No accounts can ever tell you exactly how terrifying a Titan is up close. It's one thing to read about something, and an entirely different thing to experience it in front of you.

Koios was at least ten feet tall. His eyes were as blue as a glaciers, and they gazed at me like soulless orbs of destruction. He wore black armor with a single star in the center, which hummed and pulsed with energy. He had short white hair that was cut short, military style, and his blue skin rippled with muscle.

"So we meet at least, son of the sea,"

I shivered when he spoke. Icy cold winds and frost surrounded him as he walked towards us, the sickle of Ceres now glowing blue in his hands. With the moonlight casting an eerie hallow around him, he looked like a buffed version of the grim reaper with a tiny scythe.

His presence was cold and unnerving. I had to focus and take deep breaths to calm my mind, which was rushing at fifty miles an hour.

All of a sudden, I heard someone speak.

The gods are ready, it told me. But they need a signal.

I glanced around. The voice was familiar, but there was no one friendly for miles.

Do you honestly have such a bad memory, boy?

I only knew one person who referred to me as boy.

It was Lady Diana. I had no idea how she reached my mind. I mean, besides the fact that she was a god, obviously. But she was talking to me.

What? I thought back, hoping she could hear me. I hoped this telepathy—thing worked both ways.

Koios was frowning. I hoped he wasn't able to tell what was going on.

Stupid child, I heard again, Kani needs to know where you are. Do you have a godly weapon? A flare? Remote control helicopter? Anything?

I hoped Kani was her god-friend and not some weird dog food brand or something.

Would a godly transformation be a significant enough event to act as a marker? I asked.

Yes; but no one else may interfere.

I snorted. I doubt any other god is going to step in right now

The Moon rose suddenly from behind the clouds, glaring harshly at the Monster Camp.

I will forgive your insolence this time, for I see your predicament— her voice softened,

I wish you luck, Percy Jackson. It is indeed a grave enemy that you face.

The voice left.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants.

I glanced up and saw Koios frowning.

"Why do you tarry, boy?" He challenged.

I swallowed, doing my best to act like a scared demigod without any idea of what to do. It wasn't hard.

I summoned all the courage I had, and walked up towards him. It might sound simple, but for me it was the bravest thing I'd done this entire quest. Top three, at least.

Even the gods used to veil their power in the presence of demigods. Mostly it was so we could pay attention to their message and not be distracted by the raw power oozing from them. I knew about this because I sometimes saw flashes of godly power as they revealed their divine form before teleporting. It was something beyond comparision. It was so wild and raw, I felt it would tear my mind apart if I was exposed for too long.

The Titans didn't have such issues. They liked their power to be seen and felt by all.

"Percy!"

I looked behind me. Reyna was giving me a weird look, which I read as: I hope you have a plan.

"Be careful."

I nodded.

As I walked up to meet the Titan, Rob came up to me. He looked serious, all traces of sarcasm gone.

"Might as well have one of us with you," he said, gruffly. He spat down on the ground, "I'm not going to ever have a demigod say they were braver than me."

I tried to smile. I hope it didn't come out as a grimace.

But with Rob next to me, I realized we may have a shot. I just had to do something I was really bad at. Lupa had told me even a child of Mars was better at this than I was. It was probably one of the few things I was worse at than Math.

Negotiations.

"You are Percy, then? Named after Perseus, I suppose, The Destroyer; how…quaint."

Koios stroked his chin as he looked at me, sizing me up, only, it was more like sizing me down, since I only came up to his waist.

"What's it to you?" I asked, acting braver than I felt.

Koios laughed.

"Spirited little demigod. I find you amusing."

I sighed.

"You can't expect me to do anything else. I mean, we've pretty much lost at this point," I replied, gesturing to the monster army surrounding us. "Stupid gods," i mumbled, glaring at the ground, wishing it could swallow me.

We were pretty much surrounded. I knew Koios had figured out there was no way we could escape.

Rob stared at me, but I gave him a look that I hope he understood.

Koios raised a brow, reaching down and pulling me up by the hair. I winced in pain, but didn't pull out my sword.

Patience.

It didn't come easily to me. I worked better with action and winging things. But the best warriors know when to be patient.

Koios stared at me, and I forced myself not to look away. His eyes looked deep into my soul, like he was searching for lies and deciet. Apparently satisfied, he put me down.

"Heroes do not usually give up this easily. Why do you?"

I shrugged. "Honestly, are you surprised? I thought we had a chance— evidently we don't. I thought if we got the sickle in your tent—"

Koios smiled for the first time. "You should have known I would be loathe to actually risk such a deadly weapon amongst mere boxes."

I nodded. "I've gotta admit, I thought you were a little more confident than that."

He frowned. "What do you mean, demigod?"

I looked back. Everyone was staring at me, confused. Aunt P was hugging Mel who was having a breakdown again. A bunch of Dracenae had surrounded them, and were quickly disarming them.

I pointed to the table, before taking in a deep breath and biting my teeth to stop them from chattering.

I wasn't going to show any sign of weakness.

"I thought you'd be confident enough in your ability to actually keep the sickle there. You know, as the Titan of Foresight and all. I thought you'd enjoy a little intellectual spar. Seems to me that you're more insecure than you think."

At this, Koios roared with laughter. And the entire monster camp joined him— even a couple confused demigods.

This wasn't the intended effect I wanted to have. I could feel Reyna's questioning glare even without turning back.

He slapped his thigh, before snapping his fingers.

A throne of ice appeared behind him, and he sat down, the sickle laid across his knee.

"I haven't had such a good jest in years," he chuckled. "You foolish demigod, do you really think that the likes of you could actually prove an adversary to my intellect?"

"Yeah," was my eloquent reply.

"Why do you think that?"

I gestured to the monster army around us.

"There are so many people of your army here. I was wondering if you doubted your own intellect. I know you're smarter than me. It's not like I can fight you anyway— our only hope was in stealth. And that's kind gone now."

Koios chuckled to himself, before narrowing his eyes.

"Why do you stall for time?"

I shook my head. I smiled sadly.

"I'm not. I'm just trying to extend how long I'm alive. I know there's no hope left."

Rob glared at me. "What do you mean—"

I stared at him. "Do you really think we can beat one of the elder Titans? While they have a godly weapon in their grasp?"

"You're a coward, Percy!"

I winced.

"Maybe," I said, my voice shaking. "But I'm the strongest member of our team right now. And even I know we're not match. Some battles aren't worth fighting."

Koios was watching our conversation with interest.

"I would like to keep you as a servant, boy," he said, staring at me. "But Kronos has given strict orders to have you either turned to our side or killed. Would you turn?"

I gasped.

"Kr-Kronos? He has risen?"

Koios smiled maliciously.

"He gains more and more power as we speak. Do you really think the gods can have a chance at fighting against Kronos once he is at the height of his power? Especially when he has more support than the last war?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kronos is not the only ancient being rising. There are others. Beings far older than Titans. Far more powerful. All of whom," he narrowed his eyes and glared at me, "hate Olympus and its children. Do you really think you even stand a chance?"

I clenched my fists till they turned white. No matter what, I would not give him the satisfaction of scaring me. Because I'd figured out that was pretty much what Koios wanted from me.

He wanted me to be scared. Intimidated. He wanted me to fear his power.

He was nothing more than a big bully. A thousand year old armored immortal bully.

"I know even if I die, there are others who will continue to fight against you!"

Koios clucked his tongue, shaking his head.

"But why, Perseus? Why must you die? Do you not understand? The Titans respect demigods more than your gods ever could. We know they are vital instruments to any regime. Why would you continue to serve those who could not care less about you?"

His voice made my mind fuzzy, like I was asleep and entering a dream. I found it hard to argue, and suddenly it made a lot more sense to just join the Titans. Who liked the Olympian gods anyways?

"I—"

I faltered.

"I don't…know."

Koios nodded, sympathetically.

"I know, Perseus. You serve the gods because you know nothing else. But what if there was another way? A better way?"

His voice cast a spell over me. There was nothing that I wanted to do more than just join him and lay down my weapon.

But a small part of me still refused to accept that. I had this uncomfortable feeling in the back of my mind that something wasn't right.

"Percy!"

I jumped.

I looked back and saw Reyna. She looked…scared.

"DO NOT INTERFERE!" Koios screeched, and I winced, covering my ears in pain.

But the pain helped me.

My head was clear again. I took in a deep breath of the cold night air.

Koios snarled. His chance had been spoiled. And not by me. Corny as it sounds, it was through Reyna. And the power of friendship.

Becuase that was what I fought for. Not just for Olympus. But for my friends and family. For what they stood for and helped me achieve. So that others like me could lead lives in peace. For others that could not fight like me.

I shook my head.

"After a through examination," I told Koios, "I have decided not to join your army."

See? I can use big words when I need to.

Koios shook his head, before getting up from his seat, which turned back into mist and disappeared, like it was never there. He shook his head, snow falling out of his hair and onto his armor, making it look like he had a bad case of dandruff.

"Your little band of demigods may have had several fun adventures thus far. But it comes to an end now. You are not the first demigods I have killed. And you are definitely not the last. You will all be but bones in the earth, a name long forgotten, ere I tire of killing your pitiful kind."

Koios spat.

Good.

He thought Rob was a demigod.

Koios suddenly looked behind us.

"Bring me the others."

Several dracenae immediately stepped forward, their spears pointing forward.

The forced the rest of the group in front, to stand along with Rob and I.

His eyes widened when he saw Haniel. I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the first time he'd seen a son of Notus.

"You, child, you are a son of the wind, yes?"

Haniel turned white. He nodded.

"You do know your father sides with us?"

He didn't say anything, and Koios smirked.

"Your fatal flaw—much like his," he said, pointing to me, "is loyalty. Do not think I did not notice. Choose your side with care. Your father knows— and I trust you do to."

He then ignored him and walked past Anahita and Akua, stopping when he saw Reyna. It was subtle, but I noticed him stiffen. His grip around the sickle tightened.

"You are the demigod that interrupted me."

"I beg your pardon?"

There was no way Reyna was trying to be polite to the Titan. Like, why?

"You are a nuisance. An annoyance. Someone left behind, are you not?"

Reyna didn't say anything, but her jaw clenched. I could see her crack her knuckles like she usually did when she wanted to hit someone but couldn't. That someone was usually me.

"You are not like the others."

She didn't reply.

"You don't belong here. Why did you leave your own?"

"You," Reyna spat, "don't know anything about me."

Koios huffed in annoyance and before she could even react, he reached out and grabbed her neck, and began to squeeze. He pulled her up like she was nothing more than a ragdoll.

Reyna opened her mouth, but nothing more than a wheeze came out.

I snapped.

I quickly drew riptide and tried to rush him, but several dracenae stood in my way, holding spears against me.

Koios looked at me, malice in his eyes. Reyna was gasping for breath, her face turning blue as she choked, suspended in the air by his hand. She was clawing at his fingers, but he didn't seem to feel pain. Her gladius was on the floor— the dracenae must have disarmed her. He smiled, before turning back to look at her and patting her cheek.

"Demigods. Such useful tools in the right hands."

She looked at me for a second. I blinked back tears. Her eyes were glazed over, and her face was turning blue.

Then her head dropped. Koios chuckled and threw her down.

I couldn't help it.

I ran up to Reyna, quickly taking off her breast plate and trying to see if she was still alive. If she was still breathing.

"Your friend is not dead," Koios said, as he walked back. "She is merely unconscious. For now."I whirled around, my eyes red.

"What do you mean, for now?"

He gazed around at his army.

"There is a lot you do not know about her. But I do. She is not who you think she is. That girl has killed several monsters that are part of my army today. And I thus feel it is only fair that they torture her a bit before they kill her."

"Torture?"

Koios shrugged. "Nothing of note. What do you recommend?"

"Cut off her arms!"

"Eat her!"

"Fry her! Medium rare!"

The army around me cheered and hooted, but I went red with rage.

"You will not touch her!"

Koios sneered and turned back to look at me. "Who will stop me? You? One of your demigod friends?" he gestured towards the others.

"You may be the most powerful demigod," he walked back towards me. The dracenae guard had stepped back, because even they knew I wasn't stupid enough to take him one on one in a fight. "But I can tell she was your best fighter."

"Coward!" I spat. "That's why you took her out."

Koios rubbed his hands together.

"Merely precautions. She was the only one skilled enough to maybe even pose a threat one-on-one. You would be more of a threat if you were older and had more control of your powers, but I doubt that, seeing as you cannot even oppose the child of a minor sea goddess."

He knew about Blackbeard.

"Pity, really," the Titan scorned. "That a son of the god of the sea should be defeated at sea by nothing more than a son of a minor god. And you think you could best me?"

I capped riptide.

"No," I said, honestly.

Koios must have sense it, because he smiled.

"This, I like," he said, his canines gleaming in the moonlight. "A demigod with sense. Why do you flatter me so?"

I glanced towards Rob.

"Well, I was hoping," I looked down, before back at him.I sighed, letting my arms drop down. I was tired of this. Tired of the tension. Tired of the fight that was everything except physical.

"I could have one last favor before you killed us?"

"Who mentioned that I was killing you?"

I gave him an are you serious look and the Titan laughed.

"Very well. I will hear your proposition," he said, stroking the sickle. "It will be the last chance you get to stall for time."

"I-I just," I glanced at Rob again, hoping he understood.

"I'm on my first quest. And even though I'll probably die, I'd like to know what it felt like to complete it, at least for a few seconds."

I meant it. After all we'd been through. Everything we'd faced. At least knowing we'd come close would feel good. I sounded as earnest as I could, hoping Koios would take the bait.

Koios frowned. "And how would that be?"

"If you gave me the sickle?" I asked, hopefully.

He laughed. "A valiant try, demigod. But I am not stupid. Even in the hands of a demigod, this weapon is worth more trouble than it is worth. Especially one such as powerful as you."

"But please," I argued. "Do you not know how important it is to feel success at at least something before you die? I failed my Camp before. I've failed my friends now. At least grant me this. You know how it feels, right?"

Koios shook his head, turning back and walking away from me.

"You forget I am a Titan, demigod. I do not care."

"What about my friend then?"

He paused, turned and looked at Rob, who waved. He turned back to me, his eyes searching.

"What about him?"

"Can he hold it? For a few seconds? You can feel his aura— he is not powerful enough to oppose you."

Koios closed his eyes for a second, and I hoped Rob was as good as masking his godly aura as I thought he was. I prayed to every single god I could think of that Koios didn't detect anything.

He opened them.

"A minor son of the god of rust. Very well, I see no harm in this. It will be—how do you mortals say it? Fun? Yes— fun. This minor demigod can do no harm; I see no trouble letting him hold the sickle for a few seconds."

Rob gasped, but he quickly covered it up with a cough when Koios looked at him.

I frowned.

"You don't? I mean—thank you!"

Koios sneered.

"Do not thank me, demigod. I merely would see you hope more. The more you hope— the happier I am to see your hope crushed. I love seeing the servants of Olympus see the bitterness of defeat."

I didn't say anything. I knew if I did, I'd probably ruin things.

Koios nodded at me. "You know when to hold back. That is rare, for a child of the sea."

Slowly, almost too slowly, he walked towards Rob.

The sickle grew in size, until it was thirteen feet long and looked more like a spear with a curved end.

Koios grinned maliciously at Rob.

"Ensure not to drop it. I will enjoy seeing your look of victory turn to the pitiful despair of defeat."

He threw it at Rob.

There was a flash of light, and a huge bolt of lightning struck the ground. The sky turned as clear as day for a second, and I could swear I saw Lady Diana high up in the sky, her lips quirked in a smile.

A godly flare.

I cracked a smile.

When the light faded, Rob was bathed in an aura of gold. The air around him was warm, and I could sense the smell of corn and other agricultural produce increase. He was so bright it was like a mini-sun at midnight, turning the bay bright yellow for miles, making him painful to look at.

"No worries," he smirked. "I won't."

Koios' eyes widened.

To my left, I could see Mel and Aunt P assume their divine forms. They shone bright gold against the night, not holding any of their power back. The mosnter army finally shrank back in fear.

They may have been minor gods, but they were still living breathing monster-killing eternal gods.

Koios glanced at me, with something like the trace of a smile on his lips.

"You have fooled me, son of the sea. But I sense there is more too it. You had help. Hold this in high regard— there are not many who can say they have bested me in a battle of wits."

I smirked and drew riptide. It glowed faintly in the moonlight.

The godly auras had dispelled a lot of the fog around us. Finally, far to my right, I could reach out and sense it. Powerful. Endless. Vast. Calling for me.

I could sense the sea. No matter how smart you were— you didn't fight a son of Neptune on a beach.

"You're not as smart as you think,"I challenged.

Koios snarled, before drawing both his swords from behind his back, each of them as large as a surfboard and three times as deadly (surfboards are deadly in their own right).

"ENOUGH!" He roared, and the earth seemed to shake. "I have wasted enough time. Kill them all!"

The Monster Camp around us charged, and I felt my body go into autopilot as the thrill of battle consumed me.

"Mel!" I turned and yelled to the youngest goddess. She glanced at me, her eyes gleaming in the night, full of power. She grinned. "Yes?"

"Get Reyna. And teleport out of here!"

The goddess shook her eyes.

"You underestimate me, demigod. As a mortal," she shuddered, "I feared what these monsters would do to me. But now," she grinned, "I'm a god. And they will know what it means to fear a god."

Huh. One minute as god and she was already different.

Maybe Mel was short for melodramatic. I wasn't going to argue though because one, she was a god, and two, we needed all the firepower we could get.

He approaches I heard Diana's voice in my mind, and I nodded.

Perfect timing, I said.

You….handled that well. For a man. When you return to Olympus, I wish to council with you.

The voice left my head before I could respond.

Mel quickly scooped up Reyna over her shoulder, before flying away into the night sky, like a huge live version of tinkerbell. I sighed in relief— now that Reyna was safe, I could focus on the battle at hand.

I turned towards my friends.

"You guys got weapons?"

Haniel grinned and produced his gladius. Anahita had a spear.

Akua had taken Ceres' sickle from Rob. He didn't really need it anymore— his godly power was his strength and I figured he'd prefer to use it.

"He can't use it!" Anahita shouted at me, as if reading my thoughts.

I quickly sprinted towards them, dodging a cross-cut from a dracena and quickly rolling past it, stabbing it from behind.

She rolled her eyes. "Show-off!"

Akua waved the sickle around us.

Suddenly, the weather turned warm, and a million heads of corn sprouted from the field, entangling the monster army and slowing them down. The corn seemed to have a life of its own, pulling down monsters, tripping them and burying them deep into the earth.

If this was the power of a godly weapon in the hands of a demigod, I couldn't even imagine how powerful the Titans would be with it.

To my right, I could faintly see Rob, Aunt P and Mel, who had flown back, fighting Koios. I couldn't really focus on them at the moment, but I could hear and feel several thunderous explosions and winced at the power I could sense from them. None of them were holding back.

"What's the plan?"

I turned towards Haniel, and took a moment to catch my breath.

"Y'all stop the monsters? I'll help them," I said, gesturing to the gods.

"They're immortals, Percy. How can you step in between them?"

I took a second to glance at the battle. Koios was being pummeled on all sides by honey, infected corn and pomegranates. Bananas shot around him like heat-seeking missiles, hitting all the exposed parts of his armor. Honey entered the gaps in his armor, and coated his body, slowing him down and making him look like a huge gummy bear warrior. There were even two combine-harvesters that had spawned near his feet that looked like they were…trying to harvest his toes?

But I knew that despite the fact that there were three of them, Rob, Mel and Aunt P were minor gods. They were no where as close to as powerful as the Olympians.

And Koios was an elder Titan. A being that was stronger than most Olympians and could possibly go toe-to-toe with Lord Jupiter himself.

I needed to help.

"I'll use that," I said, pointing to the ocean, which was turbulent and frothing, glistening in the moonlight. I gave Haniel a feral smile. "Koios may be king of the north or whatever. But beaches? They're my home turf. Plus, we should have back-up any minute."

Haniel nodded. Anahita gave me a two finger salute.

"For victory!" she shouted.

"For Rome! And for the record—" I added, "I'm glad you guys have got my back. I'd pick you over any cohort. Any day. You guys are my family."

"Stop talking like we're about to die, Percy," Akua scoffed, before using the sickle to turn a group of dracenae into cereal bowls. "We've got this. Get your ass there!"

"On it Captain!" I grinned, before rushing towards the water.

The maze of…well, maize, parted before me as I passed through, blocking monsters and allowing me to reach the ocean quickly. I glanced back at Akua, and she grinned.

I smiled back. I was glad to see her turn from one of the scared new probatios at Camp to a powerful demigod in her own right. I'd like to see any of the legionnaires try to bully her now.

Haniel and Anahita entered the corn fields back-to-back, slicing any monsters that got past the tangled mass of leaves and roots to dust.

I turned back and focused on the summoning force I felt.

The closer I got to the sea, the more I felt its pull. It was calling me, roaring, unsettled and violent.

Koios called me less than the son of a minor sea god, I thought, I'll show him what the wrath of Neptune feels like.

I walked up to the edge of the surf, ignoring the monsters running towards me. Ignoring the harpies diving down, their teeth gleaming in the night. I willed the water to pull me down, forcing myself to the bottom of the ocean floor.

It took a few seconds, but the water revived me. I felt stronger, more powerful than I'd ever felt.

This was the Pacific ocean. This huge, vast domain that stretched as far as my eyes could see. All the raw power of the sea.

It was beyond anything I could ever imagine.

Show them my power, son

I blinked. I didn't see anyone, but I could have sworn I heard my dad speak to me.

The sea was as alive below as the battle on the beach. A million schools of fish swam around nervously. Sharks, some as large as cars, swam about lazily. I even spotted a small whale, far off in the distance.

The sea gave life. The sea was life. The sea created.

But it also destroyed.

I focused on one thing— my rage.

I remembered feeling powerless at Camp. How Koios taunted me. How the Titans had led so many demigods to the wrong side. How they'd killed my friends.

My throat tightened as I remembered Reyna.

"Give me your power," I whispered.

The sea responded to my command.

I forced the water into a small channel behind me. The pressure kept building behind me, until it was almost unbearable, but I screamed and forced it to build up for a few more second.

Then I let it go, feeling the entire force of the ocean behind me, as it propelled me upwards.

I shot out of the water, my eyes scanning the battlefield for anything that moved.

Water closed in around me, following my every move.

I remembered what Lupa had told me once. That no child of any god had the destructive capacity of a child of Neptune. And that it was not for no reason I was named after that.

Perseus.

The Destroyer.

I liked the sound of that.

The waves surrounded me, and I felt a tugging sensation in my gut. The weather quickly turned turbulent, storm clouds gathering in the distance. Lightning flickered in the sky, as a miniature hurricane of ice and water formed around me.

I was glowing green, and when I looked up, I saw a single insignia over me: A trident.

In that moment, I felt unstoppable. I felt like I could split the world with my hands. Like I could part oceans. Level mountains.

No part of me felt human. This was what it felt like to be a god.

"KOIOS!" I screamed, and the entire beach shook.

The Titan paused in his fight, looking at me for the first time with something like respect, and maybe even fear.

I didn't care either way.

I drew riptide and advanced.

Nothing stopped me.

I slashed the sword around me, ducking below blows and side-stepping arrows and spears. The water curled around me, like a protective shield, deflecting anything that I didn't manage to avoid.

I stabbed and parried, everything a haze of blood and dust. The water around me kept me reinvigorated, giving me more and more energy. It seemed like it would never end.

A cyclopes tried to hit me with its club. I slid under it, slashing both of its legs, before summoning a colossal wave to hit the beach, taking several dozen monsters with it into the depths of the sea.

"Percy!"

I turned.

Koios had caught Mel by the hair and was swinging his sword towards her. Rob and Aunt P were stuck, held in place by shackles of ice.

I pulled the water to my will, and it answered, shooting me forward.

I hurtled through the sky, a human missile. Over the demigods and monsters. Over Haniel and Anahita. Over Akua, waving the sickle around like it was a pom-pom.

The further I went away, the less I felt the power of the ocean around me. The water left me, and returned back to its place. The energy I once felt slowly dissipated, leaving me with nothing but my own reserves.

But I didn't need it.

I needed to prove this. For myself. For others.

I needed to let them know— I was more than a child of Neptune. Everyone thought I was nothing but child of the Big Three. That my powers were everything.

Nah. I was my own person.

I quickly landed on Koios sword and flipped off of it as it arced towards Mel, using riptide to slash at his hand.

The Titan screamed in pain and dropped Mel.

I quickly caught her and carried her a safe distance away, running as fast as I could to avoid the reach of the Titan's sword.

"You alright?"

Mel nodded. "Nothing a little ambrosia won't heal."

I looked back at Koios, who was moving towards Aunt P with intent to kill.

"I've gotta go."

Mel nodded and rolled her eyes. "You heroes have all the fun."

I turned back and winked.

"Part of the job."

I quickly grabbed riptide and intercepted Koios' slash before it could reach Aunt P. Our swords clashed, bronze against ice, and the shafts rattled from the impact. My arms began to shake from from the impact. I'd used my entire body to stop a blow from just his arm.

"You are stronger than I thought you were, demigod," Koios said, blood and honey dribbling out of his mouth. He spat out a tooth.

"But you are no match for me."

Suddenly, the sky lit up.

I heard the faint chime of bells as a gust of icy cold wind blew from behind me.

The Moon suddenly appeared from behind a cloud. And for a second, everything was almost as clear as day.

A huge shadow appeared behind me. It looked like a Rolls Royce in the sky.

I didn't know which pantheon had gods that traveled in supercars, but I was glad help had arrived when it had.

"Maybe not," I replied, grinning. "But he is."

I ducked, and I felt the WHOOSH as a huge vehicle straight up went and slammed into Koios before he could react.

The beach exploded into sand and whole-grain cereal. Dust covered everything as a violent storm stirred up around Koios.

I looked up.

It wasn't a Roll Royce.

It was a sleigh.

Drawn by reindeer.

What was Santa Claus doing here?

One quick glance at the rider though, told me he was anything but the jolly Christmas spirit.

It was a man— all muscles and scars and ripped skin. I couldn't see his head, but two golden eyes gleamed under a headdress made up of a dead white deer. Seal and deer skin wrapped around the man, and he had several chains of bones hanging around his neck. A bony belt with a skull at the center surrounded his waist. The only odd part was that he was wearing Pumas. Like, the shoe.

"Who are you?" Koios screamed in rage and confusion.

I took the opportunity to hack at Aunt P and Rob's shackles of ice. Riptide cleaved through them like a knife through butter.

"We need to attack together," I told them.

"Who's the bounty hunter?" Rob asked.

I shrugged. I didn't know the gods name. Just that Diana had sent him here to help.

"I," the god began, "am Kanipinikassikueu."

I am not repeating that. Even Koios couldn't remember that name.

The Titan grabbed both his swords.

"You are not from our pantheon! Direct interference is prohibited!"

Kani— I'd realized that was why Lady Diana had stuck to the short form— turned towards me, before drawing out tomahawk, which gleamed menacingly in the moonlight.

"I am here based on the complaint raised by one, Perseus Jackson, on the GRIDDY helpline. I am here to right the wrongs of my pantheon, and am instructed to fight against you."

Koios snarled, and the air around us grew colder. The star on his armor began to hum with energy, pulsing and beating like a heart. He grew even taller, and his wounds began to heal. He drew both his swords, drawing them into a X—formation. His eyes were blazing in anger.

"It matters not who faces me! You will all die!" he screamed.

I ran up to him, riptide in hand. Rob and Kani were on my right, Mel and Aunt P on my left.

I raised riptide up, and felt the voice of a thousand heroes behind my call.

"TOGETHER! NOW!"

I took a second to realize I'd literally commanded gods to attack with me.

But no one questioned it.

Together, we attacked Koios again.

Mel and Aunt P flew up above him, slashing him and attacking him from above. Rob and Kani attacked from the ground.

I just stepped in and slashed whenever I found an opening.

But every time we managed to score a decent hit, the star on his chest plate pulsed, and his wounds began to heal. We weren't going to make a dent on him unless someone took that out.

"Flank right!" I screamed.

Rob and Kani quickly attacked Koios' right, drawing their weapons and shooting corn and deer droppings at the Titan.

I had to time this just right. A second wrong and I'd be split in two.

Koios snarled and slashed both his swords to the right, a powerful cross-cut that drew a wind of its own and pushed the other gods away.

It was now or never.

I took a deep breath, took a running start, and jumped off the sleigh, which had crashed a few feet in front of where Koios was now standing.

I flattened my body in the air, riptide ahead of me, turning myself into a human spear.

Koios' twin swords passed above and below me, the air from the blow brushing against my skin.

I spun around and threw riptide as hard as I could, dead in the center of his breastplate, before I crashed into his armor.

BANG!

I saw stars as heavy forged metal collided with my body. Black spots danced in my vision, and I could feel my hands turn to lead. I didn't have time to react and landed hard on my right ankle, hearing the snap of bone breaking.

I screamed in pain.

Slowly, almost too slowly, I rolled in the sand and looked up.

The breastplate was split in two. And the star was broken. It no longer gleamed.

But the owner of the breastplate was right next to me. Koios looked at me with a face filled with centuries of malice.

"You meddlesome demigod," he breathed. "I will kill you."

I was pretty sure I'd broken my ankle. My hands didn't seem to respond to anything I tried to do. I had no idea where riptide was.

Koios raised a huge leg, ready to trample me.

I hope I made you proud mom, I thought, as I closed my eyes.

Not all heroes had a happy ending. I knew enough about my roman mythology to know that.

I waited for the blow to come.

It never did.

I heard the whistle of wind as I felt someone scoop me up and carry me away.

I opened my eyes.

Reyna.

She smiled at me— the type of smile you give someone after you both nearly die.

"You didn't think I was going away that easily, did you?"

I didn't say anything. I couldn't believe she came back.

Reyna rolled her eyes, before sprinting past several monsters, straight towards Anahita and Haniel. Her body glowed orange, and I remembered what she had told me about her mother. This was one of her powers. It was like a vitality boost, gave you +5 HP +5 Healing and stuff. That's the best way I can explain it. You fought better when you had it.

She carefully put me down near a sand pit, around which Akua erected a wall of corn. She quickly knelt down and looked at me, grabbing my head with her hand and pulling me up towards her.

"Are you alright?"

"You came back." I muttered.

I couldn't even describe how I was feeling at the moment. After seeing what Koios had did to her— I was afraid. Deadly afraid of what had happened to her. I'd tried to push away the feeling at the begining of the battle because I had things that were more important going on.

But now, they all rushed back, like a dam holding them back had just broken.

What if something had happened to her? What if she was badly injured?

She didn't seem to be. At least, going by what I could see.

The pain from my leg made me feel woozy, but seeing her fine made me feel whole again.

Reyna nodded. "Obviously. Did you really think I was that weak? I—"

I reached up and tackled her in a hug, cutting her off.

She stiffened, before reaching back and hugging me.

I pulled back, before looking up at her, trying to memorize all the details of her face. The way her eyes closed when she smiled. Her hair moving in the wind. The way the moonlight shone across her face. The little things I took for granted before.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked. I looked up and down her armor, trying to see if she was hiding any injuries. I traced my hands across her arms and tried to ignore the racing of my heart at how close we were.

Reyna caught my hands in hers, before looking at me and smiling.

"I am. I'm stronger than you think."

"You don't know how glad I am to remember that."

I reached up and cupped her cheek.

"You aren't leaving me like that again."

Reyna smiled, before placing her hand over mine.

"Of course, partner. We're in it for the long run."

I looked behind her, to where there was still a fight ongoing.

Now that his armor was dysfunctional, Koios was slowly losing ground. He wasn't a match for three Greek gods and an angry Santa Claus ripoff from the North Pole.

The monster camp was pretty much a zombie site. Most of them had been killed, a couple still struggled to free themselves from a field of vines that had trapped most of them, while several of them were being chased by the reindeer that had broken free from Kani's chariot.

I could barely stand.

I tried to take get up and take a step forward, but stumbled, and I would have fallen if Reyna hadn't caught me.

"Careful," she warned.

I smiled. "My bad. I guess my godly powers drained me more than I thought they did."

"Yeah. You also broke your ankle."

I winced. "Yeah. That too."

Reyna made me sit down and handed me a square of ambrosia. It was the food of the gods— divine food, that healed us demigods. If you had the right amount, it healed pretty much every wound that wasn't life threatening. If you had too much, your body burned to ash.

Just like sword fighting, it was about finding the balance in things.

The downside?

The healing is really quick. Like instantaneous.

I screamed into Reyna's shoulder as my bones snapped back into place. She patted my back, until the pain slowly disappeared and turned to a dull ache.

I looked up at her.

"Thanks. Where'd you get the ambrosia?"

Reyna shrugged. "Mel gave it to me. Said you'd probably do something stupid and end up needing it. She wasn't wrong— you look like you got run over by a truck."

She wasn't wrong. My face was covered with a mixture of dirt, mud and honey. Half my head was covered in blood from a scalp wound. My armor was torn to close to shreds, several jagged lines dripping blood covering them from end to end. I was still in the leather armor. Somehow, I preferred that to the imperial gold.

"You don't look much better," I pointed out.

She had a large ugly bruise along the right side of her face. Her armor was cracked and she had several scratches along her arms. Her hair was as dusty as mine.

"Point taken," she acquiesced.

I stumbled forward, seeing dark spots in my vision. I blinked and bit my tongue, the pain forcing me to come back to reality.

Akua and Anahita ran up to meet us.

"Are you alright?"

"Percy— that was insane!"

I frowned.

"What was?"

"You, like, summoned the whole ocean! That was the most power I've ever seen."

I frowned.

"I did? I don't remember pulling that much water—"

Akua rolled her eyes. "Of course, I don't mean the entire ocean literally. But definitely enough water to flood the entire bay if you wanted to. I'm glad you're on our side," she shuddered. "You kids of the big three are something else."

I shook my head.

"I'm no different than you. I've just got water powers. And stuff."

Anahita smiled.

"And stuff."

The four of us took a moment to gaze at the celestial ass-kicking that was going on in front of us.

Koios was slowly losing ground, and more and more scars began to appear over his body, dripping blue blood like he was a hardcore Chelsea fan.

Slowly, far off in the East, the sun began to rise. I smiled.

"It looks like this nightmare is finally over."

A/N: Reviews appreciated!

What's your opinion on the Percy/Reyna relationship? Do you think it's too soon? I feel like it's kind normal for two demigods in the middle of the stress of battle to bond...in a sense. Nothing more than words unsaid and things undone. I definitely don't think either of them would kiss so soon, which is why I didn't write about them doing that.

But do you think these feelings are going to last?

How long? What do you think?