It had been two days since Kronos' army had broken into Olympus. The enemy had waded itself halfway to the palace through explosions, archers from fhe roofs, and their mini side battles. The army was never ending, and it seemed almost pointless. Then Percy would see a little girl looking for sticks, or a little boy collecting rocks from the rubble, and he somehow found the courage to keep fighting. He was relieved when their army would retreat each night and they could all get some sleep. But for some reason, tonight he could not close his eyes, no matter how tired he was. He abandoned all hope of ever going to sleep and decided to check the front line. Men stood watch, looking on vigilently as did several archers. Then Percy noticed that there was movement out on the battlefield.

"Someone is coming!" He said alarmed.

"It's okay, sir. They are ours." A soldier responded.

"Ours? What are they doing out there?" Percy asked.

"Some of the young girls asked to go out at night and collect arrows from the fallen bodies." He replied.

"Why was I not informed of this decision?" Percy demanded to know.

"Sorry, sir. They said they didn't want to worry you. That it was their decision."

Percy felt his heart clench. He watched on with increasing worry. "Haven't they been out long enough?" he worried.

"They usually take a couple of hours."

Percy strained his eyes in the dark to try and see where they were exactly. Then he saw something that drew his attention. Laying in the battle area was a body larger than the others. He strained his eyes as he studied it in the dark. Then he saw it move ever so slightly. "Get them beck!" he ordered. Every bone in his body screamed trap. He ran past their barricade and out into the field, which he knew was risky, with all the traps that had been set. But he had to warn them. He reached the first girl and spun her toward him. "It's a trap." He hissed. The girl's eyes went wide with fear. "Get back to the palace." He ordered.

She gathered up her bundle of arrows and hurriedly ran back toward the palace. He moved as quickly as he could while trying to not make any noise. He had only been able to warn four girls before several men rose up out of the dead. Percy drew his sword and managed to block one sword from coming down on a girl.

"Percy?" she said in surprise.

With a start he realized she was Rachael. "Get everyone back to the palace!" he ordered. He quickly dispatched the soldier and moved on to engage the next one. The majority of the girls were running past him. An arrow whizzed past him and imbedded itself in an enemy soldier.

The soldiers started backing away. "Cowards. Take the fool down." a voice called out.

Percy focused onto the voice and saw the same general in golden armor that gleamed in even in the moonlight. To his horror, he held a sword to a girl's throat. "Let her go." Percy said in an even voice.

"You want this one? Come and get her." Hyperion sneered.

Percy raised his sword, ready for battle, but to his surprise, the girl screamed, "No!" and threw her bundle of arrows toward Percy. She then took the blade and cut herself. Percy stood in shock at the sacrifice the girl had just made, for what? Arrows? Him?

Hyperion's roar snapped him out of it as hundreds more soldiers rose out of the dead bodies. Percy reacted by killing the three soldiers in front of him and grabbing the bundle of arrows. Then he turned and ran, making sure to snatch the arrow that had embedded itself in the fallen soldier. He didn't look behind him, he just ran. He dodged down the side streets and navigated them as best he could until he reached the palace. Otic was waiting for him.

"Report." Percy wheezed as he tried to catch his breath.

"We took out several of them by the archers, before they retreated." Otic reported.

Percy nodded in understanding. He spotted Rachael with a group of girls. They were crying. Percy stormed over to them and threw the bundle of arrows at their feet. "Why didn't you tell me about this? An innocent girl has died because of this." Percy stormed.

"It was our decision. We knew the risks." Rachael argued back.

"Don't go out there again." Percy ordered.

"We are not your soldiers." Rachael stood up to Percy. "You tasked us with keeping the hunters supplied with arrows, so that is what we are doing."

"It isn't worth sacrificing your lives for."

"Rachael picked up the girl's bunddle that Percy had thrown at their feet. "That's at least fifty more soldiers that you don't have to fight. It was worth it to Nalia, and it's worth it to me. And that is all that matters." Rachael turned and stormed off, signaling their discussion over. The rest of the girls gave him unreadable looks with their red rimmed eyes before following Rachael.

"Sir? We have a problem." Otic said from behind Percy.

Percy forced himself to face him. "What is it?"

"Travis got hurt pretty good. The destruction crew is a man short, and they aren't ready for tomorrow." Otic reported.

"When did that happen?" Percy turned to head toward the palace.

"I just found out."

"What happened?"

"He got pinned during the last battle and had to face off with some enemy soldiers. Connor just found him. He doesn't look good."

Percy picked up the pace with Otic at his heels. Several wounded lay against the walls in their makeshift beds in the main hall. Women bustled around tending to them. Travis had Athen's personal physician working on him with Connor by his side, looking completely distraught. Travis had some burns, and a large wound in his side. It looked all too familiar and brought back memories of Luke giving him a similar wound.

"Will he make it?" Percy asked.

The physician glanced up at Percy, then returned his focus back to Travis's wounds. "He's lost a lot of blood. I don't know, but I'm doing all I can." He replied tersely.

"He's got to make it! He's not allowed to die!" Connor said in a panicked voice as he grabbed the physician by the shoulders.

Percy pulled Connor off the physician and began pulling him to the side. He looked at the physician and ordered, "He takes top priority."

"Yes, sir." The physician replied.

Once he had Connor in a somewhat private area, he let him go. Connor broke down, fear of losing his brother consuming him. "Connor, I need you to get back out there and set the traps. I know you are worried about your brother, but the best thing you can do is let him rest and leave him to the physician. He has treated that wound before, and they survived."

"They did?" Connor looked at him hopefully.

"I did." Percy placed a bracing hand on his shoulder. Connor's eyes widened. "We have only survived this long because of you, your brother, and Teebs. And Teebs doesn't quite have your stamina. We need you back out there."

Connor took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that threatened to spill. "I'll make them pay."

"Let me know if you need anything." Percy assured him.

He nodded in acknowledgment as he left.

Percy looked at Travis's still body and fervently hoped for some type of miracle. Percy returned back to his bunk to try and get some more sleep, but it was few and far between. He was up before dawn. His first stop was to check on Travis. He looked pale, but he was still alive. Hopefully, he would be able to win this battle. Percy had his own battle to worry about. He found Connor concentrating on some taught string between two buildings.

"Travis is doing okay." Percy reported, hoping it would put his mind at ease.

Connor merely nodded in acknowledgement and went back to work winding the string. Percy found Teebs looking exhausted.

"Rough night?" Teebs grunted.

"For everyone." Percy replied.

"We're not nearly ready. We were just keeping up before, but now . . ." Teebs gave Percy a grave look.

Percy sighed. They had already lost hundreds, and now the time of traps may be over, if they couldn't hold them back long enough. "Do what you can. And keep an eye on him, will you?"

"I will." Teebs grunted.

Percy made his way to the front line, where he was greeted with the sight of Hyperion marching toward them with an army behind him. Percy could see now what Teebs had meant. There was maybe forty yards before there were no more traps and the enemy would be in the clear to reach the palace. Percy gaged that there were at least forty thousand men with Hyperion. He looked at the men awaiting his command. Some were Athenian and some were Olympians, all together there were less than forty thousand. Percy wasn't sure if what he was doing was right, but he called out, "Forward march."

The barricade parted, and as one they marched out to meet the oncoming army in the wrecked streets of Olympus, done mostly on their part. "At last, you meet us, Perseus! Come, and let us end this!" Hyperion taunted.

The sound of his name grated against him, and he gritted his teeth as he withdrew his sword. He could hear the men behind him do the same. Hyperion's armor shone brightly in the dawn's light. Percy thought he looked far more heroic, compared to Percy's armor of dull blue silver. A volley of arrows flew over their heads and embedded themselves in several soldiers, causing them to fall and even tripping those that were behind them. Percy gripped his sword as he prepared for the clash. Hyperion's sword came down hard and Percy barely had the strength to block it. Hyperion swung at Percy again. This time Percy dodged it altogether and swung out at him as he did, catching his arm in the process. Hyperion roared at the deep cut in his arm.

"I know you to be false, boy. Give up and give Olympus to the rightful legend." Hyperion taunted as he swung at Percy, who dodged it just in time.

"You know what I find funny? The fact that you guys think that I am doing this because I think that I am this legend. I don't even think I am the legend. I'm just not going to let you hurt anyone else." Percy charged Hyperion who swung his sword so hard that if Percy hadn't blocked it with his shield, he would have been cut in two. As it was, he was knocked off his feet.

Hyperion pointed his sword at Percy's throat. "Is that why she killed herself on my sword?"

Percy felt a rage, that he had only felt once before. Hyperion raised his sword for the kill. Percy dodged it just in time and kicked him in the face, knocking him back. Percy took advantage of the distraction and got back on his feet and began attacking fiercely. He dodged every swing and found every weak spot he could. He sliced between the armor at his elbows, his knees. Any open area, he exploited it until blood covered the golden armor and Hyperion began to slow down. Percy, however, did not, and in a final blow, brought Hyperion to his knees.

"At least you could defend yourself." He growled and cut his throat. He watched as Hyperion fell. When he looked around, he saw the remaining enemy soldiers throw down their swords. The battle was over. They had actually won. However, there was no cheering as they took the soldiers that had surrendered and took stock of their dead. The maids came out and collected the arrows. The wounded were carried back to the palace.

He saw Teebs and Connor still working in the street. "That should give you some more time." He told him.