I couldn't sleep that night. I packed everything I needed. There was nothing I needed that was left or was there? I stood up and walked to my study desk. The photo album was still there. I contemplated about whether or not I should bring it. I opened it on a random page. It showed a picture of Jason, Reyna, and I sleeping. Jason and Reyna were squishing me because they were cold and according to them, I was "one of the warmest human beings [they] have ever encountered".

My vision began to blur. I hastily shut the photo album. Too many memories. Memories only I am going to have. I gripped the photo album by its spine. Since my friends wouldn't remember the events documented here, what was the point of keeping it around?

Hot tears began rolling down my cheeks. I shut my eyes, tight. I tossed the photo album into my black still-open backpack I planned on bringing. I slumped down to the ground, my back hitting the edge of my bed. I put my head in my hands and let the tears flow.

My friends wouldn't remember our moments of happiness so it was up to me to remember those times for them. They may have forgotten the promises I made to them but that doesn't mean that I'll no longer fulfill them. Reyna may no longer know that one of her friends is still out there, waiting for an opportunity to come back and ease her loneliness but I will still be here for her, watching from the outside, so close but still so far. Jason might not remember that he still had friends looking for him, searching tirelessly to bring him back home but I still won't stop until I find him.

I calmed down a bit then crawled over to my backpack and zipped it shut. I set my alarm to 3 in the morning before lying back down on the bed. I wiped the last few tears left in my eyes. I may no longer exist in the minds of the people I loved but I'm damn sure that somehow, I'm still there in their hearts.

---

Dreams about times gone by are probably one of the worst types of dreams, especially if they're interrupted by harsh realities, or worse…

I was back on Mount Tamalpais. Reyna and I found ourselves back-to-back surround by the drakon ladies. I was keeping them at bay with blasts of ice.

"Can't you summon more?" Reyna growled while shoving a monster away from her and throwing her pugio.

"Why don't you try doing this?" I scowled. "It's tiring!" I thrust my hands forward and ice spikes blasted out. I stomped my foot and the ground trembled, a crack appearing from where my foot connected with the ground. It created a hole underneath a group of monsters, swallowing them into the earth. The crack re-sealed.

"Ugh. Cover me, I need to get my dagger back," Reyna said tapping my shoulder. Before I could protest, strong winds swirled around me and Reyna. It pushed the monsters surrounding us away. I looked up and saw Jason slowly descending, riding a tornado.

Reyna and I rolled our eyes and groaned.

"About time," Reyna mumbled. She picked up the pugio lying a few feet away.

"Still have a flair for the dramatics, eh?" I told Jason. The son of Jupiter shrugged. He brought out Ivlivs from his pocket and flipped it. It came back as a javelin.

A cry came from behind us. We whirled around and another group of monsters came charging at us.

"Huh," Jason said. He casually rested his javelin on his shoulder.

"Turben or trigon?" I asked, referring to two of our battle formations.

I brought out Avalanche.

"Trigon would be better for an army that size," Reyna muttered.

"Reyna, you take front center. Selene, you're mid left. I'll bring up the rear, right," Jason commanded. "Ready?"

Reyna and I nodded.

"On three. 1… 2…3!" As one the three of us charged. Jason threw his javelin hitting the monster in front. Reyna raced forward to grab the shaft with her left hand while stabbing a monster to her right with her pugio. I blocked a monster strike coming from the left with my shield, jumped then stabbed downward. Reyna tossed Jason his javelin and he caught it, swinging it and skewering a row of monsters before sending a blast of electricity, electrocuting the ones nearby.

I punched a monster with my shield arm, hit it with my shield, then stabbed it while it was dazed. Reyna's pugio flew past my outstretched arm and into the face of a telekhine. I grabbed the knife then tossed it back to Reyna.

We plowed forward, cutting a path through the monsters until we reached the interior of Mt. Othrys. The rest of the Legion arrived and kept the monsters busy.

"That was awesome," I breathed out.

"Indeed it was an impressive display." A sleepy voice said. I looked around. This is different. This didn't happen. I turned to look at Jason and Reyna but they were suddenly gone. My surroundings melted into nothingness.

"You've shown your prowess with your weapons but I haven't seen the full extent of your powers."

"Oh no," I mumbled. Suddenly I was in a different place. I seemed to be in the middle of a desert. The whole Legion was defending itself from a drakon the size of a hill (okay maybe I'm exaggerating). It stomped around, knocking legionnaires aside.

I ducked as the drakon's tail flew over my head. "Why does the blasted armor have to be so bulky?!" I yelled at Jason.

"Why are you asking me?!" he yelled back, rolling to the side, narrowly avoiding one of the drakon's paws.

"Give me a lift!" I sheathed my sword and began stripping off my armor.

Jason turned to me, panic and disbelief in his eyes. "Are you crazy?!"

"Maybe a little!" My armor was gone in record time. I was left in my Camp Jupiter shirt, combat boots, and jeans.

Jason grumbled and grabbed my waist before lifting me up in the air.

"What are you doing?!" Reyna called down from below.

"Trust me!" I replied. She pursed her lips, nodded, then continued giving out orders.

"You want me to drop you, don't you," Jason said, his breath tickling the back of my neck. I shuddered.

"Yeah, just over the drakon," I replied.

"You sure about this?" I could hear worry in his voice.

"I'll be fine, Air Head."

"You better be, Kelp Face." We were right above the drakon. Jason let go off my waist and I found myself plummeting towards the monster. I unsheathed my sword and shifted to a diving position, my sword arm held in front of me Superman-style. As we neared the drakon, I felt ice forming on my shield. I drew my left arm back then punched the drakon's back as hard as I could, pulling my sword arm back as I did. The ice spread in all directions, crackling and freezing the drakon's hide, reaching its limbs and slowing down its movement.

The drakon roared in surprise. It raised a leg and the ice cracked. I plunged my sword downward. The drakon was thrashing now. It reared back, hoping to throw me off its back. I sent a blast of snow behind me to shoot me up to the drakon's head. I felt a wrenching pain in my gut then all of a sudden ice spikes rained down, impaling the drakon in multiple spots. The pain grew and I cried out as the ground began to tremble. The air grew colder. I felt the drakon's heat flowing into me as the monster started to freeze.

Cracks appeared on the ground from where the drakon was standing. I vaguely heard Reyna shouting at the Legion to back away. The drakon began to break apart. I cried out one more time before the scene abruptly ended.

I was back in the dark place.

"That was about two years ago, wasn't it?" The sleepy voice said.

"Gaea," I said. My voice was shaky. "What do you want?"

"You." Gaea replied. Her voice was like a cold knife running down my spine. "Indeed you are one of the most powerful demigods I know. You have powers over the earth, don't you? I am the Earth Goddess. I can make you even stronger. All you have to do is join me. The Olympians made you a wanderer. Why should you remain loyal to them? They have chosen seven demigods to do their bidding."

Seven faces appeared. I recognized four of them: Jason, Piper, Leo, and Hazel. The other three, however, were new. There was a big baby-faced Chinese boy wearing a Camp Jupiter shirt. I have never seen him around camp before.

"Frank Zhang, son of Mars, arrived in Camp Jupiter shortly after you were banished." Gaea said, obviously referring to the Chinese dude.

Next was a blonde, athletic-looking girl with startling grey eyes. She was wearing an orange t-shirt.

"Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, from Camp Half-Blood." Camp Half-Blood? That place again. Could it be that it's another safe place for demigods? If it is, then I won't be so alone after all! The demigods there didn't know me in the first place. It's a fresh start.

"Don't think it will be easy to just plop in, Selene," Gaea said, as if she sensed my thoughts.

"I never said it would be easy," I muttered. Gaea laughed as if I said something adorable.

I turned my attention to the last person. It was a guy about my age with hair as dark as mine and sea green eyes.

"Percy Jackson," I said.

"Ah you've heard his name before." Gaea's voice sounded amused. "Those are the seven people the gods have chosen. Soon, they will go on a quest to try and stop me. I have those loyal to me, of course, but I need you in particular. With my blessing, they will be no match for you! Once they are out of the way, we can safely take Olympus. The other demigods will destroy one another. A new golden age will rise!"

"Look, grandma." Gaea hissed at the term. "I'm really not interested okay! I'd rather die than serve you. I refuse to be made your pawn."

Oh but your fate is already sealed.

"Then I'll fight fate."

"So be it."

My eyes snapped open and I sat up quickly. My alarm clock was beeping. I turned it off and rolled out of bed. I quickly put my hair up in its usual ponytail, before slinging my backpack over my shoulder. I picked up my knapsack. I put one hand on the door frame and looked back. I'm never seeing this place again. Hot tears threatened to spill but I took a deep breath.

Don't hesitate, I thought and went on my way.

Quietly, I snuck out of the house. Just as I was about to exit the gate, I felt something nudge my leg. I looked down and saw Nieve. I knelt in front of the dog and scratched the back of his ear.

He whimpered. The sound tugged at my heart strings.

"Hey boy, I need to go, okay? I can't take you with me," I whispered. Nieve nuzzled my neck. I sighed and kissed the top of the canine's head. I stood up. "Take care of mom for me. Magpakabait ka, ha? (Be good, okay?)"

I gave him a pat on his head and Nieve half-heartedly wagged his tail. His ice-blue eyes followed me as I left the gate, closing it behind me.

Notes