***Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, especially the end [evil grin]. The next chapter will be up by Thursday, June 5.***

XXVII. PERCY

If Percy had a dollar for every time he heard a monster or god say "Kill them," he would have had a great start on his college fund. Unfortunately, all he ever got was attacked.

Egged on by Gaea, the monsters attacked with renewed force. Luckily, Hazel had gotten Annabeth and Jason free and returned their weapons, so they were able to help Percy and Piper fight the monsters while Hazel took on Alcyoneus. From what Percy could tell in between stabbing, dodging, and bashing monsters with the hilt of his sword, Hazel was holding her own against the giant. Her control over precious metals and gems had remarkably improved since Alaska; she was weaving around Alcyoneus's feet, keeping him off balance as she made the gems in his hair jerk his head from side to side. Alcyoneus was roaring in rage, but he seemed unable to counter Hazel's attacks. Percy grinned as he sliced a dracaena in half and stabbed a gryphon on the backswing.

His smile faded quickly, though. The fight was going badly. Even after defeating half the monsters on the hillside, the demigods were still outnumbered three to one. The sun was just appearing over the horizon when Percy found himself next to Piper, a few feet away from Jason, Annabeth, and Gaea's body. Percy could hear the earth goddess chuckling to herself, even over the noise of the battle. "We need to put her back to sleep," he told Piper.

Piper nodded. "I have an idea. Cover your ears."

Percy did what she said. Piper bent down next to Gaea. "Go to SLEEP," she said, so forcefully that Percy's eyes grew heavy and half a dozen monsters immediately collapsed, snoring. One Cyclops even started sucking his thumb. But Gaea's laughter continued.

"You cannot believe it would be that easy, little demigods," a new voice rumbled from behind Percy. Before Percy could react, he felt a massive arm encircle him, pinning his arms to his sides as Porphyrion, the king of the giants, raised him into the air. Porphyrion's other hand swept out and knocked Piper off her feet.

A scream. Percy looked up to see Alcyoneus kick Hazel in the chest. She flew through the air, crashed into a marble pillar, and slumped at its base, unconscious.

"Hazel!" Percy yelled.

"Now, brother!" Porphyrion called to Alcyoneus, tightening his arm around Percy. Percy struggled against the giant king's grip, but he couldn't break free. The remaining monsters had Annabeth and Jason surrounded, holding them at spear point. Piper was trying to get up, but something was wrong with her leg; she didn't seem able to stand. Percy tried to control the saltwater flowing around Gaea's platform, but it wouldn't respond to him. He was forced to watch, helplessly, as Alcyoneus strode through the circle of monsters, grabbed Annabeth, and dragged her next to Gaea.

"You have failed, demigods." Porphyrion's voice boomed out over the Acropolis. "Gaea has gotten exactly what she wanted—the son of Poseidon and the daughter of Athena will be her sacrifices. Yes, on the very spot where your parents once competed to be patron of Athens, your blood will wake the Earth Mother!"

The monsters cheered, banging their swords and spears against their shields. The sound set Percy's nerves on edge, but his brain felt numb. This was why Gaea wanted Annabeth and him—because she planned to sacrifice them at the place where Poseidon and Athena had their competition to find out who would become patron of Athens. Percy remembered Annabeth telling him the story on their very first quest together. Poseidon had created a saltwater spring, Athena had created an olive tree, and apparently the people of Athens decided they preferred olives to saltwater. Go figure.

Percy was out of ideas. He couldn't break out of Porphyrion's death grip and across from him Annabeth was having no luck getting away from Alcyoneus. Hazel was unconscious, there was a good chance Frank and Leo were dead, Jason was surrounded by a dozen monsters, and Piper was injured. Percy glanced up at the sky, hoping against hope, but no godly help appeared.

Instead, a flying ham smacked Porphyrion in the head.

"What the—?" the giant was so startled, he lost his grip on Percy, who dropped to the ground and rolled out of arm's reach of the giant just as a pineapple caught Porphyrion between the eyes.

Piper was still on the ground, but her eyes were narrowed as she used the cornucopia to pelt the giant king with cooked meats and produce.

Percy took advantage of the distraction to stab Alcyoneus in the rump. The giant wailed and dropped Annabeth just as Porphyrion bellowed with rage and charged at Piper.

The wind rose, rushing through the Parthenon. Jason yelled. Lightning streaked out of the sky. Percy, Annabeth, and Piper dove for cover as lightning arced off Jason's Imperial gold blade, and ricocheted around the temple, bouncing off the pillars, incinerating monsters, and making Alcyoneus squeal in pain. Porphyrion, however, absorbed the electricity as if he didn't even feel it. The giant king snarled and stalked towards Jason. The wind rose higher, now whipping dust and stones into a tornado that rose from the Parthenon. But below the wind, below the yelling, below the sound of his own pulse thudding in his ears, Percy could hear Gaea's laughter reverberating through the ground.

He knew Annabeth could hear it, too, because her face was pale as she said, "We have to put her back to sleep."

"How?" Percy demanded. "We don't have the torches, the gods obviously won't help us, our friends can't help us. Besides, she's not even awake, how the heck—" The truth crashed into Percy like a tsunami. His father's words came back to him, but he suddenly understood them. "How do you put to sleep that which is not awake?" Percy murmured.

"What are you talking about?" Annabeth asked.

"My dad's message. I just got it." Percy grabbed Annabeth's arm. "Come on!"

The wind was swirling around them, but they managed to fight their way back to Gaea's side. Percy's heart was racing. "We have to wake her up."

"Are you insane?"

"Possibly. But I'm also right. My dad's message, 'How do you put to sleep that which is not awake'—he meant Gaea. We can't put her back to sleep if we don't wake her up first."

Annabeth's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh gods."

"It makes sense, right?" Percy insisted.

"Yes, but Percy, if we're wrong—"

"I know," Percy said. "But I'm sure this is what he meant."

Annabeth took a deep breath. "I believe you, Seaweed Brain." She moved to stand on Gaea's other side.

Percy locked eyes with Annabeth. "I love you," he said. It was the only thing worth saying at this point.

She gave him the ghost of a smile. "I know."

Not taking his eyes off her, Percy drew his sword across his palm as Annabeth did the same. Before he could register the pain, or rethink the insane thing he was about to do, he slapped his bleeding palm into Gaea's open, grasping hand. Across from him, Annabeth had pressed her hand against the goddess's. For a single heartbeat, nothing happened.

And then the earth exploded around them.