When I woke up, I was suddenly aware of the fact that I was in dirty clothes, and probably covered in filth.

I hadn't expected Nico to get here so quick, and when I saw him my heart fluttered the way it would for Percy...and it made me feel guilty. I shouldn't even look at Nico like that anymore. I was with Percy. Nico didn't even like me back. Percy was my boyfriend. I loved Seaweed Brain. Right?

Percy fed me nectar and ambrosia like I was a child, then helped me stand. I dusted myself off as best as I could, before looking back at Nico. He was taller in this version of reality. More muscular. But very thin, and much too pale and serious for someone of his age.

"Nico," I gave a curt nod, despite the fact that I wanted to throw myself into his arms. He nodded back.

Annabeth and Jason weren't on the roof. I turned to Percy.

"How long was I out, and where are the others?"

"Fourteen hours." Nico answered. "As for the others...I'm sure Percy can enlighten you."

Fourteen hours? That would make this the fourth day. We had the rest of today plus three days left to find ten stars. I had a gut feeling we wouldn't make it. Too many stars at one time...this was only the third star I'd collected and I'd been out for so long. How could we possibly...

"They've been missing four two hours. I tried Iris Messaging them, but they weren't anywhere to be found. The drachma just kept flying back to me..." Percy looked like he wanted to throw up.

I couldn't blame him. The news was disturbing. Even though I'd been fighting with her, Annabeth was still my sister. And Jason was new here, and already a good friend. I didn't want to believe they were gone! I didn't want any more bad things happening to anybody else on any more of my stupid quests! In every reality, something bad had happened to Will. Something bad had happened to Nico. Now, something bad might happen to Annabeth and Jason.

I clenched my fists.

"Nico, if they die you'll be able to feel it, probably. Tell me should it ever happen."

Percy looked startled by my words.

"Look, Seaweed Brain. They're gone without a trace. If they die, we've got to know so that we don't waste any more time then we have to on finding them. Most importantly, we've got to find the stars. We have even less time now, and ten stars to go. I'm afraid I won't be able to grab them all before I actually die. Should that ever happen..." I looked between the two boys with the most serious expression I could muster. "Well, figure something out. The end of the world is in four days including today, and we've got to stop it."

Nico and Percy exchanged glances. Percy looked a bit frightened. Nico had a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Actually," he said. "I've got just the thing."

~

Thank the gods for roof access on the radio station's roof. We got inside with ease, and walked right out of the place as if we owned it. Nobody even glanced at us.

It turns out Hades had given Nico a dead chauffeur and a slick black car for said zombie to drive. I say zombie, it was more of a collection of bones.

As the chauffeur barrelled through the streets in a terrifying fashion, we talked in the back.

"Right before you woke up," Nico looked at me. "I gained the knowledge to the next star. Obviously you can't grab it because you're still too weak, you'll probably die, so--"

"How did you gain this knowledge?" I cut him off. Yes, I was concerned about what he wanted to do about the star dilemma. But I wanted to know how he knew the location, because that might mean that we have the co-ordinances to all the stars in Nico's head. I grabbed a water bottle from the bag that sat at my feet and started drinking. Nico's driver had given it to us.

Was now a bad time to drink? Probably. But my throat was sore and dry, and I was still really wiped out from that last star - despite it have being 14 hours ago.

Nico swallowed uncomfortably, as if the question I asked was something he'd rather not answer.

"I pulled a few strings." I could tell that was all he was going to say about the location. "But listen, you won't have to grab the star this time."

Percy and I exchanged glances. I'd told Nico about this along with the co-ordinance. Who else could possibly grab the star. And then it hit me.

Percy's POV

Tera and Nico shared knowing looks. It took her less than ten seconds to figure out what Nico was trying to say. Me? I had no clue. I looked to my Wise Girl to answers.

"What? Who else is going to grab the stars?"

I'll admit, I was relieved there was another solution. I was happy to know that Tera wouldn't have to die - if Nico's solution was a reliable one.

"Nico, what if it kills you?" Tera asked.

"What?!" I asked again. This time, Tera and Nico looked in my direction.

"If anybody else touches the stars, they'll burn up and die," Nico said.

"Nico thinks, since his father is the god of death, that he'll be able to use Underworld energy to be able to grab the star and not die. It's a long shot, it really is. But if he could..."

"I can." Nico nodded at Tera. It made me sort of upset that she could read his thoughts better than she could read mine, but I reminded myself that she was just thinking logically. I decided to trust their plan.

Tera suddenly went white as a sheet. Almost as white as Nico - jeez that kid was bleached!

"I am thick! Oh, I really am!" She hit herself in the head. I'd seen her do this many times before, she claimed she was trying to knock sense back into herself. That was the most illogical thing a child of Athena has ever done around me.

"What?" Nico and I asked in unison.

"Annabeth had the second star. Since you aren't wearing one, that means Jason had the third..." she looked like someone had just burned a book in front of her. "Percy, Nico, we only have one star."

That put a downer on things.

~

Tera's POV

What were we going to do? Sure, Nico was having his chauffeur drive us to the next star, and however he got the location for this one I was almost sure he could do it for the rest. But what about the stars with Annabeth and Jason? They were nowhere to be found, and I didn't have any clue on how to find them. Obviously they were still alive, Nico hadn't said anything...

I was at a weak point. I needed help. I turned to someone who I thought I would never. I pleaded with a goddess, despite the fact that I never wanted to show weakness in front of her.

Mom? I know you're all angry at me, but we've got to get the stars. Otherwise the world will end. You understand the threat, and you of all people should understand how much I need help. Where are Jason and Annabeth? Can you find them? At first, I was almost sure she wasn't going to reply. I sighed deeply; there was no way to find them unless they sent up a flare. Even then, would we get the distress signal?

But a few seconds later, I heard my mother's voice in my head. I suddenly felt calm. I cannot tell you exactly where they are, but when you collect your next star, I am quite certain you will have your answer.

It wasn't much to go off, but it was enough hope to get me by. I was still skeptical of Nico grabbing the star, but I knew I was too weak to do it. Hopefully that meant Nico - or Percy and I - would get the answer we needed.

The car stopped.

Nico looked at me urgently. "You distract it, then." He said. "Percy will fight it. I'll get the star."

Damn. They must've been talking battle strategies, something I loved to make, without me. And I was the distraction.

I suppose that fit, because Athena kids liked to use their words before their action. I only had one question:

"What exactly am I distracting?"

~

It was a manticore.

I couldn't help but think back to the first time I'd met one. Thorne, wasn't it? He'd plummeted off the roof with Nico. They'd both died. Only this time, the beast had a star around its neck and we were on flat terrain.

It was near a high-way with few cars, in the middle of a farm. How we'd gotten here without me noticing, I didn't know. I was sure we'd been driving through the city the whole time. I didn't know where we were.

We got out of the car, and Nico's Driver drove away, and disappeared without a moments notice. My breath caught in my throat. The thing was looking right at me. I glanced shakily towards Nico, not wanting him to die yet again at the hands of the manticore.

The two boys started sneaking off in the opposite direction, skirting around us as I walked straight for the monster. They couldn't easily be seen, but the monster seemed more keen on watching me with a crooked animal smile rather than noticing I hadn't come alone.

When I was about ten feet away, I started to talk. "I don't know if you remember me, or if you're even the same one, but I've fought your kind before. I killed it. I will kill you. I will get the star."

It growled, clearly amused. It pawed the star hanging around it's neck as if showing it off. It was intelligent, because shortly after I'd spoken, I heard a man's voice in my mind.

"You want this star?" He laughed. He had a deep voice, convincing like a telemarketer. 'Good price, buy one now'.

"You know I'm the only who can grab it, don't you? You and all the other monsters that somehow gained the stars. How did you do it? How does one simply steal stars from the sky?"

"I did not steal it. I am simply housing it. I am luring you into a trap." He said.

I furrowed my brows. "A trap? Really? I could grab that star in one swift move, and you'd be toast." I was obviously lying. He was the one in a trap, and Nico was going to grab the star and blast him into oblivion. "But I'll let you live. You can even keep the star and the world can end. Only if you tell me where my friends are."

The manticore took three strides closer to me. He was four feet away now, but I stood my ground. Looking back on it, I should've started backing away when I saw Percy walking up behind it. Nico was further back, waiting for the right moment.

"But I do not know. You've risked this quest for nothing," he said in my mind. "You and your friends."

I knew right then that our plan was busted, and I felt like I should've seen it coming. Percy lunged with his sword outstretched, but the manticore was faster. It pinned me down and jumped away as Percy sailed through the air right towards me.

He'd realized it too late. I didn't have time to move. His sword made a clean cut in my left arm, and he summersaulted as he came in contact with the ground behind me. I clutched my arm. I started to see spots.

"I hope all goes well," the manticore grinned at me as he started running at Nico. "I had told you it was a trap."

"Nico!" I shouted as loud as I could. "Right!" I was glad he'd known what I was talking about. I tilted my head at an uncomfortable angle, and watched as Nico jumped to his right and the beast flew to the left. Percy hovered over me.

"Go, Seaweed Brain. I'm fine, go." He didn't seem convinced, but he knew he'd have to try and buy time for Nico to swoop in and grab the star. I ripped off the bottom fabric of my shirt with my right hand, and messily tied it tight to the wound.

As I went to stand, a force knocked me back against the ground. But nobody was there. Then my mind fuzzed.

"Tera!" Annabeth screamed in my head. "You've got to hurry, they're too...I can't get out. I have no plan. It's too distracting. We're here...the stars." She gave me a location. "Jason's in..."

The voice went silent. I stared up at the clouds. Mom had been right, I'd gotten my answers. I knew where to go. I just didn't know if I'd get there in time. I looked back at the battle scene, and saw Nico lunging for the star.

In a flash of light, the monster evaporated. Nico stumbled backwards, and Percy caught him before he hit the ground. I pushed myself up, straining my arm, and I stumbled over to greet them.

"I know where they are." I told them, after quickly making sure everyone was alright. Surprisingly, Nico hadn't passed out or anything. He wrapped the star around his neck. "We've gotta go. And, uh, nectar?" This time, Percy had to catch me. The pain in my arm was numb, I couldn't feel a thing. But my head throbbed and black spots danced around me. When I looked at the torn piece of a CHB t-shirt that was wrapped around my arm, I saw it was stained with red.

"Gods of Olympus. Tera, I'm so sorry. Nico, call the driver. I've got Tera's first-aid kit." Percy said. Nico did as told, but as soon as the car appeared, Nico fell to the ground unconscious. Percy muttered a few curse words I should've slapped him for, but as soon as I had some nectar and ambrosia I helped lift Nico into the back seat.

I'm not going to bore you, here. I'm not going to explain everything that happened in the back word-for-word. We restocked weapons, I gained a sword. I tended my wounds. Nico woke up. We had a few multigrain bars as we waited to get to our destination. We had serious chats about everything going on, and what possible threat Annabeth and Jason could be in. And then we got there.

Third Person

Annabeth yelped in joy as she saw her friends jump out of the car. She didn't think much of Nico being there, she was too relieved to even try and comprehend how a car could drive away and vanish through thin air.

Jason, however, didn't even notice it. He couldn't. Annabeth wasn't even sure there was enough Jason to even move a finger. That's right, guys. The eidolons are back. And inside Jason.

Tera took in the scene quickly. Annabeth was chained to a wall, old-fashioned dungeon style, with many different instruments playing themselves around her at different speeds and tunes. Together, it sounded like the Invisible Orchestra of Dying Whales. Of course Annabeth couldn't have formulated a plan to get out of here; there were too many distractions.

Jason was in a cage; metal bars in the shape of a cube. He had his coin/sword visibly peeking out from his pocket, and he could've easily broken out. But even from twenty feet away, Tera could tell his eyes were glassy and something was wrong.

They were both wearing two stars around their necks. Two stars?, Tera thought. Someone gave them each another one?

But that was not Percy's first though. He ran and cut Annabeth's shackles down before Nico could say 'Schist'. The chains quickly re-formed around Annabeth's wrists, and two more shot out from the lone-standing brick wall. Percy was secured tight next to Annabeth, Riptide jutting out from the ground at his dangling feet.

Tera and Annabeth's eyes met.

"Jason, eidolon. Stars, five. Monsters, two." She spoke in a code (one only the children of Athena got. They had made it up, after all.), but that was the end product. Stars, five? No, there were two on her neck, and two on Jason's. That was four.

Tera didn't have time to dwell on that. A brother of an old friend appeared in a wisp of smoke.

"Deimos?" Tera questioned, and frowned. "Look, your brother gets all personal and schist, I did not like it. You're better with crowds, what are you going to do to get me sca-"

"Shut up," the ratty teen sneered. "Listen closely, here are the rules."

Tera's POV

"Hey, don't talk to her like that!" I admire Percy's bravery, but as soon as Deimos looked back at him, magical duck tape ran across his mouth and he and Annabeth squirmed like something terrifying was happening.

"Stop scaring them and get to the point." Nico looked absolutely done with this. Deimos looked back at us, and fortunately didn't show us any fears.

"We're going to play a game. While enduring your worst fears, you'll have to save your friends. That wall puts up a fight, as I'm sure your big-mouthed friend has demonstrated," - I was surprised that he had words that big in his vocabulary - "Your boyfriend," he pointed at Jason then looked back at me. He continued before I could protest. "Is possessed. Good luck with that. Five stars. You save them, you win them."

"Hate to rain on your well-thought-out-parade," I held the hilt of my sword hanging from my belt. "There are only four stars present."

"First off:" Deimos started. "No."

He snapped his fingers, and the wall beside Percy extended. A form merged out of it, and like Percy and Annabeth, he was restrained. Oh, gods. Oh gods no. It was Argus, with all his blue eyes on Nico and I. He had the fifth star around his neck.

"Second off, Princess: I don't like your attitude. So now, guess what? And this fear is gonna hit you hard. I know, after all, because I am fear. You can only free two, and you get the third's star but at the expanse of his life. Oh, and that bone head who got himself stuck? You'll see him in about...one day."

It took a second for the words to hit me; to really sink in. In that time, Percy's duck-tape mouth binding grew until he was covered in tape, and then he was sucked into the wall. My breath caught in my throat. Nico grabbed my hand, which only made the feeling worse.

"He's just playing with you. We can do this. I'm sure Percy's fine." But his voice told me otherwise. If this were Phobos, I'd have a glimmer of hope that told me it was an illusion. But Deimos couldn't tap into individual fears, he could only create mass hallucinations, ones that scared you but didn't play with any of your other emotions.

"Ready?" The minor god beamed. "Go."

The god disappeared in a puff of smoke, and I pulled my sword out of its holder. Nico pulled his black sword out. Then the mass illusions came on. But they were so real, I wondered if Deimos just wanted us to think they were tricks so we'd get slaughtered.

At least fifty monsters started advancing from behind the wall, and to our left and right. There were manticores, gorgons, and even some large gadflies.

I hesitated. I didn't want to play this game. I wanted to rage quit. I didn't want one of my friends to die. Jason was possessed. Annabeth was constantly distracted and confused. But Argus probably scared me the most. He wasn't scared. He looked at me with all of his eyes. He kept muttering four words.

Kill. Me. Save. Them.

If Nico hadn't pulled on my arm, I would've just stood there.

Jen made the basic guidelines for this chapter. I wrote the beginning, and she swooped in to help me finish the end. I promised her I'd leave it this way, and I am, but she's kind of backed me into a corner with this now. I'm not yet sure how the rest of this will map out. Frank with me (oops, I mean 'Bear' with me) throughout the next chapter as I try to make sense of this nonsense.
~@awesomeelsa