Prometheus may be the Titan of Forethought but he did not judge Percy right in this chapter- also, Luke is a protective big brother and Leo is awesome- I love him very much. And, update on my writing, I have finished TLH, it is official- and I gotta say I might not be as confident with it as I am with the others but I love Leo even more now- like I said I find it easier focusing more on one character if that makes sense, but there are a few Piper and Jason chaps too. And just so you all know there will be a minific between TLH and SON, though it will probably be a very mini minific, we shall see. And I'm at the stage where I have to decide what I'm doing about being mean and bringing Alabaster back so that's fun. Anyway, read, review, tell me what you think.

"Then we'll go down fighting." Percy told the Titan, leaning forward and slapping her hands down on the picnic table, disrupting the glowing golden lines.

"Percy," Prometheus shook his head, "our forces are growing daily. Tonight, Kronos will attack. You will be overwhelmed. You've fought bravely, but there's just no way you can hold all of Manhattan. You'll be forced to retreat to the Empire State Building. There you'll be destroyed. I have seen this. It will happen."

"It might happen. It's not certain." Percy declared firmly, "And I won't let it happen. You underestimate my stubbornness." Prometheus brushed a speck off his tux lapel.

"Understand, Percy. You are refighting the Trojan War here. Patterns repeat themselves in history. They reappear just as monsters do. A great siege. Two armies. The only difference is, this time you are defending. You are Troy. And you know what happened to the Trojans, don't you?"

"Of course I do." Percy gave her innocent smile again, "Should I go make popcorn because if you're you're going to cram a wooden horse into the elevator at the Empire State Building I'm gonna have to have something to munch on while I watch that."

Prometheus smiled. "Troy was completely destroyed, Percy. You don't want that to happen here. Stand down, and New York will be spared. Your forces will be granted amnesty. I will personally assure your safety. Let Kronos take Olympus. Who cares? Typhon will destroy the gods any way."

"Uh huh." Percy rolled her eyes. "And I'm supposed to believe Kronos would spare the city?"

"All he wants is Olympus and you Persephone," Prometheus promised. "The might of the gods is tied to their seats of power. You saw what happened to Poseidon once
his undersea palace was attacked."

Percy winced at that reminder- her mind flashing to her father, how old he'd looked.

"Yes," Prometheus said sadly. "I know that was hard for you. When Kronos destroys Olympus, the gods will fade. They will become so weak they will be easily defeated. Kronos would rather do this while Typhon has the Olympians distracted in the west. Much easier. Fewer lives lost. But make no mistake, the best you can do is slow us down. The day after tomorrow, Typhon arrives in New York, and you will have no chance at all. The gods and Mount Olympus will still be destroyed, but it will be much messier. Much, much worse for you and your city. Either way, the Titans will rule. And you have a great chance- you can soothe Kronos' anger- if you came willingly-"

"Do you want me to list the reasons why I would never willingly marry that monster?" Percy demanded, "And honestly I'll just start with the personal reasons if you
want- how about the time Alabaster tried to shove me into the pit and Kronos laughed at my terror-"

"Persephone things have changed since then Lord Kronos will show mercy- his desire for you-"

"His desire for me is disgusting I'm fifteen years old I'm a fucking child. He wants me because Alabaster wanted me and it's a sick game to him. I am fifteen years old! I don't want to get married!"

"You are old enough to wed," Prometheus cut over her, "you won't be fifteen for long. And your sacrifice would protect everyone you care for-"

Luke jerked forward, slamming his fist on the table, "I'm only going to say this once. My little sister isn't marrying that piece of shit. He's not going to touch her. I won't let it happen."

And Thalia was grabbing Luke's arm quickly, pulling him backwards to stop him from physically attacking the Titan and getting blasted for it.

"Your courage does you credit Luke Castellan-"

"It's Jackson." Luke's voice was firm, "I've been a Jackson since I was seven years old. As much as I love my mother I've not been a Castellan for a long time."

"Of course." Prometheus held up a hand, "I understand your love for your sister- truly I do. But it really is your best chance. I am not your enemy. I have always been a helper of mankind."

"That's a load of Minotaur dung," Thalia said. "When mankind first sacrificed to the gods, you tricked them into giving you the best portion. You gave us fire to annoy the gods, not because you cared about us." Prometheus shook his head.

"You don't understand. I helped shape your nature."

A wiggling lump of clay appeared in his hands. He fashioned it into a little doll with legs and arms. The lump man didn't have any eyes, but it groped around the table, stumbling over Prometheus's fingers. "I have been whispering in man's ear since the beginning of your existence. I represent your curiosity, your sense of exploration, your inventiveness. Help me save you, Percy. Do this, and I will give mankind a new gift—a new revelation that will move you as far forward as fire did. You can't make that kind of advance under the gods. They would never allow it. But this could be a new golden age for you." His eyes focused on Leo, "You're capable of it, you brilliant young demigods. Or . . ." He made a fist and smashed the clay man into a pancake.

The blue giant rumbled, "Uh-oh." Over at the park bench, the empousa bared her fangs in a smile.

"Leo, you know the Titans and their offspring are not all bad," Prometheus said. "You've met Calypso have you not?" and Leo tensed, his eyes narrowing.

"Seriously? You're gonna try and get to me through the girl I'm in love with to try and get me to convince Percy to marry your crazy boss?"

"My sister-" Zoe's eyes were flashing with fury as she started to speak.

"Calypso did nothing wrong, and yet she was exiled forever simply because she was Atlas's daughter. We are not your enemies. Don't let the worst happen," he pleaded. "We offer you peace."

"Calypso was exiled because she sided with our father." Zoe's voice was cold, "Her punishment may not be fair but she did side with him. And all who sided with the Titans were punished."

"I love Calypso and I'm going to save her." Leo declared, "But that doesn't mean I'd ever agree with you monsters, and you're not gonna try and use me to manipulate my big sister."

Percy shifted, wrapping an arm around Leo's shoulder and tugging him into her side, a slow smirk crossing her lips. "Looks like you won't win me over that way." her gaze swung to look at Ethan, eyes narrowing.

"What about you?" She raised an eyebrow, "You must hate this."

"I don't know what you mean."

"If I took this deal, you wouldn't get revenge. You wouldn't get to kill us all. Isn't that what you want?" her voice bordered on spite, "Are you still sore about what happened in the arena?"

His good eye flared. "All I want is respect, Jackson. The gods never gave me that. You wanted me to stay in your stupid camp, spend my time crammed into a cabin with other kids who's parents aren't important enough to deserve a cabin? Because I'm not important? Not even recognized? You tried- I respect you for that, I really do. You did your best, you got two new cabins but that doesn't change that the gods don't give a shit about us usually and they have no respect for the minor gods and goddesses."

"Uh huh, see I would say I agree except this really isn't the right way to go about fixing all that- if your mom is anything like you- all obsessed with revenge, I don't see why we should respect that."

"Nemesis stands for balance! When people have too much good luck, she tears them down."

"Which is why she took your eye?"

"It was payment," he growled. "In exchange, she swore to me that one day I would tip the balance of power. I would bring the minor gods respect. An eye was a small price to pay."

"Great mom."

"At least she keeps her word, unlike the Olympians. She always pays her debts—good or evil."

"And do you always pay your debts?" Percy asked, "Because it seems to me that you fucking owed me. I saved your life in that arena and you fucking spat on that by joining Kronos." Percy snapped, "By giving him the power to rise and everything you've done since."

Ethan gripped the hilt of his sword, lurching forward, "Oh yeah, you really saved me- do you have any idea what you did? How it felt-"

"Want me to do it aga-"

"Stop!" Prometheus' voice was loud, "We are on a diplomatic mission."

"No, no you're on a diplomatic mission, right now I'd kind of like to kick the ass of the backstabbing traitorous little worm at your side-"

"I second that motion." Leo growled, "He's a dirty rotten traitor. Besides," he gave Ethan a dark look, "You were asking for it when she did that in the arena you purposely provoked her."

Ethan opened his mouth to respond but Prometheus' look stopped him and his mouth snapped shut as the Titan shook his head. "I am trying to be reasonable here. Do you even know why your friend Alabas-"

"Alabaster is not my friend." Percy spat, a disgusted look on her face, "He's an abusive stalker, nothing more, nothing less. I despise him."

"Perhaps this will make things clearer. Perhaps you will see where the anger started-" and before Percy had the chance to move away she felt a finger pressing against her forehead and suddenly Percy wasn't sat at a picnic table with the Titan.

No, suddenly she was in some woods- she wasn't sure where- and she heard pounding footsteps from her left and she whirled around, her eyes going wide with shock as she saw two figures sprinting through the trees, running from something, though she couldn't see what they were running from- they were both boys Percy realized- one of them was shorter, with a shock of red hair and pale skin, his face covered with freckles.

His skin was shiny from sweat, his cheeks red in a way that didn't look healthy.

He was being dragged along by a taller boy- slim, short brown hair that looked like it hadn't been brushed for weeks, and achingly familiar green eyes.

Percy stepped back. The young Alabaster was skinny, too skinny, his eyes sunken from exhaustion, his face scratched and bruised, and he was crying, his eyes red and bloodshot from it. "C'mon Benjy. We need to keep moving-" but the boy, Benjy's grip slipped from Alabaster's hand and he stumbled, hand flying to press against his side, and Alabaster swung around, "Benjy-"

"I can't." Benjy was crying Percy realized- and his hand was red with blood- it hadn't showed through his black tee but he was bleeding. "I can't Al."

"C'mon. We have to keep going or they'll catch up-"

"I can't." Benjy was crying, his tears leaving streaks in the layers of grime on his face. "I can't keep running Al. Go on without me."

"No." Alabaster's voice cracked. "I won't leave you behind I won't do it." he was crying too, and Percy felt sick at the sight of it.

This wasn't the Alabaster that she knew- this was a kid, no more than ten years old, terrified and alone with his friend.

"You have to." Benjy had sunk to the ground, still clutching his side. "Al I'm scared. I though- I thought our parents would protect us. Why don't they care?"

"They do. They do Benjy, your dad will save you."

"I'm so scared."

"I'm scared too Benjy." Alabaster sunk to his knees next to the other demigod, "I- let me look. Maybe I can do something."

Of course as soon as Benjy's shirt was rolled up Percy could tell that Alabaster wouldn't be able to do anything.

The wound was black, with veins of black tracing up away from the wound, and Benjy's breath was so labored- he didn't have long left, that was painfully obvious.
And Percy watched Alabaster sob and cling to his only friend as the boy died in his arms, and her heart ached for the innocent boys who had clearly both died that day- because when Alabaster's tears stopped his eyes were shadowed, and as she watched him carefully slide his arms under the body of his dead friend and her heart sunk.

And when the scene shifted she wasn't surprised to see that they were at camp, and Alabaster was stood staring blankly at a burning pyre, at the body wrapped in a plain white shroud.

Benjy had died with no clue who his father with hoping desperately that the god would save them.

And then Percy was back, Prometheus' hand pressed to her head and Luke and Leo yanking her backwards, sending all three of them toppling off the bench as Thalia suddenly had her spear in hand and Zoe had her bow and arrow aimed directly at the Titan.

"What did thou do to her?" Zoe demanded.

"And if you don't talk right now I'm about to see if I can fry a Titan." Thalia snarled.