A Fire Burns Within Me (completed)

A Chance At A New Life

For the next several years, I would travel around the world, saving demigods and taking them to either Artemis, Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter. I made sure to stay out of sight and that the new demigods kept quiet about who saved them. The Hunt was still looking for me and the campers were now sending out quests to look for me. Mother and I stayed in touch via necklace and I felt myself slowly healing.

Many times, Thalia and the Hunt almost caught me. Once, Thalia actually had me in a head lock. She didn't know that I could teleport though. I only went so far as to be out of sight so I saw her frustrated look as she stomped like a four year old back to the others in her group.

While I was healing, I was not yet complete, I had no real purpose. Yes, I was saving demigods and killing monsters, but I felt like I was intruding on other people's jobs. The saytrs look for the demigods and take them to camp while the Hunters of Artemis hunt and kill monsters. I had no idea what to do with my life.

I paced impatiently back and forth in my little temporary camp, waiting for my mother to get back from the meeting on Olympus. They have been happening more and more frequently since I've been gone. Surprisingly, Zeus sincerely doesn't want to find me just to incinerate me. He wants to reiterate the offer he made long ago from after the Titan War. When Mom told me that, I was so shocked that I stared at her for an entire five minutes, not moving a muscle. Which is an amazing feat since I have ADHD.

"Percy, can you not sit still for just two minutes with out being told Zeus wants you alive?" A familiar voice asked from the fire place.

I immediately turned around. "How did it go?" I asked.

Hestia sighed. "If by Zeus, Posidieon, Athena and Artemis are even more adamant that you are found and are starting to get Hades worked up as well, you mean great, then great!" She told me wearily.

I sighed and rubbed my face, trying to wipe away the stress of being on the run. "What am I going to do?" I asked, getting frustrated. "I am not going to be able to go where I want and see the world peacefully for a long time because of this."

My mother looked down, as if contemplating something. "Percy, there is something you can do," she started.

That caught my attention. "What?" I asked.

"There may be a way for you to get off world," she said slowly, "Or to a different dimension, depends on what you want."

I thought about it for a while. "What is it?" I asked, excited now.

Hestia looked at me sadly. "It is in a book in Athena's library and it is hardly looked at so I wouldn't need to worry about her missing it for a while," she said, "Percy, you doing this means that you won't be seeing me for a very long time."

I was silent after that. "I won't be seeing anyone I know at all," I muttered.

Mom nodded.

I thought about it for a few more seconds before an idea popped into my head. "Mom," I started slowly, "Just because I have the book doesn't mean that I am going to do it. So I could just get the book and see how things go from there."

My mother seemed to brighten after that and she nodded, agreeing with the plan.

"So how are we going to get the book?" I asked her, excited to be doing something different for a change.

- - - - -

I crept quietly down the hall, using the darkness of the night to my advantage. Everybody was asleep, no one on Olympus was awake but my mother and me who was in her palace, impatiently waiting me to return. It is how I got here with out anybody knowing; Hestia flashed me to her palace.

I was now in Athena's library, looking around for the book my mother had said was in here. I searched for the place she said she had seen it last, being the only one allowed in Athena's library alone with out supervision. Athena didn't trust anyone but Hestia and Artemis.

"Come on," I muttered. "Where are you?" I searched frantically, even looking under a small table before I finally saw it.

When I did, I smacked myself at my stupidity. It was right there on the desk in the far corner... exactly where mom told me it was going to be.

Quickly snatching the book up, I dashed out of the library and raced across Olympus to my mother. The security in Athena's library has much to be desired.

Once I reached mom's palace, I opened the door silently and slipped inside. Making my way to the living room, I slowed my breathing. I was normal by the time I walked inside the room Hestia was in.

"Did you get it?" she asked.

I smirked, no matter what the traitorous campers did, I was still my old self, just no longer trusting them. I held up the book. "Did you ever doubt me?" I asked.

"No, but I was worried that you would some how trip the easiest security on Olympus," she retorted.

I playfully scowled. "So you did doubt me," I said.

Hestia smirked. "Maybe."

"Let's see what the book says shall we?" I asked, changing the subject as quickly as I could.

I opened the book only to find that I could not read a single letter. I sighed and showed the book to Hestia.

She took the book and started to read aloud:

"The path off world is a tricky one, the portal between dimensions is easier. All one needs to do to go off world is to appeal to the gatekeeper, called Sadmep. She will have to grant passage to any who wish to leave earth. Sadmep is a hard one to impress and even harder to become on friendly terms with. To return to Earth, all you must do is to check in with her, no alien life forms or technology is allowed to be brought back. Sadmep is not allowed to refuse those who are returning as long as they have no intentions to do any harm to Earth or those on Earth.

Traveling in between dimensions requires the knowledge and the given maps of how to find a portal and how to open one. To open one all one needs to do is to recite;

I swear on the River Styx and Chaos himself
That I intend for nothing but to exit the world of the Greek gods,
Begin anew, and to protect the world I am now entering.

After which the traveler will be required to promise to only return in great need, whether it be theirs or the gods."

Hestia stopped reading and looked at Percy. "Well, I guess that answers that question doesn't it?" She asked. She seemed a lot happier now that she knew there was a way to return.

I was staring out the window, which showed a beautiful scene of  the city below. "I guess it does," I said thoughtfully.