Author's Note: Again, just a brief warning – the beginning of this chapter includes allusion to sexual matters.

Chapter 33

The Final Battle

Percy woke the next morning in his underclothes, Silena's half-naked body pressed against his. At his movements, she stirred, a slight smile slipping across her face as she stretched her body in front of him.

"Is it time?" he asked nervously.

"No," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "We've got a few minutes."

He turned over, facing her, and smiled nervously. "Um… that was fun."

She gave him a wide smile, tickling his chin with her finger. "You seem nervous."

He bit his lips. "I just… I'm sorry. It's a bit weird. Like, I'm not used to you talking to me… like this."

She kissed him on the cheek. "It's not like things have changed, Percy. I'm still your friend, but… there's just a little bit more is all. Sometimes, I just want to be quiet with you… to really appreciate a bit of time together." When he blushed, she squirmed her way out of his sleeping bag, pulling her jeans up above her underpants. "It's tight in there," she said, giggling.

He chuckled a bit, making his way out of the sleeping bag. "Okay, time to get moving?"

"I think so," she said. She hugged him. "I can't believe this is really happening. You're a miracle worker, Percy."

He blushed, glancing down at the tent floor. He didn't quite feel he lived up to the moniker. "Let's actually win the war first."

"And then we can leave," she said, eyes a bit starry. "I've always wanted to see Europe. No gods there."

Percy offered a half-smile. "That… could be fun."

She gave him a winning smile as she slipped into her armor. "I'm going on ahead, Percy. I'll give the signal in an hour. Rally the troops, and I won't let you down." She kissed him on the cheek, racing out the door.

He watched her duck beneath the tent flaps. He had enjoyed the night… he hadn't felt that free in a long time. But the way Silena gushed about going abroad seemed a little farfetched. He couldn't imagine leaving Olympus right after the war, even if they were going to vote on his life. He sighed, gathering his armor, and made his way out the door.

He checked in with the cabin leaders, ensuring they were all headed for the right location, and then gathered the demigods together.

"In a little over thirty minutes, our forces will launch some kind of signal to 'give away' our position," said Percy. "It will seem like an accident. It is not. That is a sign to the enemy. It will draw them into the passageway below us, and when Kronos arrives with his army, we will fill that passageway with arrows and bombs and anything else that kills monsters. When the dust has settled, I will jump in to fight and finish Kronos. After that, who knows? Maybe the gods will have a feast ready for us. Now, I'm excited about the future, but absolutely no cheering. We don't want to give away our positions. Everyone should reach their location as quietly as possible. We have plenty of time, so no need to be sloppy about this."

"I've asked some of your cabinmates to join me in battle this morning. The goal is to send a force of about twenty demigods down in the pass to simulate a scouting squad. For those of you who are missing a cabin head, your second in command will take the lead for the cabin. Good luck, everybody." He gave a silent wave, and then briskly walked to meet his force.

Annabeth had already gathered the scouting force for him. Despite his objections, the other cabin leaders had forced him into it. And they weren't wrong, he had to admit – she had done an excellent job selecting them, and she would be a formidable leader. But as he caught sight of her, he blushed instinctively and dropped his head.

Annabeth gave him a strange look. "Where's Silena? Shouldn't she be second-in-command?"

"Silena?" he asked, his face growing brighter red. "Oh, she, uh… she's setting up the signal. We're headed to meet her right now. She's rigging a bomb the Hephaestus cabin made. Small thing with a lot of smoke. Pretty standard, according to her. Beckendorf used to use it."

"I see," said Annabeth. She looked over Percy's armor for a second, her eyes catching on his helmet. She reached in, brushing aside a strand of hair that had crossed his eyes.

He blushed, stepping back. "What was that?"

"I want to make sure you're prepared," she said, the timbre in her voice softer than it had been recently. "Don't die, Seaweed Brain. Anyways, they're all yours."

He nodded, watching her fall in line. When he had gathered his wits again, he led the scouting force around the cliffside and finally reached Silena's location. She turned to face Percy, giving him a slightly flirty smile. He blushed, and very quickly gave the signal.

She hurled what looked like a grenade into the passageway. It exploded, giving off a vibrant sound and a cloud of orange smoke high above the treetops.

"That's it," said Percy, taking his position at the front. "Everyone get in line behind me. You need to look nervous for this. After all, we did just blow our position."

They all nodded silently, and the troops began to move down the passageway. Around five minutes into their march, they began to hear rustling foliage.

Percy braced for battle. "I hear something, guys. Be ready!"

They turned the corner, and sure enough, Kronos was standing there with scythe in hand. Hundreds of monsters were assembled behind him, their weapons at the ready. Kronos offered Percy a pleasant smile. "Perseus Jackson! How nice of you to bring your troops right to me!"

"Kronos!" said Percy, pretending to be bewildered. "How'd you find us?"

"I have my ways," he said. "Now, as we speak, my troops are headed up above these cliffs to corner you in. They should be coming around the back as well. You're going to be completely surrounded. I suggest you surrender your forces now, or else I'll have no choice but to kill you all."

Percy hesitated. "How do I know you're not bluffing?"

Kronos chuckled. "Please. Why don't you see for yourself?" He motioned to one of the monsters behind him, a fearsome black beast that looked like a cross between a hellhound and a raptor. It leapt up the cliffside, its claws sinking in and breaking off rock as it scrambled up the side. "I'd like to see your forces do that."

"Very well," said Percy. "We should get climbing, I guess."

Kronos rolled his eyes. "Very funny."

Percy smirked. "Archers, FIRE!"

A volley of hundreds of arrows, makeshift bombs, Greek fire, javelins, and water balloons went flying into the passageway, and in a grand explosion of color and material, the monsters of Kronos' army were nearly cut in half as a sea of sulfurous dust filled the passageway. Kronos looked on in horror.

"ARCHERS, NEXT VOLLEY!" screamed Percy. Kronos raised his scythe, ready to freeze time, but Percy had prepared for this. Michael Yew, who was with the scouting force, raised his bow and shot a mechanically modified arrow straight towards Kronos's face. Kronos froze time, but the arrow whizzed through as if nothing had happened, piercing him in the eye. He screamed, fell to the ground, and the second volley of projectiles fell on the monster army, suppressing those beasts who had tried to climb up the side of the cliff. The cliffs quaked with the sound of roaring demigods, preparing their next volley. Kronos, his rocky skin bursting into flames from anger, ripped the arrow out of his eye and froze time above the cliffs once more. "ENOUGH!" he thundered, his bloody eye staring straight into Percy's eyes. "STOP THIS AT ONCE!"

"Why the Hell should we?" roared Percy. There was a confident smile etched into his face – he felt better than he had in a long time. "Your army's trapped, and unlike last time, I can fight you now and win."

Kronos braced himself, his massive forearms shielding his body against further bombardments. "I'd like to see you try. Unfortunately, that can't happen today."

Percy smiled. "Oh yeah? What's stopping me?"

Kronos shot him a look, his eyebrows laced with derision. "I didn't want to go this far, but if you insist on being a petulant child, I have no choice."

Kronos raised his hands above his head, his neck muscles straining. From the ground emerged great metal slabs, slowly siphoning off piles of earth and stone. As the rubble cleared and the dust dissipated, its form became clear: a metal prison cage. Sitting behind the bars, his eyes closed and his legs crossed like a buddha, was a young man with dark skin and short hair. He had well-sculpted muscles from long days toiling away in the mechanic's shop, and when he laughed, it was liable to be contagious. He was a quick-thinker in battle, a dependable ally to fall back on, and a thoughtful and courteous friend. All of this Percy knew because he knew this young man, and in fact had known him a long time. And so did all the others.

"Charlie?" squeaked Silena. Percy felt a pressure well up in his stomach, so intense that he thought he might vomit. He swallowed, neck muscles tensing.

"So, General Jackson," said Kronos, smiling deviously. His hands were folded behind his back, model composure. "It seems we're at an impasse." The titan placed one massive, stony arm atop the cage, gritting his teeth. "It's easy to run around when nothing's at stake, acting like the big important hero. But war isn't like a game of capture the flag, Percy. It batters your body until your bones break. Destroys your will until you lash out like an animal. Do you understand me? It's ten times worse than what Athena did to you! War is utterly and terrifyingly real."

"How?" asked Percy, his voice tremoring like a welling earthquake, mouth dry and brittle. "How did you–

"I am a god, Percy," said Kronos. "Don't underestimate me. Now… I figured you might not see eye to eye with me. But I expected better from you." He pointed a finger accusingly at Silena. "You recognized the cruelty of the gods. Your mother never gave you anything, but every time you stumbled and fell, I gave you a pass. Every request I fulfilled. I never killed Luke, and I certainly did not kill Charlie!"

"Shut up!" roared Percy, the fear dissipating from his voice. "Only Silena calls him that!"

"Silena, what is he talking about?" asked Annabeth, shaking her frantically. The daughter of Aphrodite was practically mute, her mouth a cacophony of the incomprehensible. Each stutter rendered her more stone-faced than the last.

Percy glanced back at Silena. He reached his hand out reflexively to comfort her, and then his hand froze in mid-air when he caught sight of Beckendorf again. His skin crawled, fingers jerking violently back. But he felt he needed to do something, that Silena needed someone to show… affection? Friendship? Concern? And then there was the question of giving away her culpability. He froze, mind torn in numerous directions, eyes locked on Kronos.

"I am angry," seethed Kronos. "My anger has swelled for thousands of years. But I am willing to forgive even this. Silena, join me, and I will let it all slide. The offer stands for you as well, Jackson. If you want to avoid the wrath of the gods-

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" screamed Percy. Something inside him snapped. Confused as Percy was, he knew one thing quite well. The drastic manipulation by the Titan was beyond messed up. And he couldn't stand to let it go unchecked. "DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT SILENA WOULD WALK OVER TO YOUR SIDE AFTER YOU KIDNAPPED HER BOYFRIEND AND PRETENDED HE WAS DEAD? WHAT KIND OF FUCKED UP BULLSHIT IS THAT? YOU ALWAYS SAY THAT YOU'RE BETTER THAN THE GODS, FAIRER, BUT YOU'RE NOT! YOU'RE JUST MESSED UP IN A DIFFERENT, EQUALLY CRAPPY WAY!"

For a second, Kronos's face sunk. The fires in his eyes shrank to little wisps, revealing hollow eye sockets behind. In that moment, Percy actually thought he might surrender. But then, he gripped his scythe tighter, the fire and righteousness returning to his face. "I'm playing a rigged game, Perseus Jackson! The gods have put me in this position, and sometimes I have to make difficult choices! But I had her interests at heart! And I protected the man she loved better than the Olympians could! I risked troops to protect Charlie!" He continued blabbering on like this, completely ignoring the reactions of the demigods, who all seemed to be in shock.

Annabeth turned to Percy, a look of absolute horror on her face. "She's your source of intel? She's the spy?"

"Shut it," whispered Percy urgently. "That's need to know-

"Well I need to know now!" shouted Annabeth. "Since you're not doing anything!"

"I… we have time to think!" said Percy. "I just need-

"Percy," said Annabeth, her tone shifting to fear. "Percy, Beckendorf's hand is moving. It's Morse code."

"Shit… what's he saying?"

"He's saying that-

She froze, her face paling.

"Annabeth, what is he saying? Annabeth? ANNABETH!"

"He's going to blow himself up," she whispered.

"WHAT?" asked Silena, suddenly shook from her shock. "NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!"

"Calm down, Silena, we'll handle it!" said Percy, squeezing her by the shoulder. "We can do this!"

"How?" asked Annabeth, her eyes wide with concern.

Percy opened his mouth, but he could only stand there, stuttering. He looked towards Beckendorf. His eyelids had raised just enough so that Percy could see a sliver of his eye. He was watching them. Kronos was paying him no attention. Very discreetly, Beckendorf offered a smile and a thumbs up. Percy froze.

Beckendorf sat up violently, every fighter in the battle trained on him now. "TAKE HIM OUT, PERCY! YOU'VE GOTTA WIN THIS!" He roared, and with a simple thrust he threw the bomb straight at Kronos, a mere foot from the cage. It was a suicide attack, plain and simple, just like the one on the Andromeda. Percy and Silena and Annabeth and Kronos all screamed, Kronos leaping to grab the bomb. Too late, it burst open in a flurry of explosive force, filling the air with red and orange energy and vaporizing several monsters within the vicinity. When the dust cleared, Beckendorf's cage was no more, mere ash where it had once been.

"RETREAT!" screamed Kronos. His forces rushed out of the passageway, and some demigods went to pursue them, but many waited, turning to Percy for his orders.

Percy looked over at Silena who had broken down, crying on the ground. He couldn't take his eyes off her. His head was swirling with worry.

"Percy!" said Annabeth. "Percy, they're getting away!" She waved her hand in front of his face to no avail. He had seen something utterly mesmerizing, something he could not turn away from. He seemed to walk in another plane altogether, beyond the human. Above it all or below it all, Annabeth couldn't tell. She gritted her teeth and levied her knives. "CAMPERS, FOLLOW MY LEAD! CHARGE!" The rest of the expeditionary unit raced after Annabeth, leaving Percy alone to stare at Silena, unable to comprehend the situation anymore. Something inside him had cracked.