"Yeah, now concentrate...There you go! Awesome!" Percy clapped encouragingly. "See, I told you it was easy! You're a natural, Achilles!"

Achilles glanced back at him, proudly grinning, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "This is amazing!" He cried. "I had no idea...!"

He slid his hand up, the canoe lake mimicked his motions. The Nymphs chatted excitedly swirling in the water at the boys feet. Percy waved to the watery teenage girls. Achilles lowered his hands and the lake sloshed back into place.

"Wow." Achilles huffed. He stumbled and almost fell if it hadn't been for Percy. "Wow, that's...wow I'm exhausted."

"Yeah, powers do that sometimes." Percy said. "You okay?"

"I think so." Achilles looked at him. "I-I just...It's so much control. So much power."

Percy waded out of the water with Achilles picking up his sandals from the sandy beach area. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath of the salty sea air. A warm breeze flowed over him. Achilles ran a hand through his hair, a sure sign he wanted to say something.

Achilles wore a Camp Half Blood T Shirt and shorts from the store. Aside from the eyes, it was almost impossible to tell the two apart. Even Annabeth got mixed up once almost kissing the younger boy. Luckily Achilles stopped her and pointed her in the right direction.

Percy was glad to finally have a sibling with him. Not that Tyson wasn't awesome, but he, Ella the Harpy, and Rachel Dare, camp Oracle, were in Camp Jupiter trying to piece together the Syllibine books.

As far a Percy knew, Achilles was fitting in great. He was prone to control tremors, earthquakes, a part of Poseidon's demain that Percy was still a little shaky on (A/N: Haha, get it? shaky?). Together Percy and Achilles represented the two halves of their dad, earthquakes and the sea. And they made a pretty good team.

"What's up?" Percy asked sensing his brothers uneasiness.

"Nothing." He answered quickly.

"Oh Com'n, you can ask me anything." Percy prodded. "There's only a sixty percent change I'll laugh at you."

"It's just..." Achilles looked at him. "You're so amazing. Everyone thinks you're an awesome hero. You saved Olympus twice, made peace between the Romans and Greeks, which I heard was a pretty big thing, and your a pretty mean swordsman. And I can't help thinking, how much of a loser I am. What if I can't live up to be as good hero as you?"

Percy looked at him trying to see if he was joking or not. "You're serious? Oh Gods wow. Um." Percy scratched his head. "I don't know how else to tell you this but, that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad, but really, this is me were talking about. My entire life has been a series of near death encounters. Without help I wouldn't have survived even getting here. But now with you, I can teach you everything I know, okay? If you ever need anyone I'll be there. I'll show you the way until you're sure can do it yourself. I swear on the River Styx." Thunder boomed above them even though the sky was clear. "We good?"

Percy offered out a fist bump and Achilles grinned.

"Yep." They fist bumped.

They walked in silence back towards the cabins amidst random thoughts. Percy kicked a rock on the path. A couple of Iris kids laughed running down the path, pushing past them, giggling and sprinting to be the first to the beach.

"So did you Iris message Poseid- I mean dad?" Achilles shook his head. "I'm going to have to get use to calling The God of the sea my dad. It's just so weird sometimes."

"Yeah." Percy nodded thinking back to his conversation via rainbow mist. "He said he was sorry he hadn't told me sooner. And that he couldn't talk to you in person. He said he didn't want to add another burden to everything that was going on." Percy glanced at Achilles. "I'm not quite sure what burden he was talking about, you're like the coolest thing that's ever happened to me."

Achilles snorted. "Yeah right." But he was smiling.

"I'm serious!" Percy laughed. "Dad said to try to avoid getting prophecies too. Like that's going to happen. If I could avoid getting prophecies I would've stopped after my first Quest. He did tell me to get to know you so..."

Achilles rolled his eyes. "Ask away."

"Okay Favorite color?"

"Green."

"Favorite food?"

"Brownies, my mom made some of the best! She even found a way to dye them green!"

"Really? My mom makes blue cookies!" Percy high fived him. "Okay favorite activity?"

"Uh...I'm not quite sure. I still want to try sword fighting. I can't wait for Friday, with Capture the Flag. Lou Ellen from the Hectate cabin told me it's totally awesome!"

"It is! I've started making our team. It's got Poseidon, Ares, and Hephaestus cabins so far. Annabeth keeps bragging that she going to win...again."

"Sweet!"

"So what's your favorite...I don't know, animal?"

Achilles frowned. "huh, I never thought about it. I guess it would be-"

Percy!

Percy felt a stab of pain shock through his skull. He yelped his vision turned red. He felt his head pulse, a ringing exploded in his ears.

Percy Help!

Grover?

Help Percy!

Grover where are you? What's going on?

In the forest! It's attacking the satyrs and nymphs!

What is?

It's the-

Grover! Grover! What happened? Grover!

Percy blinked his eyes opened. Groaning. Achilles was shaking him, yelling something. How'd he get on the ground again?

"Percy!" Achilles gasped. "Percy are you okay?"

"What happened?" Percy mumbled. His head feet like it was filled with sawdust. Like everything was processing to slow in his numb head. "Grover. Grover!"

Percy struggled to get up, but Achilles pushed him firmly down.

"I don't know anything about a grover, whatever that is, but we were talking and then suddenly you yelled out and collapsed." He said. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! Don't do that!"

"Achilles, I need to get up! My friend's in trouble! I need to go help him!"

"Who? How do you know?"

"Grover, he's Lord of the Wild now! He just mind messaged me through our empathy link. Something was attacking him! I need to go help!"

"Percy, I know you've fought titans and giants and primordials, but you almost just cracked you're head open on the concrete just now! You still hit pretty hard!"

"I need to-"

They were interrupted by an explosion. The ground shook wildly and even Achilles lost his footing. A giant plume of smoke charred the air a mushroom shape above the direct forest. Campers screamed flooding away from the forest edge.

"Attacking...right." Achilles mumbled staying wide eyed. He didn't stop Percy from getting up this time.

"I need to go!" Percy mumbled to his feet pulling his pen form Riptide from his pocket.

"I'm coming with you!" Achilles declared.

"No!" Percy pushed him back. "Stay here! It's too dangerous!"

Percy ran towards the tree line before he could protest. Clarisse bellowed commands at her scattered cabin, campers ran wildly around. Chiron galloped trying to calm the tides. He didn't see Annabeth anywhere but he charged into the trees anyway.

Percy ducked under branches and dodged between the trees, following the stinging scent of fire ash. The tree nymphs recognized him pointing him towards the explosion.

There was a crashing behind him and Percy whipped around. His sword blazed like a golden beam of death and would have decapitated Achilles if he hadn't ducked instinctively.

"Whoa!" Achilles cried. He covered his face worth his hands blocking any other attack.

"Achilles!" Percy yelled. "I thought I told you to stay back!"

"Right, and let you run into this alone!" He rolled his blue eyes. "Besides, we never finished our game."

"What game-?"

"JACKSSSSON!" Percy ducked and rolled. An empousa with a sword sailed over top of him slamming head first into a tree. The fiery haired girl exploded into dust.

"You know, you ask me questions in my life?" Achilles said staring at the spot the monster disappeared in. A silvery gold sword glittered in the grass, spoils of stupidity on the monsters side.

Percy picked up the sword and squinted at Achilles.

He was already low on time. Who knows what happened to Grover? And the nymphs. What was attacking them? By the time He took Achilles back out, it could be too late.

Percy sighed and tossed his little brother the sword. Achilles barely caught it. "Okay, Ach, here's your chance." Percy shook his head unable to comprehend why he was doing this. "What's your favorite store?"

Achilles was fast. Percy could run a full sprint and Achilles kept up without trouble. The monsters they came across, Percy could easily take out. Achilles didn't even have time to raise his sword before they were particles the air.

"Favorite Saturday night activity?"

"Watching movies!"

"Favorite movie?"

"The little mermaid. I love the Flounder, her little fish companion!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, don't judge."

"Finding Nemo is way better!"

"No way!"

"Yeah!"

"No"

"Yes!" Percy diced the head of a bear and dog looking thing off. "And since I'm older, I'm right!"

"That makes no sense-Percy!"

Achilles pointed through a couple of the trees. The smoke was everywhere, screams were coming from the clearing. Multiple hissing of snakes heads could be heard.

"Percy! Percy!" A tree materialized next to the younger son Poseidon. "Percy! Grover still in there!"

"I uh..."

"Juniper!" Percy said. The tree nymph looked between the identical brothers. "Juniper, uh yeah this is my brother Achilles. Where's Grover?!"

Juniper recovered from her shock pointing her green tinted hand towards the clearing. "Percy! Please make sure he's okay! I love him Percy, but I can't go in and help!"

"It's okay!" Percy promised. "I'll get him! Just head back to Camp. Stay safe!"

Percy ran into the smoke clearing before Juniper could say anything. Achilles followed, coughing.

The sight was horrific. Satyrs danced around playing pipes but the music was broken as acid and flames nearly barbecued them all. Nymphs flung pinecones and rocks in the air occasionally hitting the satyrs. The grass was charred and the tree tops, ashing. And in the center of the chaos was an enraged hydra.

"Oh Gods."

"What's wrong?"

"We need fire to burn the stubs after I cut the heads off. Otherwise the heads will grow back."

"I'll get that."

Percy doubted Achilles could but he charged at the monster anyway. half of the seven heads hissed at him acid spitting out of their mouths. He knocked away one of the heads right before it devoured a screaming satyr. He ducked and rolled between the frothing mouths. A head snapped at his backside, near his weak spot.

He stumbled over a tree root, almost losing his balance. A snake head darted at him and Percy moved before he could stop himself. The head plopped onto the ground with a sickening 'plosh'.

"Achilles! Fire!" Percy yelled. He glanced around but his little brother wasn't anywhere to be seen. Percy batted away another head.

"Heads up!" As ironic as the warning was, Percy almost became Hydra Feed. A torch flung over his head dangerously close to his ear and hit the stub lighting it on fire. The hydra's other heads wailed in agony. The satyrs let out a cheer but a quick blast of fire from a couple heads shut them up pretty quick.

"Percy!"

Percy swing around as a familiar bleat made its way over to him.

"Grover!" Percy yelled.

His childhood friend was laying on the ground his face screwed up in pain. He'd grown since Percy had last seen him, after the Giant War. His horns stood out amidst his curly sweat stained hair and his shoulders had broadened. His furry goat legs ended with hooves and Percy was pretty sure that one of them wasn't suppose to facing all way around.

The Hydra snapped at Percy ripping his shirt sleeve. Acid stung against his skin, boiling as he let out a yelp.

Instantly Achilles was there. His picked his glittering sword up standing back to back with his brother. He swung at a head bonking it into the ground hard.

"Percy, there's got to be an easier way to fight these things!" Achilles yelled. Percy couldn't feel his fingers but he leveled out a head with his opposite hand. His mind raced. What had Annabeth said? Three was a key to destroying these things. He looked over at Grover who was moaning in pain. His hands were reaching for his reed pipes.

"Achilles, do you trust me?" Percy asked.

"Yes!" He didn't hesitate. "With my life."

"Than get Grover and leave." Percy stabbed a head in the eye and it withered away in agony.

"What?"Achilles yelled angrily. "I can't just leave you!" He jerked his hand a sloppy but effective sword fighting stance. In his anger, his blade cut through a neck.

"Move!" Percy shoved Achilles out the way as half the heads lunged at him. The sizzling, bubbling stub hissed and morphed, splitting in half. Two more heads sprouted from the acid and glared down them with red hate filled eyes.

Percy grabbed Achilles wrist and yanked him behind an upturned boulder. Flames licked the outside of the rock.

"Achilles, listen to me." Percy said. "I have a dangerously stupid idea. But I need you make sure Grover is safe and gets medical attention."

Achilles looked livid. "I-!"

"Do it!" Percy yelled.

"There is no way you can defeat that alone! You'll-"

"I'll be fine!"

Achilles looked like he had his doubts.

"You said you trusted me. I swear I'll be fine. Go, I'll cover you."

Percy turned and shoved his shoulder into the loose rock. It heaved and rolled over crushing into the surprised hydra. Percy whipped out his sword charging at the monster.

"I hate you!" Achilles yelled.

Percy didn't look back but he could hear his brother running behind him to the collapsed satyr. Grover groaned, and Achilles glared at Percy as he had dragged half carried, his friend away.

Then Percy did the stupidest thing he'd ever done. Percy started cutting of heads.

Each neck made a sizzling hissing sound and it screamed in agony. Percy hacked at the faces as more popped up. The Hydra screamed and the rock on top of it exploded into fragments.

Percy threw himself out of the way grunting at a large heavy chunk of rock chipped against the rock behind him. Ten glowing red eyes and one burned stump glared at him. Most of the clearing had been evacuated, Tree nymphs had left probably tearfully, there trees burning or corroding. The satyrs had scattered. Most needed medical attention.

Percy counted of the heads he'd cut.

"Come on!" He muttered. "Where's the fatal head?"

All hydras had one. A head that if you cut off the rest would die too. So his insane plan: Find that head. Preferably before he became Charred Demigod.

All the heads looked exactly the same. Menacing, glowering, red eyed and toothy. Half were spewing acid, the others were exhaling smoke. They were scaly the heads joining at the belly that stood on four green scaly, clawed legs. Not to mention they were about to tear him apart.

Percy dived under the heads between the legs jabbing his said in the belly. Deadly green slime like blood sloshed out narrowly hitting Percy as he slid by. The grass behind him withered and died with a sickening hiss.

The Hydra lost its balance toppling over in pain.

Percy leapt over a head and sliced down on the necks. They twisted together wiggling and the stubs hissed. And Percy sawed off the other half on the throats.

All at once the creature screamed shooting fire and acid right at Percy. It's body exploded into flames sparkling golden dust into the air. Heat slammed into his face, his body left the ground. Percy crippled against another of the upturned boulders.

"ugh..." Percy shook the stars from his eyes. His hands helped him get up. It wasn't until he was sitting up right that he noticed his shirt was torn and corroded and burned. He sighed. "Not another one..."

Every part of him ached, like he was coming down off of a high. His head spun. But he himself stand. His balance was off but he remained standing. He looked up as three figures crashed into the clearing. Achilles, Annabeth and Clarisse looked at him and he waved half hearted.

"How the Styx...?" Clarisse yelled. "No fair! I wanted-!"

"PERCY!" Achilles and Annabeth screamed.

Pain exploded in his chest. He yelled out, his knees buckled, his throat choked out blood. The last thing Percy Jackson saw was his brother stab a cackling empousa as her hands shoved the rest of the spear through his chest.

Then his vision turned Black.