Chapter 8

Olympus

By the time Annabeth reached Mount. Olympus she was out of breath. She walked across the walkway floating above Manhattan trying to control her breathing, all while feeling satisfied of her architect. Taking a deep breath, she swung open the throne room doors, causing all the god's attention to settle upon her.

Annabeth stepped towards Zeus' throne, kneeling before him. "Lord Zeus." She respectfully said.

Zeus sat up straighter from being acknowledged. He nodded towards the daughter of Athena. "What brings you to Olympus?"

Annabeth's head shot up at that. "Excuse me? I received a letter from Hermes saying I had been summoned."

"We didn't summon you daughter." Athena said confused.

All the attention turned to the messenger god, who shifted nervously under the unwanted attention. His face held an expression of discomfort along with confusion. "I never sent a note." He said.

Suddenly Athena gasped, causing all attention to switch to her.

Annabeth worriedly took a step forward. "What is it mother?"

"Which cabin leaders are left in camp?" Asked Athena hesitantly.

"The Stolls, Clarisse, Will, um... " Annabeth's eyebrows scrunched together in thought, as she racked her brain to remember who else was left at camp. "…and Katie. That's all that's left."

"What do you mean? Where is everybody?" Asked Hera.

Annabeth blushed. "Well…" she started. "Leo and Piper are spending the day with Jason at Camp Jupiter with Hazel and Frank. Nico is back in the Underworld, Thalia is off taking care of something personal apparently. Then that leaves Percy…" she trailed off before strongly picking up where she left off, "I haven't seen him all day."

The gods looked surprised at that. Well, not Poseidon and Hades at least.

"Percy left yesterday. I don't think he's coming back. Not for a while at least." Poseidon says avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room.

Annabeth gasped, turning to her mother. "It's a trap then?"

"I believe so" Athena answered grimly.

"Do you think they are attacking camp right now?" Annabeth asked, ignoring the confused, questioning look of the gods.

"It would make sense. It's the best time to do it. We are completely unprepared, all the seven are absent, and the only cabin leaders left is a healer, a gardener, two pranksters and a daughter of the war god."

"Oh gods. We barely have Clarisse. She has been distracted lately. We were sparring the other day and I beat her easily. I think she's sick." Annabeth added, completely oblivious to the fact that demigods don't get sick.

"Then we must help the camp." Artemis said.

"I can go bring Hazel, Frank, Jason, Piper and Leo." Hermes said.

"The rest of us can go down to camp." Athena added.

"We aren't supposed to interfere with our kids." Exclaimed Zeus.

"We'll all be killed if you don't!" Annabeth yelled causing silence.

She seemed to realize she just shouted at the gods a blushed. "Sorry." She said in small voice. Then firmer she added, "You kids may not be in danger at the moment but that doesn't mean they're not next on the list. We need the god's help."

The rest of the gods gave small nods in agreement while Zeus just huffed before flashing out.

Athena walked up to Annabeth. "Ready she asked?"

Annabeth nodded before grabbing her outstretched hand as she along with rest of the gods flashed to Camp Half Blood.

Camp Half-Blood

The camp was in chaos. Cabins where on fire, fallen demi-gods were littering the floor, and monsters swarmed the grounds. The sound of exploding arrows, clashing metal swords and battle cries filled the air. There weren't that many monsters, but there was enough to cause serious damage.

Up on Half-Blood hill the gods appeared along with Annabeth Chase. The demi-gods cheered in hopes for some help only for it to turn out they didn't need it. Once the monsters noticed the gods, they all charged up the hill.

Annabeth, along with the gods, got in her battle stance. The monsters kept running, and passed right through them, retreating for the camp. While passing the gods a few of them ended in dust, on their way back to Tartarus. Once all the monster's left, the remaining campers, besides the Apollo cabin, ran up to the gods.

Chiron pushed his way to the front and turned his attention to Zeus. "What has brought you here?"

"Annabeth and Athena figured out that there was an attack planned and we decided to come help. Any ideas of why they left?" Zeus asked.

Before Chiron could reply another voice cut in.

"Simply because that was only a warning battle."

All attention turned to the sound of the voice, only to find the voice seemingly floating through the air.

No, that wasn't it. The voice wasn't floating through the air, it was coming from the ground.

"Gaea." Zeus said.

"Yes... And this time Kronos and I have joined together."

"We just killed you, how are you back already?" Annabeth asked.

"Ah but Perseus Jackson was the one who killed me. I would have stayed asleep if he stayed on the god's side. Alas, things don't always turn out the way planned. Fortunately for me, your petty gods named the young hero a traitor, causing, ah how do you say it, a change of loyalty." You could practically hear the smirk in her tone.

Gasps where herd all around the hill from gods and demi-gods alike.

"Are you saying Percy joined your side?"

"Percy had a change of loyalty?"

"Is it dinnertime yet?"

"Wait, so Gaea is awake?"

All these questions where heard through the crowed before Gaea hissed, "Enough!"

"You silly children. You're asking all the wrong questions. What you should be asking is whether or not Percy was innocent in the beginning. In fact, let me answer that. Percy was indeed on the god's side, before they claimed him a spy. Now you must ask yourselves, how long before the god's mistake you as a spy as well? Percy did the right thing by joining us, what will be your decision?"

All through Gaea's speech the campers where silent. Now, the campers where still silent, waiting to see who would join the enemy. Annabeth held her breath, waiting to see who she might have to possibly fight next.

"Very Well. But let it be said, this is only the beginning, you've been warned."

A lot of the campers let go of their breath once she left. Today the campers stayed strong, but how long will it last?

Back at McDonalds

Percy and Thalia turned to see a boy standing there, with a smirk on his scarred face. His sandy blonde hair looked yellow in the light, and his blue eyes danced with mischief.

"L-Luke." Thalia spluttered. "But you're dead!"

He flinched at that. "Was dead."

"Was? As in past tense?" Percy asked like the idiot he was.

Despite the situation and the obvious shock, Thalia found a way to bring back her sarcasm. "No Percy, was as in present tense." She rolled her eyes.

"Well, sorrr-ry." He said, dragging out the word.

"Persassy." Luke laughed.

Percy slightly glared at Luke and he just smiled.

"So what are you doing back?" Thalia asked.

He shrugged. "Kronos came back so I figured, why can't I?"

"How did you even get passed the doors of death?" Percy asked.

"Not every monster in Tartarus knows about me being the one to kill Kronos is the end. They happily helped me come back to life."

"Does Kronos know you're back?" asked Percy.

"Yep. I told him I was back in his service. Why did you two join his side? Finally have enough of the gods?"

"I don't know about Thalia," Percy said gesturing to the hunter, "But the gods' labeled me a traitor, so I figured might as well follow up on the new title."

Thalia nodded. "I've actually been spying for Kronos for a while now. Annabeth and I were discussing battle plans when we fed you that 'Atlantis being Manhattan' story." She said that last part towards Percy.

"Annabeth is in on this too?" Asked Luke surprised, he glanced at Percy who looked surprised too.

"Of course not. I was discussing the Camp's battle plans so I could tell Kronos."

"Smart." Luke said, but his voice suggested otherwise. It was tight, as if he was having a hard time breathing.

Thalia seemed to notice it too but Percy quickly moved on. "But why join Kronos?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Tired of the gods not caring about their children."

Percy didn't look convinced but he let it slide. Thalia is a hunter she doesn't even keep in contact with Zeus because she is always doing things for Artemis.

"So what now?" Percy asked.

"Easy." Said Luke. "We train."