The Mission

Previously...

'Thanks for saving me, lord,' a voice sounded in his ear. He immediately thought of Blackjack. But then he realized it was the bird he just saved. The only difference was it was no longer a little bird like it was when it was still in the caged. It was a massive ice phoenix with 12 ft wingspan.

"Woah... how can I understand you?" Percy asked.

'Well, I am not just any bird, lord,' the bird said , 'I am an Ice Phoenix, you know!'

That's when it clicked in Percy's head. A Phoenix; they were thought to be almost extinct but in front of him was not just any phoenix, but an Ice Phoenix which is a both land and sea creature. No wonder he could understand it.

"So...you have a name?" Percy asked the female Ice Phoenix.

'Um.. it's Eterna Revi. I guess you could call me Eterna or something'

***

"Hahaha..." Chaos laughed as Percy exited his portal. "Welcome back."

"You!!" Percy still looked angry about dropping them in mid-air. The only one who looked even angrier was Zoë who would've taken the longest to activate her teleportation ability.

"Argh!" She charged straight at Chaos joined by Percy, and the next thing you know was that all three of them were on the floor.

"Now that was fun," Chaos rolled over and got up grinning, "Let's go again!"

"Let's not!" Calypso said and started heading towards her room.

"Oh wait, hold up," Chaos shouted after her, "Wait till Thalia and Luke gets back as well. I need to tell you something."

{Briefing Room. Few minutes later...}

"Now that you are all here, I want to give you something." Chaos moved towards Percy.

He put his hands in pocket and took out a watch. He brought it up to his face and waited.

1 second... 2 seconds... 5 seconds... 10 seconds... 30 seconds... 1 minute...

They waited as Chaos stared at his watch for 2 minutes and 41 seconds before he finally said something.

"As of this exact moment," he said, "you have been on this planet for exactly a year, Percy. This is for you"

Chaos brought a necklace from his pocket and gave it to Percy along with a bead. The bead had the logo of the Chaos army.

"Now, I know that you used to get beads at the end of every summer at camp but you can move those to this necklace as well if you want. How about we add a bead to your necklace every year as well, I thought. This year it's the logo of the Chaos army as it was established."

As he said that, he was handing out the beads and necklaces to the others in the team.

"If you guys don't like it, you don't need to take it."

"No..No.. It's great," Percy said, "thank you."

Percy understood why Chaos said that especially to him. It was because it might bring too many memories for him about camp and Annabeth. But after all these months Percy had decided to embrace the truth, rather than forget the past.

"Alright then," said Chaos, "off you go and do whatever you guys have to do. I have to meet someone."

Chaos did not wait for them to leave and instead he left even before them. It seemed that the meeting was quite important.

As he left Chaos shouted out one last message to them: "I want you to do at least one mission a week! Ouranos, Nyx or Gaia will bring the missions to you."

When Percy and his team heard that, they expected Chaos to return in about a month at most, but little did they know that it would be 7 months before they see him again.

7 Months Later...

"Phew... that was a challenging mission." Luke sighed as the team exited the portal and entered planet Celestia where Nyx was waiting for them.

"Well then you shouldn't have restricted your power and should've just got it done and over with." Nyx scolded Luke as she heard him say that.

Three months ago, because all the missions they got were too easy where any single of them could handle it by themselves, it was Luke that came up with the idea of restricting their power at that time. It would've been fine if they restricted it to equal their opponent but they decided to restrict it to that of a mortal and just used their weapon skills to try and overcome their enemies. At least that way, they would feel a bit challenged and would not get easily bored.

However it was also easily understandable why Nyx worried so much as well. They were playing with their lives when they clearly did not have to. After all these time they spent together Nyx, Gaia and Ouranos started to see them as if they were their siblings as well and when they go do something reckless like this every mission, who wouldn't be worried.

"Ah... Come on now," said Thalia. "If it were that dangerous we would increase our strength a little; we aren't stupid enough to get killed 'coz of that you know."

"I actually think it's a good idea" Just at that moment a deep voice sounded from far away.

Everyone turned around to see the source of the voice and in the distance you could vaguely make out the figure of Chaos.

He had finally returned!

After seven months of unexplained absence, here he was!

"That could help you guys keep improving even when you can't find stronger opponents."

"Lord Chaos!"

"Father!"

The team and Lady Nyx greeted Lord Chaos as he got closer to them.

"Hahaha," Chaos laughed. "How's my tan?"

"You went to get a tan for seven months without actually telling us where you were going?" Zoë asked.

"Oh I am sorry, mum." Chaos chuckled sarcastically at Zoë.

But then he saw everyone was still staring at him.

"Okay, okay... I wasn't getting a tan the last seven months, just the last 6 months and 29 days," Chaos confessed as if he were a toddler admitting that he broke the toy or something. "But I did have an important meeting the first day though and I need to talk to you guys about it, so go and get some rest now and come to the briefing room tomorrow."

***

Percy had a few changes compared to 7 months ago. Other than the obvious fact that he had grown more powerful, he was also slightly taller and paler. He had a slightly cold and chilly aura about him. It was not noticeable when he was with his friends in the Army but when he was on a mission... Boy, let's just say you don't want to be the other guy fighting him.

The most obvious change about Percy's outer appearance was not the fact that he was taller or paler, it was actually the colour of his. Everyone's pupils were black but Percy's were dark beyond all extreme. Anyone that looked into it would experience fear worse than if they were standing in front of a Black Hole.

In contrast to his pupils, his eye colour was much friendlier. Even though it was not sea green like his father's was anymore, it was still a colour associated with the sea. It seemed much purer and if any demigods or even weaker gods were to look at it, they may just fall for him, regardless of their gender. Percy's sea blue eyes were without a rival in the whole world.

As of this moment, Percy was in his room, resting his eyes before the briefing tomorrow.

That night Percy had another dream about Annabeth. This was when they were in the Argo II; one of the last few days of her life.

*[Annabeth was leading Percy past the supply rooms and the armory of the Argo II. They soon reached a set of wooden double doors that opened into a large stable. The stable's floor was see through.

"A glass-bottomed boat?" Percy asked.

"Come on," she smiled and grabbed a blanket from the nearest stable gate and spread it across part of the glass floor. "Sit with me."

They relaxed on the blanket as if they were having a picnic, and watched the world go by below.

"Leo built the stables so pegasi could come and go easily," Annabeth said. "Only he didn't realize that pegasi prefer to roam free, so the stables are always empty."

"What do you mean, come and go easily?" he asked. "Wouldn't a pegasus have to make it down two flights of stairs?"

Annabeth rapped her knuckles on the glass. "These are bay doors, like on a bomber."

Percy gulped. "You mean we're sitting on doors? What if they opened?"

"I suppose we'd fall to our deaths. But they won't open. Most likely."

"Great."

Annabeth laughed. "You know why I like it here? It's not just the view. What does this place remind you of?"

Percy looked around: the cages and stables, the Celestial bronze lamp hanging from the beam, the smell of hay, and of course Annabeth sitting close to him, her face ghostly and beautiful in the soft amber light.

"That zoo truck," Percy decided. "The one we took to Las Vegas."

Her smile told him he'd gotten the answer right.

"Do you know what else it reminds me of?" Annabeth said. "it reminds me how long we've known each other. We were twelve, Percy. Can you believe that?"

"No," he admitted. "So...you knew you liked me from that moment?"

She smirked. "I hated you at first. You annoyed me. Then I tolerated you for a few years. Then—"

"Okay, fine."

She leaned over and kissed him: a good, proper kiss without anyone watching—no Romans anywhere, no screaming satyr chaperones.

She pulled away. "I missed you, Percy."

Percy wanted to tell her the same thing, but it seemed too small a comment. While he had been on the Roman side, he'd kept himself alive almost solely by thinking of Annabeth. I missed you didn't really cover that.

After a few seconds of silence, Percy hesitantly mumbled, "Annabeth."

"Yeah?"

"in New Rome, demigods can live their whole lives in peace."

Her expression turned guarded. "Reyna explained it to me. But, Percy, you belong at Camp Half-Blood. That other life—"

"I know," Percy said. "But while I was there, I saw so many demigods living without fear: kids going to college, couples getting married and raising families. There's nothing like that at Camp Half-Blood. I kept thinking about you and me...and maybe someday when this war with the giants is over..."

It was hard to tell in the golden light, but he thought Annabeth was blushing. "Oh," she said.

Percy was afraid he'd said too much. Maybe he'd scared her with his big dreams of the future. She was usually the one with the plans. Percy cursed himself silently.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I just...I had to think of that to keep going. To give me hope. Forget I mentioned—"

"No!" she said. "No, Percy. Gods, that's so sweet. It's just..."

But seeing Percy panicking so much, she just kissed him again. "Shut up seaweed brain. Just hold me for a while."

They sat together cuddling, enjoying each other's warmth. Before Percy knew it, the drone of the ship's engine, the dim light, and the comfortable feeling of being with Annabeth made his eyes heavy, and he drifted to sleep.

When he woke, daylight was coming through the glass floor, and a boy's voice said, "Oh...You are in so much trouble."]**

"What... ? We were just... " Percy rubbed his eyes. What he saw was not frank like he expected instead the beak of his new pet phoenix: The Ice Phoenix, Eterna Revi.

"Eterna? What are you doing?" Percy jumped out of his bead.

'Boss, you kept saying someone's name in your sleep and you were tearing up,' Eterna defended herself, 'I had to wake you up.'

"I was... ?" Percy asked, but he wasn't too surprised. Every time he dreamed about something like this usually happened. The strange thing was, though, the dreams were supposed to be getting better and he hadn't dreamed about her for two months with the help of Nyx. Yet, all of a sudden he dreamed about her again and this was perhaps one of his most important memories of Annabeth.

'Oh yeah,' Eterna spoke up, 'don't forget about your briefing. It's almost time for it.'

"Oh, Styx!!" Percy cursed and ran to the bathroom.

***

"Alright," Chaos' voice echoed throughout the mission briefing room. "Let's get started with this."

He wasn't in his casual mood like he is most of the time; in fact, he appeared quite serious this time.

Lord chaos' mood swings was something that Percy was still getting used to. If he was being completely honest, he will probably never get used to it.

"The main reason the chaos army was created as you all know is to take down Tartarus and Chronus. As of now they both should be completely awake and monsters are pouring down on earth... The demigods cannot keep up with the number of monsters than has regenerated.

"Now, I understand some of you do not want to go back to Earth as it will bring back many memories that you don't want but you all knew since day 1 that this was inevitable. Within a week I need all of you to set off for earth; the sooner, the better."

Percy smiled feeling slightly sorry for himself. But he knew Chaos was right. He HAD*** to go back now. In fact, he would've gone back even if Chaos did not let him. Whilst, it is true that going back might bring back memories of Annabeth, it was even more important that he keep his remaining friends back on earth alive so that they do not face the same fate as she did.

'It's finally time huh?' Percy thought to himself. Percy zoned out for the rest of the briefing just thinking about everything and recalling all his friends.

"Percy!" At that moment, someone was shaking Percy.

Percy looked around and realized that the briefing was long over and it was just him and Chaos left in the room.

"Yes, Lord Chaos?" He asked, sensing a slightly worried tone from Chaos.

"Be careful," he warned, "I keep feeling like we are missing the bigger picture. Watch out for anything out of place when you are going up against them."

Percy wasn't quite sure what exactly Chaos meant, but he still nodded and respectfully left the room and returned to his room to pack his stuff.

"Eterna!" Percy called out as he entered his room.

'Yes, boss'

"Get ready, we are going back to my birth place, Earth."

'We are...? I always wanted to go and visit your planet.' The phoenix seemed very excited.

"Well, we don't wanna keep the others waiting. Let's go." By the time the phoenix finished saying that, Percy, with his super speed, finished packing and was ready to go.

Whilst Chaos said, they only had to leave within one week, Percy and the others were not going to stand by and do nothing letting the demigods the work until they get there.

Everyone met up near the Teleportation gate of the planet Celestia. This was the portal they had to take to earth. Chaos was present there, along with Nyx, Gaia and Ouranos, to send them off.

With Percy in the lead and Luke, Zoë, Thalia, Nico and Calypso trailing, they headed for the portal gate

"Guys!" Chaos called out to them in the last second. "You know... they don't have to know who you are if you don't want them to."

The six nodded. They knew what Chaos meant. Most of the six had individual reasons why they probably did not want to face the people back home. For example, Luke was labelled a traitor. Zoë was a person who once expressed her hatred for most campers. And it goes on... and if they are going to hide identities, then all of them had to do or else it may not be that hard to work out who's with them.

After one last goodbye, they went straight into the portal.

"Planet Earth, here I come!"