Annabeth / December 3rd

I wish I had jumped into the harbor with Percy. After setting off with Hazel and Piper, we surprisingly found Aphrodite who had been hanging around like there was nothing wrong in the world.

Apparently she was the least affected out of all of the Olympians when it came to the whole Greek and Roman personality issue. Love is universal, Greek or Roman. She did make a fair point to tell the truth.

Other than that, we hadn't really gotten anything out her, which left me kind of disappointed. All she really said was that there was a map close by that could help me.

But on our way back to the ship, we quickly found ourselves in trouble.

"Surrender to Rome!" Octavian shouted, lifting his sword into the air

Three giant eagles descended in front of us, depositing a Roman warrior each, all with glittering gold armor and weapons.

"Not a chance" Hazel replied

"Octavian, we can explain!" Piper insisted. "It was all set up by Gaea and Xan-"

"I don't want to hear it!" Octavian interrupted. "Now, drop your weapons and turn around so I can cuff you, and then we'll be on our way to your trial and eventually, your execution"

The ship had to have only been about fifty feet away, and there was no sign of anyone on the deck. Jason's group wasn't back either, considering they would be gone until sunset. And then there was Percy, who would be underwater and unaware of anything going on.

If only I could get onboard and use the ballistae, but there was no getting past these Romans. We were running out of time and I needed some kind of distress signal to reach Coach Hedge, or better, Percy.

"We don't have all day" Octavian said

As slowly as I could, I drew my dagger and tossed it as far as I could into the ocean.

"No! Drop it, not toss it! That was clear evidence!" Octavian complained

"Oh well" I shrugged

"Now, you two. Don't think about tossing your weapons" Octavian turned to Hazel and Piper. "Put them down or else"

Around the Romans, the harbor erupted with a large explosion, swallowing them up. When the water subsided, the Romans were in the bay and trying to stay afloat with the weight their armor added.

On the dock, Percy held my dagger. "I think you dropped this"

"Gods, I love you!" I said as I threw my arms around him

"Um guys, we should hurry" Hazel said

"You get me out of here or I'll kill you all!" Octavian threatened from down in the water, flailing around like he didn't know how to swim

Needles to say, we climbed aboard the Argo II, and I ran towards the helm. Piper went to go Iris-message Jason and the others using the sink while Hazel went to go find Coach Hedge.

"Percy, get the ship to Fort Sumter" I said and he nodded before running to the mast

I took the helm and my hands flew across the controls instinctively while Percy willed the ship to become setting off for course.

Coach Hedge barged into the room. "Who am I killing?"

"There's no killing!" I said. "Just defend!"

Piper entered after. "Jason and the others should be on there way. Oh, there they are now!"

Soaring towards us in the direction of the city, a giant bald eagle was quickly closing distance, with Leo hanging on to its feet. Behind them, Jason was flying by riding the wind.

As soon as they landed, I gunned the engine and the hull shuddered as we gained acceleration. The docks of the island were only about a hundred yards away, but a dozen more eagles were soaring overhead, each carrying their own Roman demigod.

"Percy, I need you to control the water so we don't smash into the docks. Once we get there, you guys have to hold them off while I find the map" I explained

"You can count on me!" Coach Hedge assured, hefting his club

"Please don't kill anyone Coach" I said and he frowned

"That fort has to be crawling with Romans..." Percy said. "You'll have to fight your way through and find the map"

"Just your normal demigod day" I replied before kissing him

At Fort Sumter, I dodged into a small room while chaos erupted outside. I was sure that the mist could only do so much to prevent all the tourists from seeing the truth.

The wall glistened and the air became warm around me. I didn't give it a second thought before bolting to the exit, but it ended up slamming shut on me. A mortar that rested in between two stones blistered and bubbles popped, causing what seemed like thousands of tiny black spiders to come out.

I stood, frozen. Also frozen, my heart. The spiders covered the walls and crawled onto one another, spreading across the floor like a quick-moving bacteria virus.

Long ago, Athena had taught a mortal weaver named Arachne a tough lesson, turning her into the first ever spider. Ever since then, all spiders hate the children of Athena, and the feeling was reciprocated.

On the far wall, by the center of the spider swarm, a red symbol blazed to life - an owl staring right at me. Then, the Mark of Athena burned across the walls, incinerating the spiders until there was nothing but dust.

"Follow the mark and avenge me" Athena said in my head

The symbol of the owl faded as the doors burst open. An explosion shook the vicinity and I remembered that my friends were in danger, so I would have to hurry.

I stumbled outside and looked across the courtyard where tourists were panicking and demigods were fighting. By the edge of the battlements, a large mortar was pointed out to the sea. I ran towards it and dodged a couple of eagles in the process.

Once I reached the mortar, I put my hand on the muzzle, and on the plug, where the Mark of Athena began to glow. I drew my dagger and and as soon as it made contact with the plug, it shrank and loosened.

I stuck my hand inside the cannon and my fingers touched something cold and smooth - metal. I pulled out a small disk of bronze that was etched with delicate letters and illustrations. I didn't question it and quickly thrusted it into my pack.

"Going somewhere?"

I turned and Reyna stood about ten feet away, dressed in full battle armor and holding a golden javelin. I examined our surroundings and we seemed to be the only ones in the general area, which left it to a one-on-one if it came down to that.

"Reyna, what happened at Camp Jupiter wasn't our fault. Xander mind controlled Leo into doing it" I said

"Save the explanations for the trial" Reyna dismissed

"You're letting Gaea and Xander drive our camps apart!" I replied. "The giants will win and Majin Kai will kill everyone. Romans, Greeks, the gods, and eventually the whole mortal world"

"I know that" Reyna growled. "But what other choice have you left me? Octavian has whipped the entire legion into a frenzy, and I can do nothing to stop it. I can bring you back to New Rome for a trial, and you will be painfully executed.

It may be enough to stop further violence, but Octavian won't be satisfied. At the same time, I might be able to convince the others to stand down"

"It wasn't us!" I exclaimed

"It doesn't matter" Reyna snapped "Someone has to pay, and it would be the better option for it to be you"

"Better option that what?"

"If you escape today, we won't follow. Not even a madman would dare cross the sea into the ancient lands. If Octavian can't have his vengeance on the ship, he will turn his attention towards Camp Half-Blood and the legion will march onto your territory"

Camp Half-Blood had been the only real home I had ever known myself to have. And trying to gain trust, I had told Reyna the exact location of it.

And our quest, everything I had gone through to get Percy back... if I didn't make it to the ancient lands, it would all have been for nothing.

"I'm going to follow the Mark of Athena"

Reyna shook her head. "You don't have a clue to what waits for you there"

"I do" I said. "I can fix the grudge between our camps"

"That grudge is thousands of years old. How do you expect to fix it?"

"Look, you can try and stop me, or you can just let me go so that I can try and save both of our camps. If you have to march to our camp, at least try to slow Octavian down"

Reyna narrowed her eyes. "I respect your boldness, but if you leave, you doom your camp to destruction

"Don't underestimate us"

"You haven't seen the legion at war"

"Kill them all! Kill them all!" Octavian chanted in the distance

On the deck of the Argo II, Percy and Jason stood together as they summoned the sky and sea to assist them. Giant eagles got knocked out of the sky and waves heaved against the ramparts.

"The spear has been thrown" Reyna said

"Not if I succeed"

Reyna backed up. "Next time we meet, we will be enemies of war"

She turned and walked across the ramparts. I thought it might be some kind of trick, but I had no time to think about it, and I ran for the ship.

"Stop her!" Octavian ordered

A spear flew past me as the Argo II began to pull away from the dock. Piper had her hand out and I leaped, grabbing ahold of it. The gangplank fell into the sea as we both tumbled onto the deck.

"Go now!" I shouted

The engines rumbled, oars churned, Jason changed the course of the wind, and Percy called for a massive way to rift the ship higher than the fort's walls. By the time we reached maximum speed, Fort Sumter was only a dot in the distance

"Did you get the map?" Leo asked

I nodded. "I'll have to study on it"

"Great" Frank said

"How far are we from the coordinates?" I then inquired

"About an hour away" Leo answered. "Got any clue as to what we're looking for?"

"No" I shook my head

"Can we get the ship aloft?" Jason asked. "If we could fly, then -"

"That would be great and all, but Festus says that the port aerial stabilized got damaged in the fight" Leo said. "Meaning, it'll take some time to fix, and we don't be flying anywhere"

"Fine by me. The sea's good" Percy said

"Speak for yourself" Hazel muttered as she glanced towards the sun. "We don't have that much time. We burned another day. Nico has three seeds left, and we have three days until Majin Kai is free"

"We'll be fine" Leo assured. "We can make it to Rome in three days... if nothing happens"

Meanwhile / Layton

"Still no sign of Xander" I said

"He could be anywhere" Caeruleum argued. "Who said he had to be in Rome?"

"I know he's in Rome. I can just feel it, but not the exact origin of the presence" I replied

"You could always try-"

"No"

"But soul-"

"Nope"

"You're being awfully petty when this the world at stake" Caeruleum said

"I'm not going back there" I shook my head

"What's there too loose?" Rubrum asked

"My dignity" I answered. "Do you even know what kind of idiot I would like going back to ask for help again, let alone so soon"

Caeruleum snorted. "Might I say, you're already being an idiot"

"Gee thanks. Not everyone is an all knowing dragon created by the goddess of wisdom herself" I retorted. "I can find Xander on my own... given time"

"Time is something we don't have" Rubrum pointed out

"I'm still not doing it" I said

"You're just a wuss" Caeruleum muttered

"What was that?"

"Nothing"