I nodded and pushed open the door. We saw a ghost like figure chasing around what looked to be an automaton of some kind.

"Minos" Nico growled.

"Nico" the ghost figure that must've been Minos said with distaste. He then whistled and a crack appeared in the ground. A couple dozen skeleton hands arose from the ground and clawed their way up.

I dropped the spear I had been using to help myself walk in favor of pulling out tidal wave. I flipped it and smiled as my sword appeared.

I looked over to Nico, "command the dead warriors to leave and return to the Underworld" I told him, not truly knowing if that would actually work.

He looked doubtful, "I..I don't know if I can" he said nervously.

Nevertheless, he stepped forward, "Attack them" Minos growled out. They started towards us but Nico help up his hand, "No, return to the Underworld" he said fearlessly.

The undead warriors stopped in their tracks and looked around confused for a moment. They turned around and looked at Minos. "What're you waiting for, attack them now" Minos yelled fuming angrily.

They started forward once more before Nico stomped his foot, causing the whole room to shake. "My father is king of the Underworld and all of the undead, you will return there NOW" he shouted forcefully.

To the shock of everyone in the room they all bowed to him and went back through the crack, leading to the Underworld.

Before Minos could say anything, Nico stepped forward again, "Unless you wish to taste my blade you will return to the Underworld as well" he said in a deadly serious tone.

Minos was about to retort, but thought better of it when he saw Nico's glare. He threw us all one last glare before retreating to the Underworld.

We all stepped forward towards the automaton, and we realized that it was Daedalus.

About fifteen minutes later, Daedalus explained how he was alive, as well as how he gave Ariadne's string to the titan army. Nico told him that if he helped us now, and defended camp half-blood, he would make sure his father was lenient in deciding his fate.

Daedalus left, and came back a few minutes later with a few duffle bags and told us he was ready to go.

Alex led us back out, and we hurried back towards camp.

A few hours later we touched the blue delta and came out between a few rocks of Zeus' fist. Nobody seemed to be in war prep mode at all though. They were all going about their daily routines.

Zoe, and Alex went to find the hunter's and get them ready, and Nico went off to do who knows what.

Me and Thalia went to find Chiron and Artemis, and inform them of everything that had happened.

We found them in the big house. When we walked in we were immediately engulfed in a hug by Artemis, and after reassuring her that everyone was alright we got down to business.

"We'll talk about the quest later, right now we need everyone to get ready to defend camp. The titan army could be here at a moment's notice, thanks to Daedalus" I told them. They nodded, and Artemis flashed out, presumably to find her hunters.

"Perseus, Thalia, regardless of if you like it or not, you are the leaders' of camp. They look up to you. Whatever the two of you wish to do, we will have your backs" Chiron said seriously, pride shining off of him.

The next ten minutes were spent hammering out a good strategy and when Chiron agreed, even looking impressed with what we had come up with, we left to go begin setting up the defense.

Line Break

About an hour later we had everyone set up outside of Zeus' fist. Myself, Thalia, and most of the Ares, and Athena campers were set up in a semi-circle about thirty to forty yards away from Zeus' fist. In between it and us were many traps that the Hephaestus and Hermes cabin had set up.

Behind us were the Demeter, Hephaestus, and Hermes cabins with a few others sprinkled in here and there. The Apollo cabin, and the hunters were all in the trees, looking to provide aerial cover.

Artemis and Chiron stood off to the side, Chiron with his bow, and Artemis empty handed. She couldn't interfere unless a divine being attacked. I thought about the little snake Daedalus. When we got back from our council with Chiron he was gone. Nowhere to be found.

All of sudden a huge rumbling could be felt. I knew this was it.

I stepped forward, Thalia right with me, "Campers, this is what we have been training for. This is what we all have been waiting for. Are we just going to let them take our home from us?" I shouted. I heard many shouts of protests and the Ares cabin started pounding on their shields.

"We're the best warriors in the world. They think they can beat us, but they've seen nothing yet" Thalia shouted revving the campers up even more.

"On my mark" I said right as monsters started pouring out of Zeus' fist.

Dozens' were immediately vaporized from the traps, and when they started getting closer I screamed, "NOW!"

Jars of Greek fire were hurled over the front lines heads and directly into the charging monsters. That's when I lit both hands with Greek fire and hurled fireball after fireball into the army of monsters.

When the jars ceased coming Thalia stepped forward, "archers now" she yelled. Immediately golden and silver arrows rained down on the enemy. With each monster that was taken down, two more took its place.

I saw the monsters beginning to regroup and saw a hydra as well as a lydian drakon. All of a sudden I heard a terrifying screech. A huge monster flew out of the Labyrinth and landed on top of the rocks, surveying the field. I gasped, it was Kampe.

I turned to Thalia, "take care of the hydra. Blast the stumps with lightning to cauterize them. If you see Clarisse, tell her to take care of the Drakon. I'll handle Kampe" I said turning away and not giving her the chance to argue.

I immediately was handed a spear and hurled it towards the army of monsters. It flew by all of them and embedded in the heart of a Laistrygonian Giant right as it exited the Labyrinth.

I smiled, flipping tidal wave. I caught my sword and yelled, "CHARGE" as I disappeared in a flash of flames.

I reappeared behind kampe and swung hard, but she instinctively turned around and blocked my strike with wide eyes. I kicked her back and noticed the campers had engaged the monster army. I saw Artemis flash away, probably back to Olympus, and turned back to Kampe.

I feinted a strike high and swept her feet out from under her, but she just flew up into the air. I cursed forgetting about her wings.

I got an idea. I leapt and swung at her midsection.

She smirked thinking I had made a mistake, but as she blocked my strike, I lit one hand in Greek fire and hurled a fireball at one of her wings. She screamed as the fire engulfed the wing. She drifted back towards the ground and scowled at me, no longing having an aerial advantage.

I charged at her again and tried to get the finishing blow, but she met me strike for strike.

A huge force clamped down onto my forearm, and I cursed. My arm would certainly be broken right now if it wasn't for the curse, but that still hurt like Hades. I backed up a few feet and that's when I remembered the huge animal heads around her waist.

I wondered if I could defeat her by getting her to overthink and make a mistake. I disappeared in a flash and reappeared right behind her. I swung my sword, only to be met by her scimitars. She smirked at me and kicked me back.

I smirked back, only confusing her. I knew I would have her soon enough. I charged her again, and unleashed a volley of attacks before disappearing in a flash of flames.

Only this time I reappeared in the same spot. Just as I had thought, she turned around expecting me to be behind her. I quickly stabbed her in the back. She shrieked, and I swept her legs out from under her and stabbed downwards.

My sword was stabbed right through her heart and she began to disintegrate.

The monsters and campers that were all watching looked over at me with disbelief. The monsters were shocked they had lost such a powerful adversary.

I summoned a glass of water and drank it quickly, re energizing myself, while I turned to survey the field. Thalia, Annabeth, and Zoe were all circled around the Hydra, who only had two heads remaining.

I saw Clarisse with a few of her cabin mates attacking the Lydian Drakon. I saw Nico leading the campers into the brunt of the army of monsters. I decided to flash over there.

I reappeared next to him and immediately dropped to the ground as his sword slashed a lunging hellhound that was attempting to surprise me.

I got back up and the two of us slashed and hacked our way forward until we were surrounded on all sides by monsters. We went back to back and went to work on them. I could see the other campers trying to get to us out of the corner of my eye, but I knew we could handle it.

I stabbed an empousa, and ducked under a swinging club. Still crouched, I swiped my sword across the thigh of the cyclops making it roar in pain. I then slashed upwards and ended its life.

All of a sudden, a gigantic hellhound charged out of the Labyrinth. It charged forward, but instead of attacking us, it was attacking the monsters. I then saw Daedalus charge out next. He threw little Greek fire bombs into the army setting dozens of them on fire.

I smiled, maybe I was wrong about him, I thought.

I noticed that the army of monsters wasn't getting any smaller, but the arrows started coming slower and slower, and the campers all looked like they were going in slow motion. I cursed, this was where the titan army's numbers advantage would come into play.

I heard a huge roar and saw the Drakon dissolve. This brought a smile to my face, as I knew the Ares' campers would be thirsty to hop back into the battle. I looked to Nico asking him if he was fine here. When he nodded, I disappeared in a flash.

I reappeared off to the side and looked around. I noticed the Hydra was gone. This made me smile. I saw Daedalus making his way towards Nico. I wondered what that was all about, but didn't have too much time to think about it.

A monstrous figure emerged from the Labyrinth and immediately locked eyes with me. He made his way over and smiled, "Ahh Perseus, yes I have heard much about you. How you stood toe to toe with Atlas. Do you think you can battle the titan of destruction and live to talk about it though?" He said taunting me.

I gulped looking at the titan Perses in front of me. I cursed realizing that Artemis was gone. I only hoped that I would be able to hold him off long enough for backup to arrive.

I summoned my shield and slowly moved towards one of the more powerful titans. I then steeled my nerves and charged. We went strike for strike, and I knew I couldn't overpower him, so I tried using my speed to my advantage. To my shock, he was extremely quick for someone his size.

I stepped back and went on the defensive. He charged at me and sent attack after attack at me, but to his shock, I met him strike for strike. He was beginning to get infuriated as he was not able to land one blow on me.

Finally, I made a mistake and didn't see him feint a strike high. I went to block, but he swept my legs out from under me, and brought his javelin down straight into my heart.

The tip broke off, much to his shock, as I let out a huge scream.

He eventually conjured a new weapon and brought it down again. I barely realized it in time, and I brought my shield up to block it.

I pulled myself to my feet quickly, and almost passed out. My chest was on fire. Thankfully there was a huge rumbling, which distracted Perses long enough for me to catch my breath and focus once again.

I realized it might be more monsters, but there was dust coming from the rocks of Zeus' fist, and no monsters followed. I looked over and my eyes widened as I saw Nico with his sword stabbed in Daedalus chest.

I didn't have time to think about it as Perses charged at me and I had to go on the defensive again. I realized that my shield was slowing me down, so I blocked a strike and kicked Perses back.

I did a three sixty and hurled my shield at him like a frisbee. It caught him in the chest and the momentum of it brought him to the ground.

He was back on his feet quickly and was about to charge again, but noticed that the last of the monsters were being destroyed, and they had no reinforcements coming.

"You're lucky Perseus, next time I won't take it so easy on you" he said as he flashed away.

I sighed and flipped my sword. I caught my coin and put it in my pocket, before looking around. I wanted to run away at what I saw. Dozens of campers lay dead on the ground.

I saw people beginning to tend the wounded and take care of the dead, and Chiron announced that there would be a meeting in an hour in the big house for the cabin counselors.

I decided that I was no help here at the moment, so I flashed away, intending to rest before the meeting.

Line Break

I guess I had drifted off because next thing I know, I was awoken by someone clearing their throat. I looked around, and felt guilty when I let out a sigh of relief at seeing my friends all there.

"Thankfully the losses weren't too bad. They could've been much worse. We lost twenty five campers, Lee Fletcher among them" Chiron said solemnly. I then noticed for the first time that Michael Yew was sitting in the Apollo seat.

"I believe the hunters only lost one correct?" he asked looking over at Zoe. She only nodded in response.

I cleared my throat making everyone look over at me, "so what happened with the Labyrinth?" I asked.

Nico was the one who spoke up, "Daedalus came up to me telling me to kill him. He said that the Labyrinth was connected to his life force and if he was destroyed so would the Labyrinth. Hopefully it destroyed a good chunk of their army too, although I don't think we will be that lucky."

I nodded, and laid back as Thalia and Zoe recounted our journey back into the Labyrinth. Everyone's eyes widened when they heard I saved the one huntress.

They continued and eventually everyone started leaving when they finished. "I will address the battle at dinner tonight" I told Chiron. When he nodded, I got up and headed towards my cabin.

I saw Thalia approaching me and decided to wait to go to my cabin until after this conversation.

I expected a hug, but right as she came over she decked me, sending me to the ground hard. I let out a grunt of pain and clutched my chest. "Please beat me up some other time. I took a spear to the chest not two hours ago" I said in pain.

Her eyes widened, and then she started yelling about me about always trying to be the hero. Eventually I got tired of it, "What do you want me to do?" I said interrupting her angrily. "I have the curse of Achilles, and no one else, except for you does. You were fighting the hydra when Perses came out of the Labyrinth. I wasn't going to risk other campers lives if I could do something about it" I said angrily.

I stomped off not waiting for her response. I got to my cabin and went out on the deck. I sat down on the edge and laid back, letting my legs hang in the water. This immediately brought a little energy back to me.

After a couple minutes' I drifted off to sleep.

Line Break

I woke up a few hours later and realized it was time for dinner.

I headed to the mess hall and saw everyone was already there. I noticed Artemis talking with Chiron and headed over.

She immediately thanked me for saving her huntress, and then told me that my strategy to defeat kampe was very wise. I nodded, not entirely agreeing, but not wanting to argue.

Eventually Thalia came over and apologized, but I just waved her off. I stood up abruptly and walked over to my table. I looked over to the hearth and saw Hestia. She gave me an almost imperceptible nod. I sighed and sent a fireball into the hearth making it flare up.

Everyone's attention was now on me, everyone giving me curious glances.

I got on top of my table, "Campers, you all did your parents proud today. We successfully defended our home, and the fallen will not be forgotten. Their sacrifices will be remembered forever. I am sorry that I could not do more out there for all of you" I said. They all looked at me like I was crazy.

I continued, "I have failed you all, and I am sorry, but this is only the beginning. We will have to continue training and training, but for now enjoy yourselves. You guys have all earned it" I finished.

I got down and exited the mess hall.

Line Break (Thalia's POV)

It had been a week since the battle and I have barely seen Percy. He just hides off in his cabin. I know he blames himself for the deaths of the twenty five campers, but there was nothing he could have done. I know he also feels weak from his fight with Perses.

He rarely eats, and he has spent all of his time in his cabin or at the arena. I decided to go look for him.

I lightning traveled to his cabin and saw him laying down casually on top of the water. His eyes were closed, but I could tell he was awake.

"Hey" I said. He cracked open an eye and gave me a nod.

"So, the hunter's left earlier today. Zoe was looking for you" I said. He didn't respond.

He was making me angry, "Percy, I know you think those deaths were on your hand, but they are not. You couldn't have done anything. You already fought one of the most powerful monsters that was there, and then you even battled a titan" I said angrily.

"You weren't watching Thalia. I got my ass kicked. We've been training our whole lives for this, and even with the curse of Achilles I couldn't hold my own against Perses" he replied angrily. "How can I save the world if I can't battle one lousy titan?" he asked quieter this time.

I looked at him, "you don't have to save the world Percy, we have to" I told him seriously.

He didn't respond. I growled, "Fine. You know what, you sit out here for the rest of the war thinking what if. I'm going to train, and train, and do everything I can to win this war. Think about everything you could've done differently. I'm going to move on and make sure we have a chance to be victorious" I said angrily. I flashed out, and decided to go find Chiron.

Line Break (Percy POV)

After Thalia left I realized she was right. I was going to go find her and make a plan for the remainder of the war.

I wondered what everyone else had been doing for the past week. I shook that thought away knowing I would find out soon enough. All I know is that I will be okay. We will be okay. I know we can get through this. We just have to work hard and push ourselves.

(6 Months Later)

The past six months passed extremely quickly. Thalia turned fourteen, and this just reminded me how close we are getting to the possible end of the war.

The titan army had gone silent, which was slightly worrying, but I decided not to think too much of it. We had been training harder than ever though.

Me and Thalia took over training the campers, and it was safe to say that we worked them extremely hard. Because of this we hadn't been the most popular campers lately. I knew it was for the best though.

The hunters hadn't been around lately either. They had reportedly been trying to track down parts of the titan army with little success. I knew this probably infuriated Artemis, only making them search harder.

I had been summoned to the big house earlier, and just began making my way there now.

When I got there, it was just me and Thalia. I looked at her questioningly, but she just shrugged. Nico walked in a minute later, only making me more curious as to why we were here.

Chiron walked in a minute later and cleared his throat, "yes, um, I suppose I will get right to the point. There are reportedly spies in camp, and I want the three of you to do your best to find them. If you suspect someone, but have no proof, come directly to me, and I will investigate further" he said.

We all nodded and began to leave. "Good luck, and I need you to keep this to yourselves" When we nodded he continued, "Keep up the training too, only too soon is the war coming" he said. We nodded again and left.

(6 Month Time Skip)

I had finally turned fourteen, which was anything but a blessing at this point. The only good thing is that the camp has prospered under the tutelage of Thalia and I. We have really whipped the campers into shape.

I cursed as I realized that I was running late. I disappeared from my cabin in a flash of flames to meet Thalia and Nico for our weekly meeting.

I arrived and they both glared at me. I held up my hands in surrender and looked at them, "anything new?" I asked. They both shook their heads dejectedly.

I sighed, "I might have found one, well two, and believe me, you're not gonna like hearing it" I said making their eyes widen.

A.N. This was a shorter chapter, and I know it was sloppily put together, but I am just trying to age them a little bit. Next chapter will investigate the traitors, and there will probably be another big time skip. I think the battle was pretty sloppily put together as well, but it is what it is. If you have any ideas of what I can put in the story leading up to the titan war let me know. Suggestions are welcome. Review to let me know what you thought.