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Point of View: Third Person

They can hear the screaming.

His tortured screaming.

The demigods all gathered in a single, massive cell. Annabeth is crying as she whispers to herself and prays for Percy, knowing no god or goddess will help him. The gods abandoned their children and their friend.

"He's been down there for days." Jason slumps against the bars of the cell door, on his knees as he grips the bars.

"To only be screaming now is a feat of its own." Reyna says firmly. "He is at the hands of the Primordial of Pit and Punishment. He was bound to scream eventually. Do not let it bother you, that is its only purpose."

"He's suffering!" Annabeth snaps at the praetor and everyone stares. "It is worse than before. I know. It's not even close. Before, he only screamed after the first few months, but they were only to keep me safe, they weren't real. Whatever Tartarus is doing now..."

Reyna pales.

"Time passes differently up here on the surface than it does down in the Pit." Nico whispers and wraps his arms around his knees as he pulls them to his chest. "What was a day up here, was a month down there. And Tartarus can bend the time in his own dimension. He could have made it a year for Percy, a hundred years, a thousand. Percy is far older than any of us and you can see it in his eyes. He's too strong to scream. He is in so much agony, probably threatened with our lives to get him to make noise." Nico puts his head down. "The worst is yet to come."

The screaming stops and they all sigh in relief.

When the door to the dungeon opens, Percy is tossed in front of the door, rolling until his back hits the bars. Annabeth rushes to Percy's side and cries over him. Tartarus smirks, knowing he did the job.

"We came up to share the fun." Tartarus informs them and all but the rest of the Seven, Nico, and Reyna back away. "You, boy," Tartarus looks right at Nico and Nico slowly looks up, feeling the malicious intent directed towards him. "Come over here."

Nico does as told reluctantly, coming to settle next to Annabeth and placing a hand on his friend, barely breathing straight.

"Every time you answer wrong, Perseus will feel the worst pain in the world. Every time you answer right, he will be spared." Tartarus explains.

Nico's eyes widen and his world comes crashing down. All of a sudden, his friend's sanity is in his hands. "I have no idea what you're going to ask..." He breathes.

Tartarus chuckles. "Then let's give a demonstration, shall we? An incentive to get it right." His gaze turns down to Perseus and the son of Poseidon screams, worse than before.

"No! Stop!" Annabeth begs. "Percy! Percy, I am right here."

Jason looks horrified.

"Please, I'll answer. Just stop." Nico implores with Tartarus, fearing for his friend.

Tartarus removes his gaze and the screaming continues for a little while longer before he snaps his fingers. Percy drags in air and groans. "Will you answer honestly in every question?"

"Yes!" Nico exclaims. "I swear. Please, don't hurt him."

"Then tell me, do you know where the gods are?" Tartarus questions.

Nico shakes his head slowly, frowning. "No, I don't. I don't know why they up and vanished either. They just left us as far as I am concerned. If anyone here has the information, it is not me. We're just their soldiers, they don't really tell us much."

Tartarus makes the excruciating pain erupt in Perseus again and Nico pleads for it to stop. "Are you telling me the truth?"

"Yes, I promise! I don't know where they are. If I had my powers, I could meditate and find them if they were anywhere near the shadows. I won't lie to you with him like that. Please!" Nico throws it at him to get his friend away from the pain.

Tartarus nods and let's the pain die down. "And your father? Where was he?"

"He was getting ready to leave the last I was down there. He was confused, but sound in mind. He was going to come in when you least expected it. He was not there yet, but the time for him to come was long past. He never came. I don't know where he is now, I can't even feel my connection to him right now or I swear I would tell you. Please, don't hurt him anymore. I'll tell you anything." Nico informs him.

"And what exactly was his plan?" Tartarus demands.

"I don't know! I promise! All he did when I was around was ready his skeletons for battle and gather spirits who wanted to fight. He wouldn't tell me anything. As if..." Nico sits back. "As if he knew..."

"Yes?" Tartarus prompts.

"Like he knew they were going to abandon us." Nico murmurs.

"Did you know the roots of the gods are now shielded? It is by the hands of the gods, their doing and handiwork. For that kind of spell," Tartarus kicks Percy and causes him to lay flat on his back. He snaps his fingers and Percy suddenly transforms into Will Solace. "The price is high and requires a sacrifice, blood, or a host to contain the spell."

Nico looks at Will with wide eyes. "I don't understand."

"I do. This one spilled his guts out after I threatened to take the life of each and every last one of you. He was only half willing while Perseus Jackson fought against it, he didn't want to abandon you to a bloodbath. Hera is always absent from battle, so she would not be noticed if she was given another task. They made this demigod look like the child of the sea and took the real son of Poseidon up to the the roots. It has to be a willing host or sacrifice, so they must have threatened you or promised him everything would be all right, that they'd deal with it. Do you still believe your godly parents love you?" Tartarus explicates.

"No wonder he wasn't fighting the same." Piper murmurs.

"Yes, his skill was gone from the field of battle and replaced with a long ranged user completely untalented at a sword." Tartarus opens the cell door. "Do any of you wish to see what has become of your precious friend?"

Eventually they all agree, but Annabeth and Nico are the first ones to jump at the offer.

Tartarus flashes them all to the very edge of the golden, shimmering shield that has been erected like a dome over the expanse of the roots. Tartarus points dead ahead and Annabeth gasps. "He lies upon an altar of Olympian Silver. Artemis spared his life, not letting the others kill the boy. She was the only one who disagreed with the majority decision, as far as I am aware. I do know that the boy's father suggested it. None of us can get past the shield. It is underground as well."

Nico walks until he comes to stand face to face in front of Tartarus. He lifts his arms and looks as serious as he has ever been. "I can get in. Release me and I'll break their magic somehow."

Tartarus looks pleased and then scowls. "Try to escape,-"

"I won't." Nico shakes his head and then the restraints fall off of him. He looks around and grins at a shadow. "Perfect. Please work." Nico runs into the shadow, angering Tartarus until he sees the offspring of the Underworld inside of the dome. "That burns!" He exclaims as he sheds his jacket that caught on fire from the shield's magic. "Woah." He breathes as he looks around.

"Hurry up." Tartarus growls. "I'll make sure the rest of them are safe as long as you do what I want."

Nico nods slowly and hurries over to his friend, who is in a stasis. "Oh, man." Nico gulps and studies Percy.

Percy is in a white robe, his eyes are open and glowing full white, his feet are bare, and his hands form a triangle over his center, white energy glowing within the shape.

"The host must be of pure heart, pure soul, and have enough power to eternally sustain the spell. Perseus Jackson was the perfect candidate. He is the most powerful demigod to ever live and the greatest in all aspects. He was naïve when he stumbled upon this world. He should have listened to Lucas Castellan, all of this would never have happened. He knows that now. He can hear you, but he cannot see you or reach out to you." Tartarus gives Nico details that may aid in the the demigod's efforts. "Careful, you risk losing his soul or even erasing it."

Nico nods, slowly setting a hand on Percy's and ignoring the searing hot he feels travel up his arm for a split second. The moment passes and Nico swallows thickly. "Percy," He whispers. "I know you can hear me. You need to wake up, Perce, it's bad. The gods have abandoned us, this world. They up and vanished."

Nothing changes and Nico shakes his friend. "Please, Percy, wake up."

Tartarus frowns, sensing a slight change in the energy surrounding the roots.

"Wake up, damn you!" Nico yells and his fists slam against Percy's chest. "We need you! I need you! I don't hate you anymore! It wasn't your fault! Get up!" Nico shouts, breathing heavily as he leans over his friend.

Everyone gasps and Nico ignores it, thinking it was about his outburst, not realizing one of the gasps has come from right beside him. Then he hears the weak laugh of his friend and looks over to see tired, emerald eyes.

"Percy." Nico breathes.

"Strong words for someone so young." Percy smiles a little.

"You're awake." Nico says happily.

Percy grunts as he tries to sit up, Nico helping him hurriedly. He looks over at Tartarus and then down at his lap. "So, tell me," Percy says and slides off of the altar, causing the shield to weaken. His feet gracing the ground as Nico supports some of his weight. "What is going to happen after you destroy the roots of the gods?"

"I will give you your own personal place with the rest of these demigods to live in, free of harm. As long as you cooperate." Tartarus bows his head.

Percy sighs and looks around him. "What a bother, a nuisance really."

"Take it down." Tartarus commands.

Percy looks at Nico. "I will." Percy smiles and starts walking on his own, showing the others just how much strength he really has. He walks straight for Tartarus as Nico follows him, waiting to catch him if he falls. The son of the sea places his hand on the shield. "Betrayed by the one who sired me, deceived by those who manipulated me, and lit by the light of night that shared the burden, I, Perseus Jackson, host of The Goddess Artemis and the spell of the gods, release this binding, let ruin befall those who cast it."

Percy bursts into light and the wall of energy begins tearing itself down. As the light fades, Artemis stands next to Percy, both have their eyes closed, dressed the same and open their eyes together.

"I cannot say I despised sharing the space, however, never again." Artemis smiles at him.

"At least neither of us was alone." Percy says.

"True, I will allow that." Artemis grins. "On another note, I believe we will forever be connected. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about that. It is not entirely horrible, but anything to do with another person is now unwise for the both of us."

Percy sighs. "I am aware. Sharing mind and body, information has flooded between us and we are one and the same, together for too long. It seems fate is cruel in that way and I no longer feel the same as I used to. Whatever bond was forced to forge between us wiped each other clean of absolutely everything but memories and duties, oaths and feelings absolved."

Annabeth saddens, understanding.

Percy smiles as he looks over at her. "Do not fret, Annabeth Chase, I will always love you in memory, soul, and heart. But I no longer have the emotion for you and for that I am truly sorry."

"It is all right, Percy." She whispers.

He comes over and makes her look at him, pressing his lips against hers. When he pulls away, his eyes slowly open. "I will always have a hole in my heart for you, Wise Girl." She smiles, tears starting to run down her face. "But this experience has torn me from my original feelings for you and I hope you will forgive me. The gods never knew when to stop." He smiles and let's her go, turning his attention to Tartarus. "Now, I assume you want the roots destroyed?"

Tartarus nods.

"But that will kill Artemis!" Thalia rushes forward.

Percy stops her. "No, it will not. Tartarus is aware of Artemis' deeds and will allow her root alone to continue on existing. I will also sustain her if that is not possible. As I said before, Artemis and I were together like that for far too long and it has changed the both of us. We might not be the same person completely, we still hold our individuality, but now we share in total everything that we feel. It creates an unbreakable bond, like we are still together. So, whatever one of us feels-"

"The other feels as well." Nico finishes.

"Precisely. It is why I should never be with anyone but Artemis." Percy explains, closing his eyes as he looks down. "Physically, emotionally, we will feel the same pain, the same sorrow. Mentally, we have minds of our own, but are able to speak without saying anything aloud. I was the host body, so whatever I feel physically will double for her. She was another soul in my body, whatever she feels emotionally, will be twice as much for me. Mentally, we share the load. We can hear the other's thoughts and I have no control over whether or not she feels what I do. I cannot block her because it was a willing to go through with the spell on the promise that you would all be saved in the end."

"Percy, where are the gods?" Annabeth whispers.

He lifts his shoulders and shakes his head. "Artemis and I have no clue. Once we were merged on the altar," Percy looks over where he once lay. "They disappeared as my sight turned into blinding white. I have no feel for them anywhere and neither does she."

"It's a bit creepy." Jason admits.

"Eerie." Artemis and Percy say together and then Artemis rolls her eyes.

"Do not start with me." Percy looks at her.

"I want to beat them to a bloody pulp just as much as you do, Perseus. I have the right to say whatever I want." Artemis smirks.

"Yes, but who's thought was it? Mine or yours? The answer is both. If it weren't for being two pure souls, this would have been a lot less complicated. But we both fit the bill and you tried to argue with them when you knew it was not wise. You got stuck with me. I had to host your goddess soul almost like Luke was possessed by Kronos' Titan one. We both know I had control, are we done fighting about this matter?" Percy crosses his arms as he waits.

"Let's just get rid of the roots and settle our differences over our time in your body later. They'll want answers and then we'll decide who's in control from here on out." Artemis rolls her eyes again.

"I felt that." He hisses playfully and everyone just watches the two interact. He holds out his left hand and sighs. "I'll tell you who's in control. It will be the both of us. No arguing over that. I'll listen to you if you listen to me. I was already immortalized and turned into a god, even though I explicitly asked not to be several times and refused at the end of the last war. Against my own will."

"This blow will not kill them, but they will be forced here as their roots are torn down. Their thrones will crack and disappear and only mine will remain. Olympus might fall out of the sky and the city below will be in danger." Artemis tells him as she places her hand in his, his hand wrapping around hers gently.

"As long as one of you remains, it will float in the sky." Percy sighs. "I suppose my own throne has already risen thanks to Poseidon nagging Zeus about it. I really wish they would not have crossed that line."

"I wonder about you sometimes and then I can now see the reason while you speak and think." Artemis says and their hands, interlaced and free, glow with a white light.

They hold their free hands out towards the roots and speak together. "Host and spirit, betrayed and returned, call upon fate to spill the Ichor of the gods." The ground starts shaking. "May Moon and Life sustain the world and replenish what it has lost. Let domains be taken and immortals shackled. Evil shall repent, crimes have been observed."

Tartarus watches in amazement as the center of the roots blasts, a column of black light shooting upwards to the sky.

"And so falls the reign of corruption." Artemis and Percy whisper.

The gods are forcefully flashed in and are stuck where they stand.

Percy winces as light floods from Apollo, Poseidon, Hermes, Zeus, Hades, Demeter, Hephaestus, and Ares. The rest of the Olympians having their light drained and flooding into Artemis.

The white light Percy and Artemis share fades as the gods are put in chains and they let go.

"What was that?" Jason demands.

"Their domains were given to us." Percy informs him. "Not to worry, it will all be fine. Hestia is spared, as well as the gods they all thought minor. The roots of those who were important will now remain, they are now regular immortals and we will entrust them into the care of Tartarus and Gaea." Percy looks at Tartarus. "We will settle Olympus near Mt. Tamalpais and move the camps there as well. The humans will go on as always, I will work on their habits of pollution and cleanse Gaea of the poison that causes her so much pain."

"That is all I ask. You may roam free. Your children, should you have any, will be left alone. We are not like Zeus and his foolish ways. You will be left alone but to report to us. Is that clear?" Tartarus speaks.

"Crystal." Artemis responds.

"I hope we may become friends, old tormentor of mine." Percy chuckles and Tartarus grins mischievously.

"My children will not be happy about your new domains." Tartarus explains.

Percy points up. "We will take care of the big guy in the sky. Certainly we can all work together to create another dimension for the humans or ourselves."

"And how do you suggest we sustain both?" Gaea rises out of the ground.

"As in make a copycat dimension that shares the same sources we already hold over." Percy explains.

"I see. You want to utilize the Mist as another world. That would require Hecate to house us at will." Artemis looks thoughtful.

Percy shivers. "Please stop that." His voice shakes horribly. "I feel like you're trying to take over my body."

"Oops. Sorry." She smiles sheepishly.

"Mhmm." He shakes his head. "That feels weird, Artemis."

She shivers this time. "Perseus!"

"Now you know how it feels. I felt like that the entire time you were inside me." He says.

"Then you should be accustomed to it." She snaps.

"Oh, here we go again." He rolls his eyes. "It's not my fault I had total control. It's not like I meant to imprison you in my head. Blame your father."

"That idiot was never good with spells, I don't know why Athena let him do it in the first place." Artemis grumbles.

"Let's just go and take care of things. I think they all want to go home." Percy sighs exasperatedly.

"You did not just think that!" Artemis turns pink.

"What if I did?" He challenges. "What are you going to do about it?"

She slaps him and he grins as she hisses.

"Whatever I feel physically hurts you more than me." He chuckles.

She has this look on her face and he frowns.

"It's not going to work on me. I've had practice and I lived with my mother, she was great at guilt tripping." He tells her and then looks frantic.

Artemis looks sad. "I don't know if she's still alive, but we can find out."

Percy shakes his head. "Forget it. I can feel it. She's gone."

"Poseidon?" Artemis asks, glancing over at the old immortal being lifted by Polybotes, who has a grin on his face.

Percy nods.

"Well, that's okay. I'm sure she's alright in the Underworld." Artemis reassures him.

"Yeah." He sighs.

Four Months Later

Everyone is present in the throne room of the castle Gaea and Tartarus assembled from earth and metal.

"It's done!" Percy exclaims happily as he flashes in, Artemis flashing in behind him and running after him.

"Perseus!" She yells.

"It wasn't my fault that you hit me again. I was innocently fixing the camps and what did you do? You eavesdropped on me while I was clear-minded and speaking aloud so I could have thoughts to myself. It wasn't my fault you heard me talking about how in the world I was supposed to make a proper city without it looking so vain. I was merely commenting on the inappropriate statues I found in the gardens Zeus had in his own backyard. I hate them just as much as you do. You overreacted like a teenage girl on hormones." He is now hanging upside down from the rafters as Artemis stands directly below him with hands on her hips.

"Perseus, get down here." Artemis commands.

"I don't think so. You'll only try to kill me and in doing so hurt yourself in the process. I'm the responsible one, you're the crazy one. Besides, you chased me all throughout the city while I was fixing it. If you keep wrecking it in the process, it isn't going to be finished. We're lucky we got it done. Now the demigod's can come to the city or the camps whenever they want. I just moved Olympus by force, I'm a bit tired. And I'm not about to get hit. So, until you calm down, I am not landing." Percy informs her.

"You're the responsible one?" She raises an eyebrow.

"I have to be careful or anything I do could hurt you. If I trip, I'll just feel a little scrape but you'll feel as if the skin on your knee got ripped off. You're crazy because your emotions have gone haywire. You have to get used to mine as well." He replies.

"Fine. I won't hit you." She huffs.

"That's all well and good. But I don't believe you." He chuckles.

"What did he say?" Nico looks confused.

"I was commenting on what kind of person Zeus was and what kind of thoughts he must have had while looking at them. I wanted to know why he even had them in the first place." Percy lands right in front of Nico, who jumps at the sudden proximity.

"Why do you have so much energy if you're tired?" Nico questions.

"Oh, you know," Percy rolls his eyes. "Domains to look after, things to do, people to look out for. High alert all the time. The usual. We've made a place for each of you." He claps his hands together. "And decided on who's getting the chance to turn immortal to make the world a better place. Obviously, I am just one person and Artemis has the other side of my coin so that we can work together while either of us is away, but I will need help. The Giants that died are being risen, those who are currently still alive and kicking are handling punishment with their parents. The Titans are also being risen or brought out of hiding. I need to release the unlawfully imprisoned and the unjustly damned as well, but I haven't had enough time with everything that has been going on. I keep meaning to, but then Artemis passes out and I invariably have the urge to fall asleep, and I do because her feelings and emotions take over my system, a lot. Which is why she's insane. She's been napping a lot lately and it's hard to stay awake when I know I'm not tired. We are still trying to get the hang of it since we've been distracted by duties." Percy explicates.

"So..." Jason looks in between Percy and Artemis.

"Get that dirty mind of yours out of the gutter, Jason Grace. I will not tolerate such filthy thoughts and fantasies about Artemis and I running rampant in that thick skull of yours." Percy sounds irritated and then he sighs. "Can you please contain the majority of your feelings?" He looks over at Artemis.

"It's not my fault I can hear him loud and clear. I'm trying to get Hera's old domains and powers under control. I haven't had time to practice." Artemis tells him.

"Anyway," Percy shakes his head. "Everything is done and we were thinking about building bridges between the three cities and palaces, castles, whatever. Hecate gave us great news. The Mist will be our world while humans remain here. We thought that the monsters could stay within the Mist and do what they wanted with the vacant buildings and things that are copied from the real version of the dimension. Sound like fun?"

"It sounds agreeable." Gaea consents with a nod of her head.

"Amazing!" Percy looks excited. "Okay, I need a bunch of them to help me though. Luckily, the Mist has no pollution in its world and to enter it, there will be an entryway in each throne room, which also means the Underworld, but I will make sure no dead souls will be able to enter. I will place one in each remaining Wild Place and the ones I regrow. If humans ever find it, we will get rid of them immediately. If within the Mist, they won't need true sight to see the monsters. We should label them something other than monsters though..." Percy looks like he is in deep thought. "I'm going to need satyrs, nature type monsters, demigods, and others in general that might want to help persuade the humans to rid the world of pollution, even though I have already done that. But I'm talking wide scale projects to keep from polluting."

"You're really starting to worry me." Artemis sighs and then gasps as Percy grins at her with a glint in his eyes. "Take that thought back right now!"

"I don't think so." He smirks. "Catch me if you can!" He shouts and takes off out the doors.

"Perseus!" Artemis steams.

The End

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