A/N: Blame the Muses for my delay this time. Last time they would hit me with other story ideas, now, they are just avoiding me. What did I ever do to them? And then there's the fact that FanFiction hasn't been sending me story updates, that sometimes helps with inspiration. Eh, who knows the ways of the Muses. In the meantime, considering what's been revealed about the next Kane Chronicles book-The Burning Throne, it's almost like he's reading my mind: He's bringing Ra into the series! May 3rd can't come soon enough! And I've recently discovered something else to support the idea that Jason wouldn't have much romance in his life because of the others fear/respect. In Chapter 50 of The Lost Hero, Jason says that he is both consul and praetor at the Roman camp. That is significant to the 'no romance' idea because the consul was the highest you could go in Roman politics, and a praetor was a judge of disputes. So, not only is he the most powerful demigod at the Legion camp, and the one who's been there the longest, he is also basically president and judge at the camp. Not exactly the best position to be in if you want someone to love you just for who you are.

Operation: Obliterate!

The Alexander Chronicles

Part Four

Chapter Ten: A Titan Rises and a God Dies

When I finally made it to Mount Othrys a few hours later, I quickly caught the scent of the sea, and a little further away, an owl and death. Great! I made it here the same time as them. I slowly descended, looking for my Greek cousin. To my surprise, I caught sight of him inside a shimmering black cloud, wearing Annabeth's Yankees hat. The cloud is an invisibility spell.

Oh, thanks Ra. Even though I'd been talking with him for months now, I still wasn't used to having him in my head but at least he always helped out. Then I spotted someone I wasn't expecting to see again for about a year: Ethan Nakamura, and he was with a group of telechines carrying something wrapped in cloth, and they were heading towards a large black mausoleum. As I looked around, I realized that Saturn's power was quickly growing, and with it, the Titan's palace here. It wasn't complete, yet, but it was close. I quickly donned my invisibility helmet so I could follow them without being seen. As Percy and I got inside the mausoleum, I realized that it held a giant, golden sarcophagus that was covered in scenes of death and destruction. The seventh seal broken: The gods fall, the West dies I remembered. If Saturn actually succeeded, the entire world was in big trouble. In the middle of the lid was a language I didn't recognize, but Ra did. It's Hieratic, an Egyptian form of writing. Less formal and quicker to write than Hieroglyphics, but just as powerful with magic. It reads: Kronos, Lord of Time. Just as Ra finished his explanation, Percy pushed off the lid of the coffin, and revealed Luke in the coffin.

All three of us were shocked. Why would Luke be in a coffin for Saturn? Finally Ra had a suggestion. Perhaps Kronos was so badly hurt because of the last war that he needs a host before he can assume his godly form. It's the only thing I can think of. I had to admit, that was quite plausible, and scary. But there was a problem with that, because the Greco-Roman deities were more . . . physically here than the Egyptians, it was impossible for mortals to host them, it would burn us up. And what about that curse of Achilles? Bathing in the River Styx so that you become invulnerable. Could that not make the body more durable until Kronos was ready to move on?

But before I could make a comment, the enemy entered the mausoleum and attempted to present Saturn with a gift: his remade scythe, Saturn's symbol of power. One of the telechines told Ethan to swear allegiance to Saturn, but then Percy cried out, begging Ethan not to do it. Unfortunately Ethan renounced the Olympians, saying "What have they ever done for me?" and swore allegiance to Saturn. Once he swore allegiance to Saturn, a blue whiff of smoke rose from the ground and moved to Luke and entered him through the hole over his heart. The pain of another broken seal hit me, and as I watched, the hole filled in and Luke rose to a sitting position and opened his eyes. I gasped in shock, where once they had been a bright blue, now they were a cold gold that perfectly matched the sarcophagus. When he spoke, it was with Luke's voice, but also merged with Saturn's, and there was no doubt as to who was in control. He spoke briefly with Percy, but Percy quickly ran off. I was torn in two, part of me wanted to join him and run to the others, but every part of my Roman heritage was screaming Fight him! To Hades with the prophecy, let's destroy him now! A soldier and citizen of Rome does not run from a fight, no matter the odds. Eventually Ra managed to talk some sense into me and I ran, but not before blasting the telechines to dust. I took off my helmet while I was running so that the others knew not to leave without me. Saturn shouted, "AFTER THEM!" I was shocked when I heard that, but when I thought about it, I shouldn't have. My vision was coming true. Sure enough, just as soon as we were in the clear, Nico created an enormous wall of black stone between us and the exit to Othrys. Just for good measure, I blasted at the corridor until there was nothing left of that part of the Labyrinth.

A few hours later, we finally stopped running and Nico asked "What happened with you back at Daedalus' workshop? One minute you're completely normal, the next you're a killing machine."

"I'm not completely sure. The last thing I remember is Invi-I mean Nemesis threatening to kill you, then she shot an arrow at you that I took. Next thing I know, I'm standing alone with Minos and a few of his goons."

"Why did Nemesis want me dead?"

"She's sided with Sat-Kronos and as long as you were alive, you threatened his victory, especially considering you're command over the dead. Speaking of which, I shot Minos' ghost, and he seemed to burn up. What do you think happened Nico?"

"Huh, so that's what happened. You actually killed a ghost. There's nothing left of Minos now."

"Really? Well good riddance to bad rubbish I say."

"That's all well and good, but you need to start talking Lightning Rod." Sons of Dis! I knew where Annabeth was about to go, and I didn't dare answer her. "What's up with you and all the Latin? Why are you using the Roman names when you should be using the Greek? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry Annabeth, but I can't tell you. If I did tell you, I don't know what would happen, and I can't risk losing everything because of Chiron."

"What are you talking about? What do you mean 'lose everything because of Chiron'?"

"Dad has a plan in motion, and I play a major part in it. If my secret is revealed too early, the entire plan could derail, and I can't risk it. Just accept the fact that I prefer Latin, and I'll explain everything once the plan is set in motion. And that goes for the rest of you as well. Do NOT tell Chiron about this, please." Luckily for me, they all swore on the River Styx not to say a word about it, even the mortal.

With that over, Percy and Annabeth quickly got into an argument over Luke. But before they could try to kill each other, Nico pointed out that we had to keep moving. We had only gone about a mile when Percy spotted something: Grover's Rasta cap and the footprints of a Cyclops. Percy and Annabeth insisted on following the tracks until we found them, Saturn's army be damned. We followed the tracks until we came to a cavern with a river, and Tyson cradling Grover on the bank. It quickly became clear that they'd had a far more interesting time on their own than we had, and that Grover believed we were close to Faunus. So, the seven of us crossed the river and started walking, and the further we walked, the more I could feel the power emanating from somewhere close, and I caught the scent of a forest and goat fur that had to belong to Faunus.

When we entered the next chamber of the cavern, the things we saw shocked us all. In the center of the room was a Roman-style bed with an ancient faun lying in it, and surrounding the faun was the strangest assortment of animals I'd ever seen: a woolly mammoth, a dodo that was humming the most annoying tune ever created, a giant guinea pig, and a Tasmanian Tiger. Faunus greeted Grover, and said that he'd been waiting for Grover for a long time. Annabeth was naturally more awed at the beauty of the natural architecture of the place. "I'm glad you like it, my dear. It is one of the last wild places. My realm above is nearly gone, I'm afraid. Only pockets remain, tiny pieces of life. This one shall remain undisturbed . . . for a little while longer. My punishment, I guess."

Grover looked shocked. "Punishment? What do you mean, Lord Pan?"

"I suppose I must tell you. Nearly two thousand years ago, on my sacred Mount Paneum I challenged a man that did not worship me or the other Olympians. Little did I know that that man was not just a man."

"Wait, Mount Paneum? Also known as Mount Hermon, the Mount of Transfiguration! Yeshua HaMashiach. You challenged God incarnate!"

"Yes, I did. You know your history well, son of Jupiter." Again, Annabeth was shocked when she heard the name of my father. I just hoped she would keep her promise and not tell Chiron before the time was right.

"I'm a Messianic Jew, what do you expect?" I'd expected Pan to continue his story, but before he could, he started to turn to smoke. Fortunately, it was only for a few seconds.

"I have slept for many centuries. My dreams have been dark. I wake fitfully and each time my waking is shorter. Now we are at the end, the hourglass is empty." Grover tried to convince him to hold on for a little longer, but Faunus had given up hope. "You sweet, stubborn satyrs refused to accept my passing. And I love you for that, but you only delayed the inevitable. You only prolonged my long, painful passing, my dark twilight sleep. It must end. You must accept the truth. Your companion Nico, he understands."

Nico nodded. "He's dying. He should have died long ago. This . . . this is more like a memory."

"But gods can't die!" Grover was still refusing to accept the truth.

"You're right, a true god can not die. But we Olympians are not true gods. We can fade when everything we stood for is gone. When they cease to have power and their sacred places are gone. The wild, my dear Grover, is so small, so shattered that no Olympian could save it. My realm is gone. That is why I need you to carry a message. You must go back and tell the satyrs, the council, the dryads and other spirits of nature that the great god Pan is dead. Tell them of my passing, because they must stop waiting for me to save them. I can not. The only salvation is the one you must make for yourself. Tell them-"

Faunus was briefly interrupted by Dede the dodo changing tunes. "Each of you must take up my calling. Be strong. You have found me, and now you must release me. You must carry on my spirit, for it can no longer be carried by a god. It must be taken up by all of you." Then he turned to each of us, and we realized that he really was talking to all of us. "Percy Jackson, I know what you have seen today. I know you have doubts. But I give you this news: when the time comes, you will not be ruled by fear. And your destiny is greater than you know. Daughter of Athena, your time is coming. You will play a great role, though perhaps not the role you imagined."

Then he turned to me. "Son of Jupiter, you believe that you know your role in the world, but like your Greek cousin, it is far greater. I can truly rest in peace knowing that in personam pacis is about to rise."

I couldn't believe what he said there. Was he actually calling me the personification of peace? I stood there, frozen until Grover said "We should go now and tell them: The great god Pan is dead."

A/N: I wasn't planning on a second Author's Note, but Biblioholic's review made it kind of necessary. First off, Throne of Fire is not my next story, but Rick Riordan's. Throne of Fire is the second book in his Egypt series, The Kane Chronicles. Second, I have no idea what Javier's future is, he belongs to Playstationdemon. Third, the visions are going to be accurate to my stories, but there will be changes from canon. As for Invidia, yeah, she's going to hate him, but what can she do right now? And yes, his arrows are extremely dangerous, they were dipped in the blood of Medusa and the Hydra (see Alexander Chronicles Part One: Mystery Boy,) two of the deadliest poisons in Greek mythology. And finally, as you saw in this chapter, Alex has NOT spilled the beans about the Roman camp. Sure, he's hinted at it, but no one at CHB knows about it except him, Chiron, and of course, the wine dude (Thank you, Nico!) Oh, and I MAY be releasing Part Five sooner than I expected, it all depends on how The Throne of Fire works into the story.