When You're Gone

Epilogue

Hazel bit her lip. This wasn't the Percy she knew. She kept telling herself again and again – kept reminding herself that this was the boy who put them through all of this... but all she could see was the clueless demigod who had ended up in Rome, carrying a goddess on his back.

"Please, Percy," she pleaded. "History isn't meant to be tampered with. You're better than this. Let the past be the past."

Percy didn't respond as the images continued to shift restlessly. Everything that was related to Reyna started to fade or change – the assault on Camp Jupiter, their encounter with the Amazons.

"There's no use!" Piper said. "We have to fight him."

"You sure?" Leo frowned. "I'm all for attacking a fellow delusional demigod and all, but this is Perce we're talking about."

"We don't have a choice!" Calypso agreed. "It's do or die. Not die – but you get the gist."

With them bickering among each other and nobody deciding to step up just yet, a black blur tackled Percy and the scenes all skittered to a halt like a movie on pause. (Somehow, one of the scenes depicted an Oscar-worthy Jason Grace knockout.)

"Get off of me!" Percy yelled and unsheathed his sword. "Mrs O' Leary? What are you doing here?"

The hellhound whimpered and backed off at the sight of her master's condition. Yet she didn't waver, eyes begging him to stop all of this madness.

Hazel heard stories of Percy having a hound of darkness for a pet. Her previous owner was a Greek inventor, who died during the battle of the labyrinth.

But she had never seen it in person. Compared to the hellhounds she faced previously, this mutt seemed as tame as one could get.

Percy's eyes softened. His sword arm dipped.

"Please," he said. "Leave."

Mrs O' Leary did not. She remained at her spot in front of the images, still pleading for her master to come to his senses.

Big mistake.

Percy's eyes steeled and without thinking twice, he slashed through the hellhound's neck with his Celestial Bronze sword.

"No!" Piper charged and parried his sword across the floor. It spun and clattered across the marble tiles, until it settled by Hazel's foot.

Percy didn't stop Piper as she held Mrs O' Leary's head as she let out her last whimpers.

The hellhound melted into shadow.

Piper sniffled back tears and turned to Percy, dagger raised. "How could you? She was your friend! She trusted you!"

"I know," Percy whispered. "I know. I can change it. I – I can change the past."

Hazel's heart chilled.

The prophecy.

To Mrs O' Leary, Percy was the sun. They both were from different worlds, but shared the same loyalty.

It's been so long she almost forgot the lines, but it was polished in her memory once more.

The sun and death partake its test.

Which meant the prophecy was coming together.

"No!" Calypso stepped up. "You're making things worse! This isn't worth the pain, Percy. Leave it alone!"

"Quiet!" Percy snapped. "I can fix all of this! Leave or fight me!"

That set the mood.

Piper remained rooted to her spot, probably because she wasn't suicidal. They were all aware that Percy was a demon fighter, even without Riptide.