"Well, I know it gets harder every single day

And I know my darkness will never go away

It's hard when you're living and you don't feel much

And you're down and you're hoping that things are gonna change..."

~ We Don't Know by The Strumbellas from the album 'Hope'.

(Song is up above! You can find the entire album on Spotify, iTunes and Google Play! Enjoy!)

...

...

Percy looked around, his eyes stopping at the picture with all of his friends at Camp Halfblood. It was before the War... The terrible War... "Oh, guys..." He was interrupted by a knock on the door. It sounded so damn loud in the silent house. It was as if the knock was going through his body and soul. "I know you're in here!" The door was kicked in by Artemis, causing Percy to scare up from his thoughts and sit down in the chair beside the couch. "Answer me!" Artemis shouted as she walked through the door, into the hallway. Her steps were light and careful, making sure there were not any traps on her way. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest, a cold chill going over her back.

It did not take that long before she stood in the opening to the living room, seeing the powerful demigod sitting in the chair, looking at her. "You," She said, a sigh escaping her mouth. "I was pretty sure I would find your friend over here..." "I have no clue what you are talking about, Artemis," Percy said in a powerful voice. "Maybe you are becoming blind in the Land Beyond the Gods." "You have a lot of nerve talking to me like that, demigod," She said, spitting demigod as if it was a curse word. The worst of them all. "I may be beyond the power of the Gods of Olympus from their little mountain in the sky in New York City, but that does not mean I do not have my power, here on the ground in Alaska."

"It does mean, that you have no power over me, Artemis," Percy said looking into her eyes. They were not the same as they were, those green orbs. The last time Artemis had seen Percy personally was a long time ago, and then they were full of hope, kindness, and purity. Now she could see the loss, the hurt, the scars the War had left on him. "I do hope you realize I have a right to know what is going on, I saw Nico Di Angelo in this house, your house, while he is supposed to be dead," Artemis said in a neutral voice, trying to stay calm. Percy, even though he was a male, was one of the only demigods she truly had respect for with all of her heart. The demigod stood up and was now standing in front of her.

"Don't you think I had a right to know Tony Stark was my family?" "That's completely different, Percy..." "The gods withheld information from me about my family, how is that any different?" "Because... Because this is way bigger, Percy! You know this! There could be something wrong with the gates to the Underworld! There could be something wrong with Charon! A lot could be wrong..." She was interrupted by Percy. "Could, Artemis... Could..." "Percy, I will not leave Alaska until I have found out what is going on here," She said with a determined voice. "Artemis..." He looked at her with a pleading look on his face. "Please leave, I beg you, as a friend and as a demigod, leave. Act like I'm just here, living on my own, working a regular job, doing whatever needs to be done to be and act normal. My life has been a Tartarus for the last couple of months, I hoped the gods would just leave me be and stop seeing me as this threat. As this... Pawn that was used. I have saved you over and over and over... I deserve and have earned peace."

Artemis looked into the green eyes... She knew he was right, that he was telling the truth. But she also knew that if, again if, something was wrong and she could have done something way early on to stop a big problem from happening, not only would there be another threat to fight without enough demigods and without the hope and power they needed, but also that she would feel terrible guilt for the lives that would be lost because of this threat. "I can't leave, Perseus... I have to do anything to protect Olympus..." She stopped for a second and took a deep breath. "Even if that means you can't have peace, I wish you would... I really do." She gulped. "But I can't stand back and act like nothing could be wrong and eventually let people die because of my mistakes."

"I understand," Percy said in defeat, stepping back a few feet while taking Riptide from his pocket and uncapping it. "You know that by doing this you will forever lose my trust..." "If it means you'll leave..." Artemis took her bow and arrow, putting an arrow on the string. "I truly do not want to do this, Perseus," She said in a soft voice. "Neither do I," He slowly said.

It happened fast and slow. It did not take much for Artemis to let the arrow fly. It was just letting go. Just. Letting. Go...

...

"Guys, we have to go home," Thalia said in a worried voice. "I truly think we have to head back, now." Her breathing fastened as she shot a quick glance at the woman behind the bar and the man sitting in front of her, talking to her. "Are you sure, Percy said..." "I do not care, Nico," Thalia interrupted with a loud voice. "We have to go home. I just... There's something wrong." "Okay, okay... We'll go. Will, you pay, we take the coats." "Forget the gods damn coats! Percy could be..." Thalia shouted a bit too loud, as Shirley and Steven heard her. "Thalia," Nico said, stopping her from ending the sentence. "Just take them." Thalia stood up and ran over to the coathanger, taking the coats from it and running out of the cafe.

"What's wrong with her?" Steven asked the blonde boy. "She is just a bit worried, Percy can be a bit clumsy and stuff, nothing to worry about." It was easy to say the boy was lying. Something was wrong. And not just a bit. Something was terribly wrong with the kid he knew. The boy he had taken under his wings. The boy put a ten-dollar bill on the counter, "Just let it be..." He ended as he followed his friend out of the building.

"Steven?" Shirley asked. "Please follow them and make sure they get home safely and stuff. I don't trust this. I don't trust this at all." "Me neither, Shirley," Steven said while standing up from his barstool. "Don't bother to pay, they gave way too much." "I'll be back in a few, Shirley." "I'm not counting on it, Steve."

...

It did not take long before Thalia entered the house, she had run all the way over here. "Percy!" She shouted as she looked around. "Percy! Answer me!" She ran through the hallway, entering the kitchen. "Percy!" Nothing. Nobody. Where. Who. Where. "Percy!" One million horrible scenarios entered Thalia's mind as she looked at the door to the living room. She slowly walked over to it, opening it.

"NO!" She screamed, hurt covering it. "NO! No! No! no..." She ran forward towards the body on the ground, blood covering the floor and his skin. A small cough exited his mouth. "Thals..." "Sshhh..." She said. "You... You have to stay strong, Perce... Will will fix you up and we'll... We'll be together again and..." "Thals... Promise me, you'll live... Promise me..." "I will, Seaweed Brain, I will."

"Percy!" The shout came from Nico as he fell down to his knees beside his friend. Will being next to Nico. "Get back, I will..." "Please, leave it be Will... We both know an arrow through an artery is not to be fixed..." "But..." Tears streamed down the faces of the demigods as they saw the light leave the eyes of their friend. "Thank you guys, for everything..."

...

Steven looked in shock at the door on the ground, what happened? He entered the house, hearing sobs coming from the room across the hallway. "Hello?" He said, walking forward towards the sound of sadness. It did not take long before he saw the horrible sight. Blood covering the floor and the teenagers, his friend laying dead on the ground. "Wh..." The blonde kid looked up to see Steven. "What..." He said. "What happened?" Steven asked. "We don't know..." The blonde kid said, bursting out in tears. "We. Don't. Know!" He shouted as he stood up. "WHY!"

All of them were in tears except for Steven, who could only watch as he saw all of them break, bit by bit. He walked over to the blonde kid and wrapped his arms around him, not caring that the blood would also cover him. The kid sobbed against his chest. "Why... Why... Why..."

...

Sorry for this chapter...

The end is coming near, I'm afraid...

Question:

Sequel or new fanfiction?

Keep on smilin'!

Xo'

Maria