Sorry, don't have a rec for you today. Exam prep is kicking my ass.

Now, the calm before the storm. I give you the next chapter

Note: I do NOT own PJO or HOO. Otherwise, I wouldn't be uploading this here.


Chapter 36

The troops of Olympus marched forward, covering ground at a phenomenal pace. Hecate herself was shielding them from mortal eyes, allowing them to traverse the land unimpeded.

They couldn't be transported to the location. Moving almost eighteen hundred people once would be a little too much to ask for, since only Monaxiá could move large groups of people, and even that had a limit. Yet, for all it was, they weren't slowing down at all. They had covered almost fifteen miles in two hours, something that had confused them for some time before Monaxiá explained exactly how they were able to.

"We gods may not be able to teleport you, but we can speed your progress to our destination. However, it will only work while we're heading towards the final point, since we have to pay a certain amount of attention to it. Once we reach there, our minds will be occupied by how to best tackle the forces before us."

They were slightly disappointed that the boost wouldn't last in battle, but they were content to take what they could. The destination would still take time to reach, but the armies of Tartarus would also take time to approach.

They kept moving, never feeling even a hint of tiredness or strain. They attributed it to the gods' influence, since they were marching alongside them instead of simply flashing to the destination and waiting for them.

All around them, the massive force of monsters marched, a perfect image of order. The demigods were still wary, but none of the monsters had ever shown even the slightest hint of wanting to attack them. They were Monaxiá's own army, after all.

Still, despite the boost they received, Monaxiá called their march to a halt once the sun had set. They might not feel the strain at the moment, he'd said, but they would definitely feel it once the gods lifted their influence, especially if they had worked themselves past their limits. He wanted to avoid any such situations by giving them ample time to rest. It also served as an opportunity for the gods to plan some more. Now that he was back in America, Monaxiá needed far less sleep. Four hours a week would be sufficient while in a pinch, and he was certainly going to make full use of that advantage.


The hundreds of tents were scattered across the landscape, each one housing two demigods each. They were surrounded by the monster battalion, acting as both a deterrent and an alarm. It didn't take much to awaken them, and they certainly weren't going to be silent if it was a threat.

Within the central tent, on the other hand, the lights still burned bright, casting an orange glow on the map laid out on the wooden table. The Olympians gathered around it, with the six of the prophecy and Nico present. They scanned the planned layout, the multiple troops represented by small bearings.

"I think we should move the Delta team slightly to the west, like so," said Monaxiá, depicting his idea by moving the corresponding piece across the paper. "The team is mainly composed of those who have experience in hilly regions, and I think it would be better to play to their strengths."

Athena shook her head. "But we will also be risking the chance that they could be flanked from both sides. It will be near impossible for them to defend on two fronts if they're on a hill."

"Which is why we'll move the Eta team over here," he replied, moving another piece across the map. "This is the only entrance and exit to that particular region, and placing a team at the choke-point will ensure that they don't try anything."

"But that will leave this entire swathe unguarded," countered Annabeth. "We would be playing into their hands."

Monaxiá quickly moved the pieces about, disrupting the plan the mother and daughter duo had mapped out. "We're being too defensive," he said. "Tartarus will see what we're doing and simply wait us out. We need to finish them quickly before he tries to enter the battle."

Ares thumped his chair in approval. They may be at odds most of the time, but the war god always loved a direct approach. "A perfect idea. Hit them quick and hard. I like it."

"You like any idea that doesn't require much thinking, Ares," said Athena, an annoyed look on her face. She turned back to the map, observing the positions he had shown. "This is very risky. One powerful push from them will be enough to break our ranks. I can't follow a plan that has such a high chance of failure."

"Your plan has the same problem, Athena," he said, ignoring how her face suddenly turned red at the insult. " We cannot play defensively. He's not like any of the threats Olympus has faced before. The strategy would have worked against them, but not him. He has an unlimited horde of monsters on his side."

"Then how do you plan on ending this war, Monaxiá? How will brute force be any more effective if that's the situation," asked Annabeth, looking put out at how casually he had dismissed the plan she and her mother had put together.

"We all know the prophecy. We will have to play the waiting game for this Demon King. None of us know who he is, and all we can hope to do is repel them until he comes to end the fight. If he does come and win it for us, that is." He rubbed his hand over his face, his hood hiding his eyes. He so desperately wanted to throw it off at the moment, but with the people assembled before him, it would be nearly impossible.

"Then why not our strategy? If we need to play the waiting game, we'll be more likely to survive if we operate defensively ," said Annabeth heatedly. She clearly hadn't lost her hubris, nor did she tamp down her reactions to when someone insulted it. It had been endearing once, but now it was simply frustrating.

"Because the plan you suggested will keep us rigid. It would be perfect against any other opponent, but against a being like the pit, we will have to be far more flexible. The plan I outlined will simply be for the first wave, and possibly the second. After that, we'll need to change up our strategy, because I can guarantee he'll have come up with something better."

Athena bristled for a moment, before she took a breath to calm herself. Considering the situation, even she had to shelve her pride if she wished to live.

"Okay, I understand." She ignored her daughter's incredulous look. Now was not the time. "But I still believe my strategy could be used to throw them off. Maybe after two different offensive outlooks, we could maybe do something along my line, although as you said, a little more 'flexible'." She couldn't truly fault his words. He had managed to hold Olympus against Kronos with just forty demigods after all.

He nodded his head, before looking back down at the map. His father moved forward, pointing towards a nearby lake.

"I think my troops should be moved closer towards that point. Some of my men from Atlantis will also be arriving soon. It won't be as many as we would wish, since most of them can't breathe on land, but I believe that it would be better for them to fight in familiar territory."

Athena slowly moved the piece over, checking to make sure that there weren't any openings created. There weren't, and she knew it would be a good move on their part.

The gods sat silently, looking at the map once more. Their troops were spread out in a crescent shape, trying to contain the forces that Tartarus was bound to send after them. Monaxiá knew that the primordial would launch a full frontal assault in an attempt to crush the resistance, so they had chosen their final destination to be a location fifty miles from the border. Yet something felt missing.

"It doesn't have enough punch for a fist strike," Zeus muttered, gazing at the map. "This arrangement would be perfect for the second or third wave, but we need something deadlier for the first."

Athena looked up from the map, before nodding. She knew that their response to the first wave had to be powerful enough to cause the enemy to have second thoughts, and what they had just wasn't it.

"We'll take a short break," she said. "Let us recommence this meeting in around an hour or so. We should have calmed ourselves enough by then to think more clearly."

The others nodded, slowly rising from their seats. Most of them headed for the exit of the tent, Monaxiá included. He needed some air.


He wandered through the camp, not really paying attention to where he was headed. The cool breeze at night was calm enough for his mind to slowly let go of the tension that had accumulated over the past few weeks. He knew there was no chance of it disappearing completely, but such moments were important if he wanted to be ready for battle.

He weaved through the multiple tents, heading over to where the monsters were present. He slowly made his way to the one place he would feel the most comfortable.

Leila lay on her side, her eyes partially closed, although he could still see a small part of her glowing irises peering at him from the cracks between her lids. She didn't say anything as he leaned against her stomach, feeling the warmth radiate off her body. Both of them simply stood there in silence, lost in their own thought yet enjoying one another's company.

His eyes once more strayed towards the stars. He could see the huntress running across the night sky, his mind instantly reminding him of Zoë. Even after all those years, he couldn't shake off the guilt he felt due to her death, even if she had told him in the dream that he wasn't responsible.

He still didn't know how she had been able to appear in his dream. She definitely didn't have enough power to do so. The only chance was if the Fates felt that it was essential for him to have the experience. Once again, it seemed that they had their fingers in everything around him.

His mind returned to his conversation with Artemis, playing through it once more. He had been honest about his feelings, but he had left a part of it out. He may love her, but he didn't trust her, not anymore. The only difference was that unlike the others, she could still regain his trust if she tried.

For so many years, he had believed that she hadn't held a single bit of affection for him. Then, in her tent, she said that she had harboured some feelings for him, and that was the reason she had treated him so abysmally during his first stint in the hunt. But she had later said that those feelings were part of the past, no longer relevant after so many years.

However, he had reason to doubt it. While he was speaking to her in Khione's icy prison, he thought that he'd seen something in her eyes. Something that he couldn't quite place.

He shook himself. His heart was once again trying to drag him into an inescapable abyss. He knew that particular part of him was always irrational, and he would have to be careful around it. After all, if his heart had its way, he would still have his mother, and he would never have been ostracised by the camp. They were all fantasies, with no chance of them ever coming true.

He was about to resume his circuit of the camp when he sensed someone walk up to him. He didn't react, instead allowing them to approach him.

"Can we talk?" Of course it was her. He had only been thinking about her a few moments ago, after all.

He turned his head, seeing her silver orbs look up at him. Part of him wanted to follow her without question, hoping against hope that she was going to do something like profess her undying love for him. He almost laughed at the thought. Truly, his mind could be a fucked up place at times.

"What is it," he asked, curtly but not unkindly.

"I need to clear the air between us. I don't think it would be apt for either of us to go to war with so much hanging between us." After all these years, she was finally being cordial with him, maybe even a little soft. If only she'd done the same before.

However, he had to agree with her words. There was no use in trying to deal with his thoughts alone. If he had to centre himself before the battle began, they would have to talk. He estimated that they had another fifty minutes before they would have to return to the main tent. Hopefully, that would be enough time for them to finally come to a mutual agreement.

"We should probably go somewhere more private. I don't think you want anyone to overhear this, do you?" His thoughts were confirmed when she shook her head, gesturing towards her silver tent. Unlike the demigods, the gods, both major and minor, had their own tents. He wasn't the biggest fan of the idea, but he knew how fragile some of their egos truly were, and just how easy it was to hurt them.

He followed her into the tent, knowing that Hecate would have enchanted it to be soundproof. After all, one knew enough about Aphrodite and Ares, especially how he was before he left to either oversee or partake in a battle. It just so happened that it was extended to the other gods as well. For once, he was thankful. He definitely didn't want any undesired listeners to the upcoming conversation.


Artemis felt incredibly nervous. Being in a confined space with her estranged 'husband' was always awkward, but it was even worse at the moment considering just how much hung between them.

She had seen so many sides of him during the quest that she hadn't even suspected of before. She had seen him angry, the entirety of Olympus had. But she had never seen him as angry as he had been when Dakota had died. The only time he came close was when she had seen him brutalize the Manticore in revenge for his role in Chloe's death.

Monaxiá pulled off his hood, allowing his face to once again be visible. After a century of him never revealing his face around her, he looked to be oddly comfortable doing so in recent times. She saw that his hair had been cut slightly shorter than before, although not by much. He had also retained a good portion of his beard, something that he seemed to pick up from her father, or maybe his own.

His eyes were something that confused her to no end. She could see so many swirling emotions in those orbs of green and red that she wasn't even going to attempt reading them. If he said it aloud, she would be lucky.

It was intriguing how her mind would instantly switch from calling him Monaxiá to calling him Perseus the moment his hood was down. She assumed it was similar for the others as well. There just seemed to be something so different about a faceless figure and the person before her, his features on full display. It was almost natural for her to view him as two completely different individuals. Maybe that was how demigods felt upon seeing the gods after hearing about them for so long.

"What did you wish to speak about," he asked, pulling a chair forward before turning it around, sitting down with his arms crossed over what was supposed to be the backrest.

She sighed softly, knowing that it would definitely be difficult for her to talk to him. A century of bad blood existed between the two of them. It may have slowly disappeared during the course of the quest, but she knew there was still quite a bit left.

"I just wanted for the two of us to say everything we may have on our chests. As I said, it wouldn't be right for us to enter the battle while having so much left on our minds." She clenched her fists, the nervousness managing to leave traces even as she attempted to clamp down on it within her mind. Despite once again returning to her full power, there were some things that she still couldn't do. After the quest, her emotions seemed to take far more effort to bring under control.

He looked at her with an intense gaze, almost causing her to look away. She managed to stay firm, not allowing her eyes to leave his, even though the look stretched on for a few moments. Finally, he broke it off, tilting his head in agreement. "Okay, I'm game. Why don't you go first?"

She took a deep breath, allowing her nerves time to calm down. "I know I said it once during the quest, but I wasn't sincere back then. I have to say it once more, Perseus. I... I'm sorry for how I've treated you. I know I was wrong in what I did, but I was just..."

"You were conflicted, I know." His reply was short, but didn't hold the coldness she expected. "I know how it feels to have everything you've known ripped away from you. I was the reason you lost your title of goddess of virginity, after all. I would say sorry if it meant something, but we both know who truly has to apologize."

Zeus, she thought. Her father had forced her into the marriage, causing her to give up her most cherished title to Hestia instead. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have...

Wouldn't have what, treated him like shit? whispered a small part of her. That was all you. Zeus may have tied the knot, but he didn't make you hate him.

She knew it was right, much as she hated to admit it. They may have been forced into the marriage due to circumstances outside her control, but it had been wrong of her to lash out at him in response. He was just as much a victim as her.

"Even so, I'm sorry, Perseus. I shouldn't have taken out my anger and frustration on you. I know apologizing so long after the incident won't do much, but for what it's worth, I wish I'd never done it."

She didn't know exactly where it came from. Maybe it was because she saw just how desperate he had been after Dakota had died. It was so reminiscent of his devastation when Chloe had died, even if he had expressed it differently. It had caused something to stir up within her, especially when she remembered how callously she had behaved with him right after the death of her hunter.

He didn't say anything for a while, simply gazing into the distance. After what felt like an eternity, he finally turned back to face her. "I haven't been completely honest, you know. I may have feelings for you, but after all that has happened, I don't know if I can trust you. That doubt is always there in the back of my mind. Will you suddenly lash out at me like before when I do something you do not approve of?"

She almost flinched at his words, but managed to keep her calm demeanour. "I understand. I might not like it, but there's no one to blame but myself."

It was true, though. After all, she was the one who had pushed him away so much. It was a miracle he hadn't broken off their marriage, even if she had destroyed her ring.

His eyes bore into her, almost as if he was trying to peer into her soul. "Where did this sudden change of heart come from?" he asked, his expression one of intrigue.

And that was what she didn't want him to ask. She herself had no clue where it came from. Was it because she had been able to see from an outsider's perspective how he behaved when someone close died to him? Or was it because she could relate with his desperate struggle after the death of someone who was supposed to be under his protection?

"I don't know," she whispered, not meeting his eyes. "I can't explain why I feel the need to apologize, but I do not regret it."

He gazed at her for a moment longer, before suddenly putting his hand out. She glanced at his hand before meeting his eyes, a look of surprise in her silver ones.

"Let's start on a fresh note. Put all of that behind us, shall we? I'm Perseus, better known as Monaxiá." His eyes held a faint trace of the mirth that had been there a century ago. It was faint, but it was there.

Artemis smiled lightly. Even after all that time, he was ready to forgive if he wanted to. "Artemis. Nice to meet you," she replied, shaking his firm hand.

He nodded towards her, before looking back towards the main tent. "I know there's still time, but I want to go back there. I think I have a plan, but I need to check the maps to confirm it."


He moved the pieces across the map as the other Olympians slowly trickled in. None of them had flashed, knowing that it would disturb the peace that was so precariously balanced. They saw his hunched body as he thought of what he was doing before moving each piece.

"What is it, Lord Monaxiá?" asked Annabeth, trying to see his face under the hood. As always, she was unsuccessful.

"I think this plan might work," he replied. "I plan to have our forces shift slightly to the west, heading over to these choke points." He pointed at five different locations, where he had placed larger congregations of pieces.

He continued. "We could have troops herd the monsters towards the points over here. Once they arrive, it will simply be a matter of how quickly we can cut them down. It doesn't matter about the size of the army. The passageways here can hold at maximum twenty monster coming side to side."

"And how will you do that, Monaxiá? You know as well as I do that the monsters won't simply move towards the choke points." Athena was also leaning over the map, her eyes holding a little bit of disdain towards him still, even after he had come up with a plan that even she had to admit wasn't half bad.

He looked towards the moon goddess standing to his right. "Artemis, your hunters are the ones best equipped to do this. Take another fifty or so demigods and around a hundred monsters at most. That should be sufficient enough to control their direction. I trust you can handle the rest yourself?"

She nodded. "It won't be a problem. They will be walking straight to their deaths."

He turned back to Athena. "Do you have anything to add? I feel we could still improve this."

She looked at the map intently before moving a few pieces away from the choke points. "We should still keep a few troops around the sides, just to ensure that no monsters manage to slip through. From what you've said, I believe you will not need to use the majority of the army. I think it can be a near equal split: half of the forces will be at the choke points while the other half will position themselves around the perimeter. Artemis will be choosing her troops from the second half."

"So that leaves seventy demigods and a hundred monsters per choke point," he observed. "We will need a few more to cover this one," he said, pointing towards a slightly larger gap. "I would prefer a round hundred demigods and a hundred and fifty of my troops manning this position. I myself will be there as well."

The others looked surprised that he was joining the battle so early, but it spurred them to make their decisions as well.

"I'll be near the perimeter. The left edge would be optimal, since I would still be close enough to the lake for it to be a viable source," his father said.

Slowly, the battle lines were drawn. Each of the five choke holds would have one Olympian and one of the seven, except for the largest one. That would be manned by both Ares and Monaxiá himself. The others knew there might be problems, but the two of them were their best fighters. They would have to put aside their grievances for the moment.

Apollo would take the archers and position himself at the best vantage point available in order to rain death upon their enemies before they even made it to the choke points.

Nico and Hazel were the two of the seven minor gods within the tent who would stay back with the rest of the forces, helping their father to summon as many undead warriors as possible to assist them. They may be formidable fighters, but at that moment, they needed more troops.

Hestia had already decided to stay back. She would enter if the situation was desperate, but everyone knew that she wasn't a violent goddess. She would prefer to be in the infirmary, providing comfort to those that were recovering or had no hope.

Zeus, Athena, Hephaestus, Hermes and Demeter would be the others present at the choke points. The first three would have their own children next to them, while Hermes would have Piper and Demeter, Frank. Everyone agreed that it wouldn't be sensible to have Aphrodite in the lead. Chances were that she would only enter the battle an hour after it began, if even then.

The rest of the Olympians would be scattered around the back, and the remaining minor gods would be randomly interspersed throughout the different factions. The sun was rising when the plan was finally ready, but all of them felt satisfied. If everything went well, they could still win.


The camp had been set up a few hundred feet away from their final positions, the tents sprawled across the landscape. He sat on his own bed, his three friends around him.

"Well, I guess it's time, guys. See you when it's done, hopefully," said Hermes, sipping a glass of nectar. Even his usually upbeat mood had taken a hit due to their situation.

Hephaestus grunted in agreement. "I hope this Demon King comes quickly. I do not know how long we'll be able to last, even after all our plans."

The tension hung in the air as the other three fell silent. All of them knew that there was no way they could last longer than a month even if everything went perfectly. Two weeks was a far more accurate number, and even that was pushing it.

Percy glanced at Apollo. "Have you had any visions related to this conflict? Can you give us an idea of what to expect?" He knew it may be painful to relive those memories, but they needed every advantage they could get.

Apollo grimaced a little, but nodded. "I saw something the last time I had one. I saw two armies clashing, but I do not think it was the same terrain as this one. The other army was slowly being replenished, but the first was managing to use the elements to keep it at bay."

"Doesn't take a genius to figure out which is which," muttered Hermes. "So did you see the outcome?"

Apollo shook his head. "It cut off before I could see. But there was something ominous before it ended. Maybe it was..."

"No, please, man. I don't want to hear it." The messenger god took another long draught of his nectar, tapping the empty glass down the singular table. "If it's bound to go south, let it go south without me having to worry about it for days on end."

Percy shrugged. Even he wasn't anxious to hear such news. But the words burrowed into the back of his mind. What if it really... No, he couldn't risk thinking in such a way. He had to keep his mind focused on what was to come.

He looked over at Hephaestus, who had been unusually silent the entire time. "Are you fine, Heph? Is there anything you need?"

The blacksmith god shook his head. "More like something I have to do. I think it's about time I ask Mother to end my marriage with Aphrodite."

Percy didn't miss the slight contempt he had when he said the word mother. He still rankled at his memory of when he'd found out that Hera had lied to him. Zeus hadn't been the one to throw Hephaestus off the mountain. The old myths had it right all along, she had been the one to toss him off Olympus due to his appearance.

However, what was far more important at that point was what he'd said after that. "What did you say?" The other two were just as astounded as he had been. No one had expected Hephaestus to drop such a bomb on them, especially in their current situation.

"I know it's sudden," he said gruffly. "But if you think about it, I think I've delayed it long enough. I think it's obvious just how little of a chance I have. After all, you could still hear some noises from Ares' tent. I held out long enough with futile hope. I think it's time I move on, don't you think?"

The tent was silent for a moment, before Percy patted him on the back. Hephaestus looked over to see the encouraging smile on his friend's face.

"If you feel it's right, then go for it, man," he said, giving the other god a much-needed boost in confidence.

"Now we'll just have to listen to her whine about how she doesn't have prime access to the best jewellery on Olympus for free. Eh, she can handle it. If she can handle being with Ares, she should be familiar with disappointment," quipped Hermes, causing Apollo to snort in derision. Even Hephaestus cracked a small smile at that, despite the weight of his decision.

Monaxiá smiled at the scene. He knew that the upcoming day was bound to be filled with bloodshed and war, but moments like these were what made his life worth living. If they didn't pull through, at least he could take respite in the fact that he had made some true friends along the way.


They stood assembled before him, ready to face the invading force head on. Monaxiá allowed his eyes to drift over the gathered ranks of demigods and monsters, noting the apprehension while also knowing that they would still see it through. He stood at the forefront of his battalion, Ares standing off to the side. Neither of the two wanted to spend much time together.

Zeus stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with an intensity Monaxiá had never seen. "Heroes, gods, monsters," he added, nodding towards Monaxiá's forces. "We stand here today as we prepare to face an adversary we have never seen the likes of before. Even when we fought the Earth Mother herself, it hadn't been so dire, since she was only beginning to awaken, and didn't have her entire power at hand. Here, our foe, the pit himself, has appeared to have a physical form for a long time, and has been planning this invasion for even longer.

"I will not lie, it looks bleak. But victory doesn't come merely due to numbers. It comes due to our determination and will to fight. Our opponents are fighting due to their lust for blood and fear of their master. We are fighting to defend our home! So, I will ask one final time, are you ready to fight for Olympus, for your home, for your life?"

A long rumble sounded, before it erupted in a deafening roar from the crowd. Monaxiá grinned underneath his hood. They were ready to finally face him. For once, Zeus' speech was actually good. I guess he saves the best for when it's most important.

Said King of the Gods nodded in pride, before glancing at the other Olympians. "We march in ten minutes. Prepare yourselves."

The others nodded, a bright light encasing them. It was bright enough to cause the demigods to squint, but not enough to cause them to flinch away. When it faded, it revealed all of them to be in their armour, the metal gleaming under the sunlight.

The demigods turned to look at him, noticing that he hadn't changed his attire. A few of them wondered if he was going to fight in that very cloak when he reached into his collar, pulling out a golden locket. The very same locket that housed the image of his late birth mother, Sally Jackson. How appropriate that the memory of the person who had protected him so fiercely in his early years would now protect him in the upcoming divine war.

He tugged the chain, feeling the latent magic kick in. The locket quickly began to expand, covering his entire chest before beginning to wrap around his body. A soft glow surrounded him, nowhere near as harsh as what the other Olympians had, but still enough to prevent anyone seeing what lay beneath.

The glow finally faded away, revealing his armour. Plates of Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold protected his torso, while his legs and arms had separate parts of metal wrapped around them. Unlike the normal armour of the Greeks, it also covered his thighs and shins.

His joints were able to move, with the areas being made out of tough yet flexible leather which would not hinder movement in the slightest. His vambraces were a point of interest, with their construction being much sturdier than what was normally seen on similar suits, not that anyone had a suit exactly like his. Considering how he loved to use a two handed approach, he was used to taking blows on his forearms if required. The strategy would only work with the weaker opponents, since any being stronger than him could possibly break his arm if they tried hard enough, but it was how he preferred it.

The most intriguing part of his armour, however, was his face guard. Some had expected him to finally reveal his face, while others assumed it would be a blank mask with holes for eyes and enough space to breathe.

Instead, he had a mask that resembled a snarling hellhound as it prepared to attack. They could see a line running along the side, indicating just how he would take it off and put it on without summoning his entire suit back. But that was a secondary observation in the face of just how unsettling the mask was.

Some would have assumed that his entire suit would be far too heavy, but on him, it felt as light as a feather. Even a regular human would have found it lighter than a regular set of armour, and far less limiting in mobility.

He turned to Artemis, who was prepared to leave. He gave a quiet nod, which she understood, heading off with the rest of her hunters. The war was about to finally commence.


The stifling air was filled with the sounds of screeches and roars, although it was more subdued than it had been a few days ago. Some of the forces had left after all.

In the throne room, Brandon stood before his master, his head bowed down.

"Are you certain, my lord?" He asked, unsure if attacking so soon was the right way to go.

"Yes I am. The more we delay, the larger the chance of our forces becoming discontent. Send in the first wave. And tell the leader that he should hope he doesn't fail this time around. He won't like what awaits him if he does." The primordial didn't even deign to look at him as he spoke.

"Of course my master," Brandon replied, shuffling away. He knew that the end was near. All he didn't know was how the ending would pan out.

The primordial watched as the demigod walked away, knowing that if the first charge failed, he would have to resort to the plan that involved the son of Apollo. He didn't want it to go that far, since it was fraught with danger, but he would do it if he had no choice. After all, he still couldn't step out onto the battlefield unless he was attacked first. Then again, a plan was forming in his mind, one he would execute if even the ploy involving Brandon failed.

"One way or another, the Olympians will bow," he whispered into the air of his domain.


They stood close to the valley, awaiting the charge. The surrounding landscape ensured that they couldn't be flanked, removing that particular fear from his mind.

His battalion was the largest, with both him and Ares standing in command. The two Olympians may have a furious rivalry, but they had grudgingly accepted to put their differences, vast as they were, aside in order to fight for Olympus.

Almost a hundred demigods surrounded him, coming from all three camps. Behind their lines, a hundred and fifty varied monsters were assembled in origin formation, Leila standing regally at the head.

A flurry of wings was heard above him. He didn't need to glance up to know who it was. His thoughts were proven correct when Rayo landed to his side, his hooves almost silent against the green grass. All of them knew that red would soon mix with it.

'Are you ready, Boss?' Even after all the intervening decades, Rayo still hadn't lost his old habits.

'Yes I am, old friend,' he replied. 'Let us end this once and for all.'

In the distance, he could hear the faint sounds of a charging army, and he could already tell that the size of the invading force was going to be massive. He allowed his swords to stay where they were for the moment. They had enough distance for him to do some damage with his guns.

He summoned one of them in the form of an automatic, hearing the familiar sound of its bullets being replaced with celestial bronze ammunition. It felt good to be back home, where he could effortlessly restock the supply without any impediment. He knew a machine gun would be able to cause a lot of damage, especially in a confined space.

Beside him, he could see Ares smirk dangerously. The god may have been apprehensive about partaking in such a bleak war, but once they got onto the battlefield, it took a lot more to overcome his natural bloodlust. Monaxiá nodded as he saw it, knowing that his assistance would be appreciated in the upcoming conflict.

He saw the faint traces of dust in the distance. It looked like Artemis and her hunters had done their job well. The monsters had been herded into the region. Up ahead, he knew that Apollo and his children would be waiting to rain death upon the approaching forces.

They had barely received a couple days to prepare for the first wave, but he hoped that their plan would work.

There had been no more time to plan. That could be done when they had a break between consecutive waves. Even Tartarus knew that their forces were better equipped to battle in the dark than his own.

There was still some tension present between him and Artemis, but he felt that he could address it a little later. At the moment, he could feel his own blood begin to race at the prospect of battle.

"So it begins," he whispered, already seeing the arrows rain down.


The war begins. The climax has finally arrived.

Please review.


Now, answering some questions

To BJack12: The explanation will come, but not in the next chapter.

To Knight6167: Yes it will, but in a little bit.

To AlEmily360: Yes, it is still Pertemis (I hope this chapter was enough to convince you of that). The relationship will be built up... but I'm not gonna spoil it until it's time.

To 7hanatos: She was referring to Tartarus, like a challenge.

To vikasmahajan191175: No, but it's coming soon.

To NiHarOP: As I said, it's coming soon.

Okay, from now on, I won't be answering every single question, since we're heading into the final part of this story, and I don't want to spoil anything by accident. If I don't answer your question, don't feel bad, just know that whatever answer I may have given could have potentially spoiled the upcoming events.