Because I'm on holidays I'm going to update EVERY DAY! Maybe even twice a day. I love updating and if you guys like reading, I'm happy to oblige.

This chapter is dedicated to heroesofolympus63 for their comment, "Hmmmm.......... Probably Arachna. Oh, and AWESOME CHAPTER!!!!!!! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!! (not trying to stress you *whistles innocently*) Anyway, awesome chapie :) This is one of the best stories about Percy joining Chaos :) You are an awesome writter, keep going :)" Thanks heroesofolympus63! I love receiving comments from you guys, and remember, my fav. gets a dedication.

Anyway, this is chapter 17. Enjoy because I have been planning this for a long time ...

Chapter 17: The Truth At Last - Percy's POV

Destruction wasn't happy.

Wow, that was just the understatement of the millennia. He tried to look like it didn't matter that the others had escaped. But I could tell from the look in his eyes that they were parts of his plans.

That made me somewhat happy in this hellhole.

As I expected, the shadows didn't simply pick us up and trudge off to the cell. They dragged us to what I called the Torture Tomb. The name suits.

I tried not to shake as they pulled me through the door and chained me to the pillar, but it was hard. The lightning caused me to have hallucinations about my family and friends dying right before me. Not to mention that it was the worst pain I had ever experienced in my very long life.

They tired Annabeth to the chains by the doors where she kicked and screamed, trying to get loose. I could tell by the look on her face that she knew it was hopeless, but she tried anyway.

I needed to stay strong, or she would break down with me. I still didn't know what to think of her, but we still needed her in the upcoming battles.

I stood as straight as I could, but I had very little strength left. My knees shook with strain as they took my weight. My shoulders creaked in protest when I yanked on the chains to hoist myself up. I could barely keep my eyes open.

Destruction stepped into the room with delicacy of a someone walking through a minefield.

'How touching,' he said once he'd reached me, 'You tried to save your friends.'

I glared at him the best I could, 'I did save them.'

He smirked, 'But alas, you did not save all of them. Your precious blonde is still present here with you ... and me.'

I took a deep breath.

'I've really had enough of you,' Destruction said earnestly, 'If you don't give me what I want-'

'I will never help you,' I growled with all the strength I could muster, 'I will fight against you to my dying breath.'

His eyes shone with all the evil in the world, 'So be it.'

He thrust his hands out. But instead of the usual darkness, a firestorm erupted around me. I heard Annabeth scream over the roar of the flames.

I wasn't immune to fire like Leo was, but being the son of Poseidon had some cool perks, like being able to resist the heat of the fire for a while. I'd practiced with normal fire and could usually hold out for an hour or two. But this was Destruction's fire. I couldn't last more that 5 or 10 minutes.

I had to stop it before I burnt to death. So what did I do? I started laughing.

Destruction was so stunned, he took a step back. I just started cracking up with all the energy I had. My chest throbbed with each laugh, but I knew that it might just save my life.

But I was running out of breath. The heat of the fire was rapidly increasing. I couldn't keep going for long. I had to end it before it ended me.

So I tried something that I still had yet to master. During my private lessons with Chaos, he had told me that the atmosphere is made up of water molecules, just as the human body. So now, I put those water molecules to use.

I fought against Destruction's bonds that held my powers restrained. I slipped through a kind of hole in the fence he'd put up. Once I'd got there, I joined all the molecules in the atmosphere around me, turning it to water that splashed over the fire, extinguishing it instantly.

Destruction roared with anger and Annabeth stared at me, stunned.

'Who are you, boy?' he snarled.

I stood up as straight as I could, but I mustn't have looked very intimidating. My shoulders were slumped, my breath came out in short pants and I was shaking all over. My energy was spent, but I managed to stay standing.

'I am no boy,' I said, 'I am Epsilon, Commander of the Army of Chaos. And you, Destruction, will fail and fall at the hands of my lord and father.'

Destruction balled his hands into fists and the air turned cold. Then he did something I wasn't expecting.

He flashed forward and tore off my hood.

Annabeth's POV

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. Messy, raven hair; glittering sea-green eyes; an aura of power.

From the expression on his face, he was trying to look angry at Destruction. But his eyes were filled with pain and weariness. He was breathing hard and could barely stand.

Destruction narrowed his eyes, 'Who are you?'

Percy stayed silent. My lungs still weren't functioning properly and could barely intake air.

Destruction made a rumbling sound in his throat, 'Tell me boy!'

Quietly, in little more than a whisper, 'Once, long ago, my name was Percy Jackson and I was the son of Poseidon. Now, I am Commander Epsilon of the Army of Chaos. I am one of the most powerful beings in the galaxies rivaled only by Chaos himself. You will fail!'

With a roar of rage, Destruction drew back his fist and smashed Percy in the stomach. He doubled over, groaning. His lips shone red with blood and his eyes looked glazed.

'Stop!' I cried.

It was hard enough seeing him tortured when he was Epsilon. Now, knowing it was Percy, it was a hundred times worse.

Destruction turned to me, 'Would you rather take his place?'

I opened my mouth to scream 'yes!'

'No,' Percy moaned, 'No one else.'

Destruction laughed loudly, but there was no humor in it, 'So predictable. I have enough for today. Do not expect this to be over.'

He dissolved into mist and swept out the door.

The shadows unshackled us. I tried to fight against them, but I wasn't in a much better condition than Percy. We'd all been starved in that cell. We were thin and weak and most definitely hungry.

The shadows dragged us along until we reached a cell. I could tell it wasn't our usual cell because there were engravings on the door. The words weren't Greek or even Roman. It was something written in a language that hadn't been spoken since the dawn of time. Something so ancient that it was never spoken.

I had the feeling that they engravings were some sort of binding spell to dampen our powers and such.

They dumped us on the floor in mangled heaps. I got to my feet and helped Percy lean against a wall.

He looked terrible. Blood ran down his face like crimson tears; his eyes had lost their carefree, happy sparkle; his skin was the colour of ash.

I wanted to hug him, but something told me to stay back. I blinked back tears and took a breath.

'Percy,' I started, but he stopped me.

'It's too late, Annabeth,' he sounded heartbroken, 'you did what you did. Nothing can change the past. I just wasn't good enough.'

'But that's just it,' I said, 'You were enough. And I know it's too late, but you have to let me tell you what happened.'

'It won't change a thing.'

'But maybe it will,' I promised, 'That night in the forest, it wasn't my fault.'

'Take responsibility for your own actions,' he turned away.

'No,' I insisted, 'You don't understand.'

I shifted to the other side until I was facing him again. He looked me dead in the eye with pain written all over his face. I didn't think all of it was from Destruction.

'Listen to me,' I said gently, 'That night in the forest was Xavier's fault. At dinner, he slipped something into my drink.'

Percy was speechless, 'What?'

'It was a love potion,' I explained, 'Some of the Aphrodite and Hecate kids brewed it up for Xavier and he slipped it in my drink when he ask to team up for capture the flag. The potion took over my mind and, well, I wouldn't have done any of that if wasn't for him. I saw you in the woods, but the potion was too powerful.'

Percy's eyes were as wide as quarters, 'It really wasn't your fault?'

I shook my head, 'No. The next morning, I realized what had happened. I went looking for you so I could explain, but,' I choked back tears and my next sentence came out in a whisper, 'you were already gone.'

Percy slumped, 'I never knew.'

'How could you know?' I sighed, 'You were gone. Hades, Nico and Hazel looked for you in the underworld. The rest of us looked on Olympus, your moms apartment, Camp Jupiter. Poseidon and Tyson searched the ocean. Even Zeus helped out and searched the sky.'

He cracked a smile, his lips glistening red, 'Why would I be in the sky? I hate flying.'

I gave a small chuckle, 'We were all desperate. We didn't know where you were.'

His eyes got a distant, faraway look to them, 'The same night I ran away, Chaos found me atop Half-Blood Hill. He offered me a place in the army. He said that I could bring anyone I wanted back from the dead for my elite team.'

'So, who were Angel and Flames?' I asked. But I did already have my suspicions.

'I think you know.'

'Well, Piper nearly slipped and called Flames something starting with L. Plus he has fire powers.' I glanced at Percy, 'I think its Leo.'

His smile told me I was right.

'But as for Angel, I have no idea,' I decided to joke around a bit. 'I could, of course, ask Mr. Nico di Angelo if he-'

My voice faltered. di Angelo; Angelo; Angel.

I slow smile spread across my face. I knew who she was.

'Now you've got it,' Percy nodded appreciatively.

'Bianca di Angelo?' I asked. Percy nodded. 'Wow.'

I never knew Bianca. She died on a quest, to rescue me in fact. We never actually talked, but I saw her and she saw me in the fight with the Manticore at Westover Hall when I was 14.

To have so many people back was astounding. I looked at Percy who was watching me closely.

'Who else is in the army?'

'Too many people to name,' he repiled, 'But I can tell you who's in the elite team. But you have to promise not to tell anyone until they reveal themselves.'

I frowned, 'You really trust me. I was scared you wouldn't believe me.'

He gave me a sideways smile, 'I have an uncanny ability to detect lies. Even without powers, I can still figure it out. I didn't sense any lies in your story.'

I felt warm inside. Percy believed me. But did he forgive me?'

'So who's in your elite team?'

'Our division is called the Gennaios Squad,' he started.

'Brave,' I mumbled, the Greek word clicking into English.

He nodded, 'There are fifteen of us altogether, and each of us has a code name. There's Iroas, Drakon, Huntress and Pegasus.'

'Pegasus is Silena and Drakon is Clarisse, right?'

'Correct,' he continued, 'Then we have Blaster and Flames, who you know to be as Leo. And of course Angel who is Bianca.'

'Who else?' I asked eagerly.

'There's Argo and Wisdom,' Percy said, counting off on his fingers, 'and Storm, Maiden, Sugar, Archer and Bandit.'

'But who were they really?' I asked.

He sighed, 'Well, I wanted to bring back some legends, so brought back the original Jason and Perseus, as well as Atlanta and Theseus.'

I waited and he continued.

'I also brought back Caster and Lee from the battle of the Labyrinth. As well as Zoë from the Hunters of Artemis.'

'And her name is Huntress,' I guessed.

'That obvious, huh,' he rolled his shoulder and winced in pain, 'Then I brought back Travis and Beckendorf as well.'

'So, Silena, Clarisse, Leo and Bianca,' I said, counting them, 'Then Jason, Perseus, Atlanta, Theseus, Caster, Lee, Zoë, Travis and Beckendorf,' I frowned, 'That's only thirteen. You're one down.'

Percy stayed quiet. I carefully touched his shoulder. He flinched slightly, but didn't move.

'Percy?' I asked, 'Who's the last one?'

'Iroas,' he whispered.

The Greek word popped into English, 'Hero. But who's that?'

He didn't respond, so I tried to figure it out by myself. I wasn't the daughter of the wisdom goddess for nothing. I kept thinking, and for some reason, one line of the first Great Prophecy kept coming back to me; The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap.

'The hero's soul,' I mumbled. I glanced at Percy was staring back at me with shattered eyes, 'Luke?'

Percy nodded, 'He was a true hero. It didn't seem fair that he would spend the rest of his life-well, death-in Elysium while I revived others.'

'You always were a good person.'

He nodded absently and I realized why he was so silent. He thought I may still love Luke.

'Percy,' I whispered. He looked up at me, heartbreak written all over his face. 'I missed you.'

His eyes regained some sparkle for just a moment, before fading. He looked down, slumping against the wall.

'What about Luke?' he croaked.

'What about him?' I asked. Looks like my suspicions were right.

'Don't you . . .' his voice cracked, 'Don't you love him?'

I smiled, 'I seem to recall him asking me that before he died. Don't you remember what I said?'

Percy closed his eyes.

'I told him he was like a brother to me,' I murmured, 'But I never loved him. And I don't now.'

He opened his eyes and looked directly at me. His gentle sea-green eyes seemed to make my brain melt right through my body.

'Really truly?' he asked.

'Really truly,' I assured him. I hesitated, 'My feelings for you have never changed. I've spent the last 10 years searching the planet. I never found you.'

Percy looked at a loss for words. He just stared at me, tears rolling silently down his cheeks.

On impulse, I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around him. I knew that he could easily throw me off, as weak as he was at the moment. But I had to hold him again. It was my fault that I'd lost him so many years ago. I loved him and I wanted him back.

I waited for him to yell at me. But he said nothing as he slid his arms around me. Then he whispered four words that I will never forget.

'I love you, Annabeth.'

And we stayed like that until we eventually fell asleep deep in each others arms.

Oh my gods! I love this chapter. I've been waiting for the moment when Percy is finally revealed. Its been taunting me for weeks. But its finally done. And how cute was the Percabeth moment. Aww! :,)

Anyway, like always, I have a question. Last chapter the question was, 'what is your favourite Greek/Roman monster?' Thanks to all those who responded. This chapter, the question is; if you could be a nature spirit, which one would you be? Natures spirits included dryads, naiads, nereids and satyrs. For example, I would be a nereid.

As always, please vote, comment and follow. It really makes my day when I get my votes/comments/followers. You guys are so epic.

So, I'll see when I can update again. You can be assured it won't be too long. So, vote, comment and remember THE HOUSE OF HADES COMES OUT IN 10 DAYS!!! EEK! ;)

Peace out all.