"Curse him. He would destroy me? Me?" Thalia raged at the heavens.

"Oh, hey, that couldn't have been Zeus's lightning bolt. No way."

"Whose, then?" Thalia demanded.

"Don't be stupid Thalia." I said, dusting myself off, "Other weather gods exist."

Zoe stared at me, "Thou suspect defection?"

I shrugged, "Not exactly smart to rule it out."

"I suppose," Zoe said, "Now, be quiet, Ladon is near."

"You mean we're here?"

"Very close," she said. "Follow me."

Sheets of fog were drifting right across the road. Zoe stepped into one of them, and when the fog passed, she was no longer there. We glanced at each other, before Thalia spoke.

"Concentrate on Zoe. We are following her. Go straight into the fog and keep that in mind."

When the fog cleared, I was still on the side of the mountain, but the road was dirt. The grass was thicker. The sunset made a blood red slash across the sea. The summit of the mountain seemed closer now, swirling with storm clouds and raw power. There was only one path to the top, directly in front of us. And it led through a lush meadow of shadows and flowers: the garden of twilight.

A lone tree stood in the center of the garden, golden apples hanging tantalizingly. The sight would have been beautiful if not for the hundred headed dragon coiled around the trunk.

"The apples of immortality," Thalia said. "Hera's wedding gift from Zeus."

Then the shadows in front of us began to move. There was a beautiful, eerie singing, like voices from the bottom of a well. I reached for Riptide, but Zoe stopped my hand. Four figures shimmered into existence, four young women who looked very much like Zoe. They all wore white Greek chitons. Their skin was like caramel. Silky black hair tumbled loose around their shoulders.

The Hesperides.

"Sisters," Zoe said.

"We do not see any sister," one of the girls said coldly. "We see three half-bloods and a Hunter. All of whom shall soon die."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." I announced, summoning both my weapons.

"Valen Steensen." One of them spoke.

"Son of the silent one." Another spoke, "You are no threat to us."

I smiled madly, wreathing my weapons in shadows and hellfire, "Want to put that to the test?"

The third Hesperide raised an eyebrow, "Is that a challenge, intruder?"

"Maybe," I said, "Or maybe I'm just distracting you."

Before they could react, tendrils of shadows burst around their feet, tying them up. I flicked my fingers, tossing them, far away.

"Run!" I yelled, bolting. That wouldn't keep them for long.

"You're crazy." Thalia said, running beside me.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

At the top of the mountain were ruins, blocks of black granite and marble as big as houses. Broken columns. Statues of bronze that looked as though they'd been half melted.

"The ruins of Mount Othrys," Thalia whispered in awe.

"Yes," Zoe said. "It was not here before. This is bad."

"What's Mount Othrys?" Percy asked, confused.

"The titan equivalent to Olympus." I said.

"But… How is it here?"

"It moves in the same way that Olympus moves. It always exists on the edges of civilization. But the fact that it's here, on this mountain, is not good." Thalia said grimly.

"Why?"

"This is Atlas's mountain," Zoe said. "Where he holds—" She froze. Her voice was ragged with despair. "Where he used to hold up the sky."

We had reached the summit. A few yards ahead of us, gray clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountaintop, but instead rested on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silvery dress: Artemis, her legs bound to the rock with celestial bronze chains.

"My lady!" Zoe rushed forward, slowed by Artemis' voice. "Stop! It is a trap. You must leave now."

Her voice was strained. She was drenched in sweat. It felt wrong to see a goddess in such a state.

Zoe was crying. She ran forward despite Artemis' protests, and tugged at the chains. A booming voice spoke behind us. "Ah, how touching."

We turned. The General was standing there in his brown silk suit. At his side were Luke and half a dozen dracaenae bearing the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. Annabeth stood at Luke's side. She had her hands cuffed behind her back, a gag in her mouth, and Luke was holding the point of his sword to her throat.

"Son of Hades," Atlas boomed, staring at me, "Have you come to hold up your side of the offer?"

I smiled, brandishing my now extinguished weapons, "Sorry Atlas, I'll have to decline your offer."

"A pity," He sighed, genuinely sounding regretful, "You would have made a strong ally."

"If you had found me before Camp Half-Blood's demigods did, maybe we would be fighting on the same side."

The General chuckled. "So much for strong allies. And you, Zoe. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you."

"Do not respond," Artemis groaned. "Do not challenge him."

"Wait a second," Percy said. "You're Atlas?"

The General glanced at him. "So, even the stupidest of heroes can finally figure something out. Yes, I am Atlas, the general of the Titans and terror of the gods. Congratulations. I will kill you presently, as soon as I deal with this wretched girl."

"You're not going to hurt Zoe," I said. "I won't let you."

The General sneered. "You have no right to interfere, little hero. This is a family matter."

"Frankly, I don't give two fucks about that." I said, my sword resting on my shoulder.

"Let Artemis go," Zoe demanded.

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis shouted, "No! Do not offer, Zoe! I forbid you."

Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers.

"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

"You call them weaklings, yet they beat you the first time." I said, "How does that work?"

"We underestimated them," Atlas admitted, "Considered them nothing more than inexperienced subpar titans. We will not make that mistake again."

"I don't understand," Percy said. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth.

Someone must hold it at bay, lest you wish it to crush down upon this place, and instantly flattening the mountain along with everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled evilly. "Unless someone else takes it from you."

"Basically, this is where Ouranos and Gaea got steamy." I said, "But Ouranos still lusts for her, even after being turned to mincemeat."

Atlas grinned, "Exactly." He studied Thalia and Percy, "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," I said. "And let's see."

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."

"So you're another coward," Percy said.

Atlas's eyes glowered with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia. "As for you, daughter of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about you."

"I wasn't wrong," Luke managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful. "Thalia, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"

He waved his hand, and next to us a pool of water appeared: a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus.

"Are you seriously considering it?" I asked, "I mean, just look at the guy, you can see how they treat their followers."

"Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus," Luke persisted. "And you will be more powerful than the gods."

"Luke…" Her voice was full of pain. "What happened to you?"

"Don't you remember all those times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world!"

And the titans do? I thought, but remained quiet.

Thalia shook her head. "Free Annabeth. Let her go."

"If you join me," Luke promised, "it can be like old times. The three of us together. Fighting for a better world. Please, Thalia, if you don't agree…" His voice faltered. "It's my last chance. He will use the other way if you don't agree. Please."

"Do not, Thalia," Zoe warned. "We must fight them."

Luke waved his hand again, and a fire appeared. A bronze brazier, just like the one at camp. A sacrificial flame.

"Thalia," Percy said. "No."

I tightened my grip on Stormguard, if the worst came to be, I might have to ki- incapacitate Thalia.

Behind Luke, the golden sarcophagus began to glow. As it did, I saw images in the mist all around us: black marble walls rising, the ruins becoming whole, a terrible and beautiful palace rising around us, made of fear and shadow.

"We will raise Mount Othrys right here," Luke promised, in a voice so strained it was hardly his. "Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Thalia. We are not weak."

He pointed toward the ocean, and my heart fell. Marching up the side of the mountain, from the beach where a cruise ship was docked, was a great army. Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters and half-bloods, hellhounds, harpies, and other things I couldn't even name. And they were marching toward us. In a few minutes, they would be here.

"This is only a taste of what is to come," Luke said. "Soon we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, Olympus itself. All we need is your help."

For a terrible moment, Thalia hesitated, and I prepared to warp.

She gazed at Luke, her eyes full of pain, as if the only thing she wanted in the world was to believe him. Then she levelled her spear. "You aren't Luke. I don't know you anymore."

I sighed internally, I wouldn't have to kill a friend today.

"Yes, you do, Thalia," he pleaded. "Please. Don't make me… Don't make him destroy you."

Percy glanced at us, determination etched on his face.

"Now," he said. And then, we charged.

Thalia went straight for Luke. The power of her shield was so great that his dragon women bodyguards fled in a panic, dropping the golden coffin and leaving him alone.

But despite his sickly appearance, Luke was still quick with his sword. He snarled like a wild animal and counterattacked. When his sword met Thalia's shield, a ball of lightning erupted between them, frying the air with yellow tendrils of power.

And Percy? The idiot charged at Atlas.

Atlas laughed, a huge javelin appeared in his hands. His silk suit melted into full Greek battle armor. "Go on, then!"

I sighed, not the worst way to die I suppose.

Zoe said something to Percy, but I was already in the realm of shadows. I appeared behind Atlas, my sword wreathed in hellfire.

Expecting this, Atlas did a one eighty, his javelin positioned to impale through me. Manuevering my body mid-air, I parried his spear, grabbing onto his shoulder.

I grinned, "Ever been hurt by gravity?"

And then we both disappeared.

Ignoring Atlas' startled cry, I summoned my spear, lodging it into the side of the mountain. Glancing down, I saw Atlas holding on in a similar fashion, only with his fingers.

Thrusting my arm, I concentrated, and the rock he was holding onto came loose. For the first time, I saw fear flash across his face.

"See ya later!" I called a bit too cheerfully than needed, and warped away.

When I came out on the other side, everyone was gaping at me, bar Luke and Thalia who were still duking it out.

"What did you just do?" Percy asked.

I shrugged, "Warped him off the mountain, it'll hurt but it won't keep him down for long."

"That was…" Zoe began, "An amusing tactic."

"It worked, didn't it." I said, walking over the goddess. "Lady Artemis, give me the sky." I said, kneeling beside her.

"No mortal can take the sky." Artemis warned.

"Annabeth did." Percy pointed out.

"She barely survived. She had the spirit of a true huntress. You will not last so long."

"We're going to die either way," I said, drawing her attention back to me, "Atlas is a titan, if he wanted he could easily killed us all in moments. Besides, the prophecy says one of us will take the sky."

"The Titan's curse must one withstand," Percy echoed, "Holding up the sky is Atlas' curse."

I nodded, "Artemis is the only way we come out of this alive."

"Give it to me, I'll hold the sky."

"No," I shook my head, "You're the better swordsman."

"You're powers are more offensive." He argued.

"Experience triumphs strength."

"You were able to trick Atlas into falling down the mountain," He said, "You'll do better in this fight, now if there were an ocean here, that would be a different story."

"Bro, the entire area is covered in mist, just use that."

"Okay, that's enough." Zoe interrupted, "Perseus will hold the sky, Valen thee shall fight alongside my lady and I."

Grumbling under my breath, I agreed.

Uncapping riptide, Percy slashed Artemis' chains apart, kneeling beside her and sharing the weight of the sky.

I tensed, noticing a blur shoot up from the cliff edge. And when it descended, it cracked the floor.

"You will die for that, son of Hades." Atlas growled, cuts and bruises all over his body. He looked like he got a gold paintjob done on him.

I shrugged, "Eh, death's an old friend."

Atlas yanked his spear off the ground, pointing it at me.

Artemis summoned two wicked looking hunting knives, glaring at the titan. I gulped, boy was I glad that glare wasn't directed at me.

Artemis fought like a monster, I could barely track her with my eyes, she was like a silver blur dancing with the titan of power. She seemed to change form as she maneuvered. She was a tiger, a gazelle, a bear, a falcon.

Zoe kept pestering him with arrows, aiming to find any chinks in his armor, and I sent waves of hellfire every now and then, sometimes I would warp nearby, get a lucky slash and warp back before he could react.

Atlas advanced, pressing Artemis. She was fast, but his strength was unstoppable. His javelin slammed into the earth where Artemis had been a split second before, and a fissure opened in the rocks. He leaped over it and kept pursuing her.

I narrowed my eyes, noticing how she kept baiting him closer and closer to Percy. I shadow travelled again, this time, just behind Atlas, my spear ready to stab him.

But I stopped, frozen in place, I could barely see Atlas glancing back at me, an evil grin etched on his face.

"I told you, you would die for that."

I looked down at the spear lodged through my chest, right through my left lung. Red liquid coated the shaft; my blood.

Indifferently, Atlas pulled the spear out, my body lurching forward with the force.

Time slowed down, I forced my hand to move, even if for a moment. My spear stabbed into the ground, and I held on to it like dear life.

I heard the flap of a wing, my blood froze in my veins. Death was approaching.

No, I refuse to die. Not before I find out who my mother was.

Alas, there was little a mortal could do to stop death.

But I was no mere mortal. A dark mist hung over me and I felt my entire body go numb as I exerted my authority over souls, a power I rarely use, much less on myself.

Placing an arm over my wound, I used hellfire to seal it shut, but I couldn't heal that, the hole would remain with me.

I looked up, taking my first look at Thanatos, at Death itself. He was, in short, the most beautiful man you will ever see. He was lean and muscular, with a regal face, honey gold eyes, and black hair flowing down his shoulders. His skin, the color of teakwood, and his dark wings glimmered in shades of blue, black and purple.

"You have merely postponed your death, son of my lord." He said, looking down at me indifferently.

"Everyone dies eventually," I said, "I just don't want my time to come so soon."

"That's what they all say, they are all fools."

I grinned weakly, "Maybe this is a fool's gamble… Maybe I am prolonging the inevitable. But I'll take the chance."

Thanatos scoffed, "I will come for you soon enough, and you will not defy me that day."

"Whatever you say, Than."

He furrowed his brows, "Do not call me that."

I smiled through the pain, watching as he flew off.

And time returned to its normal flow.

Artemis tripped, and Zoe screamed. She leaped between her father and Artemis and shot an arrow straight into the Titan's forehead, where it lodged like a unicorn's horn. Atlas bellowed in rage. He swept aside his daughter with the back of his hand, sending her flying into the black rocks.

I wanted to move, I really did. I wanted to take the titan by surprise, impale him instead. But my body was sluggish, too slow to hit a titan.

What I had pulled off earlier had brought me some time, yes, but I was still left defenceless. I could do nothing, but watch.

"The first blood in a new war," Atlas gloated. And he stabbed downward.

As fast as thought, Artemis grabbed the shaft of his javelin. It hit the earth right next to her and she pulled backward, using the javelin like a lever, kicking the Titan Lord as he was sent flying. I saw him coming down on top of Percy and realized what would happen.

As Atlas slammed into Percy, he pushed him away, taking his place back under the sky.

"Noooooo!" He bellowed so intensely it shook the mountain. "Not again!"

"Valen!" Percy yelled, running towards me despite his condition.

"I'm fine." I managed to wheeze out; every breath hurt, like a million daggers were stabbing into my chest.

"You have a hole through your chest! How are you fine?!"

"I'm stable, I'll…live." I said, I knew my fix was temporary and I needed immediate attention.

"We have you get you to my brother," Artemis said, staring at the hole in my chest.

A loud clang drew our attention, and I saw Luke's sword spin out of his hand, and Thalia's spear pointed at his throat.

For a moment, there was silence.

"Well?" Luke asked. He tried to hide it, but I could hear fear in his voice.

Thalia trembled with fury. Behind her, Annabeth came scrambling, finally free from her bonds. Her face was bruised and streaked with dirt. "Don't kill him!"

"He's a traitor," Thalia said. "A traitor!"

In my daze, I realized that Artemis was no longer with me. She had run off toward the black rocks where Zoe had fallen.

"We'll bring Luke back," Annabeth pleaded. "To Olympus. He… he'll be useful."

"Is that what you want, Thalia?" Luke sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please daddy like a good girl?"

Thalia hesitated, and Luke made a desperate grab for her spear.

"No!" Annabeth shouted. But it was too late. Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

"Luke!" Annabeth screamed.

Okay, I won't lie, this girl was getting on my nerves. Luke was a traitor, one who kidnapped her and tricked her into holding the sky for him according to Percy. Is this fool so love struck that she can't even see that?

Percy ran up to the two girls, looking down the cliff where Luke fell. I could swear I heard someone yelling "Kill them!"

And so we ran for the rocks, Percy supporting me, but it was evident I was slowing them down.

I breathed in deeply, connecting to my shadow underneath. And with Percy still holding on, we teleported.

It took me a few turns, but soon we were there, Thalia and Annabeth arriving moments later.

Taking a look at Zoe's battered form, I winced, she wasn't in good condition. Well, neither was I to be honest.

"Lady Artemis," Percy said urgently, "The monsters."

Artemis didn't reply, her glowing hand hovering over Zoe. I watched as her wounds began to heal painfully slowly.

"What is it?" I asked, the aura of death around Zoe was strong.

"She's not breathing." I think her voice cracked a bit there.

I furrowed my brows, "But-"

"They're here." Percy warned, his arm trembled as he raised Riptide.

Just as the army of monsters came over the hill, a Sopwith Camel swooped down out of the sky.

"Get away from my daughter!" Dr. Chase called down, and his machine guns burst to life, peppering the ground with bullet holes and startling the whole group of monsters into scattering.

"Dad?" yelled Annabeth in disbelief.

"Run!" he called back, his voice growing fainter as the biplane swooped by.

This shook Artemis out of her grief. She stared up at the antique plane, which was now banking around for another strafe.

"A brave man," Artemis said with grudging approval. "Come, We must get Zoe away from here."

She raised her hunting horn to her lips, and its clear sound echoed down the valleys of Marin.

The Sopwith Camel swooped down again. A few giants threw javelins, and one flew straight between the wings of the plane, but the machine guns blazed. Dr. Chase, that absolute madman had managed to get his hands on celestial bronze bullets. The first row of snake women wailed as the machine gun's volley blew them into sulfurous yellow powder.

"That's… my dad!" Annabeth said in amazement.

Just then, the moonlight brightened, and a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by the most beautiful deer I had ever seen. It landed right next to us.

"Thalia, shock her." I ordered.

"What?"

"We need to restart her heart. Mortals do that using a defibrillator, it should work in principle." I said, "We don't have much time before her brain starts dying, do it now."

Perhaps sensing the urgency in my voice, Thalia didn't protest. Sparts sputtered to life between her fingers and she pressed her hand over Zoe's chest. Her body spasmed once, the discharge jump starting her system.

She still wasn't breathing.

"Again."

Zoe spasmed, but remained unbreathing.

"It is too late," Artemis said dejectedly, "Zoe is gon-"

"Again." I said, cutting her off.

Thalia looked doubtful, but complied nonetheless. This time, Zoe didn't just spasm. She gasped in a deep breath, before devolving into a coughing fit.

"It worked.." Thalia whispered. Artemis instantly kneeled down beside Zoe, "Are you alright, my Huntress?"

Zoe nodded weakly, "I am, my Lady. But, what happened? I know I died, I saw Charon. But it was like I was pulled away at the last possible moment."

Thalia grinned, "Thank Valen, he saved your life."

I narrowed my eyes, "Thalia, you were the one with the thunder fingers."

"Don't call me that!"

I chuckled, wincing when my wound acted up.

"She is right," Artemis said, "It was your quick thinking that saved Zoe's life. You have my thanks."

I bristled, I never did like being complimented, it made me awkward. So I switched the topic, "That's the thing with demigods, you guys just won't use mortal means. It's like you abhor modern tec-"

I doubled down, my vision splitting. The grey nigh-invisible mist covering my body began thinning in patches. Shit!

"Damn it," I whispered.

"Hey," Percy was immediately at my side "Are you okay?"

"Just peachy," I wheezed out.

"He's dying." Artemis said, grabbing the reins of her chariot, "Come, we must get him to my brother."

"You saved my life, you shall not die on me."

Was that Zoe? It was getting hard to tell.

I felt myself being lifted by someone, Percy perhaps. No, it was two people, I was picked up as a sack of potatoes, and gently laid down somewhere.

Moments later, we ascended to the skies. Everything was a blur as we moved, their voices nothing but meaningless babbles, echoing infinitely in my head.

I knew I couldn't pass out, doing so would release the hold I had on my soul and allow me to pass on into the underworld.

With great difficulty l kept myself awake, even as we landed down somewhere too bright for my liking.

As before, I was picked up by two of my friends. All I could see was gold, literally everywhere, although it was hard to tell what was the ceiling and what was the floor.

The last thing I saw before passing out was a man with bright golden hair. I think I also heard a raven caw, but that might just be me.