Percy's POV

The darkness reminds me of too many things. 

Tartarus, the Labyrinth, Drowning, and so much more. It feels like I'm reliving every one of these events are flashing through my mind. Reminding me of every horrible thing I have ever done. 

I need to get out of this room. 

I don't even know where I am. Is this even real? 

Did I ever really wake up? Is Morr waiting for me outside of this room? 

The walls of the pitch black room feel to be getting closer. I need to get out. 

I stretch out my tighten muscles. It feels like every joint is stiff from my awkward sitting position. My body is wedged in a corner, and my hand goes up to feel the wall. I follow it, trying to get used to it. This reminds me too much of being trapped underground. I need to stop thinking. 

Thinking only reminds me of her. And if I think too much, she will come back, along with all the others. 

My feet slam into a step. The noise makes me jump, I wasn't expecting it. Next, my hands find the railing. And up I go. 

The light blinds me. My eyes are so used to the dark. It hurts my eyes and mind to take in my surroundings. 

I think I'm in the Big House. Maybe they found me after my failed battle. Whatever the reason, I notice a cork board hanging on the wall, showing several pictures of the Seven. Just what I needed. 

Stumbling out of the Big House, I am stopped by Piper. 

"I thought the 'Great Percy Jackson' would be better at staying on his feet. Seriously." She picks at her nails, "Even I could do that when I came to camp." 

I need to keep moving. If she's here, the rest aren't far behind. 

I keep my pace towards the forest. 

"That's a bad idea. Every demigod here knows it." She continues to criticizes. "You never go out into those woods at night. Remember what Luke did to you?" 

The pit scorpion. I study the scar still on my hand. 

"Imagine all the pain you could have saved the world if you died then." Piper tries to mock a serious thinking face. "It would still be better off." 

I don't dare tell her I'm thinking the same thing. 

I turn my gaze away from her and stalk towards the beach instead. 

The journey is simple and quick. The path is well worn down and only takes me a few minutes. I wish I had some of my coke. 

My body takes over as my mind wanders to the last time I was at this beach. Was it when we shared an underwater kiss? Or maybe it was the night before I was switched. 

The moon is reflected off of the calm water. For once it doesn't match the craziness going on inside of me. 

  The stars are so beautiful tonight.  

I don't deserve to be alive, unlike Zoe and Bob. I'm am sure I have killed my friends. My new friends, the Avengers, are going to die at my hand as well. 

I barely hear myself whisper, "Bob says hello." 

Chills run through my spine, "The stars are beautiful tonight." It's Zoe. 

I could feel my body stop functioning. My breath froze, my mind didn't know what to do. I thought it was going to be someone else. 

"You could have saved me." She continues. "Boys." Her head shakes then looks back up at the sky. She has seem to come to understand the changes in the English language. 

The moon is high in the night sky. The stars all glittering around it. She adjusts her focus from the stars to me. 

"Why are you still alive?" She starts again, "You have done your purpose, and have made the world worse in the progress. You have caused more of your friends to die for you. What did you expect would happen with the Avengers?" 

I force myself to take a deep breath, "So it was real?" 

"As real as I am. What are you going to do next? Are you ready to join them?" 

"I think so." 

"Good." She nods, "Too bad you have to stay alive, boy. It will be more fun that way." 

I can't do anything but walk away. Zoe decides to walk the other way, into the sea. In a few moments, she's gone. 

She appears next to me as I make my way towards the cabins. 

"I thought you would never be able to come back." She tries to get me to talk, "I mean, you are a seaweed brain. Everything you are doing is making no sense." 

"I know that." I say bitterly. "But I need to do this." 

"Oh, I see. You are trying to figure out what's real or not." 

"You could always see straight through me." I mutter. 

"What I can't figure out, is why you even cared about them. Seriously, one is a criminal, two of them are trained assassins. Another is an idiot, a literal monster and a walking flag. I seriously think it's your way of replacing us." 

"I couldn't replace you, ever." We make it to the outer parts of the cabin area. The lights are all off in the cabins, signally everyone is asleep. 

I can't help but look upon it all and feel sadness. So many good memories here, all have been destroyed by my own thoughts. 

"Remember that time when I snuck into your cabin to watch a movie? Chiron was so mad when he found out about our little date nights." I say to her. The memory is now tainted with blood and death, it's hard just to get the words out of my mouth. 

The despair returns and it is crippling. My mind races through every memory it has and adds terrible parts to each. 

Returning the Lightning Bolt is tainted with the ruins left on Olympus and the destruction of New York. 

The Maze reminds me of the deaths to come, all of those who wouldn't make it past the next summer. Beckendorf, Silena, Ethan, Michael, and Luke. 

The sea reminds me of the time we spend together, such a united group. 

I can't travel to most parts of America anymore without reminds of a battle or a war that happened here or there. 

This very camp reminds me of when times were once okay. Maybe not perfect or terrible. But just the right amount of both. 

An ache so deep within my chest keeps me from swallowing all of the pain. 

I don't remember when I accepted the dark to come back in. 

~^~

Loki's POV

"No you don't understand, you fools." I try and get them to understand. "He wandered around camp in the middle of the night talking to the Algea again." 

"It might be his way of coping." Bruce Banner offers, not completely sure. 

  I am starting to hate this table. It seems to be a tradition to have meetings around it always.   

"Shouldn't we be glad he went out of the basement?" Tony points out tinkering with a new piece of tech on the table.

"We shouldn't be if he is back in there, again." Steve has a good point. 

Chiron and the Oracle sat back watching us talk, almost like they are having their own conversation.

"He is definitely worse. We have to agree on that." Natasha says with a perfect posture in her chair, as we all nod in agreement. 

"Now what do we do about it?" Steve asks as he leans in on his chair. 

"We have to give him time and try to help." Bruce answers adjusting his glasses, even though they did not need it.

"There also may be something else," The horseman speaks carefully and meeting all of our eyes.

"Well what is it?" I demand impatiently. 

"There is a visitor coming, he might be able to help untangle Percy's mind." 

~~~

Well I got home from an 80s dance and wrote this all in one sitting. 

I cannot wait to sleep, but I am so glad I got to post this. 

Even though this chapter may seem more of a filler, it is important. 

What do you guys think of the new cover? 

Thank you! Good night/morning!