A/N: Last chapter of ARC II! (Thanks to Dark Carnage for editing)
LUKE jumped off Blackjack just as the giant panther with the green eyes skidded to a stop next to the pegasus. He instantly shifted into the Titan of the Earth, black hair billowing around him, eyes alight with what seemed like pleasure. Chiron came to a halt a few feet away from them, along with the pot bellied satyr, Silenus, and a couple of the Apollo cabin archers.
The activities director looked around at their small party—The Titan, Luke, Zoë, Bianca, Clarisse, Nico, and Grover—his expression was guarded and a little bit apprehensive. His gaze locked onto the black-haired deity, and then back onto Luke. "What happened?" He simply asked.
When the son of Hermes finished relaying their journey to the old centaur, his expression was grave, although he didn't seem as distressed about Thalia's turning as Luke had expected.
"Thalia gave us a message," Zoë stepped forward. "I do not understand why, but she probably thought we were going to die and would never escape to tell anyone else. Aphrodite and Athena are leading the army with a barrier to stop our first wave of arrows and explosions and traps. Someone has to break it."
"I can do that," Perseus shrugged. "I'm a Titan and we're not bound by ancient laws like the gods are."
"Lelantos, Hecate and Eris will be here too. And the unclaimed, minor god's children, Aphrodite and Athena cabins are traitors," Bianca finished for Zoë. "We have to round them up and deal with them." The centaur nodded thoughtfully.
"We must hurry, then. Hopefully, you have slowed down Kronos, but his vanguard will still be coming through the Maze. They will want blood." He turned back to Perseus, pursing his lips. "We will discuss your presence later, Uncle. For now, if you are here to help us defend our camp, then you must come with me."
Perseus nodded, and Chiron turned, about to trot off when the fat satyr yelled, "What of the search for Pan? You are almost two months overdue, Underwood. Your searcher's licence is revoked!"
Grover took in a deep breath and Luke felt sorry for his old friend. His life ambition and goal had been shattered with just that visit into the cave. But Grover stood tall and looked the annoying goat in the eyes. "It doesn't matter anymore. Pan is dead. He has passed on and left us his spirit."
"Blasphemy!" Silenus turned red. "Sacrilege and lies! I shall have you exiled for speaking like that!"
"He speaks the Truth," Perseus stepped forward, eyes narrowed. A cold and unfriendly aura was emanating from him. "I was there myself, as were all of these young brave heroes." When the satyr opened his mouth to speak again, Perseus cut him off. "We saw him die. If you won't believe them, you must believe me. I swear it on Khaos' name, and on the name of my niece, Styx."
Chiron inhaled sharply. Silenus looked stricken when nothing happened. "Impossible! You are all liars!"
The centaur shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We will speak of this later if we survive the coming battle."
"We will—"
"Silenus." For the first time since they had met, Chiron snapped. "My camp is under attack. Pan's case has waited almost two thousand years. It can wait another half a day." He turned, shooting the satyr a callous look and galloping towards the woods.
It didn't take long to catch up with him, and when they did, Luke stared around in amazement. Chiron moved to the command tent in the centre. It was the biggest military operation he had ever seen at Camp. Everyone was at the clearing, dressed in full armour like they did during camp competitions. Except that this wasn't a game. This was real. The Hephaestus cabin had set up traps around the entrance to the Maze, wires, pits of greek fire and rows of sharpened sticks. Beck was manning two catapults, already primed and aimed at Zeus's fist.
The Ares cabin was on the front line, drilling in phalanx formation, and with a nod to all of them, Clarisse moved to join her siblings. Apollo and Hermes' cabins were scattered in the woods, with bows ready. Luke glanced around once more, spotting Travis and Connor up in the trees with several of his siblings and the other children of the archer god.
Even the dryads were armed with bows and with a note of good luck, Grover trotted over to the other satyrs, grabbing a wooden cudgel and a shield made of tree bark on the way. Luke squinted when he spotted the silver glints in the forest and Zoë and Bianca wasted no time in joining them, the former patting his shoulder and the latter hugging her brother before leaving. He saw two flashes of light, and then Apollo and Artemis joined the hunters, each sending him a nod of recognition, which he returned.
Luke also frowned when he spotted the giant in the trees, with hundreds of arms spilling around him, clutching what seemed to be boulders. He saw Tyson, speaking amicably with the many armed figure, eyes lit up with awe. Aphrodite's kids were running around, straightening armour. At that, he scowled. If they really were traitors…
Dionysus' twins were providing water bottles. Grover was with Juniper now, hugging her tightly.
Now just Luke, Perseus, and Nico stood, side by side. With a muttered farewell, the son of Hades left to put on some armour and a helmet. Luke glanced at his side, where Perseus stood awkwardly, hands on the sword Zoë had given him. The blond-haired demigod was reminded of his new weapon, pulsing with power at his side, making him feel stronger and full of energy.
He was about to speak when Perseus stiffened beside him. "What?" Luke asked, uneasily. He turned to follow the Titan's line of sight and turned straight when he spotted the figure appearing out of the shadows of the trees closest to the cabins and farthest from the campers.
"Thalia," They both said at the same time. Exchanging a glance, they set off, towards the daughter of Zeus.
-X-
THALIA looked up when she saw the two figures stop in front of her. She knew that everything she had been doing for the last few days was risky, but it had been necessary. Her heart clenched when she saw Luke, remembering how close she had come to killing him and how adamant he had been that she was under a spell of some sort.
She recognised the way he looked at her now. It was how Percy had also looked at her when she was on Ogygia, and how, no doubt she was also looking at the Titan, right now. She momentarily felt bad, for leading him on all these years, but she shook her head to push it away.
Thalia smiled at the Titan. It made her glad, to see that her ploy had worked. The mission she had been given was still ongoing, but she had managed to get Percy free using that same mission too.
Luke's face was expressionless, but Percy's eyes lit up and he threw his arms around her, pulling her close. Warmth erupted in her chest and she hugged him back just as tightly, smiling into his hard solid chest. When he finally pulled away, his eyes were soft and lips pulled down in a frown. "What's this I hear of you working for my brother?" Thalia visibly winced.
She knew she had to explain it to them before the battle—before everything went down.
"Look, I'll get straight to the point," She said, glancing at Luke. Now, he looked hurt, but there was also an air of acceptance around him, and again, Thalia felt bad. "I'm not really working with Kronos."
The son of Hermes spoke now, eyes wide, shock on his face. "You're not?"
"No," She shook her head, turning to Percy. "You remember, on Ogygia. When I left, I went straight to Mount Tam." She pursed her lips. "Well, I did it under Zeus's orders, to get information on the Titans and to keep the gods informed."
"What?" Luke's surprise seemed to grow. Even Perseus looked shocked. "Only Zeus and Hera knew where my true allegiance lay, along with Chiron. I infiltrated Othrys and because Kronos wanted me so badly, he didn't even consider the fact that I might be a spy. I got information on the Titans and their plans, and right now, Zeus is informing the gods on what exactly is going down. They'll be here to help."
"Smart," Percy nodded appreciatively.
"And what about trying to kill me?" Luke's voice was harsh now. "What about Othrys? Why would you— You could have given me a signal."
"I did," Thalia said, folding her arms. "I couldn't exactly tell you I'm not evil while thousands of monsters looked on. That's why I made it seem as though you were going to die. I used that as a way to tell you of the Titan's plans. I was counting on Nico to get you all out of there." Luke looked even more hurt now and Thalia sighed, "I'm sorry. But it was necessary."
"So what happens now?" Percy asked her. "You fight for the gods?"
"Yes," Thalia nodded. She took in a deep breath and turned to him, "Look, I know you despise the gods and you have no wish to fight for them, but please. Without you on our side today, we're going to lose. Miserably." The Titan hesitated. Thalia pushed on. "None of us are doing this for Olympus. We're doing this because we don't want to die. If Kronos wins, everyone the gods are affiliated with, and everything the gods built over the aeons, it all comes crumbling down. The world ends. A world you're yet to see."
The son of Gaea still looked uncertain. Thalia continued, "Look, if you're not going to fight for the gods, then don't. But please, just defend the younger campers from the bigger monsters. Don't engage any of your family if it comes to it, and don't interfere in the main battle. Just, keep the bigger monsters like Kampê and Antaeus occupied." At this, he looked convinced and nodded his approval. Thalia felt warmth bloom in her once more.
"But is Kronos fighting?" Luke asked.
Thalia shook her head. "You all inconvenienced him by freeing Percy. He doesn't wish to test his odds against you. He said something about you having all of Gaea's power—primordial power."
"And about that,"Luke began, brow creasing. "If you aren't really working for Kronos, then why did you tell me Percy would be the only one to convince you to side with the gods again?" He looked more confused than angry like Thalia had expected him to, seeing as she had practically used him to free the Titan.
She looked down, flushing in embarrassment. "I knew you wouldn't pull the sword of your own accord, so I had to make it seem as if I would only leave Kronos' side if he asked me to. I knew you would do it then without question, if Percy was the only chance you could get, at bringing me back to Olympus' side."
Understanding flickered in his eyes and Thalia continued before the betrayal and hurt could settle. "I'm sorry, for tricking you like that."
"It's okay," He said finally, after a few seconds of silence. "I get it."
Percy flashed Thalia a grin, and asked, "Okay, what other information did you gather, then?"
"I got out immediately they started preparing for battle, and Zeus got an eagle to fetch me back here. It's only been a few minutes but my absence would have been noticed. It's too late to change their plans now, though, because most of the army is already in the maze and headed here." She paused. She glanced towards the forest again where the other campers were preparing. The daughter of Zeus caught sight of the half-bloods surrounding several members of the Aphrodite and Athena cabin, along with the children of the minor gods and the unclaimed. Apollo and Artemis were standing next to Chiron, the two gods waving their hands and creating a sort of barrier around the traitors. Thalia nodded in satisfaction, glad that risking her life had not been for nothing.
"We have to—"
She was cut off by a tremble that ran through the earth. The Titan's face hardened. Luke drew his new sword and swung it expertly. Thalia drew her spear and activated her shield. Perseus pivoted on his heel, unsheathing Riptide from his side.
"They're here."
-X-
PERSEUS knew he shouldn't be feeling overjoyed. But he wanted to whoop in delight and he wasn't sure he could help himself. Thalia was a crafty demigod—a smart one who had used all avenues at her disposal to help both her camp and him, like she had said she'd do. And he loved her even more for it. He skidded to a stop next to Chiron, Thalia and Luke coming up at his side.
Whispers broke out among the campers at her appearance but Chiron didn't look surprised, and Perseus remembered that he knew already. Thalia's voice carried through the entire forest as she shouted, "Two gods are leading the assault, with a barrier before the army to take your first strikes." She glanced at Perseus through the side of her eyes and said, "You can do something about that, right?"
He didn't question her. Simply nodding, he twirled his sword in his hand and waited.
The first thing he saw were two immortal beings in full battle armour, Athena and Aphrodite, each with a hand raised. There was a shimmering forcefield before them, and Perseus flicked his wrists. Two spires of rock exploded from the Earth, slamming into the shield and blasting it into shards.
"Now!" Thalia yelled. Laistrygonians exploded from the ground, yelling so loudly Perseus gritted his teeth, and at the same time several arrows and spears sailed through the air towards them
He turned back to the hole in the rocks. The giants carried shields made from flattened cars, and clubs made from trees with spikes at the end. One of them swept its club at the first few warriors, and the entire phalanx was tossed aside. A few blocked the oncoming weapons with their shields, but one of them wasn't so lucky. The giant exploded into dust, leaving behind several spears and arrows.
"Fire!" Perseus heard a foreign voice yell. The contraptions behind him whirred to life. Two boulders sailed towards the giants, one deflecting it off with his field. However, the other was too slow. The giant went down under the rock and Perseus waved his hand once more, causing more spires of earth to shoot up and destroy the gigantic monster. With a wail, it turned into dust.
Golden arrows flew from the trees, finding chinks in the armour of the giants, taking down several and vaporising them at the touch of celestial bronze. He heard a battle cry come from the girl at his side and turned his attention to her. She was about to move when he gripped her arm. Thalia spared him a glance, confusion on her face. "Stay safe," He murmured. The daughter of Zeus shot him a smile and nodded, then she was gone, roaring, leading the charge to meet the monsters.
"I'm going in!" Luke's voice reached Perseus' ears. Without so much as a glance, the Titan nodded and he felt the pulse of power as the son of Hermes shot towards the goddess Athena. Perseus' eyes picked up two silver-clad figures moving towards Aphrodite—Zoë and Bianca.
"Children!" The two goddesses shouted simultaneously. "Attack!" There was no response. Perseus glanced behind him, where Apollo stood next to the barrier around the enemy demigods. The traitors looked stunned at the lack of reaction from their children.
He laughed, then turned back to the battle. Swinging his sword, he entered the fray.
-X-
LUKE heard the wind whistling in his ear as he battled the goddess of war. They crossed swords once more, Athena's eyes dancing with fury at being challenged, Luke's movements swift and expert-like thanks to the adrenaline pumping through his veins.
The goddess reared back and spun, her sword shifting into a spear in the process. Luke leaned back, barely avoiding the strike. He bent low to avoid another thrust and swept out with his feet. The wisdom goddess was faster. She jumped over his outstretched leg and he only barely had enough time to pull it back before she landed.
Athena's shield sprang to life, the monstrosity that was Medusa snarling at him through the bronze. But he had seen Thalia's shield in action many times and it barely fazed him. He jumped up once more and leapt for the daughter of Zeus.
Luke was aware of the monsters streaming into the forest. A few of them hit the traps the Hephaestus cabin had laid. One got stuck on the spikes and became an easy target for the archers. Another triggered a tripwire and Greek fire doused the oncoming dracaena. But it wasn't enough. More and more monsters were swarming in. Argus and a few Ares campers were going head to head with a few empousa and dracaena.
Luke saw Ethan Nakamura, swinging his sword at Travis. The boy was making his way to the barrier preventing the traitors from joining the battle, but then Katie Gardener from the Demeter cabin stepped in and a swarm of vines pulled him off his feet and into the air. The monsters attacked with such ferocity that even Chiron looked surprised. Luke heard a scream, then a wail from a monster, and several yells. Yellow dust and blood was flooding the forest.
The son of Hermes sidestepped a jab from a spear and then grunted in pain when Athena's shield slammed into his head. Black spots danced across his vision as he backed away, and the goddess laughed. They were losing. Fast. And no Titan had even shown up yet.
The blond-haired boy gritted his teeth. He had to do whatever he could to occupy Athena. At least until the other gods came to stop her from interfering. Shaking his head, he launched himself forward once more, Soul Reaper energising him, and they clashed again, sword against spear.
-X-
NICO stabbed his sword into the side of a hellhound and ducked under the talons of a dracaena. He was next to Chiron now, although he wasn't quite sure how he got there. The old centaur shot arrow after arrow, taking down a monster with every shot. But even he knew that it was futile.
"Nico!" Chiron's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Thalia, Luke, and Clarisse are all occupied. You are the ablest warrior we have in their place." Already he knew where this was going. He nodded and said, "Don't worry about it." With a yell, he charged into the battle.
As the son of Hades raced through the battlefield he saw terrible and ghastly things. Luke was going toe to toe with Athena, and his jaw was clenched, showing Nico that he was suffering to keep up.
He stiffened when a figure shot out of the hole leading to the Labyrinth, and unfurled giant white wings, like an angel. Gold eyes glinted. The figure drew an arrow from his quiver and released it. The arrow slammed into the barrier keeping the traitors in, and enemy demigods streamed out, crying for blood. A second golden figure slammed into the first airborne one. Nico recognised Apollo, bow in hand. A second later Artemis was by his side, holding two silver hunting knives and as one, they attacked the angel-man.
An enemy half-blood—a son of Aphrodite he knew well, Mitchell—was fighting a son of Dionysus, but Nico couldn't tell who was winning. At least, not until Mitchell stabbed him in the arm and then expertly sliced his knife across the other demigod's neck. Nico shut his eyes and ran.
He saw another enemy demigod, an Athena child this time, Malcolm, firing arrow after arrow into the trees. Nico hesitated a bit. He knew all these people, and it was hard, watching them turn on him and his friends and attempt to destroy their own families. But he had to take care of the wisdom child or more people could die. With a yell, he rushed forward, and Malcolm barely had time to look surprised, before Nico was slamming the hilt of the sword into his head.
Archers and dryads were falling out of the trees by seconds, the ones still up there returning fire hurriedly. Nico's mind briefly flashed to the medic, Will, with whom he was acquainted, and he hoped he was okay. At that moment the dark-haired demigod caught sight of the dracaena slithering towards the camp. Everyone else was busy with a fight and they were going unopposed.
He heard a yell of his name from Thalia and he nodded without turning. He ducked a swing of a sword and stabbed a telekhine in the face. His black sword absorbed its essence until just dust was left.
And then he was running. As he did, he saw his sister and Zoë, fighting Aphrodite. A few hunters were also engaged in melee combat with monsters and enemy demigods, while others fired wave upon wave of arrows from the forest. The giant with the hundred hands was duking it out with three laistrygonians that had escaped the initial assault, and Nico saw a flash of green before a giant spire of earth drove itself through the nearest cannibal giant.
He got closer to the dracaena and shouted as he ran, "Serve me!" The earth trembled. A fissure opened up in front of the snake women and a dozen undead warriors crawled out from the earth.
As one, they drew their swords and engaged the serpent human hybrids. Nico felt nauseous, but he blinked to push it back, turning towards the battle once more.
He saw a swarm of empousa headed his way, being led by a woman with blonde hair and mysterious green eyes. He made the connection instantly, but before he could react, Clarisse and a few of her siblings had barrelled into Hecate and her minions' paths, closely followed by a daughter of Hecate who hadn't turned on them, Lou Ellen Blackstone. Silena was next to her—she was the only Aphrodite kid who had renounced her mother. Nico saw another figure he recognised clash with Blackstone; her brother Alabaster. They exchanged words and the fighting continued.
The son of Hades looked around him. Greek fire burned. Monsters screamed and turned to dust. Demigods cried out in pain. Hunters fell. Satyrs and Nature spirits fought back against a pack of hellhounds. Nico raced to Grover's side. He saw a beast snap at a satyr, but it jumped out of the way. Another one pounced on a second goat-man, snapping him in half.
"No!" He heard Grover yell.
"Hey!" Nico called. The hellhounds turned to study him. They snarled and as one, leaped at him. He ducked the claws of the first and sliced through another, making it explode. But they were too much. Nico let out a yell as they swarmed him and screamed, "Go back to where you came from! I command you to return to Hades!" He stabbed his sword into the ground and the earth opened up around him. The beasts fell through and Nico pulled out his sword again, closing up the hole.
He fell to his knees, tiredness overtaking him, but then Grover was there, pushing ambrosia squares into his mouth. Nico muttered, "Thanks. We—"
He was cut off by a shriek. His head snapped to the labyrinth entrance and he stiffened with a bat-winged creature shot into the sky. She landed on top of Zeus' fist and surveyed the battle. Nico heard a cackle about him and looked up, to see a black-eyed woman swooping around in the air, twin swords in her hand.
He heard a yell and then a lightning bolt slammed into the minor goddess, sending her crashing. And then he heard a call, "Percy! Come on!" He turned, just in time to see Thalia and the Titan of the Earth charge the monstrosity that roared and swung her scimitars.
-X-
THALIA tried to keep her thoughts blank as they charged Kampê. Snakes hissed and swirled around the monster's legs. Animal heads growled at her waist. In her right hand, she held a ball of string, blue in colour, and she popped it into a lion's mouth on her waist and drew her poison blades.
"How is she here?" Percy demanded as he raced towards the beast at her side. "How did she escape Tartarus?"
"How else?" Thalia said, trying to even her breaths. She impaled a telekhine as they ran, and pulled her spear out again. Kampê screeched and around them, campers yelled in fright. People tried running but were snatched up by either of the two hellhounds left. There were no giants present, courtesy of the Titan at her side, and for that, Thalia was grateful. She heard Chiron swear, and then an arrow whizzed past her. Kampê took to the sky once more and the arrow passed. Thalia could hear Tyson behind them, yelling, "Do not run! Stand! Fight!" But then one of the hellhounds jumped onto him and their cyclops friend went rolling.
"I'm going to kill Kronos when this is over!" Perseus said over the rush of the battle.
Thalia snorted, and said, 'You're going to have to wait in line!" Percy laughed and waved his hand. Before Thalia knew what was happening they were shooting off the ground—or rather, the ground was rising, carrying them towards the still airborne monstrosity.
"Ready?" He yelled.
"Always!" They jumped into the air. Perseus spun while airborne, dodging the monster's slashes. His sword whipped out and a gash appeared on her arm. Thalia stabbed forward, thrusting her spear through a bear's head. She spun midair and as she fell, flat earth rose and broke her fall. Perseus was on another spire of earth and he glanced to see if Thalia was okay.
She nodded to him and as one they attacked once more. Kampê was no match for their combined forces. They dotted her with cuts, Percy jumping from rising rock to rock to avoid falling, and doing the same for Thalia to make her movement easy. She forgot about her fear of heights as they littered the monster with injuries, her calling down several bolts of lightning as they fought, and spinning to avoid clouds of poison or the silvers of Kampê's blades.
Thalia was feeling hopeful. If Percy hadn't been there Kampê would have killed her by now. She was sure they could overpower the beast. It would be easy, with a Titan on their side. She saw the green-eyed son of Gaea leap off another spire of rock sending several tiny sharp pieces to Kampê. Her scimitars swept them away and with a yell of outrage, she swiped at Perseus, who was midair, one hand stretched towards Thalia's rock, another causing a second rock to grow out of the earth and break his fall.
Thalia watched, stunned and in mild shock as Kampê's scimitar slashed through Percy's arm. He cried out in pain and the monster smacked him, sending him flying. She didn't realise it then, but she screamed. Without thinking she was jumping off the rock and hurtling towards the area she had seen him fall in.
She was by his side in a few minutes, and the sight that met her was one she had thought she would never see. She barely realised as the hundred-handed one charged at Kampê, hurling boulders that knocked her out of the sky. She didn't see Mrs. O'Leary pounce on the beast or Daedalus, cutting his way towards Chiron with a sword.
Thalia's eyes were wide as she collapsed into the small crater that Percy had made with his fall. His left arm was green with poison. But that wasn't what mattered.
The Titan of the Earth was bleeding. And his blood wasn't golden—it was red, like hers.
-X-
PERCY grimaced in pain and sat up. He clutched his arm, and then pulled his hand away. His ichor was sticky. And red. Panic filled him as he saw Thalia fall to her knees at his side. Her eyes were wide in shock, lips parted, her expression, exactly like the one he was sure he was wearing.
"What—"
Percy turned to glance at his arm again, to make sure he was not hallucinating. But it was real. His blood was red. Like a mortal's. "No," He murmured. Confusion filled him, then panic, once more. The loss of golden blood meant he was mortal. Which meant he could die.
"How?" Thalia demanded sharply. Perseus tried to come up with an explanation. He tried to remember anything that he had done or eaten to make him this way. But for the life of him, he couldn't. Swearing to himself he sat up, then winced once more. He wasn't healing like he always had.
He suddenly understood why he had felt the way he had when they had left the Maze. Powerful but different. He had gotten back all his power and had gotten his freedom as well, but it had come at a price—his immortality. He was still a Titan, he still had all the powers of an immortal—like shapeshifting, flying, teleportation, and the like—he could feel it. But he wasn't immortal. Not any more. He was a mortal Titan.
Thalia seemed to notice his pain. Her voice turned soft and she reached out. "You're hurt." Perseus pursed his lips. Poison from Kampê would not kill him. He cursed once more when he remembered that that was when he was still immortal.
"It's nothing," He waved it aside, and struggled to his feet. Thalia was at his side in an instant. "It's not nothing. And you're bleeding like a mortal!"
Percy scanned the battlefield. Where Kampê had been before was a pile of boulders. The campers were cheering when the hole to the maze exploded once more, bringing forth a giant, with tattoos all over his skin, wearing nothing but a loincloth.
He turned to Thalia, and smiled, appreciating her concern. "My personal health doesn't matter right now. I'm okay," He said, voice soothing. Thalia didn't look like she believed him. She looked like she wanted to argue, but then he said, "And we have a bigger problem to deal with. One in a loincloth." Her expression turned grim.
"Antaeus."
"Oh," Perseus frowned. "Brother of mine."
"Your family is messed up," Thalia commented offhandedly.
"Believe me, I know," He smiled. "Now come on."
"Lucky for us, I know exactly how to kill him."
"Of course you do," He smirked. "We'd better get going then."
"Wait," She grabbed his arm before he could move, and he saw her gaze soften. Her lips pulled down in a frown. "You're still hurt. And you bled. I—I just don't want anything to happen to you." Warmth erupted in his chest once more and he grinned at her, feeling light all over.
"Don't worry," He said, twirling his sword in his good hand. "Nothing'll happen to me. Because you'll be there to keep me safe." Thalia grinned at him, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. And together, they charged towards the tattooed giant, thoughts of his new mortal issue and the poison on his arm in the back of their minds.
-X-
BIANCA dodged a strike from a sword and sidestepped another blow. She saw Zoë dart towards the goddess they were battling, and slide her knife across her back.
Aphrodite was a fighter, that much was certain. She was wild with the knife and she could easily have beaten them if she wanted to. She was a goddess and Bianca wasn't entirely sure they were going to win against her, even with the two of them combining their forces. Luke and Athena still fought the former bleeding gold in several places. Luke's sword was pulsing and glowing green, and although the son of Hermes was injured in several places, the magic of the sword seemed to keep him going, as though it had a mind of its own.
Daedalus stood side by side with her brother and Grover, the three of them surrounding a fallen Chiron and preventing the monster's from advancing on him. Even with their combined efforts, the monsters were still streaming through the labyrinth and into the forest, endlessly. It was a surprise to Bianca that Camp hadn't burnt to the ground yet.
Briares stomped on smaller giants, slamming boulders into hellhounds and dracaena and daimons. Bianca dodged another strike and slashed upwards, but Aphrodite leaned back, sidestepping once more to avoid an arrow from Zoë. Bianca could see the Titan, Perseus summoning boulders out of the earth and slamming them into the tattooed giant that had appeared.
The winds began whipping around them. Thunder boomed and lightning struck monster bands, decimating them. Bianca watched in mild shock as Thalia yelled, and the winds picked up. It seemed as though a tornado had appeared in Camp Half-Blood. The tornado picked up the loincloth-clad giant, making him yell in outrage.
Bianca heard a laugh, and then Perseus was being hurled into the sky by a spire of earth, sword raised in an overhead strike. He landed on the giant's chest and plunged his sword into it. Antaeus let out a blood-curdling scream, but Perseus yelled out, and it was magnified. The giant exploded into dust.
Bianca turned back to her fight and met Zoë's eyes. With a nod, they both charged Aphrodite. She wasn't sure how long they fought, but it was definitely something worth remembering. Bianca was littered with cuts, but she was pushing down the fear she was feeling. She could see the Titan Lelantos in the sky, being pursued by a golden eagle—Apollo—with his sister seated on it and firing arrows at their flying uncle.
They clashed once more, hacking, slashing and stabbing, dodging, parrying, and striking. Whoever had said that Aphrodite and her children were bad fighters was a big liar. Bianca felt legs underneath her, and then she was swept on her feet. She tasted dust. She heard Zoë cry out, but Aphrodite flicked her wrist and a pink net slammed into the lieutenant, pinning her to a tree.
The love goddess smiled. Her voice was low as she said, "Anything to say, Death Spawn?" Bianca snarled at her. She faced death head-on, knowing she was returning to her father. She wasn't afraid anymore. Her body was aching all over and blood was seeping from a wound at her side. But she bared her teeth at Aphrodite. The goddess laughed and said, "A fool till the end, then."
"No!" She heard a scream. She recognised the voice. Bianca turned to smile at her brother…one last time.
The blow never came. Grover opened his mouth, and the most horrible sound she had ever heard came out. It was like a brass trumpet magnified a thousand times—the sound of pure fear. Aphrodite froze. "Pan," she whispered.
Zoë let out a yell, tearing through the net and hurling a knife. Bianca sat up and darted forward to grab the goddess as the forces of Kronos grabbed their weapons. She saw Athena turn into an owl and take to the skies. Aphrodite was next, and just as Bianca's fingers brushed her armour, she exploded into pink smoke.
Bianca looked up, where Lelantos was flying, hard, away from camp. He was being pursued by the twin archer gods, and when he turned to glance back, Bianca saw the pure panic on his face. Hecate melted into mist. Eris vanished into smoke. Bianca watched as enemy demigods and monsters raced towards the Labyrinth, screaming. Clarisse and her siblings pursued them, and she winced when she saw the girl's left eye, swollen shut with several long scars. The monsters trampled each other, trying to get away. The tunnel rumbled shut as the last dracaena slid inside.
The battle was over.
-X-
THEY CONVERGED around Chiron, who was lying on his side, trying to get up, in vain. "How embarrassing," The centaur muttered. Worried looks were mirrored on everyone's faces. The cries of the wounded were many, and medics swept in to tend to them.
"Are you all right?" Thalia bent at Chiron's side. Anxiety shone in her eyes.
"I will be fine. Fortunately, we do not shoot centaurs with broken…Ow!…broken legs."
"Get a medic," Nico said. The son of Hades looked worse for wear, and he sure as hell felt like it. He had dark circles under his eyes, and there was smoke curling off his black clothes. His fingers were clenched and he looked like he was going to pass out any second.
"You need a medic," His sister reached out to grab him.
"I'm not the one who almost died," He shot back. Nico turned back to Chiron, who looked doubtful at his words and said, "I've just never summoned so many before. I'm fine. I'll go get you an Apollo kid." He took three steps before face-planting in the ground.
Percy swept forward, grabbing him by the shoulders. His arm still throbbed, but it didn't hurt like before. He was healing, ever so slowly. He still didn't understand what had happened but this wasn't the time or place to think about it. He rolled Nico into a sitting position. The Hades child was blinking a lot, as though he had just woken up.
"Sorry about that," He muttered.
"No more son of Hades shit for a year," A stern voice said. Perseus looked up and saw a blond-haired blue-eyed boy approach them. The boy knelt and handed Nico a canteen. After gulping down half the bottle the dark-haired death child turned to Perseus. "Go, get Daedalus." Percy didn't question him. He stood and glanced around, barely hearing the son of Hades instruct the camper treating him to go to Chiron.
Daedalus met the Titan's eyes. He knew what had to be done, but that did not make it easier. He moved forward and reached Nico di Angelo as the camper left to go tend to the centaur.
"Daedalus," The boy croaked out his name.
"Yes," He said soberly. He was bleeding oil in several spots. The inventor barely noticed Mrs. O'Leary behind him, or the hundred-handed one scratching her fur, both surrounded by awed campers and nature spirits.
"The Titan army is still down there," Perseus reminded. Daedalus grimaced. Even without the string, which was probably in Tartarus with Kampê, they would be back. They would find a way, with his sister leading them.
"You are right. As long as the Labyrinth still exists, your enemies can use it. Which is why it must be destroyed."
"But—you said—"
Daedalus cut off a weary-looking Luke Castellan, shaking his head, "Yes, it is tied to my life force. When I die, the Maze will die as well."
They all stared at him, as though they couldn't quite comprehend that he was offering himself up to be killed. Daedalus slunga leather backpack off his back and turned to the son of Hermes. "I know you are not one for inventions but all my work is inside here. It may benefit you someday. Keep it out of the wrong hands." He didn't know why he had chosen Luke, just as he didn't know why he had chosen to give him Mrs. O'Leary's whistle. But the demigod reminded him of himself when he was younger; eager, helpful and uncorrupted. He was the most worthy of all heroes, a fact that had been proven by him pulling out the Titan's sword in the stone.
Luke didn't understand why Daedalus was giving him his life's work. They weren't especially close. They had just sparred together on occasion. Pursing his lips, he accepted the bag without question.
Luke watched as the old man said, 'My time has come. I must face my punishment. I cannot continue running."
Everyone was silent. He watched as Daedalus glanced at Nico, and the boy's face darkened. "I offer my soul to you," Daedalus said. "You could use it to reclaim your mother. You could—"
"No," Nico shook his head. "I will help you release your spirit. But Minos lied to me. Father does not want mother back, and now I have realised, neither do I. I don't need her, when I still have Bianca." He paused. "My mother passed seventy years ago. I can't ruin her Elysium by stealing her soul from the Underworld."
Daedalus nodded. Luke glanced at his side, where Bianca di Angelo was looking on proudly. "Well done," The inventor said. "You are becoming wise." He tilted his head to the side. "One last favour is all I need. Will you take care of Mrs. O'Leary? She had no desire to return to the Underworld."
Nico nodded without preamble. Daedalus inhaled once more, eyes roving across the plain. "Then, I am ready to see my son…and Perdix. I must atone for my sins." He turned towards the son of Hades. Nico shakily stood to his feet and drew his sword once more.
"Nico—" Bianca was cut off by her brother's raised hand.
"Your time is long since come," He murmured to the old inventor. "Be released, and rest."
A smile of relief spread across their old swords master's face. He froze like an ice sculpture, his skin turning transparent, and revealing the bronze gears and machinery whirring inside his body. And then the sculpture slowly turned to grey ash and was carried away by the wind.
Mrs. O'Leary howled. The Earth rumbled and Percy shut his eyes as an earthquake spread across the entire country. The Ancient Labyrinth collapsed. Somewhere, the remains of Kronos' army were buried.
Chiron was standing now, leaning on Will Solace embarrassingly. "Well," he gestured around them at the bodies of the fallen and the wounded. "We have a lot of things to do, don't we?"
-X-
LUKE sat on the rooftop next to his best friend who he had been smitten with for the most part of three years. They were both silent, observing the camp, lit up by the fires of several pyres being reduced to ashes. There were too many. They had survived but not everyone had been lucky.
Thalia leaned on his shoulder hesitantly, and he tensed for a few seconds, before relaxing. There was no need to be wary of her now. She was still his best friend and she always would be. Just because she did not return his feelings didn't mean they had to drift apart. Luke positioned his head on hers.
He had missed her. He had missed her so, so much. When he had thought she'd died…it had been the worst week of his life, sitting in camp, waiting, holding on to the possibility that she was alive. And then she had almost killed him in the arena, just not to blow her cover. Then she had tricked him into freeing the guy she did have feelings for.
When he said it like that…it looked bad.
And yes, it did hurt, a little. Okay, fine, it hurt a lot. But he wouldn't let anything come between him and Thalia. Not even the feelings he had had for her. Her low voice brought him out of his thoughts.
"I'm sorry for leading you on like that," She murmured.
Luke smiled sadly. They could have been something more, but fate worked in mysterious ways. Maybe in another universe, he would have had a chance with her. "You didn't know," he said finally. "It's different."
She shook her head and pulled away. "I was so selfish, this whole quest, this entire summer. I hurt you without even realising it. I made you think I was dead when I could have come back from Ogygia, and I almost killed you, just to keep my cover. Then I used you to free Percy, because I liked him. It's—"
"There's no need to apologise, Thals," He shook his head. "We're good. We're still best friends. I don't care what relationship I have with you. As long as it's a good one, I'm fine with it." She smiled, hesitantly at first, and then leaned back on him. Luke felt a pang in his heart at what could have been. He sighed, staring back towards the Pine tree where she had almost died all those years ago.
Maybe, someday, he would get over Thalia. Maybe someday he would be ready to move on. But for now, he would cherish every moment they spent together, like this one.
-X-
ZOË watched as Bianca exchanged a goodbye with her younger brother. Two days had come to pass since the Battle of the Labyrinth, as everyone was coming to call it. Artemis had returned after an impromptu meeting with Olympus and they were ready to go out into the world once more.
The former Hesperide glanced around Camp Half-Blood. She had hated the place so much, because of the presence of males. But then she had met Luke last winter, and he was nothing if not a respectable one. She had fought alongside Perseus, and she had interacted with Nico di Angelo. All three of them had defended this place with everything they had.
And yes, it would be a long time before her views on males changed, but for now, she could acknowledge the fact that not all of them were all that bad.
Zoë was torn out of her musings when Thalia approached her, closely followed by the Titan of the Earth who had been residing in the Big House for the past two days. She knew it was only a matter of time before Olympus called a meeting with him to determine which side he was on and what to do with him. She turned her attention to the daughter of Zeus. Thalia passed Nico and Bianca, and several other hunters. She nodded in greeting to Lady Artemis, who gave her a respected nod back.
She came to a stop in front of the lieutenant. Zoë waited with bated breath. "I never thought I'd say this but," The girl paused. "I'm sad to see you go." Zoë didn't know what she would call the girl now—a colleague? a partner in war? or a friend? She had never had a friend before. The hunters didn't count—they were her sisters.
Zoë was quiet for a few seconds. And then she nodded. "It was an honour, fighting next to you again." Thalia gave her a smile. "Keep in touch, will you?" The huntress caught Artemis' eyes as her Lady motioned for her to make it quick. They would be travelling with Apollo for a few days until they got back to the West Coast. And her brother was not patient.
"I will," Zoë promised. "I shall keep you informed on the stirrings of monsters. And Titans." Her eyes flickered to Perseus. He nodded to her, and Zoë smiled when she saw the sword at his side.
"Thank you," Thalia nodded. "Until we meet again, Nightshade."
"I'm sure it won't take long," Zoë acknowledged. Already the other hunters were racing down the hill. Bianca said a last goodbye to Nico, then she was gone. "I shall see you around, daughter of Zeus." With that, she turned on her heel and hurried to catch up with her sisters in everything but blood.
-X-
CHRIS was by her side when she woke up. Clarisse's face lit up with a smile. She sat up in her cot, but then he was placing hands on her shoulders and pushing her back down. "You need rest," He murmured softly. He was smiling, and Clarisse felt a warmth inside her. She had missed him. She had missed him so so much.
"How?" She queried.
"Dionysus visited me," He said, sitting back down on his chair at the cot-side. "I almost died, but he came just in time."
Clarisse silently muttered thanks to the god of madness and wine. She smiled, but then she felt pain in her eye. The warmth disappeared as she remembered what had happened, and Hecate's magic blade slashing through her eye. She had to wear an eyepatch now. Will had told her she would never see from that eye again. Tears brimmed her other eye. Kronos would pay for what he had done, to both Chris and her.
"Hey, hey," Chris murmured. "No tears."
"I'm not crying," She said quickly.
The boy at her side laughed lightly. "I missed you, Clarisse. I missed you so much."
She smiled, "I know." Clarisse felt overjoyed. Chris was fine. She was alive, even if one of her eyes was ruined. Camp was safe. She was safe.
"Would you like to hang out with me again?" The boy asked, somewhat nervously. "I-I know I made some bad choices. I went with Annabeth, and—" He paused. "Just, would you want to? When you're healed enough to, of course." Clarisse smiled slightly, and she felt Chris' fingers brush against the black eyepatch.
He pecked her on the cheek and she whispered, "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."
-X-
GROVER finished narrating their story once more at Noon. The entire grove was filled with satyrs and dryads and naiads, and he couldn't help but feel nervous. He knew most of them would never believe what he had said, but the Titan Perseus was there, and Chiron had made sure all the others also swore to the Styx that what he had said was the truth.
It didn't matter to the Council. Silenus wanted to exile Grover immediately, but Chiron had shot down that option within three seconds of it being mentioned. Several eyewitnesses from the battle described the weird sound Grover had made, which had driven even Athena, Lelantos, Hecate, Eris ,and Aphrodite away.
Grover knew exactly what he had done. He had summoned the power of Pan, Panic—a wave of fear that had helped the gods a lot during the first war.
"Preposterous!" Silenus bellowed. "Sacrilege! Perhaps the wild god favoured us with a blessing. Or perhaps Grover's music was so awful it scared the enemy away!"
"That wasn't it, sir," Grover said, calmly, although he was panicking inside. "Pan let his spirit pass into all of us. We must act. Each of us must work to renew the wild, to protect what's left of it. We must spread the word. Pan is dead. There is no one but us."
"After two thousand years of searching, this is what you would have us believe?" Silenus cried. "Never! We must continue the search! Exile the traitor!"
Some of the older satyrs muttered assent, but Grover didn't care.
"A vote!" Silenus demanded. "Who would believe this ridiculous young satyr, anyway?"
"I would," said the Titan of the Earth. "We have all sworn on the Styx and there has been no retribution. The satyr is telling the truth."
"And why would we believe you, Titan—"
"I believe him."
Everyone turned. Striding into the grove was Dionysus. He wore a formal black suit, a deep purple tie, and a violet dress shirt, his curly dark hair carefully combed. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was flushed, but he looked like he was suffering from grief more than wine withdrawal.
The satyrs all stood respectfully and bowed as he approached. Dionysus waved his hand, and a new chair grew out of the ground next to Silenus's—a throne made of grapevines.
Dionysus sat down and crossed his legs. He snapped his fingers and satyr hurried forward with a plate of cheese and crackers and a Diet Coke.
The god of wine looked around at the assembled crowd. "Miss me?"
The satyrs fell over themselves nodding and bowing. "Oh, yes, very much, sire!"
"Well, I did not miss this place!" Dionysus snapped. "I bear bad news, my friends. Evil news. The minor gods are changing sides. Morpheus has gone over to the enemy. Hecate, Janus, and Nemesis, as well. Zeus knows how many more."
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Dionysus' eyes flickered through the crowd until they landed on Perseus. "The removal of our resident Titan's sword and the destruction of his Island broke free all other Titans from their prisons. I've just spent my afternoon examining empty prisons and islands and houses. I'm tired and I don't want anybody pissing me off. Now, I want to hear Grover's story. Again, from the top."
"But, my lord," Silenus protested. "It's just nonsense!"
Dionysus's eyes flared with purple fire. "I have just learned that my son Castor is dead, Silenus. I am not in a good mood. You would do well to humour me."
Silenus gulped, and waved at Grover to start again.
When Grover was done, Mr. D nodded. "It sounds like just the sort of thing Pan would do. Grover is right. The search is tiresome. You must start thinking for yourselves." He turned to a satyr. "Bring me some peeled grapes, right away!"
"Yes, sire!" The satyr scampered off.
"We must exile the traitor!" Silenus insisted.
"I say no," Dionysus countered. "That is my vote."
"I vote no as well," Chiron put in.
Silenus set his jaw stubbornly. "All in favour of exile?"
He and the two other old satyrs raised their hands. Grover gritted his teeth. He didn't care if they didn't believe him. If he was exiled from Camp, he would just spread Pan's message across the country. He had told all the satyrs who had survived. It was their choice if they believed him or not.
"Three to two," Silenus said.
Mr. D looked unamused. Sneering, he said, "Unfortunately for you, a god's vote counts twice. And as I voted against, we are tied."
Silenus stood, indignant. "This is an outrage! The council cannot stand at an impasse."
"Then let it be dissolved!" Mr. D said. "I don't care."
Silenus bowed stiffly, along with his two friends, and they left the grove.
About twenty satyrs went with them. The rest stood around murmuring uncomfortably, and hope bloomed in Grover's chest. There was a chance that these would listen. He inhaled and turned to them.
"Don't worry," He told them. "We don't need the council to tell us what to do. We can figure it out ourselves."
He told them again the words of Pan—how they must save the wild a little at a time. He divided the satyrs into groups—which ones would go to the national parks, which ones would search out the last wild places, which ones would defend the parks in the big cities. Grover smiled finally when all was said and done.
He would do everything he could, to honour Pan's final wishes.
-X-
NICO stood at the edge of the woods, next to Luke. It was dark, and scenes from the battle kept on flashing in his head. He looked at every spot and remembered someone who had died right there, most of them in pain. He remembered what he had said to Daedalus, about letting his mother go.
He had been speaking the truth, for the most part. Yes, he would leave his mother to rest. But he still had a lot of memories worth seventy years to recall, and he couldn't do it by staying hidden in Camp Half-Blood. He had promised his sister he would stay safe, and yes, he would do everything he could to ensure that he did.
Luke had tailed him into the forest, as he tried one last time to summon his mother's ghost. It had not worked. Something, or someone, was preventing his mother from meeting him. Nico sighed in defeat and turned back to Luke. The boy's eyes were shining in the darkness as he looked at Nico.
"You have a place here, Nico," Luke said softly. "You'll always do. You don't need to go."
"I know," He replied. "I—I can't imagine leaving camp for the real world again. It's dangerous, but there are things I have to do, and things I have to find out."
Luke nodded. Nico knew that the son of Hermes cared for him. But he wouldn't stand in his way. He would support him as he'd always done.
"Where will you go, then?" The demigod asked.
Nico thought for a while. He didn't know. "I'll probably head into the Underworld. Father invited me over last night, to stay for a while, and train. And I've got a lot of questions I still need answers to. I know next to nothing about my past, and I need to find out."
"Makes sense," Luke admitted. "Just…don't die. Don't do anything stupid."
Nico snorted, "You know I can't promise that." He allowed Luke to pull him into a light hug. He was going to miss the Hermes cabin.
"Keep in touch, di Angelo," He murmured.
"An iris message works both ways, you know." The other boy burst out laughing and Nico smiled. "If I find anything useful, I'll let you know."
Luke nodded, and Nico glanced around, one last time at the place he had come to call home. He turned and walked off into the woods, calling the shadows to him. He exhaled, concentrating, and allowed the darkness to wash over him and take him away from Camp-Half Blood. Away from home.
-X-
PERCY stood underneath the large branches of Thalia's Pine tree, the girl herself standing next to him. It had been weeks since the Battle of the Labyrinth, and the camp was almost empty. He shouldered what the demigod at his side had called a backpack—one she had packed for him herself. Percy still wasn't sure where they stood. He knew he liked her, and he knew she liked him back. But they hadn't defined their relationship yet, as Luke had so generously pointed out, and he had hoped she would bring it up before today.
Before he had to leave.
Staying in camp for as long as he had was risky. He had been healed up within a day and neither he nor Thalia had mentioned anything about his now mortal status to anyone. He still didn't understand it, but maybe he would get some answers on his journey. He had made a lot of enemies in the first war, and since last winter, and they would all be back for revenge if word leaked out that he could be killed. Thinking about it even made him shudder.
Thalia stood by his side, quietly, staring down the hill. "Do you really have to go?" She asked, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.
Percy laughed good-naturedly. "Yes. We discussed this, Thalia." She knew exactly why he needed to go. Olympus would be coming for him and he couldn't risk being thrown in another prison. Not now. Not when, as Dionysus had revealed, they were blaming him and Luke for the release of all the other Titans. "I have to track down my siblings, and my nieces and nephews and grandchildren."
"You're probably the youngest grandpa I've ever met," Thalia chuckled.
"I'll have you know that I'm…old," He trailed off. He didn't exactly know how old he was, except that it was millennia old. Probably somewhere above six thousand.
Thalia laughed once more, throwing her head back. Percy smiled at the sight. Her laughter made him feel all funny inside. The last he had felt like that had been nearly a century ago when a daughter of Ares had landed on his Island. But Thalia was different. She was better than any other heroine he had ever fallen for.
And he hated the fact that he had to leave her, and that he had to go more months without seeing her. "I'll send you an Iris Message every week," He promised.
"Day," Thalia countered.
"Fine," He didn't argue, smile growing wider. For now, he had to focus on the task at hand. He had to find the Titans that had been unleashed on the world. He knew war was coming. He knew the world would probably end soon. But he couldn't allow Kronos to go through with that. Not when he hadn't even explored half of New York yet.
Thalia reached out, and her fingers brushed his arm. She reared back suddenly and punched his bicep, as she had done all those weeks ago. He barely flinched. He had become used to it now. Used to her. Thalia's laugh died down, and then she murmured, "Stay safe."
"You too," He whispered back. She leaned down, brushing her lips against his forehead. When she pulled away, cold settled in, as though a blanket had been ripped off his bodice. Perseus inhaled, and said, "Don't do anything reckless while I'm gone."
"Who, me?" She said innocently. He laughed, as did she. They pulled closer again, sharing a last, soft kiss. Finally, he pulled away, grinning. The son of Gaea turned, trying to capture this moment, every detail, in his head. Smiling to himself, he began moving down Half-Blood Hill.
Thalia watched him go, a smile threatening to break her face in half. Percy turned, once, and beamed at her. And then he dissolved into dust, and was carried away by the wind.
A/N: Head over right now to Perseus: Excidium Troiae! There's a chapter waiting :)