"Who said I was going to rule it?"

Persephone blinked. 

"You mean, you're not?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know. Probably going to die, and if I do, oh well. Tell Neeks I'm still going to call him Death Breath no matter what." He smiled half-heartedly. She looked at him concernedly. 

"Don't think like that. You're going to survive." She promised, placing a hand on his. "If you die, well, Hades is going emo mode like that one time of the Roaring 20s." Percy did a double take.

"He went emo during the Roaring 20s?" He whistled. "Dam." Hehe. Dam. 

"Trust me, you don't want any more details." She sighed, standing up quickly. "Well, I best be checking up on Hades before he cuts out the power in the house. Goodnight." She waved, looking a bit embarrassed about the sudden awkward conversation and left the room, shutting the door behind her. Percy plopped down on the bed and closed his eyes, not wanting to sleep but feeling exhausted. 

Maybe just this one time...

He drifted off into a restless sleep as Morpheus' realm engulfed him and left him in darkness.

Percy opened his eyes and found him in a dream. The same place where he met Mnemosyne and defeated Kronos once and for all.

"Hello, Perseus." He whipped around and was met face to face with the titaness. 

"What are you doing here?" He asked. She didn't respond. Three voices echoed around him, sounding eerie and harmonic at the same time, sending chills like icy fingernails crawling up his back. He was launched upwards into the stars, the small lights now a blinding glow.

"When the moon bleeds crimson and the stars weep silver, a demigod shall rise from the ashes of betrayal. His name, whispered by the winds, shall be both curse and salvation." 

Percy saw Artemis wounded by Kronos, and far above, Zoe's faint outline seemed to cry a glorious light.

Born of mortal flesh and divine blood, he walks a treacherous path—a blade concealed beneath a cloak of loyalty. The Titans, ancient foes of Olympus, shall embrace him as kin. Their whispers shall echo through the warmth of the hearth, and their promises of dominion shall flow in his blood.

Those words sounded familiar, and yet Percy had never heard this before. 

The gods, blinded by their own pride, shall see only the surface—a pawn dancing to the Titans' tune. They shall cast their judgments upon him, their wrath like thunderbolts hurled from the heights.

Well, that was definitely true. Percy found himself staring into Mnemosyne's glowing eyes, which were unblinking and focused.

Yet, little do they know—the demigod's heart is a labyrinth. His loyalties split like lightning across a storm-dark sky. For within his chest beats not one allegiance, but two.

He saw himself, cloaked and half-blinded like he was now, standing in the middle of the sky. Percy's thoughts raced in his mind, not knowing what the point of this was.

He moves among the Titans, weaving their plots into a tapestry of deceit. He whispers secrets into the ears of Kronos, the ancient Titan King, and sows discord among their ranks. His laughter echoes in the caverns of Tartarus, and his tears fall like rain upon the ashen plains.

Countless battles flash before his eyes, the thousands of monsters he'd killed, Max's death, even Poseidon's and Hermes', fading into a golden and red blur.

But when the final battle draws near, when the celestial scales tremble on the precipice, he shall reveal his true purpose. The gods, their eyes wide with shock, shall witness the demigod's true motive.

Percy killing Kronos. Of course. But why did this matter now?

With a blade forged from both sides of the gods, he shall sever the threads that bind the Titans. His legacy—the ultimate betrayal—shall tip the balance. For he is not merely a pawn or a double agent—he is the fulcrum upon which destiny pivots.

Remember this, O gods of Olympus: Trust not what your eyes perceive, for sometimes the greatest heroes wear the mask of traitors.

Percy shot up, wide awake and immediately got dizzy from the blood rush. Groaning, he got up, but weirdly, he wasn't in Hades' castle or his bed. He was on a sandy beach with rocks dotting the rolling hills and a great lake spread around him.

"What am I doing here?" He mumbled to himself, getting up. Something was very wrong with this place, and he hated every second of being there. The beack were sunny and warm, but somehow the air was tainted with an uneasy chill. He was then met with the sensation of being watched.

"Show yourself!" He shouted. "I know you're watching me!" Referenceeeeeee!!!

"I know you're watching me." A soft voice repeated. Percy frowned. 

"That's not funny." He crossed his arms. "Who are you? And where are you?"

"You." The voice replied.

"Why are you echoing me?" He demanded. 

"Echoing me." A small rustle of movement appeared on top of one of the rocks, and a beautiful pair of sky-blue eyes gazed at him. 

"Oh, I know you." He whispered, stepping forward. "You're Echo. The one Hazel and Leo met."

"Leo met." She nodded enthusiastically, the movement barely visible due to her camouflage.

"What am I doing here?" He asked. Now that he got closer, he could get a sense of her outline. She was young and supposedly beautiful, with a soft, misty sort of voice. 

"Here." She beckoned him forward and started running towards the lake. He ran after her, trying to keep sight of her. He still didn't know what was going on, but he followed her nonetheless. 

He caught sight of her at the water's shore, pointing to it and making diving movements. 

"Are you telling me to jump in?" He asked, skimming the water's surface with a finger.

"Jump in." She nodded. He took a deep breath to calm his jumpy nerves and realized that he didn't have any reason to listen to her. However, a gut feeling told him to obey. He leapt into the lake with a great splash, his cloak still on. Bubbles floated around him, and he looked around in the salty, murky water.

"Hello, Perseus." Another voice whispered. "I have been waiting for you." Percy's jaw dropped open when he saw the goddess of water floating right before him.

"Thetis." He breathed. "Oh gods. Are you going to tell my...not really my father?" She shook her head.

"This was decided by me. The Sea god will not know. This is my realm." She gazed at him expectantly, as if urging him to say something. "Well? Any idea why you're here?" He was shook out of his thoughts and fumbled for something to say.

"Uh, Mnemosyne, maybe?" He ventured. She nodded. 

"She had a message for you, but the gift was not in her realm." She swam a bit farther away. "Usually, my sister Eudora would do it, but she is busy at the moment." She handed him a seashell.

"Why did you give me a seashell?" He asked, tracing a finger over the intricate swirls on the shell.

"I told Echo to guide you for a reason." She replied. "Mnemosyne, Echo, and I worked on this. In your darkest moment, hold this up to your ear and it will give you the advice you seek." Percy felt a newfound respect for the seashell and Thetis. 

"Thank you, Lady Thetis." He tilted his head in a show of respect. She smiled gently.

"Do not forget, Perseus." She caressed his cheek in a motherly fashion. "A great man once said that water is the force of all nature. You have the power to control it. Use it well." He nodded, his eyes fixated on the treasure she had given her.

"Goodbye, Percy Jackson." She murmured, for once saying Percy instead of his real name. "You have a great legacy before you. Good luck."

She was gone.

Hai! Before ya leave, I want to give y'all some thank you's now that this book is only a few chapters away from finishing!

First of all, tanks to everyone who commented, added this story to their reading lists, and voted on my story! It really means a lot and the comments make my day, tank you!! (it gives me so many notifications but hey, i'm not complaining)

second of all, this chapter was inspired by a song called LUMINARY, written by Joel Sunny. The video is at the top of the chapter, I really recommend listening!! it's perfect for both reading and writing and i love it so much <3

i'd like to give dracula1673 a shoutout for all the amazing ideas he gave me for future books and chapters!! tank youuuuu <3

i would also like to add that Thetis gave Percy a seashell like how they did in The Lightning Thief Musical because I honestly loved the idea of magical items as underwater stuff!!

and i think that's all for now guys! baiiiiiiiii

edit: OMGS GUYS

I JUST FOUND OUT TAT IM #1 IN GODS

LE GASPPPP

dam i'm overreacting

sorry