weak by just looking in them. 

"The important thing is that she isn't dead." He walked up to the girl and knelt in front of her. He lifted her face up with his finger placed under her chin, she was awake. Her face had scratches. Tears flowed down her cheeks. 

"Why?" she muttered, he barely heard her. He was aware of Octavia watching him, but he knew she can't hear a thing. 

"Why?" He laughed, "because my dear friend I love seeing people in pain. It brings me joy."

"What did I ever do to you?" She asked a bit louder.

"What you did? What you did? Hah! It's all because of you Annabeth, all of it. Your the one who made me question my power and ability, thanks to you I always hesitated from using my full powers. You made me question myself. Told me not everything is meant to be controlled. And you'll pay the price."

"I never did that!" She spat in his face. "If you wanted to do it, then you could've. I only told you what was right! I never wanted you to do something wrong, it's you! I was doing the right thing, it's not my fault your too powerful. Okay? I'm fed up, just leave me alone!" She was crying, regretting what she said, knowing she'll pay for it. 

He slowly rose and turned to face Octavia. "Torture her! Again and again! I don't want her dead though, keep doing it till I tell you to stop." He calmly said.

Octavia bowed, "of course my lord. I'll have pleasure doing it." 

He nodded and walked out of the cave. Dawn was coming, a faint color of orange was appearing in the sky. Suddenly he could hear her screams and the slashing of the whip. It truly was music to the ears. 

Piper's POV:

"We leave. Tonight." Jason said.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Hazel asked.

"Simple," he turned to face her, "tonight, after curfew we leave, we don't to be Annabeth to figure this out," he glared. 

"Jason? What's gotten into you?" Hazel asked, "you want to leave Frank and Annabeth behind? Your friends? You go I'm staying here." 

Jason put his shoes and got up from his bed, "Hazel of course not! We have to save them too, one we do we take our ship and we bust out of here. I heard they have a dock on the other side of the island." 

"Jason do you think Percy's an idiot?" I asked, I was pretty mad at him, here we are arguing in our cabin trying to figure this out. IF we escape we don't win anything, actually it results in us failing, we didn't bring Percy back and who knows what he's up to. 

"Of course not Pipes." 

"Then don't you think he might have people watching us?! Or guards hiding in the woods waiting for anyone to come. And do you honestly think that the docks are not guarded?!"

"Piper of course they are!"

"Then we can't leave tonight!"

"And why is that?" Leo asked, he was playing with a piece of metal, trying to get it into a shape. 

"Because...ugh...guys listen we to get to the docks which are on the other side we have to go through the woods, in other words deeper into the North station we had in the Killing games, from there instead of going South we head North, who knows what lays there, more monsters, more guards? And we don't know where Percy is keeping Annabeth. We know one thing: Frank is in the palace's dungeons, we need to sneak in there, take him, and Annabeth without anyone knowing a thing!" I took a deep breathe, "and that will be totally easy." 

None of them said a word we all knew its a lost cause but Jason wasn't giving up, he's changed lately, a lot. I've never seen him like this, too protective too superior. Thats not him. And that's because unlike Percy, Jason doesn't belong here, he's pure good, not evil. He can't stand this place, he won't survive long. 

"I agree with Piper, as much as I want to leave this place, we have to wait," Nico said, he stood in the corner, he became awfully quiet once we arrived here, not like I blame him. "I think we have to wait for three days, because Percy said Frank will be whipped for three days. And Annabeth I don't think he would keep her for long, and then once we have both Frank and Annabeth with us, we bust out of her. Simple."

"Yeah, definitely simple." Leo said. 

"One of us has to go to talk to Percy, try to convince him to bring Annabeth out, and hopefully Frank, I-I just ca- can't imagine wh-what he's doing to them," Hazel said tears flowing down her cheeks. 

"Maybe I should go," Jason volunteered. 

"I honestly don't think thats a great idea." Nico said, "let me go. Trust me on this guys." 

Sending Nico? I don't know if that would be a great idea. But maybe it would work, Nico nows how to negotiate deals but he usually does them with threatening someone, and that won't work on Percy. I didn't see anyone else ready for this, Jason would probably lose his temper, Leo would make Percy blast him because of his jokes and Hazel is just too heart broken over Frank. 

"Okay. But Nico I'm coming with you." I said, I put my jacket on.

"Piper, no." Jason said.

"Sparky I have to go it's the only way. Don't worry about me just once, I'll be fine." I kissed him goodbye and made my way to the door, Nico behind me. 

"Good luck guys! Be careful." Hazel said.

"Don't worry we have to be." Nico said. 

Once we were out I turned to face  Nico. 

"Why do I have a feeling your resisting the urge to rip Percy's heart out?"

"Because I am. No one hurts any of my friends as long as I live."

"I thought Percy was your friend?"

The hatred and fire burning in his eyes softened a bit, "he was. But he killed Will for absolutely no reason. "

"And how do we exactly know that?" 

He shrugged, "I don't want to talk about it. Percy is just an enemy to me know, let's just go and get this over with." He walked ahead towards the palace. 

He was lying, his eyes softened a bit when I mentioned Percy, he was still a friend to him. I know it, deep down somewhere Percy is still Percy, the Percy we all used to know. 

------

Nico's POV:

All the way through the camp, everyone as usual was glaring at us, some just ignored us. But I still hated them, every each and one of them. They were killers, murders and thieves and worse. It wasn't fair they were all living here, on an amazing island, and did I mention immortality? 

And what I hated most was that the gods didn't bring them to justice. Cowards. In my eyes the gods always were, no matter what they did. All their ever good at is blasting people and trying to be the best at everything.  

We reached the palace's gates, two guards stood at each side of the huge doors. They pointed their spears towards us once we approached. 

"Hold it right there, the king didn't inform us of any visitors today."

"Well why don't you go tell him he was two visitors, maybe he can learn how to make friends instead of being stuck in there all day!" 

"Calm down Nico." Piper warned me. 

"You won't go in." The first guard said, "unless the king accepts."

I walked up to him and pushed him to the wall, "listen up buddy I'm not here to respect your precious little king, wether he wants to see us or not, let us in! And if you don't I'll summon an army of skeletons and I'll make them rip out your organs! Do I make myself clear?!" 

The guard gulped and nodded, "let me go tell the king first."

The guard disappeared into the palace and came back a couple of minutes later. 

"The king will see you now, he awaits."

"Yeah yeah whatever."

"Follow me," the guard said.

We followed him in. 

"Nico once we reach Percy let me do the talking first, okay?" Piper said."

"Fine by me, but if he doesn't at least let Annabeth out I'll turn all Jurassic Park on him. I'm not leaving without Frank or Annabeth. But Percy we can forget, he's a lost cause." 

Author's note:

*dodges knives being thrown at her* GUYS PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!! I was really late with updating this chapter because of a little thing I like to call MY TARTARUS: SCHOOL! For the past three weeks I've been busy with tests and projects, I've had three Chemistry tests in just three weeks, and other subjects that are driving me nuts. Welcome to grade 9, I hate it, but that causes the problem of my not being able to update...BUTTTTTT next week, I'm free, no tests well maybe just one but it's english and easy, I'm not sure but by next week I'll definitely be able to update!! So the chapter title 'with loss and victory' will have three parts maybe I'm not sure yet. 

And guys I have this new story up called the new age of heroes. Its a Percy Jackson FanFiction and I'm actually rewriting that story so I only have one part published in it, the prologue. Could guys maybe if you want to go give it a read, I'm not forcing you it's your choice. 

And one last thing... does anyone here watch The Flash BECAUSE IM FREAKING OUT OVER HERE!! IF YOU DONT YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT ITS AMAZHANG AND does anyone here watch the 100 as well? because I'm crying my eyes out here because of these tv series AND I TOTALLY RECOMMEND THEM!!

Until next time,

Sassy Demigod Wizard (yeah thats kinda my thing)