Sorry guys, no Telekhine school for you I'm afraid- but I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway- and I hope you don't kill me too much. I imagine most people have expected this part, it's what happens next you're all gonna kill me for. And even now I'm laughing nervously. But hey, some of you will be glad to know that Rachelbeth will start bonding soon enough so that's good, right?

Percy's mind raced as she thought, glancing back into the tunnel towards Leo- who was still fast asleep, entirely unaware of the seriousness of the situation. She swallowed hard before she she slipped out of the tunnel and crept along the outer rim of the lava lake- hopefully she'd be able to get a better angle, be able to figure out how to steal and destroy the scythe.

The heat was horrible. Geryon's ranch had been a winter wonderland compared to this. In no time Percy was drenched with sweat. Her eyes stung from the smoke. She moved along, trying to keep away from the edge, until she found her way blocked by a cart on metal wheels, like the kind they use in mine shafts. She lifted up the tarp and found it was half full of scrap metal. Percy was about to squeeze her way around it when she heard voices from up ahead, probably from a side tunnel.

"Bring it in?" one asked.

"Yeah," another said. "Movie's just about done."

And Percy cursed under her breath, darting backwards- but there was nowhere to go. She faltered, indecision filling her- and then it was too late- one of the monsters spotted her, letting out a snarl as it rushed at her with a yell of "Demigod!"

She had Riptide out almost instantly, slicing the one that lunged at her in half- and even as it reached out to try and claw at her face it was disintegrating into the familiar golden dust- and Percy was moving, barrelling into the other monster and sending him flying off the walkway into the lava lake as she ran, and cries of shock and anger went up all around her as she sprinted towards one of the walkways leading to the large platform at the centre of the lake.
Percy was almost there when something crashed into her and she hit the ground, rolling, ready to swing- but a voice stopped her midswing.

"Percy what the Styx are you doing?" and Annabeth yanked her cap off, eyes wide "Are you trying to blow the whole mission sky high?" her face was streaked with ash and grime- and Percy felt her heart twisting as she stared into her girlfriends stormy gray eyes and angry expression.

"It's a long story." Percy blurted out "Monsters are gonna be on us in seconds- put on your cap and get back to Leo-"

"What-"

"Annabeth please." Percy's voice was pleading, "There's something I have to do okay? Leo was sleeping. I have a plan but I need you to get him out of here-"

"You have a plan." Annabeth's expression was worried, "Percy what is this?"

"The Scythe. I heard two of them talking. They're reforging his Scythe-"

"Oh gods." Annabeth looked like she was going to be sick, "Oh gods-"

"You need to take Leo and go back and find Hephaestus. Tell him what they're doing. I'll rejoin you as soon as I can?"

"What's your plan Percy?"

"I'm going to destroy it-"

"How?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Percy-" Annabeth was staring- she looked like she wanted to cry, "Please tell me your plan involves you getting out of here."

"Annabeth-" Percy's heart felt like lead as she lied, "I promise you. I'll be right behind you. But I need you to get Leo out please." she blinked back tears, "I need you to look after my baby brother for me-"

"I will." Annabeth grabbed her hand- and the yelling got closer as several of the monsters started heading towards them- Annabeth wouldn't have long to get away before the path was blocked- and Percy stared into her girlfriends eyes for several long moments, and Percy knew- she knew that Annabeth believed that she had a plan. Annabeth believed that Percy had some way to get out of this- but Percy wasn't sure what she was going to do. All she knew was that she had to try and destroy it somehow.

If Kronos got his scythe-she wouldn't stand a chance if that happened.

"I love you Wise girl."

"I-" Annabeth's breath caught, "I love you too Seaweed brain." she darted closer, pressing their lips together- and Percy moved quickly, sliding her hand around Annabeth's neck, holding her close as her lips parted.

They'd kissed so many times- it wasn't a rare thing, but this time it felt different. It had never felt so final, so tinged with a terror and desperation.

By the time Percy pulled back both of their faces were damp with tears, and Annabeth shook her head, "I don't want to leave you Percy."

"I know. But you have to. Look after Leo Annabeth. Now put on the cap and go." and Annabeth was sobbing as she put the cap- and then she was gone from view.

Annabeth didn't look back as she ran. She had to move fast, she had to get to Leo, wake him up and get him out. She trusted Percy to find her own way out- her girlfriend was brave and strong- and she knew there was no convincing Percy to run with her, and Percy was right, if they could destroy the scythe then they had to.

Besides, Percy was smarter than she usually let on- she knew that if anyone could get the scythe it was Percy, and someone needed to tell Lord Hephaestus what was going on and get Leo out of there. But that didn't make it feel any better. That didn't make it feel any less like she was abandoning the girl she loved.

She sprinted past the monsters, none of them could see her, even if one or two sniffed the air and looked around in confusion before shaking their heads and rushing after their fellow monsters- and gods but Percy's plan better be a good one.

Soon enough she was ducking into the tunnel they'd used to get into the forges, and she quickly spotted Leo, slumped against the wall, snoring quietly, and she rushed over to him, shaking him gently. "Leo, Leo get up-"

"Huh?" Leo groaned, opening his eyes and frowning, "Annabeth? What- where's Percy?"

"She's just doing something." Annabeth swallowed hard at the confused and suddenly worried look on Leo's face as he scrambled to his feet.

"What's she doing?"

"Destroying a weapon they're making. She needs us to get out of here."

"But-"

"Leo she made me promise to get you out-"

"I-" Leo hesitated before nodding, "O-okay. What do we do?"

"We run- do you have the spider? It should lead us back to your dad. He needs to be warned."

"Right." Leo pulled out the little spider, tapping it and making it spring to life before he put it down and it scampered off, and they both took off after it- even as noises echoed from the tunnel behind them- lots of yelling, and Annabeth looked forward as they ran, glancing back every so often at first to check Leo
was following her before she stopped looking back at all.

And it wasn't until she was well out of the volcano that she looked back and realized Leo was gone- she felt a rush of panic and span around, turning to rush back- only for the very ground beneath her to shake- and the stone above started to crumble, falling around her- she was forced to fling herself backwards with a scream, and when the shaking ended and the dust had cleared there was a pile of huge rocks from the ceiling above blocking the path back to the forges- and Annabeth let out a sudden heart wrenching sob as she realized something.

She was cut off from Percy and Leo- she'd failed them both.

She had broken her promise to Percy. And now... who knew if she'd ever see either of them again?

Percy had moved as soon as Annabeth was gone, she'd sprinted to the centre platform- where she'd seen something that had made her blood turn to ice.

In the centre of the platform stood four monsters, at least eight feet tall. Their black skin glistened in the firelight as they worked, sparks flying as they took turns hammering on a long piece of glowing hot metal- they must have not heard the rest of the commotion, what with the noise of their hammering.

"The blade is almost complete," one said. "It needs another cooling in blood to fuse the metals."

"Aye," a second said. "It shall be even sharper than before."

Percy didn't even think, she was launching herself over the cauldron between her and the monsters- as she did they all looked up, and Percy killed two of them before they could even more- though the third one managed to slash at her arm before she ran it through with her blade.

The fourth swung it's huge hot hammer at her and Percy ducked, slashing it through the legs, and then rising and slicing the monsters head off- she surged towards the piece of metal- it was longer than her- and every part of her being rebelled at being so close to it- she reached out for it- but she paused- it would be red hot- far far too hot for her to touch, and she somehow knew that even unfinished the blade could kill her if she wasn't careful.

Her mind raced as she looked around, trying to come up with a plan for an exit- and she felt her heart sinking. There were dozens of monsters all blocking the four walkways off the platform- far too many for her to stand a chance at fighting.

She felt something burning against her leg and her hand moved slowly, fingers brushing against the cold ice of the whistle Quintus had given her.

But- what good would Mrs O'Leary be? There were so many of them, she could get seriously hurt and she didn't want that.

And- well. Quintus... how could she trust him? He'd been buying things from the ranch when it was under Geryon's ownership, and there were too many unknowns. It could be a trap of some kind.

Before Percy could make up her mind the tallest monster was speaking.

"The girl is Poseidon's spawn."

"Lord Kronos ordered her captured if found-" Another one spoke.

"Lord Kronos need not know! Her fathers betrayal must be paid for-"

"What-" Percy shook her head, "What betrayal?"

"You act as if you do not know! I know! Let us see how strong you are, daughter of Poseidon. Let us see how long it takes you to burn!"

He scooped some lava out of the nearest furnace. It set his fingers ablaze, but this didn't seem to bother him at all. The other monsters did the same. The first one threw a glop of molten rock at Percy and she let out a shriek, diving to the side- it caught the side of her left leg, setting her jeans on fire.

Percy shrieked as she desperately tried to put the fire out- it was strange but it was warm at first- getting hotter by the the instant.

"Your father's nature protects you," one said. "Makes you hard to burn. But not impossible, youngling. Not impossible-"

"Get away from her!" the scream came from one of the walkways- and Percy's heart thudded so loudly she could hear it in her ears as Leo came sprinting down it, his entire body alight with flames- and he knocked several of the monsters into the lake if lava, more from the power of surprise than anything as as he sprinted towards her.

"No-" Percy's voice caught as he managed to shove past the monster that had been blocking her way off from the walkway he was rushing towards her on- though they wouldn't be able to use it to escape given the fact that Leo was being chased by more of the monsters. "Leo what are you doing?!"

"You're my sister I wasn't leaving without you!" Leo's fires went out as he skidded to a halt next to her, pulling her to her feet- though Percy fought back a whimper- her leg was burned, it was burned badly she was sure.

"I told Annabeth to get you out."

"She thought I was behind her."

"Oh gods." Percy was crying, "Leo we're not going to get out of this."

"I know." Leo's expression was uncharacteristically grim and determined, "But at least we don't have to go out without a fight-"

"I love you Leo-"

"Love you too big sis."

"A son of Hephaestus too! Let's see them both burn-" And then they were throwing more lava- and Percy screamed when some of it hit her chest despite Leo's best efforts to shield her- he was wincing at the feeling of the lava when it hit him- but he seemed less effected by the burning rock than Percy was.
Percy felt herself falling to her knees as more and more lava hit her and Leo- and Leo stumbled back with the force of it- his body in flames other than one single hand- which was clasping Percy's tightly- he was her only anchor, the only thing she could focus on other than the searing hot pain that threatened to drag her under.

Percy was sobbing from the agony.

She wanted the sea- she wanted the cool soothing feeling of the water- the healing strength it always gave her.

She remembered the Naiad at the ranches words, remembered how she'd summoned the water- and how she'd nearly lost control.

But there was no water here, nothing she could use to call it up and save them. But still her desperation rose and Percy closed her eyes- and she screamed as her stomach twisted- and it was more intense, more painful than when she'd used her powers at the ranch- so much more painful- and there was an explosion as Percy screamed.

And there were no words that could describe what happened next as Leo burned brighter and brighter beside her- as bright as the sun almost, so brightly that she had to close her eyes.

It was like a tidal wave, a whirlwind of power that somehow seemed to pull them down and blast them up at the same time, and Percy was screaming and screaming as fire and water collided, and superheated steam burst around them throwing them both upwards from the heart of the volcano in a huge explosion- smoke, water, fire and lava all around them as they were tossed so high into the sky that Zeus would blast Percy if he ever found out. Percy wasn't sure how she turned her head- but somehow she did and her eyes met Leo's.

Their hands were still clasped together- and Leo gave Percy one of his trademark goofy grins despite the fact that they were both burning up.

"Told you I wasn't leaving you." his mouth shaped the words even if Percy couldn't hear them- and then there was another blast from beneath them, another burst of air- and Percy felt the force of it- and she screamed as her hand was ripped from Leo- and the last thing she saw before the darkness of unconsciousness swallowed her was Leo screaming as he reached out for her, and she knew she was reaching for him too.