***Hi guys, thanks again for all the reviews, you're all awesome! Here's chapter 26, from Hazel's POV. Up until now, I had a set pattern I was using for the narrators, but I had to break away from the chapter pattern because it totally messed up the pacing of the climax of the story. So, the next chapter will be from Percy's POV. Chapter 27 will be up by Tuesday, June 3.***

XXVI. HAZEL

Hazel didn't want to split up. It seemed like every time the crew did that, something bad happened. Of course, she thought, gazing up at the towering cliff of the Acropolis, bad things happened when they were all together, too, so maybe it didn't matter. Still, she wasn't happy about it.

"Okay, does everyone have what they need?" Piper asked quietly.

Percy held up a rope, Leo raised the Eleusinian torches he was holding, and Frank just nodded. Leo stuck the torches into his toolbelt. "Torches, check. Fire guy, check. Shape-shifting friend, also check," Leo said.

"Did your idea work?" Percy asked Hazel.

Hazel placed her hand against the cliff. She concentrated and the next moment, a perfect handhold formed in the stone. "It works."

Percy exhaled. "Awesome."

Their plan was straightforward. There were caves all over the Acropolis that had been dedicated to various gods and goddesses over the centuries, including one to Demeter. Frank thought he had a pretty good idea of where that cave was from studying the map on the ship. He and Leo were going to find it and light the torches. They were hoping that by being underground, the torches would work better, burning Gaea up from inside. Leo also thought he could rig up something that would basically create a quick-burning inferno in the heart of the Acropolis. The goal was to put Gaea back to sleep without destroying the ruins.

Hazel was amazed at Frank's bravery, considering the plan involved fire, but ever since he'd been given the role of praetor, he seemed to have more confidence. She was proud of him. Originally, she'd planned to go with Frank and Leo, to help search underground, but it made more sense for her to help Percy and Piper with the second part of the plan. The three of them were going to climb the cliff to the top of the Acropolis, hopefully avoiding Gaea's monster guards that way, and rescue Jason and Annabeth from the giants. They needed Hazel for this part of the plan, not only because she would be able to create hand and footholds to help them climb, but because Frank suggested she might be able to exert some control over Alcyoneus, as she had done in Alaska, by using his jeweled skin against him.

Sunrise, when Porphyrion had declared he would sacrifice Jason and Annabeth in order to raise Gaea, was still about an hour away, which would give them just enough time, barely, to carry out their plans. There were so many things that could go wrong, Hazel felt sick, but this was the only good idea they had.

Hazel kissed Frank. "Be careful."

Piper hugged Leo and kissed him on the cheek. "And good luck."

"You too, Beauty Queen," Leo said. He looked at Frank. "Ready?"

Frank nodded. "Let's go."

The two of them set off. Within seconds, they had disappeared into the trees. Hazel took a deep breath, then turned to Percy and Piper. "Who's ready to climb?"

They looped the rope around their waists so that if one of them slipped, they wouldn't fall to their death, then Hazel started to climb, creating hand and footholds from the solid rock as she went. The climb wasn't as hard as she expected. Piper, too, seemed to be doing fine, climbing with a determined look on her face. Percy, however, was struggling a little bit because he was taller than her, which, Hazel realized, meant that the handholds she was making as she went along weren't quite as convenient for him.

None of Gaea's monster sentries were around, but several times Hazel froze against the rock as gryphons swooped overhead, shrieking. The sound brought back memories of the quest to Alaska. She shuddered, remembering the train crash and the gryphon attack. As she started climbing again, though, she smiled at the memory of hiding from the monsters with Frank and Percy under a blue giant's butt.

The smile disappeared as she remembered that Alcyoneus was waiting at the top of the hill for her. Hazel was more angry than afraid about having to face the giant again. How many times was she going to have to pay for her mistakes, her weakness? More importantly, how many times were her friends, and the world, going to have to pay?

Every so often, Hazel glanced over her shoulder at the sky, which was very slowly lightening. Dawn wasn't far off. She began to climb faster.

When she reached the top, Hazel signaled for Piper and Percy to stop. Slowly, she raised herself up until she could just peek over the edge of the cliff. The ruins were deserted. Hazel climbed up onto the flat hilltop, then held out a hand to help Piper and Percy up.

"I have spent way too much time rock-climbing on this quest," Percy muttered as he untied the rope from around his waist.

Piper and Hazel also untied themselves, then Hazel stuffed the rope into her backpack. The three of them crouched behind some large marble slabs, scanning the ruins. The temple was lit by floodlights, which made the columns glow with a soft, golden light. But inside the pillars, Hazel could see the swirling vortex of dark energy Frank had mentioned, which obscured whatever was inside the temple.

"Where are the giants?" Piper whispered. "Or the monster guards Frank saw yesterday?"

Hazel looked around, but the ruins were completely deserted. That didn't make her feel better.

Percy's mouth was set in a grim line. "It's a trap."

Hazel nodded. "They want us to go into the temple."

She exchanged looks with Percy and Piper. None of them wanted to walk into a trap, but they didn't have much choice. If Jason and Annabeth were here (which Hazel sincerely hoped they were, and not on Mount Olympus), it was almost guaranteed that the giants were keeping them in the temple. The best the demigods could do was be prepared and try to avoid being caught completely in the giants' trap.

Piper drew her jagged Boread sword. "Let's kick some giant booty."

Hazel and Percy drew their swords, too. The three of them set off across the hilltop, looking around constantly, waiting for an attack. The chill morning air gave Hazel goosebumps. The only sound was the scuff of their shoes against the stones. They hesitated as they reached the foot of the temple, then Percy started up the steps with Piper and Hazel following. As they passed beneath the pillars and entered the heart of the temple, Hazel gasped.

In the center of the temple was a raised stone slab, surrounded by lumps of wet clay. And on top of the slab lay the massive sleeping body of the earth goddess.

Gaea was ready to wake.

Hazel was so horrified by the earth goddess that it took a moment for her to spot the equally nauseating sight of Annabeth and Jason locked in a cage beside Gaea's body. Before she could take a step in their direction, though, a voice spoke from behind her.

"Heroes. So noble. So predictable."

Hazel reacted instinctively. She reached out her hand, called for the jewels in Alcyoneus's hair to obey her, and, with a shout, she yanked the giant to the ground. The floor trembled as Alcyoneus collapsed.

"YEEEAAAGGGHHH!" the giant screeched.

All Hades broke loose as several dozen monsters flooded into the Parthenon, charging between the pillars, straight at the demigods.

"Get those open!"

Percy told Hazel, gesturing to the cages as he and Piper raised their swords.

Hazel sprinted across the temple floor, dodging around monsters, rocks, and Gaea. Behind her, Alcyoneus was getting to his feet. Hazel dove toward the cages just as Alcyoneus roared like an angry bull and charged towards her.

Hazel was afraid the cages would be made of steel or some other metal that wouldn't respond to her, but fortunately they were made of silver.

"Did they think you were werewolves or something?" Hazel muttered. She took a deep breath and remembered the gold bar in New Rome, which she had reshaped easily. She held out her hand, then clenched her fist and the bars melted into puddles.

"Thank you," Annabeth said, ducking out of the cage.

"Yeah, thanks, Hazel." Jason winced as he stood up straight.

"No problem." Hazel handed them back their weapons, then turned to face Alcyoneus. The giant was stomping towards her, nostrils flared. She didn't think he could breathe fire, but he looked mad enough to try.

"YOU DARE TO EMBARRASS ME?" Alcyoneus bellowed. "YOU UPSTART, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING LITTLE—"

He was cut off by a rumble that shook the entire hill. Everyone—Alcyoneus, the monsters, Hazel and her friends—froze. Then, a new voice spoke, a voice Hazel knew well. It seemed to echo from the earth around them, but the voice itself came from one place: the body of Gaea.

"Good-for-nothing?" Gaea said. Her voice was still murmuring, sleepy, but closer to being awake than Hazel had ever heard it. "Not true, Alcyoneus. These demigods are good for so many things. Most importantly, they will be perfect for ensuring my rise." The ground rumbled a second time, like the aftershock of an earthquake. "You were correct though, in saying that they are predictable." The earth goddess laughed lightly. "Did you think, little demigods, that I did not know about Demeter's torches? Did you think you could distract me here, while Frank Zhang and Leo Valdez attack me from below? Fools!" Gaea hissed the last word.

Hazel's heart was thumping so hard she thought it would burst out of her chest. "What have you done to them?"

Gaea laughed again, though her lips didn't move. "You should have gone with them, Hazel Levesque. Then, they might have stood a chance. But unfortunately, there was no one around to protect them when the cave collapsed."

"No!" Hazel shrieked.

"Yes," Gaea said. "They're dead, but don't worry, you'll join them soon." She raised her voice, giving orders to the monsters surrounding them. "Seize the son of Poseidon and daughter of Athena. I want them for my sacrifice. Kill the others."