So I actually wrote this for Fanfic Bootcamp, but I like it a lot and I might continue it. So here. (Title is a work in progress)

-Jaz

~~~~

"How was school today?"

The question broke the previous silence which had persisted besides the sound of forks scraping plates.

"Fine," was the tired reply. "We had another drill today."

"How many is that?"

"Four in three weeks."

"Quite a lot, but I assume things like that are necessary now."

"Yeah..."

"Did you finish your homework?"

"What's the point?"

"Homework is still important despite the war, Percy."

Percy shrugged and poked at the food on his plate. "School will probably be canceled soon enough. You watch the news, it's spread to South America already. If the bombs aren't enough to kill everyone, it will. So they'll probably have everyone stay home for quarantine soon enough."

Sally frowned, "You still haven't heard from Grover?"

"No," Percy confirmed setting down his fork. "Nothing."

"You'll hear from him soon... Maybe if you go to camp you can-"

"I'm not leaving you mom."

"I know," Sally sighed. "But a mother can try."

~~~~

As usual his mother was right. There was school the next day but luckily Percy had chosen to do his homework after all.

The day began as any other he sat in homeroom and together the class would watch the ever depressing news to attempt to gain any information they could about the war, and about the plague which seemed to thrive in its wake.

But of course the information gained was minimal, still there was no word on exactly how this disease could kill and so quickly. No word on how it was spread, just that if affected humans and animals alike. There was no word on when it would stop. And even though this wouldn't be found on the news regardless, there was still no word from the gods on stopping it or the war.

But the breaking news stopped everything by lunch. Someone had seen it on their phone and shouted it out, the entire school knew in less than a hour:

The first case had happened in the US.

And the person infected was already dead. Speculation said that the person must've been traveling, maybe to Europe where it began, or maybe Asia or Africa where it had spread soon after. Or maybe South America where it has just slammed the day before.

Either way it was in the country, Montana to be specific, and from there it could go anywhere.

"I heard the death toll is way higher than what they are telling us."

"I heard it stops the flow of oxygen to your brain... You don't have a brain so you'll be fine."

"I heard they made it in a lab."

"I heard that with the way the war is going they might do a draft. I turn eighteen next week!"

The school was abuzz with half and rumors, things which used to be more about the persons in it than the world. Percy did his best to ignore them, to not be freaked out by this.

The gods had turned a new leaf since the end of Kronos a few months before, they would do something. Wouldn't they?

"Percy!"

Percy looked up from his bland lunch and pulled himself from his thoughts as he looked up to his his friends looking at him with concern.

"What?"

"Dude you're glowing!"

Percy looked down at himself in shock to see he was indeed glowing. Surprised he stood up from his seat quickly causing it to clatter onto the floor. Anyone who wasn't already looking at "The Miraculous Glowing Teen" now was (and many of them had their phones out).

Percy opened his mouth to come up with some kind of excuse, but no words would leave his mouth as the light grew brighter.

"Someone grab a fire extinguisher!"

Percy doubted that it would do much good. The light grew brighter still and Percy shut his eyes. Then he heard silence and then confused chatter as the light died down suddenly. Cautiously he opened his eyes and his mouth dropped open to see his surroundings had changed.

Here he stood in of Camp Half-Blood right in front of the big house, a bunch of other confused demigods around him. Chiron stood beside the deck his tail swishing anxiously as around them more and more demigods appeared. Some which Percy recognized, then others he didn't. Some began talking to others confused while others shrieked at the sight of the centaur as symbols of their parents appeared over their heads.

"Children!" Chiron called gaining everyone's attention.

"What's going on Chiron?"

"What happened?"

"Your parents have sent you!" Chiron called out the crowd. "It seems in order to protect you all from the world they have brought you here, and have closed off Olympus!"

"Closed off Olympus?" Percy repeated to himself as others shouted complaints.

"He means they won't be helping with anything anytime soon," Annabeth's voice said next to him.

Percy jolted surprised before he quickly hugged her. "What do-"

"I have been notified the borders around the camp has been solidified!" Chiron continued. "In other words, no one can come or go."

"So we're trapped here?" Called Nico's voice from somewhere off to the side.

Chiron lowered his head, "I'm sorry to say you are. The gods have cut off all connections to the outside world in order to protect you. Unfortunately that includes your families."

As shouting began around him Percy felt his heart drop into his stomach. When would he see his mom again?

"I'm sorry," Chiron said again. "Unfortunately all I can do is make you comfortable until this war and plague are gone."

"And how long will that take?" Percy found himself asking.

"I wish I knew."

~~~~

It took four and a half years.

And during that time there wasn't much to do besides train and think.

Percy spent a lot of time thinking. Thinking about the gods. Those immortal, never dying gods. But gods can still fade.

Fade from minds, and then existence all together. It's a curse of a society based upon belief. And for such a society to exist, there must be believers of some sort from all walks of life.

But when the number of believers dwindle, as a result of the plague, fading had begun. That's why they had been protected.

Protected by the very gods who had neglected them for so long. Protected solely so the gods could maintain their place. Even so, many minor gods were lost, washed away as sacred spots of Europe were destroyed.

Everyone at Camp Half-Blood and were trapped in order to preserve the immortality of the gods while their families and friends perished beyond the tree line. They were to preserve the gods so in those weak states they wouldn't fade.

And with the pandemic over, and the gods weak, so weak that if they were killed they might not even reform. With a stage set like that then...

"Can I tell you something?"

Percy glanced to Clarisse beside him as they both stared at the barrier. "Sure."

"We should've joined Luke."

Percy nodded in agreement, "You know... with the world the way it is..." he started slowly looking her in the eye. "What better time to destroy a god?"