Nova’s P.O.V.“Thanks for coming, Nova,” Ares greeted me with his hand extended.I looked at Andy, as if to ask for permission. She just nodded her head with a big smile. I took his hand a bit wearily, unsure if it was really okay for me to do so. Suddenly, I was pulled into a vision, and I realized how stupid I was. This was a setup, and now here I am being dragged into a vision to watch this whole thing play out again. “I’m here for my last feeding, and I plan to get more than my fill. You shouldn’t have used that stupid potion last time.” Cassie seethed at him as she lunged forward. Auggie did nothing to stop it, as he wasn’t supposed to according to their blood pact, he could not deny her the feed he promised. She sucked at him, moaning as she fed to the point he was paling. When she pulled away, finally releasing her fangs from his skin, she chanted something incomprehensible. Auggie stiffened before her with a glazed look in his eyes. What happened to him?“I am ready for you

Augustus’ P.O.V. Christmas was approaching us sooner than we would have liked. Instead of enjoying the holiday season we had all been on pins and needles, just waiting for the day we would face that crazy dark witch again. Ares trains every day with Andy by his side. Nova and I have been focusing on our fire training to use during battle, while she and Manny have been training on her control over her sea witch magic. We don’t want her to be overtaken again. She had delved into the darkness the week she had turned away from me. It had almost permanently stained her soul, but with the help of Andy they were able to banish that darkness. Ares has been more on edge than usual. I know that he isn’t the only one. Jesse and I have been talking and practicing. We’ve been trying to figure out what Percy meant when he spoke about us holding one another when things get dark. We aren’t the most poetic bunch, so we didn’t come up with much. It didn’t help that Jesse told me about the prophecy sh

Andy's P.O.V. My worst nightmare played before me. Ares had been wrapped in dark smoke and pulled away from us before my eyes. I tried to reach for him, but found myself grabbing air. He was gone. I spun around seeing the same horrified expression on everyone's face. "We have to go!" I snapped everyone out of their shock. "I can travel us there now. I've been practicing with Umbra and we can use the darkness better," Jesse said, answering the question of how we would get there without anyone having to ask. "Then let's go," Auggie said, looking the most determined I had ever seen him. I felt the beast inside me stir as anger coursed through me. She could be hurting him this very instant. I need to save the love of my life before she does irreversible damage. I felt the familiar cold of shadow traveling wrap itself around me as the settings set around us. Jesse had managed to pull us through Ares' shadow door. There was no stumbling or searching through the woods for him this time.

Jesse's P.O.V. With the sword in its hand, the demon lunged forward towards Nova. It clawed at her, piercing her skin right over her thigh as she retreated too slowly. The demon tossed the sword, having it land on the ground, looking like an Excalibur sticking out of the earth. It shined mockingly from 20 feet away. It would have done us well if Nova could have had the chance to use it. "Jesse, can you do it?" Liam asked, already knowing that I couldn't, but desperately wanting me to. I shook my head no, hanging it in disappointment for a brief second. "Then know that I love you, forever into all eternity." He shifted into King before me, biting down onto the demon's head, only to be met with a loud yelp of pain. The demon's blood was burning his mouth as if he had taken a bite of hot magma. Liam let go of the demon instantly, using his paws to slash at it instead. He shook his head, trying to shake off the pain from his mouth. The heat from the demon someone felt to increase. I

Percy’s P.O.V. My dear son, I am so sorry this has happened to you. You finally lifted the curse I could not, yet here you stood with a baby in your arms. Much too young to raise a child, yet alone one with such great responsibility. They granted me one more visit, and I saved it for this day in case this future came to pass. I had hoped not, but he chose correctly, and I couldn’t be more proud. He didn’t think selfishly. He let his child be born, even though it was one he did not consent to. I made Ares much in the same way that he conceived his daughter. I can’t exactly say anything about that. None of it was the baby’s fault, anyway. I watched Ares as he looked on to that child, like she was his everything. It was a sad sight to see, knowing that his future would be just as hard as his past, if not more difficult, despite the curse being lifted. I couldn’t help the sadness that filled my heart. This was not the future I wanted for him, it was not the one I hoped for. I know he wi