questing

Later that week, after dinner, he returned to Thalia's tree. The symbol was no longer grayed out, and, as he touched the tree, it asked him whether he wanted to enter or not.

"Yes"

In a flash, he stood on that hill again, just as Thalia cut down the last of the monsters, scattering it to dust in the wind. She saw him in the corner of his vision and pointed her sword at him, "Another?! Bring it on- oh, it's you. I almost thought I had just imagined you after you vanished that day but here you are again. How are you able to be here? I have been here for over 44 thousand battles and yet now, you come to help me? Is this some kind of test, dad?", she screamed to the sky, watching the dark storm clouds overhead. There came no answer, just as she had thought.

"I- don't know how but I'm able to create these things called dungeons. There are monsters inside which I have to kill or get rid of. I think my powers and your destiny overlap somehow", he said honestly, "I don't know quite how it works but these dungeons help me get stronger"

"A strange new demigod power, eh? A first time for everything, I suppose. Come and sit with me, we have an hour before they reform", she sat on the ground, sheathing her sword, "You don't happen to have any food with you?"

"Actually, I do", he pulled a cheeseburger out of his inventory, still hot, steaming.

"Another new demigod power?", she took the cheeseburger as if it was the first bit of food she had had in an eternity. From what he knew about her fate, it might really have been.

"I might not need to eat but damn, that feels good", she moaned at the taste of food, "So, how long has it been since I died? I lost count a few years ago"

"Five years, according to Luke", he eyed the punk girl, golfing down her food, "He talks highly of you"

"Five years already? Luke must be 19 then. He is still at camp? Good for him… what about annabeth, she should be our age now?", Thalia asked.

"I have only seen her in passing, she looks like she is well adjusted", he nodded.

They talked about camp and what happened since she was gone.

"Another forbidden kid? So dad couldn't keep his legs closed, ha, figures. I'm surprised he managed to hold back till now", Thalia chuckled.

"Actually, Percy is a son of Poseidon, not Zeus", Alexander pulled out a water bottle from his inventory and handed it to her, "Guess Hades is the only of the big three with any self control"

"True", she gulped down the water bottle, "Ah- refreshing! So, have there been any quests since I was gone?"

"Only one, Luke failed his' and got a scar to show for it, right under his eye"

"Too bad, Luke was quite handsome if I recall right, not my type but I can admit when someone is good looking", she sprang to her feet, "We only have a few minutes left before the battle begins, you better get ready"

"Well, let's rumble!"

[Quest: Thalia's final stand

Kill all the monsters

Reward: 2 random skill rank ups; Skill: Water breathing]

They slashed through the monsters, Thalia with practiced ease and Alexander with fresh vigor. When they were done, he got the reward notification and knew he was supposed to get kicked out pretty soon, "I'll come visit you again. Any food you want me to bring?"

"Some pancakes, with butter", she smiled, "I'll look forward to it"

He wouldn't get the chance to visit her any time soon. Mr D had summoned Percy to the big house, where he offered him a choice, be turned into a dolphin and living or going on a quest to retrieve the master bolt, which had been stolen during the winter solstice and probably die. When he accepted, he was told he had to choose two companions to accompany him on the quest. Annabeth had volunteered herself for the quest and Percy asked Alexander to accompany him.

He of course agreed. He wouldn't let him get all the glory after all.

"So… what exactly is the prophecy for this quest?" Annabeth asked as they walked to the camp border.

"You shall go west and face the god who has turned. You shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned", Percy recited the lines of the prophecy, though Alexander felt that he wasn't telling them all the truth. He was holding back something. Didn't he trust him? He could understand not trusting Annabeth but him? They were friends!

At the tree, they met with Chiron, horse half folded into his wheelchair, magically hidden and Argus stood next to him, eyes all over his body, though most were hidden by his clothes. He was supposed to be dead, like Chiron, his eyes transformed into the peacocks feathers. Had he too made a deal with the gods, like Chiron did?

"This is Argus", Chiron told them, "he will drive you into the city and- well, keep an eye on things"

Behind them, they heard someone running. The trio turned and saw Luke running at them with basketball shoes in hand, "hey, glad I caught you. Just wanted to say good luck and I thought- maybe you could use these", he handed Percy the sneakers. They looked normal but Alexander had seen a different Hermes kid use some like them before. Luke noticed the recognition in his eyes, "maia!"

White wings sprouted from the shoe's heels, "they served me well on my quest", Luke admitted, "gift from my dad, of course, I don't use them much these days, I lend them out to my brothers and sisters but I have a feeling you will find a better use for them"

"Hey man, thanks"

"Listen, Percy, a lot is riding on you, so just… kill some monsters for me, okay? As a gesture as friends", he shook Percy's hand, hugged Annabeth(whom was blushing a deep red) and nodded at Alexander before leaving.

A white SUV waited for them down the hill. Percy looked at the shoes and then at Chiron, "I won't be able to use these, will I?"

The centaur shook his head, his eyes turning to the sky. It was a clear day, yet there was thunder rolling, as if saying, 'come and try, I dare you', "Luke meant good but taking to the sky… it would be most unwise for you"

Percy looked down, then at Alexander, "hey, Alex, you want a magic item?"

"Do I? What kid didn't wish he could fly?", he took the sneakers and put them on. They magically resized to fit his feet, magic was nifty, wasn't it?

"Maia!" The shoes grew wings and he rose a few feet into the air. At first he felt unstable but the wind around him magically kept him stable. He flew circles around them before landing again. It was thrilling, "that. Was. Awesome!"

He and Annabeth sat down in the SUV but Chiron kept Percy back to tell him something, something neither of the two could hear. Looking at him, a sword materialised in his hand, long and glowing like all celestial bronze glowed, bathing him in golden light. He did something and the sword shrunk until they couldn't see it anymore.

They talked a bit more before Percy ran up to them, jumping into the SUV. Argos hummed a jolly tune as they drove into the city.

"So far so good, ten miles and not a single monster", Percy said.

"It is bad luck to tempt fate like that, seaweed brain"

"Remind me again, why do you hate me that much?" Percy's voice was dripping with sarcasm But Annabeth didn't seem to catch it.

"I don't hate you"

"Could've fooled me", Alexander joked, receiving a cold glare from the blonde girl.

"Look- we are just not supposed to get along, our parents have been in a bitter rivalry for millennia"

"Why?" Percy didn't seem to have remembered his Greek mythology lessons.

"Where to start… once my mom found Poseidon in her temple with his lover, huge disrespect, another time, they competed to be the patron god of Athens. Athena created the olive tree and Poseidon a saltwater spring, the people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her", she explained.

"They must really like olives", Percy quipped.

"Oh forget it", she huffed.

"Now if she invented pizza-" 

"-Or burgers-"

"-Or fries"

The two boys said one after the other.

"I said forget about it"

Argus dropped them off at greyhound station in the upper east side in manhattan. Argus unloaded their bags, gave them their bus tickets and drove off.

"Well, we have a little over a month to get the lightning bolt, just three pre teens in the big wide world, nothing could go wrong"

[Quest: Lightning thief

Retrieve the master bolt and bring it back to it's rightful owner

Reward: 2 random Ability rank ups; 3 random skill rank ups]