A/N: Hi! I know I said it would be yesterday, but it ended up being a lot longer than I intended. I am so happy happy happy with this chapter. If I missed something major, please forgive me! I was too excited to post this!

-Percy-

I ran towards Jason, who was taking down an empousa, slashing at it with his gladius. He turned towards me, and he giving me a slightly confused expression.

"We've got a goddess to face," I said as I grabbed his arm, pulling him along with me. He pulled me back, stopping me so I was looking at him in the face.

"She's gone, isn't she?"

My heart stopped for a moment. Something, panic, worry, relief, I wasn't sure, came bubbling to the surface, but I forced it back down.

"How did you know?"

"I saw Apollo. He looked…angry."

"She died, but she's back as a ghost like-thingy," I assured him. Jason kind of looked at me like I was crazy, and I kind of sounded like I was. I had no idea if Addie would come back alive or not. I've seen crazy stuff as a demigod, and I've heard of even crazier. It wouldn't be that farfetched for Addie to come back from the dead, at least I hoped. "Look, it's a long story. Nico and Addie are trying to find a way to stop her, so we need to find Leo and go help the gods."

"Thalia can help us. The more storm and fire, the better, right?"

I nodded my head, and we looked for Leo and Thalia. Leo met us along the way. Thalia had been talking to a few of the other hunters, giving instructions on forming a perimeter.

"It's too quiet up there," Thalia acknowledged. "Where's everyone else?"

I quickly explained the situation to Thalia, and I saw her face grow paler. Her and Addie had been friends, I knew that much. She bowed her head, and I swore I saw a tear roll down her cheek. She had wiped it away before I could tell.

"This was my fault, I shouldn't have pushed her-"

"If you hadn't pushed her, Hazel and I would both be dead. Everything happens for a reason," Jason reminded her. "Addie made her own decisions when she could. Right now, we need to make sure we make all of this worth it."

"How are we going to go up there? Are we just going to barge in and give a whaddup to the earth goddess?" Leo proposed.

"No, we are going to be very, very sneaky," Thalia responded with a sly grin.

Thalia motioned for us to follow her, and we crept up the hill towards the Parthenon. The air seemed thick with dust, like a sandstorm that had just finished. We hid behind the remains of two columns, and I couldn't believe what I saw.

No wonder it had gotten so quiet.

The gods were…well, they were getting their godly asses handed to them. There were nine mounds around a figure walking in a circle in the middle. The mounds were the gods. Not all of them were here, but the ones that were present were completely incapacitated. The earth was growing up around them, almost like it was getting a good grip to pull them down. Some of the mounds were completely covered, while others could still be seen. I could still see Zeus, Athena, the Twins, and Hephaestus. The figure, a woman, sauntered up to Zeus, who was covered in the earth up to his chest.

She was extremely beautiful. She had on brown leather pants and a green top that was a combination of a corset and a long jacket. It hugged her frame, leaving little to the imagination. She looked like she could be in her thirties. Her hair hung in dark chocolate-brown waves pulled to one side. Her eyes were a startling mix of brown and green, and her skin was a tan color, just a little lighter than Piper's. I had never seen anything like her, but I knew exactly who she was.

Gaia must have felt especially good, because she didn't look like the older women most of us had seen in our dreams and visions. She looked healthy, but I suppose stealing the life of my sister had something to do with that.

She held a short sword in her hands, and it kind of reminded me of Nico's stygian iron except that there were lines of gold woven through it.

"Very clever, this weapon. Did you have the elder Cyclops make it?"

Zeus refused to answer. He just glared at the earth goddess, the rage leaving him in waves. I could feel the static in the air from the electricity he was giving off. Thalia motioned to us, pointing to two of the mounds near us and behind Gaia. It was the twins. Artemis was covered to her shoulders, and Apollo was to his stomach.

"I'm going to try to free Artemis," she whispered. "We could use her help. If the drag queen needs to be distracted, I'm counting on you."

Thalia slowly made her way over, careful to avoid detection.

"You know, this is similar to my son's scythe. Out of curiosity, what would it have done to me?" She asked Zeus again.

"Sent your spirit back into the void where it belongs," Apollo snapped. Gaia turned towards him, and Thalia ducked behind Artemis's stone.

"I see someone is a little upset," Gaia admonished him, as she walked towards him. Apollo was freer than his father, and you could see that he was trying to break free. I see why Jason said he looked angry. To be, his eyes almost looked deranged, like he was past angry and close to losing it altogether. It just made me more nervous for Thalia to be over there. Gaia grabbed Apollo's chin, forcing him to look at her. She whispered some words so low I could not hear them, but it can't have been good because Apollo looked murderous once she had finished. Gaia just chuckled and backed away.

"It'll all be over soon," she explained with a small smile. "You can spend the rest of eternity bound in Tartarus. I'm offering you mercy, you know."

"The demigods will find a way," Athena snapped.

"You think so?"

"We may cannot fight you, but they can. Blood magic won't bind them."

She looked at the other gods, a smile of contentment on her face. She paused, an even creepier smile taking place of the one before.

"Maybe not, but do you honestly think they are powerful enough to defeat me? Well, I guess I will give them a chance," Gaia sighed. "I can feel you, little demigods. There's no use in hiding from me. I can feel anything that walks on my domain. Why don't you come on out? I've looked forward to meeting you in person."

I glanced at Thalia, and she nodded her head. Jason, Leo, and I stepped out, weapons out and ready.

"Perseus Jackson. I'm almost disappointed that it wasn't you I got to sacrifice. Polybotes was very insistent, but he was satisfied with two other children of Poseidon. And Leo Valdez! Still staying on as the seventh wheel I see."

"Actually, we picked up a few on the way," he responded.

"Yes, but one's dead now, isn't she?" Gaia teased. She reminded me of that girl from high school, the one that was popular and got everything she wanted, but was also a total witch. "And last, Jason Grace, Hera's chosen demigod."

"Release the gods, and we'll let you take the easy way out," Jason offered.

"No thanks, Son of Jupiter. Or have your allegiances changed? Their silly Greek/Roman tussle just seems too petty to me. Power is power, and those who rule have it. I think the Olympians are being reminded of that."

"I'm tired of these games," she proclaimed. She gave a flick of her wrist, and around twenty earthborn rose from the ground. "Destroy them."

The earthborn came at us, and we fought. For just a second, I was worried about the others. Had Addie found a solution? If we could only get to that weapon, then we could take down Gaia ourselves. I saw the spark of lightning, and a whirlwind of air surrounded us. Jason and I made the perfect storm as we fought. Leo did his part, blasting flames in every direction. They got caught in the wind as well, and flames danced around us. He was careful to keep them away from us, making sure they parted if we got to close. We fought, but as soon as I would take one earthborn down, another would rise to take its place.

"It's useless little demigods. I have been here since the beginning. I cannot be defeated! If you give up now, I will make you my slaves."

"Go to Tartarus," Leo shouted as he hit an earthborn in the head with his hammer.

"Been there," she admitted as she examined her hand.

Suddenly, a tremor shook the earth, and a gust of air washed over us. The earthborn stopped attacking, looking around in confusion. I spotted the sword, about ten feet from Gaia on the ground. She looked startled and shocked. She clutched her chest for just a moment, and then relaxed her features, that smug expression coming back. The gods looked a little confused, or at least the ones that I could see did.

"Well, what are you waiting for, eliminate the demigods!" she ordered the earthborn. They looked back at her, their black faces even more expressionless than normal. "Ugh, fine. I will dispose of the children myself!"

The earthborn vanished, and three huge rocks erupted from the ground. They were sailing towards us, and there was nothing I could do to stop it from crushing me into the ground.

-Apollo-

I kept replaying everything in my head.

As, a god, you don't really consider what would happen if we lost. I had been through two wars, and I never really considered what it would be like to spend my existence in pain or something less than what I was. I doubt it could get any worse than what I felt now.

I had been alive for three thousand years. I had seen many lovers and children of mine die, but I had never felt as empty or as hollow as I did now.

I would never see her smile, feel the way her lips would press into mine with the lightest pressure. Being an immortal came with consequences. The long you live, things affect you less. My feelings had become so numb. Nothing in life fazed us, fazed me, until I had met her. She had become my light in a series of dark grey days.

I kept seeing her in my mind, and the rock around me just grew higher and higher. The demigods were fighting Gaia, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to help them. I had tried assuming my godly form, but Gaia's powers had kept that from happening.

If Addie was alive, she would have found a way. The girl was so resourceful and smart! I remembered the way Addie would fight, that calm determination to protect those she loved and the innocent from harm. I remembered the way the light would catch her hair, how it looked almost golden when the sun hit it just right.

I felt a force rock through the ground, and a gale blew around us. It came from the east, just like the rising sun. Where I had left my Addie….

Gaia clutched her chest, and I realized the force had felt strong to me. It felt like another immortal. It had a magical origin, of that I had no doubt, but it was strange and alien. It was gone as quickly as it came. I locked eyes with my sister. She had a funny look on her face as well.

But I didn't want to think about it. My thoughts keep drifting back to her, like a vortex pulling me deeper and deeper.

I remembered the way she tasted, the way her skin felt against mine. I could still feel her soft breath against my chest as she slept. Addie looked so innocent when she slept. The worry was gone, and she looked so young. I could see the way she blinked her eyes open, and the sleepy way she smiled and snuggled closer to me.

"Ugh, fine. I will dispose of the children myself!"

Gaia summoned some stones, sending them towards the demigods. I closed my eyes, waiting for the crash. This was it. Our time was done. Our parents replaced their parents, and perhaps it was just time for the power to shift once again. Part of me thought this was for the best. I didn't want to face an eternity without her.

Grief was a strange thing. Maybe the ghost of it, a slight bother that quickly faded, but I had never felt something this intense.

"What in Chaos's name is this?" Gaia screeched.

I opened my eyes. The rocks were hovering, just above the demigods. Gaia looked at them in outrage, but the strain in her face was evident. That peaked my curiosity. Gods, immortals, did not strain to do anything. Our power was tied to the world, to chaos, to the mist. It was natural, not forced.

Unless something was opposing her.

The rocks flew back towards her, and my great-grandmother turned them to dirt, parting them around her body. Gaia was staring at something at the opposite end of the Parthenon, right where the Parthenos use to stand.

"Ekplixi skýla! I bet you thought you'd seen the last of me."

I knew that voice. It was the same voice that had whispered my name as we were lying in bed, the voice that spoke to my very being. Her voice made me feel whole and invincible, like I was worthy of my title.

I followed the sound, and I saw her.

She stood atop the stone, looking fiercely down at Gaia. She looked radiant, healthy even. Her long brown waves floated in the wind, her eyes narrowed in that fierce expression I had come to admire so much. I could feel the life, the power and vitality, which hummed from her. It was almost like she was glowing with it.

She told me to trust her.

She kept her promise. She came back.

-Addie-

Gaia looked at me like I was a ghost. Her eyes widened, but she quickly brought herself back under control.

"We killed you," she stuttered to me. I took a step down, stealing a glance towards Apollo. I saw the look in his eyes, and I'm sure he felt the same relief I felt. He was okay, trapped, but okay. I had to save them. I had to protect them.

"You did," I admitted. Percy was helping Jason up. He was moving with a limp, and part of me wanted to go heal him. I was sure the gods were trying to break free of their prisons. If I had come back, it should have weakened her hold on them. I just had to buy time for them to do that.

"I always knew you were a wildcard, Thýella. You aren't a normal demigod, and you never were. I could use someone like you. I'll bring my sons back, you know. Porphyrion will be king, but the earth shall be my kingdom, as it was meant to be. What do you owe them?"

"Everything," I whispered. "I've already given you my answer once."

"So be it. I'll enjoy killing you a second time."

The rock covering the gods quickened its pace, and the ones that were completed started to sink back into the ground. A roll in the earth came towards me, but I stopped it before it could reach me. I looked around for a weapon, but the only one that I saw was behind Gaia. She waved her hand, a long bronze colored sword appearing in her hands, charging towards me. A barrage of rocks came at me, but I managed to keep them from hurting me and the others.

"Addie!"

Percy threw me his pen, and once I uncapped it, Riptide sprang to life. It glowed blue at my touch, which I thought was strange. I parried Gaia's blow, which took everything that I had in me.

"Hold her off, we can do the rest!" he shouted back. Earthborn rose again, and some ran off, no doubt to engage the other demigods. Percy, Jason, and Leo began to fight the earthborn that had stayed, and I fought Gaia.

I had fought plenty of minors, but I had never fought a goddess like this. She was quick, but I felt quick too, more than I normally had. I just assumed my demigod senses where in hyper drive. We were evenly matched, which surprised me. Maybe the Styx had made my body stronger as well.

She was manipulating the earth, trying to get me to sink down in it like the gods, but I countered her with my own gift. I could feel her push against mine, stronger than the force of anything I had ever felt, but I was managing to hold her back. Thunder, wind, and rain fell everywhere, and the occasional burst of flames told me that the others were doing just fine. Percy and Jason, and I suspected myself, were making a monumental storm. Lightning struck the columns, and the wind and rain were ravaging the earth. It was making it muddy, and I noticed that Gaia was having a harder time manipulating the earth. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Thalia pulling the rocks off or Artemis, but they were being replaced faster than she could pull them off.

That's where I messed up.

The second I had looked away, Gaia outmaneuvered me. It was either get knocked out by a rock or be cut by her sword. I spun at the last second, knocking the rock away, but her sword sliced into my arm. It opened a cut, but it wasn't fatal by any means, just extremely painful. I stumbled back, my free hand clamped over the cut. I hit the ground, but I was already scrambling up when she began to laugh.

"I can keep this all day, Thýella."

"So can I," I snapped back, sending sharp rocks flying at her head. She easily dodged them, a condescending look on her face.

"This is foolish, child. If you give up, perhaps I will spare the thing you love most."

She was desperate, which made me wonder if she was just as winded as I was. If she was going to do the evil villain monologue thing, then that gave me a chance to check my arm and heal it. I looked to my cut, expecting to see a red stain on my arm.

What I saw was gold.

My fingers probed the cut, and I was bleeding. It was the perfect shade of gold, sparkling in the firelight. This was ichor, not red mortal blood.

WHAT. THE. HADES.

This was impossible. The Styx didn't make people immortal, it just made them invincible! I had never seen magic like this. I felt stronger, sure, but it made no sense! The prophecies' words swirled around in my head, and I tried to make sense of all of it.

Become immortal with a final breath.

Maybe Annabeth was right.

The earth queen to rise and ascend.

Didn't Thalia always call me that when she teased me?

Gaia did have a weakness. The blood magic did give her one. It just wasn't the gods, like I thought it would be.

That weakness was me.

All those thoughts happened in a manner of seconds. I looked up as Gaia stalked towards me.

"I underestimated you child, I'll give you that. You can keep fighting, but it will not change your fate. The gods will be bound in Tartarus for all eternity, and everyone will bow down to me! You cannot defeat me child, for I am Mother Earth!"

She sent a rock at me, and I rolled out of the way. I stood to my full height, and I realized why I felt so weird. I wasn't the same, and it was time I used the power I knew I had.

"You may be the Earth Mother, but I am the Queen!"

I threw my arms out, and I felt the power surge through me. All the earthborn were swallowed by the ground, and the rocks and dirt that covered the gods were blasted back. She was pushing against me, I could feel it. It felt like I was Atlas, holding up the sky, but I could do it. I imagined the ground around her was quicksand, willing the earth to rise up against her.

She snarled at me, and a bright light filled where we were fighting.

"It's just you and me, Euadne. You cannot defeat me," she screamed as she tried to pull against the earth I had binding her. Sweat was pouring down my face, and my body was shaking from the effort of holding her. "The gods cannot enter this ground any longer. The Parthenon belongs to me! You've sealed your own doom."

I looked around in panic. I couldn't kill her. I couldn't use any magic. Tartarus, I could barely hold her. My knees were beginning to shake. My whole body felt like it was on fire. I hadn't healed the cut, and it was still bleeding down my arm. I was so tired, and I didn't know how much longer I could hold her.

"Addie."

I looked to my left. Leo had walked through the barrier, carrying a sword in his hand. I saw Percy and Jason, along with the others trapped in a swirling void of rocks off around us. It was just me and Leo. Gaia was preventing anyone else from coming to help us.

"This will send her to the void. Help me keep my promise, okay?"

I looked at him, confusion washing over me. Leo walked over to the goddess. She was thrashing against me, trying her best to break my hold on her. I gritted my teeth, my knees finally giving out. I fell on them, pain lancing up through me.

But I kept my hold.

"You are really going to kill me, Leo Valdez? After I showed you what you were capable of?" Gaia dared.

"You killed my mother. You made me feel alone and unloved. I'm going to make sure that you never do that to anyone else ever again," Leo promised.

The sword became covered in flames, and Leo plunged it into the Gaia's chest. A harsh scream tore through the air. A blast expanded itself from them, knocking me on my back. Lightning cracked down from the storm clouds, hitting where they stood. A vortex of flames erupted from the sword still sheathed in Gaia's chest, surrounding them in a tornado of flames. The earth began to shake, and this pain erupted in my chest. I couldn't move or breathe. I was still connected to her, and I had no idea what was going to happen. A black hole opened up in the middle, sucking the flames and Gaia's essence into it. I knew chaos, the element that made up everything, was stronger and more volatile than anything I had or would ever see. I could feel it pulling me, and I saw Leo on the ground.

It wouldn't take him too.

I reached out, willing the door to the void to close. He had to make it; he had to live, to help Calypso. The opening was closing. Gaia was gone and so was the magic barrier she had created. It was breaking, causing the ground to quake more than before. The flames and darkness condensed into a tiny ball, and I could feel it threatening to explode.

I couldn't run. I couldn't even move I was so tired. Leo would be fine, fire wouldn't harm him, but that wasn't true for me. We had saved them, all of them, and they would live on. That was enough for me. I had come back just to die again.

I felt the heat burn my skin. There might have been ichor instead of blood in me now, but my body was very much human. It would burn me alive, closing this thing. I would die from the blast, and I didn't have enough magic or strength left in me to stop it.

The hole grew smaller and smaller, until it reached the point of no return. I felt the elements give way, and it exploded outward. I closed my eyes, waiting for the end to come.

But someone grabbed me and pinned me underneath them. The heat from the blast was all around me, and a warm body pressed itself against mine. I looked up, and I saw the most beautiful thing in my entire existence.

Apollo's face was right in front of mine, pure gold light emanating from him. I was seeing him in his immortal form. His hands cradled me against his chest, and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I had to shut my eyes, the wind and flames making them water. I clung to him, wondering how he had gotten there so fast.

The wind died down, rain pouring over us. The sky was lowly rumbling, but the world was quiet beyond that. We looked at each other at the same exact time. Apollo took my face in his hands, his eyes never leaving mine. I reached up, touching the smooth planes of his face.

"You saved me," I whispered to him. He smiled, that smile that broke my heart and reminded me why I fought so hard.

"You came back," he managed. His voice was tight, and I felt a tear slide down my cheek. I didn't care who was watching. I didn't care if everyone knew about us. In that moment, I needed to kiss him as much as I needed air to breath. Apparently, we were thinking the same thing because one of his hands went down to my waist, pulling me to him. I met him halfway, and I kissed him with everything I had. He tucked me into him, and I wrapped my arms around him.

"I thought I lost you," he muttered into my neck.

"For a second, I thought I did too. I told you to trust me."

A weak chuckle left him, and it was saturated with relief. He pulled away slightly, so he could see my face.

"Don't ever do that to me again," he breathed as he rested his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes, basking in his presence.

"I'll do my best."

Review? I hope you enjoyed, and I'm sorry for the wait!