Ch50

Percy sighed as he waited in front of the Empire State Building with Mrs. O'Leary. So much had happened to him in such a short time. From being betrayed by Nico and sent to a prison in the Underworld to bathing in the River Styx and using his mom as an anchor, and finally traveling back to New York. He felt both tired and apprehensive about what would happen, but he knew that they could do this.

He watched as the three camp vans pulled up and the doors slide open and the various campers exit the vans. All of the campers were present from Clarisse and Annabeth to Silelna and Michael Yew, in total they were roughly over fifty, not many to fight a war but still a descent amount. Yet one of them is a spy the thought still rang in his head and made him feel uncomfortable.

Chiron came out last, "I came to wish you good luck Percy. I will go gather allies while I can and try to convince my brother centaurs to help. I know you will do a good job leading them Percy," he said looking at him with a smile.

He felt his face redden with embarrassment as everyone including Annabeth and Clarisse looked at him as if waiting for his orders. "Th-Thanks I'll try my best."

"Percy," Annabeth said. "Where is Magnus?"

He heard some murmurers in the crowd as Clarisse's face darkened and Silena looked as if she was going to burst into tears. "He um is on an errand for me. I had him go and retrieve something for me," he said. He looked up at Chiron and he could tell that he knew that he wasn't exactly telling the whole truth.

"But where did he go and why did he leave without saying a word?" Annabeth said with worry in her voice.

He saw some campers shift nervously as he let out a sigh. "I can't divulge that information yet but he is out trying to retrieve something that can help us fight." He noticed some of the Ares Cabin members were gripping their weapons while the Athena and Apollo Cabins were glaring at Clarisse and her siblings. What happened while I was gone?

Chiron cleared his throat, "Let us not judge each other. We must stand united now against the enemy." He then turned to him, "You will do well Percy, remember your strengths and beware your weaknesses."

He sighed as he nodded, "Alright everyone lets go."

He brought the heads of each cabin with him as they headed up to Olympus in the elevator.

"Percy you look different," Annabeth said. "Where did you go exactly and what are you having Magnus do?"

He noticed the other campers shift uncomfortably at the mention of Magnus. "I'll tell you later, we have to hurry and you owe him and apology when you see him."

Annabeth's face reddened and to his surprise, she did not argue, she just nodded her head and asked nothing more.

"Greetings again Percy Jackson. You and your friends are welcome," said a female voice when they entered the throne room.

"Lady Hestia," he said with a bow as everyone else did as well.

Hestia stared at him and her eyes glowed red, "I see you went through with your plan. You bear the curse of Achilles." The other campers murmured in confusion. "You must be careful you gained a lot on your journey. You are still important to some of the most important truths."

"What is she talking about?" Annabeth asked.

He looked into Hestia's eyes and saw images of the past. He saw a building that said Richmond Ironworks along with two young blondes he recognized as Magnus and Annabeth. He watched them meet Luke and noticed Magnus glaring at the two teens and reluctantly accepting to go with them. He watched as Luke gave her the knife that Annabeth uses followed by various other images of Annabeth and Magnus's time on the run.

The vision then shut off and he found Annabeth shaking him, "Percy are you ok?" She asked in a worried tone.

"Um yeah how long was I out?" He asked trying to sound as composed as possible.

"You weren't out just looked like you space out," Annabeth said.

He only nodded as he turned to face Hestia, "Lady Hestia we have urgent business we need to see-"

"We know what you need," said a familiar voice. Hermes materialized next to Hestia who got up and excused herself with a bow; he couldn't blame her, after all Hermes did not look happy. "Percy Jackson," he said as his brow furrowed.

"Lord Hermes," he said as he bowed awkwardly. "We need to speak with Lord Zeus."

Hermes looked at him coldly, "I am his messenger, may I take a message?"

The other demigods shifted restlessly behind him and he decided it might be for the best if he made this as private as possible, "You guys why don't you check the defenses, we will meet you back in thirty minutes, Connor and Travis you two lead," he said. The Stoll twins nodded as they led the other campers out leaving him and Annabeth with Hermes.

"My lord Kronos is going to attack New York you must suspect that. My mother must have foreseen that," Annabeth said.

Hermes sighed, "Your mother definitely has been driving us all crazy about that but Zeus will not let her leave. Zeus argues that the wards around Olympus are powerful, besides Aeolus the King of the Winds has his minions patrolling the citadel, no one besides the gods can approach Olympus from the air less they be knocked from the sky."

"Cant some of the Gods come back and fight Kronos?" He asked.

Hermes shook his head, "We are already stretched thin without Poseidon helping us while Hades, Demeter, and Persephone do nothing in the Underworld. We can't divide our forces," he said firmly.

"Please Lord Hermes did my mother give any messages for us?" Annabeth asked.

Hermes sighed, "She warned you that you are on your own and must hold Manhattan without the help of the gods and to follow Plan 23 if need be."

"Anything else?" Annabeth asked as her face paled at the mention of Plan 23.

Hermes looked at him, "She said to tell Percy remember the rivers and something about staying away from her daughter and try her cousin, though it may have been sarcasm on the last part not sure." He didn't know whose face turned redder his or Annabeth's as they avoided each other's gaze.

"Also," Hermes said looking at him, "Percy she said that a big threat is coming towards you and Magnus Chase and she hopes your plan you two made will work."

He nodded and avoided Annabeth's gaze who was looking at him curiously, "Thanks Lord Hermes," he said. Hermes nodded and quickly disappeared leaving him and Annabeth alone.

"Percy what did he mean the thing you and Magnus planned?" Annabeth asked.

He avoided her gaze, "Kronos may have a powerful ally and Magnus went to retrieve something that can help us take it down." Annabeth nodded as she avoided his gaze, "Annabeth," he said looking at her. She looked up at him. "You really hurt him with what you said and did. I don't know what problem you had with me but you had no right to take it out on Magnus."

Annabeth looked down and for a second he thought she was going to burst into tears, "Percy please forgive me, I swear I will apologize when I see him again. I didn't mean the things I said when to either of you. You are not a coward."

He smiled at her, "Thanks I know things are complicated now but we should try and stick together."

Annabeth nodded, "Percy there is something else you should now. When you left-"

However, she was cut off by Connor Stoll, "You guys you both need to come down and see this," he said with panic on his face.

They both nodded and ran with him outside. Conner led them outside to the other campers who were around a guardrail looking down at Manhattan. He and Annabeth looked down and that was when they saw that every pedestrian was lying down as if they had fallen asleep. "Morpheus did this," he said as he looked at the passed out mortals. "Morpheus has placed the entire island of Manhattan to sleep the invasion has started," he said to the other campers.

He used some binoculars and that was when he saw the monsters coming from far away, he had to act fast and quick. "I'll take care of the rivers, they most likely will try to take midtown or downtown. Apollo Cabin will take Williamsburg Bridge, Demeter the Brooklyn tunnel. Hermes cabin will be split with half of them will help Manhattan and the other half will go to Brooklyn Bridge. Aphrodite and Ares Cabin will guard the Queens-Midtown Tunnel."

He then turned to Annabeth, "Take your cabin and hold 59th Street Bridge and activate that plan your mom gave."

"Leave it to us," Annabeth said.

"Wait what about the Lincoln Tunnel?" Travis said.

"Leave that to us," he turned around and saw Zoe and Thalia. "The Hunters of Artemis will guard it," Thalia said.

"Great," he said with a smile. "Then lets do this, for Olympus!" Everyone cheered.

After a quick reunion with Thalia and Zoe he went to the rivers and after bribing the spirits in the river managed to get them on his side and sink all of Kronos's boats. When he was done with the rivers he and Annabeth decided to go and help the Apollo Cabin defend their position.

He and Annabeth were helping Michael Yew fend off a battalion of monsters and enemy demigods. He slashed at the monsters and was trying to help the Apollo Cabin improve their position on the bridge when Annabeth yelled, "Percy we already routed them we should pull back we are overextended."

He reluctantly nodded, "Alright everyone pull back." Then it happened, he saw a figure in the corner of his eye trying to stab his back. Annabeth quickly blocked the attack that came from Ethan Nakamura who glared at them from underneath his eye patch. He was then going to thank her but suddenly a cheetah of all things crashed into Annabeth sending her to the ground. "Annabeth!" He called out as he tried to run and save her but was stopped by Ethan Nakamura.

"Sorry Jackson," Ethan smirked as he attacked him with his spear.

"Let go of her!" He yelled but Ethan would not let him go. Suddenly to his surprise the cheetah on top of Annabeth transformed. It transformed into a human girl with green hair and olive skin with a very flashy outfit.

The girl's smile made his blood boil as she quickly tied up Annabeth. He felt his blood boil as he looked at the girl, "Let her go!" He yelled.

The girl only laughed and put a dagger to Annabeth's throat, "I wouldn't do anything reckless if I were you," she said as she smiled at him.

He felt a shiver run down his spine, he couldn't explain it but something about this girl reminded him of Magnus.

"Percy don't worry about me," Annabeth yelled. "The camp needs you."

"Yes Percy Jackson," said Kronos as he appeared behind the girl with some of his men. They helped the green haired girl restrain Annabeth. "Good job Alex," Kronos said as the green girl nodded and smirked at him. "Surrender yourself and Olympus to me and I shall let her go."

"Percy don't do it!" Annabeth yelled.

Percy glared at Kronos as the green haired girl called Alex put a knife to her throat. "One more word out of you and you will be dead," she said.

"Percy use your power," Michael Yew called out. "The bridge is about to give way, we will be overwhelmed."

Percy swore as he heard Kronos laugh. He looked at Annabeth who only nodded; Sorry Annabeth I promise I will come back and save you. He then felt the water below him answer his call as he slammed his sword into a crack in the ground.

Within a few seconds water shot from the cracks as a large chasm opened on the bridge between Kronos and him. He took one last look at Annabeth who nodded at him, he forced himself to turn away as Kronos glared at him and retreated.

"Michael how are things?" He asked but when he turned around Michael was not in his horse. He looked around and saw no sign of Michael Yew. "No," he whispered as he let out a yell.

"Percy you need to come back," Silena said as he made it back to the bridge. He nodded and after ordering the Apollo Cabin to search for Michael he went back to their main headquarters and found Zoe, Thalia, and the other counselors along with Will Solace who was acting as head for the Apollo Cabin and Malcolm who he called as the temporary head of Athena.

"Percy is it true about Annabeth?" Malcolm asked.

He only nodded, "Yes Kronos has taken her captive."

He felt the mood in the tent darken as he told what happened. When he was done Thalia slammed her fist into the table, "That bastard I will kill him," she said as the air became electrified.

"Don't worry we will get her back," he said firmly. "She is too valuable for him to kill." He noticed Silena nod though her face looked more distraught than anyone here.

"True," Clarisse said as she gripped her spear. "But still we lost our best strategist."

The feeling in the room became bleaker as Clarisse had said what was on everyone's mind. Annabeth was basically the brains of the camp and now she was gone. "Don't worry," he said trying to sound as reassuring as possible. "We will get her back we can still do this."

"I wonder how Magnus will take it when he comes," Malcom said.

He felt the air tense up as Clarisse gripped her spear and Will Solace giving her a look. "Don't worry he is strong." He knew Magnus wouldn't be happy but he wouldn't go Nico on him.

"Percy are you sure you can trust Magnus?" Clarisse said as Silena shifted in her seat.

"Of course I can why?" He asked as he felt the tension in the room.

Clarisse gave him a hard look, "Percy what if Magnus is the spy?"

He felt an awkward silence and for a while he could not respond at the accusation. "What Magnus is no spy. He loves Annabeth and the camp," Thalia said loudly.

Clarisse nodded, "He may but he is also unclaimed and has been with Percy the longest he could easily pass information to Kronos. He knew all of us and the camp he could easily have spied for him," she looked around and Percy noticed some people shift in their seats. Silena looked as if she was going to burst into tears while Will and Malcom were glaring at her.

"That means nothing," Zoe spoke up. "Magnus Chase is loyal to us."

"Yeah," he said as he felt everyone turn to him. "I trust Magnus he is loyal."

"Yeah besides why would he have Annabeth kidnapped?" Will said glaring at Clarisse.

Clarisse glared at Will, "Its simple, maybe to get her out of harms way. He probably is thinking of doing the same thing with other people he 'cared about'. It is possible that he made a deal with Kronos of some sorts." He noticed Silena looked as if she was about to break down in tears.

"He would never do that," he said louder than he intended. He looked at Clarisse and saw that she was dead serious in her belief. I can't risk offending her now I have to tread carefully. "I trust Magnus and know he is loyal to the camp."

"Oh yeah where is he now?" Clarisse said giving him a hard look

"He is running an errand for me and will soon be back," he said firmly. "He is getting something that may help us win, I can't say anymore. We have a potential spy and I can't risk the information of the weapon getting out." He needed an excuse and it seemed that everyone bought it.

"Indeed, I trust Magnus Chase and know that he will join us," Zoe said.

Clarisse rolled her eyes, "Well if and when he comes back he better give me a good reason on his strange behavior or else I will run him through with my spear without any second thought."

Silena broke down into tears as Thalia, Will and Malcolm glared at her. The other counselors had neutral expressions as if they were not sure of what to do.

"Look," he said standing up. "We cannot afford to be fighting amongst ourselves for now. We must show our strength and unity now more than ever." Everyone nodded as the tension in the place slowly disappeared. He couldn't help but feel more nervous, without Annabeth he was basically leading everyone.

After talking with everyone and making plans on how to proceed he went outside to get some air. Man this is not good he thought as he walked along the trees. He was walking when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He drew his sword but was surprised to see Hearthstone who looked equally surprised. "Hey its me," the deaf elf signed.

He sighed, "Sorry I have been busy with war," he signed.

The elf nodded, "Contact with the outside has stopped. I have come to tell you that Magnus's training is almost done."

He nodded, "Thanks we need all the help we can get now. His cousin Annabeth has been taken."

The elf's eyes widened, "Sorry to hear that. I'll try and let him know when he comes."

He nodded, "Thanks, we will get her back. They won't kill her because she is important to us."

"Ok, I understand. Good luck in your war," Hearthstone signed.

"Thanks, do you need help getting to a safe place?" He signed.

Hearthstone shook his head, "No I can make it back safely with magic. Thanks for your concern though."

"No problem, good luck," he signed.

The elf smiled at him, "You too," he signed before turning around and leaving.

He sighed once Hearthstone was gone, "I hope you come back soon Magnus."