The four half bloods stand on the shore across from Ares staring him down. After a moment Percy steps forward. 

"Single combat!" Percy calls out, surprising the whole group. "One-on-one, but I set the terms."

Eurydice, Grover, and Annabeth all protest, but Percy ignores them waving them off. "If I draw first blood, I keep the bolt and you surrender the helm. Do you accept?"

"I mean it's your funeral, kid." Ares taunts, "Although, just to be clear, no funeral. Any trace of you leaves a trace of my plan, and we can't have that."

"It wasn't your plan, though, was it?" Percy taunts back, "It was Kronos. It was his idea to frame Poseidon's kid and steal Hades' helm and Zeus' bolt to start a war."

"What?" Ares asks holding his sword tighter.

"Is that where he got to you, too?" Percy asks, "Through your dreams?"

"Gods don't dream, little man..." Ares raises his voice getting angry now, "...and no one tells the god of war how to start a fight. And after you die... say hi to your mommy for me."

He runs towards Percy, but Percy was ready easily blocking his attack. Their swords clash against one another as they fight. Ares is fast, but Percy is faster and Eurydice smiles clearly seeing Luke's influence on the boy. 

The waves of the ocean begin to grow taller and taller until there is a full tidal wave threatening to crash down on the shore. 

"I warned you... if you're not careful... you'll find out..." Percy breathes heavily, "...who I am."

The wave crashes down only hitting Percy and Ares, the former unbothered by the water. 

It takes everyone by surprise, but Percy uses it to his advantage. He charges at Ares and manages to land a hit on Ares, slashing his sword against the god's back. 

Percy walks slowly towards Grover, Eurydice, and Annabeth.

"You okay? You hurt?" Grover checks over the boy worried about him.

"And you thought you were just a kid." Annabeth teases pulling Percy into a hug. 

The four kids turn towards Ares when they hear him clapping sarcastically. 

"Yay! That was so cool." Ares voice turns dark, "Wanna know what you really won today? An enemy for life. Congrats."

A burst of light starts to erupt from him and the four demigods look away.

"Don't look at his true form!" Annabeth yells. 

After a moment, the light fades and Eurydice risks a look, seeing Ares gone, the helm in his place. 

"You can look now," She tells the other. 

"It's Hades' helm." Annabeth says, picking it up, handing it over to Percy who studies it carefully. 

Percy disappeared to give the helm to Alecto to return to Hades. When he comes back he has this look in his eyes.

"You're about to do something stupid," Eurydice sends a disapproving look to the boy.

Annabeth sees the same look and just says, "No."

"I have to," Percy insists. 

"What for?" Annabeth asks, "The quest failed. We missed the deadline."

"This is bigger than the quest." Percy tells them softly, before becoming more confident, "Before we set off, Chiron told me the last war on Olympus kicked off World War II down here."

"We have to get Zeus to call it off. Returning the bolt is the only way I can get his attention." 

"Percy," Eurydice warns, "you don't want Zeus's attention. Trust me."

"I gotta tell him about Kronos." Percy refuses to back down, "Did you see how frightened Hades was about the idea of Kronos coming back?"

Percy continues to explain why he has to go to Olympus and as much as Eurydice hates the idea, she knows he's right. 

"Zeus has to know. Bringing him the bolt might be enough to get him to listen. You three gotta go to camp. Now that we know who Ares and Clarisse were working for, someone has to warn Chiron."

"I'm going with you Percy," Eurydice tells him refusing to leave him alone.

"No." Percy insists, "Luke needs you. Camp needs you. I'll be okay."

"Zeus will kill you. You understand that, right?" Annabeth tells Percy sadly, "Either because he still thinks you stole the bolt, or because you're a forbidden kid. Zeus will never let you leave Olympus alive."

"I'm done running from monsters." Percy scoffs straightening up, "This is too important. I have to try." 

Annabeth pulls off her necklace delicately placing it around Percy's neck smiling up at him sadly, "You'll need all the luck you can get."

Grover speaks up, "Just for clarity, how sure are we you couldn't just explain everything in an email?"

"Where's the glory in that?" Percy smiles at the three and Eurydice shakes her head letting out a soft chuckle. 

They wish Percy luck on his quest and Eurydice gives him a huge hug. 

"Promise you'll come back to us Percy," She tells him somberly.

"You know I can't do that," Percy says sadly unable to look up and meet Eurydice's eyes.

"I know," She sighs, "I just thought maybe if you said it I would feel slightly better."

"I promise," Percy says, smiling at the older girl, "I'll try my best."

"Good enough," She says giving him one more hug before watching him leave. 

Eurydice, Annabeth, and Grover return to camp a day later. 

The first thing Eurydice does when she gets back is run straight for the Hermes cabin. She sees Luke talking to Chris and runs straight up to him throwing herself onto him.

"Luke!" She cries happily.

The boy turns around quickly and laughs upon seeing Eurydice. He grabs her around the waist and spins her around, before putting her down and kissing her. 

"I missed you so much," She tells him placing her forehead against his.

"I missed you too," He whispers placing a kiss on her forehead. 

They hear a gagging sound coming from the door and see Annabeth and Grover standing there.

"Get a room." Annabeth teases the two, causing Eurydice to blush.

Luke smiles walking over to Annabeth giving her a hug and then messing up her hair. 

"Don't worry. I missed you too Bethie," He teases knowing she hates the nickname. 

Luke looks around for a second before realizing something is missing. Someone is missing.

"Is Percy-" He asks sadly, but Eurydice won't let him finish the sentence.

"He'll be back," She cuts him off, "I know he will be." 

Luke sends her a sympathetic nod, seeing the sadness and worry in the girl's eyes. 

Eurydice, feeling uncomfortable, decides to change the subject slightly, "Why is Clarisse still here?" 

She remembered running into the girl on her way to the Hermes cabin, so excited to see Luke that it hadn't even processed to her until now. 

Luke frowns, "When you were gone, camp fell apart. The cabins were getting ready to go to war with one another, and an accusation like that against Clarisse would have caused complete anarchy. Camp was too fragile to tell Chiron."

Eurydice nods. While she doesn't like it, she understands what Luke is saying. They want to save camp, not destroy it further. 

Later that day news of Percy's arrival spreads and all the campers gather to celebrate him as he enters camp. He walks in greeted by hundreds of campers clapping for him. He prevented a war between the gods, he saved camp, he was by all means a hero. 

Luke and Eurydice stand to the side cheering for him and he smiles sending them a sheepish wave. Annabeth runs up to him giving him a hug. She whispers something to him and Eurydice sees his face fall. 

Percy, Luke, Annabeth, and Eurydice all meet in the Hermes cabin during dinner, knowing that they need to catch Percy up. 

Percy paces angrily around the cabin, "Clarisse stole the master bolt."

"It's complicated." Luke tries to calm him down.

"How is it complicated?" Percy snaps. 

"Everyone was ready to join the war here." Luke explains gently, "To start fighting each other. An accusation against Clarisse..."

"Without proof." Annabeth adds.

"Exactly." Luke says, "Without proof, it would have lit this whole place on fire. But now you're back." 

"You've stopped the war. You've saved the world. Now, it's safe to tell Chiron and finish cleaning up the mess. I told him we needed to meet him away from the celebration so we can talk without any of Clarisse's supporters noticing." Luke tells them the plan.

"I'll keep an eye on Clarisse while you're gone. Make sure she isn't going anywhere." Annabeth tells them.

"Great. And we'll meet back here." Luke says turning to Eurydice, "You should stay here with Annabeth."

"No way," Eurydice snaps, frustrated, "I just got back. I'm not leaving you. Either of you." She sends a pointed look at Percy.

Luke sighs knowing he's not going to change Eurydice's mind. 

"Fine. Ready?"

Percy and Eurydice nod following him down the path towards the woods. As they walk, they hear fireworks going off in the distance, the bursts of color occasionally breaking through the canopy of the tree leaves. 

Luke lets out a soft chuckle, "Talk about a celebration. They really pulled out all the stops for you." 

He looks at Percy, who stays silent, "Come on, you've said, like, two words since we left the cabins."

"Just... thinking about what the Oracle said." Percy admits and Eurydice throws an arm over his shoulder pulling him into her side, "That I'll fail to save what matters most in the end."

"You're thinking about your mom. I get that. Believe me, I do." Luke tells Percy, "But prophecies? Those things are so vague."

"He's not wrong," Eurydice tells Percy trying to cheer him up, "Prophecies always have like five different possible meanings." 

"The quest is over," Percy argues, "and everything the Oracle said has either come true or makes sense."

"Has it?" Luke asks,

"'You shall go west and face the God who has turned.'" Percy recites the prophecy.

"Ares." Eurydice tells him, "Okay."

"'Find what was stolen and see it returned.'"

"Clearly the bolt." Luke tells him and Percy freezes in thought.

"'And you shall be betrayed... by one who calls you a friend.'" Percy says eyeing Luke.  

"Percy?" Eurydice asks, confused on what he's suggesting. Does he think Luke is the traitor? 

"Well, the reason Clarisse is still here is because..." Percy stares down Luke moving towards him, "you never said anything to Chiron about her. Did you?"

Eurydice stands shocked looking back and forth between Percy and Luke. "Percy what are you sayi-" 

Percy cuts the girl off.

 "You couldn't... because you knew Clarisse didn't steal the bolt. You did. You worked with Ares to plant it on me so when the shoes you gave me pulled me down into Tartarus, the bolt would be delivered right to Kronos."

Luke sends a small glance to Eurydice, "I didn't think you'd give 'em to Eurydice to wear."

Eurydice takes a step back tears burning in her eyes. 

"I am your friend. Percy, none of this was meant to betray you." He turns to Eurydice, "I do love you, more than you'll ever know. The gods are my enemy. You two... I'm here to recruit."

Luke pulls out his sword.

"Recruit," Percy asks pulling out his sword getting ready for a fight. 

"Easy. I don't wanna fight." Luke speaks softly, like he's talking to a wounded animal, "This is what I wanted to show you."

He takes his sword and draws a pattern on the stones behind him, "This... is our way out."

"Way out of what?" Eurydice asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper, the shock still overtaking her.

"Camp." Luke turns to her, his gaze turning soft. 

The shapes he carved into the rock appear in the air behind him opening a sort of portal.

"And their control." Luke explains taking a step towards Eurydice holding out his hand, "Backbiter can open secret doors. We can stay on the run as long as it takes."

"Stop saying 'we.'" Eurydice says taking a step away from him putting Percy behind her drawing her own sword.

"It's the word Zeus fears the most." Luke pleads with her, "The gods want us to fight for them, worship them, fear them. And they couldn't care less what we want. They're bad parents, Percy, Eurydice. And they've gotten away with it for far too long."

"No." Eurydice tells him.

"No?" He raises an eyebrow at her, "How many times has your mother ignored you. Cast you aside and pretended you don't exist. You think that's what a good parent does?"

Eurydice shrinks under the harsh words, tears threatening to pour any minute.

"No." Percy speaks up from behind Eurydice, "This isn't you. This is Kronos. He got to you."

"No," Luke states and Eurydice's heart sinks, "he opened my eyes to the truth."

"A golden age. That's what they called it when he ruled. We're gonna help Kronos bring the Golden Age back. Stealing the bolt and the helm was easy. For what comes next... we're gonna need all the help we can get." Luke tells them before jumping forward with his sword and Eurydice barely blocks his hit. 

"Our parents aren't perfect, but they're trying their best. I met your dad." Percy tries to explain, but Eurydice realizes his mistake, she sees the rage fill Luke's eyes and knows she has to move fast. She sees Luke move to stab Percy, and without thinking she jumps in front of the sword. 

The blade pierce her stomach and Eurydice lets out a scream. Luke quickly pulls the blade out, making eye contact with Eurydice, tears filling his eyes, before his gaze shifts completely back to rage.

It was as Eurydice fell to the floor clutching her stomach that she knew she had lost him. She had lost her Luke. The boy she had loved. 

"Eurydice," Percy yells out, but doesn't have a chance to help her as Luke goes after him with his sword again. 

Percy manages to block Luke's attacks. 

"You did get better." Luke tells Percy.

Luke now close to the portal sends a look to Percy before looking over to Eurydice bleeding out.

"Don't do this Luke," She pleads, blood beginning to run down the side of her mouth as she coughs. 

"Last chance," Luke ignores Eurydice, flinching at the sadness in her voice.

Percy charges at him managing to slice across the older boy's stomach. 

"I'm sorry." Percy apologizes moving to Luke, trying to make sure he's okay, "I didn't mean to..."

Luke takes Percy's moment of weakness and turns quickly slicing Percy's arm. Percy falls to the ground with a grunt. 

Luke holds his sword over Percy's chest, but get's stopped when a dagger comes flying through the air catching Luke in the arm. 

Eurydice watches as Annabeth appears holding her mom's hat in her hands, a sad look in her eyes.

"Annabeth?" Luke's face twisted. He never wanted her to see him like this.

"I heard everything." She tells him raising her sword getting ready to fight. 

Luke looks over the scene and the damage he caused, before moving through the portal and leaving the three half bloods.

Annabeth runs over to Percy, but he waves her off.

"I'm fine, you need to help Eurydice. She's really hurt."

Annabeth stands up before letting out a gasp, having not seen what happened to Eurydice until now.

"You need to go get Chiron and Mr. D," She tells Percy quickly, "She's hurt badly and I'm scared that moving her will only make things worse."

Annabeth rips off part of her camp shirt pressing it hard against Eurydice's stomach. Percy nods running as fast as he can with his injuries back to camp. 

"Annie," Eurydice asks weakly, "Did you stop him?" 

Annabeth frowns, not wanting to upset the girl.

"I need you to stay awake," Annabeth changes the subject, "Can you do that for me?" 

"Yea-" Eurydice starts before her eyes start to close. 

"Eurydice," Annabeth taps her on the side of her face lightly, while still keeping pressure on the wound. 

Eurydice jolts awake groaning in pain. Annabeth perks up hearing a herd of footsteps rapidly approaching them.

"We're over here!" She calls out and soon Chiron breaks through the trees into the opening.

A few of the Apollo kids rush to Eurydice's side relieving Annabeth of the responsibility of keeping her big sister alive. 

"Can you hear me," One of the kids asks, receiving no response as they wrap a bandage tightly around her stomach. 

Eurydice's eyes slip closed and one of the kids curses under their breath. 

"We need to get her back to camp now," He turns back to the others. 

They pull out a stretcher board placing her gently on it before running back to camp. The campers separate letting out gasps at the girl's state. Her chest no longer rising or falling.  

They place her on a bed in the infirmary. Once she's laid down, they immediately begin CPR. Annabeth, Grover, and Percy standing around her bed praying to any god who would listen, that she would be ok. 

After ten minutes, Eurydice's chest begins to rise and fall on it's own. She was alive. She wasn't stable, she wasn't safe, but she was alive. And for now, that was enough.