The dragon Ladon was ferocious. I didn't see how Luke could manage to fend him off.

Unsurprisingly, Luke had found an ingenious way to get past him. He pushed me towards the dragon and proceeded to run as fast as he could around the dragon. About half of the dragon's heads turned to swallow him but the rest snarled at me, giving me a smell of what it had just eaten.

One head raced towards me and only then did I remember that I was holding two shields in my hands. They both activated just in time for the monster's head to slam into the celestial bronze.

Unfortunately, the weight of the shields was too much for my arms and they gave way, dropping the shields as a reaction to the heaviness. Another dragon head raced towards me. I quickly took a rock from the ground and threw it at the beast. With luck, the rock pierced it's eyes.

By now, Luke had made it safely to the other side of the garden and was looking at me expectantly. It's almost as if he didn't expect me to die to a monster that Hercules hadn't managed to defeat.

I backed up only for a thick dragon neck to slam into me. I fell to the ground.

The dragon's heads looked at me and my supposedly healed foot screamed in agony again.

Maybe some part of the dragon thought I looked similar to a Hesperide. Maybe it was just teasing me.

But for whatever reason, the dragon's heads stopped hovering over me. They receded back to the dragon's body.

Hesitantly, I got up and walked over to Luke, still eyeing Ladon. I'd picked up the shields along the way. Hyas' cracked bow was slung over my back.

Luke didn't say anything about the dragon. His scar seemed to be rippling in anger which made sense. That dragon had clawed his head and given him that scar.

We trudged up the mountain in silence.

When we reached the summit, I saw that the palace had already begun regrowing, parts where there had previously been ruins now decorated with high black marble walls.

And of course, there was the place where Ouranos tried to embrace Gaia.

Where Atlas was supposed to be, Lady Artemis was. Above her, a huge funnel cloud desperately tried to touch down on the ground. Only this tiny girl was keeping it at bay.

Once she say me, her eyes flashed with anger.

"Betraying the gods? Id've thought nobody, even a boy would descend that low."

Nobody responded to her which didn't help her with her anger problem.

Luke led me towards a small encampment right beside the ruins. Several tents had been plopped down and Luke entered a large grey one.

Inside, a variety of monsters were waiting. At least a dozen were present. Some looking intensely at the map of the United States situated on a long table. Some eyeing me hungrily. Some looking bored, staring at the roof.

"To business," Luke announced. He took a seat at the edge of the table.

I took out the bracelet and watch that I'd been carrying around. One dog headed monster snickered quietly only to scream in panic when the items revealed their true forms.

"Interesting," Luke said. He took the Aegis replica. His look told me he'd had a few experiences with it.

"Take this to my chambers," he ordered a monster. The creature took the shield and ran out.

"Uh, Luke. We've got a plan."

Luke turned to the monster. "Explain."

The monster pointed eagerly towards the map. He explained how they could destroy the camp by using Greek fire and then starve them out by blockading them with rowboats. And then he went on about how Chiron had pigtails.

Luke was looking...

"Get out. Everyone except Kathryx."

The monsters receded from view.

"Your father wants to hear your plan," he continued, "Make it good."

I took a look at the map. Several locations were labeled with Entrance to the Underworld in Los Angeles, Camp Half-Blood in Long Island and a few others.

The map also had the entire US road system on there too. It made the map look like a maze.

A maze...

"Labyrinth."

Luke's eyes flashed. He knew what I was talking about.

"The Labyrinth has grown under the roots of Western Civilization. It connects the West underground. If one were to say, find a way to navigate it, the Titans would be able to send wave after wave of monsters into the entrance at Camp Half-Blood."

Luke was speechless for a moment. Then, surprisingly, he congratulated me and clapped my back.

"Good job."

He dismissed me without giving me another order.

Free time. There was nothing else to do. Which meant I would have to think.

I entered the palace. The main hallway had been decorated although some side rooms remained empty and ruined. I walked through the building. Warm, sometimes cold memories erupted like fires from a long forgotten forest.

I remembered that kitchen. I'd stolen too many of Kronos' cupcakes from it. I could practically see the Hyades running around this hall. I entered one room and realized it was where Calypso had been fusing chemicals and where Hades had captured me. I passed a hallway with a portrait of Kronos except he had a red mustache. Calypso and I had painted it on there with red berries. Then, I came into another and realized this was where Hyas' room had been.

Covered in dust, a rusty bed lay. A broken cabinet opened with help from the window's wind. It revealed green tunics. Then, Hyas' personal chest. I'd personally never seen what was inside it. Every morning, Hyas had his head inside it.

Would it be right to just take a glance at what he had in there?

I looked around just to see if nobody was looking. Silently, I scolded myself. Nobody would be angry at me for being here. There was no Calypso here to discourage me from entering a room without the owner's permission.

I proceeded towards the chest. What could be in there? Perhaps a secret weapon? Or maybe he'd been hiding food inside it. I wondered if the food would be rotten.

When I brought my arm out to open the box, I realized I'd been clenching my hands. I opened the box slightly. The smell of parchment came out. I opened it fully.

I was met with written pieces of parchment. Ancient Greek letters.

What were these? Orders from some Titan for animal meat? Was Kronos giving him a tax receipt?

I read one.

I have a request. If you're reading this, it's probably after my death. I just want you to deliver these parchments to whoever is on them.

-Hyas

What were these? Some kind of after death message? I took out the one that had been below it. This one looked healthier.

To: Kathryx

Much love to you, brother. I do not know why I am writing this but perhaps, it is because I want you to find something. Please, find the item located at Mount Othrys. There are several clues there for you. I am confident in your abilities.

On a side note, if I am still alive, give me one of Kronos' cupcakes. You've eaten the entire stash we stole.

I kept that one in my pocket. There were at least half a dozen more pieces of parchment, most directed at our siblings. There was one which was supposed to go to Rhea, Kronos' wife. I kept it stashed in my pocket along with the others.

At least I knew where my next destination would be.

The old Mount Othrys.