Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.

Story: Champion of Olympus: Child of the First One

Chapter 18: Hurt and Comfort

Third Person POV

Manhattan, NY – Empire State Building

Chaos reigned throughout the building. The screams of demigods echoed throughout the building. Annabeth and Thalia ran up the stairs. They reached the third floor just in time. A group of Draugr was behind them. As they hit the landing on the third floor, Connor Stoll pushed the button on his detonator. The entire building shook as Greek fire exploded in the stair well. The demigods looked on as the stairs collapsed from the second floor down entombing a group of Draugr and blocking their ability reach higher up into the building.

Connor and Thalia both sighed in relief, but Annabeth wasn't relieved. She knew the Draugr weren't defeated, only delayed. "We need to move everyone up to the sixth floor and blow those stairs. Did we get the elevators blown?" she questioned.

Connor's faced paled. "Only two of the three were destroyed. The middle one is still functioning. We caught Ethan removing the bombs. He destroyed them before we could reach him," Connor explained.

Annabeth's grey eyes darkened. "We're so dead," she said.

Thalia put her arm around her friend. "We'll find a way," Thalia reassured.

Clarisse ran down the hall; her left arm was broken and in a sling. The left side of her face was cut from her ear to just above her eye. Thalia and Annabeth gasped at the sight of her.

"Where is he?" Clarisse yelled.

Annabeth and Thalia looked at each other strangely before turning back to Clarisse. "Who?" Annabeth asked.

"Ethan, where is that bastard?" Clarisse asked. Her voice was strained and anyone could tell that she was barely hanging on because of the pain that surged through her nerves.

Connor stood and approached her carefully. "Nico and Bianca took him to the sixth floor," he informed. Clarisse turned and ran up the stairs. Annabeth and Thalia looked at each other worriedly before running up the stairs after their friend.

Mount Olympus – Throne room

Percy felt the explosions down in the building below the city of the gods. He turned to the goddess of the hearth.

Hestia stared at him with worry and fear in her eyes. "You can't go down there," she said.

Percy frowned. "I have no choice. I have to help them." Percy walked towards the door of the throne room.

Hestia ran to catch up with him. "You're playing into Loki's hands."

Percy looked into the fiery eyes of the goddess. "I know." Percy's body began to glow. Hestia let go of his arm as his armor appeared on his body and Mjolnir grew into his hand. "I will come back as soon as I can, I promise."

Hestia looked down at the floor as Percy flew into the air and then over the edge of the city. He plummeted toward Manhattan and the evil that awaited him below.

Empire State Building – Second stairwell

Malcolm ran up the stairwell; the sound of growling and waling echoed behind him. He ran to the sixth floor and pushed through the door. A dozen weapons were pointed at him. He raised his hands in the air as the demigods around him sighed and dropped their weapons.

Malcolm looked down at the ground; Charle Beckendorf sat with a black box in front of him. He was finished with the last connection to his detonator. He looked up at Malcolm with a determined look on his face. "We're ready," he said.

"Hit it," Malcolm said. Beckendorf hit the button on the detonator. A loud explosion rang out as the stairwell exploded beneath them. Now there was no way to walk up the stairs to the sixth floor. Another explosion shook the building. "It looks like Annabeth got the other one." Beckendorf nodded. Malcolm looked around at the dozen or so half-bloods that stood around him. "Where's everyone else?"

"They're dead, unless they got to the other set of stairs," Beckendorf said, but there was little hope in his voice.

A noise rang down the hallway as the center elevator opened. Katie Gardner stood in front of the elevator as the doors opened. She breathed a sigh of relief; no one was inside.

"Hold that door," Malcolm yelled as he ran toward her with a dozen demigods behind him.

Katie grabbed the door and held it open. Malcolm raced inside and hit the emergency stop button. He turned to Beckendorf with a worried expression on his face. "I thought we blew the elevators?" he asked.

"I thought so too," Beckendorf replied.

Malcolm looked at his friends and comrades. They were all bruised and bloody, but they were alive. "We're supposed to meet the others on the other side of this floor," Malcolm informed. They turned and ran towards the rendezvous point. They reached a large office with twelve foot ceilings. The room was full of desks and chairs. As they entered Malcolm could hear crying from a room off to the side. "Everyone get some rest." He walked to the sound of the crying. He opened the door to see Thalia holding Jason as the boy cried into her shoulder. Annabeth stood on the other side of the room. He walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. "What happened?"

"Reyna and the other Romans are dead. Jason blames himself. They were overrun by the Draugr," Annabeth explained.

Malcolm looked around. "Where is everyone?" he asked.

Annabeth's grey eyes were red and puffy. "We're it," Annabeth said.

"Bianca, where is she?" Malcolm asked desperately.

"She's fine. Nico and Bianca captured Ethan. They have him locked away in the next room," Annabeth said.

Malcolm looked around; he saw a few of his siblings, but not many. His heart sank at the thought of his sisters and brothers dying at the hands of those monsters. Luke sat on the floor with an unconscious Clarisse in his arms. Her face was bandaged and her arm was in a sling. Travis and Connor Stoll were fast asleep with a few of their brothers and sisters beside them.

A door opened and in stepped Bianca and Nico. Nico had a black eye and he was limping. Bianca had a cut just above her right eye and her left arm was in a sling. When she saw Malcolm she rushed forward and pulled him into a one armed hug. Malcolm held her carefully as he whispered in her ear.

Nico walked over to Jason and Thalia. He knelt beside them with a sad look on his face.

Jason pulled away from his sister and stood up. His eyes were watery and his face was red. "Where is Percy?" he yelled. He looked around the room. Everyone was silent. His gaze rested on Annabeth. "Where is your boyfriend?" Annabeth flinched at the anger in his voice.

Thalia stood up with Nico at her side. "You know he had to defend Olympus," Thalia said.

"He should be here. We're his family and his friends. He let them die," he said. Tears flowed down his cheeks. "He let her die," he whispered. Thalia walked up to her brother, but he shook his head angrily before storming out of the room.

Empire State Building – Third floor

Reyna, Gwen and Bobby raced down the hallway. A dozen Draugr had made it to the third floor before the explosion. The three Romans were out of breath. Reyna wanted to cry; she lost Jason, but she looked at her two friends. They needed her now. The three ran to a corner office and blocked the door with all the furniture they could find. Two walls of the room were filled with windows. Not a good thing considering that the Draugr could climb up the façade of the building.

Gwen looked up at her leader. "We're not going to make it?" she asked.

Bobby had his head in his hands as he waited for the inevitable. The screams of his friends and family echoed through his mind.

Reyna gave Gwen a small smile. "We're Romans; the gods won't abandon us," she said. She walked over to the window and looked down. The gods were fighting the Draugr, but the battle wasn't going very well.

Suddenly, a scratch at the door broke them away from their discussion. The scratching became louder until the door shook as something or someone banged on the door. The three were too frozen to move. The Draugr had found them. The three huddled in a corner of the room. They didn't have their weapons; they were lost in the fight.

The door exploded off its hinges and flew across the room. The three demigods froze with fear as two Draugr stood before them. They all knew it was over.

The windows behind them exploded and a bluish green blur entered the office. The Draugr charged the figure, but they blew apart as a very familiar weapon struck them. Percy stood before them with anger flashing across his eyes. Ten more Draugr entered the room, but Percy charged them blasting them to bits as Mjolnir destroyed them with a simple touch. The battle stopped; Percy turned around and smiled at his friends. Reyna and the others rushed forward and hugged him.

"Let me get you out of here," Percy said. He positioned his three friends around him. "Hold on tight. Percy held out Mjolnir and concentrated until a vortex appeared before them. They stepped through the vortex and disappeared.

Empire State Building – Sixth floor

Jason sat on the ground in the hallway. He had to be alone now. His outburst wasn't like him, but the pain was too much for him. Why didn't his brother save her?

Suddenly, a vortex of wind and blue light appeared in front of him. He stood up quickly and held out his steel sword for protection. Bobby and Gwen walked out hand in hand. Jason was frozen in shock. Reyna stepped out next. She ran forward and hugged him tightly. Jason wrapped his arms around her as tears leaked from his eyes. The vortex faded. Jason looked up to see Percy standing in front of him.

"You didn't think I'd let her die?" Percy asked. Jason ran forward and hugged his brother.

"I'm sorry," Jason admitted.

"Don't be; I heard your thoughts. I couldn't stay away. No matter the cost," Percy said. He pulled away from his brother as his green eyes flashed into white light. "Tell Annabeth, I'm here now." Percy turned and ran to the nearest window and jumped out toward the battle that awaited him below.

Mount Olympus – Throne room

Hestia sat by her hearth. She stoked the flames as they grew higher.

"I like fire too," a voice said from behind her.

Hestia turned and froze at the sight before her. Loki stood in his golden armor with the golden scythe in his hand. Behind him held by two Cyclops were Gaea and Rhea. Tears of flame trailed down her cheeks as she stared at her mother in celestial bronze chains.

"Mother," Hestia said.

Rhea looked at her oldest daughter. She was so tired, but she managed a small smile. "Hello my dear," she said softly.

Loki chuckled. "Family reunions; you've got to love them," he said.

"What do you want, you bastard?" Hestia asked venomously.

Loki smiled at Hestia before turning toward Rhea. "She certainly has your mouth Rhea," Loki chided. He turned back to Hestia. "I want the destruction of this world. I want the power of this realm. Once I have that, nothing will stand in my way," he said.

"You're a monster," Hestia said.

Loki's laugh echoed through the throne room. Dark clouds began to drift over the throne room and all of Mount Olympus. The Cyclops moved Rhea and Gaea into position. The monsters stepped toward Hestia, but Loki shook his head. "She's not a fighter, besides, I like having an audience," he said. The Cyclops stepped away, but they made sure to watch the goddess of the hearth closely.

"Loki, release my mother and grandmother," a voice of authority echoed through the throne room. Loki turned with an evil grin on his face. He looked at the dark haired woman before him with an mischievous glint in his dark eyes. "Nice of you to finally join us Hera; I've been expecting you."

AN: A lot of moving around this chapter, but I hope it was worth it, stay tuned more to come.